November 30, 2023 by Joel Halpern

‫ כ״ג כסלו תשפ״ד‬- ‫י״ז כסלו‬

November 30 - December 6, 2023 • VOL 2, #7

Game Time! A Board Game Really Can Teach You How To Get Rich!

A Conversation with Dena Miller A Frum Mom; A Mattel Toy Designer page 24

Why "Cashflow" can be better than books on personal finance. page 20

Are Your Favorite Toys a Product of Jewish Ingenuity? Jewish Toy and Game Inventors page 16

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Dear Readers,

t the time I sit down and write this, 39 hostages have been released, Baruch Hashem! The intense amount of joy felt for every release, for every family member that gets to embrace their loved one, comes with a sharp amount of pain and yearning, for those still held hostage, for the fates unknown. We are all feeling the dichotomy of emotions. First I felt numb, I couldn’t believe this was finally happening. They look okay. Are they okay? Who was taking care of her? Who made her hair into those beautiful braids? Oh what I would do to see more hugs like that. I want to hug them too. She doesn’t look so good. None of them are ok! The trauma is unimaginable. Will they ever be okay? Probably not. Because I am not okay and I will never be the same. But the Jewish soul is so resilient. Unfortunately this has changed us forever, but also strengthened us in our Jewish identity and unity. So far, seeing a group of hostages released each day for 3 days has been overwhelming. After feeling numb, then I felt worried. Then I felt relief and joy. Then I felt yearning and sadness for the children not yet released. We are on pins and needles for that baby! When Hamas stalled on the second day, I was exuberant to see the 3rd day go smoothly, I almost didn’t expect it. My heart jumped to see another 14 released. I printed a list of all of the hostage’s Hebrew names and have kept it next to my Shabbos candles for weeks, reading every single name each time I daven for them. This week, my daughter and I decided we are going to highlight every name that is released. But I refuse to print the updated list that removes those names. Because

when I read the highlighted names, each and every single one, I thank Hashem for their return to their families. And I also continue to daven for them so they have a ‫רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף‬. When learning the weekly Parsha, we can connect it to our lives. Last week, I wrote about how nevuot that were written down were for the purpose of being eternally relevant. The Torah (in addition to Nach & Ketuvim) is the same. In this week’s parsha, Yaakov teaches us that we prepare for war in 3 ways: prepare for war militarily, pray, and send a gift. We also see the retaliation that Shimon and Levi take on Shechem after he kidnaps, takes hostage, and abuses their sister Dina. They kill every male in the city of Shechem. That is how a brother responds. Yaakov was scared that the other nations would retaliate against his family after what they did to Shechem, but the fear of Hashem was upon them, and they were left alone. We are at war. We need to do anything and everything to protect our lives, and we can’t care what the world will think. Let’s continue to daven that the fear of Hashem will be upon them. In this month of Kislev, our issues have begun to prepare for Chanukah. While we are in mourning for the 1400 of our brothers and sisters recently slaughtered, all those still held hostage, and all those wounded in body and soul, we must continue with faith, and also with Simcha. We are commanded to be happy at certain times of the year, and Chanukah is a time to celebrate that we overcame our Greek enemies and sustained Judaism. They tried to kill us spiritually, but we persevered. In this issue, we bring a little fun and games to lighten your hearts. As with the rollercoaster of emotions we are all feeling, it’s okay to bring the

light of Judaism to our children, to our extended family, and perhaps you’ll invite someone who has not yet celebrated Chanukah over to your home. The schools end early on Chanukah, to give plenty of time to celebrate for eight full nights with our families and loved ones. Let us be grateful and enjoy! Have a wonderful Shabbos,

Ariela

Yoel Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@thelajewishhome.com Ariela Kauffman

MANAGING EDITOR

editor@thelajewishhome.com Avi Heyman

In error: Last week I mentioned that Yaakov stole the birthright from Eisav. Thank you to the reader who corrected me. The bechora was never stolen chas v’shalom, but legitimately sold to Eisav for a pot of lentils, never to be contested. I chose the wrong word to use.

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Yavneh 6th Grade Boys visit the Biale Rebbe

he 6th grade boys of Yeshivat Yavneh had the special zechus of meeting with the Biale Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Menachem Rabinowicz, shlita. Together with their rebbeim, Rabbi Moshe Amster and Rabbi Shmuel Levy, the boys sang songs of achdus with the Rebbe and heard incredible divrei chizuk from him. One of the songs the Rebbe choose to sang was Al Tira, telling the boys how important it was not to be afraid, and that even during the rise of Haman, Mordechai went straight to the Beis Medrash to tell the children of Shushan not to be afraid and to serve Hashem without pachad. The rebbe stressed to the boys the power of their tefillos and mitzvos, from brachos to netilas yadayim, due to their purity as tinokos shel beis rabban. Lastly, before giving each boy an individual bracha, rebbe charged the boys with talking directly to Hashem during this eis ratzon that Klal Yisrael finds themselves in, as their tefillos are as potent as the ammunition used by Tzahal and have equal importance. May the chizuk of the rebbe, and being around a true adam gadol, strengthen the boys and be a zechus for the community!

Joe Socher and his son Dovid learning together at Anshe Emes Motzai Shabbos learning, which the Socher family sponsored

8 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

The Clubhouse Hikers

he Clubhouse Center for Respite and Inclusion held its annual Holiday Programming (Thanksgiving Day Trip) for our participants. The participants and our dedicated volunteer corps and staff met for a special 6-hour program. The activities included a special trip to The Tree People for a Hike and Schmooze. The weather cooperated; our participants hiked, played games, and socialized. At the end of the trip, the participants were treated to pizza from Pizza Mayven and prepared to go home with huge smiles. The Clubhouse aims to empower our members to forge a safe Torah space to find joy, friends, and purpose while supporting their families. For more information on The Clubhouse, please visit our website at www.tyheclubhouse.care or contact us at info@the clubhouse.care. This past week, The Clubhouse also held its annual Meet ‘n’ Greet for our parents to meet and socialize with our dedicated staff. Mrs. Chaya Tyner, the Clinical Director, also gave a session on social and life skills while setting out the program goals for the year.

The Clubhouse Hike at The Tree People for Holiday Programs

Rabbi Yakkov Moshe Harris of Anshe Emes presented a legal holiday shiur on the topic of Kavanah during davening

Chai Lifeline Chanukah Toy Drive Spreads Joy and Light to Children Around the World

n tAs Jews around the world face a period of fear and darkness, Chai Lifeline announces the launch of its annual Chanukah Toy Drive, which will distribute more than 50,000 gifts to children living with serious illness across the globe. This year, Chai Lifeline will also be making a special effort to support and deliver joy to families in Israel doubly impacted by illness and the ongoing war. Gift lists for each family are carefully curated to meet the specific needs or interests of the child who will receive them. Amazon wish lists are available online for those wishing to contribute towards the Toy Drive. Local stores and schools across the country will also serve as drop off. For some families, the gifts get delivered to their homes or directly to hospital rooms, while others will receive their gifts at local Chai Lifeline Chanukah parties and events in the coming days and weeks. “This year, more than ever before, we are all in need of light,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline. “The children and families of Chai Lifeline in Israel and abroad are facing unprecedented challenges. Our goal is to provide them with a beacon of hope during these dark and difficult times.” To order a Chanukah gift for a Chai Lifeline family visit www.chailifeline.org/toys or email toys@chailifeline.org to get involved.

Chai Lifeline is an international support network, providing social, emotional, and practical assistance to children, families, and communities impacted by medical crises and trauma through a variety of year-round programs and services.

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Beverly Hills Protest Outside of Qatari-Owned Maybourne Hotel to Protest Owner’s Support for Hamas Terrorism

n November 19, 2023, a significant crowd of protestors assembled outside the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills, raising their voices against the hotel’s Qatari owners’ support for the terrorist organization Hamas, which perpetrated the October 7th massacre in Southern Israel that left 1400 people dead, 5000 wounded, and 240 hostages kidnapped and taken into Gaza. The protest rally was marked by a series of powerful speeches and brought together a diverse group of community leaders and activists, united in their call for the hotel to be boycotted and its owner sanctioned for their association with the murderous terrorist group. Jonathan Kellerman, the renowned author and a resident of Beverly Hills, addressed the crowd, delivering a strong message that stressed how unacceptable it is to have any business operating in the United States that is linked to an organization which promotes violence and perpetrates terror. His words echoed the sentiments of all of those in attendance, highlighting the desire to see the Maybourne Hotel’s owners suffer the consequences of their sponsorship of Hamas. Beverly Hills Council Member John Mirisch also spoke, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring that the Maybourne Hotel would not slip through the cracks, and that every effort is made to highlight Qatar’s pernicious involvement in funding terror. He stressed that Beverly Hills,

one of the world’s best-known cities, could not possibly remain silent while the Maybourne Hotel remained in Qatari hands. Former Miss Iraq, Sarah Idan, brought a unique perspective to the protest, sharing her insights on the impact of terrorism and the importance of global solidarity against such threats. As an Arab, who was born and who grew up under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, she noted that Qatar was led by an evil regime, and was active in promoting terrorism via the Al Jazeera media network, known by many in the Arab world as “the platform for terror.” Her presence at the protest and her poignant words reinforced the international dimension of the issue, in that it transcends local concerns and resonates with broader global challenges.

Rabbi Pini Dunner, a respected religious leader and the senior rabbi at Beverly Hills Synagogue, provided a powerful moral standpoint to the protest. He noted that the owners of the Maybourne Hotel – the former Emir and former Prime Minister of Qatar – were the ones who originally welcomed Hamas to Qatar and arranged for them to open their political HQ in Doha. “How can we allow such people in our neighborhood,” he asked the crowd. “They support and fund Qatar – every Hamas bullet, every Hamas gun, every Hamas rocket, and every Hamas tunnel, is paid for with Qatari money,” he said. “The profits from your visit to or stay in the Maybourne could very well be funding Hamas terrorism. The Qataris are whitewashing their support for terrorism by buying luxury hotels and

famous brands in the West, and using the money to pay for murder and mayhem in the Middle East.” This protest in Beverly Hills was just the beginning of an international campaign to identify and highlight Qatari assets in the Western world. The organizers intend to get the message out that far from being innocent intermediaries between Hamas and Israel, the Qataris are deeply complicit in Hamas terrorism, and in the promotion of Islamic fundamentalism and violent unrest in the Middles East – and on college campuses, and on the streets of Western capitals, via violent protests and funding insidious political activism.

