April 20th 2023

Dear Readers,

Tears came to my eyes as I turned around to survey the room. I was attending a dinner for the Conejo Valley school when Rabbi Yitzchak Sapochkinsky asked all the lone soldiers or a parent of a lone soldier to stand up in the room to be acknowledged. I was shocked at the number of people who were standing on my right, left, and behind me. At least two families had sent 3 children as lone soldiers from California to protect our homeland in Israel. I asked myself what was it about this community that felt so connected to the land, who sacrificed their safety to protect their fellow brothers? While I never received a direct answer to this question, I assumed it is the way their parents raised these children, compromising of both men and women, or a strong influence in their lives, perhaps a teacher. It was definitely a strong connection to the land and the people of Israel.

One of these lone soldiers, my cousin Yoni, spoke at the dinner. He emphasized that he fought not only because of his love of Israel but also because his grandmother was a Holocaust survivor. No one was there to fight for all of the victims of the Holocaust, and he promised himself he would never allow the Jewish nation to be without someone to fight on their behalf. Never again.

This is why Yom HaZikaron and Yom Hashoah are so strongly connected and are commemorated so close to each other. Those who survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Israel from 1948 through the end of the 1950s were the builders of the land, by the sweat of their brows. Not only did they dig, plant, and build, but It was they and their children who fought for the land, in 1948, in 1967, and again in 1973. It was their sacrifice, their lives, upon which we now have the

freedom to live in our homeland.

While many American Jews may have never lost family in the Holocaust or Israel, most of us have. Whether it be persecution and expulsion from a Sephardic country of origin, the pograms and Shoah in Europe, or via the terror attacks and service in the IDF in Israel, we have lost Jewish family. Those who have lost know how precious life is to live. And so we continue on, as the Jewish people, as a nation, and as a family. We believe in the sanctity of life and revolve our lives around the Torah and the Jewish calendar.

We have a love for Eretz Yisroel, for Torah study in and outside of the land, and for those who sacrifice to live there and to fight for our freedom to live and visit there.

Yom Hashoah was commemorated this past Tuesday, where that date was selected by the Israeli government, to commemorate the date of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, when the Jews fought back. (Many charedim don’t hold by this date, and instead, choose to commemorate the Holocaust on Tisha B’av or Aseret b’Tevet).

Yet there were so many who fought back in other ways: those who fought but were murdered, those who fought to survive, and those who fought to rebuild. All should be commemorated equally. And in today’s world, we still fight for our homeland, for our safety, and for our right to live and learn in the Holy Land.

May Hashem give us the strength to continue to fight.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,

Ariela

The artwork on our cover was created by LA native Avigayil Rosenblatt. The art depicts the picture of her grandmother, Gita Greenfeld’s arm with Auschwitz tattooed numbers, holding on to her great-grandson Meni’s hand. Below this, one can see some of the horror she went through in the Holocaust, to the left is the Israeli yishuv she built called Tifrach, and above is the beloved and golden city of Jerusalem, the home and heart of the Jewish nation.

Jewish Artist Collective is proud to represent many different Jewish artists and styles of art. To find more of Avigayil’s art, please visit www.jewishartistcollective.net

Yoel Halpern PUBLISHER publisher@thelajewishhome.com

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Ariela Kauffman MANAGING

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

Shabbos Zemanim

Friday, April 21

Parshas Tazria-Metzorah

Candlelighting: 7:10 pm

Havdallah: 8:15 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:42 pm

Friday, April 28

Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim

Candlelighting: 7:16 pm

Havdallah: 8:20 pm

Rabbeinu Tam: 8:47 pm

YAYOE Big Sisters and Little Sisters Turn Trash (Bags) into Treasure

City-wide Biyur Chometz

Before Purim, the big and little sisters in third through eighth grade celebrated together with lots of energy, creativity, achdus, and YAYOE Purim spirit.

After exchanging Mishloach Manos based on each girl’s initials, our eight teams were ready for their mission: Using the package of various clean trash bags and tape we gave them, they had to dress up their team to depict the Purim scene written on the card they received. In addition, they had to find a pasuk from the Megillah to represent their scene and create a poster using the pasuk. Speed, innovation, and

imagination were at work during this trash bag fashion revolution as the sisters worked together to complete the tasks.

Then each group silently presented their scene to the audience, who tried to guess what was being displayed until, at last, the pasuk poster was revealed.

Shomrei Bnei Akiva Trustee Event

stories as a young refugee to Israel. His experience of first walking, then flying to Israel is a real tear-jerker.

On Erev-Pesach, a community-wide Biyur Chometz (Chometz burning) was arranged on Key Street. It was a huge success, with hundreds of people coming out, the morning before Pesach began, to burn their chometz that they searched for the night before. Many thanks to Rabbi Yitzchok Summers of Anshe Emes Synagogue for arranging, and Councilperson Yarosalvsky and her staff, YULA Girls school, Brown Auto Body, and event coordinators.

Adult Education at Emek

Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles held a Trustee Appreciation event for their generous trustees who consistently support them year after year. The trustee event took place at the William Morris Endeavor Screening Room on March 14. Over 80 attendees were present to preview a new Israeli film, called Exodus 91, about the untold story of Operation Solomon which brought 15,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1991. Bnei Akiva brought in one of the lead actors of the movie, Shai Ferdo for the event, where he spoke about his own homecoming to Israel during Operation Moses in 1985.

The event beautifully displayed cocktail foods and drinks, before everyone made their way into the theater to watch the heartwarming movie. It was a meaningful experience both witnessing the film, which won a Human Rights Award at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival 2023 and hearing Shai’s unbelievable

Bnei Akiva also brought Shai to YULA Girls and YULA Boys high school where he spoke about his childhood and the importance of bridging the gaps of diversity. The students asked inquisitive questions, and Shai was able to teach them traditional Ethiopian songs and dance. Speaking at the schools left Shai grateful for his trip to LA and eager to return! The event was an overall success and Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles is immensely grateful to all who donate!

Emek continuously aspires to provide educational adult programs to its parent body and the community at large. To this end, Emek offers a variety of adult and parent educational opportunities throughout the year. Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, Emek’s Head of School, speaks each Shabbos Mevarchim, a series that takes place on the Shabbos preceding the start of a new month, focusing on lessons from the corresponding Parsha. This monthly shiur takes place at the Emek ECC, an hour before Mincha.

Additionally, Rabbi Shifman offers a weekly Parenting Through the Parsha shiur on Wednesday mornings at the Magnolia Campus. Through this shiur, he relays powerful parenting lessons pertaining to the particular Parsha for that week. Further, Rabbi Shifman offers a daily Daf Yomi shiur at Beis Tefila which focuses on the Gemara, the Oral Torah, and its commentaries.

Finally, Emek began a LinkUp book club that provides women the opportunity to discuss how the digital age has affected the way we live, work, act, and most importantly, how we think. Three groups of mothers meet regularly, under the direction of Mrs. Michelle Andron, Mrs. Esther R’bibo, and Mrs. Pamela Marcus. A big yashar koach to Mrs. Annie Statman, Emek’s School Counselor, for organizing and facilitating this club.

Pictured (left to right)

Allan Zipper (aide to Councilperson Young Yarosalvsky), Councilperson Young Yarosalvsky and her son Gabriel, Ben Kahn (event coordinator), Howard Witkin (event organizer), Rabbi Yitzchok Summers, Anshe Emes Synagogue (event host).

Please join us for a journey through The Seven Species of Israel

Featuring Artisanal Food ︱ Date Syrup Tasting ︱ Sounding the Shofar

Sophie Singer’s Granola ︱ Family Crafts ︱ Make Your Own Herb/Spice Rub & Planting “Sharon’s” Olive Tree*

Mount

*Sharon Shenker, co-founder of the Jewish Women’s Initiative, helped others in every way she could. She embodied many values the olive tree symbolizes in Jewish life and was an example how the olive tree is represented in the Jewish faith: solid roots, growth, nurturing, love, life, vitality, and peace. There are many lessons to be learned from the Olive Tree, and the olive is one of the seven species with which the land of Israel was blessed just as the JWI community was blessed with Sharon’s teachings, outreach, depth, hope, compassion, and perseverance.

We invite the JWI community to gather, share a few words, and partake in the planting of “Sharon’s Olive Tree” at the Teva dedication. JWI participants and their families are welcome although space is limited to 50.

Return to the earth and help repair the world simply and authentically. 800-600-0076 |

Yeshivat Yavneh Gets Ready for Pesach Cooking Like A True Italian with Bnei Akiva

machzorim, as a class gift. The boys can’t wait to begin using their new machzorim on Pesach!

by completing it in under the allotted time.

The parade of costumed participants was a sight to see! Superheroes, celebrities, the royal cast of characters from the megillah, and even a T-Rex were all represented, and the line dance that ensued

Students at Yeshivat Yavneh had a jam-packed week of Pesach preparation! As students meticulously completed their haggados, our younger classes had the special opportunity to experience a mock Pesach Seder!

The 6th-grade girls, led by their incredible Morah, Mrs. Engel, took the opportunity to recite birchas ilanos together, a few blocks from school.

The week’s highlight was the 7thgrade boys’ Bar Mitzvah breakfast, as the boys and their parents joined together to celebrate this incredible milestone together. The boys were mesayem Maseches Avos together with their Rebbe, Rabbi Eli Kirschner, and received their personalized

was pure magic. But perhaps the most special part of the day was the sense of community that permeated throughout. Clients and staff from all of ETTA’s dynamic programs came together in celebration, and the mishloach manot that were made and given on the spot added to the sense of togetherness. It was a rare moment when everyone was united in joy, making this occasion truly unforgettable.

Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles hosted a spectacular cooking demonstration by the famed cookbook author, Benedetta Guetta on March 13. The demonstration was open to the public and was filled by Bnei Akiva of LA supporters. It took place in Beverlywood, at the home of gracious hosts, Natalie and Jonathan Gerber.

Beni Guetta is from Milan, Italy, and has made it her mission to collect a vast knowledge of Italian culinary history and share it with as many people as she can. Beni shared that she traveled all over Italy and met with Italian Bubbies, whom she asked to preserve their authentic Italian dishes so that they can live on through her cookbook, Cooking ala Giudia. The Italian Bubbies were thrilled to have their ancient recipes showcased and hopefully tasted by the rest of the world!

