Jewish Action Summer 2012

SU M M ER 5772/2012

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FEATURES

10

12 Back to Yeshivah: A Growing Number of Retirees Are Returning to Yeshivah

By Steve Lipman 16

The Story o f Mahanoy City: The Disappearance o f a Jewish Community in a Small American Town

By Akiva Males

26 A Kinah on the Tragedy in Toulouse

By Moshe Sokolow 29 COVERSTORY Can We All Get Along?

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, Dr. Erica Brown, Rabbi Hillel Goldberg; Rabbi Eytan Kobre, Rabbi Yosie Levine, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, Shira Leibowitz Schmidt, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel 48 Be Your Own Lobbyist: How to Speak Upfor Your Community

By Amy Handlin 50 The OU: Getting You and Your Community Politically Involved

By Maury Litwack

DEPARTM ENTS 2

LETTERS

6

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Supporting the Jewish Homeland Dr. Simcha Katz 8

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Gerald M. Schreck

FROM THE DESK OF RABBI STEVEN WEIL, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT C onfusing th e V ictim w ith th e P erp etrator

20 TRIBUTE Remembering Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, z t”l

By Ahron Lopiansky INSIDE THE OU 52 Mashiv Haruach: Deepening Israeli Soldiers’ Connection to Judaism and to the Land

By Hillel Kuttler 56 New Books from OU Press 57 PHOTO ESSAY If I Forget Thee, O Jerusalem: Personalized Zecher VChurban Projects Text by Adina Hershberg Photos by Yehoshua Halevi 60 ISRAEL On and Off the Beaten Track...

The Menorah—Official Symbol of the State o f Israel

By Peter Abelow 62 JUST BETWEEN US The True Simchah

By Reuven Spolter

BOOKS 72 Hush

By Eishes Chayil Reviewed by Tzvi Hersh Weinreb 74 Let’s Stay Safe

By Bracha Goetz Reviewed b y Norman Blumenthal 75 Angels at the Table

By Yvette Alt Miller Reviewed by Hillel Goldberg 76 A Timeless People

By Saul Landa Reviewed by Ben Ehrenkranz 71 Seven Steps to Mentschood: How to Help Your Child Become a Mentsch

By Stanley H. Fischman Reviewed by Yaakov Bieler 78 Reviews in Brief

By Gil Student LASTING IMPRESSIONS 80 Taking the Plunge

By Ann Kojfsky

Cover concept: Sam A sh/ notthemusicstore@gmail.com

64 WELLNESS REPORT Shabbat Menu Makeover

By Shira Isenberg 68 THE CHEF’S TABLE Food for Travel: Never Leave Home Without It!

By Norene Gilletz

page 29 Jewish A ction seeks to provide a forum for a diversity of legitimate opinions within the spectrum of Orthodox Judaism.

Therefore, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinion of the Orthodox Union.

Jewish Action is published by the Orthodox Union • 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212.563.4000 Printed Quarterly - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, plus Special Passover issue. ISSN No. 0447-7049.

Subscription: $16.00 per year; Canadian, $20.00; Overseas, $60.00. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional offices, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Jewish Action, 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

Summer 5772/2012 JEWISH ACTION | 1

Jewish Action

Demanding Our Fair Share ■ In a letter that appeared in the spring issue, the writer commented that pushing for government assis­ tance for yeshivah tuition would en­ gender “sinat chinam” among supporters of public education. Such supporters have a very good reason to fight any changes to the current situa­ tion. They have a very sweet deal going. We pay to educate their chil­ dren, but they don’t pay to educate ours. Why would they want that to change? That shouldn’t stop us from demanding our fair share of educa­ tional dollars.

Our current bloated, inefficient public educational system is merely the result of a political battle between the Catholics and Protestants, which the Protestants won. It has no inherent sanctity. Are business owners con­ cerned about their competitors being upset if they succeed? Of course not!

Similarly, we have to do whatever we can to ensure an equitable system.

YITZH A K BERGER, PH.D. Jamaica Estates, New York

Women in the New Economy ■ The article “The New Economic Reality” by Tamar Snyder (winter 2011) is so very relevant.

I was disappointed, however, that one specific topic was not discussed.

What about all the young women who have been working to support their families while their husbands were learning? When their jobs disap­ pear, their life styles change dramati­ cally. This applies not only to their gashmiut, but in most cases, there are ruchniyut changes as well. Husbands and fathers who were spending their days in pursuit of Torah studies now struggle with entry-level jobs (they have little or no training for most higher income positions) while still trying to fit in as much learning as pos­ sible in very little time, especially con­ sidering their family obligations.

2 I JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

These women have been the hero­ ines of our generation. They have proudly served us all and deserve spe­ cial consideration.

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ORTHODOX UNION w w w .o u .o rg /je w ish _ a ctio n

Editor Nechama Carmel carm eln@ pti.org

LEAH LANDO

Literary Editor

Baltimore, Maryland

Matis Greenblatt

Drink to Your... Health?

■ As a family demographer, I very much enjoyed the issue on the Ortho­ dox family in the twenty-first century (spring 2012). I want, however, to point out an error in Shira Isenberg’s article “Drink to Your... Health?” Al­ though I certainly agree with her over­ all message that there’s no heed to worry about our annual “binge” on Pesach, alcohol is not the third-leading cause of preventable death in the USp ; it’s the tenth. The statistic Isenberg cited was from a CDC web site that was discussing deaths specifically from injury (http://www.cdc.gov/ about/stateofcdc/html/implement.ht m). I suspect that the number of alco­ hol-related deaths among American Orthodox Jews is even lower.

In fact, the leading causes of pre­ ventable death for the US overall may very well be even more pronounced in the American Orthodox commu­ nity: excessive consumption of meat, fat, salt and sugar, and low intake of green leafy vegetables combined with little physical exercise and high rates of obesity.

LEORA LAW TON, PH.D. Berkeley, California

A ssistant Editor Rashel Zywica

Contributing Editors Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein - Dr. Judith Bleich Rabbi Emanuel Feldman • Rabbi Hillel Goldberg Rabbi Joseph Grunblatt • Rabbi SóJ Roth Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter ■ Rabbi Berel Wein

Editorial Committee David Bashevkin • Binyamin Ehrenkranz David Olivestone • Gerald M. Schreck Rabbi Gil Student • Rabbi D||fzvi Hersh Weinreb

Advertising Director Carrie R. Beylus • 212.613.8226 beylusc@ pu.org

Advertising Coordinator Malka Braun

Subscriptions 212.613.8146

Design KZ Creative

O R T H O D O X UNION Executive Vice President Rabbi Steven Weil

Executive Vice President, Emeritus Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

Managing Director Rabbi Steven Burg

Senior Director of Institutional Advancement Paul S. Glasser

Senior Communications Officer David Olivestone

President Dr. Simcha Katz

Chairman of the Board Stephen J. Savitsky

Texting on Shabbat ■ I appreciated Rabbi Gil Student’s fascinating analysis of texting on Shab­ bat (“What’s Wrong with Texting on Shabbat?” spring 2012). It is time for the observant world to take a realistic look at electronic gadgets and their halachic ramifications.

Use of electricity was not even a concern in the writings of our sages until recently. Electricity was not used to build the Mishkan. In fact, it is a completely separate and distinct force

Chairman, Board of Governors Mark Bane

Communications Commission Gerald M. Schreck,,Chairman Joel M. Schreiber, Chairman Emeritus Mayer Fertig; Barbara Lehmann Siegel; Dr. Herbert Schlager; Rabbi Gil Student; Michael C. Wimpfheimer 5 , -i£) Copyright 2012 by the Orthodox Union.

Eleven Broadway, New York, NY, 10004.

Telephone 212:563.4000 • www.ou.org Periodicals Postage Paid, New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices.

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from anything known at that time. Use of electricity is not a melachah, nor does it resemble a melachah.

Will communication gadgets end up being prohibited after a realistic halachic reinterpretation of electricity? Prob­ ably not, is my guess. Electronics are increasing in use and will soon be ubiquitous. With ubiquity will come acceptance.

GARYGOLDWATER Seattle, Washington

Rabbi Gil Student Responds

■ Gary Goldwater’s call for a réévaluation of electricity in halachah is not as radical as he may think. This process has been ongoing since at least the 1930s, as can be seen in the often-bold writings of great halachists like Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (the Chazon Ish), Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin and Rabbi Gedaliah Felder. The old thinking about electricity as fire has long been extinguished. However, other concerns—both rab­ binic and Biblicaf—have been raised regarding use of elec­ tricity on Shabbat that cannot be easily dismissed. Many acts are forbidden even if they do not entail a Biblical labor (melachah) nor directly correlate to the building of the Tab­ ernacle. Despite the redundancy, I feel compelled to state that something rabbinically prohibited is still prohibited.

Additionally, beginning in the 1970s, rabbis and engi­ neers in Israel joined together to study and resolve halachic issues, particularly those related to electricity. The results can be seen in the many books and journals (most notably Techumiri) published by Zomet and the Institute for Science and Halacha, two Israeli organizations devoted to this re­ search. The devices these institutes have createdBsuch as Shabbat telephones and wheelchairs—are specially de­ signed to avoid halachic prohibitions. But even these fall short according to many authorities and the institutes them ­ selves explain why they only permit use of their devices in extenuating circumstances.

For decades, hesder rabbis have been consulting with IDF engineers to answer halachic questions for their soldier stu­ dents. These rabbis cannot afford to be overly strict and have generated a fascinating literature combining the best in sci­ entific and halachic knowledge. None have reached the con­ clusion that use of electricity is permitted. Instead, they have carefully delineated which technologies are less forbidden than others and in which situations the minimized prohibi­ tions may be violated.

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President’sMeSSage

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Supporting the Jewish Homeland

or the past four issues of Jewish Action, my messages have been devoted to one topic—the afford­ ability of Jewish life, particularly with regard to yeshivah tuition. My goal was to make this matter, so vital to the health and continuity of the Orthodox community, front and center for the Orthodox Union and its varied con­ stituencies and to garner widespread support in developing networks for government action on the federal and state level.

The results have been encouraging thus far. Through our Institute for Public Affairs (IPA), we have been bringing the message to sympathetic officials in Washington and a variety of states. The IPA, under the direction of Nathan Diament, has staff operat­ ing in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Maryland, covering more than 80 percent (ap­ proximately 170,000) of current day school students. In each of these states we are developing new or deep­ ening existing relationships with our communities' representatives and we are advancing new policy initiatives to help support our schools. We con­ tinue to do the same with federal poli­ cymakers in Washington.

Addressing the tuition affordability challenge will take years of our united efforts, but it is of utmost importance that everyone becomes involved in bringing our message to our govern­ ment representatives. It will also be most important for each of us to regis­

F

6 | JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

ter and vote. We are committed to lead­ ing the efforts and, with God's help, we will persevere and succeed.

However, just as Jewish education is an essential ingredient for Jewish continuity, so is the modern State of Is­ rael. On one of my recent trips to Israel, Rabbi Steven Burg, managing director of the OU, Rabbi Steven Weil, executive vice president of the OU, and Rabbi Avi Berman, OU Israel's executive director, and I visited a number of bereaved families, including the Fogels and Peretzes. In March 2011, members of the Fogel family were brutally mur­ dered by Arab terrorists in their home in Itamar. The Peretz family lost two sons in combat, both of whom were Golani officers. The older son, Uriel, was killed in Lebanon and the younger one, Eliraz, in Gaza. I walked into the homes of both bereaved families speechless, subdued and with an in­ tense feeling of sadness. We wanted to give them some comfort, but to our surprise the parents of Ruth Fogel, a’% Rabbi and Mrs. Ben-Yishai, as well as Miriam Peretz, the mother of the two

soldiers, actually succeeded in com­ forting us. They were inspirational in their staunch belief in Hashem and in their devotion to the nation and the Land of Israel.

We spent almost two hours with Miriam Peretz. On the walls of her home were pictures of her two sons in their army uniforms—healthy, hand­ some, smiling young soldiers who died defending our people. I cannot erase those images from my mind.

Miriam told us that she has three boxes that she keeps in her breakfront.

The first contains the thorns she used to pull from her sons' uniforms when they would come home from army service for Shabbat. The second con­ tains threads from her husband's tallit (he died of heartbreak after Uriel was killed). The third contains earth from the graves of her two sons. When she visits the military cemetery on Har Herzl, she said she goes to the grave of Uriel and hears Eliraz cry out, “Ima, come to me!" And when she goes to the grave of Eliraz, she hears Uriel cry out, “Ima, come to me!" She herself engages in prayer. “Ribbono shel Olam," she cries, “whom do I go to first? “Please," she prays, “do not let any other parent experience such pain/'_»v We left both families with a sense that we in Chutz l'Aretz need to do more to support our brothers and sis­ ters in Eretz Yisrael. What can we do to help our brethren who are sacrificing so much to ensure that Israel stays strong and free?

Firstly, we at the OU are determined to continue to send planeloads of young men and women to Israel, providing them with experiences that will positively affect them for the rest of their lives. Through NCSY, Yachad and Birthright Israel, we expect to send more than 2,000 students to Israel this summer alone. This past year, seventeen percent of our unaffiliated Birthright participants decided to stay on in Is­ rael after the trip for a learning experience, a figure that other Birthright providers don’t come close to.

Secondly, we are committed to continue our myriad pro­ grams in Israel overseen by the Seymour J. Abrams OU Is­ rael Center. These include Makom BaLev and the Jack E. Gindi Oraita Clubs, which bring Torah to non-observant youth and currently service more than 2,600 teens in twenty-five communities; our Pearl and Harold Jacobs ZULA program, in partnership with the Jerusalem munici­ pality, which provided support to 3,000 at-risk youth last year; our Mashiv Haruach program, a joint endeavor with the IDF, which brought 16,000 mostly secular soldiers to Gush Etzion for up to a week of a unique Jewish educational experience as well as our countless other programs run by the Israel Center.

But what can we as individuals do to strengthen and sup­ port our homeland? Israel has faced existential threats since its birth, but now the danger is intensified by the impending threat of a nuclear Iran. We are all aware of this existential threat, but what more can we do?

We know our forefather Jacob prepared for his con­ frontation with Esau through prayer, gifts and battle prepa­ rations. Why not implement this paradigm again? We must be ever mindful of Israel and her citizens in our tefillot, with special kavanah as we recite the prayers for the welfare of Israel’s government and soldiers. As for gifts, well—we will leave that to the international diplomats, but I personally feel that we have already given those. And as for prepara­ tions for battle, it seems to me that the modern version here in the United States is policy engagement and, on this issue, partnership with the policy advocacy of AIPAC. AIPAC has developed an extraordinary network of sup­ port for Israel among members of Congress with the singu­ lar focus of maintaining a strong US-Israel relationship.

AIPAC has the support of Jews of all backgrounds as well as non-Jews, all of one mind and heart, committed to support­ ing Israel and its political and military defense. While the OU will continue its unique role—as a Torah-based, Reli­ gious Zionist organization in pro-Israel advocacy focusing on key issues such as Israel’s role as a “Jewish State” and the centrality of Jerusalem as our eternal capital—confronting the Iranian threat requires our closer alliance with the polit­ ical advocacy of AIPAC. Jews are a shrinking minority in the United States, com­ prising only 2.5 percent of the population, and personal rela­ tionships with members of Congress must be maintained and deepened. In this upcoming election cycle, half of the members of Congress will be replaced so new relationships need to be forged. This is the primary work of AIPAC, which we will support.

The AIPAC conference in Washington this past March drew more than 13,000 delegates from across the country, including 1,600 students from 530 campuses with 217 stu­ dent government presidents (our future public officials in many cases). Orthodox shuls sent 1,100 community dele­ gates (not including the students). And there were more than 400 attendees at an OU reception for the Orthodox community. Rabbi Steven Burg was joined by several dozen NCSYers who heard from a variety of important speakers in their own exclusive sessions at the conference.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Judah Isaacs, our director of community engagement, work is well underway to strengthen the OU’s involvement with AIPAC. Meetings are planned on a monthly basis to discuss issues AIPAC would like us to bring into our synagogues and to identify OU shuls that can be enhanced by AIPAC programming. We are com­ mitted to providing AIPAC with access to OU synagogues as part of our efforts to enhance pro-Israel advocacy within our member congregations.

So what can you do? Become a member of AIPAC, be­ come informed, and if possible, consider attending, at least once, AIPAC’s National Policy Conference in Washington, DC. Traditionally, the role of the President’s Message in Jewish Action has been to promote the work of the Orthodox Union. This message promotes our vision for inclusion in AIPAC. When it comes to the challenges Israel faces today, there is no difference, for, like Jacob and his family, we are all in this together. ■

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Hersh Fried, the famed psychologist and ack in the 1950s and 60s, I don’t founder of Chush, a school catering to recall there being any labels learning-disabled children, decries such identifying one’s religiosity. You were either observant or non-obser­segregation and claims that it is not the fault of the yeshivot but rather the fault vant. In Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, which was in Williamsburg at the time, I never of the parents. Parents are often hyper­ sensitive about exposing their children heard terms such as “Chareidi,” “Mod­ to others who come from religiously dif­ ern Orthodox,’’ or “Yeshivish.” Our classrooms reflected the full diversity of ferent backgrounds, thus they create ar­ tificial arenas in which to educate their frum life. There were boys from all children. kinds of homes—some religiously There is much to say on this explo­ stronger, some weaker, some Yiddish­ sive topic, but this is not really the speaking, others not; it made no differ­ forum for such a discussion. ence. We were all in yeshivah for the So why do I bring up the issue of seg­ same reason: to acquire the fundamen­ regation? Simply because such elitism tals of a good Torah education. wreaks havoc upon Jewish unity. In this But yeshivot today are different. issue, which we have dedicated to the They are segregated and elitist; they do theme of achdut, we ask a number of not reflect the range of Orthodox life. leading rabbis and thinkers, from Rabbi Each yeshivah caters to a specific clien­ Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of Efrat, to tele, distinguished by a particular shade Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive or nuance of religious observance. Even vice president of Agudath Israel, to re­ schools that purport to be “community spond to one overriding question: Is schools” oftentimes segregate children unity possible? on the basis of family background Who among us doesn’t bemoan the (under the guise of academic ability or lack of Jewish unity? Who among us some other pretense). isn’t deeply distressed when hearing In a fascinating article that recently about the clashes in Beit Shemesh? But appeared in Hakirah, Rabbi Dr. Aharon

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8 I JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

learning how to interact with frum Jews of all stripes starts in the classroom. It cannot start when one is forty; it must start when one is four. We must learn how to play together as children in the sandbox, and then when we are adults we will be able to speak to one another-lf with tolerance and acceptance—in shul.

When a developm ental disabled child seeks to join Yachad, a program of the OU’s National Jewish Council for Disabilities, we do not ask if he is Chareidi or Modern Orthodox or secu­ lar. We welcome him with open arms, because he is a Jew, and therefore a member of the family.

Rabbi Fried cites the Maharal who states that when we are divided as a people, we prolong the exile. Who will bring about geulah? Those individuals who can see past the labels, those who can see past the particular style of yarmulke, past the external and the superfi­ cial to the transcendent oneness of the Jewish people.

I hope you enjoy reading this excep­ tionally meaningful issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. ■

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iny little Israel. Such a small and inconsequential piece of land should logically be ignored and forgotten. She is content to be the small Jewish homeland that welcomes and absorbs people of all faiths. She does not seek the world’s attention; she seeks the world’s persecuted and broken and offers assistance and refuge. She does not ask for special treatment, but democratically asks for and grants rights, privileges and free­ dom to all of her citizens. Her one claim to fame is the disproportionate share she contributes to the intellec­ tual, scientific and cultural advance­ ments of the world. But she doesn’t want fanfare. All she wants is to live in peace with her neighbors.

Yet time and time again, tiny little Israel is viewed front and center stage as an aggressor, an oppressor, an antag­ onist and the source of all the evil that is happening in the Middle East and beyond. Terror attacks, boycotts, di­ vestments, sanctions, hate conferences and countless UN resolutions have all been aimed at Israel, punishment for her “crime” of survival. The interna­ tional community seems to thrive on making her government, her occupa­ tion, her military maneuvers, her self defense and her pre-emptive strikes the problem.

But here’s the problem—Iran. A nu­ clear capable Iran.

The world should not be focused on whether or not Israel will attack Iran in a lifesaving effort to prevent that country from acquiring nuclear capa­ bilities. Israel is not the problem. The world should be focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabili­ ties. Not for Israel’s sake, but for the sake of the world. A nuclear Iran would create an untenable situation and have devastating and incalculable effects on the world’s safety and econ­

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10 | JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

omy. A nuclear Iran would cause the cost of oil to permanently skyrocket due to its ability to intimidate and con­ trol fellow members of OPEC. Iran will share nuclear technology with its prox­ ies all over the world. Groups like Hamas and Hezbollah (who already have 50,000 rockets that we know of) could conduct nuclear terror activities anywhere in the world, including here in the United States. This past January, Jerome Hauer, commissioner of New York State’s Division of Homeland Se­ curity and Emergency Services, met with representatives of over sixty Jew­ ish institutions here at the OU. At the meeting, he expressed his greatest se­ curity concern: a “dirty bomb” hidden in a parked car that could instantly de­ stroy thousands of lives.

Countries allied with Iran— Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia-M could also gain from Iran’s nuclear capabilities and bring a nuclear threat to this continent, closer to American shores. If Iran develops nuclear capa­ bilities, it will set off a round of nuclear proliferation in the entire Middle East.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and others will all race to develop their own nu­ clear capabilities in order to keep a bal­ ance of power. A nuclear Middle East will inevitably lead to nuclear terror­ ism, and nuclear terrorism is a game changer for the entire world.

In the 1930s, Winston Churchill was perceived as a warmonger because he warned the world that military ac­ tion needed to be taken against Hitler.

But after World War I, the world was tired of fighting and instead engaged in capitulation and appeasement. This emboldened Hitler, and enabled him to follow through on what he told the world were his intentions all along.

The Iranians have not been shy about sharing their intentions. They have used “talks” and “negotiations” over

the past twenty years to cheat and de­ ceive the West. They continue to push the envelope. And every day they get closer to acquiring nuclear capabilities.

Yes, we are tired after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and yes, there will be dire consequences if we take military action against Iraq; oil prices will rise, sleeper cells will be roused. But the world needs to have no doubt that not stopping Iran will pose the most devas­ tating consequences of all.

Israel is at the most immediate risk.

A nuclear Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, who is in close proxim­ ity to Iran, has limited capabilities to defend herself against a nuclear attack and has been demonized by the Iranian government. Israel has too often been forced to defend herself against exis­ tential threats alone, and she will do so now if it becomes necessary. This is Is­ rael’s issue and Israel’s prerogative.

The world’s problem is not tiny lit­ tle Israel. The world’s problem is Iran and its ability to wreak havoc on the world if it is not stopped soon. No one desires war, and that is why we are working on creating crippling sanc­ tions to shut down the Iranian econ­ omy. However, if sanctions and international pressure don’t work, the world does not have the option of toler­ ating a nuclear Iran. We need to convey the message that Iran is the problem and not Israel. We need to articulate that no one dare confuse the victim with the perpetrator. Unfortunately, many in the media and in other circles lack an understanding of the facts and a sense of moral clarity. We cannot allow a repeat of what happened in the 1930s. Our responsibility is to be as proactive as we can in helping to clarify where the problem lies, and to pray to the Almighty that the world does not have to endure a nuclear Iran. ■

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i Learning a t Agra d ’Pirka, a program located in the Flatbush section o f Brooklyn.

Photo: Ezra benAvraham

Some are year-round while others take a break during the summer. Most meet right after morning minyan, typi­ cally in a beit midrash or library.

Klahr went to several nearby learn­ ing programs before he was steered to Agra d’Pirka, a growing network of shiurim founded two years ago by Flat­ bush attorney Ezra Klein. The other programs weren’t demanding enough, Klahr decided. “I was looking for some­ thing a little more strenuous,” he says.

Journalist Steve Lipman observes a small but growing trend among aging Orthodox baby boomers: they are heading back to yeshivah. n engineer, Yitzchok Klahr found Klahr is the face of a small long, empty days stretched out but growing trend in the Jewish before him and a lifelong goal to community—retirees turning to fulfill when he retired nearly two years yeshivah-level learning when they ago. He wanted to do advanced Jewish leave the workforce. learning.

Like Klahr, many start such ad­ His brother had studied at yeshivah vanced Jewish studies for the first time. decades earlier. So had his sons, in Like him, many enjoy the new op­ later years. portunity to “talk in learning” with “I felt that I missed out,” says Klahr, children or grandchildren who have who lives in Brooklyn’s heavily Ortho­ spent time in yeshivot or seminaries. dox Flatbush neighborhood.

Unlike Klahr, many are taking part “It’s time to learn,” he told himself. in learning programs—often they have the name “kollel”—that are centered Retired? Let the Torah around the schedules and Jewish back­ Learning Begin grounds of retirees.

