Issue 024

FINDING YOURSELF IN THE PICTURE

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INBOX

GUARD OUR EYES

(Re: News, Issue 023)

I greatly enjoy The Williamsburg View and appreciate that I can bring it into my house without any qualms. I have come to expect and rely on the high standards of the magazine, both in content and in Yiddishkeit. Therefore, I was disturbed to see pictures of non-Jews, particularly those known to be antisemites, in these pages. I understand that many may find it interesting to see who the mayoral candidates are, or the lawyer representing a famous case, but I feel it goes against our values to view such pictures.

Thanks again for a great read, week after week!

A MOTHER’S HEART

(Re: Mine, Issue 023)

I’m writing simply to say that I had tears in my eyes when I read the first chapter of your new diary serial, Mine, and I heard the same from so many people I know. The words were so poignant, and so real, it’s almost like this mother’s heart was reaching out from the pages and touching the hearts of her readers.

Thank you, Gitty, for taking the courage to share your story. A Thankful Reader

A GOOD SOLUTION FOR A GREAT PROBLEM

(Re: POV, Issue 022)

Thank you for providing quality content, week in and week out — even through this hectic Yom Tov season!

Shabbos

Candle Lighting Starts Here

7:135:47

I hope that many people noticed the POV about wishing grandparents ah gut yahr. There was one voice that represented the thoughts of some grandparents out there. I asked my mother how she feels about all the children and grandchildren visiting on Erev Rosh Hashanah. She told me candidly that she appreciates the opportunity to see the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but at the same time, the day becomes very overwhelming. My mother hardly had time to prepare for Yom Tov, as she was busy entertaining the once-a-year visitors.

She very much appreciated the two grandchildren who reached out one to two weeks before Yom Tov and asked if it was a good time to visit, and visited on an Erev Shabbos or Sunday.

I thought that this idea, of staggering the visits to the grandparents in the little while before Yom Tov, may be helpful to the grandchildren as well and ease their Erev Yom Tov too. And yes, to all the grandchildren out there, you can send cards and call more than once a year! Appreciate the fact that you have healthy grandparents whom you can still visit and call!

May this be the only “problem” that grandparents and grandchildren need to contend with.

A Young Daughter of the Older Generation

YOUR SAY

CHESED DOESN’T TAKE TIME OFF

I’m writing to express my deep appreciation to the women in our community who did not get caught up in the mental trap of “what’s in it for me?” I’m referring to those playgroup teachers who went above and beyond in this hectic season to occupy our dear children on days that they may have been able to get away with closing. There are some admirable morahs out there who had playgroup on Tzom Gedalya and even on two Sundays, September 28 and October 5. And these are Yiddishe mothers of large families who are also making Yom Tov. I am awed by their selflessness!

I’m not in any way trying to condemn those who couldn’t work on those days. I just thought this was a wonderful opportunity to learn about stepping out of our own comfort zone to see how to make things more comfortable for others.

It’s something we can all accomplish in so many ways — giving up our place in line, holding someone’s baby so she can try on an outfit, and even just simply extending a thank you to a saleslady.

Let’s learn from these special teachers to have others’ needs in mind.

A Grateful Mother

PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN

On Sunday, September 28, I was walking outside when I saw a young boy who appeared to be around seven years old standing alone outside a store, collecting tzedakah for his cheder. An interesting looking woman passed by and started talking to the boy. First she asked him what cheder he’s collecting for, and then she told him, “Oh, that cheder has enough money.” Then she offered to buy him a snack or drink.

Baruch Hashem, the woman left (possibly because she saw me standing and watching this encounter). But please be aware that it is not safe to allow children to collect money alone or be outside unsupervised. There are unfortunately many many unwell people on the street, and others with intent to harm. Keep your children safe. A Reader

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DO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TAKE OFF THEIR SHOES WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE HOUSE? WHERE DO THEY PUT THEIR SHOES, AND WHAT DO THEY WEAR INSTEAD?

We take off our shoes before entering the house, place them in the entrance closet, and put on Floafers or slippers instead. We always keep our shoes on. No shoes is a siman of aveilus

No, we do not remove our shoes. Our kids take their shoes off for comfort, but don’t put them anywhere in particular. We spend a lot of time looking for shoes in the morning...

Wearing shoes is mandatory at all times in the house. If anyone chooses to change to more comfortable footwear, they must do so in their room and only leave their room once their shoes are neatly in the closet.

We are very strict about not walking around in the house barefoot, as is brought down in halacha

Shoes, shoes all over the floor — slippers and Floafers too. Last winter, I had a shoe rack out the door, which some of my kids used. You need to have the energy to enforce this rule, and who has energy to spare?

We don’t. Our house is not a museum, and we let everyone live. Shoes are put away on the shoe racks in the closets or near the bed.

Yes, we take off our shoes when entering the house, but it’s more out of comfort than concern for cleanliness.

No, I don’t make anyone take off their shoes when they come into the house. Everyone can wear whatever they want on their feet. We have over-the-door shoe organizers where we store everyone’s shoes.

No, I don’t make anyone remove their shoes. In theory, would I like to? Would it keep the house cleaner? Of course. But a little dirt never hurt anyone.

My father never allowed us to walk around without shoes, as it is a sign of mourning. My own kids are still little, and they hate wearing shoes, so I encourage them to wear their Floafers. However, I don’t say anything if they walk around barefoot.

No, we don’t. I did grow up with the take-your-shoes-off-atthe-door rule, but my husband strongly feels that we are not slaves to our floors.

No, we don’t require anyone to take off their shoes. This is a house where people live, not a museum.

My kids are allergic to shoes. The second they walk in, their shoes come off. I wish I could say that the shoes are put away in the closet, but no, the shoes are placed neatly at the side of the dining room, at best.

Yes, although my husband does not understand it and would much prefer that we didn’t. However, there must be a genetic component to this habit. My shoes come off the moment I step into the house, and no, slippers are not an option.

Yes, we all take off our shoes and leave it by the entrance. The house stays much cleaner, and the parquet floors don’t get scratched.

Growing up, we had an aunt who made us take off our shoes when we came into her house. I knew I was considered an adult when I visited her as a newly married couple, and when I told my new husband to take off his shoes before entering, my aunt quickly said, “It’s okay, you can leave your shoes on!”

Since we live in Canada, where it snows the better part of the year, we don’t want to bring the salt from the outdoors into the house, so we have a “no-outdoor-footwearin-the-house” policy. We keep our boots neatly stacked on a boots rack in the entrance. When someone enters the house, they remove their boots, change to their slippers, and put the boots on the rack. Since we already have the boots rack, we use it in the summer as well. No shoes that were on the street come into the house; they go onto the rack.

No! I am raising a family, not serving as a slave to my floors.

We often take off our shoes when we enter the house and keep them near the entrance or coat closet. On rainy, muddy or snowy days, we always take them off. Otherwise, it isn’t a must.

We do not leave our shoes outside, but our neighbors whom we share an entrance with do. It is really unpleasant to have muddy shoes greeting us every time we walk inside.

Everyone immediately takes off their shoes upon entering the house and takes them to their room. Cozy slippers or Floafers replace the shoes.

There is a shoe bench at my front door, and we all leave our shoes there. Even my toddler knows to point to his shoes when coming in from outdoors.

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PARSHAS NOACH

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After Noach planted a vineyard and drank of the wine, he became drunk, and lay in his tent deeply asleep. The pasuk says “vayikach” — Shem and Yefes took a garment, and, walking backward so they wouldn’t see their father’s disgrace, went to cover him (Bereishis 9:23).

Rashi points out that it does not say vayikchu — and they took — in plural form. This teaches that Shem exerted himself to fulfill the mitzvah more than Yefes did. Rashi continues to describe the rewards for this action: Shem merited the mitzvah of tzitzis, while Yefes merited kevurah for his sons.

Why did Shem and Yefes receive specifically these rewards? And why did the difference in their efforts while doing this mitzvah lead to such a significant disparity in their reward?

IT WAS A HOME SATURATED with ahavas Torah. As a young child, Rav Yaakov Neiman, zt”l, later to become the Rosh Yeshivah of Ohr Yisrael in Petach Tivkah, imbibed his parents’ deep appreciation and love for the Torah and those who learned it.

In their hometown, there was a yeshivah, and many locals would undertake to serve meals to the bochurim, who established their mealtimes with various families in the legendary system of “essen teg.”

The Neimans very badly wanted a part in this mitzvah. The

problem was that the family’s financial situation was dire, and the expression “there was no bread on the table” was true in its simplest form. The Neimans barely had food to feed their own children. How could they possibly undertake to feed another hungry mouth?

But they wouldn’t give up this mitzvah so easily. If they couldn’t host a yeshivah bochur every day, the least they could do was take in a bochur once a week. And so it became a part of the family’s schedule: every Sunday at lunch — when the main meal of the day was served — they were joined by a yeshivah bochur

That weekly meal was a source of great simcha for the family. The house was cleaned spic and span, as if Yom Tov was coming — because it was. Having the zechus of a ben Torah eating a meal in their home was a special reason to celebrate. A white tablecloth was spread on the table, and the nicest dishes were used.

Week in and week out, young Yaakov took part in this family ritual, and his heart expanded with true love of Torah. It ingrained within him the timeless value of honoring the Torah properly, festively and with all of one’s heart and soul.

Soon Yaakov grew up, and he, too, traveled far from home to learn in yeshivah. He found himself looking for homes where he could “ess teg.” Some days he was lucky to receive a warm, nourishing meal, which gave him the energy to continue learning. Other days, he struggled to find a place to eat, or was served a meager meal that did not satisfy his hunger.

But Yaakov noticed a curious thing. Although some days

That weekly meal was a source of great simcha for the family

Since Shem did the mitzvah with all of his energy and passion, he received his reward while he was alive

were better and some days were worse, every single Sunday, without fail, he had a wholesome, filling meal.

When Rav Yaakov Neiman would repeat this tale years later, he made sure to emphasize that this was certainly in his mother’s zechus. It was her reward for her devoted efforts every Sunday to serve a respectable meal to a yeshivah bochur, despite their dire poverty. That very same day of the week, her own son, as a bochur far from home, consistently received a nourishing meal so he could continue to toil over the Gemara.

* * * * *

Shem and Yefes were rewarded for covering their father with a garment in a manner of middah k’neged middah. Just as they covered their father, they merited coverings — one received tzitzis, and the other, burial.

In essence, they both received the same reward. But since Shem did the mitzvah with all of his energy and passion, he received his reward while he was alive. He was given tzitzis — a mitzvah to be covered during his lifetime.

Yefes, who did the mitzvah too, albeit with less fervor, received his covering for a time when he would no longer be alive — kevurah, in which his sons would merit to be covered by earth after their passing.

Reward from Above is given with precise exactitude — exactly in the manner in which a mitzvah is performed.