The night started with some drinks and crudites, then pivoted towards a phenomenal historical slideshow presentation given by Beni explaining the need and importance of an authentic Italian Cookbook. The history of some Italian foods that most know and love surprisingly have Jewish roots to them! It was exciting to learn that the Jews played such an instrumental role in the ingredients and culinary expertise of some famous Italian delicacies. We then turned our attention toward the kitchen, where Beni demonstrated how to make delicious Almond Cookies, Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins, and Libyan-Style Spicy Tomato Fish Sticks. After answering questions in the interactive cooking demonstration, everyone was able to dig into the freshly made dishes. The food and company were divine, and the Italian touch was truly magnifico!

Rav Noach Orlowek Addresses Vexing Shidduchim Questions at LINK Event

Rav Noach Orlowek, the renowned Mashgiach at Yeshivas Torah Ore in Yerushalayim and a noted expert in parenting and shidduchim, spoke at the Bais Yaakov of Los Angeles on March 27th under the auspices of the LINK Kollel. His topic was “Answering Difficult Questions That Arise During Shidduchim” and it was attended by over 150 mothers and fathers of children “in the parsha.”

Rav Orlowek was introduced by his long-time talmid, LINK’S Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar. In his remarks, Rabbi Lebhar spoke of an important segulah to help gain Divine Assistance: if we help those in need of financial assistance in getting married (Hachnosas Kallah), then Hashem will help smooth the path towards our own children’s chuppah.

Rav Orlowek, who has written many popular seforim on parenting and also teaches at many women’s seminaries, addressed the issues primarily from the perspective of what a young woman should look for in a potential shidduch. He stressed that the most important area to focus on (especially when doing advanced research), was the nature of the bochur’s middos. This, he averred, was more important than any other factor in determining the success of a potential marriage - much more than the brilliance of the young Talmid Chacham. In particular, he stressed the importance of a young man being a happy person, flexible, full of gratitude, being a forgiving person, and one who feels that he is owed nothing by others including Hashem.

He stressed that this information should be ideally attained from those who know the young man the best, and, if possible, by speaking in person to the references so as to be able to read “their body language.”

He quoted Rav Aharon Kotler ZT’’L who said enigmatically, “Anyone who tells the absolute truth in shidduchim is in effect lying.” What Rav Aharon meant, he

explained, was that the normal derech in describing candidates for shidduchim is to exaggerate to some extent. Since the listeners understand that principle, anyone who literally tells the truth will have his words devalued and thus the listener will not have an accurate picture of the boy or girl being described.

In answering numerous questions (some submitted in advance as well as from the live audience), Rav Orlowek stressed that ideally, information related to health issues should be shared as early as possible in the dating process. Likewise, he said that if possible, the two sets of parents should meet each other at an early stage in the dating to

ascertain if the families are compatible. He also stressed that the close relationships that parents form with their children throughout childhood facilitate their ability to be taken seriously when offering advice to their children during shidduchim.

Rabbi Yoel Bursztyn, the long-time Menahel of the Bais Yaakov, concluded the program with an exhortation to the large crowd: If we want Hashem to help us with our children’s shidduchim, we should be proactive in helping make shidduchim for Hashem’s children.

Valley Torah High School Wins Saracheck!

high school basketball teams. Twenty-four teams from across the country would be competing against each other for the title of best Jewish high school basketball team in America.

Valley Torah was the defending champion. They won last year’s tournament for the first time in their history. Valley Torah was hungry to win again. The first game was played on Thursday and Valley Torah beat New Jersey’s Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC). The next game, on Friday, was against the Katz Yeshiva of Boca Raton, Florida. Valley Torah won with a score of 74-53. The tournament took a recess for a Shabbaton with all twenty-four teams.

On Sunday morning the competition continued with Valley Torah facing its West Coast rival, YULA. In a hard-fought battle by both sides, Valley Torah prevailed by ten points. Valley Torah secured its spot in the championship game on Monday, in a game versus Riverdale’s SAR Academy. SAR started strong and led by eleven points in the first quarter. But Valley Torah fought back and eventually won 56-48. The VTHS Boys Basketball team won back-to-back championships and brought the Sarachek trophy back to the Valley.

What was Rabbi Stulberger’s secret

weapon? One of the MVPs of the gamesenior Yonatan Dan. He is not only a star on the court, but he is also a super mentch that puts Torah before everything else. Right after every game or practice, Yonatan rushes back to make Maariv and learn at the Valley NIght Kollel. On Shabbos afternoon he can be found learning with Rabbi Yisroel Semmel before mincha. We are proud of the Valley Torah team, not just for being the best Jewish basketball team in America, but because they model good middos and Torah values.

Book Clubs of the World

I recall teaching myself to read by age 5. I remember scouring the shelves of the library by the age of ten to find good books to read. In the late ’70s when I was teaching a 12th-grade English Regents class in Brooklyn, there was a library near the school. I would bring a huge book bag to tote home those books—it was quite a subway ride from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I would choose an author and go through his books. That is how I discovered that my favorite Thac keray novel was Henry Esmond and not Vanity Fair, and Daniel Deronda, with a Jewish focus, and not Silas Marner by George Eliot.

Once I married and had my kids, I spent much time reading Pat the Bunny and Corduroy. The years passed and the development of the local book club phenomenon has been a plus in my life. In contrast, to the ‘trend’ of ‘closing’ book clubs to new members, I decided to start my own, vowing to myself that my group would always be open to all. (See sidebar on how to start a book club)

I sent out emails to some friends and received a response from a few; that is all you need, and we began. We followed the traditional Book Club route of meeting approximately once a month, and since we were a small group we could decide together what to read next. Each person just mentioned ideas of books they had heard of and we tried different genres.

Shortly after this book club got underway, I heard of two other options. One was a group from what we Angelino Yidden call “the other side of town.” I was able to join because Baruch Hashem they are a group that does not believe in ‘closing’ to anyone desiring to join. Although there is a huge email list of about 30 women, typically 10 – 12 women participate. I also joined a group called “Women of the Book,” that emanated from Nof Ayalon, consisting of Anglos living in Israel (in a number of cities) and they welcome by Zoom, even before the pandemic, women from around the world including Vienna, South Africa,

and now Los Angeles.

from different cultures, but not necessarily nonfiction- books in order that we can discuss the literary aspect. Those were the initial guidelines.”

Marcia Teichman, a quintessential organizer and record keeper, remembers that they were sitting and schmoozing one Shabbos afternoon. “We asked each other, ‘Hey, what are you reading?’ We said, ‘why don’t we read the same book and get together to talk about it.’ Initially many of us davened at the same shuls so we spread the word. Other women asked to join and it morphed from there. We chose a set date and time, rotated homes, and committed to serving simple snacks. People started bringing friends and others called and asked if they could join. We decided to say yes to all comers-

Clarisse Schlesinger

because there is another book club in the

program on the Jewish network on Los Angeles cable tv. “When I moved to Nof Ayalon, I wanted a touch of home so I decided to start a Book Club, called ‘Women of the Book’. It was an opportunity to bring Anglos together. People heard about it and wanted to join from Jerusalem and then other parts of Israel. Due to our long-distance friends and cyberspace connections, we had requests from friends in other countries to join and we always said yes. Our model combines in-person and zooming having nothing to

(This writer, Clarisse, has attended the group on zoom and in person, receiving a wonderfully warm welcome when able to join them in Nof Ayalon.)

2. How did you structure the group? Choosing what to read? Who

uncomfortable, particularly when one of my friends said to another, ‘Can you believe it, she won’t let me attend her book club?’ In order to maintain the discussions, I started a second book club. Everyone was included.”

Sara Wallerstein is an administrative assistant at the Young Israel of Hollywood, Florida, a shul member and coordinator of the Book Club under Sisterhood auspices. “I joined the sisterhood and the book club when I moved to Florida. Our group is open to any woman who wishes to attend regardless of whether they attend Young Israel or not.”

Tzippi Shaked has a background in journalism. Before she made aliya she had a

Clarisse: In my small group, we share ideas of what we have been reading in addition to our selection. We pay peripheral attention to Best Seller lists and only occasionally choose from one of those. We share books that our friends and relatives recommend. Recently, when we read “A Man Called Ove,” I asked if I could present some ideas at the beginning of the Zoom meeting to give some more structure to the discussion. The person whose suggestion is accepted now typically begins the meeting by telling us something about the book or the author. I have occasionally been able to get in touch with the author and this adds a dimension to the discussion when I share his or her response.

Marcia, Soshea, and Andrea organized their group such that the host each month is the one to present the book, regardless of who had suggested it. Occasionally they have invited guest speakers who can add to the topic of the book they have read. “Sometimes we choose books based on word of mouth from other friends.”

Audrey Aborn explains, “I am the moderator and the facilitator as I did when living in the suburbs. I chose the book

and led back to others to responded. dream of over. that women social circles have shared births. Being amazing oped a even did sisterhood choose the next er, can volunteer Occasionally synagogue women. committee explains inclined books by authors the list Jewish Council and we from their hood based, some yummy we have woman home or unable to

“Once I married and had my kids, I spent much time reading Pat the Bunny and Corduroy. The years passed and the development of the local book club phenomenon has been a plus in my life.”

on Los to Nof home so I called opportuPeople join from Israel. friends and requests join and combines nothing to attendperson, welcome Ayalon.)

structure the read? Who group, we reading We pay Seller lists from one of friends and when we asked if I beginning some more person accepted now telling us author. I get in adds a I share Andrea the host the book, it. Occaspeakers book they choose word of other Aborn am the and facilitator did when in the suburbs. I the book

and led the discussion. When I went back to law and told the group I needed others to take the lead, suddenly they responded. Women who would never dream of leading and facilitating took over.

My most special experience was that women did not know each other in social circles and became bonded. We have shared deaths, sicknesses, and births. Being in a Book Club became an amazing bonding experience. We developed a little micro-community, and even did sheva brachos together.”

The Young Israel of Florida sisterhood has a few facilitators who choose the book and then present it at the next meeting. Any member, however, can volunteer to present if they wish. Occasionally they invite the rabbi of the synagogue to present the book to the women. Who chooses? There is a committee of a few women. Sara explains further, “Because we are inclined to read books by Jewish authors we check the list of the Jewish Book Council in NY and we choose from their list. Since our group is sisterhood based, we do believe in sharing some yummy food. With the pandemic, we have prepared snacks that each woman can pick up at the shul to take home or we try to deliver if they are unable to pick it up.”

