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Beyond the Headlines
A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news By Sivan Rahav Meir
Have You Heard Elkana Levi’s Speech? A few days ago, a mesibat hodaya was held for Elkana Levi, an officer in the Golani Brigade who was badly wounded in Khan Yunis a year ago and lost both his legs. You may remember him as “Elkana ben Orit,” the name so many people mentioned in their prayers for his recovery. More recently, a video from the celebration went viral, showing singer Ravid Plotnik, who came to perform for him. We’ve grown accustomed to moments like these: brief, powerful, moving—and then quickly gone. But one of the people who attended the celebration urged me to get hold of Elkana’s entire speech. Forty minutes long. Here are some of the highlights: “Exactly one year ago today, I was blown up. Exactly one year ago today, I had no idea how much goodness there was in this world,” he declared, standing on two prosthetic legs. And then he began listing that goodness. “I will never have the words to thank the extraordinary people who cared for me at Soroka hospital, from the doctors to the orderlies. I felt as though I were at summer camp, with the best staff in the world. Every person there, every experience there, is a good memory for me. “At Soroka, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was a picture that children from a kindergarten had sent me. From that
moment on, I have felt embraced. I have no legs, but it’s hard to explain how much my heart has expanded. My happiness doesn’t depend on the number of steps I can take.” The audience applauded, as they would dozens more times
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throughout the evening. It was clear to everyone that this was a moment of healing, of coming full circle. “Already in intensive care, I was dreaming about this thanksgiving celebration. Thank you for coming,” he said. Elkana did not gloss over the pain or the difficulty. He spoke about friends who had been killed, and about his darkest moments. “I feel that people don’t understand me—and that they don’t understand that they don’t understand me. How can someone understand what it’s like when the battery dies in your leg, or in your wheelchair? How can someone understand what it’s like to walk so awkwardly, then try to sit down without knowing whether you’ll be able to get back up? Or to walk down the street feeling like a celebrity, as though you belong to everyone? How can someone understand what it’s like to become the center of attention before you’ve even opened your mouth?” Throughout his speech, Elkana quoted three spiritual teachers. The first was the prophet Yeshayahu, whose prophecies brought messages of comfort. “Yeshayahu teaches us that God has thoughts of peace and hope for all of us. That He will comfort us. He says: ‘You shall draw water with joy from the wells of salvation.’ I feel surrounded by tremendous kindness and deliverance, and I believe there are many more salvations still ahead of us.”
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COMMUNITY NEWS He also quoted Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who wrote repeatedly about the importance of giving thanks, learning to notice the good and, as Elkana put it, “putting the good in the center.” Elkana acknowledged every stage of the journey from his injury until that evening, thanking the people who had accompanied him along the way. There was one particularly unusual thank-you: “I want to thank those who aren’t here with us today—my dear legs. I want to thank you for 23 years of love and devotion. I never realized how hard you worked all that time. “Since I was injured, I’ve traveled all over the country, and everywhere I go looks familiar. That’s thanks to you. You carried me with love through so many hikes and navigation exercises. And thanks to the parts of you that still remain with me, I will merit to continue to ‘walk before the Lord in the land of the living.’” His third teacher was the Tanya, the foundational work of Chabad Chassidic thought. Elkana quoted a profound line from the book in Aramaic, translated it into Hebrew—and then translated it into the reality of his own body: “There’s a sentence in the Tanya that contains everything: ‘Pain cries out from one side of the heart, and joy cries out from the other.’ “That is exactly what it feels like. At every moment, I know I don’t have legs. I feel that absence throughout my body. And at the same time, I am doing so well. This is one of the best periods of my life. “So that’s my formula, and that’s my advice to others: learn to
go through the pain and grow from it. To truly feel sadness, and truly feel joy—and to be able to live with those two opposites at the same time.” Thank you, Elkana. Do We Want to Go With the Flow—or Grow? This week’s parashah, Shoftim, opens with the command: “Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all your gates.” First and foremost, this is a command to establish a functioning system of courts and law enforcement. But the verse also speaks to each of us personally. Every one of us needs to appoint our own “judges and officers,” to develop a system of self-awareness and self-scrutiny. Rabbi Mordechai Sheinberger offered a beautiful explanation of this idea, which we studied yesterday in the weekly Zoom class of the Mitchadshot community: “Each of us has several gates that connect us to the world: the gate of sight—our eyes; the gate of hearing—our ears; the gate of speech— our mouth; the gate of smell—our nose; and the gate of touch—our hands and feet. “Each person needs to place judges and officers at all of these gates: to purify and sanctify them, and to make proper use of them. For example, every time I look at something, I should ask myself: Is this leading me toward something good, or the opposite? “There is hearing that can lead to wrongdoing—listening to lashon hara and gossip—and there is hearing that is a mitzvah, such as listening to Torah classes.
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“The same is true of our mouths: there is speech that causes harm, and there is speech that brings blessing into the world.” May we learn to pay greater attention to our own gates and guard them well. 5 Things to Know About the New Month of Elul 1. A month for beginning again This Thursday and Friday we mark Rosh Chodesh Elul. The final month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionally devoted to teshuvah—reflection, repair and return. It is a time for self-examination, improvement and starting again. In other words, we have been given a gift: a designated period to take stock of our lives and make changes for the better as we approach the new year. 2. Why is Elul so special? On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshe ascended Mount Sinai following the sin of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the first Tablets. He went up to express the Jewish people’s remorse and to ask God for forgiveness. Forty days later, on Yom Kippur, he came down carrying the second, complete set of Tablets—and with the news that God had forgiven the people. Ever since, the forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur have been days associated with closeness, forgiveness and reconciliation. They carry a powerful message: we can repair what has been broken.
COMMUNITY NEWS 3. “The Lord is my light and my salvation” Beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul and continuing through the High Holiday season, there is a custom to recite Psalm 27 each day. It begins with the words: “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” These powerful words, written by King David, remind us that both personally and nationally, even in the face of anxiety and threats, there is direction and purpose. There is a source of light and salvation. 4. Special prayers—and the sound of the shofar As on every Rosh Chodesh, there are special additions to the prayers and to the Grace After
Meals, including Ya’aleh Veyavo. We also recite Hallel, a collection of Psalms expressing praise and thanksgiving. Throughout Elul, Ashkenazi communities traditionally sound the shofar at the end of the morning service. And beginning Monday night, August 15, Sephardic communities begin reciting Selichot, the special prayers for forgiveness. 5. “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” The Hebrew letters of the word “Elul” form an acronym for the verse: Ani l’dodi v’dodi li, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” It alludes to the concept that during this month, God is es-
pecially close to us, like a beloved—and that we, in turn, are invited to draw closer to Him. There is another beautiful expression associated with Elul: “The King is in the field.” The image is of a king leaving his palace and coming out to meet his people where they are. God is close, available and accessible. And so, from the bottom of our hearts, we wish one another a good month, and as we already begin saying at this time of year: Ketivah v’chatimah tovah, May we all be written and sealed for a good year! Want to read more by Sivan Rahav Meir? Google The Daily Thought or visit sivanrahavmeir.com
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House Majority Leader Steve Scalise Endorses Scott Singer for Congress Boca Raton, Florida – Today, America First Republican Scott Singer announced the endorsement of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise for his campaign for Congress in Florida’s 25th Congressional District. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of Majority Leader Steve Scalise,” said Scott Singer. “Steve is a proven conservative leader who has fought tirelessly to advance President Trump’s agenda to deliver results benefiting American families. I’m grateful for his confidence and support. In Congress, I look forward to working alongside him to advance conservative priorities and deliver the results South Florida families deserve.” In a statement accompanying his endorsement, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said: “Scott Singer is exactly the kind of proven conservative leader we need fighting alongside us in Congress. As mayor of Boca Raton, Scott has built a strong record of delivering results, keeping taxes low, standing with law enforcement, and defending the values that make South Florida strong.
