Issue 394

FYI: WILTON

TALES WITH SWEET ENDINGS

Exploring vintage baked favorites

WHERE CAKES ABOUND

It’s a tasty enterprise in the Greenbaum kitchen

FREEZER WITHOUT A HOME

I couldn’t leave it out in the cold

NEW

ASK THE EXPERT

Professionals weigh in

PESACH WITHOUT PRESSURE

(Re: Quick Cleanup Pesach Contest, Issue 393)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The Pesach cleaning program this year was so much fun and so easy to follow. I followed along week by week (and sometimes cheated when I had extra time to do a bit of spring cleaning at the same time), but there was no pressure

I should also mention that your Pesach edition was beautiful and enjoyed from cover to cover. Please continue producing such wonderful, kosher material for our heimishe Yiddishe homes. Thank you!

Anonymous

WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY?

(Re: Excursions, Issue 393)

I just wanted to say thank you for the incredible Excursions trip guide. It really made Chol Hamoed planning so much easier. Instead of getting lost when the kids started begging to go out, I simply opened up the trip guide. It was full of great ideas!

One day we ended up at American Dream Mall. As I was stand-

ing on line at one of the attractions, I glanced down and noticed that someone had dropped their Excursions booklet. So you should know that you really get around!

For everyone else who didn’t lose theirs, hang on to it! It has great ideas for summer trips.

A Local Reader

SERIAL THRILLERS

(Re: Power Tools, Issue 393)

I’m so excited about your new serial, Power Tools by Esty Heller. I loved following The Last Rebbe of Lodz when it was running; that was the main reason I picked up my copy of The Monsey View each week. Now I can’t wait to read this new story!

Thank you, E.K.

A BOOKWORM’S DREAM COME TRUE

(Re: Power Tools, Issue 393)

I love reading fiction, but it’s so hard to find good books, which is why I was really excited when I saw the promo for Esty Heller’s new serial. I read her book Yardsticks, and it was phenomenal. She brings you into the lives of the characters in such a real way, opening your eyes to the intricacies of life and different personalities so you totally understand why the characters do what they do, even if they’re so different from you.

When I read the first chapter in your Pesach issue, I was sucked right into the story. Even in just one chapter, Mrs. Heller managed to present characters and conflicts that are just so compelling. I can’t wait for the next chapter. Thank you for bringing us such great writers and such great stories!

Yides Fruchthandler

A POST-PESACH SOLUTION

(Re: DIY: Seder Pillows, Issue 392)

Thank you so much for featuring this DIY pillow idea! I followed the instructions and created a beautiful pillowcase that really added special

charm to our Seder table.

After Yom Tov, when I washed the pillowcase, the edges of the lettering began peeling off. However, I was able to iron it back on by placing a sheet of parchment paper over the lettering, and the result looks as good as new. Since this happened to me, I’m figuring that it may happen to others, which is why I’m dropping a line to share this solution.

Keep those crafts coming!

Shana Igel

YOUR SAY

PRICED OUT

We live in a beautiful place, a community full of Torah and chesed. I get a very good feeling before every Yom Tov, when I see our town-turned-city stretching on all sides to accommodate guests streaming in from everywhere. And no wonder — our hometown has a magnetic pull, and everyone feels welcome here!

However, at this time of year I am also witness to a very painful issue. We are looking for an apartment for a chasan and kallah who will be getting married soon, b’ezras Hashem, yet it is hard to find something affordable. How can a young couple afford to pay these astronomical sums each month? And how can we allow this monster of a trend to continue?

Young couples yearning for a kollel life are choking. They can’t cover their basic expenses because they’re forced out of necessity to pay such high rent. This robs them of the yishuv hadaas that is so necessary when they’re focused on building their bayis ne’eman b’Yisroel.

Aren’t the lions taking too much from the sheep? Isn’t this against the

ways of the Torah?

I see a few sides of this picture close up. Let me explain: We are renters. Our rent goes up every two years by just a few percent, to help cover rising mortgage and tax costs. At the same time, I work for a landlord, managing a dozen local apartments, and I know the expenses involved. But how much is the shiur ? How does Hashem view this issue? Will pricing the young couples out of the market bring more zechusim?

I’m leaving space to be dan lekaf zechus; we never know everything. And may Hashem bensch us all with the foresight and understanding to invest wisely in our real real estate that is an investment for eternity in the Olam Ha’emes.

Davening for a Yeshua

GLUTEN-FREE GALORE

When you shop for groceries before Pesach, it’s impossible to predict exactly which foods your family will like and how much you’ll actually use. Inevitably, some products are a hit, while other items remain untouched. That’s why almost every family is left with Pesach foods they have no use for after Pesach has ended.

At the same time, there are many people who maintain a gluten-free diet year-round (usually for medical reasons) and buy these expensive Pesach items after Pesach. Your unwanted Pesach food would be of great benefit to them.

As in the last few years, we are running a Post-Pesach Gluten-Free Gemach. If you have any extra UNOPENED Pesach food items, please consider donating them so that others can benefit.

The list of drop off locations for donations in various cities all over the U.S. grows from year to year, and the amount of people who benefit grows each year as well. For more information and to find a drop off location in your area, email gemachglutenfree@gmail.com or text 845-232-1276.

Thank you!

The Post-Pesach Gluten-Free Gemach

PARSHAS TAZRIA-METZORA

By Virtue of the Tongue

When someone suspected tzara’as , he would show his discolored patch to the kohen who would determine whether or not it was impure. The kohen was required to verbally pronounce it “tamei ” or “tahor.” After going through the purification process, the person was only deemed spiritually cleansed once the kohen articulated the word “tahor.”

The Mishnah ( Nega’im , ch. 3) says that a kohen unfamiliar with the halachos was required to consult with a talmid chacham , who may be a Yisroel. The kohen was to verbalize the talmid chacham’s judgment, and only then would the person be declared tamei or tahor. The status was dependent not on the ruling of the talmid chacham , but on the mouth of the kohen .

No other type of tumah follows such a process. In other cases, when one fulfills the Torah’s directives to become tahor, such as by immersing in the mikvah or sprinkling ash of the parah , he automatically attains a pure status. When it comes to tzara’as , why is the purification contingent on the kohen’s spoken verdict?

RAV SHALOM SCHWADRON, ZT”L, used to share the following tale:

The Chofetz Chaim was once traveling along with another prominent rav when they stopped in a small town. Looking for a place to stay, they were directed to the accommodations of a woman who was known for her yiras Shamayim. The food cooked in her kitchen could be trusted.

Indeed, the two rabbanim were served a hot meal, which satiated them after their exhausting trip.

As they were completing their meal, the hostess came over and inquired as to how they found the food. The Chofetz Chaim immediately replied that the food was deli-

cious. His companion, though, said, “It may have been missing a bit of salt, but overall, it was very good.”

The hostess turned to leave the room, and the rav noticed that the Chofetz Chaim was distraught. He was clutching his head in his hands and groaning, “Oy, all my life I was careful not to speak or listen to lashon hara, and now I have failed! I heard and accepted lashon hara!”

Watching the Chofetz Chaim’s extreme anguish, the rav became flustered. “What did I say that was lashon hara?” he asked.

The Chofetz Chaim replied, “That woman did not cook the meal herself. She has hired help, a poor widowed cook,

who prepares the food. Do you know where our hostess is now? She is in the kitchen. After leaving this room she went straight to the cook to reprimand her for forgetting to salt the food. But the poor cook is denying it, claiming to have used enough salt.

“And now the hostess is raising her voice, telling the cook off for contradicting the rabbanim. ‘How could you say you used enough salt if my special guests claim you haven’t?’ ‘But I did!’ claims the cook. And so the two are arguing. Our hostess is threatening to fire the cook, who is adamantly upholding her claim.”

The rav listened to the Chofetz Chaim’s detailed depiction in disbelief. It seemed too fantastical an exaggeration to be true. Could it really be so?

“Why build such a major story out of an innocent comment?” he asked.

“Come, let’s go to the kitchen to check it out,” the Chofetz Chaim replied.

Sure enough, the two women were there, in the midst of a heated quarrel. Tears were streaming down their faces as they each tried to argue their point.

Taken aback, the rav tried to calm them down and retract his words so peace could be restored between them and so that the widowed cook could retain her job.

Indeed, the Chofetz Chaim was correct in his perception of the extensive effects of a spoken word.

Speaking negatively of others brings tzara’as. Through this very real consequence, the Torah teaches us how potent the power of speech is. Once uttered, words have farreaching effects.

When one conveys a good word to another, he could build generations, and when one speaks negatively, the destructive results could be long-lasting. And the influence does not stop with the statement alone.

The only way to break free from this type of tumah — which comes from ill speech — is through the kohen voicing that the person is tahor or tamei

Thus, the tumah of a metzorah is in a category of its own. By relegating the status of the metzorah to the spoken verdict of the kohen, the Torah conveys to us the greatness of the impact of the words we say, both positive and negative.

Did You Know?

Why did Hashem create man with two ears yet only one mouth? To teach us that one must speak only half of what he hears.

The Chafetz Chaim was distraught. “All my life I was careful not to speak or listen to lashon hara, and now I have failed!”

Credit card debt, and its exorbitant fees, present a growing problem for families in the community.

One group is helping clients reset to zero, with staggering results.

YAKOV GRUNBAUM

Anyone who has dealt with the scourge of high-interest credit card debt will struggle to find the humor in this exchange. With APRs now sometimes reaching nearly 30% per year(!), many cardholders find themselves fighting a grueling and even helpless battle just to keep up with interest payments, let alone begin to pay off any principle at all.

So what’s a man to do?

Two heimish partners set out to assist community members sinking deeper into the financial quicksand, or merely struggling with accumulated debt, a common concern during this post-Pesach season. We spoke with Yidel Breuer, a partner in the cleverlynamed Two Point Zero, about the firm’s mission, its successes, and what everyone must know in order to protect themselves.

CREDIT CARD DEBT IS A PAINFUL SUBJECT, AND SURELY AN EQUALLY DIFFICULT FIELD OF WORK. HOW DID YOU END UP HERE?

I learned about this world the hard way. I had tried to build a business after my wedding, but it wasn’t meant to be. All that was left was a pile of credit card bills. I quickly realized that with the minimum payments mostly going to cover the monthly interest, I would never see myself out of the rut — unless something drastic happens.

DID YOU HAVE HELP AT THE TIME, OR DID YOU HAVE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT YOURSELF?

Someone told me about a special Yid in Boro Park, Chaim Yosef Pinkus, a”h, who was actually recently niftar, who advised and assisted people in such a matzav without charge. Lost and without any options, I turned to him, and he worked with me and my creditors to get me out of this mess. Soon enough, I realized that I was far from the only one with this issue, and that is when we embarked on this mission with the founding of Two Point Zero.

WHAT KIND OF SERVICES DO YOU OFFER?

Few of our clients are completely alike, so we try to keep our mission as broad as possible. In a nutshell, we help individuals who are stuck with high credit card balances reclaim their futures and their financial health.

CAN YOU GIVE SOME EXAMPLES?

Of course. Many clients’ stories are similar to mine, and all they wish is to make a settlement that won’t negatively impact them. We excel at this in an unparalleled manner, with interest rates as low as 1 or 2 percent — and sometimes even 0%! Then there are those whose identity was used in a manner they didn’t approve of, so we step in and get the debt wiped off. Others are being harassed by creditors unfairly, and we use it to the client’s advantage.

There’s a joke about the guy who won the lottery and was asked by his friend what he plans to do with the winnings.

“I’ll pay off my debts.”

“And the rest?”

“Oh, the rest will have to wait...”

Two Point Zero Numbers and Stats

$680

In monthly savings for the average cardholder currently making minimum payments

$1,325,000

The highest credit card balance settled

FROM 26% TO 0%

The largest decrease in interest rates negotiated 841 Greatest credit score Two Point Zero helped one of their struggling clients obtain 85%

Of clients did not believe there is hope for them before reaching out

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

America has very strict consumer protection laws that dictate how banks or card issuers can collect on debts. We have a team of lawyers at our side who have studied these laws extensively, and if we find that there was any undue harassment — which happens far more often than you think — we will turn it around on the bank and make them settle or wipe off large chunks of the balance.

WOW. DOES THIS REALLY WORK IN PRACTICE? AND DO YOU CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE?

I’ll answer both questions at once. Yes, it works, and that is why, no, we don’t charge unless and until we win. We’ve made millions — yes, million! — in debt vanish in this manner.

THERE ARE MANY WHO CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY OFF THEIR CARDS, AND WITH TIME, FIND THEMSELVES BEING CALLED TO COURT. AT THIS POINT, CAN YOU STILL HELP?

Of course. But I strongly advise that you don’t let it get to that point. Think about it: In any fight, you’re far better off being on the offense than fighting on defense. If you feel you’re headed down a slippery path, call us so that we can get out ahead of it. One call can truly transform and save your family.

YOU MENTIONED THOSE WHOSE IDENTITIES WERE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?

It can take many forms, of course. In our community, we have many people who share the same names, and it happens quite often that companies confuse people with one another. There’s also standard identity theft, and finally, there are more murky situations where someone allowed another person to use his name, but it was taken too far. All these we can wipe off immediately, and if the creditors cause any delay or problems, they will still end up having to turn around and pay our clients for it.

ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

If I can give one piece of advice, it is never to allow anyone to use your credit card, even if you think they are trustworthy. The entire burden will remain yours, and you may suffer through a world of pain until it is resolved.

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL CLIENT LOOK LIKE?

