Five Towns Jewish Home - 11-23-17 by Yitzy Halpern

November 23, 2017

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

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

DAVID A. ADLER

The Power of Being Observant See page 7 & 13

Around the

Community

One Israel Fund Celebrates the 50 Year Miracle

SHIFTING A PARENTING PARADIGM

63 Darchei Torah’s Siyum Hagadol Lights up the Night

The Value of Being Positive pg

Why Palestinian Delusions Persist

58 Rebbetzin Wolowik Honored by Assemblywoman Miller – See page 3

SEASONS LAWRENCE

330 Central Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559

Page 97

by Daniel Pipes

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

g n i c u d o r t In Join now for members only benefits! Starting at $99 a year SELECT only specials & offers

Free shipping for online orders

it Us Online at Vis

seasonskosher.com to

en!

p Now O

Sig

! y a n Up Tod

the

family

BALTIMORE • CLIFTON • LAKEWOOD • LAWRENCE • QUEENS • SCARSDALE • MANHATTAN •

COMING SOON!!

CLEVELAND, AND

LAWRENCE

CEDARHURST

SHOP 24/6 SEASONSKOSHER.COM • INFO@SEASONSKOSHER.COM

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

PASSOVER 2018 OUR 60th YEAR

6 Spectacular Pesach Destinations

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

BOCA RATON, FLORIDA

A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT

Arizona Biltmore

Boca Raton Resort & Club

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

PGA National Resort

• Condé Nast Traveler, 2016 Gold List Top Arizona Resort • 8 heated swimming pools • 7 Tennis Courts • Two 18 hole championship golf courses • Fantastic Scholars-in -Residence • Professional Day Camp • Haute gourmet cuisine by VIP Ram Caterers • International Kosher (IK) Glatt Kosher Supervision.

• Gorgeous half-mile stretch of Private Beach • 2 Championship Golf Courses • 30 Clay Tennis Courts • Enjoy the exciting Surfing Simulator • Fantastic Scholarsin-Residence • 40,000 sq. ft. World Class Spa • Exceptional Cuisine by Mark David Hospitatlity • International Kosher (IK) Glatt Kosher Supervision.

• Entire Hotel Kosher for Pesach • AAA 4-Diamond Resort • All Rooms Have Private Balconies • 5 Tournament-Ready Golf Courses • 19 Har Tru Tennis Courts • Fantastic Scholars-in-Residence • Delectable Cuisine by Foremost Ram Caterers • ORB Glatt Kosher Supervision

FLORENCE, ITALY

FIUGGI (ROME), ITALY

RYE BROOK, NEW YORK

Four Seasons Florence

Entire La Villa building Kosher for Pesach • Luxury 5-star resort • Hotel set amidst a 350,000 sq.ft. botanical garden • Gourmet cuisine by Michelen rated Four Seasons chefs • Daily services, outstanding lectures & children’s program • Glatt Kosher Supervision by Rabbi G.M. Garelik

Grand Hotel Palazzo Della Fonte

• Entire Hotel Kosher for Pesach • Member of the Leading Hotels Of The World • Haute Italian Cuisine • Beautiful spa, indoor & outdoor pools • Free daily shuttle to Rome • Daily services, outstanding lectures & children’s program • Glatt Kosher Supervision by Rabbi G.M. Garelik of Milan

Hilton Westchester

• Entire hotel Kosher for Pesach • Only 30 minutes from New York City • Hotel beautifully renovated • Spectacular lineup of Scholars-in- Residence • Fantastic entertainment & daily activities • Professional day camp • Exceptional cuisine by Prestige Caterers • ORB Glatt Kosher Supervision

LEISURE TIME TOURS www.leisuretimetours.com info@leisurett.com

718-528-070 0

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Introducing Full Service Travel + Planning We’ve helped thousands of customers use their travel miles and loyalty points to book flights, hotel accommodations, and car rentals. In fact, we’ve been so successful at maximizing mileage and minimizing travel costs that our customers have repeatedly asked us to provide even more travel services.

So due to popular demand, we’re excited to introduce PEYD36! Now in addition to helping you optimize your travel miles, PEYD360can also handle every aspect of your travel needs: from hotel and car rentals, to creating a 360-degree itinerary that works with all of your travel requirements. We navigate through all of the tedious and time-consuming travel planning details, so that you don’t have to.

Whether you need help with your travel points or travel plans, or whether traveling for business or pleasure, PEYD360will help you go further, faster, for less.

646.801.PEYD (7393)

getpeyd.com | info@getpeyd.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

it’s not an official Jewish holiday. But the lesson of being appreciative and grateful is so intrinsic to Yiddishkeit. After all, don’t we wake up in the morning and start our day being modeh, acknowledging and appreciating that Hashem has returned our souls to us? Don’t we stop myriad times a day to appreciate and thank our Creator as we eat our cereal, sip our coffee, finish our sandwich, wash our hands, and leave the bathroom? If we really stepped back and thought about what we were saying we would realize that we are the most appreciative people out there! As Jews, appreciation and gratitude are constant concepts in our minds. Yes, Thanksgiving comes once a year. And yes, most of the holiday is spent deliberating turkey and touchdowns. But if it gets people to acknowledge all the goodness that they have in life it is worth it. Perhaps they are not fortunate to have words of appreciation perpetually on their tongue. Tuning into gratitude for one day a year...well, it may be a very short amount of time, but – thinking positively here – at least it’s a start.

s I get older I am more grateful for certain things. I am certainly more cognizant of what I have and what I am thankfully not lacking. It used to be that when people wished me health, I nodded and thanked them but didn’t really register the enormity of that blessing. Now, as I look around and see what people are going through, I know how vital that bracha truly is. And it’s not just in the area of health that I recognize this blessing. It’s really in every area in life. When we’re young we don’t appreciate the miracle of having a family, a job, and a place we can call home. But time and life has its way of showing us others who are lacking in those areas – and then, and sometimes only then, do we realize that what we have is a miracle. Training ourselves to be grateful requires that we do just that – training. It is so easy to find the negative in every situation. It’s so easy to be dour, ungrateful, bitter people. But why? Why do we have to see a negative in every situation we find ourselves in? There’s so much good – and yet many times we fall back into complaining mode. I know that some schools don’t teach their students about Thanksgiving because

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Berish Edelman Mati Jacobovits Design & Production Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857 Classifieds: Deadline Mondays 5PM classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | November 24 – November 30

Friday, November 24 Parshas Vayetzei 24

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy/Wind

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

49° 45°

55° 39°

44° 35°

46° 41°

55° 46°

57° 42°

48° 38°

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

Sponsored by

eretzhachaim.org

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

42 NEWS

Global

National

Odd-but-True Stories

ISRAEL Israel News

The Battle for Be’er Sheva by Rafi Sackville

Why Palestinian Delusions Persist by Daniel Pipes

PEOPLE David A. Adler: The Power of Being Observant by Tammy Mark

Jeep: Built for World War II, Still Around Today by Avi Heiligman

110

PARSHA Rabbi Wein

Passionate Dependability by Rav Moshe Weinberger

JEWISH THOUGHT Laus Deo by Eytan Kobre

Searching for Inspiration by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

HEALTH & FITNESS Can Bad Habits Really be Broken? by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

Dear Editor, It was very sad to read in the last week’s “Navidaters” about a young lady of just 37 who already gave up on shidduchim. She is so young and there are definitely so many options if she really wants to get married. For example, there are often kohanim who find it difficult to find a shidduch at this age, but who otherwise don’t have any major chisronot. (I know one such wonderful man who works with me as a programmer, though he would be too old for this woman as he is in his fifties). There are many other options to try, i.e. different states, different countries. Indeed, for this reason I want to recommend a site: shidduch.org where we have shadchanim and shadchanot from all over the world. The site is free and some shadchanim (including myself) don’t charge either, but others do charge a modest fee in case of a successful shidduch, so this lady does not lose anything if she registers. If she does she can specifically send me a message and I will bli neder look into her profile. Chaim Sunitsky

Eating Healthy to Fight Dementia by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN 96 Shifting a Parenting Paradigm by Eli Perlman, LCSW

Dear Editor, Your dating column this week in which an older single discussed

her dashed hopes of ever getting married painted a painful portrait of what many people in our community are going through. I do, though, believe in miracles. I know of some “older singles” who were able to meet their mate later in life and who are now enjoying spending time together with their husband or wife. Just because the dating scene is exhausting and seems to be never-ending, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps this young woman needs to get away for a bit. Perhaps she needs to not date – or think about dating – for a while. But she should continue to socialize – with men and women – just without the pressure of marriage as a constant in her mind. In this way, she will be able to get the bad taste out of her mouth when it comes to dating. Could it be she’ll find someone as she socializes who can possibly be her mate? Possibly. Or maybe not. But at least her view on single men in our community won’t be one of “loser.” Wishing the young woman and all the men and women in our community still searching much hatzlacha. Chaim Pernikopf Continued on page 10

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Cranberry Glazed Spinach and Turkey Meatloaf

101

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer

Mann, LCSW

Leadership Weight Loss: Diet or Regimen? by Rabbi Dr. Naphtali Hoff

100

Your Money

116

I’m Talking Turkey Here by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

118

HUMOR Centerfold

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

102

Are Tax Breaks Immortal? by Robert J. Samuelson

108

CLASSIFIEDS

112

Will you be shopping in retail stores this year on Black Friday?

YES

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Spring Registrati on NOW OPEN NEW LOCATION... RIGHT HERE IN THE FIVE TOWNS!

EXCEPTIONALLY...

AFFORDABLE CONVENIENT RESPECTED

ACCELERATED DEGREES… B.A. SOCIAL SCIENCES BSW – SOCIAL WORK – New M.S. IN EDUCATION/SPECIAL EDUCATION DEGREES OFFERED THROUGH CONCORDIA COLLEGE-NY

CHECK OUT OUR EXTENSIVE LIST OF ONLINE DEGREES THROUGH SARA SCHENIRER ANYWHERE

For more information or to schedule a private consultation PLEASE CONTACT MRS. SHOSHANNA JAEGER (718) 633-8557 EXT 13 OR SJAEGER@SARASCH.COM · WWW.SARASCH.COM

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Dear Editor, Now that we have changed the clocks, we need to make sure that our children are safe as they walk home from school in the dark. It would make it infinitely safer if each child had something reflective on their coat or knapsack as they walk home. This way, drivers can see them even in the darkness of night. Additionally, drivers – and pedestrians – should be aware that wet piles of leaves become extreme slippery. Use caution when driving right after a rainstorm when there are many leaves on the ground. Rena Gitelis Dear Editor, Dr. Lightman’s article this week on teens and sleep was eye-opening and so, so important! I have been telling my teens to go to bed earlier for so long. And yet, when a doctor is the one who is telling them the same thing they start to listen. With today’s teens and their ubiquitous technology it’s so hard for them to “turn off” at a certain hour. Texting and snapchating and Twitter is a never-ending draw. I try to take away their phones at a certain time but it never works out. There are always homework assignments that have to be done and studying and then they need their phones to ask their friends questions. It’s certainly a battle. And I think that that contributes a lot to the lack of sleep they get during these years. Perhaps someone has an idea of how parents can best help their children manage their phone/social media as it relates to getting better sleep. Sharona Tiktin

Continued from page 8

Dear Editor, Rebbetzin Bender’s words about instilling a pride in our children regarding our mesorah and following halacha was very inspiring. I hope that as I continue to mother my young children I am able to achieve that very lofty and beautiful goal. A Reader

Dear Editor, The battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as you point out, is an ageold battle. The Sunnis and Shiites have been at each other’s throats – literally – for hundreds of years. Sadly, it is sometimes Israel which faces the wrath of each country and each culture. But it seems that Israel is smart and is endeavoring to make

alliances with the less-seemingly-evil nation of Saudi Arabia. For now, it is my hope that the United States takes a step back and allows things to play out between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Hopefully the balance of power will soon be preserved once again in the Middle East. Yoram I.

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 @fivetowns jewishhome.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

our falafel and french fries are always gluten free!

Business Lunches our specialty Monday special Free hot dog or falafel for your kids (under 9) with any platter order (max 2 kids per adult) dine in only

Delivery available call for details

Falafel

All Specials are only valid with mention of this ad

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

The Week In News

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe Resigns

It took almost a week but on Tuesday Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe announced his resignation in order to have a “smooth transfer of power” after 37 years in charge. The letter was read out in a cheering, dancing Parliament, which had been pursuing impeachment of the 93-year-old Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state. The resignation came at the end of a week of extraordinary events that began with the military moving in last week, angered by Mugabe’s firing of his longtime deputy and the positioning of the unpopular first lady to succeed him. Impeachment allegations against Mugabe included that he “allowed his wife to usurp constitutional power” and that he is “of advanced age” and too incapacitated to rule. Mugabe also was accused of allowing unpopular first lady Grace Mugabe to threaten to kill the recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other officials. Zimbabwe’s polarizing first lady, Grace Mugabe, had been positioning herself to succeed her husband, leading a party faction that engineered Mnangagwa’s ouster. The prospect of a dynastic succession alarmed the military, which confined Mugabe to his home last week and targeted what it called “criminals” around him who allegedly were looting state resources — a reference to associates of the first lady. The ruling ZANU-PF party began impeachment proceedings against Mugabe after its Central Committee voted to oust the president as party leader and select Mnangagwa as his replacement, a move that eventually

could allow the former vice president to become head of state. Mnangagwa served for decades as Mugabe’s enforcer, with a reputation for being astute and ruthless, more feared than popular. “The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call and resign forthwith so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,” Mnangagwa said in a statement prior to Mugabe’s resignation. Mnangagwa, who had fled the country and did not appear in public during last week’s political turmoil, said Mugabe had invited him to return to Zimbabwe “for a discussion” on recent events.

UK to Pay Iran £450M

A huge amount of money is going to be transferred from Great Britain to Iran to pay off an old debt. At the same time, a British-Iranian citizen is being jailed in Iran for “working to undermine the Tehran regime.” Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested last year at the airport with her 19-month-old daughter. Her husband is hoping that the money will help ensure her release. The £450 million debt stems from an arms deal that was agreed upon almost 40 years ago between the Shah’s regime in Iran and the United Kingdom. The deal was originally for an order of 1,750 Chieftain main battle tanks that were to be shipped to Iran. However, in 1979, the Islamic Revolution took place and the Brits refused to complete the order. The Iranian government has been demanding that the money be returned ever since. Zaghari-Ratcliffe visited the Islamic Republic of Iran in April 2016.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

After being arrested for working to undermine the government, the aid worker was sentenced to five years of jail time. Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin’s husband, has been urging the British government to secure her release. On November 1 of this year British foreign secretary Boris Johnson said in Parliament that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was “teaching journalism” in Iran. His comments produced a furor, as the Iranian government threatened to prolong her sentence to 16 years in jail after his remarks. Johnson has since apologized for his words, “Of course I apologize for the distress, for the suffering that has been caused by the impression I gave that I believed she was there in a professional capacity. She was there on holiday,” he reiterated. He says he plans on visiting Iran later this year to help secure her release. The British government has denied that the transfer of funds is a ransom payment to secure Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release. The Iranian government has also denied the connection between the two events. “These are two separate matters,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi. “Linking them is wrong. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been tried and sentenced to jail.”

Former Caracas Mayor Escapes Venezuela

Antonio Ledezma, the former mayor of Caracas and outspoken opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, escaped house arrest this week and managed to make it all the way to Madrid. “I have the support from the Spanish government to remain in Spain as long as necessary, as well as my family who are accompanying me here, my wife Mitzy, and my daughters, who are here at my side,” Ledezma said. Ledezma was received by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy at Moncloa Palace.

V I Pesach

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Maduro arrested Ledezma, 62, in Hours after the coup the country 2015 for allegedly being involved in remained calm. Traffic was lighter athan plotusual, to overthrow the chaos. government. but without WhatHe everwas the later final released outcome,from the prison events and house arrest for couldplaced signal under a once-in-a-generation health LedezmaAfrican has vowed changereasons. for the southern nato continue fight against Maduro tion, once atoregional bread-basket, from Spain. “Maduro simply reduced to poverty by is annot economic acrisis president. Maduro is a tyrant that Mugabe’s opponents have long controls by him. force the country’s instiblamed on tutions seeks to subdue people Evenand many of Mugabe’s most loylike me,” Ledezma adding that al supporters over said, the decades had there was a “political come to oppose the risewitch of hishunt” wife, against him and opposition who courted the other powerful youth leaders whoruling haveparty become political wing of the but alienated prisoners. the military, led by Mugabe’s former Spain comrades has made itfrom clearthe that1970s it is guerrilla giving its “fullstruggle. commitment to deindependence mocracy Venezuela” hopes to Whilein most African and states gained help bring about fullyend democratindependence by“athe of the ic solution to the Venezuelan crisis, 1960s, Zimbabwe remained one of which necessarily be achieved the last Europeanmust colonies on the through freeing of allsettlers political continent,the ruled by white as prisoners and 1980. the celebration of Rhodesia until Mugabe took fully andguerrilla approvedstrugelecpowerdemocratic after a long tions in the country.” gle, and two decades later ordered Maduro of LedeztheWhen forcible seizurelearned of white-owned ma’s escape, he said that the “the vamfarms. pireThe is flying around world! fall infree output thatthe followed The protected, has gonedeto was vampire, one of the worst economic Spain – toof live the great life.”By He2007then pressions modern times. added that Ledezma is not to 2008 inflation topped outwelcome at 500 bilreturn to his home country.

THE MACHER SHOP

‫אמסטר‬

First Class Europe

Prime Prime Prime Prime HOTELS

CULINARY

ACTIVITIES

Germany: Most Beloved?

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND…

‫בהשגחת‬

‫הרב‬ ‫פנחס ליבוש‬ ‫פדווא‬ ‫דם‬

escape was very daring and lionThe percent. Mugabe blamed Britain almost likefor a sabotaging tale of ficand the played United out States tion. “This journey of moreused thanvio24 the country. His followers hours like a aJames Bond movlence towas suppress growing domestic ie. We passed more than 29 checkopposition he branded lackeys of forpoints, roadblocks,” mer colonial powers. Ledezma said. “I took the risks. I couldn’t help The all economy briefly stabilized but think to of the value of freedom. fromto 2010 2014, when Mugabe Today, whentoI arrived in power-sharSpain, I felt was forced accept a free.” ing government with the opposition, seen farhas better butVenezuela since then has the recovery undays. Extreme led to raveled. In the inflation last year,has a chronic shortages food, has medicine, and shortage ofindollars led to long other essentials. The Internationlines outside banks. Imported goods al Fund predicts that the areMonetary running out and economists say country will see inflation levels of that by some measures inflation is 650% year anda month. another 2,300% now atthis 50 percent in 2018. The economic implosion has destabilized the region, sending millions of poor laborers streaming out of the country, mostly to neighboring South Africa. The political crisis came to a head last week when Mugabe sacked his presumed heir, Vice President Emerson Mnangagused toformer be regarded wa,America a long-serving leader as of the best country in the world. Boastthe security forces nicknamed “the ing opportunity androle freedom, immiCrocodile” for his as Mugabe’s grants flocked to the U.S. in pursuit of enforcer over the decades. the American dream. The American government was once highly respected. However, things have changed. According to the latest Nation Brands

A FACTORY

DIRECT

CHILDREN‘S CLOTHING POP UP SHOP boys & girls 2t/teen

SERVICE

GLATT

LEMEHADRIN NON-GEBROCHT

BOYS & GIRLS SHOBBAS, YOM TOV, AND TZNUIT CHILDREN’S CLOTHING

201 HEMPSTEAD AVENUE, WEST HEMPSTEAD

MACHER

FACEBOOK @TheMacherShop INSTAGRAM #THE_MACHER_SHOP

PRICES STARTING AT $10

(516) 984-3146 themachershop@gmail.com

2017 DECEMBER

SPAIN

A prestigious hotel along the beautiful shore of Barcelona. The hotel offers a special style of luxurious rooms and suites. A pampering spa and attractive kids club. We provide top quality service.

For Resorvations:

+972-3-9050505

VENICE

SUNDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

OPEN

San Clemente Palace

The leading hotel in Europe situated on a private island in Venice, Italy. Only an 8 minute commute to Piazza San Marco. The leading hotel in Europe. A prestigious hotel that combines a unique combination of modern classic European decor.

7PM-10PM ALL DAY

12 PM-3PM

10AM-6PM

7PM-10PM

ALL DAY

on-line@tourplus.co.il www.tourplus.co.il

MONDAY

10PM-6PM

9 AM-1PM

9 AM– 3PM

6PM-8PM

10AM-1PM

7PM-9PM

CLOSED

OPEN 7PM-10PM

Vis Isra

Th compl with t ment U.S. fo lis with to gain countr gram w “W cel the

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Index, Germany is now the most beloved country in the world.

BAKE SALE & CHINESE AUCTION all proceeds to benefit

Yad Eliezer’s Baby Fund

At the home of

Martha and Howie Hershkovich

102 Woodmere Boulevard Woodmere, NY Wednesday, December 6

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

le’zechus refuah sheleimah yisrael amichai ben sara

Thursday, December 7

9:00 a.m.-8:00p.m.

Committee: Elisheva Baum Esti Berman Layala Bobker Chayala Feigenbaum Julie Feinberg Suzanne Feit Debbie Fogel Jenny Gerber Dawn Goldstein Sheri Hammer Etty Herschberg Shari Klammer Suri Lazar Barbara Simon Daphne Stern Penina Weiner

Germany has the best reputation of any country in the world, according to the latest Nation Brands Index. The survey found that Germany currently has the best reputation or best “brand image.” Interestingly enough, the survey was conducted by German-based market research firm FfK together with British political consultant Simon Anholt. The study analyzed six categories of each country: its people, governance, exports, tourism, investment and immigration, and culture and heritage. In 2016, Germany was number two while the U.S. was number one. Since then Germany climbed to the top and the U.S. dropped to number six on the list. Germany’s booming economy contributed to its popularity. Some attribute the U.S. decline to President Donald Trump, his policies, and his rough-around-the-edges interactions. “The loss of the U.S.’s image in the governance category is indicative of the Trump effect, which was triggered by President Trump’s policies and his ‘America First’ message,” Anholt said. Oddly enough, Americans themselves viewed their country more positively this year than in 2016. 1. Germany 2. France 3. Britain 4. Canada, Japan 6. U.S. 7. Italy 8. Switzerland 9. Australia 10. Sweden

N. Korea Bans Parties, Singing Being in one of the most repressive countries in the world, North Koreans face strict laws from their dictator Kim Jong Un – and that doesn’t look like it’s going to ease up anytime soon. Information is strictly controlled, and internet access

is only “permitted” with special authorization and primarily used for government purposes or by foreigners. The latest attempt to control the population is the ban on big gatherings that allow drinking and entertainment. The goal of the ban is to repress “a possible negative impact” of sanctions against North Korea in response to its recent nuclear tests.

The National Intelligence Service reported in a briefing to South Korean lawmakers on Monday that the ban is intended to suppress the impact of crippling economic sanctions imposed by the international community in retaliation for the country’s ongoing development and testing of nuclear devices and ballistic missiles. Apparently officials feel that parties allow an opportunity for information to be passed around. “[Pyongyang] has devised a system whereby party organs report people’s economic hardships on a daily basis, and it has banned any gatherings related to drinking, singing and other entertainment and is strengthening control of outside information,” the spy agency said.

Health Concerns in N. Korea There are many problems in and with North Korea. One of the less talked about issues is the severe health risks that North Koreans struggle with. Doctors recently discovered an “enormous number” of parasitic worms slithering inside the body of a man who defected from North Korea last week. This discovery highlights the food and hygiene problems inside the regime. The North Korean defector, who hasn’t been named, was a soldier who made a desperate sprint for freedom last Monday at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. Sadly, before he could make it to safety, he was shot at least five

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

times by his former comrades. He was injured during his escape. The soldier was rescued by South Koreans and transferred to a South Korean hospital where doctors said he was in stable condition after surgery. Physicians raised their concern about an “enormous number” of parasitic worms discovered which were causing complications during his recovery. Doctors believe that the parasites have been attacking the soldier’s body for a while. There were several details that indicated that the parasites were caused by food and hygiene issues. Parasites can enter the human body through contaminated food or being bitten by an insect or by the parasite entering through the skin. There is speculation that poor farmers in North Korea use human waste as fertilizer for their crops, which would contaminate produce grown in that soil. Lee Cook-jong, the lead surgeon treating the soldier, showed images of the parasitic worms, including an 11-inch long worm found in the man’s digestive tract. “In my over 20 year-long career as a surgeon, I have only seen something like this in a textbook,” Lee said.

Anti-Israel Group’s Funds Frozen

A scandal has engulfed the anti-Israel Marxist-Leninist Party in Germany. After allegations surfaced that the party had campaigned during a federal election with The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European

Union, Deutsche Bank and the Postbank shut down the party’s bank accounts in Germany. In response, Gabi Fechter, the chairwoman of the Marxist-Leninist Party (MLPD), said the closing of their account “is a massive attack on the management of the MLPD.” She added that the closure of the accounts “means a new high point in the criminalization campaign against the MLPD and a politically

motivated bank boycott.” In the recent general elections, the MLPD was unable to grab onto the required 5% of the vote in order to enter the Bundestag. German intelligence agencies monitor the MLPD’s 1,800 members very closely because the group has been deemed a threat to national democracy. Fechter is now threatening legal action if the banks do not unfreeze the group’s funds. She also came out

denying the allegations, saying that “all of the defamations with respect to our alleged terror connections... are without substance.” During the 2009 IDF mission Operation Cast Lead against Hamas, the Marxist-Leninist Party called for “solidarity with the just resistance of the Palestinian people against Israel’s war of aggression and state terrorism.” Continued on page 20

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

ELDERCARE &

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE DECEMBER 5TH5TH DECEMBER

8 PM8PM @ OUR SCHOOL

Seminary Advisors, Seminary Parents, Advisors, Parents and Seniors and are Seniors are welcome. welcome.

Now Under the Guidance and Leadership of Rabbi Label Lam American Seminary for growing girls Warm and Friendly Atmosphere All Star Staff of Educators Practical and Challenging Classes Preparing Girls for Life Trips and Shabbatonim Multi-Track Program including Advanced BS from a Recognized and Accredited University.

NEW and exciting classes, including ASK THE RABBI

Rabbi Label Lam Menahel Mrs. Daphne Hanson Administrator

SEMINARY 2215 E. 23rd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11229 FOR MORE INFORMATION: 347.462.2445 // 347-374-2982 info@ateresnaava.net // www.ateresnaava.net

Germany: Kuwait Airlines Can Ban Israelis

Back in 2016, an Israeli citizen, identified in court papers as Adar M., a student living in Germany, sued Kuwait Airways after it canceled his booking for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok that included a stopover in Kuwait City. Several days before Adar M.’s scheduled departure in August, he disclosed that he was the holder of an Israeli passport, and the airline responded by offering to book him on another nonstop flight directly to Bangkok with another carrier. Kuwait Airways does not allow passengers with Israeli passports to fly on their planes. The traveler refused the offer and sued the airline. Last Thursday, a German court ruled that Kuwait’s national airline was, in fact, not guilty and is not required to transport an Israeli citizen since the carrier could face legal repercussions at home if it did. The Frankfurt state court noted in its decision that Kuwait Airways is not allowed to have contracts with Israelis under Kuwaiti law because of the Middle Eastern country’s boycott of Israel. The court said it didn’t evaluate whether “this law make sense” but that the airline risked repercussions that were “not reasonable” for violating it, such as fines or prison time for employees. The court rejected the Israeli’s discrimination claim, ruling that German law covers discrimination based on race, ethnicity or religion – but not nationality. Shocked by the verdict, Germany’s Central Council of Jews condemned the ruling, calling it “unbearable that a foreign company operating based on deeply anti-Semitic national laws is allowed to be active in Germany.” Frankfurt Mayor Uwe Becker voiced a similar opinion saying, “An airline that practices discrimination and anti-Semitism by refusing to fly Israeli passengers should not be allowed to takeoff or land in Frankfurt.” A lawyer for the Israeli passenger called the verdict “deeply shocking.”

“This is an embarrassing ruling for democracy and for Germany,” attorney Nathan Gelbart said. “It cannot be allowed to stand like this.” He plans to appeal the verdict.

Israeli Convicted of 1990 Murder in The Hague Daniel Amona has been sentenced by a court in The Hague for the 1990 murder of Miriam Sharon, an Israeli who was living in Holland at the time. The court issued a guilty verdict two weeks after the trial started and sentenced him to 14 years in prison. Amona, a career criminal who lived in Petach Tikvah, was arrested 27 years ago immediately after Sharon’s body was discovered, but was then released due to insufficient evidence. He then returned to Israel and started a family. In 2007, when he returned to The Netherlands, he was arrested again on new evidence stemming from DNA that was found at the scene of the crime. Two cigarette butts were retested using new DNA-identifying technology and Amona came up as the match. The prosecution had a very strong case and was able to convict with the other hard evidence found at the scene. Included in the evidence presented at trial was a coat check ticket from a Brussels coat room that was found in Sharon’s apartment and led investigators to a bag that may have belonged to Amona. Amona remained completely silent during the entire hearing. However, investigators did overhear him telling his wife that “I didn’t do it” in one conversation, but said, “I’ll never admit it, but I may have seen something” in another. The judge took these conversations to mean that “he knows more than he lets on.” Amona was known to have been involved in drugs, violence, and property offenses in Petach Tikvah. Sharon’s family said after the verdict that “we’re happy the court found him guilty of the murder we all knew he committed throughout this entire time.” Even so, her family members let it be known that they were unhappy with the leniency of the verdict. “We don’t think that’s a satisfactory punishment for a crime so heinous. It’s a wound that has been open for far too long,” the family said.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

W O M E N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S

C O H O R T

Explore the exciting field of

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DUAL B.S./M.S. DEGREE

Come discover

...the OPPORTUNITIES. ...the POSSIBILITIES. ...your POTENTIAL. DC DESIGN / 732.901.4784

Our graduates have a well-earned reputation for excellence, with a 100% pass rate on the NBCOT.and 100% employment at graduation.

please join us for an informative

OnTHouse

Op e

THIS WEEK!

