March 14, 2024

The man who discovered Hashem while incarcerated in a maximum-security prison Page 12

Dear Readers, CONTENTS

Afew weeks ago I said I wish we had the keruvim (cherubim) to signify to us that Hashem is happy with our behavior and that the Jews are getting along. Now, I wish we had more signs - like the ananei hakavod and the choshen mishpat - to get direct answers from Hashem, to know He is with us. At the end of this week’s parsha, the clouds, ananei hakavod, came down upon the completion of the mishkan, to show that everything was built exactly according to the plans, and Hashem’s shechinah is now resting among Bnei Yisroel.

Additionally, this week’s parsha discusses the making of the special clothes of the Kohen Gadol. One article, the Choshen, was the breastplate that only the Kohen Gadol would wear. It consisted of the Urrim v’Tumim, which are 12 stones that each have one of the shvatim’s name on them and Hashem’s unique name inside. The Kohen Gadol would be able to ask questions to the Urim vTummim, and receive answers. The “Urrim” were the letters on the stones that would light up, while the “tumim” means complete, as in the words that light up will come true and will happen. The tumim was the interpretation that the Kohen Gadol needed to decode the letters. This came from Ruach Hakodesh only when Hashem permitted it, only if the Kohen Gadol and the person asking were

worthy, only then the reply would come, and only for questions related to the nation’s security, for example: should we go to war?

These last few weeks of Parshiot teach us how close Hashem can be, dwelling amongst us, in the mishkan. Other signs He shows us that He is with us are the keruvim, the choshen mishpat, and the ananei hakavod. Of course, we are not at the level that Bnei Yisroel were immediately after receiving the Torah at Har Sinai and leaving Mitzrayim. They were a nation of tzaddikim. Now, in our darkest of days, we can see how much we are missing. We can see how far away we are from those times, and how far away many have turned from Hashem. He is here, He is with us, but He is often hiding.

In the upcoming story of Purim, we see Hashem hiding, as His name is not listed in the Megillah even once. Now in our days too, Hashem is not able to dwell amongst us as He did in the mishkan or the Beis Hamikdash. We don’t have clear answers, we are unable to ask the Urrim v’Tummim what we should do in this war. But just like Hashem saved us from utter annihilation in the times of Mordechai and Esther, even now we will be saved in the same way, when we least expect it, in our darkest of days.

May you have a Shabbos filled with light,

TWacky Purim Hat Day at LINK

he LINK Shul’s dynamic youth director, Mrs. Dina Ram, led a fun-filled afternoon in anticipation of Purim. The children made creative “wacky hats” in remembrance of Haman’s strange-looking headgear. There was a contest for the most creative hats, as well as great refreshments and stories. The children had an unforgettable time and came home with something new to wear for Purim.

A Snapshot of Science Learning at Yeshivat Yavneh

This past month, students of Yeshivat Yavneh middle school embarked on learning and experimentation around fundamental physics concepts with their teacher, Mr. Tom Kreuzberger.

The 6th grade, having finished a unit on energy and energy transfer, set out to create a solar oven powered only by sunlight. They began by modeling their oven in CAD software, and then creating it with basic materials such as foil, tape, a pizza box and plastic wrap. The winning oven actually started smoking after about 25 minutes!

The 7th graders learned about motion, speed, acceleration and velocity, and tested their knowledge through creating rocket balloons that zipped across the classroom. Based on their measurements, they successfully converted their feet-per-second score into miles per hour.

The 8th grade studied transverse and longitudinal waves, creating a cup and string telephone to demonstrate how sound travels through a medium. They tested variables and logged changes in sound quality, with some of their phones reaching in excess of 70 feet!

Looking forward to continued excitement and curiosity in our upcoming science units!

8th boys testing a cup-and-string telephone across the classroom.

6th boys creating their solar ovens based on their CAD designs.

Joshua Dekel introduces a magnifying glass to speed up the solar oven.

6th boys testing and taking temperature measurements of their solar ovens.

7th girls launch a balloon to measure feet per second speeds before converting to miles per hour.

Caps For Sale by Nechama Brull

Story time

The Starck Family balloon hats

Valley Torah Girls Enjoy a Snowy Winter Retreat

On a bright and sunny Thursday morning, Valley Torah Girls School embarked on a trip to Snow Valley, in Big Bear, to enjoy a day of adventure, camaraderie, laughter, and joy in the crisp Winter air. Students enjoyed skiing, tubing and snowboarding, as well as a hot cocoa station.

Additional highlights included watching teachers and even Principals brave snow sports along with the students! This was followed by a school-wide scavenger hunt, gourmet dinner from Valley Burger Bar, kumzitz, Dvar Torahs, dessert buffet, and magic show. The day provided wonderful opportunities for students to bond over shared experiences and have a tremendous amount of fun.

YAYOE Restarts Mommy-N-Me Program

YAYOE is proud to announce the restart of our wonderful mommy-n-me program. Come join us for play and exploration, Tzaddakah, singing and dancing with mini Torahs, instruments and parachute play, and more… Our classes are rich with discussions including cutting edge science, practical strategies, rituals and routines which enhance loving connections and family rhythms.

YAYOE was blessed to have received a grant to a cohort study program for 18 months of learning, meetings and workshops with neuroscientists and LCSWs through the Simms/Mann Institute-First 36 program. Morah Shayna and Morah Michal have been involved in the program since 2017. This program greatly enhanced our learning and amplified our desire to support parents of our Jewish families and specifically children 0-3.

For more information please contact Morah Michal at (323) 497-7770.

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Snow day fun with administration

Mommy & me

Dash, Meir Simcha and Riki at construction sensory bin

Morah Michal shares laughs and parachute time with Asher and Allie

Gavi has fun too!

Sadie enjoys our tunnel

Snow Tubing all day long

Winter Retreat Fun in the Sun

Purim Cards of Happiness from Spivak Hebrew!

In the spirit of Happiness for the month of Adar and the upcoming Chag of Purim, Spivak Hebrew Elementary and Middle School students made beautiful Purim cards to be given to families of Friendship Circle and Tomchei LA.

In recent weeks, the Spivak Hebrew Bat Mitzvah class has been learning about various organizations to begin their Chesed Projects. As part of this learning, the girls wanted to get involved with the organizations in any way they could. The idea was born to make Purim cards to be given to the children and families participating in these organizations.

Additionally, the students plan to sell Mishloach Manot at school and give all proceeds to the organizations as a donation! The students hope that the cards bring happiness and smiles to the families, and that the contribution will help further the beautiful causes. May we all continue to spread the light of kindness in the world!

USC Shoah Foundation Partners with National Library of Israel

The USC Shoah Foundation has partnered with the National Library of Israel to provide Israelis with the first countrywide access to the Institute’s entire Visual History Archive, including testimonies from more than 52,000 Holocaust survivors and hundreds of survivors of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.

While the entire Visual History Archive is accessible at close to 200 academic and cultural institutions around the world, the partnership with NLI makes Israel the only country where full access is available nationwide.

