Five Towns Jewish Home - 5-6-21 by Yitzy Halpern

May 6, 2021

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42 Thousands of Mitzvah-for-Meron Pledges at Chabad’s Lag B’Omer Event

60 Morning with Mom at Shulamith

58 Every Person Has a Story to Tell

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

n the Zohar, many times before Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai shares a particularly important revelation, the Zohar prefaces that revelation by saying that Rabi Shimon would cry. It is only after he cries that he shares the revelation. This Lag B’Omer, we all cried. Many cried when the first joyous videos of the festivities in Meron made their rounds on early Thursday afternoon. After the trials and tribulations of the past fourteen months, this, in a sense, felt like the surest sign that life in the Holy Land was about to resume once again. The sight of tens of thousands dancing in unison, davening, hoping, and celebrating Yiddishkeit reminded us of the resilience of our nation. They were happy tears. Then, unfortunately, came the bitter, bitter tears. Words can’t describe these tears. Many only cried in their hearts, perhaps too overwhelmed or scared to fully grasp what happened. Many cried openly, their hearts wrenching with tsunamis of pain. But even as we grieved, many still had the tune playing in their heads, “Bar Yochai nimshachta ashrecha…” It was Rabi Shimon’s faith in Yidden that led him to declare, “Ki lo tishachach mipi zaroh – the Torah will never be forgotten.”

It was Rabi Shimon’s steel conviction in the just ways of Hashem that enabled him to explore the deepest secrets of Torah while burrowed in a cave for thirteen years. It was Rabi Shimon who reached the highest spiritual levels, yet taught us that even the Jew who seems to be on the lowest level is kodesh kedoshim. It was the song of Rabi Shimon that even in these tragic moments played – unwittingly, subconsciously – in our heads even as we were crushed by the devastating tragedy. As a nation, and individually, we grieve for the forty-five korbanos who died minutes after being mekabel ohl malchus Shamayim and shortly after singing “Ana Hashem hosheya nah, ana Hashem hatzlicha nah,” words that are usually said somberly but are sung joyously at the hilula of Rabi Shimon. We mourn the forty-five souls that were taken from us so suddenly. And we are heartbroken for their families who are going through unimaginable pain. Our only hope is that, just like Rabi Shimon’s crying in the Zohar, may Klal Yisroel’s tears over this tzaar be the precursor for a revelation – the ultimate revelation by Hashem – with the coming of Mashiach. May we share in besuros tovos, Shoshana

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Friday, May 7 Parshas Behar-Bechukosai Candle Lighting: 7:39 pm Shabbos Ends: 8:45 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 9:11 pm

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

10 Questions for Heshy Blachorsky

NEWS

Global

National

Odd-but-True Stories

ISRAEL Israel News

World Builders

Profound Pain by Udi Lieberman

United Hatzalah Member Kalanit Taub Shares Her Experience

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

Free Birds by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Delving into the Daf

PEOPLE The Wandering Jew

Prince Philip by Avi Heiligman

112

HEALTH & FITNESS How to Help Yourself and Your Children Through the Tragedy in Meron by Dr. Norman N Blumenthal

Thoughts on Meron by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

From Bland to Bold by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD

Parenting Pearls

100

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Dulce de Leche Apple Cobbler

105

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by 94 Jennifer Mann, LCSW

100

Lessons from My Mother

102

Your Money

118

What Time is It? by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS 119 HUMOR

Centerfold 70

Dear Editor and Fellow District 15 Residents, This coming Tuesday, May 11, presents an opportunity to select the next trustee of our beloved Peninsula Public Library. Unlike the school board election, the choices of candidates will not be listed. The library trustee position will be selected by a write-in candidate. Therefore, your participation in this year’s election is important. I strongly suggest you write in the name AKIVA LUBIN to ensure that the Library Board represents the best interests of our community. Akiva is an extremely dependable, serious, knowledgeable, and open-minded attorney. His civic-minded participation is displayed by his input to the area’s noise abatement commission. As a long-time resident of Lawrence, Akiva is familiar with our unique neighborhood concerns. How lucky we all are to be able to write in AKIVA LUBIN for Library Board Trustee. See you on Tuesday, May 11. Your neighbor, Reva Oliner Dear Editor, April 24 was the seventh annual National Independent Bookstore Day. Why not do the same during the other 364 days a year? National Independent Book Store Day began as the California Bookstore Day sponsored by the Northern California Bookstore Association on May 2, 2014. It was in response to

106

John Kerry Must Be Investigated for the Zarif Tape by Marc A. Thiessen

109

Classic

Biden’s Speech was Pandemic Political Theater by Marc A. Thiessen 110 Biden’s 100-Day Repair Job by David Ignatius CLASSIFIEDS

111 114

Dear Editor, Next time your newspaper decides to print pictures of Todd Kaminsky with all the shuls and yeshivas announcing all his praiseworthy efforts to help this community, please do your homework and remember he wrote the bill on no cash bail! Therefore, thanks to him, the thug who vandalized all those shuls in Riverdale is back on the street!! (A judge ordered bail.) Kaminsky got him out… Great job, Todd! A Concerned 5 Towns Resident To The Editor: I want to make people aware of a social problem which seems to receive very little attention. That social problem is “ageism” and “age-discrimination.” I never Continued on page 10

Which type of cheesecake do you prefer?

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

more and more people purchasing books online from Amazon, other e-commerce stores, Barnes & Nobles, and Books a Million. In these difficult economic times, it is especially important to patronize our few remaining neighborhood independent bookstores. Remember, these people are our neighbors. They work long hours, pay taxes, and provide local employment. If we don’t patronize the few remaining local community bookstores, they will go the way of the dinosaur. Buy and read a good book. It is health-food for the mind. Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, NY

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‫‪The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021‬‬

‫מ"ה ד' שואל מעמך‬

‫‪Tragedy in Meron on the night of‬‬ ‫‪Lag B'Omer, the like of which has‬‬ ‫‪never been heard of before.‬‬ ‫‪At the request of Maran‬‬

‫בס"ד ערב ש"ק אמור ל"ג בעומר תשפ"א‬

‫יד ד' היתה בנו ‪ ,‬כאשר מתוך שמחה של מצווה נהרגו עשרות נפשות בציון‬ ‫התנא האלוקי רשב"י במירון‪ ,‬ביניהם אבות לילדים‪ ,‬בחורי חמד וילדי תשב"ר‪,‬‬ ‫במיתה משונה ונוראה‪ ,‬ואין אנו יודעים חשבונות שמים‪ ,‬וכל אחד ואחד מחוייב‬ ‫לשוב בתשובה שלמה לפני ד'‪ ,‬ותשובה ותפלה וצדקה מעבירין את רוע הגזירה‪.‬‬ ‫ולכפר על נפשותינו לפני ד'‪ ,‬בקשנו מ"קופת העיר" לפתוח קרן עבור משפחות‬ ‫ההרוגים והפצועים‪ ,‬לתמכם ולסעדם‪ ,‬וכל הכספים יחולקו לפי הצורך על פי‬ ‫החלטת הרבנים שליט"א הח"מ‪,‬‬

‫וכל אחד ואחד לא יפחות כופר נפש מסך ‪ ₪ 430‬כמניין "נפש" – ובצדקה‬ ‫עבור המשפחות יכופר לעם ישראל ולארץ בדם אשר שופך בה‪.‬‬

‫‪Harav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a,‬‬

‫‪Kupat Ha'ir is setting up a fund to help the‬‬ ‫‪families of the victims.‬‬

‫‪The least we can do is to make a major effort to ease their‬‬ ‫‪financial strain.‬‬

‫‪Everyone should try to donate a‬‬ ‫‪minimum of $120. to help them; the‬‬ ‫‪widows, the orphans, the wounded.‬‬

‫ואין מי שיכול לפטור עצמו מזה‪ ,‬כי כל בני ארץ ישראל קרובים אל החללים‬ ‫ואין בהם מתום‪ ,‬וד' יחזירנו בתשובה שלמה לפניו אכי"ר‬

‫והיות ועל פי הנשמע יש בין ההרוגים בעלי משפחות‪ ,‬כל הנותן סך של‬ ‫‪ ₪ 100(₪ 3000‬כפול ‪ 30‬תשלומים) הרי הוא בבחינת מציל נפשות‪,‬‬ ‫ושכרו רב מן השמים‪ ,‬וזו זכות גדולה להנצל בעת שמידת הדין מתוחה‬ ‫חיים קניבסקי‬ ‫כיהודה ועוד לקרא הננו מצטרפים לדברי רשכבה"ג מרן שה"ת שליט"א‬

‫שמואל אליעזר שטרן‬

‫שרגא שטיינמן‬

‫שמעון גלאי‬

‫‪Donations can be made to Kupat Ha'ir - Fund 3333 / Victims of the Meron‬‬ ‫קו‬ ‫העפת‬ ‫יר‬

‫‪1-888-KUPATHAIR‬‬ ‫‪2‬‬

‫‪4‬‬

‫‪8‬‬

‫‪2‬‬

‫‪7‬‬

‫‪8‬‬

‫‪5‬‬

‫‪Donations can be sent to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir - 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219‬‬

‫‪Donate Online: www.kupat.org‬‬

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Continued from page 8

understood why I feel that I have not been treated well by a lot of people I have known in the world of politics in recent years. More and more of them seem to have no interest in my participation and involvement and in what I think and believe and have to say. I don’t think that I have become dumber in my senior years. So, what’s different about me now? My wife said to me, “Stew, you are about to turn 71 years of age. It is not that you have somehow become an unlikable idiot who doesn’t know what he is talking about. You are old. The #1 complaint and grievance of the elderly is that they feel that they have become ‘invisible’ to younger people, especially to people under the age of 50.” Ouch! That hurts. Sincerely, Stewart B. Epstein Rochester, NY Dear Mothers, A picture is worth a thousand words...but NO picture can be worth so much more! We live in a world where we are surrounded by a shidduch crisis, with so many young men and women looking for and davening for their matches. As shadchanim, we do our best to make the right suggestions and bring couples together, but one of the biggest roadblocks we encounter is “the picture.” So many wonderful girls, and equally wonderful boys, are not getting the “yes” they should be getting because of the misconception a picture can cause. Not every picture clearly or accurately depicts a person. Some people are not photogenic, some are standing at an awkward angle, and certainly a person’s chein does not come through in a photograph! There was a time when a girl came into her dining room and only THEN, when her date stood up after talking to her father, did she get her first glimpse of what he looked like. And vice versa. Girls and boys had the opportunity to see the other for who they were in person and not what they looked like in a two-dimensional snapshot. A chance to see the chein, the personality, the disposition; a chance to see the real person shine. As shadchanim, we yearn to go back to the way things were. We yearn to be able to present a girl, with a full description of her incredible middos and personality and look forward to having a boy meet her and view her for the amazing person that she is, IN REAL LIFE! We know that this is a lot to ask. We know that sending a picture, along with a resume, is becom-

ing the norm. But we can make a positive and proactive move to change that. We beseech you, the mothers, to help us in our quest to avoid showing our singles the pictures that they have been accustomed to having access to. As mothers, let us instill in our sons and daughters the courage to trust us, as mothers, to know who would be appropriate for our children to date. Let the resume, the description and the information we get from references paint the picture of a person, who we can decide would or wouldn’t be a proper match for our child. While beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, let the person’s true beauty come out when your child meets their prospective date. And may this small but significant change, for the better, be the key to finally ending the shidduch crisis! In light of the tragedy at Meron and as a zechus for the 45 holy neshamos that we lost, we at Adopt a Shadchan are taking it upon ourselves that, for the next 30 days, we will only send mothers and singles resumes with a description. No pictures. It is our goal to have mothers see, read, and hear the wonderful attributes of a person and determine from her “homework” that the person she is looking into sounds appropriate and a possible match for her child. If you are a shadchan and would like to be included in this initiative, please email adoptashadchan@gmail.com. May these heartfelt efforts in bringing our dear singles to the chuppah, be a zechus for the 45 neshamos that were taken from us so suddenly and so tragically and may Klal Yisroel never again know of such suffering, instead only joy! Endorsed by: Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Shlita Rabbi Elya Brudny, Shlita Rabbi Yosef Elefant, Shlita, Eretz Yisroel Rabbi Yaakov Forchheimer, Shlita Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Shlita Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Shlita Rabbi Moshe Tuviah Lieff, Shlita Rabbi Dovid Ozeri, Shlita Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Shlita Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro, Shlita Rabbi Zecharya Wallerstein, Shlita On Behalf of Shadchanim Worldwide Executive Director of Adopt a Shadchan: Lisa Elefant, Brooklyn, NY Founders of Adopt a Shadchan: Daniella Feldman, Lakewood, NJ Ruchi Giberstien, Brooklyn, NY

Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home. Please send all correspondence to: editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.

Dear Editor, Every person changes throughout their life. That could mean a change of school, job, or residence. Sometimes, however, there can be more dramatic changes like a change of reality. Usually, when there is such a drastic change, the people around such a person feel the seismic shift. Covid has changed the world in all ways. From the way people have interacted with each other to how people go about their daily lives. Covid has also caused families to become closer while at the same time becoming more distant. The psychological effect on Covid lockdowns was studied by the National Institute of Health with mind-boggling conclusions. According to the results, 45% of respondents had either moderate or severe symptoms of depression, and over 50% of respondents were identified with a moderate or severe likelihood of developing PTSD. These are unacceptable numbers that should be a factor in public health messaging and how the media reports in the future. The detrimental effects of a Covid environment in a logical world would be eradicated as soon as possible. Unfortunately, though, we are in a period where irrationality and fearmongering have been forced on society. Dr. Anthony Fauci and others are responsible for this environment. From continuing to wearing masks after vaccinations, for continuing for no scientific reason forcing young kids to wear masks in school, and for continuing delays of reopening some public schools. These realities are not only unacceptable, they are an abuse of power. If one asked any logical person one year ago about a potential situation where over 100 million Americans were fully vaccinated including over 70% of elders, do you think society would in a massive way be back to normal? The response would be, of course! Unfortunately, the reality is not the case, however. Once human beings in positions of authority are given unchecked and undefined powers, the limits are limitless. It is time for Americans to take things into their own hands. It is time to promote vaccinations by throwing out our masks after 2-3 weeks after a vaccine shot. It is time to force pressure to open up all schools, and it is time to use our liberties again. Liberties come from the same place where the idea of personal responsibility comes from, us, the people, not them, the government. Sincerely, Donny Simcha Guttman Dear Editor, The article about Yael Beit-Av and the fabrics she weaves was written so beautifully. Yael is symbolic of all the wonderful people living in Israel who contribute to the land and who utilize their talents to produce items that sing the praises of the Holy Land. I would love to see more articles on people like Yael. Sincerely, Shira Cook

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

India Consumed by Covid Casualties

India has canceled final year exams for medical school students, allowing them to join the fight against the country’s out of control Covid-19 epidemic. The 25,000 medical students who have already completed their studies were informed by the government that they can skip the final licensing exam if they work with Covid-19 patients for a year. Another 90,000 doctors who studied in overseas universities but have not yet taken the exam to convert their licenses are also eligible for the new initiative. In addition, nurses in their final year of training can now assist in hospitals and will be prioritized when applying for positions at government medical centers if they volunteer for over 100 days at a Covid-19 ward. The new measures are expected to lighten the load on India’s medical professionals who have struggled to contain the world’s worst Covid-19 outbreak. Monday saw India record 300,000 new cases for the 12th straight day, bringing the total number of infections to 20 million. The skyrocketing infection rate has overloaded hospitals and caused a severe shortage of oxygen cylinders. New patients are being forced to wait hours and even days for a bed in hospital ICUs due to the lack of sufficient medications, medical staff, and ventilators. “Every time we have to struggle to get our quota of our oxygen cylinders,” said Narayan Rao, a health official from the hard-hit southern town of Chamarajanagar. “It’s a dayto-day fight.” In the capital of New Delhi, crematoriums have been constructing makeshift funeral pyres as they run out of space for bodies. In the South

Indian state of Karnataka that has seen 200,000 daily cases, crematoriums have put up “house full” notices on their doors. Officials are attempting to introduce innovative solutions in order to lighten the burden on cemeteries and crematoriums. In New Delhi, the Sarai Kale Khan crematorium in the capital has received permission to build 27 new pyres in a nearby park. The Health Ministry is now allowing Indians to use hiking trails and private property as makeshift cemeteries. “There has been a steady rise in the number of deaths due to Covid-19 infection in the state,” read the order by India’s Health Ministry. “It is prudent to swiftly and respectfully dispose of the body in a decentralized manner keeping in view the grieving circumstance and to avoid crowding in crematoriums and burial grounds.”

Germany to Return Artifacts to Nigeria

Germany will return the Benin Bronzes, a series of ancient artifacts looted by British soldiers during a military operation in 1897, to Nigeria. Dating back to the 16th-18th century, the golden plates and statues once decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin and are considered among the most impressive works of African art. The pieces are currently located in dozens of museums scattered across Europe. Germany’s Ministry of Culture announced last Thursday that it would work towards “substantive returns” of the Benin Bronzes before 2022. The move came after the government reached a deal with museum curators regarding compensation for the artifacts and the timetable of the return. As per the agreement, museums will have until June 15 to inventory the items followed by a meeting on June 29 to hammer out the logistical details. A new website will be established in order to catalogue the arti-

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

facts and document the provenance of the Benin Bronzes as well as other “collections from colonial contexts.” German authorities and European museums in possession of the Bronzes will work to repatriate the pieces together with a consortium of Nigerian partners led by the Edo Museum for West African Art in Benin City. German Culture Minister Monika Grütters hailed the breakthrough agreement as a “historic milestone.” “We face a historic and moral responsibility to shine a light on Germany’s colonial past,” said Grütters. “We would like to contribute to an understanding and reconciliation with the descendants of the people who were robbed of their cultural treasures during the colonial era.

Russia Tracking Demonstrators Activists are crying foul over Russia’s new state-of-the-art surveillance system, alleging that it is being used to systematically hunt down opponents of President Vladimir Putin. In September, Moscow finished installing 100,000 advanced closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in

the capital. The cameras were part of an advanced security system utilizing facial recognition that was touted by police as a major crime-fighting tool.

Yet activists opposing President Vladimir Putin contend that the software is being used to crush his local political opposition. They say that rather than be deployed to catch fare beaters or car thieves, the facial recognition technology has become a key tool for security forces to round up protesters who demonstrate against the Russian president. With the software enabling police to track Russians from demonstrations to their homes, activists have been experiencing a wave of arrests. The detentions increased following last week’s rallies supporting jailed political prisoner Alexei Navalny, with detectives using the technology to track down and detain 50 demonstrators.

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The majority were arrested not at the rally itself but after arriving home, something the activists point to as proof that police are using facial recognition technology to stifle political dissent. “The authorities’ intention to expand the use of invasive technology across the country causes serious concern over the potential threat to privacy,” said Hugh Williamson, a senior executive at Human Rights Watch. “Russia’s track record of rights violations means that the authorities should be prepared to answer tough questions to prove they are not are undermining people’s rights by pretending to protect public safety.”

Swiss Diplomat Dies in Iran

Iran died in Tehran after falling from the upper floors of a 20-story building in which she lived. Iranian police said on Tuesday that they will investigate her suspicious death. A worker discovered her missing on Tuesday morning and called authorities. The Swiss Foreign Ministry in Bern acknowledged in a statement that an employee “died in a fatal incident on Tuesday.” Iranian emergency services spokesman Mojtaba Khaledi said the diplomat’s body was found by a gardener after an employee who arrived at her apartment early on Tuesday noticed she was missing, the news agency Fars reported. The Swiss Embassy has represented American interests in Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Tragic Train Collapse in Mexico A Swiss woman who was the first secretary at the Swiss Embassy in

At least 23 people were killed and dozens more were injured after an overpass for the Mexico City Metro collapsed on Monday night, sending

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

a subway car full of passengers plunging toward a busy street below.

2012, when Line 12 was built, called the incident “a terrible tragedy.” Soon after Ebrard left office as mayor, the subway line became plagued by structural issues, technical faults and corruption allegations, leading to a partial closure in 2013 so tracks could be repaired.

Border Bungle? The collapse occurred at around 10:30 p.m. local time on the newest of Mexico City’s subway lines, Line 12. The line runs underground but emerges onto elevated structures in some areas. A support beam collapsed just as the train passed over it in the southern borough of Tlahuac. Emergency crews worked through the night to remove people from the scene. At least 49 of the 65 people injured were transported to hospitals, including seven who were in serious condition and undergoing surgery. “There are, unfortunately, children among the dead,” the mayor said. Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, who was Mexico City’s mayor from 2006 to

All it took was a rock to change the border between France and Belgium. A Belgian farmer had moved a stone that was blocking his tractor’s path. Unfortunately, the stone was not just a large rock. It was marking the boundary between Belgium and France. A local history enthusiast was walking in the forest when he noticed the stone marking the boundary be-

tween the two countries had moved 2.29 meters. “He made Belgium bigger and France smaller, it’s not a good idea,” David Lavaux, mayor of the Belgian village of Erquelinnes, told French TV channel TF1. The border between France and Belgium, which stretches 620km, was established under the Treaty of Kortrijk, signed in 1820 after Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo five years earlier. It was marked out by stone borders which have remained in place ever since. “I was happy – my town was bigger,” the Belgian mayor added with a laugh. “But the mayor of Bousigniessur-Roc didn’t agree.” “We should be able to avoid a new border war,” the amused mayor of the neighboring French village, Aurélie Welonek, told La Voix du Nord. Local Belgian authorities have contacted the farmer to ask him to return the stone to its original location. If that does not happen, the case could end up at the Belgian foreign ministry, which would have to summon a Franco-Belgian border commission, dormant since 1930.

Protesting in Colombia

Frustrated by new and expanded taxes on citizens and businessowners, people in Colombia are taking to the streets. But the protests have not been tranquil. At least 19 people have died and hundreds more have been injured in protests against right-wing President Iván Duque Márquez’s tax overhaul, which was intended to aid economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Duque said the objective of the reforms – aimed at raising the equivalent of 1.4 percent of GDP, or $4.1 billion – were to stabilize the country’s economy, the plan has been criticized for favoring the wealthy and placing more strain on the working and middle classes. The protests have drawn tens of

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thousands of people to the streets. The marches across the country have evolved into protests against economic inequality and rising poverty in the Latin American country. The demonstrations began last Wednesday after a national strike drew larger crowds than expected. By Monday, at least 18 civilians and one police officer had died. Most of the violence took place in Cali, the country’s third largest city. Duque has criticized the protesters for demonstrating during Colombia’s second wave of Covid-19. In a bid to quell the unrest, on Sunday, Duque ordered the proposal to be withdrawn from congress where it was being debated. He said his government would present an alternative draft law soon. But Duque’s right-wing Democratic Center party has less than 20 percent of the seats in congress and may struggle to pass a new law. Finance Minister Alberto Carrasquilla, the architect of the controversial tax reforms, tendered his resignation on Monday evening, after spending most of the day in meetings with Duque. Unlike many other Latin American countries, Colombia has a relatively stable economy and hasn’t defaulted on its debt since the 1930s.

A Day of Mourning

Israel held a national day of mourning on Sunday to commemorate 45 people who were killed in a tragic stampede during the Lag B’Omer celebrations in Meron. Musical events were canceled, along with sports and cultural events. Israeli flags across the country and at diplomatic missions overseas were lowered to half-mast, and schools nationwide instructed teachers to dedicate an hour to speaking with students about the tragedy. In addition, the weekly government meeting slated to take place on Sunday was canceled while the Knes-

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triggered a stampede in a narrow walkway at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. Preliminary reports painted a picture of chaos, in which police and rescue forces struggled to gain control over the panicked crowd numbering as much as 300,000 people. In interviews and on social media, former high-ranking police officers described how the lack of effective management at the site made such a tragedy a matter of time. Unlike other national religious sites such as the Kotel and Me’aras Hamachpela, the kever in Meron is not under the exclusive authority of one specific entity, rendering attempts to impose order exceedingly difficult. Since 2012, the Israel Police have recommended that the government forcibly take control of the site and implement urgently-needed renovations. Yet all attempts to do so were mired by political infighting and a legal battle between different chassidic groups and the local municipality.

A Pain Too Much to Bear

set held a candle-lighting ceremony in memory of the victims. Radio and television stations refrained from airing advertisements during breaks and broadcast quiet music instead of the usual programming. The national day of mourning was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday morning and was approved later that day by the cabinet in a vote held over the phone. “On Sunday, we will hold a na-

tional day of mourning and lower the Israeli flags to half-mast in all public buildings, IDF bases, and Israeli missions abroad,” Netanyahu said in a video he released on social media. “Let us all unite with the grief of the families and pray for the wounded. Blessed are those who perish.” Netanyahu continued, “There were heartbreaking scenes here. People who were crushed to death, including children.” National days of mourning are

rare and testify to the extreme tragedy that occurred in Meron last week. National days of mourning were held after Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1955 and after a tragic helicopter crash killed 73 IDF soldiers in 1997. Days of mourning were also declared after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the 9/11 attacks. Forty-five people had been crushed to death after large crowds

A 19-year-old Teaneck native was amongst the 45 people killed in last Friday’s tragic stampede at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. Donny Morris had been spending the year studying in Sha’alvim, a yeshiva near Modi’in. He had traveled to Meron together with a group of relatives and friends on Thursday evening in order to participate in the mass annual Lag B’Omer celebration. Donny was laid to rest on Sunday evening in a funeral attended by thousands at Sha’alvim, with another 79,000 viewing the live internet stream. His final sendoff had been delayed to allow family members to arrive from North America. “I have so many questions but little to no answers,” said Donny’s mother Mirlana Morris, telling the

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crowd that her son’s death was “a pain more than a mother can bear.” “But what I do know for sure is that you were loved by so many,” she said. Sha’alvim eulogized Donny as a friendly and diligent student who loved studying Torah and who spent long hours at the yeshiva study hall. “Daniel was an amazing student, he was studious and beloved by his friends, he had a sense of humor and was bursting with love of life,” the yeshiva said. “Daniel had an excellent character and acted with pleasantness; he loved very much to learn Torah. He came to Israel from New Jersey, in order to learn Torah in the Land of Israel.” The school added, “Sha’alvim embraces the bereaved Morris family and is in touch with his parents, family, and community rabbi, who all received the bitter news. The school’s staff is embracing Daniel’s friends and the shocked students, and is in touch with professionals to provide the necessary support.” Donny had chosen to spend a gap year in Israel after graduating from Yeshiva University’s MTA high school. He is the first American student in an overseas program to be killed since 18-year-old Boston

native Ezra Schwartz was gunned down by Palestinian terrorists in a 2015 West Bank shooting. Donny was one of the six U.S. citizens killed in the stampede on Lag B’Omer. The other victims included Shragee Gestetner, a singer and father of six who had arrived in Israel specifically to attend the Lag B’Omer celebration in Meron. Gestetner’s funeral on Friday was attended by hundreds of Israelis who learned from social media that he did not have any immediate family in Israel. Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevich called on the public to escort Gestetner to his final resting place on Har Hamenuchot, writing that “we won’t leave him alone in his final moments.” The Consulate General of Israel in New York said in a statement on Friday that it was “working with the families of all those who died and were injured to enter Israel as easily and quickly as possible.”

Bibi Loses Mandate This week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to cobble to-

gether a coalition to form a new government. As such, Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid is likely to receive the mandate from President Reuven Rivlin to attempt to put together a majority coalition to form a new government. This time around, Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party will be backing Lapid.

In the previous round of discussions with Rivlin last month, Sa’ar’s six-member party didn’t back anyone as premier. Additionally, the majority of the Joint List alliance of predominantly Arab parties will also choose to back Lapid this time around, saying that it prefers him to any of the other options. The addition of New Hope and five of Joint List’s six Knesset members has now boosted Lapid’s bloc of backers from 45 to 56, including Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Labor, Meretz and Yisrael Beytenu.

