November 2, 2023 by Joel Halpern

Yeshivat Yavneh Supports Israel pg with Israel Unity Week

ETTA’s Day of Unity: Strengthening Bonds with Special in Uniform IDF Soldiers

Tzitzit for Tzahal at Maimonides

Geshmak Simply Good Food

LA’s Jewish Community Continues to Rally for Israel

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Please take a moment to Daven to Hashem for the welfare of all of our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel. Our hearts are with all of the VTHS alumni currently serving in the IDF and learning in Eretz Yisroel. May the Shomer Yisroel bring all the soldiers home safely.

.‫ ה׳‬,‫אִתיָך‬ ִ ‫ִִׁשיָר ַה ַַּמ ֲֲעלֹוִת; ִַמ ַַּמ ֲֲע ַַמ ִִּקים ְְק ָָר‬ A song of ascents. From the depths I called you, Hashem.

.‫ ִַּת ְהיֶ יָנָ ה ָאְזְ ָנֶ יָך ְַק ֻֻּׁשבֹוִת לְ ְקֹול ַַּת ֲֲחָנּוָנָ י‬,‫ ִִׁש ְַמ ֲָעה ְבְקֹולִ י‬,‫ה׳‬ My Lord, hear my voice, may Your ears be attentive to the sounds of my pleas.

.‫ּה; ה׳ ִַמי יַ ֲֲעַמֹד‬- ָ‫ִאם ֲֲעֹוָנֹוִת ִַּת ְִׁש ַָמָר י‬

A song of ascents. From the depths I called you, Hashem.

.‫ִּכִ י ֲִע ְַּמָך ַה ְְּסלִ ָיֲחה לְ ַַמ ֲַען ִַּתּוָ ֵָרא‬

For with You is forgiveness, that you may be feared..

.‫הֹוֲחלְ ִַּתי‬ ָ ‫ְִקּוִ ִיִתי ה׳ ְִקּוְ ִָתה ָנַ ְְפ ִִׁשי ְוְ לִ ְד ָבָרֹו‬

I put confidence in Hashem, my soul put confidence, and I hoped for His word.

.‫ָנַ ְְפ ִִׁשי לַ ה׳ ִַמֻּׁש ְַֹמ ִָרים לַ ֹּב ְֶֹקָר ִׁש ְַֹמ ִָרים לַ ֹּב ְֶֹקָר‬

My soul yearns for the Lord, among those longing for the dawn.

.‫ ְוְ ַה ְָר ֵֹּבה ֲִעַּמֹו ְְפדּוִת‬,‫יַ ֲֵחל יִ ְְׂש ָָר ֵאל ֶאל ה׳; ִּכִ י ֲִעם ה׳ ַה ֲֶח ֶֶסד‬

Let Israel hope for Hashem, for with Hashem is kindness and with Him is abundant redemption.

.‫ ִַמִּכֹל ֲֲעֹוָנ ִָֹתיְו‬,‫ְוְ הּוא יִ ְְפ ֶֶּדה ֶאִת יִ ְְׂש ָָר ֵאל‬ And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

‫עֹוְמ ִִדים ַּּבין ַּּבָּיּ ם‬ ְ ‫ ָּה‬,‫ ָּהְּנְ תּוִנִ ים ַּּבָּצּ ָּרָה ּּוְב ִִּׁש ְְביּ ָה‬,‫ֵּא ֵּחיִנּו ָּכּ ל ַּּבית יִ ְְׂש ָּר ֵּאל‬ ‫ּוְמ ֲֵא ֵּפלּ ָה‬ ּ ,‫ ָּה ָּּמקֹום יְ ָּר ֵּחם ֲֲעלּ ֶיָהם ָוְ יֹוִצִ ּיֵאם ְִמָּצּ ָּרָה לִ ְָרָוּ ֵּחָה‬,‫ּּוְבין ַּּב ָּּיַּּב ָּׁשָה‬ .‫ ֵּא ְּמן‬:‫ֵֹאְמָר‬ ּ ‫ ָוְ ִנ‬.‫ ָּה ָּׁש ּתֵא ַּּב ֲֲעָגּ לּ ֵא ִּוְבְזְ ְּמן ּק ִָריְב‬,‫ּוְמ ִִּׁשֲעְ ַּבּוִד לִ ָגְ ֵֻאָּלּ ָה‬ ִ ,‫ֵאֹוָרָה‬ ּ ְ‫ל‬ Our brothers, the entire family of Israel, who are delivered into distress and captivity, whether they are on sea or dry land - may the Omni-present One have mercy on them and remove them from distress to relief, from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption, now, speedily, and soon - and let us say: Amen.

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NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

his week I really want to highlight our Around the Community section, because this is what the LA Jewish Home is all about - you guys! All of you! Look at all of the amazing things that are being done in schools and shuls and by individuals. Again, mi k’amcha yisroel! An enormously strong atmosphere of unity is in the air, as is the desire to act and do good deeds for the merit of those who’ve been murdered, those serving in the IDF, those injured, and all those living in Israel. We all want to bring the yeshua! While learning this week’s Parshas Vayera, we see how Lot took in the guests (angels) who came to his door even though Hachnasas Orchim wasn’t allowed in Sedom. When the people became an angry mob (sound familiar?), Lot continued to protect his guests and refused to turn them over into their hands. Lot was no tzaddik. Did he actually do this out of the kindness of his heart or deep concern for the guests? No. He did this because it was the essence of the home of Avraham, and was instilled, through osmosis, into Lot’s very being. This demonstrates the power and strength of certain values that reside inside of our very being, whether we realize it or not. I found this interesting as an adult now in my 30’s who has “turned into my mother,” and watching my friends do the same. It’s also enlightening as a parent to remember this because we often try to instill values into our children that may lie dormant for many years. We need to wait the course until they’re adults before it may be evident. Most importantly, children learn by example, through osmosis, and are very closely watching us when we think they’re not. They see how you are reacting to the current situation. Are you overcome with fear? Are you turning to Hashem in prayer? Are you becoming an activist for the Jewish right to survive? Are you fighting anti-semitism? Are you learning extra Torah? Taking on more mitzvos? The entire story of Akeidas Yitzchak is about Avraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son for Hashem, and also Yitzchak being willing and ready

to be that sacrifice. Those values instilled within our forefathers - Avraham and Yitzchak - have been transmitted from father to son for thousands of generations, so that we, their children, also have those values, as seen by countless examples throughout the Torah. It’s wanting to do Ratzon Hashem, it’s having values that go above all else, it’s about sacrificing one’s self or own desires for the greater good. That is what this fight is today - the fight for Israel, the fight for existence, the fight for the Jewish people. Those who have developed the land of Israel, who fought for its independence in 1948, its right to exist in 1967 and 1973, their children and grandchildren, who have all served in the army to protect the people of Israel are all people of sacrifice. The mentality of the Israeli is one of sacrifice. We want the hostages saved unharmed. Jewish life is the most precious thing to us, we put that on top of anything and everything else. I heard one mother of a hostage say that she understands the conflict of saving her son who is a hostage and the other aim of the Israeli government, which is to wipe out Hamas. Perhaps her child won’t make it home, and she accepts that because it would mean saving the lives of all future victims of Hamas if they were not eradicated at this time. While we do place value on the sacrifices we make, it is done out of wholeheartedness and love for Hashem and our people, ahavas yisroel. How great it is to be a Jew!

Ariela

Yoel Halpern

PUBLISHER publisher@thelajewishhome.com

Ariela Kauffman

MANAGING EDITOR editor@thelajewishhome.com

Avi Heyman

PUBLIC RELATIONS avi@thelajewishhome.com

Blimie Weiss

HEAD OF SALES blimie@thelajewishhome.com

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www.TheLAJewishHome.com The LA Jewish Home is an independent biweekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. All submissions become the property of The LA Jewish Home and may be edited for publication. Pictures may be modiﬁed at our discretion to conform to standards of modesty in dress. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any advertised product or business advertised within.

Yeshivat Yavneh invites you to our

OPEN HOUSE November 15, 2023 7:30 PM 5353 West 3rd Street

Shabbos Zemanim Friday, November 3 Parshas Vayera Candlelighting: 5:40 pm Havdallah: 6:36 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 7:10 pm

Friday, November 10 Parshas Chayei Sara Candlelighting: 4:34 pm Havdallah: 5:31 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 6:04 pm

Meet our teachers and staff Enjoy a tour of the campus Speak with current parents

OPEN TO ALL PROSPECTIVE PARENTS RSVP at yha.org/openhouse For more information, contact Rivka Ross rross@yha.org

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

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SIMXA

xcitement is in the air as the registration for the annual SimXa Shabbaton is well under way. This year’s Shabbaton is scheduled to take place at the Marina Del Rey Hotel in California over the Thanksgiving weekend, November 23rd – 26th. As every year, the event will bring Russian-speaking and English-speaking Jews together to learn Torah. The theme of this year’s Shabbaton is “Can unity bring peace? Together for Israel.” Esther Davidoff, who heads the SimXa Company together with her husband Moshe, explains that the theme of peace came up before the war in Israel began. She says, “With the war between Russia and Ukraine, and many countries, cities, communities, shuls and families not seeing eye to eye with each other, it seemed appropriate and important to bring up this topic. When the brutal war broke out on Shabbos-Shmini Atzeres in Israel, it became even more evident that the most pressing topic of the day is PEACE. We pray and hope that with Hashem’s help our learning can advance peace on every level of our lives - starting with the micro level of peace between spouses, siblings, parents and children, bosses and employees, and more… It is our goal that this learning and self-improvement on a personal level should have a positive effect on a global level as well - across shuls, communities, cities, and countries.” Even the children’s program this year will be dedicated to peace and unity. Under the direction of a veteran Shabbaton participant and an arts and crafts instructor, Rada Konvisser, the children will create special gifts with messages of love and support that will be sent to Israel, to the families of victims and hostages. This year’s speakers include Rabbi Aryeh Katzin, Director of RAJE (Russian American Jewish Experience) and Founder of Sinai Academy in New York City, Rabbi Reuven Wolf, founder of Maayon Yisrael Chassidic Center and a popular lecturer and educator, Miriam Yerushalmi, founder of SANE (Save A Neshama Endowment) and

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Concerts for Women with Katya Kapelnikova, Kumzits Fahrbrengen with R’ Moshe Bitton, Kleizmer Melave Malka with Leo Chulyapov, Wine Tasting with Shira Winery, SimXa Kids’ Club for Children, Young Professionals Networking, Local Trips, Round-the-clock Tea Room w/Refreshments and more…

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clude concerts by Katya Kapelnikova, a poet, songwriter and popular inspirational performer for women, Kleizmer music by Leo Chulyapov, Kumzits farbrengen with Rabbi Moshe Bitton, wine tasting with Shira winery, and local trips around the beautiful Marina Del Rey. As usual, this year’s Shabbaton will feature gourmet kosher catering with a delectable menu to satisfy and please the most sophisticated of palates and taste buds, as

well as round-the-clock tea room. Moshe Davidoff sums up, “The theme of our 2023 Shabbaton reflects one of the highest aspirations of the Jewish people, namely peace. Ever elusive yet within our grasp, we as Jews strive to bring peace and unity to the world at large. It’s the ultimate prize and achievement of our work and perseverance in this world.”

