2-2-23 The LA Jewish Home

Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh

Invites the Los Angeles Community

Shabbat Parshat Yitro

February 10-11 , 2023

Ideas & Ideals

Scholar in Residence

Young Israel of Hancock ParkRabbi Menachem

Mendel Blachman

Senior RAM, Kerem B’Yavneh

Thursday Night: Shiur at the Home of Aryeh and Felice Greenbaum - 7:45pm

Friday Night: Rav Kalmenson Minyan

Shabbos Day: Young Israel of Hancock Park

Scholar in Residence

Young Israel of Century City

Rabbi Shalom Rosner

RAM, Kerem B’Yavneh

Rav of Kehillat Nofei Hashemesh, Bet Shemesh, Maggid Shiur, OUtorah.

Community Wide Oneg Shabbos with Rabbi Rosner

8:30pm at the Home of Rabbi Matt and Sabrina Rosenberg

Scholar in Residence Adas Torah

Rabbi Raphael Stohl

Kerem B'Yavneh Alumnus

and Mashgiach, Yeshiva of South Florida; Rebbe, Masmidim program, Katz Yeshiva High School

High School Boys Oneg Shabbos with Rabbi Stohl

8:30pm at the Home of YULA Dean of Students Rabbi Shimon Abramczik

Scholar in Residence

Shaarey Zedek Congregation

Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank

The Keys To Jewish Education In An Evolving World Melave Malka

Kerem B'Yavneh Alumnus, Magid Shiur at Yeshiva University

Community Wide Oneg Shabbos

Shaarey Zedek congregation With Rabbi Netanel Weiderblank

8:15pm in the Downstairs Social Hall

Co-Sponsored by Valley Torah Boys High School

- 8:00-10:00pm

Join Rabbis Blachman, Rosner, Stohl, and Wiederblank for a special Q & A Session on "Jewish Education 5783" and participate in the Mitzvah of Kesivas

Sefer Torah in honor of Kerem B'Yavneh's 70th Anniversary

At the home of Alan and Michelle Willner

Shabbaton Committee:

Yitzi Greenbaum, Moshe Hager, Michael Helfand, Daniel Korda, Daniel Nagel , Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, Rafi Ryzman, Yoni Statman, AJ Stern, Yaakov Willner

For a complete list of Shiurim and Addresses, please email zvi@kby.org.il

La Brea/Hancock Park

Pico/Robertson

Valley Village

EPIC Chinuch Week

Parshas Beshalach Feb. 4

Hancock Park

Friday Night Feb 3

Young Israel of Hancock Park - Rabbi Zev Leff

Ohr Hachaim - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Orange Jews Minyan - Rabbi Yaacov Goodman

Kehilas Yaakov - Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen

Oneg Shabbos - TBA

Shabbos Morning Feb 4

Shaarei Torah - Rabbi Zev Leff

Young Israel of Hancock Park - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Shabbos Afternoon Feb 4

Young Israel of Hancock Park - Rabbi Zev Leff

Shalosh Seudos Feb 4

Young Israel of Hancock Park - Rabbi Zev Leff

Shaarei Torah - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Beis Moshe Yitzchok - Rabbi Yaacov Goodman

Khal Zichron Moshe - Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen

Parshas Yisro Feb. 11

Valley Village & Tarzana

Friday Night Feb 10

Mekor Hachaim - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Bais Tefillah - Rabbi Yaacov Goodman

Mekor Hachaim - Oneg Shabbos

Shabbos Morning Feb 11

Mekor Hachaim- Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Bais Tefillah - Rabbi Doniel Frank

Bais Tefillah - Rabbi Shlomo Pinkus

Shabbos Afternoon Feb 11

Mekor Hachaim - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Bais Tefillah - Rabbi Doniel Frank (after davening)

Shalosh Seudos Feb 11

Mekor Hachaim- Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen

Bais Tefillah - Rabbi Doniel Frank

Yeshivas & Events

Wedn. Feb 1

Bnos Esther HS - Rabi Zev Leff

Thurs Feb 2

Toras Emes - Boys/Girls - Rabbi Zev Leff

Bais Yaakov HS - Rabbi Zev Leff

Ohr Eliyahu Fathers Leil Shishi

Ohr Hachaim Leil Shishi - Rabbi Kaplan

Fri Feb 3

Ohr Eliyahu Boys/Girls - Rabbi Zev Leff

Motzei Shabbos Feb 4

EPIC Chinuch Think Tank

Sun Feb 5

Kollel

Thurs Feb 9

Valley Torah Boys - Rabbi Dovid Kaplan

Valley Torah Girls - Rabbi Doniel Frank

Valley Torah Parents - Rabbi Doniel Frank

Toras Emes Boys Leil Shishi

w/ Rabbi Kaplan

Zichron Moshe Leil Shishi - Rabbi Kaplan

Sun Feb 12

Mekor Hachaim - Shalom Bayis Breakfast

w/Rabbi Kaplan

Womens Lecture at Weiss Home

W/Rabbi Doniel Frank LMFT

Dear Readers,

In this week’s Parsha, Nachshon ben Aminadav is known for his bravery. He did something for Klal Yisroel that no one else thought of or did before. He took that first step into the ocean, all the way up to his neck, before seeing results.

Shayna Lea bas Yehuda Zerach was the same. She jumped into serving Klal Yisroel in a way that no one else had before and no one can do what she did. Sharon Shenker was a natural - you would never think that there was any effort involved in her teaching Torah and reaching thousands of souls. Why do I say thousands? Because Sharon, while she taught Torah through Aish and provided therapy to all kinds of people, was focused on Jewish mothers. And through all of those mothers, she influenced their husbands and their children to connect to Hashem and His mitzvos. Sharon changed entire families, for generations, and that’s why Sharon is LA’s Nachson ben Aminadav.

There are hundreds (if not more) of other people who are more equipped to speak about Sharon than me. I was but one single, small life that she influenced, and I did not have much to do with her consistently. Back in 2009-2010, I would attend Sharon’s Shabbos morning Parsha class. With my two babies at the time, it was hard getting out of the house that early on a Shabbos, and I was exhausted from a long week at work, but I could never miss the uplifting of my soul, the deep insight that I would learn that week.

Sharon had a way of making everyone feel so special. But it wasn’t because she said terrific things about you to your face. For me, it was the way her face was lit up by Simcha. Sharon was always happy, always! Always smiling. She thought life was amazing and how lucky we were to be living it, every single day. Being alive was the reason to be happy. You could see it in the intensity with which she said the bracha of Shehakol so loudly over a cup of water.

According to Sharon, there was so much joy in everyday living, in our experiences, in our relationships with others (especially in marriages), and in the pain that pushed us forward and made us better versions of ourselves. We were not meant to be better people, or someone else. According to Sharon, we were perfect and needed to be ourselves, only one tiny bit better, with more clarity and purpose. This is what she brought to JWI and the Marriage Restoration Project. I saw Sharon privately for a few sessions around 2011, and then went back to her when she became a therapist years later. I chose to speak to Sharon about a personal matter because of her insight, because I knew she would tell me the truth, and tell it like it is.

Sharon was also vulnerable, and that’s how she connected with others. In her Shabbos morning classes and other conversations, she would share her own struggles, or things that helped her to improve. First I thought to myself, “wow I can’t believe she just said that.” But I realized this was her way of connecting, of making the other person feel understood, of sharing the struggle, and mostly of being so open that she had no embarrassment. And that was Sharon - someone who served everyone, no matter what it took out of her. And it didn’t take anything away from her, but only helped her grow more into the giant that she was.

This week we also commemorate the light that shined from Leora Ezoory, Leora Tova bas Rachamim, who left this world, our community, and her family too early. On her first yahrzeit, her family reflects on her shining light and on the void she left behind. The wounds are still bleeding.

I paid a shiva call this week to a family who watched their mother suffer for a long time before she passed. Her daughters spoke of her with huge smiles on their faces, never shedding a tear while speaking of her (at least while I was there), because all of their memories were joyous. I could tell that these daughters truly appreciated the time they spent with their mother, and were left with mostly happy memories of a life well-lived, despite the amount of suffering they witnessed. These losses are heavy. Let’s feel them. It leaves me with the reminder that we are surrounded every day, in this community, by special souls. Let’s appreciate them before they leave this world. And also after. We should be inspired by how they lived and also by the legacy they left us. May these 3 women have Aliyas of their Neshamos. If you feel inspired, please choose a mitzvah on their behalf.

Wishing you comfort and peace this Shabbos, Ariela

Yoel Halpern PUBLISHER publisher@thelajewishhome.com

Sara Halpern

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

sara@thelajewishhome.com

Ariela Kauffman

MANAGING EDITOR

editor@thelajewishhome.com

Avi Heyman

HEAD OF SALES avi@thelajewishhome.com

Dorit Teichman

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

8950 W Olympic Blvd #147 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Tel: 213-538-7770

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

Shabbos

Zemanim

Friday, February 3

Parsha Beshalach

Shabbos Begins: 5:07 pm

Shabbos Ends: 6:05 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 6:39 pm

Friday, February 10

Parsha Yisro

Shabbos Begins: 5:13 pm

Shabbos Ends: 6:12 pm

Rabeinu Tam: 6:46 pm

THE WELL WITHIN with Mrs. Faigie Zelcer, founding

"At this unique stage in life, joining the B.I.G. event will help enable you to navigate these times with true Torah hashkafa, clarity and direction."

— Harav Elya Brudny shlita

The Week In News

CIA Helped Mossad Escape

In his recently published book, Never Give An Inch, former CIA director and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed that the CIA was tasked to rescue Mossad agents who were in imminent peril at the personal request of then-Mossad director Yossi Cohen. Pompeo did not reveal which mission the CIA was needed to assist, although he called it “one of the most significant clandestine operations ever conducted.” Still, rumors are swirling that Pompeo was referring to the daring enterprise in February 2018 in which Israeli agents seized Iran’s secret nuclear archive and were spirited out of the country. Sources insist that Americans were not involved in that mission. Describing one of several interactions with then Mossad director Yossi Cohen, but without giving the exact date, Pompeo recounts hearing from an aide, “Mr. Director, [Mossad] Director [Yossi] Cohen needs to speak with you

immediately.” “The call from Yossi Cohen, the head of the Mossad, arrived shortly after I had stepped off a plane in a European capital. I turned around and went back onboard, where we had communications equipment suitable for a classified conversation with the leader of Israel’s intelligence agency,” writes Pompeo.“The voice on the other end was calm but serious: ‘Mike, we just had a team complete a very important mission, and now I’m having a bit of trouble extracting some of them. Can I get your help?’” Pompeo continued, “Whenever Yossi called, I took it. He did the same for me… I was there to help our friends, no questions asked, no matter the risks. My people swung into action across the world. We connected with his team, and within twenty-four hours, we guided them to safe houses. Within the next two days, they were back in their home countries without the world ever knowing that one of the most significant clandestine operations ever conducted was now complete,” recounts Pompeo. During his tenure, although not when he was CIA director, there were other major publicly known operations including the sabotaging of the nuclear facilities at Natanz in July 2020 and assassinating Iran nuclear chief Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020. Additionally, Pompeo may be referring to an operation that is not yet publicly known.

Biden’s New Chief of Staff

President Joe Biden plans to name Jeffrey D. Zients, his former coronavirus response coordinator, as the next White House chief of staff heading into a crucial new phase as he confronts a Republican House and is expected to kick off a reelection campaign, officials familiar with the decision said. Zients will replace Ron Klain, who has run Biden’s White House since the president took office two years ago and is preparing to step down sometime after the State of the Union address on February 7. The change at the top may presage other personnel shifts in the coming weeks and months as the White House gears up for the 2024 election.

An entrepreneur and management consultant who organized the largest vaccination campaign in American history, Zients is widely respected in Biden circles as a strong and capable technocratic leader, but he has little of the political experience helpful in overseeing a presidential campaign. His selection suggests that the president could lean on Zients to help run the government while other

advisers focus on the politics of winning a second term. Zients, who declined to comment on Sunday, was considered the best choice for what aides expect to be a challenging period for the White House, which is bracing for a blizzard of political fights with Republicans now controlling the House and a new special counsel investigation looking into the mishandling of classified documents. Into that fray comes Zients (pronounced ZYE-ents), who has been entrusted with some of the trickiest management tasks of the past two Democratic administrations—“the ultimate firefighter,” as once described by Denis McDonough, a former chief of staff for President Barack Obama who now serves as Biden’s secretary of veterans affairs.

