Issue 003

Real Fruit Real Fruit Real Fruit Real Fruit Real Fruit Real Fruit Real Fruit

Dye Dye-Yenu!

Say “enough!” to Yellow #5 and Red #40 or any colors with a number. It’s time to color outside the lines, and let your kids enjoy a snack that’s fun, not fake. Made with real fruit and natural flavors, it’s a smarter choice and a ‘good-buy’ for parents who know better.

Great source of protein no fridge needed

Snack It

Toss It

Top It

Enjoy perfectly-shredded, crispy Cheese’A’Lech as a snack, garnish, or to uplevel soups, salads, and pasta.

ZISSY CUTS OUT THE MIDDLEMAN. WHICH MEANS YOU PAY LESS FOR YOUR WIG.

Why pay salon markups, distributor fees, and layer after layer of middlemen who never even touch your wig? At Zissy, we cut them all out. Literally. No inflated price tags, no overpriced stylists, no retail overhead. Just brand-new, salon-grade luxury wigs, straight from the factory to you. This isn’t a discount. It’s your money back. Yes, your hard-earned money everybody else was pocketing. So… how much will Zissy save you?

by

He's more productive than ever.

“I decided to do it because I got fed up.

Every day, I was falling asleep at my desk. I couldn't sleep at night, so during the day I could barely keep my eyes open to get any work done. You know, there's only so much energy drinks and co�ee you can drink before you realize that something's gotta change.

Signing up for Kosher Skinny Shots was a total game changer! Never mind that they were so nice and helpful throughout the process, but I've lost weight, I sleep well at night and my business is Baruch Hashem growing like... Nu, Baruch Hashem....”

Chaim Blum, Boro Park, NY | Started Kosher Skinny Shots: Dec 2024 | Lost: 41 pounds

kosher skinny shot

Pesach’s behind you. Bring on the fun! We’re Hiring!

It’s been 70 years...

Upgrade your Dairy Delights? Yummy Condensed Milk Can!

Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake

Pistachio Kataifi Crust

10.5 oz. Kataifi dough

5 Tbsp Yummy Unsalted Butter Sticks

7 oz. pistachio cream

3 Tbsp tahini paste

Cheesecake Filling

16 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup Yummy Sweetened

Condensed Milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (for tanginess & freshness)

Chocolate Ganache

3.5 oz. semi sweet chocolate

3.5 oz. heavy cream

An extra decadent Dubai-style chocolate cheesecake with a crispy pistachio Kataifi crust, creamy filling, and topped with a silky chocolate ganache.

Prepare the Pistachio Kataifi Crust

In a skillet, melt 5 tbsp butter.

Add shredded Kataifi dough and stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy, make sure butter coats well. Pour into a bowl and mix with pistachio cream and tahini.

Set aside 1/3 of the mixture. Press the remaining 2/3 into the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan to form a crust.

Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

In a mixer, blend all ingredients except for the eggs until smooth and room temperature. Add the eggs and mix gently (don’t overmix). Pour over the crust and bake at 300°F for 45–50 minutes.

Optional: Place a pan of water in the oven for better results.

Let cool at room temp for 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for 4–5 hours or overnight.

Prepare the Chocolate Ganache

Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.

Heat heavy cream until just simmering (do not boil). Pour over the chocolate. Let sit a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Let thicken slightly (5–10 minutes).

Pour over chilled cheesecake and smooth the top. If the chocolate is still too thin, let it sit another 10 minutes before slicing into the cheesecake.

Garnish cake with reserved crispy Kataifi.

Flan de Queso

Caramel

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup water

Filling for Flan de Queso

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1/2 cup Yummy Sweetened Condensed Milk

12 oz. heavy cream

17.5 oz. whole milk

7 oz. cream cheese or mascarpone cheese

Prepare the Caramel

Combine caramel ingredients and heat until it turns amber. Pour about ½ inch into ramekins. Let it cool and set aside

Prepare the Filling for Flan de Queso

Mix eggs and yolks.

Heat milk with cream, Yummy Condensed Milk and sugar just until starts to boil.

Lower heat, add cream cheese, and stir until smooth.

Let cool a bit, then slowly whisk into eggs (so they don’t cook).

Pour into ramekins over caramel.

Cool, then chill in fridge for a few hours.

Place ramekins in a water bath, cover with foil, and bake at 300°F for about 2½ hours, or until set (185°F inside).

Run a knife around the edges and flip onto a plate. Lift ramekin off slowly.

Chef Albert Bijou

EARLY BIRD

MIKVAH & SHVITZ

5-STAR LAVISH MEALS

24-HOUR FULLY STOCKED TEA ROOM

BEAUTIFUL BIG SHUL

NEW PLAYGROUNDS

UPGRADED ROOMS AVAILABLE

EXCITING KIDS ENTERTAINMENT

2 BEDROOM COTTAGES &

5 BEDROOM VILLAS AVAILABLE

goTurkey Cold Packing a Picnic?

ערה ןיע

By Starlit

Crunch Cake takes snacking to the next level. We start with crispy rice, add a luscious layer of rich filling, top it off with a satisfying crunch, and dip it all in a smooth chocolate hug.

SUNDAY MONDAY

It's not so much about the recipe as it is about the quality of the ingredients. And with Wondermills, the difference is obvious.

The Wonders of Wondermills

:שיראטסיה הלוגס

Git Shabbos

Simple, elegant staples for a beautiful Shabbos.

THE W MALL

CAMP AFTER CAMP IN BROOKLYN

Staff Positions Available

Superstars Camp After Camp is a ONE WEEK daycamp for children with disabilities in Brooklyn, with an all-girls staff and heimishe atmosphere. Come join our team and help us reach for the stars.

Starting August 25

Mon - Thurs, 9:30am - 3:30pm Fri, 9:30am - 1:30pm

Also Accepting:

After-School Program 2025-’26

Limited Availability: Daycamp Counselor Positions, 9th Grade+ APPLY TODAY!

Para Positions, Sem/Post-Sem Mon-Thurs, 3:00-6:30PM

Counselors, 9th Grade+ Sunday, 11AM-4PM Sunday Program 2025-’26

Call: 646-285-5354 Email: Lfriedman@hasccenter.org

To Livewith Choice inCodependency

Treat them to a Soulful Gift

Looking for a gift that goes beyond the ordinary? Treat them to a soulful gift that transforms everyday stress into moments of pure bliss. This season, show your loved ones you care by gifting them an indulgent journey to inner peace at the Oak Room Spa.

Men Hours: Sun-Wed 3:00 pm - 2:00 am

Thursday till 3:00 am Friday 9:00 am - till Zman Motza Shabbos till 3:00 am

Woman hours: Sun-Thurs. 9:00am - 2:30pm

INBOX

ELOQUENT WISDOM

(Re: Between Me and You, Issue 002)

I was so impressed with Toby Tanenbaum in her response on the topic of comparing oneself to others. She made excellent points that were all so on target. As a mother and grandmother, I try to convey these very thoughts to my children. These ideas are so important, and she shared it so eloquently!

Thank you for enriching us with content like this.

YOU STRUCK THE RIGHT NOTE

(Re: Lost and Found on the Mountain, Issue 002)

What I love about The Williamsburg View is that it’s both light and meaningful. I loved the story in the Lag Ba’omer issue about the man who lost his glasses in Meron. It’s a reminder of how Hashem really does guide and direct our every step. Sometimes this point is brought home by intense, emotional stories. Those do serve a purpose, but they leave me feeling burdened by the pain experienced by the protagonists. Life is tough enough; I really appreciate stories that are light and humorous and still thought-provoking.

INBOX

PICTURE-PERFECT

(Re: Bite-Size Bliss, Issue 002)

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate that you have those small pictures of the food near the recipe instructions. I love the big, beautiful, full-page images, and they help me when I cook because the final result serves as a guide as I go along. But when I want to save the recipe, it’s helpful to have that small image on the recipe page so I don’t have to keep that extra page just because of the photo. Those small images are so useful.

Thank you! A Local Cook

NOW IN WILLIAMSBURG!

(Re: The Williamsburg View, Issue 001)

Thank you so much for the wonderful and informative magazine you’ve been providing week after week until now, when it was known as The Boro Park View I’m so happy that Williamsburg will now have a magazine of its own. It is my hope that you will continue to provide quality English reading to the community, and that it can continue to be a magazine enjoyed by all!

A Happy Reader

SAVED BY HIS HELMET

(Re: At the Scene, Issue 001)

Ten years ago, I got the phone call no parent ever wants to get: “This is Hatzolah calling...”

My son fell off his bike while riding down Ocean Parkway’s bike lane on his way home from mesivta. His wheel hit the curb while crossing the roadway, and he flew headfirst over the handlebars. A Yid who lived in an apartment building nearby heard the impact, brought him inside to his apartment, and called Hatzolah.

In the ambulance, the EMT asked my son, “Were you wearing a helmet?”

Although I hadn’t witnessed the fall, I answered for him: “Yes, he was.”

That’s because I train my children from when they’re little: “When your training wheels come off, your helmet goes on.” (This idea is presented in a very positive way; my kids know they “graduate” into a big kid helmet when they learn to ride properly, and it’s very exciting to choose one.)

Now, with my older son, there was no question about it. I knew he’d been wearing his helmet.

Sure enough, his helmet was dented, and there was a mark on his forehead from it, but baruch Hashem, he “only” needed stitches.

Accidents happen. It’s our responsibility to be proactive. Think about how you would feel if something preventable happened to your child. This applies to seatbelts, smoke alarms and all other recommended safety measures. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy summer,

A GREAT RESOURCE

(Re: At the Scene, Issue 001)

Your article on safety, where you interviewed Hatzolah members, was very informative, with vital information printed in an easy-to-read and compelling way. Would you consider reprinting it in Yiddish so that our Yiddish-speaking children can read it? I feel like the article would win them over and help them understand on their own why helmets are so important — more so than the thousand nagging warnings we give them every day. It could be such a great resource for the community.

Name Withheld

C.R.

718-000-8347

718-000-3045

718-000-0828

718-000-4423

718-000-0806

917-000-9865

718-000-2080

718-000-0564

917-000-4666

347-000-8869

718-000-3067

845-000-7755

718-000-2041

718-000-6903

718-000-6436

IF YOU SUFFER FROM SEASONAL ALLERGIES, WHICH MEDICATIONS OR REMEDIES DO YOU FIND HELPFUL?

My husband suffers terribly from seasonal allergies. I find that Claritin helps him more than anything else. When it rains he also feels a lot better, as the rain washes the pollen away.

Seven other readers agree that Claritin is the way to go.

Zyrtec provides 24 hours of non-drowsy relief. It helps my entire family.

Three more readers pronounced Zyrtec the magical cure, but one disagreed, claiming it doesn’t help at all. One reader mentioned taking Zyrtec all year to prevent seasonal allergies.

I started using the Smiling Herbs Allergy Relief vitamin about two years ago. I take it all year and have seen amazing results.

One more reader mentioned Smiling Herbs Allergy Relief as working well for seasonal allergies.

Allegra Allergy has really helped. You can buy it over the counter in the pharmacy and need to take it every twelve hours.

Another reader mentioned Allegra Allergy as being super helpful.

I ordered a plug-in machine on Amazon called an Air Purifier that filters the air and pulls the pollen out of the air you breathe.

I keep rotating between Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec and Benadryl. Acupuncture has also made a difference. And, of course, tefillah helps — Hashem is the true Healer. As for local honey, it’s sweet, but not a cure. The pollen in it isn’t the airborne kind that causes allergies, and any relief is likely just a placebo effect.

I use Zahler’s Immune Defense.

For itchy eyes, Pataday eye drops are great.

I use a vitamin C powder called sodium ascorbate from the company Nutribiotic. It helps me tremendously.

Putting an onion cut in quarters near your bed each night is super helpful.

I’ve tried everything, including acupuncture, but found no relief.

I have been suffering from seasonal allergies for years. The symptoms were so severe that no medication helped me. Three years ago, a local allergy and asthma doctor recommended that I get allergy shots. I went to get the shots twice a week at first. At this point, I go once a month, and the symptoms are much better.

As someone who has suffered for years, and tried nearly everything, nothing has helped me so far. I recently heard about a twoyear diet that heals allergies at the root. It’s quite restrictive, so one would need to be pretty desperate to try it, but the testimonies of healing have been very encouraging. I would love to form a group of people to do it together because I think that would make it easier. Please reach out to The Williamsburg View for my contact information if you’d like to join.

I had very bad seasonal seasonal allergies in the past, and I treated it with NAET, National Allergy Elimination Treatment done by a trained chiropractor prior to the season. My allergies are all gone now.

I usually have difficulty breathing due to severe seasonal allergies. My doctor has prescribed a spray called Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Aerosol, and it’s really been helping.

I have asthma, which is not seasonal but has year-round triggers. My excellent ENT recommended sinus rinses. I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse, and many times, when someone has smoked a cigarette or I am exposed to any other trigger, I quickly do a sinus rinse to be spared from a serious asthma attack. It is also helpful for seasonal allergies.

The Sujok method of acupressure really helps, but you need a few sessions of it. Also, avoiding spicy foods and sweets helps decrease the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

Keep windows closed and wash up when you come in from outdoors.

Tissues, tissues and more tissues... I didn’t yet find anything that really helps. The best remedy seems to be cocooning indoors with the windows shut.

Nothing works! You just have to wait it out. The funny part is hearing from your friends at shul, “This is the best product against allergies,” or, “Try this supplement…,” while they all have the same red eyes and hold tissues in their hands…

I started using the Defend Super Patches daily a little before allergy season, and feel like the allergies passed over me this year. This year, I finally enjoyed the beautiful weather without the side effects that used to accompany it.

I suffer from seasonal allergies, and every year I try different medications or solutions, believing that this time I’ll get lucky. So far nothing has helped me.

