Five Towns Jewish Home 02.06.25

Chazaq:

Ohel’s Nagler Family Children’s

Erev Shabbos

Dear Readers,

The catchphrase for pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas rioters over the past 16 months has been “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” They clog our streets and torment Jews worldwide with this chant, hoping to push all Jews out of the Holy Land. But this week, President Trump took that phrase and turned it on its head when he proposed that Gaza would be free – of all Palestinians.

Sometimes you have to gasp in surprise at Trump’s audaciousness. His boldness in – as Netanyahu said this week at the White House – saying “things others refuse to say, and after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and say, ‘You know, he’s right,’” has led him to charter waters in which many other people weren’t successful.

But sometimes you have to be daring to startle people out of their complacency. Sometimes you have to propose something so wild, so out-of-the-box, to show people that you mean business. And in doing so, you get the other sides to realize that they need to sit down and negotiate if they want to be part of this equation.

It’s funny because the Arab world claims to care so much about the Palestinians. They say that they would never make peace with Israel until there is a Palestinian state. And yet, when it comes to bringing these people into their own lands, they refuse. In fact, Jordan

has said that if Israel starts to send Palestinians across the border, they will see that as an act of war. An act of war? To send these poor Palestinians to their brothers across the river?

If they care so much about them, why would the Arab states want the citizens of Gaza to go back to their homes? So much of Gaza has been decimated, flattened because Hamas terrorists insisted on hiding in schools, hospitals and homes. Trump’s idea of sending these people to Jordan and Egypt until the area can be rebuilt – not under Hamas influence – seems to be more humane than sending them back to rubble to rebuild their lives.

But Trump’s plan of the United States building a “Riviera in the Middle East” is undoubtedly a classic Trump bluff, a way to show Hamas and the Palestinians that this American president means business. And part of that business is about ensuring the survival of the Jewish state, guaranteeing that the goal of pushing Jews out of the land “from the river to the sea” will never be realized.

May Hashem continue to watch over and protect our Jewish brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and around the world.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

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Snow Snow Showers

AM Showers

Dear Editor,

I recommend to your readers to write to people in power in Washington to encourage them to only have men run for president. Americans will not vote for a woman to be president. Democrats have tried with Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. America would very likely now have a Democrat president instead of another four years of Trump if the Democrats weren’t trying to get a woman to be president. For the well-being of our great country, I recommend that Democrats only have men run for president because Americans want their leader to be a man.

Thank you for printing this letter and thus improving your readers’ lives.

Shlomo Klein

Brooklyn, New York

Dear Editor,

The importance of the magicians in Egypt during the time of the Torah seems to have continued into modern history. In 1942, the Germans were about 60 miles from the Suez Canal. The British knew that the Arabs were cooperating with the Germans. One sheik had a radio in his palace for giving information to the Germans. The British arranged for a magic show to be given in the palace. While all eyes were focused on the magician, agents were able to “neutralize” the radio.

The long range Hashgacha Pratis in this situation was that the performing magician was the last of seven generations of magicians in one family of performing magicians. The beginning of records,

radio and movies put an end to the vaudeville type of entertainment.

Elli Epstein Ocean, NJ

Dear Editor, I said my prayer

Hashem listened to me

But my request wasn’t granted How could it be?

He can do anything

In the blink of an eye

For Hashem, it’s so easy

To finally stop my cry

So if “not yet” was the answer That Hashem decided today It can only be true

That He still wants me to pray

Maybe Hashem’s saving my tears

And doesn’t want me to forget

Maybe it’s just not good for me

Or maybe it will be, but not yet

And as I keep davening

For the same thing day after day I have to remind myself

Hashem could still say yes today

A Reader

Dear Editor,

I saw a headline on a liberal site, where the host said that Trump was a loser for saying he’s going to implement tariffs and then a day later taking them away. Well, if Trump’s a loser, then I want to

Continued on page 12

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be a loser all my life. Trump only threatened to implement tariffs on Mexico and Canada because they weren’t going to help pay for security at the border. And a day later, they blinked. They knew that Trump meant business. When he says he would implement tariffs, he would. So they knew that the only way to not kill their economies would be to bow to the new U.S. president – so they did.

Let us hope that other nations fall in line and start to believe that the U.S. means business.

Yehoshua Weingarten

Dear Editor,

As someone who frequently travels by plane, I often brace myself for the challenges that come with flying – delays, cramped seats, and, of course, the unpredictability of being in close quarters with hundreds of strangers. However, on a recent flight back from Orlando, I experienced something that deserves recognition: a plane full of young children who were exceptionally well-behaved.

We often hear complaints about disruptive kids on planes – toddlers kicking seats, babies wailing, or little ones running up and down the aisles. But what about when things go right? On my recent trip, there were several families with young children seated around me, and I expected the usual mix of restlessness and noise. Instead, I witnessed something wonderful. These children were quietly engaged in books, coloring, or watching and playing on their iPads with headphones. It was a refreshing reminder that air travel doesn’t have to be stressful for everyone on board. And what a kiddush Hashem for all the other passengers who – I’m sure – noticed how well behaved these kids were!

I want to take a moment to appreciate these parents who put in the effort to prepare their children for the flight. It’s not always easy to keep young ones calm in a

confined space, especially for a few hours at a time, but these families proved that it can be done.

So often, we focus on the negative experiences of flying with children nearby. But perhaps we should also acknowledge when parents and kids make the experience a pleasant one. A little kindness and preparation go a long way, and these families deserve credit for making the flight enjoyable not just for themselves, but for everyone around them.

To those parents: thank you. Your effort didn’t go unnoticed. And to these amazing kids: you truly made a kiddush Hashem to all those who saw how well behaved you were!

Chaim L. Woodmere,

NY

Dear Editor,

If you can take away one thing from this past week’s TJH article on Rabbi Adi Isaacs and his many programs it would be this: we can all make a difference! Rabbi Isaacs is on the money when he gives the power and responsibility of kiruv to college kids. He shows them that each of them has the power to shower another Jew with the warmth of Yiddishkeit. I don’t think the goal of his program is to make everyone frum, but it’s to make sure that every Jew knows that they’re love and wanted. It’s to show that every Jew should be warmed by Yiddishkeit. And, if they end up drawing closer to frumkeit, that would be amazing! But I believe it’s really to make sure that these not-yet-frum college kids don’t feel alone on campus and know that they have Jewish brothers and sisters upon whom they can rely.

And to these college kids who are reaching out to others: you are rockstars! You are amazing! You are proud of your Judaism and are connecting with others! Kol ha’kavod!

Shirley Reiter

El Salvador Will Accept All Migrants

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele agreed to accept deportees from the United States of any nationality, as well as violent criminals who are U.S. citizens currently imprisoned.

“In an act of extraordinary friendship to our country … (El Salvador) has agreed to the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world,” Rubio said.

The country will continue accepting Salvadoran deportees who illegally entered the U.S. and will also “accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal from any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua, and house them in his jails,” Rubio said. Those two groups are notorious transnational gangs with members from El Salvador and Venezuela.

In addition, Bukele “has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those of U.S. citizenship and legal residents,” Rubio said.

Bukele confirmed the agreement on X. ”We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee,” he said.

“The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable.”

In El Salvador, under a state of emergency that has been in effect since 2022, authorities can detain anyone simply on the suspicion of being members of a gang, and there is no differentiation between alleged gang members and people found guilty of a crime.

El Salvador has one of the highest

incarceration rates in the world, something that Bukele has boasted shows that his country is secure.

Uganda Struggles with Ebola

A strain of Ebola killed one person, a nurse, in Kampala, Uganda, last week. Subsequently, other people were affected by the illness, and the government declared an outbreak last week.

Now, officials are investigating the source of the outbreak. Ebola is spread by contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and at times internal and external bleeding.

It may be hard to prove where the disease came from, as Kampala has a highly mobile population of about 4 million. The nurse who died had sought treatment at a hospital just outside the capital and later traveled to Mbale in the country’s east, where he was admitted to a public hospital. He also sought the services of a traditional healer.

At least 234 contacts in this outbreak have been identified, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has access to more than 2,000 doses of a vaccine that fights against the Sudan strain of the virus.

Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that killed hundreds. Tracing contacts is key to stemming the spread of Ebola, which manifests as a viral hemorrhagic fever.

The confirmation of Ebola in Uganda is the latest in a series of outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers in the east African region. Tanzania declared an outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg disease last month, and Rwanda in December announced that its own outbreak of Marburg was over.

Ebola was discovered in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Congo, where it occurred in a village near the Ebola River, after which the disease is named.

Syrian Pres. Visits Saudi Arabia

Syria’s newly appointed interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for his first foreign trip since his rebel coalition ousted longtime dictator Bashar Assad, saying his country seeks a real partnership with the Gulf kingdom.

Al-Sharaa landed at the airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, early Sunday afternoon. Al-Sharaa later met with the oil-rich kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, according to Syrian and Saudi state news media.

The choice of Saudi Arabia for alSharaa’s first trip abroad was seen as a reflection of Syria’s shifting political alignments under the country’s new leadership: away from Iran, which was a

key ally to the Assad regime, and toward the Gulf.

Al-Sharaa said after his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed that he had “sensed and heard a genuine desire” to support Syria during its next phase of rebuilding, according to a statement from his office published by state news media.

The two men held “extensive discussions” about a variety of topics, including on increasing communication and cooperation in “all areas, especially humanitarian and economic,” the statement added.

The crown prince wished al-Sharaa “success and guidance” in his new role as interim president, according to a separate statement from the royal court.

Since the rebel coalition seized power in December, diplomats from Europe, the United States, the Gulf and Russia have flocked to Damascus to meet with alSharaa and to establish contacts with his government.

The outcomes of those diplomatic overtures will help shape the new political map of Syria and the power dynamics across the Middle East, a region that is being remade in the wake of Israel’s wars in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and the collapse of the Assad government.

While initially cautious about the

Islamist factions that seized power in Syria in December, the Gulf states have since increased their engagement and support for al-Sharaa and his interim government.

On Thursday, Qatar’s emir met with al-Sharaa in Damascus, marking the first visit to the Syrian capital by a Gulf head of state since the rebel coalition seized control. The visit underscored the interest of powerful Gulf Sunni rulers in shaping a post-Assad Syria under al-Sharaa’s leadership. (© The New York Times)

Earthquakes Shake Greek Island

More than 200 undersea earthquakes were recorded in just three days near the Greek island of Santorini. On Monday, hundreds of people scrambled to leave the islands in the Aegean Sea.

“We have a very intense geological phenomenon to handle,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. “I want to ask our islanders first and foremost to remain calm, to listen to the instructions of the Civil Protection (authority).”

Authorities banned access to some seaside areas, including the island’s old port, that are in close proximity to cliffs. Alerts were sent to mobile phones.

“These measures are precautionary, and authorities will remain vigilant,” Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said late Sunday following an emergency government meeting in Athens. “We urge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimize risk.”

While Greek experts say the quakes, which have reached magnitude 4.9, are not linked to Santorini’s volcano, they acknowledge that the pattern of seismic activity is cause for concern.

Government officials met with scientists throughout the weekend and on Monday to assess the situation, while schools were also ordered shut on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi and Ios for the entire week.

The frequency of the quakes, which continued throughout Sunday night and into Monday, has worried residents and visitors. They were advised to avoid large

indoor gatherings and were told to stay away from areas where rockslides could occur. Hotels were instructed to drain swimming pools to reduce potential building damage from an earthquake.

Fire service rescuers arrived on the island on Sunday to set up yellow tents as a staging area inside a basketball court next to the island’s main hospital. At least 26 members along with their rescue dog were ready for any event in case it should occur.

Santorini is a premier tourism destination with daily arrivals via commercial flights, ferries, and cruise ships. The island draws more than 3 million visitors annually. The island was formed by a massive volcanic eruption many years ago. Although it is still an active volcano, the last notable eruption occurred in 1950.

A Mountain is a Person

Last week, a new law in New Zealand officially granted a mountain the designation of a legal person, allowing the Maori people to recognize Mount Taranaki as an ancestor.

Taranaki Maunga, the mountain’s Maori name, now has all the rights and responsibilities of a human being. It is the latest natural feature to be granted personhood in New Zealand, which has ruled that a river and a stretch of sacred land are people.

Mount Taranaki is a dormant volcano and is the second highest on New Zealand’s North Island at 8,261 feet.

The legal recognition acknowledges the mountain’s theft from the Maori of the Taranaki region after New Zealand was colonized. It fulfills an agreement of redress from the country’s government to Indigenous people for harms perpetrated against the land since.

The mountain’s legal personality has a name: Te Kāhui Tupua, which the law views as “a living and indivisible whole.” It includes Taranaki and its surrounding peaks and land, “incorporating all their physical and metaphysical elements.”

A newly created entity will be “the face

and voice” of the mountain, the law says, with four members from local Maori iwi, or tribes, and four members appointed by the country’s Conservation Minister.

“The mountain has long been an honored ancestor, a source of physical, cultural and spiritual sustenance and a final resting place,” Paul Goldsmith, the lawmaker responsible for the settlements between the government and Māori tribes, told Parliament in a speech on Thursday.

“Today, Taranaki, our maunga, our maunga tupuna, is released from the shackles, the shackles of injustice, of ignorance, of hate,” said Debbie NgarewaPacker, a co-leader of the political party Te Pāti Māori and a descendant of the Taranaki tribes, using a phrase that means ancestral mountain.

“We grew up knowing there was nothing anyone could do to make us any less connected,” she added.

New Zealand was the first country in the world to recognize natural features as people when a law passed in 2014 granted personhood to Te Urewera, a vast native forest on the North Island. At that time, government ownership ceased, and the tribe Tūhoe became its guardian.

“Te Urewera is ancient and enduring, a fortress of nature, alive with history;

its scenery is abundant with mystery, adventure, and remote beauty,” the law begins, before describing its spiritual significance to Maori. In 2017, New Zealand recognized the Whanganui River as human, as part of a settlement with its local iwi.

North Korea Opens for Visitors

Looking for an exotic place to visit?

Consider Rason, one of the least visited places in North Korea. The secretive country is now open for visitors for the first time in five years – just in time to be there for the celebrated birthday of late leader Kim Jong II, one of the nation’s biggest holidays.

Koryo Tours, a tour operator based in Beijing, announced this week it had reopened bookings to see Rason after

North Korea sealed its borders in 2020 during the Covid pandemic. The tour includes four nights in Rason, along with two nights in the Chinese city of Yanji. It will cost around $720.

The first tour is set to take place between February 12 and 18. Day of the Shining Star, which is typically celebrated on February 16, is when North Koreans remember their late revered leader, father of current leader Kim Jong Un, with public displays and parades.

Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, remains closed to tourists.

Before the pandemic, the country hosted hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists who provided up to $175 million in extra revenue in 2019, according to the South Korea-based news outlet NK News.

The United States banned citizens from traveling to the country after the death of American student Otto Warmbier in 2017. The 22-year-old stole a propaganda banner from a hotel during a visit to Pyonyang in January 2016 and was later sentenced to 15 years hard labor for committing a hostile act against the government. The University of Virginia student was returned to the U.S. in a coma the following year and died shortly afterwards.

The latest tour promises to take

tourists to the “must-see sites in Rason,” which is known as North Korea’s special economic zone.

The city has operated differently from the rest of the country since 1991 and has been used as a testing ground for new economic policies, the country’s first mobile phone network, and the first card payment system.

Among other attractions, Koryo Tours said, tourists can visit the “Sea Cucumber Breeding Farm and Paekhaksan Combined Foodstuff Processing Factory.” They will also be offered the chance to open their own North Korean bank account during a stop at the Golden Triangle Bank.

From the Three Countries Border Viewpoint, visitors will also be able to view neighboring China and Russia. Rason does not have an airport; visitors need to cross the border with China in a car.

Fatal Crowd Crush in India

At least 35 worshippers died and dozens more sustained injuries after a barrier near a river in India collapsed

20 under the pressure of hordes of people during a religious holiday.

The tragedy took place at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, which marked one of the days of the Hindu holiday of Maha Kumbh Mela. As part of Hindu tradition, tens of millions of worshippers immerse themselves in sacred rivers to celebrate the festival, remove their impurities, and make progress towards “spiritual liberation.”

Later that day, Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, addressed the nation, declaring that the crush “led to the loss of some virtuous souls, and some people have also been hurt.”

“I express my heartfelt condolences to the affected families, and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” said Modi, adding that he is “constantly in touch” with the state government of Uttar Pradesh, where the tragedy occurred.

“Suddenly, there was a huge crowd

and we got stuck somehow. People started pushing aggressively and we fell,” a witness told reporters.

Authorities said late Wednesday morning that the situation was “under control” but did not provide a definitive death toll.

On Wednesday, the festival’s most significant day, around 100 million Hindu worshippers were set to travel to the Triveni Sangam, Uttar Pradesh’s holy river, with devotees visiting from all parts of the globe. Over the span of six weeks, around 400 million individuals are likely going to visit the rivers of Prayagraj.

The Kumbh Mela pilgrimage takes place every 12 years and is widely seen as the “festival of festivals” in the Hindu religious calendar in India. This year’s celebration is particularly significant as the grand Kumbh Mela takes place only every 144 years, marking the 12th Kumbh Mela and a special celestial alignment of the sun, moon, Jupiter and Saturn.

Osaka Bans Public Smoking

The World Expo begins in two months in Osaka, Japan, and will run

for six months. Now, the Japanese city is banning public smoking as it hopes to become more visitor-friendly for the upcoming event.

Around 160 countries and regions are taking part in Expo 2025, the latest edition of an event held every five years in different global locations.

“The World Expo begins in April. We want to welcome many people from all over the world, so we want to make Osaka a city where people feel safe with smokefree streets,” Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said in early January.

Before the ban, smoking was banned in six zones including the area around Osaka station. This has been expanded to the whole city, and violators face a fine of 1,000 yen, around $6.45.

Beginning in April, the wider Osaka region will prohibit smoking in restaurants with seating areas larger than 30 square meters, although lighting up in a separate space, such as a smoking room, is allowed.

Current national laws ban smoking in establishments with dining areas larger than 100 square meters.

There are concerns that the Expo won’t see the numbers that organizers were hoping for. About 7.5 million tickets had been sold by early January for the six-month event – half the organizers’ target.

Tobacco use in Japan has been falling in line with a broader global trend, with the ratio of smokers standing at 15.7 percent in 2023.

Japan’s central and local governments earn a yearly total of around two trillion yen in cigarette tax revenue. The national government also owns a one-third stake in Japan Tobacco, the world’s third largest tobacco company.

Sudan Shooting

Sudan’s government claimed that the Rapid Support Forces, a militia the Sudanese army is at war with, hit a vegetable market in Omdurman on Saturday with air attacks and artillery shelling, killing at least 56 people, including many women and children, and injuring at least 158 others.

According to Culture Minister

al-Aleisir, who is also a spokesman for the government, the attack caused widespread chaos.

“This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia,” he declared. “It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”

According to witnesses, the artillery shelling hit Omdurman from western Omdurman, a region that the RSF currently controls.

Following the tragedy, al-Nao Hospital’s staff said they were swamped by the death toll and number of injuries, with a hospital volunteer adding that they desperately need “shrouds, blood donors and stretchers to transport the wounded.”

A separate air attack on an area controlled by the RSF killed two civilians and injured dozens more, according to the local Emergency Response Room.

In April 2023, the RSF and the Sudanese military began fighting a war that has since caused tens of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, and forced half of the population into starvation. Just recently, the Sudanese army recaptured Khartoum from the rebels. A day before the attack on Saturday, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, a commander for the RSF, vowed to expel the army from the capital.

Iran Developing Faster Atomic Weapons

New intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program has convinced U.S. officials that a secret team of the country’s scientists is exploring a faster, if cruder, approach to developing an atomic weapon if Tehran’s leadership decides to race for a bomb, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The development comes even amid signals that Iran’s new president is actively seeking a negotiation with the Trump administration.

The intelligence was collected in the last months of the Biden administration, then relayed to President Donald Trump’s national security team during the transition of power, according to the officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive details. The intelligence assessment warned that Iranian weapons engineers and scientists were essentially looking for a shortcut that would enable them to turn their growing stockpile of nuclear fuel into a workable weapon in a matter of months, rather than a year or more — but only if Tehran made a decision to change its current approach.

U.S. officials said they continued to believe that Iran and its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had not made that decision to develop a weapon, officials said in interviews over the past month. But new intelligence suggests that as Iran’s proxy forces have been eviscerated and its missiles have failed to pierce U.S. and Israeli defenses, the military is seriously exploring new options to deter a U.S. or Israeli attack.

Iran, officials said, remains at the nuclear threshold. In the years since

Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord, the country has resumed uranium production and now has plenty of fuel to make four or more bombs. But that is not enough to actually produce a weapon, and the new evidence focuses on the last steps Iran would need to turn the fuel into one.

Trump has indicated that he is in no hurry to get into a direct conflict with Iran and seems open to a negotiation. When asked just after the inauguration whether he would support an Israeli strike on the facilities, he said: “It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step.” Iran, he added, will hopefully “make a deal.” (© The New York Times)

the weekend in Tehran, Kamal Kharrazi, chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations and a top advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Azerbaijan about Israel’s expanding presence in the country.

“Countries should take their neighbors’ sensitivities into consideration,” Kharrazi told Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan for foreign policy affairs, according to reports citing the Azeri embassy.

Iran and Azerbaijan Argue Over Israel

Iran is once again concerned that Azerbaijan is warming toward the Jewish State. During a high-level meeting over

Tehran and Baku have been at odds regarding their relationships with Israel. Iran has frequently criticized Azerbaijan for its security and business ties with Israel, while Azerbaijan has scolded Iran for interfering with Israel and for the vitriol that emanates from Iranian religious figures and from state-aligned media against the Jewish state.

Last month, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev strongly condemned comments by Seyyed Hassan Ameli, the Friday Prayer leader of Ardabil, who accused Baku of collaborating with Israel. Aliyev dismissed the remarks as baseless and politically motivated. But on January 25, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Baku to protest what it described as antiAzerbaijan propaganda in Iranian media.

Azerbaijan’s State Security Service recently announced it had foiled a terror plot targeting a prominent member of the country’s Jewish community. Police had arrested Georgian citizen Aqil Aslanov and Azerbaijani citizen Ceyhun Ismayilov near a Jewish center, suspecting them of being part of an assassination plan. Aslanov, a known drug trafficker, was supposedly recruited by foreign intelligence agents while abroad and was offered $200,000 to carry out the hit. Azerbaijani intelligence officials suspect that Iran was involved.

Iran is also unhappy with Azerbaijan’s economic ties with Israel. Just days before the diplomatic meetings, Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company confirmed it had purchased a 10% stake in Israel’s offshore gas field, Tamar, from businessman Aaron Frenkel. The deal, which brings Azerbaijan into Israel’s energy sector, is expected to have major geopolitical implications, further cementing the growing diplomatic and economic

alliance between Baku and Jerusalem.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, diplomatic engagement continues between Iran and Azerbaijan. During Hajiyev’s visit to Tehran, discussions focused on regional security, academic collaboration, and cooperation between research centers and socio-political institutions.

Hajiyev also met with Mehdi Sanaei, political advisor to the Iranian president, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

2 Soldiers Killed at Checkpoint

Two soldiers were killed on Tuesday morning when a Palestinian terrorist attacked an army checkpoint in Judea and Samaria.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Ofer Yung, 39, from Tel Aviv, and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Avraham Tzvi Tzvika Friedman, 43, from Ein HaNatziv, were killed in the attack at Taysir checkpoint. Both served in the Ephraim Regional Brigade’s 8211th Reserve Battalion. Yung was a squad commander.

Eight other people were injured in the shooting.

The checkpoint is on a road leading from the Jordan Valley to the Palestinian village of Taysir and other Palestinian towns. The gunman managed to sneak up to a military post at the checkpoint, where he opened fire on troops just before 6 a.m.

The compound next to the checkpoint includes a watchtower and several structures, and it is manned by a squad of 11 soldiers and a commander. The terrorist was armed with an M-16 assault rifle and two magazines and was wearing a tactical vest. He approached the army post on foot overnight. At dawn, the assailant surprised two soldiers who were getting up to leave the post to open the adjacent Tayasir checkpoint for Palestinian traffic.

The terrorist was killed when one soldier hurled a grenade at him during the firefight.

The IDF has been conducting a counter-terrorism offensive in the northern part of Judea and Samaria, including in several Palestinian towns near the site of the attack.

Over 35 gunmen were killed by troops during Operation Iron Wall, and another 15 were killed in drone strikes, the military said on Sunday. More than 100 wanted Palestinians have been detained, and troops have seized some 40 weapons and neutralized over 80 explosive devices during the operation, according to the IDF.

The area has seen a surge in Palestinian violence since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip ignited the war there. Since then, troops have arrested some 6,000 wanted Palestinians across Judea and Samaria, including more than 2,350 affiliated with Hamas.

Israel Bans UNRWA

Israel’s ban on UNRWA came into effect on Thursday, following the Knesset’s decision in November to ban the United Nations organization from working on Israeli land and communicating with Israeli officials.

The agency, officially known as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, claims to provide aid to refugees in

Gaza and elsewhere. However, Israel has uncovered evidence that UNRWA workers played a role in perpetuating the October 7 massacre, during which 3,000 Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, murdering more than 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others.

Additionally, Hamas uses UNRWA infrastructure to commit acts of terror, and UNRWA schools brainwash Palestinian children to hate Israel, the Jewish state found.

A day before the ban took effect, the Israeli High Court rejected a petition by Adalah, a human rights organization, to stop the ban. The Supreme Court noted that the ban only stops UNRWA from operating in Israel’s mainland, including East Jerusalem, but not in Judea and Samaria or Gaza.

The United States, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, supports Israel’s ban on UNRWA.

In 1949, shortly after the establishment of the Jewish state, the U.N. founded UNRWA to provide aid, health assistance, and education to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. UNRWA recognizes 5.9 million Palestinians as refugees solely because they’re descendants of Arabs who were in Israel following the Jewish state’s war of independence.

The United Nations has one other refugee agency—the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees—which provides aid to all other refugees.

“Humanitarian aid doesn’t equal UNRWA, and UNRWA doesn’t equal humanitarian aid. UNRWA equals an organization infested with Hamas terror activity,” said Oren Mamorstein, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry.

“This is why, beginning on January 30 and in accordance with Israeli law, Israel will have no contact with UNRWA.”