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The parties backed Lapid as prime minister when they met Rivlin for consultations aimed at deciding whom to task with forming a new government, a day after Netanyahu announced that he had failed to form a new government. Rivlin met Lapid — who reiterated his request to be tasked with forming a government — and then Naftali Bennett, who heads the seven-seat Yamina party and is reportedly set to go first as prime minister in an emerging rotation deal with Lapid for a unity government. The bloc of parties that supported Netanyahu in the previous round of consultations – Likud, United Torah Judaism, Shas and Religious Zionism – told Rivlin they recommend nobody for prime minister and asked the president to send the mandate back to the Knesset. Ra’am also didn’t recommend a candidate but told Rivlin it would negotiate “in a positive manner” with whoever is tasked and could add the support of its four MKs if its demands are met. As he emerged from meeting with Rivlin, Lapid said, “We will do everything to form an Israeli unity government.” Before speaking with Rivlin, Ben-

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nett said, “With G-d’s help, we will form a good government for the nation of Israel.” Even if Lapid is handed the mandate, the rival bloc of parties faces a tough task to bring together all its disparate groups and build a Knesset majority. Netanyahu continues as transitional prime minister for the time being. Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for a record-breaking 12 consecutive years, after a threeyear term from 1996-9, was given first chance at building a government after the deadlocked March 23 elections – Israel’s fourth elections in two years. The president can now give the mandate to another MK. He can also send the mandate to the Knesset, which would have 21 days to find a candidate backed by 61 or more of the 120 MKs; if that failed, Israel would automatically head to its fifth election since April 2019.

Abbas Cancels Elections

election.” In a statement, the group said that “the decision to delay the elections is opposed to our national consensus and popular opinion. It is a coup against our agreements,” Hamas asserted. While Abbas pointed to Israel’s policy banning East Jerusalem residents from voting as the reason behind the decision, many observers say that the aging president had postponed the election due to fears of a Hamas victory. The ruling Fatah party and Hamas remain at loggerheads ever since the latter won a surprise victory in the most recent vote in 2006 and summarily ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip. Recent polls had shown Hamas gaining ground in the West Bank, sparking fears amongst Fatah officials that the terror group would seize the levers of power. Palestinians had been slated to vote for the Palestinian Legislative Council on May 22, followed by a presidential election on July 1. The elections were to have been the first since 2006 and were viewed by many Palestinians as an opportunity to replace the aging leadership with a younger generation.

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Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced last week that he will postpone the elections for the PA parliament that were slated to occur next month. Abbas announced the move last Friday, which he said came due to Israel’s refusal to allow East Jerusalem Arabs to participate in the elections. Viewing Jerusalem’s Arab residents as Israeli citizens, Israel does not allow the PA to establish voting booths in its capital city. “We decided to postpone the election until there is a guarantee on Jerusalem,” Abbas said during a meeting of Palestinian factions in Ramallah. “We call upon the international community to pressure Israel not to take these aggressive steps.” The rival Hamas terror organization blasted the decision as a “coup” and vowed to retaliate. Earlier, Hamas reiterated that it opposed “any attempt to postpone the

The IDF beefed up its forces in the West Bank following two separate terror attacks on Monday. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement that at least four additional combat battalions would be deployed in the West Bank. The troops will remain in the volatile territories for at least two weeks and will focus on guarding roads and main shopping centers. “Additional IDF combat soldiers will be reinforcing the Judea and Samaria Division in accordance with our ongoing situational assess-

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

Gantz Appointed Justice Minister

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ment,” said the IDF. “We will continue to operate against terror.” The first attack occurred on Monday morning and saw a knife-wielding 60-year-old Palestinian woman approach three soldiers near the Gush Etzion junction. She was shot after refusing to drop the sharp weapon and was pronounced dead hours later. Later in the day, three yeshiva students were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting at the busy Tapuach Junction in Samaria. Video footage shows the terrorist pulling up to the teeming intersection in a silver SUV and stopping before emptying a magazine into the waiting passengers. The three injured were returning from yeshiva in Itamar and remain in critical condition. A preliminary report presented to Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi determined that the terrorist acted alone, finding that the soldiers at the scene failed to hit him despite firing seven bullets. Occurring shortly after each other and in separate parts of the West Bank during the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan, the attacks have led to fears of a new wave of Palestinian terror.

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The deadline for applications is May 12th CHAZKEINU IS A PEER SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR ALL JEWISH WOMEN AND FEMALE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS. For more information call 314-346-7414  info@chazkeinu.org  www.chazkeinu.org Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Kahol Lavan leader Benny Gantz as justice minister on Wednesday, capitulating following a spat some called the country’s worst-ever constitutional crisis. Netanyahu announced last week that he was supporting the appointment of Gantz, less than 24 hours after leading a contentious vote to install Likud loyalist Ofir Okunis to the influential post. Government ministers approved Gantz’s nomination following Netanyahu’s decision in a vote held over Zoom. The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that “after his compromise offers were once again rejected this morning, and to exit the dead end and enable the necessary activ-

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ity of the Justice Ministry, the prime minister has decided to appoint Benny Gantz as justice minister in the transitional government.” Following Netanyahu’s announcement, the High Court of Justice canceled the hearing over the issue that was slated to occur later in the day. The prime minister’s decision marked a stunning about-face only 24 hours after he appointed Okunis to the role over the furious objections of Gantz and Attorney General Avi-

chai Mandelblit. Gantz’s term as acting justice minister had expired earlier this month, leading the ministry leaderless and plunging Israel’s legal system into a deadlock. Having taken on the role after former Justice Minister Avi Nisenkoren abandoned Kahol Lavan, Gantz needed the government to approve his reappointment. However, Netanyahu refused to convene the government in order to prevent his political rival from re-

turning to the influential position. But following pressure from the High Court of Justice, Netanyahu promised to bring the appointment to a vote. Led by Netanyahu, Likud ministers voted for Okunis to fill the role, leading the meeting to deteriorate into a shouting match. Mandelblit then declared the vote illegal, pointing to a clause in the national unity government agreement Netanyahu and Gantz signed last May mandating that both parties agree on senior

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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appointments. Netanyahu rejected Mandelblit’s legal opinion, saying via his attorneys that the Attorney General was not a “super legislature.” The High Court summarily froze the appointment of Okunis and scheduled a hearing on Wednesday to determine who would become Justice Minister, something that would have constituted an unprecedented infringement on separation of powers.

Ohana: I’m Not to Blame

Public Security Minister Amir Ohana maintained that he was not accountable for last week’s disaster in Meron that killed 45 people. Amid a growing outcry over the Israel Police’s mishandling of the

mass Lag B’Omer festivity, Ohana told Channel 12 news on Saturday evening that “responsibility doesn’t mean blame.” “The entire chain of command did its role. I’m ready to face any inquiry and respond to every question. I want to do so,” said Ohana, who is tasked with overseeing the police. Pointing out that Meron had not seen a larger influx of visitors relative to previous years, Ohana said that there was no reason to exert extra caution ahead of the mass event. “This disaster happened this year, but it could have happened any other year,” he maintained. Ohana added that he would work fully with all of the investigative agencies to “do everything so a disaster like this does not happen again in Israel.” Ohana’s comments come as many people question the Israel Police’s handling of the event, including why more officers were not deployed to handle the 300,000 visitors to the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Reports also painted a picture of chaos during the tragedy itself, with police unable to exert control during the stampede due to their communications system collapsing. The Police Internal Investiga-

tions Department announced soon after the tragedy that it would open a probe into how the police handled the event, adding that there were “strong suspicions of criminal negligence.” In his first remarks after the stampede, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai expressed his “full sorrow” and vowed “full cooperation” with any future investigation. “I will not be silent until the circumstances that led to this disaster are made clear,” said Shabtai, who was appointed to the job only three months ago. “The Israel Police under my command will fully cooperate with any inquiry, with full transparency.” Shabtai also backed up Northern District Commander Shimon Lavi, saying that the veteran cop had his full support and cooperation. “Anyone who tries to put a wedge between myself and Lavi is misrepresenting the truth and does injustice to the [police] force,” Shabtai said.

ed of the plane, and security forces were updated on the issue. It emerged that it was a false warning,” an Israeli security official said. El Al is considered the world’s safest airline and outfits all of its planes with an advanced missile defense system. Onboard most flights are undercover sky marshals, who must first pass a grueling counterterrorism course run by the Shin Bet.

Support for State Commission of Inquiry for Meron

El Al Bomb Scare

Fighter jets from three different countries scrambled to escort an El Al plane suspected of having a bomb onboard last week. Flight LY02 to Tel Aviv had taken off from New York’s JFK Airport on Thursday and was on the final leg of its journey when an anonymous caller told U.S. authorities that he had smuggled explosives onto the aircraft. “I’m telling you, there’s a bomb on the plane,” he said. While Israeli officials didn’t take the threat seriously, Spain decided to send fighter jets to escort the plane. Escort duty was then handed off to Italian Eurofighter Typhoons, which remained with the flight until it reached Greece. The final two hours of the journey saw the plane escorted by four F-16s from the Hellenic Air Force until it reached Cypriot airspace, after which Israeli F-15s accompanied the 787 until it touched down at Ben Gurion Airport. Then, “searches were conduct-

A slew of ex-Israel Police commissioners is publicly calling for an official state commission of inquiry to be appointed following last week’s tragedy at Meron in which 45 people died. In a public missive, the Retired Police Commissioners and Major General’s Forum wrote that the unprecedented nature of the tragedy mandated that it be probed by an official commission of inquiry. Noting that multiple governmental bodies were involved in the happenings, including the Israel Police, IDF, Health and Public Security Ministries, the former cops contended that only an official commission could thoroughly uncover what went wrong. “The Mount Meron incident is not the sole responsibility of the Israel Police,” wrote the retired officers. “It involves other security agencies, government ministries, and various authorities, both in the administrative work and in the decision-making process, with the division of responsibilities between the bodies for planning, management, and execution performed completely blindly. “For the purpose of an in-depth and thorough investigation of all the bodies involved in this incident and others like it, and especially to prevent a similar disaster in the future, there is no alternative but the estab-

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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OF AMERICA’S ENTIRE ELECTION SYSTEM THAT NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS R ADIC AL BILL WOULD: • BA N A N Y VOTE R I D L AWS I N A LL FI F T Y S TATES! • REMOV E A N Y S TATE REQU I REME NTS FOR BA LLOT SEC U RIT Y (E V E N SIGN ATU RE V E RI FIC ATION) • PROV I DE E ASY OPP ORTU N ITI ES FOR I LLEGA L A LI E N S A N D I N E LIGI BLE VOTE RS TO REGIS TE R TO VOTE • FORC E A ME RIC A N TA XPAY E RS TO FU N D A LL C A MPA IGN S

MORE BROADLY, SHOULD THIS BILL BECOME LAW, IT WILL ALLOW THE DEMOCRAT PARTY TO PURSUE DEEPLY UNPOPULAR POLICIES KNOWING THEY WON’T HAVE TO COMPETE IN FAIR AND SAFE ELECTIONS.

POLIC IES THE R ADIC AL DEMOC R ATS WILL PASS: • DE FU N DI N G A N D A BOLISH I N G TH E P OLIC E • SU PP ORT FOR I R A N , I N C LU DI N G BI LLION S OF DOLL A RS TO TH E I R S TATE SP ON SORE D TE RRORISM • I N C RE ASE D HOS TI LIT Y TOWA RD ISR A E L , A N D E LIMI N ATION OF TH E I RON DOME PROGR A M • A C A N C E L C U LTU RE TH AT PROV I DES NO ROOM FOR OPP OSI N G THOUGHT • A R A DIC A L SOC I A L AGE N DA TH AT IS TH E COMPLE TE A NTITH ESIS TO A TOR A H WAY OF LI FE

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C ALL YOUR SENATOR AT STOP THE POWE RGR AB . NE T

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

lishment of a state commission of inquiry,” continued the missive. The letter was also sent to Israel Police Commissioner Koby Shabtai, Justice Minister Benny Gantz, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, and Supreme Court Chief Esther Hayut and comes amid rising support for such a move. On Monday, Defense Minister and Kahol Lavan leader Benny Gantz said he would push for an official probe and requested that Mandelblit draft a legal opinion regarding its ramifications. A state commission of inquiry is Israel’s most powerful investigative body and is tasked with conducting semi-legal procedures. The committee is completely independent and can only be established by an official government decision. Members are authorized to subpoena documents and can compel witnesses to testify. Its recommendations are submitted in a report to the prime minister and are legally binding. State commissions of inquiry are commonly established after major national tragedies, including the intelligence failure that led to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Sabra and Shatila Massacre in 1981, and the IDF’s subpar performance in the Second Lebanon War.

Florida Defends Election Integrity

Florida’s legislature passed a voting integrity bill limiting the use of mail-in ballots and heavily restricting drop boxes. The bill sailed through the Florida House on Thursday by a margin of 77-40 and in the Senate 23-17. Governor Ron DeSantis hailed the law’s approval, calling it a “major step in strengthening voter integrity” and said that he would be “delighted” to sign it into law. “We’ve had voter ID. It works. It’s the right thing to do,” DeSantis said, calling the recent presidential election “fair and transparent, and the

reforms we have coming will make it even better.” The bill adds additional ID requirements for mail-in voting, restricts who can drop off ballots at a drop box, and limits where they can be placed. It also mandates that a state official be present when the boxes are opened and forbids them from being moved within a month prior to election day. In addition, the legislation prevents nonprofits from using funds for elections and expands oversight during the counting process. The law follows similar legislation passed in Georgia last month and comes amid a wave of voter identity laws in GOP-controlled state legislatures. Currently, 28 different states are in the process of passing laws that limit mail-in voting access, add voter ID requirements, and make it easier to purge voter rolls. While Republicans argue that the measures are needed to combat voter fraud, Democrats contend that such legislation are attempts to suppress minority vote. After the bill passed in Florida’s House last week, Democrat Rep. Omari Hardy decried the legislation “the revival of Jim Crow in this state, whether the sponsors admit it or not.”

Women to Serve in Nat’l Guard in Vermont

In a first, women can now try out for all combat roles in the Vermont Army National Guard. The Guard announced last week that it would recruit women for all positions in the organization, including in special forces, paratroopers, and infantry. The new guidelines order the Vermont Army National Guard to promote women into command positions and promote “general integration in order to foster a healthy unit culture.” The change makes Vermont the first state to open all of its combat roles to women. In 2016, the Pentagon opened all military occupations

to women for the first time in U.S. military history. This allowed female servicemembers to transfer to combat jobs but not directly enlist into such positions until specific conditions were met. In January, the National Guard Bureau authorized the 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Infantry), to recruit women, a first for a battalion-sized combat arms unit in the Army National Guard. “This is a momentous achievement for the Vermont Army National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. James Pabis, assistant adjutant general-Army. “From the state staff to unit leaders, earning the ability to recruit women into all of our units required laser focus over several years.” He added that the Guard will continue its efforts “to cultivate diversity and inclusion throughout the organization.”

Despite Pressure, Kentucky Derby Plays Song

Organizers of the Kentucky Derby played the state’s official song before the annual race on Sunday, rejecting pressure from activists who claimed that the ditty is racist. Officials told Kentucky’s WLKY News that it would air the song as usual, pushing back against an online campaign by progressives. Since 1921, “My Old Kentucky Home” has been played at the beginning of every race at Churchill Downs. Written by Stephen Foster in the mid-1800s, the sentimental minstrel song speaks of the emotions experienced by a fictitious African-American slave forced to leave his “old Kentucky home” after being sold to a new owner. In recent weeks, race organizers had come under overwhelming pressure from activists to scrap the song over allegations that it was racist. Tactics included pressing sponsors to yank their ads over the offending words and launching a petition calling on TV stations not to broadcast the race.

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Proponents of canceling the ditty pointed to derogatory language earlier iterations of the song used towards African-Americans, included referring to them as “darkies.” However, the true nature of the song has been debated by historians for decades, and there is no current consensus that it supported slavery. According to Newsweek, “while some people consider the song to be a powerful condemnation of slavery,” some African-Americans oppose the song due to “its original title and lyrics, and the contexts in which it has been performed, including at minstrel shows.” In a recent study of the issue, Smithsonian Magazine described the song as “a condemnation of Kentucky’s enslavers who sold husbands away from their wives and mothers away from their children” and as “the lament of an enslaved person who has been forcibly separated from his family and his painful longing to return to the cabin with his wife and children.” During the most recent Kentucky Derby, the song was played by a bugler in order to leave out the offending lyrics in what organizers called a “thoughtfully and appropriately modified” performance.

Eli Broad Dies at 87

Eli Broad, a well-known Jewish billionaire who played a key role in creating Los Angeles’ art and culture scene, passed away at the age of 87 last Friday. “As a businessman, Eli saw around corners; as a philanthropist, he saw the problems in the world and tried to fix them; as a citizen, he saw the possibility in our shared community; and as a husband, father and friend, he saw the potential in each of us,” said Gerun Riley, president of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. Broad was an accountant-turned-businessman who used his immense wealth to revolutionize Los Angeles. Born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania, Broad grew up in Detroit and studied accounting at Michigan State University.

After graduating, Broad began working as a tax accountant for a local homebuilding company. But keeping the books for the firm led him to quickly realize that he could make more money in construction, and he soon founded Kaufman & Broad. Starting with $12,500 in initial investment from his parents, Broad’s cutting-edge home design exploded in popularity. Within two years, Broad had built more than 600 homes in Detroit alone, catapulting Broad’s company into one of the largest construction firms in the nation and making him the 78th wealthiest person in the U.S. Broad then turned to philanthropy, founding the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and dedicating a significant part of his $6.9 billion fortune to revamping downtown Los Angeles. His drive and financial investment transformed once-seedy LA into a major cultural hub, founding museums, music centers, and art galleries, “Eli Broad, simply put, was LA’s most influential private citizen of his generation,” tweeted Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “He loved this city as deeply as anyone I have ever known.”

Russians Breach D.C. Police Dep’t

A Russian ransomware group has claimed responsibility for last week’s hack of Washington, D.C.’s police department. Babuk attack syndicate, a new group of Russian speakers responsible for three recent cyberattacks, wrote on its website on Sunday that it was behind the recent hack of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Claiming to have downloaded 250 gigabytes of computer files, the group threatened to release it on the internet if it was not paid millions in Bitcoin. The MPD has already confirmed that hackers succeeded in breaching its computer networks to access highly sensitive data, including the identities of undercover officers and gang informants. In a public letter to the force, Chief Robert Contee said

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Mike Hopkins of NASA, and Soichi Noguchi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, ending a short six-and-a-half month flight back to Earth.

Video footage shows four parachutes gently splashing into the warm water, where they were met by NASA recovery ships. “Earthbound!” shouted pilot Victor Glover after leaving for Earth. “One step closer to family and home!” The landing marked the second space flight for SpaceX, a private space exploration company owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. “We welcome you back to planet Earth and thanks for flying SpaceX,” SpaceX’s Mission Control joked over the radio. “For those of you enrolled in our frequent flyer program, you’ve earned 68 million miles on this voyage.” “We’ll take those miles,” answered mission commander Mike Hopkins. “Are they transferable?” The astronauts returned in the same Dragon capsule they had blasted off in November from Kennedy Space Center. The crew had spent 167 days in space, breaking a previous record of 34 days set by NASA’s Skylab for the longest mission ever launched from U.S. soil.

GOP to Win in Texas Special Election that its technology department was probing the “unauthorized access incident” and admitted that the attackers compromised officers’ personal data. “At this time, I can confirm that HR-related files with Personally Identifiable Information (PII) were obtained,” Contee wrote. The D.C. ransomware attack is the third time that the Russian group has succeeded in penetrating a U.S. police department. Previously, Babuk hit the local police force in Presque Isle, Maine, in April after paralyzing

the police computer networks in Azusa, California, in March. “If this is found to be true, that ransomware actors are willing to target the Washington Metro Police Department, only confirms the assertion made by the Ransomware Task Force (RTF) that these criminals are increasingly brazen and feel as though they can act with impunity,” said Philip Reiner, CEO of cyber company IST. “This is the perfect example of why the RTF calls for an immediate, top-down, coordinated, well-re-

sourced operational campaign to get after these actors, their safe havens, their infrastructure, and their finances.”

SpaceX Brings Astronauts Home American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX returned four astronauts back to Earth on Sunday in what was the first nighttime splashdown since 1968.

Two Republicans will contest a North Texas congressional seat in a runoff after the GOP locked out all Democratic Party challenges in the first special election of President Joe Biden’s term. Susan Wright won the largest share of the vote to represent the

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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state’s 6th Congressional after receiving a last-minute endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Wright is vying to fill the seat left vacant by her late husband Ron, who died in February after contracting Covid-19. Wright will now face state Rep. Jake Ellzey in a runoff after neither candidate managed to muster the 50% needed to win the election outright. The date for the runoff has not yet been announced. Overall, Wright earned 19.2% of the vote, with Ellzey drawing 13.8%. In third place was Jana Lynne Sanchez at 13.8%, with the Democrat trailing Ellzey by only 354 votes. Sanchez had unsuccessfully run for the seat in 2018 in a candidacy that featured in the 2020 documentary “Surge.” The race took a bizarre turn in its final days, with a robocall accusing Wright of murdering her husband. The results disappointed Democrats, who had hoped to win the suburban Dallas-Ft. Worth district that Trump had carried by only three points in November. However, the Democratic Party refrained from investing in the race after taking a drubbing during the recent House elections in November. “Democrats have come a long way

toward competing in Texas, but we still have a way to go,” Sanchez said after conceding. “Unfortunately ... we came up short, and two Republicans will be competing to represent this congressional district.”

Will Dems Lose the House?

A recent wave of retirements are complicating efforts by House Democrats to prevent the GOP from retaking Congress in the 2022 midterm elections. On Monday, Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) announced that she will retire when her term ends in 2022. The popular leader of the powerful House Democratic Steering Committee, Bustos won reelection in 2016 by 20 points. Yet her constituents have been trending Republican, with President

Trump carrying the Northern Illinois district in both 2016 and 2020. Bustos’ sudden retirement makes it exceedingly likely that the GOP will flip a seat that had once been solidly Democrat. Bustos is only the latest House Democrat to announce that she will not seek reelection. Three other Democrat lawmakers from competitive districts have announced their retirement, including Reps. Filemon Vela Jr. (D-Tex.) and Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.). Additional lawmakers from battleground states are also considering running for higher office, vacating seats that will almost certainly be won by Republican candidates. In Pennsylvania, Rep. Conor Lamb has his eyes on the state’s open Senate seat, while Florida Reps. Charles Crist and Stephanie Murphy are deliberating a gubernatorial run. “The tables have turned. Republicans are on offense,” said Michael McAdams, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “A lot of these vulnerable Democrats are in swing districts and are going to have to contend with new district lines, and they want to get off House Democrats’ sinking ship.” The wave of retirements comes as House Democrats face an already-difficult task in holding the House in 2022. While the Democratic Party expected to add to its lead in the November elections, election night saw Republicans make big gains, ousting 15 Democrats and narrowing the majority to six seats. Keeping their House majority will be more difficult for Democrats in light of the recently-released U.S. Census population data. The oncein-a-decade congressional redistricting process is expected to give the GOP as much as five seats in the House, eliminating districts in California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia in favor of Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon and Florida. Historically, the president’s party almost always suffers losses in the congressional midterm elections. Over the past 110 years, the party controlling the White House has gained seats only three times: in 1934, 1998, and 2002. “New census data and reapportionment add challenges for the Democrats in the midterm elections,” wrote Sarah Bianchi, an analyst at the Evercore ISI research firm. “The outcome was not as bad for Demo-

crats as some thought it would be, and there is a long way to go in terms of mapping congressional districts for 2022. “However, there is no question that on balance it favors Republicans,” Bianchi continued. “Based on historical odds, Democrats already face challenges to keep the House in 2022 as the party that holds the White House on average loses 27 seats, far greater than the slim majority Democrats hold today.”

Smuggling Vessel Overturns

There were 32 people onboard a 40-foot cabin cruiser on Sunday when the boat smashed into a reef off the coast of San Diego and broke apart. Three people were killed in what authorities are saying was a smuggling vessel. “Every indication from our perspective is that this was a smuggling vessel to smuggle migrants into the United States illegally,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Supervisory Agent Jeff Stephenson said on Sunday. Twenty-seven of the surviving passengers were Mexican nationals who did not have legal status to enter the U.S., border patrol said. One of the Mexican nationals was an unaccompanied 15-year-old boy. The other Mexican nationals ranged in ages between 18 and 39. Another passenger was from Guatemala, with no legal status in the U.S. The captain of the boat is a U.S. citizen. The boat was severely overcrowded when it crashed into the rocks. “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of maritime smuggling attempts recently,” Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke with CBP’s San Diego sector said. “All of these illegal crossings at sea are inherently dangerous, and we have seen too many turn from risky to tragic as smugglers sacrifice the safety of those on board for the sake of profits.”

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

GMO Mosquitoes in Florida

Hundreds of genetically modified insects have been released in the Florida Keys in a groundbreaking project by British biotech company Oxitec and the state’s Mosquito Control District. Oxitec and Florida Keys Mosquito Control District announced last Thursday that release boxes, non-release boxes, and netted quality control boxes have been left at six sites across the Keys. The 12,000 bugs will be released into the wild each week for the next three months. The initiative aims to protect Floridians from dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and other vector-borne diseases. With the mosquitoes genetically altered to prevent future procreation, Florida officials hope that they will destroy the native mosquito population by mating with their female counterparts. This will prevent female mosquitoes from laying eggs, something that would drastically lower the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. While previously introduced in Brazil, Panama, the Cayman Islands and Malaysia, Oxitec’s method has never been used before in the United States. Oxitec has worked with Florida health officials since 2010 on the program, which has struggled to gain regulatory approval due to local backlash. The project is hotly opposed by environmentalists, who argue that it will damage native ecosystems and cause unforeseen consequences. Yet Florida officials have rejected the contentions, reiterating that using genetically modified mosquitoes has been proven as a safe way to lower the state’s rapidly growing mosquito population. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Andrea Leal from the Florida Keys Mosquito Control said the bugs have developed resistance to insecticides, making the project necessary due to the shrinking “tool box” they had to combat dangerous viruses. “Dengue was something we worried about in other areas,” Leal said. “Once that came to our doorstep,

we’ve seen other diseases. Dengue for us last year and Zika in Miami-Dade. This is really why we’re looking at these new tools for mosquito control.”

The lucky mom gave birth to the little boy at just 29 weeks pregnant. She was lucky that a doctor happened to be onboard the Salt Lake City-Honolulu flight along with a trio of neonatal intensive care nurses.

Patience Purchase

If you’re running out of the patience for the busy life you lead, it may be time to check out Rhode Island. There is a house for sale in the small state that can be yours for a mere $399,000. The best part? Its address. The house is located at 0 Patience Way in the Ocean State’s Narragansett Bay. This is the first time it’s been up for sale since the original owners erected the cottage in 1972. Redoing the cottage may require a bit of patience. The 600 squarefoot space has no electricity. The charming cottage on the 0.39-acre lot features two bedrooms, a kitchenette, half-bath, a screened porch, and quick access to the beach. According to Rhode Island Real Estate Service, the seaside retreat is a “very special opportunity” readymade for “comfortable camping, getaways, amazing Airbnb potential and more.” The home has been owned and loved by the same family for 49 years. Patience Island, officially part of the town of Portsmouth, is about one-third of a square mile – all to yourself. Better buy now before (your) patience runs out.

High-Flying Baby A flight to Hawaii last week landed with an extra passenger onboard – a brand-new baby, who was born mid-flight.

The medical personnel sprang into action when they heard the mother needed assistance. “I went to see what was going on and see her there holding a baby in her hands, and it’s little,” said nurse Lani Bamfield. The mother, Lavinia “Lavi” Mounga, had unexpectedly welcomed the baby boy, whom she named Raymond, while on her way to a family vacation. The team helped to keep the baby stable for the next three hours on the flight. The doctor and the nurses used shoelaces to tie the umbilical cord and made baby warmers out of bottles that were microwaved. “The great thing about this was the teamwork,” Dr. Dale Glenn said. Everybody jumped in together and everyone helped out.”

“I do the weekly shop in our family, and I’ve been going to the same Sainsbury’s for the last 16 years,” Wild said. “It was only six years ago when I said to myself, ‘Wow I could probably park in every single one of these spaces given enough time,’ and time is on your side when you’re doing the weekly shop.” Wild admits, “It’s a long time to do anything, let alone something as trivial as this. I’ve been through three different cars in that time. I find enjoyment in the little banal things in life.” Wild was methodical in his approach to conquering the parking lot. He assigned “good-tier” bays. There were at least 29 bays he suggests to others to avoid. Some spots were just really hard to nab. “Without getting too technical,” Wild said, “when I say B7 and B8 you’ll know exactly what I mean. They were really difficult to get. I don’t know what it is because they’re not even great spots but people seem to love them. “So, I went down one evening for snacks quite late, and I managed to snag B8...ooh, that was quite a moment in my life.” Seems like he knocked this one out of the park.

