Issue 489

Because remembersnobody the salad.

Extra Hands

Support You Can Count On for Life with Multiples

Imagine if you could...

get an extra hand with watching your babies have laundry done for you get help with Feeding them have someone clean up after their messes

At Human Care, we provide trusted, compassionate home health aides to make life easier for moms with multiples. Our team is here to support you, so you can focus on what matters most—your family.

It’s time to embrace your moments of joy. Treat yourself to the ultimate smoothing and soothing experience with our luxurious laser and spa treatments that will leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and radiant. Walk out feeling your best, ready to celebrate with a glow that’s all your own.

An honor to give. A pleasure to receive.

Square one of every Mishloach Manos

c e ogram

LED BY HERSHI SABLE, LCSW

Under the leadership of specialist Hershi Sable, LCSW, these core programs provide proven pathways to building fundamental life skills.

FRIENDSHIP BUILDING

EMOTIONAL REGULATION

Evidence-based strategies for recognizing emotions, developing coping skills, and building emotional

845-200-2925 ext 829

support@elevateny.org

Proven methods for building inner confidence, recognizing self-worth, and developing a positive self-image

SOCIAL SKILLS SELF ESTEEM MASTERY

A comprehensive approach to forming meaningful connections, understanding social dynamics, and maintaining healthy relationships

CORE PROGRAMS:

Emotional Regulation

Friendship Building

Self-Esteem Mastery

Social Skills

A structured program focusing on real-world social interactions, communication techniques, and interpersonal understanding

SPECIALTY GROUPS:

Baking Circle

Creative Arts

Dance & Movement

Exercise & Fitness

Music Hub

Working hand-in-hand with state-designated CFTSS providers, we excel at connecting exceptional talent with transformative programs. Our thorough matching process ensures that every professional placement creates ripples of positive change, from our teams to the children they serve.

Under the Leadership of Rabbi YY Buxbaum Our core programs are guided by Mr. Hershi Sable, LCSW

Sunday, March 9

Lunch&Learn

Lead a healthier future

As busy mothers, life is a constant juggling act. Prioritizing our health tends to fall to the bottom of our lists. Give yourself the gift of health by learning how to protect and prevent disease.

Featured Speaker: Dr. Erika Berman Rosenzweig

Erika Berman Rosenzweig, MD is an internationally recognized expert in the medical field of pulmonary hypertension with over 20 years of experience at Columbia University before joining Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College as Chief of Pediatric Cardiology and Vice Chair of Pediatrics. A brilliant and dedicated medical leader, she is deeply invested in advancing cardiovascular care and is eager to encourage health and wellness in the community. At this event, Dr. Rosenzweig will share her expertise on cardiovascular health and the warning signs - like shortness of breath - that every woman should know.

Refuah Expert Speakers

Esther Lebovic, DNP, FNPBC, PMHNP- BC, CSC, PMH-C: Managing daily stress and strategies for mental well-being.

Dena Friedman, FNP: The power of preventive care: small lifestyle changes that make a big impact on long-term health.

Even a few minutes can make a difference - stop by our health screening table for a complimentary blood pressure & A1C check with a RefuahHealth nurse.

Enjoy a warm buffet!

Estate Planning workshop

6:00 PM

WORKSHOP TOPICS INCLUDE:

▶ How you may able to qualify and use Medicaid to pay for long term care expenses which can be over $18,000 per month locally

▶ What are the 7 Costly Mistakes families make in their estate plans?

▶ PROBATE: What is it? Why does everyone want to avoid it?

▶ How do I ensure that my children don’t waste or lose their inheritance?

▶ If I die first and my spouse remarries, will my children inherit?

▶ How do I leave my money to my children who are financially irresponsible?

▶ How do I keep my assets in the family and protect them from lawsuits or my child’s ex-spouse?

▶ How do I protect my special needs beneficiary?

DIET STARTS MONDAY

New Arrivals

Shoppers Haven Mall

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טוט יסנאמ

3/2/2025

59 NY-59 Monsey, NY 10952

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18 Forshay Rd Monsey, NY 10952

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13 Monsey Blvd Monsey, NY 10952

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W Maple Ave Monsey, NY 10952

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KOSHER 27 Orchard St Monsey, NY 10952

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From the cANDY-COATED WONDERLAND

Step into a whirlwind of sweetness, where chocolate rivers glisten and sugar-spun clouds puff into the air. The workshop buzzes with joyful energy, swirls of color streak across countertops as sprinkles scatter like confetti. Every dip, drizzle, and dusting is a mouthwatering masterpiece, spun into a rich, gooey treat that is impossible to resist. Welcome to the Whimsical OF

MONROE: March 17th 18th 20th 24th 25th 27th & 31st MONSEY: March 17-30th

Hey kids! Bring your unopened candy packages (hard candies, gum, dipping powder, you name it)to: our Monsey or new Monroe Location during office ours. We’ll weigh your candy and pay you $1.50 per pound. Shehakol nosh only; soda not accepted. We’ll keep the candy. You keep the cash.

DRESS THEM ELEGANT.

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Summer Fun

Spend $50 get a $5 Sweet Expressions gift card or a $10 Bebe Nook gift card

Spend $100 get a $10 Sweet Expressions gift card or a $20 Bebe Nook gift card

Spend $200 get a $20 Sweet Expressions gift card or a $40 Bebe Nook gift card

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BLUMANTTI

BLU YOU AWAY

New Spring Collection

Zeidy 'Selfies' in Store!

Bring in the box. Let's start the party.

Hosting a party has never been easier! Simply order a Pescado fish box, open it, and place it on the table, no prep needed. Enjoy a stunning spread of fresh, flavorful fish that’s sure to impress your guests. From Cured to smoked specialties, every bite is a taste of perfection. Just make sure to order enough, because once the party starts, the boxes empty fast! Plus, it’s the perfect gift to send, elegant, delicious, and always appreciated.

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ELEGANT DESIGNS OF MEN & BOYS SUITS, TISH BAKITCHES, MADE FROM HAND PICKED FABRIC

ה�וע ן��לוש � � םי ל

Mazal Adar Dagim

Teriyaki Platter

Italian Platter

Pistachio Platter

Ettiket aprons aren’t just practical, they’re stylish too! Designed with playful charm and sophistication, they elevate any outfit while keeping clothes clean.

Style & Functionality

Parent-Friendly Appeal

Practical Benefits

Kid Appeal & Comfort

Find Ettiket in your favorite upscale children's dress shops.

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kids who refuse bibs will rock this with pride. For the Bib-Resistant Crowd

Festive Platters are the perfect accompaniment for your Purim seuda.

Show appreciation for the special people in your life—order Festive Platters for their Mishloach Manos.

GRAGGERS SPIN, COSTUMES SHINE,

WHAT'S ON THE MENU?

ALWAYS THE SAME, SAME, SAME OLD.

Skip the café lines and enjoy something refreshing anytime.Finally, change things up with Minute Mix’s At-Home small serving size Boba. Add it to any drink or smoothie, sip with a straw, or top off desserts.

Shelf-Stable Until Opened Refrigerate After Opening

Strain the Syrup & Add Boba to the desired drink or food

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Strawberry Blueberry Passion Fruit Mango Lychee

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Monsey:

SMART STARTS EARLY

Smart choices by parents today shape a healthier tomorrow for their children. That's why our clinically-backed, iron-rich formula, Cholov Yisroel Baby Formula manufactured in the USA, is designed to provide the safe, trusted nutrition essential for your baby’s development.

1- 3 Years

Designed to help your toddler thrive with essential, nourishing ingredients.

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Deep TMS for Depression Anxiety OCD

This Pesach experience real freedom

MONROE: 541 Rt. 17m Monroe, NY 10950

MONSEY: 233 Lafayette Ave Suffern, NY 11205

WILLIAMSBURG: 223 Spencer Street Brooklyn, NY 11901

BROOKLYN: 615 Avenue L (off Ocean Pkwy) Brooklyn, NY 11230

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Ride The Ride The

Inspired by the majesty of the snowy Swiss peaks, Alps delivers an avalanche of creamy chocolate and a crisp, wafery crunch. More than a treat, it’s a thrilling cascade—smooth, airy, and delicately elegant. Take a bite and escape into a flavorful wonderland.

It’s a smooth ride.

VENT CLEANING? 6 ELECTRICIANS ON CALL HANDYMEN AVAILABLE TODAY NEED HVAC SERVICE? 4 LOCKSMITHS READY TO ASSIST PAINTING SERVICE EXPERTS HERE AND READY 8 PLUMBERS STANDING BY TO ASSISTNEED COMPANY? 4 APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS STANDING BY NEED DRYER VENT CLEANING? 6 ELECTRICIANS HANDYMEN AVAILABLE TODAY NEED HVAC SERVICE? 4 LOCKSMITHS READY TO ASSIST PAINTING SERVICE EXPERTS HERE AND READY 8 PLUMBERS STANDING BY TO ASSISTNEED COMPANY? 4 APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS STANDING BY NEED DRYER VENT CLEANING? 6 ELECTRICIANS HANDYMEN AVAILABLE TODAY NEED HVAC SERVICE? 4 LOCKSMITHS READY TO ASSIST PAINTING SERVICE EXPERTS HERE AND READY 8 PLUMBERS STANDING BY TO ASSISTNEED COMPANY? 4 APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS STANDING BY NEED DRYER VENT CLEANING? 6 ELECTRICIANS HANDYMEN AVAILABLE TODAY NEED HVAC SERVICE? 4 LOCKSMITHS READY TO ASSIST NEED PAINTING SERVICE EXPERTS HERE AND READY 8 PLUMBERS STANDING BY TO ASSISTNEED 4 APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS STANDING BY NEED

HANDYMEN AVAILABLE

Introducing Dito—premium sleepwear designed for little dreamers. Our ultra-so pajamas for boys, girls, and babies are thoughtfully cra ed for the coziest nights and happiest mornings.

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Monday-Friday 10am - 7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm

Biggest sale of 2025

Full laser package $1600

Limited time offer & limited spots Call now Offer ends March 31st

Give the gift of beauty Gift cards available (no expiration)

Deluxe Hydrafacial $99 (original value $150) Other special facials please call for pricing

Brow and Lash tinting both only $35

Bridal and special occasions please call for our discount offers NEW UNLIMITED MEMBERSHIP

$300 per month includes full laser package, mani & pedi, lash and brow services all year round. (no contracts and no cancelation hassles)

Unlimited mini laser package $800

Guaranteed results or your money back CAndela laser the gold standard, fully licensed and insured.

Don't wait! secure your shades now for pre-Pesach installation.

Convenience meets extraordinary care

SS 25// Boys Dressy Vest $27.50

SS 25 // Baby Knit Set

SS 25 // Knit Sleeveless Sweater $27.50

Extendable Table 70” to 102”

KLHR

“You have to read this book… It’s not like anything you read before.” —Tablet Magazine

The concluding volume of the bestselling memoir that has captivated the Jewish world.

Life in the 19th-century shtetl vividly portrayed by a master storyteller and tremendous ba’al bitachon.

We are emptying our shelves!! Fill your bag! Buy 5 items get 40% Off Buy 8 items get 50% Off Buy 10 items get 60% Off Buy 15 items get 65% Off Buy 20 items get 70% Off

30 items or more get 80% Off

Indulge your loved ones with the finest desserts this Purim. Our elegant selection of delicacies and corporate gifts are made to impress. After all, if they know you, they’ve come to expect only the best.

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Mishloach Manos made ly easy!

Now inner seal for freshness!

ORDER OUR PRE-MADE MISHLOACH MANOS BY THE CASE!

Send a healthy Mishloach Manos that everyone will appreciate!

ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD

Romaine Lettuce, Tomatoes, Croutons, Dressing, & Fork 10 PER CASE $55 PER CASE

NISH NOSH SALAD

Romaine, Red Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes, Nish Nosh Crackers, Nish Nosh Dressing, & Fork 10 PER CASE

Each case comes with 10 stickers

Deadline is Monday March 10 9 PM

All salads will be made fresh on Wednesday. It will come in a resealable container. The lettuce will be vacuum packed in a bag. Salad dressing and croutons will each be in its own container. Purim label will be packaged separately.

LAKEWOOD PICKUP:

TO ORDER

WEBSITE pay.banquest.com/ kosherfreshmm CALL 732-806-9696

EMAIL purim@kosherfresh.net

TEXT YOUR ORDER TO 848-223-1433

EXCEL PARK • 575 PROSPECT AVE. (ACROSS FROM TORAS ARON)

Pickup Thursday, Taanis Esther 10am-3pm

MONSEY PICKUP: 28 IVY LANE (OFF BRICK CHURCH & UNION)

Pickup Thursday, Taanis Esther 10am-2pm

BORO PARK PICKUP: 2338 60TH STREET

Pickup Thursday, Taanis Esther 10:30pm-3pm

Our Salads-to-Go are under the following Hechsherim : vuurp

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Have Rella Cafe cater your next event! In -house or off-site, available all week, including Motzei Shabbos and Sunday.

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PODIATRY

CARE YOU CAN TRUST

Davening, playtime, 1:1 goals, OT, group activities, Speech Therapy—it’s not just a schedule, it’s a masterpiece of progress.

And guess what?

At One-Of-A-Kid, this isn’t some fantasy—it’s what we do. How? Because we’ve got a stellar team of Occupational and Speech Therapists right here, on site, clinically qualified and licensed to deliver results that matter.

When the whole team works under one roof, magic happens: better communication, tighter coordination, and progress that actually sticks.

And for you? It means peace of mind that’s worth its weight in gold.

This is how it’s done.

CHANGING SHULIM BAYIS COURSE

ONE COLLECTION. INFINITE EXPRESSIONS

THIS SEASON ISN’T ABOUT FITTING IN, IT’S ABOUT MIXING IT UP. THE REMIX COLLECTION IS DESIGNED FOR FEARLESS SELF-EXPRESSION, WHERE EVERY PIECE IS A STATEMENT. NO CHOICES. NO LIMITS. JUST YOU, REMIXED

INBOX // Talk of Town

SCHOOL RULES

(Re: Your Say, Mother Knows Best, Issue 487)

Dear Frustrated Mother, Welcome to the club. I’ve been there, done that, many times over. And I’m finally about to say — or rather sing — farewell to school. My youngest is about to graduate!

Baruch Hashem, I was blessed with a houseful of girls. All of them were bright and studious. A test, midterm, or final meant studying full force. The words absent or late did not exist in their dictionary. Neither did the words “early dismissal.” Since both my husband and I are one of the oldest in our families, simchas were rare, which meant that my daughters were literally never absent or late, and never left school early. There were times when I bent over backward to follow school rules and took off work for emergency appointments, all so that my girls would not have to take off school.

At one point, a close family member was critically ill. Nobody was aware of the situation, since the family decided to keep it a secret. Everyone was stressed to the max, and my daughters had to help.

I called the school, for the very first time, and asked that one of my daughters come home early the next day. The secretary made me aware that early dismissal would only be allowed for a legitimate reason. I confirmed that there was indeed a legitimate reason, and it was imperative that my daughter come home early. That’s when it turned into an argument. I was told that unless I give a detailed reason, my daughter would not be granted permission to leave. I tried to explain that I couldn’t disclose that information, all to no avail. In the end, I drove down to school, picked up my daughter, and brought her home without permission.

It turned into a messy situation. The details at this point are unnecessary. But I can assure you that when this family member was niftar, there was a lot of guilt and anger.

Somehow, my questions were never answered. Why can’t a mother have control over her own children? Why is it that we must allow our kids to do homework, study for tests and midterms, prepare projects and perform plays, all on Mommy’s time? Don’t you understand that sometimes you have to reciprocate and give of your time? Under normal circumstances, parents don’t take their kids out of school. There must be a reason when they ask for permission to do so. And those who don’t have good reasons manage to circumvent the rules anyway. So please understand that whether we explain or don’t want to explain the reason we need to pull a child out of school for a few hours, this decision belongs to the mother.

A Conscientious Parent Who Is Finally Graduating

ANOTHER SOLUTION

(Re: Your Say, Mother Knows Best, Issue 487)

I was surprised to read your closing remark: “Each mother should raise her own children.” When you send your children to school, you are effectively not alone in raising her. You’re part of a partnership that ensures her safety for up to eight or nine hours a day, aside from extracurricular activities. This partnership, which you have carefully chosen, shares your core values and has your child’s best interests at heart.