“It is vitally important that all our testimonies are available in Israel, where nearly half of the world’s remaining Holocaust survivors and the vast majority of Oct. 7 survivors live. The USC Shoah Foundation’s archive contains uniquely powerful sources that inform education, research and awareness-raising initiatives that bring people and societies face-to-face with the human beings who survived the world’s oldest hatred. By giving… access to these testimonies through the National Library of Israel, we are helping connect the past with the present in ways that can secure a better future for Israel and the wider international community,” said Dr. Williams, who serves as UNESCO Chair on Antisemitism and Holocaust Research and Advisor to the In ternational Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

“The National Library of Israel is the keeper of national memory for the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” NLI Chairman Meridor said. “This outstanding agreement will deepen the understanding of Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths as to humanity’s nadirs and zeniths, from the lowest levels of cruelty, brutality and malice to the highest points of resilience, faith and courage. We invite all users of the National Library website to watch and witness these testimonies, and hope fervently that our resolute pledge of ‘Never Again’ will continue to guide generations to come.”

The March 4 National Library of Israel event kicked off the USC Shoah Foundation’s four-day Israel Solidarity Mission designed to foster collaboration in the fight against antisemitism. The mission also includes meetings with Israel President Isaac Herzog, a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, and conversations with Oct. 7 survivors and hostage families, as well as visits to sites of Oct. 7 mass atrocities in southern Israel.

“Chained”: A Stage Reading of a Woman Chained to Dead Marriage

On February 29, the Museum of Tolerance hosted a staged reading of a play titled Chained by Sonia Levitin. The staged reading, directed by Margy Horowitz, has a cast of characters made up of LA locals: Karen Holender, Nicholas D. Monteilh, Jill Holden, Jessica Kurzban, Nili Isenberg, Rabbi Yitzchak Golbart, Saul Blinkoff, Karen Brundage, and Cindy Steinschriber.

Chained is a story about a couple going through a Jewish divorce, where the husband refuses to give a Get until he receives full custody of the child the couple shares. After a legal divorce is finalized, there remains obstacles with hidden motives as to why the husband refuses to unchain his wife.

The cast puts on a wonderful performance, bringing the audience into the turmoil, when finally the unexpected twist reveals the husband’s reasons. Finally, the characters come to an understanding where eventually the wife does become unchained.

“Our collective work will represent the most comprehensive archival effort to chronicle antisemitic violence,” Dr. Williams said. “Researchers and storytellers – now and in the future – can turn to these archives as an irrefutable, publicly available resource to rely on in the ongoing fight against antisemitism.”

Purim Card by 2nd grader in Spivak Hebrew Spivak Hebrew students making Purim cards to give to Tomchei LA and Friendship Circle

First Countrywide Access to Visual History Archives of Holocaust, Oct. 7 Survivor Testimonies

Gindi Maimonides Academy’s Encounters with Zionism: Menachem Begin’s Israel

This week, the 8th graders and their parents participated in an interactive, immersion in the life of one of our greatest leaders, Menachem Begin. The night began with a reenactment of a teen Betar meeting in Poland where a young Begin met Zev Jabotinsky, who would become Begin’s role model throughout his political career.

Families were then transported to Palestine in the 1940s helping Begin, the then leader of the Irgun, on clandestine missions including preparing anti-British propaganda posters, creating radio transmitters to take over the British run radio waves, and the famous Acco Prison Break.

The night came to a close after the State of Israel was established with a reenactment of Holocaust Reparations debate between Menachem Begin and the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion. The last moment in history we looked at was after Menachem Begin became Prime Minister and made a historical peace agreement with Egypt.

Begin’s legacy will always be one of an outstanding leader who dedicated his life for a secure, safe future for Am Israel in Eretz Yisrael. At a time of so much unrest for Jews in Israel and all over the world, looking back to one of the founding fathers of our state strengthens our emunah in Hashem and our people.

As was recited in our reenactment, Jabotinsky’s hope for the Jewish people eerily rings true today: “In Eretz Yisrael, we stand with our backs straight. We stand with honor and dignity. We defend ourselves. Hadar. That is the word. Hadar. Honor, and glory. We are the sons of princes, and we must live with honor and glory. And that is only possible in Eretz Yisrael.”

May Hashem bring peace and safety to Jews all over the world. May we see the hostages come home safe and celebrate the coming of moshiach b’mhera b’yamenu.

YAYOE’s 6th Grade Girls Build a Friend Workshop

The 6th grade girls at Ohr Eliyahu were treated to a fabulous and insightful build a friend/ build a bear workshop. Mrs. Tamar Ornstein, the mechaneches of this class, conducted a workshop with the class as part of their bas mitzvah year learning.

First the girls were given sheets, where one column consisted of positive middos & attributes and in the other column negative middos & attributes. Each characteristic had a money denomination listed next to it. Each girl had $1000 to spend on creating their perfect friend. Choosing negative characteristics earned you more points to spend. This was a very thought provoking and eye opening experience.

What followed was an amazingly mature conversation. We discussed that you can’t handpick your friend’s middos, but by working on those traits within you, you can help ensure that your friend will have those traits too.

After decorating our cardboard bears with the traits that we chose, we then had a fabulous time stuffing our very own bears. The bears had special t-shirts which included a logo of all of the girls’ names in a heart. A further reminder of the beautiful connection all of our classmates have.

David Ben Gurion debating Holocaust Reperations

Example of finished Zionism Propogana Poster

Student preparing for Betar Reenactment

Recreating Zionism Propaganda Posters

Recreating Zionism Propaganda Posters

Timeline of Menachem Begin’s Life

Massive Display About Israeli Hostages Outside Famous Oscar Party

Two award-winning Hollywood Producers worked very hard to en sure that the global spotlight on Los Angeles for Oscar night also shines on the heartbreaking plight of 134 hostages – men, women, and children – that have been held by Hamas in Gaza for more than 150 days.

Matti Leshem and Lynn Harris – a married couple known for films such as the Shallows, the Survivor, Hocus Pocus 2, and King Richard – partnered with the Tel Aviv-based Hostages and Families Forum, the official representative body of the families of those held hostage by Hamas, to stage a massive light projection display immediately outside of the Vanity Fair Party in Beverly Hills.

The display extended across a large building at 499 North Canon Boulevard in Beverly Hills immediately adjacent to the party and featured images and captions to bring to life the stories of the 134 people that Hamas kidnapped on October 7th.

The City of Beverly Hills convened an emergency meeting on March 8th to consider granting a special permit for the display. An overflow crowd of more than 150 people turned up for the meeting, with hundreds more participating on the phone, to express strong support for the City of Beverly Hills granting a special permit for the display.

“On the evening of the Academy Awards, as the entire world turns its eyes to Hollywood, the entertainment industry has a responsibility to speak out on behalf of the 144 people – men, women, and children – who are being held captive in horrific conditions by Hamas. This display will remind our colleagues in the entertainment industry about this tragedy, and encourage them to demand that Hamas release the hostages now,” said Matti Leshem.

A massive projection display highlighting the plight of the hostages taken captive ediately across from the Vanity Fair party

Dr. Yehudah Pryce

The Man who discovered Hashem while incarcerated in a maximum-security prison

By Eliyahu Rosenberg

Look at the two pictures side by side. On one, you see an intimidating, muscular man; his torso and arms covered in tattoos, and his forehead, wrapped in a bandana. Etched upon his face lies a mixture of anger and melancholic emptiness. Although he sports a macho persona, behind his brown eyes is a world of deep loneliness.