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

Shalom Bayit

Through the Parsha

Confronting the Esav Within Rabbi Nir Yacoby Elan Javanfard

n Parshat Vayishlach, we witness Yaacov Avinu’s dramatic encounter with his brother Esav after years of separation. As Yaacov faces the impending meeting with Esav, the Parasha takes an unexpected turn - Yaacov finds himself in a wrestling match with a mysterious figure, described as the angel of Esav. The struggle is intense, and as dawn approaches, the figure touches Yaacov’s hip, leaving him with a permanent limp. Despite the toll, Yaacov emerges from this encounter blessed with a new name, Yisrael, symbolizing a transformation, and providing us the name we as a nation continue to carry to this day. Through a psychological lens, this episode serves as a profound exploration of the theme of facing one’s fears. Fear is a universal human experience, often rooted in the unfamiliar, the unpredictable, and the uncontrollable. Psychology teaches us that facing our fears is an essential step towards personal growth and healing. In the same way, Yaacov’s encounter with Esav’s angel represents a courageous confrontation with the fears that have driven him since his youth. As we delve into this narrative, we can extract valuable lessons for our own fears. Acknowledging Fear: Yaccov’s willingness to confront his fears is the first step in his transformation. Often, our fears linger in the shadows of our consciousness, influencing our decisions and actions. This story encourages us to acknowledge and confront our fears head-on, recognizing that avoidance only perpetuates the struggle. Faith in your Ability: Psalms 56:4-5 says “When I am afraid, I trust in You… I am not afraid of what can mortals do to me.” Yaacov’s

When Reality Hits faith provided him with a spiritual shield to wield headed into battle knowing that Hashem wants what’s best for him. Faith is the flashlight guiding us through moments of darkness. Facing our Fear and Transformation: Yaacov’s perseverance signifies the resilience required to confront and wrestle with our fears. It’s a process that may be uncomfortable and challenging, but it is a necessary step towards personal growth and self-discovery leading to transformation. When we confront our fears, we not only overcome them but also discover new facets of our identity and strength. Scars remind us the Past is Real: Yaacov’s limp serves as a visible reminder of his struggle, a testament to the challenges he faced and overcame. Similarly, when we confront our fears, we may carry the scars, but they become part of our story, shaping our character and resilience. As Winston S. Churchill said “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.” Parshat Vayishlach teaches us that facing our fears is not a one-time event but a continuous process. Just as Yaacov’s encounter was a pivotal moment, our willingness to confront our fears can lead to personal and spiritual growth. As we navigate the challenges of life, may we find inspiration in Yaacov Avinu’s example by remembering that we are the nation named after his confrontation with Esav, Bnei Yisrael.

“I

playdate? Food to go?” will put the cellphone 3. to make adjustments to your mental image of away, read a book to “how does home feel now.” Charlie and Yankie, then have a Disappointment is the gap between expectawholesome dinner with my wife,” tion and reality. Reality you cannot change, exyou muse as you are driving home pectation you can. Calling home is an excellent back from a long day at work. At way of doing that for shalom bayit. home Yankie is crying his heart out. “Where’s Charlie?” you yell to overcome that crying. “At a playdate. Can you bring him?” “I just came home…” you cry out loud. In ‫ וישלח‬after years of being away from home, Jacob does 3 things ahead of his return: he sends out scouts to collect information on what home is like now, he prepares for the encounter, and he makes a mental image of the encounter. Similarly you should call home 1. to collect intelligence: “Who’s home? What’s cooking?” 2. to strategize with your wife: “Can I bring Charlie from a ____________________________________________________________________ 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

C O N C I E R G E

J E W E L E R

__________________________________

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.

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What Should Israel Do With the Captured October 7th Terrorists? Rabbi Yair Hoffman

he horrors of October 7th still reverberate in the minds of all caring individuals. Last Motzei Shabbos, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that the preparation for the first reading of the death penalty law for terrorists will be discussed in the National Security Committee. “On Monday, the preparation for the first reading of the death penalty law for terrorists of the Otzma Yehudit faction submitted by MK Limor Son Har-Melech will be discussed in the National Security Committee chaired by MK Zvika Fogel,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement. “I expect all members of the Knesset to support this important law.” Family members of the hostages are countering that Ben-Gvir’s timing will endanger the hostages. It seems that they are certainly correct, and from a halachic perspective, the proposal should be pushed off. There is an aspect of lo saamod al dam rayacha here. But in general, many have the question: What should Israel eventually do with captured murderous terrorists? Should the death penalty be employed, when they are found to be guilty? What is the Jewish tradition? Some claim that Jewish tradition is against the death penalty, and others state the exact opposite view. What follows is a brief look at the topic. We do find numerous verses in the Torah that indicate that there should be a death penalty. • The concept of capital punishment was established in Bereishis 9:6: “Shofaich dam ha’adam b’adam damo yeshafaich, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” • And then, in the weekly portion of Mishpatim (see Shmos 21:12), we find the verse, “Make ish vamais, mos yumas, One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” • In Sefer Vayikra 24:17) we see, “And he that smites any man mortally shall surely be put to death.” • The Torah in Devarim (17:6) decrees that only the testimony of two or more witnesses (together) can result in a person’s death sentence. The clear implication is that the death penalty should exist. This is not to say that capital punishment should be implemented indiscriminately. Great care must be employed when implementing it. The last Mishna in the first chapter of Makkos (1:10) records a debate between the rabbis about how common or often the death penalty should be implemented. But let’s delve into understanding this Mishna.

There appear to be four views in this Mishna. The Mishna begins by recording the Tanna Kamma’s view: 1. “A Sanhedrin that puts a man to death once in seven years is called a murderous one.” 2. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah said, “Or even once in 70 years.” 3. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiba said, “If we had been in the Sanhedrin, no death sentence would ever have been passed.” 4. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “If so, they would have multiplied murderers in Israel.” The first three views are clearly concerned with the possibility of state-sponsored death penalties going awry. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel’s view is that categorically stating these views is not responsible because it would make murder light in the eyes of society. The Rishonim from the Rambam down seem to reflect the view of Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel. In contemporary American society, the topic seems to be a point of contrast between Rabbi Ahron Soloveitchik, zt”l, and Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l. Rabbi Soloveitchik’s View In a letter to Dr. David Luchins, cited by Nathan J. Diment on Advocacy. ou.org, Rav Soloveitchik writes: “In my humble opinion, from a halachic point of view, every Jew should be opposed to capital punishment. It is true…that the Torah recognizes capital punishment. However, the Torah delegates the authority to mete out capital punishment only to Sanhedrin, not to anyone else. Even [members of the] Sanhedrin are not able to mete out capital punishment if there is no Beis Hamikdash. “B’zman she’yesh kohen makriv, yesh nefashot, b’zman she’ayn kohen makriv, ayn nefashot. Even capital punishment among B’nei Noach cannot be meted out when there is no kohen makriv. (YH: This point is debatable and seems to contradict other explicit Gemaras where only Jewish courts are unable to mete out capital punishment when there is no standing Temple.) … If a Sanhedrin carried out one execution in seven years, it is characterized as a murderous Sanhedrin. Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon say that if they had been in Sanhedrin, no person would have ever been executed…” Rav Moshe’s View On the other hand, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, (Igros Moshe CM II #68) in a letter dated March 20, 1981, to then-Governor Hugh Carey begins by restricting

capital punishment to specific limitations of during the Temple era, with two kosher reliable witnesses, and with a direct warning, and states that “all of this” only applies…”when the prohibition against murder has not been rendered null and void. But for someone who murders people because for him the prohibition against murder has become meaningless, and similarly when the number of murderers has multiplied so much [due to the prohibition becoming ignored], we apply [capital punishment] in order to deter murder,” for to do so is saving society. The Murder Rate In the past three years alone, the murder rate has climbed from 5.07 per 100,000 to 6.52. This is a 22% increase. In Detroit, Michigan, where the death penalty has been banned by the State constitution since 1963, the murder rate is over 40. That means for every 2,500 people, one of them is murdered. In Pirkei Avos, the Mishna discusses the deterrence that the law provides, and states that were it not for the fear of punishment, each person would swallow the

other whole. Rav Yeruchem Levovitz, zt”l, (18731936) the Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, in his work entitled, “Daas Torah” (Shemos, p. 201), addresses this issue in such a manner that one might have thought he was talking about contemporary times: Rav Yeruchem writes: “A person does not appreciate that the only reason that a person can sleep peacefully at night is because there are police in the city. He is certain that if people would attack him or steal something from him that the police will pounce upon him. Nonetheless, he still locks his house door and his store door at night with strong locks, and he is afraid to go out at night because who knows what can happen…” In regard to such mass murders that Hamas, ym”sh, has perpetrated, it is highly likely that even Rav Ahron Soloveitchik would have agreed that the murderers deserve death. The timing of the proposed bill by Ben Gvir, however, could, in fact, endanger the lives of the hostages. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com. ‫בס"ד‬

YESHIVAT YAVNEH ANNUAL CHANUKAH BAZAAR

SUNDAY DECEMBER 3RD 2023

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Calling all Kids

Stories

Rebbe’s

name that droodle!

Binyamin Hatzadik

Everyone who sends in a caption for this week’s Droodle will be entered into a raffle to win a

life, it is as if he saved the entire world? Binyamin Hatzadik worked tirelessly to provide the needs for hundreds of lives. Didn’t he just save the life of a woman and her seven children? Why would you let him die at such a young age?” Hashem accepted their complaint and Binyamin Hatzadik was given 22 more years to live.