A school’s rigid rules are in place to help care for and educate your child within your chosen framework. Not having dealt with your specific scenarios,

Shabbos

Candle Lighting Starts Here

I find it hard to believe that a teacher or principal would press you for private family details or subject your daughter to detention for a reasonably explained absence. In general, a school respects your role as a parent and understands that you make decisions that are in your child’s best interest.

DENTAL DILEMMA

(Re: Take a Deep Breath, Issue 485)

Your article about dental anxiety hit close to home. But as I’m reading all about calm and soothing dentists, my only question is, where can I find a dentist like that?

7:085:36

Limits? Explanations? You should be extremely grateful that your child’s school places “limits” on students’ absences and asks for “explanations.” The school’s policies are in place to maintain discipline and ensure the safety and well-being of all students. School personnel are within their rights to know if a child has frequent doctor appointments, flaunts school rules regarding vacation limits, or has a situation at home that necessitates the child’s extra assistance. This is not an interrogation, but a necessary part of maintaining a safe and conducive learning environment, a commitment they take very seriously.

Instead of directing your frustration at the high school principal, consider the school’s perspective. They are trying to establish your child’s safety within a “rigid set of rules.” I understand that this can be challenging for you. If you’ve been battling these thoughts since you sent your child to a babysitter, preschool, and in all the intervening years, consider the alternative of homeschooling. This could be a way for you to retain control over your child’s hours, grant vacation time whenever you want, and spend more time with your child.

Name Withheld

SOUND MACHINE FOR SOUND SLEEP

(Re: Side by Side, Your Say, Issue 485)

I’m responding to the letter-writer who wrote about her upstairs neighbor making noise. The answer to that is a sound machine, which can be a lifesaver. I have one in every bedroom. It also helps large families who live in small apartments, who want the kids to stay asleep even with a lot of noise going on. I feel like using sound machines is also a chesed for my neighbor; now they don’t need to be uptight about their kids making noise because they know it won’t bother me. Hatzlacha! Noiseless Neighbor

My twelve-year-old daughter is terrified of the dentist. We’ve tried so many practices already. I was hopeful about the last one, because he was gentle, but he laughed at my daughter and was sarcastic when she cried. He did all the work in one visit, which is lucky, because she’ll never go back there again.

Mother of an Anxious Child

RESPECTFUL DEBATE

(Re: Everyone Works Harder, Your Say, Issue 485)

I was following a few heated conversations over the last few weeks in the pages of this magazine, whether it was the conversation about who works harder — teachers or office employees — or whether it is possible to be a working mommy without the husband’s help. At one point in the past, there was a similar debate about learning the parsha

I noticed something very interesting about human nature. Some letter writers were pushy and opinionated and forced their thoughts onto the reader without even “listening” to the other side.

Other letter writers, however, were more respectful and allowed room for the other viewpoint even as they promoted their own. Interestingly, these letters were much more effective.

There is nothing wrong with being passionate or strong in your beliefs. On the contrary; that’s what makes you be yourself. But mocking words are unbecoming, ineffective and counterproductive. I understand that this may be hard to implement because when you feel so strongly about something, you want to voice your opinion loudly to win the other person over to your point of view. But people are much more open to listening to someone else’s opinion when they themselves feel heard.

I remember learning a crucial rule in high school writing class that strengthens this point: In argumenta-

Music Lessons for Boys

tive essays, you must include a rebuttal. A rebuttal agrees with the opposite opinion, but then explains why your own opinion is still valid. Essays that include rebuttals are much more persuasive since the writer acknowledges the other opinion.

For instance: Although many may argue that credit cards are more convenient to use than cash, and also help protect against fraud, I will explain why cash is a wiser option. When you use cash, you are much more likely to stay within your budget and not overspend, since you only have a limited amount of money available.

I also recall learning business writing. We were taught never to use all caps, for the same reason. It may be bigger, bolder and stronger, but it’s not grammatically correct and therefore is unprofessional. A respectful, professional email will accomplish more and will be heard “more loudly.”

Which are the letters that left you with a nice feeling, even if you disagreed with the letter-writer’s point? Maybe the nice neighbor who understood her upstairs neighbor but respectfully shared her side of the coin? How about the employee who summed up the “working harder” debate by so beautifully illustrating that it’s not a contest?

Let’s keep on sharing our insights, but let’s remember to do it in a respectful manner.

D. Gruen

YOUR SAY

PURIM GIFTING

Purim has become a time when we express our appreciation to our hard-working and devoted teachers by giving them gifts or tips along with mishloach manos. As a teacher, I would like to thank all parents who express their appreciation. It’s so heartwarming to see that there are so many people out there who recognize and value our work. It keeps us going.

I want to point something out that gift-givers may not be aware of. Many gift cards expire or are subject to limitations and restrictions. It has happened to me many times that I received a gift card I couldn’t use for one of these reasons. I’m sure the gift-giver would be as disappointed as the receiver to discover that the gift she gave with so much heart, and spent money on, is useless.

Also, I want people to know that personal notes are especially appreciated and make any gift much more meaningful.

Of course, gifts are never required and always appreciated, no matter what form they take. Your gesture of appreciation and respect goes a long way.

Ah freilichen Purim!

An Appreciative Teacher

Freshen

WHAT FOODS DO

YOU MOST APPRECIATE IN MISHLOACH MANOS, AND WHY?

Real food is the most appreciated. I love it when people send rolls and dips or salads.

Anything baked and anything chocolate are my top favorites. Cookies, muffins, cakes, kugels — yum!

I also really enjoy real foods, like salads and deli sandwiches.

The Monsey View readers engaged in a fierce and tight competition while electing their favorite mishloach manos foods, with many vying for delicious HOMEMADE OFFERINGS while others turned up a nose to baked goods due to hygiene concerns, greatly preferring packaged, STORE-BOUGHT food items.

Many clamored for more CHOCOLATE , and more DAIRY MINIATURES, while others announced a definite affinity for REAL FOOD, such as salad.

Fun fact: The word “chocolate” came up a whopping 72 times in responses.

Well, chocolate, of course! With the price tags on food items these days, I don’t usually buy myself chocolate, but when I get some, I can enjoy chocolate while doing Pesach cleaning!

Chocolate, because chocolate is always appreciated. But no homemade stuff please; those get thrown out right away.

I appreciate baked goods, but we’ll only eat it if the food is from a very trusted source, so most of it goes straight to the garbage.

Chocolate that is kosher l’Pesach, and muffins and cappuccino that I can enjoy as an easy breakfast.

We enjoy food that can be used for the seudah, like salad, kugel or challah.

While I’m not much of a patchke person myself, and usually put together a classy and store-bought-goodies mishloach manos, I delight in close families’ or friends’ homemade delicacies. Kudos to you, ambitious balabustes out there who bake up a storm! I definitely get the better end of the deal.

No junk, cake, cookies, chocolate or nuts. I’ll buy those in my local supermarket if I’m in the mood for them. What I’d love is something nutritious, wholesome and good enough for breakfast or lunch that I’ll probably skip otherwise. I once received a healthy cookie with an ingredient list attached, paired with a healthy hot chocolate mix. I never appreciated a mishloach manos more!

I love receiving food that matches the sender’s theme because I love seeing other’s creativity.

I greatly appreciate getting homemade dairy muffins that I can enjoy post-Purim. I find that more than all the chocolates and wafer rolls, there’s nothing like a homemade dairy treat with my morning coffee.

From close friends and family, I appreciate getting homemade delicacies like chocolate bark or cookies, if it’s presented nicely (no creamy cakes!). However, from students, acquaintances or neighbors down the block, getting chocolate bars or store-bought bakery goods with sparkling grape juice or Moscato cans is really appreciated.

I enjoy heimishe baked goodies from family and friends. I feel that it’s more personal and really appreciated. The chocolate liquor that is often included gets enjoyed at the Shabbos seudah

As long as it is considered food in my dictionary, I appreciate it. This means no open candy or junk food. The absolute best food item I ever got was salad. Second place is chocolate and baked goods.

Ready salads. The day is so hectic, and there is no time to make any food. Getting ready food is a great help.

I don’t enjoy receiving homemade stuff. I do love getting chocolate.

I only enjoy regular foods. Candy and chocolate get thrown away. The kids get enough junk food from their teachers and friends.

If it’s from a heimishe balabusta I know, I enjoy homemade baked goods. Otherwise, I love receiving packaged high-quality pastries and confections.

I definitely like store-bought items as opposed to homemade, but a heimishe babka I will always enjoy!

Let’s be honest — who doesn’t love a mishloach manos overflowing with chocolate? But my favorites are the ones that include a mix of things I wouldn’t normally buy for myself. A fancy cheese, a unique dip or even a small bottle of sparkling cider can make a mishloach manos stand out.

Growing up, there was one neighbor on the block who sent a fresh cold cut salad every year. It was neatly presented with the veggies, dressing and turkey in separate compartments. After a day without normal food, we all used to fight over who will get to eat it!

I enjoy baked goods that people send, along with cappuccinos or other drinks. They serve as my breakfast for the next few days.

It’s always nice to get additions to the Purim seudah, such as dips, fruit cups or shakes. Otherwise, most of the homemade goods end up getting tossed.

I appreciate foods that we can actually eat, like challah, fish, dips, kugel, meat, salads and fruit.

My neighbor sends us delicious store-bought pecan pies every year. They’re classy, neat, nicely packaged and delicious. A definite favorite! I really look forward to them each Purim.

My sister traditionally gives saran-wrapped smoked fish with chickpeas and vegetables. We always look forward to it and enjoy it at the meal on Purim day.

I’m quite particular and would rather not eat homemade food from people I don’t know well. As for the food itself, chocolate always wins!

Quality closed packaged foods are the most appreciated.

Cheesecake for sure! Busy mommies have no time to bake treats.

Chocolate! Because a good chocolate with a steaming cup of coffee is a great pick-me-up when I need a boost.

Next question:

When my daughter was in high school, she once complained to a teacher that she couldn’t help her mother bake hamantaschen because she had too much homework to do. The teacher’s reaction surprised me: “Do people still do that in today’s day and age?”

Well, I love getting homemade hamantaschen from my children and grandchildren, including that very daughter, who is now a grandmother herself. Although most of them use the same “passed-down-fromgenerations-ago,” recipe, somehow, each has its own signature. I also enjoy the foods they send for the seudah, which takes a bit off my workload (e.g., sides of salmon, kugels, deli rolls, and of course, the large seudah challos).

WHAT IS THE ONE HOUSEHOLD CHORE YOU ALWAYS LEAVE FOR THE CLEANING LADY, IF YOU HAVE ONE, OR WISH YOU COULD, WERE YOU TO HAVE ONE?

Please submit your answer by Tuesday night, March 11, for a chance to see it in print!

Email or text pov@themonseyview.com Fax 845-600-8483

Voicemail: 845-600-8484 ext. 811

To receive the POV question in your inbox every week, send an email to pov@themonseyview.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line.

PARSHAS TETZAVEH

To the Top

Y. Levenstein

When discussing the mitzvah of preparing shemen zayis for the Menorah, the pasuk says, “And they should take to you, [Moshe], pure olive oil, crushed for lighting” ( Shemos 27:20).

The Kli Yakar asks: Why was Klal Yisroel told to bring specifically the oil to Moshe, something we do not see by other parts of the Mishkan, such as the shulchan, aron, or bigdei kehunah? Preparing the oil seems like a simple job — squeeze an olive, and reserve the first drop for the Menorah!

PARNASSAH WASN’T coming easily to David. As a wholesaler, he spent his days trying to enlarge the circle of clients interested in his wares so he could increase his sales — and income — but it wasn’t smooth sailing. Business was not doing well, and things only seemed to be getting worse.

When a business acquaintance mentioned Japan, David was completely opposed. Do business in Japan? To a frum man like him, it was as if someone suggested he become an astronaut. Japan was totally off his map.

Several months passed, and business did not improve. The seed of that Japanese idea had settled more comfortably in his brain. Perhaps he should try his luck abroad?

David purchased a ticket on the company account and made the necessary arrangements. Travel day arrived, and David settled into his business class seat for his fourteen-and-a-halfhour flight.

Soon, the stewardesses came around serving their first meal. David received that familiar double-wrapped kosher tray. As he tackled the plastic and foil, the passenger beside him couldn’t help but notice the skimpylooking meal. He himself was being served wine cocktails and a three-course dinner on proper dishes.

It must have been the first time he was sit-

ting near a frum passenger, and his curiosity was piqued.

“There’s really good food in business class. Why do you make do with that measly meal?” he asked.

David turned to his companion. The man was well-groomed and appeared to be a respectable person. Yet he wondered if the man could possibly understand his answer.

“I’m a Jew,” he said, “and Jews don’t eat just anything. We eat only kosher, even only kosher wine.”

As expected, the passenger beside him didn’t quite understand. “You’re traveling alone on this flight, right? Nobody sees what you’re doing. Why can’t you just eat whatever you want?”

“G-d sees me,” came David’s instant response. “Jews are bound to G-d, and follow His commands wherever they may be.”

David still could not detect whether his companion understood, but the two continued to engage in friendly conversation, covering various topics. Just before landing, the man gave David his cell phone number and told him that he should feel free to call him if there was anything he needed as a first-timer in the country.

Things did not go easily for David in Tokyo. The language, the culture — it was all so new. And besides, he discovered there were enough local products similar to his own that kept his potential buyers satisfied. They had no need for his wares.

Several days passed, and David was on the brink of despair. After all that effort and money — what a flop of a trip! Just before he returned to New York, David decided to give the man from the plane a call.

“There’s really good food in business class. Why do you make do with that measly meal?”

“I knew I was looking for a sharp, savvy individual, but mainly, I was looking for an honest fellow, someone I could trust completely”

“I was waiting for you,” the voice on the other end said. “A shame I didn’t take your number… I couldn’t call you!” He invited David to see him in his office.

When David walked up to the address, he saw an impressive building, large and well-appointed. It was the headquarters of Sony. Inside, he was directed to the office of the CEO.

Only now did David realize that his new friend was none other than the CEO of Sony.

The CEO welcomed him warmly and got straight to the point. “When I met you, I was on my way home from a trip to the Sony branch in the USA. The reason I went this time was not very pleasant. Not long ago, it was discovered that one of my top executives in New York was defrauding the company. Obviously, we let him go. I went to interview several candidates as replacements.

“I knew I was looking for a sharp, savvy individual, but mainly, I was looking for an honest fellow, someone I could trust completely. After all the interviewing, I wasn’t able to settle on any of the applicants.

“And then I met you. I found a person who is totally faithful to the order of his G-d, even when in a position that nobody would ever know if he defied it; a man who’s ready to make do with less just because that’s what his G-d says.

“Our conversation showed you are rather intelligent and seem to have the qualifications necessary for our open position. I want to offer you the job.”

And so David went from being a struggling salesman to a C-suite executive at Sony, with a generous compensation package.

*Name has been changed.

Every person, in every circumstance, could bring out the best of the situation — even if it seems he would be more successful if things were different.

That’s the lesson we learn from the olive. Olives are naturally bitter and

hard. It seems they have no major use or benefit. When Chazal (Eruvin) wanted to describe something bitter, they used the example of the olive. Moreover, Chazal say that olives are kasheh l’shichecha, may cause memory loss.

But when the olive is pressed, out comes shemen zayis — a valuable liquid that illuminates the world through our Shabbos and Yom Tov licht, and of course, the Menorah.

And, ironically, this very same olive that causes memory loss produces olive oil, a segulah for good memory!

How does the poor olive suddenly turn into such a notable thing?

Let’s contemplate the life of our great manhig who transmitted the Torah from Hakadosh Baruch Hu — Moshe Rabbeinu. His life’s circumstances were anything but smooth sailing.

Born to Amrom, the gadol hador, and Yocheved, a neviah, he spent his first two years basking in a microcosmic Gan Eden. He went on to live in the epitome of tumah — in the palace of Pharaoh. Moshe could have thought, Why am I here? What makes me different from my fellow brothers, the Bnei Yisroel? But instead, Moshe went out to his brothers to feel their pain. Pharaoh soon wanted his head, and he had to run away. Moshe spent ten years jailed by Yisro before marrying Tzipora, and forty years as a king in Kush, according to the Midrash.

Only when Moshe was 80 years old did Hakadosh Baruch Hu reveal Himself to him, and he became the rebbi of Klal Yisroel. How strange that someone who went through such difficulties became the great leader of his people and the transmitter of the Torah.

The secret lies in the shemen zayis. It’s a fruit that is hard, bitter and even linked to memory loss, yet specifically from this, we get the best oil, which actually stimulates wisdom and memory.