You’d be shocked. We truly have everyone, including many people who are otherwise healthy financially. Sometimes all it takes is the right piece of information or the right angle to take, and we can get them their life back!

FINAL WORD TO OUR READERS?

If you have an issue, call us. We are strictly confidential and our consultation is free. This may be the wisest and most important call of your life.

Two Point Zero can be reached at 718.287.1515 or at info@tpzny.com and Tpzny.com

Chaverim Shines as Wacky Weather Wreaks Havoc Over Pesach

Unseasonable temperatures and other meteorological events created problems both large and small, making this Yom Tov a Pesach to remember.

A severe ice storm struck Montreal on Erev Pesach, leaving more than a million people without heat or electricity, reported Yeshiva World News. With the expected repairs slow in coming amid steadily dropping temperatures, Hatzolah of Montreal reached out to their counterpart in Monsey for assistance on Yom Tov, under the guidance of their respective rabbonim

Kittel-clad members of Chaverim of Rockland spent the night of the second Seder packing up emergency supplies to help the thousands of Montrealers who had been without electricity for more than 24 hours. Non-Jewish members of Chaverim of Rockland’s Shabbos patrol drove a truck filled with generators, heaters, electrical cords and gas tanks to a designated halfway point north of Albany, where they were met by a contingent from Chaverim of Montreal.

The weather pendulum swung in the opposite direction over the second days of Yom Tov, with temperatures soaring into the 80s and hitting 90 degrees on Acharon Shel Pesach. But even that uncomfortably warm weather paled in comparison to conditions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where nearly 26 inches of rain fell on the last day of Yom Tov, shutting down airports and stranding Pesach travelers who were expecting to return home before Shabbos, reported VIN News.

Schoolteacher Zachary Ottenstein of Staten Island managed to make his way home in time for Shabbos by driving through the night to Tampa with his father to catch a 5 a.m. flight to Chicago, with a connecting flight to New York. Rabbi Mendel Fayershtayn of Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Fort Lauderdale stepped

up to help those who found themselves unexpectedly detained in Florida, announcing that hot Shabbos meals were available for anyone in need.

Fort Lauderdale’s torrential downpours were described as the kind of storm that comes only once in a thousand years. According to NBC 6 South Florida, the Fort Lauderdale downpour ranks third in the record books, coming in behind 2000’s 27-inch rainfall on Hilo, Hawaii, and 2017’s 26.5 inches in Port Arthur, Texas.

State Lighting Program Brightens Ramapo Streets

Energy-efficient streetlights will make Ramapo’s streets brighter and safer, with $5 million in upgraded or new streetlights planned for installation on area roadways.

The New York Power Authority is installing the new lights as part of the SmartStreet Lighting NY program, a plan to replace at least 500,000 streetlights with LED models by 2025. The program, which uses Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) streetlights, is expected to minimize electrical use while maximizing safety.

According to the NYPA, the LED streetlights are 50 to 65% more energy-efficient than similar options, with a new maintenance service launched in 2020 to provide routine and oncall maintenance service for the fixtures. The streetlights will be equipped with SMART nodes to allow the town to dim local lights as needed, and could be used for other technology including cameras, weather sensors, Wi-Fi and energy meters. Ramapo will also have an asset management system for the streetlights, providing the town with the ability to monitor and control the system and provide outage reporting.

In addition to upgrading over 2,000 streetlights, the program will add another 1,549 fixtures in Ramapo, lighting up parts of the town that are currently underlit. Supervisor Michael Specht was joined by Ramapo Police Chief Martin Reilly, All Brite Electric project manager Craig Calatro, Ramapo Office of Emergency Preparedness program coordinator Josh Hans, Ramapo Highway Superintendent Fred Brinn, New York Power Authority lead engineers David Maya and Igor Katsnelson, Pomona trustee Mendy Lasker, Sloatsburg trustee Darrell Frasier and Ramapo Community Liaison Yossi Margaretten in announcing the kickoff of the lighting project. NYPA acting president and CEO Justin Driscoll noted that in addition to providing better and more energy-efficient lighting, the new streetlights will save taxpayer dollars and help the state upgrade critical infrastructure.

“Our new LED streetlights will not only enhance visibility and safety but will also pave the way toward a more sustainable future,” said Specht. “By upgrading all our lights, and adding more than 1,500 new fixtures, we will make our town brighter and safer for pedestrians and drivers alike. As we make our Ramapo streets brighter, we make our Ramapo future brighter as well.”

Inaccurate Reporting Frustrates Carnival Benefactor

Each year, Lakewood resident Dr. Richard Roberts sponsors a free Chol Hamoed carnival that is attended by thousands of local families. This year, Dr. Roberts found himself facing a possible investigation for an incident that took place at a completely different event.

Shore News Network reported that the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs told Dr. Richard Roberts that they were looking into an April 10th accident that left several victims injured, one seriously, when a gust of wind knocked over an inflatable ride. The New York Post, ABC News and Daily Voice all reported that the injuries took place at Roberts’ carnival, which was being held at the BlueClaws Stadium parking lot, while in fact the incident occurred three miles away on Summer Avenue.

A frustrated Roberts noted that his event featured shows, storytellers, a petting zoo and trampoline acrobats, but not a single inflatable ride. Roberts took ABC News to task after it reported that it had sent a helicopter to fly over the accident scene.

“How do you report from a flying helicopter live above the scene and say you’re at a baseball stadium, but didn’t notice there was no stadium below you?” asked Roberts.

A New York Post article featured similar inaccuracies, reporting, “The inflatable ride that broke loose was seen deflated and off to the side while other inflatable rides were still up and running inside the parking lot at the stadium where the Jersey Shore BlueClaws play their home games, according to footage from ABC7’s chopper.”

Roberts received a follow-up message from the Department of Community Affairs acknowledging the mistake, but still had to spend considerable time correcting the news reports. It is unknown if he will be taking legal action against any of the media outlets that ran the inaccurate stories.

Roberts spends approximately $140,000 on his free Chol Hamoed events. This year, 16,000 children and 5,000 adults attended the Pesach carnival. Ten thousand chocolate bars, 10,000 snack bags, and 10,000 LED bike lights were distributed to children at the carnival, as well as cotton candy made from 500 pounds of sugar.

Day Blasts Plan to Accelerate Hudson River Radioactive Water Dump

An accelerated plan to dump one million gallons of radioactive water from the former Indian Point nuclear power plant several months ahead of schedule has been paused after it was met with significant opposition and public condemnation.

Holtec International, which is decommissioning the Westchester plant, announced in February that it was planning to spill the contaminated water into the Hudson River as early as this August as part of the lengthy closing process at Indian Point. The company has said that dumping radioactive water is a standard practice at nuclear plants, and promised to provide a minimum of one month’s notice prior to any discharge, reported Gothamist.

Environmental groups and residents protested the plan, noting that the contaminated water contains potential carcinogens and should be allowed to decay naturally and safely in onsite storage. All five Hudson Valley county executives had been planning a late April press conference to protest the move, with legislation pending in Albany to ban the water dump and a petition with more than 400,000 signatures demonstrating broad opposition to Holtec’s plan.

Holtec’s announcement earlier this month that it was moving up its proposed water dump from August to May infuriated Rockland County Executive Day.

“It is unconscionable and unfathomable for this company to snub the unanimous opposition against this, disregard the dangers, and dump their waste into the river sooner than anticipated,” said Day. “What’s even worse is they’re justifying the irresponsible move by claiming the alternative would be layoffs, putting their bottom line above all else, including our health and environment. How dare they threaten us and hold their own workers hostage?”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer was equally irate, calling Holtec’s announcement outrageous. Latimer noted that the accelerated dumping schedule came in the midst of ongoing discussions between state officials, community stakeholders and local municipalities on the matter.

“The impacted communities have far too much at stake for any treated water dumping to occur on a timeline quicker than what was expected,” said Latimer. “It is a mistake for Holtec to act before full public vetting of all options and acting without convincing residents and local governments why the other options have been overridden for consideration.”

The Journal News reported that Holtec announced last week that it would be holding off on its Hudson River dumping plans, at least for now, in order to alleviate concerns about the move.

“We hope this voluntary pause will be viewed positively as an indication of our willingness to work together with the state and with the surrounding community,” explained Holtec spokesperson Patrick O’Brien.

CHAPTER 2

Recap: Lani bumps into an intrusive neighbor during her daily construction inspection. After putting up with another round of her boss’s mind games, Riva’s husband Yaakov urges her to quit her job.

Recess time in the fourth grade had seasons.

When the year started, it had been a ball-and-jump rope season. Even when the weather turned nippy, the girls in Fraidy Stroh’s class would run up to the auditorium the minute the recess bell rang to continue playing their favorite sports.

Next came the season of trading. Within the season of trading there were sub-seasons: a season for trading doctor stickers, a season for trading Izzy and Dizzy cards, even a short season for trading graphic napkins.

The season of mazes came next. Fraidy had loved that season and had drawn the most intricate mazes on every scrap piece of paper she found. She’d been so good at it, their teacher Mrs. Shiffer asked her to draw a maze for the school newsletter, and the class started calling her the Maze Whiz.

“You’re a whiz at everything,” her

best friend Shevy had whispered to her once, and Fraidy had turned bright red, because although she would never admit it, it was a little bit kind of true. Even Mrs. Shiffer had told that to Mommy at PTA. She always got the best grades, she was creative, and she sang beautifully. Still, it was weird for Shevy to say that.

In any case, now the class was no longer interested in mazes. Instead, they’d entered the season of schmoozing.

Schmoozing was different from all other recess time seasons. It felt very mature, almost like high school, to sit around and chat with friends while munching on snacks. Fraidy enjoyed it… usually.

She did not enjoy the discussion today. Chevi was leading it, which was typical, and she was once again talking about her house.

“So the whole entire basement, okay

except for one guest room and some storage closets, is being a playroom. It’s going to be hutrongous. Like you could ride a bike in there. I bet the entire class can have a sleepover there. We’ll line up blow-up mattresses…”

The girls were gawking at her, drinking in every fairytale detail. They’d heard it all: about the trampoline they’d have in their “hutrongous” backyard, the five bathrooms, the stuuuuuuuunning kitchen and huuuuuuuuuuge dining room with, like, three couches. Frankly, it was all coming out of Fraidy’s ears, and she didn’t understand how the class was still interested in listening.

It was fun to sit and schmooze, and it did feel very grown up, but at the moment, Fraidy’s legs felt like jelly and she really wanted to move around a bit.

“Do you want to come to the water fountain with me?” she asked Shevy. Shevy turned her eyes away from Chevi. “Yes.” She swiped potato chip crumbs off her desk. “Let’s go.”

There was a long line at the water fountain. “I’m not even thirsty,” Shevy admitted, “but I’m bored of hearing about Chevi’s house again.”

Fraidy looked at Shevy incredulously. “You too? I thought I was the only one. It’s really coming out of my ears.”

Shevy giggled and flattened the

“LET’S BE REALISTIC. IF I LEAVE KLEENUP, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT?”

pleats on her uniform jumper.

Really, it made sense. Shevy wasn’t the type to care about such stuff. Like Fraidy, she cared about school, always got good marks and actually enjoyed writing assignments.

They reached the front of the line and drank some water. Then Shevy asked Fraidy if she wanted to review shorashim with her so they wouldn’t have to do it for homework, and Fraidy liked the idea.

When they returned to the classroom, Chevi was still surrounded by girls, going on about how a pop-up roof on an indoor sukkah worked.

Shevy gave Fraidy a little pinch, and when Fraidy looked at her, she snorted. Fraidy didn’t smile back because, really, it wasn’t nice to make fun of Chevi. Also, their classmates didn’t seem bored. They actually seemed to find Chevi’s house fascinating.

Maybe she was more tired of the conversation than the rest of the class because unlike all of them, she didn’t only have to put up with it in school. She got construction reports at Bubby Miller’s house, and she got updates just from listening to her mother talk on the phone.

That was her privilege, being that Chevi’s mother was her aunt, and Chevi was her cousin.

* * * * *

“It’s very nice to dream about quitting,” Riva told Chaim Tzvi as she set a bowl of popcorn down on the porch table. “But let’s be realistic. If I leave Kleenup, what are we going to eat?”

Chaim Tzvi moved his chair closer to the porch door so that the light shone on his grid paper.

“We’re going to eat whatever we’ve been eating until now,” he said. He took some popcorn in his hand and made a bracha. “This is not how hishtadlus has to look.”

The porch was a simple blessing in their lives. The Strohs lived in a small apartment on the third floor, with not enough closets, too much heat they had no control over, and one kids’ bedroom that doubled as a playroom and laundry room. But this porch, right off the kitchen, was their secret

island, a quiet, private haven where they could get fresh air and a chance to talk.

It was the middle of the winter, but the evening was surprisingly mild. Riva wore her winter coat, but Chaim Tzvi merely had a scarf flung around his neck as his pencil scratched over the grid paper.

“Can I see what you’re working on?” Riva asked.

“Not much to see yet. It’s Preisler’s house. I only have some vague sketches so far.”

Riva stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Well, so tell me, how should hishtadlus look? It’s not like I’m doing anything crazy. It’s a regular job, no commute, decent pay, nice environment…”

“Nice environment?” Chaim Tzvi slapped his pencil down on the table. “Incredibly nice, sure. Riva, you’re afraid to breathe when Gabioff is in. What’s nice about such an environment?”

Riva picked a piece of popcorn out of the bowl and crushed it between her fingers.

“I enjoy Adina and Miriam’s company,” she mumbled lamely. “And I don’t mind the actual work.”