We like Bee Pollen from the Forever Living brand.

I recently heard about a customformula nasal spray that needs to be ordered on allermi.com. They ask about the symptoms and create a custom spray for you. I haven’t tried it yet but heard that it is amazing.

Something that I found really helped was essential oils. A woman in Boro Park sells essential oils with a humidifier for this purpose. You can reach out to The Williamsburg View for her information.

Check in before you check out.

Heading upstate?

PARSHAS

BEHARBECHUKOSAI

To See the Blessing

Y. Levenstein

The parsha begins with the monumental mitzvah of Shemittah. As an introduction, the pasuk says, “Vayedaber Hashem el Moshe Behar Sinai,” (Vayikra 25:1), and then goes on to discuss aspects of Shemittah. Rashi and other meforshim ask: What is the special connection between Har Sinai and Shemittah? After all, all the mitzvos of the Torah were given at Har Sinai!

In a discussion with Reb Tzvi Getker, Pinchas Appelton, a farmer on Moshav Margaliot, described his Shemittah experiences, which lend a new perspective on this question.

Pinchas shares:

THE YEAR WAS 5761/2001. Although my family was already somewhat exposed to Yiddishkeit and observing some mitzvos, I could not imagine keeping Shemittah. I was in the middle of building a new house on the moshav for my family, and our financial situation was tight. I put all my hopes in my crops, taking out a huge loan to buy tools, irrigation systems, seedlings, fertilizer and everything I needed. It was simply not an option for me not to work my fields that year.

I chose to plant tomatoes. The tomato crop is planted in three installments over the course of a year. In the earth’s best interest, the first crop is sowed in one-third of the field, the second in two-thirds, and the third time, the entire field is planted.

I began with the first crop. I plowed the field, sowed the seeds, and watered them diligently. In time, my labor saw results. The field was covered in refreshing green foliage. But then I noticed something strange. The tomatoes remained green. I waited and waited, but they did not ripen. After doing some research, I discovered that there had been a problem with the seeds. The vendor returned the seed fee, but I was still left with an enormous loss. My only comfort was that this was the smallest first round, and hopefully, I would recover my losses in the next two harvests.

With renewed vigor, I prepared the soil again — sowing, watering, spraying. This time, the tomatoes were beautiful. I hired

workers and purchased cartons to package the crop. We entered the field — only to discover that the gorgeous red tomatoes were infested with worms. Apparently, we had omitted one important spray from the series of pesticides the fields were treated with. I was left with hardly anything to sell.

This loss was harder to swallow. I had to borrow money again in order to reinvest in my fields for the final round that year. Hopefully, the crop would be ready by Tishrei, when the demand is high, and I would somehow recoup my previous losses.

The process began all over again, and the crop was bountiful. My fields were full, with more than 60 tons of successful harvest.

Once again, I hired workers and purchased cartons. At daybreak, we entered the fields, ready to pick, but the scene that met our eyes was horrifying. The field was bare. There was not a single tomato — or even a leaf — to pick.

I discovered that we had accidentally left the irrigation system open the week before, and that caused a smell that invited animals of all kinds. They breached the fence and snuck inside. Within a day or two, they had devoured our entire crop.

I can’t begin to describe my pain. The price of tomatoes had skyrocketed, making the depth of my loss that much greater. Not only had I not earned money, but I now had to deal with the loans, which I could hardly repay.

My wife and I came to the conclusion that, come what may, the next Shemittah would be a Sabbatical year for us. We had learned the hard way, seeing clearly how there was simply no bracha in my work.

A year before Shemittah rolled around again, I invested extra energy and took out new loans, hoping the crop would be so bountiful that I would be able to rest my fields the following year. I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants and peppers. I still had no idea that the Torah promises that there will be blessings in the sixth year to tide Shemittah-keepers over for three years — the sixth, seventh and eighth years of the cycle. I was simply doing my part so my family would have what to live on.

Immediately after planting, missiles began flying from Leb-

Shabbos

Candle Lighting Starts Here

“I didn’t hire you to daydream,” I said. “You begged for a job, but all you’re doing is gazing at the field”

anon, and since our moshav is very close to the border, we were forced to evacuate. We turned off the irrigation systems and left. I can’t tell you how many questions arose in my heart. Here I was preparing to keep Shemittah! What did Hashem want from me now?

Two months later, we were back home. I returned to my withered fields, facing lots of work; we had to clear the field of the wilted zucchini and cucumbers, and the inedible eggplants and peppers. It was an enormous amount of labor, but it would bring me no profit.

Soon after, a merchant asked if I had any second-class tomatoes to sell him, for use in cooking. I went to check my tomato fields, and lo and behold, a gorgeous crop awaited me. The tomatoes were plump, red and firm — nicer than ever before. Against all odds, the tomatoes had grown beautifully. The demand was high, and my workers and I spent the next ten days harvesting nonstop. I sold my tomatoes to the highest bidder.

My profits enabled me to easily pay off all my debts from the previous Shemittah. I could finally complete our house, and even purchase a new tractor.

At the end of the sixth year, my bookkeeping showed I had earned triple my usual profit — just as the Torah promises.

In the sixth year of the following cycle, I leased large fields and planted all sorts of vegetables. We saw such miracles; it was impossible to deny that Hashem was behind it all.

The first was with our fava beans. After the beans began to grow, there was a rare snowstorm in the area. All of our crops were covered in a thick layer of snow and ice. There goes my bean crop, I thought.

When the snow melted, I trekked up to see the bean plot, which was atop a hill. Amazingly, not only had the ice not smothered and frozen my beans, but the flattened crop somehow caused an additional row of fava beans to sprout between each of the rows I had planted. The fava bean plants had simply doubled on their own!

I needed to pick the beans imme-

diately, and hired a local Arab worker. Soon, I noticed that the Arab wasn’t harvesting the beans as I had asked him. He was standing and staring into space.

“I didn’t hire you to daydream,” I said. “You begged for a job, but all you’re doing is gazing at the field.”

The man turned to me and said in Arabic, “I must admit, you Jews are Gd’s favored nation!”

The Arab continued, “My family has been planting fava beans for 40 years, and never has such a thing happened — bean plants that duplicate on their own? It must be Divine intervention.”

That same year, we grew hot peppers. The crop was so abundant that I didn’t know what to do with it all. I mean, how many hot peppers could I sell? There was enough for half the country, literally!

In the end, I made a connection with a wholesaler, who purchased the entire thing. He said he had the ability to sell my hot peppers, which were large and juicy, throughout the entire country. For four months straight, I had a team of workers pick and pick and pick those peppers.

Interestingly, when it came to paying me the final installment, the wholesaler informed me that his business was in trouble and would be forced to close soon. Apparently, his business had been established only to market my pepper blessing. There’s no other explanation.

* * * * *

Rashi offers two explanations to our question regarding the connection between Har Sinai and Shemittah. But here we can derive another answer.

A Yid who keeps Shemittah and sees with his own eyes the bracha he is blessed with when adhering to this special mitzvah, or chas v’shalom, the curse from not observing it, has no choice but to recognize that the Torah was given at Har Sinai. Shemittah is an obvious proof. If one previously had any doubts, by watching the consequences of Shemittah, all that remains is to accept the Torah b’ahavah. It’s obviously from Hashem!

Spring was finally here. After being cooped up in our apartment through the winter months, my children and I were eager to spend the afternoon in warm air and sunshine. “I’m so happy they’re finally moving a bit,” I thought, watching them race with their scooters. “If only they could have more movement daily.” The hours they spend sitting on buses and school desks always bothered me, yet seems to be an unavoidable reality.

YEHUDIS GREEN

As my children played with friends, I joined a group of neigh bors chatting nearby.

“My child is a different person now!” Miri exclaimed. “She’s happier, less rigid, and has a clearer mind. I never imagined she could be so alert and sharp.”

“It was our miracle too,” Chavi nodded. “Yaakov’s fine motor skills improved in just one week. His handwriting is finally legible, and he buttons his shirt by himself.”

Malka, always in-the-know, shared more stories—her nephew stopped bedwetting, her friend’s daughter improved scholastically, and her sister-in-law became more grounded and socially accepted.

I listened quietly. I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know. It’s probably about another vitamin that my kids would refuse to swallow and the kashrus of it would not pass my husband’s guidelines anyway. Or maybe it was about a therapy center that does magic. My heart ached. My kids could use the boost. Life is too overwhelming, and schlepping out twice a week doesn’t fit my schedule. Besides, it’s probably private pay, and way beyond my financial abilities.

As I remained quiet, wondering how my neighbors all manage these comprehensive interventions, Miri continued; “The most amazing part is that it’s easy to do, the kids love it, and it’s actually affordable.”

I snapped out of my thoughts. “What on earth are you all talking about?”

“The Brain Booster USB,” Malka explained. “It’s just six minutes of fun exercises that enhance circulation to the brain and nervous system. The whole family gets these benefits at home, and it costs less than one therapy session.”

Six minutes? That couldn’t be right. I’d bought exercise CD’s in the past. I challenged her: “How could such a short workout make any difference?”

“That’s exactly the point,” she smiled. “It’s not a regular exercise CD—it’s a specifically targeted physio-neuro workout for optimal brain development.”

Later that evening, I shared the encounter with my husband. I listened to the explanation and feedback on the hotline, and we agreed that at this price it was worth trying, and placed an order.

“THE MOST AMAZING PART IS THAT IT’S EASY TO DO, THE KIDS LOVE IT, AND IT’S ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE.”

Two days later, the cute little box arrived. Within three days, it became part of our evening routine—and then came the changes. Moishy became more expressive, Leah earned a nachas note, and I stopped washing Chaim’s linen daily. Even I felt more focused at bedtime.

“Hashem is in control...” My children hum the words of the song to themselves. Thank You Hashem for this gift and all the blessings it brought to our family.

WHAT IS “BRAIN BOOSTERS”?

Four years ago, Mrs. Jakubowicz, a classroom teacher in Monsey, NY, recognized the profound importance of daily physio-neuro exercise for children’s development. She initially created a basic workout routine for her first-grade students and was amazed by the visible improvements that quickly emerged. Witnessing these positive changes, she embarked on a mission to make high-quality brain-enhancing products accessible and affordable to all parents and educators. Over time, respected experts and professionals in the field contributed their insights, helping to refine and strengthen the program.

“Brain Boosters isn’t only for children who need therapy,” Mrs. Jakubowicz explains. “Just like every healthy person benefits from nutritious eating and proper sleeping habits, every human body performs better with optimal brain function.”

The program has earned enthusiastic praise from parents and educators who have successfully implemented it in their homes or classrooms. Today, Brain Boosters offers an exciting selection of engaging brain activities at affordable prices, designed to help families spend quality time together in ways that are both fun and developmentally beneficial.

WHAT IS PHYSIO-NEURO EXERCISE?

Physio-neuro exercises are physical movements designed to support and enhance neurological function. These include activities like cross-midline exercises, right-left coordination, balance training and more. When these targeted movements are done in specific patterns consistently, they help clear blockages within the brain and nervous system, allowing new neural pathways to form. As these healthy networks take over, improvements in brain processing and overall development may become noticeable. Since the brain serves as the control center for all bodily functions, enhancing its connectivity can lead to positive changes across many areas — including physical coordination, cognitive function, emotional regulation, sleep, digestion and behavioral responses.

MRS. JAKUBOWICZ RESPONDS

While learning about the program’s rapid growth in such a short time, we questioned Mrs Jakubowicz about it, to which she answered: “When I left my teaching career, I was interested in delving deeper into the science behind brain exercise. This quest led me to Mrs. Silbiger from the Highways Kriah Program, who offered invaluable insight and information about brain processing. Mrs.Silbiger’s own journey began when she connected with Dr. Fraida Flaishman, PhD OTR/L, a renowned occupational therapist, who emphasized the connection of many foundational OT area’s impact on the development of Kriah abilities. After that, a comprehensive course was created.

Working with Mrs Silbiger transformed my project in many ways. The workout was elevated by integrating advanced OT principles, reflex integration, and specialized physio-neuro techniques. Our team spent months refining each part to ensure its clarity, safety, and practicality. Throughout this process, we consulted with leading experts, professionals, and educators to perfect our program so that it caters the widest range of children physically, cognitively, emotionally, socially, and academically.

During challenging moments when the work seemed overwhelming, Mrs. Silbiger would remind: “You’re doing this for Hashem. Ask Him to help you figure it out.” Her guidance extended beyond technical aspects as she encouraged meaningful technology guidelines in our operations and daily Chovos Halevavos learning. Realizing that only Hashem is the one who can help anyone struggling, and focusing on bringing Him into the picture at every moment, was the ultimate key to success throughout.

When customers ask if the USB really helps, our typical answer is, “No, USBs do not help anyone. Hashem is the one that helps!”

If you feel that this program is the right form of hishtadlus for your family, may you too be zoche to see the positive results and niflaos haBorei that so many have baruch Hashem seen.”

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For what age group is Brain Boosters recommended?

Ages 3 and up. While originally created for kids, many adults have reported seeing noticeable improvements in their day-to-day life as well!

Is there any coverage for this workout?

While this program is not covered by insurance, Double U—a popular service-based agency committed to helping clients thrive—has introduced Brain Boosters to their families. After seeing clients reduce their need for services thanks to the program, Double U now helps all current and new clients with funding towards this program. To sign up, call 779368-2538.

When can I expect to see change?

Every neurology is different, so results vary. Some see changes in days, others in weeks or months. A 6-week chart is included to help you track progress. And yes—your tefillos :) and consistency can make all the difference!

Can I share it?

This program is for your family’s personal use only and may not be shared with others. However, you’re welcome to copy the track onto your own player or device for convenience.

Can I stop taking my child for one-on-one help?