Progressives have long been wary of Zients, who made a fortune building two consultancies and taking them public. Among other things, they cite his wealth and business orientation, his service on Facebook’s board of directors, his support for deficit reduction under Obama, and his time as CEO of Cranemere, a private investment firm. Zients has admirers on both sides of the political aisle, including Joshua B. Bolten, who was the White House chief of staff for President George W. Bush. “Jeff is a great choice for chief—first-rate talent, demeanor, and experience,” Bolten said Sunday. (©The New York Times)

UPCOMING TOURS

Egg prices are soaring so high that people are bringing eggs into the country from other places. Officers at the San Diego Customs and Border Protection Office have seen an increase in the number of attempts to move eggs across the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a tweet from director of field operations Jennifer De La O.“The San Diego Field Office has recently noticed an increase in the number of eggs intercepted at our ports of entry,” wrote De La Oin a tweet. “As

a reminder, uncooked eggs are prohibited entry from Mexico into the U.S. Failure to declare agriculture items can result in penalties of up to $10,000.” Bringing uncooked eggs from Mexico into the U.S. is illegal because of the risk of bird flu and Newcastle disease, a contagious virus that affects birds, according to Customs and Border Protection. A massive outbreak of deadly avian flu among American chicken flocks has caused egg prices to skyrocket, climbing 11.1% from November to December and 59.9% annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increased incidents of people attempting to bring in the eggs have been reported at the Tijuana-San Diego crossing as well as other southwest border locations. For the most part, travelers bringing eggs have declared the eggs while crossing the border, although they won’t be able to bring them into the country. The eggs are then destroyed. In a few incidents, travelers did not declare their eggs and the products were discovered during the inspection. In those cases, the eggs were seized, and the travelers received a $300 penalty.

Bringing in More Refugees

Last week, the Biden administration unveiled a new program to allow groups of private citizens to sponsor refugees from around the world to live in the United States. The program, called the Welcome Corps, was billed by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as “the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in four decades.” Under the program, groups of at least five individuals can apply to sponsor refugees and help them acclimate to life in the US, with the help of a consortium of non-profit resettlement organizations. The sponsor groups must raise a minimum of $2,275 per refugee, but they will not be required to provide ongoing financial support to the refugees they sponsor. Julieta Valls Noyes, the assistant secretary of state for population said, “It’s not about money. It’s about commitment. It’s about the community. It’s about bringing people together and forming a group so that the refugees have more than one person that they can refer to and can work with.“ It’s a lot of work involved in sponsoring a refugee: finding schools, helping them find affordable housing, getting their kids signed up for school, helping them find jobs, showing them where the pharmacy is, and what bus to take. It’s a lot more than what the average American can do. And so we think that providing a group of five or more Americans is more likely to be successful,” Valls Noyes said.

Refugee admissions to the U.S. have plummeted in recent years after former President Donald Trump slashed the refugee cap to historic lows. Although the Biden administration has raised the cap to 125,000 for the past two fiscal years, the admissions last year and thus far this year have fallen far short of that. “In the program’s first year, our goal is to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to step forward as private sponsors and offer a welcoming hand to at least 5,000 refugees from around the world,” Blinken said in a statement. The Welcome Corps program is distinct from other programs unveiled by the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security to allow individuals to sponsor refugees from Ukraine and Venezuela. “In those programs, sponsors need to show that they can support the parolees financially during a two-year parole period. The Welcome Corps, on the other hand, will enable private sponsors to support refugees from all nationalities who are being permanently resettled in the United States ... and who ultimately may, and in many cases I am confident, will become U.S.citizens,” Valls Noyessaid.

THE BIGGEST night in kosher food & wine is back! Live and in person from the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, CA. KFWE is back and is returning bigger and better than ever. Hundreds of wines from around the world. From Bordeaux to Barcelona to Tel Aviv, the best kosher wines from across the globe all in one place for one night only!

And for those who prefer their parties with some bottle popping, this year we’ve opened the champagne lounge to everyone who attends. You read that right. . . BUBBLES FOR EVERYONE!

The wine is just the start. KFWE boasts a starstudded lineup of the Southern California’s finest kosher eateries. Signature dishes, desserts, and exclusive culinary creations are all at KFWE.

save $25 on tickets

This is a kosher event. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

Lights On

It’s been a year and a half since the lights have been turned off in a Massachusetts high school. Hopefully,

by the end of next month, it’ll be lights out for the educational institution. Minnechaug Regional High School, located in the western Massachusetts town of Wilbraham, is suffering from a bright dilemma. There is no way to turn the lights off in the school–unless you unscrew the light bulbs or flip the circuit breakers that will leave entire sections of the building in the dark. “We are very much aware this is costing taxpayers a significant amount of money,” Aaron Osborne, an assistant superintendent of finance at Hampden-Wilbraham Regional Schools said. “And we have been doing everything we can to get this

problem solved.” For now, the lights are costing taxpayers thousands of dollars each month to keep the 7,000 light bulbs burning bright. The non-dimming debacle started when a computer server that controlled what was supposed to be a lighting system designed to save power failed in August 2021 and could not be fixed. The school reached out to the original installer and found the company had changed hands several times. Global supply chain issues kept delaying efforts to get the parts needed to fix the system. The cost to fix the whole system will be around $75,000.

HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM

Valley Torah Boys School Enjoys Meaningful Shabbaton

Legacy Uses the Environment and Students’ Strengths to Teach

such as dance, chess, and drama allow students opportunities to shine in other realms.

The Valley Torah Boys Division students boarded the buses right after Shacharis on a Friday. They were on their way to Running Springs for their first Shabbaton since COVD. Close to a hundred young men were greeted at the Dovid Oved Retreat Center by a light covering of fresh snow. For some boys, this was their first time throwing a snowball.

After finding their rooms, the

boys enjoyed some soccer, basketball, football, and a school-wide Gaga tournament. Soon enough they returned to their rooms to prepare for Shabbos. Before mincha, the boys were treated to a quick schnitzel break to prepare them for the singing and camaraderie they would experience throughout Shabbos. The davening, meals, singing, games, and just “chilling” turned this into a Shabbos they would always remember.

Using multi-age classrooms and mastery-based learning, Legacy Academy strives to provide days full of meaningful, joyful learning to students TK through 10th grade. Students at Legacy focus on understanding their own strengths and challenges while learning to respect and support others’ diverse abilities. The goal is to create an environment that is welcoming and friendly, and the schoolhouse feels like a second home for the students. This family-style atmosphere supports students’ willingness to try new things and build endurance.

The joy of learning comes alive through cross-curricular projects as well as multiple field trips that build community. Students adventure to museums, on boat rides, and overnight camping trips. Multi-age projects such as presidential elections and extracurricular options

The Judaic program focuses on traditional learning in a meaningful way. The secular program focuses on strong foundational skills and carefully crafted individualized learning programs. The rhythm of the day begins with a morning circle and ends with acknowledgments. Morning circle sets the tone for the day when we all join together to recite the 12 pesukim and learn together. Acknowledgments end the day with an opportunity to acknowledge actions we appreciate in others. It is a day full of meaning, learning, and joy setting the stage for students to continue the Legacy as proud and confident Jews.

YAYOE’s 6th Grade Girls Receive an Art Commission

Mrs. Saks and YAYOE’s 6thgrade girls’ class recently took on a ‘cool’ challenge.

When YAYOE’s art teacher, Mrs. Saks, spotted some empty walls at Valley Swirl Ice Cream on La Brea, she asked the owner, Mr. Jacob Goldstein, if a group of artists at YAYOE could add artwork to his amazing space. The artists would each be paid with ice cream upon art delivery. Mr. Goldstein agreed, and Rabbi Goldberg, YAYOE’s menahel, recognized the learning opportunity and granted his permission.

Mrs. Saks used the famous American artist, Wayne Thibaude, as inspiration. Over several weeks, she and the sixth-grade girls worked hard on clarifying an artistic style and technique they could all follow to create a homogeneous collection. Next, the girls practiced until they perfected the style. When they were ready: Using modeler’s paste, they created a tactile three-dimensional base on the canvases.

Then they practiced and experimented, covered the backgrounds, and worked on the multi-colored outlines.

For every lesson, they looked at the progress as a group before splitting up to

continue working. Through this process, the girls learned that they can make a real difference in the world around them. They learned that they can strive for a goal, experiment, make mistakes en route, and ultimately achieve it. They learned that giving up wasn’t an option, and they learned to produce a result within a specified time frame (the hallmark of a designer vs. an artist).

When the artwork was finished, the girls went to Valley Swirl to see the fruits of their work installed, and each one received an ice cream per the business deal.

We are so grateful that Mr. Goldstein was open to a collaboration with our yeshiva’s art program. And the ice creams were delicious!

Yeshivat Yavneh Makes MLK Day Impactful for Students

has an affinity for stage performance as well and spoke about his experience, as well as his journey to convert to Orthodox Judaism.

Emek Administrators Attend Prizmah Conference

Yeshivat Yavneh celebrated MLK Day with special programming for our students, to help us learn about Dr. King’s impact on the world, and how we can continue his message. Our students were able to hear Dr. King’s famous ‘I have a dream’ speech, and express what it means to them personally. Our middle school students had a special program where Rabbi Einhorn went through the speech, and Dr. King’s remarks, from a Torah and practical perspective.

Later on in the afternoon, our middle school students were privileged to observe a panel, moderated by Rabbi Einhorn, which featured Mr. Chasen Crossley and Mr. Robert Bernard. Mr. Crossley joined a gang as a young child, due to difficult family circumstances, yet eventually made his way onto the stage, to help inspire others through performance and now as a counselor on skid row. Mr. Bernard

Following the panel, students broke up into groups to debrief and discuss all that was learned. Each student was tasked with internalizing the day via written and oral expression and was guided by a Judaic Studies and General Studies teacher, to gather perspectives from all ends of their learning and overall values system. We are honored to have hosted both Mr. Bernard and Mr. Crossley and are appreciative of all we were able to learn with them and from them.

Summer with Yachad.

Last week, Rabbi Levi Solomon and Mrs. Michelle Andron had the privilege of attending The Prizmah Conference 2023 in Denver. The Prizmah Conference is an event where over 1000 leaders from over 300 North American Jewish day schools and yeshivas come together to learn, reflect, and grow. The theme of this year’s conference was Creative Spirit and focused on celebrating creativity in education and how it can be used to positively impact students, schools, and communities.

Additionally, Rabbi Solomon and Mrs. Andron had the opportunity to present on a panel about the impact of using Better Lesson for professional

development in our school. The conference sparked a lot of engaging conversations, and they look forward to sharing their newfound knowledge and insights with their fellow administrators and educational teams.

A magical space where individuals develop social skills, overcome fears, make real relationships – and feel more similar than different.

Alexa was unconditionally included and she finally made sincere, meaningful friendships.

Huvi became more flexible and learned to get along with others.

Sam wishes he could stay all year long. He feels an invaluable sense of normalcy and independence.

Academy of Chassidic Psychology

Launches Inaugural Event in Beverly Hills

At Touro College Los Angeles we offer a supportive environment, small personalized classes, and educational pathways in Business, Health Sciences, Judaic Studies, and Psychology that help you develop the skills you need to succeed. Separate Men’s and Women’s Divisons. Our Israel Option allows students to earn extra credits in seminary or yeshiva.

The Nefesh Academy of Chassidic Psychology, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh in Israel in 2008, held its inaugural full-day workshop in the United States on Sunday, January 15th, in Los Angeles, California. The workshop, led by senior instructor Rabbi Moshe Genuth, was the first of a series of courses to be offered by the Nefesh Academy and was attended by over 50 people.

The Nefesh Academy teaches a psychological/therapeutic model for mental, emotional, and spiritual health and healing using principles drawn entirely from Chassidus, including a nine-stage system of personal transformation revealed by the Baal Shem Tov himself. The academy’s techniques are translated into the conventional language of the modern human experience and, in Israel, have already benefited dozens of professional therapists and over 5,000 men and women from all walks of life.

The workshop introduced the first course, on understanding and rectifying the ego, followed by a practical session on Kabbalistic breathing techniques.

Nefesh Academy courses provide a firm and balanced foundation for those taking their first steps onto the path of Chassidic psychological exploration, as well as sophisticated elucidation and practical implementation for seasoned scholars of Chassidic texts.

“It’s been a great transformation and learning for me,” said event attendee Shlomo Shenassa. “I’m excited by the fact that they are bringing these teachings to Los Angeles with live teachers and great teachers.”

Judith Cukier expressed her appreciation for the program as follows: “I’m really excited because [Nefesh Academy] connects psychology with Torah and the structure with our neshamah … it goes to the depth of what Judaism really is.”

The Nefesh Academy is a three-year online program, with new courses being offered in subsequent months in Los Angeles. A course completion certificate will be pro-

vided at the end of the program following an assessment.