Chaim Tzvi didn’t bother responding.

“Fine, okay. Let’s say you’re right and I need to escape that place. Then what? What are we going to do? We need a plan.”

“Yes, of course we need a plan.”

“Well, do you have one? Because I can’t leave before we do.”

Chaim Tzvi motioned at one of the porch chairs. “Can you sit down, Riva?”

Riva sat.

“Imagine you lost your job. Imagine Mr. Gabioff walked over and told you you’re fired, from one minute to the next.”

It didn’t take a very creative imagination to picture the scene.

His voice is low and even, like always. He doesn’t display any anger, he’s completely composed. Only his lips twitch sardonically and there’s that permanent hint of distrust in his eyes. “We are a cleaning company, for goodness sake,” he drawls. “And look at this place. A pigsty! Who ate sushi? Do you also leave empty sushi trays out in your house?”

She and Miriam had shared that sushi. They’d left it there because… she didn’t know why. The phone must have rung as they were finishing lunch, so she probably ran over to her desk to answer the call.

She feels like a little kid who left dirty socks on the floor yet again, to his mother’s disappointment.

His phone rings, and he’s still casting her resigned looks as he takes the call. She pretends she doesn’t notice and gets busy at her desk. But it’s hard to concentrate when he’s pacing like a cat just a few feet away. Every few minutes, he casually squints at her screen, and she senses his desire to pounce, to catch her at a mistake. An hour later, he does.

He summons her to his desk but doesn’t say a word. Instead, he points at a printout in front of him and waits for her to talk. She looks at the sheet. It’s Zeyman’s invoice.

What? What about it? She tries to read the numbers, but her vision blurs.

“Uh…” she stammers.

He is still quiet. His silence is worse than any yelling would have been. She stands there squirming, feeling progressively more stupid, until at last he asks, “You sent Zeyman this invoice?”

Did she? She thinks she did. She’s nearly certain that she did. Was she not supposed to, then? What was wrong with this invoice?

“November?” he asks.

There’s a smirk on his face, and she takes a closer look at the date.

There are two 1s. She’d manually dated the invoice for January, but she must have accidentally hit the 1 twice.

His sigh of disappointment, that look in his eyes that tells her, “You are beyond hope,” leaves her wondering: If I get fired today, will it be over a typo — or an empty sushi tray?

She hadn’t been laid off that day. There was only an added clench in her stomach when her boss came into the office the next day, and her shoulders were just a bit stiffer from the tension.

And lunch — she skipped it altogether. The previous day’s sushi still sat heavily in her stomach.

Chaim Tzvi was rolling his pencil on the table. Riva fidgeted in her seat.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I know I have to leave, but the money thing makes me so nervous.”

“I get it, and I’d be a liar if I said it doesn’t worry me. You’re right that we need a plan, so let’s try to make one.”

He flipped the Preisler sketch over, and on the next blank page, he drew a line down the center. He titled the columns Income and Expenses. Then he started scribbling numbers on the expenses side. Rent, utilities, tuition, car, miscellaneous.

There wasn’t much to list on the income side. There was his humble kollel stipend, and the money he earned from tutoring the Richard boy during his lunch break.

The gap between the totals of the two columns glared. Riva slumped in her seat. “See what I mean? How can I leave? I should look for a new job, but…”

“Exactly. But.”

A new job would mean being trained all over again. And for all his flaws, Gabioff paid her generously. Wherever she’d go from here, she’d almost definitely start with a much lower salary.

Also, it was getting more and more challenging to keep working. Sometimes it just became too much. Between Yom

“SCHOOLING ITSELF WILL BE AN EXPENSE. WITHOUT AN INCOME, HOW WILL WE PAY FOR THAT?”

Tov and simcha seasons, and between four children and herself, just arranging and keeping appointments could be a full time job.

“So I had this thought…” Yaakov started.

Riva twirled the bowl on the table. “Nu?”

“Maybe I should make these architectural plans more official. Turn it into an actual parnassah.”

“But you’d need schooling for that.”

Yaakov had been sketching plans as a hobby, helping friends and family brainstorm their dream homes. Sometimes these people’s architects incorporated his hand-drawn ideas into their actual plans, but he couldn’t do anything on his own without engineering and software knowledge.

“True,” Yaakov said. “And?”

And? Was he interested in studying toward a license? “And that would take years! What will we eat until then? Or should I stick it out at Kleenup until you’re done studying?”

“Oh, no, absolutely not.”

“So? And schooling itself will be an expense. Without an in-

come, how will we pay for that?”

Yaakov tore his budget paper out of the pad and crumpled it up. “I know, and I thought about that. I know you don’t like the idea, but we’ll just have to dip into savings for now.”

“Savings? ” She stood up. “No, Yaakov, that’s nuts. I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, we don’t even…”

“We have the money, it’s just… tied up at the moment, right?”

Riva’s fingers gripped the tabletop. “We’re not asking Lani for the money back.”

“Even if the other option is for you to stay working in that torture chamber?”

Riva drew her arms around her chest and slowly shook head. “No.”

Yaakov gave her a compassionate look and absently pulled open the balled-up grid paper.

Riva picked up the bowl of popcorn. “It’s getting cold,” she said. “I’m going inside.”

TO BE CONTINUED…

Whenever I make a simcha, I always wish I’d have a brother who’s a caterer. Or a sister-in-law who’s a party planner.

It would also really be convenient, in general, if we had a pediatrician in the family. Or at least a nurse. Even a PA would do.

I wouldn’t take advantage of any of these professionals. I know they’re experts in their field and people pay them good money for their services. It’s just that I would be able to ask them things. If I serve a salad as an appetizer, how early can I plate it? What color flowers go with gold tablecloths? Can I ignore the baby’s rash, or is it an emergency?

Life would be so much easier with a cousin in mortgages, or diamonds, or sheitels. Or at least in appliance repair, or in finance management. Just someone to answer the important questions in life.

Welcome to Ask the Expert. You’ll meet professionals in many industries and get answers to things you always wished you knew. No more worrying or stressing — the expert’s here!

HOW TO (UN)DIET LIKE A PRO

WEEK 1 OF 4

BASYA KOVACS

If you are on a diet right now, or if you’ve been on diets in the past, you were probably given a food plan that includes several meals and hopefully some snacks. The “better” diets out there give you a list of options and enough variety that you don’t get bored too easily, and the worst of the diets will limit you to just a handful of approved foods. But let’s face it: Even on the best of plans, the food choices get boring.

Not only do we get bored, but for many of us, being told that we are supposed to eat from this specific list of foods creates a certain amount of guilt when we eat something not on our plan — even if it’s nutritious!

I can’t tell you how many times clients have asked me if they are “allowed” to have bread, or if they can have sauce on their chicken or meat, or if it’s okay to have sardines, turkey neck or chopped liver.

The answer is yes, yes, and yes!

Here’s the little secret that we all need to remember: There is no specific food that is “fattening” in and of itself. And the opposite is true, too. Having too much of any food, no matter how nutritious it is, will cause weight gain over time.

Hashem gave us an incredible gift: We humans (unlike plants, for example) are sustained through the delicious and delightful experience of eating. Clearly, He wants to provide us with sustenance and pleasure! There is the potential for so much variety in our diets, and Hashem placed different vitamins, minerals and nutrients in different foods. This is so we can get the health benefits of each one while enjoying this wide range of options He’s gifted us with.

Missing out on different foods because they aren’t on our plan can actually cause us to become deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. Unless you have a specific food sensitivity or health issue, there is no reason to limit yourself to a list of three breakfast options or a handful of lunch or dinner options. And there is certainly no reason to ever feel guilty about eating any food — particularly not nutritious food!

“But won’t I gain weight?”

CLEARLY, HASHEM WANTS TO PROVIDE US WITH SUSTENANCE AND PLEASURE!

No. As we just said, food doesn’t make us gain weight. Too much food makes us gain weight. Of course, each person’s caloric needs are different, and the definition of too much food varies from person to person. My suggestion is to eat most of your food early in the day when your metabolism is strongest, and to eat at regular intervals (two to three hours) throughout the day so that when you do stop to eat, you aren’t starved. But definitely don’t feel pressured to cut out entire food groups, or even to stick to a select list of foods. And please, don’t ever feel guilty for eating foods that aren’t on your plan; instead, simply adjust your plan!

Stay tuned for next week’s article, where we will gain some perspective on where non-nutritious foods fit into our lives. Spoiler alert: They definitely have their place!

BREADS AND MORE

FAIGY REINER

The allure of freshly baked bread after Pesach propels us all to pull out our mixers. These breads are sure to delight one and all.

HOMEMADE PITA

If you’re a fan of fresh, warm bread straight from the oven, then you’re going to love this recipe for homemade pita. This pita is incredibly easy to make and only requires a few staple ingredients. It’s also exciting to watch the pita pop in the oven to create the perfect pocket for your favorite fillings.

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 T. sugar

1 cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus ½ cup for dusting

½ cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

2 to 3 T. olive oil, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water, stirring to dissolve completely. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

2. Meanwhile, mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup whole wheat flour and the salt in a mixing bowl.

3. Pour the yeast mixture into the mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn the mixer on low, and combine everything into a sticky mass.

4. Now raise the speed and mix for 8 minutes, until you have a nice firm dough.

5. Lightly oil a bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, coating the dough with olive oil on all sides to prevent it from drying. Cover the bowl with a towel, and allow the dough to rise for approximately 2 hours.

6. After 2 hours, gently punch down the dough and divide it into 10 equal parts. Tuck in the sides to give each piece a round shape. Place each little ball under a towel to keep it moist.

7. Take the first piece of dough that you shaped, and roll it out thinly and evenly into a circle that’s about 6 inches in diameter. Place this on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and cover it with a tea towel.

8. Once you have rolled out all the balls, allow them to rise again for about 30 minutes.

9. Place either a baking stone or a reusable sheet pan inside the oven, and preheat the oven to 450°.

10. Just before baking, place the rolled-out dough rounds onto the stone or pan. Bake the rounds for 4 to 5 minutes until they’re nicely puffed up.

11. Wrap each pita in a towel as soon as it comes out of the oven to keep it soft.

Note: To make the pita on a stovetop, heat a skillet. Place a rolled-out dough round in the hot skillet. After about 20 seconds, flip the dough, and you will observe that it puffs up like a balloon after one minute. Flip the pita again to cook it on both sides.

HOMEMADE PRETZEL BUNS

So delicious, chewy and soft… This pretzel bun recipe makes fantastic soft pretzels or the perfect burger bun.

INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups lukewarm water

1 packet active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS

3 T. margarine, melted and cooled

1 to 2 T. olive oil

4 cups water

½ cup baking soda

1. Mix together the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar. (You can mix these in the measuring cup.)

2. Allow the yeast to activate for about 5 minutes or until it’s foamy.

3. In your mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour (add more later if necessary) and salt.

4. Add the water-yeast mixture and the melted, cooled margarine. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, mix for 2 to 3 minutes until a soft dough forms. It shouldn’t be too wet or dry. Add more flour if needed, or a few drops of water to get a nice elastic dough ball. Knead this with your dough hook on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes.

5. Lightly oil a bowl. Transfer the dough into the bowl, and coat it with olive oil on all sides to prevent it from drying. Cover the bowl with a towel, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

6. Punch down the risen dough about halfway, then transfer it from the bowl to your floured work surface. Knead the dough for 2 minutes, then divide into 10 equal portions.

7. Dust your hands with some flour. Roll portion-size balls of dough in your hands, with the smooth, rounded side facing upward and the bottom side cupped in one hand. Use your free hand to smooth the domed top portion of the dough ball, which will make the surface less likely to lose its shape. Repeat these steps with each bun.

8. Cover your shaped buns with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow them to rise for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’ve almost doubled in size again.

9. Preheat your oven to 425°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

10. Fill a large pot with the 4 cups of water and ½ cup of baking and bring to a boil. (Watch it closely to prevent it from bubbling over.)

11. Lower the pretzel buns into the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Place as many into the boiling water as you can fit without crowding them, as you do not want them touching each other. Make sure to have enough water in the stock pot to prevent the buns from touching the bottom.

12. Boil each of the buns for 30 seconds with the rounded side up, then flip them over and boil them for another 30 seconds. Then use your slotted spoon to remove the buns and place them on the lined baking sheet

13. Score the top of each bun with a sharp knife (create an X shape) as it comes out of the boiling water, then sprinkle it with coarse sea salt.

14. Bake the buns for 15 minutes or until they’re golden brown with a soft crust, but not too soft. (Pretzel shapes will need only 10 to 12 minutes.) When you press the buns with your finger, the indentation should spring back rather than leaving a mark.

15. Remove the buns from the oven when they’re done, and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

HOMEMADE HUMMUS

Made with just a few simple ingredients, this creamy dip is the perfect accompaniment to your freshly baked pita bread.

INGREDIENTS

⅓ cup good-quality tahini

⅓ cup mayonnaise

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, crushed

Juice of 1 lemon (2–3 T.)

¾ tsp. fine sea salt

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 to 3 (1 oz.) ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except the ice cubes in the food processor. Puree for 3 to 4 minutes, then add an ice cube, pulse, and check the consistency. Add up to 3 ice cubes, pulsing and checking after each addition until you get the desired consistency.

2. Taste the hummus, and season it with additional salt, cumin and/or lemon juice, as desired.

3. Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings, or transfer the hummus to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to three days.

