3-30-23 Pesach Edition

$3,000,000 + funded for global Jewish causes

600+ bocherim in Eretz Yisroel assisted with army issues

50+ seminaries assisted with programing an d trips

Did you know that Eretz HaKodesh has partnered with 207 mosdos, Yeshivos, Seminaries, Kollelim, Neshei Groups and other organizations this year ?

100+ ye shivos assisted with services, mesibos an d events

$1 50,000 + for care er training for hundreds of Chareidi A merican women living in Eretz Yisroel

₪ 30,0 00,0 00+ secured for programs fo r struggling teens

350+ famili es of children with special needs serviced

10,0 00 + Chareidi yo uth participated in Shmitah events

The kedusha of Eret z Yisroel and Torah are eternally bound. Together, let’s make sure that Eretz Yisroel remains Eret z Ha Kodesh.

As you learn about some of the good we’ve done, imagine how much negative we’ve prevented.

WWW. ER ETZHAKODES H.ORG

Hashem: An Introduction to the Creator

RABBI AVI OKIN, MSW

Learn how to cultivate a sense of love and awe for the Divine, no matter your level of knowledge or experience.

Rav Asher Weiss on Mo’adim: Pesach to Shavuos

Deep and uplifting insights about the chagim from one of the greatest Torah teachers of our day.

The Soul of Parenting

SLOVIE JUNGREIS-WOLFF

Discover the secrets of raising confident, resilient children and making Judaism come alive with this empowering book for every parent.

Greatness

RABBI EYTAN KOBRE

Poignant biographical sketches that introduce us to fascinating yet lesserknown Torah personalities and give new insight into renowned figures from our past and present.

The Musaf Prayer

RABBI ELCHANAN ADLER

Unlock the hidden gems of the Musaf prayer and gain a deeper understanding of this integral part of Shabbos davening. Also includes an overview of the Korban Musaf of Shabbos.

DMC

RABBI IRA KOSOWSKY

Enhance your tefillah with this fabulous journey through the berachos of the Amidah, replete with valuable insights and tools for personal and spiritual growth.

[Comingsoon]

Reclaiming Dignity

RABBI ANTHONY MANNING

BRACHA POLIAKOFF

Explore tzniut through a diverse anthology of essays and a comprehensive explanation of halachot—and gain an empowering and positive approach to this often-misunderstood mitzvah.

Sefiros

RABBI YAACOV HABER

Transform your Sefiras HaOmer with the powerful techniques offered in this volume. Sefiros has already helped thousands embark on a seven-week journey to spiritual refinement.

Halachic Worldviews

RABBI TZVI GOLDSTEIN

Torah imparts the ideals and values

Hashem wants us to bring to bear on society. This sefer reveals how halachah enables us to reinforce those ideals through practice.

Dear Readers,

Anyone who knows me well knows I consider myself a lifelong learner. My friends would joke that I would be a “forever student.” While, thankfully, I’m no longer in school, I am proudly a student of life. As a Jew, we are always learning. That is essential to our existence - to learn Torah. And we don’t learn anything once. Our Jewish calendar is built upon a cycle of learning. We learn every week for the Parsha, we learn about every Holiday as it comes around, we learn Shas within a cycle of 7 years, and then we repeat repeat repeat. When boys learn Gemara, they are taught how to ask a question for every scenario. Girls learning Chumash are asked to decipher Rashi and other meforshim’s questions.

Pesach is the holiday where we highlight the importance of asking questions in order to understand. Asking questions is how we learn, how we integrate the knowledge to make it our own. When you acquire the information yourself, you understand it better and you accept it as your truth. One tends to gravitate toward their interests, and avoid subjects that are boring or where one cannot find the answers they are looking for.

Jews love to learn, to take that knowledge to build, and to enhance the wisdom of the world. Did you know that almost 20% of Nobel Prize winners have been Jewish? We love to study and share Torah. We never sit at a meal without sharing Divrei Torah. So it’s only natural that we ask, that we have questions, that we may possibly doubt and want to be sure.

The purpose of the Pesach Seder, is to purposely ask questions where we have 4 sons who are waiting for those answers. We have talmidei chachamim who sit around and discuss the minute

About the Cover

details of how many makkos Hashem brought down on the Egyptians, was it 50, 200, 250, etc. For those 4 sons, we answer each one based on where he is. The Chacham asks why we are here and we spend a few hours answering him. We answer his questions in length and with patience, indicating that he is allowed and encouraged to have questions. No one should be shut down or discouraged from asking questions. Truly the rasha is not that different from the chacham, for he too is asking a question but in defiance. He is smart, he has wisdom (just like the chacham), but he asks in defiance, as a challenge, excluding himself. In my humble opinion, these are the questions that are more important, and how we answer them is crucial. He is the one to be answered sensitively.

What about the child who does not know how to ask? Maybe someone took that away from him when he was smaller; maybe he was discouraged from asking questions, told to follow along and keep quiet, that he had to “believe.” That child was not taught to ask questions or was unhappy/unsatisfied/put down with the answers he received. “I don’t know but let’s find out” is a great answer for those who are inquisitive.

It’s the questions and answers that make up our religion. It’s wanting to understand (when we can), it’s the idea of having a choice (bechira - free will) that allows us to be free. Freedom to question. Freedom to figure it out on our own. Freedom to be ourselves and be accepted. Freedom to break through our own Metzar / constraints. Without knowledge, we have no ability to make a choice. Without wisdom, we have no freedom.

Geulah - Tambourines of Faith

" T h e r i g h t e o u s w o m e n o f t h a t g e n e r a t i o n w e r e c o n f i d e n t t h a t t h e H o l y O n e , B l e s s e d B e H e , w o u l d m a k e m i r a c l e s f o r t h e m , s o t h e y p r e p a r e d t a m b o u r i n e s a n d d a n c e s . ” ( R a s h i - S h e m o s 1 5 : 2 0 )

A f t e r s e e i n g a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g u n f a t h o m a b l e p a i n , a n g u i s h , a n d d e s p a i r , w h a t c o u l d p o s s i b l y h a v e b e e n o n t h e f o r e f r o n t o f t h e b a t t e r e d a n d b e a t e n J e w i s h w o m e n ’ s m i n d s a s t h e y l e f t t h e e x i l e o f E g y p t ?

T a m b o u r i n e s .

T h e s y m b ol o f f i e r y f a i t h a m i d s t t h e d a r k n e s s o f n i g h t , t h e s e r i g h t e o u s , h o l y w o m e n c a r r i e d m u s i c a l i n s t r u m e n t s t o s i n g t h e s o n g o f t h e r e d e m p t i o n t h e y k n e w w a s s u r e t o c o m e .

T h i s w a s t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e w o m e n w h o l e f t E g y p t .

A n d t h i s i s t h e s t r e n g t h o f a l l J e w i s h w o m e n .

T h i s p a i n t i n g d e p i c t s a s i g h t w e y e a r n t o s e e i n r e a l t i m e , t h e d a w n o f t h e S h e c h i n a r i s i n g f r o m t h e d a r k n e s s o f e x i l e a s o u r g e n e r a t i o n ’ s na s h i m t z i d k a n i y o t u s h e r i n t h e f i n a l r e d e m p t i o n H o l d i n g o u r i n s t r u m e n t s o f E m u n a h - l e t u s r i s e , d a n c e , a n d s i n g a s w e u s h e r t h e G e u l a h w e k n o w w i t h c e r t a i n t y w i l l c o m e - m a y i t b e b i m h e i r a h b ’ y a m e i n u , a m e n !

F o r c o m m i s s i o n s a n d f u r t h e r i n q u i r i e s , p l e a s e c o n t a c t A B S h t e r A r t a t a t

Wishing you a Pesach with the freedom to ask all the questions you want, and to receive all the answers when Moshiach comes IYH in this month of Nissan,

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

8950 W Olympic Blvd #147 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Tel: 213-583-7770

www.TheLAJewishHome.com

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

Shabbos Zemanim

Tuesdsay April 11 Seventh Night of Pesach

Candlelighting: 7:03 pm

Wednesday April 12

Eighth Night of Pesach

Candlelighting: 8:07 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:34 pm

Friday, April 14

Parshas Shmini

Candlelighting: 7:05 pm

Havdallah: 8:09 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:36 pm

The Week In News

Japan Visits Kyiv; China Visits Moscow David Stern Fights Back

Whose side are you on? Japan and China made their allegiances clear last week when both nations visited countries involved in the Ukraine War. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishidaheaded to Kyiv where he is promising unwavering support to Ukraine’s president, with talk of reconstruction and humanitarian aid. China’s Xi Jinping, on the other hand, made his way to Moscow and has been described by Russia’s Vladimir Putin as a friend and a partner. China has insisted it is a neutral party in the conflict. Xi said China would prioritize its ties with Russia and described the two countries as “great neighboring powers.” It is rare for a Japanese leader to make an unannounced foreign trip. Kishida is the first to visit a country in conflict since World War II. The visit was kept a secret until just before his arrival, with officials citing security concerns.

“He will show respect to the courage and patience of the Ukrainian people who are standing up to defend their homeland...and show solidarity and unwavering support” during his visit, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. Kishida will also show his “absolute rejection of Russia’s one-sided change to the status quo by invasion and force,” the statement added. Kishida was the only G7 leader not to have visited since Russia launched its invasion last year, and there had been calls for him to go before he presides over a G7 summit in Hiroshima in May. He had already secured one strategic diplomatic coup by holding a summit with South Korea’s president last week in Tokyo–the first time that had happened in more than a decade. Normalizing ties with Seoul, sharing intelligence, and showing a united front against North Korea will all reassure Japan’s strategic ally, the United States. Last month, China and Japan held security talks in Tokyo for the first time in four years. Beijing said it was troubled by Japan’s military buildup and Tokyo criticized China’s military ties to Russia and its suspected use of spy balloons. These are the world’s second and third-largest economies, and an open channel of communication is key despite their current tensions.

An Israeli man was shot and badly wounded in a terror attack while driving through the northern West Bank town of Huwara. David Stern, a native of Far Rockaway, NY, and a former U.S. Marine was seriously hurt after sustaining gunshot wounds to his head and shoulder in the attack on the Route 60 highway. Even after he was wounded, he jumped out of the car to shoot at his attacker.

Footage from the scene showed the windshield of the car riddled with bullets. David’s wife, Rachel, was also in the car during the attack. After a brief chase, troops located and detained the gunman, Laith Nadim Nassar, who had been wounded by the victim’s and troops’ gunfire. The attack came exactly three weeks after two Israeli brothers, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, Hy”d, were shot dead in a terror attack while driving through Huwara. In the wake of that attack, settlers staged a riot in the town, setting fire to homes and cars. Huwara has long been a flashpoint in the West Bank as it is just about the only Palestinian town that Israelis regularly travel through to reach their residences. After David Stern was attacked, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was praying for the “wounded hero” who succeeded in shooting the terrorist attacker, adding: “Whoever tries to harm Israeli citizens— will bear the responsibility.” Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Hamas terror group hailed the shooting, saying it was “a natural reaction to the occupation’s crimes against our people in the West Bank and Jerusalem.” David and his wife have a small farm in Itamar where they raise sheep. David is also a well-known martial arts instructor.

Tackling Spam Texts

The Federal Communications Commission is cracking down on spammy text messages with new rules for telecom companies, citing a surge of consumer complaints in recent years tied to unwanted robo-texts. The new rules require phone providers to block text messages from suspicious sources including phone numbers that appear to be “invalid, unallocated, or unused.” Carriers will also have to block text messages coming from phone numbers that claim not to ever send text messages, or that the government has identified as numbers not used for texting, the FCC said.

The move mirrors a similar U.S. government effort to shut down illegal robocalls. Robocall monitoring services say the effort has largely been successful in reducing the volume of robocalls. But in recent years, an explosion of spam and scam text messages appears to have taken their place, leading to more than 18,000 consumer complaints at the FCC last year. The FCC is mulling additional regulations that could, among other things, apply Do Not Call registry protections to text messages for the first time. Unwanted or scam robo-texts can be an even greater risk to consumers than unwanted robocalls, the FCC noted, because, unlike phone calls, text messages may contain malicious links that can infect a smart device with dangerous software. “Scam artists have found that sending us messages about a package you never ordered or a payment that never went through along with a link to a shady website is a quick and easy way to get us to engage on our devices and fall prey to fraud,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement

B.U.D.

He thought it was quartz, but it’s just a big, ugly diamond. David Andersen discovered a 3.29-carat brown diamond at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Park rangers said it’s the largest diamond found at the park this year and the largest since last September.

“At first, I thought it was quartz but wondered why it was so shiny,” Anderson said. “Once I picked it up, I realized it was a diamond!” Andersen found out about the park in 2007 and found a 1.5-carat white diamond while he was

there for the first time. Since then, he has discovered more than 400 diamonds over the past 16 years, with 15 of them weighing over one carat. Some of his other top finds include a 3.83-carat yellow diamond found in December 2011 and a 6.19-carat white gem discovered in April 2014.

Finders can choose the name of their diamonds. Anderson named his precious gem“B.U.D.” “That’s for Big, Ugly Diamond,” he explained because of the diamond’s pitted surface and mottled brown color. He plans to sell

the diamond, although we think he may need to change its name first. According to the park’s website, over 75,000 diamonds have been found at the park since the first diamonds were discovered in 1906. The largest diamond—a white diamond with a pink cast weighing 40.23 carats—was found in 1924 during an early mining operation. In 2020, Kevin Kinardof Maumelle, Arkansas, found the second-largest diamond—a brown gem weighing 9.07 carats. A rare gem indeed!

LA School Strike

Last Tuesday, the union representing 30,000 workers in the nation’s second-largest school district began a school strike expected to last three days. There are more than half a million students in the Los Angeles school district. Service Employees International Union Local 99 members walked off the job after nearly a year of negotiations with the Los Angeles Unified School District. United Teachers Los Angeles, a union representing about 30,000 teachers, participated in a solidarity strike last week and joined the support workers union rallies.

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced schools would be canceled for students starting Tuesday after last-minute negotiations, which included new raise offers, failed. The union wants “equitable wage increases, more full-time work, respectful treatment, and increased staffing levels for improved student services,” it said. Workers’ average salary is $25,000 a year, and most work part-time–which has led to staffing shortages, the union said. This is not the first time the district went on a strike.

Back in 2019, union members went on a six-day strike after the teachers union demanded smaller class sizes, more school staffing, and higher wages. Carvalho has tried to negotiate with the union. “Under California law, we cannot drive the school system into a bankruptcy position. We cannot drive the school system into a red position. And if we were to acquiesce to all the demands, that is exactly where we would be, that is not legally allowable,” he said. At the time of this printing, if the three-day strike continues as planned, students will suffer, the superintendent said. The strike would make it “virtually impossible” to keep schools open in the district of more than 500,000 students.

According to the union, the strike is the only way to get their demands met. “If the district doesn’t realize that our members are valuable ... once they stop working, then nothing’s really gonna change,” said Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99. “Ultimately, what we’re seeking is improving the schools–equity in schools.” If children are out of school, the district would offer help to families by opening 24 graband-go food sites and having 154 schools provide student supervision, plus about 120 city-run sites at libraries, recreation centers, and other locations. The Los Angeles Zoo is also offering free admission for students due to the closures, and its all-day zoo camp program for students in kindergarten through 5th grade added two free “extended care” hours per day.

The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program, encouraged by Gedolei Yisrael, consists of learning a daily amud of Mishnah Berurah and an amud of “Biurim U’musafim” –contemporary halachic applications from today’s Gedolei Haposkim, as well as a selection of Mussar from Sifrei Chofetz Chaim.

Open Invitation for Birkat Ilanot

The Los Angeles community is invited to 9444 Oakmore Road, in Beverlywood, to say Birkat Ha’ilanot, which is the bracha that one can say beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. There are over half a dozen fruit-bearing trees that are already blossoming. The trees that have born fruit in the past are etrog, apricot, pomegranate, nectarine, persimmon, and kumquat. All the trees can be found on the side of the street on Beverly Drive.

Chai Lifeline Hosts Bowling Purim Party!

and our dedicated Valley Torah and YULA high school volunteers brought enjoyment to over 300 Chai Lifeline children and families, We thank our valued volunteers for helping all children and families in attendance enjoy an unforgettable Purim celebration, complete with bowling, a magic show, arcade games, music, Purim crafts, delicious food, and more. The energy of the volunteers was palpable! They came early to set up, decorated cookies with the children, played games, and enjoyed bowling with all the family members. No request was too big for

our volunteers, and they were brimming with excitement. As one Chai Lifeline father shared, “Chai Lifeline volunteers are angels from above.”

We are so grateful to each of our committed volunteers, who take time in their busy lives to be a support and caring friend to Chai Lifeline children each and every day! Chai Lifeline volunteers are angels, dedicated to bringing joy to so many.

To learn more about Chai Lifeline West Coast or to get involved, visit www.chailifeline.org/westcoast.

The month of Adar was filled with a whirlwind of activities at Chai Lifeline West Coast. Our dedicated volunteers were out in full force delivering Shalach Manot and Purim joy to hundreds of Chai Lifeline families throughout the greater LA area and beyond.

On Sunday, March 5th, Chai Lifeline West Coast sponsored an uplifting Purim Party like never before. The staff at Corbin Bowl in Tarzana

Chesed at Emek

Emek is always focused on teaching our students the importance of doing chesed and helping our communities, and this month has been no exception. Emek Middle School girls teamed up with Maman Nonprofit and the Oscar Litwak Foundation to assemble and donate 100 distraction bags for hospitalized children.

In addition, Emek collaborated with Jewish Friends of the American Military to provide Pesach food for thousands of Jewish American soldiers so that they can have a kosher Seder and holiday while protecting our country far from home. Finally, Emek’s first and fourth-grade girls teamed up to pack and send Mishloach Manos care packages to local hospitals. Emek is proud of its Chesed program and all the positive impact it has on the community at large.

The Clubhouse & Bnos Esther Put on ‘Mimmy & Simmy’

amazing evening,” and “So grateful to everyone for giving their time…to making a production like this where our girls shine.” For more information regarding The Clubhouse and its programs, please contact info@theclubhouse.care.

