Five Towns Jewish Home - 12-19-19

December 19, 2019

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

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

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See page 7

Passover Vacation Section Starts on page 115

North American Olim Produce Olive Oil in Israel’s Galil pg

Around the

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Community

68 TOH Supervisor-Elect Donald Clavin Visits the Five Towns

HASHEM’S

CHANUKAH GIFT TO KLAL YISRAEL

60 Community Comes out in Support for FTFR Bikur Cholim

TJH CHANUKAH CONTEST! Act fast – see page 10 for details

by Rav Yaakov Feitman pg

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

IT’S COMING

JANUARY 2, 2020 400 YOUNG MEN

IN 60 HOMES

ACROSS THE 5 TOWNS

FOR 1 NIGHT OF INSPIRATION AND LEARNING

THE 'OLAMI SIYUM' is a 6-day Jewish learning experience. The delegation is made up of over 400 young male college students and young professionals from all over the world including: Mexico, South Africa, Russia, France, Brazil, Canada and the U.S. THEY WILL BE attending Siyum Hashas, partake in chevrusa learning, have a powerful Shabbat experience and so much more.

ON JAN 2 they will be hosted for dinner in 60 homes followed by learning at the Shor Yoshuv Beis Midrash. It will be a night full of ruach and Kumzits’ in the 5 Towns.

FOR MORE INFO CALL 469-744-9260 OR EMAIL MHURWITZ@SHORYOSHUV.ORG

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

I

t’s hard not to feel Chanukah in the air this time of year. My children are busy making their menorahs in school and designing cards and signs at home to decorate our house. When I’m shopping, I have to remember to buy sprinkles for sugar cookies, candies for toothpick dreidels, and chocolate for chocolate wontons (they’re so yummy, and so easy, and so perfect for a fun Chanukah night!). Every time I go into Amazing Savings for one item, I manage to come out with bags filled with tons of things I never thought I’d need but seemed so necessary when I saw them on the shelves. I mean, who doesn’t need Chanukah stickers and notepads and pens and balloons? Especially if you have little ones at home who delight in the little things in life…

Over the years, I’ve realized that Chanukah is celebrated in each home differently.

Every family has their own Chanukah “traditions” that they’ve adopted over the years.

Growing up, we used to have our family Chanukah party at Bubby and Zeidy’s house. I still remember those yummy Carvel cakes and the matching sweaters my grandmother would knit for every one of her grandchildren. The photos of all of us lined up on my grandparents’ couch in matching outfits are precious – especially since we’re all grown now and some of us have families of our own.

Now, Chanukah parties are still at the grandparents’ house – but it’s the next generation of grandparents hosting the event. No longer are there matching sweaters or even Carvel cakes, but there’s still that excitement amongst the cousins as they play games and

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giggle together. We’ve started our own traditions that have evolved over the years. There’s dreidel playing at one Chanukah party and pass-the-present at the other. At one party, yummy, cheesy lasagna is served; finger-licking-good fried chicken and overstuffed hero sandwiches are served at the other. And, for the past few years, we’ve been ending one Chanukah party in the dark, with the music blaring and glowsticks in our hands as the kids (and adults) dance their hearts away.

Unfortunately, amidst the dancing and the doughnuts, we can sometimes get lost in the food and the presents and the parties after we light the candles on the eight nights of Chanukah. But if we can spend time together around the flames and think about the miracles that took place years ago and the gratitude we have for those miracles that occur consistently throughout the generations, we can turn Chanukah into something more meaningful and more profound than just latkes and doughnuts.

Wishing you a freilechen Chanukah, Shoshana P.S. Make sure to send us your Chanukah photos! We’d love to send you a special Chanukah gift ($10 at Berrylicious – so yum!) in the spirit of the chag. But make sure to send those pictures in soon (editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com). The deadline is just a few days away (Monday, December 23 at 5 p.m.), so you only have a few days to take those photos of your family playing dreidel or lighting the menorah or decorating your home for Chanukah. Can’t wait to see them!

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PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

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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

December 20 – December 26

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Friday, December 20 Parshas Vayeishev Candle Lighting: 4:12 pm Shabbos Ends: 5:17 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 5:43 pm

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

8

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

8

Community Happenings

52

NEWS Global

12

National

26

Odd-but-True Stories

44

ISRAEL

46

Israel News World Builders

21 104

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein

90

Temporary Tranquility by Rav Moshe Weinberger

92

Parsha in Four by Eytan Kobre

96

Hashem’s Chanukah Gift to Klal Yisrael by Rav Yaakov Feitman

98

Our Ideological Battle Against the Greeks by Shmuel Reichman

100

PEOPLE Fields of Dreams by Rivkah Lambert Adler

106

A Call to Arms by Avi Heiligman

134

HEALTH & FITNESS Is It Bad to Self-Soothe? by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

118

Staying Healthy Even with Eight Days of Doughnuts by Cindy Weinberger, MS RD CDN

120

FOOD & LEISURE Perfect Sugar Cookies by Goldie Sebrow 122

Dear Editor, One of my weekly highlights is receiving The Jewish Home. Thank you for your lovely weekly magazine!

Because this is such an open forum of discussion, I wanted to bring up a disturbing phenomenon I’ve noticed in our community.

There are many people who are anti-social media for good reason, whether it be religious or scientific. However, many of those who are against social media surprisingly do not consider WhatsApp as a social media platform and constantly post statuses or frequently update profile pictures. This essentially defeats the purpose of abstaining from Instagram, Snapchat, and the like. Posting constantly on your WhatsApp has the same effect as Instagram: it gives one “validation” that they have a fulfilled life. But guess what? Your daily status updates still have full power to hurt other people. A lot.

Essentially – it’s a great thing to abstain from social media. But putting all religious and scientific considerations aside – the main point is that you are uploading pain and hurt to many of your viewers from whatever app you are on. Our community is a beautiful and loving place to live. Please stop and think before you share your latest experience.

Thank you, A Reader

Dear Editor, Regarding the article “A Hospital with Heart” about Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, I can attest to the fact that this is true.

A little over a month ago, I took my husband into their ER for what we thought was a bad stomach virus or perhaps even appendicitis. After doing the appropriate diagnostic tests and evaluation, it was determined that he had to have emergency GI surgery for diverticulitis immediately. Baruch Hashem it was caught in time, however we didn’t realize the extent of the severity and timing until the surgery was over. I can say that he is almost completely recovered at this point, but there were some very scary moments. The surgeon and his team, staff in the ICU, as well as the surgical stepdown unit, during his 10-day hospital stay were phenomenal. Not only did was their medical care excellent but they took the time to explain complicated procedures to us and what to expect post-surgery. I can’t forget to mention what a wonderful help the Achiezer Bikur Cholim room was, the food from Gourmet Glatt was delicious, as were the Shabbos meals that were provided by Sondra Gottesman of Bikur Cholim of Young Israel of Oceanside.

I am looking forward to hearing Continued on page 10

The Aussie Gourmet: Lemon Meringue Pie Doughnuts

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LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

112

Your Money

140

Up, Up, and Away by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

142

HUMOR Centerfold 86 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

126

Wage Stagnation by Robert Samuelson

131

A Major Retreat for Democrats by Marc A. Thiessen

132

CLASSIFIEDS

136

Which type of doughnut do you prefer: Custard

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

DREIDEL FLAVOR FULL OF

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Continued from page 8

about the expansion and improvements that are coming to Mount Sinai South Nassau in the future. Our community will continue to benefit from this.

Rivka Breuer Dear Editor, I think the most important takeaway from your article, “Protecting Our Holiest Places,” is that congregates must be vigilant. The adage, if you see something, say something, is not just for subways or trips to Manhattan. Every person should be looking around when they walk in the neighborhood to see if something or someone looks out of the ordinary.

And law enforcement should be contacted as soon as you think something is amiss.

Additionally, people should be aware of their surroundings – look around your shul. Know the exits and entrances. Be aware of where there is a phone (office, coat room, etc.) in case of emergency. Close the door be-

hind you when you enter the shul.

The reality that we live in is not necessarily comforting to contemplate. But we are better off being aware of what may occur than burying our heads in the sand.

Sincerely, Yehuda Seidener Dear Editor, I just wanted to make everyone aware of a scam that has been going on in our neighborhood recently.

Last month, two checks were stolen out of our local mailbox and forged for a large sum of money. We found out through social media that this has happened to close to 10 families over the last month. Unfortunately, our bank, TD Bank, has been uncooperative and slow to react despite clear negligence on their part.

Therefore, avoid writing checks through the mail as much as possible and always be vigilant and act promptly should a similar situation arise.

A Reader

Please send all correspondence to: editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.

R STDA RAMA IN IFE! FOR L

WIN A $10 BERRYLICIOUS GIFT CARD!

S

end us your photo(s) of what Chanukah means to you – it could be your family lighting candles, you and your siblings at your Chanukah party, baking Chanukah cookies, Bubby playing dreidel, or Zeidy eating a jelly doughnut (or two… or three!).

We want to see what makes Chanukah special to you. But you have to act fast! The photos must be sent in by Monday, December 23 at 5 p.m. (Yup! By the second night of Chanukah!

That’s what we mean by acting fast.) Make sure the photo includes the people you love most.

Send us your photo(s), and we’ll send you a $10 Berrylicious gift card!

GET RE AD FOR O Y UR GRAN D SPR ING PERFO RMAN CE!

EVERY A GIRL IS

TJH Chanukah Giveaway!

V.I.I. (Very Important Information) • The contest ends on Monday night, December 23 at 5 p.m.

• Email the photos to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com with the word “contest” in the subject line • Include your name, age, and mailing address in the email (we have to mail you the card, right?!)

• The photo(s) must have people in them

 

Every girl gets a speaking role tailored to her talents!

Classes available in the 5 Towns & West Hempstead.

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For girls in 1st grade & up.

Classes begin the week of February 16

REGISTER AT WWW.D4LONLINE.COM/REGISTRATION

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With Hadassah Fertig • Eliana Hirsch • Miri Granik • Ashley Paneth

Call Now for more information: 516-385-1959 • or email: D4Lonline@gmail.com

• Photos may be printed in a future issue of TJH so make sure to smile big!

• One gift card per family

Happy Chanukah!

“

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

The giants from the generations preceding us taught how important it is to learn mussar and to

IMMERSE ONESELF INTO THE LEARNING OF MUSSAR SEFORIM. Nevertheless, the yetzer hara always tries to encourage a person to neglect this vital area and even bnei Torah are often weak in this area.

We must therefore thank Dirshu for encouraging Yidden throughout Klal Yisrael, to strengthen themselves in learning mussar.”

ROV

E I M PL

M

E PA T C

P IM

E N T

M

BottomLineMG.com

—HaGaon HaRav Moshe Wolfson, shlita

I

Join the Daily Limud HaMussar Initiative THE SIYUM of the first machzor of Kinyan Chochma will take place in Eretz Yisrael at Binyanei Ha’umah on Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Miketz, December 28th.

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JOIN DIRSHU KINYAN CHOCHMA TODAY! 888-5-DIRSHU KinyanChochma@DirshuNJ.org

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

Former Pakistan Prez Sentenced to Death

Pervez Musharraf, the former president and military ruler of Pakistan, was sentenced to death in absentia on Tuesday for high treason following a six-year legal case.

A three-member special court in Islamabad convicted Musharraf of violating the constitution by unlawfully declaring emergency rule while he was in power, in a case that had been pending since 2013.

The 76-year-old former leader, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for more than three years, has the option to appeal the verdict.

Musharraf had seized power in a military coup in 1999 and ruled Pakistan as president until 2008.

He was indicted in 2014 on a total of five charges, including three counts of subverting, suspending and changing the country’s constitution, firing Pakistan’s chief justice, and imposing emergency rule.

It’s the first time in Pakistan’s history that an army chief has been tried and found guilty of treason. Under Pakistan’s constitution, high treason is a crime that carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.

The special court ruled on the death sentence by a two-to-one majority, with one of the three judges not backing the death sentence but agreeing on a conviction.

Musharraf has been living in Dubai since 2016 after Pakistan’s Supreme Court lifted a travel ban allowing him to leave the country to seek medical treatment. From his hospital bed in Dubai earlier this month, the former leader said in a

video statement that he was innocent and declared that the treason case was “baseless.”

Musharraf said he had declared a state of emergency in 2007 to stabilize the country and to fight rising Islamist extremism. The action drew sharp criticism from the United States and democracy advocates. Pakistanis openly called for his removal. Under pressure from the West, Musharraf later lifted the state of emergency and called elections in which his party fared badly.

Musharraf stepped down in August 2008 after the governing coalition began taking steps to impeach him.

Russian Spy-Ship Lurking

A Russian spy-ship has returned to international waters off the southeastern coast of the United States and is operating in what two U.S. officials have said is an “unsafe manner.”

The Viktor Leonov, a Russian surveillance ship, has been sailing off the coast of South Carolina and Florida in the last few days. The ship’s actions are determined to be unsafe because it is not using running lights in low visibility weather and it is not responding to hails from commercial vessels attempting to establish its position in order to help avoid potential accidents.

An official said the Vishnya-class spy ship was also engaged in “other erratic maneuvers.”

The Viktor Leonov regularly patrols in international waters along the eastern coast of the U.S., having done so every year since 2015. The Russian vessel also routinely operates in the Caribbean, including Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Russian ship’s presence off the U.S. coast comes as the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer the USS Ross visited Constanta, Romania, on Monday for what the Navy called “a scheduled port visit,” part of the U.S. effort to bolster its presence in the Black Sea and support regional partners such as NATO ally Romania.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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Russia has boosted its military presence in that area since it seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and it regularly shadows American warships while they operate in the Black Sea. “Crimea has really more or less, according to our civil society folks, has become an armed camp,” the U.S. State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Rob Destro said on Monday as he discussed “the militarization of Crimea.”

Tensions between Moscow and Washington remain high. Just days ago, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the White House and repeatedly raised Russian concerns about the U.S. potentially dismantling the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two powers, a move that could reignite a U.S.-Russia arms race.

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Murder Charge for Wife of Zimbabwe VP

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Marry Mubaiwa, the wife of Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, was arrested over the weekend for alleged fraud and money laundering. She now faces an additional charge of attempted murder.

Prosecutors accused Mubaiwa of deliberately denying the vice president medical attention at the height of his illness and unlawfully interfering with medical procedures when he finally got to a hospital.

“On 23 June 2019, the accused kept on denying the complainant access to medical treatment and the security team had to force their way to take the complainant to Netcare Hospital,” according to charges read out by Prosecutor Michael Reza in the capital, Harare.

The Magistrate Court ordered Mubaiwa detained until December 30.

Chiwenga, a possible challenger

to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, returned to Harare in November after spending months in South Africa, China, and India seeking treatment for an undisclosed illness.

The retired general orchestrated the 2017 army intervention that toppled former President Robert Mugabe and brought Mnangagwa to power.

Johnson Wins by a Landslide

Jews in Britain as well as all across the world celebrated after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives defeated Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party in a landslide in the United Kingdom last week.

With all the votes counted up, Johnson’s Tories pulled in 365, an increase of 46 and well above the 325 needed for a majority in the House of Commons. The victory came amid a total collapse by Labour, which lost 59 seats to finish at only 203.

The result gives the Conservative party its biggest parliamentary majority in 40 years, while Labour fell to its lowest number of seats since the 1930s. Crucial to the victory was Johnson’s ability to convince longtime-Labour supporters to support the Conservatives, winning swaths of northern England that have not voted Tory in generations.

In his victory speech, Johnson thanked the “incredible” voters in northern England for deciding to finally throw their support for the Conservatives. Speaking before a raucous crowd, Johnson said that the aforementioned voters “changed the political landscape” and “changed the Conservative Party for the better.”

“Everything that we do, everything that I do as your prime minister, will be devoted to repaying that trust,” said Johnson. “We are the servants now, and our job is to serve the people of this country.”

Meanwhile, Corbyn announced that he would leave his post in the near future in the wake of the elec-

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

searchers from Australia, Austria, Finland, and Thailand conclude that the global population would see great improvements in both overall health and longevity. The research team stressed that people don’t have to run particularly far, or even very fast – what’s important is simply engaging in the act.

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toral drubbing. The race had tightened in the final weeks, raising expectations among Labour activists for a strong electoral showing.

Corbyn’s collapse, and his likely political banishment, was good news to Jews everywhere who feared that the notoriously anti-Semitic socialist would become England’s top elected official. British Jewish leaders had warned during the campaign that the country’s sizable

Jewish community would consider emigrating in the event of a Corbyn victory, including an unprecedented open letter by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.

Under Corbyn’s leadership, Labour has been rocked by an endless series of anti-Semitism scandals, leading the Simon Wiesenthal Center last week to designate Corbyn as “The World’s #1 anti-Semite.”

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Run for Your Life Like to run or maybe jog along Central Avenue or the boardwalk?

You have reason to smile. It turns out that any amount of running significantly lowers one’s risk of death from any cause.

If more people all over the world incorporated just a little bit of running into their day-to-day lives, re-

The researchers say they were motivated to perform the study because of a number of unknowns that still remained in reference to running’s health benefits. For example, it was never clear just how effective running is at preventing cardiovascular disease or cancer, or for that matter, exactly how much running an individual must participate in to reap such benefits.

All in all, 14 studies were included, encompassing 232,149 people who had had their health tracked for periods of time between 5.5 and 35 years. Within that long timeframe, 25,951 of the included study participants passed away.

Their conclusions? Any amount of running was associated with a 27% lower risk of death from all causes, as compared to those who never reported running. Any amount of running was also associated with a 30% lower chance of dying due to cardiovascular disease and a 23% lower risk of cancer-related death.

Even “small” doses of running, defined as going out for a jog just once every one to two weeks for less than 50 minutes at a slow average speed of less than 6 miles per hour, were still found to induce significant health and longevity perks.

This set of research provides some convincing evidence that it is definitely a good idea to go out for the occasional jog. “Increased rates of participation in running, regardless of its dose, would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity,” the study concludes.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Veterans who fought in the Battle of the Bulge 75 years ago particpated in a memorial that took place in Bastogne, Belgium, on Monday

Owners of Krispy Kreme Confront Nazi Past

One of the world’s richest families has announced that it will donate millions of dollars to Holocaust survivors in order to make amends for its ancestors’ support of the Nazis.

The Reimann family, the billionaire owners of some of the world’s most lucrative food brands including Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Panera Bread, said that it would donate $7.4 million to the Conference on Material Claims against Germany.

Known as the Claims Conference, the organization works to provide restitution to those who had their property stolen by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The donation comes after the German family had made billions of dollars off of Nazi slave labor.

“Elderly, poor Holocaust survivors need food, medicine, and heat in the winter. These funds will enable thousands of survivors to live in dignity,” said Conference President Julius Berman. “It will have a huge impact on the lives of the poorest Holocaust survivors around the world.”

In addition to its donation to the Claims Conference, the Reimann family said that it would also earmark another $5 million to track

down and support those forced to work as slaves under the Nazi regime.

The family’s attempt to atone for its past comes after reports last year exposed how the family made a fortune off of slave labor. Primarily from captured Russian and French prisoners, the Reimann family’s industrial chemicals plant earned an estimated $33 billion from forced labor, which made up a third of its entire workforce.

The Reimann family had been known to be fervent supporters of the Nazi party and were banned from producing chemicals after World War II as part of Germany’s de-Nazification program. The decision was eventually overturned by the United States, which needed the family’s capabilities to fight the Soviet Union following the war.

The Reimann family’s industrial chemicals plant eventually turned into JAB Holdings, a corporation owning lucrative brands such as Snapple and Dr. Pepper. Last March, the German newspaper Bild reported that documents uncovered in France and the United States showed that company founders Albert Reimann Sr. and his son used slave labor to build their fortune.

The revelations caused a storm in Germany. The family hired a history professor to uncover what role the family played during the Holocaust.

Belgian Carnival Dropped from UNESCO List A famous Belgian carnival that has made headlines for its anti-Se-

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Rav Gidal — ‫ידּל‬ ֵ ִ‫�רב ג‬

On their way back, the monkey escaped and climbed down a hole in the ground.

When they dug around 1 the hole to retrieve the monkey, they found that it was crouching atop a pile of pearls. Taking this as an act of Divine Providence, the sailors brought Rav Gamda all the pearls.

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av Gidal’s primary teacher was Rav. He also studied under Shmuel. When Rav Huna* was appointed as Rosh Yeshivah after the passing of joined many of their students these two giants, Rav Gidal to study under him. It appears that at some point he also Rabban Gamliel The Elder travelled to Eretz Yisrael to study under R’ Yochanan.* Tanna / Eretz Yisrael One of Rav Gidal’s colleague s A Tanna who served as entry for an incident involving was R’ Abba.* [See R’ Abba’s Nasi in the waning days both of them.] of He is mentioned many the Second Temple. times in the Talmud, most often when citing a teaching in the name of Rav, often citing Rav Chiya bar Yosef in the abban Gamliel was the grandson name of the famous Tanna transmitting Rav’s teachings of Rav. His faithfulness in Hillel (the Elder),* who founded is described in the following a line of illustrious Torah exchange: scholars and Nesiim.

He lived during the last century of the Second Temple (Shabbos They asked Rav Gidal: 15a). He assumed the Did Rav really say what position you of Nasi [head of the Sanhedrin (High claim he said? He replied: Court)] following the [I swear] by the Torah, the passing of his father, Rabban Shimon Prophets, and the Writings I* (son of Hillel), and that Rav did say this! he served in that institu(Eruvin 17a). capacity for nearly forty ished the years (Sifrei, Vezos kly reestabl Babylonia. In HaBerachah). In the Talmud he is usually The Talmud relates that ylonia quic called Rabban rished in he used to sit at the entrance Gamliel “the Elder” to exiles to Bab went the women’s mikveh in distinguish him from e Torah flou to the Jewish those who order to instruct them his grandson, a short tim t Temple, , many of es. in the proper Rabban Gamliel II of Yavneh* (see Tosafos method of immersion. eed, within of the Firs

by Hashem t Torah Sag to Niddah 6b).

Because of his great His contemporaries included Torah. Ind destruction were grea t kindness piety, he was not concerned that he the ying iah, grea R’ of fter Talmud Yishmael hon stud act the the Yec would have any improper Kohen Gadol,* King ed by hing and ct as an thoughts Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai,* and Shmuel (Berachos 20a). ai. along with 4, as explain in retrospe dech tions for teac ple, HaKatan.* 24:1 Mor seen Tem gs be and of the (II Kin Among Rav Gidal’s lessons: d only Daniel, His son was Rabban Shimon estabdestruction gatekeepers When one states a teaching what coul (Ezekiel), the they and re kel s re ben Gamliel II,* who succeeded hez the name of he who said befo san whe in ia, het Yec his father as Nasi until en years it, he should envision the and ‫ ֶה ָח �ר‬, the arti of Babylon he was murdered by the as the prop author of that teaching as if he were destroyed into exile elev rred to as ‫שׁ וְ �ה �מּ ְסגֵּ ר‬ Romans, and ea district stalwarts standing before him [and refe gue that was g Yechoniah the Nehard were such thus the Family his son-in-law was R’ Shimon ben Nesanel lesson will be taught with They were Kin “the synago ong them settled in (Tosefta by greater clarity and faithfulne as es Am t ).

Avodah exil wn buil Zarah 38a of 3:3), one of the five primary rin when the source], as the verse ss to dents first wave [1] One of these was kno this synagogue was in Sanhed states (Psalms 39:7): Only stuael. Thus, of Rabban Yochanan ben bers of this with an image [of his teacher] Eretz Yisr ze Zakkai. His grandson Rabban ning. lains that should a person proceed Gamliel II merited to see Many mem them from and revitali Torah lear ‫ )ד“ה דשף‬exp (Yerushalmi and study under his grandfath Shekalim 2:5). brought with ready to receive them t houses of gillah 29a er. earth they lished grea ions Rashi (Me Several practices of Rabban g stones and ah institut Nehardea.” of the Tor usin y in d Gamliel and his family, ea, ilt orit maj rebu as related r, they foun to the Temple and its in Nehard Temple, the service, are recorded by ps of entourage ond en years late grou e his Sec elev the e larg and Mishnah. d the cam es to Rav Gamda — ael to buil the exiles Unique Customs To ensure that their annual halfgreat Sag of Reish the bulk of to Eretz Yisr be taught there by statement shekel contribution was Amora / Babylonia community. s returned from d to cated in a actually used to buy Temple offerings, many Jew the forlorn a came up ah continue period is clearly indi the members of Rabban A student of Rava,* who r Ezra and ia, and Tor Yisrael, Ezr was one of the leading sages Gamliel’s in the this household would hold Even afte back their contributions n in Eretz l turmoil d in Babylon es during in the time of Rav Ashi.* until just before the withdrawal was ple remaine ylonian Sag was forgotte military and politica [in the aftermade, and then would Jewish peo s of the Bab es, when the Torah again to the tnes enter the yet chamber where the shekalim [due grea n in tim The forgotte n aga d it.” It is were kept, each with his ancient students. ittle is known about Rav shekel between his fingers. halfwas forgotte when it was his sons reestablishe 20a): “In it Gamda, other than that and en ccah it, Wh They d (Su would throw tablished he was a of shekalim colleague of Ameimar,* Lakish tablishe ished it.

Chiya and Mar Zutra,* and Rav Ashi.* hedrin rees in front of the Kohen performin it onto the pile and reestabl ian came up and rees hba revolution] R’ generally mentioned when He is and he and the San g the withdrawal, Babylonia would then push it from citing a teaching of Rava. ylon was built Bar Koc the pile into the basket We are told that Rav el the Bab ond Temple level. followed the ah leaders he was filling (Shekalim that Gamda became wealthy, Land], Hill after the Sec 3:3). The members of his at a very high Ezra, the great Tor and the would astation that Talmud (Nedarim 50b) household me the describes how this came unt that even rished in Babylonia s of also bow in fourteen different h of the dev assu day acco s mat not the about: [2] ish’ places in the Temple Sages did Yisrael in Rav Gamda once gave complex, instead of the Reish Lak ael. larship flou some money to some sailors thirteen that the rest of d in Eretz Babylonian clear from Torah scho in Eretz Yisr in the populace who bowed. The extra bow were setting out on a reestablishe es of Eretz Yisrael. tz Yisrael, n academy journey, was facing the chamber hedrin was functioned itself in Ere ds of the mai used to store something on their expedition asking them to buy him wood for the Altar’s and the Sag once the San Mesivta that fires, because Rabban n to the hea .

Sanhedrin However, Gamliel’s family ylonia, the not find anything appropria However, the sailors did had a tradition from , the title give Bab rred to the ivta and defe their ancestors that the Mes te on their voyage. Finally, ia “The ael the Holy Ark was [3] as follows: they used the money to hidden there in undergro in Babylon Eretz Yisr , Heads of ) buy Rav Gamda a monkey. und chambers beneath 5, p. 166 hei Mesivta ivos in both others. its floor[1] (6:1 there). title of Res nim (Volume e other yesh shed above the

‫יאל �הזָּ ֵקן‬ ֵ ִ‫�ר ָבּן �גּ ְמל‬

Yeshivos a ry of the Babyloni � A Histo srael and in Eretz Yi

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1. The Holy Ark (Aron HaKodesh) was not present Temple. It had been in the Second hidden toward the end of the First Temple era by King Yoshiyahu (Josiah), who was informed ecy that the Temple would by prophsoon be destroyed by the Babylonians. To

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prevent the Ark (which contained the Tablets of the Ten Commandments) from falling into foreign hands, the that it be hidden in king commanded underground chambers beneath the Temple (Rav).

Interview with Morde author of Momentu

Question: What motiva

MW: As a therapist and on my rad repeatedly. One very prevalent one working toward goals in life feel ad next. But most people don’t start o these are in the areas of spirituality care of their health. When people with a sense of purpose.

At some point, however, they hit a therapy is spent helping people to This is the concept I wanted to put when something is in motion. It’s t overcome the obstacles. The enem

1

Amora / Eretz Yisrael, Babylonia A second-generation Amora, who was a student of Rav* and Shmuel.*

19

publi d out there wer os HaRisho tz and was hedrin stoo Although thick volribed in Dor vy Rabinowi with the San shed in four t that it Isaac HaLe ion is desc nally publi R’ Yitzchak collaboration ess of this institut ge, excep . It was origi written by es. All without chan and 1918 l in 1967 een 1897 The uniquen in eight volum

in Israe betw h was reprinted reprinted acuwas later e set, whic 1). rn-day vern umes. It was volumes. It are to the six-volum Gaon (VII, in the mode school-age stuthe Talmud. ed into six Rav Sherira 1). While section was divid Edition of 1. Iggeres Gaon (VII, ivah for high ttenstein ences in this of Torah Rav Sherira is applied to any yesh the central house volume refer the notes to the Scho 2. Iggeres in y for “Mesivta” one used exclusivel people. lar the term s was the the entire it was used for book gs of nally dents, origi h issued Torah rulin im: This set s HaRishon learning whic ences to Doro about refer 3. A note

Does the book provide losing motivation?

MW: This book’s overall message Hashem’s plan, like a force of natu tests that the Avos had to overcom that it’s not supposed to be easy, s to be?” Why do we think Hashem experiencing the normal process o

Most of our obstacles come from insid said, “For every action, there’s an equ inner voice of opposition will shout its

My best analogy for this is driving a ca

the window, you’ll barely feel the AVAILABLE IN TWO SIZESout hand very hard. So if you don’t have m

through at 25 miles per hour. But whe by a whole host of inner voices asking so forth. If you learn to expect this, yo

e study the Talmud, poring over its pages, cherishing its every word. But do we know very much about its background? In this beautiful volume, we will enrich and enhance the experience of learning Talmud with so much vital information!