David Mencer, a spokesperson for the government, said on Wednesday that because “UNRWA is riddled with Hamas operatives,” any state that funds UNRWA is funding terrorism.

“UNRWA employs over 1,200 Hamas members, including terrorists who carried out the October 7 massacre,” Mencer noted. “This isn’t aid; it’s direct

financial support for terror.”

Antonio Guterres, the secretarygeneral of the U.N., condemned Israel’s decision, asking the Jewish state to end the ban on UNRWA, which he says is an “irreplaceable” agency.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that only UNRWA is capable of distributing aid in Gaza and branded Israel’s moves to ban his agency a “relentless assault…harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory.”

Will Jordan Deport Ahlam Tamimi?

Ahlam Tamimi was convicted in an Israeli court in 2003 of orchestrating the grisly Sabarro terrorist attack on August 9, 2001, in which 16 people were killed. In 2011, Tamimi was release in the Gilad Shalit deal and fled to Jordan, where she has been living freely ever since. In 2017, the U.S. Justice Department announced it was seeking her extradition, a step that had been urged by the family of IsraeliAmerican victim Malki Roth. Amman, though, has rebuffed calls for Tamimi’s extradition to the United States.

This week, according to Qatari news outlets, Jordanian intelligence authorities informed Hamas that Tamimi would be extradited to the United States unless a third country willing to take her in could be found. So far, the reports have not been confirmed.

President Trump is expected to host Jordan’s King Abdullah II on February 11. Amman is thought to be seeking ways to remain in good standing with Trump despite, like Egypt, declining to fall in with his proposal to relocate Gazans there.

Tamimi chose the target for the bombing and guided the bomber there. She was sentenced in Israel in 2003 to 16 life sentences for the attack, which also injured 130 people. Malky Roth was 15 years old when she was killed. Another victim, Shoshana Yehudit Greenbaum, an American tourist, was expecting her first child.

Tamimi has lived freely in Jordan, where she holds citizenship, since leaving prison in 2011. She hosts a TV program, gives lectures and makes numerous public appearances extolling the bombing. In a 2017 interview with The Associated Press, she said the Palestinians have a right to resist Israel by any means, including deadly attacks.

The United States charged Tamimi in 2013 with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals, though the indictment remained under seal until 2017.

During U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term in office, his administration said it was considering withholding aid to Jordan until it agreed to extradite Tamimi, but ultimately no action was taken. In 2021, Interpol reportedly dropped an international arrest warrant for her

Bringing Them Home

On Thursday, three Israelis and five Thai nationals were released from captivity in Gaza, 482 days after they were kidnapped during the October 7 massacre.

IDF surveillance soldier Agam Berger and civilians Arbel Yehoud and

Gadi Mozes were finally brought home. Authorities identified the Thais as Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak.

The release of Arbel, 29, and Gadi, 80, was chaotic and cruel. Hamas marched the two, flanked by terrorists, through uncontrolled crowds, and handed the two over to the Red Cross outside dead Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s decimated house.

“I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that he would postpone the release of Palestinian criminals until it’s guaranteed that the remaining hostages freed in this deal would be released safely. “This is further proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization.”

Mediators later that day guaranteed the safe passage of future hostages, and Israel, that evening, released the Palestinians.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad held Arbel and Gadi, who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Agam, 20, who was abducted while stationed at the Nahal Oz military base, and the Thai nationals were held by Hamas.

Agam was kidnapped at the base, along with Karina Ariev, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, who were recently released in the same deal. They were also stationed with Ori Megidish, whom the IDF rescued alive, and Noa Marciano, whose body the military recovered from Gaza. Before being released, Hamas forced Agam, like Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag, to stand on stage in front of a crowd of Gazans, where she wore an olive green garb resembling an IDF uniform and received a “gift bag” and certificate.

At Rabin Medical Center, Agam reunited with her parents, Shlomi and Merav, and her fellow soldiers, while hundreds celebrated at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.

Gadi, the first male to be released in this deal, was brought to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where he was reunited with his family. Gadi’s partner, Efrat Katz, died on October 7 after IDF fire mistakenly hit her. Katz’s daughter, Doron KatzAsher, was abducted with then-5-year-

30

old Raz and 2-year-old Aviv, Katz’s grandchildren, who were all released in November 2023.

Arbel, a civilian, was expected to be released in a previous exchange. Hamas released female soldiers instead, prompting Israel on Sunday to briefly block Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza.

On Saturday, after 484 days in Hamas captivity, Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon, and Keith Siegel were brought home.

Yarden—whose wife, Shiri, and children Ariel and Kfir remain in captivity—embraced his father Eli and sister Ofri at a military facility near Re’im. The Bibas family was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. On October 7, Kfir was 10 months old, and Ariel was 4. Hamas has since claimed that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir have perished in captivity, a claim that Israel has not yet confirmed.

“Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete,” the Bibas family said in a statement. “At this time, we ask: Protect Yarden. Protect his soul. Please respect his privacy and give him the space he needs so that his body and soul can begin to recover.”

Later, Gal Hirsch, Israel’s hostage coordinator, asked the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, the international brokers of the deal, to provide Israel with information about Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir.

Ofer, a dual Israeli-French national who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was at first brought to the same facility. He later went to Sheba Hospital, where he had an emotional reunion with his brother and four children, Rotem, Gaya, Erez, and Sahar, the latter two of whom were taken captive on October 7 and were released in the November 2023 hostage deal.

Keith was released after Yarden and Ofer, who were freed elsewhere. Keith,

originally from North Carolina, was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza with his wife, Aviva Siegel, who was freed in November 2023. He reunited with his wife and daughters, Ilan, Gall, and Shir, at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center. Keith’s son, Shai, fought terrorists on October 7. While in captivity, Aviva thought Shai had perished but later found out that he survived.

Thus far, 18 hostages have been freed as part of the ceasefire that began on January 19, just one day before U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration. A total of 33 hostages are expected to be released as part of the first stage of this deal, though eight are believed to have perished in captivity. By the end of the second stage of the deal, if it is reached, all living hostages should be home.

Currently, seventy-six hostages remain in Gaza, 34 of whom the IDF have confirmed died in captivity.

Plane & Helicopter Collide in D.C.

On Wednesday, January 29, a Black Hawk helicopter flew into an American Airlines passenger jet as the plane’s pilots prepared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Sixty-seven individuals—everyone on both aircraft— were killed upon impact, marking the worst U.S. airplane crash since 2001.

The U.S. military named the three soldiers aboard the helicopter as 28-yearold Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 39-year-old Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, and Captain Rebecca

Lobach. The army publicized Lobach’s name on Saturday, adding that she was from Durham, North Carolina, served in the 12th Aviation Battalion, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and became an aviation officer in the army in 2019.

“She was a bright star in all our lives,” stated Lobach’s family, outlining her dream of becoming a doctor following her service. “No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”

The government has yet to release all the names of the CRJ700 airplane’s passengers and crew members, whose bodies officials have been recovering from the Potomac River. As of Saturday, 42 bodies have been recovered.

Nearly half of the passengers aboard the doomed airliner were members of the figure skating community, Samuel Auxier, CEO of U.S. Figure Skating, said in a statement.

“Those whom we lost dedicated their lives to perfecting the sport of figure skating, many with the goal of one day becoming Olympians. We will never forget them,” Auxier said

The 28 members of the skating community were returning from a development camp for promising figure skaters held in Wichita, Kansas, after the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating national championships. U.S. Figure Skating identified 11 skaters − all ages 11 to 16 − as being among the victims. Four coaches also died in the collision, including married couple Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, Olympians who won the 1994 pairs world championship with Russia. The other 13 members of the figure skating community on board the flight were family members.

The National Transportation Safety Board found the airplane’s “black box,” a device that records aircraft data. The data showed that the jet, at the time of the disaster, was flying 300 to 350 feet in the air. The helicopter, on the other hand, was flying over its maximum altitude of 200 feet.

“We do not know at this time if the night-vision goggles were actually being worn, nor what the setting may be,” Tood Inman, an NTSB board member, said of the helicopter’s pilot. “Further investigation should be able to let us know if that occurred and what factor it

may play in the overall accident.” According to the investigation, air traffic control notified the helicopter of the airplane around two minutes before the accident. One second before the crash, the airplane crew had a “verbal reaction” and the plane’s nose began to rise, according to data. An automated radio transmission warning, “traffic, traffic, traffic,” sounded shortly before the collision.

Trump Strikes Deals with Canada, Mexico

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States would be levying a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports, and a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports, except for Canada’s oil, which he said would be hit with a 10% tariff. Trump was levying the tariffs because America’s neighbors to the north and south were refusing to help secure the borders.

However, on Monday, shortly after the tariffs were expected to be implemented, Canada and Mexico made concessions in talks with the U.S., leading to a 30-day tariff delay.

“I just spoke with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico. It was a very friendly conversation wherein she agreed to immediately supply 10,000 Mexican Soldiers on the Border separating Mexico and the United States,” Trump announced on Monday on Truth Social. “These soldiers will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants into our country.”

That same day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada reached a similar deal with the U.S., wherein Ottawa agreed with Trump’s demands to secure the northern border. Trudeau said Canada would put its $1.3 billion border plan into effect, hire a “fentanyl czar,” and recognize Mexican cartels as terrorists.

“Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands

of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country,” Trump announced.

Before the deals were reached, Canada and Mexico threatened the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs. China has vowed to do the same.

When Trump announced the tariffs, many Democrats and some Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Susan Collins, criticized the president, asserting that the tariffs would lead to an increase in the cost of just about everything.

“We further agreed to immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one month period during which we will have negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and highlevel Representatives of Mexico,” Trump added. “I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries.”

Sheinbaum said her country would help the U.S. address the fentanyl crisis “for humanitarian reasons” and added that her measures would strengthen Mexico’s border and security. Additionally, the Mexican president added that the U.S.

agreed, for the first time, to help prevent high-powered weapons from entering Mexican territory.

The Nation’s Report Card

In early 2024, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a math and reading test commonly known as the nation’s report card, was administered to fourth and eighth grade students in every state. The test is administered every two years.

The test results indicate that American students are getting worse at reading and seeing little improvement in math, a trend that officials attribute to Covid-19 school closures, a mental health crisis among young people, high rates of chronic absenteeism, and other factors.

The exam results also found a growing

gap between the highest-performing students, who are beginning to recover academically from the pandemic, and low-performing students, who continue to score lower. The scores of the top 10% of students were three points higher than in 2022, while the scores of the lowest 10% saw a six-point drop.

“The news is not good,” said Peggy Carr, commissioner of the test’s overseer, the National Center for Education Statistics. “We are not seeing the progress we need to regain the ground our students lost during the pandemic.”

While the results were generally underwhelming, there were some bright spots. Fourth graders scored, on average, two points higher on the math test compared to the year prior, with some states and districts, including Washington, D.C., scoring as high as ten points more. However, the nation’s average fourth grade math score is still three points lower than it was in 2019, before the pandemic.

Eighth graders saw no improvement in math since 2022. Both eighth grade and fourth grade reading scores dropped by two points. Florida and Arizona, where

Angeles, New York City, and other major cities saw the most improvement in math. In Louisiana, fourth graders’ reading level is now as high as it was before the pandemic, and the same is true for fourth grade math in Alabama.

In 2022, a survey given along with the test showed that fewer students enjoyed reading, while a newer survey indicates that the students who struggle the most are the ones who don’t come to class.

Traffic and Fast Food

In a study that is not shocking to most drivers, researchers found that sitting in traffic leads to an increase in visits to fast food restaurants.

“In our analysis focusing on Los Angeles County, unexpected traffic delays beyond the usual congestion led

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34 to a 1 percent increase in fast food visits,” shared Becca Taylor, study author and assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois.

She added, “That might not sound like a lot, but it’s equivalent to 1.2 million more fast food visits per year in LA County alone. We describe our results as being modest but meaningful in terms of potential for changing unhealthy food choices.”

The study was published in the Journal of Urban Economics.

Researchers found that traffic delays of just 30 seconds per mile were enough to spike fast food visits by 1 percent.

“It might not be intuitive to imagine what a 30-second delay per mile feels like,” said Taylor. “I think of it as the difference between 10 a.m. traffic and 5 p.m. traffic.”

When the scientists analyzed hourto-hour data, they found a greater number of fast food visits when traffic delays occurred during the evening rush hour. At the same time, grocery story visits went down slightly.

“If there’s traffic between 5 and 7 p.m., which happens to be right around the evening meal time, we see an increase in fast food visits,” said Taylor. “Drivers have to make a decision about whether to go home and cook something, stop at the grocery store first, or just get the fast food.”

The findings are expected to be similar in other areas where fast food restaurants are found off of highways.

Philly Plane Crash

A medical plane crashed in Northern Philadelphia at 6:10 p.m. on Friday while en route to Mexico. The craft was carrying Lizeth Murillo Osuna, her

daughter Valentina Guzman Murillo, who was the patient, and four other people when it crashed less than a minute after it ascended 1,500 feet into the air, according to a statement by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Everyone on board the plane died. One other person was killed after the plane crashed, and 19 other individuals near the plane crash sustained injuries.

Officials currently believe that the crash was not caused by communication issues with air traffic control. The exact cause of the accident, however, is currently unclear.

The crash sent debris flying, injuring a number of people nearby, including one man at a diner, and set vehicles, homes, and individuals on fire.

The plane, a Learjet 55, fell near Roosevelt Mall, close to Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. It departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

The aircraft was on its way to Missouri’s Springfield-Branson National Airport, from which it was set to head to Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she regrets “the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States,” adding that she “asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support” the victims’ families and that her “solidarity” was with families and friends.

The child on the plane had been receiving medical care from Shriners Children’s Hospital. The aircraft was

meant to bring her and her mother back to their home in Mexico.

“So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. G-d Bless you all,” wrote President Donald Trump on Truth Social.

Menendez Sentenced to 11

Years

Bob Menendez, New Jersey’s disgraced former senator who was once one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, was sentenced last Wednesday to 11 years in prison for his central role in an international bribery scheme.

The courtroom in lower Manhattan was packed but silent as Judge Sidney H. Stein of U.S. District Court imposed one of the longest sentences ever issued for a federal official in the United States.

Menendez, 71, wept intermittently as he addressed the court before the sentence was announced. He has said that he planned to appeal the conviction but told Stein that he stood before him a “chastened man” who had suffered the ignominy of a guilty verdict and the resignation of his Senate seat.

After the sentencing concluded, he headed out to address a crowd in front of the courthouse.

Chastened no more, he offered a scathing indictment of the justice system and what appeared to be a direct appeal to President Donald Trump, who has the power to pardon him.

“President Trump is right,” he said. “This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core.”

Danielle Sassoon, the new acting head of the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement that the sentencings of Menendez and two of his co-defendants “send a clear message that attempts at any level of government to corrupt the nation’s foreign policy and the rule of law will be met with just punishment.”

When he was indicted 16 months ago,

Menendez was serving as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of the most powerful perches in Washington.

Menendez was found guilty in July on all 16 counts he faced, including bribery, extortion, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and acting as an agent for Egypt.

This week, the former senator’s lawyers, saying the case presented difficult appellate questions, asked Stein to allow Menendez to remain free on bond pending his appeal. That motion is still pending.

But Stein did delay the start of Menendez’s sentence until early June so that he would be able to attend his wife’s trial.

Two of Menendez’s co-defendants — Wael Hana and Fred Daibes — were also sentenced Wednesday. Daibes received a seven-year prison sentence and a fine of $1.75 million. Hana was sentenced to slightly more than eight years in prison and fined $1.3 million. (© The New York Times)

Musk: USAID Shutting Down

Elon Musk, head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, announced that the government is “in the process” of “shutting down” the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He added that the agency is “beyond repair” and “hopeless.”

Following Musk’s announcement on Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio became the acting head of the agency, giving the State Department authority over USAID.

Musk didn’t specify how the president planned on shuttering USAID without support from Congress. He also didn’t mention when exactly the agency would be shut down. Musk did say, however, that his idea of closing USAID had earned “the full support of the president,” adding that he reviewed the situation in detail with Trump.

On Sunday, Trump did not confirm

36 plans to shutter the agency but said Musk “is doing a good job” and claimed that USAID is “run by a bunch of radical lunatics.” However, Trump has previously announced a 90-day pause to review most U.S. foreign aid.

USAID’s budget is determined by Congress. The agency provides aid to foreign countries and international charities. In the 2023 fiscal year, USAID had a budget of around $40 billion, as per a Congressional Research Service report. The organization was born in 1961 from an executive order by President John F. Kennedy.

USAID’s security director and deputy security director were put on administrative leave after they attempted to stop Department of Government Efficiency employees from accessing USAID systems, according to reports.

As per the Impoundment Control Act, a federal law passed in 1974, the president doesn’t have the authority to withhold funds approved by Congress. Whether Trump plans to challenge the law in the Supreme Court remains to be seen.

In all, the U.S. spent about roughly $40 billion in foreign aid in the 2023 fiscal year, according to a report published last month by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The U.S. is the largest

provider of humanitarian assistance globally, although some other countries spend a bigger share of their budget on it.

Van Gogh in a Garage

Lost treasures abound, even when you’re least expecting to find them. Recently, a New York-based art data science firm confirmed that a piece of art sold at a garage sale in Minnesota was a long-lost piece of art by Vincent van Gogh.

LMI Group International announced the publication of a 450-page report on a painting called “Elimar,” which it believes is a van Gogh original.

The artwork was bought at a Minnesota garage sale for $50 in 2016. According to The Wall Street Journal, it could be worth as much as $15 million.

It is believed that van Gogh produced “Elimar” while he was a patient of the SaintPaul sanitarium in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence between May 1889 and May 1890.

The report describes the piece, which measures 45.7 by 41.9 centimeters, as an “emotionally rich, profoundly personal work created during the final and tumultuous chapter of van Gogh’s life.”

“In this portrait, van Gogh reimagines himself as an older, wiser man depicted against the serene palette-knife-sculpted sky and smooth expanse of the water, evoking van Gogh’s lifelong personal interest with life at sea,” the report said.

The portrait shows a somber-looking man with a pipe in his mouth and a fur hat standing by the ocean. The painting has “the same three-quarter view of all four van Gogh self-portraits painted in 1889,” according to the report.

Analysts also found that a strand of red hair was partially embedded in the corner of the painting, and scientists confirmed it belonged to a male. The painting also had a finish made of egg white, which van Gogh was known to have used.

“Gogh” with the flow.

Museum Marathon

Museums may not be on the top of your vacation to-do list, but Ben Melham is quite the expert.

The Londoner recently broke a Guinness World Record by visiting a whopping 42 museums in 24 hours.

The 42-year-old said his kids, Matilde and Henrik, inspired him to attempt the record for the most museums visited in 24 hours.

“This record began as a conversation with my children about how hard it could be to break a world record while we were reading their Guinness World Records book together,” he told Guinness World Records.

Melham’s kids joined him on some of his museum visits during his whirlwind record attempt.

London is a great city for museumhopping.

“London was an obvious choice for this attempt. With over 200 registered museums, it is one of the world’s great museum cities, offering a unique diversity – from renowned institutions like the British Museum and the V&A to smaller gems like the Bank of England Museum and the Bow Street Police Museum,” Melham noted.

Melham visited 42 museums during his 24-hour attempt, breaking the record of 33 museums set by Sujoy Kumar Mitra and Swaroop Dawrani in Delhi, India, in 2024.

He’s an exhibit expert.

Doughnut Delivery

There are many types of doughnuts offered at Krispy Kreme, but this delivery takes the cake.

Sha’nya Bennett was heading to the hospital with her husband and five-yearold son when she began to feel like she was going into labor.

Heavy snow was falling in the Alabama city of Dothan, and she realized that she wouldn’t be able to make it to the hospital. The family headed into the parking lot of the closed Krispy Kreme, and Bennett’s brand-new baby entered the world before paramedics were able to arrive.

They named her Dallas Mitchell, although people have joked that her middle name should be “Glaze.”

“I felt like superwoman,” the exhausted mother said.

The baby’s father, though, added, “I really don’t know how I stayed calm because I was really scared.”

Now, the couple – and their children – will be eating great treats for the rest of the year. The manager of the Krispy Kreme location said the Bennetts will receive free doughnuts for a year. She also offered to host Dallas’ first birthday party at the location next year.

“My first thought was, we have seen it all,” manager Laura French said. “I’m telling you, everything happens in the Krispy Kreme parking lot on a scale from small to grand. I was like, well, that’s just the icing on the doughnut right there.”

We do-not believe it.

Around the Community

Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services Celebrates Nagler Family Children’s Center Grand Opening In Far Rockaway

On Monday, January 27, Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services invited supporters and community stakeholders to celebrate the official grand opening of the Nagler Family Children’s Center, made possible through grants from generous donors including Deena and Marvin Nagler.

Notable guests toured the expanded space housed within the Kleinman Family Ohel Regional Center in Far Rockaway on Seagirt Blvd and Beach 9th St. This child-friendly Center for children and adolescents with waiting rooms filled with toys, art supplies, and more creates an environment of service with excellence.

The Nagler Family Children’s Center offers various mental health services including a best-in-class early childhood program, providing care for infants, and continuing through age six, and prenatal and post-partum women. Moreover, the Center staff continues its work with all ages with more than 30 highly qualified, well trained, experienced therapists and psychiatrists to treat a wide range of

child, adolescent, adult, and family issues including anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, conduct disorder, personality disorder, marital conflict, high conflict divorce, and much more.

Chaya Kohn, Ohel’s Director of integrated health services speaking of Ohel’s investment in mental health services for young children, shared, “Ohel conducted an assessment across the region, and it revealed a significant rise in anxiety and depression among young children, many of whom are also experiencing physical symptoms. Identifying these issues early is crucial to ensuring that youth receive the support, resources, and tools they need to navigate their challenges before adulthood.”

The Center serves hundreds of individuals monthly from areas including Far Rockway, Bayswater, the 5 Towns, Nassau County, Kew Gardens, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates.

Judith Hulkower, L.C.S.W. at the Nagler Family Children’s Center, added, “The demand for youth mental health

services is clear, and our center offers a space to work alongside community partners, yeshivas and local organizations to support children, empowering them to lead happy, healthy lives.”

Ohel extends appreciation to Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers for her support to outfit the new Center with beautiful modern furnishings especially designed for children. In her remarks at the Reception, Councilmember Brooks-Powers commented on the assistance that Ohel has provided to her constituents as well as personally benefitting from Ohel’s Resilience Workbooks for children.

Ohel’s Kleinman Regional Family Center and Nagler Family Children’s Center is located at 156 Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway. It accepts various insurances and offers clients a sliding scale. Call 718-851-6300 or 800-603Ohel for more information or to schedule a consultation.

Born in Queens, Inspiring the World

Perhaps the most common question heard at Chazaq is, “Why do you spell Chazaq with a ‘Q’?”

The answer is simple—Chazaq’s journey of inspiration began in the heart of the Queens community.

Chazaq was founded in 2006 by Yaniv Meirov as a grassroots initiative to inspire Jewish high school students in Queens. What began as a simple weekly parsha paper quickly grew into something much more impactful, becoming a dynamic movement that would transform Jewish lives across Queens. With its mix of student programming, Torah lectures, and educational resources, Chazaq sparked a fire of Jewish education and inspiration that was embraced by a community eager to reconnect with their roots.

The local success in Queens was the

catalyst for a nation-wide revolution, bringing the warmth of Judaism to children in public schools across the United States. Before long, Chazaq started impacting the lives of Jews all over New York, and eventually across the Unites States such as in Florida, California, Arizona, and Atlanta Georgia.

Chazaq’s vision did not stop at the borders of the United States. The movement continued to spread far beyond the U.S., with international branches established today in both Canada and Israel. Simultaneously, Chazaq’s popular online Torah lectures gained a wide global audience, inspiring hundreds of thousands of Jewish souls each year with the wisdom of Torah and Judaism.

The numbers speak volumes. Since 2017, Chazaq has impacted the

lives of over 7,000 public school students and more than 1800 of them have been transferred from public schools to yeshivas, deepening their connection to Jewish education.

In just the past 12 months alone, Chazaq’s programming has engaged more than 1,350 public school students with 284 of them transferred to Yeshiva. While these numbers speak volumes, Chazaq’s programs are not just numbers on a page—they represent real lives transformed, Jewish identities strengthened, and communities brought closer together.

Looking ahead, Chazaq’s growth shows no signs of slowing down. With plans to expand its programming and inspire even more communities, Chazaq is committed to bringing Torah education

to Jewish youth worldwide.

To fuel this global expansion, Chazaq will be running an urgent matching campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 11-12 , aiming to raise much needed funds to keep their life changing programs going strong.

As they embark on this crucial campaign, Chazaq invites everyone to partner with them in reaching, impacting, and inspiring hundreds of thousands of Jewish souls across the world. Mark your calendar, and don’t miss this incredible opportunity to be part of something truly transformative.

Together, we can ensure that the flame of Torah continues to burn brightly, uplifting Jewish communities worldwide— one heart at a time. Visit GiveChazaq. com for more details.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender Visits

Chaim V’Chessed

On February 2, Chaim V’Chessed had the honor of welcoming Rabbi Yaakov Bender, the esteemed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway and a renowned mechanech. More than just an educator, Rabbi Bender is widely recognized as a paragon of chessed.

Chaim V’Chessed is the one-stop address providing assistance for English speakers in Israel with life’s challenges.

During his visit, he was given a comprehensive tour of the organization’s offices by CEO Paysach Freedman, gaining an in-depth understanding of Chaim V’Chessed’s vital work on behalf of English-speakers facing challenges in Israel.

Following the tour, the entire Chaim V’Chessed staff gathered in the conference room to hear Rabbi Bender’s words of inspiration. He spoke passionately about the immeasurable impact of acts of kindness, emphasizing how one simple gesture can ripple through generations. The staff, deeply moved by his powerful message, felt reinvigorated in their mis-

sion. In turn, Rabbi Bender expressed his amazement at the vast scope of Chaim V’Chessed’s operations and the profound difference they make in the lives of so many. The visit left an indelible mark on all present, strengthening their dedication to the organization’s mission of chessed.