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This story can be found in Baba Basra 11a

Questions for Discussion 1.

Where do we see the devotion and sensitivity that Binyamin HaTzadik had for the poor? 2. Why was it much harder for Binyamin Hatzadik to provide for the needs of the poor during the time of famine? 3. Do you think that it was the right thing for Binyamin HaTzadik to give the woman the money that he had put away for his own family? 4. Why do you think that it took the complaint of the Malachim to save the life of Binyamin Hatzadik? ___________________________________________

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 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.

Yes, I believe in all these things,

So every day, these words I’ll sing—

Submit your responses by Thursday!

Send your submissions to editor@thelajewishhome.com

Thank you for your responses to the Droodles! These are the ones from two week’s ago: Almost everyone thought it was ants carrying a bone or a run-away bone!

The winner with the most creative response is:

Eliana Baalhaness, 8th grade, YAYOE “Og’s bone trapping the architects who discovered them” Ants carrying a bone

Dubin

There was a man named Binyamin who was in charge of distributing money to the poor. Everyone called him Binyamin HaTzadik because of the devotion and sensitivity he showed to the poor people. Binyamin HaTzadik would go from one Shul to the next, collecting money for the poor. It didn’t matter if the weather was cold, hot, rain, or snow, he would always carry out his routine of collecting money for the poor. One year, there was a terrible famine in the land. Months went by without rain. The ground was dry and the crops were not growing. The farmers had a limited amount of produce to sell. The cows were not drinking enough water to produce much milk. The shelves in the stores were practically empty, and whatever existed was very expensive. Binyamin Hatzadik tried to keep up his daily routine but the people were not able to give much. Also, the famine caused a much greater demand for his help. Binyamin Hatzadik was having a hard time keeping up with the needs of the people. One day after a constant flow of needy people came to his house, a woman appeared who looked pale and worn out. She asked Binyamin to please help her family and told him that they had not eaten in days. Binyamin Hatzadik apologized to the woman and told her that he had nothing left to give. All the money was used up. The woman begged for his assistance but he assured her that he had nothing left to give. The woman burst into tears and said, “If you don’t help us then my seven children and myself will die.” Binyamin Hatzadik did not know what to do. He desperately wanted to help the woman but there was nothing left in the charity fund. Suddenly he remembered that he had once put away a little money in his closet for his own family’s need in a time of emergency. He went to his closet and took out whatever he had and he gave it to the woman. The woman was very appreciative and quickly left the house to buy some food for her starving family. A short time later Binyamin Hatzadik became ill. His condition grew worse each day. It did not seem that he had much longer to live. When he was about to breathe his last breath the angels approached Hashem and complained, “Master of the world, didn’t you say that every life is precious and valuable? And didn’t you say that if a person saves even one

- Adina ezoory, 6, Toras Emes

I believe b’emunah sheleimah.

I’ll place these words into my heart,

Bonecepide - Naomi L., 4, Kindergarten, Toras Emes

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

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.

I Believe!

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!

Dog bone running away fast! - Dalia Ezoory, 8, Toras Emes

Centipede carrying a dog bone - Noam Ezoory, 12, Toras

Four people hiding behind a bone - Moshe Amiri,

Emes

9, Toras Emes

Ants carrying a dog bones - Ezra Nishli

A dog bone laying on grass - Tamar A., 10, Toras

Run away bone - Ayelet L., 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

11, 5th grade, Toras Emes

Tweetsy Feetsy bone - Mina L., 7, 2nd grade, Toras Emes

Aunt running with a bone - Batsheva L.

14 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

The bones go marching - Omer Harem, 9th grade, Yeshiva Gedolah

Emes

A dog lost her teeth, and it ate tiny candies and the teeth are in the bone. - Deena Richards, 7, YAYOE

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

ARE YOUR FAVORITE TOYS

A PRODUCT OF JEWISH INGENUITY?

Many are aware of just how many Jews have contributed to math, sciences, literature, and technology, and the large percentage of Nobel Prize winners that are Jewish. But did you realize how many toys we play with every day that were designed and manufactured by Jewish Americans? Before World War II, there was little antisemitism in the U.S., both institutionalized and unofficially. This allowed Jews to work in all industries, including the U.S. toy industry, which was a great opportunity to support one’s family. After World War II, there was a significant growth in the baby boomer generation, which created the need for more products. There was also a wider availability of plastic and other materials required for the manufacturing of toys. The success of specific toys also allowed Jewish toy designers to create their own toy companies and become entrepreneurs.

ICONIC PLAYTIME EMPIRES FOUNDED BY JEWISH VISIONARIES MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

Milton Bradley was an American businessman, game pioneer and publisher, who launched the board game industry in the U.S.. Inspired by an imported board game he received as a gift, he created the first board game for American consumers, called The Checkered Game of Life, which later became known as The Game of Life. The game proved an instant success. Bradley personally sold his first run of several hundred copies in a two-day visit to New York. By 1861, more than 45,000 copies of his board game were sold. From 1860 through the 20th century, the company he founded, Milton Bradley Company, dominated the production of American games, including The Game of Life, Easy Money, Candy Land, Operation, and Battleship. The company was a subsidiary of Hasbro from acquisition in 1984 to shutdown in 1998. MB merged with Parker Brothers in 1998 to form Hasbro Games. The two became brands of Hasbro until 2009 when they were retired in favor of the parent company's name; the Milton Bradley name had been in use for 149 years.

Mattel Creations

Businessman Harold "Matt" Matson and the husband - and wife duo of Elliot and Ruth Handler founded Mattel as Mattel Creations in January 1945 in a garage in Los Angeles. The company’s name is a combination of the last name of Matson and first name of Elliot. In 1947, the company had its first successful toy, a plastic ukulele called "Uke-A-Doodle". Their company became the first sponsor of the Mickey Mouse Club television show, with the “Mousegetar” product placement as part of the deal. This success led the way to the Barbie and Hot Wheels lines of toys, along with many others. In 1950, the Magic 8-Ball, currently owned by Mattel themselves, was invented by Albert C. Carter and Abe Bookman. The Fisher-Price Corn Popper, and the Xylophone was released in 1957. Mattel would ultimately acquire Fisher-Price on August 20, 1993.

HASBRO INDUSTRIES

The Hassenfeld Brothers, founders of the company now known as Hasbro, consisted of Herman, Hillel, and Henry Hassenfeld. They left Poland for Providence, Rhode Island, to sell textile remnants in 1923. The company expanded to produce pencil cases and school supplies. Soon, the Hassenfeld Brothers produced modeling clay and then doctor and nurse kits as their first toys, and they became primarily a toy company by 1942. The company entered the plastic fields during World War II to support its toy line. The Hassenfeld brothers, immigrants from Ulanów, Poland, also spent the war years helping to rescue and employ fellow Jews from Ulanów; no questions asked. The Hassenfeld Brothers' first popular toy was Mr. Potato Head, which the company purchased from George Lerner in 1952, and then made it the first toy advertised on TV. In 1954, the company became a Disney major licensee. They went on to produce the G.I. Joe toy in 1964 which they termed an "action figure" in order to market it to boys who wouldn't want to play with dolls. In 1964 and 1965, G.I. Joe accounted for two-thirds of Hassenfeld's sales. In 1968, the company shortened its name to Hasbro Industries.

UNFORGETTABLE TOYS BY JEWISH INVENTORS SIGNATURE STATIONERY Lewis I. Cohen, a producer of stationary, used his equipment to begin making playing cars in 1832. He invented a color press that could print four colors on a playing card in one pass. His Consolidated Card Company went public in the 1880s after merging with several others.

16 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

Freight Train, Lionel Corporation, USA, about 1946. The Strong, Rochester, New York.

TRAILBLAZING TRAINS Joshua Lionel (Cohen) Cowan was an independent electrical engineer and inventor who created an electric toy train for a store window display. When the store’s customers wanted to buy the train itself, Cowan became a model train manufacturer. At the time the Toy Manufacturers of America was formed, Lionel was the largest toy manufacturing company in the U.S.

DYNAMIC DOLLS

THE BARBIE DOLL

Bertha “Beatrice” Alexander Behrman founded Madame Alexander Dolls and ranked as a rare female corporate executive in the 1920s. She began making dolls during World War I. Behrman sewed a prototype for a Red Cross Nurse doll, whose popularity saved the family firm from bankruptcy. She founded Madame Alexander Dolls with her husband in the 1920s, creating a set of collectible dolls of characters from literature, film, movie stars, and politicians. In the 50s and 60s Madame Alexander was the leading doll company in the world. Alice in Wonderland doll, Madame Alexander, USA, about 1950. The Strong, Rochester, New York.

PINBALL PLAYER David Gottlieb, founder of Gottlieb Pinball, developed Baffle Ball, the first pinball game machine, revolutionizing the industry. Later Gottlieb Innovation added flippers to pinball to further shape the game into its current form. Humpty Dumpty pinball machine, D. Gottlieb _ Co., Chicago, IL, 1947. The Strong, Rochester, New York.

Ruth Handler designed the Barbie doll in 1959, which became the company's best-selling toy in history. In 1960, Mattel introduced Chatty Cathy, a talking doll, leading to pull-string talking dolls and toys flooding the market throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Barbie Dreamhouse made with cardboard and paper made its debut in 1962, when also the Astronaut Barbie, the first of many space-themed iterations of the doll, was introduced. Barbie traveled to the moon four years before Neil Armstrong. Ruth Handler served as the president of Mattel from 1945-1975.

VISIONARY VETERAN Eddy (Adolf) Goldfarb was a Navy veteran who spent hours creating toy designs while on submarine duty during World War II. His first product, Yakity-Yak Talking Teeth (inspired, in part, by his mother-in-law) was co-developed with Marvin Glass. Goldfarb invented more than 800 toys and holds close to 300 patents.