As soon as Klahr stopped working, he These new programs have a less-in­ made up for lost time, joining a fourtensive learning schedule and a lessmornings-a-week educational program rigorous pace of study than typically near his home. As a member of Agra found in standard kollel or yeshivah d’Pirka, a series of classes and lectures programs for younger participants. offered at Knesses Bais Avigdor, a FlatThe new wave of retiree programs, bush congregation, Klahr studies Tal­ under both Modern Orthodox and mud and other traditional Jewish texts Chareidi auspices, however, offers a with scores of other Jewish men, most more consistent learning schedule and of them younger than he is. more advanced subject matter than the Steve Lipm an is a s ta ff w riter fo r the sporadic adult education lectures that Jewish Week in N ew York. many synagogues usually present.

■

12

JEWISH ACTION

Summer 5772/2012

It’s Never too Late to Learn “People want to learn, no matter their age,” says Louis Kaplan, a regular at­ tendee of the Community Kollel Baal Habatim of Willowbrook at the Young IsraeLof Staten Island, an OU-member shul. Founded in 1995, it may be the oldest retirees kollel The Community Kollel, which meets Monday through Thursday, is the creation of Rabbi Moshe Friederwitzer, who subse­ quently made aliyah.

“It all began in my backyard with six other retirees,” says the rabbi, who at the time had just retired from thirty years as a teacher in New York City’s public school system.

Then the program found a home in the Young Israel.

Over the years, the program’s popu­ larity has spread, drawing “an average pool of forty coming weekly, welcoming the elderly parents of children who live in the neighborhood, and making a siyum two years ago on Masechet Shabbat," Kaplan says. “We even get collegeage kids.” Sometimes, he says, his pre-Bar Mitzvah grandson comes. “He asks pretty good questions.”

“After the kollel was operating suc­ cessfully for several years, a good friend”—and member of the Young Is­ rael’s board of directors—“told me that when the board approved the kolleVs application for the use [of a room in the building], they were sure that my

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'dream’ wouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks,” Rabbi Friederwitzer says. Now the program is a matter of pride for the shul, attracting some non-observant members of Staten Island’s Jewish community.

A Diverse Student Body

In a regular, homogeneous yeshivah environment, most of the students are on a relatively equal intellectual plane; how­ ever, teachers in a retirees kollel must accommodate students whose knowledge and learning skills range from zero to yeshivah graduate.

What some of the senior citizen students lack in ad­ vanced Jewish knowledge and ability to sit and learn for hours on end, they compensate for in motivation, says Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, rav of Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, an OU-member shul in Queens which has offered its own fivedays-a-week retirees kollel for a decade, established by Rabbi George Rushfield, a member of the congregation.

"It’s not heavy duty,” Rabbi Schonfeld says. "It’s geared for them. It goes at their pace.”

No one knows exactly how many such retirees kollelim are in operation now; there is no official listing or coordinat­ ing agency. But rabbis who are active in these intensive edu­ cational programs for the retired population estimate the number at a few dozen, most in the Greater New York area, which has the critical mass of observant Jews and trained teachers. There are also a few known programs in Los Ange­ les, Detroit, Florida and Lakewood.

Most have a community-wide nature, opening their doors to individuals who aren’t members of that synagogue.

Though many of the programs have the title of kollel, they differ from the usual kollel practice of offering stipends to young married families thereby permitting the husbands to learn full-time and sometimes work in outreach activities to the wider Jewish community.

None of the retirees kollelim pay their participants; some of the students, in fact, pay a modest fee, which helps com­ pensate the rabbis who are unable to teach for free.

The Senior Men’s Kollel at Congregation Ahavas Achim, an OU-member shul, in Highland Park, New Jersey, has ex­ panded from a single morning a week and about a dozen stu­ dents to two mornings and a few dozen students since it began four years ago, says Ed Epstein, a synagogue board member and leader of its retirees kollel since his retirement.

"We may [even] add a third day.”

Epstein and other supporters of the program initially contacted every man in the area whom they thought might be interested, and word of mouth sustained it. "It took off,” he says.

As in any yeshivah, there’s give and take between talmid and maggid shiur, Epstein says. "It’s not only a lecture; it’s an exchange.”

"It’s really enriched my life,” he adds. "It’s changing my value system.” ^ Some kollel programs attract women as well. The Schol­ ars Kollel of Great Neck on Long Island, New York, draws between twenty and thirty participants, including a handful of women who attend on a steady basis.

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Ezra Klein, who founded his Agra d’Pirka kollel-like program in his Flatbush neighborhood (now it has separate branches in Brooklyn’s Boro Park neighborhood and Queens’ Kew Gardens Hills), says his learning programs aren’t strictly for retirees. But they tend to attract a large number of retirees, along with men who are either unemployed or have jobs with flexible schedules. He tells of lives being changed by the experience. One unemployed man, for example, said that the learning saved him from becoming despondent.

"Men have told me that the kollel has literally saved their lives and marriages,” says Rabbi Friederwitzer. "They were not enjoying their retirement and now they enthusiastically look forward to each new day.”

Usually, the incentive is less dramatic.

"The thirst for Jewish knowledge is increasing,” Rabbi Schonfeld says. Many of the students in the retiree pro­ grams came of age when there were fewer chances to pur­ sue advanced Jewish learning and their careers took up their time. Now, the rabbi says, "they want to fill that gap.

They don’t want to stagnate in their old age. They’re definitely motivated.”

"It beats playing cards,” Rabbi Schonfeld says.

"I don’t want to sit and be entertained,” Klahr says.

His kollel studies are "very hard,” he says. "This is serious Torah leaning.”

Which is how he prefers it. ■

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A main street in present-day Mahanoy City.

Photo: Wikipedia Commons/DougKerr

The disappearance of a Jewish community in a small mining town in Pennsylvania sheds light on the disappearance of many other small Jewish communities that once dotted the American landscape.

An Unusual Request As Kesher Israel Congregation, the shul where I serve as the rabbi in Har­ risburg, Pennsylvania, is about a twenty-five minute drive from Hersheypark, I get a kick out of answering visitors’ questions each year around Sukkot time.

During Choi Hamoed Sukkot this past year, however, my cell phone rang with a completely different kind of call.

“My grandfather passed away sev­ eral days ago, and we’re looking for a rabbi who can officiate at his funeral.

Can you help us?” asked a young Jew­ ish woman whom I had never met.

The night before the funeral, I met with the family and learned that the deceased had been born and raised in a small Jewish community that once exR abbiA kiva M ales serves as rabbi o f H arris­ burg’s Kesher Israel Congregation , an OUm em ber synagogue. H e and his wife L ay ala m oved from K ew Gardens Hills, N ew York to Pennsylvania in 2007.

16 I JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

isted in Mahanoy City (about an hour and a half northeast of Harrisburg). I was surprised to hear that he had lived there, as I had not known that Jewish communities—of any size—had once existed among Pennsylvania’s roughand-tumble coal-mining towns.

I made a mental note to find out more about the history of Mahanoy City’s now-vanished Jewish commu­ nity. In the days that followed, I could not find any information online and de­ cided that I would drive out to Ma­ hanoy City to research the “old fashioned way.”

Several weeks later, my wife Layala and I visited Mahanoy City. The town is rather small, and one can sense that with mining long gone, the town and its residents are in an eco­ nomic depression.

We parked our car along the main street and walked into a small shop.

The store owner had vague memories of a synagogue that once functioned in

Mahanoy City, but she could not say where it was located. She gave us the name of the only Jewish woman still living in town and informed us that the woman’s late husband had owned a shirt factory that had employed many of the women in the town. She had fond memories of her long-gone Jew­ ish neighbors, but was not able to help us any further.

Stopping to speak with an elderly mechanic outside his shop, we discov­ ered where the shul was located. We soon stood before a tall, narrow struc­ ture, locked and boarded up, perched on the corner of a modest block of rowhouses. As we took in the sight, we were struck by how out of place the shul seemed to be.

The words Congregation Beth Is­ rael in Hebrew appeared prominently above the doors. The building’s other inscription was located on its corner­ stone-1923. While gazing at the build­ ing, we imagined the excited crowd

that must have been present almost ninety years earlier when the corner­ stone was laid. Sadly, in 2011, nothing of that Jewish community remained.

So many questions raced through my mind: When and why did Jewish families arrive in Mahanoy City? What was Jewish life like for the members of Congregation Beth Israel? Why did the shul shut its doors?;

The Last Jew o f Mahanoy City A passerby suggested we visit the woman up the block who was the last Jewish resident of Mahanoy City. We arrived at the modest home; noticed a mezuzah affixed to the doorpost and rang the bell. When nobody answered, a friendly neighbor emerged and asked if he could be of any help. I explained that we were in town hoping to learn more about Mahanoy City’s all but for­ gotten Jewish community. While he had no information to share, he as­ sured us that he would pass on my contact information to his neighbor whom we were hoping to meet.

Later that night, back at the hotel, I received a phone call from Mahanoy

City’s last Jewish resident. We had a spoke with the rabbi who served Ma­ pleasant conversation, and she truly hanoy City’s Jewish community from appreciated my interest in the history 1948 to 1955 (he is now retired and liv­ of her town’s Jewish community. ing in Florida)* While she provided me with addi­ What follows is a composite sketch tional leads and was able to answer a of the Jewish community that once ex­ few of my questions, so many more re­ isted in Mahanoy City, based upon in­ mained unanswered. formation I was able to dig up.

The next morning, I visited the town’s small, well-kept Jewish ceme­ tery. Like the shul, the cemetery—with its He­ brew-engraved tomb­ stones—seemed incredibly out of place.

One of the tombstones I came across marked the site where the shul had buried its sheimot in 1937.

In the months that fol­ lowed, I pursued many dif­ ferent leads in my quest to find out more about the history of the Jewish com­ Mahanoy City's Jewish community laid the corner­ munity of Mahanoy City. I stone for Beth Israel Congregation in 1923. Today, spoke with several people the abandoned shul stands as a testimony to the who had grown up there. I small Jewish community that once existed there. also tracked down and Photos courtesy o f Rabbi M ales

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Birth o f a Jewish Community Upon arriving in America in the late 1800s, many Jewish immigrants were faced with the same problem—earning a living. They were forced to peddle various goods, but the markets in the large immigrant centers were already saturated with peddlers. Many enter­ prising immigrants began searching for better locales to peddle their wares.

Word spread that with so much less competition, a hard-working peddler in Pennsylvania's small coal-mining towns had a better chance of making a

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Tombstone o f the sheimot o f Beth Is­ rael Congregation in Mahanoy City's Jewish cemetery; established in 1932. living—and maybe even opening a suc­ cessful store—than he could ever dream of back in the big cities.

Before long, Jewish peddlers, shop­ keepers, and small business owners be­ came a common sight in the small towns throughout the coal-mining re­ gion. (I was repeatedly told, however, that no Jews ever became actual coal miners.) As more and more Jewish im­ migrants made their way to America's welcoming shores, many joined their family members or friends from the "Old Country" in those locales. Small Jewish communities throughout the mountainous Pennsylvania coal region began to appear.

One such community was in the small mining town of Mahanoy City.

The Jewish peddlers and their chil­ dren prospered and were respected by the town's miners for their honesty, charity and work ethic. At the height of the town's economic boom, a few Jewish-owned local clothing factories existed and employed many local miners' wives. Traveling meshulachim 18

JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

making the rounds of the coal region's small Jewish communities would stop in Mahanoy City.

As Mahanoy City's Jewish commu­ nity never numbered more than about fifty families, its members did their best to socialize with and share as many events as possible with other small Jewish communities in the coal region—particularly Shenandoah and Frackville. A small three-story home was purchased and became Mahanoy City's Jewish Community Center.

Aside from housing a Hebrew school, the JCC also served as the hub for the Jewish community's social and recre­ ational activities.

By 1923, Mahanoy City's Jewish community was able to lay the corner­ stone for a respectable new synagogue.

The town's Jewish cemetery was es­ tablished in 1932.

Sadly, for the most part, religious observance among many members of Mahanoy City's Jewish community waned, similar to what occurred in so many other Jewish immigrant commu­ nities across the United States.1 For those who remained observant, traveling shochetim would make their way through the Jewish communities of the coal region to properly slaughter chickens. Though Mahanoy City never had its own mikvah, members would frequent the mikvah in nearby Hazle­ ton, Pennsylvania. And most of the people I interviewed told me that their grandparents had two sets of dishes and would celebrate Pesach in a tradi­ tional manner.

The Decline o f a Community By the late 1940s, the shul's minyan only met consistently on Friday nights (about twenty-five to thirty people at­ tended) and Sunday mornings (fol­ lowed by a light breakfast). The Shabbat morning minyan only at­ tempted to meet every other week, and even that was a challenge.

As Sabbath observance declined in Mahanoy City, it became ever more difficult for the shul to continue its Shabbat morning minyan. One man told me that as a young boy in the 1940s, he was a regular at shul on Shabbat mornings. If they did not have the requisite ten men for the minyan, some of the older congregants would

send him next door to telephone one of the nearby Jewish-owned factories.

The factory owners would permit the precise number of men needed to tem­ porarily leave work in order to assist the shul's struggling minyan.

By the mid-1950s, the balcony was no longer in use. Men and women sat in the main sanctuary—with no mechitzah between—and Congregation Beth Israel aligned itself with the Con­ servative movement.2 By the late 1950s, Mahanoy City's Jewish community began its rapid de­ cline. As the synagogue's membership fell, the shul could only afford to hire a rabbi for the High Holy Days. Congre­ gation Beth Israel gave up trying to or­ ganize regular services by the 1970s.

With the building used so infrequently, in 2003 the few remaining members sold off the synagogue's sifrei Torah and stained glass windows, and the doors were locked and boarded up.

Though it has been less than 100 years since its cornerstone was laid, no one officially owns Congregation Beth Israel's building anymore. As it is too expensive for the city to tear the struc­ ture down, the abandoned shul with its Hebrew inscriptions stands as a matzeivah (tombstone) of sorts to the Jewish community that once existed.

The families of those buried in Mahanoy City's Jewish cemetery are putting together a plan to ensure its upkeep.

The Death o f a Community What caused Mahanoy City's Jewish community to decline and eventually disappear? When I asked that question to the people I interviewed, I received the same answers: 1) The older generation passed away.

2) The younger generation left for schooling and better job opportunities.

3) As the country moved away from using coal as a fuel, local mining opera­ tions all but ceased, and the region's economy declined. With so few eco­ nomic opportunities in the area, no new Jewish families moved in to re­ place those who had left. $Jhe more I learned about the his­ tory of Mahanoy City's Jewish com­ munity, the more I realized how its story mirrors that of so many smaller

Jewish communities that once existed across America.

Recently; I noticed this item in Har­ risburg’s Jewish newspaper: Throughout the United States, Jewish communities sprung up as itinerant merchants (“peddlers”) settled to provide goods for local areas. Small towns throughout the nation had main streets lined with Jewish businesses. Each o f these communities had synagogues and Jewish cemeteries.

Throughout Pennsylvania, Jew­ ish communities thrived as the steel mills, coal mines, and shmata (cloth­ ing) factories provided solid eco­ nomic bases for local Jewish merchants.

But times change. Mining, steel making, and clothing manufacturing are all but gone from the area.

“Main Street” has been replaced by Wal-Mart and the shopping mall filled with national chain stores. The Jewish-owned small business is a fast dying memory.

The offspring o f the merchants o f these towns had no reason to return to the communities following their

ties whose membership requires a mikvah, day school, and consistent minyan. None of those institutions can be sustained without a critical mass of community members willing to main­ tain them.

Since I began researching Mahanoy City’s Jewish community, I find myself haunted by the following questions: How many more vanished American Jewish communities like Mahanoy City are out there? How many more are there yet to be? ■ N otes

1. For an excellent article dealing with religious observance among Jew­ ish immigrants and their descendants, see Jeffrey S. Gurock, “The Winnowing of American Orthodoxy” in American Jewish Orthodoxy in Historical Perspec­ tive (New Jersey, 1996), 299-312.

2. For a sense of just how common this phenomenon was in America at that time, see Baruch Litvin, Sanctity o f the Synagogue (New Jersey, 1987).

3. Howard Ross, “The Cemeteries are Dying!” Community Review, No­ vember 19,2010, page 4.

Rabbi A kiva Males, o f Kesher Israel Congre­ gation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

college years. Instead, they migrated to the major communities, leaving the old towns with one or two, or, in many instances, no Jewish families rem aining...3 Though other factors certainly play a role, the fate of any Jewish commu­ nity is tied to its local economy. This is especially true of Orthodox communi­

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y now the outlines of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel’s life are widely known. Born in Chicago in 1943 to Rabbi Eliyahu Meir, z t”l, and Sarah Finkel, Rav Nosson Tzvi attended Ida Crown Jewish Academy, a coed Modern Orthodox day school. W hen Rav Nosson Tzvi was fifteen, he and his parents made a trip to Israel to visit with an uncle, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, the rosh yeshivah of Mir.

Although Rav Nosson Tzvi was a fine and bright boy, he did not display any signs of unique talents or abilities, yet his great uncle was enamored with him and requested that Rav Nosson Tzvi remain in Israel. Neverthe­ less, he returned to the States and finished high school. Subsequently, however, he returned to the Mir and studied diligently under the tutelage of his great uncle.

A few short years later, he married his second cousin, the granddaughter of Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda (Rav Leizer Yudel) and the daughter of Rabbi Beinish Finkel. Rav Nosson Tzvi then spent years toiling away with extraordinary hasmadah, learning day and night. He also began reaching out to the weaker students, finding time to learn with scores of boys who needed his help. When his father-in-law passed away in 1990, he became rosh yeshivah. Although by that time Rav Nosson Tzvi was already suffering from Parkinson’s disease, he accepted the yoke of leading a yeshivah of 1,000 students. He worked incessantly to build the yeshivah, and to keep ratcheting up the hasmadah. The yeshivah grew; it currently encompasses nearly 7,000 students and nine buildings. His days were a nonstop whirl of shiurim, shmuessen, personal meetings with students and endless fundraising.

R abbi Ahron Lopiansky is the brother-in-law o f the late Rabbi Nosson T zvi F inkel H e is the rosh yeshivah ofYeshiva o f Greater Washington and the author o f numerous scholarly works, in H ebrew and English.

20 j JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

The fire of hasmadah was so hot, the enthusi­ asm so infectious and Rav Nosson’s smile and embrace so beckoning that bochrim were sim­ ply swept into the maelstrom of Torah that raged all around.

On the eleventh day of Cheshvan, 5722 (November 2011), Rav Nosson Tzvi suddenly passed away. The ex­ pression of bereavement upon his death was overwhelming; over 100,000 people attended his funeral and count­ less eulogies were organized in cities and yeshivos around the globe. Hun­ dreds of outstanding stories describing Rav Nosson Tzvi’s diligence, personal warmth, self-sacrifice, and tireless harbatzas Torah surfaced.

warmly, and had him sleep in his own room. As a weary Nosson Tzvi pre­ pared to go to bed, Rav Leizer Yudel stopped him. “Before you got to sleep, you must tell me a chiddush.” Poor Nosson Tzvi racked his brains, but no chiddush appeared. Rav Leizer Yudel was insistent: no chiddush, no bed. A dazed Nosson Tzvi stumbled up to the beis midrash and went through a few Tosafos. A kashya finally arose, and he went down to his uncle, who listened

The present-day Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim The stories about the person abound. Yet we would be remiss to simply collect stories. We need to try and focus on that which was at the core of his life: toward what end did he strive so incessantly?

Tell Me a Chiddush Rav Nosson Tzvi was the Mir rosh yeshivah, and in many ways under­ standing him means understanding “The Mir.” When Rav Nosson Tzvi first arrived at the Mir as a young man, he was exhausted. A plane trip in the early Sixties was a far cry from a plane trip today. Rav Leizer Yudel greeted him

Photos: Kuvien Images

attentively and then wished him a good night. Was Rav Leizer Yudel a harsh martinet, a drill sergeant mercilessly training young recruits?

A while later, Nosson Tzvi woke up at around 4 a m . He heard some muffled noises in the room. Rav Leizer Yudel had risen to begin his morning studies.

He was tiptoeing around the room, un­ aware that Nosson Tzvi was up, silently observing him. Rav Leizer Yudel walked over to the Shas, put his arms around it for a long moment, closed his eyes, and kissed it. And then he began to quietly say Birchas HaTorah with extraordinary kavanah.

No, Rav Leizer Yudel was not a harsh trainer; rather he was suffused with a love of Torah, a love of his nephew (and, for that matter, of all bnei Torah) and he so desperately wanted to connect his nephew to that love that was the core of his own life.

And he knew that the only way to ig­ nite that love was through total dedi­ cation and immersion.

The Mirrer ethos consists of the following principles: • The very core of Klal Yisrael is the study of Torah. All else is peripheral.

• There is no greater personal bond with God than the study of Torah. It infuses a person with a passion and love of Hashem unlike any other religious activity.

• To study Torah properly one needs to exclude all other activities and occupa­ tions and be totally immersed in it.

The Ramban, when discussing the significance of the Mishkan, explains that the luchos were located in the very center of the Mishkan, in the aron, a permanent “Mount Sinai” in Klal Yis­ rael with everything else simply “sup­ porting” that Sinai. Klal Yisrael was arranged around the Torah, with each tribe drawing its spiritual raison d’etre from the same Torah.

That Torah requires total dedica­ tion is seen from the Talmud’s descrip­ tion of Matan Torah; no bird chirped, no ox grunted when Torah was given.

This illustrates that acquiring Torah properly requires excluding all “other voices” from one’s range of hearing and totally dedicating and immersing one­ self in Torah.

Total Immersion This was the ruach tkat Rav Nosson Tzvi infused in the yeshivah. He did so with his very being. He was a happy and invigorated person, challenges notwithstanding. When one would look for the source of his constant bliss, it was always the sugya that he was studying. His mussar about diligence was usually a profoundly genuine, “It is the sweetest thing in the world.”

The credence to those words was Rav Nosson Tzvi himself. Rav Nosson constantly looked for ways to increase the immersion in Torah. He would

offer talmidim monetary rewards for knowing a sizable amount of Gemara and for writing monthly papers (Íchaburos) on topics studied. He would occasionally an­ nounce prizes for students who studied twelve hours a day for extended periods. He found a donor who paid for 1,000 talmidim to study two hours on Purim night in yeshivah. He instituted a half-day study program in yeshivah during the summer break followed by a heavily subsidized trip for relaxation. (He made this available to any yeshivah bochur in Israel.) On and on, he kept revving up the engine.

Not only the mundane was excluded, but the Mir likewise eschewed “frum ” activities in favor of learning.

Although the yeshivah is located in middle of Meah Shearim, the talmidim were instructed to stay away from “hafganós” (demonstrations). Such activities were for batlanim, people who had not thrown their energy into Torah study.

The rosh yeshivah rarely signed a kol koreh. The only memorable stance Rav Nosson Tzvi took was against the use of cell phones in yeshivah, because they were terrible distractions and ruined the continuous flow of Torah study.

My personal “initiation” into the Mirrer attitude re­ garding politics was in 1971, my first year in the Mir. The towering figure in yeshivah (besides the roshei yeshivah) was Rabbi Chaim Kamil. He was personally chosen by Rav Leizer Yudel to be Rav Nosson Tzvi’s mentor. He would sit at breakfast every morning with a half-a-dozen talmidim and speak to them in learning.

When Yom Ha’atzmaut came around, I was eager to hear some “politics” and asked him about the yeshivah’s hashkafah. He gave me a long and vacant stare and said, “About the kasha that you mentioned yesterday from Rav Nochum...”

The same attitude applied even to overindulgence in mitzvos. We were taught, “Be content with a kosher esrog, and be mehader and machmir in your learning.-- ^ Rav Nosson Tzvi’s quest to keep intensifying the hasmadah in yeshivah forced him to raise ever-increasing amounts of money. This in itself did not bother him, be­ cause he was thrilled with the results. He was only sad­ dened when he failed to come up with the needed funds and could not continue to keep stoking the flames.

The Fire of Torah The hotter a flame, the greater the chance it will spread.

This seemed to account for Rav Nosson and the Mir’s success with countless talmidim, many of whom had come to the yeshivah less than inspired but left enthusi­ astic talmidei chachamim. The rosh yeshivah did not lec­ ture incessantly about learning, nor did an army of mashgichim keep track of a bochur’s movements. But the fire of hasmadah was so hot, the enthusiasm so infec­ tious and Rav Nosson’s smile and embrace so beckoning that bochrim were simply swept into the maelstrom of Torah that raged all around.

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The same was true about overindulgence in mitzvos.

We were taught, “ Be content with a kosher esrog, and he mehader and machmir in your learning.”

A story that I heard brings together so many of these points.

A bochur had dropped out of the Is­ raeli yeshivah system and was basically on the street. Someone had convinced him to make an effort to hold onto his Yiddishkeit and got Rav Nosson Tzvi to learn with him for an hour a day. At some point Rav Nosson announced one of his “twelve-hour-a-day” campaigns and had a sign-up sheet posted in yeshivah. At the end of the week the sign-up sheet was brought to Rav Nos­ son Tzvi. He skimmed through the names, and then asked why that partic­ ular boy was not on it. The incredulous boy came to Rav Nosson Tzvi and said, “The rosh yeshivah must be kidding. An hour a day is max for me.” Rav Nosson Tzvi smiled, and then added his name to the list. The boy decided that as a goodwill gesture, he would humor Rav Nosson Tzvi and participate for a bit.