AT THE NEW SEMINARY

1492 East 12th Street Brooklyn, NY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29 6:30PM

The New Seminary & Long Island University invite you to

come & meet

Dr. Holly Wasserman Ed.D OTR/L PROGRAM DIRECTOR & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Professor Dale Coffin M.S. OTR/L

EVENING/WEEKEND PROGRAM COORDINATOR & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY-BROOKLYN CAMPUS

AN EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM OF

THE New

Seminary

APPLICATION PROCESS OPEN FOR

FALL 2018

FINANCIAL AID AND ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE N E W YO R K : 1492 EAST 12TH STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11230 718.769.8160 f: 718.769.8640

asjv rbhnx Rebbetzin Sora F. Bulka

MENAHELES

N E W J E R S E Y: 139 OCEAN AVENUE, LAKEWOOD, NJ 08701 732.366.3500 f: 732.367.8640

Rabbi Yeshaya Levy

Department of Occupational Therapy School of Health Professions

MENAHEL

email: INFO@THENEWSEMINARY.ORG online: W W W.T H E N E WS E M I N A RY.O RG

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Mexico to Support Israel at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed his appreciation for Mexico’s support recently. Bibi tweeted a message of thanks to Mexico following its announcement that it would not vote against Israel in up-

coming votes at the United Nations. “Thank you President of Mexico @EPN [EPN stands for Enrique Pena Neito, Mexico’s president] and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Videgaray for refusing to go along with one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the UN. Deeply value your friendship,” Netanyahu tweeted last week. Included in the tweet were symbols of the Israeli and Mexican flags. Last Wednesday UnitedWithIsrael.org reported that Mexico will change its voting strategy at the UN and other international bodies by putting a stop to votes in favor of Palestinian resolutions. Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Figari contacted Israeli Ambassador to Mexico Yoni Pelad and informed him of the shift in strategy. This change of heart comes just two months after Netanyahu visited Mexico during his tour through Latin America. He was the first sitting Israeli prime minister to visit countries in Latin America; he also visited Argentina and Colombia. In Mexico, Netanyahu met with President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City and signed several agreements to strengthen ties and sanctions between the two coun-

CARS

tries. Much of the visit was to repair a hurtful comment made by Netanyahu earlier in the year. He had tweeted praise for President Trump’s plan to build a wall; Israeli President Reuven Rivlin later issued a statement apologizing for any misunderstanding.

Huge Civil Suit Won against PA and Terrorists

The Palestinian Authority and several Palestinian terrorists have been found guilty and have been ordered to pay NIS 62 million in a civil wrongful-death suit by the Jerusalem District Court. The court case revolved around the murder of three Israelis in a shooting attack that was carried out on August 25, 2001. The three Israelis that were mur-

dered in the vicious terror attack were Sharon Ben-Shalom, her husband Yavin Ben-Shalom, and her brother Doron Savri. Sharon was able to keep two of her children alive during the shooting by shielding them with her own body. The Palestinian Authority was held equally responsible for the attack because the PA had solicited and helped the cell that carried out the heinous crime. The court rejected the PA’s argument that the plaintiffs could not receive new damages because they had already been compensated by the National Insurance Institute as victims of terror. The court ordered the PA to pay NIS 24.8 million and the terrorists themselves to pay NIS 37.2 million. The Jerusalem District Court did reject the plaintiffs’ attempts to get a higher amount of damages, mostly because Israel’s Law of Damages often leads to smaller rewards than those found in other countries such as the Unites States. It is not yet clear how the plaintiffs will go about collecting the damages or whether the government will help them do so. The Foreign Ministry has referred the matter to the Justice Ministry which has not yet released a comment on the matter.

Shabbos Chanukah December 15 - December 17

Piscataway, New Jersey Gourmet Glatt Kosher Cuisine Catered by Meisner’s

BRAND

NEW 2017 VEHICLES

VANS

Mendy “J” In Concert • Stimulating

Shiurim and Lectures Crowd, Minyan on Premises • Buffets and Viennese Desserts • Cholov Yisroel & Chassidishe Shechita • Oneg Shabbos and Kumzitz • Full Fitness Center & Jacuzzi • Large Indoor Pool • Adjoining Rooms Available • Heimisha

SUV’S

FAR ROCKAWAY: 7602 Beach Channel Drive (off airport location)

Local & One-Way, To & From: Five Towns & Rockaway BROOKLYN: Williamsburg & Borough Park Monsey & Monroe • Lakewood, NJ

12 & 15 Passenger Vans

Serving the Five Towns, Rockaway and JFK

Been in an accident? we specialize in accident replacement & insurance billing.

718-854-7600 • www.ezrentacarny.com

R’ Moishe Fingerer

Pesach With The Meisners The Stamford Plaza Hotel Stamford Connecticut “The Ultimate Pesach Getaway”

Raizy 347-554-1558

Sydel 973-452-2468

Meisnerscatering@gmail.com

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

IDF Defends Jews Praying in West Bank

A mosque in the Palestinian village of Halhul was the site of prayer for over 300 Breslov Jews this week. The Younis mosque, which is north of Chevron, is built over the traditionally believed graves of prophets Gad and Natan. The IDF accompanied the bulletproof busses that brought the chassidim to the kevarim. A military spokesperson said that the army had to defend the entourage against Palestinians hurling “rocks and firebombs” and then dispersed the crowd with riot-combatting tactics in order to “prevent further escalation.” No injuries were reported. Although tradition says that the graves are actually located inside the mosque, the group of Jews davened Shacharis on the road outside of the mosque. It is the first time in 18 years that Jews have been able to daven at the site. There are many kevarim that are located deep within the Palestinian-controlled West Bank. Arguably the most famous sites are Kever Rachel, which is near Bethlehem, and the grave of Yosef Hatzaddik in Nablus.

Israeli Named Top Inventor

Assaf Natanzon has been added to the world’s most prolific inventors list. The Israeli doctoral student in

computer science at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is the first Israeli to earn this honorable title. He currently holds 202 registered patents. “I’m proud to be the first Israeli to make the list of prolific inventors. I already have 202 registered patents and 200 pending ones. My next goal is to reach 500 and then 1,000 patents,” said Natanzon. “Most of my patents are in the area of data protection and disaster recovery, which is also the subject of my doctoral thesis that I have recently submitted.” Natanzon has now joined famous inventors, many who have changed the world, such as Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and Alexander Graham Bell, who are on the list. Shunpei Yamazaki of Japan heads the group with over 4,000 registered patents, followed by Kia Silverbrook of Australia. “Assaf is brilliant and perfectly combines strong theoretical and analytical skills with practical implementation-oriented know-how,” said Prof. Eitan Bachmat, who has overseen Natanzon’s academic work. “We plan to continue doing research together, and I hope he will continue his involvement with BGU in the future as an adjunct professor in the computer science department.”

Israel: Covert Ties to Arab States

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY NINETY-THIRD ANNUAL

HANUKKAH DINNER Sunday, December 3, 2017

Yeshiva University is proud to honor

vru,k sucf ub,

Rabbi Meir Goldwicht

PRESIDENTIAL MEDALLION RECIPIENT

Additional Recipients of Honorary Degrees David P. Samson

Bret Stephens

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Chair, Board of Overseers Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Shira Yoshor Dinner Chair

Marjorie Blenden Scroll of Honor Chair Debbie Gibber Arrangements Chair

Israel’s Energy and Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz said in an interview this week that Israel has “many” covert ties with Arab and Muslim states. He said that he would not mention specific relationships because the other parties did not want knowledge of their accords becoming public. The rare interview, which was given to a Saudi news outlet, added more fuel to the growing rumors of close links between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Hezbollah has long accused Saudi Arabia of pushing Israel to attack the

Op-Ed Columnist, The New York Times

Renée and Steven Adelsberg Aviva and Ami Drazin Robyn and Shukie Grossman Sivia Loria Dinner Co-Chairs

Vice Chairs: Ann and Hyman Arbesfeld, Simone and David Eshaghian, Carole and Jack Forgash, Judy and Aryeh Goldberg, Miriam P. Goldberg, Dr. Monique C. and Mordecai D. Katz, Bobby Ferkauf Kurzweil and Arthur Kurzweil, Rachel and Shimon Laufer, Linda and Murray Laulicht, Mindy and Henry Orlinsky, Joyce and Stanley Raskas, Sharon and David Rauch, Janie and Bob Schwalbe, Dalia and Ed Stelzer, Shoshana Bookson and Dr. Saul Stromer, Helen and Jacob Weichholz

5:00 p.m. | The New York Hilton Midtown | Black Tie 212.960.5468 Hanukkahdinner@yu.edu www.yu.edu/Hanukkah

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Lebanese Shiite terror group. Saudi Arabia and Israel also share Iran as a very dangerous, mutual enemy. Both are looking to limit Iran’s expanding influence in the Middle East. “We have ties, some of them secret, with many Arab and Muslim states,” Steinitz admitted. “Usually the one who wants those ties to be discreet is the other side,” he added. “We respect the wishes of the other side when contacts are developing, whether it is with Saudi Arabia or other Arab or Muslim countries.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hinted heavily at Israel’s political ties with “moderate Arab States.” “We stand shoulder to shoulder with countries of the moderate camp in the Arab world, in the face of radical Islam,” Bibi told the Knesset last week. “I think that this growing closeness and consultation is first and foremost good for security and ultimately for peace,” he added. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, has said several times in the last two years that Saudi Arabia has “no relationship” with Israel and no secret back channels. Asked about the persistent reports that Saudi Arabia and Israel were cooperating against Iran, Jubeir said last week that there could only be a relationship between the two countries if there was a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We have always said that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved on the basis of the Arab peace initiative that Israel would have enjoyed normal relations, economic, political, diplomatic relations with all of the Arab countries, and so until that happens, we don’t have relations with Israel,” he asserted.

“P is for Palestine” Children’s Book for Sale An anti-Semitic, Pace University history professor has written a children’s book titled “P is for Palestine.” The alphabet book goes through the ABC’s, starting with “A is for Arabic” and adding gems like “I is for intifada” and “R is for Ramallah.” Of course, the book makes no mention of Israel. Author Golbarg Bashi, a former instructor of Iranian studies at

Rutgers University, raised $15,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to publish her book. Her other credits include several anti-Israel blogs; in one she declares that “by all measured historical accounts...Israel is a racial and religious apartheid state.” She claims that she was inspired to write the book when she noticed that there were no ABC books for children on Palestine while they exist about many other countries including Mexico, the United States, and Italy.

The reactions to the book have been very diverse. Angry mothers have been leaving scathing reviews online where the book can be bought. “A children’s book on Palestine that doesn’t recognize the state of Israel... is very sad,” a woman noted online. Another wrote that Bashi has “gall advertising your incredibly politically insensitive book on this site. You must have known you would be igniting a political firestorm by posting that in the hopes of drumming up sales for your ridiculous book... It’s disgraceful.” One entry in the book for the letter “I” teaches children about the intifada. “I is for Intifada, Arabic for rising up for what is right, if you are a kid or grownup!” It shows a child on her father’s back standing before barbed wire and flashing peace signs. Bashi held a book-signing in New York over the weekend. The Palestinian people were “born” after the Six Day War, when Jordan lost the Judea and Samaria region to Israel. After Jordan attacked Israel and then relinquished Judea and Samaria to the Jewish State, the Jordanians living in the region refused to accept Israeli authority. As one Palestinian said, “One day we were Jordanian citizens, and they promised us the war would be over and we would win. The next day, the war was over and we had lost. They took the star out of our flag and told us we’re not Jordanians anymore, we’re Palestinians.”

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Yeshiva Madraigas Haadam

Chai

CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO ITS

Dinner Celebration Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Honorees

Mr. & Mrs. Henry and Sara Gerson Machzikei Torah Award

HoRav Avraham Yitzchok Berman tâ&#x20AC;?yhka, Menahel

Mr. & Mrs. Simkha and Nayomi Fazylov Oskim B'tzorchei Tzibbur Award

Kesser Torah Award

DINNER CO-CHAIRMEN

6:30 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gala Buffet Dinner 8:00 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Program 8:45 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dessert COUVERT: $500 PER COUPLE

Rabbi Binyomin Grossman Rabbi Gilboa Merdinger

AT THE

Electric Building

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

158-11 JEWEL AVENUE KEW GARDENS HILLS, NY 11365

Mr. Avi Faskowitz, ESQ HoRav Moshe Faskowitz tâ&#x20AC;?yhka Rosh HaYeshiva

HoRav Avraham Yitzchok Berman Menahel

tâ&#x20AC;?yhka

(CORNER JEWEL AVE. & PARSONS BLVD.) VALET PARKING ON PARSONS BLVD.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

PA Freezes U.S. Contacts

The Palestinians have frozen all contacts with the United States after the U.S. had decided to close their representative office in Washington, officials said on Tuesday. “In practice by closing the office they are freezing all meetings and we are making that official,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki confirmed. A spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization announced that it had received instructions from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas “regarding closing down all communication lines with the Americans.” The Palestinian move comes as the Trump administration seeks to broker the long-out-of-reach Israe-

li-Palestinian peace deal. Speaking in the Spanish Parliament on Tuesday Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinians were “committed to a historic peace deal [with Israel] under the auspices of President Trump.” Over the weekend the U.S. State Department informed Malki that the PLO office in D.C. would be closed because the Palestinians had violated a 2015 U.S. Congressional mandate. A U.S. State Department official cited “certain statements made by Palestinian leaders” about the International Criminal Court as the violation. In December 2015, Congress introduced a new provision into the annual State and Foreign Operations Bill, mandating that the PLO mission in Washington be shut if the Palestinians initiate or support an International Criminal Court investigation against Israelis. In his 2017 address to the United Nations General Assembly, Abbas seemed to have violated that clause: “We have also called on the International Criminal Court, as is our right, to open an investigation and to prosecute Israeli officials” over Israeli settlement activity, he said. In 1987, Congress outlawed any

PLO presence on U.S. soil due to the group’s terror activities at the time. In 1993, due to the Oslo peace process, Congress allowed for the PLO to open a mission in D.C., as long as it stayed faithful to its commitments in the peace talks. In 1997, Congress made it easier for the president to waive sanctions against the PLO: The president would only have to say the waiver was in the U.S.’s national security interest without providing addition explanation. Still, a waiver would have to be signed every six months. That was the case until 2011, when the Palestinians joined UNESCO and declared they wanted full membership status in the UN. In response, Congress introduced a new provision into the annual State and Foreign Operations Bill, mandating that if the Palestinians obtained full membership status in the United Nations outside of an agreement with Israel, the president would be unable to waive sanctions against the PLO, unless “the Palestinians have entered into direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel.” The “national security interest” excuse would no longer suffice. After the Palestinians joined the

ICC in 2015, Congress passed a similar provision into the December 2015 foreign ops bill. The provision calls for the waiver to be revoked should the Palestinians “initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation” against Israel. President Trump now has a 90day window to decide whether “the Palestinians have entered into direct, meaningful negotiations with Israel,” according to 2015 law – in which case he can waive the requirement to shutter the office.

India Pulls Out of Huge Missile Deal India’s Ministry of Defense has backed out of a half-billion dollar deal with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. India was set to buy Spike anti-tank guided missiles in what was to be a flagship deal that was to cement the Israeli-Indian security relationship. The pricing negotiations were

MACHON BASYA ROCHEL SEMINARY Under the direction of Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner, Menaheles

MACHON BASYA ROCHEL’S QUALITY PROGRAM OFFERS THE SERIOUS BAS YISRAEL.

Focus on the complete person Stimulating and challenging courses that speak to the heart and mind Warm atmosphere with expert Mechanchim and Mechanchos Seminary Credits accepted in major universities Extracurricular Programs under the direction of Mrs. Yocheved Shonek Dormitory program in a beautiful new setting

COME TO OUR OPEN HOUSE FIVE TOWNS/FAR ROCKAWAY Sunday, December 3rd

10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. at Machon Basya Rochel Seminary 137 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559

Dormito ry option

available Option fo r transp from Bro ortation oklyn Half or F ull Day P rogram

(across for LIRR Lawrence station)

Applications currently being accepted for the 2018-2019/‫ תשע”ט‬- ‫ תשע”ח‬school year Applications for early registration discount due by January 17, 2018

Mrs. Debra Green, Mechaneches PO BOX 329, Lawrence, NY 11559 | 137 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559 516.362.5000 | mbrseminary@gmail.com | www.mbrseminary.org

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

concluded last year and the deal was only awaiting signatures by both countries’ representatives. Sources within the Indian government have said that the decision to pull out of the deal was made because of fear that importing the weapons would negatively impact the Indian Ministry’s Defense Research and Development Organization, which develops the weapons for the Indian army.

the Verla International factory in New Windsor. The second blast occurred around 10:40, when firefighters were endeavoring to manage the flames. At least 35 people were injured in all. One employee was unaccounted for during the day but around 7pm was found dead. Thick black smoke spewed from the roof of one section of the factory, which included manufacturing and warehouse buildings. The company makes nail polish, perfumes, lotions and other products. Workers held bandanas to their mouths and noses as they fled from the buildings.

Menendez off the Hook Rafael released a statement in which they claimed they were not yet informed of the abrupt change of plans. “We have not been officially notified of a change regarding the deal. The Spike missiles system, currently in use in 26 countries, was selected by India after a prolonged process as part of which the system was tested with great success against a wide range of operational scenarios,” a statement from Rafael said earlier this week. “After negotiations concluded, we even created a manufacturing infrastructure – along with the Kalyani Group and the BDL company – and a knowledge and manufacturing-sharing process has begun, as part of the [Indian government’s] ‘Make in India’ conditions. Rafael is currently continuing to operate according to the set program,” the company further said. Rafael’s missile manufacturing facility was inaugurated this past August near Hyderabad.

Factory Explosion Kills 1 On Monday, one person died and dozens of people were injured when a cosmetics factory in New York exploded and caught on fire. At least seven firefighters were hurt in a second blast as they came to the rescue. The fire occurred around 10am at

A five year Justice Department investigation came to a very anti-climactic end last week when a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial in the corruption case of New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez. Menendez faced charges of conspiracy, bribery, and honest services fraud. He was accused of accepting over $600,000, a luxurious hotel suite at the Park Hyatt in Paris, and free rides on a private jet from Dr. Solomon Melgen, a wealthy ophthalmologist. Both of the men deny all charges. Prosecutors did not say whether they will attempt to refile charges. “The Department of Justice appreciates the jury’s service in this lengthy trial,” DOJ spokesperson Nicole Navas said. “The Department will carefully consider next steps in this important matter and report to the court at the appropriate time.” Menendez told reporters outside of the courthouse that he felt vindicated. “I want to thank the jury, 12 New Jerseyans who saw through the government’s false claims and used their Jersey common sense to reject it. The way this case started was wrong, the way it was investigated was wrong, the way it was prosecuted was wrong, and the way it

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

ing from cities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities. Orrick said that the president cannot set new conditions on spending approved by Congress.

Avi & Shneur Faskowitz

P o 2018 present

Exquisite new location

with

W e s t i n B e ac h R e s o rt & S pa F o rt L au d e r da l e , f lo r i da

718-969-9100 Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn at GVR this passover

was tried was wrong as well,” he said. “Certain elements of the FBI and of our state cannot understand or, even worse, accept that the Latino kid from Union City and Hudson County can grow up and be a U.S. senator and be honest.” Menendez had harsh words for those that predicted his political demise because of the trial. “To those who were digging my political grave so that they could jump into my seat, I know who you are, and I won’t for-

info@majesticpassover.com www.majesticpassover.com

get you,” he warned. The verdict was good news for Democrats who were worried about losing his Senate seat to a member of the Republican Party.

Judge: Sanctuary Order Illegal Just days after President Trump took office he issued an executive or-

16 Our

Year

Aliza Nugiel Designs 917.273.0392

hen

GVR , n e va da derson

gourmet cuisine

der which sought to withhold funds from cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration requests to turn over any individual arrested for a crime who are suspected of entering the U.S. illegally. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick issued a ruling in lawsuits brought by two California counties, San Francisco and Santa Clara, in response to the order. The judge’s decision permanently blocks U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to cut fund-

The order targeted so-called “sanctuary cities.” Jurisdictions that refused to comply include the cities of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Those fighting the executive order celebrated the decision on Monday. “This is a victory for the American people and the rule of law,” San Francisco city attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement. “This executive order was unconstitutional before the ink on it was even dry.” He added, “We live in a democracy. No one is above the law, including the president.” A Department of Justice spokesman said the court had “exceeded its authority” in its ruling, and vowed that the department would continue to follow Trump’s direction with regard to the January executive order. “The District Court exceeded its authority today when it barred the President from instructing his cabinet members to enforce existing law,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said. “The Justice Department will vindicate the President’s lawful authority to direct the executive branch.” The term “sanctuary city” is a broad term applied to jurisdictions that have policies in place designed to limit cooperation with or involvement in federal immigration enforcement actions. Cities, counties and some states have a range of informal policies as well as actual laws that qualify as “sanctuary” positions. The idea for sanctuary cities appears to have sprung out of churches in the 1980s that provided sanctuary to Central Americans fleeing violence at home amid reluctance by the federal government to grant them refugee status. They became popular in more diverse locales to counter what officials there saw as overzealous federal immigration policies, particularly against those arrested for minor, non-violent crimes.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

"THE WORLD IS ARTSCROLL'S CLASSROOM"

FROM

NEW! A B C

NEW! BEREISHIS VOLUME 2

(Toldos-Vayechi) Volumes available in this series: Bereishis — complete in 2 volumes Shemos — complete in 2 volumes In preparation: Bamidbar

schottensteın Edıtıon Englısh yerushalmı

TRACTATE

KIDDUSHIN

Created by an extraordinary team of talmidei chachamim, this is the finest elucidation of Or HaChaim in any language. It includes:

famed pattern of the ArtScroll Talmud, Rashi, and Ramban

D Remarkably clear explanatory notes

4 Introductions of concepts 4 7”x10” page size

NEW!

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer

schottensteın Edıtıon Hebrew yerushalmı

‫מסכת‬

‫חגיגה‬

NEW!

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

SEDER NASHIM NOW COMPLETE!

Talmud Yerushalmi Hebrew Edition dedicated by

Talmud Yerushalmi English Edition dedicated by

Volume dedicated by the Baltimore Community in memory of Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz z”l

Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein

‫הרב מאיר יעקב בן‬ ‫הגאון הרב אהרן זלוטוביץ זצ״ל‬

Volume dedicated by the Lowinger family

NEW ! VOL. 4

The sefer. The stories. The segulah.

A Text of the Chumash, Targum, and Rashi, fully vowelized B Accurate, well-researched, vowelized Or HaChaim text C Flowing interpretive translation of Or HaChaim, following the

Schottensteın edıtıon Mıshnah Elucıdated TRACTATES

NEW ! VOL. 4

MAASER SHENI CHALLAH • ORLAH BIKKURIM COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME Mishnah Elucidated dedicated by

Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Volume dedicated by the Jaffa family

SEDER ZERAIM NOW COMPLETE IN 4 VOLUMES! AVAILABLE IN A SLIPCASED SET

the Ryzman Hebrew Edıtıon of Mıshnayos

‫מסכתות‬ ‫כריתות • מעילה‬ ‫תמיד • מדות • קנים‬ COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME Hebrew Mishnayos dedicated by

Mr. and Mrs. Zvi Ryzman of Los Angeles

Volume dedicated by Benjamin and Lynda Brafman

SEDER KODASHIM NOW COMPLETE IN 4 VOLUMES! AVAILABLE IN A SLIPCASED SET

The following ArtScroll sefarim are available for your daily learning programs:

The Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi; Yad Avraham Mishnah Series; Schottenstein Edition Mishnah Elucidated; Ryzman Edition Hebrew Mishnah; Kleinman Edition Kitzur Shulchan Aruch; Kleinman Edition Daily Dose of Torah. This Shabbos, Kislev 7: Daf Yomi Bavli – Makkos 20 / Daf Yomi Yerushalmi – Bava Kamma 44 / Mishnah Yomi – Rosh Hashanah 3:8-4:1 / Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yomi – 23:16-22

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Nebraska Approves Keystone Pipeline

Elegance Where

meets

affordable

offering full catering services and party planning elegantly set tables that include flower arrangements and décor

starting at $20.00 per person aufrufs, sheva brachas, bar mitzvahs... and for all reasons to celebrate!

For our Full menu please call 516-837-3766

560a central avenue | cedarhurst nY, 11516 516-837-3766 | inFo@heimishoncentral.com Under the

va a d

the

five

sUpervision towns

and

rabbi

forst

After years of negotiations, Nebraska regulators finally approved a route for TransCanada Corp’s Keystone XL pipeline on Monday. This clears the way for the long-delayed project, an agenda Trump has strongly supported. This week’s approval, though, did not make everyone happy. Some residents of the states that the pipeline will pass through are concerned that it could possibly contaminate their drinking water or cause other health problems. Environmentalists are concerned about the impact on the environment and the waste it will possibly generate. The 3-2 vote by the Nebraska Public Service Commission gave the green light for the construction of a pipeline that will link Canada’s Alberta oil sands to refineries in the United States. Experts say that there will still be many legal battles and opposition to fight along the way. “We are going to fight…to make sure this pipeline never gets built,” said Jane Kleeb, the head of anti-pipeline political advocacy group Bold Nebraska. The commission’s approval was not for TransCanada’s original route, but for a more costly alternative that would add five miles of pipeline, along with an additional pumping station and related transmission lines. TransCanada Chief Executive Officer Russ Girling said in a press release that the company will review the commission’s decision to assess its impact to the project’s cost and schedule. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the pipeline “will mean greater energy security for all North Americans.” The proposed line, which would run about 1,180 miles (1,899 km) from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska, has been a hotly debated topic. Environmentalists have

made it into a symbol of their broader fight against fossil fuels and global warming. Business groups and President Trump, meanwhile, say it could lower fuel prices and create employment. Back in March, Trump gave TransCanada a federal permit for the pipeline as part of a broader agenda to enhance the energy sector, reversing a decision by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015 to block the project. The Obama administration felt that the project wouldn’t bring significant enough economic benefits to outweigh its environmental impact. Trump has said Keystone XL would create 28,000 jobs nationwide.

Border Patrol Agent Killed in Ambush

While two U.S. Border Patrol agents guarded the border between Texas and Mexico this week they were ambushed by two illegal immigrants and attacked with blunt objects, most likely rocks. One agent was killed and the other was taken into the hospital in serious condition. A National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) official confirmed that Rogelio Martinez, 36, was killed. The other agent was not identified by name. In the meantime, authorities are searching for the attackers. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has offered a reward of up to $20,000 “for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible” for the attack. Brandon Judd, the president of the NBPC, said on Monday, “We don’t know exactly what happened because we weren’t there. However, just from agents that were working in the area, reports are saying it was an attack and it would appear to be an ambush.” He added, “There’s a high likelihood this was an assault on the agents.” Martinez was notified there was

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

"THE WORLD IS ARTSCROLL'S CLASSROOM"

FROM

In Hashem We Trust: It’s called Bitachon.

NEW!

This life-changing series continues

NEW!

FOR AGES 3-6

by Rabbi Yitzchak Dwek

by Rabbi David Ashear

Stories and insights — connecting with Hashem through faith and trust

Achieving a life of serenity through faith

New by

Miriam Pascal NEW!

by Sara Ginsburg

illustrated by Racheli David From the author of Look What Hashem Gave Me! and Look What My Parents Give Me!

creator of OvertimeCook.com

Family-friendly recipes for every day and special occasions In Real Life Kosher Cooking, Miriam Pascal shows us that you don’t need hard-to-find ingredients or pricey equipment to make interesting food; all you need is a touch of passion, a dash of caring, and a hearty helping of creativity.

Over 160 doable recipes you’ll make again and again Mouthwatering photo for every dish Accessible, easy-to-find ingredients Easy-to-follow instructions Menu suggestions for family and special occasions “Plan Ahead” and/or freezer tips for each recipe Pesach substitutions guide Comprehensive Index

Also available by

Miriam Pascal

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Cult Leader Dies in Prison

Challenging Iyun Shiurim

S.A.T. PREP

Strong Bekius Program

Stimulating Electives

Mussar and Shmuessen

Major trips

Mashgiach Ruchani

Football and Basketball Leagues

Advanced General Studies Curriculum

Satisfied students (Happy Parents!)

RESERVE THE DATE! YAM HATORAH Open House/Melave Malka

Motzei Shabbos, December 9th at 8:15 PM

The world lost a wicked soul on November 19. Charles Manson, notorious cult leader, died at the age of 83 in a California hospital last week. In 1969, Manson inspired a murder rampage in Los Angeles, which left seven people dead. His death was confirmed by spokeswoman Krissi Khokhobashvili of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; she did not reveal the cause of death. Manson was serving a life sentence after being found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Manson was imprisoned at California State Prison in Corcoran. In the last several years it was reported that he had medical problems. In January, he was hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding, according to news reports. Manson’s doctors felt he was too weak for surgery, and he was transported back to prison just a few days later. On November 15, 2017, a source not authorized to speak on behalf of the corrections department confirmed that Manson had returned to a hospital in Bakersfield, where he died a few days later.

N. Korea Sponsor of Terror

2716 Healy Avenue • Far Rockaway, NY 11691 718.471.7471 • MesivtaYamHatorah@gmail.com

Rabbi A. Pollak, Rosh Mesivta • Rabbi E Zoldan, Menahel Rabbi N Dinowitz, Principal

illegal immigrant traffic in the area while the agents were patrolling near Interstate 10, in the Van Horn Station area, according to Judd. He began following “footprints” on a trail when the attack occurred. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release that Martinez’s partner made the initial call for help and reported they were injured and needed assistance. The other details surrounding the incident are not yet known.

Martinez, father to one child, was from El Paso and served as a border agent since August 2013, assigned to the Big Bend Sector. The region is mountainous, making it difficult for people to cross. Just 1% of the more than 61,000 apprehensions made along the Southwest border between October 2016 and May 2017 were from this area. The region’s mountains make it a difficult area for people to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico.

Since 2003, 38 other agents have died while on the job, some in attacks and others in traffic accidents. Martinez is the second casualty this year. On Sunday night, President Trump tweeted, “Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall!”

