Five Towns Jewish Home 11.23.23

November 23, 2023

Distributed weekly in the Five Towns, Long Island, Queens & Brooklyn

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Community 80 57,600 Ameins at Chabad Challah Bake

74 An Attitude of Gratitude

52 Local Schools Rally for Israel

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Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

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Dear Readers,

S

o many of us have been grappling with a confluence of diverse emotions over the past few weeks. On the one hand, our hearts are heavy as we think about what is taking place in Israel – the countless funerals and bloodshed, the families displaced from their homes, the painful recovery that so many are enduring, the fear and bravery emanating from our precious soldiers heading into enemy territory.

And yet, we are awed and inspired by the deep-rooted faith that our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land exhibit – the emunah that they demonstrate is so powerful and visceral; their love for their Creator is so potent and unshakeable.

This week, when I heard of the ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, I put my emotions on pause because I didn’t know what I should be feeling. Should I be happy that 50 mothers and children will finally be able to come home? Or should I mourn for the 200 others who are still stuck in darkened tunnels under the venomous gazes of sadistic terrorists? How can I be happy when there are still so many removed from us?

But how can I not rejoice when 50 beautiful women and children will finally be reunited with their loved ones?

I reminded myself that in Yiddishkeit,

we are shown that we can process divergent emotions simultaneously. When we bring our children to build a new life under the chuppah, there is so much happiness and joy. And yet, within that most euphoric moment, we are told to remember and mourn for the Beis Hamikdash for which we still yearn. In one moment, we can feel two different emotions.

And that’s what we’ve been doing these past few weeks. We’ve been in pain, and yet we’ve been uplifted. And this week, when we will, IY”H, see the faces of some of our brothers and sisters finally seeing the sunlight after almost 50 days in captivity, we will rejoice and celebrate and cry with them tears of joy. And yet, as we bask in their elation and in the relief of their freedom, we will continue to cry for those who are still missing, still ache for their absence, still mourn for the fact that they aren’t with us and with the ones who love them most.

And we will continue to pray and beg and beseech the One Above, Who is the One who redeems all captives and heals all who are ill and brings comfort to all those who are in mourning.

May He bring the ultimate yeshua soon.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka, EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Rachel Bergida Shana Brecher Lani White Design & Production Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857 Classified Deadline: Monday 5:00PM classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 PAYMENT VIA CREDIT CARD MUST BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH CLASSIFIED ADS The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine.

Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | November 24 – November 30

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Candle Lighting: 4:13 pm Shabbos Ends: 5:15 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 5:43 pm

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Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

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Community Happenings

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NEWS Global

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National

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That’s Odd

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ISRAEL

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Israel News

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My Israel Home

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We Are Not Alone by Annie Schneider 103

We Support and We Hold Responsible by Rabbi Moshe Hauer

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JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

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We Can by Rav Moshe Weinberger

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The Five Stages of Faith by Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

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Leah’s Thanksgiving by Rabbi Benny Berlin

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Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

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Headlines and Halacha by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

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PEOPLE Inspiration Nation

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Rebuilding the Jewish Nation One Baby at a Time by Malkie Schulman

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Coast Guard Heroes by Avi Heiligman

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HEALTH & FITNESS Our Body’s Natural Detox by Tehila Soskel, RDN, CDN

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FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Deep-Fried Oreos

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Our Trip To Spain by Country Yossi Toiv

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LIFESTYLES

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FOMO by Barbara Deutsch

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Dating Dialogue, Moderated

by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

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Parenting Pearls

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School of Thought

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JWOW!

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Mind Your Business

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Your Money

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DNA by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

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HUMOR Centerfold

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POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

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The Hate That Doesn’t Know Its Own Name by Bret Stephens

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Photos by Al-Shifa Hospital Should Renew Outrage against Hamas

by Kathleen Parker

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CLASSIFIEDS

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Dear Editor, Thank you for publishing and highlighting the tremendous kiddush Hashem that took place at the rally in Washington last week.

At this time, when acheinu bais Yisroel are in danger in Israel and even around the world it is important to publicize and praise everything that is being done to help the Jewish people. Everyone wants to help and by letting us know what initiatives are taking place, people are encouraged to join in those efforts where their talents and abilities are best suited.

Daven more. Learn more.

If they don’t already, demand that your shul say Tehillim and a Mi She’bereich for the chayalim every day after davening. Say one for the hostages as well.

Petitions — tinyurl.com/PetitionHelpIsrael Urge Congress to Stand with Israel and provide military aid.

Demand that media outlets present truly unbiased coverage of the war.

Demand from the Red Cross to visit the hostages in Gaza.

Condemn the UN and all their antisemitic organizations for constantly singling out Israel for condemnation. *Volunteer Opportunities* — tinyurl. com/HelpIsraelVoluntr Pack up essential gear and aid at donation centers.

Write letters to grieving families.

Write letters to the families of the hostages.

Write letters to IDF soldiers.

Donate. Donate. Donate.

On October 7th and in the following days, many good-hearted people and national leaders expressed their horror at those events with moral clarity. But in many speeches, we could already detect

that the support was in danger of being eroded if Israel’s response would lead to what they called civilian casualties. Israel is a moral nation with the most moral army in the world. We know that. But the politicians can be influenced when they see the vitriol that is spewed by Jew haters all over the world, on the streets and in the universities.

Our supporters need to know that we stand behind them. They need our support to stay the course in their support of Israel. Even people of good conscience need chizuk. If we don’t show our support, why should they? Hopefully, Hashem will give the administration the courage to continue to support Israel. The rally in Washington was our hishtadlus to give them that chizuk.

This horrible attack has led to an achuds in the Jewish people that was sorely needed. (Please G-d it continues.)

People who you never would have expected to come out in support of Israel have joined the cause. This rally in Washington brought us all together at one place so that we could all literally see each other as one nation.

The rally was peaceful with no violence of any sort. No hate-filled rhetoric and no offensive language. A true kiddush Hashem. Let us not underestimate the value of kiddush Hashem.

The majority of Jews in America are not Orthodox, and yet the organizers of the rally went to great lengths to make the Orthodox world comfortable in attending.

There were no female singers. No female rabbis giving speeches. The organizers should be thanked for accommodating our parochial needs. You can thank them at info@jewishfederations.org.

Continued on page 10

Do you generally have the same menu at the Friday night seudah each week?

70 30 %

Yes

%

No

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Continued from page 8

Finally, we cannot and dare not stop now. Israel will need our strong support in the coming weeks even more than before. Predictably, the memory of October 7th is fading from the public consciousness. The media’s penchant for depicting Israel as the aggressor is resurfacing. We are seeing it already and it will intensify.

We must continue to let our public officials know that we support Israel, and we expect their support as well. Call their offices. Write them letters.

I would ask The Jewish Home to publish the names, numbers and email addresses of all public officials in the tristate area and of other relevant public figures in Washington every week in the paper. It would be a tremendous public service to our community.

Am Yisroel chai.

Yaacov Krausz Dear Editor, We are very fortunate that our local Lawrence and Oceanside Costcos feature MANY kosher products including but not limited to: a kosher bakery (products are OK-D when labeled), Empire kosher poultry, some Teva kosher meats, kosher cheeses, fish, and many other kosher seasonal items and more. While I thought it

was informative to have a variety of snippets about Costco in The Jewish Home this past week, there was something missing. Did you know that there is a Kosher Costco Facebook group? It was started by Chava Glaser in 2015 and is moderated by her and Blimi Solash, both residents of Far Rockaway and the Five Towns Community.

This group has enabled members to learn about kosher food available at Costco, specials at Costco, and of course the ability to connect with other kosher consumers worldwide. As of today, there are more than 65,000 members in the group and these members live around the globe with the majority located in the Greater NY Metro area. From time to time, admin Blimi Solash will run giveaways sponsored by vendors including but not limited to: Empire, Soupergirl, Abeles & Heymann, and more.

About the Group: Welcome to Kosher Costco! The place that will keep you informed what is kosher and available in Costco. We follow all the hechsherim that the CrC allows. All other sheilahs are asked to Rabbi Yair Hoffman and Rabbi Yaakov Feitman of the Vaad of the Five Towns.

Link to the Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ groups/900923616667314 Perhaps you’d like to feature an article about this one day?

Happy Costco shopping! And if you want an Empire kosher turkey before Thanksgiving, make sure to buy one before it’s sold out!

Rebecca Penina Simon Cedarhurst, NY Proud member of Kosher Costco Facebook Group and friend of Blimi Solash Dear Editor, According to the Israel Ministry of Finance, the war is costing 260 million dollars per day, equal to almost 8 billion dollars per month or 100 billion dollars per year. People wring their hands as to who will pay for this. There is an answer.

The leftist Israeli governments previously and foolishly gave the PA a large gas field off the coast of Gaza. The gas field and its revenues brought riches to Hamas who took over from the PA. The gas field now belongs to Israel since Hamas no longer will exist. Under Section 311 of the US Patriot Act, banks in Qatar and elsewhere funneled billions of dollars to Hamas and will certainly be heavily fined for billions in the U.S. courts for feeding money into terrorist groups. News agencies that allegedly had prior knowledge of the Hamas attack will be sued for billions. The Guardian newspaper reported that the Hamas leaders had absconded with billions of dollars. This money will also be recovered. Finally, it is hoped that the Biden Administration will redirect the 6 billion dollars he was ready to transfer from Korea to Iran to redirect the funds to Israel to pay for the damage the Iran proxy Hamas caused. More important is that the Land of Gaza will once again be part of Eretz Yisrael.

Rav Chaim Braverman Givat Zeev (formerly from Los Angeles) North Judean Hills Eretz Yisrael Dear Editor, A few weeks ago, someone gave me a box of fancy chocolates. I tried one and didn’t particularly like it. I then tried a different chocolate, which was delectable.

Then, I recalled the famous line from the movie Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” I realized that the message is more than expecting and dealing with surprises, both pleasant and miserable. After biting into the untasteful

chocolate, I didn’t throw out the whole box. I chose a different chocolate.

Indeed, life really is like a box of chocolates. When your day doesn’t go the way that you planned or when the attempt at solving some of your biggest problems and challenges doesn’t work the way that you planned, do you give up completely?

If you do, think of the box of chocolates.

There are others still in the big box of life. You’re not completely stuck. You just have to choose a different chocolate to solve your problem!

Daniel Feldman Dear Editor, The pasuk (Genesis 29:7) says that Yaakov comments to the shepherds at the well, “But it is still the middle of the day.

It is not yet time to bring the livestock together. Why not water the sheep and go on grazing?” The Sforno notes that Yaakov abhorred the idea that the shepherds were idling and wasting even an iota of time when they should have been working for their employer. Not only did Yaakov sleeplessly learn for fourteen years but he would go on to faithfully work for Lavan, not idling a moment. The Rambam gives Yaakov the title of tzaddik for this behavior. This strength might have been passed onto Yosef “HaTzaddik,” who was able to manage the physical world with ethical boundaries.

Steven Genack Dear Editor, As proud hosts to visiting guests in our empty nests, we warmly welcome all who grace our homes with their presence. We want to express our heartfelt appreciation for the joy and camaraderie shared during these moments. While we thoroughly enjoy the company, we kindly request that our guests leave the “nest” as clean and cozy as they found it. Your conscientious efforts in maintaining the tidiness of our spaces are genuinely valued. Let’s ensure that our nests remain havens of warmth and hospitality for all who pass through, free from dirty diapers, bottles, and general refuse. Together, we can continue to create cherished memories in spaces that radiate the same comfort and cleanliness we all appreciate.

Sincerely yours, The original Birdies

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The Week In News

Argentina’s New President

Javier Milei was declared the winner of the presidential election in Argentina on Sunday, after he won 56% of the vote, thus beating out his main rival, Economy Minister and former mayor Sergio Massa, who won only 44%.

“Today, the reconstruction of Argentina begins… It’s the end of Argentine decadence,” Milei said in his victory speech. He went on to call the election outcome “the miracle of electing a liberal, libertarian president.”

Massa quickly conceded and sent his best wishes to the winner of the election. In his speech, Massa told his audience that he would be retiring from politics. Massa, 51, had come under fire for having been part of the administration of President Alberto Fernández, under whom the country experienced the worst economic conditions it had seen in years. Although significant state funding was used to endorse Massa, Milei won the election by campaigning on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Milei, a fifty-three-year-old economist and former band leader, is known for his libertarian, conservative, “anarcho-capitalist” ideals. For instance, he is against abortion and has asserted that climate change is a natural phenomenon. During his campaign, he suggested that he would replace the Argentine peso, which has lost most of its value amid 143% inflation, with the U.S. dollar as the country’s national currency, and would eliminate the central bank. Additionally, he spoke of the idea of establishing an official preference for Argentina to do business with capitalist countries such as the United

States as opposed to communist countries like China.

“Argentina is going to reclaim the place in the world that it should never have lost,” Milei said at his victory rally on Sunday. His followers have compared him to former U.S. President Donald Trump and often wear hats bearing the words “Make Argentina Great Again.”

Milei has said he is in the process of converting to Judaism, and one of his advisors is a rabbi. Even though he has expressed interest in Jewish law, he has said that the laws of Shabbos may be too restrictive for him. Still, he is a huge supporter of Israel. He will take office on December 10.

Houthi Militants Take Over Ship

On Sunday, Yemen-based Houthis raided an internationally flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea and hijacked the vessel. The ship’s crew was taken hostage by the Iran-backed militants.

A video of the raid – which is almost four minutes long and was published by the Houthis on Monday – shows a helicopter landing on the deck of the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader.

Multiple militants armed with rifles can be seen exiting the helicopter and storming the deck, taking positions as they approach the bridge of the vessel, before entering the pilothouse and yelling at a handful of crewmembers. Additional footage shows some of the rebels operating from other locations inside the ship.

A Houthi spokesperson said on Sunday that the rebel group hijacked the ship because it was connected to Israel, and issued a warning to all ships associated with Israel that they will become “a legitimate target” for military action. The spokesperson suggested to countries with citizens working in the Red Sea that they should avoid association with Israel-affiliated ships.

The IDF said that the Galaxy Leader is not an Israeli ship; it had departed from Turkey and was on its way to

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India. The ship is owned by a British company and is operated by a Japanese firm, although it is reportedly affiliated with an Israeli billionaire.

The crew onboard the ship consisted of those of different nationalities, including Ukrainian and Mexican, but none of them are Israeli.

Israel “strongly” condemned what it asserted was an “Iranian attack.”

“This is another act of Iranian terrorism and constitutes a leap forward in Iran’s aggression against the citizens of the free world, with international consequences regarding the security of the global shipping lanes,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

It is unclear where the ship is now and where the hostages are being held.

“The Yemeni armed forces deal with the ship’s crew in accordance with the principle and values of our Islamic religion,” a Houthi spokesperson said. He added that the Houthis will continue to target Israeli assets until the country stops its war against Hamas.

The Iran-backed Houthis have involved themselves in the war in Israel by firing multiple drones and missiles at the Jewish State.

Water Crisis in Mayotte

The island of Mayotte, a French territory home to 310,000 people, is experiencing its harshest drought in over twenty-five years. The island’s water supply has been reduced to 7% capacity in one of its reservoirs and 6% in its other reservoir, forcing the local government to implement major water use limits.

The inhabitants of Mayotte only have water access for about eighteen hours every two days, but according to residents, even the insignificant amount of water they are allowed to use tends to be dirty, discolored, sediment-filled, and undrinkable.

Mayotte, which is located on the Indian Ocean in the middle of Mozambique

and Madagascar, is controlled by France, and its citizens are subject to the same laws as anyone living in France, even though the island is 5,000 miles away from the European country that colonized it in 1841. Last September, France sent 600,000 liters of bottled water to Mayotte in order to help those who need it most and took away each Mahorais’ (inhabitants of Mayotte) water bill. Additionally, soldiers and other personnel were sent to the island to keep order.

Although the island’s Regional Health Authority (ARS) found that instances in which they saw “non-compliant water” made up roughly 3% of all cases, many Mahorais claim that the issue is far worse.

The reason why the ARS found so few cases of undrinkable water, they claim, is because they only test the water after it has been running for 12 hours. After the water runs for a certain amount of time, it is drinkable, but since residents are unable to let the water run for 12 hours straight, they are stuck with undrinkable water, some residents have asserted. The organization has confirmed that they did run the water for twelve hours before testing.

The water shortage and the lack of clean water have started an acute gastro-

enteritis epidemic on the island, said Dr. Soumeth Abasse, the president of Mayotte Hospital’s medical committee.

A Blow to the Mob

Hundreds of defendants were sentenced to prison on Monday in a case that prosecutors and experts said dealt a crucial blow to the Mafia in southern Italy and showed how the mob retains deep ties to cocaine trafficking but also exerts control over the local economy and institutions through powerful politicians.

The sentences marked a blow to the criminal syndicate known as ‘Ndrangheta, by imprisoning leading members of the Mancuso crime family, a group based in the southern Italian city of Vibo Valentia that prosecutors say has strong links to criminal organizations in the United

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ly notorious Sicilian and southern Italian crime families goes back decades and has severely depleted their power and influence.

The ‘Ndrangheta, once considered just a group of rural gangs based in Calabria, has grown to control much of Europe’s cocaine trade and has emerged as one of Europe’s most feared criminal organizations. Prosecutors say it has deep connections globally, including ties to South American drug lords and associates in about 50 countries. (© The New York Times)

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The Fastest Internet

States and elsewhere.

But they also showed how powerful the mobsters had gotten, steering local politics, local governments, and even a former member of Italy’s Parliament.

Giancarlo Pittelli, who served in Parliament and was the regional coordinator of the center-right Forza Italia party when it was led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, was found guilty of abetting the ‘Ndrangheta from the outside and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The case also resulted in prison sentences for a lieutenant in the Carabinieri, Italy’s military police force, and an official with the local finance police, as well as a former regional councilor and a former member of the Democratic Party’s national assembly.

The reading of the sentences of the more than 330 defendants lasted more than an hour, and covered crimes ranging from extortion to money laundering, corruption, usury, murder and involvement

in a criminal organization.

But the trial also resulted in the acquittals of some members of local institutions, including a mayor, another former regional council member, and some local police officials.

The case began more than three years ago, when police raids against the Calabrian Mafia and their associates led to the arrests of more than 330 people in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Bulgaria.

The crackdown on the international-

China says that it has started to roll out what it’s calling the world’s most advanced internet network, which promises to operate several times faster than current networks.

The network – which can travel at about 1.2 terabits (or 1,200 gigabits) each second – is fast enough to transfer data from 150 movies in one second, according to Chinese tech manufacturer Huawei.

Those super-fast speeds won’t be available in people’s homes for now.

Still, a more robust, faster internet service has broad implications for businesses, faster information transfers, stock trading advantages and other national security implications.

In a press conference this week, Huawei and China Mobile officially launched the country’s next-generation backbone network, in partnership with Beijing’s Tsinghua University and Cernet, an education and research network funded by the Chinese government. A backbone network is network infrastructure that moves internet traffic to different geographic locations and can support hungry-data transfers from technologies such as 5G and electric vehicles.

The new network runs on 1,800 miles of optic fiber cables between Beijing and the south. The network underwent tests this summer and is launching about two years ahead of forecasts.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the development of the backbone network will establish the country as “a cyber power” and “accelerate the promotion of core Internet technologies.”

India Tunnel Rescue Effort

Forty construction workers became trapped beneath a partly collapsed highway tunnel which they were in the process of constructing on Sunday, November 13 in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Food and water are being provided to these men, but some of them have become sick, with a few having vomited and some experiencing migraines.

As of now, there are several rescue plans under consideration to rescue these men, including the building of escape

tunnels to the left and right of the collapsed structure or drilling from the hill above the collapsed tunnel.

Those involved in the rescue efforts must be cautious when drilling since the terrain is fragile and there is a risk of more debris coming down. Last Thursday, the team was given access to a powerful drilling machine, but they are now beginning to implement a “pause-and-go approach to maintain the equilibrium,” said Anshu Manish Khalkho, the director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), a highway company owned by the Indian government.

Indian authorities have requested help from the Norwegian and Thai teams who, in 2018, rescued twelve boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave.

Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) has announced that although, as of now, none of its members are helping in the rescue effort in India, its affiliate, Indian Railways, is involved and on the scene.

The trapped construction workers are 196 feet away from the rescuers, and thus far, rescue pipes have drilled approximately 82 feet into the tunnel, said Khalkho.

“It may look easy from the outside,

but on-site we have to factor in the effects of the drilling vibrations on the fragile terrain,” he added.

According to reports, on Friday, six days after the collapse, the drilling machine stopped working. Khalkho has said that a replacement machine will be delivered via air from Indore city, which is in Madhya Pradesh, India.

On Tuesday, authorities managed to provide those underground with hot meals of rice and lentils that they sent to the men through a newly installed steel pipe. Prior to Tuesday, the workers survived off of dry food sent through a narrower pipe. Oxygen is being supplied to them through a separate pipe.

New Liberian President George Weah, the president of Liberia, has lost a run-off election, as his rival, former vice president Joseph Boakai, won 51% of the vote. The run-off began when fifty-seven-year-old Weah won only 7,000 votes more than seventy-eightyear-old Boakai in a poll last month, making it that the incumbent failed to reach

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the 50% victory needed to avoid a run-off election.

“The results announced tonight, though not final, indicate that Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass. Therefore, a few minutes ago, I spoke with President-elect Joseph N. Boakai to congratulate him on his victory,” Weah announced during his concession speech. “Tonight, as we acknowledge the results, let us also recognize that the true winners of these elections are the people of Liberia.”

Weah became president of the West African country of Liberia in 2018 and will have to leave the position in January after failing to secure a second sixyear term. A famous soccer player in his younger years, Weah has been at the center of corruption accusations throughout his six years in office.

Weah was given praise for his quick

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bing the eyes, nose or mouth. Vaccination is highly effective at stopping the spread of measles and preventing people from getting sick if exposed to the virus.

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The report found that slightly more people were vaccinated against measles in 2022 than the year prior but that nearly 33 million children still missed a dose of the vaccine. Worldwide, 74% of people were fully vaccinated, meaning they had received two doses. Low-income countries had the lowest vaccination rates, with only 66% of children receiving their first dose, and the highest risk of death from measles. Countries in Africa and Southeast Asia had particularly low coverage.

Most of the cases and deaths in 2022 occurred in children, who are at risk for severe complications from the disease, including pneumonia and brain swelling.

More commonly, measles leads to fevers, rashes and coughs.

Large or disruptive outbreaks of the disease also became more widespread in 2022. Thirty-seven countries experienced such outbreaks that year, compared to 22 countries in 2021.

The rise in cases is likely a legacy of the pandemic, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Vaccinations against many diseases, including measles, were “pushed off to the wayside” as people focused on Covid, he said. (© The New York Times)

and painless concession to Boakai, considering how Liberia has a history of unpeaceful transfers of power, civil wars, and assassinations.

“He [Weah] has defied the stereotype that peaceful transitions of power are untenable in West Africa,” said Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, praising the outgoing president for his “sterling example, undiluted patriotism, and statesmanship.”

Measles Cases on the Rise Measles cases worldwide rose 18% and deaths increased by more than 40% from 2021 to 2022 as countries struggled to get routine vaccinations back on track after the pandemic, according to a new report from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention.

The report captures the continued burden of measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2022, there were an estimated 9 million measles cases and 136,000 deaths, according to the report.

The disease spreads when infected people cough or sneeze; someone can get infected by breathing in the virus, which can linger in the air for hours, or by touching a contaminated surface and then rub-

Cpl. Noa Marciano, HY”D The Israel Defense Forces has announced that nineteen-year-old Cpl. Noa Marciano, one of the 240 people who were abducted by Hamas, was killed

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will likely go on to southern Gaza at some point in the future. Since the ground attack began, at least sixty-eight Israeli soldiers have been killed in the fighting.

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On Sunday, the IDF publicized a video of Hamas terrorists taking a kidnapped Nepali and Thai citizen to Shifa Hospital. In the video, hospital personnel and doctors watch the kidnappings. Further footage of Hamas’ tunnels and bunkers located beneath the hospital have also been released. These videos substantiate Israel’s claim that Hamas shields itself with civilians and sets up its operations beneath hospitals and other sensitive civilian locations.

“These findings prove that the Hamas terror organization used Shifa Hospital on the day of the massacre itself as terror infrastructure,” the Israeli army said, adding that it informed the “relevant authorities” of the videos.

IDF Unit 504 is Back

by the terrorist organization after they brought her to Shifa Hospital. Hamas has falsely claimed that Cpl. Marciano died as a result of one of Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza.

“Noa was kidnapped [and brought] to an apartment next to Shifa Hospital. During the IDF airstrikes in Gaza, a Hamas terrorist who was holding her was killed,” said Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the spokesman for the IDF. “The pathol-

ogy report states that Noa was injured by the strike, but not in a life-threatening manner, and this is contrary to the lies published by Hamas according to which Noa was killed by IDF strikes.

“According to intelligence information, Noa was taken inside the walls of Shifa Hospital, where she was murdered by a Hamas terrorist,” he said.

This news comes nearly fifty days after October 7th, the day when Hamas

invaded southern Israel and murdered more than 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians. Since then, Israel has been waging war in Gaza and is set on destroying the terrorist organization that orchestrated the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust on Simchas Torah morning. The IDF has been striking terrorist infrastructure in Gaza and has also launched a ground offensive in northern areas of the Strip. The Israeli military

After a decade absent from Israel’s southern border, IDF Unit 504, the human spying counterpart to the Mossad, is back and is playing an enormous role in exposing how Hamas shields itself with its civilians.

The unit has interrogated several Palestinian civilians since October 7. One of the interrogated Palestinians said that terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad had “camouflaged” themselves in Shifa Hospital by wearing the clothing of medical personnel. The Palestinian witness added that he had seen at least eighty to one hundred Hamas members stationed in the hospital and that the terrorists often used the emergency room for terrorist operations. A second Palestinian, who

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has been identified as Hamdoah Riad Assad Samlah, testified to Unit 504 that Hamas is, similarly, shielding itself with the 50,000 Palestinians in the Palestine Red Crescent Society building located in Gaza. Anyone there who goes against the Hamas terrorists will be murdered, Samlah said, adding that the terror group has hidden rockets from the Israeli army underneath blankets belonging to civilians.

Before the Israel-Hamas War began on October 7, Unit 504 was mostly involved in Lebanon, Syria, and in some other Arab countries. Since the war started, the unit has doubled in size, and it now has a physical base of operations.

Over 500 terrorists have been apprehended and questioned by the unit since the October 7 massacre, the IDF said.

“The information that came out of questioning such prisoners has had tremendous value, led to eliminating other terrorists, and to enhancing the security of our forces,” a top Unit 504 official said, adding that they have gotten calls from thousands of Gazans who want to help overthrow Hamas, which is “an order of magnitude that we had never seen before. It seems that the residents of Gaza are unhappy with the barbaric conduct of Hamas.”

Unit 504 has also been involved in the effort to evacuate Palestinian civilians, and it has sent over 10 million texts and nine million recordings to residents, as well as 30,000 phone calls made to those who need to flee, urging them to leave town. At one point, Hamas stationed troops in key areas to prevent citizens from escaping the areas in need of evacuation. The IDF has gotten rid of those forces since, the Israeli military announced.

Hamas Chief Killed in Lebanon

Khalil Harraz, deputy commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades in Lebanon, the military wing of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli strike this week along with three other senior figures in the terrorist organization.

Hezbollah terrorists and Israeli forces had exchanged fire across the border throughout Tuesday, with the IDF striking multiple targets of the terrorist group in southern Lebanon.

In the afternoon, three rocket barrages were fired toward northern Israel within the span of five minutes. The IDF said that “a number of launches were identified from Lebanon toward Israeli territory” and that IDF soldiers were “striking the sources of the fire with artillery, mortars and tanks.”

In the morning hours, an anti-tank missile directly hit a house in the northern border community of Metula. There were no casualties. The IDF responded with fire toward the shooting sources and attacked targets in Lebanon.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the launch, stating it was done “as part of the support for our people in the Gaza Strip and in response to Israel’s attack on homes in southern Lebanon.”

Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out a series of strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including three anti-tank missile squads in response to the anti-tank missile strike on Metula and two other rocket attacks.

A Hit to the Economy

The war in Israel has been costing the economy an estimated NIS 2.3 million ($600 million) a week due to the thousands of workers who are missing from their jobs as they join in the war effort.

Those numbers are equal to 6 percent of the weekly GDP, according to a research report released by the Bank of Israel on Thursday.

In the report, the central bank’s research department analyzed the weekly cost of the drop in labor supply in the first three weeks of the war, which broke out on October 7. The absence of employees at their workplace was attributed to three factors: the massive mobilization of reserve soldiers, evacuation of residents in the south and north, and the closure of the education system, making it hard for

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parents to work and be productive.

More than 200,000 people have been displaced from communities along the southern and northern borders in the aftermath of the October 7 atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.

Additionally, the Israeli army has called up more than 300,000 reservists – many of whom work in global tech companies and other types of businesses – to join the fighting.

The complete closure of the education system during the first two weeks of the war is estimated to have led to 310,000 parents missing work, in addition to 210,000 employees who can work from home but with reduced efficiency as they are taking care of their children, the central bank said in the report. The partial opening of the education system in recent days may reduce the cost on the economy, the central bank noted.

The Bank of Israel’s analysis is focused on the calculation of the economic cost of the absence of workers in terms of labor costs and not in terms of loss of product. The central bank clarified that the calculation does not reflect the total damage and costs to the labor market and the economy resulting from a drop in demand and consumption during the war period. It does not include the cost of the many workers who were furloughed and the absence of Palestinian and foreign workers.

A Ceasefire and Some Hostages Released

Early Wednesday, the Israeli cabinet approved an agreement to secure the release of around 50 Israeli hostages who were kidnapped and taken into Gaza by Hamas during the massacre of October 7. In all, more than 240 people were abducted during the rampage. The deal this week will only bring home a handful of those who were taken by the terrorists.

The cabinet approved the agreement by a vote of 35 votes to three.

Despite expressing earlier opposition

to the agreement, Religious Zionism party voted in favor of the deal, with only members of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit faction voting against it.

According to the parameters of the deal, the hostages will be released in groups. In all, around 50 living Israeli citizens – children, mothers, and other women – will be set free over four days in exchange for a ceasefire for four days and the release of 150 teenage and female Palestinian prisoners.

The first group is supposed to be released as early as Thursday this week and will involve the release of 12-13 hostages.

The halt in fighting could be extended by one additional day for each additional group of 10 hostages freed, after which Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas in Gaza is to continue.

On Wednesday, Israel released a list of 300 Palestinian security prisoners from whom the initial 150 will be selected, and the remainder of whom could be freed if more Israeli hostages are let go.

None of the Palestinians terrorists who will be freed has been convicted of murder.

“The Israeli government is committed to bringing all the abductees home.

Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, under which at least 50 abductees – women and children – will be released over a span of four days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting,” the Israeli statement said.

“The release of every 10 additional abductees will result in an additional day of respite,” it added. “The Israeli government, the IDF and the security forces will continue the war to return all the abductees, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that Gaza does not present any further threat to the State of Israel.”

The Israeli war cabinet will decide which Palestinian prisoners to free based on those on the list. It will also determine the timing of the phases, with the exchange and the pause in fighting limited to a maximum of 10 days.

The Almagor Terror Victims Association said that it would file a petition to the High Court of Justice against the deal. In a letter to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Almagor founder Meir Indoor together with board member Dr. Aryeh Bachrach wrote that the organization believes “the same landmines and surprises in the agreement were [present] in almost every other [hostage] deal in the past.”

The High Court is expected to reject any appeals, as it did with petitions against the deal to free Gilad Shalit from

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Gaza in 2011 in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners.

A statement from Hamas claimed that “the provisions of this agreement were formulated according to the vision of the resistance and its determinants that aim to serve our people and enhance their steadfastness in the face of aggression.”

Israel also agreed to allow additional fuel into Gaza as well as significant amounts of humanitarian aid, which have been restricted due to the ongoing war.

Hamas said that, as part of the ceasefire, Israel will stop drone flights over southern Gaza and only carry them out in the north of the enclave for six hours a day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

While the terror group agreed to the deal, it still asserted that “our fingers will remain on the trigger, and our victorious fighters will remain on the lookout to defend our people and repel the occupation.”