Bnos Esther and The Clubhouse Girls, in conjunction with Chasdei Chana, presented a play to the community. A packed audience filled the Toras Emes auditorium to see “Mimmy and SimmyThe Birthday Surprise.” Thank you to Adina Sambrowsky for directing and overseeing the play. The Clubhouse girls rehearsed with the Bnos Esther girls every Sunday for the past few months. The feedback was terrific. Some comments included: “...such an

Yachad is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish individuals with disabilities and their families, by enhancing their communal participation and their connection to Judaism through social and educational programs and support services.

As we open our Seder with these words; let’s remember that it’s not only about food and hunger. It’s a call to open our doors and hearts to everyone in our community.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, meaningful and inclusive Pesach.

Friendship Circle Prepares Participants for the Pesach Seder

their own charoset and salt water, singing or listening to the Mah Nishtanah, to enjoying grape juice, everyone loves the model Seder! Participants will check their progress by placing colorful Seder stickers on a checklist.

Huge Turnout at the Huddle Business Networking in Los Angeles

Pesach commemorates the birth of the Jewish nation and embodies the message of freedom. For individuals of diverse abilities, the opportunity to understand and celebrate the Pesach Seder with their family and community is an important part of belonging to and celebrating this foundational festival. With close to 50 participants, plus teen and young adult volunteers, Friendship Circle is in high gear preparing its Torah Social participants for engaging in and enjoying the Seder.

The younger division and two older divisions prepared Haggadahs and creative Seder crafts like photo pillows and Makkot coasters. The highlight of the Pesach prep is the model Seder - a full reenactment of the Seder, step by step. From making

Friendship Circle will be sending home handmade shmura matzah with all the participants to encourage the great mitzvah of eating shmura matzah, the bread of healing and faith, on Pesach. For more information about the community programs at FCLA, go to FCLA.org or email info@fcla.org.

Yavneh’s Shushan Purim Carnival and Trips

Shushan Purim at Yeshivat Yavneh was a blast! Our middle school girls organized and planned an incredible carnival for our students! From contests and games to inflatable and bubble soccer, our students had a blast. They especially enjoyed being able to dunk their teachers and Rebbeim in our featured dunk tank!

Our middle school boys enjoyed the special surprise of spending time at Dave and Buster’s, in lieu of the exciting bubble show that our younger students enjoyed together. Another highlight of the day was our costume contests, which featured special Amazon gift cards for the winning costumes. Students who had creative costumes, and could successfully connect their theme and meaning to Purim or Torah, received the highest scores. Everyone had a great day full of simcha and joy!

The “Huddle” Business Networking event in Los Angeles was a tremendous success, despite the pouring rain. Over 200 attendees, from various industries and backgrounds, came together for an evening of Inspiration, Mentoring, and Networking.

Hosted by the “Huddle LA” Committee, a group of dedicated individuals seeking to bring business support programs to the Jewish community of LA, the event was packed with attendees from across greater Los Angeles. The evening began with a powerful keynote address delivered

by Yosef Gorowitz, president,

and founder of Prodoge, moderated by Berel Schusterman. Gorowitz spoke about the importance of having a great support network, having

someone to believe in you, how challenges bring out the best in you, and strengthening your bitachon as a tool for business growth.

Following the keynote address, attendees participated in mentor exchange roundtables. Tables were set up around the room, each featuring a different industry leader who answered questions related to a specific area of expertise. The event featured a diverse range of topics, including

tremendous assistance of Yossi Burston and YB Productions for event production and logistics and support from the CHYE Business Mentor program. The evening food was generously sponsored by Meshuga Sushi, Leider Catering, and Premier Catering. Additionally, the event sponsors included Ratner Property Management, JDM Funding, The Finder Family Jewish Leadership Institute, Law Office of Aryeh Kaufman, Alacrity Energy, SNF Payroll and HR, and PMF Funding.

“We are thrilled with the success of the “The Huddle” Business Networking event in Los Angeles,” said a rep-

Real Estate Investing, Tech Startups, Successful Female Entrepreneurship, Business Strategy, E-Commerce, Real Estate Management, Service Business Growth, Business Operations, Funding, Launching New Businesses, and Product Development and Wholesaling.

The success of the event would not have been possible without the

resentative of the “Huddle LA” Committee. “It was inspiring to see such a diverse range of individuals coming together to share ideas, network, and support one another. We look forward to continuing to bring impactful business support programs to the Jewish community of LA.”

For those interested in getting involved or learning more about future events, please email: thehuddlela@gmail.com.

“Go Gather All the Yehudim” of YAYOE Authors At Maimo

The Sunday after Purim, YAYOE students, parents, and grandparents got to escape the post-Purim-pre-Pesach rush with a Yom Achdus carnival. Boys and men attended in the morning and girls and women in the afternoon. The goal was for parents and grandparents to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere while their children and grandchildren were having fun.

In keeping with the spirit of Esther’s injunction, YAYOE held several events this Adar to bring the school community together. Among these were the annual Rebbes Shabbaton and the Yom Achdus Carnival.

On the Shabbos of Parshas Ki Sisa/Parshas Parah, YAYOE’s Rebbeim and their families congregated in the Valley for the annual Ohr Eliyahu Rebbes Shabbaton. The Rebbeim joined together for tefillos and seudos, and heard words of Torah and inspiration from Rabbi Goldberg, Rabbi Eidlitz, Rabbi Jacknis, Rabbi Aharonoff, and Rabbi Schwarzmer. The Shabbaton was an opportunity for the Rebbeim to gain from each other, be inspired, and further deepen the wonderful and unique camaraderie that exists between the Rebbeim and the Hanhala.

The carnival featured moon bounces, a zipline, inflatable slides, an obstacle course, and crank-operated boats. Visitors could also play games like basketball and paddleball. All the attractions were free, including a delicious barbecue lunch!

Thank you to Rabbi Aharanoff for organizing this wonderful event. Everyone had a great time.

4th grade students and parents enjoyed a remarkable workshop with the Israeli artist, illustrator, and author, Hanoch Piven. Piven’s artwork is unique in both form and method. By reinventing the meaning and use of everyday objects he forges associations between these and the subject of his creation! Prior to the workshop, the students got pumped for Piven by writing up poems about themselves, “written self-portraits” in both English and Hebrew. Hanoch presented his art method and showed examples of his works. Hanoch makes portraits (ימצע ןקויד) of people from any and all objects. The students and the parents then moved to the cafeteria where they made their portraits from a buffet (םישפשפה קוש) of different objects to pick from. The outcomes were incredible!! It was interesting to see how each student translated his/her thoughts into art and how each one of them gave a different meaning to the objects.

5th through 8th-grade students enjoyed listening to Chana Stiefel, an award-winning author of more than 30 books for children. She spoke about her newest book, The Tower Of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs. The book is about Yaffa Eliach’s mission to restore humanity to the victims of the Holocaust by creating the Tower of Faces at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. She spoke about her inspiration and journey to publication, the research that she did behind writing her newest book, and the value of a photograph- past, present, and future: seeing ourselves in photographs and how photographs can tell a story. Thank you to the Emil and Jenny Fish Center for sponsoring her visit and gifting us copies of the book for students to enjoy.

We welcomed best-selling children’s author and storyteller D.J. Steinberg at Maimo for Matzoh Mayhem. Early childhood parents and students were invited for some pre-pesach stories and rhymes to get into the spirit of the chag. Steinberg read his new book, Passover, Here I Come! and was available for author signing along with his other popular titles.

Pesach is Prepped at Spivak Hebrew Academy!

In preparation for the upcoming chag of Pesach, Spivak Hebrew Academy students completed the learning of a Torah portion with a Siyum, learned about Matzah production, and celebrated with Model sedarim!

The fifth-grade students at Spivak Hebrew Academy held a Siyum celebration, completing the learning of Parashat Vayishlach with Rashi commentary, including parents and family in attendance. The Siyum began with student-led davening, followed by the reading of portions of the parsha and commentary. Each student delivered their own synopsis of the parsha and how it impacted them. The students then concluded by reciting the Hadran, a short prayer recited upon completion of the study of Torah learning. The celebration concluded with a delicious brunch.

Trained uniformed volunteers create an overt presence in our community to deter criminals and watch for suspicious activity JOIN US!

Community Event Support

Special SPS teams are available for deployment at community wide events to add a layer of safety and support Street Fairs, Parades, Torah dedications

Shabbos Watch Vehicle

Preschool and Elementary students began their Pesach learning preparations with a special visit from the Matzah Factory! Students enjoyed a wonderful performance of the Pesach story with immersive experiences as students played different characters. Then they learned the process of how Matzah is made, followed by experiencing firsthand the different steps of the Matzah-making process. Students then ate the Matzah that they made and they loved it!

Then, Preschool, Pre-1, and 1st graders enjoyed Model Sedarim with their classes. Each class held the seder according to their level of learning. The preschoolers enjoyed lots of singing of the different parts of the seder, along with enjoying yummy treats and different vegetables featured on the Seder plate. The Elementary students went through the different parts of the seder, reciting the brachot for Chinuch as well as eating the different foods at the different times during their “seder.” Our students are excited and well prepared for the upcoming Pesach chag, together with lots of Dvar Torah to learn during the seder nights! Spivak Hebrew Academy wishes everyone a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

A non Jewish member, drives around the community shuls & homes to be a deterrence to crime & antisemitism He will also be out on Seder nights, thanks to a generous sponsorship Sponsor an upcoming Shabbos

JDAC Los Angeles Hosts Joint Community Event with ORA

Divorce. We’re all touched by it. Someone you know has experienced it, is going through it, or will go through it. Last Wednesday, March 22, three lawyers and a Rabbi got together to educate and clarify the intricacies and complexities of navigating Jewish divorce. The event was sponsored by JDAC (Jewish Divorce Assistance Center) and ORA (Organization for the Resolution of Agunot).

The panel, moderated by Sarah Nissel (Executive Director, JDACLA) included Rabbi Avraham Leiberman, Yona Elishes (Mediator, JDACLA), and Keshet Starr (Executive Director, ORA). Historical and Halachic precedence, amicable separations, as well as contentious divorces were discussed.

Jewish events all have rules and rituals defined by the Torah and divorce is no exception. Unfortunately,

the community’s role in supporting others through this process is ambivalent at best or non-existent at worst. There are two major takeaways regarding supporting others through this process. Firstly, legitimizing this experience as a trauma and reaching out to lend support as in other major events. Invites for Shabbos, helping with carpool or homework, and an offer of a listening ear are all easily implemented. Secondly, forward thinking helps keep temperatures down. Often, well meaning friends and family desire for justice or retaliation allows emotions to cloud our judgment and can lead to tension. Bearing in mind that this shall pass while focusing on the future can help form decision-making in a productive way.

The timing of the Get and hostile situations was touched on and although there is not a perfect solution, right now the Halachic prenup is recommended to prevent future issues with the Get.

To learn more about ORA and the Halachic prenup visit https://www.getora.org/prenup

To learn more about JDAC visit https://www.jdacla.com/about-us-1

Look out for more community and educational events in the future.

Young Israel of Los Angeles holds concert with Yudi Cohen

table platters, and the boys in the choir enjoyed a private ice cream party. Rabbi Dovid Thaler, Rav of YILA, opened the concert with a Dvar Torah. Gift cards, generously sponsored by Western Kosher and La Brea Market, were handed out to the winners of the Door Prize and Raffle ticket drawings.

Singer / Performer Yudi Cohen, accompanied by musician Zac Grodzinski, entertained the crowd at Young Israel of Los Angeles pre-Pesach concert ‘Exodus 2023.’ The performance was well beyond what anyone imagined. A trained classical Tenor and professional Cantor, Yudi’s performance included rousing renditions of joyous and soulful tunes, ranging from Ma Nishtana to Nessun Dorma, along with emotional interpretations of ‘My Zaidy’ and ‘Yesimcha Elokim,’ and ended with an encore from Fiddler on the Roof.

A boys choir, made up of boys who daven at YILA regularly, sang with him for a few songs to the delight and applause of their families and fellow shul goers. Yudi’s incredible vocal talent and his unique way of engaging the audience had everyone singing along at times and just enjoying the moment. Participants were treated to a buffet of wine and cheese, pastries, and vege-

“This successful community event, along with Friday night Shabbos dinners we’ve been having at Shul every six to eight weeks, and other community activities bring our mispalelim together, along with family and friends, frum and not yet frum, in lively, family-friendly celebrations.” says Mendel Levin, President of YILA. “After several years of concern about the future of our Shul, we are Boruch Hashem seeing steady growth in attendance and programs. We have daily Minyanim three times a day, and Shiurim after davening and on several weekday evenings. Rabbi Thaler recently started a Shiur for women every Sunday at 8 pm. I am grateful for the dedication of our Rav, and others who have asked not to be mentioned, who have initiated some of the positive changes we’ve been seeing, and to the members of our Shul who are always willing and ready to help make our events so special and memorable.”

Watch and listen to Yudi in concert at yila.org

We Must Stand Up For Each Other

In Private Meeting with Former VP Mike Pence, Rav

Dovid Hofstedter Advocates for Combating Anti-Semitism

Chaim Gold

“Do not duck. Lean in and fight. Antisemitism is no different than cockroaches. You either turn the light on or it will spread.” Those words of advice were given by former Vice President, Mike Pence to Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi of Dirshu in a private meeting earlier this month.

Pence was responding to a question by Rav Hofstedter as to what is the best way to fight the increasing, drastic uptick in antisemitic acts against the Jewish community - “Is it better to duck it or combat it?” Pence was emphatic that the only way to fight antisemitism was to unapologetically combat it, head on.

The private meeting with Mr. Pence transpired in New York where Rav Hofstedter was the guest speaker at an event that Vice President Pence attended.

The Impetus Behind the Meeting

The background behind the private meeting with Pence was Rav Dovid’s increasingly deep concern over a conglomeration of recent events that clearly show bias and hatred against the Jewish community and especially the visibly Orthodox and Chassidic community. The attacks are coming from both the right and the left. Especially concerning are the attacks from the left, from the academia and the progressives who are spearheading an effort to force government intervention into the chinuch we give in our schools. They are also proving to be implacable foes of Israel and by extension, the millions of Jews who live there.

There is also an increase in antisemitism and antisemitic attacks from the right by white supremacists and bigots who have always expressed antipathy to Jews. All of this has caused great concern to Rav Hofstedter and, as a son and son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, has spurred him to action.

Although Dirshu’s primary mission is increasing limud haTorah, not shtadlanus, Rav Dovid passionately feels that someone who has the ability to influence public discourse on burning issues regarding the perpetuation of Torah, is obligated to invest whatever effort he can. Whether he is trying to help combat government regulation against chinuch, which is essentially thinly disguised antisemitism and anti-religion or whether he is trying shtadlanus for Acheinu Bnei Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael who are under fire from the international community and the left for simply defending themselves, it is his obligation to try!

Pence: The Rise of the Secular Left Does not Bode Well for the Religious Jewish Community or for Israel

That was the reason for the meeting with former secretary of State Mike Pompeo in January and more recently with

honored to be in the presence of a Torah scholar and leader such as Rav Hofstedter. After the two sat down, Rav Hofstedter began the meeting by raising the issues currently worrying the Orthodox Jewish community. He specifically mentioned concerns that the community has

of the mainstream media, who have clearly been shown to have a biased agenda against visibly Orthodox Jews and specifically against our institutions of chinuch.

When Pence was asked what he thought was the best way to combat this kind of antisemitism, Mr. Pence replied emphatically with the above-mentioned words, “Do not duck. Lean in and fight. Antisemitism is no different than cockroaches. You either turn the light on or it will spread.”

The Vice President went on to note that the rise of what he described as “the secular left” is on a collision course with Israel and has led to a great deal of antipathy on the part of certain elements of the Democrat party. “The rise of the secular left is inconsistent with support for a Jewish state,” Pence went on to say.

In an astute and insightful commentary, Vice President Pence clearly noted that things have changed in America regarding support for Israel. The left in America is becoming more like Europe that has an affinity for the Arabs and casts blame for the intransigence of the Arabs on the Jews. A classic antisemitic position.

“That Is What Is Needed!”

That is how the caucus to combat antisemitism came up in the conversation.

Vice President Mike Pence and addressed an event with Pence in attendance.

As Rav Dovid entered, Pence, the Vice President, a religious man, stood up, greeted him and expressed how he felt

regarding the denial of basic freedoms that the community has suffered - in the realm of education and otherwise. He also highlighted the tremendous assault the community has experienced on the part

The Vice President went on to suggest to Rav Dovid that there’s a need for a caucus in Congress to combat these issues related to antisemitism. He suggested that Rabbi Hofstedter work with the caucus that the Vice President had previously chaired during his time as a Congressman from Indiana. When Rav Dovid replied that he had worked toward the creation of a Congressional Caucus for Torah Values with the express intent and purpose of combatting this manifestation of antisemitism toward the Orthodox Jewish community, the Vice President replied that indeed, he had heard of the caucus and of its work. “That’s terrific; and just what is needed.”

The Vice President, engaged as ever, then asked, “Who’s chairing the caucus?”

Rav Dovid responded that it was a bi-partisan commission chaired by Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska and Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas. The Vice President, apparently very satisfied with the chairmen, replied, “That’s just what’s needed.”

Indeed, both Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both took pains to stress how important it is for the Jewish and especially the Orthodox community to make their voices

“Indeed, both Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both took pains to stress how important it is for the Jewish and especially the Orthodox community to make their voices heard and not back down thinking the problem will just go away.”

HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman and Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Siyum Meseches Eruvin, June 2013

Rav Dovid Hofstedter addressing the event with VP Mike Pence

heard and not back down thinking the problem will just go away.

It is important to reach out to politicians, to members of the press who are willing to tell the truth and to use every avenue available, both in government and otherwise to fight against antisemitism, especially the type of genteel antisemitism under the guise of human rights. Whether the antisemites target the rights of Jews to give their children a religious education or whether they target the Jewish State for their “Apartheid” policies towards the Palestinians, they must be combated with everything we have and all tools at our disposal.

“If We Don’t Stand Up For Each Other, We Leave The Door Wide Open For Them!”

Indeed, that was the focal point of the speech that Rav Hofstedter gave in the aftermath of his meeting with Vice President Pence in his presence.