The next course, “Anatomy of the Soul,” will be taught by senior instructor Rabbi Nir Menussi on February 19th, with digital access available for remote students on a dedicated online distance-learning platform. Please visit www.thenefesh.org to enroll. For questions, please email info@ thenefesh.org or call (802) 430-9361.

Mrs. Chana Heller

Our community has recently suffered the devastating loss of Rebbetzin Sharon Shenker, 45, wife of Rabbi Motti Shenker, and mother to Aryeh, Liora, Naftali, Baila, and Avraham.

Mrs. Shenker’s impact on our LA community and beyond was larger than life, as evidenced by the overflow crowd of hundreds at her levaya at Adas Torah on Wednesday, January 25, and the 1200 people viewers on Zoom. Service was followed by burial at The Home of Peace.

In Remembrance

The Loss of a Spiritual Leader: Rebbetzin Sharon Shenker, A”H

Jewish ideas and values in a way that was so easy to hear and assimilate. Her passion was infectious. She was sincere, down-to-earth, and had a fabulous sense of humor. She was a connector par excellence, creating unity between diverse elements in our community. She was able to do this because of her intense love of people.

Who didn’t want to be around Rebbetzin Shenker? From the moment she enveloped you in her bear hug you knew you would be loved. From the moment she asked you about your life you knew you were not going to be judged. From the moment you attended your first class with her, you knew you would be coming back for more.

your mind.

• Greet every person with joy and warmth.

Rebbetzin Shenker was a devoted wife, mother, and community member. She opened her home to guests on Shabbat and holidays and loved making everyone feel special. The number of people whose lives have been transformed by her is staggering. Her passing leaves

a tremendous hole in our hearts and our community.

The community is asked to contribute generously to help alleviate the financial burden the Shenker family is now facing.

https://thechesedfund.com/westsidekollel/shenker

Rebbetzin Shenker was raised in London, England, and studied public relations at Leeds Metropolitan University. She spent 2 years in Israel as a student at EYAHT, Aish Hatorah’s Womens College of Jewish Studies, and worked at Aish UK before moving to Los Angeles in 2006. After 4 years of working in the Young Professionals Division, Rebbetzin Shenker co-founded the Jewish Women’s Initiative (JWI) of Aish LA, and devoted herself selflessly to educating, inspiring, and mentoring Jewish Moms across the entire spectrum of observance. She understood that there was a greatly underserved demographic in our community, Jewish Moms.

Rebbetzin Shenker took over 400 moms on life-changing trips to Israel with an organization called Momentum (www. Momentumunlimited.org). She was passionate about giving moms the tools they need to bring the joy and relevance of being Jewish to their families. She understood that the future of the Jewish people depends on strong, educated, and inspired moms. Even though Rebbetzin Shenker was often younger than many of the moms she taught, she was a mother to them, nurturing them spiritually and emotionally. She had wisdom and insight into people beyond her years. In addition to teaching, mentoring, and program planning, Rebbetzin Shenker was instrumental in creating a very unique and connected community of JWI moms who span the spectrum of Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and unaffiliated. She was a master at unifying moms around all the things they share in common.

Rebbetzin Shenker knew her audience. She knew how to communicate

Rebbetzin Shenker was also a great storyteller and tour guide. She loved taking women around Jerusalem and showing them all the sights, sounds, and tastes she loved. Her love of Israel, the Jewish people, and Judaism were so palpable.

Rebbetzin Shenker could talk to anyone. She was interested in everyone and their lives. You could be waiting in line with her or sitting next to her on a plane and she always had something complimentary to say. She knew how to make people feel important and understood.

Rebbetzin Shenker became a licensed therapist a few years ago after completing a Masters in Family Therapy at Touro College. She was very skilled in helping adults and teens navigate their struggles.

The lessons Rebbetzin taught and the impact she had were huge. Many tributes to her have been streaming in since her passing.

Allow me to share a few:

• Rebbetzin Shenker taught me how to live my life. She taught me to give myself grace and patience; that the ability to take care of myself and take care of others is not mutually exclusive; how to love and allow myself to be loved. Before I went on the Momentum trip with her in 2016, I thought I lost my light. Rebbetzin Shenker showed me that it was still there and that I just needed to kindle the light; make it brighter to shine as much on the outside as on the inside.

• Give to give without expectations.

• Let it go. You never know what happened to someone before they hurt you. Even if you’re hurting you can be the one to stop the cycle and be kind first.

• Be careful with your speech, even if you have to stop mid-sentence.

• Always make people feel special, wanted, and included.

• Don‘t expect your spouse to read

Torah Thought Parshas Beshalach

Rabbi Avraham Yechiel Hirschman

Part 1: Dealing with Life’s Bitterness

After experiencing the astounding miracle of the splitting of the sea, the Jewish nation arrived at a place named Marah. Marah means bitter, and the area had that name because the water there was too bitter to drink. The Jewish people complained to Moshe and by a miracle, the water turned sweet and the Jewish people and their animals were able to drink. They then traveled to a place called Eilim, where they found an abundance of fresh springs with plenty of water to drink.

The Chofetz Chaim writes that there is an important life lesson to be learned from these incidents. Had the Jewish people accepted the fact that there was no water in Marah and con-

tinued traveling, they would have shortly reached Eilim with its 12 freshwater springs. Instead, they decided to stay in Marah and complain against Hashem, which was damaging to their elevated spiritual state.

When we face challenges in life, we have a choice: We can either get stuck, become bitter, and complain, or we can adopt a mindset that “Hashem has a plan” and our job is to keep moving forward with a positive attitude. Adopting a positive mindset makes life more pleasant, and more importantly, this attitude reminds us that we never know when our salvation might comeit might be just around the corner.

Part 2: Emotions Overpower Logic

hroughout the forty years in the desert, Hashem provided sustenance to the Jewish nation through the manna, a miraculous food that appeared each morning. Moshe was instructed by Hashem to command the Bnei Yisrael to gather only the amount they needed for that day. If a person gathered more than one day’s amount, when they got home they would experience a miracle - their jug would contain just the proper amount that they should have collected. The prohibition against collecting extra manna was specifically geared to reflect a person’s intentions, as there was no tangible outcome if a person did collect extra!!

The prohibition against collecting extra manna was in effect the entire forty years that the Jews were in the desert.

R Yerucham Levovitz z”l raises an important question: Certainly, a person who wrongfully collected more than

they needed would quickly realize the futility of their efforts when they came home and found less. Why would any level-headed person try the same thing again? What was the purpose of having this commandment in place for the entire forty years?

R’ Yerucham answers this question by offering a penetrating insight into human nature. While in the emotional state of self-indulgence, humans fail to think logically and even neglect their own common sense. Many people who diet experience this dichotomy; while they are logically aware that a specific food can be unhealthy, still, when it looks so appetizing, they will still indulge, fully knowing the consequences. Since emotions have the power to override all logical reasoning, a person was liable to try to collect extra manna at any time and the prohibition needed to be in place all forty years.

Parshat Yitro: Constant Reminders

You forgot to bring the dry cleaners on the way home. If you have “credit” in your wife’s bank, your wife may let it slide. On the other hand, if you have an “overdraft,” your wife will likely make a production out of it.

You know that complimenting your wife, expressing your appreciation, and giving her attention is what’s needed to build credit.

The problem is that you forget.

How did Moses & his wife Tzipora maintain their attitude of gratitude? They named their sons after events that they are grateful for in ורתי. Imagine: every time they called their kids to the table, did homework together and got

a report card, they were reminded of how grateful they are.

Naming a kid, writing post-it notes on the fridge, or adding reminders on your smartphone are a few examples of constant reminders for you to express appreciation and to improve your Shalom Bayit.

Rabbi Avraham Yechiel Hirschman is the Rabbi of YIBH - Pico Bais Medrash and the director of Bikur Cholim Ateres Avigail.

Rabbi Nir Yacoby

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

Shalom Bayit Through the Parsha

Recently released data on antisemitism shows that Jews are the target of 74% of all religious-based hate crimes, even though they make up just 2% of the entire U.S. population. Even more shocking, the ADL reported that Los Angeles saw a threefold increase in antisemitic assaults in one year alone.

So what is the LA Jewish community doing to counter this frightening narrative?

One organization at the forefront of this fight is Magen Am, which means “Nation’s Shield.” It is the only Jewish non-profit organization licensed to provide security services in the western United States and aims to empower the community to live and serve G-d in peace.

After the tragically violent attacks on Jewish communities around the world, including the Mumbai massacre, and the Pittsburgh and Poway shootings, Magen Am recognized the need for the Jewish community to take a stand for their own safety and security. Additionally, they wanted to encourage a cultural shift where

Community Profile

Magen Am: Fighting Back Against The Shocking Rise In Anti-Semitism

with leaders in law enforcement agencies such as the LAPD, the LA County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.

Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, President and co-founder of Magen Am, emphasizes the unique role his organization plays. “Magen Am is a shield, something that protects you when you hold it up. Our mission is to train and empower the community to secure itself from within. It is up to the community to be a part of this solution.”

David Kaye, a board member of Magen Am added, “For too long we have relied on the protection of others. We have been targeted in synagogues and beaten on the streets, while our attackers have often

tutions. Their methods draw from the US and Israeli military, as well as law enforcement doctrine. It includes hand-to-hand combat, communication skills for de-escalation, and lethal force as a last resort. Currently, 47 volunteers have gone through the training and licensing program and are embedded in 13 community schools and shuls, with several new cohorts expected to graduate this year.

seen dramatically reduced crime levels when compared to surrounding neighborhoods. Magen Am is in the process of establishing additional patrol areas around the city.

Jews no longer saw themselves as victims.

As crime and antisemitism have continued to rise rapidly since then, Magen Am’s multi-tiered approach aims to build a stronger, more resilient, and better-secured community through its five branches of operation: Community Team Members, Security Guard Service, Armed Patrol & Response, Community Training and Education, and Advocacy.

Community Team Members (CTM Program)

To empower the community to protect itself, Magen Am established a program for community members to receive intensive training and licensing to provide embedded, armed security at Jewish insti-

Security Guard Service

Magen Am provides armed security for many community schools and shuls across Los Angeles, as well as protective services for dozens of special events. They work with these institutions’ faculty to improve their emergency plans, security footprint, and staff preparedness.

Armed Patrol & Response

This donor-supported service provides 24/7/365 armed patrol and response services to heavily populated Jewish communities. A call to their patrol hotline leads to a unit responding within minutes. They started in the La Brea/Hancock Park area after the violence that arose from the protests in June 2020. Their patrol area has

Community Training & Education

Magen Am holds many different types of classes that are open to the community. These include situational awareness, community empowerment, hand-to-hand combatives, CCW clinics, and firearm safety & skill-building. Over 750 people attended their classes in 2022 alone.

Advocacy

Magen Am also advocates for the community’s concerns and works with political and law enforcement leaders to address security and safety issues. The organization has earned commendations from state and local government entities and has established strong relationships

walked free, emboldened. But enough is enough. It is time for the Jewish people to take a stand for our own safety and security.”

Magen Am’s ultimate goal is to create strong Jewish communities that work closely with law enforcement agencies to achieve this. In order to provide protection for more Jewish communities, they are working to expand their presence to multiple cities across the nation. Their Phoenix, Arizona subsidiary was the first to recently receive its operating license.

As the fight against antisemitism continues, the LA Jewish community can take comfort in knowing that organizations like Magen Am are working tirelessly to protect and empower them. Concludes Kaye, “Wherever there is Magen Am, they will know that the fight will not be a fair one. Jewish blood will not be cheap, it will be the costliest decision an antisemite will ever make.”

Join Magen Am and become a part of the solution in the fight for the safety and freedom of the Jewish people. Magen Am has primarily been funded by large donors but is now seeking to broaden its base of support to ensure long-term sustainability. To learn more about Magen Am, you can visit MagenAm.com.

Additionally, for residents that live in their patrol area, newly introduced tiered donation levels offer increased benefits to those who give their support. Visit MagenAmPatrol.com for details and signup.

“Magen Am recognized the need for the Jewish community to take a stand for their own safety and security. Additionally, they wanted to encourage a cultural shift where Jews no longer saw themselves as victims.”

Magen Am graduation ceremony for a team of CTMs and Veterans. Guest speakers included Commander Paulson (LAPD Counter Terror), Greg Martayan (Director of Public Safety), and Captain Tom, of West LAPD.

Magen Am range qualification. Keeping our various team members sharp and up to our high standards.

Rabbi Yossi Eilfort is the guest of LAPD Chief Michel R. Moore (left) and Commander Vic Davalos (right) at an LAPD graduation ceremony.