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

SimXa Shabbaton 2023

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Yeshivat Yavneh Supports Israel with Israel Unity Week

eshivat Yavneh organized a special week-long program entitled ‘Israel Unity Week.’ The week began with students writing letters to soldiers of Yeshivat Sha’alvim and Kerem B’Yavneh, which were delivered to the chayalim shortly thereafter. Some students even received individual video messages from the soldier whom they wrote to! Students also wrote letters and drew pictures for residents near the Gaza Strip that were sent to Israel to provide comfort to those displaced from their homes or

mourning the loss of loved ones. Middle school students were privileged to hear from Rabbi Dr. Ernie Agatstein, former President of RZA/ Mizrachi and current VP of Education at RZA. Dr. Agatstein helped shape our students’ understanding of what it’s like to be a citizen in Israel at this time and how we can help support them. To continue to build empathy for our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael, students also zoomed in with alumni in Israel, and were able to ask questions and hear more about how the

country has come together since October 7th. Israel Unity week also featured Tzahal Unity Day, where students were divided into various IDF units, and learned about the diverse battalions of Tzahal. Afterwards, students represented their respective units through projects and presentations, giving them the opportunity to understand the heroic work, and multiple layers, of Tzahal. Our Yavneh Tehillim-a-thon guided our students to complete all 150 perakim of Sefer Tehillim, twice! Each student re-

Tzitzit for Tzahal at Maimonides

iddle School Rebbe, Rabbi Moishe Brull, led a Tzitzit workshop for the Maimonides 8th grade boys about how to make tzitzit, tie the knots, and create a kosher garment. They made them on army green t-shirts so they can be donated to the soldiers currently protecting Am Yisrael and Midinat Yisrael. Thank you to Kehillat Eretz Hemdah and Hillel for donating the supplies to make these tzitzit and giving our students an opportunity to participate in this special and important mitzvah.

ceived a laminated card with their perek and the name of a chayal, and were also able to ‘buy’ special blue and white cupcakes, with the only acceptable currency being a short perek of Tehillim for a chayal. Even our Erev Shabbos Onegs contained songs that connected our students to Eretz Yisrael, giving us a meaningful end to the week. May we hear besoros tovos, and see yeshuos v’nechamos very soon!

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n these troubling times for Am Yisrael, Spivak Hebrew Academy responded with immediate action. We started an Israel Fundraising Campaign in our school to raise tzedakah for 3 different organizations in Israel, Magen David Adom, Friends of the IDF, and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) Emergency Solidarity Fund. We raised almost $6000 in one week with the help of matching donations from our Head of School, Rabbi Gabriel Elias, and principal, Cecelie Wizenfeld. Our students buzzed with news in the halls of family members still in Israel, cousins, parents, and friends. They wanted to do something to bring even a small spark of joy to the many displaced families and the soldiers ready to fight on the front lines. The Elementary students wrote beautiful letters with pictures and made amazing painted cards with special notes in hopes of bringing Tikvah, hope, and Ahava, love, to our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael. We also want them to know that we are thinking about them always and we are with them every day!

In addition to Tzedakah and Gemilut Chesed, our students have strengthened their Tefilah. Every morning our Elementary and Middle School students have taken on additional davening prayers, which includes Tehillim, Perek 121- “Esa Einai”, as well as the recitation of Acheinu. They close their eyes and think about Hashem protecting all of Klal Yisrael both in Eretz Yisrael, and all over the world, to be protected and remain strong as one Jewish nation of Hashem. Am Yisrael Chai!

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NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

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NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Maimo’s Evening of Teshuva, Tefillah & Tzedakah

Maimonides’ BakeToBenefit

e had an extremely moving schoolwide program for all parents and students in grades 5-8 to come together for a night of Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedakah. We heard words of Chizuk from the community Rabbis, participated in tefillah b’tzibur by reciting tehillim together, and we sold baked goods to benefit United Hatzalah of Israel.

Students and parents in grades 2-4 participated in preparations for this program. They eagerly went to their teachers’ homes to bake Challot and Shabbat delicacies to sell to benefit United Hatzalah of Israel. Thank you to all our teachers and parent volunteers who went above and beyond to help with this event. The event displayed a banner with Maimo alumni who are now proudly serving in the IDF. We have a table in school dedicated for tehillim and tefillah, and throughout the day, parents, teachers and students can stop by the tehillim table to recite prakim during their free time. It has been beautiful to see how the community has come together.

Agudas Yisroel’s California Office Hosts Citywide Asifa

Los Angeles Asifa in Tarzana

efillah b’tzibbur is Klal Yisroel’s answer to tzarah and Hamas’ attack on Simchas Torah is no exception. Many cities across the country joined as one for tefillah and chizuk, as did the Los Angeles community. The event was called “Maintaining the Chizuk,” designed to spur people to continue davening even after the initial inspiration died down. Rabbi Dovid Revach, rav of Adas Torah, opened the evening by emphasizing the theme of the gathering: the need to be mischazek by constantly bearing in mind what our brothers in Eretz Yisroel are still experiencing. Chaver Moetzes Gedolei Torah Rav Elya Brudny, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Mir, spoke to the Los Angeles community via video about being nosei b’ol with those affected and having emunah that Hashem is helping us. Rabbi Nechemia Langer, rav of Shaarei Torah in Los Angeles, spoke about being mischazek in tefillah and shemiras hamitzvos before the city joined together in a powerful, inspirational, and unified tefillah.

Since the community is so spread out, it makes citywide gatherings very difficult, so although the gatherings in the immediate aftermath of the attacks were a beautiful display of achdus, they were mostly segmented to the different neighborhoods. After consulting with rabbanim, the asifa, coordinated by Rabbi Yaakov Subar, Director of Agudas Yisroel’s California Office, was ultimately held in multiple locations that were connected via livestream. The event was captioned, “One Asifa, Two Locations,” highlighting that despite the geographical challenge, Los Angeles was still unified in tefillah. Initially, the locations were La Brea/Hancock Park and Valley Village, but after the event was announced, a third location was added in Tarzana due to demand. The Los Angeles asifa was more than a group of people saying tehillim; it was a community uniting as one to gain chizuk and achdus in the face of an eis tzarah to our people. May our continued tefillos bring a yeshuah b’karov.

Asifa in Valley Village

Los Angeles Asifa in Hancock Park

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Hillel Hebrew Academy: Operation Tzitzit!

mmediately after the war broke out in Israel on October 7th, and hundreds of thousands of reservists reported for duty, the IDF had an incredible need for religious items. From siddurim to chumashot, tefillin to tzitzit. Without delay, Kehillat Eretz Chemda (KEH) jumped into action, and had volunteers across Israel tying thousands of tzitzit for soldiers. Hillel Hebrew Academy launched a collaboration with KEH to bring Operation Tzitzit to the United States, and assist in providing and raising money for other spiritual needs. Hillel students, their families, and friends gathered together for an inspirational and meaningful evening. They tied hundreds of pairs of tzitzit, sorted them, and packed them

to be sent back to Israel! Hillel students had the opportunity to see the tzitzit they tied make their way to an army base back in Israel through a personalized video. Since Hillel’s inaugurating Tzitzit program, over 10 different Jewish day schools have joined in the efforts! Seeing the way the Hillel Kehilla came together for Operation Tzitzit, makes us that more excited for our upcoming Hillel Shabbaton in partnership with the Shabbos Project. This Shabbaton will bring together families and the Jewish community as a whole, to unite in Jewish pride, love and solidarity for Israel, and to celebrate the beauty of being a Jew, by keeping Shabbat together as a community.

On With The Show! With the JWRC

he situation in Israel has weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts and minds. Many pre-scheduled programming has been canceled or postponed. The women of JWRC have decided to go on with the show! Why are we continuing with our planned performance given what is going on right now? Firstly, we refuse to be defeat-

ed! We must demonstrate that the Jewish people keep going and therefore not cancel our celebrations, like weddings and bar mitzvahs. This show brings a sense of community. If we were to cancel the show, we would be giving in to the negativity and terrorism. We will not allow them to control our lives and the act of living. Secondly, our performance of The Sound of Music has the powerful message of the triumph of good over evil. It takes place in 1930’s Europe at a time of fascism and naziism, where the Von Trapp family chooses to leave their home and everything they know in order to not surrender to the pressure to join the Nazi party. Every year a portion of our proceeds have gone to charity, but this year we will include donations to women’s organizations in Israel. This is our 18th year at the JWRC, our Chai year, and we couldn’t be more proud of our crew, 47 women from different backgrounds and schools, two of whom are not Jewish. Join us on November 30, December 2, and December 3. Tickets are on sale now at jwrcla.org/tickets.

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ETTA’s Day of Unity: Strengthening Bonds with Special in Uniform IDF Soldiers

SHABBOS

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n a display of unity and support for Israel, ETTA’s main office in North Hollywood became the epicenter of a powerful Day of Unity event on Friday, October 20th. Josh Taff, ETTA’s Director of Community Relations, articulated the day’s purpose in his opening remarks, “This event today is for us to take action. We can help those who need our help, love, and prayers.” The event began with Hatikvah, performed by Lexi, an ETTA client, while attendees rose in unison, waving Israeli flags. Lou Rosenberg, Executive Director of Jewish National Fund-USA, then introduced the participants to Special in Uniform, an initiative that enables Israeli adults with special needs to proudly serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). “The IDF soldiers love these soldiers of Special in Uniform,” Rosenberg emphasized. “They treat them like brothers and sisters, and they are held up to the highest esteem because they are doing things to support the army.” This

unique program stands as a powerful testament to inclusivity. ETTA’s Day of Unity event was more than just words; it was a day of action and solidarity. ETTA clients packed essential personal hygiene items and socks for IDF troops, generously donated by Menin Hospitality, Vanderlyn Hospitality, Lord Logo, Coast Dermatology, and Unsimply Stitched. “We appreciate the generosity of so many of our valued partners to make this initiative possible,” expressed Mike Bernstein, ETTA’s Director of Fundraising. Participants then wrote, illustrated, and filmed messages of love, support, and hope to the IDF troops and decorated T-shirts with similar messaging, which were then wrapped around the Israel-bound care packages. The event concluded with the entire community singing “Am Yisrael Chai.” This Day of Unity transcended being just an event but rather a testament to the enduring strength of collective compassion and shared purpose.

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SHABBOS DAY 8:30 AM | SHACHARIS

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10:15 AM | MUSSAF

Beis Medrash Ohr Hachaim 221 South La Brea Avenue

3:30 PM | SHIUR - 4:00 PM | MINCHA Kollel Los Angeles 7216 Beverly Boulevard ‫ מצוות תלמוד תורה לבנים ותלמידים‬:‫בענין‬

4:35 PM | MINCHA AND SEUDAH SHLISHIS Khal Zichron Moshe 7200 Beverly Boulevard

9:00 PM | MELAVE MALKA

At the home of Mr. & Mrs. Zev Hertz 1721 Bagley Avenue Hosted by: Mr. & Mrs. Elazar Shemtov & Mr. & Mrs. Zev Hertz

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Rabbi Paysach Krohn Inspires Hundreds at LINK Kollel Shabbaton

Two Leading Jewish Congregations Combine to Present Lecture Series

he LINK Kollel in Los Angeles hosted the renowned Maggid, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, for a deeply moving and inspirational Shabbaton during Shabbos Lech Lecha (October 27-28). At least 300 men and women attended at least one of his many talks. He also spoke at three Yeshivos and the Bais Yaakov High School on Erev Shabbos. While the Shabbaton was organized many months ago, in light of the tragic and dangerous situation in Eretz Yisroel his words took on a greater sense of urgency. His overarching theme was to galvanize his audiences into thinking more about what they can do for another Jew, for the Jews in danger in Eretz Yisroel and for Klal Yisroel as a whole. He exhorted his audience to leave their “comfort zones” and stretch themselves beyond what they thought was possible. He utilized his trademark storytelling to pierce everyone’s heart with his inspirational yet challenging message. On Friday night during davening, he spoke about how Shabbos is really an auspicious time for teshuva, recalling how Adam HaRishon was the first one to tap into the special koach of Shabbos. Later, at an Oneg Shabbos co-sponsored with Cong. Adas Torah (which hosted the event), Rabbi Krohn blended profound insights into the words of our davening with illustrative stories and beautiful niggunim. On Shabbos morning, Rabbi Krohn stressed the importance of davening for other people in our Shemoneh Esrei and to find personal meaning in the words of davening that we can apply to our own life situations. During his presentation after the luncheon (to over 200 people), Rabbi Krohn emphasized the importance of not only believing in