The Torah says, “And you should take to Moshe.” Yes, Yidden should come to Moshe and learn the message he lived: In every situation, do not become broken, do not despair. Every Yid has hidden kochos, even if they are as of yet invisible.

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טייטש ,םוחת םעניא ןלאנאיסעפארפ

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$100M Surplus in East Ramapo?

Another bombshell announcement rocked East Ramapo last week, with a budget review finding additional funds that could have the school district with as much as a $100 million surplus.

As previously reported in The Monsey View, the district’s school board and local residents were stunned to learn that cashstrapped East Ramapo actually had a $30 million surplus this past November. The discovery of even more mystery money had board trustee Sabrina Charles-Pierre expressing her frustration with the lack of accountability, particularly since the district has been under the supervision of state-appointed monitors for years.

According to reports, the budget review found that district expenditures were considerably less than projected amounts. Much of the surplus, which had gone unnoticed for three years, appeared to be due to unfilled staff positions, overblown transportation costs, and other errors.

With the New York State Education Department overriding voters’ wishes and slapping district residents with a 4.38% tax increase this past fall to bring more money into East Ramapo’s coffers, news of the unexpected overage has been met with outrage. A petition started last week by Rockland Jewish Alliance had garnered over 1,000 signatures as of March 2, and called for Governor Kathy Hochul, NYSED and the East Ramapo School District to re-

fund the recent tax hike, end state oversight of the district, and issue a public explanation regarding the multi-million dollar surplus.

Tzedakah Donation Leads to International Tefillin Miracle

The protective power of mitzvos was clearly seen last week when an online donation to RCCS set in motion a miraculous chain of events that led to the discovery of a lost pair of tefillin, a saga that spanned thousands of miles.

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According to Rockland Daily, an unnamed Londoner who came to New Square last week for the historic Hachnasas Sefer Torah lost his suitcase when he got to New York. The missing luggage was reported to Ershte Hilf, which notified the community of the man’s name, hoping that someone would find the lost tefillin and contact them.

The Londoner’s suitcase had been left in the taxi that brought him to New Square, and when the next person using the same taxi arrived at his destination — the airport — he told the driver that someone had left a suitcase behind in his vehicle. After taking his next fare to Kiryas Joel, the driver tossed the suitcase into a dumpster, where it caught the eye of a local worker. He opened it and saw the tefillin. Recognizing it as a Jewish article, he transferred the suitcase to Kiryas Joel Chaverim.

Chaverim could not find a local listing for the name embroidered on the tefillin bag. Google turned up an online donation to RCCS associated with the name, which led them to reach out to contacts in New Square, who connected them with Ershte Hilf.

As of Sunday night, Ershte Hilf was still trying to reach the owner of the tefillin to let him know that his luggage had been located — all because of the tzedakah he had given months ago.

Wieder Opens District Office in Pearl River

Assemblyman Aron Wieder welcomed political and communal leaders as his first guests in his new district office on February 27, promising to do his best to represent the diverse constituency of the 97th District in Albany.

Thanking his former legislative colleagues as well as Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht for coming, Wieder praised his staff for their behind-the-scenes effort. He noted that while his office will be handling many different issues, all have a common denominator.

“It all boils down to one little thing: helping constituents. Nothing more and nothing less,” said Wieder.

Located in Pearl River’s Blue Hill Plaza, Suite 1116, Wieder’s doors are always

open for residents of the 97th Assembly District.

Trump Offers Bird Flu Plan as Egg Prices Expected To Outpace Predictions

Warnings of a 20% jump in egg prices appear to have been wrong, with the United States Department of Agriculture warning of increases that could actually top 40% in the 2025 calendar year.

Yahoo News reported that some consumers in Connecticut are paying nearly $20 a dozen for their eggs, with Key Food and C-Town customers paying a more modest but still painful $12 for a carton of standard eggs. Food Fair Supermarket president Tim Forth told West Viriginia’s WSAZ News that while his stores pay a wholesale price of $8 per dozen, they sell on store shelves at $7.49. A discounted price of $5.49 is available to customers who spend $7.99 on other purchases at Food Fair.

“Be patient with us,” said Forth. “We understand the pain that goes on with this, and as supplies come up, I’m sure you’re gonna see prices go down.”

The catastrophic avian flu that has affected 166 million birds is responsible for the jump in egg prices, and President Donald Trump’s team has been working hard to come up with solutions. A multipronged plan outlined last week by USDA secretary Brooke Rollins could include importing eggs from other countries and a rollback of some of the egg industry’s many regulations. Looking ahead to prevent similar issues in the future, Rollins said that the USDA is investing resources into efforts that would prevent bird flu.

County Names New Health Commissioner

A board-certified internist who has been practicing medicine locally for more than 30 years was chosen to fill the Rockland County Department of Health’s top spot, a position that comes with a salary of $224,681.

Dr. Mary Leahy began serving as Rockland County health commissioner

on February 25. Announcing her appointment last week, County Executive Ed Day hailed the former CEO of Bon Secours Medical Group’s extensive experience and strong commitment to public health.

“Her leadership will be instrumental in strengthening public health initiatives and advancing healthcare access for all,” said Day.

Leahy said that she welcomed the opportunity to lead the Department of Health, which has been without a commissioner since Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert left the position in March 2023.

“I look forward to working with our dedicated health professionals and community partners to enhance public health programs and ensure that every resident has access to quality healthcare,” said Leahy.

Recertify With E-ZPass To Keep Your Cuomo Bridge Resident Discount

Rocklanders who have been enjoying a resident discount on the Tappan Zee Bridge are being advised to update their EZPass information to prevent paying higher toll prices when crossing the Hudson River.

According to The Journal News, 235,000 Rockland and Westchester residents who make more than 20 trips each month over the span are currently receiving the discount, which saves them $1.35 each trip. Drivers will now be required to recertify for the discount with E-ZPass every two years by contacting the company’s customer service center to confirm the address and license plate number associated with their EZPass tag.

Most Rockland and Westchester drivers who use the program have already recertified, with the remainder notified by E-ZPass to update their information either by phone, mail or online. Customers who want to continue using the discount must respond to E-ZPass within 30 days of that notification.

New York State Thruway Authority spokesperson Jennifer Givner said that her agency understands that the discounts are vital for residents of the Hudson Valley.

“This due diligence protects customers who are eligible for the discounts,” said Givner, who added that it also helps the agency accurately collect on tolls that are rightfully owed.

Perela leaves Yanky at a babysitter for the first time so she can go to work. Kaily feels alone and abandoned without money, a source of income or family support.

have right after receiving her first paycheck and signing her first contract.

She closed her eyes, trying to recapture the elation she’d felt when Tziri had crowed how all the corduroy dresses were flying off the shelves.

“You’re a genius, Perela! Every woman came in saying, gimme that dress that doesn’t need a shell!”

Perela gathered Yanky in her arms and gazed at his red, puffy eyes. He looked back with distrust. Stupid, stupid rain boots. I lost my child’s trust because of you.

She hugged Yanky and nestled her face in the crook of his neck, the smell of baby wipes and banana overwhelming her senses. His little body vibrated and his hands clutched her sheitel. She hugged and rocked him softly.

“Yanky… Shhh…”

“Maaa… Maa…” Yanky whimpered.

Perela felt like whimpering along with him. She thanked Morah and listened with a half ear as she kept repeating, “I’m telling you. All kids are like this the first few days. Then they love it.”

Right. It was still better than Tziri’s “This will build him.”

My foot. The same way breathing deeply took the place of davening. Yanky held on tightly to her neck, knotting her freshly set sheitel with his grip, but she didn’t care.

What had Ezriel said? “Anyone can do your job, but only you can be your kids’ mother.” Not a great thought to

Then she’d whipped out an envelope and handed it to her with a flourish. “Your well-deserved paycheck!”

Perela had taken the envelope reverently. Her first paycheck. The freedom that comes with money was just a bonus to the high she was already feeling.

Then Perela had sketched the design for the boots. She drew the cutest little yarn doll hugging the Prance logo and sat with Tziri to choose the colors. Perela had insisted on navy and red for those who wanted matching boys and girls, a striking yellow for those who, well, liked striking yellow, and magenta because that would be the summer color next season.

Now she looked at her innocent little boy.

“You missed me?” She patted him softly.

Who cared about those overpriced boots anyway? The world wouldn’t be a better place with them.

Though Tziri had convinced her otherwise.

PERELA HAD TAKEN THE ENVELOPE REVERENTLY. HER FIRST PAYCHECK. THE FREEDOM THAT COMES WITH MONEY WAS JUST A BONUS TO THE HIGH SHE WAS ALREADY FEELING

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THE SIGHT IN THE KITCHEN MADE PERELA’S BLOOD RUN COLD. HER MOTHER WAS CLUTCHING THE KITCHEN SINK FOR DEAR LIFE. HER WALKER WAS JUST OUT OF REACH BEHIND HER

“You’ll see! Every woman who goes to the country and knows anything about anything will have their kids prancing in Prance boots! Not only that. In the summer! It’s another whole line! It’s not going to be like, okay, let’s take some old boots to the country for the mud. It’s going to be a thing on their country list! Same level of importance as, say, swim stuff, or mosquito repellant, or sunscreen.”

Or food. Or drinks. Or clothes. A total necessity.

So of course Perela had agreed to come.

“You’re sure you can’t be here before two-thirty? I wanted to go two-ish. But now I won’t have enough time before you have to run to your kids’ buses.”

Perela had assured her it was fine for her to leave at two, their mother could be alone for a bit. Could she? Her heart hammered as she hurried up the walkway.

Why did I agree? she asked herself. Why? Because if not, I would be the evil sister and uncaring daughter who couldn’t cover for an hour or two while her poor divorced sister shopped with her son the chasan.

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When Yanky finally calmed down, she gently strapped him into his stroller. For a moment, she imagined herself cuddling with Yanky on the couch, bathing him so he would smell like her house again, and then she would even have a few minutes to pull together a decent supper.

But, no, guilt always came first. Breathwork! Abracadabra… breathwork. Lemme find peace in my heart. In… In….In…

Argh! She was going to aspirate from inhaling so much air. Or maybe the spirituality was too much for her non-spiritual body?

She ran the few blocks to her mother’s house. This was not the way she imagined her first day as a fashion consultant at Prance D’Paris.

But then again, with Kaily around, she could always expect to feel worse than she was meant to be feeling. Take this visit, for example.

Kaily had called her with an entire litany of reasons she had to shop with Sruly today. Fine. She understood. But then she said, “I haven’t left the house since Erev Yom Kippur, unless you count aqua therapy, of course.”

Chas v’shalom. She would never count aqua therapy.

“And, nebach for Sruly. I was so busy with Mommy, I barely had time for him.”

Fine. Go, but don’t guilt me.

She woke Yanky from his second nap, ran up the front steps, and put in the code for the combination lock.

“Hi, Ma,” she called.

The sight in the kitchen made Perela’s blood run cold. Her mother was clutching the kitchen sink for dear life. Her walker was just out of reach behind her.

“Oh… Perela,” her mother whispered. Her eyes were huge and fearful. “Perela,” she repeated, “I thought you’d never come. I just wanted to wash my hands, and the walker… rolled away.”

Yeah, that’s what walkers tend to do.

Perela helped her mother sit down. “How long were you standing like this?” she asked shakily. It was her fault. She’d assured Kaily that it was okay for their mother to be alone.

She filled a cup of water for her mother and settled her cranky son with some toys.

“Ma,” she said gently, “why didn’t you wait for me? Didn’t Kaily tell you I’d be here at two-thirty?” Her mother didn’t answer. Her fingers danced on the table to a rhythm she couldn’t follow.

“Perela!” her mother cried suddenly. “I can’t even wash my hands myself. What has become of me?”

“YAY!” PERELA CHEERED. THIS WAS THE FIRST SHE’D HEARD OF THE PLAY. HAD SHE BEEN THAT TUNED OUT?

Her voice was so anguished, Perela’s heart broke for her.

Stupid rainboots.

She checked her watch. The plan was for her to be here until threethirty, and Kaily would be home at about four. But after what she just saw, how could she leave her mother alone? If she stayed, she would miss Charni’s bus and probably also Avrumy’s.

“I started my job today,” Perela shared. Distraction always worked. She told her mother all about her day, about Tziri’s weird ideas, about her trip to China.

As she spoke, she could inhale the fresh scent of freshly brewed coffee, tap into that energy that coursed through her veins as she stared at the computer screen, watching her sketch come to life.

By the time she had to leave, her mother was smiling, and her good feelings were back. Yanky would get used to the babysitter, she would be with Mommy every Wednesday and Sunday when she was off from work, and things would settle down.

Tziri had even offered to send her extra cleaning help. The workers in the store were on salary, and she often took them home to help her.

“Ma. I hate what I’ll be doing now,” Perela said. “But I’m going to miss the kids’ buses if I don’t leave right now. Kaily will be home in about ten minutes. Can you stay put until she gets here?”

Her mother laughed. “I remember running to Yiddy’s bus and dropping you in those old-fashioned playpens for those two minutes. They should have such cages for people like me.”

“I’ll see if Prance wants to produce them,” Perela answered playfully.

She ran home, only to see Charni’s bus pull away. She quickly called Chaya to take her off at the next stop and walked the one extra block to fetch her.

“Did you see those adorable corduroy dresses at Prance?” Chaya asked.

Perela nodded and hurried home. Her head swam with images of boots, her mother holding on for dear life, and her sweet baby looking at her with wounded eyes.

The adrenaline seeped out as soon as she changed into a snood. Forget Yanky’s bath, forget supper. She was so, so drained

Avrumy’s bus honked, and she sleepwalked to get him inside. She had another half hour until Sheva would be home and start chewing her ear off. MSG-loaded snacks were for occasions such as this, she decided. She handed the junk to the three of them and closed her eyes on the couch.

The next thing she knew, Sheva was bouncing next to her.

“Ma! I was chosen!”

“Chosen for what?” she asked, prying one eye open.

“The solo dance! For our play!” Play? What?

“Yay!” Perela cheered. This was the first she’d heard of the play. Had she been that tuned out?

“So when is it? Can Babi come?” she asked.

“Sure grandmothers can come! It’s on a Monday. A day after Rosh Chodesh Kislev. Fourth grade always does Rosh Chodesh Kislev, but this year it’s on Sunday.” She chatted on and on, until Perela knew every last detail cold.

Together they headed to the kitchen to mark it down on the calendar.

“So let’s see here.” Perela turned the page. “Okay, here it is! Rosh Chodesh is on December 1. So the play is that Monday.”

Her hand hovering over the calendar, Perela froze. Monday, December 2 — that was the day of her flight back from China… landing at 8 p.m.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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Embrace the Purim spirit with these enticing treats that simply proclaim fun and good cheer.

KOKOSH CAKE COOKIES

I tasted this cookie when a neighbor sent some over, and I knew I had to get the recipe. Easily made by hand, they’re soft, rich and so good, you’ll want to bake them on repeat!

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs

¾ cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 T. vanilla sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

5 cups Wondermills flour Chocolate syrup, for smearing over dough

FILLING

2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa

1 T. vanilla sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

2. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar (this can be done with a fork as well). Add the remaining ingredients, and mix well until a dough forms.

3. In a bowl or bag, combine all filling ingredients. Set aside.

4. Divide the dough into three equal parts.

5. Roll out each piece of dough into a large, ⅛-inch-thick rectangle.

6. Smear a thin layer of chocolate syrup over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.

7. Add a handful of filling over the syrup, making sure it is fully covered.

8. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style.

9. Cut several slits on the top to allow air to escape while baking.

10. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until slightly golden.

11. Remove from the oven, and cut into 1-inch pieces immediately.

SHABBOS PARTY COOKIES

These cookies are everything you love about a Shabbos party rolled into one. With snacks and treats baked right in, they’re the ultimate festive bite for your Purim celebration.

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks margarine

½ cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups Wondermills flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup chopped pretzels

1 cup crushed potato chips

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup candy-coated chips

3 waffle cones, crushed (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

3. In a bowl, beat the margarine and sugars.

4. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.

5. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine.

6. Add in the pretzels, potato chips, chocolate chips, candy chips and waffle cones. Fold in until just combined.

7. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool fully before handling.

FILL-YOUROWN HAMANTASCHEN

Experience the fun of making your own creamfilled hamantaschen! It’s a great way to keep the kids entertained, especially during this hectic time of year.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick margarine

1 egg + 1 yolk

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla

2½ cups Wondermills flour

¼ cup orange juice

1½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

FILLINGS

Bakers Choice Raspberry Jam

Bakers Choice Apricot Jam

Bakers Choice Chocolate Cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bag or bowl, mix all dough ingredients until well combined. Roll out and cut circles using a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Form hamantaschen. Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes.