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TEARS OF JOY AND SHEVACH TO THE RIBONO SHEL OLAM, AS LIVING HOSTAGES RETURN HOME ON HOSHANA RABBAH

Sandy Eller

It was a Hoshana Rabbah that will be forever remembered, with New York’s Jewish community waking up to the news that the last 20 living hostages being held by Hamas had finally been released and were reunited with their families

Countless tefillos have been said on behalf of the captives since they were taken prisoner by Hamas on Shemini Atzeres 5784, with concern mounting in recent months that the remaining hostages might not be able to survive in the tunnels of Hamas much longer. Word began to surface before Sukkos of a possible 20-point peace plan negotiated by President Donald Trump that would have the living hostages freed, with the final timetable calling for their release on Hoshana Rabbah.

The first seven hostages were released 738 days after they had been taken captive, with the remaining thirteen liberated just hours later. The scenes of the hostages being reunited with their families were displays of emunah, gevurah and unadulterated simcha

Avi Ohana screamed the pasuk Shema Yisroel and made the bracha Shehecheyanu upon catching his first glimpse of his son Yosef Chaim, the two joining together in a tearful embrace. Ohana brought a lulav and esrog to the longawaited reunion, having purchased the set before Sukkos

in the hopes that Yosef Chaim would be able to make a bracha on them. Avi Ohana had given his son a spontaneous bracha after he bentshed lulav and esrog during Succos 2024, inexplicably saying, “May Hashem save you from death through the merit of these arba minim.”

When Segev Kalfon was reunited with his family, father Kobi Kalfon recited the brachos of Matir Asurim and Shehecheyanu as he placed a yarmulka on his son’s head. The senior Kalfon reportedly asked Rav David Abuchatzeira of Nahariya for a bracha for his son’s safe return ten months ago. Rav Abuchatzeira bentshed him with the words, “Kol mevaser, mevaser v’omer,” which appear prominently in the Hoshanos for Hoshana Rabbah, their full meaning finally revealed as Segev was freed on the very day those words were uttered by members of Klal Yisroel all over the world.

Also greeting her son with the words Shema Yisroel was the mother of former hostage Bar Kuperstein. Father Tal Kuperstein, who has been confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke in the aftermath of a car accident five years ago, marshalled his strength to stand up to embrace his son in a poignant hug. The elder Kuperstein had committed himself to learning to walk and talk again during Bar’s captivity so that he could better advocate for his son.

Equally astonishing were President Donald Trump’s words in a speech heard around the world after the hos-

tages’ release. Trump described the historic moment as “a day to give our deepest thanks to the A-mighty G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” During the same speech, the president smilingly referred to the Abraham Accords as the “Avraham Accords.”

“I like calling it the Avraham Accords. Avraham … It’s so much nicer, you know? The Abraham versus the Avraham.”

In recent days, multiple stories have emerged about how the hostages survived for two years amid barbaric conditions. VIN News reported that Yosef Chaim Ohana learned to speak fluent Arabic after his abduction, using his quick wit to escape death on dozens of occasions by convincing his captors that he was worth more to them alive than dead. Hostage Matan Angrest successfully managed to persuade his captors to get him a pair of tefillin and a siddur, davening three times a day from that moment on.

Even the hostages’ parents weren’t immune from the terrorists’ inhuman behavior. Bar’s mother, Julie, said that she was contacted by a terrorist who threatened her son’s life.

“I don’t know where the words came from but I said to him, ‘My Bar is not in your hands. He’s only in the hands of the Creator of the Universe, and you, too, are in his Hands,” said Mrs. Kuperstein.

Even as the families of the hostages celebrated their release, they have continued to advocate for the return of the bodies of those who didn’t survive captivity.

Dear Therapist,

Last year, my ten-year-old daughter had a very hard time connecting with her class. She often came home feeling left out and said she didn’t like being there. Things did not improve this year. We’re going back to school now after Sukkos, so she has the opportunity for a fresh start. I really want to help her start off on a better foot, both socially and emotionally.

What can I, as a parent, do to help her feel more confident, make friends more easily, and hopefully enjoy her class this year?

— A Concerned Mother

Dear Concerned Mother,

Your question is both common and important, and I want to commend you for asking it. It shows that you’re not only a caring mother, but one who is aware of and emotionally in tune with your daughter’s needs. You notice when something is off and when she’s not happy, and you want to help her succeed — not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. That kind of hashkafah — to look at the whole child — is the sign of a thoughtful parent.

When it comes to friendships, especially in the younger years, there’s something that’s often overlooked. Children, especially girls around this age, tend to live very much in the moment. When they feel good about themselves — confident, calm and happy — they are much more open to others. They notice who’s around them, they engage, they play and they feel included. But when they’re feeling unsure, rejected or even just tired or overwhelmed, they can interpret neutral situations as being left out or unwanted.

So when your daughter tells you, “They didn’t include me,” it’s very possible there’s more to the story. Perhaps the girls did ask her to join once or twice, but didn’t push her to do so. Maybe she didn’t feel like going, but afterward regretted it. Sometimes girls make comments like, “I’m only inviting girls who live near me,” and your daughter hears that as rejection, even if it wasn’t personal at all, or they meant that she can come but others can’t.

These kinds of social misunderstandings are normal and common — even in the best schools and the most supportive classrooms. And they happen not just with girls, but with boys as well. What matters most is how we, as parents, help our children interpret these experiences.

1. Help Her Reframe What Happened

The first step is not to jump to conclusions or blame the other girls. Instead, validate her feelings: “That must have felt hard.” Then gently help her see the full picture: “Is it possible they didn’t realize you wanted to join?” or, “Sometimes people make quick plans and don’t mean to purposely leave anyone out.” You can also explain that often children play with others who live closer, have similar interests, or have already made plans from before — not because they don’t want your daughter, but because that’s what worked for them at that moment.

This teaches your daughter emotional flexibility — how to see things in more than one way — and helps her not take things so personally.

2. Encourage Her To Be Proactive

Every child is unique. Some children are naturally more outgoing, and others need a little encouragement. If your daughter is the quieter type, you can gently coach her to take initiative. Encourage her to call a friend and invite her over, or to participate in after-school activities.

You may need to assist — call another mother, offer to drive or pick up, or even host a group of girls for a Shabbos afternoon get-together or a craft activity on Sundays. That kind of hishtadlus goes a long way in helping your daughter feel more included.

3. Guide Her To Identify With Whom he’d Like To Be Close

Instead of trying to be close

friends with the whole class, help her choose one or two girls she’d like to build a closer friendship with. Then, together, come up with a plan. Could she sit near these girls at lunch? Offer to walk home together? Invite them for a Shabbos playdate?

These small steps create deeper connections over time, and will help your daughter feel more included in her social circle.

4. Create Other Avenues for Connection

Sometimes the classroom isn’t the only or even the best place for certain friendships to develop. Consider signing her up for art lessons or baking classes. Children often blossom in different settings, and success in one area can build the confidence she needs in school as well.

5.

Celebrate

Every Small Win

If she tells you that she played with someone new, sat with a different group or invited someone over, celebrate it. These are small moments on the outside, but huge building blocks on the inside. They show growth, courage and confidence.

Ultimately, your daughter doesn’t have to be the most popular girl in the class. She needs to feel that she belongs, that she’s valued, and that she has the tools to form real friendships. With your guidance and chizuk, and by helping her take small but steady steps, she’ll grow in her selfconfidence, and b’ezras Hashem, she’ll have a much smoother and happier year ahead.

Wishing you and your daughter a beautiful, fulfilling school year full of connection, growth and nachas

Mordechai Weinberger, LCSW is the Executive Director of Serenity Center Clinic in Monsey, where he leads a team of 40+ therapists treating children, teenagers and adults. The clinic provides care for depression, anxiety, OCD, marriage challenges, addiction and more. For more information, call 845-2862210 or visit serenityctr.com.

My newborn baby is diagnosed with Down syndrome.

CHAPTER 2

The baby had been born; the journey had begun. Where it would take us, we didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. We would face this new life, one day at a time, doing the best we could.

For now, there were practical concerns. People to inform, a diagnosis to research, and above all that, a precious child to raise.

“We need to tell the kids.”

This was our first concern. In our close-knit kehillah, news travels fast, and the last thing we needed was for our children to hear it from the grapevine.

“Maybe we don’t need to tell them,” I said. “Let’s just bring her home and raise her like a regular baby. With time, they’ll see for themselves.”

I threw the words out there, knowing as I said them that I was being unrealistic. My children were smart and sharp. They would learn the diagnosis

GITTI BEILIS

from others, know that something was different, and the unknown would scare them more than the very simple reality.

Who would tell them, and how? First impressions mattered. The news would have to be delivered honestly and sensitively, and at the same time, in a manner that would pave the way for acceptance and love.

Although I embraced and loved my baby from the start — my heart was still the heart of a mother — a lump had lodged itself in my throat with her birth, one that would take some time to dissolve. The last thing I could afford was to fall apart in front of the kids. I needed them to view their sister with joy and happiness, but I wasn’t sure I could hold strong. And so, the task of telling them fell on Hersh.

Hersh sat the kids down that night: Yanky and Chesky, at seven and eight years old, and little twoyear-old Tillie who wouldn’t understand much but belonged there at this pivotal time in our family history. Facing them, Hersh posed a question.

“Would you want Mommy to have twins?”

There was an explosion of delirious, excited approval.

“Why?” Hersh challenged them.

As expected, Yanky had an immediate and candid answer. “Because twins are cute. Everyone stops to look at them. And also, you can tell your friends in

IN OUR CLOSE-KNIT KEHILLAH, NEWS TRAVELS FAST, AND THE LAST THING WE NEEDED WAS FOR OUR CHILDREN TO HEAR IT FROM THE GRAPEVINE

cheder and get tons of attention.”

Hersh was amused but kept a serious face. “Yanky, do you know how much work it is to have twins? How many times the babies need to be changed and held and how much they cry? Mommy would be busy with them all day and all night.”

NO, SHE IS NOT A DOWNY. SHE IS A BABY WITH DOWN

SYNDROME

“Nuch altz! It’s still worth it! Did Mommy have twins, Tatty? Did she?”

Hersh let their excitement mount for a minute before taking back the reins of the conversation.

“No, kinderlach. Mommy did not have twins. It’s something else, something very special. Like twins, everyone will stop us and say, ‘So cute!’ And like having twins, it will take up a lot of time and keep Mommy very busy. And just like with twins, you can go to cheder tomorrow and get tons of attention. Mommy had a baby girl!”

Yanky, our smart aleck, was quite disappointed. “Just one baby girl? Neh, nobody cares about one baby.”

“No, Yanky. Not ‘just’ a baby girl. A very special baby girl. Our baby has Down syndrome.”

Now it was time for Chesky to jump in with his seven-year-old wisdom. “Oh, a Downy?”

He obviously had no idea of the attitude behind that term. But it was time to establish the tone in our home.

“No, she is not a Downy. She is a baby with Down syndrome. It might be harder for her to accomplish some things. She’ll need our love, our care and our help. But she is just like you, Yanky, Chesky and Tillie. We all have challenges, right?”

Yanky nodded. “Like Chesky’s asthma. And Tillie’s milk allergy.”

“Correct. And we don’t call Chesky ‘Asthmy,’ and we don’t call Tillie ‘Allergy,’ right?”

“And we don’t call Chaim’ke ‘Fatso,’ and we don’t call Leizer ‘Hearing Aids.’” Yanky was on a roll.