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724) Includes writings on Over 250 biographies of Tannaim and Amoraim and Talmudic personalities.

A narrative history of the era of the Mishnah and Talmud, including a history of the Yeshivos.

Major Rabbinic works describing the transmission of the Oral Law and the compilation of the Mishnah and Talmud: Rambam’s Introduction to Yad Chazakah and to his Commentary on the Mishnah, with both Hebrew text and English translation, and explanatory notes.

The Iggeres Rav Sherira Gaon in the original Aramaic, with English translation, and explanatory notes.

The 13 Middos and other rules by which the Written Torah is expounded, with clear examples of each one.

What is the Oral Law and what is its relationship to the Written Torah?

A description of the layout of the classic Gemara page.

A history of the printing of the Talmud.

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

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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The festival was expelled during an annual meeting of a 24-nation committee in Bogota, Columbia, to review nominations. The Belgian delegates declined to react to the decision; it was the Belgian government which requested the move.

The ministry said this year’s edition of the parade included “numerous vitriolic displays of anti-Semitism,” prompting it to lobby for the removal.

Israel and the United States quit UNESCO at the start of 2019, noting that the organization was fostering anti-Israel bias.

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On Friday, UNESCO removed the Aalst carnival from its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The festivity was criticized by anti-discrimination groups after this year’s edition included a float depicting Jews with side curls and oversized noses atop piles of money.

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“The removal of the carnival sends a strong message that such anti-Semitic expressions have no place

in the organization and in the world,” Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz also praised the decision to exclude the festival and called on the Belgian government “to come out clearly and concisely against the inclusion of anti-Semitic displays in the carnival.” He added that “the scourge of anti-Semitism threatens not only the Jewish people, but every society

Riots erupted all over India last week following the passage of a new law that people charge discriminates against Muslims.

Thousands demonstrated all over the country, with police reacting with increasingly harsh measures, including live fire. Over 100 students were injured in New Delhi after riot police assaulted protestors at the Muslim Jamia Militia Islamia University to disperse protests. Another 50 were hurt after a rally in the capital’s Aligarh Muslim University turned violent and led to clashes between students and authorities.

In Calcutta, over 80 Muslims needed medical attention after being struck over the head with batons by police. Hundreds have already been arrested while social activists have accused police of using exaggerated force.

The controversial bill, which amends legislation passed in 1955, became law after being ratified

by India’s parliament 125 to 105. It gives citizenship to “persecuted” minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. However, the law makes no mention of Muslims, stirring up new

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

tensions between India’s Hindu and Islamic communities. Opponents say that the law contradicts India’s status as a secular country and have already challenged it in the Supreme Court.

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi called for calm as protests continued to rock the world’s second most populated nation.

“No Indian has anything to worry regarding this act. This act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India,” tweeted Modi. “This is the time to maintain peace, unity, and brotherhood.”

Fiskardo, the island’s only village that wasn’t destroyed in the Second World War. This lends archaeologists to believe that Fiskardo was an important stop on Roman trade routes.

“Further study of the wreck would shed light on sea-routes, trading, amphorae hull stowage and shipbuilding in the period between 1st century BC and 1st century AD,” they wrote in the journal.

As retrieving the wreck would be a “very difficult and costly job,” according to Ferentinos, the next step is rather to recover one of the terracotta pots and “use DNA techniques to find whether it was filled with wine, olive oil, nuts, wheat or barley.”

celebrate chanukah together at

Major Roman Shipwreck Uncovered

After two millennia, the largest Roman shipwreck ever has been discovered in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The ship, full of large pots called amphorae that were traditionally used to carry olive oil or wine, is estimated to have set sail between 100 BCE and 100 CE. At 110 feet long, it was approximately double the size of the average ship from its era. The wreckage was discovered during a sonar-equipped survey off the coast of Kefalonia, an Ionian island off the west coast of Greece. The survey used artificial intelligence image-processing techniques and was carried out by the Oceanus network of the University of Patras.

George Ferentinos, one of 10 academics from University of Patras who unveiled the discovery in the Journal of Archeological Science, described it as having “significant archaeological importance.”

“The amphorae cargo, visible on the seafloor, is in very good state of preservation, and the shipwreck has the potential to yield a wealth of information about the shipping routes, trading, amphorae hull stowage, and ship construction during the relevant period,” the academics wrote.

The discovery lies about 1.5 miles from the entrance to the harbor of

every day another play.

Will EU Recognize a Palestinian State?

Monday Dec. 23

Tuesday Dec. 24

Wednesday Dec. 25 The struggle to force Israel to establish a Palestinian state may soon get a major boost.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 13 news, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn is pressuring other European Union (EU) nations to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian State. Asselborn recently sent a letter to his EU counterparts calling on them to support such a move in order to “create a more equitable situation.”

The move will be discussed next month in a meeting with all 27 EU member states regarding the possible recognition of a Palestinian state. The initiative is a response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement two weeks ago that Jewish building in Judea and Samaria does not contradict international law.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

will not be a favor or an open check, but a recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to their own state,” wrote Asselborn. “Such a move will not be directed against Israel at all.

If we want to resolve the conflict, we must not forget Israel’s security needs and the justice and dignity the Palestinians deserve,” he clarified.

The report added that Israel is highly concerned about the initiative and has already began an aggressive campaign to lobby friendly EU nations such as Hungary to oppose such a move. As per the EU bylaws, all decisions must be unanimous, meaning that Israel can scuttle any recognition of a Palestinian State by persuading just one member-state to oppose it.

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the EU, but Luxembourg’s foreign minister, who has held the role for the past 15 years, is considered one of the continent’s major influencers by virtue of his status and seniority. In addition, a slew of pro-Palestinian member states such as France, Ireland, and Spain have brought up the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state in the past.

Brazil Opens Trade Office in Jerusalem

Brazil opened its new trade office in Jerusalem on Sunday in what it said was a harbinger for the transfer of its embassy to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, chairman of Brazil’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and son of President Javier Bolsonaro, reiterated that his country’s embassy will be moved to Jerusalem during 2020 “to set an example for all of Latin America.”

Speaking at the trade office’s festive opening, he added that his father had told him that same day that his commitment to transfer the embassy

to Jerusalem “still stands” and that he will “do it.” Bolsonaro said that the promised transfer will happen “sooner or later” and that it “is only a matter of time.”

“He told me that for sure – it’s a commitment – he’s going to move the embassy to Jerusalem,” Eduardo said. “If we do not move the embassy to Jerusalem, if the terrorists think that they can threaten us, it will be a shame on us. If you want to avoid a terrorist attack, you have to show power.

“You have political arguments; you have historical arguments. You have a bunch of arguments to recognize that Jerusalem is your capital.

So we’re not going to do something extraordinary. We’re doing a normal thing – to recognize your capital,” he said.

During the opening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to President Bolsonaro on the phone and pressed him to recognize the Iranian-backed Hezbollah as a terror organization. Bolsonaro promised that blacklisting Hezbollah will happen “sooner or later.”

Bolsonaro, a staunch Israel supporter, had announced during his 2018 Brazilian presidential campaign that he would move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem if elected. Bolsonaro’s promise came in an attempt to win the votes of Brazil’s large evangelical population, which some estimates say is as high has 22%. Since then, though, Bolsonaro has balked due to overwhelming pressure by Arab states such as Saudi Arabia to reverse his promise.

Sa’ar Making Bibi Sweat

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found himself fighting for his political life this week after challenger MK Gideon Sa’ar picked up the endorsements of a slew of Likud lawmakers ahead of this month’s primary.

The Likud will head to the polls to pick its next leader on December 26. The election was expected to be a cakewalk for Netanyahu, who has not faced a real challenger to his rule in over 10 years. However, Gideon Sa’ar has thrown his hat into the ring and has since managed to gain the support of key Likud power players. On Sunday, former Labor and Welfare Minister Haim Katz announced that he is throwing his support behind Sa’ar, giving him a crucial endorsement he needs in his quest to unseat Netanyahu.

Katz is seen to have considerable influence in the Likud due to his role as an ex-union boss in Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), one of the country’s biggest corporations. He controls upwards of 16,000 votes inside the party, and his decision to support Sa’ar is a major coup for the challenger.

Four other lawmakers within the Likud also announced that they were siding with Sa’ar, including MK Yoav Kisch, MK Nurit Koren, and MK Sharren Haskel. A popular and young lawmaker who heads the Likud’s libertarian and pro-business caucus, Haskel said that she was switching her support to Sa’ar due to his opposition to regulation that she said crippled business.

Sa’ar is a longtime Likud member who served in a slew of senior positions, including as Interior Minister and Education Minister. In 2013, he shockingly announced that he “was taking time off” and left politics, serving as a lawyer and lobbyist. Last year, he announced that he was returning to the political scene, in what many viewed as a challenge to Netanyahu’s rule. In November, Sa’ar officially called for Netanyahu to vacate his post, saying that his failure to form a government meant that he could no longer stay on as leader.

Ever since, Sa’ar has been attacking Netanyahu from the right and accused him on Sunday of failing to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. Speaking at a political conference, Sa’ar slammed Netanyahu and said that he should have made it clear to the international community that the vision of a twostate solution was a non-starter.

“Throughout the world they say that a two-state solution remains the path to an agreement,” Sa’ar said. “I have to say to you, this is not a position that helps anyone. Two states is an illusion.”

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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H A K U N CHA 9 1 0 2 0 8 57

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With Bennett as Head, New Right Launches Campaign

merged with the Jewish Home and National Union factions to form the Yemina party. However, Bennett’s progressive views on religious matters caused him to clash frequently with Jewish Home leader Rabbi Rafi Peretz, and the New Right quickly split off from Yemina the day after election day.

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With a clear effort to target “soft right” and secular voters, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett launched his New Right party’s campaign for Israel’s third elections in March.

Under the slogan “A safe Right,” the New Right highlights Bennett’s credentials as a solidly right-wing candidate. The campaign also wittingly disparages Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party as the “fake Right” and the Likud as the “sometimes Right.”

A New Right spokesperson told the media that the New Right is attempting to woo voters who would otherwise vote Likud but are turned off by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s legal complications.

Currently the first serving prime minister in Israel’s history to be indicted, Netanyahu’s uncertain status caused at least 200,000 voters to defect to the center-left Kahol Lavan in the previous round of elections in September. Now, Bennett thinks that running on a nationalistic platform while remaining liberal on religion and state issues will prevent voters from voting for left-wing parties in March.

Noticeably absent from Bennett’s campaign is Ayelet Shaked. The former justice minister who remains enormously popular was appointed New Right leader by Bennett before the September elections but has not committed to remaining with the party.

Bennett announced earlier this week that the New Right would run independently in this bout of elections. Formed by Bennett and Shaked after they split off from the Jewish Home party, the new faction failed to cross the electoral threshold in April.

Prior to the second round of elections in September, the New Right

In a feat once considered unimaginable, Israel officially became an energy exporter on Monday.

Delek Drilling, which controls the Leviathan and Tamas natural gas fields, notified Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz that it had received all the necessary permits to start exporting energy. The long, multi-year process included its natural gas rigs passing numerous tests by the Environmental Protection and Energy Ministries and an examination by the Anti-Trust Authority.

Steinitz also approved Delek’s decision to transfer a drilling license to Egyptian company EMG and gave it the go-ahead to operate the pipeline that connects Ashkelon to the Egyptian city of Al-Arish in order for the gas to begin flowing.

The approvals mean that Israel will join the international club of energy-exporting nations and will now begin selling gas to Egypt in January.

“This is a historic milestone for the State of Israel,” Steinitz asserted.

“I recently signed a permit to export natural gas from Israel to Egypt.

This makes the State of Israel, for the first time in its history, an important energy exporter and partner in the regional energy economy.”

“Obtaining regulatory approvals is a significant milestone for gas export to Egypt, which will last about two weeks,” added Delek Drilling CEO Yossi Abu. “Producing the gas from the Leviathan, which will begin in the coming days, will strengthen

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Israel’s regional status, lower electricity prices, and ultimately allow it to be weaned from the use of pollutant coal.“ Located 77 miles off of Haifa, Israel’s Leviathan deposit holds upwards of 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in addition to half a billion barrels of oil.

Giant $2B Tech Deal

U.S. tech giant Intel Corp. has signed a deal to acquire Israeli startup Habana Labs, a Caesarea-based chip maker, for $2 billion.

The deal marks Intel’s second-largest acquisition in Israel after the U.S. firm bought Mobileye, a maker of autonomous car technologies, in 2017.

Last year, Intel Capital, the invest-

ment arm of the U.S. firm, invested in Habana Labs, a maker of artificial intelligence-based processors and chips, as part of a $75 million series B funding round for the startup.

The Israeli firm has raised some $120 million to-date, according to Start-Up Nation Central, which tracks Israel’s tech industry.

Habana Labs, founded in 2016 by David Dahan and Ran Halutz, uses artificial intelligence to improve the processing performance and power consumption of chips and lower the costs of producing them. The processors are aimed at the specific needs of training deep neural networks.

The startup’s first processor, Goya, is already being sold to customers worldwide, and the firm in June this year introduced its Gaudi AI training processor solution. The company designs the chips and outsources their manufacturing. It has offices in Tel Aviv and San Jose, California; Beijing, China; and Gdansk, Poland; and employs 150 people worldwide, according to company data. Despite the acquisition, the Israeli startup will continue to operate independently and keep its local offices open, according to a statement from Intel.

“We have been fortunate to get to

know and collaborate with Intel given its investment in Habana, and we’re thrilled to be officially joining the team,” said David Dahan, CEO of Habana, in a statement. “Intel has created a world-class AI team and capability. We are excited to partner with Intel to accelerate and scale our business.

Together, we will deliver our customers more AI innovation, faster.”

Trump Tackles Anti-Semitism on Campuses Major Jewish groups applauded the Trump administration last Wednesday for an executive order affirming civil rights protections for Jewish students, amid concerns over rising anti-Semitism on American campuses.

The order makes clear that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which ap-

plies to programs that receive federal funding, including colleges and universities, protects against “anti-Semitic discrimination based on race, color, or national origin,” according to a White House statement. It also calls for Title VI enforcement agencies to “consider” the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism and its supporting examples, which is already used by the U.S. State Department.

While Title VI does not explicitly include religious protections, there have been multiple efforts – including stalled bipartisan legislation – to include the Jewish community and other minorities within its purview.

“This is a very powerful document that we’re signing today,” President Trump said, noting the measure has nearly passed Congress in prior

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years. “They’ve almost had universal support, but there was always a roadblock. But this year there was no roadblock, because I’m doing it myself.”

The president signed the order at a White House Chanukah reception.

The Trump administration’s order was welcomed by Jewish groups which have urged increased action in the face of rising domestic and global anti-Semitism, particularly on college campuses. A recent AJC survey found that more than a third of Jews ages 18-29 had either experienced anti-Semitism on campus in the past five years or know someone who had.

Under the executive measure, “U.S. institutions of higher education risk federal funding if they fail to act against anti-Semitic discrimination on their campuses,” stated leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

“We hope this will abate the increasingly virulent Jew-hatred on display at some colleges and universities across the country.”

“President Trump is moving to combat anti-Semitism in a situation where it is sorely needed. Jews are indeed a nationality, and Jewish students have faced increasingly-obvious bias on campus,” said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, president of the Coalition for Jewish Values.

“The fact that it has been thinly disguised as ‘anti-Israel’ activity is no excuse for bigotry, and adopting the definition of anti-Semitism used by the State Department is the correct response. The president deserves our thanks for doing what is right and just,” Rabbi Lerner added.

Their Real Target?

Jersey City’s mayor said last week that the two anti-Semitic gunmen who murdered three people in a kosher supermarket last week may have been targeting a yeshiva next door.

The two shooters, who were affiliated with the virulently anti-Semitic Black Hebrew Israelites, killed three people inside a kosher shop and a police detective at a location nearby, leading to a four-hour firefight that involved SWAT teams from all over the region. Both murderers were killed in the gunfight.

Soon after the attack ended, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop classified the attack as a hate crime due to the terrorists’ decision to target a kosher establishment. A few days later, Fulop noted that new evidence suggested that the two had, in fact, planned on assaulting the yeshiva next door, which had 50 children inside at the time of the attack.

“My opinion is that as more info comes out it’ll become increasingly clear that the target was the 50 children at the yeshiva attached to that store,” Fulop tweeted. “We will never know 100% but the doorway to the yeshiva was 3 feet away + it

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Tentative China Trade Deal

President Donald Trump has signed off on a tentative trade deal agreement with China in exchange for China agreeing to purchase U.S. farm goods, according to officials.

Trump had already announced the broad contours of the “phase one” deal in October, and the two sides have been haggling over specifics since then. The “phase one” deal does not address the major structural changes to China’s economy that Trump has sought.

China has made promises in past negotiations, but has largely neglected to follow through on large purchases. On the U.S. end, terms of the agreement include reducing certain existing tariffs, as well as delaying new tariffs on $160 billion worth of Chinese-produced toys and consumer electronics, previously scheduled to go into effect on December 15.

The progress with China comes days after Trump reached a deal with congressional Democrats on his revised trading pact with Mexico and Canada, fulfilling two big priorities he campaigned on in 2016.

The breakthrough with Beijing comes weeks after intense negotiations between the world’s two economic superpowers resumed in October.

Trade uncertainty has weighed heavily on the economy, a centerpiece of the president’s re-election campaign.

seems he goes in that direction 1st.”

The mayor added that the attack would likely have been substantially worse had the murderers entered the school as opposed to the kosher market. “This is a horrible tragedy but even in so much darkness with lives lost there is some light in that without question had the bravery/ quick response of the police not trapped them in the store this could have been much, much worse,” Fu-

lop said.

The attackers were named as Francine Graham, 50, and David Anderson, 47, two African-Americans who had been affiliated in the past with the fringe Black Hebrew Israelites. The sect believes that they are the real Jewish people and are known to harbor extreme anti-Semitic views.

On Wednesday evening, Graham and Anderson armed themselves

with a shotgun and an AR-15 rifle and drove a stolen white van to Jersey City. Motivated by what police said was “both anti-Semitism and anti-law enforcement beliefs,” they killed Detective Seals in a cemetery before running into the store and killing three people inside, Moshe Deutsch, 24, Mindel Ferencz, 31, and Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, 49.

Discovery at the Alamo

Three bodies buried in a monk burial room and church nave at the

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Alamo have been discovered. According to the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Mission Archaeological Advisory Committee, the bodies of an infant, a teenager, and an adult were discovered during an archeological project to install moisture monitoring equipment in the complex while documenting the foundations of the 300-year-old structures.

Remains were also discovered at that site in 1989 and were identified in 1995.

The Alamo, founded as a mission in 1718, is famous for being the site of an 1836 battle during the Texas Revolution. Although the garrison made up of colonists, soldiers and others was wiped out by Mexican troops, the battle eventually spawned modern Texas.

The Alamo traces its roots to 1718, when Franciscan padres founded a Spanish mission that was originally called San Antonio de Valero.

Drew Brees Makes History Drew Brees now has the most touchdown passes in NFL history.

The New Orleans Saints quarterback came into Monday night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts needing three touchdown passes to break Peyton Manning’s record of 539.

Brees connected on two touchdowns in the second quarter to tie the record. In the third quarter, Brees broke the record on a pass to tight end Josh Hill.

Brees now has 540 passing touchdowns in his 19-year career. The Saints won the game 34-7.

“It was special. Everything about tonight,” Brees said. “We’re playing the Colts, a team that we won the Super Bowl against 10 years ago.

The whole Super Bowl 44 team was back for the 10th anniversary, and obviously national television. It just makes you shake your head. It kind of makes your whole life and career flash before your eyes because I never thought I would have the chance to

be a part of something like this.”

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has 538 career touchdown passes. He took to Twitter after Brees set the record saying he’d try catch up.

“Congrats Drew!! Couldn’t be more deserving. Passing Peyton in anything is an incredible achievement and your records will be tough to beat! But it’s worth trying,” Brady tweeted.

Former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders called Brees the “epitome of excellence.”

The Saints improved to 11-3 for the season and will play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

rain and was the site of an avalanche fatality in February 2012. Officials also said that on the day of the deadly accident the danger of an imminent avalanche was rated as “considerable” after another slide was reported two days earlier.

The deadly avalanche on Sunday was Utah’s fifth avalanche-related fatality of 2019 and the first of this winter season.

USMCA Moves Forward

Fatal Avalanche in Utah

A 45-year-old snowboarder in Utah was killed on Sunday after he triggered an avalanche that buried him under several feet of snow.

The male snowboarder left Canyons Village in Park City through a backcountry gate at the top of the 9990 lift to access Dutch Draw. The 45-year-old was partway down the slope when he trigged the avalanche around 11 a.m. and was caught, carried, and killed in the steep, rocky Conehead area of Dutch Draw. The snowboarder was dug out of the mountainous drift, but officials were unable to save him.

“There was one set of tracks in, and no tracks out,” Lt. Andrew Wright with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said.

The avalanche was between 180feet wide with about a 600-foot vertical drop that was a “pretty significant slide,” according to Wright.

Officials believe the man was buried for between 25 to 45 minutes until two passersby found him.

“Two individuals came across the avalanche debris field and saw a snowboard sticking out of the snow,” Wright recounted. “These individuals dug him out and immediately started doing CPR.” The Utah Avalanche Center said the Conehead area of Dutch Draw along the Park City ridgeline is steep, rocky, avalanche-prone ter-

Mere days after the signing of a new North American trade deal, a top Mexican negotiator flew to Washington on Sunday for urgent talks to resolve a snag in the plan.

The new treaty, meant to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), contained legislation regarding Mexico’s labor practices that the country found problematic. While U.S. unions have been pushing for enforcement of a law to require Mexican workers the right to elect their leaders and approve contracts, Mexico rejects an American proposal for foreign labor inspectors, saying that this violates Mexico’s sovereignty. Instead, negotiators agreed that panels comprised of three members – Mexican, U.S., and other experts – could be formed to resolve disputes.

Jesús Seade, undersecretary for North America in the Foreign Ministry, stated that the U.S. decision to send up to five American attaches to monitor labor conditions had “blindsided” Mexico and that Mexican law does not allow for foreign labor inspectors.

This was “never mentioned to Mexico — never,” he stated. “And, of course, we don’t agree.”

On Sunday, he tweeted, “We gained a lot in the trilateral talks, and because of this, the U.S. needs ‘extras’ that are NOT PART OF THE TREATY in order to sell it to its domestic audience.”

The leftist Mexican government headed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been strongly supportive of negotiations to form a

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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new treaty, as the country’s economy relies heavily on foreign investment and trade with the U.S. The new agreement, known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), ensures stricter “rules of origin” for cars made and sold in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, including requiring that 75% of automotive components be produced within the three-nation trading bloc for companies to sell duty-free. That’s up from 62.5% under the NAFTA rules currently in place.

The agreement also requires that more than 40% of auto content be made by workers inside the trade bloc who earn at least $16 an hour.

That’s about three times the current average hourly pay for Mexican workers as of 2018. Labor advocates, including unions and U.S. automakers pushed for the deal.

The USMCA will also protect farmers in the U.S. For example, the agreement gives American farmers greater access to Canada’s dairy markets, a long-running source of tension between the two nations.

The USMCA mandates inspections of factories suspected of labor violations – a key aspect in winning the support of unions.

The agreement also adds rules for digital trade and other technologies, most of which didn’t exist when NAFTA was signed in 1994. The USMCA also requires the free flow of data among the three countries, potentially setting a precedent for U.S. pacts with other countries.

More Sleep, Better Grades

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Pulling an all-nighter to study may not be worth it after all.

Staying up all night to study is as part of the college experience as textbooks and letter jackets. A new study, however, has found that students may want to hit the pillow early, finding that an extra hour of sleep can improve grades by as much as one letter.

In the study, MIT Professors Jeffrey Grossman and John Gabrieli

gave 100 of their students a Fitbit.

The popular wearable gadget enabled them to track the students’ activities for an entire semester, from how many times they played basketball to their sleeping habits.

After the semester ended, the researchers cross-referenced the students’ activities with their final grades. What the professors found astounded them.

After examining the data, the academics discovered that those who went to bed before 2 a.m. always did better on tests than those who didn’t, with those averaging 7 hours of sleep earning demonstrably higher grades.

In fact, students who turned in an hour before everyone else did during the semester jumped a full letter grade above their peers, from a B to an A. In addition, the students needed to get good sleep throughout the learning process for the improvements in grades to occur, with the professors finding that there was little to no impact for students who only slept well before a test.

“MIT students love data,” said Professor Grossman. “We don’t just have to say good sleep can help you get good grades. We can show them there is quantitative data that you could do way better in class if you get enough good sleep. We can’t claim causation, but we can say there is a correlation.”

“The first thing that goes away for most of these students when they get to college is sleep. They feel they have to sacrifice sleep to study,” added Grossman’s research assistant, Dr. Kara Okano. “However, sleep is so important for memory consolidation and you’re not going to get that without consistent sleep.”

S. Carolina Implements Medicaid Work Requirement

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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order to receive Medicaid, becoming the 10th such state in the U.S. to implement such regulations.

According to Governor Henry McMaster, Medicaid applicants would need to be employed or take training courses for a minimum of 80 hours a month in order to keep receiving benefits. However, the requirements would not apply to those who can prove that they are themselves medically unfit or are the primary caregiver of a disabled child or adult.

“In this economy there is no excuse for the able-bodied not to be working,” said McMaster in a statement.

Seema Verma, who runs South Carolina’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said that she and McMaster were tweaking the program in order to ensure recipients go out and work. Conservatives have criticized the Medicaid system for years, contending that the welfare program effectively discourages people from finding gainful employment.

“In a spirit of humility – recognizing that Washington, D.C., does not hold all the answers – the Trump administration has sought at every turn to grant states flexibility in shaping their Medicaid programs,” Verma said. “South Carolina’s requirements – complete with appropriate protections – will lift South Carolinians out of poverty by encouraging as many as possible to participate in the booming Trump economy.”

The Trump administration has loosened the control the federal government has over Medicaid programs in order to persuade other states to follow South Carolina’s path.

a highly sensitive military base in Virginia. The U.S. believes that the two men were Chinese intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover, The New York Times reported.

The two were caught driving on a base in Norfolk, Virginia, in October. After being spotted, the men attempted to flee and were only caught after firetrucks were used to block their escape.

The men were then declared persona non grata, a harsh diplomatic term that was last used against Beijing in 1987. The strong measure was taken by Washington in order to convey its extreme displeasure with Chinese spying on U.S. soil.

While deploying spies under diplomatic cover is common practice around the world, intelligence officers rarely go to such lengths to collect information. The Chinese attempt was considered particularly brazen.

The expulsions come amid a considerable U.S. effort to crack down on rampant Chinese spying. In 2018, the U.S. Justice Department indicted two Chinese nationals responsible for a massive hacking operation that stole sensitive information from the U.S. government and private corporations.

U.S. Expels Chinese Officials for Espionage

The approaching 2020 census is gearing up to be the most politicized count in a century, in which a state’s desire for an accurate count seems largely impacted by which party is currently in charge.

Whereas California has a $187 million campaign ready to hit the ground next month in order to persuade its almost 40 million residents to participate, Texas has opted not to set aside any budget at all for the same ends.

California’s campaign includes computer-ranking various neighborhoods according to likelihood of residents participating, running

The United States recently expelled two Chinese diplomats for espionage after they were caught on

2020 Census Spending

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

focus groups, and showering nonprofits with grants in order to reach individuals in hard-to-count areas.

These harder-to-count groups include Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and the poor who tend to vote Democratic.

California is worried about an undercount, and by maximizing its population totals, this will in turn affect delegations in future Congresses and access to federal subsidies for services such as health care and education.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in the 1990 survey, California missed more people than any other state — about 2.7% of its population. The undercount cost the state one House seat and an estimated $2 billion in federal funding during the 1990s.

There are 24 states, including Texas, Florida, and Ohio, that have chosen not to invest a cent in the census. The overwhelming majority – seventeen out of 24 – are led

by Republican legislatures and governments. Of the 26 states that are spending money on preparing for the census, only four are led by Republicans.

“There are so many gaps,” said

Bauman Foundation Director Gary Bass, whose foundation works to promote democracy across America.

“I can imagine our funder community coming to me and saying, ‘Oh my G-d, we did something unprecedented. And it came out worse.’”

The 2020 census will be the first time in U.S. history to be conducted online. The census takes place, according to the U.S. Constitution, every ten years.

Citizenship for Farmworkers?

Last Wednesday, the House passed a bipartisan bill that would

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grant legal status to thousands of undocumented farmworkers. The bill passed 260-165, though its future in the Senate remains uncertain.

U.S. agriculture relies heavily on undocumented workers. In 2016, the Pew Research Center reported that they accounted for 15% of workers in the industry.

“Unfortunately, our immigration laws have not been updated to reflect the needs of our 21st century economy,” said House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler. “Due in large part to these outdated laws, undocumented workers now comprise about half of the farm workforce. But they are living and working in a state of uncertainty and fear, which contributes to the destabilization of farms across the nation.”

In November, over 300 agriculture groups wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in support of this bill.

“Securing a reliable and skilled workforce is essential, not only for the agricultural industry but for the U.S. economy as a whole,” they wrote.

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Twelve retired NFL players have been accused of a health care benefits scam totaling over $3 million, according to federal prosecutors.

Between June 2017-December 2018, the players allegedly submitted false health care claims seeking to be reimbursed for expensive medical equipment that had not actually been purchased, including hyperbaric oxygen chambers, ultrasound machines designed for a doctor’s office to conduct women’s health exams, and electromagnetic therapy devices for horses.