Hashem and in His Torah but of believing in our own capabilities. He told an autobiographical anecdote about his defying the prediction of his high school English teacher about his ability (or lack thereof) to author a book. (He has, of course, authored many best-selling titles in the acclaimed “Maggid” series.) He related many stories of individuals who defied their own self imposed limitations on their capabilities to become heroic figures in the Jewish world. Before Mincha, Rabbi Krohn addressed the urgent matzav in Eretz Yisroel. He related various ways that we can be “nosei b’ohl” with our brethren on the front lines. This included improving our tefillos and our Brachos, saying Tehillim with special kavanah, doing acts of chesed and trying to remember the Beis Hamikdash and yearning for its rebuilding in our daily lives. He concluded the deeply emotional Shabbaton with his final talk at Shalosh Seudos. He related several poignant stories of how our acts of chesed to others will ultimately come back and help us in our own lives. This is famously derived from the palindrome of the word “v’nasnu” in the Torah dealing with the mitzvah of tzedakah. He exhorted his audience to try to do at least one act of chesed a day and to document it in a notebook. This was by far the most popular event that the LINK Kollel has organized. Attendees came from many other shuls and represented a broad cross-section of Klal Yisroel, encompassing all walks of life and all backgrounds. They walked away deeply moved, as well as energized, feeling a sense of empowerment of what they can do for Klal Yisroel.

wo leading Jewish institutions serving the Westside and the San Fernando Valley, Harkham GAON Academy (HGA) and Beth Jacob Congregation, have combined forces to produce a major lecture series exploring Jewish life in Los Angeles. Rabbi Marvin Heir, one of Los Angeles’ most prominent Jewish leaders, will initiate the series on November 12, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. He is founder, CEO and president of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and its Museum of Tolerance. He is the only rabbi who is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the recipient of two Academy Awards. Rabbi Heir was the first Orthodox rabbi to be invited to deliver the invocation at a Presidential Inauguration, and the first American to be chosen by the government of Israel to light the Torch of Remembrance on Israel’s Independence Day. His topic is: “What do Jewish Children Need to Know About the Holocaust”? The series’ second speaker will be David Suissa, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of Tribe Media/Jewish Jour-

nal, where he writes a weekly column on the Jewish world since 2006. In 2015, he was awarded first prize for Editorial Excellence by the American Jewish Press Association. His presentation, on Jan. 14, 2024, will be “Teaching Children about Media Bias.” The third speaker is Dr. Sharona Nazarian, who will speak on “Guiding Teens to Advocate for Themselves,” on Feb. 11, 2024. Dr. Nazarian is a practicing psychologist and the first Persian female to sit on the Beverly Hills City Council. According to Martin Cooper, a member of HGA’s Advisory Council and Chairman Emeritus of the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, “Each of these speakers is a thought leader on topics related to contemporary life and Judaism’s role in the Los Angeles region and the world.” All lectures are being held at Beth Jacob, 9030 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills. Tickets are free but advance reservations are necessary. Reservations may be obtained at admin@harkhamgaon. org.

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Milken Jewish Educator Award goes to Rabbi Moshe Tropper at Emek

ast month, the Builders of Jewish Education (BJE) came to Emek for a pre Yom Kippur assembly. Emek’s Middle School boys and staff gathered to hear words of inspiration from Dr. Gil Graff, Executive Director of the BJE. Dr. Graff praised those who instruct our young people and therefore,

have an enormous impact on the vitality of our communities and the viability of our heritage. Since 1990, the Milken Family Foundation has annually sponsored Jewish Educator Awards, spotlighting outstanding day school educators at BJE-accredited schools. Each year, four educators receive the prestigious awards, including prizes of $15,000 each. The goal of the program is to dramatically expand the support and recognition for teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals working in schools affiliated with BJE. This year, our very own Vice Principal, Rabbi Moshe Tropper was the recipient of this prestigious award. Rabbi Tropper works tirelessly for Emek and has been praised as an educator who is passionate, committed, and innovative. We are so proud of Rabbi Tropper and his accomplishments and thank him for his incredible service to Emek.

Dear Editor, Thank you for providing clear updated coverage on the ongoing war in Eretz Yisroel. While so much of the focus is on Eretz Yisroel, there are mothers in America who are suffering as well. We’ve created a WhatsApp group for moms of IDF soldiers. It’s open to anyone in the US. If you or someone you know can benefit from this kind of group, email Help4MomsofIDF@gmail.com

A fellow Mom

Enormous Toy Drive Brings All Schools Together

t is rare that an event can bring together every school in the community, but the love for our children in Eretz Yisroel can through TOYS! The idea of a toy drive began after Faigie Brecher spoke with her cousin in Israel who described the difficult situation on the ground. So many orphans, displaced families, children whose parents are in the front lines, and children without routine and not in school. The level of anxiety is heartbreaking. The children are looking for something to cuddle, play with, and to distract them from the stress of war. After hearing the stories, Faigie Brecher thought to herself “What would put a smile on their face, warm their hearts, laugh again? TOYS! Lots and lots of toys, from children thousands of miles away.” The first couple of days, local friends and family dropped off toys. Af-

ter seeing a positive response and people just wanting to do something, anything to help our brothers and sisters in Israel, Faigie Brecher decided to bring together the entire community and called every elementary school she knew in town. Within 2 hours all of the schools were on board and the LA community Toy Drive was in business. Next was the flyer which Sharon Weiss creatively designed, oversized boxes were donated for the collection, banners and posters printed, boxes dropped off at all the locations with the help of RB Elbaz and a week later picked up and dropped off by volunteer parents. Toys were sorted, labeled and packed in donated duffle bags with the help of dozens of students and neighbors. The Brecher house has turned into a toy store overnight. If you are wondering why LA county now has a toy shortage, perhaps it’s from the 70 duffle bags that have been packed and ready to go. Thanks to the amazing hard work and devotion of Ari Sabbagh, the toys are beginning to make their way to Israel through El Al flights going daily. We have a team of volunteers in Israel picking up the toys and distributing them to children all over the country. “The outpour of love, support and generosity our community has for one another, thousands of miles away is remarkable- ‫ מי כעמך ישראל‬,” says Faigie Brecher. Schools who are participating in the Toy Drive are: Yeshiva Rav Isacsohn Toras Emes Academy, Gindi Maimonides Academy, and Yeshiva Aharon Yaakov Ohr Eliyahu Academy. Or Hachaim Academy, Bais Chaya Mushka, Yavneh Hebrew Academy, Yeshiva Ketana, Los Angeles Cheder, Tashbar, Harkham Hillel Academy, and Emek Hebrew Academy. May we see peace and victory before this even goes to print!

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A Day of Tefilla, Achdus, and Inspiration for LA Girls High Schools

his past Thursday, Girls’ High Schools in the Greater Los Angeles area got together for an event of tefilla, achdus, and inspiration. Marking the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu, the event was titled Tikva: A Hope for Geulah Through Achdus. Over 500 people gathered together in Beth Jacob in Pico with the participation of the following schools: BY Machon LA, YULA Girls, Valley Torah Girls, Lamplighters, Ohel Chana, and Torah High from San Diego. Special thank you to the sponsors

of the event; The Michelle Hirsch Group, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Istrin, and Dr. and Mrs. Uri Zisblatt. The program featured introductory remarks by Rabbi Avrohom Stulberger, Dean & Rosh Yeshiva of Valley Torah which focused on the importance of taking our Tefillah to the next level by doing something concrete and tangible to improve the life of another Jew. This is what Rochel Imenu did and this is what we need to emulate. Following Rabbi Stulberger, representative staff members from each school took turns leading the assembly in a perek tehillim on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Israel. Next, Rabbi Ari Bensoussan addressed the crowd and spoke about Rochel Imeinu and her dedication to her sister and how we need to view each other as sisters and show the concern for one another on that level. He charged each girl with a call to action: It is not enough to feel concerned when another person is suffering, we must do something! Rabbi Bensoussan then introduced a Tikva initiative that each school will begin saying a special tefilla to refrain from saying Lashon Hara, because in order to foster a feeling of achdus, we need to make sure that we speak in a way that does not cre-

ate divisions. The event ended on a high with an hour-long kumzitz led by Mrs. Aliza Loeb. The energy of unity was palpable in the room, as all of the girls sang and danced together and expressed our hope that Hashem answer our prayers and fulfill his promise to Rochel Imeinu: ‫יש‬ ‫תקוה לאחריתך ושבו בנים לגבולם‬.

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Ladies Just One Mitzvah Event

n Wednesday, June 25th, the women of the Los Angeles Jewish community came together to commemorate the yahrzeit of Rachel Imenu with a night of inspiration. The event held at Nessah Synagogue saw a remarkable gathering of 700 Jewish women, hailing from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and generations, uniting in the spirit of inspiration and unity. Mrs. Charlene Aminoff, from a Persian Jewish family on the East Coast, graced the occasion with her heartfelt message on the profound impact of ‘Just One Mitzvah.’ She shared her personal journey, emphasizing the transformative power of this singular act of goodness. Rabbanit Nava Ben Moshe, a beloved local teacher with an Israeli back-

ground, led the assembly in prayers, Tehillim, and words of inspiration. The hall echoed with unity as each participant repeated an acceptance of Ahavat Yisrael, led by Rabbanit Ben Moshe. “The impact of this gathering, born from an idea around a Shabbat table on Shabbat Bereshit, has been profound. Witnessing women of diverse backgrounds and generations coming together to learn Torah and pledging to contribute to the betterment of Am Yisrael has been an inspiring journey,” said Mrs. Jessica Hyam, one of the primary event organizers. A post-event survey revealed that approximately three-quarters of the attendees took upon themselves new mitzvah commitments. The diversity in religious levels was evident in the range of new commitments, from reciting blessings before meals and saying the Shema daily, to adopting a Shomer Negia lifestyle and

observing Shabbat. Many participants also chose to enhance their modesty by altering their dress code, which included wearing tights, sewing up slits, and refraining from red lipstick and nail polish. What makes this event truly exceptional is that it was not organized by an official organization, but rather by the efforts of dedicated volunteers led by Mrs. Briana Bayer and Mrs. Hyam. A generous private donor contributed significantly to the event’s success, along with the corporate sponsor The Little Tichel Lady (thelittletichellady.com). To request a recording of this remarkable event, visit www.UnityProject. live.

The JWRC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. A portion of proceeds go to JFS HOPE & relief efforts on the ground in Israel

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Many people are familiar with the phrase “fall back, spring forward,” which refers to changing the clocks twice a year. And many of us look at the change with varying degrees of dread, particularly parents with younger kids. The time change interferes with our kids’ sleep and wake schedules (even if it’s the switch that supposedly gives us an “extra” hour of sleep for Daylight Standard Time), which then makes it difficult for parents to get their kids on track for days until they adjust. Not only that, for frum Jews like us, it makes planning for Shabbat tricky – it’s either starting very early in the winter or ending very late in the summer (especially in more Northern Latitudes), and it can cut into people’s enjoyment of Shabbat – unless you live in Arizona or in parts of the Caribbean, where they don’t switch the clocks. There is also evidence that suggests that the switch to Daylight Savings Time in the spring can have adverse effects on our health, and Daylight Standard Time (which is coming up soon) is more in sync with our biological clocks. There is an ongoing effort in our government to stop switching the clocks once and for all, but until that gets all sorted out, we’ll just have to keep on clutching our coffee mugs extra tightly in March and November, and figuring out how we can make the most of our Shabbat, whether it starts at 4 PM or ends at 10 PM.