2. While it bakes, fill syringes (available on Amazon) with cream. Serve the hamantaschen with the filled syringes for a fun Purim activity. 718.705.5182

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LIEBER’S HAS IT ALL.

purim meat pinwheels

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A delightful burst of flavor in every bite, these pinwheels are sure to be a hit. With their savory meat filling and flaky puff pastry, you'll want to keep going back for "just one more."

INGREDIENTS

2 sheets puff pastry dough

1½ lbs ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp Lieber’s oil

1 (8 oz) can Lieber’s sliced mushrooms, drained

1 tsp Lieber’s salt

½ tsp Lieber’s black pepper

½ tsp Lieber’s cumin

1 tsp Lieber’s paprika

½ tsp Lieber’s onion powder

½ tsp Lieber’s garlic powder

½ cup + 2 Tbsp Lieber’s creamy Dijon mustard

½ cup Lieber’s spicy mayo

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pan over medium heat, add the oil and sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic for about 7-9 minutes.

2. Add the salt, pepper, and remaining spices. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon or potato masher. Brown the meat for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through.

4. Roll out both puff pastry sheets. Spread a layer of Dijon mustard on each sheet.

5. Divide the meat mixture between the two pastry sheets. Roll each sheet into a jelly roll shape and slice into pinwheels.

6. Place the pinwheels on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

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In the Purim story, we find ourselves on a roller coaster ride of a narrative, navigating twists and turns and unexpected corners that yield fortuitous results. The crux of the Purim story is that the Hand of Hashem remained hidden throughout, and that deliverance for Am Yisroel came from the most unexpected sources.

In warfare and in espionage, which is the craft of spying, victory often depends on the unexpected. Fool your enemy into believing that you are stronger than you really are, or that you are coming from a different place than you really are, and you may just vanquish your foes by taking them by surprise. History has shown us that victories don’t always come to the numerically superior, but rather depend on the bravery of the few who manage to outwit the enemy.

C.G. HOFFMAN

Here are three stupendous tales of espionage success. All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable . . . when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far.

– Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The Fake Army That Won the War

It was 1942, and the war was not going well for the British. Hitler’s monstrous Nazi forces, ym”sh, had gobbled up Europe, swallowing one country after another. France, Belgium and Holland had fallen like bowling pins. The British had suffered a humiliating withdrawal at Dunkirk, where the remnants of the limping British army were evacuated from a fallen France. Meanwhile, London was being pummeled nightly by the German Luftwaffe in the infamous Blitz.

And then there was North Africa. The Middle East wasn’t just about sand and camels. Whoever controlled Egypt controlled the Suez Canal, and whoever controlled the canal controlled the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. Italy’s Mussolini had cast a hungry eye on North Africa, and German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, nicknamed the “Desert Fox,” was quickly blasting his way through. The German forces came as close as Tobruk, an important port city in Egypt. Cairo was next.

The German army was vastly superior, both in power and in number. If the Germans had known the true number of Allied forces stationed in Egypt, they would have laughed their way to world domination. But they didn’t know, and that was wholly the work of one man: British army

officer Dudley Clarke.

No one quite knew what Dudley Clarke’s official job was. It seemed as if all he did was sit at the bar in Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo and tell funny stories. But in fact, the vastly underarmed and outmanned British army depended on the round-faced little man to stop the Germans from conquering North Africa.

Officer Dudley Clarke

Clarke set about on a complicated mission: His goal was to deceive the Germans into believing they were dealing with a vast army, complete with an untold number of squadrons, naval fleets and bomber groups, and possessing scores of airplanes and ships. This was an army that existed solely in the meticulous files of ‘A’ force, the squadron he had conjured out of thin air.

He created a completely fictitious British paratrooper unit, when no such unit existed. Then the information was conveniently “leaked” to the Germans and Italians. He created the SAS, the 1st Special Air Service Brigade, which was later to become famous for its daring commando raids and very un-British style of guerrilla warfare. But back then, it didn’t even exist. But that didn’t stop Clarke from outfitting them with brand-new uniforms that he designed, down to the last stripe. He then sent two soldiers dressed in his newly-created SAS uniforms to wander around Cairo and other Egyptian cities, so that the right tongues would wag about this mysterious new army unit. After the war, the extent of his success was discovered: German intelligence overestimated the amount of Allied troops in North Africa by a full 250,000!

By the time the theater of war shifted toward an Allied invasion of Europe, Clarke had honed his craft into an art. The most important act of deception was to deceive the Germans as to where, when and how the invasion of Eu-

rope would begin. “Operation Mincemeat” was an elaborate hoax designed to fool the Germans into believing the Allies were about to invade Greece and Sardinia, when the true destination was Sicily. Clarke’s team procured the body of a homeless man who had swallowed rat poison, and dressed him as a Major in the Royal Marines. With his flair for theatrics, his team gave the “Major” some major personality, even including a receipt for a gift he purportedly bought for family back home. But most importantly, in his pockets they placed maps with markings telling the Germans exactly what they wanted them to think, in order to divert them from their true goal.

Across the Channel, the British were hard at work, expanding on Clarke’s original plans for deception. When tanks were moved to be put into use, their original spots were quickly filled with dummy tanks, made out of inflatable material, to hoodwink the Germans into believing the British had many more tanks than they really did. Additionally, useless metal strips were airdropped along the French coast to confuse German radar.

German reconnaissance aircraft soon started reporting on a massive British buildup in Southeast England, noting large convoys of tanks and landing craft, leading them to believe that the British were planning a massive invasion of France at Calais. In fact, what they were seeing was a completely fictional army, built up with wood, canvas and empty barrels.

Four-hundred parachutists were dropped over France in the early hours of the invasion, all in the wrong places. The Allies, of course, were landing at Normandy. The parachutists were landing everywhere but at Normandy, and could have gotten a medal for their performance — had they been human. However, they were dummies made of cloth and string. Some of them even exploded on landing, leading the Germans to believe they were hearing the sounds of a furious battle.

WWII was the war that changed the world. But what also changed was the way that wars of the future would be fought. Intelligence gathering, espionage and elaborate deception were now just as important as having boots on the ground.

He created a completely fictitious British paratrooper unit, when no such unit existed. Then the information was conveniently “leaked” to the Germans and Italians

The British Queen of Espionage

One of the most important intelligence operators in England during WWII was a Jewish woman named Vera Atkins. For most of her life, Atkins hid her Jewish identity. She was born to Jewish parents named Rosenberg in Galatz, Romania, and she later anglicized her name to Atkins by taking some liberties with her mother’s maiden name, which was “Etkin.” She grew up in an affluent area of Bucharest and had many connections in the diplomatic and business world. She escaped to England in 1937 and was recruited as a secretary for the SOE.

The SOE, the Special Operations Executive, was an irregular British organization that was created by Winston Churchill himself. Their sole purpose was to create havoc for the Nazis in Europe. They were known as “Churchill’s Secret Army” and were instructed to be as ungentlemanly as possible. They were called a slew of tongue-in-cheek

nicknames, such as the “Baker Street Irregulars” or the “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”

Operators were put through the toughest training regimens, leading to their ultimate goal: being dropped into France to aid the French Resistance and dispatch intelligence reports from France. The most dangerous job was as a wireless radio operator, with the average agent surviving for only six weeks before being caught by the Germans. Vera Atkins rose through the ranks until she became the assistant to Maurice Buckmeister, the head of “F Section.” The “F” was for France, and Vera’s particular job was to train female SOE agents before they were dropped into France. She recruited girls who were possible candidates, and then saw them through the entire process of training until she escorted them to the airfield from where they were sent to their missions in France. She was famously thorough, examining every bit of their clothing and luggage to make sure there was no way they could be suspected of being British. Their pockets were searched for cigarettes and matches, making sure they were only from French brands. Even the embroidery on their clothes had to be done by known French tailors. Agents were ruthlessly and relentlessly drilled on French language, culture and behavior. After all, an

Agents were ruthlessly and relentlessly drilled on French language, culture and behavior. After all, an agent could be caught by something as innocuous as looking to the left before crossing the street

agent could be caught by something as innocuous as looking to the left before crossing the street. (In England, drivers drive on the left side of the road. In continental Europe, they drive on the right.) Agents were given false identities and watertight cover stories. Some posed as nurses, others as traveling saleswomen. Everyone had their own story, complete with false identity papers and an accent that matched the region they were supposedly from.

Many of the SOE agents were caught, but many more managed to evade capture and convey crucial information to the British to help them prepare for their eventual landing in Normandy. Agents were chosen for their ability to pass as French and for their French speaking abilities, and especially for their ability to weasel their way out of tricky situations. One wireless operator was caught by the Germans along with her radio. She managed to convince the Germans that she was a nurse, and that the radio was an X-ray machine! Another agent escaped arrest by biting her tongue and using the gushing blood as “proof” that she was suffering from tuberculosis.

After the war, Vera Atkins was plagued by guilt over what had happened to “her girls.” She traveled to postwar Europe, visiting DP camps and talking to other survivors of concentration camps. She found out what had happened to the SOE agents who had disappeared, and who had ended up in Nazi concentration camps such as Dachau or Ravensbrück, a women’s camp.

Even years after the war, she remained an enigmatic figure. She shunned publicity and kept the secrets of the SOE close. In a rare interview, she said that “every scrape [of intelligence] was under lock and key, or destroyed.”

Vera Atkins was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France in 1948, and appointed a CBE, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, in 1997. CBE is the highest ranking Order of the British Empire and awarded to people who make significant contributions in their field. She died in 2000.

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The Spy Who Spied on His Own Father

One of the most outspoken voices in support of Israel today comes from a surprising origin. Mosab Hassan Yousef is a son of one of the senior founding members of Hamas, and spurned a lifetime of indoctrination and hatred to become one of the most fearless voices in support of the Jewish people.

Yousef was born in Ramallah, in the West Bank. His father, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, spent many years in Israeli prisons as a result of his ties to terrorism and acts of terror. The younger Yousef grew up a fervent believer in the cause of the Palestinians, viewing every Jew as an enemy, and wanting to grow up to be a “fighter,” since that was expected of every Palestinian child. He made sure to give his father lots of “nachas,” and was first arrested at the age of ten for throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers. As the eldest child, he was groomed from an early age to take his father’s place as a leader of Hamas.

During one of his many stints in Israeli jails,

Mosab Hassan Yousef finally opened his eyes and started seeing Hamas for what it truly is: a group of terrorists, cold-blooded killers who hold nothing sacred except their own power. While in jail, he saw how Hamas members tortured and killed their fellow Muslim prisoners who they suspected, usually falsely, as collaborating with Israel. He says, “I started asking myself a question. What if Hamas succeeds? Will they destroy our people in this way?”

Yousef was then serving a sentence of sixteen months. While in prison, he started forming close ties with his Shin Bet interrogators and agreed to spy for Israel upon his release. He earned the nickname the “Green Prince” because of his “yichus” within the terrorist organization. He supplied a treasure trove of intelligence to Israel, preventing many suicide bombings and exposing many secret Hamas cells. He also played a role in thwarting the assassination of several key Israeli government figures, and according to the Shin Bet, “Many people owe him their lives and don’t even know it.” He was not motivated by money to do his dangerous work, saying that his only motivation was to save lives.

Yousef went on exposing Hamas members for years, nev-

Yousef was then serving a sentence of sixteen months. While in prison, he started forming close ties with his Shin Bet interrogators and agreed to spy for Israel upon his release. He earned the nickname the “Green Prince”

er being suspected by Hamas since he was one of their own elite. At one point he was simultaneously working for Israel, the United States, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas!

By 1999, he had renounced Islam. When his fellow Palestinians started becoming suspicious of his activities, he escaped to the United States. His family, including his own father, disowned him and announced that his claims were “lies, all lies.” At one point, he was in danger of being deported back to the Palestinian territories, where he would surely have met a swift end. However, his Shin Bet handler, who had kept his identity a secret until then, risked exposure to testify on his behalf. His pleas to the judge in Yousef’s case, which made clear that his actions had saved countless lives, brought about his eventual American citizenship.

Despite receiving numerous death threats and being constantly accused of the “heinous” crime of being Islamophobic, Yousef has remained a tireless advocate for the Jewish people. He believes that peace will only be achieved when Hamas will be completely eradicated.

Throughout our long and tumultuous history, the Jewish people have been the target of numerous enemies who have set out to destroy us. From the neis of Chanukah to the neis of Purim, our nation has long relied on its wits and vaunted “Yiddishe kup” to outsmart its seemingly superior enemies.

We have to remember that it is Hashem Who guides us and leads our enemies down their own path to destruction.

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Purim is a time of villains and heroes. Masks and mystery. Drama and disguise.

Here, The Monsey View speaks with three masters of production to hear more about what it’s like to get from script to stage

SHIMON YOEL KLEIN

ITZY ZIEG ZEVY WEBER

HADASSAH STEINMAN

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH ITZY ZIEG

I’ve been acting in professional productions for… 14 YEARS

My favorite character to play was… BENNY,

A CHARACTER THAT APPEARS IN THE PLAY AKIVA

The most difficult part I ever played was… THE ROSH HAKAHEL IN INTEREN

SHRIFT

The largest audience I’ve performed for was… AT NJPAC, WHICH SEATS OVER 3,300 PEOPLE

FIRST ACT: THE SCRIPT

A GOOD SCRIPT IS ONE THAT IS…

“Based on a powerful story,” Itzy says. “This means that first there’s a story — say a book, or whatever — and the script, which is essentially the story in dialogue, follows that plotline.”

LEARNING A CHARACTER’S LINES ENTAILS…

“Hours and hours of work. And the vibe isn’t there at all. Picture a group of fifteen men sitting in a lunchroom, bent over papers. It’s late, we’re burning hours of time, and even if you’re playing a more major character, there are still plenty of scenes where you don’t appear.”

Itzy compares it to running a business in its first year. Practice involves technical, grinding work, isn’t much fun, and hardly brings in any money.

“But, of course, it’s all worth it in the end,” he says.

PRACTICE FOR A PLAY KICKS OFF…

“About two or three months before the play. Depending on how much time we have, we’ll meet either two or three times a week. But that’s referring strictly to practice,” Itzy clarifies.

Because when it comes to the rest of the production — props, sound, lights — prep begins a half year in advance.

“People with a good eye know when a show has been produced properly,” Itzy says. “A truly professional production needs six months. Six months and a million dollars.” He pauses. “Well, maybe $800,000, but not less than that.”

People think there’s big money in plays, but Itzy explains that it isn’t so. That’s because the cost of producing a show is astronomical, and ticket prices aren’t proportionately priced.

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Moshele

THE ART OF DRAMA

A GOOD ACTOR…

“Has talent! Some people think that all an actor needs is confidence, and that anyone who doesn’t suffer from stage fright can act. But that isn’t how it works.”

The opposite is also true. A good actor can definitely suffer from stage fright. A healthy dose of self-confidence helps, of course, but it isn’t the one characteristic a good actor needs.

“This can be painful sometimes,” says Itzy. “When someone doesn’t know how to sing, they generally know it, and they probably won’t try to sing in front of an audience. But when someone with zero stage fright takes the stage but cannot really act, it’s difficult to tell him that maybe they aren’t the greatest fit for the job.”

TO PRODUCE A GOOD ACT…

“An actor needs to draw from their own journey and experiences to draw up emotions that are within them,” Itzy says.

That’s when the actor serves as the proper conduit for the emotional expression necessary.

“An actor doesn’t simply imitate someone; he is the character,” Itzy explains. “While he might need to rely on his imagination, it is he who is going through the challenges onstage.”

In his most recent play, Akiva, Itzy played the teenage character Benny. Benny was a boy who was looking to go out into the big wide world, and to create the tone for his interactions with the adult characters around him, Itzy says, “I literally went back to my yeshiva years. I remembered the aggravation of being a teen, I channeled it, and I felt fifteen years younger.

“My brothers laughed when they watched me act in that play,” Itzy shares. “They saw me as the bachur I used to be.”

A PARTICULAR CHARACTER

TYPE I LIKE TO PLAY IS…

“Any character that is part of the storyline. I like it when my character has an impact on the general story because I feel like I give more to the audience that way.”

That’s why Itzy doesn’t really care whether he plays

Jew or non-Jew, victim or villain. He acknowledges that some parts might be more difficult to play, like the time he took the character of a rav, but in general, a strong and serious character is a great match for him.

