Shofar-Blowing Training sessions will take place on: Sunday, August 31, 2025 @ 12:30 PM Thursday, September 4, 2025 @ 8:30 PM Sunday, September 7, 2025 @ 12:30 PM Only one session required.
Sessions to be held at the Ari Fuld, a"h, Rear Building, behind 3209 Fallstaff Rd. No prior sign-up necessary. For any questions, email info@chesedfund.com or call 410-653-3333.
Dear Readers,
There is something rare and precious about these last weeks of summer. Camps are over, school has not yet begun, and for a little while life slows down. For many of us, that means more time at home with our children than we have had in months. No carpools to rush for and no camp buses to catch. Just family. In a world that moves so quickly and pulls us in a thousand directions, these days offer an unfiltered chance to be together. It can be noisy and sometimes overwhelming, but it is also a gift. These days create the kind of connection no scheduled program can match. They are the moments children quietly store away, even if they do not realize it at the time.
When we think back to our own childhoods, many of our warmest memories are from simple summer days. Walking to buy a sno-ball on a warm day. Long games of catch in the yard. Afternoons sprawled on the couch with siblings. Family picnics in the park. We remember laughter, togetherness, and a sense of belonging. Those moments did not happen by chance. They were given to us by parents and grandparents who slowed down and were present. Now it is our turn. If we can give our children what we were blessed to have – unhurried time where love is felt without words, we give them something no toy or camp can match: a foundation of security and connection they will carry forever.
These days are not always perfect. Children get restless, siblings argue, and parents feel the pull of work and chores. But that is part of the beauty. Real family time is not about curated perfection. It is about being present in ordinary moments and in special ones. It is in making bbq’s, letting the kids “help” with a home project, or sitting outside to watch the sunset. Between the squabbles and the “I’m bored” moments, there is laughter, conversation, and the joy of catching your child’s smile when they feel truly seen. That is when we remember why this time matters so much.
As we approach Elul, this window of togetherness becomes even more valuable. Elul is a time to prepare for the year ahead—spiritually, emotionally, and in our relationships. The closeness we build now strengthens our families and our hearts. It allows us to enter Elul with warmth, connection, and peace. Let’s enjoy these days for what they are; time to be with our kids, share some laughs, and soak in the moments we’ll look back on.” School and schedules will return soon enough. For now, let us savor the time we have so that when the shofar calls us to a new year, we answer with hearts that are full. Wishing you a peaceful Shabbos,
Aaron M. Friedman
your: community events, articles & photos, and mazal tovs to
featured in coming editions!
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Around the Community
WITS Opens Its Lab To Yachad-Baltimore Participants!
WITS opened its laboratory facilities to Yachad-Baltimore participants, providing hands-on experiences that combine science, curiosity, and inspiration. Under the direction of Dr. Arthur Salhanick, the WITS lab coordinator, Yachad young adults, men and women, along with staff members, have, to date, engaged in four hands-on lab activities: exploring the process of cellular respiration, constructing molecular models, microscopic examination of plant and animal organisms (including live specimens), and most recently examining mammalian anatomy using the fetal pig as a dissection model.
More than providing an excitement in putting on gloves, goggles, and lab aprons, the true goal is to show the beauty of the world Hashem has given us. For example, a lab on cellular respiration was entitled “The Science of Chametz”. The sequence of these labs has been designed to coordinate with the current summer WITS biology course, thus allowing Yachad to use materials left over from this lab course. We look forward to future exploration of our world and continue to bring joy to these special people in our Baltimore community.
Special thanks to Dr. Salhanick for his ongoing dedication, ensuring the lab is ready, welcoming, and inspiring for all who enter!
Baltimore OU Women Celebrate Siyum Milestones
The Baltimore Women’s chapter of the OU’s Torat Imecha Nach Yomi program recently celebrated two meaningful milestones in their learning.
On July 14, 2025, participants braved the rain to complete Sefer Tehillim with a beautiful siyum. Women shared reflections on chapters of Tehillim that resonated personally, and one speaker highlighted differing rabbinic opinions on the compilation of the sefer.
On August 18, 2025, despite many being away on summer vacations, the group gathered once again to celebrate the completion of the 31 chapters of Sefer Mishlei with a dessert si-
yum. Discussion centered on weaving together the teachings of Rabbi Berel Wein, zt”l, with the timeless messages of Mishlei. The evening was filled with joy, learning, and shared mazal tovs from many participants.
The group has already begun its daily learning of Sefer Iyov and welcomes new participants.
For more information, visit ouwomen.org/nach. Baltimore women interested in joining the local WhatsApp group may contact Tova Taragin (410-371-9194) or Rochel Ziman (443-717-1065).
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Around the Community
Jewish Heritage Night At O’s Game Honors Veterans And History
The Baltimore Orioles Jewish Heritage Night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards brought people together in a powerful way. The evening’s first pitch was delivered by Gideon Kantor, a distinguished World War II veteran and member of the famed Ritchie Boys, the U.S. Army’s elite intelligence unit trained at Camp Ritchie in Maryland. Kantor’s service stands as a testament to the vital contributions of Jewish Americans to the war effort.
The Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. (JWV) took part in the pregame ceremony with a Color Guard presentation, adding to the night’s historic character. Members included Andrew Altman, U.S. Army Reserve; Dan Berkovitz, JWV Post 167 Commander (Baltimore); Mike Glick,
JWV Post 692 Commander (Rockville); Louis Landsman, U.S. Navy veteran; and Arnold Abraham, JWV Post 380 Commander (Annapolis).
For many in attendance, it was a deeply meaningful moment to see Jewish veterans presenting the nation’s colors at such a public setting. The participation highlighted the continuing service of Jewish veterans across generations, from the Ritchie Boys
JCC Of Greater Baltimore
Announces
After 22 years of service to the JCC of Greater Baltimore and the Jewish community, Lurie ascends from COO to lead North America’s oldest JCC, succeeding Barak Hermann
The Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore (JCC) announces the appointment of Paul Lurie as the organization’s incoming CEO. Lurie, who officially assumes the role of CEO on September 1st, succeeds Barak Hermann, who announced his departure from the JCC in January to become the president and CEO of the JCC Association of North America.
In Lurie, the JCC gains a locally grown leader who has faithfully served the organization and the Jewish community in various roles for more than 22 years. Having held the title of Chief Operating Officer (COO) since 2016, Lurie currently oversees building operations, membership, security, facilities, fitness, aquatics, and technology at both JCC campuses in Owings Mills and Park Heights. He has worked closely with the JCC’s executive team on all strategic planning, visioning, analysis, and fiscal management for the organization, and managed multiple renovation and construction projects, including the 2023 renovation of the Gordon Center lobby. Lurie is also serving as the JCC liaison to The
By: BJLife Newsroom
of World War II to today’s citizen soldiers.
A special thank-you is extended to Abe Wasserberger whose support helped make the evening possible.
Jewish Heritage Night was more than just a baseball game - it was a celebration of service, sacrifice, and the enduring contributions of Jewish Americans to the nation’s history.
Paul Lurie As Its Next CEO
Associated on the major redevelopment of the Goldsmith Campus in Park Heights, which is currently in its third phase.
“On behalf of the JCC of Greater Baltimore Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce Paul Lurie as our next CEO,” said Keith Shapiro, JCC Board Chair. “Over the past several months, we have engaged in a rigorous national search process that considered candidates from across the country. Paul proved to be the ideal choice, providing both the continuity and innovative leadership we need to begin our next chapter. Paul dedicated his entire career to serving the JCC’s mission and vision and has established himself as a confident and respected leader in the local Jewish community and among JCCs across the country. Throughout his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in our organization’s growth and success, consistently demonstrating his steadfast commitment to promoting and strengthening Jewish life and values. We know the entire JCC community, including our staff, supporters, partners and members, will be thrilled to welcome and congratulate Paul as our new lead executive.”
Lurie joined the JCC in 2003 as JCC Maccabi experience director and ascended to senior program director in 2013, then vice president
of fitness, recreation, and aquatics in 2014, before becoming COO. He currently serves as the national co-chair of the JCC Maccabi Games, which convene more than 3,000 Jewish teen athletes each summer for a week of individual and team athletic competition and Jewish engagement. He is a graduate of the Mandel Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program’s inaugural class of 2018 and Leadership Baltimore County’s class of 2024. He holds bachelor’s degrees in both economics and mathematics from UMBC and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore.
“I am honored beyond measure to have this opportunity to serve as the next CEO of the JCC of Greater Baltimore,” said Lurie. “In every role I have held over the past 20+ years, I have sought to optimize the JCC’s operations, foster a positive organizational culture, and drive impactful initiatives that embody our core Jewish values. I am proud of the progress we’ve made in ensuring the JCC is a gathering place that welcomes all, strengthens Jewish identity, and builds bridges with the broader community. Together, we will continue to enrich, connect, and celebrate our vibrant Jewish community, and I am excited to lead us into the future.”
About the JCC of Greater Baltimore
As the oldest JCC in North America, the JCC of Greater Baltimore aspires to remain a destination where all are welcome. The JCC is a beneficiary agency of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. Every year The Associated provides upwards of five million dollars in support of the JCC operations at its two locations—the Rosenbloom Owings Mills and the Weinberg Park Heights JCC on the Goldsmith Campus. The JCC provides sports and wellness, arts and culture programming, teen leadership programs, J Camps, inclusion programming, and more. For more information about the JCC, please visit www.jcc.org.
Jewish War Veterans Of Maryland Host Distinguished Dining Event
Members of the Baltimore Jewish community were well-represented at a distinguished dining out held at Kemp Mill Synagogue in Silver Spring, hosted by the Jewish War Veterans of the USA (Maryland)—the nation’s oldest active veterans’ organization, founded in 1896. Among those in attendance were JWV Post 167 Commander Dan Berkovitz, Rabbi Chesky Tenenbaum, Director of Jewish Uniformed Services of Maryland, and Andrew Altman, a U.S. Army Reserve member, along with others from the region who came to show their support.
The evening’s Guest Speaker was Colonel (Ret.) Ed Rothstein, USA, Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, who delivered a powerful and thought-provoking address. Centering his remarks on the question, “Who is packing your parachute?” Rothstein reminded attendees that no one succeeds alone—others support, prepare, and safeguard us along the way. He stressed the importance of both choosing wisely who we trust and expressing gratitude to those who quietly ensure our success and safety.
At the head table, honored guests included:
• Captain David Forman, USN, Naval Academy, President of the
Mess, accompanied by Ms. April Forman
• LTJG Alia Hirsch, USN, Walter Reed, Vice President of the Mess.
• The Honorable Eliav Benjamin, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C.
• Command Sergeant Major Gary Ginsburg, USA (Ret.), Past National Commander, Jewish War Veterans of the USA.
• Senior Master Sergeant Scott Schlesinger, USAF (Ret.), Department of Mid-Atlantic Area & Israel, JWV, accompanied by Ms. Anne Schlesinger
The evening was marked by the time-honored traditions of a Dining Out, blending military formality with camaraderie and humor. Music was provided by the United States Army Pershing’s Own Brass Quintet, whose performance added ceremony and inspiration to the night. Midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy were also in attendance, reinforcing the event’s central purpose: strengthening Jewish life in the armed forces.
Dinner was catered by Signature Caterers under the kosher supervision of the Vaad of Greater Washington, ensuring the highest standards of kashrut for the community.
By: BJLife Newsroom
In keeping with the evening’s spirit of service, proceeds from the event will support the Friends of the Jewish Chapel at the Naval Academy, an organization dedicated to supporting Jewish midshipmen as they pursue both their military and spiritual journeys.
Special thanks and approbations go to CDR Daniel Vogel (Ret.); Anne Schlesinger; LCDR Yonina Creditor, USN; Maj Michael Kuiper, USMC (Ret.); CDR Michael Glick; LTJG Alia Hirsch, USN; Lt Col Andrew Gilson; Lt Col Gary Cohen, USAF (Ret.); LTC Yeshaya Poyrus; Devora Exline; Justin Dekelbaum; Charley
Jay; Andrew Swedlow; the United States Army Pershing’s Own Brass Quintet; Signature Caterers; CSS Security; Kemp Mill Synagogue; Manasseh Katz Smart Computer Inc.; and DJ “C” Hirsch. Their contributions and dedication made the evening possible and ensured its success.
This memorable night at Kemp Mill Synagogue highlighted the unique bonds between the Jewish community, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the State of Israel—an enduring reminder that faith, service, and fellowship go hand in hand.
With Just 3 Weeks Remaining In The Regular Season, The Playoff Race Is Heating Up In Charm City Ballers Sponsored By Advanced Security!
Orshan Legal Group 39 M&S Enterprise 38
Orshan Legal Sneaks By M&S, Solidifies Playoff Position
Orshan Legal Group overcame the absence of their leading scorer to hold off M&S Enterprise 39-38 in a nailbiter, setting themselves up in very strong playoff position as the season reaches its final stretch. They got the win despite a wild final few seconds that featured a wild turnover followed by an unnecessary foul, followed by 2 of 3 missed free throws with a chance to tie or win the game.
Orshan Legal got 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists from Isaac
Beletskiy, although he did so on very inefficient shooting numbers. Sub Gabe Schuman had 9 points and 11 rebounds, while Yoseph Orshan had 6 and 14. David Raden and Dany Donaty each had 7 points, with 10 and 8 rebounds respectively in a balanced scoring performance for their team.
Avi Yudkowsky paced M&S as usual, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Mike Khoshkeraman chipped in 12 points while Howie Friedman grabbed a dozen boards. The loss drops M&S to 2-4-1 and sets them up for a must win battle against Platinum Insurance. Orshan Legal moves to 4-4 with the win. Platinum Insurance Group 52
Yoni Gugenheim had a season high 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as Platinum Insurance scraped out a hard fought win over Councilman Schleifer. Platinum picked up their 3rd straight win and they are now 3-4-1 after an 0-4 start and sit in the 4th and final playoff spot with 2 games remaining.
Eitan Hariri was his usual self with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists, repeatedly powering through the Platinum defense to finish at the rim. But his team wasn’t able to support him, as no other player topped 6
points and the Councilman Schleifer team made several sloppy errors on both sides of the ball, including multiple turnovers and missed free throws in the final minutes as Platinum pulled back in front.
This game was hotly contested throughout, with neither team holding a lead of more than 6 at any point.
Noach Schwartz added 13 points and 6 rebounds for Platinum, while Mordi Spero chipped in 11 and 9. Platinum heads into a key matchup against M&S Enterprise with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Schleifer drops to 6-3 with the loss as they prep for the playoffs.
Simple, Sweet & Beautiful
by Danielle Renov + Chana Sara Posen
From bestselling author Danielle Renov comes a celebration of the Jewish kitchen’s best-kept secret: BUNDT CAKE!
In this volume, Danielle joins forces with master baker Chana Sara Posen to share irresistible bundt recipes — from classics like babka, sponge, and rich chocolate to fresh takes like snickerdoodle, grapefruit-olive oil, and even rainbow cookie–inspired bundts. Gorgeous and easy to bake — with experttested tips to guarantee a flawless release every time — these timeless delicacies are sure to be a hit. With two gluten-free options included, this book will transform you and your family into true bundt cake lovers and connoisseurs!
Wheels Of Joy: Mitzvah Riders Give Camp Simcha Kids The Ride Of A Lifetime
By: BJLife Newsroom
This morning was nothing short of extraordinary! Our kids had the thrill of a lifetime riding with the incredible Mitzvah Riders, whose energy and generosity made the experience truly unforgettable.