He opened the speech by expressing what a great honor it was to be in the presence of a great American, a great statesman and leader who has served the United States with such honor and distinction. He also praised Pence as a great and true friend of the State of Israel, expressing the heartfelt gratitude of the Jewish community for the friendship Pence has shown and emphasizing how much it is cherished.

He spoke about his fears regarding the great uptick in antisemitic incidents and his alarm over the fact that antisemitism has become acceptable in many quarters in parlor meeting company.

Something that was unheard of in the recent past.

He said that just in the past few weeks, there have been incidents of violent attacks on visibly Orthodox Jews, hate literature, the desecration of a synagogue, and the outrageous desecration of the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston.

“Things have gotten so bad, that even those who speak out against antisemitism have been vilified for speaking up and calling it by its name.”

“Therefore, the most important question is not only what we can do, it’s also what we must do?”

Rav Hofstedter said that as people of faith we must believe in and cherish our ability to be able to keep our traditions. We must show mutual respect and at the same time show the courage of our convictions.

He praised Vice President Pence as the embodiment of this ideal. “You have demonstrated in public office the dignity and grace as well as the courage of your convictions. You have stood up for your principles in the face of criticism, being proud of your faith, your country, the constitution. You have stood by your friends and what a great and loyal friend you have been!”

Rav Dovid said that as a son and son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, “we must take inspiration from the survivors. They came to these shores broken and penniless after having endured the tortures of the Holocaust. They didn’t back down. They had the courage to rebuild their lives from nothing.

“We must emulate them, have faith in our beliefs, pride in our heritage and pride in each other. We must not back down or be intimidated.”

Rav Dovid thundered, “If we will have the courage of our convictions, our enemies will not succeed! If we don’t have respect for each other, cherish our beliefs, our religion and our homeland, they certainly won’t.”

He concluded his address with a powerful charge, “If we don’t stand up for each other, we leave the door wide open for them!”

“Sometimes We Don’t See The Fruits Of Our Labor Right Away, But It Can Have A Real Impact.”

In a conversation with this writer Rav Hofstedter outlined his hashkafa regarding shtadlanus.

“Not everyone is able to engage in shtadlanus with politicians but for those who can, we have ample evidence from the previous generations of Gedolim that this kind of hishtadlus is very important. I remember once speaking to HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, zt”l, about the great Rav Meir Shapiro and his impact on the Jewish people with his revolutionary innovations such as the establishment of the Daf Yomi and the founding of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin that raised kavod haTorah in an unprecedented way during the pre-war depression years in Europe. Rav Shteinman pointed out that another important accomplishment of Rav Meir Shapiro was that he was a representative in the Polish Sejm, the Polish parliament, where he engaged in shtadlanus on behalf of his brethren. I knew that Rav Shapiro himself, did not attribute much value to his efforts in this regard, but it is clear that Rav Shteinman valued them tremendously.

“For those capable of engaging with politicians and other people of influence, although at times it looks like these efforts are futile, the reality is that you don’t know what kind of impact you make on people with access to power. Sometimes

we don’t see the fruits of our labor right away either, but it can have a real impact.”

He then spoke on a personal note. “Both my parents survived the war and I barely had family after the war. Hashem in His kindness, however, spared my paternal grandfather, Reb Zev Hofstedter who had served as Rosh Hakahal in his community in Hungary. He had lost everything, most of his family and his community. When I was growing up, he lived near us in Toronto. Every Friday night we would go visit him. He constantly bemoaned the great losses, the loss of the talmidei chachomim, the unique way and rhythm of Torah life in Hungary where he was born and raised. He would say, ‘Where was America when six million Yidden were being killed?’

“We didn’t have the voice in the government back then. We must therefore use our voices and raise them when we see such a precipitous rise in antisemitism.”

In the meeting with Mr. Pence, the Vice President pointed out that he had done much work to combat antisemitism with the late Congressman from California, Mike Lantos, who himself was a Holocaust survivor. “When Congressman Lantos asked me to chair the Congressional Anti-Semitism Task Force, I did so with great pride.”

The underlying message expressed by Rav Dovid Hofstedter is that yes, our primary mission is to be engaged in Torah and tefillah and promote the learning of mussar and ethical behavior and without a doubt these hallowed activities invoke tremendous rachmei shomayim on behalf of Klal Yisrael. At the same time, our tradition and mesorah from Gedolei Yisrael from previous generations is that those who have the ability to engage in hishtadlus on behalf of their fellow Yidden to help combat and rescind gezeiros should avail themselves of every effort possible to engage on Klal Yisrael’s behalf, because “If we don’t stand up for each other, we leave the door open for them!”

Congressman Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), Rav Dovid Hofstedter

Rav Dovid Hofstedter meeting privately with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

There’s More for You At Touro College Los

Angeles

Real People, Great Results!

Shalom Bayit Through the

Rabbi Nir Yacoby

Parshat Tzav: Evolution of Women

As the service in the tabernacle is detailed in וצ, women are conspicuously missing. Why are they excluded? Where else in the Torah do we see that women were not included? By the stories of the golden calf and the spies. Nowadays too, where there is a vice, such as substance abuse or crime, women are less prevalent.

Why is this? In the story of creation, we see a progression of more evolved and sophisticated creations coming on stage. What was created last, after light, substance, plants, animals, and men? What’s the most evolved? Women!

God created Adam and said, “he’s not good.” Adam needs to become God-like but has no bridge between the material and the spiritual. So God created a higher being so that Adam can see a higher reality. That’s the helper. That’s the woman.

Women are missing from the service because it is especially *men* who need to work to attain a higher status, thereby improving 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

attention. The high-level courses combined with caring and dedicated professors helped me accomplish my goals.”

LEAH POLLACK, Future Doctor Touro College Los Angeles, ‘18, Touro’s New York Medical College, ‘24

Torah Thought Pesach: To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

You take a person and inoculate him against disease. You inject some of the illness that is controlled, limited, and pretested. What’s the wisdom there? Because it’s such a small dosage, the injected person can develop the antibodies to fight and destroy the illness.

That’s what it means that Hashem made us free! He gave us the power to overcome any obstacle that comes our way, by putting us in Mitzrayim and taking us out. He gave us a vaccine: a slavery vaccine. That was a small vaccine of 210 years in Mitzrayim, where now we have been in 2,500 years of Galus. This was the birth of an invincible people with an invincible soul.

On Pesach night, we are celebrating the vaccination against slavery. Throughout history, we’ve been called many vile names. And, yet, no empire has referred to us ever again as “slaves” as a people. The world recognizes that we work for no person.

This idea is the deeper meaning of when we say, “B’chol dor v’dor,” and Hashem saves us. Our existence is a miracle. In every generation, we will survive no matter what comes up against us to annihilate us; we will always be saved by a

miracle. We have a vaccine.

If Hashem gave us the Torah at Har Sinai, why are these four sons here and what are they struggling to learn? No matter how far or how difficult a Jew seems to be from Yiddishkeit, Hashem will save them from among others. There is always the potential to come back.

the discussion of the scholars, do we hear a direct answer to the questions of the Ma Nishtana from the simple meaning of the text. When I was growing up, my father would always make sure to tell us that the answers to the questions of Ma Nishtana were in the paragraph of Avadim Hayinu.

knowledgeable in Torah, we nevertheless have a Mitzvah to repeat the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, regardless of our life experience.

The more you talk about the story of Yetziat Mizrayim, the more praiseworthy.

Sometimes when we look for answers, we actually uncover more questions. A truly wise person always has questions to ask and they learn by asking more questions and delving to obtain more knowledge. I would like to share seven of my uncovered questions related to the story of Yetziyat Mizrayim.

During the Maggid portion of the Seder, we are supposed to ask questions and retell the story of Yetziyat Mizrayim. If there are no children involved, a man should turn to his wife and ask questions, pointing out the differences between Seder night and all other nights of the year. At no point in the Haggadah, during the many hours of explaining, telling the story, and

The following are the main points of Yetziyat Mitzrayim:

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Mitzrayim. Hashem took us out

Questions:

Elsewhere in the Torah, it was predetermined that the Jews would be enslaved as strangers in the land of Mitzrayim for 400 years, but then be brought to Eretz Yisroel, as Hashem told Avraham. So, why do we say if Hashem hadn’t taken our ancestors out then we would still be enslaved? It’s a contradiction, because Hashem already promised that He would

Sometimes a mitzvah is only done at a certain time or a certain place, such as in Eretz Yisroel, for men only, once a week, once a year, etc. Did you ever see a mitz-

Rabbi M Kesselman

vah that applies directly to Chachamim? Of course, they’re not exempt. So why does it explicitly state that it’s a mitzvah also for Chachamim? Why does the Haggadah find it necessary to articulate this?

Why do we talk about still being in Egypt, if Hashem took our ancestors out?

We just said we consider ourselves slaves, and now are free, and we go on to say the words, “In every generation, they rise up to annihilate us.” That’s not freedom.

The first time Hashem mentions redeeming the Jews from Mitzrayim, He promises they will leave with tremendous wealth. But during Yetziyat Mitzrayim, they did not. What value is money when it doesn’t carry on throughout Jewish history? Where did all the wealth go?

We sit together with four sons at the Seder table. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said there is a fifth son who isn’t mentioned because he doesn’t even know it’s Pesach and didn’t show up to the Seder. Maybe he doesn’t even know he’s Jewish nor does he have an appreciation for it. Two million Jews stood at Har Sinai and said, “Naaseh v’nishma,” but how many Jews are actually living a life that respects and honors those words, living a life of meaning and Torah? Some Jews are spiritually impoverished. What about those Jews? How is Yetziat Mitzrayim significant to them and their lives?

The mother question of them all: Every year on the night of Pesach, even non-religious Jews sit around the table,

eating matzah, and thanking Hashem for taking us out of Mitzrayim. The truth is, Hashem is the one who put us in Mitzrayim, and He even told Avraham Avinu this would happen years before. Does Hashem truly deserve all the gratitude for taking us out of a place that He put us in? After 400 years, as Hashem said it would, it should end by itself. Why are we thanking Hashem for taking us out, when he said he would anyway? The whole concept of Hashem taking us out of slavery needs to be understood.

Why do we say that we would still

freedom, we would have chosen to continue being slaves. Because we wouldn’t have known what freedom was.

Being a slave to anything is slavery. The ability to overcome anything is true freedom. The pursuit of freedom, overcoming all eternal obstacles; this struggle and process is a constant. There will always be more obstacles, l’dor vdor.

It is not just the ignorant, inexperienced, and unwise who have to liberate themselves. It’s also the Chachamim– it’s everyone and it’s all of us who have to

gave us a vaccine: a slavery vaccine.”

be slaves in Mitzrayim today? Only those Jews would be slaves for 400 years. The Jews would’ve been free to walk out of Mitzrayim, but if Hashem hadn’t empowered them, and given them the spiritual freedom that is their essence, they would have gone back and re-enslaved themselves. The Eved Ivri who goes free after six years often says he loves his Master and slavery, and he refuses to be freed; he wants to continue to work. What’s the meaning? Just like the slave chooses to be a slave with his freedom of choice, if Hashem hadn’t put within us spiritual

dig deep within our souls, and ask where we are choosing to be free. Yes, Hashem indeed took us out of Mitzrayim. But what does it mean that He made us free? What does it mean to make someone free?

The only way to make a person free is to give them the tools and abilities to liberate themselves. The only way to teach a person wisdom is to teach them how to ask questions, and then how to find the answers themselves, and ask more questions on those answers as well.

Elie Wiesel, writer, professor, and Holocaust survivor, once asked the

Lubavitcher Rebbe “Wow can I personally believe in Hashem after the Holocaust?” The Rebbe answered “How can a person not believe in Hashem after the Holocaust? Surely we can’t place our belief in humanity, science, intellectuals, etc. There’s nothing else to believe in. How can you not believe in Hashem?” To that, Elie Wiesel responded, “If what you’re saying is an answer to my question, then I don’t accept it. But if what you’re saying is in addition to my question, then I am ok with that.”

When we have students, children, or others come to us with questions, we should not simply answer the question because in doing so we are debilitating them—not making them free. Just like that vaccine that teaches the body to fight the virus for itself, making a person free is teaching them to liberate themselves. This is the meaning of being free. A person should believe that they have the skills, and then persevere and use the skills to overcome.

Which obstacles are we going to extricate ourselves from this year?

This article was adapted to print by Ariela Kauffman, from Rabbi Kesselman’s shiur on Pesach.

Rabbi Moshe Kesselman currently serves as the rabbi of Congregation Shaarei Tefila in Los Angeles. Rabbi Kesselman is a renowned Chosson teacher for soon-to-be married men, fields Halachic Shaalos from all over the world, and is a sought-after speaker on the topics of Sholom Bayis and marriage.

“That’s what it means that Hashem made us free! He gave us the power to overcome any obstacle that comes our way, by putting us in Mitzrayim and taking us out. He

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Holy Grill: Hottest new sandwich in town

The Poskim debate the question of eating a large meal on erev Shabbos. This is based on an Agaditah in Mesechet Gittin (38b) where a wealthy family was punished for hosting a large meal on Friday afternoons. The reason for the punishment, Rashi explains, is that they entered Shabbos without an appetite.

However, for many of our readers, post-pandemic, Friday is a rather light day at the office, and going out for lunch with the boys just feels so right. Who doesn’t love to get the weekend started early? And technically, as long as the meal is small and at least 3 hours before sunset, you’re in the clear. This is precisely why you will find Pico staples like Jeff’s, Fish Grill, and Burger Bar packed with the Friday lunch crowd.

But let us tell you about the bestkept secret for a Friday lunch. The Solika at Holy Grill! The Solika has taken Isra-

the parking lot as there is usually a cloud of cigarette smoke emanating from the hocker scene outside. To keep authentic, most Fridays there are two guys sitting outside by a small table drinking their coffee, eating their Solika, reading the paper (probably the LA Jewish Home), and having a cigaria. Perhaps it is all props to give you that nostalgic Israeli feel.

When you show up, there is a good chance you will see students from almost every local high school lining up to get in on the act. It has become the cool spot to hang out when school gets out, and for good reason. The Solika comes with distinct Moroccan pickled lemons and delicious olives. Feel free to throw them into your sandwich if your palette is into that.

Here is the best part about showing up to Holy Grill on a Friday for the Solika; their Shabbos takeout menu is spectacular! They have tons of salatim and a unique

el by storm. Go to Machne Yehudah on a Thursday night and you will see massive lines of people trying to get one of these sandwiches. Go to Shuk Hacarmel on a weekday and you will see the same. What are these Solika’s we speak of? They are fresh-baked soft challah rolls filled with an abundance of fried schnitzel, grilled eggplant, matbucha, and whatever else you ask for. Something so simple yet so satisfying. Unlike in Israel, you can only get the Solika at Holy Grill (and now Dr. Sandwich) on Friday afternoons. Expect a small line and make sure to get started early to avoid any halachic or shalom bayit issues.

At Holy Grill, the sandwich is great, but the vibe is just as special. You don’t need to travel all the way to the shuk to feel the hustle and bustle of the shuk. Holy Grill nails it. There’s plenty of seating and a nice open layout. Definitely don’t plan on getting a parking spot; somehow they squeeze 20 cars in that 6-car lot. We recommend holding your breath while going through

Casablanca shabbos takeout package that is perfect for the long Shabbos this time of year. It includes amble meats, chicken, and an abundance and variety of salatim that pair perfectly with their Solika Challah rolls and will cover shalosh shudis like nobody’s business.

So here is our hack for the Oylam. Set up a lunch date with a few friends. Skip breakfast. Tell your wife you’ve got shabbos food covered. Head over to Holy Grill around noon. Order a Solika to stay and a Casablanca package to go. With Shabbos starting and ending late once again, now is the perfect time to have lunch with your friends, give your wife a break on the Shabbos prep, and take down a Solika.

Kosher Certification provided by the RCC.

“Here is the best part about showing up to Holy Grill on a Friday for the Solika; their Shabbos takeout menu is spectacular!”

Holy Grill’s Famous Solika Sandwich

Community Profile

Shmira Public Safety: Changing to Meet the Needs of the Community

The Los Angeles community is blessed to have several public safety organizations that operate independently of, although in concert with, municipal services. They are primarily focused on the well-being of the Jewish community. Shmira, initially founded in 2009, has been operating throughout the city with an eye on community safety and crime deterrence.

It is no secret that the last few years have been tough on everyone. There has been a rise in crime, a rise in Antisemitic incidents, and a rise-up against our law enforcement community—those whom we call “heroes.” This combination has led to record-high retirements, low morale, and staffing issues among police departments nationwide. When you look at how these separate facts have affected the mentality of LA’s Jewish community, and neighborhoods, you find that more and more people are living with increased fear and despair in their day-to-day lives.

This issue is not something that any single department or organization can fix; however, organizations like Shmira Pub-

“The primary goals of Shmira Public Safety are twofold,” said Ari Stock, Executive Director of Shmira Public Safety. “First, to provide an overt uniformed presence, as a deterrence to crime in our community, and to do so by utilizing trained observers who can provide critical facts and intel to our police, to aid in their investigations. This partnership is essential to the success of our mission.”

In addition to providing that overt presence of trained uniformed volunteers, you will often see them in their bright yellow vests or vehicles with the Shmira logo on the doors. SPS has been broadening its

but also to be available for anyone in need without access to a phone to call for help. Just last week, this detail came upon an older adult who had fallen along Pico Blvd, and they made the call to Hatzolah, who responded and rendered aid. SPS has also helped the community by providing specialized teams for large-scale events, escorts for Hachnosas Sefer Torahs, and has assisted with joint searches for missing persons and other crisis situations.

Shmira Public Safety is only able to do all of this because of the community’s support, both financially and as volunteers. They rely on donations of all sizes to pay for their citywide radio system, uniforms, equipment, and member training. Shmira is a registered 501(c)3 Not for Profit organization, which means that donations to them qualify as charita-

ble contributions, which may be tax-deductible to the donor.

According to their website, “Shmira” comes from the biblical Hebrew word that means “Safeguarding.” As active members of the Jewish community, Shmira believes that it is their duty to safeguard the community as a whole for all residents and guests. While Shmira Public Safety is primarily funded and staffed out of the Jewish community, they are here to serve the entire community, irrespective of faith or affiliation. To learn more about Shmira Public Safety, donate, or become a member or dispatcher, visit www.lashmira.org and follow @ LASPshmira on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Anywhere Kosher.