Brain Boosters is not a replacement for professional services when needed. It’s a powerful brain workout designed to work alongside any other support your child may be receiving.

What’s included?

Each package contains a USB, with the track, practice sheets, and wall signs on it. A booklet with clear pictures and a fun motivational chart is included too.

How often should we do it?

Daily is ideal, but don’t stress if you miss a day. Many families enjoy using it as a Sunday activity too!

Is there a video version?

Yes! You can receive an animated version of the track by email for an additional $10.

Why does Double U help pay for this?

As an agency who strives to help their clients in every possible way, Double U discovered Brain Boosters to be an incredibly effective tool. After witnessing many children reduce their need for ongoing services, they chose to make the program available to their clients. Double U’s ultimate goal and ongoing mission is to help your child improve—not stay dependent on services.

YIDDISH / ENGLISH EASY-TO-FOLLOW

PICTURES & INSTRUCTIONS

VISUAL OPTION AVAILABLE

SEFIRA TRACK INCLUDED FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

BRAIN BOOSTERS

Endorsed by experts and trusted by thousands, the Brain Booster program guides your child through simple, movement-based exercises. The exciting audio track along with the step-by-step illustrated booklet has quickly become a family favorite.

MOST MAJOR INSURANCES

ACCEPTED

REHABILITATION ASSOCIATES

PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY CENTER

Professional Care with a Personal Touch

We are committed to providing each patient with the highest quality physical and occupational therapy services, customized to their individual needs.

• Arthritis

• Back Pain

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Gait Disorders

• Muscle Weakness

• Neck Injuries

• Neurological Impairments

• Orthopedic Conditions

• Parkinsons Disease

• Postural Dysfunction

• Rotator Cuff Injuries

• Stroke

• Trigger Fingers

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE REOPENING OF OUR POSTURE CLASSES FOR GIRLS

ס’טנעמטראפעד ייצילאפ-קראי-וינ

יד זא טגאזעג גנולייטפא עיצארעפא עלעיצעפס

ןאטיפאק רעד סאוו ךאנ טריסאפ טאה טנעדיצניא

טעטיצירטקעלע ןריולראפ טאה ףיש רעד ןופ

ןראוועג ןענעז סעיצקנופ עשינאכעמ

עכלעוו ןטניוו ןוא סעילאווכ יד ךרוד ןעמונעגרעביא

,ףיש רעד ןופ עדנעזייר ףיוא טנעווא ןא“ טרעלקרעד דלאב

ךאוו !ןיילדעדןייאםוצ

םורא עיסרעווארטנאק

יטיס-קראי-וינ ראפ טאדידנאק

סיורא ךיז טיירד עכלעוו ראיעמ

עיצולאזער ןביירשרעטנוא ןופ טסאקאלאה ןעמאדראפ וצ

ץאלפ ןטייווצ ן’פיוא טאדידנאק רעד

ס’ייטראפ רעשיטארקאמעד רעד ןיא

-קראי-וינ ראפ טסעמראפ ירעמיירפ

ןייז טגידייטראפ טאה ץיז ראיעמ יטיס

סאד רעביא דנאטש עלאיסרעווארטנאק

סאוו עיצולאזער א ןביירשרעטנוא טשינ .טסאקאלאה יד ןעמאדראפ טוט

טירטפיוא ןייפמאק א ייב גידנעניישרע

ןאמילבמעסא טאה ,ךאוו ענעגנאגראפ

ןייז רעביא טדערעג ינאדמאמ ןאראז

ןביירשרעטנוא וצ טייקטיירגמוא

יד טמאדראפ סאוו עיצולאזער א

ןופ טאנאמ יד ןיא קירוצ טסאקאלאה

זיא סולשאב ןייז זא גידנגאז ,ראונאי

זא באטש ןייז וצ גאזוצ א בילוצ ןעמוקעג

ייס ןראסנאפס-אק רעמ טשינ טעוו רע

ןייק טשינ ,ראי יד סעיצולאזער עכלעוו .עמעט יד קוליח

וצ טריבורפ טאה ינאדמאמ

טייהרעצלאטש רע זא ןגאז ן’טימ

וצ גנומיטשפא ןא ראפ טמיטשעג

וצ גאט רעד סלא 27 ראונאי ןרילבאטע

ראי עדעי טסאקאלאה רעד ןעקנעדעג

טנאלפ ןוא סיפא ןיא ןעוועג זיא רע סאוו .ןוט וצ יוזא רעטייוו

טרעפטנעעגפא ןראוועג

תובישי ןיא ןייג ןליוו עכלעוו יד ,ןעצאמ ברה טגאזעג טאה

ס’גנוריגער

רעד .הדוגא יד בלאהרעניא ןטייהנגעלעגנא ,עישזדראשזד ,עדיראלפ ,ענאזירא ןיא ןרעטלע ,ענעיזיאול ,סעזנעק ,אנעידניא ,סיוניליא וינ ,עדאווענ ,ירוזימ ,עטאסענימ ,דנעלירעמ ,דנעלייא דואר ,עינעווליסנעפ ,אייהא ,יזרעשזד ןריטיפענעב גנימאייוו ןוא סאסקעט ,יסענעט ספישרעלאקס טיעטס ןיא

עלַא זַא טנדרָאראפ גנוריגער עשיטָאטש יד טָאה

15 9 R OD NEY STREE T

להקד ד”מהיב

TAKE GO O D CARE OF YOURSELF NOW.

IT' S THE BEST GIFT YOUR BABY W ILL GET

Helps support baby’s brain and eye development while promoting heart health and overall well-being for both parent and child.

.

Prepare for the future with real, revolutionary solutions. Packed with essential nutrients like methylated Folate, B-12, Vitamin K2, and DHA sourced from microalgae, Methyl Prenatal DHATM provides everything you and your baby need in a simple one-per-day formula.

SMARTER BABIES, BETTER VISION FISH FREE

NEXT DRAWING JUNE 2025

Lucky May Winner!

R. LEVI MONSEY, NY

“Maxi UTI proved to be very beneficial in resolving a urinary tract issue that I had.”

Shop N Save Weekly

Shop N Save Weekly

ךיז ,ןפאכטימ ךיז ןוא סקָארט יד ןופ

ענייז טימ םענייאניא

עשידיא

ןרָאוועג ןבעגעגרעביא רעדָא ןרָאוועג

סענזיב ס’נַאמפיל .דיא-טשינ א רַאפ

א רַאפ ןרָאוועג ןעקנָאשעגקעווא זיא

ןייק טַאהעג טשינ טָאה רעכלעוו ןַאמ רעדָא ןטייקגיאעפ עלעיצעפס םוש א ןעוועג זיא רע רעבָא ,ןעגנוכייררע .דילגטימ-יצַאנ רעגירעיגנאל

רע .סענזיב ןייז ןריולרַאפ ןייז רַאפ הטורפ ןייק ןעמוקאב טשינ

A

Chaim Furth

א ךיז טמוק סע“ וד יוו שילרעטסיוא תמאב זיא סע“ .טרעלקרַאפ

טריפשרעד טסאה

עסיורג א ןעוועג זיא סע“ .טלקָאשעגוצ טָאה דרַאשטיר

Transport your housekeeper safely and reliably for Winter vacation and for Passover

• To and From Airports

• Servicing NY, NJ, PA, CT in USA

• Deal and Lakewood, NJ.

• No trip too long

• Trustworthy, Discrete and Punctual

• Shomer Shabbat - References available

• Book in advance

• Credit Cards accepted

• All our drivers are Jewish

TOBY TANNENBAUM, LCSW

QI’m a friendly, easygoing kind of person and usually get along well with people. Recently, my sister-in-law, who I’m pretty close with, made a very hurtful comment. I know I’m supposed to forgive her, but how can I? I feel like I don’t want to speak with her ever again.

— Devoiry

ADear Devoiry,

First, I want you to know that I see and recognize the pain that your sister-in-law has caused. She made a hurtful comment to you, and it really struck deep. You’ve probably been mentally repeating this comment to yourself over and over again. Before we talk about forgiveness and letting go, I want to acknowledge the painful experience of being humiliated and the damage that it causes.

When someone does something that hurts us, we usually assume that the individual had bad intent. We mentally replay the incident and convince ourselves that the person meant to hurt us. But in reality, there’s usually more than just one intention that motivates a person to do or say something.

The term “dialectic” refers to the understanding that

there are multiple perspectives and opposing points of view for any particular experience. By utilizing a dialectical approach and stretching our emotional muscles, we can notice more possibilities and more perspectives on a particular thought. This enables us to see others in a more realistic, human, fallible way.

There is a wonderful quote by famous advice columnist Bernard Meltzer: “When you forgive, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future.”

Holding onto the resentment will keep you stuck in the pattern of pain and powerlessness. By forgiving your sisterin-law, you’re not saying that what she did was okay, or that it didn’t hurt, or that it doesn’t bother you anymore. Forgiving is just acknowledging that although she hurt you, you’re allowing yourself to have a different future with her — and with yourself. You’re allowing yourself to have a future that is

WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING THAT HURTS US, WE USUALLY ASSUME THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAD BAD INTENT

not represented by one particular comment or incident. You’re choosing a future in which you conduct yourself in a manner that aligns with your highest self.

Forgiveness is not only a mitzvah, but a wonderful gift to yourself. Have you ever asked yourself why you’re holding on to the pain and the hurt? You may need to dig deeper to gain a better understanding into what’s blocking your forgiveness. Ask yourself how your life would be different if you allowed yourself to fill your heart with compassion and forgiveness. What kind of person would you be if you didn’t have to be burdened by this pain? Dig deep and find your inner truth.

While I don’t know the particulars of this comment, I do know that broadening the manner in which you think about the comment is helpful. Remember the times where you may have said things you later regretted, or when you unintentionally hurt someone. This may help you view your sister-in-law with a more forgiving lens. Acknowledging that we’re all imperfect people, all struggling and sometimes unaware, helps us forgive our own mistakes and the mistakes of others.

In summary, first give yourself the validation in a compassionate and supportive manner that allows you to hold and heal your pain. Second, remind yourself that forgiveness is a gift for yourself. By forgiving, you’re allowing yourself to surrender to what has already happened without the need to constantly hold on to the pain. And finally, acknowledging that we all mess up sometimes will help you forgive. When you forgive yourself for your own mistakes, and forgive others for theirs, you create a more harmonious world.

Toby R. Tannenbaum is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Monsey, NY. She specializes in trauma treatment for adolescents and adults.

CHANIE SPIRA

Tziri and Perela fly to China. Tziri suggests that Perela put her mother in a nursing home.

anyone at this point. Besides, my son is getting married in January. And… and he comes first. And I think I told you all of this at the wedding.”

“Don’t worry,” Fruma Esther soothed. “It’s not as if Mr. Newman is any more eager than you. But that just shows me that it’s a match made in heaven.”

Kaily woke up to the feeling of her pillow vibrating. She fumbled for her phone and her negel vasser at the same moment.

“Hello?” she answered groggily.

“Fruma Esther speaking.”

“Hi…?” Was she supposed to know who this woman was? Was she supposed to know anything at this hour of the morning?

“It was nice meeting you the other night. I was wondering if you, you know, feel differently after our little talk. I gave you a full day to think about it.”

Oh! Fruma Esther Jaraslowitz.

“I’m not in shidduchim,” Kaily said automatically. What time was it, anyway? She checked her watch and exhaled. It was only 8:00. She still had time until her mother needed help dressing and taking her medication.

“Do you want to stay single forever?” Fruma Esther shrilled.

And if I do, why do you care? Why would anyone care?

Fruma Esther waited, apparently expecting an answer. She waited until Kaily was fidgeting under her virtual gaze.

“What I want… is irrelevant,” Kaily answered.

“Exactly,” Fruma Esther answered triumphantly. “Excuses are irrelevant. Therefore, I think you should meet Mr. Newman one day this week. You can choose which day.”

“No,” Kaily said forcefully. “Just no. It’s misleading to meet

Despite herself, Kaily froze. Why wouldn’t he want to meet me?

For a moment, she fantasized saying, Sure. Thanks for thinking of me. What time works for him?

Then she heard the telltale sounds of wheels clanking in the hallway. This is your place now, Kaily.

“Have a good day,” she said around a sudden lump in her throat. “If I change my… er… position, I’ll let you know.”

Her heart rate quickened. She hoped her mother couldn’t hear her. Her mother didn’t deserve the burden of guilt.

Her phone buzzed from an incoming text. U up already? Just settled into the hotel and checking in to hear how things are with Mommy. I’m thinking about you.

She couldn’t help herself. Things are the same. As in, it’s only me on duty. Going for a hip MRI soon to check if it’s fully healed and PT later. It wouldn’t hurt to call Mommy soon.

Kaily waited for a response. She wanted Perela to get mad, so she could get mad back. But her phone remained silent.

She got dressed, listening intently to the noise coming from downstairs.

When she had lived downstairs, she took comfort in the poor insulation between the two floors. It made her feel safe and secure to hear the gentle footsteps from upstairs. Now the poor insulation allowed her to hear the painters putting a fresh coat of paint over her memories.

She straightened her blanket on the narrow hi-riser and pushed some unpacked boxes from one corner of the room

THE SUMMER EDIT. ON SALE NOW.

“THIS IS RIDICULOUS. YOU HIRE ME TO DO A SHIDDUCH, AND I WORK LIKE A DOG TO GET THE OTHER SIDE TO EVEN LISTEN

to the other. The room did not get any bigger. Had she been too mean to her sister?

Finally, her phone buzzed: If you tried guilting me, job well done.

* * * * *

It was exhausting to have Parkinson’s all day, every day. Roiza had made peace — a cold peace — with her condition. But, always?

She didn’t even attempt to dress herself. Instead, she wrapped a sweater over her shoulders.