National Guardsmen working alongside Magen Am’s team during the 2020 unrest, proud of their new Magen Am T-Shirts

Paul Greenberg

The Apex Climb

Goals Vs. Processes: Is There a Preferred Approach?

Rabbi Daniel Grama MSW

Don’t you love a real aha moment? My latest one occurred during a discussion with a colleague. As we were planning an upcoming event I noticed the vibe going south. On my part, I became increasingly frustrated with him overlooking crucial details to make this a success. My friend was not faring much better. Let’s just say that he was getting slightly perturbed at my nitpicking over unnecessary minutiae. That’s when the aha moment came. It dawned on me that we are both good people interested in the same goal yet we were approaching it (and each other) in two distinct ways.

In every project, there is the process and the goal. The means and the end. The mapping and the destination. That recent interaction allowed me to notice my own style. I am a process-based person (PB). While I see the goal ahead, my innate focus is on the process. The details of how we get there are right in front of my eyes. My friend is a goal-based person (GB). For him, details were just getting in the way. As far as I was concerned, he was ignoring the important details of the planning stage. He, on the other hand, saw me carping unreasonably and congesting easy access to the goal.

This insight intrigued me enough to study the topic more closely. The title of each personality describes its essence.

The Goal Based (GB) Person judges success by one barometer- the outcome. Focusing on goals is his motivator. It gives them a vision, a purpose, and a reason to pursue and overcome obstacles that impede attaining the goal. Goal-

in a state of unease once they’ve arrived. This is because, rather than taking solace in their accomplishment, and the journey that led them there, their internal sense of motivation immediately begins the search for the next mission to accomplish!

People who are processed-based (PB) allow the path toward the goal to evolve smoothly. They take time to weigh the pros and cons and safely avoid poten-

Similarly, our sages teach us, “Lo Alecha HaMelacha L’Gmor,” your responsibility is not to finish the task, giving credence to the value of the process, but, continues the mishna, “Aval ain atah ben chorin l’hibatel m’mena,” but neither are you free from its responsibility, emphasizing the importance reaching the goal.

In searching for a pragmatic method to synthesize the two styles, I came

is a CEO in the automobile industry, an industry in which the successful synthesis of these two attributes is fundamental for success. Andreis offers an interesting and fundamental insight that fuses these two approaches. He opines that we break down the larger goals into bite-size daily goals. In doing so, we simultaneously make the process into a goal and the goal into a process. Andreis gives the goalbased person an appreciation for the steps of a process, yet urges the process-based person to keep the process fluid by reaching the mini-goals.

This approach avoids the extremeness that existed in my original scenario. When both personalities plan properly they can allow themselves to harmoniously work together toward success. Something that we can all use in our never-ending life patterns.

Which one are you?

tial pitfalls. Indeed, this process has the potential to enhance the goal to a level beyond its original conception. The PB tends to be more consistent and reliable in their performance and pattern; understandably a valuable attribute in teamwork. Additionally, the PB style offers an opportunity for greater collaboration within the team. Finally, PB people recognize the effort invested into arriving at the finished product. This enables them to express due appreciation to those engaged in the process regardless of them actually getting to the goal!

On the other hand, the PB person-

across an innovative approach in an article written by Diogo Andreis. Andreis is not a mental health professional, he

Rabbi Grama has been involved in the LA Jewish Com munity since 1996. He currently is a Rebbe at Valley Torah High School and is the rabbi of the Westside Shul. As well, he holds an MSW from YU’s Wurtzweiler School of Social Work. Rabbi Grama can be followed every Tuesday at 6:30 pm PT on #TorahTuesday, an Instagram Live, for a brief Torah thought on the Parsha, and can be reached at danielgramamsw@gmail.com.

based people are dependable in achieving the desired results, and they energize the other workers to get to the finish line together with them. These are all invaluable traits for any organization.

On the other hand, GB people are not prone to perceiving complications toward achieving their goals. This will cause them to overlook important and valuable procedures. Furthermore, a goal-oriented boss may take for granted all the hard work and effort of his staff, leaving him with a feeling of discontent among his workers. In addition, the GB person will inevitably step on someone’s toes as he races to the finish line. And, ironically, GB people who are so focused on reaching the goal can find themselves

ality may put too much emphasis on the process, delaying the ability to reach the goal and deadline. As well, a PB person may reach the point of inflexibility due to his profuse engrossment in the details.

The Torah offers the perfect synthesis of these two approaches. On one hand, we know that there is a myriad of mitzvos that must be performed. “Feeling it” or “being spiritual” doesn’t complete the obligation. Every mitzvah is a goal within itself and we are obligated to obtain that goal. On the other hand, the process counts, even when goals aren’t reached. We know that when a person has a sincere desire to perform a mitzvah but the situation does not allow its completion, he will be given full credit as if he has achieved his goal!

“In doing so, we simultaneously make the process into a goal and the goal into a process.”

On a Challah

Napkin Rings

Do you love to set your table for Shabbos? It’s always nice to have a variety of napkin rings to enhance the look. Let’s create a fun and easy napkin ring that looks like a challah! Just perfect for Shabbos!

Supplies:

Model Magic

Paint Brush

Paint

Instructions:

Step 1: Separate the clay into 3 long thin ropes.

Step 2: Braid the 3 ropes to form a challah braid.

Step 3: Pinch the ends of the braid together to seal the ring.

Step 4: Allow the clay to dry and harden.

Step 5: Once the clay is dry, you can paint the challah napkin ring with your desired colors.

Step 6: Allow the paint to dry completely.

Your challah napkin ring is now ready to use. Enjoy!

The Patience of Hillel Rebbe’s Stories

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin

The great rabbi, Hillel, was known for his great patience and humility. He was careful never to get angry. If he saw someone doing something wrong, he would always judge them favorably and would teach them lovingly not to do this again in the future. Hillel’s reputation for never getting angry was known far and wide.

One day Shmuel was telling his friend Reuven about the greatness of Hillel and how he never gets angry. “Never gets angry?!?” his friend Reuven said, “I’ll bet that I could get him angry!” “I’ll bet you can’t,” replied Shmuel.

“How much would you like to bet?” Reuven’s friend asked. “I’ll bet you 400 dollars,” answered Shmuel. The 2 men shook hands and the bet was on. Reuven waited until Erev Shabbos, the time that he knew when Hillel would be very busy getting ready for Shabbos. As soon as he heard the shower go on in Hillel’s house he began to shout, “Where is Hillel? I need Hillel!“

Hillel had just stepped into the shower when he heard his name being called. He quickly dried himself off, put on his clothes, and rushed out to find the man who was calling his name. “Hello, I am Hillel,” he said to Reuven, “How can I help you?”

“I have a very important question to ask you,” responded Reuven. “Go ahead and ask,’’ Hillel patiently told him. “Why are the heads of the people from Bavel so round?” he asked. Hillel told Reuven that it was a good question. He answered that the tool that doctors use in Bavel to deliver the babies has a round top and that is why the babies come out with round heads. Reuven thanked Hillel and waited until Hillel went back into his house.

As soon as he heard the shower go on again, Reuven began to shout, “Where is Hillel? I need Hillel!” Hillel quickly dried

swampy areas that are filled with mud and their feet need to be wide so they can walk safely through the mud.”

Reuven told Hillel that he had many more questions to ask but was afraid that Hillel would get angry. Hillel walked over to a bench and motioned for Reuven to sit down. Hillel then sat down and calmly said that Reuven could ask as many questions that he would like. Reuven said, “I am very upset with you!” Hillel asked him why? Reuven said, “because of you I lost 400 dollars. I bet someone 400 dollars that I could get you angry and now I have lost the bet.” Hillel placed his hand on Reuven’s shoulder and kindly said, “It’s better that you should lose 400 dollars than I should become upset. It is never good to be angry and we should always try our best not to let things bother us so easily.”

This story is found in Meseches Shabbos 30b.

Questions for Discussion

1. How did Reuven try to get Hillel angry?

2. How do you think that Hillel became a patient person who did not get angry?

3. What can we learn from this story?

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.

Mushky, aka the “Duct Tape Lady”, is a duct tape artist and lover of crafts who is always On A Roll coming up with something new and exciting. Mushky believes that creativity and connection are 2 really important things to take with you throughout life. Crafts build confidence, teach problem solving, and encourages “Out of the box” thinking. She currently teaches 3rd grade in Bais Chaya Mushka LA and is an adjunct professor at Sara Schenirer College. You can check out more awesome projects on her YouTube channel, onarollcrafts, or follow her on instagram @onarollcrafts

To book a craft event contact her at onarollcrafts@gmail.com

himself off, got dressed, and came outside seeking the man who was calling his name. “How can I help you, my friend?” Hillel asked Reuven. “I have another very important question,” he stated. “Go ahead and ask,” Hillel responded. “Why are the eyes of the people from Tarmod always blinking?” he asked. “That’s a very good question” answered Hillel. “These people live in a very sandy place and they need to blink in order to keep the sand out of their eyes.”

Reuven thanked Hillel and waited until he heard the shower turn on for the third time. “Where is Hillel?

I need Hillel!” Once again Hillel dried himself off, put on his clothes, and went outside to find the man who was calling his name. Hillel approached Reuven and asked him what he needed. Reuvan said that he had another important question to ask. “Why do African people have wide feet?” asked Reuven. “That’s a very good question” responded Hillel. “The people in Africa live in

By Rabbi MORDECHAI DUBIN

Mushky Yiftach

Other books/cds by Rabbi Dubin: new!

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

1. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

2. “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

3. “He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.”

4. “You can observe a lot by just watching.”

5. “Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!”

6. “Fools call wise men fools. A wise man never calls any man a fool.”

7. “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.”

8. “I wake up every morning at nine and grab the morning paper. Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up.”

9. “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.”

10. “Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.”

Riddle Me This

A vacationing family sitting around the campfire has the following conversation:

Father: What day is it? I am sure it isn’t Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

Mother: Well, that’s not very helpful. Besides, yesterday was Friday.

Father: No, now that I think about it, yesterday wasn’t Friday; tomorrow is Friday.

Dave: The day after tomorrow is Thursday.

Sarah: You are funny. Tomorrow is Thursday.

Mother: Actually, it’s probably Thursday today.

Danny: All we know for sure is that it wasn’t Sunday yesterday.

If only one statement above is true, what day of the week is it?

HockeyStatsLeague

On Jan 15th, there was the championship game for both Division A (grades 5 thru 8) and Division B (grades pre 1 thru 4).

The Div B game featured Team Scootz beating Team ALG 3-0 after Yonah Botnick posted a Hat

A. Golda Meir

B. Benjamin Franklin

C. President Abraham Lincoln

D. Yogi Berra

E. Ronald Reagan

F. Albert Einstein

G. Bob Hope

H. George Carlin

I. Thomas Edison

J. Winston Churchill

Trick in the win and Team Fishman & Associates losing to Team Universal Leasing 9-4 with Moshe Klien leading the team with 4 goals.

(All teams are sponsored by a different community business).

The league will be resuming with the Spring Season starting with Tryouts on February 5th 2023

Parsha Connections: How do these relate?

Funny One Liners

Adam & Eve were the first ones to ignore the Apple terms and conditions. The man who invented knock-knock jokes should get a no bell prize. The problem with kleptomaniacs is that they always take things literally. I was wondering why the frisbee kept getting bigger and bigger, but then it hit me.

Just got fired from my job as a set designer. I left without making a scene. You’ll never be as lazy as whoever named the fireplace. Will glass coffins be a success? Remains to be seen

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

Scootz Team

Universal Leasing Team

A Light Within

Dear Leora,

As your first yahrzeit approaches, we reflect on the legacy and lessons you have left behind. We think of your warm smile, calm demeanor, regal poise, and confident stride.

But so much deeper than that was your conscious drive to be a present wife, mother, daughter, and friend to everyone around you. You had the vision to have shalom surround you and you made it your mission to perfect and enhance your relationships by working on your self-growth.

Shalom Bayis with your husband and for your children

One day, a friend was at your house when your husband came home from work. There were toys strewn across the floor, and he accidentally stepped and broke a toy when coming into the room. You didn’t blink an eye. Your friend surprisingly asked you “Aren’t you going to say anything? He just stepped on the toy.” You replied, “You know what I saw when my husband walked in? I saw the father of my children, who worked all day, come through the door and how happy the kids were to see him.” You could care less about the toy. This friend purposely asked you this question knowing that you had good Shalom Bayis, and wanted to hear a life lesson from you.

While no one knows what happens behind closed doors, what we all saw was that you and Joel were a caring, loving, and sweet couple, who would light up the room together when your eyes met. You always treated him like a king, always greeted him with a smile, no matter how hard your day was.