On the other one, stands the same man – his arms now hidden behind the sleeves of a black suit jacket; his torso concealed beneath a white shirt. On his head sits a black hat, and on his face, a full beard. But far more important than the man’s new attire is his big, warm smile.

Although the two men are the same, the person in the former was known as Omar Pryce, while the person in the latter is named Yehudah. The person in the former was an imprisoned gang member who had little regard for the world. The person in the latter is a goodhearted Jew who wants to help humanity. Without a doubt, Dr. Yehudah Pryce is the living embodiment of transformation.

While conversions to Judaism are largely discouraged, geirim are some of the most inspirational people in the world because their stories often o er incredible lessons in emunah. This story, however, o ers an account like no other.

The teenager craved a sense of belonging that, at the time, felt out of reach. He felt alone in the world, surrounded only by those who disliked him for who he was. There was no father gure to guide him, no friends to con de in, and no role models to whom he could relate. Instead, his father had abandoned him, and he was unimportant in the eyes of his peers. Growing up in a state of loneliness, Yehudah, or Omar, as he was originally known, decided to pursue alternative methods of attaining the sense of belonging that he was searching for.

“I was looking to connect to who I was. When I adopted the stereotypes of a Black, macho man, with bravado and gangsterisms, I sensed that people started respecting me,” Dr. Pryce recalled. “I felt important; I felt like I had some power.”

With time, he found himself playing the part of a gangster, adopting a criminal persona in which he held guns, robbed people, and sold drugs. And not too long after that, his loneliness disappeared, as he found a community that he felt he “belonged” to: the gangs. Omar felt himself gravitating towards the criminal life, and he soon discovered that he was highly skilled in breaking the law.

In fact, he was so good at committing crimes that, at the young age of sixteen, prominent gang leaders started noticing him. They took the impressive young gangster under their wing, mentoring him in the criminal underworld. For the rst time in Omar’s life, he felt like he had a purpose.

For the next three years of Omar’s life, he would nd himself in and out of juvenile hall. The police would often raid Omar’s home looking for him. Yet, he derived an irresistible satisfaction from the criminal lifestyle he was living.

But in 2002, at age nineteen, his life, in a way, came to an end after he was arrested for the last time; this time, for a non-violent robbery.

His family cried bitterly after the judge read out the ruling: twenty-four years in prison…

Riding upstate to Pelican Bay State Prison, a maximum-security facility, Omar felt a surge of emotions brewing deep within. There was confusion: how do you conceptualize twenty-four years when you haven’t even lived that long? There was some pride, as well, considering his gangster persona. And of course, there was also a great deal of fear, as he had a deep concern that he wouldn’t

make it out alive.

Pelican Bay State Prison, where some of the worst criminals and gangs in the United States are held, was the scene of an intense racial war, with Blacks, White supremacists, and Mexican ma a members battling it out.

“I remember hearing my skinhead neighbors –the White supremacists – sharpening up knives in the cell next to me,” Dr. Pryce recalled. “These were some big guys – like 6’3”, 6’4”, weighing a lot more than me – and I was thinking: ‘Even if I use a knife, I could get struck out and get life in prison. If I don’t use a knife, I might die. But even if I use the knife, these guys will still probably take me down. And we also have the correctional o cers with Mini 14s, and I could get shot.’ That was the sort of situation I was in.”

It is, of course, typical for inmates to use religion as a crutch for surviving prison, but Omar, from the outset, was adamant to not go down that route. His interest in religion was more or less an academic pursuit, not a search for truth. And so, in an attempt to gain knowledge, he studied Catholicism, Buddhism, and Islam, but each faith that Omar learned of seemed illogical to him. And thus, confrontationally, the inmate positioned himself as an aggressive debater, chalLenging the religious beliefs of others until they were silent in the face of his arguments.

One day, Omar’s friend informed him that the prison had hired a Reform rabbi to host Jewish services – perhaps another religious person he could challenge. Thus, Omar decided to attend the services and, in his usual manner, began hurling arguments at the rabbi. And yet, unlike all other chaplains and religious volunteers he had challenged previously, this rabbi wasn’t interested in arguing. Rather, the chaplain made two assertions:

1) We don’t want to convert anyone. We just want you to be a good person; and 2) Judaism, for thousands of years, has worked for the Jews.

Omar analyzed the latter statement and realized he couldn’t deny its validity. The Jews, who have faced thousands of years of persecution and su ering, are still here.

Intrigued, Omar wanted to learn more about Judaism, and thus, the Reform rabbi gave him “To Be a Jew,” an Orthodox Jewish thought book.

“I began reading a book every day or two, and then, I just quickly fell in love,” explained Yehudah Pryce. “How do you describe something logically that’s really an intuitive feeling?”

At the same time as he began discovering Judaism, Omar realized that he no longer found crime attractive. Before going to jail, he found novelty in criminal exploits, but once incarcerated and immersed in a criminal environment, the idea of crime lost its attractiveness. He discovered that criminals were, in his words, “just a bunch of losers” who “were participating in [their] own destruction and blaming others.”

It was at that point that he realized that the only positive thing he could do was work on himself. While he couldn’t, at the time, advance his career or education, he had the power to become a better person. And that’s where Judaism came into play in his life: the religion, unlike Christianity and other abstract faiths, gave him a list of concrete steps that he could take to become closer to Hashem.

“As Dovid Hamelech said, ‘Shiviti Hashem l’negdi tamid, I keep Hashem before me always.’ And to me, that just resonated because it showed me that with everything I do – even if I’m in a jail cell –Hashem’s there. Cut o from my family, my friends, my dreams, my hopes, my aspirations, but Hashem’s still there,” Dr. Pryce noted.

Eventually, Omar got transferred to a lower security prison facility, where he was able to use a

Wedding Attire in the ICU

Rabbi YY Jacobson

My grandmother, Teibel Lipsker, was a very special and holy woman. Like many of our grandmothers, she did not enjoy a smooth life. Growing up in Communist Russia as a Jew was difficult and raising a family during the 1930s under Stalin’s tyranny was far from simple. Then came the war. She and her husband escaped the former Soviet Union with false papers and came to a displaced persons camp. But again, life was anything but serene as she raised a large family in a one-bedroom flat.

My grandparents made it in 1947 to the United States and settled on a farm in New Jersey. That too didn’t turn out too successfully either, and so they relocated to Brooklyn, New York. There, making a livelihood proved to be complicated just the same, and the upheavals of life took their toll on her. Gratefully, my grandparents raised nine beautiful children and a tenth orphan. But with all that, my grandmother suffered from anxiety and depression.

One day, my grandmother consulted the Lubavitcher Rebbe about what to do about her psychological state. The Rebbe gave her fascinating advice. He suggested that she go to as many

Jewish weddings as possible, dance away at these weddings, and inspire other people to dance. As it happens to be, my grandmother was an exceptionally skilled dancer. She embraced the Rebbe’s advice, and for decades she would go to every possible wedding and dance. She danced with family, friends, relatives, community members and sometimes complete strangers. Everybody knew Mrs. Lipsker was here, and she was the life of the wedding and the life of the party. This did not come naturally to her, however. She was otherwise a quiet, unassuming lady. But she did it and she did it with every fiber of her being.