According to prosecutors, the claims ran around $40,000-$50,000 each and were supported by fabricated invoices, prescriptions, and letters

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of medical necessity. Ten of the players were charged, with the Department of Justice stating that it plans to file charges against two others.

“Ten former NFL players allegedly committed a brazen, multi-million-dollar fraud on a health care plan meant to help their former teammates and other retired players pay legitimate, out-of-pocket medical expenses,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski said in a statement.

He said that four had been arrested; six agreed to turn themselves in.

The defendants include former Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos running back Clinton Portis, former Redskin linebacker Robert McCune, former Redskin cornerback John Eubanks, former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tamarick Vanover, former Houston Texans safety Ceandris “C.C.” Brown, former New York Giants and St. Louis Rams safety James Butler, former Houston Texans defensive back Fredrick Bennett, former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks defensive back Etric Pruitt, a former Redskins and San Francisco 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers, and former Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter.

The government plans to file further charges against former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn and former San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots wide receiver Donald “Reche” Caldwell.

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Police were shocked after an investigation into the murder of 18-year-old Barnard student Tess Majors found that the perpetrator is only 13 years old.

Tess was killed after being stabbed multiple times while walking through Manhattan’s Morningside Park on December 11. Her death was ruled a homicide due to the multiple upper body wounds she suffered. Po-

lice believe that three perpetrators were involved.

The grisly murder sent shockwaves through New York City and especially in Barnard College, where Tess was a freshman student. However, what really drew attention to the case was the fact that the suspects in Tess’s murder are only 13 and 14 years old.

“This makes what was already an excruciating tragedy even more painful,” said City Councilman Mark Levine. “You now have families on both sides of this horrific crime who are facing devastating loss.”

The 13-year-old, whose name cannot be mentioned due to his status as a minor, was caught holding a knife. Police say that he already admitted to committing the murder and will face charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He lives in Harlem and goes to PS 180, along with the two other suspects in the murder. The school is across from Morningside Park and just four blocks from the spot where the murder took place.

The murderous trio came to the park to rob people and were armed with knives. Before ambushing Tess, they followed a man with the intention of robbing him, and then decided not to. They then tackled Tess before 7 p.m. on Wednesday and rifled through her pockets. She fought back and bit one of her attackers. They stabbed her repeatedly with a knife.

An eyewitness saw three teenage boys running out of the park shortly around this time.

The 13-year-old appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday.

Prosecutors are debating whether to charge him as an adult.

On Sunday evening, hundreds of classmates and neighbors filled Morningside Park, near the spot where Tess was found murdered.

Carrying small lamps and candles, they came together to mourn the Barnard student before sunset.

Tornadoes Slam the South More than two dozen tornadoes touched down in parts of the Deep South on Monday, killing at least three people. Most of the tornadoes were reported in Mississippi, with several striking Louisiana, the National Weather Service said. The deaths occurred in Louisiana and

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

85 Years Together

‫ב״ה‬

‫תנו כבוד לתורה‬

HACHNOSAS SEFER TORAH celebrating the completion of

A SEFER TORAH ‫שישו ושמחו בשמחת‬

SUNDAY the 24TH of KISLEV 5780

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‫ספר תורה זה נכתב לﬠלוי נשמת‬ ‫זאב בן אהרן מרדכי ז״ל‬ ‫מרדכי יעקב בן רפאל אברהם יצחק ז״ל‬ ‫וזוגתו אסתר רוחמה בת ר׳ חיים הלבי ע״ה‬ ‫עקיבא בן פרץ ז״ל‬ ‫שלמה יצחק בן יהושע ז״ל‬ ‫תנחום ראובן ב״ר לוי זלמן ז״ל‬ ‫גיבור בן גדעון ז״ל‬ ‫וזוגתו מרים בת גיטל ע״ה‬ ‫וזוגתו רחל בת מרדכי ע״ה‬ ‫ר׳ ישעיה ב״ר משה זצ״ל מקרעסטיר‬ ‫מו״ר שמעון בן הח״ר יהודה ז״צל שוואב‬

Alabama, although several people were injured in other states as well.

A strong cold front is bringing cold and snow across portions of the Midwest with more than 6 inches of snow in areas from Kansas to Indiana.

In Vernon Parish, Louisiana, the storm killed 59-year-old Betty Patin. Patin was in her mobile home, which was destroyed in the tornado.

Several churches in Vernon Parish were damaged.

A husband and his wife were killed on County Road 265 in Town Creek in Lawrence County, Alabama. The couple was found just north of their home. A 7-year-old boy was found in-

jured near the couple and was taken to a hospital.

Earlier on Monday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency, the highest criteria for a tornado warning, for Rapides Parish in Louisiana, which includes the town of Alexandria. A large tornado was confirmed near the Alexandria International Airport.

Multiple houses, churches, silos, and structures were damaged or destroyed by the strong winds.

The world’s oldest living couple will be celebrating 80 years of matrimony on December 22. The Guinness World Records have recognized the longevity of their love by naming John and Charlotte Henderson the oldest living married couple in the world. John is 106 years old; Charlotte is 105.

Their relationship started 85 years ago, in 1934, in a zoology class in school. Students were seated alphabetically in the tiered lecture hall, so John Henderson, 21, sat directly behind Charlotte Curtis. When he looked down, he liked the shy 20-year-old he saw in front of him.

Charlotte notes, “I thought he was just a fine fella, and I didn’t mind his looking over my shoulder.”

John was born in 1913 in Fort Worth. He told The Washington Post he remembers the first time he heard a radio; the neighbors brought one home when he was about 8 years old.

“And I well-remember that long antenna. They had to put it up from the front yard to the backyard to receive a radio show,” he said.

He moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas and rented a room in town.

“The neighbors next door had a cow and chickens. You can imagine today a cow and chicken house across the street from Gregory [Gym], where the campus is so large now you wouldn’t recognize hardly anything,” John said.

Charlotte was born in Iowa in 1914. When she was in her early 20s, her older sister’s husband was killed in a military plane crash. Charlotte’s entire family moved to Texas, where the husband had been stationed, to be with her sister and help out. Charlotte soon enrolled at UT, where she met John.

According to John, “it took her five years to make up her mind that she wanted to get married.”

It was the middle of the Great Depression, and they wanted to earn

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

some money before they set up a home, so Charlotte took a teaching job in the Houston area and John coached football and basketball in Port Arthur, Tex. John and Charlotte were married in a tiny ceremony – only two guests were present – on December 22, 1939.

They honeymooned in San Antonio, staying at a hotel that cost $7 a night.

Although they have been together for 85 years, they have been married only for 80, meaning they do not hold the record for the longest marriage.

That title, according to Guinness World Records, belongs to Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher, who wed at the ages of 17 and 19, respectively, and were married for 86 years and 290 days before Herbert’s death in 2011.

Living for so many years, John and Charlotte have seen major changes in the world. John says that his favorite invention, besides jet engines, is television. He first saw one in a store window on a trip to New York City in the early 1950s and, within a few years, had one in the living room.

So what’s the couple’s secret to their longevity? Living in moderation, they said. They eat right, don’t drink much, and John still exercises at the community gym almost every day.

Except for some hearing loss, both are

in excellent health. Oh, and according to John, they don’t argue – and have never argued much in the first place.

Wise advice, indeed.

Bonanza for Babe’s Bat

The bat used by Babe Ruth to hit his 500th homerun has been auctioned for more than $1 million.

SCP Auctions in Laguna Niguel, Calif., sold the autographed bat for $1,000,800 on December 14. The Bambino hit his historic 500th homer on August 11, 1929 in a game against the Cleveland Indians. The ball cleared the right-field wall at League Park and rolled down Lexington Avenue.

Ruth was the first of just 27 Major League Baseball players to reach that milestone.

The Sultan of Swat gave the bat to his friend, former Suffern, New York, Mayor Jim Rice, in the 1940s. It’s

been in the family for nearly 75 years.

Babe Ruth memorabilia is big business. Another Ruth bat used to hit the first homerun out of Yankee Stadium in 1923 sold for nearly $1.3 million in 2004. In November, a Babe Ruth rookie card was auctioned for more than $110,000. Earlier this year, a 1916 Babe Ruth baseball card was auctioned for more than $130,000.

These fans are really on the ball.

A Drooling Mayor

When William Charles “Charlie” McMillian was inaugurated as the honorary mayor of Whitehall, Texas, this week, he was wearing a tuxedo and had drool on his face. But none of the 150 guests present at the inauguration seemed to mind. You see, Mayor Charlie is only 7 months old; a bit of drool is actually quite expected.

Charlie was “elected” in October

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to serve the local communities in Grimes County.

“He just sat there and kind of googoo-ga-ga’d over the people that were all around, like a happy little kid,” Josh Fultz, a councilman from a nearby town, said, adding that the event included a band that played patriotic music, performances from a local high school dance group, and a mock secret service.

“The whole event was wellplanned out by his parents. It was like any inauguration you could imagine, just on a much smaller scale,” he explained. “Everybody was wanting to hold him and walk around with him and the love that was in the air was very strong. We’re in a difficult time in our country’s history, and Mayor Charlie is helping to bring peace and kindness back into the community.

That’s really the whole goal.”

Being that the tiny tot cannot talk, Charlie’s customized oath of office was administered by Frank Pokluda.

It read: “I, William Charles McMillan, do solemnly promise that I will faithfully execute the office of the Mayor of Whitehall and will to the best of my ability: be kind to everyone on the playground, promote life, adoption and good, clean country living, pave all the gravel roads, take

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

cookies to the Volunteer Fire Department, catch the biggest catfish, and preserve, protect and defend the community of Whitehall, so help me, Mom and Dad!” The honorary mayor role is auctioned off to the highest bidder each year during the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department’s annual BBQ Fundraiser. On October 20, Charlie became this year’s winner, beginning his year-long term of service to Whitehall and the surrounding community, according to an invitation to his inauguration.

Charlie’s adoptive mother, Nancy, said that Charlie is tolerant of all partisan groups and proudly touts the political slogan, “Make America Kind Again.”

“Whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent, Charlie loves ya,” she said. “We’re promoting kindness and Making America Kind Again. He is equal with any political leaning and a unifier.”

Next month, the McMillians will head to Washington, D.C., to meet with Texas Congressman Ted Cruz.

Perhaps by that time, Mayor Charlie will be graduating from crawling to cruising – and that’s what we call an overachiever.

That’s $11K in blessings.

Lost & Found Years ago, thieves made off with Karen McGurk’s belongings – including a suitcase. Now, McGurk has been united with the suitcase, along with $11,570 worth of traveler’s checks that had been stashed at the bottom of the bag.

Last Monday, an Alabama resident came to the police with an interesting case: he had purchased a suitcase from a thrift shop but later realized that there were $11,570 in traveler’s checks stashed “in a pouch at the bottom” of the luggage. There were also signatures on the backs of the checks, which gave police enough information to track down McGurk, the original owner of the suitcase.

McGurk later told police that she bought those traveler’s checks in 1997. She thought she had lost all that money when thieves stole her valise.

“What she did not know is that [the checks] never expire,” the Foley Police Department wrote on Facebook.

After coming to the police station to be reunited with the money, McGurk gushed that it was a holiday “blessing.”

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community YOSS Haschalas Gemara Celebration

T

he fifth grade of Yeshiva of South Shore recently celebrated a milestone, a special simcha they will remember fondly for years to come. The occasion was a seudas haschalas Gemara, celebrating their first steps in their journey of Gemara learning. The fifth grade rabbeim, Rabbi Scharhon, Rabbi Adler and Rabbi Burger, have the zechus of ushering the talmidim in to the world of Gemara by imparting not only the necessary skills, but also the ahavas HaTorah she’baal peh required for a lifelong yearning to learn and grow.

To mark the occasion, the yeshiva held a gala three-generational breakfast for the boys, their fathers, and grandfathers and an inspiring program that included a festive meal, learning together, a moving rendition of Lulai Sorscha and inspiring drashos by the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, the menahel of the elementary division Rabbi Avraham Robinson, and special guest speaker Rabbi Yaakov Trump.

In addition, three talmidim, one representative of each class, Tani Glass, Yisrael Shtern and Tzviki Zern, told over divrei Torah during the event.

It was so moving to see the young boys learning melodiously with their grandparents and even great-grandparents, some of whom had once learned at that age in the citadels of Torah destroyed in Europe.

Rabbi Yaakov Trump, rabbi of the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst (and proud parent of fifth grader Moshe Trump), delivered the keynote address. Rabbi Trump talked about the conversation of the ages which is found on the pages of the Gemara. We learn the words of sages who lived over the span of 2,500 years, who spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, French, Arabic, Polish, Lithuanian, and English as we look at the daf of Gemara. Rabbi Trump showed the boys a powerful picture of young men learning Gemara in their prison uniforms after their emancipation from the Dachau Concentration Camp. Two of the people in the picture lived in this neighborhood, Rabbi Eli Fishman and R’ Leibel Zysman. Rabbi Trump inspired the boys to become part of the conversation of our history and heritage and to be able to give it over to their children and grandchildren.

During the seudah, the boys per-

formed a stirring musical rendition of Abie Rotenberg’s famous song, “Lulei Sorascha.” The boys sang beautifully, accompanied by Rabbi Shlomo Drebin, the program coordinator, along with Rabbi Natan Wolf, student coordinator, on guitar and fifth grader Yehuda Ross on saxophone.

Soloists included Yosef Baron, Ari Black, Zachary Benjamin, Shmuel Lefkovitch, Binyomin Lippman, Akiva Secter, and Moshe Shtern.

To top off the morning, sets of

Shas were raffled off to three lucky talmidim. The winners were Tani Kurtz, Shmuel Lax and Yosef Eliyahu Caplan. In addition, every boy received a beautiful personalized shtender. These meaningful gifts will undoubtedly be cherished for years to come.

The talmidim of the fifth grade will, iy”H, be maztliach in their learning as they begin to swim in the vast yam shel Torah. Mazel tov to all of them!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Camp Shira’s Dynamic Reunion

C

Rav Moshe Bender, associate dean of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, visited with Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, on his recent trip to Eretz Yisroel

Just for Laughs at Fleetwood Synagogue

head staff is experienced and is truly dedicated to the campers and to ensuring an amazing summer for each girl. In fact, the staff has already spent hours preparing and booking for next summer!

For more info or to apply for campers or staff, go to campshirany.com.

To contact the camp, text/call 516456-8392 or email campshirany@ gmail.com. To see more from this past summer, follow the camp on Instagram @campshirany.

BYAM Connects STEM to Chanukah

I

f you missed Fleetwood Synagogue’s Second Annual Comedy Night featuring Eli Lebowicz, you might have a bad case of FOMO: fear of milchig opportunities.

Eli Lebowicz gave a new meaning to the familiar acronym, explaining why some people won’t commit to having a steak, for fear of the pizza that might come along while being fleishig. (And with Swirls and Sweets right down the block from the shul, FOMO is a real possibility!)

In front of a packed house, Lebowicz joked about some of the more relatable aspects of Jewish life, such as the incredible amount of dish toiveling after a wedding, or counting the pages until the end of Rosh Hashana davening. Facing a bookcase of siddurim, he noted the differences between ArtScroll siddur users and Birnbaum siddur users, joking that Birnbaum users are most likely to still have AOL email addresses.

Fleetwood Synagogue was transformed into a comedy cellar for the night, complete with candlelit tables, an open bar, and plenty of milchig opportunities.

amp Shira campers enjoyed a dynamic reunion this past Motzei Shabbos. Hosted in Shulamith, the reunion was packed with campers and was a lot of fun!

The girls got to enjoy a gameshow by FunClick. The questions were based on the past summer in Camp Shira, and each girl got their own handheld clicker. This way the entire audience got to answer every question and see their answers on the screen.

The girls also enjoyed pizza, giveaways, and a raffle. They also enjoyed catching up with their favorite staff members or camp friends from other schools. By the time the night ended, the campers were clamoring for the summer to arrive already!

They almost forgot that it was still winter weather outside.

Camp Shira is the premier girls’ camp of the Five Towns. Featuring a waterpark, go-kart track, and many other unique specialties and offerings, Camp Shira is the hottest camp destination around. Camp Shira’s

F Fleetwood, located in Southern Westchester just north of New York City in Mount Vernon, hosted British Comedian Ashley Blaker for last year’s comedy night. Rumors of Jerry Seinfeld’s appearance at next year’s comedy night are unconfirmed.

or the past few weeks, the fourth graders at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam have been learning all about circuits in science. The girls discovered, on their own, how to turn on a lightbulb and a motor using wires and batteries in a completely hands-on way. Then, they discovered how to turn on two lightbulbs with just one battery. In a series circuit, where the components all share and divide up the electricity, the lights are very dim, since they each receive less electricity. However, in a parallel circuit, where the components share the electricity in

separate circuits, through different pathways, the two lightbulbs shine brightly.

To culminate this project, the girls tried to light up nine lightbulbs, just like a menorah, with as few D cells (batteries) as possible. At first, they predicted the smallest number of D cells that they would need. When they put the whole thing together, in a parallel circuit, they used only three D-cells in Class 4K and only four in Class 4L. It was an excellent way for the girls to put their knowledge and understanding of circuits to use in honor of Chanukah!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Around the Community

On December 8, the Sephardic Congregation of Hewlett celebrated their third annual dinner honoring Rabbi Refael & Rebbetzin Adina Ribacoff and Yehoshua & Anita Zargari

BBY Eighth Grade Shabbaton Leaves Smiles and Memories

Two Decades of Rambam Men

O B

nos Bais Yaakov held their eighth grade Shabbaton in Far Rockaway last week, and what a Shabbos it was! Our principals and teachers prepared a fabulous program, assisted by a student Shabbaton committee. Leil Shabbos began with a joint recitation of Kabbalas Shabbos in the BBY lunchroom, followed by a sumptuous seudah. The girls were privileged to be addressed by the captivating and insightful Rabbi Nosson Greenberg on the topic of “Ein tzayar k’Eilokeinu – Retaining our individual hues while blending into the overall masterpiece,” the Shabbaton’s theme. A panel discussion followed, with a group of teachers addressing questions about friendship and also about maintaining individuality while fitting into the crowd. The girls then played games, enjoyed refreshments, and participated in a beautiful kumzitz.

After the seudah on Shabbos morning, the girls reconvened at

BBY for Mincha and divrei Torah, followed by a choir presented by BBY students and an address by Rabbi Eliezer Ament. Then, for each of the four eighth grade classes, a gala shalosh seudos was hosted in the home of a classmate.

At the melave malka which followed, the girls enjoyed pizza and ice cream. Mrs. Ruti Hertz had the girls wholly engaged with an eloquent speech about the power of the individual. A choir performed, and each class presented a dance. The girls then had fun rollerblading and joined in another kumzitz. Overall, Shabbos was marked with achdus and joy and created memories that we are sure will last a lifetime.

A huge thank you to Morah Kuessous, Morah Feldberger, and Morah Kanter for overseeing the event, and to all the teachers and parents who gave of their time and energies to make it possible.

ur Chazal teach us that “bonecha...ayleh talmidecha...”

Who are your sons? Your sons are your students.

Next to the nachas that one garners from seeing family members grow and develop, there is no greater nachas than seeing former students blossom, marry, and perpetuate the Torah way of life instilled in them in their formative years.

A teacher always wants to see this nachas, and students, as well, have a yearning to reconnect with those who helped them grow and prosper.

However, how does one experience this when years have passed and there is a geographical divide between rebbe and talmid?

Rabbi and Mrs. Friedman bridged this gap, holding an alumni reunion in Israel for the many talmidim who have made aliyah over the course of the past two decades.

Graduates from the class of 1996 joined their younger colleagues from later years and celebrated a grand, warm, and special reunion with Rabbi Friedman, Rosh Mesivta of Rambam, in Yerushalayim. Hugs, handshakes, and updates were shared with the chevra.

A surprise visitor was introduced – none other than Rabbi Danny Myers, former Rambam rebbe and mentor to many of the “boys” there. Rabbi Myers currently resides in Ramat Beit Shemesh and is the rav of Menorat Ha’Meor. Introductions were made between the more recent graduates and their older peers which facilitated learning and business connections.

The highlight of the evening was when Rabbi Friedman asked all assembled to each share one memory of their experience in Rambam.

Memories were awakened and anecdotes sprung forth ranging from the comedic to the poignant. Talmidim and their spouses reveled in the impromptu shmooze.

Rabbi Friedman updated the “boys,” now men, on the latest Rambam happenings to the delight of all present.

Bonds were solidified and all enjoyed the wonderful get-together.

All looked forward to continuing to stay in touch and expressed their appreciation for the reunion and the wonderful years they spent in Rambam. They were and are true Rambam men.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Around the Community

Dr. Deborah Gilboa Addresses the HALB Community

A

fter a very successful In-Service Day held for the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls’ faculty and administration in August, Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a noted physician and youth development expert, returned to speak to the entire parent community of HALB – Lev Chana, HALB Elementary, SKA and DRS – on Wednesday, December 11. Dr. Gilboa’s talk focused on “Rigor and Resilience: Strategies for Strengthening our Children Toward Success.” The enthusiastic audience found her stories relatable and her suggestions thought-provoking.

SKA and DRS faculty members and SKA students were privileged to hear from Dr. Gilboa the following day. Dr. Gilboa spoke once again about resilience, outlining ways to build this in our students. She touched on the subject of happiness, noting that our society sends the message that it is our job to make sure our children are happy but we cannot make someone happy if they are determined not to be. She em-

phasized character over achievement and recommended strategies for encouraging students toward resilience and problem solving.

In addition to presenting to the

faculty, Dr. Gilboa spoke to each grade about the intersection between their attitude, behavior, and purpose.

We are grateful to Dr. Gilboa for

empowering our faculty members, parents, and students to continue to create a common language about resilience, anxiety, and purpose.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

38th Annual Bikur Cholim Brunch

T

guest of honor. Tehillim Recipients were Debby Berman (accepting for her was her daughter-in-law, Nechie Berman) and Malka Josephy-Wernick.

The guest speaker was Rabbi Dr. Ed-

ward Reichman, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Professor in the Division of Education & Bioethics at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein School of Medicine.

Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman PHOTOS BY IVAN H NORMAN

he 38th Annual Bikur Cholim Brunch took place on Sunday at the White Shul. Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, rebbetzin of Khal Agudas Achim in Lawrence, was the

Tzippy David, Malka Josephy Wernick, and Marilyn Wolowitz

Tzippy David, Nechie Berman, and Marilyn Wolowitz

Tzippy David, Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, and Marilyn Wolowitz

HANC HS Celebrates Excellence

O

n Tuesday evening, December 3, HANC High School held its 44th National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, honoring its current members of this prestigious organization and welcoming twenty-six inductees into the Maalot Chapter. Members of the Honor Society must maintain a 92 average and represent excellence in Torah, scholarship, service, character, and leadership.

Rabbi Shlomo Adelman, principal/menahel, opened the ceremony in the HANC auditorium with a brief dvar Torah emphasizing the impor-

tance of living a life as a true ben or bat Torah. This was followed by the Star Spangled Banner and the Hatikvah song by Music Teacher, Mr. Jacob Spadaro.

Mrs. Marie Palaia, associate principal and faculty advisor of the Honor Society, greeted the audience and introduced the officers of the Honor Society. She welcomed the officers to the stage to light candles and speak about the main tenets that represent the pillars on which the Honor Society stands. Co-Presidents Ali Lenefsky and Jonah Seiden, co-vice presidents Nava Lippman and Gabe Lovy, and

historian Moshe Wieder each delivered a short dvar Torah and an explanation before lighting their candle.

Rabbi Shlomo Adelman, principal, Mrs. Marie Palaia, associate principal, and Ms. Tziporah Zucker, assistant principal, presented the new inductees with their official certificates and membership cards.

Professor Quin Murrell, Math Department Chair, was chosen by the members of the Honor Society to deliver the keynote address. The audience was riveted by Professor Murrell’s delivery and poignant message about the importance of shaping the

world and making a difference while keeping to the academic pursuit.

Rabbi Daniel Mezei, director of Student Life, and Mr. Avi Smus, Dean of Students, took the stage to read the accomplishments of our senior members and thanked each student for their service to HANC. After the presentation, all members presented a yellow rose to their parents and grandparents to show their hakarat hatov for guiding them to where they are today. The induction ceremony concluded with an elaborate collation.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Civic Spirit at Central

L

ast Wednesday, Civic Spirit traveled to the New York Historical Society with Mrs. Audi Hecht, History chair, to attend a lecture by Professor Randall Kennedy in commemoration of the 65th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. The audience was packed, and the students were welcomed specially. They were also joined by Rabbi Robert Hirt, founder of Civic Spirit, who had the opportunity to meet each student personally.

Mrs. Hecht said, “The lecture was replete with scholarship and in-

sight regarding the Brown decision, its staggered implementation, societal resistance to racial integration in schools, and a host of relevant

Chessed Mission to Houston

T

his past week, eleven students from Central had a very special opportunity to attend a service mission to Houston, organized by Mrs. Aliza Konig, assistant principal, in conjunction with NCSY. The purpose of the mission was to help Houston citizens who are still rebuilding their homes after Hurricane Harvey. The students worked alongside volunteers, from the disaster relief group St. Bernard’s Parish, to reconstruct a wall in the home of a hurricane victim.

Mrs. Konig said, “It was really powerful for our students to leave the comfort of our community here in New York and see how the lives of

others, both inside and outside the Jewish community, are still being affected by Hurricane Harvey even two years later, in the ongoing struggle to rebuild.”

Junior Gilli Richman said, “It was amazing to have the opportunity to work with our hands, and so concretely be able to help those in need.”

The students also volunteered at a food bank and spent Shabbat with the Meyerland Minyan community, lending them encouragement and strength. Thank you also to office administrator, Ms. Kymmie Baker, who chaperoned the trip alongside Mrs. Konig, and yasher koach to all the participants!

current parallels. The students were most enthusiastic in reveling in the rigor and depth of the presentation and the compelling questions that

followed. Looking forward to future learning highlights with our Civic Spirit scholars!”

A Day at SKA

O

ver 150 eighth graders from many metropolitan elementary schools got a taste of what their high school experience at the Stella K. Abraham High School would be like on Tuesday, December 10. SKA student ambassadors welcomed aspiring high schoolers who got a glimpse of many of the highlights SKA has to offer, along with the energy and warmth it projects.

Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky, principal, Judaic Studies; Mrs. Bluma Drebin, principal, General Studies; Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft, associate principal; Rabbi Yosef Zakutinsky, Director of Student Programs; Ms. Lisa Fogel, SKA social worker; and Admission Liaison Mrs. Machi Steinberg personally greeted all the girls they had met during the inter-

view process and at the Open House.

After refreshments, the incoming students viewed the recent SKAbbaton video, which displayed the abundant ruach in the school.

The girls were able to attend several ongoing core and elective classes, giving them the chance to observe the unique academics that are available at SKA. Following a delicious and informative lunch, it was time for clubs!

The eighth graders participated in a variety of creative opportunities such as sushi making, dance, and basketball, among others. The day provided a wonderful preview of what an incredible high school experience at SKA could be.

We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2024!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

The Annual Jewish Women’s High School Debate

C

ommunication has always been a woman’s strength; that strength of communication and respectful discourse is necessary, more than ever, in today’s world. Formal debate, with its precise formatting, thorough preparation, and crafted arguments is a key way to prepare young Jewish women for these modern-day challenges. Toward this end, six girls’ high schools from five states gathered last Wednesday for the second annual all-girls debate invitational.

The debate tournament, hosted

by Kosloff Torah Academy of Bala Cynwyd, PA, is the only all-girls debate tournament for Orthodox young women in the country. Teams from Prospect Park Bnos Leah of Brooklyn and Shevach High School of Queens, as well as New Jersey’s Ilan High School, Bais Yaakov of Baltimore, the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, and Bina High School of Norfolk, Virginia, participated in two rounds of debate and an extemporaneous speaking competition. Judges were frum women from Philadelphia’s law and education community.

With 22 rounds of debate ongoing, the campus was at full capacity, and the evening was extraordinary. The judges were impressed not only with the level of poise and preparation, but with the achdus and warmth exhibited between teams when the debate ended. The debaters enjoyed the thoughtful feedback from the judges as well.

Coaches commented on “the sense of shared dedication to intel-

lectual challenge that electrified the evening,” concluding that “the experience was absolutely memorable and inspiring.” The students felt “really appreciated the formal, professional and intellectual environment...created; it made them feel that their hard work and intense preparation was valued and appreciated.”

The debate focused on the electoral college; students, in teams of two, argued for or against its continued existence. Each speaker presented her side and was then cross-examined by the opposing team. In the final talks and rebuttals, students had to respond to and incorporate opposing arguments.

Those who opted to extemporaneously speak received a random topic and had seven minutes – timed – to prepare a three-minute, well-organized speech on the topic. These were delivered to a pair of judges – a lawyer and veteran English teacher – who scored the speakers based on delivery, organization, content, and creativity.

The debate teams prepared tire-

lessly for this event. And the results showed, not only at the tournament, but in their classes. Students that participate in debate, according to a University of Missouri study, see a rise in their GPAs by 10 percent and in their literacy scores by 25 percent compared to their non-debating peers.

But all-girls’ debate has another benefit: the all-female environment is conducive to growth. Women who participate in co-ed debate are often scored lower by biased judges; the young women are often intimidated by overly-aggressive, eye-rolling young men. In contrast, while the all-women’s debate can be intense and demonstrate strength, the women end the round with a handshake and positive, supportive feedback to their opponents.

