Five Towns Jewish Home 08.21.25

Chabad of the Five Towns’

Dear Readers,

Coming home from the bungalow colony each year at the end of the summer, the city looked different. The first time we drove down Avenue M or Ocean Parkway, there was a sepia-colored view of seeing the streets almost for the first time. It was the same, but it was different. The house, too, felt that same way. Everything looked and felt the same, but the refrigerator seemed shorter and you felt like you had to slip into a different-butthe-same skin that had been waiting for the past two months for you to re-wear.

I thought about that as I drove my son home from the camp bus yesterday. I wondered if he felt that the streets looked different or if anything felt unusual. But all I got was a shrug, as if he couldn’t understand my question. “Why would anything look different if I was just here two months ago?”

I don’t know why things were different for me when I was young, why I had that feeling of deja vu. Maybe because when we went upstate, we were completely disconnected from our hometown. There were no cellphones to instantly see what was going on outside of the bungalow colony. Really, at one point, there were barely any phones, as two payphones serviced the whole colony. Years later, we were lucky to share a

phone line with another family, and eventually we got our own line. But calling home was considered a long-distance phone call, and we learned to talk quickly and infrequently.

It’s as if we were living in a cave, in a bubble of our choosing, and coming back to the city was when the bubble popped.

Now, as the kids come home from camp, their own little bubbles are popping, too. Gone are the days when they can spend their waking hours in slides and shorts, their undershirts and socks turning dusty-brown as they barely wash their clothes. Playing volleyball and going night swimming long after their bedtimes are now in the past. As they begin the yeshiva year, they gear up for a zman of learning and growth.

But as they sit in the classroom over the next few weeks, they will bring with them the lessons and experiences of those two months they’ve spent in their bubble. Those carefree but growth-filled messages will help invigorate them and their learning. Because, sometimes, the education we best remember comes from the times we’re wearing slides and shorts and staying up way past bedtime.

Wishing you a wonderful week,

Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka, EDITOR editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant

Nechama Wein Copy Editor

Rachel Bergida Shana Brecher

Lani White Design & Production

Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics

P.O. BOX 266

Lawrence, NY 11559

Phone | 516-734-0858

Fax | 516-734-0857

Classified Deadline: Monday 5:00PM classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003

PAYMENT VIA CREDIT CARD MUST BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH CLASSIFIED ADS

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

AM Showers Sunny Sunny Sunny

Dear Editor,

Rosh Hashana is in the air, though the delight of summer has still not passed. To highlight the need for strong beginnings, in his preface to this week’s parsha, Rabbeinu Bechaya quotes Shlomo HaMelech’s words (Mishlei 20:4), “In winter, the lazy man neglects to plow; when harvest comes, he looks but finds nothing.” This is to say that to reap rewards later, strong beginnings are necessary. Zerizus, alacrity, early in the process, brings a lasting foundation..

On this exact point, Shlomo’s mother, Batsheva, rebuked him. The first day that the Beis HaMikdash was ready for service, Shlomo slept late. And though the Korban Tamid was brought on time, Shlomo’s mother was conveying that if you want a lasting success, the beginning must be strong.

The Satmar Rebbe says that this is the meaning of what Sephardim say in kedusha, that the end follows the beginning. An end endures if it follows a powerful beginning, characterized by not putting anything off but doing everything early and with vigor.

Steven Genack

Dear Editor,

In view of countries, states, groups and individuals that support BDS, I propose that Israel enact a movement called NTS - No Technology Sold.

How many products that people use daily are produced in Israel? Too many to count. Much of the medical technology

and drugs that help people is produced in Israel. In short, life would be pretty miserable without these Israeli products. Do you want to sanction Israeli products? Then don’t use 90% of what you have. Start with your smartphone. Get rid of it. Let’s see how life is after five minutes without it.

I think it’s fair retaliation. So, you don’t want to use Israeli products just because it’s made in Israel? No one’s begging you. Israel has plenty of customers who are happy to use their products.

And Israel should enforce its NTS policy. Not only won’t you get what you don’t want, but you also won’t get what you really need. When you or your loved one is in a hospital and needs a specific drug that was made in Israel, you or your loved one just won’t get it because of NTS. Enjoy your life without it!

Perhaps NTS will teach people that sometimes severe actions have severe consequences.

Daniel Feldman

Dear Editor,

To the siblings who think they can control their brother’s dating life: please mind your own business. Your brother is 31 years old. He can take care of himself. And he also has parents and friends and even a rav who care for him.

If you want to help him, include him in your life. Show him a wonderful marriage. Talk about his middos and his qualities that work for him in life.

Perhaps you can set up a meeting with

his rav and ask if he can help your brother. You guys are way too close to be able to help him. A third party’s message will be much more accepted and palatable.

Sori Gross

Dear Editor,

I truly enjoy Sara Rayvych’s articles in TJH. This week’s article about children making a kiddush Hashem was so important, I feel that it should be hung up in every household.

Have you ever walked past a group of youngsters from a certain community (Asian, Black, Indian, etc.) and seen them doing something, and automatically, you connect that community with that temperament? For example, if you see teens behaving kindly to an older women in a store, you automatically feel that that community respects and cherishes elders. On the other hand, if a group of teens is seen heckling a storeowner and stealing, then your feelings towards the community they’re from is that they disrespect others and that stealing is condoned in that community.

And that’s how people see our commu-

nity, too. If our children (and ourselves!) are respectful, kind, generous, accepting, loving…our whole community will be uplifted in others’ eyes. If, G-d forbid, our children are seen being disrespectful or rude or obnoxious, then the whole Jewish community will be viewed as such. It’s a heavy responsibility, to be sure, but it’s a duty that we are charged with.

I sometimes look at children from certain Orthodox communities and am so gratified to see how proud they are to be Jews and how they are able to convey the good middos that their parents have helped them inculcate. They are a wondrous example of how Jewish children should be behaving. They are courteous and thoughtful and mature – and they are excited to highlight the beauty of Yiddishkeit to other Jews. They are making a kiddush Hashem to other Jews and to non-Jews who interact with them. What a wonderful thing!

So here’s to our wonderful kids, who are doing a great job and who are shining examples of how Jewish children should be behaving.

Melissa Krausz

Peace in Ukraine?

On Friday, President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, met at a summit in Alaska to discuss a possible end to the war in Ukraine.

Putin’s visit to the U.S. — his first since 2015, when he came to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, where he was condemned by then-President Barack Obama for Russia’s annexation of Crimea — was warm. This time, the U.S. rolled out a red carpet for Putin. A B-2 bomber flew above him. As the Russian president arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf, Trump walked out to meet him, clapping and smiling. The two leaders shook hands before stepping into Trump’s armored limousine, The Beast, which brought them to the site of the summit.

Trump and Putin spoke for around three hours. Then, they issued joint remarks, during which Putin spoke first and last. Putin said they made progress on an “agreement” to solve the “Ukrainian issue” and fix the U.S.’s “business-like” relationship with Russia. Several minutes later, Trump clarified that, despite the progress, a deal had not been reached by the end of the summit.

During the remarks, Trump praised Putin, thanking the Russian president and his team. At the end of the joint remarks, Trump said he hoped to meet with Putin again “very soon.”

“Next time in Moscow,” Putin said. Trump replied that he’d “get a little heat on that one.”

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — joined by European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer— met with President Donald Trump at the White House.

During the meeting, Trump encouraged Zelensky to meet with Putin, and the Ukrainian president agreed. According to

Rutte, Putin has also agreed to meet with Zelensky. No date has been set for the potential meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the U.S. is working on scheduling the talks.

European leaders, particularly German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, insisted that a ceasefire would be necessary before talks would be arranged. Trump dismissed the assertion that a ceasefire would be necessary before negotiations to end the war.

When asked to speak, Zelensky did not reiterate his previous calls for a ceasefire to be put in place.

Canada Ends Flight Attendant Strike

On Saturday, shortly after midnight, Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike after 99.7% of workers voted in favor of the walkout, forcing the airline’s flights to a halt. Later that day, the strike ended after the government ordered the flight attendants back to work.

The Montreal-based carrier, foreseeing the union’s imminent strike, began preemptively pausing operations on Thursday. Following the walkout, Air Canada, claiming that negotiations with the union had reached a deadlock, asked the government to get involved and issue an independent ruling. On Saturday, Labor Policy Minister Patty Hajdu decided to end the strike, agreeing that a deal was unlikely to be reached in the near future.

Some flights were resumed as early as Sunday evening, according to the airline. However, it added that a full return to normal operations could take up to 10 days.

In response, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the airline workers, said that the union made “reasonable proposals for a fair cost-of-living wage increase,” but nevertheless, the government sided with Air Canada, which “responded by sandbagging the talks.”

Air Canada claimed that its offer included a 38% pay increase for its flight attendants over the next four years, including a 12% to 16% hourly pay raise

16 within a year. According to the union, the airline’s offer, even if fulfilled, could not compensate for Canada’s unprecedented inflation. The airline also offered its workers boarding pay, which means its flight attendants would be compensated for work done before takeoff.

The strike, which grounded Air Canada’s flights, could have had major consequences, including supply-chain network disruptions. In addition to its 130,000 daily passengers, Air Canada delivers cargo to 50 countries and also transports pharmaceuticals and life-saving organ donations.

Around 59% of Canadian citizens support the flight attendants’ cause, according to the Angus Reid Institute.

Guards Held Hostage by Inmates

Members of Guatemala’s two largest gangs, Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, began rioting last Tuesday in two prisons. The inmates had been demanding the return of 10 leaders who had been transferred to another facility and placed in solitary confinement. During the riots,

nine prison guards were taken hostage by the inmates.

By Saturday, the inmates released the guards who had been held by members of Mara Salvatrucha, more commonly known as MS-13.

One prison official died Friday after being shot at one of the prisons, authorities said.

In a similar incident, anti-kidnapping teams freed 11 guards on Wednesday who were also held hostage by gang members in two Guatemalan prisons. Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez said that the rioters were demanding Guatemalan authorities return their leaders from the prison where they were transferred, Renovación I, to the prisons where they were able to lead the gangs and “exercised criminal power.”

Guatemala has been plagued by the violent rivalry between the Barrio 18 and

MS-13. They both seek to gain control of territory where they extort money from companies and individuals.

At least 7 people were killed last month when armed MS-13 members stormed into the funeral of a Barrio 18 member who had been killed.

Earlier this year, President Trump designated MS-13 as a terrorist organization, placing it on a list of criminal groups that he said operate in the region and threaten public safety across the region.

Fatal Flooding in Pakistan

Last week, the village of Bishnoi in Pakistan’s north was serene, with lush green mountains and a river flowing through its center. On Friday, it began to rain heavily. Suddenly, a torrent of water surged through the town, “bringing huge rocks with it and crushing buildings in its path, destroying the entire village.”

Now, the area is filled with giant boulders and uprooted trees, which lay on top of houses and killed scores of people.

Across the wider province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at least 314 people were killed in the floods that ravaged the area and 156 were injured due to rains and flash floods that began between Thursday and Friday night.

Buner district, where Bishnoi is located, is the worst-affected, with 217 fatalities, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Around 50% of the houses have been completely destroyed in the flood. The rest are no longer habitable.

Monsoon rains are a normal part of the year in South Asia. Generally falling between June and September, the rains deliver about three-quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall. But it’s not just bounty that the rains deliver. Landslides and flooding are common, and 650 people have already died in this year’s season.

In Pakistan, at least 507 people have died and more than 700 have been injured in rain-related incidents since the monsoon started in late June, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Punjab and parts of Islamabad are among the areas that have been battered by heavy downpours and flash floods so far this year. But neither have been hit harder than Pakistan’s mountainous north, home to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one of the most glaciated areas in the region.

In the Swat Valley, less than 100 kilometers from Buner, a school principal saved nearly 900 students from the floods.

“It was exactly 9:00 when I had a last glance at the stream and sensed it was going to burst its banks due to continuing rains,” Saeed Ahmad, 59, told Anadolu news agency.

He immediately ordered an evacuation. Within 15 minutes, all the teachers and children had left the school, mere moments before raging floodwaters surged through the school, washing away half the building, its boundary walls and playground.

Not everyone was so lucky. In Buner, Asrar Khan said that 27 people from his village were still missing.

“It all happened before my eyes,” Khan said. “The water was so strong it had no mercy on anyone.”

Deadly Explosion in Russian Plant

Twenty-four people were killed in a fire at an industrial plant in Russia’s Ryazan region on Friday. At least 157 others were injured in the blaze.

The fire broke out at the Elastik plant in Shilovsky district, around 155 miles southeast of Moscow. A gunpowder workshop at the facility caught fire and triggered an explosion.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, although some are saying that the blast was triggered by a rogue shell detonation.

On Monday, local authorities declared a day of mourning in Ryazan.

The factory had previously received multiple warnings from authorities on labor safety. Russia’s main investigative body has opened a criminal case into violating industrial safety rules.

In 2021, another deadly blast killed 17 people at the same plant. Some people in management positions were jailed because of the explosion.

N. Korea Threatens Nuclear

This week, Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea, said his country will quickly

expand its nuclear arsenal as he warned that annual U.S.-South Korea military exercises included a “nuclear element” which he said could spark war.

The Korean Peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since 1953, divided by the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea and South Korea, when fighting ended.

North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006. It condemns military exercises between U.S. forces and their

military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization,” the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported.

The U.S.-South Korean military exercises “have always been provocative and dangerous in their nature but the gravity is increasing from the characteristics that they are recently plotting military nexus with the nuclear element involved,” the newspaper quoted Kim as saying.

“The U.S.-ROK [Republic of Korea] intensified military nexus and the muscle-flexing are the most obvious manifestation of their will to ignite a war and the source of destroying the peace and security environment in the region,” he said.

The South Korean and U.S. militaries kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercise to bolster readiness against growing North Korean threats. It is set to run until August 28. The 11day Ulchi Freedom Shield, which the allies describe as defensive, will mobilize 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training.

Violence in Sinaloa

South Korea allies as preparations for an invasion.

In his latest comments, Kim accused the U.S. and South Korea of intensifying their exercises and demonstrating “their will to ignite a war.”

The United States has about 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea.

Kim said the “security environment” around North Korea is “getting more serious day by day” and “requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing

Since the arrest of a cartel leader one year ago, the Mexican state of Sinaloa has been consumed by gang violence, as two warring cartel factions battle each other and innocent civilians get caught in the middle.

On July 25, 2024, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the Sinaloa Cartel’s alleged infamous leader, was arrested in El Paso, Texas, along with another Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of the notorious Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Upon his arrest, Zambada, 77, claimed that Guzmán López tricked him into coming to Texas for a real estate opportunity. According to Zambada, he

20 was abducted by Guzmán López and then taken into custody by U.S. authorities. Guzmán López denies luring or kidnapping Zambada. The U.S. Eastern District Court of New York has charged the two men with several offenses, to which they have pleaded not guilty.

Before Zambada’s arrest, the cartel’s factions didn’t fight often. But since El Mayo’s arrest, which his supporters see as a betrayal on Guzmán López’s part, Zambada’s faction, the “Mayitos,” have been consistently clashing with the “Chapitos,” the faction of El Chapo and his son Guzmán López, on the streets of Sinaloa. Since El Mayo’s arrest, Sinaloa’s homicide rate has reportedly skyrocketed by over 400%.

In Sinaloa, the deadliest day of the year thus far was August 10, when 17 murders took place, which is, on average, one homicide every 85 minutes.

In September 2024, the factions officially started attacking each other, attempting to take control of important territories. At the center of the conflict is the city of Culiacán. According to official data, the state has seen, on average, four homicides a day (one every six hours).

Governor Rubén Rocha Moya canceled school on September 12 and 13 last year and suspended September 15 Inde-

pendence Day celebrations due to security concerns.

In Sinaloa, it’s common to see daytime shootings, fights between security officials and cartel members, and cars burning.

“We, the citizens, decided months ago to only go out at certain times,” said a local store owner who had to close up shop due to the violence. “At first, between September and December, it was like a self-imposed rule because you were afraid to go out. Normally, nights and early mornings were most violent…but really, the whole day is. You can go out at noon and get caught in a shootout leaving a school, on a main street, between police, soldiers, marines, and gunmen. Just like that. That’s the reality every day.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said the government is working to stop the violence, though attempts to crack down on the cartels have thus far been unsuccessful in Sinaloa. In the rest of Mexico, the homicide rate has decreased since January.

On the first anniversary of El Mayo’s arrest, Sheinbaum restated the importance of working with the U.S. to stop the cartels but stressed that Mexico would not tolerate foreign powers getting involved in the Mexican government’s cam-

paign against cartels. Sheinbaum said there would be “no invasion of Mexico.”

A few days before her statement, a secret directive was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump ordering the Pentagon to target certain terrorist-designated Latin American cartels with military force, though it is unknown if the U.S.’s efforts will be in collaboration with Mexico.

A week ago, Mexico sent 26 cartel leaders to the U.S. for prosecution.

On August 5, federal prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty for Zambada, as per a directive from Attorney General Pam Bondi. Now, Zambada is expected to plead guilty in court on August 25.

Left Loses in Bolivia

For 20 years, the Movement Toward Socialism party – known as MAS – governed the nation of Bolivia. But this week, the left-wing party was shoved to the side, as it lost a first-round presidential vote on Monday.

Sen. Rodrigo Paz, a center-right lawmaker from a prominent political family who scored a surprise first-place finish on Sunday, will face right-wing former president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga in an October 19 runoff.

Paz, who lagged in polls ahead of the vote, won 32% of the votes cast, while Quiroga received just over 26%. The two candidates representing the governing MAS each won less than 10%.

“This was no surprise. It may be a surprise for some sectors of power that did not want to face this reality,” Paz said after his win. “The vast majority of people have expressed a desire for renewal — merchants, the self-employed, transport workers, the great majority of this country.”

“It starts again from zero,” Quiroga said on Monday. “The clocks are reset for both tickets.”

Paz’s running mate was Edman Lara, who is a former police captain who was dismissed after denouncing internal corruption. He spent Monday firing up his base in areas that overwhelmingly supported his ticket.

In El Alto, a satellite city overlooking of Bolivia’s capital of La Paz, hundreds of people packed the streets outside a cable car station to see Lara deliver a speech.

Chants of “El Alto, never on its knees!” and “Lara, friend, El Alto is with you!” rang out in what was long a MAS stronghold.

“The MAS members are not going to return to power, the traitors are not going to return to power,” Lara told supporters and journalists. “We are going to give a signal that we do not want the old political caste of the left and the right anymore, we are tired of the same old people.”

He added, “Samuel and Tuto ran their campaigns with millions; we ran ours with faith and with the people. And we did it.”

Sunday’s election results signaled the end of an era for the MAS party, which has governed continuously since charismatic ex-President Evo Morales rose to power as part of the “pink tide” of leaders who swept into office across Latin America during the commodities boom of the early 2000s.

For years, residents in El Alto cheered Morales’ nationalization of gas reserves and benefited from his generous food and energy subsidies as a commodities boom generated a natural gas windfall for Bolivia. But his party has imploded due to infighting and his economic model has gone bust.

Bolivians are facing economic hardship. Bolivia’s annual inflation rate has soared from 2% less than two years ago to 25% as of last month. A scarcity of fuel has paralyzed the country. A shortage of U.S. dollars needed to pay for essential imports like wheat has crippled the economy.

Measles Coming Back?

diagnoses and the deaths of two children reported since then — prompting Prof. Eyal Leshem, the Sheba Medical Center’s director of travel medicine and tropical diseases, to urge community leaders to act now to ensure at-risk, unprotected children are immunized.

Nineteen children, all younger than six, were hospitalized because of measles as of Sunday. Two were in intensive care, and one was connected to a life-support machine. Two other children recently passed away in the span of less than a week.

“We know in public health that the most effective interventions are done in close collaboration with community leaders,” said Leshem. “We hope that the Health Ministry is able to effectively collaborate with the community leaders of the affected communities to save children who are not vaccinated and at risk of death to protect their children.”

Symptoms of measles, a highly contagious viral disease, include high fever, malaise, a runny nose, and a rash. Though the majority of children recover from measles, the disease can have serious or lifelong side effects, including pneumonia, blindness, or brain swelling. Measles complications may also cause death.

As per the Health Ministry’s recom-

mended vaccination schedule, children should be immunized at age one and in first grade. However, the ministry has since lowered the age of the second dose to between six months and one year in atrisk areas, including the charedi communities of Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, and Bnei Brak, which bear most of the brunt of the outbreaks due to their lower vaccination rates. Just 80% of one-year-olds in Jerusalem are immunized, while 78% are vaccinated in Beit Shemesh, according to Leshem. Elsewhere, where the vaccination rate is over 95%, “herd immunity” mostly prevents outbreaks.

“Some Israeli communities have vaccine coverage rates similar to what we see in Africa,” Leshem added. “So in Israel, in 2025, the fact that there are kids who are dying from a disease that is vaccine preventable is shocking and appalling.”

Measles has yet to be considered eliminated in Israel, although cases are uncommon. In 2018, measles killed an 18-month-old girl, making her the first person in Israel to die of the disease in 15 years.

Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Russia, and Romania, have seen measles outbreaks recently as well.

Israel Boots Aussie Diplomats

On Monday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar canceled the visas of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority, booting the officials from Israel, and “instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel.”

Sa’ar’s announcement was in response to two moves recently made by the Australian government. First, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country would recognize a Palestinian state next month in an effort to promote a “two-state solution.” Then, on Monday morning, Australia banned Israel’s Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman from entering the country, just hours ahead of his planned trip.

According to the Australian Jewish Association, which invited the lawmaker, Rothman was supposed to travel to Australia to meet with victims of recent antisemitic attacks and speak at synagogues and Jewish schools.

“If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don’t want you here,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said, revoking Rothman’s visa for three years. “Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe and feel safe.”

The Australian government did not specify what actions by Rothman warranted the revocation of his visa.

“While antisemitism is raging in Australia, including manifestations of violence against Jews and Jewish institutions, the Australian government is choosing to fuel it by false accusations, as if the visit of Israeli figures will disrupt public order and harm Australia’s Muslim population. It is shameful and unacceptable,” said Sa’ar, noting that his move is in response to “Australia’s decisions to recognize a ‘Palestinian state’” and Canberra’s “unjustified refusal to grant visas to a number of Israeli figures,” such as Rothman and former justice minister Ayelet Shaked.

“Australia is acting against Israel –Australia is persecuting Israel.”

Sa’ar added that Israel would “take

additional measures” against Australia.

In an interview with Kan, MK Rothman said that “Islamist jihadists” had intimidated Australia into canceling his visa.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called Israel’s move an “unjustified reaction” which only isolates Israel “at a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever.”

Other countries have recently moved to recognize a “Palestinian state” — a move Israel has branded as an antisemitic “reward for terror.”

Smotrich OKs East Jerusalem Project

Last week, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled plans to construct 3,000 housing units in East Jerusalem’s E1 settlement project, which is in the middle of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria’s Ma’ale Adumim.

The plan, which Smotrich said was also approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a direct response to several countries’ decision to recognize a Palestinian state, according to the finance minister.

“Approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many steps we are taking on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan that we began implementing with the establishment of the government,” Smotrich stated last Wednesday. “After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its best — building, settling, and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”

The new development, which Israel has for years resisted building in fear of international backlash, would separate East Jerusalem from Bethlehem and Ramallah.

“Today, anyone in the world who tries to recognize a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground,” Smotrich said. “Today, we are writing a historic chapter in the story of the redemption of the people of Israel in their land.”

In a statement, Smotrich went on to express his gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, whom he called “men of truth with a clear and distinct moral voice that is not confused by the hypocrisy of the West.”

Trump and Huckabee, who are pro-Israel, know “that a Palestinian state would endanger the existence of Israel” and that Judea and Samaria is “an inseparable part of our land, the one that G-d promised to our father Abraham and gave to us thousands of years ago,” said Smotrich.

Smotrich also urged Netanyahu, who hasn’t spoken publicly about the plans, to “apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, to forever remove from the agenda the idea of dividing the land, and to ensure that by September the hypocritical leaders in Europe will have nothing to recognize.”

Smotrich’s move was praised by Yesha chairman Israel Gantz and Ma’ale Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach.

A Deal with Hamas?

On Monday, Hamas told Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it would drop most of its demands and agree to a 60day ceasefire in which the terror group would free 10 living hostages, as well as bodies of deceased hostages, in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while stopping short of explicitly ruling out the agreement, said that Israel is no longer interested in partial deals. Instead, the Jewish state would only see merit in a deal that includes the immediate return of all hostages, the demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security guarantees in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a new government in Gaza that isn’t the Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu attributed Hamas’s recent concessions to Israel’s new plan to take over Gaza City — a move that would be disastrous for the terror group.

“We can see clearly that Hamas is under immense pressure,” the prime minister said.

According to reports, if Israel agrees to the deal, the 60-day ceasefire would be fol-

lowed by a “second phase, with immediate negotiations to follow for a broader deal” for the war’s permanent end, which would be guaranteed by international parties.

The deal is “98% similar” to the one created months ago by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who proposed a 60-day ceasefire followed by a permanent end to the war. A month ago, Hamas shot down Witkoff’s proposal. However, the terror group has since dropped most of its demands. According to Channel 12, Hamas has decreased the number of Palestinian prisoners it seeks in exchange for the hostages. The terror group also previously insisted that Israel’s Gaza border buffer zone must not exceed 800 meters. Now, Hamas has said it would be okay with an Israeli buffer zone between 800 meters and one kilometer. The Jewish state has said its buffer zone would need to be one to 1.2 kilometers wide.

At a meeting near Re’im, Netanyahu spoke to top IDF generals earlier on Monday, noting that Hamas is under “immense pressure” because of Israel’s planned takeover of Gaza City.

Likewise, Defense Minister Israel Katz attributed Hamas’s concessions to “its fear that we seriously intend to conquer Gaza City.”

“The focus on Gaza City derives from it being a military, governmental and symbolic center of gravity,” Katz said. “The leadership is there, and there remain the central infrastructures of the military wing. Hamas also knows that this is now the core of its rule.

“We see that for the first time, after weeks in which Hamas was not at all willing to discuss any deal for the release of hostages, even though Turkey had already approached it and Qatar had approached it, suddenly it is on the table,” Katz added.

“The reason is clear: only [Hamas’s] fear that we seriously intend to conquer Gaza [City] makes it willing to discuss.”

A few hours after Hamas agreed to the deal, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, “We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!” He added, “The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be.”

Some speculate that Trump’s posts and Israel’s dismissal of the deal are a pressure tactic to get Hamas to make more concessions.

Currently, 50 hostages are being held by Hamas and other Gaza terror groups, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has confirmed the deaths of 28 hostages and has expressed “grave concerns” for the other two.

Ship Explodes in Baltimore Harbor

Last year, a 984-foot-long cargo ship rammed into the Key Bridge in Baltimore, leading to the bridge’s collapse and the death of six construction workers. On Monday night of this week, a blast occurred on a ship near the site of the former Key Bridge.

Officials confirmed the ship explosion in the Patapsco River on a 751-foot commercial vessel. Twenty-three people were on board during the blast, although there were no injuries.

The bulk carrier sustained damages from the explosion and fire but remained afloat, officials confirmed. Tugs boats will move the vessel to a designated anchorage area, where it will stay awaiting clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard.

The remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge are still visible after more than a year of cleanup after the bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024. More than a year after the event, commuters have been subject to daily traffic delays along east-west interstates.

Teachers Need to be America First

If Miss Smith wants to be a teacher in Oklahoma, she better make sure she holds conservative values dear.

The Department of Education in that state says that public school teachers who hail from California and New York will

be required to pass a certification test to prove they share the state’s conservative political values.

Regardless of the subject or grade they teach, they’ll have to show they know “the biological differences between females and males” and that they agree with the state’s American history standards, which includes ideas that the Democratic Party stole the 2020 presidential election from President Donald Trump. The state Department of Education will implement the new certification test for teachers from the two largest Democrat-led states “who are teaching things that are antithetical to our standards” to ensure newcomers “are not coming into our classrooms and indoctrinating kids,” Oklahoma schools Superintendent Ryan Walters said.

Walters has dubbed the new requirement an “America First” certification. Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Walters, a Republican, to the helm of the state’s Department of Education in September 2020 and voters then elected him for a second term in November 2022.

Oklahoma is offering teaching bonuses that go up to $50,000 to attract teachers from across the nation and has seen “a dramatic increase in teachers wanting to come to Oklahoma,” Walters said. The new test is meant to ensure they weed out teachers with opposing views from the state’s standards. The state, like many others, has a teacher shortage. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said Walters’ new test is going to be a “huge turn off” to teachers and that it’s not “going to solve a problem.”

Nonprofit conservative media company Prager U is helping Oklahoma’s state department of education develop the test. The company previously helped develop the state’s new high school history curriculum standards. Here are some sample questions. Can you answer them all?

What are the first three words of the Constitution? A. In G-d We Trust; B. Life, Liberty, Happiness; C. The United States; D. We the People

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? A. House of Lords and Commons; B. Courts and Senate; C. Executive and Legislative; D. Senate and House of Representatives

How many U.S. Senators are there? A. 435; B. 110; C. 50; D. 100

Why do some states have more Representatives than others? A. They cover a larger geographic area; B. They have held statehood for a longer period; C. The

number is determined by military presence; D. Representation is determined by population size.

Don’t know these answers? Better not move to Oklahoma looking for a new teaching job.

MSNBC Changing Name and Logo

MSNBC started in 1996. But soon, the name will be no more. The company is changing its name in its spinoff from Comcast’s NBCUniversal. It will now be rebranded as My Source News Opinion World – better known as MS NOW.

The shift is part of an effort to distance the network from its NBC heritage and establish its own identity ahead of the planned spinoff of the bulk of NBCUniversal’s cable networks later this year, including CNBC, USA, Oxygen and E!.

MSNBC’s peacock logo will be booted to the curb, replaced with a new logo that features a blue, white and red color scheme.

CNBC will keep its name, which originally stood for Consumer News and Business Channel, and is working on a new logo. The new names and brands will be rolled out later this year, ahead of the completion of the spinoff.

MSNBC’s rebrand is the latest in a series of name changes across media. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max service said it would rebrand as HBO Max, returning to its roots. Publisher Dotdash Meredith recently rebranded as People Inc. And earlier this month, Roku announced a new streaming service dubbed “Howdy.”

In November, Comcast greenlighted a $7 billion spinoff of its NBCUniversal cable channels. NBC, Bravo and the Peacock streaming service are staying under the NBCUniversal umbrella. The new company will be known as Versant.

Left-leaning MSNBC has remained the No. 2 rated cable news network in recent years, ahead of CNN and behind Fox News, the longtime ratings leader.

According to Mark Lazarus, Versant’s chief executive, the rebrand is also meant to ease “brand confusion.”

He said the network will continue to serve a “progressive audience” and focus on “holding the political figures from both parties to account.”

Carter Honored with Stamp

Late President Jimmy Carter will be adorning letters across the country in a few months.

The U.S. Postal Service announced this week that the former leader will be honored with a commemorative Forever stamp on what would have been his 101st birthday. It will be released for purchase on October 1 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The postage features a 1982 portrait of the nation’s 39th president by painter Herbert E. Abrams. The stamp art was unveiled on Saturday at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains.

Carter, the longest-lived U.S. president, died on December 29, 2024

“The stamp program celebrates the best in American culture, places and people, and it is difficult to consider a more fitting honoree than former President Jimmy Carter,” Peter Pastre, the Postal Service’s government relations and public policy vice president, said in a statement.

The oil-on-linen painting that is the basis for the stamp was a life study Abrams painted of Carter while he sat for the artist. It was used in preparation for Carter’s official White House portrait that Abrams also painted. Abrams, who spent part of his life in Connecticut, kept his commission secret as he traveled three times to Georgia to meet with Carter, according to Connecticut Humanities.

“There’s Gold In Them Thar Hills”

In the 1870s, settlers flocked to South Dakota’s Black Hills during the region’s gold rush. Now, around 150 years later, miners are once again hoping to mine the area for gold, which is now valued at over $3,000 an ounce.

The hills span more than 1.2 million acres, stretching from South Dakota’s

Great Plains to Wyoming. Currently, the Black Hills has one operational gold mine. However, companies, in conversation with state and federal agencies, have been asking to operate a second mine, as well as exploratory drilling sites that could pave the way for additional mines. However, some are advocating against mining in the Black Hills. Native Americans, particularly the Lakota Sioux people, have protested against mineral extraction in the area, which they consider sacred. In 1868, the United States government recognized the Black Hills as the Sioux Nation’s territory. However, a few years later, when the area’s gold rush started, the U.S. took the land back.