To Report an incident to Shmira Public Safety, call 424-888-4646 24/7/365.

lic Safety (SPS) believe that they can make a noticeable difference. The effect has been felt by families and businesses who have benefited from Shmira’s services, but is that enough?

In June of 2022, the leadership of Shmira began a year-long project of rebuilding itself from the ground up. The goal was simple: where and how could they improve to become the type of organization this community needs now? The reality was a lot more complicated. The new “Shmira Public Safety’’ was born out of this process. SPS has built upon those early efforts and incorporated them into a unified professional organization, providing training, accountability, and focus. Ten months into the project, SPS has a new 501(c)3 organization, an expanded Board of Directors comprised of security and public safety experts, a new policies and procedures manual, and a new training program for all their volunteers.

The LA Jewish Home got a sneak preview into the new and improved service organization, which is planning to release these details publicly and more after the chagim, along with information on their new recruiting and donor campaigns.

relationships and working in tandem with law enforcement and other public safety organizations in our area.

“We strongly believe that the more we [all] work together, the more we can all do for our community,” stated Daniel Baum, Director of Operations. “I have seen the changes, the results that have come out of what we do, how we do it, and whom we do it with.”

Shmira Public Safety is a great resource for our community, but they emphasize that they are not a substitute for the police. SPS encourages community members to always call 911 for any true emergency prior to calling their hotline. It is essential to have police en route to these situations. Furthermore, it is always a good idea to notify the police of any public safety or Antisemitic incident. In Los Angeles, the non-emergency number for the LAPD is 877 ASK LAPD (877275-5273). The LAPD maintains records and statistics of all calls to them. These statistics are utilized to allocate resources to different city areas, internal needs, and collaborative reports to the FBI’s JRIC and other programs. Often people see area crime statistics that look inconsistent with what is going around in various chats; this is most likely because no one ever notified the police of the incident. They did not know about it until after the fact.

Shmira Public Safety is both operated and staffed by trained volunteers 24/7. Over Shabbos, they have a non-Jewish member who drives around the community to provide that presence and deterrence,

“As active members of the Jewish community, Shmira believes that it is their duty to safeguard the community as a whole for all residents and guests.”

Dave Bacall

A Shmira member and his vehicle watching over the Pico-Robertson area in the evening.

Shmira members, in their signature vests, create an overt uniformed presence along the “Kosher corridor” of Pico Blvd.

Shmira members provided a special detail for the Chosen Comedy Festival at the request of comedians Elon Gold and Modi, in downtown LA.

On a Frogs are Everywhere

Mushky Yiftach

One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed, there were frogs on his bed and frogs on his head, frogs on his nose, frogs on his toes. Frogs here, frogs there, and even on our seder table!

If you want to make the story of Pesach come to life, then, besides for matzah, a frog craft is definitely a staple at your seder table!

Supplies:

Green paper, White paper, Party blower, Markers, Scissor, Tape, Glue

Instructions:

Step 1: Fold a piece of green paper in half

Step 2: Shape the folded paper into a half a circle

Step 3: Cut out hands and eyes from the excess paper

Step 4: Glue the hands and eyes onto the base of the frog

Step 5: Draw the frog’s cheeks and nose

Step 6: Cut a small hole in between the eyes for the party blower

Step 7: Place a party blower inside the hole and secure it with tape

Step 8: Give a nice blow and have a happy and fun Pesach!

Step 9: Subscribe to “onarollcrafts” on YouTube for more awesome content!

Rebbe’s Stories

I Am Like a 70-Year-Old Man

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin

In the Haggadah, we are introduced to a young man by the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria who said that he was like a 70-year-old man when he was only 18 years old. What did he mean that he was like a 70-yearold man if he was only 18 years old?

The story begins with Raban Gamliel who was the Nasi. The Nasi was the leader of the Jewish people. Raban Gamliel was very protective of the Torah and its laws and was very strict when someone disagreed with him. On 3 occasions Rabbi Yehoshua voiced opinions that differed from Raban Gamliel and each time Raban Gamliel became angry and treated Rabbi Yehoshua in a disrespectful way. After the third time, the Chachamim decided to remove Raban Gamliel from his position as Nasi.

saw that his hair and beard had turned grey. He turned to his wife and said, “I look like a 70-yearold man!” Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria and his wife both realized that this was a message from Hashem that he should take the position of the Nasi. Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria accepted the position, and although he was only 18 years old, he was respected by all the Chachamim.

This story is taken from Meseches Taanit 20a.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why do you think that appointing Rabbi Yehoshua as the Nasi would cause Raban Gamliel so much pain?

To

The question was, who should be appointed as the new Nasi? At first, the Chachamim recommended Rabbi Yehoshua but decided that this would cause too much pain to Raban Gamliel. The second suggestion was Rabbi Akiva. But after much discussion, the Chachamim decided that Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria would be the best choice. He had all the qualities needed to be a great leader. The Chachamim approached Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria and asked him if he would agree to become the new Nasi. He responded that he needed to first discuss this with his wife.

When he told her the news she said, “You are a young man. You are only 18 years old. Do you really think that the older Chachamim will be able to respect you?” Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria agreed with his wife’s concern and decided to let the Chachamim know that he was not going to accept the position.

The next morning when he woke up, his wife shouted shockingly, “What happened to your hair?” Rabbi Elazar looked and

2. Why do you think the older Chachamim might not have respected Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria as the Nasi if he looked like an 18-year-old?

3. Why do you think that Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria and his wife believed that it was a message from Hashem to accept the position after his hair and beard turned grey?

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

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

Step by step crafts that helps

Seriously,

How Smart Are You?

They say that matzah makes you smarter. Try these on your family members after eight days of Pesach to see if it’s true.

1. Take 1,000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1,000. Now add 30. And another 1,000. Now add 20. Now add another 1,000. Now add 10. What is the total?

2. Are there more up-hills in the world or down-hills?

3. A contractor hires an electrician and a plumber to do work on a construction site. One of them was the father of the other’s son. How could this be possible?

4. How can a man go eight days without sleep?

5. Someone tells you that a rooster laid an egg on top of the barn roof, and it floated toward the sky. Why doesn’t that make sense?

6. A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 die. How many are left?

7. The Goldberg family has a mother, a father, and 7 daughters. Each daughter has 1 brother. How many people are in the family?

8. How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?

9. A doctor gave you 3 tablets and tells you to take one every half hour. How long will it take for you to finish the pills?

10. You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?

11. Two U.S. coins are worth a total of 30 cents, and one of them is not a nickel. What are the coins?

12. Who is not, not, not a person that has not, not set foot on the moon: Neil Armstrong or your mother?

10. If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second! 11. A quarter and a nickel. (One is not a nickel, but one is.) 12. Your mother. Every pair of “nots” cancel each other out. So the question really is, “Who is not a person that has set foot on the moon?”

are seven girls and one boy in the family, plus the parents). 8. Only once, and then you are subtracting it from 20. 9. An hour

sense because roosters don’t lay eggs. 6. Nine. 7. Ten (there

Answers: 1. The total is 4,100. So, if you thought it was 5,000 you need to brush up on your math. 2. There are the same amount of up-hills and down-hills because every hill is either up or down, depending on how you look at it. 3. They were husband and wife. 4. He sleeps at night. 5. It doesn’t make

What can the Chacham learn from the Rasha? Why are they sitting next to each other at the Seder table?

The Chacham should be looking around him and should see the Rasha as an example. The Rasha sitting next to the Chacham reminds the Chacham how easy it is to slip from studying Torah and doing mitzvot, and that anyone can soon become a Rasha. He must always be working to improve himself. Also, the Chacham should try to help the Rasha sitting next to him, to encourage him to do mitzvot, and to answer all of his questions. The Rasha should also look to his side

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

and see the Chacham as a good example, to follow in his footsteps. By seeing the Chacham as a good example, the Rasha can see he can change his bad ways, and maybe one day become a Chacham. The Rasha came to the Seder and asked many questions. He is better than someone who does not know how to ask and he is smarter than the simple son. The Rasha has the potential to become a Chacham because he has wisdom, unlike the simple son or the one who does not know how to ask a question. The Rasha gets credit for showing up at the seder, when many people do not.

A matzah walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while, where have you been?” The matzah replies, “I’ve had some bad breaks.”

1 Blood makes up around 7% of the weight of a human body. (And bad Pesach cake makes up the other 93% of your body right now.)

2 Frogs don’t need to drink water as they absorb it through their skin. (Hey! That’s how I absorb my chocolate.)

3 Itching from a lice infestation is an allergic reaction not to the bite itself, but from the saliva secreted onto the scalp.

4 Male lions defend the pride’s territory, while females do most of the hunting. Despite this, the males eat first. (Hey, that’s so not fair!)

5 Vicuña fur is the most expensive fur in the world. It is produced from animals related to the llama family that lives in Peru. The average price is $5,000 per meter.

600,000 Jewish men go out to eat. The waiter says, “You thought splitting the sea was hard, try splitting this check!”

You are a blindfolded waiter setting up a seder. There is a table with four glasses in the four corners of a square rotating table. Each glass is either facing up or facing down. You need to turn them all in the same direction, either all up or all down. You may do so by grasping any two glasses and turning either or both over. But the table is spun after each time you touch the glasses. How do you get all of the glasses to face the same way?

6 According to the American Dermatological Association, stress results in drier, more brittle skin that can become infected by staphylococcal, the bacteria that causes most boils. (So if you want to have clear skin, sit at home all day doing nothing… you’ll be a very clear-skinned couch potato.)

7 A hailstone the size of a baseball weighs about 150g and can fall at speeds of 100mph. This can cause a lot of damage, with entire crops being wiped out in just a few minutes during a large hailstorm. (It’s really cool to see the hail fall. Next time a hailstorm comes, go outside and look up towards the sky… ouch!)

8 A desert locust swarm can be 460 square miles in size and pack between 40 and 80 million locusts into less than half a square mile. Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day, so a swarm of such size would eat 423 million pounds of plants every day.

Ten Makkos Did You Knows RIDDLE ME THIS

9 The City of Flagstaff, Arizona, is the darkest city in the world and became the World’s First “International Dark Sky City,” a designation awarded by the International Dark Sky Association for its low light pollution and commitment to enforcing stargazing-friendly lighting restrictions which make it the ideal destination to explore the night skies.

10 Firstborns are 16% more likely to go to college than their younger siblings. (That’s probably because when they are done with college, they convince their younger siblings not to go!)

Why is the Rasha sitting next to the Chacham?

TOP NINE QUESTIONS Post-Seminary Students Ask

As the seminary year draws to a close and students begin planning their future, Sara Schenirer’s student advising center is busier than ever. Advisors always respond to every email and phone call, helping students understand their options and plan a career. To assist potential students more efficiently, Sara Schenirer’s expert advisors have compiled a list of the top nine questions that post-seminary students ask.

1 Can I start Sara Schenirer as soon as I come home from seminary?

Fall semester begins in September, and there is plenty to do as soon as you return home from seminary. Just ask us how you can get started immediately.

2 Can seminary credits be applied toward my degree?

Yes. Our partner colleges accept 36 credits from any seminary transcript toward your undergraduate degree. We don’t charge you anything for this benefit, and enrollment in an Israel Option program is not required.

3 How do I know which undergraduate program is for me?

With degrees in ABA, accounting, business, data science, education, medicine, nutrition, OT, psychology, social work, and speech, the choices can be confusing. Speak to our advisors to get the clarity you need.

4

How is Sara Schenirer different from other colleges & programs?

No other college or program offers the array of degrees, personalized support, affordable tuition, and hashkafically-suitable education that Sara Schenirer offers. We take the needs of every student personally.

5 Can I receive financial aid toward my college degree?

Of course! All of our degree programs feature full financial aid through FAFSA. This includes PELL and TAG grants and loans, and is available through our college partners.

6 Are there scholarships available?

Generous scholarships are available to defray the cost of many degree programs. Tuition prices are also capped.

7 Will you accept credits earned through a different college?

Yes. Our college partners will accept college credits earned at the high school or college level provided that they are issued by an accredited university.

8 Can I work while attending Sara Schenirer?

Absolutely. Since courses take place on Sunday and weeknights, students are free to hold employment during regular business hours.

9 What if I get married or relocate during my degree program?

Sara Schenirer has six in-class locations throughout the tri-state area, and all our programs are entirely online as well. Location is not an obstacle to earning your degree.

Full financial aid available for eligible students

Sara Schenirer is not a college or degree-granting institution. All degrees are conferred by our accredited partner colleges.

Hashkafically Sensitive Outstanding Student Support

36 Seminary Credits Accepted At No Cost

Now Offering MORE Degrees

ACCOUNTING

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

DATA SCIENCE

EDUCATION & SPECIAL EDUCATION

MEDICAL NUTRITION

With eleven undergraduate and nine graduate degree tracks, we have something for everyone, including our newest additions: OT, SLP & MBA. NEW!

Boro Park

Crown Heights

Five Towns

Lakewood

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Passaic & LIVE ONLINE

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

PSYCHOLOGY

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Seeing Light

Calanit Kopple

When you walk into the bright, cheerful classroom of the new Ora Early Childhood Center at Maor, you will find Leba Sherman at the helm. Surrounded by cute preschoolers, she guides them, with her assistant Zahava, through a lovingly structured routine of learning, play, and personal development.

“Personal development?” you may wonder. For preschoolers? Absolutely. Because Leba is not your typical preschool teacher, nor is Ora your typical preschool.

While most preschool teachers are warm and loving, not everyone has a master’s degree in special education and can implement an individualized educational plan for each and every student. To put it simply, Leba, aka “Morah Leba” has skills.

From a young age, Leba loved children. Growing up in San Diego, Leba found any opportunity afforded to her to be with kids, and the feeling was mutual.

By age 9, she was a well-established babysitter, booked weeks in advance–I kid you not–and as the years progressed, she evolved into that person running camps and programs.

By age 11, Leba ran the shul playgroups. Leba knew that one day she would be involved in teaching and education, in some capacity. Another formative experience during her youth arose from a friendship with a lovely girl in the community who had Down syndrome. Leba described the depth of their connection, expressing

simply that she loved the way she felt when they spent time together.

Eventually, Leba attended Valley Torah High School, and after graduation, she spent one year in Israel. Her journey continued in New York, where she majored in psychology at Touro College Manhattan. True to her childhood passion, Leba worked as an assistant in two special needs programs, Shema Kolainu in Borough Park and Reach for the Stars in Brooklyn, where she received training in Applied Behavior Analysis or “ABA.”

ABA involves creating techniques and strategies with goals to help a person become more independent and successful in their lives.

These teaching experiences prompted Leba to apply for a master’s degree in special education. Leba graduated with a dual master’s degree in special education and general education, with an emphasis on the ages of birth through second grade.

Leba married Zak Sherman and their first son, Kaleb, was born in 2008. A few months later, the family moved to Los Angeles, where Leba worked as a kindergarten teacher at Yavneh Hebrew Academy for two years. After their second son, Isaac, was born, Leba became a full-time mom/early childhood teacher of one, until he was four years old.

During her third pregnancy, Leba’s vision began to blur. In this new state of vision, she would frequently mix up people from afar, while experiencing unprecedented difficulty reading signs and subtitles. When baby Olivia was an infant, Zak, concerned with Leba’s ongo-

ing vision problems, insist ed she should see an optometrist. They, logically, assumed it could be fixed with the right prescription for glasses. Unfortunately, the only outcome of the prescribed glasses was headache.

The next step was to visit the ophthalmologist, who tested Leba and referred her to a retina specialist (an ophthalmologist who is a highly-trained sub-specialist), who then referred her to a genetic special ist. For nearly a year, Leba went through virtually every doctor in the city to both get answers and also in hopes of finding a preferable resolution rather than the reality.

Leba learned that the source of her deteriorating vision was, in fact, due to Stargardt disease, a rare incurable genetic disease. Stargardt’s is the juvenile form of macular degeneration, which is typically symptomatic of a loss or change in central vision. The macula provides sharp central vision, which allows one to see objects in front of you, such as seeing faces, reading, or watching television. Stargardt’s is currently not treatable, however, there is plenty of research being conducted, along with clinical trials, in which Leba participates despite the discomfort and time involved.

“In the beginning, my focus was on whatever I could do to advocate for my vision. Clinical trials could end up having life-changing results for the good, and if I didn’t ask, I wouldn't be put into the trial.

go.

In the midst of this busy time, Leba had completed training in Title 1 and worked in The Help Group. Eventually, reading became too challenging for her position, and she started her patch company, Patched by Elle. Despite the fun involved with Patched, the once energetic and upbeat teacher fell into a five-year slump, grieving this new reality.

Last year, Leba suffered another loss, which created a catalyst for change and self-reflection. During that time, she was offered an amazing teaching position. Yet, she had to decline. She felt that she would only go back to teaching if it was in special education. A month later, Leba saw an ad

“Children have varied abilities and strengths, which is certainly true of all classrooms.”

“But if you parse out the words, wouldn’t everyone want a “special” educational experience for their child?”

in LA Shuls, a community message forum, for the teach ing position at Ora. “Timing in life is so crazy. Any other time of my life had I received the email about teaching, I would have pressed delete,” Leba shared.

A beautiful, somewhat miraculous aspect of life is its inher ent fluidity. One year ago, a seed was planted. An idea for a new inclusive preschool. At that time, every single future Ora student and teacher was walking through their individual life paths at that moment, not realizing in the least that their lives would soon intersect and meet in the unprecedented manifes tation of a Los Angeles Jewish preschool. The timing and hashgacha pratis have been observed by many. But seven months in, it is clear that Ora was awaiting its students, and they, Ora.

Ora is an inclusive preschool, rooted in teaching methods of special education, yet the curriculum is that of a general education class. Inclusive means the classroom has a neurodiverse population. Children have varied abilities and strengths, which is certainly true of all classrooms. The difference, though, is these varying abilities are anticipated and celebrated rather than a child being “dealt with” when he or she doesn’t fall in line with the expectations of the status quo.

“Special education” is a term in transition. Education means the learning process or imparting of knowledge, information, and skills. Special means unusual, atypical, and precious. When most people reflect on what special education means to them, the likely emerging conclusion would be that it’s not relevant to their children. But if you parse out the words, wouldn’t everyone want a “special” educational experience for their child?