Housewife

Daylight Saving Time… Here we go again… It's like a whirlwind of chaos descends upon our household every time the clocks spring forward or fall back. First and foremost, let's talk about sleep. As any parent knows, getting kids to bed at a reasonable hour can be challenging on a regular day. But when you throw in the sudden change in daylight hours, it's like a recipe for disaster. Just when we finally settle into a routine, the time change comes along, disrupting our carefully crafted sleep schedules. It's like starting from scratch all over again, trying to convince little ones that it's bedtime when the sun is still shining bright outside. And let's not forget about the morning routine. Waking up kids in the dark is no easy task. The struggle to get them out of bed becomes even more real when it feels like the middle of the night instead of the morning. It's a constant battle of grogginess, crankiness, and pleading for just a few more minutes of sleep. As a busy mom, I rely on every minute of daylight to get things done. With daylight saving time, it feels like I'm robbed of those precious evening hours when I can squeeze in some outdoor activities with the kids or work on my own personal projects. Suddenly, the day feels shorter, and it's a race against the clock to make the most of it. So it's not just a matter of adjusting clocks. Daylight saving time has a real impact on the lives of mothers like me. We struggle to adapt, juggle schedules, and maintain some semblance of sanity. It's time we reconsider the necessity of this time change and find a better solution that doesn't disrupt our lives so drastically. Or maybe I should relocate my family to Arizona, or even better, to Hawaii.

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Parshat Vayera

n this week’s parsha, Avraham Avinu is told to sacrifice his son, Yitzchak, as a korban to Hashem. At the last moment, just as he is about to perform this “sacrifice,” the angel stops him. The Midrash tells us that Avraham had worked on himself so much to attain the high level of emuna that would enable him to follow Hashem’s command to sacrifice his son that he couldn’t handle not doing something. When Hashem saw that Avraham so badly wanted to actualize his passion for Hashem by doing something concrete, Hashem caused a ram’s horn to be stuck in the bushes of the mountain and for Avraham to see this so he could sacrifice the ram. After Avraham sacrifices the ram, an angel calls out to Avraham a second time from the heavens and says, “I will surely bless you and make you fruitful.” The question asked is why didn’t the angel bless Avraham the first time he appeared to him right after Avraham was

commanded to stop slaughtering his son and instead waited until after he brought the lamb as a sacrifice to bless him? Rav Yehuda Tzadka, Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef in Yerushalayim, relates a story about Rav Aryeh Levin (highly recommend his biography “A Tzadik in our Time”), the unofficial chaplain of the prisons during the British mandate in Israel. Although Reb Aryeh normally had permission to visit the prisoners as he wished, there was a time on Shabbos when he was refused entry by the British officer in charge. When asked by the Jewish officer in attendance why he wouldn’t allow the elderly sage entrance, the British officer responded that it was due to the curfew in effect. He wouldn’t be persuaded by the Jewish officer nor by the elderly Reb Aryeh to allow him to visit the prisoners. The British officer refuted the claim that Reb Aryeh was voluntarily visiting the prisoners, saying that he must be getting

Shalom Bayit

Through the Parsha

Rabbi Nir Yacoby

Parshat Vayera: Room to Improve

hree angels dressed as for decades sat at his student’s, Rabbi Ayeh travelers ask Abraham Levin’s, shalom bayit class. Now, if there’s room for Abraham and Rabbi “Where’s your wife” in ‫וירא‬. The question is peculiar. Angels know Meltzer to improve their Shalom Bayit, how much everything – why do they ask? It’s more so should we work on our Shalom Bayit! quite possible they actually asked “do you have wifi” not “wife”. More seriously, we are told that the angels tried to endear Sarah to him – they are attempting to improve his Shalom Bayit.1 Abraham’s gaze, like all husbands, was outside: work, shul, world. The angels turn his attention inside: who makes your home? Who makes it all this possible? Your wife! Now let’s think for a second. Abraham is a great righteous man who’s been married for many decades. Does his marriage need tips? Similarly, Rabbi Meltzer who has been teaching shalom bayit _________________________________________________________________ Rabbi Nir and his wife Atrian give regular classes on Shalom Bayit. His popular 3-minute podcast is funny and draws Shalom Bayit ideas from the Torah portion of the week. To register: ShalomInComics@gmail.com

paid. Refusing to surrender, Rav Aryeh went around the prison and finally found a way in by jumping over a fence into the courtyard of the prison. When the British officer witnessed the brazen Reb Aryeh being moser nefesh to help the prisoners’ spiritual needs, he told the Jewish officer that he was now convinced that this old man was not getting paid because if so, he would have walked back home when he saw he wasn’t allowed in. Harav Yehuda Tzadkah explains that the tenth and final test of the Akeida was not yet an indication that Avraham acted out of his love and commitment to Hashem. At the time when he was about to slaughter Yitzchak, one would have said that Avraham was acting out of fear of being punished if he didn’t obey. Had that been true, Avraham would have been relieved and delighted to hear that he should not slaughter Yitzchak. On the contrary, the midrash tells us that Avraham worked on himself so much that he completely eradicated his own emotions and desires and instead focused solely on doing ratzon Hashem (G-d’s will). Therefore, when he was told to stop he couldn’t simply walk away relieved. He tried to push and find an alternative way to fulfill his wish to serve his Creator. Hashem enabled him to miraculously find a sheep as a substitute so he wouldn’t walk away sad, unfulfilled, and unaccomplished. It was when he was sacrificing the sheep that Avraham’s true devotion and desire to serve Hashem shone and that’s why it was at that moment that the angel blessed him. It is for this reason that we blow a shofar, the horn of a ram, on Rosh Hashana: Zecher Akedat Yitzchak - to point out Avraham’s absolute desire to serve Hashem which was evident at the final stage of Avraham’s test when he sacrificed the lamb. Avraham realized that once he had achieved the ability to make the ultimate

sacrifice, he needed to act on that inspiration. This lesson is pertinent to all of us today. How many of us are inspired during Elul and the Yamim Noraim only to find that most, if not all, of that inspiration has faded by Chanuka time? I’d venture to say that every Jew on this planet has become more elevated since the war began. Whether through acts of tzedakah and chessed for the soldiers or civilians, through praying, or through taking on something to bring us a bit closer to Hashem. The challenge is to maintain this inspiration through concrete actions to actualize all the spiritual energy of our inspiration and not let it fade, for human nature is to become desensitized. If we take positive action and make kabalos, then our inspiration will be actualized. Our prayers should hopefully be as fervent, emotional, and powerful as they were the day after Simchat Torah when we first heard the devastating news. It is worth mentioning that even when we take on kabalos, it is good practice to first consult with one’s Rav or mentor as we see in the following story: A group of students once asked Rab Chaim Volozhiner if it would be advisable to accept Shabbat earlier than the official candle lighting time. To their surprise, Rav Chaim discouraged this, saying that if they accepted Shabbos early while others were still doing melacha, it would diminish the value of Shabbos in their eyes. Although we don’t always understand daas Torah, we should act with emuna in their advice so that we can see bracha and hatzlacha. ____________________________________________ Rabbi Binyamin Rowshanshad is the Rav of Torah Institute of Los Angeles (TILA), a learning center with 4 devoted rabbanim serving young singles and couples in the LA community through various learning programs and initiatives. Rabbi Rowshanshad is also the co-founder and a dayan of Badatz Bet Yosef rabbinic court, under the leadership and guidance of the senior Sephardic rabbanim of LA.

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Parshat Vayera: Unbreakable Ties: Exploring Parental Bonds

Elan Javanfard

arshat Vayera provides us with a continuation of the story of Avraham on his path to becoming the ultimate patriarch of the Jewish nation. As described in the Amidah, while we channel all the Avot in the first Bracha, but we end by singling out Avraham. Rambam in the previous parsha citing a Medresh Tanchuma introduced us to the concept of “Maaseh Avot Siman L’banim - Whatever has happened to the patriarchs is a sign to the children.” Avraham Avinu offers us a rich backdrop for exploring the psychological concept of parental bonding. We can gain valuable insights into the complex dynamics of parent-child relationships, the depth of emotional bonds, and the testing of those bonds that we can apply for all future generations. From a psychological perspective,

the concept of parental bonding is central to understanding the development of a child’s emotional and moral framework. The attachment theory proposed by John Bowlby emphasizes the significance of secure parent-child relationships for a child’s emotional well-being. Children who experience consistent love, care, and communication from their parents form healthy, secure attachments, which serve as a foundation for their relationships and emotional development throughout their lives. When Chava is created, Adam names her such because “she is the mother of all life” (Genesis 3:20). Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks points out that motherhood is mentioned in the Torah long before fatherhood (twenty generations to be precise). The reason is that motherhood is a biological phenomenon and common

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to almost all forms of advanced life. Fatherhood is a cultural phenomenon and always needs reinforcement and increased effort. Based on the qualities he cultivates through the trails he overcomes, Avraham presented the qualities to embody fatherhood. Indeed, Avraham’s original name, Av ram, means “mighty father,” and his enlarged name, Avraham, means “father of many nations”. In the case of Avraham and Yitzchak, we see an example of a strong, secure attachment. This bond is tested when Avraham is asked to make the ultimate sacrifice—his own son. The powerful story of the Akeidat Yitzchak also reflects the idea that children often look up to their parents as role models. Yitzchak’s willingness to trust his father even when faced with a daunting trial signifies the powerful influence parents have in shaping their children’s beliefs, values, and behaviors. Their bond goes beyond mere obedience, but is the result of dedicated time, sacrifice, and attention Avraham placed into shaping who Yitzchak would become. Moreover, the concept of parental bonding reminds us that parents play a pivotal role in guiding their children through life’s moral and ethical dilemmas by emphasizing the values system the family cherishes. Here are three short tips to help cultivate an effective parental bonding: Quality Time and Presence: Spend quality time with your child, fully engaged in the moment. Put away distractions, such as smartphones or work-related thoughts, and give your child your full attention. This shows them that they are valued and loved, strengthening the emotional connection.

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Compass Florida, LLC is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only.

Preschool-Kindergarten Children center

‫נותרו מספר מקומות‬ ‫לגילאי שלוש וחמש‬

Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

310-556-2159 310-536-6376

Open and Honest Communication: Foster open and honest communication with your child. Encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings without judgment. Active listening and empathy can create a nurturing environment that promotes trust. Consistency and Predictability: Children thrive on routine and predictability. Establish consistent routines for daily activities, such as meal times, bedtime, and playtime. This provides a sense of security and stability, which is essential for healthy attachment and bonding. Parshat Vayera offers a compelling narrative that highlights the psychological concept of parental bonding. The relationship between Avraham and Yitzchak illustrates the depth of trust, obedience, and influence that parents have on their children. This story underscores the importance of secure parent-child attachments, the role of parents as role models, and their responsibility in guiding their children’s moral and ethical development. It reminds us that strong parent-child bonds can withstand even the most testing of challenges, and that these relationships are essential for the emotional and spiritual growth of future generations. May we take heed of the lessons from our forefathers for our own benefits and apply them for the future of our children. __________________________________

Elan Javanfard, M.A., L.M.F.T. is a Consulting Psychotherapist focused on behavioral health redesign, a Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, & a lecturer related to Mindfulness, Evidence Based Practices, and Suicide Prevention. Elan is the author of Psycho-Spiritual Insights: Exploring Parasha & Psychology, a weekly blog. He lives in the Los Angeles Pico Robertson community with his wife and two children and can be reached at Elan.Javanfard@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Psychosocial Insights

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

What are DROODLES?