The “Women of the Book” is facilitated by Tzippi Shaked. Their goal is to travel around the world figuratively and choose from different cultures and physical environments. “I research the author and any supplemental information that will enhance the discussion. After my initial presentation, we go around the table and/or the zoom and each member briefly tells her thoughts of the book and gives a thumbs up or thumbs down.”

“We want to transmit our religion to our children and we can only do this through discussion. The test of knowing something is if we can teach it to someone else and if we want our children to have a deep understanding, we discuss what we learn.”

attend an in-person discussion. The rebbetzin of his shul was teaching through a synagogue TV channel and asked him to promote Jewish literature through the same medium. He chose books that were candidates for the Wingate Literary Prize, which is a smaller equivalent to the National Jewish Book Award.

Three of his selections won their category in the 2020 U.S. Jewish National Book Awards.

How to Start a Book

Tips on How to Structure It

Club&

In my research, I came upon a book club facilitated by a man, Mr. Martin Kaye of London. His shul, called Hampstead Gardens Suburb Synagogue, is a large Orthodox synagogue with many types of services for the community. Mr. Kaye was a Jewish book distributor for many years, focusing on Yiddish books and books written by Jewish authors instead of seforim. He provided 10,000 books to Jewish Book Week.

Mr. Kaye believes that the Zoom-only lockdown that was adhered to in the U.K. brought literature to many more people than would normally

Finally, a meaningful expression was shared with me from a member of my Los Angeles ‘other side of town OPEN to all’ book group. Faigie Marciano, a teacher, joined six years ago.

“When I read a book, I use my college skills to analyze it, but I do not enjoy thinking about it alone. I need to understand the words and why they are phrased in that manner, similar to how I study the Parsha. I thought about Judaism and how we learn Torah with a partner or in a group. This came to fruition when a manicurist from South Korea once questioned me. She shared that she had seen a documentary about Jewish people and it showed how they always learn in pairs. In South Korea, she explained, they learn and study alone. She wanted to know why it is different for us. I told her the following:

‘We want to transmit our religion to our children and we can only do this through discussion. The test of knowing something is if we can teach it to someone else and if we want our children to have a deep understanding, we discuss what we learn. This is how we learn Torah and come to love Torah.’

I feel that I apply those skills to reading books for book club. We love to discuss a book and take it apart—talk about the metaphors and the symbolism, the characters, etc. Different people relate to different parts of the book such as details while others connect to the author or the imagery.

During the pandemic, some women felt that zooming expanded the possibilities, made attendance easier, and allowed more women to join. However, there was a loss of intimacy. Sitting together around a table definitely makes it more personal, but regardless of the situation the desire to read and share is the prevalent factor.”

Clarisse is a retired teacher and school administrator, who, in addition to spending much time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, has dedicated herself to developing her new business—converting analog video to digital, reading alone and for Book Groups, writing for Jewish magazines and newspapers, and art (painting with acrylics and creating 3D artwork).

1. Email as many women as you can. Post, if you use social media. Design an attractive flyer that will encourage people to join. Be open in your quest for members. Tell them you are open to different ways of functioning, either one person facilitating or rotating—whatever the members will want.

2. You, the originator of the ‘club’ will need to choose the first book. The best thing is to find others who have been in book clubs or ask friends about an exciting book with a lot to discuss. It is essential that your first book be a winner so you need to provide background to the author or the subject(s) and themes of the book.

3. You will likely need to host the first meeting. Ask for an R.S.V.P. but also state that anyone can ‘show up’ even if they have not told you definitively whether they can attend.

4. While food is not the essence, you should serve some light treats; don’t go overboard or it could intimidate the attendees to become fearful of volunteering.

5. Since the attendees may be new, you need to be prepared with ideas for a follow-up book.

6. Ask them if they want to pick a set date and time or if they want to choose depending upon what is happening the next month.

7. When discussing, be certain that everyone has a chance to speak as much as they want about the book. However, if the discussion veers off the topic too much and for too long a time, it will be up to you to gently bring it back.

8. Ask for suggestions about changes to the structure.

9. Be positive and optimistic even if there are only just three people in attendance. Tell them that you know that all book clubs start small and yours will grow. Ask each of them to reach out to their contacts.

“Sitting together around a table definitely makes it more personal, but regardless of the situation the desire to read and share is the prevalent factor.”

a

Flower Painting Hack

Rav Ada bar Ahava

Mushky Yiftach

Pesach is behind us and we are eagerly counting down the days to Shavuos! Flower paintings are undeniably beautiful but can also be quite complex to create. But, what if I were to share with you a special trick for painting flowers using a ziplock bag?

Supplies:

Canvas, Acrylic paint, Soft ziplock bag, Paintbrush

Instructions:

Step 1: Take a soft ziplock bag and blow it up like a balloon. Twist the bag to form a corner.

Step 2: Paint the corner of the ziplock bag your desired color. Make sure your paint covers the entire corner of the bag.

Step 3: Gently press the painted corner of the bag onto the canvas. The paint should transfer onto the canvas creating a beautiful rose.

Step 4: Repeat steps 1-4 to create additional flowers on your canvas, with any colors you like!

Step 5: Subscribe to “OnARollCrafts” on youtube for more awesome craft content

Rabbi Mordechai Dubin

Rav Ada bar Ahava was a very great Tzadik who was known for his great middos. When he was asked what he believed to be the main reason why Hashem had blessed him with a very long life, he answered that he was always careful not to let himself get angry and he always worked very hard to treat everyone with the utmost respect. He also said that he was very careful never to say anything that could possibly cause pain to another person.

Since he was such a big Tzadik many people took advantage of this and placed him into dangerous situations without him even knowing. The following are 2 such stories.

the building collapsed.

When Rav Ada bar Ahava became aware of all the danger that he had been placed in that day, he let Rav, Shmuel, and Rav Huna know that their actions were incorrect. He told them that a person is not allowed to put himself or anyone else into a dangerous situation and expect Hashem will do a miracle to save him. This applies to the biggest Tzadik in the world. Baruch Hashem, Rav Ada bar Ahava lived a very long and productive life although he faced many dangerous situations throughout his lifetime.

This story is found in Mesechta Taanis 20a.

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

Rav and Shmuel were two great Rabbanim who lived in the city of Neharda. Every morning, Rav and Shmuel would walk together to the Beit Medrash. Although there was a shortcut to get to the Bet Medrash, Rav and Shmuel would never take this route because of the shaky and dangerous wall that went along its pathway. They were afraid that the wall would fall. Every day, Rav and Shmuel would walk a much longer distance to reach their destination in order to avoid walking near the shaky wall. One day, Rav Ada bar Ahava came to visit the city of Neharda and walked together with Rav and Shmuel to the Beit Medrash. Shmuel began to walk along their usual route but Rav whispered in his ear that today they could take the shorter route because Rav Ada bar Ahava the great Tzadik was with them, and therefore Rav was sure that the wall would not fall. As they walked along the shaky wall, Rav Ada bar Ahava was unaware of the danger they were in. It wasn’t until later that he was informed that he had walked alongside a dangerous wall.

Rav Huna had many barrels of wine stored in a building that was ready to collapse at any mo ment. He was not able to get his wine because everyone was afraid to enter the building to take it out. When Rav Huna heard that Rav Ada bar Ahava was visiting the town, he immediately took advantage of the opportunity and invited Rav Ada bar Ahava to take a walk with him. He led Rav Ada bar Ahava into the building where the wine was stored. Rav Ada bar Ahava was unaware that the building could collapse at any moment. They continued to speak words of Torah until the workers removed all the wine. The moment the wine was removed and Rav Huna and Rav Ada bar Ahava stepped out of the building,

Questions for Discussion

1. How did people know that Rav Ada bar Ahava was such a great Tzadik?

2. Do you think that Rav Ada bar Ahava thought of himself as a great Tzadik?

3. What makes a person a great Tzadik?

4. Why did Rav Ada bar Ahava face many dangerous incidents throughout his lifetime?

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

by step crafts that

SUPPLIES:

How to Make Rock Candy At Home

• 2 ½ cups of sugar

• 1 cup of water

• A pair of chopsticks

• (or any thin wooden stick)

• A spoon

• 2 (12-ounce) mason jars (or any heat-proof glass container with a similarly wide opening)

• Clothespins

• Paper towels

• (Optional) Food coloring of your choice

• (Optional) Food flavoring of your choice

Snack Trivia

1. How many flowers are imprinted on each side of an Oreo cookie?

a. 4

b. 8

c. 12

d. 24

2. Which company has the slogan: “Betcha can’t eat just one!”?

a. Lays

b. Reese’s Pieces

c. Pringles

d. Mike & Ikes

3. Approximately how many peanuts does it take to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter?

a. 75

b. 160

c. 350

d. 540

e. 620

4. Which company is bigger: Coke or Pepsi?

a. Coke

b. Pepsi

5. Entenmann’s Bakeries started in Flatbush in 1898 as a local bakery. What was one of founder William Entenmann’s clever inventions that helped his company become an iconic American company?

a. He invented the “see-through” box.

b. He was the first to put preservatives in baked items.

c. He was the first to put chocolate icing on chocolate cake.

d. He was the first to package individual cookies and cakes.

6. Wise Snacks was purchased several years ago by a company located where?

a. China

b. Mexico

c. Israel

d. Canada

From Popular Science

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring the water to a boil. Once the first bubbles start to appear, turn the heat to low.

2. Pour the sugar in to create a supersaturated solution. Do it slowly and keep stirring until all the crystals have dissolved. Note: The amounts of water and sugar in this formula will be good for two rock candy sticks. If you want to make more, increase the quantities, making sure to maintain the same 2.5-to-1 ratio of sugar and water.

3. Let your solution cool down to room temperature. You can leave it in the pot or pour it directly into the mason jars. Moving it to the jars will accelerate the cooling process.

4. (Optional) Add color and flavoring. If you want to give your rock candy some color, put a couple drops of food coloring into the solution and stir. How much you use will depend on how vibrant you want the color to be. This is also the time to add flavorings. Again, how much you use will depend on how intense you want the flavor to be.