I’ve gotten to know Scott over the years, and I know he has the work ethic, conservative backbone, and America First principles needed to win this race and help grow our Republican majority. At a time when our country
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needs strong leaders who will secure the border, strengthen our economy, and stand up for hardworking families, Scott Singer is ready to answer the call. I’m proud to endorse my friend Scott Singer for Congress.” Scott was first elected to the Boca Raton City Council in 2014, elected mayor in 2018, and re-elected twice, never losing an election. As mayor, he cut the tax rate seven times, helped reduce crime by 25 percent from what were already 40-year lows, supported law enforcement, added thousands of high-paying jobs, and cut red tape. Scott was born in Miami Beach, raised in Fort Lauderdale, and currently resides in Boca Raton with his wife, Bella, and his two children. Scott has lived in and dedicated much of his life to improving the lives of this district's residents as a successful small business owner, attorney, and public servant. He is the current chair of the America First Policy Institute's Mayors' Council where he leads a working group of conservative mayors that advance America First policies.
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Making the Move One Step at a Time There is a familiar image of Aliyah: the airport arrival, the flags, the music, the young family stepping off the plane into a waiting, cheering crowd. It is an iconic moment. But the real story begins long before the wheels touch the tarmac. For many North American Jews making Aliyah today, the decision takes shape over time, through years of thought, shifting plans, family conversations, professional considerations, and the slow realization that Israel is not only a place they care about deeply, but a place where they are ready to build a life. For Dr. Daniel Loren, a 47-yearold anesthesiologist from Boca Raton, Florida, that realization came last year while he and his wife, Yael, were traveling to Israel with their children during the holidays. “As our plane crossed into Israeli airspace, my wife had an overwhelming feeling that it was finally time for us to take the leap and make Aliyah,” he says. Until then, Aliyah had been a dream, a hope, and a long-running family conversation. Yael was born and raised in Israel, and ever since Daniel met her while he was a medical student at Tel Aviv University, she had hoped to return one day. But during that trip, the conversation changed. Aliyah no longer felt abstract or distant, and they found themselves using their vacation to speak with family and friends about what it would actu-
ally take to move, settle, and build a life in Israel. “What had always been a dream suddenly became a real possibility,” Daniel says. Like many olim, Daniel does not describe the decision as simple. “There is never an ideal time to make a move like this,” he says. “You will never feel completely ready, and the perfect moment never arrives. At some point, you simply have to make the decision and move forward, knowing it won’t be perfect.” This August, Daniel will be making Aliyah through the International Medical Aliyah Program, a joint initiative led by Nefesh B’Nefesh in partnership with Is-
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rael’s Ministries of Aliyah and Integration; Health; the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience; and the Jewish Agency for Israel, with his wife, Yael, and their three children. They will be making Aliyah from Boca Raton to Zichron Ya’akov. They are leaving behind close friendships and Daniel’s mother, who lives nearby, while moving toward a large circle of family already waiting for them in Israel. Yael’s parents will be just fifteen minutes away, and her brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family are all part of the Israeli life they are about to enter. For Daniel, that is part of the emotional complexity of the move. Aliyah is not simply about leaving one place for another. It is
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about choosing where to raise children, what kind of rhythm to live by, and which life a family wants to call its own. That kind of thoughtful decision is exactly what Marc Rosenberg, Vice President of Diaspora Partnerships at Nefesh B’Nefesh, describes as part of the broader Aliyah picture today. Every Aliyah story has its own timeline, its own practical questions, and its own set of concerns, from schools and housing to employment, bureaucracy, and community. According to Rosenberg, this summer is expected to be a busy Aliyah season, with more than 2,300 North American olim set to arrive. About 60 percent of North American olim typically come during June, July, and August, when school is out and families are already in transition. This year, Nefesh B’Nefesh is coordinating 47 cluster flights. What makes the numbers striking is not only their scale, but their timing. Over the past two years, Israel has lived through war, uncertainty, sirens, reserve duty, and deep national strain. Yet Rosenberg says interest in Aliyah has not waned. Since the beginning of the recent war with Iran, nearly 900 Aliyah files have been opened by Jewish North Americans. For Rosenberg, the most compelling Aliyah stories are not about what people are leaving behind, but about what they hope to build. “The most exciting part for us is finally reaching the finish line after months of paperwork, planning, packing, and organizing,” says Daniel. “We are looking forward to boarding the plane, taking off, and beginning this new chapter of our lives.” At the same time, he knows that landing in Israel is not the end of the process. “There will still be paperwork to complete, logistics
RABBI EZRIEL WILHELM עזריאל ווילהעלם CERTIFIED MOHEL
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to manage, and a home to unpack and settle into,” he says. “In many ways, arriving is just the beginning.” For today’s olim, that beginning is increasingly supported by an infrastructure that did not exist generations ago. Through the partnership between Nefesh B’Nefesh, Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and Jewish National Fund-USA, prospective olim have access to guidance, resources, and support at every stage of the journey. Nearly 100,000 North Americans have already made Aliyah through Nefesh B’Nefesh. For many newcomers, that means arriving in a country where others have already helped clear the path, turning what once felt like a leap into something far more possible. For Daniel and Yael Loren, that path now leads to Zichron Ya’akov: to family nearby, children starting a new life, and the hope of becoming part of the daily rhythm of Israel. “We are coming home,” says Daniel, “and that is exactly where we are meant to be.” שומר שבת "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?". Couples / Individuals Psychotherapist – Life Coach
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South Florida Jewish Community Comes Together for Magen Society Launch What began as an idea to create a new kind of gathering place for South Florida’s Jewish community took a major step forward this week, as Magen Society welcomed a large crowd to its introductory event. The evening brought together community members from across South Florida in an atmosphere that was energetic, warm and welcoming — a night that felt less like a formal launch and more like the beginning of a new community. Guests met one another, exchanged ideas, built new connections and experienced firsthand the atmosphere Magen Society hopes to create: a place where people can connect, feel at home and know they belong. For Marc Shoshan, who helped develop the vision for Magen Society together with Victor Grillo, owner of Founders Shooting Club, the response was a powerful confirmation that there was a real demand for something different. The idea behind Magen was never simply to create another organization or another scheduled community program. Instead, the goal was to build a place where people could naturally spend time together — whether networking, relaxing, learning, meeting friends or simply enjoying the atmosphere. That vision was on display throughout the evening. Conversations formed organically across the room. Some guests arrived already knowing
one another, while others left with new friendships, contacts and business connections. The atmosphere remained lively throughout the event while maintaining the comfortable, welcoming feeling organizers hoped to achieve. Rather than centering the
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evening around a long formal program, much of the event was about allowing people to experience the club and connect with one another. That approach clearly resonated. Following the event, hundreds
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COMMUNITY NEWS of people expressed interest in becoming members of Magen Society, exceeding expectations and creating strong momentum for what comes next. For Shoshan, the response demonstrated that the community is looking for additional opportunities to connect outside of traditional settings. Magen Society was created around the idea that community building does not always have to happen around a podium or inside a formal event hall. Relationships can be built while watching a game, sharing a cigar, talking business, attending a class or simply sitting together and enjoying a conversation. Through its partnership with Founders Shooting Club, Magen Society is creating an environment centered around Jewish connection, confidence, networking and giving back. And the introductory evening was only the beginning. Moving forward, Magen Society plans to host monthly members-only events, while encouraging members themselves to help shape what comes next. Members will be invited to bring their own ideas for programs, gatherings, speakers, classes and experiences, allowing Magen Society to grow around the interests and needs of the community participating in it. The goal is not simply to create events for members, but to create a community with them. That sense of ownership was already evident during the launch, as guests discussed ideas for future programming and ways they
could become involved. With the response to the opening event surpassing expectations, organizers say membership space is limited. Applications are currently being considered on a firstcome, first-served basis as Magen Society begins building its membership community. The first evening may be over,
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but judging by the turnout, the new connections and the enthusiasm surrounding what comes next, Magen Society is already beginning to fulfill the vision behind it — a place where South Florida’s Jewish community can come together, feel at home and belong. Magen Society is just getting started.