As part of the deal, Hamas said it will release 30 children and 20 women – eight of whom are mothers of some of the children.

Israel said that although Hamas has agreed to release some women and children, there should be at least 30 other Is-

raeli women and children who should be part of the deal. It hopes that those people will be released after the initial four days of the ceasefire. Hamas is claiming it cannot track down around 10 children taken from Israel during its October 7 attack.

Hamas has said it has 210 of the about 240 hostages abducted on October 7. There are about 40 children held hostage, not all of whom are held by Hamas.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group is said to be holding many of the remaining hostages.

The agreement will see the Red Cross given access to the abductees who will remain as hostages in Gaza, including supplying them with medicine, Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.

Other governments are working on freeing their own citizens.

Hamas is refusing to release any IDF soldiers.

As part of the deal, there will be a complete pause of Israel Defense Forces operations on the ground in the Gaza Strip and an end to Israeli air operations over the territory, except in the north, where they would only halt for six hours daily.

The exchange will work as follows: first, Hamas is to hand over the hostag-

es to the Red Cross, after which they will be transferred to IDF representatives.

The hostages will then undergo an initial medical check by authorities, and then be taken to one of five isolated medical centers across Israel to meet with their families.

Medical and defense authorities will then determine together whether at least some of the hostages can be debriefed. In the final stage, the hostages will undergo a debriefing with security officials before eventually being released.

Netanyahu acknowledged that the war with Hamas will continue until Israel completes its mission to destroy Hamas, release all the hostages, and ensure there is no threat to Israeli security emanating from Gaza.

“We are at war, and the war will continue until all our goals are achieved,” the prime minister said, adding that the hostages’ return was a “sacred priority and I am committed to it.”

“Before us is a difficult decision but the right one,” he added. “We will not rest until everyone is returned. The war has stages, and the return of the hostages will have stages.”

Chinese Disease Lab in CA

A lab in California, started by sixtytwo-year-old Jia Bei Zhu, who is, according to reports, a citizen of China and a wanted criminal in Canada, sparked fear in many after it was discovered that the illegal lab contained pathogen vials titled “HIV” and “Ebola.” The FBI and the CDC are now under fire for allegedly ignoring reports of the lab’s existence and for delaying the investigation.

“It reads like a movie script and a horror movie script when you detail all of

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exist in the country.”

“The CDC and others hung up on them, ignored them until Congressman Jim Costa called them,” Rep. Kevin McCarthy said. “But when the CDC showed up, they should’ve done what was right then, and they did not. They did not test the pathogens. They did not even find all of them. They left a freezer with Ebola in it, and we know how lethal that is…”

The CDC responded by saying that it “has, and continues to be actively engaged, within its regulatory authorities, in the intergovernmental efforts to address issues surrounding the facility.”

This controversy comes after President Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom warmly hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping, prompting criticism from Republicans who believe it is foolish to treat China as if it is America’s friend when it most clearly is not.

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Rosalynn Carter Dies

those things that were missed,” noted Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson from Iowa.

According to the House Select Committee on the People’s Republic of China, Zhu is connected to the Chinese government and to a transnational crime organization and is guilty of stealing millions of dollars worth of U.S. intellectual property. In October, he was arrested, and months prior, his lab was reported for having a green garden hose stuck out of a pole, which is in violation of the law.

When the authorities searched the biolab, they found thousands of vials and mice.

The House Select Committee on the PRC has since asserted that the FBI and the CDC ignored calls to investigate the lab until Democratic Rep. Jim Costa asked the agencies to do so.

After the inspection, the CDC is said to have found “at least 20 potentially infectious agents.” However, in a threepage explanation of the investigation, the agency wrote that it saw “no evidence of

select agents or toxins.”

“We want to know how he was able to obtain these pathogens. How is he able to get away with running a lab, getting millions of dollars sent to him from the Chinese Communist Party, and then obviously coming into our country stealing American intellectual property?” Hinson added. “The FBI and the CDC really dropped the ball here in terms of investigating not only this illegal lab, but now we wonder how many more labs like this

On Sunday, Rosalynn Carter, wife of President Jimmy Carter, passed away at the age of 96.

“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” her husband said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

Rosalynn had been suffering from dementia. Her husband is also not doing well; he began home hospice care in February following a series of hospital stays.

Jimmy Carter was a one-term president. His term was marked by soaring inflation and the Iran hostage crisis. He was soundly defeated by Ronald Reagan four years after being elected.

After his presidency, Carter remained on the world stage through The Carter Center, a nongovernmental Atlanta-based organization founded to “wage peace, fight disease and build hope.” The couple said they were working on world peace and traveled to

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Cuba, Sudan and North Korea. He was vocal in his support for the Palestinians. In 2002, Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rosalynn Carter’s most lasting individual legacy will be her efforts to diminish the stigma attached to people with mental illnesses and her fight for parity and access for mental health treatment. She would have a standing lunch date on Wednesdays with her husband during his presidency so they could discuss pressing issues.

In 1999, then-President Bill Clinton presented both Carters with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. He said they had “done more good things for more people in more places than any other couple on Earth.”

Rosalynn’s mother was a dressmaker; her father was a mechanic. He died when Rosalynn was 13 years old, and she helped to raise her siblings after his death.

Both devout Southern Baptists, Jimmy and Rosalynn met after a church meeting and soon began dating. They were married not long after his graduation from the Naval Academy when she was 18 and he was 21. They had four children together.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

For many of a certain age, there comes a point when marking yet another birthday, taking note of yet another passage of the calendar, is not greeted with the same enthusiasm it once was. And that’s for people who are not even running for president.

For President Joe Biden, who turned 81 on Monday, another birthday may bring more liability than revelry, offering one more reminder of his age to an already skeptical electorate. Unlike other presidents who have celebrated birthdays with lavish political events, Biden plans to observe his milestone privately with family in Nantucket, Massachusetts, later this week.

The best birthday gift the oldest president in American history could hope for would be a strategy for assuaging voters’ concerns, but that has been hard to come by. Biden and his team have taken the approach that his record of domestic legislation and international leadership should belie any worries about his capacity, even though polls have shown consistently that that line of argument has not been persuasive, at least not yet.

Some Democrats argue that Biden needs to do more to draw the contrast with his likeliest Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump, who at 77 has exhibited confusion in public lately. Trump has warned that the country is on the verge of World War II, mixed up the leaders of Hungary and Turkey, and boasted of beating former President Barack Obama in the polls when of course Obama is not running. If Trump wins next year and serves out four years, he would take over the status as the country’s oldest president.

One thing the White House cannot do is make Biden younger. In a recent New York Times/Siena College poll of battleground states, 71% said he was “too old” to be president, including 54% of his own supporters. By contrast, 39% said that

about Trump.

Asked about his forthcoming birthday, the White House did not directly address the age issue on Sunday but chose to focus on the president’s accomplishments, making the point that his long experience in Washington has paid off. (© The New York Times)

More $50 Bills Floating Around

In 2022, 756,096,000 fifty-dollar bills (which, in all, totals $37.8 billion) were printed by the U.S. government, thus making it that more $50 bills were printed last year in the United States than in any other year for the past four decades.

Both the $2 bill and the $50 bill are very uncommon. In fact, in 2019, out of every printed U.S. bill, only 3.5% were

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Crime in TX to Enter Illegally

$50 bills. In 2022, that number rose to 8.5%, according to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the agency responsible for printing dollar bills.

This increase in $50 bill printing was ordered by the Federal Reserve in July 2021, not because of inflation, but rather to accommodate increased demand for the bill, as more and more Americans began hoarding money due to the pandemic. 50s are easier to store away than 20s, 10s, and other bills of smaller value,

and thus, in order to keep up with the “unprecedented demand for [the] currency,” the Federal Reserve decided to print more for 2022.

For 2024, the Fed has ordered fewer $50 bills, with the expected amount of printed $50 bills being somewhere between 99,200,000 and 211,200,000, which is not even one-third of the amount printed in 2022.

The $50 bill has never really been well-liked, likely due to an old supersti-

tion about the greenback. President Ulysses S. Grant’s face is on the bill, and because he went bankrupt, some consider the $50 bill a bad omen of sorts. In 2010, there was even an attempt made by a member of Congress to put President Ronald Reagan’s face on the bill in place of Grant, but the measure failed to gain traction.

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign a bill that would make it a new state crime for entering Texas illegally and gives local law enforcement the power to arrest and order migrants to leave the United States.

The bill, SB4, which gives law enforcement the power to arrest migrants and grants judges the power to issue orders to remove violators to Mexico, has shaken many immigration advocacy groups, who call it “anti-immigrant” and say that it will lead to racial profiling of Latinos across the state.

When asked last week about possible concerns about the constitutionality of SB4 and possible legal challenges, Abbott said he wouldn’t be surprised if the legislation is challenged in the courts.

“I feel good about the bill that’s on a pathway to reach my desk showing once again, Texas is doing more than any state has ever done in the history of America to address Joe Biden’s open border policies,” the governor said.

The state House also passed SB3 last week, which would appropriate $1.5 billion to build a border wall. It now heads back to the state Senate. Texas taxpayers would be footing between $20 and $30 million per mile of border wall, according to the floor discussion by lawmakers.

The ongoing surge of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border has placed immense pressure on local and federal resources. Abbott and the Biden administration have sparred over some of the state’s measures along the southern border in its latest effort to curb illegal immigration.

Santos Ethics Report The House Ethics Committee said last week that it has amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Republican Rep. George Santos of New York that

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during the investigation itself,” the committee determined.

Despite no response from Santos on the report’s findings, there were expenses reported by his campaign that are hard to find that they contribute to his run for election. For example, the report cited $2,281 spent at resorts in Atlantic City and $1,400 spent at a skin spa for what one spreadsheet described as “Botox.”

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has been sent to the Justice Department, concluding that he “cannot be trusted” after a months-long investigation into his conduct.

Santos blasted the report on X but later said that he would not be seeking reelection for a second term. As of now, he has not indicated if he will be stepping down before the term is over. He vowed to pursue his “conservative values in my remaining time in Congress.”

Although Santos refuses to leave his

seat, a renewed effort to expel him from the House has been put into place. The House could vote on his expulsion later this month after the Thanksgiving holiday recess.

According to the panel, Santos knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, used campaign funds for personal purposes, and violated the Ethics in Government Act concerning financial disclosure state-

ments filed with the House.

“Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit,” an investigative subcommittee said in a 56-page report that the full committee unanimously adopted.

The report also detailed Santos’ lack of cooperation with its investigation and said he “evaded” straightforward requests for information. “Particularly troubling was Representative Santos’ lack of candor

The panel also identified a $3,332 expense for a hotel stay, though the campaign’s calendar indicated he was “off at the Hamptons for the weekend.” And there were tax and hotel charges on the campaign credit card from Las Vegas, during a time Santos told his campaign staff he was on his honeymoon and there were no corresponding campaign events on the calendar.

The investigation also looked into at least $200,000 that was transferred from a Florida-based company, RedStone Strategies LLC, to Santos’ personal bank accounts. The report said at least three people transferred money to RedStone after being told the money would be used for political purposes but the funds were transferred to Santos’ personal accounts.

Santos used some of that money to pay down credit card bills, make a $4,128 purchase at high-end retailer Hermes, and for smaller purchases at Sephora and meals and parking, investigators said.

The Ethics Committee determined that Santos’ conduct “warrants public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House.”

Santos also faces a 23-count federal indictment that alleges he stole the identities of campaign donors and then used their credit cards to make tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. Federal prosecutors say Santos, who has pleaded not guilty, wired some of the money to his personal bank account and used the rest to pad his campaign coffers.

Expulsion from the House, the sternest form of punishment, has occurred just five times in the history of the House — three times during the Civil War for dis-

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loyalty to the Union and twice after convictions on federal charges, most recently in 2002. Two-thirds of the House would have to vote to expel Santos for the resolution to pass.

If Santos were to be expelled, it would narrow the GOP’s already thin majority in the House, which now stands at 221-213.

But many of his Republican colleagues from New York support booting Santos from the House as they seek to distance themselves from his actions.

Sam Altman In and Out of OpenAI

ChatGPT took the world by storm just a year ago and has practically reshaped the entire tech industry. Since 2019, OpenAI, the company that created the chatbot, has been led by CEO Sam Altman, a thirty-eight-year-old entrepreneur who founded the AI startup in 2015 along with Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, and others.

Altman has become a well-respected figure in recent times, even gaining the respect of Congress, a body of government which is generally critical of tech leaders.

On Friday, November 17, in a surprising turn of events, OpenAI announced that its board ousted Altman from his position as CEO. That same day, Brockman, the president of the startup, announced that he had decided to resign.

“Mr. Altman’s departure follows a de-

liberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” the company said without providing any more details. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” Only a few days after he was fired, Altman was hired to work in the AI research lab of Microsoft, a company which has invested $13 billion in and has been partnering with OpenAI since the debut of ChatGPT. Since Altman’s firing, 95% of OpenAI employees have said they will quit unless the board resigns and the former CEO is reinstated. Altman will very likely be given the opportunity to return as CEO of the company, but it is unknown if he will accept the offer or if he will continue his employment at Microsoft.

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, has suggested that Altman might return to OpenAI, but regardless, will continue to work with Microsoft in one way or another for the foreseeable future.

Home Sales Slide

surged.

Home sales remained at 13-year lows as buyers competed for the few available homes on the market and continued to push up prices. Elevated prices, together with the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage nearing 8% in October, have created the least affordable market in several decades.

The median price for existing homes — which include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops — climbed to $391,800 last month. That was up 3.4% from a year ago and marked the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year price increases. Prices rose in all four regions of the country, the Northeast, Midwest, South and the West, NAR found.

Higher costs to buy and finance a home pushed sales down to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 3.79 million, falling 4.1% from September and 14.6% from a year ago, according to the report.

“Prospective home buyers experienced another difficult month due to the persistent lack of housing inventory and the highest mortgage rates in a generation,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Multiple offers, however, are still occurring, especially on starter and mid-priced homes, even as price concessions are happening in the upper end of the market.”

Ends with a Bang Selling a home now is not that easy.

According to a monthly report by the National Association of Realtors, home sales slowed in October, as prices continued to climb and mortgage rates

Starship, SpaceX’s huge deep-space rocket system, lifted off on Saturday morning, but its mission then ended with a bang.

The Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft successfully separated after liftoff, as the Starship lit up its engines and pushed away. That process ended up destroying the Super Heavy booster, which erupted into a ball of flames over the Gulf of Mexico.

But the Starship spacecraft was able to briefly continue its journey.

The Starship system made it much farther into flight than the first attempt in April. The rocket and spacecraft lift-

ed off the launchpad at 8 a.m. ET, with the Super Heavy booster igniting all 33 of its Raptor engines. Even during ground tests, SpaceX had a hard time getting all of those engines, clustered together at the base of the rocket, to power on consistently at the same time.

The Starship upper stage had begun its trip Saturday morning strapped to the top of the Super Heavy first stage, a 232-foot-tall (70.7-meter-tall) rocket. About two and a half minutes after roaring to life and vaulting off the launchpad, the Super Heavy booster expended most of its fuel, and the Starship spacecraft fired its own engines and broke away.

The Starship spacecraft used its own six engines to continue propelling itself to faster speeds. SpaceX aimed to send the spacecraft to near orbital velocities, typically around 17,500 miles per hour.

Starship climbed to an altitude of about 93 miles (150 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface, reaching the edge of space.

The U.S. government considers 50 miles above Earth’s surface the edge of outer space. Internationally, the Kármán line, located 62 miles above sea level, is often used to mark the boundary between our planet and space.

The second stage of the spacecraft was “lost,” according to the SpaceX team.

“The automated flight termination system on second stage appears to have triggered very late in the burn as we were headed down range out over the Gulf of Mexico,” aerospace engineer John Insprucker said.

The flight termination system is essentially a self-destruct feature that SpaceX engaged to prevent the Starship from traveling off course.

The Federal Aviation Administration noted, “A mishap occurred during the SpaceX Starship OFT-2 launch from Boca Chica, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 18. The anomaly resulted in a loss of the vehicle. No injuries or public property damage have been reported.”

NASA is investing up to $4 billion in the rocket system with the goal of using the Starship capsule to ferry astronauts to the lunar surface for its Artemis III mission, currently slated to take off as soon as 2025.

The endeavor is aiming to return humans to the moon for the first time in five decades, and the successful completion of this test flight would

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have brought the U.S. space agency and SpaceX one step closer to that goal.

“Congrats to the teams who made progress on today’s flight test,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson shared on X. “Spaceflight is a bold adventure demanding a can-do spirit and daring innovation. Today’s test is an opportunity to learn — then fly again. Together @NASA and @SpaceX will return humanity to the Moon, Mars & beyond.”

Sick as a Dog

In Oregon, New Hampshire, Colorado, and other states, dogs have been contracting a mysterious respiratory illness that causes the animal to have symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and fatigue.

Some dogs with the illness have been diagnosed with respiratory disease and

pneumonia, and in some instances, pneumonia has caused the canines to become very ill within only 24 to 36 hours. It is clear at this point that antibiotics do not effectively treat the disease.

Veterinarians are unsure as to what is causing the illness, but experts have suggested that owners “decrease [their pet’s] contact with other dogs” for the time being. While some dogs have died as a result of the illness, it is very difficult to say how many, as researchers do not yet have enough information about the disease to identify it or test for it.

Since mid-August, over 200 cases have been recorded by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. If someone suspects that their pet has contracted the illness, they should notify their vet, the department said.

Kurt Williams, the director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University, has made it clear that owners should not panic but should make sure that their dogs are vaccinated. His team at the Hubbard Center for Genome Research has not found a major increase in dog deaths in recent times, he noted.

A Poor Millionaire

If you would have seen Geoffrey Holt riding on his lawn mower in a mobile home park in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, you wouldn’t have looked twice. Holt was an unassuming man, who lived simply and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life – heading to the convenience store or reading a newspaper.

He rarely left town and did odd jobs for others. He wore threadbare clothes.

He had no furniture in his mobile home.

The legs of the bed went through the floor.

But Holt died earlier this year with a secret: he was a multimillionaire. And what’s more, he gave it all away to this community of 4,200 people.

His will had brief instructions: $3.8 million to the town of Hinsdale to benefit the community in the areas of education, health, recreation and culture.

“I don’t think anyone had any idea that he was that successful,” said Steve Diorio, chairperson of the town selectboard who’d occasionally wave at Holt from his car. “I know he didn’t have a whole lot of family, but nonetheless, to leave it to the town where he lived in ...

It’s a tremendous gift.”

Holt had dyslexia but managed to read about the markets. Although he worked at the grain mill in town, he invested his money early on and lived frugally. The result? A windfall at the end of his life.

Now, the town is considering how to spend Holt’s money, although they all agree: they are going to be frugal about using it, just as their benefactor had been.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

A Mouthful Kaplana Balan has a toothy smile. The 26-year-old woman from India is now the proud titleholder of a Guinness World Record for the most teeth in her mouth.

So how many chompers does she

have? A respectable 38 – six more than the average adult.

Not to become all dentist-like, but Balan has four extra mandibular teeth on her lower jaw and two extra maxillary teeth on her upper jaw.

Her extra chompers, known as supernumerary teeth, started growing in when she was a teenager, and she initially was going to have them removed, but dentists told her she should wait until they finished coming in.

Balan said she decided not to remove the teeth, as they don’t cause her any pain.

She said dentists have determined her record might increase in the future, as she has two more teeth that have yet to emerge.

We won’t ask about her flossing situation.

A Costly Chapeau

On Sunday, a hat that French leader Napoleon Bonaparte wore sold for a whopping $2.1 million at auction.

The final price also includes a commission of 28.8% charged by the Osenat auction house, which anticipated the hat would sell for anywhere between $650,000 to $850,000. Additionally, more memorabilia from the French leader were included as part of the collection of entrepreneur Jean-Louis Noisiez who died last year.

The hat, called a bicorne, had traditionally been worn with the wings front to back. It wasn’t until Napoleon began wearing it with the wings side to side that it became common for generals, such as himself, to wear them this way in order to be visible in battle. It also featured a cockade attached to the hat in red, white, and

Steepest Scotch

This may be the most “sought-after Scotch whiskey,” but it’s doubtful that many people will be drinking it.

A bottle of the Macallan 1926 sold for more than £2.1 million ($2.7 million) on Saturday at Sotheby’s in London. It is one of just 40 bottles drawn after ageing in sherry casks for 60 years, making it the oldest Macallan vintage ever produced.

Sotheby’s had expected it to raise between £750,000 and £1.2 million ($934,274 and $1.4 million) but was in for a shock when the prized bottle fetched a whooping £2,187,500 ($2,724,967), making it a “new record for any bottle of spirit or wine sold at auction,” the auction house said.

Ahead of the sale, Sotheby’s head of whiskey Jonny Fowle said that he had tried a small sample.

“I tasted a tiny drop – a tiny drop – of this. It’s very rich, it’s got a lot of dried fruit as you would expect, a lot of spice, a lot of wood,” he said, calling it an “incredible” whiskey that should not be taken lightly.

Of the 40 bottles filled in 1986, none were made available for purchase, with some instead being offered to The Macallan’s top clients, a luxury that adds to its appeal, as evidenced in previous sales of the bottles, its description on Sotheby’s

website added.

In 2019, Sotheby’s sold a bottle of The Macallan 1926 adorned with one of 14 Fine and Rare labels, for £1.5 million ($1.9 million), at the time making it the most expensive bottle of wine or spirit ever auctioned.

Saturday’s sale was one of 12 bottles covered with a label designed by Italian painter Valerio Adami, a bottle of which is also believed to have been destroyed during the 2011 Japanese earthquake.

This bottle is also the first of The Macallan 1926 bottles to have undergone reconditioning, carried out by The Macallan Distillery in Scotland before the auction.

These prices are driving me to drink.

Puking Bird Wins

A “weird puking bird” has won New Zealand’s annual avian beauty contest, triumphing after a British comedian urged followers to vote for the feathered contestant.

The Australasian crested grebe soared to an unexpected victory in the Bird of the Century ballot on Wednesday, backed by voters from far-flung cities including Tokyo, London and Paris.

Comedian James Oliver urged viewers to back the species more commonly known by its Maori name “puteketeke” when he heard that the contest was open to people from all over the world and not just New Zealand. Organizers were amazed when thousands of votes began to pour in globally in support of this bird.

Oliver referred to the bird as the “weird puking bird.”

Puteketeke are known for eating their own feathers in an effort to trigger their gag reflex and throw up parasites.

“Puteketeke began as an outside contender but was catapulted to the top spot thanks to its unique looks, adorable parenting style – and propensity for puking,” organizer Nicola Toki said.

In previous years, only around 56,000 people joined in the vote. This year, thanks to Oliver’s participation, more than 350,000 submitted their votes.

Sounds like real “fowl” play.

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blue representing the same worn by common people during the French revolution. As a general and eventual emperor, Napoleon wore the cockade to symbolize his own revolutionary leadership.

A quartermaster under Napoleon named Col. Pierre Baillon was the first to claim the hat. It would have several owners before becoming property of Noisiez.

Napoleon served in wars in Italy and Egypt. In 1802, he declared himself First Consul for life and then named himself emperor of France in 1804. Ten years later, he abdicated and fled into exile. The fateful Battle of Waterloo, which he lost, took place a year later.

He died in exile in 1821.

You can hang your hat on that.

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Community HAFTR Shuk Experience

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his past weekend, HAFTR opened its doors to a vibrant cultural exchange as it played host to the Shuk experience, an initiative aimed at highlighting Israeli vendors. We extend our gratitude to Stuart Katz and Jordan Hiller for their coordination of this impactful event. The event provided a platform for Israeli artisans to showcase and sell their diverse range of hand-crafted products, including jewelry, watercolor arts, and Judaica. The Shuk experience held special significance as it became a beacon of support for Israeli vendors grappling with the economic fallout from the decline in tourism due to the ongoing conflict. With a significant portion of their revenue traditionally coming from tourists visiting the Holy Land, these vendors found solace in the warmth of the Five Towns community coming to-

gether to champion their businesses and creative endeavors.

Amidst the vibrant atmosphere, the town of Sderot seized the opportunity to fundraise for the welfare of its citizens, alongside the Chabad, both institutions demonstrating unwavering commitment to service in times of need.

Notably, the Shuk featured an exhibit titled “Reflections of Past; Promises of Renewal,” shedding light on the communities affected by the tragic terrorist attacks on October 7th. Paired with poignant posters depicting hostages, the exhibit served as a somber reminder of the ongoing conflicts in Israel.

The event garnered an impressive attendance of over 2,000 people, and the Israeli merchants experienced significant financial success.

Alongside the Shuk was the annual

Chanukah boutique featuring local vendors. The boutique section also thrived, leaving numerous satisfied and impressed customers in its wake.

The Shuk and Boutique experience served as more than just a marketplace; it acted as a powerful bridge between the Israeli and American communities.

It showcased the solidarity of the Five Towns community, emphasizing that support knows no borders. In a year marked by challenges, hosting this event was an honor and a privilege for HAFTR. As the event concluded, a resounding message echoed: HAFTR has, and always will, stand firmly with Israel. The Shuk experience stands as a testament to the strength that arises when communities join hands in unity and compassion.

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Around the Community

Central Joins the March for Israel

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n Tuesday, November 14, the Central student body took a day away from the classroom to travel from Queens to Washington, D.C., to join tens of thousands of people in the March for Israel on the Washington Mall.

The March was a unique opportunity to express fervent support and solidarity for Israel in a time of war, and to demand the release of hostages held by Hamas. It was also a chance for students to learn a real-time lesson in civic engagement and duty. Accompanied by Central faculty, the students loaded coach buses and made the trek to the Capitol.

“Joining the Yeshiva University delegation of 2,500 students and faculty members at the March For Israel in Washington, D.C., was an unforgettable experience of unity, community, and Israel activism,” said Central’s Associate Principal Ms. Leah Moskovich. “I am so proud of the Central students who joined us. They were respectful, polite, spirited, and united. They truly made a huge Kiddush Hashem at the rally, and I know this day will stay with them for a lifetime.”

Central students got to hear from public figures as varied as Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who spoke via video

from the Western Wall, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“I liked seeing everyone standing in unity with signs, chanting ‘bring them home’ – it felt very empowering,” said junior Sharona Rouhani.

Students and faculty alike were struck by the experience of bonding with tens of thousands of people from all walks of life who share one thing in common: they stand with Israel, and against antisemitism in all its forms.

“It was incredible to see so many people supporting Israel, and to see people who weren’t Jewish there supporting

us,” said senior Gabi Zahavi. “It was important to represent our country and to show our brothers and sisters in Israel that we’re thinking about them – that life here isn’t just going on as usual.”

Central traveled to the rally in conjunction with Yeshiva University, further demonstrating the partnership between Central and the University.

“We are so proud to be part of this special YU family, and we thank them for spearheading this incredible mission,” Ms. Moskovich said.

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A Parsha Filled With Lessons at YOSS

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s the smell of lentil soup filled the YOSS ECC, the children used their fine motor, science and math skills as they chopped, mixed and cooked lentil soup. They sorted different color lentils and they wrote their own signs, saying, “Do not touch, hot soup!”

The children also learned about how twins can be similar and different like Yakov and Eisav, and the kindergar-

ten dressed up in matching clothes on “Twensday.”

Meanwhile, the most delicious message from the parsha this week, was the words, “Hakol Kol Yaakov.” The moros used this message to lead into a discussion on the nice words and good manners that Yaskov had. We will be focusing on the words of “thank you, excuse me, and please,” and we learn more about grati-

tude next week, and become our own

“Mitzvah Macabees.”

rael. The event served as a reminder of the unifying power of music and shared values.

For more information about Chazaq’s events and collaborations, please visit www.chazaq.org.

Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senator Joni Ernst are some of the prominent individuals who spoke to the crowd. Attendees were also honored to hear the heart-wrenching pleas and words of optimism from the relatives of the hostages. Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American being held by Hamas, Alana Zeitchik, the cousin of six hostages, Jack Benaim, the cousin of one of the slaughtered, and others spoke about their loved ones. Their painful messages allowed everyone to connect to their stories. In addition to the speakers, many renowned singers inspired the crowd through their music,

including Omer Adam, Matisyahu, The Maccabeats, and Ishay Ribo.

The rally was a unique and historic opportunity for people, Jewish and of other faiths and paths of life, to show their support for Israel. The rally was live-streamed around the world and followed by those who were unable to attend in person. This event exemplifies the strength of the Jewish people and their resolve to show continued support to Israel in any way possible. Each step taken, at this rally and others, proves to ourselves and the world that we can and will win this war, not only by the soldiers fighting in Israel but also through our united strength, prayers, and achdut.

Chazaq’s Eitan Katz Unity Kumzitz

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ith the recent tragedies in Eretz Yisroel bringing about fear to Jews around the globe, the Queens community enjoyed an evening of chizuk via an inspirational music performance by the renowned Eitan Katz.

Chazaq, known for their dynamic programs for Jews of all backgrounds and religious observance, held the free event at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills and drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 400 people, fostering unity, inspiration, and support for Israel. The event was made possible through partnerships

with the QJCC, the renowned Amudim organization, and NYC Cultural Affairs, showcasing the power of collaboration in bringing communities together.

The event commenced with Tehillim led by Rabbi Yaniv Meirov of Chazaq.

Rabbi Zvi Gluck of Amudim followed with words of inspiration, emphasizing the importance of unity and support during challenging times.

The night unfolded with Eitan Katz’s soulful melodies, creating an atmosphere of joy and celebration. Attendees, representing diverse backgrounds, came together in a display of solidarity for Is-

HAFTR Students March for Israel

By Sophia Pahl

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early 300,000 people banded together in Washington, D.C., to participate in a historic show of support for the State of Israel. On November 14, students arrived at HAFTR High School at 5:40 am, beginning the day with a meaningful and uplifting Rosh Chodesh davening before departing on the lengthy trip to Washington. Despite the daunting journey, practically the entire student body attended, along with faculty, administration, and staff. After a long and tiring seven-hour bus ride, students transferred to the metro and commenced the trip as they walked onto the grounds of the National Mall, where the

rally was held. The entire trip was worth it the moment the group was able to hear and see the hundreds of thousands of people in attendance. Entering the National Mall was a euphoric experience.

Looking left, right, and in all directions, there was a sea of people, Israeli flags, blue and white, and signs reading “Am Yisroel Chai!” and “Bring Them Home Now!” In addition to the sights, there was an overwhelming sense of camaraderie and brotherhood, hearing lively chatter, music, singing, and prayers.

There were many influential and inspiring people at the rally who spoke about hope and the need to stand up and fight for Israel, the hostages, and antisemitism. Minority Leader of the House of

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Around the Community

BY5T Grandparent Brunch and Launch of the Grandparent School Library

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his past Sunday at Bais Yaakov of the Five Towns, multiple generations joined together for a heart-warming and special event: the BY5T Grandparent Brunch and the launch of the BY5T Grandparent School Library.

The brunch was held at the school with a capacity crowd. Adorable BY5T girls and their proud grandparents were treated to a delicious breakfast spread, words of inspiration from the Executive Director, Rabbi Akiva Eisenstadt, and

interactive edible Chanukah projects for the girls and their grandparents to work on together. Baruch Hashem, it was a successful event, and a wonderful time was had by all!

One of the event highlights was the announcement of the formation of the BY5T Grandparent Library. Many appreciative grandparents came forward to dedicate sponsorships of bookcases, tables and chairs. There are still sponsorship opportunities available, including the library name, the mezuzah, bookcas-

es, tables and chairs, and sponsorships can be paid over 12 months. To join the

group of sponsors, please call: 516-500BY5T or email: info@BY5T.org.

changed his life. He happily shared that he won’t let a day go by without doing his tefillin.

The timers for the lights didn’t work Shabbos afternoon. There were no lights on for the weekly Talmud class. We were shocked to see everyone sitting around the table in complete darkness but engrossed in their learning. Ezriel said, “It’s okay. Hashem is our light!” Imagine a room filled with young men shteiging in complete darkness. They could have

been hanging out or sleeping.