“That’s right,” Hersh affirmed. “We are so much more than our diagnosis, and so is our new baby. She is a precious child, our daughter and sister. A chelek Elokai mima’al.”

Hersh let the words sink in, locking eyes with each child to ensure they understood. The atmosphere was peaceful and contemplative.

It might’ve been harder with older children, worldly and status-conscious teens, but we were lucky; our kids were still young and trusting, and accepted everything we told them.

Hersh summed up the little meeting. “So go to cheder. Tell your friends you have a new baby with Down syndrome, and chap arein all the attention you can get, because Mommy is coming home tomorrow, and things here will be very, very busy.”

Kids. Their world was so simple. Trusting their Tatty’s confidence, they skipped off to draw happy mazel tov signs.

Back in the hospital, the first heady rush of acceptance was struggling to maintain its footing. The baby blues that all new mothers deal with were acutely present, but alongside that was a pressure to present a calm and accepting front. The way we introduced our baby to the world was the way that she would be viewed. We didn’t want any awkwardness, so I took the hesitant calls, and chatted and giggled and cracked jokes.

When my friends hemmed and hawed, I bit the bullet. “Yes, she has Downs, but I’m totally not worried about her. With my genes, even with a bissele Down syndrome on top, she’ll still outshine all the other kids!”

When a caller stuttered, “I don’t know what to say,” I prompted her, “Just say mazel tov! I did have a baby, you know!” The tension dissolved, but calming everyone down depleted me completely.

And then there were important decisions that needed to be made.

“We need to choose a name.”

“We’ll need to make a kiddush.”

Hersh and I looked at each other and spoke at the same time.

“A small, private one.”

“A massive, public one!”

We both suggested total opposite approaches with complete confidence. I laughed, then cried. They came together — joyous grief and grief-stricken joy, like loyal sidekicks, the outpouring of emotions too big for simple words.

Hersh was confused. “We agreed on this. We’re not hiding her. We’re celebrating her life, just like we celebrate every Yiddishe baby that’s born. We want to thank the Ribono Shel Olam for granting us this blessing and opportunity, and here, specifically, we need so much siyata d’Shmaya. We need every mazel tov and bracha we can possibly get. Why would you keep this kiddush small?”

I took a deep breath. I needed my husband to understand. I did not want to hide my daughter; I was proud of her and proud of us. But I was not ready for a big splash of a kiddush when I was still coming to terms with her diagnoses.

“Do you believe me that I love her so much, my heart hurts just by looking at her?”

No proof was needed to substantiate my claim. My love vibrated and pulsed and enveloped everyone in our orbit.

“I just need time. I can’t ‘have to’ smile just yet. I need space to be, to laugh one moment and cry the next. I need my privacy.”

“But what message will a small, quiet kiddush send?” Hersh was legitimately concerned. We didn’t want to be pitied. We wanted our daughter out in the open, loved and cherished, accepted as one of us.

But I still had my concerns. “Being in public at a huge kiddush will force me to either glue a fake smile on my face, or be authentic and risk sitting there with self-pitying tears dripping into my cheesecake. What message would that send? We understand that tears don’t mean we don’t love her or accept her. But that’s not what it’s going to look like to everyone else.”

I could tell that Hersh was still torn, and this bothered me deeply. I so desperately wanted us both to feel happy with our choices. We needed to come together now more than ever before. We would need to build a rock-solid team to be there for our precious baby.

I closed my eyes, desperate for clarity, and then it hit me.

WE HAD OVERCOME OUR FIRST HURDLE STRONGER AND MORE CONNECTED. AT ONLY ONE DAY OLD, OUR BABY WAS ALREADY SPREADING HER LIGHT, BRINGING SO MUCH SIMCHA AND SHALOM INTO OUR HOME

“Hersh, how about we do a small kiddush now and a huge splash when her heart surgery is successful?” In the rush of sharing her Down syndrome diagnosis, her heart issues had been sidelined, something to be dealt with down the road.

Smiles. Relief. Clarity.

We had overcome our first hurdle stronger and more connected. At only one day old, our baby was already spreading her light, bringing so much simcha and shalom into our home.

Our precious baby who still needed a name.

Like with all of our babies, I had spent my daughter’s first few hours trying on various names. But unlike the other times, when my primary focus was on the names of righteous bobbies and zeidies, now I focused on meaning. I wanted to gift my daughter a badge of pride, a name that would always inspire us and keep us focused on the special treasure she was.

In that special flash of ruach hakodesh, it came to me.

Malka — our queen.

It was so perfect, so fitting. I rubbed the tip of her nose, kissed each cheek and whispered her brand-new name into her tiny ear.

“Malky.”

The queen had arrived.

COMING NEXT WEEK: THE DOONA TAKES A NOSEDIVE, AND WHY WE INSIST ON “SHE,” NOT “THEY.”

Names and identifying details have been changed. This serial reflects the author’s personal experiences. Every child with Down syndrome is unique, and so are their families. Halacha, hashkafah, developmental and medical decisions should be referred to the appropriate rabbanim and professionals.

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SILVER GOLD

DIAMOND

PLATINUM

We the People

BY BROCHY GANELES

Jacob feels inexperienced and awkward in the army. Rebecca is having a hard time with baby Gabriel when Betsey, a slave, offers to help care for him. Judith hears Gabriel crying in the night and thinks it is her own baby, Leah.

Jacob

He can hear the men approaching the tent, then he smells them. They pile in through the flaps, heavy with the scent of a day’s hard work, but smiling and laughing nonetheless. There are four of them, Jacob notes, and three of them look remarkably familiar.

“What’s this?” A red-headed man looks him over. “Are you the new recruit we were expecting?”

“Yes. Jacob Solomon, at your service.” He dips his head and gives the man a smile.

“From King’s Street?”

“Indeed.”

The man smiles. “I believe I’ve heard your name before. Your brother Ezra and I have done business with one another. Uriah Hamond.” The man dips his head, then gestures to the other men beside him. “I think you will be most relieved to find that your fellow messmates are Israelites, too. We shall be known as the Jew’s Mess of the Jew’s

Company!” The other men laugh at this.

Jacob nods at them, pleased that he has been so fortunate to be placed among his own. They are young, the other men. “You must all tell me your names. I will confess that I have always possessed a complete ineptitude toward names and faces, but I shall try my best.”

“Israel Jonas.” A short man says. No, not a man — a boy. The lad looks as if he has scarcely reached the age of bar mitzvah.

“Simon Hart.” Ah, a Hart. A prominent family in their kehillah.

The last, a tall and thin lad who must curve his back to stand in the tent, steps forward. “Judah Franko.” He dips his head in greeting, then raises it abruptly, knocking into the lantern hanging above them. “Ah!”

Uriah laughs, a deep and throaty sound, and the rest of the men join in. “We have only been stationed here for four days, and our Judah has hit his head on that lantern no less than fifty times!”

Jacob watches them, at the comfort and ease they have

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with one another, and he cannot help but laugh along with them.

“Tell me, Uriah, why have I not seen you before? The others I recognize from the beis knesses, somewhat, but I am almost sure I don’t recall seeing you there.”

The lighting in the tent is dim, but he can still make out the redness that creeps up Uriah’s neck. “I don’t suppose you would have. My family does not make a habit of it.”

“Ah.” It is silent for a moment, and Jacob tries to think of something to say that will do away with the stillness of the encounter.

“Come now, Jacob.” Uriah smiles at him. “ We shan’t let such trivialities get in the way of our mess’s union. Each man to his own, as they say.”

Jacob nods, but there is something weighing on him. He does not know if Uriah is G-d-fearing, is not sure what the man means by referring to the beis knesses as a triviality. And he is entirely unsure of what the ramifications of living among such men will be.

Rebecca

The chair is loud. It groans loudly as she rocks, gently pushing down on the floor with her slipper. Back and forth, back and forth. Creeeak. Creeeak. The chair is sighing, a slow and pained sound, as if it has long resigned itself to its monotony. It is fitting, as she has been sitting in this chair for so long, she is practically one with it.

There is no washing to tend to, no dough to knead, no dust calling to her from the corners of the room. Even Gabriel is cared for by the nurse, Betsey. Raphael can afford to keep a home full of staff, and he does. It is only the cooking that Judith oversees.

Rebecca sighs, stops the rhythmic rocking, and heaves herself slowly out of the chair. Judith does not need her help in the kitchen, she has told her this repeatedly, but she will soon become stiff and brittle if she does not do something

She walks through the house slowly, eyeing the fine oil paintings that line the walls. There is one that catches her eye every time she passes, and she stops to gaze at it now. It is simple, a pastoral scene of rolling hills with some sheep grazing in the meadow. There is nothing remarkable about it, really, but the stillness of it calls to her. It seems silent, peaceful. Like one can reach across the canvas and feel the air, feel the touch of the Creator in the grass and wind.

Judith’s back is to her when she enters the kitchen, working hard at the stove, and she does not hear her footsteps.

“What is it that you are making?” Rebecca keeps her tone light.

“Meat pies.” Judith’s voice is flat, her eyes to the stove.

It would be like Judith to shut her out, but Rebecca lifts her chin, determined. “Meat pies, how delightful!” Rebecca walks further into the room, stopping to inspect the dough that has been rolled thinly across the table. It is soft, bouncing back against her touch, not too dry. “How ever do you manage to roll your dough so perfectly? My dough is always either as thick as my finger or as dry as sand; I have never been so fortunate as to have my dough resemble this

perfection.”

Judith adds a little salt to the pot on the stovetop, carrying on as if she has not heard her. “It is not fortune. It is skill.” Judith says the words quietly, but there is a tightness beneath them.

“Have I angered you, Judith?” Rebecca stands tall, willing the small woman to turn around and face her. “I did not come all this way to quarrel, or to be insulted about my ineptitude in the kitchen.” Her cheeks are getting warm now, and she inhales sharply through tight lips. “I was going to offer you my assistance, but I can see I am unwanted.”

There is a flash in her mind, a whisper telling her that she should stop, that she should leave the room before she says something she cannot take back, but she pushes it away. “Your lack of hospitality is appalling.” The words are sharp, lethal, and they hit their mark.

At last, Judith turns to her, gray eyes flashing. “I did not ask for your assistance. I have been preparing the food in my home for the last ten years, and I am more than able to continue on my own. I do not want company.” She inhales a quivering breath and lowers her eyes. “Especially not yours.”

He is entirely unsure of what the ramifications of living among such men will be

It is a slap in her face. Rebecca turns from the room, her heart pounding madly in her head, in her ears, in her fingertips. Thump, thump, thump. How dare she? How dare that mouse of a woman insult her like that? The slaves in the back hallway dart out of her way as she storms past them, through the house, and out into the garden. The heat hits her instantly, a shot of sunshine that makes her eyes squint. She wants to yell at them, to yell at someone, to scream and and shout until her words dry up. What has she ever done to deserve such an insult? She is the sister of Judith’s husband, but she is treated like an unwelcome louse.

She walks out of the garden, past the yellow jessemaines that taunt her with their laughter, the rows of neat hedges along the perfectly trimmed lawn. She opens the front gate quickly, not caring to close it behind her. Onward and onward she walks, past houses and shops and people, kicking up dust that swirls around her skirts. No matter; she will not have to worry about washing them.