“I don’t enjoy playing comedy,” he adds. “I don’t think I’m particularly good at it, and I don’t like acting a part that doesn’t leave a dent in the story itself. Usually, the role of comedy is for entertainment purposes and doesn’t impact the storyline the same way a serious character does.”

LIGHTS,

CAMERA, ACTION!

I FIND JOY IN ACTING WHEN…

body movements. That’s why gestures are more exaggerated, tones of voice more pronounced, and movements more distinct.”

“My performance is strong, and I connect with the audience.”

Itzy breaks down acting into two parts. The first is performing, which is especially relevant when acting onstage.

“Some people complain that stage acting is too dramatic.” Itzy agrees that there’s truth to that statement, but adds that there’s a reason for it. “When an audience watches a play, they’re sitting far from the actors, and there’s no way for them to catch every facial expression, or tiny yet telling

The second part of playing a character is the actual acting, which refers to the way an individual actor plays his character to tell the story.

“This is the part of acting I enjoy,” Itzy says. “I appreciate when the audience connects to my characters, feels what he feels, and reacts to his experiences.”

WHEN I WALK ONSTAGE…

“I feel alive,” Itzy says. “I’m so in the present moment,

there’s no before and there’s no after. There’s no need to sneeze, to hiccup — nothing.”

When performing, he explains, an actor is in “the zone,” and nothing else exists for him. He is exactly where he needs to be.

“Maybe this lack of distractions is why I feel so alive when onstage,” Itzy reflects. “There’s no opportunity for any voices in the head. I am where I need to be, and that’s it. I remember a play where I was supposed to wear these hard shoes from India. During rehearsal, every step was so painful, I kept walking around without them. But onstage, I didn’t even remember I was wearing them. It was like these shoes didn’t exist.”

THE ROLE COSTUMES PLAY…

“Shouldn’t be underrated. A costume makes it clear that the character onstage is such-andsuch kind of person. Take the villain. We need the audience to immediately know that the character who just walked onstage is the bad guy. He needs to look the part.”

Itzy compares this to the balebus who wears a beautiful new shtreimel to shul. He doesn’t intend to look the part of a kollel yungerman; this choice of dress reflects who he is.

“During a play, that recognition must be instant, which is why costumes matter so much.”

REFLECTIONS

WHEN I WAS A CHILD…

“I knew that I wanted to act onstage one day,” Itzy remembers. “I was in kitah ches when that dream was born, and it eventually became a reality.”

What was the catalyst for his actual involvement in drama?

“Somehow, I was always involved,” Itzy says. “Ari

Abramowitz, who’s a very popular actor and scriptwriter, is my uncle’s neighbor, and so I was familiar with the acting scene. But it all came together for me the summer after my wedding, when I served as assistant head counselor at a boys’ camp. That year, I took part in the play the counselors put on, and after the performance, someone came up to me and asked if I’d join the Interen team. Of course, I said yes, and just like that, I was in.”

A FLOP I REMEMBER…

“Happened during the final show of Interen Kenigreich, the first play I ever acted in,” Itzy says. “In that scene, the king, played by Yossi Frankel, had to take off his cape and crown and pass it to someone else as a symbolic move. Another actor, Mordechai Hersh Hershkowitz, was supposed to remove Yossi’s cape, and I was supposed to help him.

“The problem was that before the last play, Yossi forgot to put on his royal shirt under his cape. When Mordechai Hersh and I approached, Yossi tried signaling to us with his eyes, but we had no idea what he wanted. After some awkward stalling, the situation became glaringly obvious, and all of us onstage burst into laughter. It was so funny, even those who didn’t know what was going on laughed, and it took an awfully long time for everyone to calm down. In the end, Yossi passed on his kingship by only removing his crown.”

A MESSAGE I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE…

“To try to be present for those few hours you’re in the audience. So much work went into the production you’re watching, and it would be a pity to waste it. Enjoy the drama, the props, the energy in the air — it’ll be over so fast, you don’t want to miss any of it.”

SHIMON YOEL KLEIN

I’ve been acting in professional productions for… 8 YEARS

My favorite character to play was… KING RICHARD, A KIND, WISE BUT STILL TOUGH KING WHO APPEARED IN THE SHACHMAT PLAY

The most difficult part I ever played was… A COMEDIAN IN THE PLAY TAKTIK. EVERYTHING WENT WRONG FOR THIS CHARACTER, WHICH WAS VERY FUNNY BUT A DIFFICULT ACT TO PULL OFF

The largest audience I’ve performed for was… WHEN I PERFORMED FOR ABOUT 7,000 PEOPLE AT THE SATMAR REBBE’S SHUSHAN PURIM TISH AT THE AGE OF 12

FIRST ACT: THE SCRIPT

A GOOD SCRIPT IS ONE THAT IS…

“Written by a scriptwriter who knows how to create dialogue that will result in a strong performance.”

As a scriptwriter himself, Shimon Yoel explains that even a good story can fall flat if the script isn’t strong enough.

“The kuntz is that the lines should match the character,” he explains. “A villain can’t be encouraging or make any jokes, and a hero can’t be cynical.”

WHAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT A SCRIPTWRITER…

“Is that he’s involved from the beginning of the story’s conception all the way until the last curtain drops.”

Shimon Yoel explains that the reason for this is that it’s important that the actors deliver their lines naturally and fluently. So even once a script is written, it will be tweaked throughout all the rehearsals so that the dialogue works for both the characters and the actors.

When the actors get their scripts for the first time, a reading is held. The actors read their respective lines while the scriptwriter sits off the side and highlights where the actors are getting stuck.

“There’s one actor who doesn’t like using fancy vocabulary. If I include such words in his lines, they’ll never flow naturally. So we tweak his lines for him.

“Whenever we need to adjust lines like this, we ask the actor, ‘How would you say this? How would you express this idea?’ And then we play around with the line until we hit that perfect compromise.”

Even when the actors are already onstage performing for the crowd, the scriptwriter is still listening for the lines that

don’t emerge smoothly. He’ll mark it down and correct it in time for the next performance.

“That’s why,” Shimon Yoel says, “the scriptwriter’s job is only complete once the last curtain comes down.”

WHAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ACTORS…

“Is that we work really, really hard before a play,” Shimon Yoel says. “It’s before Yom Tov, and we spend so much time away from home. But after the last performance, we know it’s all been worthwhile.”

Another thing he notes is the cohesiveness of people in the industry.

“It’s very geshmak to be part of the team. We become like one big family, and we help each other, go to each other’s simchas — it’s beautiful.”

THE ART OF DRAMA

A GOOD ACTOR…

“Needs to be a good storyteller.” Shimon Yoel is very clear about this. “The way an actor interprets his lines, and where he places the stress when saying the words, can completely change the meaning of the story.

“That’s where an acting director comes in,” Shimon Yoel adds. “He sits with every actor separately and makes sure that the actor understands the script and the meaning of every line.”

This is in contrast to a stage director, who is the one directing the big picture as seen from off stage. The stage director will point out if one actor is blocking another, or whether they should move forward, melt into the background, and so on.

TO PRODUCE A GOOD ACT…

“An actor has to know the story really well, know his lines really well, and interact with the audience properly,” Shimon Yoels says. “To interact with the audience, an actor needs to face forward.”

He notes that because of the glare of the lighting, it’s pretty difficult to see individual faces in the audience, so it isn’t distracting to face them. But the audience, on the other hand, sees the actor looking at them anyway.

Sometimes an actor says the next actor’s lines by mistake. Or they mix up the order of their lines. But usually, the actors onstage are the only ones who are aware of the error.

“When it comes to my own production company,” Shimon Yoel continues, “I always tell the actors that if something goes wrong, just keep moving. The worst thing you can do is stop short, because that’s when the audience will catch on that something went wrong.”

A PARTICULAR CHARACTER TYPE I LIKE TO PLAY IS…

“Any character; I actually prefer to get a different kind of character every time. I like the challenge of it. Also, if I keep acting as the same type of character over and over again, I’ll get bored of the act, and the audience will get bored of seeing me onstage that way.”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

I FIND JOY IN ACTING WHEN…

“There’s feedback coming from the people in the audience. When we hear their reactions, or feel their fear or relief, it’s an amazing feeling.”

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According to Shimon Yoel, rehearsal is all about getting the flow of the play. But once it’s time to get onstage, the energy is completely different.

“Once you’re onstage, there are costumes, and the lighting, and the sound… It’s a whole new experience. Add to that the reactions from the audience, and the motivation is so much more intense for the actor.”

But Shimon Yoel cautions audiences not to take things too far.

“Sometimes, when an actor walks onstage, boys in the audience begin cheering his name. They might think he appreciates this recognition, but actors find this very dis-

tracting. Especially when a man is dressed like Moshke, or like a king, you can be sure that he doesn’t want the crowd yelling his name.”

DIFFICULT MOMENTS ONSTAGE ARISE WHEN…

“Things happen that are outside of your control. Let’s say you’re in a conversation with another actor, and he’s blanking. Or the mics are malfunctioning. It’s pretty scary to have 3,000 people watching you when you have no idea what to do.”

Shimon Yoel admits that this is the downside of relying on technology. In days and plays gone by, actors would ad-lib more freely, but nowadays, when everything is mapped out to the second — lighting and sound included — you have to be completely loyal to the plan.

“Of course,” Shimon Yoel adds, “nowadays we have people feeding the lines into actors’ earbuds, but still. If an actor depends on that help and doesn’t practice his lines enough because of it, and then his earbuds malfunction, he’s in trouble.”

THE ROLE COSTUMES PLAY…

“Accounts for 80% of the character,” Shimon Yoel says. “Walking onstage isn’t enough. Imagine rehearsing for the play, and the villain, who is sporting a long beard and a yellowed tallis katan, is standing over you with a pretend sword in his hand… The vibe just isn’t there. Once he has a shaven head, is wearing a dramatic costume, and is holding a real-looking sword, it’s a whole different act.”

REFLECTIONS

WHEN I WAS A CHILD…

“I already loved acting. From the age of seven or eight, I used to put up puppet shows for my friends.”

By the time Shimon Yoel was ten or eleven, he was leading the kids’ play that was performed on Purim before the Satmar Rebbe, shlit”a, and thousands of chassidim. Soon before his thirteenth birthday, he put on a play for the Rebbe all by himself, changing voices and hats to depict the

change of characters, all of whom he was playing.

“There was a show planned for that year as well,” says Shimon Yoel, “but due to a snowstorm, the Rebbe couldn’t make it to Williamsburg, where the event was planned. At the very last minute, I got a call from the rosh hakahal asking if I could fill in, and so I did.”

Shimon Yoel wasn’t part of the acting scene as a bochur, but after his marriage, he performed for organizations. That’s where he met the more major players of the industry, who invited him to join their team.

A FLOP I REMEMBER…

“Was the time a watermelon fell on my foot onstage. It was super painful and I could hardly walk, but the audience thought it was part of the act.”

A MESSAGE I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE…

“To try to understand how much work and effort goes into each show,” Shimon Yoel says, “and to appreciate the time spent by the team on the account of creating this simchas Yom Tov.”

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH ZEVY WEBER SHOW OF

HANDS

A PRODUCTION MANAGER’S JOB DESCRIPTION IS…

ZEVY WEBER has been part of the SHOW INDUSTRY for the last 10 YEARS. While he was first tapped to act for EPIC SHPIEL PRODUCTIONS, he’s since segued into the PRODUCTION part of the play.

“To run the show,” Zevy says. “That includes finding a venue and making sure there’s a team taking care of drama, props, lighting, sound, costumes, makeup and so on.”

It’s the job of the production manager to make sure that all the cogs are turning. He’s also the one finding a place for rehearsals, ordering supper for the actors during rehearsals, and generally keeping on top of every detail.

Zevy puts it succinctly: “Anything that happens in advance of the show goes through the production manager.”

While Zevy is not on the drama team for Epic Shpiel’s upcoming show, this time he’s the production manager. “I acted in Epic’s first four shows. Before the most recent

show, I joined the production team halfway through the process, and this time I took over the whole job.”

THERE’S A PLAN, A TEAM, A SCRIPT. MOVING OVER TO PRODUCTION, THE FIRST STEP IS…

“Finding a venue. Surprisingly, this is the most difficult part of the entire production.”

Zevy explains that most — if not all — major venues are unionized, which means that booking one isn’t like booking a local wedding hall.

“For our upcoming play, we went to look at ten different venues, and they were all unionized. This means that contracts are complicated, the cost is through the roof, and there are countless rules and regulations in place regarding each venue’s employees and their rights. This translates to a huge headache for anyone renting the place, but unfortunately, there’s no way to work around it.”

Regardless, the venue has to be in place once production begins because every stage is a different size and has different proportions, and the scenery and sets need to be planned accordingly.

THE COST OF RENTING A VENUE…

“Is astronomical. The total cost runs in the hundreds of thousands.”

Zevy explains the breakdown. “It starts at about $25,000, or so they say, but then we have to pay for every prop that’s brought onto stage, every scenery backdrop hung, every machine we bring to the set — everything. And since so much of it is classified as dangerous — like the smoke machine or anything oversized, which means almost everything in the end — the prices shoot up accordingly.

“Then we need to pay their employees, who control the curtains, the machines and help with the schlepping. And there’s no saying that we’ll have our own people do it; the rule is that it has to be their em-

ployees, and we have to pay them overtime.”

So before you know it, the number is in the triple digits and then some — but the show can go on.

A WHOLE PRODUCTION

PLANNING AND BUILDING PROPS INVOLVE…

“A few teams, many hours, and lots of money.”

To start with, Zevy says, there are three prop teams: Sets, mini props and tiny props.

The sets team includes some 25 people between all the designers, artists, builders and painters involved.

“There’s one props manager,” Zevy adds, “who in addition to working on the sets himself also oversees the entire team. He’s the one in charge of making sure the sets are ready in time for rehearsal, and he’s the one marking how big the stage is, which side the sets will be coming in from, and so on. He maps everything out so it all lines up.”

For their last show, Shachmat, which was set in England, the sets team decided at the very last minute to create a working London Bridge. It wasn’t necessary for the story, but it added the element of drama to the opening of the play.

How much does such a set cost?

“Thousands of dollars,” Zevy says. “It had two motors, one for each side of the bridge so that it could open, and the whole thing needed almost an entire trailer when it was time to be transported to the show.”

Then there’s the mini props team and the tiny props team. The mini props team consists of one or two people who are responsible for props like couches, chairs, tables, stools, and so on. (Not mini, exactly, but in relation to trailer-size sets, they certainly are.)

The final props team is the tiny props team. This team usually overlaps with the mini props team, but tiny props accounts for things like pens, newspapers, swords, and anything else that the actors will need when on stage.

DRESSING A FULL CAST OF CHARACTERS INVOLVES…

“Getting hold of costumes from lots of different places,” Zevy says. “Some we order, some we rent and some we sew up. Whatever the costume is, we need to make sure that the character is quickly recognizable as the kind of person he is. Is he a Yid or not? A villain or hero?”

Contemporary costumes are easier to source, he adds, but they’re boring to look at — think a rekel and a biber hit. Colorful, more elaborate costumes are more complicated to pull together, but are way more interesting for the audience to look at.

FOR THE PRODUCTION TEAM, REHEARSAL MEANS…

“Making sure that all moving parts work well. If it moves, it has to be rehearsed.”

Take the London Bridge from Shachmat. Rehearsal meant practicing to have both sides of the motorized bridge moving in tandem. Zevy also mentions a large chess piece, also in Shachmat. Three people had to come out of that chess piece; the team had to be certain that it wouldn’t malfunction.

Another example is a house that was designed to fall apart on stage. The house was built in a way that it was able to be collapsed and then reassembled for the next show, but the process had to be rehearsed some 30 or 40 times.

“When it comes to action scenes,” Zevy says, “where so many things are meant to happen at once — lighting, sound, action — it’s super important to rehearse multiple times to make sure it all goes down smoothly.”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

WHEN IT’S TIME TO GET ONSTAGE…

“A bunch of trailers transport the sets and props to the venue,” Zevy says. “Last time, there were six trailers total.

“After that, the venue sends down a team to make sure that everything passes muster. Sometimes they say that there are too many things on stage, or that one prop is too big. This, in fact, happened before our last show; they made us take one large set off the stage.”

While there are only two or three people in charge of moving the sets into position, the mini props team is composed of ten people who set up the stage for each scene. They’re the ones bringing the furniture onstage, and removing it when the scene is over.

