Elegant Impressions September 2012

Elegant Impressions

Elul 5772 September 2012

Volume I, Issue VIII

1

2

Precious Petals Beneath its subtle beauty and elegance lie the properties which make our Jewelry truly unique.

Earrings with White Gold, Sapphire & Diamond.

1322 Kings Highway | Brooklyn | New York 11229 | 718.645.8998

Diamond Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands, Diamonds, Precious Gems, Pearls and more...

3

What’s Inside Apple Decor 7 Honeyed Chicken Teriyaki 8

Apples & Honey Semifreddo 10 Rustic Apple Plum Tart 11

Rosh Hashana Apple Rose Dessert 12

Rosh Hashana Round Challah 13

Health Highlights of Rosh Hashana Simanim 16 Sukkot Tablescape 18 DIY Sukkah Decorations 20 Simchat Torah Napkins 23 Robin’s Kitchen Tips 24 Back to School 26 The List of 5 28 Bento Lunches 30

The Morris I. Franco Cancer Center 31 Table...Set...Go! 32 Ask the Professor 38 Kitchen First Aid 40 The Anti-Inflammatory Diet 42

Salmon Teriyaki with Mango 43 The M&M’s of Marketing 44

GPS! Navigation For Your Soul 46

Missed an issue?

Read them all online at ElegantImpressions.com

Contact info@elegantimpressions.com 917-830-4262 Editor In Chief Amy Oren Editor Jacob Mograby Contributors Leah Benguigui Michele Cohen Tzivia Cohen Avi Fishoff Robin Haddad Jordan Leibniz Renelle Maslaton Estreya Mograby Maggie Mograby Karen Moreno Suzannah Raff Margalit Romano Rabbi Yaakov Shain Esther Zafrani Creative Design Amy Oren Photography Maggie Mograby Cover Photography Sofia Saka Ad Sales Barbra Panigel Steven Sorscher Published By Elegant Impressions Elegant Impressions is a monthly publication.

Subscriptions are $29.95 for 6 issues.

Call 917-830-4262 for more information.

4

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written consent from the publisher is prohibited. Elegant Impressions Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements in the magazine. Elegant Impressions is not responsible for typographical errors. Readers should always verify kashrut status independently.

5

6

You a

William Sonoma

Wishes

Happy, Healthy & Sweet New Year!

Bakerella.com

pnpflowersinc.com

Elegant Impressions

Recipe & Photography Liza Agbanlog Salu Salo

Honeyed Chicken Teriyaki

This delicious dish consists of little nuggets of chicken, fried and then baked with a honey and soy glaze. You may omit the baking part because fried chicken nuggets with the honey and soy mixture as a dipping sauce is already an appealing meal to impatient kids. On the other hand, dipping the fried nuggets in the glaze and baking them makes the chicken more flavorful. This delightful chicken dish may be served as an entree or hors d’oeurves.

Ingredients 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 eggs, beaten Oil for frying

Glaze 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup honey 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions Cut chicken in 1-inch squares.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in eggs, then coat with seasoned flour.

Pour ½ inch oil in a wide frying pan; place over medium-high heat.

When oil is hot, add chicken, half at a time. Cook, turning as needed, until chicken is golden brown (around 6-8 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat soy sauce, honey, sherry, garlic and ginger in a small pan.

Lift chicken from oil. Drain briefly and dip in honey mixture, then place on a rack set in a baking pan. When all chicken is cooked and dipped, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if used.

Bake at 250°F for 20 minutes. Brush with glaze after 10 minutes.

You can serve this as is or with the glaze as a dipping sauce.

8

9

Apples and “Honey” Semifreddo Recipe & Photography Hannah Kaminsky My Sweet Vegan (Editor’s Note: This recipe uses agave as a sweetener instead of honey for those who adhere to a vegan diet.)

1 lb. apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 2 tbsp. candied ginger, finely diced 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar, firmly packed 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 14–16 oz vegan/parve whipping cream 1 cup cashews, soaked 6 oz vanilla soy yogurt ½ C honey-flavored agave/amber agave/maple syrup 1 tbsp. limoncello/ apple brandy/ or vodka ½ vanilla bean, split & scraped (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract) Additional honey-flavored agave and crushed caramelized almonds for serving In a medium skillet, toss apples, candied ginger, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and there’s no excess liquid remaining at the bottom of the pan. Let cool completely before proceeding.

To make the base, begin by whipping up your carton of cream as the box instructs, and set aside.

Place your nuts and non-dairy yogurt in a blender or food processor, and puree on the highest setting. Just be patient, as it may take up to 10 minutes for the average food processor or blender to completely puree the cashews. Once completely smooth, add in the “honey,” liqueur of choice, and vanilla bean seeds. Blend to combine.

Add about a third of the cashew mixture to your whipped cream – and with a wide spatula, very gently fold the two together, being careful not to knock too much air out of the creme. Don’t fuss too much about streaks yet.

Once it’s mostly combined, add another third of the cashew mix, and fold again. Repeat with the remainder, stirring until the mixture is all one even color. Very gently fold in the cooked and cooled apple compote.

Pour the semifreddo base into either a 9x5 loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, or a silicon loaf pan. Smooth down the top with a spatula, and place on a level surface in your freezer.

Let sit until frozen solid, at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also make this dessert well in advance – up to a week in fact! Just make sure you keep it well wrapped and covered so that it doesn’t start taking on off-flavors in the freezer.

To serve, simply unmold on a decorative plate, slice, and garnish with a drizzle of “honey” and crushed caramelized almonds as desired.

Check out the author’s new cookbook, Vegan a la Mode.

10

Recipe & Photography Tess Gardner Slow Cooking Kitchen 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup vegetable shortening 4 tablespoons ice water 1 egg white, room temperature 3 ripe Gala apples, peeled, cored, diced 3 ripe plums, peeled, pits removed, diced

Rustic Apple Plum Tart 1 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons raw honey 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon corn starch 1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat oven to 375째 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Combine butter, apples, plums, brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Simmer over medium high heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place cornstarch and water in a measuring cup and whisk until well blended. Add to apple mixture and reduce heat to medium low. Continue simmering for approximately 5-10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt; whisk until well blended. Cut in shortening using two knives or pastry blender. Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, until moist crumbles form.

Form pastry into a ball and cut into quarters. On a well floured surface, roll out each quarter. Using a serrated knife, cut edges into straight lines, forming a square. Scoop small quantities of apple mixture into center of pastry square and gently fold edges over the top, allowing the center to remain uncovered.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until edges turn a light golden brown. Remove from oven and set on cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.

11

Recipe by Esther Zafrani Personal Chef Photography Maggie Mograby

Rosh Hashana Apple Rose

For the Cookie Base 1½ cups flour ½ tsp. salt 8 tablespoons margarine, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons shortening 3-5 tablespoons ice water 2 tablespoon sugar (optional) Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl, using a pastry blender cut in margarine and shortening until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle in the water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition- only add enough water to hold dough together. Flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough between two wax papers. Make sure not to touch the dough with your hands- the warmth of your hands will cause the dough to shrink. Cut with a 3 inch cookie cutter, ½ an inch thick. Bake on 350° for 20-30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Mousse 2 lbs. peanut butter 1 lb. white chocolate 2.5 lbs. whipped Cream (or whipped heavy cream) (This mousse also makes a great graham cracker crust filling- fill the pie with mousse and top with chocolate ganache.)

Melt peanut butter and white chocolate on double boiler.

Blend together and let cool to room temperature. Fold in heavy cream. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. The amount of whipped cream can be increased or decreased to adjust firmness.

Honey Roasted Apples: 3 medium apples 1/4 cup honey Preheat the oven to 350° F. Peel and core the apples, then slice thin slices of apple with a potato peeler. Lay the slices on parchment paper lined baking sheets and brush with honey, using a pastry brush. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Let cool.

When cookies cool, spread a teaspoon of mousse on the cookie and arrange the apple slices on top and around the entire cookie. To form the flower design, start by twisting 2 apples slices together to form a bud. Wrap the apple slices around the bud until you complete your apple rose. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Esther Zafrani is a professional private chef as well as a food decorating instructor. She specializes in cake decorating, fruit and vegetable carving, and complete meal catering. She recently traveled to Europe to prepare a dessert table for billionare Alexander Rovt’s birthday party.

12

Rosh Hashana Round Challah Using a Basic 6 Rope Braid

By Estreya Mograby Photography Sofia Saka

Step 1: The challah begins as a regular 6 rope braid. Roll out 6 ropes and pinch them together at one end.

Step 2: Starting from the left, bring the 2nd rope all the way to the right, above all the rest of the ropes.

Step 3: Bring the 1st rope to the center.

Step 4: Now take the 2nd rope from the right side and bring it to the left, above all the other ropes.

Step 5: Bring the 1st rope from the right to the center. Continue braiding, alternating sides.

(An easy way to remember this technique is by remembering, “2nd over all, 1st to the middle.�

Step 6: Bring the 2 ends of the finished braid and pinch them together to form a ring.

To order delicious and beautiful challot for Shabbat or special occasions, call Estreya 917-838-5109.

Many styles and shapes available!