College Boy Park ‘n’ Ride

Ever circle the Gourmet Glatt parking lot only to come up empty after ten times of navigating the lanes? Then you’ll understand how tough Gareth Wild had it when he set off on his quest to park in all 211 parking spaces in his local supermarket’s parking lot. Wild went about the project in a determined way. Starting in 2015, he used a map and spreadsheet to make his shopping excursions more interesting. Now, after six years, the dad of two has finally accomplished his mission of parking in every space in the car park at Sainsbury’s in the center of Bromley, southeast London.

Although most of us spent our time during Covid eating ice cream and watching videos, Mike Wimmer used his time wisely. The 12-year-old North Carolina boy took a few extra classes in his spare time during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now preparing to graduate high school and college in the same week. Wimmer will graduate Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with an associate’s degree on May 21 and will graduate Concord Academy High School just seven days later on May 28. He has a 4.0 GPA at the college and

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

a 5.45 GPA in high school, earning him the role of his class valedictorian. “I went through all of the grades in school at a faster pace,” Wimmer explained. “I’m like a sponge. I take in knowledge very fast.” He completed the equivalent of two years of high school and two years of community college classes in a single year. As for what he is going to do next, Wimmer has his heart set on technology. “My entrepreneurial goal is to build technology that enables people to live better lives,” Wimmer told CNN. Despite his lofty goals, Wimmer is still a kid at heart and makes time for activities like basketball and Lego. “A lot of people think I’ve given up my childhood or somehow lost it,” Wimmer said, “and I say to them that I’m having the time of my life.” Wimmer, you sound like a real winner!

An Excellent Assemblage

What happens when there are just too many really smart students in your class? Nine students in a Texas high school have been named valedictorian for the year. The students at Bellaire High School achieved a 5.0 grade point average, breaking the record for the most students to attain the title at the Houston Independent School District. The nine valedictorians are Alkiviades Boukas, Daniel Chen, Evie Tseng-Ying Kao, Angela Ling, Miles Mackenzie, Wenson Tsiah-Hao Tang, Christopher Zhou, and twin sisters Annie and Shirley Zhu. “I began to consider the idea of two to three valedictorians, but I never imagined nine,” Bellaire High School Principal Michael McDonough said. McDonough said that the 2021 class showed its excellence early on as freshmen. The students are involved in after-school activities and lead various school organizations, he said.

“To juggle their schoolwork and extracurriculars, then throw in a pandemic and virtual learning, and still maintain a 5.0 GPA, it is nothing short of amazing. I could not be prouder of them,” he added. HISD calculates both “weighted” and “unweighted” GPAs. A weighted GPA accounts for courses known to be more rigorous, including AP courses or dual credit courses, according to the district’s website. Students with weighted grades can attain a GPA

higher than the standard 4.0. “When coursework gets challenging and balancing academics with extracurriculars gets hard, remember to cut yourself some slack, because making mistakes is the best way to grow,” said Annie Zhu, who plans to attend Stanford University and major in symbolic systems, a program that encompasses various concentrations, from computer science to math to linguistics and philosophy. “One of the things that I’ve really

learned is understand how everyone comes from different backgrounds and so becoming more open-minded about my classmates’ situations in their households when we do group projects,” Annie Zhu said in a video produced by her school. “I think everyone is exposed to people putting the best version of themselves online. You should never compare yourself to the best version of other people.” Looks like she has mastered a really good version of herself.

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Chabad of the Five Towns presented Lag B’Omer Family Fun Day in the park last week, where participants enjoyed swag bags, archery, tug-ofwar, and other games. There was a special Mitzvahfor-Meron booth, where hundreds of mitzvos were pledged by participants to do in the zechus of those who passed away in Meron last week

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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SKA Honor Society Welcomes New Members PHOTO CREDIT ART PHOTOGRAPHY

azel tov to the 45 new members of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls Re’ut Chapter of the National Honor Society! Membership to the National Honor Society is based on scholarship, leadership abilities, character, and service to the school and community. The SKA juniors were welcomed to the induction ceremony on Monday evening, April 26, by the school principals, Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky

and Mrs. Bluma Drebin, and presented with their certificates by Associate Principal, Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Michelle Sarna, noted school psychologist and wife of United Arab Emirates Chief Rabbi Yehuda Sarna. Dr. Sarna spoke to a fascinated group of girls about her incredible journey, life in the UAE and relations between Israelis and Emiratis. Using personal examples of her interactions with the Muslim

community, she expressed how one act of kindness can lead to so much more. She urged the inductees to always keep an open mind and think of taking opportunities without always knowing where they may lead. After Dr. Sarna’s inspiring talk, the evening’s co-chairs, Mrs. Shira Greenberger and Mrs. Arielle Parkoff, introduced the inductees who presented poems and reflections on the evening’s theme, “Finding Meaning in the Journey,” to administration

and faculty members who physically attended the event and to their family members who viewed the proceedings online. Thanks go to faculty members Mrs. Greenberger and Mrs. Parkoff for guiding the SKA students through the induction process and organizing this impressive ceremony. Welcome to the new SKA members!

HAFTR Hosts Elite Model Congress Invitational By Kayla Muchnick

he top-performing members of the Model Congress South Shore Speech & Debate League (SSSDL) competed in a Varsity Model Congress Invitational on Wednesday, April 21. The SSSDL was formed by HAFTR under the National Speech and Debate League (NSDA) to offer yeshiva high school students an equal opportunity to compete against public and private schools. This Varsity Invitational marked a milestone in the five-year-old program, due to its selectivity. Students were invited to the event based on their performance in seven prior tournaments during the course of the year. The virtual format allowed 37 exceptional students from 13 schools throughout New York, New Jersey, and Florida to attend the event. Students from Central, DRS, Flatbush, HAFTR, Katz (FL), Lynbrook, Maayanot, MTA, Rambam, Ramaz, SAR, SKA, and TABC competed with great

enthusiasm. Topics that were debated in the tournament included some of the nation’s most complex issues, such as criminal justice reform, discrimination, animal abuse, COVID-19 relief, and equality. These topics exposed the students to a number of issues that are not typically discussed in the classroom. The tournament was an academic, productive and exciting conference, allowing students

to demonstrate their in-depth topic knowledge, confidence, and articulate public speaking skills. Congratulations to all the HAFTR winners. Sophomore Kira Seidel and senior Jordana Mastour won second place; senior Daniel Singer and junior Devorah Gottesman won fourth place; and junior Hannah Goldenberg and freshman Kaitlyn Pollack won fifth place! “Competing in the last tournament

of my high school career, I realized how fundamental Debate and Model Congress have been in shaping me as a person,” said senior Jordana Mastour. “In these past four years, I have honed my critical thinking skills and grown into a more persuasive, confident and effective communicator, instilled with an expanded worldview, a passion for politics, and a voice to effect positive change in the world.” “Model Congress is a simulation of the US Congress, where students take on some of our country’s most serious issues,” said HAFTR coach and SSSDL director Mr. Alexander Libkind. “Students earned the right to compete in this tournament throughout the year, and their work and effort culminated in this exciting tournament,” he said. “I am very proud of the HAFTR students who prepared as a team, but competed individually with great enthusiasm and effort. We will make this tournament of champions an annual event, for which students will strive to qualify.”

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

‫ ל"ג בעומר‬at YKLI

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Lev Chana held their annual bike-a-thon for Lag B’Omer last week

How International Students Can Help Solve Israel’s Brain Drain

hile Israel has built a wellearned reputation as the “start-up nation” for exporting its population’s prowess in technological innovation around the world, many would find it surprising to learn that the Jewish state’s domestic high-tech sector is experiencing a brain drain. Israel’s State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman recently is-

sued a report which documented 18,500 vacant positions in the Israeli high-tech sector, resulting from a shortage of skilled university graduates with training in the computer software and hardware fields. In the report, 27 percent of Israeli companies stated that they have opened development centers or software testing facilities abroad. “It is vital that Israel prepare to

meet the future demand for skilled tech-sector employees,” Engelman warns. The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) is answering the state’s call to action – and the college’s International Program in English offers students from abroad the unique opportunity to enter Israel’s hightech sector and help the start-up nation meet its emerging workforce challenges. JCT has produced alumni who have become leaders in Israel’s defense industry and are involved in top-tier defense projects like the Iron Dome and Arrow anti-missile systems, as well as the country’s space program and satellite development efforts. For example, a veteran alumnus of JCT’s Electro-Optics Engineering Department, Dov Oster, is chief technology officer in the Ministry of Defense’s central R&D organization. Notably, the college prides itself on populating Israel’s high-tech sector with much-needed talent by expanding higher education opportunities for students from underserved populations, including the Haredi and Ethiopian immigrant communities. The International Program helps provide the Israeli economy with another newfound source of ingenuity – religious students from overseas. This competitive program offers young men and women who are not fluent in Hebrew the opportunity to live and study Torah in Israel while pursuing their degree. On par with JCT’s Hebrew-speaking programs, the International Program offers a comprehensive double curriculum that combines high-level academics, enriching Jewish studies, and practical profession-

al training. The program’s degree options include a B.Sc. in Computer Science and B.A. in Business Administration for men, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science for women. At $3,800 per year, the International Program’s tuition is more affordable than comparable higher education options in the U.S. and Israel. “What attracted me to JCT was the religious studies and the fact that I could study computer technology. This is the only English game in town for that,” says Yosef Berger of Edison, N.J. Jonah Hess, who made Aliyah from Los Angeles to Jerusalem at age 7, joined yeshiva at 18 and the army at 20, and then returned to yeshiva, says he set his sights on JCT’s International Program “largely because the institution provides a religious-friendly environment while its students study technical subjects.” He says that he is “completely enthralled” by his major, computer science, which gives him “the ability to create something from scratch.” “The career options in this field are limitless, and I’m excited to be at the forefront of discovering new ways to make a positive impact in the world,” Hess writes for the Los Angeles Jewish Journal. In the years to come, JCT’s International Program promises to continue making this mutually beneficial match – between Israel, whose economy stands to benefit from the arrival of more technology-focused international students, and the students themselves, who will access the unique opportunity of living in the Jewish state while pursuing technology degrees and careers.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know

H #1 YT

I can get COVID from the vaccine.

Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association

H #5 YT

The Science: The coronavirus vaccines cannot give you COVID-19 because they do not contain live SARS-CoV-2 virus. H #2 YT

The Science: SARS-CoV-2 infection presents a health risk to everyone. Young people can get seriously ill and even die. Even after recovering from COVID-19, they can experience symptoms months after infection and are susceptible to other long-term effects.

The vaccine changes your DNA.

The Science: All vaccines receiving FDA emergency use authorization in the United States have been tested in preclinical, phase I, II and III trials to determine safety and efficacy with tens of thousands of participants. Since then, over 100 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the US and over 448 million doses worldwide. H #4 YT

H #6 YT

The COVID vaccine has not been tested enough to prove it is safe.

The COVID vaccine causes infertility. The Science: There is no factual or theoretical evidence that the COVID vaccine affects fertility.

If I had COVID, I do not need to get the vaccine. The Science: The strength and length of natural immunity varies from person to person and cannot be predicted. New variants also make people more vulnerable to reinfection. Therefore, the CDC recommends people who had COVID-19 in the past to still get vaccinated.

The Science: Neither the mRNA nor DNA-based COVID-19 vaccines interact with, integrate into, or alter your DNA. H #3 YT

I’m young and healthy, I don’t need the vaccine.

H #7 YT

My community has “herd immunity” so I don’t need to get the vaccine. The Science: “Herd immunity” doesn’t protect every individual from getting COVID-19 and can drop when individuals start losing immunity or the community is exposed to a new variant.

For more information about COVID-19 and the COVID vaccine, check out JOWMA’s Preventative Health Podcast, available on all major podcast platforms. Or, call the JOWMA Preventative Health hotline at 929-4-GEZUNT. All New Yorkers age 16 and above are now eligible to receive the vaccine. To find a vaccination site near you, visit: VaccineFinder.org

This content is for general educational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment about your particular condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association

qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Please Join Us for Shulamith Annual Dinner A Virtual Event on Wednesday, May 12

hulamith School for Girls is proud to honor the following outstanding honorees at our Annual Dinner celebrating Our Legacy, Our Future. Rookie Billet is completing a long and illustrious career in chinuch that spans five decades. Although she has taught boys and girls, men and women of all ages, Mrs. Billet has primarily devoted herself to the education of girls and young women, reflecting her lifelong commitment to women’s Torah study at the highest level and to the empowerment of girls and women in Jewish community and family life. Her love of learning knows no bounds! She has been a teacher of many subjects over the years, including Chumash, Navi, Hebrew Language and Literature, Halacha, Yediot Klaliot, Jewish Thought and a special course about Jewish Women and Jewish Law. She also enjoys Chemistry, English Literature, History and Math, a subject she has

Mrs. Rookie Billet

Adina and Benjy Goldstein

Melissa Spector

also been known to teach! Earlier in her career she served as a student activities director, coordinator of student chessed activities, religious guidance counselor and mentor, assistant principal and most recently as a principal for over twenty years. With a constant, warm smile, always energetic, disciplined, clear-thinking and sensitive, Mrs. Billet has been guided by an awareness of responsibility to many con-

stituents. She answers to the broad range of interests of her carefully chosen faculty, her students, their parents, the board of the school, HaKadosh Baruch Hu and her own demanding conscience. The pursuit of true excellence, as well as building skills in secular studies, limudei kodesh and life, have been top priorities. She has provided guidance and direction to all her students, encouraging them to reach greater heights in yirat shamayim, middot tovot, tzniut and chessed, cultivating sensitivity to all people, regardless of age, color, ability, nationality or social status. Every human being, she emphasizes, is created b’tzelem Elokim and must be treated with respect and dignity. Mrs. Billet makes time to listen carefully to voices great and small, to build and encourage confidence, to support and defend ideas and people, to give comfort and chizuk in tough times, to celebrate others’ triumphs with a full heart, to adhere to tradition and also to innovate. Respect is a core value; a favorite theme is that when we respect Hashem, our parents, our teachers, the Torah, the rules, our elders, the environment, others’ property, our friends and ourselves, we contribute to the building of a more peaceful, kind, generous and better world to pass on to future generations. From the time she was a young student, Mrs. Billet had a deep love for prayer, for the Hebrew language, and for the land and people of Israel, values instilled in the Shulamith of old and in her parents’ home. She has imparted these passions, as well as her love of reading, hiking, the outdoors, Hebrew music and other art forms, to generations of devoted students. Her

reverence for Torah study and her relentless work ethic motivated her to complete the intensive course of study in Hilchot Niddah to be certified as a Yoetzet Halacha, after being a teacher of Taharat HaMishpacha for her entire adult life, in addition to working full-time as a school principal, a Rebbetzin and a devoted Ema and Savta. She didn’t stop there! She recently made a siyum on Shishah Sidrei Mishnah in memory of her beloved parents. A student of Daf Yomi since the start of the recent cycle in January 2020, she has always felt that to learn something new every day is one of the incredible joys of being a teacher and an educator. Rabbi Billet and Rabbanit Billet have lived a life of dedicated service to the Five Towns Community for over forty years. They raised their children here, and are blessed with committed sons and daughters, wonderful inlaw children and mechutanim, many grandchildren and a great grandchild, bli ayin harah. The entire Shulamith family expresses hakarat hatov to Mrs. Billet for all the good years, and wishes her and Rabbi Billet good health, productivity and hatzlacha in the next chapter of their lives. Shulamith has been an integral part of the Goldstein family for generations. Adina’s great-aunt was part of the first graduating class of Brooklyn’s Shulamith. Her mother and aunts all attended as well, with her mother later serving as the president of the SWO while Adina and her sisters were proud Shulamith students. After marrying and becoming proud parents to Rachelli and Michal, Shulamith was the natural choice for the daughters’ education. In 1999, the Goldstein family

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

Around the Community moved to Lawrence, but no schools could match the warmth and commitment to Israel of Shulamith of Brooklyn. This disappointment was quickly transformed into determination as they began the process of establishing Shulamith of Long Island. With Adina steadfastly spearheading the movement, it was only one year later, in September 2000, that Shulamith of Long Island was born. Benjy has served as a passionate board member since the very beginning, helping to ensure the longevity of the school, while juggling a role as CEO of the Fesco Group and an active member of Bais Midrash of Harborview. Adina continued to juggle her family responsibilities raising Racheli (Lowy), Michal (Dancykier), Mordechai, Hadassah, and Leora, with apparent ease while remaining consistently involved in the growth of Shulamith. In 2014, Adina was at the forefront of the team that helped to begin Shulamith High School of Long Island so that Shulamith students would have a place to continue their excellent education after eighth grade. Receiving calls and working through the night, SHS would not be here today without the Goldsteins’ staunch support and dedication. As Adina puts it, “Shulamith’s combination of strict adherence to Torah and halacha together, with a deep love and commitment to the State of Israel, while providing an excellent education, has been the reason my family has remained actively involved in Shulamith since its founding.” Adina and Benjy witnessed their daughters, Michal, Hadassah, and Leora, transform from the love and attention they received throughout their years at Shulamith. Today, Adina and Benjy are proud grandparents to third grader, Atara Lowy. Their youngest daughter, Leora, is among the third graduating class of Shulamith High School of Long Island, mimicking Adina’s experience as a member of the third graduating class of Shulamith High School of Brooklyn! The Goldsteins have graciously accepted the Guests of Honor award which they most certainly deserve. It is a special privilege to present this year’s Hakarat HaTov award to Ms. Melissa Spector. Melissa Spector, fondly known as “Morah Melissa,” joined our Shu-

lamith family eight years ago to work in the Lower Division office. Though our Sages warn that kol haschalos kashos, we never felt that with Melissa! From the beginning to this very day, Melissa always comes into the building with a warm and upbeat greeting for every person she meets. Her genuine simcha and lev shaleim positively influence the office environment, creating an aura of kindness and cooperation throughout the building. Her commitment, devotion, and love for the efficient work she does in the office inspire all of her colleagues to emulate her virtues in their work ethic. Melissa always wants to be helpful, and conveys respect, regard and affection with her wonderful smile and positive attitude. Melissa grew up in a community-oriented family where her parents, Malky and Jay Spector, imparted the importance of doing chessed and the beauty of supporting causes that serve Klal Yisrael. Melissa is a strong advocate for the many worthy organizations and programs in the Five Towns. She is also a deeply committed member of her shul, Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. Melissa chose to devote her time and efforts to Shulamith as a natural extension of her connections to the Five Towns community. Her relationships and interactions with so many students and teachers of Torah and secular subjects uphold the legacy of the Spector family. Morah Melissa is the recipient of the Hakarat Tov award because of the bracha she has brought to the school. Moreover, she embodies the middah of being makir tov, appreciating the daily goodness she experiences. Melissa always recognizes the inner beauty of each individual. She greets everyone with a warm and friendly smile, offers encouraging words, and is kind and thoughtful, checking on the well-being of her many friends and co-workers. All teachers know that they can count on Melissa to bring her enthusiasm to all our school events, cheering on the participants. Melissa recognizes the value and gadlut of each person, and we, in turn, recognize her unbelievable gadlut! Please join us on Wednesday, May 12 at 8p.m. as we pay tribute to these incredible honorees. To make reservations or place journal ads, please visit shulamithdinner.org or email dinner@shulamith.org.

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Lag B’Omer at HAFTR

AFTR Early Childhood celebrated Lag B’Omer on Thursday and Friday. They had a fun gym program with Morah Naomi Weissler on Thursday in honor of the chag. The children learned about Rabbi Akiva, who taught us to treat our friends the way we want them to treat us. This is quite a big lesson for little children to learn, but their amazing morot help them practice every day by speaking about sharing and being the best friend that we can be to others. For the Lag B’Omer festivities, the classes made a tasty version of s’mores at their “authentic” bonfires and enjoyed delicious fruit salads. They really had a fantastic time watching how many colors they could get into their giant bowl, and the result was a tasty treat for all!

The students at HANC Elementary School participated in color war in honor of Lag B’OmeR

Lag B’Omer At Gan Chamesh

he children of Gan Chamesh celebrated Lag B’Omer with simulated bonfires. They sang

songs, learned Torah, and enjoyed “roasting” marshmallows over the flickering “flames” of the bonfires!

Talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center enjoyed rides and fresh ice cream in honor of Lag B’Omer last week

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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The fourth and fifth grade talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah were tested on their yedios of Chumash Shemos

MTA’s College Application Advantage By Mr. Murray Sragow, Director of College Guidance

any students at MTA discovered with great joy that almost every college has offered “test optional” applications, due to the difficulties in administering the SAT and ACT for the last 14 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were able to save hours of intense studying and expensive tutoring or test-prep classes. Rather than submitting standardized test scores with their college applications, acceptances would instead be based on their high school transcripts, essays, and recommendations. Unfortunately for those students believing they had caught a lucky break, the truth appears to be otherwise. Colleges are still judging applicants according to their test scores, and while it is certainly true that those without them are being considered and some are even being admitted, they are at a significant disadvantage. Those who are able

to present a strong score seem to be judged much more favorably, and as a result, the overwhelming majority of those admitted to prestigious universities and honors programs this year included a standardized test score in their application. Therefore, those who dream of YU Honors, the Ivy League, or other selective universities need to find a way to take standardized tests. Many test centers have closed altogether or only open admission to their own students. MTA talmidim have been fortunate to rely on arrangements made by the yeshiva’s College Guidance Department with both the SAT and ACT to administer these tests in school. Since September, MTA has held four SAT exams and three ACT exams. The yeshiva looks forward to continuing to provide this important service and enabling talmidim to present the strongest possible case for admission to their dream schools.

In Morah Shaina’s Nursery class at Yeshiva Darchei Torah, the boys learned about the letter Vav with the help of a miniature volcano

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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This beloved chapter of Tehillim is about emunah and bitachon. It’s about protection in times of trouble. It’s about knowing that our fate is entirely in Hashem’s compassionate and loving Hands. Yosheiv Beseiser has traditionally been recited by Jews during times of danger and distress. Bestselling author Rabbi Yechiel Spero brings its words of comfort and protection to vivid life through a fascinating commentary and dozens of inspiring and unusual stories.

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Talmidim at Siach Yitzchok enjoyed a toned-down mesiba and seuda in honor of Lag B’Omer

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Students at Gesher enjoyed a drum circle around a bonfire in honor of Lag B’Omer

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Color War and Lag B’Omer at YCQ

ag B’Omer at Yeshiva of Central Queens was filled with class trips and color war. The JHS boys headed out for a day at Sportime USA, where they rode rides, played games, and enjoyed laser tag, while the JHS girls headed to

Bounce, a trampoline and zip line activity center. While the JHS students were out of school, the elementary students competed in songs, cheers, and relay activities during two days of color war. The red, blue, yellow and white teams showed sportsman-

Lag B’Omer Fun at Shulamith

ship and enthusiasm as they cheered for their teammates, sang songs, and chanted cheers, which could be heard in the yard and throughout the year. The staff as well as the students came dressed in their team colors, and laughter and a sense of freedom

Lag B’Omer at YOSS

By: Keli Faivish and Gabi Moskowitz

o celebrate Lag B’Omer, the students at Shulamith Middle Division enjoyed two activities. The first was a Silent DJ. Each girl got headphones and chose between three different songs. The girls danced and had an awesome time with their friends. Seventh grader Gila Yastrab said, “It was really fun to dance to songs that we knew from camp. It was nice to all dance together as a Shulamith family.”

Later, the girls had an awesome time rollerblading with their friends in the Shulamith parking lot. The girls who knew how to skate helped their friends stay on their feet. Students who chose not to skate also helped out. Skaters got to have a race and play limbo. Even girls who didn’t know how to skate well tried their best and had a blast “I think they were both very fun and entertaining activities, and I would do it again. It was also very fun dancing with the eighth graders and learning to rollerblade,” said sixth grader Chana Rubin.

could be felt after a very long year of restrictions and limitations. Though Covid rules still applied, nothing could stop the students from enjoying the competition and cookie design activity.

ag B’Omer at Yeshiva of South Shore, and indeed across the world, took on a different spirit this year due to the terrible tragedy in Meron, Hashem yeracheim. The yeshiva made a Lag B’Omer asifa that balanced the simcha associated with the hilula of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai while being sensitive to the pain Klal Yisroel was experiencing on that day. In place of the standard outdoor medura and festive atmosphere, the boys were brought into the Beis Medrash grade by grade where they were addressed by the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, who offered divrei chizuk and hisorirus. His message to the talmidim was that even though R’ Shimon Bar Yochai’s life was in jeopardy, he was able to forge ahead and even the sad day of his death the great tzaddikim wanted to make it joyous – because of the great zechusim he continues to have

through Klal Yisrael learning the Torah he taught. Hence one reason for our celebrating Lag B’Omer. Instead of starting with the usual Lag B’Omer songs, we began by singing “Acheinu,” where everyone was thinking about the unique oneness of the Jewish people. A loss is felt by each and every one of us whether we are related or not, whether we knew the other Jew or not. Yet, as R’ Shimon Bar Yochai asked of us, we then tried to recapture some of the joy of his hilula by singing the famous poem Bar Yochai and Amar Rebbi Akiva. The eighth grade joined Rabbi Drebin and Rabbi Wolf in singing a very emotional Vehareinu. Though our hearts were broken that day, as the Jewish people have always done, we look to Hashem and push on. May our tefillos be a zechus for their neshamos.

Did you know? Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s.

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Candidate for City Council Avi Cyperstein recently helped to vaccinate hundreds of Queens residents

Rambam Classic Film Club

he Rambam Mesivta Classic Film Club screened the 1952 classic, High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly the other night. After feasting on Carlos & Gabby’s, the club watched the film that is famous for taking place mostly in real time. High Noon is ranked number 27 on the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Top 100 Films of All-Time List and was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture. Following the film, Associate Principal Mr. Hillel Goldman led the filmgoers in a discussion about High Noon’s history and impact. He noted that the film, while standing on its own merits as a classic Western about one man’s courage to stand up for greater good, is also an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare. He played a video, “Judgement Day is Coming: Where Have All the Men

Gone?” that explored the significance of honor as it relates to the film. The students greatly enjoyed the film and the talk. They concluded the evening by checking off High Noon on their AFI Top 100 Films of All-Time List that they were given at the start of the night. For the seniors, this was their last Classic Film Club event. Over the last four years, they were introduced to such classics as Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Truman Show, Rear Window, Rope, The Sixth Sense and more. The Classic Film Club strives to view films both as products of their time and as products that have withstood the test of time. The notion of “classic” is something the members of the club explore, debate, and seek to define as they watch the films that remain with you long after the final credits scroll down.

SKA Mock Trial Team Advances to State Finals By Jenny Lifshitz

huge congratulation goes to the SKA Mock Trial Team! This year, SKA made history and earned its title of Nassau County Mock Trial Champion of 2021. Out of 64 regional schools, SKA stands out as the only one not eliminated and will be moving on to compete in the state finals, which will take place virtually. Additionally, SKA won the first-ever Mock Trial Yeshiva League Competition! The team persisted more than ever despite the

challenges posed by this difficult year. Yashar koach to SKA team captains Ariella Borah, Priva Halpert, Chani Rabinow and Mock Trial members Miri Aronovitz, Talia Cohen, Avital Davidowitz, Rachel Hirt, Dassie Jaffe, Anni Laufer, Jenny Lifshitz, Rachel Loike, Tamar Rabinovitz, Menucha Ross, Aviva Schreiber, Lea Septimus, Atara Shleifer, Sara Stein, Talia Traube, and Shira Yehoshua. This incredible win would not have been possible without the help of their dedicated coach, Mrs. Brynde Berkowitz. Mazal tov!

Rav Elya Brudny, R”M at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn and chaver Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, addressing the middle school talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in conjunction with their kabbalos in the realm of screens and kedushas einayim

Trike-A-Thon at Gan Chamesh

he students at Gan Chamesh, Chabad’s Early Childhood Center, enjoyed an exciting Trike-a-Thon in honor of Lag B’Omer last week. The children came to school with bicycles, tricycles, scooters, and helmets. They were thrilled to receive their own personalized licenses before the event. Wearing brightly colored Gan Chamesh shirts, they scooted and pedaled furiously around the delineated Gan Chamesh racetrack. The morahs posed as traffic officers, using stop signs, and other props to guide the children. They encouraged each child to make a stop at the car wash, which was a blast to drive through. Every child was a winner and received a gold medal and refreshing ices. Thank you to all who sponsored the event.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

Around the Community

Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld, z”l, Memorial Tribute

n Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 1:00pm New York time/8:00pm Israel time, the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills will hold a virtual Memorial Tribute to its founding rabbi, Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld, z”l, who passed away in December 2020. Rabbi Schonfeld, an erudite man who was at home in many worlds and was known around the world, built the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills from a minyan in the basement of the Saperstein home into a bustling shul with multiple minyanim. He built Kew Gardens Hills into a center of Orthodox Jewish life and ensured the viability of Jewish life in Queens by founding the Vaad Harabbonim of Queens. Despite his involvement in local, national, and world affairs, he had a close relationship with each of his

congregants. Many people, now parents and grandparents, remember the postcards he sent them at camp or the calls he made to them while they were learning in Israel. He never failed to visit his congregants in the hospital, and awed the patients sharing their rooms when he went over to their beds to speak with them about their illnesses and problems. Rabbi Mordecai Willig will be the keynote speaker in the Tribute. Rabbi Willig, who grew up in the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills and was a leader of its Youth Minyan, is Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth Professor of Talmud and Contemporary Halachah and is the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Riverdale in the Bronx, N.Y. He is also the deputy av beis din of the Beth Din of America and the

author of Am Mordechai, as well as many articles in Torah scholarship journals.