5. Wet your sticks. Separate your chopsticks and put them in a glass of water. For 12-ounce jars, dunk your chopsticks up to a third of their length. Then, take them back out.

6. Dip the wet ends of your chopsticks in sugar. Pour some sugar on a plate and roll those sticks around in it. Make sure they pick up as many crystals as possible.

7. Let the chopsticks dry for a couple minutes. If you can, place them on top of something so the sugar-covered end stays in the air.

8. Prep your mason jars. If you haven’t already, pour any food coloring and flavoring into the mason jars and fill them with the sugar solution. Make sure each jar has enough to fully submerge the sugar-coated ends of your chopsticks. You won’t need the lid, but if it helps, twist the band shut to make the opening smaller.

9. Put one chopstick in each mason jar. The sugar-covered end should be totally submerged. Hold the clean end with your fingers and make sure the stick doesn’t

touch the bottom or the walls of the jar. If it does, crystals will grow between the wood and the glass and good luck trying to get your candy out later. Secure it in place with a clothespin. Repeat this step for the second jar. Note: This is why the size of the jar’s opening matters. If it’s too wide, the clothespin will fall into the solution and the chopstick will rest against one of the sides of the jar. You definitely don’t want this. If you can’t find clothespins big enough, you can use two. We even tried tying a piece of yarn to the chopstick and keeping it in place by pulling it tight and securing both ends with the band. Reaching a balance is tricky though, since the chopstick will tend to lean to one side of the yarn, but it’ll do the trick in a pinch.

10. Cover your jars with paper towels. This is just to make sure nothing funky falls into your jar and gets fossilized in the sugar. Fold the paper towel in two and, using scissors, make a small cut in the center to put the chopstick through.

11. Wait. Growing rock candy is a slow process. You’ll start to see some crystals by day two, but they will reach their peak growth after two weeks.

12. Get your candy. Whenever you’re satisfied with the size of your rock candy, feel free to release it. Using a spoon, break the sugar layer on top and move the chopstick around to get it out. If for some reason there are crystals attaching the stick to the jar, an adult can use a knife to chisel it out carefully.

Snack Attack Facts

1. The agent that gives Twinkies their smooth feel, cellulose gum, is also used in rocket fuel to give it a slightly gelatinous feel.

2. Real licorice is a member of the legume family and used to be used as a medicine to treat ulcers, sore throats, coughs, and other diseases. The first licorice “candy” was an attempt to disguise the bitter flavor of the medicine. The licorice we now eat has nothing in common with the original licorice, and its only therapeutic qualities are short-term psychological effects.

3. Corn dextrin, a common thickener used in junk food, is also the glue on envelopes and postage stamps.

4. M&M’s were created by Forrest Mars (the son of the founder of Mars, Inc.) and his business partner, Bruce Murrie (the son of the president of the Hershey company). Because both their last names started with “M,” they called their new candy M&M’s.

5. In the UK, Snickers was initially named Marathon Bar because “snickers” rhymes with “knickers,” a British word referring to someone’s underwear.

6. The Tootsie Roll is named after its creator Leo Hirshfield’s daughter Clara, whose nickname was Tootsie. It was the first penny candy that was individually wrapped. During WWII, Tootsie Rolls were placed in soldiers’ ration kits because they could survive various weather conditions.

7. In 1891, William Wrigley Jr. began selling soap in Chicago. To increase sales, he gave away gum to his customers. When his gum became a hit, he stopped selling soap – and the rest is history.

8. Potato chip bags are only partially filled for a reason: The additional space adds cushioning to prevent breakage. The bags are also pumped full of nitrogen, which helps keeps the product fresher before opening.

Answers: 1-C

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

9. On September 13, 2013, Corkers Crisps set a new world record for the largest single bag of potato chips. The bag measured 18 feet tall and comfortably housed more than 2,515 pounds of chips, all of which were cooked in a single batch, as per Guinness World Record regulations, over a 17-hour period.

10. The inventor of the chocolate chip cookie sold the idea to Nestle Toll House in return for a lifetime supply of chocolate.

11. There are six cities in the U.S. named Peanut: Peanut, California; Lower Peanut, Pennsylvania; Upper Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Pennsylvania, Peanut, Tennessee; and Peanut, West Virginia.

Community Profile

Rabbi Gavriel Hershoff

For the past twenty years, Aish Tamid of Los Angeles has been helping at-risk teens and young adults find stability, create new connections to Yiddishkeit and the frum community, and have a healthy life path.

Aish Tamid provides a wide array of services for young adults and their families. Aish Tamid offers many resources and a robust support system for those who are experiencing mental health issues, need counseling and/or mentoring, or are facing difficulty navigating high school or post-high school years. Our multipurpose centers, geared to teenagers and young adults, serve as a space to work, study, and socialize. We provide various forms of recreation, wholesome dinners, counselors and mentors, and most importantly, a place to belong. Additionally, we assist many young adults with housing and jobs.

At Aish Tamid, we spend innumerable hours meeting with teens and young adults in crisis, as well as with their parents. We’re here and available for young adults who may feel isolated, and for parents or community members who need support. Often, this means finding financial resources to help struggling individuals pay for rent, dental care, and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs for addiction, severe anxiety, self-harming, and trauma. We work hard to help young adults find meaningful employment. We have found a balance between creating a supportive environment and functional guidance when needed.

Aish Tamid serves dinner every night, which is provided or sponsored by volunteers in the community. The young men hang out after dinner, play games, work out in the gym, jam in the music studio, talk, and create relationships with adult mentors. Aish Tamid also runs a young women’s center that provides similar programs and support. Girls and young women also struggle with issues of disconnection, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

We advise parents of at-risk warning signs. These include extreme apathy, depression, anxiety, and isolation. Many teens self-medicate through vaping,

smoking pot, and texting and scrolling endlessly on their cell phones. Too many young people don’t feel connected to themselves or other people. They learn how to engage with the world from their friends or social media, with all the at-risk behaviors and ideas that are being shared there. Parents need to find ways to engage with their teens, and if unable to, they need to look for another adult or counselor that they trust to engage with them.

The most difficult part of our job is waiting for the teens and young adults to realize that we are on their side. We don’t have an agenda. We accept everyone where they are and want to be part of their support system—often we are their

longer and was productive, we would pay for his ticket to come home later on. Then Covid hit, and Ilan was stuck. Living with family in the Negev, Ilan detoxed himself, watched hundreds of Torah classes on YouTube, meditated, and tried to figure himself out. We spoke with him regularly as he transitioned through these stages and back into life. One day, someone saw him playing the drums and offered him a job as a dorm counselor at a yeshiva, and the rest is history. Today Ilan is learning full-time in yeshiva and is still playing drums.

Aish Tamid is not a kiruv program; we are geared towards helping young Jewish men and women find their place

and their voice within the community. Not everybody fits into the systems currently in place, but everyone has a place in Judaism. We try to show them that there isn’t just one way to practice Judaism. If what they grew up with isn’t working for them, we can help them find another way to connect to Hashem.

Aish Tamid is embarking on an exciting new venture, The Homer and Katherine Shapiro LA DIRA. This venture is a housing project for young men ages 1830 who are currently working and need a place to live. The goal of the program is to create subsidized housing for our young men in a Jewish, supportive environment within the community.

At Aish Tamid, we are always available for phone calls or in-person meetings with young adults as well as for parents in need of guidance and support. For more information or to get involved, please reach out to us at (323) 634-0505 or info@aishtamid.org.

only support system—helping them become productive. It’s tricky to find the balance between empowering young people to make it on their own, versus enabling their self-defeating behaviors and managing their mental health issues.

Fortunately, we see many success stories. “Ilan” had shut down after experiencing loss in his family. For several years, he came to Aish Tamid every night for dinner and to play drums. Still, his life unraveled and he ended up living in his car, using drugs, and going on the road with a rock band.

Through it all, we maintained a connection with him. He felt we had a solid relationship and support system for when he was ready. Ilan ended up going to Israel for a few weeks, unsure about coming home. We proposed that if Ilan stayed

“We don’t have an agenda. We accept everyone where they are and want to be part of their support system…”

Celebrating 40 Years of the Re-Establishment of the Givati Brigade

TJH Speaks with Itzhak Levit, Chairman of the Givati Brigade Association

Original Interview By Susan Schwamm

Modified for print in The LA Jewish Home

FItzhak Levit is the chairman of the Givati Brigade Association.

In the first Lebanon war, he served as a company commander in the Paratroopers, and following the war, he and his commander from Sayeret Shaked went on to participate in the re-establishment of the Givati Brigade where he served as one of the first commanders of the brigade’s Rotem Battalion. Levit retired from the IDF in 1989 and then went into Israel’s burgeoning high-tech sector. He talks with The Jewish Home about the culture of the Givati Brigade, the re-establishment of the unit 40 years ago, and why the familial ties are so strong amongst the heroes of the unit.

bered 2,900, including civilians from many kibbutzim in the area. And they managed to stop the Egyptians. It’s something incredible because the balance of power was that there were less than 3,000 soldiers in Givati and there were more than 15,000 Egyptian soldiers.

Back then, Givati wasn’t composed of trained soldiers, right?

The Givati of 1948 did the impossible. With its 2,900 fighters, many of them young men, recent survivors of the Holocaust who’d barely made it to Israel’s shores before the war began, they jumped into action to defend Israel’s South. They held off a professionally trained force five

The new Givati Brigade gained a lot of experience in Lebanon, in Judea, in Samaria, and in the last 30 years, it has led most of the battles and operations in the Gaza Strip. It’s a very well-experienced brigade. In the last big operation in the Gaza Strip, Protective Edge, which in Hebrew is Tzuk Eitan, Givati won 13 medals of recognition from the chief of staff and

the Ministry of Defense and about five medals from all the other units.

Not only that, Givati was also the brigade that developed the strategy of how to deal with the terror tunnels in Gaza. Its already destroyed more than 50 tunnel networks within Gaza. Now, Givati soldiers are stationed in Judea and Samaria; other soldiers are still in the south of the coun-

“The Givati Brigade… fought valiantly in Israel’s War of Independence, specifically against the Egyptians. I could say that, because of Givati Brigade, we have a country.”

Itzhak, you’re the chairman of the Givati Brigade Association. Tell us about how the Givati Brigade was established?