For years, she lived in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where there were many young women and men who returned to Judaism later in life, and they had few people attend their wedding. Knowing this, my grandmother would attend and bring her joy, vigor, stamina and inspiration. She would dance sometimes for hours with the bride and with the mother, with the siblings, or with the few families and relatives. And indeed, the joy she brought to hundreds of people over long decades came back to her. It replenished her with so much joy, strength, fortitude and resilience.

Sometimes we find ourselves engulfed in darkness. Many of us deal with anxiety and unresolved wounds and trauma. Pain, stress and depression take over. Yet we want to battle the darkness. We want to free ourselves from the shadows of our environment, and from our home and our world. Sometimes, though, the most effective,

Shalom Bayit

Waste of Time

You experience a certain difficulty but you don’t want to share it with your wife because you feel that you’d be wasting your time. Your wife would ask a lot of trivial, inconsequential questions.Plus you’ll have to repeat yourself – a million times. Big waste of time.

Let’s talk about someone else who experienced difficulty in ידוקפ – Moses. God gave excruciating details for the menorah (candelabra): the elements and placement, yet the oral Torah1 records that Moses had forgotten them. Moses goes up again and asks for clarification. God shows him a Menorah of fire. Moses was still having difficulty. God then gives him one made.

God models *patience*

Time is money is a cliché for the impatient. Wise people know that time is for character development.2 You are not wasting your time explaining things to your wife and repeating yourself. You are spending time to develop your character, that’s what time is for, and that’s a secret for Shalom Bayit.

Rabbi Nir and his wife Atrian give regular classes on Shalom Bayit. His popular 3-minute podcast is funny and draws Shalom Bayit ideas from the Torah portion of the week. To register: ShalomInComics@gmail.com

powerful solution is not to fight the darkness, but to kindle a flame of hope, a flame of joy, of light, of positivity. Start dancing and inspire other people to dance. And in that dance, a passion, a fire, a warmth is created in you and around you, and the darkness will banish and dissipate by itself.

Thirteen years ago, my grandmother’s youngest son, Shmuel, was marrying off his child. I came to the wedding slightly late and noticed that none of my uncles and aunts were present. My mother was also not there. What happened? I quickly learned that my grandmother, who was 94 years old, had a hard time breathing and had been rushed to the New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. My mother had been called by Hatzolah and she came straight from the wedding to visit her mother, my grandmother. Seeing that the situation was complicated, she called her siblings and other relatives to come to the hospital, and they did. They all rushed in from the wedding.

The scene was surreal. My grandmother was on her bed surrounded by some thirty family members. But that night, there was something different about them all. Something special. All the women were dressed in wedding gowns and all the men were dressed in wedding attire. At one point, the nurse came into the ICU and asked, “What, is this a wedding?”

mother returned her soul to its Maker. She died as she lived: in an atmosphere of joy, meaning, pur pose and unity. She passed on with the family that

she loved so much, surrounding her, all dressed in their finest wedding attire.

When the Mishkan reached its final crescendo of completion, Moshe blessed the Jewish nation that G-d’s presence should rest upon their efforts. In life, that’s where G-d finds a home: in the very work you do for Him and His children.

Teibel Lipsker knew that truth and lived it, and we can too.

Based upon a lecture by Rabbi YY Jacobson.

One of America’s premier Jewish scholars in Torah and Hashkafah, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (YY) Jacobson is one of the most sought after speakers in the Jewish world today. He lectures to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences on six continents and in fifty states, and serves as teacher and mentor to tens of thousands across the globe. He is considered one of the most successful, passionate, and mesmerizing communicators of Judaism today, culling his ideas from the entire spectrum of Torah, and making them relevant to contemporary audiences.

Elan Perchik; Editorial Director of TorahAnytime.com

Watch/listen/download the video/audio version of this Torah class from Rabbi Jacobson and thousands of others by top Torah scholars at www.torahanytime.com. Also, visit our webpage to subscribe to the acclaimed weekly TorahAnyTimes Parsha Newsletter featuring the best stories, insights and lessons from renowned speakers.

All content is free and updated daily. TorahAnytime: G-d’s Reason for the Internet.

Esther’s Hidden Strength

By: Rebbitzin Tziporah Heller

The holiday of Purim represents the best of times. It emerged, however, from the worst of times.

We were never closer to obliteration, both spiritually and physically. The hedonism of the prevailing Persian culture was part of the air that we breathed. It dulled our senses to the point that when King Achashverosh appeared in the garments of the High Priest of Jerusalem, presenting the treasure that had been robbed from the Holy Temple with the detachment of a museum curator, there was no protest.

We too had reached the point of being able to say, "How beautiful, how fascinating," when we once said, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten." We were desensitized to ourselves, and to God.

God is the hidden character of the Book of Esther. His name is never mentioned. As the events were played out in real time, few were able to see His hidden presence.

One of the few was Esther. Somehow she had escaped the desensitization.

FROM LONELINESS TO STRENGTH

Let us look at Esther in order to find the place within ourselves that can help us always see -- like she did -- beyond the exterior facade that calls itself "reality."

Her father had died while her mother was still pregnant with Esther; her mother died at her birth. Thus, she came into this world with the gaping wound of belonging to no one.

Her cousin Mordechai, who later became her spiritual guide and ultimately her husband, took her in. The Maharal of Prague (16th century) tells us that the circumstances of her birth were no coincidence. Alienation and loneliness are tools like any others and are given to us to enable us to become who we can be. It was from that place of emptiness that Esther's profound attachment to God blossomed.

The root of the Hebrew word ester is saiter, meaning "concealment." Her name articulated her very essence -- the ability to pierce the walls of concealment and find God where others could not.

We often are deceived by the opaque nature of our interactions with God. He seemingly does not react

when we go off the path. We are not stricken down by lightning when we make bad choices.

Similarly, we do not find ourselves suddenly richer or necessarily in better physical health when we choose to open our vistas to what is profound and eternal within ourselves.

The wicked seem to prosper and the righteous seems to exist with the same constraints as all the rest.

This is how it seems, of course, if we don't commit ourselves to penetrating the surface. Esther was a master at breaking through the walls that surround us. This was her weapon that she had taught herself in her years of solitude and yearning.

Esther had learned to see God wherever she looked. She saw Him as her only parent and she let His presence be her guide.

We all have our empty places. Rather than allowing them to lead us towards embitterment, let us use them as a ladder.

JEWISH THOUGHT Purim

LIKE A MYRTLE

Esther had an additional name -- Hadassah. The Hebrew word hadassah means "myrtle," and it is one of the four species that we use on Succot. The etrog (citron) is shaped like and symbolizes the heart, the lulav (palm branch), the spine, the aravah (willow), the lips, and the hadassah are the eyes. Esther's

Green is a color that is made up of two primary components -- blue and yellow. Blue symbolizes coolness and yellow symbolizes warmth.

