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The Jewish questionnaire with Sid Abrams By Benjamin Weiss
For over 50 years, Sid Abrams has been running Abrams Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Philadelphia. He has crisscrossed the city with his truck as he delivered freshly cleaned and pressed clothing to his clientele. His smile and good nature have made him an iconic figure. He recently celebrated his 85th birthday in Tucson. How long have you been in Tucson? A few months. What brought you here? Family. It was time to retire and spend more time with our 2 children, 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren who are on the west coast. Compared to your hometown, Tucson is... A nice quiet town. I’m still waiting to make some friends. It’s mostly family now because of Covid. Maybe I’ll wait for the snowbirds to arrive... A Mitzvah/holiday I love: Every one of the holidays is great, but
Yom Kippur gives me a chance to reflect on the past and hopefully the future. A cherished Jewish experienced: Getting married to Joan whom I have known since we were 13 years old. I also enjoyed spending time at the oldfashioned synagogue in south Philadelphia where my grandfather served as the gabbai (beadle or sexton). I’m currently learning/reading: Not much. I’m primarily watching TV and playing cards with my wife (she beats me every time but I still love it). My comfort foods are: Joan’s chicken cutlets are the greatest. She also bakes banana cake - it’s not as good as my mother’s but still great. I’m happy when...: I’m mostly happy. I’m pretty much an easy guy to get along with. I’m proud of: My entire family. They have been successful in their own way, educated and
Sid Abrams celebrates his 85th birthday by putting on Tefillin alongside his wife Joan and Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin of Chabad Tucson
seem to ring my bell every moment. I kvetch about: I’m not a kvetcher. I’d rather laugh than kvetch. Favorite Yiddish or Hebrew word: Schlep. For many years, I used to do a lot of schlepping (hauling or carrying something). A historical Jewish figure I identify
with: David Ben Gurion and all prime ministers of Israel. Chabad is...: A place you can go to and everyone loves each other. It’s like home. I would like to be known for: Just being a nice guy. If you need help, I’ll try to help. I’ll suggest a solution but won’t tell you what to do.
Budgeting During Tough Economic Times By Roman Nachum Footnick First rule of budgeting is do it. In order to make a budget, it must be written down, on paper and on purpose. Just going through your income and expenses in your head will not help and will actually mislead you. Writing down everything you spend and every source of income creates a much more accurate, detailed account of where your money is going.
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Too often I hear, “I don’t know where all my money goes.” This is a profound and true, although sad, statement. Most people literally do not know where their money is going after it has reached their hands (or bank accounts). This is simply because they either a) do not have a written budget, b) do not stick to the budget, or c) do not review what is budgeted
(either individually or as a family). Many people seem to have an aversion to just the word “budget.” So let’s call it a financial plan. You see, really a budget should be a written plan, not just a written account of what you think transpired over the last month. If you want to have success with your money, then commit to writing down your financial plan (budget) before the month begins. This means giving every dollar a purpose. Waiting till the end of the month and then trying to recall where your money went is not how I define planning. So give yourself an allowance, for every expense you make over a month, quarter, or year (start small for now and just do a
monthly expense). This is how businesses operate. This is why most businesses make money. If you treat yourself like a business, “You, Inc.”, you will find it much easier to have a successful financial future. In the beginning, you are not going to get it right, you will give yourself too little for “FOOD,” too much for “CLOTHES” or whatever... just be patient and stick to the plan and you will get it dialed in and accurate. I hesitate to say it, but budgeting can be fun. It just takes basic math (addition and subtraction), honesty, and communication. Most people are shocked at its effect. Couples have better communication, people feel more in control, and most people feel like they actually get a “raise”
when they budget their month before it ever begins. Really, once you get the hang of it, a “family financial planning meeting” should only take 5-10 minutes a month—and then everyone knows where their money is going... instead of where it went. For a sample workable budget, visit: https://bit.ly/3D5fpXC - Dr. Roman Nachum Footnick, an acupuncturist, herbalist, and therapist, has a Masters in Science in Asian Medicine and a Bachelors in Philosophy. He owns and operates a small, diverse company that comprises a health care facility as well as a fitness facility in Houston, TX.