The Givati Brigade was one of six brigades that were established by the country before the establishment of the State. It fought valiantly in Israel’s War of Independence, specifically against the Egyptians. I could say that, because of Givati Brigade, we have a country. It sounds a little bit of an exaggeration, but that is a fact because it was the only brigade that was on the southern front and was attacked by the Egyptians.

The Egyptians were working in concert with Lebanon and Syria which attacked the fledgling state from the north and Iraq and Transjordan (now Jordan) which attacked from the east, and other groups including Palestinian groups and Arab armies attacking Israel from all sides. Egypt’s plan of attack was to come from Israel’s south and conquer the entire country until Tel Aviv. Then Jordan would come from the east to the west and assail Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and Syria, which was on the way also to become a country, would attack as well. Those battle plans were deemed to bring about the perfect flanking move that would push whatever was left of the Jewish state into the sea.

At the time, Givati’s fighters num-

times its size. During the war, Givati lost 35 percent of its soldiers, 675 of them, which is a huge number, and more than 10 percent of Israel’s total casualties. If we were to look at the statistics of the war, Israel lost 6,000 soldiers, 1 percent of Israel’s total population at the time (600,000).

Today, more than 9 million people live in Israel, and 1 percent would be 90,000. Could you imagine any scenario in which Israel could digest such loss? It’s impossible to comprehend, but that’s what happened around 75 years ago.

Tell us about the re-establishment of Givati.

After the War of Independence, Givati continued to defend Israel’s south until 1955, when the Army transitioned it into a reserve brigade, Brigade No. 5. Then, for close to 30 years, there was no Givati. Following its lessons from the first Lebanon War, in 1983, the IDF looked to establish an elite naval amphibious assault unit, similar to the U.S. Marines. Based on Givati’s legacy from Israel’s early years, they chose to reestablish Givati with that mission, providing special training and tools to accomplish that goal. After two years, IDF leadership chose to discontinue the naval amphibious program, but kept Givati as an elite infantry brigade.

try; and some are now in training in the south.

Tell us about the different battalions in Givati.

There are four battalions in Givati: Shaked, Tzabar, Rotem, and Givati’s Special Forces – Sayeret Givati, Shualey Shimshon (Shimshon’s Foxes). Within Rotem, there is a special division called Tomer, which was the first IDF-established unit for charedim. Back when I was young and beautiful, I was the commander of the Rotem Battalion. (This predated the founding of Tomer).

One of the reasons Tomer is so exceptional is because it’s made up of soldiers who come from charedi backgrounds, who choose to volunteer for IDF service, even sometimes at the risk of no longer being welcome in their parents’ homes or the communities they grew up in. We keep these soldiers together in the same company so that we can ensure they have what they need including three minyanim a day and kosher l’mehadrin food. We bring in rabbis to give shiurim every few weeks so that we can holistically provide for them, keeping them inspired so that they won’t give up. And between you and I, these guys make some of the best soldiers in the army.

Really?

Yes. First of all, they are very smart because they studied Gemara in yeshiva, and their minds are very sharp. They have an unparalleled drive to succeed and the motivation to fuel it. Baruch Hashem, 50 to 60 percent of them are accepted by their families and they’re connected to their families. But there are around 30 percent of them who are not connected to their families, and thus they become like lone soldiers. We, the Givati Brigade Association, are there to support them.

What are the characteristics of the soldiers in the Givati? You mentioned that they’re elite.

In the IDF, there are many elite units. I served in two of them in the past, and when you look at these elite groups, they are the best. These units are usually small. Only one out of 30 or 40 soldiers are accepted to the unit. The training lasts one and a half years, and it’s really very challenging – beyond your imagination. So Givati Brigade is not an elite group in that sense.

It is an elite group in the sense that, first of all, there are very strong, experienced commanders – because they participated in all the operations to a strong degree, people who really saw the enemy from half a meter, not from far away.

The second reason that Givati is an elite unit is that Givati is like a family. You know that in the army you have the commanders, the officers, you have the soldiers – there are big gaps between the subordinates. When you come to Givati, you’re shocked to see how the soldiers connect with the commanders. This is the culture inside the brigade. It’s not that they don’t respect their commanders. It’s the relationship they have with them. The slogan of Givati is “Givati mishpacha echad,” we are one family. And somehow, it was introduced into the mentality, into the military culture of this unit, and it became what it became.

The Givati Brigade was reconstituted in 1983, 40 years ago. The Givati Brigade

Association, of which you are the chairman, was established then as well. Tell us about the Association.

Yes, this month – February 16 – is a big birthday party for the brigade. The smaller birthday party is for the Association.

There are about 20 associations like the Givati Brigade Association (GBA) that assist different brigades and divisions of the IDF. Usually, most of the associations are not at the level of a brigade. The Air Forces have their association. The Tankers have their own association. For historical reasons, there are four brigades that were allowed to open their own associations –the Tzanchanim (paratroopers), Givati, Golani, and Kfir.

Each of these associations do receive some funding, mainly to cover their headquarters expenses, administrative staffing, and some specific other programs, from the Ministry of Defense. Any initiatives we want to run beyond that, we need to fundraise for on our own. Over the last few years, many of the programs we’ve launched have fallen into that latter category.

Around how many soldiers serve in Givati now?

3,500.

You mentioned Lone Soldiers in Givati. What do you do for them?

There are 205 Lone Soldiers in Givati. They are split into two main categories. One category are soldiers that come from abroad – we have about 85 of them from 28 different countries – New York, New Jersey, Mexico, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Russia, Ukraine…

The other segment is soldiers that are Israeli, but they don’t have support from their families. Some are orphaned or from very poor backgrounds. The IDF has a budget for lone soldiers, and they get around 1,300 shekels, which is about $400. That’s not a lot of money, so we support them. You need a refrigerator? OK, we’ll bring you a refrigerator. You need food? We will take care of that. We try to bring them to a family that “adopts” them. We organize for them twice a year a gift and accommodations.

Right now, the Association is working to develop a relationship with a developer who is building a new apartment building near Kfar Saba. Our hope is to be able to use 10 apartments to provide housing for 30 lone soldiers. That would be wonderful.

What do you do for families of fallen soldiers?

The Association also takes care of the bereaved families of Givati. Some of the bereaved families are from the Independence War. The largest portion is the 231 bereaved families since 1983. Two years ago, we had a soldier that was shot by a sniper from Hebron. And of course, we have soldiers who died in the recent operation in the Gaza Strip. Hadar Goldin was Givati, and we are still praying that his body will be returned by Hamas. This is a mission that Givati can’t complete. It’s already been nine years.

In the Givati Brigade, there is one officer whose whole job is to deal with the bereaved families. She has under her command about six or seven soldiers in the different battalions, and her duty is to go

and to visit at least once a year each family in their home and to bring them a gift. These gifts are paid for by the Association.

Every year, we make two huge events for the bereaved families. One is usually in the summer in June. This year, it was in October. We brought 140 families to Eilat to a hotel, and we transformed three days of grief into three days of joy. The IDF’s chief of staff came to visit with them. There was a lot of fun and entertainment and a band. That cost us $150,000 – and it all came from donations.

We make another event around Chanukah time. We bring them together for a one-day recreational event and then a dinner. We invite all the former commanders of Givati because it’s so meaningful for the bereaved families when they meet the specific commander that commanded the operation in which their son fell. It fills them with energy. It’s not that you are meeting Givati. You are meeting the commander that was there at the time that your son fell. Last Chanukah, almost 60 of our commanders – they’re all civilians now –came, because these families also mean so much to them.

scholarship, including accommodations free of charge.

What’s the most memorable mission you were ever on?

That was a very battle in which a good friend of mine fell. It was in the Litani Operation. The Litani Operation was an operation in 1978, and our unit was the unit that started the first act of this operation in the south of Lebanon. You know the worst thing I remember from this battle? One, my friend who fell – that was terrible. The same way he got the bullet, I could have gotten the bullet.

“The second reason that Givati is an elite unit is that Givati is like a family… The slogan of Givati is ‘Givati mishpacha echad,’ we are one family.”

Another thing that we do at the Association is that we have an academic and mentoring project. We managed to sign two agreements with different academic colleges in Israel that will provide Givati soldiers a full scholarship of five years. After they are discharged from the army, we escort them and then we provide the

But the most shocking for me was when we entered into a small village named Maroun al-Ras in the south. It was at the end of the battle, at around 4:30 a.m. Our commander suddenly gathered us –we were only 12 soldiers in this unit; it was very small. And I saw a farm with three or four donkeys that were wounded and dying because of the explosions. And I heard the animals’ voices, and it shocked me because they were defenseless and they couldn’t do anything and they were in tremendous pain. Our officer ended up killing them to put them out of their suffering. Those sounds have stayed with me the most.

Now, I spend my days thinking about my friends who have fallen but also thinking about all those who are dedicating their lives to our country. And I try to help them as best as I can. In Givati, we all care for each other. We’re all family.

Sarah Tzivia Kamornick

We have just celebrated Pesach; a time of liberation. A time when we reflect back on our experiences in bondage and rejoice as a free nation. What is freedom? Freedom from what? From who? Is it subjugation to an easily recognizable enemy? Is it animosity that exists around us? Or is it the much more subtle, sublime, and nuanced imprisonment of our subconscious minds?

Freedom has so many layers attached. When we look at it at face value, we see freedom simply as, “We are no longer suppressed by the physical control of another human being or circumstance.” If we look a little deeper, we may discover that as much as we feel that we have control of our bodies, our minds are imprisoned. We may find that we are subconsciously living in a state of mental fragmentation, negative messages, confusion, inner chaos and darkness.

This is exile. Slavery.

Erev Pesach, I learned something profound from a lecture given by Rabbi Doniel Katz. On the seder night, we have a mitzvah to relive the Pesach exodus as if we were there, with hearts filled with unbridled joy and gratitude for having been redeemed. Our mission is to flood our hearts with appreciation to the point where we are overflowing with joy and praise. Why is this the main focus of the seder night? We are not just expressing appreciation. We are creating a mindset that will manifest throughout the year. By actually speaking these words

Self-Liberation

of gratitude and praise, we are awakening this energy from the spiritual world. We are moving our minds and emotions to a state of joy, thereby making ourselves vessels

Imagine if we applied this way of thinking to the way we communicate with our bodies. Imagine if we stood before a mirror and said, “I love you! I respect you! I will treat you with compassion, appreciation, and dignity!” Imagine if as a result of this, we liberated ourselves, both physically and emotionally, from the pressures we impose upon ourselves, trying to live up to standards that are perhaps unrealistic or unnatural. Or living in disconnect and mistreating ourselves by the way we eat—or don’t eat! Imagine if we practiced kindness when speaking to our bodies.