The greater our focus on the ness of our external identities (age, appearance, culture) the more separate we are from the unity and commonality of our internal identities (the need to love, the yearning for meaning and genuine achievement, fear of rejection and inner chaos). We become the children of one Father when we let ourselves see beyond the façade of superficial identity. It is our quiet commonality that bonds our hearts

Esther was given seven maidservants, as was the court-custom. In order to remember when it was Shabbat she named them after the days of the week. In a society as stratified as ancient Persia, she could have easily dehumanized them by calling them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. Nothing could

So, instead, she named them after God's order of creation. One was Light, the other Transcendence, etc. They all ultimately converted to Judaism, even though that was far from Esther's intent. By becoming more aware of whom they really were, they were able to set their sights towards who they wanted to be. She succeeded in bringing them to a genuine

We often are deceived by the opaque nature of our interactions with God. He seemingly does not react when we go off the path.

COOLNESS AND WARMTH

connect. Her "greenness" was the spiritual symbol of humility, responsiveness and sensitivity.

Green is a color that is made up of two primary components -- blue and yellow. Blue symbolizes coolness and yellow symbolizes warmth.

Esther's inner light was a composite of two forces as well -fiery sun-like passion and the cooling nurture of water. Because she had developed her own spiritual nature so completely, she could reach out to anyone and find within her the capacity to

When we are able to peel away the layers of nonsense and glitz that are today's remnants of Achashverosh's palace, we will find the part of us that -- like Esther -- can pierce through any armor, even our own.

And then we will see God where we never believed He could be found -- in our hearts, in those of others, in the day to day events that form the tapestry of our lives.

Reprinted from The Five Towns Jewish Home.

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FYI:

Humans Have Been Chewing Gum for Generations

The oldest record of gum chewing began thousands of years ago with the ancient Mayans. This civilization enjoyed chewing on a gum-like substance called chicle, derived from the sap of the sapodilla tree. The material was soft and stretchy, not too dissimilar in texture from the stu we enjoy today. Chicle was used to either quench thirst or ght o hunger.

Bubblegum Was Invented by an Accountant

Although chewing gum is credited to a dentist, bubble gum owes its existence to an even less likely inventor. 23-year-old Walter E. Diemer was an accountant for Fleer Chewing Gum Company, and he experimented with new gum recipes in his spare time. Diemer thought it was an accident when he hit upon a formula that was less sticky and more exible than other types of chewing gum, characteristics that allowed a chewer to make bubbles. Then Diemer actually did have an accident: He lost the recipe the day after his discovery and it took him four months to gure it out again.

Bubblegum Alley

In the heart of San Luis Obispo, California, there's a quirky tourist spot called Bubblegum Alley. Visitors from near and far come to stick their chewed-up gum on its walls. This has been around for nearly 20 years, boasting millions of pre-chewed gum pieces. And it's only getting bigger as more folks pop by to leave their mark!

Don’t Swallow that Stu !

Ever heard the frightening myth that swallowed gum stays in your body for seven years? While it's true that our bodies can't break down gum, it doesn't stick around causing trouble. It simply takes a trip through our digestive system and says goodbye the natural way. On the other hand, as the Mayo Clinic points out: "On very rare occasions, large amounts of swallowed gum combined with constipation have blocked intestines in children."

By: Belle Miller

Sugary Chewing Gum Exists Because of a Dentist

Believe it or not, the sweet, sticky world of bubblegum, was dreamed up by a dentist! William Finley Semple, from Mount Vernon, Ohio, is the guy who rst patented chewing gum, hoping the sticky stu would help clean teeth. Little did he imagine, the gum world would go sugar-crazy, turning his dream into a headache for dentists everywhere.

Dubble Bubble

To test his new recipe, Diemer took 100 samples of the new gum to a nearby store, selling it for a penny apiece. It sold out in a single day. Realizing they had a new, popular type of gum, the owners of Fleer marketed Diemer's new gum as "Dubble Bubble." To help sell the new bubble gum, Diemer himself taught salespeople how to blow bubbles so that they, in turn, could teach potential customers. Sales broke $1.5 million in the rst year.

Want to Blow Bubbles?

If you're going to blow a bubble, you should chew for at least 15 minutes to get the gum soft and pliable enough to create good quality bubbles. The longer you chew, the easier it gets to blow bubbles. But there are a couple of other important factors to consider when trying to up your bubble-blowing game.

• Bubbles blow better when it's hot than when it's cold. The warmth of your mouth plays a role in softening the stu .

• Bubble gum is easier to blow into bubbles once it's no longer sweet, meaning your gum's sugar molecules are mostly gone. Sugar weakens the bubble as it stretches, so you'll need to be rid of it with lots of chewing to get the biggest bubbles possible.

This Asian country banned the sale of chewing gum in 1992 (although it somewhat relaxed the law in 2004, allowing for therapeutic, dental, and nicotine chewing gum to be sold). Before you raise an eyebrow at Singapore's anti-gum laws, chew on this: a study found a whopping 250,000 gum blobs on London's Oxford Street, and Rome sees about 15,000 pieces of gum dropped daily. Seems like Singapore might be onto something, huh?

Is All

Gum

Kosher?

We Don’t Really Eat It

In 1939, when the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed, chewing gum was classi ed as a food– and rightly so. Despite what it seems, about two-thirds of a stick of gum is swallowed and enters the digestive tract. With gum packs too tiny to list all ingredients, the FDA allows them to break the food label rules. What ends up on the wrapper is a simpli ed “gum base, sugar, corn syrups, avor, and softeners”. This omits most of the 40 ingredients, including everything from exotic tree resins to potassium stearates, which are of particular concern for kosher observance as they are often derived from animal sources. Since the consumer cannot tell what ingredients go into the gum from the wrapper, the only reliable rule is to avoid gums that are not certi ed kosher.

Singapore Has a Chewing Gum Ban Record Breaking Statistics

Chad Fell of Winston County, Alabama, holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest bubble blown without the use of his hands at 50.8 centimeters, or 20 inches, in diameter. That’s nearly two feet!

Trevor Cummings of Mesa, Arizona, is said to hold the record for the longest gum stretch at 564 inches long. For reference, that's just slightly taller than a three-story building.

The World’s Longest Gum Wrapper Chain is 106,810 Feet. Gary Duschl of Virginia Beach could have tossed his gum wrappers away, as most of us do. Instead, he saved them all, using them to create a unique braid long enough to wrap around the entire planet several times.

KASHRUS KASHRUS OF AND

BY: RABBI ELI GURSTEIN, RABBINICAL COORDINATOR AT OU KOSHER

Almost every processed food today has some form of added coloring. Whether the colors are natural (as in caramel color or vegetable extracts) or artificial (as in red dye No. 40 or blue dye No. 5), one is almost guaranteed to find some added coloring among the ingredients listed on product packaging. The colorant is usually pre-combined with a flavor in the form of syrup or powder, and this color-flavor mixture is the “secret ingredient” that differentiates one candy, soda, cereal or snack from the next. Let us take a minute to investigate some of the kashrus issues that might apply to colors.