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that he was placing North Korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. “Today the United States is designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Should have happened a long time ago. Should have happened years ago,” Trump said. North Korea was removed from the list by President George W. Bush in 2008. South Korea, the U.S.’s ally on the peninsula, said its military is “maintaining a firm readiness posture” for reaction from North Korea following the move.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

North Korean state media published a strong rebuke of Trump on Tuesday, although it wasn’t clear if it was in direct response to the terror designation. “The hideous crimes committed by the lunatic president of the U.S. are a blatant challenge to the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK,” an article in Rodong Sinmun said. “Those who trample down and make a mockery of the DPRK’s dignity can never go scotfree,” it added. It is quite normal for North Korea’s state media to publish blistering comments against the U.S. and its allies. Trump said that North Korea has “repeatedly” sponsored acts of terrorism, including “assassinations on foreign soil.” “The regime has made numerous lethal incursions in South Korea, attempted to assassinate senior leaders, attacked South Korean ships and tortured Otto Warmbier, ultimately leading to that fine young man’s death,” Trump said. “This designation will impose further sanctions and penalties on North Korea ... and supports our maximum pressure campaign to isolate the murderous regime,” the president added. New sanctions against the regime will

be announced in the coming weeks. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also determined that the North Korean regime has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism, according to a State Department official – noting the government has been implicated in assassinations on foreign soil. “As part of the administration’s maximum pressure strategy, we have asked all countries around the world to put diplomatic and economic pressure on the DPRK, whose regime threatens international peace and security with its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development, dangerous support for international terrorism and other malicious activities,” a State Department official said. “Kim Jong Un must realize that the only path to a secure, economically prosperous future is to abandon his unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development and support for international terrorism and rejoin the international community,” the official said. “Today’s designation is long overdue as North Korea continued its sponsorship of terrorism. Pyongyang’s use of nerve agent to kill Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is the

most visible example of North Korea’s attacks on dissent overseas,” Anthony Ruggiero, a former deputy director of the Treasury Department and an expert in the use of targeted financial measures for Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted on Monday. “A few years ago, after North Korea’s cyber-hack of Sony Pictures, it threatened a 9/11-style attack against U.S. movie theaters,” Ruggiero said. “The Kim regime should not have been removed from the list in 2008 and the U.S. government should have relisted it sooner than today.” Prior to this week, only three countries were labeled states sponsors of terror by the United States: Iran, Sudan and Syria. Such a designation carries significant sanctions against the country’s ability to receive U.S. foreign assistance and puts a ban on defense exports and sales. It also allows the United States to punish people or countries who trade with the designated countries. Cuba was removed from the list in 2015 by President Obama. President Bush had removed Libya in 2006 and Iraq in 2004 from the list. He had taken North Korea off the list in anticipation of a nuclear deal that never materialized.

Disney Takes Two

Don’t you love going to Disney? The shows, the attractions, the rides...it’s a mini-wonder world that delights both young and old. I bet you never noticed, though, that workers at Disney never point with their finger. Instead, they use the “double finger point.” Look around, you’ll see it’s true. Even during shows or Continued on page 36

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

R EA

AS D

AK YA

H ARAV

HEARTFELT CHINUCH HEARTFELT GRATITUDE

TORAH

FOR TY

BBE

T Z I N BRY

Yeshiva Darchei Torah TesTimonial Dinner

honoring

harav Yaakov & rebbeTzin brYna benDer marking ForTY Years oF hearTFelT harboTzas Torah

The Aviator B r o o k ly n , n E w yo r k

Sunday EvEning

‫ אור לכ׳׳ח טבת תשע׳׳ח‬January 14, 2018

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

avi Weinstock campaign chairman shlomo Yehuda rechnitz national chairman Dovi safier alumni campaign chairman

national Tribute committee in formation elisha brecher

Yaakov rajchenbach

rabbi avrohom Fruchthandler

Dovid scharf

Yitzchok ganger

harry skydell

mark karasick

aron solomon

Dovie karfunkel

gary Torgow

adam mirzoeff

shlomo Werdiger

Yussie ostreicher

aaron Wolfson

ronald lowinger President

lloyd keilson . motty klein chairmen, board of Trustees

For dinner reservations and journal dedication opportunities please contact Yeshiva Darchei Torah 237 beach 17th street Far rockaway, new York 11691 718.868.2300 ext.237 email: dinner@darchei.org darchei.org/dinner

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

parades, they’re pointing with two fingers. Recently the Independent explained this interesting detail. In some cultures, pointing with a single finger may seem rude. And because Disney is such a draw for people of all cultures, they point with two fingers instead. HuffPost has interpreted the detail another way. The site says that it could be paying homage to Walt Disney himself, who would tour the grounds with a cigarette in-hand. He would point out attractions to guests with two fingers and a cigarette sandwiched in between. Obviously, with the dangers of smoking are so established nowadays a smoking Walt Disney is hardly going to attract scores of children and their parents to his park. Even so, the two-finger point is still used by employees at Disney.

Your Feet will Thank You Runway Heels has an idea that will make you run – in happiness!

The start-up footwear maker is producing high-heeled shoes with technology that will allow heels to retract into the shoe in just a few seconds. Need to run to get to the train? No problem! Now you’re wearing flats. Heading to an important meeting? Again, no problem. Your high heels are ready for you. “As a commuter, working mom and a former flight attendant I saw the need for a more versatile shoe,” said company owner Melody Avecilla. The Los Angeles entrepreneur said she got the idea when she was pregnant and would come home from work with aching feet. “Initially, I went to master shoe craftsmen and I got resistance... It’s hard for them to think outside the box,” she said. “So I went to engineers who knew nothing about shoes.” The price of pampering your feet is not cheap. The shoes will run between $199 and $249 a pair. Being that it’s like two pairs of shoes in one, perhaps it’s a win-win on all sides. It’s certainly a win for your aching feet. Ballet flats, anyone?

The Cat’s Meow

A rescue cat at the British embassy in Jordan now has an official title. “Lawrence of Abdoun” is a fluffy black and white tomcat who is now the chief mouser who reports directly to the Foreign Office’s Palmerston, a cat that delights his 57,000 followers with regular updates from the ministry in Whitehall via @DiploMog. Lawrence, named after T.E. Lawrence, a British military officer who fought alongside Arabs against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, has already gained 2,500 followers since being adopted from an animal shelter last month. The embassy is located in the Abdoun neighborhood of Amaan. “Through Lawrence’s Twitter account we’re trying to show a different side to Jordan, what it is really like,

a peaceful, prosperous country that British tourists should come and visit,” said Deputy Ambassador Laura Dauban. Lawrence has already seen the effects of social media. Since posting some photos, he is now concerned about his image and will be “doing some exercises” to make sure he looks his best. Talk about diplomatic im-meow-nity.

Yoga for the Road?

We all need some positive feelings in our lives. Recently, Scott Froschauer post-

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

meal.

ed upbeat messages in a Los Angeles suburb to get people to feel the “vibe.” Froschauer created twenty message on signs that look like typical street signs and posted them around the neighborhood. Instead of “caution” written on a yellow diamond, the signs were scrawled with messages like “relax,” “breathe,” “do your best,” and “grow.” His “Word on the Street” installation is backed by the Glendale Library, Arts and Culture Department.

“The main visual language in street signs is traditionally negative,” Froschauer told the Los Angeles Times. “The project is about imagining how we would give reassuring language in the place of negative language.” Froschauer’s website includes a map of all of the signs’ locations, which he said were chosen in consultation with city officials. Hey Scott, it’s hard to “relax” when you’re honking behind me.

Trump Burger Like him or not, Trump manages to always draw a crowd. Last week, President Trump dined with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Tokyo’s tiny Munch’s Burger Shack. The American president wolfed down a cheeseburger while there, and now throngs of Japanese are heading to that same place to eat a presidential

Owner and Chef Yukata Yanagisawa says that after eating the burger last week Trump shook his head and said, “Very good, very good.” The president is known for his well-done steaks – and that’s just how he ordered his burger. Both burgers were made well-done, because, as Yanagisawa said, a mix-up when serving would have been a “disaster.” While better known for sushi, soba and tempura, Japan has had a long love affair with American food. So-called “premium burgers,” which are twice the price or more of fastfood versions, are growing popular. The “President Trump Set,” a new addition to the menu at Munch’s Burger, includes a serving of coleslaw and a side of fries with the cheeseburger and sells for 1,400 yen ($12). The juicy beef patty comes layered with crisp lettuce, melted cheese and tomato between hot soft buns. One customer, Haruyuki Sano, traveled an hour and a half for a taste of the sizzling fare. “It tasted great, like steak,” the pastry-maker said after savoring the 100 percent U.S. Angus beef Colby Jack Cheeseburger on Thursday. The lines out the door during lunchtime are getting longer than ever, thanks to Trump. Chef Yanagisawa said he was very honored after Trump praised his meal, mustering up a humble “thank you” to the president. He added that he doesn’t know why his restaurant was chosen to host the group. Yanagisawa was asked to bring the ingredients and his equipment to prepare the burgers, not just for the leaders but for an entourage of about 20 people, at a kitchen at the country club where the leaders were dining, he said. The security checks were surprisingly simple, with no metal detectors, although a Trump staff member checked the food and watched the entire time he was cooking. Yanagisawa’s dream is to open a

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Cam p

ae l isr

a n h eh c a

ist

201 eg

ration is now

Rabbi Yitzy Rabbi Ben Jacobi Rabbi "Zezy" Rabbi Drebin Learning Director Haber Camp Director Fuld Camp Director Head Counselor

 DYNANITE PROGRAM  CIT PROGRAM  CAMP MAXX

SIGN

JAN

BEF

MJ Jacobs Athletic Director

RE & R UARY ECE 1 4 TH EXC IVE YO U CMY LUSIVE R

SW BAG AG

Rabbi Karp AJ Jacob Mordechai CIT Director Dynanite Director Picker Camp Maxx! Co-coordinator

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION NOW OPEN AT

CMYFUN.COM Ends Jan 14th

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

& JY

to get them in. Once in the mouth, though, he had to keep them there for ten seconds, without using his hands, in order to get the title. The previous record holder, British man Simon Elmore, stuffed 400 straws into his mouth at an event in Germany.

Imperial Wood Flooring

walk on us for a

lifetime

New!

Cheesesteak Grave-y

Dustless Sanding

DESIGN INSTALLATION & REFINISHING HARDWOOD FLOORS BORDERS • LAMINATE • VINYL

Servicing the tristate area

718.309.5092

Fully licensed and Insured Free Estimates

www.imperialwoodﬂoor.com

Est. 2002

info@imperialwoodfloor.com

Commercial and Residential

restaurant in New York. He hopes to show what Japanese sensitivity and attention to detail can bring to a burger. “It must have that handmade element,” he said. “More than anything, it is about the feelings you put in for the customer, in each and every burger.” Perhaps the president can visit him when he comes to New York. I’ll tell you, it’ll be great, buh-lieve me.

Strawman We are completely a-straw-nded by Manoj Kumar Maharana. The 23-year-old from Odisha in India, recently broke the world record for most straws stuffed in his mouth without using his hands. He managed to cram 459 straws into his mouth all at once. Maharana was allowed to use

rubber bands to hold the straws together and was able to use his hands

Richard Lussi was 76 when he passed away last month but he is still eating well. The Pennsylvania man was so inlove with Philly cheesesteaks from Pat’s King of Steaks that he would travel two hours for the greasy fare. Before he passed away he would joke that he wanted to munch on the oozing sandwiches after he died. Richard’s grandson, Dominic, took his grandfather’s words to heart. “He said, ‘What do you think [I want]? Pat’s cheesesteak! Pat’s wiz — with no onions because they’ll come back to haunt me,’” Dominic said of his grandfather. Richard passed away from heart complications last month. At his funeral his son and grandson came armed with two Philly cheesesteak sandwiches – and placed them in his coffin. “We were just going to get one but my pop always said, ‘If you’re going to Pat’s, you always get two,’” Dominic Lussi, 25, said. Pat’s was founded in 1930 and is credited with the creation of the Philly cheesesteak. Sounds truly heavenly.

Of course, no one wants problems to occur in the first place. But it’s what you do in response that makes all the difference. Page 100

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Cam p

ae l isr

a n h eh c a

Reunion

Open House

MOTZAI SHABBOS, DECEMBER 23, 2017 7:30 - 9:15 Yeshiva of South Shore, 1170 William Street, Hewlett NY 11557 Join us for Pizza & Soda! Watch our reunion video with your camp staff!

RAFFLES FOR AMAZING PRICES!

Featuring the Sky Squad Basketball Dunk Team!!

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community HALB 2nd Grade Celebrates their Chumash Play PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

el Yisra

A New Di vi

ha h ne

o si

f Camp Ma o c n

CAMP

MAXX

...Imagine a place where for 8 weeks your son can tap into his creative, innovative and inventive side...

WELCOME TO CAMP MAXX

FOR MORE INFORMATION & A ground-breaking new division of Camp Machaneh Yisrael TO REGISTER, open to boys in 5th to 8th grade. At Camp Maxx, your son VISIT OUR WEBSITE will learn hands on techniques that will let his imagination CMYFUN.COM run wild. This division of CMY flips the sports oriented day and allows for MAXXimum hands on activities, where your son will explore the art of woodworking, robotics and STEM and at the same time enjoy the other wonderful fun parts of CMY. CAMP MAXX 2018 will be taking the day camp world by storm--are you ready to give your son the MAXXimum day camp experience?

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rebbetzins Hone Communal Leadership Skills at Yeshiva University Conference

rom November 13 to 14, approximately 200 rebbetzins from across the United States and Canada gathered together for the Rebbetzin Esther Rosenblatt Yarchei Kallah for Rebbetzins. The Yarchei Kallah was organized by Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) and held at Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck, New Jersey. Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, David Mitzner Dean of CJF, explained that “this program provides an opportunity to network with others in a safe and supportive environment, develop lasting relationships, acquire new resources and skills, and enjoy the intellectual stimulation of Torah study with leading Jewish scholars while being mentored by more experienced rebbetzins. This event acknowledges the great contribution and influence of rebbetzins in the growth and success of the rabbinic couple in developing their community.” The focus of this year’s event was “Olam Chesed Yibaneh: Chessed in Our

Homes, in Our Communities and in Our World,” and the issues on the agenda touched on many different topics, including the philosophical (the pursuit of peace in halacha), the day-to-day (the discipline of children, a professional wardrobe), the therapeutic (identifying clinical issues in congregants), and the financial (fiscal fitness for young couples), to name a few. The event also featured an impressive roster of speakers, including Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University; Dr. Danielle Wozniak, Dorothy and David Schachne Dean at Wurzweiler School of Social Work; Daniel Pollack, professor at Wurzweiler and an expert in child safety issues; and Keshet Starr, managing director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA). A highlight of the first day was the opportunity to have a conversation with Dr. Berman, about the future of both the University and the University’s connection to the larger Jewish community. He spoke inspiringly about the

“YU of tomorrow” and how community members were supportive of his efforts to establish YU as a beacon of Jewish values and an important voice in the global conversation. He also surveyed them about what they thought were the salient issues both in the communities where they lived and in their lives within those communities. There were also plentiful opportunities for attendees to meet one-on-one with individuals and representatives of organizations on specific issues, such as domestic violence, family planning, physical fitness, pensions and retirement, making aliyah and pastoral counseling. Karen Hochberg, who hails from Jamaica Estates, New York, and has spent 43 years as a rebbetzin, “loved being part of the camaraderie among the rebbetzins who all share a unique role, and one that immediately forges a common bond among both the newcomers and ‘veterans’ alike. The conference sessions this year were often intense, dealing with issues such as

self-harm, suicide, addiction, sexual predators, abuse, and infertility. But these are critical issues that rebbetzins often find themselves confronting, and we were, once again, very grateful to be offered insights and advice from the top experts in their fields.” For Rifki Freundlich, from Hampstead, Quebec, the Yarchei Kallah “makes me more self-aware and allows me to take a step back from my work so that I can ultimately re-engage from a place of strength. It offers practical tips, new perspectives and emotional support. I return home with a realistic assessment of the larger Jewish scene, realizing the unique strengths of my particular position, grateful for

YU’s support network and with a renewed appreciation of what can be accomplished.” Meira Davis, coordinator of the Personal and Professional Enhancement Program for Rebbetzins at CJF and coordinator of the event, noted that “the rebbetzins look forward to this as a highlight of their year, where they can come together for two days of networking, camaraderie, learning, personal growth, delicious food and pampering in a setting with true peers. They return home, rejuvenated, inspired and with a dose of chizuk [strengthening] to propel them forward to achieve increased personal and communal growth.”

Autumn at the CAHAL Kindergarten Class

ow that the temperature has finally started to fall, so have the autumn leaves that the kindergartners in the HANC CAHAL class have been waiting for so long to collect. In their science lessons, the children learned about the unique changes in plant life during this new season. They learned to identify all the parts of a tree and their respective functions and that roots hold onto the ground and suck up water and minerals. Morah Melody Harris brought in pieces of cut tree trunks which the children examined and determined the age of the tree by the number of rings inside. The most exciting part of the lesson was the leaves, whose beautiful colors come out when they stop making chlorophyll. The thrilled children went outdoors with collection bags to select their favorite specimens.

ways green. They also searched like busy squirrels for the seeds of these trees, the winged maple seedlings that fly like mini-helicopters, and round acorns. Upon returning to the classroom they practiced visual discrimination and sharing skills by asking everyone to take some maple leaves from their big bags which were then taped all over the bare tree form on the wall. They created “OUR MAPLE TREE,” of which the children are so proud.

The children were taught to identify and differentiate between maple and oak leaves, two varieties which are

most abundant around the school, as well as to recognize evergreens by their thinner needles which are al-

CAHAL opened this year with the largest enrollment and most classes in its 26 year history. To consider CAHAL for your child and to get more information about this wonderful community program, check www. cahal.org, contact CAHAL at cahal@ cahal.org, or call (516) 295-3666.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community PHOTO CREDIT: JERRY MEYERS STUDIOS

One Israel Fund Celebrates the Miracle

t was a monumental celebration at Terrace on the Park this past Sunday as supporters from far and near gathered at One Israel Fund’s 23rd Anniversary Gala Dinner. This year’s event was especially festive as it marked the 50th year since the reclamation of Judea and Samaria, the Biblical Heartland of Israel. Led by master of ceremonies Nachum Segal, the evening showcased speakers and videos to highlight the magnitude of the miracle that we are experiencing every day in Israel and specifically in Judea and Samaria. Cantor Joel Kaplan of Congregation Beth

Sholom in Lawrence led the crowd in the anthems, Rabbi Shmuel Marcus, morah d’atra of the Young Israel of Queens Valley gave divrei bracha, and Scott M. Feltman, executive vice president of One Israel Fund, pointed out the incredible relationship One Israel Fund has developed with various Israeli government divisions to produce significant matching grants, stretching each donor’s investments that much farther. The special video presentation vividly depicted life in the land which was barren and devoid of any Jewish presence just three generations ago

but is now teeming with life and vitality. It is incredible to think that within the next decade there will likely be ONE MILLION residents in these formerly desolate areas! That growth is due in major part to the unwavering commitment and support of donors to One Israel Fund who have

made fledgling towns safer and more viable for families to settle. Whether it is with hi-tech thermal security systems, medical equipment and ambulances, community centers, mikvaot, or playgrounds, the upgrades made by One Israel Fund have made Judea and Samaria a safe and secure place to live and raise a family. Nobody could have imagined such a development 50 years ago! The dinner also celebrated the involvement of three special families in the organization – Susan and Steve Orlow, Zena and Marty Cohen, and Rena and Bentzy Chill. All have dedicated themselves to this important cause and have made an indelible impact on Israel’s future. Most notable, the Orlows have led One Is-

rael Fund since its inception. Steve was the founding president and currently serves as chairman. Together, the Orlows have become monumental leaders in the effort to build up the Biblical Heartland of Israel. The inspiring evening was capped off by a poignant Hachnasat Sefer Torah in memory of Yaakov, Chaya and Elad Salomon, Hy”d, who were brutally murdered by terrorists in Neve Tzuf. The Torah will now make its way to Israel to be housed at the very shul where Mr. Salomon served as gabbai. To view the inspiring dinner video, “Celebrate the Miracle,” and get a firsthand look at Judea and Samaria’s growth, go to Oneisraelfund.org.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Around the Community

A Special Seudah at TAG

orah Academy for Girls routinely celebrates many milestones in the school. It could be a Haschalas Rashi Breakfast for our third grade talmidos, or the Navi Breakfast introducing Navi to the fourth graders, or siyumim which boruch Hashem abound in every division throughout the year. However, nothing could compare to the party held on Wednesday morning, November 15. The fifth grade of TAG celebrated a seudas hadoah in honor of their classmate Hindi Rosenman who, boruch Hashem, is now back in school after many absences during her recuperation from a serious health issue last year. The excitement was palpable as the girls all dressed in their Shabbos finery to acknowledge the tremendous chessed of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. The girls were involved in every aspect of the special event, from the invitations to the centerpieces, and all the committee members really enjoyed working together. A delicious breakfast was served and the girls heard Rabbi Meyer Weitman speak with pride about this class who truly stood by their friend during the difficult days and now were zocheh to celebrate with her on this special day. When we speak of the TAG family, this is what we mean. Indeed, there was an array of amazing individuals who were involved in this journey with the Rosenman family. A huge yashar koach to the following: Mrs. Miriam Rosenberg, Mrs. Lisa Krausman, Chaya Baila Seliger and Dr. Hylton Lightman whose support and involvement were invaluable and

“It was an island of self-love in a sea of self-hate, and it changed the landscape of my life in a few short months.” Page 94

Mordechai Shapiro singing at the seudas hadoah

much appreciated. Mrs. Dovi Tomaszewski and Miss Mimi Samter of our Guidance Department helped organize this special event with the help of both of our principals, Morah Menucha Levin and Mrs. Temima Feldman. Thanks as well not only to Hindi’s present teachers, Morah Rassi Busel and Mrs. Chavsie Friedman, but last year’s teachers, Morah Sima Sarf and Mrs. Peggy Hershkowitz, as well. Our secretarial staff, Miss Shira Chatzinoff, Mrs. Deena Bornstein and Mrs. Tal Genekowsky, also helped to ensure the success of this joyous celebration. Thanks to Miss Levana Tomaszweski who came and took photographs that Hindi and her family will certainly cherish for many years to come. If it was not enough to be able to be there with Hindi to celebrate this milestone, a special surprise guest, popular singing star Mordechai Shapiro, himself a TAG parent, added to the simcha! Special thanks to Mr. Shapiro and to Sruli Goldstein who accompanied him on the keyboard for taking the time to entertain and provide the girls with a morning they will always remember. Hodu l’Hashem ki tov!

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Emunah of America’s Annual Dinner By Sarah Abenaim

ne of the most anticipated charitable and social events each winter is the annual Emunah Dinner. This year, it will take place on Saturday night, the second of December, at Pier 60 Chelsea Piers. The gala highlights incredible men and women who have assumed leadership roles in their communities, oftentimes balancing other major responsibilities with their invaluable volunteer work. It is also an opportunity to showcase the strides Emunah of America has made in terms of its growth as an organization and its contributions to families and children in need. This year, Emunah of America has chosen Esther and Paul Lerer as its Guests of Honor – both individuals who epitomize the qualities represented by Emunah of America. They are longtime supporters, members, and leaders of Emunah of America and lifetime advocates for the betterment of Jewish lives worldwide. Emunah of America is extremely privileged to honor Melanie Oelbaum, a woman of unwavering

Esther and Paul Lerer

strength, spirit, and selflessness, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Michelle Salig is the deserving recipient of the Keter Shem Tov Award, for her outstanding work on behalf of Emunah of America’s families. Through her unwavering commitment to Emunah of America’s cause, Shira Ben-David ensures the future of the next generation of volunteers and will therefore be receiving the Young Leadership Award. During the dinner, Emunah of America will highlight its Multipurpose Day Care Centers, facilities that aim to keep families together by working with both parents and children. While Emunah of America has many group homes for children,

Melanie Oelbaum

Michelle Salig

the Multipurpose Day Care Centers is a unique preventive model that specifically aims to keep families together. Emunah of America’s goal is to prevent these children from being placed in foster care and to keep these struggling families intact. Emunah of America’s Multipurpose Day Care Center cares for children from 7a.m. to 7 p.m., providing delicious hot meals, enrichment activities, tutors, baths, and any other routine needs at the center. When the children return home, there is very little for their parents to do, thus easing their burden. Simultaneously, parents work closely with therapists and educators to strengthen their own parenting skills and receive the

Shira Ben David

guidance and knowledge they lack. Through its vast network of 250 social service and educational projects throughout Israel, Emunah of America services over 12,000 children and adults in need. The programs vary from schools to homes to crisis counseling centers, each program imbued with the vision of helping children and adults lead successful, productive, and meaningful lives. Emunah of America relies heavily on the support from the community to ensure that these award-winning programs continue. Please join us on December 2 and help make a difference in the life of an adult or child in need in Israel.

Magic Comes To SKA By Priva Halpert, SKA ‘21

he Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls is excited to offer 1:1 MAGIC mentoring for our STEM students. MAGIC (More Active Girls In Computing) is an international organization aimed at increasing the interest of middle and high school girls in STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – topics and STEM careers by providing 1:1 mentoring to them over the course of the school year. In this remarkable first time opportunity, SKA students and their mentors, who are professional women in STEM careers, will work on a project for the next four to six months, culminating in a presentation in May. At the end of October, we had

Mr. Ben Lunzer, MAGIC Board Member; his wife, Dr. Hindi Lunzer, mentor; Mrs. Chana Glatt, science department chair; Meira Steiner; Avigail Razi; Priva Halpert; Kayla Evans; and Bluma Drebin, SKA principal. Not shown: Atara Israel

our kickoff luncheon to officially begin the program. Mr. Ben Lunzer, a MAGIC board member and SKA parent, introduced the girls to their mentors and explained more about how the process will work. Mrs. Bluma Drebin, SKA principal, general studies, shared her experience with MAGIC from her previous school, and Mrs. Chana Glatt, science de-

partment chair, clarified the responsibilities of the students. We are all so thrilled to participate in this new STEM opportunity along with students all across America! We are looking forward to starting our weekly meeting with our mentors and are anticipating an exciting and educational year. Mazal tov and hatzlacha raba to

the five SKA students who have been selected as MAGIC mentees: Kayla Evans, Atara Israel, Priva Halpert, Avigail Razi, and Meira Steiner. We can’t wait to see how our projects will develop. Thank you Mrs. Glatt and Mrs. Drebin for bringing MAGIC to SKA!

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Passover 2018

• Elegantly-appointed Waldorf Astoria Guest Rooms • 3 Daily Gourmet Glatt Kosher Meals along with Daily Poolside Barbeques and Lavish Tea Room artistically executed by Grand Getaways and the Waldorf Astoria culinary team

• Professionally run Day Camp & Teen Program • Discounted rates at the onsite Waldorf Astoria Golf Club featuring Rees Jones-Designed Championship Golf Course

• Three Exquisite Pool Areas, Lazy River, Waterslide and Private Cabanas Available

Alan Berger Owner and Director Robyn Hartman Co-Director For reservations or more information, please contact our team at: 1-877-PESACH4 (1-877-737-2244) or 516-734-0840 info@passovergg.com www.passovergrandgetaways.com

GG JH_WAO 8.75Wx11H Ad 5778_Nov2017.indd 1

• Fabulous Chol Hamoed Entertainment and Teen Trips • Featured Scholars in Residence • Ashkenaz and Sephardic minyanim • Luxurious Waldorf Astoria Spa and Fitness Center • Onsite Emergency Room Doctor to assist with family needs

• Complimentary Motor Coach Transportation to all Disney Attractions

• Allergy and Special Dietary Consultant available at all Meals

11/6/17 11:35 PM

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

YOSS ECC Acts Out Parshas Toldos

he lessons of Parshas Toldos were brought to life by the talmidim at Yeshiva of South Shore’s Hollander Early Childhood Center. The boys dressed as “twins” and discussed how twins and siblings can be alike and different. They worked together to cook lentil soup, cutting, chopping, measuring

and mixing. The delicious smell of soup drifted through the hallways and the Pre-1A boys wrote instructions, “Do not touch– hot soup,” and created original symmetry paintings. The boys also worked on their premath skills as they compared, contrasted and learned about opposites and pairs.

Learning Math the Montessori Way at Ohr Leah

n a Montessori classroom, math is introduced in very hands-on fashion, making concepts concrete. By the time children begin to do paper and pencil math that is more abstract, they will have developed an understanding of the material that will guide them in their work. Computation will not simply be done by rote, which is often the case in math. Most important, children will develop their natural love for math because it will make sense! Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori school system, believed that children will absorb math concepts naturally when exposed to them during sensitive periods in their development. In the proper environment, children will eagerly and joyfully acquire mathematical concepts through the exploration of concrete and scientifically developed didactic materials. The Montessori Method begins to develop the child’s mathematical sense at a very young age through the use of Practical Life and Sensorial activities whereby the children experience the concepts of order, sequence, measurement, calculations and exactness. As the child develops her mathematical mind, she will be ready to explore more concrete mathematical concepts beginning with quantity. According to Dr. Montessori’s method, developed through working with children and discovering their innate abilities, children who can count and recognize the numbers 1-9 will be able

to count in quantities of hundreds and thousands. Using the Montessori “Golden Bead” material, the child will be given a concrete exploration of the decimal system. While training in the Montessori Method, teachers find that they begin to understand mathematical concepts in a whole new way! What they learned to do by rote as children begins to make so much more sense. One teacher walked away feeling, “If I had only learned math this way when I was a child, I probably would have loved it!” If you are interested in learning more about our school and missed the open house please call to schedule a visit and see the learning in action! Ohr Leah is located at: 111 Irving Place in Woodmere. For more information or to schedule a visit please contact Suzanne Burger at 347-7944940 or Leah Schwartz at 757-6511129.

ordinator, said, “This is a time of year when we give thanks for all we have, and remember those who have less.

It was very meaningful for our students to be able to participate in these activities.”