When we could be schmoozing and sharing about our lives, you would never share too much when speaking with friends. Instead, you would focus on what you wanted to fix, and you would never put down your husband. You kept it private but were still able to relate to others based on sharing feelings.

This Shalom Bayis extended to your children as

Commemorating Leora Ezoory A”H

on her First Yahrzeit

well. I had just moved nearby and you invited me to walk our kids together on the first day of school. I thought it would be a great opportunity for our kids to walk into school together. As the first days of school went, everyone was running late and we pulled into your house a few minutes before 8:30. I was hustling the kids out the door when I looked back and saw you calmly writing mitzvah notes for your kids, and making sure I wrote one for each of my kids too. You continued to hand out tzedaka to each of the children and give them a hug and kiss as they got ready to walk together. On our way back I couldn't help but comment to you, “Leora, how were you so calm this morning? We were running late on the first day of school and all we needed was for our kids to get the reputation of being the late ones.” I will never forget your answer. “It’s more important that my kids start school with calm and positive energy. So they'll be a few minutes late. In the long run that won't matter.” That was always your priority. The thought that you put into the process was equally important as the outcome.

Leora, your calm approach didn't just limit yourself to your children. You carried this principle in all your relationships. When we called you to vent, you were the best listener there was. You were present, you validated, you empathized, and provided an insight that helped us see another perspective. You stayed grounded and neutral without adding fuel to the fire.

Self- growth above all else

Leora, you radiated an aura of calmness. You weren’t just focused on what had to be accomplished (and boy were you one who accomplished in your life), but equally important to you was the process. You were careful about who you chose to surround yourself with because you valued positive like-minded, growth-oriented people. You valued your time here.

Leora, you chose who you would want to become and worked hard to get there. When we were kids, you were powerful, strong, and a leader with a fiery personali-

ty. When I joined your class in 5th grade and came to a new school, you immediately invited me into your class, you taught me the ropes of what's in and what's out, brought me extra snacks, and introduced me to your friends.

You were not born with a calm and relaxed nature. As we grew up, you were strong and independent. When we were teenagers, we all had chores to do after Shabbos before we could go out. But you would tell us to rush through them, stating “I’ll be outside your house at this time, and I’ll leave you behind if you’re not ready on time!” And then you would honk until we came out.

While you were spicy and bossy as a little girl, marriage changed you into someone softer. When you got married, you worked so hard to alter your demeanor so that you were always calm and collected. You worked on yourself, to be present and mindful, and to always put shalom first. You were mindful and knew exactly what you wanted to be for yourself and your children, what type of wife and mother you wanted to be, and you made yourself into that.

You learned how to use your Koach to encourage, uplift, and inspire, instead of control and manipulate. You used your leadership skills to influence. The memes you sent out were about empowerment, encouragement, uplifting other women, support, and being there. You were very careful not to listen to Lashon Hara and would change the conversation by transitioning to another topic or through distraction. You were very smart about it and were never awkward or rude.

Last year on my anniversary, I reviewed my wedding pictures and sent you a photo of you as my shomeres at my wedding. You replied so quickly, “I’ll shomer you all day every day.” That same week, I shared with you the anniversary gift that my husband got me, and you replied, “What a thoughtful and creative gift. I’m impressed by him!” This is one of the last texts you ever sent me. Your last words to me were a compliment to my husband so I can appreciate him fully, and increase my shalom bayis.

Caring for yourself so you can care for others

You cared for yourself so you can care for otherswhether this was your husband, children, family, or friends. Your most important value was self-growth and making an impact on the world through your relationships with others.

Typical Leora - One day I called you feeling very overwhelmed and frustrated, and the first question you asked me was “What did you do for yourself today?” You understood that every busy woman needs to take care of her own needs to be there for everyone else. You made this a priority and encouraged us to take care of our mind, body, and soul. The smallest pleasures. Your favorite creamer. A hike. A scented candle.

You valued the importance of a woman taking care of herself, not self-care and vanity, but focusing on yourself, the mental, spiritual, and physical self, to be able to be there for other people. Your motto was to make sure your bucket is filled so it flows over. And you continued to always ask the same question “What did you do for yourself today?” when people would vent and open up to you.

Your goal was to fill yourself up to be there for others. You did many things to replenish yourself. You strived to re-evaluate, reassess, center, and regulate yourself so you could always respond with intention, instead of reaction. “My bucket is so full right now” you would always say. Leora, you always encouraged me and pushed me to do better, knew how to talk to me to motivate me, and not crush me. You did this for everyone in your life.

You cared for so many in your life. You gave your portions of extra food to your housekeeper before you would eat it yourself. You were careful to never be a shmata, you took care of yourself in a good and healthy way. And you took care of your parents who lived next door. You made them lunch and helped them with their paperwork. You once sent us a picture of your dad at the window holding up a bill, and said “My dad is asking for help at the window.” I responded, “You’re going to have a seat next to the Kisei Hakavod.”

Your light and legacy

While you are sitting up there next to the Kisei Haka vod, I can’t even begin to tell you how much we are hurting down here. It’s hard to describe to others the amount of pain we are in because without knowing you or being the recipient of your love, they can never truly understand what we are living without. We are in awe of how you managed to do it all. Work full time, be a hands-on present mother, a devoted and supportive wife, a loving and respect ful daughter and sister, and a perfect, unconditional friend. No matter how much you had on your plate, you always followed up and checked in with everyone. How many of us are there for our friends in need and then take the initiative to follow up days later to check in? You made it a point to show your care and concern days after.

“Hey, I davened for you and wanted to check in to see how you’re doing?” You would ask: Did you get what you needed? How did the meeting go? Are you feeling better than yesterday? What did you do today to care of yourself?

You had such a presence that is so difficult to describe. It’s not justified by one story or another. It’s the feeling you gave to people, and how you influenced each life, that others will never understand. The pain has not even begun to subside, and we feel it even more so when your presence is absent at a family Simcha and your seat is empty at the Shabbos table.

Leora - you are true to your namesake, you were a light in this world, that has been taken away, and now there’s a deep dark black hole. That hole is there every single day.

You were a brightly shining light in our lives and you lit up everyone you knew. You were a candle that never diminished herself but continued to share her flame with everyone around her. And even though you touched so many people, who are now spreading your light, there is still a dark hole, a missing piece in everyone’s lives who you left behind. Relationships were everything to you, which included self-growth and self-evolvement. You wanted to leave an impact on the world, which you did. This is evidenced by all of the initiatives that have been started since you’ve been gone, in your honor and your name.

As your family, we will do our best to take care of your children. While we feel grief that your kids no longer have you here, that you won’t be at their plays, Shabbos parties, and school events, you won’t be walking them down the aisle toward the Chuppah or be at your son’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah, we know you can see it all from above. You are involved in the way you can be from up on high, and we can all see the Hashgacha Pratis. You daven and care for them with the Koach of your Tefillos, and we can feel you sending down your energy from your seat next to Hashem, which may be more powerful than your presence down here.

Leora - you would be so proud of your children. I wish we could ask you what you would like us to do for them. We love spending time with them but it brings dichotomous emotions. We find it so hard to be with them when you’re not, but then also feel so lucky to have a little piece of you and that brings us comfort to feel your presence when we are with them. With Hashem's help, your children will carry on your legacy and are a

Leora, you would be touched to know how many people around the world and especially in our Los Angeles community have helped in various ways. Whether it be meals, toys for the kids, clothing, babysitting, and support in general, the community has been a rock for your family. It has been extremely inspirational

to witness. We would like to thank the community on your behalf. Mi k’amcha Yisroel.

Leora - life will never be the same without you. Your name Leora Tova embodied the light and the goodness that radiated from you. You always said “Hashem Gadol,” that Hashem is big enough to take care of it. We should just try our best and everything will be ok. We pray that Hashem Gadol can comfort us as now we only know the pain of your loss. We continue to strengthen our Emunah and Bitachon every day. We eagerly await the arrival of Moshiach soon so we can reunite. We look forward to hugging you, laughing with you, and sharing life with you again. Bring us Moshiach.

Love, Your Cousins

• Sefer Torah was written and dedicated in Eretz Yisroel by David Wittenberg

• Lev Leora: A Tomchei Shabbos loan gemach

• Baal Habatim community-wide shiur: 50-60 men take off half a day of work weekly to learn in shiurim and with chavrusas

• Wednesday morning Maayan Yisroel shiur with rotating speakers, women's luncheon, and learning.

• Wednesday night Chabura for women focusing on self growth and awareness

• A Parenting series with small WhatsApp group of short educational clips

• Shalom Bayis workshop

• Women took on the mitzvah of hair covering

• Women started lighting Shabbat candles after stopping

• Women rekindling relationship with estranged family members

• Women whispering Tefillos to themselves in the kitchen while cooking

• Women intentionally being calmer with their children, nicer to their husbands, taking on small kabbalot in private

Leora Tova bas Rachamim A”H:

Dear D ni

Dini Gres

hire other people to oversee it. While she did hire assistants and medical personnel, she still ran it overall. She taught me, “there is no one to see your bottom line more than you.”At the end of the day when the clock hits 5:00 p.m., everyone leaves. When you have bills to pay and issues that need to be dealt with, owning your own business is more than a full-time job. As a business owner myself, I can say firsthand

currently have employment and can take this phase to explore your options. As you’re doing this, keep your eyes and ears open in your current job as to what you can learn regarding the dos and don’ts that you may want to apply when you’re the boss. If you focus forward and slowly develop what could be a pathway to your future, I have no doubt one day you will look back on this and know that whatever

Dear Reader,

I get this question a lot in the realm of my business, and in my coaching young adults who want to enter the world of entrepreneurship. Previously in this column, I wrote about the concept of not letting fear dictate your outcome. With that in mind, let’s shelve fear for a moment and address the current options you have and the practicality of what it all means.

Having a stable job that provides a steady paycheck, and benefits such as health insurance offer a certain peace of mind. As you know, you can pay your rent or mortgage, put food on the table, and cover other expenses in your life. An added benefit of your stable position

while still holding on to your current job? Many successful business owners will tell you that they first started slowly, and when the business took off and they saw real money coming in, that is when they quit their “day” job and took their hobby, passion, or ideas into a full-time business

Make no mistake - owning your own business is a full-time job! While running your own business has a dreamy appeal to it, it can be more grueling at times. When we are selling something (an item anywhere from lemonade to shoes) or a service, our client is the boss. (My clients reading this are loving this). There is a lot of talk in the business world regarding boundaries. I speak about them often to CEOs and business

that it is rewarding and consuming simultaneously.

This may not be a popular opinion but fear is the least of your worries. For one thing, it will always be there in whatever you decide. The only way to handle fear is to walk right through it and not let it debilitate you. Fear is always going to be there waiting for you to give in, but don’t let it. Make decisions based on facts and realistic projections. Time is on your side as you

decision you come to will be the one that was made with both intellect and clarity.

Adina (Dini) Gres is a wife, mother of 4 adult daughters, business owner, writer, speaker, and certified life coach. Through her role as owner of Financial Concierge LLC and coach for personal and financial clients, Adina recognizes that trying to get ahead without managing a healthy mentality is the primary reason blocking individuals from success. When working with her clients, Dini helps them understand how they themselves can change the narrative of their lives. You can hear more from Adina by listening to her podcast titled “Things I think you should know.” Adina also shares on her Instagram page @financialconcierge.

is that it teaches you something at the same time. It teaches you resilience, responsibility, and time management skills, all of which are invaluable.

I don’t know your current life situation. I would ask questions such as are you married? If so, does your spouse make enough for you to take the risk of starting your own business? Do you have children and tuition payments? (Those which cannot be canceled, as opposed to a gym membership). Does your current financial life require a two-income household? If the answer is yes to all of these, then I would advise you not to leave your current job now.

Instead, on your own time, you can slowly dabble in monetizing your hobby cautiously and see what takes off. If your hobby can be monetized, can you find nights or weekends to work on it? Can you sell or provide that service

owners. When your client or customer wants something, it’s you they come to, whether that be in the form of an email, text message, or showing up at your office. While it’s exhilarating to know that something you are passionate about or good at, can service or be sold to others, it is also a huge responsibility that can’t always be passed on to someone else. I would be lying to you if I told you otherwise.

One of the many mentorships I have been fortunate enough to have throughout my years in business was a woman who ran her husband’s medical practice. I didn’t understand why she needed to run his practice and why she couldn’t

For submissions to the “Dear Dini” column, please send your questions to editor@thelajewishhome.com

“Make no mistake, while running your own business has a dreamy appeal to it, it can be grueling.”