14

15

Rosh Hashana Simanim On Rosh Hashana we eat symbolic foods and pray for a year full of blessings. Here are some health benefits of the varied foods traditionally eaten by Jews of different communities.

Honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reducing muscle fatigue of athletes.

The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar.

Honey has antibacterial properties; research has found that even the smallest amount of honey was enough to kill off the majority of bacterial cells on the skin which infects the wound site.

According to recent research, honey may in fact be as effective as many common cough medicines.

Honey works as a natural and gentle laxative, aids constipation.

Honey is used for skin conditioning, using it as a moisturizing mask and can reduce facial redness and acne. It is also used for conditioning of hair. It is often mixed with olive oil or castor oil for both purposes

The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad�) cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples. A Cornell University study found that rats who ate one apple per day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent.

Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat the fruit while dieting.

Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in the best sort of fiber - soluble fiber - which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, copper, phosphorous and manganese. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure.

Beans also contain protease inhibitors which frustrate the development of cancerous cells.

Leeks contain many noteworthy flavonoid anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins that have proven health benefits. Further, their elongated stalks provide good amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Leeks contain antioxidants that convert to allicin, and laboratory studies show that allicin reduces cholesterol. Further, it also found to have anti-bacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal activities.

Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness by release of nitric oxide (NO); thereby bring reduction in the total blood pressure. It also blocks platelet clot formation and has fibrinolytic action in the blood vessels, which helps decrease overall risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral vascular diseases (PVD), and stroke.

Loaded with fiber -- both soluble and insoluble -- dates are able to fill you up and keep your bowel habits regular.

They are an excellent source of potassium and provide numerous other important vitamins and minerals -- quite a powerhouse packed in a tiny, portable package.

Compounds found only in pomegranates c a l l e d punicalagins are shown to benefit the heart and blood vessels.

They not only lower cholesterol, but also lower blood pressure and increase the speed at which heart blockages (atherosclerosis) melt away. Recent medical research studied heart patients with severe carotid artery blockages. They were given an ounce of pomegranate juice each day for a year. Not only did study participants’ blood pressure lower by over 12 percent, but there was a 30 percent reduction in atherosclerotic plaque. Just as astounding, participants who did not take the pomegranate juice saw their atherosclerotic plaque increase by 9 percent.

They have also been shown to inhibit breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, leukemia and to prevent vascular changes that promote tumor growth in lab animals.

Also of note, pomegranate juice contains phytochemical compounds that stimulate serotonin and estrogen receptors, improving symptoms of depression and increasing bone mass in lab animals.

The reason Swiss chard is so colorful is because it is one of the most antioxidantrich foods. It contains betacarotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, quercetin, kaempferol, and many other disease fighting antioxidants.

Swiss chard, like other leafy green vegetables, is an excellent source of calcium which helps to strengthen the bones and teeth.

Swiss chard is one of the super foods that is known for its cancer preventative properties thanks to the fiber, chlorophyll, phytochemicals, and other plant pigments it contains. Studies have found that leafy green vegetables are particularly beneficial against colon cancer.

Swiss chard is rich in biotin, an important hair vitamin that promotes hair growth and strength.

The benefits of eating fish are overwhelming. Studies show that just two seafood meals a week can reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack by about 30 percent. Fish also protects against heart arrhythmias, lowers triglycerides and blood pressure, eases inflammation and keeps blood vessels healthy. Studies also show that eating fish may ward against cancer, help protect skin from sun damage, keep our brains healthy and ease the pain of arthritis. In addition to seafood’s omega-3 fat, responsible for most of these benefits, fish is a complete package with filling protein and vitamin D, zinc, magnesium and iron.

Low in fat, s q u a s h delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. The folate content adds yet another boost to its heart-healthy reputation and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects such as spina bifida.

Squash’s tangerine hue indicates the squash’s most noteworthy health perk. The color signals an abundance of powerhouse nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease.

In particular, the gourd boasts very high levels of betacarotene identified as a deterrent against breast cancer and age-related macular degeneration.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene has also been shown to protect against macular degeneration and senile cataracts.

The high level of beta-carotene acts as an antioxidant to cell damage done to the body through regular metabolism. It help slows down the aging of cells.

Vitamin A and antioxidants protects the skin from sun damage. Deficiencies of vitamin A cause dryness to the skin, hair and nails. Vitamin A prevents premature wrinkling, acne, dry skin, pigmentation, blemishes, and uneven skin tone.

Vitamin A assists the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body. It reduces the bile and fat in the liver. The fibers present in carrots help clean out the colon and hasten waste movement.

17

DOWNLOAD & PRINT

Sukkot Printables AT ELEGANTIMPRESSIONS.COM Napkin Rings, Menus, Place Cards, Vase Wraps, Wine Labels...

Printables Design Tzivia Cohen ThePurplePaperie.com Photography Maggie Mograby Zigzag Decorations

Margalit Romano

White Cups Addy & Co. Orchids Surrey Lane 18

Table Stylist Michele Cohen

19

Sukkah Decorations

Tutorials Margalit Romano Swirly Curls Art Photography Maggie Mograby

Polka Dot Garlands What you need: Paper Circle punch* Nylon wire/ string Glue gun *The circle punch is a standard tool used in scrapbooking, so it should be easy to find in most craft supply or scrapbooking stores. This punch comes in many shapes and sizes which makes the opportunities for this project endless! **For this project you can use standard construction paper, however good quality scrapbooking paper is recommended.

Doily Paper Chain This is a modern twist on a traditional sukkah decoration.

What yo need: Doily paper punch* Paper Tape What to do: 1. Using the guidelines of the punch you have, punch pattern across the sheets of paper.

2. Take the first strip and create a circle by taping ends together.

3. Take the next strip and put it through the circle; tape ends together.

4. Continue previous steps until chain reaches desired length. *This punch is available at most craft or art supply stores however, any double edged punch will work beautifully. Double edged punches come in many different styles and 20 patterns.

What to do: 1. Use punch to make circles out of the sheets of paper.

2. Apply glue to the back of a circle, and lay nylon string over it.

3. Add another circle over glue and string and press down.

4. Keeping the same distance between all sets of circles, continue previous steps until garland reaches desired length.

Glamorous Mirror Garland What you need: Small mirrors* Nylon wire Glue gun To create a two sided mirror: 1. Apply glue to the back of mirror.

2. Lay nylon string over mirror in the glue.

3. Press the back of a second mirror over string and glue.

4. Keeping a equal distance between each set, repeat previous steps across entire nylon wire until desired length is reached. *Mirrors can be purchased at most craft supply or discount stores. They come in different shapes and sizes.

Hanging flower Ball What you need: Styrofoam ball Paper cupcake liners Glue gun Nylon wire or string What to do: 1. Apply glue to bottom of cupcake liner and apply to Styrofoam ball.

2. As you apply liners, arrange them as desired. They do not have to be perfectly uniform. Fold some into each other and have fun with it.

3. Continue until ball is completely covered.

4. Attach string with glue gun.

5. Hang and admire!

Zigzag Streamers What you need: Sheets of paper Scissors Hole punch Nylon wire / string What to do: 1. Without cutting all the way to the edges, cut strips about 2 inches apart lengthwise on each sheet of paper.

2. Turn the sheet around and make the same cuts in between the existing strips.

3. Hole punch end of paper and tie string to hang.

Margalit of Swirly Curls Art, uses nontraditional techniques and materials. She teaches art classes for kids, and writes a blog dedicated to DIY. swirlycurls.blogspot.com 917-207-7649

21

22

Sefer Torah Napkins

By Leah Benguigui Napkins, artfully folded, are a beautiful way to enhance your holiday table. Add instant elegance to your formal dining experience by experimenting with a variety of different styles of folded napkins. Here is a novel interpretation of a Sefer Torah napkin- perfect for Simchat Torah, Shavuot, or a Siyum! It is really simple (a great way to get your kids involved) and fun to do!

After more than a decade in education, Leah Benguigui has chosen to further develop her creativity in her jewelry business, Gems by Leah Benguigui. She can be reached for appointments at 718-339-5659.

1. Fold the upper and lower edges to the middle.

2. Turn all four corners to the outside.

3. Roll the napkin from both sides to the middle.

4. Turn the form over and voila! You now have a beautiful Sefer Torah napkin to drape across your place settings. You may finish the look by adding a wide napkin ring or tying with a ribbon as shown.

Note: You may use a cloth or paper napkin for this style, although a cloth napkin has a more formal effect.

We’re looking for an active, enthusiastic salesperson for ad sales.

High Commission! info@elegantimpressions.com 917-830-4262

Tips from Your Kitchen Companion

By Robin Haddad

Don’t Dilute Your Drink When ice cubes melt, they dilute your drink. I have solved this problem by freezing my favorite drinks in ice cube trays. You can even use fun shapes! Cranberry Juice, iced tea, lemonade, grape juice, iced coffee - the list is endless.

Freeze overnight, store in a resealable plastic bag, then just pop your favorite “flavor cube” into your drink and enjoy!

Quick Pureed Garlic Chopping garlic is a chore. Running the cloves over a microplane easily purees them into a pulp.

Frozen Citrus Slices A great way to preserve lemons and limes before they go bad. First slice in rounds, place on plastic-wrap lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze over night.