At the end of the evening, after a sit-down dinner, Rabbi Ephraim Goldfein, Kosloff Torah Academy debate coach and award-winning debater and lawyer, announced the winners and presented trophies. Teams from Shevach (1st place), Bais Yaakov

of Baltimore (2nd place) and Kosloff Torah Academy (3rd place) scored the most points. Individual debaters Riki Nathan and Shani Oppenheimer of Prospect Park Bnos Leah High School scored first and second place; Nechama Eventzur of Bais Yaakov of Baltimore and Ilana Adler of Shevach High School tied for third. Extemporaneous speakers from Kosloff Torah Academy, Yeshiva of Greater Washington, and Binah High Schools won as well.

In crafting the next generation of Jewish women and community leaders, parents and mechanchim work to model the best of our generation and transmit the teachings of our mothers and their mothers. In doing so, they draw upon the essential characteristics of Jewish women: speech (dibbur) and insightful wisdom (binah).

So even if participants cannot quite remember their rebuttals a year from now, the skills gained from public speaking, critical thinking, and articulating sound arguments are permanent. Debate is thus an opportunity to engage and succeed.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

The boys at the Learn and Live Program tie-dyed t-shirts this Sunday with Rabbi Nochum Dinowitz

Shira Superstars Hosts Magic Show

The nursey and kindergarten classes at HANC’s Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead enjoyed a pre-Chanukah interactive activity this week

Big Sibling/Little Sibling Lunch

S

ixth and seventh grade HAFTR Middle School students had a wonderful time at the Big Sibling/Little Sibling lunch this week. Seventh graders did a phenomenal job helping their sixth grade “little siblings” feel welcome and comfortable, and the sounds of laughter and conversation filled the MPR as big and lit

O

n Sunday, December 15, the participants of the Shira Superstars Sunday program enjoyed a comedy magic show

by Syltig the Magician. It was the mid-semester bonus show so children from the first and second semester got to attend. Syltig had everyone laughing, including the staff!

While the first semester of Superstars is over, the eight-week second semester starts on January 12. There are a few more spots left in each age group.

Shira Superstars is a skillsbased program with adult instructors where participants register for the classes they want. The program tle siblings learned more about one is geared for girls from nursery to another. Students enjoyed a special fourth grade and for boys from nurstreat and took part in an interactive ery to Pre1a. Every two grades is an“Getting to Know You” activity. other age group to ensure that the We thank Dr. Yali Werzberger for specialties are targeted to each group organizing this successful event and and designed to build their skills.

Every participant is able to choose the Frenkel family for sponsoring as part of Abby Frenkel’s Bat Mitzvah the two classes they want to enroll in out of four options. Generally, they Project. can pick one movement class (like

Zumba or Ballet) and one art class (like Food Art or Art). The boys enjoy a choice of Sports or Kosher Karate with Sensei Meir Breuer, a beloved local sensei. For their other class they can select Crafts or Food Crafts. The three girls’ divisions enjoy their own targeted options, such as the Theater class for 3rd-4th graders or the Gymnastics for kindergarten and Pre1a girls!

Each Sunday, the program runs from 10 a.m. -12 p.m., and the participants enjoy the two classes they registered for followed by lunch. This fun program continues the camp excitement year-round for girls and boys from across the Five Towns.

Don’t miss out on your chance to join Shira Superstars – the program where every child is a star!

The program price for the second semester is $300 ($280 for siblings) if you register by January 1. For more information, email shirasuperstars@ gmail.com or text 516-456-8392.

To register, go to campshirany.com/ superstars.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

YOSS Hosts Town of Hempstead Supervisor-Elect Donald X. Clavin

L

ast Sunday, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of South Shore, hosted the newly elected Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald X. Clavin for a congratulatory breakfast. They were joined with

other rabbanim, lay leadership, and politicians of the Five Towns. Supervisor Clavin spoke of his affinity towards the religious community and affirmed his commitment to assist the local shuls and mosdos haTorah in every capacity.

Top row L-R: Binyamin Laufer, Board Member, YOSS; Israel Wasser, Village of Cedarhurst Trustee; Robbie Zimmerman, Chairman, Board of Directors, YOSS; Lance Hirt, Chairman of the Board, HALB; Rabbi Dovid Kramer, Executive Director, YOSS; Rabbi Naftali Feitman; Michael Fragin, Deputy Mayor, Lawrence; Lloyd Keilson, Chairman, Board of Directors, Yeshiva Darchei Torah; Ben Weinstock, Mayor, Village Cedarhurst; Jimmy Velarde, Community Leader, Inwood; Rabbi Elan Soniker, Cong. Anshei Sholom, West Hempstead Bottom row L-R: Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky, Director of Advancement, YOSS; Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, Chabad of the Five Towns; Bruce Blakeman, Councilman, Town of Hempstead; Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva, YOSS; Town of Hempstead Supervisor-elect Donald X. Clavin; Anthony D’Esposito, Councilman, Town of Hempstead; Rabbi Yaakov Feitman, Cong. KBYT; Rabbi Sholom Axelrod, Young Israel of Woodmere; Murray Foreman, President, Board of Education District 15

HAFTR Chumash Class Tzedakah Initiative

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AFTR Middle School’s eighth grade girls begin their Chumash class with Rebbetzin Sori Teitelbaum every day by putting money in our specially made “Thank You Hashem” tzedaka box. As each girl puts in her tzedaka, she states what she is “thanking Hashem for today.” These special girls have collected close to $400 in just three months! They went shopping and used the money to buy many toys to give to sick or needy children for Chanukah.

One student, Sophia Witkes, had the idea to distribute the toys at LIJ Children’s Hospital, and she did just

that! The rest of the toys were given to Mrs. Lisa Gaon, mother of eighth grader Esther Gaon, to distribute at CAMBA, a not-for-profit social service agency where she works.

The girls have become very mindful of the need to appreciate everything they have and are practicing showing hakarat hatov for all that they have – both big and small – in their everyday lives. We are so proud of them and can’t wait to see what they do with the next monies they collect.

Thank you to Rebbetzin Teitelbaum for this meaningful and innovative project.

Introducing Gesher’s Parent Ambassador Committee

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ow in its eighth year, the Gesher Early Childhood Center has successfully educated hundreds of children and teamed with hundreds of families in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway communities and beyond.

Over the years, former, recent, and current parents have consistently expressed their desire to see more families benefit from the Gesher education model and the highly trained faculty. Many parents describe how informal ambassadorship has been a constant part of their lives, with prospective parents reaching out to them regularly to hear about their experience. Taking a proactive approach, the idea was born to create a formal committee that would represent the spectrum of families and children that have benefitted from Gesher’s multisensory and interdisciplinary approach to education.

As a transition program, Gesher teams with every yeshiva day school in our neighborhood and enjoys a diversity of shul and school affiliations within the parent body. Recently, the committee met to discuss common questions that prospective par-

ents ask when inquiring about Gesher. Because Gesher is so unique in its approach, prospective parents typically want to hear about the educational model, the benefits of highly qualified teachers and providers, the success of the students, and the advantages of being part of a community-wide school.

The evening shared with other Gesher parents was itself very powerful. Many of the parents met for the first time as their children did not attend Gesher at the same time or in the same grade. One of the strongest points made was that Gesher consistently see the effects of its educational planning within a short time of a child enrolling, sees the effects consistently from grade to grade, and sees that the effects are long-lasting well after the child transitions to their new environment.

Gesher would like to thank Parent Ambassadors Reuven and Nina Fisher for hosting the event.

A prospective parent can contact a parent ambassador by visting Gesher’s website at www.gesher-ecc.org.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rambam Holocaust Education subjected to.

Inside the museum one saw pictures of Jews being rounded up and forced into ghettos from which they omber, memorable, and impact- later would be taken to concentration ful are the three words which camps. Video testimonies from Hobest describe our recent visit to locaust survivors were interspersed the Auschwitz exhibit at the Museum throughout the exhibit.

We were joined on this trip by of Jewish Heritage: A Living MemoriRabbi Dr. Zev Isseroff, whose mother, al to the Holocaust in New York City.

Upon arrival we were immediately along with mine, survived the horrors confronted with the cattle car which of Auschwitz.

One tear-evoking moment ocstood outside of the museum. That very cattle car was used to transport curred when we saw the excerpt of thousands of the Jews to their deaths, his mother’s interview played on the making multiple runs between ghet- screen. In her particular segment, she tos and the extermination camp. spoke about the time that she worked During the horrific time on the train, in the part of Auschwitz that was reJews were forced to endure three or sponsible for sorting out the clothes more days travel without food or wa- and possessions of the victims. The ter. There was no room to sit and the Nazis referred to that part of the toilet consisted of a pail in the center camp as “Canada,” which to them of the car which had to be used by symbolized wealth and affluence. everyone in a public and degrading During one part of the interview she fashion. The cattle car was a powerful tearfully talked about sorting through reminder of the terrible experiences clothing and recognizing her baby that victims of the Holocaust were brother’s little sweater. She underBy: Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rosh Mesivta of Rambam Mesivta

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stood at that moment that he had been murdered and was never to be seen again.

This emotional torment was but one part of the suffering of those who survived.

The exhibit also poignantly painted a picture of the events leading up to the Holocaust. German posters and their anti-Jewish propaganda were displayed and presented to the viewer. Germany’s step-by-step ap-

proach to marginalizing the Jews; the propaganda, and anti-Semitism, fueled by peer pressure, naturally resulted in the Holocaust and helped turn “ordinary men” into rabid murderers.

Our group left the museum greatly impacted and with a small sense of what our people endured not that long ago. We plan to take all of our students to the exhibit and urge other schools and shuls to do the same.

Coffee, Hot Cocoa, and Queens College at SHS

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till on an energy high from the phenomenal Shabbaton, Shulamith High School students jumped right into another week, beginning with a senior coffee party with Principal Mrs. Sara Munk to celebrate their “incredible leadership” over Shabbaton. They were not the only ones who had a surprise treat.

Mr. Jeffrey Lazar’s Global II classes

enjoyed a hot cocoa party to keep warm while learning about Peter the Great, while Assistant Principal Mrs. Danyel Goldberg taught formal writing skills in her history classes over coffee and muffins. “Somehow, food makes writing about antebellum America more interesting,” she said.

The following day, upperclassmen headed over to Queens College with

donated gifts in tow. Along with JLIC, eleventh and twelfth graders wrapped presents for My Extended Family, an organization that creates warm, welcoming events for single parent families. It was also an opportunity for girls to explore Queens College and interact with Jewish students there.

It gave a lot of topics to talk about for SHS’s newest club that publishes its

own podcast! “She Heard it @ Shulamith,” started by juniors Tali Hertz and Leora Walfish and features Leora Goldstein and Aliza Fruchter, is available on Spotify and already has two episodes. “It’s actually really entertaining,” one freshman remarked. “I want to help with it next year,” another added. SHS’s podcast began when Tali Hertz and Leora Walfish thought it could be an interesting thing to do.

With a stamp of approval from the administrators, the juniors researched their own microphones and editing programs. Empowered by taking ownership, this is truly a student-led club whose podcast is gaining followers. “My friends in other schools even like it!”

Finally, on December 16, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party was celebrated with pomp and cheer – and tea and biscuits.

SHS looks forward to next week which will bring ninth graders to see their Global I ancient Greece unit come alive in “The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson on Broadway” and tenth graders on a trip to explore modern art on a scavenger hunt at the Guggenheim museum. It’s never a dull moment at SHS!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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T H O U S A N D S O F S AT I S F I E D C U S TO M E R S

MTA Robotics Teams Take Home Wins

moved on to the finals. Both teams walked away winners, as one team, led by Captain Zack Mankowitz (‘20), took the 2nd Place Control Award for computer programming, and the other team, led by Elishama Marmon (‘20), won First Place overall on an alliance team. Both teams look forward to improving their robots and continuing to compete throughout the year.

Shulamith Students Volunteer at the JCC SHOP

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MTA freshmen had an incredible time on their Freshman Shabbaton, which took place on December 6-7 at the Hudson Valley Resort

Give Amazon a Break Bring Meaning Back to Chanukah with Chabad 5T

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habad of the Five Towns invites the community to join in the mission of bringing more light into this world. Contemporary society likens the holiday season to one filled with wrapping paper and CVC codes. But the Jewish people continue to fight against those who try to eradicate our faith – from ancient Greece to contemporary Jersey City, from Middle Ages Spain to modern Poway. The lesson of Chanukah is that light is the most powerful Jewish survival tool; it spreads furthest and longest without diminishing.

In a cherished annual tradition, Chabad of the Five Towns will again be honoring local individuals with the nightly lighting in Andrew J Parise Park, weekdays at 6:00 p.m., Friday at 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 6 p.m.

The community enjoys coming for gelt drops, “Let It Glow” night, and doughnuts for all but the solidarity and light are what really make the night.

Warm up inside with a STEAMy Chabad Chanukah Experience: Can-

dle Factory. From December 22-30, families are invited to explore new ways to enjoy Chanukah through scientific hands-on projects including a slime factory, building gelt launchers, using custom made molds to make Chanukah-themed candles in different colors, crafts, face painting, and more. $10 for ages 3-11. Online reservation recommended at Chabad5Towns.com/Candle or call 516-2952478.

Don’t keep all the light to ourselves – sharing is caring. On December 26 at 6 p.m. Chabad will spread light throughout the Five Towns for 3rd Annual Car Menorah Parade.

RSVP before December 24, 12:00 p.m. to receive a swag bag (ChabadFiveTowns.com/parade). Outfit your car with a menorah. Join the parade following the grand lighting 6 p.m. in Cedarhurst Park.

Finally, if you still want to make your loved ones happy with some packages, don’t forget to select Chabad of the Five Towns on Amazon Smiles.

Did you know?

In 2011, there were at least 13 people with the first name “Donut” in the United States, making it the 245,396th most popular name in the U.S.

Lavish Layette Under New Ownership Major Sale Underway

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avish Layette is under new ownership, and customers across the Five Towns are already benefiting. To enhance the shopping experience, the physical store will be renovated and relaunched in February with the Spring/Summer 2020 collections.

There will also be improved online and Instagram ordering as well as shipping options provided once the store reopens.

But in order to renovate properly, the store’s high-end merchandise is being sold off at crazy prices. Luxury items that were over $100 last week are now just $20. The entire store is on sale for $1-$20 and customers have been reaping the benefits!

Brands like Paz, il Gufo, LovedBaby, and so much more are available.

The store will be open this Motzei Shabbos for Midnight Madness.

There are $1 and $5 tables as well as racks and racks of premium stretchies and pajamas for $20 flat. There will also be bonus Lavish Cash and gifts given out at Midnight Madness based upon how much you spend.

The major clearance sale is scheduled to run from December 16 to January 16 or as supplies last.

Founded by Esther Miller, Lavish Layette has long had a sterling reputation as the premier destination for

high-end baby clothing, layette and bris sets, and baby gifts. With exclusive brands found nowhere else, Lavish Layette is a destination boutique that services customers from all over the tristate area. The renovations and rebranding effort will be centered around improving the customer experience and making it easier to shop and buy premium baby apparel and luxury baby gifts.

Lavish Layette is committed to providing the brands you love, the quality you expect, and the shopping experience you deserve.

Lavish Layette can now be reached at lavishlayetteFT@gmail.com or you can call/text 516-522-8489.

Their Instagram @lavishlayette is where you can follow the store, find great deals, and place orders.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

Around the Community

JCCRP Chanukah Toy Drive Community Coming Together

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he Chanukah parties, jelly doughnuts, presents, and good cheer.... For most people, Chanukah is an exciting holiday, filled with family and friends, dreidels, great food, vacation, and, of course, toys! However, even though it is hard to imagine, there are families in our very own community, maybe on your block, in your kids’ class, who don’t share the same enthusiasm. Many families find themselves unable to buy gifts for their children, which is undeniably disheartening. Presents aren’t the point of Chanukah, but it makes a difference in a child’s life knowing that someone is thinking of him or her. The local families that we pass every day need as much love and help as we can give them, and the community came together to help.

This past Motzei Shabbos, kids and adults joined in the TAG High School gymnasium to volunteer at the toy drive, preparing toy packages for over 500 children!

“Feels amazing to help out other kids right before Chanukah and its fun, too,” commented Estee, one of the many children volunteers.

The Chanukah Toy Drive was the creation of Rochel Baron, a”h.

Rochel was battling cancer and received many toys for her kids. However, while she suffered with her illness, she still had the compassion to wonder why the children of sick moms were the ones to get the toys and not the children of moms who couldn’t afford to buy any gifts for their kids. Rochel passed away erev Rosh Hashana in 2012, but not before creating the Chanukah Toy Drive, giving to over 80 families and allowing over 200 kids to feel the joy of Chanukah. Seven years later, the toy drive has grown to 150 families and over 500 kids!

This year’s toy drive was dedicated l’ilui nishmas Mordechai Yovits, Mordechai ben ybl”ch Yehuda Chaim. Mordechai was a young child whose untimely passing has created an indescribable sadness amongst his family, friends, and the entire community. It is certain that this chessed project has brought an

aliyah to his special neshama. May it bring some comfort to this wonderful family.

Moshe Brandsdorfer, the JCCRP’s executive director, expressed, “The Chanukah Toy Drive exhibits the very core of the Five Towns/ Far Rockaway community. People from all walks of life and different backgrounds were on the giving and receiving end of the Toy Drive, truly capturing the uniqueness of our beautiful community.”

The JCCRP wishes to thank all the participating schools, shuls and businesses for collecting toys: BBY, BYAM, Congregation Beth Shalom, DRS, Frankel›s, Gan Chamesh, Gourmet Glatt, Gurall JCC, HAFTR, KolSave, Preminger Dentistry, Seasons, Shulamith, Total Family Care (Dr. Lightman), YOSS, YILC and YKLI. A special heatfelt thank you to the TAG admnistration for hosting this year›s toy-packing event.

None of this would have been possible without the hard work of the toy drive committee: Sara Austein, Sharon Friedman, Rahely Fruchter, Lara Klein, Daphna Mishaan, Fraidy Osina, Devorah Pelman, Rebecca Richman, Tamar Samuels, Hudis Saltz, Esther Satt, Yael Schertz, Tamar Sharf, Rocky Stern, Fraidy Rudansky and Lily Weichholz. They ran around during their busy days to set up drop off locations, collect toys, pack boxes and organize sponsors. Their outstanding work led to yet another amazing toy drive!

At the pickup, Avigayil*, a mother of three, happily expressed, “My kids were jumping for joy when I told them that I would be giving them presents this Chanukah. I can’t thank you enough – you guys are remarkable.”

Elie Mishaan, JCCRP board member, volunteering with his sons at the JCCRP Toy Drive

Kids working hard at the toy drive

For those who couldn’t make it to the stores, please contribute online at www.jccrp.org. 100% of donations goes toward the toy drive. For more information or to volunteer for future project, please email info@jccrp.org or call (718) 327-7755 x6113. *name changed for privacy.

Strong volunteers loading toys onto the truck

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Around the Community

Rav Kolodetsky Visits YOSS Mechina

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n Tuesday, December 11, Shacharis at YOSS Mechina was led by Hagaon Hatzaddik Rav Yitzchok Kolodetsky, shli-

ta, son-in-law of Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita. The Mechina students were zocheh to each receive a special bracha from Rav Kolodetsky.

Reading Comes to Life at BYQ

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he second graders at Bais Yaakov of Queens are becoming better readers every day! They recently read Bremen Town Musicians, a dramatic fairytale. The text has continuous dialogue and a repetitive pattern of events which create a story structure both entertaining and fun to read. There are singing animals who share a common problem, outsmart robbers, and find jobs as musicians. Since drama is meant to be acted out, the second graders used this opportunity to develop their dramatic reading and performing skills! In small groups, the girls prepared to perform the play to their classmates. The constant practice and rereading increased their reading fluency. The text has plenty of di-

alogue, which helped developed their awareness of appropriate expression while reading.

The young theatrical directors planned and coordinated the plays independently, creatively and with great excitement. There was a frenzy of energy when it was time for the girls to perform, as the audience, their peers, applauded each group of actresses, critiqued each performance, and noted the uniqueness of each one. “The costume was so cute,” and “that actress used great expression!” as well as “can we do this again?” were heard. The girls can’t wait to continue on their journey of joyful, collaborative, and engaging learning!

At the end of Shacharis, Rav Kolodetsky addressed the entire Mechina. In his message, he described how Hashem loves seeing Yiddishe chil-

dren learning Torah. Rav Kolodetsky spoke with such emotion that all the bochurim were inspired by his divrei chizuk.

CAHAL Class Visits Local Library

I

n order to expand their research of ocean animals, Mrs. Tirza Berger’s 5th-6th grade CAHAL class at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam took a trip to the local library.

There, they were introduced to the library resources and located many new sources of information for their research papers. An added bonus was a stop at Rita’s for ices on the way back to school.

CAHAL, the community program for children with learning challenges, is now in its 28th year providing smaller, more individu-

alized classes in 11 local yeshivas.

All the students attend mainstream activities daily, including lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, trips, and more. When ready, children attend academic classes as well, with support from CAHAL to ensure success. Registration is open for Pre-1A classes for September 2020.

For information and applications contact CAHAL at shira@cahal.org, call (516) 295-3666, or visit www. cahal.org.

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BAIS YAAKOV ATERES MIRIAM

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Continuing the Shalsheles

On Motzei Shabbos Parshas Vayetzei, Mesivta Netzach HaTorah held their third annual Shalsheles Melava Malka, where over 150 of the Mesivta’s talmidim, fathers, and grandfathers came together for a night of learning and inspiration.

The evening began with families preparing with marei mekomos for a shiur delivered by the Mesivta’s eleventh grade rebbe, Rabbi Mendy Edelstein. It was truly beautiful to

observe three generations learning the mesorah that has linked us for eternity. Following the shiur, the Sgan Menahel, Rabbi Yoni Mitteldorf, addressed the chashuve crowd and launched the inauguration of the Mesivta’s Otzar Hasefarim for their new Beis Medresh. The crowd then moved to the ballroom where they enjoyed a delicious seudah and heard divrei Torah from the Menahel, Rabbi Yitzchok Yurman.

YOSS ECC Learns About Fire Safety

Boys from Rabbi Messner’s third grade class in Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island took a trip to Amazing Savings this week to purchase toys with their own money to distribute to different toy drives in the neighborhood

Simply Tsfat in Long Beach

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oung Israel of Long Beach will celebrate Chanukah with the music of Simply Tsfat, chassidic musicians from the Breslov community in Tsfat, Israel. A town located in the northern Galilee, Tsfat is famous for its mountain air and Jewish mysticism.

The concert is being presented by Young Israel of Long Beach. The concert will take place at the Young Israel of Long Beach on Monday night, December 23, at 7:30 p.m. It is the just one on the many activities and special events being planned at the Young Israel this Chanukah.

Simply Tsfat fuses together heaven and earth through music. Stories, personal anecdotes and chassidic teachings are interwoven with powerful lyrics and enchanting music inherited from an authentic tradition

handed down from the time of Rebbe Nachman. Acoustic guitarist/vocalist Elyahu Reiter, violinist Yehonason Lipshutz, and classical guitarist Yonatan Tzarum join forces to present an evening of Breslov Chassidic music, storytelling, and teachings of Rebbe Nachman.

After receiving degrees from Tufts and Stanford Universities, Reiter moved to Israel to delve deeper into the Torah. Also a university graduate, Lipshutz moved to Tsfat with his family two weeks before the Gulf War. Israeli-born Tzarum learned classical flamenco guitar from his father.

Simply Tsfat conveys a deep love of chassidic life and its music. Their style is warm and intimate, drawing listeners into the air of Tsfat and a living chassidic tradition.

Yeshiva Nishmas Hatorah Alumni Night Out

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hank you to Fireman Klagsbrun and his son, Boruch, for teaching Yeshiva of South Shore Early Childhood Center about fire safety and reminding us to be

careful with our Chanukah candles.

The boys learned that firemen are here to help you and that you should not be scared by their uniform.

eshiva Nishmas Hatorah hosted over 50 alumni of the Yeshiva in Prime Bistro on Thursday night. Roshei Yeshiva R’ Yissocher Blinder and R’ Pinchus Weinberger addressed the alumni along with the chairman of the board, Dr. Abish Mendel. They stressed the importance of staying connected to the ye-

shiva, the rabbeim, and each other.

Yeshiva Nishmas Hatorah has a Kollel, Beis Medrash, and Mesivta.

All three facets of the yeshiva come together to offer a unique setting where talmidim can connect and grow together. To learn more about the yeshiva, please visit nishmashatorah.org.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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Around the Community

Food, Fun and Games

P

icture adorable Pre1A and first grade students having a special opportunity to spend time with their fathers, grandfathers or uncles on a Motzei Shabbos! Such was the case this past Motzei Shabbos when the Women’s League of TAG sponsored their popular carnival event which featured games, projects, pizza, and loads of fun for all who attended. Of course, these events do not happen without the efforts of the many mothers who volunteered to be part of this committee. Thanks to the following mothers: Devorah Baron, Esti Dancziger, Edna Ershowsky, Chavsie Friedman, Nomi Friedman, Mindy Glaser, Miriam Kanner, Bruchi Kaplan, Chana Kaplowitz, Esti Mase, Aliza Retter, Nechama Salomon, Rochie Shuvalsky, and Rachelle Tepper.

As is customary, the TAG family works together on many of their projects and there was a special group of young ladies from Machon Sarah High School who helped make this event such a success. The Women’s League thanks the following young

Longtime HALB science teacher, Mr. Gerry Bass, retired after 36 years at the school. In his honor, HALB established an annual award for an eighth grade student who demonstrates excellence in science and scientific research.

ladies for their valuable assistance: Leah Adler, Ella Berger, Mimi Biegeleisen, Ahuva Bloom, Penina Blumenkrantz, Ahuva Buckman, Shaindy Dembitzer, Leeya Feldberg, Aliza From, Penina Gold, Dalia Halbfinger, Dani Kay, Chaya Sara Mindel, Tova Schechter, Tehila Tepfer, and Rochel Tropper.

Yachad Family & Friends Chanukah Concert

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Did you know?

Over 10 billion doughnuts are made in the U.S. each year

n December 23, Yachad will host its first-ever Chanukah concert featuring the world-famous Jewish singer, Simcha Leiner, as well as another young and energetic future star, Duvie Shapiro.

Since releasing his latest album this past month, Simcha Leiner has been touring globally, performing his newest music and past hits, in addition to his already packed schedule of performances at Jewish weddings and other events. Simcha has become one of the premier Jewish music singers in the world and is excited to be back in the Five Towns for this special Yachad Chanukah concert. Duvie Shapiro, a talented singer who released an immensely popular song this past summer “Lech Al Zeh” (garnering over 700,000 views on YouTube), is a newcomer to the Jewish music scene both in Israel and America. Duvie comes from a rich musical background, with his wellknown brother Mordechai and other siblings, all talented singers in their

own right.

Yachad continues to grow in the Greater Five Towns community, as well as across the East Coast and beyond, bringing more programming and services to individuals with disabilities. With this being the first time hosting a concert, Yachad is excited to offer this unique experience to the entire community, inviting everyone to join in the joy of Chanukah together, as “Family and Friends.”

The concert will take place on Monday night, December 23 at The Shulamith School, 305 Cedarhurst Avenue in Cedarhurst at 8:00 p.m., with doors opening at 7:30. The concert is produced by Shmueli Modes and will include a special candle lighting ceremony with a few surprise guests. It’s sure to be a truly uplifting and amazing experience for all!

To purchase tickets before they are sold out, visit Yachad.org/concert.

General seating, premier seating, and VIP seating available.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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Yeshiva Darchei Torah to Honor Rabbi Joel Beritz

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eshiva Darchei Torah’s 47 th anniversary dinner will take place on Sunday, January 12 at the Yeshiva. The evening will include the presentation of five awards, one of which will be the Architect of Jewish Education Award, presented to Rabbi Joel Beritz, recognizing a lifetime of Jewish educational leadership in America.

In his role as vice president of the Gruss Life Monument Funds and the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education, Rabbi Joel Beritz has played an integral role in the continued development and growth of Torah institutions throughout this country, including Yeshiva Darchei Torah. He has proven himself to be a dear friend of and champion for thousands of Jewish children.

Rabbi Beritz is a native of Malden, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, where his parents, Jack (Yaakov Chaim) and Blanche (Baila), a”h, were pillars of the community and of their shul, the Young Israel of Malden, under the leadership of Rabbi Hershel Brazil. Even after relocating to other cities on the East Coast,

Joel would return to the Young Israel for many years to serve as the ba’al tokeah on Rosh Hashana.

Rabbi Beritz attended Boston University and received his graduate degree in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, after which he became a professor of Slavic Languages and Judaic Studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Today, he resides in Brooklyn, where he is a longtime, valued member of Agudah of Avenue H, now led

by Rav Dovid Gibber. Rabbi Beritz also maintains a close connection with the shul’s previous rav, Rav Aharon Zuckerman. He particularly enjoys traveling to Eretz Yisrael, where he dedicated the Shuvu School in Rechovot in memory of his mother.

Rabbi Beritz began his career of dedicated service to the community in his role as director of education services for Russians at the Board of Jewish Education (BJE) in New York.

He later became director of the Division of School Services at the BJE and administrator of the Fund for Jewish Education.

One of his most valuable and

far-reaching endeavors in his post at the BJE has been the kashrus program for kosher commodities in the National School Lunch Program.

In conjunction with the “613” vaad hakashrus, kosher commodities are produced and made available to Jewish schools nationwide.

For over twenty-five years, Rabbi Beritz has impacted the education of Jewish children through his work at the Gruss Life Monument Funds.