This week, several of our precious couples had babies. One couple actually had a baby girl in Israel. This Sunday, another couple made a beautiful bris in New Jersey. It’s a tremendous nachas to see Klal Yisroel continuing and generations being built. May these simchas lead to the ultimate simcha with all of us meriting the rebuilding of the Bayis Shlishi speedily in our day.

Imagine No Strings Attached

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id anyone ever dream that there would be young Jews living in Brooklyn who never heard of Yaakov and Esav or Yitzchok and Rivkah? Would these precious neshamos ever be reached?

At BJX, a renaissance is occurring.

Young college students are coming to learn without any strings attached. No

promise of trips, cash, or any incentives.

Just to reclaim their heritage and imbibe the holy Torah. You can see the joy on their faces and the radiance of their souls as they connect to Hashem and to Klal Yisroel.

After the class, Khaim, a Brooklyn college student, shared with everyone how his daily wrapping of tefillin

Aliza Brazil, Maddie Wolf, Ricki Mansdorf, and Nora Wolf made a drink stand to raise money to support Israel

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Around the Community

Bring Them Home

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W

hile the HALB seventh and eighth graders attended the Rally for Israel in Washington, D.C., our fifth and sixth graders had their own rally in HALB. Students and teachers came together singing songs of unity and strength and davening for safety for Israel, the Jewish people and to bring the hostages home.

Talmidim of the YOSS Chevra Mishnayos, a volunteer Mishnayos program geared to gain Bekius in Mishnayos, were treated to doughnuts and iced coffee

Step Up and Help Boots for Israel

By Dr. Jeffrey Galler

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hen an army general calls you and asks for help, you listen and try to help.

Shortly after the October 7th massacre, Yakir Wachstock, an occupational therapist and Hatzalah volunteer in Holliswood, Queens, was surprised to find that IDF General Daniel Jacobs was on the phone.

“The general told me that his unit was in desperate need of tactical military boots. Many of the over 300,000 reservists who reported for duty, came equipped with their old, worn, threadbare boots, completely inappropriate for the rough Gaza terrain,” Yakir recalled.

Unfortunately, the Israeli army, taken by complete surprise, was unable to respond to the sudden request for tens of thousands of new boots. Fortunately, Avi Shakarov, another Holliswood resident and wholesale footwear distributor, just happened to have a warehouse filled with the exact U.S. Army-grade tactical boots needed by the IDF. In conjunction with the Young Israel of Holliswood, Yakir, Avi, and Danny Gerber launched the Boots for Israel program.

By this weekend, they will have delivered 480 duffel bags filled with 5,800

Reservists proudly display their brand new combat boots Many reservists reported for duty with old, worn boots not suitable for combat situations

pairs of boots, that go directly to IDF soldiers in Gaza or at the Lebanese front.

Yakir explained how the program works: “We receive many requests daily from units across Israel. They send us the specific boot sizes that they need, and we pack them in duffel bags and send them to Israel the very next day, via El Al airlines.”

The duffel bags are picked up by volunteers in Israel, and immediately delivered to the army units.

One IDF platoon leader, “Max,” called Yakir and said, “Many of us showed up wearing old boots, with tape on them.

We are carrying 65 pounds on our back, jumping over fences in the Gaza strip.

You do not want to strain or break an ankle. These boots are more comfortable than anything we have ever had. Thank you.”

Staffed completely by volunteers, the program is, nevertheless, expensive. Donations are desperately needed, and all monies are spent solely on boots (the cost of a pair of boots is $90), duffel bags, and

El Al flights.

You may wish to sponsor boots for: 2 Soldiers = $180 4 Soldiers = $360 8 Soldiers = $720 20 Soldiers = $1,800 40 Soldiers = $3,600 Sponsoring Entire Unit = $5,000+ To donate, please see ad on adjacent page. The effort is being aided by the National Council of Young Israel and bythe Soldiers Save Lives organizations.

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Around the Community

Ezra Academy at Model Chinuch Competition

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s schools all over country recognize that it’s getting more and more difficult to find and hire great teachers and dedicated rebbeim, last Sunday, Rambam Mesivta hosted the first ever Model Chinuch Competition open to all teshivah high schools. The competition sought to prepare students and give them a taste of what it’s like to prepare a lesson plan, present in front of a class, and inspire a room full of people.

The ingenious idea imbued students with confidence and allowed them the unique opportunity to stand “on the other side of the room.” The competition was a huge success, drawing students from Ezra Academy, Rambam, HANC, and

Central. With two rounds of presentations, thus giving the presenters the ability to adjust or tweak their lessons, participants were also treated to lunch and guest judge Rabbi Fleisher from Frisch.

Students who participated were required to prepare a ten-minute lesson plan on selected parshos. The objective was to have a lesson that included a relatable theme and exhibiting some proficiency in smartboard work or slideshows.

Ezra Academy was deftly represented by 11th grader Yehuda Nissani, who delivered a powerful lesson about gratitude and seeing the light even in dark times. Yehuda’s inspirational lesson left the judges in awe, and he beautifully tied

his parsha lesson to the current situation in Israel. Through his lesson Yehuda implored the audience that the story of Yosef and his brothers taught the Jewish people to never sit situations out on the sideline and to always see the good even the darkest of times.

Yehuda proudly and deservedly went home with the Best Presentation Award.

When asked about his experience, Yehuda exuded confidence and said he would “definitely return” for the next competition (which will take place in Central sometime in February) with more members of Ezra Academy.

Rosh Chodesh at HANC ECC

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n honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the Nursery Bet children in HANC’s Early Childhood Center in West Hempstead took an exciting bus ride to visit their new school. The children were looking forward to seeing HANC’s Elementary School that they will attend next year and to meet the present Kindergarten students and their teachers.

With great anticipation, the young children entered the Elementary School and eagerly found their seats with the kindergarten children. As the children sat across from each other, they introduced themselves and were clearly happy to meet each other. Together, they made a

Chanukah project, decorating magnets with Chanukah symbols of dreidels, menorahs, etc. They then had a fun time playing an interactive Chanukah bingo game. The enthusiasm in the room was truly palpable.

At the conclusion of the program, Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, Head of HANC’s West Hempstead campuses, led a Chanukah freeze dance. After distributing glow in the dark bracelets, necklaces and glasses, the children entered the darkened lunchroom for a “Dance in the Dark – Ignite the Light” dance session. The children had a delightful time dancing, singing and spinning like dreidels. Trudy

Rubinstein, the Director of HANC ECC, added, “What a fun-filled visit for the Nursery Bet children and a great celebration of Rosh Chodesh Kislev.”

The Nursery Bet children can’t wait to become big kindergarten students in HANC Elementary School next year.

ings of heartbreak and sorrow. However, amidst the sadness, a newfound determination emerged. The students and staff left with a strengthened resolve to stand in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Israel.

The lessons of resilience, compassion, and unity learned from Abukasis will un-

doubtedly leave a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of the students, inspiring them to make a positive impact in the world.

In the spirit of shared humanity, HAFTR extends its support to Sderot and stands united with Israel during these challenging times.

Sderot Vice Principal Visits HAFTR

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ast Thursday, HAFTR High School juniors were privileged to bear witness to a moving address by Ilan Abukasis, vice principal of the Amit School in Sderot. Abukasis shared poignant stories and reflections on the harrowing events of October 7th, a day that forever changed his life and the lives of those in his community.

With courage and candor, Abukasis recounted the devastating loss of friends on that fateful day. As the vice principal of a school in Sderot, he faced the immediate aftermath by extending a helping hand to those in need. He dedicated himself to locating students and assisting families grappling with the aftermath of the tragedy.

In the face of adversity, Abukasis dis-

played extraordinary resilience. He gathered the students he could and embarked on a journey south to Eilat, establishing a makeshift school to provide a sense of normalcy in the midst of chaos. Despite the challenges, Abukasis organized therapeutic hikes for his students, offering them a much-needed reprieve from the trauma they had experienced.

His heartfelt address underscored the importance of supporting Sderot and Israeli communities along the Gaza border. Abukasis passionately conveyed that the more support these communities receive, the better equipped they are to face the challenges that lie ahead.

The emotional impact of Abukasis’s speech resonated deeply with the HAFTR High School juniors, evoking feel-

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Update from the IDF Chesed Center

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he IDF Chesed Center has become the leading grassroots organization helping to provide equipment, supplies and clothing to IDF soldiers and “Kitot Konenut” (security teams) in Israel.

Launched as a “kiosk” where U.S.based IDF soldiers heading to Israel would come to “shop” before deploying, the IDFCC is now a platform for other organizations, shuls and individuals to work together in supporting our chayalim.

Among the IDFCC “partner projects” are a clothing drive for displaced Israelis and a Chanukah program being launched by Aish Kodesh (with other shuls coming on board). There is a clothing bin on the porch of the IDF Chesed Center at 550 Allen Road, Woodmere for 24-hour drop-off.

The IDFCC is also partnered with Woodmere resident Rita Goldberg, who has raised almost $400,000 to purchase vests for soldiers. Facilitating participation from a broad landscape of shuls, Rita has received donations from Congregation Beth Shalom, Young Israel of West Hempstead, Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Atlantic Beach Jewish Center, Shaare Zion of Great Neck, Sephardic Congregation of Long Beach, Young Israel of Oceanside, Congregation Mevakshei Hashem, Young Israel of Century City (Los Angeles), Young Israel of Hollywood (Florida), and Congregation Bnei Yeshurun (Teaneck) The IDFCC continues to rely on its volunteers, and expresses its thanks to all of its donors, volunteers and supporters.

Volunteer Profiles Faythe Mundell Faythe is a 24-year-old lifelong resident of Lawrence. She spent her elementary and middle school years at the Brandeis School and graduated from Lawrence High School. Her family has been members of Temple Beth El in Cedarhurst for decades, and Faythe has fond memories of attending daily services with her father and Shabbat services with her whole family! Faythe also has very strong connections to Israel. She has family and a lot of friends on the ground and lived there for a time while studying abroad.

Faythe is incredibly committed to helping our chayalim; she even cancelled a long-awaited vacation last week so that she could help out in the warehouse!

Why did you volunteer for IDF Chesed Center?

Along with many others, the terror attack on October 7th left me feeling helpless. While I knew that hopping on a flight to Israel was not an option, I had to find a way to help make a difference. When I was introduced to Soldiers Save Lives, I automatically felt a deep connection to the cause. As I speak to my friends on the front lines and hear about the struggles they and their units are facing, I understand the importance of delivering to them exactly what they need. Whether it be small items to help lift their spirits or items that can provide them additional safety and protection in the field, it has become my responsibility to get it to them. Soldiers Save Lives is the incredible outlet which has allowed me to do so. I will forever be indebted to this organization.

What do you do for IDF Chesed Center?

I do a lot of different things – sorting items, packing bags, preparing for shipments. Last weekend alone, I helped a nurse voluntarily going to Israel put together an abundance of medical equipment, daily necessities, children’s toys, and clothing to bring for distribution. In less than 24 hours of her being on the ground, all those items were provided to displaced families, units throughout the South and children who needed a slight bit of joy during this horrifying time. On top of just volunteering hands-on in the warehouse, I have also accompanied volunteers going to Israel to the airport and supported them in their check-in process.

Working with IDF Chesed Center has given me the greatest opportunity to help and make a difference, even from halfway across the world.

How has the current situation in Israel affected you personally?

Although this has been a time of such devastation, it has allowed me a chance to refocus on what’s most important in this world. This current situation has given me the gift of being able to help those I love and care about who I can’t be near at this time. It has also brought me closer to a community of people I never knew, both here in the United States and on the ground in Israel. Seeing the world come together and unify over such a tragedy brings a little bit of light to the darkness we are all feeling.

What is the best part of working for IDF Chesed Center?

The best part of working for IDF Chesed Center is knowing that the work we’re doing is immediately and directly assisting people in need. I have been introduced to so many incredibly brave men and women who chose to drop everything in their lives and head back to Israel to either serve or voluntarily provide emergency response for those personally affected. It has been the biggest pleasure of my life helping numerous soldiers, nurses and volunteers prepare bags of emergency supplies to go off to Israel.

Corey Spitzer Corey is an 18-year-old student at the New York City college of Technology, and a member of the HAFTR HS 2023 graduating class.

Corey has always loved helping out and doing chesed, and since he can’t fight in the war in Israel, he is fighting the war

EJ Bodner, helping to pack boxes

from here, helping to send our soldiers whatever they need. In the warehouse, Corey plays a lead role packing items on pallets and in the shipping department.

How has the current situation in Israel affected you personally?

I have many friends who live there; most of my high school graduating class is there for the year so I wanted to make sure that they had everything that they need to stay safe and to protect our country and win this war.

What is the best part of working for IDF Chesed Center?

The best part about working for IDF Chesed Center is the family that we created working together on an almost every day day basis. The people who I have met are able to help us do such amazing things for our family in Israel.

EJ Bodner EJ Bodner is a 9th grader at DRS who lives in Woodmere and previously lived for 7 years in Jerusalem. He is a member of Aish Kodesh and IPM and got involved with IDF Chesed Center because it was started by his siblings! Since Day 1, EJ has been instrumental in launching and managing the operations.

Why did you volunteer for IDF Chesed Center?

My siblings started it, in memory of David Newman, my oldest brother’s good friend who was killed at the festival on Shemini Atzeret. And it feels good to help out our brothers and sisters in Israel.

What is the best part of working for IDF Chesed Center?

The best part of this is meeting nice people who want to help Israel.

EJ has devoted virtually all of his nonschool hours to helping out (and many of his in-school hours!), and there is no doubt that EJ has fulfilled his chesed hours for the year!

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Shulamith ECC prepared delicious carrot muffins for Thanksgiving

We Stand With Israel: YSZ Goes To Washington Rally

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n a remarkable display of unity and commitment, members of the Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion Girls High School recently participated in the March for Israel held rally in Washington, D.C. The event brought together many of the YSZ girls; Mrs. Zerykier, menahelet; several faculty members; Rabbi Avraham Fridman, principal, YSZ Elementary; some of his eighth grade students; and members of the Bukharian community, collectively representing our community’s unwavering support for Israel.

The community’s presence at the rally served as a beautiful representation of support for Israel, highlighting the values of unity and achrayut. Standing together, they demonstrated the tremendous power that comes from showing up and standing united.

Mrs. Zerykier emphasized the significance of working together, stressing that “solidarity and achdut is a message that must reign more powerfully than that of divisiveness.”

One parent, initially skeptical about attending, shared, “I’m very glad I did it.

It showed the students what am Yisrael

chai is all about. It taught the girls unity and courage and not to be afraid to stand up for what they believe. Thank you very much to my YSZ family and to all those in the background who make opportunities like these happen.”

Another parent, who couldn’t be present physically, expressed heartfelt gratitude, stating, “This event really touched my heart. I wasn’t there, but I watched the program live and it was really beautiful. Thank you for organizing the journey for our girls!”

Despite knowing that the trip might be long and exhausting, the YSZ girls embraced the road ahead with smiles, recognizing that this journey was an integral part of their commitment and activism.

Their attire, adorned with Israeli flags, and their signs proclaiming “We Stand With Israel” echoed a powerful message of support. The march instilled a profound sense of pride in the YSZ girls — pride for their nation and pride for Israel.

Lessons learned during this event have left a lasting imprint on the community, the girls, and their families.

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

Happy fifth birthday to Farha (Sofia) Solomon

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Meet Rav Chaim in a Way You’ve Never Seen Before!

A Conversation with Rav Avraham Yeshaya Steinman, author of “Rav Chaim: A Life of Halachah”

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o doubt you’ve read, and been amazed and inspired by, ArtScroll’s biography of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, written by Rabbi Naftali Weinberger. (If you haven’t, go right now and start reading!) You may also have studied ArtScroll’s sefarim that present Rav Chaim’s Torah thoughts on different topics. And of course, you’ve heard the countless stories about his brachos, his compassion and his extraordinary diligence.

Now, ArtScroll proudly shares another book about Rav Chaim, which looks at his life and teachings in a wholly new and unique way: through the prism of his customs and practices, as seen and recorded by Rav Avraham Yeshaya Shteinman, grandson of both Rav Chaim and Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman.

Rav Chaim lived a life that was “kulo Torah” – completely Torah. His every action, every step, every moment was directed and defined by the Shulchan Aruch and the poskim, and by the practices and

minhagim of his uncle, the Chazon Ish, and his father, the Steipler Gaon.

Rav Chaim: A Life of Halachah brings us the halachic sources and background of Rav Chaim’s practices, with hundreds of beautiful photos that give us a powerful visual glimpse of his greatness. We follow the Sar HaTorah from Tikkun Chatzos through his first moments of awakening; from donning his tallis to reciting Kriyas Shema before his few hours of sleep. We sit with him at his Shabbos table, in his sukkah and at his Seder.

In this stunning and unusual book, we will view Rav Chaim’s life the way it was meant to be viewed, and the way he lived it: through the prism of Torah and mitzvos.

We spoke to Rav Avraham Yeshaya about the sefer and his relationship with his “Saba”: AS: What is the backstory of this fascinating and unusual sefer?

RAYS: I merited being by my grandfather, Rav Chaim, from when I was a

young child. One of my rebbeim told me after my bar mitzvah that I should write down all the distinct halachic customs that my grandfather followed, and I should ask him for his reasoning behind it.

AS: This full-color book has such beautiful, evocative photos of the Sar HaTorah, many of them rare. What went into finding such a variety?

RAYS: When Artscroll came out with the book on my grandmother, Rebbetzin Batsheva, the author asked me to collect as many pictures as possible. Many of the pictures matched the exact halachic customs that my grandfather followed and are included in the sefer.

AS: Please share something about your two “sabas” – Rav Chaim and Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman.

RAYS: They were extremely close to

each other and appreciated each other immensely. In the later years, when each one was overburdened, helping many individuals as well as the klal, they would frequently send regards and warm berachos to each other through me or one of their other mutual grandchildren.

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Communities Across the U.S. Mobilize in Migdal Ohr’s “Magen Israel” Relief Efforts

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igdal Ohr, one of Israel’s most impactful social welfare organizations, has undertaken its largest humanitarian relief effort in history, under the leadership of its founder, Israel Prize Laureate Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman. During the COVID pandemic, the Israeli government called on Rabbi Grossman to spearhead a major packaging relief effort, and during the Second Lebanon War, Migdal Ohr hosted hundreds of soldiers on their campus.

In the outbreak of the war with Gaza, the organization mobilized donors all over the world in a massive campaign to provide shelter to over 4,000 evacuees from the Gaza border. The Magen Israel initiative then quickly expanded to respond to immediate needs that were emerging on the front lines and in Israel’s hospitals.

As a unifying and beloved national figure, Rabbi Grossman has always taken the approach that Israel is one family, with one heart. That ethos pervades the organization’s activities, from now hosting over a thousand soldiers on Migdal Ohr’s campuses to cooking over 2,000 meals a day out of Migdal Ohr’s soup kitchens for families in hospitals and soldiers on the frontlines.

To date, the Magen Israel activities in Israel have included: Sheltering Evacuees from Gaza Border Communities Magen Israel has assumed responsibility for housing, feeding, clothing, and providing for the needs of 4,000 individ-

uals from communities who have been evacuated from the Gaza envelope. This includes activities and daycare for children, outfitting hotels for family living, therapies, and anything that people need to weather this traumatic and difficult period. It also included the purchase of over $160K in clothing, games, supplies, and essentials distributed to evacuees not being housed in hotels and an Emergency Fund that distributed $1,300 per family in the immediate wake of the massacres.

Supporting Soldiers at Army Bases and the Wounded in Hospitals Migdal Ohr has over 1,000 alumni and faculty currently serving in the IDF or in reserves and a long history of partnership with the army. To date, Magen Israel has purchased over $250K in warm clothing, boots, drones, helmets, gear, hot plates and urns for thousands of soldiers on bases across Israel. The effort also purchased

The kindergartens of the Ganger Early Childhood Center at TAG learned the letter D and invited local dentist Dr. Preminger to visit and teach them all about dental health and hygiene

and delivered over 1,500 mattresses to hospitals and military bases that needed places for reservists and medical personnel to sleep. Migdal Ohr’s soup kitchens also expanded operations to send hot, nutritious meals to families in hospitals and soldiers on army bases.

Expanding Care for Orphaned and Underprivileged Children on Campus Migdal Ohr cares for over 10,000 orphaned and underprivileged children and teens. During the war, they expanded protected spaces to guard against rocket attacks on their campuses and opened to provide daylong programs for over 200 children with special needs while schools had closed.

Rabbi Grossman has visited dozens of army and air force bases personally, blessing the soldiers with coins to give to tzedakah upon their safe return from war.

He has also made regular visits to Israel’s hospitals, giving strength to the wounded and providing hope to their families.

He has appeared on national television numerous times giving interviews to strengthen the nation’s unity and resolve.

In the U.S., the American Friends of Migdal Ohr (AFMO) campaign has seen an incredible outpouring of solidarity with initiatives from synagogues, schools, restaurants, and local businesses, all raising funds and sending donations to Israel.

Examples of community-based efforts include a one-to-one matching campaign by the owners of Cedar Market in New Jersey that raised $100K, a clothing and toy drive spearheaded by AFMO board members and a network of volunteers across the tri-state area that sent over 150 duffle bags to evacuees. Migdal Ohr was also the

beneficiary of $100K raised by The Little Champions Foundation which hosted its annual young professionals event this fall. Numerous organizations put on bake sales and hosted local Shabbat markets which raised thousands of dollars for Magen Israel. AFMO Executive Director Atara Solow even joined a delegation from the Mikdash Eliyahu Synagogue in Brooklyn and Yeshiva of Flatbush High School that came to strengthen and support soldiers, wounded individuals, and children at Migdal Ohr during the war.

Before Chanukah, American Friends of Migdal Ohr is organizing a “Goods and Services Shuk” which will be a silent auction where people can donate and bid on unique items to benefit Magen Israel. They are also participating in a “Be the Light’’ campaign intiated by Yeshivat He’Atid with numerous Jewish day schools. The campaign is encouraging families to donate a night’s worth of Chanukah gifts towards presents and parties for Israeli children who have had to evacuate their homes.

Atara Solow, Executive Director of American Friends of Migdal Ohr, says, “As an Israeli living in the Diaspora, it has been extremely comforting and inspiring to see the love and unity of the Jewish people. We truly are one nation. When we are hurting in Israel, the Jewish community abroad is with us, feeling the pain and doing everything in their power to send support and assistance. I cannot tell you how proud and humbled I have been to be involved in Magen Israel. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to get involved.”

To learn more about Magen Israel and how you can get involved visit migdalohrusa.org/israel

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CHDUT, the DRS Chapter of the National Honor Society, is affiliated with the National Association of Secondary Schools. This year, DRS inducted over 40 students into the Achdut chapter of the National Honor Society. These students were selected for admission based on academic achievement and stellar character befitting this honor. The induction ceremony began with words of welcome from both Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Menahel of DRS, and Dr. Ethan Zadoff, principal of Gen-

eral Studies.

Pairs of inductees then delivered short vignettes to the parent audience about personal Jewish heroes that embodied the four pillars of the National Honor Society: character, leadership, scholarship, and service. An honorary award was presented to Mrs. Julie Foster, a long-time DRS English teacher, who was honored for her many years of hard work and dedication to her teaching and our students.

Grateful Mugs at YOSS

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n Mrs. Lloyd’s 4th grade class at YOSS, the boys discussed different things we are grateful for in our lives. The students had such amazing ideas such as their parents, yeshiva, their home, health, pets and siblings.

Each student received their own grateful mug along with five “marshmallows” which they filled in with what they are grateful for. They are now proudly dis-

played on our bulletin boards inside of our classroom. This was a meaningful activity that allowed the boys to reflect on all the different things in their lives which Hashem has blessed them. While Thanksgiving is just around the corner, we as Jews are always grateful for the things Hashem gives us every day; this activity served as a great segue into our Thanksgiving writing pieces.

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

DRS Honor Society

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Names Not Numbers Interviews Begin at MTA

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ne of the hallmarks of MTA is the Names Not Numbers course, which is taken as a senior elective. Approximately two-thirds of the grade typically participate in this extremely meaningful program. Over the past several days, survivors have been coming to MTA to be interviewed by the talmidim who have been learning their stories prior to the in-person visit.

The survivors often say that they are happy to come tell their story, but the reality is, this program means so much

more to the talmidim who get to learn from them. Those living today are the last generation that will be able to hear about the Holocaust first-hand from survivors.

These interviews are filmed for future generations to learn from history. As it has become all too clear from recent events in Eretz Yisrael, “Never again is now.”

It is our hope that as MTA continues this project, our talmidim will be armed with knowledge that will help them defend the Jewish people and its values against our enemies.

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato Participates in Delegation Trip To Reaffirm Solidarity with Israel

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ew York State Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-South Queens) returned from a high-level solidarity trip to Israel this past week. During her time in Israel, she met with Members of the Knesset, spoke in depth to survivors of the October 7th terrorist attack, and visited one of the ravaged kibbutzim on the border of Gaza.

“As emotionally difficult as I knew this journey would be, I had to take this opportunity to learn and see firsthand the atrocities that occurred on October 7th. Even more so, I wanted to convey my unwavering support and love to Israel, and the support and love from my constituents,” said Assemblywoman Phef-

fer Amato. “I could see how it meant so much to the Israelis I spoke with when I told them that our community stands in full solidarity with them!”

During her time in Israel, Pheffer Amato visited the Kotel and spoke with Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites of Israel. Together, they lit a memorial candle to honor those who lost their lives since the war’s inception.

The Assemblywoman had previously visited Israel in February of this year and had toured Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which is less than a mile from Gaza. The Assemblywoman returned to the community which stands in ruins after the Hamas terrorist attacks. “We played with chil-

dren here. I spoke to women and men who support peace. To now be here and see the awful level of destruction done to a loving community is overwhelming.

It truly does not seem real,” said the Assemblywoman.

“The one thing that will always stay with me is the resiliency of the Israeli people. Throughout all this pain, they have faith and are committed to their country – their hope is a shining light during this dark time. I am very honored to have been able to bring the love and support of our community to Israel and let it be clear that in New York we stand with Israel,” said Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato.

B’Yachad Helpline for Community Members Opens at the Gural JCC

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he Marion and Aaron Gural JCC provides assistance to our community members in need.

The horrific and ongoing situation in Israel, and the tremendous unrest in this country, has community members outraged and uneasy, stressed and confused. In response to the many phone calls we received and the outpouring of concern by our own JCC clients, the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC and the JWLC

(Jewish Women’s Leadership Council, funded by UJA Federation), have opened the B’Yachad Helpline, available six days a week to anyone concerned and anxious about family and friends in Israel and looking for support during these very difficult times. Trained volunteers will provide a compassionate and listening ear and referrals, if necessary, to appropriate resources.

The Helpline number is (516) 696-

Did you know?

Wisconsin produces the most cranberries in the U.S., followed by Massachusetts.

3696 and is open Sunday through Friday.

The Gural JCC has been at the forefront of timely efforts and programming since the war in Israel began. We have provided valuable support to our Holocaust survivors, who understandably, are particularly affected by the recent triggering events, to our OKAY moms whose kids live in Israel, and to individuals whose family members are serving in the IDF. If your shul or school is looking to

provide a relative support group, please contact the JCC at (516)569-6733 to make arrangements. B’Yachad, we will face these painful challenges.

Please feel free to share our Helpline number: (516) 696-3696.

The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is a proud non-profit partner of UJA-Federation of New York.

Did you know?

Dutch and German settlers called cranberries “crane berry” because its flower resembled the head and bill of a crane.

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Around the Community

Chumash Play

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he second grade girls at HALB had their Chumash play on Sunday! They sang songs celebrating

this exciting moment, and each girl received her very own Chumash.

Middah of the Month: Gevurah

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he Shulamith ECC partnered with the Shulamith Elementary School for their Rosh Chodesh asifa this month. The school is focusing this month on the middah of gevurah, strength, for Kislev. The students learned that real strength is not measured by a person’s muscles, rather it is measured by doing the right thing and standing up and resisting others who try to stop them from learning Torah and doing mitzvos. The girls made mini shield necklaces to mimic the shields that the Macaabim used when fighting the Yevanim in order to be able to do mitzvos. We ended the asifa with Chanukah songs and songs expressing that

we are proud to be Jews!

The Shulamith Banot in grades 1-4 were so excited and honored to hear from Morah Pollak, Middle School Navi teacher, at our Rosh Chodesh Kislev assembly.

She spoke about the life of Dovid Hamelech and how we see the middah of gevurah in his life, especially when he fought Golias. The girls also saw a video from the student council about what gevurah means to Shulamith students. In addition to the assembly, they decorated a shield with the word “Gevurah” stenciled on it, and decorated it to reflect what gevurah means to them. What an inspirational way to begin Chodesh Kislev!

Did you know?

Cranberries are the official berry of Massachusetts and the official fruit of Wisconsin.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

SKAbbaton 2023

By Adina Baum, Michal Graff, and Avigail Nassir

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t would not suffice to say that SKAbbaton 2023 was a blast! This past Shabbat, the SKA 10th, 11th, and 12th graders had the opportunity to attend the legendary Shabbaton, affectionately known as SKAbbaton. The theme of SKAbbaton was Leveling Up Shabbat.

With a kickoff held at the beginning of the week breaking out the favorite GVG (grade vs. grade) Motzei Shabbat activity, students were excited to actively participate in many different creative realms, such as dancing, singing, or filming an exciting music video. The week consisted of different opportunities to pump up in anticipation for Shabbat, including GVG prep, potato kugel, dancing, and grade onegs.

Friday morning, the students headed out to the DoubleTree by Hilton located in Somerset, New Jersey. Excitement buzzed through the halls as everyone arrived and began Shabbat prep. The entire school took part in lighting Shabbat candles, dedicated to the safe return of the hostages and as a zechut for the protection of all the soldiers serving in the IDF. Following a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat, we enjoyed the Friday night seudah, accompanied by moving zemirot and much ruach led by the 12th grade. The night ended off on a high note with a shiur from special guest Mrs. Jaclyn Sova, an SKA alumnus, who spoke with focus towards the theme of leveling up our Shabbat and how we can take the initiative to enhance each Shabbat moving forward. Afterwards, each grade partook in an oneg with tons of delicious nosh and kugel, allowing each grade the opportunity to bond with one another, as the oneg was filled with laughter and loads of fun. Later in the evening, an optional shiur was given by Rabbi Rice on the choices we make and how they have the power to elevate our Shabbat in a long lasting and meaningful way.

Shabbat morning began with uplifting tefillot in both the main Minyan and Rabbi Diamond’s explanatory davening.

Before lunch, students had the opportunity to participate in a round robin, which consisted of rooms with senior skits, rabbeim, and teachers, who shared and displayed what Shabbat means to them. After Shabbat lunch, students were able to attend an array of meaningful programs, such as student-led chaburas, a shiur with Mrs. Sova, ask the Rabbi, and various other growth-oriented programs. Everyone joined together for Shalosh Seudot with a highlighted dvar Torah from Alex Clare, inspiration speaker and music sensation, who enlightened the students about his spiritual journey and shared his career path and his decision to be shomer Shabbat that ultimately shaped his future for the best.

On Motzei Shabbat, following the energy from musical Havdalah, led by Alex Clare, it was time for GVG to begin. Pink, blue, and yellow filled the ballroom as students performed their songs, dances, and videos. The ruach was palpable, the room was pulsating with positive energy.

After a close competition, the blue team, the Juniors, were declared the winners of GVG 2023! With achdut and happiness, the students and teachers continued through the night with an energetic chagigah. SKAbbaton 2023 was truly a memorable event!

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Leaders in Blended Learning

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ast week, Mr. Altabe and Mr. Marks of HALB presented on the topic of Blended Learning at the

Conference of Non Public School Administrators in Albany.

Students at Har Torah attended the Israel rally in Washington, DC, last week

CIJE Shark Tank

By Dani Silva and Aliza Zahler

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hree weeks ago, we woke up to some shocking news. We had been selected to compete on CIJE Tank, an event similar to Shark Tank, where we would get the chance to present our innovative idea, the SmartBrush, before a panel of judges who would determine if our product was fit for market and if we could win a preliminary patent. We previously thought up the SmartBrush idea last year for CIJE’s Innovation Day, however, hearing we would be competing on CIJE Tank was shocking.