INGENIOUS INVENTOR Marvin Glass was a well-known designer and inventor of toys and Mouse Trap game, Ideal Novelty _ Toy Co., Hollis, NY, 1963. Gift of Bill Paxton. The Strong, Rochester, New York. games. His firm, Marvin Glass and Associates, was the leading independent toy and game design firm in the world from the 1950s into the 1980s. Just a few of the Glass designed toys and games include Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots, Mouse Trap, Operation, Lite-Brite, and Inch Worm.

HOT WHEELS

In 1968, Elliot Handler released Hot Wheels to the market. Hot Wheels was invented by a team of Mattel inventors, which included a rocket scientist and a car designer, with the purpose of competing with matchbox cars but to be more like hot rod race cars.

A fi k o m a n Baby Gifts Bas Mitvah Birthday Chanukah Graduation Yo m To v We d d i n g J e w e l r y Gift Cards

Ralph Baer and his family left Nazi Germany two months before Kristallnacht. He became an American citizen, and served in U.S. military intelligence Brown Box Prototype Replica, USA. Gift of Ralph H. Baer. The Strong, Rochester, New York. during World War II. While working for Sanders Electronics, he became the “father” of the home video game system, creating a series of prototype systems to allow people to “play games on a television screen.” The final prototype, the “Brown Box” was licensed to become the Magnavox Odyssey. Baer and his team also created the first console peripheral, a light gun for a shooting gallery game. During his lifetime Baer generated more than 150 patents, was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame, and awarded the National Medal of Technology by President George W. Bush. His best-known game is Simon. The four notes Simon plays were picked by Baer from his experience playing the trumpet, knowing they’d always work together.

sedesign.myportfolio.com

GAMING GURU

GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Tzippy Weil (323) 636-2192

@gemsandjewels_la

Sunday - Thursday 7pm - 9pm or by appointment

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

A BOARD GAME REALLY CAN TEACH YOU

HOW TO GET RICH

ost people, when asked to name a game that is fun and lends an informal financial education, probably think of Monopoly. Monopoly is awesome, but is it realistic? You start out earning $200, which is enough to buy the entirety of St. Charles Place, with enough leftover to purchase Baltic Avenue. Towards the end of the game, the most attractive square on the board, aside from GO, is usually jail, so you can avoid rental payments. While the start of the game is usually fun (picking up properties, growing your capital, etc.) the end is pretty boring. Usually, one player is steaming ahead of the rest. If it’s not you, you find yourself mindlessly rolling the dice until you go bankrupt. The main problem with Monopoly is that it is a money-based game that isn't really based in reality. Circling the board, being forced to pay rent to various landlords makes little sense. If you have enough money to buy 4 houses on the most expensive square on the board, why are you still renting various cheaper properties? Where do you live? Why are you 'just visiting' jail all the time? The idea of gaining a monopoly to win a game is an intriguing one. But the execution of this idea could have been done better. Ergo, let me introduce you to “Cashflow”! Cashflow is a board game created by the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki (note: Rich Dad Poor Dad is one of the best personal finance books out there). The main concept of this game is that you start out with a 9-5 job and your aim is to grow your passive income to the point where you can ‘get out of the rat race.’ The great thing about Cashflow is that hidden in its gameplay are some valuable financial lessons. At the very start of the game, you are randomly dealt a profession (eg. lawyer,

18 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

mechanic) via a profession card. You start by copying down your monthly income and expenses onto a financial statement. Your only income is your salary, and your expenses can include taxes, a mortgage, a school loan payment, etc. The money you have left over after your expenses are paid is known as your cash flow. Everyone starts with positive cash flow and some savings, but the exact numbers differ depending on your profession.

All players start in the smaller central circle also known as ‘The Rat Race.’ During each turn you roll a single die and move around the circuit. There are a few different squares. If you land on or pass ‘Payday,’ you receive your monthly cash flow and add that to your cash ledger (this could be negative too if you have negative cash flow). If you land on ‘Deals,’ you can pick up either a small or big deal card. A big deal card will show you an opportunity costing more than $5000. This can be anything from a business opportunity, to real estate, to company shares. You can decide whether or not to take it.

by Andrew Young

A ‘Market’ square dictates something happening in the market, which affects every player. This might be a stock split/reversal (all shares in one company are doubled/halved respectively), or it might affect house prices/commodities etc. The ‘Doodad’ square is effectively a one-off expense that you must pay, like a concert ticket or a jet ski. There are also some entertaining squares. You might have a child

which increases your expenses (tip: you don’t want a child in this game). Or you might land on ‘Downsized’, where you lose 2 turns and pay the amount equal to your total expenses to the bank. There is also a charity square where a donation grants you the ability to roll both dice for up to 3 turns. On each turn, you can choose to take out debt (or you might be forced to) and you also have the ability to pay off debt to reduce your expenses. Once your passive income has surpassed your total expenses, you are out of the rat race. You then move to the outer portion of the board where you continue to invest until you increase your cashflow day income by $50,000. When

you do that, you have won the game. As families gather around the table, there’s a shared sense of discovery. Kids feel empowered, making moves that lay the foundation for future financial smarts. For adults, it’s a refreshing take on learning, a reminder that understanding money doesn’t have to be dull. It can be a journey filled with surprises and “aha” moments. Emotions dance between excitement, a bit of nervousness, and the satisfaction of making savvy choices. Playing this game is like a crash course in managing money. You learn that it's not just about winning; it's about the joy of understanding finances a little better, together. Cashflow helps you get the hang of dealing with risks – the kind of risks you might face with your money in real life. It teaches you to make decisions that aren't too risky but still have a chance of bringing in some gains. Cashflow also allows you to see the effects of putting all your eggs in one basket. You learn that having different kinds of investments is a good move. It is significantly smarter than directing all your money to one place. You get comfortable with financial statements. You might not even know what that means right now, but if you keep playing you’ll learn to read your financial numbers like an interesting story. Suddenly, you understand what those digits mean, and it's not confusing anymore. The game nudges you to think. You set goals, plan for the future, and those actions become habits. Cashflow is not just a board game. It's about learning to think about your choices in the long run instead of just for today. It makes money talk less scary and more like a fun game you can actually win at in real life. __________________________________________ Andrew is a full-time blogger, entrepreneur and web developer who writes for Capital Matters, a personal finance website specializing in deals, coupon codes and loyalty point guides.

From Cuisine to Candles, We’ve got your Chanukah Shopping Completely Covered! Reach out to our catering department to pre-order your entire chanukah party. We are fully stocked for Chanukah: Sufganiyot, Latkes, Menorahs, Candles, Chocolate Coins, and Party Paper goods.

(310) 473-4435 NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

PLANT THE SEEDS

REAP THE GOOD DEEDS.

Tomchei LA is an organization built on kindness that is continually growing and blossoming throughout our community.

2 0 2 3

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Our roots: compassion. Our fruits: a changed community. $7,650,000+ Annual Budget $2,250,000 in Financial Assistance $1,420,000+ in Store Credit 673+ Families Assisted 250,000 LBS. of Chicken/Meat and Produce $730,000+ Loans Thru The Lev Leorah Interest Free Loan Fund 2,150+ Mental Health Therapy Sessions Subsidized 10,000 Clothing Items 250+ JobLink Clients 121 CHILDREN Assisted Thru The Dr. Juilan Mirman A”h Camp Fund 350 Households Assisted with Furniture 85,000 Diapers Distributed 850+ Children Receive Toys

We will nourish. And it will flourish.

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rayze.it/tomcheila 20 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

giving IT’S IN OUR ROOTS

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND MEANINGFUL HANUKKAH HOLIDAY!

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY | HERZOGWINE.COM

22 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

FUN FACTS ABOUT

YOU MAY NOT KNOW

MONOPOLY

1 4 3 2 56 78 9 12 10 11 13 14 15 The earliest Monopoly game, created by Parker Brothers, can be traced back to 1903. The original game was a way to demonstrate that an economy which rewards wealth creation is better than one in which monopolists work

under few constraints. However, the current version is different from the one original.

The current version was created by Elizabeth Maggie, who wanted a game to understand tax.

During the 1970s, a Braille version was created for those who are visually impaired.

In 1978, the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog offered a chocolate Monopoly game at $600.

Monopoly Icons have been featured on postage stamps.

Between 1940 and 1960, it was voted America’s number-one game.

Mr. Monopoly’s true name is Rich Uncle Pennybags.

During World War II, the Nazis let Allied prisoners of war play board games. The British government was even allowed to send incarcerated soldiers a game or two. One of the games it sent was Monopoly. Instead of sending the game apparatus, the box contained tools for escape. The British government, with the cooperation of the game’s publisher (the Parker brothers), hid real bank notes among the Monopoly money. Compasses, metal files, and a folded silk map were also concealed to help the POWs flee their captors. It worked; the soldiers escaped. In 2008, 3,000 Monopoly fans around the world united to set the world record for the most people playing the game and “passing GO” at the same time.

The longest-running game lasted for 70 days straight.

A Monopoly board game was sent to space in 2007.

The most expensive game board was made by designer, Sidney Mabell. It had a 23-carat board and diamond-studded dice and cost over $2,000,000!

World tournaments for the game have taken place in Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Over 275 million games have been sold worldwide in over 111 different countries and have been translated into 43 languages.

Monopoly is celebrating its 88th anniversary in December.

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

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Toy Designer for Mattel When did you first discover an action figures, cars, dolls, complex playsets and thinking, wow I wish I could do something like this. I interest in designing toys? never even considered that Toy Design was an I have been designing toys my whole life. As a little kid I would spend a lot of time playing and crafting. I often would pretend to be “Sick” and stay home from grade school, so I could create my own toys. With the encouragement of my parents, I would sculpt my own dolls out of sculpted baking clay, remodel my dollhouse by painting, sanding, installing carpet, and creating puppets. I was always crafting and have vivid memories of going to the library and picking out maker and kid crafting books. I’ve always been an artistic person and in touch with my inner child.