Rabbi Mordechai Willig will be speaking at the tribute

The June 6 Memorial will be the first stage of the Young Israel’s tribute to its founder. In the late fall, in conjunction with Rabbi Schonfeld’s first yahrzeit, a memorial tribute book featuring personal memories and stories and photographs of Rabbi Schonfeld will be published. Anyone who has stories or photographs to share is welcome to send them to yikgh2021@gmail. com. Anyone who would like to be a sponsor of the Tribute

Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld, z”l

may contact Rabbi Stuart Verstandig (stuartverstandig@gmail.com) or Rebecca Wittert (wittert@juno.com) for details.

Did you know? Sunflowers move throughout the day in response to the movement of the sun from east to west.

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he mission of Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim is to guide and infuse High School Bochrim, with a love for Torah learning and yiddishkeit, while providing them with the knowledge and experience they will need to master a trade. Bochrim will begin their day with a solid seder of davening and shiurim. In the afternoon, talmidim will be able to utilize their time to intern and learn a trade and earn their GED (TASC) in New York State. Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim’s goal is to imbue each Talmid with a warm and caring Torahdik environment, and an everlasting Ahavas Torah and Yiras Shamayim as well as establishing a strong work ethic.

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Science Week is underway at YOSS Mechina as students begin presenting their projects. The 6th grade theme for this year was rocks, minerals, and elements

HANC High School Celebrates Excellence

n Thursday evening, April 22, HANC High School held its 45th National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, honoring its current members of this prestigious organization and welcoming twenty-seven inductees into the Maalot Chapter. Members of the Honor Society must maintain a 92 average and represent excellence in Torah, scholarship, service, character, and leadership. Rabbi Eli Slomnicki, Principal/ Menahel, opened the ceremony in the HANC auditorium with a brief dvar Torah emphasizing the importance of living a life as a true ben or bat Torah. This was followed by the Star-Spangled Banner and the Hatikvah. Mrs. Marie Palaia, Associate

Principal and Faculty Advisor of the Honor Society, greeted the audience and introduced the officers of the Honor Society. She welcomed the officers to the stage to light candles and speak about the main tenets that represent the pillars on which the Honor Society stands. Co-Presidents Nava Lippman and Gabe Lovy, Historian Moshe Wieder, and CoVice Presidents Ori Baer and Grace

Herschberg each delivered a short dvar Torah and an explanation before lighting their candle. Junior Historian Rena Hackel read the National Honor Society code. Rabbi Eli Slomnicki, Mrs. Marie Palaia, and Ms. Tziporah Zucker, Assistant Principal, presented the new inductees with their official certificates and membership cards. Morah Batsheva Fink, distin-

by the values, resilience, and strength that are part of the tapestry of students’ family stories. Students spoke proudly of the values they learned at HAFTR and of the goals they have for themselves and their future. All eighth graders gave their speech with grace and confidence, despite the fear many had of public speaking. Speeches were recorded to be shared with students and their families, to be watched and re-watched with pride. Most inspiring was the feedback of students after they gave their speech. Many remarked that they found the project meaningful because they were able to really delve into the life of an ancestor, and students unanimous-

ly agreed that their ancestors faced many challenges and yet showed tremendous courage and resilience in the face of adversity. The theme of the value of Jewish education is one that surfaced in many stories, and students explained that they hope to take the values passed down to them to create a better world and future for their loved ones and communities. This inspiring project was only

guished Tanach teacher, was chosen by the members of the Honor Society to deliver the keynote address. The audience was riveted by her poignant message which emphasized the underlying importance of Torah in helping to shape the world and make a difference while keeping to the academic pursuit. Rabbi Daniel Mezei, Director of Student Life, and Mr. Avi Smus, Dean of Students, took the stage to read the accomplishments of our senior members and thanked each student for their service to HANC. Prior to the ceremony, students were invited to dinner catered by Omns Sushi and Grill. Faculty, parents, and families viewed the program virtually. Mazal tov!

Power of a Story

his week has been incredibly moving for the eighth grade class at HAFTR Middle School. Under the leadership of Dr. Yali Werzberger, students embarked on a yearlong project where they researched and learned about their unique family history, heritage, and story. Students interviewed family members to learn more about their family background and examined the values that are central to their family, as well as the values they have learned at HAFTR. After months of learning about their family story and values, students wrote and presented a speech about all they have learned to their classmates. Students and faculty alike were moved

made possible through the hard work and efforts of Ms. Rebecca Zweibon, Mrs. Devora Krakauer, and Mrs. Rinat Balsam. We thank them for their attention to detail and support with all aspects of the project from speech writing to researching historical contexts and background, and all the work they did bringing this project to fruition.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

In wake of the enthusiastic response To our earlier ad campaign

Camp Hikon is now opening

for all Yeshiva Boys! Junior High Division: ages 8-12 High School Division: ages 13-18 Location: Livingston Manor.

Camp Hikon joins a Torah program with critical sustainability, self-sufciency and social skills. We learn Halacha, Mishna and Tanach with a special emphasis on enhancing memory skills. We combine the above with an exciting hands-on program featuring: Food preparation & preservation / Natural building / Emotional resilience Three 3-week sessions: a) 6/28 - 7/19 b) 7/19 - 8/9 c) 8/9 - 8/30

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Natural d etary mmun ty - Av Schwartz, health coach Natural shelter - Naftal Schwartz, veteran teacher Natural res l ence - Joseph Sacks, LCSW

Tu t on: $3,300/sess on, $800 depos t due 5/19 Needs-based part al tu t on wa ver s ava lable. We are seek ng counselors for all d v s ons. Appropr ate talent has not yet stepped forward to head up a g rls d v s on, but you, gentle reader, may be just the person we seek. Please be n touch.

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Morning with Mom at SHS

Shulamith Students Entertain Holocaust Survivors

By Keli Faivish and Gabi Moskowitz

unday, May 2, was a special day for Shulamith High School mothers and daughters. The annual “Morning with Mom’” is always a highlight of the year. The program featured an inspiring talk by Dr. Yehudit Abrams. Dr. Abrams recently received a prestigious award in Israel for her device that can detect early signs of breast cancer. Dr. Abrams has also researched ultrasound to support the NASA Mars mission and conducted medical relief missions around the world. The pro-

gram also included a mother-daughter craft outside. Tiles were given out to enhance our new Shulamith High School building. “I loved this time with my daughter,” one mom said, “it was nice just to sit with her.” Guests enjoyed a delicious makeyour-own acai station. SHS is grateful to all who made it possible, especially the grade advisors, who were diligent in their efforts in making the annual mother-daughter morning safe, meaningful, and fun.

Names, Not Numbers at HANC

ANC’s eighth grade was recently presented with an amazing opportunity to interview Holocaust survivors. The students prepared extensively for these interviews. They studied their survivor’s bio and used it to prepare questions, which would discuss the survivor’s memories from before, during, and after the war. The experience was surely unforgettable. As each survivor entered the building, he/she was greeted by our students. The interactions were wonderful. One of the highlights of the program was the intergenerational component. Seeing the faces of the survivors light up and seeing the students’ faces respond in kind was nothing short of magical. The survivor was escorted to the interview room, which was turned into a real set complete with video, sound, and light equipment. Stu-

dents took turns in the roles of interviewer, sound, video, and observer. Due to Covid, everything was done in a safe way, masked and socially distant. This year, there was an added component that some of the survivors were interviewed via Zoom. Both the survivors and students did a fantastic job dealing with this unique situation. The students were trained and directed by the Names, Not Numbers© production crew. We thank Michael Puro for all of his hard work with the project. The interviews themselves were most memorable. There were so many poignant moments. I do not want to play the role of spoiler so everyone will have to wait until the movie comes out with the interviews. Special hakarat hatov to Mr. Dov Rosenberg and Mrs. Tova Rosenberg for all of their help in making this week so special for the students.

ast Thursday, a group of volunteer eighth graders at Shulamith School for Girls got to perform via Zoom for the JCC Chaveirim group of Holocaust survivors. Under the direction of Chessed heads Raizay Bokow, Goldee Diamond, and Basya Herman, the choir spent days working to perfect the songs they were going to sing, and their performance warmed the hearts of the senior. The girls sang “Stand Up for Each Other,” by Simcha Leiner, and “One in a Million,” by Mordechai Shapiro. They chose these songs because, as Jews, we always have to stand up for each other and stand together and

know that all of us have something special about us and that no one else can take our place. After the choir, some survivors shared about themselves, and the girls introduced themselves to the seniors. Eightth grader Baylie Habib entertained the virtual audience with a stand-up comedy routine about Lag B’Omer, and Chesed head Leora Herrmann shared a video she created which featured Shulamith students and teachers sharing what makes Shabbat special to them. It was such a beautiful experience for the girls because they never got to visit the JCC this year. It was so great seeing the Holocaust survivors laugh and have a great time. They deserve it.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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ALB students in grades 1-8 were challenged both mentally and physically with a Grit ‘n’ Wit obstacle course last week. Students were split into teams

and had to work together to overcome physical obstacles and well as puzzles. It was a day filled with fun, laughter, and teamwork!

MTA’s Honors College Explores Torah U’Madda

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Rabbi Dr Hillel Fox, Director of Chaplaincy Care and Education at Northwell Health’s North Shore University Hospital, delivered the extra kosher for Passover food at the hospital to the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC Food Pantry to assist the Five Towns community during this unprecedented time of need of the COVID-19 pandemic

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n Wednesday, April 28, talmidim in the MTA Honors College were privileged to hear from Rabbi Yosef Blau, Rosh Yeshiva and Mashgiach Ruchani at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, who discussed the topic of Torah U’Madda. Rabbi Blau began by describing how the study of Madda was originally a practical decision made to enable Jewish immigrants to survive in America. Rabbi Blau then explained how several prominent figures, such as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, advocated for the value of studying worldly knowledge in addition to Torah. They argued that Madda is necessary to help us appreciate Torah, contribute to society, and improve the world around us. Rabbi Blau shared that while Torah is the ultimate focus, Maddda does not diminish it but rather enhances our learning and appreciation of Hashem’s creations.

Rabbi Blau’s seminar was the final event of the year for the MTA Honors College, which has spent the past semester studying the philosophy and writings of Torah U’Madda, the main tenet of Yeshiva University and its high school, MTA. Rabbi Blau helped the Honors College finish off strong and set the stage for continued in depth study next year. An enriched academic program, the Honors College offers seminars with renowned speakers, cultural and religious experiences, the utilization of MTA’s location in NYC as an integral part of the classroom experience, and monthly programs and trips to enhance the understanding of religious, historical, artistic, and scientific issues. Another major component of the Honors College is a commitment to comprehensive academic mentoring, where talmidim are paired with a mentor, from either the MTA or YU faculty, who meet with them on a regular basis and help guide their academic growth.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

Around the Community

The Truth About the Truth – Part II By Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro on behalf of the Sefas Tamim Foundation

am grateful to the Sefas Tamim Foundation for giving me the opportunity, through a series of articles, to address the topic of emes and yashrus. In this final article of the series, we will discuss how honesty and truth enhance the glory of Hashem – “Kavod Shamayim.” The pasuk in Shemos tells us that when Moshe Rabbeinu approached the burning bush, he was told to remove his shoes, because he was standing on sacred soil, “admas kodesh.” The Ohr HaChaim Hakodesh asks, why Moshe was told to remove his shoes when he was already on the sacred soil? Shouldn’t Moshe have been told before he walked on the sacred soil? Based on the Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh, we can answer powerfully that the Torah is teaching us that it may not

have been admas kodesh before Moshe stepped onto it. However, due to Moshe’s strong yearning to come closer to Hashem and bring glory to His name, Moshe himself transformed the ordinary ground into admas kodesh. Therefore, only now that it has been transformed into sacred soil is Moshe required to take off his shoes. We all have the potential to turn the mundane and the worldly into the holy and the spiritual. We must make sure that everywhere we go and with everything that we do, we create admas kodesh. We create admas kodesh when we infuse our lives with 100% emes and yashrus. The Gemara (Nedarim 81) tells us that one of the reasons that we lost Eretz Yisrael is that we abandoned the Torah. In what way did we abandon the Torah? The Gemara says, “Sh’ein mevorchin baTorah techila,” that we studied Torah without first making a bracha

before learning. For what appears to be a relatively small oversight did we deserve to lose Eretz Yisrael? There are many explanations offered. I want to share with you an explanation from my father HaRav Mordechai Shapiro, zt”l, one of the most powerful thoughts that I have ever heard. To understand the explanation, we first need to answer another question. A person gets up in the morning and says Birchas HaTorah – the blessings that one is obligated to say before he learns Torah. However, after Birchas HaTorah, one may not always have time to sit down and learn because of his various family or professional obligations. Perhaps only much later in the day or in the evening, does he have the opportunity to learn. When he finally begins his seder of learning, why is he not required to say Birchas HaTorah again? Shouldn’t the time lapse be-

tween the original Birchas HaTorah and the time that he starts to learn be considered an interruption – a “hefsek”? The answer imparts a powerful message for us all. When we go to work and behave with honesty and integrity, and conduct our business affairs and finances appropriately, then that is part of learning Torah. In essence, if the person’s time between his Birchas HaTorah in the morning until the time he sits down at night to learn has been spent living the Torah that he has learned, there is no interruption – no hefsek. Therefore, one need not repeat Birchas HaTorah. This explains the Gemara. We were not exiled from Eretz Yisrael because we didn’t make a bracha beforehand. We were exiled ”Sh’ein mevorchin baTorah techila” because our “techila,” our original Birchas HaTorah said in the morning did not suffice – there was a hefsek. We did not conduct ourselves during the day in our commerce and in our profession with truth and integrity, and therefore a hefsek was

created. Our greatest accomplishment must be that our morning Birchas HaTorah lasts the entire day. Even when we are not in front of an actual sefer, we must live our lives like a vibrant, thriving sefer – with emes and yashrus The word “Yosher” (an upright person) is spelled – “Yud,” “Vav,” “Shin,” “Raish.” The letters stand for “Yisgadal V’yiskadash Shmeah Rabbah, May His great name be sanctified and exalted.” When we conduct ourselves with complete honesty and integrity, in accordance with the mission of the Sefas Tamim Foundation, when we exemplify a yosher, we bring the greatest bracha to this world and the greatest form of glory to Hashem – “Ribbui kavod Shamayim.” For more information on the Sefas Tamim Foundation and its mission of emphasizing everyday emes, please contact Boruch Delman at 718-200-5462 or info@everydayemes.org.

SEFAS TAMIM

FOUNDATION mely

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c"qa

Emphasizing Everyday Emes

oic

The Sefas Tamim Foundation emphasizes the importance of honesty (Emes) in everyday matters: • In Thought: being honest with ourselves. • In Speech: keeping the commitments we make to each other. • In Business: being honest in business and with our personal finances.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: Call (718) 200-5462 or email Info@EverydayEmes.org

“...The Sefas Tamim Foundation is a new organization designed to strengthen our commitment to zn`… through the learning of dkld and xqen. We would like to extend dkxa and dglvd to all those who support this organization and offer assistance in fulfilling its most holy mission.”

“...I wish brocha and hatzlocha to Klal Yisroel’s yorai shamayim and baalei hashpoah who publish and speak words of chizuk, mussar and halacha to assist this new foundation’s mission to help Klal Yisroel remain honest in speech and ehrlich in action.”

“...The Sefas Tamim Foundation is an organization in formation to foster truth and honesty in all areas of life but especially in business where one can make excuses to speak and act dishonestly. All those that help this organization… will be rewarded richly for their believing in Klal Yisrael and in truth.”

Rabbi Dovid Harris

Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky

Rabbi Reuven Feinstein

Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen Baal HaChafetz Chaim

Rabbi Akiva Grunblatt

Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen Baal HaChafetz Chaim

Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva of Philadelphia

‫אמת‬

Rosh HaYeshiva,

Yeshiva of Staten Island

E M P H A S I Z I N G E V E R Y D AY E M E S

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Tnuva Presents Exciting New Recipes for Shavuos

t’s become a tradition by now, and one that’s eagerly awaited by cooks everywhere: Tnuva’s Shavuos Recipe Booklet, with all-new, original recipes by gourmet chefs and featuring Tnuva’s superb dairy products. The booklet includes original, exciting recipes that are perfectly suited for Yom Tov, including appetizers, main courses, and desserts. In keeping with the move toward a healthier lifestyle, all recipes can be “lightened up” with Tnuva’s array of low-fat cheese options. The collection includes clear, detailed instructions so that even the beginner cook will experience success, starting with the Farro Salad, continuing with the Lasagna Rosettes and ending with three different sumptuous cheesecakes. All

the recipes were created with both taste and visual appeal in mind. Tnuva USA President and CEO Yoram Behiri is especially proud of this year’s booklet. “As we emerge from a very challenging year, this is the time to give thanks, as we contribute to our customers’ memorable times spent together around the Yom Tov table.” All the enticing recipes in the booklet were prepared with Tnuva’s high-quality products, under the strictest Kosher supervision. The Tnuva Shavuos 2021 recipe booklet can also be accessed on the Tnuva USA website together with hundreds of delectable recipes at www.tnuvausa.com.

How To Help Your Parents Plan In Their Senior Years Part I By Monet Binder, Esq.

f you are an older child of parents who are getting into their senior years, you might become the one responsible for their care if they are unable to care for themselves. That role reversal, from them caring for you to being responsible for them in their older years, can be much more difficult for you if your parents do not do their own planning in advance. The number of calls I receive from children whose parents either have not done any estate planning or have plans that were done years ago, needing serious updating, are numerous. So, as the adult child of aging parents, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you need to do? There are some questions you should ask yourself: Do your parents have an estate plan? If they have a plan, is it up-to-date? If you do not know, find out and make sure your parents have done the proper planning.

Without a solid comprehensive estate plan, they are not protected and vulnerable, but also, you and your family may be negatively impacted by their failure to plan. When you are considering planning, their possible long-term-care needs must be addressed, along with the potential financial impact and cost of that care. Estate Planning and Long-Term-Care Estate planning is necessary for anyone who wants to minimize the burden, hardship, and stress their family will experience if there is a sudden medical crisis or loss of capacity. That planning can and should include a way for seniors to age as comfortably as possible, with the best services available, without requiring family members to personally take on the role of caregiver or cost of care. Providing for these possibilities are fundamental objectives that need to be achieved when we consider and plan for long-termcare and making it as easy as possible for those we love. But, without

Did you know? Moon flowers bloom only at night, closing during the day.

proper long-term-care planning, your parent’s estate can be easily and quickly depleted by the enormous expense of long-term-care. Estate planning is not only for the ultra-wealthy. Estate planning is crucial to middle-class seniors, maybe your parents, who need to protect their life savings, and homes, from what could amount to over $160,000 in cost per year for care. The last thing most people want is to deplete their estate, so it is not available for them when they need it, or to pass on to their loved ones, due to lack of planning for the high cost of long-term-care. Unfortunately, in my Estate Planning and Elder Law practice, I have seen too many people try to start their planning during a crisis. Calls are made from a child of someone, in the hospital, who is going to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility, asking what they can do to offset the huge expense of care their parents are facing – maybe the estate will be wiped out. All of this could be easily avoided with thoughtful planning by seniors, especially with the support and assistance of their children.

and their estate, and to make the process easier for the families involved. At Monet Binder Law, PC, you will get compassionate and professional assistance, in a personal and caring way. We don’t use onesize-fits all documents for all of our clients, with plans you can’t understand and that are not explained. Rather, we believe through educating you with the right information and planning options, you can make the best decisions for yourself and those you love. Contact us today to initiate the planning process for you or your parents, at 718-514-7575 or email us at monet@mbinderlaw. com. You’ll be glad you did.

What Should a Child of an Aging Parent Do? In the next article, I will discuss what action steps you and your parents can take and introduce you to some of the documents that are used in planning to protect your parents

The information in this article is intended solely for your information. It does not constitute legal advice, and it should not be relied on without a discussion of your specific situation with an attorney.

Monet Binder, Esq., has her practice in Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island, New York, dedicated to protecting families, their legacies, and values. All halachic documents are approved by the Bais Havaad Halacha Center in Lakewood, under the direction of Rabbi Dovid Grossman and the guidance of Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, as well as other leading halachic authorities.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

Around the Community

A Refreshing Shavuos By Gabriel Geller Kedem/Royal Wine

Valley 2019. While truly delightful now, this is a wine that can gain a lot from proper aging over the coming 10 years or so. Pasta dishes are popular on Shavuos, but they don’t necessarily need to be milchig. Having said this, whether you choose to make a cheese and tomato sauce lasagna or spaghetti Bolognese, the juicy, savory, earthy Terra di Seta Chianti Classico 2019 will help make your Shavuos meal truly unforgettable! The Château de Rayne Vigneau

Sauternes 2018 can be the dish in itself and by itself as or with dessert. It shows incredible depth, with layers of marzipan, mango chutney, dried apricots, vanilla, and kumquat jelly, coupled with slightly spicy ginger notes and mouth-watering acidity, keeping it from the sin of being too sweet. It will, however, be a fantastic companion to a traditional New York cheesecake or an apple cobbler. Wishing you a meaningful and delicious Shavuos. L’chaim!

life is not perfect, but it is beautiful. alphaonestudio@gmail.com

esach is also called Chag Ha’aviv, the holiday of spring. However, from a Northern Hemisphere perspective, it is actually Shavuos that usually occurs at the peak of the spring season. While many, if not most people, serve at least one fleishig meal over yom tov, the well-known custom is to highlight dairy and lighter dishes such as pasta, quiches, fish, and salads. And, of course, cheesecake! It so happens that white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert wines are best-suited to accompany such delicacies. These wines are also served chilled, which is quite welcome considering the milder, sometimes even hot, temperatures this time of year, depending on where you reside. Rosé wines are the ultimate spring-summer quaffers. They are often enjoyed outdoors, ice-cold, and typically do not commend much reflection. Their purpose is simple: casual enjoyment. Most rosé wines do not have a long shelf life, and it is my usual recommendation to drink them within 6 to 12 months from release. I suggest enjoying rosé with salads or light snacks at the beginning of a meal or separately, perhaps while learning on the night of Shavuos as it will be refreshing without taking one’s mind away from the sugiya. Château Roubine Premium Cru Classé 2020 is arguably one of the finest rosé wines available. It has a very pale pink hue, with notes of cherries, fresh strawberries, and peach and plenty of balancing acidity. Drinking a rosé wine, as relaxing as it is, does not mean you should compromise on the quality. Here, you have a well-crafted wine made by one of the best producers of rosé wines in Provence, France. Moving onto the whites, Spain has a lot more to offer beyond the reds, such as the fantastic blends

from Priorat and Monsant or the great Tempranillo wines from the Rioja region. Elvi Wines have now been making for over 10 years the Herenza White, one of the finest kosher white wines. It is a blend of the indigenous Pansa Blanca variety, complemented by the well-known Sauvignon Blanc, and aged in stainless steel tanks. Asides from its quality, uniqueness, and complexity, the Elvi Herenza White 2018 remains very reasonably priced. This is a wine I would drink with delicate dishes such as gravlax, but also, for instance, with a richer cod fish and chips. I have written multiple times about Riesling wines, especially the delicious, semi-dry Pacifica Riesling. Riesling has a “sibling” which has recently become popular: Gewürztraminer. They both grow remarkably well in Germany and Alsace in France. Still, one can find some excellent options from California and Israel, as well. Jezreel Valley Winery in Israel has made a name for itself with its red wines based on grape varieties such as Argaman and Carignan, reflecting the Israeli terroir and climate more than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chardonnay for the whites. While Israel has a very different landscape and climate than Germany, Gewürztraminer seems to have adapted well in that hotter, drier region. The Jezreel Gewürztraminer 2019 features some remarkable aromatics of lychee, pineapple, citrus blossom, and apricot. It is semi-dry, along with balancing acidity with some great pairing options, from a spicy tuna poke bowl to cheesecake. Despite my known affinity and constant advocacy for white wine, I acknowledge that some fish and even pasta dishes are better paired with red wines than with whites. For example, a pepper-crusted red tuna steak or baked salmon filet will be significantly elevated by a glass of ethereal, elegant, and refined Herzog Special Reserve Pinot Noir Edna

Did you know? There are more than 360 species of roses in the world.

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

10 QUESTIONS for Heshy Blachorsky Trustee for the Lawrence School Board BY SUSAN SCHWAMM

HESHY, TELL US HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED IN THE LAWRENCE SCHOOL BOARD. Prior to running for the board, I was constantly active on a local level. Seeing how directly the local School Board and its trustees can affect us residents of the district in both a positive and sometimes a negative way made me want to get involved to make sure it’s never the latter.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES? The School Board oversees the education, personnel and properties of the district. We approve the curriculum and hire a superintendent – in our case, a phenomenal one. We also submit an annually proposed budget, which our voters will hopefully approve next week.

YOU ARE ON THE LAWRENCE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD. WHAT AREAS DOES THE DISTRICT ENCOMPASS? The district includes all of Atlantic Beach, Inwood, Lawrence, and Cedarhurst. It stretches through a large portion of both Woodmere and North Woodmere too.

Heshy, third from left, with other members of the School Board, State Senator Todd Kaminsky, and other local officials at the Lawrence food distribution

finishing my second term now and am running for re-election.

provide all special education services to non-public school children too.

10.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE LAWRENCE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE HEWLETT-WOODMERE SCHOOL BOARD? The respective School Boards in each New York State District serve the exact same purpose. We each have unique challenges. The duties, however, are all identical.

THE SCHOOL BOARD IS COMPRISED OF SEVEN MEMBERS. ARE THERE SPECIFIC TASKS OR AREAS THAT EACH MEMBER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR? There is a president and vice president elected each term by fellow trustees. Other than that, our roles are all the same.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE BOARD? Each term on the School Board is three years; I’m

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE COME OUT TO VOTE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS ON MAY 11? People should come out and vote because they care to have a fiscally responsible board that advocates for each and every child in the district. They should come out and vote because they want to make sure that their hard-earned tax dollars are being utilized in a financially sane and prudent manner. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CARE ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IF THEY SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR IF THEY DON’T HAVE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN? As I mentioned, the district is still allocating their tax dollars whether they opt to send their child to public or non-public school. The district provides the transportation and textbooks for all non-public schools. Additionally, and more importantly, we

WHAT DO YOU DO DAY-TO-DAY? HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU IN YOUR POSITION ON THE SCHOOL BOARD? When I am not busy with the School Board, I work in finance. I wouldn’t say it helps with my position per se, although it gives me additional opportunities to interact with all different personalities. That is something that is always helpful. WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST PRIDE IN BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD? Being able to streamline all the services the district has to offer to all my neighbors and friends. Knowing that a child is receiving above and beyond what many districts can offer, giving each child the ability to tap into talents that would otherwise go unrecognized, and as a result giving each girl and boy his/her greatest chance for success – that gives me a lot of pride. We are creating learners and, hopefully, earners for life.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Centerfold

Mother’s Dictionary C Bottle feeding: An opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2 a.m. too.

C Puddle: A small body of water that draws

other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

C Defense: What you’d better have

Show off: A child who is more talented than yours.

around “de yard” if you’re going to let the children play outside.

C Drooling: How teething babies

C Sterilize: What you do to your first

wash their chins.

C Dumbwaiter: One who asks if

the kids would care to order dessert.

Feedback: The inevitable result when the baby doesn’t appreciate the strained carrots.

baby’s pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby’s pacifier by blowing on it.

Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can’t quite reach anything.

C Full name: What you call your child when you’re

C Temper tantrums: What you should keep to a

C Grandparents: The people who think your

C Top bunk: Where you should never put a child

C Independent: How you want your child to be as

C Verbal: Able to whine in words. C Whodunit: None of the kids who live in your

C Look out: What it’s too late for your child to do by

C Whoops: An exclamation that translates roughly

mad at him.

children are wonderful even though they’re sure you’re not raising them right. long as he does everything you say. the time you scream it.

minimum so as to not upset the children. wearing Superman jammies.

house.

into “get a shmatta.”