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Failure, Regret, and Curiosity. A Story in Three Acts. By Menachem Dahan, LMHC - Bay Harbor Islands
In my clinical experience, regret stands out as one of the most influential emotions a person can feel. It surfaces most powerfully around choices, decisions, and the paths a person takes, precisely because those are the moments where responsibility for an outcome cannot be placed anywhere else. People do a great deal to avoid feeling it. Decisions get delayed, opportunities get passed over, and entire patterns of living get built around the goal of never having to feel it. Regret in Context. At the core, people are looking for genuine peace, which means two things. First, that the peace itself is genuine, not a performance of calm or a temporary lull between storms. Second, it comes as a result of being genuine, of living from a place that is actually true to who a person is rather than a place built on avoidance or image management. This kind of peace does not mean the absence of pain or difficult feelings. It is not a life free of hardship or discomfort. It refers instead to a minimal amount of tension or friction between a person and the life they are actually living, a sense that the life being lived and the person living it are not working against each other. There are different avenues that lead a person to recognize this need. Some realize they are constantly chasing surface-level experiences like pleasure and validation. These are real parts
of life, and there is nothing wrong with wanting them. But when they become the only goal, when they become the measure of a good day or a good life, frustration inevitably follows. Life is more substantial than that. It has depth and weight that pleasure and validation alone cannot provide. The difficulty is that this substance rarely feels as potent in the moment as those lighter, more immediate experiences do. A person can know intellectually that connection or meaning matters more than a compliment or a rush of pleasure and still feel the compliment land harder in the moment. Another avenue comes from a different recognition, the sense that something is getting in the way of simply being genuine, of
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simply living. This might show up as a vague dissatisfaction even when things are going well, or a feeling of performing a life rather than living one. People who arrive at this avenue often cannot immediately name what stands in the way. They only know that something does. When a person tries to grasp the core of who they are, going directly sounds intuitive. What do I actually think and feel about myself, beneath the roles and habits? But asking the question so plainly often proves difficult and ineffective. Simply sitting down and asking directly rarely produces an honest answer, because the question is too big and too exposed to face head on. The self is such a subtle and refined personal experience that a person has to take another route to access it. Direct introspection tends to produce the answer a person already expects, or the answer they think they should give, rather than something new. Regret becomes one of those routes, one of those angles that reveals what a person feels and thinks about himself, and it does so in a specific way. It opens the door to a feeling of failure, which is already uncomfortable enough on its own, but what sits underneath that failure is often what actually frightens a person. Failure forces a person to leave the well built self they have grown comfortable with, the version built out of competence, control,
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COMMUNITY NEWS and a working sense of who they are, and underneath that familiar structure is something less defined, less proven, and far less comfortable to sit with. This is the deeper reason a wrong choice can feel disproportionate to the situation itself. The practical consequences of a bad decision can usually be managed. What is harder to manage is the exposure that follows, the sense of being asked to stand somewhere unfamiliar without the usual supports. That exposure places a person in a space that centers on who they are beneath the protections, stories, and accomplishments they typically point to in order to grasp who they are. Those things, a career, a reputation, and a role in the family, usually do a good job of standing in for identity, and regret has a way of stripping them away, at least temporarily. What surfaces beneath all of it is an unsettling sense of doubt about whether the self is a house of cards, about how solid the belief a person holds in himself really is once the usual supports are pulled back. There is real fear in finding out, and that fear is often strong enough that a person would rather not look. This fear connects to something larger. Choice sits at the core of being human, and because of that, it is a source of great anxiety. To possess real agency, to actually control the direction of one’s own life, sounds like something to be grateful for, and is often spoken about that way in passing, but taken seriously, it is
daunting. It means that outcomes belong to the person who chose them, and that ownership feels like the opposite of safety and security. It is far more comfortable to imagine that life happens to a person than to fully accept that a life is, in large part, being authored by that same person. This is why making a decision, even a minor one, opens that door a bit for many people. A decision that goes wrong and the regret felt afterward raises a question underneath the surface, one about whether failure opens a door to a room a person does not want to enter, a room that reminds them they control their life and that most failures and shortfalls trace back to their own hand. Whether that can be handled and, if not, how a person walks through life with any confidence after learning that about himself becomes the real weight carried forward from the experience. It is rarely the failed choice itself that lingers. It is what the failure seemed to reveal. That weight lands hardest because confidence and calm have always come from feeling secure, and this regretful experience reveals something else underneath that sense of security. It reveals fear, a tendency to spiral once failure arrives, and a concern that this reaction reaches beyond the single moment and colors daily living. A creeping anxiousness can settle in once a person knows what waits on the other side of failure, on the other side of regret, and life afterward can start to feel like something to be
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managed carefully so as not to trigger that room again. The Role of Being Curious. This is where curiosity enters. Curiosity does not remove the pain or the discomfort. It does not make the feeling of failure disappear or soften the exposure underneath it. What curiosity does is take the automatic narrative that many people fall into, the narrative that treats a single failure as a full verdict on character, and interrupts it. Instead of immediately concluding something damning about the self, curiosity turns toward the raw spot and simply asks what is happening here. It does not rush to fix the feeling or explain it away. It stays with it long enough to ask what is actually behind it. What is this fear made of. What does the spiral after a failure seem to be protecting? What is a person actually scared of when a decision goes wrong, and what is it that a person wants underneath that fear, the security being reached for, the version of himself being protected? These questions do not need to be answered in a single sitting. Curiosity is comfortable letting them sit unresolved, returning to them the way a person returns to something worth understanding rather than something that needs to be solved on the spot. This is what separates curiosity from judgment. Judgment moves quickly to a verdict, deciding in an instant what a failure says about a person’s worth or character. Curiosity moves slowly and stays close to the actual ex-
COMMUNITY NEWS perience, treating the fear, the spiral, and the discomfort as information rather than as proof of anything final. It allows a person to say that this is a part of me, not the whole me, and to keep exploring from that steadier place instead of retreating from it. This changes the relationship a person has with regret itself and with choice going forward. Regret no longer has to function as the automatic warning system that keeps a person from acting, the voice that makes each decision feel like a test with only one acceptable outcome. A person can still feel regretful when a choice goes wrong. The feeling is not being avoided or minimized. What changes is what that feeling is al-
lowed to mean. It becomes something to sit with and understand rather than something that forces a person back into the cycle of protecting the well-built self at all costs. This is what makes it possible to keep choosing, to keep taking action in a life that matters, without needing every outcome guaranteed in advance. The cycle described above, where a bad choice threatens to expose something unbearable underneath, loses its grip once a person has practiced staying curious about that exposure instead of fleeing from it. Choice becomes livable again, not because the stakes have gotten smaller, but because the person has found a way to survive being wrong.