If one were to be honest, an ideal educational setting for all children would be based on the principles of special education. Most parents wish for their child to be recognized for his strengths and supported in his areas of need; understanding how he learns instead of having a standard we expect all students to meet.

After Leba’s model lesson with the incoming Ora students mid-summer, it was clear that she would be the perfect fit. On Leba’s part, it was the timing. The hashgacha pratis. “This was God saying,

‘Leba, you need to teach.’ Everything about this job was meant to be for me. There was no way it was meant for anyone else. Timing, coping with loss… I have had job offers all of the time that I didn’t accept,” said Leba.

Ora Early Childhood Center at Maor officially opened its doors with head teacher Morah Leba, assisted by Morah Zahava Denbo, on August 29, 2022. With eight students, a beautiful classroom, a playground, and lots of love, the program is going strong. “Because I am so blessed to only have eight kids, I can tell you every microscopic detail about them, give them extra love and support,” said Leba. When asked about their child’s experience in school, parents have much to praise. “There is always something exciting happening at school,” said parent Yehuda Haus man. From the sensory gym, moon bounces, and music therapy, to visiting animals and multi-senso ry learning activities, the list goes on.

the students have the opportunity to access a trained Orthodox special education teacher and behavioral therapist wrapped into one. And any child is welcome. There is no “special” requirement. It’s just love, learning, and hugs, regardless of what label the child has. Or not.

“The teachers truly see the good in every child and focus on the positive. The challenges Noah faces are met with love and addressed with such care and support. The teachers strive to understand each child’s behaviors so they can best support them. I know the skills my son is gaining from this school will empower him throughout his life and allow him to succeed,” said parent Talya Isaacs.

larger goal is to instill empathy in kids, provide leadership opportunities, and utilize peer modeling from typically developing students.

“I went into special education because I felt it was very important to help children that aren’t in the box but make them feel that they are in the box…I treat them like regular education students, but I give them so much extra love and attention,” shared Leba.

Now that Leba is teaching once again, she feels so fulfilled and grateful. “When I leave Ora every day, I am on a high. For me, as a person, the fact that during those school hours, I give my all and feel such an accomplishment and reward that I did true chesed…I’ve never had more gratitude in my life to Hashem for the sense of fulfillment. The love and value of teaching fill my tank,” she said.

And people observe Leba as a completely different person from that multi-year lull. But, really, her time at Ora has been one of rejuvenation– a returning to herself. “When I’m with the kids, I feel that I’m in my happiest place. Teaching at Ora has brought me back to life. I was probably much more affected than I even realized until going back to work. I didn't realize that staying away from teaching “

When discussing the kishkas of Morah Leba’s “personalized curriculum,” Yehuda explains: “There is no bar where children are constantly measured against each other or some grade-level rubric. Every day, I say Dayenu with regard to Ora, but something else wholly beautiful and unexpected follows, and I say Dayenu again. If the teachers are constantly improving the school and innovating the curriculum, it is a given that the students will follow in their wake and grow exponentially.”

The Hausmans’ daughter attended another preschool last year which was not the right fit. “Consider the cacophony of sound that 15 three to four-year-olds can make as they are led in song or prayer, and feeling that there is no escape. My daugh ter would say ‘I hate davening. I hate learning. I hate school.’ During her second week at Ora, there were no tantrums; she was smiling; getting her to go was no longer a nightmare… She loves to learn again. She chats about her day. She finally has a positive attitude toward letters and numbers, Jewish holidays, and values… We consider ourselves very fortunate because Ora did not exist the year before,” said Yehuda.

What is unique about Ora is that

At Ora, each child matters.“The most important thing is that every student feels valued, loved, wanted, and that they have a place. Leba and Zahava have done this. The students jump out of their cars every morning so excited for each day. When children exhibit challenging behaviors, it shows us that they are comfortable in this setting and have a place where they can be themselves. And it provides us with the opportunity to help support them,” said Associate Director of Ora Early

Living each day with gratitude and having bitachoncompletehas been my only source of light.”

Mosaica Press: Elegant, Meaningful, and Bold

Shui Haber

There are many solid publishers in the world of Jewish literature, but in recent years, few can match the impact and influence of Mosaica Press. A relatively young company (founded in 2011) by two visionary leaders in the Jewish community, Rav Yaacov Haber and Rabbi Doron Kornbluth, Mosaica has quickly established itself as a hub for profound and entertaining books written by some of the most interesting and important educators in the contemporary Jewish world.

One thing that sets Mosaica apart is the caliber of its publishers, who are themselves accomplished authors that understand the process of publishing a book from all angles. , Rav Haber’s popular book, “Sefiros,” and his other English and Hebrew works, have sold tens of thousands of copies and had a major impact, as have his many other pioneering educational programs over the last four decades. In addition, Rav Haber is the Rav of the KSY synagogue in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel (the largest shul in the community and a hub for English-speakers). His partner, Rabbi Doron Kornbluth, is one of the most popular speakers in the Jewish world today (speaking in over 50 cities a year on numerous topics), and is the bestselling author of kiruv classics “Why Marry Jew-

ish?”, “Why Be Jewish?”, “Cremation or Burial,”and more.

Mosaica has grown quickly, publishing more than 25 books per year tailored to different segments of the Jewish community - with authors from all over the “traditional world.” Mosaica’s “family” of authors includes noted halachic authority Rav Asher Weiss, bestselling author Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein, the renowned

considered the best in the Jewish world. What sets Mosaica apart inside the books is its ability to tackle contemporary issues with grace while maintaining a strong and proud commitment to Torah. For example, Dr. Shloimie Zimmerman’s “From Boys to Men,” which tackles the topic of puberty in the Orthodox world, and the fresh-outof-the-printer, “Reclaiming Dignity,” a fascinating anthology of essays and a com-

merous popular Jewish self-help titles, such as “Acceptance” by Menachem Poznanski, “Depressed” by Yoni Palmer, “Mindfulness” by Jonathan Feiner, and “The Gift of Stuttering” by Moe Mernick.

For Passover this year, Mosaica presents a beautiful selection of new Haggadahs, such as the gorgeous “Striving Higher Haggadah” by Doniel Staum and “A Night of Teaching” by the respected Rabbi Isaac Rice, Mosaica also released Rabbi Buxbaum’s “The Four Elements of Inner Freedom,” which sheds new light on the Pesach story, and “The Breathtaking Panorama” by Rabbi Yonah Sklare of Baltimore.

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Personal Perspectives

Letting Go! A personal Yetziat Mitzrayim

Iheard a great Dvar Torah by Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz. He explained that each person must regard themselves as though they were personally liberated from Mitzrayim. As though “I” personally experienced being a “slave” in Mitzrayim. The Brisker Rav says this is the hardest mitzvah. How can I regard myself as a slave? Most of us were never in Mitzrayim and I certainly was never a slave. That was so long ago. What does it have to do with me?

Mitzrayim comes from the root “Meytzar,” meaning constrictions and boundaries. Every person has their own Mitzrayim from within. The Mitzrayim of Gaava–arrogance. The Mitzrayim of laziness. The Mitzrayim of anger. The Mitzrayim of depression. The Mitzrayim of self-loathing and lack of self-esteem. And When HaShem redeemed us from Mitzrayim, he put in a Koach–a special strength–that says: I can be liberated from my own inner Mitzrayim. I can be free from my own inner slavery.

There are three requirements for the Seder night. Recognizing Pesach, Matzo, and Marror.

For Marror, we eat something bitter to remember the slavery. The first step to being able to leave Mitzrayim is to honestly recognize that we are in slavery. That is Marror. Taste the bitter slavery–acknowledge it. Until we recognize that

“Mitzrayim comes from the root “Meytzar,” meaning constrictions and boundaries. Every person has their own Mitzrayim from within.”

something is wrong, we cannot be free. But that’s not enough. Acknowledging it isn’t enough. Some people are in psychotherapy for years, they know every problem they have and don’t do anything about it.

And that’s where Matzo comes in. The Maharal points out that one of the differences between Matzo and Chametz is that chametz represents inertia. Chametz is what happens by itself. Matzo requires taking an action and baking it. So, if Marror represents recognizing the problem, then Matzo says to take some action to address it. We all have moments of inspiration. Unless we do something, even just taking a small action, it’s meaningless. Inspiration comes and goes. In order for it to stick, we must concretize it and take action.

Pesach has many symbolic meanings. The Korban Pesach (lamb) always had to be shared with other people. You weren’t allowed to do it alone. If I want to leave my Mitzrayim and I want to develop my relationship with HaShem, I need to be connected to other people. I

need to have friends. In Koheles, it says two are better than one. Why? Because if one falls, who will pick him up? If there are two, the other will pick him up. In her moments of weakness, I will pick her up and in my moments of weakness, she will pick me up.

Acknowledge the slavery (Marror), take decisive action (Matzo), and be a part of a community (Pesach).

First we have to face the Marror and take action with the Matzo in order to make changes. If we just eat the Marror right away, we can get depressed. We lose hope, we get overwhelmed, and become immobilized. We need to absorb the lesson of the Matzo and only then can we face the Marror. Finally, we combine the problem and the solution, as in the Korech sandwich.

Every year around Pesach time, I begin to feel like I need to let go. Let go of the beliefs that terrify me, paralyze me, and hold me prisoner. Every time we get hurt and hold on to that pain, we suffer a little more. It weighs us down in so many ways. I see it as luggage we hold on to forever. For me, at different times in my life, different experiences would weigh me down.

When I was younger, I had some bad experiences that left me with PTSD. 24/7 I would picture myself being attacked. How would I get out of it? How would I escape?

Twenty-six years ago, I went to Israel to stay with my brother and his family in a little yishuv in Gaza. As we drove, different family members pointed out the burned-out car on the side of the road that was ambushed by Arabs who threw Molotov cocktails at the poor family on their drive home. They told me of those that were murdered in the yishuv. And of the time some Arabs sent a donkey with explosives but accidentally blew up a Mercedes instead.

Arriving from the States, still a slave to my fears, not fixing them, but adding to my fears, I could feel my anxiety mounting. I knew I wasn’t going to make it here. My mother, who was born in Egypt and speaks Arabic fluently, would translate what the Arabs were saying on the loudspeakers heard around the yishuv. “You must kill the Jew….” There was no wall separating us. There was just a chain link fence between “us” and “them.” We could see each other. Terrified, I had reached my breaking point. I remember this grassy field in the middle of the yishuv and I looked up to the sky and I said, “HaShem, I can’t… I can’t do it anymore. My bag of fears is too heavy! I just can’t carry it anymore. I need you to carry it.” And Hashem did just that. And I let go! I was able to breathe again. I no longer pictured myself being attacked, but let go. That month

ended up being the greatest catalyst for change in my life. I spoke to HaShem everyday and found Him everywhere and in everything.

I once heard Rabbi Avraham Twersky describe how a lobster grows. The lobster is a soft mushy animal with a hard rigid shell. As it grows, the shell becomes very confining. And if it feels uncomfortable, it then hides under rocks from predatory fish, leaving its shell to form a new one. Every time this lobster attempts to grow and gets uncomfortable, he has to break through the hard exterior, it’s “Mitzrayim,” and forms a new shell. The lobster does this many times. The stimulus for the lobster to grow is that it feels uncomfortable. If the lobster took a painkiller to not feel its discomfort, it wouldn’t grow. Sometimes that uncomfortable Mitzrayim is what we need to help us get there. What is your Mitzrayim? Will you set yourself free?

In this painting here, this woman is trying to squeeze through her Mitzrayim and set herself free. In order to do this she must let go of all that doesn’t serve her well. Sometimes we carry too much baggage. First little bags from our childhood, and bigger through adulthood. Let

go and enjoy the Freedom! Wishing you all a happy and kosher Pesach!

This article is printed with permission from Uplift Magazine.

Aliza Marton is a Los Angeles based Judaica and nature artist who specializes in traditional oil on canvas as well as her own novel technique – blending abstract fluid acrylic with realism on wood panels. Aside from teaching art to hundreds of students in the Jewish community, Aliza also serves as Art Editor for Uplift Magazine headquartered in the UK. Aliza’s artwork can now be found in private collections around the world. To learn more visit AlizaFineArt.com or @alizamarton on instagram.

Aliza Marton

Susan Vorhand PhD

Personal Perspectives

Pesach: A Time For Personal Freedom

work. We might try to live a spiritual life even as we carry our burdens, but it can’t work. Ve’hotzasi means, “I will take you out, relieve you” from the burden of not having time. As we recline and take our time at the Seder, unlike slaves, we exert our freedom in the form of control over time.

Ve’hitzalti Etchem

from prior ownership to its true owner. God redeems us from other forces that possess us. We can experience freedom to the degree that we can come close to Him. This third idea, then, is a toast to freedom, a realization and a commitment to be dedicated to HaShem.

experiences and thereby discover more about ourselves. We are not told to learn Torah here —just to tell the story. The story that is our lives.

Reaching toward personal fulfillment while connecting to God would be the truest freedom. To guide ourselves

The Exodus represents the human potential to liberate ourselves from slavery – be it physical, mental, or spiritual. The Seder is a vehicle for personal and national freedom, a way to free ourselves from the limitations that hold us back. We each have our inner Pharaohs and Egypts, internal impediments, that keep us from living a truly profound and meaningful life.

The Haggadah addresses our spiritual path to freedom by explaining the Arba’ah leshonot shel geulah, four concepts that express freedom and redemption, corresponding to the four cups of wine that we drink during the Seder.

Ve’hotzasi Etchem Mitachas Sivlus

Mitzraim

The first word used, Ve’hotzasi, is God’s promise that a time will come when we will be relieved of the burden of

Me’avodosaichem

“And I will save you from the servitude.” By seeing God as a loving parent, we realize that we are free to determine our own fate, to a large degree, supported by His presence. The Egyptians had many gods which they needed to assuage just to get through each day. In our unique relationship with Hashem, He saves us from that level of servitude.

Vega’alti Etched Bizroah Netuyah

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm. We did not liberate ourselves from Egypt; we were too sunken. God was our Liberator. While free of the burden of Egypt and not enslaved by nature, without devotion to The Source, we still lack true freedom.

Vega’alti etchem, not I made you free but, rather, I redeemed you. When you redeem something you release it

So, in the first level of freedom, the goal is to unshackle the burden. Level two introduces the providence of God, as opposed to worshiping nature. By level three, we move into a positive position, dedicating ourselves to the Source.

The fourth level is expressed in the words, Ve’lakachti etchem li e’am, And I will take you to Myself as a people. You are Mine, part of Me for keeps. The Jewish people have a uniqueness of calling, a relationship with God. Once we internalize that God is drawing us to Him for a purpose, through whatever means it may take, by either easing our lives or giving us pain, only then can we make sense of our lives.

The obligation on Seder night is to tell the story. With each retelling, we can draw further from our own life

towards liberating self-expression we might ask: what are my goals and priorities, and what are the values reflected in those goals? Are they in alignment with God’s will? Am I being honest with myself, with others, and with God?

This scrutiny, this self-searching, this seeking out of our inner chometz is one of life’s pivotal and difficult challenges. Achievement and maintenance of freedom are available through the ongo-

“Reaching toward personal fulfillment while connecting to God would be the truest freedom.”

Marror and Charoses: An Unexpected Pesach Recipe

At the Seder, we have an enigmatic minhag (ritual) to dip marror into the charoses. What makes this minhag particularly puzzling is that it’s a meeting of opposites – the marror is sharp and quintessentially bitter, while the charoses is crafted to be sweet, with cinnamon and notes of sweet wine or grape juice at its base. Why have these two flavors intermingled? And since it is not a culinary dictation, what deeper significance does this have?

The Gemara in Pesachim (116a) posits one opinion that this is done as an antidote to the “kaffa,” the sharpness of the marror. The minhag is meant to take out some of the sting of the bitter herb, the residual in the sap of the lettuce. However, we are warned that it should not be immersed for too long so that it does not reach a point where it would lose its flavor (Pesachim 116b). The halacha is that you cannot just swallow up the marror but rather you have to taste it to fulfill your obligation (as opposed to matzah which you can technically fulfill your obligation by swallowing it whole and not tasting one bit). Media personality and Torah lecturer Sivan Rahav Meir recorded the following story about the first Pesach during COVID-19 that weaves in a homiletical message to this discussion.

An elderly widow who was living in New York came to the sad realization that 2020 would be the first time in her life she would have a Pesach Seder alone. The one redeeming factor was that her neighbors in the next apartment over told her that they would move their Seder to the entrance of their apartment and keep

used the very same tunes that your father of blessed memory used to sing, along with the same minhagim. It brought me right back to our old Sedarim – so many warm, happy memories. Can you believe that?”

And the son confessed: “Actually Mom, I can believe it. You see, before

couldn’t remove the marror, couldn’t fully absorb it in the sweet charoset. After all, most of life’s woes cannot be removed completely. The widow was still in isolation, problems still exist even when we serve as a lending hand or shoulder to cry on. But with thoughtfulness and caring, these wonderful neighbors made it bearable. They rose to the occasion.

And we can, too. This Pesach, with so many woes in the world, with so much pain, this year when you dip the marror in the charoses, try to think about how you too can be like the charoses to someone who is going through a tough period in their life – how you can lessen their pain, soften whatever they are going through.

their door open so that she could feel a part of someone’s Seder. And that is just what they did.

After the first days of Pesach were over, the elderly widow’s son gave her a call. He asked how she managed the Sedarim. She said, “Surprisingly, very well, almost like a miracle occurred! Not only did the neighbors conduct a lovely Seder,” she reported in wonder, “but they

Yom Tov, one of your neighbors called me. He asked me about our minhagim and what tunes you were used to and would prefer for Ve’hi She’amda, Baruch Hamakom, and Hallel. They knew this Pesach would be hard for you, and so, as much as possible, they wanted to make you feel at home.”

That is acting as the charoses, as a neutralizer to the marror. The neighbors

We are blessed to be back together with a semblance of normal having bustling Sedarim with our family members this year without fear for our lives. But we must remember it is not like this for all Jews. Let us keep them in mind as we celebrate Yetzias Mitzrayim with our families.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy chag kasher v’sameach!