You Gotta be Kidding Me! David goes on safari in Kenya with his wife, Stephanie, and his mother-in-law, Beth. One evening, while still deep in the jungle, Stephanie awakes to find that her mother, Beth, has disappeared. Rushing to David, she insists on them both trying to find her mother. Sighing heavily, David picks up his rifle and starts to search for Beth. Soon, in a clearing not far from the camp, they come upon a frightening sight. Beth is backed up against a thick, impenetrable bush, and a large lion is standing facing her. Stephanie cries out in panic, “David, what are we going to do?” “Nothing,” explains David calmly. “Absolutely nothing, my dearest. The lion got himself into this mess. Let him get himself out of it.”

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Top 20 Mom Jobs Riddle me This? 1. Personal Chef 2. Tantrum and meltdown negotiator 3. Search & Rescue Ops: Small plastic pieces unit 4. PhD in Anger Management 5. Keeper of Secrets 6. Laundry Machine Operator 7. Toy Repair Expert 8. No-Thumb Sucking Enforcer 9. Play-date Coordinator 10. Birthday Events Director 11. Sleep Scientist Scary Monster Patrol Officer 12. Dramatic Story Teller 13. Boo-Boo Fixer 14. Vacation Coordinator & Tour Guide 15. PhD in Reverse Psychology 16. Seamstress of Frilly Dresses and Super Hero Costumes 17. Mrs. Fix-It 18. Stain Removal Expert 19. Multi-level Tutor 20. Archeologist Specializing in Under Bed and Inside

In honor of Mother’s Day, there is a cake-baking competition. The four moms who finish in places 1 through 4 win a prize. You have to determine the name of the four winners, what position they finished in, and what cake they baked. HERE IS WHAT YOU KNOW: • The moms’ first names are: Janna, Betty, Vicky and Sara • Their last names are: Cohen, Smith, Adler and Fried • The positions are: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th • Cakes baked are: chocolate cake, cheesecake, fruit cake, and sponge cake CLUES: 1. Janna Fried beat Vicky by two places. 2. Betty’s fruit cake beat Mr. Smith’s wife, who came in 3rd. 3. The sponge cake, despite being a bit bland, got in the top three. 4. The judges obviously had a sweet tooth, as the chocolate cake came in 2nd place. 5. Cohen’s mother cried as she watched her daughter take 1st prize. What are the full names of the top four, what position did they come in, and what cake did they bake? Answer below

Closet Digs

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Answer to Riddle: Betty Cohen came in 1st with her fruit cake; Janna Fried came in 2nd with his chocolate cake; Sara Smith came in 3rd with her sponge cake; Vicky Adler came in 4th with her cheesecake.

MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Torah Thought

Parshas BeharBechukosei By Rabbi Berel Wein

he reading of these two sections of the Torah concludes the book of Vayikra – the book that contains most of the commandments given to the Jewish people on Sinai and for all eternity. One of the central commandments that appears in this week’s reading is that of Shemitta – the rules regarding the sabbatical year that the Jewish people were

to observe when they were in the land of Israel. This commandment, in many of its forms, remains viable today, at least as a rabbinic ordinance. There is discussion that, as the present Jewish population here in the land of Israel continues to grow and expand, there is a possibility that this sabbatical year ordinance will revert once again to its original status as a

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Torah commandment. But even in its present circumstance, as a rabbinic ordinance, it has strong inﬂuence over the everyday life of citizens of the State of Israel. Special arrangements must be made regarding agricultural produce grown in the Holy Land in this sabbatical year, and various ways have been found to enable the agricultural economy to continue to function according to Jewish law and tradition, even during the sabbatical year.

do not need to save for a tomorrow that, deep down in our hearts, we know we may never see. We involve ourselves in future projects that can only beneﬁt future generations, because we believe that somehow that future beneﬁt and achievement will accrue to our credit when Heaven balances the books, so to speak. It is this contradictory nature of human beings – to plan for a future that instinctively one knows one will not actually witness

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We pretend we will be here forever and we live our lives accordingly, even though we are all aware of our mortality

But the idea behind the sabbatical year remains ﬁxed in the minds and hearts of the Jewish people wherever they may live. And that basic idea is simple: that the world and all its land belongs to and is subject to the will of the Creator and that human beings are only temporary trustees over the land. One of the most diﬃcult ideas for people to accept is that life itself is transitory and temporary. We pretend we will be here forever and we live our lives accordingly, even though we are all aware of our mortality and the transient nature of human existence. We are always saving for tomorrow, even when we are quite old and advanced in years, and logically, really

in this world – that really fuels all human progress and is the basis for the advancement of civilization over the ages. All of this is based upon the realization that the sabbatical year imposes upon us, that there is no permanence for anything, and what we do achieve does not permanently belong to us. We are merely temporary custodians of the riches of the Almighty that He has bestowed upon his creatures in this world. This is really the sublime and internal message that the sabbatical year, with all its laws, ordinances, and adjustments, imposes upon us and makes it a year of renewal and uniqueness. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire Parshas Behar-Bechukosai

Free Birds By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

e long for the opportunity to observe the Yovel, the Jubilee Year, again. The Ramban in this week’s parsha (on Vayikra 25:10) quotes a number of pesukim from throughout Tanach to explain the meaning and origin of the word Yovel. One of the pesukim he quotes is Yirmiyahu 17:8: “He shall be like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river – yuval.” After all of the proofs he brings, the Ramban concludes, “But the true understanding is…’yovel’ [means something which] returns to the river from which it came…” The word yovel refers to a river, but it comes from the word “movil, to bring,” because it means bringing something back to its source. During the Yovel, we somehow return to the waters, to the source, from which we draw the essence of our lives. We return to our roots. We know that the Torah is eternal, yet we do not merit fulfilling the mitzvah of Yovel today. How can we relate to it? Let us review the three main aspects of Yovel mentioned in the Torah and consider how each one speaks to us today. The first is the freeing of the slaves (Vayikra 25:10): “And you shall proclaim freedom [for Jewish slaves] in the land.” It takes very little imagination to see how we need to be redeemed from so many different types of slavery even today. The Gemara says that we are meant to be slaves to Hashem and not slaves of slaves (Kiddushin 22b). How many of us are enslaved to our jobs and careers? We never see our wives or spend time with our children, and when people ask us why we work so hard, we say, “It’s because I love my children!” How many

of us are enslaved to tiny electronic devices? We cannot go thirty seconds without checking, looking at, and touching them. Yovel is when we declare ourselves free from human bondage and allow ourselves to be reclaimed by Hashem as His servants. We recognize that, in our core, we are free men. We cannot be bound by human chains. Yovel reminds us to return to our roots, our essential freedom. The second attribute of Yovel is (Vayikra 25:10), “And you shall return, each man to his property, and you shall return, each man to his family.” Part of the essence of who we are is to stay connected to our families (see also Meshech Chochmah on this pasuk). How many brothers, sisters, or parents have grown apart from each other, either because of apathy or because of some dispute or pain and hurt one has caused the other. Yovel means returning to our hometowns and reconnecting with estranged family. By reconciling with people from whom we have become distant, we reconnect

with our own roots, to our essential selves. The third attribute is our connection with our homeland, Eretz Yisroel. The pasuk (Vayikra 25:23) says, “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land belongs to Me.” Yovel reminds us that our connection with Eretz Yisroel exists because we and the land belong to G-d. We cannot be separated. Today, many Jewish people with good intentions believe that they can give away portions of Eretz Yisroel for promises of “peace” or that we can engage in “land swaps” with our enemies. But they do not realize that doing so is like cutting off our arms, hoping that this will satisfy our enemies’ bloodlust. We cannot separate from our homeland. It is part of us. Yovel reminds us that ultimately all of Eretz Yisroel will return to where it belongs, with us. We see a common denominator in all three attributes of Yovel. They all involve returning to our roots, coming back to some part of our true selves from which we had become separated.

With that background, we can understand the true meaning of freedom when the pasuk says, “And you shall declare freedom, dror, in the land.” Dovid Hamelech (Tehillim 84:4) speaks of a bird called the Dror: “Even a bird found a house, and a Dror, her nest.” What is the nature of this bird called a Dror? The Gemara (Beiah 24a) says, “Raba Bar Rav Huna says, ‘This refers to the Dror bird which does not accept [human] ownership… And why is it called a Dror bird? Because it lives, dar, in the house just like in the field.” The nature of this free bird does not allow it to accept human mastery. So even when one puts this bird in his house, it behaves as if it were still in the field, flying and flitting around in every direction. It is impossible to capture it. It is true to its inner nature as a free creature no matter what its external circumstances are. That is real freedom. Chazal also teach (Rosh Hashana 9b), “Everyone agrees that the word Dror means freedom. What is the origin of this word? As the braisa says, ‘Dror means freedom, like one who lives [as if he were at home] in any inn, k’medayar vi daara, who brings, she’movil, merchandise to every country.’” Freedom means the ability to bring anything where it belongs and act and feel as if one is at home no matter where his circumstances bring him. What does it mean to embrace freedom? Shlomo Hamelech refers to the Dror, the free bird, in a pasuk in Mishlei (26:2): “Like a wandering bird, like a flying Dror…” The Ibn Ezra explains: “It is a small bird which sings when it is in its own domain [when it is free]. And if it is in a man’s domain, it does not eat to the point that

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it dies.” The Dror was born to sing. It loves nothing more. But the moment it is enslaved, it can no longer bring itself to sing. Over 600 years after the Ibn Ezra penned his commentary on Mishlei, Patrick Henry echoed the substance of his words when he said, “Give me liberty or give me death.” When the Dror is no longer free to sing its own song, to be true to itself, it would rather starve itself to death. Our people are like the Dror, the free bird, which thirsts for the freedom to return to its roots, to express its own essential nature. It bristles at the thought of being forced to masquerade around as something other than its true self. The Jewish people as a community, and each Jew individually, longs to sing his or her own song. We can only fly higher when we are in our own domain, connected to our own roots. This is what Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohein Kook, zy”a, was trying to tell us when he wrote (Oros Hakodesh 64): Ascend higher, ascend. For you possess a mighty power. You have wings of the spirit, Wings of mighty eagles. Do not deny them, Lest they deny you. Seek them out, And they will find you. Our faculties, interests, passions and idealism, when they flow from our deepest selves and not from the desire to imitate foreign nations and ideologies, are powerful wings that will allow us to soar higher and higher if we do not stifle them. It is clear from everything above that being a free bird means allowing the truth of our inner essence to express itself. But some feel that being free means throwing off the yoke of all responsibility, whether moral, interpersonal, or religious. But this is a mistake because it not only ignores the true meaning of freedom, it also means closing one’s eyes to the fact that such “freedom” usually means subjecting one’s self to the yoke of the fickle demands of the animal soul and foreign nations or their ideologies. Freedom divorced from responsibility, commitment, and stability leads to destruction because it takes one further away from his own inner

truth. It means forgetting the lesson of Yovel, which is movil, brings things back to their source. The Navi refers to this false freedom when he writes (Yirmiyahu 34:17), “Behold I call out ‘freedom’ to you, says Hashem, to sword, plague, and famine…” There is a negative type of freedom. When we “free” ourselves from the need to be true to who we are, it leads to our destruction because Hashem appears to “free” us from a connection with His providence. True liberty means

level of financial success or hardship. But “Who is rich? One who is happy with his portion.” I soar when I play the hand I am dealt to the fullest. I express my own personal song when I can sing (in Shacharis), “We are fortunate and how good is our portion, how pleasant is our lot and how beautiful is our inheritance!” One’s portion and inheritance are not the product of free will. They are not a matter of choice. Yet in davening we praise Hashem for our portion, our lot and our inheri-

The Jewish people as a community, and each Jew individually, longs to sing his or her own song.

freeing ourselves from the bonds of limited, finite human concepts of “truth.” Real freedom does not mean obeying every fleeting (or persistent) fancy. It means returning to the song of our roots, our essence, our home, our homeland, our families, and our people. “And you shall return, each man to his property and you shall return, each man to his family.” Hashem prepares a certain life for each person in this world, an environment in which his soul can truly express itself. When a person gets married, he exchanges the apparent freedom of single life for the responsibility and commitment of marriage because that is the life Hashem prepared for him. Fulfilling his responsibilities in the context of that life is the true expression of his nature and the actualization of his personal potential. Dovid Hamelech refers to the fact that we must each learn to soar in the unique portion Hashem prepared for us when he said (Tehillim 16:5-6), “Hashem is my allotted portion and my cup. You guide my lot. Packages have fallen to me in pleasant places, even the beautiful inheritance upon me.” Dovid Hamelech is saying that he finds whatever portion Hashem gives him pleasant because that is his lot. One’s portion includes being born into a certain family, having a certain wife, being bestowed with certain faculties and limitations, and having a certain

tance. Why? Because they belong to us. By fulfilling our commitments to the life Hashem custom designed for each of us, we are truly free because we express our true nature. We are being ourselves. Yovel, which means freeing ourselves from external, superficial, temporary, and foreign influences and returning to who we are, forces us to ask ourselves: How far have I flown from my roots? Have I misused my free will by rejecting my personal portion in favor of some stranger’s portion I thought looked more attractive? Have I clipped my own wings by cutting myself off from my family, responsibilities, land, and my brothers and sisters? Am I singing someone else’s song or my own? Rav Leizer Djhikover, zy”a, was the son-in-law of Rav Chaim of Tzanz, zy”a, the Divrei Chaim. At one point, Reb Leizer’l fell ill. He became sicker and sicker until he was literally within minutes of death. He whispered to someone to summon his father-in-law, the Divrei Chaim. When Rav Cham arrived, Reb Leizer’l said, “Please, I do not want to leave this world. Daven for me.” But the Rebbe seemed someone indifferent and responded, “This world is filled with so much darkness. Why do you want to stay here? Go in good health to the Next World!” Hearing this, everyone in the room

began wailing with mourning and could not understand why the Rebbe was not praying for his son-in-law. So Reb Leizer’l said, “But Rebbe, I’m worried. I do not feel confident about my place in the Next World!” So the Divrei Chaim reassured him, “That’s why you don’t want to leave the world? Don’t worry! I assure you that you will have the highest place in Gan Eden. You have nothing to worry about. Now go in peace.” But Reb Leizer’l begged him, “But Rebbe, what about my family?” “You’re worried that there won’t be anyone to take care of your wife and children?! Do not be concerned. They are my family, too. I will ensure that they are cared for. You do not need to stay in this world for that.” Finally, Reb Leizer’l pleaded, “But Rebbe! It’s almost Rosh Hashanah. You know that no one sings ‘Unesaneh Tokef’ like me. When I lead the davening on Rosh Hashanah, the angels stand in wonderment. They cannot understand how such a Divine sound can emanate from this lowly world.” The Divrei Chaim thought for a moment, and then responded, “Indeed you have a point.” Immediately, the Rebbe ran to the mikvah and, knowing that his son-in-law had only moments of life left in him, returned quickly with his tallis on to daven with every bit of life in him for Reb Leizer’l’s salvation. And in fact, Reb Leizer’l recovered and lived for many more years. Each of us has our own song in this world, our own Unesaneh Tokef, which only we can sing and which brings pleasure and Divine light to all worlds when we sing it. It is irreplaceable as long as we are truly singing our own song, using the tools and blessings which Hashem gave us. This year, even before Yovel begins, may we merit to return to our own music based on the portion Hashem gave us. Then we will truly be free birds, soaring higher and higher as we sing our own song until our voices join the music of the Levi’im in the third Beis Hamikdash, may it be built very soon in our days. 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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Delving into the Daf

Rise and Shine By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

veryone knows how hard it is to wake up in the morning. One Siyum HaShas video in fact focused on the coffee served at the Daf. Many Daf Yomi shiurim take place early in the morning, and coffee provides a welcome boost. Difficulty getting up is not a recent phenomenon. Indeed, the Gemara records it was an issue over 2,000 years ago. Rav Zilberstein (Chashukei Chemed, Yoma 21a) said the phenomenon has halachic consequences. Although the laws of choshen mishpat are very complex, what follows is a simplified shailah and response only focusing on one particular halachic aspect. There was an employer who hired an employee to work various hours. The exact hours were not specified at the time of the hiring, but it was understood that the hours may, at times, include a night shift. The night shift entailed working the hours of 11 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. The employer later changed his mind and wanted the employee to work the early morning shift that started at 3:30 a.m. It was understood all along that the employee’s hours may change, however, the early morning shift was never discussed. The employee refused to work during the early morning shift. May the employer insist that the employee take the early morning shift? Is the employee’s refusal grounds for dismissal? Rav Zilberstein said that based on the Gemara in Yoma (21a) it is not. The Gemara records that Kohanim used to heatedly vie for the right to perform the removal of the ashes from the Mizbayach. One time, a kohen pushed another, and he broke his leg in the resultant fall. To prevent future harm, the Sages devised a lottery system to choose who would have the right to remove the ashes from the Mizbayach. The Gemara notes that this lottery system was already in use for other Avodos in the Beis Hamik-

dash. Why wasn’t it always in use for the removal of the ashes? The Gemara explains that since this Avoda took place early in the morning, and kohanim would have to lose sleep to perform it, they didn’t think there would be that many kohanim interested. The Gemara counters that the Avoda of burning the sacrificial fats and limbs on the Altar was performed at night. Kohanim who did that particular Avoda would likewise lose sleep by getting to bed late. Yet, the Sages enacted a lottery for that Avoda. The upshot is that kohanim are willing to lose sleep to perform Avoda. So why were the Sages surprised that so many kohanim were interested in the early morning Avoda? Kohanim are willing to lose sleep for the chance to perform Avoda in the Beis Hamikdash!

the kohanim did rise above their natural tendencies and arose early, we can conclude from the Gemara that it is human nature to find getting up early more difficult than going to sleep late. Therefore, even though an employee agreed to work a late-night shift, one cannot assume that he would agree to work a more difficult early morning shift. Asking an employee to do so exceeds the original employment agreement, and one may

Getting up early will be an added source of merit and a demonstration of one’s love for Hashem.

The Gemara explains that it is easier to stay up late than to wake up early. Yes, the kohanim would happily stay up late and thereby lose sleep to burn the sacrificial fats on the Mizbayach. However, the Sages initially assumed that much fewer kohanim would be interested in waking up early. That assumption was fortunately proven false. Therefore, when the Sages ascertained that so many kohanim were interested in the early morning Avoda, the Sages needed to institute a lottery system to choose who would be awarded the privilege of removing the ashes from the Mizbayach. Rav Zilberstein says that although

not dismiss an employee for his refusal to do work that was not part of his original agreement. Rav Zilberstein adds that there is perhaps another halachic ramification to this concept. It is the accepted custom to recite Selichos before the Yomim Noraim and during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva. The earliest recommended time for Selichos is at midnight. Indeed, some have a custom to specifically recite Selichos at midnight. Others have the custom to arise early and say Selichos before davening. If one does not have any specific custom, which option is preferable? Rav Zilberstein suggests that arising early is preferable. It is more

difficult to wake up early than to stay up late. Getting up early will be an added source of merit and a demonstration of one’s love for Hashem. Rav Zilberstein suggests that this is even true if one does not feel fully awake at the time he recites morning Selichos. As long as he is able to fully concentrate and he has no established custom, it’s preferable to recite Selichos in the morning. As an aside, the Shevet HaLevi (10:49) bemoans the fact that many people after staying up all Shavuos night do not daven properly in the morning. This is not just a matter of not being fully awake; some individuals fall asleep during Shavuos morning davening. He suggests that one go to sleep after a night of learning. One should appoint a shomer, go to sleep, and then daven at a later minyan. The Shevet HaLevi suggests that in certain circumstances a shomer might not even be necessary. The Mishna Berura (89:1) writes that one who stayed up all night learning may le’chatchila daven before Netz. If one follows the Mishna Berura, davening may be around 50 minutes earlier. This earlier time could potentially also help people stay more alert for Shavuos morning davening.

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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The Wandering

Jew

All Roads Lead to Rome Part II

View from Tivoli Gardens

ike many of the places we visited throughout Europe and the States, we also connected with Chabad in Italy. In the Bologna section of Rome, the shliach was Rabbi Menachem Lazar. I subsequently met his brother, Rabbi Beryl Lazar, twice in Moscow, and we previously met their father in Milan. When we were in Rome during

Tivoli Gardens

Aseres Yemei Teshuva of 2015, I met Rav Menachem every morning while davening at the Libyan Beit Shmuel Synagogue. He was very friendly to me and made the arrangements for Pesi and I to join his Friday night seudah which catered both to locals and tourists. The Kabbalat Shabbat davening was Sephardi style, beginning with the recitation of Shir Hashirim

aloud by individual mispallelim. The seudah that followed was very enjoyable. The food was plentiful and mostly Middle Eastern fare. We sat across a couple from Paris, with whom we conversed most of the evening. Rav Menachem asked everyone to introduce themselves, which is a staple icebreaker for people who are meeting for the first time. He also asked me to address the participants and give over a dvar Torah. Following dessert, we returned to our pensione to get some well-deserved sleep. The next morning, we returned to Beit Shmuel for davening. I bought an aliya for myself, and we joined the pareve kiddush that followed services. We then returned to our room and had our fleishig seudah from the takeout food that we bought on Friday. This was followed by our traditional Shabbos schluff (nap). After napping and learning for a while, we returned to the shul for Mincha and Shalosh Seudos, where Rav Menachem spoke for the shul members.

The plaque commemorating the burning of the Talmud in Rome in 1553

Before I took my nap, I was reading a magazine which happened to highlight a tragic event that took place in Rome in the year 1553. On September 9 of that year, which was Rosh Hashana, the Office of the Inquisition organized a public burning of the Talmud, where thousands of volumes – many that were handwritten – went up in flames by the decree of the Pope. For the remainder of the century, one could not find a

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Some mispallelim at the Beit Shmuel Synagogue

complete set of Talmud in the entire Italy. This dreadful affair took place in a public square called Campo dei Fiori. The article said that two years before, almost 450 years after this episode took place, a plaque was placed in this plaza to commemorate this tragedy. I told Pesi what I had read, and we decided to go on Motzei Shabbos to this square to see the plaque and share the pain of this horrible incident. We took the Metro and then walked some distance until we arrived at the Campo dei Fiori. We stood in the center of the plaza surrounded by buildings with cafes and restaurants that spilled into the square. The eating places were full of people, with the chatter of the diners and loud music infringing on our serious and somber mood. There was some light coming out of the establishments, but it was still too dark to see on which building the plague commemorating the burning of the Talmud was placed. We could not even approach the buildings, as all of them had tables and chairs blocking their facades. After a few attempts,

Our pizza melava malka

we resigned ourselves that we would not find the plaque that evening. Nevertheless, I wanted to say something to memorialize the tragic event that took place there. We started walking over to the center of the square,

With the Chabad shliach of Rome, Rabbi Menachem Lazar

the tourists at the B’ Ghetto Restaurant and ordered pizzas with various toppings. What we didn’t realize was that the size of these individual pizzas was almost as large as a regular pizza pie that is usually sliced into

What we didn’t realize was that the size of these individual pizzas was almost as large as a regular pizza pie that is usually sliced into eight sections.

where there was a statue of the philosopher Giordano Bruno, who was burnt alive for heresy against Catholic beliefs. The whole area was paved with small cobblestones. As we approached the statue, my foot stepped on a small smooth surface that did not have the bumpy feel of cobblestones. I could not see what I was stepping on, so I took out my camera, and with the aid of my flash, I snapped a photo. Lo and behold, when we looked at the photo, we realized that I was standing on the very plaque that we were looking for! I was flabbergasted and started saying the Mishna of “Eilu Devarim,” which is part of the Talmud as a remembrance of this sad event. The ending words of that Mishna, “V’Talmud Torah keneged kulam,” was very appropriate statement to say at this place. By that time, it was time to eat again. We walked over to the Ghetto area and followed the famous proverb: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” We imitated the locals and

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eight sections. We were stunned when they brought out our orders. Yes, we each ate an entire pie! And yes, they were undeniably delicious! I accompanied our delectable Melave Malka seuda with an undertone of zemiros, and we made our way back to our pensione. It was Sunday, and we had one more full day left to our Roman holiday. After davening and taking photos with Rav Menachem and the members of the Libyan shul that befriended me, Pesi and I had breakfast on the veranda of our pensione. Then we took the Metro and a bus out to the famed Tivoli Gardens on the outskirts of Rome. The gardens are located at the 16th century Villa d’Este. The Estate is famous for its terraced hillside Italian Renaissance gardens and especially for its profusion of fountains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent an entire day touring the Villa, walking the gardens, and taking photos. The weather was just beautiful and the experience exhilarating.

After returning, I went for Mincha and Maariv to a different shul, Bet El, and joined an azkara for someone in the community who had recently passed away. Then we ended our evening at a great fleishig restaurant called appropriately Little Tripoli. We had a half day left on Monday before we would be returning to Warsaw. We took a taxi to Gianicolo to get a bird’s eye view of Rome and many of its monuments. Then we walked down to the area called Trastevere, a bohemian section with artisan craft shops and stalls. Jews lived there until the Middle Ages, before being ordered to move into the Ghetto on the other side of the Tibor River. The streets are narrow and colorful with ancient houses. It is a great place to stroll, and stroll we did for about one hour. We then rushed back to eat a quick lunch, retrieve our luggage, and head to the airport. We would be arriving in Warsaw by late evening. Tomorrow our focus would change drastically, as we would commence to beg Hashem for forgiveness and ask that He grant us a gmar chasima tova. Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

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World

Builders

Prayers and CPR Save a Life

PHOTO CREDIT: UNITED HATZALAH

By Raphael Poch

ast Monday evening, just after 5:00 p.m., a man in his 60s was taking a walk on Jerusalem Street in Petach Tikvah in order to get some exercise. The man began to feel weak and stopped his walk to catch his breath. Just then, his heart gave out, and he collapsed. Worried passersby, seeing the collapsed man, called emergency services for help. United Hatzalah’s Dispatch and Command Center received the alert and dispatched the closest volunteers to the emergency. Volunteer EMT and ambulance driver Menachem Slovatizky was just returning from responding to a different medical emergency when he received the alert regarding the collapsed man. Menachem was driving with his wife in an ambulance belonging to the Rafael Ambulance company, which is part of the Union of Ambulances that works in partnership with United Hatzalah. Flicking on his sirens, Menachem quickly changed directions and drove as quickly and safely as possible to the scene of the emergency. Menachem arrived less than two

minutes later and found that United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Eliyah Tzairi was already on scene and had attached a defibrillator to the collapsed man. Menachem joined Eliyah and began preparing the oxygen to administer to the patient

mask to the tank and began administering high-flow oxygen as Eliyah was working on compressions. After two minutes, the defibrillator administered its first shock, and we switched positions. As other volunteer first responders arrived, we all

“It is certainly worth all the time and effort I put in as a volunteer just for one instance such as this.”

as Eliyah had begun compressions. Soon after, the man received his first shock from the defibrillator, as additional EMS personnel arrived including five other United Hatzalah responders. “I told my wife to start saying Tehillim as she stayed in the ambulance while I rushed out to help Eliyah,” Menachem said. “I prepared the airway, attached the oxygen

worked in unison to try and revive the man. Slowly he started to recover.” Menachem continued, “After the second shock, the man registered a pulse and began to resist the airway. We administered two more shocks and that is when the man’s pulse came back for good. He regained his pulse and began to breathe on his own. We stopped CPR, removed

the airway, and kept supplying oxygen through a non-rebreather mask. After 15 minutes, the man regained full consciousness, opened his eyes, and even began trying to talk in a confused manner.” Menachem was shocked to see how quickly the man regained consciousness. “I have been volunteering for many years with United Hatzalah and I have done a lot of CPRs,” he shared. “It is very rare that a person recovers that quickly and comes back to full consciousness while I’m still with them. It is a truly special feeling that fills me with warmth. It is certainly worth all the time and effort I put in as a volunteer just for one instance such as this. I like to think that my wife’s prayers assisted us in our efforts, and perhaps that is why this man recovered so quickly. Just when he woke up, the mobile intensive care ambulance arrived, so we prepped the man for transport and he was taken to the hospital in stable condition. “It was simply a miracle, from beginning to end.”