Environmentalists have also cautioned against mining gold in the area, warning about chemical leaks. Nowadays, gold extraction requires chemicals such as cyanide, which helps remove gold from rock, as well as huge trucks and large pits. Mining’s effects on land are irreversible. For example, the Homestake mine is now empty in Lead, South Dakota, although it was once the Western Hemisphere’s biggest and deepest gold mine. The Homestake mine shuttered in 2002, when gold’s value was $300 an ounce, one-tenth of its price now.

However, many are in favor of resuming mining in the area for economic reasons. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order expediting permitting and reviews to boost American mineral production.

Black Hills’ only operational mine is managed by Coeur Mining. Another company, Dakota Gold, hopes to begin operating an open-pit mine in 2029.

Dakota Gold’s president and chief operating officer, Jack Henris, predicted that 250 jobs would be generated and the company would pay $400 million in state taxes because of the open-pit mine.

Gerrymandering Drama

When Texas House Republicans attempted to pass new congressional maps meant to help Republicans win more U.S. House seats in Texas, the state’s House Democrats fled the state for 15 days to

prevent a vote. On Monday, the Dems returned to Austin around an hour before the House was supposed to meet.

The Democrats who left Texas will be “released into the custody” of a designated Department of Public Safety officer, House Speaker Dustin Burrows said, announcing a move that will force Democrats to be present during the Texas House’s meeting on Wednesday.

Two-thirds of the state House must be present for a redistricting vote to be held. Now that the Democrats have returned, Republicans are expected to pass the new maps quickly.

On Monday evening, the Texas House Redistricting Committee backed a Trump-approved congressional map that could score Republicans up to five seats in the U.S. House. Next, the map must be reviewed by the calendars committee, and then, the House will vote on it. This

redistricting case is unusual, as most gerrymandering takes place once a decade following the U.S. Census.

During their time away from Texas, the Democrats fled to blue states such as New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts. They conditioned their return on the creation of new maps in California and the adjournment of the special session Gov. Greg Abbott called. Both conditions were fulfilled.

In retaliation, California Democrats have pushed forward legislation to change the blue state’s map too, potentially changing the lines of Californian districts in a way that would give Democrats five more seats and rebalance the U.S. House after Texas’s move.

States’

Nat’l Guards Go to D.C.

At least six states deployed members of their national guard to Washington, D.C., to assist in President Donald Trump’s recent efforts in cracking down on crime in the capital.

West Virginia said it was deploying around 500 national guard troops, while South Carolina pledged 200 and

Ohio said it would send 150 in the coming days. National guard troops from Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee also headed to D.C. In all, around 1,300 troops came to Washington.

President Trump ordered 800 Washington, D.C., national guard troops to mount a show of force and temporarily take over the city’s police department to curb the crime and homelessness rampant in the nation’s capital.

The office of West Virginia’s governor, Patrick Morrisey, said in a statement that the deployment was “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation” and added that the state would provide equipment and “approximately 300-400 skilled personnel as directed.”

Last week, Trump ordered a homeless encampment to be cleared.

A White House official said on Saturday that more national guard troops were

being called in to Washington to “protect federal assets, create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties when required, and provide a visible presence to deter crime.”

But some people were not happy with Trump’s intervention. Demonstrators marched on the capital with banners declaring, “No fascist takeover of DC” and “No military occupation.”

The White House also said on Saturday that national guard in D.C. are conducting patrols on foot and in vehicles around the national mall and Union Station, adding that the troops were not making arrests at this time.

Texas Targets Maggots

Flesh-eating maggots stemming from Mexico are creating a problem for cattle breeders in Texas. Now, the United States is planning to breed thousands of sterile flies in a southern Texas factory to protect American cattle.

The New World screwworm is a “devastating pest,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a news release this week.

“When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds and, in rare cases, people. It is not only a threat to our ranching community, but it is a threat to our food supply and our national security.”

The factory would be located at Moore Air Force Base outside Edinburg, Texas, about 20 miles north of the border.

The USDA says sterile flies are “currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of” the maggots, adding that it hopes to produce and release them into the wild within a year.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the government also plans to spend $100 million on technology such as traps and lures, therapeutics, border patrols by “tick riders” mounted on horseback, dogs trained to sniff out the parasite, and other tools that could “bolster preparedness or response to NWS.”

For now, the southern border will remain closed to cattle, horse and bison imports from Mexico until the parasite appears to be pushed back closer to Panama, where it had been contained until late last year through the breeding of sterile flies there.

The parasite has hit the Mexican cattle industry hard, and Mexico’s agriculture ministry said it plans to take steps to mitigate the problem.

The New World screwworm was a problem in the American cattle industry until it was largely eradicated in the 1970s through the breeding of sterile flies. After the infestation was halted, factories to breed the sterile flies were shut down.

Texas’s Measles Outbreak Ends

West Texas’s measles outbreak — the state’s deadliest in recent years — officially ended on Monday, according to state health officials, following over 42 days with no signs of ongoing transmission. Since late January, Texas has seen at least 762 cases of the potentially deadly

disease, around 100 of which resulted in hospitalization. Over two-thirds of those infected with the virus were children. Since then, two school-aged Texas children died of measles, making those the first U.S. deaths caused by measles since 2015.

“I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses. We arrived at this point through a comprehensive outbreak response that included testing, vaccination, disease monitoring and educating the public about measles through awareness campaigns,” stated Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “I also want to recognize the many health care professionals who identified and treated cases of a virus that most providers had never seen in person before this outbreak.”

The Texas outbreak has been linked to cases in New Mexico, which saw 100 cases since January and one measles death, Oklahoma, and potentially Kansas, as well.

“Our agency sees this outbreak as part of the larger regional outbreak that has taken place around the country, including in Texas,” a New Mexico health department spokesperson said. “We are still urging New Mexicans to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination as a defense against the virus.”

Thus far, in 2025, the United States has seen over 1,350 measles cases, despite the fact that the U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000. Over half of the U.S. cases were reported in Texas. Most measles cases related to the outbreak in Texas were in or near Gaines County, which has a low immunization rate for kindergarteners.

“The end of this outbreak does not mean the threat of measles is over,” Texas health officials clarified.

“Since there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in North America and around the world, it is likely that there will be additional cases of measles this year in Texas,” officials said. “Health care providers should continue to be vigilant and test for measles if their patient has symptoms compatible with the virus.”

Some Student Visas Revoked

Thousands of student visas have been revoked after the students were found to have broken the law, overstayed their visa, or supported terrorism, the State Department said on Monday.

A department spokesperson said that it has revoked more than 6,000 student visas, of which about 4,000 were for crimes including assault, driving under the influence and burglary.

Between 200 and 300 student visas were revoked because of “support for terrorism.”

The Trump administration has enhanced screening for student visa applications, among measures narrowing pathways to entry into the United States.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced in April that applicants for visa categories including aspiring international students would have their social media screened for antisemitic content. In June, the State Department additionally said student visa applicants must make their social media profiles public.

glish language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary,” Colin McIntosh, the lexical program manager at Cambridge Dictionary, said. There has been a total of 6,212 words added. Some of the interesting ones? Well, why would you “skibidi” want to know? That’s one of the words that have been added. In case you’re not in the know, skibidi has become popular on social media. Cambridge Dictionary defines skibidi as “a word that can have different meanings such as ‘cool’ or ‘bad,’ or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.” Like, that wasn’t very skibidi cool of you.

Ever heard of delulu? Well, that doesn’t mean you’re going crazy. Or maybe it does. Delulu is a play on the word delusional and means “believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to.”

The word has even reached political discourse. Earlier this year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “They are delulu with no solulu.”

The word lewk is pretty popular with the young folk. It’s a play on the word “look” and means “a particular style, fashion, or outfit, especially one that is unusual and impressive.” Like, that’s a lewk.

Oh, and no dictionary will be complete without some inspo. But, like, for real. Inspo is short for inspiration and is defined as “something, especially something posted on the internet, that gives you ideas for doing something or that makes you want to do something.”

Like, scroll through my phone for hours…JK!

Row Your Boat

What’s in a Word?

Words are constantly evolving, as people endeavor to describe the world around them. This year, Cambridge Dictionary has added thousands of new words to its lists. Among those new entries, many of them are inspired by social media.

“Internet culture is changing the En-

James “Dr. Jim” Baroffio has rowed over 600 miles without going anywhere near water. Even more amazing is Dr. Jim’s age: 93.

The nonagenarian rowed roughly the distance from Denver, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska, at his local gym over the course of two years.

Last week, Dr. Jim – who loves to exercise – hit the one-million-meter mark.

He modestly admits that exercise is “no fountain of youth,” yet he feels invigorated.

“How do I feel? I feel like I’m 50,” he said.

He shared that exercise saved his life years ago when he had open heart surgery.

“The doctor said, ‘You shouldn’t be standing there, but the reason you are is that you exercise,’” Dr. Jim recalled.

Rowing is his preferred workout. His teammates and coaches cheer him on.

“People make a big deal about age nowadays. If someone says, ‘How old are you?’ I’ll say, ‘How old do you want me to be?’” Dr. Jim said.

He may be over the hill, but he’s still climbing.

Up, Up, and Away

Dean Stokes loves the ups and downs. The British man nabbed a new Guinness World Record by riding 55 rollercoasters in a week.

The thrill-seeker said in total he went on 108 rollercoasters at 32 theme parks across the UK in 16 days.

The 36-year-old started at Brighton Palace Pier on August 2 and ended at Thorpe Park in Surrey the next Sunday.

“I did it. I even did an extra victory lap on Hyperia to celebrate,” he exulted

on Instagram.

“I visited my first theme park as a teenager and quickly realized I loved the adrenaline rush,” Stokes told Guinness World Records. “I enjoy finding new theme parks to visit and taking in the whole ambiance from theming, the music and through to the rides themselves.”

Stokes set off hoping to ride on 120 rollercoasters across the UK but ran into problems less than a third of the way into his challenge with strong winds and heavy rain shutting down several parks.

There was no current record-holder for the most rollercoasters ridden in a week, and Stokes was given a target of 30 to claim the inaugural title.

He said that he had been “overwhelmed” by the support he had been shown, with some people turning up to ride rollercoasters with him. He is continuing on his quest to ride every coaster in Britain and Ireland.

Stokes said he undertook the challenge “to prove people should just get out there and do more of what they love.”

Let’s hope Stokes doesn’t get a stroke doing what he loves.

Put a Ring On It

Dave Orlowski struck gold recently while using his metal detector at Cedar Beach in the Long Island Sound.

The Port Jefferson resident unearthed a ring buried under more than a foot of sand. But this was no ordinary ring. It was a Fordham University Class of 1969 ring.

“It said Alfred DiStefano, class of 1969, Fordham University,” Orlowski said.

When Orlowski told his wife about his find, “she said, ‘Well, if you lost your ring, wouldn’t you want it returned?’ And so, right. The question, answered,” Orlowski recalled.

Orlowski contacted Karen Manning, who runs the Fordham Class of ‘69 Facebook page, and she was able to put him in contact with DiStefano, who now lives in Texas.

DiStefano said he clearly remembers losing the ring while watching a sunset on a Cedar Beach pier in 1969, 56 years ago.

“I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember watching it slip off my finger into the water, and it was deep,” DiStefano said. “I said, ‘It’s gone.’” He felt heartened that Orlowski felt the need to track him down.

“I think a lot of people would not go out of their way, the extra mile. He did, and I really appreciate it,” DiStefano said.

Orlowski said he was just happy to have been able to do something nice for someone else.

“I don’t do it for money. I do it for the thrill,” Orlowski said. “You never know what you’re going to pull out.”

That rings true.

Around the Community

Chabad of the Five Towns Hosts Inspiring Summer Soiree

200 community members came together on Monday evening for the Chabad of the Five Towns Summer Soiree, a beautiful night of inspiration, music, and celebration in support of Jewish education for public school students and families in the Five Towns. The event was graciously hosted by Mariam and Menachem Lieber.

Guests were treated to outstanding food and drinks by Partini and uplifting live music by Eli Levin and band, setting

the tone for an unforgettable evening. The program, though short, was powerful and deeply moving. Zach Firestone opened by sharing his personal connection to Chabad, followed by Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, director of Chabad of the Five Towns, who thanked attendees and highlighted the power of community coming together. Diana Krasovitsky, proud mother of Hebrew School student Jonathan and CTeen/CTeen U alumnus Ilan, spoke about the gift of providing her

children with the proud Jewish identity she longed for herself while growing up in Ukraine. Ryan and Phillip Ginsburg, seniors at Hewlett High School, shared what CTeen has meant to them, recalling moments of Jewish pride such as putting on tefillin with Rabbi Meir right outside of school.

The Soiree underscored the far-reaching impact of Chabad’s Hebrew School and CTeen programs, led with devotion and creativity by Rabbi Meir and Ha-

dassah Geisinsky, whose tireless work has built a thriving foundation for the next generation of Jewish life in the Five Towns. Chabad of the Five Towns extends heartfelt gratitude to all who attended, participated, and supported this year’s Soiree, ensuring that Jewish education for public school students and families continues to flourish across the community

Congresswoman Laura Gillen visited Israel last week with her colleagues. Among the many sites they visited, the group went to Kibbutz Nir Oz and the site of the Nova Festival. Rep. Gillen met with survivors of the massacre and families of hostages. They also visited the Kotel, Yad Vashem, a military base, and Ashdod Port. Rep. Gillen also met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog during her visit.

Avnet Week 7: Achdut, Adventure and Amazing Activities

The Avnet adventure is racing toward the finish line, but Week Seven demonstrated that the energy at camp never slows down. From the very first day, till this final full week, Avnet was filled with non-stop activities, laughter, and the kind of unity that makes every camper feel part of something bigger.

The youngest Tipot bounced between trips to Once Upon a Treetop, Planet Play, and Casa De Spin. They giggled through visits with Minnie the dog and the always-hilarious Simon Sez challenge. Their days overflowed with creativity and friendship, from arts and crafts to swimming to upcycling projects, each moment adding to a summer of growth and joy.

Meanwhile, the Ma’ayanot Girls were busy excelling in every corner of camp. Many celebrated passing their deep-water tests in the pool, while everyone enjoyed a fantastic bowling trip that was as spirited as it was fun. The younger Ma’ayanot Boys kept the excitement rolling at gymnastics and bowling, while others joined in Simon Sez contests and playoffs that had the whole division buzzing with energy.

Agamim found themselves swept up in a Disney-themed day that filled the camp with princesses, pirates, and laughter. Older campers enjoyed a culinary adventure at Apron Masters, where they baked chocolate chip muffins and a delectable Italian-style lunch. Younger Agamim were dazzled by a vibrant Mad-

agascar performance. At the DRS campus, the G’vaot and Harim Boys enjoyed a week of pure electricity. The playoffs reached full swing, with campers showing not only incredible skill but also middot and teamwork that made everyone proud. An incredible highlight, in anticipation of Chodesh Elul, was a shofar making workshop for B3-B8. The boys crafted their own shofars and each boy was taught how to blow shofar – lucky parents!

While each division reveled in activities that were uniquely their own, campers came together for some mesmerizing moments. Everyone was filled with wonder when award-winning illusionist Eric Wilzig captivated the crowd with his extreme magic show. Crazy Hat Day turned the gym into a colorful parade of style,

silliness and sparkle. The energy reached its peak before the most anticipated moment of the summer arrived -- Color War breakout. Team Blue and Team Orange have been cheering and competing with kindness and camaraderie as they make their final memories of summer 2025.

“It’s hard to believe another epic summer is almost over,” said Daniel Stroock, Camp Director. “From start to finish, Week Seven was proof that at Avnet, the activities, adventures, and achdut never stop. With Color War underway and the final few days ahead, we hope the memories of this summer will carry campers forward long after the last song is sung and the last game is played.”

Summer Fun at Camp Matov

A New Future for New York City

By Curtis Sliwa

Every election asks us the same question: what kind of future do we want to build together?

For too long, City Hall has been dominated by corruption, ignorance, and radical, out-of-touch politics. But I believe the men and women of this great city deserve leadership that is rooted in accountability, progress, and results.

I founded the Guardian Angels to defend the most vulnerable New Yorkers from violence when the city failed them. I’ve stood up to the worst elements ever seen in our five boroughs, from mafia violence to the virulent antisemitism still prevalent today. I’ve never rested in my fight to work for and protect this city over the last five decades. That’s why I’m running for Mayor, to bring this fight to where it belongs and reach tangible, real results.

As the only candidate who has spent

his entire life defending the Jewish community and working with them to protect themselves against the vitriol, violence, and hate, my commitment against the disgusting threat of antisemitism is proven. I’ve stood with community leaders, yeshivas, and many others fighting for their voice to be heard. An incredible culture of devotion, respect, and tradition, New York has had its fabric built by Jewish men and women since the very beginning.

But the attacks, both verbal and physical, see no end. Synagogues vandalized, Hasidic men attacked in Williamsburg, and Jews even killed in broad daylight; these are what define the reality of the city’s Jewish population. The three other candidates, all having served time in office and elected to defend you and your families, have failed you. They let rampant crime destroy our neighborhoods, violence against women go unchecked, and give way to dangerous language to pervade how Jewish people are treated

and spoken of.

That’s not Curtis Sliwa for you. I’ve stood there, facing the brunt of it on the frontline with you, because your fight against violence and intolerance is the very essence of the battle this city reckons with. We have lost the values that made this city the envy of every other state and nation around the world.

I’m running for Mayor because I believe we can—and must—turn this around. Leadership demands action, and my plan to restore public safety will do just that. Instead of standing up for victims, City Hall and other elected officials have prioritized reckless policies that embolden criminals, tie the hands of law enforcement, and erode public safety.

I commit to hiring 7,000 additional officers to patrol our streets, with an emphasis on synagogues and other vulnerable Jewish institutions. My administration will see to it that hate crimes, especially those of a violent nature, receive incredible scrutiny and are prosecuted to

the fullest extent of the law. We will also pursue strategies to target the antisemitic language and content pervading online platforms, ensuring no user is endangered or made unsafe by it.

This campaign isn’t about left or right—it’s about forward. I’ve secured the backing of people I look up to and have given me the support I need to win this race, including Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who has never stopped fighting for his community. Voters are beginning to realize that this election is the last stand against the reality that is to be if any other candidate is elected, with corruption, incompetence, and failure defining it.

I ask for your support to work with me and save our beloved city this November, because I cannot win without you. We can truly put this city back on the right track for our neighborhoods, our children, and the millions who keep this city alive. Join me in this movement, because I’m not done fighting for you.

Supervisor Ferretti Attends

Cedarhurst Concert

Hempstead Town Supervisor

John Ferretti (5th from left) congratulated Lt. Charles Sollin and Inspector/Commanding Officer Dan Ciaccio of the Nassau County Police 4th Precinct as they were recognized during the “A Night of Jewish Music,” part of Tuesday Night Free Concerts Under the

Gazebo, hosted by the Village of Cedarhurst. Also attending were Cedarhurst Village Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, Deputy Mayor Ari Brown, and Trustees Daniel Plaut, Israel Wasser, and Administrator Jacob Plaut; Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel, and Irving Kaminetsky.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi David Yosef’s

Historic Visits Local Communities

Chacham David Yosef, shlit”a, the newly elected Rishon LeTzion and Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, recently completed a historic and heartfelt visit to the United States—his first since being elected to the role in September 2024. His impactful journey brought him to many Jewish communities across the East Coast, including Monsey, Lakewood, Baltimore, the Five Towns and Great Neck, where he was received with reverence and admiration befitting his status as a world-renowned Torah scholar and leader.

Upon arriving in New York, the Chief Rabbi’s first stop was the Chazaq Headquarters in Queens, where he met with staff and gave his warm brachos to the organization. He expressed deep appreciation for the work Chazaq does, especially in strengthening Jewish identity among public school students through its school-to-yeshiva division. The visit reaffirmed Chacham Yosef’s long-held passion for kiruv rechokim and for preserving Sephardic heritage.

A highlight of this year’s visit to Queens was the Chief Rabbi’s heartfelt

On Sunday, the BACH Jewish Center’s Youth Department hosted a special Sunday Fun Day event, a Bubble Show on the shul’s lawn. The program was part of the BACH’s weekly series of youth events during the summer

Sunday Funday at Lido Beach Synagogue

Come one, come all to the 3rd annual “Sunday Funday” carnival event hosted by the Lido Beach Synagogue! This exciting event is the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy a day of fun, games, and community spirit. While the main attraction is the carnival, the event also serves as a wonderful introduction to the vibrant and growing community of Lido Beach, a hidden gem on Long Island’s south shore.

offers an unparalleled quality of life.

The Lido Beach Synagogue, affectionately known as the “Lido Shul,” is at the heart of this welcoming community. It’s a place where families can connect, celebrate, and grow together. The “Sunday Funday” carnival is a testament to the shul’s commitment to fostering a warm and inclusive environment for all.

praise for Chazaq’s mission and leadership. Chacham Yosef, who had previously helped launch Chazaq’s “No Child Left Behind” initiative, encouraged the continuation of the organization and urged its leaders to expand its mission. In Chazaq’s words: “Chazaq was honored to welcome the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Harav David Yosef, shlit”a, to our headquarters in Queens. The Chief Rabbi met with our devoted team, spoke about the incredible power of our work with public school students, and blessed us to continue our impactful work.”

The Chief Rabbi’s itinerary also included visits to Monsey and Great Neck, where thousands gathered to hear Yosef’s shiurim on halacha and hashkafa. In a moving public address at Ohel Sara, Chacham Yosef emphasized the importance of preserving one’s ancestral customs, recalling his own father’s insistence that he maintain Sephardic minhag despite receiving an Ashkenaz education. That message—rooted in fidelity to mesorah and paired with an unrelenting commitment to outreach—defined the spirit of this historic visit.

Lido Beach is more than just a beautiful coastal town; it’s a thriving Jewish community that has seen consistent growth in recent years. New residents are drawn to the area for its unique blend of tranquil beachside living, out-of-town vibe, and convenient access to the Five Towns ecosystem. With its pristine, resident-only beaches, beautiful parks, and a strong sense of community, Lido Beach

So, come for the carnival, and stay for the community. Discover why so many families are choosing to call Lido Beach home. The Lido Beach Synagogue’s “Sunday Funday” is the perfect occasion to experience the warmth and charm of this incredible seaside hamlet. We look forward to seeing you there and welcoming you to our piece of paradise. For more information about the Lido Beach Synagogue and our growing community, please visit https://lidoshul.org/.

The

A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim

By Rabbi David Sutton

The pasuk in Shiri Hashirim says, “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li, I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me. ”

A story is brought down from the thirteenth century, in the times of the Rishonim. A Jewish man, let’s call him Reuven, attended a traveling fair and purchased lead to repair his roof. When he arrived home, he decided not to fix his roof after all. A fellow Jew, let’s call him Shimon, heard about Reuven’s changed plans and agreed to purchase the lead from him.

As soon as Shimon started to prepare his roof, he discovered that the “lead” he had purchased was actually silver, covered in lead. They could not locate the original seller, because the item had been purchased from a traveling fair that had since moved on. But now, the two Jews got into a dispute. Who owned the silver?

Reuven claimed that the sale was a mistake. He had not realized it was silver, or he would never have sold it. He maintained that just as a seller is not permitted to fool a buyer, a buyer isn’t permitted to fool the seller by purchasing something if the seller doesn’t know its true worth. Shimon, on the other hand, claimed he had purchased the silver, fair and square, and it belonged to him.

They brought their dispute to a great Rishon, R’ Eliezer, from the town of Mitz, who said that Reuven never really owned the silver, because when he acquired it, he had no idea it was silver.

The Rabbis say that we learn an important principle from this story: You only own something when you are aware of it.

We find ourselves in the days of Elul. We must be aware of these days in order to really own them, so to say. We must realize how great these days really are, how precious and valuable is each one.

A Sealed Garden

How do we know that these days are so special? As Ramban (Vayikra 23:24) says, even the secular world knows the signs of the horoscope. The sign for Elul is Virgo, a maiden, a symbol of love. This is all built into Creation. This is not

merely a symbol. This is the nature of the world.

There is a special love in the month of Elul between Hashem and the Jewish people. As is known, the roshei teivos of the pasuk, Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li — I am to by Beloved and my Beloved is to me (Shir HaShirim 6:3), are an acronym for Elul. Arizal explains that in the month of Elul, Hashem becomes reconciled with the Jewish people and we become beloved to each other. Hashem gives us the opportunity to return, to do teshuvah

Of course, He is karov l’chol kor’ov — close to all those who call upon Him (Tehillim 145:18), at all times, but especially so in this month.

And why is the symbol of this month a besulah (a pure, sealed, young maiden who is dedicated to her husband-to-be)?

Sfas Emes (Elul 5647-5648) says that this symbolism represents the Jewish people, who are like a maiden to Hashem. Although we may have sinned, there is a very deep inner spot in the Jewish soul that has never been touched by any outsider. That is why we are compared to a gan na’ul— a locked garden (Shir HaShirim 4:12) Every Jewish person has an aspect to them that was never disconnected from Hashem, that is protected by Hashem, and it is the purest part of us. That’s how we are able to do teshuvah — because there’s a part of us that has never been disconnected. Sfas Emes explains that while we can’t always access that spot, during the month of Elul, we can.

Let’s Make a Deal

That connection is the Ani l’dodi v’dodi li — I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me

Sfas Emes (ibid.) says that after the Cheit Ha’eigel, the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem said, Behold! I enter a covenant: Before your entire people I shall make distinctions such as have never been created in the entire world and among all the nations (Shemos 34:10). This refers to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that Hashem revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu. Those Thirteen Attributes are dedicated exclusively to the Jewish people. We say these Attributes many times on Yom Kippur and during Selichos. (We say them on Mondays and Thursdays, too.) They are called the bris shlosh esrei — the Covenant of Thir-

teen. This covenant is a treaty between Hashem and the Jewish people, and this connection is recreated during these days of Elul.

Sfas Emes quotes his grandfather, Chiddushei Harim, who said that this is the meaning of the words we say in Shemoneh Esrei, Magen Avraham— Shield of Avraham. How is Hashem shielding Avraham? He is long gone!

The answer is that every Jewish person has a little bit of Avraham Avinu inside him. We have his DNA, which is recognizable in our makeup. But that could possibly get lost, or diluted, over the generations. It could have dissipated.

Therefore, Magen Avraham, Hashem shields that little bit of Avraham inside of us. And that’s what emerges during the month of Elul.

We must appreciate this opportunity — the sudden chance to find a way to reconnect to Hashem.

But it’s up to us to find it.

No one else can do it for us. It is inherently inside each one of us, inside each Jewish person.

The pasuk in Shir Hashirim (8:7) says, Many waters cannot extinguish the love and rivers cannot drown it. There is a connection there, an ember that needs to be ignited. And each of us must strengthen it until it becomes a roaring fire.

Elul is a most auspicious time to do this, to rekindle that special love and connection, to draw close to Hashem through teshuvah and by preparing for the Yamim Noraim.

Working on Our Middos

Chacham Yehudah Fataya, the foremost disciple of Ben Ish Chai, was an outstanding scholar and Kabbalist.

One year, on the night of Rosh Hashanah, he was seated at his table with his family and guests, dressed in his beautiful white garb, when suddenly one of the guests accidentally pushed the candelabra off the table, extinguishing the candles. The room was instantly plunged into darkness. As a result, the rabbi’s wife dropped the tray of fish she was carrying to the table, and everything spilled all over the floor. Chacham Yehudah stood up to help, but he slipped on the liquid of the fish and fell. His fine white clothing was soiled. Throughout, the chacham retained his

composure and did not become angry at all.

One year later, Chacham Yehudah testified that he had enjoyed the best year he had ever experienced, during which he succeeded in all his endeavors and was privileged to arrive at remarkable new Torah insights. This special blessing, he maintained, resulted from his remaining calm in a situation that would normally lead to anger.

If we want to come close to Hashem, we must work on our middos and perfect our interpersonal relationships as well. Ben Ish Chai told of a certain person who was especially vigilant with regard to the simanim, the special foods we eat on Rosh Hashanah as a sign of our hopes for the coming year, such as apples, dates, pomegranates, and so on. One year, after he sat down for the Rosh Hashanah meal, he looked around the table and noticed that his wife had forgotten to buy pomegranates. He became angry and sharply berated his wife for her mistake.

Ben Ish Chai noted that while these foods are certainly worthwhile as an auspicious sign for the coming year, anger is most definitely a very negative sign.

Self-control is as valuable a siman on Rosh Hashanah as any food we eat.

Lessons we would do well to keep in mind as we prepare to stand before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah.

Reprinted from A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim, by Rabbi David Sutton, with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.

Murphy’s Laws of Lost & Found

The quickest way to find something you lost is to buy a replacement.

Lost socks never reunite. Their partners have already moved on.

The likelihood of finding your keys increases the moment you’re already locked out.

Glasses are only found once you stop squinting and finally buy a new pair.

The Lost & Found box is just a museum of other people’s bad mornings.

Umbrellas only disappear on rainy days.

You will only find your long-lost document when you begin to search for a recently lost one.

Nothing is ever truly lost; it’s just hiding until it can embarrass you later.

You never lose cheap things. Only wallets, phones, and dignity.

Lost items aren’t truly gone — they’re just waiting for the most inconvenient moment to reappear.

The longer you look for something, the more obvious its hiding place becomes.

You never lose cheap sunglasses. Only the expensive pair you bought yesterday.

If you lose it, it’ll turn up tomorrow. If you lend it, it’s gone.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

Yankel is tearing his house apart one morning. He looks under the couch cushions, inside the fridge, even in the mailbox. His wife Sadie finally asks, “OK, Yankel, what on earth are you looking for?”

“My glasses!” he says. “I can’t find them anywhere!”

Sadie looks at him for a moment and says, “But…you’re wearing them.”

Yankel replies, “Well, no wonder I can’t see them!”

Lost & Found Trivia

1. What is the single most common item turned into the New York City subway’s Lost Property Unit every year?

a. Cell phones

b. Wallets

c. Umbrellas

d. Sunglasses

2. Which U.S. airport has the largest lost and found operation, handling around 70,000 items per year?

a. Los Angeles International (LAX)

b. O’Hare International (Chicago)

c. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

d. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

3. Which item is most frequently lost by students in U.S. schools?

a. Water bottles

b. Pencils

c. Lunchboxes

d. Homework

4. Which unusual item was once turned into Delta Airlines’ lost and found at LAX?

a. A live falcon

b. A bag of gold bars

c. A bowling ball collection

d. A prosthetic leg worth $20,000

5. During peak season in Walt Disney World, on average, how many pairs of sunglasses are lost per day?

a. 30

b. 70

c. 135

d. 200

6. Which city runs the world’s largest lost and found office, handling more than 300,000 items a year?

a. Tokyo

b. New York

c. London

d. Paris

Riddle Me This

I arrive uninvited and leave when chased. I sprint in the shower, stall at meetings, and hide behind the word “umm…” when you need me most. What am I?

7. Which item is most frequently lost at U.S. hotels according to national surveys?

a. Clothing

b. Phone chargers

c. Shoes

d. Toothbrushes

Answer:

Wisdom key:

6-7 correct: The only thing you ever lost was the experience of losing things.

3-5 correct: You are right in the middle—you lose 3 umbrellas, 2 pairs of goggles, and 1 pair of sunglasses each summer.

0-2 correct: Check the local lost and found – I hear they found some brain cells.

Answer: Your train of thought

In this week’s parsha, the Torah continues with the theme that runs through the previous parshiyot of Devarim, that we are always faced with stark choices in life – either blessings or curses, good or evil. The words of the Torah seemingly offer little option for middle ground on these basic issues of belief and behavior. Yet, we are all aware that the events in life are rarely, if ever, all or nothing, one hundred percent blessing or curse. In fact, Jewish tradition and teachings instruct us that hidden in tragedy there is always a glimmer of hope and goodness and that all joy and happiness contains within it the taste of the bittersweet.

Jewish philosophy and theology has taught us that evil somehow has a place in G-d’s good and benign world. We are faced with the problem of why the Torah addresses these matters without nuance in such a harsh way which seemingly brooks no compromise, without a hint of a middle ground. After all, the Torah is not a debating society where one is forced to take an extreme, uncompro -

Torah Thought

Parshas Re’eh

By Rabbi Berel Wein z”l

mising stand in order to focus the issue being discussed more sharply and definitively.