Transfer to resealable plastic bags and store in the freezer. Add the frozen slices (with ice) to cocktails, soda or lemonade!

Creamy Dressing in a Snap Do you love creamy dressings that are silky smooth?

Put all the ingredients of your favorite creamy dressing in a jar along with an ice cube. Tightly secure the lid. Shake the jar vigorously to blend well (the ice cube works as a whisk inside the jar), then remove the ice cube and serve!

24

Add Crunch to Cookies In recipes that call for nuts, use whole grain wheat and barley cereal (such as Grape-Nuts) instead. They give an extra fiber boost and give cookies a great crunchy texture!

Simmering Scents Is last night’s salmon dinner aroma still hanging in the air? Give your house a wonderful scent. Simmer 2 cups of water, the peel of one orange, 1 Tbs. of cloves and 1 cinnamon stick in a saucepan.

Replenish the water as it evaporates.

Better Burgers To be sure that my burgers get cooked all the way through, I make an indentation about the size of a quarter in the middle of each with my thumb. This makes the center thinner so it cooks completely. No more surprise center!

Better Bread Crumbs Leftover challah? Half a pita? Ends of the rye bread?

One hot dog bun left in the package? Freeze different kinds of leftover breads and rolls, pulse in together in the food processor for delicious bread crumbs!

Store in freezer.

Better Butter Ever wonder why there is a separate garage for your butter and margarine on the door of the fridge? It’s because they absorb the flavors of food! So if you want to keep your spices fresh and your butter tasting dreamy; double bag the spice and put them in the freezer. Don’t let them near your butter garage or you may end up with cumin flavored cookies!

Grated Goat Cheese Did you know you can freeze goat cheese for up to three months?

Not only does it last longer, but it’s a quick way to add flavor to food. Just grate the frozen cheese and add to salads, pasta or your favorite dish!

25

Image: Cio Prints

Back to These fun ideas will make any kid excited to go back to school!

Charts keep you and your kids organized so that everyone starts their day with ease. Dry erase markers work on vinyl stickers to make these charts reusable every day.

Image: The36thavenue.com

Before running to catch the bus, don’t forget to capture the first day of school on film! Snap a picture of your child holding a chalkboard or sign documenting their milestone.

26

Drink bottles with word strips taped around them.

Image: Onecharmingparty.com

A cute way to display sweets!

Using a paint pallet you can display mini candies just like “real” paint!

Image: crissyscrafts.com

o School

A painted frame with the center coated with chalkboard paint and edged with crayons makes a fun photo prop or classroom sign. Image: Fancyfrugallife.blogspot.com

Tinted cake and frosting make up these adorable pencil push-pops!

Image: Bakerella.com

Back to school treats- a candy roll wrapped with colored paper and topped with a chocolate kiss. Image: Blackberryvine.blogspot.com

A place setting complete with a looseleaf paper placemat, a word strip place card, and water bottles wrapped with word strips.

Image: Dukesandduchesses.com

Back to school sugar cookies!

Image: Glorioustreats.com

27

The List of 5

By Mrs. Renelle Maslaton As the new school year approaches, there are five important things that parents can be doing at home to ensure that their child is as best prepared as possible to do well in school academically as well as socially.

A poor man once approached a wealthy man, requesting financial assistance to make a wedding for one of his twelve children. The wealthy man refused, stating that these children were the poor man’s responsibility. The poor man asked: “If you had an opportunity to partner with Bill Gates, would you turn that down?” “Of course not!” the businessman responded. “It would be very lucrative for me to enter a partnership with Bill Gates, for then everyone would want to do business with me!”

“Well,” replied the poor man, “Hashem Himself has chosen to partner with me and my wife twelve times...what do you say to that?!”

The Torah outlook on family life and children is so refreshing in today’s times. Each child is a precious gift from Hashem, a pure neshama entrusted to us. In a recent conversation this author had with Rabbanit Babyoff of Yerushalayim, the rabbanit related that her saintly brother, Hacham Ben-Sion Abba-Shaul zt”l used to say, “Each child is a million! For each one can have perhaps ten of his own, and each of those ten can have ten more, equaling one hundred grandchildren, and each of those...” The rabbanit paraphrased, saying “Take care of each child like he is a million!”

Why do we have children? It sounds like a funny question to some. “Of course, to have a remembrance in this world after 120, for no one lives forever...” Well, in four or five generations, will that really hold true? Will anyone still remember Grandma _______ ? Hint: Do you know your grandmothers from four or five generations back? Hmmm...there must be another reason.

We turn to the Sefer HaHinuch (misva 1) to clarify: “Among the reasons for this misva (of Peru Urvu) is so that the world will be populated, as Hashem desires this, for He created the world for people. And this is a tremendous misva, by which all the other misvot in the world are observed, for the misvot were given to people, and not to the Heavenly angels...” (loose translation).

By bringing children into the world, we fulfill Hashem’s desire to have His world populated with people who observe His Torah.

Our schools are willing partners in this relationship. Originally, a child’s education was handled by his parents, and the idea of schools was formed specifically for orphans. This eventually developed into an acceptable mode of education for all children. However, this state of affairs does not absolve the parents from their obligations toward their child! A child is not only a gift but also a pikadon from Hashem; and by meriting to enter this partnership, the parents remain obligated to do by their child as their primary Partner would want. Hopefully, the school can assist and enhance.

What are a parent’s responsibilities in terms of partnering with their child’s school? The seemingly simple things, the things

28

that we used to take for granted...Today, with many mothers valiantly assisting their husbands in supporting the family in addition to performing motherly duties, and many parents stressed with other burdens, it doesn’t hurt to keep a list of the little things handy.

5 Little Things - That Really Make a Difference!

HOMEWORK Sit down to do homework with your child. Do not allow any distractions to interrupt. If your child does not need assistance, or does homework with an older sibling, take the time to review it to ascertain that he understood the material as well as the assignment. Before an upcoming test, give your child a pre-test to figure out what in particular to spend time studying.

Help him make up mnemonics (hints) or songs to remember difficult material.

NOTES Take the time to read the notes that come home from school with your child. These are the school’s way of communicating with you! Your attention to these matters sends an important message that you value the work of the school. Respond promptly when necessary, i.e. signatures, money (for projects, trips), or whatever is requested. If your child is of age, send in Misva Notes! Prepare them from the night before. What better way to encourage misvot and middot tovot in little ones. How reinforcing it is for your child to receive so much recognition - from you, from the teachers, and from the classmates - for positive behaviors. The ones who don’t bring misva notes from home truly miss having them...

READ The benefits are unlimited when it comes to reading with your child! (One high school teacher claims that she can actually tell which of her students were read to as children!) Reading broadens a child’s horizons to include things he has not actually seen or experienced, it takes them to places and times to which they have never been, it expands the imagination, it builds vocabulary, comprehension, spelling, and language skills. And it creates a wonderful bonding experience for parent and child.

Read to your child, have him read to you, ask him questions about the story, discuss the lessons, and have him retell it in his own words. You can read a poem, short story, or a few minutes each night from a chapter book, stopping at a cliff-hanger. Enjoy it together!

NOURISHMENT This comes in several flavors, each equally as important: spiritual, emotional and physical.

Spiritual nourishment includes training our children - with simha, happiness - in misvot and middot. Modeh Ani, netilat yadayim, berachot, shema, tseniut, lashon hara, meat and dairy, hessed...our day is so full of opportunities! Is your child learning about a particular midda in school? Reinforce it at home as well!

Emotional nourishment includes spending individual time with each child, so that they know they are important to us, and that their feelings and ideas are important and heard.

How much time? The more, the better. Most families find that this shifts depending on what is going on at a particular time in the home. At the very minimum, parents should strive to spend a few private minutes at bedtime with each child.

It is imperative for a child to know that he has a time when he can tell a parent about his day or something that is on his mind. In addition to listening, you can use this time to ask your child, “Did you do something nice for someone today? Do you have hakarat hatov to someone for doing something nice for you? What would you like to say “thank You, Hashem,” for today?”

Physical nourishment - breakfast, snacks, and dinner (and lunch as well, if you provide home lunch!). Try to eliminate or at least curtail sugar intake, and encourage your child to eat protein at each meal. In addition to health detriments, sugar has been found to negatively impact attention, concentration, impulse control, and mood. Breakfast is particularly important; please do not send your child to school sugared-up! Protein, on the other hand, provides much-needed energy for the brain throughout the day.

Eggs, oatmeal, whole grains, avocado, and nut-butters are all good sources of morning protein. (If offering nut butters, wash hands and face well before sending children off to school, as it may be dangerous for allergic schoolmates!)

Rebbetzin Hoberman, a”h, stressed to this author the importance of having a vegetable platter prepared for the children as they return from school. “They will nosh on whatever is on the table, why not something so beautiful and healthy?” And nothing is better that walking into the house and smelling dinner in the oven...

NOTICE Keep an eye on your child. How does he look today? Happy, excited, sad? Make sure to find out why. Is something troubling him at school? One mother related that her child suddenly stopped doing well in school for no apparent reason, and no amount of reward or punishment helped... until they discovered at the end of the year that he was being bullied every morning...Who are his friends? How is he doing socially? What does he do by recess? Keep the lines of communication open with his teachers by periodically sending a note or leaving a message with the office.