She had been excited, at first, when Raphael had told her of his engagement.

“What is her name?” They had been strolling through the streets of Savannah one summer’s eve, the blue sky above melting into a soft lavender as they walked.

“Judith.” Raphael had smiled, had seemed so full of joy and hope, and Rebecca had been so happy for him, too. He would build a home of his own, have a family, children. He would put their sorry past behind him. One day, she

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would, too.

“Where will you live?”

Raphael had paused at this, hesitating for a moment before answering. “Charlestown.” He must have seen the shock in her eyes, because he quickly added, “It was not up to me; I assure you, Rebecca. Judith lives there, and her father has promised to welcome me into the fold of his business there. He is a merchant, and a prominent one at that.” There was a hint of pride in his voice.

Rebecca had swallowed down a quiver in her throat. “Why can I not come with you?”

“You must stay here with our family.”

“But you are my family.”

“As are the Harrison’s. What difference is it that one is your brother and the others are your cousins?”

“Everything.”

Raphael had smiled. “We shall have you visit, I’m sure. Judith said she is eager to meet you.”

Judith must be kind, if she was to marry Raphael, Rebecca had thought. Surely she would be like the sister she herself never had.

And so she waited, writing letters that went months before being answered, hearing of her brother’s life in the tidbits she snatched from others.

“Judith has had a son.”

“The boy’s name is Abraham.”

Her Papa’s name had been Gabriel. Why did they not name the baby after him?

“I have been preparing the food in my home for the last ten years, and I am more than able to continue on my own”

Back in the present, Rebecca stops her walking, breathing heavily. She had not realized it, but her feet had led her to King’s Street. She is in front of her home now, and the little house with its small windows and worn paint calls to her. Home. She yearns for it, can almost reach out and touch it, the warmth and comfort in having a place of her own. There is a part of her that wishes she can pack up her things and leave Judith’s home forever. But her home is empty, bare. She will be hungry. The money Jacob received for his recruitment bounty will not last the week. She cannot live there on her own. Slowly, she turns from the house, walking back toward Raphael’s with heavy steps.

Raphael and Judith had invited her to visit Charlestown the summer after Abigail was born, but it never came to be. Abigail fell ill with smallpox, and it was over before Shavuos.

She was not invited to Charlestown again.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chicken nuggets always win favor with any crowd. Enjoy these favorites for supper, and expect requests for seconds!

Mimi Heiman

SHAKE ‘N BAKE Chicken Nuggets

The easiest and most tasty chicken recipe is about to join your weekly dinner rotation. These nuggets taste fried without the mess!

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. chicken cutlets, cut into nuggets

½ cup oil

1 T. onion soup mix

¾ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. parsley flakes

½ tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. salt

1 cup cornflake crumbs

1 cup semi-crushed Rice Squares cereal

¼ cup sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.

2. In a Ziploc bag, combine the oil and spices. Shake to combine.

3. Add the chicken nuggets, and marinate for 15 minutes.

4. Place the cornflake crumbs, Rice Squares and sesame seeds into another Ziploc bag.

5. Remove the chicken nuggets from the first bag and add to the crumbs. Shake the bag well, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.

6. Place on a lined baking sheet, and spray the tops lightly with olive oil.

7. Bake, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

SWEET BARBECUE Chicken Nuggets

These chicken nuggets, coated in a crispy cornflake crust and tossed in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, is a kid-friendly favorite that’s sure to please adults, too.

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. chicken cutlets, cut into nuggets

¾ cup flour

3 eggs

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. black pepper

4 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed

SWEET BARBECUE SAUCE

⅔ cup sweet barbecue sauce

¼ cup honey

¼ cup ketchup

½ T. brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. Place the nuggets into a mediumsized bowl. Add the flour and stir until the chicken nuggets are well coated.

3. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Add spices, and mix to combine.

4. Place the lightly crushed cornflakes cereal into a medium-sized bowl.

5. Dip nuggets into the egg mixture, then into the cornflakes cereal. Place onto a lined cookie sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.

6. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sweet barbecue sauce ingredients, and cook for 6 minutes.

7. Pour the warm sauce over the chicken nuggets, and gently mix to coat.

GARLIC TEMPURA Chicken Nuggets

Tender chicken nuggets coated in a light tempura, these crispy bites are bursting with flavor. Best yet, they’re made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. chicken cutlets, cut into bite-sized nuggets

1 cup Wondermills flour

¼ tsp. baking powder

½ cup water

3 T. oil

2 eggs

1 frozen garlic cube

2 tsp. garlic powder

¾ tsp. paprika

¾ tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except chicken nuggets in a bowl. Blend until smooth.

2. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large frying pan.

3. Dip chicken nuggets into the batter to coat. Fry in batches, approximately 3 minutes on each side. Serve with sweet sauce or garlic mayo.

Faigy Fliegman

THE PEN CAN BE A WINDOW INTO THE SOUL.

Handwritten words and drawings can uncover truths, reveal abilities and show the conflicts or desires of the one holding the pen. This can help individuals understand themselves, as well as unravel the complexities of children and teens.

Here, we present the drawings of three young individuals — two teens and one preteen — and a professional analysis by Faigy Fliegman, a skilled picture analyst with over a decade of experience. Then we had each young artist’s mother chime in to share her take on the results.

Raizy G.

15 years old

“Wow, the girl who drew this is amazing, mature, intuitive and talented. I love her already!” is the first thing I say when I get Raizy’s drawing. Then, as I always do, I fold the page horizontally and vertically.

RAIZY SITUATED all three drawings in the center of the page, slightly to the left. That shows good balance, with a tendency toward home and family, meaning she has a pull toward her comfort zone. The size of the drawings is modest, attesting to Raizy’s modest behavior, which suggests a preference for not needing excessive approval and compliments, as well as a dislike for being in the limelight. It also shows a sense of calm and general satisfaction.

The soft stroke catches my eye. What an intuitive, soft-spoken and quick person she seems to be. And with such flair!

NOW LET’S focus on her tree. The bark strokes are nice and curved, pointing toward Raizy’s flexible and easygoing nature. We can see warmth, flowingness, generosity and a caring nature — she’s a pleasant person to be around.

HAVE A LOOK at the treetop. I see squiggles on the right and soft scallops on the left. She obviously has fun conversations with friends, whereas at home, she’s more subdued. You can also see this through the more animated grass on the right side.

NOW EXAMINE the branches. They represent logic and practicality, but notice how even the rationalization is combined with a touch of flair. How interesting — Raizy only put her fruit at the end of a branch; she will only do things that she understands. Did you notice that her apples, representing her actions, are heart-shaped? She does her work with heart.

Raizy’s mother says:

This is so interesting to read. Raizy, baruch Hashem, is an amazing kid. She’s super helpful, talented and creative, and has a really good heart. And home definitely is where she’s comfortable. The part about not loving the limelight is also true.

Warm and generous — yes. She’s a very caring person.

Some things are surprising to read, but now that I’m reading it, I think it’s true that Raizy is different with her family than with her friends. At home, she’s slower to talk than with friends.

I don’t really see Raizy’s logical thinking; I see more of the flair, but this might be a different way to look at it. Regarding the apples’ shape, that’s typical of Raizy. She has that flair.

THE TRUNK extending into the treetop shows Raizy’s motivation and determination; she won’t give up on what she has set her mind to.

The two flowers on the right give away Raizy’s two good friends, and the one on her left points to her one “good friend” in the house.

THE WARM sun in the left-hand corner is a compliment to her dedicated mother, who showers her family with warmth and doesn’t work outside the home.

THE TREE’S position, a bit higher than the bottom of the page, gives us a hint of Raizy’s spontaneous personality. She finds it easy to decide to do things from one moment to the next.

Raizy has a number of great friends – more than two. She isn’t the type to have a hundred friends, though, so maybe that’s what it means. At home, she does have that one sister that she’s close to, which is interesting.

This is amusing, because I do work out of the house. I only work during the hours my kids are in school, though, never when they’re home. Regardless, it’s a nice thing to hear.

This is very true. Raizy is very decisive, and she can be spontaneous like that.

RAIZY’S WINDOWS and door seem to mirror her smile and happy disposition. Her balanced windows point to good eyesight. Her sharp tongue is evident in her sharp grass, and the flowers and grass reflect a social kid with friends both outside and inside the house.

THE SIMPLE square house attests to Raizy’s clarity of thought, originality and someone who doesn’t pay attention to minor details.

Raizy’s mother says:

I’m not really sure about the sharp tongue. Raizy’s pretty soft-spoken. While she isn’t super social, she definitely has great friends in and out of the house.

The part about her originality is true. She’s very creative and talented, and yes, she doesn’t pay attention to minor details.

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AGAIN, we get to see Raizy’s warm smile and happy nature — just check out her character’s facial expression. It also indicates how well she relates to others and points to her excellent communication skills.

THE HAIR, teeth and shoulders symbolize physical strength. The fine, quick strokes that Raizy used for the hair reveal her creative flair, artistic talent and intuition. It also gives us a glimpse into her alacrity and sharp, quick nature.

Raizy’s mother says:

Yes to her warm heart and happy nature. Raizy’s always very warm and friendly.

Creative and with flair, yes. Intuition, also yes. This is all very true.

Overall, this analysis feels very accurate. Raizy is an artistic kind of person. She draws, she sings, she’s very creative. This is her. Reviewing it, I feel like the analyst got a good grasp of Raizy’s personality.

Baruch E.

16 years old

Baruch’s tree drawing reveals a smart, talented and accomplished kid with a lot of warmth and feelings.

THE SIZE and the location of the drawing indicate his maturity, responsibility and ability to plan. We can see a division at the top of the trunk, which suggests a conflict the artist has between staying close to home and perhaps dorming in a yeshiva away from home.

THE STORMY coiled crown points toward his inner struggles, emotions and conflicts. He longs for clarity, stability and calm. The cut-off branch on the right indicates an emotional loss that he is currently experiencing.

HIS TWO flowers symbolize two good friends. Chavrusas, maybe? Because the two flowers are so close together, I would say they are a pair.

HIS TRUNK lines are drawn with pressure, reflecting inner strength and indicating that he is someone who can stand up to pressure.

THE BUTTERFLIES attest that Baruch appreciates decor and pretty details. The dominant sun reflects a mother who has a significant influence on her son.

Baruch’s mother says:

This is fascinating. My son is leaving this week to yeshiva gedolah, and he isn’t very excited about dorming. This was a big decision that he felt very torn about, and has been weighing on him since he was accepted to this yeshiva. Now we’re davening for a successful zman! I was amazed that this conflict came through. But when I mentioned it to my son, he laughed and said that he’s been drawing trees this way ever since he was little, with that little V in the middle. But the analysis is super on target; we can’t argue about that!

This is something we’re still trying to figure out. What could the emotional loss be? Maybe he’s worried about losing the safety and security that comes with living at home?

Interesting. He does like his chavrusas a lot, and he tends to spend time with the same small group of people.

He doesn’t love to be under pressure, actually, but you never know. He does stay calm under pressure.