Special Guest Speakers at YOSS

The Mechina of Yeshiva of South Shore had the very special privilege of hearing from a phenomenal tag team of guest lecturers from Passaic, New Jersey, Dr. Zalman and Mrs. Etty Burger. Mrs. Burger, a school administrator of Yeshiva K’tana of Passaic, gave a riveting presentation on the history of Jewish life in Denmark. Many of the boys had recently finished reading the novel “Number the Stars,” which takes place during Nazi-occupied Denmark. Mrs. Burger had recently traveled to Copenhagen and showed them many pictures and maps as she delved deep into the rich history of the Jewish neigh-

Screen Free to be Me

As HALB students returned to school, so did the excitement about the Screen Free to be Me program. Once again, the majority of the students participated in screen free time

Wedding Time

at home and at the end of the week several students won raffle prizes. Students are getting better, healthier, quality time at home and chances for prizes in school. Sounds like a win-win!

Lev Chana teachers work hard to make the learning experience for their students fun and interactive. With that being said, it’s no surprise that they had a wedding for letters “Q” and “U” who always appear together in

borhoods of Copenhagen, Denmark, and how it related to the Danish Jews’ miraculous survival during World War II.

Dr. Burger, a retired research scientist, who is currently a chemistry professor at YU and FDU, brought chemistry to life as he gave some fascinating demonstrations in the YOSS lab. They saw alcohol distillation and watched the pure alcohol burn. Their eyes lit up as they watched the magnificence of magnesium burning. They were truly wowed by the way various chemicals burn, weigh, smell and look different when a small chemical change occurs. It was truly a day the boys will not forget!

YOSS 4th Grade Biography Report Journey

Ms. Fagan’s fourth grade class at YOSS just completed an exciting journey through the world of biographies! Each student selected an individual to research, ranging from historical figures to modern-day heroes. They explored their individual’s childhood, family, major accomplishments, and the stories that made them famous. Through research, the boys crafted thoughtful reports that highlighted the challenges and triumphs of their chosen individuals.

The project culminated in a presentation day, where students dressed up as their chosen figures and brought in artifacts to enhance their storytelling. They confidently recited their reports to their peers, showcasing all the knowledge and hard work they had put into the project. Not only did the boys learn about significant figures in history, but they also developed essential skills in research, writing, and public speaking. It was a

fantastic celebration of learning, growth, and the power of storytelling!

Rabbi Yaakov Bender with Paysach Freedman, CEO of Chaim V’Chessed

Dr. Hersh Visits Shulamith

Shulamith’s eighth graders started off their Science Scholars Program with an incredible presentation from Dr. Zahava Hersh. She expanded on our unit of cellular differentiation and taught the girls various disorders that can occur in the different organs and

organ systems. She taught the students how to maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep all their organs working properly.

The students thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much!

Thank you to Dr. Hersh for your time, knowledge and the delicious muffins!

Rambam Rebbeim and Faculty

Connect with Alumni In Israel

During winter break, Rambam rebbeim and faculty kept the kesher alive by visiting students in Israel.

Assistant Principal Rabbi Avi Haar (being honored at this year’s school dinner), Gemara Iyun Rebbe and Double Beis Midrash Rebbe, Rabbi Yossi Ziskind, and Mr. Ariel Jerushalmy dedicated meaningful time to visiting alumni. They enjoyed dinners together, shared divrei Torah, and updated them on ex-

“Out of the Box” at Gan Chamesh

Inspired by the the idea of taking care of Hashem’s beautiful world by recycling, Gan Chamesh began its annual innovative Box Week unit. The children’s imaginations soared as they played and experimented with all different kinds of boxes. There was much creativity and exploration. The possibilities were endless as children replaced toys in the classroom with boxes.

DRS Rebbes Continue to Learn

Every month, in a continuous effort to grow and inspire the talmidim in deeper and more meaningful ways, the rabbeim at DRS come together for a unique form of professional development. These gatherings are infused with Torah, chinuch, and insights from some of the greatest Torah leaders of our generation.

citing Rambam news, such as the varsity Flag football team making the playoffs, the thriving Masmidim Extra Learning Program, the upcoming 3-on-3 February Madness Basketball Tournament, and the exciting launch of the Rambam Volleyball team.

A special shoutout goes to Mr. Ariel Jerushalmy, Rambam’s beloved history teacher, who teaches every student in the school and who also took the time to connect with his “talmidim” in Israel.

This month, the rabbeim were privileged to hear from Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, a leader in both the rabbinic and mental health worlds. Rabbi Rothwachs serves as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Aaron in Teaneck, NJ, and as the Director of Professional Rabbinics at RIETS, where he trains the next generation of Orthodox rabbis in pastoral counseling and provides them with the tools to navigate the many challenges they will encounter in their careers. In addition to his rabbinic leadership, Rabbi Rothwachs is also a licensed social worker, and his private practice in mental health has grown tremendously over the years.

In his session with the DRS rabbeim, Rabbi Rothwachs tackled one of the most critical yet complex issues faced by mechanchim today: when to step in directly to help a student, when to seek guidance from a professional, and when to encourage a talmid to seek therapy. Balancing these responsibilities is no simple task, and Rabbi Rothwachs provided practical insights on identifying red flags, maintaining appropriate boundaries, and ensuring that a rebbe can be both a source of support and a responsible guide for a student in need. His words struck a chord with the rabbeim, offering clarity on how to navigate these delicate situations with wisdom, compassion, and professionalism. This session was the latest in a series of remarkable learning opportunities for the DRS rabbeim. Past presenters have been YU Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Meir Twersky and Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, Rav Aaron Lopiansky.

HALB Artists

Congratulations to HALB students

Adina Kryksman and Akiva Rosenfeld on their second place win in the JFK Synagogue Jewish Press Cha-

nukah Art contest! They made beautiful works of art which will be on display at the JFK Synagogue.

HALB Participates in Middle School Civic Spirit Day

Last week, a group of HALB students had the incredible opportunity to participate in Middle School Civic Spirit Day at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. They joined nearly 100 other students from around the tri-state

area to learn and explore questions and issues related to civic life and the judicial system. Students heard from, and interacted with, different professionals who make up our judicial branch and legal system. Students learned a lot from this unique experience!

YHT’s Morah’s New Book

Yeshiva Har Torah is proud to announce that its very own Hebrew Language Curriculum Coordinator, Morah Ariana Mizrahi, has authored the children’s book “The Blue Butterfly of Cochin.” This work was recently named a finalist in the 74th National Jewish Book Awards’ picture book category. Through her book, Morah Ariana tells the compelling story of the ancient Jewish Indian

community’s mass immigration to Israel in the 1950s, helping children relate to both the idealism and challenges of making aliyah from a different country. We are fortunate that our students benefit daily from Morah Ariana’s gift for connecting and inspiring children to Israel, now beautifully expressed through her award-winning literature.

Councilwoman Miller

Attends Opening of New PSEG Office Building

Hempstead Town Councilwoman

Melissa Miller (right) attended the grand opening of the PSEG Long Island office building, located on Cedar Lane in Woodmere, on January 29. Also attending were Christine Bryson, PSEG Long Island Economic De -

velopment Specialist; Andrew Cacioppo, PSEG Long Island Energy Consultant; Christopher Chaffee, PSEG Long Island Regional External Affairs Manager; Dr. Joel Preminger of Lawrence; and David Friedman, President of the Hewlett Woodmere Business Association.

Shevat and Health Month at HANC

Rosh Chodesh Shevat was welcomed with great fanfare in the HANC Early Childhood Center this past week with a lively chagiga led by Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, Director of HANC West Hempstead Campuses, and Mrs. Trudy Rubinstein, Director of HANC Early Childhood Center. Despite the snow-covered grass in our area, the children celebrated the importance of trees and the beginning of Springtime in Israel. Rabbi Hazan shared a special story for Tu B’Shvat, and then the children and teachers celebrated with spirited singing and dancing to herald the birthday of the trees. At the conclusion of the chagiga, the young students were delighted to receive special fruit treats, representing the many delicious fruits that Hashem’s trees provide for us.

In addition to learning about all the ways trees grow and provide food and building materials for us, the yeladim will also be focusing their February learning on how to maintain good health. Health Month is in February, and some of the children began with a visit inside a Hatzalah ambulance to familiarize the children with what it looks like inside and

Yad Vashem Way in NYC

On Thursday, Tamar Major and Beth Katznelson, leaders of the Yad Vashem USA Foundation, joined Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan in Manhattan for the official naming of “Yad Vashem Way” at 67th Street and 3rd Avenue. Coming just days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day, this meaningful tribute was attended by elected officials, community leaders from NYC, and Holocaust survivors, reinforcing the urgent need to pre -

how the paramedics help people who are sick or hurt. In this way, if a child should ever require their assistance, they will have already experienced being inside an ambulance and will be more at ease. In the classrooms, the children were busy learning about the importance of good health practices like eating healthy food, getting plenty of sleep at night, washing their hands carefully with soap, and if they are sick, how to use tissues and cough into their elbows to help prevent the spread of germs.

serve memory and educate future generations. The placement of this sign serves as a powerful reminder, encouraging passersby to Google “Yad Vashem,” learn about the Holocaust and its atrocities, and ensure that history is never forgotten. In an era of rising antisemitism, this initiative underscores the importance of vigilance and education—because Never Again is Now.

Keeping our bodies strong and healthy is another focus of Health Month. Under the guidance of the HANC fitness teacher Morah Esther, the children are learning and practicing stretches and body strengthening exercises for all the different parts of their bodies. After completing warm up exercises, the weekly fitness sessions include following one and two step directions that help the yeladim learn how to stretch over and under, extend their limbs and create good practices for keeping their bodies limber

and strong.

As the month progresses, the children will be welcoming many parents to their classrooms to teach the children about how to care for their teeth and bodies. By the end of the month, the children will have gained so much knowledge in how important it is to incorporate exercise into their daily routines and what they can do to keep themselves healthy as they learn and grow.

Becoming G-dly: Integrating Torah and Psychology to Guide Our Lives

Becoming G-dly: Integrating Torah and Psychology to Guide Us in Emulating Hashem, a new book by Rabbi Dr. Yosef Sokol, offers a groundbreaking approach to understanding and actualizing human potential. His compelling work integrates the depth of Torah wisdom with the practical insights of modern psychology, presenting a cohesive framework for personal growth and purposeful living.

A rabbi, psychologist and faculty member at Touro University’s School of Health Sciences PsyD program, Dr. Sokol brings years of academic, clinical and Torah scholarship to this transformative project. He earned his semicha from Yeshivas Bais Yosef Novardok and

his PhD in clinical psychology from Hofstra University. Drawing from his pioneering Continuous Identity Cognitive Therapy (CI-CT)—a model praised for its impact on navigating life transitions—he demonstrates how aligning daily choices with higher values leads to meaningful self-creation. This therapy bridges psychological principles with timeless Torah ideals, creating a unified pathway for spiritual and emotional development.

“Many people live lives with so little clarity of purpose and struggle to make meaningful choices,” said Dr. Sokol. “From major decisions like marriage to everyday ones like talking to a friend, our choices are building blocks of our identity that shape us and lead us toward a

more or less meaningful life. Becoming G-dly offers a path—based on Torah and psychology—to a more meaningful life. By exploring how understanding Torah, Hashem, our values and ourselves helps us make intentional choices, we can transform ourselves, find meaning and work to fulfill our Divine purpose.”

The book is structured around four key sections: Self-Creation, which examines how choices shape identity and draw individuals closer to the Creator; Torah, which reveals how mitzvos and study provide the ultimate guide for decision-making; Klal Yisrael, which explores collective identity and the role of unity in personal growth; and Walking in His Ways, a practical guide to emulating the

Creator’s attributes in everyday life. Becoming G-dly is available through Mosaica Press at https://mosaicapress. com/product/becoming-godly/

Team Lifeline Conquers the Miami Marathon: A Weekend of Triumph and Inspiration

The energy was electric, the camaraderie was palpable, and the impact was undeniable as Team Lifeline runners and supporters gathered in Miami for an unforgettable marathon weekend. From the pre-race Pasta Party to the victorious finish line celebrations, every moment was infused with purpose, perseverance, and passion for the children and families of Chai Lifeline.

The weekend kicked off with Team Lifeline’s annual Pasta Party, where runners, families, and Chai Lifeline warriors came together to celebrate months of dedication and training. The room buzzed with excitement as participants enjoyed a delicious meal, shared personal stories, and listened to inspiring words from Chai Lifeline leaders and children whose lives are directly impacted by the

funds raised. The night set the tone for the challenge ahead, reminding every runner that they were racing for something far greater than themselves.

As the sun rose over Miami, Team Lifeline runners took their places at the starting line, ready to take on the challenge of the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. Dressed in their signature yellow jerseys, each participant embodied the resilience and hope of the children they were supporting. Along the course, Chai Lifeline families, volunteers, and fellow runners cheered them on, providing an extra boost of motivation with every step.

The finish line was more than just a marker of miles completed—it was a testament to the strength of a community that refuses to let illness or loss define a

child’s life. As runners crossed the finish line, exhausted but exhilarated, emotions ran high. Each finisher knew they had made a real difference in the lives of children and families facing medical crises.

The triumph of the race was followed by an unforgettable post-race Victory Party. Amidst music, dancing, and heartfelt embraces, runners reflected on their accomplishments and the impact of their journey. Families shared their gratitude, and the bonds of friendship and purpose were stronger than ever.

Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline, encapsulated the weekend’s spirit perfectly: “Every mile run, every dollar raised, and every ounce of energy put forth this weekend was a lifeline for children and families battling illness.

Team Lifeline is more than a running team—it is a family, united by the mission to bring hope, support, and joy to those who need it most.”

As the weekend came to a close, Team Lifeline participants left Miami with aching legs but full hearts, already looking forward to the next opportunity to run for a cause that changes lives.

Rambam Mesivta Returns from Break with Something for Everyone

The talmidim of Rambam Mesivta came back to a jam-packed schedule of activities that kicked off the spring semester with a bang as students were excited to hear that senior Daniel Stein came in 1st Place Overall at the Citron Model UN Competition!

In addition to that good news, the Spring Masmidim Extra Learning Program started up with Assistant Principal Rabbi Avi Haar learning long into the night with his students. The Aviation Club, led by senior Moshe Lowenstein,

met to discuss the drone phenomenon that was sweeping the nation prior to the break. Rambam alum, Motty Stern, came into school to give a wood-spoon carving session and shiur to the current students.

The Awful Film Club, now run by senior Bernie Weiner, also met to watch a film while playing a competitive game.

This week will also feature JV Flagfootball tryouts, Soccer tryouts, and tryouts for the school’s newly formed Volleyball team. After the success of Rambam’s in-house Volleyball Tournaments held the

last two years at the Camp Seneca Lake Getaways, the school knew it was time to take those skills to the Yeshiva League.

Parsha Yomi with Rabbi Dr. Andrew Sicklick is also continuing to meet every Friday and the school heard from Rav Moshe Taragin from Gush who gave a Gemara shiur to the 11th and 12th graders.

The school is also gearing up for the Civic Spirit Film Festival, Torah Bowl, College Bowl, Chess, Rambam Political Action Committee trip to the Swedish Consulate, the Annual 3-on-3 Basketball

Tournament

the Codenames Tournament, and so much more!

The collective feeling is that it’s good to be back!

Dr. Yosef Sokol

(AKA February Madness),

Around the Community

Eden Gardens Orlando Pours Highly Anticipated Mikvah Foundation

Eden Gardens Orlando is thrilled to announce a significant milestone in the construction of its highly anticipated community Mikvah.

The Mikvah’s foundation has been poured, setting the Mikvah on track to finish construction by the end of 2025.

The Eden Gardens Orlando Mikvah project will feature stateof-the-art men’s and women’s Mikvaos, alongside a dedicated Keli Mikvah. Designed with well-appointed private rooms and premium finishes, the Eden Gardens Orlando Mikvah will provide community members with a comforting and uplifting experience.

Perfectly crafted for the needs of your Frum family, Eden Gardens Orlando homes feature 4-14 bedrooms and semi-custom designs. Playgrounds, parks, sports courts, and a private pool in every home enable resort-style living with unparalleled comfort and connection — all in a stunning vacation-like setting.

Eden Gardens Orlando boasts a warm and welcoming, tight-knight community with year round Minyanim and an Eruv. Experience the joy, community and camaraderie of Eden Gardens Orlando, where a house feels like a true home.

Starting at only $489,900, don’t just imagine your perfect home, find it today!

Ezra Academy Celebrates Milestones in Tefillah Education

This week, Ezra Academy, a high school renowned for its rigorous academics and warm, family-like environment, marked two meaningful milestones in its tefillah (prayer) education. Both events highlighted the school’s ongoing commitment to nurturing its students’ spiritual growth and devotion to Torah observance.

The first milestone involved a special ceremony to honor two “mechina” boys, who recently completed an incredible journey in learning to read and write Hebrew, under the tutelage of Rabbi Yona Yehoshua. After transitioning from public school just four months ago, these students have made remarkable progress. In recognition of their hard work and achievement, they were presented with brand new siddurim (prayer books) during the ceremony, surrounded by

administrators who joined in rejoicing over their success. This occasion was not only a celebration of their academic progress but also a symbolic step forward on their path toward more dedicated tefillah and a deeper connection to their Jewish heritage.

Ezra Academy’s administrators took the time to personally acknowledge these boys’ perseverance and commitment.

“This ceremony is just the beginning of their journey,” said one administrator.

“We are proud of their progress and excited to see where their efforts will take them.”

The second milestone was the introduction of a new girls’ initiative focused on tefillah, further underscoring Ezra Academy’s commitment to cultivating spiritual growth. The initiative, aimed at helping young

women enhance their personal prayers, has already garnered enthusiastic participation. The girls wake up early each Thursday morning to attend lectures before the school day begins. These teachings, delivered by Rabbi Eli Geller, the academy’s Mashgiach Ruchani, are designed to deepen their understanding of tefillah—what it means and how they can concentrate on and enrich their personal prayers.

The program is called Shalhevet Chava, a name chosen in loving memory of Chavie Frielich, the late wife of Ezra Academy’s Rosh Yeshiva and Dean, Rabbi Eli Frielich. Chavie, a pivotal figure in the kiruv (outreach) movement that Ezra Academy embodies, is remembered fondly for her tireless efforts in spreading Jewish values. Rabbi Geller, who launched this initiative, explained that Shalhevet Chava represents a flame of dedication to both prayer and Torah study, ignited by Rebbetzin Freilich’s own passionate example.

“This initiative is a tribute to my late wife, Chavie, whose love for teaching

and guiding others continues to inspire all of us,” Rabbi Freilich said. “Through programs like Shalhevet Chava, Chavie’s legacy lives on in the hearts of our students.”

The girls in the Shalhevet Chava cohort are enthusiastic and committed, and the program has quickly grown into a weekly tradition. Each week, a large group of girls joins together in their early morning learning sessions, eagerly absorbing the insights shared by Rabbi Geller. Their devotion to improving their tefillah practices is an inspiring example of how a community can come together in pursuit of spiritual and personal growth. Congratulations to all the students at Ezra Academy—both the mechina boys and the girls in Shalhevet Chava—for their dedication to deepening their connection to tefillah and Torah. Ezra Academy continues to be a place where strong academics and a supportive, familylike environment foster the growth of students who are committed to bettering themselves, both in their studies and in their spiritual lives.

HANC High School Annual Opening Semester Ice Skating Event

On Rosh Chodesh Shevat, Thursday, January 30, HANC High School students were treated to an epic event at the Annual Opening Semester Ice Skating Trip at the Syosset Woodbury Community Park’s outdoor rink! This highly anticipated trip, organized by the Student Life department, marked the exciting start of the new semester.

As the buses pulled out, each student received a HANC Hurricane ski hat. Once they arrived, the energy was electric – students raced inside, eager to lace up their skates and hit the ice.

The rink was buzzing with excitement as students zoomed around with their friends and faculty. Some showed off their smooth moves, while others took the opportunity to learn a few tricks and

teach their friends how to skate.

To warm up, everyone got to enjoy delicious Dunkin’ hot chocolate, which hit the spot on a chilly winter day. For those looking to take a break from skating, Rabbi Chesir led a fireside shiur, where students gathered around the cozy fire while sipping their hot chocolate.

Before heading back to school, everyone gathered for one final memory

HAFTR Invitational Girls Varsity Basketball Tournament

The 5th Annual HAFTR Invitational Girls Varsity Basketball Tournament delivered an unforgettable weekend of high-energy basketball, fierce competition, and lasting friendships. What started as a local event has now grown into one of the most anticipated tournaments in the Yeshiva League – and this year, it truly raised the bar!

Teams from Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and Tennessee hit the courts alongside New York’s finest, transforming the tournament into more than just a battle for the title. It became a gathering of passionate athletes, where bonds were

formed over a shared love for the game, school pride, and unforgettable on-andoff-court moments.

Our very own HAFTR Hawks put up a stellar performance, finishing with a 3-2 record and advancing to the semi-finals before a tough loss to HANC. But the spotlight shone brightest on North Shore, who clinched their second consecutive championship with a dominant win over HANC in the finals.

The tournament wasn’t just about the scores—it was a heartfelt weekend highlighting years of dedication, effort, and hard work. Joey Hoenig, HAFTR’s

Athletic Director and Girls’ Basketball Coach, captured the spirit of the weekend perfectly: “Every year, this tournament is about more than just basketball, and this year was no exception. The level of play was outstanding, but what stood out the most was the camaraderie and sportsmanship. This year’s tournament is especially meaningful.”

From epic three-pointers to sharing a meaningful Shabbat between teams, the tournament was packed with moments that highlighted the power of sports to bring people together. The weekend’s success wouldn’t have been possible

– a group photo, trying their best not to knock into each other as they posed for the picture.

A huge thank you to the Student Life department for organizing this unforgettable event – it was the perfect way to kick off the semester with a lot of fun and with classic HANC ruach.

without the support of host families, the dedicated maintenance crew, the Public School Athletic League referees, and the incredible fans who filled the stands with energy and excitement.

As the final whistle blew, players and spectators alike left with more than just memories of great games—they left with new friendships and a sense of unity that defines the Yeshiva League community. With this year’s tournament in the books, one thing is clear: the HAFTR Girls Yeshiva League Invitational is here to stay, and it’s only getting better.

See you on the court next year!

Shulamith ECC enjoyed freezing paint and painting “popsicle” pictures

ast Thursday, in honor of Agam Berger’s return home, students at HALB braided their hair and tied it with a yellow ribbon. Everyone was so

excited to welcome her back home to her family in Israel.

CQ hosted a beautiful Melave Malka for the grade 4 boys on Motzei Shabbat. Students and their families made tzitzit, enjoyed a kumzitz by Rabbi Ari Boiangiu and Rab -

bi Ophie Nat, and ate a delicious dinner catered by Bravo Pizza Queens and our very own Chef Yaakov. Special thanks to everyone made the night so special.

YCQ Grade 4 Boys Melave Malka

Erev Shabbos Learning Tribute at HANC

The weekly Shabbat Assembly in HANC Elementary School in West Hempstead was transformed into a Beit Midrash in honor of three very special and influential rabbinic giants whose vision, commitment and leadership built the path upon which the students continue to transverse in their Torah study each week. The Shabbat assembly was dedicated in the memory of Rabbi Meir Fendel, zt”l, Rabbi Moshe Gottesman, zt”l, and Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, zt”l.

As the children entered the auditorium, they took their places at the tables and waited with anticipation to see how this week’s Shabbat celebration would unfold. Introductory remarks were given by Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, Director of HANC West Hempstead campuses, as he introduced the special hour of learning that would be dedicated to the memory of these three gedolim. Utilizing a learning sheet, and based on the teachings of Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, zt”l, Morah D’Atra of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, Rabbi Hazan focused the students’ atten-

tion on the qualities of a judge.

“People who judge honestly bring the Shechinah (the presence of Hashem) to rest among Am Yisrael,” he explained.

“Those who do not judge honestly distance Hashem from Am Yisrael.”

Through the course of study on pesukim that speak of the qualities of a good judge, the children focused on these qualities and discussed with their chavrusa whether they felt they emulated these characteristics as well. When the crowd regrouped, they reviewed the qualities required of a good judge which include a love of people, a good eye that sees good in others, a humble spirit, a good person to have as a friend, and someone who interacts pleasantly with other people. These qualities form the basis of a HANC student as well.

Following the learning, the students were introduced to Rabbi Sam Rudansky, a HANC alumnus and rebbe from HANC High School in Uniondale. He was uniquely qualified to speak about the three rebbeim, because he knew and

learned from all three of them when he was a student at HANC. He shared with the students how a very young Rabbi Meir Fendel, the first rabbi of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, decided that the community needed a yeshiva in its midst. Beginning with only thirty-two students in a tiny house, he helped grow the school and transformed the neighborhood into a growing Orthodox community. His role later grew to the Dean of four divisions, including two Elementary Schools, a Middle School and a High School.

Following Rabbi Fendel’s tenure at HANC, Rabbi Moshe Gottesman joined HANC in 1960. He served in many roles, including rabbi, teacher, principal of the Middle School and High School and eventually Dean in 1985. Upon the establishment of the Rabbi Moshe Gottesman Beit Midrash, this center of learning for students and alumni opened its doors to students, alumni and other community members learning at local universities and businesses as well.

The third rabbi honored at the Shabbat Assembly is HANC’s weekly inspira-

tion, Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, zt”l, who for many years served as rabbi of the Young Israel in West Hempstead and as a role model for the community and for HANC. Rabbi Kelemer was not only a soughtout Torah scholar but was perhaps most famous for his extraordinary acts of chessed. One example was his desire to pay a shiva call to a West Hempstead family who was sitting shiva for their grandmother in Florida. Since he did not like to fly in airplanes, he drove twenty-two hours to arrive at the shiva house and then drove all the way home. Similar acts of chessed that he performed could fill multiple volumes, all done quietly and modestly, which was his nature.

In his concluding remarks, Rabbi Rudansky instilled this message to the students: “I want you to know that each person counts. I want you to think of a mitzvah or a chessed that you can do in the merit of these three great rabbis. Each one of you can make a difference, and every mitzvah and act of kindness is important.”

Around the Community

Parashas HaMahn

By Dov Weller

Today’s Mahn

The Noam Elimelech writes that the miraculous mahn exists today just as it did during the forty years the Jewish nation journeyed the barren wilderness. The same channel of bracha that brought the mahn then, exists today in the guise of nature. Hashem is prepared to provide sustenance to everyone, each day. The prosperity is there, waiting to be released. Bitachon in Hashem, internalizing in both thought and action that one’s financial state is directly dependent on Hashem’s flow of goodness, is the key to opening the floodgates of bracha. But when a person is lacking in bitachon and thinks that it is his actions, his education, his hustle, his intelligence, his connections, and his energy that are responsible for his parnassah, he creates a barrier.