“Try to think about how you too can be like the charoses to someone who is going through a tough period in their life.”

Rabbi Benny Berlin is the rabbi of BACH Jewish Center located in Long Beach, New York. For more information, visit: https:// www.bachlongbeach.com/.

Rabbi Benny Berlin

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Echoes of the Ultimate Geulah at the Seder

Rav Yaakov Feitman

One of the mysteries of the Haggadah is the location of one of its major stories. The great Tannaim, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Tarfon, were conducting the seder in Bnei Brak. Many meforshim raise the issue of why all these sages were together in one city. Why weren’t they home with their families?

Furthermore, even if one were to contend that, like many chassidim today, they went to their rebbe for the seder, Bnei Brak was the home of Rabbi Akiva and he was, in fact, the student of several of these Tannaim. It is well known that he did not begin learning Torah until he was 40 years old and it would seem proper that, if anything, he would go to them and not vice versa. Rav Reuvein Margoliyos, in his commentary to the Haggadah (Be’er Miryam) cites various proofs that all of these Tannaim were returning home from a mission to Rome where they were successful in averting a decree against Klal Yisrael. The ship carrying them arrived in the port of Yaffo (Jaffa) just before Pesach and the closest city where they could spend Yom Tov was Bnei Brak.

The Aruch Hashulchan, in his commentary, offers a more conceptual hashkafic answer. He suggests that these giants of Torah lived at the time of the Roman occupation of Eretz Yisrael when it was forbidden to learn, let alone teach Torah. This follows the opinion of many meforshim that the talmidim had to notify them that it was time for Shacharis since they were actually conducting the seder in the dark of a clandestine cave, where they could literally not see the light of day. Under these conditions, it did not matter where the seder would be held. It would be dangerous everywhere and had to be conducted with great mesiras nefesh.

However, they were seeking a seder leader who would provide them with hope and optimism and who would enable them to soar to the heights of simcha and bitachon despite their dire conditions. Their unanimous decision was that it had to be Rabbi Akiva. He was the one (see the end of Maseches Makkos) who was able to see light in the darkness even at the sight of the Bais Hamikdash in ruins. When his revered colleagues – and even rebbes – cried, he was able to laugh, for he was able to

triumph over the despair and gloom. It was Rabbi Akiva who drew such solace from the water penetrating the rock that he concluded he could overcome the darkness of his ignorance and attain Torah greatness. This was what the Tannaim needed at that difficult time, so they went to Bnei Brak, just as the inmates of Auschwitz and other death camps clung to the Klauzenberger and Bluzhever Rebbes, zt”l, to help them declare l’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim.

With this approach we can also appreciate an answer given by Rav Aharon Rokeach, zt”l, the Belzer Rebbe, to an ancient question. When we arrive at Korech and follow Hillel in making the famous matzah and maror “sandwich,” we recite the pasuk “al matzos umerorim yochluhu.”

This seems to make sense until we notice that this pasuk is actually from Parshas Be’haaloscha referring to Pesach Sheini, rather than the phrase umatzos al merorim yochluhu from Parshas Bo. The Rebbe answers profoundly, but simply, that since the Korban Pesach had to be offered on the 14th of Nisan and our Seder is being held on the 15th, it is too late to hope for bringing the regular Korban Pesach this year. We, therefore, invoke the pasuk from Behaaloscha in the hope that at least we should be able to bring the Korban Pesach Sheini on the 14th of Iyar in a month with the arrival of Moshiach.

With this, the Belzer Rebbe reveals to us a significant secret about the Haggadah and Seder night. Everything we do on this sacred evening constitutes a hope and a prayer that we will soon be able to do ev erything which we can now only symbol ize and yearn for in our current condition. Although we are baruch Hashem not under Roman occupation, in Siberia, or under Nazi rule, we cannot do everything the To rah commands us in order to complete the mitzvos properly. What we can do, howev er, is to yearn and express our longing for the coming of Moshiach, which will allow us to perform all of Hashem’s command ments in perfection.

This view of Pesach and the Hagga dah explains many aspects of the upcom ing Yom Tov. The Navi Michah (7:15) declares, “As in the days when you left Mitzrayim I will show it wonders” which gedolim (see Pachad Yitzchok Pesach 71:6) understand as teaching that the fu

ture geulah (redemption) will resemble that of the exodus from Egypt. Furthermore, our leaving Mitzrayim in the spring (Chodesh Ha’aviv Shemos 13:4) represents not only the awakening of the natural world but also the techiyas hameisim – resurrection of the dead –which will occur in the messianic era (See Haggadahs Simchas Yaavetz 5751 ed., page 200).

Rav Dovid Cohen, shlita, also concludes that the night of the seder is called leil shemurim – a guarded night – because this is the night Klal Yisrael

was created (Vayehi sham l’goy). Just as Adam Harishon was fashioned in total perfection, not even subject to death, so too Klal Yisrael at the moment of Yetzias Mitzrayim was impervious to any jeopardy and had nothing to fear. This was the state of mankind at the very beginning and will be our condition once again at the time of our true geulah bimeheirah b’yameinu.

A chag kasher v’sameach to all.

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Rav Yaakov Feitman is the Rav of Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi in Cedarhurst.

Dear D ni

Dini Gres

Dear Dini, I do not like making Pesach and I can officially call myself the Pesach Grinch. I love everything else in Judaism, every Shabbos, and every Yom Tov, but not Pesach. I have past experiences around Pesach that were unpleasant and painful and left me with a bad taste for the Yom Tov. It starts when Purim ends, I get this unsettling feeling, and it goes from there to panic attacks quickly as the Yom Tov approaches. It is at the point where my children are now old enough to notice it and are now afraid to discuss anything Pesach-related, and that’s where it’s starting to bother me that I feel this way. I don’t want to pass this on to them and give them a bad feeling about Pesach. What can I do for myself and for my children to stop this cycle?

Dearest Reader,

Thank you for acknowledging your own fears and having the courage to share them with me. I hope there are enough words to allot for me to answer your questions adequately, because I understand your plight, for more reasons than one. Right out of the gate, I would suggest you see a clinical psychologist to address your past experiences around Pesach. You wrote, “they were not pleasant.” Whether you are sugarcoating them or not, they’re still affecting you, and I believe you could benefit from the therapeutic process to work through them. Having said that, let’s try to get you through THIS Pesach, safe and functional, and one that hopefully your children will have fond memories of.

Let us begin with what we know for sure. We know that in the past, something happened; it wasn’t pleasant, it caused you pain, and it upset you enough to be pained by it year after year. We also know, whether we like it or not, Pesach is still coming every year. We know you have children who are now aware of their mother’s “energy” or feelings and are very astute. One important thing we know for sure is that you want to change the way you approach Pesach. Wanting is half the battle, so the good news is you’re halfway there. It is ok to lean into what’s bothering you, or for now, the fact that something is bothersome to you. It’s ok to know and feel it, and then to take a pause and tell yourself, “Okay, so it was bad, but I can still do this.”

If you wanted to go to the store to get groceries, but the weather was horri-

ble, you had a huge headache, and there weren’t postmates or delivery options, you would have to figure out a way to get the food so you can feed your family. It would pain and frustrate you, but you could still get it done. Even though that is a simplistic example, we could apply it here. You do have pain (hopefully with the therapy you won’t in the future), it is frustrating, perhaps debilitating as you mentioned with the panic attacks, but if you think forward to what the result is, and only focus on that, you can create a beautiful Pesach.

Thinking forward is the approach I would use, and that entails some work on your end. As Pesach approaches and we are bound by lists, you will want to make a different type of list. This list will be a checklist of your feelings. When you physically check off the list, each day toward Pe- sach, I believe this will help you along the way.

Your list will be composed of seven feelings: anger, frustration, annoyance, workable, satisfactory, pretty good, and excellent. Next to each feeling, there will be a box to check off and a line or two for comments. Make copies of the list so you can have a page for each day leading up to Pesach. Look at the list once a day, mark your feelings for that day, and alongside it write down why you felt that way and what you did once you felt that way. If one day it’s anger, write down why you felt that way, and what your actions were. If your feel-

start conversing with your children in a positive tone and normalizing it, they will feel safe to discuss it with you. You can start talking or you can invite them into a conversation; tread slowly for yourself, and take it one word at a time. If your comfort level is better at home, so you have an anchor in your spouse in case you feel a panic attack coming on, then choose home, and not in the car at carpool. Remember your own health while at the same time focusing forward, and remembering the prize ahead of you, which is not to pass on the negative feelings of Pesach to your children.

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

ing was excellent, write down why, and what you did once you felt that way. As you see your feelings each written in front of you, they will become real to you, and as you write down your comments, and reflect on them once in writing, it will shine a brighter light on what is going on. I know you may be thinking, “Who has time for this before Pesach?” but for you, this is more important than any other list. You need to think of this list as your personal hand-holding friend to get you through this.

Now, let’s address your children, and your wish for them not to repeat the cycle. I love that you want to course correct for their future. It tells me you have emotional intelligence and that although you know you have pain, you want a different outcome for your children. Without knowing the exact ages of your children, I would offer advice for any age, and you can adjust it for your children’s specific age. Get your children involved. You can start the conversation about Pesach by asking them to help and give them specific jobs. By you talking about Pesach, they will hopefully feel safe to discuss Pesach around you. You can engage with them on what they are learning in school or what projects they are making for Yom Tov. When you go to a store, for clothes or cleaning supplies, specifically tell them that this is for Pesach. When you

As with everything we try to do when it’s scary, take one small step at a time, and give yourself a lot of credit, because while I am the one giving advice here, it is YOU doing the hard work. If it is possible, get a support team around you, whether that be your good friend or a family member that understands you. Start a WhatsApp group chat called “Focusing Forward” and invite those who know what you went through, tell those members this chat is only for helping me get through this. You can print this answer and keep it at your bedside and read it every day until Pesach. Whatever it takes to know that you are supported and that you CAN do this. I have seen many people stop a cycle of pain through hard work and determination. I have no doubt you can, too.

May all your hard work be a Segula for you, your family, and those around the world who work tirelessly to take themselves out of the slavery of pain that has debilitated them for years. Have a beautiful, safe, mentally healthy Yom Tov.

Adina (Dini) Gres is a wife, mother

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.

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

“When you start conversing with your children in a positive tone and normalizing it, they will feel safe to discuss it with you.”

Pesach is a special, uplifting holiday where we not only abstain from work and routine life but a unique time in which we also elevate ourselves through the very food we eat. For those who already are struggling with their diets; whether with GI difficulties, diabetes, allergies and/or weight challenges, the eight days of Pesach can be daunting, due to its additional dietary restrictions. For many, the frequent eating of large meals, the abundance of matzah intake, and the more relaxed, inactive days of Yom Tov can have some uncomfortable repercussions of constipation. Pesach does

Matzo-pation

Elevate your Fiber

Increasing your intake of high fiber foods is key to helping speed the transit of the digestive system and keeping you regular. We are living in an incredible time when there is such a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based products available to us, even on Pesach. As much as we enjoy the traditional low-fiber Pesach dishes we grew up on, we can easily balance those dishes with foods that will be more digestive-friendly. Borscht is probably your parents/grandparents favorite Pesach drink for a good reason.

high-fiber carbs. At the Yom Tov meals, try making up at least half your plate of vegetables whether it is a fresh fibrous colorful salad or roasted veggies. Some good options are kale, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, cabbage, carrots, peppers, and sweet potatoes. On chol-hamoed, try enjoying a cauliflower “pizza crust”, a veggie-filled shakshuka, or a chia seed pudding. Throughout each day, try snacking on lots of fresh fruits and veggies. For baked goods, replace potato starch with almond or coconut flour and add in those delicious high-fiber fruits and nuts. Some fiber-filled fresh or dried fruits are blueberries, strawberries, pears and apples (with skins), prunes, and avocados. Some fibrous nuts are almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans. Some seeds are pumpkin, watermelon, and chia seeds.

If one is unable to consume these foods, consider a fiber supplement such as psyllium husk which has some of the best evidence to support its use. Another fiber supplement, partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a water-soluble fiber with prebiotic activity, also has some of the best research to relieve constipation. These fibers (also found in the above foods) support the microbiome, the healthy balance of bacteria in the digestive tract.

Uplift your Fluids

be helpful too. And of course, a tried-andtrue tactic is consuming prune juice each morning to help stay regular.

Enhance your Microbiota

Probiotics have been shown to support overall digestive health and minimize constipation, though the exact mechanism is unknown. It is a great idea to add a bowl of Greek yogurt or a cup of kefir to your daily Pesach breakfast. For chronic constipation lasting beyond Pesach, look for probiotic supplements which include Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, B animalis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Lactobacillus reuteri as these probiotic strains have the best-known evidence for helping manage constipation.

Advance your Movement

It is difficult to be active during the days of Yom tov. However, specifically on these days, any increase in activity will help keep your system moving. Try incorporating physical activity into your day in practical ways, such as taking short walks after meals, volunteering to run upstairs/ downstairs to get “X”, or playing active games with the kids.

not also have to be “bitter” on your stomach and gut: when planned and done right, it can be the joyous and liberating Yom Tov it is intended to be. Here are some easy, practical tips to help you enjoy this Pesach to its fullest.

High fiber (non-kitniot) whole grain options for your daily Pesach diet include whole-wheat or spelt matzah and quinoa. Pesach is a great opportunity to seek out more plant-based options such as veggies, fruits and nuts to fill in for the missing

Plan to drink as much water as you can throughout the day. Create established drinking times such as having a glass or two of water immediately when waking up in the morning, before leaving the house, going to bed at night, and before each course of the Yom Tov meals. Fill up your favorite large water bottle and take generous sips throughout the day to help meet hydration goals. Fluids promote GI motility and help to keep the digestive system moving. Fluids also help to keep bowel movements soft and easier to pass. Starting and ending your day with warm beverages such as hot water, coffee, or tea can

This Pesach, make sure to consume a variety of high-fiber foods along with adequate fluids to help prevent and relieve constipation. Take care of your gut, and it will take care of you. Wishing you a joyous and liberating Chag!

*Please confirm with your Rav to ensure foods and supplements recommended meet your individual Pesach minhagim*

Bracha Abramson RD, CDN is a Clinical Dietitian-Nutritionist with over 8 years of adult and pediatric experience. She graduated from NewYork-Presbyterian Cornell and Columbia with a fellowship specializing in Pediatrics. She currently lives with her family in Los Angeles and sees clients in her private practice, Robin’s Nest Family Nutrition. Feel free to contact her at 323-230-0590 or Bra chaAbramsonRD@gmail.com.

“Pesach does not also have to be “bitter” on your stomach and gut: when planned and done right, it can be the joyous and liberating Yom Tov it is intended to be.”

Abramson, RD CDN

Elizabeth Mandelbaum

How It All Started

“I have always been very conscious of eating clean food, exercising, and overall living a very healthy lifestyle. I grew up in a healthy home where my parents made everything homemade. They would point out how packaged and most restaurant foods were made with hydrogenated oils, chemicals, and other processed ingredients that were so unhealthy for one’s body.

When I got married and began flipping through recipes to cook for my husband and myself, I noticed that the majority of recipes were so complicated and used multiple ingredients I had never heard of or owned. My husband is sensitive to a lot of different foods and the recipes I found were not making that any easier for me to cook. I knew there had to have been another way so I decided to start developing my own recipes. I started by creating my own vegan cheeses, and baked goods. I wanted to create delicious dishes that left out the flours and sugars and unnecessary, unhealthy ingredients. Once I realized I was actually pretty good at it, I decided to start a food blog on Instagram to share my recipes.

My following was extremely engaging and the positive feedback I was getting from my new food blog was so encouraging! I was getting multiple requests to cook and deliver food for individuals and families, and although that was something I had never thought of doing, the demand was there and I decided to give it a try.

This initial trial snowballed into my carrier. My clientele grew quickly, and then eventually leveled out to a smaller, more exclusive clientele. Since then I have done so many fun partnerships and collaborations with different food brands! I began writing my cookbook 2 ½ years ago and it’s finally ready for pre-order!

Instagram: @elizabethleigh.m

Roasted Chicken with Olives and Dates

This sweet and savory roasted chicken is a perfect main dish for your Yom Tov meal.

Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark is one of those grab-and-go treats! It’s also the perfect bite to satisfy a sweet tooth! Make in bulk and store these Roasted Almond Chocolates in the freezer for weeks!

Ingredients Directions

• 6 pieces of chicken on the bone

• 1 large brown onion

• 19 oz can pitted green olives

• 1 cup medjool dates

• 1 cup apricots

• 5 cloves fresh garlic

• 1 ½ tsp granulated garlic

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 cup white wine/ Chardonnay

• Olive Oil

• Salt

• tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Handful fresh thyme

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a pan with onions, olives, and dried fruit.

• Drizzle olive oil over the chicken then season with the seasons provided. Add the garlic cloves and white wine.

• Cover and bake for 1 hour. Then uncover and change the oven temperature to 450 and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes.

Ingredients Directions

• 2 1/2 cups of raw almonds

• 16 oz bag of chocolate chips

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• Sea Salt

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Chop whole almonds into pieces. Place almonds on a sheet pan.

• Sprinkle sea salt over the chopped almonds.

• Roast for 7 minutes.

• Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat the process until nice and melted.

Add the chopped almonds to the bowl of melted chocolate, and mix.

• Spread the chocolate-covered almonds out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

• Freeze the sheet pan for at least 2 hours.

• Break apart the chocolate bark into big pieces. Serve or store in the freezer!

Vegan Vegetable Alfredo Kale Sweet Potato Salad

We all love a creamy fettuccine alfredo! But as a healthier option, and of course over Pesach, this Vegetable Alfredo is the perfect alternative! This mouth-watering, addictive dish is made with a few healthy and clean ingredients.

This hearty, nutritious salad is the perfect Chol Hamoed lunch or dinner! Skip the feta cheese, and add it as a side to your Yom Tov meat meal! It’s a deliciously balanced salad that will leave you satisfied and full.

Ingredients

• 16 oz kale

• 1 large sweet potato

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1/3cup goat feta cheese

• Olive oil

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 tsp honey

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Ingredients

Vegan Cheese:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/2 15 oz can coconut milk

• 1/4 cup cold water

2 tsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and Pepper

Vegetables:

• 2 16 oz bags frozen broccoli

• 1 brown onion

• 16 oz mushrooms

• 1 15 oz can coconut milk

2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp oregano

• 2 tsp onion powder

• Olive Oil

• Salt and Pepper

Pecan Muffins

Directions

Vegan Cheese:

• Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with warm water. Cover the bowl and let soak overnight (at least 12 hours).