A heartfelt thank you to David and Wendy Hefter of the Chanukah House of Pikesville for coordinating this special event and making it possible. Your dedication brings so much joy and excitement to our children—what a meaningful way to start the day!
Camp Simcha Without Borders, a project of Chai Lifeline Mid- Atlantic, provides a week of fun and connection for familes navigating a medical journey. Thank you to our gracious hosts David and Rachel Warschawski for hosting our kids for the 6th year!!
Baltimore Heroes Join Bike4Chai 2025, Bringing Community Spirit To The Catskills Celebration
By: BJLife Newsroom
From August 12–14, more than 700 cyclists from across the globe joined together for Bike4Chai 2025, a two-day, 180-mile journey that raised critical funds to support children and families facing serious illness, trauma, and loss.
Now in its 16th year, Bike4Chai has grown into one of the most impactful charity rides in the country, funding Chai Lifeline’s year-round programs and services for over 10,000 families.
Baltimore was especially well-represented on the ride, with a strong group of local heroes pedaling for the cause. Friends, neighbors, and community members rode side by side, bringing the heart of Baltimore’s spirit to Bike4Chai. Among them were:
Modo Artman, Yosef Danesh, Tzvi Feigenbaum, Larry Franks, Yaakov Gluck, Shuey Goldstein, Tzvi Golub, Eli Greengart, Tzvi Greengart, Nechemya Jakobovits, Kalman Akiva (Josh) Kovacs, Judah Labovitz, Zalmy Lavi, Reuven Levinson, Mordechai (Martin) Leybovich, Avi Lopin, Moshe Mayer, Alan Aharon Newman, Yehoshua Ribakow, Yehoshua Sopher, Larry Strauss, Neil Sweren, Gavriel Wealcatch, Shmuli Wealcatch, and Dovid Wilson. Together, they carried
the pride of Baltimore across every mile, embodying the city’s trademark warmth and devotion to community.
Community Support Along the Route
This year’s event was defined not only by the dedication of the riders but also by the overwhelming show of community support.
On Thursday, August 14, thousands lined Broadway in Monticello to cheer on the riders as they passed through town. Spectators waved signs, rang cowbells, and celebrated together over complimentary treats from local partners, including Boosur, Rita’s, The Flame, and Fialkoff’s.
The energy along Broadway set the tone for the afternoon’s grand finale, as riders completed their trek with a dramatic victory lap around the Mon-
ticello Motor Club racetrack, greeted by roaring crowds that included Camp Simcha campers, families, volunteers, and members of the community.
Voices from the Ride
“This year, the community truly became part of the ride,” said Rabbi Sruli Fried, Executive Director of Bike4Chai. “That feeling of togetherness was unforgettable and brought the mission of Bike4Chai to life for everyone who participated.”
Impact of Funds Raised
Funds raised during Bike4Chai support Chai Lifeline’s extensive range of services, including:
Case management, Hospital and home support, Transportation to medical appointments, Crisis intervention, i-Shine afterschool services.
Camp Simcha, Chai Lifeline’s flagship summer program for children facing serious illness
A Shared Mission
“Every cheer, every sign, every smile from the community along the route made this ride even more meaningful,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline. “Together with our riders, supporters, and friends, we’re giving families hope, joy, and strength when they need it most.”
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Around the Community
Not Only Grown-Ups — Even Children Love Being Involved With The NWCP
Throughout the Northwest Citizens Patrol’s (NWCP) proud 43-year history, our mission has always been to keep the community safe — and that includes its youngest members. We are proud to offer programs specifically designed to teach children how to stay safe.
Each summer, children gather at the Agudah Simcha Room and in Classroom #5 at Shomrei to hear engaging and informative presentations on bicycle, scooter, skateboard, and pedestrian safety. These sessions are led by our veteran instructor, Debby Baer, along with a well-trained seasoned officer from the Baltimore City Police Department. Together, they share practical, easy-to-understand safety tips that help children enjoy their summer activities with confidence and care.
Our goal is to ensure that while children are outside playing and having fun, they are also staying safe. A bit of focused knowledge can go a long way in helping them build good
safety habits that last a lifetime.
Of course, no NWCP safety program is complete without a sweet treat — after the session, each child leaves with a large bag of freshly popped, delicious popcorn, generously donated by the Candy Store.
The NWCP was also happy to participate in the Torah Institute’s summer camp program, where children combine fun and learning in a vibrant environment. Our Command Car made a special visit to the Torah Institute campus, much to the excitement of the 250+ campers and staff.
Children were delighted to explore the Command Car, lit up with colorful, blinking lights. They sat in the car, examined the dashboard gadgets, wore authentic Baltimore City Police apparel, tried on safety gear, and handled real emergency equipment — all under close supervision. The campers were respectful, orderly, and clearly thrilled by the experience.
Its programs like these that set the NWCP apart. Because of our dedication to community safety and education — for all ages — the Northwest Citizens Patrol is proud to be rec-
Agra D’Pirka: A Learning Program For All Seasons
In 2009, when the founders of Agra D’Pirka founded the learning program for balabatim in the Flatbush community - l’ilui neshmas Pesi Rochel Klein, a”h (whose initials spell out “Pirka”) - little did they realize that it would blossom into a nationwide program. Today, Agra D’Pirka provides thousands of shiurim in cities across the USA to over 1,000 lomdim. Over 100 magidei shiur provide cutting edge learning opportunities. As we go to press, Agra D’Pirka is finalizing plans for its newest location in the Five Towns area.
Agra D’Pirka administrator Rabbi Chaim Fuhrer explains, “Agra D’Pirka is an organized morning learning program geared towards local professionals, business owners, college students, retirees, and anyone else who wishes to increase his limud haTorah. It has an impressive roster of magidei shiur at each of its many locations. Currently, Agra D’Pirka has hundreds of shiurim on Torah Anytime and Kol Halashon, enabling limud haTorah beyond the program’s beis medrash walls.”
There’s
As the summer draws to a close, Agra D’Pirka’s Catskills Summer Shiurim program concluded its sixth successful season. The nine weekly Sunday morning shiurim - held at The Lake Forest Shul in Fallsburgfeatured an all-star line-up, including Harav Bentzion Gips, Harav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Harav Yonasan Sacks, Harav Zev Smith, Harav Fischel Schachter, Harav Aharon Kahn, Harav Label Wulliger, and Harav Mordechai Meisels. At least 500 people attended.
“I get excited each summer when I partake in Agra D’Pirka’s Catskill program,” shares Rabbi Sholom Jaroslawicz. “All our locations run from Monday through Thursday with some on Friday. Our Catskill program was initiated to turn Sunday into a learning day. This is what excites me about this time of the year in Agra D’Pirka -- its two months of Agra D’Pirka running a full six days a week.”
As Harav Aharon Kahn notes, “The Catskills have become centers of Torah in so many different ways. Whether in yeshivos that transition there for the summer zman or the bungalow colonies
ognized as the premier “Citizens on Patrol” organization in the country.
We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support of this outstanding organization.
By: Margie Pensak | Photos: Rabbi Eli Sofer
or the children’s camps, there is more Torah in the Catskills than ever before. It is only fitting that the presence of Agra D’Pirka also be felt. These Agra D’Pirka shiurim present the finest quality Torah to many who may not have had the experience before. For me personally, the shiur provides a rare opportunity to teach Torah in Yiddish. All this is the product of Ezra Klein’s visionary commitment to harbotzas Torah.”
Moving on to Elul
Shuli Klein reports, “Bli ayin hara, the Lakewood location has been growing incrementally over the past ten years. The influx of seniors to Lakewood and its environs has fed this influx. We have carpools and attendees from every major development – Pine River Village, A Country Place, Enclave, Fairways – you name it. These new arrivals find fulfillment
in their day through the limud hatorah of Agra D’Pirka. The magidei shiur are from the best Lakewood has to offer. Baruch Hashem, we have an unparalleled program, and all are welcome to attend. It is free!”
Agra D’Pirka is gearing up for a special Labor Day program on September 1 with shiurim presented by fabulous popular speakers. Harav Rabbi Yerucham Olshin, Rosh Hayeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, will speak in Lakewood. Harav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Rav, Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, will speak in Flatbush; Harav Mordechai Shuchatowitz, the Morah D’Asra of Agudath Israel of Greenspring, will speak in Baltimore. There will also be programs in Kew Garden Hills, Queens, and in Boca Raton.
For more information, contact cfuhrer@agradpirka.org, 212-661-9400.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer at Baltimore Agra D’Pirka - Memorial Day, 2025
JCNSL By Tripping Kosher: Season Five Lights Up The Field
The Jewish Community Night Softball League (JCNSL), proudly presented by Tripping Kosher, has returned for its fifth season, and this year promises to be bigger, brighter, and more competitive than ever. Since its inception, the JCNSL has grown into a staple of summer nights in our community, offering spirited competition, camaraderie, and the perfect blend of athleticism and fun.
This season’s action unfolds on the beautifully manicured Tidy Up Fields, where every blade of grass and every inch of infield dirt gleams thanks to the tireless work of the Donny Ankri Architects Grounds Crew. Under the lights, the fields look more spectacular than ever, setting the stage for high-level competition and unforgettable moments.
The league’s logistics remain unmatched. Thanks to Fired Up Promotions, all the necessary equipment is in place, ensuring players have everything they need to bring their A-game. The I Heart Remodeling Umpiring Crew keeps the games running smoothly and fairly, bringing both authority and professionalism to every call.
Of course, no season would be complete without the sharp look of the players themselves. Outfitted in their handsome jerseys—sponsored by Calm Mind Therapy—the athletes of the JCNSL look every bit the part of seasoned pros.
This year’s lineup features eight determined teams—Aisle 9, YL Waitering, MDSC, Miracle Massage, Clothier, Tov Pizza, Ambush Law, and The Fireside Bakery—all vying for glory across seven regular season games. Their eyes are set firmly on a spot in the NIV Advisors Postseason and, ultimately, the chance to hoist the coveted Premier Financial Trophy.
With the stage perfectly set, Week Two delivered action, drama, and some breakout performances. Here’s a look at the highlights.
Aisle Nine 11 MDSC 4
Aisle 9 picked up a solid win, defeating MDSC 11–4 and improving to
2–1 on the season. Kobe Leder was just a home run shy of the cycle, delivering a monster performance at the plate. Rookie Chaim Lefkowitz impressed as well, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored as part of a 20-hit night for Aisle 9.
The defense was just as sharp, with Aisle 9 shutting down any hopes of a comeback. With both bats and gloves working in harmony, Aisle 9 controlled the game early and never looked back. The momentum they’re building hints at a promising season ahead.
The Fireside Bakery 10 Ambush Law 1
After a tough opening week that saw two close losses, The Fireside Bakery roared back in Week Two with grit and precision, posting back-to-back wins.
In Game One against Ambush Law, Ezra Bregin’s two-run homer in the first inning set the tone for a commanding 10–1 victory. Walt Johnson was steady at the leadoff spot, while clutch two-out hitting from Tzvi Schechtman and Simcha Luchansky padded the lead. On defense, Mo Krohn was a wall at shortstop, making sure Ambush never threatened a rally.
YL Waitering 19 Ambush Law 1
YL Waitering left no doubt in their 19–1 defeat of Ambush Law, showcasing powerful bats, airtight defense, and top-to-bottom team chemistry.
The rally began when Yoni Levin opened the game with a triple, setting the tone for a three-hit, one-walk night. Shmuly and Avi Abramson each drove in two runs, while Mayer Goldsmith controlled the mound with ease and even chipped in offensively.
Defensively, Yoni Frager patrolled the outfield like a pro, and Meir Parry flashed leather at shortstop while adding two hits. Zevi Charner anchored third base with confidence, while contributions from Meir Shamberg, Shlomo Fantl, Zack Lerner, and Brian Ponczak behind the plate rounded out the team’s complete performance.
With contributions across the roster, YL Waitering looks every bit like a postseason contender.
Aisle Nine 6 Clothier 3
In a tightly contested matchup, Aisle 9 earned a 6–3 victory over Clothier, improving to 3–1 on the season. Pitchers Akiva Katz (Aisle 9) and Avi Safren (Clothier) were dominant, keeping batters guessing all night.
Defensively, Aisle 9 leaned on strong plays from Yoni Lencz and Zecharya Shear, while Mendy Rauh stood tall at first base with several key picks. The combination of pitching, defense, and timely hitting was enough to tilt the duel in Aisle 9’s favor.
Miracle Massage 10 Clothier 6
The night also featured a strong performance from Miracle Massage, who topped Clothier 10–6. Rookie shortstop Akiva Furman impressed with dazzling glove work, while the turning point came when Clothier intentionally walked Nadav to load the bases—only for Samby to crush a bases-clearing double that sealed the win.
The Miracle squad celebrated both the victory and Jeremy Kramer’s birthday, proving there was plenty to smile about on and off the field.
The Fireside
Bakery 9 Tov Pizza 5
A thriller between Fireside and Tov Pizza kept fans on edge with several late ties. Fireside showed resilience, grabbing the lead in the fifth and adding insurance runs in the sixth before flawless defense in the ninth sealed the deal. Avi Donaty dazzled with three opposite-field doubles, while Meir Glazer made a highlight-reel fading throw from third. Baruch Glazer and Sasha Zakharin
chipped in with timely hits and steady leadership behind the plate.
With muffins promised for all players next week, Fireside Bakery has officially baked its way back into contention.
MDSC 7 Miracle Massage 4
After a tough opening loss to Aisle 9, MDSC regrouped and rebounded with a hard-earned win against the previously undefeated Miracle Massage.
Focusing on “baseball basics,” MDSC played efficient, gap-hitting offense to scratch out seven runs, while their defense stood tall in key moments. Despite a late push from Miracle Massage, the Strum Team held on for the victory.
One memorable moment came when a Miracle player, impressed by Rafi’s highlight-reel catch, shouted: “Rafi! You are a cheat code!” The comment summed up MDSC’s turnaround, as they proved they’re capable of beating anyone in the league when they stay locked in.
Looking Ahead
With Week Two in the books, the JCNSL by Tripping Kosher is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and entertaining seasons yet. Every team has shown flashes of brilliance, and with the NIV Advisors Postseason on the horizon and the Premier Financial Trophy waiting to be claimed, the battles will only get fiercer.
A special thank you to league photographer Josh Finkelstein and the league media sponsor, Baltimore Jewish Home!
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The Week In News
France Summons Amb. Kushner
This week, France’s Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner in response to a letter Kushner wrote, decrying France’s “lack of sufficient action” in confronting antisemitism. France strongly rejected the “unacceptable” allegations in Kushner’s letter, which the ministry said “fall short of the quality of the transatlantic relationship”
between the U.S. and France.
On Monday, a French diplomatic source said that the U.S. Chargé d’affaires was summoned to the ministry’s headquarters in Paris in Kushner’s absence, as he was not in Paris.
The Chargé d’affaires was told Kushner’s letter was not acceptable either in form or substance and that it “drew a conclusion that did not correspond to the reality of the resolute mobilization of France in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.” The U.S. diplomat was also told that the letter constituted an interference in the internal affairs of France, according to the source.
“The rise in antisemitic acts in France since October 7, 2023, is a reality that we deplore and to which the French authorities are fully committed, given the intolerability of these acts,” the French Foreign Ministry said in its earlier statement.
Kushner said he wrote the letter out of “deep concern” for the situation in France.
“Antisemitism has long scarred French life, but it has exploded since Hamas’s barbaric assault on October 7, 2023,” Kushner wrote. “Since then, proHamas extremists and radical activists have waged a campaign of intimidation
and violence across Europe.”