Many rabbinic scholars of previous generations have maintained that it is

opinion of these great scholars of Israel. However, I wish to interject a somewhat different thought into this matter. This parsha begins with the word re’eh – see. As all of us are well aware,

We are not wearing our corrective lenses, with the benefit of halacha, history, good common sense and a Jewish value system that should govern our lives.

only in our imperfect, post-Temple period that we are to search for good in evil and temper our joy with feelings of seriousness and even sadness. But in an idyllic world, where the Divine Spirit is a palpable entity, the choices are really stark and the divisions are 100 percent to zero. Far be it for me to not accept the

there are stages in life that we can see well only with the aid of corrective lenses. Without that correction, we can easily make grave mistakes trying to read and see what appears before us. If we have to read small print, such as looking up a number in the Jerusalem telephone directly, it is almost impossible without

the aid of corrective lenses. Well, this situation is not limited to the physical world, of just our actual eyesight, but it applies equally to our spiritual world of Torah observance and personal morality.

Many times, we think we are behaving righteously when we are, in fact, behaving badly because we are not seeing the matter correctly. We are not wearing our corrective lenses, with the benefit of halacha, history, good common sense and a Jewish value system that should govern our lives. Without this advantage, we see blessings and curses, good and evil, blurry, and undefined before our eyes. The Torah wishes us to see clearly – to instinctively be able to recognize what is the blessing in our life and what is not. The Torah itself has been kind enough to provide us with the necessary corrective lenses to see clearly and accurately. These lenses consist of observance of Torah and its commandments and loyalty to Jewish values and traditions. Shabbat shalom.

The search for the Beis Hamikdash is one of the central points in this week’s parsha. Without specifically identifying its location, the pasuk (Devarim 12:5) says, “The place Hashem your G-d will choose from all of your tribes to affix His name there, you shall seek Him there at His dwelling and come there.” The Torah is telling us that an integral part of the building of the Beis Hamikdash is that we must “seek Him there…”

Instead of specifying the place where the Beis Hamikdash would be built, the Torah repeatedly says that the Beis Hamikdash shall be in “the place Hashem your G-d will choose.” This phrase is used no less than sixteen times in this week’s parsha alone. According to our Sages, this is why the Beis Hamikdash is called Beis Ha’Bechira, The House of Choice.

But why is the location of the Beis

From the Fire

Parshas Re’eh Search Required

By Rav Moshe Weinberger

Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

Hamikdash treated by the Torah as such a mystery? Why must the Torah repeatedly say that it is in “the place Hashem your G-d will choose”? It is clear from Chazal that Hashem designated the future location of the Beis Hamikdash from the beginning of time, even carving out the site of the altar and canals for the wine libations at the time of the six days of Creation (Sukkah 49a). The Rambam (Beis Habechira 2:2) teaches that: There is a tradition maintained by everyone that the place where Dovid and Shlomo built the altar is the same place where Avraham built an altar and bound Yitzchak, the same place where Noach built [an altar] when he left the Ark. It is the [location of] the altar on which Kayin and Hevel offered sacrifices, and on which Adam sacrificed an offering when he was created, and Adam was created from that place.

The sages say, “Man was formed from the place of his atonement.”

It is clear that we have known from the time of Creation that the Beis Hamikdash would be built on a certain mountain in Yerushalayim. According to the Midrash (Pirkei D’Rebbe Eliezer 28), Avraham circumcised himself at the future location of the Beis Hamikdash and his blood flowed into the earth that would eventually fill the altar. If this was known long before Hashem gave us the Torah, why does He conceal the location? Rav Shlomo Hakohein Rabinowicz of Radomsk, zt”l, the Tiferes Shlomo, expressed the question clearly: Why did the pasuk not explicitly say, “The place that Hashem will choose, the holy mountain in Yerushalayim”? It would have been much clearer. Why the mystery?

The answer to our question lies in the very same pasuk we started with.

In order to find the location of the Beis Hamikdash, “you shall seek Him there at His dwelling.” We must seek it out. As the Midrash (Sifri) says, commenting on the pasuk, “Seek and you shall find it. And afterward, the prophet will tell you [that it is the correct spot].” Expanding on the Ramban, zt”l, on the same pasuk, the Malbim, zt”l, says, “This teaches them that Hashem will not reveal the chosen place through His prophets until they make an effort and seek it out. Then, [Hashem] will pour a spirit from above upon them after the appropriate preparation…” Along these lines, the Chasam Sofer, zt”l, (Resp. Yoreh Deah 234) teaches that the location of the Beis Hamikdash was “hidden until [Hashem] illuminated their eyes in the days of Dovid Hamelech.”

In other words, Hashem is telling us that it is not enough that He chose the location of the Beis Hamikdash. We

must choose it, seek it out, long for it, and do everything we can to find it. And who finally revealed Hashem’s choice as the actual location of the Beis Hamikdash? The man who felt more “unchosen” than anyone else in the world: Dovid Hamelech.

Dovid wrote about himself (Tehillim 118:22), “The stone despised by the builders became the cornerstone.” It became the very foundation of the entire Beis Hamikdash. Even after Shmuel Hanavi told Yishai that one of his sons would be the next anointed king and excluded all of Dovid’s other brothers, it still never even occurred to his father and brothers that Dovid could possibly be the anointed one (Shmuel I 16:6-11). Yet Dovid, the “stone despised by the builders,” became the cornerstone, the beginning of a new dynasty to which Moshiach himself would eventually trace his lineage.

Dovid said (Tehillim 42:8), “All of Your breakers and waves passed over me.” He went through so much suffering. Chazal even discuss (see Yevamos 77a-b) whether Dovid was allowed to marry into the Jewish people! Dovid certainly knew what it meant to feel “unchosen” and what it meant to seek, work, long, pray, and toil until he found his place in the Jewish people. Hashem therefore chose him to clearly reveal the location of the Beis Hamikdash and build its foundation. Dovid Hamelech represented the pinnacle of choice, the highest fulfillment of our obligation to “seek Him there at His dwelling and come there.”

In verses that Chazal say refer to Dovid, Shlomo Hamelech described this attribute of his father as follows (Shir Hashirim 3:1-2), “In my bed at night, I sought that which my soul loves; I sought but I did not find. I will arise and walk around the city, in the marketplaces and city squares. I will seek that which my soul loves. I sought, but I did not find.”

What was it that he sought out so deeply? What was it that robbed him of sleep? Dovid wrote in Tehillim (132:1, 3-5), “A song of ascents: Remember, Hashem, Dovid, all of his affliction [in his toil to find a place for Hashem’s presence to rest – Rashi]… I shall not come into the tent of my house, I shall not go upon the bed that was prepared for me. Nor shall I give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my pupils until I find a place for Hashem, dwelling places for the Mighty One of Yaakov.”

All Dovid Hamelech sought was the

place where Hashem’s presence could be felt on a permanent basis in this world. He conducted his investigation by indefatigably searching through the streets and markets of Yerushalayim, looking for clues, comparing each location to maps and pesukim, trying to find the exact location of the altar and the Holy of Holies. That is why Hashem answered his prayers and rewarded his search with success. Hashem chose the place where we chose Him (ibid. at 13-14), “For Hashem has chosen Zion, He desired it for a dwelling-place. This is My resting place forever, here I shall dwell, for I desired it.”

Chazal say (Sota 2a), “Forty days before a fetus is formed, a Heavenly Voice goes out and says, ‘The daughter of So-andSo to So-and-So!’” If the right person is predetermined, why is it so hard to find one’s destined soulmate?

First, one cannot find his mate without first feeling a profound sense of loneliness. One must feel he is missing an essential part of himself, that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Bereishis 2:18). One must first experience that existential loneliness before he is reunited with his other half and can say (ibid. at 23), “This time it is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.”

We must choose it, seek it out, long for it, and do everything we can to find it.

It is the same now. We may know the location of the Beis Hamikdash but strangers defile it every single day and we cannot rebuild. Vile terrorists fire rockets at Yerushalayim and Jews all over Eretz Yisroel. So we continue to daven for the Beis Hamikdash, to seek it out. As the Tiferes Shlomo says, “Even if we know this place, that it is in Yerushalayim, and that no other place will be chosen, nevertheless, it is still impossible to build [the Beis Hamikdash] there until Hashem chooses our prayers and desires ‘from all of your tribes,’ that they are worthy that it should be built for them and that Hashem should cause His presence to dwell among them.”

We may know where the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt, but there is so much impurity standing in the way and the right time has not yet arrived. In fulfillment of the pasuk, “you shall seek Him there at His dwelling,” we must daven and hope for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash constantly.

Just like one must seek out Hashem, the One without Whom we are incomplete, we also seek out a marriage partner, the one with whom we will build a home that serves as a microcosm of the Beis Hamikdash. Why is there so much searching involved in finding one’s mate? We know

not to look anywhere else in the world.

But the word “betrothed, mekudeshes,” also means that the two are dedicated to one another. This usage implies inclusion, a positive, proactive dedication to one another. They are saying that they only have eyes for one another.

These two aspects of the relationship between a husband and wife are also apparent in our relationship with Hashem, as hinted at in the pasuk (Tehillim 100:3), “He made us and we are His.” The word for “His,” however, is read one way and written another way. It is written as if says, “Lo, no/not.” According to this reading, the pasuk says, “He made us and not us,” i.e., we did not make ourselves. We must know that our relationship with Hashem must exclude the perception that we take credit for any aspect of attainments, skills, or accomplishments. It is a word of exclusion.

The pasuk which personifies the connection between marriage and our loving relationship with Hashem is (Shir Hashirim 6:3), “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li, I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” We know that Chazal teach that the first letters of those words spell Elul, the month in the Hebrew calendar which starts soon and marks the beginning of the teshuva process. This pasuk shows that we must first seek out our beloved. Only when “I am my beloved’s,” when I search out the one I love, will I merit to attain the level called “and my beloved is mine.” Anyone in a successful relationship knows this to be true. It is so sad to have a wife and to give up searching for her, to have a child and to no longer seek him out.

This two-stage process is also reflected in the double meaning of the Hebrew word for “betrothed, mekudeshes.” The chosson says to his bride, “Harei at mekudeshes li , Behold you are betrothed to me.” On the one hand, the word implies that she is forbidden to every other man in the world. Betrothed here is a word signifying exclusion. This meaning of the word is related to the word hekdesh, sanctified to the Beis Hamikdash, i.e., forbidden to everyone such that no one may use the sanctified object for anything other than its designated purpose. So too, the bride and groom agree, through their betrothal,

But the word is also read as if it says, “Lo, His.” According to this reading, the pasuk says, “He made us and we are His.” It is not enough to look to Hashem alone and not give ourselves credit for anything we have. We must also realize that we are His, we have a unique and special relationship with Him. In fact, if we put the two ways of reading that word together (lo and Lo), it contains the same letters as the month of Elul. Whether it is an intimate human relationship, our relationship with Hashem, or meriting the fulfillment of Hashem’s dwelling place on earth, where the intimacy of the relationship between the Jewish nation and G-d is most revealed, there is always a dual nature. On the one hand, there is the exclusion of all else which is personified by searching and longing. And there is the dedication to one another, the intimacy personified by Hashem’s revelation of the location of the Beis Hamikdash after our search and by the way a husband and wife find each other.

May Hashem put all of our difficulties behind us, may He reveal the way forward toward the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash soon in our days, and may every husband and wife merit finding one another and never looking at anyone else but their beloved.

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.

Spiraling Through the Cosmic Symphony of Life

By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

It came out of nowhere. A flood of emotions suddenly hit Shimon, and before he knew what was happening, there were tears streaming down his face. He immediately pulled over and tried to regain his composure. Strangely enough, he had no idea why he was crying. He sat there for a few minutes before it suddenly hit him, hard.

Five months ago, he had been engaged to a wonderful woman, Sarah. They had dated for a while and were excited to finally build a home based on their shared values and dreams. And then, out of nowhere, she broke the engagement. Shimon didn’t know why, and he was still heartbroken. At the moment that she broke it off, there was a song playing in the background – the very same song that was now playing in his car. The music brought back all the emotions, and he cried as he relived the worst day of his life.

When he was able to calm down and continue his drive to work, he began to think about the power of music.

The Mystery of Music

There may be nothing more enchanting, mystical, and mysterious than the wonder of music. It has the ability to reach the very root of our soul. The right melody can transform our mood, bring us to tears of sadness or joy, and release emotions buried deep within our consciousness. Music unlocks the door to our heart, brings back our most closely held memories, and allows us to feel and embrace our innermost yearnings for connection. From the artist’s perspective, music is the vulnerable expression of self; from the listener’s perspective, music is permission to connect to the Divine, the means by which to transcend the shack-

les of mundane existence, to experience something otherworldly. Many people have a favorite song, a personal gateway to spiritual transcendence. The Rambam states that had we not been gifted the Torah, we would have studied music in order to tap into spiritual truths. What is the secret behind the wonder of music?

If one breaks down and analyzes a musical piece, they would likely be surprised at its underlying simplicity. Almost every Jewish song, especially in Western music, follows the same twostep progression. The song begins with a low, steady build-up, progressively increasing in emotional intensity as it lays the foundation for what is to come. This build-up repeats itself, again rising in intensity, before bursting into the chorus, where the confined introduction expands into a full expression of emotion, where the soul erupts, unfiltered, guided by the stirring melody and words that perfectly capture the tune. The song then reverts to the lower introduction, and this process

repeats itself (sometimes with a bridge) until the song’s conclusion. Thus, the structure of a song is essentially a circle: two low verses, two high, and repeat.

One would expect music — one of the most spiritually uplifting experiences — to be more intricate and more novel than a simple circle.

At every Jewish simcha, we find ourselves dancing around in circles as we joyously sing in unison and share in the celebration. The same is true on the holiday of Sukkos, where we walk in cirlces as we recite the Hakafos; and on Simchas Torah, as we celebrate the completion of the Torah with joyous song, we repeat this circular process seven times over. What is the meaning of this practice?

This concept has deep spiritual roots, emanating from the very source of reality. The Gemara (Taanis 31a) states that in the future, Hashem will be in the center of a circle with tzaddikim dancing around Him, each one pointing toward Hashem as they circle around their Creator, again

and again. To grasp the inner meaning of this strange description, let us explore the spiritual concept of circles.

Circles: Spiritual Death

A circle represents spiritual death. It is a geometric anomaly; it is the only shape with no newness — no turns, no corners, and no changes. It has no beginning and no end. A circle is a cycle that goes nowhere; it lacks evolution and generates no growth. No point on the circle is unique, with each point equidistant to the center. A circle simply cycles back on itself without making any progress. This is the depth behind the Hebrew letter samech, which is shaped like a circle. Chazal highlight several episodes recorded in the Torah that conspicuously omit the letter samech, including Maaseh Bereishis (the story of Creation), bikkurim (the first fruits), bechor (the firstborn), Menorah, and the brachos of Bechukosai. Each of these episodes embodies the principle of creation and newness. As such, the letter samech — representing spiritual death — is omitted, as this circular letter fundamentally contradicts the essence of newness.

(Maaseh Bereishis is the story of Creation, the ultimate act of newness. Bikkurim is about the first fruits, a yearly renewal. The parsha of bechor discusses the first-born male child, clearly connected to this same theme of newness. While the connection to the Menorah may seem less obvious, Chazal link the Menorah to Torah She’baal Peh, which represents human contribution — creativity and newness — to the Torah. Torah She’bichsav was given to us by Hashem as a perfect, static text. Torah She’baal Peh, however, is a constantly developing work, requiring

human creativity, thought, and innovation. (See chapter on Parshas Devarim for more on the concept of Torah She’baal Peh.) The brachos of Bechukosai are intrinsically tied to newness as well, as brachos represent the concept of Hashem manifesting newness and blessing into this world.)

A Cosmic Mask

The Creation of the world (Maaseh Bereishis) is a constant flow of newness. Hashem did not only create the world at the initial moment of conception; He continues to create it anew at every single instant. The Nefesh Hachaim explains the meaning of the phrase that we say in the brachos of K’rias Shema, “Ha’mechadesh b’tuvo b’chol yom tamid Maaseh Bereishis — Hashem creates the world anew every single day, constantly.” Just like a lightbulb needs a constant flow of electricity to remain lit up, the world requires a constant flow of Hashem’s creative will to remain “lit up” with existence. When we say this phrase in K’rias Shema, we proclaim our recognition of this phenomenon, of the world’s complete and constant dependence on Hashem for existence. Another illustration might be helpful: Imagine you conceive of a person in your mind, giving him an entire backstory, clothes, a profession, a personality, and a family. If at any point you stop thinking about him, he ceases to exist, disappearing from your consciousness. Only when you willed him into being did he exist within you. The moment your focus shifted, the “flow of electricity” was cut off, and he ceased to exist.

Hashem not only willed the world into existence at one point in the past but continues to do so every instant. The world, and everything within it, exists only because Hashem continuously wills us into existence. If He were to “stop” creating us, for even an instant, we would cease to exist. (The Nefesh Hachaim famously explains that learning Torah is the key to Hashem’s continuing to will us into existence. This was the impetus behind the famous practice in Rav Chaim’s yeshiva in Volozhin of having a twenty-four-hour cycle of talmud Torah to ensure that Torah was being learned at every single second of the day.)

Flawed Philosophical Theories

The flawed philosophical notion that counters this truth is called the Watchmaker Theory. Proponents of this theory posits that Hashem created the world and then left it to run automatically, on its own. Just as a watchmaker creates

a watch and then it proceeds to run independently, they claim that Hashem did the same: Hashem’s act of creation was a one-time event, followed by the world’s continued independent existence. Accordingly, while the world may have begun with an act of creation, an act of newness, it has since run along an endless circle with no newness and no interaction or connection with Hashem.

The most extreme position, taken by philosophers such as Aristotle, is that the world was never created and has no new-

drown. Drowning means becoming part of the medium, unable to escape its pull. (Yavan, the Hebrew name for the Greeks, means “quicksand”; the Greeks sought to “drown” us in their secular culture, replacing spirituality with atheism and hedonism. The very word “Yavan” conveys this idea. Yud is a small line, vav is a bit longer, and nun-sofis is an extended vav This process represents the quicksand that pulls you in deeper and deeper into the physical world.) The challenge of teva is to escape the illusion of self-sufficien-

The challenge of teva is to escape the illusion of self-sufficiency, the pull of the physical cycle of life.

ness whatsoever. Just like a circle has no beginning and no end, the world has no beginning and no end; it simply always was. This is the spiritual concept of teva, the Hebrew term for “nature.” The physical world appears to be independent and self-sufficient, with no need or role for a creator. While some modern scientific theories reject this notion, showing the need for something to have existed before the Big Bang, those steeped in Western, scientific thinking do not feel the need to look beyond the physical, to the Divine, for answers.

This is why the word “teva” is connected to the concept of a circle. The physical world and all the planets in our galaxy are round. Fascinatingly, all the Hebrew words that share a root with “teva” also share this connection to circularity. “Tabaat ” is the Hebrew word for ring, a circular shape. “Matbei’a,” the Hebrew word for coin, reflects the circularity of currency. Money circulates from buyer to seller in an endless cycle.

The world is seemingly self-sufficient; one of the most basic scientific concepts is the law of conservation of energy and matter. All matter and energy circulate; they are transferred and transformed, but nothing is ever lost or gained — only recycled. Just think of the circular cycle of food: one eats food, digests it, lets it out as waste, uses that to produce more food, and then begins the process again. This is the circle of life, and many people become lost in it, never looking beyond it for a deeper root. Perhaps this is why the word “teva,” nature, shares a root with the word “tovei’a ,” to

cy, the pull of the physical cycle of life. This is the struggle of circles and cycles.

In our next article, we will delve deeper into this fascinating topic and try to understand the nature of circles on an even deeper level. In the meantime, may

we all be inspired to continue to embark on the journey of becoming our ultimate selves!

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

Don’t Make a “Pour” Decision

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Akosher bottle of wine was sold with a label that stated in Hebrew “Lo Mevushal” (not cooked). However, in English, it stated “Mevushal” (cooked). How can wine be both mevushal and non-mevushal simultaneously? Most likely, the discrepancy was a simple printer’s error. However, that alone would hardly form the basis for an article. Instead, we will suggest that the label may, in fact, mean exactly what it says.

There is a Rabbinic prohibition against consuming the wine of gentiles. By extension, this also applies to kosher wine poured or touched by gentiles. Two primary reasons are given for this prohibition. First, the wine may have been used in a ceremony that pays homage to an idol. Second, consuming such wine may lead to inappropriate relationships.

The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 30a) records that Shmuel once drank wine in the presence of Avleit, a gentile scholar. Avleit was careful not to touch the bottle, knowing that if he did, Shmuel would refuse to drink from it. Shmuel told him, however, that his touching of the bottle was irrelevant, since the wine was cooked— mevushal. From this passage we see a clear leniency: when wine is cooked, it is exempt from the usual restrictions that apply to kosher wine. Mevushal wine may be poured and handled even by a gentile.

Many American kashrus agencies rely on pasteurization to render wine and grape juice mevushal. This follows the ruling of Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, who held that pasteurized wine qualifies as cooked. Thus, they certify and label pasteurized wine and grape juice as mevushal.

However, many poskim reject this leniency. Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, (Journal Even Yisroel, 5751) argued that in earlier times, cooked wine was permitted precisely be-

cause it was rare. Today, when pasteurization is the norm, it can no longer be considered exceptional, and therefore the original leniency no longer applies.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, (Minchas Shlomo I:25) ruled that pasteurized wine cannot be considered mevushal unless the cooking process produces a noticeable change in taste, color, or aroma. Modern flash pasteurization, which rapidly heats and cools the wine, is so subtle that even experts debate whether it alters the wine at all. Therefore, it should not qualify as mevushal.

Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, zt”l, (Ohr L’Tzion II:20:19) added that for wine to be considered mevushal, the cooking process

It is noteworthy that Rav Shmuel Kamenetzky, shlit”a, is quoted as being strict against relying on pasteurization to classify wine as cooked (Kovetz Halachos: Hilchos Pesach). According to his view, one cannot leave an unsealed bottle of Kedem grape juice unattended in the presence of non-Jewish help.

At the same time, his view produces a leniency. The Shulchan Aruch writes that ideally one should use non-mevushal wine for kiddush and the Four Cups. According to Rav Kamenetzky, shlit”a, and the aforementioned gedolim, Kedem grape juice and pasteurized wines may indeed be treated as non-mevushal for these purposes.

As a result, what may be considered mevushal in America may not be considered mevushal in Israel.

must decrease the volume of the wine. Since modern pasteurization takes place inside sealed pipes, the wine suffers no diminishment whatsoever.

As a result, what may be considered mevushal in America (following Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, and the standards of the OU) may not be considered mevushal in Israel (following the rulings of leading Gedolei Eretz Yisrael). Hence, a label stating “Mevushal” in English but “Lo Mevushal” in Hebrew makes perfect sense if the wine was pasteurized. It would be mevushal according to the OU but lo mevushal according to the Badatz Yerushalayim.

who is stringent both in considering pasteurized grape juice non-mevushal and in requiring two seals even today might find a plastic cap problematic. The OU, however, has written that they consider a plastic cap to be a double seal.

Another issue tied to this machlokes is the requirement of seals. Chazal required a double seal on wine to prevent tampering. Yayin Mevushal requires only one seal. Today, there is debate whether the double seal requirement still applies. The term “double seal” is somewhat misleading—practically, any seal that cannot be tampered with is deemed a double seal. Some authorities suggest that a sealed plastic cap qualifies. Others argue that, since a plastic cap can be removed and replaced with some effort, it counts as only one seal, which is insufficient for non-mevushal wine. Strictly speaking, current halacha requires only one seal, but one

As an aside, the issue of non-Shabbos-observant Jews handling uncooked wine is well known. Less well known is the clear ruling of HaGaon Rav Binyomin Forst. shlit”a. In The Kosher Kitchen, he writes: “The prohibition of wine touched by a Shabbos violator pertains to wine actually touched by him. If a Shabbos violator merely lifts a bottle and pours wine, the wine is permitted. In addition, there is a question whether a Shabbos violator who was not raised in a religious environment prohibits wine that he touched.”

Thus, while it is preferable to serve yayin mevushal in such cases, one need not worry that a bottle of uncooked wine becomes prohibited if poured by a non-observant Jew. This stands in sharp contrast to the case of a gentile, whose pouring from a bottle of uncooked wine would indeed prohibit the entire bottle.

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

Prepping for Moshiach: What Happens on the 29th of Elul

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Imagine that you are a non-Jew who is about to enter under the umbrella of Yiddishkeit. It is a time and circumstance that you have been waiting for all of your life. But you have one flaw. You don’t really study so much and when the time comes, you will have absolutely no idea what to do. You are unsure what to do with these black straps. There are candles but for what purposes. And what is all this flour that was brought to my house? Why on earth are there two sinks in the kitchen? Why do they keep band-aids next to the light switch and what are these three aluminum balls and sheets of plain foil next to the crockpot?

This paragraph is really about us. We have been praying for and anticipating the time when Moshiach is coming, and we have absolutely no idea what to do. The Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, himself pointed this out over a century ago,

Let’s start with the calendar. Yes, we will be going back to old system of waiting for the eidim to come to testify in front of Beis Din that they saw the new moon and for the Beis Din to examine them and then declare Rosh Chodesh. Goodbye standard Jewish calendars. Mortuaries will have to find new places to advertise. People no doubt will start investing more or holding Korban-compatible animals. Most of us

will purchase them from vendors, but just like the sourdough trend, there will probably be a lot of sheep-raising, goat-raising, and cow- and bull-raising.

The 29th of Elul

And now, since Elul is fast approaching, let’s get to the 29th of the month of Elul – the day before Rosh Hashana which comes out Monday, September 22, 2025, this year. The 29th of Elul is one of the three days out of the year that Chazal established for us to do our Maaser Baheima separations. There are three opinions as to which days these are (see the Mishna in Bechoros 57b and Shekalim 3:1), but the Rambam rules (Bechoros 7:8) like the view of Rabbi Akiva that it is 15 days before Pesach, 15 days before Shavuos, and 15 days before Sukkos – which is the 29th of Elul.

From this day on, one may not sell, shecht, or eat their animals until they took off Maaser Baheima. The Chazon Ish (Bechoros 27) adds that you also cannot partake of it with a friend.

This, the 29th of Elul, is also the day when we go into the special Beis HaMikdash office and take out the half-shekel coins that were collected in order to purchase the Korbanos. This Kohen (and some say even a non-Kohen can do it, it

is just that the Kohanim made a chazaka on it) enters that office with three containers marked Aleph, Bais, and Gimmel. He enters with clothing that one cannot hide anything in (no pockets as well). He may not wear shoes or sandals, either. There are two reasons for this, and they are: 1) since this office is within the Azarah, you cannot enter there with shoes (Yevamos 102b); and 2) we want to ensure that no one will suspect him in hiding money in his shoes or sandals. He may also not enter while wearing tefillin – neither a shel yad nor a shel rosh. He may also not enter with a kamiya for the same reason.

He is then examined by the Gizbarim there (see Yerushalmi Shkalim 3:2) both in his clothing as well as in his body (see Rokayach Siman 233). There are guards that are outside, and the Torem, the person who entered to take the coins, makes a declaration. There are different versions of what is said at this point. The Rambam’s view is that the Torem says, “Etrom – I shall separate,” and the guards outside say, “Trom, trom, trom.” The Rosh and Rav Ovadya Bartenura’s version are that the Torem says, “Trom, trom, trom” and after each time they say, “Trom.”

There are different views about whether he recites a bracha, and if so, what exact bracha he recites. The Rambam indicates

that no bracha is recited.

He then fills up the three containers; each container can hold 3 se’ah. The first one he does with all of Eretz Yisroel and all of Bnei Yisroel in mind. The second one he has in mind the Krachim and its surrounding areas and also all of Eretz Yisroel, and the third one he has in mind Bavel, Media and the distant countries and all of the diaspora.

When he separate the moneys, he has in mind on all the coins that have been collected and are in the office there as well as the coins that have not yet reached the office as well as the coins that have not yet been collected and some say on the coins that have been lost and on those that will eventually be collected.

Some say (Rav Shlomo Sirilio, zt”l) that the entire time that the Torem is in the office, he is overseen that he not steal by the treasurers inside the office, while others say (Rambam Shekalim 2:10) that the guards on the outside must engage him in conversation from the time he enters until he leaves. The reason is so that he will not put a coin in his mouth.

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

The Secre T of Succe SS ful Te S huvah

First Come, First s erved

By r a BB i d aniel Glatstein

The world is judged on four separate occasions. On Pesach, Hashem judges the grain; on Shavuos, Hashem judges the fruits. On the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashana, all the inhabitants of the world pass before Hashem like a flock before a shepherd. And on Sukkos, Hashem passes judgment on water (Mishnah Rosh Hashana 1:2).

What are the Bnei Maron?

The Mishnah uses the phrase bnei maron to describe mankind as it passes before Hashem in judgment. The Gemara offers three possible explanations for this unusual term. The first explanation translates bnei maron as young sheep. Rashi explains that this analogy refers to an owner who counts his flock to mark every tenth sheep that will be given to the Levi as maaser. The sheep exit the corral through a narrow opening that allows them to pass through only one at a time. He then counts them as they pass, marking every tenth sheep for maaser. Likewise, on Rosh Hashana, we pass before Hashem one at a time.

Reish Lakish offers a second explanation, stating that the Mishnah refers to a path used to ascend to the house of Maron. The path was very steep and narrow; it led to the top of the mountain. As they made their way to the top, climbers were forced to walk in single file to prevent them from falling from the cliffs at the edge of the path.

A third explanation is presented by R’ Yehudah, who said in the name of Shmuel that bnei maron, which can be translated, soldiers of the master, refers to the soldiers in David HaMelech’s army. The general would decide the order in which the soldiers marched, and they would maintain that strict order as they proceeded to march in single file.

The Gemara provides three definitions for the term bnei maron, but each one seemingly refers to the same thing: On Rosh Hashana, all the inhabitants of the world come before Hashem in single file, one at a time, stating that we are each judged individually. Let us uncover the deeper messages of these three analogies.

Why So Cryptic?

Why does the Mishnah not simply state that on Rosh Hashanah all the inhabitants of the world come before Hashem individually — “zeh achar zeh, one after the other”— to be judged? Typically, Chazal use parables only to elucidate complex topics, while the simple concept of passing before God individually is easily understood. Furthermore, when the Gemara is seeking an explanation, why does it provide three explanations that all reach the same conclusion? These questions are raised by Rav Yitzchak Blazer, known as Rav Itzele Peterburger (1837-1907), in his great work, Kochvei Ohr.

Rav Itzele Peterburger was one of the three primary students of the founder of the mussar movement, Rav Yisroel Salanter, along with the Alter of Kelm and Rav Naftali Amsterdam. Rav Yisroel would praise these talmidim; the accolade with which he praised Rav Itzele was that he was a lamdan. This is certainly evident from his classic work of halachic responsa, Sheilos U’Teshuvos Pri Yitzchak. We can get a glimpse of Rav Itzele’s saintliness through a comment of the Chofetz Chaim, who wrote that in order not to sin with one’s words during the Yamim Noraim, one must be very careful to curtail one’s speech, emulat-

ing ways of the Gaon and the tzaddik Rav Yitzchak Blazer, the Av Beis Din of St. Petersburg, who did not speak from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Yom Kippur. Each year, he was completely silent for these forty days.

Rav Itzele answers by offering a revolutionary understanding of the first Mishnah in Rosh Hashana: In fact, the Mishnah is not teaching us that we pass before Hashem one at a time; that goes without saying. Rather, the Mishnah is teaching us that as we pass before Hashem in single file, it is our position on this procession that is crucial to the outcome of our Yom HaDin and is a key component as to the type of year we will have.

The closer one is to the front of the line, the better off he is!

Why “One by One”?

Rav Itzele asks an even more basic question: Why does Hashem require us to pass before Him to be judged one at a time? Can’t Hashem judge the whole world simultaneously?

The Gemara describes the judgment on Rosh Hashana. Hashem begins by judging the Jewish People, and He then proceeds to judge the other nations of the world. And, as Rav Chisda says, when Hashem judges

Hashem can decide that a special act of kindness warrants another year of life for the one who performed it — even if that person is truly wicked.

the Jews, He begins with the king and then moves onto the tzibbur. The Gemara offers two explanations as to why the king must be judged before the masses. The first is that it is not derech eretz to keep the king waiting as his subjects are judged.