With only three weeks to prepare for the event, we really pushed to make our presentation as polished and professional as possible. Each team was required to

Thanksgiving Fair at Shulamith

present a pitch that would wow the judges while also explaining how their product could change people’s lives for the better. We gathered together on Sunday, November 19 at the Lincoln Center along with nine other teams who were selected from a pool of 555 entries. In the end, SmartBrush won a spot in the top 4, winning the Top Scientific Innovation award.

We are so happy and grateful that we got to be part of this amazing experience, and we are so appreciative to Dr. Haar, our STEM teacher at Shulamith High School, who helped us in every way possible. Congrats to every team that participated, each of whom was creative and super impressive. We look forward to future competitions and opportunities to innovate.

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his past week, the Shulamith second grade girls celebrated Thanksgiving early with a Thanksgiving Fair! The students first performed songs connecting to Hakarat Hatov and then went from booth to booth and did some Thanksgiving activities with the Shulamith eighth grade girls. The booths included: butter making, weaving, making bracelets, a cranberry STEM project, and, of course, making a list of what we are thankful for. Each student got to take

a bag home full of their projects to be used at the Thanksgiving meal.

Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills Dinner

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n Sunday December 17, at 5 P.M., the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills will hold its 72nd Anniversary Dinner in its ballroom. The dinner is an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation to those who have worked for the shul and community.

At the dinner, the shul will honor the maggidei shiurim, gabba’im, baalei kriah and members who have made the YIKGH Hashkama minyan a vibrant and vital part of the shul for 50 years. Jerry

Iseson, who has davened with Hashkama since its inception, will accept an award on behalf of the minyan. We are putting together a history of the minyan and ask that people share their memories at Hashkama50@gmail.com.

The shul will also honor Rabbi Arieh Listowsky and Orie Shapiro with the Joseph and Stella Zimilover Avodas Hakodesh Award; Mikey and Alyssa Hizami with the Young Leadership Award; and Shabsie (Steven) Saphirstein with the

Community Service Award. It will also recognize the 107th Precinct for their service to the Jewish community.

Rabbi Ari Listowsky and Orie Shapiro have given countless shiurim and lectures for the shul community over the years. Mikey and Alyssa Hizami have brought, and continue to bring, young families into the shul community. Shabsie (Steven) Saphirstein, activist, journalist, and community volunteer, works tirelessly for the Queens Jewish commu-

nity. The Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills has benefited a great deal from his work. The 107th Precinct has a close relationship with the shul and has always been attentive to its needs.

Reservations are $200 per person.

Various sponsorships are available.

Questions can be directed to yikghdinner2023@gmail.com.

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Getting Ready for Thanksgiving at Lev Chana

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ALB’s four-year-old classes joined together and visited each other’s classrooms to collaborate on Thanksgiving projects. The stu-

dents had a lot of fun, learned a lot about Thanksgiving, and enjoyed spending time with children from other classes.

YCQ’s Dazzling Intergenerational Melave Malka

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he Yeshiva of Central Queens third grade put on a spectacular performance at the annual Intergenerational Melava Malka on Motzei Shabbat, November 11. Students beautifully sang Havdalah and Motzei Shabbat themed songs, under the musical direction of Morah Tali Spector. The evening also featured a magic show by Yoel Hecht, a delicious dinner, and a wonderful opportunity for students, parents, grandparents, and teachers to connect with each other.

Special thanks to the third grade teachers, Mrs. Lucks, Ms. Laffer, Morah Etty, and Morah Salek, for all their efforts!

BYAM Kicks off Annual PTA Walkathon Fundraiser

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he girls of Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam enjoyed the fresh air while raising money for their school! The students took a quick walk on the boardwalk across the street and pounded the pavement for a cause. With music in the background and adults cheering them on, the girls had a blast!

They were treated to sweet sticky cinnamon buns upon their return and are so excited to raise money and earn prizes over the next few weeks. Some girls have already made bake sales, carnivals, lemonade stands and other exciting projects to raise funds for their very own school.

Thank you to the sponsors and everyone who participated in helping make this event a success.

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HANC Rallies for Israel

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or the past month, HANC’s Elementary School in West Hempstead has been focused on deepening its connection with Israel and lending support in every way possible. Saying Tehillim each morning, adopting a chayal (soldier) to keep in mind when davening and bentching, singing Acheinu and decorating the hallways with posters expressing love for Medinat Yisrael and Am Yisrael, and writing hundreds of letters to let the chayalim in Israel know that they are our heroes, have been at the forefront of daily life at HANC. On Tuesday, November 14, despite the desire to join the historic crowd at the Washington, D.C. Rally, the remaining HANC staff created its own rally for the students and the staff that stayed in school so that the children could continue learning Torah. With the actual rally live-streamed on a jumbo screen in the auditorium, the classes from kindergarten through sixth grade came streaming in carrying handmade posters and banners declaring their love of Israel. Singing songs together like Acheinu, Am Yisrael Chai,

and “I’m a Jew and I’m Proud” gave the entire school a strong sense of Achdut with our brothers and sisters in Israel and across the world. It was an exhilarating event that helped the students feel that they too were standing with Israel in real time with those that were able to go to the rally.

In addition to a rigorous academic year, developing leadership skills in HANC’s sixth graders will be the focus of the coming months. To kick off the Sixth Grade Leadership Seminar, the students remained after school one afternoon for the first event, a scavenger hunt around the school building. As the students searched for the listed items, they soon learned that when their group worked together to strategize how to find all the listed items faster than the other groups, they were dramatically more successful. When the groups reconvened, they discussed the characteristics of a leader, as well as the special characteristics of a Jewish leader. This segued into how the students can become leaders in HANC’s student government. The process began

for students to apply for positions, which will include two presidents, a vice president, secretary and treasurer. The students will spend the next week lobbying for support from their peers and they all look forward to next week’s elections.

The timing of this program has never had so much significance as it does today.

Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, Head of HANC’s

West Hempstead Campuses, explained: “Developing strong Jewish leaders is even more crucial today than in previous years, as our students must be prepared to stand up and defend our Torah values.

The Sixth Grade Leadership Seminar is just the right vehicle to help develop our students into the community leaders of tomorrow.”

and kindness of students like ours to sort and pack donated clothing, readying them for their long journey to the hands of those in need.

The sophomore class, armed with enthusiasm and a desire to make a positive impact, spent a day at the Yad Leah volunteer center. They sorted, folded, and organized countless items of clothing, ensuring that every piece would find its way to families in Israel who need them the most. The students’ hard work and dedication were a testament to the power of community service and the importance of giving back.

Yad Leah’s mission is more than just a charity; it’s a symbol of the unity and goodwill that can emanate from even the smallest acts of kindness. By volunteering at Yad Leah, the sophomores not only demonstrated their compassion for those in need but also helped spread the message of chessed throughout the local community.

DRS Chessed Trip to Yad Leah

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he DRS sophomore class participated in a special chessed project. They traveled to Passaic, NJ, to volunteer at Yad Leah, a renowned non-profit organization dedicated to providing clothing to underprivileged families in Israel. Founded in 2004 by Passaic resident Jessica Katz and Beitar Illit resident Karen Milch Thaler, Yad Leah has since been a beacon of hope for countless families, and now, the local high school’s students have added their own chapter to this remarkable story.

Yad Leah is known for its unwavering commitment to the less fortunate. It annually distributes hundreds of thousands of articles of clothing to over 25 communities in Israel. With a volun-

teer center located in Passaic, New Jersey, Yad Leah relies on the dedication

Thanksgiving Day Shiurim at MTA

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he talmidim in MTA know that learning Torah is a primary focus of their growth and a lifelong pursuit. Even on an extended break, the learning does not stop. To that end, for many years, MTA has had community shiurim on Thanksgiving morning to talmidim and their parents. It is also a

beautiful reflection of the diversity of the different communities which make up MTA. MTA is proud to have rebbeim who are dedicated to teaching Torah, even on an off-day. MTA invites prospective talmidim and parents to join them at a convenient shiur location.

Did you know?

Twenty percent of cranberries produced in the U.S. are consumed during the week of Thanksgiving.

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Around the Community

Oh, What a Night!

By Amy Englander

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n Thursday evening, November 16, more than 250 women gathered in the Chabad tent on Maple Avenue to pray for the hostages in Gaza and to give honor and chizuk to mothers of lone soldiers who live right here in our very own community. It was a night of hope, a night of prayer, and a night full of heart. It was an inspiring evening where every person in the room put aside their own challenges and focused only on talking to Hashem, through the tremendous power of tefillah, music, and hafrashat challah. The common bond: to pray for the release and refuat ha’nefesh and refuat ha’guf for our soldiers and our brothers and sisters held in captivity.

This challah bake was a moment for the women in our community to unite as one and to pray, sing and bring hope and light when there is so much darkness.

We, the women in our community, all sense that we need to fight the darkness with light. We all feel that we need to show the world that the Jewish people are strong, and we want a kinder time and a more spiritual time where you can see and feel goodness and peacefulness, righteousness, and integrity.

This gathering was so important because we have the names of the hostages held in captivity and from the bottom of our hearts, it has touched something very deep. As one young woman said, “This felt like it was the least I could do for people during the war, especially those at the front. To think positive thoughts about them and do some good, and to do it with my girlfriends who I love… It felt good.”

The mitzvah of challah is one of the three main mitzvahs given specifically to women. The moment of separating challah is an especially auspicious moment for praying and turns the simple act of baking into a spiritual experience. It is considered a very special and opportune time to offer tefillot for loved ones and whoever else may be in need of yeshu-

os. The mitzvah of separation of challah itself literally touches your soul. One can see and feel the connection and it doesn’t matter where we come from but how we are really deeply interconnected as Jewish women, like pieces of a chain. You realize that it’s not just me, but you are connecting with generations of women, and you are here to daven, pray, and plead to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for just one thing…

Bring Them Home!!

The Challah Bake, coordinated by Rebbetzin Chani Wolowick, Amy Englander, Candice Feiler, Hadassah Geisinsky, Ariele Glaubach, Jennifer Gardyn, Goldie Gordon, and Riva Goldschmiedt, worked tirelessly to make sure every detail was perfect. From the invitation to the entire community, to our IDF Mothers special request to join, the tablecloths, the food, and flowers…no detail was left out to make the tent glow with warmth.

Upon entrance, each woman was given a t-shirt with the name and picture of a hostage. On the beautifully set table was the bowl of dough along with the bracha for the hafrasha and the name of the hostage they would be praying for. Imagine, answering more than 250 times amein!!

Not a sound to be heard, as each woman separated their dough, recited the bracha, and cried out lou,d storming the Heavens for the safe and speedy return of each and every one of the hostages. We know that at the moment when the dough is separated, the gates of Heaven are open to us

to scream and yell to the Ribbono Shel Olam, to pray for what we need and yearn for. In this case, we poured our hearts out for the hostages’ release. You literally could feel the weight of the moment. 250plus Ameins recited for the all the hostages…. oh, wow, wow, how powerful!!

As one woman stood up, she said, “Just look around you, 250 women, and this is the amount of our people being held captive.” Not a dry eye in the room.

The Hafrashat Challah bake was honored to have two special guests partake in this special event: Sorah Shaffren, a multi-talented musical entertainer, and Rebbetzin Rivka Dayan, hailing from Brooklyn, NY. The program began with the recital of Tehillim read by a grandmother and two mothers of IDF lone soldiers. Every woman then gave tzedakah which was followed by guest speaker Rebbetzin Rivka Dayan.

“The power of challah is so extraordinary and special. Challah stands for ‘Chanoon Hamarbeh Lisloach’…Hashem is willing to forgive us from all our sins.

Hashem in His goodness and kindness will go out of His way to forgive us for all our sins.” The Rebbetzin continued and said that “challah also stands for ‘Chutz Laderech Hateva,” which means that challah brings such yeshuos in incredible, unbelievable ways just by performing this one mitzvah.” She added, “People have seen osher, revach, nachas, parnassah,

whatever they needed…. Hineh matov u’manaim shevet achim gam yachad… the Shechina rests when there is unity, and this is what brings nissim and niflaot and hopefully our praying will bring niflaot to the hostages and their families.”

After 60 Ameins were said, musical sensation Sorah Shaffren honored and inspired us with beautiful songs as she sang with her guitar. Songs including “Tatty My King,” “Acheinu,” “Misheberach for the Tzahal” and concluded with “Am Yisrael Chai.” The whole room broke out in song; the mothers holding hands tight.

Imagine…More than 250 women joined together singing and the more than 250 Ameins, equaling over 57,600 Ameins.

Wow…the power!

It is felt that with so many participating in the war effort – whether as soldiers called up to fight, as volunteers helping soldiers and southern residents, or doing fundraising for those in need – a little bit of extra prayer out there certainly couldn’t hurt. Every little boost in morale helps, and no prayer should be turned away right now. There is a hope that with every passing Shabbat, more light and hope can be brought into the world.

May there be peaceful Shabbatot to come for Israel and Jews all over the world.

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Around the Community

HANC HS Showcases Excellence

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n Sunday evening, November 12, HANC High School welcomed eighth grade prospective students and parents to its annual Open House. Over 160 families participated in the event! Guests signed in using iPads with the assistance of HANC geniuses and were greeted by the school band, and with HANC student volunteers serving hors d’oeuvres. The program showcased the HANC High School experience emphasizing the theme of this year’s Open House, HANC Makes IT Happen.

After a delicious plentiful meat dinner, the program began with opening remarks from HANC Menahel, Rabbi Eli Slomnicki ’97, who, along with current HANC students, described the three main components that define this outstanding yeshiva: Aspirational Academics, Community Focus, and Torah. Junior

Alex Brand opened with Tehillim for the chayalim and for the safe return of the hostages. Junior Yael Kreinik began with a meaningful d’var Torah followed by seniors Maya Wertman and Shayna Livian and junior Eli Hazan, who each described their individual experiences relating to one of these core values. The opening session concluded with an exciting video entitled “HANC Makes IT Happen,” which can be viewed on HANCLife.

Parents and students then proceeded to classrooms for mini-lessons and course sequences given by our esteemed faculty in both Limudei Kodesh and General Studies. Following the lessons, students and parents participated in numerous informational showcases. Parents met with administrations and directors of Guidance and participated in an Academic Fair meeting department chairs

who were on-hand to answer questions.

Prospective parents then explored Campus Life via panel discussions consisting of current parents, students, and HANC alum or by attending HANC EdTalks by two exceptional students, Naom Traeger, ‘25, our resident Engineer, and Sigal Holtzman ‘24, our in-house poet.

Simultaneously, prospective students participated in three electives of their choosing within the Student Expo. This showcase featured an Engineering STEM Expo, Art Gallery Tour, Coding, Hurricane Athletic Press Conference, and our

Student Panel.

The program concluded with a Club Fair, where students learned about athletics and the incredible selection of co-curricular and extra-curricular clubs and teams available to HANC students.

Guests were awed by how HANC Makes IT Happen with an appreciation for the rigor, warmth, and individualized program offered at HANC High School.

Apply at www.hanc.org and for questions, please email our Director of Admissions, Mrs. Elynn Rosenberg, at erosenberg@hanc.org.

JSL Week 8 Recap

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he JSL Hockey and Basketball leagues by FM Home Loans wrapped up the regular season with some exciting finishes. The playoffs begin next week. The league held the Town Appliance Trick Shot Social Media Challenge this week with a lot of incredible submissions. There were also All-Star games last week for the Hockey senior divisions.

JSL Juniors K/P Hockey: Town Appliance never trailed in their game as their powerful offense just kept piling it on. Bright Futures got on the board first but John’s Automotive scored 7 to win 7-2. Dovi Steigman played masterfully in the net for Maidenbaum as they defeated VirtAir 9 to 3.

K/P Soccer: Simcha Smith from Dead on Pest Control scored a JSL League historic 9 goals. Ari Jaroslawicz scored the first 2 goals of his JSL soccer career and Eli Chovev added 7 of his own to get the win and secure the best record in the division for Island Roofing.

1st Hockey: Ari Davidowitz had some spectacular saves in net as Zahav Asset Management defeated Hewlett Auto Body 6 to 2. 5TownsCentral beat PinIt Realty 11 to 2 behind Elisha Hochheiser who made some great plays in goal and added a goal of his own.

1st/2nd Football: Yakir Roberg had 3 interceptions and a touchdown in Westwood Realty’s win over Target Exterminating. Coby Adler had an amazing goal line

knockdown for PIP Printing in their win over Adventure Media. Nissan Meisels had 5 catches and 2 touchdowns in the win as well.

Basketball 3rd/4th: Akiva Lesser of Newman Dental had 16 points, 5 steals, and 10 rebounds to help his team beat King David’s Contractors 31 to 13. Moshe Orzell of I Am Your Chef had some key rebounds and steals to help them beat Traditions 36 to 26. Mencham Lifschitz had 10 rebounds and 4 blocks to help Miller Realty win a close one vs. Maidenbaum 21 to 18.

5th-7th: Yehuda Lipshitz helped Island Roofing defensively stop a comeback from Sliced, as Island would go on to win 33-25.

Noam Rosman scored the go-ahead put back jumper with 45 seconds left in the game to help 4Seasons AC win in a close one against Wieder Orthodontics.

Hockey 2nd/3rd: Zachariya Koegel set up Asher Newman with a beautiful assist to give SDF Architect the lead and the win. Shmuel Erez had 2 goals and an assist in a dominant performance to help I Am Your Chef defeat Arielle Rosenblatt Interiors 3 to 1.

Yisroel Meir Aber helped the goalie protect the lead by making a great defensive play in the crease to keep the puck out of the net.

Dovid Feigenbaum had stellar defense all game, helping to lock down Built By Nate to one goal in Believe & Achieve’s victory.

4th/5th: Eliyahu Zachter dominated on the court with a five goal performance as

Tamir Law beat Autoclick CarKeys 9 to 7.

Spencer Zeitlin had a 5 goal game to lead JNT to victory against The Card Arcade 5 to 2. Binyamin Fleigman scored 5 and had a goal-saving defensive play to help Town Appliance beat Miller Realty 7 to 1.

6th/8th: JNT was up 5-4 with less than 20 seconds left in the game when Chu’s Meat Market went on the offensive and put an incredible shot on net which was masterfully denied by goalie Jack Spector to hold the lead and give his team the victory. Meyer Simcha Fireworker had a goal and an assist in the 3rd period to help 925 Sterling beat Wieder Orthodontics 4-1. In the primetime Monday night matchup, Extreme Vent Cleaning played great all around to win 4 to 2 against Bayrock Insurance. Yaakov Noam Levine led the offense with 2 goals and an assist, Yechiel Teitelbaum and Simcha Hersh chipped in with goals as well and the young goaltender Gavriel Levine played his best game of the season in net.

Men’s Basketball Dovid Bouskilla went off for over 20 points, but it was not enough for Wieder Orthodontics as they lost 75-40 to Maidenbaum. Eitan Gettenberg scored the goahead free throws with 4 seconds left as Town Appliance slipped past a resilient Marciano Pediatric Dentistry team by a score of 66-64. With Yitzi Wieder absent, Shelby Rosenberg was able to lead Posh Home + Bath to the 58-53 over the 3-time championship Miller Realty team.

Game of the Week In 4th/5th Grade Hockey, Posh Home + Bath jumped out to a 5 to 0 lead until Marciano Pediatric Dentistry’s offense woke up and scored 5 straight to tie it. Both teams then exchanged goals until Posh Home + Bath scored with minutes left to take the lead for good and grab the victory. Yosef Goldfischer’s hustle helped propel Posh Home + Bath to the nail-biter win.

Game MVPS: Meir Newman, Yosef Rand, Nissan Meisels, Yissachar Diamond, Ezra Donowitz, Akiva Lesser, Moshe Orzell, Shmuel Erez, Simcha Smith, Zalmie Robinson, Yosef Goldfischer, Menachem Lifshitz, Binyamin Bamberger, Yehuda Lipshitz, Noam Rosman, Eliyahu Zachter, Noah Polansky, Binyamin Flegmann, Jack Spector, Meyer Simcha Fireworker, Asher Rosenbaum, Elisha Hochheiser, Yaakov Noam Levine

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Op- d

We Support and We Hold Responsible

By Rabbi Moshe Hauer

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oday, the Government of Israel made one of the most morally and strategically complex and difficult decisions any group of elected officials can confront, making painful concessions to free hostages from the hands of their evil captors.

We support their decision. This support is consistent with the Orthodox Union’s long-standing policy to support the Israeli government’s positions on national security issues. We recognize and respect that this decision is based upon the primacy that the Government

of Israel, the People of Israel, and the Torah of Israel place upon the infinite value of human life, a value that our enemies have not begun to embrace.

But even as we support the decision of the Government of Israel, we and all civilized people must hold responsible

the many who made this terribly difficult decision necessary.

We hold responsible the Qataris whose ongoing hosting and support of the Hamas terrorists enabled them to massacre…behead, and kidnap hundreds of innocents. The Qataris are

fend themselves.

We hold responsible the leadership of universities who have allowed their sacred spaces of learning to become places where Jews live in fear and where there is no room on their walls and bulletin boards to display compassion for the plight of hostages taken and held in unambiguous and unde-

ulation that – while certainly including thousands of innocents – is dominated by a majority whose values reflect those of Hamas in poll after poll, who elected the terrorist government it deserves, celebrated the massacre of Israelis, seeks one judenrein state from the river to the sea, whose so-called moderate leaders continue to pay to slay, and who

We support the Israeli government in this painful decision, and we hold the world responsible for their complicity in their having to make it.

batable violation of every law of war.

We hold responsible the biased media who fan the flames of hatred and antisemitism by their hopelessly imbalanced reporting, briefly telling the story of the hostages before turning their focus to the tragic plight of a pop-

educate their children that Jews have no place on this earth.

We support the Israeli government in its painful decision, taken with the knowledge that the October 7 th massacre was planned and executed

by Yahya Sinwar, yemach shemo

vezichro, a beast who was freed from an Israeli jail in a previous prisoner swap.

We support the Israeli government and urge them to not let this pause in the fire provide an opportunity for Hamas to reorganize and rearm.

We support the Israeli government in this painful decision, and we hold the world responsible for their complicity in their having to make it. You have failed those men, women and children held captive and you must not allow this travesty to continue. You must not rest until each and every hostage from this conflict and from previous conflicts are returned home. You must support the Israeli army as it finishes the job of completely and totally destroying Hamas and does what is needed to ensure that the next plan for Gaza will not allow that territory to again breed the evil that the withdrawal of 2005 did.

We pray to G-d with all our heart that each and every one of the hostages return home safely, that they and their families find healing, and that they find their place in a welcoming world that has learned from its terrible mistakes and misjudgments and embraces a genuine love of both truth and peace, where Jews may live without fear.

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part of the problem and not part of the solution.

We hold responsible the United Nations who have yet to find it within themselves to unequivocally condemn the brutal massacre of October 7 th, offering instead lame and ignorant presentations of context to excuse the inexcusable. The UN was created to prevent another Holocaust and has chosen instead to be its greatest promoter.

We hold responsible the politicians and NGOs who choose to focus their concern for humanitarian behavior on the world’s most humane army as it fights a war it did not start and never wanted, instead of shining the spotlight of moral and compassionate scrutiny consistently and completely on the brutal and monstrous murderers and kidnappers of Hamas.

We hold responsible the so-called progressives who will stand up for any victim if he is not a Jew, who will prosecute rapists as long as their victims are not Israelis, who forget the friendship and allyship of the Jewish community that has stood by their side in their every struggle, and who now oppose the Jewish people’s right to de-

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1. *

TJH

Centerfold

JFK Assassination Trivia Sixty years after November 22, 1963, let’s see what you know about this moment in American history.

1. What did Nellie Connolly, the first lady of Texas, say to President John F. Kennedy, when she turned around to speak with him seconds before he was shot? a. “Mr. President, you can’t say Dallas doesn’t love you.” b. “This has been such a pleasant ride.” c. “Mr. President, isn’t Dallas beautiful?” d. “Your wife Jackie is quite lovely.”

2. What is the name of the bystander who took the famous 26-second film that captured the shooting and became arguably the main piece of evidence in the Warren Commission that investigated the JFK assassination? a. Abraham Zapruder b. Jack Smith c. Ryan O’Conner d. Megan Deitz 3. Who was the assassin responsible for the shooting of President John F. Kennedy (all

conspiracy theories aside)? a. Jack Ruby b. Lee Harvey Oswald c. John Wilkes Booth d. James Earl Ray 4. According to a recent Gallup survey, what percentage of Americans believe that the killing of Kennedy was a conspiracy that involved numerous people other than the actual gunman? a. 12% b. 27% c. 40% d. 65% 5. Which building was the gunman in when he shot Kennedy? a. Texas School Book Depository b. Dallas City Hall c. Dallas Museum of Art d. Democracy Tower 6. Who was the vice president at the time of Kennedy’s assassination? a. Gerald Ford b. Richard Nixon c. Lyndon B. Johnson d. Hubert Humphrey 7. What was done to Executive One,

the presidential car in which Kennedy was riding when he was shot? a. It was immediately placed in the Smithsonian. b. It was given to the Kennedy family. c. It was taken apart and reconstructed in 2010. d. It was cleaned and continued to be used as a presidential vehicle until 1977.

Answers: 1-A 2-A 3-B 4-D 5-A 6-C 7-D Wisdom Key: 6-7 correct: You must have read all 888 pages of the Warren Commission Report. Ever apply for a job at National Geographic?

3-5 correct: Not bad… after all of those Chol Hamoed trips to Washington.

0-2 correct: Well, I’m sure you are good at Fortnight!

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“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” was not JFK’s only memorable line. Here are some others:



“I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy: ‘Dear Jack, Don’t buy a single vote

more than is necessary. I’ll be [darned] if I’m going to pay for a landslide.’”



“Do you realize the responsibility I carry? I’m the only person standing between Richard Nixon and

the White House.”

  

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”

“You know nothing for sure...except the fact that you know nothing for sure.”

“Those of you who regard my profession of political life with some disdain should remember that it

made it possible for me to move from being an obscure lieu-

tenant in the United States Navy to commander-in-chief in fourteen years with very little technical experience.”



“When we got into office, the thing that surprised me most was to find that things were just as bad

as we’d been saying they were.”

 

“Too often, we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”

“Khrushchev reminds me of the tiger hunter who has picked a place on the wall to hang the tiger’s

skin long before he has caught the tiger. This tiger has other ideas.”



“Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be pres-



“Israel was not created in order to disappear – Is-

ident, but they don’t want them to become politi-

cians in the process.”

rael will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope

and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy, and it honors the sword of freedom.”



“I am a jelly doughnut.”

(To this day, a debate rages

whether Kennedy said this by mistake to 400,000 Germans while trying to say in German, “I am a Berliner”)

You Gotta be Kidding Me! There are four people, and all of them are sitting at a square table eating turkey. Their names are Mike, Al, Paul, and John. Use the clues below to figure out who sits where at the table.

John is at the left of Mike.

Mike sits on the right side of the table.

Al is on the right of Mike.

Where does Paul sit?

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

Memorable Lines

Answer: Paul sits on the left of John and across from Mike.

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Torah Thought

Parshas Vayeitzei

By Rabbi Berel Wein

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ur father Yaakov leaves his home, he who is accustomed to study, tranquility, and to “dwelling in tents,” and immediately finds himself alone and endangered in a hostile world.

A rock is his pillow, and he must erect barriers at night to protect himself from wild animals (both four- and two-footed) as he sleeps on the ground. Though he is reassured by Heaven and by his grand dream and vision, it is clear to him that

his future is still uncertain and fraught with dangers, peril, and challenges.

When he finally arrives close to his destination, he encounters the neighbors and daughters of Lavan who are unable to water their flocks because of the great rock that seals the opening to the well of water. The Torah then describes for us in great detail how Yaakov greets the people and the family of Lavan and in a selfless gesture of help and compassion

to others – who he has just met – singlehandedly removes the rock from the mouth of the well.

It is interesting to note that the Torah lavishes a great deal of space and detail to this incident at the well while the Torah tells us nothing about the fourteen years of Yaakov’s life that passed between his leaving home and arriving at the house of Lavan. Rashi, quoting Midrash, tells us that Yaakov spent these fourteen years

utmost emphasis on the behavior that one exhibits towards other human beings. Not everyone can study for fourteen years in a yeshiva day and night.

Yet everyone can care about others, can demand justice for the defenseless, and can provide, to the best of one’s abilities, to help those who so obviously need it.

Though Yaakov, like the great figures and founders of our people that appear here in Bereshis, is unique in spiritual stature

Certainly, it would seem that the years of study would have a greater impact on the life and persona of Yaakov than rolling a rock off of the mouth of a well would have had.

in spiritual study and personal growth at the yeshiva academy of Shem and Ever.

So, if this is, in fact, the case, why does the Torah not tell us of this great feat of spiritual challenge and self-improvement – fourteen years of sleepless study – while it does seem to go into mystifying detail regarding the incident at the well of water? Certainly, it would seem that the years of study would have a greater impact on the life and persona of Yaakov than rolling a rock off of the mouth of a well would have had.

As we see throughout the book of Bereshis, if not indeed regarding all of the Torah generally, the Torah places

and blessed with Divine vision and revelation, he is also essentially everyman.

His actions are meant to be a template of attitude and behavior for his descendants and the people who bear his name.

The Torah, while making it clear that we can never personally be the equal of our ancestors in their exalted spiritual state and accomplishments, highlights that we can and should attempt to emulate their values and behavior. We can all help those in need to roll the rock off their wells and thereby nurture an environment where the Yaakov within all of us can grow and expand.

Shabbat shalom.

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From the Fire

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Parshas Vayeitzei

We Can

By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

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he pasuk (Bereishis 29:2) says that when Yaakov arrived in Charan, “And he saw and behold there was a well in the field and there were three flocks of sheep waiting by it because the flocks drank from that well and there was a great rock on the mouth of the well.” In his conversation with the shepherds, Yaakov asked them why they were not drawing water to allow their sheep to drink from the well.

They responded (Id. at 8): “And they said, ‘We can’t [move the stone] until all of the flocks gather, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well.’” Yaakov’s response to this explanation was (Id. at 10) “Yaakov approached and rolled the stone from off of the mouth of the well and gave water to the sheep of Lavan, the brother of his mother.”

Imagine how the shepherds must have laughed when they saw this yeshiva bachur, this (Bereishis 25:27) “Ish tam yosheiv ohalim, pure man [studying] in tents” walking up to move this boulder which a whole group of strong, healthy shepherds could not move. The Medrash (Bereishis Raba 70:8), however, says that for Yaakov, moving the stone was so easy that it was as if the boulder was the size of “the tiny hole of a small strainer.” To the shepherds, the rock was a giant boulder, but to Yaakov it was like a little pebble. Can it be that this was some sort of macho contest to see who is stronger and that Yaakov won the contest?

This Medrash cries out to be interpreted on a deeper level.

Chazal offer many opinions regarding the nature of the well covered by the boulder. Some suggest that it refers to Yerushalayim. Others say it refers to Har Sinai. But we find a deeper interpretation in the seforim hakedoshim which explains that the well represents each person. Everyone possesses a wellspring of abilities, strengths,

talents, and gifts which demand expression in the person’s life. We all know talented, intelligent people who fail to succeed in life because there is some boulder preventing them from expressing their inner gifts, their true personality. With all of their physical strength, the shepherds were convinced that they could not move the rock.

Their attitude is defined with two words: “lo nuchal, we can’t do it.” It’s impossible.

Someone who believes that he is incapable of something will indeed find that he cannot accomplish it. Yaakov however, believed in the human ability to remove the boulders that imprison their inner strengths. That is why he was successful.

Rav Kook taught in the fourth of the Shmona Kavotzim that “a person must always gauge himself and know that he must actualize his own personal truth and straightness, the truth and straightness that he feels in his innermost spirit. He will then be guaranteed to walk on the path of faith.” Hashem planted infinite gifts and talents within each one of us. Our job is to remove the blockages that restrain the expression of that inner greatness.

Everyone has a dream that he wants to accomplish something big in life. But his “I can’t do it” sits like an unmovable boulder preventing him from realizing that dream.

Yaakov teaches us to recognize that the obstacles preventing our self-actualization are actually like little pebbles, the size of the hole in a strainer. The attitude of “I can’t” turns even a tiny rock into a giant boulder.