Yeshiva Darchei Torah in particular has been a grateful beneficiary of the Funds’ generosity many times over, and Rabbi Beritz has been one of the main catalysts behind our fruitful relationship. He has always taken a special interest in the Yeshiva’s success and that of our talmidim. Some of the developments made possible by the Funds include new state-ofthe-art playgrounds; enhanced science and technology labs; and annual science and engineering curricula in the eighth grade and high school. Yeshiva Darchei Torah is continuously reaping the benefits of Rabbi Beritz’s sage counsel and efforts on its behalf.

It is an honor for the Yeshiva to

recognize Rabbi Beritz’s dedication and impact on decades of growth in Jewish education with the inaugural Architect of Jewish Education award.

The other awardees at this year’s dinner will be: Mr. and Mrs. Shia and Elana Ostreicher, Guests of Honor; Mr. and Mrs. Carmi and Katie Gruenbaum, Kesser Shem Tov Award; Mr. and Mrs. Yitzchok and Shayna Steg, Parents of the Year; and Rabbi and Mrs. Shimon and Tova Finkelman, Harbotzas Torah Award.

For reservations and journal ads, please call 718-868-2300 ext. 301; email dinner@darchei.org; or visit Darchei.org/dinner.

Timeless Luxury Pesach on the Adriatic Italian Coast Grand Hotel Rimini

A

vi and Belinda Netzer are proud to present their sixteenth “Timeless Luxury Pesach 2019,” for an unforgettable experience in a warm and friendly atmosphere: the event will take place at the newly refurbished Grand Hotel Rimini (a 5 star historical luxurious hotel and a national monument), stand at the centre of a large and exclusive private park facing the sea, with its private pool and beach, situated on the Adriatic coast.

“For those who are looking for a place that holds all the history and beauty of Italy, there is no better place to celebrate Passover,” says Avi Netzer. “The staff will do everything to make you feel welcome and comfortable. The impeccable high standard and the cordial spirit of service with the Belle Époque have earned Grand Hotel Rimini an indisputable reputation on the international hotel panorama. That’s why we continue to

come back here.”

The lounges are large and comfortable, and all the guests will enjoy eating in the magnificent, luxurious, and elegant dining rooms of the Grand Hotel Rimini. The Grand Hotel Rimini is equipped with everything you may dream of to ensure you the most luxury stay: 121 rooms, of which are 3 regal suites and 9 junior suites, furnished with authentic eighteenth century Venetian and French antiques, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, direct telephone, satellite TV and Wi-Fi technology. Rooms have been completely renovated and equipped with brand new luxuriously decorated bathrooms (with Jacuzzi, shower and professional hair-dryer), writing desk, and plasma screens.

The large terrace of the Grand Hotel overlooks the splendid private park and grounds (4,000 square-meters) and offers a perfect setting for gathering during Pesach.

The Grand Hotel is the only hotel in the Adriatic coast to have a private beach, wide (11000 sqm) with golden sand. The outdoor and indoor heated swimming pools will be at your entire disposal.

A brand-new spa located inside the hotel can be easily reached from the rooms by means of a dedicated lift. It is equipped with a small swimming pool with water jets and hydro massage, emotional shower, sauna, steam bath, relaxation area, fitness room with Technogym machines, cabins for massages, and beauty treatments.

Are you wondering what is going to happen during your stay? The city of Rimini is located at a stone’s throw from the most luxurious fashion shops and from various outlets and it’s not distant from three of the most beautiful Italian cities such as Bologna, Florence, and Venice: organized tours will help you to discover all their magic. Your children will

have amazing days, thanks to the professional kids’ club available for all the guests. The is a resident rabbi with daily shiurim. Your lunches and dinners will be unforgettable, thanks to the delicious and abundant dishes prepared by the famous Italian Chef Claudio Di Bernardo. In the evening, prepare yourself to be entertained, to participate to fashion shows, and for a lot of special events in the beautiful hotel’s halls.

For this year Pesach in Rimini will be unmissable: a fully inclusive package first-class glatt kosher non-gebrokt under supervision Rav Rabinowitz, shlita, admor Mi-Biale.

You will also have the possibility of having your own private seder choosing from one of the beautiful rooms of the hotel.

For booking, contact: Mobile +39 338 1709221 / +39 333 2896806 Email: info@pesachitaly.com

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

83

Around the Community

Project Chai Responds to Jersey City: Personal Account from a Volunteer at the Scene

By Aliza Zafier

L

ast Tuesday I was at a sheva brachos when I heard about the shooting in Jersey City, where four innocent people were ruthlessly murdered, including two Yiddishe neshamos. Almost immediately, Project Chai, Chai Lifeline’s crisis intervention, trauma and bereavement department, arrived at the scene to provide emotional support and crisis intervention resources to the families and children of those affected by the tragedy. As a volunteer for Project Chai, I was contacted via text message to come to Jersey City to respond and provide emergency support. I left the party and hurried over.

I’m a mother, a grandmother, and I run a very busy children’s gown gemach, but in another lifetime, I would have loved to be a social worker. I lost my own mother as a young child, and through that

experience, I gained more empathy for those going through tragedy.

People have been comfortable turning to me because I have a personal understanding that can be helpful to them.

I trained for Project Chai last Decenver after Zahava Farbman, MSW, co-director of Project Chai, called and asked if I would join. She and Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, director of Project Chai, have been there for all the other volunteers and me. I found the training to be extremely helpful, I had great teachers, and the coping strategies we were taught were practical and hit close to home.

As a Project Chai volunteer since last December, I’ve had several opportunities to help those who experienced tragedies such as sickness and loss. I’ve spoken at schools where there were children who lost parents and helped guide the classmates on how to process the news.

I’ve also provided emotional sup-

New Simcha Hall Opens in Inwood PHOTO BY GABE SOLOMON/LIFE CAPTURE IMAGES

A

fter the purchase of the VFW building (and Imperial ballroom) by Bais Tefila of Inwood this past Lag Ba’Omer, the building has undergone a complete makeover. This week, the Oasis Room at Bais Tefila of Inwood hosted its first event since renovations were completed. With seating for 250+, ample parking, a private family suite, its central location and exclusive catering by Oasis (Traditions), this new

venue is sure to quickly become a popular spot for the Five Towns/Far Rockaway and beyond.

The shul, which is currently hosted by Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, is in the final stages of completing their work so they can transition into their new home which will service the growing Inwood kehilla.

For more information please call (516) 813-4222.

port on the phone for a young widow with children who recently lost her husband. I’ve continued to reach out to Zahava and Rabbi Dr. Fox several times to guide me.

We arrived at the construction site of the shul in Jersey City which was a makeshift “command center.” My job was to be there for the other Project Chai volunteers who were providing crisis relief to the children and parents on the scene.

There I met with Malkie Kalristenfeld, Project Chai’s coordinator of volunteers. She has this unique strength about her but you also saw the vulnerability, the pain, and the sorrow she was going through. I gave her a big hug and then I said, “OK, tell me what to do, tell me what they’ve been through the last few hours.” I was there to help the volunteers process what they were going through.

I approached the female volunteers, many who were Chassidish women from Brooklyn and the local community, and introduced myself.

“Hi, I’m Aliza, and I’m a member of Project Chai. I came here to be with you.” These volunteers were going through so much to provide the emotional support for the families affected by the tragedy, and we wanted to make sure they were also okay and were processing what they were going through.

The scene at the command center was pretty raw. A volunteer spoke of her experience of her recent conversation with the principal . During the lockdown the principal gathered

the school amidst the confusion that was going on and she proceded to say Tehillim with the students. We discussed the repercussions of this action and the value of saying Tehillim during tragic times filled with uncertainty.

We later got a call from a man who said that his wife is panicking and that they need someone to come over. I went with another Project Chai volunteer from the local Chassidish community to their house.

When we arrived, the wife came to us and said, “The truth is that it’s not me who needs help. It is my husband.” It turns out that the husband was traumatized by the tragedy because he was just two blocks away from where it happened. He was shaken up by the fact that he was close to the shooting and that he could have easily been in there when it happened. Baruch Hashem, with us was the male volunteer who drove us, and he was able to provide the emotional support the husband needed.

Being on the scene at Jersey City, the words “Mi ke’amcha Yisrael” rang true. Though we all came from different backgrounds, hashkafos, and styles of dress, we were all united helping each other. We are all here for each other; we are one family.

If you know anyone in crisis or emotional distress, please call the Project Chai Hotline at 1-855-3-CRISIS or email crisis@chailifeline.org. All calls and emails are confidential.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Thousands Expected at Dirshu Siyum HaShas at Binyanei Haumah Convention Center in Yerushalayim

By Chaim Gold

“W

hat could be more moving than having thousands of lomdei Dirshu sitting together in one room, taking the last test on Shas and, immediately upon completing the test, entering the main hall of the Convention Center to celebrate their accomplishments with Klal Yisrael led by Gedolei Yisrael?” exclaimed Rabbi Shlomo Rozenstein, Dirshu’s Director of Public Relations.

Torah and achdus through Torah are two overarching foundations of Dirshu that will be manifest at the Dirshu World Siyum to be held at the Binyanei Haumah Convention Center in Yerushalayim this coming Motzoei Shabbos Chanukah which will be graced by leading senior gedolei Yisrael.

“Although throughout the year Dirshu has numerous testing sites in neighborhoods all over Eretz Yisrael,” Rabbi Rozenstein related, “Dirshu’s hanhalah decided that in honor of the siyum haShas, the final test to be taken by the lomdim will be held b’achdus, b’rov am, and as soon as the test is over, the multitudes of test-takers will enter the massive hall to celebrate the siyum.”

Not only will all of the

members of Dirshu’s Kinyan Torah take the test at Binyanei Haumah, but they will be joined by thousands of bachurim who participate in Dirshu’s three programs for bachurim who will similarly take their monthly test at the Binyaneni Haumah Convention Center. The three programs for bachurim are: Dirshu Boker, for those who learn an extra seder in the pre-Shacharis hour of the day; Dirshu Talmudo B’yado, that incentivizes the bachurim to complete the masechta which the yeshiva is learning; and Mekadshei Shevii, a program that urges bachurim to utilize time when yeshivos traditionally don’t have an official seder, such as Friday, parts of Shabbos and motzoei Shabbos.

Due to the tremendous desire for lomdei Dirshu and their families to take part in the siyum, Dirshu is making two massive siyumim in Eretz Yisroel: one in the Yad Eliyahu Stadium in Tel Aviv for those in the center of the country, and the other in Yerushalayim at Binyanei Haumah.

The siyum in Binyanei Haumah will be the first major siyum in Dirshu’s World Siyum celebrations. Without a doubt, the participation of senior Gedolei Yisrael from across the entire cross-section of observant Jewry,

Ashkenazim and Sefardim, Chassidim and yeshiva-types, promises to be the highlight of the night.

HaGaon HaRav Reuven Elbaz, Shlita, to Celebrate Kinyan Chochma One of the keynote addresses will be given by the Sephardic Gaon, Harav Reuven Elbaz, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Ohr Hachaim.

His speech will be given in honor of the completion of the first cycle of Kinyan Chochma, Dirshu’s daily mussar program. As Kinyan Chochma embarks on its new machzor with the commencement of Masechta Avos with the commentary of Rabbeinu Yonah, Rav Elbaz, who is known as a riveting and compelling speaker, will outline how a short, daily mussar seder with a monthly test has impacted the lives of the multitudes who participated in the program through the first machzor and how now is the time to join for the second machzor.

One of the spiritual delicacies for the Yidden from Eretz Yisrael will be hearing from the special guest from America who will give a keynote address at the Binyanei Haumah Siyum. That guest, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshi-

Partial view of a previous Dirshu World Siyum in Binyanei Haumah

HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi with the Kaliver Rebbe at the Siyum on the first machzor of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha in 2015

vas Telshe and the Mesivta of Lakewood, one of America’s leading Gedolei Torah and author of the magnum opus sefarim on all of Shas entitled Gevuras Yitzchok, is also known as a spellbinding speaker. He is renowned not only for the brilliant content of his drashos that contain a tremendous range and koach hachiddush, but he is also known for the remarkable way that he delivers his shmuessen with passion, and pathos. It is said that in Telshe Europe they would teach the bachurim how to properly construct and deliver drashos so that bnei Torah would be able to have an impact on the masses. Rav Sorotzkin, who is a scion of the great roshei yeshiva of Telshe, is the proud bearer of that legacy.

Another Gadol B’Torah who will address the event will be HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi, shlita, rosh yeshiva at the Mir Yeshiva of Yerushalayim. Rav Ezrachi, who is among today’s renowned great orators, will encourage the tzibbur to focus on even greater goals in limud haTorah and mussar as Dirshu embarks on the new machzor of its Kinyan Torah Program and Kinyan Chochma Mussar learning program.

In addition to Rav Elbaz, Rav Sorotzkin and Rav Ezrachi, the dais will be graced by numerous other senior gedolei Yisrael, including, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, the Boyaner Rebbe, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita, Rosh Ye-

shivas Slabodka, as well as the Bialer Rebbe, shlita, and the Erlauer Rebbe, shlita, are all slated to grace the event.

The World Siyum at Binyanei Haumah will also feature many surprises that will fill the participants with a combination of profound simcha and enriching chizuk.

Of course, the true heroes of the evening are the thousands of lomdei Dirshu who, day in and day out, focus on their learning and, month in and month out, review and review again so that they can succeed on their monthly tests.

Post-Siyum Simcha A Dirshu siyum of this magnitude is truly a time to celebrate together with other like-minded lomdim. With this in mind, Dirshu has rented a special hall at Binyanei Haumah, that will be used after the siyum where lomdim will be able to truly be misameach with each other with singing and dancing.

The seforim teach us that a crucial element in promoting success in Torah learning is simchas haTorah: truly rejoicing both with the Torah and over the fact that one has the zechus to learn Torah and know Torah. That deep simcha will undoubtedly be evident when thousands gather together to sing and dance and jointly celebrate the accomplishments of lomdei Dirshu and lomdei Daf HaYomi.

That simcha will certainly spur them to even greater accomplishments during the next machzor.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19,2015 2019| The | TheJewish JewishHome Home OCTOBER 29,

TJH

Centerfold Chanukwhat?

B. Chanukah

I.

Hanuka

C. Channukah

J.

Hanukkah

D. Hanukka

K. Channuka

E. Hanukah

L. Chanukka

F.

M. Hannuka

Hannukkah

G. Hannukah

Chanuka : 1,880,000

E.

D. Hanukah : 1,390,000 C. Hannukah : 5,710,000 B.

Chanukah : 9,460,000

A. Hanukkah : 92,300,000

L.

Hannuka : 289,000 Hannukkah : 379,000

K.

Channukah : 438,000

J.

Hanukka : 589,000

I.

H. Chanukkah : 788,000 1,020,000

Correct order along with number of hits: Answer:

See answer below

H. Chanuka

Hanuka : 1,760,000

Siblings Sara, Moshe, Chaya, Leah, and Tzvi all received Chanukah presents from their parents. Sara got her present before Chaya, but after Moshe. Leah got her present first. If Tzvi got his gift after Chaya, in what order did the siblings get their presents?

A. Chanukkah

F.

Riddle me this?

With so many ways to spell the Festival of Lights, put the following in order of the amount of Google hits they generate:

M. Channuka : 49,700

, us. derlings errylicio B …

He y U n s u ylicio s…Berr u io c li y r Be r o Bered yet? icate t if iz . t t y r o r e n t c p ll y ou t Hy t as we or wh o $10 gif f h a u ig u o m o y y er, I ciate C hagive a n n ua l Whatev e appre ants to s w w it d y n ll g a a ka in e u hannnu conduct , TJ H r se you are yo C s , is y a a H k w c J y u An C han becau ate to deal: T s, just n u k a h, ’s the certif ic a e r t h e C if H g r ryliciou . seu a ot yo e place to win h end in tually n r t c s e ( , A d o r e . o S g e r a ay. es in itor pa Giveaw nukcah pictur th e E d o t s n uk a h r a e T your C h etails on Lett e F I RS h t d or even . y ) e s b e e S mile cious! to be in rievanc favor, s Berryli ve got their g a a h ir e s a m o t le o eop se pho . O h, d rious p st! The usiness a b f n t c a e a he y m ure you – and t aces, OK? M ake s h a k u C han so ur f day of res, no u t ic p he haaa! big in t k cck ck h k k u u u er C hann mission m o C Happy ld nterfo rite C e o v a F r Yo u

G. Chanukka :

Answer to Riddle Me This: Leah got her present first, then Moshe, then Sara, then Chaya, and then Tzvi.

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The 19, 2019 TheJewish JewishHome Home| DECEMBER | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Light up the Nights Trivia 1) How many years ago did the miracle of Chanukah take place? a) 3,206

a) Star

c) Modi’in

b) Courage

d) Chevron

c) Soldier d) Hammer

b) 2,158

3) What is the total number of candles lit during Chanukah?

c) 1,461 d) 1,402 2) What does “Maccabee” mean?

5) Who of the following was not one of Matisyahu’s five sons? a) Yehuda b) Yonasan

a) 44

c) Shimon

b) 36

d) Eliyahu

c) 54 d) 28 4) In which city did the Maccabees live? a) Yerushalayim b) Beit Shemesh

6) What modern day country were the “Greeks” based in? a) Syria b) Greece

d) Iran 7) Who bowed down to Shimon Hatzaddik? a) Antiyochus b) Matisyahu c) Alexander the Great d) Helifornus 8) Which of Noach’s children were the Greeks descendants of? a) Shem b) Cham c) Yofes d) His daughter

c) Rome

You gotta be kidding  Answers

Yankel and his wife Henchel were getting ready to go out to dinner.

Before leaving the house, Henchel says, “Yankel, you think I should wear this Chanel coat or shall I put on the Gucci coat?”

4. C

8. C

3. A

“Vat’s the difference? They are both nice,” says Yankel.

6. A

2. D

5. D

1. B

Henchel then asks, “Yankel, shall I wear my Rolex or my Cartier watch?”

7. C

“A watch is a watch,” answers Yankel.

 Wisdom Key 6-8 correct: You know your Chanukah (but can you tell me how it’s spelled?).

3-5 correct: Do you also light only half of the candles?

0-2 correct: You’re so behind on your Chanukah facts that you probably didn’t even put up your sukkah yet.

Henchel then asks, “Yankel, shall I wear my 5-carat pear-shaped diamond ring or my 6-carat round diamond?”

To which Yankel responds “Henchel, if you don’t get your act together – and soon – we are going to miss the Early Bird Special!”

87 31

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

3

Torah Thought

Parshas Vayeshev

By Rabbi Berel Wein

I

n the emotional drama that will consume the balance of the sections of this book of the Torah, we are witness to a very difficult family situation and the dynamic consequences that it creates. The Torah itself testifies to the love and favoritism that Jacob shows towards his son Joseph.

We can well understand this relation-

ship since Joseph strongly resembles his father physically, is extremely talented and precocious, and is the son of Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel. However, Jewish tradition raises objections to the overt favoritism shown to Joseph

by Jacob when he bestows upon him the special garment that signifies their bond and love for one another.

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We can also understand why Joseph himself felt so special, and, in his mind, justified in lording it over his brothers by telling them of his dreams and ambitions. Again, the traditional commentaries to the Torah found fault in his youthful arrogance and lack of judgment. We can also appreciate how hurt the brothers were by the actions of their father and their brother. They were so hurt that they felt that Joseph was an existential threat to their very survival as a family and future nation. Here we are faced with a situation where

of the Jewish people. Even though each of the individuals involved in the narrative presented in this week’s Torah reading acts on his own, the sum total of their actions will result in the descent of the Jewish people into Egyptian slavery and eventual redemption and the acceptance of the Torah at Sinai.

We recite in our daily prayers that there are many thoughts and intents in the hearts of human beings but that eventually it is the guidance of Heaven that will prevail. Nowhere is this basic understanding of the pattern of

We are all somehow mere actors in the great story of human civilization.

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all the leading people involved in the story are both right and wrong at the very same time. We can appreciate the feelings of each of the parties to the story, and yet we are aware of the disaster and trauma that are destined for each of them.

There is an over-arching drama that is being enacted here in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Jewish tradition teaches us that we are all somehow mere actors in the great story of human civilization that is being presented on the stage of the history

Jewish history more evident than it is in this week’s narrative of Joseph and his brothers. Everyone involved seemingly follows their own individual course of action, but the result is a historic change in the dynamics of the family and the trajectory of Jewish history. Only if we step back and view the entire chain of events in its totality can we begin to see this emerging pattern as the will of Heaven guiding the family of Jacob and the Jewish people.

Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire

Parshas Vayeshev Temporary Tranquility

By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

M

uch has been written about the name of the parsha, “Vayeshev,” which means to dwell peacefully. After many years of trouble and anguish, Rashi explains (commenting on Bereishis 37:2) that “Yaakov sought to enjoy some serenity, but the troubles of Yosef sprang upon him. Tzaddikim seek to dwell in tranquility, but Hashem says, ‘Is that which is prepared for the tzaddikim in the world to come not enough for them? Must they also seek to dwell peacefully in this world as well?’”

Yaakov did not seek physical tranquility. Rather, he sought a respite from all of the worries, stress, and danger with which he had been plagued for most of his life. He sought spiritual and emotional rest.

Yaakov’s experience is reflected in the Mishna (Avos 4:15) which says, “We cannot understand the tranquility of the wicked or the suffering of the righteous.”

We may not understand why, but we see from Rashi’s commentary above and the Mishna in Avos that, for whatever reason, it is the portion of the tzaddikim that they do not enjoy tranquility in this world. In addition, according to the Gemara (Brachos 64a), “Torah scholars have no rest either in this world or the next world, as it says (Tehilim 84:8), ‘They go from strength to strength.’” The lot of tzaddikim is that they have much reward but little rest. As the Gemara also says (Sanhedrin 72a), “Sleep and wine are good for the wicked and good for

the world, but for tzaddikim, they are bad for them and bad for the world.”

Rav Adin Even-Yisrael (Steinsaltz), shlita, explains that the world is filled with confusion now more than ever. Everyone seems to be desperately in need of some peace and tranquility. Many women enjoy a few days in a special home for postpartum recovery called a “recovery home.” It is difficult to go home to the “joys” of a lively home after such peace and quiet. People naturally want to leave the world of stress and enter into a place of serenity.

Indeed, some people seek out religiosity because they believe it will bring them peace, safety, and tranquility, a break from the non-stop pressures of this world. There is some truth to this. One can only truly take a break from work, phone calls, emails, the internet, and the like on Shabbos because it is simply forbidden to use these things. Without the framework of religion, today’s modern gadgetry will pursue a person at all hours of the day and night, seven days a week, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year.

Many people have told me that they became religious after spending Shabbos in a religious home and experiencing the peace of Shabbos. It is difficult for religious people to understand, as we watch our children bouncing off the walls on Shabbos, but our lives contains tremendous peace and security relative to the outside world.

The world of halacha frees a person from many of the desires of this

world. For example, even those who are addicted to smoking are able to abstain from their habit for the twenty-five hours of Shabbos without any problem whatsoever. As the Ibn Ezra explained with respect to the prohibition of lo sachmod, not to covet one’s neighbor’s wife, house, or the like, just like one does not covet a king’s wife because marrying her is completely outside of the world of possibility, so too, with the Torah’s prohibition against adultery, one will not even desire to marry another man’s wife in his heart (or any other prohibition for that matter) because the Torah’s prohibition puts such a possibility completely outside the realm of the reality of his life. The rules of religion therefore do create a certain type of peace by reducing the struggle from certain areas of life.

On a deeper level, though, Jews who live with faith, “ein la’hem menucha, have no rest.” The struggle of (Gittin 43a) “one can only understand the words of Torah if one stumbles in them” is ongoing. Growth involves ups and downs, successes and failures.

A Nation of Questions The larger the number of words for a concept in a given language reflects the importance and nuance of that concept in that culture. The more a people’s life revolves around a concept, the more subtle distinctions that culture will discern within that concept. Jews therefore have nu-

merous words for “question”: kushia, l’mai nafka minah, itmar, ibo’I lai, mina lan, l’maimar, b’mai k’miflagi, taima, manna lan, and many others.

Our people are connoisseurs of good questions. Questions mean seeing a problem and struggling with it, trying to reach the truth.

Many of us nevertheless have a tendency to seek the “peace” of living without questions, to avoid the struggle for the truth. One time, someone called from my daughter’s seminary, suggesting that perhaps she should ask fewer questions lest it affect her chances of “getting a good shidduch,” finding a good match. People think she has questions about Jewish faith.

Despite the fact that the tendency to ask a lot of questions defines our nation, there is a desire to slide into the apathy of a life without questions, without struggle.

Indeed, the Rambam sought to create absolute clarity by removing all questions from the Gemara and writing the Mishna Torah, which contains only the answers. Yet no book since the Talmud has engendered more debate than the Mishna Torah. To paraphrase Rashi’s commentary on Yaakov quoted above, “The Rambam sought to dwell in peace, but the troubles of the Ra’avad (author of a commentary questioning the Rambam’s conclusions) sprang upon him.” As we say in the Chanukah song Maoz Tzur, “V’gam sham lo sha’katiti, Neither did I find rest there.”

It must be that the reality of the

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constant changes and turbulence experienced by tzaddikim, those of us who are trying to grow, is not b’dieved, a less-than-ideal situation. Rather, that reality is l’chatchila, the way it is supposed to be. Only people who aren’t growing have no questions, no challenges, and no turbulence.

In truth, Hashem did not give us Torah and mitzvos to give us peace and rest. Just the opposite! If someone isn’t working, isn’t rising from level to level, isn’t facing challenges, it is a sign that he is not growing or moving forward and he is not a complete Jew. A peaceful life is more pleasant, but it is not a better life. A true Jewish life is a life of challenges and overcoming troubles.

Tzaddikim constantly go me’chayil el chayil, from level to level, facing new questions and new challenges, attaining new levels of greatness at each stage.

Overcoming obstacles to attain greatness is what Chanukah is about.

The Jews found that one jar of oil

“sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol,” the great kohen. The first night of Chanukah corresponds to Avraham Avinu, about whom Hashem said (Bereishis 12:2), “I will make you into a great nation,” and who was called (Yehoshua 14:15) “the great man among giants.” The Torah also describes the Jewish nation as (Devarim 4:7) “a great nation,” and the miracle of Chanukah is called a “great miracle,” as it is written on the dreidel, “A great miracle happened there.” Also, in the Al Hanissim prayer we say on Chanukah, we say, “And for your sake you made a great and holy name in your world.” When we are not satisfied with the smallness of remaining at rest, we can access the greatness within Chanukah.

The Hebrew word for miracle, nes, also means to be lifted up, l’hitnoseis, because the miracle was meant to spur us on to challenge ourselves to grow bigger and bigger.

The Bobover Rebbe, Rav Bentziyon, was once playing dreidel with his

grandson, Naftul’che, a short time before the war. Rav Bentziyon would not survive, though Naftul’che would go on to survive the war and become a future Rebbe of Bobov. They were playing dreidel, and Naftul’che rolled a gimmel and took all the gelt. After replenishing the “pot,” Naftul’che rolled again and got a hei and took half the pot. Feeling good about how the game was going, he rolled again, but this time his grandfather, Rav Bentziyon, put his hand over the dreidel before Naftul’che could see what was the dreidel landed on. A very dark look came over the Rebbe’s face, and he said to his grandson, “We don’t always need to know what the dreidel lands on. The main thing is for a Jew to just keep on going.”

Being a Jew means that we have questions, and we don’t always have the answers. The main thing is to keep moving forward and going to the next level, to never stop spinning and moving in our service of Hashem.

We know that Chanukah, stands

for “chanu chaf-hey, they rested on the twenty-fifth” of the Hebrew month of Kislev. Chanukah marks the date of the end of the war to drive the Syrian Greeks out of our land, when the Chashmonaim hoped to finally rest from the battle. But that date also marked the beginning of their efforts to purify the Beis Hamikdash from the Greek impurity and begin ascending the levels of holiness. So rather than being a time of “rest,” Chanukah means not remaining complacent but continuing to fight for higher levels of holiness. That is the meaning of Chanukah and what it means to be a Jew. May we merit to go from strength to strength, continually growing and never resting in one place for too long.

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

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Parsha

in 4

Parshas Vayeshev

By Eytan Kobre

Weekly Aggada And in process of time, Bas-Shua, the wife of Yehuda, died; and Yehuda was comforted, and he went up to the sheep-shearers to Timna, he and his friend Chira the Adullamite (Bereishis 38:12) Why was Yehuda punished so severely so as to lose his wife?

Said R’ Chiya bar Aba: “All who begin a mitzvah and do not complete it are caused to bury his wife and his sons. And from whom do we learn that? From Yehuda, who started a

mitzvah but did not complete it.”

How so?

When Yosef heeded his father’s instruction and went to find his brothers and they plotted to kill him (as it says, “Come let us kill him” [Bereishis 37:20]), Yehuda stood up and would not let them. How do we know? Because it says, “What profit is there for us to kill our brother?” (Bereishis 37:26). And the others listened to Yehuda because he was like a king over them. But had Yehuda told the others to return Yosef to Yaakov, they also would have listened to him.

So Yehuda did not complete the

mitzvah that he began. And he therefore buried his wife and his sons. As it says, “And Bas-Shua the wife of Yehuda died” and “Er and Onan died in the Land of Canaan” (Devarim Rabba 88:4).

Weekly Mussar And a man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, “What do you seek?” (Bereishis 37:15) The “man” that encountered Yosef was the angel Gavriel (Rashi).