The Gemara’s second answer is the key to understanding the secret of the judgment on Rosh Hashanah: The king is privileged to be judged “before the anger of G-d flares.” Rashi explains that as the Yom HaDin progresses, Hashem is increasingly faced with a multitude of people who have committed all sorts of aveiros. Hashem has great patience, kavayachol, at the beginning of the day, but as time wears on and more and more sins are presented before Him for judgment, Hashem conducts Himself as if His patience were being tried. Subsequent judgments are not as lenient or forgiving. Were the king to be judged after the people, he would face a much harsher and more stringent judgment than if he were to be judged before them. Therefore, Hashem judges the king first.

Rav Itzele is troubled by this Gemara as well. Can we say that Hashem’s din for one person is swayed by the sins of others? Hashem’s judgment is absolutely objective; He is the ultimate Dayan Emes — He is completely and perfectly just and can certainly judge each person on the basis of his own merits. How can we possibly say that Hash-

em will be negatively influenced and that His patience will be tried as the day of judgment progresses?

Therefore, Rav Itzele derives from this Gemara that Hashem established the procedures of the Heavenly Court analogously with mortal courts. Just as in a human court, earlier cases impact and affect the way a judge decides and sentences later cases, so too, the Beis Din shel Maalah allows those who are judged earlier on the Yom HaDin to impact the judgment of those who come before Hashem later in the day. Each member of Klal Yisrael, while judged individually, is actually very much affected by earlier judgments of other Jews. Rav Itzele explains that the reason the Heavenly Court is conducted this way is in order to help us relate better to the judgment process; we are thus able to think of it as if it were a judgment of flesh and blood.

According to Rav Itzele, this is why Hashem does not judge us all simultaneously. If Hashem were to look at everyone at once, with our many collective sins, His patience would, so to speak, soon be exhausted and we would each be in danger of receiving a harsh judgment. By judging us individually, Hashem gives us a fighting chance to have an easier and more lenient sentence. To those who come before Hashem earlier in the day — those at the front of the line — the Judge is patient; His patience has not been tried and worn thin.

The all-important question, then, is how does one merit placement at the head of the line rather than at the tail end?

How Do We Get to the Front of the Line?

The Gemara tells us that Hashem places the king at the very front of the line so that he will be in a better position to receive a positive judgment, so how do we move up and get as close as possible to the front? Every place on the line is of critical importance. As the pasuk states, “A single rogue can ruin a great deal of good” (Koheles 9:18). Every additional person, with his aveiros, who precedes us on the line can greatly affect the outcome as we are judged. It would be worthwhile to get ahead of even one person on line; that may make all the difference in what the ultimate din is.

While awaiting judgment, our fate is very much dependent on the position we occupy, so how do we secure a better position on the line of judgment?

Says Rav Itzele, this is precisely what the Mishnah tells us with the statement that on Rosh Hashana we come before Hashem like bnei maron: The Mishnah teaches us how to get to the front of the line, and the Gemara offers us three ways to accomplish this. To understand this, we must first explore how the din on Rosh Hashana actually takes place.

The Basis of the Din on Rosh Hashana

How does Hashem, in fact, judge a person? On what is the din based? The Gemara states that there are three books open before Hashem on Rosh Hashana. One is the book of tzaddikim gemurim, the totally righteous; the second book is that of reshaim gemurim, the totally wicked; the third is the book of beinonim, those who fall between the above categories.

Tzaddikim gemurim are registered in the Book of Life, and their verdict is immediately sealed for life, while re-

shaim gemurim are immediately registered and sealed for death. However, the din of the beinonim is in limbo; it is suspended until Yom Kippur. At that time, if they merit, they then are registered for life, and if not, they are sentenced to death.

In this context, who is considered a tzaddik? What defines a rasha? A beinoni? Is a tzaddik only a gadol hador and a rasha always a completely wicked person?

The Ran comments that upon first analysis, the Gemara seems to use the term beinoni to describe someone who has precisely the same number of zechusim as aveiros This implies that to be a tzaddik, one might have even only one more mitzvah than he does aveiros. Using this rationale, a rasha would be someone whose sins outnumber his mitzvos — again, even by just one.

Yet, says the Ran, this cannot be the correct understanding. Looking around, we have seen that many people who clearly had many more mitzvos than aveiros did not all survive the year. The opposite is also true: People who are known to be evil survive and even thrive. The Gemara therefore cannot be defining a tzaddik simply as someone who has more mitzvos than aveiros and a rasha as someone who has more aveiros than mitzvos.

According to the Ran, the word tzaddik does not refer to a righteous person, and the word rasha does not refer to a wicked person. Rather, the Ran states, a tzaddik is one who is found to be tzaddik b’din, one who has been acquitted; a rasha is defined as a rasha b’din, one who was found guilty. Thus, a tzaddik is a person to whom Hashem decides to give life on Rosh Hashana; a rasha is one on whom Hashem has passed the verdict that he will not survive the year. Hashem can decide that a special act of kindness warrants another year of life for the one who performed it — even if that person is truly wicked. When this person comes to the Beis Din shel Maalah after 120 years, he will definitely be held accountable for all the sins he committed during his lifetime, and he will be punished accordingly. But in terms of the din on a particular Rosh Hashana, he can merit a victorious judgment based on the merit of a mitzvah or action that found favor with Hashem. In this instance, the person who is a true rasha is labeled a tzaddik b’din — he has emerged righteous in his judgment on that Rosh Hashana.

The din on Rosh Hashana is administered differently from the judgment one faces after his demise. That later din weighs and considers all a person’s actions, and it balances the good against the bad. On Rosh Hashana, however, Hashem does not necessarily look at the balance in the spiritual ledger of mitzvos and aveiros. Instead, He may examine individual deeds that a person may have done that will lead him either to a din of life or, chas v’shalom, the opposite. Hashem may see a tzaddik who performed one act that He feels is unacceptable for one of his stature. This tzaddik may then emerge as a rasha b’din — not receiving another year of life.

The Ran states that the proof that the din of Rosh Hashanah is administered in this way is apparent in the world around us. We see many righteous people who pass away and many evil people who survive.

The Rambam’s Approach

However, the Rambam differs with the Ran’s conclusion. The Rambam writes that the din on Rosh

Hashana actually is a calculation and a tallying of all of a person’s mitzvos and aveiros , and the judgment is based on the balance between them. More mitzvos result in life; more aveiros result in death. The Rambam says the judgment on Rosh Hashana is the same din that one will face after he passes away; i.e., it depends solely on a person’s merits and demerits.

How does the Rambam then explain the phenomenon of a tzaddik passing away and a rasha surviving? Rav Itzele explains that the Rambam is referring to most cases, wherein a tzaddik will have a long and fulfilling life, while a rasha will not. In the vast majority of instances, Hashem weighs the mitzvos and aveiros, and the din is based on which side of the scale is heavier. The Rambam agrees that there are exceptions to this paradigm. There are times when a true tzaddik receives an unfortunate din because of a specific aveirah he may have done. There are cases when a rasha is judged for life because of a specific mitzvah he may have done that found favor with Hashem. But these occasions are the exception, not the rule. Rav Itzele states a Jew must believe that the basis for judgment on Rosh Hashana is primarily based on the number of one’s mitzvos weighed against the number of one’s aveiros, regardless of the exceptions.

However, there is yet a third aspect of din. Moshe Rabbeinu asked the Ribbono shel Olam, “Make Your way known to me” (Shemos 33:13). Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to understand the phenomena of tzaddik v’ra lo and rasha v’tov lo: How can a tzaddik experience hardship, while a rasha’s life is pleasant and smooth? Why do we sometimes see a perfect tzaddik, who never sinned, pass away in his prime, while a rasha, who continually sins, lives and prospers? Hashem responded that He would not reveal the secret to Moshe: “I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy” (ibid. v. 19). That is, Hashem is gracious to the person He chooses, and He will be compassionate to the person He chooses. This decision is not made because of a specific mitzvah or a specific aveirah; rather it is based on hidden reasons that we mortals cannot be privy to nor understand.

Summary of the Three Main Methods of Judgment:

1) In the vast majority of cases, Hashem uses a scale to weigh one’s mitzvos against the aveiros, and He bases His judgment on which side of the scale is heavier (Rambam).

2) Out of the ordinary cases, in which Hashem identifies a specific action and bases the din on that action. There may be a mitzvah that found favor with Hashem, and a rasha may be spared, or there may be a single aveirah that causes Hashem to judge a tzaddik unfavorably (Ran).

3) A seemingly completely undeserving person may

receive Hashem’s compassion, or vice versa, for reasons we cannot understand: “I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy” (Berachos 17a).

These are the methods of judgment.

Three Ways to Be Placed at the Head of the Line

Correspondingly, there are three ways to be placed at the all-important head of the judgment line. The first is to deserve it. If a person has numerous mitzvos and zechusim, and his zechusim far outweigh his aveiros, then Hashem may move him up the line. Thus, the first way to move up in the line is to accumulate more mitzvos than aveiros. However, this suggestion is not very helpful at the eleventh hour, as we may not have enough time to achieve this goal right before the Yom HaDin

A second way to move up in the line can apply even to someone whose aveiros far outweigh his mitzvos. If the person has a unique mitzvah, a special zechus, that finds favor with Hashem, the Ribbono shel Olam may move that person up in the line. Even though according to his balance sheet the person does not deserve to be advanced, Hashem decides to move him there based on a specific mitzvah he did.

There is a third way to be placed at the head of the line. Hashem is merciful and, based on His hidden reason, may decide that a certain individual warrants being moved up in the line. However, from a practical standpoint, we have no way of influencing this decision and taking advantage of this method.

The most useful method of moving toward the head of the line is the second way described above. If we were able to identify a mitzvah that would fit into the category of a special zechus that really finds favor with Hashem, then perhaps we could influence our positioning. Thus, even if we are not really deserving, we may be able to improve our outcome by having our place moved up in the line.

What is That Special Zechus?

Can we, in fact, identify a special zechus that might find favor with Hashem so that He will move us forward and thereby increase our chance for a favorable din?

Rav Itzele Peterburger states that by uncovering the hidden meanings of the three definitions of “bnei maron,”

as noted above, we discover three ways one can move to the head of the line during the Yom HaDin.

The first pshat of bnei maron was that we file before Hashem like the sheep who exit the corral one at a time. The order in which the sheep walk through the gate is not decided by the owner; it is determined by the sheep. The stronger and more powerful sheep push the weaker animals out of their way and exit first. This parable teaches us that the strongest and the biggest — in a spiritual sense — are at the front of the line. Those with the most zechusim are the strongest spiritually, and they can muscle their way to the head of the line to be judged first. Tzaddikim are therefore afforded a better spot on line than those who are not as righteous.

The Gemara tells us that there are some people whom Hashem feeds and provides for out of His good grace, while others are provided for because they are strong. Rashi says that the strength of these “strong” people lies in their mitzvos. Thus, this latter group, for whom Hashem provides because of their strength, is comprised of the tzaddikim. If we want to know who goes first, who is judged at the head of the line on Rosh Hashana, this mashal teaches us that it is the strong ones, namely, the mighty tzaddikim with their many zechusim

Who are the weak people? The Torah states, “That he [Amalek] happened upon you on the way, and he struck those of you who were hindmost, all the weaklings at your rear…” (Devarim 25:18). Rashi explains ha’necheshalim, the weaklings, as a reference to those who are spiritually weak because of their sins. As we see, sinners are termed weak and tzaddikim are called strong. Thus, the first group of people who are granted positions at the front of the line are the strong, the tzaddikim, symbolized by the more powerful sheep who push their way through the gate at the head of the flock.

The second mashal the Gemara gives for bnei maron is the steep and narrow ascent up the mountain. Uncovering the message of this mashal will prove to be the secret of achieving a more successful din on Rosh Hashana. This steep pathway must be climbed in single file. Who goes up the mountain first? Whoever gets to the path first! There is no specific order; access to the path is granted on a firstcome, first-served basis. Rav Itzele Peterburger says that this mashal is telling us a very practical way to move up in the line and therefore be assured a better judgment on Rosh Hashana. If we get to the line first — if we start doing teshuvah early — then we will be ahead of those who begin to prepare after us.

Just as one who is truly worried about an important court case prepares extensively and starts his preparation as soon as he can, one who takes the Yom HaDin seriously prepares for it in advance, rather than waiting until the last minute. This will help for the judgment on Rosh Hashana, and the earlier one starts preparing the farther up the line and the better off he will be. Even if a person is not a tzaddik, and even if he does not have many zechusim, starting to prepare earlier grants him an earlier

place on the line. There is a third way to be moved to the front of the line, which parallels the third understanding of the bnei maron. Similar to the general whose choice of who should go to battle and when seems arbitrary, Hashem can choose to (seemingly) randomly assign a person an earlier and more coveted spot on line.

The Three Methods Summarized

To get to the front of the line, one has the option to act like a strong sheep and power his way forward, as it were, by performing mitzvos and gathering zechusim throughout the year. This will increase his spiritual muscle, enabling him to move to the front of the line. However, this option is not easy to achieve for everyone. Likewise, the third way to get to the front of the line is not something that we can influence, as Hashem acts in mysterious ways and decides on His own to advance someone’s position on the line. Therefore, it is imperative to employ the second method, which will prove to be the most practical for most people. As Elul begins, and the Yimei HaDin approach, this second method is critical for one to be aware of and to take advantage of. Like those who are attempting to climb the path up the mountain, getting there first ensures an earlier spot on line. By commencing preparations early, by being among the first to begin the teshuvah process, a person can move himself up the line. This favorable position provides the opportunity to receive a more favorable

i f the person has a unique mitzvah, a special zechus, that finds favor with Hashem, the r ibbono shel o lam may move that person up in the line.

judgment. As soon as the shofar sounds on the very first day of Elul, it behooves one to think about the impending judgment and to begin to do teshuvah.

The Gemara in Rosh Hashana is not simply telling us three ways to understand how we pass before Hashem single file. There is a much deeper message. The Gemara is teaching us about the order of the line of judgment on Rosh Hashanah as a means of instructing us as to how we can move our place on line closer to the front.

mercy of Hashem. The yesod of preparing for the din is to awaken this fear in oneself. This fear, acquired with introspection and reflection, can facilitate a person receiving a more advantageous decision on the Yom HaDin.

The Chiddush of the Tzaddik M’Raanana

The sefer Ben L’Ashri-Berachah M’shuleshes was written by the Gaon and Mekubal Rav Yitzchak HaKohen Huberman. He learned in Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, where he was the chavrusa of my great-grandfather, the last Rav of Sochaczew, Reb Yehuda Leib Wolman, Hy”d. After his family was murdered in the Holocaust, Rav Huberman moved to Eretz Yisrael, where he became known as the Tzaddik M’Raanana. The Gerrer Rebbe used to study the righteous practices of this tzaddik.

The Tzaddik M’Raanana was so poor that he could not even afford a new tallis katan; he could not even afford to purchase paper. My grandfather, HaRav Mordechai Leib Glatstein, has many letters of correspondence with the Tzaddik M’Raanana in which this tzaddik wrote on the inside of the envelope, since he did not have other stationery. He was a venerated mekubal to whom the Beis Yisrael of Gur traveled weekly to study kabbalah. This great tzaddik was not blessed with children, and the sefer, Ben L’Ashri, is his legacy. In his sefer, the Tzaddik M’Raanana sets down an incredible promise. He writes that he will pray daily for anyone who learns his sefer and relates the divrei Torah in his name. The Tzaddik vowed to daven that these people will be saved from any tzarah in both This World and in the World to Come.

The Ben L’Ashri expounds on the pasuk: “Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose from among all your tribes to place His Name there shall you seek out His Presence and come there” (Devarim 12:5).

The word “l’shichno,” His Presence,” has its root in the word shachein, neighbor. We know that the halacha is that we are obligated to begin learning about and expounding upon the halachos of a Yom Tov thirty days before it arrives. Therefore, in preparation for Rosh Hashana, which is a day of teshuvah, preparations must begin on Rosh Chodesh Elul, thirty days earlier.

Says the Tzaddik M’Raanana: Don’t wait for Elul! “Sidrishu l’shichno” — seek out Hashem, start preparing during the neighbor of Elul — during the month of Av. Start doing teshuvah during the month of Av. If you do, then “shama u’basah,” you will come to the desired place. If you do, then you will have a blessed and successful year.

Rosh Chodesh Elul marks the beginning of the days of mercy, yimei rachamim, because it is the day that Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Shamayim for the third time to obtain the second set of Luchos. Rav Itzele adds that the more fearful one is regarding the judgment, the more rachmanus Hashem will have on that person. By preparing early, one demonstrates that he has a genuine eimas hadin, fear of judgment, which is a zechus to arouse the

True, if you start doing teshuvah on Rosh Chodesh Elul, you have a good chance to be placed on an advantageous spot on the line. Even better would be to start earlier, during the month of Av. In fact, it is brought down that the two letters of the word Av are the roshei teivos for Elul bah, Elul is coming. During the month of Av, one should be cognizant that Elul is coming and Rosh Hashana is not far behind.

When it comes to the judgment of Rosh Hashana, it is location, location, location — being at the front of the line can help us merit a favorable judgment on the Yom HaDin

This article has been excerpted from Rabbi Daniel Glatstein’s sefer, The Mystery and Majesty, published by ArtScroll. Rabbi Daniel Glatstein is the Mara D’asra of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai in Cedarhurst, NY, and author of numerous seforim in Lashon Hakodesh and in English for ArtScroll. He is an international lecturer

Let’s talk about the weather.

Sitting in the scorching heat at an outdoor venue listening to a concert featuring the Jerusalem Mariachi Band, it started to rain. Living in Israel, rain is not something that one ever takes for granted; it has not rained here since before Pesach.

As we rocked and rolled to La Bamba, I felt wet droplets on my forehead; I thought it was a leaky air conditioner. As I looked around the circle surrounding the band, I saw people leave their seats to seek shelter from the falling wet.

The speculation as to the cause was that it was a result of this week of relentless summer heat.

There was not a cloud in the sky, and it was over in less than 5 minutes. The band kept playing. I think they were not able to differentiate between the water coming from the sky and the sweat on their hard-working bodies. The bandmates were dressed in elaborate costumes that included a frilly white shirt, a tailored white jacket, and huge sombreros.

Before the show began with introductions that included the back stories of the individual musicians, our hostess, Judy Amsel, dedicated the evening’s performance to a dear friend and neighbor who had just passed away, Paul Lindenblatt. As Judy read from her scripted remarks, I turned to Bob and said, “We know Paul. I even taught his son (long ago),” though in that shocked moment I could not retrieve his name.

The son’s name is Yoni, and he was one of my more memorable students.

The Jerusalem Mariachi Band is made up of a disparate group of talented Spanish-speaking musicians who work as a group and who also freelance with orchestras in Israel and abroad. They are super talented, charming and resilient. They did not allow the oppressive heat nor the rain stop the glorious flow of the Latin music.

Judy Amsel, a talented musician and powerhouse in her own right, turns her lush backyard, with its amazing view of Jerusalem, into a unique performance space. Judy started hosting backyard and boutique concerts during the Covid lock-

School of Thought

Reflections on the Weather

By Barbara Deutsch

down in order to give starving artists a venue and culture-hungry patrons musical sustenance; a lot of food references here.

From masked groups of two, to four, then ten and more, and then even more, Judy’s experiment grew to what is now a vibrant cultural and social happening.

Mostly attended by Anglos, the concerts

sand. Everything, I mean everything, was covered with the stuff. Given that Jerusalem is nowhere near a beach, where did it come from?

The sand brought with it unrelenting heat; even at night, it was scorchingly hot with temperatures reaching 37.8 degrees; I don’t know Celsius so I didn’t understand

The week began with a day of fog, which turned out to be a sandstorm, one that enveloped every available surface leaving a fine grainy blanket of sand.

have become a venue of note for patrons of the arts.

For the past week, the weather has aligned itself with the ups and downs of daily life in Israel. The week began with a day of fog, which turned out to be a sandstorm, one that enveloped every available surface leaving a fine grainy blanket of

the number, but every time I came home from being outside, I had to change my dripping clothes. I have not been this hot since we went to a Mets game with our grandkids, and they charged us $10 for a big cup of ice.

Despite the lack of humidity in Jerusalem like there is in New York and Florida,

here it’s just plain hot. 37.8 Celsius is 100 degrees Fahrenheit; I still can’t figure out why the United States does not use a metric system.

The Israeli media issued warnings for old people to stay indoors; we paid no heed. Instead, we walked to concerts, to lunch with our visiting kids, to visit our new Oleh cousin from Toronto, and to participate in a tour of the newly refurbished museum in David’s Tower.

An exciting new exhibit is the installation celebrating Israel Prize winner Yehoram Gaon.

The exhibit was packed with Israeli tourist visitors to Jerusalem. We need to return at another less crowded time to get the full impact of the Gaon content as Israeli tourists have a unique way of managing crowds. I have not yet mastered the ability to squeeze by the smallest of spaces, pushing against anyone standing in one’s way, to get to a desired destination. Nor am I comfortable taking a selfie in front of a detailed slide and thereby blocking it from anyone’s view. I also have trouble hearing in a packed room as a Hebrew-speaking tour guide instructs her group.

We took a cab to Paul Lindenblatt’s shiva house; I was encouraged to go even though it has been more than 25 years since we last saw or spoke to him. Until we entered the room, I did not fully understand how much it would mean to his widow to see a familiar face from their young past. When we walked in, Hannah stood up, spoke my name, and gave me a kiss.

It is always the right thing to pay a shiva call.

“Like sand in the hour-glass, these are the days of our lives.”

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.

Judy Amsel with the Jerusalem Mariachi Band

My Israel Home Hungary’s Forgotten Hero

By Gedaliah Borvick

In 2015, a quiet street in Jerusalem was named for Moshe (Miklós) Krausz, a man whose extraordinary heroism during the Holocaust had gone largely unrecognized for decades. A Hungarian Jew and leader of the Palestine Office of the World Zionist Movement in Budapest, Krausz orchestrated one of the largest rescue operations of the Holocaust – saving at least 40,000 Jews, with some estimates as high as 100,000.

To appreciate the scale of his achievement, consider that Oskar Schindler – whose name is universally known –rescued 1,200 Jews. Yet Krausz’s story remained in the shadows. When he died in Jerusalem in 1986, it was in obscurity and without public acknowledgment of his heroism.

When the Nazis invaded Hungary in March 1944 and began deporting Jews to concentration camps, Moshe Krausz partnered with Swiss Vice-Consul Carl Lutz to launch a daring rescue operation. Lutz had negotiated permission to issue protective Swiss documents – called Schutz-Passes – for 8,000 Hungarian Jews emigrating to Palestine. They deliberately interpreted the quota as applying to families – not individuals – and issued tens of thousands of Shutz-Passes.

To shelter those under protection, they obtained diplomatic immunity for more than 75 buildings across Budapest, turning them into safe houses. The most

famous was the abandoned glass factory – later known as the “Glass House” –where over 3,000 Jews found refuge for several harrowing months.

Zionist youth group members played a vital role, smuggling Jews into these shelters – often dressed as Nazi officers – and distributing forged documents, sometimes with the ink still drying. The scale, coordination, and daring of the operation were unprecedented.

mittee and appointed Israel Kasztner as its leader.

After the war, Kasztner was accused of collaborating with the Nazis. In a high-profile trial, Krausz testified against him, accusing Kasztner of undermining the Swiss document scheme by informing the Nazis that the 8,000 authorized Schutz-Passes were for individuals, not families. This betrayal, Krausz said, jeopardized the entire rescue effort. His testi-

Krausz orchestrated one of the largest rescue operations of the Holocaust –saving at least 40,000 Jews, with some estimates as high as 100,000.

Why, then, did such a monumental effort remain virtually unknown for so long?

The answer sadly lies in political infighting. Moshe Krausz was affiliated with the Mizrachi movement, while the leadership of the Yishuv in British Mandate Palestine – and later the State of Israel – was dominated by Mapai (the Labor Party). Separately from Krausz, Mapai had formed the Budapest Rescue Com-

mony turned him into a political pariah, and for decades, his contributions were erased from public memory.

Carl Lutz, Krausz’s Swiss partner, was honored early on by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. Lutz himself insisted that Krausz was the true mastermind behind the rescue. When the Jewish National Fund informed Lutz he would be inducted into its “Golden Book,” he requested that the honor go instead

to Krausz. But at the official ceremony, Krausz’s name was never mentioned –only Lutz, again and again, spoke of the man behind the mission.

It wasn’t until the publication of Dr. Ayala Nadivi’s 2014 book Between Krausz and Kasztner: The Battle to Save Hungarian Jewry that the truth began to resurface. Disturbed by the near-complete absence of Krausz’s name in Yad Vashem’s archives, Nadivi called the omission a tragic injustice. No other individual-led rescue effort saved as many Jews during the Holocaust – and if that weren’t enough, Krausz’s plan also served as a blueprint for several subsequent operations that saved thousands more.

Slowly, recognition began to take shape. In addition to the Jerusalem street naming, the Beit Ha’Edut museum in Nir Galim built a full-scale replica of the Glass House and created a permanent exhibit honoring Krausz’s legacy.

Moshe Krausz never sought fame. He acted to save lives. It is only right that the world now remembers the hero it once overlooked.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.

Moshe Krausz

British author and commentator Douglas Murray once asked Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks what it means to be a Jew.

“To be a Jew,” Rabbi Sacks, zt”l, answered, “is to have a sense of memory.”

Rabbi Berel Wein, zt”l, who passed away on Shabbos at the age of 91, was, perhaps, this generation’s memory.

As a historian, he brought our nation’s past into the present. He shared the chronicles of yesterday with the people of today. He highlighted the beauty of our heritage, tracing it back thousands of years. And he led us all on a journey through time where the people who lived in the era of the Neviim were just as alive as those whom we pass on the street today.

For Rabbi Wein, history was not an ancient story found in dusty, brittle books. It was a living, breathing imperative for us to relive and recount. The lessons found in the past were guidelines for how we should be living today, for those who don’t understand their past and are estranged from their heritage will find themselves rootless and adrift.

Without Rabbi Wein guiding, teaching, and leading, many of us would have been deprived of our Jewish memory.

For those mourning around the world, we are mourning a rebbe, a talmid chacham, a historian, a rav, and, most importantly, a father and a zeidy to his children and grandchildren. His great wisdom and unique knowledge brought inspiration that spanned six decades.

At his levaya on Sunday, his son, Rabbi Efraim Wein, said that his father’s greatest mission was to strengthen Klal Yisroel. He was able to open people’s eyes through audio tapes, the many books that he authored, and his great ability to speak to and reach people near and far. In the span of his life, he was a rav, a rebbe, a rosh yeshiva, an historian, and an amazing orator who left his audiences speechless after every drasha. He was a leader and a

Rabbi Berel Wein zt”l A Bridge Connecting Generations of the Jewish People

BY G OLDIE YOUNG

spiritual guide to so many. The loss is great and is felt throughout the Jewish nation.

Rabbi Berel Wein was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was born into a lineage of rabbis spanning seven generations before him. Because of his great rabbinical upbringing, which included learning with his father since the age of 3 years old, he was able to meet and speak with many inspiring gedolei hador.

When he was a student in a yeshiva in Chicago, Rabbi Isaac Herzog, who was the chief rabbi of what was called Palestine at the time, came to give a speech in the yeshiva. It was 1946, and World War II had just ended. He had just visited the Pope in Rome. Many Jewish children were hidden away in churches and monasteries by their parents in order to survive the war. There were about 10,000 children that Rabbi Herzog asked the Pope to return back to their Jewish roots. But the Pope refused Rabbi Herzog’s request, claiming that the children were already baptized and taken into the fold of the Christian religion. Young Berel Wein stood in the audience and was shaken to the core as he watched the Chief Rabbi sob with emotion in front of the yeshiva. After he composed himself, Rabbi Herzog screamed out, “I can’t do anything for those lost children, but what are you going to do to build the Jewish people?” This question would ring in Rabbi Wein’s soul for the rest of his life. And indeed, he shaped his life around this single question.

Rabbi Wein didn’t start out his career as a rabbi but actually worked as a lawyer first. Although he was a competent attorney, there was something missing. He always knew he wanted to be a rabbi. The opportunity came when his friend, Rabbi Ratner, came to tell him that he was leaving his shul and community in Miami Beach, Florida, and would he, Rabbi Wein, be interested in taking over the position. “We have enough Jewish lawyers, we need a good rabbi,” Rabbi Ratner said to his chaver

When Rabbi Wein took the position, he realized that this job was the one that would fulfill him and bring him true joy: he was doing his part in saving the Jewish people.

While in Miami Beach, over the winters, Rabbi Wein was able to meet many great tzaddikim who came to Miami to evade the cold weather elsewhere. Rabbi Wein would speak of this period with a smile on his face. He became the Ponovezh Rav’s driver and had the priceless experience learning from him during the many conversations that they had. In fact, his last book discusses these very lessons and tells the stories of the great gedolim he was able to meet while being a rav in Miami Beach.

In 1972, Rabbi Wein moved with his family to New York and was appointed executive vice president of the OU. At the time, he founded a shul in Monsey and was the rav there for more than two decades. In 1977, Rabbi Wein founded Yeshiva Shaarei Torah.

In speaking with Rabbi Daniel Staum, who wrote down Rabbi Wein’s thoughts and wisdom in a book called Nostalgia for Eternity and was a talmid of his in Shaarei Torah, we learn so much about him as a rebbi. Rabbi Wein was a loving, kind, sharp-witted Rosh Yeshiva whom the boys all adored and respected. He was real and down-toearth with his talmidim. He was just as knowledgeable in sports as he was in the Gemara. Before each lesson, he would sit down and declare, “Ashreinu ma tov chelkeinu! How lucky are we to be the bearers of the torch that we will pass on to the generations.” History for him was not just ancient stories from the past. When Rabbi Wein spoke of Jewish history, it became real and contemporary for everyone listening.

When teaching and leading the yeshiva, Rabbi Wein made sure to hire rebbeim from different places and even rabbeim who thought a bit differently than him. He did this because he wanted his talmidim to be broadminded and make their own decisions in life. He also strongly believed that in chinuch you can’t place children in “Sedom beds.” In Sedom, they used to torture people by stretching them to fit beds which were wrong for their height.

“Chinuch cannot be a ‘Sedom bed,’” Rabbi Wein used to say. Each child needs to be taught according to his strengths and weaknesses.

Rabbi Wein originally began writing books on Shas. But soon after, he started to write books on the history of the Jewish people based on advice he was given to him by Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, zt”l, with whom he was very close.

As a teenager, Rabbi Wein devoured books about people in history. The librarian in his school used to give him book upon book on this topic. This is where he discovered that connecting with people was very much of human interest, regardless of the fact that these people whom he wrote about were from earlier generations and even generations that we only heard of in passed down stories. He would compare history to carrying an elephant: one carries the leg, one the tusk, and one the trunk, and each carrier knows about that part of the body. But the most important thing is to know what you are carrying: an elephant! In learning and teaching history, Rabbi Wein would put together historical figures and stories and show people who they really were when all the dots were connected.

Rabbi Wein made aliya in 1997, a lifelong dream, where he continued his life’s work. He taught in Ohr Sameach, he wrote, and passed on Torah each and every day. He became the rav of Beit Knesset Hanosi in Rechavia, Yerushalayim. He liked to quip that the angels were looking for people who weren’t busy, so he always made sure to be involved in several projects, be it writing a book, teaching, and creating movies and documentaries. He made documentaries about Rashi, the Abarbanel, and the Holocaust, and a movie called A New Beginning, detailing how Israel became a state and the need for it to be home for so many.

In a recent interview with Meaningful People, Rabbi Wein was asked about his favorite mitzvah. His answer was “sleeping in a sukkah.” He said it felt like home to him. Before he moved to Eretz Yisroel, he was, for many different reasons, unable to sleep in a sukkah. But in Eretz Yisroel, it brought him great joy to fulfill this particular mitzvah.

Rabbi Wein was a widower two times during his life. He lost his first wife, Jackie, in 2006. His second wife, Mira Cohen, died in 2018. When asked how we able to go through something so difficult and what gave him the strength to go on, he answered with a story.