SPICED OIL FOR HUMMUS

1 T. crushed red pepper

1 T. freshly cracked black pepper

1 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried parsley

1½ tsp. garlic powder

1½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. dried rosemary

1½ tsp. coarse sea salt

3 cloves garlic, freshly crushed or minced

Extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together the crushed red pepper, black pepper, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary and sea salt.

2. Just before serving, add the garlic and desired amount of olive oil.

3. Drizzle this on the hummus, and enjoy with homemade pita!

EASY AND DELICIOUS GUACAMOLE

A tried-and-true guacamole recipe that’s easy to make, uses fresh ingredients and is loaded with flavor. It’s the best guacamole dip, hands down.

INGREDIENTS

3 ripe avocados

½ red onion, diced

1 box cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 jalapeño, seeds removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.

2. Mash the avocado with a fork, making it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix everything together. Taste, and add a pinch of salt or lemon juice as desired.

4. Serve the guacamole on a homemade pretzel bun with an egg or some crumbled feta cheese.

CHAYA BEER

What’s delicious, looks pretty, and is always found at a Yiddishe simcha, no matter how small the event?

Cake platters, of course. No kiddush, tenayim, or shalom zachar is complete without an array of cake. But as you select a piece of delicious marble cake and delight in its velvety sweetness, you probably hardly stop to consider where the cake comes from.

If you’re lucky, you just might be eating a creation from Mrs. Greenbaum’s kitchen, where a mouthwatering variety of cakes is produced daily. Come along to hear how her family business of providing simcha cakes grew from a small project to a large and growing enterprise.

Humble Beginnings

“It wasn’t even my idea to open this business,” Mrs. Greenbaum admits.

For her daughter’s Shabbos sheva brachos fifteen years ago, Mrs. Greenbaum patchked in her kitchen to create her own homemade cake platters for the sweet table. Then she enlisted her neighbor, a popular Monsey party planner, to help her set up the simcha

As soon as her neighbor saw the cake platters Mrs. Greenbaum was setting up on the sweet table, she asked, “Where did you get those cake platters from?” Mrs. Greenbaum told her that she had made them in her own kitchen, and the party planner immediately suggested that she begin selling them for simchos

“At that point, cake platters in Monsey were coming from the city,” Mrs. Greenbaum explains. “As a party planner, my neighbor knew what a demand there would be for locally produced, heimishe cake platters. And she was right.”

To launch her business, Mrs. Greenbaum did not do one bit of advertising. Instead, she reached out to a couple of other party planners to let them know about the new service she was offering. Many of them were interested and began placing their simcha orders with her.

From there, word quickly spread. Her cakes tasted truly heimish, because that’s what they were. Customers loved the cakes, and they asked for more. As her little side business grew, she was soon busy baking all day, every day.

“My kids would come home from school, and there was cake and cake and cake all over. Cake on the counters, cake on the tables, wherever you looked there was cake! I was baking the cakes in my regular family kitch-

en, and as more orders poured in, it became very overwhelming.”

The turning point really came when her son was getting married. He returned home from yeshiva to prepare for his wedding, but all he saw going on in the house was cake. It was taking over the place.

That’s when Mrs. Greenbaum realized it was time to switch gears. She sprang into action, and from one day to the next, transformed one section of her house into a fully equipped cake production facility.

Homemade with Heart

Mrs. Greenbaum is proud to say that even in the new kitchen, the cakes have remained just as heimish as they were when they were baked in her family’s oven.

“Our ovens are regular 30-inch ovens, nothing commercial for us,” she says.

But you can be sure that her “non-commercial” kitchen today boasts more ovens that your typical kitchen, so that each kind of cake can have its own baking space. A number of standard freezers line another wall, and three commercial mixers fill some more of the floor. Her Bosch machines sift the flour, and granite countertops make it easy to cut the cakes for the platters.

“We can sift up to a hundred pounds of flour a day,” Mrs. Greenbaum adds. “Or more.”

Looking at the near-standard equip-

IN THE FAMILY

People often ask Mrs. Greenbaum how she keeps up with the workload. It’s intense work, very physical, and the nature of the business means that it’s busiest during the busiest times of the year!

“The truth is,” Mrs. Greenbaum says, “that I’d have long closed up shop if not for the fact that it brings parnassah to my kollel couples.”

Having a flexible side job that works around their children’s schedules makes it possible for Mrs. Greenbaum’s daughters to fulfill their desire in supporting their husbands in learning, and even a son has pitched in after kollel.

“In fact,” Mrs. Greenbaum adds, “a daughter of the Skverer Rebbe always told her children that she liked ordering cakes from us because she felt that it was a way of providing parnassah for kollel families.”

ment, you’d never know what volume this kitchen produces, but it’s also easy to see why Mrs. Greenbaum’s cakes are still as original as ever. They’re made without any artificial ingredients, preservatives or chemicals, which means all ingredients used are the same ones you’d use in your own kitchen.

Nevertheless, once there was a separate kitchen, Mrs. Greenbaum was able to get an official hechsher, which also helped her business grow.

SEASONABLY BUSY

Mrs. Greenbaum’s busiest season? Hands down, it’s Sukkos.

down, and they scrub the bakery kitchen spotless.

“But putting Erev Pesach aside,” she continues, “you should see Motzei Pesach! This year, especially, postPesach was unbelievably hectic. There was just one short day between Pesach and Shabbos, which meant pulling an all-nighter to fill the limited amount of orders I’d accepted.”

Spreading Happiness

Instead of hiring help as her business grew, Mrs. Greenbaum kept the business in the family. All of her married daughters have worked in her kitchen, either doing the baking or administrative work, and even her eight- and ten-year-old grandchildren have pitched in during hectic seasons.

“We bake from nine to three every day,” Mrs. Greenbaum says. These days, Mrs. Greenbaum herself mostly acts as the manager and lets her daughters do the baking. Only on busy weekends does she find it necessary to help out on the baking end.

Hardships in the Mix

Of course, running a business like this from home comes with its own hardships, some of which were unexpected.

“The pressure,” Mrs. Greenbaum declares, “of always making sure I have enough stock to fill my orders can get very tough.”

Because this means that if she gets a call on Thursday that there’s another kiddush that Shabbos, she’ll be baking all Thursday through the night and on Friday to fill that order. And because her cakes are always made fresh, she can’t quite stock up in advance, so the baking always ends up being pretty unpredictable.

That’s the kind of pressure that exists all the time. But of course, any housewife who has just been through the Pesach season can imagine a far greater pressure: Pesach!

While Mrs. Greenbaum has a Pesach kitchen, she doesn’t feel comfortable opening it up until she has completely finished with her professional baking.

“Everything is chometz’dig in my house,” she explains. “Even my cordless phone is full of flour after a day of baking! So I really like to wait until we’re no longer baking to hit the Pesach kitchen. And a few days before Pesach, I get a cleaning crew to come

Mrs. Greenbaum’s business is built on happy customers. As she says, the one thing that would make her close her business is an unhappy customer. She’s in business to make people happy, and she works hard to make sure of that.

Baruch Hashem, Mrs. Greenbaum can say that she truly does succeed in this mission. Her cakes are always fresh, delicious and ready on time. Today, her showstopping babkas, in particular, are tremendous crowd-pleasers. These decorated masterpieces, which are rolled, filled and topped to culinary perfection, have become one of her most requested items.

“In general, people will order these babkas from me as an upgrade,” Mrs. Greenbaum shares. “They’re something different, something more unique than standard bakery fare, and words truly cannot do them justice. They make a statement on any sweet table, especially when there are multiple babkas lined up, each with a card labeling them as either chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, lotus, praline, and so on.”

Mrs. Greenbaum makes more than just her customers happy. The entire neighborhood enjoys the delicious smell of her

“I begin preparing for Sukkos during the Nine Days!” Mrs. Greenbaum says. “And even then it’s nonstop work for weeks on end to fill all incoming orders.”

NO TO SPONGE

baking, and all the little (and sometimes big) neighbors come knocking on her door.

“Can we please have the ends?” they ask.

And Mrs. Greenbaum is always happy to give them a large bag of cake ends, which can’t be used when making the platters.

“Lots of people try to be my friend so they can get the ends,” she laughs. “But really, I share with anyone who asks. I have so many leftover end pieces that they would land in the garbage otherwise.”

It’s also very gratifying to be the one baking the delicious cakes sent as gifts to family, friends or workplace acquaintances. Especially during the COVID pandemic, when Mrs. Greenbaum didn’t have a quiet day.

“People constantly called to place orders,” Mrs. Greenbaum explains. “Schools and chadarim, especially, called one after the next. They wanted to send babkas as tokens of appreciation to the teachers and melamdim who were working so hard.” And these specialty cakes were the perfect way to express that.

Talking about babkas of appreciation makes Mrs. Greenbaum laugh as she remembers her funniest story yet.

“There was a certain school that ordered babkas from me on a pretty regular basis, whether for teachers celebrating simchos or to mark other occasions. The secretary would call me, place an order, and send a non-Jewish worker to come pick it up.”

This non-Jewish driver worked in the school full-time, and at one point she wanted to send a gift to her boss, the administrator. Of course, the first idea she thought of was to order a cake from Mrs. Greenbaum.

She also wanted to present the cake in honor of the upcoming holiday. Which holiday? Pesach, of course!

Trying not to laugh, Mrs. Greenbaum gently explained that a cake would absolutely not be appreciated at this time. Of course, the non-Jewish worker agreed to present the cake at a different time, which turned out to be at the end of the school year. And when preparing the babka at last, Mrs. Greenbaum couldn’t help writing a little note titled “The Story Behind the Babka” to let the staff know about the cake that almost was…

“Sometimes people request that I don’t include sponge cake on the trays,” Mrs. Greenbaum says, “but what they don’t know is that I never, ever bake sponge cake!

It’s simply not an option. I like any other variety, but sponge? No.”

It’s short, squat and has ugly residue from packing tape criss-crossing all of its walls and door like caution tape. But there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to this freezer — unless you’re afraid you’ll be stuck with a freezer.

No, not without a freezer. With a freezer.

The story began in my sister’s first apartment. This balabuste was fast outgrowing her kitchen space, so she invested in a freezer, now fondly known as The Freezer. She used it, loved it — as much as you can love an appliance, anyway — and then, when she moved to her bigger house and purchased a large double fridge-freezer, this small freezer was, sadly, left without a tafkid

The Freezer was relegated to the garage at first, but then made its way to the next sister’s house, where said balabuste was having her turn at outgrowing her freezer space. For her, this small freezer was a lifesaver; she no longer had to worry that she’d need to have her family eat the frozen spinach and cauliflower so she’d have space for her next batch of challah!

The freezer spent the next while quietly humming in her house until this sister, too, purchased a large freezer. Now sister number two retired the freezer, which was once again stripped of its frozen food.

If the freezer was dejected, my sister’s emotions were running high.

“I need to get this thing out of my house,” she told sister number one. “It’s taking up space, and I can’t stand the sight of it anymore. Can I drop it off?”

The answer was quick and unequivocal. “No, absolutely not. Find it another home!”

And so it was that, over the next few weeks, local phone lines were nearly fried with the almost maniacal desperation of one sister and the firm insistence of the second.

“But what should I do with it?” sister number two demanded.

“I don’t know!” sister number one said. “I don’t need it! Just get rid of it, and stop hollering!”

Soon the entire family was swept into the freezer drama. Finally, after some dozen conversations too many, I learned that my mother-in-law could use a freezer.

Wow! This was a wonderful besurah tovah. But first it stayed only

SO IT WAS THAT, OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, LOCAL PHONE LINES WERE NEARLY FRIED WITH THE ALMOST MANIACAL DESPERATION OF ONE SISTER AND THE FIRM INSISTENCE OF THE SECOND

a besurah, and soon the phone calls began coming rather rapidly. As the point of contact between the two families, I was the number on speed dial.

“Any clue when someone’s coming for the freezer?”

“Ding-dong. The freezer! Please!”

“PLEASE! Get this freezer out of my sight!”

“I AM GOING TO THROW THIS FREEZER OVER THE PORCH IF NO ONE COMES FOR IT. NO, I AM NOT OVERREACTING!”

At long last, my husband was kind enough to initiate and help with the transfer. Soon the freezer was up and running in my in-laws’ home, freezing food with certitude and distinction.

A few years passed, and it was our turn to move. In our new, temporary apartment, we had even less freezer space than we had originally, and my husband and I toyed with the idea of purchasing a mini freezer. In the meantime, I pushed off baking challah and resigned myself to purchasing meat and poultry for only a few days at a time.

During a random phone conversation with my husband’s sister, my lack of freezer space came up.

“You know,” she said, “I think my mother has a small freezer she’s not using.”

“Really?” Something niggled at my brain. “Hold on. Is it the one that came from my sister?”

“Your sister? I have no idea.”

A few short phone calls later, we were matched with our freezer, and yes, it was The Freezer. And it was only by fluke that it was still sitting on my in-laws’ porch; it had been empty for two months already, waiting for a decision to be made about its future.

But we knew it was patiently waiting for its new source of bounty, as ready for service as we were to produce the food to fill it.

For the second time, my husband was charged with carrying out the transfer. And soon the freezer was up and running in our own home, the latest stop in a series of homes where it was welcomed with open arms.

It’s ugly and it’s old, but it’s a freezer with a heart. Do you need it next?

FAVORITES THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

Now that Pesach is over and we’re all craving cake, here’s a history of vintage baked favorites. What’s behind these cakes that we’ve loved to bake for centuries?