FORBIDDEN COLORS

There are colors that are derived from Torah-forbidden material. Examples of this would include squid ink, which is a black color that is used to darken pasta. (If you’ve never heard of black pasta, this simply means that you do not shop in Italian food stores.) Another, more common, example of a Torah-forbidden color is carmine. Carmine is a red color that is made from the bodies of dried cochineal beetles. This very deep red color is commonly used to color Maraschino cherries, and it can also be found in thousands of other products. Since carmine is made from dried insects, there is discussion among poskim as to whether it is truly forbidden. Indeed, many great poskim were lenient when it came to purchasing drinks that were colored with carmine, because the bugs had been dried and it is assumed that dried bugs have the status of dust. The standard among major kashrus agencies is not to permit carmine under any circumstance. Although carmine is used at very small levels, on the order of parts per million, being that it changes the color of the food and its e ect remains visible, there are poskim who argue that the regular laws of bitul (nulli cation) do not apply. While carmine may not give any taste to the food, since its appearance remains clearly visible, it is as though one can still see the forbidden matter. According to some, eating a food that was colored with carmine would constitute a Torah prohibition.

CANDY

There are also colors that are derived from rabbinically forbidden material. Common examples of these include grape skin extract (also known as annatto, commonly used to color vinegar) and concentrated grape color. Grape color is made by ltering color out of grape juice. In both of these cases, if the source of the color was non-kosher grape juice, then the color is forbidden as well. There is an added stringency regarding non-kosher grape products: Not only are these products forbidden to eat, but one is not permitted to derive any bene t from them either. These types of colorants would be found more often in foods that are advertised as being 100 percent natural, since these are good options for those looking for a natural red.

This color-flavor mixture is the “secret ingredient” that differentiates one candy, soda, cereal or snack from the next.

COATINGS

There is much discussion among poskim regarding the kashrus permissibility of shellac. Shellac is used to coat candies, especially jelly beans and gum balls. The purpose of shellac is to give these candies an added degree of shine. Shel-

Colors are typically very minor ingredients. A color might only be parts per thousand or even parts per million in a given food or drink.

lac is a resinous material secreted by the lac beetle to coat its eggs to protect them from predators. It forms a rock-like coating over the branches upon which the beetles lay their eggs. The general rule is that any secretion from a forbidden animal is forbidden, and therefore one would assume that shellac should also be forbidden. However, noted poskim, such as Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, were lenient to permit the use of shellac. One of the reasons to be lenient is because shellac is completely inedible. Eating shellac is equivalent to eating ground-up stones. There are a number of other arguments that are made to permit the use of shellac, but there are dissenting views among poskim as well. At the OU, we permit the use of shellac. There are those who are stringent and only permit products glazed with shellac alternatives, like zein or carnauba wax.

OTHER KASHRUS CONCERNS

Even arti cial colors, which are made from synthetic materials that do not pose a kashrus issue on their own, are not free from all concerns. Arti cial colors are made in kettles and in dryers that are often shared with non-kosher products. A factory that manufactures arti cial colors can also process avors. As was noted earlier, in the food industry, there is a close link between colors and avors, and these two ingredients are commonly sold already combined. Even if a particular color- avor combination poses no obvious problem, the previous product may have been treif, and if the equipment was not kashered in between, the subsequent products are considered non-kosher as well.

Colors are typically very minor ingredients. A color might only be parts per thousand or even parts per million in a given food or drink. Yet, as mentioned above, due to the fact that color remains noticeable, there is a discussion among poskim as to whether the regular rules of bitul apply. Some poskim di erentiate between whether a color is made from a Torah-forbidden ingredient or a rabbinically forbidden one. There are often reasons bidi’eved (after the fact) to assume that added color will be batel (for a variety of reasons that are beyond the scope of this article), but obviously, one should make every e ort not to rely on these types of leniencies. One should purchase foods, as innocuous as they may appear, only with a reliable hashgacha.

The iconic picture. Each year the faces look more blurry as the crowd grows ever larger. I’ve learned to wear hot pink if I want to easily find my face in that photo of a few thousand women. I will show it with pride to my eager children when arriving home from New York, back to Westwood-Holmby, California where we serve as the Rebbe’s Chabad Shluchim (emissaries).

I write this on my JetBlue flight from JFK airport on the way home from the Kinus Hashluchos, the women’s Shluchos convention. It is one of its kind and the largest Jewish Women’s Leadership gathering in the world. It is held every year on the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Shvat, the Yahrtzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, our spiritual mother and role model. We are women who are leaders around the globe. Our gala banquet is live-streamed all over the world, and watched with reverence by our husbands, children, friends, supporters, and congregants. Does that tell us something about the Rebbe’s approach to women’s global impact?

Who Are The Shluchos?

After the men’s Kinus Hashluchim convention, my sister joked that “their picture looks like a bunch of black and white speckles, unlike the women’s Shluchos picture that’s a splash of color.” True, the men are all dressed quite similar, with their white shirts, black pants, and black hats. Though they almost look the same, they each lead in their own unique style,

with individual talent and personality. They are the legendary Chabad Shluchim.

Who are the Shluchos?

In my education as a Chabad girl, with the Rebbe’s world outlook always at the forefront, I’ve been taught that every person in this world has their own unique purpose. Men and

158

women alike. It has never been impressed upon me that as a woman, I am inferior in any way. The Shluchos are not merely the Shluchim’s wives.

So who are the Shluchos?

Our Kinus is a weekend that we spend together, immersed in inspiration and personal growth, all while learning

And if you look deep enough, you will see one united heart, pumping with love for our families, for every single Jew, for you!

new techniques in accomplishing our mission of igniting the soul of every Jew. It’s uplifting and empowering in a way that words can not describe. Of course a highlight of our trip to New York is visiting the Rebbe’s holy resting place in Queens, where we reconnect to our messenger, and pray on behalf of our beloved communi-

ties and our fellow Jews.

Every year, I marvel at these extraordinary women, who are world class CEOs, directors of organizations, groups of all ages, and the Rebbetzins of their synagogues. Some of whom live in such remote countries and islands, I can barely pronounce their names. To say they are busy people is an understatement.

I marvel at the Rebbe’s trust in us, empowering such young women as myself to lead a community with such confidence and strength. I am in awe at how the Rebbe regarded us women in full respect and esteem. He saw our strength and our potential more than we did. The Rebbe was truly the greatest feminist of all time.

My sister’s joking comment had me thinking. We are all dressed differently, we each lead our communities in varied ways, have our own managing methods, and differing positions in the institutions we direct. We are each doing our job to influence our surroundings and bring our universe to its ultimate perfection. We may be different, but we are not separate

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in our vision and mission.

There is one detail I haven’t mentioned yet about these unbelievable leaders. We are mothers. We are mothers of beautiful, blessed Jewish families. We are the leaders of our homes.

I know that written in the hearts of us women are the names and faces of our children, as well as the mothering nature of those who are still waiting to hold their own child.

We are united in our feminine role of

motherhood and of dedication to our families. We are united in our blended role of leader to our personal homes and the home away from home for all Jews in our neighborhood. This is why the Rebbe sent us to every corner of the globe to establish a Chabad House, a Jewish lighthouse for every single Jew seeking their roots.

Many of you may have seen us in our mothering role to our children, to our communities, to our students, and that is what touched your soul, because in Judaism,

the home is the most sacred and cherished of all places and the continuity of our people.

So in that picture, you will see faces of people with impressive titles. The faces of camp directors, principals, teachers, educators, CEOs of organizations, directors of orphanages, rehab programs, institutions for children with special needs, motivational speakers, writers, event organizers, and you will see many colors and avenues of influence.

And if you look deep enough, you will see one united heart, pumping with love for our families, for every single Jew, for you! That love then extends to our whole world. When you feel that warmth, and pass it on to your circle of influence, you are a Shlucha with your soul’s unique mission.