When R’ Chaim of Sanz once prepared to make the rounds in his town to collect money for the needy, he asked one of the town’s prominent laymen to accompany him so as to encourage others to give. But much to R’ Chaim’s dismay, the layman declined, citing his busy schedule and many other commitments. “I simply do not have the time, Rebbe.”

“Let me ask you a question,” R’ Chaim said to the layman. “Why is it that when Yosef went to see his brothers and was encountered by a ‘man,’ Rashi (citing the Medrash) explains that the man was none other than the holy angel Gavriel. But when Yaakov ‘struggled with a man’ after returning to retrieve his small jars (Bereishis 32:25), Rashi (citing the Gemara) explains that the ‘man’ was the wicked angel of Eisav. Why does the reference to ‘man’ refer to the holy Gavriel in one instance and to the wicked angel of Eisav in the other?”

When the layman shrugged his shoulders, R’ Chaim was quick with an answer.

“Perhaps,” continued R’ Chaim, “it was based on the way these two ‘men’ behaved when it came time to help others. After fighting with the

angel of Eisav all night, Yaakov asked the angel to bless him, at which point the angel declined, citing his commitment to say G-d’s praises (Bereishis 32:27). Yaakov asked him for a small, simple favor, and yet the angel would not oblige – a sure sign that this was an angel in the mold of Eisav. In contrast, the ‘man’ that encountered Yosef saw that Yosef was lost and asked how he could be of assistance – he somehow found time to help another.”

R’ Chaim’s message was simple and bold: if you want to act like a holy angel, find time to help others; those who claim to be “too busy” to help others are no better than the wicked angel of Eisav.

Weekly Anecdote She was brought forth, and she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I have conceived with the man to whom these belong”; and she said, “Identify whose signet and cords and staff these are” (Bereishis 38:25) We learn from the fact that Tamar was willing to sacrifice her life rather than embarrass Yehuda that it is better for a person to throw himself into a fiery furnace rather than embarrass his friend in public (Berachos 43b).

When R’ Akiva Eiger (1761-1837) was still a relatively young man, he was already reputed to be a brilliant Torah scholar. Even in the city of Lisa – a bastion of Torah and home to many of the great scholars of the day – the young R’ Akiva Eiger’s reputation for brilliance had become widespread.

A very wealthy, G-d fearing man named R’ Itzik Margulies lived in Lisa. R’ Itzik had a modest, bright, and capable daughter of marriageable age, and, hearing of the greatness of

the young R’ Akiva Eiger, R’ Itzik very much desired for his daughter to marry the prodigy. So he traveled from Lisa with two experienced Torah scholars to meet with the young R’ Akiva Eiger.

Upon meeting with R’ Akiva, the two experienced scholars launched immediately into a complex Torah discussion – questioning, answering, attacking, and defending various practical and theoretical positions. R’ Akiva Eiger sat quietly. The two scholars from Lisa become even more engrossed and more animated in their back-and-forth. But still R’ Akiva said nothing.

Seeing that the young R’ Akiva Eiger would not be drawn him into their lively Torah discussion, the two experienced scholars and R’ Itzik were resigned to returning to Lisa, unsuccessful in their mission to endorse a match with R’ Itzik’s daughter. Just then, R’ Akiva Eiger’s uncle, R’ Wolf Eiger, called his nephew into the adjoining room. R’ Wolf asked his

nephew why he just sat there as an inanimate object.

“If I were to respond to them,” answered R’ Akiva Eiger sheepishly, “I would have no choice but to point out to them that their entire discussion is premised upon a fundamental misapprehension of an explicit halacha.

But I did not want to embarrass these two experienced Torah scholars. So I concluded that it would be better for me to spoil the shidduch rather than embarrass them.”

Weekly Halacha And it came to pass on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants (Bereishis 40:20) While some are of the opinion that celebrating birthdays is a non-Jewish practice to be avoided, others main-

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tain that they are commonplace and acceptable (Medrash Sechel Tov [by Rabbeinu Menachem ben Reb Shlomo] to Bereishis 40:20; Toras Moshe, Vayeira; Ben Ish Chai, Re’eh 1:17).

Those opposed to birthday celebrations cite various reasons for their position, among them: (i) following the ways of non-Jews; (ii) since “it would have been better for man not to have been created” (Eruvin 13b), there is really nothing to celebrate; and (iii) so as not to bring upon oneself the Evil Eye (ayin hara). Those who permit birthday celebrations, on the other hand, are not concerned about these issues because, in each case, there is a basis for leniency: acting like non-Jews is only impermissible if done for the purpose of imitating non-Jews (Bais Yosef, Yoreh Dei’ah 178 [citing the Maharik]); the notion that “it is better for a person not to be born” refers only to wicked people, not to righteous people (Tosfos, Eruvin 13b); and one may overcome the adverse effects of an

Evil Eye by, among other things, reciting that he is a descendent of Yosef HaTzaddik (Berachos 55b).

R’ Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, appears to be of the opinion that a birthday celebration is permissible (although not necessarily laudable). In discussing whether one may make a bas mitzvah celebration in a shul, R’ Moshe rules that it is not a “seudas mitzvah” and is no different than any other birthday (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 1:104) – the implication being that all other birthday celebrations, while certainly not a mitzvah, are at least permissible.

The Weekly Halacha is not meant for practical purposes and is for discussion purposes only. Please consult your own rav for guidance.

Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.

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HASHEM’S CHANUKAH GIFT TO KLAL YISRAEL

By Rav Yaakov Feitman

E

very child knows the story. There was only enough oil to last one day, and miraculously it burned for eight days. However, when we look more deeply at the facts, it becomes harder to understand the greatness of the nes. Many of our meforshim ask why the miracle was even necessary.

First of all, every other miracle in history was done to save us from extinction, G-d forbid, or pain and suffering.

Other than Chanukah, we do not find that Hashem does miracles for us so that we can do mitzvos. In fact, the rule is that if one was prevented from doing a mitzvah, he is exempt and not culpable. Secondly, there is a particular halacha related to the Bais Hamikdash that if one of its functions was rendered void because of tumah (defilement), the needs of the greater Klal Yisrael override the problem. This rule is called tumah hutrah (or d’chuya) b’tzibbur, and it certainly would have applied to Chanukah. The menorah could have, in fact, been lit even if the oil was defiled, yet Hashem changed the laws of nature so that we could light the menorah in

purity. The question is why.

One answer, given by the first Gerrer Rebbe, the Chiddushei Harim, is that Hashem wanted to demonstrate His love for us by changing the entire course of nature, even though that was actually unnecessary by the laws of the Torah. In other words, Hashem followed the rule of being a chassid -- one who does things beyond the letter of the law. The Rebbe goes on to explain that this is why on Chanukah we have not only mehadrin – the usual beautification of a mitzvah – but mehadrin min hamehadrin – a new level of adornment. We are responding middah k’neged middah – in kind – for Hashem’s overwhelming consideration for us by also going beyond the letter of the law of hiddur mitzvah.

The only question which remains unanswered, however, is “Mai Chanukah?” Why did Hashem choose the miracle of Chanukah for this extraordinary display of love for Klal Yisrael?

I would like to suggest that this phenomenon goes to the heart of what happened on Chanukah and what take-

away we should all take away from this wonderful yom tov. Let us begin with the words of Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato (Derech Hashem, 4:8:3) : “The essence of Chanukah was the triumph of the Kohanim over the wicked children of Yavan (Greece) who attempted to sway us from serving Hashem; however, the Kohanim strengthened themselves, and through them Klal Yisrael returned to Torah and serving Hashem.”

It is obvious from the Ramchal’s brief words that it was no coincidence that the victory over the Greeks happened through the Kohanim. It was a crucial part of the entire event.

Also, the dubious title of reshaim (wicked) seems unnecessary here, since all of our enemies have always been wicked, so we need to understand the particular evil to which the Ramchal refers.

My rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Hutner (Pachad Yitzchok Chanukah), points out that the particular villainy of the Greeks was that, in earlier exiles, our enemies did things which were self-serving. However, the Greeks in-

stituted decrees of shmad – forced assimilation and abandonment of our religion. These decrees did nothing for them other than ruining our own Torah commitments and Judaism. This, in turn, resulted in the phenomenon of Misyavnim, Hellenized Jews, which had not appeared during the previous exiles such as Babylonia. The reason for this was that the Yevanim saw themselves as our equals or better and were therefore obsessed with destroying our character as a nation.

The source of all this seems to be that of the three sons of Noach – Shem, Cham and Yefes – Shem was virtuous, Cham was clearly evil, and Yefes had qualities of both. In fact, Chazal (Megillah 9b) reveal that the Greek language is the most potentially capable of serving as a translation of the Torah, if absolutely necessary, because “Yefes will live in the tents of Shem” (Bereishis 9:27). This is both the glory of Greece and its source of great danger to us.

What exactly is this danger?

The Ramban (Vayikra 16:8) castigates Aristotle for his arrogance,

as does the Kuzari, but the Rambam praises him as having tremendous potential. Indeed, we know that historically Aristotle and his teacher, Plato, and Plato’s teacher, Socrates, were brilliant people who possessed much wisdom. Yet, as the Kuzari writes, Aristotle had no mesorah – no ancient tradition – and Aristotle denied the existence of anything supernatural.

The danger of Greece to Klal Yisrael was that the Yevanim possessed a certain veneer of morality and ethics while their interior was empty and false.

Thus, the Greeks emphasized physical beauty and prowess and the power of observation and scientific empirical facts. What they couldn’t or didn’t want to believe was in the invisible G-d Who created heaven and earth and could not be found on Mount Olympus. The other danger to Klal Yisrael was from the Greek Lyceum, where the scholars walked back and forth discussing philosophy.

So what did Hashem do for us?

First of all, to counteract the beauty

of Yefes, He gave us the beauty of the menorah, lit in purity, something which the Greek pagans could not understand – let alone match. Perhaps even more importantly, He gave us Torah She’baal Peh, the Oral Law, which was the an-

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rah She’baal Peh, the cure was there before the disease had even begun to proliferate.

Why through the Kohanim? Rav Tzadok Hakohein of Lublin (Pri Tzadik, Chanukah 3) writes that Aharon was

The Yevanim possessed a certain veneer of morality and ethics while their interior was empty and false.

tidote to the enticing discussions of the Lyceum. The Ramchal elsewhere (Derech Hashem (3:3:13) points out that when the last of the Nevi’im – Chagai, Zechariah and Malachi – passed away, Alexander the Great came to power, founding the Greek Empire.

As Torah She’bichsav gave way to To-

Serving our community for over 30 years

the progenitor of Torah She’baal Peh because Hashem said to Moshe (Shemos 4:16), “Aharon will be your peh/ mouth.”

This is surely not just a metaphor, but goes to the heart of the Moshe and Aharon partnership. Rav Tzadok has revealed to us that Moshe represents

Torah She’bichsav, while Aharon represents Torah She’baal Peh. Thus, when the danger of Yavan arises and the antidote of Torah She’baal Peh is there waiting to counteract Aristotle, Aharon’s children are there to do battle, both physically and spiritually.

Chanukah did save us from extinction, but it was beginning subtly with spiritual annihilation. Hashem demonstrated His love for us so that we would realize that we were unique and didn’t need to imitate anyone, let alone the Greeks who were trying to compete with Shem, their uncle.

As we approach the various siyumim of Shas, let us once again reaffirm our commitment to that which makes us the most unique, our study of Torah She’baal Peh, the great gift Hashem gave us to save us from the false beauty of Yavan.

A lichtigen and beautiful Chanukah to all.

Rav Yaakov Feitman is the rav of Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi in Cedarhurst, NY.

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Think, Feel, Grow

Reexamining Our Ideological Battle Against the Greeks

By Shmuel Reichman

C

hanukah is when we tap into the spiritual debate between the Jews and the Greeks, as the Greeks specifically attempted to destroy our spiritual way of life.

They aimed to cut off our connection with Hashem and replace it with the worship of the natural, physical world.

Yavan means quicksand in Hebrew – the Greeks sought to “drown” us in their secular culture, replacing spirituality with atheism and hedonism. The midrash says that the Greeks attempted to darken our eyes, “hichshichu es eineichem” (Bereishit Rabbah 2:4). Darkness represents a lack of clarity, the inability to perceive true form.

Physical darkness prevents physical clarity; spiritual darkness prevents spiritual clarity. This was the Greek attack on the Jewish people: a distortion of truth, a darkening of knowledge and perception. For this reason, the Jewish People went to war against the mighty Greek army and to this day we carry on that fight against Greek culture, a culture that we view as damaging and antithetical to Judaism.

Greek Culture However, if we take a deeper look into Jewish literature, we find a striking different picture of the Greek nation and their culture. In Parshas Noach, Noach blesses his two sons, Shem and Yefes, with a seemingly peculiar bracha (Bere-

ishis 9:27): “Yafta Elokim l’Yefet, v’yishkon b’ohalei Shem, Hashem will grant beauty to Yefes, and he will dwell within the tents of Shem.”

Yefes is the precursor to the Greeks, and Shem to the Jews. This seems to paint Greece in a positive light, as a beautiful nation fitting to dwell within the framework and boundaries of Judaism. In a similar vein, the Gemara (Megillah 9b) states that despite the general prohibition of translating the Torah into different languages, it is permissible to translate the Torah into Greek because it is a beautiful language.

According to both of these sources, it seems as though Greeks culture does not contradict Judaism but is meant in some way to complement it, harmonizing with Jewish ideology. How can we understand this contradiction?

In order to explain it, we must first develop a deep spiritual principle.

The Spiritual-Physical Relationship How do we understand and perceive Hashem? Is Hashem within time and space, limited to this world alone, as Pantheists believe? Or is Hashem completely transcendent, beyond time, space, and this physical world, as many of the ancient philosophers believed?

The Jewish approach, as explained by the Rambam, Maharal, Ramchal, and others, is a beauti-

fully nuanced blend of these two approaches.

Hashem is transcendent, completely beyond our physical world of time and space, and yet, He is also imminent, within our physical world. This principle applies to all spirituality; we believe that the spiritual and transcendent are deeply connected to the limited and physical world. In other words, our physical world is a projection and emanation of a deeper, spiritual reality. This is the meaning behind the famous midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 1:1), “Istaklah bi’Oraisa, u’bara alma, Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world.” This means that the physical world is an emanation and expression of the Torah, the spiritual root of existence.

To give an analogy, imagine a projector: the image you see on the screen is emanating from the projector. The projector and film are the source; the image on the screen is the expression. Similarly, each and every one of us was once a zygote, half a male and half a female genetic code. From that single cell a fully developed and expressed human being ultimately manifested. The same is true regarding the physical world, it stems from a spiritual root, a transcendent dimension.

Thus, we are able understand and experience the spiritual through the physical, as the two are intrinsically connected. If you’re wondering how to understand this concept, consid-

er the way other human beings experience, relate to, and understand you. All they have ever seen is your physical body. They’ve never seen your thoughts, your consciousness, or your emotions. The only way they can understand you is by relating to how you express yourself and your internal world through your physical body. Through your words, actions, facial expressions, and body language, other people experience what’s going on inside of your body, inside of your head, inside of you.

The same is true regarding our experience with Hashem and the spiritual. We can’t see spirituality – only physicality. We must therefore use the physical to connect back to the spiritual root.

The Battle of the Chanukah The Greeks sought to uproot this Jewish perspective, to detach the physical world from its higher root. They claimed that human beings have no connection to anything higher than the physical world itself and that it’s therefore impossible to connect to Hashem. As the Ramban explains (Vayikrah 16:8), the Greeks believed only that which human intellect could grasp. Anything that requires spiritual sensitivity, that goes beyond rational proofs alone, was dismissed as false. Even the Greeks gods were glorified humans – as anything that transcended the physical, human world was dismissed. In essence, the Greeks served themselves.

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The Jewish approach is much more nuanced. We embrace human intellect and reason but are aware of a realm that transcends it. We recognize the wisdom of science, medicine, psychology, mathematics, and other forms of madda but also recognize a higher form of wisdom, the Torah.

As the Vilna Gaon explains that where logic and human intellect ends Jewish wisdom begins.

The logic behind this principle is based on the aforementioned idea: the physical world is an expression of the spiritual world. Just as the physical world stems from a higher-spiritual realm, physical wisdom is an expression of a higher form of wisdom, the Torah. While the wisdom of madda is true, it stems from a higher truth, the Torah. Torah U’madda means that Torah is the absolute foundation and root, and madda is its physical expression.

Although we may naturally feel a need to defend the supremacy of logic alone, it is clear that the post-rational plays a fundamental role in our lives. The fact that you exist, that you possess free will, that there are standards of absolute morality, and even the existence of love and beauty do not require rational explanation. You don’t need to prove to yourself that these are real; you experience them. Philosophers have yet to prove that these phenomena exist nor does modern science prove the existence of free will. These principles lie in a plane beyond reason and logic. Anyone who’s been in love knows that the feeling cannot be rationally explained; it’s something you experience so fully but can’t put into finite words. You can’t break it down into finite components and rationally explain “why” you’re in love.

It’s fascinating to see how the modern scientific world is beginning to realize the profound nature of post-rational truth as well. Until the early 20th century, Newtonian physics was the universally accepted theory of physics; it was a logical and rational way of understanding the physical world. However, in the early 20th century, with the discovery of quantum mechanics, everything changed. Suddenly, logic

and reason broke down, and reality could no longer be explained with these intellectual tools alone. A post-rational science began to unfold. Now, scientists are attempting to bridge the gap and synthesize the rational with the post-rational.

Torah represents the post-rational experience. As the commentaries explain, when we received the Torah on Har Sinai, we all became prophets, experiencing a post-rational and transcendent connection with Hashem. Nevuah is not a rational and logical exercise; it transcends the human intellect. The Greeks did not believe in anything that transcends the human intellect and thus rejected the Torah, prophecy, and miracles. R’ Tzaddok of Lublin goes as far as to say that even if Aristotle had been at Matan Torah,

it does not even have a Megillah; it is completely of rabbinic origin.

Furthermore, it doesn’t even have a Mishnah; the only canonized source for Chanukah is a few Gemaras which mention Chanukah in an almost coincidental manner.

Why is this?

Chanukah represents the battle against the Greeks. The Greeks claimed that the only source of truth is the human intellect; nothing transcends human logic. The Jews not only showed that there is a transcendent source of truth, but took it one step further. When done appropriately, with humility and proper recognition of the Torah’s transcendent root, the limited human being can actually use his human intellect to participate in the creation of Torah. This is the unbeliev-

Where logic and human intellect ends Jewish wisdom begins.

the very next day he would have given 100 reasons why it was logically impossible and must therefore have been an illusion.

Connecting to the Infinite The ideal is for the physical wisdom of the Greeks and Yefes to be within the tent of Shem, for science and madda to be in harmony with Torah. The problem occurred only once the Greeks denied the existence of anything beyond their independent intellectual wisdom. This was the battle of Chanukah. The Greeks tried to destroy the Torah, which contradicted their ideology, and the Jews were forced to fight for their beliefs, to defend their spiritual connection with Hashem and the transcendent wisdom of Torah.

Rav Hutner, zt”l, explains that Chanukah is the chag of Torah Sheba’al Peh, the oral Torah. Chanukah is the one holiday with no source in Torah She’biksav. Unlike Purim,

able nature of Torah Sheba’al Peh: human beings are given the ability to participate and even create novel Torah ideas and insights. The greatest victory over the Greeks wasn’t to simply prove that transcendent Torah exists; it was to reveal that even the human intellect can connect to Torah, even limited human beings can connect to the infinite.

However, this human connection to the infinite, to the Torah, can only be undertaken when we recognize that everything comes from Hashem, when we source our limited human intellect back to its transcendent root. This is why hakaras ha’tov is so deeply linked to Chanukah. While literally translated as recognizing the good, hakaras ha’tov actually refers to one’s ability to recognize where things come from and source things back to their root. This explains why we place Al Ha’nissim in the bracha of Modim, the bracha of thanks and gratitude.

We are thanking Hashem, recognizing the source of our miracle.

According to the Maharal, this is also why Hashem performed the miracle of the oil after the miracle of the war. Our victory in battle didn’t include any open miracles; it was very easy to attribute our success to our military strength and superior strategy. Hashem therefore performed the miracle of the menorah in order to help everyone recognize that what may have seemed like a natural victory over the Greeks was, in fact, miraculous as well.

It’s hard to see the miraculous and spiritual within the natural and physical; Chanukah reminds us that it’s not only possible, but necessary.

The Greeks tried to spiritually destroy our Beis Ha’mikdash, the point of connection to the transcendent, where Hashem most intimately connects to this physical world.

After our victory on Chanukah, we reignited the flame of that spiritual building, and every year since, we must reignite that same flame within our own homes; we must inaugurate our own personal Beis Ha’mikdash every year.

Every day, we get to choose whether we’ll get stuck further into secular and Greek culture or if we’ll build our connection to the infinite, the transcendent, and carry the message of Chanukah deep within our hearts. Our life is like building a personal Beis Ha’mikdash, building an ever-deeper and ever-closer relationship with Hashem. It’s the result of every brick we lay down. Every day is like another brick, another opportunity to add to our eternal home, our eternal self, our eternal existence.

Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker, writer, and coach who has lectured internationally at shuls, conferences, and Jewish communities on topics of Jewish thought and Jewish medical ethics. He is the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy (ShmuelReichman.com), the transformative online course that is revolutionizing how we engage in self-development.

You can find more inspirational lectures, videos, and articles from Shmuel on his website, ShmuelReichman.com.

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World

Builders

Waking Up To a Fire Rescue

By Raphael Poch

O

n a recent Shabbat morning at 7:30 a.m., United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yitzchak Buchbot was at home asleep when he received an urgent alert from United Hatzalah’s Dispatch and Command Center. The dispatcher alerted him to a fire that had broken out in a nearby residential building with dozens of residents trapped inside the building.

The dedicated volunteer bolted out of his home, leaped onto his ambucycle, and sped to the location which was only three blocks from his own home. Due to his speedy ambucycle, he arrived in just three minutes and was the first medical responder at the scene. The fire department was also just pulling up, and firefighters were rushing into the 6-story building to evacuate the residents and extinguish the flames through the front door as well as via the upper stories by using a crane.

As Yitzchak was the first medical responder on the scene, he opened up a triage zone at a safe distance from the building to treat the evacuees.

The veteran EMT acted as the incident commander, directing additional arriving EMS personnel to specific roles. Some volunteers were stationed by the entrance of the building to im-

mediately escort the escapees to the triage area while others triaged the arriving people and provided oxygen to those suffering from smoke inhalation. The lower-floor residents managed to get out through the stairwell, while others needed to wait for the rescue crane’s arrival a few minutes later.

evacuees were transported to the hospital by ambulances that had begun to arrive and were waiting for the triaged patients to be sent their way. Yitzchak’s team provided vital reassurance and emotional support to the many men, women, and children, who had thankfully escaped the blaze – many of them still clad in pajamas

Another thing that really helps me persevere is when I meet a young boy or girl whom I have previously treated, and they smile at me and recount the story of how I helped them.

Everyone who was inside the building was checked for smoke inhalation as well as other incident-related health complications. Yitzchak’s team administered oxygen to eight people who were clearly suffering from smoke inhalation before the

and nightgowns.

The whole incident was over in an hour-and-a-half.

Reflecting on the intensity of the incident Buchbot said: “From the time I was a young boy I used to ride on ambulances. For me, every emer-

gency that occurs is its own world and has its own importance. I was always taught that I need to offer help to anyone that I can. That is how my father, who was also a first responder, raised me.”

Buchbot added that while there is an emotional toll, he always finds ways to cope and that it is entirely worth it to continue rescuing others.

“Whenever I come back from an emergency, I am usually on an emotional high knowing that I was able to help someone,” he said. “I am now a father of two young children, and I am teaching them the importance of helping others. Whenever there are calls that involve children in distress it takes me a little bit longer to get over those emotionally, but I explain to my own children what happened and I hug them and kiss them and that helps me get through the really tough ones.

“Another thing that really helps me persevere is when I meet a young boy or girl whom I have previously treated, and they smile at me and recount the story of how I helped them.

It puts a smile on both of our faces, and it is something that stays with me and gives me continual motivation.”

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DECEMBER29, 19,2015 2019| The | TheJewish JewishHome Home OCTOBER

Fields

DreamS of

North American Olim Produce Olive Oil in Israel's Galil

T

by Rivkah Lambert Adler

he Veffer and Weissman families live 12 miles apart but share two important commonalities: both families made aliyah from North America and both produce kosher, extra virgin olive oil in the Galil region of Israel.

Rabbi Shmuel and Chana Veffer originally made aliyah from Toronto in 1983.

Their six children were born in Jerusalem. After a lengthy shlichut back in Toronto, which included kiruv work with Aish HaTorah and inventing the original Kosher Lamp, the Veffers returned to Israel in 2009.

The couple, now empty nesters, resettled in Yavne’el, a small moshav just southwest of Tiveria. According to Shmuel, approximately 10% of the residents of Yavne’el are engaged in agricultural pursuits.

The Weissmans officially made aliyah in 2001, though both Ira and Tamar were in Israel studying for a few years before that. Last year, the couple, along with their seven children, ranging in age from 19 to three, purchased a piece of property on Moshav Sde Ilan in the lower Galil, halfway between Tiveria and Afula.

Olive Oil Origins

A chessed for a neighbor led the Veffers to a brand new business opportunity.

Shmuel Veffer explained, “About six years ago, one of the members of our shul asked me to help him harvest the 100-year-old olive orchard on our shul property.

It was an incredible experience and we have a video of that day on our website (galileegreen.com).

“After picking the olives, we drove down to Kibbutz Degania to have them pressed.”

Degania is the oldest kibbutz in Israel and is a short drive from the Veffers’ home in Yavne’el.

“That same night, we brought the olive oil back to our home, where the local rav came over to help us take terumah and ma’aser. We tasted the oil, and it was like nothing we had ever tasted before! That experience eventually led me to start up

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Tzvi Chachi Weissman with the first oil to emerge from the press

Ira, Shalva, Tzvi Chachi, Tziona, and Tamar Weissman posing with their tree-bashing bamboo sticks

Galilee Green with another neighbor.”

The Weissmans’ olive oil adventure started much more recently. In 2018, they relocated from Ma’ale Adumim, a community just east of Jerusalem, to Moshav Sde Ilan.

“We found this wonderful piece of property that was for sale,” Ira elaborated. “It’s on the edge of the moshav, facing open fields, and we really fell in love with it. The property is 50 dunams.

That’s about 12 ½ acres. And already existing on the land of the property that we bought were 10 dunum, or roughly 2 ½ acres, of olive trees.

“So, we had these trees, and we wanted to take care of them. Last year, when we first moved here, we realized that the olive trees were kind of abandoned. For the last 10 years or so, they had not been taken care of, so there

were basically no olives to harvest.

“We began rehabilitating the olive grove, and baruch Hashem, this year we had a very successful harvest. We managed to harvest about two tons of olives, which created about 460 kilograms of olive oil.”

In addition to olive oil production, the Weissmans have other agricultural projects in various stages of development.

On the portion of their land that isn’t their olive grove, they planted grass and clover, in anticipation of eventually raising sheep. They are starting with poultry.

Ira explains, “We just purchased six turkeys and two geese to begin building flocks. The goal is to basically grow free-range meat and poultry. We have fenced in the olive growth, so it

Chana Veffer in the Veffers’ olive grove

provides a very nice, big, open space for the birds to roam free and to forage natural forage. It’s a great, organic way to raise the poultry.”

From Branches to Bottles

“Producing top-quality, extra virgin olive oil is a labor-intensive and complex process,” Veffer explains.

On top of that, the Weissmans had the extra work of learning how to care for olive trees and bringing their grove back to life.

Ira elaborates, “Learning about taking care of olive trees and the harvest was really just a lot of speaking to people that live here. It’s very popular among the farm owners here to have olive groves and to process their own olive oil. So I did a lot of a lot of talking to the locals, to the original founders, to

older people here that have been doing it for generations, and I learned a ton from them.

“I’ve done a lot of the work myself.

But I had to hire someone to do a major pruning job last year to kind of begin the rehabilitation. I didn’t know what I was doing then, and I didn’t have enough equipment to handle it myself.

“A lot of it I wasn’t able to do it because I don’t yet have a tractor [which is] required for cutting down the massive amount of weeds that grew after the very plentiful winter last year. I did not want to spray any herbicides on my growth. There’s no chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides on our trees.

We really wanted to keep it organic.

When you don’t spray and you have a lot of rain, you get a lot of weeds. That was a big eye-opener, just how much

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The olive trees in the middle of a picturesque scene near the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley

you have to take care of that. A lot of the weeds were actually taller than the trees themselves, so there was a lot of work after the winter, clearing that up.

“I did a lot of the clearing of the shoots. In Hebrew, they call them chazirim, like pigs. But they’re a real pain.

They grow constantly around the base of a tree and they just suck the life out of the tree.”

Hebrew has a different word for each kind of harvest; the olive harvest is known as masik.

Weissman elaborates on their first masik, a process his wife Tamar documented in her Field of Dreams blog (fieldofdreams.co.il), all about the family’s adventures in farming.

“Once you have ripe fruit – and by ripe for oil production that means it’s a step beyond when olives would be ripe for picking for eating. Those would be a greener, less ripe stage, but when you’re making oil, you want the olives to be a little bit more ripe, so you get a sweeter oil. You let the sugars develop in the fruit.

“When you get to that stage, you spread out tarps underneath the tree, and then you use different methods of agitating the tree to let the fruit fall.

The most old-fashioned way to do it would be to kind of bang the tree with bamboo sticks, which is what we did.