It’s true that he has a mother who is a great influence on his life. Maybe because he’s the oldest. The decor part is adorable because it’s so true. He’ll put out food nicely, and he really has an eye for design and detail.

ALL THREE drawings, specifically the house drawing, are situated toward the right side of the page. We can imagine that Baruch’s current life is primarily centered around boys his age. Although he’s surrounded by peers all the time, we see that the grass in front of the house is very light and indistinct. That suggests minimal social interaction and a more introverted nature.

BARUCH CHOSE to draw a house with volume, which represents a definite division between family ties and social ones. It also points toward his complexity, depth and proportionate thinking.

The arched door reflects pleasantness, a desire for social interaction, a person who sympathizes with others and someone who’s great at hospitality. The round windows at the top show an inclination toward art. The rectangular window serves to highlight his great need to relate to others, emphasizing how he extends himself socially and is open to others.

Baruch’s mother says:

This makes a lot of sense because Baruch is shy. He makes close friends slowly, when he trusts them, though he’s sweet and friendly by nature.

This seems contradictory. Baruch isn’t so social. However, he is fabulous at hosting, and he’s super gracious. Without being told to, he’ll serve guests very pleasantly. And I said previously, he definitely has a knack for design. But “extending himself socially” doesn’t seem entirely accurate.

THE DISTINCT and clear face of the man Baruch drew reiterates his ability to develop relationships with others. His eyes have a filled-in pupil, which indicates that Baruch is a thinker. The large nose shows that he identifies with adults and is a curious type.

THE ABSENCE of the neck connecting the face to the body symbolizes a lack of rational self-criticism and a difficulty adapting to new surroundings. It also indicates a certain lack of expression. Again, we see his reserved nature in the way the arms are pinned to the body. In general, the aesthetic details of this drawing attest to Baruch’s put-together, neat and pleasant appearance.

Baruch’s mother says:

Both parts are very accurate. He’s a deep thinker and understands people very well.

True – he doesn’t like to be critical of himself, and he’s shy, which might make it hard for him to adapt. He’ll adapt, but his shyness stands in the way. It’s also true that he’s reserved, as I mentioned earlier. Regarding his pleasant appearance, a hundred percent. He’s very put together.

Overall, this analysis provided a really accurate description of Baruch. His character, personality and talents were very on target. A few things were especially precise: his responsibility, neatness and eye for decor.

Mindy I.

11 years old

THE FIRST thing that strikes me about Mindy’s tree is its wide trunk. At eleven years old, Mindy seems to have her own mind and opinions, and she intends to win! She has a strong taste and knows where she’s going.

HER LARGE drawing, which essentially covers the entire page, reflects Mindy’s confidence and knack for leading and organizing. She has no problem speaking in public and being in the limelight.

THE STORMY treetop gives away something Mindy wants to hide, a stormy conflict hidden beneath her content veneer. These struggles, emotions and conflicts tear at her peace of mind and hamper her development. The dark lines in that tangled crown amplify the severity of the struggle.

THE CUTE butterfly on the right side points to Mindy’s decorated room, filled with decorative items.

MINDY HAS a diverse group of friends, much like the variety of flowers. Her sun attests to the warmth Mindy and her siblings feel in their mother’s presence in the house. Mindy sees her mother as a person of peace and stability, as evidenced by the fact that the sun is the only part of her drawing that exhibits regular pen pressure, which means that she wasn’t drawing with a heavy hand.

IT SEEMS Mindy likes to keep a structure and a schedule. Mindy chose to close the treetop on both sides of the trunk. Mindy is spontaneous, as we see her tree floating higher than the bottom of the page. She does not appreciate planning in advance.

Mindy’s mother says:

Totally. This is all very true.

She’s confident, but it’ll take her a while to warm up to people. And she definitely loves to lead. In terms of speaking in public, this is true. Mindy may be a bit shy, but when she needs to, she’ll stand up straight and deliver well, with a strong voice.

This doesn’t really resonate. We have no idea what it could be referring to!

Yes. This is true, she definitely enjoys decorating and playing around.

That’s so nice to hear.

This seems to be contradictory. The second part is true — too true! Mindy does not like to stick to a schedule and often does things on a whim.

SHE REALLY has good relationships with friends, as we see the 3D grass. Interestingly, her “friends” in the house are even more meaningful to her — notice how the flowers are more developed on the left side.

AS WE move up to the crown, we get a feel for Mindy’s stormy conflicts taking place beneath the surface.

She does enjoy playing with her sisters. She is a friendly and social kid in general, but it’s interesting to note that she prefers family and cousins before friends.

Again, we have no idea what this is referring to. I wish I knew!

BY LOOKING at her square 2D house, I can see the clarity of Mindy’s thoughts. I also see originality and someone who measures others by her own standards.

THE HORIZONTAL line of the roof, connecting right to left, mirrors the way the child perceives her parents’ approach to parenting, via guidelines and rules. Here, we can see Mindy’s mother sticking to her words, and on the father’s side, there’s an added line that doesn’t connect to the corner. That suggests a father who gives her more leeway or maybe just changes his mind.

Mindy’s mother says:

Mindy is extremely original, that’s true. She’s very specific about her ideas and follows through on them.

It’s true that her mother sticks to her words, and it’s also true that she’ll try again with her father! But he’ll always stand behind what I say. (She doesn’t give up easily, though!)

THE WINDOWS hint at slightly impaired eyesight. They’re not so balanced and focused. The chimney smoke hints at turmoil and conflict. On the other hand, the long path extending to the left reflects her need for connection with her home and mother, as well as her desire to remain within a stable framework.

THE WARM, large sun in the righthand corner signifies Mindy’s warm, influential mother, who, despite working outside the house, brightens the home’s atmosphere and pours love into the kids.

Mindy’s mother says:

Her eyesight happens to be good, and once again, we don’t know what the conflict is referring to. Maybe this is something we should look into. The second part feels right; she does need that connection.

Thank you! That’s nice to hear.

THE ENTIRE character is drawn boldly. We can see her presence shining through her pupils, which are colored in. Those large eyes indicate that she is a strong thinker, and is obviously smart.

THE BIG white spaces around the pupils show excellent relationships and great communication skills. We can also notice the warmth she displays toward others. The well-formed hands indicate that Mindy is an active and productive person.

Mindy’s mother says:

This is all great and really true. Mindy’s a deep thinker and bright for her age.

Communication skills, I’m not sure about, but what she’s saying about her hands is fascinating. Mindy’s always creating, sewing and crafting. She has golden hands, and it’s interesting to see that this came through in her drawing.

We found this analysis mostly on target. Mindy is a great leader, definitely knows her own mind, and is amazing with her hands. However, we’re still stuck on the part about her inner conflicts.

Faigy Fliegman has studied both graphology and picture analysis with skilled experts after discovering that she was unusually skilled at the art. At this point, she has over a decade of experience in delving into the secrets behind each drawing she encounters. You can reach Mrs. Fliegman at 845-499-9334.

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We would like to thank for those who already gave their generous support. Your sponsorship has been instrumental in enabling us to serve our community to the best of our abilities.

Join our sponsorship team!

We are excited to invite you to be part of our sponsorship team!

By joining us, you will help enable our initiatives and projects.

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Exclusive rewards: as a token of our appreciation, all sponsors wi ll receive a special prize. Impact contribution: your support will make a significant difference in our community. We are committed to make a positive impact, and your contribution plays a vital role in our mission.

Exclusive rewards: as a token of our appreciation, all sponsors wi ll receive a special prize. Impact contribution: your support will make a significant difference in our community. We are committed to make a positive impact, and your contribution plays a vital role in our mission.

If you are interested in joining our sponsorship team, please text us at 7189302558, we look forward to collaborating with you!

If you are interested in joining our sponsorship team, please text us at 7189302558, we look forward to collaborating with you!

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Moishy sits in the classroom, pencil pressed tightly between his fingers. The rebbi has given the class a straightforward assignment: “Write three paragraphs about what you did on Chol Hamoed.” The room hums with the sound of pencils racing across paper, but Moishy’s page stays nearly blank. He starts, erases, and starts again. By the time the rebbi collects the assignments, Moishy has written only a few uneven words.

Sivi Sekula

“Moishy, you’re capable of more than this,” his rebbi says, shaking his head.

A few boys snicker. Moshe looks down, wishing he could explain that he is trying — harder than anyone — but the letters refuse to cooperate.

Scenes like this are not unusual. Children who struggle with writing are often misunderstood as careless, lazy or unmotivated. In reality, many are dealing with a neurological learning disability called dysgraphia — a condition that makes writing both physically and mentally exhausting.

What Is Dysgraphia?

The word dysgraphia is rooted in Greek; dys- means “impaired,” graph means “to write,” and -ia means “a condition.” Simply put, it is a condition that makes it difficult for people to write.

Dysgraphia is not just “bad handwriting”; it’s a neurological learning disability that affects how the brain processes and executes the motor sequences required for writing. Most children eventually write letters automatically, without thinking about each stroke. For a child with dysgraphia, those movements never become automatic. Each letter is a struggle.

Dysgraphia has nothing to do with intelligence. Many children with dysgraphia are articulate, creative and even gifted. They may say a brilliant table, but then fall apart when asked to write a few sen tences about it. The disconnect between their thoughts and what appears on paper is one of the most pain ful aspects of the condition.

Multi-Sensory

Dysgraphia is the least-known of all learning disabilities. However, more and more schools and educa tors in the frum world are gain ing awareness of dysgraphia, thanks to the work of Mrs. Rivky Katz.

Mrs. Katz is the founder of Multi Sensory, Ltd., a company that provides consultations, evaluations

and interventions for children with dyslexia and dysgraphia, as well as training courses for teachers and workshops on topics such as kriah and kesivah, social skills, and emotional health. Multi Sensory’s intensive programs equip educators with a range of specialized skills to become professional kriah specialists and tutors.

Mrs. Katz entered this field approximately 37 years ago. As a special-education professional, she quickly realized that there was a whole group of students with dyslexia, especially boys, who struggled with learning Torah. Their struggles in the classroom often had painful repercussions, including those students leaving the derech

Compounding the issue was that 30 years ago, there was little to no research on how to aid children with reading and writing in Lashon Hakodesh; most available research centered around the English language. Recognizing the lack of solutions for cheder and yeshiva students (and, of course, Bais Yaakov girls) with learning disabilities, Mrs. Katz launched into years of her own research.

One of the research tools used at the time to understand the neurobiological differences in individuals with dyslexia and other learning disabilities was FMI, or fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging). FMI enables researchers to observe brain activity in real time as the brain attempts to complete a task.

This enabled researchers to understand how the brains of people with dyslexia differ, which helped them devise ways to assist individuals in overcoming this challenge.

Mrs. Katz learned all she could about dyslexia and dysgraphia, as well as the best ways to treat them. She combined her knowledge with a wealth of anecdotal evidence to develop a kriah and kesivah program that helps frum children with learning disabilities engage in Torah study on the same level as their peers.