I’ve always wanted to start a business of my own, but I’m so scared to leave my current position and lose the stability of my job, paycheck, and health insurance. I have many hobbies I could monetize but it’s fear that holds me back. Any advice?

In Remembrance

Dr. Yaakov Freedman

Yud-Tes Shevat marks the second yartzeit of one of the true luminaries of our generation, Rabbi Dr. Avraham J. Twerski ZT”L.

Rabbi Twerski was a descendent of holy chassidic masters and brought the teachings of his ancestors—The Meor Aynayim and The Bobover Rebbe to name a few—to the masses. Through his positivity and loving approach to Torah, The Rav inspired thousands of individuals and their families to grow closer to Hashem. This was something he did gracefully across both the Jewish and the non-Jewish world.

Throughout his academic career as founder of a top-notch Rehabilitation facility and author of over 80 books, the Rav built an “international reputation as an authority on addiction.” But these accolades from The New York Times were nothing compared to the simcha Rabbi Twerski felt through his work as a Kiddush Hashem.

I still remember sitting with The Rav towards the end of his life. The smile

he didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk, calling up the shul’s rabbi and telling him personally to take the man back in with open arms. Beautiful.

I remember sharing this story with a fellow psychiatrist who was impressed with The Rav’s fierce defense of the recovery movement. “This is fantastic,” he told me, “But what about his personal life? Did this Chassidic Rebbe Psychiatrist really stand side-by-side with addicts?”

The truth was that he did. I remember The Rav once telling me, “I only trust addicts. My dentist is an addict, my accountant is an addict, my lawyer is an addict, and my surgeon is an addict. These are the only people that have done real self-work and that is truly worth something.” He was as pure on the inside as he was on the outside: tocho keboro. That is Gadlus.

Like Avraham Avenu, he opened his tent to bring in those who needed a place to find themselves. The Gemara in Sotah teaches that Avraham and Sarah had a hotel of sorts in the middle of the desert to provide travelers with a place to stay and a warm meal. When they’d finished their food and were ready to leave, the guests would ask Avraham Avenu, “How much should we pay?” He would smile at them and tell them, “I just served it to you. Thank The One who created it in the first place.”

We cannot do much about the length of our lives, but perhaps we can strive to determine its other dimensions. How deep will we dive into finding our true mission in this world? How wide will our impact be on our fellow human beings? How big will the shoes we leave behind be to fill?

As a psychiatrist, a Jew, a student of The Rav, and ultimately a human being… I cannot begin to tell you how big his shoes really were.

May his memory be for a blessing and may his merit protect us all.

The Avraham J. Twerski Learning Center will be having a Memorial Program Commemorating the 2nd Yahrzeit of Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski zt”l Sunday, February 12, 2023, at 7:30 pm in Ramat Beit Shemesh or online

For more information go to twerskicenter.org

on his face shone brightly as we discussed various public health initiatives and their positive impact. The Rav told me about the feedback he’d received from an Arab living in Berlin after an online talk he’d given on the power of resilience: “If we can make a German Muslim excited about the teachings of a Jew, we are on the right track!”

But for all of the good the Rav did in this world, his greatest impact may have been the work he did on behalf of Jewish addicts.

I was once zoche to meet a man who was now a recovering alcoholic but had once been found guilty of some pretty aggressive vandalism while he was drinking. This man was ostracized from his shul and finally hit rock bottom following an arrest. He had found sobriety and eventually became one of these truly amazing people who lives an honest, yosher life, infinitely greater than anything he could have possibly achieved had he never picked up a drink in the first place.

The man eventually came home and had the courage to return to his previous minyan. Sadly, at the urging of many of his fellow congregants, the Rabbi of the community refused to let him back in. This man called up Rabbi Twerski ZT”L who told him that he belonged and that if the shul wouldn’t have him back, it was their loss. This was all well and good, but

Rav Twerski was a true Avraham Avenu, providing a place for Jews in need of sobriety to successfully find their place in yiddishkeit. So many Jewish addicts had been turned off by a system that had scared them away from Judaism. They were therefore wary of Alcoholics Anonymous and a 12-Step Program that stressed a personal relationship with “G-d.”

Rabbi Twerski showed them that they could spend all their time and money on treatments that had more than a 90% relapse rate in a year. Or that they could commit to a sober, honest relationship with their Creator through The 12-Steps. With his books, his lectures, his listening ear, and ultimately his passionate genius and profound humility, The Rav brought countless non-religious Jews back to Judaism through his teachings. Perhaps even more striking was the home he built for thousands of Frum Jews within a yid dishkeit that would have otherwise thrown them out. In this, he was a true talmid of Avraham Avenu.

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz ZT”L fa mously taught: דוסי איה חריותא םדאה — per sonal responsibility is the foundation of a human being. Rabbi Twerski lived a life according to this fundamental principle. I once asked him if he had any regrets in his lifetime and he smiled as he shook his head, “Not at all. I only wish I had more strength to do what needed to be done.”

With this in mind, I often think of the Rav as I remember a famous quote from the last Lubavitcher Rebbe, “You cannot add more minutes to the day, but you can utilize each one to the fullest.”

Dr. Yaakov Freedman is a board-certified psychiatrist and business consultant based in Jerusalem, Israel. He can be most easily reached through his website: drjacoblfreedman.com.

Reprinted with permission from the Jewish Press.

Lessons I Learned Along the Way

Being Comfortable with Feeling Uncomfortable

Mrs. Sheindy Gross

Did you ever have a moment that made you feel like you were truly from a different century? This happened to me about nine years ago, so by now I am pushing the “Stone Age”... be that as it may, here’s how the conversation went.

I was speaking with Shira, the Director of Student Council at Valley Torah, where I was the principal at that time. As with all programming, we wanted to be sure that in addition to having “good fun,” our students would benefit by developing important social skills and growing their middos. Our conversation segued into chinuch and respect, two of my favorite topics, no doubt.

I mentioned that from when I was a young child and really up until today, my mother would always introduce me to friends or relatives and urge me to graciously say hello. I remember rolling my eyes internally and thinking “Who are these people?” and resenting at worst or completely not understanding at best, why I was being greeted at all.

Shira, who was in her early twenties at the time, reflected that she had no idea what I was referring to. She couldn’t remember a time that she had been prompted to say hello to an adult out of derech eretz or social grace. Being wise beyond her young years, she pointed out that this must be a lost art... And it got me thinking.

I thought about how I raised my children. Never harsh or insistent, I still felt that it is socially correct to encourage young children to respectfully greet adult friends and relatives. Furthermore, as an adult, I am pleased to have been schooled with that social etiquette. I can also identify with my mother’s joy in wanting to “show me off” with pride.

I believe this gave social confidence to my siblings and me. It’s the kind of thing that you never think twice about until you grow up

and realize you have it—an ability to converse with ease with people of all ages. Which brings me back to my conversation with Shira. Why has encouraging children to step out of their comfort zone become a thing of the past? I suspect

that barring a child who truly struggles in a particular arena, we no longer see the benefit of pushing our youth to do anything at all that makes them uncomfortable. We assume that following their cues of discomfort should be the only indicator and that may not always be wise.

To be clear, this is not a hill to die on. If a child resists after some gentle prompting we should undoubtedly let it go, but try again when a new opportunity presents itself. It’s equally important to speak with our children about the intention behind our requests.

In a recent mentoring session with parents, we discussed a few parenting dilemmas and how to best navigate them. At the conclusion of our conversation, we realized that so much of what separates successful parenting from other approaches is how much time it takes. And patience.

As our children become old enough for us to have thoughtful conversations with, parenting goals and objectives should usually not be kept from them. Parenting is not a game, so it’s safe to share our goals. Let’s also be mindful and not allow our children’s pushback and awkwardness to manage or derail our gparenting. We will typically end up with behaviors that we are more proud of when adults are in the driver’s seat.

Children and teenagers have a mind of their own and we should use their resistance or ambivalence as a guide. They have individual needs that must be honored. But not to completely negate what we may well understand will benefit them in the long run.

Wishing us all much Hatzlacha with raising our beautiful families.

With over 30 years in education as a teacher and a principal, Mrs. Sheindy Gross continues her passion for education by creating a new platform called TEHILA, Torah Education with Heart in LA, for women and girls to receive adult education, camaraderie, and support.

In addition to TEHILA, Mrs. Gross provides a myriad of educational opportunities for the community, such as dating and relationship mentoring, Kallah classes, and leadership consulting for educators. Mrs. Gross can be reached at sheindyg@gmail.com.

“Why has encouraging children to step out of their comfort zone become a thing of the past?”

our Youth From the Pen

Sylvia Heyman

In the face of rising antisemitism and the seemingly consistent erasing of Jewish achievement, we, the 11th-grade honors English class, have decided that one of the best ways to combat the desire to marginalize us as a people is to highlight those great Jewish heroes who have put their imprint on the United States. These men represent only a sample of the vast number of Jewish Americans that have contributed greatly to every facet of the American fabric:

Financier of the American Revolution: Hyam Solomon (1740-1784), a Polish immigrant, played a pivotal financial role in the American Revolution. It was said that George Washington would never have had the money to build his army if not for Solomon’s generous donations given without expectation of reimbursement. Solomon never received the reimbursement, yet his altruism was rewarded by Washington, who incorporated Solomon’s Jewish origins into the then-official presidential seal- a Magen David made of 13 stars representing the states. A reminder of this great American statesman sits as a monument in Gardner Park in Los Angeles.

Counsel to the Kingdom of Tunis: Mordechai Manual Noah (1785-1851) was one of the first Jews born in the US to reach national prominence. He was nominated for counsel to the Kingdom of Tunis, and while there, focused on freeing captured American citizens who were enslaved by Moroccan slave traders. Unfortunately, Noah’s career was cut short due to religious bigotry, as stated by James Monroe, Secretary of State: “Religion is an obstacle to fully exercise Noah’s consular function.” Noah fought this and had the support of many officers in prestigious positions including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.

Naval Commander: Uriah P. Levy (1792-1862) had a tremendous impact on the then-fledgling US Navy. Levy, who had been promoted from simple sailor despite the antisemitism he faced from fellow naval officers, commanded the US Navy during the War of 1812. He was instrumental in ending many of the navy’s cruel disciplinary practices, such as flogging. In 1803, Levy became close to Thomas Jefferson’s family. He purchased and helped restore Monticello. Later on, this contribution was downplayed by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation due to the antisemitic views among some of its board members. Antisemitism also played a tremendous role in Levy’s six court marshalls and demotion to the rank of captain, simply because of his Jewish religion.

Entrepreneur and American Fashion Icon: Levi Strauss (1829-1902) moved to New York in 1847, bringing about 100 pounds of blankets, kettles, and sewing goods. In 1853, Levi moved to Alaska during its gold rush. Instead of joining the hoards prospecting for gold, Levi saw an opportunity to create a pair of pants that would withstand the rigors of the Alaskan winter. Using tent material, he created pants later trademarked as Levi’s jeans. His “gold find” was ingenuity in changing a piece of material into a popular iconic American entity.

Benefactor: Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) took the Jewish concept of tzedakah seriously using the great wealth he amassed after transforming Sears into a retail powerhouse. Rosenwald was on the board of trustees of

the Tuskegee Institution and contributed to a pilot project providing six rural communities in Alabama to build schoolhouses. Rosenwald created the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which made substantial contributions to improving African- American life. Each donation contributed in significant ways to the civil rights movement and the larger American story. He was the main benefactor of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. One pillar of Rosenwald’s approach to his philanthropy was the “give while you live” philosophy.

Entertainer: Harry Houdini (1874-1925) was born Eric Weiss to an Orthodox Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary. As an adolescent after immigrating to NYC, he became very interested in magic, beginning his career with his brother Theodore. They called themselves “the brothers Houdini” and performed their small magic acts locally. He caught the attention of the entertainment manager Martin Beck, who hired Houdini to begin performing nationwide. Harry began to primarily focus on his escape feats, which drew him into the public eye. Within a short amount of time, Houdini gained international recognition and made a massive mark by turning magic into an art form.