The first day passed by successfully, as did the second day. By the third day, he was losing enthusiasm. At the end of the third day he was short an hour or two of learning and was already tired.

He lay down with an open Kitzur ShulchanAruch and after a few min­ utes, he fell asleep, on top of his open sefer. At about six o’clock in the morn­ ing he woke up, and as he opened his

eyes he saw the sefer and instinctively continued learning. In a few moments he realized a few things: firstly, that it was morning, secondly, that it was the earliest that he had ever awoken, and thirdly, it the first time that he had ever learned before davening. Excited, he ran to Rav Nosson Tzvi’s house and banged on the door at 6:15 a m . He blurted out excitedly to Rav Nosson what had happened. Rav Nosson’s eyes glistened with excitement. He went to the closet, pulled out a bottle of wine, and on the spot made a Vchaim with the boy. This turned out to be a turning point in the boy’s life, and he eventu­ ally became a rosh kollel.

There is so much to learn from this story. Our reaction to today’s disaffec­ tion with learning is to water it down and crowd our students’ time with other activities. And yet, the interest and tolerance for real study seem to get ever more diminished. Maybe the anti­ dote is in the opposite direction?

Maybe the real remedy is to remove our talmidim from all distractions, im­ merse them totally in study, and pro­ vide them with rebbeim who themselves are on fire with TorahBB rebbeim who really care for their talmidim’s Torah.

The Rav Yochanan o f the Generation Rav Yochanan was walkingfrom Teveria to Zippori and Rav Chiya Bar Aba was accompanying him. They passed by afield, and Rav Yochanan commented, fThis was my field and I sold it in order to toil in Torahs They passed by a vine­ yard and again Rav Yochanan com­ mented, <(This was my vineyard and I sold it in order to toil in Torah.” They then passed by an olive orchard, and Rav Yochanan repeated his remarks. Rav Chiya began weeping. Rav Yochanan asked him, “Why are you weeping?”He replied, “I am crying because you have left nothingfor your old age!”Rav Yochanan countered, “Is it so light in your eyes that I ’ve sold things created in six days (i.e., material goods), as it says, , .for Torah which was given after forty days, as it says, etc?’”

When Rav Yochanan died, his gener­ ation proclaimed, “Even were a person to give up all his wealth for the love that Rav Yochanan loved the Torah, it would be ridiculed [as paltry].” , (Midrash Shir Hashirim Rabbah 8:8) What was the conversation between Rav Yochanan and Ray Chiya all about?

Rav Chiya was one of Rav Yochanan’s great talmidim; did he not understand the value of Torah? Would he himself not have sacrificed for Torah?

The answer must be that even though Rav Chiya knew that giving up material possessions for Torah is thè right thing to do, he was still shocked by the sacri­ fice and moved to tears. Righteous people do what is right, but the sacrifice is still painful.

If so, what did Rav Yochanan reply?

Let us illustrate: Imagine two people are selling their homes and moving into a tiny room. The first person’s home has been foreclosed due to his inability to pay; a tragedy no doubt. The second in­ dividual has come up with a brilliant in­ vention that is sure to enrich him.

However, in order to produce and mar­ jÉÉÉBl i ket his product, he needs capital and raised it by selling his house. His house was sold for a few hundred thousand dollars, but he expects to make tens of millions of dollars. Yes, it is uncomfort­ able to move into a tiny room, but it is a Rav Nosson Tzvi Firtke day of joy when he sells his house, not a high school yearbook p day of sorrow!

Courtesy o f Ida Crown That was Rav Yochanan’s perspec­ Jewish Academy tive^ isb Much? deeper than his sfoderi!

Rav Chiya’s. ‘Yes,” he is telling him, “I have sold some grapes and olives, but I have done so as a way to upgrade them to Torah. Why is that at all a cause for sadness?”

What Sacrifice?

Living in America the last decade, I would visit my brother-in-law in Israel about once a year. As I would walk into the house arid see him living with such diffi­ culties, I would weep and silently voice a protest. “So much sacrifice? M ust every minute of your fero­ ciously long day be spent teaching and comforting others? Do you not leave a second of time for your­ self? Must every person have instant access to your home? Is there not a square inch of space that you can claim as your own? Must every last drop of your en­ ergy be spent on raising unheard of sums for yet an­ other talmid? Must every shred of your dignity be offered up on the altar of harbatzas Torah?”

And Rav Nosson Tzvi’s eyes would dance, and his beatific smile would radiate and in a silent whisper he would reply in amazement, “Who is sacrificing? I have taken the ephemeral days of a human, the dignity of a mere flesh and blood, and a disease-racked body, and I have converted them into millions of hours of Torah study, hundreds of tirutzim to Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s kasha in Yevamos, thousands of uplifted spirits and tens of thousands of neshamos burning with ahavas Torah. What a deal!”

And when Rav Nosson Tzvi passed away, his gen­ eration proclaimed, “If a person were to give all of his belongings for the love that Rav Nosson Tzvi had for Torah, it would be ridiculed.” ■

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"The World Endures Solely oi| Account o f the Breath o f Schoolchildren”

A n Elegy Over the Murders o fa Teacher and Students in Toulouse, 25 Adar 5772 — —

I

On Tishah B’A v this year, along with mourn ing the tragedies over the centuries, let us mourn the Jewish victim s o f Islamic terror in our days as well.

A s a member of Hatzalah, I responded to the tragedies at the W orld Trade Cen­ ter in both 1993 and 2001. The im pact of the devastation I w itnessed left me bereft of ordinary m eans of expression, so I tried poetry, which has alw ays been more suited than prose to occasions evoking extrem e em otional response, whether joy or sorrow. The Exodus from Egypt called forth the triumphant Song ® at the Sea and the D estruction of the First Tem ple prompted Jerem iah to com pose Eichah, the Book o f Lam enta­ tions, or, as the Talmud calls it, kinot.

26 I JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

i i i

•; s a form of liturgical poetry (piyyut), kinot have their own particular style, drawing heavily on the . , language ofTanach and on the literary imagery of Talmud and Midrash. In the kinah that appears p V ■here, I have utilized the language of Jeremiah in stanza 1, depicting a cowardly death sneaking through the window to take the lives of children. In stanza 3,1 borrow from King David’s elegy over his friend Yonatan to mourn the death of Yonatan Sandler. The rhetorical question posed by the angels in stanza 4 comes from the Talmud Berachot (61b) and the image of scrolls aflame while their letters soar is from Avodah Zarah (18a).

The overall theme of the kinah is adopted from the Talmudic declaration (Shabbat 119b): “The world is - sustained only by the breath of schoolchildren.”

mi?na nia n?y aitsn | .WYTB JY3 pBnNa X3

nixtna ??iy nnam .niainna aninai nain ’tp'a: yanna nxn ?y .nyan ypy n o s ?ap ?y nans nisina nnj nan rvaa .nat ,aaa ,a» nt^a: naa - .jaw

jra i1 ian *p?y ns naN?na

And again, Death has entered through our windows, Into the palaces o f our halls o f study.

It has cut down children in the streets And young men in the courtyards.

On account o f sordid murder, my soul roars.

On account o f cruel execution my eyes tear.

In a Jewish school in Toulouse, France, A father, two sons and a girl gave their lives and sanctified His name.

I grieve for you, Rabbi Yonatan, Faithful colleague in a holy task.

nnpnn nnai ,?«nai ,nn« .nnaPnp nniaat nnpna a’anwn

Ary eh, Gavriel and Miriam, dear,

nna ipyx p’?y ’a ^ a ?nnatp iti nnin it asn ?njra an? nprt nipa •jam .njoia n?K ?y_i n?K ?y

Angels sublime cried out bitterly:

Kifca pNB natp ?ii| .Kisa '?aa ’nan: na?yj

M y anguish is too great to bear;

?n«n ’a nm a n in ja «

Wherefrom such abject cruelty?

?nn

Beloved in life; in death—martyred.

For dedication to Torah, is this their reward?

How did the elixir o f life become a lethal potion?

On this, yea on that, I tear.

No consolation on the horizon appears.

?n«a na ?y nwa nay-pa

Wherefore such catastrophe?

nninn nan« niaa nty n .nnpj i’pya in’an? nniani ay aina inip {¡npj nniaa nin-Wa nnnn nj« in

Love o f Torah can be as fierce as death; and

nnin ma?n ?y iraan max .nisei nisa ?a xua trn n?ipw n?n*?a maw ’a ?a ntt inaan .naian nxi? 'a patin? m?'p a’anaa n’ny? ja« n’?n| .b w b b jiTiai?i ninnie nhniKn janp «? ait?' arna ?an ntt nitn? .appna n?iyn nnnin mata

The deaths o f pious ones, in His eyes, are dear.

In full public view was His name sanctified; But is there glory to His majesty in pools o f blood?

Our Sages declared o f Torah study That it outweighs all the commandments, And they praised whoever dies in its tent.

But it is difficult to imagine that this is what they meant.

Scrolls are often consigned to pyres, Yet their words float off and flourish, and their students persevere.

We can no longer see the breath o f these students pure, But it is on account o f their Torah study that the world endures.

M Bm Dr. Moshe Sokolow is associate dean and Fanya Gottcsfeld-Heller profess a t the Azrieli Graduate School o f Jewish Education and Administration m m m

— Summer 5772/2012 JEWISH ACTION

27

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Enhancing Jewish Life

(Psalms 133:1)

■ ■ ■ —

t j l f f t h a few simple words, King David expresses one of the most If if pressing needs our people face in every generation.

I

Lack of unity in the Jewish community is disheartening. When­ ever we see factions clash, our spirits sag. Even if we believe that one side is right and the other is wrong, we mourn the discord itself, often beyond the source of the conflict. Conversely, when we can be a single people despite our differences, we are filled with hope. The expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif was one of the most disputed in| cidents in modern Jewish history, but who among us could not help but be inspired by the picture of settlers and soldiers, separated by a fence, but praying Minchah together? “Who is like Your people Is■ | | rael, a singular nation in the land?”

Yes, we may have differences. They may be big differences. They may be legitimate differences. The question is what do we do when such differences arise? We must recognize that it is possible for reasonable people to disagree. If we do, we can remain united despite our differences. If not, we get factions, each saying that the members of the other are not “real Jews.” That hurts everyone and helps no one.

Following the death of King Solomon, a civil war divided the nation into two king­ doms, Israel and Judah. The prophets foretold that in Messianic times, we would re­ unite into a single nation again. The Ten Tribes of Israel were “lost” in the Assyrian exile; we are descended from Judah, which is why we’re called “Jews.” When our modern state was founded in 1948, we didn’t call it “Judah”; we called it Israel. This represents our spirit of unity. Separated by civil war, hundreds of years as separate na­ tions, thousands of years lost in exile, yet they are still our brethren, for whose return we long.

If we can feel so united with brethren so far removed, can we accomplish the same with others we face on a daily basis? Can we recognize that all Jews are our brothers and sisters, regardless of what they may or may not wear on their heads?

The power lies within each oif us, but no one of us can do it alone. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Every member of the Jewish nation must contribute towards unity. I can’t be unified with you unless you are also unified with me.

Whatever our differences may be, we must remain a single nation with a single heart, directed to our Father in Heaven. Someone has to take the first step. Unity starts with me and you.

CoverStory

e fight and quibble, like all fam ilies. A t tim es, the ideological differences between us— Chassidic, Sephardic, Yeshivish, M odern O rthodox— seem like form idable, even insurm ountable, w alls. But then som ething happens. A fam ily in Itam ar is stabbed to death w hile sleeping in their hom e on Friday night; innocent children are m urdered in Toulouse; alm ost an entire fam ily in Rechovot is destroyed in a devastating fire. Suddenly seem ingly im penetrable w alls disintegrate; deep divisions m elt aw ay as though they never existed.

W e feel a throbbing pain; we are overwhelm ed with grief. W e m ay have never heard the nam e Fogel or H oltzberg or Sandler before, but now these nam es are inextricably bound w ith our shared destiny. Th ey w ill be im m ortalized in our hearts. A nd irrespective of w hether we live in D allas or Teaneck or M eah Shearim , we feel bereft. W e have lost a fam ily member. Am Yisrael Chai.

W

3 0 | JEWISH ACTION Summer 5772/2012

nm &V<A>V «

Summer 5772/2012 JEWISH ACTION 31

In this issue dedicated to achdut, we asked a num ber of rabbis, thinkers and educators across the spectrum of Orthodoxy to respond to the following questions: How can we achieve genuine harmony and greater tolerance w ithin the Orthodox world w ithout com prom ising our core beliefs and ideals? Is unity possible? W hy is it so difficult to achieve? W hat are your suggestions and ideas for achieving greater ahavat ?

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein How do we repair the deep rifts between subgroups in the Orthodox world?

Some suggest that bringing people together, allowing them to see the “other” in a different light might work. It might, but then again, it might just do the opposite. Some of us find it easier to respect people who are different from a distance. Like it or not, there are serious ideological issues that divide Ortho­ dox Jews from each other. Ugly stereotypes abound—but they are based on enough truth to make people feel uncomfortable around others. Many in the Modern Orthodox world look toward the right and, as Rabbi Zev Leff, rav of Moshav Matityahu in Israel, once put it at a West Coast OU convention, “be­ lieve that if they pay it any attention, they too will soon be taking showers wear­ ing a black hat on their heads.” Similarly, those on the right believe that if they show any recognition to the Orthodox center, their shtreimel- donning rav will soon be replaced by a feel-good rabbi with a rebbetzin whose skirts are ma­ terially challenged. The result is that we feel estranged and distant from other from Jews.

Can we make any progress toward curing the divisiveness and sinat chinam that we’ve lived with for close to two thousand years?

Maybe we need to start with the people in charge, so to speak—the shakers and movers. As I followed the volleys of accusations between groups after the Beit Shemesh debacle, I had to take a look at my own behavior, and was no longer comfortable with it. The most dif­ ficult moment for me was when I learned how a distinguished fig­ ure from a different ideological persuasion than the parents in the beleaguered school reacted to an appeal for others to come to their aid. He responded that he was entirely opposed to the behavior of the zealots. He told people in his shul to show their support for the parents. He, however, would not and could not attend a “unity rally” that the parents had or­ ganized. People might interpret that to mean that he approved in a small way some of the positions that the school took on unrelated matters. This was something he simply could not risk doing.

H

i?.t

Writing from thousands of miles away, I do not claim to understand the ideological pressures of Orthodox life in Israel. I understand the basis for this rav’s thinking; Fve had to employ it often enough myself. Looking at Beit Shemesh, however, I now have a visceral feeling that I don't want to import the same stratification and alienation to our shores.

Among many of us rabbanim, the obstacle to greater unity is not con­ tempt for the other, but the fear that by coming together, we weaken our own positions. Beit Shemesh, I think, proves to us why we can and should take some small risks. I believe that risk-taking for the benefit of bein adam lechavero was endorsed under different circumstances by none other than the Chazon Ish. In his work on Shevi’is (12:9 s.v. venireh), he questions why Chazal were so liberal about lending vari­ ous implements to people who might use them in violation of the laws of shemittah. True, they might use them for permissible activi­ ties—but then again, they might not. We are duty-bound halachically to be strict when we might otherwise violate a Torah law like lifnei iveir (placing a stumbling block in front of a blind person; the prohibition against facilitating another person's transgression). Why, then, are we not strict here? He explains that if we were to be machmir (strict) even in situations of doubt, we would instead create definite stumbling blocks, which would be worse. By banning the lending of our property to others because they might do something inappropriate with them, we close off many avenues of doing chesed to others, and stymie re­ lating to our neighbors in ways of peaceful coexistence. Certainly, he adds, we are obligated not to increase hatred and rivalry with others—which is what a stricter ban would do.

Beit Shemesh is really a microcosm of our entire Orthodox community; it demonstrates that when we want to live our ideological lives free of any risk of legitimizing others, we lose out in all the ways the Chazon Ish predicted. Not so

Can we make any progress toward curing the divisiveness and sinat chinam that we've lived with for close to two thousand years? long ago, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook walked arm in arm to secular kibbutzim to urge greater Torah obser­ vance—despite their antipodal positions on Zionism. We need to find ways in which rabbanim can demonstrate that you can fiercely contest everything that someone else says, yet still treat him like a cherished brother.

In the wake of Beit Shemesh, a group of rabbanim in Atlanta did just that. At Minchah on a fast day, they traded pulpits. [See sidebar on page 35.]

Congregants in each shul faced the rav of the shul where they didn't (or wouldn't) daven. The rabbis made a point of declaring that, despite their ideological differences which were not being papered over, they all loved and cherished each other. There is no contradiction between deepseated disagreement and love and respect for others. It was, I believe, a powerful moment, and a potent first step for the rest of us.

Wsmi

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein is the director o f interfaith affairs fo r the Simon W iesenthal Center. H e is also a mem ber o f the Jewish Action editorial board, and a founding editor o f Cross-Currents.com.

Summer 5772/20121 JEW IS H A CTIO N |

Dr. Erica Brown I grew up as an Ashkenazic Jew in a pre­ dominantly Sephardic town: the square mile spit of sand and streets of Deal, New Jersey on the shore. I don’t look Syrian, and when people asked me if I was Syrian, I would joke about being a wannabe. It was not because I saw myself ritually or materially like the Jews around me, but I saw something in the Syrian culture that made me very envious. The community had a certain kind of intimacy, an easy sort of connectedness that allowed peo­ ple with very different customs and behaviors to sit at the same Shabbat table without judgment. At the time, only a small percentage of the Jews in Deal were really Sabbath observant (now the number is much larger), but almost everyone I knew kept a kosher home, had Friday night din­ ner and observed the holidays in some way. Rumor had it that every woman went to the mikvah.

As I grew older and became more of a student of Jewish history, I understood that this kind of acceptance was com­ mon in other Sephardic communities. Certain command­ ments were central to maintaining the integrity of one’s Jewishness, but the bonds of family and community were even stronger than any distance created by differing ritual practices or levels of observance. Unity was paramount, and in order to achieve it, certain individual predilections had to be compromised for the ultimate sake of the wholeness of the community. The community is your family, and every­ one in a family does not look alike or be­ have alike, but there is room at the table for them all.

I was not seeing that in most of the Ashkenazic communities I lived in or visited. Often very small differences of ritual practice created what seemed like untraversable dis­ tances among Jews. The Ashkenazi air always seems thick with judgment: too much to the right of me, too much to the left of me, not close enough for friendship. Family? For­ get about it.

This is not a sociolog­ ical study of religion.

These were my naive childhood observances of the way different commu­ nities function and achieve or miss the goal of unity. Even so, I still believe the only way unity and true ahavat Yisrael can be achieved

34

JE W IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

is to believe in one’s heart and to illustrate through one’s ac­ tions that family comes first. We are immensely lucky to be part of an extended family that is thousands of years old. Re­ ligion is a critical glue in keeping family together, but we have to remember that it is not the only glue. I mean this as no heresy. Being Jewish is a faith, a nationality, an ethnicity and a layer of identity. Whichever layer you choose as your outer garment determines much of what lies beneath.

I work with many Jews who are not observant of Jewish law but are proudly committed to the Jewish community.

They give more tzedakah than most Orthodox Jews I know, and they donate more of their time to making sure that Jew­ ish adults with serious disabilities can live independently or that seniors have Meals on Wheels or that new transplants to the area are contacted by the Jewish community and wel­ comed. They are part of my family, but I would venture to say that they are not seen as part of the family for many of my coreligionists. And that is sad. Because family is family, and family members come in all stripes and colors, irrespec­ tive of how they dress or what rituals they observe.

I have learned a great deal from my extended family, and I have not forgotten what it means to grow up near the ocean where it takes a lot of grains of sand to make up a beach.

Dr. Erica Brown is the scholar-in-residence o f the Jewish Federation o f Greater Washington.

Rabbi Hiilel Goldberg Without denying the friction between dif­ ferent parts of the Orthodox Jewish com­ munity and the terrible damage this does, I believe that a historical perspective pro­ vides ample evidence that intra-Orthodox relations have shifted, compared to a quar­ ter-century ago. Evidence for the reduction of these divisions and the concomitant bridge-building is seen in the United States and in Israel.

• Outreach programs—and, more widely, the outreach mentality—has de-emphasized differences within Orthodoxy in order to fight the common enemy of assim­ ilation, much as the nineteenth-century gulf between Chassidim and Misnagdim narrowed as the common enemy of Haskalah emerged.

• Chareidi Jews now serve in the Israeli army in Nahal Haredi—not yet in numbers that signal a sea change. Even so, the attitudinal change, if partial, remains impressive and repercussive. Obversely, an increasing number of hesder yeshivah graduates are

Take My Pulpit - Please!

By Bayfa Sheva Brenner past six years, on the Sunday evening between ForRoshtheHashanah and Yom Kippur, OU-member syna­ gogue rabbis have been swapping pulpits in the name of Jewish unity.

"Unity starts from the top," says Rabbi Yaakov Luban, executive rabbinic coordinator of the Orthodox Union and rav of Ohr Torah in Edison, New Jersey, who swapped pulpits this past year with Rabbi Steven Miodownik of Con­ gregation Ahavas Achim in Highland Park.

The OU's Community Pulpit Swap Synagogue program, under the direction of Frank Buchweitz, OU national director of community services and special projects, set this rabbini­ cal matchmaking into motion.

"It's an opportunity to hear a different perspective," says Buchweitz, "More importantly, it's a chance for communities to connect with each other." The program targets shuls primarily in the New York metropolitan area.

The shteller-sharing, often falling out on Tzom Gedaliah, takes place be­ tween Minchah and Ma'ariv. "Our welcoming one another into our shuls is a sign of the relationship between the rabbanim," says Rabbi Luban.

Apparently, the idea has made its way south. Disturbed by the news from Beit Shemesh, Rabbi Adam Starr of the Young Israel of Toco Hills in Atlanta, Georgia got the rabbis of the local Chabad, Sephardic and other Orthodox shuls in his area to swap pulpits this past Aseret b'Tevet. "People don't realize that rabbanim from different shuls actually talk and relate to one another," he says. "It's good to hear other Jewish voices. We could all learn from one another."

Even if they don't necessarily always see eye-to-eye.

"My concern was that the gesture would seem disingenuous if the message was that we're all the same and we don't disagree," says Rabbi llan Feldman of Congregation Beth Jacob in Atlanta who made sure the program's an­ nouncement made clear that although there may be differences in out­ looks, they value each other's friendships. "When 1interact with other human beings, I see them as human beings," says Rabbi Feldman. "When I just hear about them, they're not human; they're [just] wrong.

We disagree on funda­ mental issues, but we love each other. That's re­ ally the message."

Bayia Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Department.

Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N | 35

finding ways to move into virtually full­ time Torah study, beyond their three-year obligation to the Israeli army. In admit­ tedly small but still unprecedented ways, there is a convergence between the two approaches to army service.

• In many programs, friction within the Orthodox community has essentially ceased to exist. Take the OU’s Yachad/NJCD, which is dedicated to en­ hancing life for those with disabilities; or the OU’s Our Way/NJCD, which seeks to address the social, religious and educational needs of the deaf and hard of hearing Jewish population. Take Shalva, an association for mentally and physically challenged children in Israel; or Rofeh, the medical referral and support service based in Boston; or HASC, which offers programs for those with special needs—in these and other programs, Orthodox Jews of every stripe are both the helpers and the helpees.

Add to this list Chai Lifeline for children with lifethreatening illnesses, Satmar Bikur Cholim for any Jew, Ezer Mizion for Israel’s sick, disabled, elderly and under­ privileged populations, and a plethora of other medical pro­ grams, free-loan funds and other initiatives in Israel and the Diaspora. Leaders of these programs from one “camp” of Orthodoxy work with leaders from other “camps.”

• A quarter of a century ago, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik would not be cited, or would be cited rarely or uncomplimentary, in various Chareidi publications. Prepon­ derantly, this is no longer so.

• After the Synagogue Council of America folded, the presumed instantaneous unity between modern Orthodox and Agudah circles did not materialize. But the constant fighting over this issue stopped, and with this has come a much warmer, if still incomplete, relationship between these circles.

• Yeshiva University’s rabbinical school, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS)“ both its instruc­ tors and its students—are viewed far more favorably outside YU circles than they were decades ago.

• Countless incidents that would not have occurred decades ago are now almost routine. For example, Rabbi Moshe Taragin, a rebbe at Yeshivat Har Etzion had a debate with Jonathan Rosenblum, a journalist at Yated Ne’eman [who also writes for Jewish Action -Ed.]. The audience was disappointed. There were no fireworks. Each of the speak­ ers spent a tremendous amount of time complimenting the type of Orthodoxy of the other. A new generation is forging and defending the various groupings within Orthodoxy, and some in this generation do things differently from the previ­ ous generation.