Do you have education or a degree that led you to your current career? At Santa Monica College, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I wanted to do. My time in undergrad wasn’t a smooth road. Every week I picked a different major. Hair Stylist, Architecture, Sculpture, Graphic design. I took every art class they offered, like photoshop and Illustrator, I learned the foundation for design there. Eventually I transferred to Otis College of Art and Design, because my friend from YULA who was artistic was in the animation program there. She encouraged me to apply and helped me put together a portfolio. They offered a lot of majors, I just randomly picked Graphic Design because it seemed like a safe choice, and I was good at it. Prior to being accepted to Otis, I had to take some extra art classes to get my drawing skills up to par. The Life drawing classes happened to be on the Toy Design floor. I remember walking past all the student work, seeing amazing drawings of

24 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

option for me. The program was very drawing focused, and my skill sets were more with a hot glue gun and Paper Mache. It was halfway through my first semester in Graphic Design that I realized I was in the wrong program. My typography, letterpress, and bookmaking classes weren’t that exciting. My teachers and peers would always comment that my designs and projects looked like toys. I was scared to admit that I had made a mistake, and what it would mean to start over again. I realized maybe I could minor in Toy Design and do graphics for toy packaging. I walked into the department head’s office and she laughed at me saying the only way is to Major in Toy Design. She told me I was in the wrong major and gave me a spot in the program just in time. When I came home, I told my parents that I was changing my major again. I’m going to be a Toy Designer, I told my parents. I worked very hard in Design school and still had to prove myself against all the other competitive students. Each semester we learned how to design for different categories within the toy industry. We started off learning about preschool toys, plush, Action figures, playsets and doll design. I learned to hone my craft and found that my strength was in playsets, storytelling, and doll hairstyling. During my senior show I met with a lot of industry professionals. I made a lot of great connections, and I had multiple interviews setup with companies like Disney, Mattel but nothing stuck. Just as I was graduating the toy industry had started to decline technology was on the rise. Kids weren’t playing as much. There were little to no jobs available. Also, during art school I met my husband and we got married. He has been with me on this

design journey and has helped me reach my Goals. From running to Kinkos to print out resumes to helping me paint and create models. My husband was always my big cheerleader and partner.

How did you land your current job at Mattel? The truth is most Toy Designers stumble into their Career. It’s not really known even in the design world. Traditionally animation and or industrial design is more common. When I chose to go to Otis, I did not even realize that the school offered Toy Design and it is ranked as the top school for that program in the country. I didn’t even know what options were out there for design schools. I really have my friend to thank for my career. I just happened to choose that school because it was highly regarded. After I graduated, I started my career designing melamine baby dishes. During that time, I was working full time and applying to toy jobs. I felt that I had worked too hard to give up. Every day I scoured the web for toy design jobs. Finally, a job opening was posted on Mattel’s website. I contacted one of the industry professional’s I had met at my senior show and asked about the position. Despite the position being offered for a seasoned senior designer I applied for it. I created foam core models and multiple playsets specific to the Barbie brand. I was not going to let anyone take this job opportunity from me. It took 3 months for Mattel to hire me. I had about 6 interviews and received feedback in each interview. I needed to design for this brand. I always came back and made the necessary changes with the feedback that was given to me. Finally, it was time for the Vice President of Barbie Design to interview me. I showed her my portfolio and at the end of the interview she asked

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if I had any questions. I asked “When do I get to start?” She replied, “Well we will see…” The next day I got the call from HR that I got the job.

Please describe your creative process. What are the steps involved in your process? What I’ve learned after eight years at Mattel, that toy design is all about the story telling and figuring out how to translate that storytelling into play. Every story has a beginning, middle and end. One of my favorite toys I’ve designed was a Barbie Beekeeper Career doll and playset. Beginning: I started off with tiny bees that could plug into molded flowers that would “pollinate flowers.” Middle: Child could take the bee’s and place them in the Bee box. End: spin a dial and watch them “make honey. Every design is carefully thought out and goes through a committee. If I’m designing something, I make sure it is accurate to that career. The Bee Box used in the toy is based on a new kind of Bee box that uses a dial to pour the honey out rather than smoking the hive. It’s a very scrutinized brand, so I have to make sure that we are accurate and still fun, and don’t want to hurt the bees. I work with engineers, marketing counterparts, packaging designers, chemists, and an entire team to make sure each toy is accurate, safe and will sell.

Farmer. I pitched this toy as an homage to my grandparents who survived the Shoah and became Chicken farmers in California. That toy was an ode to them. My main job is to create dolls, playsets, and work on special features for the Barbie brand. We gather images, and trends and create a mood board showcasing those items. From the mood board I will either design the toy on the computer by drawing or creating a 3D model myself with cardboard or with the help of model makers, softwoods teams, hair and face teams, chemists, who are all there to facilitate the designers. Once the original concept is approved, it’s my job to communicate to our overseas counterparts, colors, materials, and dimensions of the product. It’s also my job to make sure dimensions are accurate so that the toy will fit in the package. Every toy on the shelf is designed two years in advance. We have different check in points for each toy to make sure we are on track and on budget.

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I’ve been able to balance being Shomer Shabbat, Shomer Kashrut, all while raising a family during my career. Luckily, Mattel has always offered their employee’s half day Fridays and taking time off for Jewish holidays has never negatively affected my work at the company or my reputation. In fact, being Shomer Shabbat and religious has been praised by my colleagues. They are very intrigued by the lifestyle and have enjoyed learning about what it means to be a religious Jew. I am not blind that Hashem has been guiding me into this journey. Nothing in my story has been by accident, I have tremendous hakarat hatov to Hashem, for the gifts he’s bestowed upon me and that he’s been guiding me in the right direction so I can use them.

What serves as your inspiration? Inspiration can come from anywhere. I spend my free time going to toy stores for inspiration, flea market shopping, theme parks, and immersive experiences.

Do you have any additional professional pursuits?

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How do you balance a frum lifestyle with a non-religious work environment?

My husband and I opened a unique Airbnb in Lake Arrowhead @HickoryPinesLodge. So, we are very busy with that on top of our kids.

What advice do you have for others who may be interested in your profession?

How do you add your personality into your design? When I’m designing, I like to take memories from my childhood and include them into the toys. For example, I was assigned to design a Barbie Preschool teacher. It was very important to me that I include a pet hamster in the toy because when I was in preschool, we had a class hamster named Zipity. One day Zipity was taken out of his cage and climbed up a boy’s pant leg. Humorous little stories like that resonate with consumers. I told that story when I presented that toy, and even gifted it to that teacher from many years ago. It did well in the market. Another toy I created was a Barbie Chicken

Do you have any mentors who guide and support you on this path? I feel very lucky to have the best boss, she pays my bills and lets me have fun, yes it can be stressful at times. I’ve been mentored throughout my career by colleagues and bosses to push myself into more complex designs and have grown as a leader in the company.

My biggest advice is to surround yourself with people who can support you and your dreams. The people closest to you in your inner circle should enable you to reach your end goals. I rely heavily on my husband, parents, and in-laws to support me. I’ve learned, it’s ok to ask for help. I also think it’s important to take any naysayers and use that to fuel your journey. Listening to feedback is important. When you enter the job force, go above what is asked of you. Listen to the experts in your field so you can learn how to take your skill sets to the next level. When pursuing your passions, be aware that if people say you won’t be able to do it, usually it’s because of their shortcomings, not yours. Struggling during your journey is also important because it helps you to grow. Don’t be afraid to pursue something you love. Never take no for an answer.

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

The Memory Lane Game Measure Your Toy Trivia Brilliance! 1. Which geometric drawing device now made by Hasbro was first sold in 1965?

11. In 1992, Parker Brothers released a board game where the goal is to sneak out to the kitchen for a midnight snack. A spinner determines your moves and you have to avoid noisy hazards along the way so that you ”Don’t Wake ______.”

3. Legs the Frog, Squealer the Pig, and Chocolate the Moose were three of the nine original versions of what item?

9. In 2021, Bandai issued an R2-D2 edition of what handheld toy, whose name is a blend of the Japanese words for "egg" and "watch"?

8. You might be a child of the 1970s if you know the egg-shaped toy that “wobbles but they don’t fall down" goes by what name?

10. What 1985 video game begins with a planned departure from Independence, Missouri?

12. What popular toy was "discovered" during WWII as scientists were searching for a substitute product for rubber?

29. "There's only one ______." "Get Real. Get ______." and "It's ______ or Nothin'!" are all slogans for what toy brand?

30. With over 35 million units sold since June 1, 1989, what puzzle game is the best-selling Game Boy video game of all-time and was the first video game played in space?

13. The company's personal transportation device launched in 2000 and quickly sold five million units, winning the "Toy of the Year." What is this "sharp" company?

31. What kind of animal was Geoffrey, the longtime mascot of the currently-defunct retailer Toys "R" Us?

14. Blueberry Muffin is the BFF of what redheaded doll dressed in pink, who was first manufactured in 1979 by Kenner?

33. Which game played on a large plastic mat with six rows of large colored circles was originally called “Pretzel?”

16. The four corner spaces on a standard Monopoly board are GO, Go to Jail, In Jail/Just Visiting, and what?

18. Which pocket-size plastic playsets of the ‘90s featured a girl with a P-name?

26 ● NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home

7. Which modern version of the strategy game Reversi is named after a play by Shakespeare?

28. First sold in 1967 and still available today, what two-word toy has kids adorn a light panel with small colored pegs to produce different pictures and patterns?

Congrats!

34. What battery-powere d board game has pieces called “bread basket,” “spare ribs,” “water on the knee,” and “funny bone?”

19. What water gun with manually pressurized air, sold by Hasbro, was invented in 1989?

35. The "Tickle Me" version of what Sesame Street character was the "it" toy of the 1996 holiday season, causing some shoppers to resort to violence to obtain it?