This attitude of “we can’t do it” does not only apply to individuals. The same thing can apply to an entire community. A feeling of hopelessness, that change is too difficult, can set in and prevent people from believing that they can make a change.

Although no one faced greater obsta-

cles than Yaakov Avinu, his whole essence was “I can.” This “simple man [studying] in tents” was forced to become a shepherd and work for fourteen years to marry Rochel. When he was forced to face his brother (Bereishis 32:25), “He was left alone and wrestled with a man until the break of dawn.” That was the ministering angel of Eisav, the representative of the “other side.”

Everything was a struggle for Yaakov. And when he thought that he could have some reprieve from his troubles, he lost Yosef and endured twenty-two years of grief without any Divine inspiration or prophecy.

In his epic struggle with the heavenly force powering his brother Eisav, he could have easily given up and conceded, “I just can’t.” But instead, it was the ministering angel of Eisav that said, “Lo yuchal lo,” I “cannot beat him.” The whole essence of the “other side” is that it says, “I can’t.” It tries to convince us that we can’t, but if we believe in ourselves and say, “I can,” then it gives up. Indeed, the angel of the “other side” renames Yaakov “Yisroel,” saying (Id. at 29), “Ki sarisa im Elokim v’im anashim v’tuchal, because you have struggled with angels and with men and you were victorious.” You said, “I can.”

This is man’s choice. Will he adopt the attitude of the shepherds who lived with fear, seeing any obstacle as a giant boulder preventing them from unleashing their potential? Or will he be like Yaakov Avinu, who saw his obstacles as little pebbles that could not stop him from attaining his goals.

Rebbe Nachman told of a king who wished to test his son. He had a large boulder placed in the castle courtyard and in-

structed his son to remove the boulder from the courtyard within one week. He told him that he could not use any servants to help him. Struggling to find a way to move it, the prince tried to employ every type of contraption to make the rock budge but he was not successful. When the week was over, the king checked in on his son, who had made no progress. Rebuking the boy for not thinking clearly, the king proceeded to take a hammer and chisel and reduced the boulder to a pile of small pebbles, which he then easily removed from the courtyard.

We can achieve greatness if we believe that we can and refuse to listen to those voices inside and outside that claim, “It can’t be done.” But we must understand that it can’t be done all at once. Just like the king’s son realized in Rebbe Nachman’s analogy, the “boulder” preventing us from achieving great things can be removed if we work steadily over time to reduce it to pebbles.

May we merit, both individually and as a kehilla, to remove the “great stone on the mouth of the well” that prevents us from expressing our true potential by recognizing that the blockage exists primarily in our imagination. May we soon see the darkness lifted off the foundation stone of creation and the appearance of the third and final Beis Hamikdash with the arrival of Moshiach.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

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Think. Feel.Grow.

The Five Stages of Faith

By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

A

s he lay in his hospital bed, gasping for breath, he began contemplating his time in this world.

He was now an elderly man, nearing the end of his journey. But what a journey it had been. There had been ups and downs, difficult decisions, and deep struggles with faith. As he reflected on these times, tears began flowing down his cheeks.

When he was a young boy, he believed in Hashem, but only because his parents were deeply committed to Judaism and taught him to do the same. He didn’t know any better. They taught him that Hashem loves him, that He created the world, and that “He gave you this delicious cookie as a present.” He was happy to go along with it, but more than anything, he just wanted to make his parents proud.

As he grew up, he loved sharing his “hashgachah stories” with his friends and family. There were times when he truly felt like he had met Hashem, when he heard Hashem “talk” to him. There was the time when his life was saved by a bone marrow donor and the times when he just made his flight. As he got older, he found his soul mate and got his dream job. It was no longer belief; it was real, at least to him. Life was good, pure, true, and beautiful. His faith became personal, not just something his parents taught him.

But then it all changed. One day, he heard a lecture, and it shook him to his core. The lecture systematically picked apart the validity of Judaism, and he had nothing to counter the arguments with. At that moment, he realized that he needed rational proofs for his faith.

He devoted time and thought toward his faith, developing a rational and intellectual basis for the things he had always taken for granted. At first, he felt knowledgeable and enlightened, but at a

certain point, he felt like he was missing something. Everything had become cerebral and intellectual; he lost his spark for life, his love of Judaism, his passion for mitzvos, and his connection with Hashem. He was twenty seven years old, and he had never felt less connected. Everything went downhill from there.

Now, as an elderly man, taking his last breaths, he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks. In the past few weeks, he had experienced more spirituality than ever before. After almost seventy years, he had finally picked up a Jewish sefer and began learning again. Over the course of just a few weeks, his eyes had been opened to deeper Jewish ideas, concepts he had never before considered. He began realizing that there are certain things that cannot be explained rationally, that transcend logical explanation, and that can only be experienced. He could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of regret. “If only I had stayed on the right path,” he thought. “If only I hadn’t given

up so early, I could have spent my whole life delving deeper and deeper into the wellsprings of Torah wisdom! If only I could press a button and reset; if only I had the chance to do it over again.” With that final thought echoing in his mind, he took one last breath, closed his eyes, and prepared to face his Creator.

He slowly opened his eyes, but everything was still a bit foggy. He looked around, and strangely enough, everything looked familiar — too familiar.

His heart suddenly began racing, and he leaped out of bed. He couldn’t believe it. He ran to the mirror, touching his face out of shock and excitement. He was twenty seven again. Or “still.” He couldn’t tell if he had woken up from a nightmare or had been given a second chance at life. One thing was certain: he was ready to embark on a genuine journey of faith.

The Journey of Faith It is always important to reinforce our commitment to the journey of faith.

There is no greater act of emunah than living a spiritual, holistic life in an often chaotic, fragmented world. The famous words, “kedoshim tihiyu — you shall be holy,” are not a call to be transcendent, angelic beings, lofty and perfect, completely beyond the struggle innate to the human condition. This is not permission to deny our humanity and restrict our sense of self. This is a calling to be human, to be the ultimate human, to bring transcendence and spirituality into this world. We don’t aim to escape this world; we aim to transform it. Kedushah is not transcendence or escapism; it is the meeting between the transcendent and the immanent. This is the journey of faith, where each individual must embark on a quest for internal and objective truth, where we must leave the comfort of the known and travel toward the infinite, toward the future we know we are destined for, toward our own personal and collective purpose. There are five stages in this journey of faith:

1. Emunah Peshutah The first stage that we experience in life is emunah peshutah (simple faith).

If you take a two-year-old child on a walk in the park, all he experiences is life itself. He’ll point at the birds and the trees and exclaim: “Whoa!” Or he’ll point at the grass and shout, “Look at that!”

He doesn’t yet have a categorized mind, so he doesn’t give names to anything; he simply sees reality as it is. At this stage, we experience life with no questions, and no options — everything is simply pure, true, and beautiful.

2. Blind Faith Then, we learn how to speak, and the world suddenly becomes a mystery. We walk around in wonder and confusion; we have questions; we’re learning to

must have set it into action; there must be a source of the matter that made up the Big Bang.

The world is so sophisticated and organized that it is impossible for something of such complexity to have just randomly come about. It must have been created and ordered this way by something higher.

Einstein proved that time and space is relative, meaning that each human being experiences a present in relation to himself. Objectively, though, there is a dimension that transcends time and space. Hashem must be that which tran-

logical explanation; they can only be experienced. These phenomena are not irrational; they are post-rational. Reason and logic lead you to them, but only experience can verify them. If you have experienced something in this realm, you cannot prove its existence to someone else, for they must experience it themselves in order to truly know it as well. For example, if someone has never eaten chocolate before, it is impossible to explain to them what it tastes like.

They need to taste it and experience it themselves. The same is true for spiritual wisdom.

3. Experiential Faith However, when we reach a certain age, we begin to want more. We want to meet Hashem and to talk to Him. We want to genuinely, deeply believe in Him, but we struggle, as it’s hard.

If only we could see Him, touch Him, or even hear Him, then we’d believe!

We just want some indication that He’s here, watching and caring, just as we were told growing up.

Every once in a while, a “coincidental” encounter with Hashem, the sublime, occurs. Maybe our life was saved, maybe we just made our flight, or just missed it — and later heard it crashed.

Maybe we found our soul mate, did well on our test, or got our dream job. Maybe we had our first child, our illness was cured, or we won against all odds. Maybe we were just in the exact right place at the exact right time.

Suddenly, we believe. It’s real, at least to us. We’re convinced; we walk around floating on cloud nine. Life is good — pure, true, and beautiful. Here, faith becomes personal, not just something imposed upon us by others.

However, our faith at this stage is simplistic in some ways, and at some point, this is no longer enough. We want more; we need more. Rational, logical, and philosophical questions come up.

“If G-d exists, then why…,” and “How can G-d exist if…,” or “Why would G-d do….” Maybe our life falls apart and we cry out, “How can this be happening to me?!”

4. Rational Knowledge The fourth stage is the rational stage. We need rational proofs: Logic, philosophy, science, math, and intellect.

So, we begin to collect proofs.

The “Big Bang” may explain how the world came about, but where did the Big Bang come from? Something higher

Knowing that Hashem exists does not mean that we have a relationship with Him.

scends time and space! (Additionally, quantum physics reveals the likelihood that the world is an expression of a supreme consciousness, so Hashem must be the neshama (the “self”/consciousness) of the world.)

This fourth stage is tremendously more developed than the two before it.

At this stage, our faith is something we have worked toward rationally, intellectually, and developmentally — something that we have devoted thought and research toward. But, in truth, this stage is limited as well. We may have proven that Hashem exists, but it ends there. Knowing that Hashem exists does not mean that we have a relationship with Him. It does not help us truly know Him or connect to Him on the deepest of levels.

The Ramchal explains that rational proofs may reveal Hashem’s existence, but they do not allow for a deeper understanding and knowledge of Hashem (Daas Tevunos 146). We may know that G-d exists, but what does that mean experientially? How does this manifest in our actual experience of life? While many people stop at rational knowledge, the fourth stage, we must push ourselves farther. This is where the fifth level begins.

5. Experiential Knowledge There are certain things that cannot be explained rationally. They transcend

Love cannot be explained, only experienced. The physiological effects of love on our bodies and minds can be observed, but the power and experience of love cannot be rationally explained.

Although it is impossible to logically and rationally prove the existence of free will, you experience it every time you face a moral dilemma. The genuine pull toward evil and the rich satisfaction when we triumph is inherent to human decision-making, and yet it is impossible to scientifically pin down the origins of decision making in our brains.

True goodness cannot be explained, only experienced. If you ask someone to explain the nature and meaning of what is good and right, they may be able to give you examples, but the truth of what is good lies beyond the realm of logic.

It is something we know deeply within ourselves.

The fact that life has meaning and purpose is intrinsic to the human experience and yet impossible to prove.

You know deep down that you are unique, that you were created for a reason, and that you have a unique mission in this world. Yet, again, it is impossible to prove.

The above phenomena defy logical and rational explanations. They are experienced deep within our consciousness — deep within our existential experience of reality.

Deeper Torah knowledge as well

requires this post-rational experience, weaving your way into the inner dimensions of Torah consciousness. At this stage, you see reality as it is. No questions, no options, everything is just pure, true, and beautiful.

But then you notice something grand, euphoric, and unexplainable: This was the exact experience you had during the first stage! Your journey through life becomes an epic and cosmic circle. You lost that transcendent connection to oneness so that you could journey through life to rebuild it! This time, however, it’s real, it’s earned, and therefore it’s yours; you chose it, you built it, and now you get to experience it. Now comes the most challenging stage of all: living by the emes that you so deeply know and experience, turning the cerebral light of truth into a life eternally guided by that truth.

Life is full of ups and downs, light and darkness, clarity and faith. Belief is not static, it’s a process — something you must constantly build, mold, and develop. When in the midst of struggle and darkness, remember how far you’ve come, remember why you’re here, remember your why in life, and then push forward and take the next leap in your journey of faith!

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is the author of the bestselling book, “The Journey to Your Ultimate Self,” which serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish thought. He is an educator and speaker who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He is also the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy, the transformative online self-development course based on the principles of high-performance psychology and Torah.

After obtaining his BA from Yeshiva University, he received Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, a master’s degree in education from Azrieli Graduate School, and a master’s degree in Jewish Thought from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Scholar. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and son where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago.

To invite Rabbi Reichman to speak in your community or to enjoy more of his deep and inspiring content, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com.

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communicate. If we’re taught to believe in Hashem, we do. Not because we have any reason to, but because our parents or teachers tell us that Hashem loves us, that He created us, that He cares about us, and that “He gave us this delicious cookie as a present.”

As we grow older, we are taught increasingly complex ideas: Hashem sees everything we do, Hashem can forgive, Hashem gives us challenges. However, we are still at an age where we accept these facts at face value, believing them because that’s what people tell us is true. At this stage, belief is obedience, not something we’ve discovered.

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Sparks of Light

Leah’s Thanksgiving

By Rabbi Benny Berlin

W

hile the American holiday of Thanksgiving is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah, the concept of giving thanks is deeply rooted in our faith. It is possible that Leah, our matriarch, was actually the first person in history to “celebrate Thanksgiving!”

In our parsha, Parshas Vayeitzei, after giving birth to a son, Leah says, “This time, I will thank Hashem,” and names him Yehuda. The Gemara in Brachos 7B states: “Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon b. Yochai: From the day that G-d created His world, no one expressed gratitude to G-d until Leah came and did so, as it says, ‘This time, let me express gratitude to Hashem.’” This raises an intriguing question: Weren’t earlier figures like Adam, Chava, Noach, Avraham, and others grateful, too? It is hard to fully understand the statement of Rabbi Yochanan.

I learned from Rabbi Ya’akov Trump two explanations for this: one from the Maharam Shik and the other from Rabbi Soloveitchik.

The Maharam Shik focuses on Leah’s reflection after having four children.

She questions the tradition of celebrating only at significant life events. She asks herself rhetorically: “This time, let me express gratitude to Hashem?” We should always be thankful to Hashem in the everyday moments, not just during big celebrations. Leah’s approach transformed “Thanksgiving” from an occasional practice into a continuous state of mind.

This echoes the findings of modern research. One of the earliest studies in gratitude research, conducted by Emmons and McCullough in 2003, aimed to explore the connection between gratitude and happiness. The study investigated the effects of a grateful outlook on

psychological and physical well-being.

It found that people who kept a gratitude journal, writing down things they were grateful for before going to bed, reported higher levels of positive effect,

ful for even the small things G-d does for us every day. “Kol haneshemeh tehelah Kah hallelukah,” a phrase from Tehillim (Psalms) 150:6, is typically translated as “Let every soul praise G-d,

It symbolized her choice to find gratitude in an imperfect life situation.

reductions in negative effect, more sleep, better sleep quality, and greater optimism and a sense of connectedness to others.

We have the opportunity every day – three times a day – to do this in our Modim prayer. Modim is not just about acknowledging grand successes. It is an opportunity to reflect on and be thank-

Hallelujah.” Yet, some interpretations of this psalm suggest that it calls for praising G-d with every “nishama,” meaning with every breath.

Rabbi Soloveitchik offered a different perspective, highlighting Leah’s difficult circumstances. All Leah wanted, more than anything else, was Yaakov’s love. But she always sensed that Yaakov

loved Rachel more. Despite being in a less favored position in her marriage, Leah’s decision to name her son Yehuda was a defining moment. It symbolized her choice to find gratitude in an imperfect life situation. “I am still not the favorite in my husband’s eyes, and that fact will not change. But I am going to accept what I have and be grateful for it.” That, indeed, was the first time anyone thanked G-d like that – to fully accept with faith our lot in life and be grateful for the blessings within it.

This theme of finding gratitude in challenging times is also seen in American history. Contrary to popular belief, it was not until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared two national Thanksgivings; one in August to commemorate the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War, and the other in November to give thanks for “general blessings.” Like Leah, Lincoln understood the importance of expressing gratitude, even more so in tough times.

It certainly was not a “happy time” in American history. At the Battle of Gettysburg, people mourned the loss of over 51,000 soldiers on both sides.

Both Leah’s and Lincoln’s examples teach us that gratitude is essential, not just despite the difficulties but especially when life is not going as planned. This year, on Thanksgiving, with everything that took place on October 7th and the war we currently face in Israel, with all the difficulties we endure, we still thank G-d for our life and all the blessings within it. “At this juncture, I will thank G-d.”

Rabbi Benny Berlin is the rabbi of BACH Jewish Center located in Long Beach, New York. For more information, visit: https:// www.bachlongbeach.com/.

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Delving into the Daf

Dinim on Damages

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

T

he following stories and the rulings that follow are based on the Chashukei Chemed and Pninei Halacha on Bava Kama. They are not intended to be relied on for practical halacha.

1. Shimshon had a venomous snake as a pet. One day, it managed to escape its cage. Levi was walking by and was bitten by the snake. Levi was rushed to the hospital and was treated with anti-venom. While being treated, the doctors discovered that Levi had a rare and usually fatal condition.

The snake’s venom cured him! Levi called Shimshon to express his profound gratitude for saving his life from his hitherto unknown condition. Before he hung up, Levi also casually mentioned that he expects payment from Shimshon for his pain, suffering, and doctor bills. Shimshon said, “Really?!? I saved your life!”

2. A hundred and fifty years ago, Boruch owned a liquor store in Hungary.

The authorities there had a strict law regarding selling imported liquor. Chaim purchased a large quantity of liquor for his simcha. At the simcha, Chaim tasted the liquor, and it was awful. The next day, in a fit of rage, he smashed a whole section of bottles in Boruch’s store. Later that day, government inspectors made a surprise appearance at the store. They did not find even one bottle of contraband liquor because Chaim smashed them all. Boruch sent a message to Chaim thanking him profusely for saving him from certain imprisonment, confiscation of his liquor, and steep fines. At the end of the message, he also included an itemized bill so that Chaim could reimburse him for the bottles that he had smashed. Was Boruch correct in demanding payment?

3. In the times of the Beis Hamikdosh, Yehuda worked as a fisherman. One day, he forgot it was Shabbos and went fishing as he would on a normal weekday. When he pulled his net up, he was surprised to find a live baby together with all the fish! The baby had managed to fall into the water, unbeknownst to the fisherman. The fisherman had saved the baby’s life. The relieved

father thanked Yehuda profusely. He also mentioned in passing that the fisherman had to bring a korban chattas. One brings a korban chattas for an accidental violation of Shabbos. Trapping fish or other creatures is one of the 39 categories of forbidden labor. Does Yehuda really have to bring a korban chattas?

4. Dovid was playing around with a BB gun. He was using a water tank on top of an apartment building for target practice. The repeated strikes caused the tank to fall. Somewhere else in the building, Zevulun was carrying a candle. He tripped over a rug, and it instantly caught fire. The fire rapidly spread and soon the apartment was engulfed in flames. Zevulun realized that he had no chance of putting out the fire. He had to run for his life and alert all the other residents. All of a sudden, to Zevulun’s great surprise, water came cascading down from the ceiling and extinguished the fire. Zevulun found out what happened and thanked Dovid profusely for saving his apartment and possibly many lives. Then Zevulun casually handed Dovid a bill for the broken water tank.

Does Dovid have to pay?

5. Morah Cohen was frequently asked questions about her former talmidos for shidduch purposes. She was very careful to never volunteer any negative information.

Only if she was asked a direct question, did she give a negative answer if warranted. (And only about non-silly things. These laws are complex and beyond the scope of this article.) One day, she was asked a general question. A mother said, “Tell me about the girl.” Without thinking, the Morah replied, “Honesty is not one of her strong points.” The Morah immediately regretted volunteering that negative information. She proceeded to discuss the girl’s many qualities. For weeks, she felt bad about her temporary lapse in judgment. She made up her mind that she was going to ask Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein the next day about how she should do teshuva. That night, she received a call from the mother of a chosson. “Mazel Tov! My son’s engage,d and it’s all because of you! We didn’t want a daughter-in-law who would question my husband’s business practices. The girl was perfect: fine middos and flexibility when needed!” The next day, the morah went to Rav Zilberstein with a different sort of question: “Was what I said even lashon hara?”

The halacha is clear on the question of Yehuda the fisherman bringing a korban chattas. The Gemara says in Menachos 64a that he does not have to bring it. Even if Yehuda had intended to trap on Shabbos, the resultant action was pikuach nefesh because he saved a baby. Therefore, a kor-

ban is not warranted. A korban chattas is brought for an accidental action that violates Shabbos, not an accidental thought.

Based on this, Rav Zilberstein surmises that Shimshon would not have to pay for the pain and suffering caused by his pet snake. The snakebite was actually a life-saving measure; it was just unknown at the time. Similarly, the morah does not need to teshuva for speaking lashon hara about the girl not being so honest. In this situation, the words she spoke were actually positive. The questioner was looking for a girl who was flexible.

The halacha regarding the liquor store is a machlokes. The Mekor Chaim says the halacha is the same as the first stories.

When Chaim smashed the contraband bottles, he was actually saving Borcuh from a life in prison and steep monetary fines.

Therefore, Chaim doesn’t have to pay. The Shut Kinyan Torah says that Chaim must pay. At the time he broke the illicit bottles, there was no imminent danger. It’s not comparable to the case in Menachos where there is baby drowning right at the time of the trapping. Similarly, in the case with the snakebite, Levi had a fatal illness at the time of the bite. Here in the liquor store, Chaim is just saving Boruch from some possible future occurrence that may not even happen. However, even if it would for sure happen, that danger is not there at the time of the damage.

Based on this, the halacha regarding the broken water tank would be as follows: If the fire had already started when Dovid broke the water tank, Dovid is exempt from paying for the damages. If the fire only started after the water tank was damaged, the Kinyan Torah would rule that Dovid must pay. The Mekor Chaim may rule that he is exempt.

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@ gmail.com.

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Headlines

Halacha

What Should Israel Do With the Captured October 7th Terrorists?

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

T

he horrors of October 7 th still reverberate in the minds of all caring individuals. This past Motzei Shabbos, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that the preparation for the first reading of the death penalty law for terrorists will be discussed in the National Security Committee.

“On Monday, the preparation for the first reading of the death penalty law for terrorists of the Otzma Yehudit faction submitted by MK Limor Son Har-Melech will be discussed in the National Security Committee chaired by MK Zvika Fogel,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement. “I expect all members of the Knesset to support this important law.”

Family members of the hostages are countering that Ben-Gvir’s timing will endanger the hostages. It seems that they are certainly correct, and from a halachic perspective, the proposal should be pushed off. There is an aspect of lo saamod al dam rayacha here.

But in general, many have the ques-

tion: What should Israel eventually do with captured murderous terrorists?

Should the death penalty be employed, when they are found to be guilty? What is the Jewish tradition?

Some claim that Jewish tradition is against the death penalty, and others state the exact opposite view. What follows is a brief look at the topic. We do find numerous verses in the Torah that indicate that there should be a death penalty.

• The concept of capital punishment was established in Bereishis 9:6: “Shofaich dam ha’adam b’adam damo yeshafaich, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.”

• And then, in the weekly portion entitled Mishpatim (see Shmos 21:12), we find the verse, “Makeh ish vamais, mos yumas, One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.”

• In Sefer Vayikra 24:17) we see, “And he that smites any man mortal-

ly shall surely be put to death.”

• The Torah in Devarim (17:6) decrees that only the testimony of two or more witnesses (together) can result in a person’s death sentence. The clear implication is that the death penalty should exist.

This is not to say that capital punishment should be implemented indiscriminately. Great care must be employed when implementing it. The last Mishna in the first chapter of Makkos (1:10) records a debate between the rabbis about how common or often the death penalty should be implemented. But let’s delve into understanding this Mishna.

There appear to be four views in this Mishna. The Mishna begins by recording the Tanna Kamma’s view: 1. “A Sanhedrin that puts a man to death once in seven years is called a murderous one.”

2. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah said, “Or even once in 70 years.”

3. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiba said, “If we had been in the Sanhe-

drin, no death sentence would ever have been passed.”

4. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “If so, they would have multiplied murderers in Israel.”

The first three views are clearly concerned with the possibility of state-sponsored death penalties going awry. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel’s view is that categorically stating these views is not responsible because it would make murder light in the eyes of society.

The Rishonim from the Rambam down seem to reflect the view of Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel. In contemporary American society, the topic seems to be a point of contrast between Rabbi Ahron Soloveitchik, zt”l, and Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l.

Rabbi Soloveitchik’s View In a letter to Dr. David Luchins, cited by Nathan J. Diment on Advocacy. ou.org, Rav Soloveitchik writes: “In my humble opinion, from a hala-

Rav Moshe’s View On the other hand, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, (Igros Moshe CM II #68)

in a letter dated March 20, 1981, to then-Governor Hugh Carey begins by restricting capital punishment to specific limitations of during the Temple era, with two kosher reliable witnesses, and with a direct warning, and states that “all of this” only applies…”when the prohibition against murder has not

The Murder Rate In the past three years alone, the murder rate has climbed from 5.07 per 100,000 to 6.52. This is a 22% increase.

In Detroit, Michigan, where the death penalty has been banned by the State constitution since 1963, the murder rate is over 40. That means for every 2,500

“The Torah delegates the authority to mete out capital punishment only to Sanhedrin, not to anyone else.”

been rendered null and void. But for someone who murders people because for him the prohibition against murder has become meaningless, and similarly when the number of murderers has multiplied so much [due to the prohibition becoming ignored], we apply [capital punishment] in order to deter murder,” for to do so is saving society.

people, one of them is murdered.

In Pirkei Avos, the Mishna discusses the deterrence that the law provides, and states that were it not for the fear of punishment, each person would swallow the other whole.

Rav Yeruchem Levovitz, zt”l, (18731936) the Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, in his work entitled, “Daas

Torah” (Shemos, p. 201), addresses this issue in such a manner that one might have thought he was talking about contemporary times: Rav Yeruchem writes: “A person does not appreciate that the only reason that a person can sleep peacefully at night is because there are police in the city. He is certain that if people would attack him or steal something from him that the police will pounce upon him.

Nonetheless, he still locks his house door and his store door at night with strong locks, and he is afraid to go out at night because who knows what can happen…”

In regard to such mass murders that Hamas, ym”sh, has perpetrated, it is highly likely that even Rav Ahron Soloveitchik would have agreed that the murderers deserve death. The timing of the proposed bill by Ben Gvir, however, could, in fact, endanger the lives of the hostages.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice.

The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@ gmail.com.

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chic point of view, every Jew should be opposed to capital punishment. It is true…that the Torah recognizes capital punishment. However, the Torah delegates the authority to mete out capital punishment only to Sanhedrin, not to anyone else. Even [members of the] Sanhedrin are not able to mete out capital punishment if there is no Beis Hamikdash.

“B’zman she’yesh kohen makriv, yesh nefashot, b’zman she’ayn kohen makriv, ayn nefashot. Even capital punishment among B’nei Noach cannot be meted out when there is no kohen makriv. (YH: This point is debatable and seems to contradict other explicit Gemaras where only Jewish courts are unable to mete out capital punishment when there is no standing Temple.) … If a Sanhedrin carried out one execution in seven years, it is characterized as a murderous Sanhedrin. Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon say that if they had been in Sanhedrin, no person would have ever been executed…”

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My Israel Home

“What’s The Next Modiin?”

By Gedaliah Borvick

C

lients often bemoan the fact that they didn’t buy an apartment ten or twenty years ago in Modiin, which has shot up in price and now rivals pricing in some Jerusalem neighborhoods. This inevitably leads to them asking, “What’s the next Modiin?” Or, in other words, where is the next opportunity to buy an affordable apartment in a community that will have a sizable Anglo (meaning: English speaking) nucleus?

The answer is Carmei Gat. This new community, which means “Vineyards of the Wine Press” – based on excavation findings near this neighborhood – is situated in the northern part of Kiryat Gat, 35 miles south of Tel Aviv, 42 miles southwest of Jerusalem, 22 miles south of Beit Shemesh and, for shore lovers, 15 miles west of Ashkelon. Slated to have a total of 7,500 housing units, Carmei Gat’s first residents moved into the neighborhood in 2018, and the community has quickly become a warm, friendly, less expensive alternative for Anglos who want to remain in Israel’s center.

Carmei Gat has welcomed many olim plus numerous second-generation Anglos – children of olim who hail from Jerusalem, Modiin, Givat Shmuel and Beit Shemesh. Interestingly, numerous

“mixed marriages” – couples with one Hebrew speaker and one native English speaker – have moved to Carmei Gat, due to the neighborhood’s diverse population.

The reasons why so many Anglos have chosen to make Carmei Gat their home are similar to the reasons why Modiin has been such a soft landing for Anglos.

It (1) is a well-planned city with numerous beautiful parks, including an enormous

and medical clinics; (5) excellent educational options; and (6) good governance, offering numerous after-school options for children of all ages. Yes, Carmei Gat is not yet a finished product, but it has the infrastructure in place for sustained growth and success.

Most of the Anglos are dati leumi, or orthodox, and the diverse, tolerant and accepting community has a wide

Carmei Gat has welcomed many olim plus numerous second-generation Anglos

100-acre central park, which includes multiple play areas, workout stations, bike and running paths, and athletic courts; (2) is centrally located, 40 minutes from Tel Aviv by train (that’s a big deal) and car and is a 50-minute drive to Jerusalem; (3) offers strong intra- and inter-city bus service and also has excellent vehicular access to most points in the country due to its location close to major highways; (4) various shopping options

spectrum of religious observance, including dati leumi, traditional, secular, plus Chabad (and honestly, where aren’t they?), including strong representation of both Ashkenazim and Sephardim. Most Anglos are under 50, and now the parents of these families are moving in order to be close to the children and grandchildren.

Most of the Anglos are members and leaders of the thriving and growing Ashkenaz synagogue Carmei Zion. As befit-

ting a shul with many members having grown up overseas in shul-centric communities – where the synagogue serves as a religious and social hub in addition to housing prayer services – Carmei Zion runs communal events, learning opportunities, chesed activities, and child-centric programming.

There are currently several lovely projects under construction, offering apartments in both high-rise towers and low-rise buildings. Although prices are considerably higher than when sales started almost 10 years ago, they are still significantly lower than other Anglo neighborhoods, to the tune of 50% lower than Modiin and 25% lower than Beit Shemesh.

We are thrilled to see Carmei Gat blossom into a wonderful community with a laid back, out of town vibe. The neighborhood has become a wonderful option for many families, and we are excited to watch it continue to grow and flourish.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2023

102

School of

Thought

FOMO

By Barbara Deutsch

T

his week, people who I met anywhere asked me about the rally.

Anyone I know, or knows me, assumed that I was there. I am even shocked that I was not among the almost 300,000 who attended.

I have terrible FOMO (fear of missing out, not necessarily a good thing) and am filled with regret as to why I didn’t go, couldn’t go.

I do not have to be the one dancing at every simcha. I most often do not care when there is an event or party and I am not included. And if anyone believes that my beloved husband Bob cares – nope and absolutely not; he is happiest at home, save for our family and close friends, with his own company.

When included, I am happy to go to a lecture, a dinner, a wedding or bris.

When not invited, I am happy to stay home in my pajamas and read a good book.

Listening to the rally stories, even the ones filled with crazy (and there seemed to be a lot of those), made me yearn to be counted among the masses and be counted as one of the marchers.

As a history teacher and a young, big-mouthed radical, I have always stressed the need to vote, stand up for the underdog, and learn from the lessons of the past. My many students were inculcated with the understanding that if somehow you forgot that you were a Jew, not to worry, there will always be someone to remind you that is who you are; oftentimes, not so nicely.

I am not surprised about the Jew hate, rather I’m distressed about how unaware so many of us seem to be. As a child of survivors, I always knew that Jew hate was beneath the surface of tight smiles and misleading rhetoric.

It was waiting for the opportunity to jump out.

It’s here.

A good friend recently told me about her son-in-law’s banking colleague; the two of them worked alongside each other in a prestigious New York banking firm. This young man was scrolling

Instagram when he happened upon his angry, self-righteous colleague and his screaming-obscenities wife tearing down pictures of the hostages.

How was it possible that these two well-educated and successful bankers,

We must expose our enemies – sadly not so hard these days – shut them down and fire them.

So why didn’t I go?