Curiosity means saying, beyond simply learning about the feeling, that there is no fear here, only a wish to learn more. Tell me more about myself, curiosity says, rather than tell me the verdict. And in that shift, from verdict to inquiry, a person begins to find the very peace that was being sought from the start, not a life without pain, but one with minimal friction between the person and the life they are living, genuine because it was arrived at honestly, and lasting because it did not depend on never failing again. Menachem Dahan is a psychotherapist in South Florida. mdahanpsychotherapy.com
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Operation Inspiration: In Sheep’s Clothing By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
There’s a common proverbial phrase about a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It refers to the idea of a wolf, trying to infiltrate a flock of sheep without being detected, wearing a fleecy costume so as to be viewed by the shepherd as just another sheep in the flock. Then, he will be able to kill and devour as many sheep as he likes. In non-farm terms, it has come to mean a person who ingratiates himself into a certain group, pretending to be like them, but really, he’s dangerous and ready to pounce. This phrase is a warning for us to look out for impostors and not be fooled by external appearances. But I wondered. What would happen if a wolf wore the sheep’s clothing for so long that he forgot he was a wolf? What if he thought he was a sheep, who just happened to like to eat other sheep? He might believe he was unfairly targeted as the enemy, when he is in fact just one of the gang, and just because his habits are a bit different, that’s no reason to treat him differently. Worse, it could be that other sheep would start to idolize this wolf in sheep’s clothing, thinking that his strength, brazen courage, and cleverness make him the greatest sheep around. Then, the flock would be doomed, as more and more sheep tried to emulate the predator. They would forget the natural instincts that make them sheep, perhaps begin attacking other sheep, and not remembering safety protocols they used to protect them from the wolves.
And it all begins with a white fleece, declaring to everyone, “Look at me! I’m a sheep!” Chazal tell us, “B’chol ais yihiyu begadecha levanim – Ensure that your clothing is always white.” We are to remain free from sin, beyond reproach, and exude holiness and purity. But what happens when the white clothing we wear is a subterfuge, like the sheep’s clothing worn by the wolf? What happens when we look the part for so long that we forget there’s a wolf underneath? Sadly, it happens. Many Jewish People wear their righteousness not only on their sleeves, but as their sleeves. They step into the costume of Torah-loving Jews, but then perpetrate acts as heinous as the wolf. I don’t have to list a litany of sins, because A) I don’t want to speak ill of Klal Yisrael as a whole and B) because if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll be able to find our own flaws and inconsistencies. My intent isn’t to badmouth others, but to help us all reconsider our views of our-
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selves and see us for who we truly are. Then we can change for the better. Let me tell you a story of Bitachon. I pulled up to a shopping strip. I parked my car in the lot, and noticed a large SUV parked in the fire lane in front of a restaurant. There were parking spots twenty feet away, but this person didn’t opt for that. Instead, he broke the law, inconvenienced others, and acted like a very entitled, selfish person. It was there a good few minutes, and when the driver finally came limping out of the store (he did have a minor gait issue) someone told him, “People were upset. And you have to be careful; you could get a $100 ticket for parking there.” The fellow’s response was, “I trust in Hashem. If He wants me to get a ticket, what can I do?” This beautiful garment of “trust in Hashem” was actually a decoy used to camouflage his lack of concern or respect for other people or the law, and he didn’t even realize it! He was likely so proud of his pure faith that he didn’t grasp his actions were more like the wolf than the sheep. My daughter in Eretz Yisrael asked me how protestors against the draft could throw themselves in front of moving buses. What happened to guarding your life? They’re going against the Torah to protect what they believe will protect the Torah; does that make sense? And the answer is, sadly, no. But that’s what happens when we feel so pious that our moral
COMMUNITY NEWS outrage goes against Hashem’s will. That may be a clue the white clothing isn’t really ours. If your Rav doesn’t hold of the Eruv but another does, don’t go and cut the Eruv to make people unwittingly be mechalel Shabbos. That’s not making Hashem proud of you. If you look like an ehrliche Yid, make sure you do business like an ehrliche Yid. Sadly, many people in sheep’s clothing let the wolf out in front of others and cause a Chillul Hashem. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Deep down, we are Tzon Kedoshim, Hashem’s holy flock. As we approach Elul and the Yomim Noraim, let’s take a close look at ourselves, work to be who we truly should be, and finally get comfortable in our own skin.
2026 – All Rights Reserved Did you enjoy this column? Feedback is welcome and appreciated. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com to share your thoughts. You never know when you may be the lamp that enlightens someone else.