Rabbi Wein shared the story of Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich, a Russian refusenik who was imprisoned by the KGB. In prison, Rabbi Mendelevich started to learn more about Torah and mitzvos, and one day decided to make a kippah for himself. The first time he wore it, he was brought to his prison guard and was threatened to be killed. As the pistol lay on the table in front of him, the guard ordered Reb Yosef, “Take off your kippah.” His answer was no. The pistol then moved into the guard’s hands: “Take off your kippah.” Once again, he said no. With the pistol pointed at him, the guard screamed out one more time. The answer remained the same.“Mendelevich! Don’t you fear death?” This time, Reb Yosef answered: “For you, you believe that death comes from Brezhnev, but I believe that death comes from G-d. Of course, I want to live, but it is not in my hands to keep myself alive. Only G-d can do that.”

Rabbi Wein said that that was how he viewed life and death. And that, as heartbreaking as it is, is what kept him going. His strong emunah and bitachon was so great that even in his personal life and struggles he was able to find peace.

Dr. David Pelcovitz, renowned psychologist, shared that Rabbi Berel Wein was truly the most genuine person that he knew. His life was a constant of growth, and he never allowed himself to be a finished product. Psychology and mental health were very important to Rabbi Wein, and he was an early pioneer of making mental health an acceptable topic of conversation for the Jewish people.

To answer the question of how was it that he had so much energy, always being involved with so many different projects and organizations, is to understand that Rabbi Wein was living his dream. His job put its own fire underneath him that propelled him to keep going, keep spreading the truth and the beauty of Torah. His energy came from being able to tap into his gift, his talent, and his heart’s greatest wish to share, inspire, and love the Jewish people.

Rabbi Wein would come into the Five Towns to meet with Dr. Pelcovitz’s father, Rabbi Raphael Pelcovitz, zt”l. When they would sit at a restaurant and speak to each

Without Rabbi Wein guiding, teaching, and leading, many of us would have been deprived of our Jewish memory.

other, the people in that restaurant would without any restraint or embarrassment and shush each other, trying to get close enough to hear the stories and thoughts that the pair had to share.

Among the many organizations that Rabbi Wein was involved with there was his own foundation called The Destiny Foundation. The goal of this foundation was to reach as many Jews as possible, featuring articles, speeches, and videos as well as Rabbi Wein’s books. This was a voice for Jewish history. The message was: “Know where you’re from so you know where you’re going.”

In conversation with Rabbi Wein’s colleague Mrs. Elaine Gilbert, she mentioned his deep love for every Jew and the responsibility Rabbi Wein felt to share stories that often stayed with people and that people could relate to. As a colleague, Rabbi Wein was a mentor and a friend as well as a guiding light to any life he touched. He affected so many people around the world.

When asked what he would want to be remembered for, he always said that he wanted to be known as the bridge between generations. His goal in life was to connect the younger generations to those before them. The placement of his life on the map of Jewish history allowed him to do just that. Born during the war, he had connections with the Jewish gedolim who escaped and the many survivors of the Holocaust who came to America. He was connected to Lithuanian Jewry as well as the generation that came after, which gave him the unique opportunity to share stories of the past to inspire Jews in the present and preserve our Jewishness into the future. He did as his father-in-law passed on in the message he received from the Chofetz

Chaim: “Speak to the Jewish people.”

At Rabbi Wein’s levaya on Sunday, you could see a gathering of so many flavors of Jewish people. As his family members spoke about his love, his greatness and his mission, one story in particular stood out.

Rabbi Wein’s son-in-law, R’ Yona Gewirtz, spoke about what made Rabbi Wein so loved by everyone. He said that when his own father passed away, he was convalescing in Indiana and was unable to attend his father’s levaya. He had to sit shiva alone. People came and spoke of his father kindly, but as far as having nechama, R’ Gewirtz was feeling cold and disconnected. That was until his fatherin-law, Rabbi Wein, called him from Eretz Yisroel. “Yona, your father was a good man,” Rabbi Wein told him. “A very good man.” At that point, R’ Gewirtz began to cry as Rabbi Wein cried on the phone with him. And after those words, the nechama came and the cold feeling turned into a mountain of emotions. Through tears, R’ Gewitz then said at Rabbi Wein’s levaya, “Rabbi Berel Wein was a good man. A very good man. And that was what made people love him so much.”

Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, Rabbi Wein’s son-in-law and rabbi emeritus of Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, spoke about Rabbi Wein’s personal greatest achievement: the children, the grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren that he raised. That was a pride and joy for him. His grandson, R’ Ezra Goetz, spoke of the birthday and Chanukah presents that he would always get from his zeidy; the trips to Eretz Yisroel that he treasured so much; the fact that his zeidy was so proud of each and every grandchild and that his influence on them was never pushed or pressured.

Rabbi Yisroel Gettinger, Rabbi Wein’s son-in-law, said that his father-in-law always saw the good in any situation. When he spoke, it was more like it was a table discussion rather than a strict lesson. This made people feel like they were a part of the conversation and involved in the Torah that was being given over.

Rabbi Wein was a man of peace: an ish shalom. He always searched for the best in people and that’s what helped him excel in this middah. It’s not that he was meek and agreeable to everyone – no. He had discerning eye and always stood for truth and shalom.

Rabbi Wein’s son, Rabbi Efraim Wein, said that throughout his life, Rabbi Wein was always two things: a talmid chacham who learned and a teacher who gave over what he learned. Everywhere he was, whether it be Monsey, Miami Beach, or Eretz Yisroel, he made sure to connect himself to a teaching position, being a rav of a congregation in addition to being a talmid chacham and learning the very Torah that he shared.

Towards the end of his life, Rabbi Wein’s health was deteriorating. He would say, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” When asked what he himself considered to be his lasting legacy, he replied that his family was his greatest achievement, to be a father and a zeidy to his children and grandchildren. His message to the Jewish people was “to ignore the noise, to see the greater picture, and to recognize our place in the Jewish destiny.”

May Rabbi Wein’s neshama be a meilitz yosher for us all, may his legacy continue to inspire and talk to us, and may his family and those that were touched by his life and work have a nechama.

Nation

“WR’ Benzion Klatzko Living With Urgency

By Eliyahu RosEnBERg

hen I was 30, I had a tragedy in my family,” Rabbi Benzion Klatzko recalls. “I had a brother named Gavriel. He was 28 years old. And he was a powerhouse — a young, charismatic, dynamic rav in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“One Motzei Shabbos, he went to sleep, and he didn’t wake up the next morning… And it rocked my world.”

The phone call Rabbi Klatzko received that morning was, in his words, “paralyzing.” His phone rang. He answered it. And all he could hear on the other end of

In His Words…

the line was the sound of his older sister sobbing.

“Something happened to Gav,” she said, her voice cracking.

“What do you mean? What happened to Gav?” he replied.

“I don’t know. I think…I think he had a heart attack.”

At that moment, Rabbi Klatzko’s body froze, his mind racing with more thoughts than he could handle. How does a 28-year-old — someone brimming with life like Gavriel — have a heart attack just like that?

There are no tricks. it’s not a horse and pony show. you’ve got to love people. it starts and ends in love. if you don’t love them, you can’t do kiruv. a nd then, you have to ask yourself the golden question for all of success: ‘What’s the worst thing that could happen?’

My passion is to show how awesome Jews are, to show the world that they should stop badmouthing this amazing, compassionate, thoughtful, wonderful community.

i live with an urgency. There’s more to be done, and it could be done, and we’ve got to do it.

“Well, where is he?” Rabbi Klatzko stuttered. “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” his sister cried. “I think he’s dead.”

“Then, I just felt all the oxygen leave my lungs. I said, ‘I have to call you back,’” Rabbi Klatzko recounts. “I called up my in-between brother. I was 30, I had a brother who was 29 named Raphael, and Gavriel was 28. We were three brothers in three years. In Cleveland, growing up, we were known as the Three Musketeers.

“I call Raphael up. He picks up right away. And he just weeps into the phone. So, I knew right then…that musketeer number three had fallen.”

* * *

Rabbi Benzion Klatzko was already astonishingly accomplished at 21. At that young age, he was a well-respected rav for the Agudah in Boro Park. Then, when he was 28, he became a rav in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. There, he was tasked with rebuilding a community that had fallen by the wayside. Rabbi Klatzko, over the next two years, fixed the community’s mikvah and eiruv, became a mohel to facilitate brissim, and accomplished even more.

But at age 30, when his brother Gavriel tragically passed away, Rabbi Benzion Klatzko opted to leave his rabbinical career behind.

“I just decided that I had to do more with my life,” Rabbi Klatzko explains. “As someone whose brother passed away young, you ask yourself, ‘Who signed on the dotted line that I’ve got 70, 80, 90 years to live?’ He also thought he did. And so, I live with an urgency. There’s more to be done, and it could be done, and we’ve got to do it.”

So, hoping to maximize his impact, Rabbi Klatzko entered the world of kiruv. In 1999, he, his wife Shani, and their six young kids picked up one day and left New Jersey. Their destination was none other than UCLA — Los Angeles’ flagship university.

“There was no on-campus, living on-campus kiruv at the time. There was one on-campus program that was started by Rabbi Jacobovitz in Michigan. But there was no one living on campus yet,” Rabbi Klatzko shares. “So, when we moved out to a campus with our frum, yeshivish family, my wife and I didn’t really have footsteps to follow in.”

At first, Rabbi Klatzko felt it was a bizarre experience. He recalls his first day on campus, standing awkwardly on Bruin Walk, the school’s reddish-brown brick walkway. Like a whirlwind, students blew past him in every direction. Initially, his mission seemed simple enough: find Jews. But while in the thick of it — while standing at the center of the bustling California campus — he recognized the task for what it was: dizzying. How do you know who’s Jewish, anyway?

“What do you do? Do you racially profile? What are we looking for? Dark, curly hair and big noses?” Rabbi Klatzko jokes. So, what do you do if you don’t know if someone’s Jewish? You walk up to them and pose every kiruv rabbi’s favorite question: “Are you Jewish?” The only problem: Rabbi Klatzko felt too embarrassed to use that line. Indeed, it takes courage to stop random people and ask if they’re Jewish. As such, for a little while, Rabbi Klatzko refrained from asking that — that is, until he heard an idea that changed his whole mindset.

“I’ve repeated this many times and I get credit for it, but I did not invent this idea. So, someone told me this, and I just live by it. Basically, when I’m standing on this walkway and Jews are walking back and forth, and it’s embarrassing to ask — ‘Hey, are you Jewish?’ — you have to look at it like you’re standing on a train platform and people are walking into cattle cars and they’re on their way to Auschwitz. I know, that’s heavy,” Rabbi Klatzo says. “But if you let them go, you’re not going to see them again. That’s it. And you wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, I’m sort of shy to pull them off the cattle car. I feel a little embarrassed.’ You’re saving lives in a spiritual way but really in a physical way also: numbers-wise, our nation is being decimated by apathy, intermarriage, and assimilation. The numbers scream what bad shape we’re in. So, how could I be embarrassed to ask someone if they’re Jewish? Embarrassment doesn’t come into play!”

Posing the question eventually ceased to be embarrassing. In fact, before he knew it, stopping people and asking if they’re Jewish became one of his favorite things to do. He adds, “I got into it. And I love doing it till this very day.”

Back when Rabbi Klatzko first got his feet wet in the world of kiruv, his father — somewhat puzzled — exclaimed, “Huh, I never really took you as a kiruv guy.” Ironically, just a short while later, Rabbi Klatzko would become one of the top kiruv experts of our day, world-renowned for his extraordinary warmth and approachability.

“There are no tricks. It’s not a horse and pony show. You’ve got to love people. It starts and ends in love. If you don’t love them, you can’t do kiruv,” he declares.

“And then, you have to ask yourself the golden question for all of success: ‘What’s the worst thing that could happen?’ So, if I stop somebody and they give me the cold shoulder, okay, I can live with that. If they say they’re not interested, it hurts, but I can live with that. To

succeed, we have to be bold and brave. Love them, don’t worry about your kavod. Understand that if you stop somebody, that person may end up building an entire family in Klal Yisrael with 10 kids and 100 grandkids. You don’t know. And it’s worth being a little bit embarrassed to take that risk.”

* * *

Today, Rabbi Klatzko, his wife, and their 11 children live in Monsey. The couple hosts a whopping 60 to 80 guests every Shabbos. Indeed, hachnasas orchim is their passion.

“We have a warm family. And we’re very accepting — black hat, no hat, yes yarmulke, no yarmulke, believing in Hashem, struggling with emunah. We’ve had OTD Shabbatonim where our guests usually avoid everyone, but they come to our house,” shares Rabbi Klatzko. “We just love people. And a lot of our guests found their way back to Yiddishkeit, not through us wagging fingers or giving mussar, but just by showing them that they could give Hashem another chance. Even if you feel like Hashem wasn’t there for you when things were difficult. Even when things are sad, Hashem loves you tremendously. You just need to be in an environment where you can see that.”

Driven by his love for hachnasas orchim, Rabbi Klatzko, in 2010, launched a groundbreaking website called Shabbat. com. He realized that countless people want to have guests, but they don’t know where to find them. And in turn, countless people want to be hosted, but they don’t know any hosts. So, he crafted the perfect solution: a website that pairs guests and hosts for free. A year later, Rabbi Klatzko, a seasoned shadchan, added shidduchim to the website — also for free.

Today, Shabbat.com is utilized in over 200 countries. As Rabbi Klatzko puts it, “All over the world, wherever you go, you can find a place for Shabbos.”

In 2016, the platform won the Israel Award, a prestigious 1 million shekel prize given to the best technologies that connect the Jewish people. “The site’s

about 50% religious, 50% not religious. We have a lot of chassidim. We have a lot of Lakewood on it. Like, people think, ‘Oh, it’s not for me.’ It is for you,” he adds. Shabbat.com is for every Jew.

A few years ago, Rabbi Klatzko was on a plane ride. His laptop, stationed in front of him, displayed the Shabbat.com website.

“There’s a priest sitting next to me. And he’s looking over my shoulder. And he asks me what that website is. And I say, ‘It’s a Jewish site where people can get invitations for Shabbat,’” Rabbi Klatzko recalls.

The priest stared at him for a moment.

“Do these people know each other?” the priest asked, puzzled.

“No, not necessarily,” Rabbi Klatzko responded.

“And they’re inviting strangers to a meal?”

“Yes, or even to sleep,” Rabbi Klatzko said.

“Really? They’re just inviting people? Just like that?” the priest asked incredulously.

“Yes. They’re Jewish people, and they need a place for Shabbat.”

“And he looks at me and he says, ‘Us Christians would never have a site like this. We don’t trust each other enough.’”

*

Launching Shabbat.com would have been more than enough to qualify as “living with urgency.” But it wasn’t enough for Rabbi Klatzko. Since then, he’s worked on and supported more projects than this article can list. While living in Los Angeles, he taught a class on Judaism for Hollywood’s top producers, writers, and executives. A few years after starting Shabbat.com, he helped launch Chazkeinu, an organization for women struggling with mental illness. Rabbi Klatzko also founded Hashem.com, a website that proves G-d exists through enlightening videos about science, the human body, and the wonders of Creation. In 2016, Rabbi Klatzko published an album with original compositions —

and he’s put out even more beloved music since COVID. Rabbi Klatzko also started a project called Purple Jacket People, a website that compiles stories about frum Jews making the world a better place. Another major project Rabbi Klatzko launched is what he calls the Akiva Trip — a popular trip to Israel, to which he brings 30 to 40 students and immerses them in the story of Rabbi Akiva and his wife Rochel, whose kevarim they visit. A few years ago, he started a website called WhyMarryJewish.com, which aims to prevent intermarriage. And if that’s not enough, Rabbi Klatzko also runs the Rishon Art Gallery.

But at the core of all his projects is the same drive: to live with urgency and help the Jewish people.

“At the end of days, it’s brought down that there’s going to be a battle. The battle will be between the Malach of Klal Yisroel and the Malach of Yishmael (the Arabs). And the battle is: Who is the true yoreish, the true inheritor of the legacy of Avraham Avinu?” Rabbi Klatzko explains. “We will exclaim that we want to be so close to Hashem that we daven three times a day. So what does Islam say? They pray five times a day. We say that we eat meat that is slaughtered. They say they eat Halal meat. We do bris milah. So do they, but they do it when they’re older and it’s more painful. We believe in tzinius. Their version of tzinius is even stricter. We fast on Yom Kippur. They fast for a whole month during Ramadan.

“So, what is it going to boil down to, according to Chazal? What will decide the final verdict of who’s the yoreish of Avraham Avinu? Hachnasas orchim — who better represents inviting guests?”

Rabbi Klatzko concludes. “We know that Arabs also invite guests. But they don’t do a great job. They bring you in, but they also kick you out.”

To reach our true potential as a nation, we must excel in hachnasas orchim, the quality that made Avraham Avinu who he was. Of course, our nation is incredible. But, Rabbi Benzion Klatzko maintains, we could always do better.

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I hope you guys can help me with a very time sensitive question. I am dating an amazing guy after many years of singlehood. (I will call him Aaron.) Most of the times I have gone out, it has been two or three dates, max. Recently (and I’m on my third month of dating him), my roommate has been making comments about him, which is making me feel uncertain. She has been saying things like, “You are so much more serious than before you dated him; are you sure you’re being yourself?” or “Didn’t you always want a guy who was within a few years of your age. Do you really want to marry a guy six years older? That’s like your older brother’s age!” or “The other guys you dated have been much cooler. Is he really your type?” These are just a few comments out of so many.

On one hand, the things she is saying are true... I have always wanted a guy on the younger side, I’ve always wanted a cooler guy, and I’m usually a lot more chilled. Now that I’m in a serious relationship, though, and considering marriage in a very practical way, I find myself changing. I want to get married, and marrying a cool guy is not necessarily at the top of my list anymore now that I’ve met Aaron. I also have less time to spend with her, which I think bothers her. She has recently been trying to convince me and I feel as though I’m losing myself. I don’t know whether to trust my instincts or to trust my roommate.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

-Chani*

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.

Chani, kol hakavod for your self-awareness about your dating journey. You have refined your priorities and cut to what really matters. You have developed over time and should trust

yourself. Your roommate is reiterating old comments from your younger self. Apparently, you haven’t shared your inner growth with her, so she is spouting old comments.

Trust yourself. You are not a newbie; you know yourself and what matters more is someone who has substance rather than a cool factor. Being in a married relationship is not only about fun times

but also the deeper core values and menschlechkeit.

You have matured, but you still want validation from your roommate. That is not going to happen because not only is she reiterating old lines, she may want to hold on to you as a fellow single, as you mention. If you still feel you need support to be true to your newer self, meet with a professional for a few sessions. Your voice will be heard without the noise your roommate is making, and you will be able to move forward with confidence in your own instincts.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond Ihave seen this exact scenario play out way too many times with the singles I have helped over the years. Unfortunate -

When feedback comes in, try holding it up to the light.

ly, many singles are not as self-aware as you are and don’t even think twice after hearing friends’ comments. For people without a strong sense of self-confidence, this can be incredibly destructive. For many, these kinds of comments (from friends or family members) can leave the single person debilitated and unable to move forward in the relationship. I have also seen this with parents who fear letting their child move forward and leaving them behind.

When you are so emotionally dependent on others opinions, it leaves you

susceptible to a specific type of people-pleasing that actually ends up leaving yourself behind. In some cases, the friends or family members actually want this reaction so that you can stay behind with them. It is very subconscious and done in a way where you feel like they are actually taking care of you. In reality, however, it is akin to a person making you fear your current environment, so they try to make you feel like they are saving you by bringing you out to sea with them on their broken ship. They don’t want to go down alone, so they create emotional dependency you simply cannot let go of.

You should one hundred percent listen to your inner voice on this one.

To those who are reading this and thinking, “ Wow, maybe this is happening to me” in regards to a specific personal relationship, let this be your impetus to move forward. Create your own inner voice where you can trust yourself, your choices, and your instincts. If you are encountering this with friends, consider moving on from those relationships. Not every friendship is meant to last forever.

It is trickier if you are dealing with this at home with parents. In that case, you must do intense inner work where you can completely tune out their opinions or move to a place with people who are positive and encouraging.

Thank you so much for bringing this question to our readership, as it is such an important topic!

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

Some questions require long, careful, painstakingly-worded answers. Not this one.

Step one: Drop that jealous, meddling roommate.

Step two: Marry that amazing-sounding boyfriend.

Step three: Make him your new roommate.

Step four: Live happily ever after.

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear Chani,

It is so normal to feel unsettled when someone you trust starts questioning your relationship, especially a roommate who sees you every day and notices changes. Relationships don’t unfold in a bubble. They touch friendships, family, and the stories we’ve carried about what we thought we wanted.

There is an important difference between losing yourself and growing into a new version of yourself. Love often softens us, grounds us, or makes us more intentional. That does not mean

you have dis - appeared. It might mean you are evolving. The question to hold is whether this version of you feels real and aligned, or if it feels like you are shrinking yourself in order to keep him. Your roommate may be speaking from her own place. She may feel the shift in how much time you have for her, or she may not be ready to watch you step into a stage of life she has not yet entered. That does not make her words meaningless, but it does mean they are

Reader’s Response

Elisheva Steinbrecher, LMSW

Dear Chani,

This is a very difficult situation to be in. You’re trying to figure out what you want, but your roommate is coloring your vision of what that might be:

“She has recently been trying to convince me that I’m losing myself” is wildly inappropriate for anyone to be doing to a friend at such a vulnerable time in their life (unless the guy is waving tons of red flags, but it sounds like Aaron isn’t).

It sounds like your roommate is worried that if you get married, you’ll forget her and live happily ever after. “I have less time to spend with her, which I think bothers her.” I would suggest having an honest conversation with your roommate. If this is a strong friendship, a conversation can make your friendship stronger. It’s very hard to lose your good friend, and I can imagine your roommate is scared that is what will happen. A good friend will want you to make your own decision, even if the outcome of it is scary for her. If she isn’t a good friend, then I’m sorry to say, but all she wants is for you to be single until she gets married first.

In this conversation, I would suggest setting boundaries. Discussing the guys you’re dating should be off the table – it

It sounds like your roommate is worried that if you get married, you’ll forget her and live happily ever after.

can only lead to lashon hara, jealousy, or both. You should not discuss Aaron to her, and she should not comment about him to you, and vice versa about the guys she dates. Another point of discussion can be about spending time together – you can’t spend every evening together like you used to, but maybe you can make an effort to spend one night a week together for some girl time. Relationships evolve, and friendships are no different.

As for you and what you want, it sounds like you have gone out with many different types of people. This relationship you have with Aaron is different from the others. Why is that? Only you can decide what is important to you. Life is serious, and it’s normal to seriously think about something like your future marriage. It shouldn’t be a lighthearted conversation with a friend but a serious conversation with a mentor, or even with Aaron.

colored by her perspective.

When feedback comes in, try holding it up to the light. Ask yourself: does this feel true in my gut or does it belong to her? If it resonates, explore it. If it does not, you are allowed to set it down.

The details she points out – his age, whether he is “cool,” and how serious you feel – are outside markers. What really matters is how you feel in his presence. Do you feel safe, respected, loved? Do you like who you are when you are with him? If the answer is yes, that is far more valuable than any list of qualities you

once imagined. “Cool” is fun and exciting and certainly of value to those who want it or feel they need it but pales in comparison to the foundational heartbeat of a marriage – safety, respect and cherishing.

So listen kindly to your roommate, but listen even more closely to yourself. You are the only one who knows whether this relationship helps you become more you, not less.

Warmly,

Jennifer Mann, LCSW

Health & F tness When Fear Strikes Out of Nowhere Understanding Panic Disorder

By Rivka Kramer, PMHNP-BC

On a sunny afternoon, Yael was walking through the grocery store when it happened. One moment she was reaching for a carton of milk; the next, her chest tightened as if an invisible hand had clamped around her ribs. Her vision blurred, her heart thundered in her ears, and her breath came in shallow gasps.

A wave of dizziness swept over her, and her legs felt unsteady, like she was standing on a boat tossed in a storm. She clutched the handle of her cart, trying to steady herself, but the thought crashed into her mind with full force: I’m dying. This is it. I’m having a heart attack.

Panic gripped her tighter. Sweat trickled down her back as she abandoned her groceries and stumbled outside into the parking lot. The sun seemed too bright, the air too thin. A few people glanced her way, but she was too consumed by fear to care.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the storm started to pass. Her breathing slowed, her chest eased, and her heart gradually settled into its normal rhythm. She was shaken, but alive.

At the emergency room later that day, the doctors assured her that her heart was perfectly healthy. “What you experienced wasn’t a heart attack,” they explained. “It was a panic attack.”

But for Yael, this was only the beginning. Over the next few weeks, the attacks struck again and again, sometimes while she was driving, other times while she was simply sitting at home watching television. She began to live in constant fear of the next one. Would it hit her at work? On the subway? In the middle of a conversation?

Slowly, she started avoiding situations where she feared an attack might strike. She turned down dinner invitations, stopped going to crowded places, and even left her job because she was too afraid of having an episode in front of coworkers.

Her world grew smaller and smaller, hemmed in not by physical walls but by the invisible cage of her own fear.

Yael’s story is not unique. Panic disorder affects millions of people worldwide, yet it remains widely misunderstood. Let’s explore what panic disorder really is, what it feels like, why it happens, and how people can, and do, reclaim their lives.

What Panic Disorder Really Feels Like

To understand panic disorder, you first have to understand the nature of a panic attack.

Imagine your body’s alarm system going off as if you were being chased by a lion, even though you’re standing in line for coffee. The fight-or-flight response surges to life: your heart races, your breathing quickens, your muscles tighten, and adrenaline floods your system.

For people with panic disorder, this sudden surge of fear doesn’t match the reality of the situation. It feels like being ambushed by terror itself.

Common symptoms include:

• A pounding or racing heartbeat, sometimes so strong it feels like the chest will burst

• Shortness of breath, or the sensation of choking

• Chest pain or pressure that mimics a heart attack

• Trembling, shaking, or sweating

• Dizziness or feeling faint, as though the ground is tilting beneath you

• Nausea or stomach distress

• Tingling sensations in the hands or feet

• Chills or hot flashes

• A frightening sense of unreality (derealization) or disconnection from oneself (depersonalization)

For those experiencing an attack, the symptoms feel catastrophic. Many describe it as if the mind and body are hijacked, leaving them powerless. And because the body remembers the intensity of that fear, the mere anticipation of another attack can set the stage for the next one.

When Panic Becomes a Disorder

A single panic attack does not equal panic disorder. Most people will experience at least one in their lifetime, often during periods of high stress. Panic disorder develops when these attacks become recurrent and unexpected, and when the person begins to live in persistent fear of having another.

This ongoing fear changes behavior.

Someone might stop going to malls, theaters, or public transit. They may avoid travel or decline social gatherings. In extreme cases, this avoidance leads to agoraphobia—the fear of being trapped in situations where escape feels impossible. The result is a shrinking life, where freedom and spontaneity are replaced by constant vigilance and avoidance.

Why Panic Disorder Happens

Scientists don’t point to a single cause, but several factors weave together:

• Biological factors: Panic disorder often runs in families, suggesting a genetic link. Neuroimaging studies show differences in how the brain’s fear circuits (especially the amygdala) respond to perceived threats.

• Neurochemistry: Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA affect how the brain regulates anxiety and fear.

• Temperament: Some people are more sensitive to bodily sensations and more likely to interpret them as dangerous, a style of thinking psychologists call “catastrophic misinterpretation.”

• Stress and trauma: Major life changes, unresolved trauma, or long-term stress can act as triggers.

It’s important to remember: panic disorder is not a sign of weakness or lack of willpower. It is a genuine medical condition rooted in the way the brain and body interact.

The Hidden Costs of Panic Disorder

Beyond the attacks themselves, panic disorder takes a toll on everyday life. Work can suffer, not only because of missed days but because of difficulty concentrating when every heartbeat feels suspicious. Relationships become strained when loved ones don’t understand what’s happening or when a person begins declining social invitations.

Some individuals turn to alcohol, nicotine, or drugs to dull their anxiety. Unfortunately, this often worsens the cycle. Others become so focused on their bodily sensations that they undergo endless medical tests, convinced that doctors have missed a physical illness.

And then there’s the isolation. The more a person avoids situations, the smaller their world becomes. What begins as “I’ll skip this one outing” can snowball into months or years of self-imposed confinement.

Finding a Way Back: Treatment Options

The hopeful truth is that panic disorder is treatable, and recovery is possible.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is the gold standard of treatment. In therapy, individuals learn to identify and challenge the catastrophic thoughts that fuel panic (“I’m dying,” “I’m going crazy”). They also practice exposure techniques, gradually facing the physical sensations of panic in a safe environment.

For example, a therapist might ask a patient to intentionally spin in a chair to feel dizzy or run in place to raise their

heart rate. Over time, the brain learns that these sensations are uncomfortable but not dangerous, reducing the fear response.

Medication

Medications can also play a role. Antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly prescribed and can help regulate brain chemistry. In some cases, benzodiazepines may be used for shortterm relief, though they carry a risk of dependence.

Medication is often most effective when combined with therapy.

Lifestyle and Self-Care

Recovery isn’t only about therapy and medication. Everyday habits matter too:

• Exercise: Regular physical activity burns off excess stress hormones and helps regulate mood.

• Sleep: Adequate rest strengthens resilience.

• Caffeine and alcohol: Both can worsen panic symptoms, so reducing intake can help.

• Breathing and mindfulness: Techniques that slow the breath and calm the nervous system can stop an attack from escalating.

Yael’s Turning Point

For Yael, healing began when she finally sought help from a therapist specializing in anxiety disorders. At first, she was skeptical. How could talking about her fears possibly stop her body from betraying her? But she was desperate for relief.

In therapy, she learned to track her attacks and identify early signs. She practiced breathing exercises, slow, steady breaths that helped calm her racing heart. She began to test herself in small ways: a quick trip to the corner store, then a short bus ride, then finally dinner with a friend.

It wasn’t easy. There were setbacks. But with each step, her confidence grew. Medication helped reduce the intensity of her attacks, while therapy taught her that her symptoms, while uncomfortable, were not life-threatening.

Months later, Yael found herself walking down that same grocery store aisle where her first attack had struck. She felt a flicker of anxiety but smiled as she placed the carton of milk into her cart. It wasn’t the absence of fear that marked her progress, it was her newfound ability to carry on despite it.

Moving Forward

Panic disorder can feel like an invisible prison, but it is not a life sentence. With treatment, many people not only recover but go on to live fuller, more resilient lives.

The key is recognition and action. If you or someone you know experiences sudden, overwhelming waves of fear accompanied by physical symptoms, don’t dismiss it as “just stress.” Reach out for help. Talk to a doctor or mental health professional.

Panic disorder is real. It is treatable. And most importantly, it does not define you.

As Yael’s story shows, the path back may be gradual, but every step forward matters. With courage, support, and the right tools, life beyond panic is not only possible—it’s waiting.

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.

Health & F tness

The Collagen Connection

Is It the Secret to Healthier Hair, Skin, and Joints?

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

Collagen is now a popular product in the health and wellness world, often touted for helping with smoother skin, stronger joints, healthier bones, and slowing signs of aging. With collagen in all forms, pills and powders, the hype seems real. However, it is important to understand what collagen is, how it works in the body, what types exist, and if supplementing is effective and applicable before making your purchase. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up roughly 30% of the body’s total protein content. It’s often referred to as the “glue” that holds our bodies together. Collagen is a strong, stretchy protein that provides structure and strength to connective tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, cartilage, and blood vessels. It’s produced by specific cells and is essential for keeping our body parts firm, flexible, and working properly. Without collagen, tissues would lose their shape, elasticity, and resilience. It’s critical not only for appearance but also for mobility, joint function, and overall physical integrity.

How Collagen Works in the Body

The role of collagen varies depending on where in the body it’s found. In the skin, collagen provides firmness and elasticity, helping to prevent wrinkles and sagging. In joints, collagen contributes to the structure of cartilage, which cushions bones and allows for smooth movement. Bones depend on collagen for flexibility and strength, while tendons and ligaments need it to stay strong and stretch without tearing.

In addition to supporting skin, bones, and joints, collagen also plays a role in muscle tissue, where it helps support lean body mass. Collagen is also found in blood vessels and vital organs, maintaining their shape and allowing them to function efficiently. Because collagen is so widespread throughout the body, a decline in its production can have far-reaching effects, from visible aging to joint stiffness and weakened bones.