Maybe I speak for more than myself when I say that the long and grueling

Listening to the rally stories, even the ones filled with crazy, made me yearn to be counted among the masses and be counted as one of the marchers.

working side by side for years, invited to each other’s celebrations, could be so lopsided in their political views? When did the ugly face of hate come between them?

The antisemitic poster-ripping banker is now unemployed. There is no room for hate at this or any place. Hopefully, more and more firms, especially colleges and universities, will wake up and do the same.

bus ride, the hours of bumping up and down, the lack of sufficient bathrooms, the many stops (bus, metro, shuttle) and the hours of standing was daunting to an aging body. The war stories of the trip, buses not showing up, taking circuitous routes, rude and nasty bus drivers, flat tires, broken down and sabotaged buses and more are hard to believe and off-putting.

The stories of inspirational speeches,

tefillah, the feeling of unity, the magnificence of almost 300,000 Jews standing up for the hostages and Israel, the singing and dancing made me cry and want to be there so very much.

Huge FOMO. I did not go because it is more important to make room for the next generation to take my place and “be there!”

I work in a school with little children; I have a responsibility to those children and my colleagues. It is my job and my calling to keep them safe and prepared for their tomorrow.

Right now, in this climate of Jew hate and war, I worry that I am not doing enough for them. In the last too many years, we have become complacent in the feeling that we have a homeland and that we can take for granted that Israel will always be there whenever we need or want it.

No more.

As educators and parents, grandparents and more, we have to make sure that Israel is secure and our support has to continue with whatever it takes.

Israel will not survive the continued onslaught from its “friends” and enemies unless we teach and model our love and commitment to its existence.

Everyone has to do what they can to ensure that future. It starts with the children.

We must do what we can to help free the hostages and support Israel. As an educational leader, I have learned to recognize when it is time to let the new generation take the lead.

I have FOMO, but it is now time for me to step aside. I will never step out; there is still so much left to do.

Mrs. Barbara Deutsch is currently the associate principal at HANC 609 and a longtime reflective educator, parent, grandparent, and new great-grandparent. Even after all these years, she still loves what she does and looks forward to working with kids every single day.

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Israel Today

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

We Are Not Alone

By Annie Schneider

I

was supposed to be at the mass rally this past week in Washington, D.C. My decision to go was an easy one. I had to be there. I needed to be one of the many who would stand in solidarity with Israel and her beloved people. I wanted my voice to rise up with hundreds of thousands more; resonating as a clarion call to our brothers and sisters in the homeland: We stand with you. Unequivocally. Am echad b’lev echad.

“Man plans and G-d laughs.” We all know the saying. Everyone’s Bubby has told them so. Well, I don’t believe G-d was laughing on Tuesday, but He certainly had different plans for me than those I had meticulously put together. I had thought of it all: filling out the necessary form, with the required advance notice, to request a personal day at work, prepping breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the trip, prepping breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the following workday knowing I’d be getting home late, stashing anti-bacterial wipes, sanitizer, toilet paper (great call…. none on the bus!), my phone cord and portable charger, alcohol wipes, band-aids, Motrin, and Tums in my meets-security-requirements backpack as well as a pillow and blanket and of course my siddur and Tehillim. My “We Stand With Israel” sign that I added “Am Yisrael Chai” to on the back, my Israeli flag, and “It’s In My DNA” support Israel t-shirt were all at the ready for when my alarm, set to 4:45 am, would wake me up.

Yes, I had thought of it all. At least, I thought I had thought of it all. Until it was apparent I hadn’t. Had I thought the bus taking us to D.C. would arrive late at the morning pick-up location? No. Had I thought the bus taking us to D.C. would be traveling at only fifty miles per hour in a sixty-five zone on the highway? No. Had I thought the bus taking us to D.C. would have to pull over at a rest stop in Cranbury, New Jersey, so the driver could attempt to fix a problem with the engine? Nope. Had I

As we waited at the rest stop entrance for an Uber to pick us up and take us to the closest NJ Transit station, an incredible thing happened. People walking by, one after the other, were giving us a thumbs-up, a smile and nod, or an affirming, “I’m with you.” or “Yes.” They had seen my sign and were openly showing support. Over and over and over again. To the elderly army veteran, thank you. To the middle-aged couple, thank you. To the young gentleman carrying his just purchased for-the-

One woman. One sign. One voice. thought we would be spending the next forty-five minutes at a stand-still in a random parking lot as other vehicles continued to whizz by? No and no. G-d wasn’t laughing but clearly my plan had shifted to His Plan.

Best case scenario, we would now arrive at the rally at the very end. Most likely case scenario, we wouldn’t make it at all. There was a vote. With the engine fixed, it was decided that the bus would forge ahead to D.C. rather than return to Long Island. My husband, friend, and I did the math and knew that in all probability, the rally was no longer in the cards for us. We then broke rank, got off the bus, and began heading back home on our own.

road snacks, thank you. Most importantly, thank you to Asher, a complete stranger who noticed taht neither our first Uber nor our second Uber was coming and offered to drive us (out of his way!) to the train station. The twenty-minute ride gave us time to play Jewish geography and, unsurprisingly, numerous connections were made.

Amazing.

We continued our journey home, and the gestures of support kept coming. A high-five from the straphanger walking briskly through Penn Station as well as more nods and smiles as people from all walks of life rushed to catch their train.

While standing on the platform at Jamaica

station for our connection to West Hempstead, an older African American woman approached my friend and I and told us the following: The pastor of her church had been planning for weeks to gather multiple parishes so they can join together in a communal prayer service supporting Israel and the Jewish people. It was scheduled for this coming weekend. She had seen my sign and wanted to share how her community is unifying and displaying solidarity with us. Incredible.

Walking home, I reflected on the day’s events. They had started out as expected, with my plan in place, but had continued and ended with G-d’s. I had been so terribly disappointed about missing the rally; in my heart and soul, I had wanted to be there.

Badly. Then I realized, in some sense, I was very much part of it all. I still had a role to play. A contribution to make. One woman.

One sign. One voice. Yet enough to bring attention and a needed response to a moral and just cause. I believe G-d’s plan this past Tuesday was to show me that, despite the grotesque vitriol spewing from the “other side,” there is more good than evil. More moral clarity than depraved, corrupt thinking. More who are with us than against us.

And that we are not alone.

Annie Schneider, a speech-language pathologist and mother of four, lives in West Hempstead.

Although she didn’t make it to the rally, she wouldn’t have changed her day at all.

nspiration Nation

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2023

104

Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein, zt”l The Story of a Giant

By Eliyahu RosEnBERg

O

ne may be inclined to describe Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein, zt”l, as an educator, an inspirational speaker, and the founder of several schools and programs, but in truth, he was so much more. His dedication to every Jew and his emunah in Hashem were simply unfathomable, and his extraordinary contributions to Klal Yisroel continue to shape the lives of countless individuals, even after his untimely passing. Indeed, he achieved far more in sixty years than most could in 120.

No matter how much you learn about Rabbi Wallerstein, there’s still so much more left to discover. And while no amount of words can truly do him justice, it is my hope that the following story will offer a sort of glimpse into the life of a man who was a giant in every sense of the word. * * * Meet Howie Hershkovich, a frum man who grew up as a not-so-religious boy. He lost his father when he was a child, and his difficult life circumstances forced him to switch schools several times in his youth.

When sixth grade came along, Howie began attending Crown Heights Yeshiva in Mill Basin, where he first heard of the school’s legendary eighth grade rebbi: Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein.

“When you get there, the talk is that there is an eighth-grade rebbi – that once you get to his class, it’s like heaven,” Mr. Hershkovich said. “He’s the coolest guy, and his class goes on the best trips. He’s athletic and plays sports with the kids, he takes everyone out to Kosher Delight, and he’s just fun and cool.”

As Howie and his classmates went from sixth grade to seventh, their excitement to reach Rabbi Wallerstein’s class only grew in intensity, as they continued to hear about the incredible eighth grade experience. After a demanding two-year-long wait, Howie was, at long last, you could say, able to live the Rabbi Wallerstein dream – or so he thought.

As it turned out, something was off. For some reason, he and Rabbi Wallerstein just couldn’t connect.

“He was a great rebbi and everything,

In His Words… he must have seen these rough-cut diamonds that you can polish and they can become beautiful and sparkling.

””

he saw that there was a need, and he made it happen. you knew you weren’t being judged, so you were able to open up.

”

he saw the mosaic of Klal yisroel. he saw that no two people are the same… They are all g-d’s children, and they all have what to say and to share.

”

but I grew up without a father,” Howie explained. “And he’s very fatherly, and I guess that just wasn’t something I was looking for at that point in my life.”

One day, Howie did something in class that was very upsetting – so much so that Rabbi Wallerstein didn’t know how to react.

The boy’s actions bothered Rabbi Wallerstein to the point where he felt like nothing could be done to fix the situation. Thus, the rabbi resorted to a method that he had never used with any student before Howie, nor with any student after: he simply decided to ignore the boy for a few days.

Those few days of silence had a profound impact on Howie’s life, for they triggered within him the realization that he, in his words, “needed to shape up.” From that point onward, the relationship slowly but surely flourished into something beautiful.

Fast forward several months, and as the year was coming to a close, Rabbi Wallerstein went on a mission to send all his talmidim off to a yeshiva high school, and he was successful in doing so for every single boy…except for Howie.

“I wasn’t going to yeshiva high school.

My mother wanted me to go to public school; my brother went to public school before me,” Mr. Hershkovich said. “You know, you finished your day school, your time in yeshiva, and now it’s time for the next step.”

Rabbi Wallerstein tried endlessly to get Howie to go to a frum school. He even offered to pay for the tuition, but the boy’s mother’s mind was made up: Howie was going to public school and that’s that. Despite the rabbi’s pleas, Howie would not end up in yeshiva.

A few months later, once graduation time was approaching, Howie’s mother became very sick, and she came to realize that she didn’t have much time left. As the

eighth grade graduation ceremony was underway, she exited the school building and found Rabbi Wallerstein standing outside.

She went over to the rabbi and suddenly grabbed him by the arm.

“And she said, ‘I’m not letting go of your arm until you tell me that you’re gonna watch over my son, because I don’t know how much longer I have,’” Howie recalled.

Rabbi Wallerstein stood there, absolutely taken aback, but he nonetheless promised the boy’s mother that he would keep an eye on him. And that he did.

Through Howie’s years in high school, he frequently visited and spoke to Rabbi Wallerstein, and the two grew close. Rabbi Wallerstein would often encourage Howie to become more observant, and although the boy spent his days in public school, little by little, he became frum.

And then eleventh grade came along, and at sixteen years old, Howie lost his mother. For some reason, through the whole funeral, Howie just couldn’t cry. But when he went outside to find Rabbi Wallerstein waiting for him, at that moment, the young orphan broke down in tears.

There was no doubt about it: from that point onward, Rabbi Wallerstein became like Howie’s father, and Howie became like his son. And that’s when the boy’s life turned around. He began putting on tefillin every day and started going to shul to say kaddish for his mother. Once Howie finished high school, Rabbi Wallerstein encouraged him to go to Israel for a year.

Rabbi Wallerstein set up an interview at Nvei Tzion, and he paid for Howie’s flight and tuition.

Howie had an incredible year in the Holy Land, and he frequently spoke to and received advice from Rabbi Wallerstein throughout the experience. At one point, Howie was dating a girl, whom the rabbi

105 it’s not a good deal,” Rabbi Wallerstein told Howie, “but I’m investing in you.”

“He gave me thirty thousand dollars,” Howie said. “I bought my first building together with him, and I bought a second building together with him as well. Baruch Hashem, it turned out great.”

One day, Rabbi Wallerstein and Howie were spending time together in Howie’s office, just having a casual conversation, when out of the blue, Rabbi Wallerstein brought up the topic of death.

“Nothing’s wrong, but I don’t have any sons and you don’t have any parents,” he told Howie. “If something happens to me, I want you to say kaddish for me.”

After Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein, zt”l, passed away on May 2, 2022, Mr. Hershkovich went to shul, every morning, noon, and night, to say kaddish for his rebbi, a

man who had transformed his life and became a father to him. *** This story shows a side of Rabbi Wallerstein that few are aware of, for his greatness became known to all through his work with young women through his organization, Ohr Naava. Not many are aware of the fact that he originally exclusively taught boys.

Eventually, Rabbi Wallerstein discovered that his greatest impact would be on women, and through his tremendous efforts, thousands of lost women have found their way to Judaism. As a rebbi, Rabbi Wallerstein would walk into the classroom and hand a rose to each girl in his class, every Friday morning, treating each one as if they were his own daughter. He cherished the special individuality of each and every one of his students, while also stressing that

we’re all family and no one is alone. And through his patient and non-judgmental way of teaching, he transformed the lives of countless.

“He had this way of making you feel like he was on your level, so no matter who you were and what you were, you knew you weren’t being judged, so you were able to open up,” Melissa Sherman, one of his students, said of him.

Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein left behind an incredible legacy: one of a man who was a father to all, who dedicated his life towards helping others, and beyond all, prioritized his family and Hashem.

May R’ Zecharia Shimon ben R’ Yitzchok HaKohen’s neshama have an aliyah in Shamayim, and may his contributions to the world continue to shape the lives of countless forevermore.

This article is based on a podcast, “Inspiration For the Nation,” hosted by Yaakov Langer. To catch more of this conversation, you can watch it on LivingLchaim. com or YouTube.com/LivingLchaim or listen wherever you listen to podcasts (just search for “Inspiration For The Nation”) or call our free hotline: 605-477-2100.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

advised him to continue going out with.

That girl is now Howie’s wife.

Howie was twenty when he returned from Israel, and at that point, he decided that he wanted to go into the real estate business. Upon finding a building that he wanted to buy, he approached Rabbi Wallerstein with a business offer.

“I said, ‘Rebbi, listen: I found this building and I need sixty thousand dollars; I have thirty. Come be my partner,’” Howie recalled.

Rabbi Wallerstein first decided to ask real estate professionals about the deal in order to assess whether the purchase would be a good investment, and to Mr. Hershkovich’s chagrin, everyone told Rabbi Wallerstein that it was a bad idea.

“They all told me not to do it. They said

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2023

106

Rebuilding the Jewish Nation One Baby at a Time

By Malkie SchulMan

“F

orty-two is my mission. Forty-two innocent Jewish babies were beheaded by the cruel and evil Hamas on October 7, 2023, and my goal is to bring 42 Jewish children, 84 Jewish children, 126 Jewish children, and many more into existence.

“We cannot replace those karbonos but I will do everything I can to make sure we as a nation continue to live and thrive.”

Rabbi Marty Katz of Queens, New York, founding executive vice president of Just One Life (JOL) – known as Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael in Hebrew – made this impassioned statement in an interview recently with TJH. We sat down to discuss JOL, how it has impacted Jewish lives in the past, and how it continues to impact so many Jewish lives today.

“Just One Life is an organization dedicated to supporting expectant women and their families who are in crisis,” Rabbi Katz explains. “We empower pregnant women who’ve hit rock bottom and don’t know how to extricate themselves from their difficult situation. We’re here to help them learn how to feel good about themselves again.”

Clients often struggle with a variety of challenges associated with their pregnancies including complications due to unexpected and/or high-risk pregnancies and/or pre-existing medical, psychological, emotional conditions and financial difficulties. These difficult situations often lead to increased feelings of anxiety, ambivalence, fear, loneliness, and helplessness.

That’s where JOL steps in. Its support has many faces; whether emotional, physical, financial or spiritual, the organization offers an array of diverse, yet complementary services working together to help moms and moms-to-be learn skills to overcome what often seem to be insurmountable challenges. JOL helps over 500 families in crisis yearly, and to date, since its inception in 1989, has successfully seen the births of an incredible 20,200 babies!

107

Of Shocking Statistics

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

The genesis of JOL traces back to an ordinary day almost 35 years ago when Mr. Jack Forgash, a successful Teaneck businessman, was reading the Jerusalem Post while on a visit to the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

What caught his eye was an article that shared a startling fact: out of 120,000 pregnant women in Israel, only 90,000 were coming to full term. Shocked, Jack called his rabbi, Rabbi Sharfman, who agreed to meet with him. Immediately after recounting what he had read, Jack recalls, they both looked at each other and said, “What are we going to do?”

Knowing they needed more expertise, they reached out to Mrs. Madelaine Gitelman, an experienced social worker based in Jerusalem, to help brainstorm a solution. Mrs. Gitelman, eager to be of service for such a worthy cause, conducted extensive research, identifying social and economic stress as a significant challenge for these women who were unsure how they could go on with their pregnancies. Her findings emphasized the necessity of financial assistance for every expectant mother in crisis. This formula remains the backbone of JOL’s success to this day.

Rabbi Katz (who came on board a short while later), reflecting on their approach, said, “It’s not about yelling and screaming and telling the expectant moms they’re doing something wrong. It’s about showing them love through showing them how they can make it work.”

He adds, “When I first heard the appalling statistics, I also couldn’t believe what I was hearing.” After conferring with several respected rabbis and lay leaders, Rabbi Katz decided to get involved. “And, I have to say, even though I’ve been involved in many important organizations over the years, Just One Life has become my baby.”

Rabbi Katz, a born and bred New Yorker, obtained semicha from REITS and a master’s degree in Jewish Education from Ferkauf (a division of Yeshiva University).

As a rabbi, he has been involved in many kiruv and Torah leadership initiatives over the years as well as consulting and advising for various organizations. Today, his identity is Jewish babies – the more, the better.

Just like the beginnings of most organizations, JOL started on a rocky footing.

“We definitely got pushback,” recalls Rabbi Katz.

“When people heard about our work, they automatically assumed we were preaching from a political or religious soapbox. But that’s not our way at all,” he asserts. “Our language is one of love. That’s it. We want to help pregnant women in crisis and their families, and any way we can, we do.”

Eventually, through her unwavering belief in and passion for working with these women in crisis, Madelaine, today chairperson of JOL in Israel, won widespread support from the community in Israel and abroad.

Rabbi Katz shares one of their many success stories.

Yael was a charedi mom with a few children when she found out she was expecting quadruplets. The doctors were skeptical. They said, “Mrs. Mizrahi, we recommend you reduce your four babies to two fetuses.”

“You can imagine Yael’s trauma,” says Rabbi Katz, “when she asked them, ‘OK, so which ones should I reduce? Baby 1? Baby 2? Baby 3? Baby 4?’”

Twin babies born with Just One Life’s assistance

Rabbi Katz, Dr. Eyal Mazaki of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and Jack Forgash

That’s when her case was brought to Jack Forgash’s and Madelaine’s attention, who then reached out to Dr. Shimon Glick, a leading doctor in Beer Sheva Hospital.

After medically assessing Yael’s situation, Dr. Glick was at a loss as to understand why Yael’s doctors felt her pregnancy was at risk. He advised her to allow the pregnancy to go to term. Meanwhile, JOL was there to hold her hand through it all, emotionally and financially as well.

The bris of the four healthy baby boys was attended by Chochom Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, and Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, who both served as sandek.

“Of course, I made sure to be in Israel to attend their bar mitzvahs also,” Rabbi Katz relates. And almost 25 years after their birth, Benzi, Yosef, Shlomo and Yishai are today thriving, healthy adults, some with children of their own.

“Every year when I visit Israel, Yael makes sure to come and see me with her beautiful family,” says Rabbi Katz. “This past trip, a picture was taken of me holding the baby of one of the quads – a baby that may never have been allowed to see the light of day if not for JOL. That was an emotional moment!”

He Who Saves a Life Rabbi Katz describes the work of JOL, Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael, as nothing short of holy. It’s all in our name, he says. Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael is taken from a pasuk in the Gemara (Masechet Sanhedrin) that states that he who saves a life in Yisrael is like he saves a world. JOL’s dedicated and professional staff save not just the lives of babies but of entire families and generations. As director and senior social worker of JOL Chaya Katzin puts it, “When we impact one woman’s life, we impact her marriage, her family, and the generations to come.”

JOL has support across the religious spectrum.

“In the beginning, Rav Avrohom Pam, zt”l, was JOL’s rabbinic advisor. Then, Rav Dovid Feinstein, zt”l, and currently Rav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, rabbinically advise us,” says Rabbi Katz.

Rabbi Katz also maintains ties with people from

other faiths, especially those in the evangelical Christian community, who greatly value JOL’s work. It’s not unusual to see Christian college students studying in Israel volunteering to help with food packaging to send to families in crisis.

“Our cases are by referral only; that’s how JOL vets their clientele,” shares Rabbi Katz. A hospital, an organization or a social agency will encourage the expectant woman in crisis to seek JOL’s assistance. Often, financial stress is a major factor. As a result of the financial stress, the mom may be emotionally stressed as well – how will her family be able to afford the expenses of the new baby? She may already have a number of young children in the home or maybe she’s expecting multiples. Perhaps she’s discovered she’s carrying a baby with a disability, and she’s overwhelmed. Chaya Katzin will initially meet with each woman and, based on her particular needs, will decide which therapist to assign to the case. In addition to their dedication and compassion to their clients, every JOL therapist holds a master’s degree and is highly trained to handle all types of challenging situations.

Tamara Cohen* grew up labeled the “bad girl” by her mother. Her mother was cold and indifferent, unable to show warmth and love to Tamara and her siblings. Consequently, Tamara suffered greatly emotionally as a child.

As she grew, she promised herself she would never treat her children the way she’d been treated. Yet when Tamara became a mother, she realized parenting lovingly wasn’t so simple. Growing up without a positive parental figure in her life left her struggling to provide her children with the loving environment she had so desperately wanted.

Tamara was referred to JOL when she found out she was pregnant with her third child. “My worst nightmare has come true,” she cried to her new therapist. “I’ve become my mother. I haven’t been there for my first two children, and I don’t know how to be there for the one on the way. I’m not capable of being a loving mother.”

Luckily for Tamara, her JOL therapist was able to enlighten her and show her that she was indeed capable of being a loving mom. As Sarah Gordon, JOL’s devoted and highly trained drama therapist, so aptly says, “True, there’s no way to be a perfect mom but there are a million

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ways to be a good one! We help make good mothers.”

Through extensive counseling, Tamara was able to process her painful childhood and repair her self-love and self-esteem. By the time her daughter was born six months later, Tamara was a different person. She had rewritten her mothering script and become a loving, attentive, good mother.

“When JOL first began, we were mainly dealing with expectant women who didn’t know how they could manage to bring their pregnancies to term,” explains Rabbi Katz. “But as the years advanced, JOL expanded its repertoire of services.” They now deal with women and their families in every aspect of pregnancy and beyond.

Whether there’s an alcoholism or drug-related problem or a high-risk pregnancy and the moms need more than one service, JOL is there for them. Besides assisting monetarily, JOL might help a client by connecting her with a municipal agency or providing her with weekly counseling. Today, JOL often works with the entire family, so assistance can include advocacy, making referrals, inviting the couple to attend parenting and/or social skills workshops or even finding a husband a job or all or some of the above.”

A vital step in the client’s healing journey, Rabbi Katz adds, is that the client learns to make her own choices.

“We will say, ‘This is what we can do for you. You think about it and then you decide.’” Baruch Hashem, out of every case that has come to JOL’s attention, every single woman has opted to bring her baby(ies) into this world.

“A number of years ago,” shares Rabbi Katz, “a couple came to see us. They had a few children and a newborn. Financially, they were struggling, and on top of everything, their newborn had reflux and needed special, expensive formula. Even though the husband was amazing and held down two jobs, unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough to support his family. We invested some money into getting him training as a park caretaker. Not only did the extra job give him the much-needed income, but it restored his dignity as the provider of his family.

“This, in essence, is what Nefesh Achat B’Yisroel is about,” asserts Rabbi Katz. “Treating the family holistically, at the source, and restoring pride. What JOL is not about is putting on band-aids.”

Children, Israel’s Main Resource Years ago, Jack was quoted in a magazine article as saying, “Israel’s main resource is its children. Each child our organization helps bring into the world multiplies our people a hundredfold.” That statement applies now more than ever. In the current war-torn situation in Israel, Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael feels driven even more to do what they can to see that every single baby grows up and thrives in the best possible way. There are pregnant mothers whose husbands are fighting in Gaza; there are many displaced families with expectant mothers living in cramped and unpleasant quarters. The whole country is experiencing tension, but just multiply it many times over if the mom is pregnant with perhaps other children and no husband and/or no home or if she and her children have to run to the miklat (bomb shelter) every day.

“Unfortunately, we’re in for the long haul,” maintains Rabbi Katz. “Even after Hamas is wiped out, life will not

be going back to normal so fast. There will still be residual trauma that will have to be dealt with.”

This is why Jack started a new project specific to the present Hamas terror war called the One Baby Chai Fund.

“There are 200,000 displaced families in the north and south of Israel who are severely financially strapped. We must be available to help them all.”

One reason JOL feels obligated to be there for all the families in crisis is because unfortunately many cases aren’t covered by kupat cholim (Israeli insurance). Nearly all of Shaare Zedek’s high-risk pregnancies (requiring extra therapeutic or emotional support) – over 100 cases a year – are directed to JOL’s team by its director of the gynecological ultrasound department, Dr. Eyal Mazaki.

“Dr. Mazaki and I have a very close connection,” Rabbi Katz notes. “Whenever I visit Shaarei Tzedek, I get a royal welcome from everyone. The staff is so grateful for what we do.”

To extend its reach to even more expectant mothers in crisis, JOL is in partnership with other institutions in ad-

“True, there’s no way to be a perfect mom but there are a million ways to be a good one!

We help make good mothers.” dition to Shaare Zedek Hospital. For example, they partner with the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, the mental health service provider, the Jerusalem Mental Health Expo and the maternal mental health care organization Heviei Kesher run by the Israeli municipality. They also enjoy a special relationship with the charity organization Daily Giving, whose unique formula enables them to disburse funds to a non-profit organization on a daily basis as well as Yeshivat Ateret Hakohanim who, especially in this challenging time, provide financial subsidies to pregnant and postpartum women living in Ir David, the Muslim Quarter, and Har Hazeitim.

One recent case referred by Tali Mor Yosef, a Shaare Zedek social worker, came shortly after the war started regarding a young woman and her husband who had recently arrived from the north to give birth. According to Tali, they were initially uncertain about leaving their home since she was due very soon. Nevertheless, despite their hesitation, they ultimately decided to join their relatives in Jerusalem for Simchas Torah.

As it turns out, this decision likely saved the couple’s lives. Tali shared that upon returning to her hometown, Ora, the new young mother, found that there was nothing left for her to come back to. Terrorists had blown up the area, her neighbors were dead, r”l, and all the homes were destroyed. To make the situation even direr (if that’s possible!), almost immediately afterward, her husband was

Rabbi Katz meeting with Yael and her now-grown quadruplets, along with her grandchildren

called up to the front lines.

“You can imagine, this woman is a wreck,” says Rabbi Katz, “she doesn’t know if she’s coming or going – no home, no husband and the stress of a new baby. The therapists at JOL are doing what they do best – working to empower Ora to pick up the pieces of her torn-apart life.”

Eliana Rubenstein, a dedicated and devoted Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael social worker, relates the following heartrending story which is typical of the stories that come to their office.

“A woman I met Pesach time during the corona crisis had five children at home and was now pregnant with her sixth child. She was broken and depressed. Her husband had abandoned her and the family. He had been her main source of support. How would she go on? Why did he leave her? These were some of the questions she kept asking herself. We couldn’t even meet because it was during corona, but we spent many hours on the phone, counseling her, giving her support and allowing her the opportunity to grieve and then helping her to begin the process of rebuilding her life from a place of strength.

“Miriam B.* gave birth to a healthy baby boy and made the bris on her own. Today, she is going through the divorce process; unfortunately, her husband never came back. But in her own words, when her husband walked out, she says, ‘I saw black, there was no hope on the horizon, but now, thank G-d (with the help of Nefesh Achat), I have the strength to go on.’”

A Life in the Day of Wartime Mr. Steve Adelsberg is a co-chairman of JOL U.S. and has been involved in the organization since the beginning.

He talks about his trip to Israel last week.

“We went to Kromim, a famous spa right outside Jerusalem,” he shares, “only now of course it’s been taken over by the town of Sholamit. (Sholamit is a border town that was evacuated.) There are 400 people there now, 300 children and 100 women. Most of the men are on the front lines. They have no routine; the kids are bouncing on their heads. These women need our support.”

In fact, according to Steve, one of the most important things we can be doing for these families right now is showing them we care, we love them, and we will not forget them. “It’ll probably be at least six months before they can return to their towns. When the band goes home,” he says, “we still need to be there for the families in whatever

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Social workers holding gift packages that had been delivered to families who were evacuated and just had new babies

“I also spoke to Tali from Shaare Tzedek. They have lots of families that were evacuated, and she will be sending us another 10 cases in the next few days.”

Steve notes, “JOL is an organization with its boots on the ground. This is what we’ve been doing for years. Our job has always been to give to women, along with financial assistance, the assurance that they’re not alone. People ask me, ‘Are you sure you should be going to Israel now?’

We have an opportunity to make a difference, I answer them. We must show we care, we cannot abandon these families. Besides,” he adds, “the enemy is going after all Jews, not just Israel. We really are all in this together.”

Rabbi Katz shares the sentiments of the staff at Nefesh Achat during this difficult wartime. “Many en-

Seminary girls preparing baby packages for Just One Life families

emies over the centuries have continually attempted to annihilate us but have never succeeded. So, too, Hamas has set out to destroy us, but they too cannot and will not succeed. Nevertheless,” he maintains, “that’s what makes the work of Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael even more vital at this time, to keep bringing to life beautiful Jewish souls and to show the world that, unlike the evil murderers, we care about life.”

Another sentiment previously expressed by Chaya Katzin was never more prescient than now.

“Nefesh Achat B’Yisrael,” she says, “is not just about supporting expectant mothers so they can bring their babies into the world, but it’s also about supporting the world that they’re born into, helping to make sure it’s a better place for their babies.”

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capacity they may need.”

It’s not just the town of Sholamit. JOL is getting cases from all over. Rabbi Katz shares an email he received this week from Chaya Katzin with some of the heartbreaking new cases.

She writes, “We received 10 families from Sderot in the last week. And another 10 from other places. All are displaced from their homes!”

Then she highlights individual crisis situations: “A family from Bnei Nitzarim, a town on the border of Egypt, who used to live in Gush Katif, has now had to move to a hotel in Jerusalem. They have 8 children, and the parents can’t work. Mother is due in a month.”

“Young mother 20 years old. Has a two-year-old and is expecting any day. She is living in a hotel. Husband is in the army so she will be having the baby alone as their family lives abroad.”

“We have a single mother with 4 kids who was evacuated and can’t work. She has no source of income and she just gave birth. She is living in a hotel.”

“Family from Ashkelon, 7th birth, relocated to an empty apartment in Yerushalayim . The owners returned so they had to move to another apartment. None of the kids are in school and parents can’t work.”

“Family from Bnei Netzarim were moved to a hotel in Jerusalem. Wife is pregnant, they have three children.

Her husband is in the army, and she feels like she will give birth early from all the stress.”

“Family from Netivot moved to Jerusalem, looking for work. They have no income at the moment and need to pay rent in two places. Wife is pregnant.”

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Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

Thank you for your insightful column every week. I live and work in a community a few hours from New York. Often, I will get suggested for guys who are in New York or the tristate area and want to stay there. I always decline because I cannot see my-

self relocating. I want to live near my family, and I don’t want to have to start the process of finding a new job elsewhere. I’ve been dating like this for over three years. I hit a lot of resistance from shadchanim when I mention the topic of not relocating.

Recently, I’m getting much less suggestions, and I’m only going out sporadically. I am starting to wonder how important this actually is and if maybe I should reconsider location being an impediment to meeting a guy.

What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Sara*

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

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The Panel

The Shadchan

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

Michelle Mond

I

T

do think you should open up to meeting men from places other than your hometown. Obviously, opening up to a greater dating pool is advisable.

However, what concerns me is why you don’t want to go beyond your immediate comfort zone of family and job.

Married life is going to take you out of your comfort zone for sure, despite deep close feelings of love and commitment.

That’s just the way it is.