Beacon of Light: Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) was born into a Portuguese Sephardic family in New York. She was a poet who wrote “the new colossus.” She was extremely involved in charitable work for refugees. The plight of a Russian Jew she met there became her special focus. The famous words on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty were taken from a sonnet that she had written called Mother of Exiles, and every immigrant has been greeted by the words “give me your poor your tired your huddled masses yearning to be free.“

Creator of the Polio Vaccine: Albert Sabin (1906-1993) was a medical researcher who discovered how the polio virus spread, which led to the development of the safe polio vaccine. Very quickly after graduating from medical school, Sabin proved himself to be a brilliant, methodical researcher. During World War II as an officer in the US Army Medical Corps, Sabin isolated the virus that caused sandfly flu, which was infecting many troops in Africa. During his medical career, Sabin developed the vaccine against dengue fever and encephalitis. However, his greatest claim to fame was the live virus vaccine against the crippling polio virus. Upon his death, he left the bulk of his estate to the Wiseman Institution. Now more than 18 million people can walk today who would have otherwise been paralyzed, and 1.5 million childhood deaths have been averted, with four regions of the world certified polio-free thanks to Sabin and his life-saving vaccine.

Technical Builder of Apollo Project: Abraham Silverstein (1908-2001), born in Indiana, was hired by NASA to work on the design of the Altitude Wind Tunnel at the Lewis Laboratory (now known as the Glenn Research Center). He direct-

ed important research which led to incredibly high-speed performances of most of the combat aircraft in World War II. Silverstein was responsible for the conception, design, and construction of America’s first supersonic propulsion wind tunnels. Silverstein was instrumental in the planning of the Apollo, Ranger, Mariner, Surveyor, and Voyager missions. Silverstein retired from NASA in 1970. NASA credits Silberstein with giving both the Mercury and Apollo projects their names.

Steven Spielberg: Steven Spielberg’s grandmother taught English to Hungarian Holocaust survivors in Cincinnati when he was a toddler. There, Spielberg learned his numbers from the forearm of an Auschwitz survivor. “That was my Sesame Street. That’s how I first learned to count,” he says. In 1994, Spielberg established the Survivor of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which gathers visual testimony from survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. Today, this archive is the largest of its kind worldwide, with more than 55,000 eyewitness testimonies from Holocaust survivors in 43 languages representing 65 countries. This has become invaluable research for historians and those interested in preserving a record of history’s horrors. Spielberg established the foundation with a mission and public focus to fight hate, and collect a “living testimony” from modern genocide victims. Not only are people willing to forget the Holocaust, but they are willing to deny it and the Shoah Foundation has made great contributions to preserve the memories.

The Jewish stamp on American history did not just occur through happenstance. It was a result of a people expressing their love and appreciation for a country that, despite instances of antisemitism, still provided them with unprecedented opportunities. As students who represent the legacy of these brave citizens, we endeavor to put into print those Jewish giants of history who have very often been marginalized or forgotten. We hope that this article in some way will make you, the readers, thirsty for more knowledge of the American Jewish presence in the history of this country.

Mrs. Sylvia Heyman comes armed with over 40 years of experience as a parent to ten rambunctious wonderfully different children. She has been a teacher of thousands of students, ranging in age from 9 to 90, including every sphere of our society. The opinions expressed here are solely hers and come from a sincere desire to help. She welcomes your comments to the debated issue. Please send them to editor@thelajewishhome.com.

Miracles in the Minutiae

The Birthday Visit that Saved a Life

Denise Berger

Over Chanukah, Denise Berger initiated a Pirsum Haness project, gathering people’s personal stories of miracles and then sharing them over social media. Since the awareness of miracles is meant to be with us all year, the project has expanded into this column.

The following miracle story comes from a woman just outside of London. If even one element of the story were different, or just happened in a different order, the miraculous outcome would not have unfolded.

When I was at university, I came home as a surprise for my father’s birthday. While home, I went shopping on Petticoat Lane. It was an extremely busy day, and the staff asked me to use the upstairs try-on room. As I was trying on a jacket, a close friend from high school came running across the floor. What excitement! We had not seen each other for almost a year! She invited me to her birthday party the following week. I wasn’t planning to go, but my mother thought I should. So I went, and the party was quite a lot of fun.

Ever since starting university, I had complained about pain in my side. The doctor there essentially said it was all in my mind, and diagnosed me with a case of not liking school. After several bouts of severe stomach illness, the revised diagnosis was ongoing gastric flu.

Well, I got another bout that weekend. Rather than sending me back on the train, my mother decided to drive me to campus. On the way, we went to visit my grandmother, who thought I should see our GP before returning. So I went to the doctor.

The GP examined me and said he was sure I would not want to interrupt my studies for more time than necessary, so he would arrange an appointment at the London hospital that day. I thought he was just being gracious. As it turned out, the tests revealed I had a deformed kidney which was causing dangerous complications and needed to be treated immediately.

This miraculous chain of events was set off by a young girl coming home in honor of her father’s birthday. The first time the Torah tells us to honor our parents, it says “in order to lengthen your days on the earth.” I’ve heard it said that this is a complicated pasuk, and that the meaning is not so easily understood. For this woman, there was no complication at all —- the action of honoring her father led to saving her life.

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.

Scott Topiol MSN, RN, CEN, MICN

Making Sense of RSV

as their symptoms are mild and go away in a few days. Depending on a person’s age and overall state of health, RSV can sometimes cause serious complications. Older people that catch RSV are actually more likely than children to be hospitalized.

How is RSV spread and how can I prevent it?

What are the symptoms of RSV?

small amounts of liquid can help.

With all the talk about this year’s “record-breaking” RSV season, it can be difficult to know what to think. Should I get my child tested? When should I take him to the doctor? How do I avoid spreading it at home? Can adults catch it? If it all feels overwhelming, don’t worry—you’re not alone. It’s time to separate fact from fear and answer some of your most burning RSV questions.

What is RSV, anyway?

Respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, is the most common cause of respiratory illness in children less than one year of age. It usually occurs seasonally from October until about May. It is so common that virtually every child will have an RSV infection by their second birthday.

But RSV isn’t just a childhood illness. Most people will experience repeated infections throughout their life without realizing it,

RSV is a very contagious virus without a widely available vaccine. It’s spread through contact with respiratory secretions (snot or spray from a person’s cough or sneeze) or by touching a contaminated surface, and then touching the orifices of your face.

The best way to prevent the spread of RSV is frequent hand washing and good cough etiquette. Never cough into your hands or—worse yet—into the open! Instead, cough into a tissue or your upper arm sleeve. Since the virus lands on surfaces, disinfect high-contact areas such as doorknobs, light switches, toys, and crib rails, regularly. Who is at risk for a more serious case?

· Infants less than six months old

· Premature infants (born before 35 weeks)

· Those with Down syndrome

· Adults aged 65 or over

· Anyone with other health conditions that may affect their heart, lungs, or immune system

Common symptoms of RSV include runny nose, sneezing, cough, and sometimes fever. It can also cause ear infections in young children. Sometimes the symptoms spread to the lungs and are more serious. When this happens, wheezing (a whistling sound heard when a person breathes) might develop. RSV can also cause pneumonia (an infection of the lungs). Some symptoms of pneumonia include shortness of breath, a cough that produces phlegm, chest pain while coughing or breathing, and fever.

What about testing?

Getting tested for RSV isn’t usually necessary. The main exception is when your medical provider feels that it’s important to determine if the symptoms are being caused by something else such as the flu or COVID-19. Testing might also be recommended when the sick person is in contact with someone else with a high-risk factor like a baby born prematurely or an adult undergoing cancer treatment.

Can I treat RSV at home?

Most cases of RSV are easily treated at home. Encourage the sick person to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. This

You can treat fever or minor discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if they’re older than six months) as directed. Never give aspirin to a child unless your healthcare provider has told you to as it can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome.

A cool-mist humidifier in the room can help thin and loosen mucus and improve comfort at night. Don’t use warm-mist humidifiers since children can knock them over and get burned. A bulb suction syringe is great for removing pesky mucus from little noses!

When should I go to the doctor?

Seek emergency medical help right away if a person has difficulty breathing, is turning blue or pale, stops breathing, becomes difficult to wake up, or develops uncontrollable coughing. Contact your pediatrician right away if you notice that your baby is making fewer wet diapers than normal; they might be dehydrated! Finally, don’t try to drive a person with severe trouble breathing or who is very agitated or lethargic to the hospital by yourself—call 9-1-1!

Scott Topiol, MSN, RN is a certified emergency and public

Wh les me Hea th

Childhood Obesity Part III of III

Sarah Tzivia Karmonick

We all want what is best for our children. We do everything we can to set them up for success in every way, but when it comes to nutrition, we can sometimes feel very lost.

We spoke previously about how important it is never to make size and weight a topic of discussion as well as the dangers of labeling our children as “fat.” Even by perceiving them as such, thus subconsciously treating them differently, we can actually perpetuate the problem and cause long-term problems.

So what CAN we do?

Step 1: Remember your role as the most influential adult in your child’s life.

You are your child’s most impactful role model. They watch how you speak, how you behave, your mannerisms, your movements- they watch it all. And they internalize it. Your children will pay more attention to your actions than they will to your words. They are watching YOUR relationship with food. YOUR relationship with your body. Role modeling is far more powerful than any lecture. This applies to everything, and our relationship with food falls directly into that category.

Take a moment to explore your own attitudes and decisions around food and weight. Do you eat slowly? Do you eat without distractions? Are you open and curious about trying new foods? Do you focus on consuming mostly nutritious foods

will be able to run, jump, and play without getting sick as frequently.

Carbohydrates: Carbs are like fuel for your gas tank! They will give you the energy you need to play hard and also give your brain the power it needs to think! If you have a supercar, you will give it the best gasoline you can so it can drive well and stay in great condition. The same with your body and the carbs you feed it, the healthier the carbs, the easier it is for your body to use them for its engine. Some examples are fruit, starchy veggies, whole grains, and beans.

Healthy fats: Healthy fats like avocados, seeds, nuts, and olive oil are going

foods in their environment that they enjoy eating. This will also empower them and give them the opportunity to feel “in charge.”

Step 4: Create a graband-go school day lunch menu.

How can you take the stress out of lunch planning? Keep it simple and, once again, invite your children to be involved. Stock up on foods that are easy for your children to reach and prepare on their own. Empower them to be a part of the decision-making process. As we discussed in step 2, show them the basic structure and the reasoning behind a well-balanced lunch: why we include a fruit, vegetable, protein, carbs, and yes- a treat! This is balance!

Step 5: Don’t create moral equivalency around food choices.

Talking about foods as “good” or “bad” can create an environment of shame associated with eating “treats,”

and approval-seeking when eating nutritious foods. This can cause a negative relationship with food. It is important to allow children to feel normal eating foods they enjoy purely for the pleasure of it, just as it should be normal to eat for a strong, healthy body.

Step 6: Don’t expect perfection.

Stop being so hard on yourself. We want to have colorful, vegetable-filled plates served at the same time, in a calm environment- but real life has unexpected stresses and you can’t expect perfection all the time. Your kids may go through stages where they have heartier appetites and stages where they are not as interested in sitting down to a solid meal. They may be super picky eaters and have varied appetites. Sometimes a meal will be a bowl of cereal or pasta and cheese. And that is ok. Take the pressure off, try to set a reasonable goal, and know that life is always a work in progress.

Final tip: Find a few small changes that you can implement sustainably, and look for the small wins.

Sarah Kamornick is an educator for 20 years and has embarked into the realm of women’s health and fitness, specializing in strength training as well as nutrition coaching.

that will benefit your body, while creating a balanced, healthy attitude towards non-nutritious food choices? Do you punish yourself with exercise when you enjoy a donut or do you enjoy it, guilt-free? Do you stop eating when you are full? Do you express appreciation for your incredible body? Or do you highlight its imperfections?

Step 2: Connect food to superpowers!

We all like to know why we do what we do. Children are the same way. When educating children about nutrition, explain it to them in a way that is more relevant to them.

Proteins: Protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, chicken, and meat help make your muscles strong, and we all love being strong! They will help your hair grow so nice and shiny and will help heal any injuries! Protein will keep your body’s immune system healthy which means you

to help your brain get smart! They help your brain develop and help your body absorb important vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E, and K). They will also help your skin glow!

Vegetables: Eat the rainbow! Vegetables are Hashem’s medicine cabinet! They have so many special vitamins and nutrients that will help your eyes see well, your brain think well, and your body feel well!

Step 3: Get your children involved!

Ask your children for input when planning your dinner menus for the week. Sometimes picky eating can be more about needing to be in control and less about the actual food. Give them a variety of options from all the food groups and let them be involved in the choices you offer them. By allowing them the opportunity to offer their input, you are more likely to have

“When educating children about nutrition, explain it to them in a way that is more relevant to them.”

Personal Perspectives

Does Religious Persecution Not Count?

Ben-Zion Huttler

Iwas raised to exercise caution in assuming malevolence where ignorance may be to blame. Not every act one may find to be less than favorable means the perpetrator was actively wishing harm. Instead, she could simply be ignorant of the damage she was causing. However, the benefit of the doubt can be extended only so many times, particularly when the perpetrator has been informed that what she did was harmful. I mention this so you may have a better understanding of why I am not willing to accept that Whoopi Goldberg’s recent remarks were made in ignorance.