“One to two people compose the tiny props team,” Zevy continues, “and it’s their job to hand tiny props to the actors when they get onstage, and take it back from them when they get off stage. This ensures that nothing gets lost, and that all the actors need to take care of is their makeup, mics and appearing onstage at the right time. It isn’t the actors’ job to remember to take along that pencil, baton or bag they might need onstage.”

The tiny props team works with lists, labels and notes — and everything they need generally fits into a total of two or three egg boxes.

“Costumes get to the venue in a minivan, and they have a team of four to five people on hand who give the costumes to the actors as needed and take them back afterward. Additionally, there’s always someone around who’s handy with a needle and thread in case things get torn during the play.”

WHEN IT COMES TO SOUND AND LIGHTING…

“The venue gets involved.”

Zevy explains that lighting is all on the venue. Before the play, the production manager, the stage manager and two people from the venue sit down to discuss what each scene needs.

“We tell them, this is a night scene that needs to be dark, this is a day scene that needs to be bright, this is a frightening scene that needs more of a somber color, and this is an action scene that may need flickering lights and drama. Once it’s discussed beforehand and the colors are recorded, with Hashem’s help, it should all go smoothly.”

Sound — except for the speaker system itself — is provided by the production team. There’s music, there’s someone on the keyboard, and there are sound effects.

“Every bang on the door has to be prerecorded,” Zevy says. “Since the auditorium is so huge, a sound like that happening in real time wouldn’t be heard by people in the audience. Same thing with the squeak of a door hinge, except every door makes a different sound, so they can’t all be the same. That’s why we need to have about ten different kinds of squeaks recorded. And during the show, these

sounds all have to be played at an exact, predetermined second to match the drama on stage.”

Lighting works the same way when it comes to action scenes. The flickering light effect has to come at the exact second that the house falls down, for instance — along with the crashing sound effect.

“In fact,” Zevy adds, “when it comes to action scenes, the stage manager makes a countdown, and a number of people have to take action in the exact same second. In this case, the house had to fall, the lighting had to flicker, the crash sound had to be activated and the smoke machine had to be turned on.”

MICS AND CAMERAS…

“Are both our responsibility,” Zevy says. “We bring down mic engineers, and they make sure that every actor is mic’d up with a functioning mic. They also keep track of each actor and the number of his mic so that when the actor goes onstage and offstage, they can turn the mic on and off at the right second. During intermission, they also make sure that each actor’s mic is fully charged so they don’t run out of juice during the second half of the play.”

These mic engineers sit in the middle of the auditorium, in a large, cordoned-off section where the cameramen also work, and from there, they control the sound.

“In terms of cameramen,” Zevy finishes, “we have eight cameras in the auditorium for the recording process, and those are also hired by the production team.”

These cameramen might begin their job all the way at the end of the project, when the show is ready to roll, but they work with care. They know that they’re the ones making sure that the play, the product of so much time, effort and energy, lasts not just for this one night, but forever.

EXCEPTIONAL CARE AWAITS

new something better something exciting something extraordinary something

#care365 – significantly more than just care.

Face paint is a fun way to up any Purim costume and give it added dimension. While painting a face may take some time, it isn’t difficult, and you can expect the results to be fantastic. Be sure to enjoy the process, and don’t expect perfection!

Little kids can’t sit still for too long.

Tips

I used Snazaroo’s Party Face Paint kit to paint these faces. The kit includes a nice variety of paint colors, glitter gel, sponges and two brushes. In addition to this kit, I used a thin brush, purchased separately, as well as some glitter and rhinestones for embellishment purposes.

Before painting with a new color, dip a wet brush into the paint, and swirl it around a few times until the paint is the right consistency.

Use a dry paper towel to blot paint that is too wet.

Keep baby wipes handy while painting. Fold a corner over your finger to carefully remove unwanted paint.

Police Officer

The police officer’s face is especially simple to pull off and isn’t limited to this specific costume. Use the steps below to create eyebrows, a moustache and beard on any face that can benefit from these additions. See the pirate’s beard and moustache for more inspiration.

STEP 1 To create a realistic shavedbeard look, dip a damp sponge into the black paint, and dab gently to cover the entire beard area. (You can try a bit on the back of your hand first to ensure that the paint is neither too dark nor too wet.)

STEP 3 To create the eyebrows, use the medium or thick brush to draw lines starting from the inside of one eyebrow. Create the strokes starting from the bottom and moving outward. Move toward the outside while angling out. Do the same for the other side.

Supplies

• Paint: black

• Big sponge

• Medium or thick brush

STEP 2 Using a medium or thick brush, draw the mustache with a split in the middle of the bottom. Do so using strokes going from top to bottom, starting from the inside and moving outward. You can angle the hairs out for a more snappy look.

Pirate Supplies

STEP 1 Using a thick brush, create a black circle around one eye and fill in, going as close to the eye as possible. (You can also choose to use a sponge for this step, and outline with a brush.)

Then, using the thin brush, draw strings going to the sides of the face on a slant, with the left side going upward.

• Paint: black, red, brown

• Thick brush

• Thin brush • Small sponge

STEP 2 Using the thin brush, draw the mustache with a dramatic swirl at the ends.

Then, using the thick brush, paint a squarish beard on the chin.

STEP 3 To create the scar, dip a damp sponge into the red paint, making sure not to go too dark. Try it on the back of your hand first to make sure that the red is very light. Paint a slanted soft line going downward on the cheek opposite the eye patch. Be mindful to keep the scar short enough to be realistic.

STEP 4 Over the bruisedlooking cheek, use the thin brush to draw a slanted red line, and follow with a brown line over it. (There’s no need to wait for the red paint to dry.)

Finally, create jaggedlooking stiches using the thin brush dipped into a mixture of red and brown paint.

U.S. Soldier Supplies

STEP 1 Starting with green paint, use your thick brush to create a few large spots that are randomly placed and shaped.

STEP 3 Follow with black spots.

Pro tip: Place contrasting colors near each other for a sharper look.

STEP 4 Mix yellow and brown to create beige, and fill in some parts with this color.

Now continue filling in any leftover spaces with the four colors used, either by enlarging the existing patches or by creating new patches until the face is all covered.

• Paint: green, brown, black, beige (create beige by mixing yellow with a bit of brown)

• Thick brush

STEP 2 Now do the same with the brown paint. Try making the spots as big as possible to cover more surface area.

“IF YOU REALLY CareD ABOUT ME, YOU WOULD...”

A Normal dating overture

B Proceed with caution

C Red flag

D Maybe I should speak to someone?

Abuse can occur at any stage of life –To anyone, in any form.

Shalom Task Force replaces heartache with hope. THE choice IS YOURS. m

Our trained advocates are standing by, waiting for your call. We are here for you. You are not alone. And you don’t even have to say your name.

Clown Supplies

STEP 3 With a thin brush, create a blue diamond as shown over the yellow spot, and a blue vertical line down the other eye. Pro tip: You might want to paint another layer of blue over the diamond once it’s dry as it needs more than one layer to look sharp over the yellow paint.

STEP 1 Using a damp sponge, cover the entire face with white paint. You may need to do two coats of paint to get the white opaque enough.

STEP 4 Using a thick brush, create a red circle on the nose. (I like making the nose small to keep it nice and round. You may choose to make the circle bigger, but keep in mind that it will get bumpy when covering the nostrils.)

Using a thick brush, color red around the mouth as shown. You can do the middle part first, add two circles on the cheek, and then connect all three together. You can choose to keep the circles sharp or round them out as shown.

• Paint: white, yellow, blue, red

• Big sponge

• Thick brush • Thin brush

STEP 2 Using a thick brush, create a yellow shape around one eye, as shown.

Bunny Supplies

• Paint: white, pink, black • Small sponge

• Thin brush • Thick brush • Pink glitter (optional)

• Silver glitter gel (optional; included in the Snazaroo kit)

STEP 1 Using a damp sponge, color white on top of the lips. Using the thick brush, create two white circles beside the lips, connecting it to the center part. Then, using the brush, add a fuzz on the outsides of the circle as shown.

Using the thick brush, draw a white square on the chin, and angle it in as you go downward.

Using the thick brush, draw two fuzzy white ears above the eyebrows. Using the thin brush, add fuzzy hairs going upward. When painting white, it might be necessary to paint a few layers to get it to look opaque enough.

STEP 3 Using a thin brush, outline the square on the chin with black. Add a line going down in the middle.

Next, outline the ears as shown.

Finally, add three dots on the sides of the lips, along with three whiskers going outward.

STEP 2 Using any size brush, color the button of the nose pink, going outward to cover the bottom of the nostrils.

STEP 4 Optional: Apply silver glitter gel to the cheeks, and add pink glitter on the nose.

CALM & FOCUSED Children

TASTY CALM

• Gentle calming support

• Organic & wildcrafted herbs

• Fresh chamomile and skullcap

TASTY ATTENTION

• Enhances focus

• Nourish your nervous system

• Increases circulation to the brain

TASTY PARA-CLEANSE

• Fresh green walnut hulls

• Supports digestive system cleansing

• Aides in gentle detoxification

Certified Kosher Parve

Butterfly Supplies

STEP 1 Using a damp sponge, paint the eyelids and around the eyes with a soft layer of white.

Rinse and dip the same sponge into the pink, and paint after where the white finishes on the top of one side, and shape into a soft round peak as shown. Do the same on the other side. Continue by painting the bottom of one side and bringing the shape down to a sharper peak. Do the same on the other side. (There’s no need for perfection now; you’ll be able to shape it better with the black paint in the next step.)

STEP 3 Using the thin brush, add black dots to the second indent from the top at both sides. Add dots to the bottom of both sides, right on top of the sharp corner of the wings.

Add to the nose, between the eyes, an arc to outline the butterfly’s face. Next, add to the rest of the nose going downward another black arc to outline the butterfly’s body. Then, on the forehead above the butterfly’s face, add two swirly antennae as shown.

STEP 5 Optional:

Add silver glitter gel to the cheekbones. Add rhinestones above the eyebrows as shown, and one to the butterfly’s face.

• Paint: pink, white, black

• Small sponge • Thin brush

• Silver glitter gel (optional; included in the Snazaroo kit)

• Rhinestones (optional)

STEP 2 Using a thin brush, outline the two sides as shown, forming a butterfly shape. To achieve the scalloped look on the top half, pull your brush in toward the middle, and repeat by starting again from the outside and pulling inward.

Continue to the bottom and form a very sharp peak, filling in the peak with black on the inside.

STEP 4 Using the thin brush, add white dots to the first indent at the top of the wings on both sides, and do the same to the third indent.

Next, add white dots on top of the black points on the bottom, after making sure that the black paint is completely dry. (You may need to repeat this step, as the white might not show up very well on the black the first time.)

Finally, using a thin brush, use pink paint to fill in the butterfly’s face and body. Once dried, you can add white highlights to the face with a little dot, and to the body with a thin line.

HAD I TREATED HIM SOONER, MAYBE HE’D STILL BE ALIVE…

BUT THEN TATTY SAID TO MISHA: ONCE SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE MUST BELIEVE IT’S FROM SHAMAYIM. IT WAS HASHEM’S PLAN. A YID ALWAYS ACCEPTS WHATEVER HAPPENS AND MOVES ON.

WHEN ZUSHA DIED IN THE FIRE, MISHA COULDN’T STOP FEELING GUILTY THAT HE DIDN’T HELP ZUSHA, THAT MAYBE HE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO SAVE HIM…

AAAAAAAAAAAGH!

MY DEAR SON, YOU DID YOUR BEST. NOW IT’S TIME TO LET GO AND DAVEN FOR HASHEM’S MERCY. WE DON’T CONTROL EVERYTHING. LET’S HOPE YEHUDA AND MISHA SUCCEED ON THEIR JOURNEY.

RECAP: THE RUBINOVS FIND A SIGN IN HEBREW, WHICH MEANS THEY’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. MEANWHILE, AN EPIDEMIC IS RAGING AT THE IMMIGRANT CAMP. DR. WILHELM ARRIVES AND TELLS YISHAI MORENO THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING THEIR BEST, BUT THEIR RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.

MISHA, HOLD ON TIGHT. I’M PULLING YOU UP.

HEY! LOOK DOWN THERE. ISN’T THAT OVI THE GUIDE’S BAG?

QUICK! RUN INTO THAT OLD BUILDING OVER THERE!

LOOKS LIKE HE MET AN UNPLEASANT END…

MAYBE WE SHOULD TURN BACK…

TATTY, QUICK!

MICHAEL, THE JAGUAR WON’T DISAPPEAR IF YOU COVER YOUR EYES, YOU KNOW.

MISHA! CLOSE THE GATE!

BITS OF WITS

SHEVY HOLLANDER

The left lung is about 10% smaller than the right lung to leave space for the heart in the chest cavity. The left lung has two lobes, and the right lung three.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence did not occur on July 4, 1776. While the final language of the document was approved on July 4, and it was printed and distributed on that day and the next, the actual signing occurred on August 2, 1776.

FLOWER POWER

Use the following letters to list 5 words, each using 7 letters and up. Only the center letter must be used, and letters can be repeated. Bonus points for pangrams (words that use all seven letters).

WHICH FOUR NAMES MENTIONED IN TANACH ALSO APPEAR IN MEGILLAS ESTHER? TANACH TEASER

About 50 years ago, archaeologists discovered the Palace of Shushan, where Esther Hamalkah lived with Acheshverosh, and the site was excavated.

Find

A G F I N M Y

Find a common factor for this group of four words

many letters are

ADD TO DICTIONARY

WORDS YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT SAY THINGS IN A WHOLE NEW WAY RECORDED!

If your coffee cup is too hot to hold, and you’re looking for that “thing” that’ll protect your hands from the heat, it might be good to know that a coffee cup sleeve is called a zarf

TO BEGIN TO TOBOGGAN FIRST BUY A TOBOGGAN, BUT NOT TOO BIG A TOBOGGAN. SAY IT

WITH A TWIST SO RANDOM!

While one would think that an escalator was named so for the word escalate, the opposite is actually true. The word escalator was coined by Charles Seeberger in 1900 as the trade name for the moving staircase made by the Otis Elevator Company, as a blend of the words elevator and scala, which is Latin for steps. It was coined with the intended pronunciation — esCAYlaytor — but the public went with the way we pronounce it today, stressing the “lay” instead of the “cay.” The word escalate was soon adapted for use and was added to the dictionary in the 1920s.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

THEY SAY, “EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS.” GRAGGERS SURE ARE! CHABAD OF HOUSTON BOASTS THE WORLD’S LARGEST GRAGGER THAT CAN BE OPERATED BY ONE PERSON. IT’S 4 FEET WIDE AND 7 FEET TALL AND WAS MADE BY CORY WEINBERG, WHO’S AN ENGINEER AND HANDYMAN BY TRADE.

We welcome town trivia, historical facts and photos, and Torah-themed riddle submissions. We’d also love to hear if you have additional answers to our puzzles! Email comments@themonseyview.com to add your very own bits of wits. Please include your name and contact information.

Thank you to the hundreds of readers who sent in beautifully colored pages! Keep coloring!

Chaim Reisman, 7, Satmar

Yossi Stern, 5, Vien

Brany Goldberger, 10, Pupa

Shevy Miller, 6, Bnos Sanz

BOGGLE TOURNAMENT

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 • Proper nouns • Abbreviations • Contractions • Acronyms

POINTS

4-letter words: 2 points | 5-letter words: 3 points | 6-letter words: 5 points | 7-letter words: 7 points | 8-letter words: 9 points | 9+ letters: 12 points

HINT

R D T L A N U H F G

P M A W S E O J S E

B L C A R

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

Full mailing address:

Full name of winner:

Amount of points:

Full names of competing players:

List some words only the winner found:

FAMILY

NAME

AMOUNT

NAMES

FAMILY

NAME

COLOR ME PRETTY

Filling in lines with shades of color is an age-old activity that is as soothing as it is enjoyable. Grab a pack of color pencils or gel pens to find out why coloring isn’t only for children!

HOUSE FOR SALE

Charming Home in Central Bloomingrove

» LIVING ROOM+ FIREPLACE

» PLAYROOM

» DINING ROOM » LAUNDRY » KITCHEN DINETTE

» SEMI-WRAP AROUND PORCH

» 3-LEVEL PORCH IN THE BACK

» GORGEOUS BACKYARD with Many Trees Front and Back

» DOUBLE SHED IN BACKYARD

» LARGE GARAGE

For any issues such as:

• Garbage pickup issues

• Street light outages

• Construction concerns

• Unauthorized road closures

• Road hazards like potholes, etc.

please don't hesitate to contact our community liaison, and your concern will be resolved in the most e ective manner.