Here’s a tribute to those palate-pleasers. And whether you’re the chef or the consumer or even just a taster, enjoy this history of the goodies that have been de rigueur in so many kitchens for generations.

CHANA GLUCK

The Danish

The Danish pastry is officially a “multilayered, laminated sweet pastry in the viennoiserie tradition.” This pastry is anything but slapdash; it’s a work of art and heart.

Laminated dough, in culinary terms, is made of many thin layers, separated by butter or the like, and produced by repeated rolling and folding. And viennoiserie is when baked goods are made from yeast-leavened dough similar to bread, but with additives to sweeten and enrich.

But why is it called a Danish?

Roll back to 1850. Bakery workers in Denmark were on strike, so bosses hired foreign workers, among them Austrian bakers, who shared their native baking traditions and recipes. A certain laminated pastry was among them.

Although the Danes liked the newly-imported concept they called Wienerbrod, or Viennese bread, they changed the recipe to suit their tastes and developed the pastry into a Danish specialty. And so the Danish was born.

(The Viennese call the Danish pastry Kopenhagener Plunder. The word “plunder” in German means “puff pastry” and not loot, as I had thought.)

Like so many culinary favorites with international roots, immigrants brought the Danish to the melting pot of the United States.

Laminated dough can contain as many as 80 layers. A proper Danish cuts you some slack, though, with only 27. The dough is rolled, buttered and folded, again and again, chilling in between to ease handling as needed. The results are the pastry we know, which is at once light and airy and crisp but also rich and buttery. Danishes are topped with fruit, chocolate or glaze, and filled with preserves, custard, chocolate or cheese. Enjoy them in circle shapes, figure eights, spirals, half-moons or pretzel-like kringles.

Marble Cake

Marble cake is defined as a cake with a streaked or mottled appearance, achieved by very lightly blending light and dark batter. Rather than being a standout for culinary beauty, this cake is the epitome of homey and comforting. Though this cake has seen much, hailing from Germany in the early nineteenth century and debuting in America during the Civil War era, the vanilla-andchocolate version we know and love is relatively new. The original German version consisted of a gugelhupf, a sweet yeast bread, with one half colored with molasses and spices for a darker effect. The contemporary sponge cake batter only came later.

The chocolate version here in the U.S. can be attributed to Milton S. Hershey’s introduction of the more affordable chocolate bar, and subsequently, Americans’ obsession with chocolate.

Not long after spice-marble switched to chocolate, a recipe for the new chocolate version was printed in the Jewish but unfortunately non-kosher cookbook Aunt Babette’s, where the dark half of the cake called for “about two heaping tablespoons of grated chocolate.” (That word “about” tells us something about the level of trust recipe writers of old had in their followers.) From then on, marble cake became a culturally Jewish item.

At this point, combo recipes calling for chocolate and spices like cinnamon and cloves gained popularity, but eventually, chocolate prevailed. And in a nod to history, although bakeries favor the sponge cake version, many homemakers lean toward the sturdier butter-based batter, harking back to the original gugelhupf

Sponge Cake

Said to be one of the pioneers of non-yeasted cakes, sponge cake is a light and airy cake with no fat, traditional flour, or leavening. The rise comes from beating air into egg whites. And that is what has given this cake its Jewish status as a coveted Pesach staple. Credit for first converting this recipe to kosher-for-Pesach goes to members of the Jewish community in Italy. Significantly older than its counterparts, sponge cake has been on the scene since the 1600s for sure, though back in that day it resembled a biscuit bread more than the sponginess we’re familiar with. When bakers started adding beaten eggs as a rising agent, the cake took on a sponge-like consistency.

Sponge cake is delicate and soaks up flavors well, and is also the base of multigenerational favorites like Boston Cream Pie and Swiss Roll.

Bundt Cake

Rather than being associated with any single recipe, a Bundt cake is any cake baked in a Bundt pan, which gives it its distinct, doughnutlike shape. This ringed delicacy shares roots with the marble cake, as it was also inspired by the German gugelhupf, which was traditionally baked in a ringed pan, but with baker’s yeast.

Sources disagree about the source of the word Bundt to describe this cake shape. Some claim “bund” is the way the cake is bundled around the pan’s center, while others maintain that the word refers to a group of people, or a bund, referring to the fact that this presentable cake is appropriate to serve at gatherings.

The Bundt cake became famous thanks to two Jewish American women, and the company Nordic Ware added the “t.” When friends Rose Joshua and Fannie Schanfield approached the founders of Nordic Ware with a request to produce a modern version of the cast-iron gugelhupf dish, the company made their cast-aluminum version and produced a small run in 1950. To trademark the pans, the “t” was added to the original bund

Sales of the new Bundt pan were so bad at first that Nordic considered discontinuing it. But the Bundt got a boost when it was mentioned in a new cookbook in 1963, and then a real surge when a new Bundt recipe, Tunnel of Fudge, won second place in a bake-off in 1966.

To date, Nordic Ware has sold more than 60 million Bundt pans, and the tasty cakes are still bundled off to be served to bunds large and small.

Honey Cake/ Lekach

Honey cake is exactly what it sounds like: a honey-sweetened cake. Often baked especially for Rosh Hashanah, this cake pleases the spirit as much as the palate. Foods that are tied to tradition are enduring. Mention of this cake goes back as far as the year 1105, when it was described as a “fine-floured challah with honey.” Since Ashkenazim used this cake to celebrate the Torah learning of new cheder boys in addition to the honey they’d lick, it is amusing to learn that its term “lekach ” may be derived from the German word “lecken ”!

Though fancier cakes exist, the lekach, firmly entrenched in tradition, remains on the table.

Babka

Officially a sweet braided bread, babka originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. Not to be confused with its Hungarian cousin, kokosh. I mean, would you confuse a Poilisher with an Ungarisher? Please. This not-a-cake connotes warmth and love, as the name itself is an ode to the resourceful “babka ” of yesteryear who rolled up leftover challah dough with jam or cinnamon to create this treat. Others say it is the tall, fluted pan that gave the babka its name, as it made the finished product resemble the folds of a grandmother’s skirt. Whatever the case, the fact that someone went through hours of time and mess to create this oozing treat could make anyone ooze with warmth!

Original babka fillings were fruit, nuts and poppy seeds. But as the cost of chocolate and cocoa fell and these ingredients showed up in the common pantry in the twentieth century, chocolate became the filling of choice. In recent years, babka and kokosh have moved beyond the cozy confines of the heimesh community and have been introduced to the world at large. You can now find babka filled with all manner of foreign fillings like nutella. How the babkas would cringe had they known!

Rainbow Cake

A three-layered almond-flavored ItalianAmerican confection, this cake conjures up both Italy and Oberlander’s.

There’s nothing neutral about this cake: either you like it very much, or you don’t — and just as much. Its history is simple enough: Its colors — red, white and green — represent the Italian flag.

And yet. Rainbow cake has for years had a decidedly Jewish feel to it and has been a common kiddush staple. Food historians credit that to the Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe settling in New York neighborhoods with largely Italian populations. And we’re always changing things up, aren’t we? Jewish American bakers are credited as being the first to switch around the order of the colors, and for changing the white part of the cake to yellow, creating the rainbow pattern we’re familiar with today.

Crinkle Cookies

The crinkle cookie is a striking cookie rolled in powdered sugar that cracks to reveal dark dough, and it boasts a crunchy exterior and soft, chewy center. Somehow, many people believe that it is their family’s heirloom cookie. Pitted against the likes of marble cake and lekach, crinkle cookies seem fresh and new, but surprisingly, they have been on the scene since 1957, when the recipe was printed in the Betty Crocker cookbook pamphlet Cooky Carnival. A very similar recipe known as Ube Crinkles or Purple Yam Crinkles is part of Filipino tradition, and yes, they are made with purple yams.

Dobosh Torte

Dobosh Torte is a Hungarian sponge cake with seven layers of thin cake filled with rich chocolate buttercream, topped with caramel, and sometimes coated with ground nuts. This is an elegant cake fit for a special occasion. If you want to eat a piece of art, this is it.

And if it sounds awfully a lot like wafer cake, that’s because it is. It earned its official name from pastry chef Jozsef C. Dobos, owner of a delicatessen in Budapest. Dobos invented the showstopping torte in 1884 with the intention of its being a pastry with a longer shelf life (this was before modern refrigeration options existed). It was far smaller than the sheet-pan size we see today, and his torte was round.

As a half-breed Hungarian, I couldn’t leave this cake out. Dobosh Torte is a rite of passage, if you have the right blood. You’re a true balabusta only if you’ve labored over wafer cake l’kavod Sukkos or for a simcha, if you’ve served this for ushpizin, dabbled with a few recipes until you found the perfect one, and you’ve taken pictures of your bachur’l creating razor edges on the dough with a measuring tape.

And if you’ve made kokosh but avoided wafer cake, let it be known that wafer cake is less time-consuming and mess-producing than kokosh by far, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Something smells delicious in here!

The Struggle for Connection

Guilt and fear are powerful emotions that can often hold a significant influence over our lives. These emotions often serve as useful indicators for potential threats, or as moral compasses, highlighting where we might be going wrong. Guilt and fear though can also become destructive forces when they begin to cripple an individual’s ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships.

A glimpse into the life of someone deep in emotional turmoil can offer valuable insight into the obstacles they encounter and the measures they employ to conquer their inner battles. By empathizing with their journey, we can deepen our understanding of the intricacies of human relationships and learn how to support those struggling with these powerful emotions.

Meet Shimon, a kind and compassionate individual whose life has been defined by an overwhelming sense of guilt and fear. Shimon appears to have it all together. He has a loving family, nice status in the community, and a broad social circle. Beneath the surface however Shimon is crippled by feelings of guilt and fear. Feelings that have taken an immense toll on his ability to form and maintain connections.

These emotions stem from Shimon’s childhood experiences. Shimon’s childhood was replete with constant criticism and finger pointing for family problems and issues, regardless if he was at fault or not. The ever-present feeling of being blamed led Shimon to develop a strong sense of guilt, causing him to feel responsible in life, even when not. This guilt was accompanied by a paralyzing fear of disappointing others, which ultimately manifested in a reluctance to establish deep connections with those around him.

Shimon’s overwhelming guilt and fear have had a profound impact on his relationships. His fear of hurting or disappointing others keeps him from getting too close to his friends and relatives, thus resulting in his relationships being superficial, lacking in depth and intimacy. Unable to truly open up and

The ever-present feeling of being blamed led Shimon to develop a strong sense of guilt, causing him to feel responsible in life, even when he was not.

When Guilt and Fear Cripple the Heart, Embracing Vulnerability Paves the Path to Overcoming Emotional Shackles.

share his feelings with others, the constant state of angst has left Shimon feeling isolated and disconnected.

In an attempt to protect himself from the pain of rejection and disappointment, Shimon has become a master at self-sabotage. Whenever he senses a relationship growing closer he instinctively pulls away, creating distance or ending the relationship altogether. This vicious cycle has left Shimon feeling trapped, unable to

break free from the grip of his guilt and fear.

Despite the challenges Shimon faces, he knows there is hope for him. By seeking professional help and engaging in therapy, Shimon has begun to address the root causes for his guilt and fear. Through these therapeutic sessions, Shimon is learning to recognize and challenge his irrational thought patterns, as well as developing healthy coping mechanisms for managing his emotions.

Through this process, Shimon is gradually learning to let go of guilt and fear, opening up to the possibility of deeper, more meaningful connections.

* * *

Guilt and fear can be incredibly powerful emotions that, when left unchecked, can cripple one’s ability to form and maintain relationships. Shimon’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of recognizing and addressing these emotions in order to foster healthy connections with others. Through therapy and a willingness to face their fears head-on, individuals like Shimon can break free from the chains of guilt and fear, ultimately opening the door to a more fulfilling and connected life.

Whenever he senses a relationship growing closer he instinctively pulls away, creating distance or ending the relationship altogether.