• In davening, in offering up one’s holiest thoughts to the Creator of the World, in virtually any shul today—be it mod­ ern Orthodox, Chassidic, Yeshivish or some combination thereof—melodies that elevate and inspire one’s prayers are the melodies of the late Shlomo Carlebach. While other

36 I JE W IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

melodies may predominate in most shuls, Carlebach tunes are now, at a minimum, part of the mix. This near-universal spread of a single musical frame for facing and speaking to the Creator is unprecedented in Jewish history.

• It is now assumed that there is a universal or quasi-uni versai “posek h a d o r such as Rabbi Moshe Feinstein or Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. Before the time of Rav Moshe, this was not the case—not because of the lesser stature of Torah scholars in previous generations. Rather, before the time of Rav Moshe, the relatively restricted modes of com­ munications limited, at least to an extent, the reach of gedolei Yisrael to their own regions, within their lifetime.

There are many causes of increased unity. Technology— always a driving force in history—is one of them. With the explosion of modern communications, the addressing of she’eilot from all over the world to a single address came into being, and with it, the reduction of regional and geo­ graphic barriers within Orthodox Judaism.

• Some publications in the Chareidi press routinely print news of modern Orthodox events without arous­ ing comment or controversy.

• Even in Beit Shemesh, the scene of much contro­ versy, one may, without denying the significance of the recent nastiness, observe that tens of thousands of Jews—modern, Yeshivish, Chassidic, of all shades— live in harmony, without incident, day by day. As is the case all over Israel, the different groups in Beit Shemesh live within their own neigh­ borhoods and housing complexes, but there is ample mixing in public areas such as parks and large shopping centers, peaceably.

•My second-favorite piece of evidence for the historical shift has been a fixture in the daily minyan of Rav Elyashiv for years. He has two rebbes, each of whom he reveres: Rav Elyashiv and Rav Aharon Licht­ enstein. This is, of course, just an anecdote of a single individual, but it does, in combination with the evidence cited above, represent a more organic way of seeing the Orthodox Jewish world.

• My favorite piece of evidence is my own com­ munity in Denver, Colorado. Members of the mod­ ern Orthodox Jewish community attend the events of the institutions in the Chareidi community, and vice-versa; and the members of each sub-community host for Shabbat, on both an individual and a pro­ grammatic basis, members of the other sub-commu­ nity. A cynic will say that this is just one small community. But, besides the contrary evidence above, I say: Fine. Learn from how one small com­ munity builds bridges. It’s doable. It’s happening. It’s a different world from twenty-five years ago, both in Denver and around the world, notwithstanding the important ideological differences and practical prob­ lems that remain. We need not agree, but we can live together. Increasingly, we are doing so.

A Satmar chassid needed medical treatment very

far from home. His host was a modern Orthodox Jew. The chassid brought his own food, since he would not eat in his host's home. Before he came, the chassid asked his rav whether he could daven in the mod­ ern Orthodox shut He was told, ((Try it, and see." He tried it, and thereafter became a reg­ ular in the daily minyan. Gradually, some communication emerged. Two worlds met.

Some mutual understanding and apprecia­ tion began, enough for the host to make a demand.

The host was a highly accomplished and respected medical professional. He observed his guest going back andforth to the medical center for his treatments, then taking his meals alone in the guest . room in his house. Shabbat ap­ proached. Time to make a demand!

His host said, “You want to eat your own food. I'm not in­ sulted. But Shabbat?

Shabbat—you're coming to the table.

We're making Shabbat together!"

And so it was. , Rabbi H illel Gold­ berg, PhD, is exec­ utive editor o f the

Intermountain Jewish News and is a contributing editor o f Jewish

Action.

Yachad: Living Up to Its Name

By Bayla Sheva Brenner learn the secret to Jewish unity, go to the experts in uncondi­ Sotional love—Yachad.

Twice a year, families from across the spectrum of Jewish life, from secular to Satmar, come together for the Yachad Family Shabbaton. They come together for one purpose: to share their ex­ periences of raising children with special needs.

“It's one of the few places in the Jewish world where you see every kind of Jew coming together," says Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, na­ tional director of Yachad/NJCD (the O il's National Jewish Council for Disabilities). "People walk through the door on Friday afternoon wearing jeans and no kippah, Chassidic garb and everything in be­ tween." Although love for their children brought them there in the first place, it's the bonds they create with other parents that keep them coming back.

Over the course of the Shabbaton, parents, irrespective of their background, connect with one another. "It all starts because they both have children with Down syndrome or on the autistic spec­ trum," says Dr. Lichtman. "But then it branches out, mother to mother, father to father and the siblings coming from markedly dif­ ferent worlds forge lasting friendships."

Dr. Lichtman says there is a lesson at hand for everyone. "On an organizational level, the lines are so taut, so tight, but these par­ ents break the lines. You see them in the lobby, in the dining room; individuals whom you know would never be talking to each other otherwise are talking to each other."

"We are all in the same boat," says Alan Forman, a Yachad par­ ent from Manhattan. "Any differences in outward appearances simply disappear. We're all Jews with a common purpose, in a place with a spirit of commonality and support. We leave feeling a lot stronger."

The same holds true for Our Way, the OU's program for Jews who are deaf or hard of hearing. "We had a Shabbaton at a Modern Orthodox shul that Chassidim attended," says Rabbi Eliezer Lederfeind, director of Our Way. "Everyone grew from it."

Yachad/NJCD also assembles conferences on special educa­ tion and Inclusion, bringing together Jews from diverse popula­ tions. "Educators, rebbeim, school psychologists and administrators of every Jewish affiliation are sitting together concentrating on giving our children a Jew­ ish education," says Dr. Lichtman. "When we focus on what we have in common, we have what to learn from each other."

H r-

Bayla Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Department

Daniel Schein ofWoodmere, New York, a high school student, and Tzvi Burston, a Yachad member from Los Ange­ les, California, enjoying a game o f basketball at Yachadfs Inelusive summer program Yad B’ Yad Israel

Summer 5772/2012 JEW IS H A CTIO N | 37

Rabbi Eytan Kobre The first thing to note about Jewish unity is that, at least from where I sit, its ab­ sence in the Orthodox world is greatly overstated. On an institutional level there often is, indeed, a divide, and we need to address that; there are also, unfortunately, individuals in all camps who harbor ill will toward those unlike them. But on an inter­ personal level, at least in the various shuls and other religious and social venues in New York and Wherever else I go both here and in Israel, Or­ thodox Jews of all stripes mix easily, without rancor and, to the contrary, with a great deal of goodwill and camaraderie.

To be sure, work remains to be done to bring Jews to­ gether, and that will always be so in this imperfect world of ours that we are bidden to improve. In working toward unity, we’d do well to utilize a vehicle that the Torah itself tells us is most effective for this purpose: talmud Torah. As the Gemara in Kiddushin (30b) teaches, “Even a teacher and student, or father and son, who study together and [in the process] become 'enemies;- will [when done learning] love each other.” It’s an observable reality that, somehow, Torah study bonds the hearts of those who engage in it together, and that power ought to be harnessed more often across ide­ ological lines within Orthodoxy.

But as we go about pursuing unity between the disparate elements of our community—and we are, ultimately, in the broader sweep of things, one community-^ we need to be mindful that unity as a Jewish ideal is not only prescriptive, but also, or even primarily, descriptive in nature. The pursuit of unity amongst Jews is, in essence, an effort to actualize a deeper spiritual linkage that already exists between us all.

The Lakewood mashgiach, Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, notes a puzzling passage in the Rambam’s Hilchos Tzedakah (7:1). The Rambam, in extolling the importance of helping one’s needy Jewish fellow, writes; “All of Israel and those who join them are as brothers, as it states, You are children of Hashem, your God’; if a brother won’t have mercy on his brother, who, then, will?”, But, asked Rav Matisyahu, with so very many pesukim in the Torah that refer explicitly to Jewish brotherhood, why did the Rambam adduce a verse that instead speaks of all Jews as God’s children? The Rambam is teaching us, he ob­ served, that Jews’ spiritual kinship derives exclusively from our shared, uniquely Jewish status as children of our Father in Heaven.

A pursuit of unity not founded on Jews’ commonality of origin, destiny and purpose, all of which are rooted in our Divine paternity, may at times be worthwhile as a pragmatic matter, but it can lay no claim to the authentic Jewish con­ ception of that ideal. Nor, for that matter, can Jewish unity possibly be invoked in furtherance of objectives that are in­ jurious to the very relationship with God and His Torah that gives that unity its substance. Most importantly, a call for unity must be an authentic one. It ought not to be wielded as a blunt rhetorical instrument with which to silence views one finds disconcerting and homogenize away deep, and perhaps at times unbridgeable, ideological differences. Unity of purpose, but only in its true sense, can indeed be a power­ ful vehicle fox the great goal oigilui kevod Shamayim.

Rabbi Eytan Kobre is US editor o/Mishpacha Magazine and manag­ ing editor o/Dialogue. H e is a form er associate general counsel o f A gudath Israel o f Am erica and lectures regularly a t OU seminars.

Shira Leibowitz Schmidt Every year the paradox of Chanukah as­ tounds me. In Israel and in the Diaspora, non-observant Jews praise the Mac­ cabees in song, crafts, drama and the media. But in the time of the Maccabean revolt, it was that very sector of assimi­ lated Jews that was the enemy of the Maccabees. Many sources emphasize that the real struggle in Maccabean times was against the Hellenized Jews who imi­ tated Greek culture (Mityavnim ). One leader of the Hellenized Jews was Jason, who bought the Office of High Priest and thus was able to establish institu­ tions such as a gymnasium in Jerusalem and turn the city into a Hellenistic polis.

Did the Hasmoneans use violence against the Mityavnim ? Unfortunately, we don’t have Jewish sources on this, but 1 Maccabees (2.45-6) says that Mattathias and his colleagues “went about and tore down the altars; they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Isra e li 38

JEW IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

This does not mean that today we should emulate them.

We have no mandate to do such a thing, certainly not as indi­ viduals; we are not Pinchas. As Bar-Ilan University Greek scholar Rabbi David Schaps has stated, “Unity, when taken as an ultimate value means giving up all of our principles, since the other side won’t adopt them; but civil war is a terri­ ble thing, and not to be embarked upon lightly.” This caveat is crucial.

But there is a deeper reason that harmony and unity should not be our summum bonum. For this we look at the Tower of Babel. The text does not specify that building a tower was a sin. The problem was that “the whole e a rth ... was of one language and one speech.” The root of the error was not in the construction of a city or tower, but in the aim to ensure “one language and one speech.” Some people as­ pire to this Esparanto-like situation as an ideal—one people without differences, without conflicts. But this artificial con­ formity is a threat, for no differences of opinion would be suffered. There would be no struggle over clashing view­ points and hashkafot and different values. What could be more sterile?

t

f

Jh e Best Shabbat Ever

By Mark Levie St earing my thirteen-year-old daughter Talia say that she i had the best Shabbat ever was music to my ears. And it was not because she went to an over-the-top Bat Mitzvah or hung out with the “in" crowd. It was because something special happened around our Shabbat table that was meaningful—and she clearly sensed it.

Recently, Yavneh Academy, the elementary school in Paramus, New Jersey where I send my children, decided that it was important for students to reach out beyond the school walls to put what they are learning into action. Morah Jordana Baruchov, together with principal Rabbi Jonathan Knapp, were look­ ing for a concept that would involve the children in acts of chessed and kiruv. They decided to take a small group of eighth graders to the mall each week and bring challah and other Shabbat treats to the Israelis working at the kiosks in the Gar­ den State Plaza. Morah Baruchov enlisted my wife Dena to help find these fellow Jews who were far from home.

Identifying Israelis in a crowded mall with workers of all na­ tionalities was quite a challenge. The students went from kiosk to kiosk and chatted with the workers. In the course of conver­ sation they would say, "You have a beautiful accent; do you mind if we ask where you are from?" Eventually, they identified a significant group of Israelis, all of whom were thrilled to meet fellow Jews. Week after week, Morah Baruchov, Dena and dif­ ferent groups of eighth graders would make their way around the mall. Dena would tell stories about how appreciative the Is­ raelis were to have someone wish them "Shabbat shalom" and bring them a little taste of Shabbat.

"In Israel, when Friday comes around, you feel Shabbat in the air," one Israeli told Dena. "Here in New Jersey, Friday, Saturday, it's just another work day. That was until you and these children started coming to the mall to remind us about Shabbat."

For Yom Kippur, Dena arranged a place for a few of the Is­ raelis to stay so they could daven at a shul in Englewood. Sukkot arrived and a few of our new friends came over for a meal.

Such sterility is hinted at in Rabbi Akiva’s comment on the verse “the years draw near, when you will say, 1 see no purpose in them”’ (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Rabbi Akiva sees in this a hint of the Messianic Age, “when there will be neither merit nor guilt” i.e., a world sans problems, a Jewry of the “harmony” like that in the symposium question. When those years draw near, says Rabbi Akiva, you will “see no purpose in them.” There will be no place for struggle.

(Rabbi Akiva points out a downside of the Messianic Age, and his statement seems to contradict our understanding of the Messianic Age.) In His mercy and compassion, Hashem prevented such

Many of the Israelis had just finished the army and were trying to make some money before going to university. They were lonely.

One weekend in December, we decided to invite all of our Israeli friends to spend Shabbat with us. For several weeks we placed invitations in the challah bags inviting them to Teaneck for Shabbat. Many of them were committed to working on Fri­ day night until the mall closed at 9:30 p m (Candle lighting was at 4:30 p m that week.) We told them that we would be happy to have them come for a Shabbat meal when they finished work. Dena offered to house anyone who wanted to stay over for Shabbat.

Friday night we went to shul with six Israeli guests and had a wonderful Friday night meal. After Birkat Hamazon, we added more tables in the den. We eagerly anticipated our second group of guests, wondering how many would show up. To our amazement, at 10 p m over twenty-five people walked into our house Morah Baruchov and Dena had tears in their eyes, amazed that they all came. The atmosphere was electric. Our children and Morah Baruchov and her family were all sitting around a Shabbat table together, sharing divrei Torah and deli­ cious Sephardic food. Everyone felt the warmth of Shabbat.

When we started singing the traditional Friday night zemirot, it was clear that we were all one family. By the time we ate dessert and bentched (many of them knew bentching by heart from their youth), at 12:30 a m , we were all physically exhausted but spiritually invigorated.

Some of the comments we heard from our guests were: "This was the nicest Shabbat I've had here in America."

"I didn't realize how much I missed Shabbat and home; it's time to go home."

"You don't have any idea what a mitzvah you've done."

"This was the best Shabbat of my life."

"I feel like I have a home in Teaneck."

"I can't wait to come the next time you do this!"

Talia sensed the specialness of that Shabbat, as did all of us who were there. I realized that reaching out to fellow Jews is not so difficult and that there are opportunities all around us.

We just have to open our eyes and our hearts.

M ark Levie is a parent at Yavneh academy.

unity and uniformity from occurring. He made a world where there are different, yea opposing, sets of values. It is in the struggle, sometimes shading over to civil war, that grants moral significance. When the “one language and one speech” ceased to prevail, an Abraham was able to arise.

And a Judah HaMaccabee.

Shira L eibow itz Schm idt recently co-translated tw o books from H e­ brew to English: Esther Farbstein’s The Forgotten Memoirs: Mov­

ing Personal Accounts from Rabbis Who Survived the Holocaust (Brooklyn, 2011) and Rabbi Israel M eirL au ’s Out of the Depths: The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home at Last (New York, 2011).

Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N

39

Rabbi Yosie Levine When Steve Jobs was planning Pixar’s headquarters in 1999, he insisted the building be arranged around a central atrium. The idea was to encourage and fa­ cilitate chance encounters among people who would otherwise have little contact with one another. How else would extro­ verted cartoonists and introverted com­ puter engineers ever meet?

In generations past, perhaps it was the shul that functioned as our atrium. All types of Jews would gather together to unite in communal worship. We have al­ ways recognized that common space generates not only cre­ ativity, but relationships. It is those relationships that form the backbone of amicable living. The trouble is that we live in an age of ever-increasing fragmentation. Shuls do a good job of serving their own narrow constituencies, but they are less effective at bringing together differing segments of the community.

We need to think more creatively about creating new atria—new venues for pro-ac­ tively bringing together members of the Orthodox community who are not in the habit of interacting with one another.

The answer to the question of how to create a more harmonious Orthodoxy is assuredly not to bring shuls together for more “community-wide” gather­ ings. Simply being in the same room with people unlike us has value, but not that much value.

There are, however, existing models that can help us. In my experience, the most effective model for building lasting bridges among Jews of different denomi­ nations is the Wexner Graduate Fellow­ ship. A series of leadership training sessions for graduate students interested

in pursuing careers in Jewish communal service, it brings together small cadres of Jews from across the denomina­ tional spectrum. The fellowship creates a sense of fraternity of a quality that endures.

Part of what makes the program so effective is the foun­ dation’s willingness to use its resources to hire top profes­ sionals and generate the most well-thought-out strategies for achieving its goals. If the Orthodox community wants to put intra-denominational tolerance on its agenda, the Wexner model is an excellent place to begin. Imagine a sem­ inar that brings together rabbinical students from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Yeshiva University, Ner Israel, Chabad, Chaim Berlin and Lakewood. Or think of a sister program for communal lay leaders spanning the full gamut of Ortho­ doxy. Over time, with the right curricula and facilitators, we could make great strides.

To achieve meaningful results, we would do well to rec­ ognize two important points. First, community building is only effective to the extent that those engaged in the process share a common vision. I am not yet convinced that the full sweep of our community has demonstrated enough of an appetite for this kind of endeavor.

Second, any progress we make in l this realm will ultimately be a direct function of the funding and human capital we are willing to invest. Toler­ ance emanates from relationships. And those relationships do not often emerge Organically. They require strategic think­ ing, deliberative planning, collective buyin and professional execution. Our community is blessed with the resources and people capable of making this hap­ pen, but first we need to collectively iden­ tify it as a priority.

Rabbi Yosie Levine is rabbi o f The Jewish Cen­ ter in N ew York City.

Rabbi ShlomoRiskin Is it possible to achieve an overarching commitment to the unity of Klal Yisrael, a genuine sense of ahavat Yisrael, with Jews of other factions or denominations whom we believe are damaging our Jew­ ish image, weakening our Jewish traditions and desecrating the name of God? As an Orthodox Zionist Jew in Israel, I believe the Chareidi decisors are vitiating the halachah which I hold so dear by making it almost impossible for a religious court to compel a recalci­ trant husband to give a get, by nullifying conversions by legitimate Orthodox rabbis, by refusing to encourage their young men to at least do National Service if they won’t enter the IDF, and by relegating women to the back of the bus. Similarly, I’m also convinced that non-halachic interpretations of Ju­ daism are robbing their adherents of the fullness of our 4,000-year-long tradition, are threatening the unity of our people when they change the laws of conversion and are even falsifying the words of God. So how can I love them—or, even harder still, come to respect them?

Cont. on page 42 40

JEW ISH A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

GutShabbos B y M a t is G r e e n b la tt

Gut Shabbosltwo words tossed off almost unconsciously.

Touching and arousing unused corners of the soul, melting walls of individuality to join God's people in subtly proclaiming the Creator's process.

Matis Greenblatt is literary editor ofJewish Action.

Meeting of Jewish Hearts:

Women Lead the Way

By Bayla Sheva Brenner our years ago, feeling helpless over the Sderot bombings and the intensifying danger facing Jews worldwide, Tziporah Harris knew that Jewish unity would turn it all around. And it had to start with her.

Harris, a forty-year-old Aish HaTorah lecturer who lives in Passaic, New Jersey, began an impromptu speaking tour, urging women from around the New York metropolitan area to learn about how they could employ the power of achdut in their lives. Her audiences were eager to get started.

She launched the Ahavas Yisrael Project, which consists of weekly neigh­ borhood chaburot where women learn the laws of interpersonal relations, share personal experiences and engage in prac­ tical exercises to nurture their relation­ ships with other Jews.

Burgeoning into a worldwide phenome­ non, the project boasts eighty Ahavas Yisrael (AY) chaburot in Passaic alone. 'The goal was to meet for a six-week stint, but the women don't want to stop," says Harris, a graduate of Stern College.

Leah Greenman, another Passaic AY member, compiled an official curriculum based on The Code of Jewish Conduct: The Laws of Interpersonal Relation­ ships, written by Rabbi Yitzchok Silver of the Jerusalem Kollel. Greenman collected true stories of individuals who struggled with and resolved different interpersonal issues in a way that promoted ahavat Yisrael.

F

Transforming Communities A typical AY chaburah runs for twenty minutes and consists of a halachah, story, discussion and "stretch of the week" (an ex­ ercise in ahavat Yisrael that challenges people to go out of their comfort zone). In Monsey, for example, women for their "stretch" undertook to not speak on their cell phones in public places, and instead acknowledge people throughout the day; women in Boro Park worked on not honking their car horns; in Los Angeles, women placed cards in various shuls on Shabbat morning encouraging people to greet at least one person whom they did not know.

In Passaic, AY is a community project. At the local kosher supermarket, customers checking out their groceries often see a sign posted with the "stretch of the week" prominently dis­ played at the cash register.

Sharon Lynn, a member of a chaburah in Bergenfield, New Jersey, says that the groups are about accepting and loving Jews of all stripes. "We have all factions represented in our

group," she says,"... but none of that seems to matter." She reports "light bulbs going off" each session, when women recall times they hurt someone or grudges they've held onto. "We are a passionate people, and we can be very tough on each other. The meetings help us to see the other person's per­ spective in an argument," says Lynn. "The more you learn, the more it becomes part of you."

A Global Project Harris's idea has taken on a life of its own, striking up new AY bandleaders all across the globe. Even teens are in­ volved in running their own chaburot In 2009, Mimi Jankovitz initiated the project in Israel: today, 300 groups of women are meeting regularly throughout Jerusalem, Ashdod, Ramat Beit Shemesh, Netanya, Ra'anana and other Israeli cities. "We've learned that once you change your attitude, you could do a 'small' thing to make a difference. That internal shift changes everything," says Jankovitz. "On Purim, we decided that each one of us would send a mishloach manot basket to someone whom we had a falling-out with, even if we weren't wrong in the situation," says Jankovitz.

"It didn't work every time, but some people said it made a huge breakthrough."

The AY web site (www.ayproject.com) and in­ ternational newsletter continue to cast the project's net ever wider. Danielle Sarah Storch of Baltimore, editor of the AY online newsletter, raised money to have the curriculum translated into Italian and Spanish.

Greenman reports that chaburot exist all over the world, in­ cluding Germany, Canada, Portugal, Argentina, Hong Kong and England. In addition to Spanish and Italian translations of the curriculum, there have been requests for French and Russian editions. "It's growing beyond our expectations," she says.

"We've heard so many stories of families healing," says Jankovitz. "Family members who weren't talking to each other for years began talking. As Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, mashgiach of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, told us, we are 'knitting the fabric of the Jewish people back together.'"

For more information about Ahavas Yisroel groups: in the US, contact Leah Greenman at Leahgreenman@aoi.com or call 973.779.2648; in Israel, contact Bayla Berger at ahavasyisrael18@gmail.com or call 052.762.0013.

Bayla Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Departm ent

Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N | 41

Flowers for Shabbos

By Steven Burg ;

Cont. from page 40

.J jjl|

j | number of years ago, when I was chapter advisor for NCSY in Detroit, a newly obser­ vant young woman was facing challenges from her parents, whose acceptance of her new lifestyle was still quite tenuous.

I took her to see Rabbi Steven Weil, the current executive vice president of the Orthodox Union who was a shut rabbi in Detroit at the time. The founda­ tion that he laid out for her still resonates with me today and should be every religious Jew's guiding philosophy.

“For each mitzvah bein adam I'Makom that you accept upon yourself," he advised her, “you must take on two mitzvot bein adam I'chaveiro” We need to demonstrate to the outside world—and espe­ cially to other Orthodox Jews— that by keeping the Torah, we become better people. We can never allow others to come to the mistaken conclusion that a Torah lifestyle is meant to harden us or make us indifferent to the needs of others who may be different than we are. Torah is meant to heighten our sensi­ tivity to pain in the world, not dull it or—God forbid—cause us to be a source of pain to others.

The young woman in the story took upon herself a won­ derful way to fulfill the mitzvot of kibbud av vaeim and shalom bayit: each week she bought her mother flowers for Shabbat.

Such a simple, thoughtful act is surprisingly impactful, and what a kiddush Hashem she made!

■

Rabbi Steven Burg is managing direc­ tor of the Orthodox Union.