Mr. Yossi Margareten

He can be reached at: 845.357.5100

Classifieds

FOR SALE

DOONA STROLLER

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

NEOCATE/BABY FORMULA

Neocate $46.99 per can. Kendamil Similac L’Mehadrin in stock!!

We buy off any formula for a good price and trade as well. Call for other types of formulas. New! Option of shipping case of 6 Kendamil directly to you from England. Formula Trade 347.369.4886

BEBE ORGANIC SET

Looking to sell a natural color bebe organic set, size 3 mths, with matching bonnet and blanket, beautiful for vachnacht. Please call 347 382 0905

MOVING - FURNITURE FOR SALE

Mattresses Multiple Sizes

$100+, Wooden Bunk bed - $400, New Sectional$1500, High Riser - $175, Air Purifiers - $239, Outdoor Sofa - $700, Dining Chairs$50/each, Rugs, Headboards, Nightstands, Lamps. Text/ Call 845-263-7934

APARTMENTS

NORTH COLE RENTAL

Spacious 4 bedrooms plus playroom,freshly painted and scraped. Section 8 ok, 845-352-4686

2 BEDROOM APT FOR RENT

Blueberry Hill Rd, Near Dana. Call 845-641-9314

APARTMENT FOR RENT

beautiful brand new 3 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in airmont near church ave 2650 plus utilities (914) 306-5870

FURNISHED APT

1 Bedroom furnished apt for rent, great for chosson/ kallah. Maple/Blauvelt area. Call 917-344-9278

WEST PALM BEACH APT. FOR SALE

Century Village-Golf Edge, 1 ½ bedroom apt. 2 baths, Brand new appliances, Ready to move in now. Price $200K or best offer. Call: 845.325.0500

STUDIO APT (1 BEDROOM)

W/ Full Kitchen Full Bath. Airy, Bright, Ground Level. Centrally Located. Call 5582387

HOMES

WEST PALM BEACH FOR SALE

Wellington M, 2 Bedroom apt. Ground Floor FOR SALE. Call: 347.760.0639

INSURANCE RENTALS

Flood or fire damage?

Looking for a temporary house? Houses available for rent through insurance. Please contact us at Restorationstays@gmail.com.

NEW HEMPSTEAD

Beautiful renovated top of high ranch located in New Hempstead/ Wesley area. Large grounds. Private!!! call 8453731007 ext 106

OFFICES

RETAIL BUILDING FOR SALE

Retail Building In Haverstraw On Rt 9w 4,000 Sf, Asking $999k, Great Location, Text Or Call 845.203.1120

FOR RENT

Office cubicles for rent on Francis. Internet and Wifi included. Only $100 a month! For more information call/ text: (845) 232-0676

PRIME OFFICE SUITE AVAILABLE!

Ready-to-move-in spacious office suite for rent in a professional building in the heart of Monsey. Rent: $3,000. Call 845-579-2352.

HAVERSTRAW

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

WOMENS WORKSPACE FOR RENT

1 space left! Womens workspace off viola rd, inc conf room, stocked kitchenette and more (929)487-5650

SHORT TERM

STAY SUITE

New, clean and fresh. Fully furnished studio apartment for weekly and short term rent. Quiet, private and stylish. Located Grandview and 306 area. Text 845-4185916.

FURNISHED RENTAL

2 Bedroom furnished apt on Adar Ct. Great for mechutanim or family Simchas. Please call 845-2137732

NEW ON THE MARKET!

8 bedroom waterfront house for rent in seagate. Available for shabbosim, weekly or

daily. For more Information call, text or whatsapp 7188099355

MONSEY VACATION/ SIMCHA RENTAL

Beautiful fully furnished Shabbos equipped 6 bedroom 4 bath house Highview/ College. Call/ whatsapp 718541-0292

VACATION

LINDEN LUXE

New Pristine Cathedral Ceiling House. 6 bedrooms. 3 bathrooms, jacuzzi. Sleeps 20+. Stocked Playroom. Swing Set. Trampoline, gameroom. All Amenities. 5 min to shul. 3 blocks to grocery/ pizza store. Avail for Shabbos/ Weekday. call/text 718989-1406.

WEST PALM BEACH

For the best Real Estate deals, Call: Mrs. Debby Schwartz 203.667.2785

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Collins Ave. Beautiful ocean view. 1 bedroom apt. for rent. 347.760.0570

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Carriage Club North, beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath, ground floor, for rent. Call: 347.499.0031

Seeking in-office Medical Biller for Part B Rehab Company located in Englewood Cliffs. Experience with Part B billing preferred.

Inquire about details or submit your resume to apply@linkhometherapy.com

Our school is growing!

TEACHING POSITIONS

Bnos Leah Prospect Park of Monsey is seeking Kodesh and General Studies preschool and elementary school teachers and assistants for the 2025-26 school year.

Due to expansion, Bnos Leah Prospect Park of Monsey is seeking Kodesh and General Studies preschool and elementary school teachers for 2024-25 school year.

Teachers should be experienced, dynamic, warm, organized and passionate about chinuch habanos.

Experienced, dynamic, warm, organized and passionate about chinuch habanos.

is experienced, and 2024-25

Email resume to: jobs@prospectmonsey.org

Email resume to: jobs@prospectmonsey.org

Classifieds real

LAKEHOUSE VILLA

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

BEAUTIFUL VILLA RENTAL

Beautiful villa in serene area outside Monroe. 9 couple rooms, teen room 8 beds and many kids mattresses. Huge private pool with stunning grounds. New!!! Jacuzzi Hot tub. Pictures at hotelfifteen. com .still avail for sukkas 845 837 5662

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

Very nice clean 2 bedroom apartment for rent in Century Village, West Palm Beach Florida. Please call 845-216-6793/ 845-425-7773

WEST PALM BEACH

Century Village 136 Somerset G- 2 Br 2 Bath upgraded corner unit 2Fl central air For sale $220,000 917-709-3848

NORTH MIAMI AVAIL PESACH

Beautiful 3 bedroom 3 bath villa with inground heated pool and hot tub available in North Miami, Price per night $339. Pictures available. Call/ Text 845-327-7153

NORTH MIAMI FL RENTAL

2-bedroom, 2-baths with private heated pool and spa. Feb. all booked. $325 per night. Call/Text: 917-3824810, email: 1752nmb@gmail. com www.themangotreat. com

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

VILLA IN CASA GRANDE ARIZONA

Gorgeous upgraded villa available. 14 comfortable beds, 3 baths, kosher kitchen. Beautiful private backyard with heated pool. Near Shul & Grocery. Call/text 929-592-0368 / 929-441-5709 Arizonakoshervilla.net. Villa in Tuscon also available.

NORTH MIAMI FL.

Couples Only· Kosher Vacation House · Private Heated Pool· Warm, Relaxing, Dreamy · Beautiful Patio· 5 Min walk to a Shul. Contact chany for more details @ 845570-2341

HELP WANTED

RECEPTION JOB

Reception Position in nutrition office evening hours. Minimum 1 year office experience and WhatsApp access required. Email resume & cover letter to: tanya@nutritionbytanya.com

REMEDIAL SUB

Looking for a remedial sub for after pesach. must have experience and/ or training in kriah and english reading. Please call 845-371-1220 ext. 216 or email to remedial@ ytypupa.org.

NANNY

Seeking full time live out nanny. Please call/text 845 293 2312 for more details.

JOBS AVAILABLE

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

SECRETARY POSITION

Office in Pomona is looking for a secretary to work 4 hours per day. Contact Rebeca 347-930-9736/info@ abariders.com.

FULL TIME SECRETARY

Property management is looking for a Full time secretary. Data entry, customer service and collection skills required. Please email resume to rcmanageoffice@gmail.com or text 845-828-6781

SCHOOL SECRETARY –IMMEDIATE OPENING

Bnos Leah Prospect Park of Monsey has an afternoon secretary position available immediately due to marriage, B”H. Continued employment next school year. Candidate should be pleasant, positive, be proficient in computers, attentive to details and a quick learner. If you would like to work in a warm school environment, send your resume to jobs@ prospectmonsey.org, with School Secretary in the subject line.

ADMIN OFFICE

School administration office is seeking to hire a full time secretary. Candidate should know basic computers, be able to multi-task, and have good peoples skills. Email resume to jobopening158@ gmail.com

JOIN OUR CREW!

Bais Yaakov Elementary seeking afternoon JH permanent sub for immediate hire. Email resume to resumes@ baisyaakovelementary.org

OFFICE POSITION

Nursing Home Purchasing assistant Local office in Spring Valley Area looking for a new female purchasing assistant, individual should be detail oriented, multitask, and basic computer skills required. email your resume to hire300sv@gmail.com

HELP WANTED

Office located In Spring Valley close to Sv Post office looking to hire a full time secretary for Accounts receivables and billing. Please email resume to springvalleysuite@gmail. com

WORK FROM HOME

Great opportunity to manage your own business from home. No experience needed, no computer necessary. Huge potential to grow big. Call: 438.529.1216

Looking paRtnERs &

• Nursing Home Controller, 2+ yrs. nursing home industry experience required, Financial Planning and Budgeting, Audit and Financial Statement Preparation, strong analytical, problemsolving, and communication skills 160k – 200k, Monsey

• Director of Operations, for B2B Finance Services company, have proven operational leadership, w/ full ownership of day-to-day operations, financial & performance oversight, 5+ years of experience in operations leadership, preferably in a B2B service environment. Proven success in scaling operations, implementing processes, and managing cross-functional teams, 150k – 200k, Monsey

• Senior Marketing Operations Project Manager, 3+ yrs. experience in marketing, project management or operations. Oversee large team, have proven management experience, proficient in marketing tools, CRM systems and project management software, problem-solve, adapt, and optimize marketing processes in a fast-paced, high-impact environment, 150k – 175k, Passaic NJ

• Nurse Practitioner/Physician’s Assistant for Skilled Nursing Facilities, 125k - 150k + full benefits package, travel to Bronx and NYC

• Experienced Head Bookkeeper/CFO for Dynamic wholesale/ retailer in the clothing industry, 3+ years accounting/finance experience, Strong hands-on and leadership skills, 120k – 150k, Monsey

• Senior Admin & Project Coordinator, for B2B Finance Services company, have proven experience as an Executive Assistant, Operations Coordinator. Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, reporting, and financial oversight. Project management experience, vendor management, contract negotiation and evaluation. Tech-savvy with proficiency in Microsoft Office, financial software, and basic IT troubleshooting, 100k – 150k, Monsey

• Accounting Manager - Commercial Lighting Company, must have strong accounting knowledge, AP/AR experience & software proficiency, Full-time, 100k+, Monsey

• Underwriter Real Estate, 2+ years of underwriting experience, Strong analytical skills, Proficiency in financial software, 100k, Monsey

• Payroll Compliance Specialist, full-time, ensure compliance with payroll laws and regulations, manage payroll operations and maintain accurate records, 80k – 100k, Monsey

• Workers’ Comp Underwriter, commercial insurance experience with 2+ years of Workers’ Compensation underwriting individual accounts. Knowledge of large account rating programs (i.e., Large Deductibles, Retrospective Rating, etc.) 80k – 100k, Monsey

• Implementation Manager, experience in UKG software (formerly Kronos) to lead and manage the deployment of UKG solutions, 80k – 100k, Monsey

• Office Admin position for Article 16 OPWDD Clinic, 75k – 85k, Monsey

• Real Estate Title Coordinator, 1+ yrs. experience required, 70k –80k, Monsey

• Paralegal - Legal Assistant, answer phones, take messages, client intake/screening, appointment confirmations/ busy calendar organization, greet clients, prepare attorneys for client meetings - prepare documents, folders, etc., excellent phone skills, organizational skills, computer skills, multi-tasking, full-time position, 80k, Monsey

• Accounts Payable Specialist for nursing home facilities, experience in accounts payable, strong communication and negotiation skills, and proficiency in related software and Microsoft Office, 65k - 80k, Monsey, NY

• 1031 Exchange Officer, oversee and facilitate the process of 1031 exchanges, managing the 1031 docs, client communication etc., 65k – 75k, Monsey

• Office Secretary / Bookkeeper, full-time, phone calls, emails, write estimates, invoices, A/R and A/P, excellent phone skills and knowledge of QuickBooks required. 60k – 75k, Monsey

• Assistant to Director of Event Planning, seeking creative & organized individual to assist with planning and executing events, Shabbatons, and recognition programs for the developmentally disabled population, 70k+, full-time in-office position, Monsey

• Inside Sales/Customer Service Rep, female office, full-time, 1+ years of experience in customer service and/or sales, Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, Ability to work in a fast-paced office environment, Strong organizational and time management skills, Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Excel and Word, 60k – 70k, Monsey

• Customer service rep, female office, full-time, experience required, computer proficient, be tech-savvy, multi-task, 60k70k, Monsey

• IT Help Desk Level 1 for IT Service Provider, provide technical assistance, troubleshoot issues, and resolve problems via phone, email, and in-person, 55k - 70k, Monsey

• Male Client Advocate Case Liaison, advocate for individuals and families in need, supporting their access to community resources and services, intake assessments and create service plans, collaborate with social service agencies to ensure comprehensive support, 50k - 65k, Monsey

• Controller, Home care agency, 110k - 140k + full benefits package, East Orange NJ

• Risk Manager for Commercial insurance and risk management company, worker’s compensation loss control experience and commercial loss control experience required (non-workers compensation). Proficient in the New York State/jurisdiction, 135k, Monsey

• Level 3 IT - MSP, relevant experience in technical support and/ or systems engineering role within an MSP or similar setting, 100k – 130k, Monsey

• Junior Controller (REMOTE), Full-time, 3+ years of accounting experience, Proficiency in QuickBooks, NetSuite, Intacct, and Excel, Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to prepare financial statements and budgets, Excellent communication/ interpersonal skills, Self-driven with ability to work independently and take initiative, 100k - $125k

• Buyer/Procurement Specialist - Real Estate Construction Company, construction knowledge/experience required, Manage purchasing, sourcing & supplier relationships. Negotiate with vendors, build relationships & utilize 2020 Design software for kitchen layouts, 90k - 120k, Monsey

• Payroll & Compliance Client Services Manager, results-driven leader with payroll experience and a passion for customer service, 90k – 120k, Monsey

• Talent Acquisition Specialist, experience required, develop and implement effective recruitment strategies to attract top talent, manage the full recruitment lifecycle, providing exceptional candidate experiences, 80k – 120k, Monsey

• Front Office Coordinator, full-time, Law firm seeking experienced professional for client-facing role, 2+ yrs exp, excellent communication skills, MS Office proficient, 75k+, Monsey

• Medicaid Application Specialist, full-time, process Medicaid applications, work directly with clients reviewing financial positions as relates to eligibility and overall requirements, experienced w/ processing files, 75k+, Monsey

• Support/Client Implementation Specialist for a Software company, be detail-oriented w/ strong organizational skills. Proficient in computer literacy and software applications. Quick learner w/ ability to adapt to new technologies and processes. Excellent communication skills for effective interaction with colleagues and clients. Previous experience in a support or client implementation role a plus, 75k – 85k, Monsey

• Bookkeeper, in-office position, female office, 25 hours+ weekly, client billing, cash flow, bank reconciliation, expense oversight, payroll management, commission/ bonus tracking, expense/ subscription management, 4+ hours daily, 50k – 80k [depending on work hours and experience] New City

• Workforce Coordinator, manage facility scheduling of nurses and nursing aides. Excellent computer and communication skills, fast-paced environment, 6+ hours daily, 60k – 90k, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

• Accounts Payable – Real Estate company, reviewing and enter invoices, submit invoices for payment, relevant experience required, full-time, female office, 65k – 80k, Monsey

• Skilled Nursing Home, Billing Specialist - Medicaid Tracker, relevant experience required, full-time, 60k – 80k, Monsey/ Hybrid

• Licensed Social Worker for local agency, male population, $65/ hr. - $90/hr., based on experience, Monsey

• Landscaping Sales Rep, Rockland County, NY (serving Rockland, Westchester, Bergen, & Passaic counties), Develop sales strategies, build relationships, and grow a landscaping business, 50k + commissions, Monsey

• Outside Sales Rep for custom poly bags manufacturer, 40k + commission, North Jersey

• Outside Sales Rep for Commercial LED Lighting & EV Charger Stations, 40k + commission, Monsey

• Behavior Therapist (LMSW, LCSW or MHC) $65/hr. per client session, Monsey

• Mental Health Therapists, Interns positions, salary based on experience, Monsey