All Roiza wanted was to tiptoe noiselessly down the hallway to complete her long list of clandestine tasks before Kaily made her appearance. Instead, her walker made a racket as she clattered to the living room. She hoped Kaily would sleep through this noise at least until she finished with Kathy and Richie on the phone.

The smell of fresh paint from downstairs made her cough, and she quieted it with her hand. Then her phone rang. She answered as quickly as her pre-medicated hands could answer.

“Fruma Esther speaking.” No hello, no good morning. “This is ridiculous. You hire me to do a shidduch, and I work like a dog to get the other side to even listen. Only to find out that your daughter isn’t even interested! It’s literally like moving a building. A building,” she repeated for good measure. Her New York accent rang through the line.

Roiza stayed silent. She moved over to the couch and maneuvered her body into it. Why did her hip still hurt so much?

But Fruma Esther wasn’t done. “She tells me she can’t because of you!”

Ouch.

Roiza watched a car pull up and a woman exit, a tiny baby in her arms. It was Mrs. Gordon, the woman who had taken the apart-

ment for her daughter — a kallah

“That’s not true,” she said quietly. How could she explain to this woman that she would give her life for Kaily’s happiness? She watched the woman fumble with the doorknob. How good it must feel to set your daughter up for life.

“Listen. I’ll try to work on this. But don’t tell her I know. You keep calling.”

“I can’t hear you,” Fruma Esther said.

This was happening more often lately, people complaining they couldn’t hear her.

She pitched her voice and concentrated on her vocal chords. “Don’t tell her I know, and keep calling,” she abbreviated.

“One more week. That’s it,” Fruma Esther said.

Roiza hung up, fretting. Who could help her? Eli and Yiddy had done their part, and Perela was a half a world away. Maybe Kaily’s sons? It was worth a try.

But first, she had to get Kathy and Richie from Connecticut to make up their minds about solar energy. She needed their commission to complete the little fund she had.

They’d promised an answer today. If they agreed, this would be her fourth sale with a nice commission per client. She would have enough for something beautiful.

She watched a harried Mrs. Gordon exit the apartment and head to her car.

There would be a gorgeous necklace for Kaily.

Within the week.

* * * * *

“I didn’t buy Bina anything yet,” Roiza mused over breakfast, still giddy from clinching the sale with Kathy and Richie so early in the morning.

Kaily spooned avocado into her

SHE MOVED, SHE QUIVERED. THE NOISE STARTED UP, AND SHE CONCENTRATED ON THE “LO IRA RA.” HER HIP THROBBED IN THIS UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION

plate and blew on the toast to cool it off. Roiza watched her daughter’s fingers work swiftly as she opened one medicine bottle after another to pick out those that needed to be taken with food.

“Maybe we can go out sometime today?”

Kaily nodded. “If you want. But it’s okay, Ma, really. Bina loves you anyway.”

Sure. It was always okay. It was fine for her to sit like a useless rag while her daughter devoted every minute of her day to her and sacrificed her entire life for Roiza.

“It’s not okay,” she said fiercely. “I want to. And I want it to be something beautiful. I’m thinking about a diamond necklace.”

Kaily stopped her quick movements.

“Are you sure, Ma? These things cost a fortune. A diamond necklace is a couple of thousand dollars.”

“I know,” Roiza said calmly.

“Are you sure? Maybe Yiddy should check your accounts?” she asked delicately.

“He did. I earned a nice commission from Yiddy. Let’s go today.”

She watched Kaily’s eyes open wide in admiration. She could swallow all her pills in one shot, that’s how gratified she felt.

Her contentment lasted until the narrow, hard MRI bed entered the claustrophobic hole.

Gam ki eilech b’gei tzalmaves, Roiza whispered, keeping her eyes closed. Even with the pillow under her

head, she felt her saliva pooling near her throat.

“Take a deep breath,” the technician’s amplified voice announced. “And don’t move.”

It was like telling a waterfall to stop gushing.

She moved, she quivered. The noise started up, and she concentrated on the “lo ira ra.” Her hip throbbed in this uncomfortable position.

“Don’t move. It’ll take longer if you do.”

Because threats helped her body behave.

“I can’t get clear images.” The voice was annoyed.

After an eternity, she was finally ejected from the machine. The technician helped her sit up. “I don’t know if we got any clear images here. Maybe we’ll have to do this again under sedation.”

She nodded meekly, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Ma, MRIs are awful, right?” Kaily said as soon as she saw her tears. “Let’s hope we hear good news.”

Roiza didn’t tell her that maybe they would have to do it all over again.

“Time for some jewelry shopping, right?” Roiza said. She was so tired.

She thought of Mrs. Gordon, also so tired, showing up in the morning with her newborn baby to set up her daughter’s apartment. She could do it too.

Kaily chose a small but beautiful store located in its proprietor’s basement. The saleslady offered Roiza a barstool so she could examine the pieces while sitting.

“We want something beautiful,” Roiza announced.

“And young,” Kaily said. “She’s a kallah.”

Oh, right. “Yes, but not too young. I want her to wear it for years,” Roiza asserted.

She watched Kaily examine the tray, her fingers moving over the diamonds.

“These are gorgeous,” she whispered reverently. She gave a forced chuckle. These girls are so lucky I never owned anything as beautiful as this in my life.”

TO BE CONTINUED…

LAKEWOOD, NJ

In far-flung towns with names you may not recognize, the party you host is helping Mikvah Tahara pour foundations for

SHOWSTOPPER CHEESECAKES

BY FAIGY REINER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOSHE GRUNFELD 845.442.0720

Cheesecake season meets its match with these showstopping confections. Choose from a variety of truly spectacular centerpieces in honor of Shavous.

SNICKER CHEESECAKE

The cheesecake is rich and creamy with a deep chocolate flavor. The caramel-peanut layer adds the perfect sweet and salty crunch, and the ganache on top ties it all together with a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth finish. If you’re looking for a fun kitchen project with a delicious payoff, this is definitely one to try!

CRUST

24 Oreo-style cookies, crushed

3 T. butter, melted

CHEESECAKE

4 packs unwhipped cream cheese

1¼ cups sugar

2 (3.5 oz.) bars white chocolate, melted

¾ cup Greek yogurt

4 eggs

CARAMEL TOPPING

1½ cups sugar

1 stick butter

¾ cup heavy cream

1¼ cups salted peanuts, lightly chopped

GANACHE

22 pieces Baker’s Choice Milk Chocolate Melting Truffles, or 8 oz. chopped chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch round springform baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

CRUST

1. In a bowl, combine crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter.

2. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the 9-inch springform pan.

3. Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

CHEESECAKE

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.

2. Pour in the melted chocolate and yogurt, stirring until fully incorporated.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Place a large 9x13-inch baking dish filled halfway with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven (to create a steam bath for the cheesecake to prevent cracking).

5. Once the oven reaches 350°, reduce the temperature to 300°. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

6. Turn off the oven, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 1 hour with the oven door slightly open.

7. Remove from the oven, and cool completely at room temperature.

8. Once cooled, place the cheesecake in the freezer until firm.

GANACHE

CARAMEL TOPPING

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, add one-third of the sugar. Stir until it begins to melt and clump together.

2. Add another third of the sugar, stirring gently as it continues to melt.

3. Put in the final third of the sugar, stirring until you have a smooth, ambercolored mixture. Keep the heat low to avoid burning.

4. While melting the sugar, warm the butter by placing it in a sealed bag and soaking it in lukewarm water.

5. Remove the caramel from the heat, and slowly add the warm, cubed butter, one piece at a time, stirring after each addition until fully melted and combined.

6. Heat the heavy cream until it is just warm. Then slowly stir it into the caramel, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and glossy. All of this is done not over low heat. If the caramel gets clumpy, briefly return it to very low heat, stirring until smooth again.

7. Once smooth, stir in the peanuts.

8. Let the caramel cool to a warm (not hot) temperature.

9. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer. It should be very cold and firm before adding the caramel.

10. Pour the caramel-peanut mixture over the top of the cheesecake, and smooth it evenly.

11. Return the cheesecake to the freezer, and leave overnight to set.

1. Place the chocolate truffles or chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl.

2. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it starts to boil.

3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir until smooth and glossy.

4. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top, and let it drip down the sides slightly.

KATAIFI

NO-BAKE DUBAI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

I’ve been loving the kataifi fad lately! It’s such a fun, crispy ingredient that instantly upgrades any dessert. In this No-Bake Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake recipe, the toasted kataifi pairs perfectly with creamy pistachio and chocolate layers, creating a rich, elegant treat that’s surprisingly easy to make.

4 cups shredded kataifi dough

2 T. butter

1 (3.5 oz.) bar white chocolate

1 (8 oz.) container pistachio cream

CHEESECAKE

2 cups heavy cream

24 oz. unwhipped cream cheese, cubed

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

KATAIFI

1. Start preparing the base by melting the butter in a pan over medium heat.

2. Add the shredded kataifi and toast it, stirring continuously until golden brown.

3. Reduce the flame to the lowest heat, then add the chocolate bar and pistachio cream. Mix until everything is fully melted and incorporated.

2 (10.5 oz.) sweetened dairy milk cream

¼ cup milk

¼ cup chopped pistachios

GANACHE

22 pieces Baker’s

Choice Milk

Chocolate Melting Truffles, or 8 oz. chopped

chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

4. Reserve a quarter cup of the kataifi mixture for topping the cake later.

5. Press the remaining kataifi mixture into the bottom of the round pan to form an even crust. Set aside.

CHEESECAKE

1. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

2. Add the cream cheese cubes, and beat until smooth.

3. Mix in the sweetened dairy milk cream and milk until fully combined.

4. Gently fold in the chopped pistachios.

GANACHE

1. Place the chocolate truffles or chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

2. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just starts to boil.

3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir until smooth and glossy.

ASSEMBLY

1. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the kataifi base, and spread evenly.

2. Pour the ganache over the top, and let it drip down the sides slightly.

3. Decorate the cheesecake with the reserved kataifi mixture.

4. Place the cake in the freezer overnight to set completely.

PASSION FRUIT SWIRL CHEESECAKE

I had so much fun creating this cheesecake. From pressing the buttery graham crust into the pan to watching the passion fruit syrup reduce into this golden, tangy magic, the whole process felt like a sweet little adventure.

CRUST

2 cup crushed graham crackers

1 T. sugar

½ stick butter, melted

SYRUP

1 bag frozen passion fruit (with the seeds)

½ cup sugar

CHEESECAKE

4 (8 oz.) containers whipped cream cheese

1¼ cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

CRUST

1. In a bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter until fully combined.

2. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan, and bring it up the sides.

3. Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

SYRUP

1. In a saucepan, combine the passion fruit pulp and sugar.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

3. Let it boil uncovered until reduced by half for about 10 to 15 minutes. (Watch closely to prevent overflowing.)

4. Strain the mixture, separating the seeds from the syrup.

5. Store the seeds and syrup in separate containers. Set aside to cool completely.

CHEESECAKE

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

2. Add the sour cream, and mix until just combined.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing lightly after each addition. Avoid over-whipping to prevent the cheesecake from cracking during baking.

4. Pour a third of the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.

5. Swirl in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the passion fruit syrup (not the seeds).

6. Repeat with another third of the batter and more syrup, and then add the final third of the batter and the remaining syrup swirl.

7. Place a 9x13-inch baking dish filled halfway with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven (to create a steam bath for the cheesecake to prevent cracking).

8. Once the oven temperature reaches 350°, reduce to 300°. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, and bake for 1½ hours.

9. Turn off the oven, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 1 hour with the oven door slightly open.

10. Remove from the oven, and let it cool completely at room temperature.

11. Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the freezer overnight.

12. When ready to serve, remove from the pan. Combine 2 tablespoons of the reserved syrup with the passion fruit seeds, and spoon over the top. Garnish with additional fresh fruits if desired.

Frozen Custard Pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 ready pie crust

1 Bakers Choice

Vanilla Custard

1 cup whip topping, defrosted

1 Bakers Choice

Nougat Schmeer

OPTIONAL:

Bakers Choice

Nougat Chips or

Flavored Chocolate

Chips

Bakers Choice

Almond Brittle

DIRECTIONS:

Beat topping until stiff, then fold in vanilla custard. Pour half of the mixture into a pie crust and freeze for 2–3 hours.

Spread ½ container nougat schmeer over frozen layer. Pour the remaining mixture over the nougat layer and smooth evenly.

Top with desired chocolate chips and almond brittle and drizzle the remaining nougat schmeer. Freeze until set.

Pull

PretzelapartBuns

20 oz. frozen pizza dough, defrosted

1 Bakers Choice Pretzel Cream

CRUMBS:

1 cup flour

½ stick margarine

⅓ cup sugar

GLAZE:

½ cup confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. boiling water

DIRECTIONS:

Roll out dough to 24x12 inch rectangle. Spread pretzel cream evenly over dough and roll up jelly roll style. Cut into ½ inch slices.

Place all buns on a lined cookie sheet. Combine all crumb ingredients and sprinkle crumbs over buns. Bake at 350°F for approx. 20 minutes or until golden.

Combine all glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled buns.

You can replace the crumbs with our readymade vanilla cookie crumbs and crush them finely by hand.

Pistachio Cheesecake

CRUST:

1 cup Bakers Choice

Vanilla Cookie Crumble

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ ground pistachios

¾ stick butter, melted

CHEESECAKE:

3 8oz. cream cheese, unwhipped

1 cup sugar

6 oz. Bakers Choice

Pistachio Paste

2.5 oz. heavy cream

3 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

Pinch salt

4 eggs

GANACHE:

3 oz. Bakers Choice

White Milk Chocolate

1 Tbsp. butter

2 oz. Bakers Choice

Pistachio Paste

Crushed pistachios for decorations

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all crust ingredients by hand and press into a 9" round springform pan.