This is the Rebbe’s vision. These are the Shluchos.

Zeldie Cunin is a Shlucha, the co-director at Chabad Holmby- Westwood.

The stigma around psychiatric medication is well known, both in the Orthodox Jewish community and beyond. Although we have made leaps and bounds in normalizing the usage of drugs for anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental illness, the stigma is very much still with us, and it prevents people who need them from using them. The nature of this stigma is not simply a result of the Shidduchim market; rather it is rooted in the sordid history of mental illness in western culture.

Until recent times, no medication whatsoever existed to help individuals who were suffering from acute mental illness. As such, every town had some people living there who clearly suffered from mental illness, but there were no known methods of helping them. As they were living in the community, it was necessary to develop methods to take care of them. Generally, the family and other helping individuals would help people with mental illness with their basic needs.

This was all before the dawn of institutionalization which changed everything. The first recognized institution for people suffering from mental illness was the Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia, established in 1773. Over the next couple of centuries,

Why Is There A

hundreds of thousands of people were admitted into these institutions, and many of them were there for their entire lives. In the year 1904 alone, there were 150,000 patients housed in mental hospitals in the United States. Typically, institutionalization was not forced upon families, but parents were very strongly encouraged to admit their mentally disabled child or family member into an institution where they will be “better taken care of”.

Conditions in these institutions were often deplorable with filthy conditions and frequent use of bars, chains, and handcuffs in order to “control” the “inmates”. It is interesting to note that the word “bedlam” which means “a scene of uproar and confusion” comes from the name of the Bethlehem Hospital, which was an institution for the mentally ill in London. In the early 20th century, compulsory sterilization became common, and over 65,000 individuals with mental illness and other conditions were sterilized in the United States. All of this created the notion that individuals with mental illness are outcasts and pariahs that need to be banished from civilization.

In the middle of the twentieth century, this began to change with the advent of dein-

stitutionalization. This was due to a combination of factors. First of all, society at large started realizing that the treatment of the mentally ill was inhumane and counterproductive. Additionally, many drugs were discovered that were able to manage acute mental illness. As a result, the population size of mental institutions dropped dramatically, the length of stays became extremely shortened, and the care of residents became much more humane and therapeutic.

It takes a long time to undo the deep notions that have crept into our collective psyche. For a couple of centuries, society has viewed people with mental illness as subhuman and defective to the degree that they need to be removed from society at large, where they will be unheard and unseen. This value system became entrenched in our minds and took root in our subconscious thoughts, and that has more power on us than we might imagine. Therefore, even if you consciously know that mental illness is no different than any other medical challenge that one may face and does not lower one’s value as a human being, there is still a voice bubbling up from the hidden recesses of the soul that begs to differ.

Human beings excel at the art of denial, and people with mental illness often convince themselves that they are okay in order to avoid the self-stigma that is associated with mental illness. Utilizing psychiatric drugs is an admission that one is suffering from some level of mental illness, and then denial is no longer possible. Two hundred years of stigmatization are very hard to undo.

The good news is that the stigma is clearly diminishing, and one day we might actually come to view a problem with your psyche as being no different than dental cavities.

There is indeed hope for tomorrow.

Relief resources is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide access to the best mental health resources available. Relief’s services are provided free of charge. This is accomplished through Relief’s highly-acclaimed referral service, where a trained referral specialist will help you navigate the process of finding the best resources for your particular need. Rabbi Daniel Berman is the director of the Los Angeles Division of Relief. He can be contacted at 818655-0032 or at dberman@reliefhelp.org

10 Things to Keep in Mind Before Your Children

Enter the World Of Shidduchim: Mrs.

1. One of the greatest determining factors of success in life is our parents. This underscores the importance of role modeling a strong, respectful, and loving relationship with your spouse.

2. It also emphasizes the value we must place on our own middos and self-development. Our children learn how to live life by observing us; they are ever watchful and always taking notes.

3. Self-awareness and middos development are the #1 tools your children will need to succeed in their marriage, and it begins well before they are ready to date.

4. Middos must be taught and inculcated. Role modeling for them is important but not sufficient. Start when your children are young so they won’t be resistant to guidance and direction.

5. From a young age, children must be taught that perfection does not exist. This means we are all here for a lifetime of self-work, flexibility, and good listening

skills. Role model for them how to apologize and reconnect when a relationship needs repair.

6. Empathy is an important tool when we are mechanech and guiding our children. The effects are far-reaching. Not only do they smooth the way for our words to be heard, but more importantly, they enable our children to be empathetic to others; a valuable tool in dating and marriage.

7. We bring ourselves wherever we go in life. Teenagers and young adults who are dismissive of our legitimate concerns must be made aware that their character, personality, and behavioral issues are not going away. They must be worked through.

Sheindy Gross

and certainly in dating. They rely on you for reference checking and for guidance in finding the best partner for them. If you are ambivalent or uncomfortable with any part of the shidduch process get guidance and mentoring yourself before they begin.

10. There is a “method to the madness” in how the shidduch system works and a wide spectrum of daters within it. Be sure you and your child are educated about how the process works best BEFORE you begin using it.

8. Young adults can be resistant to any correction and guidance as they perceive it as criticism. Be creative and gentle in your approach to them. Do not shirk your responsibility to them either, as the issues do not disappear.

9. You are your child’s best advocate in life

Notable Quotes

You can’t protest peacefully. You can’t boycott. You can’t hunger strike. You can’t hijack planes. You can’t block traffic. You can’t throw Molotovs. You can’t self-immolate. You can’t heckle politicians. You can’t march. You can’t riot. You Can’t dissent. You just can’t be.

–Tweet By Palestinian activist Mohamed El Kurd

Remember when you could hijack planes? Those were the days.

-One of many tweets in response

I was just going to go rioting with some friends to block traffic and throw some Molotov cocktails and now I find out that’s frowned upon.

-Ibid.

A beginner’s guide to how terrorists play the victim.

-Ibid

[The Jews] planned to take control of Germany. They started to bring down Germany in terms of the economy and moral values. Hitler reacted by making the Jews go on the streets and lick the sidewalks. They know this very well... Let me say this loud and clear – the Jews distorted many verses in the Torah, in order to make them more agreeable for them. I do not want to cite examples, because some people might consider me an antisemite, although it is us Arabs who are Semites, not them.

-Yasser Abu Sido, an official with Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction, in a TV interview (thankfully he didn’t say more; if he did, we may think that he’s an anti-Semite!)

The Supreme Court has betrayed democracy. Its members including Jackson, Kagan and Sotomayor have proved themselves inept at reading comprehension. And collectively, the “court” has shown itself to be corrupt and illegitimate. It must be dissolved.

-Tweet by left-wing pundit Keith Olbermann

So women [of] color have poor reading skills and can’t compete with the brain power of a white man like you? Wow, Keith.

-One of many tweets in reply

America is a sticky-fingered nation built on stolen land, and its current moral panic is about shoplifting. It’s not just a worry in Columbia Heights.

All over the country, from sea to shining CVS, there are concerns about petty theft.

- Washington Post reporter Maura Judkis arguing that it’s not a big deal that people are stealing to the point of stores not being able to function since our ancestors stole American land from the Native Americans

I was drunk and probably high.