• Open the can of coconut milk, and pour it all out into a bowl. Take half the water and half the thick cream to use for the cashew cheese, the other half you will use later. Place the soaked cashews in a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, without clumps.

Vegetables:

• Defrost 2 bags of frozen broccoli. Heat a pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Place the broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in the pan. Saute over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Stir in the remaining and the new can of coconut milk, cashew cheese, and garlic to the pan.

• Turn the flame to low heat and cover the pot. Let it cook for 8-10 minutes.

• Uncover the pan, and add oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

Pecan Raisin Muffins for the perfect on-the-go breakfast, snack, or treat!

Directions

• 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

• 2 tsp granulated garlic

• Salt and Pepper

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and slice the sweet potato into small pieces. Place them on a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast for 20 minutes. Let them cool.

• Assemble the salad with all ingredients.

• Stir together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

• Pour dressing over salad to serve.

Elizabeth is a recipe developer and food blogger as well as a personal chef to an exclusive clientele. Through her experiences, she has developed a reputation for creating “Wellness Through Food.” Elizabeth designs each recipe to include health benefits and nutritional value, all while tasting absolutely delicious! She pays unfailing attention to dietary needs, restrictions, allergies, and food sensitivities. She focuses on cooking flavorful, unique, and beautiful food.

Ingredients Directions

• 1 1/2 c almond flour

• 3/4 c coconut sugar

1/3 c coconut oil

2 eggs

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/3 c raisins

• 1/3 c pecans

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Mix together the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients. Pour batter into muffin holders. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Technology and Shidduchim: A platform that Empowers Singles

for hours, speaking to parents and shadchanim for the single congregants he represented as a reference. These conversations often felt like a game of broken telephone.

“I would have to answer a shadchan or parent’s question based on how I thought he (the congregant) would respond, and they (parent/shadchan) would then explain what they thought they heard to the woman, all with the hope that what was conveyed was both accurate and relevant.”

Friday night the LeVees always had a full table. Often the conversation would find its way to the difficulties and frustrations of dating. Something needed to be done. One Friday night Sheli literally had a dream, and GamZuli was born.

ing matches that align with their personal beliefs and goals. GamZuli is driven by a sophisticated algorithm that provides users with suggested matches based on who they are and what they are looking for.

The focus on values, rather than labels, makes GamZuli unique. The questionnaire used to create a profile is designed to provide an approachable and fun way for users to communicate what is most import-

parties, ensuring relevant suggestions rather than overwhelming volume. Once a match is made, users meet on the platform for a 15-minute video chat, similar to a casual coffee meeting. (On the platform a match is referred to as a “Zuli”). The idea is with such an easy means to connect, less focus and time is spent on researching and more time connecting with an open mind to what might work.

When you first meet Rabbi Matt and Sheli LeVee you are captured by their warm smiles, and more importantly by their love of all Jews. It is self-evident why Rabbi LeVee chose to be a rebbe and a shul rav, before making aliyah. Sheli’s Sephardic upbringing influenced her amazing cooking and her personal goal of an open home for all those that want or need a place to be or eat.

The shul and community where they lived in Washington Heights, New York, was predominantly young singles. Rabbi LeVee would answer questions every week

The LeVees worked arduously to bring the idea to reality. They sought support from Yoni Rhine, a good friend with an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. With additional input and ideas from friends, relatives, Rabbeim, shadchanim, therapists, social workers, the community, and web developers, the platform was willed into existence.

GamZuli offers an innovative approach that empowers observant singles to meet and date based on their values and preferences. The platform is designed to help them take an active role in seek-

ant to them. Most questions are scaled to give users that ability. Examples include; how much one wishes to incorporate secular society in their life, and whether it’s important for one to have a rabbi/rav/rebbe.

The platform does not suggest a match unless it could be of interest to both

The launch of GamZuli has been overwhelmingly positive, with users ranging from 20-65+ years old, members from all major US Jewish communities, and 14 countries across the world! You can find a full range of observant Jewish life, chassidim, sephardim, modern orthodox, and traditional yeshivish. The goal is to create a platform for all orthodox Jewish singles. With the numbers growing each day, the platform is off to a good start.

In a world where technology has become an integral part of our lives, GamZuli is harnessing its power to bring people together. By using a sophisticated algorithm and a focus on personal values, GamZuli provides a platform that empowers singles to take control and find their Zuli.

For more information go to GamZuli.com

“In a world where technology has become an integral part of our lives, GamZuli is harnessing its power to bring people together.”

Leora Pratt

Mommy Hacks Life Squad

Pesach Game Hacks

Tikva Braum and Rena Kohengadol

Mommy Lifesquad is excited to share three ways to enhance your Pesach seder with your family: But wait, there’s more! What if we told you that everything on this list can be purchased for a dollar?!? YEP, we’re giving you 3 easy game hacks that you can easily purchase at the Dollar Tree!

#1 Kriyas Yam Suf

If you’re looking to enhance your Pesach seder visually, this is for you.

The best part is that all you need is a plastic blue tablecloth that you can purchase at, yep you guessed it! The Dollar Tree!

Find the area that leads to your dining room to hang up your blue tablecloth. Split it down the middle. Use sharpies to draw different ocean creatures on the tablecloth. You can also add a fun pop and add cut-out sea critters. Let your imagination and creativity kick in. This will be your Kriyas yam suf “mechitzah!” Watch as your family and guests walk through your Kriyas Yam Suf partition with complete amazement!

#2 Family Fued/Pesach Edition

Everyone knows how to play Family Feud. Right? But what if we make it Pesach edition? Now we’re talking!! When I came up with this game last year, my family and friends didn’t want the Seder to end. It was THAT much fun!! It kept all the kids (adults and seniors included) super engaged! So here it is:

Grab mason jars and marbles from the Dollar Tree. You will need one mason jar per family. Allow families to collect marbles by answering questions, saying stories, singing, acting out the makos, etc...

At the end of the night, count up the marbles in each jar. One family walks away with a grand prize and all the other families get equal second-level prizes.

#3 Kids Pesach Goodie Bags

This one is perfect for your younger kids! Two years ago, I purchased a kit with the 10 makos for the Seder. It was a big hit and entertained my little ones for a while!

Here is how you can DIY: Grab a dollar tree bag and include the following items that correspond to each of the 10 makos. Purchase a small gift bag, and put the following little toys that corresponded to each Makka into each bag:

Mini Jenga game (perfect for Avadim Hayinu), mini cups and fill with red jello (Dam), frog game (Tzfardeyah), small plastic insects (Kinim), stuffed animals (arov), pop it (Shchin), marshmallows (Barad), black sunglasses (Choshech).

You can always get creative and incorporate other toys and candy that corresponds to other parts of your Seder! This will keep your little ones entertained for a long time. Guaranteed!

Tikva Braum and Rena Kohengadol, as mommylifesquad, provide a fresh dose of hacks, tips, and trips across three social media platforms. The content will keep you coming back for more each time!

The People of the State of New York vs. Donald Trump Lou’s Views

Most people would be frightened of being criminally prosecuted. Trump welcomes it. Such is the current state of affairs in the United States of America.

By the time this article is published, Trump may very well have been arrested on allegations of falsifying business records with the intent to commit another crime. The theory by New York State DA Alvin Braggs is that in 2016, Trump made a settlement payment through attorney Michael Cohen to someone who threatened to say publicly negative things about Trump to influence the election in his favor. Since the settlement was not disclosed, it constitutes a federal campaign law violation.

There are 2 main issues to address: 1. The merits of the case. 2. How this will affect Trump in the 2024 election.

Concerning the merits of the case, Trump will likely argue that the settlement payment was not intended to influence the election. Rather it was paid to resolve a private matter that he didn’t want his friends and family to become aware of. While the timing of it coincided with the election, he will say that he would have paid it regardless of whether an election was going to take place. If he can prove that he settled similar types of claims before this one then that will bolster his argument.

Trump will also assert the advice of counsel defense – that his attorney Michael Cohen advised him to effectuate the settlement in a particular manner and that he relied on his attorney’s judgment. The fact

the delay in time to prosecute him results in a due process violation and should be dismissed on those grounds.

Under the U.S. Constitution, a defendant has a right to a speedy trial. The idea is that the more time that passes, the more difficult it is for a defendant to fight a case. Witnesses can forget things or move away and/or evidence could spoil or be lost. Cases have a statute of limitations period to give peace of mind to an individual so that they do not need to worry about contending with something that took place many years ago. Closure counts.

Turning to the second point of this piece, D.A. Bragg needs to consider the political consequences of this prosecution. To argue that politics is not factored into the prosecution’s case would be disingenuous. Obviously, he feels that prosecuting

Pence said.

Kevin McCarthy called the investigation “an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA” and he also promised to investigate whether federal money was being used to interfere in elections “with politically motivated prosecutions.”

The argument can be made that by prosecuting Trump in the face of the legal hurdles discussed above, as we enter into the 2024 election, D.A.

Braggs is committing the same election interference of which he accuses Trump. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, who wrote “Get Trump,” was interviewed by Megyn Kelly about his reaction to this prosecution.

Dershowitz quoted former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson who said, “With the law books filled with a great assortment of crimes, a prosecutor stands a fair chance of finding at least a technical violation of some act on the part of almost anyone. In such

a case, it is not a question of discovering the commission of a crime and then looking for the man who has committed it, it is a question of picking the man and then searching the law books, or putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him.” Dershowitz explained that D.A. Bragg is committing the worst kind of danger to justice in that he is weaponizing the criminal justice system against a political enemy. He is saying, “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.” Dershowitz concluded that voting needs to be done by the American people, not dictated to the country by a county prosecutor.

Trump isn’t above the law and if he in fact committed a crime then he needs to be held accountable. But he can not be held to a lower standard either. Political agendas have no business in prosecutions. Whatever comes of this case, hopefully, our faith in the justice system only emerges stronger from it, rather than weaker.

Lou Shapiro is a criminal defense attorney-certified specialist and legal analyst, but most importantly, makes the end-of-shul announcements at Adas Torah. He can be reached at LouisJShapiro@gmail.com.

that Cohen was subsequently prosecuted does not preclude Trump from taking this position. Remember that Cohen pleaded guilty to five counts of willful tax evasion; one count of making false statements to a bank; one count of causing an unlawful campaign contribution; and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution.

Trump will argue that the U.S. Attorney’s Office had the opportunity to prosecute him when they prosecuted Cohen on an election fraud charge and chose not to do so. So how is the N.Y. State D.A.’s Office in a better position to make that determination than the federal government?

The amount of time that has passed since the incident date is also problematic for the prosecution. By the time this case sees a jury, it could be almost a decade since the settlement. Trump will argue that

Trump, the leading GOP contender for the 2024 election would land a blow to his campaign. Not so fast. Even people who were quick to condemn Trump for the January 6 capitol riots are corralling around to support him against this prosecution.

Former US vice-president Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, have both spoken out against any criminal prosecution. Pence said Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who is a Democrat, was carrying out a “politically charged prosecution” against Mr. Trump. “I’m taken aback at the idea of indicting a former president of the United States, at a time when there’s a crime wave in New York City,” Pence said. “The fact that the Manhattan DA thinks that indicting President Trump is his top priority, I think, just tells you everything you need to know about the radical left in this country,”

“Even people who were quick to condemn Trump for the January 6 capitol riots are corralling around to support him against this prosecution.”

Lou Shapiro

Big Government Set the Stage for Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse

deposits above the $250,000 limit, the government is creating a new moral hazard – effectively establishing a universal uninsured deposit guarantee. Once the FDIC guarantees the deposits of all SVB clients, it cannot justify not doing the same for other banks as well. The result will be a nationwide no-risk banking system that we will one day come to regret.

And, so, the chain will go on.

mattered, and the bank’s money was in what most considered the lowest-risk assets possible: Treasury bonds. Just two weeks before SVB’s collapse, KMPG, one of the big-four accounting firms, gave the bank a clean bill of financial health. The problem wasn’t poor regulation. The problem was that the bank was terribly managed.

President Ronald Reagan said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Well, he’s been proved right once again, this time by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). The bank’s failure –the second-largest in U.S. history – was a direct result of its own gross mismanagement, combined with a series of well-in tentioned government interventions run amok that created the conditions for its catastrophic failure.

millions of Americans stimulus checks, the largest child tax credit payments ever, and absurdly generous unemployment supplements that paid many Americans more to stay home than to work. Because people were getting free money but had nowhere to spend it, personal savings rates soared to the highest level on record, with households amassing $2.7 trillion in excess

Some on the left are arguing that it was a lack of government intervention that led to the bank’s collapse and are blaming Donald Trump and the 2018 partial rollback of the Dodd-Frank banking reforms he signed into law as president. This is incorrect. The DoddFrank rollback – one of the few bipartisan pieces of legislation passed under Trump – still left SVB subject to lots of regulation and oversight. As Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who led the bipartisan effort to reform Dodd-Frank in 2018,

But absent this domino-like series of government interventions – starting with unprecedented near-zero interest rates which encouraged SVB to buy Treasurys, and followed by unprecedented lockdowns, government-stimulus-fueled consumer spending, runaway inflation and rising interest rates that devalued those Treasurys – this bank failure would never have happened. It’s just the latest evidence that Reagan was right when he warned us: “Government is not the solution to our problem – government is the problem.”

Government intervention No. 1: In December 2008, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark lending rate to near zero for the first time, and then kept interest rates artificially low (below the economy’s nat ural rate) for an extended period. Instead of an emergency measure, abnormally ultralow rates were a fixture of the U.S. economy for more than a dozen years. This created incentives for banks such as SVB to hold Treasury bonds – whose val ue depends on low-interest rates – under the belief that they were “safe” assets be cause low-interest rates would continue in perpetuity.

Government intervention No. 2: When Covid-19 hit, government-imposed lockdowns effectively brought the econ omy to a standstill, forcing businesses to close, too many of them permanently. These shutdowns did immeasurable dam age, putting millions of Americans out of work.

Government intervention No. 3: During the shutdowns, the federal govern ment pumped more than $5 trillion into the economy – providing direct cash pay ments to businesses and individuals. With his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, President Biden continued this miasma of spending long after it was needed: sending

DJ EZZI

Reagan was right when he warned us: “Government is not the solution to our problem – government is the problem.”

Marc A. Thiessen

Shmuli Rosenberg

Traveling to Eretz Yisrael always carries with it unique feelings. As put eloquently by the taxi driver that drove me from my hotel to the airport for my return flight to the U.S.A.; “You’re not going home. You’re going to America. Eretz Yisrael is home!”

One morning at breakfast, the guest who previously sat at my table thoughtfully left that morning’s copy of Yisrael Hay om. Having never read Israeli news from a genuine printed Israeli newspaper in Israel, and the fact that in America it was still in the middle of the night, so I wasn’t getting any emails, I decided to indulge myself and skim through the articles when I came across an article discussing judicial reform. I don’t want to get into the politics of judi cial reform, but one thing that jumped out at me is how the reporter employed the opin ion of Yahadut Hatefutsot - World Jewry, as a reason to oppose judicial reform.

But what the reporter wrote in no way represented my views and those of most people I know.

Until that point I would have thought, why should I, a Frum Jew living in Amer ica, get involved in the views and takes on Israeli politics that on the surface seem like they don’t affect me? I didn’t realize that my opinion is being utilized as one of the main arguments in Israel for points of view that not only do not represent mine but are often the antithesis of Torah.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the organization Eretz Hakodesh, whose innovative work lies in gaining influence in the Mosdos Haleumiim - Israel’s National institutions and agencies in order to stand up and pro tect Torah values and to represent the real view of Yahadut Hatefutsot. For those of you who are not yet familiar with them, these institutions carry astronomical bud gets and have a huge influence on Israeli society and policies.

I understand that I have not conduct ed a scientific poll on this, but I would as sume that the average American Frum Jew likely travels to Israel at least once every few years and has or had multiple children learning in Yeshivos, Seminaries, or Kol lelim and thereby has probably invested a hundred thousand dollars or more in the Israeli economy within three to five years. Many American Frum Jews have purchased apartments in Israel. There are many more of us who are invested significantly more than that as well.

We are the ones who fill the flights to Israel. We are the ones who frequent the mekomos hakedoshim. We are the ones who fill the Kosel plaza at a Friday night davening. We are the ones singing in unison on Tisha B’av at the Kosel. We are the ones who come hundreds and thousands strong for Birchas Kohanim. We’re the ones going to Kever Rochel. We’re the ones at Mear

Who Should Represent Us?

There is a great risk if we continue to allow ourselves to be misrepresented day after day, issue after issue. This is why this cause was and is so important to Gedolei Yisrael, and this is why it is so important to the liberal movements that our voices aren’t heard.

We cannot complain about being misrepresented unless we do our part to

Holocaust Art & History

Leora Raikin

Documenting History through Art” the life and art of David Labkovski- at Cal State University Northridge at Hillel 818 March 26 -April 28, 2023

An exciting and innovative traveling art exhibit is coming to CSUN’s Hillel 818: “Documenting History Through Art,” curated by the nonprofit David Labkovski Project (DLP). The mission of the DLP is to educate through the art of David Labkovski. The DLP has developed project-based educational programs for middle school, high school, and college learners using the art as a vehicle to empower students to be able to educate their peers about the Holocaust and the dangers of antisemitism.

David Labkovski (1906-1991), grew up in Vilna, Lithuania, and much of his artwork documents everyday life in Vilna. Labkovski’s work can be categorized into four segments. First, his pre-war artwork depicts bustling markets and towns, chronicling life in Vilna and his home. His years as a prisoner in a Soviet Gulag camp in Siberia, show soldiers, prisoners, isolation, separation, dread, and fear are present in his artwork. Silence, shock, abandonment, and despair at seeing the bombed-out ruins of his hometown are present in his artistic reactions and visual documentation of the murder of his beloved community of Vilna during the Holocaust. And finally, there is beauty, hope, peace, and renewal present in his later years in Israel, away from the nightmares of his own past.