Chovos HaLevavos tells us that bitachon is the key to parnassah. Reliance on Hashem not only frees us from the shackles of worry, it is the conduit that

connects us directly to the mahn, which was given to us directly from Hashem. Sefer Rav Ye’ivi writes succinctly, “Parnassah is the result of bitachon. The more bitachon the more parnassah, as the verse states, ‘Hashem desires those who fear Him, those who yearn for His kindness’” (Tehillim 147:11).

No matter how much time was spent gathering the mahn or how large the quantity of mahn, upon arriving home, everyone had the same amount, no more and no less. We see from here that one’s parnassah is not a result of his hishtadlus, it is not a result of hustle, effort, time spent working, or the type of job; it is all Divinely orchestrated. There are people who work sixty-five hours a week and barely make ends meet, and there are those who work just a few hours a week and are comfortable.

The mahn showed us for all eternity that yes, you have to go out and gather the mahn, but there is no connection between your efforts and what you bring home. One of the most difficult questions that we must ask ourselves (or our rav) is,

“Is the hishtadlus I am doing too much, or just right?” Hishtadlus, explains the Mesillas Yesharim (Ch. 21), is a tax that we all pay since Adam HaRishon ate from the Eitz HaDaas. Hishtadlus is a box that Hashem requires us to check off before He provides parnassah; it is not the source of parnassah itself. Rav Mattisyahu Salomon points out that no one wants to pay more taxes than they are required to. Moreover, many people hire accountants and tax experts to figure out how to minimize their tax bills. The same should be true for the tax of hishtadlus. One should actively figure out a way to balance hishtadlus appropriately (Matnas Chelko, p. 282).

The Alter of Novardok pointed out something so striking but true: Hishtadlus and working for parnassah is a curse that was levied against man, as it says, “Accursed is the ground because of you… by the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread” (Bereishis 3:17,19). Bitachon, on the other hand, is a wellspring of blessing, as the verse tells us, “Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem” (Yirmiyah 17:7).

Yet man runs after hishtadlus day and night without a stop, convinced that it is his salvation, although the Torah deems it a curse. And man only employes bitachon sparingly, although it is the wellspring of bracha and prosperity.

It is a life’s work to change this.

Rabbeinu Bachya (16:4) tells us something so amazing. He points out that the mahn fell at night, when everyone was sleeping. When they awoke in the morning the mahn was ready for them. It was clear to see that Hashem provided it, and that hishtadlus is not what generates parnassah, but is merely a technical formality that must be employed to access it.

The Pittsburgher Rebbe, Rav Yosef Leifer, was offered a ride in an unusual car: it had a steering wheel on the passenger’s side, just like the one in front of the driver’s seat. The driver explained, “You see, Rebbe, I have a young child who is quite rambunctious, to put it mildly.

My sweet young boy is hyperactive, and he loves to control the steering wheel. There have been many times that I was driving, and he tried to take control of the steering wheel! It became dangerous to have him as a passenger, until I came up with this idea: I had the car dealership install the exact same wheel on the passenger’s side. Now my son sits in his seat and ‘drives around town,’ turning here and turning there. He enjoys his ‘driving’ and has not attempted to take control of the real wheel since. This is the reason, Rebbe, you find yourself sitting in front of a second steering wheel.”

The Rebbe said, “Hashem distributes steering wheels to each and every person. We all think that we are the drivers, turning this way or that, slowing or stopping. But the steering wheels we are given are just for pretending. We think we are making decisions, that we oversee our destinies, that we are the ones who make the decisions that guarantee our success. However, only Hashem controls the real steering wheel. He guides us and is in control of the directions we take. This is our ultimate test — to see that it is Hashem Who is guiding every aspect of our lives and to act accordingly.”

Reprinted from Parashas HaMahn by Dov Weller with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.

World’s Largest Tzedakah Organization, Tova U’Vrucha, Brings Together

its 1,200

Gabbaim

for Historic Appreciation Event

ABy Yakov Grunbaum

re you familiar with Tova U’Vrucha, or its semi-annual Yad Elka Yom Tov distribution?

If you answered no, not only aren’t you alone, but this is, in fact, mostly by design.

Tova U’Vrucha is an operation like no other — in more ways than one. The organization is far and away the biggest tzedakah organization in the world by every available metric, and its founding members have specifically chosen to sacrifice brand recognition for the dignity of its recipients.

The organization encompasses multiple projects, each of them sufficient to qualify as a world-leading organization of its own. These include notable and unique projects with budgets that reach into the tens of millions annually. Chief among them is Yad Elka, a distribution prior to every Pesach and Tishrei season that serves poor families from 41 cities and towns across Eretz Yisroel where more well-known organizations don’t reach, as well as single-parent homes. This undertaking alone totals nearly $50,000,000 annually!

Another growing project is V’karasa L’Shabbos Oneg, which provides 500 shekel per week (roughly $8,000 annually) to thousands of outstanding Bnei Torah whose large families sacrifice for their learning. The costs of this project too reaches into the tens of millions. The organization also counts under its

umbrella a mission called Chasdei Moshe Tuvia that provides continued relief to 6,500 widowed and orphaned families in 80 cities across Eretz Yisroel, with truly life-changing implications.

In all, Tova U’Vrucha and its programs reach a staggering 250,000 individuals each year, Yidden of every background and affiliation who need a helping hand to provide for their own.

Who Executes This Large Mission?

While the costs of the mission are carried by a who’s who of Klal Yisroel’s most noted philanthropists and ba’alei tzedakah, the operations themselves require an army of askanim who can handle applications and ensure that the funds reach the people they are intended for — with utmost dignity and efficiency.

Last week, the 1,237 gabbaim who make these programs possible traveled from all across Eretz Yisroel to partake in an appreciation and chizuk event arranged in their honor.

At the historic event, Gedolei Yisroel, philanthropists from Eretz Yisroel and the diaspora, and leaders of the organization joined in gratitude and praise for the heroes who do the field work and bring relief to so many who would otherwise never have access to it.

With the help of these gaba’im, Tova U’Vrucha and Yad Elka have established a credit card system, in which the support is distributed on innocent-looking cards that can be swiped at a large number of stores in the same manner a regular shopper would. The cards do not even bear the

organization’s logo to ensure the dignity of the recipient.

Yad Elka’s cards are pre-loaded with significant sums, the likes of which are unheard of in the tzedakah world, and the families are able to purchase whatever they need. Some families—depending on household size—are eligible to receive the large sum of up to 5,000 NIS every Yom Tov.

The list of the organization’s meticulously-kept numbers tell the story. Beitar Illit, 37,319 individuals… Teveria, 7,703 individuals… and the list goes on and on, covering every small city and town where Yidden can be found. According to a publicly-available database managed by the Israeli government, the organization has directly distributed a mind-blowing $208,000,000 over the past few years. That is nearly a quarter-billion dollars in critical aid from an organization many have never even heard of.

These official numbers report that in 2023 alone the organization has distributed 200,000,000 NIS. The number for 2024 will be more than 300,000,000 NIS!

Ensuring that these astronomical numbers only make it into the right hands is where these devoted the gabai tzedakah in every city come in. These are individuals who truly feel the heart of another Yid, and have their finger on the pulse of the needy among their communities. In many cases, they operate the kupas tzedakos and other projects in their localities. Their responsibility is multifold. First,

to ensure that no eligible family in need is left off the Tova U’Vrucha distribution list, and also to ensure that the funds indeed reach their intended recipients.

Giving Gratitude

Against this backdrop, twin events took place last week at venues outside Yerushalayim — with the participation of many Gedolei Yisroel who feel the burden of their fellow Yidden and who recognize the incredible work of Tova U’Vrucha.

The events underscored the tireless work of the more than 1,200 representatives, and it hailed the work of the world-renowned ba’al chesed and askan Reb Yoel Yisroel Zupnick of Brooklyn, the founder of the organization who toils annually to raise the tens of millions of dollars necessary to cover the enormous budget.

The speakers at these events extolled the work of the gaba’im and the leaders of the organization. They spoke about the various programs and departments, and the ever-growing list of initiatives that the organization continues to take upon itself.

After hearing stirring and emotional speeches and enjoying a moving musical presentation and award ceremony, the representatives from throughout the Eretz Yisroel burst out into song and dance in gratitude to Hashem for their sacred role and for their holy part in the Tova U’Vrucha revolution.

Mi k’amcha Yisroel!

TJH Centerfold

Fly Like an Eagle

The Philadelphia Eagles’ logo is the only logo in the NFL that faces left. (Well, it depends on whether you look at it from the player’s or fan’s perspective, I guess.)

There is an “E” hidden in the neck feather on the Eagles’ logo. (Even the Eagles try to hide their association to the Eagles.)

The Eagles played in the first-ever televised NFL game which took place on October 22, 1939. There were no commercial breaks. (How did people live without Flo annoying them every two minutes?)

In Veterans Field, where the Eagles played until 2003, there was a courthouse and a jail in the stadium for unruly fans. (They should’ve had a time-out chair, too!)

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

In 1962, the Kennedy brothers – including then-President JFK – were going to buy the Eagles for $6 million. But then the Cuban Missile Crisis took place, and when the dust settled on that, the team had already been sold to someone else.

The Eagles merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 1943 season due to a shortage of players caused by World War II. (The Steelers must still be traumatized by that!)

In 2002, Eagles safety Brian Dawkins recorded a sack, a fumble recovery, an interception, and a touchdown in one game. (He did that all while holding a Philly cheesesteak in one hand; OK, that part’s not true.)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was watching the news when he witnessed something astounding. A young Ukrainian soldier had thrown a hand grenade over 100 yards through the window of a building into a room that housed a sniper. He was so impressed that he tracked down the soldier and flew him to Philadelphia to play for the Eagles After a very successful rookie season, the young quarterback was discussing his rookie of the year award via telephone with his mother.

She told him that she was proud but living in fear constantly. She cried, “Your brother was shot twice just in the last few weeks, and I’ve had my purse stolen from my shoulder three times. Matters have escalated, and life is worse than it has ever been… I will never, ever forgive you for bringing us to Philly.”

Money Man Mahomes Trivia

1. Patrick Mahomes, who was a star pitcher in high school and threw a 16-strikeout no-hitter, was drafted by which MLB team?

a. Detroit Tigers

b. Kansas City Royals

c. Saint Luis Cardinals

d. Cincinnati Reds

2. Which college did Patrick Mahomes attend, during which he broke multiple records including passing for 734 yards in a single game, tying a college record?

a. Texas A&M

b. Texas Tech

c. Oklahoma State

d. Baylor

3. What year did Patrick Mahomes win his first Super Bowl?

a. 2018

b. 2019

c. 2020

d. 2021

4. How much was Patrick Mahomes’ record-breaking 10-

year contract in 2020?

a. $250 million

b. $300 million

c. $450 million

d. $700 million

5. Patrick Mahomes is a co-owner of which Major League Baseball team?

a. Kansas City Royals

b. New York Mets

c. San Francisco Giants

d. Milwaukee Brewers

6. During the throwing drills at the 2017 NFL Combine, Mahomes tied for the fastest pass ever recorded at the NFL Combine. How fast was his pass?

a. 24 MPH

b. 37 MPH

c. 49 MPH

d. 60 MPH

7. What unique feature does Mahomes have on his helmet during games?

a. A red visor

b. A microphone for special plays

c. A personal logo decal

d. His nickname, “Showtime,” written inside

Answers: 1-A 2-B 3-C 4-C 5-A

6-D

7-D

Wisdom Key:

6-7 correct: Are you Jake from State Farm?

4-5 correct: Your completion rate is not in Mahomes’ league

0-3 correct: When are you going to get on board the Mahomes train when he wins NINE Super Bowls in a row?

Riddle Me This

A football player is running to get a net under a man who looks like he might jump off the balcony of his 20-story apartment building. There is nothing below him except a 20-story fall. The player is still 100 yards away when the man falls. Unfortunately, the man did not get the net under the man on time. However, the man was not injured at all. How is that possible?

Answer: He fell back into his apartment!

Torah Thought

Parshas Beshalach

By Rabbi Berel Wein

The miracle of the manna that fell from heaven and nurtured millions of people for forty years is one of the focal points of this week’s parsha. The obvious reason for the miracle’s occurrence is that the Jewish people had to have daily nourishment simply to survive. However, the rabbis of the Talmud injected another factor into the miracle of the falling manna. They stated that “the Torah could only have been granted to those that

ate manna daily.” Thus, the necessity for the manna was directly associated with the granting of the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. No manna, no Torah. Why is this so?

Most commentators are of the opinion that only a people freed from the daily concerns of earning a living and feeding a family could devote themselves solely to Torah study and acceptance of the life values that acceptance of the Torah mandates.

The Torah is a demanding discipline. It requires time and effort, concentration and focus to appreciate and understand it. Cursory glances and even inspiring sermons will not yield much to those who are unwilling to invest time and effort into its study and analysis. This was certainly true in this first generation of Jewish life, newly freed from Egyptian bondage and lacking heritage, tradition and life mores that would, in later generations, help Jews remain Jewish and appreciate the Torah.

The isolation of the Jewish people in the desert of Sinai coupled with the heav-

bread alone but rather on the utterances of G-d’s mouth.”

To appreciate Torah, to truly fathom its depths and understand its values system, one has to accept its Divine origin. Denying that basic premise of Judaism compromises all deeper understanding and analysis of Torah. The manna, the presence of G-d, so to speak, in the daily life of the Jew, allowed the Torah to sink into the depths of the Jewish soul and become part of the matrix of our very DNA. The Torah could only find a permanent and respected home within those who

To appreciate Torah, to truly fathom its depths and understand its values system, one has to accept its Divine origin.

enly provision of daily manna and the miraculous well of Miriam all together created a certain think-tank atmosphere. This atmosphere enabled Torah to take root in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people.

In his final oration to the Jewish people, recorded for us in the book of Devarim, Moshe reviews the story of the manna falling from heaven. But there, Moshe places a different emphasis on the matter. He states there that the manna came to teach “that humans do not live by

tasted G-d’s presence, so to speak, every day within their very beings and bodies. The rabbis also taught us that the manna produced no waste materials within the human body. When dealing with holiness and holy endeavors, there is nothing that goes to waste. No effort is ignored and no thought and attempt are left unrecorded in the heavenly court of judgment. Even good intent is counted meritoriously. Let us feel that we too have tasted the manna. Shabbat shalom.

From the Fire

Parshas Beshalach Waiting Till the Time is Ripe

By Rav Moshe Weinberger

Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

In Shiras Ha’Yam, the Song at the Sea, the pasuk says (Shmos 15:17), “Bring them and plant them in the mountain of their inheritance.” According to the Ibn Ezra on the pasuk, this is a tefillah, a prayer, that when the Jewish people come to Eretz Yisroel, that they be “planted” there permanently and not be exiled. He also says that this pasuk is along the same lines as the pasuk in Yechezkel 17:23, “I will plant it on a high mountain, the height of Yisroel, and it will bear branches and produce fruit and become a great cedar.” This is not only a prayer for the time of geulah, redemption. It is also our prayer today that our children should be firmly planted, strong, and bear fruit for our people.

We also daven that our children will attain that which it talks about in the pasuk (Tehilim 92:13-14), “A tzaddik will bloom like a Date Palm, he will be strong like a Cedar of the Levanon, they shall be planted in the house of Hashem, in the

courtyards of our G-d they will blossom.” We all daven that our children will attain closeness with Hashem and be firmly planted in Hashem’s house forever.

It is almost Tu B’Shvat. When the Torah gives the mitzvah of orlah and netah revai, the mitzvah not to eat the first three years of fruit of a fruit tree, and the mitzvah to bring the fruit from the fourth year to Yerushalayim, the pasuk says (Vayikra 19:23), “When you come to the land, you shall plant every kind of fruit tree, you shall surely block its fruit [from use]; it shall be blocked from you [from use] for three years, not to be eaten.” Therefore, the Torah says that the very first thing the Jewish people must do when they come to Eretz Yisroel is to plant fruit trees. Even before they build yeshivos, shuls, or a mikvah, they must plant fruit trees.

We know from the story of the Meraglim, the spies, and the fact that the land is described as “zavas cholov

u’devash, flowing with milk and honey,” that Eretz Yisroel already had delicious fruit. Why then did Hashem command them to plant fruit trees as soon as they arrived in Eretz Yisroel? This mitzvah becomes even more mysterious when we consider the fact that even though they were commanded to plant fruit trees immediately, they were told that when the trees bear fruit, the fruit is forbidden for the first three years! Why were they told to plant the trees immediately, only to be commanded that the fruit from those trees is forbidden for the first three years?

When Hashem created the world, he also planted fruit trees before anything else (Bereishis 2:8), “And Hashem planted a garden in Eden.” Adam and Chava were also told that they had to wait until Shabbos before they could eat from the Eitz Ha’daas Tov v’Rah. Had they done so, things would have turned out differently. But they were impatient and could

not wait until the proper time because of their taavos, their desires. “And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat and was enticing to the eyes” (Bereishis 3:6).

Perhaps the mitzva of orlah , the mitzva not to eat the first three years of fruit from a fruit tree, is a tikkun, a rectification, for the sin of Adam Harishon. Because he couldn’t wait for the proper time to eat from the tree, his children would have to wait to eat from the fruit of the trees of Eretz Yisroel to rectify Adam’s mistake. The Medrash quoted by the Ramban supports this idea when it says that because Adam could not wait for one hour to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, his children would, among other things, have to wait for three years to eat the fruit of the trees of Eretz Yisroel.

Adam and Chava didn’t realize that there is something better than “tov ha’eitz, good fruit,” and that is “v’ani kirvas Elokim li tov, as for me, closeness with

Hashem is what is good for me” (Tehilim 93:28). By rectifying the sin of Adam and Chava, who did not wait for the fruit in its proper time, the Jewish people learn what it means to grow up. It means that everything has its proper time, and things will be truly good if we wait for them in their proper time.

Everything in nature goes downward. The force of gravity pulls everything down. But there is one thing in nature that goes against the downward pull and instead grows upward, and that is the tree. It pushes through the hard ground of the winter and grows higher and higher toward the sky. As the pasuk in Devarim 20:19 says, “Ki ha’adam eitz ha’sadeh, man is a tree of the field.” Man is compared to a tree in order to show us that we are unique in that we can look at the world from the perspective of spirituality rather than physicality, thereby transcend the physical and also grow upward toward Hashem.

Just like a tree, a person should wait to bring forth fruit at the proper time, as it says in the pasuk (Tehillim 1:3), “And you shall be like a tree planted by streams of water which will give fruit in its time.” By waiting until the proper time,

the Jewish people can rectify the sin of Adam and Chava. By planting fruit trees but abstaining from eating the fruit for the first three years, thus removing the orlah , the blockage of physicality, they planted themselves in the house of

enth of Shvat, the yahrtzeit of Rav Dovid Lelover. While he was there, he was accustomed to eating some dried fruit for Tu B’Shvat. One year, the snow was so heavy that the merchants were not able to import any fruit for Tu B’Shvat. Reb

We are unique in that we can look at the world from the perspective of spirituality rather than physicality.

Hashem. Orlah, blockage, has the same letters as ra’al, poison, because a life ruled by impatience and desire is poison.

One Shabbos afternoon around Tu B’Shvat, Rav Moshe Mordechai Lelover was in the Beis Medrash when a man came over to him and said, “I am a Tu B’Shvat fruit.” Rav Moshe Mordcha smiled and asked him what he meant. The man said that Rav Moshe Mordechai’s uncle, Rav Alter Sosnivtzer, used to travel to Lelov every year for the sev-

Alter was so anxious that a few days before Tu B’Shvat, he announced that he would bless anyone with peiros, fruit (children), if they could bring him some fruit for Tu B’Shvat.

There was one older man who had never been able to have children who saw this as his opportunity to finally have his tefillos, his prayers, answered. He somehow braved many dangers and traveled through the snow and was able to obtain some fruit for the Rebbe for Tu B’Shvat. When he brought it back and

gave it to Rav Alter, the Rav was happy but also worried. He had assumed that if anyone found fruit, it would be someone younger, but this man looked like he was about sixty years old. He therefore spent the whole day deep in prayer at Reb Dovid Leleover’s kever asking that Hashem have mercy on this man. Sure enough, the following Tu B’Shvat, he was blessed with a son. The man told Rav Moshe Mordechai that he was that child, and that is why he was a Tu B’Shvat fruit.

We often feel the harsh reality of life and its challenges that are like the snow of winter holding us back. We can fight this and grow higher and higher. We must be confident and patient, knowing that the spring isn’t that far away.

May we all merit to bring forth our fruit in its right time and dwell in the house of Hashem in Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh, b’geulah shleimah, b’mheira b’yameinu. Amen.

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

Think. Feel.Grow.

The Birth of Torah She’baal Peh Part III

By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

In our previous article, we continued exploring the deep and inspiring ideas relating to the birth of Torah She’baal Peh. To briefly review, the initial stage of Torah was that of Torah She’bichsav Torah was transmitted through nevuah, reflecting the open revelation of Hashem and truth in the world. There was little to no machlokes (argument) and virtually no human creativity, opinion, or input. If you had a question, you went to a Navi. The Navi made himself a receptacle to receive and transmit Hashem’s message. Once nevuah ended, however, the canon of Tanach was closed and a new age began: the age of Torah She’baal Peh

The light faded, the darkness thickened, but something wondrous happened: The makom of Torah transitioned from Shamayim (the Heavens) to the hearts and minds of Klal Yisrael. “Lo baShamayim hee — the clarity and authority of Torah’s revelation is no longer in the Heavens, given clearly and freely from Hashem (Devarim 30:12; Bava Metzia 59a). It rests in the hearts and minds of the Jewish sages, who become the walking, living embodiments of Torah, radiating light in a darkened world. The gift of Torah clarity was lost; we now have to rebuild it ourselves, poring over the pages of Gemara and exerting every ounce of our strength to absorb its meaning.

The transition from Torah She’bichsav to Torah She’baal Peh introduced a number of fundamental shifts in our relationship with Torah. These include the introduction of machlokes and a mode of “hearing” as opposed to “seeing.”

Let us continue to delve into these topics in order to develop a deeper understanding of the evolution of Torah.

The Art of Learning Gemara

There is a puzzling characteristic

about Torah She’baal Peh and the organization of the Talmud. If you open up any Gemara, you will notice that every masechta (tractate) begins on daf beis (page two). Even the very first masechta, Berachos (Blessings), begins on the second page. Why does a new topic not begin on the first page?

The meaning behind this is connected to the deep nature of wisdom itself. Wisdom is complete, interconnected, and static, like a circle. In this state, there is no beginning or end, only oneness. When one wants to attain wisdom, there is no “real” beginning and no objective starting point, just like there is no starting point on a circle. In essence, you are always entering the world of wisdom from the middle.

Whenever you enter the circle to learn and understand one topic, you have actually begun your journey of learning all of wisdom. You begin learning this one topic and then start building, putting the pieces together, creating a conceptual structure. You begin page by page, principle by principle, application by application,

collecting and organizing all the data. Because everything is interconnected, every new piece of information you learn must both qualify and be qualified by everything else you have learned. Eventually, after seeing all the different qualifying parts and perspectives, you begin to see how everything fits perfectly into place. Only once you have learned everything and put all the pieces together can you look back and see, in retrospect, how everything fits together. It is only once you have learned everything that you can truly know anything.

This is why every masechta begins on daf beis: to teach us that we are always in the middle of learning. The first daf is not the beginning, and the last is not the end, but rather we are always in the middle of the learning process. (While this might be startling to contemplate, it is important to note that a single stance on any one thing is, essentially, a statement on everything. This is because all of wisdom and truth is interconnected. If one takes a stance on a single topic or issue, then that stance will ripple through every other idea and

topic as well, as all of wisdom is an interconnected circuit, a multifaceted web of oneness. That is why everything requires nuance and qualification.)

This is true of all wisdom. Any individual idea or argument in the Gemara, or in all of Judaism, can only be understood in light of every other idea and concept. (Which is why context is so important. It is also why taking something out of context is equally inappropriate.) Every point presupposes that you know everything else. Therefore, until you know everything, you will not fully understand anything. This is what the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah, Yerushalmi 3:5) means when it says: “The words of Torah are meager in their specific setting but are rich in another.” When isolated, ideas may appear simple, but when seen in context and connected to all other cases, you begin to see more and more of their true profundity and sophistication. As you learn, you must connect what you are currently learning to every other idea you know, and in doing so, you will begin to possess true wisdom and connect to the spiritual oneness of all truth.

The first time you learn something, it is impossible to fully comprehend it, because you need to know everything else in order to fully grasp its true meaning. This is the purpose of chazarah. Chazarah is usually defined as “review.” As such, when people review what they learned, many simply read it over, mindlessly repeating what they already know and already understood. But true chazarah, true repetition, is the process of learning old material on a completely new level, achieving elevated levels of clarity and gaining new insights. True chazarah requires bringing everything you’ve learned since last studying this material into your experience of review-

Each time you repeat this process, you are able to elevate your learning to completely new heights, transforming your circle into a spiral. This is why the Gemara (Chagigah 9b) says that learning something one hundred times cannot be compared to learning it one hundred and one times. Every time you review something, it should be a revolutionary experience of discovery and innovation. We don’t repeat, we expand; we don’t circle, we spiral.

Oneness and Twoness

The concept of twoness is at the root of Torah She’baal Peh, which contains a multiplicity of opinions on every issue. The Maharal describes the letter beis as the letter of twoness — multiplicity and physicality — the characteristics of our physical world. Aleph, on the other hand, is the letter of oneness — transcendence and spirituality — reflecting Hashem and the spiritual dimension. Aleph is the very first letter in the Hebrew aleph-beis and has the numerical value of one. It is a silent letter, reflecting its spiritual, transcendent nature. It also reflects spiritual elevation, as expressed in many words that have the word “aleph” (aleph, lamed, peh) as their root. “Le’aleph” means to teach, elevate, or lift to a higher spiritual dimension; “aluph” refers to the highest-ranking military position; and “eleph ” (one thousand) is the highest number in the Hebrew decimal system. This is why the Torah begins with the letter beis. Torah is a physical array of finite words, all of which are a loyal reflection and emanation of Hashem’s wisdom and absolute oneness. Furthermore, the Torah begins by describing Hashem’s creation of the physical world, a process most appropriately encapsulated by the letter beis — the letter of twoness that stems from oneness. The letter beis reflects the process of Hashem’s oneness becoming expressed into our physical world. Just as we must connect the twoness of the physical world back to the oneness of its spiritual root, we must do the same for Torah itself by connecting the twoness of Torah She’baal Peh back to the oneness of its spiritual wisdom, contained in its original root, Torah She’bichsav

Chacham Adif MiNavi

We can now understand the third shift that occurred with the transition from Torah She’bichsav to Torah She’baal Peh . The Gemara states that while nevuah was taken from Neviim, it was not removed from the Chachamim

(sages) of the Talmud. The Gemara (Bava Basra 12a) then states: “Chacham adif miNavi, a sage is greater than a prophet.” What does this mean?