20. What spinning top has four sides and is commonly played with during Hanukkah festivities?

5. These playsets include figures—from knights and pirates to farmers and rescue heroes— that aren’t as bendable as action figures and the vehicles and buildings do require some assembly.

6. A toy called ___ Live allows users to place a race track in their own home, and then virtually race their friends on that track, inside a video game. It’s a popular Nintendo racing game starring a certain mustachioed plumber.

27. What classic Hasbro game, whose name comes from Swahili for "to build," was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2020?

26. Parker Brothers struck a deal with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate to namedrop "Sherlock Holmes" in early ads for what board game? 25. A stuffed toy who longs to become real is the title character of Margery Williams's classic 1922 children's book, "The Velveteen WHAT?"

You've successfully navigated through all the questions. Turn to page 39 to discover how well you did!

32.What classic, springy toy once used the ad slogan, "What walks down the stairs alone or in pairs?"

15. Lizzie, Henry, Homer, and Harry were the four original characters on the playing surface of what hard-to-swallow Milton Bradley-Hasbro tabletop game?

17. Babyland General Hospital was the "birthplace" of what line of collectible dolls that was a huge hit in the 1980s and included an individual birth certificate for each doll?

2. What toy ball, made of about 2,000 rubber filaments, was invented by engineer Scott Stillinger in 1986 to help his kids play catch?

4. Interlocking plastic rods, connectors, blocks, gears, wheels, and other components were the main pieces in what popular construction toy system that was founded in 1992.

21. What 6 colors are on the classic Rubik's cube?

24. Named for a brand of toys, what chain of theme parks has locations in Billund, Denmark; Carlsbad, California; and Dubai, UAE, among others? 23. The Ohio Art toy company purchased the rights to manufacture “the Magic Writer" and renamed the product to what more commonly-known name?

22. Which toy consists of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of colored material whose reflections produce changing patterns when the tube is rotated?

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Personal Perspectives I Love You for You Calanit Kopple

hen tragedy hits, we build bridges. We strive to connect to those coping with illness or tragedy, G-d forbid. Dropping all boundaries and borders of differences, we look past that which sets us apart and run to join in unity. To help, to heal, to pray, to be able to do anything or ask anything of Hashem. Please Hashem heal this Yiddishe mother. Please Hashem protect this Jewish boy from harm. We beg You Hashem, King of all Kings, most Merciful of Merciful. Protect our brother, our sister, and give life. It doesn’t take an expert scholar of Jewish history to observe that adversity brings unity. This is part of the promise of the Torah that there will always be Am Yisrael; through the pain and suffering amongst the nations will we cling to our traditions, our Torah, and to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. What if we could carry on that feeling of achdus and love that overflows when our fellow Yid is in pain, and transfer it to our daily interactions and thoughts? It is certainly a lofty goal. Because part of who we are, as a people, relies on our tradition of debate, of questioning, of asking what is the right way–what is the Emes? Hillel or Shammai? Who do we follow? Are we machmir or meikel? For a shomer mitzvos, every detail counts. It’s no surprise then that the zeal with which many follow the Torah translates to a disdain for others who view things differently. And it’s natural among the nations for people to simply disagree. But the passion that can unify us can also tear us apart. How do we overlook those differences to see the essential Yiddishe neshama in one another? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------When a baby joins this world, he or she is treasured simply for existing. We expect nothing from the infant; her value is innate, it is essential. As she grows, those who encounter her are thrilled by all that she can do, and look away from what she cannot do. Her value, her preciousness is still inherent and cannot be quantified. Somewhere along the way, the infant becomes a toddler, then a child, and the expectations begin. Can she sit nicely in school? Does she charm those who meet her with smiles? Do her brachos emerge at a high enough volume for others to respond amen? And as time passes, the barriers come up, little by little. We begin to place more value on the child for accomplishment and less on inherent existential

significance. What can she do or not do, rather than a simple she matters because she exists. She houses a pure Yiddishe neshama in a body whose heart still beats, willed by the Creator to live another day. She is valuable. And this is love. Love is the connection to one another based on the recognition of the pure value a person has simply for existing. Not for what you do or say. I love you because you are you.

And when this physical existence is threatened, we can return back to the essential value, because we know, underneath everything, that a Jewish soul is valuable and we must protect life at all costs. What if we could rummage up that love before the pain hits? Could this help bring Mashiach? Finding the love toward our family, neighbors, and community members just because. Just because we

are Am Yisrael, Am Echad, and each of us and all of us have the power to grow one step closer to bringing Mashiach, bimheira, bekarov–Amein. ____________________________________________

Calanit Kopple lives in Los Angeles with her family. If you would like to reach her, you can find her at JOANN on La Cienega most days of the week.

NOVEMBER 30, 2023 | The LA Jewish Home ●

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As Chanukah approaches, my anticipation is mixed with memories of late parties and cranky, sticky kids. Do you have any tips on how to make the Chanukah parties more enjoyable and less stressful for parents with little ones? Yay! I’m so excited by your question because that means Chanukah is upon us! And yet, I commiserate with your sentiments. Here are some technical solutions that I have put together to hopefully make Chanukah parties more enjoyable.

Maintain Perspective: Relax and remember it’s Chanukah. Kids might be a bit off schedule and hyped up on chocolate coins and sufganiyot – Try to keep your cool during tantrums or tired moments. Take deep, relaxing breaths, smile, and ride it out.

Plan Nap Time: Younger children who are not in school all day can take a nap during the day, allowing for a later bedtime and hopefully less cranky kids. Even if they don’t normally nap, try to encourage them to nap so they can have fun at the Chanukah party later that night.

Kid-Friendly Activities and Food: If you are involved in the planning, try to plan age-appropriate activities, games, or entertainment to keep the children engaged during the party. That way you will be able to relax and enjoy as well. Same idea with food; make sure there are kid friendly options that you know your children enjoy. On the flip side if you are not involved in the planning, you can ask what the general menu will be. If it is foods that your kids are not fond of, think Greek themed party, then bring some easy finger foods of your own.

Pre-Party Showers: If feasible, have kids shower upon returning home from school, and before candle lighting, so that the post-party bedtime routine is simplified. Personally, I am more relaxed when I know my kids have already showered and we can take that out of the bedtime routine, especially when we are arriving home later than usual. Consult with Rav: Check with your Rav regarding pre-candle lighting meals. If allowed, consider feeding younger children before the party to avoid hunger-induced tantrums. Communicate Schedule: Share the evening’s plan/schedule with your kids to help them transition smoothly between activities. Wipes for Cleanup: Keep wipes handy for quick cleanup of sticky doughnut hands and face, before those little fingers find their way onto your dress. Comfort for Younger Kids: Consider bringing a stroller and a child’s blanket or lovie, letting them know they have the option to rest if they would like. Some kids actually take you up on it!

Ask for help: If you have older children, consider putting them in charge of one of the younger ones. They can be responsible to make them plates of food and even feed them. Or if it’s a bigger party, keep an eye on them for you.

Variety in Plans: Consider not going out every night. Yes it’s so nice to get together with family and friends but maybe have a stay at home night where your family gets to bond together over dreidel and sufganiyot in the glow of the menorah. Wishing you a stress-free and joyous Chanukah! ____________________________________

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.

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Paul Kessler: An Early Case Analysis

SKI YESHIVA WEEK IN

Lou Shapiro

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n November 5, 2023, the violence of the Israel-Hamas war made its way to Southern California when Paul Kessler, 69, died from bluntforce head trauma following a confrontation with a counterprotester amid simultaneous pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Thousand Oaks. The evidence provided by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is thus far murky. They provided that the incident took place near the protesting of two groups identified as “Freedom for Palestine” and “We are Pro-Israel.” It is estimated that 75100 people were in attendance. Around 3:20 p.m, the sheriff’s office received multiple calls about a possible assault related to the protests at an intersection. When deputies and medical responders arrived at the scene minutes later, they found Kessler lying on the ground, conscious and responsive. He was hospitalized in critical condition and then died. They determined a pro-Palestinian protester had been involved in an altercation with Kessler, who at some point fell backward and hit his head on the ground. Investigators interviewed pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian witnesses at the scene, who gave contradicting accounts of who started the altercation and what occurred. The autopsy determined Kessler’s cause of death to be blunt force head trauma. It also revealed Kessler suffered injuries consistent with a fall, including skull fractures, brain swelling and bruising, and nonlethal injuries to his face. After reviewing and piecing together 600 pieces of evidence, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office charged Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, a professor of computer science at Moorpark College, with involuntary manslaughter and assault causing great bodily injury. He was not charged with a hate crime enhancement, but the DA’s Office said they may add it at a later time.

To prove a hate crime enhancement, a prosecutor would have to prove that the Aljani committed the crime in whole or in part because Kessler is a Jew. It is typically proven by statements that the defendant made while committing the offense which shows his or her motivation behind the act. Absent that, it would be very difficult for a prosecutor to prove. At arraignment, the judge lowered his bail from $1 million down to $50,000.00. The charges carry a maximum incarceration period of 8 years. If convicted, it would be very unlikely for Alnaji to receive the maximum sentence because presumably he has no record of violence. Any prior record of violence would have likely precluded him from being a college professor. Alnaji’s lawyer stated that they have video which shows that Alnaji was not even near Kessler when Kessler was fatally injured. He said that Alnaji was 6-8 feet away from Kessler when Kessler fell. He also said that Kessler got in the face of many of the protesters, including Alnaji, and that Kessler stuck his phone in Alnaji’s face and Alnaji brushed it away. Finally, he maintains that Alnaji rendered aid to Kessler and even called 911. It appears that the defense is going to be misidentification rather than self-defense, but that can change over time. It is easy to charge someone with a crime, but it is not easy to convict. Regardless of how this case resolves, one thing is for certain there is one less pro-Israel supporter in Thousand Oaks. ___________________________________ 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.