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Profound Pain Reflections from the Streets of Yerushalayim BY UDI LIEBERMAN

sit here trying to put my thoughts and feelings into words, and all I can feel is the physical ache in my heart and the tears begin to flow once again. If tears could write we’d have volumes… It’s been a little over 72 hours, and the final body of the 45 karbanos (Avraham Daniel Ambon, z”l, from Argentina) was put to rest this morning on Har HaMenuchos. It’s over. I feel the void. I feel the pain of every mother, father, wife, child, sibling, relative and friend of each and every one, plus one, plus one, plus one that equals forty-five. I daven for a refuah for those who are desperately waiting to emerge from darkness. And I try to backtrack and review what feels like a nightmare. I am privileged to have spent numerous Lag B’Omers in Meron in the past. It’s electric. You

feel the excitement, the spirituality, the love, and the achdus in your bones. This year we stayed in Yerushalaym, and went to the local fire hosted by the Iriyah (municipality). The street was full of men, women, and children; Chassidish, Litvish, Sefardi and Ashkenazi. There was an enormous screen with a live hook-up to Meron and a band playing “Bar Yochai.” It was beautiful and moving as well. As I looked into the fire that night, I prayed for the spark of Yiddishkeit and the blaze of Torah to be ever-present in my home, and I begged Hashem that every man, woman, and child should return safely home that night. As I was dozing off, I started seeing messages, first from my nephew and then from my husband’s talmidim letting me know they were OK. I realized something happen. After checking the news, I said Tehillim and called my close friend who had two

kids in Meron that night. She said that her son, who is a chosson, went to learn in a tent and figured before he heads home, he would go do one last dance at Toldos Aharon. He walked in and got nervous from the crowd and left. That was about ten minutes before the tragedy. After saying Tehillim, I drifted to what you can maybe call sleep. About an hour later, my husband came into the room and told me what really happened in Meron. I cried. I davened. I begged Hashem that no mother should have to make two levayos. And then we waited. We waited and davened for all the cholim, for all the families, for all of Am Yisrael. I davened. I cried. I woke up my children one by one, bracing myself for how I would break the news to each of them on their level. At 7 a.m., when the supermarket opened, I ran to buy potatoes and stock up on kugels. Who

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knows who’s going to need what this Shabbos? I got my cooking underway. Who knows which levayos we will have to attend today? And then the names started coming ever so slowly. Three names and pictures. A young avrech. A father of six, Shragee Gestetner, z”l, from the U.S. who came special to daven at Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s kever. I tried getting myself together. I told myself, Just don’t collapse, keep cooking, stay calm and daven. It’s 10:30 a.m., I can’t bear it anymore. I dial one friend whose son I knew went up to Meron. She tells me that, baruch Hashem, he is OK and how he missed it by a few minutes. I hesitate. Should I call my chassidishe friend, a mother of 15 whose grandson was having a chalakah in Meron? I dial as I say Tehillim. Baruch Hashem, they are all OK other than stranded. She tells me about a coworker of ours whose 21-year-old nephew is missing. I daven some more. I’m peeking my head out my door waiting to see my neighbors. I tell my kids to run and ask them if their father came home from Meron. As the day goes on, more names and more pictures come in. More mothers left bereft, more almanos, more yesomim. A father of 9, a chosson, a father of 10, a new father of a 2-week-old, bochurim, boys, heartbreak. And then if it couldn’t get worse, two sets of brothers, two bochurim who were yesomim. Each picture is a world. I looked at their beautiful faces. I saw their chein shining through. Those eyes, that smile, that depth – each one looked so holy and special. It slowly started sinking in. No, I did not know any one of them, yet I was reeling in pain. I felt paralyzed. Just keep going, this is only the beginning, the first twenty, thirty of the karbanos. We all felt despair. How can we grasp such pain? Yidden who go to daven by Reb Shimon, a place known for miracles? This just can’t be. No sense can be made of this. The world seems black. And then the stories of miracles started coming in. A neighbor of mine’s son was there; he just came home from the hospital, hodu L’Hashem. He doesn’t know how he survived. Another neighbor’s relative was in surgery on Friday, hoping to save his leg – a miracle he’s alive. Another neighbor lifted (the dead) bodies off his face so he can gasp for air – he survived. A 14-year-old boy from up the road, thrown up in the air, it saved his life. Another story of a petite bochur thrown in the air, survived. Hearing everyone describe what went on, they weren’t able to move their shoulders. Who threw these boys up? Was Rabbi Shimon performing miracles? Maybe. It is so painful. We, as believing Jews, know that everything Hashem does is for the good. In this world, there are no answers, and in the next world, there are no questions. Keep going. I am torn. Levayos around the corner. I want to be there. I want to share in the pain of each one of these families. I also want to light candles for Shabbos on time and pray. And the little niggling voice…there is more to come…there will be plenty of levayos on Motzei Shabbos, r”l.

Late erev Shabbos, and the news still comes in. Ben Shalom found, dead. Dovi Steinmetz found, dead. Yossi Cohen found, dead. Donny Morris found, dead. There was little hope of those who still haven’t found their loved ones. Searches were on for a young boy, his mother hoping he was just drained and fell asleep somewhere. But no, Eliezer Yitzchok Koltai, dead. The horror, the tragedy, the heartache. As I lit the Shabbos candles, I davened and cried and davened and cried. It’s Shabbos. We are not allowed to cry. Let’s be upbeat. And then our guests walked in for the seudah. White like ghosts sitting on the couch. Each one telling us their story. One bochur was holding onto the wall for dear life. Trying to jump and climb it and luckily, with

Those eyes, that smile, that depth – each one looked so holy and special.

the help of a police officer, got out. Another one describing someone right near him had died over his shoulder. He was sure he was next and said Shema. He was carried out on a stretcher and miraculously was fine a few minutes later. Stories of friends who miraculously made it out. And stories of friends who did not. We had a beautiful shalosh seudos on Shabbos with twelve bochurim who were doing what Yidden do, keeping Shabbos and singing and hoping and davening. I was scared to check the news on Motzei Shabbos. More levayos. I went to the levaya of a bochur, a chosson, Menachem Knoblowitz, z”l. A levaya without family, who will be there? I got there and had just missed it. There was a big crowd that was melave him. So many people came and were asking, did I miss the levaya of Menachem Knoblowitz? I was sure they were relatives or friends. I asked if they knew him, and they said no. No family, yet one huge family, Yidden of all types, and the crowd kept growing as the levayos continued. Next, the levaya of a 16-year-old boy (Eliyahu Cohen, z”l, from Beitar) and then the levaya of

Elazar Gepner, 52, son, husband, and father of a large family. The next levaya at 12:30 a.m., a newly married English man, Moshe Bergman, 24. Location: Rechov Zichron Yaakov, that very same street that Thursday night we were all standing by the fire and singing and dancing to the live hook-up in Meron. Once again, the street was blocked off, this time for a levaya. There were thousands of people standing there. So many men and lots of women. Some who were friends, some who were relatives, and so many strangers. It was so surreal. I felt the vibe of achdus once again that I felt on Lag B’Omer. As we were waiting, the crowd was saying Tehillim – what a powerful moment it was. And then the levaya. More heartbreak. More greatness. Another incredible Jew I never knew. It’s 3:00 a.m. and tomorrow is another day of mourning. Sunday, the levayos of the American bochurim, Dovi, Yossi, and Donny. I had my own family to tend to and a family simcha so I joined the other levayos via livestream. It was so painful and so moving. Hearing about each one’s greatness. I was alternating between two screens at once, the levaya of Yossi Cohen, z”l, and Donny Morris, z”l, happening at the same time. Trying to soak in the messages of what each one stood for. It’s so great, it’s beyond us. We can only try. As the day goes on, more and more stories are coming to the surface. More and more miracles of survivors. Stories of Hashem’s people, acting as angels trying to save others.

t was so moving watching the crowds sing, “Ani ma’amin…b’vias haMoshiach” at Meron moments before the catastrophe happened. And then hearing it sung by friends outside the Shamgar funeral home during the tahara of Yossi Cohen. And the third time on Har Hazeisim at the commencement of Donny Morris’s burial. It’s so painful. It’s overwhelming. Yet we are resilient, more resilient than we know. It’s OK to feel this pain. It hurts. But let’s fill ourselves with hope. Hope for the future of Am Yisroel, hope for Moshiach. Tragedy has an interesting way of bringing us together. As I look at the pictures of each korban, I see the chein, the beauty in each soul. I wish I can be there with those families that are mourning and hug them and be with them. Then I wonder, had I seen this boy before would I have noticed him? Had I seen this man would I have noticed him? Every Jew has that chein of their neshama shining through. Sometimes it’s hard to see because my own glasses are dirty and sometimes it’s hard to see because they are covered in dirt, but it’s there. I don’t know what Hashem wants from us and we each have to do our own introspection as to “L’mah? for what,” rather than “Lamah? Why.” But what I do know for certain is that if we make something of this tragedy and don’t let it slip us by, then we are closer the geulah, to techiyas hameisim, when families can be reunited, may it be soon in our days.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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UNITED TO HELP United Hatzalah Member Kalanit Taub Shares Her Experience BY SUSAN SCHWAMM

Kalanit, thank you for your time. I know that you must be reeling from the events last Thursday night in Meron. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you joined United Hatzalah. I moved to Israel 17 years ago and live in Efrat with my family. I joined Hatzalah a year and a half ago. You’ll be surprised by why I joined Hatzalah. Did you see, around 2½ years ago, a video by Nas Daily about United Hatzalah? Nas Daily makes 1-minute videos every day, and he made a 3-minute video about United Hatzalah because their response time is 3 minutes or less. I made a comment on the video saying that my goal is to someday be an EMT. After the video came out, someone told me that an EMT course was starting in Efrat two weeks later. And so, I joined the course. The course took

about 6 months and was a very intense course. So, this was your first time at Meron with Hatzalah, as there was no hilula there last year. Actually, this was the ﬁrst time in my life that I was ever at Meron. How many other United Hatzalah members were there at Meron? I didn’t see everyone, but I heard, and it makes sense to me, that there were around 500 Hatzalah EMTs there. What were you expecting when you came to Meron in the capacity as an EMT? I was at Kever Rachel a bit over a year ago, at the hilula of Rachel Imeinu, and I was expecting it to be pretty much the same – people getting stepped on, people fainting,

people not feeling well. At Kever Rachel, someone I treated was diabetic and hadn’t eaten the whole time while she was waiting to get to the tzion, so that’s what I was expecting to see. In Meron, most of the time, I was in the ambulance. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the layout of Meron, but they don’t allow private cars to come all the way to the tzion. There are a bunch of diﬀerent parking lots – it’s all super-organized – all around. People park their cars and then walk up to the kever. You can have people fainting in the parking lots or while they were walking on the side of the road because they couldn’t get a bus, people can feel sick or be dehydrated. The need for medical response is not just at Meron itself but also on the road to Meron and the parking lots around. I was in the ambulance, and we were going around to diﬀerent park-

ing lots based on where the medical need was. When the call came out for help, we were right by the entrance to Meron, we were not actually in Meron in the center of things. We were actually right by the command post. What was the call that went out? We actually got a call that a building collapsed. As we were going up the hill, we were hearing that there’s a CPR ongoing, then two CPRs, then three CPRs…by the time we got to the top of the hill – which didn’t take too long – we were hearing that there were ﬁve ongoing CPRs, which is really not typical. At a really bad accident, we’ll have one or two CPRs. Hearing that – ﬁve CPRs going on – sounded like this was going to be intense and big and catastrophic. We got to a point with the ambulance which was as far as we could

The Jewish Home | Home OCTOBER 29, The Jewish | MAY 6,2015 2021

go. The rest we needed to go on foot. The driver of the ambulance told me to find someone who is injured and bring them back to the ambulance so we can transport them to the hospital, if needed. So four of us took a backboard and ran through the crowds down the hill (it’s on a hill and you have to go up and down through the hill), and the crowds were showing us, this way, this way. As we were running down the hill, there were stretchers coming up the hill with people holding each corner of the stretcher and a person running alongside the stretcher doing chest compressions. The staircase where the tragedy occurred let out at this little slope, 50-60 meters long, which was slick and wet with water. As we were coming up this slope, there were bodies lying on the side of the slope. People were saying – the term used in the field of someone, unfortunately, already declared dead is X – so people were saying, these are already Xs – sadly, they had passed way. As we were running, we were not the only ones coming to help with a backboard. There was a row of six or seven before us holding stretchers and backboards, running to the scene. Border patrol soldiers were putting people on stretchers. When it was our turn, they put a body on the stretcher, and we went down to this clearing area by the bleachers so we could work on the person. We put the person down and started giving chest compressions and CPR. Everywhere you looked, the whole area, was filled with more and more people giving chest compressions and CPR. There were 20+ CPRs ongoing at the same time. It was an overwhelming feeling. What were you thinking at the time? One of the things that was going

through my head at the time was that I don’t see anyone injured. All I’m seeing are chest compressions; all I’m seeing is CPRs. When you’re training to become an EMT and during training while you are an EMT already, they always tell you to ﬁrst treat the people who are severely wounded because those are the people you are most likely to save. But there were no wounded. All I saw was CPRs. Endless CPRs. I was doing CPR on a man and a paramedic came up to me and said,

over for me. It kept on happening. I would take over for someone, and then someone would come over to me to tell me that the previous person had passed away. Ten people in a row. It was devastating. Everyone we did CPR on didn’t make it. There was nothing to do for them. It got to the point that I looked around, and no one was doing CPR anymore. Everyone around us on the ﬂoor had passed away, unfortunately. It was so sad. We moved the bodies and covered

“I don’t even know if I can convey the magnitude of so much death in one place.”

“I’ll take over. You go to the next person.” I went to the next person to take over – generally after two minutes someone takes over for you, if possible – and he was sweating. He was probably doing CPR on this man for a long time. It’s very exhausting to do. But everyone was doing CPR on diﬀerent people, so there was no one to take over for him. But I went to him, and I took over for him. But then, a short while later, the paramedic came over to me and told me that the person he was working on didn’t make it and that he would take over for me and I should take over for someone else. And so I did. I went to the next person. And a short while later, the paramedic came and told me that the person he was working on didn’t make it, and that he would take

them and lined them up one after the other. What a terrible sight. What was your feeling at all this horror? As EMTs, we’re trained that when you respond to a call, you don’t have feelings. Any feelings or thoughts you have, you put to the side. You just think of what you need to do. And what I needed to do never ended. I’m also a member of the psycho-trauma unit at Hatzalah. So, after the crisis, after we realized that the people had died and when everyone injured had been taken away, there were many people in Meron dealing with severe psycho-trauma. Remember when I told you about the people running up the hill with stretchers? You have thousands of people who were severely trauma-

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tized by seeing bodies and seeing CPR performed. I spent around three hours walking around the site, going up to people, asking if they’re OK, if they need help. Most of the people responded that they were OK, but I came across people who were incapable of answering me. They were in shock from what they saw and needed help from a psycho-trauma perspective. I tried to help them to function again – basic things like being able to call family members. Some people were crying in hysteria. Some people were just staring oﬀ into space because they were so traumatized. I probably treated around 100 people just from a psycho-trauma perspective. People who were frozen in place and unable to function. Some people were laying on the ground in fetal positions. The whole time when we were walking around, we kept on hearing announcements on the sound system. Zaka had a huge tent set up in Meron, and it became the place to take all the kids who were separated from their parents until they could be reunited with them. So, as we were walking around, the whole time, you heard, “Mendy, six years old, dressed like this, looking for his father, lives in Jerusalem.” Or “Chaim, age 8, from Bnei Brak, looking for his father.” One name after another, after another, non-stop, playing on the loudspeaker – all these kids who were separated from their parents. Pure chaos. Can you give us a timeline of the events? The call came out for help around 1 a.m. By about 2 a.m. there was no longer anyone to treat. Anyone injured was already on an ambulance. But from a psycho-trauma perspective, I was treating people until 5 a.m. And

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after I left, there were people there helping people and treating them. Most of the people there, I can guess, were traumatized by what happened. It was chaos. It’s nothing you ever expected to see. I always imagined that, at a mass casualty event, I would be treating injured people. But here, all I saw were people performing CPR, and none of them were successful. One person, after another, declared dead again and again and again. You look around the courtyard, and not one of the people there did we merit to save. In reality, they were already dead before we tried to save them. As an EMT, all you want to do it save people. And we couldn’t. It’s a really hard feeling that you want to save lives and you can’t. You must be dealing with your own trauma. One of the things I love about United Hatzalah is that they’re very aware that it’s traumatizing to involved in these events. On Motzei Shabbos and on Sunday, in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Petach Tikveh, Haifa, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Elad – all around the country – they had meet-ups with EMTs and psychologists to help you talk about what you saw and to process it. You’re not alone. You’re not the only person to experience this trauma. Normally, by a mass casualty event, you have a meet-up of everyone who was there, but usually they all live in the area. But this was such a large scale, nothing like it, and everyone came from all over Israel to help at Meron, so they needed all these meetings around the country. The people who came to these meet-ups weren’t just EMTs. There was a woman there who was not an EMT but she said she heard an EMT asking for oxygen and all the other

EMTs were busy, so she brought a bag over and brought him oxygen. And then he put a mask on the person’s face – this person was injured – and he showed her how to squeeze the bag to help with the oxygen. She had no EMT training, but there was a need and so she helped. These meet-ups were open to anyone who was there who helped to treat the victims and felt like they needed a group counseling session afterwards. Were the police involved in helping at the site as well? Yes. The Border Patrol is part of the police. They were handing us the

thing at the scene. And she did it. The little things that people did to help – a spontaneous support staﬀ, in a way. Everybody who was there in the courtyard worked together to save lives. But it was such a devastating feeling to know that we weren’t able to save any lives of the people we were trying to do CPR on. Do they know the cause of what caused the tragedy? I have no idea. And I’ve been trying to avoid it. I’m an EMT. My job is to treat the people. My job is not to see why it happened. When I go to a car accident, people are yelling, “It’s

“As an EMT, all you want to do it save people. And we couldn’t.”

people from the staircase. Many of them are trained EMTs as well. Anyone who had any basic training was helping. The whole scene was everyone uniﬁed to do whatever they could to save as many lives as possible. That was the feeling I felt at the scene – everyone was doing whatever they could to save people’s lives – whether you were the police or Hatzalah or you were the woman who had no training who was there just to help. There was one woman – I have no idea who she was – but what she did was so useful. She took a 24pack of water bottles and she handed water bottles to people so they could drink as they were working on people. That also was a very necessary

his fault,” “It’s his fault,” and I say, “I don’t care. My job is to help you medically.” I’m here to treat the people. My goal is to save lives. It’s not about the “why.” Is there a way to enjoy Meron on Lag B’Omer in a safe way? Honestly, I don’t know. I will say this: everything was livestreamed. There were cameras livestreaming everything. It’s scary to be in a place with crowds like that. In a way, the safest place to be is to watch it from afar. When there are crowds, people push and shove – that’s normal. People faint, they’re stepped on, they have panic attacks. But disasters can

happen. Even if I can, in the future, go to Meron as an EMT, I wouldn’t want anyone from my family to go. And I’m not just talking about Meron – I’m talking about any mass gathering on that scale. It can be very scary. I’m sure you’re reliving that night. You know, the people who passed away, who we were working on, they just looked asleep. They didn’t look injured. One thing I’m thankful for: I didn’t treat any kids. But the people I treated, it is so tragic. Their lives were cut short. I refuse to look at the pictures of those who passed away. I don’t want to. I don’t want to see who I did CPR on. It’s too hard. It’s not just a picture of a random person. This is a face of someone who passed away and I was there when it happened. A lot of the people who I spoke to didn’t understand the magnitude of it, despite the fact that they followed the news. I don’t even know if I can convey the magnitude of so much death in one place. Someone was describing to me that he was at Versailles Wedding Hall when the building collapsed. At that time, they took out the bodies from the building one at a time, but here, all the bodies were there at once. It was very traumatic. A huge tragedy. Kalanit, we are all reeling from the tragedy. This was a once-in-a-lifetime, horrifying event for Klal Yisroel. I appreciate your time and I appreciate you sharing your experience with us. Thank you for all the work you do to help Klal Yisroel. May you continue to have strength to be there for others, and may you continue to do good work for Am Yisroel.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

How to Help Yourself and Your Children Through the Tragedy in Meron By Dr. Norman N Blumenthal

We have all heard of the tragic circumstances that have unfolded in Meron, Israel. We all join together in grieving over the loss of life and with heartfelt prayers for those who have been injured. While in no way diminishing our worry and concern, it is essential that we and our children process the information in a fashion that promotes love and concern without undue trauma and destabilization. The following are some general guidelines offered with a full awareness that responses to tragedy are as varied and unique as we are as individuals.

General Considerations: • During airplane safety instructions, we hear that you should take oxygen for yourself before your children, so you’re better able to help them. So, too, in this tragedy. Parents and teachers should address their own worries and concerns before trying to help their children • Traumatic events especially close to home or community have to

varying degrees a “secondary” impact on all of us. • Many well-adjusted adults and children will feel tense and upset, especially with photos so readily available today through online media. This is very normal and speaks to our connection with others. • Oftentimes, the most effective antidote to derailing your fear is to discuss your thoughts and feelings

with others. Merely speaking about our emotions and fears makes them more manageable and contained. • Those who have loved ones in Israel or a history of past trauma are likely to feel or experience such troubling thoughts and associations more deeply, • Activities including prayer and charity can diminish one’s self of helplessness during periods of mishap and tragedy. • It is probably ill-advised right now to point accusatory fingers or look for culprits. • Both adults and children with pre-existing anxiety or comparable conditions are likely to experience more intense responses. So too may intellectually gifted children or those with much interest and curiosity about world events. • In contrast, no one should feel

critical of themselves or others if their reactions are more unemotional or subdued. Just as we differ in so many ways, some people are by nature more rational or stoic

Pre-School-Aged Children • At this age in particular, they should be insulated from the often graphic depictions available via the internet. • Children under the age of 6 will have an awareness of tragedy but a more limited understanding of its scope. • Children these ages often do not understand death, especially its permanence and finality. • Their awareness of worry and distress in the adults around them may evoke fear about their own safety and security. These children may also express their worry through mis-

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

conduct, sleeplessness, and physical complaints. • Assure them that such events are not occurring in their immediate surroundings and will not directly affect them or their family. Describing such occurrences as “rare” is often of limited utility for children whose world is so small and circumscribed. • Be as careful about your tone of voice and body language as your words. Children these ages are often more responsive to non-verbal communication than ideas. • Firm and contained assurances of their personal safety and that of their immediate family should be enough.

School-Aged Children • School-aged children have a more realistic understanding of death, the idea of occurrences that are “rare,” and the geographical distance of the events under consideration. • They can also understand the enormity of suffering and feel for the

bereaved, injured and their families. This can be a teachable moment to nurture sympathy and care for others. • It is fairly typical for schoolaged children to be interested in small and even gruesome details of these events. This is not a sign of a callous disregard. • They are also more prone to look for culprits or foes and may need to understand that this was not an attack or action with evil intent. • Children in general, but in this age in particular, sometime respond to sad or shocking news with distraction and disregard. They may return to the adults even days later with more pointed expressions of concern and worry. • Elementary school-aged children who are by nature more active and impulsive may respond to such news with unrealistic expressions of bravado or jocularity. Without being critical for what is their nature, patiently convey to them the seriousness that is more appropriate for such a tragic event.

Adolescents • Adolescents certainly comprehend the enormity of this tragedy. • Developing a more mature capacity to relate and empathize, they might even be overly dramatic in their new and sophisticated capacity to internalize the pain and suffering of others. This is more likely to occur if they are actively communicating and commiserating with friends through social media. • It is not uncommon that children these ages need to be reminded how to balance their concern for others in a more temperate fashion. • Adolescents would be most likely to struggle with the appearance of injustice of such suffering. They might pose the unanswerable question of “why bad things happen to good people.” This may emerge all the more so since the victims were participating in a religious and spiritual celebration. • If such questions are genuinely motivated and worrisome, it is perfectly acceptable to commiserate, dis-

cuss, and allow them to develop a tolerance for questions and events that are beyond human comprehension. • Such heart-wrenching news is also an opportunity to remind our children that it is not always helpful to spend too much time viewing the graphic and relentless photos and information on the internet and social media. As previously indicated, it is impossible to predict everyone’s unique response to tragedy but we hope that these guidelines allow for more targeted and helpful coping. If further assistance is needed, please feel free to contact Ohel at 800-6036435 or Dr. Blumenthal at norman_ blumenthal@ohelfamily.org.

Dr. Norman N Blumenthal is the Zachter Family Director of Trauma and Crisis Intervention at Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services.

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MAY 6, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I am 24 years old and starting to date. The reason I started “late” is because I spent my post-sem years in recovery for an eating disorder that took up my entire life literally and

figuratively. I can honestly say I am in a very healthy good place right now, and excited, and ready for marriage. I want to put myself out there but here is my dilemma: Recovery from my ED is a huge part of my life, and I can’t imagine starting a relationship without talking about it to the guys I meet. From what I have been told though, in order to get good guys to go out with me, I should keep the ED quiet and only discuss it on a 3rd or 4th date. I really do not want to hide something that has impacted me in such a huge way. In a way, I want to put something about it on my shidduch resume just so I do not get hurt by someone for it. This way, they will just read it and reject it if they are not interested. What do you think? Lauren*

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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The Panel

The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

auren, I truly respect your openness and your appreciation of the effort you have put into your recovery. You sound proud, and you should be! You dug deep within yourself and dealt with vulnerability and personal issues in a sustained effort to get to the healthy place where you are now. I am assuming that you have discussed your readiness for dating with your therapy team. It is true that the general advice given to people who have struggled is to share this early on in a dating relationship. The third or fourth date is popular among mentors and coaches. It is felt that that is when you have gotten to know each other a little but are not yet deep into it. Nonetheless, this is a very personal decision. I hear that you feel that this is a key part of who you are now and you want to bring it up earlier. That makes sense since you want the young men you date to get to know you, and you are ready to share early on. I would encourage you to take this on a case-by-case basis. See how the dating goes and what feels comfortable and safe for you. Not every boy can handle this very early on. Why make this a policy? Dating is about exploring one another. It’s personal and differs from experience to experience. Making a firm rule now may not be best for you. Putting the information on a shidduch resume is another story. It is broadcasting your private information to the community. What will that accomplish for you? Unfortunately, people attach labels of all kinds, and there is a lot of stigma in the shidduch scene and beyond. You may want to explore this further with your therapy team. You

mention the possibility of being hurt. Talk about that. It will help you decide how and when to share this information with a young man. You are almost there. Hatzlacha.

cial and worked-through self, and tell your story a couple chapters in. Hatzlacha!