Using a hand mixer or immersion blender, blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add pistachio paste, heavy cream, flour, vanilla, salt and mix together. Add eggs one at a time and mix until just combined.

Bake at 250°F with a water pan underneath for 1 hour, or until set. Allow to cool in closed oven for 1 hour.

In a double boiler, melt butter, add dairy white milk chocolate and melt. Remove from heat and stir in pistachio paste. Pour over cooled cheesecake. Sprinkle crushed pistachios and drizzle melted chocolate for garnish.

HScrumptious zelnut Bars

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 egg

¾ cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla Pinch salt

1 Bakers Choice Crunchy Hazelnut Cream

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Press half of the crumbs into a 9x13" pan. Spread the crunchy hazelnut cream over the dough, then top with the reserved crumbs. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

CHANA GLUCK

“And may it be Your will before You… that [this] commandment of tefillin be considered before the Holy One, blessed be He, as if I fulfilled it in all of its details, all of its minutiae and all of its intentions…”

The creation of tefillin, the crown jewel of a Yid’s possessions, is a work of heart and hand. Each step of its manufacture must be done with extreme precision and meticulous care. Let’s take a walk in the backrooms of Ashuris, home to high-end tefillin manufacturing and everything Judaica, and watch how this precious object is created, part by special part. Join us on this exclusive tour.

Creating Tefillin

Tefillin have three main components: the parshiyos, the parchment that has the four sections of the Torah that mention the mitzvah of tefillin written on it; the batim, which house the parshiyos; and the retzuyos, the straps.

Every part of the tefillin-making process must be done by a Yid, with the declaration that this act is being done for the sake of the mitzvah of tefillin.

Did you know that the entire tefillin is fashioned from animal hide? There is parchment for the parshiyos, thick hide for the batim, and softer leather for the retzuyos. Each part of the tefillin is made of a different type of hide, and guided by halachos that were given over to Moshe Rabbeinu at Har Sinai.

CHEESECAKES-TARTS

Strawberry Cheesecake $70

Caramel Cheesecake $70

Zebra Cheesecake $70

Halvah Pecan Cheesecake $70

Carrot Cheese Log $70

Cookie N Cheese Log $70

Cappuccino Cheese Log $70

7” Acrylic Lemon Cheese Bowl $70

7” Acrylic Strawberry Cheese Bowl $70

7” Acrylic Carmel Cheese Bowl $70

Cinnamon Cheese Babka Pull Apart $70

Chocolate Cheese Babka Pull Apart $70

Cheese Meringue Tart $50

Chocolate Cheese Tart $50

MINIATURES-COOKIES

Overflowing Cheese Cups 12/$45

Dairy Wafer Cake 32/$35

Cheese Florets 32/$35

Cheese Cannoli 16/$35

Chocolate Mousse Teacups 12/$45

Chocolate Cheese Pops 12/$35

Carrot Muffins 12/$35

Cheese Ramekins 12/$45

Cheese Tart Stem Glass 12/$60

Cheese Snack Low Glass 12/$55

Macadamia Chocolate Cookie 18/$40

Cheese Bow Cookie 14/$40

Cheese Halvah Bark Cookie 18/$40

Cheese Hats 12/$35

Babka Stick In Cheese Flute Glass 12/$60

Cheese Balls 24/$40

Wrapped Meltaway Cheese Cookies 16/$40

Parve Wafer Cake 32/$35

Parve Hazelnut Bark Cookies 24/$40

Parve 3” Fruit Tart Dessert 12/$50

Parve 3” Choc Pecan Tart Dessert 12/$50

SHAV OUS SPECIALTIES

Mixed Box 20/$55

Oblong Acrylic Gift Tray $95

Square Acrylic Gift Tray $90

Cheesecake In Gift Box $85

Signature Mousse Gift Box $25

Cheese Blintzes 12/$36

Cheese Kreplach 12/$36

Parve Sorbet In Glass 12/$50

Batim

The word batim literally means housing — of the parshiyos of tefillin. Its manufacturers are called “batim-machers” and are yirei Shamayim who follow a meticulous, monthslong process to form the batim

Batim consist of three parts: the ketzitzah, the box part in which the parshiyos are placed; the titura, the base on which the ketzitzah rests; and the ma’avarta, the passage through which the retzuyos of the tefillin are inserted. In good-quality tefillin, the entire bayis is made of a single piece of hide.

The first step in creating batim is to process the animal skin to reduce the smell and remove any remaining hairs, fat or flesh. As with each part of the tefillin process, this must be done lishmah. Then, while still pliable, the leather is placed on molds designed to begin forming the bulges where the parshiyos will later be inserted.

After months of drying, the leather is moistened, and new molds and high pressure are used to continue shaping the batim.

The batim for tefillin shel yad are shaped into a singular square box, while batim for the tefillin shel rosh are molded into four separate rectangles, which will later form a perfect square when pressed together.

Once shaped, the tefillin shel rosh must feature the letter shin on each side. The shins are not the same; on the right side of the wearer, there’s a normal, three-headed shin, and on the left side, there’s an unusual four-headed shin. The accepted practice is to form the shin directly into the hide, a painstaking process of picking and pulling the letter to form a kosher shin out of the batim hide by hand. Only then can a mold be applied to enhance and beautify it.

The batim compartments are now pressed together and squared off precisely. Holes are drilled into the base at exact intervals for the sinews, giddin, that are eventually used as threads to seal the batim.

Until 200 years ago, the batim were made of thinner hide called daka. With the help of specialized presses, most batim are now made from gassos, thicker hide, which lasts a lot longer.

The task of bending and squeezing the animal hide into separate compartments is delicate, as the skin may not tear during the process. While one internal tear doesn’t invalidate the batim, an additional tear or an outside tear can render it passul, making it imperative to rely on the expertise, halachic knowledge and yiras Shamayim of the batim-macher. In fact, a significant amount of batim are disqualified during this process.

Al pi halacha l’Moshe miSinai, tefillin must be perfectly square-shaped. The width of the batim must have the same measurement as its length, with no nicks, indentations or bulges present.

Parshiyos

The tefillin shel rosh contains each parsha on a separate piece of parchment, while the tefillin shel yad has all four parshiyos written on a single piece of parchment.

All pieces of parchment upon which the sections of Torah are written must come from the hide of a kosher animal, and must be manufactured by a Yid with the declaration that it is being done l’sheim kedushas tefillin

The most mehudar parchments are fashioned by hand. Once the parchment has been procured, the sofer can begin writing the parshiyos

A good sofer must be an expert in choosing high-quality parchment, which will enable him to write well and beautifully.

The writing process also commences with the declaration that the work is being done l’sheim kedushas tefillin. In addition, every time the name of Hashem is to be written, the sofer must first state that he is writing the name for kedushas Hashem. The lack of this verbal declaration brings the kashrus of the tefillin into question.

Similarly, any small error can also affect the kashrus of the entire tefillin. If only one letter is written incorrectly or is missing, the tefillin is passul, the person who wore them did not fulfill the mitzvah, and his brachos on these tefillin are in vain. This is why extreme care must be taken by the sofrim and by those who hire them; sofrim must be true yirei Shamayim. To ensure his validity, every sofer must have a ksav kabbalah from a rav.

Rabbi Halberstam, founder of Ashuris, inspecting a parchment to ensure its quality

Putting It All Together

At this point, the batim are painted jetblack with strictly kosher paint. Since the individual compartments of the shel rosh must be visible, the batim-macher carefully separates them with a razor after painting.

After a thorough check by computer and by a person, the parshiyos can be inserted into their proper home. In preparation, each parsha is rolled from left to right and tied closed with a bovine tail hair. The parsha is then wrapped in a blank piece of parchment, which is tied closed with another bovine hair.

One or more of these hairs is pulled through a hole on the left side in the front of the bayis. This hole is one of those that will be used to stitch the titura closed. In this way, the hair used to tie the parsha closed is visible on the outside of the tefillin.

After the first painting, the paint is given time to be absorbed into the leather. The batim are then sanded and painted multiple times more to obtain a uniform, completely black color.

Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam had differing opinions on the order in which the parshiyos should be inserted into the batim

While Rashi’s opinion is accepted as the halacha, many have taken upon themselves to wear an additional pair of tefillin according to Rabbeinu Tam’s ruling.

After the parshiyos are in place, the titura is sewn closed with the giddin, sinews, of a kosher animal, with stitches that form a perfect square.

Kosher by Computer?

Computers are an integral part of the tefillinchecking process, but can they replace humans?

While a computer program is used to check for errors that a person can easily miss, it can never replace the human eye. Computers can check for missing, mixed-up or added letters, while only a human eye can notice letters that are incorrectly shaped, touch one another or are cracked.

Rabbi Halberstam observing the painting of the retzuyos

Retzuyos

As with the other components of tefillin, each step of making retzuyos must be done l’sheim kedushas tefillin

After the softer leather is tanned and prepared, it is painted jet-black according to halacha

Retzuyos must always maintain their black color on the outside and should be checked periodically. Cracks can be painted over with kosher tefillin paint or special fill-in markers available at Judaica stores.

The retzuyos are tied with special knot patterns and inserted into the batim before being fastened into place. The letters dalet and yud formed by the tefillin knots, along with the shin from the shel rosh, form Hashem’s Name.

“And may the bounty from the commandment of tefillin flow upon me, such that I should have a long life, holy bounty, holy thoughts…”

This article was prepared with the assistance of Ashuris, founded by Rabbi Sinai Halberstam, shlit”a. Ashuris provides the highest quality in all forms of sta”m.

Tefillin Care With Sofer Sta”m Rabbi Yoel Tzvi Fulop from Ashuris, Monsey

Tefillin are thoroughly checked before they are sold. After that, a check once in several years is recommended.

Tefillin left in cars can be damaged by the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter. Similarly, bochurim should never leave their tefillin on their bikes; tefillin can be ruined if it rains.

Do not put tefillin on if you are still hot and sweaty (from a mikvah or hot coffee) because body heat and perspiration can ruin the batim and retzuyos

Airing out your tefillin after use and before rolling them up will make them last longer.

When you wash your hands after putting on tefillin, make sure that the retzuyos stay dry.

Don’t put your Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin down next to each other (this can happen on Rosh Chodesh, when people hurry to don Rabbeinu Tam); they can easily be confused and switched!

When returning tefillin to its case, do so carefully to make sure that the edges don’t bang into the case.

It’s important to regularly inspect retzuyos to ensure that they are fully black.

It’s best for young bochurim to refrain from re-coloring their retzuyos or fixing their tefillin knots, both for themselves or for others. A shailah should be asked if this was already done.

If you think there’s a problem with your tefillin, don’t hesitate to ask an expert. It will often be a non-issue, but what can appear to be a small problem may sometimes be a more serious issue that can render your tefillin passul

Repainting the retzuyos

152 Hewes St.

Make

When the Melech Malchei Hamelachim chose us as His nation and said, “You are My child, My firstborn1,” He gave Klal Yisroel a sign of royalty to put on their head and across their arm — tefillin. It’s our privilege to wear a sign that we are of the family of kings.

“Kol Yisroel bnei melachim heim2,” — every Yid is a prince. And tefillin is his badge, his crown, his seal of honor. And he doesn’t wear it just once in a lifetime; this isn’t a one-time royal ceremony. He wears this sign every weekday morning.

That’s what a bar mitzvah really is. It’s the first time a boy wears the crown of a king. It’s a coronation.

In Every Community a Crown

Walk into a shul in Williamsburg, Lakewood, Stamford Hill or Yerushalayim on a weekday morning, and you’ll see the same quiet sight: a young bar mitzvah bochur, barely taller than the shtender, carefully wrapping the black leather retzuos around his arm and planting the tefillin shel rosh over his forehead with practiced hands.

The keser tefillin is the one royal garment worn by every ben Yisroel — whether he wears a shtreimel, a homburg or no hat at all. While minhagim vary, the message is unchanged: This boy is now part of Hashem’s legion, and this mitzvah is his insignia.

In Litvish yeshivos, the minhag is often to begin wearing tefillin one or three months before the bar mitzvah. The bochur gradually becomes accustomed to halachos and kavanos, easing into his new obligations with daily reinforcement. It’s a slow, dignified approach, one that makes the moment of bar mitzvah a continuation of kabbalas ol, not the starting line.

In many chassidish kehillos, the minhag is to begin just a few days or weeks before the bar mitzvah. The tefillin often remain fresh, unworn, awaiting their first use with awe and anticipation. There might be a small hachnassas tefillin where the mitzvah is welcomed with singing, divrei Torah and heartfelt brachos

In some Sefardic communities, tefillin are passed down through generations — batim that carry decades of kedusha, lovingly restored for the next link in the chain. Others commission new tefillin of the highest hiddur — because when you’re giving a crown to a son of the King, you don’t settle for less. And oh, the details! Dakos or gasos? Retzuos matteh or glossy? K’sav Beis Yosef or Ari? Kesher pashut or a double loop? From a neighborhood sofer or from Eretz Yisroel with a special hechsher ?

The options are endless. And each, in its own way, declares: This isn’t just leather and parchment; this is kavod malchus. Because no matter how it’s worn, tefillin turns a regular boy into a walking testimony of Klal Yisroel’s greatness.

And that’s what binds all communities together. Not the packaging, not the music at the seudah, not the style of hat or the menu. It’s this: A Yid puts on tefillin. He becomes royalty. Different kehillos. Different mesorahs. Same crown.

Preparing for the Mitzvah

It’s a unique and heartwarming sight: a father and son bent over a sefer, learning the halachos of tefillin together. No fanfare. No spotlight. Just quiet, focused preparation.