4 2 I JE W IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

I would suggest that if we use the Talmud as our guide, we may discover the way out of our conundrum. I do not believe there exists in any language or civilization a more open, diverse and pluralistic (yes, I’m using the “p” word) literature than that of the Talmud, filled with antithetical opinions about every topic imaginable—from one rabbi who would permit chicken smothered in dairy cream sauce, to another who would convert a gentile who denied the legitimacy of the Oral Law and to a third who claimed that gazing at a woman’s finger was a capital crime. Despite their differing opinions, however, the rabbis of the Talmud retained a healthy regard and respect for each other, which enabled them to work together in what became the monumental enterprise of the Talmud, the amazing expression of the foundations of our Oral Law. It seems to me that there ..rr r..n were two fundamental ax* jg jj ioms which informed the mentality of our Talmudic Sages and which are lacking in Jewish leadership today— and herein lies the key to (L’Siyum HaShas) ahavat Yisrael even for those B y Y o -sjf Ï Ï ü t t LEJt with whom we disagree on fundamental issues. First of all, we must engage in private and public debate—dialogue page with each other. Such en­ counters in no way imply that same page one is thereby agreeing with or legitimizingthe position the same page or ideas of the other; yes, it does imply that the other has on the sanie page the right to his opinion, but God did create us with free all onthesam e page' choice, and the right to dif­ fering opinions (Mishnah, we’re all on the same page Sanhedrin 37a).

Moreover, by not debat­ we’re alLthe same page ing with an individual with whom you disagree, you may we’re all thesaihe well end up delegitimizing yourself! One of the most all diesarne page successful educational enter­ prises conceived in recent same page , years is Limmud, an aroundthe-clock learning fest of Jewish subjects. It was initi­ ated by university students in England, held during the week between Christmas YossiHuttler, wholiVesinLosJingelcXis the author and New Year’s. The Ortho­ o/Lakol Z’man: A Poetieal Journey Through The dox establishment in Eng­ Jewish Year. Mr, Muttfer?s poems and essays have appeared in the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Daily For­ land ruled that Orthodox ward, the Jewish Observer, and other publications. rabbis not attend, claiming that since there were Masorti (Conservative) and Re­ form rabbis participating, the

Y is r a e l V ’O ra ita

Enchanted in Sderot Orthodox presence would legitimate them. This past year there were close to 3,000 participants, truly eager to learn, with hardly any presenting Orthodox scholars. Who ended up delegitimized and devoid of an audience? After all, it is everyone’s right to change his mind, and I don’t always agree with something I said a week ago.

The second axiom underpinning the pluralism in the Talmud is that there is always room to learn something valuable even from those with whom one may dis­ agree on basic issues. “Who is a sage? He who learns from every individual.” It is recorded in the Talmud that Rav Meir continued to learn from “Acher” (Elisha ben Abuya, his former rebbe-turnedheretic), an act which the other sages jus­ tified because Rav Meir was great enough to distinguish between the “fruit”— which he accepted, and the “rind’^ which he would discard (Chaggigah 15b).

And if the concern is for the ofien-uneducated audience in attendance, they for the most, part will be exposed to the heterodox views in any case, whereas if there is a debate-dialogue, at least they will have an opportunity to hear the Or­ thodox position as well, properly ex­ plained and articulated. My own experience in such encounters is that even the heterodox leaders themselves are often moved and inspired to come closer to tradition as a result. If we are confident in the truth of our position, there is no need to fear discussion.

The bottom line for me is the fact that there is a great deal to be learned from those to the right of us as well as from those to the left of us. I believe that the Modern Orthodox and Dati Leumi community has learned much about punctilious observance of command­ ments and serious commitment to Torah study from the Chareidim (the Yeshivat Hesder movement emerged from this), and outreach Orthodoxy has learned much about the importance of decorous services, relevant sermons and social action communal activities from the heterodox denominations. If we can respectfully dialogue with and learn

Submitted by Lior Kakon Translated by Yocheved Lavon

n the Negev region of Israel there is a city called Sderot, which serves as a commercial, medical, cultural and educational center for the surrounding area. Brochures seeking to attract visitors might call it "kassum," Hebrew for “enchanting," if not for the fact that today Sderot's main claim to fame is the Kassam missiles that rain into it from the Gaza strip, often without warning.

For over a decade, Hamas terrorists have been trying their best to destroy everything kassum in Sderot with their Kassams.

So naturally, when I came to visit the city, I was surprised to see banners proclaiming, “Bati I'Sderot ki Kassum //," which in English translates to, "I came to Sderot because it enchanted me," with an alef added in parentheses to make sure the pun on “Kassam" came through loud and clear.

At first I assumed it was an attempt at humor, but I soon learned that the charms of Sderot are no joke. This city is full of heroic people who won't allow missiles to destroy their love of life and who continue living there, refusing to relinquish Jewish land and Jewish pride, no matter how tough it gets.

When I asked people what gives them the strength to remain there, they gave me many different answers. But the one repeated most often was, “It's the support we get from our Jewish brothers and sisters, who come from all over the world to help us persevere, and hope for a better future."

The threat of missile attacks hovers over Sderot at all times, yet the sto­ ries of brotherly love and kindness keep popping up. Here are a few vignettes from the local residents: Many professionals or business owners have come and offered their wares or services free of charge to the people of Sderot. One shoe store owner from Tel Aviv closed his store for a day and drove down to Sderot with a carload of brand-new children's shoes in all sizes and colors. He didn't know anyone in Sderot, so he simply parked his car by the main shopping center and called out to the passersby, “Come and get free shoes for the kids!" You can imagine how happy the children of Sderot were that day.

During periods of heavy missile fire, people came from all over Israel simply to show their support. Some made the trip to Sderot to do their weekly grocery shopping in the city's stores in order to contribute to the local economy. Masseurs offered free services to assist adults with the on­ going stress and tension; teachers came to give lessons to the children in the bomb shelters; trauma teams of psychologists and social workers, spon­ sored by OU Israel, offered counseling to children at local schools; famous entertainers arrived to take people's minds off the constant fear, if only for a little while. But what touched me most of all was the gesture by the evac­ uees of Gush Katif, people who had been dragged out of their homes and were still trying to recover from that trauma. Many of these evacuees would travel to Sderot and go from door to door every erev Shabbat to hand out home-baked challah and cakes.

This is the greatness of Am Yisrael. When times get hard, Jews of all stripes come together in a cohesive unit, living and breathing as one. Times of crisis bring out the beauty of our people.

Now if only we could learn to be united when there is no crisis and things are relatively peaceful.

I

Liar Kakon is an Ivrit and Judaic studies teacher at H iilel Torah in Skokie, Illinois.

Summer 5772/2012 JEW IS H A CTIO N | 4 3

from the religious movements with whom we disagree (even though we may not always be able to daven with them), we shall have come a long way toward ahavat Yis­ rael and the unity of our people.

In the words of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook: “Scholars increase /marbim, Hebrew plural form] peace

in the world/9A multiplicity of peace means that all sides and all views must be considered; then it will be clarified how each one of them has its place, each one in accordance with its

Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks The beauty of creation, as we believe and as science ever more wondrously shows, is that Unity above creates diversity below, and the more complex the life form, the greater the diversity. The Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim 2:40) says that though diver­ sity applies to all life forms, it applies more to humans than to any other. To which one must surely add: and among Jews more than most.

No small people is more diverse—ethnically, culturally, attitudinally and religiously—and the more religious, the more diverse. There was hardly a Jewish settlement in the Middle Ages without its own minhagim and piyyutim. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, each Chassidic group and yeshivah had its own style, its own niggunim, its own derech halimud, its own role models, its own spiritual tonal­ ity. The way of Ger was not that of Chabad; the way of Volozhin was not that of Mir. Diversity is a sign of strength—not weakness. As Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein notably said in the introduction of Aruch HaShulchan to Choshen Mishpat, in the very last of the 613 commandments, the mitzvah of writing a sefer Torah, Moses doesn’t use the word Torah but rather shirah, because in this respect Torah is like music in that its greatest beauty lies in complex harmonies. Or as the Netziv writes in his commentary on the Tower of Babel, uniformity of thought is not a sign of freedom, but its opposite.

Almost everything I read in Torah, Tanach and Torah Shebe’al Peh seems to say likewise. Judaism is the only reli­ gion I know all of whose canonical texts are anthologies of arguments: arguments between God and humans, humans and God, humans and one another. The Mishnah preserves the arguments of the sages even when it knows that the law is like one and not the other. The greatest work ever under­ taken to eliminate argument from its pages was the Mishneh Torah, and it gave rise to more arguments than any other.

Differences, arguments, clashes of style and substance are signs not of unhealthy division but of health. The Ju­ daism of Torah, emunah and halachah continues to do what it has done for so long—to defeat the law of entropy that states all systems lose energy over time. Not Judaism. Where you find argument, there you will find passion.

4 4 I JEW ISH A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

value, its position and its application... Only through a col­ lection o f all parts and all details, including all of those ideals which appear to be different as well as all disparate profes­ sional opinions, only by means o f all o f these all together, will there be revealed the light of truth and righteousness, and the fullness of the wisdom of the Lord, His love and the light of true Torah (EinAyah, end of Tractate Berachot).

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin is founder and chancellor o f the Ohr Torah Stone Colleges and Graduate Programs and is chief rabbi ofEfrat, Israel.

What, then, is the proper response to the current situa­ tion? First, not to take too seriously the fact that someone delegitimizes you. When this happens, the only thing to do is remember Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai’s dying words:

“Halevai sheyehei morah Shamayim alecha kemorah bassar v’dam. Would that you worried about what God thinks in­ stead of worrying about what another person th in k s .|^ Second, to maintain your own position without criticiz­ ing others. There have been moments, thankfully few, when things I have said have been interpreted that way; if so, I apologize. The truth is, “Hamoser din al chaveiro hu ne’enash techilah. One who passes judgment on his fellow is judged first.” It is not necessary to negate in order to affirm.

All that is necessary to achieve ahavat Yisrael is to re­ member daily that Hashem loves us—all of us—despite our differences, failings and disagreements.

Hashem loves and forgives. Let us love and forgive.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has been chief rabbi o f the United H ebrew Congregations o f the Commonwealth since Septem ber 1991.

Taking Unity to the Streets

By Bayla Sheva Brenner

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before Chanukah of 2009, a group of women living in Bust the Old City decided to reach out to the secular Israelis who come through the neighborhood each year to view the myriad menorahs placed at the doorways. Throughout the eight days, the women set up tables and offered free cups of hot cocoa, coffee and tea to the visitors. The women saw it as "an opportunity to send the message of ahavat Yisrael to the greater community."

In the years since, the women have begun working offi­ cially with tour groups to bring the "tourists" into their homes to enjoy sufganiyot and stimulating discussions about Chanukah. Thousands of Israelis pass through the Old City during Chanukah; the Old City residents are grateful for the opportunity to befriend their brothers and sisters. "It's about loving your fellow Jew," they said.

Bayla Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Department.

MH

Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter To my mind it all comes down to one very simple and basic issue: Do we have respect for the legitimacy of opinions with which we disagree? I believe that many of the challenges to har­ mony that we face in our community stem from the fact that too many of us are not prepared to respond yes to this question.

And yet, for me, the answer is obvious. It is a truism that our tradition has always recognized the simultaneous coexistence of a multiplicity of opinions, and it has done so in a variety of contexts. On a most obvious level, Rashi and Ibn Ezra may have very different interpretations of a pasuk, the Ramban maybe very critical of the Rambam in his Perush al haTorah, and the Mechaber and the Rema may have radically different halachic opinions, but it is clear that each opin­ ion is valid and legitimate.1'1 This diversity exists not only in matters of exegesis and even halachah, but also in the realm of worldview or hashkafah within which many of our most bitter contemporary cultural battles today are being fought. Most pertinent here is a comment of the Netziv in his Torah commentary at the end of parashat Shelach.

He writes that not everyone’s approach to avodatHashem is similar: one person may be exclusively involved in Torah study, another in avodah and another in gemilut chasadim, and they are all acting “for the sake of Heaven.” And, he contin­ ues, within the world of Torah study itself there are different “ways of learning,” and even in the realm of religious observance, different people have a right to be scrupulous about different mitzvot.

And if a person were to come and ask what is the most correct way that he should choose in his studies or about what should he be most punctilious [in his mitzvah ob­ servance], it isfor this that Kohelet said, (eAnd follow the ways o f your heart/9that is, to what one’s heart is attracted. 2 This passage, in which the Netziv champions a substantial measure of per­ sonal autonomy and individual choice in determining the specifics of one’s rela­ tionship to God, is extraordinary and needs to be reproduced and emblazoned on the doors of all our communal institutions and private homes. Its message is clear: no one perspective has a monopoly on truth, and alternative approaches are all equally legitimate. Genuine harmony and greater tolerance within our Orthodox world without compromising one’s core beliefs and ideals could be achieved if this message were to be successfully delivered. The well-known rabbinic princi­ ple of eilu v’eilu divrei Elokim chayim (Eruvin 13b), although worn thin by re­ peated citation, needs to have moral, not only intellectual, consequences.

Notes H There is a large—and growing—literature on this subject. See, for example, Michael Rosensweig, “Eilu ve-Eilu Divrei Elokim Hayyim: Halakhic Pluralism and Theories of Controversy,” in Moshe Sokol, ed., Rabbinic Authority and Per­ sonal Autonomy (Northvale and London, 1992), 93-122.

2. Netziv, Ha‘amek Davar on Bamidbar 15:41. The notion that Jews may have different spiritual propensities—all of which are legitimate—was an important one for the Netziv. See also his Ha’amek Davar on Vayikra 19:2 and Devarim 10:12.

Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter is university professor o f Jewish history and Jewish thought and senior scholar, Center fo r the Jewish Future, Yeshiva University.

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel Writing in the Jewish Observer twenty years ago, Rabbi Moshe Sherer z"l, the late president of Agudath Israel of America, focused on the challenge of Jewish unity from an Agudath Israel organizational perspective:

We must recognize that there exists an inherent tension between, on the one

Achdut: A Grave Matter

hile hiking in the fall of 2008, a member of Temple Beth Jacob, a Reform synagogue in Newburgh, New York, discov­ ered several headstones with He­ brew inscriptions on a steep, thickly wooded hillside. It turned out that the Jewish cemetery, in desperate need of repair, be­ longed to the Temple.

The Temple's youth group did an initial cleanup in April 2009, but it was clear that a fence was required. The only question was, where would the money come from?

Several residents of the neigh­ boring Satmar community of Kiryas Joel, led by Zalmon Weinstock of Congregation Oitzer haChesed, read about the ceme­ tery's need for a fence and drove to Newburgh to meet with Kenneth Packer, chairman of Temple Beth Jacob's Cemetery Committee.

The Kiryas Joel delegation raised funds within the Satmar community for a gated chain-link fence that still allows passersby to see into the cemetery.

Packer and several men from Kiryas Joel gathered to say Kaddish over the graves and do more work cleaning and repairing the headstones.

"Many stones are broken and will have to be repaired, at great expense," Packer was quoted in a news article as saying. "But the generosity, kindness and energy of the residents of Kiryas Joel have been invaluable to us. They've forged new ties between our two communities."

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Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N | 4 5

hand, Agudath Israel's status as an ideo­ logical movement that stands for a specific set o f principles and hashkafos; and, on the other hand, Agudath Israel's goal to mobi­ lize as many segments o f Orthodoxy as possible under its organizational banner.

Unity is typically achieved by emphasizing the lowest common denominator—but when the denominator becomes too low, there is a danger that basic principles may be sacrificed.

The “inherent tension” described by Rabbi Sherer characterized the complex relationship that existed at that time between Agudath Israel and the Ortho­ dox Union. On many issues, the two organizations worked

side-by-side, occasionally even hand-in-hand, to promote the interests of Torah Jewry. However, the OU’s member­ ship in the Synagogue Council of America (an “inter-de­ nominational” organization comprised of the major rabbinic and synagogue groups of the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movements) was seen by the rabbinic leader­ ship of Agudath Israel as a de facto legitimization of the het­ erodox movements and the kefirah they espoused—and hence drove an ideological wedge between Agudath Israel and the OU. Today, the Synagogue Council of America is no more. If there are mechitzot that still divide the OU and Agudah, they are far less visible than they were twenty years ago.

And, indeed, the two organizations are far closer than they were twenty years ago.

Showing the effects of chem otherapy Fred Lebow (far left), founder o f the New York City Marathon, listens as Rabbi Jim M ichaels (far right), one of the founders of the minyan, invokes a blessing for his welfare at the 1990 minyan. The minyan, probably the longest-established religious service at any major sporting event in the world, was started in 1983 by Peter Berkowsky of Liv­ ingston, New Jersey.

Courtesy of Peter Berkowsky

Who would have imagined a display of Jewish unity emerging from that most solitary of sports—long distance running? ince its inception in 1983, the International Minyan for New ■ York City Marathoners has been a model of Jewish unity— the joint project of an Orthodox shul-goer from New Jersey running his first marathon (me), and a rabbi from Queens (who also happened to be a 3:17 marathoner). I had just completed a year of aveilut for my mother, so my primary motive was to ac­ commodate runners who were saying Kaddish but who would have to leave home before dawn on the day of the Marathon in order to get to the staging area on Staten Island at the ap­ pointed hour. Looking back over the past thirty years, however, I recall surprisingly few minyan participants saying Kaddish among the thousands who have davened in this minyan.

Clearly, we had tapped into something more important than just a minyan of convenience for mourners.

We started out that first year with twenty-six people who showed up to daven at Fort Wadsworth. Last year, we had to expand to three minyanim to accommodate 140 daveners.

Daveners come from six continents, speaking many lan­ guages, young and old, male and female, from all levels of ob­ servance. Many bring their own tefillin, and many more ask to borrow. I'm always inspired by a runner who shares his tefillin with a stranger from halfway around the world, and it's not un­ common for some to lay tefillin with us for the first time in their lives. The women daveners will gravitate toward their own little section of the tent. One woman told me recently that she met

4 6 | JEW ISH A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

her husband at the minyan four years ago; they still love run­ ning together. Some of our minyanaires have been with us every year since the beginning; others are first-timers, some­ how hearing by word-of-mouth about this special attraction for Jewish runners at the world's most prestigious road race.

The minyan, likely the longest-established religious.service at any major sporting event in the world, could not have be­ come a reality without the early and constant support of the late Fred Lebow, the legendary creator and promoter of the New York City Marathon, and world consultant on long-dis­ tance running. He designed the five-borough extravaganza that is telecast live, coast-to-coast, and brings millions in rev­ enue to New York City every year. A whole book could be writ­ ten about our minyan's relationship with Fred. Suffice it to say that when, in just our third year, we had the chutzpah to ask him to move the Marathon from October to November to avoid a conflict with Simchat Torah, this Holocaust refugee with frum roots enthusiastically agreed, and that's where it has remained ever since.

Our little tent, with standing-room only, provides minimal shelter on a cold November morning, so the premium is on get­ ting through a complete service quickly. Still, they come, drawn as to a magnet, for the camaraderie of davening outdoors be­ fore setting out on perhaps the most fascinating 26.2-mile course anywhere. It's a truly unique experience for Jews in the world of sport.

The 30thInternational Minyan for New York City Marathoners will be held at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, on November 4,2012.

Peter Berkowsky lives in Livingston, New Jersey.

Far more important than organiza­ tional relationships, the grassroots con­ stituencies of the OU and Agudath Israel have moved closer together over the last number of years. Labels such as “Modern Orthodox” and “Chareidi,” while perhaps once useful in helping to identify different segments of the com­ munity of shomrei Torah u’mitzvot, have less meaning in an era when there has been a discernible “move to the right” in traditional OU circles— greater meticulousness in halachic ob­ servance, greater emphasis on Torah study, greater respect for rabbinic au­ thority. Nor do labels mean much when Torah Jews of all backgrounds struggle with the same challenges in raising their children, paying for the high cost of education and Jewish liv­ ing and dealing with a secular culture whose values are so diametrically op­ posed to those of Sinai.

So I think it is inevitable, and won­ derful, that the worlds of Agudath Is­ rael and the OU will continue to grow closer together in the months and years ahead. But we must bear Rabbi Sherer’s admonition in mind. The com­ mon denominator around which we congregate dare not become so low as to compromise basic Torah principles.

We can speak of Orthodox unity, but not at the cost of standing firm against anti-halachic inroads of mod­ ern-day feminism in our synagogues, against the legitimization of deviant lifestyles in certain Orthodox circles and more generally against those on the left fringes of Orthodoxy who would undermine the masoret avot that has preserved Klal Yisrael as a

mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh throughout the millennia.

Taking a stand on principle does have the capacity to divide. But it also has the capacity to clarify, teach and el­ evate. Both the OU and Agudath Israel have no higher calling.

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Esq., is the executive vice president ofAgudath Is­ rael of America.

Hear interviews with some of these writers and thinkers on Jewish unity at www.ou.org/life/series/savitsky-talks/.

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ORTHODOX UNION rm a m m in -

Enhancing Jewish Life

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Orthodox Union

BIENNIAL NATIONAL

CONVENTION Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N | 47

P olitics

By Amy Handlin

BE Y O U R O W N

L i u

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HOW TO SPEAK UP h m â

i 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

ntil recently, the vast major­ ity offrum families in the US were concentrated in a fairly small number of cities and suburbs. Today, thanks to growing numbers—and a welcome decline in antiSemitism—Orthodox Jews are making homes in a di­ verse array of locales around the country. That's the good news. Here's the bad: In communities with emerging Orthodox neighborhoods, local elected officials may lack any knowledge of their new con­ stituents. Ignorance often breeds insensitivity and impa­ tience. The result is a plethora of clashes, especially over municipal or county issues such as zoning rules and traffic ordinances. Even a simple parking restriction near a syna­ gogue or day school may spark bitter arguments, A more complicated matter, like establishing an eruv, can become A m y Handlin, PhD, is associate professor o f marketing a t Monmouth

University and deputy minority leader o f the New Jersey General A s­ sembly. She is the author o f Be Your Own Lobbyist: H ow to Give Your Small Business Big Clout w ith State and Local G overnm ent, Govern­ m en t Grief: H ow to H elp Your Small Business Survive M indless Reg­ ulation, Political C orruption and Red Tape, and the forthcoming D irty Deals: An Encyclopedia of Lobbying, Political Influence and C o rru p ­ tion. She frequently speaks about lobbyingand presents lobbying work­

48

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embroiled in costly litigation. Most of these situations are not fueled by ill will—at least not at first. But miscommunication or unrealistic expectations are enough to cause de­ lays, disputes and enduring resentments.

There is a better way. Whether or not you have experi­ ence with government, you and your neighbors can become influential advocates for the Orthodox community. With a small investment of time and effort, you can learn basic lob­ bying techniques that will head off potential collisions with local, county and state officials. Should problems still de­ velop, these skills will help resolve them. Moreover, lobbying gets easier and more effective with practice.

Here are the five building blocks of successful lobbying. ★ Get to know your local officials.

The importance of establishing relationships cannot be em­ phasized enough, especially if you live in a recently estab­ lished frum enclave. It is also very easy to accomplish. Not only are politicians outgoingby nature, they are always eager to meet new voters. They will be pleased to welcome you at their offices or visit a synagogue or other community hub if you extend a personal invitation. These meetings need not be lengthy or formal; the goal is simply to break the ice and offer a hand in friendship. You'll find that taking this step before you have a problem makes it infinitely easier to get help when you do have one,

shops to nonprofit organizations and small business groups.

★ Don’t rely on e-advocacy.

Assem blywoman Handlin may be reached a t handlin@comcast.net.

In pre-Internet days, the classic lobbying tool was a form let-

JEW ISH ACTIO N Summer 5772/2012

ter. Today it is a standardized e-message, provided by many Jewish groups on their web sites. According to conventional wisdom, flooding a politician's inbox or Facebook page is the best way to influence her. But that's only partially true.

While high numbers of similar missives do get a re­ cipient's attention, a politician and her staff will quickly stop reading them. So if your goal is simply to be counted for or against a position on some general issue, a cyber barrage maybe enough. But if you want to convey infor­ mation, explain a problem or request assistance, it proba­ bly isn't. At a minimum, you should craft an e-mail that is clearly individualized and specific to your situation. Bet­ ter yet, make a phone call or speak at a public forum. The ideal approach is to arrange a personal meeting. Even—or especially—in a wired world, face-to-face communica­ tion remains the most powerful advocacy method. It gives you the opportunity to make your case in full, while demonstrating your sincerity, passion and goodwill.

★ Target carefully, and confirm your facts.

It happens every day: Citizens plead with officials at one level of government to deal with issues controlled by an­ other. No matter how well-meaning your mayor may be, he cannot change a state law. Conversely; your state legis­ lator cannot fix sidewalks. While approaching the wrong person usually does no harm, time is wasted and tempers fray while these mistakes get straightened out. Do some research in advance to determine the right target for your lobbying effort.

Also, irrespective of the issue, you should never act on the basis of rumors or secondhand reports. For exam­ ple, a new zoning proposal described in the local news­ paper could be a trial balloon with little chance of being enacted—not an imminent threat to the Orthodox com­ munity. In general, it's best not to rely exclusively oil any one source of information and to carefully corroborate the facts. ★ Act promptly, while going out of your way to be positive and courteous.

Government runs on its own clock. While its overall pace may seem glacial, don't be fooled. Typically, there are tight deadlines for submitting public comments, filing documents and taking other types of lobbying action.