This visual brain teaser exercises your abstract thinking skills and creativity—and in truth, there’s no real “right” or “wrong” answer. It’s all about training your mind to see things in a different light, which can benefit your problem-solving skills.

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was once walking down the street when a little calf that was being led to the butcher shop broke loose from the butcher and hid under Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi’s robe. The little calf was shaking with fright. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi took hold of the rope that was attached to the calf and gently pulled the calf from under his robe. He told the calf, “Go with the butcher. This is why Hashem created you!” Hashem was not happy with the way Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi treated the frightened animal. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was a big Tzadik and he should have been more compassionate and sensitive. Later that day, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi developed a toothache. He went to the dentist but the dentist was not able to help him. He went from dentist to dentist but none of them were able to stop his pain. The pain lasted for thirteen years. One day, Rabbi Yehuda’s maid was sweeping the floor. When she opened the kitchen pantry she saw that a mouse had given birth to a number of babies. She started to sweep them away just as Rabbi Ye-

Here are two examples of droodles:

huda entered the kitchen. When he saw what she was doing he said, “Let them be, ‫!ַעל ָּּכל ַַמ ַַע ָֹֹש �יו ְוְ ַַר ַַח ָָמיו‬ ַ Hashem is merciful to all his creatures and we need to be merciful as well.” Immediately the pain in his mouth disappeared and it never returned. Yes, I believe in all these things,

So every day, these words I’ll sing—

Know 6; and has produced four Musical CD’s for children, I Made This World For you, Let My People Go, Al Shelosha Devarim, and Hashem is Always With Me.

I believe b’emunah sheleimah.

I’ll place these words into my heart,

And with these words each day I’ll start— Ani ma’amin b’emunah sheleimah…

he Thirteen Principles of our faith. It’s the bedrock of our emunah, what all Jewish parents want to transmit to their children. Now, with this groundbreaking book and song, kids can actually learn and know all the Thirteen Principles…by heart! And what’s more, they’ll love learning and singing about them, too!

This story can be found in Meseches Baba Metzia 85A Rabbi Mordechai Dubin, a veteran rebbi, songwriter, and

musician, knows how to reach children. Through music, song, and genuine heart, Rabbi Dubin instills in kids many fundamental concepts in a way that is enjoyable, fun, and everlasting.

Questions for Discussion

What do you think Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi should have done when the calf hid under his robe? 2. Why do you think that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had a toothache for all those years? 3. Why do you think that his toothache went away? 4. Why do you think that the toothache never came back?

I Believe!

BRAIN BENEFITS:

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and the Little Calf

Dubin

In the 1950s, humor writer Roger Price became famous for creating a new type of visual puzzle called “Droodles.” These Droodles were cartoon-y line drawings of abstract images, and readers were asked to decipher the drawings’ intentionally absurd and LOL-worthy meanings, which Price would include beneath the drawing.

Stories

Rebbe’s

_____________________________________________

If you want to share a story, recipe, D’var Torah, or something creative with us, we would absolutely love it! Please send them in to editor@thelajewishhome.com and write “Kids Section” in the subject line

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin is a Rebbe at Gindi Maimonides Academy. He is the author of three illustrated children’s books, I’ll Never Forget Yerushalayim, I Believe, and I

Calling all Kids

name tdhlaet! droo

Every kid who submits a caption for this Droodle will get a free ice cream scoop from VALLEY SWIRL! The one who is the most creative, will receive

a PINT of ice cream from Valley Swirl!

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From candy stations to waffle & ice cream bars at your next Brit Milah, Wedding, Birthday, Upsherin or Bar Mitzvah!

Please e-mail all event inquiries in advance to picomunchies@gmail.com to speak to our team about your event. PAREVE OR CHOLOV YISRAEL

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

s e i h c n u M e t r i u v o n

GasBuddy

Do Your Math!

Here is the equation:

Savings= (AxC)-(AxD)+(E/BxC) (Remember to use “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” when calculating) A- Gallons of gas needed B- Vehicle’s miles-per-gallon C- More expensive fuel D- Less expensive fuel E- Distance between the two gas stations The concept is simple, but it’s a bit convoluted with nothing but a string of variables to look at. Let’s take a look at a real-life example: A: Mazda CX5 needs to fill up 14 gallons of fuel. B: Mazda CX5 gets 25 MPG in the city. C: The closest gas station is selling fuel for $5.89 per gallon. D: The gas station 3.2 miles away is selling fuel for $4.95 per gallon. E: The distance between the two gas stations is 3.2 miles. Now, let's calculate the savings: Savings = (14 gallons x $5.89) - (14 gallons x $4.95) + (3.2 miles / (25 MPG) x $5.89) = $82.46 - $69.30 + $2.24 = $15.40

Top Apps that combat the rising gas prices.

We’ve all been there: you notice a nearby gas station with slightly lower prices, and the temptation to drive across town to save a few cents per gallon is strong. Is it really worth it? Let’s crunch the numbers.

Best for: Checking local gas prices and saving cents per gallon when you pay with the GasBuddy card.

Tanks Full of Savings:

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

California’s Gas Price: From High to Higher

How it works: The crowd-sourced gas app relies on users to report real-time prices at stations all over. And with over 100 million downloads, it’s become a powerful tool for finding the best deals on fuel. Best of all, you can download the app for free and look at local gas prices right away; no account needed. GasBuddy will issue you a debit-like card that you’ll need to link up to a checking account. The company says you can save up to 25 cents a gallon when you activate deal alerts in the app and pay with your GasBuddy card at the pump. User reviews: There’s lots of love for this app. For free users, ads can feel like an unexpected detour but the savings are worth the occasional pit stop.

Upside Best for: Getting cash back on gas purchases without the need for a new payment method. How it works: Upside is a free app that connects users to deals on gas, groceries and restaurants at participating locations. Use the app to find offers at gas stations near you, then claim the one you want right before you fill up. The literal upside here is that you can buy gas with the credit or debit card you already use, then follow the app’s instructions to either "check in" or upload a receipt to earn cash back. The cash you earn stores up and won’t expire. When ready, you can redeem your earnings by bank transfer, PayPal or a gift card. Take note: Pulling out smaller dollar amounts (think less than $15) can incur a $1 fee. User reviews: Upside is another popular and highly rated app. Who doesn’t love cash back? Minor technical hiccups do happen, but users take those little road bumps in stride.

Google Maps Best for: Gas station prices and directions in one place. How it works: With more than a billion monthly users, it’s probably safe to assume you already have Google Maps installed on your phone. The do-all map app will help you find the nearest gas station and point you to the cheapest. Current gas prices display on the map view and in business profiles of many stations. Open the app and search for gas. Tap the station you want and take a look at current prices for regular, mid-grade, premium and diesel. Prices don’t show for all gas stations listed, but when they do, it’ll take fewer taps to pick a place based on price and go. User reviews: Users love that it’s your all in one commuting companion. The fuel saving feature is definitely not the star of the show.

9/10 of a Cent?! I

Gas prices of 1979Wouldn’t that be nice?

n a country where people can't buy anything for a penny anymore, it seems odd to pull up to a gas station and see a fraction of a cent included in the price. So what's the deal? Blame the government and the Great Depression. The Revenue Tax Act of 1932 allowed for a federal tax of $0.01 to be placed on gas prices to help offset the national debt. Because gas was priced in pennies in those days, a fraction of a cent was considered reasonable—rounding up would have meant tacking on a massive surcharge. If filling up your tank cost 10 cents, and you had to pay another full cent instead of only a fraction, well, you’d be hopping mad about it. Gas station owners weren’t about to give up their business by rounding up, so they instituted the percentage of a cent to keep prices down. Federal and state gas tax is still a fraction of a penny. Gas stations can’t round down because their profit margins on gas are slim enough as it is. By one estimate, gas stations make only five cents per gallon in profit, so lopping off a cent is like giving

away 20 percent of sales. Extrapolate to the entire fuel industry and that funny little fraction is raking in hundreds of millions in revenue. So why not round up on the sign? After all, paying $5 or more a gallon means drivers are no longer going to be too worried about paying an extra 1/10 of a cent. But marketing has proven that consumers tend to perceive prices as being lower when they end in “9” since they don’t necessarily round up in their heads. So gas costing $5.29 and 9/10 looks more appealing than gas costing $5.30. But the total always gets rounded up, so what you see and what you pay are usually two different things. One brave dissenter did try to fight the system. In 2006, Jim Davis, owner of Jim’s Texaco, experimented with gas at $2.99 a gallon instead of $2.99 and 9/10. No one cared, and Davis lost $23 a day in revenue. If someone noticed at all, they assumed gas was really $2.98 and 9/10 and he was just rounding up. Fractional gas pricing is probably here to stay. Nice try, Jim.

Lou Shapiro

ver the past few weeks, there have been many upsetting and offensive moments for the Jewish community and for all supporters of Israel. The one we will focus on in this piece is the alarming results from a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 16, 2023. The poll found that only about half of Americans say that Hamas is most responsible for the current conflict. That means that half of Americans think Israel is somehow responsible for 1,000 Hamas militants breaching Israel’s border and murdering and slaughtering 1,400 innocent people. It gets worse. The poll also found that American adults under 30 said they view Palestinian people as very or somewhat favorable 61 percent of the time, while they see Israeli people warmly only 56 percent of the time. This would explain why Pro-Hamas rallies took place in the United States immediately following Hamas’ attack on Israel. The American Jewish Committee recorded about a dozen pro-Hamas protests in several U.S. cities, including New York, Washington, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Chicago. It is also consistent with a recent surge of online threats against Jews, intimidation of Jewish institutions, and brazen displays of antisemitic symbols. Anti-Jewish threats on Telegram, a platform popular with Islamic State militants and

white supremacists, surged by an alarming 488% in the first 18 hours of Saturday, according to the Anti-Defamation League. In Salt Lake City, Utah, a synagogue was forced to evacuate after receiving a bomb threat. Police are investigating threats against a number of synagogues in the state. In St. Louis, Missouri, a swastika was spray-painted on the side of a truck. In London, a kosher restaurant was vandalized in the Golders Green section of the city. In the first four days of the conflict the United Kingdom saw a surge of over 300% in antisemitic incidents. In Los Angeles, a man was arrested for burning an American flag that was proudly hanging on the house of an Israeli family. During a home invasion in Studio City, a suspect reportedly shouted “Free Palestine!” and threatened to kill a Jewish family in Studio City. The question is what is causing such a large segment of the United States, particularly younger adults, to not view Israel in a favorable light? A lot of it can be attributed to the powerful influence of anti-Israel organizations. The Anti-Defamation League identified the following groups to be the primary organizers of anti-Israel rallies on college campuses: They include Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), U.S. Palestinian Community

Network (USPCN), Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine (WOL), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), If Not Now (INN), and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). Each of these groups has expressed inflammatory rhetoric about Israel and/or Zionism. Many have a history of promoting classic antisemitic themes on social media, at rallies, on webinars and more. There needs to be more pro-Israel organizations that interface with the college and even high students to inform them on this history of Israel, what Israel stands for, and why it is not “occupying territories” or engaging in “apartheid.” They need to have strong voices and be articulate and authentic. Most importantly, they need to effectively inform students of the facts. For example, most of the students who are rallying against Israel are probably not aware that there is a law in place that mandates that the Palestinian Authority reward Palestinians who murder Israelis in “nationalistic attacks.” In this instance, the Palestinian Authority may be compelled to shell out nearly $3 million a month in compensation to the families of hundreds of Hamas terrorists who carried out the deadly massacre against Israel on October 7th. Another example is that they are chanting that Israel is occupying Gaza when in fact Israel disengaged from it in 2005. The more we allow students to

be misinformed about the facts of Israel, the less support for Israel can be expected from them in times of conflict. Several wealthy donors to colleges have expressed that they will no longer be generously donating to particular universities that they felt did not appropriately publicly stand by Israel in the face of some of their students protesting against it. While that certainly sends a strong message to the university heads, it might be counterproductive in how it is perceived by anti-Israel students and the broader public. It arguably plays into the “Israel is a bully” narrative. Perhaps a more productive approach would be for the donors not to pull their donations, but to earmark them for on-campus education about Israel, school trips to Israel, and for Israel college clubs. This method would address the true root of the issue and not increase tensions. Many lessons can and will be learned from this Israel-Hamas War. This one needs to be taken very seriously because as we know from our history, we need all the public support we can get. ____________________________________________ Lou Shapiro is a criminal defense attorney-certified specialist and legal analyst, but most importantly, makes the end-of-shul announcements at Adas Torah. He can be reached at LouisJShapiro@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

The Need To Increase Public Support For Israel

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

A plane full of supplies on its way to Israel

The Washington Wizzards basketball team wore shirts with faces of the kidnapped and Israeli flags on their shorts

Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla) wore his IDF uniform to Capitol Hill in unity with Israel, stating Tlaib’s got her flag. I got my uniform.