Have you ever left a meal feeling exhausted and depleted of energy? Considering the fact that food is meant to energize us, has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps your body is telling you something? It is not only about what we eat. It is about how we eat.

for bracha and positivity. We are consciously drawing the blessings down into us! We are letting go of the negative, victim mindset and are consciously setting an intention that will create the energy and direction for the year to come. This concept is so profound.

What a crazy realization! The words we say to ourselves, the thoughts that infiltrate our subconscious mind, have a direct impact on us! This holds true with regard to what we say to OURSELVES about our bodies! More and more research is coming out demonstrating the power of creating a positive mindset. As science continues to explore this concept, we see how this is something that has already been known by our greatest Torah leaders and is already taught in the Torah.

Dear reader, do you realize how POWERFUL your thoughts are?

How liberating would it be to completely change our approach and mindset when it came to taking care of our bodies? Imagine if we took a step back and recognized the vessel, the gift we have been given. The awesome responsibility of taking care of this magnificent home of our neshama. Imagine if we took a step back and into ourselves, and ate with intention. Nourished ourselves with kindness and mindfulness. Listened to our body’s subtle messages and gave it what it needed without punishing it. This doesn’t happen by itself. It begins with intention. Start by expressing appreciation towards your body. Look in the mirror and thank it for taking you on this journey. Thank it for the lives it may have carried or experiences it went through. Be kind to yourself. That is the first step. The second step is creating awareness of what your body is sensing and feeling.

One of the things I encourage my clients to learn is how to listen to their bodies. Pay attention. In order to pay attention, we need to slow down. How does this look on a practical level? Chew slowly. Savor the food. Be one with the experience. Put the fork down between bites. Ask yourself, “Am I still hungry?” If yes, have another bite! If no, respect your body and put the fork down. When we eat with intention, the food we eat will nourish and elevate us. When we ignore what our body is telling us, the way we eat leaves us feeling sluggish and exhausted.

We are in control of the way we choose to perceive things. Take the first step to changing your mindset. Find what you love about yourself and stop the negative self-talk. Let’s learn from the seder experience. Let’s focus on gratitude, joy, appreciation, and through that process, truly liberate our minds and bodies! Let’s consciously manifest the best versions of ourselves.

With this mindset, we can continue to focus on growth, both physically and spiritually, as we prepare ourselves for Shavuos and Kabbolas haTorah.

Hindi Kalmenson

Recently, I was chatting with a friend and she was sharing how her mother picks up her daughter as a favor every day. “It takes a village…” she laughed. I looked at her closely, expecting to see what I would have felt, an obvious underlying sense of embarrassment. But no, this was not that rueful laugh, there wasn’t even a tinge of self-consciousness. I searched her eyes. No, nothing. There was not a hint of discomfiture, not a drop of shame. I was astounded. How can she just admit, without even dropping to a whisper that she sometimes needs help from her parents? I could not fathom it.

It was then that I realized that there was something deeply wrong with me. (Rueful laugh).

But what is wrong with feeling uncomfortable about receiving help from one’s parents? I argued. I don’t want to inconvenience them. I feel bad about bringing my responsibilities to them. It should be my load to carry, not theirs!

But was that it? Was that the real reason why I didn’t want to receive help from my loving and devoted parents?

No, if I were truly honest with myself, the real reason I didn’t want my parents to help was because if they helped it proved

that I wasn’t self-sufficient. It meant that I was somehow deficient. It wasn’t just my parents. I couldn’t receive help from the grocer either who wanted to help me to my car.

“No, no, thank you, I got this, I’ll just grab all ten bags and walk across an entire parking lot with four kids in tow. Really, I’m fine!” I couldn’t let the guy ahead of me on the airplane help me bring down my luggage when we landed. “I’ll just pull it down and it will narrowly miss knocking out the 80-year-old lady behind, I’m good!” Of course, I could not buy takeout for Shabbos. I could not. Because if I did, then people would see

something inside me that I could not even admit to myself; I was not perfect. Receiving help meant that I was lacking, it had to! Otherwise, why would I need the help? It meant I wasn’t organized enough, clean enough, smart enough, strong enough, had it together enough. And of course, I did have it all together enough! So of course I could not receive help. Never. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be admired by others.

Until, one day, I learned the truth. The truth is that I am not the things I do. I am not Intellect, Capabilities, Accomplishments, Success, Strengths, and Talents. Those things are not me. Those things are limited and can always grow or diminish. Those things may come and go like a breath of wind. The part of me that is truly me and entirely me and does not change or diminish is my essence.

All that worry about appearing perfect, making sure that others know that I am not lacking. All that acting and covering up my blemishes and deficiencies. All the efforts to ensure that no one saw the truth I feared most were suddenly realized. I am only perfect because G-d gives Himself to me as a gift and notwithstanding my humanness, my soul is perfect.

Putting on a mask of perfection fools

only those who were a mask themselves. Everyone else is basking in the greatness of humility. They recognize that there is no perfection other than G-d Himself. They see the truth of our human experience and graciously receive the gifts that G-d bestows on them in all the shapes and forms He sends these gifts. A ride for carpool, a man on your flight, a store that sells Shabbos takeout. All of these are gifts from Hashem for us to receive. Are we honest and humble enough to be able to receive it? Every Shabbos we sing a unique song about the Woman of Valor. In it, there is a line that reminds me weekly to realign myself with this truth: שֶֽׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶֽבֶל .הַיֹּֽפִי, אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל Grace is deceitful and Beauty is vain. External perfectionism is all a mask and is as distinctly unattractive as a lie. But the woman who recognizes with humility G-d’s presence in her life? She is one who is truly praiseworthy.

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

Mrs. Sheindy Gross

The tricky thing about support is that it is not a “one size fits all.” What may be perceived as supportive to one, can seem mean-spirited to another. The success and effectiveness of support are based both on how it’s interpreted by the giver and receiver.

The secret to successful support is twofold. First, accept that you may or may not be their point person. If it turns out that your help is unwanted, try your best not to be insulted or to take it personally. Be kind and patient, as attitudes might shift over time. Perhaps at a later date, an opportunity to offer support will present itself. I mention this because many feel guilty when their offers of support are ill-received, and we must have the correct perspective. We will get rewarded for wanting to do the mitzvah. Persistence, when it is not welcome, is ultimately not a good deed.

Second, the type of support and the tone of your offer must feel comfortable to the recipient. Case in point: a young relative of mine was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Being that I am closely related, I wanted to explore how to be supportive from across the coun-

Lessons I Learned Along the Way

Support Part 2

try. I reached out to my sister-in-law for guidance, as her daughter had struggled with cancer for many years. While sharing some of her experiences with me, she noted how often well-meaning people wanted to do acts of kindness that were

ingful. A quick visit to check in on them not only conveys warmth but brings a ray of light into their day and they may be starved for that type of interaction. Your presence provides comfort and a moment where they are not forced to

ment and not in the future. Our hearts are heavy for them and we want to see them buoyant and light again. Be mindful that when someone is suffering it can take a while for them to figure out exactly what they need. Sorrow should not be rushed. Those struggling need our patience. Our consistent, appropriate support gives them hope that they will survive the pain they’re currently in and that they are not alone.

All of the mitzvos Bein Adam Lachaveiro are built around the concept of assisting a fellow Jew. At their core, these mitzvos require us to take ourselves out of the picture and direct our spotlight on the needs of another. It takes a lot of internal work but it will likely strengthen our relationship with them, which is most enriching and our overall goal.

not appreciated. Why does this happen? Why would a considerate person force their chesed on another?

In a time of crisis or sadness, we deeply want to convey the extent of how much we share in their pain. As a result, our own feelings of panic, fear, or worry may emerge. So, we zealously identify what we think the other person needs and without realizing, we “force our way in.” This may explain why inappropriate questions are asked or invasive comments are made. We are concerned, yes, but we are also projecting our own angst and that is not useful to those going through a tough time.

Another consideration to keep in mind before offering support, is that we are motivated to assist in ways that we would find meaningful. The mistake is that we are unconsciously thinking of ourselves and not the needs of those we seek to support. True support is unconditional and non-judgemental. Those who are struggling might not be ready to listen to our advice and suggestions. Most often, acceptance and presence are what they are craving. This can be emotionally taxing for us and we may find ourselves at a loss. This type of chesed is not for everyone. Be honest about what you are capable of. Stay compassionate and do what you can. Those who are struggling need patience and empathy, not your frustration and disappointment.

Being more supportive requires motivation and patience. Direct your full and undistracted attention to the individual; what do they seem to need? While some crave a conversation where they can process their thoughts, others appreciate it when you simply listen and don’t interrupt. It may come as a surprise that certain people are not in need of a conversation but draw comfort in having us ”there.” You may notice that simply sitting with a friend or relative is mean-

think about their own difficult circumstance. Care packages of food or items they would find useful or comforting can be a lifesaver and a true indicator of your love and friendship. Grief requires its own set of rules. We often want people to get over their sorrow and move on. Live in the mo-

With over 30 years in education as a teacher and a principal, Mrs. Sheindy Gross continues her passion for education by creating a new platform called TEHILA, Torah Education with Heart in LA, for women and girls to receive adult education, camaraderie, and support. In addition to TEHILA, Mrs. Gross provides a myriad of educational opportunities for the community, such as dating and relationship mentoring, Kallah classes, and leadership consulting for educators. Mrs. Gross can be reached at sheindyg@gmail.com.

“The mistake is that we are unconsciously thinking of ourselves and not the needs of those we seek to support. True support is unconditional and non-judgemental.”