Some fathers start months in advance, creating a seder tefillin — ten minutes a day to learn the halachos, the kavanos and the meaning behind every wrap and knot. They talk about what it means to wear Hashem’s Name. They review how to pronounce lehani’ach tefillin clearly and where exactly the box should rest on the arm. They speak about kedusha, yiras Shamayim and shemiras haguf

Others bring in a sofer to demonstrate how the batim are made, or a rebbi

to inspire with a vort about the radiance of a face wearing tefillin. Often, the emphasis is on hislahavus — on creating an atmosphere of geshmak and kedusha around the mitzvah. The retzuos are laid out with care, a niggun is hummed, and the boy is told, “This is your keser. This is your badge. You’re part of Hashem’s elite.”

Many years later, the bochur may forget what songs were sung at his bar mitzvah. He may not remember the cake or the flowers. But he’ll remember the first time he said lehani’ach tefillin. He’ll remember his father’s face, the way his fingers trembled with excitement, the first time he looked in the mirror and saw himself… different.

A Lifelong Companion

Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, once said that a boy who begins wearing his tefillin with yiras Shamayim, unhurriedly and with care, will carry that

Glimpses of Greatness

He had waited for this day. New suit, polished shoes, tefillin from Eretz Yisroel — even the knot had been triple-checked. The boy felt grown up. Ready.

But what happened after the seudah would teach him more about adulthood than all of the speeches and gifts combined.

The Steipler Gaon had come to the simcha. Not just to give a bracha, but with a mission. He called the bar mitzvah bochur aside, gently, respectfully.

“Do you remember davening in my minyan many years ago?” the Steipler asked. The boy nodded.

“I told you then, ‘You shouldn’t be learning during tefillah.’ I thought you were reading a Gemara. But I was wrong — it was a siddur. You were doing exactly what you should.”

“I remember,” the boy said quietly. “You apologized then.”

“Yes,” the Steipler said. “But then you were still a child. Halachically, you couldn’t grant mechilah. Now you are a bar da’as. Do you forgive me?”

“I do,” the boy whispered.

“Then this is your first mitzvah as a bar chiyuva,” the Steipler said. “You’ve fulfilled v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha — and more. You’ve granted mechilah b’lev shalem You’ve acted like a ben Torah.”

And just like that, the Steipler turned and walked away. It wasn’t part of the program. No one danced. No photos were taken. But for the boy, it was the first time he realized what being a bar mitzvah really meant: That his words now had weight. His choices now had consequences. And his mechilah was not just a formality; it was a halachic act of avodah

He had stepped into adulthood not through a speech, but through responsibility.

A Crown in the Darkness

Eliyahu Herman was just fifteen when the Nazis took him from the streets of Budapest. It was 1944, five years into the war, and although he was technically a bar mitzvah, he had never had the opportunity to mark his bar mitzvah, or even get an aliyah

The only thing he had left from his old life — the only trace of his Yiddishe identity — was a pair of tefillin, now tied tightly around his leg with a string.

“Wherever I go,” he thought, “they come with me.”

A few days later, Eliyahu found himself in a brick factoryturned-holding pen. It was gehinnom on earth, one he shared with a truckload of Jews from the old age home and the Jewish hospital.

One day, the Germans ordered them to march. Through a cold rain that turned into snow, they were paraded through the streets while local townspeople stood by, jeering at them and throwing rocks.

They marched and marched. No food, no water — just endless walking until they reached a train and were loaded into small cattle cars. Thirty-five thousand men had left Budapest. Now only 5,000 remained. They were brought to Mauthausen, a brutal concentration camp.

There, someone whispered to Eliyahu, “Say you’re 28. Say you’re a tailor.” He was fifteen. And a yeshiva bochur But he said he was 28, and a tailor. The other boys his age were sent left. To death. He was sent right. To life.

Inside the camp, as prisoners were forced to undress and were hosed down, Eliyahu buried his tefillin under a rock.

“That was the last time I was ever separated from them,” he said. Each day, he found moments to put them on. “I said a short tefillah, just enough to feel like I was still human.”

The SS held roll calls twice a day. Dogs would sniff his leg — right over where the tefillin were hidden. But they never barked.

“I can’t explain it,” Eliyahu said. “It was a neis nigleh.”

Eliyahu survived Mauthausen, but was sent on a death march to Gunskirchen. There, surrounded by corpses, lice and starvation, he still donned his tefillin. One Friday night, fearing they’d all be blown up in their barracks, he convinced two friends to escape. As they crawled toward the door, he passed a dying man — a Jew who had converted to Christianity.

“Do you want to return to the Jewish people?” Eliyahu whispered. The man couldn’t speak — but his eyes said yes. Eliyahu leaned down and said Shema with him. He

same kavod for the rest of his life. But if he rushes through it and treats it lightly, it can become just another obligation, something squeezed in between brushing his teeth and running out the door.

It’s all in the beginning.

That’s why the bar mitzvah moment is so critical. What begins as a one-time simcha can set the tone for 80 years of avodah. The habits he forms now — the way he wraps, the way he thinks, the way he says the bracha — these will echo for decades.

That’s what the bar mitzvah celebration gives a boy: not just a beautiful day, not just a few compliments and cards, but a companion. A lifelong connection that serves as a physical reminder of the spiritual contract he signed at thirteen.

Not every mitzvah becomes your identity. But tefillin does.

What’s the Focus?

The yetzer hara is cunning. He doesn’t stop simchas; he just rearranges the focus. The boy becomes the center of attention, the decor becomes the priority, and the tefillin — the entire purpose of the milestone — becomes a side point. A photo op.

A father doesn’t need to give long speeches. But he can speak to his son and say, “From now on, you’re not just my yingele. You’re a ben Torah. A bar chiyuva. A soldier in Hashem’s army.”

A mother doesn’t need to prepare mussar drashos. But she can whisper a tefillah into her siddur that morning: “Ribbono Shel Olam, let him put on his tefillin with

yiras Shamayim every day of his life.”

It doesn’t have to be loud. It just has to be real.

The goal isn’t to impress the neighbors. It’s to impress upon the child what this moment means: that from now on, he wears Hashem’s Name. That he has a mitzvah malachim would be honored to perform — and Hashem gave it to him.

That’s the question every parent must ask: Will this simcha leave the boy with memories… or with a mission?

That’s what we hand our sons on the day of their bar mitzvah. Not just a party. Not just a set of tefillin. We hand them a crown.

died on the word echad

Eliyahu and his friends made it to the forest. But they were still in danger. If anyone spotted them, they would be shot on sight.

And then, a miracle within a miracle: Lying on the ground were the bodies of dead Nazi soldiers, possibly killed in the final skirmishes as the Allies closed in.

Eliyahu and his friends stripped off their lice-infested pajamas and put on the black uniforms of the SS. It was repulsive. But it was a disguise. A shield. It bought them time. And they ran.

Then came the jeep — American soldiers. They jumped out, rifles aimed at Elihahu and his friends.

“Papers!” the soldiers yelled.

They had none. Instead, Eliyahu held out his tefillin. At first, the soldiers thought it was a grenade. But one of them — a Jew — recognized what they were.

“Du bist a Yid? ” he asked.

Eliyahu’s voice broke. “You… you’re the Moshiach.”

The soldier hugged him. Eliyahu told him about the camp. “Gunskirchen is just nearby. There are 35,000 Jews there — most of them dying. You have to help. Every minute counts.”

The soldier radioed his commander and gave him directions. The U.S. military arrived just in time. Food, medicine, rescue. Thousands of Jews were saved.

“My tefillin,” Eliyahu said later, “saved my life — and the lives of thousands more.”

Eliyahu never had a formal bar mitzvah. But he had tefillin. And every morning, in the snow and hunger, he put them on — and stood before Hakadosh Baruch Hu like a soldier before his commander.

Years later, even in freedom, Eliyahu never went anywhere without that velvet bag. Not because he needed them, but because he remembered what it meant to hold on to one mitzvah when the world was falling apart.

That was his bar mitzvah. No spotlight. No dancing. Just a boy and his tefillin, and Hashem, watching.

Sweet Mini #2505

Tulip Runner #2506

Ribbed Vase #2503

ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRACHALA LISSAUER

Do a dress rehearsal ten days before the simcha. Have every member of the family, including the parents, get dressed for the simcha from head to toe. This will give you the opportunity to see what’s missing or what needs to be fixed, with plenty of time to buy/find/mend what you still need.

After the dress rehearsal, have each family member put their entire ensemble (shoes, shells, hair accessories, socks, everything) into a dress bag/suit bag. Now you know where everything is and won’t be scrambling at the last minute.

Also, buy extra yarmulkes, tzitzis and tights in advance. It’s a segulah not to need them.

— Esther Rifky

Bar mitzvah boys grow fast. Don’t hem the suit pants until two weeks before — tops.

— A mother who learned the hard way

At my oldest son’s bar mitzvah, I was surprised to find myself feeling left out of the simcha. Everything happens on the men’s side! I couldn’t hear what was going on very well, and I couldn’t really see anything. Plus, I was busy with my guests. I felt like I missed something very special.

For my next son’s bar mitzvah, I decided to spend the money for a fulltime photographer who would capture every moment. This way, I could get to see everything I had missed.

— Naomi

Let your son know in advance that it’s okay if he makes a mistake during the pshetl or can’t say the entire thing by heart. Just be chilled about the whole thing. It’ll take the pressure off him.

— Rivka

It’s normal to be nervous. I threw up in shul during Shacharis right before it was time to lein. But then I was fine.

— Gedalia

Include your son in the bar mitzvah preparations, or at least keep him updated. “I finalized the menu today.”

“I made cheesecake miniatures for the kiddush today.”

All the effort you put in shows him how much you value this heilige milestone.

— Esther

Let the boy choose the battel. He’s the one who’s going to use it every day, so he’s the one who has to like it.

— Zevi T.

If you’re making a siyum at your bar mitzvah, practice the hadran beforehand. It has a lot of words that you aren’t used to saying, and it’s usually in small print. This way you won’t get all uncomfortable when you’re saying it aloud in front of everyone.

— Nosson

Take advantage of the “high” the bar mitzvah boy is on, to teach and inspire him about tefillin, minyan and kabbalas ol hamitzvos. Boys might go through ups and downs. When they’re “down,” he won’t be open to hearing any of this, so take the opportunity now when he’s “on” to transmit the depth of meaning behind these mitzvos.

— Rabbi Yudkowsky

Teach your kids in advance how to comport themselves at the simcha Teach them how to greet their relatives — especially elderly relatives. They should know to smile, make eye contact and say, “Mazel tov! Thank you for coming,” and offer a handshake. They should also know how to respond to a bracha. This is especially important for the bar mitzvah boy, but the older kids on both sides of the mechitzah should be taught these skills as well.

— Miriam

Wear your new shoes a little bit before the bar mitzvah to break them in. Otherwise you’ll be saying your pshetl wearing shoes that hurt.

— Meir

When I arranged the seating, I left a place for myself at every table. This way I was able to circulate among my guests and spend some time with all of them. It worked out really well.

— Chevy

You should know that it’s normal to feel a letdown after the bar mitzvah. For a long time you were learning, practicing, planning and looking forward to your bar mitzvah. Then suddenly it’s over, and you feel like something is missing, like there’s nothing to look forward to. I felt a little blah for a while after my bar mitzvah. But the feeling will go away after a little while, and then you’ll feel regular again.

— Yoely

It’s much easier to write thank-you cards the day after the bar mitzvah than two weeks later.

— Yechiel

Don’t forget that the bar mitzvah boy is still… a boy. They look like little men in their hats and jackets, and you might get annoyed when they behave like kids. But inside they’re still pretty insecure, sometimes immature, and not really used to being grown up yet. It’s an intense time. They need extra love and understanding now – not less.

— Rabbi Kaplan

Watch Them Enjoy the Cheesecake

A creamy marble cheesecake using Meant To Be yogurts, for a real dairy cheesecake that’s friendly to the lactose-intolerant and those with dairy sensitivities.

INGREDIENTS:

Meant To Be Coffee Marble Cheesecake

12 graham crackers, crushed (or equal amount of any vanilla cookie)

½ c. oil or melted butter

Vanilla Batter:

4 (5.3 oz) Meant To Be Greek vanilla yogurts

4 Meant To Be eggs

⅓ c. Meant To Be maple sugar

4 tbsp. flour

Mock Coffee Batter:

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham crackers with oil or butter. Press into 8 or 9 inch round cheesecake pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Blend vanilla batter ingredients with a hand blender and pour into baked crust. Blend mock coffee batter ingredients and pour over vanilla batter. Gently marbleize the two layers with a knife. Bake for 60 minutes. Allow to cool before freezing or refrigerating.

4 (5.3 oz.) Meant To Be Greek dandelion yogurts

4 Meant To Be eggs

⅓ c. Meant To Be maple sugar

4 tbsp. flour

Make the Ganache:

White Chocolate Ganache:

18 oz. white chocolate, dairy or parve

10 oz. whip topping, unwhipped

Break white chocolate into pieces. Place in microwave safe bowl. Add whip topping. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat in 30-second intervals until chocolate is fully melted. Pour ganache over cake to cover. Place leftover ganache in refrigerator to harden. Before piping, bring back to room temperature, then pipe ganache dots onto cake. For white chocolate circles garnish, melt 2 bars white chocolate. Spread onto parchment, then let harden. Cut circles using cookie cutter. Place chocolate circles neatly over cake.

Find Meant To Be yogurts and other ingredients in your local supermarket. For questions or private orders, call 1 845-327-1845.

רי‡ טכוז סטעבר‡ ן‡ ?עיˆיז‡פ

“Did you unpack the tefillin last night?” My husband stood in the doorway, ready for shul, and his voice sliced through the silence of the kitchen like that morning’s shofar blast

I jolted upright, spilling my coffee over the rim. His tefillin! Had I, in my post-vacation haze, forgotten to unpack them?