Chessed at Central

n the spirit of Thanksgiving, Central Chessed has been spending November focusing on the less fortunate. Earlier this month, Central students assisted in the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates Clothing Drive by sorting donations, and last week, Central Chessed teamed up with the Hebrew Free Burial Society to help clean a local Jewish cemetery. This “chessed shel emet” was done purposefully in the week of Parshat Chayei Sarah, which tells the story of Avraham’s proper care for Sarah’s burial. Finally, this week, Central stu-

dents packaged food donations at the Met Council for the needy. Ms. Laura Fruchter, Chessed Co-

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Chag Hasigd at HALB

hag Hasigd celebrates the dream of Ethiopian Jews making aliyah to Israel. The Bnei Akiva shlichot of HALB invited Zehava, the Bnei Akiva shlicha of North Shore Hebrew Academy, to speak with the students in grades 5-8. Zehava told her own personal family story of how her grandparents

and parents left Ethiopia. Zehava spoke about the emotions of leaving a country and the exhilaration

OHEL Named an Official Charity Partner

HEL Children’s Home & Family Services was named an Official Charity Partner of the 2018 United Airlines NYC Half. The race, which will take place on Sunday, March 18, 2018, will have an expanded field of some 22,500 expected runners, and will feature a completely redesigned course, taking runners on a 13.1 mile tour of iconic city landmarks beginning in Brooklyn and finishing in Central Park in Manhattan. Members of Team OHEL will run the United Airlines NYC Half to reach physical goals, raise awareness of OHEL’s mission on behalf of a friend or relative that OHEL serves, or participate to honor the memory of a loved one. Longtime member of Team OHEL Solly Elmann ran the United Airlines NYC Half last year with his friends to honor the memory of his dear friend, Lidya Chami, who passed away just days before the race. “Doctors told Lidya she’d only have a few months to live when she was diagnosed with her illness, but she was strong enough to make it seven years. My friends and I decided to run with Team OHEL and challenge ourselves to run 13.1 miles in her memory. We carried her pride all the way to the finish line by wearing sweatbands with her name on it.” “We are thrilled to partner with the United Airlines NYC Half, which enables our passionate Team OHEL participants, to raise critical funds for so many essential programs, including Camp Kaylie’s Scholarship Fund, which helps children with disabilities attend one of the most inclusive camp programs in the country and enjoy a fantastic summer camp experience,” said Meital Cafri, OHEL’s Event Coor-

dinator. “We are proud to welcome OHEL Children’s Home & Family Services as an official charity partner of the 2018 United Airlines NYC Half,” said Christine Burke, vice president of runner products and services for New York Road Runners. “Our charity partners are an integral part of the United Airlines NYC Half and provide thousands of runners dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those in need an opportunity to add meaning to their miles.” Hit the ground running by joining Team OHEL in this NYC Half Marathon. You’ll receive guaranteed entry, a team t-shirt, swag, a personal fundraising page, fundraising and training tips, and a professional you can contact for assistance. Contact Meital Cafri at 718-686-3217 or meital_cafri@ ohelfamily.org to join our team. Those who have already secured spots in the United Airlines NYC Half are welcome to support the team’s sponsorship goals by sponsoring a member of our team or by becoming a lead sponsor. Since 1969 OHEL has served as a dependable haven of individual and family support, helping people of all ages surmount disability, everyday challenges, heal from trauma, and manage with strength and dignity during times of crises. OHEL serves thousands in need every day in communities in New York, New Jersey, California and worldwide. Individuals interested in the many programs that OHEL offers should contact OHEL at (800)-603-OHEL (6435). Like us on Facebook at OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services, follow us on Instagram @ohelfamily, or visit us at www.ohelfamily.org.

of finally returning to our homeland. The stories and videos that Zehava showed made lasting impres-

sions and drove the important message home: Israel is our homeland.

HANC Sixth Grade Retreat

ne of the most anticipated events of HANC’s Elementary School years is the annual Sixth Grade Retreat. It was a wonderful experience for all of the sixth grade students from the Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead and the HANC Elementary School in Plainview to bond, relax, learn and have fun together. The students traveled two hundred and fifty miles on a comfortable coach bus to the amazing Rocking Horse Ranch Resort. The children were able to experience mini-golf, archery, rock climbing, boating on a gorgeous lake, splash in a mini water park, and play basketball. The Fun Barn offered ping pong, a mini rock climbing wall, and a newly renovated play area with a bowling alley. The students also experienced night tubing and roasted marshmallows over an open fire pit. Two amazing and powerful learning sessions on the importance of telling the truth and how we use our

language were conducted. While participating in sports and swimming, the children had the opportunity to build upon current friendships as well as form new ones with students from the other HANC campus. They enjoyed great meals in a rustic dining room with tables that had a mixture of students from each campus. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for one and all. HANC wishes to thank Barbara Deutsch, the Associate Principal of HANC West Hempstead, as well as staff members Mr. Jonathan Eisenkraft, Mrs. MaryAnn Harold, Mrs. Wendy Pace, Mrs. Chavy Stern, Mrs. Elana Jacobs, Mrs. Michelle Weinreb, and Rabbi Shmuel Lemann, for all of their hard work and preparation for this incredible experience. HANC extends a special thank you to Rabbi Michael Merrill for coordinating such an amazing Retreat. Thank you to the P.T.A. for their financial support and all of their assistance in helping make this event possible.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Siach Yitzchok Chinuch Melava Malka By E. Ganz

iach Yitzchok is a very special school, for various reasons. One key aspect of Siach Yitzchok’s uniqueness is its annual Chinuch Melava Malka. The Chinuch Melava Malka serves a dual purpose. One reason is for the Siach Yitzchok parents to be able to spend time together congenially in a ruchniyus setting. The other, more important reason is clear from the evening’s title: Chinuch Melava Malka. Rabbi Dovid Sitnick, shlit”a, the menahel, uses this annual function as an opportunity to address the parents on crucial chinuch issues which he wishes to bring to the forefront of the parents’ consciousness. This year’s Chinuch Melava Malka took place on Motzei Shabbos Parshas Toldos. What apropos timing! Parents, who are raising their toldos – their children – united to learn how to improve their chinuch. The date was also a clear indication of hashgacha pratis; the event took place on Rosh Chodesh Kislev. The parents were able to partake of a sumptuous milchige melava malka-Rosh Chodesh seuda, together with the hanhala and staff.

At the beginning of the month which emphasizes the primacy of Torah and triumphing over negative influences, the Siach Yitzchok parents joined together to learn how to improve the ruchniyus levels of their homes. Rabbi Dovid Fordsham, long-time Siach Yitzchok parent and rav of a local shul, was the emcee for the evening. Addressing the crowded room, he pointed out that throughout his years in Far Rockaway, starting from when he was a tenant of Rabbi Sitnick, he has always been impressed by Rabbi Sitnick’s emphasis on emes. This middah, which is integral to Rabbi Sitnick’s very being, is one of the

reasons that he is well-equipped to speak to parents regarding chinuch issues. Rabbi Sitnick is clearly able to perceive the chinuch issues of our day, and he is courageous in defining and delineating the issues. After Rabbi Fordsham’s humorous and enjoyable introduction, Rabbi Sitnick addressed the crowd. His clear, positive message left the parents with lots to think about. As one parent said, “I wish it would have been longer! The speech had such real, meaningful, practical content!” The drasha was directed at the weakening tzura of a ben Torah. Once

the expression “chill out” entered the vocabulary of the yeshiva world, there has been a decreasing emphasis upon the appearance, and ultimately, the weakening fortitude of a yeshiva-man to ward off the surrounding influences of our affluent world. Our fluid style of dress is a clear indication of our susceptibility. It means nothing, and it means something. It was not long ago that the hat and jacket of a yeshiva man was his pride and clearly differentiated him and his lifestyle. Reb Dovid spoke of the importance of our children inheriting a strong mesorah of who they are, and who they are not. They must be given a clear picture of a Shabbos seudah and every other aspect of Yiddishkeit. Complacency is our weakness and must be combated by constant alertness and scrutiny. We must employ the spiritual gene that we inherited from Avrohom Aveinu – the ability for the entire world to stand on one side and my family and I on the other. At the evening’s end, parents went home holding recent pictures of their Siach Yitzchok sons – and bearing resolutions for how to be ever-better parents of the generation that will, iy”H, greet Moshiach.

Daniel Rosenthal Sworn In for First Assembly Term

n Thursday, November 16, Daniel Rosenthal was officially sworn in as the new Assemblyman for the 27th Assembly District, which includes Kew Gardens Hills, Kew Gardens, Electchester, Pomonok, College Point and portions of Whitestone, Briarwood,

Richmond Hill and Forest Hills. Assemblyman Rosenthal assumes office after winning the special election on November 7 to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Michael Simanowitz. Assemblyman Rosenthal’s legislative priorities will focus on ensuring fair wages for working families,

fully funding all community schools, and increasing public health awareness. “I am honored to serve the people of the 27th Assembly District,” said Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal. “Whether it is advocating for constituent needs, fighting to fund essential

services, or sponsoring legislation to help families, my office will be on the front lines assisting our community. I look forward to hitting the ground running, and getting to work for my constituents.”

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

LET US CATER YOUR

Chanukah Party OR HOLIDAY

BAILA DESIGNS | 917.676.2394

AT OUR PARTY ROOM OR YOUR HOME/OFFICE

345 CENTRAL AVENUE LAWRENCE, NEW YORK 516.791.5200 WWW.THECOFFEEBARNY.COM UNDER THE STRICT SUPERVISION OF THE VAAD OF FIVE TOWNS AND FAR ROCKAWAY | CHALAV YISROEL | PAS YISROEL | YOSHON

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Assemblywoman Rozic Speaks to Young Professionals at AJC ACCESS Dinner

ast Thursday, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic spoke at a dinner hosted by AJC (American Jewish Committee) ACCESS, the AJC’s

young professionals branch. At the dinner, Rozic was interviewed by AJC ACCESS board member Dara Frank on topics ranging from her Jewish

and Latina identity, anti-Semitism, the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the importance of young and fresh voices in government. Rozic looks forward

to partnering with AJC ACCESS to encourage civic engagement at the state and local level.

WayFind and General Assembly Partner on Tech Bootcamps

ootcamps are gaining steam in today’s technology-driven economy and now the frum community has a unique opportunity to learn about and participate in this new education path. This was the theme at a recently well-attended informational session held at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov on Wednesday, November 15th, where General Assembly, the industry leader in technology skills training, presented information about bootcamps, requirements, the admissions process and job placement. WayFind, the education and career guidance service geared towards the frum community, co-founded by Five Towns residents Adele Dubin and Natasha Srulowitz, has partnered with General Assembly to offer gender-separate bootcamps in three tech areas: Full Stack Web Development, User Experience Design, and Data Science. The first bootcamp will launch in February 2018, at the General Assembly New York City location, is Full Stack Web Development. Other courses will be offered in the spring and summer. A bootcamp is a technical training program that teaches highly relevant and in-demand skills needed in the marketplace, such as coding, user interface design, or data science. Most people who participate in these programs have little or no technical experience or knowledge coming in.

They learn what they need to know to be job-ready within a 12-week timeframe. Attendees of the informational session, Bootcamps as a Path to Top Tech Jobs, heard from Eli Sklarsky, an admissions producer at General Assembly (GA), who discussed the benefits of General Assembly, its course offerings, and the success of its graduates. Dov Stokar, a teacher’s assistant at General Assembly, Teaneck resident and a recent graduate of the web development bootcamp, shared his unique perspective as a student, teacher and recent job seeker. Attendees also learned they will receive one-on-one career coaching support from WayFind as part of the bootcamp to help them navigate and prepare for the right jobs.

There are many examples of candidates for whom bootcamps make a lot of sense: young men who are starting their careers after years of learning, young women who are getting married and starting a family earlier while their husbands are on a learning path, or those who are looking to upgrade their skills and need an advanced education option that gets them results quickly. For those who are also looking to complete a bachelor degree they can use bootcamps credits towards a degree. Mordy Golding, Director of Content at Linkedin.com, said, “Of the top 25 skills required for any job today, 10 did not exist 10 years ago. They are all tech skills, and people who have them can go anywhere. There’s such demand in these areas

that people can work part-time or work from home. Additionally, salaries are high enough to sustain a frum lifestyle.” Wayfind is now taking applications for the first bootcamp in Full Stack Web Development. The attributes that make one successful in web development are those with analytical minds who like problem solving, who are hard-working, disciplined and driven for success. Try it out and see if it speaks to you: https://dash.generalassemb.ly/ If you are interested in more information or in organizing a bootcamp informational session in your area please contact WayFind at (516) 253 1147 or visit www.wayfindcareers.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

‫בס׳׳ד‬

Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam

is proud to announce that Registration for 2018-2019 is now open

Please call our office to make an appointment for an interview, feel the excitement and meet with our devoted Hanhala. We are pleased to welcome the following Mechanchos to our administration. MRS. CHANA BANDMAN Hebrew Curriculum Coordinator MRS. SHANI STADTMAUER Early Childhood Coordinator MORAH DEENIE SCHUSS Pre-School Administrator

BYAM | A Bais Yaakov with a heart! RABBI NOSSON NEUMAN Menahel

MRS. LEAH ZYTMAN Principal

12-14 HEYSON ROAD, FAR ROCKAWAY, NY 11691 | 718-868-3232

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rebbetzin Chanie Wolowik Honored by Assemblywoman Miller

Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky speaking

Rebbetzin Wolowik receiving her award

ssemblywoman Melissa Miller was proud to honor six local women with her Women of Distinction award on Sunday, November 19. Honorees included Anissa Moore (Long Beach), Charlene Fried (East Rockaway), Ann DeMichael (Woodmere), Rebbetzin Chanie Wolowik (Cedarhurst), Gwynn Campbell (Inwood) and Nadine Jacoby (Oceanside). Local Girl Scouts Troops were in attendance to present the flags and led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance before the awards were distributed. “I am in awe of the strength and determination each of these women possess and they have each made a choice to give to others, by doing so they have made such a difference in so many lives,” said Miller. “I am so

proud to be able to honor these women with my first annual Women of Distinction award for the hard work and extraordinary accomplishments they have made throughout their lifetimes.” The honorees were awarded proclamations while Miller shared each woman’s accomplishments with guests over a brunch at Oceanside Library. Assemblywoman Miller represents the 20th District, which consists of parts of Nassau County, including the towns of Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Five Towns (Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett), Oceanside, East Rockaway, Island Park, Point Lookout and Lido Beach.

YOSS Mechina Takes Tefillah to New Heights

ow do you celebrate a group of talmidim reaching new “heights” in their tefillah? Well, if they are members of the HIKON program at Yeshiva of South Shore, the answer is simple: give them an exclusive trip to the Adventure Park at Long Island! HIKON, which means “prepare,” is based on the pasuk in Amos, where he tells Klal Yisrael to prepare themselves to greet Hashem. The HIKON program is all about preparing talmidim to truly connect to Hashem through their tefillos. Three times a year, all of the HIKON members are recognized with a special trip and celebration. The cool, crisp weather and the smell of the campfire set the tone for

what was to be an incredible night of climbing, swinging, zip-lining, rappelling, high-wire crossing, and more.

After harnessing up and getting the safety instructions, the talmidim were able to challenge themselves and over-

come their fears and inhibitions on the many trails and obstacles. Halfway through the trip, they enjoyed a delectable buffet including hot soup and dessert. The HIKON hand warmers were a big hit as they finished climbing, davened Maariv and headed back on the buses. “Best trip ever!” was the theme of the night, and the achdus and ruach were something special to behold. Rabbi Zev Davidowitz, Menahel HaMechina, said, “Obviously, the message to talmidim is that we strengthen our connection and commitment to tefillah for all of the right reasons; however, the positive gains of joining with their chaveirim in a great incentive program makes it all the better.”

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Shulamith Visits Satmar Bikur Cholim

s a culmination of their unit on bikur cholim, the eighth graders of Shulamith School for Girls traveled last week to Williamsburg in Brooklyn to hear and experience firsthand how a bikur cho-

lim kitchen runs. They were inspired by what they saw at the headquarters of Satmar Bikur Cholim, an organization which feeds over 200 Jews each day in hospitals around NYC and Long Island.

Smiles abound as eighth graders from Shulamith School for Girls join the survivors from the JCC Chaveirim group for their annual pre-Thanksgiving bash

SKA’s SKAbbaton 2017

Learn & Live

T W

ith laughter and humor R’ Yehudah Deutsch brought the melacha of m’macheik, smoothing, to life. The presentation was real smooooth, from smoothing out wood to molding shapes out of putty and liquid soap just to name a few items that relate to m’macheik. The “Question of the

Week” winner was Yisroel Greenfield. This upcoming week’s Learn & Live will be “It’s a Fold-up.” For more information regarding Learn & Live please email us at learnandlivefr@gmail.com or call our allnew L&L hotline, 641-715-3800 pin 932191#, for all the up-to-date L&L info.

The mere shift in mindset from noticing what is wrong to noticing what is right can improve the parent-child relationship significantly. Page 98

Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, with SKA students

he Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls Shabbaton is by far one of the most anticipated school events of the year. It’s so hard to top this annual event, but SKAbbaton 2017 was declared the best ever! The ruach, achdut, talent and warmth felt in the Hudson Valley Resort on the weekend of November 17 was extraordinary. The weeklong prep highlighted the theme of GVG, or Grade vs. Grade, and was filled with breakfasts, kugels and inspiring videos. Enthusiastic 10th, 11th and 12th graders prepared songs and dances for the motzei Shabbat extravaganza; ninth graders, who had their own freshmen retreat, had special programming throughout the week. The beautiful grounds and weather, the inspirational presentations by guest speaker Ms. Chevy Garfinkel, and the dynamic senior class program really contributed to a wonderful Shabbat as did the thoughtful student-delivered divrei Torah and delicious food. GVG, a color war-like competition displaying the incredible talents of the SKA students, the melave malka with spirited dancing,

and a video showcasing every girl in the school ended the motzei Shabbat evening on a high. “The best part of Shabbaton for me,” said Junior Talia Wein, “is spending Shabbos with my friends and teachers. It’s such an amazing opportunity for all us of to bond!” Sincere appreciation goes to Rabbi Yosef Zakutinsky, Director of Student Programming, and his dedicated staff, Mrs. Yafa Storch, Mrs. Jordana Mallin and Mrs. Shana Leben. Our thanks go to Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, and administration members Mrs. Bluma Drebin, principal, general studies; Mrs. Deena Kobre and Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft, associate principals; Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky, director of religious guidance; and Mrs. Sandi Pomeranz, assistant administrator; the 10th, 11th and 12th grade level advisors, and the many SKA rebbeim, teachers and madrichot who joined for the weekend and played such an integral part in making this Shabbaton so wonderful. And, of course, each SKA student who attended really enhanced the Shabbaton!

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Chanukah Expo at BBY

Experiencing Thanksgiving at Ganoni

Budding Writers at BYAM

he first graders at BYAM are learning about writing and the various writing genres that there are. In conjunction to this and their social studies unit, where they are learning about different types of people, they conducted interviews

with several people in the school. The girls made sure to maintain eye contact when asking questions, used neat handwriting to record, and conducted a well-rounded interview with each individual. They are young budding writers!

his past Sunday Bnos Bais Yaakov PTA held an amazing Chanukah shopping expo to usher in the month of Kislev. Over 700 happy shoppers got a head start on their Chanukah shopping while their children enjoyed the fabulous carnival being held on premises. The room was filled with over 40 incredible vendors from the tristate area and beyond, covering every possible gift item on your list. To add to the enjoyment of the day, all were treated

to delicious samples from the Cookie Corner of Lakewood and Le Chocolat from right here in Cedarhurst. An exciting highlight of the day was a fabulous cooking demo given by Danielle Renov of Peas, Love and Carrots fame. Swarms of women and girls crowded around to meet this cooking sensation who traveled here all the way from Israel as she made churros for the crowd. Exciting prizes were raffled off, and a great day was had by all.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Around the Community

Levi Yitzchak Library Annual Breakfast

n Sunday, December 3, the Levi Yitzchak Family Center will be hosting its Annual Breakfast for the Community. Located in the heart of Cedarhurst on Central Ave., the Levi Yitzchak Library and family center is a cultural haven for adults and children alike. Founded as a memorial to Levi Yitzchak Wolowik, a”h, the library houses more than 13,000 books and offers a wide range of programming for the entire community such as Homework Helpers, Mommy and Me classes, interactive story-time, holiday shows, and much more. Many schools and camps visit the library to partake in its enriching programs. The Annual Breakfast will be chaired by Mr. and Mrs. Ben and Lynda Brafman, ardent supporters of the Levi Yitzchak Library. The Brafmans were early champions of the library initiative, hosting the kickoff of the capital campaign eight years ago. Three distinguished couples, Avi & Danielle Aronovitz, Alan & Helene Gerber, and Jamie & Rachel Stahler, will be honored as Library Ambassadors at the breakfast. These dedicated friends of the library demonstrate steadfast commitment to Torah values and community involvement. The event will also be an oppor-

Bracha at storytime at the Levi Yitzchak Library

tunity for the community to wish hakaras hatov and farewell to the library’s Program Director, Bracha Margolin, as she and her family set out to establish a new Chabad Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Known to many as Morah Bracha, she played an integral role in the library’s creation, and the community has witnessed the exciting growth of the Levi Yitzchak Library programs under her caring, dedicated, and very capable hands. We will always cherish Bracha’s warm smile and genuine enthusiasm for reaching out to each individual who walked through the

Rachel Stahler reading a story in the library

library’s doors. While the library’s success has been extraordinary, its work is not done and this dynamic community center needs your help. Your support provides a vital source of funding, offsetting costs for the many exceptional programs and facility improvements that make the LYL such a unique place. The library is an independent, not-for-profit, organization that relies on community support for its operations, both financially and from countless dedicated volunteers. Please join your friends and neighbors on Sunday, December

3 at 9:30am and discover the unique treasures the library has for you. You can make advance reservations and participate in the Library Breakfast on the website: lylibrary. org. Library hours: Sunday: 115, Monday: Closed to the public, Open for class trips, Tuesday: 11-7, Wednesday: 11-5:30, Thursday: 117. For more information or to learn about upcoming events please call: (516) 374-BOOK (2665) or email info@lylibrary.org.

Long Island Museum Showcases Artwork from Gurwin Assisted Living Artists

rtwork from five residents of Gurwin Jewish~Fay J. Lindner Residences assisted living community has been chosen for showcase in the 2017 Through Our Eyes exhibition at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, NY. The unique program is designed to provide mental stimulation and social engagement for people with memory loss and their care partners. The exhibit runs from November 16 through December 5 in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room. Through Our Eyes is an annual exhibition and an extension of the museum’s In the Moment program, developed with the nationally recognized Meet Me at MoMA program in

New York City and the Alzheimer’s disease Center at Stony Brook University Medical Center. Participants are able to connect with the artwork on display, gain a sense of importance, and share and relay memories, unique experiences for many of the participants, who “rarely speak otherwise,” according to one care partner. Piloted in 2011, the program has served more than 1,000 participants. “Each year’s exhibition brings a slightly different approach,” explained Lisa Unander, LIM’s Director of Education. For the Gurwin artists featured in the 2017 program, “art has been a major passion of theirs throughout their lives and not

just something they have come to enjoy in their later years.” She added, “Working with the challenges that often present during the aging process such as memory loss has not diminished their artistic drive.” According to Susan Fliss, Recreation Aide and Art Program Director at Gurwin, “The artists in this exhibit have all participated in our growing art program since joining Gurwin’s community. For some it is the only group activity in which they participate, which can be attributed to their love of painting. Each artist was creating one form of artwork or another in their younger years, and now all have embraced painting as their favorite form of ex-

pression. Our program encourages individualism and creativity; residents draw inspiration from photos, still life arrangements and from Gurwin’s lush landscaped grounds. Their artwork allows not only for self-expression, but also vital socialization.” Through Our Eyes features approximately 26 of the residents’ pieces, a combination of older and more recent works. According to Lisa, “The exhibition is a retrospective of sorts that promotes how art has been a vital part of the artists’ lives, from childhood through adulthood. It reinforces that art is an essential part of each person, and can be a source of enrichment and engagement.”

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

By Any Other Name… The Renaming of the Mesivta of Dallas, Texas Torah Institute

he secular world has often wondered, “What’s in a name?” dismissing names as nothing more than superficial labels. In truth, names have tremendous koach. They reflect our essence, representing not only our spiritual mission, but our potential as well. But how does one pinpoint the essence of a Yeshiva? By the level of learning that takes place within it? By how beloved the talmidim are to the community? By the ruach and the simcha evident in everything the bochurim do? Each is an integral part of the Mesivta of Dallas – but there is something deeper that embodies the essence a Yeshiva, a necessary prerequisite for everything else: its Torah. In a world full of sheker, we look to the Torah in our search for EMES. And with this in mind, Texas Torah Institute was honored and privileged to be named Mesivta Emes L’Yaakov, the Katav-Akrish High School of Texas Torah Institute.

The name holds incredible significance, not only for what it represents, but also for who. Yehuda and Maggie Katav, exemplary role models and steadfast supporters of Torah learning in Dallas, wanted to commemorate their parents – Menachem Katav, z”l, and Yaakov and Estrella Akrish, z”l, as well as Mr. Katav’s mother, Tamar, who beamed as she watched the talmidim singing, dancing, and shouting, “Mazel Tov!” as they gathered with the community to commemorate this milestone. It is a beautiful testament to the chashivus haTorah and middah of emes that so clearly define the Katav-Akrish family, compounded by the fact that the roshei tevos of their names spell out “Emes L’Yaakov,” they felt it was the perfect name for this extraordinary Yeshiva. The Katav’s daughter, Mrs. Tammy Diamond, expressed it beautifully when she said, “For my grandparents, to watch their children ensure that the next genera-

tion continues to learn Torah in a free world and pass on that legacy, would fill their heart… The grass is always greener where you water it.” To compare supporting a Yeshiva to watering it is truly the perfect analogy because when people like the Katavs shower talmidim with love and support, the boys truly blossom into community role models. And the kesher between the boys and the community is an important one, as Board President Mr. Aaron Yurowitz noted in his speech, “It’s the only Yeshiva in the area, and it’s beautiful to see the intensity with which the talmidim are enveloped and beloved by the kehilla. Dallas can offer a high level of learning without the distractions that may sometimes be found in larger communities,” which is both a tremendous zechus and a huge responsibility. 10th grader Naftali Cohen from Baltimore says the Yeshiva has “an out of town feel with big city Torah – the best of both worlds!” It’s the best of both worlds in

more ways than one, as the high level of limudei kodesh doesn’t compromise the academic excellence, which in turn doesn’t come at the expense of service to community. Donors Mr. and Mrs. Basil Haymann expressed this sentiment in their address at the naming, commending the boys for giving back: “From learning with elementary school children to going to Houston to help with cleanup, these boys are upstanders and not just bystanders.” It was for these sterling characteristics that the Katav-Akrish family chose the Mesivta as their family’s namesake. Ultimately, names are our final legacy, and they are passionately grateful that the Yeshiva bears their family name as it continues to grow as a source of advanced Torah learning with boys who truly exemplify kiddush shem Shamayim.

Avoiding Weight Gain this Winter By Malky Zimmerman-Kugel

inter seems to be a time when many people put on some extra weight. Have you ever considered why that is? Here are some of the top reasons and what to do about them. • More layers=more room to hide. The bulky sweaters and loose coats give us that fake comfort and temporary ability to feel denial. I always tell my clients to have one summer outfit easily accessible and to try it on on a regular basis. Aside from serving as a reminder that summer is just a few short months away, it will be an accurate measurement of how your more fitted (and less layered) wardrobe feels. • Hot comfort drinks. Don’t we all associate those hot chocolates and creamy lattes with cold winter days? Did you know that these drinks can contain up to 700 calories? Many people falsely assume

that “liquid calories” don’t count. This is obviously false. Try herbal teas instead, or lower calorie versions of your favorite drink. Substitute whole milk for skim, skip the whipped cream, and use cinnamon powder for flavor, instead of flavored syrup. • Feeling too lazy to exercise. Many people feel a lot less energetic in the winter months and that is understandable. The days are shorter, it gets dark sooner, and getting out of the house requires bundling up and even warming up the car. Outdoor exercisers find it more challenging to stick to their routine with the unpredictable weather and getting dark so early in the day leaves them less hours of “ideal workout conditions.” My suggestion? Adjust your schedule or routine accordingly. See what works for you. Changing weather and conditions should not deter you from your fitness goals or routine. If you’ve been exercising

outdoors, consider joining a gym. If you are more tired at night because it gets dark so early, consider getting in your workout in the morning instead. • Chanukah parties, office holiday parties, Chinese auctions, dinners, and fundraisers...need I say more? As always, plan ahead. Do not ever starve yourself the day of a function, planning to make up for it later on. Eat regular, balanced meals throughout the day and try drinking two glasses of water before the event. When you get there, plan what you will have before you fill up. Treat a buffet style table as a visual menu. It is just there for visual display, and it is up to you to make choices from it. As always, having professional guidance is one of the best tools you can invest in. Whether it’s a nutritionist helping you plan your menus or a personal trainer working out with you and measuring your results

having that professional guidance is extremely valuable. Remember that summer is right around the corner. With just some planning and willpower, you can avoid weight gain traps this winter. Malky Zimmerman-Kugel is a nutrition counselor at Nutrition by Tanya and is the manager of the Five Towns location. Nutrition by Tanya offers personalized and practical weight management and nutrition counseling for children, men and woman. Nutrition by Tanya has locations in Boro park, Flatbush, Williamsburg, Monsey, Lakewood, the Five Towns, Crown Heights, Staten Island and Monroe. The office can be reached at 844-Tanya-Diet or info@nutritionbytanya.com. You can also visit Nutritionbytanya.com for more info, inspiring success stories, and photos.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Y E S H I VA K E TA N A O F LO N G I S L A N D

Presents

A TASTE OF

Chinuch We share with the community a series of shiurim for men with our menahel,

LAW R

Rabbi Tzvi Krigsman, t"yhka

C EN

DEC

CEDA R

7:30PM

Friday Night Oneg at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Yechiel Frisch 36 Lawrence Ave. • Lawrence

R HU

DEC

05 8:15PM

Tuesday Evening Shiur at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Doni Rosenthal 456 Barnard Ave. • Cedarhurst

FAR RO

at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Mordechai Mendlowitz 641 Annapolis Ave. • Far Rockaway

DEC

WAY KA

Thursday Evening Shiur

8:15PM

WOO

09 9:00PM

ER E

at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Elie Mishaan 753 Bryant St. • Woodmere

DEC

Motzei Shabbos Melaveh Malkah

70 28

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

TJH

Centerfold

You gotta be kidding

Bubba goes to the appliance store sale and finds a bargain. “I would like to buy this TV,” he says to the salesman. “Sorry, we don’t sell to rednecks,” replies the salesman. He hurries home and gets dressed as a yuppie and returns to the store. He says, “I’d like to buy this TV,” and, once again, the salesman says, “Sorry, we don’t sell to rednecks.” Bubba frantically leaves and gets a whole makeover, including a new set of teeth. He returns to the store, looking like a-million-bucks and says – with a perfect Upper East Side accent, “I would like to buy this TV.” “Sorry, we don’t sell to rednecks,” the salesman replies. Frustrated, Bubba exclaims, “How do you know I’m a redneck?” The salesman sighs, “Because that’s a microwave.”

> Amazon began in the garage of founder Jeff Bezos’ home in Bellevue, Wash. > Bezos originally wanted to name the company “Cadabra” as in “Abracadabra.” > Bezos chose Amazon. com for two reasons: one, to suggest scale (Amazon.com launched with the tagline “Earth’s biggest book store”) and two, back then website listings were often alphabetical. > When the website first went live it only sold books. > On April 13, 1995, software engineer John Wainwright, who was

a friend of an Amazon employee, made the first purchase on Amazon when he bought a book about artificial intelligence titled Creative Concepts and Fluid Analogies. Bezos later named a building after Wainwright to honor the occasion. > Bezos hired mobile billboards to drive by Barnes & Noble stores displaying the question, “Can’t find that book you wanted?” along with Amazon’s website address. > On Cyber Monday 2014, Amazon.com sold more than 300 items per second.