In terms of content and clarity, a Navi sees far more than a Chacham. However, the Navi receives this as a gift. He is only a receptacle, receiving the word of Hashem. His insight is wholly min haShamayim (from heaven), lacking any creativity and human input. Once the light of nevuah went out, the Chachamim now shine a new, unique light in the darkness. By tapping into the inner consciousness of Torah, they bring down Torah truth themselves in a unique, personally creative manner — a fundamentally different form of Torah wisdom. This Torah stems from human effort and creativity, and in a very deep way, it is a greater form of Torah, for it is a Torah built through effort, choice, and human input. Once the light has faded, this is the Torah we build in the darkness. However, once we accept this unique role and ability of the Chachamim , we still must ask: How are they entrusted with this unique power? How can humans create Torah? Where do we find such a precedent?

Devarim: the Root of Torah She’baal Peh

The answer lies in Sefer Devarim, Moshe’s sefer. As the Maharal and Vilna Gaon explain, Sefer Devarim is an expression of the first four sefarim of the Torah. The first four sefarim were written by Hashem, the Giver, while Moshe served purely as a channel of transmission. As Chazal put it: “Shechinah medaberes mi’toch grono shel Moshe — [Hashem] spoke through the throat of Moshe,” placing the words in his mouth (See Ramban, Devarim 5:12). Moshe became a pure vessel for Torah, a perfect receptacle. Devarim, however, was Moshe’s creation. He took everything that came before and expressed it through his unique lens. The Maharal and Ohr Hachaim describe this process as Moshe’s transformation into a normal Navi, one who expresses Hashem’s nevuah through their own unique, personal lens. Instead of Hashem speaking through Moshe’s throat, Hashem spoke to Moshe and then, at a later point, Moshe expressed this to Klal Yisrael in his own words. As a result, Sefer Devarim possesses the “style” of Moshe. The Malbim elaborates on this point, explaining that once Moshe uttered his own words, Hashem then ratified them as part of Torah. In other words, Hashem commanded Moshe to

write Sefer Devarim as a documentation of what Moshe himself had already said of his own accord.

This is the root of our ability to engage in Torah She’baal Peh, to become part of the creative process of Torah. At root, Torah She’baal Peh is the process of taking the seed of Torah She’bichsav and fully expressing it, developing it, without losing or betraying any of its inner meaning. It’s a beautiful and elegant balance of being completely loyal to the written text of the Torah itself while still finding room for personal creativity and innovation. Of course, there are rules and limitations and very clear guidelines to this process. Only Jews who are an aron or Mishkan for Torah, i.e., who have first connected themselves completely to the vast mesorah of Torah, can contain the Shechinah of Torah She’baal Peh. Only those who completely give themselves over to Torah, like the gedolim in every generation, can become the true pillars of Torah She’baal Peh and halachic reality. However, in a deep way, each and every one of us can tap into that mesorah and become a part of this magical process as well.

The root of our ability to become partners in the creative process of Torah comes from Sefer Devarim and from Moshe Rabbeinu’s unique input. Moshe connected himself to the first four sefarim of the Torah, embraced and embodied it, and then expressed something unique from within himself. This was the first example of Torah She’baal Peh in Jewish history.

Sefer Devarim as a Unique Sefer

We can now explain Tosafos’ description of Sefer Devarim in regards to the twelve lines of a get. In a way, Sefer Devarim is unique and distinct from the other four sefarim of Chumash. It is the only one written by Moshe himself and in a sense is a completely separate sefer Viewed from this angle, it is possible to suggest that the four lines between Sefer Bamidbar and Sefer Devarim do not count as a form of separation, because Sefer Devarim holds its own status as a completely separate sefer. Therefore, only the lines that separate between the first four books of the Torah are counted when determining the format of a get. However, there is an even deeper explanation: Sefer Devarim is not counted as a separate volume of the Chamishah Chumshei Torah — not because it is a completely separate sefer, but for the exact opposite reason: It is subsumed within the first four books. This mirrors the deep relationship between Torah

She’baal Peh and Torah She’bichsav Torah She’baal Peh is not a distinct entity from Torah She’bichsav; it is a genuine expression of it. All the details and elements of Torah She’baal Peh are revealed aspects of truth that are buried within Torah She’bichsav. Therefore, Torah She’baal Peh is one with Torah She’bichsav. Devarim is not a new sefer; it is an actualization and expression of everything that is in seed, root form within the first four books of Torah. Therefore, there is no separation or gap between Bamidbar and Devarim because everything within Sefer Devarim stems from the previous four books of Torah.

Our Role in Torah

This is our unique role in the world. When the light fades and when translucence becomes opaque, we must shine a light in the darkness; we must reveal the truth of Torah in a post-prophetic age. As Chazal explain, only when the light goes out and darkness reigns can a candle serve as a source of illumination. When the world is incandescent with spiritual clarity, humanity serves as a loyal channel and receptor of truth. When that light fades, we can become part of the creative process itself, not just shining the light, but creating it as well. May we be inspired to strive for Torah truth, listen closely in a world of darkness, and gather the shards of multiplicity into a singular oneness of higher truth.

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

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

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

Delving into the Daf

The Bitter Truth

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Does Romaine lettuce have anything to do with detergent, stoning, and putting on pants?

Lettuce be clear: the Shulchan Aruch says they do.

There is a question regarding whether we can derive halachos from the order of items in a Mishna. Rav Huna states that generally one may not, although there are exceptions. For instance, the Mishna lists a series of chemicals that can be applied to blood to render it no longer tamei (according to Rabbeinu Tam). Rav Huna maintains that these chemicals must be applied in a precise order, otherwise it would be a washout. Similarly, our Mishna in Sanhedrin (49b) lists the punishments in a specific order, starting with the most severe, stoning. However, when the Mishna enumerates the garments that a Kohen wears, the order is not precise. The Mishna mentions the shirt first, even though the Kohen should put on his pants first.

The Mishna in Pesachim (39a) lists five vegetables that can be used for marror: chazeres, ulshin, tamcha, charchavina, and maror. The first vegetable is identified as lettuce, while the second is identified as endives. Some root for interpreting the third vegetable as horseradish. Is there a preference for using lettuce over endives? The answer should be no. The Mishna in Pesachim is not included in Sanhedrin among the exceptions, and therefore, Rav Huna’s dictum applies: the order of the Mishna is inconsequential and not worth losing your chrain over.

Yet, the Shulchan Aruch states that the preferred choice for marror is the first item on the list, chazeres. The Tevuos Shor suggests that the Shulchan Aruch understood that the Mishna in Pesachim must also be an exception. The order of the Mishna is precise. We would have expected the first species of marror listed to be the bitter “marror,” its namesake. However, the species called “maror” ap -

pears fifth on the list. By placing “maror” last, the Mishna indicates that this species is not the best choice for marror. Thus, Romaine calm, but we must conclude that the first species listed, chazeres, is the preferred choice for marror.

HaRav Dovid Feinstein, zt”l, writes in his Kol Dodi Haggadah, “All kinds of lettuce are essentially the same species…. Consequently, it seems that one may use any kind of lettuce [for marror], especially any of those that are identical to romaine. Indeed, I have heard that a renowned gaon of recent times has permitted for marror the use of common lettuce.”

The renowned gaon is presumably Rav Aharon Kotler, zt”l. My zeide Rav Yosef Isaac Samson, of blessed memory, reported that when he attended Rav Aharon’s seder, he witnessed that the rosh yeshiva used iceberg lettuce.

Why would we use lettuce as our bitter herb if it really isn’t bitter? It might amuse the reader that some gardeners ask the opposite question. “Why is the romaine lettuce I grew in my garden so bitter? I carefully watered it and fertilized it. It’s now three feet tall, but it’s so bitter! It is so bitter that I don’t think it can be eaten in a salad.”

One of the most common mistakes amateur gardeners make when growing lettuce is waiting until the plant has fully matured before harvesting the leaves. Lettuce heads should be harvested when they are still young, as they become bitter as they mature.

Now, where are the seeds on a romaine lettuce head? People often grow romaine lettuce from seeds, right? If a romaine lettuce head had seeds, it wouldn’t be suitable for eating because by that time, the leaves would already be bitter. As the lettuce plant matures, it bolts, producing an elongated stalk that flowers and creates seeds. It is important that romaine lettuce be picked young while its leaves are still sweet before the

plant starts to bolt.

Mature romaine lettuce is indeed bitter. The Chazon Ish (Pesachim 39a) was of the opinion that romaine lettuce should only be used as marror when its bitter taste is already detectable. However, Rav Dovid Feinstein writes, “It is well known that the common practice is to use lettuce even if it is not bitter at all.”

Individuals seeking to be stringent in their observance may decide against eating the common romaine lettuce for marror. To diversify, they grow their own romaine lettuce and leave it in the ground until it bolts. However, by this time, the lettuce has become extremely bitter. Did they fulfill the mitzvah in the best way? The answer is no; in fact, they have not fulfilled the mitzvah at all!

HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, explains that if someone consumes truly bitter romaine lettuce, they have not met their obligation to eat marror. Romaine lettuce is not typically eaten in such a bitter state, which makes it considered not derech achilah (the normal way to eat). Consuming it in this manner may not even necessitate a bracha.

This situation is analogous to the ruling of the Chofetz Chaim, who states that someone who uses raw horseradish as marror without first grinding it has not fulfilled the mitzvah and may have committed an aveirah (transgression) by choosing to eat unhealthy foods.

Rebbe Yonasan explains that lettuce is specifically apropos for use as marror.

“Just as lettuce starts out soft and ends

up hard, so, too, the Egyptians started out soft and ended up hard.”

As noted above, when romaine lettuce is young, it is sweet. When left in the ground, it becomes hard and bitter. Rashi says that this pattern is similar to the way the Egyptians treated us. Initially, they paid the Jews to work for them. The Egyptians treated us fairly. Later, they forced the Jewish nation to work without pay, under deteriorating conditions. Lettuce, which undergoes a transformation in bitterness, symbolizes the Egyptians’ changing attitude towards us, from friendly to outright hatred.

The Talmud Yerushalmi says that the change in Egyptian attitude is even more striking if we take into account some earlier history. When Yaakov and his sons initially settled in Egypt, Pharaoh welcomed them with open arms. He told them they could choose the best lands in Egypt to live in. In the end, the Jews were enslaved to perform backbreaking labor. Therefore, just as the Jewish nation’s sojourn in Egypt underwent a transformation, from their being welcome guests to becoming downtrodden slaves, we use lettuce for marror which undergoes a transformation of its own, from healthy and refreshing to downright inedible.

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

Headlines Halacha

Walking Out of the Rabbi’s Drasha for the Kiddush Club

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

There was someone who had walked out of the sanctuary of the shul to where the other men were making kiddush. This time, however, someone began to berate him:

“You don’t come here to daven! You come here to drink and to talk!”

This vignette would normally be unremarkable, except for the fact that the person doing the berating was the shul’s non-Jewish Hispanic custodian. The story is not apocryphal – it genuinely happened.

What we are concerned about, however, is not the berating per se, but rather the halacha behind walking out in the first place.

The man was walking into the shul’s unofficial “Kiddush Club.”

A Kiddush Club is when people walk out of shul before the rabbi’s speech or before the haftorah in order to make kiddush on wine or schnapps and socialize.

The proliferation of Kiddush Clubs is so great that there was an article about it in Newsweek during the summer of 2004. There is even a Wikipedia entry on the subject. After a definition, the article notes:

“The practice was criticized by the Orthodox Union (OU) in December 2004, when the OU called for the elimination of such practices. OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb criticized ‘Kiddush Clubs’ for detracting from the honor of the syna-

gogue, promoting gossip (lashon hara), and leading participants to return to services in a state of intoxication (which are violations of Jewish Law), reducing decorum, and enabling the problem of substance abuse.”

Aside from the five points Rabbi Weinreb mentions – there is the sixth

our generation (Yechaveh Daas VI #49), kavod haTorah has already fallen ten flights down.

The Rosh explains in Nedarim 22b that even after the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, women continued to go up to Yerushalayim on the three Regalim in order to hear Torah. Even though they

If they miss that one opportunity –where else will they get chizuk?

issue of kavod haTorah – the honor of Torah itself – namely – the rabbi who is giving his drasha.

Kavod HaTorah

Although we know that there is nothing greater than the study of Torah, we find something fascinating in Maseches Megillah (3b). There, it states that kavod haTorah, honoring Torah, is greater than limud haTorah, the study of Torah. If a talmid chochom dies on Purim, we eulogize him even if it will mean that we will be unable to hear the Megillah!

The Derech Chaim on Pirkei Avos 6:3 demonstrates clearly that kavod haTorah is greater than the honor that must be given kings.

Rav Ovadiah Yosef, zt”l, notes that in

are exempt from Torah study, they went up because of kavod haTorah.

The Gemara is filled with illustrations of people who did not exit during a Torah discourse to use the facilities and suffered medical repercussions based on this. The reason that they did not leave was because of kavod haTorah.

In recent years, many shuls have reacted in different ways to Kiddush Clubs. Some have tried banning them altogether. This has had mixed results. Since many of the participants are from the more powerful members of the congregation, the rabbis have had a hard time eliminating them.

cle asked: What message does the Kiddush Club send to their own children, the rav and the community? The drasha of the rav could be a great source of inspiration for the husbands. If they miss that one opportunity – where else will they get chizuk?

Another woman said: “I worked so hard to get my son to shul. When he arrived, the seat was empty. Where was his father? At the Kiddush Club!”

History of the Kiddush Club

As far as the history of Kiddush Clubs, it is not so new. A responsa sefer called Yefeh Nof (brought to this author’s attention on the Seforim Blog) that was written by Rav Moshe Yitzhak M’zia (1530-1600) states as follows:

About the custom of the bachurim on Shabbos to leave the synagogue after the Torah is removed from the ark to drink whisky before Mussaf, is this permitted?

Rav M’zia answers:

If they do not sit down for a meal this is permitted because the law does not follow Rav Huna who prohibits tasting prior to Mussaf.

At the time, however, rabbonim did not give drashos, so only Rabbi Weinreb’s first five points apply.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@ gmail.com.

Before Covid shut the world down, my husband Bob and I would always take time to enjoy the richness of secular and Jewish cultural experiences available at our fingertips. As dating teens and well into our adult lives, nothing was better than a trip to the “city” for a movie, a concert, or best of all, live theater of any kind.

As young educators, we did not have much discretionary income, so in order to see a show we would stand in long, sometimes freezing lines to purchase tickets. It was always worth it.

When we became empty nesters, every chance, especially on Sundays, we would avail ourselves of the opportunity to travel into the city, usually by car, and try to find street parking to scout out the best offerings of Broadway to get lost in three hours of entertainment.

When New York City finally came back to life after the pandemic, we had become lazy couch potatoes.

Not the case in Jerusalem.

Most may not be aware – we certainly weren’t – that every single day/night Jerusalem is hopping. Even through these difficult days, you can enjoy lectures, concerts, political discourse, and plays and

School of Thought

You Are Always On My Mind

By Barbara Deutsch

have just plain fun.

Then there are the many restaurants – new ones opening weekly – serving delicious, multi-ethnic foods which need advance reservations to score a table; the popular Jerusalem restaurants and cafes are packed.

For those of us who live “in town,” it’s a short cab ride or walk to any venue. Similar to New York City, you have to be crazy to drive or attempt to drive in Jerusalem. Even people who own cars take public transportation; it’s quite good.

Since our aliyah in July, we have been enjoying the full gamut of the “scene” –some more than others.

Wednesday night we went back in time with Elvis and the Jerusalem Symphony. It was wow! Picture the Jerusalem Symphony Hall, modeled after Lincoln Center in New York, an audience of mostly seniors, a stage filled with black clad musicians of all ages – mostly string instruments – two featured singers and a regal, tall, wild- white-haired conductor.

Amos Talmon, the conductor, like an Israeli Leonard Bernstein, introduced the Tribute Program. Though the audience was mostly Anglo, 90 percent of what he said (he introduced each of the

many songs) was in Hebrew. From the moment he started speaking, we laughed and laughed.

Thank you, Ulpan.

As each song was played, the audience seemed to go back in time with the orchestra and many grey-haired and wrinkly couples held hands as they swayed to the music.

What distinguished this good time and turned it into a meaningful one was Talmon’s emotional introduction of Elvis’ ballad “You are Always on My Mind” in anticipation of hostage Agam Berger’s release. Naama, Karina, Liri and Daniella were released to much hoopla on Shabbos. Agam and her mother, both formerly very secular, have been keeping Shabbat so they wanted to shy away from being mechallel Shabbat.

Agam was released on Thursday.

After the song, there were no dry eyes in the Jerusalem Symphony house.

Never a huge Elvis fan, I enthusiastically (channeling my dear friend Helen) sang along with the multi-talented Israeli singers who belted out each song in flawless, unaccented English. Despite the unrest all around and the political division over the hostage deal, the people

in attendance were overjoyed at the possibility that finally, finally, our katufim, our stolen and tortured children, were on their way home.

On January 27, the international community commemorated the 80th year of the liberation of Auschwitz: Holocaust Remembrance Day.

President Trump has declared January 27 as an official Day of Remembrance of the Liberation of Auschwitz.

It has always upset me, especially as a teacher who taught the lessons of history, that Jews are the only people who cherish and hold dear each Jewish soul. When we talk about the 6,000,000 as a number that we lost during the Shoah, we blur the image of the individual who once lived.

As a child of survivors, “they are always on my mind.”

Barbara Deutsch is the former associate principal at HANC, middle school principal at Kushner, and Dean of Students at Yeshiva of Flatbush. A not-retired educator, she is trying to figure out life in Israel through reflections on navigating the dream of aliyah as a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Trump’s Bold plan for p eace

“A Riviera in the Middle East”

By SuSAn SchwAMM

What was perhaps the most unconventional plan proposed on Tuesday during meetings with U.S.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House was Trump’s vision for a post-war Gaza.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it,” the American president declared in prepared remarks at the start of a joint press conference with Netanyahu.

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out. Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job. Do something different.

“Just can’t go back,” the former real estate mogul declared. “If you go back, it’s gonna end up the same way it has for a hundred years.”

Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit Trump during his second term in office. The premier expressed that Israel was warming to Trump’s plan.

“We’re talking about it. He’s exploring it with his people, with his staff. I think it’s something that could change history, and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” Netanyahu said.

Trump added that the United States will “do what is necessary” when he was asked if U.S. troops will be sent to Gaza to implement a post-war plan.

“If it’s necessary, we’ll do that,” he said.

“We’re going to take over that piece,” Trump added. “We’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”

Below is the full text of the statement delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on February 4, 2025

Thank you, Mr. President. I’m honored that you invited me to be the first foreign leader to visit the White House in your second term. This is a testament to your friendship and support for the Jewish state and the Jewish people. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: You are the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House. That’s why the people of Israel have such enormous respect for you.

In your first term, you recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, you moved the American embassy there, you recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, you withdrew from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. I remember we spoke about it and you said, “This is the worst deal I’ve ever seen. I’m elected, I’m walking out of it.” That’s exactly what you did. I think it speaks loudly for common sense, just looking at things and seeing them as they are.

And of course, you also brokered the groundbreaking Abraham Accords in which Israel made peace with four Arab states. You did this in four months. Nothing happened for a quarter of a century but in four months we were able, working

Still, Trump acknowledged that the United States taking control of Gaza “was not a decision made lightly.” He claimed that other Middle East leaders were in approval of the plan, although he did not share who they were.

After the announcement, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said that the kingdom “rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land” and wouldn’t establish diplomatic ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri was also quick to dismiss the idea out of hand, saying that the president’s “remarks about his desire to control Gaza are ridiculous and absurd, and any ideas of this kind are capable of igniting the region.”

Hamas, which currently controls the 139-squaremile Gaza Strip, also called Mr. Trump “racist” and said his plan aims to “eliminate the Palestinian cause.” Trump’s plan is sure to shake up the hostage talks.

together under your leadership, to have four historic peace accords.

And now, in the first days of your second term, you picked up right where you left off. Your leadership to help bring our hostages home, among them American citizens. You freed up munitions that have been withheld from Israel in the midst of a seven-front war for our existence. You ended unjust sanctions against law-abiding Israeli citizens, you boldly confronted the scourge of antisemitism, you stopped funding international organizations like UNRWA [the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] that support and fund terrorists, and today you renewed the maximum pressure campaign against Iran.

Ladies and gentlemen, all this in just two weeks. Can we imagine where we’ll be in four years? I can, I know you can, Mr. President.

For our part, we in Israel have been pretty busy, too. Since the horrendous Oct. 7 attack, we’ve been fighting our common enemies and changing the face of the Middle East. On that infamous day, Hamas monsters savagely murdered innocent people, including more than 40 Americans. They beheaded men, raped women and burnt babies alive, and they took 251 people hostage to the dungeons of Gaza.

After this worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust, Iran and its henchmen in the Middle East were absolutely ecstatic. [Hamas politburo head Ismail] Haniyeh praised the massacre, [Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya] Sinwar said Israel was finished, [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah boasted that Israel was “as feeble as a spider’s web.”

Israel and Hamas are set to begin negotiations this week on the terms of the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, which is supposed to see the release of the remaining living hostages in exchange for Israel permanently ending the war. But with the ceasefire plan, Hamas would be left in power. Netanyahu has pledged repeatedly that one of Israel’s goals of the war was to fully dismantle the terror group’s military and governing capabilities.

To fulfill that pledge, Trump on Tuesday proposed that the U.S. be the one to replace Hamas in Gaza, offering a viable alternative to Netanyahu, who had rejected placing the Palestinian Authority in that role.

Regarding the hostages, Trump said he was working to see “all of them” released. He added that the U.S. would get “somewhat more violent” if Hamas did not release all of them, “because they would have broken their word.”

During his talks, Trump said that the Palestinians “have no alternative” but to leave the “big pile of rubble” that is Gaza after over 15 months of Israeli bombardments during the war. He said that Palestinians should be removed from the Strip and placed in one or multiple other countries “with humanitarian hearts.”

Over the past few weeks, Trump has floated the idea that Egypt and Jordan volunteer to host Gazans. Both countries, though, have soundly rejected the idea, saying that Palestinians should be allowed to stay in the land.

Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff said Palestinians need not be tied to the land in which they currently live in order to have a better life.

“A better life is not necessarily tied to the physical space that you are in today,” he said in an interview with Fox News shortly after the Trump-Netanyahu press conference.

“A better life is about better opportunity, better financial conditions, better aspirations for you and your family. That doesn’t occur because you get to pitch a tent

in the Gaza Strip and you’re surrounded by 30,000 munitions that could go off at any moment,” said Witkoff, who visited Gaza during a trip to the region last week. “Gaza today is uninhabitable and will probably be uninhabitable for at least the next 10 to 15 years.”

Trump’s vision for Gaza is to turn it into an oasis in the desert.

“Gaza is a [pile of rubble] right now,” the president said. “It was before the bombing started, frankly, and we’re going to give people a chance to live in a beautiful community that’s safe and secure.”

He added, “I don’t want to be cute, I don’t want to be a wise guy,” Trump said and then referred to Gaza as potentially “the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be something that could be so magnificent.”

Standing at a podium beside Trump, Netanyahu hailed the president as Israel’s “greatest friend” and praised his “willingness to think outside the box.”

“Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s gonna end up the same way it has for a hundred years.”

“You say things others refuse to say. And after the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, ‘You know, he’s right,’” the prime minister said, adding that Trump’s plan could “change history” and was worth “paying attention to.”

“You are the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” said Netanyahu. He itemized Trump’s

Well, Mr. President, Haniyeh is gone, Sinwar is gone, Nasrallah is gone, we’ve devastated Hamas, decimated Hezbollah, destroyed [ousted Syrian leader Bashar] Assad’s remaining armaments and we crippled Iran’s air defenses. In doing this, we’ve defeated some of America’s worst enemies. We took out terrorists who were wanted for decades for shedding rivers of American blood, including 241 Marines murdered in Beirut. We accomplished all this with the indomitable spirit of our people and the boundless courage of our soldiers.

The Bible says that the people of Israel shall rise like lions, and boy, did we rise. Today, the roar of the lion of Judah is heard loudly throughout the Middle East.

Israel has never been stronger, and the Iran terror axis has never been weaker. But as we discussed, Mr. President, to secure our future and bring peace to our region, we have to finish the job.

In Gaza, Israel has three goals: Destroy Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, secure the release of all our hostages and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.

I believe, Mr. President, that your willingness to puncture conventional think-

accomplishments with regards to Israel during his first term – brokering the Abraham Accords, moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and abandoning the Iran nuclear deal.

“You’ve picked up right where you left off,” Bibi said. “Your leadership has brought hostages home.” He added that Trump freed up munitions withheld by the Biden administration, ended “unjust sanctions against Israeli citizens, “confronted antisemitism, stopped funding UNRWA, and renewed maximum pressure against Iran.”

All this has been done by Trump in just two weeks, he said. “Can you imagine where we’ll be in four years?”

Netanyahu also touted Israel’s accomplishments of the past 480 days of war.

“We have defeated some of America’s worst enemies. We took out terrorists that were wanted for decades for shedding rivers of American blood,” the premier said. “Israel has never been stronger and the Iran terror axis has never been weaker.”

Still, to secure Israel’s future and bring peace to the region, “we have to finish the job,” added Netanyahu.