The Single The Shadchan Michelle Mond

hank you so much for writing in! Your journey has undoubtedly been an emotional road but I would like to take a practical approach to your letter. While many people go through challenges that shape who they are, no one would encourage those challenges to be spelled out on a shidduch resume. The reason for this is, while your challenges have certainly molded you into the person you are today, these challenges do not define you. A resume’s purpose is to state facts; a date’s purpose is to find out about your journey and essence. Lauren, your letter shows how scared you are of rejection, and I don’t blame you. Rejection is not fun, but it surely is a big part of growing up and life in general. You do not have to spell out your life story on a first date. Would a book be considered for publication if the entire story was summarized on the front page? The same is with you and your story. Give someone time to get to know you before you go into your past struggles and journey. Not everybody deserves to know your story; it will take someone special who appreciates you to be zocheh to hear all about such an intimate and private thing. I am in no way endorsing hiding anything – if references are asked about your history, they should be open and honest. From your standpoint, however, show up as your spe-

Rivka Weinberg

ow, Lauren, kol hakavod! I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult your journey must have been, and I want you to know that I am truly proud of you. There are two points which I would like to touch upon. The first is the idea of rejection, and the second is your resume. Dating is an extremely vulnerable activity. We step out of our comfort zones and put ourselves out there with the hopes of being accepted. At times, it’s a scary and overwhelming process. To avoid the pain of rejection, many times, as humans, we point out what we believe makes us different before others have the opportunity to do it first. However, in shidduchim, it’s crucial to know that when a person says no to another individual, he or she is not taking a shot at the character or personality of the other person. The goal of shidduchim is to find the person with whom you believe you can build a healthy and enduring relationship. With that said, if a person says no to a shidduch, it’s because there is a belief that the healthy and enduring relationship cannot be built. You deserve to be with someone who is excited to be with you and looks forward to building that awesome relationship together. So, step 1 is to realize it’s not a personal attack on who you are and your life experiences, rather it’s simply not a good match. Second, always remember that everyone has their own “stuff.” Our life experiences shape who we are and play an integral role in how we

We step out of our comfort zones and put ourselves out there with the hopes of being accepted.

present ourselves. Throughout the process of building a relationship, we walk into vulnerable waters and reveal the events that contributed to our growth as individuals. While your eating disorder and recovery journey play a large role in who you are today, you are not your eating disorder. Your journey has allowed you to uncover various strengths and overcome challenges, giving you specific life perspectives. I think it’s important for you to go on dates and channel those strengths and skills you have developed to show the guy who you are today. What currently remains with you now are the lessons you learned from the experience, not the experience itself. With that said, I recommend each person ask a shayla regarding their specific information and at what point it should be shared. I am not a rav and I don’t know the details of your situation, so I cannot tell you exactly what that point is, but I don’t think it needs to be written on your resume. You should display those powerful lessons and ideas through your personality and general conversation on the date. Finally, I wholeheartedly disagree with whoever told you that in order for you to “get good guys” you must keep your eating disorder quiet. The guy you will marry will appreci-

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ate and value every part of you. He will understand that the experiences you went through made you into who you are today. Someone who is not willing to hear your story or cannot handle the complexity of it is not your husband. Hashem has already hand selected your zivug, so don’t worry about not “getting the good guys.” Your great guy will come at the right time, with Hashem’s help.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

ongratulations to you on your recovery. It takes a tremendous amount of strength, intelligence, and persistence to overcome such a serious challenge. You are right to be proud of your accomplishment and wear it as a personal badge of honor. You cannot pretend that it never happened. When to tell potential boy-

friends about your Eating Disorder (ED) history is an excellent question. Here are my thoughts: First, is your ED recovery really the most important, defining aspect of your character? Remember that you are a multi-faceted individual with many positive traits and abilities. Before disclosing your ED history, you might wish to first see if you and the young man share certain goals, aspirations, and interests. Second, let’s assume that a potential date would feel perfectly comfortable going on a first date with you, despite your disclosing your ED history on your resume. The problem here is that young men are often advised by mothers, friends, or shadchans who may have a much more shallow understanding of what you went through. He may not ever get to go on that first date with you because the folks he respects might advise him, “No.” Third, it’s easy to understand how you would wish to pre-screen

any young men who simply could not accept your history. Why go through the aggravation of dating a few times, only to be rejected when he learns of your ED? I don’t really know if that is, or is not, a good idea. But, consider this: In parallel fashion, let’s think about a young man who might be the very best, most wonderful, potential match for you. But, is it possible that you, yourself, would refuse to even go on a first date, if you knew, ahead of time, that he is in recovery from alcohol addiction, or that he used to smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, or that he was once expelled from high school? Fourth, you need to ask yourself, what would be the purpose of discussing your ED on a very first date? Is it because you want his help with your recovery? Or, do you simply want him to be aware of your history? If you want his help and support, it’s unreasonable to expect it when he hardly knows you at all; if you simply want to inform him of your ED, what

Our life experiences shape who we are and play an integral role in how we present ourselves.

would be the point if, after one or two dates, you discover that you have nothing in common and will never see each other again anyway? Finally, your question, or your dilemma, does not have a simple, definitive answer. You have to do what makes you comfortable. My own opinion is that you should discuss your history only after you think that the young man is willing to learn about eating disorders and how to support your recovery.

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

ear Lauren, Thank you so much for writing into our panel! Firstly, please let me congratulate you on your recovery. It ta kes herculean emot iona l strength to live with an eating disorder and equally as great, if not even more, to go through recovery. Wow! Wow! Wow! I’m also so glad that you wrote in so that anyone who battles an eating disorder knows that they are not alone and that there is help and always, always, always... hope.

Not one for games or rules about an exact date to reveal something, I completely validate your desire and need to share this fundamental, defining part of yourself with a potential life partner. I want you to visualize your life partner. Close your eyes and imagine how you will feel around him. Does he make you feel safe, confident, secure? Does he value you as a person? Does he know everything about you and love you

because of it? Does he support you emotionally? Does he cherish you? Is he your best f r i e n d? C a n y ou t e l l him anything and everything? I hope so! This is how you deserve to feel in your relationship. He should not make you feel on edge, uneasy, needing to justify or explain, etc. I understand that you want guys to know about your recovery. It’s not even your recovery. It’s who you are. I really, deeply understand this. The thing is, in my opinion, not everyone will be worthy of you and your story. I don’t want you to believe for one second that you have to

hide, lie, omit or sugarcoat the beautiful Lauren that you are! I actually know that you are phenomenal and have been through hardships most people will never comprehend. You are a WARRIOR! You have slayed dragons and came out victorious! You are growth-oriented and filled with purpose and appreciation for life. There is no handbook for this, Lauren. But there is your intuition. When you start dating, you will quickly learn that some men you go out with you will feel absolutely no connection with. If that is the case, I don’t know that you will want to share any part of yourself. When you meet someone who you feel good with (remember the feelings above) and you believe he is

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worthy of learning about you, then go for it! Anyone who would reject you because of your history with an eating disorder and amazing recovery is not for you. It’s really just that simple. G-d willing, you’re going to meet an incredible man who has been on his own journey and who will support you and love you and be your biggest cheerleader. So many rules have been created that I really think it’s driven people nuts. The idea that our mental health struggles or our personal challenges are shameful is so sad. Can we finally admit that we all have

something? This is the human experience. All this pretending to be perfect and “storyless” and hiding teaches people that we are bad, wrong and disgusting. The shame so many of us carry because of the inherent message of the rules! “You aren’t worthy of love with your story.” Teryrible! Untrue! The truth is that we are beautiful, layered, multi-faceted neshamas created b’tzelem Elokim... stories, issues, mental health struggles and that weird relative no one wants to talk about, and all.... The truth also is that this pretend world of perfection is so deeply inculcated

into the fabric of shidduchim, I’m not quite sure what it would take to stop. So, people keep playing the game to stay in the game. I understand. It is the people who go around hurting others, with zero selfawareness, who have what to feel ashamed about. And those are usually the people who never do! A person such as yourself, who has faced an inner battle and surthrived (I learned that word from my friend and colleague, Dr. Jennifer Wolkin) should be lauded and celebrated! You didn’t just survive. You are thriving! SURTHRIVED.

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I am using this column as my soapbox. Never, ever, ever, ever feel ashamed of who you are! If someone is telling you to feel ashamed, do not believe it! When we enter a relationship carrying shame and holding secrets and not revealing, it typically does not bode well. Our partners have a right to our honest truth as well. If conversation gets “real,” on dates 1 or 2 and you’re feeling like this is a good guy worthy of story, I say, go with your gut! Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. 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.

va c a t I o n

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Dr. Deb

Lessons from Meron By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

’m heartbroken. I cried. But I’m also terriﬁed. What’s next? I thought HaKadosh Baruch Hu was giving us a message in 2020. Some message that I’m not sure exactly what, but something about paying attention to Him. Not forgetting that He runs the world. It seemed that maybe “the world” needed that. But what did we do? Aren’t we His chosen people? Aren’t we His beloved? He saved us so many times in past wars with our surrounding enemies. What is His message now that He took the lives of people celebrating the end of the plague that Rabbi Akiva’s students suﬀered from? People who went to Meron with holy thoughts? To be near the holy Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai? How is it possible? And when it’s unfathomable, it becomes terrifying. I cried as so many of us did Thursday night. We went into Shabbos crying, though we’re not supposed to. Frightened, confused, and terribly sad. Again, we’re hit. When will it end? But you know what? If there’s one thing I’ve learned from dealing with my own past griefs, it’s that asking questions about G-d’s intentions are not a good use of my time and energy. We don’t know and will never know why G-d chooses to do something to us. Sometimes we look back at a bad thing and see good come out of it. Rabbi Akiva laughed at the fox roaming the site of the burnt Beis Hamikdash because he saw that from such a scene of total destruction, only rebuilding and beauty could come. There would be no oth-

er option. But it takes a Rabbi Akiva to see it that way. Much harder for me. So even thinking optimistically doesn’t help me. I don’t see the good in the lost lives (although Israelis

It seems to me that there is no other choice. There is nothing else I can do but recognize the preciousness of my life so that I live it well. That’s it. I have to put the terror of what’s

There is nothing else I can do but recognize the preciousness of my life so that I live it well.

claim that the dangerous area of the Meron hills created a catastrophe waiting to happen, so perhaps the authorities will wake up and do something to save even greater numbers of future lives). Well, I’m stumped. If asking why and searching for the good in the bad – having that ayin tov – are not the answer, then what is? For me, it has to mean going on and giving my own life the meaning that I can give it.

next aside because that won’t help me function; that will hinder the very objective I’m aiming for. But how do I do that, exactly? Feelings are feelings, right? The reality for me is that as I’ve lost a husband and grow older myself, I deeply feel my own mortality. I suﬀered with it the year after he died, and then, slowly, I started to feel normal. Until Covid hit and I realized that “normal” was gone forever. But the sunshine seemed to be

peeking out a bit for 2021. Until Lag B’Omer. I’d been waiting for Lag B’Omer too because I missed my music. And even though I’d shut the app down in my phone, for some reason, when I turned on the car’s audio, the music would start up. I was very annoyed at it for doing that. “Don’t you know it’s sefirah?” I would ask no one in particular. But at last, I would be able to listen to my much-missed music. And then I didn’t feel like it after the news came. So I decided there was no reason to be terrified any more. I will die. We all do. We just conveniently forget. Because, after all, who wants to remember that? I’m (reluctantly) embracing that truth so that I can really live. I don’t know if that was the message G-d meant; it’s not for me to figure that out. But I can certainly interpret what it means to me: Make every day – no, every second – count. That’s my personal lesson. Be who you were supposed to be. And, after the period of grieving lifts, be happy. Make sure of that. Whatever that takes. What will make you truly, deeply happy, at a soul level? Then do that thing. I’m left with grief, but I’ve removed the terror. Eventually, I know (from experience), the grief will pass, too. And while I’m living through that, I want to fill myself with purpose. Because life is clearly too short.

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.

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Health & F tness

From Bland to Bold By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

he first week of May is National Herb Week. Most of us have herbs hidden away in the back of our spice cabinet somewhere that may get pulled out occasionally to add to a recipe. Herbs take the flavor of your food from bland to bold. Since we should be limiting salt in our diet, herbs are a great way to add flavor to food while simultaneously getting many health benefits. Herbs and spices contribute delicious taste, zest, and color to food without adding salt, fat, or sugar. Cooking with herbs and spices is also a great way to introduce a variety of flavors to children while helping foods look more appetizing. The terms “herbs” and “spices” are often used interchangeably and are sometimes referred to as “seasonings,” however, they are quite different. Herbs are the leaves of low-growing shrubs such as parsley, cilantro, chives, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, and more. Herbs can be purchased fresh, dried, or frozen. Spices come from other parts of the plants and trees such as from the bark, roots, buds, seeds, berry, or fruit. Spices include cinnamon, ginger, onion, garlic, cloves, black pepper, paprika, and so much more. Here’s more of the commonly used herbs which offer great flavor and health benefits: Dill: Dill originated in the Mediterranean and southern Russia. Dill has a nice amount of beta-carotene which promotes eye health. Dill also has antibacterial properties and helps settle the stomach. However, dill loses its nutrients when cooked so it’s best to use dill in fresh foods or foods cooked at low temperatures. Dill is a key ingredient in pickles and is great in cucumber salad, eggs, potatoes, fish, dips, and dressings.

Mint: Mint is also popular in Mediterranean, Moroccan, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Mint has a sweet, cooling effect on the palate. It is commonly used to alleviate digestive issues and reduce nausea. Mint can range from mild spearmint to strong peppermint. Since mint is not so common in the U.S., many simply enjoy mint in their tea, however, mint tastes great in dark chocolate, desserts, and in meats, if you’re adventurous. Rosemary: Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean. Rosemary has a high concentration of the antioxidant carnosol and has shown to have benefits in cancer treatments. Rosemary tastes great with roasted meats and potatoes.

flavor which you either love or hate. If you love it, like I do, you’ll find yourself throwing cilantro into just about anything, primarily salads. Basil: Basil is a staple in Italian cuisine and pairs well with cheeses, tomatoes, pasta, eggs, garlic, and fish. Basil has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It’s actually used as a medicinal herb in parts of Asia. Parsley: Parsley is a staple in Middle Eastern and Moroccan foods, however, it’s probably familiar to many Americans as well. Parsley can be used in many dishes

Herbs and spices contribute delicious taste, zest, and color to food without adding salt, fat, or sugar.

Thyme: Thyme and rosemary complement each other in many recipes. Thyme has generous amounts of vitamin C which helps boost the immune system. Similarly, swishing thyme water around your mouth can help treat gum infections. Vitamin C is essential for gum health and healthy teeth. Thyme adds great flavor to soups, meats, roasted chicken, fish, mushrooms, tomatoes, and potatoes. Cilantro: Cilantro is commonly used in Thai, Indian, and Mexican cuisine. Cilantro has a lot of vitamin A which promotes good eye health. Cilantro has a strong and smell and

especially fish, soups, and salads. Parsley tastes especially good with lemon and garlic. Parsley is also a key ingredient in juices these days. Parsley has a ton of Vitamin K –50% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and anticoagulation. Additional ways of adding flavor to foods are using seasonings, rubs, and marinades. Seasoning blends include a mixture of spices and herbs such as seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, and taco seasoning. Rubs are a mixture of spices and can be wet or dry. Wet rubs

usually have a bit of oil or other moist ingredients such as mustard or a sauce. Dry rubs are mixtures of several dry spices and herbs that are rubbed into the surfaces of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables. Marinades are used to add flavor and tenderize meats and poultry. They generally contain herbs and spices, oil, vinegar, ketchup, mustard, or barbecue sauce. Most of these herbs are not only delicious when added to dishes. When combined together, they make a scrumptious bundle and blend of flavors. As seen above, you can mix herbs with other herbs or mix herbs with spices and sauces. Be adventurous and add new flavor and variety to your menu with herbs. You don’t have to get fancy. Using herbs can be as simple as adding mint to lemon water. All herbs are packed with vitamins, minerals and most are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which help fight disease and promote overall good health. So, pull put those herbs from the back of your spice cabinets and get started. Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @ EatBetterandFeelBetter.

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Parenting Pearls

Celebrating You As a Mother By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

e are officially approaching the day when the entire country takes a few moments to appreciate the maternal figures in our life. I say maternal figures because I don’t think that Mother’s Day and the role of motherhood is reserved only for those who have given birth or directly raised children. There are many women who step into the role to provide for a child, and they, too, deserve to be acknowledged. Throughout this article I refer to all these women when I use the term “mother.” Being a mother is such a large role in a person’s life that it’s really hard to discuss this in an article. We buy flowers, chocolate, or some other treat and include a little note but truly this never does justice to someone who has made us, and our children, into who we are. Still, it’s important to take the time to recognize our mothers, and ourselves, in some small way. Making time in your busy life and finding ways to allow your mother (and self) to enjoy nachas is probably the biggest thank you any of us can give. I will take this moment to publicly thank my mother for all she has done for me throughout the years. I know I’m not the only one that felt they could never be the mother their own mother was to them. I would also like to take this moment to acknowledge the woman I never met but made my husband into

the man he became. Though I’ve never met her, we are forever connected.

Make Time for Yourself Mothers are people, too – just don’t tell the kids because they won’t believe you. Make time for yourself to recharge your batteries. I don’t mean only on Mother’s Day but on a regular basis. You have a herculean job that requires massive emotional and physical strength. You can only do this when you are up to the task. Find something that will help you destress and that can realistically

like a BOGO sale. It’s easy to say we don’t need time or we’re too busy, but the time you give yourself will pay itself back in energy and emotional strength later. You can only give your children from what you have to offer.

You’re Human Again, don’t tell the kids. You will make mistakes. We all make mistakes. It can be very upsetting as a parent when we do the wrong thing. Sometimes, we snap at a child who didn’t deserve it, accuse the wrong

Seeing how much they glow from your pride can only make you enjoy it more.

work into your schedule. A trip to Hawaii may help many of us recharge ourselves but may not be practical on a weekly basis. Mothers, and everyone, may also benefit from trying to find enjoyment in the small pleasures throughout the day. It’s surprising how much you can enjoy a hot drink, a good book, or anything relaxing when you take the time to appreciate it. If you’re already doing it, you might as well get the extra bonus of making it a way to enjoy some extra calm. Think of it

child of something, or respond inappropriately to a hurt child. The examples are endless because parenting is a 24-hour job that lasts for decades. Don’t believe that 18 years nonsense. It’s impossible to be on the job fulltime, even when sick, and not err. It’s not ideal but it’s reality. The truth is all parents learn on the job and that means we learn as we go and grow from our mistakes as part of the natural process. In my humble experience, the two steps after making a mistake are per-

sonal forgiveness and introspection. Beating yourself up and feeling terrible is generally not effective. I guess taking a few minutes to feel horrible won’t do much damage, but after that, you want to accept a mistake was made and do what you can to move on. Kids are surprisingly resilient, and Hashem made the world in a way that mothers will make mistakes. The first step is to forgive yourself, and move on. It’s easy to feel guilty and tempting to feel terrible about yourself but it’s not ultimately productive. Making yourself feel bad can actually be counterproductive. Feeling pathetic, helpless, and like you can’t do anything right will more likely make you a worse parent in the long-run. Forgiving yourself, accepting that we all make mistakes, and allowing yourself to think more clearly can bring you to step two and making the best out of an error. When you have peace of mind, try to see what caused the error and what you could have done differently. This can make a real difference in parenting and is the second step in what needs to be done. It’s easy to keep making the same mistake repeatedly, but it takes great internal strength to see what changes can be made to be more successful the next time. Don’t be afraid to ask for outside assistance. We can’t do everything ourselves, and sometimes we need a little extra help. Whether it’s a friend, relative or neighbor, there are many

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people who can offer advice or practical, hands-on help. If you see that you’re struggling with a particular child, issue, or making the same mistake constantly, then there is no shame in getting professional help – whatever that may be. I can’t tell you how much I’ve personally benefited from the wisdom of others; especially when I was beginning my journey into motherhood. I am truly grateful to all the women (and men) who informed and inspired me along my journey. There is so much wisdom and knowledge out there that it’s a shame to not gain from it. It is just my personal opinion but I think that parents can apologize and acknowledge when they’ve wronged a child. I personally feel that it can help a child heal, and it teaches an important lesson to your child, as well. It might be embarrassing for a parent to admit they were wrong, but often the child already knows they were wronged and you’re not hiding anything by not admitting it.

The author’s parents, Mr. Abe and Mrs. Judy Alper, with their children

Recognize When You Succeed Parenting is an incredible and overwhelming job full of challenges. It’s hard to take a step back sometimes and reflect. Allow yourself a few minutes to enjoy when things go well, even if they only go well in some small way. We’re often quick to criti-

cize ourselves but reluctant to accept the joys of success. There are so many times that we can step back and enjoy the nachas. Success leads to success, and after all the efforts mothers make, they should enjoy what they’re building. Use it to propel you further and add a little more contentedness to what can often be a completely un-

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appreciated job. Additionally, allow your children to know when you’re proud of them. Seeing how much they glow from your pride can only make you enjoy it more. I won’t deny that children in some age categories may not always take as kindly to parental praise but most children will. Often, these children do enjoy the praise from behind their scowling face. When a child knows their parent is proud of them, it makes them only want to do it again. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone. Mothers may get more kvetching from their kids than praise but know that what you’re doing is building a future. Nothing is more important.

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 RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

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Lessons From My Mother Local women leaders share the life lessons that they learned from their mothers

Sally Lasker, a"h BY MYRNA ZISMAN MY mother, Sally Lasker, a”h, was a very unique woman. Her quick wit and intelligence made her a force to be reckoned with. Her devotion to both religion and education were exemplary. An avid reader, she always encouraged my siblings and me to always have a book in hand. She would tell us, “If there was time to spare in your day, always open a book and read.” She also told us that it is never too late to learn. My mother did not attend college post high school, but the yearning to graduate from college was always there. She fulﬁlled her dream by graduating from Touro College at age 69. People say I look like my mom. I hope I inherited her genes. She lived until the age of 98!

D Toby Schwartz, a”h BY RACHAYLE DEUTSCH AS parents, we spend a lot of our time advising our children – trying to impart wisdom gained from our own experiences that will help carry them more safely and wisely through life’s journeys. As children, unfortunately, we don’t always have the patience and sense to listen to and absorb our parents’ messages. I learned so much from my mother about being joyful and grateful, but I didn’t fully appreciate her approach to life until after her recent passing, a”h. There is something she

frequently said that only now hits me with its clarity and beauty. Whenever my mother would receive a compliment, especially about her children, she was always quick to say, “I had a good partner in Hashem.” In this way, she constantly acknowledged Hashem’s presence in her life and His benevolence. Although I heard these words often, it didn’t register with me until recently what emunah my mother had, and I’m sure that is why she was able to go through life – and not always an easy life – upbeat and with a smile. At times, it is so diﬃcult to be positive, to remember that we are not alone, and to give credit for our accomplishments to a Higher Power, but she was always able to do this. I am so grateful that I can continue to learn from her, even now.

D Helen Katz BY RACHEL PILL, LCSW I would be honored to write about the lessons I have learned from my mother. I am so blessed to have been given my mother, and I know that she is an incredible gift. My mom (Helen Katz) has taught me to love unconditionally – that children are each special and deserve to be loved and respected for who they are. My siblings and I are each so diﬀerent, and my mom has always loved us for who we are – not who she thinks we should be. My mother has always believed in me and let me know that I could do anything as long

as I was kind and respectful of myself and others. I try very hard to live my life in this way. I work hard to love my kids unconditionally and to make them feel as safe and loved as I have always felt.

D Rebbetzin Jackie Wein, a"”h BY REBBETZIN SORI TEITELBAUM THIS Sunday is my mother’s 15th yartzheit. So timely! I will be giving a shiur in Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst on Shabbos in her zechus. My topic is the beautiful teﬁlla of Nishmas. My mother was all about seeing the positive in every person and in every situation. I remember one Shabbos morning a woman who was known to dress a bit d i ﬀer ently came into

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shul in a hideous dress. All the women started whispering to each other about her and snickering. My mother turned to me and simply said, “Doesn’t she look beautiful in that color?” My mother was so quick to give a genuine compliment to all of us who were blessed to be in her life. When she passed away suddenly, I decided right then and there to try to emulate her positivity. I have found that it’s truly a more beautiful world when you see all the good that is clearly there in every single person. I think I have become a better teacher because of this outlook as well. When we were sitting shiva for my mother, every woman who came in said to us, “You know I was your mother’s best friend.” How special that she had the ability to make each person feel like they were her best friend. Indeed, she role modeled for all of us who knew her how to treat others and live a beautiful and positive life!

D Judy Handelman BY REBBETZIN AVIVA FEINER MY mother taught me ﬁrst and foremost to love and be loved. Above all that everything that we have to love comes from Hashem! Our home was always open and our family expanded to welcome many a Riverdale sojourner at our table. My mother, albeit not the shul rebbetzin, gave her rebbetzin daughters good training as her vivacious smile and warm people person skills welcomed any newcomer to our shul. My childhood memories of being sick contain vivid visualizations of a

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smaller me, lying in bed, listening as my sisters go oﬀ to school, as I languished in my pajamas drinking tea and graciously feeling sorry for myself. “I’m too sick to get up and daven” would be my earnest kvetch to my wonderful, doting mother. Her rhetorical response, completely in line with her honest and straight Yekkishe upbringing was, “Do you think not davening is going to make you better!?” My mother, zol zine gezunt, Judy Handelman, made Hashem an ever present One Who Loves us and cares. Thank you, Imma!

the most of everything. This is the person I grew up watching daily. I sometimes do things in my life and think to myself, “I am so lucky I am able to watch and learn from her.”

D Bernette Clarke

ABOUT three years ago, when my family moved to the Five Towns, it was during my year of aveilus for my mother. Pa ssi ng away suddenly, my mother, Diane Weiss, left her family in shock and despair. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her or miss her – especially now that my baby carries on her namesake. What always impressed me about my mother is that she truly loved all Jews. She didn’t care about religious aﬃliation nor economic lifestyle, but rather showed each person true kindness and dignity. I endeavor to keep her memory alive with my children and hope they will continue her legacy and treat all Jews with ahavas chinam and ahavas Yisroel.

BY LEANNE TAYLOR I grew up as an only daughter with two younger brothers. Growing up, my mother was my best friend; I went to her with every issue and problem and she always knew how to help me. Unfortunately, I do not live close to her now but I am the way I am today because of her and my father. She is a warm and outgoing person with a huge personality. Everyone who meets her within seconds feels close to her. Our home growing up was a place where everyone felt welcome. Our front door was literally never locked unless we were on vacation. I take for granted the way I grew up, and when I think of my home now, it is similar in many ways. Back then, it was just the way we lived our lives. I would come home from school and never know who would be sleeping on our couch or eating from our fridge. It was a place that everyone – no matter their background – felt comfortable. My mother would be still in the kitchen cooking at 10 or 11 p.m. at night depending on who was there visiting just because she loved entertaining and hosting others. My mother lives her life for other people and will give the shirt oﬀ her own back to help others. I tell my children all the time, “If someone needs your help, you have no choice but to help them. Hashem has sent them to you as an opportunity, and we must take it and not let someone else get the opportunity.” This lesson wasn’t taught to me by my mother; it is just the way she is. She leads by example; it runs through her veins. My mother is the busiest person I know and always tells me, “If you need something done ask a busy person.” She is a positive and happy person and will always make

D Diane Weiss, a”h BY REBBETZIN SARA HOPKOVITZ

D P hyllis Katz, a”h BY REBBETZIN ROOKIE BILLET MY mother, Phyllis Katz, a”h, was a woman of excellence. A short paragraph can’t possibly encompass her constant teaching, but here goes: Mom used to emphasize “learn something new every day.” She spoke about and modeled loyalty to family, taking a leadership role, and also being a team player. “Your good name is more important than anything,” she would say. “Don’t put oﬀ until tomorrow what you can take care of today.” Mom always sent a handwritten thank you note, shared her brilliant smile with everyone, was a great listener and a wise advisor. “Read, write, think before you speak or act.” “Use words to heal and not hurt.” “Look after the underdog.” “Find favor (chein) and good sense (sechel tov) in the eyes of G-d and the eyes of Man.”

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D Sandra Weinrib BY DEBRA L. WEINRIB WHILE many mothers are quick to say “eat your vegetables” or “always wear clean underwear,” as I get older and watch my life unfold, I have come to see the most valuable wisdom my mother imparted is not about broccoli or even good hygiene. In fact, in just about every aspect of my life I am guided by her words, echoing Dory of Finding Nemo fame: “Just keep swimming.” She is always inspiring me to believe I can do anything if I try…as long as I don’t give up when it gets hard. While never being unrealistic in her expectations of me, she has quietly given me the strength to face the challenges life has thrown my way by insisting I keep moving forward. I am fortunate to have been given a confidence built squarely upon the belief she’s always had in me. Of all the many gifts, this belief in myself has probably proven to be the most important. It was not predicated on a flimsy false narrative of simply dreaming or wishing my way out of any problem. Rather, it was tempered with a get-up, roll up your sleeves, get to work and get the job done attitude, while smiling and not ever bemoaning your fate. On the other end of whatever had to be done, she is always there, “sooo proud” of my achievements. I think every child needs that perfect combination – a solid foundation of believing in themselves and a cheerleader squarely in their corner. With her love and guidance, I truly see that rolling up your sleeves, facing challenges with a smile, and believing you can make a difference in your own circumstances really can have a profound impact on your life and the lives of people around you.

D Denise Karasick BY REBBETZIN YAEL WILLIG AS I am getting older, I am hearing more and more that I am becoming my mother (mostly due to the similar hairstyle), and to me, that is the biggest compliment. I aspire to carry myself with the same dignity that I see she inherited from her mother and grandmother. All those who remember my great-grand-

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mother, a”h, and who know my grandmother use the word “digniﬁed” to describe them. My mother optimizes this quality in the way she carries herself and the way she is able to balance and prioritize her family, chessed, and personal growth. My sisters and I all look up to my mother as a superwoman who is involved in every community chessed, is knowledgeable in so many areas, and continues to learn and grow, while making time for children and grandchildren. I learned from my mother to get up early and ﬁll the day productively. I learned to connect to grandparents and my mesorah and to focus on raising the next generation. I learned how to daven and to love Eretz Yisrael. And most important, I learned to be the best version of myself that I can be.