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The Hate That Doesn’t Know Its Own Name Bret Stephens

hen historian Deborah Lipstadt defeated a libel suit brought against her in a British court by Holocaust denier David Irving in April 2000, it was almost possible to imagine that antisemitism might someday become a thing of the past, at least in much of the West. Taking a trip to Israel was not an ideologically fraught choice. Wearing a Star of David was not a personally risky one. College campuses did not feel hostile to Jewish students. Synagogues (at least in the United States) did not have police officers stationed outside their doors. Not anymore. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 751 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2013. There were 3,697 in 2022. There was a nearly 400% increase in the two weeks after the Hamas massacre of October 7 compared with the year before. Last week, “Jewish students specifically were warned not to enter MIT’s front entrance due to a risk to their physical safety,” according to a public letter from Jewish students there. In Montreal, a Jewish school was targeted by gunfire twice in a single week. Today, Lipstadt is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, and her battle against Irving (the subject of the 2016 film “Denial”) seems almost quaint. “I never imagined antisemitism would get this bad,” she told me when I spoke with her by phone. “Something about this is different from anything I have ever personally seen.” One of those differences, I suggested, is that antisemitism is the hate that doesn’t know its own name — that is, that many of those who call themselves anti-Zionists or chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” would vehemently deny that they are engaged in antisemitic behavior. Lipstadt allowed that at least a few people have no idea what the chant means. But many more do: a call for “a purely Palestinian state without Jews.” She added, “You may want to redefine it, but what it has stood for, for decades, is quite clear.” (Yes, there are those who imagine Jews and Palestinians coexisting harmoniously in some future river-to-sea Palestine. Hamas murdered that fantasy, along with so much else, on October 7.) As for anti-Zionism (never to be

confused with ordinary, even stringent, criticism of Israeli policy), “we have to make a historical distinction,” she said. A century ago, before the creation of the state of Israel, questions about Zionism were “more of a political or intellectual debate. But when you are talking about a state with 7.1 million Jews and when you are saying they have no right to exist and should all go someplace else, that’s something far more than an ideological point.” What about more specific anti-Zionist arguments, such as the view that the Jews displaced native inhabitants to create Israel? Or that Israel is a racist state that practices apartheid? Lipstadt made short work of those claims. If Israel ought to be abolished because it is guilty of displacing native inhabitants, then the same should go for the United States or Australia, among many other countries. If Israel is racist, then how is it that more than half of Israeli Jews have non-Ashkenazi roots, because their ancestors came from places like Iran, Yemen and Ethiopia? If Israel is an apartheid state, why are Israeli Arabs in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court, attending Israeli universities, staffing Israeli hospitals? Then there is the double standard that’s so often applied to Jews. On college campuses, she noted, “when other groups say, ‘We are a victim,’ the default position is to believe them. When Jews say it, the default position is to question, to challenge, to say, ‘You caused it’ or ‘You don’t have a right to that’ or ‘What you say happened to you is not really an example of bigotry.’” Why is so much of today’s antisemitism coming from well-educated people, the sort who would never be caught dead uttering other racist remarks? Lipstadt recalled that of the four Einsatzgruppen — the German death squads entrusted with the mass murder of Jews in World War II — three were led by officers with doctoral degrees. “You can be a Ph.D. and a [really bad person] at the same time,” she said. She also pointed to academic fads of the past two decades, “narratives or ideologies that may not start out as antisemitic but end up painting the Jew as other, as a source of oppression instead

of having been oppressed.” One of those narratives is that Jews are “more powerful, richer, smarter, maliciously so,” than others and must therefore be stopped by any means necessary. The idea that opposing Jewish power can be a matter of punching up, rather than down, fits neatly into the narrative that justifies any form of opposition to those with power and privilege, both of them dirty words on today’s campuses. It’s how Hamas’ “resistance” — the mass murder and kidnapping of defenseless civilians — has become the new radical chic. The challenge that Lipstadt confronts isn’t confined to campuses. It’s worldwide: the streets of London (which saw a 1,350% increase in antisemitic hate crimes in the early weeks of October from the previous year) and on Chinese state media (which hosts discussion pages about Jewish control of American

wealth) and in Muslim immigrant communities throughout Europe (with Muslims handing out candy in one Berlin neighborhood to celebrate the Oct. 7 attacks). Lipstadt was clear about where this leads: “Never has a society tolerated overt expressions of antisemitism and remained a democratic society.” What to do? Governments alone, she said, can’t solve the problem. “I know it sounds ludicrous, but a lot comes down to what happens at the dinner table.” She told me of a friend whose fifth grade daughter was taunted by antisemitic remarks by her classmates at a “fancy Washington school.” “Where did they get that? Where did it come from? How did they learn it was OK?” © The New York Times

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Is “Quality of Life” a Jewish Concept?

n a recent podcast about my organization Ematai’s end-oflife care principles, I argued that Judaism takes into account “quality of life” when thinking about interventions toward the end-of-life. Judaism certainly places a premium on preserving life and usually calls upon us to do everything to save a life. We value the life of all human beings and certainly do not belittle the inherent dignity of those with physical or mental impairments. We furthermore condemn active euthanasia, assisted-suicide, or intentionally hastening someone’s death. Judaism does not want humans to “put out a flickering candle,” as the Sages put it. Nonetheless, as Kohelet proclaims, “There is a time for death” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Sometimes our interventions will not extend living but instead prolong dying. Judaism doesn’t value dragging out a painful process of dying. Halacha allows

a person to forego further interventions when their ailments have become too great and their quality of life has become too degraded. Afterward, I was questioned whether “quality of life” is a Jewish value. Yes, we try to alleviate pain and suffering. But doesn’t Judaism assert that “every moment of life is of infinite value” and therefore should be extended as much as possible? A few scholars have taken this approach. Jewish law mandates that we can desecrate Shabbat to save the life of a person, even if we will only be extending their life for a short, fleeting amount of time. On this basis, Rabbi Eliezer Waldenburg (Tzitz Eliezer Ramat Rachel 5:28:5) asserted that even as we treat people for pain, we should generally do everything to extend a person’s life, even for a limited time (chayei sha’ah). Similarly, Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits repeatedly asserted,

“Any fraction of life, whether 10 years or a minute, whether healthy, crippled or even unconscious, remains equally infinite in value.” In contrast, Rabbi Yaakov Kanievsky (the ‘Steipler Gaon’), followed by Rabbi Asher Weiss, have contended that this sentiment is wrong. The starting point of their claim is that halacha permits removing an impediment to a suffering person’s death, if this will prevent severe suffering, as long as one does not move the dying person himself in a way that will cause them to die. Sometimes, we should passively allow natural death. One can buttress this claim by citing the following three trends in Talmudic literature that point to a value of “quality of life.” Firstly, the Sages prayed for “mercy” for the terminally ill. The Talmud records a remarkable story of Rabbi Akiva visiting a sick student and afterward de-

claring, “Those who do not visit the sick kill a person because they don’t know whether to pray for mercy for them to live or to die.” The 14th century commentator Rabbenu Nisim asserted that sometimes, when a person is suffering and dying, that we should pray for them to die. This position was affirmed by Rabbi Yehiel M. Epstein. Indeed, we find prayers composed precisely to pray for someone’s death. Admittedly, some argued that this went far, but many detractors still argue that for the terminally ill, we simply pray for God to ‘have mercy.’ He’ll decide what that means. Secondly, various stories acknowledge that sometimes living is worse than death. Rabbenu Nissim buttressed his argument by citing a well-known story regarding the last days of Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi’s life. The handmaiden of Rebbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi prayed for her ill master to decease because she saw his suffering

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(Ketubot 104a). Her requests were ultimately answered over the fervent entreaties of his students. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein derived from this story that when a person is both terminally ill and in intractable pain, the preferred recourse is to withhold life-prolonging measures and remove any external impediments to death. Decisors disagree what are licit forms of “withholding” and what constitutes an “external impediment” that might be removed. Yet many agree that pharmacological and technological means should only be started now to maximize comfort. Thirdly, beyond physical suffering, the Sages expressed concern for psychological and emotional pain. Two great Sages, Choni the Circle-Drawer (Ta’anit 23) and R. Yochanan (Bava Metzia 84a), were in deep emotional distraught over their loss of companionship. In both cases, prayers were recited for their deaths and their souls were returned to their makers. In another case, an old woman complained to Rabbi Yosi ben Chalafta that she had “become too old” and lost all sense of physical taste and emotional meaning. He advised her to refrain from going to synagogue services for three days, which was a great merit for her. She

followed his orders, and immediately died (Yalkut Shimoni, Ekev 871). Similarly, the Talmud explains that the Angel of Death could not enter the city of Luz. When elderly people felt that life had lost all purpose, they left the city and died (Sotah 46b). From this latter story, Rabbi Hershel Schachter asserts that people have the option to withhold interventions that deem non-beneficial on condition that it is within the spectrum of reasonable decisions taken by rational people (and not some quirky request or suicidal impulse). The larger point was well-summed up by Rabbi Moshe Tendler and Dr. Fred Rosner, who wrote, “Judaism is concerned about the quality of life, about the mitigation of pain, and the cure of illness wherever possible. If no cure or remission can be achieved, nature may be allowed to take its course. To prolong life is a mitzvah, to prolong dying is not.” May God give us the wisdom to judiciously implement these teachings.

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Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody is the executive director of Ematai, dedicated to helping Jews navigate their healthcare journey with Jewish wisdom. www.ematai.org.