It was September of 2023, and we had squeezed in a mini vacation. We hadn’t traveled over the summer, so we looked forward to a nice getaway. Mexico lived up to its postcard image with stunning teal waters and vibrant greenery. Even the confiscation of our frozen chicken soup and cholent at customs couldn’t dampen our excitement. We intended to enjoy every moment.

And we did. The vacation worked its magic, replenishing our energy before the upcoming Yomim Tovim. After a few blissful days, I packed our belongings, and we made our way to the ferry that would take us straight to the airport. The boardwalk leading to the ferry terminal buzzed with tourist shops, and with time to spare, we entrusted our suitcases to the ferry workers for a quick souvenir stop.

Leaving our suitcases unattended in Mexico was a mistake.

We arrived home in Monsey late at night, and being the efficient housewife that I was, I couldn’t go to sleep until every suitcase was emptied and its con-

tents accounted for. In my tired state, the absence of the tefillin went unnoticed. But now, standing in the kitchen the next morning, I realized the tefillin were gone.

They were gone; there was no question about it. Yet I distinctly remembered packing them in the hotel. A nagging thought arose: Had the suitcase I unpacked seemed tampered with? Had someone actually taken the tefillin?

And so began a series of phone calls, each a desperate attempt to locate the tefillin. We called the airport, the Chabad shaliach, the Airbnb cleaning crew — yet each conversation ended with the same disheartening result.

No velvet bag. No black boxes. No tefillin. Just a string of unintelligible Spanish phrases, the underlying message clear: The tefillin were not there.

While no tefillin is “just” a pair of tefillin, these were an especially cherished pair, meticulously written by the renowned sofer from Eretz Yisroel, Rav Menachem Davidovitch, zt”l, author of Minchas Hasofer. These were priceless, their exquisite script a testament to the ehrlichkeit of their sofer

Luckily, my brother-in-law had an extra pair of tefillin written by the same

sofer, which my husband borrowed for the time being. But the question lingered: When does borrowing end? At what point does one replace the seemingly irreplaceable?

Yet my husband wasn’t willing to give up so easily.

“We don’t need to ask questions,” he said. “We don’t need to tell Hashem how to return the tefillin or offer Him suggestions on how He could make them find their way back. Hashem has His own intricate plans, often in ways we could never imagine. We need to daven, give tzedakah and do hishtadlus.”

AS TOLD TO GOLDIE HIRSCH

As days turned into weeks, a grim realization set in: Someone had likely opened our suitcase, the sight of the velvet bag signaling something of value. Had they intended to sell it? Keep it? Discard it? The only time we left our luggage unattended was during our brief stop at the tourist shops while waiting for the ferry. (The airport authorities, we reasoned, were unlikely culprits.)

The image of a nameless Mexican worker holding our precious tefillin felt like a cruel twist of fate. There were moments when the urge to give up, to simply purchase a new pair, felt overwhelming. But my husband’s unwavering faith persisted. We would not stop hoping; we would simply channel our frustration into more tefillah

Then, in mid-November, I was at the grocery when my phone buzzed.

The accent on the other end was a familiar blend of American and Israeli.

“Hi, my name is Dave,” said the voice at the other end. “Did you lose a pair of tefillin?”

“Yes,” I breathed, a sudden surge of hope eclipsing the weariness of the past weeks.

“Well, I found it. But I need your husband on the line to verify the name.”

Husband on the line. Name verified. Shopping all but forgotten as I raced home to prepare for the arrival of this unknown Dave who had miraculously found the tefillin.

Dave, a forty-year-old bachelor from Queens with only a peripheral connection to Yiddishkeit, soon stood in our living room and described his unusual hobby: a Sunday trip to the sprawling Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market in Connecticut, a place where forgotten relics and curious artifacts found temporary homes. It was there, amidst the jumble of knickknacks, that a velvet bag adorned with Hebrew lettering had caught his eye. An inexplicable stirring from within told him this was no ordinary trinket destined for a flea market. How it had arrived there remained a mystery, but its presence felt undeniably wrong.

The vendor, it seemed, had a similar feeling.

“Well, this is a Jewish artifact,” he remarked. “It can sell online for seven hundred dollars.”

But seven hundred dollars felt steep. Dave began to bargain, ending in a compromise of one hundred and eighty dollars. Dave was now the unlikely owner of a pair of tefillin, one with the name “Shmuel Gross” finely embroidered on the bag.

Driven by an innate sense of responsibility, Dave embarked on a quest to find the rightful owner of the tefillin. He scoured Israeli directories, but no Shmuel Gross with a lost pair of tefillin surfaced. Undeterred, Dave noticed a sticker from a Judaica store, a remnant of a safrus check performed a year prior, declaring the tefillin kosher.

Dave called the store and inquired about Shmuel Gross. A quick database search yielded my name and cell phone number.

And that’s how Dave found us, unaware of the profound significance of this act of hashavas aviedah. Despite his limited connection to mitzvos, Dave felt a deep resonance with the tefillin, an inexplicable pull to return them to their rightful place.

AN INEXPLICABLE STIRRING FROM WITHIN TOLD HIM THIS WAS NO ORDINARY TRINKET DESTINED FOR A FLEA MARKET

We extended an invitation for Shabbos meals, an offer Dave accepted twice. Though not outwardly emotional, the flickering candles, zemiros and the warmth of the seudos seemed to leave a mark. Perhaps the tefillin were lost so that the spark of a pintele Yid could be rekindled in Dave’s neshamah? Recently, he decided to reconnect with his family in Eretz Yisroel — a journey that might signify a deeper awakening. My husband was right. We don’t need to tell Hashem how to make things happen. Hashem has His own intricate plans — often in ways we could never imagine.

Easy Adjustments patented onehanded hood and harness adjustments

UPF 50+ sun protection

Parent Facing & World Facing

Extendable Basket with high sides for extra storage

Sneaker Friendly Brake step-on, step-off to activate

BROUGHT TO YOU THE DISTRIBUTERS OF

180 Ventilation Panel for breathability

Grows With The Family Suitable from birth to 50lbs (approx. 4 years old)

10% points for every stroller purchase Same day delivery in Brooklyn 2 years warranty

Handle Extension

Highest handle on the market

Extendable hood for extra shade Sun Visor flip-in, flip-out

Compact Fold folds down 25.5”

AS

TOLD TO HADASSAH STEINMAN

This story comes full circle, just like the brim of a hat.

A few months ago, my eighteen-year-old bochur, Hershy, needed a hat. Well, he needed two, one for weekday and one for Shabbos, but we decided to get one at a time. We stepped into Krausz Hatters, chose a weekday hat, and off we went.

Several weeks passed, and there was no more denying the fact that Hershy needed a new Shabbos hat. We went back to Krausz Hatters and began trying on hats all over again.

First we tried hats that looked similar to the one Hershy had gotten for weekday, but one salesman shook his head.

“Mr. Kohn, how old is your son? Eighteen, you said? He needs a wider brim.” The salesman reached behind him, grabbed another hat, and plunked it onto Hershy’s head. “Look, he can carry it already; the other hat makes him look like he’s wearing something he’s outgrown.”

After looking himself in the mirror, Hershy agreed that the salesman was right, and I, too, saw the difference. Minds made up, we left with the wider-brimmed hat.

BUT NOW WE HAD A PROBLEM. Having gotten used to the wide brim, every time Hershy put on his weekday hat, he looked like a bar

“IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WITH THIS HAT?” I ASKED THE SALESMAN

SERVING US. “IT’S HARDLY BEEN WORN.”

mitzvah boy. It was strange how a new look took over so quickly, and how fast his almost-new hat looked outgrown.

If hats weren’t so expensive, the situation would almost be comical, but it wasn’t very funny when we walked into Krausz Hatters for the third time in a few weeks, this time to replace Hershy’s almost-new weekday hat.

While Hershy chose a hat, I twirled the weekday hat we’d just bought over my hand.

“Is there anything you can do with this hat?” I asked the salesman serving us. “It’s hardly been worn.”

“Well,” the salesman hedged, “not really. It isn’t brand-new, your son’s name’s in it… We can’t quite sell it. Not even at a discounted price.”

I looked at the hat. It looked perfect. But he was right. Hershy’s name was in it, and even if you couldn’t tell, it had been worn. There was no way a customer would buy a hat like that.

“Look,” I said, “I have no use for it. I’ll leave it in the store, and if you ever have a customer who’s tight for money and finds that this hat fits, just give it to him for free. It may as well benefit someone.”

The salesman shrugged. “Okay with me.”

And that was that. Hershy’s hat stayed behind in the store, and we returned to the car, another hatbox in hand.

A FEW MONTHS PASSED, and my twelve-year-old son’s bar mitzvah was drawing near. He’s a tall kid, my Leiby, and he was more than ready to put on a hat and suit. One afternoon I found myself back in Krausz Hatters, this time to get Leiby his very first hat.

For some reason, Leiby wasn’t an easy customer. Though he’s young, he has a fairly big head, and no hat was a good match. In the end, the salesman took the hat that fit best and proceeded to line it with foam to create that perfect fit that was still proving itself elusive.

Then he stopped.

“You know,” he said. “I have a hat sitting in the back. It’s a large size, but with a narrow brim, and I have a feeling it might be perfect for your son.”

He went to the back of the store to retrieve it, put it onto Leiby’s head, and to our relief, it was just right. Not too wide, not too narrow; not too big, not too small.

“Leiby, you look great!” I said. “I’m so glad this hat turned up! Where did it come from?”

I took it off Leiby’s head and flipped it over. Inside was a label that read Hershy Kohn, followed by a phone number that was awfully familiar.

“It’s our hat!” I exclaimed, stupefied. “I can’t believe it!”

“What?” The salesman took the hat from my hand and looked inside. “Isn’t that funny! I didn’t even remember where it came from. Well, it’s yours; take it!”

This time, we bypassed the checkout counter. We’d already paid for the hat some months back, and Krausz had simply provided the storage in the interim.

Full circle, like I said.

GARDENS OF BLOSSOMING WONDER SPRING TO THE MIND’S EYE AT THE MENTION OF SHAVUOS . WE ENVISION AN ENCHANTED FLORAL PARADISE WELCOMING YOM TOV INTO OUR HOMES.

THESE FLORAL DIY OFFERINGS BRING A TOUCH OF MAGIC TO YOUR TABLE. THEY ARE EASY ENOUGH FOR THE TEENS TO PULL TOGETHER YET ARE SHARP ENOUGH TO IMPRESS.

BY MIRIAM PESSY WERCBERGER

FLORAL FANTASY PLATES

Experience the magic of creating your own set of china dishes. The options are endless and so is the fun.

SUPPLIES

Clear glass plates (available at Dollar Tree or Amazon)

Dishwasher-safe Mod Podge

Decorative paper napkins

Scissors

DIRECTIONS

1. Turn your glass plate upside down, and spread a thin, even layer of Mod Podge over it. Make sure to coat the plate all the way to the edges.

2. Open your paper napkin, and stick it gently onto the back of the plate and up the sides.

3. Carefully cut the napkin around the edges of the plate.

4. Spread a thin, even layer of Mod Podge over the napkin. The Mod Podge will appear white and will be seen through the plate, but it will turn transparent once dry.

5. Repeat with remaining plates.

6. Allow the plates to dry fully before turning right side up. They are now ready to use and enjoy!

NAPKIN ACTION

Create your own breathtaking napkins by simply using iron-on appliqués. These napkins will arrest the eye as soon as anyone enters the room.

SUPPLIES

Cloth napkins

Iron-on appliqués

Clothing iron

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat your clothing iron. Arrange your appliqué onto the corner of your napkin.

2. Holding on to the appliqué, flip over the napkin while ensuring the appliqué stays in the desired spot underneath. Iron the appliqué onto the napkin in a back-and-forth motion for a few seconds until it is securely attached to the napkin.

3. Repeat with remaining napkins and appliqués. So pretty!

Enjoy your New England summer getaway with peace of mind at the all-inclusive Presidential Mountain Resort. Spend time with your family on PMR’s scenic lake, explore the trails, take a swim, hop on a segway or maybe the hayride. Food? The Wh e Mountain Ca e & Gr offers a

and dinner menu, a sandwich and

and full Shabbos Take Out. Need we say more?

Caffe & Grill

Shabbos Menu

White Mountain Gift Shop

FULLY CHARGED

Snap your fingers, and you’ve got custom chargers to match your decor. That’s how simple these are to create.

SUPPLIES

Cake boards

Patterned contact paper

Scissors

DIRECTIONS

1. Trace a circle onto the back of your contact paper, using a cake board as a guide.

2. Cut out the circle, and carefully stick it onto the cake board.

3. Repeat with desired number of cake boards. Voila! You’ve created your custom charger set.

Attention Kids of All Ages! We know you love riding your bike outside. It gives you freedom! And fresh air! And exercise! And excitement! And every afternoon, you can hardly wait to hop onto your bike and ride off into the sunshine. YOU ARE ONLY AS SAFE AS THAT

But even if you’re a responsible and cautious rider,

Name:

Phone:

Age:

School/Cheder:

Email: contest@thewview.com | Fax: 718-247-8881

Check the day’s box if you wore your helmet every time you rode your bike. If you didn’t ride your bike at alI, put “NA” in the box.

SUNDAY May 11 MONDAY May 12 TUESDAY May 13 WEDNESDAY May 14 THURSDAY May 15 FRIDAY May 16

SUNDAY May 18 MONDAY May 19 TUESDAY May 20 WEDNESDAY May 21 THURSDAY May 22 FRIDAY May 23 SUNDAY May 25 MONDAY May 26 TUESDAY May 27 WEDNESDAY May 28 THURSDAY May 29 FRIDAY May 30

Fill out your chart, and submit it by June 8 for a chance to win a BIKE OR SCOOTER OF YOUR CHOICE at Toys4U ! Parents of younger children, please help your child keep track of their daily helmet use and fill out their chart.