In The K tchen

Cinnamon Raisin Loaf

Elizabeth Mandelbaum

Mushroom Pesto Pasta

A vegan creamy pasta. The perfect side or main dish for a weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

• 1 box bow-tie pasta

• 8 oz baby belle mushrooms, sliced

• 15 oz can of coconut milk

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp garlic powder

Pesto

• 2 1/2 cups fresh basil

• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3/4 cup avocado oil

• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

• Salt to taste

Directions

• Add the avocado oil to a large pot. Add salt and saute the mushrooms for 5-8 minutes. Move the sauteed mushrooms to the side.

• Add water to the same pot and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.

• In a food processor, blend together all of the pesto ingredients.

• Once the pasta is cooked and strained, add the mushrooms, coconut milk, pesto, dried oregano, and garlic powder.

• Stir together, serve, and enjoy!

Are you being harassed by Debt Collectors?

A Piece of sweetness that pairs perfectly with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. This cinnamon loaf is somewhere between a cake and a muffin, with a nice crunch and that cinnamon touch.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup oat flour

• 1/2cup almond flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2cup almond milk

• 3/4 cup warm water 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup agave

• 3 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

• 1/4 cup raisins

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add and stir in the wet ingredients.

• Grease a 9-inch loaf pan.

• Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

• Bake for 50 minutes.

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Survivor. Builder. Matriarch.

The Story of Savta Gita: Mrs. Gita Fein-Greenfeld

By Esther Malka Fein

Adapted & Modified for print in The LA Jewish Home

in the capital city of Hungary, Savta Gita returned to her birthplace Mezokovacshaza to see who remained from her immediate family. She was the only one who returned alive.

Upon going to visit her father, Shlomo Zalman Fein’s gravesite there, she met her future husband, who was also visiting a gravesite, his deceased mother Mirrel Greenfeld. 20-year-old Hershy Greenfeld,

also a survivor, returned alone, except for his surviving stepmother, affectionately called Mami. Young Hershy Greenfeld from the same town, knowing Gita’s good family, proposed marriage to her. She refused three times, until one day Gita passed by the Beis Midrash and heard Hershy learning with the other men, discussing Torah. When she saw that, she finally accepted Hershy’s proposal. Gita

Born in Hungary, Holocaust survivor Gita Greenfeld, who set roots in Israel, spent the last two decades of her life in Los Angeles after becoming a widow. She was affectionately known throughout the community as Savta Gita. Living at the home of her daughter and sonin-law, Mr. Rafi and Esther Katz, Savta Gita would tend to the many visitors who would stay at their home, ensuring all were amply fed. Whether it was visiting chassidic rebbes, a Rosh Yeshiva, or anyone needing a hot meal and a warm smile. Her greatest joy was to feed anyone who came to visit.

Just like at her grandfather’s home in Mezokovacshaza, Hungary, there is a sign saying Bruchim Habaim displayed for strangers, who have the same open house policy as did their predecessors.

Gita Fein was born on January 23, 1923, in Mezokovacshaza, Hungary. When she lost her father before the age of two, her widowed mother Esther Schwartz-Fein, with two little girls, moved back to Mako, to be near her parents Rabbi Aron and Pessel Schwartz. In addition to a traditional Jewish upbringing, little Gita received six years of secular education in the Mako public school. At the age of 14, she also started to learn sewing in a trade school. In her teenage years, Gita was a clever girl and helped with the family’s livelihood by smuggling geese from Mako to Budapest.

The Shoah

“Mother’s life was all uprooted when her family was separated and deported by the Germans. Her immediate family all perished, killed by the Nazis. She, as a young woman in forced labor, was the only survivor,” daughter Esther Katz recounts.

Savta Gita was taken in the first transport via cattle cars to Poland’s Auschwitz Birkenau camp, where she saw the infamous Mengele separating families and directing to right and left, deciding the fate of innocent victims. The living inmates did

not fare well either in Birkenau, having to line up daily for hours to be counted, in the so-called “Appel” the daily roll-call. Savta Gita was 21 years old when the number A-11897 was tattooed on her left wrist by order of the brutal German Nazis, painfully

applied by another Jewish female prisoner.

In Tammuz 1944 when Savta Gita, age 21, and her 19-year-old sister Reichel were standing at the selection in Auschwitz, their mother realized what was happening. She saw their life and death situation; to the left, death in the gas chamber, and to the right, life for now, in the labor camp. She told her daughters, “We don’t know whether we will come out of this alive. But if you do, and get married, do not marry an am haaretz, but only marry a talmid hacham, one who learns Torah.”

Savta Gita was a good worker at the bullet factory forced labor camp. She had a beautiful voice and she sang for her cap tors. She was rewarded with extra marks, which she used to buy food for her cous in, Sarah’s sustenance, thereby saving her life. Unlike her future husband Hershy, who became emaciated in the camps, Sav ta claimed that she herself did not remem ber going hungry. Hashem filled her with what she needed, and the extra she gave away to save Sarah’s life.

After liberation, Savta Gita arrived in Budapest to search for her sister Reichel and other survivors in her family. Using white chalk, she marked the streets with the names of her family members in search of their whereabouts. Not finding anyone

“Savta Gita would tend to the many visitors who would stay at their home, ensuring all were amply fed.”

was determined to honor her mother’s wishes to marry only a talmid hacham.

On December 24, 1945, 21-year-old Hershy Greenfeld married 23-year-old Gita Fein. A daughter was born January 15, 1947, Esther Mirrel, named after her maternal grandmother Esther Schwartz, who was killed in the Holocaust, and her paternal grandmother Mirrel Noble Greenfeld, who died young and is buried in Mezokovacshaza. The second child, a son, Shlomo Yehoshua, affectionately called Shiya, was born three years later in Israel. Both children are named after their martyred maternal and paternal grandparents respectively.

Escape from Hungary In August 1949

Savta Gita, her husband Hershy, their infant Esther Mirrel, and Mami were smuggled across the border from Hungary to Slovakia, then to Italy, where they boarded what was called a boat, but was more like a nutshell. Upon arrival to the Holy Land, they were taken to the cur-

en’s alarm system consisted of a string with a bell connected to the flap of the window.

Hershy’s work later took him to Tel Aviv, where he was the advocate for the farmers in the banks. His wife Gita carried the load of farming, milking their cow, feeding their horse, raising chickens, and planting vegetables and seeds for

thoroughly enjoyed her work. She still wears some of her own creations.

As a young mother, Savta Gita was wise, courageous, lively, athletic, and fun. Her daughter Esther recollects seeing her mother walk on her hands on the beach. Age did not deprive her of an adventurous spirit. She remained feisty into her 80s when she went on a water scooter with her grandson. Despite falling, she got up and returned for the ride.

Even in her mid 90’s, Savta Gita wanted to stay independent. Her greatest joy was to participate in her children’s, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s Simchas. Despite her limited ability to walk, she would travel to different continents, packing her own bags, without

complaints, with a smile on her face, to witness the fruit of her and Hershy’s labor.

During a past Simchas Torah, Esther suggested to her mother to stay home instead of walking uphill to Shul. Savta Gita adamantly responded, “I am going to Shul this morning. 70 years ago I did not believe that I would see another Jewish child. I would not miss for anything in the world to see hundreds of Jewish children dancing with the Torah in Shul.” Among her greatest accomplishments was her pride in having contributed to building the Jewish state, by establishing Tifrach, and raising her two children to become G-d fearing people of Chessed, supporting Torah and Mitzvos. Savta Gita took a lot of pride in building a large family from

rently called city of Chadera, where they were placed in an Aliya Absorption Center. Soon after they packed their meager belongings and went down to the Negev in the south of Israel, which was nothing but a desert. They were placed in tents temporarily and right away started building their homes, creating a settlement named Tifrach.

Establishing Tifrach

In 1949, Hershy & Gita arrived on barren land, with “not a blade of grass.” In 1950, their second child was born, Yehoshua, named after Hershy’s father. With faith in Hashem and perseverance, they took on the yoke of chalutzniks - pioneers.

At that time Prime Minister Ben Gurion allotted to the immigrants a cabin in Tifrach, a desert down south, near Beer Sheva. There was no electricity for six years and no refrigerator. A piece of ice was distributed on Fridays in honor of Shabbos. For lighting, the families used petrol lamps. There were no regular buses on the yishuv at that time, only mules and horses, when available. Hershy obtained the only covered truck for hauling supplies from Haifa’s port, for transporting cows and above all passengers, with his friend accompanying him with a shotgun to protect their lives and cargo.

As soon as they could, they moved into their so-called house, which consisted of a small entry and one room. For the kitchen, they built a little wooden shed. To discourage the fedayim, the Arabs, from stealing at night, the Tifrach kitch-

animal feed. She mowed and gathered in the crops. On one occasion she pulled up a snake with a metal fork. Nothing phased her. Another job Gita relished was cooking meals for the daycare center, taking care of their children, and holding down the home front, while Hershy was often on the road, day and night, helping the community survive during harvests. His various responsibilities kept him away many nights, while his young wife spent fighting off if needed, the hostile Arab neighbors. She kept a firearm by her bed and did not hesitate to shoot when she heard threatening bandits outside near the cowshed.

Today, Tifrach is a big Torah center, with modern-built Yeshivas and dedicated students.

After twelve years in Tifrach, the Greenfelds moved to Bnei Brak for the education of their children. Having been bereft of family after the Shoah, the parents were not willing to part from their teenage son and daughter by sending them away to study. She once again found herself alone during the wars of 1967, and later 1973, when Hershy was called away on duty.

Instead of farming, Savta Gita worked in a factory sewing women’s clothes. Later she purchased an industrial-sized professional sewing machine, placed it on their enclosed balcony, and she acquired private customers. She was mainly sewing for elegant occasions, for families for weddings, and for other celebrations. She had a talent for design and

“Savta Gita took a lot of pride in building a large family from the ashes of the Holocaust and in her children’s higher education and their accomplishments.”

the ashes of the Holocaust and in her children’s higher education and their accomplishments. Her son Shlomo Yehoshua Greenfeld is a professor at the Technion. Her daughter Esther Mirrel/Marika is a successful businesswoman.

Family Members’ Recollections

Being the first grandchild, Ofira enjoyed more time with her grandparents than the other grandchildren born after her, and she spent her high school years in Israel. Studying was crucial to Savta…. no one could take your learning and your profession away from you. Additionally, Savta had great respect for the Israeli Defense Force and much gratitude for their protecting her beloved Land. It is not surprising that she was so proud of Ofi’s sons, grandsons Daniel and Yonathan, serving in the army. A beautiful huge portrait of Savta and Daniel in his IDF uniform was proudly displayed on Savta’s bedroom wall in Ramot. “We built the country and our grandchildren are guarding it,” said Savta Gita proudly.