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Mexican Corn ‘Latkes’ with Tajin Dipping Sauce

Ingredients Potatoes: • 2 lb Russet Potatoes • 2 tbsp canola oil • 2 tbsp cornstarch • 3 tbsp heavy cream • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast • Salt & pepper • Vegetable Oil for frying Herb Cream Cheese: • 1 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened) • 1/4 cup chopped chives, or a combination of chives and fresh basil or dill • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 pound of your favorite smoked salmon

Directions • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. • Rinse and clean your potatoes, then use a mandolin to slice them very thin. • Mix the potato slices in a bowl with canola oil, cornstarch, heavy cream, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper until each piece is evenly coated. • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and layer the potato slices into the pan. • Once you have layered all your potatoes with the overhanging parchment paper, fold it on top and bake for about 2 hours. • Once the loaf pan comes out of the oven, let it reach room temperature and put it in the fridge to cool overnight. • While cooling, make sure to put some sort of “weight,” like food

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cans, on top of the parchment paper. • Once cooled, remove the potatoes from the loaf pan and cut a few evenly sized squares. In a pan, heat up your oil to fry and drop each square until it is golden brown on all sides. • To achieve ultimate crispiness, let them drain on a cooling rack rather than a paper towel. Top with your herb cream cheese and thin slices of smoked salmon and enjoy! Herb Cream Cheese: • Can be mixed by hand or using a mixer. Soften the cream cheese and mix it together with all your herbs. Season to taste

Ingredients

Directions

**Makes about 20 latkes

• Combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce and refrigerate while making your latkes. • In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, AP flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and baking powder. • In a separate bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Once mixed, add it to your dry ingredients and ensure everything is well combined. • Heat up your neutral oil in a pan, and once hot, drop your latkes until they reach a nice golden brown. • Transfer the latkes onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, enjoy them with your Tajin dipping sauce!

For latkes: • 4 cups of corn kernels • 3/4 cup all-purpose (AP) flour • 1/4 cup cornstarch • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese • 1 tsp baking powder • 2 eggs • Grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil for frying) Tajin Dipping Sauce: • 1/2 cup mayonnaise • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt • Juice of 1 lemon • 1 tbsp Tajin seasoning

Starlit Miracle Denise Berger

t was a few days after the D-Day invasion and Private Morris was lucky to have survived the initial carnage. He was with some friends from the platoon searching for a place to sleep when they happened upon a ditch. Any form of shelter, even dirt, felt like a luxury for the exhausted soldiers, and they gratefully crawled in to hunker down for the night. It was a beautiful night, almost moonless. The summer sky was filled with stars. Just as they were drifting off, there was a stirring in the group - Private Morris was climbing out. His friends could not understand what he was doing. Where was he going? Didn’t he know he could get killed? The reply from Private Morris seemed glib, but came from the sincerest depths of his heart: If he was going to die, he would rather it be outside, gazing up at the heavens and thinking of Hashem. He went and settled himself in a clearing, where he lay looking up at the stars, contemplating their light and G-d until he entered sleep. Upon waking the next day, Private Morris discovered his friends in the ditch had been killed. The fact that he was saved seems clearly miraculous. The miracle appears even greater when we stop to consider that generally being exposed outside is far more vulnerable than being hidden in the earth. And there is yet an

even deeper meaning to what occurred. I learned this very powerful insight from Rabbi Shlomo Seidenfeld. In Hebrew, the word for miracle is neis. This word is connected to the word for test, nisayon; and also to the word for banner, nes. We know that in Hebrew, any time words are connected through the same letters, there exists a spiritual connection within their essence. So there is a connection between miracles, and tests, and banners. Private Morris had a choice. He could have silenced that inner voice telling him to go outside. He could have obeyed his friends’ common sense. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was facing a test. And as Rabbi Seidenfeld explains, whenever there is a test, whether we “pass” or “fail,” the result serves as a banner, proclaiming where we are at that moment. As it was for Private Morris, when we open ourselves to that connection with the Divine, miracles happen. And just as for Private Morris, any decision might lead to a miracle, and we have no idea at the time.

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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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Kiddush Hashem Across the Globe as Tens of Thousands Take First Amud HaYomi Test Chaim Gold

“A

colossal kiddush Hashem, were the words that came to mind when I observed the first Amud HaYomi test last week,” related Rabbi Moshe Fisher, Co-Director of Dirshu’s operations in North America, in describing what he saw at multiple testing sites in Brooklyn. “What I saw on the night of the bechina in Brooklyn and what I heard later from those who were at other sites all over the world, was a kiddush Hashem of tremendous proportions. Yidden just came and came and came, wanting nothing more than to be tested on their knowledge of Hashem’s Torah. They wanted a kinyan in Hashem’s Torah and what shone through perhaps more than anything was a tangible love for Hashem’s Torah. The ahavas haTorah that Klal Yisrael has displayed since the onset of the Amud HaYomi and that culminated in the excitement of taking that first test on the first fifteen blatt in Shas, is the greatest tribute to the nitzchiyus of Klal Yisrael,” concluded Rabbi Fisher. In fact, Rabbi Yitzchok Spigelman, Co-Director of Dirshu, North America, related, “When I came to Yeshiva Ketana of Lakewood, one of the four Lakewood testing sites, it was long before the test was slated to begin and already a large crowd was waiting outside in anticipation to take the test. At that moment, I realized that this is not just another Dirshu test, this is a revolution in progress. A Torah revolution!” In truth, there are no words to describe the huge response to the beginning of the new Amud HaYomi program. Even Dirshu’s hanhala, who have seen numerous massive growth spurts over the years, were flabbergasted by the world-wide response as untold thousands gathered all over Eretz Yisrael in testing centers from Tzefas in the North to Be’er Sheva in the south. The entire North America and Canada, Europe, England, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, France, Holland, even Gibraltar, as well as Argentina and Australia all had a massive uptick of new participants. In Eretz Yisrael alone there were more than 900 testing sites with people of all ages, all types and stripes gathering to take the test. Tens of thousands of people took the tests! Yes, you read that right, 900 testing sites and tens of thousands of test-takers, an absolute record! From Nebraska to Hadassah Hospital! The Amud HaYomi program began with daf beis in Masechta Brachos this past Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. In the course of that first month, hundreds of new shiurim opened all over the world, taking even the hanhala of Dirshu by surprise. In far-off Nebraska a shiur takes place in the Solomon’s Shechita Plant where the shochtim, bodkim, menakrim and mashgichim sit down every day for their Amud HaYomi shiur. In Eretz Yisrael, there are over 500 shiurim with hundreds more in America and Europe. There is even a daily shiur in the shul of Hadassah Hospital!

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Lakewood, NJ

Another amazing aspect of watching the first test was the sight of such a wide range of people! “Mena’ar v’ad zakein!” exclaimed Rabbi Avigdor Bernstein, a senior member of the Dirshu hanhala in Eretz Yisrael. “Boys under bar mitzvah were sitting alongside great-grandfathers with long white beards who needed the aid of a cane to walk. They were all there. Ashkenazim and Sefardim, Chassidim and Yeshiva types, baalei battim and kollel yungeleit, all united by the Torah and a program that enables them to comprehensively and systematically go through Shas with a plan.” “I was at the main Boro Park testing site,” Rabbi Moshe Fisher relates, “and within a half hour after the test began, I realized we would need more space than was available in the main Munkatcher Beis Medrash. We therefore opened the basement where hundreds more were able to take the test. I looked around and couldn’t believe my eyes. I saw two chassanim in the middle of sheva brachos taking the test and several children under bar mitzvah. Seeing literally hundreds of people coming

in and out of that test site with smiles and visible sipuk hanefesh showing true spiritual satisfaction, was deeply gratifying.” At A Chasuna… In the Army… A Disabled Bachur… And the Stories are Pouring In! Numerous stories of perseverance and heroism have made their way to Dirshu’s office, poignant stories offer that insight into how the Amud HaYomi is having a transformative impact on all of Klal Yisrael. Recently Dirshu received a call from a father of a disabled bachur who is learning the Amud HaYomi but finds taking a test in Hebrew difficult. The question was whether someone could translate the questions for him and would he be permitted to write the answers in English. A mother called Dirshu’s office with a request, “I have three bachurim ages 13, 14 and 17, who are all planning on taking the test. They have been learning so hard for the entire month. Dirshu has a policy that they hold in an escrow account all the money earned by bachurim who take the test to be given to them when they marry.

Can an exception perhaps be made because these bachurim worked so hard and having the money in their hands might give them chizuk?” Another father called to ask if the Amud HaYomi test can be sent to him because he has a son who had not yet been accepted into a yeshiva who is learning the Amud HaYomi at home every day. “My son is embarrassed to be seen in public and wants to know if he can take the test at home.” There is a yeshiva in Monsey where almost the entire yeshiva took it upon themselves to learn the Amud HaYomi during their free time. The yeshiva called Dirshu to ask if perhaps the tests and a proctor could come to the yeshiva, so that the bachurim would not have to leave yeshiva and go to a testing site. There is a Rosh Yeshiva of a religious Zionist yeshiva located in Yehuda V’Shomron who decided that every day during bein hasedarim he would deliver an Amud HaYomi shiur to the talmidim. When the Israeli Army started calling up reservists for the present war, he was among those called. His task is not in combat, but he is involved in an integral engineering area. That Rosh Yeshiva has been giving the shiur to his talmidim every day via zoom. Iyun Ha’Amud is a Gamechanger Another amazing innovation that has seen success above and beyond anyone’s dream is the comprehensive, gevaldik kuntress called Iyun Ha’Amud compiled by great talmidei chachomim that Dirshu has published and distributed. The kuntress, designed to assist the lomdim of Amud HaYomi with their learning, includes the pages of the Gemara, explanations and supplements, marei mekomos and practical applications of the halachah, as well as the basic “reyd” on each sugya. It also offers “sikumim”, small encapsulations of each sugya to assist lomdim in remembering the important parts of each sugya. Rav Bernstein relates, “It is very important to note that the tens upon tens of thousands of people who have come to take the test, represent only a small percentage of those who are actually learning the Amud HaYomi. Our internal statistics have shown that for every person who takes a test, there are some eight times that number learning the material in the program, but not taking the tests.” The ‘Buzz’ That Can Protect Klal Yisrael! Rabbi Bernstein said, “It is clear that in the world of Torah, the ‘buzz’ today is Amud HaYomi. The Amud HaYomi has truly become the nachlas haklal, the inheritance of all Klal Yisrael. It is our fervent tefillah that the zechus of the Amud HaYomi will continue to protect Klal Yisrael!”

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