The letter, dated for Monday, August 25, was issued to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Kushner, who was confirmed to his post in May, urged Macron to enforce hate crime laws “without exception” and to take more efforts to ensure the safety of the Jewish community.
“In France, not a day passes without Jews assaulted in the street, synagogues or schools defaced, or Jewish-owned businesses vandalized,” he said. “Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France.”
Kushner also advised the French president to “abandon steps that give legitimacy to Hamas and its allies,” while pointing to U.S. President Donald Trump’s measures in the U.S.
“President Trump and I have Jewish children and share Jewish grandchildren. I know how he feels about antisemitism, as do all Americans,” he said in the letter, referring to several Trump administration moves, including enforcing “civil rights protections for Jewish students on university campuses” and overseeing “the deportation of Hamas sympathizers.”
Asked whether the Trump administration stood by Kushner’s comments, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Sunday, “Yes, we stand by his comments. Ambassador Kushner is our U.S. government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role.”
France recently announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian “state.”
Danish Parenting Competence Test
On August 11, Danish authorities seized the baby of a Greenlandic mother just one hour after the child’s birth in a medical facility near Copenhagen. In April, authorities began administering a “parenting competence” test on the mother. By June, after a series of tests,
Greater Washington Weekday Minyanim Guide
6:15 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah M-F
6:25 am Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
6:30 am Beth Sholom Congregation M-F
Beit Halevi (Sfardi) M, T
Chabad of Silver Spring M-F
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S YGW M, Th
6:35 am Ohr Hatorah M, Th
6:40 am YGW S, T, W, F
Magen David Sephardic Congregation M-Th
6:45 am Beit Halevi (Sfardi) S, T, W, F
Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th
Ohr Hatorah T, W, F
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6:50 am Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah M, Th Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County M-F
6:55 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah T, W, F
7:00 am Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S Silver Spring Jewish Center S
Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah T, W, F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac T, W, F
7:05 am Kesher Israel M, Th
7:15 am Kemp Mill Synagogue M, Th Kesher Israel T, W, F
Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue M-F
Ohr Hatorah S
7:30 am Chabad of DC M-F
Chabad of Potomac M-F JROC M-F
Kemp Mill Synagogue T, W, F
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua M-F
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) M-F
7:45 am YGW (Yeshiva Session Only) S-F
8:00 am Beth Sholom Congregation S
Kemp Mill Synagogue S Kesher Israel S
Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah OLNEY S
Southeast Hebrew Cong., Knesset Yehoshua S
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County S Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah S
8:00 am YGW (High School; School-Contingent) S-F
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac S Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sfardi) S
8:05 am Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville M, Th
8:15 am Ohr Hatorah S Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville S, T, W, F
Kehilat Pardes / Berman Hebrew Academy S-F
Silver Spring Jewish Center M-F
8:30 am Chabad of DC S Chabad of Potomac S JROC S Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue S Silver Spring Jewish Center S YGW (Summer Only) S-F
8:45 am Young Israel Shomrai Emunah S-F
9:00 am Chabad of Silver Spring S Kemp Mill Synagogue S
mincha
2:15 pm Silver Spring Jewish Center S-F
2:20 pm YGW M, T, W
2:45 pm YGW M-Th
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mincha/maariv
Before Shkiah (15-18 minutes), S-TH
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Beth Sholom Congregation
Chabad of Potomac
Chabad of Silver Spring
Chabad of Upper Montgomery County
Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville (20 min before, S-F) JROC
Kemp Mill Synagogue
Kesher Israel
Magen David Sephardic Congregation
Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah/The National Synagogue
Ohr Hatorah
Silver Spring Jewish Center
Southeast Hebrew Congregation
Woodside Synagogue/Ahavas Torah
Young Israel Ezras Israel of Potomac
Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Asheknaz) Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Sefarhadi) maariv
8:15 pm OSTT (OLNEY) S-Th
8:45 pm YGW School Days
9:30 pm YGW S-Th Silver Spring Jewish CenterSpring/Summer
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10:00 pm YGW S-Th
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they decided she was unfit to raise the child she was then pregnant with. Three weeks before she gave birth, authorities notified her that they would take her baby from her.
The problem: In May, a law went into effect, prohibiting Danish authorities from using “parenting competence” tests (FKU, or forældrekompetenceundersøgelse) on Greenlandic individuals. The law was passed in January after it was demonstrated that the tests discriminated against people of Greenlandic backgrounds, as the tests weren’t designed to accommodate cultural differences.
It is unclear why authorities took away the baby of Ivana Nikoline Brønlund, 18, despite the ban, though a court will hear her appeal on September 16. Her baby was taken to foster care, and she is only allowed to see the infant once every two weeks for two hours at a time under supervision.
Danish Social Affairs Minister Sophie Hæstorp Andersen expressed her concerns about the situation. Andersen has asked the municipality to justify its decision.
Protests in Greenland and other places were sparked because of the incident.
Even though she was born in Green-
land to Greenlandic parents, authorities claimed Brøland was “not Greenlandic enough” to be barred from the test. Authorities told Brøland they decided to take her baby because of the trauma she endured from living with her now-jailed abusive adoptive father. Though the municipality refuses to comment on the case for confidentiality purposes, officials admitted that there were issues with the process that led up to the decision.
“I didn’t want to go into labor because I knew what would happen afterwards. I would keep my baby nearby me when she was in my stomach, that was the closest I would be with her. It was a very rough and horrible time,” Brøland told the Guardian, adding that her first visit with her baby girl ended early because the baby was, according to authorities, overtired and overstimulated.
“My heart broke when she [the supervisor] stopped the time. I was so sad, I cried out to the car and in the car. It was so fast that we had to leave,” she said while crying. “My heart is so broken, I don’t know what to do without her.”
Protests were also sparked after authorities seized the two-hour-old baby of Greenlandic mother Keira Alexandra Kronvold.
Australia: Iran Behind Attacks
According to Australia’s Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been behind the two arson antisemitic attacks last year that targeted a Jewish-owned restaurant in Sydney and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. As such, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his country will be expelling the Iranian ambassador to Canberra.
“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” Albanese said.
The Iranian ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, and three other diplomatic staff have been given seven days to leave the
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country. It’s the first time Australia has expelled a foreign ambassador since the second World War.
Australia has also suspended operations at its embassy in Iran for the safety of its consular officials, and Australians in Iran have been urged to leave the country.
Albanese added that Iran’s IRGC – an elite wing of the Iranian military considered instrumental in crushing dissent at home and projecting Iran’s power abroad by funding militia across the Middle East – would also be listed as a terrorist agency. The U.S. moved to declare it a terrorist group in 2019.
“I’ve said many times that the Australian people want two things: They want killing in the Middle East to stop, and they don’t want conflict in the Middle East brought here. Iran has sought to do just that,” Albanese added.
“They have sought to harm and terrify Jewish Australians and to sow hatred and division in our community,” he added.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the antisemitic attacks in Australia were directed by the IRGC and carried out by “a layer cake” of intermediaries.
“This was directed by the IRGC
through a series of overseas cut-out facilitators to coordinators that found their way to tasking Australians,” he said.
Antisemitic attacks in Australia have surged since the massacre of October 7.
“ASIO is still investigating possible Iranian involvement in a number of other attacks. But I want to stress, we do not believe the regime is responsible for every act of antisemitism in Australia,” Burgess said.
In a news conference on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei rejected the accusations, calling them “baseless” and “ridiculous.”
More Pain
On Saturday, Lt. Ori Gerlic, Hy”d, lost his life while defending his nation.
The 20-year-old platoon commander in the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion hailed from Meitar. According to the IDF, Gerlic lost his life in an accident during efforts to demol-
ish structures in Khan Younis.
The military said it was investigating what caused the explosive to detonate prematurely.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip now stands at 460. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.
Gerlic’s death came days after a military encampment in Khan Younis came under a rare large-scale Hamas attack.
Despite errors that enabled gunmen to enter the army post, the IDF said soldiers were able to fight back and successfully repel the attack, killing around 15 of the terrorists. Three soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously, the IDF said.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks reportedly advanced into a new neighborhood of Gaza City in the Strip’s north on Saturday. Israel is hoping to capture the entire Gaza City. Tens of thousands of reservists are due to show up for duty on September 2 for the offensive, which is likely to begin in the following weeks.
Brazil Brouhaha
On Monday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced that it was downgrading Israel’s ties with Brazil, noting that the South American country had refused to approve the credentials of Jerusalem’s nominee to serve as ambassador to Brasilia.
“After Brazil, unusually, refrained from replying to Ambassador [Gali] Dagan’s request for agrément, Israel withdrew the request, and relations between the countries are now being conducted at a lower diplomatic level,” read a statement from the ministry.
The ministry also noted that the “critical and hostile line that Brazil has displayed toward Israel” since the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, “was intensified” by remarks from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last year.
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Israel declared Lula a “persona non grata,” after he accused Jerusalem of “genocide” in Gaza, saying the only historical parallel was “when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.”
“The Foreign Ministry continues to maintain deep ties with Israel’s many circles of friends in Brazil,” the statement added.
Brazil recalled its ambassador to Israel last year and has yet to appoint a replacement.
This week’s controversy is reminiscent of a similar incident in 2015, when Brasilia refused to accept the credentials of Israeli ambassador Dani Dayan, a former head of the Yesha umbrella council of settlement mayors. Israel eventually withdrew Dayan’s nomination and nominated Yossi Shelley for the role.
IAF Strikes Sanaa
On Sunday, the Israeli Air Force struck four targets in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, using 35 munitions. The strike — which hit a military compound that hosts an abandoned presidential palace, a fuel depot, and two power stations — was Israel’s response to a ballistic missile attack by the
Houthis on Friday night, when the Iran proxy group fired a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead for the first time.
Thankfully, the Houthis’ attack caused no deaths or injuries. The strike slightly damaged part of a house in the central Israeli town of Ginaton, though the woman living there, Ilana Hatoumi, was not injured.
The army said it was investigating the IAF’s failure to intercept the Houthi strikes.
The IAF struck the Yemeni presidential palace, which is “located within a military site from which the military operations of the Houthi terrorist regime forces are conducted.” The military also hit the two power plants that “served as a significant electricity supply facility for military activities.” The IAF used about a dozen aircraft in the strikes.
According to the Houthis, the Israeli attack led to four deaths and 67 injuries.
During Israel’s strikes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir supervised the attack from the IAF’s command center in Tel Aviv.
“Whoever attacks us, we will attack him,” declared Netanyahu. “Whoever plans to attack us — we attack him. I think the entire region is learning Israel’s
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strength and determination.”
Houthi terrorism,” Katz said. “For every inch toward a security agreement.
According to Sky News Arabic, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new president of Syria, corroborated the reports, noting that Syria was engaging in “advanced” security agreement talks with Israel. Sharaa reportedly said that the deal would be based on the disengagement lines the two countries agreed to in 1974, a year after the Yom Kippur War. Though he believes it’s not time to make peace with Israel, Sharaa said he would “not hesitate to take” any deal that is good for Syria and the Middle East.
On Tuesday, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in Paris to discuss security arrangements in southern Syria, where the two countries have been working to de-escalate the conflict as part of U.S.-mediated talks.
According to Channel 12, the security
deal between Israel and Syria would include the Golan Heights’ demilitarization on the Syrian side; the prevention of the Syrian army’s restoration; a ban on the entry into Syria of any weapons that pose a danger to Israel; and a humanitarian corridor’s establishment for Syria’s Jabal al-Druze region. In return, Syria will be rehabilitated by the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 after capturing around two-thirds of it during the 1967 Six-Day War. In December 2024, right after Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell, Israel took control of a buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
Barrack, also on Monday, urged Israel to cooperate with a plan where Hezbollah would be disarmed by the end of 2025 if the IDF stops operating in Lebanon. Though Hezbollah refuses to disarm, Lebanon’s cabinet approved the plan in August.
Terror Plotters Arrested
Following a manhunt that lasted hours, Israeli police officers, on Sunday, detained a number of Palestinians in
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northern Tel Aviv allegedly involved in planning a terror attack.
Two of the alleged plotters were from Nablus, police confirmed, adding that they were captured and transferred for interrogation in a joint operation with the Shin Bet. According to reports, officials arrested more Palestinians involved in the plot.
The suspects reportedly resided in Israel illegally. Earlier on Sunday, the Shin Bet issued an alert about the attack plot.
Arrests were made after intelligence was received around 7 p.m., leading to the deployment of police and the Shin Bet counterterrorism unit “Team Tequila,” N12 reported. One suspect from Nablus intended to carry out an attack, though it is not yet known if he was armed.
Fifty-three people, including Israeli security personnel, have been murdered in terrorist attacks in Israel and Judea and Samaria since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre.
NY Deadly Bus Crash
A tour bus flipped over on Friday while traveling eastbound on Interstate 90 in upstate New York. Five people were killed in the crash, with dozens more injured.
The bus overturned in Pembroke, near Buffalo, after the “vehicle lost control, went into the median, over-corrected, and ended up in the ditch,” said New York State Police Trooper James O’Callaghan. A number of passengers were ejected from the vehicle, while others were trapped, said New York State Police
bound for New York City. It held 52 passengers and two bus company employees, according to police. The youngest passenger was one, and the oldest was 74. O’Callaghan said that the majority of tourists on the bus were Indian, Chinese, or Filipino.
At the scene of the crash, officials found five deceased adults: Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhu Bani, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China, a Columbia University Student; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Jian Mingli, 56, of Jersey City, New Jersey.
O’Callaghan said the vast majority of passengers sustained injuries, some as minor as cuts and bruises. Others were brought to Erie County Medical Center for head injuries and extremity fractures, as well as to Strong Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban, and UMMR in Batavia. Mercy Flight and several emergency medical services and first responders helped victims at the scene of the crash. Kaleida Health said it was treating 20 patients, including five children, one of whom was in serious condition. The University of Rochester Medical Center said two patients sustained critical injuries.
Bin Shao, the bus’s 55-year-old driver from Flushing, New York, was, as far as is known, not impaired, nor was the crash a result of mechanical failure, police said.
“It’s believed the operator became distracted, lost control, over-corrected and ended up on the right shoulder there,” Ray said. However, officials are still investigating the crash, and no charges have been filed as of yet. The bus driver “has been cooperative,” said Ray.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was briefed on the “tragic tour bus accident.”
“My team is coordinating closely with @nyspolice and local officials who
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All lanes of the Thruway in Pembroke were shut down following the crash on the eastbound I-90. Westbound traffic has since resumed.
Dust Storm Blankets Phoenix
On Monday, the skies above metro Phoenix, Arizona, went dark, as a powerful storm kicked up a towering wall of dust, blanketing the area. Drivers were blinded, and the dust knocked out power-
lines and grounded flights at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
Drivers said that they had to pull over as the storm engulfed their cars. The dust entered their noses and mouths, even
with the car windows closed, and rattled their vehicles until it finally passed 15 minutes later.
What occurred on Monday was called a haboob. A haboob is a dust storm pushed by the wind produced by a weather front or thunderstorm and typically occurs in flat, arid areas. Heavy rain and wind followed Monday’s haboob, delaying flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and causing some damage to a terminal roof.
More than 15,000 people lost power, most in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, according to PowerOutage.us
Big Birthday Girl
Ethel Caterham just celebrated her 116th birthday. She is the world’s oldest living person and the oldest British person ever on record.
The resident of Surrey, England, was certified as the world’s oldest living person by Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest on April 30, following the death of Brazilian woman Inah
Canabarro Lucas at the age of 116.
Ethel celebrated her 116th birthday on Thursday.
Her sister, Gladys Babilas, died at the age of 104 years and 78 days in 2002.