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Twenty Rabbanim From Around the World Unite for Elul Inspiration 5786 As Klal Yisroel turns its attention toward the Yamim Nora’im, Tehillim on Klaf Tefilah is presenting its fifth annual Elul Inspiration series, bringing together 20 distinguished Rabbanim and Torah leaders from communities around the world. Throughout Chodesh Elul, the participating Rabbanim will share brief, uplifting messages of chizuk designed to help viewers approach the Yamim Nora’im with greater inspiration, focus, and spiritual connection. Each speaker will offer a unique perspective on the avodah of Elul and the opportunities this meaningful month provides for teshuvah, renewed tefilah, personal growth, and a deeper connection to Hashem. The concise format allows viewers to take away a practical and inspiring message from each presentation and carry it with them throughout Elul. The distinguished lineup includes the Grand Biala Rebbe, Shlita; Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Beis Din of the Chicago Rabbinical Council; Rabbi Michael Taubes of Congregation Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck; Rabbi Shalom Rokeach of Khal Birkas Shesh in Monsey; Rabbi Judah Kerbel of Queens Jewish Center; Rabbi Reuven Goldstein of Young Israel of Elkins Park in Philadelphia; and Rabbi Heshy Blumstein of Yismach Moshe in Woodmere. International participants include Rabbi Dovid Lewin of Mosdos Ahavas Yehonoson in Beit Shemesh; Rabbi Gavriel Fogelman of Elwood Shule in Australia; Rabbi Chizkiyahu Nebenzahl, Chief Rab-
Biala Rebbe
Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Bais Din, CRC
Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, Chief Rabbi of the Netherlands
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Biton, Cong Magen David, North Miami Beach
Rabbi Chanan Gordon
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Rabbi Nasan Maimon, Breslov Torah
bi of the Old City of Yerushalayim; Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, Chief Rabbi of the Netherlands; Rabbi Nasan Maimon of Breslov Torah in Yerushalayim; Rabbi Elimelech Vanzetta, Chief Rabbi of Basel, Switzerland; Rabbi Elchonon Feldman of Bushey United Shul in London; and Rabbi Sam Taylor of Shaarei Shomayim in Toronto. Additional participating Rabbanim include Rabbi Aryeh Dachs of Congregation Ohr Torah in North Woodmere; Rabbi Chanan Gordon of Los Angeles; Rabbi Aryeh Leib Zell of Khal Bais Hillel; Rabbi Yisroel Rokeach, a TorahAnytime lecturer in Lakewood; and Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Biton of Congregation Magen David in North Miami Beach. Although they serve a wide range of communities and represent diverse backgrounds, the speakers are united by a common purpose: to help Klal Yisroel make meaningful use of the precious days of Elul and prepare for the Yamim Nora’im with renewed commitment and inspiration. Elul Inspiration 5786 is livestreamed at 8:00 p.m. EDT on each speaker’s scheduled evening. For the complete schedule and to watch the presentations, visit TehillimOnKlaf.org
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Before Israel Votes: Why the Largest Party Doesn’t Always Win
PART THREE OF A SERIES EXPLAINING ISRAEL’S POLITICAL SYSTEM BEFORE ISRAELIS GO TO THE POLLS
By Stephen M. Flatow
Imagine this headline after an American presidential election: “Candidate Wins the Most Votes—but Doesn’t Become President.” Americans would immediately assume something had gone terribly wrong. In Israel, however, that outcome is entirely possible. In fact, it has happened more than once. That is because Israelis do not directly elect their prime minister. Instead, they elect a 120-member Knesset. Only after those election results are known does the process of forming a government begin. Here’s how it works. Once the election results are certified, Israel’s president meets with representatives of every political party that won seats in the Knesset. Each party recommends the member of the Knesset it believes has the best chance of assembling a governing coalition. Notice the key phrase: the best chance. The president is not required to ask the leader of the largest party to form the government. Rather, the president gives the first opportunity to the person most likely to assemble a coalition commanding the support of at least 61 members of the Knesset. That number—61—is the most important number in Israeli politics.
Since the Knesset has 120 members, any government must enjoy the support of a majority. One party almost never wins an outright majority. Instead, several parties negotiate with one another to create a coalition government. That negotiation can take days or even weeks. Parties bargain over cabinet positions, committee chairmanships and policy priorities. Coalition agreements spell out how the government will operate and what legislation the parties agree to pursue. This is where many Americans become confused. Suppose Party A wins 30 seats, Party B wins 28, and several smaller parties divide the remaining seats.
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An American instinctively concludes that Party A has won the election. Not necessarily. If Party A cannot persuade enough other parties to join it, while Party B succeeds in assembling a coalition of 61 or more members, the leader of Party B may become prime minister despite finishing second. The election determines the arithmetic. The coalition determines the government. That also explains why relatively small parties often receive so much media attention. A party with six or seven seats may seem insignificant to an American observer. In Congress, such a small bloc would rarely determine who occupies the White
COMMUNITY NEWS House. In Israel, those same six or seven seats may provide the votes needed to reach 61. As a result, smaller parties often wield influence far beyond their size. Critics sometimes complain that these parties have “too much power.” Supporters respond that coalition government ensures broader representation by requiring larger parties to work with smaller ones. Reasonable people can disagree about which system is better. The important point is that Israel’s system was designed differently. It seeks to build governing coalitions that reflect the country’s political diversity rather than producing a winner-take-all result. Once a coalition agreement is completed, the proposed government is presented to the Knesset for approval. If it wins the confidence of at least 61 members, the new government takes office. Only then does Israel officially have a prime minister. As you follow this election, don’t focus only on
which party finishes first. Instead, ask a different question: Who can get to 61? That question, more than any other, will determine who governs Israel after the votes are counted. Stephen M. Flatow, attorney, author and longtime writer on Israel and Jewish affairs who divides his time between Jerusalem and New Jersey.
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After Years of Neglect, Record Enforcement Signals Shift in Battle for Area C A new Civil Administration report shows record enforcement against illegal Palestinian construction in Judea and Samaria. Regavim: “We are witnessing a dramatic change on the ground, and now the numbers prove it.” August 11, 2026 — After years of warning about what it describes as the Palestinian Authority’s campaign to establish a de facto state in Area C through illegal construction, agricultural land grabs and internationally funded projects, the Regavim Movement says newly released Civil Administration data points to a dramatic shift in Israeli enforcement policy. The Civil Administration’s annual enforcement report for 2025 records the demolition of 956 illegal Palestinian structures in 913 enforcement cases, the highest level recorded in four decades. According to the report, 2025 was also the first year in which the number of illegal structures demolished exceeded the number constructed during the same year. Approximately 75% of the structures addressed in 2025 had already existed before the beginning of the year. The report recorded 1,258 cases of illegal Palestinian construction during 2025 and 1,005 demolition orders. It also concludes that increased enforcement over the past two years has created significant deterrence, contributing to a slow-
Credit Regavim
down in illegal construction in several parts of Area C, including the Jordan Valley, firing zones, major transportation corridors and areas adjacent to Israeli communities. The Civil Administration report devotes a section to what it terms the “battle for Area C.” It documents hundreds of Palestinian Authority and internationally funded projects involving construction, agriculture, infrastructure, roads and water, among other efforts aimed at establishing a permanent presence in Area C. The report records 465 European Union-funded projects among those tracked over the years. For years, Regavim has documented what it describes as the Palestinian Authority’s systematic effort to establish control over Area
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C through strategically placed illegal structures, agricultural land grabs and systematic land registration, much of it supported by foreign governments and international organizations. The Regavim Movement responded: “After years of virtually ignoring the enormous challenge developing across Judea and Samaria, and the Palestinian Authority’s effort to establish a de facto state with the assistance of foreign governments, we are now witnessing a dramatic change on the ground, and the data proves it. “Law and order are the cornerstones of a better future for all residents and for the State of Israel as a whole. There is a quiet battle for
COMMUNITY NEWS control of Area C being waged by the Palestinian Authority and its supporters. The tools are strategically placed illegal structures, agricultural land grabs and systematic land registration, funded by the European Union at the expense of the rights of the State of Israel and its citizens. “The recently published enforcement data sends a clear message to those who choose to trample those rights under the guise of ‘humanitarian aid’: Israel, its government, its judicial system and its citizens will no longer tolerate this illegal activity. “Israel is at a critical and historic turning point. We are committed to demanding that this trend continue and that Israel’s national interests be protected.