Through Labkovski’s artwork, history becomes accessible not through statistics, but through one person’s lens of what it

DAVID LABKOVSKI PROJECT

DOCUMENTING HISTORY THROUGH ART

Exhibit Open from March 26, 2023 to April 28, 2023

Presented by Hillel818

Hillel 818 @ CSUN

17729 Plummer St Northridge, CA 91325

March 26, 2023 at 7:00PM

Free Admission; Registration Required

John Paul Thornton

Independent Art Historian in conversation with

Leora Raikin

David Labkovski Project

Founder & Executive Director

John Paul Thornton is dedicated to uncovering how art connects all of us. His paintings have been displayed on the historic steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslow, Norway. Author of the book “Art and Courage.”

Midlife Mu ical Musings

The Pause Button

was like to live through horrific times. By engaging viewers with his paintings and sketches, the DLP shares lessons of life, survival, tolerance, human emotion, resilience, acceptance, and the importance of bearing witness to history.

“This exhibit is so important as the lessons of the Holocaust have never been more relevant and art is one of humanity’s most powerful storytelling mediums,” said Matt Barram, executive director of Hillel 818. Labkovski created over 400 pieces of artwork, which enable Holocaust history and the effects of totalitarian regimes, along with man’s inhumanity to man, to be shared in a way that personally speaks to audiences of all ages and backgrounds

The exhibit will open Sunday, March 26 at 7:00 pm, with a lecture by the artist’s great niece and founder of the DLP, Leora Raikin, and renowned art historian John Paul Thjornton. A second lecture, “Personal Connections to the Holocaust,” with Connie Marco, Lisa Lainer-Fagan, and Keren Perlmutter will take place April 3 at 6:30 pm. Admission is free. Registration is required.

With Holocaust Commemoration April 18, 2023, the DLP has launched a Reflect & Respond program sponsored by Uniworld and Hillside Memorial which invites adults and students to respond to Labkovski’s artwork through poetry. Submission guidelines www.davidlabkovksiproject.org

Contact: www.davidlabkovskiproject.org

Leora Raikin: 818-631-6286 info@davidlabkovskiproject.org

Miriam Hendeles

The old CD players or “boom boxes” had pause buttons, whose purpose might have been to prevent the CD from getting scratched with an abrupt stop. I used them as a temporary stop while in the middle of a track to decide if I wanted to fast forward, reverse, or stop the music altogether.

When playing music, either by reading notes or by ear, there are pauses. When singing, we pause and take breaths at the ends of phrases. If you watch a band at a wedding, you’ll notice that some of the players – whether it is the clarinetists or trumpeters – take breaks while the other instruments are playing.

The musical term for these symbols is “rests,” and they signal us to count a beat or more before playing another note. In Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, he uses four notes and then pauses. He then plays the same four notes again and pauses.

In some music, during those rests, we count in our heads. Sometimes, other instruments take over. If I am playing with an ensemble, I will listen to the mu-

I often wonder: would problems work themselves out if sufferers didn’t rush to fix them without thinking things through?

sic the others are playing and remain quiet during my turn to pause.

Being able to pause is a life skill –something I often forget to do.

Like when I offered to pick up my friend from the other side of town without thinking carefully about whether I would actually have the time to do it.

About

Or when the brownies on the table at a vort I recently went to called my name. I said yes, when pausing would have helped me reconsider that yes.

Or when someone asked me to help out with an organization, and I was frustrated with things going on in my life at that moment and said no without thinking it through.

What’s wrong with pausing and saying, “I’ll think about it”?

When we get stuck on an issue in life, it is best if we pause and sleep on it. When we wake up in the morning, we

usually have more clarity. I often wonder: would problems work themselves out if sufferers didn’t rush to fix them without thinking things through?

Some phrases that are helpful to me these days, allowing others to give me time to think things through are, “Let me think about it and get back to you,” and “I don’t know.”

Pausing can sometimes pose a problem – when someone else does the pausing. When you’re in a rush and you want an answer immediately. Oftentimes, the pausing may be misread by the listener, as if the person pausing is perhaps hiding something. Let’s say you call someone to inquire about a shidduch prospect and you mention the name of the girl or boy. You expect the person to jump in and rave about said boy or girl, but instead, there’s a long, pregnant pause at the other end of the phone wire. That pause can be filled with all sorts of meaning.

You wonder – what’s behind that pause? Why didn’t they just begin gushing with praise? What on earth are they hiding from you? By the time they tell you about the person in question, you’ve already decided that the shidduch is a nogo. And you barely listen to what they say.

But no, the challenge is for you to pause as well. Think about it. Maybe the person paused because he or she was thinking about how to formulate the words accurately. Maybe they have mastered the art of pausing and are deliberate and careful whenever they speak.

We can still incorporate pause buttons in our daily lives. Let’s view pausing as something positive and not be suspicious of it. Almost nothing is so important that it can’t wait just a little bit. Right or wrong, forward or reverse, there’s always room for reflection and discussion.

Something to pause and think about...

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.

Monday, April 3, 2023 from 6:30PM-8:00PM

Presentation with Lisa Lainer-Fagan, Connie Marco & Keren Perlmitter. Facilitated by Matt Bram, Executive Director of Hillel 818.

www.davidlabkovskiproject.org/hillel818-exhibit-2023

Lithuanian-Israeli artist, David Labkovski, documented history through art as a way to bear witness to the past. From the vibrant community of Vilna (current day Vilnius, Lithuania) to the Soviety Gulag, to the fate of his beloved childhood community under the Nazi occupation, Labkovski shares a glimpse of the pain from his past. Ultimately, he shares a renewed sense of hope.

Miracles Can Grow on Trees

Denise Berger

Is that a ficus growing out of a palm tree?” someone asked. Yes! That’s exactly right! A small ficus tree has taken root at the base of a large palm. Clearly, this is not something we see every day. It might be something many of us never see. It’s a miracle. How did this even happen? How many other seeds were scattered, by birds or butterflies or the wind, none of which took hold and sprouted on a palm tree?! Aside from the obvious wonderment, what stands out to me is that the picture was taken right near Pico and Doheny. I keep thinking about how many times it has gone unnoticed by people busy and distracted.

At the start of Covid, a friend of mine created a WhatsApp group with weekly challenges. One assignment was to walk through the neighborhood and record five things we had never noticed before. I’ve lived in the same neighborhood almost my entire life, and I walk a lot (not just on Shabbos). I could not believe how many features I’d never seen.

Around Tu B’Shevat, I found myself in a surprisingly heated conversation about Hashem and nature. This very pragmatic woman was emphatic that while nature reflects Hashem’s kedusha, it is not in itself miraculous. We know spring follows winter. And we know that Hashem does not choose to change nature. Technically, she’s right. And really, even ancient pagans with no knowledge of Hashem knew that spring would come.

Anyone who’s lived through more than one winter knows there is spring. Even squirrels know. And yet, as these trees illustrate, Hashem can re-order the world at any moment. He can save a person from a terrible accident. He can extend a person’s life beyond what the doctors expect. And He can create all kinds of little miracles that remind us of those possibilities.

“A small ficus tree has taken root at the base of a large palm.

Clearly, this is not something we see every day.”

photo credit_ Samantha Silver

A Miracle in Baghdad

Yisrael Shurack

It was midday when an elderly traveler entered the Jewish quarter of Baghdad. The marketplace, where merchants from many lands sold their fabrics, spices, and other wares, seemed strangely empty for such a day. He sighted the grandest building in the section and determined that it must be the great synagogue. He continued his trek towards it until he entered its courtyard and sat down to rest, opening his small sack to take out a few dried figs to refresh his strength. Yet no sooner had he started his lunch than he became aware of a commotion from with-

In his calm and patient disposition, the wise traveler approached yet more Jews, until he had finally pieced together the entire story:

The Sultan’s chief advisor, Mustafa, was a vicious Jew-hater whose mission it was to destroy the Jews, or at least to have them banished from Baghdad. He had convinced the Sultan that the Jews were not only infidels for denying the prophet Mohammed, but that they were thieves and liars as well, deserving immediate expulsion. At first, the Sultan was hesitant to believe Mustafa; however, the Sultan was

alone. Meanwhile, we will continue to pray for his success!”

The man headed for the palace, pounded on the entrance gate, and said, “I am a Jew who can do miracles, and I demand to see the Sultan immediately.” Before long, he found himself face-toface with the ruler of Baghdad. “So,” said the Sultan, “you claim you can do miracles like Moses. What can you do?”

Dozens of people, from the baker and the court jester to the royal guards and advisors, stared at the old man with a white beard and piercing eyes. “If you would be so kind,” said he, “I will perform a miracle akin to those which Moses himself did. Before your very eyes, I will cut off a man’s head with a sword, and then put him back together and make him live!”

then who knows what kind of wrath would be unleashed on the Sultan and his kingdom.

The man continued, “There is but one condition. The man whose head I cut off must be truly wise. In fact, he must be the wisest man in the realm. If not, his head will not properly reattach.” Intrigued, the Sultan decided he must see for himself if the Jew was telling the truth. He looked around the room until his eyes fell on Mustafa, his chief advisor and the wisest man in the kingdom. Before the Sultan said a word, Mustafa cried out, “No, he is lying! The Jew is an impostor! He can’t really cut someone’s head off and reattach it.”

“That might be true,” said the Sultan, “but what if he is telling the truth and we don’t accommodate him? Surely you don’t want to put the whole kingdom at risk! After all, were you not the one who had advised me to expel the Jews, lest we be put in danger?”

“Bring the sword immediately,” cried the Sultan. “Mustafa has volunteered!”

With that, Mustafa began to tremble and yelled out, “No, I admit it. I was both wrong and very foolish. The Jewish people do not have extraordinary powers!”

Mustafa ran out of the palace, never to be seen again. The Sultan annulled the decree, thanked the Jew for coming, and said that the Jews were welcome to live in Baghdad as long as they desired.

in the sanctuary. He peeked inside and beheld a moving spectacle – hundreds of Jews fervently chanting Psalms amidst tears and sobs.

“What has happened?” he asked of the first Jew whose attention he could catch.

Hurriedly, and in a voice of desperation, the man told him the story as best he could. The Sultan had decreed that the Jewish people of Baghdad must produce a leader who could perform miracles as Moses had done. Since Moses was the leader of the Jewish people in Egypt, and he was able to do miracles, the Sultan expected the same from the leader of the Jews of Baghdad. If they would not produce such a miracle-maker, the Jews would be expelled from Baghdad. Therefore, all of the Jews were fasting and praying to G-d for salvation.

told about what had happened when the Jews left Egypt and what Moses did to Pha raoh. He began to worry that perhaps one of the Jewish leaders of Baghdad would at tack him with plagues and decided he did not want to take any chances. Therefore, he issued a decree that the Jews had to pro duce a leader like Moses or leave Baghdad immediately.

The wise, elderly traveler sat in con templation for several moments, and then approached one of the rabbis at the front of the synagogue and whispered in his ear. Soon all the leaders of the community were talking quietly, and then suddenly there was a loud clap on the lectern, and one of them spoke. “This man who is visiting our town says that he has a plan. He will travel to the Sultan immediately to try and save us. If he is successful, we will rejoice. However, if he fails, he will tell the Sultan that he acted

The Sultan smiled nervously and glanced around, not knowing what to think or make of the situation. Perhaps the fellow was completely crazy. Or perhaps he was telling the truth. After

The man returned to the synagogue to share the good news. Immediately, there was unbelievable rejoicing, and a banquet was held in honor of the miracle that Gd had done for His people. Then quietly and quickly, the old man slipped out and left the town before anyone could even get his name. Some people say that he was Elijah the Prophet. Some say he was a great mystic. Yet others believe that he was just a Jew who simply cared about his fellow Jews as much as he did about himself.

“Since Moses was the leader of the Jewish people in Egypt, and he was able to do miracles, the Sultan expected the same from the leader of the Jews of Baghdad.”

Nuta

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Our Shabbos in Auckland, New Zealand

Harold and Magda Katz, David and Andrea Sherman, Sidney and Marcia Teichman

Late January 2023, we three couples from Los Angeles (Young Israel of Hancock Park) traveled to the South Pacific to finally embark on a cruise scheduled before Covid! Though the cruise was all arranged, we still had to figure out Shabbos plans in Auckland, New Zealand before the “bon voyage” on a Monday.

Just a few weeks before our trip was to begin, one of us was watching the Chabad Kinus Shluchim Conference online, and one of the introductory speakers was R’ Menachem Mendel Hecht, the Shaliach of New Zealand! We contacted Rabbi Hecht immediately, and he

ver pans of foods (fish, soup, meat, side dishes, etc.), including two bottles of New Zealand wine, two large challahs, and a large chocolate babka baked by the Rabbi himself. All of this was delivered during the torrential rainstorm.

We were in heaven, even though we were stuck in a motel in nowhereland, watching the storms coming and going by, but we had everything we needed to have a wonderful Shabbos together.

We were, unfortunately, unable to make it to shul on Shabbos day either, due to the weather, but our Shabbos in New Zealand was truly memorable. On Motzoei Shabbos, we went to visit the Rabbi

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graciously invited us for meals on Shabbos, advising us to stay at a motel, just a 15-minute walk to shul from his Chabad Center. Our flight arrived at 1:00 pm on Friday and Shabbos didn’t start until about 8:30 pm. We were all set, no problem, or so we thought.

But, the problem was the very much out-of-season torrential rainstorm (they call it a “rain bomb”), which began just as we landed and lasted for a few days. This caused a partial delay in retrieving our baggage, but, fortunately, we got out of the airport before they closed it down completely, and we were able to get to our accommodations at 4 pm through the storm.

At about 6 pm, Rabbi Hecht called us to say that it would be impossible for us to walk through the storm to shul. He decided that he would bring us all the food that we would need for Shabbos. As a side note, Rabbi Hecht cooks and bakes everything himself – from challahs to cholent, and more. We had never met Rabbi Hecht before, but his warmth and hospitality were obvious from the start. He came over with a visiting Bochur from Melbourne, carrying four huge sil-

to thank him personally for everything he did for us. He invited us again for Monday morning minyan, layning, and breakfast! We were very pleasantly surprised to see how large and active his Chabad Center in New Zealand was. The Rabbi proceeded to make breakfast for us, as well as the 8-9 visiting bochurim from Melbourne, and the other people that came for minyan. He was amazing, like a professional short-order cook, making fresh fried eggs and hashbrowns, as well as making his own bagels for everyone!

The hospitality we found in Auckland was amazing, and we just had to tell our story!

“Rabbi Hecht cooks and bakes everything himself –from challahs to cholent, and more. We had never met Rabbi Hecht before, but his warmth and hospitality were obvious from the start.”

Exploring My Sephardic Roots in a New Film

Daniel Lobell

Right after we got married, my wife Kylie and I set off on our honeymoon tour of the world. One of our stops was Spain, where I was going to record my new comedy special, “Reconquistador!” I was tracing my Sephardic roots and learning about the Jewish community that was still there. My family had lived in Spain before the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella forcibly converted, tortured, or expelled around 300,000 Jews from the country.

it, he said pork. I realized that the practice of putting pork in everything hadn’t gone anyway.

When Kylie and I went to Chabad for Shabbat services, heavily armed Israeli guards questioned us before allowing us into the synagogue. And afterward, when we went to the rabbi’s house for Friday night dinner, they accompanied us there for protection. In modern-day Spain, Europe, and the world in general, Jews are still being attacked simply for being Jewish. Not much seems to have changed.

Most of the people you meet in Spain are lovely. The audiences at my standup shows were ready to laugh and have a good time. Laughing about the pig legs and Spain’s rocky history with the Jewish people helped me process my emotions about it all. Plus, I enjoyed going to the kosher restaurants and delis in Madrid and Barcelona. The community is small but strong. I’m glad we still have representation there.

I wanted to visit and learn about my roots. Even though I knew the dark history of the Jewish people there, I thought that modern-day Spain was such a wonderful place. I knew that the Jewish community was dwindling there, and I thought it’d be interesting to bring some Judaism back. As I joke in my act, if you forcibly kick out all your Jews, one day you’ll need to bring them back to do comedy.

Recently, the government of Spain said they were going to give Jews who

The first stop on our trip was Girona, the Jewish quarter that dates back to the 12th century. It was beautiful, which made me even more upset that we were expelled from the city. I visited the Jewish museum in Girona and saw the name “Lobell” everywhere. It was interesting because I’m Sephardic on my mom’s side and went to a Sephardic synagogue growing up; now, I discovered that my dad’s side could have had Sephardic roots as well.

While touring around Barcelona and Madrid, I noticed there were pig legs and signs for jamón, a dry-cured ham, everywhere. I joked that there must have been lots of pigs in wheelchairs all over the country. I found out that the pig legs weren’t just there because the Spanish people found them delicious. During the Inquisition, people would put pig into everything to find out who was Jewish or Muslim. If you didn’t eat it, you could be burnt at the stake.

When I visited Spain previously, about 13 years ago, I wasn’t keeping kosher, but I never intentionally ate pork. I ordered what I thought was a vegetarian soup from a restaurant. It tasted funny, and when I asked the waiter what they put in

had Spanish blood citizenship – but most people who applied never heard back, or they were rejected. And a few weeks ago, the mayor of Barcelona said that Israel was an apartheid state and cut ties with it. That was incredibly upsetting. However, there was a sliver of hope: Madrid offered to “twin” with Tel Aviv instead.

When audiences watch my film, I hope that they can learn about the history of Spanish Jewry and Sephardim, a story that is not often told in our Jewish world. I believe that they’ll laugh at the funny parts, and be inspired to learn about their own Jewish background as well.

“Reconquistador!” is showing at the Laemmle Town Center 5 - Encino on Weds. April 26. Buy tickets online, or bring the film to your synagogue or organization.

Email: LobellDanny@Gmail.com.

“As I joke in my act, if you forcibly kick out all your Jews, one day you’ll need to bring them back to do comedy.”

At Cedars-Sinai, we hold fast to the strong Jewish foundation we were built on over a century ago. Whether partnering with institutions to conduct groundbreaking research, supporting Jewish and community organizations through grants that feed and house our neighbors, or providing spiritual care for Jewish families, we’re here to ensure this holiday of freedom is celebrated in good health.

We wish you a happy Pesach. .חמשו