Spend time with yourself and a professional to explore why you hesitate to go beyond your comfort zone. Exploring this will bring greater self-awareness and marriage-readiness and may work through some blockages that are holding you back.

he way to secure a negative outcome is by continuously doing the same thing you’ve been doing and expecting to achieve a different result. Your experiences have shown that waiting for the perfect guy within your community is not realistic. This is not to say it won’t happen, but you are now aware that it is not likely to occur.

I strongly urge you to broaden your horizons; not just for the sake of finding your bashert, but for stretching your muscles of going out of your comfort zone. There are so many wonderful people beyond your city, and there are wonderful job opportunities, too! Life will throw many curveballs your way, and many will be unfamiliar territory.

I tell singles this often, when it comes

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters

to many different areas of life. Some are set on only marrying a man of a certain height, some are set on only marrying a guy of a very specific age, some with a certain job – the list is endless. You are looking for a person, not a paper. The nitty gritty details of life you could figure out together once you find him, but don’t limit yourself so much by making strikes against something that is unfamiliar. G-d made a world in which we must do our hishtadlus to achieve a result. Every single must look into his or her self and see where they can be doing more hishtadlus to open up more vessels of opportunity for Hashem to send their person.

You are looking for a person, not a paper.

mmm. What you are doing right now doesn’t seem to be succeeding.

How about letting the Torah be your guide? Please note that when Rivka’s shadchan (Eliezer) asked her if she would relocate to Yitzchok’s hometown, she answered quickly and decisively, “YES!” (“AiIaich – I will go.”)

Please also note, that young men

who are familiar with the Torah will remember how Yaakov agreed to work in his wives’ hometown and wound up working like a dog for his father-in-law for twenty grueling years.

So, may I respectfully suggest that you let all of your matchmakers and shadchanim know that you are willing to relocate to your chosson’s hometown.

And, who knows? Perhaps your future soulmate will fall in love not only with you but also with your charming hometown.

I remember once hearing my Moreh D’asrah, Rabbi Solomon Sharfman, a”h, advising a young, single woman who was so busy at work, that she hardly had any time to date: “It’s hard to find the right balance between your career and your personal life. But, fifty years from now, would you prefer to have a scrapbook of your successes at work or a photo album of your beautiful children and grandchildren?”

not start a new job.

With all that said, if you are not getting redt any shidduchim, we need to look at your realistic choices here. You can explore other avenues to meet guys in your area or who would be willing to move to your hometown. Whether that is dating apps or going to singles Shabbatons available to you, you may want to expand your network. Only you can decide if this feels comfortable for you.

Ultimately, if you do not meet anyone within a certain amount of time and your desire to get married is greater than your desire to live in your home-

town as a single person, then I only see one clear choice, and that choice would be to date men who plan on living in New York and the tristate area.

I know how hard dating can be, putting yourself out there and having to make impossible decisions for potential love. What I will say is that I believe from the bottom of my heart that your person is out there for you. I don’t know where he will want to live, but he is your person and you two will figure that out together, G-d willing.

Sincerely, Jennifer

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

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Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

H

i Sara, Thank you for writing into the panel. I understand the nature of your dilemma. You have always wanted to stay in your hometown and find yourself with fewer and fewer perspective matches because of this. Ultimately, only you can make the decision of whether or not to date men who want to live in New York or the tristate area.

I don’t think this is a decision to be taken lightly. The place you choose to live impacts not only you, but also your hus-

band, your relationship w ith your husband, and your future children iy”H. “Out of town” life and lifestyles and expectations are often very different from New York and the tristate area. For many people, it is everything they could have ever hoped for, and for many other people, it can become quite the nightmare. I understand that living near your family is of utmost importance to you and that you would rather

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

The Rebbetzin

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Parenting Pearls

Giving Thanks

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

A

dvocacy emails are arriving at our inboxes in droves, each suggesting an individual or organization that needs to hear from us. Colleges that are not ensuring the safety of their students, members of Congress, and others in positions of leadership are all named. Many are simply unaware of Israel’s significant role in the hearts of many Americans.

A few of those emails surprised me as it seemed obvious that the intended recipient was fully aware of our support for our brethren in Israel, especially during this time. Despite my initial assumptions, it was clear that, sadly, many were writing to complain about the strong Israel stance, while fewer from our camp were showing our gratitude. Even those knowledgeable of the Jewish community, and

our strong connection to our homeland, needed to hear us say, “Thank you for standing with us.”

Many of us were touched to see the videos and photos of our chayalim excitedly waiting for handdrawn pictures and handwritten letters. The accompanying captions mentioned both how unexpected the acknowledgements, as well as the support of Klal Yisroel, were to these brave men.

They were unaware just how grateful we are to them for their role in protecting us!

It is so easy to take for granted and assume that others know we appreciate them. This is wrong for many reasons, including that not everyone realizes we recognize their contribution. It’s also just poor middos. Without a proper chinuch in expressing gratitude, children easily devel-

op an attitude of “es kumt mir” (it’s coming to me) and entitlement.

Sadly, today, we are seeing the tragic results of an attitude of entitlement and ingratitude. Society around us is full of individuals who feel the world owes them, and they act accordingly. It’s an ugly middah that is also unpleasant to those sur-

rounding them. Rather than feeling appreciation for all they have, they quickly find fault with the gifts they have received.

Ingratitude is natural, and without a proper chinuch, that is the unfortunate, yet inevitable, path.

Teaching gratitude is giving a child a lifelong gift. As we learn in Avos, “Ay’zehu

The Necessity I really questioned the necessity of this article since we all know it’s important to appreciate all we have and then express gratitude for those gifts. Saying “thank you” is something so basic that even toddlers begin to say the words.

While expressing gratitude is seen throughout many cultures, we have a special connection to the middah of being appreciative. Yehuda, born in this week’s parsha, is named as an expression of Leah’s gratitude upon the birth of another son. We are called “Yehudim,” also originating from giving thanks. Appreciating, and then expressing those feelings, should be a natural part of our DNA. I still felt this topic was appropriate since it’s often the most obvious parts that we tend to ignore. A little reminder here and there is only to our benefit. Just as we assumed the politicians supporting Israel knew we appreciate their efforts, we still benefited from a reminder.

Additionally, it’s easy to assume our

children will recognize the importance of gratitude but it’s our chinuch and real-life example that give over the lesson. Babies are born to be takers; it’s only natural.

Little children, too, are dependent on us, and they expect our continued assistance.

They rarely think beyond, “I need this, so you’ll do it.” While it’s our joyous role to provide our young – and not so young – children with their needs, we also want them to mature beyond “you owe it to me.”

Living Appreciation Gratitude is both a way of life and an overall attitude. More than a mere “do and don’t” list, it’s the way we feel and the feeling we give over. We all know the people who will thank us for anything we do for them, while there are others who will do the opposite.

Gratitude isn’t something we lecture on but something we live and teach through example. We can talk all day and all night, but it will never be as powerful as seeing us personify the middah.

We can take the time to appreciate those around us, including family and friends. It’s usually those closest to us that we easily take for granted. This is especially true with a spouse, parent or sibling. We should not forget to thank our

precious children when they help around the house. Yes, they have a mitzvah to honor us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t say “thank you.”

Recognizing the Good The more we recognize the good around us, the more our children will see it, too. We can make a point of noticing all the big and small things around us.

It’s easy to acknowledge major gifts, but it takes a keen eye to see the seemingly minor ones.

Baruch Hashem, there are so many opportunities to find good in the world and in the actions of others. Someone holding the door open is performing a chessed.

Picking up a dropped item is assisting another. Allowing a car to pass first is another act of giving.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller’s hashkafa very strongly stressed the everyday, but miraculous, gifts we continuously receive. Clean air to breathe and water to drink. Legs that walk and voices that make intelligent sounds. Sidewalks and sunshine.

Once we recognize the good in the world, and the kindnesses we receive from others, the next step is to express it. Too often, we never communicate that gratitude to others.

The Source We easily forget to show gratitude to The Source of it all. Appreciating the innumerable daily gifts we receive not only makes us happier people, but also connects us to our Creator. We can come closer to Hashem when we maintain a continuous awareness of all He does for us every moment of every day.

We could say the ultimate gratitude is recognizing that everything, from the bodies we live in to the air we breathe, deserves recognition. Even if a person assists us, the gift still originates from our Creator.

Teaching children to appreciate all they receive is an important step in fashioning them into being a true “Yehudi.”

We can easily set the positive example we want them to follow, enhancing both their lives and our own. I join all of Klal Yisroel and look forward to soon giving thanks for the safe return of our chayalim and all our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at Rayvych Homeschool@gmail.com.

LOWER COST HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE LET OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS DESIGN, A MUCH LOWER COST QUALITY POLICY FOR YOU FREE QUOTE

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ashir, hasameach b’chelko” (who is rich, he who is happy with what he has). They will be happy as long as they can appreciate what they have but continuously miserable if they always want the unattainable.

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School of

Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:

Dear Etti, My kid is a hypochondriac. It is annoying and difficult to deal with. The problem is that now the school is having him call home every time he has complaints, and they want me to pick him up!

What should I do? What should I tell the school?

-Frustrated Mom

Q:

Dear Etti, My daughter will have unbelievable aches and pains and refuse to go to school. I know they are not real aches and pains because she is fine a short time later.

Help! Any and all advice is appreciated.

-Mother of Faux-Sick Daughter

A:

Dear Mothers, I hear your pain.

There are different reasons for constant pain complaints.

First, however, I am going to assume (hope) you ruled out anything serious by your pediatrician.

We are all wired to deal with pain in various ways, and often, it has to do with how our parents dealt with pain and how we model dealing with pain to our children. Those of us who grew up in an atmosphere where parents were calm around our constant accidents, large and small, usually have children who are calm around those same bumps and bruises. Those of us who grew up in homes where parents gave a lot of attention to our constant accidents often caused a cycle where we relished the attention and passed it on to our children, a way we can give and they can get attention. The children who get more attention from bumps and bruises will find pains to complain about to get that extra love.

If your parent took you to the doctor for every little scrape and complaint, chances are you are doing that as well. This adds to the feeling of urgency for every cough and every sniffle. This can cause medical anxiety in children and make them feel sicker than they really are.

When we are busy but stop to tend to our medical-seeking child, we are creating an association between getting attention and being a pain, which means our children get rewarded for their aches, which makes them subconsciously want to have more.

in the kitchen… it doesn’t matter what Another reason our chilit is as long as it is their time. dren might be moaning is beStart giving as Start giving as much attention as cause they know too much. Just you can for things not medical-relike those in medical school much attention lated; train your child to anticipate who see every sickness they as you can positive attention for other things learn about on themselves or (helping, baking, cooking, raking, a family member, our children for things not mowing… there are so many ideas). hear about sickness and then Talk about the aches and pains suddenly feel they “have it.” We medical-related. when they are not present and tell need to be careful not to talk your child that he/she can drink some about medical issues around tea, but if they don’t feel well in the our children. (I remember morning they still will have to go to having backaches when I was expecting, and my then-two-year-old walked around school. If they have record attendance and attitude, maybe they can earn a prize. the house moaning about her back as well.)

Call the secretary and share your concerns. Have the Some steps you can take to help your little valetuschool verify that there is nothing amiss as far as they dinarian: • Let your child know that when we focus on our body know. Ask the office to give your child a drink of water too much, we will cause our body to feel sicker. Some- and send them back to class. Tell the office to remind the times a band-aid, a cough drop, or a rest on the couch child that in a certain amount of hours they will go home.

I am not able to discount the fact that your child for five minutes is all we need.

• Teach them that physical sensations can be normal might actually be in pain. When one of my sons was in elementary school, he fell. We took him to the hospital, bodily sensations.

• Teach your child some relaxation techniques and after doing some x-rays, they declared that he was (“Breathe in through your nose, hold for 5 seconds, fine. Well, he kvetched and cried, and we kept reminding breath out through your mouth” is one great method. him that the doctors said it was nothing. The next day, we took him for a second opinion. He had a hairline fracture Try it!).

As parents, we need to be smart and try to dig deeper – and it hurt a lot.

With all that is going on in Israel right now, your child to figure out why a child is suddenly feeling sick. Before discounting his/her ailments as attention seeking, try to may be internalizing a lot of the news reports. Fear can ascertain that your child is not in an out-of-control situ- look like pain, and your child could be expressing his/ ation, like bullying, a bus issue, a teacher whom they are he feelings as pain.

If your child’s complaints are really much ado about clashing with, or a subject they feel like they are drowning in. Only once you can rule out those possible causes, nothing, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can help a lot. But be sure they really are nothing. then provide a new approach.

Wishing you many healthy years, Put your child on your calendar for special time together and let them see their name on the calendar. It can -Etti be running errands or hanging out while you food prep

Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.

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Health & F tness

Our Body’s Natural Detox

By Tehila Levine-Soskel, RDN, CDN

W

ith so much hype around all the promising health benefits of detox teas and supplements, as well as their promises of quick fix results, it’s essential to explore if these products are, in fact, truly necessary.

Many of the detox teas out there have common ingredients that may contain diuretic properties which help to flush out toxins. It’s important to be aware that excessive diuretics can lead to health conditions like dehydration which can cause more harm than good. More so, the weight loss that is associated with these teas are often due to water loss and not actual fat loss. Once your regular diet is returned, most likely so does the weight.

A sustainable weight loss approach can be achieved through a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise. Some teas, however, do contain antioxidants which play a crucial role in our health. The best way to ensure you obtain ample amounts is through a well-balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Mostly, the biggest claims of these detox teas or supplements are that they help with weight loss, help rid your body of toxins, and promote better health.

These teas and supplements are not a magic solution for your health or to help achieve weight loss. Luckily, the human body has kidneys that play a crucial role as a natural and efficient detoxification

system. Let’s dive deeper.

These critical organs work tirelessly to excrete toxins from our bodies without needing external aids. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs and located on either side of the spine. Their job is to filter and eliminate waste products from the blood and help sustain a healthy environment.

Learning the roles of the kidneys and their natural detox capabilities helps us to understand the endless health benefits our kidneys provide.

Filtering blood and removing excess fluids and waste products from urine are the main functions of our kidneys. This helps ensure there is a proper electrolyte balance, blood pressure is regulated, and helps ensure the body’s overall well-being. Nephrons are units in the kidney in which the filtration occurs. In summary, our kidneys do a good job of removing waste and keeping our bodies healthy.

So, how can we maintain optimal kidney function? Firstly, proper hydration is key in helping to flush out waste products as well as helping to prevent kidney stones. Dehydration can negatively affect kidney function and unfortunately increase the risk of kidney stones, therefore is crucial to stay well hydrated.

Furthermore, healthy kidneys help to prevent health conditions such as edema, which is when fluid accumulates in your tissues. Ample fluid balance is crucial

for cardiovascular health. Proper bone health is also highly connected to your kidney function. The kidneys help regulate the levels of calcium and phosphate in the body which are essential minerals for bone strength.

This is where nutrition comes in: Consuming a balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fiber, vitamins and minerals help support overall kidney function. Indulging in processed foods, sugary beverages, and foods with excessive salt may affect your kidney health and lead to conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, it’s best to limit the intake of such foods. According to the National Kidney Foundation, soda and processed deli meats are some of the top foods to limit or avoid to help keep your kidneys healthy. In addition, limiting your alcohol intake is essential to help support kidney function. Monitoring your sugar intake can help to prevent health problems like diabetes, which is a leading cause of kidney disease. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends limiting your added sugar intake to 10% or less of their total daily calories. Regular physical activity also helps contribute to healthier kidneys by enhancing cardiovascular function as well as maintaining a healthy weight.

Here’s a list of foods to include in your diet to help contribute to better health:

Pomegranates, avocado, berries, broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, eggs, yogurt, fish. These foods are loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals contributing to a healthier diet. Eating these foods can help contribute to better health and wellbeing.

In all, you don’t need to spend your money and time on detox teas or supplements as your kidneys are a natural detoxifier. They work tirelessly to filter and eliminate waste products from your blood. Maintaining fluid balance and supporting your overall health emphasizes their importance. Consuming a well-balanced diet, staying properly hydrated, and participating in regular exercise can positively impact your kidney function as well as contribute to endless health benefits. Understanding the role our kidneys play in our detoxification system as well as our wellbeing helps us make informed choices to nurture our bodies.

Always consult with your doctor if you have a history of kidney problems or want further help.

Tehila Soskel is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a private practice in the Five Towns. She sees clients for weight loss, diabetes, and other various diseases. Appointments can be made for in-person or virtual sessions: 516-457-8558, tehilasoskelrd@gmail.com, tehilasoskelnutrition.com.

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jewish women of wisdom

Chanukah 5784: Mah Nishtana Hashanah Hazos?

By Miriam Liebermann, MSW

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his year is unlike other years. We are at war. Our hearts ache. Our minds gravitate constantly to the matzav in Eretz Yisrael. Yet Chanukah is a yom tov, a time set aside to celebrate our victory over the Yevanim, approximately 2,200 years ago. How do we celebrate this year? How can we mark this victory, whilst still in anguish and pain over our contemporary battles?

Anticipating this dilemma, JWOW! held a participatory Zoom program this past week, discussing these very questions. Our very wise women shared some wonderful ideas, easy to implement, that would add meaning and intent to our celebrations. Let’s explore the op-

tions together. And if you have any further suggestions, we would love to hear.

Please send a note to hello@jewishwomenofwisdom.org.

We can certainly begin our Chanukah gatherings with a chapter of Tehillim. Perhaps we will ask a grandchild to select the chapter and to lead the family.

Set the table using placemats that are maps of the world. We can point out the size of Eretz Yisrael in comparison to its neighbors and discuss the little sheep dwelling among 70 wolves. How great is our Shepherd, ensuring that we are still here as a people, after numerous challenges, across the globe.

Create a talking stick. Decorate a stick with ribbons or perhaps with paints. This talking stick imbues the one holding the stick with courage and fortitude. This may encourage the younger

ing light to the world, let them add their candles to the menorah. Encourage the adults to speak up and share, too. We all must stretch ourselves a bit.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey has long been a favorite amongst children. Let’s settle on a variation of the theme. Perhaps the backdrop can be a map of Eretz Yisrael.

rise to the top. Inquire from the children, “What is the significance of this olive oil?”

Chanukah is the time set aside for expressions of gratitude. What are we grateful for? Let each person share what he is grateful for. And then follow up with songs of thanks. Tov l’hodos l’Hashem, Odcha Hashem Elokoi.

Perseverance despite strenuous challenges is a great theme for an evening of meaning.

Olive oil certainly plays a major role as we light the menorah. Discuss how olive oil is used and consecrated according to our Mesorah. We anoint kings with oil; we kindle the menorah and the ner tamid. And of course, we kindle the menorah with olive oil. Take the time to conduct science experiments. Combine olive oil with assorted liquids, one at a time. Watch the olive oil consistently

Many of our young girls love to color. Have them craft Chanukah cards and letters for the soldiers and for those who were forced to leave their homes.

Achdus, a sense of togetherness, has become a focal point of our response to this holy war we are now waging. The young girls can create friendship bracelets, intensifying their bond with family, friends, and neighbors.

One woman said she planned to buy Israel Bonds in small amounts for each child as Chanukah gelt. The importance of contributing to Israel’s defense will be reinforced as well as the concept of investing.

With all the horror and the pain, there are also stories of miracles emerging from this war. Let’s hold onto these stories and share them with our family members at our Chanukah gatherings to help bolster our faith during this challenging time. We will soon be reciting the bracha, “Boruch atah....she’asa nissim l’avoseinu ba’yamim h’ahem b’zman hazeh.” Let’s focus on the miracles of past and present. May we be zocheh to feel Hashem’s presence in our lives and witness the ultimate, what we’ve been yearning for for centuries, the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. May we be worthy to witness miracles, bayamim hahem, bazman hazeh! Eagerly waiting to share happiest tidings!

Chanukah sameach!

JWOW! is a community for midlife Jewish women which can be accessed at www.jewishwomanofwisdom.org for conversation, articles, Zoom events, and more.

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ones to talk up as the family members sit around the table and initiate the discussion. What is gevura? Who is a gibor?

Matisyahu and his sons are good choices to expand on. We can reflect upon the role of Yehudis and Chana and her seven sons. And certainly, we have many contemporary heroes. Who is your hero?

Why? Let each guest hold onto the stick in turn and discuss his vision of a gibor.

There are stories of great fortitude, courage and spiritual stamina emerging from the battlefield now. We can hold onto those stories and share them with our families as well as family stories of gevura. Grandparents who emigrated to America and rebuilt their lives here are certainly giborim. Perseverance despite strenuous challenges is a great theme for an evening of meaning.

Chanukah is the festival of lights.

We all must do our utmost to add light to the world. Again, inquire of each present person, “How will you be adding to the light in the world?” What can we do to enhance life for our family and friends?

Prior to the event, using oak tags, sketch 2-3 menorahs. Craft candles from the oak tag. On top of each candle, place the photo of a child/grandchild. As they announce exactly how they will be add-

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In The K tchen

Deep Fried Oreos

By Naomi Nachman

With Chanukah around the corner, I a m busy deep-frying away anything I can find. Chanukah is a time where I get a license to fry away. I have fried everything from sushi rolls, pickles and Oreos. Pancake batter is delicious and a quick method to use for this dessert cookie.

Ingredients

◦ Pancake mix, prepared according to package

Preparation

Heat oil in deep-fryer or pot and bring oil to 375°F.

◦ 1 package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Prepare pancake mix while oil is heating.

◦ Oil for frying

Dip the cookies into the pancake batter one at a time and carefully lower into the oil. Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding the pot which may lead to lowering the oil temperature. Make sure to monitor the temperature at 375°F. When the temperature goes too low, it makes the cookies too soggy; a temperature that is too high will burn them.

Fry the cookies until they are golden-brown, about 2 minutes.

Drain on a paper towel.

Once cool, dust with icing sugar.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

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Travel

Our Trip To Spain Reflections and Impressions

By Country Yossi Toiv

Remnants of Jewish life

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e recently returned from a fascinating and revealing tour of Spain. From Segovia’s wondrously intact Roman aqueduct through historic Madrid’s iconic museums on to Spain’s ancient capital Toledo, through the beautiful port city of Malaga and ultimately to the jewel of the Iberian Peninsula – Barcelona! And many colorful places in between.

Each city is charming and exquisite in its own unique way, all filled with ancient castles, magnificent palaces, massive churches and towering cathedrals visible from many miles away. Their sheer size and incredibly detailed workmanship must have taken thousands of workers a hundred years to build.

Bordered by the majestic Pyrenees mountains, the flat, fertile plains are filled with olive trees and grapevines. Being spared the physical ravages of both world wars, the country is home to incredibly intact ancient archaeological and architectural treasures.

Bustling Barcelona: Wide, tree-lined boulevards filled with young, energetic revelers (and pickpockets) filling the streets, bars, cafes and restaurants till all hours of the night.

Madrid: Cosmopolitan, cultural center filled with world class museums (Prado), art galleries and historic landmarks.

Toledo: A quaint blend of the old and new. Magnificent, magical palaces now long abandoned along with a once thriving Jewish town and community now almost utterly devoid of any trace of its glorious and

A small plague on the floor, a reminder of Jewish heritage

Infamous pickpockets

illustrious past!

Yes, ancient Spain, once home to the jewels of Sephardic Jewry like: 1. Rambam (Maimonides) (Moshe ben Maimon): He was born in Córdoba, Spain, in the 12th century.

2. Abraham ibn Ezra: A medieval Jewish poet, philosopher, and biblical commentator from Toledo, Spain.

3. Yehuda Halevi: A Spanish-Jewish physician and poet known for his philosophical and poetic works, including the famous “Kuzari.”

4. Isaac Abarbanel: A statesman, philosopher, and biblical commentator, he served as a financial advisor to the Spanish monarchs during the late 15th century.

He was offered an exemption from expulsion but chose rather to leave with his beloved fellow Jews!

5. Ramban: Also known as Nachmanides, he was a prominent medieval Jewish scholar, physician, and theologian. He was born in 1194 in Girona, Catalonia, Spain.

6. Abraham ibn Daud: A Jewish historian and philosopher from Toledo, Spain, who wrote the influential work Sefer Hakabbalah.

7. Solomon ibn Gabirol: A Spanish-Jewish poet and philosopher from the Medieval period, known for his philosophical works and beautiful poetry.

And many, many others who live on in their seforim, holy commentaries and poetry but nowhere else in this unholy, G-d forsaken land!

Which leads me to a sad realization and my heart-

breaking, lasting impression.

As we walk down the colorful, sunny streets of all these beautiful cities, suddenly, in each one, we are told in hushed tones we are about to enter their ancient “Jewish Quarter.”

Silently, we enter narrow, winding, cobblestone streets – walls of chiseled stone on either side. Gone are the music, songs and laughter of the city, only to be replaced by a ponderous air of nostalgia and sadness over what once was and is no more.

All their once cherished and beautifully adorned shuls were confiscated, gutted, and converted to churches. In some, we are shown some faded, Hebrew words from the Torah and Psalms near the ceiling that are still legible.

As we walk along, we are shown a tiny, barely noticeable, brass plaque on the ground with Hebrew letters “SFRD,” signifying a former Jewish building once stood here.

“Up there,” our guide points toward a hilltop in the distance, “was once a Jewish cemetery. It’s still called ‘Montjuïc, The Jewish Mountain.’ Shamefully, all the headstones have been removed and used to build roads.”

Some fragments with Hebrew names and dates were discovered and salvaged, and we view them in the various Jewish museums in each town. Some locals even stop in out of curiosity to learn about this mysterious, ancient people whom they’ve only heard about but

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Looking over Gibraltar

King’s palace

Inside a beautiful shul

Walkway

A magnificent view

never met, kind of like the museums the Nazis, ym”sh, were planning!

Our guide points out many open areas where Jewish homes once stood but were razed to create open air plazas for the needy, new occupants. One home that still stands has an empty, carved-out niche on the right doorpost where a mezuzah once hung. How many times was it kissed in the Golden Age of Sephardic Jewry?

She sadly points to one stone in an ancient wall and informs us that only that one original brick is all that’s left of a former synagogue.

Beautiful, Jewish homes in Toledo standing alongside the river where throngs of Yidden would gather to walk and talk in Torah every Shabbos are now inhabited by Spaniards who haven’t seen a live Jew in generations.

We are visited by the last Jew in Toledo, an Israeli named Yonatan, a seeming apparition, who proceeds to pull out his trumpet and there, on a terrace overlooking the entire storied city, movingly plays “Shalom Aleichem” and “Hatikvah” as we all stand silently with heads bowed. A requiem for a once proud Jewish city Judenrein since 1492.

One popular museum in Barcelona called the Museum of the Inquisition features ominous-looking iron instruments, spiked chairs, wooden racks and assorted implements used to torture Jews during the Spanish Inquisition.

We stand in a park marveling at a castle not far

from where the Auto-de-Fey took place, where thousands of Jews were burned at the stake for refusing to abandon their faith and convert.

Beautiful, Jewish homes in Toledo standing alongside the river where throngs of Yidden would gather to walk and talk in Torah every Shabbos are now inhabited by Spaniards who haven’t seen a live Jew in generations.

We’re proudly taken to the royal palace where Ferdinand and Isabella signed the Decree of Expulsion.

We visit an ancient, still-intact mikvah in Genoa accidentally discovered under a destroyed synagogue.

It was filled with earth and rocks so it would be hid-

The king’s abandoned palace

den…and it was for centuries! How many women used it to ensure their families were conceived in holiness and purity?

Yes, the food was delicious, the accommodations luxurious, the transportation was comfortable, and of course Chabad was amazing, but, to me, at least, the whole of Spain, as beautiful, vibrant and romantic as it is, has all the charm of a cemetery without tombstones.

A country devoid of holiness and warmth!

A country with a beautiful body but no soul!

A “Montjuïc!”

Fortunately, my sanity and mood were saved by a refreshing visit to adjoining Gibraltar.

Aahhh, Gibraltar! Filled with beautiful, warm, welcoming, smiling, English-speaking Yidden! Kosher restaurants and cafes. Beautiful Shabbos davening in four elegantly adorned shuls with the distinctive Sephardic Nusach. Heimishe food, zemiros, divrei Torah, mezuzot, seforim…what a geshmak!

Not to mention, an unforgettable visit to the top of the incredible, cavernous Rock of Gibraltar, taller than the Empire State Building with an amazing view of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, Africa and Spain and where a monkey snuck up behind me and stole my bag of potato chips! (My fault, they did warn us about pickpockets!)

May their 400 frum families have continued hatzlacha and bracha.

Mi k’amcha Yisroel. Am Yisroel chai!

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Mind Y

ur Business

Breaking Through the Media Clutter

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his column features business insights from a recent “Mind Your Business with Yitzchok Saftlas” radio show. The weekly “Mind Your Business” show – broadcasting since 2015 – features interviews with Fortune 500 executives, business leaders and marketing gurus. Prominent guests include John Sculley, former CEO of Apple and Pepsi; Dick Schulze, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy; and Beth Comstock, former Vice Chair of GE;

among over 400+ senior-level executives and business celebrities. Yitzchok Saftlas, president of Bottom Line Marketing Group, hosts the weekly “Mind Your Business” show, which airs at 10pm every Sunday night on 710 WOR and throughout America on the iHeartRadio Network.

Since 2015, Yitzchok Saftlas has been speaking with leading industry experts on his weekly radio show, “Mind Your Business,” sharing insightful business and marketing strategies.

* * *

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n this article, we’re going all the way back to take a look at one of the very first editions of “Mind Your Business,” in which Yitzchok sat down to speak with Bill O’Reilly and Jessica Proud of the November Team.

In this show, O’Reilly and Proud drew from their experiences in the PR space to share the five most important

tools for getting your message through the clutter of competitors to capture an audience.

1. Refine your message It’s easy to get stuck in your own head when trying to clearly develop your message. That’s why, before you go out publicly with your message, you first need to get past that mental barrier by just saying it to yourself or writing it down as plainly as possible, as if you were saying it to the guy sitting on barstool next to you or across from you on the subway. Don’t worry about how it sounds. Just say what you mean. This will give you a rough version of your message that you can refine to deliver

publicly. You can do this by honing in on the message over and over, until you’ve reduced it to just one sentence. Once you can do your entire elevator pitch in one sentence, while still being true to the core of your rough version, it’s ready to go out.

Now, this is hard to do. It’s very, very difficult. That’s why you need to allow yourself to take the time to get it right.

It could take you weeks, or even months, to get it right, but you need to be patient.

Perfecting your message is the most important thing.

2. Be authentic You can try to sell yourself as anything. And if you’re careful and put a

lot of money behind it, that might even work for a little while. But, at the end of the day, people will eventually see through you, and then the gig is up. If you’re not authentic in your messaging, you’re going to wind up having to do so much more damage control for your brand after the fact. Take AVIS, for example. They knew that, authentically, Hertz was the number one car rental company in the world. So, AVIS made an entire business around being number two. They approached everyone and they said, “We might just be number two, but you know what? That just means that we try harder.” And that messaging worked great for them. People rooted for AVIS because they were

authentic in representing themselves as the underdog.

The best way to get publicity is to work with the news cycle. Now, this used to be a lot simpler. It wasn’t that long ago when you could just mail in a press release to catch people’s attention in the paper. Today, the news cycle is literally changing by the minute. But that comes with its own opportunities. Like the planet, the news is always turning, and you have to watch it every second.

You have to be searching social media feeds all over the place, looking to find any little opportunity to get yourself out there. If you make the right comment, at the right time, and you’re able to drop it right into the cycle just before it really hits, you become a part of the cycle and you can ride with that stream. That’s really where you get the best opportunities. When things are churning and the bullets are flying, opportunities open up. You just have to always be watching for them.

4. Make them laugh We’ve worked with some very good social scientists to see what makes

people a little boost of dopamine, which helps them remember it.

5. Take a photo They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and now there are so many opportunities to get your picture out there. We really are moving away so

You’re trying to hit them with a quick impression that lights them up inside and makes them feel positive towards you or your brand.

something funny stick in your mind. So, for example, if you’re a small business trying to break through the clutter of competitors and get noticed, consider putting something out there with a bit of a smile and a wink. Try using something that catches the imagination a little bit.

That’s what the brain remembers. Humor warms a part of the brain. It gives

much from the fully textual press release. It’s almost obsolete at this point.

