MAY HE BLESS the SOLDIERS... Remembering Obama

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INSIDE FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK THE REAL GAZA NARRATIVE MindBiz BY LARRY GORDON Esther Mann, LMSW 23 Dear Diary Remembering Obama Hannah Reich Berman 32 The great democracy that is Raising Children Today America will do that which the Rivki Jungreis, MS Ed. 51 founding fathers originally envi- Body–Mind Connection sioned all those years ago, when Dr. Rachael E. Schindler 57 it rights itself and returns from the off-course route that this Book That Saved Lives country is being directed in. Dr. Rafael Medoff 68 Eventually it will be left to the historians to analyze the role in our history of the still rel- atively new administration of Noam Bedein of the Sderot Media Center has spent the last several years Barack Obama. It is becoming chronicling and campaigning on behalf of the people of Sderot and their many years of suffering as a result of having 12,000 missiles fired on Continued on Page 7 their city over the last eight years. See Page 49

MAY HE BLESS THE SOLDIERS... HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE Our Aliyah Chronicle whose head of the household Passing Over Passover BY SHMUEL KATZ was already too old to serve in the military when they made Bar Mitzvah of On the Wednesday before aliyah and will have no true BY LARRY GORDON soak in some warmth, do their Moshe Keller. Pesach, I took four of our kids to sense of what is involved, this is thing, and come to life. See Page 60 present gifts to 140 chayalim the only way to participate in Once the deluge here in the The revitalizing force that is bodedim (immigrant soldiers helping the troops. We have Northeast subsided—after the yom tov was quickly made who have no family in Israel) never stood a post or manned a storms that brought us an all- exceptionally clear to many. I serving in basic training for checkpoint. We can only imag- too-real reminder of the find that as the years and combat. My regular readers ine the hardships these young Splitting of the Sea—it turns out decades go by, we head into the know that this type of activity is men and women face. So we try that this Passover was one very rest that the holiday hopefully a special thrill for my family. to make things a bit nicer for special and beautiful yom tov. offers with increased anticipa- Our shul had even participat- them and help ease their day-to- Right in the middle of the chag, tion and even a Pavlovian saliva- ed by having the children draw day lives. winter packed its bags and head- tion. Hard work has its rewards, pictures for the soldiers, com- Unbeknownst to me, the ed for unknown environs else- and one of those is the insulated plete with messages of support. where on the globe. Finally the For families of olim like ours, Continued on Page 6 buds on the trees were able to Continued on Page 9 Reaching Out To Special Friends Second yahrzeit of Honorifics PIZZA AND FRIES Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt’l. Another Mother’s Musings See Page 11 And Honor BY PHYLLIS J. LUBIN B Y RABBI AVI SHAFRAN “No more Pesach?” Yussie This year, the yahrzeit of inquired this morning. Rebbetzin Zahava Braunstein, “Not until next year, sweety,” the 25th day of Adar, fell out in I explained. the thick of the recent brouha- “But why this?” Yussie was ha over an Orthodox rabbi’s referring to the new “Pesadik” conferring of a rabbinical title vinyl tablecloth on the kitchen on a woman. For anyone who table. knew Rebbetzin Braunstein, or “I think we’ll use this all year even of her, the coincidence round and buy a new one next carries a lesson. year.” Winners of the Ohel essay contest, pictured at the organization’s annual Mrs. Braunstein was a “reb- We tend to do these kinds of Councilman David Greenfield benefit dinner in Manhattan (L–R): Jared Rosen, Baila Gunsburg, Yaffa sworn in. See Page 38 Jacobson, Zehava Shayna Seidman, and Rivka Lubin. See Page 33 Continued on Page 18 Continued on Page 19