Never delay. It is worthless to learn about a critical vote or meeting the day after it happens.

Try to be positive in all of your lobbying encounters, because optimism is infectious. While a positive attitude alone won't sway a decision maker, it can build goodwill, give you confidence, and inspire others to support your effort. While the situation may turn adversarial over time, you gain nothing by starting out that way: Similarly, basic courtesy can only help. Dealing with government can be extremely frustrating, but getting im­ patient or nasty will just make things worse. If you are pressed for time or start losing your cool, reschedule your lobbying activity. In particular, it is important to be respectful toward the administrative and clerical staff in

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a public office. They have the ears of their powerful bosses and are often in a position to smooth or obstruct your path.

★ Vote!

Voting is more than a fundamental civic duty. In local elections, it enables relatively small Orthodox neighbor­ hoods to exercise outsize influence. Politicians at every level carefully monitor where their votes come from.

They rarely forget who goes to the polls—and they no­ tice who doesn’t.

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JE W IS H A C TIO N Summer 5772/2012

■half of the Jewish community. From lobbying influ­ ential politicians to issuing policy briefs and holding policy conferences, the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs has worked at the highest levels of government to pro­ tect our community’s interests.

However, as Assemblywoman Handlin’s article points out, local individual businesses and organiza­ tions exert enormous influence on their elected offi­ cials, who want nothing more than to connect with their voters. The OU realizes that while high-profile meetings play a part in addressing the tuition afford­ ability crisis, nothing can replace grassroots involve­ ment on the local level.

That is why the OU has been galvanizing commu­ nities across the country to get politically involved.

From the school president to the federation leader to the rank-and-file community member, each person has a role to play in bringing our community’s unique needs to our legislators’ attention. The OU is commit­ ted to helping every Jewish community become politi­ cally active by providing lobbying guidance and policy expertise.

W ithout effective political involvement from the Jewish community, elected officials will remain igno­ rant of our community’s needs and suspicious of its motives.

Today, most elected officials—even those who champion the Jewish community’s causes—don’t un­ derstand that public school simply cannot provide the ethical and religious instruction that Orthodox families

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You might also consider sponsoring a day schoolbased voter registration drive. It’s a great way to edu­ cate frum youngsters about the enormous importance of democracy to all American Jews.

Of course there are no guarantees in lobbying. Even the most highly paid professionals on Capitol Hill don't win every time. But advocacy pays off in other ways.

Each time you speak up, the Orthodox community in­ creases its visibility, solidarity and political clout. And you become not just a better advocate, but a sawier citi­ zen too. ★

consider essential to their children's education. They don't understand that our community considers religious school attendance a necessity for every Jewish ch ild -re­ gardless of the parents' means. Legislators will not ac­ cept the gravity of the crisis until they are approached by the people directly affected by it—Jewish families from all backgrounds and income levels.

Once legislators realize that the Jewish community is not trying to undermine public education by sending their children to private schools, they will be infinitely more supportive of tuition affordability and other efforts.

Tax credit scholarships, which exist in Pennsylvania, Florida and Arizona, and vouchers, which exist in Louisiana and Milwaukee, could bring tuition relief di­ rectly to Jewish parents who need it most. State aid to nonpublic schools for textbooks, nursing, and energy-ef­ ficient school buildings—already in existence in New Jersey—could lower overhead costs at Jewish day schools and translate into tuition savings for all parents. These state-level policies are the nuts and bolts of tuition af­ fordability, and the Jewish community can pave the way for them by building rapport with their elected officials.

W hat can the OU do to help your community be­ come politically active? The staff at the OU's Institute for Public Affairs has decades of experience in advo­ cacy—in both lobbying and being lobbied. We can help communities understand their policy needs and organ­ ize their advocacy efforts to be most effective. We can teach community leaders how to interact with elected officials in a way that builds goodwill and produces re­ sults. We can organize events to introduce the Jewish community to their elected and unelected officials, as well as “get out the vote" efforts to increase voter turnout in the Jewish community.

What we at the OU cannot do is vote in local and state elections or invite your local and state officials to, speak at your school's banquet or maintain a friendly relation­ ship with your local and state legislators. Only local Jew­ ish community members can perform these vital tasks, paving the way for solving the tuition affordability crisis.

To learn more about how you can get politically involved, contact mlitwack@ou.org or call202-513-6484.

Maury Litwack is the director o f political affairs for the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs.

Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N | 51

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fast n a corridor in Me’arat HaMachpelah this past March, a few soldiers, their heads bare and hair closely cropped, step away from a larger group and approach a man. The soldiers take turns as the man secures a tefillin box on their left biceps, and then wraps the leather straps along their arms. The soldiers repeat a blessing, then a second blessing as another box is placed atop their heads, the straps cascading down the front of their army uniforms.

“Putting on tefillin in the morning gets your soul started right for the day,” says an Ethiopian soldier whose family now lives in Ramla.

The soldiers, some of whom have never put on tefillin before, are participants in an Orthodox Union program known as Mashiv Haruach.

Connecting soldiers’ souls to revered places in the country and to the entire Land of Israel is the core mis­ sion of Mashiv Haruach. Now in its twelfth year, Mashiv Haruach, a joint project of OU Israel and the Educational Corp of the IDF, takes IDF soldiers on edu­ cational excursions to historical sites (for many soldiers it’s their first visit to such places) and to communities beyond the Green Line, the arbitrary border marking the cease-fire points following the Six-Day War. The program aims at giving soldiers experiences that will deepen their appreciation for Judaism and the Jewish Land. The goal, according to Rabbi Avi Berman, OU Is­ rael’s executive director, is to “make these soldiers bet­ ter Jews and better soldiers.” | “If you’re an American citizen, you have to know your history—who George Washington was,” says Rabbi Berman. “To be a motivated Israeli citizen, to want to vote, to want to go into the army, you need to know your past, to love your present and to take Israel’s future into your hands.”

“The IDF speaks about binyan hakoach, the building of strength,” says Rafael Even Danan, Mashiv Haruach’s project director. “In Mashiv Haruach, we believe that a soldier needs the building of the spirit, binyan haruach, to

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"If you ask an Israeli kid in Tel Aviv, in Gush Etzion?' he will probably ask, 'Where is Gush Etzion?' The majority of non-religious Jewish teens in Israel have never been to Jerusalem." go with binyan hakoach. One without the other won’t work.”

Even Danan calls the program “vital” to cultivating soldiers’ spiritual and physical ties to Israel and to deep­ ening their commitment to defending the country. That, he and Rabbi Berman believe, is a crucial element in addressing a dangerous trend.

According to an IDF 2011 personnel report, just 59 percent of Israeli Jewish males fulfill their mandatory military training.

Rabbi Berman sees the 59-percent figure as representing a “major crisis” facing Israel.

“We can’t automati­ cally assume

that those who do serve want to be in the army. Some of them might ask: Why, when 41 percent do not serve, am I here?’” he says.

Today’s participants are members of an IDF tank brigade based in thé Negev. They have already visited the Gush Etzion bloc of settlements south of Jerusalem. There, they attended lecturers and a sound-and-light expe­ rience that brought home the history of the area’s kibbutzim and Gush Et­ zion residents’ valiant stand against Arab advances in Israel’s War of Inde­ pendence. Facing defeat, the 124 Et­ zion combatants surrendered just a day before David Ben-Gurion pro­ claimed Israel’s independence; all but four of those who surrendered were slaughtered.

The Mashiv Haruach soldiers also had been to the site where thirty-five Haganah fighters in another 1948 battle were massacred after releasing an Arab civilian who had spot­ ted them —a tragic episode that became immortal­ ized as the Netiv Halamed-Hey (Path of the Thirty-Five).

“We decided that we have to leverage the history and the Zionist ap-

Many of the soldiers put on tefillinfor the first time at the OU’s Mashiv Haruach program.

Photos: Abba Richman

54

JE W IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

Solider with Rabbi Avi Berman, executive director o f OUIsrael proach of Gush Etzion and give it to soldiers in a beautiful package,” says Rabbi Berman. “When you take sol­ diers to walk part of the Path of the Lamed-Hey, they feel it.”

“If we want an Israel that’s safe, we look to God,” says Rabbi Berman. “God is the center of the world. We have had to fight for Israel, going back to the days of the Torah, when the Jews had

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to fight Amalek and all the other nations in the desert and for seven of the first fourteen years after entering the Land of Israel/’ he says. “Today, the majority of the 59 percent who serve need the chizuk [strengthening] for why they’re in the army. Israel’s educational system is very successful in teaching about Ben-Gurion’s pro­ claiming the State of Israel, but struggles when it comes to teaching the history of Gush Etzion. Everything in the State of Israel is so political that if you ask a kid in Tel Aviv, Givatayim or Ramat Hasharon, W hat happened in Gush Etzion?’ he will probably ask, W here is Gush Et­ zion?’ The majority of non-religious Jewish teens in Is­ rael have never been to Jerusalem.”

Rabbi Berman and Even Danan underscore that the program refrains from discussing Israel’s presence over the Green Line. Staying clear of such issues complies with IDF guidelines and avoids generating counterpro­ ductive arguments about the future of Judea and Samaria and Israel’s now-frozen peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

“We don’t get into the political aspects of things with soldiers,” Rabbi Berman says.

Mashiv Haruach also works with the IDF on pro­ grams to reduce the lure of higher private-sector salaries. “Ultimately, you want to keep the best and the brightest in the military,” Rabbi Berman says. “You can’t blame the IT companies, but increasing IT spe­ cialists’ motivation to stay [in the army] is for the sake of the country.”

Last year, Mashiv Haruach reached 16,000 soldiers, a drop from 20,000 in 2010—a function, Rabbi Berman explains, of funding challenges. Each busload of soldiers costs $1,800 for a day’s outing. Demand for buses has in­ creased, with IDF officers asking to bring more soldiers along and inviting Mashiv Haruach staff to run Shabbat and holiday programs on the base.

Some soldiers visiting Me’arat HaMachpelah choose to daven Minchah; afterward, they march in formation to a lecture given at the neighboring visitors center. With dusk falling upon Hebron, the nearly ninety soldiers re­ turn to their buses for the journey back to the base.

David T., a twenty-year-old sergeant, says, “I don’t ob­ serve every Shabbat. But I’m a believer. I make a blessing before I eat and drink. In this group, on this tiyul [out­ ing], I can ask a colleague who knows more than I do.

That way, little by little, I can understand more.” >5v“The trip strengthened my Jewish knowledge, be­ cause I didn’t know anything about Me’arat HaMach­ pelah or Gush Etzion,” he continues. “Me’arat HaMachpelah is a holy site, and it’s the first time I’ve been here. It’s the place of our forefathers. I felt the holi­ ness. It’s good for soldiers to know where we come from.

We’re defending our country. That’s how we’ll preserve the Jewish nation and the State of Israel.” ■

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To sponsor a dayfs excursion or to donate to Mashiv Haru­ ach, contact Rabbi Avi Berman at aberman@ouisraei.org.

Summer 5772/2012 JE W IS H A CTIO N

55

NEW BOOKS FROM

OJ OUPRESS .Ra BIUjusf-’pfl!

THF,

LONELY

MAN OF

F A IT H

Inside the OU

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Majesty and Humility: The Thought o f Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

By Rabbi Reuven Ziegler Co-published with Urim Publications and Maimonides School

Society and Self On the Writings o f Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

OU Press takes special pride in play­ ing a major role in the growing body of literature by and about Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the Rav, and is pleased to present three new important publications.

In Majesty and Humility: The Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Reuven Ziegler, director of re­ search and archives at the Toras HoRav Foundation, takes on the daunting chal­ lenge of surveying the Rav’s thought and presenting his teachings and world­ view in a clear and organized fashion.

Writing in comprehensible language, Rabbi Ziegler takes the reader through the major tenets of the Rav’s thought and his significant writings and inte­ grates the Rav’s life with his thought.

Suitable for both the experienced stu­ dent of the Rav and one looking for an introduction to his approach, Majesty and Humility offers the perfect intro­ duction to the extensive corpus of the Rav’s works and philosophy.

5 6 I JE W IS H A C TIO N Summer 5772/2012

The Lonely Man o f Faith

By Gerald J. (Yaakov) Blidstein

By Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Revised Edition Edited and with an Introduction by Rabbi Reuven Ziegler

OU Press

Co-published with Maggid Books

Professor Gerald Blidstein, profes­ sor emeritus at Ben-Gurion University and winner of the Israel Prize in Jew­ ish thought, has long been a student of the Rav’s thought and has written and published extensively on the Rav. In

The Lonely Man of Faith, the Rav’s classic essay, has achieved iconic status in the world of Jewish philosophy. No contemporary discussion of fundamen­ tal themes in Jewish philosophy is complete without concepts such as Adam I and Adam II, developed by the Rav in this landmark essay. In this new edition, we have corrected many of the errors in transliteration and formatting that lurked in the prior edition. This new edition includes an introduction by the editor, Rabbi Reuven Ziegler, which analyzes the importance of The Lonely Man o f Faith and places it within the context of the Rav’s thought and his other writings.

Each of these books adds significant knowledge and depth to our under­ standing of the Rav’s thought and mes­ sage. W hether you are a novice or well-versed in the Rav’s thought, you will find each of these books rewarding and edifying. ■

Society and Self: On the Writings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Professor Blidstein has assembled a collection of his essays previously published in dif­ ferent journals over the years on a vari­ ety of areas of the Rav’s thought. Issues such as the Rav’s views on Religious Zionism, interaction with the nonJewish world, the physical, emotional, religious and philosophical aspects of marriage, and death and mourning are treated with a subtle and nuanced un­ derstanding of the Rav’s writings.

Some may find Professor Blidstein’s conclusions surprising and unconven­ tional; all will be rewarded by his ele­ gant style, perceptive analysis and impeccable scholarship.

:

ollowing the Destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, our Sages introduced a number of practices whose purpose is to remind us of Yerushalayim and the Beit Hamikdash. Our Sages felt that anything that brings joy should be accompanied by a zecher I’Churban, a remembrance of the Destruction, because without Yerushalayim and the Beit Hamikdash, there is no complete joy.

Thus the zecher I’Churban customs are designed to inspire feelings of mourning over the current exile. These practices include leaving a commemorative space in one's home (an unfinished square on the wall); never setting an elaborate table (except for Shabbat and yom tov); reciting Psalm 137 (Al Naharot Bavel) before bentching on weekdays; breaking a plate at a tenayim; placing ashes on a groom's forehead during the wedding ceremony; breaking the glass under a chuppah and banning live music at weddings which take place in Yerushalayim.

What are some of the basic halachot regarding leaving a commemorative space on one's wall in one's home?

1.

TThe unfinished square should measure one amah by one amah (one cubit by one cubit). The unfinished square should be obvious when one enters the home; ideally, it should be on the wall opposite the door of the house. (Some have the custom of leaving a commemorative space above the door.) Others say the unfinished area can be made anywhere if it is larger than an amah by an amah. If one cannot make it on the wall opposite the entrance, one should make it as close to that wall as possible.

2. A shul, beit midrash and yeshivah do not require a zecher I’Churban.

3. The halachah of making a r c h e r I’Churban applies to Jews living throughout the world, in­ cluding those living in Yerushalayim, It applies even if one can view the site of the Churban from one's home.

It is unfortunate that the custom of leaving an unfinished square as a zecher I’Churban in one's home is not commonly observed.

However, there are many who take the laws of zecher I’Churban seriously, and some have added creative and artistic elements to the commemorative spaces on their walls. Following are a few ex­ amples of interesting ways people have found to memorialize the Destruction of the Temple.

I

Michoel Raanctn,a great-grandson of Rabbi Avraham YitzchakHaCohen Kook, and his wife,1Amira, have an unusual zecher PChurban in their home in Rosh Tzurim in Gush Etzion. A piece o f Jerusalem stonejuts out from the wall and below it is a verse from Yechezkel 4:1: “Now you, son o f man, take for yourI selfa brick, place it before you, and en­ grave on it a city—Jerusalem."

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Our talented neighbor in Rosh j Tzurim, Yisrael Snir, | works with ceramics.

Hanging on his wall is a ceramic Kotel with a women's qfid men’s sec­ tion On the bottom o f each section is a quote from Midrash Rabba; “The Divine Presence never moves from the Western W all”

■

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very poignant zecher l’Churban is found in the

home o f Shaina and Shmuel Buchwald of Har Nof Jerusalem. Encased in glass on the wall is a charred piece of wood takenfrom Kever Yosef after it was burned and desecrated by terrorists.

An illuminated iron plaque with the words .. zecher l’Churba Rosh Tzurim.

O Jerusalem ”serves as S “I f I forget theenfor a the Shendor family of

This tile creation was made by Sara Daniel from Alon Shevut. Daniel used small colorful square tiles to create the design, which is reminis­ cent o f the mosaic floors that have been unearthed in archeological digs in Israel Adina Hershberg, who made aliyah in 1981, has made aliyah twice to Har HaBayit. She prays that the next time she ascends Har HaBayit, the third and final Beit Hamikdash will be there in all of its glory.

Yehoshua Halevi has worked for more than twenty-five years as a professional photojournalist, teacher, mentor and photographer of lifecycle events. His credits include a distinguished list of in­ ternational clientele, including major publications and maga­ zines. His online portfolio is at www.goldenlightimages.com.

Sources 1. Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard, Rite and Reason: 1050 Jewish Customs and Their Sources (Jerusalem, 2000).

2. Moishe Dovid Lebovits, “Zecher L’Churban,” Halachically Speaking 3 (2007): 24.

3. Rabbi Ari Enkin, “Zecher L’Churban,” Hirhurim—Musings, July 14,2009, http://torahmusings.com/2009/07/zecher-lchurban/.

m a JJ

Isra e l

By Peter Abelow

On and Off the Beaten Track...

The Menorah —Official Symbol of the State of Israel

The K nesset Menorah stands about fifteen fe e t high across from the main entrance to the K n esset Photo: www.sasson-photos.com

Upon the founding o f the S tate o f Israel, the menorah was chosen as its official sym bol Today, the Knesset Menorah, a bronze monument, stands aboutfifteen fe e t high, acrossfrom the Knesset gates, sym bolizing the etern ity o f the Jewish people. he recent discovery of an old seal near Akko underscored the sig­ nificance of the menorah as a rec­ ognized symbol of Jews, Judaism and the Land of Israel throughout history.

The 1,500-year-old seal, with the prominent image of a seven-branched menorah, has been identified as a “kosher bread” stamp, an ancient OU, so to speak, which was used by Jewish Peter Abelow is a licensed tour guide and the associate director ofKeshet: The Centerfor Ed­ ucational Tourism in Israel. Keshet specializes in creating and running inspiringfamily and group tours that make Israel come alive “Jewishly.”He can be reached at 011.972.2.671.3518 or atpeter@keshetisrael.co.il.

60

residents of the area during the Byzan­ tine period to certify that the bread was fit for Jewish consumption.

The menorah is initially presented in the Torah as one of the key keilim (implements) of the Mishkan, the Tab­ ernacle, that the Jewish people built in the desert (Shemot 25:31-39). Hun­ dreds of years later, the menorah came to symbolize the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple, in Jerusalem. Along with the incense altar and the table for the showbread, the menorah stood in the outermost chamber of the sanctu­ ary and was lit each evening by one of the Kohanim.

According to researchers at Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Re­

serve in Israel, the Torah’s description of the menorah, which incorporates botanical imagery (stem, branches, flowers, blossoms, almonds), evokes images of one example in nature in particular^the Salvia Palaestina. Ac­ cording to one theory, the shape of this plant served as a model for the menorah.

When the Second Temple was de­ stroyed by the Romans on Tishah B’Av in the year 70 c e , the victors portrayed their subjugation of the Jewish people and ruination of our Temple with the Arch of Titus, a large victory arch out­ side the Colosseum in Rome. The cen­ tral motif of the arch is the menorah and other Temple treasures being car-

JEW ISH A C TIO N Summer 5772/2012

i

picts our connection to our past and re­ minds us that in less than sixty-five years, Israel has grown from a country with 5 percent of the world’s Jewish population to one where 40 percent of Jews now reside, making Israel the largest Jewish community in the world.

Achieving the dream of “vkabtzeinu

The plant Salvia Palaestina, whose shape resembles the menorah.

Courtesy ofAvinoam Danin/Flora o f Israel Online

ried away by the triumphant Romans.

The Destruction of the Temple, the capture of the menorah and the subse­ quent failure of the Bar Kochba Rebel­ lion sixty years later effectively ended Jewish autonomy in the Land of Israel and presaged the start of a 1,900-yearlong exile.

The Knesset Menorah stands proudly in a small plaza just across from the main entrance to the Knes­ set. In a certain sense, with the rebirth of modern Israel, the menorah has re­ turned home. I must admit that while writing this article, I struggled with the sentence above. On the one hand, until the Temple is restored and the keilim as described in the Torah are once again in use, how can anyone dare to suggest that the menorah has returned home? On the other hand, many Jews view the establishment of modern Israel as ((reishit Geulateinu,” “the beginning of our Redemption,” / and in that sense, this impressive menorah symbolizes the rebirth of a nation in its ancient homeland.

Indeed, the elaborate artwork on the Knesset Menorah’s branches de­

yachad me’arba kanfot hd’aretz,” “gather us together from the four cor­ ners of the earth,” as we say in the weekday Amidah, brings us one step closer to the Geulah. Thus, in a very real sensef the menorah has come home along with the Jewish people who have made Israel their home.

The Knesset Menorah, which today serves as the official symbol of the State of Israel, was crafted by Benno Elkan, a Jewish-British sculptor, and was do­ nated to Israel by Great Britain in 1956.

Like its ancient predecessor, it too has a central stem and six branches, three on each side. Unlike the menorah of old, however, the branches of the Knesset Menorah contain twenty-nine engrav­ ings that capture the spiritual struggles of the Jewish people as well as key mo­ ments and memorable events in Jewish history—from Abraham to the birth of modern Israel.

While the scenes depicted are scat­ tered and in no particular order, what I find most meaningful is that the artist chose to engrave the words “Shema Yisrael” in a circle at the menorah’s base. The central and piv­ otal expression of our faith is placed at the site that supports and sustains all of the branches. The symbolism is clear to visitors of all backgrounds and religious persuasions: Jewish life and existence is based upon our unwaver­ ing faith.

The panel just above Shema evokes images of the Shoah and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, while the panel be­ neath depicts the struggle to establish the State and the pioneers who turned

Israel into the flourishing country that it is today. The central column also in­ cludes, at the top, an image of Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands being supported by Aharon and Chur during the battle against Amalek, and beneath that, the Tablets.

The branch on the extreme left de­ picts the scope of Jewish history: Yeshayah’s prophecy for the End of Days, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai ex­ pounding Torah She’ba’al Peh at Yavneh after the Second Temple was destroyed, the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry and the Babylonian Exile. Other panels on various branches include King David triumphantly displaying Goliath’s severed head, Yechezkel’s Vi­ sion of the Dry Bones, the Bar Kochba Rebellion, Yaakov wrestling with the angel, Yirmiyah mourning the De­ struction of the First Temple and the clandestine immigration during the British Mandate, which brought thou­ sands of Jews home.

Perhaps the most dramatic part of the menorah is the Biblical verse en­ graved across the bottom of the lowest branches. “'Not through army and not through strength, but through My spirit,* said Hashem, Master of Le­ gions” (Zechariah 4:6). The verse ap­ pears in the context of a chapter that, among other things, describes the prophet’s vision of a menorah with olive branches on each side.

Many families and groups who are visiting Jerusalem stop at the menorah for a wonderful photo opportunity.

When you do, try to spend a few min­ utes looking through the lens of history depicted on the branches. Recognize that what guarantees you the opportu­ nity to be standing there goes beyond the power of Israel’s Phantom Jets and M16s. The menorah reminds all of us of the Divine promise of an eternal con­ nection between God’s people and our ancient homeland. !■

Summer 5772/2011 JEW ISH A CTIO N | 61

E

arly this year, my family celebrated the wedding of my nephew Simcha in Baltimore, Maryland. The wed­ ding was lovely. The chatan and kallah radiated a sense of infectious joy. And since I live in Israel, it was wonderful to see members of my family who live in America, albeit briefly.

I greatly appreciated another aspect of the simchah as well.

The wedding was held on a Thurs­ day night in the new hall of Congrega­ tion Shomrei Emunah, an OU-member shul. The smorgasbord consisted of a few salads, a platter or two of chopped liver and a tray of potato kugel. The band was comprised of four musicians; the event began at 6:30 p m and ended by 11:00 p m .

The “bar” consisted of two bottles of wine: one for the chuppah and one for Sheva Berachot. No ice sculptures melted as guests sipped their coffees.

The wedding was not held in a fancy hotel miles and miles away, and it was not on a Sunday night. There was no eight-piece band. The smorgasbord did not include a meat-carving station, or Rabbi Reuven Spolter currently teaches Jew ­ ish studies a t the Orot College o f Education, a teachers' college in Elkana, Israel. Rabbi Spolter served as the rabbi o f the Young Israel o f Oak Park in Oak Park, Michigan from 2001 to 2008, and w as rabbi o f Congregation A gudasA chim in W est Harford, Connecticut from 1998 to 2001.