Ethel has outlived both of her own daughters but has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
Ethel lives in a care home. A spokesperson for the home said that Ethel won’t be giving any interviews in honor of her birthday – although if King Charles called, she would make an exception.
Ethel was once asked for the secret to her long life by the Salisbury Journal.
“Say yes to every opportunity because you never know what it will lead to. Have a positive mental attitude and have everything in moderation,” she said.
That advice seems to have served her well.
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Why Joining NRS As A Distributor Pays Up Front And Every Month
By Tzvi Katz
The distribution business often forces you to choose between quick cash and steady income. National Retail Solutions (NRS) breaks that pattern with a compensation model that delivers both uncapped upfront payouts plus monthly residual income. Every client you sign becomes multiple revenue streams, creating a business that pays you today and keeps paying you tomorrow.
Uncapped Upfront Payouts Mean Real Money Now
Most distribution programs cap your earnings or make you wait months for commissions. NRS takes a different approach. You earn immediate compensation on every sale, with no ceiling on what you can make. Close five deals this week? Get paid for five deals. Close twenty next month? Get paid for twenty. Your income matches your effort.
This immediate cash flow changes everything. You can reinvest in marketing, hire support staff, or expand into new territories without waiting for quarterly
commission checks. The money hits your account fast, giving you the flexibility to grow at your own pace. Success breeds success, and having capital on hand makes that growth possible.
Monthly Residuals Build True Wealth
While upfront payouts handle your immediate needs, residual income creates long-term financial security. Every merchant you bring to NRS generates ongoing monthly revenue through transaction fees, service subscriptions, and processing volumes. These are consistent payments that continue as long as your clients stay active.
Think about the math: Sign ten merchants and you earn ten upfront payments plus ten monthly residual streams. Sign fifty merchants over a year, and you’ve built fifty separate income sources. Even if you take a vacation or slow down your sales activity, those residual payments keep flowing. This is how smart distributors build wealth rather than just earn a living.
Multiple Products Equal Multiple Opportunities
NRS gives you several ways to earn from each client relationship. Start with the POS system sale for your initial payout. Add credit card processing for transaction-based residuals. Include EBT services, and you’ve created another revenue stream. Offer payroll services or cash advance solutions, and you’ve multiplied your income potential from a single business relationship.
Each product line carries its own compensation structure, meaning one motivated merchant could generate five or six different income streams for you.
Why This Model Works for Distributors
The combination of immediate and recurring income solves the classic challenge of distribution businesses. You need cash now to cover expenses and fund growth, but you also want the security of a predictable monthly income. NRS deliv-
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This dual-income structure attracts serious professionals who understand the value of building recurring revenue while maintaining strong cash flow. It rewards both hunters who love the thrill of the sale and farmers who excel at maintaining long-term client relationships.
Start earning from day one, then watch those earnings multiply month after month. Ready to get started? Call (888) 870-0017 or visit sellnrs.com to join the NRS distributor network today.
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Torah Thought The King Of Hearts
By Rabbi Zvi Teichman
The The Torah describes how the unintentional murderer must flee to a city of refuge “lest the redeemer of the blood chase after the killer, for ובבל םחי — his heart will be hot, and he will overtake him for the way was long, and he will strike him mortally — and there is no judgment of death upon him, for he had not hated from yesterday and before yesterday.”(ו טי םירבד)
The role of the blood redeemer — or perhaps more accurately, avenger — has always intrigued me. Do we believe in revenge? Isn’t every occurrence of inadvertent death directed from upon high? Perhaps regarding an intentional killer, we can accept that we have a responsibility to hold him accountable for the choice he made to be the one who took another’s life. But when dealing with an unintentional act, even assuming a certain level of negligence on the part of the perpetrator, can we justify allowing the raging emotions of the victim’s relatives to be vented by permitting him to kill the accidental murderer. The verse seems to indicate that we must take into consideration the ‘natural’ reactive wrath of the family and permit them to exact justice. Is that the Torah way?
If it is simply about placating human emotion, how is it that when the murderer flees and succeeds in entering the city of refuge, he has nothing to fear? Did the anger of the deceased kin suddenly dissipate? If it is truly rampant emotion, who is to say they can control it?
The Torah sets aside cities of refuge so that the unintentional murderer can escape the avenging relatives. The earlier quoted verse seems to define this person as one who is innocent and deserving to escape when it describes the fugitive as acquitted because — ‘there is no judgment of death upon him, for he had not hated from yesterday and before yesterday.’ He had no previous rift with the one he accidentally killed and thus not judged to die.
The Ritva however claims that the subject in the verse is the blood redeemer,
with the verse asserting that he is exempt from culpability in killing the unintentional murderer of his relative ‘for he had not hated from yesterday and before yesterday.’(:י תוכמ)
The blood redeemer may only kill the unintentional murderer if he harbors no personal resentment towards him. The Ritva adds that his sole purpose must be to ומד תא לואגל — to ‘redeem his blood’
We begin to sense that there is much more going on here than simply permitting the pain of the relatives to find validation. It is a holy mission which requires a precise focus on the redemption of the murdered one’s blood, not an unleashing of personal angst.
The famed disciple of the Ramchal, Rav Moshe Dovid Valle, inquires what is the nature of this ‘redemption of blood’ and how is that accomplished by killing the murderer?
He directs us to the very first murder in the history of the world, when Kayin killed his brother Hevel. The Torah reports how G-d says to Kayin, “The voice of your brother’s blood is screaming to Me from the ground.” (י ד תישארב)
We were gifted a world run by a Creator that conveys His will, calling for justice, since G-d is just.
When the equilibrium of the universe is disrupted by a vile act of murder — the quashing of a human life who deserved to live and now deprived of G-d’s benevolence — it screams out for justice. The balance of justice must be corrected. In the case of an intentional murderer, it returns to its former state when he is executed.
In the case of the unintentional murder there is a process by which the sleight negligence on the part of the unintentional murder must be addressed by allowing him to be chased and find refuge in one of the designated cities. It is at that moment that the scales are righted, the unintentional murderer not condemned to death, but sentenced to live among the Levites
who comprise the population of these cities, with the reign of G-d’s measure of judgment portrayed justly. The soul of the murdered one finds solace in the accurate implementation of justice, now viewing his murderer as merely the innocent ‘ax in the hand of the Hewer’, and finally redeemed.
In the event the blood redeemer succeeds in killing the unintentional murderer, then evidently that was aligned with the הנוילע הריזג — decree from on high, that the unintentional murder warranted that punishment, and the carrying out of justice, thus providing redemption to the ‘blood’ of the victim.
No wonder, according to the Ritva, the blood redeemer may never be motivated by anger or vengeance per se, and only driven by a deep-seated desire to promote the Honor of Heaven and the maintenance of Torah driven Divine justice, bringing the world to its former healthy balance.
There are many attempts to explain why the exiled unintentional murderer is released from his sentence in ‘exile’ upon the death of Kohen Gadol, the High Priest.
Maimonides in his Guide to the Perplexed (III 40) offers a fascinating idea.
As the verse indicates the hot-hearted blood redeemer is driven to chase the murderer. In the event the entire Jewish community suffers the tragic loss of the beloved and inspiring High Priest, the collective grief is so great that one quickly forgets his own personal suffering, and we are no longer concerned that his passion will drive him to avenge his relative’s death.
A person who killed another person unknowingly must go into exile because the anger of “the avenger of the blood” cools down while the cause of the mischief is out of sight. The chance of returning from the exile depends on the death of the High Priest, the most honored of men, and the friend of all Israel. By his death the relative of the slain person becomes reconciled; for it is a natural phenomenon that we find consolation in our misfortune when the same misfortune or a greater one has befallen another person. Amongst us no death causes more grief than that of the High Priest…
Does the Rambam mean to say that one finds comfort when others are suffering as well? This would echo the oft quoted sentiment,
— collective suffering is half relief? This exact sentiment is unsourced in Chazal. Is it even a healthy attitude to feel comforted because others are suffering too?
Perhaps Rambam is expanding on the theme touched on by the Ritva and Rav Valle.
We react when we feel we are victims of injustice because it shakes our sense of wellbeing. If we can somehow correct the unfairness, by righting the wrong and punishing the offender, it provides us a path towards restored hope.
But there are times when tragedies are so overwhelming, affecting a wide swath of society, that we realize there is something beyond our ken, that isn’t personal, but rather part of the masterplan of Divine Providence that we must simply accept.
When the Kohen Gadol, an individual who cared deeply for each Jew, who inspired and uplifted a nation instilling every individual with hope, purpose, validation, and direction, was taken from us, it rattled the equilibrium of our lives.
The only way to recover from that shock was to forsake our own personal frustrations and place our minds and hearts with absolute faith in G-d without doubt or demands for clarity.
We do not find comfort in the suffering of others but rather are uplifted to new heights of collective commitment to the will of G-d although we cannot fathom His plan.
Even the ‘blood’ of those mistreated find redemption in this renewed unconditional allegiance.
The ‘hot heart’ represents man’s quest for understanding suffering and making some sense of it.
There is only one other reference in all of Torah to a hot heart.
In Psalms (39 4), King David contemplates the suffering he has endured. He describes how יבל םח — hot grew my heart, in my contemplations blazed a fire, begging for clarity.
Yet later in that chapter he simply asks G-d to hear his prayer and not be mute to his tears, for a sojourner am I with you, a settler like all my forefathers.
He accepts the impermanence of this world and its confusions, but pines to one day be a settler as the forefathers in the World to Come.
We must also find solace in the fact that each one of us faces arduous challenges summoning us to greater plateaus in service of G-d.
It is with that passion that we can unburden ourselves of the unfairness in our lives knowing there is great hope in our future.
You may reach the author at: Ravzt@ ohelmoshebaltimore.com
PARSHA
OVERVIEW
The appointment of judges and police. Prohibited structures and punishment for idol worship. Authority of the High Court, the Beis Din. The appointment of the king. The rights of the priests and levites. Prohibition against fortunetelling. True and false prophecy. Cities of refuge. Laws relating to witnesses and prep for war. The Egla Arufa.
Quotable Quote
“When G-d is at the center of our lives, we open ourselves up to the glory of creation and the beauty of other people.”
TSorahparks
Parshas Shoftim
-Rabbi Jonthathan Sacks zt”l
GEMATRIA
My favorite Elul gematria: The numerical value of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” is 185, which is the same as the Hebrew word for coffee, kafei. This is a time - like coffee - to awaken us from our slumber! For more on the coffee/Elul connection, feel free to email me and I’ll send you a full write-up PDF.
QUICK VORT
Chazal teach us (see Rashi, Shoftim 17:8, see also Sifri Devarim 152:15) that the Bais HaMikdash was higher than all other places on Earth!
Can you find places that are physically taller than the Bais HaMikdash? Certainly. However, Chazal are teaching us a profound insight, namely, that the holiness of the Bais HaMikdash made that place the HIGHEST place on Earth! Not from a physical perspective of quantitative largeness, but from a deep spiritual perspective of qualitative largeness.
When a person moves to Eretz Yisroel, it is called “making an Aliyah,” which means to go up. Perhaps, one of the sources for this concept is from our very parsha, in Chapter 17, Verse 8. The Torah tells us “ v’kamta v’alisa,” you should make the journey up to the Bais HaMikdash, the place that G-d, your G-d, will choose! It does not matter if you are traveling from Mount Everest, the Burj Khalifa, or any other place that may be physically taller. If you are going to the Land of Eretz Yisroel, you are going up!
Words - 1,523 PARSHA STATS
Letters - 5,590
Mitzvos - 41
ThoughtsChassidus in
In Likkutei Sichos, the Lubavitcher Rebbe explains why Rabbi Akiva rejected the notion that a person may exempt himself from the army since he is afraid of his sins. The fact that he is afraid shows he has regret, which shows he began Teshuva.
As such, he has nothing to worry about and should go to battle!
Did You
Know?!
The commentaries point out that the word “she’arecha, gates” that the Shoftim V’Shotrim are meant to guard are an allusion to the various gates/openings/orifices of the human!
We are taught the importance of guarding that which comes in our ears/mouth/eyes...
Rabbi Ori Strum is the author of “Ready. Set. Grow.” “Dove Tales,” and “Karpas: The Big Dipper.”
His shiurim and other Jewish content can be found on Torah Anytime and Meaningful Minute. He may be reached at 443-938-0822 or rabbistrumo@gmail.com
As we embark on the Teshuva transformation journey of Chodesh Elul, we can use the symbol of the shofar to guide us on an upward trajectory of spiritual prowess and qualitative largeness. The shofar, of course, is a horn that begins with a small opening, and gradually gets bigger and bigger.
Our Avodah is to do the same. To take small steps towards greatness. To have that Makom Ha’Mikdash on our horizon. To constantly be looking up, to grow higher and higher and to get closer and closer to Hashem.
PointsPonder to
Think about why the Torah speaks in a very personal way when telling us to establish judges and police, as it says: “Shoftim v’shotrim titein lach.”
The word lach means “for you.”
Why is there a stress on “for you” when it comes to the establishment of authority? Something to think about...
The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel - 5915 Park Heights Ave
The Shul at the Lubavitch Center - 6701 Old Pimlico Rd
Tiferes Yisroel - 6201 Park Heights Ave
Tzeirei Anash - 6706 Cross County Blvd
Wealcatch Insurance - 37 Walker Ave 2nd floor
Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah - 6819 Williamson Ave
Yeshivas Toras Simcha- 110 Sudbrook Ln.
HELP SAVE KEREN ALMONES V’YESOMIM & THE 3,150 VULNERABLE FAMILIES RELIANT ON IT
Dear Supporters, Friends and Members of Klal Yisroel:
Nine years ago, I had the zechus to establish Keren Almones V’Yesomim, an organization that transformed the lives of orphaned and single-parent homes. Thanks to the Keren, these families have since never had to go hungry, and were provided with fish and meat every weeknight, Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Through our efforts, we were B”H able to fill their homes with dignity and joy, as evidenced in the many hundreds of letters we regularly receive from grateful almonos.
Over these years, the Keren has provided a staggering $100 million dollar + in critical support. Of course, this has only been possible due to the remarkable generosity of Klal Yisroel, both through major donations as well as steady, ongoing commitments from members in the community.
BUT RECENTLY, THE NEED HAS GROWN BEYOND ANYTHING WE’VE FACED BEFORE.
In 2020, the Keren supported around 900 families with an annual budget of $7 million. The pandemic significantly increased the number of recipients and with more growth since, this past year saw us support more than three times that number, - an incredible 3,150 families - with total costs reaching $24,105,543.00
Baruch Hashem, the giving has risen as well. Over the past 12 months alone, we raised $22,247,141.00. Yet despite this extraordinary support, the Keren has been operating with a $2 million annual deficit for the past three years.
CURRENTLY, WE OWE PAYMENT TO BUTCHER AND FISH STORES FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS OF PURCHASES. SEVERAL STORES HAVE ALREADY WARNED THAT UNLESS THE BALANCES ARE CLEARED, THEY WILL BE FORCED TO PUT THE ALMANOS’ ACCOUNTS ON HOLD - SOMETHING THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, HAS ALREADY STARTED TO HAPPEN IN A FEW LOCATIONS, AND THEN WE RECEIVED MANY OF PHONE CALLS WITH TEARS FROM THE AFFECTED FAMILIES ASKING “WHAT WILL WE SERVE THE KIDS”, AND MANY OF THEM EXPRESSED THAT COMING HOME FROM THE STORE WITH EMPTY HANDS IT WAS LIKE “TISHAH B’UV” IN THE HOUSE. If the troubling trend continues and these balances are not paid off immediately, the Keren is at risk of shutting down, chas v’shalom!