> Amazon’s cloud platform is big enough to hold 80 books for every person on earth. > Amazon ships 35 items every second. > In 1997, Barnes & Noble sued Amazon alleging that its 1990s slogan, “Earth’s Largest Bookstore,” was false.

to deliver everything to everyone, anywhere in the world.”

> Amazon’s warehouses have more square footage than 700 Madison Square Gardens and could hold more water than 10,000 Olympic pools.

> If you had invested just $1,000 in Amazon’s initial public offering in 1997, by 2013 that investment would have been worth $49,781.62.

> Amazon’s current logo was designed to depict a smile that goes from A to Z. “This signifies that the company is willing

> In 2012, when Amazon’s site went down for 49 minutes the company missed sales of nearly $5.7 million.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

American Company Trivia 1. What was the first item ever sold on eBay? a. A broken printer b. A gold coin from the sixteenth century c. A vintage Babe Ruth baseball card d. A bottle of ketchup 2. What is the largest company in the U.S. (according to Fortune magazine)? a. Walmart b. Berkshire Hathaway c. Google d. Apple

3. Which company is bigger: Coke or Pepsi? a. Pepsi b. Coke 4. What is the oldest company in the U.S.? a. Jim Beam bourbon company b. Ames tool company c. Caswell-Massey perfume and soap company d. Colgate 5. Which car company is the largest automaker in the

world? a. General Motors Co b. Toyota c. Nissan d. Honda 6. If you would have invested $10,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 1964, approximately how much would your investment be worth today? a. $800,000 b. $4,000,000 c. $24,000 d. $280,000,000

 Scorecard 3. A- PepsiCo, which has many products other than soda, brought in 38 percent more revenue in 2011 than Coca Cola. But its archrival sold $28 2. B 1. A- The first item ever sold on eBay was the company founder’s broken laser pointer for $14.83. Astonished, he contacted the winning bidder and asked if he understood that the laser pointer was broken. In his responding email, the buyer explained: “I’m a collector of broken laser pointers.”

6. D 5. B 4. C- Caswell-Massey was started in 1752. George Washington gave a bottle of “Cologne Number 6” to Marquis de Lafayette, and Lewis and Clarke took its products on their cross-country trek. Ames was started in 1774, Jim Beam in 1795, and Colgate in 1806. billion worth of soda while PepsiCo only sold $12 billion.

Riddle me this?

There are four stores in a square, with each store occupying a corner. The stores are Macy’s, Apple, Payless, and JoJo’s. JoJo’s is to the left of Macy’s. Macy’s is on the right side of the square. Apple is to the right of Macy’s. Where is Payless?? See answer to the right

5-6 correct: You must be a one percenter…you know too much about this stuff. 3-4 correct: You are like vanilla ice cream— good but not special. 0-2 correct: There isn’t really any way to sugarcoat your lack of knowledge, unless you got question 6 correct and had it correct in 1964…in which case, I would love to be your friend.

Payless is to the left of JoJo’s and across from Macy’s

 Answers

71 29

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Torah Thought

Parshas Vayeitzei By Rabbi Berel Wein

ur father Yaakov now embarks on a long, tortuous journey that represents the story of his life. In recounting his story before Pharaoh, when he descended to live in Egypt, he was brutally frank in assessing his life: “My years compared to those of my ancestors have been few, and they have not been good ones.” From the onset, he swims in a sea of troubles. He is robbed by his nephew, deceived by his father-in-

law in every possible facet of their relationship, always the outsider, and a permanent stranger in a strange land. His lifetime has become, in rabbinic thought and in historical reality, the template for Jewish existence in exile among the nations and countries of the world. Yet Yaakov embarks on this perilously dangerous journey with high hopes and a secure spirit. As he has dreamed, he has been promised by

the G-d of Israel that he would never be forsaken by Heaven. He will remember this dream and its promise throughout the tumultuous events of his lifetime. Even in his moments of greatest despair, he will be comforted by the Heavenly commitment that guarantees his success and survival. This belief, that Heaven would never fully abandon him, becomes the defining feature of his life and activities. In this he has set the matrix for all the succeeding generations of the Jewish people. In all of our struggles, we believe

hedonistic and given to violence and cruelty towards others. All of this is included in being a man of the fields, one who is influenced and immediately reacts to every passing wind that blows. Yaakov is also physically powerful and is even capable of struggling successfully with angels and humans. He is financially successful against daunting odds and is, in essence, a person of the tents, of study halls and the pursuit of knowledge, and of gratitude towards God and other human beings. His private persona over-

His lifetime has become, in rabbinic thought and in historical reality, the template for Jewish existence in exile among the nations and countries of the world.

that somehow G-d will eventually raise us and deliver us from oppression and cruelty. And so it has been. The fundamental difference between Yaakov and Eisav is revealed to us at the beginning of their life stories. Eisav is a man of the fields, out in the world, hail and hearty. The private Eisav, the child who is protective of his father, who yearns for spiritual blessings and for generational continuity is overshadowed by the public Eisav who is physically powerful, aggressive and impulsive,

shadows his public life; his innate modesty tempers his assessments of his very accomplishments. In this also we find the Jewish experience throughout the centuries. Though we are fully capable of being people of the fields, as Israel has taught the world over the past decides, we are still basically people of the tents struggling for decency and spirituality in a very decadent and dangerous, Eisav-driven world. Our lot in life is to succeed in this struggle. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Chanuka Toys, Crafts Games, Party Favors

onSale

Starting at

UPSCALE CLOSEOUTS

99¢

Oversized Toy Truck

732.364.8822 516.218.2211 718.854.2595

UPSCALE

Friction Controlled

$7. 99

Chanuka Party Goods

$1. 99- $3. 99 Plastic Carafe

1344518 Washington 13th AveAve. CEDARHUST, BROOKLYN, NYNY 11516 1091River Ave (Rt 9) Next door to CVS, in the TODD PLAZA Gourmet Glatt parking lot

STORE STORE HOURS: HOURS: M.-W. M.-Th.10:00-8:00 10:00-9:00 M.-Th. 10:00-9:00 Th. 10:00-9:00 10:00-3:00 10:00-4:00 FF.. 10:00-3:00 F . 10:00-3:00 S. 10:00-7:00 S. 10:00-7:00 10:00-7:00 M.S.Sh. 8 PM -11 PM

with Cover

Visit us at our other locations 4518 13th Ave. Brooklyn, Visit us atNY 718.854.2595 our other locations

$1. 99

Shabbos Finger Tip Towels Set of 6

THE LOSEOU CONNECTION CC

Dip Bowl Holder 10 Designs

Reg. $45.00

1344518 Washington 13th Ave. Ave. 50 Court St. Cedarhurst, Brooklyn, NYNY 11516 Brooklyn, NY 516.218.2211 718.854.2595 718.625.6677 50 Court St. 134Brooklyn, Washington NY Ave. Cedarhurst, NY 11516 718.625.6677 516.218.2211 1091 River Ave. Lakewood, NJ 732.364.8822

$19. 99 $9. 99$14. 99

3.5% SALES TAX

Quantities may vary according to store location • No rainchecks • Not responsible for typographical errors

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire

Parshas Vayeitzei Passionate Dependability By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

his week is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the shul. Let us therefore learn something about what marriage means and, by extension, the significance of our “anniversary.” When the people gave Boaz a blessing upon his marriage to Rus (Rus 4:11), they said, “May Hashem make the woman who is coming into your house like Rochel and like Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel.” What is the deeper meaning of this blessing? The Torah recounts (Bereishis 29:2-10) a number of details about Yaakov’s meeting with the shepherds when he reaches Charan. It tells us that many of the shepherds were unable to move the stone

which was covering the well but that Yaakov (ibid. at 10) was able to move it all by himself. Why was Yaakov Avinu able to accomplish this miraculous feat all by himself? How could he move a stone that dozens of other men, working together, could not? The Ramban (on ibid. at 2) explains that Yaakov’s accomplishment was a sign of the extra measure of strength given to tzaddikim, similar to Shimshon. He offers the following explanation: The Torah expounds this story at length to inform us that those who hope in Hashem are given added strength. Fear of Him adds might. Yaakov Avinu had just come from [a long journey]

and he was exhausted, yet he rolled the stone alone which required all of the shepherds [to accomplish]. Even three herds of sheep with all of their many shepherds and guards together were unable to move it. The Torah itself, however, explains Yaakov’s surge of strength which enabled him to move the stone. It says (Bereishis 29:10), “When Yaakov saw Rochel, the daughter of Lavan, the brother of his mother, and the sheep of Lavan, the brother of his mother, Yaakov approached and rolled the stone from upon the mouth of the well and he watered the sheep of Lavan, the brother of his mother.” In con-

junction with the pesukim before and after this one, the Torah openly tells us that Yaakov’s sudden explosion of pure love for Rochel brought out hidden strength from within him which gave him the ability to move the stone. In other words, love gives a person the power to overcome any obstacle in the world, physical or spiritual. Even when Yaakov Avinu had to work seven years to marry Rochel, he transversed those years effortlessly to the extent that the pasuk (ibid. at 20) says, “And they were in his eyes as but a few days because of his love for her.” In contrast, the Torah says about Leah (ibid. at 17), “And Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rochel had

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

beautiful features and a beautiful complexion.” It is clear that Yaakov loved Rochel more than Leah and that his intention was to marry Rochel. When Lavan tricks Yaakov into marrying Leah, Yaakov was furious, crying out (ibid. at 25), “Why did you deceive me?!” Slowly, however, Yaakov becomes accustomed to his strange situation. And while he continued to love Rochel deeply, his household was primarily built through Leah, not Rochel. It is clear that Leah worked mightily on her relationship with Yaakov, trying to deepen the love between them over time. This is apparent in the explanations she gave for the names of each of her children (ibid. at 32-35). When naming Reuven, she said, “Because Hashem has seen my suffering, now my husband will love me.” When she named Shimon, she said that “Hashem has heard that I am hated.” Naming Levi, she said, “This time my husband will be with me.” Slowly, as she and Yaakov become closer over time, Leah sang out when she named Yehuda, “This time I give thanks to G-d.” In the meantime, the pasuk says (ibid. at 30:1), “And Rochel saw that she did not give birth for Yaakov, and Rochel became jealous of her sister.” Yaakov even became angry at Rochel for demanding children (ibid. at 2). But Yaakov never stopped loving Rochel. At the end of his life, when he was blessing Yosef’s sons, he said (ibid. at 48:7), “As for me, when I came from Padan, Rochel died to me.” My father told me that in Ungvar, the baal koreh would read that pasuk with a special, sad tune. Yaakov clearly felt a special love for Rochel until the end of his life. Nevertheless, he recognized that he built a life with Leah in a deeper way, so he commanded his children to bury him in Me’aras Hamachpela with Leah, with whom he would rest until the coming of Moshiach (Bereishis 49:31): “They buried Avraham and Sarah his wife there, they buried Yitzchak and Rivka there, and that is where I buried Leah.” By commanding his children to bury him with Leah, Yaakov gave over a lesson to all generations that

while he greatly valued the fiery love he shared with Rochel, one’s primary accomplishments in life and marriage come through a daily

Our Shul is called “Aish Kodesh,” meaning “Holy Fire.” On the occasion of our anniversary, we must renew our pledge to fulfill

that fire with a holy commitment to learning, growing, and carrying out our goals day-in and day-out. This combination of fiery enthusiasm and holy commitment is the foundation of “Aish Kodesh” and is the key to fulfilling our goals in establishing the shul. Only by being bound one to the other can we roll the stone off our hearts. May our shul, our marriages, and our nation merit to attain the level of passionate commitment personified by Yaakov’s relationship with both Rochel and Leah. May the hope of the Jewish people which arose from those relationships, the forces of Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid, come to fruition soon in our days with the coming of those two redeemers!

A person is measured by whether he demonstrates rock-solid commitment, dedication, and dependability throughout all of the vicissitudes of life.

life of responsibility and commitment, rather than through dreams and feelings. The foundation of everything is dedication, the quality through which one causes his love to manifest itself in daily life. The main thing is how one helps at home, how he works with his children, and the infinite details of practical life. A person is measured by whether he demonstrates rock-solid commitment, dedication, and dependability throughout all of the vicissitudes of life, whether during joyous times, sickness, poverty, or any of life’s challenges. Ultimately, Yaakov’s eternal place is with Leah, not Rochel. This brings us back to the blessing bestowed upon Boaz at the time of his marriage to Rus: “May Hashem make the woman who is coming into your house like Rochel and like Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel.” The blessing means that a marriage should have both “Rochel” and “Leah” aspects. It should have the fiery, heart-pounding, first-encounter love of Yaakov and Rochel and the stable, day-to-day commitment of Yaakov’s relationship with Leah. Boaz was blessed that he should have a relationship with his wife that would be an amalgam of those two relationships, i.e., a Rochel-Leah relationship. This combination is the ultimate accomplishment, and, according to the blessing, is the foundation upon which the Jewish nation itself is built.

the principles upon which we established the shul. We began with the fiery excitement and dedication to create a place where tefillah is taken seriously and where we can grow higher and higher by studying and living the inner dimension of Torah. But we can only sustain

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and has served as Mashpia in Yeshiva University since 2013.

Low Cost Quality Insurance

Our Specialty Free Consultation

Free Policy Evaluation

Ask the Rabbi !!?? The Rabbi loves a bargain (a metzia) Let the Rabbi help you save money (up to 50%)

¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

Large Commercial Insurance Policies Life Insurance Disability Insurance Self Employed Health Insurance Long Term Care insurance Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC

Licensed Independent Broker for All Types of Insurance

Call: 917‐543‐0497 – Leave a message

Mail: Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC P.O. Box # 7655 600 Franklin Ave Garden City, NY 11530

Premier clients receive a copy of my book (sefer) “Sweeter Than Honey” as a gift

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Between the Lines

Laus Deo By Eytan Kobre

G-d gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you? -William A. Ward

wo old friends bumped into each other. One looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears, so his friend asked, “What’s the world done to you, old friend?” “Let me tell you,” said the sad-looking fellow. “Three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.” The friend was taken aback. “Wow. That’s a lot of money. So what’s the problem?” “Well, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew of passed away and left me eighty-five thousand dollars, free and clear.” This puzzled the friend even more. “It sounds to me that you’ve been quite blessed. So what’s the problem?” “You just don’t understand! Last week my great-aunt passed away, and I inherited almost a quarter of a million dollars from her.” Now the friend was totally confused. “Then why do you look so glum?” “This week…nothing!”

We often are no different. G-d showers us with unimaginable and unending gifts every day. But after receiving these gifts, day in and day out for years, we stop being grateful. We expect them. We demand them. We take them for granted. And when we lose one or two even temporarily, we are indignant. After giving birth to her fourth son, Yehuda, Leah announced, “This time, I will thank G-d” (Bereishis 29:35). Leah knew that Yaakov would bear twelve sons, yielding an average of three from each of his wives. But it was only when Leah gave birth to a fourth that she expressed her gratitude to G-d. Why only “this time” did she express her gratitude to G-d? What changed with the birth of her fourth child? Perhaps, based purely on the averages, Leah had felt a certain sense of entitlement to her first three children (Bereishis Rabba 71:4). With the birth of Yehuda, however, she realized that if she had been granted more than her share, the other wives would be granted less than theirs. She thus realized that even her first three children were not an entitlement – they were gifts from G-d no less than her fourth child was. And so she thanked G-d “this time” for the birth of her first three children too.

In coming to this realization, Leah “acquired for herself” the attribute of thanksgiving, and, as a result, her descendants continued to emulate this attribute (Bereishis Rabba 71:5) – including King David, who psalmed, “Offer praise to G-d, for He is good” (Tehillim 107:1; see also Tehillim 92:2). The paradigmatic thankful person, then, is one who is thankful to G-d. Appreciating and thanking G-d’s good allows us to achieve a close relationship with Him; indeed, we are to “enter His gates with gratitude” (Tehillim 100:4). Gratitude to G-d is the essence of serving Him (Megilla 18b; Chovos HaLevavos, Sh’aar Avodas HaElokim, Chapter 3). It is the very purpose of our existence (Ramban, Shemos 13:16). Failing to express our gratitude to Him, conversely, creates a barrier between us and G-d. It is the reason Adam was expelled from Gan Eden (Pirkei D’Rebi Eliezer, Chapter 7); it triggered the annihilation of the Generation of the Flood (Sanhedrin 108a); it caused the destruction of Sodom (Rashi, Shabbos 10b); and it is the reason that our current exile persists to this day (Tana d’Bei Eliyahu, Chapter 4). One who does not bow during the blessing of Modim – wherein we thank G-d for his in-

finite kindness – will not merit a place in the World to Come (Bava Kama 16a; Mishna Berura, Orach Chaim 120:1). And “there is nothing more difficult for G-d to abide than an ingrate” (Pirkei D’Rabi Eliezer, Chapter 7). So much of our day is designed to engender gratitude to G-d. We open our eyes and immediately thank G-d for restoring our souls to us. We reinforce this gratitude throughout the day by thanking G-d for everything ranging from the food we eat, to the Torah we study, to our ability to use the restroom. If we fail to bless G-d for these things, we rob Him (so to speak) not of the thing being consumed but of the gratitude due to Him (Berachos 35a). And yet, it still is not always easy to be thankful to G-d. It should be, but it is not. We grow dissatisfied with what we have, or we become jaded with G-d’s boundless munificence (Chovos HaLevavos, Shaar HaBechina). Often, this is the product of choosing to focus on what we are missing and what is imperfect rather than on all the good that we actually have. R’ Paysach Krohn tells of two men who went to the Western Wall, where they saw an older man praying tearfully. Moved by what appeared to be the man’s anguish, the

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

two men agreed to help with whatever was troubling him. But when they approached and offered to assist, the man insisted that nothing was wrong. “I just returned from the wedding of my youngest child. I have ten children, and now, thank G-d, they are all married. I was so moved with gratitude to G-d that I felt compelled to come here after the wedding to express my thanks to Him. Those were tears of joy, not tears of sorrow.” The difference between being thankful and being an ingrate depends on discerning and then choosing to focus on all the good we have. So consider this allegorical description of two houseguests: “What does an appreciative guest say? How much the host toiled on my behalf; how much meat he brought before me, how much wine he brought before me, how many loaves he brought before me, and all that he toiled, he toiled only for me. But what does

the unappreciative guest say? What toil was expended by his

preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank G-d on a day

The paradigmatic thankful person, then, is one who is thankful to G-d.

host? I ate one slice of bread, one piece of meat; I drank one glass; all of the toil expended by the host was only for his wife and children” (Berachos 58a). It’s just a matter of attitude. That much is confirmed by an incident involving Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte, who was renowned for always finding something for which to be grateful to G-d. One Sunday morning, the weather was so gloomy and wretched that one community member thought to himself, Certainly the

like this. Just then, Whyte rose and lifted his arms heavenward. “We thank You, G-d, that it is not always like this.”

The United States of America is, in many ways, the greatest country in the world. Washington, D.C., is, in many ways, the greatest city in the country. And the Washington Monument is, in many ways, the greatest edifice in the city. It is 55-feet wide at the base and 555-feet tall, made of 36,000 stones

of marble/granite, weighs 90,000 tons, receives about 800,000 visitors each year, and overlooks the 69 square miles that comprise the District of Columbia. Though construction of the giant obelisk began in 1848 under President James Polk, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public, only after receiving its aluminum cap. Although completely out of sight, two words are inscribed on that aluminum cap: Laus Deo. What do those two hidden Latin words mean? What message was so important that it was placed to tower over the most powerful city in the most powerful country in the world? Laus Deo – Praise G-d!

Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@ outlook.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Observant Jew

Searching for Inspiration at Kosherfest By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

his article has been a long time in coming. For the past few years, I’ve attended Kosherfest, held at the Meadowlands Convention Center and billed as the world’s largest trade show for kosher-certified products. As a member of the press, I’m allowed to attend though I don’t have a food business. Those of you who read my columns regularly, though, know I’m more into hashgacha pratis than hashgacha and food for thought than food for the table, so why do I go? To be frank, my number one priority is kibbud av. My father attends Kosherfest with a kosher-certifying agency and I go to see him and be seen by him. Once I’m there, of course, this playground for the taste buds is fair game. However, in order to be true to my mission, I have been searching for inspiration at Kosherfest these past few years and it’s finally time to share some of what I’ve learned. Before I even walked through the doors, I learned a lesson from a fellow who’d attended in the past. Though it’s a trade show, some people think of it as the world’s largest kosher buffet where you have to make sure you eat your fill of the dairy items before you try the beef jerky or South African sausage. My friend was at a booth and saw a woman taking four lollipops. The proprietor said, “One per person, please,” to which she innocently replied, “But I have four children!” As my friend pointed out, these samples aren’t for you to give to your children, but to taste and say, “I’d like to buy 100 cases of these for my store.” The Mishna in Pirkei Avos warns us to

treat the money of others with as much care as we’d treat our own hard-earned cash. That means recognizing why he’s giving out the samples. If we think about things that way, we’re focused on others and not on ourselves. That’s a much more “kosher” approach to life. So then, I walked through the doors into a wonderland of sights, smells, and delightful tastes. As I said, I make a beeline for my father’s booth and spent a few moments visiting him and giving him the opportunity to show me off to his friends and acquaintances. I’m not sure there’s so much to show but as a father he takes pride in the children he’s raised. Another good point. We walked together and visited an ice cream company whose owner my father has known since they were teens. I enjoyed a tasty sample and discussed the challenge of marketing a new product they have. It reminded me that just because something is good doesn’t mean people will automatically recognize it. Rebbeim and teachers must make sure the Torah they teach, as well as the middos and other subjects they try to convey, must be attractive and look like they taste good so they can complete their goals. A bit later, a group of rabbis from a fledgling kosher agency asked my dad for advice on growing their business. His response? “Treat everyone with dignity and respect.” It isn’t about “selling” yourself, but about the relationships you build. The conversation continued as I made my way around the exhibit hall. I had asked Menachem Lubinsky, president and CEO of Lubicom, the

power behind Kosherfest, to share something inspirational with me. He said, “You have all these people, from all different backgrounds, and all different parts of the world, and they are united by one thing – kosher food.” It wasn’t until this year that it dawned on me that Kosherfest is usually held the week of Veteran’s Day, which also turns out to be Parshas Toldos, in which we have two very important instances of eating in the Torah. Eisav said, “Give me some of this red stuff; pour it down my throat,” and Yitzchak asks Eisav to “bring me food I enjoy so I can bless you.” Two approaches to eating – one focused on the quick enjoyment and one focused on the relationships that can be built over food. When you consider a woman (or a man) preparing food for the Shabbos meal, wanting everyone to enjoy the flavors and tastes of Shabbos, using that physical pleasure for a spiritual purpose, you get a sense of what Yitzchak was teaching Eisav – that food is a valuable tool for unity, just as Mr. Lubinsky said. I asked one group what they could find inspirational for me, and they said, “We collect all the leftover food after Kosherfest and distribute it to the poor through our meal program.” Inspiring! One kosher certifying agency had cards with a prayer asking Hashem to help us protect ourselves from lashon hara, suggesting that if we’re so careful about what goes into our mouths, we should be at least as careful about what comes out. (I’m waiting for a prayer for protecting ourselves from lashon hara on social me-

dia. I’ll bet someone eventually comes up with a meme for that.) I spoke to a marketing professional about an article that appeared in a national media outlet discussing his client’s product. He said, “One woman, a food blogger, was quoted as saying she had nightmares about [said product.] An entire article and all people remember are six words.” How careful we must be with what comes out of our mouths, for though an non-kosher food may be nullified by sixty parts of a kosher one, non-kosher words can leave a bad taste in far greater proportion. At one booth, I spoke to a relatively new employee at a long-established company. He said their challenge wasn’t getting stores to stock their merchandise, “Everyone knows us.” Their challenge, he explained, was maintaining those relationships and keeping them fresh. Another deep lesson. Our friends, family, and spouses have known us for years. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require work to maintain those relationships and that one can assume they will be there forever without any effort or thought. I spied booths with flashing lights, chefs preparing food on premises, spinning wheels of prizes, and all sorts of things intended to attract people. But once people came over, the goal was to make a personal connection and see how the vendor could help them while helping their own business too. The Chofetz Chaim famously says that in the bracha of Borei Nefashos, recited after eating things like meat, fruit or drinks, we thank Hashem for creating “many different creatures and their lackings.”

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Why thank Hashem for the fact that we may be missing something? Because since we each have something someone else doesn’t we create a community built on needing others. The doctor needs shoes, the shoemaker needs bread, and the baker needs someone to teach his children. Because we need each other, we find and appreciate qualities in others that we don’t have. Also, this reminds me that one should not, as the woman with the four candies, try to get everything for free. People ask lawyers and doctors for free advice, just as they ask rabbis for help with speeches and stockbrokers for finance tips. If we realize that others are trying to use their talents for their parnassa as Hashem intended, we won’t try to shortchange anyone, keeping our money kosher too. Finally, I’d like to leave you with one lasting bit of inspiration that I obtained on my visit to Kosherfest. There was a small area in the back of the convention center that was dedicated as a place to pray. A large sign as well as the show map proclaimed, “Mincha.”

One young man whom I’d met had lost his father a few months ago. He went to the minyan spot and waited his turn so he could daven “for the amud,” leading the tefilla as a merit for his father’s soul. As the previous minyan was ending, an older man rushed over and

va’a (ethical will) that we should never fight for the right to lead davening. It is a much greater merit for the soul when a child acts properly than when they act like a glutton, ignoring the feelings of others and thinking they’re doing a ‘big mitzvah.’”

Those of you who read my columns regularly, though, know I’m more into hashgacha pratis than hashgacha and food for thought than food for the table, so why do I go?

said, “I need the amud!” Presumably, he too, was a mourner, but he didn’t stop to ask if someone else was waiting for it. This young man stood there in shock, and that’s when I walked over. He told me what happened, and I said, “My mother, a”h, left in her tza-

He knew what I was talking about, and said, “But he could have just waited for the next minyan!” I agreed, reminding him, “That’s why you’re getting this great opportunity to overcome your feelings and give a greater zechus to your father.” He wasn’t sure he could daven in

this man’s minyan, but in the end he did, saying Amen to each bracha, and reciting his own kaddish after Aleinu. I doubt the man who’d roughly appropriated the davening noticed it, but I definitely took note. That was a very inspiring moment that had nothing to do with food and everything to do with the kashrus of a Torah Jew, who does everything with a spiritual approach in mind. So, I guess you could say that at Kosherfest I got lots of good things to digest. I hope you will enjoy them too.

Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz, and follow him on Instagram @RabbiGewirtz or Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter. com and put Subscribe in the subject.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Israel Today

The Battle for Be’er Sheva By Rafi Sackville

The late President Shimon Peres and Richard Pratt at the opening of The Park of the Australian Soldier in Be'er Sheva, 2008

lmost as large in land mass as the United States, Australia has a population of only 24 million. It is home to no less than six deserts, and if one wants to get a sense of the emptiness of its interior, fly over it at night. The lights flickering out of some remote outposts are interspersed by engulfing minutes of blackness, the likes of which one would not see flying over the States. This is not to minimize the country of my birth as much as to give a sense of its daunting size at the edge of the planet. A continent whose natural borders are the oceans, Australia’s greatest battles are domestic and political and rarely involve the outside world. And yet, because it identifies with the West, and through its historical ties to England in particular, Australia has risen to the occasion, supplying troops in both World Wars, as well as in Vietnam, and has partnered with the Allies in the conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Over the last few years, the government has been increasing its citizens’ awareness of these contributions through commemorative events in both Europe, as well as here, in Israel. These events are broadcast live in Australia. October 31, 2017 marked exactly 100 years since the Battle for Be’er Sheva. Hundreds of Australians made the trip to spend a day in celebration.