62 I JE W IS H A CTIO N Summer 5772/2012

numerous pastries or unlimited salads.

To my mind, it was a perfect wedding.

Why did my sister make such a “simple” wedding? Undoubtedly, the motivation was financial. But was any­ thing lacking because she “left out” so many features common to Orthodox weddings? If so, I didn’t notice. The dancing was lebedik, and the band was­

they can afford to fulfill unreasonable, unnecessary and ever-increasing expec­ tations. We don’t need the Slurpee ma­ chine for dessert at the Bar Mitzvah and yet we feel compelled to order it nonetheless.

I left my nephew’s wedding hoping that it would serve as a model for the rest of the community. Perhaps the no­ tion of making simple semachot will

Is a “ shmorg” remotely necessary, especially with the ever-expanding Orthodox waistline? n’t overly loud. I left the hall sated, but also pleased that I hadn’t eaten the equivalent of two whole dinners.

So if a “cheap” wedding has all the elements necessary for a wonderful simchah, why do many of us do so much more? Do we really need six-or sevenpiece bands? Is a shmorg remotely nec­ essary, especially with the ever-expanding Orthodox waistline?

Must we really pay for the members of our community to liquor up? Does that really add to the simchah?

The culprit is, of course, peer pres­ sure. We make extravagant weddings because it is accepted, because it is what’s done. Somehow, our community has adopted certain conventions that are financially unrealistic for most, and people often spend way beyond what

catch on, and people will stop asking what everyone else is doing, and start asking, “W hat can we afford?” and “Is this really something that we need to spend money on?” And especially, “Will this added expense truly add to my simchah?”

Almost always, the answer to the last two questions is no.

True joy at momentous occasions has little to do with the size of the band or the selection of alcoholic beveragesj it has to do with having a profound sense of gratitude to God for the bless­ ings in our lives, and sharing our thank­ fulness with dear friends and beloved family members.

If we remember that, then our semachot will be far less extravagant and far more affordable. ■

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Enhancing Jewish Life

SH A BBA T MEMO M AKEOVE delicious Shabbat meal

can make healthier choices Q on Shabbat without feeling like How

I

I'm eating "diet foods"?

A

As Orthodox Jews in the twenty-first century, we’re inter­ ested in following a healthy diet, but frequently our typical Shabbat fare makes this very challenging. Let’s take a closer look at some of the food op­ tions at the average Shabbat table to see how we can improve the health value of the Shabbat meals while de­ creasing the calories.

Shira Isenberg is a registered dietitian and w riter w ith a priva te nutrition practice in Passaic, N ew Jersey. She has a master's de­ gree in public health nutrition from H unter College in N ew York.

6 4 I JE W IS H A CT IO N

S um m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

B reaking th e Challah H abit

Choosing whole wheat or other whole grain challah is obviously the healthier option because of the extra fiber. But no matter which type of challah you have, portion control is what makes the difference in terms of your waistline and, ultimately, your health.

Each slice of challah (when using a typical challah recipe) contains about 100 calories. If you cut very thick slices, it will of course cost you more calories.

The same is true if your recipe is ex­ tremely rich or high in sugar. (Remem­ ber that some challah recipes more closely resemble cake than bread— would you eat several liberal slices of cake at the beginning of a meal?) Even

if you choose an egg-free water challah, stick with one piece.

Bottom line: Limit challah to one piece.

Calorie savings: 200-300 calories G efilte Fish: S om eth in g’s Fishy

Think about all the other foods at your meal and consider whether you have more than enough without fish. Why not save the fish for seudah shelishit? If you insist on having basar v’dagim, opt for non-gefilte, if possible. Although gefilte may contain some omega-3s, it is also mixed with matzah meal, bread­ crumbs or other fillers. You’ll get more of the health benefits from a piece of actual fish. Salmon is probably the most common fish served on Shabbat;

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p™ but eat small portions. While it is cer­ tainly a heart-healthy choice, salmon is high in calories. One fillet can run about 230 calories. (Gefilte fish has about 90 calories per piece.)

Bottom line: Skip the fish course.

Calorie savings: up to 230 calories F ill U p o n Soup

Starting a meal with soup is an excel­ lent way to shave calories off your meal because soup can be quite filling. Plus, it’s a great backdrop for a host of veg­ etables—carrots, celery, zucchini, onions, parsnip, et cetera. However, soup becomes less healthy when you throw in high-sodium bouillon, not to mention matzah balls or fried croutons.

Try to make soup using your own mix of herbs and spices, and a lighter hand on the salt. Prepare your soup well in advance so you can cool it and skim the fat before Shabbat.

Bottom line: Clear your soup—no matzah balls (60 calories apiece) or croutons (140 calories per ounce).

Calorie savings: at least200 calories F orget th e F rying

I love my mom’s schnitzel; it was one of my favorite foods growing up. But it’s time to stop the frying. Fried breaded chicken breast has about 80 calories per ounce; broiled or roasted skinless chicken breast has nearly half the calories at 45 per ounce. Doesn’t sound like much of a difference? Con­ sider that a three-ounce piece is about the size of a deck of cards. Most schnitzel I’ve seen is at least double that size.

If you don’t enjoy chicken breast, dark meat is a good alternative despite the fact that it’s somewhat higher in fat and calories (180 calories per 3.4 ounces and 8 grams of fat compared to 140 calories and 3 grams of fat for a chicken breast of similar size). Just re­ move the skin before eating. And re­ member, stick to one piece. If you must dip it in ketchup, try to use just one ta­ blespoon (20 calories).

Bottom line: Bake your chicken and remove the skin.

66 | JE W IS H A C T IO N

Sum m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

Stop Summer Shabbat Snacking Long summer Shabbat afternoons are often an invitation for noshing. Keep your snacking under control with the following tips: • Stay out of the kitchen or dining room be­ tween meals.

■ Stock only healthy options like fruit and vegetables; limit junk food, or at least keep it out of sight.

• Plan non-food activities. Go for a walk, read a book, attend a shiur.

• Avoid the "Shabbat party" trap by coming up with non-food activities to entertain children.

• Drink plenty of water. (It'll also keep you hydrated as the weather gets warmer) • Eat a balanced yet light meal for seudah shelishit. Good options include: • Whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers or pasta ■ Light cheeses, peanut butter, fish, or lean meats • Cut up vegetables or lightly dressed salad • Fresh fruit

Calorie savings: 210 calories (for a 6-ounce piece) D ressin g D o w n

People assume all salads are low in calories. They could be, if they’re mostly vegetables with little dressing.

Once you throw in all sorts of fried or salted noodles (125 calories per ounce), candied nuts (200 calories per ounce), sweetened dried fruit (90 calories per ounce) and the like, the calories start piling up.

More wholesome add-ons like plain or toasted nuts, avocado or even olives offer taste and healthy fats, but you really don’t need them all in one salad. Vary them to keep your salads in­ teresting and reap the benefits of each of them. Finally, top your salad with a simple dressing made with oil and vinegar or lemon juice; there’s no need for fancy, sugary dressings.

Bottom line: Cut unhealthy salad top­ pers and choose one healthy addition.

Calorie savings: as many as 100 calories per person (for a four-serving salad) C razy a b o u t K ugel

When it comes to potato kugel, it’s not the potatoes that are the problem. With fiber, vitamin C and potassium, pota­ toes are truly healthy. However, when you combine them with eggs, oil, may­

onnaise and a bucketload of salt to cre­ ate a kugel, that’s another story. One piece of potato kugel can run you nearly 300 calories. Opt for roasted po­ tatoes (180 calories per half a cup when prepared with oil) or another starch of your choice, perhaps brown rice or quinoa. You only need one starchy side dish. After all, you already had challah.

Bottom line: Just add oil and spices to your potatoes.

Calorie savings: 120 calories R ein ven tin g C h olen t

Beans, a classic cholent ingredient,, have great health benefits such as fiber, protein and folic acid. To cut calories in your cholent, leave out barleys (A half­ cup of cooked pearl barley contains about 100 calories.) Instead of pota­ toes, try other vegetables to vary the nutritional content. I’ve found that car­ rots work really well, lending a sweeter taste, and I’ll often do a tomato-based “cholent” that gets rave reviews. And by using less meat—the biggest fat contributor—you can reduce the calorie content further but still deliver a rich­ tasting stew.

Bottom line: Prepare a simple bean and meat stew, and include more vegetables.

Calorie savings: at least 100 calories

J3'1

The Book thathas Transformed the Tisha B’ Av Experience

Complete Tisha BÀv Service

A

Commentary by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

H 1

ijipii SOCK CO'JNCIL

Translations by Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb & Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Edited by Rabbi Simon Posner

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A vailab le at w w w .o u p ress.o rg and A u th o r iz e d K oren B o o k se lle r s every w h ere

Photo courtesy Yeshiva University

THE KOREN MESORAT HARAV KINOT

FOOD

FOR

TRAVEL

Never Leave Hot Without It!

Planes, trains or automobiles —no matter which mode of transportation you choose, it can be somewhat of a challenge to ensure that you'll have kosherfood while traveling and upon arriving at your destination.

Organization and advance planning are the keys to having a relaxing vacation, so it's a good idea to prepare a list and keep it updatedfrom one year to the next. Here are some terrific tips so that you will truly be able to relax and enjoy. Pick and choose the best options for your needs. Safe traveling!

C old Cuisine: Pack an insulated bag and freezer packs to keep your food cold for your trip. Easy choices include bagels with cream cheese, salmon or tuna salad, or assorted sandwiches such as chopped egg, cheese or peanut butter.

Deli sandwiches are a favorite for a meat meal, and you can have sliced turkey or chicken for healthier options. Juice boxes and concentrated juice containers can be frozen to use as ice packs and then the defrosted juice can be enjoyed.

Don’t forget the napkins and wipes for cleanup!

Sen sib le Snacks: Almonds, fresh or dried fruit (e.g., nec­ tarines, plums, berries, dried apricots, cranberries or raisins), veggies (e.g., baby carrots, cherry or grape toma­ toes, red pepper strips and miniature cucumbers) packed in Ziploc bags plus a container of hummus for dipping, string cheese, crackers and/or mini muffins make family-friendly snacks to enjoy along the way. Chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies are also long-standing favorites.

F ast Fixes: Salmon and tuna (often available in pouches so you don’t need a can opener) are great for a quick and sim-

Norene G illetz o f Toronto, Canada, is the author o f nine cookbooks, including The NEW Food Processor Bible: 30th Anniversary Edi­ tion (Vancouver, Canada, 2011) and Norene’s Healthy Kitchen (Vancouver, Canada, 2009). She is a freelance fo o d writer, culinary consultant, cookbook editor, lecturer and culinary spokesperson.

6 8 I JE W ISH A C T IO N

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pie meal when you arrive at your destination and don’t take up much room in your luggage. A whole kosher torpedo salami (don’t forget the knife!) travels well. Almond milk or soy milk comes in tetra packs and doesn’t require refrigera­ tion until opened. You can often find kosher bread, crackers, milk, juice and snack foods at many convenience stores.

T h e P ortable K itchen: If you’re going to a bungalow or va­

cation rental, a “vacation box” can be packed with inexpen­ sive kitchen equipment.

• 1 medium dairy skillet and 1 large meat skillet (or bring 1 pareve skillet, preferably nonstick) • 1 pareve pot for pasta and soup • Colander or strainer • 1 or 2 saucepans (for boiling eggs, cooking vegetables) • A big plastic salad bowl (or two) • Disposable cutting boards • A couple of sharp knives • Soup ladles, tongs, metal spatulas, measuring equipment • A few mixing bowls, spoons and rubber spatulas • A grater, vegetable peeler, can opener, cheese slicer • New sponges, dish soap Consider bringing an inexpensive crockpot, electric grill and toaster oven. Portable barbecues are relatively inexpen­ sive and are ideal for grillingburgers, chicken, steak, hot dogs, fish, vegetables and more.

CHICKEN IN THE BAG Yields 8 servings

1 whole chicken (4 lb/1.8 kg), cut into pieces 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 cup apricotjam or preserves 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon) 1/4 cup sesame seeds, for sprinkling at cooking time Rinse the chicken well and trim the excess fat. If desired, re­ move the skin.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine chicken with remaining in­ gredients except sesame seeds; seal tightly. Press on the bag to spread out chicken pieces so they are in a single layer.

Marinate for up to 2 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 4 months.

When needed, place bag of frozen chicken and sauce in re­ frigerator and thaw for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.

Empty contents of bag into prepared baking dish and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cover and bake for 11/4 hours, until tender. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until the skin is golden, basting occasionally.

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VISIT PRICECHOPPER.COM TO FIND A STORE LOCATION NEAR YOU.

Peanut Butter Pasta Photos:Estee Gestetner

S um m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

JE W IS H A CTIO N

69

Boneless Breasts in the Bag Use 10 boneless, skinless single chicken breasts. Bake un­ covered at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

Juices should run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork.

C H E F ’S SECRET: T im e It Right: It takes about 6 hours per pound to thaw

frozen chicken in the refrigerator. To speed things up, place the sealed plastic bag of frozen chicken under hot water for 30 seconds to warm and loosen contents from the bag.

Transfer chicken to a microwaveable bowl. Set the mi­ crowave oven to defrost (30% power), calculating 5 to 7 min­ utes per pound. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes to thaw. If thawing chicken in the microwave oven, cook it as soon as it has thawed.

ASIAN SLAW This delicious dressing can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated until needed. You only need half the dressingfor the coleslaw; so use the rest on your favorite greens. Half the work with double the pleasure!

A sian Dressing

Drizzle 3/4 cup dressing over coleslaw and toss to combine.

Refrigerate until well-chilled, 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

Garnish with slivered almonds at serving time.

PEANUT BUTTER PASTA Yields 6 to 8 servings This vegetarian dish isfabulous either hot or cold—everyone is nuts about it!

1 cup Peanut Butter Sauce (next page) 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil 2 medium onions, diced 1 red and 1yellow bell pepper, diced 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1package (12-ounce) penne or bow tie pasta Salt and pepper to taste Prepare Peanut Butter Sauce as directed. (Can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until needed.)

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté onions and pep­ pers on medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms to skillet and sauté 3 or 4 minutes longer.

Yields about 11/2 cups dressing 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 clove) 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup honey (or to taste) 1 tablespoon sesame oil, optional Combine all ingredients for dressing in a glass jar or leakproof container. Seal tightly and shake well. Refrigerate until needed. Shake well before using.

N ote: Keeps about 10 days in the refrigerator.

Coleslaw M ixture Yields 12 to 16 servings 1 head green cabbage (about 3 pounds) 1/2 green bell pepper; chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 2 carrots, grated (about 1 cup) 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves) 4 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds, for garnish Discard outer leaves of cabbage. Cut cabbage in half through the stem end. Cut out and discard the hard core at the base of both halves. Slice the cabbage crosswise as thinly as possi­ ble into shreds. You should have about 10 to 12 cups. Place in a large bowl. Add peppers, carrots, garlic and green onions and mix well.

7 0 I JE W IS H A C T IO N

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Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain pasta well but do not rinse.

Combine pasta with reserved cooking water, sauteed veg­ etables and 1 cup of Peanut Butter Sauce; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

N ote: Leftovers will keep 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator. Re­ heats quickly in the microwave.

Peanut B utter Sauce Yields 1 cup This scrumptious sauce is excellent over pasta and can also be used as a marinade or dipping sauce for chicken. You can even transform it into Satay Salad Dressing (below). So versatile!

2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves) 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or wine vinegar 1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional 5 or 6 drops hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco) 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1/4 cup cold water (approximately) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and blend with a whisk until smooth (or process in a food processor fitted with a steel blade). If sauce is too thick, thin it with a few drops of water.

N ote: Keeps 1 to 2 months in the refrigerator in a tightly closed jar or airtight container.

Satay Salad Dressing

Topping 1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, spelt or gluten-free) 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup canola oil, melted margarine or butter Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 10-inch glass’pie plate or ce­ ramic quiche dish with non-stick spray. (You can also use a disposable foil container.)

Combine ingredients for filling in a large bowl and mix well. Spread filling evenly in baking dish.

Combine all ingredients for topping in the same bowl.

Topping can be prepared in advance, placed in a Ziploc freezer bag and frozen until needed—no need to thaw it be­ fore using!

Carefully spread topping over filling and press down slightly.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious topped with a scoop of ice cream or yogurt.

N ote: Freezes well.

B erry Peach Crisp Instead of the above fruits in the filling, substitute 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (or a combination of peaches, nec­ tarines and plums) and 3 cups blueberries (or desired berries). Add the juice of half a lemon. Assemble and bake as directed above. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.

Kosher

Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice to sauce to make a luscious salad dressing.

.CJOrVl RECIPES * BLOGS • VIDEOS • CONTESTS

ANY KIND OF FRUIT CRISP Yields 8 to 10 servings 1 use whatever berries are in season for this fast, fabulous crisp.

I f you're missing one kind o f berry, just use more of another. I f usingfrozen fruit, there's no need to thaw it first. I f you don't have apples, substitute peaches, nectarines or plums—orjust use more berries!

Fillin g

Watch us make

2 cups fresh orfrozen strawberries, hulled and sliced 2 cups fresh orfrozen blueberries 11/2 cups frozen cranberries (no need to thaw first) 2 or 3 apples, peeled and cored 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, spelt or gluten-free) 1/3 cup brown or granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sum m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

JE W IS H A CT IO N

71

H u sh

By Eishes Chayil Walker Press New York, 2010 368 pages Reviewed by Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

E

ishes Chayil is a pseudonym for Jf BisHe&Chayii Judy Brown, the au­ thor of Hush, a book that has been de­ scribed by some as a sensationalist exposé, and commended by others for its masterful suspenseful style. (Brown originally wrote the book anonymously but revealed her identity after the mur­ der of eight-year-old Leiby Kletzky.)

There is no question that the book is well written and designed to hold the reader’s attention. A common reaction, by admirers and detractors alike, is that it is hard to put down.

There is also no question that the book is an exposé—a candid and de­ tailed description of the life of a certain sector of the ultra-Orthodox world as experienced by a young female mem­ ber of that world.

The tragic focus of the novel, in which the protagonist witnesses her best friend being raped by her older brother, is the nine-year-old victim, Devory, who ultimately commits suicide.

Her signals of distress (“there is no room for me in my house”) are ignored, and the details of the incest are sup­ pressed by her family and by the com­ munity at large.

The heroine, Gittel, speaks alter­ nately in the voice of a nine-year-old and in the morè mature and responsi­ ble voice of the eighteen-year-old bride who ultimately reveals the story.

In no way does the author claim that incest is rampant, or even preva­ lent, in the close-knit community she describes. Such tragedies can happen in families, and ultra-Orthodox families are no different than others. What she Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb is executive vice president; emeritus, o f the Orthodox Union.

72 I JE W IS H A CT IO N

Sum m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

does claim—which some find to be “airing dirty laundry in public”—is that her community fails to dis­ close such behaviors to the civil authorities. More troublesome is her claim that the community de­ nies, even to itself, that such abuse even exists.

I am one of those who believe that the public revelation of such details, however shameful, can help dispel the attitude of denial., Furthermore, telling the story can lead to the adoption of more effective meth­ ods of preventing these situations, and in dealing with them constructively when they do occur.

I also found that there is much more to this story than the incestuous event and its tragic consequences. For what we have here is a graphic glimpse into the family life of this particular community, as perceived by one of its members. This is a portrayal of the en­ tire spiritual experience of a Chareidi girl, and especially of her attitude to­ ward God. The heroine’s understand­ ing of who God is and what He expects from her is the result of her clandestine relationship with an emotionally hand­ icapped gentile neighbor. Her many years of intensive religious education fail to provide her with the image of a loving God who demands and encour­ ages courageous, moral behavior. This is the ultimate exposé of this novel.

It should not be assumed that the book’s description of Chassidic society is totally negative. Quite the contrary, the reader witnesses warm familial in­ teractions and an atmosphere that fos­ ters compassion and charity.

The author’s positive portrayals of several of the prominent male figures in the book are also noteworthy. Gittel’s father has a loving relationship with her, takes her on long walks, plays and sings with her and tells her stories.

When tragedy erupts, he finds her a fe­ male psychotherapist. He accompanies her to the sessions and encourages her to share her feelings openly.

Similarly, Gittel’s young husband, initially painfully naive and awkward in

the marital relationship, proves to be able to grow into a sensitive spouse who bravely supports her in her efforts to tell her story. He is the one who be­ stows upon her the title “Eishes Chayil.” Her husband’s rebbe educates his disciple in an exquisitely delicate manner as to the nature of femininity and marital intimacy, and proves to be both aware of, and pained by, the exis­ tence of abuse in his community.

On the other hand, it is troubling to read the author’s portrayal of the fe­ males in her life. They come across, at best, as empty-headed materialists and narrow-minded gossips who are ob­ sessed with surface appearances, shidduchim and clothing.

The questions of whether the au­ thor’s descriptions can be applied to the entire Chareidi community and whether she exaggerates the extent of some of her observations are irrelevant.

She has definitely been able to cor­ rectly identify some of the negative as­ pects of her community of origin.

Hopefully, that community and similar ones will take her accusations seriously and respond appropriately.

A better question is what should be the reaction of those readers who are members of other, non-Chareidi com­ munities? The honest reader of the novel will find that many of the behav­ iors described, negative and positive, are common to the broader Orthodox community as well. Certainly the pre­ occupation with surface appearances, yielding to the pressures of conformity, harboring condescending attitudes to­ ward those who are different from us and adhering to distorted beliefs about the nature of God are phenomena with which even the more modern Ortho­ dox sector is quite familiar.

If this book provokes awareness of these phenomena and results in con­ structive efforts to ameliorate them, the author will have achieved her goals.

The fact that the author had to re­ sort to a pseudonym in the first place is telling.

Obviously Brown herself is intimi­ dated by the shanfe and stigma, which

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4th International Conference on

Thursday August 16 - Sunday August 19 , 2 0 12

at The Heritage Hotel, Southbury, Connecticut

Dr. Beni Gesundheit

Researcher, Professor of Medical Ethics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Bar llan University,Tzfat.

Rabbi Dr. Aaron E. Glatt

Executive VP, Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Center, N Y; Professor of Medicine, N Y Medical College;Assistant Rabbi, Congregation Anshei Chesed & Young Israel ofW oodmere.

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The Heritage Hotel is located in Litchfield Hills and charms with its timeless New England qualit

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Fellow,Wexner Kollel Elyon at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary; Instructor, Medical Halakhah,Yeshiva University.

TORAH in MOTION

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Yeshiva University

UNION niiCT

C E N T E R F O R T H E JEW ISH FU T U R E

Enhancing Jew ish Life

'synagogue

ISRAEL'S HOSPITAL WITH A HEART

she describes so well in her book.

Surely, this is not Brown’s first at­ tempt at creative writing. And surely we can anticipate further works by this gifted and courageous young w om anon similar topics, but hopefully also on happier ones.

A b u se in th e J ew ish C om m unity:

Religious and Communal Factors that Undermine the Apprehension of Offenders and the Treatment of Victims

By Dr. Michael J. Salamon Urim Publications Jerusalem, 2011 141 pages

ABUSE Jewish Community

Reviewed by Gil Student L et’s Stay Safe

By Bracha Goetz Mesorah Publications Brooklyn, 2011 32 pages Reviewed by Norman Blumenthal

hen teaching children about safety, educators and parents alike face a formidable challenge: how does one impart lessons about potential danger and the need to take precau­ tions but not instill undue fear or trepi­ dation? Ideally, our children should have an awareness of an array of dan­ gers and responses to them that ensure safety in an otherwise secure and care­ free environment.

When I teach about safety, the ex­ ample I like to use is the fire drill. Part of the school experience for decades, this essential disruption of class time periodically reminds the staff and stu­ dents of a potential lethal situation and how to respond effectively to it. Never­ theless, these drills are spaced in such a way that few—if any—children are thinking about fires during the routine school day.

Let's Stay Safe, written by Bracha Goetz and illustrated by Tova Leff, seems to have effectively accom­ plished the difficult goal of conveying the need to remain cautious and vigi­ lant in the context of the predomi­ nately carefree and unencumbered

M

Dr. Norman Blumenthal is a licensed clinical psychologist in priva te practice in Cedarhurst, N ew York. H e is the director o f bereavem ent and crisis intervention services fo r Chai Lifeline, educational director o f the Bella and H arry Wexner Kollel Ely on and Semikhah H onors Program a t the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Sem inary o f Yeshiva U niversity and the coordinator o f group psychotherapy training fo r interns and residents a t the N orth Shore Long Is­ land Jewish H ealth System.