TODAY, I AM FORCED TO APPEAL TO KLAL YISROEL WITH URGENCY: IN ORDER TO ENABLE THE KEREN TO CONTINUE WE MUST URGENTLY RAISE THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE CURRENT DEFICIT OF 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS
AND THAT IS BESIDES THE BUDGET OF THE UPCOMING 3 MONTHS WITH THE YUMIM TOVIM WHAT WILL BE AROUND 6 MILLION DOLLAR.
WE WILL LAUNCH A MAJOR EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN
TUESDAY – THURDSDAY SEP. 2 / 4
TO SAVE KEREN ALMONES V’YESOMIM AND TO ENSURE THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US CAN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THIS TRULY-ESSENTIAL SUPPORT.
Please help me because I can’t do this alone. Each and every one of us has an achrayus to step up now; to give generously, to help raise funds from others, and to partner in securing this incredible Keren’s future.
Together, we will BEZ”H build a solid foundation so that the Keren’s sacred work can continue until the day these families no longer need our support.
Chazal teach us about the incredible zechus of supporting almanos and yesomim, those who are called HKB”H’s children. There is no doubt that all who partner in this holy mission will be zoche to bracha, health and nachas in their own homes.
With gratitude for the past and heartfelt tefillos for the future, RABBI AVRAHAM LAUFER
P.S.
TUESDAY
School of Thought
By Etti Siegel
Q:Dear Etti, It is a cliche because it is true: I dread back to school. I dread the hectic rush in the morning, the tears, the last-minute “I forgots,” no matter how hard I try to plan ahead. Give me a magic wand, and if you can’t give me that, at least give me some strategies to make mornings this year better and smoother.
- Last Minute Mom
A:Dear Last Minute Mom, Oh, how I wish I could hand you that magic wand. If it existed, it would likely be glittery, coffee-powered, and capable of finding lost shoes and matching socks at 6:45 AM. But even without magic, there are very real and very doable strategies to help you transform chaotic mornings into relatively calmer, more manageable ones.
Here are some strategies that worked for me and work for young moms I reached out to:
Set the Stage the Night Before: The real secret to calmer mornings? They begin the night before. Here’s what can happen in the evening to set up a smoother morning:
• Lay out clothes (including socks, shoes, and accessories) to eliminate wardrobe indecision.
• Pack backpacks completely with homework, notes, library books, and signed forms.
• Prep lunches/snacks or delegate this to older children.
• Create a visual checklist your child can follow independently in the morning (e.g., get dressed, brush teeth, pack snack, put on shoes). For younger kids or those with executive function challenges, post visuals or photos near the task areas (a picture of teeth brushing taped near the sink, etc.).
• Run a “bedroom sweep” to gather what tends to disappear, like hoodies, permission slips, and earbuds.
Bonus tip: Let your child help create a laminated checklist they can mark with a dry-erase marker each morning.
Ease the Transition with Clear Routines: Transitions are tough for many kids, especially first thing in the morning under time pressure. But routines can help reduce resistance and provide a sense of safety.
• Use a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends, during the first few weeks of school to reset your child’s internal clock.
• Limit any and all screen time in the morning. Yes,
that includes your phone. While screens may keep kids quiet, they also prevent focus, delay transitions, and can lead to explosive moments when it’s time to turn them off.
• Build in “buffer time.” Leave a small window (5-10 minutes) of calm before the door opens, maybe time for some cuddling, a quick conversation, or a calming breakfast playlist.
The real secret to calmer mornings? They begin the night before.
Start With Essentials, Then Add the Extras: Especially in the early weeks of school, focus on the must-dos, not the picture-perfect mornings we sometimes expect. According to Dr. David Anderson of the Child Mind Institute, the real win is when your child is fully dressed, has eaten something nutritious, and has brushed their teeth
If those basics are in place, you’re winning. Once those become habit, you can layer in the extras that are important to you: making the bed, organizing materials, and remembering backpacks, lunch and snacks, and permission slips without being asked.
Use Incentives and Celebrate Progress: Motivators can be powerful tools, especially for younger children or those who are not morning people (no judgment—we’ve all been there).
• Offer simple, time-based rewards: “If we’re all ready by 7:30, we’ll have time to play Go Fish for 5 minutes before the carpool.”
• For older kids, consider point systems where they earn small privileges (dessert choice, a later bedtime one night) for completing morning tasks independently and on time.
• Celebrate small wins. “You remembered your backpack and your shoes today—that’s amazing!”
Positive reinforcement builds confidence and helps kids feel competent, not constantly nagged.
Create a Calm Emotional Climate: It’s easy to slip into yelling or snapping when everyone is rushed and tensions are high. But a calm tone helps everyone regulate better—especially children with anxiety or ADHD, who can escalate quickly under pressure.
• Keep your tone calm and direct.
• Offer choices when possible: “Do you want to brush teeth first or get dressed first?”
• Avoid rushing at the last second. If your child is dawdling, narrate the process gently: “I see it’s 7:25. We want to be out by 7:35. What do you still need to finish?”
Watch for Red Flags and Advocate: If your child is having daily meltdowns, anxiety, or physical complaints in the morning that persist beyond the first few weeks, don’t wait to seek help. Talk to their teacher, school counselor, or a therapist. Morning battles can sometimes mask deeper school-related stress, sensory issues, or even mental health challenges.
Let Go of Perfection: Not every morning will run like clockwork. Some days the breakfast will spill, the socks won’t match, and someone will cry (it might even be you)…but those moments don’t define your parenting or your child’s success. What matters is the pattern, not the outlier.
Keep showing up. Keep adjusting. Keep laughing when you can.
Back-to-school doesn’t require magic wands, just structure, empathy, and a little preparation. And even without a magic wand, I have a feeling you’re going to surprise yourself this year.
You’ve got this.
- Etti
Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.
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Following the unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, the focus of Allied military planners shifted towards the Pacific and Japanese-held areas. By mid-1945, the Japanese had been on the defensive for over two years, including the recent American victories on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. American submarine and air and naval assets had devastated Japanese shipping. Japanese warships were few and far between at this stage and, with very little fuel, remained mostly in coastal waters. However, the American top commanders knew that if they had to invade the Japanese home islands, the casualties would be massive. The dropping of the atomic bombs in August 1945 changed the timeline in the Pacific, and then events moved at a very fast pace. Less than a month later, a historic surrender ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay.
On July 17, 1945, leaders from the Soviet Union, Great Britain and the United States met in Potsdam, Germany, to discuss and address issues such as managing post-war Germany. The Big Three, as the leaders were called, demanded that Japan surrender unconditionally, and if they didn’t, then Japan would face “prompt and utter destruction.”
The conference ended on August 2, and six days later, the Soviet Union
Forgotten Her es 80 Years Since the End of World War II
By Avi Heiligman
declared war on Japan. The Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6 and a second bomb on Nagasaki three days later. Between the atomic bombs and Russia entering the war, Japanese leaders went into discussions to decide if they should surrender or continue fighting. Minister of War Korechika Anami said that a captured American pilot claimed that the U.S. had a stockpile of 100 atomic bombs and would use them in the coming days. P-51 Mustang pilot Marcus McDilda knew nothing of
remain in place in post-war Japan. At first, the Americans weren’t too keen on the emperor’s desire to remain in power. However, they realized that if Hirohito would remain in charge, it would make for a smoother transition into peacetime and would help minimize any resistance that could potentially arise. The Americans accepted the terms, and the emperor prepared a speech for the Japanese public that was to be broadcast on August 15.
There were still many military personnel and government officials opposed
The night before the surrender, some of the Imperial Guard tried to execute a military coup d’état and spark a rebellion.
the American nuclear capabilities but concocted the story to stay alive after being tortured by interrogators (he survived the war).
The Japanese leaders were deadlocked until Emperor Hirohito chose to accept the terms of surrender from the Potsdam Conference. The one condition was that the emperor’s authority would
to the thought of surrendering. The night before the surrender, some of the Imperial Guard tried to execute a military coup d’état and spark a rebellion. In the end, they were unsuccessful as they were unable to find the copy of the emperor’s prerecorded speech, and the leaders of the rebellion committed suicide. The surrender went on as planned the next day, and
the speech was broadcast to the Japanese public. This was the first time that most Japanese civilians heard the emperor’s voice. American war planners breathed a sigh of relief after the surrender, because they wouldn’t have to carry out the plan to invade Japan that would have cost an estimated one million casualties.
It took a few weeks for the fighting to completely cease as it took time for the news of surrender to reach remote outposts. The last of the isolated garrisons laid down their arms in October. Even then, some soldiers held out for months, and in extreme cases years, as they were in denial that their government would actually surrender.
After the surrender, the last of the Allied prisoners of war were released, and U.S. forces began the occupation of Japan.
A formal surrender ceremony took place on September 2 in Tokyo Bay. Japanese civilian and military leaders boarded the 53,000-ton battleship, the USS Missouri. She was the flagship of the Third Fleet under Admiral “Bull” Halsey and was flying the same flag that an American ship, USS Powhatan, had flown in 1853 when it entered Japanese territory.
American Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific General Douglas MacArthur was already on board ready to meet the Japanese delegation. Due to
1946
major disagreements within the Japanese government, two representatives signed the surrender document: one for the government and one for the army.
Admiral Chester Nimitz signed for the American forces, while General MacArthur signed for all Allied forces in the Pacific. Representatives from China, United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand also signed the document. General MacArthur gave a short speech during the twenty minute ceremony followed by
a large formation of American planes in a flyby over the battleship. Eight hundred planes in total took part in the flyover and included carrier-based aircraft and hundreds of B-29 Suoerfortresses.
Following the September 2 surrender ceremony, the historic documents were sent to Washington, D.C. and were presented to President Truman in another formal ceremony. The documents were put on display at the National Archives, where they are currently housed, commemorating the end of the bloodiest war
in history. The American public held major celebrations, including a ticker-tape parade at Times Square.
Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day, is celebrated in the U.S. on September 2. While many historical accounts focus on the European theater of World War II, the Pacific theater lasted longer for the Americans. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on American battleships propelled the U.S. to declare their entry into the war, and after more than three and half years of fighting, the tide had
completely turned. The surrender ceremony took place not in Japan but on an American battleship in their home harbor. Eighty years later, this ceremony is remembered for the peace that it brought to the region.
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.
WEEKLY CALENDAR
L CHAIM
ADULT DAY CENTER
MON 1
SEPTEMBER TUE 2
9:30 am
Yoga with Deborah Bandos
11:00 am
Discussion Group with Rabbi KarpWeekly Parsha Overview
1:00 pm
Arts & Crafts with Shifra
1:45 pm
Guitar with Yossi K
SEPTEMBER
9:30 am
Yoga with Deborah Bandos
10:15 am
Anagrams with Malka Zweig
11:00 am
Discussion Group with Rabbi KarpJewish Customs From Around the Globe
1:00 pm
BINGO
1:45 pm
Guitar with Yossi K
Stimulating Activities For Adults - Delicious Kosher Meals
WED 3
SEPTEMBER
9:30 am
Yoga with Deborah Bandos
10:15 am
Anagrams with Malka Zweig
11:00 am
Discussion Group with Rabbi Karp- The Significance of the Month of Elul
1:00 pm
Arts & Crafts with Shifra
1:45 pm
Guitar with Yossi K
THU 4
SEPTEMBER
9:30 am
Yoga with Deborah Bandos
10:15 am
Anagrams with Malka Zweig
11:00 am
Discussion Group with Rabbi Karp- Fascinating Blessings on Everyday Meal Combinations FRI 5
1:00 am
Arts & Crafts with Shifra
2:00 pm
Music with Mr Fried
9:45 am
Yoga with Deborah Bandos
SEPTEMBER 11:00 am
Discussion Group with Rabbi KarpParsha Dilemmas To Make Us Think
1:00 am
Music with Aharon Grayson
General Douglas MacArthur with Japanese Emperor Hirohito,
Hiroshima seen after the atomic bombing
Japanese foreign affairs minister signing the surrender documents onboard the USS Missouri
Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin at the Potsdam Conference
To Raise a Laugh
By Mordechai Schmutter
What Your Kids Really Need In School
As someone who’s been a student, a parent, and a teacher, I think we should do something to change these school supplies lists. The school sends home massive lists that haven’t really been changed since the first year the school was in operation, and then after you buy everything on it, the teacher walks in on the first day of school and sends home a list of things you need to buy by the second day.
Wait. So then who wrote the first list?
And some of these teachers want items that are way too specific. For example, a lot of teachers require specific-colored folders. This way, the teacher can just say, “Get out your green folders,” and everyone will, except the colorblind kids. That makes sense. Because otherwise, the teacher would have to say, “Get out your reading folders.”
Or the teacher says she wants a composition notebook. I write compositions for a living, and I never use a composition notebook. Because when you’re doing freestyle writing, you want something with no margins and short pages that you can’t rip out without ruining the integrity of the notebook. And why are the books camouflaged?
And then some teachers want things that aren’t even legally considered school supplies. Why do they need Ziploc bags? I think the teacher’s just putting his groceries on the list.
And then there’s tissues. Why are tissues even something we have to send in, but paper towels are free? Why don’t we have to send in toilet paper? Who decides where to draw the line?
And then there are the normal things, such as pencils, that we have to buy in abnormal amounts. We got a list one year that said that my son had to bring in 72 pencils. My wife sharpened and labeled 72 pencils, thinking, “This is ridiculous. Are they eating the pencils?”
Possibly. The ones that made it home at the end of the year had teeth marks.
Why so many pencils?
Well, in case they lose some of them
Of course they’re going to lose some of them. You hand a kid 6 dozen of anything and he’ll lose some. Give him one! I know my kid is going to lose his yarmulke sometimes, but I send him to school with one. I don’t put 72 yarmulkes on his head at the beginning of the year and hope for the best.
And then every teacher starts making decisions for the other teachers. One teacher asks for a loose leaf so you can reserve one section for his subject. The next teacher wants his own single-subject notebook. The next teacher asks for a five-subject notebook so you can have one section for HIS subject. The next teacher wants you to bring in a soft-cover loose leaf so you can – What? Fold it up and put it in your pocket?
My son had a rebbi last year who required one loose leaf that he could use to keep his taitch sheets in at home.
Great. You think we’re actually doing that? No. I have one loose leaf sitting at home for ten months, and I periodically ask, “Why isn’t this at school?”
“That’s the home one.”
“Oh. I didn’t require that. I asked for a plaid folder.”
Why are there plaid folders? School’s not nerdy enough?
And you have to bring in everything in September, including Pesach notebooks, but most of it doesn’t get used until later.
Like every school says, “Send in a protractor.” The kids use it for about a week, and it’s never the first week of school. It’s sometime in March. The teacher’s like, “Remember those protractors that everyone brought in at the beginning of the year?”
And everyone’s like, “No.”
And then there are the things the kids don’t seem to need at all. I brought a highlighter to yeshiva every year and did not use it once, except to color my sneakers when I was bored, and I got 90s all through school. Should I have used it on the textbooks we had to give back? Or to highlight my notes while I was writing so I knew which parts are important? If I’m writing it, it’s important.
But someone’s putting it on the list, right?
So it’s really the school itself putting this list together -- not the teacher -- because they don’t want you to have to run out at the last minute once they decide which teachers are getting which kids.
So what’s the teacher supposed to do? Just tell you to bring in the basics in September and then, as he needs things, send home notes asking you to send them in? Parents love that at random times during the year.
So what are their options?
Maybe the teacher should send home lists the first day, but with dates posted next to each item so you know how long you have. That way you know what they want, and you don’t feel nickeled and dimed later. And you can also timeshare items such as protractors between all your kids. And the teacher can also -- instead of asking for massive amounts of pencils up front -- write something like, “30 pencils a month.”