Credit Regavim
“We commend Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Settlement Directorate for leading the determined policy that produced these results.”
For interviews, please contact: Naomi Kahn, Director of Regavim’s International Division, at +972-52-238-1039.
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Jewish Radio Show “Shalom South Florida” Celebrating 40 Years On South Florida Airwaves On Sunday, August 9th and 16th, South Florida’s popular Jewish radio program, “Shalom South Florida” and its longtime host, Roni, will celebrate forty years of Jewish radio in South Florida. This dynamic music program is heard every Sunday morning between 9:30- 11:00am, and features Israeli, Chassidic and Yiddish music, prizes, Jewish comedy, interviews and news features, as well as other items of interest for Florida’s large Jewish community. Roni, who holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Florida International University, is the longest running Jewish radio show host, and one of the most veteran radio personalities, in Florida’s history, entering the arena in August of 1986. “What a privilege it has been to unite the Jewish community and share music and culture every Sunday for four decades,” says Roni, a 48-year resident of South Florida, who takes great pride in the fact that his program features one of the largest Jewish music collections in the world. “I never imagined we would still be going strong and gaining in popularity forty years later!” On-air festivities will take place during August, and will peak during the extended 2000th episode of the show on Sunday, August 16th, when Roni will be giving away prizes (including tickets, gift certificates, and more), and playing the most-requested and most-popular Jewish music,
9:30am - 11:00am on The True Oldies Chanel (1420AM and 1470AM; 95.3FM, 96.9FM and 106.9FM; www.ShalomSouth Florida.com; on most radio apps; and as a podcast on the show’s website). Studio phone/contest number during the show: (877) 960-9960. To contact the program during the week, call 561-750-0888, or e-mail to roni@shalomsouthflorida.com
including the very first song he played during his debut broadcast 40 years ago. The anniversary celebration promises to be an exciting show for first-time listeners and regulars alike. “Shalom South Florida” airs every Sunday morning between
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The statios/frequencies: Palm Beaches: 95.9FM, 106.9FM, & 1420AM South Palm Beach: 95.3FM, 1420AM North Broward: 1420AM Miami-Dade: 1420AM Worldwide at www.ShalomSouthFlorida.com For more information about the program, visit: www.ShalomSouthFlorida.com To schedule an interview: (561) 750-0888 or roni@shalomsouthflorida.com
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Do You Feel Safe Wearing Jewish Symbols in Public? By Dr. Chaim Y. Botwinick
In last week’s Baltimore Jewish Times on-line poll, people were asked: “Do you feel unsafe wearing Jewish symbols in public?” Fifty-four percent said yes and 46% said no. Although this finding was not totally surprising, the responses were nevertheless disconcerting. Just imagine, over half of those polled expressed fear or concern regarding their respective display of Jewish identity in public. This finding as well as similar recent surveys suggest that the levels of antisemitism and Jew-hatred today are not only on the increase but have reached a level of unimaginable magnitude. It is truly unbelievable that we have reached a point in history where members of our Jewish community are actually frighten to display symbols of Jewish identity in public. It is both troubling and foreboding. To be sure, the fact that such percentages exist suggests a condition or a new reality which demands close
review and examination. About two years ago, I met a beautiful couple in their early 80’s from France over Shabbat lunch. They told us that they were recently forced to remove their mezuzot from their apartment doorposts for fear of violent anti-Semitic violent break-ins and vile graffiti on their doors. They also told us that they no longer wear kippot in public, for fear of their safety. It was so sad to hear this elderly couple describe how they were being forced to live in such fear. During the conversation, they both recounted that when they were children during the Holocaust and how they both hide from the German SS by lying flat and still beneath the wood-
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en baseboards of a farmhouse just several miles outside a small farming village in France. It was a familiar story of amazing courage, survival and resilience. Ironically, today in France, members of the Jewish community are still hiding their Jewish identity and many are now in the process of making aliya to Israel in order to escape violent Jew hatred. Since that Shabbat, I lost contact with them, but the last I heard, they did in fact made aliya to Israel where they are now living peacefully with members of their family their grandchildren. This is just one of a million stories of how throughout history achienu needed to cover up and hide their Jewish identity in order to survive as Jews. Indeed a very familiar story. Raising children in today’s harsh anti-Semitic environment is one of my greatest concerns. As adults, many of us have either experienced acts of antisemitism and Jew hatred or have family and friends who have experienced acts of Jew-hatred including those who survived the horrors of the Holocaust. To be sure, it truly painful to hear like a dagger in our hearts when we witness Holocaust survivors reliving this horror today in real time. Friends, it goes without say that it now behooves our Jewish community to take on this evil hatred in our community and ramp up our consternation,
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COMMUNITY NEWS dismay and call to action. But the challenge remains, how? The Role and Responsibility of our Schools When our children are exposed to these ills of society, whether by overhearing conversations at home, on the news, or from a friend in the neighborhood or school playground we must do everything in our control to enable them to feel safe, secure and proud that they are Jews. One way to confront this challenge is by helping our children appreciate and celebrate their Jewish identity and pride through specially designed educational programs, initiatives and experiences. The role and responsibility of schools must be to redouble their
efforts in providing our students with the resources required to celebrate and inspire their Jewish identity. First and foremost, it is essential that our Jewish day schools and yeshivot make Judaism joyful and inviting and not just demanding. As such, we know that true pride does not come from memorizing facts and events, but rather from positive personal, communal and familial experiences. Our students must be inspired to engage in positive Jewish experiential initiatives that have powerful long and short term affective impact. In addition to the variety of affective and experiential learning opportunities, students should be exposed to the most inspir-
ing teachers, rabbeim, scholars and Torah texts in order to more fully appreciate their impact on Jewish identity and practice. This affective impact does not happen in a vacuum. As we know, schools are powerful resources of Jewish knowledge, identity and experience. As such, they can have a remarkably important and positive impact on student Jewish identity, behavior and attitude.. When a student questions whether he/she should wear a Jewish symbol in public, be it a kippah, tzitzit or a magen david neklace, the student is essentially asking is it safe. It is therefore imperative that schools, parents and communities do everything in their power in order to ensure emotionally