“Israel will end the war by winning the war,” Netanyahu promised. This, in turn, will “usher in the peace with Saudi Arabia and with others.”

ing, thinking that has failed time and time and time again, your willingness to think outside the box with fresh ideas, will help us to achieve these goals. And I’ve seen you do this many times. You cut to the chase, see things others refuse to see, say things others refuse to say, and after the jaws drop people scratch their heads and say, “You know, he’s right.” This is the kind of thinking that enabled us to bring the Abraham Accords, enable us to shape the Middle East and bring peace.

We also see eye to eye on Iran. The same Iran that tried to kill us both. They tried to kill you, and they tried through their proxies to kill me. We’re both committed to rolling back Iran’s aggression in the region and ensuring that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, Israel will end the war by winning the war. Israel’s victory will be America’s victory. We’ll not only win the war, working together, we’ll win the peace. With your leadership and our partnership, I believe that we will forge a brilliant future for our region and bring our great alliance to even greater heights. Thank you.

(JNS)

R’ Aryeh Lightstone The Road to Middle East Peace

By Eliyahu RosEnBERg

Surreal. That’s the word that best describes Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone’s historic trip to the United Arab Emirates.

It was like a dream—every part of it: Boarding the flight with Jared Kushner and a few dozen U.S. and Israeli officials. Watching smiling Emiratis, dressed in their white kanduras, waving shalom to the Israeli plane. Everyone rising from their plane seats, clapping as the pilot announced, “This is the first El Al flight in

In His Words…

history to fly to the United Arab Emirates.”

For Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, one thought summed up the entire experience: “Holy moly, we’re doing something that has never been done before.”

And he was right. That August 2020 trip transformed a paper—the Abraham Accords signed by Israel and the UAE— into a historic alliance.

On that day, officials from Israel and the UAE met to discuss nearly every topic under the sun—from tourism to space

g-d does not want us to live passively. We have to be active [and accomplish], without outsourcing our lives to experts.

My wife said, ‘Who are we to decide what the right time is? When there’s a right opportunity, it’s your job to make it the right time. g-d opens the door. it’s your job to figure out how to walk through it.’

The worst advice that somebody ever gave me was to aggressively make myself well-known during my time in the u s . Embassy... it took me about three seconds to realize that the greatest thing i could do right now is to learn from somebody. This had everything to do with a mb. Friedman. none of it was about me.

travel to education. And they also signed documents to allow banking and financial transactions between the two countries.

But the trip’s symbolism—signifying the beginning of a new friendship—was just as important. Giving the U.S. and Israeli officials the royal treatment, the king of the UAE arranged a lavish, kosher meal that would last for three hours amidst exciting talks of the future. The king ordered the entire hotel to be made kosher for one day just to accommodate the few visitors who cared about kashrus

And then, to wrap up the exciting day, the Israelis, wearing their suits, and the Emiratis, in their traditional attire, posed together for a historic family photo—a picture of distant cousins who had finally reunited after years of strife.

The visit, most of all, symbolized the Middle East’s future. The excitement on that day was palpable because the two countries had, at long last, broken away from the unnecessary chains of hostility and mistrust—barriers that, for no explicable reason, had prevented the two from helping one another.

“I’ll remember forever what Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the leader of the United Arab Emirates, said, ‘Today is the day that we create the Middle East that we want; not the Middle East that we were given.’ And that’s a paraphrase,” recalls Rabbi Lightstone. “He said something powerful about how we’re going to determine our future. We’re not going to let the past determine our future.”

The Abraham Accords—which saw

Israel forming relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Kosovo, and Morocco over the span of just a few short months—wasn’t merely a peace treaty. It was more than that. It signified hope for a better tomorrow—a future filled with peace and prosperity for Jews and Arabs; for the region and the world.

Now, with President Donald Trump, whose first administration led the talks, back in office, the Abraham Accords’ expansion to key countries like Saudi Arabia now seems likelier than ever before. As Rabbi Lightstone puts it, “Peace in the Middle East is now a question of when, not if.”

“The Middle East is not perfect yet, but moving forward, there’s hope,” shares Rabbi Lightstone, who served as the senior advisor to Amb. David Friedman. “Can you imagine landing in Tel Aviv, going on a road trip to Abu Dhabi, traversing Jordan and Saudi Arabia, seeing historical sights, having kosher restaurants on the way, and being able to enjoy the Middle East? Just a few years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to imagine that happening.’”

Rabbi Lightstone often wonders how he, an ordinary Jewish boy from Denver, wound up playing a part in one of the biggest diplomatic breakthroughs in history. In fact, he admits that not a day goes by that he doesn’t “pinch” himself awake, fearing that, perhaps, his tenure as senior advisor was just a really good dream.

“I hope there’s more to come. But on a professional level, if I never do anything that is as meaningful and fulfilling as

that, I will be very satisfied,” he maintains. “I will never be involved with anything more impactful than this.” * * *

Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone is humble. He’s loyal. And he’s authentic. He praises others while downplaying his own contributions and qualifications.

Rabbi Lightstone views himself as an ordinary person gifted with an extraordinary opportunity. But his path leading up to his role as advisor was far from ordinary.

“Growing up in Denver, there was the concept of: if you don’t do it, it’s not going to get done. My parents built a school, and my uncle and aunt built a shul. When I was growing up, if you didn’t lein every third week, there was no Krias HaTorah . If you didn’t make a minyan, there was no minyan,” Rabbi Lightstone recounts. “I went to a school that my parents wound up building. It wasn’t a religious school. It was a Jewish, very Zionist school, and there were religious kids in the school, but we were in the minority. And so, everything that we wanted to have, it was up to us to do it. So, the kids, believe it or not, at the ages of 13 or 14 would go into the kitchen on Thursday night and make the food for the Shabbatonim.”

As a young adult, Rabbi Lightstone chose to attend NCSY Kollel, a decision that changed the course of his life. He would later study at Yeshiva University, after which he became a rabbi.

Driven by a passion for connecting Jewish youth to Yiddishkeit, Rabbi Lightstone later ran NSCY in New York for nearly a decade.

“When we [my wife and I] felt that other people could do the job better than us, we moved on. And like any good rabbi, I went into multifamily real estate,” Rabbi Lightstone said, half-jokingly. “While I

was transitioning into earning a living, I got a phone call from a very dear friend and mentor of mine who said the Iran deal was bothering him. He asked if I could help him build a Super PAC. I knew about the Iran deal, but I did not know what a Super PAC was. But with his guidance and mentoring, we built a Super PAC, and we spent 2014 working to help Republicans gain control of the Senate for the sole purpose of voting down the Iran deal.”

The Republicans did, at the time, win a majority in the Senate but didn’t strike down the Iran deal as Rabbi Lightstone and his friend had hoped. But the Super PAC continued working hard, advocating for sanctions against Iran and targeting BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction Israel) policies.

Before he knew it, Rabbi Lightstone— immersed in the world of politics—found himself campaigning for then-Senator and Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio. On a few occasions, Rabbi Lightstone spoke at caucuses, representing Marco Rubio, who is now the U.S. Secretary of State.

“When Marco Rubio dropped out, my wife and I had a pretty serious conversation. We decided that my dabbling in politics was probably enough, and that it was time to move on,” Rabbi Lightstone recalls. “David and Tammy Friedman were friends and mentors of my wife and myself when we moved to Long Island. They helped us with NCSY, and with figuring out the neighborhood, and they invited us for meals. They were very kind, sweet, and generous. David had been a supporter of Donald Trump because they were friends. And when Donald Trump won the election, David was almost immediately nominated to be the ambassador. When Donald won, I texted David and wished him mazal tov. And he invited me to join him through his U.S. Senate confirmation process.”

Following David Friedman’s confir -

mation, the then-ambassador asked Rabbi Lightstone to move to Israel to serve as his senior advisor.

At the time, Rabbi Lightstone and his wife were going through a series of life changes. The couple had just had a baby girl. One day after their daughter Atara’s birth, they moved into a new home. And then, around five days later, the infant stopped eating and swallowing, a serious problem that prompted the couple to rush her to the hospital. With all that weight on their shoulders—a new home, a new baby, and the fear of medical complications—Rabbi Lightstone was sure his wife would never in a million years agree to pick up and move to Israel for his new job.

“I decided in my mind I would politely decline on Saturday night. On Friday night, my wife turns to me and says, ‘What’s bothering you?’” recounts Rabbi Lightstone. “And I told her the situation. I said that David and Tammy invited us to go on this very special journey, but I was going to tell him no. My wife and I had a philosophy of: right opportunity at the wrong time equals wrong opportunity.”

She agreed that it wasn’t the right time. They called it a night. And then, suddenly, at 3 a.m., she woke up, threw a pillow at her sleeping husband, and said, “Aryeh, we’ve lived our lives based upon the wrong philosophy this whole time!”

“Huh? What?” Rabbi Lightstone responded, still half-sleeping.

“Who are we to decide what the right time is?” his wife declared. “When there’s the right opportunity, it’s our job to make it the right time. G-d opens the door. It’s your job to figure out how to walk through it. You should go ahead and take this job.”

And so he did. That Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Lightstone went to David Friedman’s house and accepted the job offer, becoming the ambassador’s senior advisor.

* * *

In 2022, Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone

published Let My People Know, a book that shares the incredible story behind the Abraham Accords.

As the title suggests, Rabbi Lightstone’s goal in writing the book was to inform people about the Abraham Accords, a groundbreaking agreement. For some reason, despite the fact that it changed the region and the world, far too many Americans don’t know about the Abraham Accords.

The book isn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, an autobiography. Rather, it’s a testament to the Abraham Accords’ significance and an overview of the potential milestones and obstacles that lie ahead.

“The worst advice that somebody ever gave me was to aggressively make myself well-known during my time in the U.S. embassy. Everything I’d done prior to that, I had worked for myself. So, working for Amb. Friedman was a change in the way I acted and the way I conducted myself. And somebody said, ‘Go make for yourself a name,’” Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone shares. “It took me about three seconds to realize that the greatest thing I could do right now is to learn from somebody else. This had nothing to do with me. This had everything to do with Amb. Friedman. Really, it had everything to do with the United States of America, and he was the representative of the president. It was my job to help Amb. Friedman have as much time to do the things that he cared about. None of it was about me.”

That’s Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone’s advice: Don’t pursue fame. Don’t crave popularity. Be humble. It’s so easy to take credit or brag about our accomplishments. But oftentimes, the best thing to do, especially when playing a role in a project that is larger than ourselves, is to avoid the spotlight—to instead focus on learning from those around us and concentrate, not on making a name for ourselves, but on making the world a better place.

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

Dear Navidaters,

I’ve been reading your column for years at this point and have decided to submit a question of my own.

Some background about myself: I’m forty-four and have been building myself up to become a Pediatric Oncologist in New York. As sad as it is, I have never met anyone worth prioritizing over my career. Recently, I attended a Shabbat meal of a colleague from a different department. At the table, I had the privilege to sit across from his daughter. Throughout the meal, I really admired her insightful comments and breadth of her knowledge. We both cleared the table and ended up talking further. It was clear the feelings were mutual, so I asked her out to dinner. Things progressed quite quickly, and after three months, I’m ready to propose. However, she’s twenty-three, and her father does not approve of our relationship. He makes many disparaging remarks towards me at work and frequently warns me about his daughter’s expensive tastes and her infatuation with my financial success. I believe he is attempting to sabotage our relationship due to his personal embarrassment of the twenty-one-year age gap.

Any advice on how I should proceed would be greatly appreciated.

- Dan*

The Panel

Dear Readers,

We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion! Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition. If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.

Looking forward!

Michelle, the “Shadchan”

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

Dan, I’m glad you found someone you like and want to propose to. You’ve certainly dated a long time. The young woman you really like hasn’t. It’s important to date longer, I believe.

Readiness to handle family life, the life of a doctor’s spouse, and self-sufficiency are things that have to be clear to both of you. While you are not at the beginning of your career like some of her friend’s spouses, there will be conferences, teaching appointments, medical chesed involvement, and more in store in your life, not to mention medical emergencies. You want her to have a more thorough understanding of what your life is like now and in the future. Having her spend time with some doctors’ wives in your circle might be in order. You also want to know that both of you will be emotionally available to one another and be able to support each other through inevitable things that life brings. Dating longer will definitely help you both. It will also reassure her father (and mother) that she is ready to marry you for the right reasons.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

You have my utmost respect for what you have attained. It took many hard, dedicated years of schooling, residencies, and fellowships to reach your level of expertise in an extremely demanding specialty.

“May-December” romances (relationships between two people with a significant age gap) sometimes do, but sometimes do not, have very successful outcomes. Let’s assume that you and your girlfriend have thoroughly investigated the pros and cons of this relationship and are comfortable and secure with it.

One of my very best friends was two decades older than his wife, and they enjoyed a long, wonderful, happy marriage together, never, for a single moment, regretting their decision.

Let me share two thoughts with you.

First, try to understand the situation from your future father-in-law’s point of view. He, of course, wants the best for his daughter. Aside from the perceived social stigma of a May-December marriage, he may have very pragmatic concerns.

For example, he may worry what might happen several decades from now, when you are leaning toward a more sedantary lifestyle while his daughter is still in the prime of a vigorous adulthood.

Or he may worry that there will be an inherent power imbalance between his young daughter and a much older, more mature, father-like figure of a husband.

Nevertheless, despite his current misgivings, the likelihood is that, if and when you marry his daughter, he will probably do all in his power to nurture the relationship and welcome you into his family.

Second, remember that you have reached your high achievement in medicine through diligent study, research, and analysis. May I suggest that you try to assuage the father’s concerns by using the same approach and presenting him with documented research.

For example, I did some superficial online investigation and found:

A study published in the North American Journal of Psychology suggests that May-December romances foster less jealousy and more trust and unselfish love.

There is a strong possibility that agegap couples communicate more thoroughly and work harder emotionally to keep their relationship sailing smoothly.

Some studies have found that couples with an age gap report higher relationship satisfaction, trust, and commitment.

According to a study published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly, what doesn’t break age-gap couples only makes them stronger. Couples in socially stigmatized, age-gap relationships exhibited significantly higher levels of commitment.

An Institute of Anthropology study asserts that people in age-gap relationships tend to live longer than people in age-similar relationships.

But, doctor, when treating your patients

and when considering marriage, there are no happily-ever-after guarantees. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, understanding, and compromise. I hope that you can gain her father’s blessing and have a long, healthy, happy marriage.

Remember that in Fiddler on the Roof, Motel wins Tevye’s blessing and gets to marry Tseitel when he exclaims, “Even a poor tailor is entitled to some happiness!” Well, even a hard-working, dedicated, mature doctor is entitled to some happiness!

Reader’s Response

Arielle, Married Mommy and Synagogue Administrator

Ithink you should trust your gut and if you like this girl and you believe it is authentic, you should go for it. I believe age is just a number. I got married at 20, and my

husband was 29. I knew I needed someone older than me and more mature and so I went for it. It’s been many years later, and we don’t think twice about it.

Twenty-one years is a larger age gap than us, but there are couples of previous generations that I know personally that have that age gap who are happily married. You are both consenting adults, and I think that you should go for it if that is what your heart desires.

In regard to your future father-in-law, you need to tread lightly. If you want to have a lasting relationship with your wife, it is important to keep the peace with this man. If he brings it up again, you could say, “I really like your daughter and I believe she likes me for the right reasons. I want to keep a positive relationship with you and be in a good space for

the sake of ____. I would like to propose to her. Would you give me permission to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage?”

I believe that if you’re communicating in a constructive way and show that you have genuine intentions with his daughter, he will ultimately respond positively to you.

Wishing you hatzlacha.

Reader’s Response

Yosef, A Protective Father and Reader

Iappreciate you taking the time to write in, and I want to approach this with the same level of thoughtfulness that you seem to be giving this relationship.

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear Dan,

First, I want to acknowledge how exciting it must be to finally meet someone who feels worth prioritizing after years of focusing on your career. It sounds like this relationship has brought a new kind of joy and meaning into your life, and I can understand why you’re eager to move forward. At the same time, you’re facing significant pushback from her father, and I imagine that’s both frustrating and painful.

Let’s take a step back and really look at the situation—because there’s a lot here to unpack.

You’re 44. She’s 23. That’s a 21-year age gap. To put that into perspective, when you were doing your residency, she was likely still in elementary school.

When you were already well into your career, she was just entering high school. That’s not to say relationships with big age gaps can’t work, but they do come with unique challenges—ones that can’t be ignored. Right now, you’re at vastly different life stages. You’ve established yourself professionally, financially, and personally. You’ve had time to shape your identity, solidify your values, and decide what kind of life you want. She, on the other hand, is still very much in the early stages of adult life. At 23, many people are still discovering who they are, what they want, and how they envision their future. Is she truly ready

I’ll be honest—if I were your girlfriend’s father, I would be deeply unsettled by this situation. Not because I think you’re a bad person or incapable of love, but because, as a father, my job is to protect my daughter, especially when she is still in the early stages of adulthood.

You’re 44. She’s 23. You have over two decades of life experience on her. When you were navigating your 20s—figuring out your career, your values, your place in the world—she wasn’t even born yet. You’ve had years to establish yourself. She’s just beginning to figure out who she is. That’s a fundamental difference, and it’s not something that love alone can bridge.

I understand that you care for her and that this feels meaningful. But the speed at which you’re moving is concerning. Three months is not enough time to know whether someone is a life partner, especially when there is such an inherent imbalance in age, power, and life experience.

The brain isn’t even fully matured until around 25. Who she is today may not be who she is five years from now. Have you considered that?

And then, there’s her father’s per -

spective. His disapproval may not just be about the age gap—it could also be about something he knows that you don’t. He has raised her. He has seen her in every stage of life. When he warns you about her expensive tastes or the possibility that she’s drawn to financial security rather than to you as a person, it’s worth considering whether this is baseless sabotage or if he’s pointing out a dynamic you haven’t fully acknowledged yet.

You are a grown man with a successful career. You have the ability to make your own choices. But if I were in your position, I would ask myself this: If this were your daughter, and a 44-year-old colleague of yours wanted to marry her after three months, how would you feel? Would you welcome him with open arms? Or would you be sick with worry, wondering if she truly understood what she was getting into?

Love isn’t something that disappears with time. If this is the right relationship, it will withstand waiting, questioning, and deeper exploration. And if it’s not, you’ll be grateful that you gave yourself the space to see that before making a commitment that’s nearly impossible to undo.

for marriage? And just as importantly— have you given yourself enough time to really understand who she is beyond the excitement of this new relationship?

Then there’s the power dynamic. Whether intentional or not, a significant age gap can create an imbalance in decision-making, financial expectations, and life experiences. Have you both had honest, deep conversations about how this might play out long-term? What does she want in five or ten years, and does that align with what you want?

And, of course, there’s her father’s concern. While his approach may feel harsh, I wonder—are his concerns purely about his own embarrassment, or does he know something about his daughter that you don’t yet? He has

been in her life far longer than you have. His warning about her financial expectations—does it feel completely unfounded or is there even a small part of you that wonders?

I can hear that you don’t want to lose this relationship, and I’m not telling you to walk away. What I am saying is: slow down. Love, if it’s real, doesn’t dissolve with time—it deepens. If she is the person you’re meant to build a life with, waiting a little longer will only make your bond stronger. And if there are cracks in the foundation, time will reveal them before you make a lifelong commitment.

Warmly, Jennifer

Health & F tness Understanding Bipolar Disorder

The Roller Coaster Ride of the

Mind

And Why You Don’t Have to Ride It Alone

By Rivka Kramer, PMHNP-BC

Bipolar disorder often gets reduced to oversimplified explanations

– people hear “manic” and “depressed” and assume it’s just a case of someone being happy one minute and sad the next. But this mental health condition is far more complex than that, and if you or someone you care about is navigating it, you already know that.

Bipolar disorder isn’t just about mood swings; it’s a profound journey of ups and downs that can impact every part of your life. The good news is that, with the right treatment, you don’t have to ride that emotional roller coaster alone.

So, let’s take a closer look at what bipolar disorder really is, how to recognize it, and how effective treatments can help you regain control and stability. And because a little personal story always helps bring these things to life, I’ll share an example along the way.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

At its core, bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by extreme fluctuations between two opposite emotional states: mania and depression. These mood shifts are not just regular highs and lows – they are intense, long-lasting, and can be disruptive, making day-today functioning a real challenge.

• Mania involves a state of heightened energy, euphoria, and sometimes impulsive behaviors. A person in a manic episode may feel like they’re on top of the world, racing through thoughts at lightning speed, and engaging in risky behaviors like overspending or making uncharacteristic decisions. In its most severe form, mania can lead to delusions and impaired judgment.

• Depression, on the flip side, can feel like a heavy fog, where everything feels overwhelming and empty. You may experience extreme sadness, fatigue, and a lack of motivation to do even the

simplest tasks. Unlike regular sadness, depression in bipolar disorder can be disabling and long-lasting, often leading to feelings of hopelessness and, in some cases, thoughts of suicide.

If you’ve ever felt that overwhelming contrast between feeling invincible one day and completely exhausted or hopeless the next, you can begin to understand what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder.

Sarah’s Story

Let me tell you about Sarah (not her real name). She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years ago. Sarah was in her mid-30s, a successful freelance graphic designer who had always prided herself on her creativity and independence. But during her manic episode, her behavior was out of control. She couldn’t sleep for days, stayed up late making grand plans for new business ventures, and spent money recklessly on things she didn’t need.

At first, she felt invincible – like the

world was hers for the taking. But soon, she started to feel exhausted, irritable, and detached from reality. And that’s when the depression hit. Sarah went from feeling like she could take on the world to being unable to get out of bed for days, paralyzed by feelings of sadness and hopelessness. She found it difficult to remember the highs of her manic state when she was sunk so deep into the lows of depression.

Sarah’s story is all too common, and it shows how bipolar disorder can dramatically affect every area of life, from relationships to career to daily functioning.

Types of Bipolar Disorder: Not All Roller Coasters Are the Same

Just like roller coasters, bipolar disorder comes in different types, each with its own set of twists, turns, and loops. Here’s a breakdown of the main forms:

• Bipolar I Disorder: This is the most severe form, involving manic episodes that last at least seven days or re -

quire hospitalization due to the intensity of the symptoms. Depressive episodes typically last two weeks or more.

• Bipolar II Disorder: This type involves less intense manic episodes, called hypomania, and more frequent depressive episodes. Unlike Bipolar I, the manic episodes are not severe enough to cause full-blown disruptions in everyday life, but the depression is often just as debilitating.

• Cyclothymic Disorder: A milder form of bipolar disorder, cyclothymia involves frequent mood swings, but they’re not as severe or prolonged as those in Bipolar I or II. People with cyclothymic disorder may experience periods of hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms, but they don’t meet the full criteria for a manic or depressive episode.

Signs and Symptoms: When to Seek Help

If you or someone you love is experiencing mood swings that seem out of control or last for an extended period of time, it could be time to seek professional help. Some red flags that point to bipolar disorder include:

• Intense mood swings that last for days or weeks

• Racing thoughts and speaking rapidly during manic episodes

• Impulsive decision-making or risky behavior

• A sudden loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

• Chronic fatigue or inability to get out of bed during depressive episodes

• Severe irritability or emotional volatility

If you recognize these patterns in yourself or a loved one, don’t wait for the next cycle to pass. Treatment can make a huge difference in regaining balance and stability.

Treatment: Getting Off the Roller Coaster

So how do we get off the emotional roller coaster of bipolar disorder? The good news is that there are several treatment options, and with the right combination, it is possible to stabilize your mood and live a full, productive life.

1. Medication: A Stabilizing

Force

Medications are typically the first line of defense when treating bipolar disorder. The goal is to stabilize mood and prevent episodes of mania and depression. The two main types of medications used are:

• Mood Stabilizers: Medications like lithium are commonly used to prevent both manic and depressive episodes. They help “smooth out” the mood fluctuations and maintain a more balanced state.

• Antipsychotics: For severe manic episodes, medications like olanzapine or risperidone can help manage symptoms like delusions or erratic behavior. These medications are often used in conjunction with mood stabilizers.

Sarah, for instance, was initially hesitant about medication, fearing side effects or a lifetime dependency. But after some trial and error, we found a combination that worked for her, and the results were

life-changing. With the right medication, she was able to break the cycle of manic and depressive episodes, and she was finally able to reclaim control of her life.

2. Therapy: Learning to Cope

While medication can help stabilize mood, therapy is essential for long-term

and emotional triggers. This empowered her to manage her condition in a more proactive way.

3.

Lifestyle Changes: Building a Routine

Bipolar disorder doesn’t just impact mood – it affects energy levels, sleep,

Regular sleep, healthy eating habits, exercise, and stress management all play a key role in stabilizing mood and preventing episodes.

success. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used to help people with bipolar disorder identify and change negative thinking patterns that may trigger episodes. Therapy can also teach coping strategies to handle stress, improve interpersonal relationships, and manage everyday life.

In Sarah’s case, therapy became a crucial part of her recovery. Through CBT, she learned to recognize the early warning signs of an impending episode and developed healthier ways to cope with stress

and overall functioning. One of the most important things in managing bipolar disorder is maintaining a stable routine. Regular sleep, healthy eating habits, exercise, and stress management all play a key role in stabilizing mood and preventing episodes.

For Sarah, getting back into a consistent routine was crucial. We worked together to prioritize sleep hygiene and set regular times for meals, exercise, and work. These seemingly small steps had a huge impact on her stability.

Living with Bipolar Disorder: You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

While bipolar disorder can be challenging, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. With the right combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments, you can regain control over your mood and your life. It’s about creating balance, setting boundaries, and building a support system that helps you stay grounded.

As Sarah’s story shows, even when you feel like you’re spiraling, there is hope. Bipolar disorder doesn’t have to control your life; it’s just one part of the journey. And with the right treatment and support, you can create a life that’s not defined by your disorder, but by your strengths and achievements.

If you or someone you know is struggling with bipolar disorder, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. You don’t have to ride the roller coaster alone – help is available.

Rivka Kramer is a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She has a psychiatric private practice based in Cedarhurst, NY. She serves as a member of the board of JANPPA, the Jewish American Nurse Practitioner Psychiatric Association. She can be reached at 516-945-9443.

Parenting Pearls But It Didn’t Work

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

One of the benefits I find of working directly with families is the opportunity to accurately meet their individual needs. Parenting lectures, books and articles give over so much incredible information, but it doesn’t replace the advice of someone that knows you, your particular child and family.

When I work directly with families I make it clear that I want to be told if something I suggest isn’t working. This

isn’t the time to be polite or pretend everything is great. This is the chance to share what is working and clarify what isn’t. Parental feedback is one of the most important parts of the process as it allows us to more accurately target- and thereby address- their family’s specific needs.