Types of Collagen

Although there are at least 28 different types of collagen, the majority of the col-

lagen in the human body comes from just five types: Types I, II, III, IV, and V. Type I collagen is the most abundant and is found in skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and teeth. It gives strength and helps skin and bones stay firm and in shape. Type II collagen is found primarily in cartilage and is crucial for joint health and function. Type III collagen exists in the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs, helping maintain elasticity and flexibility. Type IV is found in basement membranes, which are layers of tissue that support and separate cells in organs and tissues, while Type V is found in hair, the placenta, and cell surfaces. Most collagen supplements on the market focus on Types I, II, and III, as these are most relevant to skin, bone, and joint health. Understanding which type of collagen you are targeting can help you choose the right supplement for your specific needs.

Natural Collagen Production and Why It Declines

Your body naturally produces colla-

gen by combining amino acids from the foods you eat with nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and copper. However, collagen production begins to slow in your mid-20s and declines more significantly with age. By the time you reach your 40s, collagen synthesis has decreased dramatically, and by your 60s, you may have lost over half of your body’s natural collagen.

This decline is an important factor in many of the visible and physical signs of aging. Wrinkles begin to appear as skin loses elasticity. Joints become stiffer and more painful due to thinning cartilage. Bones become more brittle, and recovery from injuries become slower.

External lifestyle factors can accelerate this decline. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun breaks down collagen fibers in the skin, leading to premature aging. Smoking, high sugar intake, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic stress, and poor sleep can also impair collagen production or damage existing collagen structures as well.

Should You Supplement with Collagen?

Collagen supplementation is becoming increasingly popular, particularly among those looking to support their skin, joints, or bones. While collagen is found in some whole foods, such as bone broth, animal skin, and connective tissue, most people do not consume significant amounts through diet alone. It is therefore questioned whether supplementing collagen can help fill that gap, especially as natural collagen production declines with age.

Individuals who may consider supplementing are usually over the age of 30 who experience joint stiffness or pain, notice increased skin wrinkling or sagging, or follow a diet low in protein or animal products. Additionally, those who are in high physical demand or recovery, such as after surgery, injury, or intensive exercise often wonder whether supplementing can assist their condition.

Do Collagen Supplements Work?

Research on collagen supplements has shown potential benefits, particularly in the areas of skin and joint health. Several studies do suggest that collagen supplementation may help reduce signs of skin aging, such as wrinkles and dryness, and may improve skin elasticity and hydration. For example, a study by Pu et al. (2023), Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, reviewed 26 clinical trials with 1,721 participants to assess whether hydrolyzed collagen improves skin health. The researchers found that collagen supplements significantly improved both skin hydration and elasticity. Results varied slightly depending on the collagen source and duration of use. However, some of the included studies showed bias, therefore, more high-quality research is needed to confirm these findings.

Another review by Al-Atif (2022), Collagen Supplements for Aging and Wrinkles: A Paradigm Shift in the Fields of Dermatology and Cosmetics, examined 12 studies comparing oral and topical collagen in reducing signs of aging. The findings showed that both types of collagens helped improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration, and also reduced wrinkles and skin roughness. While both forms were effective, the study recommends future research with larger sample sizes and stronger follow-up to better understand collagen’s role in skin aging. Regarding joint health, Type II col-

lagen supplements have been studied in populations with osteoarthritis and physically active individuals. Some findings indicate a reduction in joint pain and improved mobility with consistent use. However, results are not universally consistent across all trials, and more high-quality, long-term studies are needed to confirm these effects, as highlighted in a narrative review by Martínez-Puig et al. (2022), Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health: The Link between Composition and Scientific Knowledge . This review also explains that native and hydrolyzed collagen work through different mechanisms—native collagen reduces inflammation via immune pathways, while

use and popularity.

Another form is undenatured collagen, particularly UC-II, which is used specifically for joint health. Unlike hydrolyzed collagen, this type of collagen is not broken down and works by promoting oral tolerance which is essentially teaching the immune system to reduce its attack on joint tissues. UC-II may help reduce joint pain, particularly in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, but clinical trials have shown mixed results. A review by Martínez-Puig et al. (2022) found that while phase II studies reported some benefits, phase III trials did not demonstrate clear effectiveness. Therefore, more research is needed to better understand

It’s often referred to as the “glue” that holds our bodies together.

hydrolyzed collagen provides peptides that may protect cartilage. Both types have shown safety and potential benefits, depending on their structure and how they act in the body.

In postmenopausal women, a few studies have reported increased bone mineral density with daily collagen supplementation, suggesting a possible role in bone health. When it comes to muscle mass, some studies indicate that collagen, when combined with resistance training, may support increases in lean body mass in older adults. Still, collagen is not a complete protein, and its benefits in this area may be limited compared to other protein sources.

Evidence regarding collagen’s effects on gut health and hair growth remains mostly anecdotal. While collagen contains amino acids involved in tissue repair, studies directly assessing its effects on the gut lining or hair are limited and inconclusive at this time.

Types of Collagen Supplements

Not all collagen supplements are created equal. The most studied and widely used form is hydrolyzed collagen, also known as collagen peptides. This form has been broken down into smaller amino acid chains, making it easier for the body to absorb. Hydrolyzed collagen is versatile, tasteless, and can be easily mixed into smoothies, coffee, or soups. As mentioned above, studies have found hydrolyzed collagen to be beneficial and effective, which supports its widespread

powders, capsules, liquids, and gummies. Powders are often preferred due to customizable dosing and ease of mixing into drinks or recipes. Always choose supplements that are third-party tested for purity and safety, especially since collagen products can be sourced from animals and may carry the risk of contamination.

Are There Risks or Side Effects?

Collagen supplements are generally considered safe and well-tolerated. Mild side effects can include digestive upset, bloating, or a lingering aftertaste, especially in those sensitive to protein powders. People with food allergies should check the source of their supplement— marine collagen, for example, is not suitable for those with fish allergies.

the mechanism and long-term effects of UC-II supplementation.

Gelatin is another form of collagen used in cooking. While it offers some collagen, it is less bioavailable than hydrolyzed peptides. Marine collagen, derived from fish skin and scales, is rich in Type I collagen and has a smaller peptide size, which may support faster absorption. It is commonly marketed for skin and beauty benefits, although human studies on marine collagen specifically remain limited.

Vegan collagen builders do not contain actual collagen but instead provide nutrients—such as vitamin C, biotin, and silica—that may support the body’s own collagen production. These products have not been shown to directly increase collagen levels but may be beneficial for overall skin and connective tissue health if dietary intake of these nutrients is low.

It is important to note that collagen supplements are not a guaranteed solution. Their effectiveness may depend on the type, dosage, and consistency of use, as well as individual health status and lifestyle factors. Supplementation should be viewed as a complement to a balanced diet and healthy habits, not a substitute.

If you decide to try collagen supplements, consistency appears to be important as most studies show benefits after consistent daily use. Many products also contain additional nutrients like vitamin C, which is essential for collagen synthesis. Taking your supplement with or after a meal can aid in absorption as well. Supplements come in various forms—

It’s important to note that collagen supplements aren’t closely checked by the FDA like medicines are, so the quality can differ a lot between brands. It’s best to choose products that clearly list their ingredients and have been tested by trusted third-party groups like NSF or USP.

Is Collagen Worth It?

Collagen plays an important role in the health of your skin, bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissue. While your body produces collagen naturally, this process slows significantly with age, leading to visible and physical signs of aging. Supplementing collagen, particularly hydrolyzed collagen peptides, has been shown but not proven to be beneficial for skin elasticity, joint function, and potentially bone strength when taken consistently and in appropriate doses.

However, collagen supplements are not a guaranteed fix and should not replace a balanced diet or healthy lifestyle. The strength of evidence varies depending on the health outcome, with more support for skin and joint benefits than for gut or hair health. Further research is still needed to confirm long-term safety and effectiveness. When considering any kind of supplementation, always consult with your primary physician first to determine if this is appropriate for you and your overall health.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer

Are You Listening? Keys to Effective Communication

TJH Speaks with Miryam Werdyger and Sarah Ziet

By Natalie Gross

TJH recently had the pleasure of sitting down with life coaches Miryam Werdyger and Sarah Ziet to explore the significance of effective communication skills in both our personal and professional lives. Here’s a glimpse into our insightful discussion.

What defines effective communication, and why is it crucial in today’s society?

Miryam: Such a great question! Effective communication is akin to possessing a superpower. It involves delivering your message in a manner that is clear, concise, and respectful. Without it, you might as well be flailing your arms, hoping someone grasps your intent.

In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, effective communication is vital for navigating diverse perspectives, cultures, and technologies. By communicating effectively, we can break down barriers, build bridges, and achieve greater understanding and cooperation.

Sarah: Absolutely, effective communication is vital because it nurtures trust, resolves conflicts, and cultivates deeper relationships. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s essential for avoiding those awkward silences at family gatherings!

What are some typical obstacles to effective communication?

Miryam: One significant obstacle is our own emotional state. When we’re stressed, anxious, or defensive, it’s as if our brain is playing a game of “Telephone” with our words. Other obstacles include distractions, lack of clarity, and cultural or language differences.

Sarah: And let’s not overlook our inclination to interrupt or judge others. We often become so engrossed in formulating our next response that we forget to genuinely listen.

So true! So, how can we enhance our listening skills?

Miryam: Active listening is essential. Think of it as being a detective – you need to focus on every detail, ask questions, and piece together the clues. Don’t hesitate to seek clarification; it’s far better to ask, “What do you mean?” than to make assumptions.

Sarah: And remember, multitasking while listening is a no-go. You can’t engage effectively if you’re checking your phone or contemplating what’s for dinner.

That’s a huge challenge for this generation, which is used to multi-tasking. What significance does non-verbal communication hold in effective communication?

Miryam: Nonverbal communication serves as the secret ingredient in your favorite dish. It can express just as much, if not more, than your words. Therefore, be mindful of your body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions – they can either enhance or undermine your message.

Sarah: And let’s not underestimate the impact of a warm smile. It has the power to ease even the tensest situations.

What advice would you offer to someone aiming to enhance

their communication skills?

Sarah: Avoid the temptation to be a mind reader. Simply ask people what they mean and be prepared for open and honest dialogue.

Miryam: Like with any skill, practice is paramount. There are countless opportunities throughout the day to refine your skills! Be conscious of your listening habits and your body language and remain open to feedback.

Can you share a success story where effective communication made a significant difference?

Sarah: I worked with a client who faced challenges in communicating with her team. By embracing active listening and direct, clear communication, she was able to foster trust and enhance collaboration. The outcome? Her team’s productivity soared, and they even resumed having team lunches together.

Miryam: A couple facing difficulties in their relationship due to miscommunication was unhappy and frustrated. By equipping them with effective communication skills, particularly active listening and empathy, they learned over time to communicate effectively, thus avoiding conflicts and strengthening their bond. And they even reignited their date nights – a true win-win!

What’s the most crucial takeaway regarding effective communication?

Sarah: Effective communication is a skill that can be honed with practice and patience. So don’t be disheartened if

it doesn’t come effortlessly at first – just keep at it, and you’ll find your rhythm. Miryam: It’s important to keep in mind that communication is not solely about sharing information; it’s about cultivating relationships and understanding others. And if you find yourself struggling, remember to listen more and speak less. Keep in mind the acronym W.A.I.T. – Why Am I Talking? It often serves as a great starting point!

After speaking with Miryam and Sarah, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by their valuable insights on effective communication. Their expertise reminded me that communication is indeed a skill that can be developed and refined over time with practice, patience, and a willingness to learn. Whether you’re looking to improve your personal relationships, excel in your professional life, or simply navigate everyday interactions with more ease, the principles of effective communication outlined in this conversation are sure to serve as a guiding light. So, the next time you find yourself in a conversation, remember to listen actively, communicate clearly, and keep the art of effective communication at the forefront of your interactions.

Miryam Werdyger and Sarah Ziet are Certified Life Coaches and mentors specializing in effective communication skills for individuals, couples, groups and singles navigating the dating world. They can be reached at ActiveListening247@gmail.com or via WhatsApp/text at 516-924-7695.

Health & F tness

New Beginnings Helping Your Older Kids Become Big Sisters and Brothers

By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH (SA), FAAP

Welcome to this world, New Baby! You’re born into love. This is a “wow” experience for all.

Yet, while it’s exciting, it’s not unusual that it triggers a whirlwind of mixed emotions, especially for an older brother or sister. Don’t be surprised if Big Brother or Big Sister is not all that ecstatic that New Baby has arrived on the scene. Big Brother or Big Sister can be feeling anxious: could it be their position has been usurped?

Take a deep breath, Mommy and Daddy. This is normal. How can you support children through this transition?

Big Brother and/or Big Sister should feel valued and protected. Having a baby is not just about expanding the family and bringing yet another personality into your home. It’s about cultivating the bond between your children from Day 1 of Life. Parents are dancing a (hopefully) planned for dance for which they have prepared and that is resplendent with understanding and empathy.

No two children are alike. Temima may be more easygoing. Yehoshua might be more reticent, less interested, and even a little bit jealous. Each child reacts differently to a baby’s coming home. The approach to each child must be tailored accordingly.

Preparing For the New Arrival

Things should be relaxed and positive. Begin by speaking naturally about the baby and your excitement. Perhaps show the Big Brother/Big Sister one of

their baby pictures from when they were born. Tell a fun story or two about their coming home.

Address their questions and concerns honestly. If they express concern about not having your attention, assure them that they will still enjoy their special time with you. Explain that babies are helpless and rely on others – and that you, Mommy and Daddy, may need them for help, such as asking them to bring you a diaper or clean outfit.

Parents are encouraged to buy before the birth a present for the older sibling. Wrap it and put it away. Give it to the older sibling when the baby comes home from the hospital, saying it is a present from the new sibling. Bribery has its pluses.

Encourage Older Siblings to Share Their Feelings With You

If your older child is feeling jealous or perhaps left by the wayside, acknowledge the feeling and tell them it’s okay to feel this way. Give him space to express his feelings and reassure him that he is loved just as much as the new baby.

Expanding the Older Sibling’s

“Job Description”

Create a role for the older sibling so they feel they are part of this dynamic family. It will generate excitement about the new baby. Encourage your child to sing to the baby or tell him a story and share parsha notes. Reading to the baby is a win-win since your older child can feel involved and helpful and, at the same time, it will foster reading skills

and love for reading.

When your child helps, write a “mitzvah note” to Morah or Rebbe.

Your child needs your support. With it, they will grow in their joy and confidence.

Consistency and Routine are +++

Children like and flourish when things are predictable. Keep things as steady as possible which will help to make them feel secure. This means maintaining bedtimes, mealtimes, playtimes and bathing times. If bedtime stories with snuggling time is what your child knows, do not change it. The same applies to eating leftovers on Sunday night or pizza on Thursday evening. Consistency during times of change means a stable environment. This helps to build secure feelings.

You may need some flexibility here. That’s completely okay. We don’t want rigidity.

Mommy and Daddy, work on having extra patience. It takes time. Find the right words and tone of voice for integrating the Big Brother/Sister into the baby’s bathing routine. Reassure them of your love.

Communicate openly with your child about changes in routine that are necessary. Explain why things might be a bit different.

Feelings of Jealousy and Insecurity

When a new baby arrives, it’s common for Big Brother and Big Sister to ex-

perience jealousy because they feel their place in the family is threatened. Jealousy can be expressed in a number of ways, including increased clinginess, aggression towards the new arrival, tantrums, and even regression in toilet training. Why?

Big Brother and Big Sister can feel “dethroned”

Fear of losing attention

Competition for resources like love and attention which we adults know is endless but kids may feel is limited

What’s a parent to do?

Assure and reassure your child. Give them some extra attention. Encourage them through little victories like trying a new fork, putting on shoes, or playing a new game.

Maintain patience. It is a virtue.

Your presence and attention as a parent are the biggest gifts you can give your children. Create warm, wonderful memories that will carry them through childhood, adolescence and beyond, into their establishing their own families. It starts now.

Not sure what to do? Speak to your pediatrician.

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.

Parenting Pearls Summer Transitions

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

The camp season is officially winding down. Kids will be home and expecting to be entertained as parents prepare for the upcoming school year. Many parents find this time stressful. There’s a lot to do even before you factor in the sudden influx of smaller people. Whenever kids are home, the dynamic shifts. The time between school and camp is a bit more hefker, which can contribute to an overall greater feeling of tension and stress. Many parents express a dread of this time, fearful of the arguments, the pressure to entertain, and shop for school supplies. Yes, to an outsider, it can sound shocking how stressful it can be to purchase crayons. But, as parents juggle multiple lists, comparing the pencils, notebooks and folders each child requires, it can get intense.

Many families will take advantage of this time to get in a vacation, whether going away or enjoying day trips. While a full vacation is not an option for many families, hopefully they, too, can get a little more family time.

It’s sad there can be so much angst whenever the kids are off. What should be a priceless opportunity for fun and bonding can easily turn into parents longing for the end of it. There are many reasons for this unfortunate phenomenon. This article will not solve all of these fami-

lies’ problems, but perhaps we can make these weeks a bit more understandable and pleasant.

But Why?

It seems ludicrous to adults that children will need time to relax after camp. They’ve spent the past few weeks having fun, spending time with friends and doing awesome activities. For many parents, that is far more relaxing than we ever get. But, as calm as this schedule appears to an adult, it’s still very busy and requires a winding down period.

If you ever came home from vacation needing to rest, then you can understand how kids feel after camp. It’s a lot and it’s overwhelming – even if in a wonderful way. Kids, too, may need some time to relax from their vacation.

Even without the need to wind down from camp, this time period is still a transition. Transitions – as many can tell you – are inherently difficult time periods. During this time, there are many adjustments and changes – both of which can challenge us.

Any adjustment or change will necessitate a transition from one step to the next. Some people will move easily from one to the next. We rarely notice their transitions because they’re so peaceful and we don’t need to think of them. Others will struggle

to various degrees. Their bodies may be off schedule. Perhaps they’ll be “boooooorrrred.” They may pick fights with their siblings or simply complain about everything. These are the kids we tend to notice. In this case, it’s definitely only the squeaky wheel that can anticipate some grease.

It’s normal for kids, like adults, to experience some friction during times of change. We don’t need to fully shield children from these normal life experiences, but we can anticipate their needs, adding in an extra dose of sensitivity and compassion. We can do our part to ease their way, even if we can’t – and shouldn’t – prevent it. In my experience, much of the stress derives from parents being surprised or thinking their child’s behavior is abnormal. Just knowing to expect the extra tension is one step in helping us cope and being present for them.

We also forget that kids are people, too. They need time to themselves just as we do. They’re developing into their own personalities and will have their own interests and hobbies. They need time just to play on their own, as well as general unstructured play. With so many screens, we easily forget the benefits of just sitting and thinking, relaxing or daydreaming.

Nerves

Kids can go through a range of emo -

tions, and we tend to underestimate the degree children can experience feelings. New situations are particularly stressful on children. Children can act out, be clingier or any range of behaviors when they’re experiencing stress or fear.

Most kids will be continuing with the same peers and in the same location as last year. These children may have minimal negative emotions anticipating the new year. Even these children may experience mixed emotions anticipating new teachers. The yearly switch to new teachers is a major adjustment for both children and staff.

Certain grades are bigger transitions than others, and the expectations increase similarly. Perhaps they will now be switching classes instead of remaining in the same room. Maybe they now need to stay for later classes or join the bigger minyan. What feels like a small change to us may feel like a giant adjustment to someone new to the situation. Naturally, switching schools or buildings will be major changes. They may be afraid they won’t know where to go. They’ll be meeting many new people and will have to adjust to new rules and school culture. These children in particular will need extra emotional support. It’s not unusual to fear the unknown. The best way to decrease this fear is to prepare children

for what’s to come. The more they know, the less they need to be afraid.

Despite these being normal concerns for a child, they will not be the only one having their first big day. The school’s staff anticipates the adjustments and will do what they can to make the transition easier.

While we wish every child had the most amazing school year, there are children that struggle through each day. They may not have felt successful; perhaps they were under tremendous stress. These children may be hesitant to once again step into that environment. In addition to building up these children in other areas, all efforts should be made to address the previous issues and let each child shine.

It’s normal to try to wish away their hesitations by telling them it’s “not a big deal” or “it’ll be fine.” While well-meaning, this doesn’t actually change their feelings and may make them feel foolish or hesitant to express themselves in the future. Rather, we can validate their feelings and let them know we understand they have concerns. We don’t need to agree with their feelings to be able to validate them. Maybe your child expresses a fear they will say something silly and

the whole class will laugh at them for the entire year. Even if you recognize the unlikelihood of that fear, you can still validate how upsetting that thought could be for a child.

Back To Reality

During the summer, kids sleep at erratic times. The camp bus may come later, minyan starts at a different time, or they have no schedule at all. They

their uniforms now in anticipation of school, but parents should make sure their clothing still fits. There may have been growth spurts over the summer, or perhaps items that became damaged went unnoticed the previous year.

School supply shopping is a yearly necessity that is a time-consuming juggling act. While there are those that have already completed their shopping, many parents will be hesitantly venturing out

What feels like a small change to us may feel like a giant adjustment to someone new to the situation.

may stay up till all hours playing outside or simply forgetting their bed exists. Kids will need to get back to their usual schooltime routine –both sleeping and waking times. Ideally, this should be started at least a few days prior to the first day of school. Kids do not need to start wearing

over the next two weeks. It’s worthwhile to streamline the process so the kids get their supplies while the adults retain their sanity.

I remember watching the rush before online shopping was available. The lines were far longer than anyone’s patience. Online shopping is quick, easy, and

available for those that are not waiting till the last minute.

Creating a master list can prevent the stress of carrying multiple papers. It’s much easier to have one paper listing the total amounts of each item needed (for example, 5 glue sticks, 2 dozen pencils, etc.) than to continuously flip back and forth to see which child needed that glue stick or other item. This can be done by hand, but Morah Tziri Preis of InKredible Kids posted a brilliant way to create a master list in seconds. She uploaded the supply lists to ChatGPT and asked for a master list of all the details organized by category. I think this will work with my yom tov grocery list, too.

As we all get ready to transition from the slower paced summers into a new z’man, we can take small steps to make the next few weeks more pleasant for everyone. Wishing you a wonderful start to a new school year!

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.

Parenting Pearls

Rebuilding Resilience

By Malkie Bobker, LMHC

Resilience has been one of the key words of our decade, especially when talking about children. Resilience refers to the ability to get back up after we have fallen down, not to crumble in the face of adversity or frustration, and ultimately move through and conquer challenges rather than letting them conquer us. People are writing books, giving talks, and getting into indepth discussions about what appears to be a pervasive lack of resilience in society and how to rebuild resilience within ourselves and our children. It is becoming clear that this lack of resilience has not been beneficial, and many are left wondering how to turn the tide..

Whenever we are looking to change or improve, it is most helpful to identify what might have contributed to things going wrong in the first place. In this case, there are two main factors that have created a certain fragility, or lack of resilience. The first, constant instant gratification, is a more societal piece, and the second, a lack of frustration tolerance, is a parenting piece, with some overlap.

Instant Gratification

We live in a time when nearly everything we want is at our fingertips, quite literally. All we have to do is swipe or click something on our phone, and we either have it instantly or it is delivered to our homes within a few days. Is it convenient? Certainly. Is it the healthiest thing mentally? Not so much.

When you cannot have something you want instantaneously, it creates this space between your desire for something and the thing itself. In that space, we can think about if we really do need it or want it, or if it is just an impulse buy. Maybe we question whether or not we can afford it, or maybe that space simply makes us appreciate the thing that much more when we get it. Instant gratification eliminates this space of wanting something we do not

have. And for kids, is it really the best idea to give them everything they want, exactly when they want it?

Let us think about this in terms of the way our children learn in school, with the increase in computer-based learning and a heavy focus on prizes and points. I am not about to wage war on computer-based learning or behavioral incentives/prizes; there are simply pros and cons to everything. Oftentimes, many of these programs will provide immediate feedback to children, with bells and whistles for correct answers. This eliminates the space of the unknown for children, which tends to fuel an increased need for instant feedback in other arenas as well. When it comes to prizes and incentives, overdoing it by rewarding everything will not only detract from the intrinsic motivation of doing the right thing (another topic for another time), but it will also create an incorrect expectation that every good deed will get noticed or rewarded. Then, when kids are not getting that immediate recognition, they will be a lot less interested in continuing.

Maybe you are thinking at this point, “OK, so what is wrong with instant feedback or the convenience of having things more readily available to us?” The short answer is because the “real world” does not always provide immediate feedback and requires us to work for the things we want. If our children are not used to delayed gratification or feedback, they will have little to no tolerance for it when they get older, which means they will be far more likely to give up more quickly or avoid things entirely when they are not receiving that instant gratification. Yes, there is a discomfort that delayed gratification creates, but it is a necessary discomfort, which brings us to our next point of frustration tolerance.

comfortable with being uncomfortable. I know that sounds somewhat paradoxical and maybe even counterintuitive, but bear with me here, please.

Not only is frustration a regular part of life, it is also a necessary part of life, as it is often what motivates us to learn new ideas, develop new skills, and grow as people. Resilience is born out of frustration tolerance. Frustration is what exists in the space between knowing that we want something, but we do not yet have it. This applies to learning to crawl or talk, learning to read, swim, or ride a bike. It could be not being able to afford to buy a house yet, or not having the job you want, so on and so forth. When faced with these situations, you can really do one of two things. You can either give up and throw in the towel, or you can use your frustration as a motivator to identify new strategies or solutions and push through. How one reacts to any of these scenarios will greatly depend on their ability to tolerate their own frustration. When we are talking about parents and children though, how our child reacts to their own frustration will strongly depend on their parents’ frustration tolerance.

No parent wants to see their child in distress. It can be really painful to watch our children struggle – whether it be academically, socially, emotionally, or behaviorally – and we are left to manage our own feelings as well as our child’s. It can become quite overwhelming, which is why parents are so often quick to remove the stressor, obstacle, or source of frustration. In the short term, doing that feels like the right thing. We know self-esteem is really important, as is confidence, so we think we’ve saved our child from feeling badly about themselves. In the long term, though, this is a mistake.

Firstly, we are conveying the message that we do not think they are capable, which can really be destructive for their self-esteem. Children look to us – parents, educators, etc. – to give them that initial boost of confidence. If they see that we are not confident in their abilities, they surely will not be either.

Let us then follow this scenario through. What happens if we continue to remove obstacles from our children’s path, or swoop in with our superhero capes to save our children the moment we sense an upset or frustration, or rewarding tantrums, or simply constantly giving into the need for instant gratification? We will have raised a generation of fragile children, with a lot of learned helplessness and little to no ability to tolerate their own distress and frustration and who ultimately fall apart in the face of challenges. Adversity is an inevitable part of life, so the more we allow our kids – even ourselves – to experience it in healthy, measured doses, the more they will learn to rise in the face of it, rather than crumble.

How Much Is Too Much?

There truly is a time and a place for everything, which means that yes, there are times when we do need to remove our children from a distressing or frustrating situation. So how do we know when it is really too much for them to manage?

This is the part where we each really need to know our own children, and it is tough to know what the right move is. There are times when your child becomes super frustrated, but they are still in a rational state of mind. Meaning, they are open to your validation of their frustration, and they are interested in your support and suggestions about how to work whatever

the issue is through, whether it be fixing the Lego tower that fell down, a difficult math problem, or an argument with a friend. That is when you should resist the urge to fix it for them or remove them from the situation. Offer help and support, should they want it, and ultimately allow them to see it through.

Then there are other times when your child is so incredibly frustrated that rational part of their brain has gone dark. They are throwing the blocks across the room, about to rip up that math homework, or respond to the friend they are upset with in a vindictive manner. This is the point of diminishing returns, where keeping them in the situation will create more damage, and we need to step in. We remove them from the playroom, take away the homework, or take away the phone. We have them take a break, go for a walk, listen to some music, play with something else – whatever it might be that calms them down. Once they are calm, try to return to the situation. If it is still a no-go, there might be an underlying reason.

Even when we need to remove them from the situation, it is important to try again when they are in a more capable state, so that they can see they are able to master the challenge.

Tips for Building Your Child’s Frustration Tolerance (and Maybe Yours, Too)

1. Model, Model, Model – This cannot be stressed enough. We are templates for our children to model their own behavior, which makes it so important that we are intentional in the way we handle ourselves in front of them. If children see us as unable to tolerate distress and frustration, they will likely follow suit. However, if they see that we do not fall apart when upset or challenged, and they watch us move through our own frustration, they will pick up these skills from us as well.

2. Validate Their Feelings – We all need to be validated, kids and adults alike, especially when we are in distress. Acknowledge their frustration, comment on how hard it is and how they might want to give up. Naming that they want to give up does not mean that you are encouraging them to give up; it just means that you understand how they are feeling. When we feel like someone understands us, and we feel that emotional support, we have an easier time sticking with it.

3. Convey Your Belief In Their Ability to Move Through – After validating, it is a good idea to express that you believe they can figure it out. Saying some -

thing like, “I know this is so difficult, but we can figure this out” or reminding them that “we can do hard things” can go a long way.

4. React To Their Distress, Not Your Own – It is so easy as parents to swoop in and just take over, even if we know it is not the best thing for our child in the long-term. Why do we do it then? Because our children’s distress triggers our own. We are so often quick to react because we are trying to alleviate our own frustration. It is important to separate our feelings from our child’s so that we can assess the situation to see what is needed. Maybe we need to give them some time to figure it out on their own, or perhaps it is time for us to offer some support, or even to help our child take a break.

5. Make Them Part of the Solution – If our help and support is required, it is best to help our children try to generate their own solutions. Talk out the challenge with them (in an age-appropriate way), and ask them what they think would help. This will help them see that they are capable, and it will also build their problem-solving muscle.

6. We Often Learn More From Our Challenges – Life is challenging, there is really no way around that. However, if you ask most people who have

overcome their challenges, they will say that their greatest challenge was also their greatest point of growth. Reminding our children of this idea will perhaps make them feel a little less afraid of what life might bring their way.

Raising resilient children is a daunting task in many ways, because it requires a resilience on our part as well. We have also been socially conditioned to be “lawnmower parents” and pave an obstacle-less route for our children. This will produce a potentially short-term gain but ultimately a long-term loss. While we should not, of course, purposely traumatize or distress our children, we should also not be so frightened when faced with life’s regular challenges. It would be far more productive for us to support our children through those challenges, so they can build the confidence and resilience to work through whatever comes their way.

Malkie Bobker is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private psychotherapy practice in Cedarhurst, NY. She works with adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, social skills, life transitions, and parenting. She can be reached at malkiebobker@gmail. com or (516) 946-9601.

Health & F tness The Longevity Hack Backed By Science

By Sara Weissman

What if I told you that there was a drug that could add three years to your life? Most people would do whatever they could to get their hands on such a medication.

The antidote to aging currently exists and has been proven effective across hundreds of thousands of individuals in large cohort studies. It is more familiar and accessible than you might think. It’s called running.

Many would prefer a co-pay over a cardio-pay and excuse themselves using horror stories of destroyed knees and racers dropping dead. However, population-level studies reveal a contrasting and optimistic truth: running improves how long and how well we live.

A review article from 2017 titled “Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity” sums up many findings from numerous population studies. They control for the many circumstances and lifestyle choices that are associated with being a runner. That means the results are not dependent on the runners being skinnier or richer, nor being a group that typically abstains from smoking and alcohol.

They found that amongst people who ran on average two hours a week, every hour spent running was associated with gaining approximately 7 hours of life. This adds up to casual runners living about three years longer, while experiencing a 25-40% lower risk of premature death than non-runners.

According to the CDC, the two leading causes of death in America are cardiovascular disease and cancer. Running reduced the risk of dying

from either by 45-70% and 30-50%, respectively. No wonder some health insurance policies offer free fitness perks to their members; a gym membership costs less than cancer treatment. Running also increases the quality of life. In addition to avoiding dreadful disease, runners experience better mental health and greater cognitive functioning as they age. Perhaps the “dumb jock” stereotype will soon be reversed, as running has been shown to increase the volume of the hippocampus, the memory storage center of our brain. Exercise has shown profound effects on anxiety and depression. These effects might span generations by influencing fetal development during pregnancy. In animal studies, newborns whose mothers exercised while pregnant exhibited less anxiety in stressful situations.