A Huge Effort

In Chaya’s Bais Yaakov class, the morah asks the girls to write about their favorite middah. Chaya eagerly raises her hand and launches into a wonderful little speech about chesed, a speech that impresses her teacher and classmates. When the time comes to write down all her ideas, however, her enthusiasm fades. Each word takes so much concentration that by the end of class, she has only a few incomplete sentences on her paper, while her friends have filled their pages with ideas.

Here’s a good way to understand the disconnect between the brain’s visual images and the ability to translate those images onto paper: You know exactly what an airplane looks like, but since you’re no artist, you just can’t seem to replicate the image of a plane onto paper.

This is what dysgraphia feels like from the inside. The ideas are all there, but they simply refuse to go down coherently on the page.

Most of us take writing for granted, but it is in fact a highly complex task. To write even a simple sentence, the brain must:

Remember what each letter looks like.

Plan the sequence of strokes needed to form it.

Activate the motor memory to move the hand and fingers.

Keep track of spacing and alignment on the page.

Recall spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Keep the bigger idea in mind while writing it out word by word.

Signs To Look Out For

No two children with dysgraphia present the same symptoms; however, there are some common patterns. Teachers and parents might notice:

Cramped or awkward grips on pencils

Unusual body or wrist positions while writing

Letters that change size, shape or slant, even within the same word

A combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, or switching between print and cursive in the same sentence

Heavy erasing, cross-outs or hesitation while forming letters

Inconsistent spacing between letters or words

Writing that seems rushed, scratchy or, on the flip side, painfully slow

Reliance on watching the pencil carefully while writing, instead of writing automatically

Sometimes, these students seem as though they are drawing letters one by one instead of writing. They may pause midsentence to remember how a letter is formed, or they may ask aloud how to make a particular shape.

The irony is that many children with dysgraphia are talented artists. They can sketch a complex scene with precision, yet struggle to form a simple “g” or “s” consistently. That’s because drawing relies more on visual imagina tion and decision-making in the moment, while writing requires precise, automatic recall of specific sequences of movements, which is specific to linguistics.

Mrs. Katz notes that one common red flag associated with dysgraphia is when a child who generally presents with a high IQ exhibits poor handwriting and writing skills. “These kids are usually very smart, and it’s important for teachers to acknowledge that. Sometimes, kids with dysgraphia have social issues simply because their teachers don’t understand that their low performance in the classroom is due to dysgraphia, and not because they’re slower or lazy.”

For most people, steps like letter formation and spacing become automatic early on. That frees up brainpower to focus on content. But for a child with dysgraphia, those basic steps never become automatic. Every letter is a conscious effort. The mental energy that should be devoted to ideas, structure and creativity is instead drained by the mechanics of writing.

Overlap With Other Learning Differences

Dysgraphia rarely appears in isolation. Many children exhibit overlapping difficulties that can complicate the diagnosis. Take Sara, a sixthgrade student. She reads beautifully in class, but her writing is slow, uneven and full of spelling mistakes. One teacher suspects dyslexia; another said her work points to ADHD. In reality, all of these may be connected. Dysgraphia often cooccurs with:

Dyslexia, which means difficulty with reading, spelling and decoding words

ADHD, which presents focus, planning and organization challenges

Language processing disorders, which may involve difficulty with grammar, sentence structure or word retrieval

Working memory adds another layer of dif ficulty. Leah begins her Chumash homework, sure of what she wants to write. By the time she finishes her first sentence, she has already forgotten the second point. Juggling handwriting, spelling and grammar while trying to hold ideas in her head overwhelms her. Her written work often appears far simpler than the thoughtful answers she provides aloud.

A Technology Reality Check

In today’s world, technology has become the primary means of communication. People often prefer to text or email, and in most secular schools, students complete nearly all of their assignments on computers.

“Technology makes things so much easier for people with dysgraphia,” Mrs. Katz explains. A keyboard lays out all the letters clearly, eliminating the need to remember and reproduce letter shapes. Built-in spell-check and grammar tools further support students in expressing themselves coherently.”

Within frum society, however, technology is used far less, and many schools continue to rely on traditional pen-and-paper work. Students are expected to write assignments by hand rather than on a computer.

“This is why we still have to teach frum children the foundational skills of reading and writing,” Mrs. Katz emphasizes. While much of the outside world is moving away from handwriting altogether, our community continues to depend on it. This makes the work of Multi Sensory LTD all the more vital — ensuring that children receive the targeted instruction they need to master skills that are no longer being prioritized elsewhere.

ing. Recognizing dysgraphia, especially in older grades, ensures students are measured by what they know, not by how quickly they can form letters.

As students move into higher grades, these challenges intensify. Essays, research papers and timed written tests demand more sustained writing than ever. For students with dysgraphia, the gap between oral ability and written output becomes increasingly larger. Without accommodations (see below), bright, capable students may underperform academically, not because of a lack of intelligence, but because their handwriting cannot keep up with their think-

The earlier dysgraphia is recognized, the better. Early intervention enables students to establish a solid foundation for handwriting, spelling and composition before frustration and fatigue take a significant toll.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Katz cautions against diagnosing dysgraphia too early. Many of the symptoms of dysgraphia listed above are, in fact, age-appropriate in preschool and up to first grade.

“These signs start to become worrying in grades three to five, which is when many children with dysgraphia will be sent for evaluation,” Mrs. Katz explains. “In fact, a sixth

grader recently came to me not knowing how to write her name in Yiddish.”

Mrs. Katz makes another important observation. “If a child has dyslexia, it may be a good idea to incorpo rate intervention for dysgraph ia as well, as these two dis abilities often — though not always — present together.”

Building Skills

Unfortunately, many schools lack systematic programs for handwrit ing and spelling instruction be yond the early grades. That means struggling students may not get the explicit, step-by-step teaching they need.

Even when accommodations like extra time or typing are offered, they don’t replace instruction. Students with dysgraphia benefit not only from tools that level the playing field, but also from direct teaching to strengthen their underlying skills.

The good news is that there are proven strategies that can help. Instruction usually begins with hands-on activities that strengthen motor control and letter formation.

“At Multi Sensory LTD, we integrate all three senses — visual, auditory and kinesthetic — which helps reinforce skills as much as possible,” Mrs. Katz explains.

Such activities include:

Strengthening hand muscles through clay play or tracing

Step-by-step letter formation with clear visual cues

Short, daily handwriting practice (five to ten minutes) to build fluency without overwhelm

Spelling instruction that teaches patterns and word parts rather than rote memorization

Once children can form legible letters, the focus shifts to building automaticity — being able to write letters quickly and without conscious effort.

“We focus on ‘overlearning,’” Mrs. Katz states. “An athlete training for the Olympics trains for eight hours a day; they overlearn their skill so they can perform their best without working their bodies too hard. Children with dysgraphia have to overlearn their writing skills so that they can eventually write with little effort.”

The key to intervention is teaching children to draw letters correctly, and then having them write them from memory. If someone shows you how to draw an airplane in a few simple steps and you practice every day, you’ll soon be able to draw beautiful planes, and no one will guess that you’re not an artist.

Mrs. Katz bemoans the fact that good handwriting is no longer emphasized in the classroom. “When I was a child, we spent many classroom hours honing our cursive writing skills. Nowadays, not only do few people write in cursive anymore, but it also seems as though teachers don’t focus on handwriting at all. And the problem is even worse with Lashon Hakodesh. When children are first taught to write letters, they’re given sheets with practice lines and letters

Practice Activity

Mrs. Katz offers a great activity to help children of all ages improve their handwriting:

1) Position the script letter form before you for easy copying.

2) Choose a colored pencil, and write the letter in a large format, from headline to footline.

3) Say the letter out loud as you write it.

4) Do the above three times.

5) Change to a different color, and repeat.

6) Repeat the activity with as many colors as possible. Another activity would be to complete the task without providing the script form.

This activity is best done on paper with practice lines. Parents should also check that the child is forming letters correctly.

with arrows showing how the letter should be formed. This is exactly what we do with children who have dysgraphia. They practice their letters, focusing on the motor plan of how each letter sits on the beltline, headline and footline, which helps them learn to form consistent letters. In my opinion, all children would benefit from using practice lines for several years, rather than just in preschool and first grade. In fact, this is a great rule for teachers: The more researchbased and evidence-based instruction you provide in your classroom, the more your weaker students will benefit, and the stronger your teaching will be in general.”

Spelling instruction is also essential, beginning with high-frequency words and gradually progressing to more complex vocabulary. Teaching spelling explicitly — through sound patterns, letter combinations and word parts — gives students tools they can rely on in place of memorization.

At all grade levels, students benefit from learning strategies for organizing and re vising their writing, as well as self-regu lation techniques to manage the effort involved in composing longer pieces.

Leveling the Playing Field

Even with intervention, some children always find handwriting more difficult. That’s where teachers can

step in to help lighten their burden with accommodations such as:

Extra time for written tasks

Offering typing or speech-to-text tools for longer assignments

Oral responses in place of written ones, where possible

Providing notes so students don’t waste energy copying text from the board

Accommodations don’t lower standards. They allow students to demonstrate what they truly know without being held back by the mechanics of writing.

This is one of the most important lessons about dysgraphia: It masks ability, but does not erase it. Recognizing strengths alongside struggles preserves confidence and motivates children to keep trying.

A Hopeful Message

Dysgraphia may make the act of writing difficult, but it does not define a child’s potential. With proper awareness and support, these students can unlock their abilities and contribute in ways that showcase their true strengths. When families and schools work together, children with dysgraphia don’t just “get by” — they learn to thrive, bringing their creativity, intelligence and individuality into every area of life.

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Twenty-eight years ago, when artist Mira Eisen was thirteen, she received her first commission: to paint a huge mural for her school’s entrance hallway.

Today, her breathtaking art still greets the teachers and students of one lucky elementary school in Ashdod — and Mira’s creativity has become a wellspring that produces her own paintings while educating thousands to nurture their own inner artist .

Riki Goldstein

A Fine Art

At her gallery in Lakewood, Mira Eisen’s high-end Judaic art creates a wonderland of color and textures. Wherever you look, Mira’s creativity and vibrancy shine through. It’s the same streak of inspiration that has accompanied her from her early childhood in Eretz Yisroel.

“As a young girl, I used to make an art project out of anything the teacher handed out. If it was a worksheet about Haman, for example, mine became a sketch of him, then a drawing, then a collage,” she recalls, laughing. Her teachers noticed her talent, and they commissioned the budding young creative to paint a mural for the entrance hallway.

“It took me a month! I was too shy to ask for money to buy the paint I needed, so my aunt, artist Chaya Rechtshapher, advised me to buy only the primary colors, yellow, red and blue, and some white. From those colors, she said, I could create any shade I needed. I spent hours mixing my paints to save money, then designing and painting. I painted a forest, depicting the theme of our connection to gedolei Yisroel. When I was finished, I charged the school 200 shekel. My teacher, however, had seen the efforts it had involved, and she paid me 800,” Mira says. And with that formative experience, the artist within began to bloom.

Truthfully, Mira had known she had it in her. As a little girl, every year before Sukkos, she would gather siblings and neighbors around to teach them how to create an original Sukkos art project. Teaching came as naturally as painting, and Mira’s parents encouraged her in every way.