This was the largest international event in the history of the city. Looking around at the incredible progress and development of Be’er Sheva it is difficult to imagine just what Israel might have looked like had the Australian and New Zealand troops not won this important battle. That last day in October is significant because it is not beyond the realm of possibility that had they not succeeded, Be’er Sheva might still today be in the hands of the Turks. The victory began a series of re-

Be’er Sheva, the city of wells. Exactly 100 years ago brave ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers liberated Be’er Sheva for the sons and daughter of Abraham, and opened the gateway for the Jewish people to enter this stage of history.” Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull echoed Bibi’s sentiments when he said, “[We] did not create the state of Israel, but enabled its creation.” He put the battle into historical perspective. “This was the last great charge in history. There

We were invited to an Aussie barbeque that brought back memories, not of food, but of the atmosphere of bonhomie and good cheer.

markable events. Only days later the Balfour Declaration was signed, which eventually led to the greater declaration of the State of Israel. The day’s ceremonies began at the Australian-run war cemetery. Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke of the role Australia played in the creation of the State of Israel. “Nearly 4,000 years ago Abraham came to

were more men in this charge than the charge of the Light Brigade.” After the ceremony there was a parade through the city, which included army bands, soldiers, and dozens of horses. The sound of so many clopping hooves hadn’t been heard since 1917. The climax of the day’s proceedings was held in The Park of the Aus-

tralian Soldier. The park is large and handicap-accessible both by foot and by car. It is an enticing attraction not only for the residents of the city but for visitors from overseas. In 2008 the Pratt Foundation opened the park. Former President Shimon Peres, the late Richard Pratt, and the Governor General of Australia were in attendance. The park has played a small but important role in the overall transformation of Be’er Sheva. Bibi mentioned as much when he succinctly noted that Be’er Sheva used to be “a village of huts. Today 250,000 people. Within a decade half a million people.” A statue of an Australian horseman stands at the entrance to the park, a reminder of the huge contribution the ANZAC made in freeing Be’er Sheva from the Turks. We arrived early as the ground crews were busily making their final adjustments. The beer taps were full, but not to be frothing until 6pm. We met a small group from Towoomba, Queensland. Holding court was Doug Baird, an imposing pensioner who stood well over six feet and a sported handlebar mustache. He was quite a celebrity, alas for the wrong reasons. He represented the Victoria Cross, whose members have lost their sons and daughters in bat-

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

tles overseas. Doug’s son, Cameron, fell in Afghanistan in 2013 and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. The award was granted for the gallantry and for his bravery in a search and destroy operation of a Taliban stronghold. Doug had been doing a speaking tour after the recent release of his book on his son titled, The Commando: The Life and Death of Cameron Baird, VC, MG. Doug loved his stay in Israel, but had not as yet visited Jerusalem. He had been warned against it for safety reasons. To us this sounded a little absurd. However, the view travelers from distant lands have of Israel is distorted (for reasons good or bad) behind a haze of misinformation and oftentimes misplaced hysteria. The night’s commemorative service took place in front of a crowd of over 1,600 people. The program included an indigenous performance by Dr. David Hudson, a Ewamian Yalanji Aboriginal, who played the didgeridoo. A catafalque party lent

Rafi with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the Park of the Australian Soldier

the proceedings an air of solemnity and stood at attention throughout the speeches and readings. Bryan Brown, a famous Australian actor, read from Ion Idriess’s The Desert Column. The words were powerful and sent one’s imagination to the sounds and sights those

light-horseman must have heard and seen, and of whom he wrote, “They were an awe-inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze – knee to knee and horse to horse – the dying sun glinting on bayonet points.” Rabbi Dovid Gutnick, whose grandfather I remember from my

youth, is the only Jewish chaplain in the Australian army. The rendition of his prayer was unique in its wording: “He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, bless the citizens of Australia and the inhabitants of the Holy Land of Israel.” At the end of service, we were invited to an Aussie barbeque that brought back memories, not of food, but of the atmosphere of bonhomie and good cheer. A VIP section had been roped off, but I was having none of it. I spied a few people I had not seen since high school, said hello to a friend of my sister’s, and then casually walked over to the prime minister. I left proud to have been born Australian – and prouder still to be an Israeli.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Israel Today

Why Palestinian Delusions Persist By Daniel Pipes

Iran's clock counting the days until Israel's destruction

n 1974, Second Lt. Hiroo Onoda of the Imperial Japanese Army was still fighting for his emperor, hiding in a Philippine jungle. He had rejected many attempts to inform him of Japan’s surrender 29 years earlier. During those long years, he senselessly murdered about one Filipino and injured three others per year. Only a concerted effort by his former commander finally convinced Onoda that the emperor had accepted defeat in 1945 and therefore he too must lay down arms. The Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza are Onoda writ large. They formally acknowledged defeat by Israel 24 years ago, when Yasir Arafat stood on the White House lawn and recognized “the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security.” Trouble was, Arafat himself did not sincerely offer this act of surrender and most Palestinians rejected it. Accordingly, the war continues, with Palestinians emulating that grizzled, vicious Japanese soldier: they too battle on for a failed cause, murder senselessly, and ignore repeated calls to surrender. Just as Onoda insisted on believing in a divine emperor, Palestinians inhabit a fantasy world

in which, for example, Yashka was a Palestinian, Jerusalem was always exclusively Islamic, and Israel is the new Crusader state on the verge of collapse. (In this spirit, Iranian dictator Ali Khamene’i has helpfully provided the precise date of September 9, 2040, when Israel will vaporize, and his acolytes built a large doomsday

doctrine, international succor, and the wariness of the Israeli security services. (The Israeli Left was once a major factor but it barely counts anymore.) First, Islam carries the expectation that a land once under Muslim control (Dar al-Islam) is an endowment (waqf ) that inevitably must revert to Muslim

In this spirit, Iranian dictator Ali Khamene’i has helpfully provided the precise date of September 9, 2040, when Israel will vaporize, and his acolytes built a large doomsday clock to count down the days. clock to count down the days.) Some imagine Israel already gone, with nearly every Arabic map of “Palestine” showing it replacing the Jewish state. How do Palestinians ignore reality and persist in these illusions? Due to three main factors: Islamic

rule. Bernard Lewis notes that Muslims historically responded to the loss of territories in Europe with the expectation that these were “Islamic lands, wrongfully taken from Islam and destined ultimately to be restored.” This assumption of righteousness and inevitability has

abiding power as shown by such aggressions as Turkey’s in Cyprus and Syria’s in Lebanon. Jerusalem especially arouses intense Islamic sentiments. First exploited at a pan-Islamic conference in 1931 hosted by the mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husseini, many others since then – including Yasir Arafat, Ayatollah Khomeini, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – have picked up this rallying cry. July’s Temple Mount fracas over metal detectors revealed the city’s atavistic power, prompting such varied powers as Muslim Brotherhood theorist Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Jordan’s monarch, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation loudly to support the Palestinian position, no questions asked, as though it were still the 1950s with its shriek of unthinking rhetoric. Second, assorted governments, Leftists, do-gooders, and other internationals encourage Palestinians to sustain the reverie of victory through a combination of obsessive anti-Zionism and the pretense that a “Palestine” exists. Athletes have represented the sham state of “Palestine” at the Olympics since 1996. Israel

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

maintains diplomatic missions in just 78 countries compared to 95 for the Palestinian Authority. With a solitary exception in 2013, every critical UNESCO country-specific resolution in recent years has focused on Israel. This international support encourages Palestinian delusion. Third, despite recent polling that shows how a large majority of Israelis want to push Palestinians into recognizing that the conflict is over and Israel won, no Israeli government since 1993 has taken such steps. Why this persistent discrepancy? Because Israel’s security services, which usually have the last word on policy, resist any steps that could possibly provoke Palestinian violence. “Things now are about as good as possible,” they imply, “so please stay away with any hare-brained ideas about our getting tougher.” This reluctance explains why Jerusalem tolerates massive illegal

The resplendent embassy of the “State of Palestine” in Islamabad, Pakistan

housing, releases murderers from prison, provides water and electricity to Palestinians at advantageous terms, and urges international donors not just to subsidize the Palestinian Authority but to fund mega-projects of Israeli devising (such as an artificial island off Gaza). Contrarily, Israel’s wizened security

Lt. Hiroo Onoda, sword in hand, walks out of the jungle on Lubang Island on March 11, 1974, almost 29 years after the Japanese surrender

types nix any initiative that deprives the Palestinians of funds, punishes them more severely, or infringes on their existing prerogatives (such as control of the Temple Mount). Palestinian delusion results, then, from a toxic mix of Islamic doctrine, international succor, and Israeli timidity.

84 72

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

David A. Adler The Power of Being Observant By Tammy Mark

“C

lick!” That is the word etched in the minds of Cam Jansen fans worldwide. Cam, the brainchild of author David A. Adler, is the beloved fictional character who uses her photographic memory to take mental pictures and solve mysteries. With over 250 books to his credit, “click” can certainly be considered Adler’s catchphrase as well; whether with the click of a pen or of a keyboard, the prolific author has not only provided enjoyment to countless young readers, he has offered solutions by filling gaps in the

literary landscape with his work. Through his 40-plus year writing career, Adler has authored books spanning a tremendous range of topics and genres, including award-winning selections of fiction, non-fiction and historical fiction for all age groups. He has written extensively on the Holocaust. Though well-respected for all of his works, it is his internationally published Cam Jansen mystery series that first served as the springboard for his success. Adler’s talents surfaced early, when a poem he penned as a

schoolboy was so well-written the teacher mistakenly assumed it was plagiarized. After graduating from Queens College with a degree in economics and education, Adler spent nine years in the New York City school system, teaching middle school and high school math. He went on to receive an MBA in marketing from New York University in 1971. This interdisciplinary education was a likely influence on both his methodical writing formula and his astounding commercial success. During his teaching years, Ad-

ler wrote a story and submitted it to Random House Publishing. Six months later he got the call – they wanted to meet with him and do the book. Adler’s first published story, A Little at a Time, debuted in 1976. His earliest officially published books were actually math books, with the first one coming out in 1975, 42 years ago. Adler married Renee Hamada in 1973. When the young couple decided to start a family, Renee, a psychologist, was not yet prepared to take leave from work. With a few published books already under his

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

weekly

speci

11/26/17 - 12/01/17

Order by Email: orders@Frankelskosher.com or Online: www.FrankelsKosher.com

1913 Cornaga Avenue • Far Rockaway • T. 718.471.7555 F. 718.471.9102 E. orders@Frankelskosher.com

Attention! neighborhood shuls, schools and organizations.

our fully stocked

We’re here to help you with all your special-order needs.

for all your party needs.

info@frankelskosher.com 718.471.7555 or step in and speak to Yoni.

Come

check

out

CHANUKAH SECTION

Please contact us at:

Bring a friend and enjoy our daily deal of buy two get one free.

Red Delicious Apples

Pineapple

0.79 Lb

1.99

5/$2.00

3/$2.00

Mixed Salad

Andy Boy Romaine Hearts

Persian Cucumbers

Yukon Potatoes

3.79

2/$5.00

2/$3.00

Limit 2 Cases Of Each

1.99 Lb

Ohr

Shneiders

Liquid Or Jelled 44 Ct

17.64 Oz

E-Z Light Pre Filled Pasta Sauce Basil, Garlic, Spicy Chanukah Oil Or Vegetable

Bread Crumbs

American, Classic, Mexican Or Vietnamese 14 Oz

2.99

Domino

2/ 4.00

Liebers

Gefen

Nutella

Manishwetz Chicken, Vegetable , Beef Or Reduced Sodium Chicken 32 Oz

Whole Or Broken 11 Oz

Mandarin Oranges

3/ 2.00

Skippy

Peanut Butter Original Or Reduced Fat Creamy Or Chunky 16. Oz

2.79

15 Oz

1.99

Tomato Sauce

34 Oz

Broth

Liebers

Extra Light Olive Oil

4 Lb

7.99

0.79

Whole Roasted Peeled Chestnuts 3 Oz

0.99

Hazelnut Spread

Quaker

General Mills

Kellogs

Assorted 11.9 Oz -15.1 Oz

11.8 Oz

17.2 Oz

Cocoa Puffs

Corn Pops

2.99

3.49

Kellogs

Gatorade

Grab 1

Crispix

Frosted Flakes

12 Oz

2.99

3.49

Gedilla

Liebers

Snack Cracker

Potato Chips

Salted Or Unsalted 11.3 Oz

1.79

Original, Rippled Onion & Garlic Or Bbq 0.75 Oz

5/ 1.00 $

Candlelit

Disposable Candle Holders

Liebers

Snack Factory

Cream Wafer

Pretzel Crisps

9 Oz

Original, Everything Or Sesame 6 Oz

0.99

Ner Mitzvah

Painted Tin Menorah

1.49

3.49

Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Assorted Colors 6pk

3.99

Chocolate Seven Layer Cake Parve

6.46 Lb

4.99

Dairy - Frozen Tree Ripe

Mehadrin

Orange Juice

Norman

Mehadrin Fit N Free Yogurt

64 Oz

Kiddie Yogurt

Vanilla, Strawberry Or Cherry Berry 3.5 Oz

Excluding Greek 6 Oz

2.29

1.19

7 Oz

All Varieties 17 Oz

String Cheese

7.99

2.79

Ta'amti

Merrick

Potato Or Vegetarian 14 Oz

Deep Dish 2 Pk

Cigars

4.49

2 Pk

2/$5.00

French Fries 5 Min 20 Oz

3.49

Puff Pastry Sheets

3.99

2/$5.00 A&B

Kishke Parve 16 Oz

Gefen

Fresh Cruched Garlic Cubes 20 Cubes

2.49

0,04 16 Oz

Mccain

Pepperidge Famrs

Pie Shell

Cottage Cheese $

Hummus

Hotov

1.99

Matbucha

2.49

Ohr

Olive Oil

Milk

30 Oz

0.89

With Glasses

4.99

Bakery

18 Oz

Menorah Strip

Sliced Turkey Breast All Varieties 6.5 Oz

6.99 Lb

Original 28 Oz

4.99

$ Ner Mitzvah

Thinnies

Sabra

Colored Chanukah Tin Menorah Gold Or Silver Candles

0.79

5.99 Lb

Shefa

Ner Mitzvah

8.29 Lb

Tirat Zvi

Chicken Cutlets

Yummy

Chanukah 44 Pk

Beef Minute Steaks

Palmolive

2/ 5.00

1.99

45 Pk

7.99 Lb

2/ 1.00

2/ 4.00

Extra Long Matches

1.49 Lb

Beef Stew

Marinated Boneless Spare Ribs

Thin Sliced

1.99

Ner Mitzvah

4.49 Lb

Ner Mitzvah

6.99 Lb

Top Quality Meat & Poultry

Ground Chicken

Turkey Drumsticks

Dish Soap

50 Ct

5.99 Lb

2.99

Pepper Steak

All Varieties 5 Pk

2/ 5.00

Glatt Kosher

Granola Bars

Assorted 64 Oz

15 Oz

1.99

Meat Department

2.99

3.79

0.79 Lb

13 Oz

Instant Oatmeal

3.49

Organic Red Beets

Top Of The Rib Roast

Liebers

Sugar

2.99

Gefen

0.99

Grocery Pereg

5lb Bag

17 Oz

12.99

6 Pack

Loose Carrots

$ Liebers

Super Dreidel Nosh Filled 3 Oz

2/$3.00

ALWAYS ON SALE

Chicken Legs

All Varieties 64 Oz

Avocado

Bodek

Always Fresh

Snapple

Lemons

16 Oz

Major Deals

THUR 11 PM

W E O P E SDAYS N U N TI L

Produce

ANY TIME is SUSHI TIME at Frankels.

Check out our Large Selection of Fresh Sushi.

Su: 7-7 Mon: 7-8 Tu: 7-8 We: 7-9 Th: 7-11 Fri: 7-4

Store Hours:

Cholov Yisroel

HATOV/GIVAT /FRESH TASTY

Cottage Cheese

2/$5.00

Gevina

Fresh Salmon Fresh Tilapia Fillet Fillet

4/$5.00

Greek Yogurts

2.99

Cream Cheese

2.99

Givat

Yogolite

0.65

Rye Bread Best In Town

2.79

2 Fresh Pizza Pies

Mehadrin

Chocolate Leben 12 Pk

10.99 Lb

7.99 Lb

21.99

11.99

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

belt, Adler saw the opportunity to offer a solution for his family’s needs while simultaneously giving himself the chance to write full-time. In 1977 Adler took a child-care leave – which he had to fight to get – from District 28 in Queens. Adler’s forward-thinking mindset would prove to serve him well throughout his career. Though his parents and in-laws were concerned with him leaving his job security behind, Adler knew he was creative and that he ultimately did not want to continue as a math teacher. In order to tackle his new endeavor head-on, Adler made a pact with himself to commit to five hours of solid writing daily, signing himself in and out every day. He tracked the 300 minutes precisely throughout the day, writing as much as possible during his baby Michael’s naps and completing the remaining time by day’s end. Although nobody was waiting yet for his work, Adler knew he had to be strict about with his writing schedule. Adler saw the stay-at-home dad arrangement pay off when his Cam Jansen character came to life that year. The first book, Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, not only launched his career but its story was actually inspired by his role of caregiver. It is the tale of Cam and her friend Eric trying to solve the mystery of the stolen diamonds they found while babysitting Eric’s baby brother Howie. Cam recalls that the suspicious looking couple they had seen was holding a baby, but oddly no baby paraphernalia – and followed them to discover they were indeed in cahoots with the thief. After a top agent couldn’t sell the book, Adler sent it off to Viking Press, where they realized what it had to offer young readers. The printing company didn’t just want that one book, they wanted Adler to do a whole series. Adler attributes the series’ success to certain elements – the character, the plot springing from his personal observations, and the writing style, which was innovative at the time. The main character Jennifer, nicknamed Cam for “camera,” was based on a schoolmate of Adler

known to have a photographic memory. The plot was an outgrowth of Adler taking his son out for a walk every afternoon after his nap, along with a baby bag and all the necessary supplies. It was the writing style, explains Adler, which solidified his place in the world of children’s books. When the first Cam Jansen book arrived on the scene in 1980, there was a void in the marketplace. At the time chil-

learning. “’Cams’ are right in between – I used to call them ‘traditional readers,’ they were since labeled as ‘first chapter’ books,” he says. Adler removes descriptive words not relevant to the story; he has his character do something instead of describing something and stays away from minutia to help the story move more quickly. This writing style is beneficial to a child who may

“You’re never wrong when you write a story.”

dren would learn to read with books like “Frog and Toad,” with the next level being the “Ramona” books. With only two age ranges available – ages 5-8 and 8-12 – if a child wasn’t ready for the next level books they could become frustrated in their

not be ready to jump to a higher reading level but is ready for a more engaging story. “Instead of rushing the reader, I rush the story, so the reader, a child who is a slow reader even, doesn’t get bored,” elaborates Adler. “It was the

style of writing that really opened up doors for me because all of a sudden a whole new genre was discovered. “ During his time working from home, Adler also penned his first Jewish-themed story centered around Sukkot called The House on the Roof for Bonim Books in 1976. After a year and a half, the Adlers hired a babysitter and David returned to the workforce as a financial writer for Standard and Poors. When the editor from Bonim moved to Viking in 1977, Adler took over the position at Bonim. While at Bonim, Adler reinvigorated the “K’Tonton” stories from the 1930’s with “The Best of K’Tonton.” He later moved to JPS as the head of the children’s division working under Chaim Potok. Today he works from his home office with multiple projects at any given time. Since the beginning, Adler has been willing and able to cover all different genres. Adler’s first biography was of Golda Meir, and he has written more than 50 biographies since, at all different age levels, including three different biographies on Benjamin Franklin. Adler is adept at omitting what’s not crucial to the story, tailoring the details to match the age category.

dler grew up in Lawrence as one of six children and settled in Woodmere with Renee, raising their three sons there. Eldest Michael, who has co-authored books with his father, resides close by with his wife and four sons. Adler has always maintained a connection with his community, serving on the Board of Education at HAFTR and as trustee at the Hewlett-Woodmere Library. Adler enjoys spending time speaking in the local schools, combining his love of writing with his teaching background. He also speaks at many public schools and has spoken all over the country and internationally as well. With his love of writing and his mathematical background, Adler is skilled in combining both the passion and the formula necessary for writing. Adler takes students through the writing process during his presentations. He emphasizes the power of observation and explains that

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Photo credit Lia Jay for JITC

David, fourth from left, with other JITC 2017 awardees and founder Allison Josephs

that’s how the writing process can begin, sharing that it begins for him by developing a character. He gets ideas from everyone around him and will often demonstrate by describing one of the students in the class. Adler also speaks about his non-fiction work, which then leads into the research aspect and the process of writing and rewriting, using a lot of visuals for the students, including pages from manuscripts that went through the rewrite process and then the editorial process. There are a lot of rewrites for Adler. “But I can’t even tell you how many because I rewrite as I write,” he says. His general process includes writing page one the first day, and the next day, before writing page two, he rewrites page one. The next day will start by rewriting pages one and two before going on to page three. It is the beginning that is most important, Adler tells the students. “Because if you start reading a book in the library, and if you read the first page and you don’t like it – you’re not reading the second page “ Teachers often will tell him that the children will want to start writing as soon as they return back to class. “You can’t imagine the wonderful letters I get,” shares Adler, “emails from strangers – or when I go to schools a teacher will tell me that a student never liked to read and then I showed him the Cam Jansens and he opened up to reading – it feels good.” “When I was a math teacher – a

wrong answer can’t ever be called right. In writing it’s different, you could write a story and it could be very good and I could write a story and it’s not that good but I’m saying something – maybe my viewpoint is different,” he points out. He relishes the opportunities to help children with writing. “I can compliment the weak student and I could give help to the stronger student because as

Speaking to young readers

the War, a historical fiction book he had worked on over a period of seven years. “For every day I was writing about, I had the copy of that newspaper on my desk which I printed off the internet; I printed the front pages. It takes place in 1940. Europe was at war, we weren’t yet – but when I would work on it, I was so engrossed that I was in 1940. And I once went upstairs to dinner and I said to my

“I once went upstairs to dinner and I said to my wife, ‘How could it be snowing out, it’s May?’ and she said, ‘It might be May for you but it’s February for the rest of the world!’”

good as you are at writing, even professional authors need an editor. So I can help all of them and compliment all of them – and all honestly. You can’t do that in math. Writing is really something that opens up a teacher to be able to work with everybody – you’re never wrong when you write a story.” Adler gives a glimpse of how deeply involved he can get during the writing process, recalling the time he wrote Don’t Talk to Me about

wife, ‘How could it be snowing out, it’s May?’ and she said, ‘It might be May for you but it’s February for the rest of the world!’” At times like that a one minute interruption could take 40 minutes to get back to where he had been. Adler’s process varies depending on what he’s writing. For instance, he’s writing a science book on time now and for that he can’t write for more than 30-40 minutes before he has to take a break.

dler’s 255 published books include those on science, math and economics; he’s worked with different publishers and different illustrators. Book number 247 is Don’t Throw it to Mo, a new series of Mo Jackson sports books he developed after observing the lack of sports books for young children. Adler has written ten Holocaust books to-date. When his son had asked him questions about the Holocaust and Adler didn’t feel his answers were sufficient for the first grader, Adler went to library but couldn’t find anything suitable. “A book is a script for a parent,” says Adler. Once again, he observed a void and sought to fill it. Once Adler starting writing, he realized that all the horrific facts he could include weren’t enough to make a real impact – he couldn’t identify with just numbers. For We Remember the Holocaust he interviewed survivors and interspersed their recollections with the facts, going back and forth from the overview to the personal view, quoting at least 50 survivors. “If I’m talking about the trains that took the Jews to the camps, I then interviewed someone who was on a train, what his experiences were on the train. Then I asked him for a picture as close as I could get to that time.” The book that followed, The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm, is geared to a much younger level. It is the fictional story of a man babysit-

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

ting for his granddaughter who notices the numbers on his arm as he rolls up his sleeve to wash dishes. Adler has been widely recognized and honored for his work with countless awards over the years. In the past year alone, he received the Dr. Seuss Medal and the Regina Medal. One of his most notable achievements is the anticipated HBO special on “The Number on my Grandfather’s Arm” due to air in the spring.

t is clear that Adler’s Jewish heritage has always been an important part of his work. He was named an Orthodox Jewish All Star by the Jew in the City organization and recently honored at an awards ceremony. Adler was among an impressive group of Orthodox Jews who had reached top levels in their respected fields while remaining true to their values. The 2017 JITC superstars included The Honorable Ruchie Freier, Hasidic New York Civil Court Judge; David Mazouz, teen star of TV’s “Gotham”; and fellow Five Towns resident Frayda Ginsburg, Burberry’s Director of Legal, Americas. “I’m usually under the radar. People are surprised when they find out that I’m Orthodox or Jewish,” says Adler. Though being Orthodox doesn’t come into play too often in his day-to-day work, Adler has certainly missed out on a few opportunities, including several awards that he was passed over for due to his inability to accept on Shabbos. At times, accommodations were made for him, but other times the awards were given to others simply because he couldn’t accept them on that day. Adler spoke at the Kennedy Library twice but when invited to speak at the Clinton Library on a Saturday he had to decline. “The award should be for the body of work – not the showing up,” he remarks. Upcoming projects include collaboration with Menucha Publishers, a company that serves as a distributor for many Orthodox yeshivas. Upon realizing that many of the “kosher” most appropriate books on the lists were Adler’s, they reached out to him in efforts to collaborate. Adler sent some of his out-of-print books

to start including the “My Dog Mysteries,” a series of four books about a girl who believes her dog is a genius as he solves mysteries doing everyday “dog things.” Adler is now developing an original series for Menucha as well, featuring a male character and written on the level of his Cam series. All of Adler’s secular books are similar in that way – they feature a not-particularly Jewish character who is not offensive or distinguishable in any way. “Parve, like an apple,” Adler describes them. “With Cam Jansen, you’ll never find her doing anything on Shabbos. If something is happening on Friday and it gets too close to Shabbos, I’ll move it to Thursday.” Adler steers clear of certain references – for example, in a dinosaur story, he doesn’t reference millions of years. When referencing a sukkah for a Jewish story he doesn’t mention how many days the character is celebrating, to intentionally appeal to all Jews. Adler infuses his values wherever he can, but finds it’s a balance and tries to not turn off the left- or the right-leaning groups. “You have to be more careful about what you say and do because you’re not ‘so-and-so’ but you’re ‘soand- so, the Orthodox Jew’ – they’re judging everybody by you.” Adler identifies that there are other difficulties in his field, such as making a solid living in this precarious career. He shares that it wasn’t easy to start without a regular salary and he worked with an initial goal to simply afford his house. Nonetheless, he advises people to try to follow their passion. “I told my kids to find something they love and do that. I think it’s very sad when people say, ‘I can’t wait until I can retire’ because it really means they don’t like what they’re doing. I can retire but I like what I’m doing – why would I do something else?” He advises, “Find something you love and try to make that your career. You spend most of your waking time at work; you should like what you do.” Adler recognizes that being able to enjoy what you do wasn’t always the case for Americans. “My father graduated college in 1935 so he was

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

considered lucky to have a job. It doesn’t always work, but at least that should be your goal. Don’t decide that you’re going to do it when you retire – because the energy is not the same.” Although Adler attributes his success largely to luck, he certainly did his due diligence in the marketplace. He also realized that in order to maintain a series, the main character has to be likable. When he speaks to editors, they’ll say they are looking for a good book but that’s about one-third of the story, he believes. “Why did Cam sell? There was a need for it. The picture book biographies – there was a need for it. Now this young sports book – there’s a

need for it. The picture book biography series are strictly non-fiction and 3-4 grades – there was a real need for those. It’s not simply to write a good book, write a good book that people need. “It worked out,” he reflects. “I’ve been very lucky. People attribute it to other things. A lot of it is luck. People come to me with all kinds of manuscripts and some of the stories that people give to me are terrific. I don’t know why they’re not being bought – but they’re not – and a lot of it is luck.” With more than four decades of luck and steadfast devotion, David Adler has certainly “clicked” with thousands of his young readers along the way.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

90 56

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | 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,

I’ve been dating Caren for four months now. When we first started dating, I couldn’t believe how wonderful she was. And she is wonderful. She’s fun, smart, pretty, and full of energy. She is so easy to talk to and there’s never a dull moment with us. She can also be very compassionate and kind. I look forward to seeing her in between dates, which was not always the case with me. By the way, I’m 27 and

Caren is 23-years-old. There is a problem with Caren that I just don’t know how to deal with, and though I’ve tried my hardest, I’m not getting anywhere. Had I not been nervous about this issue, I probably would have proposed already, but this area is of concern to me. Basically, Caren always has to be right. Now, the truth of the matter is, she is usually right! That’s what makes this difficult. When we differ on something, 9 out of 10 times, it turns out she’s right. As I said, she’s very smart and also has great instincts. Maybe I’m just not as smart. But on those rare occasions that she turns out to be wrong, she will never admit she’s wrong. Even if I can show her, in black and white, that she’s wrong, she seems to be unable to say she blew it, let alone apologize for insisting that I was wrong. I’ll give you an example. It’s a silly thing, but I just want to give you a sense of what I sometimes have to deal with. Last Sunday we made up to meet in Manhattan for the afternoon. She was already going to be in the City because she had some meeting, so we made up to meet at noon at a certain location. I got there at noon and didn’t see her where we made up to meet. I tried calling her for at least a half an hour, but her cellphone was off. Finally, maybe at 12:40, I heard from her and she was basically yelling at me for not

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 | NOVEMBER 23, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

91 57

being where “we made up to meet.” She kept insisting that she had the right spot and the right time, and I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had the right spot. Anyway, I knew we made the plan over the phone to meet, but wasn’t sure whether or not either of us had texted the other to confirm. I decided to check my phone and, sure enough, I had sent her a text at one point, confirming that I was correct. Even after literally showing her the text, she insisted that I was wrong. Against absolute proof! As I’m writing this, I realize how crazy it must sound. I guess I put up with this because it doesn’t happen very often. As I said, she’s usually right. But on those few occasions when she’s not, she can’t admit it. Nothing I do or say can change her thinking. If Caren wasn’t so amazing in so many other ways, I’m sure I would have moved on a long time ago. But there are so many great aspects to her and I really do find myself thinking about her nonstop and always wanting to be with her. And she definitely has some wonderful qualities. Do you think this is something that can change or be overlooked if so many of Caren’s other qualities are so amazing?

The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. aren’s intransigence in the face of evidence of fact is a real red flag. It should not be overlooked. This is unhealthy behavior. This is evidence of inability to negotiate, control issues, and poor appreciation of a relationship. This bodes poorly for any relationship, let alone marriage. You don’t want to marry someone who cannot make a concession or admit a mistake. But you, too, show evidence of an unhealthy approach to marriage and relationships. Have you no understanding that marriage is a constant dance between giving and negotiating? Have you not learned the ability to recognize unhealthy behavior? Do you value yourself so cheaply that you would consider getting into such a relationship? Why do you rate yourself so low that you feel she is worth it? Get into therapy and start working on why you are content to be chopped liver. Develop your own self, learn to think independently, and learn to

trust your judgment. You also need to learn communication skills: you should not be judging everything in terms of right and wrong. Life is not black and white.

The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A. aren sounds amazing… fun, smart, energetic. Even more amazing: Why would someone who is Always-Right be interested in someone she believes is Always-Wrong? Seriously, what you deem a minor personality flaw, Always-ToBe-Rightism, others would label a stubborn streak, inflexibility or obstinacy. Caren feels she is infallible; making mistakes and (gasp!) apologizing for her gaffes would cause a chink in her fragile, otherwise amazing self-image. Moreover, a person who considers herself above reproach is unlikely to work on her character,

either independently or with professional help. Marriage, for those who haven’t read the memo, is all about communication and compromise, listening and respecting the other’s feelings, talents and opinions. It takes two – two minds, two bodies, two hearts – with their divergent foibles and strengths to forge an Amazing union.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond irstly, thank you for your detailed question. Using specific examples definitely helps us understand what exactly is going on. Judging by your example, it sounds like there are more issues with Caren than her having to be right. The fact that she yelled at you for being late in and of itself is inappropriate. Now add the fact that she couldn’t correct herself when you showed her the confirmation text with the proper address and things got even more bizarre.

Marriage, for those who haven’t read the memo, is all about communication and compromise, listening and respecting the other’s feelings, talents and opinions.

The fact that it is impossible to communicate with her in the moments where she is wrong puts up a red flag in my opinion. Whether she is actually right most of the time is insignificant. Think about what

92 58

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

your home environment would look like down the road with kids and important decisions to make with a wife who can’t listen to anyone else’s word or opinions without lashing out. I would urge you to look within yourself to understand why you would like to stick around with a woman who treats you this way. Do you have issues with self- confidence? I urge you to work towards building up your confidence to a level where you know you deserve someone who values your opinions as well. In this particular case, if you are really adamant about trying to make this work with Caren, she must go to therapy (or you can go together) to work on her unhealthy habits. This will certainly be a difficult step because she will have to first recognize that she has a problem before she

agrees to see a therapist. Hatzlacha!