A few interlinked mechanisms are responsible for running’s protective powers from premature death. Exercise is associated with improvement in key health markers like blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels. By increasing bone mineral density and muscle mass, running also decreases your chances of osteoporosis (bone fragility) and sarcopenia (muscle loss) as you age. This can mean the difference between a crack in the sidewalk leading to a fractured hip or a harmless stumble. Mental health’s association with physical health can also be a factor. Psychological stress is associated with physiological issues like cardiovascular disease and reduced immune responses. By reducing your stress, running can add years to your life. Running’s

positive effects are likely caused by a combination of physiological and psychological processes.

Luckily, you don’t need to run marathons or be gasping for air to reap benefits. The current CDC recommendation for adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity. A slow jog falls under “vigorous intensity.” Even less than one hour of jogging a week provides substantial protection against premature death. Doing just half of the recommended 75 minutes a week was associated with a gain of 1.8 years of life expectancy.

Some might wish that they knew all of this life-saving information earlier in life. However, a midlife exercise reckoning might be all it takes to close the gap. A study published in JAMA found that individuals who started exercising in their 40-60s saw similar reductions in mortality risk compared to lifelong exercisers. This study has limitations that are important to keep in mind (including sample bias and reliance on retrospective self-reports), but the findings still suggest that it’s better late than never.

Starting later also doesn’t condemn you to short and slow runs. Meet the retiree runners who prove that what matters more than starting age is consistency. With my local running club, I once pushed to stay on pace with the one of strongest runners in the group. In our conversation between my gasps for air, I learned that she only picked up the sport after retiring seven years ago. Now, she has qualified for the NYC mar -

athon five years in a row, in addition to Boston, London, and Chicago. My friend from the track only got serious about his training during retirement and now runs 200-mile ultramarathons in the mountains. The flexibility of retirement can provide a prime period for training that many have successfully made the most of.

For those of us who have not yet retired, carving out time to exercise can feel impossible with a tight schedule. Fortunately, running is a very time-efficient workout. When comparing their protection against early death, a 5-minute run is equivalent to a 15-minute walk, and a 25-minute run is equivalent to a 105-minute walk. If you have some extra time in your lunch break, squeezing in a jog down the block can go a long way.

We all care about our futures. We invest in stocks, insurance, and education in the hope of living comfortably as we age. But the most powerful investment might just be a pair of running shoes. I dream of chasing after my grandchildren and trekking up mountains into my 80s, and I will do whatever I can to make this dream a reality. If you feel the same way, grab your earbuds, lace your shoes, and run for your life.

Sara Weissman is a high school psychology teacher, biochemistry researcher, former adjunct professor of biology, and distance runner. Follow her running adventures on Strava @Sari Weissman. If you have feedback or suggestions for future articles, contact Sara at sara.lifshitz18@gmail.com.

& Muse

Wet Behind the Gears

By Mordechai Schmutter

No one likes to think about their car getting flooded, but honestly, if you think about it, it’s one of the least stressful ways for your car to be totaled.

The question is, what do you do if it happens?

I. How to tell if your car is flooded

I’m no expert, but here are some ways to tell:

1. If you go to start your car, and you notice that the seat of your pants is wet.

2. If your teenage son calls you from wherever he parked when he decided to go out during a storm and says, “Hey, the car is flooded.”

3. If your town has parking lots where you can park at the beginning of a storm and there’s no water, and a half hour later there’s water to your knees. How is this possible, scientifically? This parking lot is at the top of a hill!

II. Your First Step

The first step is to determine if the car is salvageable.

For example, they say that if it’s flooded with saltwater, it’s not salvageable, as the salt will eventually corrode the wires

at inopportune times, as opposed to right now, during a rainstorm on a Sunday night when no mechanics are open. Whereas freshwater cars may be fixable if you act quickly. So the first thing you want to do is taste the water.

“Okay, it’s not salty… But I definitely wouldn’t call it fresh.”

Alternatively, you can consult a map and see if it’s likely that this is ocean water. If you keep your paper maps in your car, they are not salvageable.

Even if it’s fresh water, it depends on how deep it is, and whether water got into the engine. How high up is the engine? You don’t know. Open up your hood in the rain and check.

No, scratch that. Look in the car. Is there water in your cup holders? If there isn’t, or if there is but it’s in water bottles, you may be okay.

III. What do you do?

If it’s freshwater, and it’s below the cup holders, good news! Your car may still be fixable. Though it may be harder to do so if your car is still underwater. So first, remove your car from the water, by force if necessary.

On this matter, experts say that #1: Don’t start the car, as you can make the

situation worse, and #2: Get the car out of the water as quickly as possible.

How? Should I carry it? Should I see if I can find a tow truck that’s willing to drive into a brand-new lake on a rainy Sunday night to pick up my car?

You may have to call a fishing boat.

So if you start the car, it might make things worse and total it. If you don’t start the car, the water level might get higher and total it. So it’s all in the hands of Hashem either way, and He’s the one who decided to build an entire lake in a half hour in the parking lot of a fitness studio.

Hey, maybe all the people in the fitness studio can get together and push each other’s cars out of the lake! Or is all this working out just to be able to lift items of a specific shape while lying on their backs?

If your son was the one in this situation, he’s just going to drive the car home and say, “What? I made it home! I’m going to go take a shower.”

IV. Get rid of the water

Whether the car is at the mechanic or your son drove it home, you want to get as much standing water out of the car as possible, so that in case the insurance company doesn’t deem your car dead, it doesn’t smell like it is. You want the actu-

al carpet to at least begin drying without for example having to wait for the entire emergency roll of paper towels under the seat to dry first. Some good they were in an emergency.

So, for example, there’s probably like a foot of water in the trunk, or, if you have a minivan, in that convenient space under the floor that your seat folds into.

Get a cup – for example, that small collapsible washing cup that lives in your glove compartment so that if you take your family on a trip you can completely forget that you have a washing cup until you take out the bentchers – and start bailing water out of the trunk as if you’re on a sinking rowboat in which your water bottles and pretzel bags are floating free. And hey, look! Water bottles and… When did we have sandwiches?

Get your son to help, even if he’s already showered.

You also want to get the mats out, because what is a mat but a second layer of carpet? It’s bad enough that there’s one layer of carpet. It’s not clear why all cars are made with carpet instead of hardwood floors. Why carpeting? Is it just for the pun?

And yes, you can do all of this during the rainstorm if you have to. What, are you

going to get your mats wetter than they already are?

V. Should you call anyone?

Yes. Contact your insurance company to find out if you should contact your insurance company. Or ask your insurance agent. This is why you have an insurance agent, who is trained to say things like, “We’ve never had this conversation.”

You also want to call the mechanic, who will not be able to see your car that day, as he’s flooded with calls. (Sorry.)

You also might want to call Chaveirim, to see if they have any way of helping you. In my experience, they will show up with a wet/dry vac and a phone number you can call when you want to return it.

People have a lot of confidence in wet/ dry vacs, but they never work for me. Every wet/dry vac I’ve ever borrowed has come with zero attachments, so you have to crouch in a puddle and run the open end of a hose over the same 3-inch-wide patch of carpet several thousand times and then feel it and go, “It’s not really any drier, is it?” And then you have to decide whether to spend another half hour on this patch of carpet or whether to move on to the next patch. And then you’re deaf for the rest of the day.

So I’m pretty sure the main function of a wet/dry vac is what you already did with the washing cup before Chaveirim got there.

VI. Bring it to the mechanic

When you do bring it to the mechanic, he will tell you that he can’t actually see

that tells him what’s wrong. He has several hundred devices, and he has to figure out which one to plug into you, or just do all of them. But a mechanic can apparently plug a device into your dashboard and say, “Hey! Looks like your tire fell off!” And you’d be all, “How did he know that? Should I get a second opinion?” It’s the

Should I see if I can find a tow truck that’s willing to drive into a brand-new lake on a rainy Sunday night to pick up my car?

what’s wrong with your car, because to do that he needs to plug a diagnostic device into your car’s computer, and your car’s computer is flooded.

So first of all, that is Thing Wrong with the Car #1, I would say. You could tell that without a device.

Second, apparently, mechanics just have a device that tells them what’s wrong with your car? I am way less impressed now. Is that cheating? Your doctor doesn’t have this one device that he plugs into you

device. But if the computer is underwater, the mechanic can’t plug it in and tell that, for example, the computer is underwater. So he says to come back in a week.

VII. Dry it out better

In the meantime, you’re going to do what you can to get rid of more moisture. Because the car is not drying, despite a day of you figuring that, seeing as it’s 90 degrees out, which means that if you keep your car windows closed, the car can reach

140 degrees, which is almost the temperature you leave your oven on overnight when you’re making dried fruit on Pesach, this should be just like dried fruit. The car does not smell like dried fruit. Turns out a lot of the water did evaporate, but it had nowhere to go, so the van just spent a day fogging up like a sauna. Of evaporated dirty water.

So what the mechanic suggests is that you leave your windows open and run the heat on full blast with the A/C button on. And I guess park it somewhere where it won’t be stolen while you’re doing that, such as a friendly town in the Midwest. You can also try putting the car in rice. How much rice do I need to put it in? More than I can schlep home in the car, obviously. Maybe just put the computers in rice, so the mechanic can use them to see if all this work is for nothing? I don’t know where the computers are.

MECHANIC: “It says here you got rice in the computer.”

Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. He can be contacted at mschmutter@gmail.com.

Fd for Thought

Agripas Street

By Nati Burnside

Yussi Weisz has been around for a while. It was 23 years ago at the age of 23 when he started his first restaurant. Weisz has ridden the wave of kosher food and kosher dining through the years and has accomplished a lot on many platforms. He’s known for his charisma and his creativity, both equally endearing him to the people who walk into his restaurants and those who have seen his cooking videos on various platforms like Kosher.com over the years.

His new restaurant, Agripas Street, is his attempt to not only bring the flavors of Jerusalem to Lakewood but also to bring some of that Israeli soul power to the restaurant as well. The goal is comfort food… with that classic Yussi Weisz twist. He’s mixing the present with the future while tipping his hat in appreciation to the past.

When I was invited to Agripas Street, I did what everybody should do when they sit down in an Israeli restaurant; I ordered hummus. While I could’ve gone with hummus of the plain variety, I did the smart thing and went with the Pulled Lamb Hummus instead. If you were thinking that this would just be some lamb on top of hummus, then you don’t understand Agripas Street. Sure, there’s hummus and lamb, but there’s also their house herb tahini, chimichurri, pine nuts, as well as some olive oil and paprika. It comes with some pita for you to dredge in all the goodness. There really is nothing better than hummus, and pulled lamb makes pretty much everything better. This is some of the best hummus I’ve had in a long time, and all the potential pairings on the plate make for a nice activity as you try all the different combinations with that fluffy pita.

But after the hummus is gone (and it will be), you’ll need to make decisions on other appetizers. And there are plenty to choose from. I recommend you try the Shawarma Sliders. Now, readers of this

column might have noticed that I virtually never recommend sliders. In fact, this is only the third time in 73 columns that I’ve done so, which is saying something… You really shouldn’t pass these up. The basics are the house-made bun and the tasty turkey shawarma. But it’s the toppings that make this a must. The pickled cabbage slaw adds some nice acidity, and then there’s a little bit of that bold tang that comes along with the amba. One of these sliders is the perfect amount for me. They come as a pair, so if you have an even-numbered party, go for it.

The last appetizer that I feel the need to draw attention to is the Ken Tziporim. This is a “bird’s nest” of different kinds of fried chicken. I guess that makes it more of a bird graveyard, but let’s not think of it that way. There are fried balls of ground chicken, some lightly battered dark meat chicken bites, and some fairly classic Israeli white meat chicken fingers. As you might expect, the dark meat chicken bites are the best in the basket with their juicy inside and slightly crispy breading. You could probably just eat these forever if you needed to. The white meat chicken tenders will place you firmly in the Holy Land with the sesame seeds you’d expect. The balls of ground chicken that are fried in a dark batter are the biggest surprise. Ground chicken doesn’t exactly have the best reputation, but these were moist on the inside, tasty, and really crunchy on the outside. If that kind of assortment sounds interesting, don’t leave without it.

Next up, I’ve gotta recommend the Burger HaBayit. Again, not really something I usually feature, this burger has two things going for it that made me pull the trigger. The first is the simple, yet delicious construction. It’s a house-made bun with a 10 oz. burger made of a house blend of dry aged meat topped with some cucumber slices, but the key is actually the enhanced flavor that comes from the chimichurri on one side and the pastra-

mi jam on the other. The second factor that makes me recommend this is that it comes with a side of the Chips HaBayit. These are so good that if you don’t choose to get the burger, you should still make sure you order the full portion as a side dish. Slices of crinkle-cut potatoes that are just thick enough to have an inside (so they aren’t really potato chips) are fried perfectly and spiced just right so that you basically can’t stop eating them once you start. Also, one of the comments I get a lot about house burgers like this one is that people wish they could order it but they also want to try other dishes and it’s not like you can easily split a burger. Well, this burger comes cut in half! So feel free to proposition your partner with half a burger and half something else!

But what should that half of something else be? For that, I’ll suggest that you order the Lamb Shank. This dish includes a huge bed of couscous, a full lamb shank with the meat absolutely falling off the bone (topped with pistachios and pomegranate seeds), a half of a roasted tomato, and a piece of matzah. Everything about this comes together brilliantly. The couscous is light and fluffy, the meat is super tender, the pistachios and pomegranate provide nice bursts of flavor, the roasted tomato goes well with the couscous, and even the matzah works if you want to take a bite with a little bit of

everything and get that crunch you might usually have with a crostini. You could eat this plate however you want. Take individual bites of what you like or remove the bone, throw it in a blender, and put it back on the plate to get everything together. Either way, this will delight your taste buds, and it’s a great representation of what Agripas Street has to offer. If you are in Lakewood and want to try something you can’t get elsewhere, stop into Agripas Street. It won’t be quite like walking down the real street in Yerushalayim, but you also don’t have to get on a plane.

Meat - Israeli - Waiter Service (732)-370-4745

84 Hillside Boulevard, Lakewood, NJ 08701

AgripasStreet.com

Kehillos Chareidim of Lakewood & Central Jersey (KCL)

In The K tchen

Watermelon Gazpacho

Pareve / Yields 6 servings

By Naomi Nachman

Well, it is that time of the year when tomatoes are in full season and at their peak flavor. It is the perfect time to make gazpacho soup. The combo of the watermelon and tomatoes truly makes it summer in a bowl.

Ingredients

◦ ½ red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

◦ ½ jalapeno, seeds removed, cut in slices

◦ 3 vine large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

◦ ½ English hothouse cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

◦ 2 Tablespoons olive oil

◦ 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

◦ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or in a blender, puree onion and jalapeno.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and puree. (Some texture will remain.)

3. Serve chilled.

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?!”

We have got to meet fire with fire.

- California Gov. Gavin Newsom at a Democrat rally

If you are Gavin Newsom, don’t say that you are going to fight fire with fire, if you just lost half of your state to fire.

- Tom Shillue on Fox

These people cannot create culture on their own. Without Black people, Brown people, the DEIs, there’s no culture in America… We Black folk gave y’all country music, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, rock and roll. They couldn’t even invent that, but they have to call a White man “The King.” Because they couldn’t make rock and roll, so they have to stamp “The King” on a man whose main song was stolen from an overweight Black woman.

- Former MSNBC anchor Joy Reid

Joyless Reid is an ungrateful hack who fails to acknowledge her privilege. Whatever remains of her success would only be possible in the United States of America, the same country she degrades for sport. She was too unhinged for MSNBC and was fired. Instead of changing her act, she’s doubled down on stupid.

- White House spokesman Harrison Fields responding to Reid’s comments

I love you. I will never be able to thank you enough. Let me just give you a hug.

- Israeli singer Idan Amedi, who was injured in Gaza last year, upon seeing, at a concert last week, the combat medic that saved his life

Honestly, if he could bring about the end to this terrible war, where Putin is the aggressor, invading a neighbor country, trying to change the borders — if he could end it without putting Ukraine in a position where it had to concede its territory to the aggressor…I’d nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

– Hillary Clinton on a recent podcast (setting an unachievable benchmark for Trump to get the Nobel Peace prize)

Liberals already ruined it.

- An ICE officer responding to a protester screaming that ICE is ruining the country by arresting criminal illegal aliens

Alaska was a show of force by President Trump. He invited President Putin to a land that the Russians used to own. He displayed a huge amount of military hardware and then did a flyover. It was kind of like inviting your uncontrollable neighbor to your house and showing him your gun case.

- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Critics of President Trump are always going to find something to criticize. I don’t even pay attention to it anymore.

- Secretary of State Marco Rubio on ABC News to Martha Raddatz

We ended seven wars, I thought [Russia/Ukraine] this would be one of the easier ones, and this has turned out to be the toughest one. India, Pakistan, I mean, these were big ones … some going for 31, 32 years, one for 35 years … the Congo and Rwanda, for 35 years, I got that one done. If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s a pretty [good thing].

- Pres. Trump on Fox & Friends

I want to try to get to Heaven, if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well, I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to Heaven, this will be one of the reasons. - ibid.

This administration has used the Justice Department—has used the investigatory power of the Justice Department—to target political opponents of the president.

– Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder—who viciously went after Obama’s political opponents—on MSNBC complaining about how the Justice Department is NOW politicized

BRET BAIER (FOX):

Hillary Clinton says if you can get a peace deal, she’ll nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize

PRES. TRUMP:

I may have to start liking her again.

You can choose to be something else!

- A wide-girthed protester to a National Guard officer who was patrolling in Washington, D.C.

And you can choose to eat a salad.

- The officer’s response

I walk around all the time. I wake up early in the morning sometimes and take a nice walk as the sun is rising around some of the Capitol and the other monuments and things. And I feel perfectly safe.

- Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticizing Pres. Trump for sending the National Guard into Washington, D.C., due to rampant crime

It’s also a [baloney] statistic. Where does that come from?

- Former Stephen Colbert staffer Pete Dominick on a recent podcast when asked about the fact that Colbert’s guests were 99% percent liberal (the only “conservative” that he had since 2022 was…wait for it…Liz Cheney, who has worse TDS than most liberals)

If you don’t think Washington, D.C., has a crime problem, then try walking around H Street, Columbia Heights, or Navy Yard on a Wednesday night and see for yourself. The tofu mob should be thanking President Trump for helping instead of having their 19th nervous breakdown.

- Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)

How the National Security Bureaucracy Blocked Reagan’s Ballistic Missile Ban Political Crossfire

By David Ignatius

Change is suspect at the Pentagon, now and forever, as President Ronald Reagan discovered in the waning days of the Cold War.

In 1986, Reagan had the heretical idea that the United States should make a deal to ban all ballistic missiles – and maybe all nuclear weapons. But the military brass and the CIA were so aghast at this disruptive proposal that over the next six months they buried it in a blizzard of negative secret memos until it died.

This tale of bureaucratic resistance is documented in newly declassified materials released by the State Department’s Office of the Historian. Though the basics of Reagan’s proposal and the military’s response were known, the new documents, described here for the first time, add vivid detail about how a radical presidential arms control plan was shot down by the guardians of the status quo.

The interagency drama that followed Reagan’s disarmament proposal “comes through for the first time” in the documents, said State Department Historian James Graham Wilson, who made them public this month as part of a broader declassification of material from 1985 to 1988, the last four years of Reagan’s presidency. I want to tell the story in some detail, because it offers an unusual window into how the government works to protect what officials see as the public interest – even when that seems to contradict a democratically elected president’s wishes.

Reagan’s encounter with the national security establishment has some obvious resonance now, when the Trump administration is waging a daily campaign against the government bureaucracy. Some of the attacks by President Donald Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard strike me as deeply misguided and

potentially dangerous. But even Trump’s sharpest critics should recognize that the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies sometimes follow their own agendas – and zealously protect their turf and past practices.

The proposal to ban missiles began with Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger in June 1986. As Reagan’s team was preparing for his meeting with Soviet President Michael Gorbachev, Weinberger floated the idea of trumping Gorbachev’s anti-nuclear rhetoric with a plan to eliminate missiles.

“Reagan was intrigued” during the small meeting in the Situation Room, recalled then-Secretary of State George Shultz. Shultz liked the “bold idea,” too.

What appealed to Reagan, Shultz and Weinberger was removing the hair-trigger for nuclear war. An attack with ballistic nuclear weapons could allow leaders just a handful of excruciating minutes to assess the threat – false alarms are a seri-

ous danger – and devise a response that could have devastating consequences for the entire world. The remaining strategic systems, bombers and cruise missiles, are slower and allow more time for discussion and decision-making. Fred Ikle, a respected strategist who was served as undersecretary of defense, “pointed up the special danger from fast-flying ballistic missiles, which cannot be recalled once launched,” Shultz explained in his 1993 memoir, “Turmoil and Triumph.”

The Reykjavik proposal was the culmination of a shift that had been gathering momentum through Reagan’s presidency. He had begun as a hard-line hawk on defense issues. But he became increasingly passionate about reducing the threat of nuclear war, through arms control agreements and his “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative. SDI scared the Soviets, and at Reykjavik they offered

President Reagan with George Schultz

deep cuts in nuclear weapons to convince Reagan to drop it.

Reagan refused to scrap SDI, and by the second day in Iceland, the talks had reached an impasse. Shultz decided to float the idea that had “intrigued” Reagan. SDI research would continue, he told his Soviet counterpart, but after 10 years both sides would agree to scrap all their ballistic missiles. A few minutes later, Reagan made a formal proposal to Gorbachev: “By the end of 1996, all offensive ballistic missiles of the USSR and the United States will have been totally eliminated.”

As a kicker, Reagan added: “It would be fine if we eliminated all nuclear weapons.” But he kept insisting on keeping SDI. The meeting broke up, and some commentators called it a failure because of the disagreement about Star Wars. But Reykjavik laid the groundwork for two subsequent arms control breakthroughs: the INF treaty in 1987 limiting medium-range missiles, signed a year later, and the 1991 START I treaty reducing strategic nuclear weapons.

Cut to Washington. Reagan hadn’t given up hope of abolishing all ballistic missiles. Less than a month after Reykjavik, on Nov. 3, 1986, he issued National Security Decision Directive 250, restricted to those with “a clear need to know,” to develop a plan “to move quickly to exploit any Soviet willingness to join us in the proposal involving the elimination of offensive ballistic missiles within ten years which I made in Reykjavik.” The 10-page memo requested detailed study of the impact on NATO, deterrence and other issues.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff met with Reagan at the White House a month later for a somber review. Adm. William J. Crowe, the chairman, opened by warning that the president’s proposal would pose challenges “requiring us to adjust our thinking in every area,” according to minutes of the meeting. If missiles were gone, the Air Force would need more planes, the Navy more ships, and the Army more ground forces, the chiefs said.

Reagan tried to reassure the Pentagon brass that he was not “living in a dream world,” the minutes record. He argued for continued study of banning missiles to show the Soviets: “They have a choice – join us in arms reduction or lose an arms race.” The meeting ended without any decisions.

The CIA weighed in the next month with a lengthy analysis of why the ballistic-missile ban wouldn’t work. In a cover letter, acting CIA director Robert M. Gates wrote “it is highly unlikely that the Soviets would go along” even though they “would be in a much better position to take advan-

tage of such a new regime than most people realize.” The assessment was a double whammy, saying in effect: They won’t do it, and it would be bad for us if they did.

The CIA warned of a cascade of dangers: In a world without ballistic missiles, “the likelihood of crises and even conven-

The final hatchet fell that spring. Carlucci sent the president a memo on April 7, 1987, summarizing a new, 100-page Joint Chiefs analysis. The chiefs argued that a zero-ballistic-missiles world would mean either more money or more risk. Both were unacceptable. Carlucci asked Reagan to

Even Trump’s sharpest critics should recognize that the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies sometimes follow their own agendas – and zealously protect their turf and past practices.

tional conflict … could increase.” Key NATO allies would fear “it will undermine the concept of nuclear deterrence and weaken the perceived U.S. commitment to Western Europe’s defense.” France would refuse to cooperate, West Germany could have “psychological insecurity.” China would have “concern.” And the Soviets, in any event, could cheat by hiding missiles or secretly keeping systems they promised to abolish.

The Pentagon escalated its campaign against Reagan’s proposal in a February briefing for Shultz, Weinberger and national security adviser Frank Carlucci. Led by Crowe, the joint chiefs recommended that Reagan’s goal be “deferred,” according to a National Security Council memo summarizing the discussion. The gist of the chiefs’ argument was that disarmament would require much more defense spending – an additional estimated cost of $388 billion above an already planned 3 percent increase in the defense budget.

Shultz was peeved. Reagan’s idea might make sense, he believed, even if it cost more money. “An insurance force against cheating was very much part of the President’s proposal at Reykjavik. I was at the table,” he scolded the Joint Chiefs briefer. As for the Joint Chiefs’ recommendation that action on Reagan’s goal be deferred, Shultz “noted that he did not consider that an appropriate military judgment.”

Weinberger, who had first pitched the idea, now said he accepted the Joint Chiefs’ argument that moving to zero ballistic missiles in 10 years “is simply not feasible, practical, or safe.” But Shultz was still unconvinced, telling his colleagues that he was “not going to give up trying to get people to think bigger about what needs to be done,” according to the NSC memo.

But Shultz was fighting a losing battle.

check “OK” on his recommendation: “We take no further action on analyzing the Reykjavik formula for a transition to a world without offensive ballistic missiles.” And that was the end of it.

The Cold War world turned upside down over the next several years. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Germany was reunited the following year, and in December 1991 the Soviet Union dissolved. In that

sense, Reagan had achieved his dream. But Russia kept its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenal. It eventually developed hypersonic missiles, which make the flying time even shorter and the decision-time more precarious.

Shultz never gave up the idea that Reagan had been right to try to ban ballistic missiles. He noted in his memoir: “As I often said to critics of Reykjavik and proponents of the status quo: ‘What’s so good about a world where you can be wiped out in 30 minutes?’ I had never learned to love the bomb – or the ballistic missile that carried it.”

The arms race seems to have an inexorable logic of its own. The Trump administration is racing to match Russian and Chinese advances on hypersonics. And the Pentagon plans to spend $946 billion over the next 10 years to modernize U.S. nuclear forces.

Would the world be safer today if Reagan had succeeded in his plan to ban offensive ballistic missiles? We’ll never know. A cautious national security bureaucracy, charged with keeping the country safe regardless of what administration was in power, found the idea unthinkable.

© 2025, Washington Post Writers Group

Political Crossfire Spain’s Old Ways May Show How to Keep Cool

By Jason Horowitz

SEVILLE, Spain — Javier Recio held a lawn chair like a parasol over his mother’s head. The two had given up on sitting outside and were walking home through one of the least green, and most sweltering, neighborhoods of Seville. A pharmacy sign posted a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a drinking fountain trickled scorching water.

“We need to do something,” said Recio, 48.

In August, deadly wildfires forced the evacuation of thousands of people in northern and southern Spain and damaged a Roman-era mining site on the UNESCO world heritage list. Temperatures cracked 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 Celsius), and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the country, “We’re at extreme risk.”

Throughout this long and miserable summer, Seville, in the country’s south, has become a furnace of southern Europe. Its residents hope for some relief from increasingly frequent and intense heat waves that threaten the most vulnerable. But the city, like everywhere else, has no quick fix for the disastrous consequences of a

warming planet and is hardly on the cusp of futuristic breakthrough. Plans for a single cooling bus stop are still in the works.

What the city does have is a deep history of sweating it out with common-sense coping mechanisms.

The traditional siesta is no accident. As places like Norway and Finland hit higher temperatures, an increasingly uncomfortable continent may find itself looking to Seville and other cities that have been living with the heat for centuries for ways to get through what feels like the perpetual inferno of summer.

From spring to fall, white fabric awnings stretch like sheets across narrow Seville streets, providing shade that cools by dozens of degrees. The walls of the old buildings, going back at least a century, are thick to keep the heat out, and dark apartments stay cool behind sealed blinds.

Scientists are experimenting with approaches popular during the Muslim caliphates in Spain, starting more than 1,000 years ago. Those include ways of capturing hot air and cooling it through contact with cold water running below ground, and then releasing the naturally

rising chilled air through floor vents to lower temperatures in a contained space.

“Outdoors, it’s about 100 degrees; here, inside, with various summer ducts, we have 82 degrees,” said María de la Paz Montero Gutiérrez, a scientist from Seville University who ran a pilot program based on this ancient technology, called qanat and first used in Persia thousands of years ago.

Seville’s hospital is using a similar sustainable principle of running cold water through pipes, though with updated technology, to keep patients, operating rooms, expensive equipment and even hospital laundries cool. “We have prepared,” the system’s technical manager, José García Méndez, said as he stood among corridors of cooling systems, themselves protected by mesh curtains sprayed with water.

Seville is also focusing on prevention of the effects of blistering heat, with nurses making house calls to older adults to teach them to watch for symptoms of heatstroke. Slowing down to a southern Spanish pace may become a necessity, both locally and elsewhere in Europe.

“I take a cold shower, change my

clothes and lie down for a while,” said Mari Carmen Rodríguez, 68, a nurse who came home after her shift to rest in a dark and cool apartment, where spots of outside light perforated closed Persian blinds as in a night sky. “We’re used to it here. Behavior is very important.”

Heat is deadly for the old. Carlos III Health Institute has estimated that about 1,300 people die each year in Spain because of high temperatures. Past estimates have been far higher. Ambulance workers are increasingly on the lookout for heatstroke.

“The usual thing is that the skin is dry and hot,” said Francisco Ávila, an ambulance worker who carries a supply of solutions to bring down body temperatures, adding that emergency medical workers had been trained to handle heatstroke. If overheated people are not properly cared for, he said, things can go badly fast. Restaurants that cater to tourists — serving spritzes and spraying mists to cool down outside seating — are shifting or abbreviating work timetables, a policy endorsed by Spain’s labor minister, Yolanda Díaz. The government has adopted regulations to shorten or suspend outside

work based on heat alerts by the national weather service.

On a field outside Brenes, near Seville, farmers showed up before dawn to beat the sun. They removed irrigation systems for tomatoes, some of which simmered like a sauce on the parched ground. Other farmers in the area are now planting potatoes in the milder winters to prevent premature baking, said Manuel Morales, who works in a wholesale market in Seville.

“The climate is changing, and it’s us who have to adapt to it — not the other way around,” he said.

At construction sites back in the city, supervisors called more breaks for workers to hydrate under umbrellas. A few workers saw positives in the terrible conditions. One, Juan Antonio, said the condensed summer hours meant more free time. Another, Joaquin Hidalgo Pozuelo, was happy for the extra business selling air conditioners, which have become more popular. “We install about 10 machines a day, about 200 a month,” he said.

Play schedules are changing, too. Spanish children, already nocturnal, are becoming even more so, romping through playgrounds at midnight. Watching them are grandparents who, after hours hiding from the sun and hair-dryer breezes,

emerge at night to “take the fresh air” in dark squares.

“Before 10 p.m., we’d die out here,” said Guillermina Gálvez, 93, who sat in a square in Ginés, outside the city center. She told of surviving the heat as a little girl in the countryside by changing into fresh clothes and staying inside in the after-

Ávila, the ambulance worker, lamented the carelessness of tourists. As he did, a call came in for an emergency. Ambulance workers jumped in, but the siren would not start. They blamed the vehicle’s overheating, and colleagues answered the call. It was not the only thing that had not gone according to plan.

Scientists are experimenting with approaches popular during the Muslim caliphates in Spain, starting more than 1,000 years ago.

noons. Now, she and her daughter talked about how the hot days came in successive, unrelenting waves: “You have to wait to come outside.”

Tourists, with seemingly little regard for the month of year or time of day, remain eager to get the most out of their vacation time. They often brave the hottest hours to see the sights. Some even jog. As a result, health officials have appealed to tourism companies not to plan any activities outside during the hottest hours.

The qanat experiment rests on the largely abandoned grounds of the city’s Expo ’92 in the shadow of the Magic Island theme park, rumbling with roller coasters and the screams of their passengers. On a subsequent visit, the qanat had not been put in use. Signs warned skateboarders, frequent users of the space, to stay away. Plans to build bus stops using the technology have stalled. And a scaled-down version of the air-cooling technology, snaking like a long bench over a small plaza in the

city center, looks like a ruin, its panels stuffed with bottle caps, cobwebs and cigarette butts and its facade scrawled with anti-Trump graffiti.

“I don’t think that helps,” said Veronica Sánchez, an engineer, who passed it as she pushed her 1-year-old in a stroller. “What we need is tunnels, like what Canada has for the cold.”