When these five things are taken care of at home, it makes for happier, more successful students. When even one of these areas is lacking, the results are apparent: a child who may be unprepared for class, inattentive, restless, and/or seeking attention beyond the norm. Schools are made up of people who are devoted to hinuch, devoted to caring for your child. By nurturing your “millions” from the home end, you prepare your child to reap the maximum benefits from what the school contributes from their end. All that is left is to pray for Siyata Dishmaya from the main Investor in the partnership, that He bless all our endeavors for the sake of the pure neshamot entrusted to us.

Renelle Maslaton, M.S.Ed, is Dean of Bet Yaakov Orot Sarah.

29

Bento Lunches Moms are discovering a new ally against brown-bag boredom: Japanese bento boxes. Resembling school pencil boxes divided into smaller compartments, these Asian-style lunchboxes make it easy to pack a variety of healthy foods in a taste-tempting way.

Picky little eaters are sure to fall in love with bento-style sandwiches in cookie-cutter shapes, fruits and veggies trimmed into stars and circles and even hard-boiled eggs molded into cute shapes. Silicone muffin tin liners are great for compartmentalizing nutritious finger food; decorative food picks make the food even more enticing for little ones.

These bento lunches were all made by Caren Kruest and you can see many more bento style lunches on her blog, bento-logy.blogspot.com

Here are some ideas of foods to include in your kid’s lunchbox.

•Leftovers from dinner •Noodles •Casserole •Fish or chicken, veggies, & brown rice •Yogurt, fruit, granola, & nuts •Cottage cheese & fruit •Pita bread stuffed with hummus and tomato •Guacamole & corn chips •Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread •Almond butter, bananas, and a dash of honey on whole wheat bread •Veggie burger •Whole grain bagel and cream cheese Vegetables should always be included: Carrot sticks, celery, snap peas, edamame, broccoli and ranch to dip it in, sprouts can be added to sandwiches, avocado, red pepper slices, cucumbers.

Whole grain crackers are a great source of protein and fiber. Pair them with: White cheese or cream, hard boiled eggs, hummus, nut butters like cashew and almond butter.

Nuts are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and fat: Cashews,almonds, pistachios, mixed nuts, trail mix.

30

Fruit is always a school lunch favorite. Here are a few that pack well: Apples, oranges, peaches, pears,cantaloupe, honeydew, bananas, raisins.

Spotlight On:

718-787-1800 info@nyccancercenter.org 379 Kings Highway, Brooklyn, NY 11223

The Morris I. Franco Community Cancer Center

By Maggie Mograby Cancer. It’s a word that can change a person’s life forever.

The fear it inspires is unbearable. Baruch Hashem, there are various methods of treating this dangerous disease; yet, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery also have their negative side effects that can add to a person’s depression. Doctors will say that a key to one’s recovery is a positive attitude. However, attaining and maintaining a positive attitude is a lot harder than it sounds. So, while doctors provide the physical medicine, the Morris I. Franco Community Cancer Center provides the mental and emotional medicine.

The Morris I. Franco Community Cancer Center is affiliated with Medstar and the Sepharadic Bikur Holim. The goal of the Community Cancer Center is to provide patients with the knowledge, hope, and support that will empower them to take an active role in their treatment and healing options. The center helps those who are diagnosed and don’t know where to turn to first, as well as those who are fighting this disease for some time. New patients can come in and discuss treatment options, doctors, hospitals, etc. with professionals. Not only do they discuss patients’ options, but the center also helps patients acquire appointments with the top doctors they need. The staff even has answers to questions such as, “who will take my kids to school when I am not well enough to do so?”

Cancer patients often feel alone in a lonely world. Not anymore, once they visit the center. The center offers support groups for both patients and care-givers alike. Now patients have an opportunity to speak to those suffering just as they are, and are able to offer comfort, strength, and chizuk while gaining some in the process.

Weekly art classes are a place where patients can express their emotions in a safe environment. Whether its painting or mosaics, this class is sure to boost anyone’s mood! All of the members help each other; when one is down the rest lift her spirits. It’s amazing to watch the drastic change in a person’s attitude from the beginning of the class to the end.

Yoga, nutritional counseling, and Reiki are offered once a week as well. Yoga is a philosophy and exercise system that combines movement and simple poses with deep breathing and meditation to promote healing, relaxation, and reduce fatigue. Nutritional counseling is offered because diet is an important part of cancer treatment. Eating the right foods before, during, and after treatments can help a patient feel better and stay stronger. Reiki promotes the healing of the physical and emotional ailments through gentle touch. Reiki consists of gentle hands-on healing techniques for restoring harmony and providing deep relaxation and a sense of clarity. These three will help members become physically fit and more relaxed, which will improve their ability to fight cancer.

Furthermore, the center has an extensive library which holds: books that give chizuk, health books and magazines, medical reference books, brochures, DVDs, children’s books, and cookbooks. The library has Internet access to cancer specific web sites as well. Knowledge is power when fighting this deadly disease, and people will find this library full of helpful knowledge!

To keep members feeling positive through their cancer journey, the center hosts parties and day trips. Some past events include an immensely enjoyable Purim party, trips to Broadway musicals, even an overnight to a Connecticut spa!

The Community Cancer Center didn’t leave any detail overlooked. It even boasts a salon carrying a vast selection of beautiful wigs in virtually any color and any style. Whether it’s for a party or just a pick-me-up, women can come in and have their hair and make-up done, and leave looking and feeling beautiful!

31

Table.. Set..

Go! This past July brought the 2nd annual Table‌Set‌Go! table setting competition. The fundraiser was to benefit the Morris I. Franco Community Cancer Center and was hosted in the beautiful home of Millo and Sam Haddad in Long Branch, NJ. A group of incredibly talented women designed gorgeous tablescapes, each one focused on a different holiday or occasion.

Pool Party Miriam Saba Haber Vicky Saba Alex Chehebar Yosef Saba

There were events and demonstrations throughout the day, and even an appearance by author and dessert table authority, Amy Atlas.

Feast your eyes on the beautiful tables in these pictures, there are so many great ideas that you can incorporate into your own tablescapes!

Photography Maggie Mograby

BBQ Nellie Haddad

32

Engagement Aimee Bailey Jamie Bailey Eve Matut Stephanie Sabbagh

33

Purim Jenny Tawil Lara Rhine

New Year’s Cynthia Stein Jennifer Jemal

34

Bar Mitzvah Diane Azrak Massry Frieda Azrak Annie Azrak Cheryl Azrak

Sebbet Grace Dayan Lillian Cayre

35

Chanel Inspired

Ladies Tea Robin Braka Rachel Khafif Jill Khafif

Children’s Birthday Marcy Franco Muriel Bawabeh Lori Mizrahi

36

Swanee Paulette Jemal Sally Tawil Vicki Gindi

37

The Professor’s Perspective...

By: Professor Jordan Leibniz (no, of course that’s not my real name)

Dear Professor, We’ve been married for several years and we feel that it’s really time for us to buy a house. We’re tired of throwing our money away on rent, and with a growing family we need the extra space. Interest rates are extremely low right now, but we don’t have enough of a down payment saved up. Do you think that it’s better to borrow money from family and friends to put down a down payment and work out a payment schedule with them, or wait until we have more money saved up on our own? We’re not very good savers, and when the money is available, we use it. We’re very conscientious to pay all our bills and debts on time, so we think that if we borrowed money from family, we’d curb our spending habits and be more diligent in allocating the money towards paying off our home. What do you think?

-Evicting Ourselves Dear Renters, My opinion is it’s a myth that renting is “throwing money away” compared to buying and “building equity”. When you own a house you are “throwing money away” too- on taxes, insurance, repairs, mortgage interest, and a myriad of other things that build no equity. Only the principal payments on your mortgage are buying equity, which is illiquid to say the least, and could evaporate in a bad enough market. You might be better off renting and investing the difference in other types of equities but that is an entirely different discussion. In your situation, it might be difficult for you to buy that house because you don’t have money for the down payment. Most banks that will give you a mortgage will require the down payment to be your own money, or money gifted (not borrowed) from relatives. If you borrow money for the down payment from relatives it will be difficult to get a bank loan for the rest of the purchase price. Even if you can overcome that obstacle, I don’t think you’ll like owing a large amount of money to family members, as it usually creates problems in the relationship that are best avoided. The best thing you can do is discipline yourselves to put away a big chunk of every paycheck where you won’t touch it until you can afford the house yourselves. If you are not good savers, then become mediocre savers. Make real sacrifices and live on a shoestring budget for as long as you need to. Then, when you finally buy your house, you will have the unparalleled satisfaction and pride of having earned it yourselves.

Dear Professor, About a year ago, I started my own business, but it hasn’t really picked up substantially. I don’t want to shut down the business and lose all the work and money that I’ve invested into it, but on the other hand, I’m losing motivation to continue and its continuing to drain my finances. How do you know when it’s time to shut down a business and move on?