The Single Tova Wein

t sounds like, on a gut level, you don’t need us to tell you that this relationship is very off and very unbalanced. As you said, had Caren not had this unhealthy trait of being unable to admit when she’s wrong, you probably would have proposed some time ago. But deep within, something has held you back from making what surely would be one of the biggest mistakes of your life! I’m sure it’s confusing for you

because she also possesses so many other wonderful qualities. But make no mistake about it – anyone unable to own his or her own mistakes is very messed up. Because we all makes mistakes now and then. No one is perfect. For Caren to believe she is perfect is kind of scary to me! So unless Caren recognizes that she has work to do on herself, I think you need to back away. While you’re dating, the disagreements are over, as you say “silly” things, like who didn’t show up at the right time. Once you’re married, the disagreements will be during life-altering conversations, which should be made between two respectful, honest and healthy individuals. Meanwhile, I’m also concerned over your ability to assume guilt as a natural reaction to any and all dif-

Whether she is actually right most of the time is insignificant.

ferences of opinions. Caren is right 9 out of 10 times? I find that really hard to believe. Yet you seem really comfortable with those numbers. Why is that? I’m sensing a lack of confidence and (sorry) a lack of backbone within you. This is something that you might want to explore with a therapist before you find yourself dating the next version of Caren who happens to come along.

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

ure, you can overlook it! You’ll just have to arch your back seven inches, squint and stretch your neck three feet to the right. Ouch! You are in such a tough spot. You have strong feelings for Caren, but her inability to own up to her mistakes and apologize might be leaving you feeling pretty badly about yourself and worried about your future with her. Furthermore, Caren is unable or unwilling to talk about the issue with you. If you were to speak with married people living with spouses who are unable to apologize and unwilling to talk about it, you would quickly find out there is often a shared sense of loneliness and sadness. You may be fighting with Caren about arrival times or other seemingly trivial goings-on, but the subtext is probably, She doesn’t care about me. She doesn’t see me. She doesn’t value me. She doesn’t care that she is hurt-

ing me. Where am I in this relationship? I’m a nobody here. My feelings don’t matter. You asked a very deep and philosophical question: Can people change? I can only answer your excellent question based on what I have seen in my practice. The answer is, yes, people can change. There is one huge caveat. The person has to want to change in order to change. People make changes for all sort of reasons. Maybe they are about to lose a spouse after an ultimatum. Maybe they realize they have hit rock bottom and cannot go on living a certain way. Sometimes they realize their old behaviors and habits are no longer working for them. Ultimately, even when one partner enters therapy kicking and screaming, it is his/her choice to make a change. The same is true for everyone! Including Caren.

Taking the focus off Caren, it seems like there is a part of you that is able to overlook Caren’s mistreatment of you because of her favorable qualities. What is your insight or understanding of this? I think you should consider taking some time to figure this out in therapy. I understand from your e-mail that Caren is usually right. Once in a while she is wrong, and so you are OK going with her flow. I don’t care if she is right 100% of the time. Marriage isn’t about who is right and who is wrong. The marriages that are about that are generally unhappy marriages. Who cares about being right if it means your husband is feeling alone and depressed? And I can’t help but wonder why Caren wants to be with someone who is always wrong (not that you are, but you know what I mean.) Solid marriages make room for both spouses’ opinions and feelings. Beyond figuring out Caren’s motives, we need to help you understand how you’ve gotten caught up in this game of who is right and who is wrong and why

you have so willingly taken on the role of the “wrong one.” For the next few weeks, my advice is to see a therapist and work on making some changes of your own. I would like to see you a bit more empowered, a bit more comfortable with your thoughts and ideas, and speaking up for yourself in a healthy way. You mentioned that nothing you say or do sways her or convinces her. Let’s stop convincing Caren for the time being and convince you of what you are worth in your own therapy. Sincerely, Jennifer Esther Mann, LCSW and Jennifer Mann, LCSW are licensed psychotherapists and dating and relationship coaches working with individuals, couples and families in private practice in Hewlett, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 516.224.7779. Press 1 for Esther, 2 for Jennifer. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF *ON LIKE ITEMS ONLY*

Sale is Thursday, Friday, Motzai Shabbos, & Sunday Open this Motzai Shabbos for Midnight Madness November 25th from 8:00pm-12:00am Home of the Famous

Suit Central

Non-Iron Shirt 456 Central Ave, Cedarhurst NY 11516 / 516.791.1925

Sunday 11-6, Mon-Thurs 11-7 Friday 10:30-2:30

BALTIMORE • BROOKLYN • CEDARHURST • CHICAGO • LAKEWOOD • MONSEY • TORONTO Must mention this ad. Not valid with any other offer, special or discount. We are not responsible for typos. All prices are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Dr. Deb

Can Bad Habits Really be Broken? By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

here’s the story of the man who did too much drinking (substitute “woman who did too much shopping,” “person who practically lived at the office,” “individual who couldn’t get his/her temper under control”). All these people had a bad habit – or a really, really bad one called an addiction. Let’s look at temper as an example. This person, we will call her Rona, could not seem to stop yelling at her kids. (All stories are, of course, made up.) She also yelled at her husband and at anonymous cars when she was on the road. She knew she had to stop and she really tried. She did. She took time-outs when she had some warning that her mood was deteriorating. She breathed deeply at least once a day for a minute. She was sure she did not want to be the kind of person that she was. “I don’t know,” she complained, “Nothing works. The words escape my lips. Then they are out there and I can’t take them back.” Later on, she admitted, “Anyway, Bruce knows that my heart is in the right place. These words don’t mean anything. He knows I love him.” She had that one wrong. One day, Bruce simply packed up and left. He’d had it. He got really, really tired of speaking to a deaf audience. He wrote her an old-fashioned snail-mail letter and mailed it. He was done. He felt relieved. At last, he could breathe. At

last, he could get to know who he was without being afraid of speaking up. And a miracle happened. Rona stopped yelling. Completely. At everyone. As she put it, “I don’t even have the desire to yell anymore.” Ten years later, she still has not yelled. How in the world could that possibly happen? Either a habit is a deeply-ingrained piece of neuro-wiring that is pretty much fixed in place, or it isn’t. Either people can’t change,

smoking kills?” On the other side of the pack was another note: “Think about it.” Blinking hard, in that instant, that dad stopped smoking. He tossed the cigarettes and never took another one again. Now if smoking is a chemical addiction, what’s the chemistry behind this turnabout? One more story. This one can be found on my blog where I review the neuroscience that explains the story told by Mark Lewis, the neu-

One day, he reached for his pack of cigarettes and scotch-taped to the outside of the package was a note, clearly written in his son’s handwriting. It said, “Dad, did you know smoking kills?”

or they can. Which is it? Here’s a true story, told with permission: A guy tried to quit smoking for years. He tried patches and gum and all sorts of things to no avail. One day, he reached for his pack of cigarettes and scotch-taped to the outside of the package was a note, clearly written in his son’s handwriting. It said, “Dad, did you know

roscientist who describes his own addiction and recovery (Memoirs of an Addicted Brain: A Neuroscientist Examines his Former Life on Drugs discussed in http://drdeb.com/blog/ soul-behin-brain/). Here’s a quote from my article: “There is a point – after losing a marriage; after many thefts during the night; after Lewis is

finally caught and faces jail time; after being kicked out of a prized internship and kicked out of his doctoral program altogether; after losing another love; after considering suicide; after many, many failed attempts to quit – that he simply decides that this time he will quit for good.” How did that happen? Again, from my article, “As he tells it, once again he feels the loneliness and the desperation that has led him to crime and drugs so many times before. Once again, he has an internal argument during which he curtly dismisses the side of reason and logic. Only this time, ‘something has shifted momentarily. A voice – one of my voices – sounded like it was on my side. You can’t do this to me! I deserve a chance to live’ (p. 294).” There is no chemical answer to this. There is no neurological answer to this. The “self” that spoke to Mark Lewis must have been his neshama finally being as powerful as it needed to be. The wonders of the internet led Dr. Lewis to notice that I’d written that review of his book so he took the liberty of leaving a comment at the bottom of my page. He said, among other things, “It was an island of self-love in a sea of self-hate, and it changed the landscape of my life in a few short months.” Now, maybe we are getting some-

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

where in trying to understand the phenomenon of habit-breaking.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DENIAL AND SELF-LOVE When bad habits can’t be broken, especially addictions, the defender and protector of those bad habits is denial. “Oh, it’s not so bad.” “They are hypersensitive; they should get over it.” “I will quit – tomorrow.” “I don’t have a bad habit/addiction. I’m not doing anything.” It looks to the outside person that the individual is just really stubborn. “What do you mean it’s not so bad? What do you mean, you’ll quit tomorrow? You’ve been telling me that for years.” This sort of thing, this denial, makes the family angry. But really, the person you are angry at is not the person in front of you. It’s their Denial, the shield that covers up who they really are. It

covers it up from themselves, most of all. Why would they need to do that? Why not come out into the sunlight and just be honest? The answer is that if they really examined themselves, they would learn – gasp – that they had made mistakes. And, due to the messages they got as children, or their own interpretation of parental messages, they came to believe not that they made errors but that they were errors. As someone said to me, “I am a mistake.” There is nothing redeeming about them. True, they can be logical and analytical and list all the qualities that their friends like about them, but their own opinion is not swayed. Who they are, deep inside, is bad. This sort of thing doesn’t come to the surface in their ordinary interactions. This comes out when they feel safe enough in therapy to admit it. In short, the real reason for the denial is that they do not love themselves. Here’s the test to see if you or

someone you know has self-love: Can they admit mistakes and then roll up their sleeves, figuratively speaking, to fix them? Or do they deny the mistakes or beat themselves up over it?

HOW DOES THIS EXPLAIN THE ABILITY TO BREAK BAD HABITS? Remember what Mark Lewis heard within himself? It was a “voice” that loved him in spite of the mistreatment that he had given his body, mind, heart, and soul with drugs. The man who quit smoking did it because he allowed the “reprimand” from his son to be words that entered his heart. He could have taken the message differently. He could have gotten angry at the “nerve” of a child telling him what to do. Instead, he allowed those words in; there were no artificial defenses put up. That’s self-love – as well as love for his child. In my story, Rona stopped the

temper when her husband left her. It was a wake-up call to come out of her denial. Yelling was a bad habit that she had chosen for years not to break. Her wake-up call made her face reality. She discovered that she loved herself after all, loved herself enough to be the person she should be. That was her “island of self -love in a sea of self-hate” to use Lewis’ words. Life offers us a lot to struggle with, including bad habits and addictions. But the struggle becomes doable when you love yourself. What we learn from these stories is that the self-love is there, within us. We don’t need to use denial so as to avoid facing ourselves because we will find, underneath all the fears, we are good. We are worth loving.

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She can be reached at 646-54-DRDEB or by writing drdeb@drdeb.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Health & F tness

Eating Healthy to Fight off Dementia By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

ime after time again, we’re told to eat healthy. Healthy eating will ward off diseases and keep our bodies feeling good. A new study shows that eating healthy may actually help ward off dementia too. What exactly do the researchers mean when they generalize eating healthy? The studies show that specifically the DASH and the MIND diets lowered people’s risk of dementia. One specific study was performed on 923 participants who did not have a diagnosis of dementia at the time that the study began. The participants ranged from ages 58-98 and were followed for 10 years. They filled out annual questionnaires about their diets and eating habits to see how closely they resembled the MIND diet, DASH diet, or Mediterranean diet. Researchers found that those who were compliant with the MIND diet had a 53% reduction in risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia; those who followed diets resembling the Mediterranean diet had a 54% reduction in risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia; and those who followed

a diet close to the DASH diet had a 39% reduction in risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. These diets focus on eating foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol and high in fruits, vegetables and low-

lowing these diets, not only are you reducing your risk of developing heart disease and stroke, you are also fighting off dementia. “We’ve always been saying that a healthy heart is a healthy brain,” said Dean Hartley, director of science initiatives for the Alzheimer’s Association. Furthermore Dr. Marc Gor-

By following these diets, not only are you reducing your risk of developing heart disease and stroke, you are also fighting off dementia.

fat dairy. They focus on consuming whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts, while decreasing your intake of fats, red meats, sweets, sugared beverages and sodium. Both diets are designed specifically to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure. By fol-

don, chief of neurology at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., said, “A heart-healthy diet also protects the blood vessels inside the brain, reducing the chances of micro-strokes or other health problems that could affect brain function.” He continued, “What’s

good for the vessels of the heart is good for the vessels of the brain.” Even though multiple studies showed the same results (healthy eating correlating to a lower risk of developing dementia) none of the studies were actually designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between diet and dementia risk. One of the researchers points out that “somebody who eats a really healthy diet probably takes care of themselves in other ways as well.” Whether it is directly correlated or an indirect result of taking care of your health, eating healthy can only be beneficial – beneficial for your heart and for your long- term brain health, not to mention your weight too! 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.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Madraigos

Shifting a Parenting Paradigm By Eli Perlman, LCSW

n this society, crisis has become the main motivation and impetus to take action. When a child scores high marks and behaves appropriately in school, parents breathe a sigh of relief saying, “This child is OK; let’s focus on another one.” Only when a child struggles scholastically, behaviorally, and/or socially does a parent say, “We need to figure out what to do with this child.” In other words, when a child is in crisis, only then do we look for solutions to address the crisis. However, what if we, as parents, could take preventive measures to help avoid a crisis? As one parent put it, “What can I do now to ensure that my studious and well-behaved child will stay on the straight path?” At the very least, what can parents do to reduce the intensity of an oncoming crisis? Firstly, we need to start looking for what is good in people and what they are doing right. Unfortunately, we live in a critical world where people are trying to figure out what is wrong with everybody else. We have become masters at diagnosing what is wrong with people. For many, cri-

tique is their entire participation in a conversation. As parents, we need to shift our paradigm and measure what is right with our children. What if we highlight excellence instead of failure? What if we respond with the same enthusiasm to the positive as

wrong.” The mere shift in mindset from noticing what is wrong to noticing what is right can improve the parent-child relationship significantly. We need to look at our children and think about what they are doing

Studies have shown that children thrive academically and socially in homes where parents are positive and complimentary.

we respond to the negative? To demonstrate this point, let’s take a look at the following exchange. I recently met with a fifteen-year-old boy and asked him, “What is your relationship with your parents?” He replied, “I don’t see them.” I responded, “You live at home – what do you mean you don’t see them?” He answered, “I go straight to my room. I don’t need to hear what I’m doing

right. This is not always so easy, especially when a child is being difficult. Nonetheless, with creativity and innovation we can surely find something that a child is doing well. A child, who previously cringed when a parent walked into the room because he or she expected the parent to be critical, could instead feel valued when that same parent comes in noticing something positive and

praiseworthy. Studies have shown that children thrive academically and socially in homes where parents are positive and complimentary. This, however, is true provided the praise is authentic and expressed with love. Ideally, praise should be given with specificity. It is better for parents to tell a child a small, positive compliment rather than a broader, vague word of praise. For instance, a generic compliment would be to say “good job” which is complimentary but will not replay in a child’s mind. On the other hand, a specific praise would be to say, “You are great at organizing your books.” This kind of comment will replay in a child’s mind over and over again, reinforcing the impact of the compliment. When positive touch is added to a verbal communication the message could be so much deeper. This idea is succinctly expressed in the old adage, “Touch has a memory.” A parent might look for ways to reinforce the praise with a hug, a tap, a “high five,” or an arm around the shoulder. However, parents have to know their children and be sensitive to their

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

child’s comfort level with regard to physical displays of affection. We learn from the Gemara in Menachos 43a that when we see techeles we are meant to think of its bluish color and how it is similar in color to the ocean, which is similar in color to the heavens and the heavenly throne. Rabbi Shabsi Yudelevitch asks: how can we be expected to look at a strand of techeles and think of the ocean, the sky, and then to the heavenly throne? How can we be commanded to use so many associations before arriving at the conclusion? Rabbi Shabsi answers that when we are thinking negatively, our minds travel almost automatically through many complex associations which help us arrive at very sophisticated negative conclusions. Often, these conclusions are preposterous. For example, we can see a person make an almost unnoticeable physical gesture and conclude with sharp negative judgements about their personality. Similarly, we can see a child subtly veer in behavior from the norm and we conclude that this child will never be able to function as a healthy adult. Rabbi Shabsi posits that we can channel our ability to use complex mental patterns for positive conclusions instead of reaching undesirable or destructive conclusions. It is important to bear in mind, however, that praising the good in a child does not replace the need to correct or discipline. In order to teach a child how to behave properly, parents must be critical sometimes. It is their responsibility as primary caregivers to teach and inculcate good values to their children. However, when a healthy measure of praise and positivity exist in the parent-child relationship, the child becomes emotionally closer and more receptive to reprimand. In our special role as parents, let us remember to praise and compliment our children, specifically and with a healthy, endearing, physical touch. This small change will start a quiet, yet powerful revolution of helping our children reach their potential. All real and lasting changes in relationships are the result of small, yet steady changes in attitude and behavior. As we proudly integrate concrete tools into our parenting, we must have patience for the process and continue to believe in our own ability to grow, one step at a time. A few weeks ago, more than 450 mothers and fathers took that first

You Are Cordially Invited To

CHAZAQ'S Fifth Annual Dinner

Monday, December 4, 2017

Reception 6:30 pm | Dinner 7:30 pm

Leonard's Palazzo

555 Northern Blvd, Great Neck, NY 11021

Many Special Appearances Including A Musical Performance By

Mordechai Shapiro

Rabbinic Leadership Award

Keter Torah Award

Dinner Chairmen Shalom and Victoria Zirkiev R' Yitzchok and Michal Oelbaum Rav Ahron Walkin

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Abraham Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Roman Aminov Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Issac Aharonoff Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Babayev Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Boruchov Mr. and Mrs. Manny Behar Mrs. Nechama Biderman Dr. and Mrs. Paul Brody Ms. Jan Fenster Dr. Joseph Frager Mrs. Debbie Ginsberg Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gurgov Mr. and Mrs. Richard Harris Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Hisiger Mr. and Mrs. Nechemia Hoch Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Inoyatov Mrs. Odeliya Jacobs Mr. and Mrs. Levi Katanov Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Khodgiev Councilman Rory Lancman Mr. and Mrs. Meshulam Lisker Mrs. Rivkah Mierov Mr. and Mrs. Simcha Musheyev Mr. and Mrs. Shimmy Pelman Mr. and Mrs. Mark Plaine Esq Mr. and Mrs. Yaakov Serle Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Shafran Mr. and Mrs. Baruch Shamayev Mr. and Mrs. Eliezer Szrolovits Mr. and Mrs. Benny Yunatanov

Jewish Music Award

Mr. and Mrs. Gad Elbaz

Pillar of Chesed Award

Mr. and Mrs. l Michae Gendin

Hakarat Hatov Award

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Suionov

Mr. and Mrs. Noach Deutsch

Dinner Committee

Community Leadership Award

Mr. and Mrs. David Koptiev

Hachzakat HaTorah Award

Mr. and Mrs. iamin Sdayeb Ben

Community Service Award

R.S.V.P. Chazaq Office 718-285-9132 Yaniv 917-617-3636 | Victoria 718-644-5550 Fax: 718-255-5803 Info@Chazaq.org • www.CHAZAQ.org

Councilman Eric Ulrich

Couvert $250 per person step by attending the Madraigos Parenting Event with Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein and Dr. Brad Reedy. Despite extremely busy schedules, parents took the time to improve their parenting skills and learn how to strengthen their most precious relationships. The strong participation said volumes that our community is interested in learning parenting techniques from a preventative perspective as well as how to address

existing issues effectively. Madraigos is here to answer the call. The Parenting Matters initiative provides the community with ongoing, free parenting classes for parents of teenagers and young adults as well as informative parenting events. For more information about the Madraigos Parenting Matters initiative, please contact Eli Perlman by phone at 516-371-3250 ext. 111 or by email eperlman@madraigos. org.

Eli Perlman, LCSW, is the clinical director of Madraigos. Madraigos, a 501c-3 not-for-profit organization, offers a wide array of innovative services and programs geared towards helping teens and young adults overcome life’s everyday challenges one step at a time. Our goal is to provide all of our members with the necessary tools and skills to empower them to live a healthy lifestyle and become the leaders of tomorrow.

100

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

A Fulfilled L fe

Leadership Weight Loss: Diet or Regimen? By Rabbi Dr. Naphtali Hoff

ntil recently, I had never dieted. I simply didn’t need to. I come from a family of fast metabolisms and was always able to eat more or less what I had wanted without worrying about added girth. Even when my waistline started to expand, it wasn’t significant, certainly not enough to truly conscience the idea of dieting. In addition, I had seen what happened to so many others who had set out to diet. Too often, they failed miserably. Some were unable to stay sufficiently disciplined. Others lost the weight that they wanted (and often even more) but quickly gained it back. If I was going to do something about my weight, it would have to be done in a way that I would achieve a different, more sustainable outcome. So recently, when I decided that it was time for me to again fit comfortably into some old clothing, I put myself on an exercise regimen rather than a diet. Though I had knew that weight loss comes primarily through changes in one’s eating habits, I felt that if I could first become disciplined establishing a demanding exercise regimen, I would be able to create a more sustainable approach to healthy living and, as a result, weight management. I started with a routine that included four days of exercise at 30 minutes per day (it is now at six days a week). I also set goals for daily steps and other benchmarks. Never once did I limit my calorie intake in a formal sense. Still, the added discipline in my life also started to impact what I chose to eat and in what quantity. I am proud to report that I have lost ten pounds and have added some muscle along the way. I believe that by taking the “long road” of increased discipline and focus on

improving my systems through exercise, I achieved a better outcome than had I chosen simply to focus on the short-term need to diet. When considering leadership, I often find that leaders take a “diet approach” to their “fatty” situations. Instead of managing problem-solving strategically by looking at and addressing the root cause of a problem, they seek quick fixes and easy solutions. Many leaders try to dissect and respond quickly to an issue rather than identify the strategy for change and procedural adjustments that will produce a better long-term solution. How can leaders approach problem-solving more strategically and holistically, approaching it less as a

At the least, leaders must be careful to never shoot from the hip when solving problems. Be patient and willing to resist outside pressures as well as your own desire to make things good again. Instead, step back

I often find that leaders take a “diet approach” to their “fatty” situations.

problem to shed (diet) and more like a challenge to grow from (regimen)? Ideally, leaders want to map out how they will respond to different problems in advance. Identify a series of past problems and think about how they were responded to or how they should have been handled. Lay out a series of steps and considerations, including the “behind the scenes” elements that may not be obvious at first glance. Then think about new problems not yet encountered and talk about how they might be handled. Great leaders anticipate the unexpected and utilize the strengths of their people to assure the strategy leads to a sustainable solution.

and assess the situation properly. Seek to understand what went wrong and identify the opportunities, in terms of relationship building and internal learning, that each problem represents. Some other strategies: • Stay calm – Problems can give leaders every reason to panic. Great leaders resist that temptation. When you stay calm, your people will typically remain calm as well. You’ll also earn people’s respect, which is often the first huge step in extracting yourself and your organization from the mess that you’ve created. • Focus big, not small – Keep an

eye on the big picture rather than getting caught up in the small things that come up each day. • Avoid blaming – Instead of reprimanding your staff, use problem-solving to help them feel as though they helped repair the damage. Of course, no one wants problems to occur in the first place. But it’s what you do in response that makes all the difference. The best leaders and organizations are the ones that take advantage of problems to grow and get better. They demonstrate maturity, act courageously, and demand accountability, even when the chips are down. An effective leader doesn’t just work through problems alone. If you see it as an opportunity to open the lines of communication and make your team a part of the solution, you’ll likely find that your entire business benefits as a result.

Rabbi Naphtali Hoff, PsyD, is President of Impactful Coaching and Consulting. He can be reached at (212) 470-6139 or at nhoff@impactfulcoaching.com. Buy his new leadership book, “Becoming the New Boss,” on Amazon or at BecomingtheNewBoss.com/order.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

In The K

101

tchen

Cranberry Glazed Spinach and Turkey Meatloaf Ingredients

By Naomi Nachman I developed this recipe right before Thanksgiving last year when I was in the throes of writing my Pesach cookbook, Perfect For Pesach (Artscroll, 2017). I saw a big display of cranberry sauce on the shelf in the grocery store. It was right then and there that the idea for this amazing meatloaf started to take shape in my mind.

Cranberry Sauce 1 (14-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce ½ cup ketchup ½ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Meatloaf 1 tablespoon oil 1 medium onion, peeled and diced 12 oz. frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry 2 lb. ground turkey 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons ketchup

photo credit: Miriam Pascal

Preparation Prepare the cranberry sauce: Add all sauce ingredients in a small pot; stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. Set aside. Prepare the meatloaf: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 (1-lb) loaf pans (each 3.5 x 6 inches). Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid cooks off, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for a few minutes. Add turkey, eggs, salt, pepper, ketchup, and ½ cup of reserved cranberry sauce. Divide the mixture between two loaf pans; top with remaining cranberry sauce, dividing evenly. Bake for 50 minutes, uncovered, until cooked through. After baking, pour off any excess liquid that has collected around the sides. Meat - yields 10-8 servings - freezer friendly

Cook’s Tip: 1) Make mini meatloaves as an appetizer: Divide the mixture into muffin pans instead of loaf pans; top and bake for 20 minutes. This will yield about 18 appetizer portions. 2) Use any extra cranberry sauce to glaze a corned beef. You can also use it as a dipping sauce alongside the meatloaf.

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.

102 24

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

In the world of healthcare, the FDA has approved the first pill with a digital sensor that signals doctors when patients have taken their medicine. When she heard about this digital pill, even Alexa was like, “Are you sure that’s not invading your privacy?” - James Corden

Two photographs that went missing from the Museum of a Modern Art in New York were mailed back to the museum just a few days later by the alleged thief. Which is, you know, great for the museum. Got to be a bit of a blow to the ego of the artist. “Your photographs were so popular they were stolen! No, wait, they sent them back.” - James Corden

I encourage people, and I inspire people, and I show people that you do not have to be intimidated. You do not have to be afraid. You do not have to be traditional. You need to step outside of the box and tell it like it is. That is what I do everywhere I go. I say, “Impeach 45.” - Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) in an interview with Bloomberg

To those who were digging my political grave so they could jump into my seat, I know who you are and I won’t forget you. - Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) brazenly issuing a warning to his enemies after his corruption trial ended in a mistrial last week

Over the past 10 months, Melania and I have had the pleasure of welcoming many, many special visitors to the great White House. We’ve hosted dozens of incredible world leaders, members of Congress, and along the way, a few very strange birds, but we have yet to receive any visitors quite like our magnificent guest of honor today, Drumstick. -President Trump ceremoniously pardoning a turkey at the White House before Thanksgiving

Tomorrow President Trump will pardon a turkey at the White House. Then he’ll spend the next week criticizing it for not thanking him enough. - Jimmy Fallon

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

103

104

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail! - Tweet by President Trump, after he orchestrated the release of three UCLA basketball players who were being detained in China for shoplifting

To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made...your release possible and, HAVE A GREAT LIFE! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life! - Ibid., after the three basketball players thanked him

Who? What was he over there for? Don’t tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out. - LaVar Ball when asked on ESPN whether he would thank President Trump for getting his son and the two other basketball players released

Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and [said] that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail! - President Trump tweeting in response to LaVar Ball

When we are confident in ourselves, our strength, our flag, our history, our values, other nations are confident in us. And when we treat our citizens with the respect they deserve, other countries treat America with the respect that our country so richly deserves. During our travels, this is exactly what the world saw: a strong, proud, and confident America. - President Trump, in a speech about his recent trip to Asia

Have you been following this story about the UCLA basketball players who were arrested in China for shoplifting? President Trump helped get them released and yesterday they publicly thanked him. So today, Donald Trump tweeted, “To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome.” He also tweeted, “Have a great life! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life!” This guy goes on one presidential trip to Asia and now he’s writing Chinese proverbs. - James Corden

Al Franken said that he isn’t resigning, but will spend the next few days reflecting. Reflecting is a political term meaning “hope someone else gets busted and this whole thing blows over.” - Jimmy Fallon

Once my daughter is an autonomous agent, she will be responsible for her [carbon footprint]. But that doesn’t negate my responsibility. Moral responsibility simply isn’t mathematical. - “Bioethicist” Travis Reider in an article written for NBC News, titled “Science proves kids are bad for Earth: Morality suggests we stop having them”

The worst crime for which he can never be pardoned is that he dared [to] malignantly hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership. He should know that he is just a hideous criminal sentenced to death by the Korean people. - From an op-ed in North Korea’s official newspaper referring to U.S. President Trump

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

105

106 26

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

He didn’t tweet about it, he got to work about it and he actually got it done.

- Hillary Clinton at an event last week, talking about how her husband dealt with challenges during his presidency from 1992-2000 (Twitter was created in 2006)

Honestly, between tweeting and golfing, how does he get anything done? I don’t understand it. - Ibid.