It’s important to be honest with oneself and accurately determine if something is actually working. Many parts of life can work based on nice theories,

but parenting is practical and needs to produce concrete results. I have found there are many reasons why parenting advice may not work, but there are a few specific areas that are most common.

This article is here to give some reasons for why parents can try something but it just doesn’t work.

Know Your Source

There is so much advice available on many topics. Whether it’s marriage, child rearing or health, one can find a plethora of suggestions. It may come from family, a neighbor or an expert (real or perceived). It’s a challenge to sift through all the available information.

When writing a college or other professional paper it’s important to know your source. Before you quote or rely on anyone it’s crucial to verify that it’s legitimate and respected. An entire argument can quickly fall flat if it comes from a disreputable source. Who to trust for parenting ideas is certainly no less crucial.

Previously, most information was either given by word of mouth or published in a book. When advised by an individual you knew the person and you had an idea if they were legitimate. You could see the children and know whether or not to trust the parenting advice. You can quickly ascertain that the husband you see belittling his wife may not be your go-to for marriage questions.

In theory, books and articles can be

published by anyone, but there is usually some vetting process. Professional publishers stand behind their name and know the importance of ensuring a certain level of quality passes through. This isn’t a guarantee of good advice, but it does provide some level of reassurance.

Today there are millions of websites, podcasts, blogs and other digital sources of information. There are definitely positives that many knowledgeable individuals can share their wisdom without the limitations of writing and publishing, but this ease comes with negatives too. Many have lamented that anyone can express an opinion and disseminate it through these more modern means. There is no need to be a professional or have personal experience before being able to reach millions of households. It’s often enough for someone to sound good or appear confident.

Bad Advice

No matter your source, all advice needs to be carefully thought through to see if it’s worth implementing.

I was walking down the street with two small children when one of my little ones passed too closely to a woman carrying a drink. I don’t recall if some of her drink spilled, but the woman was furious and started screaming at me “you need to beat him, you need to beat him”, assuming that a good beating would teach him a lesson. She also used

some choice language that should never be spoken, certainly not in front of a child. I held myself back from informing her how her parents’ similar discipline likely resulted in her own poor behavior because I didn’t think that would be helpful. Naturally, I didn’t follow her advice to “beat” anyone. Baruch Hashem, my little (now big) child turned out well even though (or because) I didn’t follow her pearls of wisdom.

I was newly married and studying for an exam in biological psychology. At this time I will not delve into whether it’s advisable to take a course called “psycho-bio”. I was getting a bit of a headache and rather tired when the carbon monoxide detector started going off. Being inexperienced I asked an older neighbor what to do about the detector and he advised me to “just ignore it, it’s probably faulty”. Baruch Hashem, I ignored his advice and called in the gas company who discovered frighteningly high levels of carbon monoxide in my apartment. Disregarding this advice may be one of the reasons I’m here today to write this article. This is also a reminder to TJH readers to ensure they have working smoke and CO detectors.

When discussing “why advice may not work” it’s important to acknowledge that a lot of advice is really just terrible and won’t work. Unfortunately, some of the suggestions are outright dangerous. It’s a challenge to take the ochel (food) from the p’soles (trash). This is especially important because some suggestions look amazing but are ineffective- or dangerous- in the long term, even if they seemingly work at first.

Matching The Key To The Lock

Just like a key will only open the correct lock, some suggestions can be wonderful but not a fit for that particular child or parent. Hashem made each of us unique and that means that what works for one may not work for another. It’s important to remember that just as a lock isn’t broken because the key doesn’t work, the child (or parent) isn’t defective if certain advice is ill fitted.

Each child has their own particular needs and what works beautifully for one child may be horrible for another. For example, some children need a much firmer or softer approach than others. Certain children do well with

delaying rewards while others need everything immediately.

Parents, too, have their own personalities, talents and weaknesses that need to be taken into account. Certain techniques will be manageable for some adults but too overwhelming for others.

There are certain times in life when needs are different. A child that is already experiencing significant challenges will require a different approach. What works normally may not be well-suited to a child that is sick or under serious stress.

The Details

Sometimes the advice is good but doesn’t work because it was either not implemented properly or it needs to be adjusted.

Details matter. Before disregarding good advice as useless, ensure it’s being followed accurately. For example, when helping a child transition between activities, it’s often suggested to give the child a series of alerts (warnings or heads-up) to prepare them for the change. Neglecting one of these alerts or not being consistent can deeply affect the results.

We’re each individual and sometimes general suggestions need to be “tweaked” to meet a particular need. For example, the general advice may be to wait five minutes before the next step, but for a child with an excessively short attention span they may need it changed to half that time. If you don’t get the hoped for results with the exact directions specified, then it can be worth seeing what minor adjustments can be made to more accurately reflect your child’s needs.

Parenting is complex and it’s only natural to want to benefit from the wisdom and ideas of others. Understanding when and how to put these suggestions into our parenting toolbox requires thought and understanding. May Hashem give us the necessary wisdom and understanding to be the parent our child needs.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

Health & F tness

Parents: Protein First, Please

By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH (SA),

FAAP

“Protein? Please help me to understand, Dr. Lightman. I heard you say to start feeding my 4-month-old pureed chicken from the chicken soup. But my mother told me that rice cereal should be the first solid food. What’s changed?”

What’s changed, moms and dads, is that I was not trained like American pediatricians. In South Africa, we were taught to think outside the proverbial Gerber demarcated “box.” There’s a world of tastes and nutrients available to our infants. All those years ago in that country on the other side of the world, our professors taught us that the earlier babies start eating healthy meals that are not from a box or jar, the better they will eat as toddlers and so forth.

Rice cereal has been the first solid of choice – or perhaps, default – for generations of American babies. It’s easy to understand why. It’s easily available and easy to prepare and feed. It’s fortified with iron and other nutrients. It’s a habit that only recently is being questioned in our part of the world – and with good reason.

Babies who first eat rice cereal are geared up to crave only carbohydrate-laced foods. Some rice is con -

taminated with arsenic

Interestingly, recent studies demonstrate that children who first eat the pureed chicken from the chicken soup which has been moistened with cooled soup liquid tend to have fewer weight issues as children, adolescents and adults.

We want our patients to embrace

The creativity we can employ with a food mill or mini food processor can embrace the colors of the rainbow. Melons, berries, and avocadoes can all be pureed.

Start with the pureed chicken. Then add the vegetables. Only afterwards, add fruit. No matter what, infants and children will always tend to prefer sweet-

We want our patients to embrace different foods so that our bundles of joy play with different textures in their mouths.

different foods so that our bundles of joy play with different textures in their mouths. They will develop oral muscle strength and enjoy the beginnings of the broadest palate range possible.

Further, feeding time is not clean time. Encourage your infant to mush up the food. He’s exploring his world, and that’s a fun, safe thing to do. There will be many benefits for intellectual and psychosocial development.

er-tasting food items.

Then there’s Bamba. For babies in homes without significant food allergies, introduce Bamba when your baby is 9 months old. This peanut food will introduce your baby and his digestive system to peanuts. If you wait too long to introduce peanuts, your child may develop a peanut allergy. Bamba is less sticky than peanut butter and can improve handmouth coordination. People of all ages

like to put food in their mouths. Never introduce raw honey to a baby under 12 months of age. Honey may contain harmful botulism spores that could make your child very ill.

Don’t panic if your baby makes faces when new foods are introduced. Remember, he’s learning and exploring. He will respond to your facial gestures and encouragement. If your baby senses you’re agitated, then he will respond in kind exponentially and the newly classified disorder of ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) may prevail. Let’s not go near there.

A fun, positive experience with eating as an infant will only prime the child for healthier eating patterns in toddlerhood and childhood. No doubt, there will be long-term benefits for the entire family. Enjoy and explore.

As always, daven.

Dr. Hylton I. Lightman is a pediatrician and Medical Director of Total Family Care of the 5 Towns and Rockaway PC. He can be reached at drlightman@totalfamilycaremd.com, on Instagram at Dr.Lightman_ or visit him on Facebook.

School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:Dear Etti,

My son doesn’t get concepts like family privacy, and it can be so embarrassing for me or his siblings to find out from a neighbor or acquaintance that they know information that they shouldn’t. We tell him all the time when we find out he overshared that we were embarrassed, and he is always sorry, but it doesn’t stop.

I am writing to you because now I think it is starting to affect him socially in school. How do I help him? What we are already doing is obviously not working.

-Concerned

A:Dear Concerned, It’s completely understandable to feel frustrated and even embarrassed when your child shares personal information about your family without realizing the impact he is having on your family.

Did you ever ask yourself why he might be oversharing?

Many kids, especially those diagnosed with ADHD, struggle with understanding social boundaries and filtering what they say. They often struggle with impulse control, social awareness, and self-regulation, which makes it harder for them to pause and think before speaking. They may not fully grasp the idea of family privacy or recognize when certain information should remain unsaid. Children want attention from their peers and might be sharing to connect.

Constantly having to apologize without understanding what he did, why it is a problem, and how not to do it again can erode his self-esteem.

The good news is that with guidance and practice, your son can learn to navigate these situations more appropriately.

Here are some ideas that might help you help him:

Teach the “Public vs. Private” Rule

• Have clear discussions about what is okay to share (hobbies, interests, daily events) and what is private (family matters, personal struggles, and health issues).

• Create simple rules, like “If it involves another person, ask them before sharing.”

Use Real-Life Examples

• If your child hears a friend share something that you have told him is embarrassing, use it as a teaching moment:

◊ “How do you think that made them feel?”

If he does overshare, use it as a learning opportunity instead of reacting with embarrassment or anger.

◊ “Would you want someone to share something private about you?”

Be Proactive and Practice with Role-Playing

• Be proactive. Notice the kinds of things your child has been sharing and be sure to talk to him after such events happen. For example, ask: “What would you say if someone asks why your sister missed school?” Guide him toward a general, appropriate response.

• Act out different scenarios where your child has to decide what to share and what to keep private.

• Read stories on Shabbos afternoon or share scenarios around the supper table to widen your child’s schema (background knowledge that helps children understand their world) and discuss if the situation was embarrassing to anyone and how it could be dealt with differently.

Encourage “Pause and Think”

• Teach him to pause and ask himself: “Is this my story to tell?” or “Could this hurt someone’s feelings?”

• If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, pausing is a

difficult skill to master. Reward him every time he remembers.

Monitor Social Media Use

• If your son is older and on any social media (which I very, very, strongly beg you to reconsider, especially for a child who does not understand social norms or subtlety and could be badly hurt or scammed due to this skill deficit), stay connected with his accounts and discuss safe sharing.

• Make sure he understands that what’s posted online can last forever. He should be taught not to post anything online.

Stay Calm and Supportive

• If he does overshare, use it as a learning opportunity instead of reacting with embarrassment or anger.

• Gently discuss why the information was inappropriate and how to handle it differently next time.

Since you’ve noticed this is affecting him socially, helping him build awareness now will make a big difference. If he is younger, you can try to encourage play dates where you can supervise, to be able to offer subtle direction and guidance. If he is older, you can try to debrief after a social event, and while being encouraging, help him think of ways to deal with the conversations more appropriately next time.

With patience, practice, and clear guidance, he can develop better social awareness and understand the importance of keeping private matters private.

This will help him in all of his interactions, and hopefully improve his social standing.

Hatzlacha, Etti

Fd for Thought The North End Grill

SBy Nati Burnside

ome communities in the tri-state area are pretty unassuming when it comes to restaurants. They have the basic eateries everybody wants (a pizza shop, a Chinese place, a bagel place), but not much else. Westchester is one of those places.

Not much has drastically changed in the kosher food landscape for a long time. But The North End Grill aims to upend that. The owners of the new bar and grill want to have a place with food as great as the clientele. In other words, they think the community deserves a place that people can be excited about.

The North End Grill is a little bit of everything. It’s a family restaurant with people bringing their kids (with a menu for the little ones). It has a bar and serves cocktails for the adults. But by far the most unique aspect is the sports bar element as the place features a dozen or so televisions broadcasting sports of all types.

Patrons can sit at the tables or the bar – both are welcoming. And the menu is just as diverse as the types of people the restaurant might appeal to. You might see a couple on a date, grandparents taking out their grandkids, a business meeting, or even just friends catching up. They might be having drinks, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, or a whole dinner.

The North End Grill is there to be there for everybody.

When I was invited to The North End Grill, the first thing I ordered was the Pastrami Croquettes. They didn’t seem complicated, but they were certainly different from the appetizers I usually see on menus these days. Also, what could be bad about fried balls of pastrami? As it turns out, nothing. With a delightfully crunchy outside, a meaty inside of shredded pastrami, and a savory dipping sauce that added to the croquettes without overpowering them, these were a really great start to the meal and something I would definitely recommend, especially if you are looking for an appetizer that is easily shareable.

Also shareable, but going in a very different direction, go with the Tuna Street Tacos for a non-fleish option. The trio of warm, soft corn tortillas comes with a hearty portion of grilled pieces of tuna accompanied by pickled red onion, cilantro, and an extremely tasty jalapeño lime sauce. Honestly, I could have eaten pretty much anything with this sauce. It packed a bit of heat to go alongside the acidic punch of the lime, and it worked perfectly with the tuna. Typically, I favor fried fish in fish tacos, but the grilled tuna went so well with everything that I’d give these a perfect score even without the crunch factor.

Staying south of the border, one of the biggest surprises of my trip north was the Taco Salad Bowl. I opted to add chicken (you can also add steak or salmon), and they offered to swap out the usual grilled chicken with the taco seasoned version that they use to make the chicken version of the tacos I ordered with tuna earlier. The result was a real winner. First of all, the bowl is huge and full of different ingredients to enjoy. Some like their taco bowls to feature lettuce; others prefer rice. Here, they give you both with black beans, guacamole, and pickled red onion. It’s topped with that great jalapeño lime sauce and served with house-made tortilla chips. I mixed everything up until it was one cohesive mess and enjoyed getting as much on each chip as possible. If it was the only thing I ordered, I would have been able to eat the whole thing and walk away feeling like I had a whole meal, not something I can often say for something in the salad section.

As we shift towards the more mainstream entrée options, we get to my favorite item on the menu…the Sammy Smokestack Burger. I don’t know who Sammy is, but I like his burger. It’s the restaurant’s standard 8 oz. patty on a brioche bun, topped with a medley of diced pickled hot peppers, beef bacon, and their Mac sauce. The toppings all

kind of mesh together into this mixture that glues the top of the burger to the bun. The peppers are legitimately spicy, but they are cooled down a bit by the sauce and the fattiness of the “bacon” is able to absorb some of the heat as well. This was probably one of my favorite burgers in a long time because the toppings weren’t out of control and the burger was actually easy to pick up and eat without falling apart, an underrated feature these days in the era of loaded burgers. It comes with fries or a salad, and either is a fine option. As long as you can tolerate some spiciness, I demand you order this burger. You won’t regret it. Last but not least, it’s hard to ignore the “from the grill” section of the menu

from a bar & grill named The North End Grill. These choices are more your whole meal-type options as each entrée comes with your choice of sauce and two side dishes. I suggest you order the 14 oz. Black Angus Ribeye. It isn’t made with any sort of fancy preparation because this isn’t that type of place. It’s a high-quality steak, and you’ll certainly taste that with every bite. There’s nothing like a good steak, and this is certainly that. With nine side dishes to choose from, you can complete your meal on your own terms and leave happy.

So, if you find yourself venturing north of the city to Westchester County, stop by The North End Grill. It’s got a little bit of something for everyone.

Meat - Bar & Grill - Waiter Service 1301 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10804 (914)-633-3224

TheNorthEndGrill.com Orthodox Union (OU)

In The K tchen

ANZAC Biscuits

Pareve / Yields 3 dozen cookies

By Naomi Nachman

I am writing this from Sydney, Australia, while I am on a trip visiting my parents. I wanted to share a real Aussie recipe with my American readers.

ANZAC biscuits are a classic Australian cookie. ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps. During World War

I, Australian soldiers were sent to the European front; their wives wanted to send them homemade treats that could be mailed on a six-week journey across the sea.

These biscuits traveled well and became iconic. We Aussies have continued to eat them for the last 100 years!

Ingredients

◦ ½ cup canola oil

◦ 2 Tablespoons hot water

◦ 1 teaspoon baking soda

◦ 2 Tablespoons molasses

◦ 1 cup old-fashioned oats

◦ 1 cup all-purpose flour

◦ 1 cup light brown sugar

◦ 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together oil, hot water, baking soda, and molasses.

3. In a second bowl, mix together oats, flour, sugar, and coconut. Add mixture to wet ingredients. Mix to combine.

4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then flatten with the palm of your hand. Place on prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake for 15 minutes.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

She’s dumber than a box of rocks.

- Trump border czar Tom Homan responding to MSNBC’s Joy Reid’s claim that deportation raids are not necessary

Bottom line is, let’s talk about Chicago for a minute. Chicago mayor says that we put fear in the elementary schools because ICE agents went to an elementary school, total false story. What ICE did in Chicago is saved children. What we did in New York today is save children. Just in Chicago alone, we arrested at least nine … predators, most of them child … predators. We took them off the street. We took them off the street in New York today.

– ibid.

We’re protecting the community. We’re saving children. We’re going to secure that border so less Americans die of fentanyl deaths. We’re securing the border so less women and children are … trafficked.

– ibid.

If we were playing in a Super Bowl, we started our seventh string quarterback. That’s what happened.

- Famed Democrat strategist James Carville talking about what went wrong in the

I’m having a little bit of a hard time understanding you… Actually it’s a beautiful voice and a beautiful accent. The only problem is that I can’t understand a word you are saying. But I just say this: Good luck! Live in peace!

- Pres. Trump at his press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu responding to a question from an Afghani journalist with a thick accent

I had to go to Gaza for you to tell me that?

- Released hostage Ofer Calderon joking when his brother hugged him and said, “I love you!”

I mean, like I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait until American women can’t get blueberries for their smoothies.

- Democratic strategist Jenna Arnold on CNN talking about why the ICE raids will cause a backlash against the Trump administration. (This was not a comedy segment.)

Dad, there are two million terrorists there, make no mistake.

- Released hostage Liri Albag speaking to her father

how Kamala Harris was a terrible candidate

If the Treasury Secretary does not remove DOGE’s access to the Treasury payment systems at once: Congress must immediately act.

- Tweet by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Corrupt politicians are the ones complaining. I wonder why?

- Elon Musk in response

I’m not going to talk about that. It certainly is a small, it’s a small country in terms of land.

- Pres. Trump when asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he will change U.S. policy and recognize Judea and Samaria as belonging to Israel

See this pen?This wonderful pen on my desk is the Middle East, and the top of the pen — that’s Israel.

- ibid, while holding up a pen

That’s not good, right? You know, it’s a pretty big difference. I use that as an analogy — it’s pretty accurate, actually. It’s a pretty small piece of land. It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do when you think about it, [there’s] a lot of good, smart brain power, but it is a very small piece of land, no question about it.

- ibid.

They haven’t done that, and that would be a terrible thing for them to do. Not because of me— if they did that, they would be obliterated. That would be the end. I’ve left instructions, if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.

- Pres. Trump when asked about concerns that Iran may try to assassinate him

We will not take this! We will fight back! And [expletive] shut down the Senate! We are at war.

- Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) protesting DOGE outside the Treasury Department

I want to say to our Republican colleagues – pay attention. We’re here today in the hopes that you will see the light. But if you do not see the light, we will bring the fire. Resist!

- Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-NJ) at the protest

President Trump said that he will send 30,000 illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay. They will be coming from Philadelphia, New York, and San Franciscso. So, consider it an upgrade.

– Greg Gutfeld, Fox

Knowingly harbor and concealing an illegal alien, that’s a violation of Title eight, United States Code 1324. I will seek prosecution.

- Border Czar Homan responding on Fox News

So maybe he’s bluffing. If he’s not, we’ll deal with that.

- ibid.

I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East and maybe the entire Middle East. This was not a decision made lightly. Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent in a really magnificent area that nobody would know. Nobody could look because all they see is death and destruction and rubble and demolished buildings falling all over, it’s just a terrible sight.

- Pres. Trump at a press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu, talking about the U.S. moving Palestinians and taking over Gaza

We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal, and I don’t wanna be cute, I don’t wanna be a wise guy, but the Riviera of the Middle East. This could be so magnificent.

- ibid.

Good luck to the Fed coming in to try to get her.

– New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D), claiming at a speech at Montclair State University that he has an illegal alien living in his house

President Trump was right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.

- Former Democrat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, after being sentenced to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes

When I hear – both in the past and even now – from the U.S. that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions (of dollars), as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you –we’ve received just over $75 billion.

- Ukrainian Pres. Zelensky in a recent interview

When it’s said that Ukraine received $200 billion to support the army during the war – that’s not true. I don’t know where all that money went. - ibid.

This dude is probably one of the most unintelligent billionaires I have ever met or seen or witnessed… This dude is not smart.

- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) talking about Elon Musk

The truth is, the woke world took over the Democratic Party, so common sense was for the taking and Trump took it. Now, the Dems are on the outside looking in like Joe Biden at a mausoleum.

- Gret Gutfeld, Fox

Political Crossfire

DEI Will Not Be Missed

By Bret Stephens

In December 2015, the Obama administration decided to allow women to serve in all combat roles. “There will be no exceptions,” Ashton Carter, then the secretary of defense, announced. Women would be accepted as “Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry,” among other demanding roles previously open only to men.

As for physical standards, those would not change: “There must be no quotas or perception thereof,” Carter said.

In some ways, the policy has produced inspiring results. More than 140 women have completed the Army’s elite Ranger School and a few have passed the Marines Corps’ Infantry Officer Course (though none, as yet, has become a SEAL). Women serve with distinction in other combat roles, including as fighter pilots and tank commanders.

In other ways, however, the policy has realized the worst fears of its early critics. While elevating women who meet the same physical standards as their male counterparts, it has also led to an erosion of standards. From the initial laudable goal — equality of opportunity for all, regardless of gender — the military has been sliding toward something else: equality in outcomes. That is what today is usually meant by the word “equity,” at least in the context of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

Take the Army’s efforts to create gender-neutral fitness requirements, known as the Army Combat Fitness Test. The test, developed over a decade, was designed to be rigorous, requiring soldiers of either sex to meet physical standards appropriate to the roles they might perform — with the toughest requirements for jobs like artillery soldiers, which require a lot of muscle.

But that caused a problem: Women were failing the test at noticeably higher rates, according to a Rand Corp. study. Among active-duty enlisted soldiers, the fitness test had a pass rate of 92% among men but only 52% among women. (Female officers did better, with a pass rate

of 72%.) Democratic senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, were also putting pressure on the Army to delay implementation of the test, arguing, as The Washington Post reported in 2020, that it “could undermine the goal of creating a diverse force.”

The Biden administration yielded to this complaint.

Wormuth also insisted that the new standards were “much more challenging” than the previous ones. Cotton, a former Army officer, was having none of it. “The new standards,” he said, “are absolutely pathetic.”

Among other details: To qualify for any job in the Army, according to Cotton, a young female soldier would only

standard of terminating the careers of sailors who failed two consecutive fitness tests. That’s partly because the service is facing a recruitment crisis and doesn’t want to lose more people. But it’s also, as the chief of naval operations, Lisa Franchetti, wrote last year, “to acknowledge our diverse population.”

There’s also been a push to reinstate photo requirements, dropped during the first Trump administration, as part of the application process for promotion. Why? “We look at, for instance, the one-star board over the last five years, and we can show you where, as you look at diversity, it went down with photos removed,” said Vice Adm. John Nowell Jr. in 2021. In other words, where the application process was blind and candidates were judged on merit alone, diversity suffered.

All this raises the question of what a military is for. There’s no doubt the military has served to advance important moral and social values, never more so than in President Harry Truman’s 1948 order to desegregate the military or President Barack Obama’s 2010 decision to eliminate “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But those demands for equality did not require the Pentagon to lower standards or compromise lethality.

What’s happened in the military is only the most vivid example of the rot that sets into any institution that abandons merit for diversity, equality for equity, expectations for inclusion.

The issue flared in a tense May 2022 exchange in the Senate Armed Services Committee between Christine Wormuth, the Biden administration’s Army secretary, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

“We wanted to make sure that we didn’t unfairly have standards for a particular subgroup that people couldn’t perform,” she said. “We didn’t want to disadvantage any subgroups.”

have to be able to complete 10 push-ups (down from 13 push-ups in the previous test) and run 2 miles in 23 minutes and 22 seconds — a slow jog. Standards for men had also been lowered. For the sake of inclusion and fairness, toughness would have to go.

What befell the Army has happened, in different ways, to other services. Last year, the Navy dropped its previous

The difference with DEI is that, almost inevitably, it does. It asks the military to become a social justice organization that happens to fight wars. In other walks of life, adulterated standards can lead to mediocrity — bad teaching in classrooms, bad medical care. In combat, it can mean death.

What’s happened in the military is only the most vivid example of the rot that sets into any institution that abandons merit for diversity, equality for equity, expectations for inclusion. In the whirlwind that has been the first few days of this administration, the long overdue ban on DEI is, at least, a solid cause for hope.

Political Crossfire

Why Britain’s Departing Ambassador is Still Betting on America

At the end of an interview last week, I asked Karen Pierce, the departing British ambassador to the United States, what worried her about the future. Open-ended questions like that often get predictable answers such as “global warming” or “the threat of war,” but not so with the famously contrarian Pierce.

“I worry that the West has lost it ‘ruthlessness edge,’” Pierce responded. I asked her what she meant, and she explained that it was a phrase used by Christopher Coker, a professor of hers at the London School of Economics, who argued that human survival was in part a product of our warlike instincts.

“When there was a Cold War, lots of things were existential,” Pierce continued. “You didn’t want things to get out of hand, and therefore you took quick, decisive action. We don’t have that clarity anymore. And hence, decision-making is harder.” She feared that the West was “too slow,” for example, in its adoption of artificial intelligence.

Maybe it’s not surprising that Pierce, with this hawkish outlook, had generally positive things to say about President Donald Trump – who in his first two weeks has been the definition of ruthlessness. But her comments reinforced something I’ve noticed with other foreign officials. The world usually defers to strong U.S. leadership, even when it’s disruptive.