“That’s it?”
Then at the end of every month, we can ask our kid, “How many pencils do you have left from last month?” And he’ll say, “Three!” and you can go, “Yay!” and give him a small reward. And then you’ll send him with 27.
“There goes your phone!”Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. You can contact him at MSchmutter@gmail.com.
Mental Health Corner
Forgiving Or Forgetting
By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman
On a warm and sunny summer day in the 1980s, Asher had the good fortune to be visited by his father and grandfather on his camp’s annual Visiting Day. As the three generations were strolling through the camp, Asher noticed that his grandfather’s attention perked up when he saw another family that also had their three generations enjoying their visit to their camper. As the two families passed each other, the two grandfathers meekly nodded to each other, and then they each kept on walking on their way.
Asher sensed that something was amiss, so he asked his grandfather about the curious exchange with the other grandfather. Asher’s grandfather answered, “That was Mendel. We were the closest of friends before the war.”
This stunned Asher, who then asked, “So why did you greet him in such a nonemotional way? What happened to your friendship?” The response shocked Asher to the core.
His grandfather explained, “Before the war, I was married with children. As the Nazi’s were closing in on my town, I was able to procure precious immigration papers that could rescue me with my wife and children. I knew that those papers were so coveted that if anyone knew that I had them, they would surely be stolen. So, I did not tell a soul, except for the one person who was such a close and dear friend that I knew I could trust him. That friend was Mendel who promptly stole the papers. He survived the war with his wife and children thanks to his stolen
papers, but my family was murdered by the Nazis. I miraculously survived the war, heartbroken and alone. I married your grandmother, and we went about rebuilding what we had lost.”
Asher was stunned, and asked, “Zaidy, now I understand why you did not embrace him when you passed him, but why did you not scream at him? He essentially murdered your family!”
Asher’s grandfather answered, “You have to understand that the war presented challenges that no human being should ever have to face. Mendel was simply unable to resist the temptation to rescue his own family. I forgave him and moved on with my life, although I obviously can never forget what he did to me.”
This true story is an illustration of the difference between forgiving and forgetting. Forgiveness is the act of letting go of your emotional grievances that you are harboring towards another person. It gives you the emotional freedom to move on, and it acknowledges that perhaps the other person was dealing with challenges that you simply cannot comprehend. On a certain level, you cannot heal your emotional injury as long as you are filled with emotional rage towards another person. In essence, therefore, forgiveness is not for them, rather it is for you. Indeed, the Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 606:1) rules that one should not be cruel and withhold forgiveness.
Forgetting is an entirely different concept, as it involves ignoring the hurt and pain. Although it might not be healthy to walk around all day with your anger consuming your psyche, it is a whole different level to ignore what one experienced and make believe that it never happened. Additionally, forgetting the hurt allows the other person to continue in his or her ways. Remembering what that person did helps you remain vigilant that it should not happen again. Furthermore, genuine relationships are built on trust which is greatly damaged by the hurt and pain.
As in the case of Asher’s grandfather, the strength and fortitude to forgive another person for an unimaginable wrongdoing does not mean that it is as if it never happened. Although Asher’s grandfather did not walk around with anger towards Mendel, their relationship was irrevocably terminated.
Sometimes, relationships can be restored. But even in such a scenario, the goal is not to forget what happened, but to rebuild the relationship in such a way that lessons are learned and that the relationship can actually be stronger than it was before. Marital therapists see this happen all the time in their therapy room. A husband and wife who may have legitimate grievances against each other are forced to work on their relationship in an honest and deep way that forces them to deepen their relationship in ways that could have previously been unimaginable for them.
Before we conclude, we must point out that we are discussing situations that have not reached the level of trauma. When a traumatic experience is endured, it would be advisable to seek the guidance of an experienced clinician to make sure that the steps of healing are done properly and at the right pace.
Relationships are complicated, even in the best of situations. When a relationship is battered by hurt or betrayal, the complications increase exponentially. Navigating this labyrinth of twists and turns can be dizzying and confusing. If you choose to take the path of rebuilding relationships, do not underestimate the amount of work and patience that this journey will entail.
This is a service of Relief Resources. Relief is an organization that provides mental health referrals, education, and support to the frum community. Rabbi Yisrael Slansky is director of the Baltimore branch of Relief. He can be contacted at 410-448-8356 or at
Political Crossfire After 1,157 Days in Russian Captivity, a POW Is Home
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Dzvinka Pinchuk
TROSTYANETS, Ukraine — Do you tell your mom what it’s like to be tortured?
Serhiy Hrebinyk, 25, decided to keep it to himself. For now.
After more than three years in four different Russian prisons as a Ukrainian prisoner of war, there were some things he could tell her. About the time he got to play in a chess tournament arranged by his guards. Or when he got to read the novel “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas.
Or how when he came home to the northeastern town of Trostyanets last month, it looked much different from when he left in the summer of 2021.
That was before the Russians launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, briefly occupying his hometown while he was hundreds of miles away and under siege in the southern city of Mariupol. He was captured in April 2022, and he was freed in a prisoner exchange of Russian and Ukrainian troops in June.
“To be honest, he doesn’t share much with me now,” said his mother, Svitlana. “Maybe it’s even better not to ask and not to know.”
Hrebinyk represents the vanguard of a generation of Ukrainian men shaped by the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II. His trauma and his recovery are intertwined with Ukraine’s fate. Even as diplomatic machinations go on, those who survive will determine Ukraine’s future.
But first he had to come home.
Sitting on the floor of his parents’ living room this month, his two sisters and mother next to him, Hrebinyk stared at the floor. He looked apprehensive, his face tight and blue eyes elsewhere.
His family glowed because a year ago, they had sat in the same room, not knowing if they would ever see him again.
But the Serhiy sitting on the floor was not the Serhiy of four years ago. His boyish face, aside from his dimples, was gone, replaced by sharp, sad features carved in some of the world’s
darker places.
“Sometimes I go for a walk, and I realize that it’s all over,” Hrebinyk said. “And I am so happy.”
Hrebinyk joined the military after a year of compulsory service in 2019. The choice to serve seemed unlikely to his family; he was an average student and spoke rarely of joining the ranks.
By the time of the Russian invasion in 2022, he was in Mariupol, working as a low-ranking tank mechanic with the 36th Marine Brigade.
What happened next is enshrined in the annals of Ukrainian history. The Ukrainian military fought block by block as the Russians encircled it under relentless artillery and airstrikes. Kyiv’s forces tried to break out, to no avail.
His brigade surrendered April 12, 2022. That day, the city had gone quiet, he said, as if someone had suddenly pressed pause on the bloody siege.
“It was as if there was no war, as if you were not surrounded,” he recalled. “It was April, and the sun was beautiful.”
But he was beginning his path through the Russian prison system as a prisoner of war.
Over the next three years, Hrebinyk, by his account, would endure the types of abuses and international law violations documented by human rights organizations and monitoring groups that have defined Russia’s treatment of Ukrainian prisoners over the course of the war.
He was tortured, beaten almost daily and starved, he said. His right ear is deformed from when a guard punched his head, he said, and the wound was infected. Others fared far worse, he said, noting that several Ukrainian soldiers he knew died in captivity.
“I was trying to keep hope, thinking, ‘OK, this month I’ll be released,’” he said. “If that didn’t happen, I would transfer my hopes to the next month.”
And so it went, month after month. Moments of reprieve came in the form of books (he read more than 200) and even chess and soccer tournaments
organized by the guards. The winners would get extra rations.
But the standout events were when new prisoners arrived.
“The information from them was like a live television for us: ‘Tell us, what’s going on back in Ukraine? What’s the news?’” he said.
All Hrebinyk wanted to hear about was home. One Ukrainian soldier, captured in 2024, had recently been in Trostyanets.
“He had passed through there, and everything was fine,” Hrebinyk said, adding that he “was most worried about my father — that he wouldn’t join the army to avenge me.”
His mother has worked at the Trostyanets train station for more than two decades. His father, Ihor, is a postal worker, whose job often takes him close to the border with Russia and the front line.
By June 12, the day he was released, Hrebinyk had spent 1,157 days in captivity.
During that time, the family dog ran away. Anna Sosedka, his older sister, had a son. His best friend was killed in combat. President Donald Trump was elected. Ukraine pushed into Russia’s Kursk region and was pushed out again. The burned apartment buildings from Russia’s occupation of Trostyanets were repainted. The train station was being repaired with a new traffic circle. More and more Russian drones were in the night sky. Some had even exploded in Trostyanets.
On the day of his release, Hrebinyk felt nothing. He was in disbelief when he got off the bus, he said. His family had been notified only that day, so they had not met him in Chernihiv, the city near the Russian border where the release took place. But as he walked in the sunlight, he encountered groups of other families staring at him, looking for their loved ones and holding up photographs, asking if he had seen any of them in prison.
“They were all looking at me with hope,” he said. The moment still weighs on him. Why was he released and not them?
From there, he was debriefed by the intelligence services and rehabilitated at a sanitarium in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, where the psychologists, he said, asked questions about captivity and delivered boilerplate sentiments: Don’t panic; don’t be alarmed if your emotions change.
“At first, I didn’t notice anything wrong with me, but later I began to realize I was having some problems with my memory,” he said. “Still, I hope it
will get better.”
In July, Hrebinyk, who is still on active duty, took the bus home to Trostyanets for 30 days of leave before returning to rehab.
“We had this image of us all sitting around the kitchen table drinking tea and talking for hours after he came back,” Anna said. “But things are different now.”
“He used to be so cheerful, always smiling, outgoing,” she said. “He’s still sociable, but now often drifts into his thoughts, sometimes sad. You look at him and say, ‘Serhiy, why so sad?’ and he says, ‘Just thinking.’”
In those moments, her brother is elsewhere, far from home in his mind — or as Anna calls it, “not with us.”
No longer confined to the routine of prison, Hrebinyk said he was free to scan the memories stored after enduring years of trauma.
The sound of slamming doors reminds him of his guards announcing their presence, pushing into the cells, and triggers his nervous system almost instantly. He has dreams about the fighting in Mariupol, but none yet of his time in captivity, at least not that he recalls.
The failure to break the siege in Mariupol carries its own guilt. “I blame myself and our army for letting this breakthrough happen,” Hrebinyk said.
And the future is daunting. Maybe he will rejoin the military or go abroad, he said, an option given to former Ukrainian prisoners of war.
For now, he goes fishing with what friends remain in Trostyanets and wakes up early to exercise at his old school. He is spending time at home and playing with his nephew. His mother still works at the train station, and his father does his mail routes, now wearing an armored vest since the war has gotten closer.
As Hrebinyk sifts through his three years of captivity, scanning over memories, there are some things he’s open to talking about, including at least one memory reserved for his mother: a memory of home.
“He was telling me how he used to look at the river from his cell,” Svitlana said. “He said, ‘I would look at the night sky there, and there were almost no stars. I thought how beautiful Trostyanets is, with its night sky filled with stars.’”
Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock, zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Long Beach Yeshiva, once declared that Elul is a time most mesugal – uniquely designed – to draw us ever closer to Hashem. These are days when Olam HaBah’s doors swing wide open, when mercy flows like water, and when teshuvah is accepted with divine embrace.
And – if we do teshuvah m’ahava –that is love of Hashem – our F’s turn into A’s. Our traffic tickets turn into insurance discounts. Our crimes turn into Congressional medals of Honor. Our aveiros turn to mitzvos!
Picture this scene: Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, zt”l, would recount how Rav Yitzele Peterburger, zt”l, would approach each Elul. As the holy month drew near, this tzaddik would stride to the Aron Kodesh, spread his hands skyward, and cry out with overwhelming emotion: “Master of the Universe! Behold, I give praise and thanks that You have bestowed upon us this month! We accept it with love and with joy!”
His voice would pierce the air, and those who heard would tremble with awe and recognition of what was truly happening.
Without Elul, We Would Be Lost
The Steipler delivered a sobering truth: the only reason our generation retains even a spark of fear of Heaven is because of Elul. In this month alone burns the ember of genuine trepidation before our Creator. Think about it – who can fathom how far we would plummet without this divine gift of Elul to achieve teshuvah, forgiveness, and complete atonement?
This is Hashem’s abundance of kindness made manifest. We must thank Him for this lifeline thrown to us in our spiritual struggle.
Remember Who You Really Are
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, the legendary Mashgiach of BMG in Lakewood, re -
vealed the Yetzer Hara’s ultimate weapon: making us forget our true nobility.
Man is genuinely a prince, a ben Melech. Women are genuinely princesses, bnos Melech. When we forget this royal identity, we stumble and act beneath our station.
Consider Yosef HaTzaddik at his moment of greatest trial. Facing Potiphar’s wife’s “un-yeshivish” advances, he didn’t give a weak excuse, he roared back: “I have a connection to the Patriarchs themselves! How can I have anything to do with what you are suggesting?”
His royal identity became his shield.
Your Personal Song with the Divine
This is how we must approach Elul.
The very letters of Elul form the initials of “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li, I am to my Beloved, and my Beloved is to me.” This is the deepest truth of existence.
When you remember that you are Hashem’s beloved, when you feel in your bones that you are a ben Melech or a bas Melech, everything changes.
Your actions, your thoughts, your very being transforms to match this royal reality.
No Shortcuts to Greatness
Here’s a kabbalah – a tradition – from
all the great rebbeim: whoever works hard, sweats, struggles, and refuses to quit will ultimately succeed. There are no yachsanim here, no people who get by on pedigree alone. Your spiritual identity is forged in the fires of effort and determination.
If you don’t work, if you don’t push yourself, you’re left empty-handed. But remember this Yiddish truth that echoes through the ages: “A drop of sweat never goes to waste.”
The Day That Changed Everything
Rosh Chodesh Elul carries the DNA of divine mercy. On this very day, Moshe Rabbeinu climbed Har Sinai a second time to receive replacement Luchos. The first set lay shattered, broken by our collective sins, seemingly irreparable. But Hashem doesn’t deal in “irreparable.”
For 40 days and 40 nights, Moshe remained on high, returning on the tenth day of Tishrei – Yom Kippur – with tablets that gleamed with second-chance hope. From that moment forward, these days became yemei ratzon , days when teshuvah finds an easier path to the Throne of Glory.
Your Triple-Powered Arsenal
We don’t enter this battle unarmed. Three weapons stand ready: teshuvah,
tefillah, and tzedakah. These aren’t just nice ideas; they’re spiritual power tools that can reshape reality itself.
The Shofar’s Wake-Up Call
Every morning of Elul, after Shacharis, the shofar shatters the morning air. According to the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah, Moshe Rabbeinu established this practice specifically so Klal Yisrael wouldn’t stumble into sin during these precious days. The sound isn’t just heard; it’s felt in the neshama.
And if your shul forgets to blow at Shacharis? Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, rules they should sound it at Mincha. No spiritual opportunity gets wasted.
David HaMelech’s Secret Weapon: “L’David Hashem Ori”
From the first of Elul until after Sukkos, we recite “L’David Hashem Ori” twice daily. These aren’t random verses – they’re David HaMelech’s carefully chosen words, packed with allusions to the Yamim Tovim in Tishrei.
Even more remarkable: this was the very tefillah David composed for when the Aron would rest in the Kodesh Kodashim, where Hashem sits enthroned as Master of all Creation. When you say these words, you’re speaking the language of the Holy of Holies.