-Calling it Quits

38

Dear Entrepreneur, The key is motivation. If you are fired up and excited about your business, you can and should keep it going. If you’ve lost interest in what you are doing, you’re going to fail at what you do, so it doesn’t hurt to close up early. Starting your own business is tough, and even the most successful businesses took a good amount of time to become that way. So if you think you have something great, and you still want to develop it, that’s when you need to start worrying about whether or not you can make it succeed, and how you can manage to keep putting in more time and money. But you’ve already lost interest, so those questions don’t matter. Do something else.

Dear Professor, I have been involved with a family business for many years, although I am not an owner. The business took a sharp downturn the past few years, and is on the brink of going under. Currently I have not received my salary for one month, and only partially the month before. My expertise is in this particular line of business and if I left the company I would be forced to join another company in the same line of work. It seems that no one is hiring people today (especially older people) without relevant experience.

I am trying to hold on, but I do not want to feel guilty if I had to leave and join another similar company. I have no contracts, and basically they all know I am looking around for a new job. I just feel a little bad that I even took the latest partial salary payment (even though they owe it to me), knowing in the back of my mind that I’m probably going to leave if I find a better job. Is it unreasonable to expect my full past unpaid salary (if I found a new job), even though the business claims to not have the funds?

-Community Member Dear Member, The way I understand your question, it sounds like you are in a tough position. It’s hard to walk away from a business that you invested so many years of your time, but you know it’s the right thing to do at this point. It doesn’t sound like there is anything left for you at this company, so you need to move on. You have no reason to feel guilty for wanting to get paid wages that you earned, though it is difficult to get money from a broke employer.

It’s probably better when dealing with family to try and handle it amicably between yourselves instead of using legal means to claim wages owed to you. Hopefully they will be open to working out work out a plan with you to pay what they owe you over time, Good luck with your job search, it’s not easy but if you persist it will pay off!

Do you agree, disagree, or have something to say? Add to the discussion by emailing the professor. Email your questions & comments to professor@elegantimpressions.com.

Extensions • New Homes • Small Renovations

Architects & Designers available

39

Kitchen First Aid

By Robin Haddad, RN

The two most dangerous things around the kitchen (after people and food) are: Knives and Fire.

Cuts Burns Getting a cut in the kitchen is probably the worst and best Every cook burns themselves. place to break the skin. Worst because uncooked food is covered in bacteria. Best, because soap and water are nearby. If you cut yourself during food preparation, infection is your worst enemy.

If the cut is squirting blood, DON’T PANIC- immediately put pressure on the wound, and quickly call Hatzolah 718-2301000 or 911.

If blood is oozing from the cut - follow these steps: 1. Wash with soap and water, because nothing works better than soap and warm water.

2. Put light pressure on the cut to stop the bleeding and raise it above your heart. When the bleeding stops, dry the skin around the wound with a paper towel or a clean cloth and cover with a waterproof band-aid.

3. If you feel weak or dizzy, lie down, put your feet up and call Hatzolah or 911.

4. If the cut is an inch or longer and you can see tissue below the skin, it may need stitches . Get to the emergency room or a doctor.

Cut Prevention Tips:

Keep knives sharp. If your knife is sharp, it will slide easily through what you are cutting, with little force involved. If the knife is blunt, you have to force it and if you slip there is real danger of cuts.

Don’t leave sharp knives loose in a drawer. Banging around in a drawer can ruin the good sharp edge on your knives, and can be dangerous if someone reaches into the drawer.

Put broken glass in a safe container. Broken glass is sharp and dangerous. Clean it up carefully--preferably with a brush-- and don’t put broken glass directly into the garbage bag; wrap it in old newspaper or put in a separate paper bag or container.

40

It’s part of being in the kitchen. No matter how careful we are, it just happens sometimes. Dealing with a burn quickly and properly from the beginning is important. If it’s not too severe, and it’s not covering a large part of your body, you can treat it at home easily.

There are three types of burns: first, second and third degree.

First degree burns are the most minor. They are on the very top of the skin and heal quickly. The burn will cause mild pain, redness and slight swelling of the skin.

If you get a first degree burn: 1. Run cool (not cold) water over the affected area for 5-10 minutes. Even after breaking contact with something hot, it is important to prevent any residual heat, which can cause more damage.

2. Dab a little anti-biotic ointment such as Neosporin and leave it uncovered so it can breathe.

3. The skin may peel after a couple of days or the discoloration may just slowly fade.

Second degree burns are much deeper and cause blistering and severe pain.

1. Run cool (not cold) water over the affected area for 1530 or even 40 minutes. You are likely to feel relief while the water runs over the wound. Try to keep it under water for as long as you can.

2. Take a pain killer as soon as you can. (If you are able, ask someone to bring you something while your hand is under the water.) The sooner you take it, the sooner you will feel the relief.

3. Dress the wound with Neosporin or Silvadene (this needs a prescription, most doctors will call it in to the pharmacy without having to see you). Lightly wrap with sterile or clean gauze to keep it clean and germ free.

The pain of a second degree burn can be intense, but it lessens very significantly over the next few hours. Hopefully your household painkillers should be all you need. The blisters may seem to harden or be filled with fluid. Either

way, DO NOT POP THEM! Keep the wound bandaged and apply clean dressings every day. Check for signs of infection - increased pain, with redness and swelling. You may want a doctor to take a look.

Third degree burns are not typically seen in the kitchen.

You will know a third degree burn if the skin is charred or blackened. You can see exposed skin or tissue and there is no pain. Third degree burn victims are likely to suffer shock and dehydration which could be fatal. With this type of burn, you must get to the Emergency Room immediately to receive professional medical care. It’s not something to handle yourself at home.

There are a few occasions when you should get to a doctor even if the burn is not third degree: if it is larger than 2 to 3 inches in diameter, if the burn is on your face, or if it is on a major joint (knee, ankle, wrist, shoulder) or on the hands, feet or genitals.

Some Extra Burn Tips: Contrary to old wives tales, DO NOT USE OIL OR BUTTER ON A BURN. If you have an aloe plant, it’s fine to apply to a first degree burn right away. You may want to wait a day or two with a second degree burn. This also helps to prevent scarring.

If you don’t have a major burn and want to keep it simple, cold white vinegar (my Mom’s recommendation) takes the “sting” out and cold cabbage leaves will give some relief.

The Anti Inflammatory Diet

By Karen Kattan Moreno, MS, RD, CDN What if I told you that you could decrease your risk of disease by 50% just by taking a pill every day for the rest of your life?

Would you do it? Probably. Now how about if I told you that this pill doesn’t exist and probably never will. However, by adjusting your lifestyle and eating habits you could potentially earn identical or exceeding results. Would you do it then?

This lifestyle adjustment that I’m referring to is called the “AntiInflammatory Diet.” The human body functions similar to that of a balance beam- it needs to balance antioxidants and phytonutrients (the good stuff) with oxidation and inflammation (the bad), two opposing reactions that occur in the human body. The body’s natural reaction to an injury is the chemical process known as acute inflammation. When you get a sore throat or fever, that’s your body’s mechanism for fighting infection and keeping you healthy. What happens when your body’s system goes out of whack is known as chronic inflammation. This can result in autoimmune diseases, asthma, and allergies. However when the inflammation is hidden and we don’t address its root cause it can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer. Eating high sugar and processed foods, lack of sleep, and leading a sedentary lifestyle can all lead to this sort of inflammation. The issue though is not to only treat the immediate problem (heart disease) but figuring out the root cause of it (unhealthy diet) and trying to fix that, in order to decrease inflammation in the body. That’s the reason why a pill wouldn’t work. You need to create a lifestyle conducive of keeping inflammation levels low at all times so that they don’t go out of control.

What does this mean for you?

An Anti Inflammatory Diet refers to eating the way nature intended us to. According to Dr. Wendy Bazilian, Registered Dietitian and Author of The SuperFoods RX Diet, “modern science shows what Mother Nature knows.” By eating more unprocessed and natural foods, and replacing sugar and salt with herbs and spices we can decrease the chances of cancer by 60%, heart disease by 80%, and diabetes by 90% . Those facts are much more staggering than what any other evidence has shown that one pill can do.

What should your Anti Inflammatory shopping list look like?

Fruits & Vegetables: color and variety earn you the most points here. Try apricots or berries, specifically blackberries and blueberries which contain the highest levels of antioxidants.

Tomatoes, kale, broccoli, and other dark leafy greens are a good choice as well.

Whole Grains: try antioxidant rich forbidden rice, wild rice,

42

brown rice or try quinoa for something other than just rice.

Nuts: almonds (22), walnuts (13), and pistachios (49) just to name a few . And don’t forget flaxseeds-which should be eaten ground and kept in the freezer to extend shelf life. Did you know that raw nuts have 2x more polyphenols than roasted nuts?

Legumes: which are a great source of protein-add chickpeas, kidney beans, and white beans to soups and salads for a more hearty and fiber filled meal.

Fish & Poultry: focus on omega 3 rich wild salmon and sardines.

Eat chicken in moderation and limit or exclude red meat. Did you know that 1 serving of fatty fish per week such as salmon can decrease your cardiac risk by up to 50%.

Healthy Fats: extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and avocados should be your focus (while minimizing saturated and trans fats).

Herbs & Spices: flavor foods with antioxidant rich spices and herbs such as garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Did you know that ½ tsp. dried oregano has as many antioxidants as 3 cups of fresh spinach?