At sunset, tourists happily bid good riddance to the setting sun from atop the Metropol Parasol, a wooden canopy of six interconnected grid-like structures known as the mushroom. “The sun just looks at me and I burn,” said Caroline McKeown, 47, from Ireland. Locals started coming out of their houses.

At 9:30 p.m., the restaurants started to fill. At 10, the bars. After 10:30 in Santiponce, a suburb of Seville, locals found relief by going back in time. In an ancient Roman amphitheater, they watched Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Claude Rains speak to one another in Spanish in a dubbed version of the 1938 classic “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” For a couple of hours, they could forget the future.

“Here,” said Maria Jose Aynat, 59, “you can stand the heat.”

© The New York Times

Political Crossfire A Year After Revolution, Hope Turns to Frustration in Bangladesh

By Anupreeta Das and Saif Hasnat

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Just over a year ago, after Sheikh Hasina, the autocratic leader of Bangladesh, unleashed a brutal crackdown on protesting students, Abu Sayed stood defiantly in front of armed police officers in the city of Rangpur, his arms outstretched.

Moments later he was hit by bullets and later died from his injuries, his family said. He was one of almost 1,400 to die in a mass uprising that eventually toppled Hasina’s 15-year rule.

Hasina later fled to India. She left behind a country on the brink of anarchy, but one also suffused with hope.

The students wanted to rebuild Bangladesh as a more equitable and less corrupt democracy. They helped install Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist, atop an interim government tasked with leading the nation out of chaos into stability.

But many Bangladeshis are frustrated with the slow pace of change, wondering whether protesters like Sayed sacrificed their lives in vain.

Under Yunus, Bangladesh has struggled to dislodge systemic problems like corruption, inflation, a paucity of jobs and an entrenched bureaucracy, which partly fed people’s anger against Hasina.

Students have clamored for democratic reforms to kick in faster. They also want swifter punishment for Hasina and the perpetrators of last year’s attacks on protesters — including members of her political party and police officials.

“It pains me,” said Romjan Ali, Sayed’s older brother. “We thought the country would become morally better, inequality would end, there would be fair elections, the killers would be punished, and that punishment would make criminals afraid. But nothing like that has happened.”

Ali added that without Yunus, though, it would probably be worse.

A New Beginning

The burden of reforming one of the

world’s poorest and most corrupt countries has fallen largely on Yunus’ shoulders, in a nation still divided and with nearly five dozen political parties.

Yunus’ first task was to restore law and order. Looting, rioting and attacks on minorities had destabilized the country after the revolution. Although Bangladesh is more stable now, the government has been accused by human rights groups of not doing enough to control bouts of violence against Hindu minorities and supporters of Hasina, while Islamic hard-liners have tried to get a foothold.

His next goal was to get an extensive reform agenda going. Yunus appointed 11 commissions to propose reforms, including changes to the electoral system, the judiciary and the police. The overarching goal was to make the country’s democratic institutions, which Hasina had bent to her will, more resilient against authoritarian rule.

But few of those changes have happened, and hope has turned to defeatism.

“Everything seems messy now,” said Abdullah Shaleheen Oyon, a student at the University of Dhaka. He was shot in

the leg during the protests, which were set off by anger over a quota system for government jobs.

“Our dreams remain unfulfilled,” he added, saying the urgency with which student leaders had launched their plans is petering out.

Last week, Yunus announced that Bangladesh would hold elections under a reformed voting system in February, though many details need to be resolved before then amid disagreements among political parties. In an address for the anniversary of the overthrow of Hasina, Yunus said his government had inherited a “completely broken” country but that it was recovering. He said he was preparing to hand over the running of the country to an elected government.

More than half of his tenure has been dominated by discussions with political parties about the timing of those elections.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which became the country’s largest political party after Hasina’s Awami League was decimated, has insisted that the interim government should implement only reforms necessary to hold free and fair

elections, leaving further changes to an elected government.

But other political parties, including Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, have backed Yunus on the need for more extensive reform first.

Some 30 political parties have been engaged on constitutional and governance issues for two months, said Ali Riaz, a political scientist and vice chair of the National Unity Council, a government body tasked with overseeing the commissions’ reform proposals.

He said they had done so without “any acrimonious exchange,” painting a sanguine picture of progress. The various parties have agreed on issues like the need for an independent judiciary and term limits on the prime ministerial role, he added.

Political Fracturing

Choosing its leaders through a fully democratic process would be a significant step for Bangladesh, a country of 171 million people.

Since Bangladesh became an independent nation in 1971, splitting from Pakistan where the ethnic Bengalis had faced violent suppression, its course has largely been shaped by two political dynasties. Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the country’s founders, started the Awami League. Ziaur Rahman, who was a military officer central to the independence war and became president, founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is now led by his son from London.

The two dominant parties regularly passed the baton to each other before Hasina gripped power. The BNP boycotted the last election in January 2024, calling it rigged. At the coming election in February, it is the Awami League that may be absent from the ballot because the party’s activities are banned in the country.

Newer political parties have been trying to widen their reach by targeting populations in rural and semi-urban areas.

Muhammad Yunus

Nahid Islam, a leader of the student uprising, started the National Citizen Party in February after he left Yunus’ government. To drum up support, he embarked on a “nation-building” walkathon in July.

Young voters are crucial for all parties: The median age in Bangladesh is around 26, and many of the country’s young people grew up knowing only Hasina’s rule.

“We, as a generation, have no good understanding of democracy because we haven’t seen it,” said Saeed Khan Shagor, a filmmaker who joined the protests last year. “So the state should make sure that citizens will live in peace, without any kind of fear.”

Thahitun Mariam, a Bangladeshi American who has been working with community groups in Dhaka, the capital, said she worried another common problem would not be addressed: the marginalization of women in the deeply traditional society. Without significant social change, she said, elections and reforms would simply re-create a “male-centric, male-dominated political reality.”

Many female students who were highly visible in the 2024 protests have retreated from their public roles. But Mariam said she was still hopeful Ban-

gladesh’s new democracy would prove to be more inclusive.

Conflicted Emotions

As Bangladeshis took a moment Aug. 5 to note the anniversary of the downfall of the Hasina government, tens of

acrimony from students about an as-yet unfulfilled promise of the revolution: bringing the perpetrators of the July 2024 killings to justice.

Ali, the brother of Sayed, said he had filed a case against those accused of shooting his brother in the Internation-

Many Bangladeshis are frustrated with the slow pace of change, wondering whether protesters like Sayed sacrificed their lives in vain.

thousands of people gathered in Dhaka, braving an evening drizzle to listen to Yunus’ address.

The audience cheered as Yunus said that those who died in last year’s mass uprising would be deemed national heroes, and Bangladesh would provide “legal protection to the families of the martyrs, the wounded fighters and the student protesters.”

But the celebrations masked growing

al Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court set up by Hasina in 2009, but that there had been little movement.

“Abu Sayed is a well-known martyr of this uprising,” Ali said. “If even his case is not handled properly, then what justice will Bangladesh ever get?”

The tribunal is conducting a trial of Hasina in absentia for her role in the killings. She put out a statement from India last week in which she called the student

revolution a “violent disruption of our hard-fought democracy.”

Bangladesh’s leaders have also elicited harsh criticism from rights activists who say the new Bangladesh lacks direction.

“The interim government appears stuck, juggling an unreformed security sector, sometimes violent religious hard-liners and political groups that seem more focused on extracting vengeance on Hasina’s supporters than protecting Bangladeshis’ rights,” Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, wrote in a recent report.

For most Bangladeshis, there are more everyday concerns, as the economy has sputtered. Economic growth slowed to 4.2% last year, down from 5.8% in 2023, according to the World Bank.

Abdul Kader, 37, said income from his air conditioner and refrigerator repair store in Dhaka has dropped 10% since the uprising. Customers are being cautious because of the uncertainty, he said, adding that he hoped an elected government might bring some relief.

“It seems people don’t have enough money,” he said, “or those who have money don’t want to spend.”

© The New York Times

Political Crossfire On Israel, Mamdani is No Longer a Democratic Outlier

By Jonathan S. Tobin

In the wake of New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary in June, there was some doubt as to whether a party that still aspired to represent mainstream voters would rally behind a man who was not only a Socialist but an anti-Zionist. Eight weeks later, not only is it clear that there will be no movement on the part of national or even statewide Democrats to disassociate themselves from his candidacy, but his position on Israel may well be closer to the mainstream of Democratic officeholders, and perhaps, many voters than his critics think.

The confirmation that Mamdani was not going to be isolated within his party was delivered last week in a column by New York Times political columnist Mara Gay when she broke the news that former President

Barack Obama had called the 33-yearold mayoral candidate to offer him encouragement and advice. She reported that other key members of Obamaworld, like political guru David Axelrod, speechwriter Jon Favreau, and political advisor and podcaster Dan Pfeiffer, have also been communicating with top Mamdani advisers. She quoted Axelrod as comparing the Mamdani campaign to the “familiar spirit” of “determined, upbeat optimism” that was needed to inspire the country and relate to working people in Obama’s campaigns.

Leave aside the fact that the Mamdani campaign has little appeal to working-class Americans, who, as last year’s election results showed, increasingly look to President Donald Trump and the Republicans to represent their interests rather than progressives, who reject their values, and favor globalist economics and illegal immigration.

As writer Armin Rosen recently noted in Tablet , the enthusiasm for the Democratic Socialist comes largely from white upper-middle-class or wealthy elites who, insulated from the real world, have bought into the economic and woke social fantasies of the left.

Obama Redux

It is a reflection of the fact that the Democratic base does, as Axelrod sensed, see Mamdani’s foolish platform of failed Marxist economic fairytales and opposition to a Jewish state as emblematic of a revival of Obama’s “hope and change” movement that propelled him to the White House in 2008. The failure of leading Democrats, who remain clueless as to why they lost in 2024, to mount any concerted opposition to Mamdani is itself significant. Still, the legitimacy that the approval of

Obama—who remains an iconic figure for Democrats even as the country embraces Trump—gives Mamdani signifies where the party is headed.

It should be remembered that Obama had to at least pretend to be a friend of Israel in 2008 and again in 2012 when his re-election campaign marked a year-long pause in his ongoing hostility to the Jewish state and its government before it resumed in full force with his appeasement of Iran. Things are very different in 2025. Mamdani’s record of opposition to Israel’s existence, membership in antisemitic organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine, and refusal to disavow leftist chants in favor of Israel’s destruction and Jewish genocide (“From the river to the sea”) and in favor of international terrorism against Jews (“Globalize the intifada”) would have been disqualifying, even in deep-blue New York not that

long ago. Now, the cheers from Obama and his administration’s alumni are not the only or even the primary indication of the shift among Democrats.

That Mamdani has the enthusiastic support of left-wing anti-Israel billionaire George Soros, as well as his son Alex, and their network of philanthropies and political action committees is hardly surprising. But the real indication of how Democratic opinion has shifted comes from the wide range of officeholders and office-seekers who are now adopting positions far closer to that of Mamdani on the Middle East conflict than pro-Israel stalwarts like Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) or almost the entirety of the Republican congressional caucus.

Political Weathervanes

The decision of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a once and likely future Democratic presidential candidate, is one such example. His shift away from a stance of traditional support for Israel and to denounce the campaign to eradicate Hamas in Gaza— and to say that he would have voted, along with the majority of the Democratic caucus, for the resolution of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to halt arms sales to the Jewish state—speaks volumes about party sentiment. Buttigieg may have little chance to win in 2028, given his lack of minority support in a party where such voters dominate the primaries, coupled with his disastrous performance in former President Joe Biden’s cabinet. Yet the former think tank analyst who always crafts his positions to appeal to what he thinks is mainstream opinion is a reliable weathervane of Democratic opinion.

His bending of the knee to the Hamas propaganda narrative about “genocide” and “starvation” in Gaza demonstrates how the balance of power in the party is no longer a matter of a leftist base pushing back against party moderates and congressional leadership.

The same applies to the decisions of other congressional Democrats.

It’s one thing for House “Squad” members and open antisemites like Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) to promote blood libels against Israel. But when Minority Whip Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.)— the second-ranking House Democrat— does so by specifically endorsing the claim that Israel is committing genocide

in Gaza (though she later contradicted herself and walked back the comment when questioned about it by JNS) or when Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a darling of pro-Israel liberal Jewish Democrats, becomes a co-sponsor of a bill blocking arms sales to Israel in the House, it’s time to stop pretending that Mamdani is some kind of an outlier in the party on the Jewish state.

This is bad news for Mamdani’s opponents, especially former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, both Democrats running as independents in November. Their candidacies are based on the idea that most voters, even in a city dominated by Democrats, have no interest in electing a Socialist who believes in policies like expanded rent control and government grocery stores that will exacer-

ocrats are embracing the cause of Mahmoud Khalil, the Syrian organizer of the pro-Hamas demonstrations and encampments at Columbia, whom Trump wants to deport, is just the icing on the anti-Zionist cake. If even people like former Staten Island Rep. Max Rose, a Jewish centrist, are now saying that Obama was right to welcome Mamdani and his supporters into a bigtent version of their party, that speaks volumes about who is and isn’t an outlier among Democrats.

Democratic Support Craters

They are, after all, just reading the numbers the way all politicians must. As a recent Gallup poll showed , while a decisive 71% of Republicans endorsed

The legitimacy that the approval of Obama—who remains an iconic figure for Democrats even as the country embraces Trump—gives Mamdani signifies where the party is headed.

bate rather than fix the problems facing New Yorkers, who aren’t as wealthy as the progressive elites backing Mamdani. Like Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, they have also been counting on the idea that the majority of them would be appalled by the prospect of a supporter of the sort of open antisemitism that was witnessed on campuses like that of Columbia University, Barnard College, New York University, the New School, the City University of New York and other academic institutions since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, would be too extreme to win a general election.

It remains to be seen whether their hopes of a backlash against Mamdani’s extremism will develop as Election Day approaches, or if the refusal of any among his trio of opponents to pull out of the race will enable him to win a plurality of votes even if that happens. What we do see is that mainstream Democrats have now concluded that it’s better to join Mamdani than fight him. That Mamdani and other Dem -

pro-Israel line, have abandoned it. By contrast, Republicans—who in today’s bifurcated culture are highly unlikely to read, watch or listen to leftwing outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN , MSNBC and NPR —are giving Israel the same 71% level of support now as they did right after the current war started. This is the culmination of a long process that has its roots in the progressive conquest of American education and liberal media, and the way toxic leftist myths about race, intersectionality and settler-colonialism that falsely labeled Israel as a “white” oppressor of Palestinians, a “people of color,” have become a new orthodoxy among liberals. As long as virtually every publication and broadcast and cable channel is mainstreaming the “genocide” lie, expecting politicians who look to the consumers of those outlets for support to stand up against these falsehoods is to engage in magical thinking.

Israel’s actions in Gaza, a staggeringly low 8% of Democrats agreed with them. This illustrates, among other things, the decisive influence liberal media has on the opinions of the sector of the population that still pays attention to them. The avalanche of anti-Israel coverage of the current war—with so many mainstream corporate liberal outlets effectively echoing Hamas propaganda about Palestinian casualties, starvation and genocide—has made an impact on Democrats.

Among them, support for Israel’s actions in Gaza fell from 36% in November 2023 to the current 8% figure. One could argue that having only slightly more than a third of Democrats backing the counter-offensive against Hamas only weeks after the orgy of mass murder, rape, torture, kidnapping and wanton destruction on Oct. 7 already spoke volumes about the decline in support for the Jewish state. But with backing for Israel cratering and slipping into single figures, it’s unsurprising that Democratic politicians, who once hewed to a

While far-right antisemites and online Israel-bashers have become too loud and popular online to ignore, they are still a minority phenomenon and out of sync with GOP voters and Trump, the man whose opinion is the only one that truly counts among Republicans these days. Yet while their support is unlikely to shift, those who are holding onto the belief that a bipartisan pro-Israel coalition can be resurrected from the political dead are dreaming. That’s a tragedy for Israel, and even more so for the majority of American Jews. Liberal Jews who aren’t willing to abandon Israel are increasingly politically homeless. Given the ideological motivation for their willingness to buy into Hamas blood libels, the belief that even an Israeli decision to end the war and surrender to the terrorists’ demands to hold onto power in Gaza would change things is to engage in fantasy, not sober political analysis. The focus on Mamdani among Jewish New Yorkers and pro-Israel Democrats is understandable, even if the chances of defeating him are slim. But it’s obvious that no matter what happens in New York in November, the Democrats are a lost cause for the pro-Israel community.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS (Jewish News Syndicate).

Jewish History “Palestine” Invades the U.K.

By Rafael Medoff

Arecent chance encounter in London’s Heathrow Airport offered a troubling glimpse of the extent to which anti-Israel hate is penetrating youth culture in the United Kingdom.

The encounter in question was not with a person, but rather a newspaper— the latest issue of The Skinny. Distributed free to the more than 200,000 travelers who pass through Heathrow daily—and many others, elsewhere—The Skinny is the second largest magazine of culture and listings in the United Kingdom. Its format and radicalism—political as well as cultural—are reminiscent of The Village Voice

The anti-Israel trend in the UK music scene has been in the news in recent weeks. The rappers Kneecap and Bobby Vylan stirred controversy at England’s Glastonbury Festival by leading the crowd in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Death to the IDF.” The new issue of The Skinny makes clear that those ugly appeals for violence were far from isolated phenomena in the UK.

The August edition features a twopage spread about “Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine,” which is billed as “a four-day mini-festival of theatre, dance, comedy, food, storytelling, music and poetry created by Palestinians.” The reviewer emphasizes that “each piece

[of the festival] is unapologetically political” and promotes “Palestinian resistance” against “Zionist occupation and genocide.” The festival’s approach of “art as politics” is urgently needed “in a moment where international conversations on Palestine are policed, sanctioned, [and] sanitized by mainstream institutions,” the reviewer asserts.

That’s a curious claim at a moment when supporters of the Palestinian Arab cause are being featured prominently throughout the international news media—including in The Skinny itself.

The “Film of the Month” selected by the editors for this issue is Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, described as “a portrait of resistance amid Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine.” It stars a photojournalist in Gaza, Fatima Houssana, who “tells of starvation, including her own.” Curiously, though, a half-page color still from the film, accompanying the review, shows Ms. Houssana smiling broadly and looking fit.

Another odd accusation mentioned by the reviewer is Houssana’s claim that Israel “appropriated” hummus and falafel from the Palestinian Arabs. That accusation has been a staple of anti-Israel propaganda for decades. But, in fact, the roots of hummus trace to the Syrian city of Aleppo, and falafel is be -

lieved to be of Egyptian origin.

The intersection of extremism and fake victimhood is amply illustrated in The Skinny ’s fawning interview with actor-playwright Khalid Abdallah. His latest work focuses on what he calls “the extraordinarily beautiful” Egyptian revolution of 2011 and “this moment in Palestine.”

Abdallah alleges that when his play was first performed, around the time of the first anniversary of October 7, “the word genocide was difficult to utter inside a theatre,” a claim for which there is no evidence.

The Skinny ’s interviewer neglects to mention that the “beautiful” Egyptian revolution in which Abdallah proudly participated helped pave the way for the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood to take power there.

Even the author of a new play about rebels in India in 1857, given a platform in The Skinny, cannot resist pivoting to the Jews. The “horrible [British] colonialism” in India has “parallels with what is happening in Gaza,” Niall Moorjani asserts.

One can hardly turn a page of The Skinny without encountering additional examples of such malevolence. There is a large photo glamorizing a Palestinian rioter. There are generous blurbs for a

play extolling the Second Intifada (in which more than 1,000 Israelis were murdered); an “Embroidery from Palestine” exhibit “with social and political depth”; and a reading by the “incredible” Gaza poet Dareen Tatour, with a photo of Tatour wearing a shirt illustrated by Naji al-Ali, a Palestinian cartoonist notorious for using antisemitic imagery.

Yet nowhere in the 128 pages of this month’s issue of The Skinny can one find a single article, interview, blurb or even brief mention of any Israeli-authored play, film, book or poetry reading in the United Kingdom. Which prompts the obvious question: Who, really, is being “silenced,” “policed,” or “sanctioned” ? It certainly isn’t the Israel-haters whom The Skinny is pushing to the forefront of the UK’s cultural scene.

Dr. Medoff is the founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. His book,  The Road to October 7: Hamas, the Holocaust, and the Eternal War Against the Jews, will be published on October 1, 2025, by The Jewish Publication Society / University of Nebraska Press.

Forgotten Her es Wing Commander Lionel “Sos” Cohen, a Veteran of 4 Wars

By Avi Heiligman

Large numbers of Jewish soldiers fought for the Western Allies during the world wars. An estimated 225,000 Jews fought for the Americans in World War I, as did over 40,000 in the British armed forces. 550,000 Americans and 70,000 British Jewish personnel served in all branches of the military during World War II. There were a few who served in both wars, but there was one Jewish officer who fought in an incredible four wars.

Wing Commander Lionel “Sos” Cohen had been in active service for decades before World War II and was the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) oldest aircrew member during the war. Prior to joining the RAF, he had a distinguished military career that spanned several wars. Born in 1875 in Newcastle, England, Cohen was an adventurous teenager and joined the marines before his mother tracked him down. His mother sent him to his uncle in South Africa, and he became a guard for a mining company. Cohen volunteered for the army when he heard of the British conquests north of his location. He took part in the First Matabele War in 1893 and fought with fixed bayonets. Another Jewish soldier was killed in the fighting, and Cohen was asked to bury him according to Jewish tradition.

Cohen’s second conflict was the Boer War in 1899, and he took command of a hundred local soldiers in operating behind enemy lines. Cohen’s force was tasked to patrol the Mozambique frontier and catch anyone trying to smuggle weapons to the enemy. He was so successful that an enemy general threatened to torture him if he was captured. Cohen escaped capture and returned to civilian life after the war.

His business dealings did not go as planned after the war, and when World War I broke out, he joined the 1 st South African Horse Brigade. Cohen was sent to fight in German East Africa under General Von Deventer. During one of his first actions in the war, Cohen and another British soldier managed to convince three Germans and 430 local fighters that they were surrounded. This forced the enemy to surrender. Cohen then took his troops behind enemy lines to act as scouts and send vital information back to General Von Deventer. In 1916, he built an airstrip for the Royal Navy Air Service and volunteered to serve with them as an observer. In this role, Cohen experienced multiple close calls in crash landings, was a participant in several skirmishes, and was described as a “very capable and zealous officer.” He spent the rest of the war conducting special operations and intelligence gathering.

Between world wars, Cohen got married, started a family, and returned to Mozambique for a business opportunity managing a mine. His adventures included searching for a man-eating lion and falling into a pit occupied by a lioness. After the mine failed, he returned to England and in 1937 founded the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The Reserve was made up of former air officers from different branches, and he was commissioned as a pilot in 1939. Cohen was now 64 years old and served with the Coastal Command as a liaison officer. He flew in 70 missions as an observer and air gunner. The missions included convoy escort over the Atlantic, reconnaissance missions over Iceland, anti-submarine patrols in Spain and North Africa, patrol off of France’s

coast, and working with Australians over Europe. The types of planes he flew in varied and included the Lockheed Hudson light bomber, PBY Catalina seaplanes, B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, and Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers.

Cohen’s exploits during World War II involved long hours in cramped conditions on the planes, and he flew over 500 operational hours. One mission took him into the Arctic Circle in a B-24 Liberator when the aircraft began to malfunction. Cohen insisted on staying in the turret, and when the plane landed in Reykjavik, Iceland, he was so cold that it took two crewmen to pry him from his seat. On another mission, he flew is a Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber that attacked a U-boat and claimed to have sunk it after repeated strikes. As wing commander, he took part in the bombings of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau when they were in port at Brest, France. In 1942, he was wounded by anti-aircraft fire while attacking another German warship, the Lutzow. On another mission, he was flying as a rear gunner in a Halifax bomber when it was hit by anti-aircraft fire while attacking an enemy convoy. One engine caught fire, and the hydraulics on the plane was shot, and the plane had to make a crash landing. Cohen walked away from the wreck unscathed.

In February 1944, just before his 70th birthday, it was announced that Cohen had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross that read: “Since 1940, Wing Commander Cohen has been employed as an Air Liaison Officer to the

Navy and has taken a continuous and active part in operations. On many of his sorties, which have ranged from the Norwegian coast in the North to the North African coast in the South, this officer has served as air gunner or observer. Wing Commander Cohen, who is over 60 years of age, has set a magnificent example to all by his untiring energy and courage.”

Among the other medals he had been awarded during his long military career included the American Air Operations Medal for his valuable service. Liaison officers were not supposed to fly operational missions, but Cohen insisted as he wanted to lead by example. Lionel Cohen was an incredible 70 years old when World War II ended in 1945. Cohen’s career spanned three branches of the military. His bravery while on the battlefield and in the air makes the story of this Forgotten Hero history to be remembered.

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.

Lionel Cohen, right, with his crew

Classifieds

SERVICES SERVICES SERVICES

DU N DURT

Power & Soft Washing

We clean siding, stucco, decks, driveways, concrete, pool patios, pavers & sidewalks. Say goodbye to grime, mold & allergens!

Call/WhatsApp: 718-688-2964

Email: dundurtny01@gmail.com

VACUUM SALES AND REPAIR

All areas call Max Flam 718-444-4904

THE LEATHER SHOPPE

The spot for all your custom leather Judaica. Tallis/tefillin bags, lulav and esrog bags, havdallah sets, challah covers, shtenders, pesach sets, matzah/afikomen bags.  WhatsApp: (732) 523-0007 or email: theleathershoppe732@gmail.com for a full catalog. We ship.

PEACEFUL PRESENCE STUDIO

Men’s private yoga, Licensed Massage & Holistic Health Guidance 436 Central Ave, Cedarhurst Info. & free video training www.peacefulpresence.com 516-371-3715

GERBER MOVING

Full Service Moving Packing Moving Supplies

Local Long Distance. Licensed Insured 1000’S Of Happy Customers Call Shalom 347-276-7422

HANDYMAN AVAILABLE

For big or small jobs, Sheetrock, carpentry, painting, electrical, plumbing, install & repair appliances Call Ephraim at 347-593-4691

MANAGEMENT STAFF WILL ASSIST

you with: * Obtaining Medicaid and Pooled Income Trust

* In-home Assessments, Individual and Family Counseling

* Securing reliable home care assistance

* Case and Care Management services

Dr. S. Sasson, DSW, LCSW (718) 544- 0870 or (646) 284-6242

LEARN MATHEMATICS

At home with my tutorial software. Algebra Through Statistics. www. math911.com Only $1 for flash drive with tutorials. Call 347-528-7837

Professor Moshe Weissman 60 years teaching Mathematics Martin Weissman 193 Edward Ct West Hempstead 11552

HAIR COURSE:

Learn how to wash & style hair & wigs. Hair and wig cutting, wedding styling Private lessons or in a group Call Chaya 718-715-9009

ZEVIZZ WOODTURNING JUDAICA  Challah knifes, batei mezuzah, besamim holder, kiddish cups, havdalah candle holders, yad for sefer torah, pens, stenders, bowls and more  952-356-2228

MY MOTTO IS DON’T WAIT TO buy real estate

Buy real estate and wait Your realtor for life 516-784-0856 Alexandra at Realty Connect USA

REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Services – Do Not Manage Your Properties Alone!

Contact Aliyah Suites for all your real estate management needs and affordable office space near you! (516) 366-1049

Management@aliyahsuites.com

Marc Jeret (MJ) Team Leader & Licensed Real Estate Agent

CAN’T AFFORD YOUR PROPERTY TAXES? MORTGAGE? Must sell for any reason? Call for FREE Consultation. Call now 212-470-3856 Cash buyers available!

Classifieds

COMMERCIAL REAL ESATATE HELP WANTED

CEDARHURST

Prime Restaurant Location For Lease.

For more information:

Call/Text/WhatsApp Owner:

(516) 206-1100

Don’t Get Stuck With a Two Story House Ya Know, It’s One Story Before You Buy It But a Second Story After You Own It!

Call Dov Herman For An Accurate Unbiased Home Inspection InfraredTermite Inspection

Full Report All Included NYC 718-INSPECT Long Island 516-INSPECT www.nyinspect.com

*FAR ROCKAWAY*

Special Care seeks male to transport high functioning, down syndrome teenage boy back and forth to Sunday program Sunday afternoons. Can do activities with him afterwards. Call: 718 -252-3365 ext:102 renay@specialcarefor.com

DELIVERY PERSON NEEDED

to deliver this Newspaper every Thursday  morning to locations in Brooklyn. Must have Mini van or SUVand availability to work Consistently every week. Good pay - Please email gabe@fivetownsjewishhome.com or call (917) 299-8082

Sarahcisaacs@gmail.com

HELP WANTED

Tutoring regents in Algebra and Geometry A Darchei Torah instructor. Guaranteed results Text 347-491-8045 WhatsApp 347-767-1755

HELP WANTED

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

Weekly Classifed

Ads

Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................$30 2 weeks .............. $50 4 weeks ..............

Deadline Monday 5:00pm

Classifieds

HELP WANTED

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

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

HELP WANTED

SEEKING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS and assistants for General Studies for the ‘25-’26 year. Assistants should have skills to take over for teachers if needed. Far Rockaway area boys’ school, M-Th, PM hours, strong support. Excellent salary. Send resume to teachersearch11@gmail.com.

BOOKKEEPER

A Five Towns Real Estate Company is seeking a full-time Bookkeeper. The right candidate must be proficient with QuickBooks and Excel. They must also be self-motivated, organized, detail oriented, reliable, and able to work independently or as a team player. Warm, frum office environment with excellent salary & benefits. Please email resume to HR@capsprop.com

Yeshiva Kol Torah is hiring for the coming school year: Health & Fitness instructor  Monday & Wednesday: 5:10-5:50pm Tuesday & Thursday: 5:50-6:30pm Great pay

Interested candidates should email jobs@yeshivakoltorah.org

WE WELCOME YOU TO

Share your stories anonymouslystories of miscarriage, RPL, Infertility, SIF, stillbirth, etc... Stories of struggles, stories of triumph. To help raise sensitivity and awareness and support women going through this. We are compiling a book of personal stories (you remain anonymous) and proceeds will go to tzedaka.

Email: jewish.infertility.miscarriage@ gmail.com

CASH IN YOUR CHASE Points For Top Dollar! Special Rates For Accounts Over 500,000 Points. Call/WhatsApp 718-813-4444 Email Cash@ThePointsTree.com. The Points Tree Plant Your Points, Grow Your Cash!

SHMIRAS HALASHON

Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

BEIS HAMEDRASH CONG. Chasdei Uvois Oshpitzin Talmidei chachomim are willing to learn mishnayos, say kaddish and be the shliach tzibbur to daven for the umid on the yartzeit yom hashanah of your parents or close relatives or loved ones

To arrange please call Rabbi Miller 917-445-6220

Life C ach

The Thrill of It All

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

I’m literally watching people run off a cliff…yet, I’m not budging to stop them. They asked for it. They got it.

Is life that terrible that they want to take this dive?

Well, rest assured that they are falling up, not down.

The background here is Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe. The foreground is them tethered to a parachute or wind surf.

They are sailing through time and space. Pulling this way and that. What an amazing sensation it must be.

On the other hand, I’m happily tethered to my perch. A spot on the mountain covered with grass where one can sit and observe.

It looks like a wonderful experience. The ability to fly through the air. It totally appeals to me. However, only if someone would be there keeping a landing pad securely connected below me and shadowing me at close range would I ever attempt it.

I love the thought of flying freely. The carefree sensation, the beautiful, weightless feeling.

What stops me? That very not carefree feeling of looking down! And the concerning feeling of being that high off the ground.

For some, it’s a thrill. For me, it’s a fear festival.

One of the guides on the hikes climbing through the Alps confessed she has a

fear of heights. Interestingly, she leads the high-level hiking group up and down the mountains and is apparently a pilot for windsurfing. It certainly doesn’t sound like my fear and hers are similar. So I’m wondering what heights she’s talking about?!

I guess she means that if, somehow, she wound up in heaven, right next to G-d, she might be a little shaky. Otherwise, I’m not sure we can really relate to one another.

After all, I’m not even too wild about a Ferris wheel. And you know those are connected to the ground. Plus, I mean the ones in the kiddy section.

The roller coasters, though, historically, I’ve liked.

We all have our challenges and our thrills. What’s important in life is to respect our own challenges and thrills and to respect what works for others.

Bottom line – a good place for me ‘cause it’s close to the ground: there is no challenge like the challenge of acceptance. And no thrill like the thrill of being accepted.

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.