“There are more mechanical ways to do it. There are devices that have motors that will spin real fast and kind of bang around the tree with rubber fingers. That’s for more commercial operations. But we did it the old-fashioned, manual way of spreading out tarps and banging the trees the sticks.”

For their first masik, the Weiss-

mans hired “an organization called HaYogev, which gives Bnot Sherut an opportunity to do agricultural work. So we had a team of, I’d say about 15 Bnot Sherut that did the masik with us, and it was a really wonderful partnership.”

Weissman continues, “Once the olives fall, you gather them up the in the middle of the tarp. And you usu-

ly as possible, within hours on the same day, in large quantities. That actually is hugely challenging.

“So, when we decided to do this as a business, the logical thing to do was to partner with someone who already knew how to do that well and understood the process and had the authority to produce the oil from the Ministry of

The key to making top-quality olive oil is to get them picked and harvested and pressed into oil as quickly as possible, ideally on the same day. ally have to pick it up with more than one person, because it’s pretty heavy; there’s a lot of fruit that falls from each tree. You spill out those olives into [a crate].

“And then those crates are dumped into what looks like a dumpster, which is later brought on a truck to the beit bahd (olive press) which is where the olive oil is produced.”

The Veffers outsource their harvest so they can focus on marketing. “The frenetic time of harvest – we’re in a very short amount of time. The trees have to be harvested, and there has to be a mashgiach involved. And you have to get truck drivers and pickers all harvesting, getting into the press as quick-

Health. We partnered with the original [olive oil] press where we went to in Kibbutz Degania Alef.

“Olive oil season is very short in Israel. The olives are ready to be harvested in late November, early December, in general. The key to making top-quality olive oil is to get them picked and harvested and pressed into oil as quickly as possible, ideally on the same day, which keeps the acidity level low and therefore produces a higher quality of oil.

“We worked out an arrangement whereby we came up with a particular blend of varieties of olives that we felt would give the flavor that would be most acceptable and likeable by the

average person that might not be an olive oil expert and may not have used top-quality olive oil ever in their lives and they would immediately like it. We came up with a formula for that.

“We left that hard agricultural work and logistical work to those in the kibbutz. And we took on the goal of bringing this amazing olive oil to people who love Israel around the world,” Veffer said.

Keeping it Kosher

One of the most important aspects of producing kosher olive oil in Israel is the mitzvah of orla which forbids using olives from a tree that’s less than three years old. Owners of olive groves in Israel hire kashrut supervisors to certify that the trees are more than three years old.

“But even more complicated than the [age of the] olive tree is that sprouts come off the tree from the branches and from the roots. If there are new sprouts coming out from the roots a little bit too far from the tree, they’re considered a new growth,” Veffer notes.

“That would be considered a new tree, and that has to be inspected and make sure that no fruits are being grown and harvested from there.

You need to get certification for that.

Ideally, you have a mashgiach in the field when the olives are being picked.

That mashgiach may also accompany the truck to the olive press to make sure that there hasn’t been any hanky panky, where olives from a different grove might have been added to the certified groves.

“Then you need to have another mashgiach at the olive press to make

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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sure that the machines have been washed out, so there is no olive oil [remaining in the press] that might have had some orla involved in it, before the run is done on your olive oil.”

The Weissmans also had a representative from the rabbanut come to their grove to check that their trees had no new shoots on which olives were growing.

“You actually can’t get a teudat kashrut if you have too many of them growing around your trees,” Weissman explains. “Those fruit would be orla and that would basically make the entire orchard not kosher because those fruit could easily mix in.”

The second issue connected to the kosher status of olive oil produced in Israel is “the beit bahd. Some batei bahd have hashgacha, some don’t. I went to one that had a mashgiach.

“The beit bahd that I went to was owned by Arabs, but they had one line that was kosher and one line that wasn’t. Basically, it means that all of the olives that have been dumped into that line have been inspected for orla.

And when the oil comes out, the mashgiach either takes terumah and ma’aser himself or he helps you do it,” Weissman says.

Selling Worldwide

The Veffers planned their olive oil production to be a commercial operation from the beginning. As Shmuel explained, “When we decided to set up Galilee Green, we wanted to make sure that we were offering a competitively priced product that’s top quality, that could compete with anything that purchasers could buy in any boutique olive oil shop anywhere in the world.

Although our shipping costs are higher, we work very hard to do that.”

At the same time, “our goal was to make it profitable from a capitalist point of view, from day one, giving a top quality product that would satisfy the consumers, and they would want to come back for more.”

His background in business management proved to be very helpful in establishing and running Galilee Green.

“What’s ironic, and really personally very meaningful for me, is that we’re in partnership with Israel’s first kibbutz, basically a communist, labor Zionist organization. And when I think

about that, it really strikes a chord because I am a student of Jewish history, of modern Israel as well, not just Biblical history.

“We are living the prophecy of the Land giving forth its fruits, when the Jewish people come back to the Land.

We are feeling that blessing, so we’re part of Biblical history.

“And we are in business with Kibbutz Degania, the very first kibbutz, as well in a very businesslike way, as

yield. “We don’t know enough people to give away that much oil, so we’re going to have to start selling it. We’re working on developing a label now.

Our idea is to find representatives in English-speaking communities around Israel and have them be our distributors locally. We hope it works. 460 kilograms is lot, but divided up over the whole country over a year, I think we’ll be able to sell that pretty successfully.

It actually is a really high-quality oil. It

"We want to bring the positive message and the blessing of Israel to the rest of the world." a hi-tech startup with an international website. We’re using Startup Nation technology to bring all of this blessing to people virtually around the world from New Zealand and Australia, Canada, Finland, the United Kingdom, all through Europe and North America, all the way to Alaska and Hawaii.”

He adds, “It’s really an amazing experience to be part of that. Our Galilee Green olive oil is extra virgin, first pressed and cold pressed olive oil with a very low acid content. It is some of the best olive oil in Israel, and some of the best olive oil in the world, to be used for making salads or dipping your challah in. It has unbelievable flavor.”

The Weissmans’ commercial aspirations are much more modest.

Nevertheless, they are planning to sell off most of their 460-kilogram

has a very full flavor; it’s nothing at all like what you buy in the supermarket,” he comments.

Olive Oil Nation Both families plan to use their own olive oil to light their Chanukah menorahs this season.

For the Weissmans, it will be their first time.

“We are going to use it, because it’s our oil and so it’s a big zechut to be able to use our oil to light our chanukiot.

People generally don’t use olive oil of this quality to light chanukiot. The oil that they sell in the supermarkets that they call olive oil for lighting on Chanukah is really low-quality stuff that you can’t even eat because it’s chemically removed from the olives.”

Veffer adds, “Many, many people,

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including ourselves, use our own oil to light the chanukiah. It’s hiddur mitzvah to use it for lighting. It’s expensive,” he notes, “but so is your etrog.”

Producing olive oil in the Land of Israel is a unique expression of ahavas ha’Eretz. Weissman describes it as “the obvious feeling of being connected to Eretz Yisrael in a deeper way, where instead of just living on the land, we’re relating to the earth itself and discovering what it needs and learning what we can give it and having that conversation with the actual land itself. It’s a much deeper kind of connection than most people get to experience.

“It’s something that we cherish very much and feel very blessed to be a part of.”

For the Veffers, their olive oil company was once swirled in political controversy.

“In November 2017, a group of anti-Semitic, pro-BDS people based in Ireland got together and started a worldwide campaign to try to destroy our business, particularly bringing our Facebook page down, with hundreds of anti-Semitic reviews, saying that we made our olive oil with the blood of Palestinian children. It was literally a blood libel. They tried to destroy us and crush us.

“And in response, there was a worldwide rally that came to our defense, to help support us and bought our olive oil. It was actually the best month we ever had in our history. It was just before Chanukah.

“Chazal tell us that the Jewish people are compared to the olive. The more you try to crush and destroy the olive, the result is pure, beautiful, olive oil, that has the capability to bring light to the world.”

He asserts, “We see that as our mission. We just don’t sell olive oil. We want to bring the positive message and the blessing of Israel to the rest of the world and create a relationship with the people, so they can understand that it’s not all horrifying missiles and terrorism.

“We send out a weekly newsletter with recipes and videos of beautiful spots around Israel, to let them understand what the real Israel is about, what the real blessing is that Israel and the Jewish people have to offer the world and to be the Light to the Nations.”

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Dating Dialogue

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

Dear Navidaters,

Jonny and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. We played together as toddlers, did after-school activities together in elementary school, briefly didn’t speak in middle school, and then rekindled our best friendship in high school. It has always been platonic. We have been together through other relationships, discussed dating other people, and have never been weird about our boy-girl relationship.

After high school Jonny got frummer – much frummer than me. He recently told me if I get a boyfriend or he gets a girlfriend, he wouldn’t think it would be appropriate for us to be friends anymore.

This made me panic. The idea of not being friends with someone so integrated into my life felt horrible. It started to make me think about my relationship with Jonny and why it feels like something I can’t part with. He’s one of the only people I feel completely comfortable with, with whom I can share things, and who gets me. When we are together, we are always laughing, we are always happy, and it’s just better than it is with other people.

Now I’m faced with this sort of ultimatum, and I realize the only way to keep him in my life is to date him. I can’t tell if that is something I actually want or if it’s just a last attempt to keep him around.

On the one hand, he is Jonny, my platonic childhood friend who is much frummer than me. On the other hand, he is someone I love deeply and cannot lose. These new feelings for him are creeping up, and I’m not sure how to navigate them. To top it off, he mentioned that he’s ready to get out there and date. The clock is ticking, and I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do: sit back and let this lifelong friendship expire or go out there and tell him how I feel?

Thanks, Danielle

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 | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. anielle, I am not sure this is an either/or situation. You both have yourselves, your relationship, and your individual growth to sort out. And this may take more than the two of you, even though you have been very open in your relationship until now.

Have the two of you discussed Jonny’s frumkeit journey openly?

Or just recently when he told you what he thought about your future relationship if either starts dating seriously? How recent is it? Do you understand his journey and have you shared some of it?

Does Jonny have a mentor that

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he discussed this with as well? Does he have a spiritual guide, mashpia?

Do you know who that person is and is he a healthy, responsible adult? Is he someone you can talk to as well?

You clearly expressed your conflicted feelings about him in your letter. You feel like there is an ultimatum, and you are asking yourself if your feelings are those of desperation or impending loss. You are being open and want guidance about your dilemma. But you faced it yourself head-on. That shows maturity.

My guess is that he, too, is open to exploring your relationship as a couple before going out there into the dating world. So bite the bullet.

Open up and talk to him directly and honestly about your reaction to his comment, your openness to considering dating each other, and

his religious journey. You may need help to clarify your own feelings and fears of losing him, fears of frumkeit, and fear of the future. So go get some help and/or meet with his mentor as well. Sort out your feelings; don’t be scared by them. And respond with honesty.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond ou seem to be a very emotionally aware person who cherishes deep relationships and friendships.

Jonny seems to be your closest friend, and I am sure it is just as hard for him as it is for you to part ways. By the looks of it, he is already

Bottle up your friendship with Jonny, preserve it as a positive memory, and sail it out to sea.

Y

trying to drop the hint gently that he finds your friendship inappropriate for his place in life and religious observance. This is definitely causing

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him inner turmoil.

Hear this loud and clear: just because splitting apart is hard for the two of you, does not mean it’s the wrong thing to do – quite the contrary. Many things in life that are ultimately right feel wrong at the beginning. It’s human nature to feel pain when someone close to us is suddenly gone, especially if it is by choice. It will feel like rubbing alcohol on a wound at first but you will heal and go out into the world and find a man who is well-suited for you in life stage and religiosity as well as in chemistry and personality.

Hollywood and the world atlarge is filled with close friendships unfocused on compatibility who become marriage partners who then become angry ex-spouses. Had the two accepted their friendship for what it was at the time, realistically assessed their different places in life, and moved on, it would still have remained a positive distant memory with positive feelings surrounding it. They would both have moved on to find someone practically much more well-suited for each other in their current place in life.

Being realistic rather than emotional would have saved this couple from years of anguish in a marriage where the two were in different places and incompatible.

Staying together because you are close friends and confidants but at such different places in religious observance is naive and will leave you feeling like you are trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

Every life decision will become an argument based on your core differences.

It is for this reason that I recommend that you bottle up your friendship with Jonny, preserve it as a positive memory, and sail it out to sea. Say goodbye. Develop strong friendships with your girlfriends and family; go on a vacation with those close to you. Let the wound heal, and when you are personally ready to date, find religiously-compatible, like-minded suitors to go out with.

One more piece of advice: put on the song, “Unanswered Prayers”

by Garth Brooks as well as read the lyrics. It will help you through the

healing stage, and hopefully help you see the big picture. Rooting for you!

The Single Rena Friedman anielle, I can identify with what you are going through as I also grew up with close guy friends. It sounds to me like you and Jonny had the typical Modern Orthodox Jewish day school friendship. It now boils down to this: how do we navigate these relationships post-high school when one party becomes frummer than the other? We form relationships that serve different purposes at different points in our lives. There are relationships for a reason, a season, or a circumstance, ones that flourish and grow strong and others that come to an end when they are no longer needed.

Your relationship with Jonny served its purpose, getting you both through a variety of times, but it seems as though now it needs to be reevaluated. Let’s take a moment to just be raw and real. You need to think good and hard about what you are looking for in terms of a relationship and a boyfriend right now.

I’ve been dating for some time now and this entire process is a lot easier when you are honest with yourself about who you are and what you need. The longer it takes you to get to that point of trusting in yourself and in Hashem, the harder it will be to find your bashert because you are going to waste your time with the wrong people.

You have two options here: 1. Do not say anything to Jonny. He will start dating and your friendship will end; 2. Tell Jonny how you feel and see what he says. He can say that he doesn’t want to try it and your friendship will end or he can say he is willing to try it and you can see where it goes.

But really, Danielle, this ultimatum is in your head because you have no idea how Jonny feels.

To be honest, Jonny is onto something. There is absolutely no room for male/female close relationships

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in a marriage no matter how frum the couple is. The friendship was destined to get to this place at some point. The thought of this might seem impossible or unbearable to you in this very moment and that is okay. Do yourself a favor and be prepared. Have a close friend to text when you feel the need to reach out to Jonny and find a replacement activity to fill the time you would have spent with him.

Allow yourself the space and time to mourn the loss of Jonny and the relationship. You are mourning the loss of a person who was an integral part of your life. It is okay to be sad and cry and be mad. Give yourself the space and time that you need to come back from this.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler his is a tough dilemma.

If Jonny’s feelings mirror yours, I can only imagine how painful it must be for both of you to contemplate a life apart from each other, after being so close for so long.

Two Scenarios Everyone my age can remember boy/girl best friends through high school, who went on to marry each other, and have wonderful lives together. And everyone my age can remember boy/girl best friends through high school, who went on to marry other individuals, and have wonderful lives separate from each other.

Which scenario would be best for you is very difficult to answer.

The Problem I assume that by “frummer,” you mean being more strictly observant.

A husband and wife who are positioned very differently on Judaism’s religious spectrum is an irreconcilable impediment to a successful marriage. It is far different than an avid Republican marrying an avid Democrat or a passionate Yankee fan marrying a passionate Mets fan.

Couples can have different opinions and spend an entire, very happy lifetime disagreeing about various issues, however, disagreements about

T

There is absolutely no room for male/ female close relationships in a marriage no matter how frum the couple is.

religious observance is huge, and not compatible with being happy with each other or raising children successfully.

A Possibility There is one possibility for salvaging this relationship, but I do not know if it is practical. Can you commit yourself to a “frummer” more strictly observant life? This would definitely be extraordinarily difficult for you. HOWEVER, the big red flag here, is that you cannot decide to become “frummer” merely to please Jonny. Such an artificial dedication might succeed in the short term, but, in the long term would lead to bitterness, acrimony, and a catastrophic marriage.

I suggest you speak to girlfriends, teachers, or rabbis and find out just what such a lifestyle change would mean for you. You might find that being more strictly religious is a lifestyle that you wish to sincerely and happily embrace, whether with or without your old friend Jonny. If so, then welcome aboard. You may wish to call Jonny and say that you are interested in getting more information about what it would mean to be “frummer.” Perhaps he will suggest going to lectures, reading books, or attending some weekend conferences together.

Regardless, it would, undoubtedly, be very healthy for you to seek new, fresh friendships with different men and women. Remember that some adolescent friendships remain distant, fond, past memories, while others bloom into happy matrimony.

Good luck with whichever path you follow.

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

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hank you for writing in. I’m so glad you did. I understand your situation, and I have seen it played out in my office many, many times over. As other panelists have alluded to, sometimes situations like yours “work” and sometimes they don’t. There is no way for anyone to tell you whether or not a romantic relationship would be you trying to save your friendship and end in disaster, or you landing in the arms of your bashert, Jonny, who Hashem put into your life as a toddler. How could anyone know this? How could anyone tell you what to do? Danielle, my heart goes out to you. Jonny is your best friend, and you are on the brink of losing him.

Let’s try to break this down. All I can do in this capacity is offer you food for thought and areas for exploration.

1. The Reality of Religious Differences - Couples do not have to be on the exact same page hashkafically, in my opinion, but when their differences are so great, it can breed resentment and even contempt. We aren’t talking about a preference for chocolate or vanilla. We are talking about matters of lifestyle, hair covering, skirts, schools, TV, entertainment, clothing and dress, talk around the Shabbos table, vacationing, and ultimately, the ability (or inability) to connect deeply through the life choices you have made together – the beautiful, fundamental feelings and overall knowledge that you and your partner are on the same page, working toward similar life goals. This is HUGE. HUGE. HUGE. Changing for someone else, in any important capacity, often doesn’t work out well.

Could your solid friendship and mutual respect see you through this? All anyone can say is maybe. Are you willing to get married on a “maybe?” Religious and spiritual compatibility is part of the foundation of a good marriage.

2. Time Crunch – I am feeling how

t i m e sensitive this is.

I am imagining you in a pressure cooker.

Good decisions are hard to make in a pressure cooker. You (the general you) cannot enter a relationship feeling like there is a gun to your head. And so I ask you to ask yourself, Had Jonny not told me he is ready to date and that our relationship will be inappropriate once he is seeing someone, would I ever have thought of Jonny in the romantic sense? Have I ever thought of him as boyfriend/husband material?

3. Seasonal Friendships – Some friendships are lifetime friendships.

And for reasons that are unearthly and unexplainable, they stand the test of time. One of my best friends is far frummer than I am, moved to Israel 11 years ago, and in certain ways we couldn’t be more different. But we speak at least once a week. Why did this friendship stand the test of time and others with whom I have been very close with could not? Circumstances far greater than any of us can explain this phenomenon.

4. A Gut-Wrenching, StrippedDown Conversation – Unless I missed it, or you didn’t share it, I really suggest you and Jonny having an incredible heart-to-heart; one in which you are completely vulnerable; dropping your guard...sharing all your thoughts with him. If you’re considering becoming frummer to date him...tell him. If you’re scared of losing him...tell him.

If you want to be friends with him when he is seeing someone...tell him.

Best friends tell each other everything.

When you have bared your soul to him, it will be your turn to listen. To really listen to what Jonny wants.

5. Best Case Scenarios – You and Jonny realize that there is a deep love between the two of you and want to

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

explore the possibility of a romantic connection.

There will need to be an incredible amount of patience and compromise.

The two of you absolutely cannot date for a short period of time. As my wise friend Sharon says, “Four seasons.” You will need to experience each other in many different scenarios to see how you feel. And please, please, do not ignore how you feel. This relationship will need time to reveal itself and evolve, and it absolutely cannot be racing against the clock.

You and Jonny may not be able to remain in each other’s lives. You know this. Some people, religious or otherwise, do not feel comfortable having friendships with members of the opposite sex once they are in a serious relationship or married. There is a school of thought (which I’m sure you’ve heard of) that believes men and women cannot be platonic friends. And having a friend of the opposite sex often makes one’s spouse very uncomfortable, and we need to honor this. If a man is getting his emotional needs met elsewhere, it is very threatening to his wife and their marriage. This is not to say anyone has any ill intent. It is just often a recipe for disaster. And instead of putting oneself in this situation, people often protect their marriages by choosing to not have these friendships. If this is the case, please know in your heart that letting Jonny go is the truest act of friendship you can offer.

Danielle, losing a lifelong friendship is nothing short of heartbreak.

If this happens, please be prepared

that you will go through an incredible mourning period that comes naturally after loss. And losing Jonny would be an incredible loss for you. If this does happen, please surround yourself with supportive friends and family and take care of yourself.

If you and Jonny do arrive at this decision, to let each other go, my suggestion is to take him out of your phone, to delete him from your social media and not to ask friends about him.

Any of the above will only torture you.

What can I say – if you and Jonny are meant to be you will be. And if you aren’t, you must let each other go so that you can both move on with your lives.

And if you and Jonny aren’t meant to be, my hope and belief is that you will find someone absolutely incredible and experience friendship, love, deep connection and a shared vision of your life together.

Sending you warm thoughts as you enter this new phase of your life; whatever it may be.

All the best, Jennifer Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 516-224-7779, ext.

2. 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.

Hi Readers!

Receiving your enthusiastic emails wanting to participate in the Reader’s Respond section has been wonderful! Just a reminder about how Reader Response works. Email thenavidaters@gmail. com with the subject line “Reader Response.” We will then ask you, in the order we receive your email, if you would like to respond to the coming week’s email. If you would like to respond to an already printed Navidaters Panel, please submit your answer to the editor at editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com. You can also join us on our FB page @thenavidaters on Sunday evenings to post your response to the week’s column. Interacting with you has been a pleasure! Thank you for all of your feedback.

Jennifer

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Dr. Deb

Is It Bad to Self-Soothe?

By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

F

or many years, I would light my Shabbos candles, and inevitably, I would emit a horrified gasp realizing that I’d forgotten something major like leaving the light on in the bathroom or taking something out of the freezer that we were supposed to eat.

This brought on torrents of self-recrimination: “Why are you so stupid?” “Can’t you figure this out?” and so forth. Obviously, going into Shabbos being angry and reproachful to myself did not do me any good.

It certainly didn’t do my family good if I allowed myself to brood over it at the table.

Then, one day, as I remembered too late, once again, that I’d forgotten something important, I looked at my beautiful, glowing candles, and with that lightbulb-moment awareness that only happens, almost magically, on rare occasions, I thought, “Only G-d is perfect.” A sense of peace settled on me. I knew I would figure out a work-around for the mistake I’d made and it wouldn’t be so terrible.

It wasn’t. Shabbos was nice. Everything changed because of that one thought.

It was an honest, realistic, grounded thought. It was also powerful precisely because it is true while opening up the possibilities of being human and making mistakes – and accepting myself in spite of them. I never called myself “stupid” after that.

It’s an example of self-soothing.

In fact, we might say that all of tefillah is self-soothing because it reminds us that Someone is in charge and that we don’t need to worry if we put ourselves in His Hands. Taking a careful look at our mesorah, there’s a lot of self-soothing in it: sitting shiva; having the chance at redemption come Yom Kippur; certainly Tehillim; and breaking the fast after Tisha B’Av come to mind.

So self-soothing in and of itself can’t be bad. It’s built into our way of life, just as reaching out in kindness to others is a fundamental part of our yesod. In fact, the dictum im ayn ani li mi li captures it best.

On the other hand, it’s a disaster when it destroys us. Addictions, compulsions, cutting, rage, methods of escape on a regular basis (YouTube, for instance) destroy our brain functioning, our longevity, our relationships,

and, ultimately, our neshamos.

That’s the simple test for whether something you engage in is a useful and healthy form of self-soothing or not.

As an extreme example, someone choosing to daven all day long to “ward off evil things” is not actually self-soothing. The simple test just described shows that the person doing it doesn’t feel better for having done it. They feel relieved – but not better – only while doing it. Feeling relieved is not self-soothing. It’s a compulsion.

Two articles ago, I said I would share two alternatives to medication that work to rewire the brain for people with anger issues, and the second item on the list was self-soothing.

How Does Self-Soothing Rewire the Brain?

There is a concept that sports fans are familiar with: use it or lose it. This one applies very well to the brain. There are rules by which the brain prunes (cuts back) neural pathways that are not used. By the same token, pathways that are often used are stronger, which means they fire more quickly. This ability of the brain

to build itself in a way that works for us is called neuroplasticity.

What doesn’t work is to say to yourself, “I won’t think about how horrible things are.” The reason this doesn’t accomplish anything is that our brain is a network. The concept “I won’t think about” will immediately link up to the “how horrible things are” which is the part of that that you absolutely didn’t want.

There are then two ways left to think positively. One is to not think negatively, and the other is to replace what used to be negative thoughts with positive ones. Both ways work.

The first way is to simply not think, to clear your mind completely of any random thoughts. This is exactly what we are supposed to do when we’re davening! Not so easy, but it is the goal. In clearing the mind, something amazing happens. The activity of the cortex – the thinking part of the brain – of course will diminish. But this allows for the rest of the brain to respond to that reduction in cortical activity.

And here’s the brilliant part: previously, the emotional brain, the limbic system, was sending “fire alarms”

(as Bessel van der Kolk likes to call them) to the cortex “telling it” there are serious problems. But now, with the cortex quiet, the fire alarm calms itself and stops reverberating; it, too, gets quiet.

The result, due to the concept of pruning and strengthening pathways, is that the “alarm” pathway drops out and the new, quiet, pathway becomes strengthened. This is how meditation works and why.

Researchers have also found that those who practice quietening the brain in this way show more coherence of their brainwaves. This means that there are much fewer instances of waves that are randomly not flowing the same way as the majority of the waves. Coherent brain waves mean our thinking is organized; we don’t feel so “scattered.”

In addition, meditators have a predominance of alpha waves. Why is this useful? It turns out that alpha waves mean the brain is suppressing “irrelevant or distracting” informa-

tion (Frontiers in Psychology, July 2011). What the researchers are saying is that for us to focus properly on a task or idea, we need to exclude other thoughts that might come to awareness. As the article says, “The

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Another interesting piece of the brain puzzle is that gamma waves are part of information processing – the highest level of brain function. Now, a 2015 study reports preliminary work on meditation showing that gamma

itation session when anger was induced in novice meditators. Subjects, in fact, were completely relaxed even when anger was attempted to be re-induced. (Consciousness and Cognition).

Of course, there are bumps in the road. If someone who finds himself or herself angry often wants to reduce that anger with meditation, it could be very frustrating to want to clear one’s head of thoughts and just not be able to. Learning how to do this is a big uphill battle for many people. But there are ways around the problem that clinicians have figured out – and I would be happy to help you with this.

In another article, I will also get to the second way of self-soothing, how – exactly – to put positive thoughts in place instead of negative ones.

In clearing the mind, something amazing happens.

ability to selectively attend to a specific subset of one’s sensory realm is at the root of human cognition and negotiation of one’s environment.”

Meditating, therefore, increases focus on what we want to focus on and decreases the annoying, troublesome thoughts that get in the way.

waves may assist the “un-learning of habitual conditioning and mental patterns.” The certainly could apply to anger – if the well-known stress-reduction benefits of meditation were not sufficient.

Even better, a 2016 study showed that anger was gone in just one med-

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

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Health & F tness

Staying Healthy Even with Eight Days of Doughnuts

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

T

hrough tradition, Chanukah has become the holiday during which we eat fried foods, such as latkes, doughnuts, and pretty much just about anything that has any connection to oil. The miracle of Chanukah signifies the small flask of oil that burned for eight days instead of just one. Thus, using oil in our food has become an important part of Chanukah celebrations.

People justify gaining weight and eating saturated fat over Chanukah because of the holiday’s relation to oil. However, in reality, if we want to perfectly emulate the events that transpired, we have to look deeper into the facts. The oil that was used for the Menorah was not canola oil or vegetable oil. The oil used was pure olive oil, also known as shemen zayis zach. With that being said, in order to truly emulate the mitzvah of lighting the menorah, rather than deep-frying foods, we should use extra olive oil in our dishes.

Not only is the origin of the tradition with olive oil, olive oil is also heart-healthy. It is a staple in many diets, specifically the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. What makes olive oil so good for the heart?

Olive oil is considered a monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease and stroke when used as a substitute for saturated fats.

Not only do monounsaturated fats indirectly lower your LDL or “bad” cholesterol simply by replacing saturated fats in your diet, research has shown

that monounsaturated fats help increase your levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fats also contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory agents and contribute to brain function. Additionally, oleocanthal is a type of phenolic compound found in olive oil. Laboratory experiments have shown that oleocanthal helps rid the brain of the abnormal Alzheimer’s disease proteins. Even more so, the oleocanthal compounds found in ol-

to commemorate the Chanukah miracle. You can also serve warm bread dipped in olive oil as an appetizer, since olive oil is also known as an appetite suppressor.

This all sounds good in theory, but I know only a handful of my readers will actually fall for this trick and skip the traditional latkes and doughnuts on Chanukah. And so, let’s discuss some healthier versions of the traditional latkes served on Chanukah.

For the real deal, potato latkes: to

Simply add olive oil to your favorite dish or salad to commemorate the Chanukah miracle.

ive oil are also believed to decrease the risk of breast cancer, specifically.

Additionally, the antioxidants in olive oil, particularly Vitamin E, has also been shown to ward off other types of cancers.

Now that we know how healthy olive oil is we can try to “modify” what has become our Chanukah tradition.

Instead of indulging in latkes and doughnuts this Chanukah, simply add olive oil to your favorite dish or salad

make you feel less guilty about eating potato latkes, keep in mind that when potatoes are fried, their dietary fiber content actually increases. Additionally, since frying takes place at such a high temperature and occurs pretty quickly, the vitamins stay within the food, as opposed to other cooking methods. When you do fry your foods, the healthiest oils to use are coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.