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The past few years have seen a dizzying amount of rev­ elations and publications about abuse in the Orthodox community. Dr. Michael J. Salamon’s Abuse in the Jew­ ish Community is another important contribution that ¡1

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will effect lasting change. Dr. Salamon is a psychologist Michael j . Salamon Ph,D» whose experience treating members of the Orthodox community in the Greater New York area offers him important insight into the extent and nature of the problems of abuse in our midst. He is at his best when describing the different ways abusers and their victims react, the need for training in recognizing and responding to abuse, and the treatments that do and don’t work. He is certainly correct that our community is progressing through an educational path on these issues that is not yet complete. However, Dr. Salamon steps out of his comfort zone, per­ haps too far, when addressing historical, philosophical and halachic issues.

Still, this book takes an important stride in educating our leaders and com­ munity members on how to prevent and properly respond to abuse.

R abbi Gil Student w rites frequently on Jewish issues and blogs a t TorahMusings.com.

world of childhood. With its upbeat, colorful illustrations and rhyming narration that naturally appeals to children, the book resembles other chil­ dren’s books that are strictly recreational. At the same timej Let's Stay Safe covers just about every known danger that our children may face.

The safety lessons ad­ dressed include wearing helmets, tak­ ing precautions to avoid fires, reacting when lost, et cetera. Several pages are dedicated to the very disheartening and complicated issue of sexual mo­ lestation. The author effectively im­ parts the numerous and often confusing aspects involved in molesta­ tion, such as the privacy of one’s body, and not keeping secrets or taking bribes. Regrettably, the author does not mention threats that such predators often make.

The artistic portrayal of the “preda­ tor” is rather interesting and probably reflects the author’s—in fact, the nearly universal—discomfort with the reality.

The predator is depicted as a tall ado­ lescent with a thick head of blond hair.

Were it not for the large black yarmulke on his head, he would look like a secular or gentile youth. My hunch is that while the author wants children to know that such insidious charac­ ters can be found within the community, out­ wardly appearing like any other frum Jew, she wants to avoid impugning every clearly distinguish­ able Orthodox Jew, the vast of whom are law-abiding, decent individuals.

I wonder, however, if the predator’s “mixed” appearance fails to adequately convey a very critical message: preda­ tors can be indistinguishable from a rebbi, camp counselor, neighbor and the like. Perhaps it would have been more effective had the predator been made to resemble a more typical-look­ ing Orthodox adult. So as not to in­ criminate every religious Jew, the book could have been interspersed with many similar-looking “good” Orthodox characters. It would seem that Goetz struggles, as we all do, with the daunt­ ing task of conveying the complicated

message, of how to stay safe in a world that is largely, but not entirely, devoid of danger.

Unfortunately, the number of po­ tentially hazardous and life-threaten­ ing situations covered in the book is probably more than a child could ab­ sorb in one or two readings. It may be necessary to reread this book in intervals so that one’s child can ingest the information and not get overly frightened.

Regrettably, there are no openended questions in the book affording a child the opportunity to repeat the les­ sons he has just learned in his own words. Such questions could help a child process the book’s vital messages.

Additionally, an accompanying guide for parents would be useful in helping to ensure that the book’s lessons are conveyed effectively Perhaps a future edition could include a manual for par­ ents along with a coloring book with open-ended questions for children.

I commend the author and the Karasick Child Safety Initiative of Proj­ ect YES for this vital response to the sad reality that our children, even while living in very blessed times of op­ ulence and cultural acceptance, face unprecedented danger. Hopefully, the sensitivity and skills embedded in this book will help us achieve our collective goal of raising secure and successful bnei and bnot Torah.

time,” I thought I had read everything I needed in order to grasp the thought behind the halachot of Shabbat.

Then I read Dayan Grunfeld’s short, lucid, penetrating The Sabbath1

A Guide to its Understand­ ing and Observance, which defines the intimate rela­ tionship between the serenity (menuchah) of Shabbat and the halachot of the Tabernacle (Mishkari). I thought, now, finally, I have what I need to grasp the thought behind the structure of the thirty-nine forbidden labors o f Shabbat (lamed tet melachot).

With Heschel and Grunfeld under my belt, I was set.

Then I read Shimshon Dovid Pincus’ enchanting Shabbos Kodesh: Mak­ ing the Most of Shabbos, and I saw that alongside the halachically grounded spirituality of Shabbat, I needed to ad­ dress more practical issues that poten­ tially can rob the Sabbath observer of an unadulterated, spiritual observance of Shabbat. What does one do for chil­ dren on long Shabbat summer after­ noons, for example? Endlessly informed and encouraged by Pincus’m “inspiring insights into the meaning and purpose of Shabbat,’’ 1,thought, finally, I have what I need.

Then I became aware of another Hear an interview with author book, Angels at the Table: A Practical Bracha Goetz at Guide to Celebrating Shabbat, by Yvette www.ou.org/life/series/savitsky-talks/.

Alt Miller. I learned that my search for the meaning of Shabbat was still in­ A n gels a t th e Table: A P ractical complete. The truth is, how could it be G uide to C eleb ratin g Shabbat otherwise? If Shabbat is the Jew’s clos­

By Yvette Alt Miller est, steadiest, and most enticing con­ Continuum nection to the Holy One, Blessed be He, New York, 2011 and if the Holy One is infinite, then 367 pp. + vii there will never be an exhaustive phi­ losophy of, halachic deep structure of, R eview ed b y H illel Goldberg or practical guide to Shabbat. The Au­ thor of Shabbat is infinite; the blessing fter I read Abraham Joshua Hesof Shabbat is endless in its meaning in chel’s beautifully written and spiri­ every age. tually penetrating The Sabbath, with its Miller’s Angels at the Table brings elaboration of Shabbat as a “palace in Shabbat observance into contemporary times by addressing questions that Heschel, Grunfeld and even Pincus did Rabbi H illel Goldberg ; executive editor o f the not dream of. For example: You are sin­ Intermountain Jewish News, is a contribut­ ing editor of Jewish Action. gle and live in an apartment. Or you are

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a ba’al teshuvah. The palace in time finds you without family, a major framework for living the Divine gift of Shabbat.

How do you access the deep serenity of Shabbat? This is the kind of question that Miller addresses. Her answers are anything but theoretical. She herself was single for many years; she conveys the spiritual devices that she and her friends devised to access Shabbat no less than families. Her book is, to an ex­ tent, autobiographical, openly and hon­ estly exploring both the impetus and obstacles to Sabbath observance.

Miller’s book is written in part for a person just coming into Sabbath obser­ vance and in part for a person not even contemplating Sabbath observance.

Miller addresses the ba’al teshuvah and the not-yet ba’al teshuvah. Thus, she includes everything from recipes for Shabbat foods to a summary of all fiftyfour Torah portions that a not-yet Jewishly literate seeker will need to know.

Miller manages to be an upfront, straightforward advocate of Shabbat observance without being preachy. She is militant in her projection of Sabbath observance as spiritually indispensable for every Jew—marshaling arguments, countering prejudices, explaining prac­ tices easily mocked by outsiders (i.e., by her potential insiders)—and she is gen­ tle, understanding, convincing and empty of apologetics. Modesty in dress, coming late to shul, the relative merits of different zemirot—matters both major and minor that any lifetime or longtime Sabbath observer takes for granted, Miller takes seriously. Her idiom is 21st-century. No lyrics a la Heschel, no halachic precision a la Grunfeld, no mystical flights a la Pin­ cus. Just very direct, very honest, spiri­ tual sensitivity:

I remember a turningpoint vividly: a friend was visiting and she dropped her contact lens in a dark room. Now, turn­ ing on an electric light is a violation of Shabbat, but as my guest fumbled for her lens, I switched on the overhead light—the first time I had done so on Shabbat in years. This was a well-mean­ ing gesture, but as my handflipped the switch, I felt as if I was wrecking someSu m m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

JE W ISH A CTIO N

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thing precious and rare with it For keeping Shabbat is a deliberate decision we make: once it is shattered it can only be put back together again through our own concentration and resolve. Shabbat is in essence a magical, transformative experience, and if you do not imbue it with transformative meaning, you can­ not fully accept its magic. The Torah teaches us that on Shabbat every Jew acquires an additional soul; in the years that I did not fully observe Shabbat, I felt that I never opened myself to fully accept that special Shabbat spirit, and felt unaccustomedly alone.

It would be a bit arrogant for a reg­ ular Shabbat observer to dismiss Miller’s book, it is for the ba’al teshuvah, not for me. Her book is for the ba’al teshuvah; but, like any genuine ex­ ploration of Shabbat, her book contains tremendous value for anyone seeking to grow in his or her Shabbat obser­ vance. Her approach is refreshing, her angels at the table almost palpable.

A T im eless P eop le

By Saul Landa Gefen Publishing House Jerusalem, 2011 360 pages Reviewed by Binyamin Ehrenkranz

n the twelfth century, a Spanish trav­ eler known as Binyamin of Tudela set out on a thirteen-year tour of Jewish communities across Eu­ rope and the Middle East. He would later cat­ alogue his sojourns in what would become a fa­ mous work—beyond which we know nothing of its author—disclosing vivid descriptions of Jews and their lifestyles.

His writing focused mainly on the conditions of each community, dis­ cussing residents’ occupations, schools and hundreds of local leaders whom he had met. What this celebrated, myste­ rious writer did not know, however,

I

Binyamin Ehrenkranz is a copy editorfor Jewish Action and serves on its Editorial Committee.

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was that his Massa’ot shel Rabbi Binyamin (Travels o f Rabbi Benjamin) would anticipate another, perhaps equally engaging and certainly more il­ lustrative work close to eight and a half centuries later: A Timeless People.

Saul Landa, a professor of den­ tistry at the University of Pennsylva­ nia, had for some years moonlighted as a photojournalist for Jewish news­ papers. In 2006, after attending the OU’s first Emerging Jewish Commu­ nities Fair in New York, Landa came up with the idea to take his camera on the road. Over the next four years he explored eighteen communities across four regions of the United States, a tour from which emerged this bold photo essay collection.

A rollicking Purim in bucolic Ban­ gor, Maine, a Chanukah wedding in postcard-scenic Denver, a bar mitzvah alongside a Lag B’Omer bonfire in Minneapolis—each community is usu­ ally introduced in the context in which Landa’s arrival transpired. Then he gets to work, recounting nuggets of local history and the enduring hall­ marks of each community’s culture.

The book is richest, though, in its radi­ ant and lively snapshots of Jewish life in action in places where many readers may not even have imagined existed.

Besides registeringhis personal ob­ servations and itinerary of celebra­ tions, Landa also tells winsome stories gleaned from interviewing local elders, historians and community leaders/ drawing the curtains for read­ ers to press their noses against a wide window onto the past and present of each locale.

And the lilt in his cross-coun­ try steps and memories rever­ berates as longtime residents and builders exude confidence about their respective commu­ nities’ future.

Phoenix’s rabbi and rebbetzin of nearly five decades, Rabbi David and Odette Rebibo, reflect heartily on their commu­ nity’s progress. When they first arrived, a minyan on Shabbat was hard to come by. Today there’s a day school^ multiple shuls, six kosher restaurants, three mikvaot and even a kollel.

Two years after Hurricane Katrina washed away the entire infrastructure

of Jewish life in New Orleans, the com­ munity’s Jewish historian received a call from a rabbinic candidate, Rabbi Uri Topolosky. “Well, I said we have no shul,” recalls Irwin Lachoff. “We have no Torahs, we have nothing, and we’re probably not going to make it, but if you want to come down, okay. He did, and he took [the position]! The rabbi was our gift—our survival.’# ' The book excels in revealing the personal nature of communities and their beginnings, so much so that the amount of text may occasionally over­ whelm the reader’s eye, given its cof­ fee-table-book size. Unfortunately, the volume most likely cannot serve as an authoritative historical reference. In the entries on a few communities I am familiar with alone, I discovered sev­ eral factual errors. (The book records the merging of two New York schools as happening in 1912, when it actually took place three years later. A woman whose family I know is reported to have been born in the community about which she’s interviewed, but she actually moved there when she was nineteen.) The author might also have considered focusing some of his efforts more on the historical development of community day schools, whose begin­ nings and founders in many instances are often not even alluded to.

Nonetheless, perhaps the book’s most important contribution is its reprinting in stunning quality histori­ cal photos and documents relating to each community’s founding and founders, and the interviewing of pio­ neers who still remember them.

Ninety-seven-year-old Lillian Radin­ sky, recalling nascent communal life in Seattle, says: “We had Brenner Broth­ ers Bakery and Ziegman, the butcher.

Before every Yom Kippur, I was sent to choose a live chicken, feel it for its fat, and stand on line to have it slaugh­ tered. I can still recall watching so many chickens running around the sawdust-covered wooden floors with­ out their heads!”

Leadership figures also loom large along the way. After a visit to Milwau­ kee and its chief rabbi and son, Rabbis Michel and Benzion Twerski, Landa can’t help but be wistful upon leaving.

“When I was sitting at Reb Michel’s tisch [rebbe’s table] and listening to him

softly singing, I realized that there is royalty here in Milwaukee. Not the kind of royalty that is separated from the people, but one intertwined with every Jewish soul.”

While it may not be a precise his­ torical reference, A Timeless People's blend of charming anecdotes, superb photography and engaging back­ ground on American communities of many kinds makes it a resource on modern American Jewry unlike any other available.

Hear an interview with Saul Landa about his book at www.ou.org/life/series/savitsky-talks/.

S even Step s to “M en tsch h o o d ”— H o w to H elp y o u r Child B ecom e a M entsch: A n In tera ctiv e G uide fo r P aren ts

By Stanley H. Fischman Penina Press Jerusalem, 2012 144 pages Reviewed by YaakovBieler ne of the uni­ versally ac­ knowledged goals of Jewish educa­ tion, in addition to acquainting students with the funda­ mentals of Judaism, deepening their sense of faith and commitment to reli­ gious life, equipping them with the skills that will allow them to become life-long learners and preparing them to continue their Jewish and secular educations is the development of exem­ plary character traits, often repre­ sented by the Yiddish term “Mentschlichkeit,” or in Stanley Fischman’s more Americanized form, “Mentschhood” One would have hoped that serious engagement with Tanach, Talmud, halachah and hashkafah over the course of twelve-plus years of syna­ gogue attendance, day school educa­ tion, and youth group and summer camp participation would virtually

O

R abbi Yaakov Bieler is the rabbi o f the Kem p M ill Synagogue in Silver Spring Maryland.

H e has lectured and w ritten extensively on the philosophy o f Jewish education and worked in day schools fo r over thirty years.

guarantee a young person’s character refinement. Unfortunately, at least an­ ecdotal evidence does not seem to bear this out. Therefore, volumes like Seven Steps to “Mentschood”have been ea­ gerly sought out by parents and teach­ ers in search of orderly, cogent approaches for improving their chil­ dren’s and students’ middot.

Fischman, a Jewish educator for four decades who is currently the di­ rector of general studies at Ben Porat Yosef in Paramus, New Jersey, bases his book on conversations between parents and children regardingbehaviors ob­ served and engaged in primarily within the school context. The steps them­ selves are structured along the lines of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair’s program for spiritual development outlined in Avodah Zara 20b, which in turn serves as the basis of Ramchal’s mussar classic Mesilat Yesharim. The seven steps are arranged sequentially, from the easiest to the most difficult, each level keyed upon a phrase drawn from Tanach: 1. /You shall love your fellow man as yourself’ (Vayikra 19:18); V^You shall not hate your brother in your heart” (ibid. 17); 3. “And you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind” (ibid. 14);A “Open your hand to your brother, to your poor and to the needy in your land” (Devarim 15:11); 5. 'You shall do what is right and good in the eyes of Hashem” (ibid. 6:18); 6. “The Ways of the Torah are ways of pleasant­ ness and all its pathways are peace” (Mishlei 3:17); 7. 'You shall be holy” (Vayikra 19:2).

The author not only expects a fam­ ily to discuss each step (i.e., the Torah interpretations associated with each stage along with relevant mitzvot, anec­ dotes, poems and parallel passages from Pirkei Avot), but also to discuss behaviors in school that either conform or do not conform to the various steps.

By calling attention to each step’s realworld (the author emphasizes that for children, school constitutes their “real world”) manifestations, parents and children are afforded the opportunity to reflect upon concrete applications that can either be reinforced or cri­ tiqued in a practical manner.

Fischman’s book is commendable in terms of setting forth an organized, ra­ tional middot program that every family

should be able to incorporate in its dayto-day activities, provided, of course, that it is motivated to do so. I wonder if at least a part of the challenge for im­ plementing such an approach will be what so many educators encounter with respect to parental involvement i.e., that specifically those children who are often most in need of their parents’ active participation in the educational process are the ones who are not af­ forded it due to their parents’ limited time, their feelings of inadequacy with respect to their own educations, family and work challenges, et cetera.

Furthermore, the author empha­ sizes how important parents’ modeling exemplary middot and behavior is for their offspring’s character develop­ ment. While children are captive audi­ ences vis-a-vis their parents and schools, and can be required to engage in all sorts of projects and activities, the adults in these contexts are free agents, setting their own agendas with respect to their interests, priorities and behav­ iors. Fischman does not discuss or present any sort of plan whereby par­ ents and teachers will also be able to engage in their own character develop­ ment and refinement as part of an over­ all program that will not only help their children and students, but also ulti­ mately themselves.

Finally, the subtitle “How to Help Your Child Become a Mentsch” is slightly misleading. While the author certainly presents a sophisticated, com­ prehensive and well-thought-out ap­ proach to middot development, the volume is clearly geared to the elemen­ tary school student. Right at the outset, the author states, “[The program] was developed in fourth-grade classrooms over a period of about ten years.” While younger children are certainly impres­ sionable and excessively delaying try­ ing to positively influence their character development would not be ideal, an effective program has to ex­ tend throughout the school years and beyond in order to address a child’s changing needs, developmental stages, identity crises and the like. I would hope that Seven Steps to “Mentschood” will spawn additional volumes that will reflect how a middot refinement pro­ gram is an important lifetime undertak­ ing that should not be left to chance. ■

S u m m e r 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2 ? JE W IS H A CTIO N I 77

ReviewsInBrief Ben-G urion: A P o litical Life

The Limit o f Intellectual Freedom: The Letters o f Rav Kook

By Shimon Peres with David Landau Schocken Books New York, 2011 252 pages

By Bezalel Naor Orot, Inc. New York, 2011 395 pages

The life story of David Ben-Gurion, Is­ rael’s first prime minister, is interest­ ing enough on its own, but when told by his protégé, former Prime Minister and current President Shimon Pères, it captivates readers with its open window to Israel’s inner circle of founders. Peres’ biography of Ben-Gurion spans the latter’s life and tells of his many political battles from the perspective of a trusted younger colleague. The dizzying political mazes and the changing party names and alle­ giances demonstrate the incredible accomplishment of cre­ ating a functioning state from a squabbling group of ideologues. Ben-Gurion enierges from Peres’ tale as a man of great decision who battled or ignored opposition to take bold measures and a leader open to a variety of creative ways that would have given Palestinian Arabs independ­ ence. A reader would be forgiven for seeing Peres’ David Ben-Gurion as an artificial remake into a model for Peres’ and Yitzhak Rabin’s actions in signing the Oslo Accords.

V arieties o f J e w ish E xp erien ce

By Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein Ktav Publishing House New Jersey* 2011 334 pages When Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein speaks, people listen. In this latest col­ lection of his articles, he addresses many of the issues that rose to the fore over the past two decades and remain relevant today—sexuality, leadership, da’at Torah, spirituality, the erosion of yirat Shamayim and more. With his characteristic blend of Talmudic expertise, philosophical depth and unwavering confidence in the importance of nu­ ance, Rabbi Lichtenstein dissects each issue and shows us how to look at it properly. We learn not only what he thinks, but his methodology—how to think ourselves. His sentences are complex, but only because they carry so much meaning and precision. And his command of language and literature lends his prose the power of poetry. His careful studies speak from both his mind and his soul, reflecting not only the vast intellect of the Brisker tradition but its boundless heart as well.

Rabbi Gil Student w rites frequently on Jewish issues and blogs a t TorahMusings.com.

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Few questions represent the challenge modernity poses to religion greater than that of intellectual freedom. How far can individuals deviate from received tradition without leaving their faith communities? In a number of letters, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook traced two ap­ proaches in Talmudic and post-Talmudic literature. Rabbi Dr. Bezalel Naor translates, expands and explains these let­ ters, previously inaccessible to a wide audience due to Rav Kook’s complex literary style. According to Rav Kook, the Talmud Yerushalmi considers faith and aggadah to be sub­ ject to the same decision-making process as halachah, thus limiting acceptable dissent in the community. In contrast, the Talmud Bavli excludes aggadah from that process and allows for greater diversity of belief. Geonim are split on this subject and the Rambam and Chovot Halevavot fol­ lowed the Bavli. Despite this multiplicity of approaches, which many today will find comforting, Rav Kook posits the inviolability of certain unspecified fundamental beliefs which undergird a community’s belief system and w ithout #| which the community will collapse. ■

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Lastinglm pressions

By Ann D. Koffsky

Ah, summer. Barbeques. Sun. Long Shabbatot, beaches and blue skies. And the kids? They're in day camp, having a blast. They bounce from baseball to hockey, from arts and crafts to learning, to music, to dance... until they finally come home exhilarated and exhausted.

Of course we all know the best part of summer—no school and no homework!

But there is one critical skill that our kids have to learn, and summer is the time to learn it: they must learn to swim. It says so in the Gemara: “A father is obligated with respect to his son... to take a wife for him, and to teach him a trade. Some say he is obligated to teach him to swim” (Kiddushin 29a).

W hat a list of responsibilities!

How do we accomplish these for our children?

How do we teach them a trade?

We send them to school, and maybe college. Check.

How do we find them a spouse?

That's a little more complex, and far be­ yond the scope of this article. But maybe a shadchan can help. Check.

But whom do we turn to for the swimming skill? Who is our swim shaliach? The camp lifeguard, of course—me.

For the past ten years, I have been teaching kids to swim at Ruach Day Camp on Long Island, New York.

Since that is what I do for eight weeks every year, I have always been greatly interested in that bit of Gemara parenting advice. Why is swimming up there next to finding your child a spouse and teaching him a trade? Those are tasks that seem essential to life, but swimming? One of these things is not like the other.

Over the years, I've asked various rabbanim why swimming is included.

The answer I've often been told is that it is a lesson in safety. The baraita is telling us that we must teach our kids survival skills.

Ok, that makes sense. I’m a life­ guard after all, and we are all about

Arm D. Koffsky is an author and illustrator.

For the past decade, she has also worked at Ruach Day Camp as a teaching lifeguard.

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S u m m er 5 7 7 2 /2 0 1 2

Taking ^ Plunge safety. Swim with a buddy; no running on the deck; wear a lifejacket when going boating. But why choose swim­ ming when discussing the topic of safety? The Gemara should have men­ tioned rules for staying safe when swimming instead.

Indeed, if the baraita was really all about safety, it could have brought up so many other lessons parents should teach their kids, such as: Don't play with fire.

Don’t talk to strangers.

Always cut your bagel with the knife pointing away from yourself.

You get the idea.

So why swimming?

Usually, a child learns to swim when he is around four or five years old (ear­ lier if his bubbe has a pool in Florida). At that age, a child has just figured out how the world works. If I lift this and let go, it drops. If I trip, I will fall. If I try to dunk my head in the bathtub, Ima will yell and I will sputter and choke. Fourand five-year-olds have finally arrived at the point where the laws of nature make sense.

Then they come to the pool and these crazy lifeguards tell them that they can dunk their heads and not choke, that they can lie down on the water and they won't sink—they'll float.

Baruch Hashem these kids have manners, so they don't say what they think, which is, “Are you nuts, lady?

The world doesn’t work like that! I’m four; I've been around, and I know from bath time that except for my Ivory soap, stuff sinks in water.”

Illustration: Ann Koffsky

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So I demonstrate and cajole: “Put your face in, I'll give you a prize!” “Can you touch the floor of the pool with your hand?” “Kick your feet!”

“Move your arms!”

But however much I show and ex­ plain and bribe, the kids do not learn a thing until they want to. There is “a mo­ ment.” With four-year-olds, you can watch it fleet across their faces. They make an internal decision to try, to conquer themselves and their fears and to, literally, take the plunge and dunk. It's PirkeiAvot in action: “Eizehugibor?Hacovesh etyitzro” (4:1).

And it happens over and over, as they continue to learn new skills. Div­ ing: ‘You want me to jump headfirst into where?!” But they do it. You watch them transform into giborim before your very eyes.

Perhaps that is what the Gemara is trying to teach us as parents. If it was to just keep our kids safe, the best advice would be “Make sure your kids stay away from water.” But that is not the Gemara's approach. Perhaps the major lesson the Gemara wants us to teach our kids is to overcome fear and just get in the pool. To live life, not avoid it. Be­ cause once you get past all that fe a rswimming is really fun! It's there for us to enjoy.

May we all learn from these kids and overcome that which is holding us back in our own lives, whether it's trying to learn something new even though we fear looking ignorant, or doing chessed even if we fear failure, or reaching out to an estranged family member despite our fear of rejection. We must learn to overcome and take the plunge.

I'll see you at the pool. ■

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