Dveikus: The Ultimate Connection
Elul offers something beyond forgiveness – it offers dveikus, the pinnacle of closeness with our Creator. The word Elul itself pulses with this yearning, its letters forming the initials of Shlomo HaMelech’s passionate declaration: “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li, I am to my Beloved, and my Beloved is to me.”
This is the Jewish neshama’s deepest cry – not just to be forgiven, but to be embraced.
Practical Kedushah: Making It Real
Daily Spiritual Accounting
Set aside time each day for cheshbon
hanefesh , examining your deeds with unflinching honesty. Many check their mezuzos and tefillin during this month, ensuring these physical mitzvos match their spiritual elevation.
The Power of Good Wishes
Every greeting becomes a mitzvah opportunity. When you wish someone a “kesivah v’chasimah tovah” with genuine intent, you’re fulfilling the Torah commandment of v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha . Your words become vessels of blessing.
The Hidden Message in Megillas Esther
Look for the secret acronym hidden in “ish l’rei’eihu u’matanos la’evyonim,” its first letters again spell Elul. Even Purim’s joy points toward Elul’s transformation.
The Double Tehillim Challenge
Many take on reciting the entire Tehillim twice before Rosh Hashanah. Why twice? Because 150 chapters × 2 = 300, and the gematria of kaper (atone) is exactly 300. Every verse becomes a plea for atonement.
Selichos: Dawn Warriors in the Darkness
When the World Sleeps, Saints Arise
Before dawn breaks, while the world slumbers, something extraordinary happens. Across the globe, Jews rise from warm beds to stand in darkened synagogues, reciting Selichos, ancient prayers that storm the gates of Heaven with requests for mercy and forgiveness.
Sefardim begin this spiritual odys -
tion of our spiritual needs.)
The Mathematical Mercy of the Calendar
If Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or Tuesday, Selichos begin the previous Motzei Shabbos. Why? Because Rosh Hashanah can never fall on Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday – a rule encoded as “lo ADU Rosh.” Even the calendar conspires to give us exactly what we need spiritually.
Your spiritual identity is forged in the fires of effort and determination.
sey from the very start of Elul, spending the entire month in this pre-dawn dialogue with the Divine.
Ashkenazim wait until the Motzei Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah, creating an intensity that builds like a spiritual crescendo. (During the time of the Gaonim, Selichos were reserved only for the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, showing how this practice has grown in recogni-
The Ideal Baal Tefilah: Six Divine Qualities
The shliach tzibbur chosen for both Selichos and the Yamim Nora’im should embody six qualities, listed in order of priority:
1. Talmid Chacham – A Torah scholar who understands what he’s asking for
2. Yirei Shamayim – One who
trembles before Heaven’s majesty
3. Thirty years or older – Matured through life’s trials
4. Married with children – Connected to future generations
5. Sweet voice – Able to lift hearts heavenward
6. Merutzeh l’kahal – Beloved by the community
The Principle of Spiritual Completion
Ideally, the same person who leads Selichos should also be the shliach tzibbur for Shacharis and Mincha. This follows the Jerusalem Talmud’s principle: “One who begins a mitzvah is told to complete it.”
When you start something holy, you don’t just walk away, you see it through to its glorious conclusion.
This is Elul. This is your invitation to greatness. This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@ gmail.com.
Boruch Cortell (Silver Spring) to Shayna Horowitz (Passaic)
Eliezer Skaist (Baltimore) to Devorah Fried (Lakewood)
Shmuel Gottheil (Monsey) to Esty Mandl (Silver Spring)
Nathan Manrose (Chicago) to Nechama Eventsur (Baltimore)
Aaron Pekier (Lakewood) to Shana Barer (Baltimore)
Asher Bortz to Aliza Hyatt (Both Baltimore)
Effy Solomon (Cleveland) to Sara Aidel Rosskam (Baltimore)
Want to see your simcha here? Email mazeltov@baltimorejewishhome.com or text 443-675-6507 to submit your simcha!
Generating Miracles Living Kiddush Hashem
TBy Rabbi Shraga Freedman
he epitome of kiddush Hashem is to give up one’s very life for the sanctification of Hashem’s Name. How does mesiras nefesh bring the world closer to a realization of truth?
On the simplest level, a person who gives up his life demonstrates the strength of his emunah, showing the world that even the threat of death cannot interfere with his devotion to Hashem.
This explanation, however, fails to account for many Jews who are considered to have died al kiddush Hashem, simply because they were Jews, without being given the choice to save themselves by committing an otherwise forbidden act. Yet such people are considered to have met their deaths al kiddush Hashem.
Why is this so?
Malbim (Vayikra 22:32) offers a fascinating explanation. Kiddush Hashem comes in two forms: the virtuous acts that Klal Yisrael performs and the miracles that Hashem performs in the world. These miracles, however, come about only when the Jewish people sanctify themselves. When a Jew suspends his own nature and embraces death as Hashem’s servant, Hashem suspends the nature of the world and creates miracles.
Even if the Jew was not given the option of sinning to prevent his own death, he generates kiddush Hashem by accepting death with devotion and thus paving the way for the miracles that are to come. In short, the more we transcend our own na-
ture and act with holiness, the more Hashem will override the rules of nature and reveal Himself by performing miracles.
Rav Shimon Schwab (Maayan Beis HaShoe’vah, Parashas Beshalach) says that this may be the reason that many of the impure forces that existed in the times of Chazal, such as kishuf, sheidim, and mazikin, no longer exist or have been sharply diminished — because the many acts of mesiras nefesh that have taken place over the generations have brought the world closer to the level of perfection wherein Hashem’s honor is complete.
Rabbi Schwab continues that it is even possible that the explosion of Torah study, both in Eretz Yisrael and America (may it continue until the Geulah), in the years since the Holocaust was fueled by the massive kiddush Hashem of the millions of martyrs who perished during those dreadful years.
The more Kedusha that we generate the more Hashem will reveal Himself through us. Hashem is mekadeish His
name through kedoshim. That kedusha could be generated through mesiras nefesh or any time that we go against our natural pull and give up on our own physical desire for the Will of Hashem
Rabbi Shraga Freedman is the author of Sefer Mekadshei Shemecha, Living Kiddush Hashem, and A Life Worth Living.
Email LivingKiddushHashem@ gmail.com for a free sefer. Visit LivingKiddushHashem.org for more resources
Living Kiddush Hashem was founded with the goal of imbuing every Jew with a powerful sense of mission — the mission to be mekadeish Sheim Shamayim in his or her own unique way. We strive to accomplish this by raising awareness of the paramount importance of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem and its centrality in everything we do.
Trilux
TJH Centerfold
English Class: Be Prepared to Subject Yourself to
1. We polish the Polish furniture.
2. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
3. A farm can produce produce.
4. The dump was so full it had to refuse refuse.
the Subject
11. The bandage was wound around the wound.
5. The soldier decided to desert in the desert.
6. The present is a good time to present the present.
7. At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.
8. The dove dove into the bushes.
9. I did not object to the object.
10. The insurance for the invalid was invalid.
You Gotta Be Kidding Me!
An English teacher asked her class to write an essay on what they’d do if they had a million dollars. Billy handed in a blank sheet of paper.
“Billy!” yelled the teacher, “you’ve done nothing. Why?”
“Because if I had a million dollars, that’s exactly what I would do!”
12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13. They were too close to the door to close it.
14. They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
15. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
16. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
17. After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.
18. I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my clothes.
19. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
20. I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt
* * * * * *
“Dad,” said Little Johnny, “I want to play with my friends outside. Will you please do my homework for me?”
The father said irately, “Son, it just wouldn’t be right.”
“That’s okay,” replied Little Johnny, “but you could at least give it a try, couldn’t you?”
Let’s Brush Up on Math Trivia
No. 2 pencils only
1. What is the fear of numbers called?
a. Numbphobia
b. Mathaphobia
c. Arithmophobia
d. Gocrzyfromnumbersphobia
2. You are offered a job as a school janitor for the month of September. The school administrator offers to pay you $73 a day, or, if you want, he will put you on the penny plan, which is: he will pay you one penny the first day and double your salary for each subsequent day for the entire month. What would you do?
a. I’d take the $73 a day because if I go on the penny plan, I wouldn’t even make that amount the whole month.
b. I’d take the penny plan.
c. The Trivia Commissioner is trying to be tricky because it’s obvious that I’d be better off with $73 a day but the Trivia Commissioner is trying to trip me up with a silly question!
d. I don’t want to work for a boss who is trying to get me to take pennies...good luck finding someone!
3. The school candy machine sells only two things: Reisman’s cookies and potato chips, which together cost $1.20. We know
that the cookie costs $1 more than the potato chips. How much does the bag of chips cost?
a. $0.50
b. $0.25
c. $0.20
d. $0.10
4. I am a three-digit odd palindromic number that ends in 9. The sum of my individual digits is 24. Which number am I?
Sorry can’t make this question multiple choice…. If you don’t like it, go complain to the Trivia Commissioner, which so happens to be me…
was a 31-day month, then you would have walked home with a total of $10,737,418.24 (because remember: your salary doubles every day) So you $73-a-dayguys, you ought to brush up on your math or go buy a lotto ticket!
D-The cookie costs $1.10 and the potato chips costs $0.10. That is the only way there is a dollar difference between the price of the two items.
The number is in the form of 9_9. So we will just have to fill in the blank. 24 - 9 - 9 = 6. So
hahhahahhahhahha
Answers:
C- The fear of numbers is called arithmophobia. The only time I get it is when I go on the scale.
B- If you took the $73 a day, you lost your chance to become a millionaire. If you took the penny plan, then you would have made $5,368,709.12 by the thirtieth day (that’s right, over $5 million!). Oh, and by the way if it
969 is the number we are looking for.
Report Card:
4 correct: You’re a wacky genius. Live alone in a shack with 14 cats and three 1988 Oldsmobiles filled with newspapers?
2 or 3 correct: You may be smart, but if you took the $73 a day then your smarts was useless when it was needed most.
1 correct: Not bad. The school year is starting; just pay attention in math class and things will come along.
0 correct: Maybe my arithmophobia is kicking in but what percentage did you get right? I am having a hard time wrapping my head around all the zeros.
Notable Quotes
“Say What?!”
Good morning, DNC members, friends, and relatives. Let’s talk about the land for a second. The DNC acknowledges and honors the Dakota Oyate, the Dakota people, who are the original stewards of the lands and waters of Minneapolis. The Dakota cared for the lands, lakes, and the Wakpa Tanka, the Great River, the Mississippi River for thousands of years before colonization.
- How the first speaker at the Democratic National Convention summer meeting in Minneapolis began the conference
This land was not claimed or traded, it’s a part of a history of broken treaties and promises, and in many ways we still live in a system built to suppress indigenous people’s cultural and spiritual history.
- ibid.
I think it will take many years, including therapy, for him to move past what he’s suffered.
-The attorney for illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia—who is a wife-beater and human trafficker— talking about the damage that the U.S. did to Arbrego Garcia by jailing him for being an illegal immigrant accused of serious crimes
We, the jury, find the defendant guilty.
- Judge Henry M. Newkirk of Atlanta reading a jury verdict in a murder case
Didn’t I say “not”?
- ibid., upon jurors reacting in shock to the judge’s reading of their verdict
We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.
- ibid.
I apologize for my mispronunciation.
- ibid.
Crime has always been part of our history.
- Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) on CNN, criticizing President Trump’s efforts to rein in crime in Washington, D.C.
Unless you got your law degree from Costco, most attorneys surmised that New York would lose this on appeal.
- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) talking about the New York appeals court overturning the civil fraud verdict in the case brought against him two years ago by NY Attorney General Latisha James
Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…
Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my question.
I’m 26 years old and have been dating for four years. I find it hard to find the right niche of what I’m looking for. I was recently introduced to a girl at a wedding, and I wanted to go out with her; she’s already interested. My parents wanted to look into it first. After looking into it, they said no. They reasoned with me that the girl doesn’t “shtim” with our family, as she is from more of a simple background and we are more balabatish. Honestly, I could not care less. Why does everything have to be about good optics?
I sat down with my parents to discuss it, and they said there is just no way. They’re the type of family who will want to budget and find the cheap wedding vendors. What will their friends think if we have a wedding like this? I want to get married, and this girl seems/looks like a great prospect for me, which doesn’t happen often.
What can I do now? Is there any way for me to get around this without my parents disowning me?
Thanks, Dani*
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.
The Panel
Dear Readers,
We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion!
Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition.
If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.
Looking forward!
over time. If you can be self-supporting from the get-go, it will help your parents understand that your independence must happen in order for you to establish your own family unit. At the same time, you want to remain part of their unit as well, celebrating yom tov together and joining in simchas. Stress that you want to give them nachas long term as well.
Michelle, the “Shadchan” You’re caught in the middle between honoring them and honoring yourself.
Start the process of dialogue with your parents and get some help if you find you need it.
The Rebbetzin
Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.
You are making this sound like an allor-nothing situation in simple, black and white terms. We don’t know any of the context here. You don’t know whether
you will marry this girl, either.
It’s time to start a more substantial dialogue with your parents about your goals in life, marriage, and the type of community you hope to live in. Part of this vision for your future includes values, level of observance, and hashkafa . Obviously, your future wife will have input as well, but your sense of your future should be clear to you and clearer to your parents
The Shadchan
Michelle
Mond
Dear Dani, I’m so sorry you are dealing with this difficult predicament right now. It is so frustrating to know what is best for yourself, only to have family stand in the way.
It is the ultimate pain. Not only are you being kept from pursuing what you feel is right, you are walking around feeling like your family simply does not understand or support your choices. For parents like yours, optics is everything, but what about substance? What about depth? What about their son settling down with an amazing young woman? You have not even gone on one date yet, and they are thinking of the wedding vendors.
If your intuition is right, and this shidduch gets to the chuppah, your parents can offer to upgrade the vendors to their liking. This is NOT something they could do with a young woman herself (imagine a build-a-bear style shidduch where one can upgrade qualities to make her perfect for you).
You need to have a heart-to-heart with your parents in the way they can actually hear it. Speak to your parents’ rav and explain the situation and have him mediate a meeting with all of you. It is important that you bring in someone they revere as part of this conversation. If the questions in this column have taught our readership anything, I hope it’s this simple piece of advice. Don’t hijack your child’s/friend’s/sibling’s shidduchim!
The Zaidy
Dr. Jeffrey Galler
The obvious approach here is to enlist some advocates on your behalf. Perhaps an influential and respected
rabbi, or aunt, or uncle can help convince your parents to allow you to date the girl who makes your heart sing, rather than someone they deem appropriate.
But a key question is your financial independence. If you’re completely dependent (financially and otherwise) on your parents, you may have little choice but to follow their rules. If you are independent—or can become independent—it’s a different story.
For the first time, you’ve found someone you genuinely like. So, what should you do?
First, you need to really, really understand your parents. They come from a perspective where appearances, family expectations, and social norms carry enormous weight.
Second, acknowledge their concerns but explain why this girl is a uniquely suitable match for you. Highlight that when they get to know her, they may see the respect, honor, and happiness she can bring to the family. Enlisting a local, influential rabbi to support your case can help.
Third , propose an experiment. Ask for permission to go on a couple of dates.
Pulling It All Together
The Navidaters
Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
Ican hear how painful and frustrating this situation feels. It’s sad when family values center so much around appearances and “what people will think” rather than who you are, what you want, and how someone makes you feel. At the same time, your parents’ opinions are clearly very strong, and you’re caught in the middle between honoring them and honoring yourself.
One thing I want to say clearly: you have agency here. At the end of the day,
this is your life and your mar - riage. You are the one who will live with the choices you make – not your parents, not their friends, not their community.
I’d love to ask you some gentle, thought-provoking questions:
What does “a good match” mean to you, beyond optics and family expectations?