Hunter Biden during closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee claiming that a shakedown message that he sent a China businessman in which he says that his father was sitting right near him was not accurate and he only sent it because he was strung out on crack and booze

As someone who has negotiated a thing or two on the global stage, I can say unequivocally that Joe Biden committed negotiating malpractice when he publicly predicted [in an ice cream shop] that there would be a hostage deal by the “end of the weekend” .… For the leader of the free world to make such a prediction, he ups the bargaining position of Hamas which now sees itself in a position to determine whether the President comes across as a hero or a liar. Hamas should never hold that card — it will play it for all it can.

-Former Ambassador to Israel David Friedman

I’ll always take the word of our ally over a group of cowards that hide in tunnels behind civilians and hold children, women and elderly hostage since Oct. 7… [The media] also blamed the hospital rocket hit on Israel; it was proven to be a Hamas ally. Never let evidence or facts get in your way.

-Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) tweeting after the media immediately blamed Israel for a stampede in Gaza

I used to think Palestinians were good people, like you and me. That Hamas were thugs who got in the way of the population’s desire for a good life: a pretty home, a good car, a good job, a nice yard, good schools for the children. After October 7, I realized I was wrong. Just as the Israeli government represents Israelis, Hamas represents the people of Gaza…. All of the people of Gaza, all of them, hate us to a degree where they would murder babies and pillage our property with zero compunction.

-Irit Lahav, who survived the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, in an interview with The Times of Israel, disclosing that although she used to be a peacenik and would volunteer for Palestinian causes, she no longer sees peace as an option

Midlife Musical Musings

Theme, Variations, & Repetition

Miriam Hendeles

It often happens that I’m asked by one of my kids, “Hey, I didn’t know soand-so had such-and-such simcha,” and I, the apparent family simcha announcer (hello “hillygram!”), will respond, “Well now you know!” Or more likely I’ll say, “Really? I am positive I told you. Maybe you forgot?!”

This happens often enough, so that when relating news or information to my family, I’ll often preface the comment with “I may have told you this before, but I don’t remember if I did…” and then I’ll begin the story. I’ll (sometimes!) stop when they remind me that yes, the story has been shared. Others may forget, and good news is fun to share twice.

Certain composers have used themes and variations in their works. I can hear Mozart’s A Major Sonata in my head and it’s basically a pretty tune repeated many times in various ways. As a former teacher, I found that repetition may have been boring at times for some students, while appreciated by others. For the benefit of those who needed the reinforcement, I’d say things a few times in different ways.

I recently took a course and the instructor repeated some concepts explained the week before. Afterwards, the teacher ac-

knowledged that yes, the content is being repeated, but this time it’s in a different context. Repeating when the purpose is to convey ideas is appropriate in order to emphasize an important point.

I suppose it’s a matter of written word versus spoken word. In MLK Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he uses a great deal of repetition as a tool for persuasion. Each time he uses different intonation and expression, much like Mozart elaborated and dressed up the basic melody with extra flourishes each time he repeated the theme.

As for songs with words, I love when certain phrases are repeated in the songs. It’s easier to learn lyrics when some of it is repeated. For children, repeating words and phrases is reassuring because they can predict what’s coming up. Whether you’re a teacher, orator, or conversationalist, keep your message interesting with strategic repetition. Yes, strategic repetition.

In their book Elements of Style, Strunk and White write not to repeat oneself when writing essays. They state in their chapter on wordiness, “Omit needless words. Omit needless words!”

Enough said.

Miriam Hendeles, MT-BC, is a music therapist working with hospice patients. She’s the author of “Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!” and “Best Foot Forward,” and writes personal essays for online and print magazines. Miriam advocates for JWOW!, (jewishwomenofwisdom.org) an online group of women ages 50+ looking for connection, communication and growth.

Spirited Orange Brownies

By: Naomi Nachman

With Purim just around the corner, it's the perfect time to add a unique twist to a traditional treat. These citrus-infused brownies with a kick of liquor won't disappoint. Serve this dessert on Shabbos as a prelude to Purim, or save it for Purim itself.

INGREDIENTS:

Brownies

• 3 eggs

• 1¾ cup sugar

• ¾ cup oil

• Zest of an orange

• ½ cup triple sec or orange liquor

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup cocoa powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups our

Glaze

• 2 Tablespoons orange juice

• 1 Tablespoon triple sec or orange liquor

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1½ cups powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, half of the zest, triple sec and vanilla extract until combined.

• Add cocoa, salt and our; stir until combined.

• Pour ba er into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool completely before glazing.

• Prepare the glaze: Combine orange juice, triple sec, vanilla extract and remaining half of the zest in a small bowl. Add powdered sugar and stir until combined and no lumps remain.

• Spread glaze over the cooled brownies. Set aside until glaze sets, then cut into squares.

Recipe from Perfect Flavors by Naomi Nachman published by Artscroll.

Parent to Parent

Dear Chani,

My 12th grade daughter is a good girl. She doesn’t get into any trouble. Her grades are average but her teachers all love her. My husband and I give her a $200 allowance each month on a credit card. Whatever money she doesn’t spend goes back into my bank account.

She doesn’t need to purchase essentials as we cover those expenses. Lately, my husband and I are concerned about her excessive spending; regularly dining out at fancy restaurants and buying Starbucks almost daily. Despite our repeated discussions about the costs adding up, she hasn’t changed her habits. I dislike arguing over this, but I’m unsure how to address it effectively. Do you have any advice?

Frustrated mom

Dear Frustrated Mom,

Great question. Bear with me as I dissect this situation.

She has a credit card with $200/month. If she doesn’t spend it, then it goes back to you.

She doesn’t need to buy her own clothing, toiletries, food etc. You and your husband are frustrated that she is going out to eat at fancy restaurants and buying a coffee daily.

I am not surprised that your teen is not responding to your nagging. I too am a bit confused about what the purpose of the allowance is other than to be spent on luxuries such as Starbucks everyday.

My suggestion is that you and your husband discuss the purpose for the allowance. You both have to have come to a consensus about the reason you decided to offer this to your daughter and then you could put some rules into place.

For example, if you both decide that this money is for a coffee once a week, and lunch money in a regular restaurant, not someplace fancy, and then a little more pocket money for different things that come up, then clearly set

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those rules for your daughter. The confusing part is that those expenses would probably amount to less than 200/month.

It seems to me that you are giving your daughter too much money and then getting upset that she is spending that money in ways that you feel are wasteful. If the daily coffees are well within budget, then why wouldn’t she spend it?

There is also the confusion about whose money this is.

You give it to her, but if she doesn’t spend it, it goes back to you. That incentivizes

her to spend it. For that, I suggest that maybe you allow the excess to go into her bank account. That way she may be more inclined not to spend it. Then you can see if she understands the concept of saving. If not, then teach her proper money management. Or find her a program online that teachers her about money if you feel it’s not good for your relationship to teach her yourself.

Your generosity and kindness is evident, but it appears to be causing complications in this scenario. By gaining clarity on the purpose of the allowance and clari-

fying whose money it truly is, you can likely prevent conflicts with your daughter and both find peace of mind, and maybe even splurge on a coffee date!

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

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