Next, instead of using potatoes

for your latkes, try substituting them for a vegetable with more nutritional value such as zucchinis, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower. If you want to go even healthier, bake your latkes instead of frying them. You’ll still be getting the taste and look of latkes; they’ll just be a lot healthier.

A great healthy way to make latkes is to shred the vegetable of your choice; I suggest zucchinis. If you are using zucchinis, let them sit for 15 minutes and then drain out all the liquid. Mix the shredded zucchinis with egg whites (1 egg white per 2 zucchinis, or for desired consistency).

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray a parchment paper-lined pan with olive oil PAM. Form a pancake and lay it on the parchment paper. Bake the latkes on 400°F until golden brown. You’ll be amazed at just how delicious they can be. And, you’ll still be fulfilling the “mitzvah” of eating oil!

Check us out on Instagram EatBetterandFeelBetter, and stay tuned for Chanukah specials on private consultations!

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 located in Brooklyn and the Five Towns. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Perfect Sugar Cookies

BY GOLDIE SEBROW Each ms to holiday see d ds associate o fo s it e v a h and h doughnuts it w g n lo A . with it sure to kah, you’re u n a h C n s. o latkes ukah cookie n a h C f o t n rtme d to find an asso cookies ten n re d il h c h g wit mayWhen bakin neven (and u d n a n e p issha hh!). look a bit m urself, shhh o y it d e k a ou b on be even if y tep tutorial -s y -b p te s , ick r Here’s a qu y even suga tl c fe r e p e th how to bake decog with some n lo a , ie k o co y s well. Happ rating tips a baking!

Basic Sugar Cookie INGREDIENTS • 2 sticks margarine • 1 cup sugar • 1 egg • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 3 cups flour PREPARATION Cream margarine and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, then add the flour. Roll out dough and cut to desired shape. Bake at 350°F until golden, around 12-14 minutes.

Baking Tips 1.

Place a piece of parchment on your counter and manually flatten the dough on the paper.

2. Top the dough with another sheet of parchment paper and roll out the dough using a rolling pin with measured sides (such as the Joseph Joseph rolling pin as pictured). Discard top sheet of parchment paper.

3. Cut out the cookies using desired cookie cutter.

4. Peel away the excess dough and leave the cookies on the parchment paper. This way, they don’t become misshapen.

5. Use the remaining dough to roll out additional cookies.

6. To decorate: either sprinkle colored sugar or sprinkles on raw cookies or dip halfway in chocolate and sprinkles once baked.

Goldie Sebrow of Iced by Goldie creates custom chocolates and desserts under the Vaad Hakashrus of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. She also gives dessert classes and “iced” competitions at your party or event! She can be reached at 917-435-9076, on Instagram @icedbygoldie, or on the web at www.icedbygoldie.design.

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

In The K

tchen

Lemon Meringue Pie Doughnuts Pareve • Yields 12 doughnuts

By Naomi Nachman

Doughnuts

Lemon Curd Filling

Ingredients

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried yeast ¼ cup warm water ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided ¾ cup soy milk 6 tablespoons canola oil 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4 cups unbleached flour 5 cups vegetable or canola oil, for frying Powdered sugar, for dusting

3 eggs ¾ cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest ¾ cup sugar ½ cup oil

Preparation

PHOTO BY MIRIAM PASCAL

I started a culinary program at Camp Dina in 2007 when all my girls were in the camp. The most popular dessert class by far was making doughnuts. Thanks go to my friend Esther Mendelovitz for the lemon meringue filling, but you can use your imagination to create your own masterpiece. I’ve used pulled brisket, Oreos, dulce de leche, jam, pie filling, etc. This doughnut dough is easy to make and is so perfect for Chanukah.

Sprinkle yeast over warm water; sprinkle in 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

Blend soy milk, yeast mixture, remaining sugar, oil, eggs, and salt with 2 cups flour. Gradually add remaining flour to make smooth, soft dough. Cover; let rise for 1½ hours.

Punch dough down; let it rest for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness.

Using an upside-down glass or cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, about 2-3 inches in diameter. Place on a floured surface; let rise again for ½ hour.

Heat oil in a large pan until oil reaches 360°F. Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil. Keep oil at constant temperature; fry only 3-4 at a time, turning the doughnuts once, about 1½ minutes per side.

When doughnuts have cooled, fill with lemon curd and top with choice of toppings, below.

Preparation Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, whisking all ingredients together.

Once combined, turn heat to medium low (don’t rush it or the texture will be ruined). Continue to whisk continuously for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens and curd reaches a temperature of 180°F. Remove from heat. Place pan into an ice bath, continuing to whisk until mixture has cooled.

Use an injector or piping bag to fill doughnuts with lemon curd.

Topping Ingredients Marshmallow fluff Crushed graham crackers

Preparation In a microwave-safe bowl, melt marshmallow fluff for a few seconds, until soft enough to spread.

Spread softened marshmallow fluff over doughnuts, then top with graham crackers.

For nicest presentation, use a torch or broiler to brown the top of the doughnut before serving.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

President Trump has sold out for a temporary and unreliable promise from China to purchase some soybeans.

Once again, President Trump cannot be relied upon to the do the right thing for American workers and businesses.

– Tweet by Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mischaracterizing phase one of a new trade agreement with China, moments after the deal was announced

Chuck Schumer sat for years during the Obama Administration and watched as China ripped off the United States.

He & the Do Nothing Democrats did NOTHING as this $ carnage took place.

Now, without even seeing it, he snipes at our GREAT new deal with China. Too bad Cryin’ Chuck!

- President Trump’s tweet in response

You have political arguments. You have historical arguments.

You have a bunch of arguments to recognize that Jerusalem is your capital. So we’re not going to do something extraordinary.

We’re doing a normal thing to recognize your capital… We do believe that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, and whoever curses Israel will be cursed.

– At the opening of Brazil’s trade office in Jerusalem, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a senior lawmaker and the son of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, reiterating his government’s pledge to relocate the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem soon

If we do not move the embassy to Jerusalem, if the terrorists think that they can threaten us, it will be a shame on us. If you want to avoid a terrorist attack, you have to show power.

-Ibid., relating what his father told him about sticking by the decision to move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem

It is important for political leaders to try and remind themselves that you are there to do a job, but you are not there for life, you are not there in order to prop up your own sense of selfimportance or your own power. If you look at the world and look at the problems, it’s usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way.

- Former President Barack Obama during an Obama Foundation leadership conference in Malaysia last week

Greta famously sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on a boat with no kitchen, no showers, and no toilets. And anyone who’s ever been on a Carnival cruise was like, “Hey, I did that. Where is my award?’”

— Jimmy Fallon

Time magazine today unveiled their Person of the Year for 2019 and that person is Greta Thunberg, the 16-yearold activist, the youngest woman, youngest human ever to be named Person of the Year. And to honor this young woman who’s dedicated her life thus far to saving the environment, Time will cut down thousands of trees to print 2 million copies of the magazine.

— Jimmy Kimmel

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

27

Trials have witnesses! That’s what trials are all about.

- Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling for his list of witnesses to be allowed to testify at a Senate impeachment trial

By any ordinary legal standard, what House Democrats have assembled appears to be woefully, woefully inadequate to prove what they want to allege. So now the Senate Democratic leader would apparently like our chamber to do House Democrats’ homework for them.

– Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) replying to Schumer

Defining Jews as a “race” is just as much of a problem. Jews come from many ethnic backgrounds: Yemenite, Ethiopian, Russian, Moroccan, and Swedish Jews are hard to pin down as a distinctive ethnic group. Hitler saw Jews as a race, but that is no reason to follow his example.

– Ian Buruma, Project-Syndicate, criticizing President Trump’s historical executive order against anti-Semitism, in an article titled, “Trump’s Racist Ban on Anti-Semitism”

People usually forget cellphones, small change, but this sort of sum?

- Israeli taxi driver Moshe Barkat talking to Israeli TV after he found $60,000 in cash in his taxi and returned it to the elderly female passenger to whom it belonged

I am a man of faith. The money isn’t mine, and I returned it wholeheartedly.

-Ibid.

And the order’s creation of special status for Jews, but not other religious minorities, follows Mr. Trump’s habit of welcoming some demographic groups into the rights and protections of American identity and excluding others.

- Max Fisher, The New York Times, criticizing President Trump’s historical executive order against anti-Semitism, in an article titled, “In Era of Hardening Identities, Trump Order on Jews Kindles Questions Old and New”

It’s a strange language. I speak Hebrew pretty well, and I speak English also pretty well, I would think, but there was no… It was very difficult for me; it wasn’t like learning another language. It was essentially like learning gibberish. I could not tell what words meant… I had to just memorize it basically by sound because I’d have, like, two words to say in English, and it would turn into, like, three sentences in Yiddish and I was like I don’t even understand the one-to-one ratio of this stuff, but I did my best.

– Actor Seth Rogan in an interview with the New York Jewish Week about his role as a Yiddishspeaking character in a new movie

This was about creating an opportunity. We created that opportunity. It was a unique opportunity, a credible opportunity, and he chose not to take it. I understand that. We’ve moved on.

- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell telling reporters that the NFL is done with Colin Kaepernick, after he backed out of an NFL workout at the last minute last month

Look what happens when the Labour Party moves so, so far to the left. It comes up with ideas that are not able to be contained within a rational basis quickly. You’re also going to see people saying, my G-d, Boris Johnson, who is kind of a physical and emotional clone of the president, is able to win.

- 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden, pointing to Britain as a harbinger of what may happen in the United States if the Democrats lurch too far to the left

My grandparents spoke Yiddish. They called it “Jewish.”

– Ibid.

Fresh evidence has also emerged of attempts by the Kremlin to infiltrate the Conservatives by a senior Russian diplomat suspected of espionage, who spent five years in London cultivating leading Tories including Johnson himself.

- The left-wing UK Guardian – following a now familiar script – the morning after the resounding Conservative victory in Britain, in an article titled, “PM accused of cover-up over report on Russian meddling in UK politics”

We’re always finishing each other’s sentences and making each other laugh.

- Barry Holmes, 71, and Leslie Holmes, 72, who have been dubbed Britain’s happiest couple and who only had one major argument in their 50 years of marriage, talking about the key to their longlasting and happy marriage

MORE QUOTES

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DECEMBER29, 19,2015 2019| The | TheJewish JewishHome Home OCTOBER

I wouldn’t miss class for a broken bone.

- 85-year-old Sharon Bradley, of Texas, who hasn’t been absent in the past 26 years as a high school science teacher, in an interview with CBS News

I think the more positive you are, the healthier you are, OK, the more fun you have in life.

- Ibid.

An attack that left six people dead, including the two suspected shooters, has shaken a historically black neighborhood where an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community recently has taken root.

– Asinine tweet by The Wall Street Journal after the Jersey City attack

This is heartbreaking. White supremacy kills.

- Tweet by Jew-hater Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) after two black “Hebrew Israelites” murdered two Jews, a police officer, and a Hispanic store worker in Jersey City

There is something deeply sinister about Trump pardoning Charles Manson, even posthumously. Dog whistles of the very worst possible kind.

- Tweet by 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, who apparently got duped by a fake news article which claimed that President Trump had pardoned dead cult leader Charles Manson

4

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

131

Political Crossfire

Wage Stagnation Myth and Reality

By Robert J. Samuelson

O

ne of the perplexing economic questions these days is why wage growth has been so slow despite the longest economic expansion in U.S. history (now in its 11th year).

By conventional wisdom, tight labor markets should be raising wages much faster than is occurring. The logic is simple. With low unemployment, workers can quit their jobs and find something better. Companies have to boost wages to attract new workers or keep the ones they’ve got.

This is Economics 101.

The trouble is that Econ 101 isn’t behaving as expected. Corrected for inflation, average hourly earnings in November were up a meager 1.1% from the previous November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Moreover, wage growth has decelerated recently. “What puzzles me most… is the slowdown in the last couple of months,” says Elise Gould of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank.

Wages are crucial to the economic outlook because they fuel consumer spending, which is about 70% of the economy (gross domestic product).

If weak wages curb Americans’ shopping, the economy could slow further or even fall into a recession, which is usually defined as two consecutive quarters of GDP decline. The political implications for President Trump and his rivals are obvious.

What gives? There are many theories. Unfortunately, most have serious shortcomings.

Let’s start with the Phillips Curve.

Named after its discoverer – economist A.W. Phillips – it holds that as unemployment declines, wage gains rise. You will hear it said that the Phillips Curve has straightened out; wages don’t rise with falling unemployment. But this is not an explanation. It’s simply a way of describing the basic problem: the disconnect of wages from unemployment.

It’s also worth noting that the death of the Phillips Curve has been greatly exaggerated. If you look at the underlying wage data, you discover that, as the U.S. economy recovered from the Great Recession of 200709, wages did pick up as the Phillips Curve predicted. To simplify slightly: When unemployment was high, wage growth declined almost to 1% annu-

ally; as the recovery strengthened, wage growth improved to about 3% now.

But the figures I’ve just given you are “nominal” – that is, they don’t correct for inflation. When you make the correction, the Phillips Curve does flatten out. The annual gains are small.

So the question remains: Why are wage gains so weak when unemployment (3.5% in November) is so low?

My favorite theory is the hangover from the Great Recession. The economic collapse was so sudden and so frightening (monthly unemployment reached 10%) that it changed the way workers and employers thought and behaved. Workers cared less about the last pennies on their paycheck and more about keeping their jobs.

They were willing to make sacrifices on wages.

Meanwhile, employers were also more cautious. They resisted big raises that would make them more vulnerable in the next recession.

Sounds plausible. Unfortunately, it’s not entirely consistent with some other facts. If people worry more about job security, you would expect

there to be fewer job quits. But that didn’t happen. Quits and hires did drop when the economy was weak, according to another BLS survey, but recovered when the economy revived.

Another theory is that the growing costs of employer-paid health insurance have squeezed take-home pay, because employers regard medical benefits as a substitute for pay. Economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s Analytics says this is probably occurring but is too small to explain the current behavior of the Phillips Curve.

A more likely candidate would be people in the “prime labor force” – generally considered to be those between 25 and 54 – who don’t now have jobs. The employment-to-population ratio of this group is 80.3%, about the level it was in 2007 but lower than in 2000. These people represent a potential new source of labor supply that could be holding down wages, says EPI’s Gould.

The most truthful answer to nearly all of these questions is: We don’t know. We do know that wage growth matters, even if some of its mechanisms are still a mystery. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

The Impeachment Articles Are a Major Retreat for Democrats

By Marc A. Thiessen

T

hat’s it?

After three years in which Democrats accused President

Trump of a host of criminal acts – from bribery and extortion to campaign finance violations, obstruction

of justice, conspiracy and even treason – they have finally introduced articles of impeachment that allege none of those things. Not only have they dropped the charge of bribery, the words that gripped Washington – “quid pro quo” – don’t even appear in the document.

Take obstruction. Democrats claim Trump engaged in “unprecedented” defiance of congressional subpoenas and “sought to arrogate to himself” the right to withhold documents and witnesses “as well as the unilateral prerogative to deny any and all information to the House of Representa-

"If you impeach a president, if you make a high crime and misdemeanor out of going to the courts, it is an abuse of power. It's your abuse of power.

This is a major retreat by Democrats, who have effectively admitted the president did not commit any statutory crimes. Indeed, if these articles are approved, this will be the first presidential impeachment in history in which no statutory crimes are even alleged. In that alone, Trump can claim vindication.

Instead, Democrats settled on two noncriminal allegations: obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. Both charges are farcical.

tives.” Please. If anyone is “arrogating” “unilateral” power to themselves, it is House Democrats.

Democrats seem not to understand that the legislative and the executive are equal branches of government.

They do not get the last word when a president invokes executive privilege.

When a dispute arises between the two branches, the president has a right to appeal to the third equal branch of government – the judiciary. Trump did that, as is his constitutional right. If he

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

appealed to the courts and lost but still refused to cooperate, then Congress would have every right to charge him with obstruction of Congress.

But Democrats refused to wait for judicial review. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, actually said, “We cannot be at the mercy of the courts.” Excuse me? And Democrats are accusing Trump of being “a threat to the Constitution”? Democrats are doing exactly what they accuse Trump of doing. As Professor Jonathan Turley told Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, “We have three branches, not two. ... If you impeach a president, if you make a high crime and misdemeanor out of going to the courts, it is an abuse of power. It’s your abuse of power.”

Democrats are also completely wrong when they declare Trump’s invocation of executive privilege “unprecedented.” In 2011, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform subpoenaed then-Attorney General Eric Holder to provide documents and witnesses related to the botched gun-running operation “Fast and Furious.” Holder refused to fully comply. When the committee threatened to hold him in contempt, President Barack Obama stepped in and invoked executive privilege. The administration argued that “compelled disclosure would be inconsistent with the separation of powers established in the Constitution.”

Guess what? The same Democrats now seeking to impeach Trump for obstruction of Congress backed Obama’s obstruction of Congress. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wrote, “The White House assertion is backed by decades of precedent that has recognized the need for the president and his senior advisers to receive candid advice and information from their top aides.” Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said the effort to hold Holder in contempt for refusing to comply was “politically-motivated.” Pelosi called it – wait for it – worse than a “witch hunt.” By the plain language of the Democrats’ articles of impeachment, Obama committed an impeachable offense. And yet today, Holder – the man at the center of Obama’s obstruction scheme – has the chutzpah to write that Attorney General William Barr is “unfit to lead the Justice Department.” What a disgrace.

As for abuse of power, this will be

the first presidential impeachment in history in which no violations of the law are even alleged. The justification for impeaching Trump without a statutory crime is that impeachment is a political, not legal, proceeding.

Fair enough. Democrats held weeks of hearings to convince the American people that Trump’s alleged abuse of power rises to the level of impeachment and removal. Instead, their slip-

shod inquiry convinced Americans of the opposite.

In October, before the hearings began, the Quinnipiac poll showed that a 48 to 46% plurality of Americans supported impeachment and removal; last week, after the hearings, voters were opposed by a margin of 51 to 45%. In key swing states, a Firehouse/Optimus poll found that impeachment and removal is now opposed by 51% of voters

133 7

in Michigan, 52% in Pennsylvania, and 58% in Wisconsin.

This is the definition of failure.

Earlier this year, Pelosi said she was “not for impeachment” because “unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path.” She was right then. Democrats should have listened. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

A Call to Arms Lt. Robert Weiss

By Avi Heiligman

F

ollowing the successful landings on the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944, Allied forces began pressing inland. However, strong German forces in the area prevented a breakout from the peninsula. In early August, five German divisions under the overall command of General Günther von Kluge staged a large counterattack near Mortain in Normandy, which is situated in Northwestern France. During the week-long battle American forces regained lost ground and inflicted heavy casualties on the German troops which included two panzer (tank) divisions. One of the American divisions that thwarted the attack was the 30th Infantry Division. Attached to the division was a 21-yearold 2nd lieutenant from Indiana who, by the time the battle was over, was credited with saving the surrounded American positions from being overrun.

Robert Weiss was the son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants – born in Pennsylvania – and attended Purdue University before joining the army.

His role as an artillery observer was an important one as he was the eyes and ears for the heavy guns that would help his unit fight back German attacks.

Forward observers are responsible for directing artillery, mortar, or naval gunfire from a forward position on the battlefield. They can also call in for air support and have been used

in this role since World War I. During World War II, forward observers were armed with binoculars, maps, and a huge radio. Lieutenant Weiss had a 35-pound radio that had a range of five miles, and he was able to call in artillery fire from the west during the Battle of Mortain. He was serving with the 230th Field Artillery Battalion with the 30th Division. The unit he was attached was the 2nd Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, and the 700 men were placed on an incline called Hill 314.

The battle started on August 7, 1944 with the 2nd Battalion taking their positions two days earlier. For six days, Weiss called in artillery strike after strike on the advancing Germans. The Americans were under fire the entire time from the 2nd SS Panzer Division which turned out to be the spearhead of the attack codenamed Operation Luttich.

The first artillery strike Weiss called in was simple: “Enemy north, south, east, west.” In total, Weiss called in 193 artillery strikes, some of which were just fifteen minutes apart.

Later, he said of the intensity of the battle: “My binoculars soon became a gun sight. When I shouted ‘Fire Mission,’ it was as if I were tensing my trigger finger. ’Crow, this is Crow Baker 3. Fire mission, enemy vehicles. Tanks ... Strong enemy force ... men milling about. Large counter-attack ...tanks in draw.’”

There were times when the enemy

soldiers got too close for an artillery strike and the battle became a handto-hand struggle, sometimes with bayonets being the weapon of choice.

The 2nd Panzer Division had been making gains except on Hill 314. A blanket of artillery fire prevented them from scaling the hill. White phosphorous shells called in from Weiss’s headset forced the Germans into the open, only to be caught in a hail of explosive shells. The attack had completely stalled by the night of August 7. The one American division had stopped five German divisions for the day but the attack resumed the next day.

The next several days saw similar attacks from the Germans but they could not advance up the vital Hill 314. Weiss also called in air attacks from RAF Typhoon fighter-bombers and P-47 Thunderbolts. The artillery attacks proved too much for the Panzer Division. The Germans finally admitted defeat on August 12 after an intense artillery barrage pulverized some of their positions. Remaining units retreated, and the surviving Americans on Hill 314 were finally relieved. But victory came at a cost. 300 soldiers were dead or wounded. Weiss and another artillery observer were among the 370 soldiers who were able to walk under their own power. Somehow, the battery in Weiss’ radio lasted the entire battle, thereby allowing the strikes to be called in when needed.

For his action during the Battle

of Mortimer, Weiss was awarded the Silver Star. His citation reads in part: “Lieutenant Weiss’ great heroism and tireless energy were materially responsible for trapped units of an infantry regiment being able to hold out against overwhelming odds. He fearlessly exposed himself, in moving from one observation post to another, often deliberately drawing enemy mortar, artillery, and small arms fire so that he could better the effect of artillery fire on the enemy. Lieutenant Weiss’ gallantry aided greatly in turning back several counterattacks.”

In addition, Weiss was also awarded two Purple Hearts for his wounds. France presented him with a Croix de Guerre for his important role in the liberation of France.

Later in the war, Weiss participated in the Battle of the Bulge and crossed the Rhine in 1945 in the final push to defeat the Nazis.

After leaving the army he went to law school and became an author. Weiss wrote fiction as well as his memoirs in a book entitled, Fire Mission. Since he wasn’t a Medal of Honor recipient or a high-ranking officer, his story is relatively unknown, making him a forgotten hero.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

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FOR SALE IN LONG BEACH Beachside Classic Tudor Newly Renovated 4 BR, 4 Baths, 2 FP, Bsmt, Deck, Garage, 6000 SF lot, $899K Beach West Realty 516-287-9735 PRICE REDUCED: 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…$1.078M Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

137

Classifieds COMMERCIAL RE

APT FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

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FIVE TOWNS SCHOOL SEEKS an energetic, responsible and innovative individual to serve as an EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT in a busy financial office as well as assisting with fundraising and school events.

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TJH Classifieds Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Miscellaneous Ads here.

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

139

Classifieds HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Seeking full time OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred.

Competitive salary. Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org

YOUNG ISRAEL OF LONG BEACH IS SEEKING A VIBRANT YOUNG COUPLE (REBBE/MORAH TYPES) TO SERVE AS YOUTH DIRECTORS. The candidate(s) would run youth groups on Shabbos and develop youth programming for all ages and seek to engage the young couples in the shul. email cwakslak@att.net.

ASSISTANT TEACHERS CAHAL is seeking part time or full time Assistant Teachers for Judaic Studies (AM) and/or General Studies (PM) for the 2019-20 school year.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Your

15

Money

Here’s Where the Bodies Are Buried

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

B

etween 1983 and 1985, mobster Whitey Bulger whacked three people and buried them under the dirt-floor basement of a house in Boston’s working-class “Southie” neighborhood. Bulger, an FBI informant who inspired Jack Nicholson’s character in The Departed, vanished after his handler tipped him off that he was looking down the business end of an indictment. Sixteen years later, acting on a tip from a former Miss Iceland, the Feds found him in California. They hauled him back to Boston, convicted him of 11 murders, and shipped him off to prison where (of course) he got whacked himself.

Now that house, nicknamed “the Haunty,” is under contract to be sold. (If knowing that a bunch of hardened killers call it “the Haunty” doesn’t make you drool, what will?)

It’s not much to look at – a nondescript two-story rowhouse, built in 1885, with 1,975 square feet on a 5,000-square-foot lot. But Southie isn’t the same old Southie anymore – the Boston Globe calls it one of “the city’s hottest neighborhoods” – and the buyer should be able to replace it with four bougie townhouses. You

know the drill: hot tubs, granite countertops, the works.

The current owner dropped $120,000 for it back in 1985. While we don’t know today’s sale amount, the most recent asking price was $3.395 million. That sort of gain generally means a nice score for a different crew of Feds at the IRS. Naturally, that got us wondering: what could our sellers do to avoid that hit?

ply whether you die of natural causes, you’re shot in the back of the head (like Bulger victims Arthur “Buckey” Barrett and John McIntyre), or you’re strangled (like third victim Deborah Hussey).

This works with any sort of appreciated property, not just your house.

Fortunately, though, there are lots of ways to defer or eliminate the tax selling your house while you’re still alive to enjoy your gains. When you

If knowing that a bunch of hardened killers call it “the Haunty” doesn’t make you drool, what will?

The easiest way to escape tax on that sort of gain is to hold your property until death. At that point, your heirs get what’s called a “stepped-up basis” equal to the property’s fair market value as of the date of the deceased owner’s death. Good news: those rules ap-

sell your primary residence, you can exclude up to $250,000 from your income ($500,000 for joint filers). You can roll your gain into a qualified opportunity fund to delay it until 2026.

Or you can use advanced strategies like a charitable remainder trust, a pooled

income fund, or coupling an installment sale with a monetizing loan.

The Haunty seller isn’t the only one facing tax problems. When Feds finally busted Bulger at his apartment in Santa Monica, they found over $800,000 in cash. No one would believe he paid tax while he was on the lam, which means the IRS is going to want their taste. Illegal income is taxable just like if you went legit. More good news: you can deduct the costs of running most illegal businesses. So, when Whitey buys a shovel to bury the bodies, he can deduct the business-use portion. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 even lets him claim 100% bonus depreciation!

We’ve worked with clients who make their money all sorts of ways (although none of them have ever made the Most Wanted list). When it comes to paying less tax, we know where the bodies are buried. Call us when you’re ready to pay less, and remember, we’re here for the rest of your gang, too!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019

Are you not getting enough hours to make ends meet?

SNAP can help you and your family have enough to eat.

SNAP helps many working families stretch their food budget.

The Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) can help you learn if you may be eligible for SNAP. NOEP can also help you complete and submit your application.

Call today. It is free and confidential.

Agency Logo optional—remove if not using

Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula 718-327-7755 ext: 6127

Prepared by a project of Hunger Solutions New York; funded by NYSOTDA and USDA/FNS. This Institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

Up, Up, and Away

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC

N

o, please, not there. No, it better not be. Oh no! Not that seat!

You are walking onto a plane.

With your 2-year-old at your side and baby in tow. And there, right in front of you, right next to your designated seat, is adult after adult after adult.

And they are all looking at you like you just killed something. And you did – their relaxing flight!

Oh, no, not there. It better not be.

That can’t be my seat. Who messed this booking up?

You are walking onto a plane with laptop and workload in tow.

And there, right in front of you, is a family with kids of all ages. Next to a family with a newborn baby and next to a family with a five-year-old.

Can this really be your destiny for the next four hours? Maybe you can make a mad dash for the cockpit?!

Did you ever realize that people who don’t have a baby with them have amnesia?! They are completely unaware that there was ever a time they were a baby or had a baby.

Why do people spend restless nights pacing back and forth, or bopping their kid up and down just to get a drop of shuteye? Why not just resort to this magic formula, they are purported to have on a plane, for these difficult times? Wouldn’t that be easier? Why torture themselves like this?!

Do people really think someone

fun to be the audience to the endless bawling with no place to escape. But you do realize that it is no fun to be the one causing it either. Stuck with all the stress of a child to deal with and then the judgmental mumbles and stares of everyone else piled on top – it’s enough to make you want to take a flight somewhere!

Can this really be your destiny for the next four hours?

enjoys hearing their own baby cry throughout the whole flight? Perhaps you’d suggest they just leave the kid at home? Capital idea! Just one question: who is watching the kid? You?!

Let me tell you, I know it’s no

Isn’t it a joy when someone leans over and says, “Don’t worry. I don’t mind the baby at all. I happen to love babies.” Though it is kind of curious why, 10 minutes later, you see the same woman taking a stroll on the wing.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t have empathy for the busy executive or tired traveler who wants some rest and relaxation on their three-hour flight as opposed to the cacophony of a yelling infant the entire time.

After all, I very often am that very traveler. But then again, I sometimes am the one holding the baby, too.

This is not a simple problem.

There is no place to get away in that single compartment transport – not for one or the other.

It’s this giant slice of humanity, colliding together, streaking through the sky to some new destination. And whoever chose that day, that flight, well, you’re all in it together.

It’s enough to make you cry. But let me warn you – just don’t do it on the plane!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 19, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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DECEMBER 19, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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Savings Plaza | 11 Lawrence Lane, Lawrence, NY | (516) 371-6200 | info@kolsavemarket.com | /kolsavemarket Hours: Sunday-Tuesday: 9am-7pm | Wednesday: 9am-10pm | Thursday: 9am-11pm | Friday: 8am-�ll 2 hours before Shabbos We reserve the right to limit quan��es. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.