I disagree with Pierce, frankly, about the benefits of this hard edge. Two weeks into the Trump administration, we’ve seen much chaos at home and abroad – accomplished with ruthless speed, to be sure, but little positive benefit that I can see. But I’m sharing Pierce’s parting thoughts because she has been an unusually influential envoy, and because many people in the United States and around the world would agree with her.

By David Ignatius

Pierce has a remarkable résumé. She was Britain’s first female ambassador to the United States, and rare for a diplomat, she became something of a celebrity. She was profiled in The Post’s Style section and also back home in the Telegraph, which described her as a “champagne-swigging, high-heel-wearing, feather boa-swathed diplomat.”

Pierce served from Trump to Trump, as it were. She arrived in March 2020, in the last year of his first administration, and she departed last weekend amid the turbulent start of his second. She was a well-chosen emissary to Trumpworld: Her predecessors had often been members of the British upper crust, sleek as whippets and unflappably discreet. Pierce was different – an outspoken, middle-class woman from the northern England mill town of Preston.

During our interview, she talked at length about Trump – mostly favorably – and barely at all about President Joe Biden. Perhaps she was just being diplomatic, saying nice things about the current inhabitant of the White House. But I

suspect Trump meets her “ruthlessness” test in a way Biden didn’t.

Pierce has viewed official Washington from the grand oval of her dining table, where Republicans and Democrats enjoy a fancy meal and stay for after-dinner drinks. She noted that the amicable spirit she sees at the ambassador’s residence often disappears when members of Congress return to the television cameras and Capitol Hill.

The loss of bipartisanship was troubling, she said, because it diluted the United States’ voice. “I think other countries are unnerved when America isn’t working in the way they think it should work and showing leadership. I think other countries worry about a deficit of American leadership.”

Like other Europeans I’ve spoken with since Trump’s inauguration, Pierce seemed confident that the United States would survive the disruptions of the president’s first days in office. She didn’t share the worries felt by many Americans that he might be doing irreparable damage to our institutions.

“I actually think American democracy can withstand a few knocks,” she said, recalling the traumas of Tammany Hall, McCarthyism, Vietnam and Watergate.

“American politics is a bit like American weather – more disruptive than what you normally see in Europe. ... [But] America always rights itself. It always comes back.”

Optimism about America’s long-term future is probably right, as it always has in the past. But Trump is doing enormous damage in the short run – to public health, our legal system and the foundations of our economy. The sad fact is that the United States is likely to recover its balance only when the consequences –political and otherwise – become so severe that Trump’s Republican supporters demand a halt.

The one subject on which Pierce expressed genuine worry was the future of Ukraine and the danger of a peace deal that would reward Russian aggression. “Peace through strength” was the only sensible strategy, she said. “It would please the Russians enormously to do a deal with the Americans over Ukraine’s head.”

“We can’t let Russia dictate what happens in Europe,” she continued. “After the Berlin Wall came down, America helped create a Europe whole and free, and we can’t allow Russia to walk everybody back from that in order to stop the fighting in Ukraine.”

Pierce had one last embassy bash Saturday night, with champagne glasses racked along the entry hallway almost as a ticket of admission. Republicans and Democrats mingled happily, and you could almost forget that the man in the White House had spent the past two weeks hammering at the institutions of a government that so many of the guests have faithfully served.

Political Crossfire Egypt Fears Syria’s Revolutionary Fervor Could Be Contagious

By Vivian Yee

Soon after Islamist rebels overthrew the authoritarian president of Syria, Bashar Assad, a hashtag gathered steam on Egyptian social media: “It’s your turn, dictator.”

The message for President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt was unmistakable. But he hardly needed the warning.

Since the ouster of Syria’s longtime dictator on Dec. 8, Egyptian leaders have watched events in the Syrian capital, Damascus, with grim-faced vigilance, knowing well that revolutionary fire has a tendency to spread.

Both countries have had a turbulent history since the Arab Spring uprisings that started in late 2010 and spread across the Middle East.

The Syrian revolt culminated almost 14 years later with Assad’s fall. The Egyptian revolution deposed the country’s longtime authoritarian president, Hosni Mubarak, and saw an Islamist political party come to power in the country’s first free elections. El-Sissi seized power two years later in a military takeover, and he and like-minded

leaders in the Persian Gulf and beyond remain wary of Islamist groups gaining any power in the region, as they just did in Syria.

Days after Assad fled Syria for Russia, Egyptian security forces arrested at least 30 Syrian refugees living in Cairo who were spontaneously celebrating his fall, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a rights group.

Egyptian authorities also made it harder for Syrians to travel to Egypt in the aftermath of Assad’s overthrow, requiring most to obtain security clearances first.

El-Sissi has given unusually frequent addresses in recent weeks to defend his record.

“My hands have never been stained with anyone’s blood, and I have never taken anything that wasn’t mine,” he said in December, a week after Assad fell.

In doing so, he seemed to draw a contrast with the deposed Syrian leader while brushing aside his own human rights record, including a massacre by

the Egyptian military forces that he led of what rights groups say were at least 817 people protesting el-Sissi’s takeover of power in 2013.

Since the rebels in Syria seized power, Egypt has arrested or began prosecuting several people considered political opponents, including the director of a prominent rights group, the wife of a detained political cartoonist, and a TikTok user who had been posting videos critical of el-Sissi. Egypt already was holding an estimated tens of thousands of political prisoners, many of them Islamists.

“Two thousand and eleven is only 14 years away,” said Mirette F. Mabrouk, an Egypt expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington, referring to the year of the Egyptian revolution. The Egyptian authorities, she said, “know that things snowball.”

After years of deepening economic misery across Egypt, el-Sissi was already in an acutely vulnerable position. Any hint that Egyptians could catch Syrians’ revolutionary fervor spells

trouble — not because Egyptians want armed revolt, Mabrouk said, but because it could take very little for their disgruntlement to explode into protest.

The most visible attempt to capitalize on the moment has come from Ahmed al-Mansour, an Egyptian who left the country to fight with Syrian rebels years ago. After Assad’s ouster, he repeatedly ranted against el-Sissi online from Damascus.

“You’re worth one bullet,” al-Mansour said of el-Sissi in a video posted on the social platform X. It was viewed 1.5 million times.

The threat sent Egypt’s TV anchors, who often amplify pro-government talking points on their nightly broadcasts, into an uproar. One host, Ahmed Moussa, called on Syria’s new leaders to act.

“They must tell us if they are with what is happening in the targeting of our country or not,” he warned.

Shortly after his tirade in mid-January, the new Syrian authorities arrested al-Mansour along with several associ -

ates. He was detained on his way to a meeting with the country’s interim defense minister, according to a statement from the anti-Sissi movement al-Mansour founded.

It is unclear whether Egyptian authorities had pushed for his arrest.

Al-Mansour’s group urged the Syrian authorities to release him, saying that the Egyptian people were exercising their rights against el-Sissi just as Syrians had done against Assad. His current status is unknown.

But even with al-Mansour silenced for now, other Egyptians are unlikely to stop complaining.

Many have soured on el-Sissi after years of economic crises, the most recent of which was triggered by the successive shocks of the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. But the problems are also rooted in government mismanagement and overspending, including on grandiose megaprojects.

With Egypt deep in debt and losing revenue, the currency has crashed, some goods have become difficult to find and inflation has soared.

Such hardships have suffocated a population of about 111 million where

nearly 1 in 3 already lived in poverty, according to official statistics.

El-Sissi has tried to shield himself from criticism, saying in a recent speech that the country was already in bad financial shape when he took over in 2013 and that Egypt’s rapid population growth had made it difficult to provide for his citizens. But he had spent years boasting of the prosperity he would bring to Egypt — prosperity that never came, even as he inaugurated a costly new capital city complete with a gleaming presidential palace.

“People are seriously discontented, and therefore he’s trying out there to just tamp things down,” Mabrouk said.

In the beginning, many hailed the president as a hero and savior for using military force to oust the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist political party that won the presidency following the 2011 Egyptian revolution but went on to alienate much of the population.

El-Sissi spent the ensuing years stamping out the Brotherhood in Egypt, viewing it as a threat to his power. Egyptian authorities prosecuted thousands of Brotherhood members and suspected sympathizers, labeling them terrorists,

while others have fled the country.

Even weakened, political Islamists remain a popular target for el-Sissi and his supporters, who frequently invoke the dangers of political Islam.

So it was unsurprising when Egyptian authorities sounded a note of caution about the lightning rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist rebel group that has taken charge in Syria. The group was once affiliated with al-Qaida but has disavowed its extremist origins.

Egypt may have had little love for Assad, analysts said, but it had come to prefer the brittle stability he represented to the chaos and conflict that surround Egypt in Libya, Sudan and Gaza.

It has therefore approached relations with the new Syria gingerly.

Unlike other Arab countries, Egypt has not yet held high-level meetings with Syrian officials.

Diplomats in Cairo say Egyptian officials have privately urged other governments to remain wary of Syria’s new leadership and not to lift penalties on the country too quickly. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, has called on regional and international partners to ensure that “Syria does not become a source of regional instability or a haven for terrorist groups.”

Mahmoud Badr, an Egyptian pro-government activist who helped foster the anti-Muslim Brotherhood protest movement that paved the way for el-Sissi’s ascension, said on X soon after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham swept into Damascus that the group and the Brotherhood were indistinguishable.

“It’s all part of one network and no one can convince us otherwise,” he said, citing widely circulated photos that showed the leader of the Syrian group meeting with a prominent Egyptian member of the Brotherhood.

And though anti-Islamist sentiment remains strong among Egyptians, so does anti-Sissi sentiment.

“It comes at a very bad time for Sissi,” said Broderick McDonald, an associate fellow at Kings College London’s International Center for the Study of Radicalization.

© The New York Times

Israel Today Trump Critics Want to Make America Safe For Antisemites

By Jonathan S. Tobin

Left-wingers are great believers in academic freedom but only under certain conditions. And it is those conditions that are defining the debate about President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13899 on combating antisemitism in the United States. Issued last week amid a blizzard of other orders and Trump policy changes that have left his foes dazed, this one didn’t get the attention his other actions received. It mandates that all federal departments and agencies will review and report to the White House every possible criminal and civil action that they can take against “unlawful antisemitic harassment and violence.”

Rather than content itself with virtue-signaling on the issue and the meaningless platitudes that defined the Biden administration’s “U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism,” Trump’s order cuts straight to the heart of the matter. It is specifically focused on the most prevalent example of antisemitic harassment and violence in contemporary America:

the surge of Jew-hatred and pro-Hamas agitation on college campuses since the massacre of 1,200 men, women and children in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

As a White House statement put it, the goal is “to protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.” The president is explicit on this point: “The order demands the removal of resident aliens who violate our laws.”

And to show that this administration means business when it comes to applying the full power of the federal government to the problem, the U.S. Department of Justice formed a multi-agency task force to do just that.

Defending Pro-Hamas Agitation

All of this probably sounds reasonable to most observers, including many who may otherwise detest Trump and lament most of what he is doing to transform

the federal government in accordance with his campaign promises. But to the American left, the notion of cracking down on hatred on campuses—and deporting those who have used their student visas as licenses to engage in pro-Hamas agitation that targets Jewish students for intimidation and violence—seems to touch on a sore point. They think it isn’t just wrong but nothing less than tyranny. For them, holding accountable those who have incited and taken a leading part in spreading the epidemic of Jew-hatred that has spilled across the country in the last 16 months is among the most overt signs of what they believe is the onset of Trumpian tyranny.

This goes beyond their knee-jerk opposition to everything the 47th president does. They both deny that left-wing antisemitism is a form of Jew-hatred and believe that anything done to prevent the targeting of Jews obstructs their efforts to demonize Israel and mark out its supporters for isolation is inherently wrong.

According to groups like the Amer -

ican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the real problem on campuses since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel triggered a wave of antisemitic protests is not the free pass administrators gave to most of them. It’s the fact that in some instances, universities and colleges sought to hold those who took part in the pro-Hamas agitation accountable for violating the rules of their schools, which forbid them from holding unauthorized demonstrations, occupying buildings as well as creating hostile atmospheres for Jews.

Keeping Campus Antisemites Safe

That was a sentiment echoed in Slate magazine, which declared the executive order on antisemitism to be a “threat to every American.” The same piece declared that Democrats like former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “failed college students last year.” They did that by being insufficiently supportive of their attacks on Jews and the Jewish state, instead of merely

extolling them, as Harris did , “showing exactly what human emotion should be.” In effect, the leaders of the Democrats treated campus antisemites as “very fine people” in the same way that they falsely accused Trump of treating neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017. But even that wasn’t enough for the left.

The increasingly anti-Israel PEN America , a group supposedly dedicated to defending free speech, declared a crackdown on antisemitism to be a new “McCarthyism.”

The influential left-wing think tank the Center for American Progress accused Trump of “weaponizing antisemitism for political gain.” They said, “It’s clear that Trump’s real goal is to silence opposing voices, whether they be from pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses or Black Lives Matter marchers.” It’s significant that these two sectors, which have overtly aligned themselves with antisemitic views and actions, are far from models of “peaceful protesters.”

The New York Times’ anti-Zionist columnist Michelle Goldberg claims that Trump’s purpose is to “crush the academia left.” By that, she means it’s an effort to stop federal funding for academics whose goal is to attack America and to mendaciously label Israel as a “settler-colonial” and “apartheid” state. Why should people who promote such inherently antisemitic ideas be supported by a government that is obligated to prohibit prejudice against Jews?

That same disingenuous talking point was echoed in the increasingly anti-Zionist, left-wing Israeli newspaper Haaret z, where one writer lamented that what Trump was doing was creating “an authoritarian army of informers targeting Muslims, foreign students and the left under the guise of combating hate.”

Some of the criticism of Trump is pure gaslighting.

For example, the openly antisemitic Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) which was originally founded as a political front group for fundraisers for Hamas terrorists, told the AP that “the action is discriminatory and wrongly characterizes protesters as ‘pro-jihadist’ or ‘pro-Hamas’” when, of course, the mobs on campuses and in the streets of major cities usually make no pretense of being anything else but that.

Much like the debate about Trump’s 2019 executive order on campus antisemitism, his far more serious approach this time is something of a test for those who comment about it. At that time, his opponents deplored the very

idea of classifying Jews as a minority deserving of protection under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act with some twisting themselves into figurative pretzels to characterize efforts to deter antisemitism as itself antisemitic. Some Jews who took that absurd line proved that their Trump derangement syndrome was far stronger than any revulsion they might feel about Jew-haters.

Advocating for Jewish Genocide

But five and a half years later, and after the horror of Oct. 7, it’s now clear that those who oppose efforts to fight antisemitism aren’t just driven off the deep end by Trump’s presence in the White House. They are now also telling us that they think those chanting for the genocide of

ing the rights of students and even professors to oppose those toxic ideas, including the woke catechism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), they think academic freedom is not an issue.

Left-Wing Hypocrisy

Indeed, when conservative law professor Amy Wax was suspended by the University of Pennsylvania for being too candid about her opinions, which were deliberately mischaracterized as “racist,” there was no groundswell of support on the left or in corporate liberal media. On the contrary, left-wingers think it entirely appropriate to silence those who disagree with them about woke ideology.

It is not a coincidence that the Ivy League school is, of course, one of those whose presidents testified before Con -

it correctly notes that those who wish to deny rights to Jews not denied to anyone else are antisemitic. Anti-Zionism is indistinguishable from antisemitism.

The Biden administration accepted the IHRA definition but did nothing to back it up. Trump is working to correct that mistake.

To their credit, liberal Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee endorsed Trump’s executive order, although both included caveats about not violating anyone’s free speech.

But what’s at stake here is not freedom of speech.

Protecting Jews, Not Jew-Haters

For them, holding accountable those who have incited and taken a leading part in spreading the epidemic of Jew-hatred that has spilled across the country in the last 16 months is among the most overt signs of what they believe is the onset of Trumpian tyranny.

Anyone can say what they like about the Israeli government and its policies. However, advocacy for terrorism against Jews that results in actions in which they are deliberately targeted for violence crosses the line from speech into discriminatory and illegal conduct. Seeking to target those groups that participate in such actions and to defund institutions that get taxpayer money that are facilitating it is neither tyrannical nor McCarthyism. It’s using the power of the law to protect those who are being attacked for being Jewish.

Jews (“from the river to the sea”) and terrorism (“globalize the intifada”) are the good guys and not vile supporters of the war to wipe the one Jewish state on the planet off the map.

Their stands are the logical conclusions to be drawn from fashionable leftwing ideologies like critical race theory and intersectionality, which falsely label Israel and the Jews as “white” oppressors of people of color, even though the conflict with the Palestinians isn’t about race.

It isn’t about color either, since the majority of Israeli residents come from families of Middle Eastern backgrounds who were forced out of Arab countries. That leads us to understand just how hypocritical those claiming to oppose Trump’s order to defend free speech and academic freedom truly are.

The pro-Hamas left is all in favor of academic freedom when it comes to defending their freedom to indoctrinate students in the new secular religion of neo-Marxist thinking, as well as hatred of Jews under the guise of anti-Zionism. And, as we’ve seen in numerous examples in recent years, when it comes to defend-

gress in December 2023 that it depended on the “context” as to whether advocacy for the genocide of Jews would violate administrative rules.

We all know that if any student, professor or member of a college staff advocated for the lynching of African-Americans, Hispanics or any other DEI-approved minority (a category from which Jews are pointedly excluded) or some other openly racist cause, they would be expelled or fired with few questions asked. Speakers deemed “racist”— which, in practice, usually just means critical of woke ideology—are routinely shouted down or disinvited. And if foreigners used their student visas to advocate for attacks on blacks or Hispanics or Asians, there would be no rush to the barricades to decry their being deported.

A definition of academic freedom that only applies to those who hate Jews and Israel makes a mockery of the concept. The same applies to those who are angry about the Trump administration’s acceptance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism because

More to the point, foreign students are only here by permission and as long as they demonstrate good conduct. Deporting Hamas supporters is an appropriate and legal measure that rightly punishes those who take advantage of American generosity while taking part in immoral activities. Would we treat members of the Nazi Party or supporters of any other racist or totalitarian movement any differently? If not, then why the sympathy and the rush to support antisemites and Hamas supporters?

Decent people—whether Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals, Jews or non-Jews—should be applauding the seriousness of Trump’s stand on antisemitism. Those who stand against it may pretend that they are merely defending the right to express an opinion. That is the height of disingenuousness. Opposing Trump’s executive is an effort to make America safe for left-wing and Islamist antisemites and to treat them as especially worthy of the government’s protection, as opposed to the Jews they intend to victimize.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS (Jewish News Syndicate).

Forgotten Her es Israeli Special Forces Units

By Avi Heiligman

Militaries around the world have specialized units for specific tasks that are usually dangerous in nature and require special training. Special Forces tasks range from reconnaissance and unconventional warfare to hostage rescue and counterterrorism. Other missions may include manhunts, psychological warfare, peacekeeping efforts, training foreign fighters, and combat search and rescue. Since World War II, Israel has been one of the leading militaries worldwide in the Special Forces arena and has many such units dedicated to performing specific missions that are vital to keeping the country safe.

Many have heard of Shayetet 13 (Squadron 13), which is the Israeli equivalent of American Navy SEALs. Oftentimes, bringing these naval commandos to their missions is conducted by a lesser-known Special Forces unit called the Submarine Fleet or Shayetet 7. Active since 1959, they operate a flotilla of six submarines and are considered Special Forces due to their rigorous training and nature of their operations. The submarines and their crews perform specialized tasks like attacking enemy ships, intelligence gathering, and supporting other Special Forces, especially Shayetet 13. Avraham Dror was an early commander of Shayetet 7 and was noted for establishing the Israeli Navy’s diving school. In 1965, he took command of the submarine INS Tanin, which was one of the submarines designated to work with Shayetet 13 commandos. During the Six Day War

in 1967, the submarine had 60 souls on board including eight commandos and a navy doctor. The mission was to penetrate and sabotage ships at the Egyptian harbor at Alexandria. After dropping off the commandos, the Tanin encountered an enemy frigate, and the submarine was damaged by the subsequent depth charging. Despite the damage to his vessel, Dror led his boat back to the rendezvous to pick up the commandos. Unfortunately, it turned out that they had been captured and spent the next several months as POWs.

For his daring and courageous action, Dror was awarded the Medal of Courage.

The General Staff Mobility Unit, also known as Unit 5515, is a commando group with the 98 th Division that specializes in mobilization and extraction using wheeled vehicles. Their history dates back to 1988 when the IDF realized they needed dedicated night drivers that could be called on in all sorts of weather and combat conditions. Often tasked with extracting wounded soldiers from the battlefield, they have participated in many wars and operations including the current war in Gaza. The drivers are extremely well versed and trained with their particular vehicles and are capable of operating in the toughest conditions.

During Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Unit 5515 was responsible for treating 300 wounded soldiers and took part in 125 missions. On October 7, they were among the first IDF soldiers to arrive in the border towns and were able to evacuate many civilians. Major Or Yosef

Ran, who was slated to take control of the unit, was killed while battling terrorists in Kfar Aza.

Most of Unit 5515’s missions remain classified, and they were hardly known before Operation Golden Hand on February 12, 2024. Together with Unit 669, they were instrumental in rescuing and bringing back to Israel two of the hostages being held in the middle of Rafah. After the hostages were rescued by Special Forces, the Mobility Unit transferred them to a waiting helicopter while under attack from Hamas terrorists. This operation is their most well-known and high-profile mission that has come to light. They were also active during the June 2024 operation that rescued four more hostages when one of the vehicles that had been transporting the rescued hostages was hit by terrorists. The hostages made it safely back to Israel, but a Yamam fighter, Arnon Zamora, was killed during the operation that now bears his name.

Additionally, it is known that together with Unit 669, the Mobility Unit has evacuated over 600 IDF soldiers from Gaza since the start of the war. Having drivers as skilled as the ones in Unit 5515 along with embedded medics is a major advantage to rapidly responding to calls for help. After picking up the wounded, they are on the move and can very quickly bring them to a hospital.

Before October 7, stories about Special Forces operations often took months and years before the public became aware of the action. This was even if it ever became

public. In the recent wars against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran and other terrorist organizations, details of Special Forces missions are frequently talked about in the media soon after the mission takes place. This change could be because the IDF wants the public to know about the dangers that the terrorists pose and quickly clears some of the missions for publication.

This was the case of a YAMAM operation in Tulkarem in the West Bank on November 6, 2023. Their target was a Hamas terrorist cell that was responsible for shooting attacks and was planning on carrying more terrorist attacks on civilians. They were also recruiting more terrorists to their cell and working on producing rockets and explosive devices. Together with the Shin Bet, YAMAM attacked their car in a daytime raid. Four terrorists were killed, including Izz a-Din Awad, a Hamas commander, and an Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades commander Jihad Maharaj Shehadeh.

The unique nature of IDF combat often requires the special tactics and operators. The missions need to be performed by highly trained and specialized commandos. Their success on the battlefield is vital to the safety and protection of the IDF and Israeli citizens.

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.

Avraham Dror

Treating and transporting a wounded soldier in Gaza

A commander of Shayetet 13

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classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

THE MARION & AARON GURAL

JCC Early Childhood Center is hiring Assistant Teachers for the 20252026 school year, and summer camp counselors, lifeguards, and camp nurse. Applicants must be over 16-years-old for Summer, 2025. Please send resumes to JCC.Nursery@guraljcc.org or call (516) 239-1354

REGENTS

EXPERT

Tutoring regents in Algebra and Geometry A Darchei Torah instructor. Guaranteed results

Text 347-491-8045 WhatsApp 347-767-1755

BOOKKEEPER

Excellent growth potential, Frum environment, Excellent salary & benefits. Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com

MDS REGIONAL NURSE

5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office. Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required. Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered. Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well. Email: officejob2019@gmail.com

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA

Seeking Elem Gen Ed Teachers

Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

HELP WANTED

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

YESHIVAT KOL YAAKOV

In Great Neck, NY, is seeking general studies teachers for both the elementary and middle schools, for the upcoming academic year. Mon-Thur afternoons. Competitive salary, warm and supportive environment.  Send resume to m.kalati@kolyaakov.org

HELP WANTED

SPECIAL ED TEACHER

HASC seeks Special Ed Teachers for our Early Learning Program. Warm, supportive and enjoyable working environment. Great Pay and Benefits! Sign on Bonus! Referral Bonus! Please email resume to jobswd@hasc.net

MISC.

Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

SHMIRAS HALASHON

Life C ach A Weak Yeshiva Week

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

Everyone ran to Florida. It’s a great place to get away from the freezing cold that hit New York.

Great idea! Except the freezing cold that hit New York also hit Florida simultaneously.

OK, it’s true that Florida’s freezing is only in the 50’s! But still, it’s too much to tolerate when you were hoping for at least 75 degrees and if:

You’re there on vacation.

And you only packed swim “kleid ”

(swimwear).

Or your plan was to be at the beach and pool, every day!

Or your kids NEED to be kept busy, and just STARING at the clouds just doesn’t cut it for them!

Then I guess it’s a bit, maybe even more than a bit, disappointing.

Especially, especially, because with less to do during the day, more people are competing for the coveted restaurant reservations.

After all, what else is there that’s fun to do?!

The monkeys in the monkey jungle are too cold. They’re warming up by eating the bananas that you, the visitor, were hoping to buy frozen and dipped in chocolate.

Flipper at the Seaquarium is so freezing that icicles are dangling off its fins. Which is making it difficult for him to jump up for the fish. So, there goes that show!

And for those who like sightseeing, Miami is a little shvach in that department. Especially, because staring up at the sun is usually the only sightseeing people wish to do.

Good news is that Miami warmed up. Bad news is that it wasn’t warm for the people who came and left already! Don’t give up on it, though. Weather is never perfectly knowable. More often than not, Florida is a nice place to visit. Sadly, the sun wasn’t into visiting at

The

boat tours are still going out but are showing icebergs instead of Everglades.

The boat tours are still going out but are showing icebergs instead of Everglades. That’s not a bad day trip, as long as you pack waterproof winter coats for the ocean’s up-surges.

The zoos are also still open. And luckily there are bikes to get you around them quickly. And the pedaling keeps warm as well. The problem is that you’re not the only person who had the idea to go there. Everybody’s trying to get rent one. Ergo, it’s unfortunately almost a stampede.

the same time as the visitors. Maybe, it just needed a little vacation this time, too. Don’t we all?

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com