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@ thewview.com or fax to 718-2478881 by Sunday at midnight.

4. Two winners will be drawn each week, each of whom will receive a $10 gift card at Sprinkles!

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

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

A L L P N C I E D U B R O H M W G S Y T A A V P Y

Family name: ___________________________________________________________________ Phone:

Full mailing address: _________________________________________________________

Full name of winner: _________________________________________________________

Amount of points: ____________________________________________________________

Full names of competing players:

List some words only the winner found:

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

BY: ESTHER GROSS

PERSONALITIES FROM A TO Z A WORD OF METAPHORS

DOWN:

A. A Ray of Sunshine: Someone whose kindness brightens the way, Spreading warmth in G____N array.

B. Bookworm: Someone who dives in, page by page, Lost in S_____S that never age!

C. Clock on Time: Someone who is punctual and T__E, Showing up on time with a clear, vivid view.

D. Delicate Flower: Someone so soft yet strong inside, With a G____E touch and a graceful stride.

E. Enthusiastic Go-Getter: Someone who jumps in, bold and true, Always ready, fearless in A____N, pushing through.

F. Fresh Breeze: Someone refreshing, lively and L___T, Resembling a breeze with airy delight.

G. Garden in Full Bloom: Someone so

full of L__E and cheer, Releasing joy as blossoms appear.

H. Handholder: Someone who lifts with steady grace, A support in life’s warm E______E.

I. Inspiring Star: Someone whose D____S soar, with sparks so bold, A future shines with beaming gold.

J. Jubilant Bubble of Delight: Someone whose laughter sparkles true, R_______G goodness in all they pursue.

K. Kindness in a Garden Bloom: Someone who N______S with care so deep, Planting bonds for all to reap.

L. Lighthouse in the Dark: Someone who guides with steadfast gleam, A beacon of F__H when shadows stream.

M. Mindful and Mirroring: Someone who validates with a H___T refined, Reflecting goodness, pure and kind!

ACROSS:

N. Night Owl: Someone whose thoughts take wing in sight, When midnight hums and stars I____E!

O. Oak Tree: Someone who is resilient and reliable, Like a sturdy T__E strong and unshakable.

P. Pillar of Strength: Someone who through storms and trials, stands tall, A steadfast force, U_______G all!

Q. Quick Puzzle Solver: Someone who S__S beyond what is near, Untangling knots with wisdom clear.

R. Respectfully Regal: Someone who has high regard for others, Treating them like U____E and enchanting colors.

S. Sweet as Honey: Someone who is kind and full of C___R, Bringing smiles to all draw near!

T. Toolbox: Someone with skills, a

W________G so vast, Turning trials into triumphs that last.

U. Uniquely Exceptional: Someone whose W___H none can sway, Walking regally in Hashem’s way.

V. Vibrant Sunbeam of Positivity: Someone who shines with a R_____T gleam, Turning darkness into hope’s warm dream!

W. Walker of a Tightrope: Someone who walks with C_____L stride, Balancing effort and trust side by side.

X. Xtra Mile Motivator: Someone who lifts with M___T and drive, Striving onward to help others thrive.

Y. Youthful Early Bird: Someone G______G the morning with cheer, Rising with purpose, pushing past fear.

Z. Zephyr of Awareness: Someone whose wisdom drifts soft and sure, Thinking G__D from A to Z with faith so pure.

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

DOONA CAR SEAT BASE

Brand new, never used. Price $125. Please call: 929.214.7721

REAL ESTATE

MONSEY FOR RENT

Upgraded Condo for rent in Monsey area. Maple Ave/ Route 45. 4 bedrooms, 2200 sq ft. Lots of upgrades, great condition. $3600 email rb076314@gmail.com

FURNISHED APT

1 bedroom furnished apt. avail. for Shabbos, weekly or monthly. Keap cor. Marcy. Call 917.685.7044

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

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

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

Century Village, Willington M, 2 Bedroom apt. Ground floor FOR SALE. Call: 347.760.0639

WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

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

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Carriage Club North, Beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath, Ground floor. Call: 347.499.0031

VACATION RENTAL

Vacation Rental in Chester 13 beds 3 bathrooms. Call or text 845-276-0370 leave message

MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA

Collins Ave. Beautiful ocean view. 1 bedroom apt. Call: 347.760.0570

HOTEL 15

Big villa in serene area outside Monroe. 8 couple bedrooms, Teen bedroom 8 beds plus 20 kids beds. For Pictures hotelfifteen.com Call to book 845-837-5662

NORTH MIAMI

A beautiful 3 bedrooms, 3 bath villa in North Miami, with private inground heated pool & spa. Price/night $289. Pictures available. 845.327.7153

MOUNTAINDALE

Gorgeous 3/5 bdrm, 2/3 bath villa avail. in Mountaindale, near Shuls. Price/night $350. (Pics avail.) 845.327.7153

WEST PALM

To rent beautiful 1 bdrm apt, great price. 646.907.9625

LINDEN VACATION

Exlusive beautiful fullyfurnished house, all amenities incl., 5 bdrms, sleeps 11-2 cribs. 6 min. walk to shuls, beautiful in ground pool. Call/text 601-675-2665 crownprincevilla@gmail.com

6 BEDROOM HOUSE

Brand new, luxurious 6 bdrm house next to Monroe. Avail. for day, week or weekend. Fully stocked kitchen, linen & towels. Beautiful outdoor furniture. Call or text 917652-1468

VACATION IN LINDEN WEEKENDS/SHAVUOS

Brand new 2/3 bedroom basement. Living area and kitchen. Private entrance to private backyard with inground heated pool. Call/ text 347-224-5574

LINDEN VACATION RENTAL

Beautiful 3 bedroom house center of heimishe Linden available for shabbos/ weekday. Fully furnished, linen towels etc. also available Shavuos 9296780684

VACATION HOME

Nice house in Monroe with stunning view, 3 bdrm, dining room, kitchen. For week or for Shabbos. Also private, deluxe villa in Monticello next to shul & mikvah, 3 bdrms, 2 baths, dining room & kitchen. Stunning grounds, all amenities incl. Lag Baomer special. 347.860.3253

JOBS

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

ADMINISTRATORS POSITION

Looking for administrators with experience running operations in the ABA, HCBS, OPWDD and CFTSS fields. Each opening offers excellent salary and a steak hold potential, Full time in Heimishe office in Boro Park, female preferred. For more info reach out to: HRrecruitmentNY@gmail. com or call/text: 917.652.9576

TEACHERS WITH BA

Head Start program seeking teachers with BA for the coming school year. Please call: 917.588.4277

Attention graduates, young ladies, and anyone out there! Do you want work that gives you more? Do you want to feel financially secure? With trainings galore, So here comes the cure. Your positivity on the ball, combined with efficiency and Simcha that’s all! If that defines you, then here’s the number to call 929-318-7969

MORTGAGE LOAN PROCESSOR

If you’re seeking a fresh start and a place that values your experience , we’d love to hear from you! Company looking to hire an experienced loan processor for a P/T in office or remote position. Great pay and benefits for the right candidate. Chantzy@ hiresolutionsny.com 8454228098 ext 113.

ATTENTION GRADS!

Are you looking to develop a career? Do you thrive in high pressure environments, love a challenge and looking for a job that will stimulate your brain? Reach out today to hear about an exciting opportunity to join an established insurance firm. Email chana@hiresolutionsny.com or call 845-422-8098 ext 105

SUMMER JOBS

LIFEGUARD

Looking for a lifegaurd in a chasidisha camp, 12th grade and up. Please email resume to office@ machnebnossquare.org or call 718-983-5950

CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICES

FURNITURE REPAIRS

Cabinet & General Repairs, specializing in ChosonKallah Apt. Call: 718.633.6231

MAKEUP ARTIST

Certified makeup artist for all your special occasions. Call: Yides Neuwirth 917.309.6000 718.858.0815

AYIN HORAH

The renowned Rebetzin Aidel Miller from Yerushalayim Is always available to remove Ayin Horah over the phone. Call: 718.689.1902 or 516.300.1490

GARTLECH

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

GARTLECH

Beautiful HANDMADE

GARTLECH, Hand crochet, Hand knit, Silks & more with beautiful Gartel bag. Text or call: 718.283.4589 Wholesale orders available.

LIGHT ALTERATIONS

Please Call: 718.450.4700

CONSTRUCTION

Bathrooms, kitchens, closets, decks, extensions, additions, Basements, all electrical, plumbing, Carpentry. Lowest prices, fastest service. Call:718.951.0090

ELECTRICIAN

All Electrical work, outlets, switches, fixtures, new lines for washer/dryer or air conditions, shabbos clocks, circut breakers. Call:718.951.0090

HANDYMAN & PAINTING

Experienced & Reliable handyman. Small jobs our specialty! Plumbing, Electric, construction, Locksmith, painting, plastering. Shabbos clocks, outlets/switches, call: 347.275.5408

PHOTO EDITING

Professional photo editing, many years of experience. Special rates for photographers. Also specializing in Custom photo albums Chosson, wedding, etc. Photo Dreams 347.563.5153

ROWENTA STEAMER REPAIR

Expert repairs on Rowenta steam stations. Fast service. Reasonable rates. Located in Boro park. Call 646-261-3809

AUTHENTIC

Alert to homeowners & property managers. Exterior & interior home tune up. Professional repairs by licensed worker: roofing, waterproofing, brick pointing, cement jobs, also do plumbing, electrical, sheetrock work, parquet or stone flooring installed. For precision, timely svc, happy pricing call or txt authentic @ 212-991-8548.

WOOD REPAIR

KITCHEN

Kitchent cabinet hinges, tracks, drawer boxes, garbage pull outs replaced at reasonable prices. Call Mr. Likht 917-817-6981

REMOVE EYIN

HORA

A baby, a simcha, a new lease in town? Call Ayin BeAyin so things dont chalila go down! Call Today 718-400-AYIN (2946) www.ayinbeayin.com

STUDIO RECORDING

Attention Day Camp/School Directors! Professional Recording Studio, Rate starting at $100. Per song. Call: 347.977.6790

HAIR STRAIGHTEN

Chemical free hair straightening treatment from Isreal now available in Boro park. Last upto 7 months Sara, 347-782-2664

CUSTOM PHOTO ALBUMS

Ur kitchen, heart of ur home. Professional transformation thru cabinetry designer colour change. Our expertise also inc: restoration of estate furniture, hi-end makeover to drm chairs, bdrms, libraries, staircases, exterior wood doors. Upgrade ur original pcs! Enjoy the quality of yesteryear, design of today! Best pricing & svc. Txt for info & decorators consult. 212-991-8548.

Specializing in Custom Photo Albums, Chosson, Wedding, etc. Also professional Photo Editing, many years of experience. Special rate for photographers. Photo Dreams 347.563.5153

WHOLESALE FISH

Buy by the case & save. Baby & Regular Salmon. Hashgucha Volove Rav. Free delivery to your home. Call Eli: 516.270.6755

WHOLESALE SPOTLIGHTS

We sell Spotlights, twice as bright for half the price. We also sell Smoke & Carbon Monoxide detectors with 10 year battery suitable for Section 8. Free Delivery. Call: 718.951.0061

VAN SERVICE

Yossi`s Van Service, 15 Passenger van, Local & long distance, Airports & delivery. Call: 718.962.4664

GOWNS

GOWNS

Introducing for the first time in Williamsburg!

New designer gowns & brand name Simcha wear at great prices. We are also offering designer fashion & timeless pieces that redefine elegance, in our beautiful luxurios salon located conveniently on Kent Ave. Ready sis of bride & groom & Mechitaniste gown for fabulous prices. Please join us & elevate your style. For an appointment 347-7018061

OFF WHITE GOWN

To rent or sell white/off white gown for young high school girl, sz 16-18, pics avail. Call 929.779.0095

GOWNS FOR SALE –ONE DAY ONLY!

Papillon Gowns from Lakewood will be at the Showroom Event this Sunday at Eden Palace Hall in Williamsburg. Featuring a stunning selection of children and teen gowns! For more info, call/txt 732.930.0029.

FOUND

Black bag with stuff inside at Seagate Beach chol hamoed 347-526-9168

Harrods bag on Heyward Street b/w Bedford & Whyte 3476234299

print bandana/tichel from Totally Chic on Lynch, May 11. 347-374-1842

jewelry at FriedmanLevita tnoim. on Penn st. 7182431958 9298844114

In Gemspot a blue pacifier clip 718-930-4378

Segilla neged Ayin Hora in Bedford Gardens playground 6467345051

LATE ADS

SUMMER COUNSELORS

Looking for counselors for 1st half in a bungalow colony in Harris area. Call or text 347383-6696

MONSEY – FOR SALE

(Off Kennedy, Spring Valley). Renovated townhouse, 3 bdrms, washer/dryer upstairs, 12 ft basement. Call/ Text 845-579-2416.

The Complete Set

PUBLISHER Yoel Itzkowitz

Esther Malky Neiman

ASSOCIATE

Zivi Reischer

MANAGING

Libby Tescher

FOOD

M.P. Wercberger

CREATIVE

AJ Wachsman

PROJECT COORDINATOR R. Itzkowitz

320 Roebling Street, Suite 119 Brooklyn, NY 11211

TELEPHONE: 718.428.2400

FAX: 718.247.8881 E-MAIL: ads@thewview.com

www.thewview.com

Crafted and intricately illustrated by Italy's most esteemed artists - Júli Cestro and Mexi Usik, Dorfmane`

are meticulously woven from the highest quality silks and hand-finished to achieve perfection, resulting in exquisite heirloom pieces.

scarves

VIP SALE

THURS MAY 22: 11AM-6PM FRI MAY 23: 10:30AM-3:30PM

4626 18 th AVE

MAY 25 - MAY 28

SUNDAY - WEDNESDAY 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

APR% APR% APR%