Red Wine: moderate consumption is recommended if alcohol is consumed. 2 glasses per day for men and 1 glass per day for women.

Dark Chocolate: 1 oz. antioxidant-rich dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) can be enjoyed as a daily treat.

Don’t Forget…

1. No Smoking 2. Exercise 30 min/day minimum 3. Stress Controldeep breathing and yoga Will this diet help you lose weight?

Besides for the benefit of reducing your risk of disease, following an anti inflammatory diet should help you lose weight, although that all depends on your previous eating habits. Following this diet will make your skin clearer, improve your mood, and help you look healthier. You should lose weight as you start decreasing your sugar intake, eating more fresh and natural foods and drinking more water.

Just remember that Inflammation is something that you can control by choosing the right foods and the right lifestyle. By making the right decisions you can reduce inflammation and your chance of disease. Eat wisely and live healthy.

Karen Moreno, MS, RD, CDN is a Registered Dietitian in private practice. She has offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY. She just created her first healthy cookbook for sale. In her free time she enjoys cooking and running and is currently training for her first NYC Marathon.

Karen’s Culinary Creations

Salmon Teriyaki with Mango Nutrition Facts: Per 4 oz. Salmon Calories 331 | Total Fat 18g | Saturated Fat 3g | Carbohydrates 16g | Fiber 2g | Protein 25g | Sodium 581mg Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 4oz salmon fish fillets 6 pieces dried unsweetened mango 3 tbsp mustard ¼ cup orange juice ¼ cup light soy sauce 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp olive oil ¼ cup sesame seeds ½ tsp each: onion powder, sea salt, and pepper Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a Pyrex or aluminum tin with vegetable oil.

2. Place salmon and mango in tin. Rub the salmon with the lemon juice and brown sugar.

3. In a bowl, combine mustard, orange juice, soy sauce, crushed garlic and oil. Whisk together until fully combined.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and stir until incorporated.

5. Pour over the salmon and mango.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned.

Tip: You can also add broccoli and bake it alongside the salmon for an extra boost of antioxidants and Vitamin C. With all the buzz about Omega 3 Fatty Acids and its associated health benefits for both healthy people and those at risk of cardiovascular disease I decided to experiment with a new recipe this week to replace my boring old plain grilled salmon. Omega 3’s have become very popular lately because studies have shown that consuming Omega 3 Fatty Acids twice a week can decrease triglyceride levels and lower blood pressure.

Salmon is a great source of Omega 3’s along with flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, and other fatty fish. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are anti inflammatory which means that they prevent inflammation and also help with brain development which is why pregnant women and children should consume them in moderation as well. Try out my recipe above and you can pair it with a quinoa salad or some grilled broccoli.

Email Karen for details about ordering the book at dietsbykaren@gmail.com

43

The of Marketing

By Suzannah Raff, MScA, MSW These colorful, cheerful, uniform and sweet candy coated chocolates that are the M&M candy are a perfect association for what we call the M&M’s of Marketing: your Marketing Mix. Contrary to popular belief, marketing is not simply a fancy term for ‘sales’ or ‘advertising’ but rather a philosophy, or better yet, a strategy that guides your business. The M&M’s of your marketing mix, like the M&M candy, must be aligned, colorful, creative, have an appealing or sweet message that is uniform and consistent through all your mediums. Your marketing plan, therefore, is a focused, uniform guide that conveys a clear and consistent message to a chosen audience. An audience that has been carefully selected because they are most likely to respond to your marketing message by acting on the desire you’ve created: the desire to buy M&M candies.

Isn’t that a mouthful!

Let us take it piece by piece.

The art of Marketing is defined as the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements profitably. In other words, marketing is having the right product, in the right place, at the right time, for the right price.

The term Marketing Mix was coined by Neil Borden (Borden, N. 1964) who first started using the phrase in 1949.

Borden claims the phrase came to him while reading James Culliton’s description of the activities of a business executive: (An executive is) “a mixer of ingredients, who sometimes follows a recipe as he goes along, sometimes adapts a recipe to the ingredients immediately available, and sometimes experiments with or invents ingredients no one else has tried.” (Culliton, J. 1948).

The basic Marketing Mix of the 60’s consisted of the 4Ps: Product, Price, Place, & Promotion.

Product: define your product and which market segment it targets.

Price: establish its pricing strategy, whether it’s 99 cent psychological pricing, penetration pricing which is a strategy to undercut the competition by setting lower prices, or skimming where you have an exclusive product that you can sell at a higher than market price.

Place: which channels you use to sell your product.

Promotion: the message you will use to create your brand image. All four together are used to convince your target customer to buy your candy, rather than your competitor’s candy.

Based on the marketing mix variables above, a simplified version of the M&M brand candy Marketing Plan might look something like this:

44

Product: The first step in the marketing mix is to clearly define your product and which category you want to identify it with and essentially, compete in. M&M’s markets itself as a candy with milk chocolate and therefore can effectively compete in two categories: candy and chocolate. It is placed next to the chocolates as well as next to the candies on store shelves. In this way it is associated with both chocolate and candy, but also allows M&M’s to differentiate itself, thereby providing them with a competitive advantage. Packaging is another factor inherent to the product. The design on the package would be left up to the promotion people but the size and type of packaging is very much a core part of the product itself.

M&M’s candy offers different sized packages, different flavors (nuts inside) and different sized candy (think, M&M Minis).

Price: Within the range of candies per size they would pursue a Penetration strategy to establish themselves firmly into the marketplace.

Promotion: Big M&M characters in ads to appeal to the child-centeredness focus of a mother. Economy size bags that appeal to households with children, and so on.

Place: Sold in all grocery stores, pharmacies and bodegas.

The marketing mix of the 60’s has evolved into something more complex 30 years later and now includes People, Process, and Physical Environment in the mix. Process came about to refer to the popular buzzwords ‘quality management’ or ‘continuous process improvement’ and is about how an organization is run, how streamlined and organized it is and how focused every aspect of an organization is on the organization’s strategy. Physical environment refers to an actual physical structure that represents a very big part of an organization, if applicable.

The Googleplex, Google headquarters, is a perfect process example since it’s so developed and huge that it is a city and world and culture of its own.

Market segmentation and competitive advantage are two other basic elements of a marketing strategy. In Market segmentation, consider the world your orange and each category of people a different segment. We can segment by thousands of different variables but the most common marketing variables are age, gender, socio-economic status, spending habits and lifestyle. So an M&M candy might target women (gender) who are mothers (lifestyle & age), who tend to buy brand name snacks (spending habits) for their kids.

A solid marketing strategy is a critical component to the success of any product or business and helps you stay focused and compete effectively in today’s marketplace.

Suzannah Raff is a business coach in private practice in New York. She also teaches college Management, Marketing & Entrepreneurship courses.

You can visit her websites: www.koshershopaholic.com and www.raffbusiness.com for more information about her businesses and coaching services.

45

By avi FisHoFF & yaakov sHain

CHapter 6: JustiCe vs.

Compassion

GPS! Navigation for Your Soul

Understanding how we can “beat” the system of justice ,‫"מי יתן ויכלתי לאהב את הצדיק הגדול בישראל‬ ”!‫כשם שהשם יתברך אוהב את הרשע הגדול בישראל‬ ‫בעל שם טוב מובא בספר פתגמים נבחרים‬

“If only I would love the greatest tzaddik as much as Hashem loves the greatest rasha!”

HasHem created a perfect system of justice with just one loophole:

‫"אף על גב דקודשא בריך הוא רחים ליה לדינא‬ )‫כמא דאת אמר ׳כי אני ה׳ אוהב משפט’ (ישעיה ס"א‬ ”!‫נצח רחימוי דבנוי לרחימו דדינא‬ :‫זוהר — רעיא מהימנא כרך ג׳ פרשת אמור דף צט‬ “Although the Torah states: ‘I, Hashem, love Judgment,’ Hashem’s immense love for His children conquers His love of justice.”

After a long string of events, the wild and rebellious teenager stole his father’s new car in the middle of the night and went for a joyride.

A few wrong turns into a dangerous neighborhood and the boy found himself surrounded by hoodlums. They dragged him from the car and brought him to their underground hideout.

The gang leader called the boy’s father to demand a ransom for his prize possession and was shocked by his response: “Well, my son has really been rebellious lately and he doesn’t listen to any of my rules. Stealing my new car was last straw and I’m just not interested in getting him back. Baruch she’ptarani!”

The hoodlum shouted, “But we will torture him!”

The dad replied, “Good! Maybe then he’ll finally learn to act like a mentch!”

We all realize that no father would ever respond like that! Even if a father wants his son to learn a valuable lesson, a normal father would never abandon his child under ANY circumstances!

Judge Arthur Bernstein was known to be the most prestigious judge in the history of the federal court system. He knew how to see through complicated cases and figure out exactly what really happened.

For over thirty years he handed out verdicts exactly according to the letter of the law. “It is the only way society can exist,” he stated.

One day a case came before him.

Although the prosecution made a strong case against the defendant, the judge ruled that although the exact letter of the law would require the boy to sit in a maximum security prison for five years, in this case, the boy was sentenced to only one month in a minimum security camp.