:וינפל ועימשה וינפל וריכזה

ןענאפעלעט יד

"עישוהל בר" ןופ

זאלדנע ןעגנילק

רעטנעזיוט יד ןופ ןליוו עכלעוו ןדיא

א ןבעגרעביא

ןוידפ א טימ לטיווק

על'יעשי יבר ראפ

תארקל ע"יז

אמוי ןסיורג םעד אשידק אלוליהד

ןיא עישוהל בר ןופ סעסיפא יד ןיא – .י.נ ,יסנאמ וצ ןביוהעגנא ןענאפעלעט יד ןיוש ןבאה ,יסנאמ טקנופ ןליוו עכלעוו ןדיא רעטנעזיוט יד ןופ ןעגנילק עגילייה יד ןיא ןגילייטאב ךיז ,ןראי עגידרעירפ יוו ןבעגרעביא ןטימ על'יעשי יבר ןופ דסחה תכשמה רעייז ןקישפיורא ךיוא יוזא ןוא ,ןוידפ םענייש א .עישוהל בר ןופ םיחילש עיירטעג יד טימ לטיווק בר סאוו ןראי עגנאל ןופ הקזח א ןיוש זיא סע ואוו הקדצ ענעמונעגנא יד ןראוועג זיא עישוהל ייז זא ןיוש ןסייוו ןזיירק ןוא ןטכיש עלא ןופ ןדיא עגילייה יד טימ ןייז רשקמ טימרעד ךיז ןענעק לייטנא ןעמענ ןכרוד ע"יז על'יעשי יבר ןופ המשנ ןוא ,דסחה תולועפ עכילנעוועגרעסיוא יד ןיא ק"הרא ןיא ךעלרעדניק רעטנעזיוט ןרעטיפ ןפלעה .ךילגעט גאט ןראוועג ןעמונעגפיוא זיא באטש עלעיצעפס א ןוא ןענאפעלעט עלא יד ןרעפטנע ןענעק וצ עלא יד ןופ תושקב יד ןעמענרעביא ךילנעזרעפ דימו ףכית סע ןוא ךעלטיווק יד ןביירשפא ןוא ,ןדיא יד ואוו ,ריטסערעק ןיא תועושיה רוקמ םוצ ןקישפא ךעלקינייא ע'בושח יד םשארבו םיחילש עטרינגיזעד טראד ןסייר ןוא ,'קה ןויצ םוצ ףיורא סאד ןעגנערב ןרעוו ןפלאהעג ןלאז ייז זא םיכמות עלא ראפ ןייא .םימחרו העושי רבדב עגיד'אלפ טכילטנפעראפ ןרעוו ראי ךאנ ראי עכלעוו ,ןיילא השעמה ילעב יד ךרוד םירופיס םינפוא עגיד'אלפה ףיוא ןראוועג ןפלאהעג ןענעז יבר ראפ םימוכס עכילרעה טימ ןגילייטאב ךיז ןכאנ .עישוהל בר - הקדצ ס'על'יעשי ןיוש טפור ןוידפ ןוא לטיווק רעייא ןבעגוצרעביא 718-682-5056 :וצ ןיירא

:ונחלש היחמל יכ

דסחה תכשמה יד

על'יעשי יבר ןופ

"עישוהל בר" ע"יז

רעביא טרעטיפ

טנעזיוט ייווצ

עגירעגנוה

ןיא ךעלרעדניק

גאט ק"הרא ךילגעט

אלוליה םענופ געט יד ןיא – ק”היע םילשורי

זיא סאוו ןמז רעד ,ע”יז על’יעשי יבר ןופ אשידק

גיטכיוו זיא ,עבטה ךרדל ץוח תועושיל לגוסמ

תוקבוח תולועפ עגילייה יד ןעגנערבוצסיורא

יבר ןופ דסחה תכשמה םענופ םלוע תועורז

בר“ עיצאזינאגרא רעגילייה רעד – ע”יז על’יעשי

ע’בושח יד ךרוד טריפעגנא טרעוו עכלעוו ”עישוהל

השמ יבר צ”הרה ,על’יעשי יבר ןופ ךעלקינייא

יבר צ”הרה ויחאו א”טילש גרעבנעטטאר לאומש .א”טילש ףסוהי ריאמ

ןצפופ רעביא טימ ןבאה רעדורב ערעייט ייווצ יד

ךישממ תוחילש ןגילייה םעד ןעמונעגנא קירוצ ראי

ןעמוקאב ןכאנ ,ןדייז רעייז ןופ םידסח יד ןייז וצ ךעלקינייא עלא ןופ דודיעו קוזיח עגידלאוועג

םינבר ןעוועג ןענעז עכלעוו על’יעשי יבר ןופ

שטנואוו ןגילייה םעד ןריפסיוא יוזא ןוא ,ם”ירומדאו

ןוא רעדניק יד זא ,הריטפ ןייז ראפ על’יעשי יבר ןופ

ןוא ,םידסח יד ןייז ךישממ רעטייוו ןלאז ךעלקינייא

.תועושי יד ןייז ךישממ ןענעק רעטייוו רע טעוו יוזא

הקדצ רעגילייה רעד טאה ,ראי ןצפופ ךאנ םויהכ

רצבמ עגיזיר א ןראוועג זיא ןוא ,טרידאלפסקע

טנעזיוט ייווצ רעביא טרעטיפ עכלעוו דסחה

ראג יד טימ ךילגעט גאט ךעלרעדניק ךעלציפ

ןייק ןאהראפ טשינ’ס סאוו ,עלומראפ יביעב ערעייט

ספליה גנוריגער רעדא עיצאזינאגרא ערעדנא םוש

עמירא יד ןוא ,ןלעטשוצ סאד טוט סאוו םארגארפ

רעייז ןעמוקאב טשינ טושפ ןגעלפ ךעלרעדניק

טאה עישוהל בר זיב גנורענרע עגיטכיוו שיטירק

.ןלייטראפ וצ ןביוהעגנא סאד

ןעמוק דנאטשוצ טנעקעג זיולב טאה סאד ןוא

רעטנעזיוט יד ןופ עציטש עגיצראהטיירב יד קנאדא ”עישוהל בר“ ןפלעה עכלעוו םיכמות ערעייט

על’יעשי יבר ןופ םידסח עגילייה יד ןייז ךישממ .ע”יז

ןענעז סע זא ןענאטאב וצ גיטכיוו רעבא זיא סע

עכלעוו ךעלרעדניק רעטרעדנוה ןאהראפ ךאנ

ןעמוקאב ןענעק וצ עטסילטראוו ןפיוא ךאנ ןענעז

ללכ זא ןטראוורע םוצ זיא סע ןוא ,עלומראפ יד

םיכרד עגילייה יד ןיא ןייז קבדמ ךיז טעוו לארשי

עכילרעה טימ ןפורנא ךיז ןוא על’יעשי יבר ןופ

עגיצנייא עדעי ןרעטיפ ןענעק לאז ןעמ זא םימוכס

.ק”הרא ןיא דניק עגירעגנוה

.בוט אלמ הבער שפנו הקקוש שפנ עיבשה יכ

If you’ve ever dabbled in baking, chances are that you’ve used a Wilton item or two. Let’s explore how this world-famous company has impacted the baking industry.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

The Wilton Enterprises story starts with young Dewey McKinley Wilton in the 1920s, who got a job in a candy factory when he was about 15 years old. Soon he discovered that he had a passion for making sweet things. He dabbled with candy making and cake decorating for years, and then opened the Wilton School of Cake Decorating in the 1930s. He taught the many tips and tricks he had developed, and he traveled across the Midwest teaching bakers, chefs and anyone else who wanted to learn all about baking confections.

WAR VETERANS AND CAKE DECORATING

Mr. Wilton had a son who was a soldier in World War II. When young Norman Wilton returned home from war in the 1940s, he suggested to his father that instead of traveling around, they should open the Wilton School of Cake Decorating in their living room and have students come to them to learn the tricks of the trade. Their first ad got seven students, but their tiny “school” quickly became well known, and their classes continued to grow.

At that time, many war veterans were returning to the United States after harsh years fighting overseas. Then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill of Rights in 1944, which provided war veterans with funds for higher education and housing. The Wilton School of Cake Decorating was one of the places that honored the G.I. Bill of Rights, and many veterans flocked to the school to learn how to create candy and cakes in order to open their own shops. By 1948, the school had grown tremendously and was operating in a 6,000 square foot space. The Wilton school still has a physical location in Illinois today where they teach classes, in addition to the virtual classes and courses they offer online.

WILTON PRODUCTS

In the 1950s, Wilton launched their first product catalog so cake decorators everywhere could buy the tools of the trade. As shopping malls became popular in the 1970s, Wilton Enterprises opened stores and kiosks across the country, where they taught cake decorating in addition to selling their products. They now sell everything from cupcake liners and icing tips to cookie cutters and cake stands. They also produce baking ingredients such as extracts, fondants, flavoring and cake mixes, most of which are certified kosher by the OU.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

One cool item Wilton sells is their “Bake Even Cake Strips.” Ever wondered how professional bakers always manage to get their cakes perfectly and evenly baked, with no cracks or raw middles? They might be using these strips!

Normally, the sides of a cake bake faster than the rest of the cake, which is why cakes might have crustier sides and a slightly raw middle. This happens because the metal of the pan gets hot quickly, and that bakes the sides of the cake faster. The Bake Even strips are strips of fabric that are wetted and then wrapped around the outside of cake pans, creating an insulating layer. These keep the pan from getting as hot, so the sides of the cake bake at the same rate as the rest of the cake.

This also prevents “crowning,” which is when the top of a cake gets slightly puffed up and forms an uneven surface. It’s especially important to prevent this when creating layered cakes that need to lie flat on top of one another.

“DEAR SHIMON: WE’VE BEEN WITH THE PIRATES FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW. RACHEL IS WELL… I HAVE A PLAN… DAVEN FOR ME. OPERATION U-TURN BEGINS TONIGHT!” I WONDER WHAT THIS MEANS!

YOU SEE! NOT ONLY ARE THEY ALIVE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A PLAN TO ESCAPE!

RECAP: AS THEY EXPLORE THE NEWLY-DISCOVERED SHIP, YOSEF AND RACHEL WONDER HOW SHIMON IS DOING. MEANWHILE, SHIMON’S JUST FOUND THE LETTER YOSEF WROTE TO HIM!

DON’T BE SILLY. IF HASHEM WEREN’T LOOKING OUT FOR US, WE’D NEVER HAVE FOUND THIS LETTER TO BEGIN WITH! THEY WERE ALIVE. THERE’S NO WAY TO TELL WHEN THIS WAS WRITTEN.

MY CHILDREN NEED ME, SAID! SET SAIL AND LET US FLY!

FLY WHERE?

WHICH COURSE DO WE FOLLOW, SIR?

THEY HAVE A POINT. IF WE DON’T KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING, WE MAY AS WELL STAY HERE.

HEAD WEST. I THINK THEY WENT THAT WAY. WE’LL FIGURE OUT THE REST AS WE GO.

GUYS, COME WITH ME! IT’S TIME TO GET TO WORK!

by: YONAH KLEIN illustration: JACKY YARHI

Hint: Each Boggle board hides a word of nine letters or more!

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Gather round the table to play a family game of Boggle, using this Boggle board.

2. Once you have a winner, fill out the form below in its entirety

3. Email the form to comments@ themonseyview.com or fax to 845600-8483 by Sunday at midnight.

4. Two winners will be drawn each week, each of whom will win a pastrami sandwich and a can of soda!

PLAYING RULES:

Find words on the board containing four letters or more. Letters of a word must be connected in a chain (each letter should be adjacent to the next either vertically, horizontally or diagonally), and each letter can only be used once in a given word.

The following are not allowed in Boggle:

Adding “s” to a word

• Abbreviations

Acronyms

• Proper nouns

• Contractions

•

POINTS

4-letter words: 2 points | 5-letter words: 3 points | 6-letter words: 5 points | 7-letter words: 7 points |

ED N Y B

RI O M

T O R S L W A I H

N K C U P

Family name: _________________________________ Phone: __________________

Full mailing address: ____________________________________________________

Full name of winner: _________________ Amount of points: __________

Full names of competing players:

List some words only the winner found:

__________________________________

The longest word found on the board: _____________________________

A new word you learned from the board: __________________________

Only complete forms will be entered into the drawing.

C L 220 www.themonseyview.com 845.600.8484 The Monsey View April 19, 2023

By: Faigy Jacobowitz

Send your colored page to The Monsey View to enter a drawing for a chance to have your artwork featured in our pages and win $5 at Toys4U! Ten lucky winners will be announced each week!

To enter the raffle, email your colored page to comments@themonseyview.com, or mail it to 365 Route 59, Suite 239, Airmont, NY 10952. Submissions will be included in the drawing only if all information is filled in.

Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone:______________________________________________ Age:____________________ School:_________________________________________________________

Talent Show

Dovi Goldberger

Tuli and Malky Friedman

Shimmy Goldklang

Yidy Goldberger and Aryeh Luria

Shaya and Yitzchok B. Klagsbrun

Hadassah Zeigerman, 5

Mordechai Zeigerman, 4

Roizy Greenwald, 6

Esti Itzkowitz and Faiga Ruchela Brach

Avrum Chaim Breuer

Yidy Goldberger

Meilich and Shmili Klein

Pessy Katz, 8, Belz

Shloimy Friedman

Heinemann girls, castle

Moishe Abramowitz

Tzvi Rand, 7

Ruchy Weiss, 5

Classifieds

FOR SALE

USED CAR

Good running fully loaded Ford fusion 2010 133K miles, body not in great shape, $2500 OBO, 845-323-9145

RESTAURANT FOR SALE

Local Monsey Working Restaurant for sale. Call or text +18453934516 Email: Monseyrestaurnt@gmail. com

DOONA STROLLER

Doona Stroller, multiple colors avail.cll/txt 1-201-6144045

JOOLZ HUB PLUS

Black, brand new in box. Selling for $590, in store $730.00. 8455385693

JOOLZ AER

Brand new in box. Selling for $360.00. reg price $450.00 845.538.5693

CARPET FOR SALE

Persian 100% wool carpet. 13.7 ft x 10 ft. Multi colored. Perfect condition, newly cleaned! Best offer call 917754-5222

AIR CONDITION

Looking to sell LG Air conditioner, 2 Years Old, in great condition. Size: 2 feet wide, 15 inches tall. Please call/text 929-2893413

DRESSER FOR SALE

Beautiful 3 door Italian dresser with mirror for sale. High sheen mahogany. Brand new condition. Best offer, pictures available, txt only 8457460486

NEOCATE/BABY FORMULA

Neocate $46.99 per can. Kendamil $38.99. Similac L’Mehadrin $28.99!! We also buy off any extra formula for a good price. Call for other types of formulas.