“During that entire month that I painted the mural, my mother sat there with me, in the empty school building, as I painted and mixed. She always complimented my work, and my confidence grew.”

Now, when women and girls come to Mira for her art courses, the first thing she shares is the wealth of knowledge she acquired back then on how to mix colors to achieve the perfect shade the artist envisions.

You Only Need To Love Art

In addition to her art, Mira is full of warmth and positivity. Her laugh lights up our conversation as she shares how her world is full of color.

“My classes start from the alef-bais of art,” Mira says. According to her,

artistic ability and skill are not prerequisites for success. “You don’t have to have a gift. Using the rules of art as tools, anyone can get beautiful results from their painting. You only need to love art.”

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT. IT HAS TO BE RIGHT, BUT NOT PERFECT

After that one semester of twelve lessons during which Mira teaches the rules, step by step, her students begin to create their own paintings. She explains that today’s style is predominantly abstract combined with realism, which is less demanding than the pure realism of decades past.

“Once upon a time, a painter was trying to capture the scene or portrait perfectly. But today, photography is a separate art form of its own. A painting

doesn’t need to look like a photograph; it needs to look like a painting. So it doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be right, but not perfect.”

According to Mira, that’s what makes art so relaxing. Anyone can paint, once they know the rules, and she has never seen a bad painting from her students.

“I advise parents of children who are artistic to compliment and praise everything their children draw and design. That’s what my mother did,” she says, looking back at the encouragement that helped her grow into her creative self. “Both my parents gave me support and confidence in my work.”

Artistic Journeys

Evidently, art is in Mira’s genes. Her great-grandfather, Rav Yossel Weinstock, was the artisan behind the famed “Sukkat Hapeleh,” which was a

must-see Chol Hamoed outing in Yerushalayim in its day. His sukkah featured intricate craftsmanship portraying themes from pesukim and Yiddishkeit, which all came together in a magnificent setting of art.

Although Mira was born in Yerushalayim, her family moved first to Ashdod, on Eretz Yisroel’s Mediterranean coast, then to the city of Beitar, nestled in the beautiful Harei Yehuda. She traveled to Yerushalayim weekly to study art with her aunt, Chaya Rechtshaffer, and to learn from Riki Jacobowitz.

When word spread about the stunning mural she had created in her own school, Mira was soon commissioned by other schools in Yerushalayim, then by Chabad schools in Russia and Ukraine, to do her magic, leaving a lasting imprint on thousands of students in the way she knew best. In between, she worked in a Judaic art gallery on the prestigious King David Street in Yerushalayim. Until today, each Yom Tov inspires her to paint its traditional scenes, and Judaic themes run through all of Mira’s paintings — a hachnasas Sefer Torah, a mezuzah, a man deep in prayer.

“Even when people ask me for an abstract painting,” Mira says, “I always

hide something Yiddish in it. It plants some holiness into the walls of the house.”

With Mira’s marriage came a major move, from the Holy Land to Antwerp, Belgium. Her talent did not stay hidden, and she quickly found her schedule full of art groups, teaching women, girls and children art and skill. It was fulfilling work, but the artist in her was not completely satisfied.

Ten years ago, when the Eisens relocated to New York, Mira decided that she wanted to devote more of her time to painting. “I heard a talk from the Lubavitcher Rebbe that anyone who has a gift must share it with the world. The message resonated with me. I bought paints and started to create my own artwork, mostly an expression of Jewish abstraction.”

Now she paints every day, and devotes just one day a week to teaching students. The impact on her life has been a blessing. Through painting, Mira says, she feels very connected to Hashem. An artist focuses on all the color and beauty of Hashem’s world, enjoying flowers, trees and grass. “I look at things differently. I feel, ‘Wow, Someone created this beauty!’ Imagine if Hashem had created the world all in black, and now look at the colors around you!”

The Best Therapy

There is one unbreakable rule in Mira’s classes. Unlike other contemporary art teachers, she does not allow copying.

“Copying someone else’s painting blocks your imagination. I don’t let my students do that. They take a photo and start working from that, and that opens up their own creativity.”

After twelve theory lessons, students begin to work on their own pieces, and Mira

says that the women are often shocked by what they can produce, even if they’ve never painted before.

Many women arrive at art class stressed by the pressures of their day, but they leave more relaxed.

“Painting is the best therapy ever,” Mira avers, after watching this time and again. She even has a student who takes her canvases along to the oncology ward. Painting during treatments helps her feel relaxed and positive through what she endures.

Art, apparently, can open channels in many ways. An unmarried man once commissioned Mira to create a painting depicting the words of Chazal that finding a zivug is as difficult as Kriyas Yam Suf. She produced the painting — and his dream came true when he celebrated his engagement shortly thereafter.

If your child shows artistic talent, besides praising and encouraging them, Mira recommends allowing their art to develop in its own individualized way. You can never expect one artist’s work to be the same as another artist’s, nor can you expect your child to draw or paint like someone else. They will only be themselves, and so they

should. The budding artist should not be given paintings to copy, but given tools, and then be allowed to draw imaginatively.

“If you can send your child to an art teacher, do. If you can’t, there are good books out there that can teach children how to sketch trees, houses, animals or castles, and the child can learn the rules from there and then combine them.”

Some day soon, Mira hopes to offer her art classes online. Meanwhile, she says, if you feel that art is calling to you, it might be just what you need.

“Anyone can do it. Just buy yourself the primary colors and some canvases, and I invite you to begin painting. You will feel the difference. For me, a day in which I don’t paint is an entirely different kind of day. ”

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WVIEW

TheWilliamsburg

back-to-schoolcontest success set4

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Hey Kids!

Yom Tov’s over, the weather’s cool

For real this time, we’re back to school

So settle in and try your best

To make this school year a success

The greatest help, we know for sure

Is to start each day the night before

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All students welcome to take part

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AFTER SEVERAL HOURS ON THE RUN, PEDRO FINDS SHELTER IN A SMALL, RUN-DOWN INN.

SIR, YOUR DRINK. BY THE WAY, I’D SUGGEST SWITCHING TABLES.

AHHH. THAT WAS SO EXHAUSTING. I REALLY HOPE I LOST THEM.

SOMEONE JUST CAME IN.

I’M FINE. I PREFER THE SIDE TABLE. THANKS.

THE GLASS CABINET NEXT TO YOU ISN’T TOO STEADY. ONE BUMP, AND IT MIGHT FALL.

WAIT! I FORGOT…

JUST MORE CUSTOMERS. FALSE ALARM.

OH!

RECAP: PEDRO FLEES ACROSS THE PAMPAS AT NIGHT, DESPERATE TO ESCAPE CAPTURE. JUST AS HE’S CAUGHT BY PABLO AND PIETRO, HE DISTRACTS THEM BY PRETENDING JOAQUIN IS NEARBY, AND MANAGES TO SLIP AWAY ONCE MORE.

JEWS ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY SOME KIND OF BLESSING… BARUK ATAH… MEZONOT ?

JOAQUÍN WON’T FORGIVE THE MONEY I PROMISED HIM. HE’LL HUNT ME DOWN, AND IF I DON’T PAY, HE WON’T THROW ME BACK IN JAIL; HE’LL KILL ME.

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A JEW. ESPECIALLY NOT ONE ON THE RUN FROM A CORRUPT PRISON WARDEN.

SOONER OR LATER, JOAQUÍN’S MEN WILL CATCH ME. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

I WISH MY GREATGRANDFATHER HAD LEFT BEHIND ANOTHER TREASURE, BUT I DOUBT I’LL GET THAT LUCKY AGAIN. AND EVEN IF HE HAD, I WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND IT. HALF THE JOURNAL’S WRITTEN IN JEWISH SCRIPT.

WHAT’S THIS? MORE PAGES? THEY WERE STUCK TOGETHER!

A MAP? AND HEBREW WRITING! IT LOOKS LIKE THE FLOOR PLANS OF OUR HOUSE AND THE RUBINOVS’.

BOGGLE TOURNAMENT

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Gather round the table to play a family game of Boggle, using this Boggle board.

2. Once you have a winner, fill out the form below in its entirety

3. Email the form to comments@ thewview.com or fax to 718-2478881 by Sunday at midnight.

4. Two winners will be drawn each week, each of whom will receive by mail a $10 gift card at Sprinkles!

PLAYING RULES:

Find words on the board containing four letters or more. Letters of a word must be connected in a chain (each letter should be adjacent to the next either vertically, horizontally or diagonally), and each letter can only be used once in a given word. The following are not allowed in Boggle: Adding “s” to a word • Proper nouns • Abbreviations • Contractions • Acronyms

POINTS

4-letter words: 2 points | 5-letter words: 3 points | 6-letter words: 5 points | 7-letter words: 7 points | 8-letter words: 9 points | 9+ letters: 12 points

HINT

Each Boggle board hides a word of nine letters or more!

The Boggle Tournament will resume next week. T A H G F O B L R E

A E F R T N S U C L M A D I P

Family name: ___________________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________________________________________

Full mailing address: _________________________________________________________

Full name of winner: _________________________________________________________

Amount of points: ____________________________________________________________

Full names of competing players:

List some words only the winner found: The longest word found on the board: __________________________________ A new word you learned from the board:

Fraidy Rosenberg, 3, Satmar

Malky Weiss, 8

Fraidy

Mendlowitz, 4

Malky Goldstein, 4, Pupa

1. More durable and textured fabrics

2. Extended apron for extra comfort and protection.

3. Premium branding details with metal labels

4. Pocket on the apron

5. Improved bassinet designed for a clean look and easier to assemble

6. Firm PureBreezeTM mattress with antibacterial protection

7. Black functional buttons for a premium look

8. 60% recycled aluminum

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

DOONA CAR SEAT BASE

Brand new, never used. Price $125. Please call: 929.214.7721

REAL ESTATE

MONSEY LARGE 5 BEDROOM HOUSE

Close to Rav Schlessinger’s, 3 bath bi-level. Updates: roof, driveway, HVAC, deck $1,325,000. Deera Homes, Sarah Schwab, Broker 914261-6432. Call/Text.

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

APT. FOR SALE Century Village-Golf Edge. 1 ½ bedroom apt. 2 baths, Brand new appliances, Ready to move in now. Price $200K or best offer. Call: 845.325.0500

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

Century Village, Willington M, 2 Bedroom apt. Ground floor FOR SALE. Call: 347.760.0639

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

For the best Real Estate deals, contact Mrs. Debby Schwartz 203.667.2785

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Carriage Club North, Beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath, Ground floor. Call: 347.499.0031

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Collins Ave. Beautiful ocean view. 1 bedroom apt. Call: 347.760.0570

NORTH MIAMI FL RENTAL

A beautiful 3 bedrooms, 3 bath villa in North Miami, with private inground heated pool & spa. Price/night $339. Pictures available. 845.327.7153

MIDWEEK/WEEKEND

VACATION RENTAL

Gorgeous 3/5 bdrm, 2/3 bath villa with heated outdoor hot tub avail. in Mountaindale, near Shuls. Price/night $239. (Pics avail.) 845.327.7153

HOTEL 15

Big villa in serene area outside Monroe. 8 couple bedrooms, Teen bedroom 8 beds plus 20 kids beds. For Pictures hotelfifteen.com Call to book 845-837-5662

NORTH MIAMI VACATION RENTAL

Beautiful, modern 4 Bdrm 3 Bthrm house for rent. Private Heated pool with spa. Pergola and covered dining area in backyard. Quiet, private neighborhood. For more info, please call or text 646-926-1260

VACATION PROPERTIES

Luxurious vacation properties for short-term rentals in the Monsey area. Some with POOLS. can accommodate 18 to 150 guests, ideal for large families, Shabbatons, and more.. ASK US ABOUT OUR WINTER SPECIAL Great Minds 845-520-3250.