• Leading Commercial Real Estate Mortgage Brokerage firm, seeks motivated and ambitious individuals to join their team as Real Estate Finance Advisors, develop relationships with real estate owners and developers to arrange financing. Learn to analyze and underwrite deals, 40k + commissions, Monsey

• Office Secretary work, proficient in Microsoft Office/ Excel, good w/ numbers, communication skills, detail-oriented, prior office experience required, 6+ hours daily, $30 – $35/hr., Monsey

• Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Service Coordinator, coordinate services for individuals with traumatic brain injury or who require nursing home level care, BA required, flexible hours, $35/hr.+, Monsey

• Admin Assistant, quick learner with strong technical skills, a passion for business, and a drive to learn new tools and information., $25/hr. - $35/hr., part-time or full-time, Upper Saddle River, NJ

• Bookkeeper/Secretary – Real Estate construction company, Budgeting, Scheduling, Applications for Planning, Zoning, and Building Permits, professional writing and communication skills. Good with numbers, organized and detail oriented, Monday thru Thursday, 10am-5pm, $30/hr.+, Monsey

• Female Health/Early Intervention Care Manager - BA or Equivalent degree required, relevant experience preferred, parttime or full-time, $30/hr.+, Monsey

• Front desk secretary, Full-time, $25/hr., Monsey

• Cook for School Meal Program, full-time position, Sunday thru Thursday, Experience as a cook in a large-scale setting required, Knowledge of milchig and pareve recipes, Ability to prepare a variety of dishes, Creativity in the kitchen, with good ideas for new and innovative recipes to enhance the school’s meal program, $1500/weekly, Monsey

• Order Fulfillment & Packing Lead, assist in packing and managing order fulfillment for cook-at-home meal kit company. Hands-on packing (70%) and coordination (30%), ability to lift and move boxes up to 30 lbs., fast-paced environment, 25/hr., full-time,

Direct Support Professional, Male or Female, provide 1:1 assistance to individuals w/ mental health fragilities, ages 1-21 in daily living activities such as meal preparation, mentoring, personal training, social skills building, tutoring, sports coaching, art therapy or housekeeping, Experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities (preferred). $25/hr. – 40/hr. based on experience and level of degree. High school diploma

Entry-level Accounts Payable and Receivable positions, full-time, female office, strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks

Monsey

Classifieds

MALE COMPANION

Seeking energetic and confident male for a 19 year old boy to do fun activities like swimming, going for walks, and exercises both indoor and outdoor. Hours: Sunday after 3 PM for 2 hours. Location: Forshay / Pleasant Ridge. Salary $20- $22 / hr. Car required, Expenses paid. Reference Number: CHZB1223. Contact Shlomo Szydlow 845.425.0887 ext.217 shlomo. szydlow@yedei.org

MALE COMPANION

16-year-old boy, Take out shul, recreation, fun. Hours: 6-9 M-Th, Sun. After 2. Salary $20- $22 / hr. Car required, Expenses paid. Location: Monsey, Augusta Road area. Reference number: CHMK0324. Contact Shlomo Szydlow 845.425.0887 ext.217 shlomo.szydlow@yedei.org

MALE COMPANIONS

Seeking 2 Male Companions for two 20-Year-old young men. Take to parks, recreation, errands, etc. Salary $20-22 hr. Sunday: 1-6 pm & 3-6 pm. Car required, Expenses paid. Location: Monsey & Thiells area. Reference number : CHAW/ CHMG0324. Contact Shlomo Szydlow 845.425.0887 ext.217 shlomo.szydlow@yedei.org

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.

BCBA POSITION

ABA Riders is looking to hire a BCBA. Well-paid, flexible hours. Contact Rikki 347930-9736/info@abariders. com.

THE JOB YOU’RE LOOKING FOR!

Want to have money flow into your pocket? Call/text 845324-5182

WE ARE HIRING

Become part of our team in a specialized education setting. Competitive pay! Outstanding training! Great environment! Positions open for Assistant / Aides. Email: resumes@ohreducation.orgCall: 845.352.3307 ext:138

CREATE BUSINESS

Working 1-2 hours at home. Risk free. Lots of potential and support. No boss. No computer needed Call/text 3474096070

SNF ACCOUNTANT

Nursing home operator seeking an experienced accountant with SNF accounting expertise. Must have a strong understanding of NF financials and advanced Excel skills. Responsibilities include GL management, financial reporting, budgeting, and cost reports. PT or FT available. Competitive salary & benefits. Apply now: SNFPosition2025@gmail.com

NOW HIRING

B&C Industries, a fastgrowing packaging distribution company in Lyndhurst, NJ (45 mins from Monsey), is hiring! No experience needed. Contact hr@bcpkg.com for more info. Open positions: •Customer Service •Accounts Receivable •Purchasing •Sales

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Full-Time 9 AM - 5 PM | Pay: DOE | Near Monsey. Seeking a detail-oriented female team player to manage accounts and document workflows. Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and adaptability are required. Send your resume to Jobs@ drgclaims.com with the subject: Doc Coordinator.

ACCOUNTANT

Broad Management Group located in Montvale, NJ, is actively seeking a dedicated individual to join our Property Accounting Team. A very warm environment to work in with competitive benefits and salary based on experience. Please submit your resume to Hr@ broadmg.com

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Agency is seeking an executive assistant for creative and stimulating position. Driver’s license and car are a must. Great pay and enjoyable work. Email gitty@ hireexteam.com

Classifieds

DIRECTOR OF HR

Lead HR strategies & operations. Recruiting, employee relations, compliance, training, & team management. Email resume aklaver@aylondon.com

PAYROLL SPECIALIST

Behavioral Health Program seeking PT Payroll Specialist to process payroll for staff and provide administrative support. Email resume aklaver@aylondon.com

OPEN POSITION

Do you have your BA? We are looking for you! Local agency in Monsey is looking to hire qualified care managers to join our thriving team. Great salary with lots of benefits. Email resume to: Positionopen34@gmail.com

BOOKKEEPER

Broad Management Group located in Montvale, NJ, is actively seeking a dedicated individual to join our Accounts Payable Department. Efficiently manage the accounts payable process for select properties. Strong attention to detail and organizational skills. Please submit your resume to Hr@ broadmg.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Title Company in Monsey looking for a Title agent with Experience with New Jersey Files. Please email resume to: info@acqntitle.com

EXECUTIVE POSITION

Great executive position available! Drivers license a must Email leah@ hireexteam.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY – PART-TIME

Seeking a creative and organized Marketing & Events Assistant to join our Home Care agency at our Spring Valley office to support event coordination, branding initiatives, and administrative tasks. A valid driver’s license is required for running event-related errands. The ideal candidate is a recent graduate or earlycareer professional. To apply, send your resume to hiring@ hamaspikcare.org.

CHILDCARE

WARM BABYSITTER ON BATES

One slot available for 3-6 month old baby. Please call 845-826-2185

SERVICES

HANDYMAN

Assembly of all types of furniture & Furniture Repairs -Installation of Blinds,Shades,Shelves,RodsServicing Monsey Area Chaim- 347 416 1027

START TO FOCUS

Do you or your child have a hard time focusing? Forever Focus is a natural vitamin, proven to help mental clarity, focus and cognitive function. Good for ADD/ADHD. Very good results BSD! Call/Txt: Ruchy 845-637-6746

MAKEUP

Get your flawless natural look! Centrally located. Please call/text Surie 8455177128

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

MENS PRIVATE YOGA

Find balance, build strenth, reduce stress. Personalized sessions to enhance your body and mind. Book your session today 845-499-4414

SHAIMOS

IS YOUR CHILD STRUGGLING?

Socially, with fears and anxieties, or other issues, and you think you tried everything? With Hashem’s help Energy Therapy can be the Yeshuah for your child. 15 minute free consultation. Call 845445-8252, or email chany@ rapidrecoverycoaching.com

ONE MAN BAND

For all occasions. 347-3845055 רעיירב

PETTICOATS FOR RENT!

Complete your look! Adult & kids petticoats for rent, Beautiful floral wreath & crown headpieces for rent, Adorable kids jewelry, and more! Call 845-5020153 leave msg or 845746-7248

MASSAGE THERAPY --In The Comfort of Home-*Swedish *Deep Tissue *Lymph *Craniosacral Therapy Call Sarah: 845596-1373

EARPIERCING

12 years experience. Wide selection. Call/text: 845-5387986

AYIN HORAH

The renowned Rebetzin Aidel Miller from Yerushalayim will remove Ayin Horah over the phone. Call till 5:00 PM: 718.689.1902 or 516.300.1490

Classifieds

NEW WEBSITE?

Get your Beautiful, Fast, SEO-Friendly Website done in 14 days, guaranteed. Email efraim@rapidquill.com

CUSTOM PHOTO ALBUMS

We specialize in custom Photo Albums, Chosson, Wedding, etc. Also professional Photo Editing, many years of experience. Special rate for photographers. Call: 347.563.5153

MONSEY SWIM SCHOOL

Swim lessons, Lifeguard & CPR courses. Private pool, jacuzzi & sauna rentals. Separate public swim for men & women in an Olympic-sized, heated indoor pool. Learn to swim at Monsey’s most established swim school. Call (845) 578-1888

WHOLESALE FISH

Buy by the case & save. Baby & Regular Salmon. Hashgucha Volove Rav. Free delivery to your home. Call Eli: 516-270-6755

SUPERPATCH HOTLINE

DRUG FREE help for energy, sleep, immune support, mobility, pain management, focus, stress, mood and more. PREGNANCY SAFE. REAL TESTIMONIALS. INTERVIEWS. CALL 929992-4453 Option 2,2,3 to get help. SUNDAY 9PM Q&A Option 2,2,6,0

PILATES

Boost your energy and empower your daily life by learning the fundamental movements of Pilates exercises. Certified Pilates Instructor Liebe Nissen 845274-7653

WINTER SOLUTIONS!

Dry face? Chapped hands and lips? Try Forever Living amazing moisturizers and lip balm! Call R. Tessler 845.596.9933

FOREVER LIVING

Yes it’s this ad again…. But have you tried it yet?? See amazing results with our all natural products! Call R. Tessler 845.596.9933

VACATION ARIZONA

Have you booked your Airbnb? Kosher Add-Ons will instantly get your kitchen transformed into an ‘’’All Kosher Kitchen’’ ! Plus, EZ AZ Tours will conveniently get you to all great sightseeings Arizona has to offer. Book today: 845-248-3362

ARE YOU A COACH, THERAPIST, CONSULTANT OR HEALER?

Are you overwhelmed with all the tech? I can help you automate emails, payments, scheduling etc., so you can focus on the client sessions only. (While saving money on a secretary!) Call 347-5590275

3D MODELS

MATTERPORT virtual tour services, 3d digital models, walk thru of physical spaces, measurements. Architects, Designers, Realtors, starting $275 8457098358 adovkohn@ hotmail.com

CLARINET RENTAL

Clarinet rental for $18 per week. Comes with MP3 lessons in Yiddish or English. 718-435-1923

WRITINGS

Want to express your feelings on paper? Need a beautifully written poem or message in Yiddish or English?

Professional writing with a personal touch. Call 845-7016466

GARTLECH

we fix knitted & crochet

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

GOWNS

GOWN FOR SALE

Beautiful white gown for married sister of bride, for sale. Size 2-4 845-200-4326

ELEGANT WHITE

DESIGNER GOWN

White designer gown in size 10-12, very slenderizing fit. Perfect for an older girl or Ying Veibel. All year round. Used once- Immaculate condition. Asking $2,000 OBO. Call/Text: 347-451-0989

MATERNITY GOWN RENTAL

Georgeous selection of maternity gowns affordable prices all sizes...New! Also accepting gowns on consignment. Please call/ text 8458622799

FREE GIVEAWAYS

100 oz mother’s milk 845521-8176

Two burner Summit cooktop in good condition. Call 845587-0461

So 14-16 children’s girls clothing 347-432-6669

LATE ADS

SECRETARIAL POSITION

Looking for someone responsible with decent writing & phone skills 3x/ week 4-6pm in a therapy center. 59/ Remsen area. Email info@ neurotechnicstherapy.com

SELL YOUR BUSINESS

TODAY

$$$ Sell Your Business For Top Dollar! Email: LocalBusinessBrokers@ gmail.com $$$

JOIN OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM!

Seeking a friendly, empathetic, and solutions-oriented individual to join our customer service team. If you have

excellent communication skills, love helping people, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we want to hear from you! Send your resume to springvalleyjobs1@gmail.com

SALES & OPERATIONS LEADER

Seeking an experienced female Sales & Operations Leader to drive performance and optimize operations part-time or full-time in Monsey. Email: TopCareerNY@gmail.com

RESUMES

Professional Resumes 10% Off + Free Job Placement! Email TopCareerNY@gmail.com

GREAT OPPORTUNITY

Seeking motivated, experienced woman (ages 35+) passionate about helping others excel in their careers. Unlimited income potential, PT/FT. TopCareerNY@gmail. com

CHEF

Seeking an experienced chef with commercial kitchen experience (no formal schooling required) to join our all-female team. Must

be skilled, efficient, and passionate about cooking in a fast-paced environment. Email resume to Sheindy@ hiresolutionsny.com or call 8454228098 ext 104.

SALES/OFFICE MANAGER

Seeking an experienced female sales/office Manager with a successful track record. Will paid + solid bonuses structure. GreatMonseyJob@Gmail.com

PAYROLL SPECIALIST

Seeking a candidate with payroll experience and strong attention to detail and accuracy. This role is Part time, in-office and with Thursday being a mandatory full-time day. Email resume to Sheindy@hiresolutionsny. com or call 8454228098 extension 104.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

A dynamic and growing company is seeking a proactive and highly organized F/T Executive Assistant to support a Director of Business Development. This role is ideal for someone who takes

initiative, is tech-savvy, and enjoys interacting with people. Must have a car. Email resume to sheindy@ hiresolutionsny.com.

PERMS FOR BOYS

Beautiful long lasting perms in time for Pesach. Limited slots avail. Reach out for group discounts. call/text 846-943-1375

HCBS CARE COORDINATOR

Alley Valley is currently seeking an HCBS Care Coordinator to join our team. If you are passionate about providing high-quality care, we want to hear from you! Please email: Soster@ alleyvalley.com

HR/RECRUITING

Have HR/recruiting experience? Earn $65K+ part-time! Email ProRecruiterNY@gmail.com to apply.

RENTAL

Location: Wolfe, Bedrooms: 3, Bathrooms: 2, Contact: 347909-3879. Comments: Brand new 9 ft ceiling fully above ground $2800 plus utilities

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           

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718.305.5863

*valid until 03/18/2025while supplies lastrestrictions may apply

Tried, Tested & Trusted

REAL TESTIMONIALS BY REAL

PEOPLE

"I love Vax-C-Max ! They keep me healthy and strong all winter."

-ELKIE A.

" Vac-C-Max was our go-to when the flu hit our house. It helped build our immune systems fast!"

-RIVKY S., LAKEWOOD

"Since starting Vax-C-Max , my daughter hasn’t had recurring strep. BH, it’s been a lifesaver!"

-BAILU K.

"I was sick in bed with a virus this winter. After taking Maxi Green Concentrate , Vax-C-Max , GlutaMax , and Maxi Health Supreme , I regained my energy in just a few days. Thank you for the incredible difference!"

-DINA H., LAKEWOOD, NJ

"With the season changing, Vax-C-Max is my go-to vitamin! It’s truly a lifesaver. Thank you!"

-B. ROTENBERG

"Thank you for your nutritional advice! PantoMax and Vax-C-Max work wonders for sinus issues."

-RIVKY S.

Share your Maxi Health story for a chance to win a Bugaboo Butterfly in the color of your choice or a Bosch Machine!

NEXT DRAWING MARCH 2025

Call/Text or Email: 516.600.6294 (maxi) win@maxihealth.com

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DEVORAH W., DENVER, COLORADO

“I used the Prenatal-Licious gummy vitamins. They were quick and easy to take each day, and I was confident that we were ge�ing all the necessary nutrients!”

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.

Beat allergies before they beat you. Be proactive.

Our proactive Wellness dose is the effective allergy remedy you’ve been searching for. Using our unique signature harmonious extraction™, we harness the full range of benefits nature has to offer in a pure and potent form. Our highly concentrated capsules are conveniently sized for easy consumption by individuals of all ages. Starting allergy treatment before symptoms appear is up to 90% MORE EFFECTIVE in preventing allergy symptoms from occurring.