D Rebbetzin Tzirel Kamenetzky, a”h BY REBBETZIN SHANI LEFKOWITZ EVERYONE knows the expression: behind every g reat ma n, there is a greater woman. In the Five Tow ns, my f a t h e r, Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky, zt”l, is a legend. He built the Five Towns community, but in truth, it was my mother, Rebbetzin Tzirel Kamenetzky, a”h, who stood quietly but had a strong hand and helped my father and encouraged him to do his work and allowed him to become successful. My mother brought up our family on a small island on Barnard Ave. She guided us with tough love, yiras Shamayim, and ahavas haTorah. She worked tirelessly, collecting tzedakah for the poor in Israel. People hesitated to tell her they were going to Israel because she always had checks to be delivered to certain addresses. She was my role model in her uncompromising Tora h values and the customs of her parents, yet she embraced

love and understanding for everyone she met. She was loved and beloved by the entire community. Truly, a mother to anyone she met.

D Ethel Korn, a”h BY REBBETZIN MARGIE GLATT MY mother taught me to giggle. Think Lucy Ricardo who never took herself too seriously and you can imagine a younger Ethel Korn, a”h. Her frum, Pittsburgh-born parents raised Mom in a loving, warm home. After Stern College where she met my Dad, Mom was free to run her own household with laughter, silly games, and a unique personality that made others attracted to her. An intelligent woman who worked full-time as a reading-specialist, my mother found that people have the best stories of all. She loved meeting others and playing practical jokes but would make fun of herself more than anyone else. At times, she’d ask us if she was even “mother-ish” enough. Of course, her own grandchildren were her greatest joy, as she loved to spend time playing with them. Mom is gone now for more than eight years, unfortunately, but “Bubby Korn” stories of her attitude and ageless adventures delight my grandkids now, and she lives on in their laughter and hearts.

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In The K

tchen

Dulce De Leche Apple Cobbler with Butterscotch Crunch By Naomi Nachman

With Shavuot around the corner, I am starting to gather all my dairy recipes to help with my

menu planning. This recipe is a traditional apple cobbler with a burst of flavor from the dulce de leche, which is a caramel confection from South America prepared by slowly heating

sugar and milk over a period of several hours. It’s a winning combination of flavors. Don’t forget to serve it with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients APPLE MIXTURE b 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed b ½ cup sugar b 2 teaspoon cinnamon b 1/8 cup ﬂour b Juice of 1 fresh lemon b ½ cup dulce de leche

COBBLER TOPPING b 1 cup sugar

Preparation 1.

Mix all the apple mixture ingredients except the dulce de leche and place in an oven-to-table dish.

2. Drizzle the dulce de leche over the apples.

b ½ cup canola oil

3. Mix all the cobbler topping ingredients in a bowl with a fork until crumbs form. Place on top of apple mixture.

b 4oz butterscotch crunch (available at your local kosher supermarket)

b 1 cup ﬂour

Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

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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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country. It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different discrimination. And it’s wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present. -Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) delivering a rebuttal to President Biden’s first joint address to Congress

Intolerance so often comes from the left with words like “Uncle Tim” … being used against me. And last night what was trending in social media was “Uncle Tim,” and they doubled down on this concept of liberal oppression. It is stunning in 2021 that those who speak about ending discrimination want to end it by more discrimination. Maybe you go home and kiss your grandmother and wind up killing your grandmother. - Gov. Cuomo – who is responsible for the deaths of thousands in nursing homes – criticizing those who don’t get the vaccine

I actually feel quite young. On a good day, I feel like I’m 40; on a bad day, 50.

- Sen. Scott responding to some of the vile hatred spewed against him on Twitter and social media

The left has doubled down that they are going to – not attack my policies – but they’re literally attacking the color of my skin .- Ibid

- 97-year-old British-Israeli Walter Bingham who earned the Guinness Record for world’s oldest journalist, in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency

A lot of people think I’ve given up my childhood or somehow lost it, and I say to them that I’m having the time of my life. - Mike Wimmer, 12, of North Carolina, who is graduating from high school and college this week, after taking online courses over the past year

Today marks the end of President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office…and to celebrate the occasion, last night Joe Biden delivered his first address to Congress. Yes, for hundreds of years, Joe Biden has sat and watched other presidents give speeches to Congress, but now it was his turn. — Trevor Noah

We do feel that our biggest contribution to reducing our carbon footprint is, of course, not having children. - One of the climate activists that YahooLife spoke to for an article titled, “As climate anxiety builds, these women are choosing to not have children”

It’s uncomfortable. It’s a long journey. You might not come back alive. We won’t make anyone go. Volunteers only. - Elon Musk in a recent interview about his plan to send people to Mars within 20 years

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A third of people under 35 say they’re in favor of abolishing the police. Not defunding – but doing away with a police force altogether.… Thirty-six percent of millennials think it might be a good idea to try communism. But much of the world did try it. I know, millennials think that doesn’t count because they weren’t alive when it happened. Abolish the police? And the Border Patrol? And capitalism? And cancel Lincoln? No, I get it. The problem isn’t that I don’t get what you’re saying or that I’m old, the problem is your ideas are stupid. If you say, “Let’s eat in the bathroom and [relieve ourselves] in the kitchen,” yeah, that’s a new idea, but I wouldn’t call it interior design. – Bill Maher, HBO

As you know, it’s very early. But I think people are going to be very, very happy when I make a certain announcement. – Donald Trump, in an interview with Candace Owens, when asked if he plans on running in 2024

The Capitol took center stage tonight [for Pres. Biden’s address], and I got to be honest. It was nice to see someone behind the podium who wasn’t wearing deer antlers and a pelt.

Unfortunately, that is now the go-to attack for Democrats. They accuse anyone who disagrees with them on any issue of being a racist. And they use language that is just incendiary. It’s inflammatory, and they’re deliberately playing on racial divisions in our country. They do it on issue after issue after issue.… You know, people talk about playing the race card – it is the only card they have in their deck, and so that’s their standard attack. And D.C. statehood, their push here, is part of a broader effort. We have Democratic control of the White House and both houses of Congress, and their number one priority — it’s not COVID, it’s not vaccinations, it’s not reopening jobs, it’s not getting kids back in school, it’s not doing anything substantive — their number one priority is they want to stay in power forever. - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

— Jimmy Fallon

We welcome you back to planet Earth, and thanks for flying SpaceX. For those of you enrolled in our frequent flyer program, you’ve earned 68 million miles on this voyage. - SpaceX’s Mission Control as four SpaceX astronauts splash-landed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday

We will take those miles. Are they transferrable?

The CDC is a thoroughly politicized agency. Most Americans disregard their advice on things like steaks and hamburgers and beers. Increasingly, they should disregard their advice when it comes to school reopenings. – Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark)

[Masks are no longer required outdoors.] On the bright side, now we can stop weirdly opening our eyes to greet people on the street. — Jimmy Fallon

- SpaceX commander Mike Hopkins in response

This is a salary to terrorists paid for with our tax money. - Dick Morris, Newsmax, talking about President Biden restoring $235 million in funding for Palestinians

MORE QUOTES

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He should resign. I’ve been saying this for months. He can’t continue to lead. Nursing home scandal…assault scandal, using his staff to write his book, I mean, it’s just – it doesn’t end. He just has to go. - New York Mayor Bill de Blasio talking about Gov. Andrew Cuomo on MSNBC

Ask the people of New York what they think about the mayor of New York City, and I’ll second their opinion. - Gov. Cuomo in response, during a press conference

The city is beginning to recover, but selfdescribed anarchists who engage in regular criminal destruction don’t want things to open up, to recover. They want to prevent us from doing the work of making a better Portland for everyone. They want to burn, they want to bash. - Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who for months supported ANTIFA rioters in Portland, changing his tune and asking for the riots to stop

The first 100 days of the Biden administration have been great for the cartels, the gangs, human traffickers who had been exploiting the border. – Texas Governor Greg Abott (R)

From rustic to modern or traditional and refined, we custom build your new American made furniture to fit your style. We offer hard maple, authentic American reclaimed barn wood oak, walnut, elm, pine and birch options. Visit our showroom to design your new custom solid wood furniture. @therusticloftny

@therusticloftny

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Political Crossfire

John Kerry Must Be Investigated for the Zarif Tape By Marc A. Thiessen

ews that former Secretary of State John Kerry may have shared classified intelligence with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif about Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in Syria has elicited yawns from the media and among congressional Democrats. The revelation (which Kerry denies) was buried 22 paragraphs deep in a New York Times article about a leaked audio recording of Zarif. According to the Times, Zarif said that “Kerry informed him that Israel had attacked Iranian interests in Syria at least 200 times, to his astonishment.” Democrats have rallied around Kerry, while the press has all but ignored or dismissed the controversy. But it was a very different story four years ago, when a media firestorm broke out over news that President Donald Trump had shared details of an Islamic State plot with Russian diplomats during an Oval Office meeting. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate’s second-ranking Democrat, called Trump’s actions “dangerous” and “reckless.” Then-Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., accused Trump of risking “the lives of Americans and those who gather intelligence for our country.” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., then-vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Twitter, “If true, this is a slap in the face to the intel community. Risking sources & methods is inexcusable, particularly with the Russians.” It turned out that Trump did not reveal sources and methods to anyone. The Times found out that Israel was the source of the intelligence from “a current and a former American official familiar with how the

United States obtained the information.” Former CIA director John Brennan later said that “the real damage that was done is what was leaked in the aftermath, what was put in the

Iranian forces in Syria.” Some, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have defended Kerry by saying that this intelligence was in the public domain by the time Kerry

Now that it is Kerry who stands accused, the silence from Democrats is deafening. media” – not what Trump said to the Russians. Moreover, as a sitting president, Trump had full declassification authority. As secretary of state, Kerry did not – and certainly not after he left office. If he shared classified intelligence with an Iranian official, it would be a serious offense. We don’t know for certain what Kerry told Zarif, or when he told him. All we have is Zarif’s word that “it was former U.S. foreign secretary John Kerry who told me Israel had launched more than 200 attacks on

allegedly disclosed it (in contrast to Kerry’s blanket denial). This seems implausible, since Zarif says on the recording that he was astonished by what he claims Kerry revealed. Perhaps Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani kept Zarif out of the loop on Iran’s intelligence about the Israeli strikes. But how could he keep him in the dark about published news reports of Israeli strikes against his own country’s targets in Syria? It is likely that what astonished Zarif was not the fact of the strikes,

but the significant escalation in Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. In July 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was caught telling world leaders behind closed doors that Israel had struck Hezbollah dozens of times in Syria in remarks that were accidentally transmitted to the ear buds distributed among reporters. After this inadvertent disclosure, the head of the Israeli air force confirmed in August 2017 that Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the previous five years – adding, “Happily, this goes on under the radar.” It was not until a year later, in September 2018, that Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz publicly acknowledged that there had been 200 strikes in the previous two years. This jump in operational tempo is what seems to have taken Zarif by surprise. So, if Kerry revealed that Israel had carried out 200 strikes before September 2018, he was sharing still-classified intelligence about an intensification in Israeli military strikes with an official of the target country. That would be a significant transgression. Four years ago, Senate Democrats demanded an investigation of Trump’s alleged disclosures to Russia. But now that it is Kerry who stands accused, the silence from Democrats is deafening. The Iranian foreign minister has said he learned this intelligence information from Kerry. That cannot simply be ignored. Democrats have a responsibility to conduct oversight over the Biden national security team. Kerry should be called to Capitol Hill to explain under oath what he said to Zarif – and when he said it. (c) 2021, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

Biden’s Speech was Pandemic Political Theater By Marc A. Thiessen

ast Wednesday night, Joe Biden delivered both the most expensive, and least attended, presidential address to a joint session of Congress in modern American history. There is a reason for both milestones: His speech was pandemic political theater designed to justify a miasma of government spending. The House chamber is usually packed to capacity when the president speaks. But Wednesday night, only 200 people were allowed in to watch Biden’s address. Why? Every member of Congress has had the opportunity to be vaccinated. So have the president, vice president and House speaker, as well as Cabinet officials and Supreme Court justices. They could have filled the House chamber with an audience of fully vaccinated officials. So why were seats roped off to ensure social distancing? Why were the attendees wearing masks? Biden’s own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance clearly stating that “fully vaccinated people can: Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.” While other CDC guidance cautions against large events, that does not contemplate events where every single person is fully vaccinated. By filling the House chamber with vaccinated people, Biden could have sent a message to millions of Americans who tuned in to watch: The vaccines work. Because we are vaccinated, we are having a normal joint session of Congress. And if you get vaccinated, your lives can return to normal

again, too. Why didn’t Biden listen to his own public health oﬃcials? Why didn’t he follow the science? Simple. To have a normal address would have signaled that a return to normalcy is at hand – that the corona-

trillion) and his new “American Families Plan” ($1.8 trillion). That comes to $6 trillion of actual or proposed spending in his ﬁrst 100 days. No president has tried to spend so much, so quickly, since the founding of our republic.

Why didn’t Biden listen to his own public health officials? Why didn’t he follow the science?

virus crisis is reaching its end. But Democrats need the crisis as a pretext for all the government spending Biden outlined Wednesday night. In his speech, Biden touted his Covid-19 relief package ($1.9 trillion), his infrastructure plan ($2.3

Democrats know that they will never get bipartisan support for that much spending. They know that with a 50-50 Senate and a six-vote majority in the House, their hold on power is precarious – and they have a limited window to ram through as

many of these initiatives as possible. So they are going to try to pass as much of it as possible using the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to pass fiscal legislation with no Republican votes. And the only way to justify that is to paint Republicans as obstructionists who are impeding Biden’s principled response to a pandemic emergency. That is why, unlike in his inaugural address, there was precious little talk of unity or bipartisanship in Biden’s speech. On Inauguration Day, Biden promised to put his “whole soul” into uniting the country. Wednesday night, he promised to put his whole soul into ramming through a progressive wish list in the name of vanquishing the pandemic. A lot of Biden’s priorities will never become law so long as Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., stay resolute against eliminating or weakening the legislative filibuster. You can’t raise the minimum wage, or federalize our elections, or add two Democratic senators by making the District of Columbia a state, or pack the Supreme Court, or restrict gun rights through the budget reconciliation process. Biden needs 60 votes in the Senate to get anything done other than raising taxes and spending taxpayer money. So tax and spend are what Democrats plan to do. And if a bunch of vaccinated public officials have to put on a show of wearing masks and social distancing on television to make it happen, so be it. (c) 2021, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

Biden’s 100-Day Repair Job By David Ignatius

resident Joe Biden’s first 100 days in foreign policy have been more about undoing than doing – fixing the messes he inherited but not yet building a new strategy. Meanwhile, a restless world is testing Biden, pushing at the margins, and it won’t wait long for answers. The best snapshot of Biden’s disorderly world is the global threat assessment presented April 14 by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Director William J. Burns. It’s a worrying document, summarizing intelligence that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea “have demonstrated the capability and intent to advance their interests at the expense of the United States and its allies.” The report is 27 pages of bad news. Our adversaries perceive a weakened America and are pressing to take advantage. China sees an “epochal geopolitical shift” away from the United States and is preparing to fight wars in space, at sea, and on land. Russia, as usual, is weak in everything except “new weapons that present increased threats.” Iran “will take risks that could escalate tensions” in the Middle East. North Korea “will be a WMD threat for the foreseeable future.” Biden’s response has so far mostly been a repair job, understandably so. He wants to retreat from vulnerable positions such as Afghanistan and strengthen defensible ones such as the security relationships partnerships with Japan and India. He seeks to restore the international partnerships the Trump administration had trashed – from NATO to the Paris climate accord. Most of all, he wants to rebuild the U.S. economy as a platform for American power. Nobody loves a superpower in decline. Countries around the world are wondering how far they can push Biden’s America. Chinese diplomats

lectured their American counterparts in Anchorage last month. Russia provocatively moved troops to the Ukraine border. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have secret back-channel contacts with Iran, even as they request more U.S. weapons. As Biden enters his second 100 days, he needs a clearer strategy for

the head of Moby Group, the biggest media company in the country, told me last Tuesday that this scenario is unnecessarily bleak. Afghanistan won’t simply collapse back into the dark ages of Taliban rule. “The Americans don’t realize they’ve transformed a whole nation,” Mohseni argues. He rattles oﬀ some

Countries around the world are wondering how far they can push Biden’s America.

projecting power. I’m not talking about starting new “endless wars” but about working better with countries that are willing to ﬁght for themselves. Let’s start with Afghanistan, where Biden is moving quickly to withdraw the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops. I’ve been worried that we will leave behind a country that will implode under a Taliban onslaught, requiring “cold hearts and strong stomachs” as a desperate population pleads for help. But Saad Mohseni,

statistics: The population is now 50% urban; 80% of the people watch television; 70% have a mobile phone; the literacy rate has gone from 10% in 2001 to more than 50% today. If Afghanistan gets through the ﬁrst bloody months after America’s departure, the Taliban will have to make concessions, he contends. That’s the bet we should make, with money and training and other support. Iran is another country probing at the margins. Biden has seemed in his ﬁrst 100 days to be rushing back into

the nuclear deal that President Donald Trump abandoned. Rejoining the agreement makes sense, but it isn’t an Iran policy. Biden should think bigger – and push back at a bullying regime that’s unpopular at home and feared abroad. Why not start in Lebanon, with a hefty investment to rebuild a strong Lebanese Armed Forces that can finally reduce Hezbollah’s power? Qatar is said to be ready to bail out the Lebanese financial system; a new government, at U.S. insistence, can begin tackling corruption; and an American-financed and -trained Lebanese military can gradually restore sovereignty. Finally, there’s the “great power competition” problem of Russia and China. OK, so let’s compete. Russia figuratively banged its shoe on the table (as the Soviet Union did in testing the new President John F. Kennedy) by moving troops to the Ukraine border, but after public and private warnings from Washington, Moscow pulled back. Chinese diplomats were icy in Anchorage, yet they don’t want a hot confrontation, either. America’s high card is technology. We’re still leading that race, but China is gaining. The smartest thing Biden can do is invest in owning the high-tech future. Social spending for an already overheating consumer economy can wait. Even after the Trump wrecking ball, America is still the global convener. That was obvious with last week’s virtual summit on climate change, attended by both Chinese and Russian presidents. Biden has shown in Afghanistan that he understands the limits of U.S. power. The challenge for the next 100 days – and beyond – is to remind ourselves and the world of this country’s strength and staying power. (c) 2021, Washington Post Writers Group

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Forgotten Her es

Prince Philip: Friend of Israel By Avi Heiligman

nti-Semitism was rampant in Europe in the years preceding the creation of Israel in 1948. The Nazis killed 6 million Jews but most of the rest of Europe countries turned a blind to the churban. This was also prevalent in the ruling and royal classes of European stratocracy. However, there were some royals that went to great lengths to help Jews survive, even though they had no support. Princesses Alice of Battenberg saved a Jewish family while her son, Prince Philip, had a distinguished military career in the Royal Navy. After the war, Prince Philip married Queen Elizabeth II. His recent passing brings back memories of one of the most pro-Jewish royals in recent memory. It is common practice for a European royal to marry another royal from another country. Alliances are formed, but the lineage and allegiances can get quite complicated as the generations progress. Prince Philip was born in Greece in 1921 to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg-,a great granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England. Princess Alice was born in Windsor Castle and married Prince Andrew in 1903. After Prince Phillip was born, the family was forced to flee Greece for France but later returned. During the Holocaust, the Nazis rounded up most of the Greek Jews. Most of them had sought refuge in Athens, but that wasn’t safe after the German occupied the city in 1943. A Jewish widow by the name of Rachel Cohen and two of her children were desperately trying to escape the Nazis and reached out to the king of Greece George II. Her husband had once performed a favor for the king, who, in turn, reached out Princess Alice. Most of the royal family had fled, and the Nazis were under the presumption that anyone who stayed was pro-Nazi. Princess Alice hated the Nazis and even told a general directly that they should leave the country.

Princess Alice hid the family until the city was liberated in 1944. She died in 1969 and in 1988 in accordance with her wishes, the British royal was buried in Israel. Yad Vashem recognized her as one of the “Righteous among the Nations.”

but Prince Philip himself was educated in England and joined the Allies. The Greek king (who happened to be a cousin) convinced him to join the British Royal Navy. Prince Philip enrolled at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth where

“She would have considered it to be a perfectly natural human reaction to help fellow beings in distress.”

Prince Philip later said about his mother, “I suspect that it never occurred to her that her action was in any way special. She was a person with a deep religious faith, and she would have considered it to be a perfectly natural human reaction to help fellow beings in distress.” While his mother was busy saving a Jewish family, Prince Philip was serving in the Royal Navy and contributed greatly to the war effort. As mentioned before, royals from different countries in Europe married each other. During World War II, this created family tensions, as some families had members with different loyalties. Three of Philip’s sisters married Germans who became Nazis,

he was awarded for being the top cadet. After completing the course, he was sent as a midshipman to serve on the battleship HMS Ramillies. For the next few months, the ship was in the Indian Ocean protecting convoys from enemy submarines and other possible threats. He was then on two other Royal Navy ships before being posted on the battleship HMS Valiant, serving in the Mediterranean theater. In March 1941, the Valiant participated in the Battle of Cape Matapan against the Italian Navy off the coast of Greece. Five Italian ships were sunk and two more were damaged by the Royal Navy who was tipped off by code breakers of the enemy’s location. However, it took more than

a computer to sink an enemy warship. Prince Philip was just 19 at the time and his job was as officer in charge of the searchlights. As his ship surprised the enemy, he opened up a search beam to light up the dark waters. They were not expecting to see an enemy cruiser, and a battle soon raged. Soon, the enemy ship sank and quickly disappeared after an explosion. Prince Philip was cited in dispatches for his actions that night and received medals for heroism. The prince quickly rose in the ranks and in 1942 was appointed second in command of the destroyer HMS Wallace. The ship was involved during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, and Prince Philip was credited with saving the ship while under a bombing attack at night. Later, he was assigned to the HMS Whelp that was stationed in the Pacific and was present during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. Upon Prince Philip’s return to England in 1946, he dated and eventually got engaged to Princess Elizabeth. He gave up his Greek and Danish titles and was given the title Lieutenant His Royal Highness Sir Philip Mountbatten. Throughout the rest of his life, Prince Philip was pro-Israel present and spoke at several Jewish and Israel events. In 1994, he made a trip to Israel to visit his mother’s grave and to accept recognition from Yad Vashem for her actions during the war. There was a ban on British royals visiting Israel so his trip was unofficial. Prince Philip passed away on April 9, 2021 two months shy of his 100th birthday. He will be remembered for his service during the war and his friendship towards Israel.

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 | MAY 6, 2021

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The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021

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Your

Money

Let’s Be Honest By Allan Rolnick, CPA

mericans love holidays – so much that if we see a blank spot on the calendar, someone is ready to fill it. Usually, it’s someone with something to sell: would it shock you to learn that something called the National Retail Federation was behind Cyber Monday? Friday, April 30, is an especially big day for so-called “Hallmark holidays.” It’s National Bugs Bunny Day, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, and National Hairball Awareness Day. (If that’s not harmonic convergence, then nothing is.) April 30 is also National Honesty Day. Author Hirsch Goldberg says he created it back in 1991 to contrast with April Fool’s Day. Of course, he did it while he was writing The Book of Lies: Schemes, Scams, Fakes, and Frauds That Have Changed the Course of History and Affect Our Daily Lives, so he might have been looking to sell something, too. If you plan on celebrating, we suggest you stay away from politicians and timeshare salesmen. You know who’s not mocking this very made-up holiday? Our friends at the IRS! The tax system relies on “voluntary compliance”: taxpayers reporting income and de-

ductions honestly. You don’t need to know math to know that could be a problem. So, how are we doing as National Honesty Day rolls around? A recent survey of 2,000 Americans by Credit Karma found that only 6% had knowingly cheated on

banks and brokers report interest and dividends on 1099s, and even casinos report jackpots on W-2Gs. The IRS probably knows most of what they need to know long before you file your return. That doesn’t make the system

If you plan on celebrating, we suggest you stay away from politicians and timeshare salesmen.

their taxes. Respondents were more likely to cheat on a test or exam (%25), trivia or another game (%20), or by taking the bus or train without paying the fare (%8). Of those who did cheat, %7 omitted cash income, %7 padded their deductions, %5 omitted tips, %5 paid someone else under the table and didn’t report it, and 3% took a chance on not reporting gambling winnings. Fortunately, most Americans don’t have much chance to cheat. Employers report salaries on W-2s,

foolproof. On April 13, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig told the Senate Finance Committee that the “tax gap” — the difference between what taxpayers owe and what they actually pay — could be as high as $1 trillion per year. The Service had previously estimated that gap at around $381 billion/year. But Rettig mocked those “official” estimates as reading like they’re “from the dark ages,” particularly in today’s era of offshore accounts, passthrough entities, and cryptocurrency.

Naturally, the IRS is working hard to close that gap. But politicians don’t win elections by raising IRS budgets, even though studies show that every extra dollar going to enforcement raises at least seven dollars in tax. So here’s one idea that won’t cost the IRS much at all. Former Commissioner John Koskinen has proposed requiring banks to report business bank deposits like they report interest payments on Form 1099. This would let the IRS verify that businesses are reporting all the income they deposit. We’ve said before that the tax code is a series of red lights (where you stop and pay tax) and green lights (where you go without paying). The tax gap represents taxpayers running red lights. But what about those who stop at green lights and miss out on legal opportunities to pay less? That’s where we come in. So call us to pay less, and enjoy a slice of cake on National Honesty Day!

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.

The Jewish Home | MAY 6, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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Life C ach

What Time Is It Anyway? Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

emember a thing called a clock? I like them. They help me know the time. And remain organized. I’ve heard that if one is of German descent, this concept is not necessarily speaking to them. Somehow, a clock serves no purpose for them because time awareness is genetically wired into their being. I’m guessing clocks might actually even be set by their inner gauge. My old friend, who said he was a Yekkie, said he had no need for a watch. In fact, he was naturally always a half hour early. I, on the other hand, always keep my watch 10 minutes ahead, just to make sure I’m on time. And my dad does something even more extreme: he keeps his watch an

And when I’m home, I’m always checking the clocks. I practically use the oven more for the time than for cooking! The other day, the cable company upgraded my cable box. My new one has no clock on it. I just realized that I used to stare at it 20 times a day. I clearly used it more to inform me of the hour than for watching any show without even realizing it. Tick-tock use to be identified with the sound of a timepiece. Today, it more likely brings to mind a popular video sharing social network. And what exactly happens on Shabbos? If people aren’t using their cellphones on, how do they know what time it is? I mean, I know it’s the day of rest, but without knowing the time, does time actually stand still?

are benefits to some of our tried and true devices. Whoops! I gotta go now. I have a client arriving at 4:30. My dad says it’s 5:40.

Which I confirm on my watch as 4:40. Which I can verify on my phone, as soon as I find it. Oh yes, here it is. Yup! It’s 4:30. TIME to go....

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

Miriam Jacobovits Photography

I practically use the oven more for the time than for cooking!

hour and 10 minutes ahead. And then just about makes it to where he needs to be on time. So how is it that people manage so well without clocks these days? Clocks seem to be less and less prevalent. And watches are almost obsolete. The new generation, it seems, resorts to their phones for everything – time included! I’m lucky if I can even locate my phone half the time. I certainly wouldn’t want to let it be responsible for getting me places on time. My watch is integral to me knowing the time.

G-d exists above time, but we don’t. Therefore, we still need some way of knowing. I guess our choices are: Memorize the positions of the sun and the moon. Hangout with a friend of German heritage. Install some clocks around our houses. Or, to make it easy, get yourself a watch. For those who don’t know what that is – it’s a band on your arm that reports the time. So WATCH out, things may be ever-changing, but sometimes there

CALL OR TEXT 347–572–8973 INSTAGRAM: MIRIAMJACOBOVITSPHOTOGRAPHY

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Five Towns Jewish Home - 5-6-21

Articles inside

Your Money

What Time is It? by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Biden’s 100-Day Repair Job by David Ignatius

Biden’s Speech was Pandemic Political Theater by Marc A. Thiessen

Notable Quotes

John Kerry Must Be Investigated for the Zarif Tape by Marc A. Thiessen

The Aussie Gourmet: Dulce de Leche Apple Cobbler

Lessons from My Mother

From Bland to Bold by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD

Parenting Pearls

Jennifer Mann, LCSW

Thoughts on Meron by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

How to Help Yourself and Your Children Through the Tragedy in Meron by Dr. Norman N Blumenthal

United Hatzalah Member Kalanit Taub Shares Her Experience

Profound Pain by Udi Lieberman

World Builders

Delving into the Daf

The Wandering Jew

Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

Centerfold

Odd-but-True Stories

National

Global

Free Birds by Rav Moshe Weinberger 7