Everything is visual now. Especially on social media, photos and videos are essential. Ask yourself, how can you condense your message in a way that can be captured in either a photo or a very short video. People just don’t have the attention span for anything else. Words

will likely always play a critical part in how we consume information, but visuals have become critical for getting your message out there. With your visual, you’re trying to make your audience feel a certain way, rather than necessarily think a certain way. You’re trying to hit them with a quick impression that lights them up inside and makes them feel positive towards you or your brand.

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3. Keep your eye on the news

things stick in people’s brains. We’ve done very extensive focus groups with these scientists to test warming centers in the brain for what works and what gets remembered. And in these tests, we’ve found that humor works better than anything else. Humor is like “brain glue.” Ideas that are paired with

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

What Hamas wants, make no mistake about it, is genocide. They want to wipe Israel off the map, they’ve said so, publicly, on more than one occasion, in fact, just recently. And they’ve said that they’re not going to stop. What happened on the 7th of October is going to happen again, and again, and again. And what happened on the 7th of October? Murder, slaughter, of innocent people in their homes, or at a music festival.

That’s genocidal intentions.

- White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby responding to leftist claims that Israel is committing a “genocide”

Israel is not trying to wipe the Palestinian people off the map; Israel is not trying wipe Gaza off the map. Israel is trying to defend itself against a genocidal terrorist threat. So if we’re going to start using that word, fine, let’s use it appropriately.

- Ibid.

We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented in any conflict since I have been Secretary General.

- U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres in tweet claiming that the 11,000 civilians killed—according to terror group Hamas— in Gaza is unparalleled

Syria: 500,000 killed (Syrian Observatory for Human Right, 2021); Yemen: 377,000 killed; Afghanistan: 176,000 killed; Darfur: 300,000 killed; Iraq: 400,000 killed; Ukraine: 500,000 killed; Congo: 860,000+ killed – these are UN figures, just FYI. - One of many replies

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This is the time; this is the place. If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here.

- Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) challenging Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to a fight during a congressional hearing

I’d love to do it right now.

- O’Brien’s response, before other senators stepped in to calm the situation

Gas prices are down $1.70 from their peak – just in time for holiday travel. Lowering costs for families continues to be President Biden’s top economic priority.

- Tweet by the White House

Arsonist takes credit for putting out fire. Gas still isn’t even close to what it was when Biden took office ($2.39/gallon).

- One of many replies

The first one is very interesting, when it is the first time, and after that it is just like Covid.

- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a recent interview, talking about Russia’s numerous assassination attempts against him

When it comes to recruiting child soldiers, Hamas considers 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds as sufficiently mature to become terrorists. But when it comes to publishing inflated figures about the dead, suddenly every 17-and-a-halfyear-old mass murdering terrorist is counted among the poor “children” mercilessly killed by the bloodthirsty Israelis.

– Alan Dershowitz, Newsmax

The No. 1 question for us is: Are we adversaries or partners? … China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States.

— Chinese President Xi Jinping, after meeting with President Joe Biden

Let’s be clear about the modern Western left: They tell us silence is violence when we don’t join the latest Soros-backed crusade but that actual terrorist violence needs to be “contextualized.”

For your refusal to vocally support an anti-family, racist organization like Black Lives Matter you are committing “violence,” but if you are horrified by actually innocent Israeli children butchered in their beds you are just not understanding “context”?

- Paul Bryan, The Federalist

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For all the progressives and academics who refer to Israel as an outpost of Western civilization like it’s a bad thing. Please note, Western civilization is what gave the world pretty much every … liberal precept that liberals are supposed to adore: Individual liberties, scientific inquiry, rule of law, religious freedom, women’s rights, human rights, democracy, trial by jury, freedom of speech — please somebody stop us before we enlighten again. And since one can find all these concepts in today’s Israel and virtually nowhere else in the Middle East, if anything, the world would be a better place if it had more Israels.

- Bill Maher, HBO

He will imprison, he will execute whoever he is allowed to imprison, execute, drive from the country. Just look at his past! It’s not really hard to read. Again, the only thing that stood between him and the destruction of American democracy was the federal judiciary.

- MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough ramping up the Trump Derangement Syndrome

A lot of people have tried to draw similarities between Mussolini and Hitler and the use of the terminology like “vermin” and the drive that those men had towards autocracy and dictatorship.

The difference, though, I think makes Donald Trump even more dangerous, and that is he has no philosophy he believes in.

-Former Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill on MSNBC making an argument that Trump is worse than Hitler (she obviously forgot to take her TDS medication that morning)

I want to talk about Gov. Newsom. Want to thank him. He’s been one [great] governor, man.

Matter of fact, he could be anything he wants.

He could have the job I’m looking for.

- Pres. Biden in San Francisco praising California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many believe is vying to be Biden’s replacement in 2024

If they stop the war after the full five or six days of the ceasefire, that will be the end of this government. The sentiment within the military forces and the Israeli public is so strong to destroy Hamas that that cannot be stopped. And, of course, it will be the biggest test of this cabinet the minute that the ceasefire will be ended, formally.

- Former Netanyahu national security advisor Yaakov Amidror

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Political Crossfire

The Hate That Doesn’t Know Its Own Name

By Bret Stephens

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hen historian Deborah Lipstadt defeated a libel suit brought against her in a British court

by Holocaust denier David Irving in April 2000, it was almost possible to imagine that antisemitism might someday become a thing of the past, at least in much of the West. Taking a trip to Israel was not an ideologically fraught choice. Wearing a Star of David was not a personally risky one. College campuses did not feel hostile to Jewish students. Synagogues (at least in the United States) did not have police officers stationed outside their doors.

Not anymore.

The Anti-Defamation League recorded 751 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2013. There were 3,697 in 2022. There was a nearly 400% increase in the two weeks after the Hamas massacre of October 7 compared with the year before. Last week, “Jewish students specifically were warned not to enter MIT’s front entrance due to a risk to their physical safety,” according to a public letter from Jewish students there. In Montreal, a Jewish school was targeted by gunfire twice in a single week.

Today, Lipstadt is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, and her battle against Irving (the subject of the 2016 film “Denial”) seems almost quaint. “I never imagined antisemitism would get this bad,” she told me when I spoke with her by phone Monday evening.

“Something about this is different from anything I have ever personally seen.”

One of those differences, I suggested, is that antisemitism is the hate that doesn’t know its own name — that is, that many of those who call themselves anti-Zionists or chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” would vehemently deny that they are engaged in antisemitic behavior.

Lipstadt allowed that at least a few people have no idea what the chant means.

But many more do: a call for “a purely Palestinian state without Jews.” She added, “You may want to redefine it, but what it

has stood for, for decades, is quite clear.”

(Yes, there are those who imagine Jews and Palestinians coexisting harmoniously in some future river-to-sea Palestine.

Hamas murdered that fantasy, along with so much else, on October 7.)

As for anti-Zionism (never to be confused with ordinary, even stringent, criticism of Israeli policy), “we have to make a historical distinction,” she said. A century ago, before the creation of the state of Israel, questions about Zionism were “more of a political or intellectual debate. But when you are talking about a state with 7.1 million Jews and when you are saying they have no right to exist and should all go someplace else, that’s something far more than an ideological point.”

What about more specific anti-Zionist arguments, such as the view that the Jews displaced native inhabitants to create Israel? Or that Israel is a racist state that practices apartheid?

Lipstadt made short work of those claims. If Israel ought to be abolished because it is guilty of displacing native inhabitants, then the same should go for the United States or Australia, among

many other countries. If Israel is racist, then how is it that more than half of Israeli Jews have non-Ashkenazi roots, because their ancestors came from places like Iran, Yemen and Ethiopia? If Israel is an apartheid state, why are Israeli Arabs in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, attending Israeli universities, staffing Israeli hospitals?

Then there is the double standard that’s so often applied to Jews. On college campuses, she noted, “when other groups say, ‘We are a victim,’ the default position is to believe them. When Jews say it, the default position is to question, to challenge, to say, ‘You caused it’ or ‘You don’t have a right to that’ or ‘What you say happened to you is not really an example of bigotry.’”

Why is so much of today’s antisemitism coming from well-educated people, the sort who would never be caught dead uttering other racist remarks? Lipstadt recalled that of the four Einsatzgruppen — the German death squads entrusted with the mass murder of Jews in World War II — three were led by officers with doctoral degrees. “You can be a Ph.D. and a [really

bad person] at the same time,” she said.

She also pointed to academic fads of the past two decades, “narratives or ideologies that may not start out as antisemitic but end up painting the Jew as other, as a source of oppression instead of having been oppressed.” One of those narratives is that Jews are “more powerful, richer, smarter, maliciously so,” than others and must therefore be stopped by any means necessary.

The idea that opposing Jewish power can be a matter of punching up, rather than down, fits neatly into the narrative that justifies any form of opposition to those with power and privilege, both of them dirty words on today’s campuses.

It’s how Hamas’ “resistance” — the mass murder and kidnapping of defenseless civilians — has become the new radical chic.

The challenge that Lipstadt confronts isn’t confined to campuses. It’s worldwide: the streets of London (which saw a 1,350% increase in antisemitic hate crimes in the early weeks of October from the previous year) and on Chinese state media (which hosts discussion pages about Jewish control of American wealth) and in Muslim immigrant communities throughout Europe (with Muslims handing out candy in one Berlin neighborhood to celebrate the Oct. 7 attacks).

Lipstadt was clear about where this leads: “Never has a society tolerated overt expressions of antisemitism and remained a democratic society.” What to do? Governments alone, she said, can’t solve the problem.

“I know it sounds ludicrous, but a lot comes down to what happens at the dinner table.” She told me of a friend whose fifth grade daughter was taunted by antisemitic remarks by her classmates at a “fancy Washington school.”

“Where did they get that? Where did it come from? How did they learn it was OK?” © The New York Times

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Political Crossfire

By Kathleen Parker

W

ith Israel’s release of a video taken inside Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, where weapons and other evidence confirm that Hamas probably was using the hospital as a shield, one can hope for less stridence from anti-Israel protesters.

Israel Defense Forces entered the hospital and found artillery and Hamas supplies, but no members of Hamas. The IDF also found a Hamas tunnel and a vehicle loaded with weapons. As media teams try to understand what’s happening there, details are few, leaving much room for speculation and/or affirmation of one’s preferred narrative. Even so, the video, which has been replayed by dozens of news outlets, seems to confirm what Israel has long claimed – that Hamas uses innocent Palestinians as barricades by installing their headquarters and arsenals beneath schools, hospitals and other public institutions in a vast complex of subterranean tunnels.

It’s unfortunate that so many people took to the streets to protest Israel when so little was known about the inner workings of Hamas and so little was understood about Israel’s survival imperative.

It’s horrible that so many innocent Palestinians have died, but the blame for this war belongs to Hamas.

Was Israel’s response disproportionate, as some argue? Its forces have reportedly killed more than 11,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, compared with 1,200 Israelis dead. I know only that there is no number of dead on either side that could end this debate.

The terrorist group was obviously not looking to provoke a measured response

responded had similar atrocities been committed on our turf. We know what happened following 9/11. In some ways, the murders of almost 3,000 people in Manhattan’s Twin Towers, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania were similar to the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. But 9/11 was abstract and mechanical — metal against metal, airplanes against buildings,

Their cruelty is inconceivable to any normal person, and yet they laughed and celebrated with whoops as they killed and killed and killed.

from Israel. It needed a full-frontal assault and lots of casualties. Terrorism is only partly about killing people; the rest is PR. This sort of calculation works only if the intended audience is sufficiently credulous. It didn’t take long for people, many of them antisemites, in the United States and elsewhere, to find common cause with Hamas. Over the past month, I’ve tried to imagine how Americans would have

not quite real, notwithstanding the very human horror inside. The Hamas militants looked their victims in the eyes before slitting their throats, or mowing down their children, or setting fire to the living.

Their cruelty is inconceivable to any normal person, and yet they laughed and celebrated with whoops as they killed and killed and killed. What was funny?

How could anyone find common cause

with such a person?

Those who have protested Israel’s response should watch the footage of the atrocities captured by militants’ body cams and dash cams. They owe the victims that much.

Hamas forced Israel to defend itself.

How much response would have been enough, and by whose calculation? The international consensus seems to be that it’s time to stop, and I’m all for that. But, as the victim, Israel has every right to fight this war as it sees fit.

My own anger is mitigated by empathy for innocent Palestinians, who are also victims of Hamas. It’s unbearable to hear of hospital patients and the premature babies who died because their incubators lost power. These deaths were the result of Israeli artillery, to be sure. But members of Hamas, by hiding among the innocent, are also responsible.

Israel has offered to send incubators and other aid to Gaza and has created safe corridors for Palestinian civilians to flee the violence. But Hamas doesn’t want the people to escape.

Like millions of others, I am outraged. And it’s clear why Israel was outraged, too. (c) 2023, Washington Post Writers Group

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

Photos by Al-Shifa Hospital Should Renew Outrage against Hamas

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2023

Forgotten Her es

Coast Guard Heroes

By Avi Heiligman

Members of the Overland Expedition navigating the terrain

E

stablished in 1790 as the Revenue Marine Service, the United States Coast Guard is the smallest of the American armed military branches with the exception of the recently created Space Force. The roles and functions of the Coast Guard are wide-ranging and include port security, drug interdiction, search and rescue, maritime safety, environmental protection and law enforcement. They have 250 large boats and ocean-going cutters, 2,000 small boats and patrol craft, and over 200 aircraft.

During times of war, Coast Guardsmen can be sent overseas and provide vital service to the other armed branches of the military. Many who have served in the Coast Guard have been noted for their exceptional service during war and at times of peace.

Loring May Ebersole, also known as Florence Finch or Betty, was a Filipino American who joined the Coast Guard after her time in the resistance against the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. After graduating high school, she began working as a stenographer for the Army Intelligence headquartered in Manila. She married PT boat crewman Charles Smith who was killed during a resupply mission of Corregidor after the Japanese invasion. Finch used her Filipino citizenship to avoid imprisonment and began helping troops that were in prisoner of war camps. For two

and half years, she sent supplies to POW camps, provided fuel to Filipino guerrillas fighting the Japanese, helped resistance fighters obtain documents, and sabotaged Japanese positions.

In October 1944, Finch was arrested, interrogated, beaten and tortured by the Japanese for resistance work but she never let slip any information that revealed names or locations of other members of her network. She was rescued in February 1945 in a daring raid

Officers of the Bear. Captain Tuttle is in the center

Due to their dwindling supply of food in the freezing weather, the whaling companies appealed to President William McKinley for help. The president then ordered the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service – the name of the Coast Guard at the time – to send a rescue team to the remote location in the Arctic. Called the Overland Expedition, three members of the Cutter Service, Lieutenant David Jarvis, Lieutenant Ellsworth Bertholf and Dr. Samuel Call, boarded

Along with a herd of reindeer, the men and sled dogs made the treacherous 1,500-mile trek through the harsh Alaskan winter.

mounted by the U.S. Cavalry. Finch then made her way to Buffalo, NY, where she joined the Coast Guard in July 1945.

She finished out the war with the Coast Guard. Years later, the Coast Guard named a building on a base in Hawaii and a fast response cutter after the World War II hero.

In 1897, eight whaling ships with 265 people on board became trapped by packed ice near Point Barrow, Alaska.

the cutter USRC Bear with provisions for the trapped whalers. The cutter was made of wood so the men would have to make the trek north through Alaska. Along with a herd of reindeer, the men and sled dogs made the treacherous 1,500-mile trek through the harsh Alaskan winter. Ninety-nine days later, on March 29, 1898, they completed the journey and delivered the provisions to the starving whalers. Not a single per-

son was lost on the mission, and Jarvis said of the expedition, “Though the mercury was -30 degrees, I was wet through with perspiration from the violence of the work. Our sleds were racked and broken, our dogs played out, and we ourselves scarcely able to move, when we finally reached the cape.” For their historic rescue, President McKinley awarded the three men a Gold Medal that was approved by Congress.

During World War II, many guardsmen were tasked with providing support and transportation for other service members. Raymond Evans and Douglas Munro had joined the Coast Guard just after Germany invaded Poland in 1939. They were known as the Gold Dust Twins. Munro, who was in charge of a contingent of Higgins boats, had landed troops during the Tulagi invasion on the Solomon Islands in August 1942. He volunteered for a very risky search and rescue mission with the small boats. On September 27, 1942, he was on the island Guadalcanal and was attached to Lt. Col. Chesty Puller’s three companies of marines that were to attack Japanese positions across the Matanikau River. Munro dropped off the marines and proceeded to evacuate wounded servicemen to safety. The marine landing soon came under a fierce Japanese counterattack, and Puller

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asked the Higgins to evacuate the beleaguered marines. Munro wasted no time in getting to the evacuation points even though they were under heavy Japanese fire. He moved his boat in a way to protect the embarking marines and directed one LCT (Landing Craft Tank) to help another LCT extricate itself from a sandbar. During much of the battle, Munro was on the 30-caliber machine gun to place suppressing fire on the Japanese positions. At this point,

Douglas Munro earned a Medal of Honor

he was shot and mortally wounded. The Higgins boats continued with the withdrawal until all the marines were off the beach. Puller later recommended Munro for the Medal of Honor for his actions on his Higgins boat.

Raymond Evans was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was in Munro’s contingent at the Battle of Matanikau.

The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division had been surrounded and needed immediate evacuation. Evans

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

Loring May Ebersole, also known as Florence Finch

Raymond Evans receiving his medal

volunteered to bring his Higgins boat close to the shore. With one hand on the wheel and his other hand on the machine gun, Evans managed to draw enemy fire towards him and away from the other boats. He stayed on the scene until all the other boats had cleared the beach. For his heroism in the precarious situation and ensuring the success of the mission, Evans was awarded the Navy Cross.

These are just a few of the heroes

who served with the Coast Guard in its long and storied history. Guardsmen live by the motto of “always ready” and can be relied upon to perform par excellence in the toughest situations.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2023

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HOUSES FOR SALE

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HEWLETT Exquisite contemporary colonial residence boasts a prime location set back from the street, enhancing its striking curb appeal. With 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, this move-inready home is bathed in natural light thanks to its four spacious skylights.

Expansive formal dining room, full basement offers 8-foot ceilings.

Stunning inground gunite pool and a beautifully designed patio in the well-landscaped yard. Located in school district 14 and conveniently close to all amenities, this property is a rare find that won’t stay on the market for long! Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

WOODMERE Welcome to this stunning residence situated on a tranquil residential street in Lawrence SD#15. This spacious and flawlessly maintained home boasts 4 to 5 bedrooms. Bright, airy living room with vaulted ceilings, skylights and wet bar. Central air conditioning, elegant quartz countertops, eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, main floor den with fireplace, master bedroom with bathroom snd dressing room, Jacuzzi tub, three other bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Inground sprinklers, lush landscaping, alarm system. Spacious playroom. Two-car garage. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

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WOODMERE

Introducing a stunning new

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14 with exquisite upgrades and central

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with dual sinks, five bedrooms. Main

merges the various living spaces.

level encompasses a spacious great

The expansive living room is bathed

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windows that offer great views of the

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CEDARHURST New listing 5-bedroom 4 bathroom split level home in school district # 15, hardwood floors, central air conditioning, minutes to all $899k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 WOODMERE New to the market. 3 bedroom 2 full bathrooms with a full basement.

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HEWLETT-WOODMERE School district - New to the market 4 bedroom 3 full bathroom home features living room with a fireplace, formal dining room leading out to the deck, eat-in-kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, 2 dishwashers, double oven, new microwave, primary bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, plus 3 additional bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, large family room, central air conditioning, gas heat, in-ground sprinklers, hardwood floors, modern high hat lighting, custom window treatments, driveway has recently been done, 2 car garage, beautifully landscaped plus so much more.

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com HEWLETT Lovely & Spacious 2 Bedrooms, 2 Updated Baths Unit on First Floor with Wonderful Terrace to Enjoy The Outdoors. Formal Dining Room Leads to Large Living Room, Granite Countertops in Kitchen. Prime Location. Steps Away From LIRR, Parking, Shopping, Restaurants + More! Don’t Miss Out! Must See!!!

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area providing. Large glass doors, spacious patio. Luxurious master suite with a spacious bedroom, a lavish ensuite bathroom and a large walk-in closet. Additional bedrooms.

shopping, railroad, restaurants and places of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

VALLEY STREAM Meticulously cared-for high ranch

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sprinkler system. The upper-level features three inviting bedrooms,

WOODMERE Spacious home within school district 14 with exquisite upgrades and central air conditioning, splendid kitchen with dual sinks, five bedrooms. Main level encompasses a spacious great room, office space, complementing the formal living and dining areas.

Unfinished basement, detached garage. Expansive lot, measuring 80 x 100. Conveniently located near shopping, railroad, restaurants and places of worship. Mark Lipner

accompanied by a full bathroom.

The well-appointed living room, elegant dining room, and an eat-in kitchen complete this level. On the ground floor, you’ll find an additional bedroom and bathroom, a spacious den with sliding doors that lead to the backyard, convenient washer and dryer facilities, and an attached garage. Great access to schools, shops, restaurants, and public transportation. Mark Lipner Associate

Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway

Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey

Laffey International 516-298-8457

International 516-298-8457

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

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HOUSES FOR SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

WOODMERE Introducing a stunning 14-side hall colonial home in the Hewlett Woodmere School District.

Formal living room, formal dining room, den with a skylight. Eat in Kitchen, two sinks, a double oven, a warming draw and a microwave.

First floor bedroom, a full bathroom and laundry room. Two-car garage.

Upper level has four bedrooms, two full bathrooms. Finished basement with playroom, storage and utilities.

Well-groomed exterior with porch adjoining the master bedroom.

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Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment, private entrance, washer/dryer, central air conditioning, freshly painted, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, garage parking, stainless steel appliances, great courtyard, minutes to the railroad, shopping, restaurants, park and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE Welcome to this exquisite and expansive 1 Bedroom co-op in the highly sought-after and prestigious Heathcote. Recently renovated, generously sized foyer. Vasr Eat-InKitchen. Situated in a classic pre-war building, this residence features 9-foot ceilings that add an air of elegance and sophistication. The convenience of an elevator ensures easy access to all levels, making everyday living a breeze. Private storage room. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE JUST LISTED This amazing two-bedroom two full bathroom condo Features a luxurious lifestyle in the beautiful city of Lawrence. What more could you ask for? The building has a 24-hour doorman and elevator access, with a social room, library, washer/dryer inside the unit, and terrace. Plus, the added benefit of having a live-in super to ensure maximum safety and security! And don’t forget about your new kitchen complete with a gas stove, refrigerator, microwave, and even two dishwashers! The living room and dining room are spacious and have recessed lighting installed throughout. Both bedrooms feature lots of closet space for storage. To top it off, there’s even garage parking available to make your life just that much easier! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. Please call for a private showing Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 • mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE 1 bedroom apartment, elevator building, eat-in kitchen, full bath, hardwood floors, plenty of closet space. Ceiling fan in bedroom & kitchen, laundry room in the basement. Close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. $179k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT Totally renovated 1 and 2 Bedroom, Apartments with washer/dryer, kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances. Recessed lighting, hardwood floors, storage in basement. Close to RR, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

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Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

WOODMERE Generously proportioned, first-floor apartment in an elevator-equipped building in the heart of Woodmere.

This Co-op boasts three bedrooms, two full bathrooms. Lofty ceilings, spacious foyer, formal living area and dining space. Expansive kitchen with gas stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer-dryer. Hardwood floors provide an elegant touch, and the comfort of five air-conditioning units ensures year-round climate control. Three bedrooms, with the primary bedroom having en-suite full bathroom. Dedicated storage. Near shopping centers, railroad, dining and places of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

CEDARHURST 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, totally renovated private entrance , central air conditioning, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, garage parking, dishwasher, recessed lighting, private playground, close to railroad, park, shopping and houses of worship.

Call for more details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE Totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship.

Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Spacious 2BR, 2 Full Bath Apt with an enclosed terrace in the heart of Lawrence. Well maintained & manicured building. New hardwood floors, updated Eat-in Kitchen with gas stove. warming draw, dishwasher & microwave. New windows on the enclosed terrace & one of the bedrooms. 3 New A/C Units & New Refrigerator. Close to shopping, transportation, library, schools, and houses of worship. $339K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457

WOODMERE Well maintained 1 Bedroom apartment. Elevator Building. Pet Friendly, SD#14, Corner Unit, Bright + Sunny, Hardwood Floors, Eat-in Kitchen, Full Bathroom, 3 Closets, 2 Ceiling Fans, 1 A/C Unit, Full Time Super on Premises. Minutes from the Railroad, Shopping, Houses of Worship, and Laundry Room on Premises. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 • $175K

LAWRENCE One Bedroom Renovated Apartment In Prime Lawrence. Efficiency Kitchen, Renovated Bathroom.

Sunken LR, Dining Room, Close to All, Transportation, Shopping, Worship. $275k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

ISRAEL REAL ESTATE

mlipner@bhhslaffey.com LAWRENCE New to the market Jr. 4 apartment in an elevator building with a terrace and underground parking, laundry on premises. Kitchen with granite countertops, 2 sinks, ss appliances, spacious step down living room with high ceilings, guest room/ office, spacious primary bedroom with 3 closets, full bathroom with full vanity, medicine cabinet, toilet and lighting, custom blinds, near the railroad, shopping and houses of worship.$289K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

RAMAT BEIT SHEMESH G1 *Available this summer in RBSG1* 5 bedroom/4 bathroom (3 full- 1 half) 1st floor • Building w/ an elevator Quiet street • Close to bussing (local and to Yerushalayim) Across the street from a few different Shuls Walking to G1 Mercaz Available July 12 - Aug 9 with flexibility For more info WhatsApp 347-831-5128 or call 053-412-7194

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Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

DELIVERY PERSON NEEDED to deliver Newspaper every Thursday morning to locations in Brooklyn. Must have Minivan or SUV and availability to work consistently every week!

Please e-mail gabe@fivetownsjewishhome.com or call (917) 299-8082

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA

ORTHODOX SHUL IN Hewlett looking to hire a youth coordinator for Shabbat and Sunday.

Good opportunity for young couple to make extra income.

Please email to sch.shul@gmail.com SEEKING ELA TEACHER Teaching position for Gr. 6.

Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Great salary, warm, supportive environment. Training in our curriculum is provided.

Teachersearch11@gmail.com

HELP WANTED

ABA company located in the 5 Towns

TEACHER/TEACHER MENTOR Join our Collaborative Team at HASC. Looking for an experienced Teacher/ Teacher Mentor to help with the administration of a SEIT Program.

Great Pay! Part-time!

Flexible hours!

Warm & Caring Environment.

SAS/SBL a plus Email resume: jobswd@hasc.net

looking to fill multiple full-time

IMMEDIATE OPENING

administrative positions

ELA teaching position for Gr. 5.

Seeking Elem Gen Ed Teachers Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply.

Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Knowledge of Central Reach a plus, but will train the right candidate Great work environment

Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Competitive salary, warm supportive environment.

Teachersearch11@gmail.com

Call 516-670-5374 or Email your resume to:

A YESHIVA IN QUEENS

Careers@supportivecareaba.com

is looking for an experienced part/ full time secretary, 2-year-old morah, kindergarten morah, kindergarten morah assistant and Pre-1A English teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail.

JOIN OUR TEAM & MAKE A DIFFERENCE

com or call/text 718-971-9799.

HELP WANTED DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership.

Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com MDS REGIONAL NURSE 5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office.

Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required.

Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered.

Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well.

Email: officejob2019@gmail.com BAIS YAAKOV in Far Rockaway looking for a Kindergarten asst from 12:153:00 Monday-Thursday. Please email teachingpositions1@gmail.com

MISC. BOOKKEEPER Excellent growth potential, Frum environment, Excellent salary & benefits. Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com

SHMIRAS HALASHON Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

Your

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Money

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

F

or decades, growing numbers of scientists have warned that burning fossil fuels is pumping dangerous amounts of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere.

This has prompted research into “geoengineering” – using technology to manipulate the environment to offset the alleged effects of climate change.

Naturally, capitalism would like a word or two about solving the “problem.”

Elon Musk made himself the world’s richest man by building cars that don’t pump carbon out their engines. John D. Rockefeller became the world’s first billionaire by harnessing the power of pollutants. Will the world’s first trillionaire be the man or woman who geoengineers a way out of Rockefeller’s legacy?

Last week, a California startup named Heirloom Carbon Technologies opened a new facility to join that effort.

The New York Times reports they’ve built an open-air warehouse where “-40foot-tall racks hold hundreds of trays filled with a white powder that turns crusty as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the sky.” Next step: “sealing it permanently in concrete, where it can’t

heat the planet.” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm describes it as “giant vacuums that can suck decades of old carbon pollution straight out of the sky.”

And how will Heirloom make its money, you ask? By selling the concrete? No, pumping concrete full of carbon doesn’t make it more valuable.

credit refundable, meaning developers can claim cash payments without having tax to offset. And it made the credit transferable, creating a market for outside investors. In Heirloom’s case, that investor is Microsoft, which signed a long-term contract to buy up to 315,000 metric tons of carbon removal to meet

Heirloom is one of dozens of companies joining the carbon capture gold rush.

Instead, they’re selling carbon removal tax credits to other companies to offset their emissions. It’s an indirect way to harness the tax code to monetize the new technology.

Heirloom is one of dozens of companies joining the carbon capture gold rush. Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act raised the credit to as much as $180 per ton, which makes the business case more attractive. It made the

their own goal of going “carbon-negative” by 2030.

Heirloom’s technology won’t change the world overnight. The technology is actually a surprisingly simple process – in Heirloom’s case, it involves heating limestone to remove existing CO2, pumping the gas into a storage tank, then spreading the leftover calcium oxide onto trays, where it sucks more CO2 from the atmosphere. But like any new

technology, it’s going to be pricey until economies of scale kick in.

The process also has detractors. Al Gore and others object that it raises a “moral hazard” by rescuing fossil fuel producers from the consequences of pumping carbon into the atmosphere.

They would rather see us eliminate those emissions in the first place. But if global warming really poses an existential danger to civilization (spoiler alert: it doesn’t), can we afford to be picky about how we stop it in its tracks?

Our economy is built around free markets. But no economist would argue that markets are perfect. Sometimes, markets need a helping hand to jumpstart a worthy activity. And sometimes, Uncle Sam uses the tax code to extend that helping hand. Whenever that happens, you need a smart tax planner on your side to help you use that code to your maximum benefit!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 | The Jewish Home

Giant Vacuums in the Sky

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Life C ach

DNA All the Way

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

I

have one question: what do we mean by calling ourselves Jewish?

Do we say we are “alive-ish” or just plain alive? Do we say we are “working-ish” or just plain working? What’s with the indecision? Does any other group call themselves “ish”?

Are we not sure about it? Are we still deciding?

Or maybe what we really mean is something positive, that we got our prayer answered and we are what we wish – Jew wish!

Does Necessary Acts of kindness.

Does this speak to your DNA? Then I’ve got a slice of my grandma’s DNA for you – Delicious Noodle Appetizer, because who can resist a bubby’s recipe? It’s in our makeup.

We love to connect to our ancestors.

They gave us the yummy flavor of being Jewish. The dishes, the stories, the history, the love and the warmth.

They made us Jews-In Simple Heritage, or ISH. Then there’s also the times like now

Or maybe what we really mean is something positive, that we got our prayer answered and we are what we wish – Jew wish!

Dare we ask ourselves which we connect to, the ish of wishy washy-ness or the wish fulfilled?!

Don’t bother, anyway! It’s like once you learn to ride a bike, you’re a bike rider or once you learn to swim, you’re a swimmer.

Once you are born Jewish, you’re a Jew either way, with all the DNA that comes with it.

Though you can confirm it here by checking the Jewish DNA CHART: D-N-A! Doesn’t say No to A matzah ball.

Displays Nachas Always.

Doesn’t Nosh on A Yom Kippur.

Driven, Needs an A. Doctor, eNtrepreneur, Attorney.

where a little voice starts to scream from within at injustice. That is the Jew-Inspired Spreading Help…so Jew ISH. There are also the simple realities of who we are and our mission here, Jews-Into Saving Humanity – ergo, Jew-ish.

We are always and forever Jewish. May we be an inspiration to ourselves and a light and delight unto the nations.

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

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