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COMMUNITY NEWS and physically safe environments for their children. The Role of Parents and Families The role and responsibility of schools takes place in partnership with parents and families. Way too many of our children are exposed at home to discussions, debates and conversations about anti-Semitism and Jew-hatred. These uncensored conversations, over an extended period of time can have a very damaging and detrimental impact on the psychological, social and emotional well-being of our children. Protecting our children against the fear of anti-Semitism requires open communication, proactive engagement and emotional resilience. It also requires a home school environments that respect boundaries and those that respond to this evolving crisis with sensitivity and understanding. It therefore behooves parents to reassure, acknowledge and validate a child’s feelings of fear, confusion, anger and at the same time make the child feel safe and secure. An integral part of this process requires that families do everything in their power to encourage and display strong levels of Jewish identity through ongoing practice and conversation. This also includes parents who exhibit public pride through Jewish practice and behavior, where it be in their shuls, community centers, neighborhood shopping centers, airports or other public domains. When an act of antisemitism or Jew-hatred is publicized on the world stage or in a communi-
ty, it is essential that parents get a head of the curve by not sounding alarm-bells but rather by calmly discussing it through age appropriate conversations. Reality dictates that global antisemitism and Jew hatred is on the rise. It therefore makes tremendouse sense to assume that our children will unfortunately be exposed to this evil with greater frequency. Finally, it is imperative that parents continuously celebrate and bolster their Jewish identity at home, especially in the presence of their children. Our children should never for one moment ever second guess their Jewish identity, nor should they be put in a position to view their Jewish pride and identity through the dark clouds or shadows of anti-Semitic hatred or in response to this hatred. To this end, we must do everything in our power to always feel secure, safe, confident and proud to wear our Jewish symbols in public spaces. This includes parents who must model
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this important behavior. By doing, we confront the very hatred and fear which aims to destroy us. At the end of the day, we should all feel proud, with no exception to wear Jewish symbols in public. It must be our undeniable right, choice, obligation, and responsibility to ourselves, to our community and to our children. As a mamlechet kohanim and as an Or laGoyim we were all created bzelem elokim – a reality which demands Jewish pride in private and in the public domain. Am Yisrael Chai ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Chaim Botwinick is a senior executive coach and an organizational consultant . He served as president and CEO of the central agency for Jewish education in Baltimore and in Miami; in addition to head of school and principal for several Jewish day schools and yeshivot. As an Influencer, he has published and lectured extensively on topics relating to education, resource development, strategic planning and leadership development. Dr. Botwinick is Author of “Think Excellence: Harnessing Your Power to Succeed Beyond Greatness”, Brown Books, 2011
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Doroni Aerospace Welcomes Faa Mosaic Milestone Regulatory Update Reinforces Company’s Vision for the Future of Personal Flight DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - Doroni Aerospace, a trailblazer in the American personal electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) arena, today welcomed a major milestone for the future of personal aviation as the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) framework officially became fully effective, establishing a defined regulatory framework and accepted consensus standards for qualifying light sport electric powered-lift aircraft such as the Doroni H1-X. Doroni made the strategic decision years ago to develop the H1-X as a two seat personal electric powered-lift aircraft. The company believed personal ownership would become one of the largest opportunities in aviation, designing the H1-X from day one around simplicity, safety and everyday practicality. "Since founding Doroni, our mission has been to make personal flight a reality," said Doron Merdinger, Founder and CEO of Doroni Aerospace. "We believe the future of aviation would extend beyond commercial fleets and into personal ownership. Seeing the FAA establish a regulatory frame-
work that aligns with that vision is an exciting milestone for our company and for the future of personal flight. There is still important work ahead. Engineering, testing and certification remain our top priorities. What has changed is that one of the industry's biggest regulatory uncertainties now has a much clearer framework, giving us even greater confidence as we continue executing our roadmap." The MOSAIC framework modernizes Light Sport Aircraft regulations by embracing new technologies, including electric propulsion and electric powered-lift aircraft, while utilizing accepted industry consensus standards to support certification. The framework provides greater regulatory clarity for manufacturers developing the next generation of personal aircraft. While this milestone represents significant progress, the H1-X is not yet certified. Doroni continues advancing the aircraft
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through engineering, prototype development and certification activities required to demonstrate compliance with all applicable FAA regulations and accepted industry standards. For more questions about Doroni Aerospace, please visit their website or contact James Lambert, Vice President at Rubenstein Public Relations, at jlambert@ rubnesteinpr.com or at 212-8053024. You may also contact Stephen Francy, Vice President at Rubenstein Public Relations, at sfrancy@rubensteinpr.com or at 212-805-3017. About Doroni Aerospace: Doroni Aerospace is a Dania Beach, Florida-based advanced air mobility company developing the H1-X, a two seat personal electric powered-lift aircraft designed to make personal flight safe, practical and accessible. Combining advanced aerodynamics, proprietary SOUL AI™ technology and multiple redundant safety systems, Doroni is building the next generation of personal transportation with a mission to make personal flight a reality.
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K IDS Z ONE KIDS ZONE . .. T A H T W O N K U O DID Y
COOL RANDOM FACTS 1. Octopuses have three hearts. Two hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third pumps blood to the rest of the body. 2. Bananas are berries—but strawberries aren’t! According to botanists, bananas meet the definition of a berry, while strawberries are classified as aggregate accessory fruits. 3. Honey never really spoils. Thanks to its low moisture and natural acidity, properly stored honey can last for thousands of years. Archaeologists have even found edible honey in ancient Egyptian tombs! 4. Trees can “talk” to each other. Through underground networks of fungi connected to their roots, trees can exchange nutrients and chemical signals. These networks can even help neighboring trees respond to threats like insects or disease. 5. A day on Venus is longer than its year. Venus takes 243 Earth days to rotate once, but only 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun.
6. Your stomach grows a new lining every few days. This constant renewal protects your stomach from being damaged by its own powerful digestive acids 7. Butterflies taste with their feet. Tiny sensors on their feet help them find the right plants to lay their eggs on and to check if a plant is good to eat. 8. Lightning is about five times hotter than the Sun’s surface. A lightning bolt can reach temperatures of around 30,000°C (54,000°F), compared with the Sun’s surface at about 5,500°C (9,900°F). 9. A well-shuffled deck of cards is almost certainly in an order that has never existed before. There are about 8 × 10⁶⁷ possible ways to arrange a 52-card deck—far more than the estimated number of atoms on Earth! 10. The Eiffel Tower gets taller in the summer. As the metal warms up and expands, the tower can grow by about 15 cm (6 inches) on a hot day.