Money, money, money, money. I’ve heard the Greedy Goldmans talk about money a thousand times since they came on my radar screen in July, but only heard them mention that poor, dead kid Ron a few times. Go figure - Tweet by O.J. Simpson’s lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, now that the family of Ron Goldman, who was murdered by O.J., is trying to enforce a $70 million civil verdict against him

Is this actually South Korea? I want to hear South Korean songs. - The first thing a North Korean soldier said when he awoke in a South Korean hospital, after being shot multiple times while escaping into South Korea from the demilitarized neutral zone

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

27 107

Players did a great job dealing with all the challenges that we had to deal with. I think we’re fortunate there was no volcano eruptions, earthquakes or anything else while we were down there. I mean you have two NFL franchises in an area that I don’t know how stable the geological plates that were below us [were], but nothing happened so that was good. - Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talking in a radio interview about his team’s recent trip to play a game in Mexico

Last night Charles Manson died at the age of 83. Which means today he met his new roommates, Adolf, Osama, and the Time Warner customer service reps. – Jimmy Fallon

We have ties that are indeed partly covert with many Muslim and Arab countries, and usually [we are] the party that is not ashamed. It’s the other side that is interested in keeping the ties quiet. With us, usually, there is no problem, but we respect the other side’s wish, when ties are developing, whether it’s with Saudi Arabia or with other Arab countries or other Muslim countries. - Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s energy minister, in an interview with Army radio

108

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Your

Money

Are Tax Breaks Immortal? By Robert J. Samuelson

f you want to understand why the tax code is so hard to overhaul, consider the case of the mortgage interest deduction. The issue is so sensitive that the House and Senate are dealing with it in completely opposite ways. To its many defenders and beneficiaries, the mortgage interest deduction symbolizes and subsidizes the American Dream. It promotes homeownership, which gives people a stake in stronger neighborhoods and safer streets. And, of course, homeownership is the ticket to the middle class. By allowing homeowners to write off their mortgage interest expenses – thus reducing their taxes – the government purportedly encourages all these good things. The cost in lost tax revenue is considered money well spent. In 2017, that would be $64 billion, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Case closed? Not exactly. For years, many economists have argued that the standard narrative about the deduction is mostly a self-serving fairy tale. The reality, they say, is that the subsidy promotes oversized homes and higher real-estate prices. Upper-middle-class households are the main users of the deduction, which barely – if at all – raises the homeownership rate. “People are being bribed by the government [through the mortgage interest deduction] to buy exceptionally big homes,” says economist Jonathan Gruber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In effect, there’s a subsidy for McMansions. Homeowners rely more on debt, because some interest expense can be written off. Gruber recently did a study with

economists Henrik Kleven of Princeton and Amalie Jensen of the University of Copenhagen that seems to prove the point. Like the United States, Denmark has a mortgage interest deduction. In 1987, the Danes reduced the deduction’s generosity. If the deduction increased homeownership, a reduction should have diminished it. That didn’t happen. “The mortgage deduction has a precisely estimated zero effect on homeownership,” the study concluded. “Just under 60 percent of the population are homeowners, a number that has stayed remarkably constant over time,” it said. This stability suggests that factors other than sheer economics – culture, psychology, geography –

2000’s housing “bubble” but has reverted to 64 percent. Reducing or eliminating the deduction would cause homebuyers to purchase smaller homes with less debt – a good thing, Gruber says. People could use the extra cash to save for retirement, to pay for children’s college or to cover daily expenses. It’s a compelling case. You might think that the mortgage deduction’s days are numbered. Perhaps they are, but it seems doubtful. The messy reality is that, regardless of its actual impact on the economy and personal housing decisions, millions of Americans believe they benefit from the deduction. Start with all 76 million homeowners. If, as many economists think, the

This stability suggests that factors other than sheer economics – culture, psychology, geography – influence homeownership.

influence homeownership. The erosion of the subsidy did have an effect but not on homeownership. What did decline was the size of homes people bought and the amount of debt they assumed. The same dynamic applies to the United States, Gruber says. For decades, the homeownership rate has hovered around 64 percent. It spurted briefly to nearly 70 percent during the

deduction props up real estate prices, then removing the deduction would likely weaken prices. This would help first-time buyers or those moving to bigger homes. But it would hurt home-sellers. It’s hard to imagine many of them cheering the deduction’s demise. Next, consider that about 34 million taxpayers take the mortgage interest deduction, according to the

Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. Although that’s only about a fifth of all tax filers, they’re concentrated in the upper middle class. Roughly three-quarters of the richest fifth of Americans rely on the mortgage deduction to cut their taxes. They’re bound to fear its loss will not be compensated by other tax reductions. Finally, there are all the businesses that depend on housing: builders, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, furniture and appliance companies, to name a few. They have a stake in larger homes. Think higher prices, fatter real estate commissions, bigger mortgages and more construction. Against this backdrop, it’s not surprising that the House and Senate deal with the mortgage interest deduction differently. Although phasing out the deduction would be the best policy – ending the housing subsidy – the proposal before the Senate Finance Committee would preserve the status quo. In effect: Don’t disturb this political hornet’s nest. Meanwhile, the House proposal would reduce the subsidy by allowing the interest deduction only on loans up to $500,000, a 50 percent decline from the current limit of $1 million. Just how these opposite proposals can be reconciled is anyone’s guess. But there is a larger point. No matter how dubious or outmoded, tax breaks work themselves into the nation’s economic and social fabric. They are hard to unravel, because people depend on them – and protect them. (c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

web development

bootcamp today! STARTING February 2018 n Given by top General Assembly instructors who are experts in their field n Come out with skills needed to land a job in today’s marketplace

n Separate classes for men and women with half day on Fridays

YOUR Develop the future To code is to thrive in today’s digital world.

All of today’s high-growth industries need skilled coders to build their digital presence using the newest programming languages and techniques. Learn to create, collaborate, and think like a developer in this full-time Full-Stack Web Development course.

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOW www.wayfindcareers.com D LIMITCEIT Y A C AP 516-253-1147

Join in! m lli

Kollel is crea t

YOM TEFILLAH ga in

n Receive extensive personal career coaching and job networking, provided by WayFind

So Many Tragedies, So Many Tears…. It’s Time for So Many Tefillos!

Te hi

full stack

to honor the many recent tragedies in the Jewish Community

Thursday, December 20th at 1:30PM

Tehillim Kollel will be davening for the suffering families At the Kever of

Reb Meir Baal Hanes

Please Daven With Us! Kapitel ‫קו‬-‫צ‬

General Assembly’s bootcamps are 12-week in-person full-time training programs, now separate for men and women, available through WayFind. Send in additional names to our central office. We will daven for you and your family as well!

718.705.7174 info@tehillimkollel.org w w w.t e h i l l i m k o l l e l . o r g

CAREERS | EDUCATION | SUPPORT

WayFind specializes in helping members of the Frum community choose career paths that best suit their interests, skills, strengths and values.

109

110

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

Jeep Built for World War II, Still Around Today By Avi Heiligman General Patton in his War Eagle Jeep

ost vehicles specifically made for military purposes don’t have much use for the average everyday civilian. Imagine going fishing on a nuclear submarine or taking a flight across the country in a very bumpy B-52 bomber. Jeeps, on the other hand, were the products of a need that the U.S. military had going into World War II. Today, Jeeps and other vehicles derived from the Jeep are used in many capacities both within the military and for civilian use. Fighting between European and Asian superpowers had started when the U.S. realized that it was going to be fighting in a war that would be over many types of terrain. Horses were used extensively during World War I, and the Nazis still had many units using equines as transportation. However, that wouldn’t work for the Americans as their needs and resources were different. A vehicle was needed to drive over sandy deserts, into thick forests, through dense jungles, and over icy landscapes. The U.S. Army sent out a proposal to 135 companies to produce prototypes for a four wheeled all-terrain car. Only two small, financially-strapped companies responded to make this lightweight vehicle. The American Bantam Car Company of Butler, Pennsylvania, delivered plans for the Bantam Pilot to the army in 1940. In just five days freelance designer Karl Probst had the prototype ready to go. It was up against the Willys-Overland Company of Toledo, Ohio, which produced the Willys MB. Bantam’s design was judged to be the best at the beginning but the army said that it fell short of its expecta-

tions. Bantam, Willys and Ford went back to the drawing board for a second round of competition. Willys won the contract after rigorous testing by the army. Ford was asked to manufacture the vehicle as there was concern that the Willys plant was too small to handle the enormous amount of vehicles the army needed. The Ford model had a canvas top and a foldable windshield that could give it stealth in a reconnaissance and battle situation. Altogether, more than 625,000 Jeeps were manufactured by Willys and Ford from 1941

turing the Jeep used the same term for the vehicle. Other uses of the term were used mainly in military circles. For example, escort aircraft carriers were referred to as jeep carriers. Jeeps immediately made a huge splash among troops both at home and abroad. In 1941 a demonstration was set up on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and the reporters nearby helped popularize the new vehicle. On the battlefield the Jeep proved that it was really an all-terrain vehicle in that it was fast and tough. Throughout the war it proved

“I don’t think we could continue the war without the Jeep. It does everything. It goes everywhere. It’s as faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat.” to 1945. Bantam did produce about 2,600 Jeeps of which most were sent to Russia as part of the Lend-Lease Act. The naming of the vehicle is a bit of a mystery and cause for discussion. Many automobile and military enthusiasts believe that G.P. was the initials used for the designation that the army sent manufacturers when they were at the design stage. They either stood for Government Purpose or General Purpose but the real answer has been lost is the vast files of the army. The theory is that the initials G.P. were slurred into the word “Jeep” and the name stuck. All of the companies manufac-

itself time and time again. On D-Day it was there transporting troops from the shore inland to defeat the Axis powers. A British submarine had strapped a Jeep to the deck so that it could be used during a commando raid. Its 15-gallon tank allowed the Jeep to have a range of 300 miles with a top speed of 65 MPH. Several styles of Jeep were produced for different wartime purposes. Some had a rear wheel well toolbox and others sport a gun mount that could carry a machine gun. The flat hood was used as a serving table when troops were nowhere near a mess hall. It could withstand

most weather conditions and work in the extreme cold so it was used for much more than personnel transport. Jeeps saw their uses expand to trucking supplies, gun carriers, reconnaissance, towed airplanes, and even emergency evacuations during the war. In the very cold winters that the Americans saw action Jeeps were used as snowplows, and during the dry seasons they were used to shovel and pile large quantities of dirt. Many VIPs took rides during the war in a Jeep and the impressive list includes President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and England’s future Queen Elizabeth. General Eisenhower, General Patton and General MacArthur preferred the rough ride in a Jeep to smoother rides that were available. The army’s chief of the engineers, Major General Eugene Reybold, said he had “never seen a Jeep that would not run when it was needed.” Their use on the battlefield was invaluable. One Jeep in the Philippines towed a 52-ton train for 19 miles. A British SAS commando force used 18 Jeeps to transport 75 men and dozens of machine guns to attack a German airfield 70 miles from El Alamein in Egypt. To an observer the Jeeps came climbing out of the cliffs and destroyed the effectiveness of the air base like a pack of wolves devoured their prey – in this case 25 Luftwaffe planes – before melting away in the desert. This new “do-all” vehicle had gained such a reputation in such a short time that other countries were asking for Jeeps of their own. Overseas shipments of Jeeps, which totaled

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

President Roosevelt in a Jeep

about 30% of the total Jeep production, were sent to Great Britain and Russia who were allies with the U.S. Some were parachuted to OSS spy teams in France prior to the D-Day invasion for use by the French resistance. Japanese and German versions of the Jeep failed to reach the standards of the American version. A captured German Porsche Kubelwagon was tested against the

111

Prime Minister Churchill in a Jeep outside the German Reichstag, touring the ruined city of Berlin, July 16, 1945

Jeep which clearly maintained its status as the better vehicle (many German weapons and machines were far superior to the American versions with the late-war airplanes and the Jeep being notable exceptions). Since the war, the Jeep name and production rights have been held by several companies. It became a worldwide household name as it made the

move into the civilian market. Military Jeeps were a mainstay for a couple of decades. Today the Humvee is the main four-wheeled, light-wheeled vehicle of preference in the American military. Still, the legend of the Jeep remains. Ernie Pyle, the beloved war correspondent who was killed by a Japanese sniper on a remote Pacific island, wrote about the Jeep, “I don’t think we could continue

• FREE Pickup and Delivery always! • Wash & Fold Laundry Service • Expert Tailoring, Same Day Work Available • Special Discounts for Rabbis. Teachers. Hatzolah and Chaverim • Shomer Shabbos Owned and Operated

Call (718)887-9886

the war without the Jeep. It does everything. It goes everywhere. It’s as faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat.” 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.

o ys to d a w t n nie conve cleaning. 3 w o at N ry op off r d your d d n up a y pick home. l k e e W pickup your d n a off e drop ervice. d i s b r Cu es In stor

or call/text (917) 612-2300 email otmdrycleaners@gmail.com for the next scheduled pickup. Sign up FCC- Fr now for our equ Club an ent Cleaner d ge with ea t savings ch orde r

68-26 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11367

112

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Classifieds SERVICES Alternative Solutions Geriatric Care Management staff will assist you with: * Obtaining Medicaid and Pooled Income Trust * In-home Assessments, Individual and Family Counseling * Securing reliable home care assistance * Case and Care Management services Dr. S. Sasson, DSW, LCSW (718) 544- 0870 or (646) 284-6242 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZING BY MALKA Call or text 3478861542 LEAH'S BEAUTY CONCEPTS BY: LEAH SPERBER Experienced Electrolysis & Laser Hair Removal. Professional Makeup Applications & Lessons. Relaxing Deep Cleansing Facials For All Skin Types. Full line Of Ilike Organic & Hypoallergenic Skincare , Natural & Long Lasting Makeup. Call Leah 917-771-7329 Flexible Appointments. SAFE ~ PERMANENT ~ DISCRETE Struggling with Shalom Bayis? The Shalom Bayis Hotline 732-523-1112. Caring rabbanim answering your questions for free. So far very positive results BS’D! HAIR COURSE Learn how to wash & style hair & wigs Hair and wig cutting, wedding styling Private lessons or in a group Call Chaya 718-715-9009 SHALOM HANDYMAN Plumbing, heating, boiler, installation, sewer, locks, dryer vent cleaning and more… CALL 917-217-3676 Yoga & Licensed Massage Therapy Peaceful Presence Studio 436 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst Separate men/women Group/private sessions Gift Cards Available www. Peacefulpresence.com 516 -371 -3715 GERBER MOVING FULL SERVICE MOVING Packing Moving Supplies Local Long Distance Licensed Insured 1000’S Of Happy Customers Call Shalom 347-276-7422

HOUSES FOR SALE Don’t Get Stuck With a Two Story House Ya Know, It’s One Story Before You Buy It But a Second Story After You Own It! Call Dov Herman For An Accurate Unbiased Home Inspection Infrared - Termite Inspection Full Report All Included NYC 718-INSPECT Long Island 516-INSPECT www.nyinspect.com

Can’t afford your property taxes? Mortgage? Must sell for any reason? Call for FREE Consultation. Call now 212-470-3856 Cash buyers available!

WOODMERE: CHOICE PROPERTIES • 316 Longacre Ave. $999,999 Location, Location, Location. Low Taxes • 1075 Cedar Lane $449,999 Best Value in town. 4BR • 302 Longacre A3 $118,000 Jr. 4, First Floor, Walk all locations C. Slansky BROKER 516-655-3636 CEDARHURST: 3 FAMILY HOME, 5BR, 3.5BA 2 Car Garage, Great Investment, Close To All…$699K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com HEWLETT: 3BR, 2.5BA Exp-Cape In SD#14, Den W/Sliders To Florida Rm, Formal DR, Kitchen W/Granite Counter Tops, Full Fin Basement W/Half Bath, Deck & Terrace, Near All…$525K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com WOODMERE: NEW LISTING Center Hall Colonial In SD#15, Features 7BR, 3.5 Bath, Eik W/High End Appliances, Formal DR, Den, Oversized Lot, Full Finished Basement, Attic, SD#15…$1.599M Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com WOODSBURGH: NEW LISTING Sprawling 4BR, 4BA Exp-Ranch, Oversized Rooms, LR W/Fplc, Formal Dining Rm, Large Den, Master Suite, Full Finished Basement, Storage Room & Office, Deck, Fabulous Property…$1.175M Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

COMMERCIAL RE CEDARHURST 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080 5 TOWNS: LOOKING FOR: ORTHOTIST, PODIATRIST, CHIROPRACTOR, PHYSICAL THERAPIST, DENTIST, OR OBSTETRICIAN, GYNECOLOGIST. Professional Spaces Available in Hewlett, Lynbrook, Valley Stream area. For Lease... Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698 CEDARHURST: COMING SOON Don’t Miss This Opportunity!!! High Tech Executive Suites W/Parking & Storage, Various Sizes Available, All New!!! 24 Hour Access, All Utilities Included Plus Many Amenities, For Lease…Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

COMMERCIAL RE CEDARHURST: 3,300 +/- SF Retail Space with Basement, Municipal Parking Lot in Rear & Street Parking, Corner Building, Prime Location, Very High Ceilings & Lots of Windows, For Lease… Call Ian For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com HEMPSTEAD: 1,600SF & 3,000SF Professional Office Spaces in Beautiful Elevator Building W/Excellent Parking, Great Location, For Lease… Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com HUNTINGTON STATION: 1,500 +/- SF Free Standing Building W/Parking, Great Location, High Visibility, For Lease… Call Lori For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

113

Spacious 3BR Apt, Eik, Spacious 2BR, 2BA, Eik, 7BR CH Colonial, O/S Lot, Waterfront 6BR, 6.5BA Many Updates..$2,900/mo 1st Flr, Parking..$2,650/mo Fin Bsmt,SD#15..$1.599M Col,Dock,Pool..$1.995M

HEARD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Sprawling 4BR,4BA Exp Ranch, Park-Like Ppty, Oversized Rooms, Formal DR, SD#14..$1.175M

Email Carol at cbraunstein@pugatch.com for any special announcements or events.

Carol Braunstein

Susan Pugatch

(516) 592-2206

295-3000

Call or Text

cbraunstein@pugatch.com

(516)

www.pugatch.com

spugatch@pugatch.com

Get on the Wait List for...

starting at $1,000/Mo. W/Parking & Storage. All Utilities Incd + Amenities

114

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 COMMERCIAL RE

COMMERCIAL RE

APT FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

ISLAND PARK: 1,400+/-SF Storefront with Office Space and Kitchenette in Rear, 3 Parking Spots + Municipal Parking, Great Location, For Lease … Call Sean for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

VALLEY STREAM 2800 SQ. FT. Bright and recently renovated office space available for rent, 7 Private offices, large conference room, beautiful break area with kitchenette. Rent plus one month security required. For lease by owner $3000 per month Call - 516-791-1800 ext. 110

ONE BEDROOM & LIVING ROOM, RENOVATED APT. NEW KITCHEN, WASHER DRYER 3rd Floor Walk up in the Reads Lane Area. 347-753-1199

Pugatch Realty Corp., in Woodmere, is looking to hire and train a select group of motivated Realtors. If you are looking to build a career in real estate, or looking to take your existing career to the next level, there is no better place to start that the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in the Five Towns… Call Today (516) 295-3000 x 128. All calls kept confidential.

VALLEY STREAM: 1,200+/-SF Office Space, 2nd Floor Walk-Up, features Kitchenette, 3 Small Offices, Conference Room and 2 Bathrooms, Great Location, For Lease …Call Paul for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com VALLEY STREAM: 1,200+/-SF Office Space, 2nd Floor Walk-Up, features Kitchenette, 3 Small Offices, Conference Room and 2 Bathrooms, Great Location, For Lease … Call Paul for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. Will divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100

CO-OP FOR SALE WOODMERE: BEST BUY – NEW PRICE SMALL PETS OK: Beautiful Corner Unit In Elevator Bldg, 2BR, 5 Closets, All Large Rooms, Sunny & Spacious, Close To All...$165K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com FAR ROCKAWAY 833 Central , 1st floor, balcony, doorman. Completely renovated, near LIRR, 2BR/2 full bath, 2 DW/sinks, wood cabinets, granite counters $339 917-572-9644

APT FOR RENT FAR ROCKAWAY: BUNGALOW New from the Ground Up, Roof, Siding, Eik, 2BR, Near All…$1,950/mo. Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

BROOKLYN-DITMAS PARK AREA Three-bedroom apartment one full bathroom. Second floor Please call 516-225-4558 LOVELY, BRIGHT 2 BEDROOM APT Private entrance Eat-in kitchen; washer/dryer hook-up On Sage Street, parking available Near main Shuls & LIRR For more information call (718)327-4386 CEDARHURST: NEW LISTING, 2BR, 2BA In 2 Family House, Eik, LR, DR, Washer/Dryer, Very Close To All, Great Location...$2,500/mo Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com CEDARHURST: NEW LISTING, Sunny & Spacious 3BR Apt, Eik, Formal DR, Many Updates, Won’t Last... $2,900/mo Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

CEDARHURST

Bright, spacious 3br 2.5bth hi ranch w/ beautiful yard. Fantastic location, close to park, shopping, train. Miri (646)515-8813. $3500/month

LAWRENCE

Beautiful and updated 1-3br rentals available. Call Bryna (516) 322-4831. $2000-$2900/month

Mazel Tov! Due to simchos, Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway seeking two qualified, experienced moros for our 5thgrade. Please email resume to mlevin@tagschools.org LANDER COLLEGE FOR MEN, A DIVISION OF TOURO COLLEGE IN KEW GARDENS HILLS, IS SEEKING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. Must have a Bachelor’s Degree and 2 years administrative experience, be well organized and have MS Office expertise. Please fill out an application and send your cover letter and resume through the following link. http:// touro.peopleadmin.com/postings/1895

CEDARHURST

Great ﬁrst ﬂoor 2 bdrm, 2 bth, spacious apartment with enclosed porch. Call Chana (516)449-9692 $299K

LAWRENCE

Rental Exclusive! 4br 3bth colonial. $3,200/m

LAWRENCE

Gut-renovated colonial w/ 4bdms on 1 level. New EIK, hardwood ﬂoors. Large yard with deck. Call Bryna (516)322-4831 $729K

6br 3bth expanded ranch on very large property in prestigious Sutton Park. Call Chana (516)449-9692 $5400/month

WOODMERE

New exclusive! Completely renovated 6br 5.5 bth colonial in prime location. Top of the line updates. Call Chana (516) 449-9692 $1.85M

New to market! Wide line 4br renovated exp ranch in mint condition. All new systems. Low taxes. Call Avigail (516)316-3452 $839K

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

Classifieds HELP WANTED REAL ESTATE MANAGER R.E. Management Co. in Bklyn seeking capable & hard working individual . NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511 SECRETARY Real Estate Management office in Boro Pk is seeking a F/T Secretary with gd phone manner, able to multi task & have computer knowledge. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511 BOYS KIRUV SCHOOL LOCATED IN KEW GARDENS SEEKS GENERAL STUDIES TEACHERS for upper elementary grades. Must be proficient in Common Core curriculum and comfortable with technology in the classroom in addition to receiving training in an award winning system. Competitive salary. Hours are Monday-Thursday 12:30-3:45 Please send resumes to jobseekfr@yahoo.com

115

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED

MISC

F/T & P/T REGISTERED NURSE openings to work with adults who have developmental disabilities within residential settings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Long Island. Current NYS RN, min 2 years hospital experience. OHEL: 855-OHEL JOB, www.ohelfamily.org/careers

Local F.T. Accounting Office Seeks P/T JR. ACCOUNTANT proficient in Q.B. knowledge of payroll tax, sales tax, business tax and individual taxes Qualified applicants should please e-mail resume to: 5towntaxoffice@gmail.com

WIG GEMACH Everyone in our community deserves to look great! Donate used wigs and make a world of a difference. For appointments to see wigs or to donate, call Deena 845-304-6668

FIVE TOWNS OFFICE LOOKING FOR immediate hire of several people…part time and full time…starting at $15 per hour. Need detail- oriented person to handle A/P, A/R, customer service, and ability to negotiate bids and contracts. Computer literate a must. Please email fabadi@egwaste.com

YESHIVA KETANA OF LONG ISLAND is looking for a dynamic, positive and professional afternoon assistant for a general studies first or second grade position. Please fax resume to 516-368-9199 or email to office@ykli.org

CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers, Title I Boro Park, Williamsburg and Flatbush Schools *College/Yeshiva Degree *Teaching experience required *Strong desire to help children learn *Small group instruction *Excellent organization skills Competitive salary Send resume to: Fax: (212) 480-3691 ~ Email: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com

MISC DOG SLEDDING/CROSS COUNTRY SKIING TRIP IN FEBRUARY TO IMPROVE LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK SKILLS. Limited space avail. Great for executives or biz owners. Grow thru challenging yourself in safe setting. Glatt kosher, shomer shabbos. 410-262-7654 Shidduch Dating? Need places to go? Check out Pegishaplace.com

Reach Your Target Market Classifieds

Life CAPTURE

I M A G E S LTD PHOTOGRAPHY I VIDEO

GABRIEL SOLOMON

GABE@LIFECAPTUREIMAGES.COM 516.499.9620 WWW.LIFECAPTUREIMAGES.COM

Rabbi Dovid Fleischmann Certified Mohel

WWW.BABYSMOHEL.COM

Baby-Friendly Care

 Personalized Attention

Expert Skill and Dedicated Service you Deserve

516-314-3236 babysmohel@gmail.com

116

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Your

Money

A Beautiful Day Offshore By Allan Rolnick, CPA

e’ve all got an image in our minds of who uses “offshore tax havens” to host their business. Let’s say you’re a junior-varsity Russian oligarch. You’ve spent a lifetime looting your country’s resources like an all-you-can-steal buffet, and now it’s time to take some of your chipskis off the table. You buy a f lat in London’s posh Mayfair or maybe a condo overlooking New York’s Central Park. Then you stash the rest of your rubles in some sunny f lyspeck of an island like Bermuda or the Caymans, where Putin’s goons can’t steal them back. But most people who do business offshore aren’t crooked billionaires. They’re perfectly legitimate multinational corporations, business owners, and investors just like us. If you’ve worn shoes from Nike, made calls on an iPhone, or downloaded music from Sheryl Crow, you’ve even done business with them! Last month, the investigative

journalists who brought us 2016’s Panama Papers dropped Season Two of their effort to expose how the global 1% use international entities to structure their wealth. The “Paradise Papers” include 13.4 million electronic documents, mostly gleaned through a “data security incident” from the Bermuda-based law firm of Appleby Spurling Hunter. And one of the names that those intrepid detectives uncovered was Paul David Hewson, originally from Dublin’s middle-class Finglas suburb. Of course, you probably know Hewson better by his stage name, Bono. (His U2 bandmates dubbed him Bono Vox, meaning “good voice,” in high school.) Now, Bono’s made hundreds of millions of dollars in his career. But he’s also hobnobbed with the Dalai Lama and been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. He’s hardly the sort of guy you’d expect to be moving money in mysterious ways. So what’s the deal? Here’s how the BBC lays it out:

“Bono owned a share in the Ausra shopping center located in the Lithuanian city of Utena via his stake in a company called [NE], based in Malta. In 2007, [NE] bought the mall via a company they incorporated in Lithuania called UAB [NE] 2. In 2012, [NE] Malta Ltd. transferred the ownership of both [NE] 2 and the mall to a new offshore company, [NE] 1, based on the English island of Guernsey. Both Malta and Guernsey are low-tax jurisdictions, though foreign investors pay a five percent tax on company profits in Malta, while they pay no tax in Guernsey.” There you have it. Even paying 5% tax in Malta, they still hadn’t found what they were looking for. So [NE] tripped through the waters with Bono’s money for the rattle and hum of tax-free Guernsey. Bono himself seemed taken aback by the disclosure. He said he would be distressed if “anything less than exemplary” was done with his name anywhere

near it. And he said, “I take this stuff very seriously. I have campaigned for the beneficial ownership of offshore companies to be made transparent. Indeed this is why my name is on documents rather than in a trust.” Here in the U.S, we’re subject to tax on all our worldwide income, no matter where it’s earned. That means that moving investments offshore doesn’t convey any sort of automatic tax benefit, with or without you. Fortunately, the same internal revenue code that taxes us on foreign income offers countless strategies to minimize or avoid that tax. All you really need is a plan. So make sure you have a plan and see if you can rescue enough wasted tax dollars to send yourself someplace where the streets have no name. Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

117

118

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

I’m Talking Turkey Here! By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

onestly, I don’t know why we don’t call this holiday Thanks Chicken. After all, it’s all about the fowl. How big, how many pounds, how many can it feed?! We don’t want to just eat a meal and not know what we are celebrating. We all love meaning. I guess it was like this: When the pilgrims first came over, they were greeted on the shores by a bunch of triumphant turkeys who, upon seeing the newcomers, began running about, gaggling and gobbling, “like chickens without heads.” This expression of energetic and heartfelt warmth and enthusiasm must have added tremendously to the enjoyment and elation of reaching safe shores. And this is how we thank them?! Makes you think twice about being on a welcoming committee! Often, jokingly, we sum up Jewish holidays as “We fought, we won, let’s eat!” But what’s this?! “They were happy to see us. They didn’t give us a hard time. Let’s eat

them?!” What kind of thank you is that?! Maybe that’s why we refine the name and call it Thanksgiving. We want to get away from that image. We are really highlighting the im-

and appreciation, of the good done for us. Every day we experience things that aggravate us. That fact seems inevitable. The world has a lot of funky stuff going on. Understanding it all

But what’s this?! “They were happy to see us. They didn’t give us a hard time. Let’s eat them?!”

portance of thanking our Maker for bringing us, or more correctly, our ancestors, safely to friendly shores. Forgetting the food fare...the name is delicious! Who can criticize a holiday that’s about gratitude? It sends the right message. We need to have hakarat hatov, a remembrance

seems way beyond our paygrade. However, there are a lot of amazing blessings constantly surrounding us as well. It’s never a bad idea to focus on that! So, let’s take another look at the poor little members of our greeting committee and see if we can get another vantage point on this. Their

lives are not necessarily that deep and meaningful. They are loud and destructive, or passive at best. They are not so gorgeous; in fact, they are born already needing a facelift and a chin tuck. Then we suddenly deify them. They are celebrated as the quintessential symbol of gratitude. No Thanksgiving celebration is complete without them. Have we done something so bad for them after all?! We have given their very existences higher meaning. And aren’t we all looking for meaning?! So, whether you gobble down your turkey this Thanksgiving, just partake in the sides or enjoy from the sidelines remember this: Life is always better when we find meaning in it and look for what there is to be thankful for. Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds. com

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 23, 2017

119

120

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home

MIDNIGHT MADNESS STORES & RESTAURANTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25th 8PM - MIDNIGHT {9} NEW YORK 100% KIDS A LITTLE DIFFERENT A LITTLE PERSONALIZED A SHOE INN BANANA REPUBLIC BEL BELLYSSIMA MATERNITY BERRYLICIOUS FROZEN YOGURT BEVERLY MEHL BLUE DOOR BOOKS BOLTON’S BOYTIQUE & CO. BREEZY’S LAUR BY ALICE CAROLINE & LAURA CLEMENTINE CRAWFORD’S COFFEE BAR DAVID DESSO JEWELRY DIMPLES FAME FIVE TOWNS GIFTS & CRAFTS FO GIFT IT FORWARD GOLDMINE JEWELERS HOPSCOTCH KIDS THE JEWELRY SHOWROOM JILDOR SHOES JUDAICA PLUS KISS AND MAKEUP LA TOYS ETCETERA LAVISH LAYETTE LEGAACY LEVEL LULU’S GALLERY OF GIFTS MAKE IT TOO! MARY LERNER MEZZO MIRI MORTON’S NIKIA ACCESSORIES ORLY PEEK A BOO KIDS PJ STERLING PRESTIGIO WIGS ROYAL HOME GOODS SECRET ME LINGERIE THE SHELL STATION SOX WORLD PLUS STERLING ELECTRONICS STOP, CHOP & ROLL STOP, WOK & ROLL SUIT CENTRAL SUNFLOWERS HATS THREADS @ MEZZO TIPTOE BOUTIQUE TREE’S @ JILDOR ZOE & CO.

24th

Nov. 26th

25th*

SUPER BLOWOUT SALE 25 th

AND DON’T FORGET!

BENJAMIN WEINSTOCK