Caregiver Camille bribed a terrorist to stay away from 95 y.o. Nitza, thereby saving her life, and then protected and comforted Nitza for two and a half hours until they were rescued

Shabbat Table set up on Santa Monica Blvd by Rabbi Yossi Cunin of Chabad of Beverly Hills, one seat for each of the hostages

Shabbat Table in NYC with plates and bottles for the kidnapped children

Shabbat Table in Upper West Side NYC

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Rally for Support of Israel

Tefillin unscathed and saved from a burnt car

Release of the first two hostages who are American citizens

Soldier lighting Shabbos candles

Light beams in Teddy Stadium

Son, father, and grandfather protecting the Jewish people

Shabbat Table set up in Time Square for each of the kidnapped hostages

Vigil in Los Angeles

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Midlife Mu ical Musings

A Half Note of Effort and a Whole Note of Faith Miriam Hendeles

he preparation for a performance begins when we get our lines or our sheet music and start the practicing stage. But at the end of the day, the show must go on and we do our best. In the final moment, it’s not in our hands anymore how it really turns out. Worry and anxiety hamper any performance. The best turnout is when the player is alert and focused yet completely relaxed. Last night a friend called me with a dilemma about whether she should attend a Friday night seuda for a mutual friend’s simcha. She was concerned about the danger of walking late at night back home after the meal, given the warnings of “Day of Rage” by Palestinian groups. About an hour after our conversation, my friend texted back that she spoke to our mutual friend, the ba’alas simcha, who told her that if we entered through the back door of the hall, we’d be safer. That, combined with the fact that we both really didn’t want to ruin our friend’s simcha, sealed her decision, and she was going after all I thought of the efforts put forth by the family to ensure safety such as security guards and instructions to enter through the back door where it was more discreet that a party was taking place. We’ve always known that we are required to make reasonable hishtadlus or effort, and after that, trust Hashem that we will be safe. When I was in fifth grade, a classmate died in a house fire. In the middle of the night, the entire 3-story solid home in Brooklyn blew up in smoke and flames. Everyone got out, and then tragically, my classmate went back inside to get someone she thought was still in there. She didn’t survive. It was one of the most tragic events I recall from my childhood. The community was devastated. The school brought in psychologists, and our parents spoke to us about the importance of in case of fire to gather in a spe-

cial place in the front of the house. But I was terrified that the same thing would happen to our house, G-d forbid. And so, for a few weeks, every night I got up in the middle of the night and smelled smoke. I walked around the house checking for fire or for any visible signs of smoke. My mother spoke to professionals about it and tried to reassure me. But her assurances that we have a fire alarm, smoke detectors, and a house with strong walls made of sheet-rock that burns slowly… didn’t allay my anxiety. I continued to wake up, “smell” smoke, and walk around to check. One day my mother finally sat me down and said to me something that reached my heart and soul and calmed me down. “You know, we have to just have bitachon. Hashem protects us.” My mother’s reassuring voice, her wise words, and her truth struck a chord with me. That was it. I never once smelled smoke after that. I stopped my checkingthe-house behaviors. And I completely stopped my anxiety. I stopped my misperception that somehow I could control the outcome with an overabundance of checking. I realized that I’d done enough and I was able to relax. In these tense times, I find that message of faith very helpful. We stay alert and vigilant, being aware of our surroundings. We put forth our effort, and let Hashem determine the outcome. Try to stay focused and relaxed, positive and prepared, and then leave the rest to Hashem.

___________________________________ Miriam Hendeles, MT-BC, is a music therapist for hospice patients and a writer for Binah Magazine and other publications. She’s the author of “Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!” and “Best Foot Forward.” She’s a member of a recently launched website for frum women in midlife, www.jewishwomenofwisdom.org, where frum midlife women connect, communicate, and grow through online and virtual interaction. Miriam keeps busy with her various hobbies and skills, like piano, harp, art, and more recently, physical therapy. She considers this midlife time of life a very exciting period full of lots of growth potential.

FOR THE 50+ FRUM WOMAN

Connect! Communicate! Grow!

‫מי כעמך ישראל‬

Beautiful and Creative Initiatives that you can get involved with: Greeting the Queen: Kabbalas Shabbos for Women and Girls, taking place every Friday night in Beverlywood at the home of Mrs. Chavi Jacobs. Join women of the community in song and prayer to greet the Shabbos in a special way. Sending Eishet Chayil bracelets to wives of Chayalim. This is a great way tohow our gratitude for their sacrifice and service.

Just One Mitzvah: Choose one mitzvah to be consistent with daily. The purpose is to have in mind the safety and unity of the Jewish people, and gratitude to Hashem. Just one mitzvah can change your life and trajectory. Challah for Chayalim: 40 women baking Challah together to be bought and sold within the community. All proceeds go to One People Israel.

Call local Members of Congress to thank them for their support of Israel and that they should continue doing so, even if met with opposition. Senator Alex Padilla: DC - (202) 224-3553 LA - (310) 231-4494 Senator Laphonza Butler: Tel: (202) 224-3841 Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove: (202) 225-7084 Congressman Ted Lieu: (202) 225-3976 For a complete list of US representatives and their phone numbers: https://www.house.gov/representatives Be one of a million signatures to present to the families of hostages to let them know we are thinking of them and sharing their burden. https://www.amillionwithyou.com

Join JWOW! for conversation, community and camaraderie. JewishWomenOfWisdom.org See you there, Miriam Liebermann, Faigie Horowitz & Miriam Hendeles

To get in touch with any specific initiative, please reach out to the Editor.

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Chani Heyman

Dear Chani, I’ve been trying to protect my 12-yearold daughter from many of the details about the war in Israel, but her friend has been filling her in on more than I intended. She now seems very nervous and anxious. How should I address this situation and help her? Dear Uncertain Mom, To begin, it’s essential to provide her with accurate information. Anxiety often stems from the unknown. As a parent, make sure you’ve done your research and are well-informed about the situation before discussing it with her. Distinguish between facts and opinions in the news, as misinformation can be confusing. However, avoid becoming obsessed with the news yourself. Next, find an appropriate time to talk to your daughter. The rule for telling your child information is Truth - Vague - Move on. Truth: Always stick to the truth. For example, telling her that “this war is really not a big deal,” would not be true. This is very important. As much as we want to shield our children, they will feel safer if they know they can trust us. If we lie to our children then they feel more unsafe, which would just increase her anxiety. Vague: Stick to the truth, but if some details are too difficult or not age-appropriate, it’s okay to explain that certain aspects are not suitable for her age. Instead of saying, “such and such did not happen,” rather say, “some things are not for 12 year old minds to comprehend.” Honestly, many atrocities in this war are not for any human to comprehend and not healthy to discuss, and that would also be a true statement. Move on: Dwell on the topic for as long as you see the child needs, not more. Make sure that they are satis-

fied and then switch to another topic, not war related. Let them know that you are available if they have more questions in the future. Most importantly, do not belittle her emotions. Avoid telling her there’s nothing to worry about or that her fear is silly. Instead, validate her feelings while at the same time be her support. In addition, in this specific situation, consider learning together. You could be reciting Shema out loud together at night, studying Tehillim, or learning an emunah or bitachon sefer. Learning will help her feel productive as well as strengthen her

emunah, a good antidote to fear and anxiety. In conclusion, address your daughter’s anxiety with truthful and age-appropriate information, create a supportive environment, and consider learning together to strengthen her emunah. If her anxiety persists, consider seeking help from a professional. May the words of the Zecharia the Navi come true soon; “And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets” with the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our days, Amen!

____________________________________ Chani Heyman is a parenting coach who has been giving parenting classes, based on the teaching of Rebbetzin Spetner, for over 9 years to hundreds of mothers across the US. You can reach her at chaniheyman@gmail.com. Follow Chani on Instagram for daily parentings tip @ parentingwithchani.

Happenings in the H

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

with

+ The D

Yossi’s: A Caterer with Many Talents ith the explosion in readership at TLAJH due to our litW erary fame, we were invited to sample the

newest catering option in LA, Yossi’s Catering by Yossi Katz. Thanks to our partnership with community activist and food aficionado, Mr. Daniel Fishman, we were introduced to Mr. Yossi Katz, a pious chassidishe yid from Monroe who is attempting to take kosher LA catering by storm. We were asked to promptly arrive at the once-historic Kanner Hall on Beverly Boulevard. For those who are new to LA, Kanner Hall was the community’s main social hall for many years. It hosted nearly all bar and bat mitzvahs and the occasional wedding in its modest 1970s decor.

The authors were quite skeptical when Mr. Fishman insisted that we attend a dinner served by a chassidishe yid at Kanner Hall. Nevertheless, we headed east on Olympic for what would prove to be a dinner of epic proportions. As we pulled up in front of the legendary Hall, memories of yesteryear permeated our hippocampi. Little has changed from the Beverly Blvd vantage point other than the addition of one of LA’s finest homeless characters resting nearby. Once we passed through the classic 1970s steel-framed front doors, it appeared as though we were entering one of LA’s newest speakeasy bars. Redone modernized bathrooms, a re-decorated foyer, and a walk-up bar welcome you to an invigorated version of Kanner. Inside you will find a stunning, clean, and modern ballroom. Yossi killed it on the new renovation. You can almost hear the ghosts of 80 years of smachot peaking through the walls in the newly transformed modern party room. In the foyer, a beautiful round perfectly set table was waiting for us. We were joined by Mr. Fishman, his 20-yearold daughter visiting from Yeshiva University and one of the author’s daughters visiting from Herzliya, the perfect bringyour-daughter-to-work night. Yossi greeted us and introduced himself. Immediately we noticed his Satmar accent, but he didn’t look the part of that distinct tang. Appearing far more Chabadlight than Satmar, we decided to wait for a few glasses of wine to settle before we would begin to peel away the layers. We were primed that the meal would consist of 18 courses served personally by this complex top chef. Yossi’s mysterious persona bleeds into his food, Michelin-rated catering, with a side order of simcha.

As the courses started to come out, the presentation was innovative and stunning. We asked Yossi how he learned to cook like this. He said, “Ever since I was 7 years old I had to cook. We all had our responsibilities in my home. Mine was to make potato kugel and whatever the family wanted”. Our allotted print space prevents us from listing all 18 courses. There were so many great items that Yossi let us try from lamb chops to ravioli, cigarim to bulgogi, Yossi opened our eyes to culinary bliss. While it would be impossible to detail each one, we will present a few highlights to give a taste of the unique nature of Yossi’s talent.