Grandson Rabbi Avi Katz’s full-time occupation is as the Rosh Kollel at the Minchas Yitzchak Shul. Rabbi Katz relays that if one word was to describe Savta, it was being “determined” to remain true to her roots. She was to follow Hashem’s dictates all her life. She never wavered. Despite the horrors and uncertainties, Savta was determined with gumption and courage to survive. From the crowds

and lack of hygiene in the camp, Savta developed a skin eruption. She was swiftly lined up and sent with others to the gas chamber. In the worst situation possible she was determined to save her life. At the risk of being shot, she switched lines and walked away back toward life. With gratitude and pride, grandson Avi shared that into her 90s, Savta remained determined and never allowed her age to stop her from attending family celebrations.

Grandson Rabbi Dani Greenfeld is a Speech Therapist for boys and men in Beit Shemesh, who also received his Smicha, making Savta Gita very proud. Rabbi Dani is the son of Savta Gita’s son Professor Yehoshua and his wife Toby Greenfeld. While Saba Hershy was more playful with the children, Savta Gita was busy in the kitchen, sewing, davening, and saying her daily Tehillim for everyone. “Savta Gita spoke to Hashem in a simple way.

She had more heart in connection with her Creator. She serves the Ribono Shel Olam more from the lev than from the sechel. She never lost her emunah, her faith, despite her trials. She had emunah peshuta,” muses her grandson Rabbi Dani in admiration. Savta Gita and Saba Hershy put great value on both Limudei Kodesh along with a profession. Savta Gita used to tell Dani and her other grandchildren that the Germans took everything, but they could not take away their learning.

“There is a lot of DOING in our family,” said great-granddaughter Chani Gelley. Diligence is a family trait. Chani being the first great-granddaughter to Savta and then giving birth to the first great-great-granddaughter was very special and meaningful in the family dynamics. It meant a lot to Savta. Savta Gita was very strong-minded. Savta Gita’s gift of having a good memory, though a blessing, could also be a curse. She remembered everything; it was hard for her to forget the many traumas in her life. Despite it all, she was a trooper and with everlasting faith in Hashem, along with Saba Hershy, they kept building their home, family, and country. But there was no wasting for Savta. The children had to finish their food. But Savta Gita’s tradition of thrift has been handed down for generations. Savta Gita, being demanding of herself and her family, entrenched good values. Yet demanding as she was, this matriarch

left a commendable legacy from her presence.

Great-granddaughter Ahuva Kreitenberg remembers going every Friday night to Savta Gita’s at the Katz family’s home. Savta Gita, since she does not speak English, used to talk to Ahuva in Hebrew. Savta Gita used to tell her how much nachas she gets from her great-grandchildren. “You are my revenge…” said Savta, having survived the Shoah. Savta had a powerful memory and used to tell Ahuva stories. Savta Gita used to say until Mashiach comes not to get too comfortable anywhere. She did not trust the goyim. Her faith was steadfast only in Hashem.

As a youngster, Ahuva used to do gymnastics, of which Savta Gita greatly approved. Savta, when younger, also used to be athletic and very flexible. She used to tell Ahuva how she herself excelled in backbends, cartwheels, and the split. In addition, Savta was an excellent swimmer. “Savta Gita is a soldier,” exclaimed Ahuva with dignity and pride. “No one can knock her down.” She was a role model to the entire family. “We learn from Savta Gita that life is so precious. You shouldn’t complain too much. Though everyone has their packele, their hardships, and challenges. We learned from her, even by just seeing how she finished other people’s food…you see her, and the more you appreciate your life.”

Parent Parent 2

Chani Heyman

My 13-year-old daughter asked me to pick her up from school before her math test today so she wouldn’t have to take the test. I reminded her throughout the week to study for the test and she did not. I told her I would not pick her up early but now I feel guilty. Was I correct in answering her that way? Or should I have picked her up early and saved her from the dreaded test?

Uncertain Mom

Dear Uncertain,

I hear your plight. You were firm with your daughter and now are wavering on your decision, wondering if maybe you could have helped her just this one more time?

I am going to take the liberty to make a few assumptions. Although you didn’t say so in your question, I assume that this is not the first time that she is requesting this type of favor from you. I would also assume that in the past, you have agreed to pick her up early, which has led to this pattern of her not studying and guilting you into saving her. If that is the case, then I believe that you were correct in not picking her up this time. If you were to continue to “save” her, you would be essentially handicapping your daughter. As a teen, one of your daugh-

ter’s main responsibilities is to succeed in school. Success does not mean straight A’s. The picture of success will be different for each person. But, having Mom bail you out of a test does not sound like anyone’s victory. If we, the parents, are aware that our child is struggling in a specific subject, then it is our responsibility to help them succeed. Here are steps that can be taken to make sure your daughter and any teenager are prepared for their next exam:

1. Sit down with the teenager and tell them the truth; whether your proof is from their report card, previous test grades, or a phone call from their teacher, the bottom line is they need help in this area.

DJ EZZI

2. Plan of action; how are they going to improve? Maybe they understand the subject, but they simply need time management skills or a study partner from class. If they are not grasping the material then they might require a tutor to teach it to them.

3. Whatever the plan is, it is now your responsibility to make sure that this system is actualized. The teenager might resist this route, but please stay firm. You might even have to punish them if they are refusing to follow through. It is rare that we will enforce things to such a degree with our teens, but in the case of a handicap in school, it

is our responsibility to teach them how to succeed.

It is true that you reminded your daughter to study all week, but in the future, I would suggest that you follow these steps and come up with a plan of action with the teen and then enforce it.

Hopefully, before the next math test, you’ll both be celebrating her success.

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

“If we, the parents, are aware that our child is struggling in a specific subject, then it is our responsibility to help them succeed.”

Shalom Bayit Through the Parsha

Rabbi Nir Yacoby

Parshat Tazria: She Makes Your Will

There is an amazing true story about a wife who found that her husband was never circumcised: His mother, a Holocaust survivor, was traumatized by the fate her uncle met when it was discovered that he was circumcised, and therefore refused to circumcise her son.

When the wife expressed her wish that he get circumcised, the husband brought up his mom’s stern warning. Many years passed. When his mother passed away, the wife convinced her husband that his mom’s will was successfully carried out during her lifetime. The husband agreed to now get circumcised. A rabbi performed the circumcision in their tiny Fairfax apartment during the shiva.

In עירזת we learn that a woman who gives birth goes through a period of waiting – a baby girl requires more waiting

than a baby boy. Why? The waiting is required when there’s a loss of life, and a girl is a greater soul and therefore a greater loss. This explains what the sages meant by השא הלעב ןוצר השוע הרשכ - “a valiant wife makes her husband’s will.” The sages didn’t mean that she succumbs to his will – NO! With wisdom and patience, she in fact creates it! Husbands who are open to the unique role their wives play in their lives enjoy health, wealth, and Shalom Bayit.

An Introduction to Saas Software

Whether you have been in business for decades, or you are an entrepreneur just starting out, you might become stuck if you continue to do things the way you always have. There are so many mundane tasks that people spend time doing without realizing that with proper software, your computer can do them for you. Software allows us to use our human resources better and get more done in less time. If you are not using the proper software, you are wasting time and as we know in business - time is money. Using the proper software for your business al-

but can manage every aspect of your work including automation, databases, and small steps in the workflow that are not included in a project.

Lead Management and CRMs (Customer Relationship Management): A lead management platform manages the process of turning a lead (someone interested in your business) into a customer. It helps your sales team keep track of potential leads and where they are holding in the sales process. A CRM does everything that a lead management platform does, but it also manages the client once they are already your

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lows you to save time, thereby focusing on the growth and success of your business.

So, what can software do for your business, and how will you know which software you need?

For almost anything that a business needs, there is some SaaS (Software as a Service) platform that can do it. SaaS refers to any ready-made subscription-based software. Instead of creating custom software, you can subscribe to a SaaS platform for free or for a low monthly fee.

What types of platforms are included in SaaS?

Nowadays, there is a platform out there for pretty much any niche need. SaaS is a general term for ready-made platforms that can do anything. There are many types of SaaS software, and each can be split into many categories. Each category describes a certain need that the platforms in that category focus on. So, let’s go through the main categories of platforms that most businesses may need.

Task Management, Project Management, and Work Management: These are all platforms that help keep work organized. Task Management is just a soupedup to-do list. It manages tasks, allows you to share a task with coworkers, and has multiple lists. Project Management operates on a larger scope. There are pages for projects, and under each project there are tasks. It allows you to collaborate with a team and work towards goals. Work Management is a step above Project Management. It does not only manage projects,

client and paying for your service.

Appointment Scheduling: This allows people to schedule appointments with you by choosing an available time from your calendar.

ESP (Email Service Provider): Used to manage an email listing, and send out email newsletters and other emails to all of your subscribers.

Invoice Creator and Document Signing and Tracking: Both are used to send online invoices and other important documents and get them electronically signed.

Help Desk: A Help Desk platform is meant for companies with a support or customer service team. It manages calls and communication through multiple channels (ie WhatsApp, email, phone).

No Code: When someone needs something that is not easily done on any other type of platform but is not so complicated that it needs custom code, a no-code platform is a platform that can be used to create a semi-custom system according to the specific need.

There are many different platforms within each of these categories, and each one has specific things that it has to offer. In the coming articles, we will go through different platforms and explain what each platform has to offer.

Liora Waxman is the Director of Content Strategy at TidyStack, a company that helps businesses set up software/ automation that will perfectly fit their needs. You can sign up for additional SaaS tips, updates, software tutorials, and more at https://tidystack.com/subscribe/.

Liora Waxman

“Software allows us to use our human resources better and get more done in less time.”

Celebrating the 75th Yom Ha’atzmaut

Since 1948, Israel has served as a symbol of independence and strong cultural identity for other nations, especially those still fighting for their own freedom and autonomy. Together with the Jewish community, Cedars-Sinai celebrates Yom Ha’atzmaut, a day to honor the independence, hope and spirit of Israel.