Formula Trade 347.369.4886

REAL ESTATE

APT FOR RENT

Newly renovated apt avail immed : 2 bedrooms: stunning bathroom: spacious kitchen: quartz counters; fancy lights: elegant flooring: Spacious Storage Shed: Very big backyard. TEXT ONLY. (917)830-6341

APT FOR RENT

Large 1 bedroom apt for rent in the area of Route 306 and New Pomona Rd. If interested please call 845-208-4451

MONSEY SHORT

TERM RENTAL

Highview/College. Summer /Shabbos/ Simcha Rental. Fully furnished luxury house. 3 or 6 bedroom option. Call/ whatsapp 718-541-0292

BRAND NEW APT

Brand new, Luxurious Apartment for rent - Spacious Kitchen and Dining Room, Playroom + Pesach Kitchen, Laundry Room, 4 Bedrooms. Centrally located on Francis Place. Asking $4,200 + Utilities. Please contact 845579-2352

AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY

New 2 bedroom apt + shed, entirely above ground in New Hempstead. Great location, large driveway. Includes washer, dryer, microwave, fridge, oven and wifi. Control your own cooling & heating. Contact 845.262.9009

APT FOR RENT

New beautiful 1.5 bedroom apt. Spring Hill/Chestnut Ridge area. Short/Long Term. 551-228-5373

APT FOR RENT

Apt for rent on Blauvelt Rd, call after 11, 845-659-6219

BEAUTIFUL APARTMENT FOR RENT

Spacious Kitchen and Dining Room, Playroom + Pesach Kitchen, Laundry Room, 4 Bedrooms. Centrally located Decatur area. Asking $4,000 + Utilities. Please contact 718344-7593

SHOWROOM / OFFICE

SPACE AVAILABLE

Available Rt 45 & Old Nyack 2,000 s/f to lease as a office / showroom. call 8453199168

APARTMENT FOR RENT

Brand new 2 bedroom walk in apartment available immediately in The Scotland Hill area of Chestnut Ridge. Call/Text 718-344-1748

NEWDAY AREAHOUSE FOR RENT

3 bedrooms 1 bath, large kitchen, new furnace and boiler, big fenced yard, 10 min walk to route 59 . Call/ text 8458370237

SUMMER RENTAL WANTED

Looking for a 2 bedroom apartment in the Bates/ Horton area for the Summer months. Call 347-546-8235 or 917-288-8497

CAMPGROUNDS

AVAILABLE

Campgrounds available to rent for a yeshivas kayitz 50100 boys. maintenance and food included. please contact poconosmanagement@ gmail.com

CAMPGROUNDS

AVAILABLE

Beautiful campgrounds in the poconos available to rent for yeshivah shabbatons or overnight stays. Please contact poconosmanagement@ gmail.com

GARAGE FOR RENT

Large three door garage available for rent in Chestnut Ridge. Please call 646-9958788

Classifieds real estate N help wanted N

HAVERSTRAW

1000 SF ground floor space + 15 parking spots available for rent call/Text 845.203.1120

OFFICE SPACE

New private all female office spaces located next to haztluchah grocery. Desk, Chair, Internet, Window, and Closet included. 1 desk office left call text 718-813-4265

VACATION HOME

White Lake, NY. Beautiful 8 BR / 5BA home. Sleeps 20+. Next to the lake. Available weekdays and weekends. Call / text 347-263-4982

VACATION RENTAL

Beautiful 4 Bedroom home in gorgeous Highland Mills area next to Monroe for full Pesach, summer or week/ weekends. Call or text 929617-2586.

HOLLYWOOD FLORIDA

Beautiful private villa. 4 Master suites with kosher kitchen, huge living area, pool. Walking distance to Shul/ Kosher shopping. Call/ whatsapp 718-541-0292

SUMMER RENTAL

New City. Beautiful new 5BR 4000 sq.ft. home on park-like property, 10’ ceilings, granite kitchen, large deck, brick patio. Full Summer Only. 732-552-9485

HOUSE FOR RENT

A freshly painted and scraped 5 Bdrm house for rent College, Dolson Area. House has 3 full baths, Pesach kitchen and separate playroom on a large private property. Short or long term leases available. Call 845-290-6033 or email 2468jobmonsey@gmail.com,

KOSHER VILLA IN CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA

Beautiful villas with saltwater heated pool on gorgeous property. All amenities and kitchen accessories included. Near shul & Kosher grocery. Discounted rates available! call/text 347-224-5574

HOUSE FOR RENT IN MONTEBELLO

4,000 sq. Feet. Preferably for a Yeshiva. Please call: 347962-6429 Or 347-733-2566

LAKEHOUSE VILLA

Luxurious 3 bedroom lake house villa in Case Grande Arizona. Private pool fully stocked kosher kitchen. 520.251.4459

VACATION RENTAL

Magnificent house with a pool in Airmont fully stocked with all amenities, very close to shul and Mikvah, available to rent for weekends.

3474204945

HELP WANTED

BAS MIKROH ’23-‘24

Bas Mikroh is seeking Middle School Moros and Teachers, Junior High Secular Studies Teachers, Assistant to the Principal, Co-teachers and Assistants, Remedial Teachers, and Daycare Assistants to join our dynamic, talented staff. Please send resume to hr@ basmikroh.org

PLAYGROUP ASSISTANT

Gan Simcha is looking for an assistant for a 2 year old playgroup for September 2023. Contact Rikki 347-9309736.

TEACHERS WANTED

Boys Yeshiva in Flatbush seeking teachers for 2023-24, for grade 5, middle schoollanguage arts, & science, also seeking p3 providers. Email: resumesyeshiva@gmail.com

JOBS AVAILABLE

Part-time & Full-time jobs available. Email TopPartTimeJobs@ gmail.com

OFFICE POSITION

Office in Monsey is seeking a capable individual for an open position within the finance department. Great opportunity with potential, good pay and Heimish environment. Please email resume to chaimm@ easterndrayage.com

TEACHER

Looking for a dynamic, warm, and dedicated preschool Morah. Supportive environment, competitive salary, part-time/full-time positions available for upcoming school year. Email chedermonseyeducation@ gmail.com

TEACHER

GS Elementary TeacherLooking for an experienced, dedicated and capable teacher for upcoming school year. Supportive environment, full curriculum provided, competitive salary, focused on helping each student succeed. Email: chedermonseyeducation@ gmail.com

DAYCARE TEACHER

Heimishe Daycare is looking to hire a warm, loving, energetic, and responsible assistant/Teacher for the Summer/Next Year. (Well Paid) call(845)587-7904

YESHIVA OF SPRING VALLEY GIRLS

Seeking the following Staff for the 23-24 school year: *2nd Grade General Studies

Teacher *7th Grade ELA Teacher, M-Th PM hours. Competitive salary, warm supportive environment. Email resume: treitzer@ yeshivaspringvalley.org and call (845)356-1400 #223

Classifieds help wanted N

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Bnos Binah is looking for experienced, passionate, and goal oriented teachers, co-teachers, and assistants for various grades and subjects to join our dedicated team for the upcoming school year. Warm, positive, supportive, and growth oriented work environment with competitive pay on time. Please send resume to bschwartz@bnosbinahm.org

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Bas Mikroh is seeking a full time capable secretary and full time or part time classrooms assistants to join our dynamic staff. Please send resume to hr@ basmikroh.org.

PURCHASING/ ACCOUNT ASSISTANT

Office in Suffern NY is looking for Purchasing/ Account assistant. Do Job Takeoffs and Specking. Good Computer and CSR skills required. Good compensation package. Email resume to sales@ tzoharus.com

TUTOR WANTED

Chassidishe cheder looking for a male tutor for title one. 3:30-5:30. Please call 8452637445

FEMALE SECRETARIES

Looking for female secretaries in a busy accounting office, graduates are welcome, training provided. Kosher and Heimish office. Please send your resume to financial@ ygcpaco.com or call 845-5733000.

HELP WANTED

ABA Riders is looking for a female ABA para to work with a 6 year old during day hours. Driving and having a car is required. Paid travel time and gas! Well paid! Contact Rikki at 347-930-9736/info@ abariders.com.

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY!

Local property Management Company is looking for a f/t secretary. office

Experience required. Great environment, Great pay. Please email resume to rcmanageoffice@gmail.com

150+ JOB OPENINGS!

Stop wasting your time going through all the jobs classifieds. Simply email your resume to Info@ SwiftStaffingGroup.com to explore your options & maximize your career. Or Call/Text/ WhatsApp 732-800-7633

Strictly confidential & completely free.

GREAT SALES POSITION

Be Your Own Boss! “Be in business for yourself not by yourself” best training + support provided, great benefits and retirement package. Please email dglick@newyorklife.com or call 845-639-5216

GREAT OPPORTUNITY

Attention graduates! Want to make a difference in someone’s life? We are looking to hire a female to work with 18+ year olds with special needs. email resume to jobresumes613@gmail. com or call 845-729-3001.

P/T TITLE 1 TEACHER

Attention graduates! Want to make a difference in someone’s life? We are looking for a part-time title one teacher. email resume to jobresumes613@gmail.com or call 845-729-3001

EXECUTIVE SALES ASSISTANT

A Heimisha Financial services office in Spring Valley NY is seeking a full time female to join our female team. Responsibilities include scheduling, client relations, etc. Candidate must have excellent verbal (telephone), & writing skills, mathematics, Quickbooks, computer proficiency and ability to multi-task. For more information please email your resume to Molanservices@gmail.com

SALES ROLE

Eager to unlock your potential? Hungry for success? Great opportunity for motivated individuals to join a select team of high achievers at Ark Mortgage. New training class will begin shortly after Pesach. Contact 845-503-6502 or email hr@ arkmortgage.com to learn more. *commission based role with high earning capacity.

TZIPPY’S WIGS

Seeking a talented responsible assistant to wash, blow&style wigs . Needs to have experience with blowing and styling and be avail to work Sunday,Tuesday&Thursday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Call 845-352-7158 (leave message)

GREAT OPPORTUNITY

Attention graduates! Want to make a difference in someone’s life? We are looking for someone to work with special needs teenagers. email resume to jobresumes613@gmail.com or call 845-729-3001

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Female full-time data processing in a heimish business environment. Analytical & problem solving skills required. Full training provided. Please send resume with references to hiringnow65@gmail.com.

END THE SEARCH

Focus on what’s ahead and Create a better future for yourself!! Are you looking for a better opportunity? Leave it up to us to get you the right one! Email Chaykes@ blackbirdrecruiting.com today to End The Search, Get Employed!

F/T POSITION CUSTOMER SERVICE REP

Monsey Insurance office on Robert Pitt Drive seeks Customer Service Rep, experience preferred but not required. Hours are Mon-Thu 9 am-5 pm, Fri 9 am- 12 pm. Pay dependent. Please email resume to jobs@ trustevergreen.com

HELP WANTED

ABA Riders is looking to hire an ABA para to work with a 6 ear old in a mainstream girls classroom immediately after Pesach. The position can be full-time/part-time. Must have a car. Well paid. Contact Rikki 347-930-9736.

HELP WANTED

Accounting firm is looking for F/T or P/T employee to assist with administrative tasks. Great environment! Will train. Email resume to monseycpajob@gmail.com or call 212.221.1140 ext 160.

PLAYGROUP MORAH

Gan Simcha is looking for a Morah for a 2 year old playgroup for September 2023. Contact Rikki 347-9309736.

ABA PARA

ABA Riders is looking for a female yiddish speaking ABA para to work with 5 year old in his home from 3:30-5:30, 2 to 4 days a week. Well paid, paid taxi. Contact Rikki 347930-9736.

HELP WANTED

Seeking a mature woman to manage a busy office. Must be able to multi task, have good phone skills and know basic QuickBooks. Please call (845)274-1512 This is a full time position.

NURSING HOME A/R

Heimishe nursing home corporate office looking to hire a female accounts receivable candidate. Must be responsible, organized and possess good communication skills. Please email resume to monseymedicalbilling@ gmail.com

ITCON IS HIRING

We are hiring Help Desk Technicians and a Service Coordinator in our Suffern and Brooklyn Locations. Great pay, good working environment, and room for growth. Email hr@itconinc. com to apply

FEMALE OFFICE MANAGER

A Monsey based business is seeking an experienced office manager to lead a team of 30+ female employees. MondayThursday 10am-3pm. Required to have a car and travel to our Brooklyn and Lakewood offices. Six figure salary + bonuses. Email your resume TopcareerNY@gmail. com

SECRETARY WANTED

Heimish construction office looking for FT female secretary. Must be very organized, thorough and detail oriented. Great pay. Full training provided. Please email resume to office@ roseimprovement.com.

BOOKKEEPER

A busy independent pharmacy looking for experienced bookkeeper, knowledge in QuickBooks AP-AR excel and basic office duties. Part time, flexible hours. Please send resume to pharmacy10977@gmail.com

MUSIC TEACHER

Music ‘n Motion is looking to hire an additional music teacher to join our Monsey branch. Qualifications are, responsible, dedicated, energetic and great with children. Call 929-322-4202 ext 202 or email resume to info@mnmotion.com

HELP WANTED

Upscale women’s store looking to hire. Room for growth. Great opportunity for the right individual. for more information text.7189727809

PRESCHOOL DAYCAMP

Preschool counselors wanted for the summer. 18 years. Yiddish Speaking, Geshmake environment. Great pay. 845262-1020

GREAT OPPORTUNITY! Work from home at your own convenience. No computer necessary. Now is the perfect time to start! Call: 845 213 9886

GREAT F/T POSITION

A chasidishe office is looking for a secretary/bookkeeper. No Experience is necessary. svoffice22@gmail.com

BCBA WANTED

ABA Riders is looking to hire a BCBA. Well paid! Contact Rikki 347-930-9736.