Early in the evening, Yossi’s team of servers and food prep masters brought out a decadent Gazpacho. Now wait: before you hate on cold soup, hear us out. There are those who are not fans of gazpacho, those who cringe when it is served on shabbos lunch. This preconceived notion is usually due to poor execution leaving the soup cold and bland and generally the last invitation acceptance to that home for a shabbos meal. But Yossi’s gazpacho was a very special take on soup. The servers brought it out in vials and gracefully poured it over the delivered bowl which had a bed of vegetables and melon orbs perfectly arranged. The dish was both sweet and savory with just the right amount of kick, complimented well with a toasted micro baguette lathered with his homemade vegan cream cheese. Our taste buds were exploding; the soup was packed with an abundance of flavor. It was pure Yossi. Such depth and multiple layers of culture. We finished every last drop. It was truly something special. A bit later, we were impressed with Yossi’s savory Egg Yolk Puree. Again, not your typical kosher delicacy. A breaded fried edible sphere cradled by an airy mashed potato puree dotted with bits of crunchy beef bacon. We weren’t sure what was inside, but when we entered, the per-

fect hue of orange yolk with the most ideal viscosity began to gently ooze from within the spherical edible. It was made to perfection, the crunch of the break, the cream of the yoke, and the silkiness of the mashed potatoes complimented each other so well. Towards the end of our evening, despite some of our recent travels to Asia, several of us had never heard of Bao Buns. Asia’s pita has remained distant from the kosher Asian food scene mostly due to its most common presentation as a pocket for pork bellies. These squishy buns are so cute and hello kitty like that they tend to be grossly overlooked. Inside Yossi’s bao buns (proper name Gua Bao) were hand-pulled beef with grilled onions. The dish opened our eyes to the simplicity by which today’s kosher food can be transformed with such a simple addition of bao buns to a chef’s repertoire. No longer do we have to miss out on Asia’s hidden carb secret. Lastly, Yossi’s presentation is incredibly creative. This was most evident in his Moroccan cigars. We’ve all seen Moroccan cigars but Yossi took this classic dish to new heights. Served in a classic hinged-lid flat-top Cuban cigar box, these cigars had length and dough that was more flaky and moist with a unique filling of candied pastrami. So tasty and flavorful, that it did not need a dip.

Unfortunately, Kanner doesn’t have a hotel above it. We were in a food coma after the last course and barely able to roll ourselves out to the curb on Beverly and drive home. Yossi’s team was amazing and knowledgeable. They put on a food experience that was outdone only by its taste. Yossi’s talents are a great addition to the LA community food scene and we hope he is here for the long haul. __________________________________ “Happenings in the Hood with TMtZvi and the Doc” is a new review column of local Jewish and kosher establishments. Tzvi Ratner-Stauber is a mortgage broker in LA and Steven Kupferman is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in Century City. For more breaking news in the community, check at TMtZvi on Instagram.

Hindi Kalmenson

hat am I supposed to say? I have no words. How can I create, teach, share, and open up when there is an extreme sense of despair? A dark cloud spreads its cumulous growth, swathing my heart until it chokes. I turn to Chassidus for comfort. What does Tanya say about this feeling of disconnect? What could I think about to harness some hope into my heart and whisk it from the black fog? The Alter Rebbe says “Trust the connection.” What does that mean? It means, let’s take a step back and gather some facts.1 How was I feeling yesterday? Yesterday, I felt like Hashem loved me. I felt like I was floating in the warm cocoon of His embrace. How could I not? I have the humility to acknowledge that He bestows an inordinate amount of blessings into my life. I felt humbled by His Great Love for I knew I didn’t do enough to deserve it. I felt His care, and His attentiveness to the details of my life. I felt His love for my children and I felt his love for others. I saw His care in nature when a leaf fell atop a worm to keep it from shriveling. I saw His love for my friend when she had a healthy baby. I felt His joy when my child did something that gave me nachas. I felt Him near when I went through personal tragedy. And I saw His respect for my decisions even though they were not in accordance with His will. He didn’t smite me, He gave me space to realize that what I was doing was not right. That was all yesterday. He has loved me throughout everything, as a parent loves his child. Now it’s time for me to show Him that I can trust that. Even when it’s excruciatingly hard. Because this relationship is so much more than a feeling. Feelings come and go. They are not grounded. Feelings are affected by perspectives and context. Sometimes I see a difference between me and my loved one and that makes me feel disconnected. But this relationship is not about externals. This relationship is Essence. And if I deny that, then I am saying that this whole time it’s been a one-sided, selfish relationship where everything had to happen on my terms. Everything between us had to be the way I wanted it to be, the way I understood things to fulfill my needs. But that is not a relationship. A relationship is not about getting your needs met. It’s a relationship when it’s not about you and it’s not about him/her but it’s about something

else. Your connection. You don’t love Him because of what He does for you. You feel connected to Him because you and Him are One. That is Essence. Sometimes it’s hard to see, but it’s there and up to you to see it. Now it is my turn to give G-d space. He has made decisions that I don’t approve of. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t love me, it doesn’t mean He has forsaken us. It only means that this is testing our relationship. But nothing can come between us and Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We have an unbreakable bond and it is our turn to work and invest in the relationship. We must show Him that we love and adore Him just as day one. We trust Him to love and care for us just as always. We will pull through. We don’t have to sit down with a counselor. We don’t have to have a long discussion to talk it out. We don’t need to make commitments to one another and check up if the other has kept them. No. Now is the time to trust the connection we have and have always had. He has always been there for us. Lean on that, let yourself dwell on it. Recall all the times that He has been there for you. Remember all the things you have that you feel you don’t deserve. Think humbly about His great love for you and look directly at Him with that trust in your heart and in your eyes. Even though these are dark times, and it feels scary, nothing has changed in our relationship. “Yisroel v’kudsha brich hu kulo chad.” Yisroel and G-d are one and the same. _______________________ 1 Chapter 32

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Hindi is a certified Relationshift Coach based in Los Angeles. She is passionate about relationships and self-growth. She educates women on Torah’s perspective of marriage at her workshops and retreats and helps women around the world through her personal coaching program. Hindi lives with her husband and four children in Los Angeles.

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How To Move Forward

Lessons I Learned Along the Way

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Updating Your Checklist Mrs. Sheindy Gross

e are on the heels of the incredible high of the Yomim Noraiam when our focus is Teshuva. We seek to find ways to improve our character and devote ourselves with better practice and meticulousness to our avodas Hashem. Having spent more time in shule allows us to look around our communities and see the needs of others. There is so much to daven for. As a Dating and Relationship Coach, I have been placing a greater emphasis on davening for those who are seeking to find their zivugim. And I’ve been pondering what many refer to as the “singles crisis.” Others reject that label and believe the reference causes more stress. Regardless of which side of the debate you may be on, all agree that being single and dating for an extended period of time can be difficult. As a coach, the goal is to guide and provide perspective. To switch the pieces on the board game around and provide another view for the “players.” What happens when you get “stuck” in the middle of playing a game? Let’s take Othello as an example: you can choose to place your black or white piece on one section of the grid and lose too many pieces to your opponent. Or you may be forced to place your piece in another spot

which may allow the other player to get a coveted “corner” on the Othello board. (Have you played recently? Time to brush up on those Othello skills for family game night :) ) Sometimes dating can be compared to game playing. There’s a strategy and you may need to shift your perspective in order to “win.” Let me attempt to clarify. As the dating process begins for a young single, I encourage them to create a wishlist of core values that exemplify the ideal spouse for them. I am often asked if this list is realistic. My response? It is realistic for now. When we are young and the world is our oyster, this checklist is a good starting point. However, it is not set in stone. If you’ve been dating for a while and haven’t found the right person, I strongly suggest reevaluating the original list. It is either no longer realistic or you’ve matured and are now seeking a different type of person altogether. Although extensive dating can be draining and exhausting, it can encourage us to make changes that work to our advantage. We may come to see that what we want in a marriage partner may not be what we need. Often daters are stuck on

the original list they’ve created and cannot fathom how any component of it can be changed. The slightest modification leaves them anxious that they will end up unhappily married. Which behooves the question: Are they looking for the perfect person who checks off all the boxes or do they seek to settle down and share quality of life with a person whom they value and cherish? The first one will take you on a search that may not succeed; the second requires contemplating what a successful marriage needs and making adjustments to your list if necessary. This may be uncomfortable at first, but the level of happiness and serenity that can be achieved will be well worth it. Singles who are “stuck” often think that those seeking to help them are not validating their position. I actually had one client express frustration with me that I was “blinded” about a particular dating prospect. I expressed surprise; was I blinded or was I being accused of wanting them to keep pursuing something that had promise and a possible future? Indeed I took a step back, but to whose detriment? Certainly not my own… Singles may think that they are be-

ing pushed to marry someone they either don’t like or are not attracted to when in reality they are being asked to embrace new possibilities. This concept can be daunting and I don’t want to oversimplify it. Yet opening ourselves up to new relationship probabilities and being willing to reconsider your marital expectations can be liberating. Reconsidering the personality, vocation, height, city of origin, family background, or hashkafah of a prospective will almost certainly widen the pool of daters, and with siyata d’shmaya, will lead to finding the person bashert for you. Wishing all those seeking a shidduch much hatzlacha! __________________________________________ With over 30 years in education, Mrs. Sheindy Gross started her career teaching Judaic Studies in Yavneh Hebrew Academy, and then went on to high school leadership in Bnos Devorah and Valley Torah Girls High schools where she served as principal. Her passion for education has now led her to create a new platform called TEHILA, Torah Education with Heart in LA, for women and girls to receive adult education and advisement. In addition to TEHILA, Mrs. Gross provides dating and relationship mentoring for teenagers, singles and women, as well as leadership consulting for educators. Mrs. Gross can be reached at sheindyg@gmail.com or (323) 684-6448.

37 ‫בס”ד‬

Amid the crazy rollercoaster of COVID times, working in the restaurant business was one crazy ride. One day, we were open, and the next, closed! It felt like we were on a wild seesaw ride going from 20% capacity to 50% and back. Uncertainty was the name of the game, and it’s a ride I don’t want to take again, and I’m sure most others feel the same. But one positive thing I can say about this time was due to the restaurant closures, I got to experience something I hadn’t in the last 30 years of working the business – getting home early and spending some quality time with my family. Plus, I had the chance to step into my home kitchen and experiment on some new dishes. You see, being a chef doesn’t mean you’re dining on gourmet food every night – far from it! So, with my newfound time at home, I started experimenting and cooking up fun, fresh recipes. That’s when my daughter Michelle and I had a light bulb moment: Why not create cooking tutorials to share on Instagram and YouTube? After all, with everyone stuck at home, people were picking up new hobbies left and right, and the kitchen was where it was happening. We were thinking of fun things since we knew everyone was learning how to make Sourdough bread, learning how to bake, etc. It was Yom Haatzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) time and we thought what better dish to make than my Arayes recipe. I also figured this recipe would work well now, because just like the times of uncertainty we were feeling then, we feel now with the situation going on in Israel. Our hearts are with everyone in Israel now and we pray for our soldiers on the front lines and the families who were affected by the tragedy that took place on October 7. We will prevail and we will win because there is no nation that is stronger and more united than the Jewish people. Am Yisrael Chai! For a video tutorial of this recipe follow me on instagram @chef_nirweinblut.