Whoopi Goldberg, a black comedian who co-hosts the talk show “The View,” recently claimed that the Holocaust wasn’t originally about race and “[the Nazis] did that to black people, too…. But it does not change the fact that you could not tell a Jew on a street.” Goldberg’s words demonstrate her belief that the Holocaust was not about race, and that one cannot tell a Jew on the street, whereas black people are more easily identifiable. This is not the first time Goldberg has made such remarks; at the beginning of 2022, Goldberg said that the Holocaust was about ‘man’s inhumanity to man.’ Immediately following her remarks, Goldberg was lambasted, and there was a public outcry for an apology, which she eventually gave. Clearly, though, her stance on the matter has not changed.

(something the Jewish community has faced for two thousand years) and belittles the trauma such groups go through from either facing persecution or hiding their identity. Yes, European Jews could theoretically ‘hide in plain sight’ (though Goldberg seems to forget that hardly any Jew would dare take that chance in Nazi Germany, and most hid the same way a black person would, by staying out of sight) but to do so would mean throwing off the kippos and

“When hate crimes are committed against a racial or ethnic group they are rightly called out, but when acts of prejudice are committed against religious groups, the public is largely silent at best and is outright supportive of the bigotry at worst.”

tzitzis, shaving off beards and peyos. Is this not traumatic? Is this not a loss of identity?

Despite the above, I do not believe that Goldberg is an antisemite. She made it clear that she felt the Nazis were inherently evil, as she said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: “I was saying, you can’t call this racism, this was evil.” What I take umbrage at is her claims, on which she doubled down, regarding how the Nazis “couldn’t tell if someone was Jewish,” the implication being that black people had it harder because they stood out. I believe that Goldberg is so focused on race that she is overlooking and, by extension, minimizing prejudice against religious groups, even believing such prejudice to be less heinous than the “far graver” prejudices that surround race.

This sort of attitude ignores the dangers faced by people being openly religious

Goldberg’s comments are indicative of a larger problem facing society: the march of secularism minimizing anything to do with religion. When hate crimes are committed against a racial or ethnic group they are rightly called out, but when acts of prejudice are committed against religious groups, the public is largely silent at best and is outright supportive of the bigotry at worst. A case in Virginia, back at the beginning of December, illustrates this perfectly: a Christian group was asked to leave a restaurant when the owners of the establishment learned that the group was a donor to Family Foundation of Virginia, a conservative lobbyist group that opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, despite the fact that the group was not there to preach their views to the other guests and staff. While this was a clear act of bigotry towards a religious group, few national news agencies covered it. I doubt we would be seeing the same media silence if this was a case of racial bigotry.

Perhaps I should not be expecting better from the rest of the world, certainly not from a woman who claims to be Jewish (Goldberg is not her actual name but she claims to have Jewish ancestry) but has no interaction with the faith. Still, I would hope that as a public figure, Goldberg would be more aware and sensitive to how her words shape the public consciousness regarding viewing prejudice. Yet, it appears that in her mind, if something is not about race, as she defines it, it is not as important. A sad reminder of the world we live in today.

Ben-Zion Huttler is 23 years old and works for the RCC. He is an English literature major at Lander’s College and plans to start law school in the Fall of 2023.

Do You Like Repetition?

After teaching a young piano student the low part of a Hebrew song, which he mastered after a week, I taught him the high part, whose lyric consisted of one single repetitive word. The repetition in the song was fun and helped him learn it. Kids love repetition.

Adults don’t like repetition so much. But then again, it may depend on the preference of the listener. For example, I often have Jewish music on in the house and the car with the music set to auto-repeat. That’s until my husband asks me to please switch to classical music, or chazanus, which are his preferences. While the popular music of these times doesn’t inspire my husband, he can listen to the famous rhythms of a classical symphony (Beethoven’s 5th, anyone?) or lehavdil, the repetitive trills of famous chazanim, and enjoy them for hours.

Sometimes I share information, stories, and anecdotes with my adult children, wanting to make a connection or simply inform them of important news. But the problem is, in the busyness of life, I don’t recall who I told what to. Did I tell my oldest about the upcoming family get-together or about that relative who had a baby? Did I tell the interesting story to one son or daughter-in-law, but not the other yet? So, I repeat the story or anecdote or newsworthy information, and risk sounding like a broken record.

I like to believe if the material I’m sharing is relevant to their lives, as would be an appealing song, my listeners don’t mind the repetition.

What about when I find myself repeating requests over and over again because I find they are not being listened to? Maybe if I put the actual message to a song and add some structure to it, my listeners will be more attentive. “Close the fridge, close the fridge, close the friiiiidge....” sung in a cantorial fashion might induce my husband to remember to shut it tightly so the annoying alarm doesn’t beep (repetitively). On the other hand, I can just repeat myself ad nauseum and he’ll tune out. Pun intended.

Even if we don’t create ditties or songs to deliver our messages, we can add structure and meaning to them by injecting an aspect of personal relevance into the conversation.

Most music has structure, known as “form,” where themes change, whether it be the lyrics, direction of the melody, or characteristics of the harmony that enhance the listening value. The form gives music

its meaning, whether you’re listening to it as background music while cleaning your house, or whether you’re more actively listening.

Many classical works begin with the opening section, which introduces the main theme. After that comes the development section, where the theme is developed, embellished, and played several times. Finally, there is the closing section where the previous material is repeated and brought to a conclusion.

In contemporary Jewish music, a common song structure would be to start with an opening line or stanza (paragraph) which is often repeated one time. That’s fol-

lowed by new material, which may be repeated as well. And finally, the beginning is played again, usually one time. As you can see, introductions and repetition are

standard features when it comes to all forms of music.

Of course, while listening to a song, most people don’t analyze the various segments of the piece; nor should they. They merely want to enjoy the melodies and harmonies that they find pleasing. Many use music for background purposes, to relax when shopping in a store, riding an elevator, or focusing on a task.

So when communicating with my family, I preface my comments with, “Did I already tell you this?” to cover myself in case I already told them the information and forgot who I told. Or I start with an introduction so I can tell by their look that they’re dead bored, and I stop.

Bottom line, we just have to know our audience, the style, and the method of communication to use with each one. Oh, and the right time and place. And then just hope for the best that our songs will be pleasant and appreciated.

Miriam Hendeles, M.A., MT-BC is a music therapist for hospice patients and a writer for Binah Magazine and other publications. She’s the author of “Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!” and “Best Foot Forward.” One of her passions is advocating for frum women in midlife through a recently launched website of JWOW! or www.jewishwomenofwisdom.org where frum midlife women connect, communicate, and grow through online and virtual interaction.

Miriam Hendeles

“Bottom line, we just have to know our audience, the style and method of communication to use with each one.”

In The K tchen

One and Done: One Pot Veggie Couscous

Dini Klein

As a mom of three and a business owner, I am always trying to find ways to do more while actually doing less. Dinner used to be the responsibility that set me over the edge, which is why I created the Prep + Rally system. When I complete a one-hour meal prep on Sunday, I am stocked with fresh foods that I can mix and match to create different easy meals throughout the week. When I don’t get a chance to do some form of meal prep, I turn to my second favorite life-saving option; One Pot Meals.

That’s right, these are full meals that are made in one pot. The right recipes will have you

cooking less while producing more, all with less mess and less overall cook time. It’s a win-win-win. Here are the top reasons to try a one-pot meal to save you from full-on cooking when you just don’t have patience for it.

• Just one pot to wash

• So much room for creativity

• Takes no time to throw

• together

• All the components of the meal banged out in one shot

• Easy to store leftovers. Just put away the pot!

• Easy and quick to make a big batch if you have a larger crew.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas

1 15-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup green peas

1 ½ cups pearl couscous

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

Lemon wedges, to serve

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute until mostly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Saute another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the wine and let cook, scraping and deglazing the pan, for 2-3 minutes or until the wine has cooked off. Then stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, peas, and couscous, and saute for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, then cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until the couscous is tender. Serve hot!

FAMILY MEAL PREP SYSTEM THE

Finally a guide to delicious, family-friendly meals with less stress, less expense, and minimal time. Complete with essential advice for remixing leftovers, along with dozens of recipes for easy egg dishes, snacks, and sweets, Prep + Rally will alleviate weeknight meal time stress, once and for all.

photo credit: Kayla Freitag

Lou’s Views

Is There A Double Standard in Washington?

Lou Shapiro

Just when things couldn’t get any weirder in Washington, they did. Nearly three months after the FBI raided former President Trump’s Florida residence in search of classified documents, it was announced that classified documents were discovered at President Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware residence. The White House hasn’t explained why they waited until now to disclose that.

Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. Attorney General William Barr called the investigation “a grave injustice” that was “unprecedented in American history.”

Trump was then investigated and impeached for asking Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate his own political rivals, the Bidens, for their connections to Ukraine. Following his acquittal, Trump said, “We’ve been going through this now for over three years. It was evil, it was corrupt, it was dirty cops, it was leakers and liars. And this should never, ever happen to another president, ever.”

When discussing the Trump FBI raid during a 60 Minutes interview, Biden said, “How could that possibly happen? How could anyone be that irresponsible?” Now he knows.

When a Fox News reporter asked Biden what he was thinking by keeping doc uments in his garage next to his Corvette, he replied, “My Corvette’s in a locked garage, OK? So it’s not like they’re sitting out on the street.”

As he did in Trump’s case, Attorney General Merrick Garland swiftly appointed a special counsel to investigate said docu ments found at Biden’s home in Wilmington and an unsecured office in Washington.

Predictably, responses from both camps have been vastly different. Demo crats assert that Biden’s and Trump’s respec tive classified document debacles are not comparable, pointing to the fewer quantity of documents discovered in Biden’s home than in Trump’s. In addition, they maintain that Biden is handling the matter in a more forthcoming manner than Trump.

Republicans, however, are insisting a double standard exists as they point out the non-existent FBI raids on Biden’s home.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., sums it up as follows: “Another faux pas by the Biden administration by treating law differently based upon your political beliefs. Treats President Trump one way but treats President Biden a whole different way. You watched them leak photos of sitting out files of President Trump. Where are the photos of President Biden’s documents? Where are those photos at?”

So is there a double standard in Washington D.C.?

In 2016, when Trump won the Pres idency, dozens of Democratic lawmakers boycotted his inauguration based on allega tions of Russia’s meddling in the election.

After a 22-month investigation, spe cial counsel Robert Mueller did not find the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, to have conspired with the Russian government, despite multiple efforts from

After Trump lost the 2020 election, he challenged the results and has been accused by the Democrats of inciting the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The House Jan. 6 committee recommended that Trump be criminally charged with four criminal statutes. The Department of Justice hasn’t made a decision yet on whether it will file criminal

DJ EZZI

Menachem Mendel Milchiger

Zalman Brim

With the ever-advancing and all-pervasive technologies that surround us as we seemingly stand on the brink of a new epoch in information science with the introduction of artificial intelligence to the masses, it feels like the once adored shtetl will become all the more unrelatable to the general public. But those already possessing a fascination with the old country may begin to treasure their bond with the simplistic living of the past even more as the chasm between our lifestyle and their lifestyle widens.

With that sociological speculation as a long-winded introduction, I tell you about a stamp I found in a sefer. It was a sefer that I picked up for a nominal price as it is not a first edition and the title page needed to be in better condition, but you never know what hidden history may be hiding in a sefer. It is a Chofetz Chaim printed in 1884, which was in the lifetime of the Chofetz Chaim, and maybe it was purchased from the Chofetz Chaim himself as he went from city to city selling his sefer. Either way, the purchaser was proud to own his sefer as he stamped it six times and inscribed it twice. The stamp reads “Menachem Mendel Milchiger, Shochet and Mohel of Ignalino.” Presumably, his son inscribed his own name in it, and the name Eliezer Milchiger is written twice in more juvenile handwriting.

While it is not wise to caricature individuals of past or present between the surname, his occupations, and the name of the town, it is hard not to conjure up a picturesque shtetl scene in the mind when opening this sefer.

(As an addendum to my previous article, I mentioned there was a 1930s MLB player that did not play on Shabbos or Yom Tov, although his story is still inspiring this claim was incorrect).

Zalman Brim Judaica is a collector of antique Judaica. If you would like to feature an heirloom or piece in your own collection or if you are looking for a specific piece of Judaica, please reach out to ZalmanBrim@gmail.com.

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Touro College Los Angeles invites High School Juniors and Seniors & their Parents to an informative program