OFFICE SECRETARY NEEDED

Full time 9-5 secretary girl great pay in Heimish office in monsey 8453199168

WH MANAGER

Seeking ambitious warehouse manager with minimum of 2+ years experience. Located in Monsey area. Email resume: monseyhire52@gmail.com

SEEKING NY CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS

Open position for both men and women. If you’re looking for a well-paid job and a flexible schedule apply today. 845-503-0488 sgrossman@ integratedhealth.org

NY PEER SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

SERVICES

TORAHANYTIME.COM

On demand Torah lectures Video-Audio-download All for free Computer or App for iPhone/Android Or Hotline 718-298-2077. YiddishHebrew - English

CUSTOM CLOSETS

For all your custom closets please call or text 1347.522.4872

Baby Layettes (845) 213-3646

Layettes Text 718-551-1732

Doula 845-587-1649

Labor Bag 347-604-3274

Pidyon Haben Accessories 845642-7256

Pidyon Haben 845-659-6704

Pidyon Haben Gemach 845-3563568

Formula 347-267-3640 Or 216889-3643

Neocate Formula 718-853-4090

Carseats, Bassinet & Pack N Plays. 425-1202

Carseats, Pack N Plays, Strollers, Pumps 845.425.6826

Doona Car Seat 845-445-7474

Brass Iron Bassinet 917-280-4559

Preemie Clothing 845-520-0475

The Preemie Box 845.664.5768 Or 718.688.5814

Baby Scale 845-578-5639

Baby Headphone 845 356 6797 Or 845 558 9370

Baby Scales 845-694-8985

Easy birth from Koznitzer Maggid 917-514-9461

Brissim

Bris Accessories 617-955-3630

Bris Accessories 845 425 8359

Bris Accessories 425 3873

Bris Accessories 425-6574

Bris Accessories 356-6215

Blue Light 845.425.1919

Poya and bris outfit w/ tefillos 845425-0672

Bris outfit poya, also tefilla cards 845 3564859 Ralph area

Pillow/Benchers 845-213-0602

Knife Sharpening For Mohalim 718-384-6214

Segula Stone 347-699-6418

Preemie Outfit 845.558.7065

Krias Shema Board With Stand 425-4540

Free Mohel 347-383-5696

Simcha

Gowns 845-517- 8808

Mother & Sister Gowns 845-4267496 Or 845-352-3031.

Gown And Petticoats 347-278-1278

Ivory/white/dusty blue gowns

845-371-1765

Floral Bisomim 845-629-2785.

Hats $25. 347-351-1604

Elegant Hats 845-517-0838.

Bands & Berets 845-371-3556

Tichel 845-548-0014

Mechitza’s, Tables, Chairs Etc. Call 845-445-8015

Hot Water Urns 845-425-9211

Ear-Plugs 845-202-0105.

Toys 845-578-6513

Toys 917-538-3453.

Clics 845-352-5820

Tablecloths (845) 371 2105

Tablecloth 352-8292

Tablecloths 352-8292

Gold Chargers 845-573-9772

shelves, stands, trays & centerpieces 845-425-1721

GEMACHIM

Siddurs. Sfard: 845-608-7830

Ashkenaz: 845 352 1756 Or 845826-6718

Siddur/Chumash 558.4774

Benchers 845-642-0910

Bentchers 347-404-2204

Bechers 845-377-5671

Becher, Challah Deklich, Zemiros 845-425-0498

Coat Rack And Hangers 845-3569841

Chuppa Cards 347-278-1278

Chupah Cards 845.222.0456

Chuppah Tefillos Booklets. 845213-0602.

Wedding Kit 845-425-2036

Wedding Kit 845-371-2947

Simcha Powder Room Kit 845263-4342

Accessories Basket 845-371-6857

Children Hair Pieces 3473001679

Portable Chuppah 845-425-4790

Umbrellas 216-470-9841

Sound System 917-382-8809

Evening Bags 845-549-2929

Shmiras Halashon Cards 537-0069

Earplugs for Simchos 845-3281071

22 qt crockpots, big hot plates, big pots, perculator

8453238570

Simcha table centerpieces

8456087715

Kallah Yom Hachuppah Cd 845-352-2560

Crowns, veils, shoes, capes 4260767

Headpieces, Tiaras, Veils 845425-4221

White Sneakers 917-613-6579

White Shoes 845-200-0211

Kallah Hand Bouquet 845-4593567

Dress your kallah stress free. Book

1 week in advance 518-306-1167

Bridal Shower (845) 248-4218

Kallah Dresser 845-300-5767

Misc

Ribbis Question? 347-977-0628

Notary Public 347-228-8825

Fix necklines 845-238-6691

Hairstyling 845-540-3731

Hair styling 845-502-6558

Haircuts & Styling 845-352-8101/ 845-499-3218

Haircutting/Styling 845-263-7057

Haircutting & Styling 845-422-5337

Hospital Supplies 746-8293

Hospital Gown 845-425-8687

Hospital Gown 845-426-4695

Hospital Gowns 845-356-5364

Medical Equipment Email Slmw50@Gmail.com

DVDS & players for Cholim/Homebound 425-2660

Simcha Maternity 845-425-1725

Maternity Coats Text only 845-

521-2912

Bed Rest? Laundry Help. 213-7437

Maternity Clothing 845-445-9687

Maternity Coat Text Only

8455212912

Twin Boppy Pillows (845) 445-9298

Proposal Gemach 347-277-4072

Gps & Waze 845-352-2588 (Minimal Fee)

Kosher Waze 845.587.1708

Roof Carriers 845-659-1863.

Pack N Play Sheets Included. Text: 845-216-4885

Pack n plays 845-426-1177/ 347631-8183

Beautiful nishmas cards 845-729-

7390

Poya (outfit, hat, booties) 845425-0672

Help-a-mom. to volunteer call 347-977-6816

Phones For Emergencies. 845213-8664

Reflectors 845-356-0815

Reflectors 347-977-6816

Feeding Supplies 845-366-6398

Mezuzos 587-4533

Natural Health Support, text 347 2287578

Moving Boxes Text (845) 641-5536

Boxes 845-425-6826 Or 845608-7830

Boxes 845-642-5286

Boxes Text (845) 641-5536

Heaters 845 362 8666

Phone Gemach 845-445-7422

Air Mattresses 9176537170

Air mattress gemach Text/WhatsApp 9087831676

Baby scale 845-540-1710

Cuddles n Cradles 347-243-7495

Outfit and pillow 914-715-2672

Suitcases 845-371-9121

Bike Racks 845-659-1863.

Opwdd Sd Advice Email Slfydhm@ Gmail.com

Teacher’s Bulletin 845-425-8046

Computer Advice (862) 248-1931

Loans 347-385-1408

Moving Help packing/unpacking

845-281-5900

Pack N Plays with sheets text 845280-3470

Digital Cameras 8264062

Phone With Service 845-445-7422

Eczema Cream 845-274-7858

Single parent? Help with shopping etc. 516-203-2616

Yiddish & English Poems 845587-3018

Shabbos lamps (914) 391-3787

Lev Simcha music groups/visits

8456082676

Sefer Torah 347-598-0357

Free-shalom bayis 845-213-0602

Mezuzos 845-540-1802

Drop in babysitter - (845) 445-9391

laminators & paper cutters msg

845-263-7115

Kendamil formula 914-523-0592

Zichron Eliezer mailing Gemach

845-213-5617

Hachnosas Kallah loan gemach

347-415-1525

Heimish Chicken soup 845-3523959

Costume Used or new 8455380990

ARROWSMITH

Is your child still in the same place after all that tutoring?Join Arrowsmith, a research based program that strengthens the brain and eliminates learning disabilities. Call Mrs Feuer 914-260-6449

NUTRITION

Repair your relationship with food, improve your health and body image whilst working-out in the sunshine! Miriam Shurpin MS RD CDN. Registered Dietitian – Nutritionist. 347-480-1670 rd@miriamshurpin.com miriamshurpin.com

KANGEN WATER

“Change your Water..Change your life” Alkaline - AntiOxidant - Super Hydrating Call for FREE supply and feel AMAZING! 917-681-0003

PETTICOATS FOR RENT!

Enhance your gown with just the right petticoat! Kids and adults petticoats for rent! In the Bates area. Please Call or text between 8:30-10pm 845-746-7248

MASSAGE THERAPY

--In The Comfort of Home-- *Swedish *Deep Tissue *Lymph *Craniosacral Therapy Call Sarah: 845-596-1373

FLY HIGH BALLOONS

Biggest selection of balloons for all occasions in the Weiner drive area call 8454223988/ Flyhighbal@gmail.com

KEYBOARD LESSONS

Keyboard lessons By Miri. Great Prices! Call 845-426-7561 or 845-263-6437

SHAIMOS PICK UPS

845-461-3084

EARPIERCING

12 years experience. Wide selection. Call/text: 845-538-7986

SPEAKER/MUSIC RENTAL

For all your simchos and events. Great service and great pricing! Call/text:845-444-6065 Email: Tzadlerproductions@gmail.com Includes FREE stands and cables.

PROFESSIONAL HAIRCUTS & STYLING

Great prices. Call Miri 845426-7561

PARENTING TELECOURSE

Join the Triple B- Boosting Best Behavior- Parenting Telecourse, by Rifky Sternlicht. Experience a transformation with your family and your challenging child bs’’d. Listen to our demo, testimonials and for more info please call +44 330-325-1204/845-777-8988

LAUNDRY SERVICE

Join our many satisfied costumers! We also accept OPWDD and HCBS. 845-5023691

LADY DRIVER

Chaya lady driver will take care of all your local driving needs. Day and evening hours. Fast friendly service. Call 845-642-0193

TOXIC CLEANSE

Detox your body with our 9-day cleanse! Amazing results! $190 - $230 Free Delivery. Call: 8455870293

DAYCAMP

Preschool daycamp for ages 3-5. Small group and great program. Call for information 845-276-0828.

GARTLECH

we fix knitted & crochet

Gartlech & make beautiful professional fringes. We also teach how to knit & crochet. call: 917-414-3281

BABYSITTING

NEWBORN GROUP

Located in Monsey, Hours:

Monday -Thursday 9:30–4:30, Friday 9:30-12:30 - Very one on one. For more info please Text/WhatsApp 845-274-5138

MONTESSORI CLASS

Montessori toddler group forming for September. Small group and amazing environment. For more info call morah Chaya 845-276-0828. or email morahchayar@gmail.com

EXPERIENCED

HEIMISHE MOMMY

Having a baby iyh? Going on Vacation? Book your overnight babysitter now! References available. Call 718-928-4671

GOWNS

GOLD GOWN

Adorable gold gown by Dassy available to buy or rent. Toddler size 4. Call 422-5596 for more info

GIRLS CHASUNAH GOWN

Very Elegant, Winter White trimmed with Black Velvet, girls size 12/14 for sale. Please Call 845-709-7161.

MATERNITY GOWNS FOR RENT

Beautiful maternity gowns for rent. All sizes for affordable prices. Please call/ text 845-862-2799

GOWN FOR RENT

Silver/Grey colored gown size 2-4 8455380391

SISTER OF BRIDE

Beautiful black gown for rent. Size 4. Please text 845826-2185

SISTER OF BRIDE

Beautiful cream full lace pleated gown. Size 0. Please call 845-502-0097

GOWN FOR SALE

Sister of the bride white, shirt dress style gown. Size 0-2. Please call 845-694-2026

GOWNS FOR SALE

Mechteniste black/white beaded gown size 6-8. Size 2-4 ivory gown. Valentino black, beaded dress size 6 worn once 845-596-6501

IVORY GOWN

Gorgeous ivory gown sister of bride to sell size 0-2, call 845 213 7897

LANVIN GOWN

Original, Exclusive, Lanvin cream gown for sale or rent. Ideal for sister of bride or young macheteneste. Call or text 845-517-8300.

ODDS & ENDS

SEEKING DONATIONS

Of toys, arts & crafts, or supplies, in good condition, for a Heimishe Moised. Call 845.500.3100

NEW! NEW! NEW!

Looking for a nice private place for a Beshow? A few locations available in the Monsey area. No charge. Call 845-426-5484 or 845-7467251

LOST

Lost something? Found something? The Daily Return: Call/text: 845-538-0193, Email: monseydailyreturn@gmail. com

Doona baby bag in the trunk of a taxi 845-537-9209

FOUND

Bag from The Container store on Blauevelt 845-371-3260

Red enamel brand new baby bracelet on Loop Bus 426-2329

Apr 3 in Lafamila blue beaded pacifier clip with pacifier 845-304-4235

Item with money in it at Kupas Ezra 516-808-9915 Wic card in Lafamila taxi 845-352-3503

Ladies hat /band in Taxi before Pesach 845-263-6460 set of EarPods by the Chol Hamoed rides. 845-222-1707

Bais hasforim bag with new kids haggadahs outside of evergreen. 354 5088.

Members of the Monsey Fire Department were at the Sereifas Chometz locations to ensure that the process is safe

The crowds thoroughly enjoying their Chol Hamoed outing rented out exclusively for Hamaspik of Rockland at the St. Lawrence Community Center

Individuals and their families delighted in the numerous activities available: Arcades Carnival ~Balloon Sculpting~Amusement Rides~Inflatable Fun~Craft Workshops~Circus Shows~Petting Zoo plus an assortment of Kosher L'pesach fruits and treats. To wrap up the Chol Hamoed extravaganza each family went home with a personalized good-bye package

Bergen County Chaplain Rabbi Joel Friedman, meeting with Bergen County executive James J. Tedesco to discuss the Yom Tov schedule and presented him with Shmurah Matzah