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Arayes Ingredients • 1 lb ground beef (you can also use a blend of 80% ground beef and 20% ground lamb) • 1 cup chopped white onion • 1 cup chopped parsley • 2-3 minced garlic cloves • 1 tsp dry ground thyme • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp baharat • 1/2 cup chopped dill • 1/2 cup chopped mint • 5 thick pita breads • Salt and pepper to taste

in under 10 weeks

Directions • In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the chopped onion, parsley, minced garlic, dill, mint, and the various spices. • Shape the mixture into 3-4 oz meatballs and set them aside. • Cut each pita bread in half. • Place one meatball inside each pita half and press down to ensure it’s well packed inside the bread. • Using a basting brush, generously brush each pita with olive oil. • Preheat your grill and place the pitas with the meat side down on the grill. • Grill until you achieve a nice color on the meat. • Transfer the Arayes to a baking sheet and place it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5-8 minutes to ensure the meat cooks through. • Once the Arayes are ready, serve it with fresh tahini and Israeli salad. For an extra funge twist, make a Lemonana! Enjoy!

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Chef Nir Weinblut

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

GetMatched LA Guides Singles to the Chuppah with Deep Insight and Unrivaled Devotion LA-Based shidduch organization has made over 40 matches and arranged thousands of dates in the six years since its inception. Niva Taylor

ivka Cohen had been in shiduchim for over three years post-seminary when her mother’s phone buzzed with a generic looking text-forward from a friend. It was a promotional flier for a new shidduch organization that had recently launched out of Los Angeles, with a personal note attached: would she share the flier and help get the word out? Living at the time in Cleveland, Ohio, miles away from sunny California, Mrs. Cohen scanned the attractive marketing piece and prepared to move on with her day. But not long after, a lightbulb went off in her head. Her daughter Rivka had not been having the easiest time of it in shidduchim. Maybe it was time to try something new? After talking it over with her mother, Rivka agreed and reached out to Rabbi Moshe Yakoby, founder and principal shadchan at GetMatched. “I’ve met with numerous shadchanim over the years,” Rivka relates, so she expected her meeting with GetMatched to follow a similar protocol. “Other shadchanim spent about ten to twenty minutes getting to know me, and immediately tried to fit me into a

box. I barely heard from them afterwards, and the matches were not shayach.” With Rabbi Yakoby, she says, things were different from the start. Still in Cleveland, Rivka met with Rabbi Yakoby and his wife, Orah, via video chat soon after making contact. “They sat with me for over an hour, and seemed to see past the on-paper facts. They really got to the core of who I was and what I wanted,” she relates. What’s more, she says, “I was encouraged because they were immediately looking at the names in their database and evaluating who would be appropriate for me.” After their initial meeting, Rabbi Yakoby was in touch often with suggestions. “I think he’d thought of my husband right

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away,” says Rivka. “But at the time he was busy dating someone else. So after a while Rabbi Yakoby called me and said ‘I have an amazing boy for you.’” Rivka’s parents looked into the idea, asking all the necessary questions, and soon after, Rivka agreed to meet Efraim. This suggestion turned out to be the one she had been waiting for. Rivka and Efraim saw each other ten times over the course of a month, shuttling back and forth between Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Baltimore, where Efraim was learning, and made a l’chaim in short order. The couple has been married for almost two years. As Rivka reflects on the whirlwind that was her dating experience, she credits Rabbi and Rebbetzin Yakoby’s deep involvement, guidance and non-pressurizing approach with ultimately bringing her shidduch to fruition. This insightful and balanced approach is typical of GetMatched, which was established in 2017 as a full-service shidduch organization serving the Los Angeles Persian community. In the six years since its inception, it has brought over forty couples to the chuppah, and arranged thousands of dates, quickly expanding beyond its original target community to encompass the East Coast, Sefardim, and Ashkenazim as well. GetMatched now boasts a database of thousands, but still functions much as it did from the start - through the all-encompassing care and support the Yakobys offer to each and every person who walks through their office door. According to Rivka, Rebbetzin Yakoby has even researched prospective matches for singles whose parents are not well versed in the system, calling rabbis, rebbetzins, teachers and friends to ascertain whether a suggestion is worth pursuing. And once a couple begins to go out, says Rabbi Yakoby, “I do whatever needs to be done to help the couple.” Rabbi Yakoby, who was trained and certified as a dating coach and shadchan by renowned dating coach and speaker Rochel Goldbaum, spends hours per day on the phone coaching, guiding, offering wisdom, but mostly just listening and understanding. Beyond making shidduchim, GetMatched offers marriage-readiness mentoring, dating coaching, and parental support. Because they truly get to know the singles in their care, they can provide insight that others wouldn’t be able to offer. David Barzilai, who met his soon-tobe-kallah through GetMatched, concurs, comparing Rabbi Yakoby to a doctor with the perfect bedside manner. “Sometimes you go to a doctor, and you can tell he’s actually trying to help you,” David relates.

“He cares. He has your back. He wants to do everything in the right way,” says David, noting that Rabbi Yakoby “takes his time and really gets to know each person so he can make an appropriate match.” “And when things became overwhelming, he sat and listened to me and helped me process,” David recalls. “He’s really there emotionally.” There are those who call GetMatched after years or even decades of dating, thinking they’ve tried every method out there with no results. Natalie and Aaron Azizi had both been in the dating world for a long time before making the decision to call GetMatched. Neither had ever seen a shadchan before. “A stranger putting me on a blind date with someone? It’s not for me,” Natalie remembers thinking when her parents encouraged her to call Rabbi Yakoby. But when Natalie went for her initial meeting at the office, the Rebbetzin immediately knew she’d be a good match for Aaron. “He was the first and only match they suggested,” says Natalie. “They read me his resume. It sounded interesting. We met at a coffee shop on the first date and had an instant connection.” For his part, Aaron says, he had been set up on numerous dates by friends, extended family members, and other contacts. “But they didn’t know me well enough to find me the one,” he remarks with a measure of irony. “Rabbi Yakoby asked the right questions. He really tried to get to know my personality, likes and dislikes.” This meticulous attention to detail paid off. GetMatched, the couple asserts, was the crucial link that enabled them to meet. “We run in different social circles,” says Natalie, “and Aaron didn’t attend the singles events that I was attending.” Natalie and Aaron compare their match to two puzzle pieces aligning. “We have so much in common,” she shares. “Our values match up perfectly and we complement each other in many ways. In my areas of weakness he has strength, and vice versa.” “You can do the same things over and over again to try and find your soulmate. You reach outside your comfort zone and that’s where you find the blessing,” says Natalie of her decision to meet with a shadchan for the first time. “I didn’t want to settle,” Aaron admits. “Neither one of us did, and we didn’t have to. Marriage is a lifelong decision.” GetMatched is a nonprofit organization servicing Jewish singles throughout North America. To make an appointment in person or via Zoom, call 310.927.8618 or visit getmatched.org. *All names have been changed to protect privacy.

Gedaliah Borvick

few days after the outbreak of the war, I went into a neighborhood hardware store where two old timers were muttering that things would be different today if only Begin were still prime minister. My goal is not to disparage Netanyahu or any of Israel’s politicians. Rather, I would like to examine the life of Menachem Begin in order to understand why so many Israelis admired, revered and trusted him – and why numerous schools, government buildings, parks and roads were named after him. Born in 1913 in Brest-Litovsk, Poland, Menachem Begin was an early devotee of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, who instilled in Begin powerful life lessons of Jewish pride, selflessness and courage. Begin became a leader of Betar, the youth movement of Jabotinsky’s Revisionist Zionism. He later led the pre-state Irgun military organization. Upon the establishment of the State of Israel, Begin founded Herut, the forerunner to the Likud party, and in 1977 he became the sixth Prime Minister of Israel. As a result of the peace treaty that he signed with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, Begin was the first Israeli to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Begin Signing the Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1979 - Dan Hadani, National Library of Israel

Begin is also famous for bombing the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq. Lest one think that this preventive attack was a onetime operation, Begin stated, “On no account shall we permit an enemy to develop weapons of mass destruction against the people of Israel. We shall defend the citizens of Israel in good time and with all the means at our disposal.” This commitment to self-defense strikes became known as the Begin Doctrine, which remains an important component of Israel’s security planning. These seemingly contradictory activities of peacemaking and war provocation were two important components of Menachem Begin’s unified world view. Begin was a proud and learned Jew who was

Miracles

guided by Jewish values, and viewed the world from a biblical perspective. He cherished the majesty of Jewish history and felt privileged to help restore the Jewish people to their God-given ancestral homeland, where they can provide refuge to their brethren and control their own destiny. Furthermore, Begin understood that being Jewish meant sometimes being isolated, and he often quoted biblical passages alluding to the separateness of the Jewish nation. Begin appreciated that this separation affords us the opportunity to act upon our Jewish values. One of these treasured values is standing up for the oppressed – and if Jewish lives are being threatened, Begin believed we must intervene. This insight helps explain Begin’s activities in the pre-state underground. When Jews were prohibited from entering British Mandate Palestine after the Holocaust, Begin’s Irgun organization bombed the King David Hotel and took other tough stances to fight the British blockade. Simply put, our people needed to return home and therefore Begin felt obligated to defeat the British forces, despite international backlash. Fast forward to 1981, when Begin ordered Israel’s Air Force to destroy Iraq’s

Osirak nuclear reactor. This preventive strike was initially met with almost universal condemnation, and only years later was acknowledged for having stopped Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein from achieving nuclear capability. Menachem Begin was Israel’s first prime minister who had strong Jewish values, which guided his life and all of his crucial decisions. He was humble, honorable, and generous; in a word, he was a mensch. Some may have disagreed with his policies but, because everyone knew and respected Begin’s belief system, no one ever questioned his priorities and commitments. Now we understand why, whenever Israel faces challenges, odds are that your Israeli taxi driver might say: “You know what we really need now? We need Begin.” [The primary source for this article was Daniel Gordis’ outstanding biography “Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel’s Soul.”] ___________________________________________

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

in the Minutiae

Survival Denise Berger

man in my shul hosting kiddush gave a short talk about a book he recently read. It was a memoir written by Dutch Holocaust survivor Flory Van Beek, and it was compelling. Just the fact that anyone survived is miraculous, and the story is filled with one incredible incidence after another, an intricate series of events that no human could coordinate. But this is not what stood out to me. I was actually more moved by the action of someone who didn’t survive. Flory’s mother was sent to Auschwitz. From the train window, she tossed an envelope addressed to Flory and her husband Felix. The letter was found by a member of the resistance who passed it along until eventually, it

made its way to the intended recipients in hiding. The letter told Flory how much she loved her, and then revealed an action she had taken. This action is what stood out to me. Flory’s mother buried in her garden a suitcase full of news reports, photos, and artifacts documenting what had taken place in Holland. She asked Flory and Felix to retrieve the suitcase and to donate its contents to a worthy institution after the war so that people would know what happened. This woman believed absolutely, b’emuna shlaima, that the war would come to an end. Moreover, she believed that people would recognize the horror of the atrocities committed.

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I heard this story just as I was finishing up a graduate degree in Humanities. One of the major themes of the program was the destruction of cultures. Whether the destruction happens at the hands of invaders, as was the case with Native American tribes and even empires such as the Inca, Aztec, and Maya, or by being forcibly removed and sold into slavery as happened to so many Africans, the natural tendency is for dominated people to give up hope. Flory’s mother didn’t just hold on to hope, she embodied it. Even when she knew she was being transported to a violent and painful death, she maintained the clarity that the war would not last forever, and that fu-

ture generations would recognize the wrongness. Today, the contents of the suitcase are part of the collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., where they bear testament not only to the destruction but to the Jewish view of the world that is indestructible. ___________________________________ Denise Berger is a freelance writer who grew up in the LA community. Her work has appeared in Table For Five, Shalom Delaware, Detroit Jewish News, and The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, in addition to literary publications. Denise can be reached at deniseberger2@gmail.com.

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