The judge explained to the shocked crowd, “Although I truly believe in pure justice and I devoted my entire life to upholding the exact letter of the law, this defendant is my son and I love my son even more than I love justice!”

That is the lesson of the Zohar HaKadosh: Yes, Hashem really does love justice; however, Hashem’s love for EACH AND EVERY YID —regardless of his spiritual status — is simply much more powerful than His great love for justice!

‫"אף על פי שבאמת על פי דין וסדר לא מגיע לו‬ ’‫אך על ידי שיודע ומרגיש ׳כי אבינו אתה‬ ”!‫נמשך עליו רחמים למעלה מן הדין והחשבון‬ ‫ספר נתיבות שלום על חנוכה‬

Authentic Yiddishkeit believes that even when there is no way to win according to normal courtroom proceedings, by truly feeling that Hashem is your loving FATHER, you unleash the enormous reservoir of compassion and mercy that is ABOVE the justice department!

Now we can understand: Rebbi Eliezer tried to find a way to overturn the decree within the justice system; however, the decree could not be annulled, since it was a perfectly suitable punishment based on the facts.

It is this powerful concept of “epia` — our Father” that has brought salvation to the Yiddishe nation when all other doors were closed:

However, Rebbi Akiva did not try to appeal to the department of justice — rather, he ran directly to the highest authority — the President of all presidents, King of all kings — OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!

‫"מעשה ברבי אליעזר שירד לפני התיבה‬ ,‫ ירד רבי עקיבא אחריו‬.‫ואמר עשרים וארבע ברכות ולא נענה‬ !‫ אבינו מלכנו אין לנו מלך אלא אתה‬:‫ואמר‬ ”!‫אבינו מלכנו למענך רחם עלינו! וירדו גשמים‬ :‫תענית כה‬ In the days of the Mishnah, there was a terrible drought and everyone poured out their hearts to beseech Hashem to end the suffering; nevertheless, the drought continued. Even the holy Tanna Rebbi Eliezer davened fervently, yet he was not answered. Finally, Rebbi Akiva prayed, “Our FATHER our King! We have no other king!

Our FATHER our King! Have mercy on us!” The decree was nullified and it began to rain!!

Let’s examine this story a little deeper: The Torah (Devarim 11:17) openly states that if Hashem will ever hold back the rain, it is because the Yidden are NOT behaving properly. So in the time of Rebbi Akiva, it was OUR sins that brought about the drought in the first place.

Behind the scenes in the heavenly court, everything was being processed precisely in accordance with the rules of the universe as per Hashem’s creation of the justice system. The Yidden sinned and therefore, the appropriate punishment of “withholding the rain” was implemented.

Yet we see that Rebbi Akiva still felt that he could approach Hashem using the emotional title “FATHER” — and by evoking this powerful title he was able to overturn the decree!

This proves two remarkable things: 1. Although the masses of Yidden sinned to the point that Hashem had to hold back the rain — which is really bad — Rebbi Akiva was still able to call Hashem: “epia`,” our Father!

This proves that even when we sin and we must be punished, we still have not relinquished our status of: “mipa,” Hashem’s precious children, as the Gemara brings down from R’ Akiva’s disciple:

”!‫ בין כך ובין כך אתם קרוים בנים‬:‫"רבי מאיר אומר‬ .‫קידושין לא‬

“Whether you do Hashem’s will or not, you are ALWAYS Hashem’s child!”

2. Even though Hashem created a perfect justice system and once a decree is set forth based on factual calculations of our sinful actions it cannot be easily overturned, we can still beseech Hashem to please save us (from the results of our own sins) because He is not bound by any of the rules and regulations of the justice department!

The president of the United States is able to issue presidential pardons!

This pardon is not REQUIRED to fit into the rules and regulations of the justice system — it is a completely different approach! The presidential pardon doesn’t claim the person is INNOCENT — in fact, he might very well be GUILTY of the crime … yet he will still be set free!

,‫"והיינו שהיה אז קטרוגים על ישראל ומשום כך לא נענה רבי אליעזר‬ ’,‫ השם יתברך ׳אבינו‬,’‫אך רבי עקיבא אמר ׳אבינו מלכנו‬ ”!‫ומכח זה מסתלקים הקטרוגים‬ ‫ספר נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עמוד קמ"א‬

Now we can understand the following: ,‫"שערי תפלה פעמים פתוחים פעמים נעולים‬ ”!‫אבל שערי רחמים אינן ננעלין לעולם‬ '‫מדרש תהלים מזמור ד‬ “The Gates of Prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed.

However, the Gates of Mercy never close!”

The justice system is rigid and has many rules and regulations, and also has hours of operation! However, “mercy,” by definition, has no limitations, no boundaries, no logic, and therefore: NO hours!

One day Shaindel was standing at the bus stop next to an elderly man holding a full bag of groceries.

Suddenly the bottom of the bag plotzed and the groceries rolled in all directions. The elderly man was annoyed that Shaindel didn’t try to help him and snapped, “Young lady, maybe you can give me a hand?”

Shaindel replied: “I’m so sorry but I was working on the character trait of chessed (helping people) last week. This week I’m working on feeling another person’s pain — and I really do feel bad for you!”

You can’t be truly merciful and compassionate from 9:00-12:00 and then if someone needs your help afterward, you reply: “Oh sorry, it’s my lunch break!” For if you are truly merciful and compassionate — and you really care about people — then that mercy compels you to help people at ANY time — even if it is not convenient for you!

A doctor and a lawyer were attending a cocktail party when the doctor was approached by a man who asked advice on how to handle his ulcers. The doctor mumbled some medical advice, then turned to the lawyer and grumbled, “I hate it when people seek free advice from me at parties.”

The lawyer replied, “I know just what you mean — it happens to me all the time.”

“How do you handle it?” asked the doctor. “After all, it seems rude not to answer a question when you are asked for advice during a social function.”

“I just send the person a bill for the time,” replied the lawyer, “and then he never asks me again.”

“That’s good,” said the doctor. “I’ll have to remember that.”

The doctor went home and thought about sending a bill to the man who asked about the ulcer, but when he woke up the next day it had already slipped his mind. However, the night’s events came rushing back to him the next day when he opened his mail. In it, he found a bill for $100 from the lawyer for “consultation services rendered.”

47

So how does this apply to YOU? A tzaddik who lives a pure and holy life, completely dedicated to Hashem, can perhaps do battle within the system of justice based on his piety and well-deserved merits!

However, everyone else surely cannot win in the strict courtroom of Divine justice! So what should you do now? Give up?

’‫"בגלל שר׳ עקיבא הוסיף וחידש בתפילתו תואר ׳אבינו‬ ”!‫והקדים אבינו למלכנו על כן מיד נענה‬ ‫ספר נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳‬

GPS! Navigation for Your Soul

Absolutely not! Rabbi Akiva showed us a new path to victory!

He approached the bench (so to speak) with the emotional title “TOTTY” and brought out the feelings that Hashem has to His beloved children … and was immediately answered!

We aren’t just bringing this down just to teach you nice ideas — this knowledge is PRACTICAL ADVICE for you as you go through your life! Whenever you encounter ANY kind of difficulty, please remember:

’,‫"והדרך להמשיך בחינה זו של ׳אביכם שבשמים‬ ’‫שאפילו במצב של לא מעלי יהיו בבחינת ׳בנים אתם לה׳ אלקיכם‬ ’‫הוא בכח האמונה שיהודי מאמין כי ׳בנים אתם לה׳ אלקיכם‬ ”!’‫ובעצם כח האמונה ממשיכים את המדרגה הגבוהה הזאת בחינת ׳בנים‬ ‫נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עמוד של"א‬

The way to ensure that Hashem treats you as His beloved child — even though you may currently be unworthy of the title — is by increasing your belief that you really are His child! So by calling out “Totty, help me,” you actually awaken Hashem’s mercy and He responds as a father running to help his lost child from even the worst possible situation!

‫ הרי כיון‬,‫"כאשר יהודי מאמין שישראל הם בנים בכל המצבים‬ ”!‫שמאמין שהוא בן ורוצה להתנהג כבן הריהו ממשיך בחינה זו‬ ‫נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עמוד של"ב‬

For if you BELIEVE that you are Hashem’s son and you truly WANT to act like a PRINCE — you will arouse the powerful love that Hashem has for you! NOTHING can stand in the way of a loving father who wants to rescue his beloved child!

In fact — the fact that you are LESS worthy awakens MORE of Hashem’s loving mercy: :‫"יש שני בחינות של עת רצון שמתעורר אצל המלך על בנו‬ ,‫ והמלך מתפאר בחכמתו לפני שרי המלוכה‬,‫כאשר הבן חכם ונבון‬ ”.‫הריהו מעורר רצון אצל המלך למלא את רצונו וליתן לו כל משאלותיו‬ )‫מובא בספר נתיבות שלום מספר בית אברהם (פ׳ פנחס‬

There was once a king who had two sons.

The king gave each son his own province to rule. The older son was a brilliant leader and his province thrived under his courageous leadership. He made treaties and developed trade with neighboring countries, creating a prosperous economy. He was his father’s pride and joy, and he brought power and prestige to the throne.