NORTH MIAMI FL RENTAL

Vacation villa with a private heated pool and spa. Call/ Text: 917-382-4810, email: 1752nmb@gmail.com www. themangotreat.com

EAST BOCA RATONLUXURY RENTAL

Completely renovated private villa w/private heated pool, STRICTLY KOSHER, 2-Bedrooms, 2-full Bathrooms, walking distance to shul and beach. For reservations Email Bocapalmsvilla@gmail.com or call 929-784-8472

MIAMI VILLA

Brand new kosher villa in Miami . Heated pool and jacuzzi near shuls. for more info call/text 347-852-5154.

HELP WANTED

REMOTE SALES POSITION

Hiring two motivated women with experience in the workforce for an exciting remote sales position 2-3 hours / day. sales experience a plus. energeticsaleswoman@ gmail.com

WORK FROM HOME

Great opportunity to manage your own business from home. No experience needed, no computer necessary. Huge potential to grow big. Call: 438.529.1216

WORK FROM HOME

Let your extra time bring you some extra cash. You’ll absolutely enjoy it and feel fulfilled! For more about this wonderful business and how it works Call 845-920-ALOE (2563) Hatzlucha!

EXPERIENCED SALESPERSON

For Electrical & lighting supplies co. No car necessary, commission only. Top $$ paid, male or female, work from home, partnership opportunities available. Call: 212.662.1300

INSURANCE OPPORTUNITY!

We’re looking for anyone who possesses a minimum to mid level insurance experience to join our team. Great benefits and pay. F/T preferred. Email rikki@ hiresolutionsny.com

SEEKING PROVIDER

Seeking a male provider to work with a high-functioning teenager once a week during the evening, BA preferred. Call: 718-500-3765 ext. 103 or email: hr@naaseh.org.

SEIT P3

Excellent SEIT P3 opening in Williamsburg full time, excellent pay potential. Email: scaplan@yeled.org Or call: 917.968.2292

SERVICES

LIGHT ALTERATIONS

Please Call: 718.450.4700

JOURNALING CLASS

Dini Ettinger is continuing her Journaling group sessions - covered by insurance! Join creative, supportive phone/ Zoom sessions that foster growth and healing. Call/ Text Miriam: 845-290-9586 Email: info@dejournaling. com

MAKEUP ARTIST

Certified makeup artist for all your special occasions. Call: Yides Neuwirth 917.309.6000 718.858.0815

FURNITURE REPAIRS

Cabinet & General Repairs, specializing in Choson-Kallah Apt. Call: 718.633.6231

AYIN HORAH

The renowned Rebetzin Aidel Miller from Yerushalayim Is always available to remove Ayin Horah over the phone. Call: 718.689.1902 or 516.300.1490

GARTLECH

We fix knitted & crochet Gartlech & make beautiful professional fringes. We also teach how to knit & crochet. Please call: 917-414-3281

GARTLECH

Beautiful HANDMADE

GARTLECH, Hand crochet, Hand knit, Silks & more with beautiful Gartel bag. Text or call: 718.283.4589 Wholesale orders available.

CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION

Bathrooms, kitchens, closets, decks, extensions, additions, Basements, all electrical, plumbing, Carpentry. Lowest prices, fastest service. Call:718.951.0090

ELECTRICIAN

All Electrical work, outlets, switches, fixtures, new lines for washer/dryer or air conditions, shabbos clocks, circut breakers. Call:718.951.0090

HANDYMAN & PAINTING

Experienced & Reliable handyman. Small jobs our specialty! Plumbing, Electric, construction, Locksmith, painting, plastering. Shabbos clocks, outlets/switches, call: 347.275.5408

REMOVE EYIN HORA

A baby, a simcha, a new lease in town? Call Ayin BeAyin so things dont chalila go down! Call Today 718-400-AYIN (2946) www.ayinbeayin. com

VAN FOR RENT

Refrigerated van for rent daily or weekly with or without a driver. Call or Text: Eli 516.270.6755

NEW WEBSITE?

Get your new beautiful website done hassle free! Affordable pricing! Satisfaction guaranteed! Email: sales@ stratadigitalgroup.com

EXPERT TRANSFORMATION COACH

Break free and rise! Transform stuck patterns, deepen your connections, and unlock the power within. Your new life begins now— let’s create it together. Brocha 917.456.4493

PROFESSIONAL COACH

Heal your life. Heal your body. Heal your past. Experienced. Successful. Personable. Expertise in anxiety, panic and trauma. Mrs. Esty Frank 7188518636

KITCHEN

Kitchen cabinet hinges, tracks, drawer boxes, garbage pull outs replaced at reasonable prices. Call Mr. Likht 917-817-6981

CANARY VOICE BY BLAU STUDIOS

Small group, big confidence! Sunday voice lessons in a bright new studio where your daughter grows skills, shines, and records her own song in a fun, supportive space. Brocha 917.456.4493

THE CRACKER DIET

Since 2004. $200 includes 2 months follow up. 732.886.0954 We accept credit cards.

WOOD REPAIR

Professional transformation to ur kitchen cabinets thru design & color chg. Also revamp, repair estate furn, drm chairs, bdrms, libraries, & ext wood doors. Best price, svc & decorators consult txt or call 212-991-8548.

PHOTO EDITING

Professional photo editing, many years of experience. Special rates for photographers. Also specializing in Custom photo albums Chosson, wedding, etc. Photo Dreams 347.563.5153

VAN SERVICE

Yossi`s Van Service, 15 Passenger van, Local & long distance, Airports & delivery. Call: 718.962.4664

CUSTOM PHOTO ALBUMS

Specializing in Custom Photo Albums, Chosson, Wedding, etc. Also professional Photo Editing, many years of experience. Special rate for photographers. Photo Dreams 347.563.5153

WHOLESALE FISH

Buy by the case & save. Baby & Regular Salmon. Hashgucha Volove Rav. Free delivery to your home. Call Eli: 516.270.6755

WHOLESALE SPOTLIGHTS

We sell Spotlights, twice as bright for half the price. We also sell Smoke & Carbon Monoxide detectors with 10 year battery suitable for Section 8. Free Delivery. Call: 718.951.0061

GOWNS

GOWNS

Introducing for the first time in Williamsburg! New designer gowns & brand name Simcha wear at great prices. We are also offering designer fashion & timeless pieces that redefine elegance, in our beautiful luxurios salon located conveniently on Kent Ave. Ready sis of bride & groom & Mechitaniste gown for fabulous prices. Please join us & elevate your style. For an appointment 347-701-8061

GEMACHIM

Breastpump Gemach 718599-0721

Twin carriage 718-522-3891

Lights for your simchas. Minimal fee 718-854-2404 “the organizer” 917-232-8614

Gebentchte Esrog Compote for all Segulos 718-782-0423

ODDS & ENDS

GOITA SHADCHUNIS HOTLINE

Are you looking to place your cleaning lady or are you in need of one? Call the Goita Shadchunis Hotline free of charge 716-623-4762

DIABETIC STRIPS

Looking to buy your extra Diabetic Test Strips, strictly confidential. 347.871.7574

LOST

diamond bracelet first days succos on Hewes Street 917.246.0707

Gold link bracelet on R”H possibly on Lee 718-218-7875

Yellow Gold diamond bracelet few years ago 347668-2219

FOUND

Silver עקשופ קיבאט about 10-15 years ago please call / text 347-578-0203

magnetic key on Lee Ave between Wilson x Ross st on Sep 29, call/text 917 359 2427

Credit card with name Yittel Wagshal 718-782-1476

- OPEN HOUSESunday 2:00 - 3:00

Shop N Save Weekly sales

Shop N Save Weekly sales

ךיז סירפעשזד םיקאה רעייטשראפ רענילקורב ןוא זיא ינאדמאמ ןוא ,ינאדמאמ ןריסראדניא וצ טגאזטנא ןעגנודניבראפ

לארשי תנידמ טאה טייז ערעדנא

רעניטסעלאפ 2,000 טיירפאב ,עמרוט ןופ ןטנאטסערא

סאוו עכלעזא טנעכערעגניירא

עכילגנעלסנבעל טנידעג ןבאה

םעד בילוצ ןענימרעט עמרוט

ףיוא טאהעג ןבאה ייז סאוו .ןדיא ןופ טולב טנעה ערעייז

דנאטשליטש-רעייפ רעד טניז

טפארק ןיא ןיירא זיא ךאמפא

ןטסירארעט סאמאכ יד ןבאה

תנידמ עכילטע טגנערבעגמוא

טירש א ןיא ,ןטאדלאס לארשי

זא טכאזרואראפ טאה סאוו

רעטייוו לאז לארשי תנידמ

גידנקוק רעבא ,הזע ןיא ןעגנורידראבמאב ןריפכרוד

רעייפ רעד ךיז טלאה דליב ןטיירב םעד

עטשלעפעג

ןעגנושלעפ

ןיא יוו שיטאמארד יוזא ,ליפשייב םוצ ,ןאלפארע ן'טימ השעמ יד .ןריסאפ טנעקעג טשינ לאמנייק טאה וליפא ןוא ,רעכעל

םרפסמל 1969

טייטשראפ רע זא טקאפ ן'פיוא ןטירעג ןוא רעבירעד ,טעברא חמ רעלאנימירק א יוזאיוו ןקעמשסיוא וצ טאדידנאק רעטסעב רעד רע זיא .רעלניווש :ןבירשעג ןראי ערעטעפש ןיא טאה ליענגעבא ךיא .טנגוי ןיימ טימ טשינ ריצלאטש ךיא

טנעקעג באה ךיא זא םעד טימ ריצלאטש 25 ענעגנאגראפ יד

עפמאפ טימ דאראפ ןוא

,ןירג

,)'ב א טימ ,רענאיליב( רענאיליב רעד עגיזיר א ,יבאל-יבאה ןופ רעמוטנגייא סיורג טימ .עקירעמא ןיא טפעשעג טייק טעווארפעג ןירג רענאיליב טאה עדאראפ טימ ,םואעזומ ןכילרעה םענופ גנונעפע יד .ןטקאפיטרא עשיראטסיה 40,000 עריא רקיע ןוא רעטנעצ רעד רעבא ?םואעזומ םעניא לקיטרא-סערעטניא

רשפא ןוא ,ןראוועג .שיטנעטיוא סלא ןלעטשסיורא אי ךיז

.ביציו תמא

Reischer

MANAGING

Tescher

FOOD

Wercberger

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Wachsman

PROJECT COORDINATOR

WEBSITE: www.thewview.com

Ozempic WITHOUT THE side effects