K IDS Z ONE KIDS ZONE FIND THE DIFFERENT PICTURE
UNSCRAMBLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS ABOUT
COOL RANDOM FACTS 1. SCTOOPU
6. S M O T A C H
2. RYBER
7. R Y F T T U B L E
3. NEYHO
8. T H N L I I G N G
4. RETE
9. S D R C A
5. NVEUS
10. F L F E I E
5. VENUS 6. STOMACH 7. BUTTERFLY 8. LIGHTNING 9. CARDS 10. EIFFEL
ANSWERS: 1. OCTOPUS 2. BERRY 3. HONEY 4. TREE
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Ingredients • 4 cups unsweetened hibiscus tea prepared according to instructions • 1 medium apple cored and thinly sliced • 1 lemon thinly sliced • 1 lime thinly sliced • 6 cups soda water • Ice • Garnish: pomegranate arils and mint leaves Preparation
1. In a large pitcher, stir tea, apples, lemon wheels, lime wheels, and soda together. 2. Pour over ice into glasses. Garnish with arils and mint, and serve.
Jamie Geller is the Chief Media and Marketing Officer at Aish. She is also a bestselling cookbook author, celebrity chef, television producer, and businesswoman. She’s the author of eight cookbooks and the founder of Kosher Media Network.
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REAL ESTATE & FINANCE
The Retirement Bucket Strategy By Glen R. Golish
One of the biggest challenges in retirement is knowing where income should come from. Should you withdraw from cash? Sell investments? Use retirement accounts? Take income from another source? Without a clear system, retirement withdrawals can become confusing and emotional, especially during market volatility. That is where the bucket strategy can help. The idea is simple. Instead of treating all retirement money the same, divide assets based on when they are likely to be needed. At G Wealth Strategies, we often explain this using three buckets. The first bucket is short-term money. This is money needed soon for monthly expenses, emergencies and near-term obligations. It should generally be stable and accessible. The purpose is not aggressive growth. The purpose is confidence and liquidity. The second bucket is medium-term money. This money may be needed over the next several years. It can often be invested more conservatively than long-term assets but may still seek some return. This bucket can help refill the short-term bucket over time. The third bucket is long-term money. This is money designed for later retirement years, legacy goals or future needs. Because it has a
longer time horizon, it may be positioned for growth. The beauty of this strategy is that it connects investment decisions to real-life needs. Money needed next year should not carry the same risk as money needed 15 years from now. A bucket strategy can also help retirees avoid selling growth investments during a market downturn. If markets are temporarily down, the retiree may be able to use short-term reserves while giving longer-term investments time to recover. This can bring emotional stability. Retirement is not only a math problem. It is a human experience. People make better decisions when they feel prepared. A bucket strategy can also help with family conversations. Spouses and adult children can better understand where income is coming from, what money is available and what money is intended for future needs.
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That clarity matters. In Jewish tradition, we prepare before major moments. We do not wait until Friday afternoon to begin thinking about Shabbat. We plan ahead so that what matters most can be experienced with peace. Retirement deserves that same type of preparation. A final thought: A retirement portfolio should not be one pile of money with no purpose. Each dollar should have a job. Some dollars provide today’s income. Some dollars protect tomorrow’s flexibility. Some dollars grow for the future. When those roles are clear, retirement can feel less uncertain and more intentional. About the Author: Glen R. Golish is the Founder and CEO of G Wealth Strategies and a Forbes-recognized Top Financial Security Professional. He works closely with families on comprehensive financial and estate planning, including cross-border considerations for those navigating U.S. and Israeli planning needs. Important Disclaimer: Please seek qualified legal and tax advice before implementing any planning strategies, in conjunction with guidance from G Wealth Strategies. Contact Information: 3010 N. Military Trail, Suite 318, Boca Raton, FL 33431 Office: 561-869-4600 | Cell: 561-239-9400 | www.gwealthstrategies.com Investment Advisory Contact: Yosef Benson yosef@gwealthstrategies.com, 786-3763548 Property & Casualty Insurance Contact Rafi Benzaquen rafi@gwealthstrategies.com, 516-476-6742
REAL ESTATE
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REAL ESTATE & FINANCE
Do As I Do, Not As I Say By Shmuel Shayowitz
Years ago, before I was married or owned a home, I was deep in the trenches of helping people get their own mortgages. I understood the numbers, guidelines, process, and pain points. At least I thought I did. Then I bought my first home, and I discovered how little I had actually known. Sitting on the other side of the table changed everything. After that closing, I completely revamped how I worked with first-time buyers, because I finally identified what they were feeling. The same thing happened again after I bought my first investment property. I became a better mentor the moment I was actually walking in their shoes. There is a difference between knowing something and living it … and the people we serve can always tell which one we’re doing. That lesson has stayed with me. That’s why, at this stage of my career, even though I have a team of people working under me, I’m still out there ‘originating’ loans. It would be easy to step away from the basics and simply manage, coach, and advise. I might have the leisure to step back from the front lines, but I wouldn’t. And while I am very selective about who I personally work with, I’m still out there - I speak with clients, pursue referral relationships, work through difficult scenarios, and look for new opportunities to refine my skills - on a daily basis. Not because I have to, but because
staying in the action is the only way to stay in touch with today’s nuance, today’s struggles, and today’s consumer. Contrast that with something I see constantly in the coaching and training world: seasoned professionals teaching strategies from decades ago. Markets change. Consumers change. Technology and expectations change. Advice that worked ten, twenty, or thirty years ago may still contain wisdom, but they’re describing a market that no longer exists, to a consumer who no longer behaves that way. And when I stand in front of my own team for our weekly meetings, I want to be able to say, comfortably and honestly, do as I do, not as I say. The same principle applies at home. Our spouses, children, and employees are very good at detecting mixed messages. We can speak about discipline while living carelessly, preach patience while reacting impulsively, or talk about priorities while constantly giving our attention elsewhere. The people closest to us are not only listening to what we say. They are watching what we do. Faith works the same way. It’s easy to talk about trusting God when nothing is on the line. It is easy to speak confidently about emunah when nothing is threatening us. It is easy to dismiss jealousy when someone else’s success does not touch a sensitive place in our own life. The real test comes
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when plans fall apart, business slows, a neighbor seems to be moving ahead faster, or an opportunity does not work out. That is when belief has to move us from language into behavior. In particular, real estate and money expose this quickly. People say they are long-term thinkers, but panic over short-term movement. They say they want to build wealth, but avoid the discomfort, discipline, and actions that ownership requires. They say they trust the process, but abandon it when the process becomes difficult. Our lives are a continuous work in progress. Our actions should support the values, advice, and confidence we share with others. When they do, we become better professionals, better leaders, and more trustworthy people. The strongest message is rarely the one we deliver. It is the one we consistently demonstrate. Shmuel Shayowitz (NMLS#19871) is a highly regarded Real Estate & Finance Executive, Writer, Speaker, Coach, and Advisor. He is President and Chief Lending Officer of Approved Funding, a privately held national mortgage banker and direct lender that has facilitated over $3 billion in mortgage funding. Shmuel has over twenty years of industry experience and holds numerous licenses and accreditations, including certified mortgage underwriter, licensed real estate agent, residential review appraiser, and accredited investor, to name a few. Shmuel has successfully navigated through many changing markets and business landscapes, making his market insights and experience well-coveted within the real estate industry. He can be reached via email at Shmuel@ approvedfunding.com.
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