The other son however, was quite a different story! He was a glvi `l (big-time loser). He was a terrible leader who couldn’t manage to get

48

along with any of his neighboring rulers. His people were poor and angry about his lack of leadership skills. He brought great shame to the king’s name.

The king made a wedding for a third child and afterward both sons came to bid him farewell.

First the older, successful prince walked in and naturally the king was very happy to greet him.

The prince requested that his father grant him a tremendous amount of money for important projects that would spread the king’s good name to even more continents. Hearing his dear son’s ambitious plans aroused the king’s great mercy and he was eager to grant his dear prince whatever he requested.

‫"אך יש עת רצון כאשר יש למלך בן מפגר אשר‬ ‫ ומצד מעשיו היה ראוי לגרשו‬,‫לא יצלח למאומה‬ ‫ ומפני‬,‫ אך הרי עצמו ובשרו הוא‬,‫מעל פני המלך‬ ‫מצבו האומלל שאינו מסוגל לכלום מתעוררת‬ ‫ ומרחם עליו עוד‬,‫עליו גודל הרחמנות של אביו‬ ”!‫יותר מאשר על הבן המוצלח‬ )‫מובא בספר נתיבות שלום מספר בית אברהם (פר׳ פנחס‬

Then the second son came in and pleaded with his father to help him as well. Not with expanding the king’s glory throughout the world; rather, he needed help just to get out of the horrible mess he was in. He couldn’t take care of even the most basic needs of his people! Without his daddy’s help, he would be in deep, deep trouble!

Another kind of mercy was aroused in the king’s heart, for he realized that he MUST help this son out, because if he didn’t help him — no one else would! He recognized that this child needs even MORE MERCY and compassion than his brother, because this loser would never be able to survive on his own!

Listen carefully: There are two types of children who arouse Hashem’s mercy: The righteous “good” child is a constant source of great pride to Hashem and Hashem watches over him and assists him in glorifying His great name throughout the world.

However, Hashem’s boundless mercy is also awakened when the “glvi `l” loser son beseeches Him. For Hashem knows that if He doesn’t help this kid … he’ll NEVER make it on his own!

Who needs MORE MERCY from Hashem? The righteous “GOOD” son? Or the one caught in the web of sin, transgression, insubordination, defiance, and disobedience?

‫"׳כבן אצל אביו׳ אשר גם כשהוא מטונף ביותר בא וחוסה בצל אביו‬ ”!‫על אף שמלכלך אותו בידעו כי אין מי שיכול לעזור לו זולת אביו‬ ‫ספר נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עניני יום כיפור‬ Yup — you guessed right! Just as a small child who is incredibly filthy can still run to his father to hold him and clean him, because the father knows that NO ONE ELSE would help this child right now, so too with our Father!

‫"וכל כמה שהבן פחות מסוגל מתעורר יותר עת רצון!״‬ )‫מובא בספר נתיבות שלום מספר בית אברהם (פר׳ פנחס‬ The children who are STRUGGLING need MORE mercy! Therefore, the LESS worthy the child is — the LOWER he is — the DIRTIER he is — the MORE mercy is awakened! So it’s a really good thing that Hashem has lots ’n lots of mercy always in stock!

Hashem‘s Warehouse ‫"באותה שעה הראה לו (למשה) כל אוצרות של מתן שכרן של צדיקים‬ ,‫ והוא שואל האוצר הזה של מי הוא? והוא אומר של בעלי תורה‬... ”.... ‫והאוצר הזה של מכבדיהם‬ ‫מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת כי תשא סימן כ"ז‬ Hashem took Moshe on a royal tour of many heavenly treasure houses set aside for those who will earn them. Moshe asked, “Hashem, who is this for?” Hashem replied, “This is for the Torah scholars.” “And who is this for?” “… for those who honor the Torah scholars ….”

?‫"הראה לו אוצר גדול מכולם ואומר רבש"ע האוצר הגדול הזה של מי‬ ,‫אמר ליה מי שיש לו מעשים טובים אני נותן לו משכרו‬ ”!‫ חנם אני עושה ונותן לו מזה‬:‫ומי שאין לו‬ ‫מדרשת תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת כי תשא סימן כ"ז‬ Then Hashem revealed a humungous treasure house that was larger than all the others, and Moshe asked, “And who is this for?” Hashem answered, “When people have good deeds, I pay them from the other warehouses, but when someone does not have ANY good deeds at all, then I give him from this warehouse!”

‫"יש שיהודי עומד במצב שכל הדרכים חסומות בפניו ואינו רואה שום‬ ‫ ׳והרבה עמו פדות’ — להשם יתברך יש הרבה דרכי פדות שאינן‬:‫מוצא אך‬ ‫יכולות בכלל לעלות על הדעת! הקדוש ברוך הוא נתן דרכים ליהודי בכל‬ ”!‫המצבים איך להמשיך ישועה ורחמים‬ ‫ זי"ע‬,‫נתיבות שלום עניני פורים בשם מרן הסבא קדישא מלכוביץ‬ There are many times in life when you will find yourself in a very difficult situation, physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and you will not see any way out. It is in those dark times that you must believe with all your heart that Hashem has no shortage of “zect” (redemption) — He is ready and willing to generously dispense as much redemption as you need in ways that you could never even imagine.

’‫"ההבטחה של ׳אביכם שבשמים‬ ’‫היא הבטחה נצחית לכל יהודי ויהודי! ׳ואשריכם ישראל‬ ”!‫בזה במיוחד שבעוד אתם ‘מלוכלכים’ הריהו גם כן אביכם שבשמים‬ ‫ספר נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עניני יום כיפור‬ The guarantee that Hashem is YOUR FATHER is an ETERNAL guarantee to each and every Yid regardless of your situation! How fortunate are we indeed that even when we are filthy and low — when NO ONE else can help us and when we have NOWHERE else to turn — Hashem is still our LOVING FATHER! That is truly something to dance about!

So let’s not forget: :‫"צריך יהודי להרגיש בכל המצבים הקשים והחשכים‬ ”’!‫׳שבכל מצב שהוא הריהו בן המלך‬

‫הרב הקדוש מרוזין זי״ע מובא בנתיבות שלום עניני פורים עמוד נ״ה‬ As you go through life whenever you find yourself in difficult and dark situations; Remember: YOU are a PRINCE!

And so … you must live up to that title! :‫"המוסר החזק ביותר שהקדוש ברוך הוא אומר לאיש יהודי הוא‬ ”!‫ אל תמאס את עצמך בהנהגה בלתי הולמת‬,‫בני אתה! ומכיון שהנך בן המלך‬ ‫מרן הסבא קדישא מסלונים זי"ע מובא בנתיבות שלום‬ Internalizing that you are the son of Hashem means that you have a RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT like the prince of the King of the universe and you should not lower yourself to act in ways not befitting your lofty status.

This incredible knowledge also changes the way you will approach all of your service to Hashem:

‫"כל עבודתו של יהודי מרוממת לאין ערוך כאשר עובד בבחינת בנים‬ ‫שאם לומד תורה או מתפלל מתוך הרגשה שהוא בן המלך‬ ”!‫אז לימודו ותפלתו מתרוממים למדרגה אחרת‬ ‫ זאת חנוכה‬:‫נתיבות שלום עניני חנוכה‬ When you learn Torah, daven, and just live your life with the feeling that you are LITERALLY the King’s SON, your learning and davening will become elevated to an entirely different level! As you go through your day — ALL of your Yiddishkeit will feel completely different when you internalize that you are a beloved son yearning to connect to your loving father!

But the greatest most incredible benefit of all is: ’‫"והנה בשעה שיהודי מגיע להרגשה האמיתית בלבבו 'כי אבינו אתה‬ ,‫ כי הרי כל לבבות דורש ה׳ היודע תעלומות לב‬,‫ולא די שאומר כן בפיו‬ ’‫אלא שמרגיש באמת כן בלבבו 'כי אבינו אתה‬ "!‫אזי אין בקשה שאינו יכול לבקש בשעה זו‬ ‫נתיבות שלום חלק ב׳ עמוד רי"ג‬ Authentic Yiddishkeit understands that when you actually internally believe that Hashem really is your loving Father — you don’t just say it — you really FEEL that way in the depths of your heart — then you tap into a supernatural power that allows you to receive ANYTHING that you request from Hashem!

Pretty amazing …

Parting Words…

Now we can finally properly understand the words of the Holy Zohar: ‫“אלמלי הוו ידעין בני נשא רחימותא דרחים קודשא בריך הוא לישראל‬ ”!!‫הוו שאגין ככפיריא למרדף אבתריה‬ :‫זוהר חלק ב' פרשת שמות ה‬ If YOU would truly comprehend the infinite unconditional love that Hashem feels for YOU at every moment of every day, regardless of your physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual condition, you would roar like a lion to run after Him! Start running! ‫חזק ואמץ‬ To reach the authors: GPSFORYOURSOUL@gmail.com GPS! Navigation for Your Soul takes some of the brilliant concepts and themes of Nesivos Shalom and "translates" them into contemporary language and terms. You will find answers to fundamental questions like: How can I know if Hashem still loves me? Is my essence damaged from the sins that I have done? Why does Hashem make me suffer? What is the current phase of our exile all about? And many, many more!

49

51

52