Reality often differs from fantasy—perhaps you won’t really like her; perhaps she won’t really like you. But if you both get along well, you can continue the conversation with your parents.
Finally, many have faced this ageold dilemma: balancing parents’ idea of “proper optics” with your own desire for happiness. It can be a struggle to do what is right for you, while, at the same time, continuing to honor your parents.
Remember, though, when it comes to finding the right life partner, the most important thing is not how the wedding looks but how the marriage feels.
Good luck!
Reader’s Response
Barak Sonenthal
It’s unfortunate that your parents don’t want you to go out with this girl, but at the end of the day, it’s your decision who you marry. You can’t only go out with girls that your parents approve of – especially not when they’ve shown that their priorities are so misguided.
If your parents have a rav that they
Reality often differs from fantasy.
trust, I would encourage you to reach out to him and see if he can assuage their concerns.
But if not, then how you proceed will depend on what you anticipate from your parents:
If you think they will eventually warm up to this girl, then start dating her now. You don’t need to ask your parents’ permission to date a girl you are interested in. You’re 26. If, however, you suspect that your parents will have a more extreme reaction if you two were to get engaged, such as no longer speaking to you or cutting you off financially, then you have to think deeply about whether you — and this girl — would be able to handle such a challenge. I would suggest in that case that you find a rav or mentor that could help guide you through those decisions.
Wishing you all the best.
If you picture your life five or ten years down the line, what qualities in a partner would bring you peace, joy, and stability?
How much weight do you want to give to your parents’ approval in the story of your own life?
And if you imagine the part of you that longs to be a loyal son and the part of you that longs to choose freely for yourself, what do those two parts say to each other?
Sometimes, exploring these different parts inside of you can help clarify what feels truest. There’s no judgment here because it makes sense to want your
parents’ blessing and also to feel pulled toward someone who excites you. Holding both is hard.
You don’t need to rush to an answer. But perhaps the deeper question is: if you silence your own voice to keep the peace now, what does that mean for the rest of your life? And if you honor your voice, how might you carry yourself in a way that still holds love and respect for your parents, even if they don’t agree?
I hope you reach an answer that feels right for you and honors all your parts.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
Common Cents
By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST
Why Most People Fail At Money And How You Can Win
You know the drill: Spend less than you earn. Save for a rainy day. Invest for the future. And yet, despite this seemingly simple formula, most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, struggle with debt, and feel stressed about money.
So what gives?
In this blog, we’re digging into the real reasons why so many people fall short with personal finance—and more importantly, how you can flip the script and start making real progress.
The Real Problem Isn’t Math— It’s Behavior
You don’t need a Ph.D. in economics to understand personal finance basics. But what trips most people up isn’t the math. It’s the mindset, habits, and systems (or lack thereof) that govern our financial behavior.
Consider this:
– Over 60% of Americans can’t cover a $1,000 emergency without borrowing.
– Credit card debt just hit a record high, despite rising interest rates.
– Two-thirds of millennials say they lose sleep over money.
These stats don’t reflect a lack of intelligence. They reflect a lack of strategy, structure, and—frankly—support.
Common Reasons People Fail at Money
Let’s break down five of the biggest reasons most people struggle with money:
No Clear Goals
It’s hard to win a game if you don’t know what you’re playing for. Many people haven’t taken the time to define what “financial success” looks like for them. Without clear goals, your money just disappears.
Fix it: Set SMART financial goals— Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Want to buy a house in 3 years? Save $40K for a down payment? Great. Now we’ve got something to work with.
Lack of Systems
Relying on willpower to manage your
money is like trying to steer a car with your feet. You need systems—automated savings, clear spending plans, and scheduled reviews—to keep you on track.
Fix it: Automate your financial life. Set up recurring transfers to savings, schedule time monthly to review your finances, and use apps or tools that give you visibility without complexity.
Emotional Spending
Money is deeply emotional. Stress, boredom, guilt, and even joy can lead to impulsive purchases or avoidance behavior. Left unchecked, these emotional habits can sabotage your goals.
Fix it: Track your spending and reflect on the why behind your purchases. Are you buying to feel better, impress others, or reward yourself? Build awareness—and then healthier alternatives.
Lifestyle Creep
You get a raise. You move to a nicer place. You subscribe to another streaming service. Before you know it, you’re still broke—but now with better furniture.
Fix it: Practice conscious upgrading. When your income increases, commit a portion of it to savings and investments before expanding your lifestyle.
Financial Illiteracy
Many people simply weren’t taught how money works—how interest compounds, how taxes eat into earnings, or how debt can snowball.
Fix it: Keep reading this blog. (Seriously.) Make learning about personal finance part of your routine. Knowledge truly is financial power.
Winning the Money Game: What Actually Works
Winning with money doesn’t mean becoming a millionaire overnight or living like a monk. It means building habits, systems, and mindsets that move you toward your version of financial freedom.
Here’s what works for ourselves, our clients, and can work for you too:
1. Start Small and Build Consistency
Progress is more about momentum than magnitude. Can’t save $500 a
month? Start with $20. The habit matters more than the amount in the beginning.
2. Automate Everything You Can
The less you have to rely on memory or discipline, the better. Automatic savings, bill pay, and investing make success the default.
3. Have a System for Reviewing
Financial success isn’t set-it-andforget-it. Build in a rhythm—monthly check-ins, quarterly goal reviews, and annual planning sessions.
4. Get Accountability
Just like having a workout buddy helps you hit the gym, having a financial advisor or a trusted partner helps you stay the course.
5. Celebrate Progress
Too often we wait until we’ve “made it” to feel good. Instead, recognize the small wins—paying off a credit card, hitting your savings target, or sticking to your budget for a month.
Real Wealth Is About Freedom
At its core, money is just a tool—a resource you can use to buy options, reduce stress, and create a life aligned with your values.
Financial wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s about intentionality. When you take control of your financial story—one decision at a time—you win.
Your Common Cents Action Plan: Here’s your quick-start checklist to start turning the tide:
– Set one clear short-term and one long-term financial goal.
– Automate a small transfer to savings—even $10/week.
– Track your spending for the next 7 days. Look for emotional patterns.
– Schedule a 30-minute money check-in on your calendar this month.
Need Help Getting Started?
At Northbrook Financial, we help individuals and families build clarity and confidence around their money through smart planning, personalized strategies, and a whole lot of Common Cents.
Subscribe to Common Cents digitally on LinkedIn.
The decision to start saving and investing is yours, but the “how” can be hard. Email commoncents@northbrookfinancial.com to schedule a financial planning consultation with our team.
Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST is Co-Founder of Northbrook Financial, a Financial Planning, Tax, and Investment Management Firm. He has developed and continues to teach a popular Financial Literacy course for high school students.
Parenting Pearls Building the Broken Bonds of the Blended Family
By Yael Stern
There is an ancient practice in Japanese culture called “Kintsugi,” in which the broken shards of a piece of pottery are reconnected by filling in the cracks with a unique golden powder. The practice is based on the idea that a piece of pottery, which has been broken, once mended, is far more beautiful than the original, unbroken piece of pottery. In this process of recreating the shattered object, the cracks are not only not hidden but are instead deliberately highlighted to show that it is specifically these flaws that make that repaired piece of pottery so beautiful. The formation of an imperfect whole through the reunification of its parts is lauded and celebrated.
When two families are united by the marriage of the parents, the result is referred to as a “Blended Family.” This family structure is unique in that it is comprised of adults and children, some of whom are biologically related and others who are not. When you are a member of a Blended Family, your family unit is unique, rather than typical.
Be it through the loss of a spouse/ parent or the divorce of a parental unit, both families within the Blended Family are no longer what would usually be referred to as “whole.” In some way, they are each “broken.” Even when the families join together, there are obvious and undeniable “cracks.” The goal is to mend those cracks through genuine acceptance and understanding.
Just like in Kintsugi, the blended family is a beautiful, imperfect structure (resulting from divorce, loss, etc.) that through its efforts to come together has the potential to become a magnificent structure. In the process of unifying the Blended Family, acknowledging, and embracing its inherent imperfections is essential in the healing of each family member as they work together to
create their new version of “wholeness,” on both an individual and collective level. Success in reconnecting the various parts of a blended family is far more likely when the differences, the cracks, are positively highlighted and celebrated. The cracks, be they loss, painful wounds, aching hearts, etc., provide the space where the gold can be poured and genuine healing and connection of the once fragmented parts can occur.
In other words, the imperfections that are intrinsic to the blended family are considered part of the process of it becoming a unique “whole.” By not whitewashing the realities inherent to their situation, the blended family is given an opportunity to live a more honest and authentic existence.
There is so much to learn from this parable of Japanese practice, most notably in the difference between the typical family and the blended family.
In a typical biological family structure, even one that has issues, there is the ability to act as if there are no cracks
or to cover up any such cracks with the hope that no one will notice them. But it is simply impossible to entertain the notion of a blended family being perfect because the factors that have led to its members’ participation are predicated on something that has become broken, either within them or within their world. Therefore, it is futile to deny its obvious imperfections.
In a society that often lauds perfection and conforming to the masses, being part of a Blended Family gives each person the golden opportunity to portray something that is far more realistic than the notion of perfection: the journey of a growth process rooted in honesty, authenticity and at times, very raw emotion. It is not the final product, the picturesque family unit, which they aim to depict, but rather the transformative process that they endure to create and strengthen deeper connections within themselves and with one another.
True greatness is not found in the limelight and certainly not amongst the
facade of perfection, but rather, in the cracks of the heart that have chosen to heal from its wounds and the foregoing of anything that inhibits the process of becoming whole again.
Relationships within a Blended Family, unlike in a biological family, are not formed naturally and automatically. Blended families are unique in that they are created because of a superficial coming together due to unnatural life events (like divorce and loss) and can come with a highly dissimilar set of rules and differing interpersonal dynamics. Unlike biological families, they are not bound by DNA, lifelong memories, back-and-forth negotiations, and naturally occurring common ground. It takes a great deal of humility, self-awareness, and forgiveness to advance along the journey that the Blended Family will traverse.
In a healthy Blended Family, each person feels increasingly “Safe, Seen, Soothed and Secure” and the focus remains on the notion of healing for everyone involved. As the two separate family systems learn to coexist emotionally, and often physically, members of both families are encouraged to be vulnerable and feel comfortable to take chances and show up as their true selves. They are empowered to voice their feelings, ask for their needs, make mistakes, and adjust at their pace.
A nurturing environment such as this one promotes compassion, respect, and acceptance for the often-obvious differences between the two families (i.e., cultural, and religious views, upbringing, etc.) and facilitates the formation of truly authentic relationships between them.
Members of a blended family carry with them pain that may never fully heal, however, with patience, dedication, and effort, it is precisely that pain
which can spur the creation of highly reparative family dynamics.
In this way, those who are courageous and fully immerse themselves in this wholesome and reparative process can reshape their perspective.
The following reminders can be helpful and provide clarity for those who find themselves in the process of blending a family:
1. The couple must have a good relationship with one another so that they can offer the family the required stability. The couple must be ever cognizant, understanding, and patient, recognizing the challenges the kids are dealing with.
2. Each parent must find a way to communicate with one another as well as with their biological and stepchildren and work to blend the family.
3. Both parents and children must be on board with the family situation and take responsibility for their own actions, expectations, and mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
4. There are many different versions of success within the reality of Blended Families.
to exactly what it was before the cracks occurred. The cracks are there, and they are a reality. You cannot undo the cracks, but you can connect the fragmented pieces. Healing is in the coming back together of an individual or family’s fragmented parts.
6. Do not blame yourself or others (i.e., spouses, children) for the cracks.
constant healing wherein the pain is real but does not define a person/ family and does not represent its entirety.
9. It is normal for anyone in the blended family to ask these kinds of questions and others like them:
“What are my fragmented parts?”
“Where am I feeling fragmented inside?”
The goal is to mend those cracks through genuine acceptance and understanding.
You are not the one who cracked it.
7. Be curious and have compassion for the way others are coping. Highlight the cracks – fill them, which is your opportunity for yourself and/or them to heal, and bring the pieces/people back together. Acknowledge their wounds. Validate their experience of the situation. It cannot be fixed, but you can cre -
“Why am I feeling fragmented inside?”
“Where is my place?”
“Where does my piece fit within the blended family unit?”
“What is my role in the blended family?”
“Does my opinion matter?
“Do I matter?”
(Note: You and/or the other family members may need a professional to
help you to examine and understand the details of each piece and to answer the above questions and others like them.)
10. There are so many ways that creating a Blended Family can be a successful endeavor.
Embrace it!
Celebrate it!
Be proud of it!
Most importantly, remember that we are all in G-d’s hands. It is Hashem who brings these families together. When Hashem puts us in a situation, He gives us the tools and ability to overcome the challenges inherent in that situation. With His help and the shared commitment to working together, a fragmented family can become a glistening, gold masterpiece.
Yael Stern is a mother, stepmother, and life coach specializing in blending families –helping parents and partners navigate dating, marriage, parenting, and step-parenting with confidence and connection. She can be reached at yaelsternblendingcoach@ gmail.com.
Note:
Gavi Yifrah, 7
Kayla Kovacs, 4
Malky, 6
Chaya S. & Ester W.
Shira Michelsohn, 5
Batya Greenwald, 7
Asher Schapiro, 2
Tovy Berliant, 5 Aliza Ezzatpour
Ruti Tuchman, 5
Zoey Freedman, 6
Chuna Danziger, 7
Note: Not all submission have been published. Keep sending in your artwork for another chance to be featured!
Aryeh & Racheli Friedman on the birth of a son
Pasey & Shaina Wealcatch on the birth of a son
Eitan & Avigayil Lazarus on the birth of a daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Spar on the birth of a son
Mitchell & Elisheva Trestman on the birth of a daughter
Avraham & Rochel Tova Chernitzky on the birth of a daughter
Elimelech and Perri (Greenwald) Tropper on the birth of a son
Avi & Shira (Levitt) Thurman on the birth of a daughter
Ozzie & Miriam Marizan on the birth of a son
Mickey & Tehila Feldbaum on the birth of a son
Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Feinstein on the birth of a son
Lidor & Allie Hayun on the birth of a daughter
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Nechama Zussman, 7
Talia Lawrence, 10
Eliana Yifrah. 5 Tova Shaps, 5
Aryeh Kushner, 9 Dassy, 6.5
ER, 4
Isaac Hakimi, 2
Michal Soskil, 6.5Chaya K. & Ruchama Z., 8
In The K tchen
Creamy Cheesy Tuna Casserole
Dairy / Yields 8 servings
By Naomi Nachman
Where did the summer go? It feels like just yesterday we were enjoying the warm weather. Now, it’s time to bid farewell to summer and welcome the start of school. This year, my youngest daughter, Leora, is graduating, and we’ve been making this recipe as a tradition since my oldest started school. My girls absolutely love this dish, so I always double the recipe and freeze one to keep it handy for the busy weeks leading up to the holidays.
I love the creaminess that the mushroom soup gives the pasta, and the cheese gets all oozy. The crunchy topping also gives it great texture.
Ingredients
◦ 1 (12-ounce) package egg noodles
◦ 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
◦ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
◦ 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna, drained
◦ 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
◦ 1 cup panko crumbs or packaged crunchy fried onions, crushed
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together noodles, onion, 1 cup cheese, tuna, and soup. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with panko crumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
Recipe from Perfect Flavors by Naomi Nachman published by Artscroll/Mesorah.
In last week’s recipe, Watermelon Gazpacho, 3 cups of watermelon were omitted from the ingredient list. We apologize for the error.
Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.