CANDLE LIGHTING April 9 – 7:09 PM April 16 – 7:17 PM 2 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 3 4 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 5 ALIYAH CHRONICLE He has seen action in Gaza, identified and FEATURES Continued from Front Cover detained a terrorist carrying a bomb at a checkpoint in the West Bank, and carries Around The Five Towns 33 commander of the base decided to make our pride with him wherever he goes. P.O. BOX 690 LAWRENCE, NY 11559 a formal ceremony out of the presenta- For my sister and brother-in-law, it has 516-984-0079 tion. They put out some light refresh- been a draining few years. They share in [email protected] Classified Ads 66 ments (for soldiers who had just trained his fierce pride at all his accomplish- [email protected] in the field for four days, this was a spe- ments and are overwhelmed by his deter- LARRY GORDON ESTA J. GORDON cial treat) and then assembled everyone mination to do his best for the country. Publisher/Editor Managing Editor The Dish for a formal presentation. The command- Yet, they are also gravely concerned YOSSI GORDON, YOCHANAN GORDON Elke Probkevitz 26 Sales Managers er said some nice things to the troops and about his safety, knowing all too well the then asked me to say a few words. risks that he faces and the possibility— CHANA ROCHEL ROSS Editorial Assistant Five Towns Simcha I told the soldiers how proud of them shared by all families with children in we were and that our presence (and the military—that he could be injured (or SIDI BARON Ira Thomas Creations 60, 70 YAKOV SERLE presents) were not something we need- worse) in action. Sales Representatives ed thanks for but were rather an expres- My nephew had been taking a special SHMUEL GERBER MICHELE JUSTIC Health 26 sion of our thanks to them. I told them course over the past few weeks. I am not Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor how we are only giving from our sure what he needed to learn. I think it was CONTRIBUTING EDITORS money, which pales in comparison to some kind of new equipment that he need- Hannah Reich Berman, Anessa V. Cohen, Insights On The Torah what they bring to the table. I thanked ed to operate. So, for a few short weeks, he Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg, Toby Klein Greenwald, them for their dedication and commit- was off the front lines and spending week- Rabbi Yair Hoffman, R’ Yanki Tauber 30, 48 Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Shmuel Katz, ment to our country and in putting ends at home with his family. Phyllis J. Lubin, Esther Mann, Rochelle Miller, Luach 13 themselves and their lives (literally) on On Friday, erev Shabbat HaGadol, he Elke Probkevitz, Naomi Ross, the line for our safety. was at home (having completed the Dr. Rachael Schindler, Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow, We greeted each soldier personally and training course). He was due to rejoin his Rabbi Avi Shafran, Eli Shapiro, Ari Sher, Samuel Sokol MindBiz even shared dinner with them in the mess unit on Sunday. They were about to hall (my kids loved it). It was inspiring and come off the line themselves, having DOV GORDON, ELISHEVA ELEFANT Esther Mann, LMSW 23 Staff Graphic Artists humbling to be a part of making their almost completed a rotation in Gaza. lives more comfortable and pleasant. One of his buddies from his platoon had IVAN NORMAN, IRA THOMAS Staff Photographers Puzzle As we were still flying from that even posted a note on his Facebook page high, I got a call from my sister on saying, “LAST SHABBAT IN GAZA!” FRANKEL & CO. Yoni Glatt 44 Design & Production motzaei Shabbat. She asked how we That soldier never made it to Shabbat. TALIYE CORLEY were and then told us that she had a That afternoon, in an exchange of fire Art Director Real Estate terrible Shabbat with my oldest with terrorists at the border, two soldiers nephew, Yonatan. were killed in action with a third severely SARAH GREENBAUM Anessa V. Cohen 22 Assistant Art Director For those of you who don’t know, my wounded. Maj. Eliraz Peretz, one of the two

The Five Towns Jewish Times is an independent weekly news- nephew Yonatan is in the final months of dead soldiers, was the commander of their paper. Opinions expressed by writers and columnists are not That’s The Way It Is! his service in a combat unit. I have shared regiment, a man whose brother Uriel had necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We are not a couple of stories of his in this column been killed in Lebanon a decade earlier. At responsible for the kashrus or hashgachah of any product or Hannah Reich Berman 32 establishment advertised in the Five Towns Jewish Times. such as his draft day and the time he got a care package from a stranger in the USA. Continued on Page 10

6 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES FROM THE EDITOR s”xc Continued from Front Cover abundantly clear, however, that the president’s vision and ideas for a reconstituted and redefined America are not catching on and are not what the people—even those who overwhelmingly voted for him—really wanted. The future that was and possibly still is the Obama dream obviously tantalized a good share of this country and perhaps none more than the national Jewish community. We will not soon be offered the opportunity to forget the fact that 78 percent of Jewish voters cast ballots for Mr. Obama in the 2008 election. How or why it happened will be debated and discussed for a long time to come. For now, the important question is: what happens next time? First and foremost, it is imperative for Jewish voters to use our collective elec- toral clout to send the president a message next November that says we are unhappy with the fashion in which he is executing policy. And we have to make it abundantly clear that we are in particular displeased with the short-shrift fashion in which the president handled Prime Minister Netanyahu on his visit to Washington just prior to Pesach. Votes are the currency and the language of the political process; there is no other way. It’s essential that we understand that there is an important and even extreme double standard that is being implement- ed by the Obama administration. Israel has been severely criticized by the U.N., the Europeans, and the U.S. for the way in which it has been dealing with the terrorist scourge going back several decades. Israel has employed tactics, such as pilot- less drones and targeted killings of terrorists, that have been condemned for the way they kill possible criminals without employing due process, as well as for the collateral damage that these attacks sometime cause. Yet today these are precisely the tactics that are being used almost daily in the battle theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military has come to its senses, and the Obama administration has quietly changed the strategic approach to how America deals with terror and terror merchants. The tactics used at present are identical to those used by Israel, yet the world is trying to isolate Israel diplomati- cally and make the Jews in the Jewish state the pariahs of the world. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that now the U.S., under President Obama, has taken the next giant step and has gone further in dealing with terror than any previous administration. The U.S. is using the drone aircraft to

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5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 7 FROM THE EDITOR Somehow the terror merchants have comfortable with Israel being cast as Israel—a second term in office. Continued from Page 7 successfully managed to convince the hunters seeking to disrupt and affect the For now we have to set our communal world that terror has separate elements lives of small children. priorities on the midterm elections this hunt down—with orders to kill—a terror that the world needs to deal with on a The U.S. does not presently have these coming November. It is imperative that a leader who is also an American citizen. compartmentalized basis. For example, problems with world opinion. At the out- serious dent be made in the large The Al Qaeda terrorist is Anwar Al-Awlaki, there is the “political wing” of Hamas and set of his presidency, Barack Obama pro- Democratic majorities in both the House originally from New Mexico and now Hezbollah that Israel is reluctant to go jected an image of intending to engage all and the Senate. Not only will that send residing somewhere in Yemen. His after and simply kill the leadership of and terror leaders in diplomacy. He had this an urgent message to Mr. Obama, but it strength, according to previous stories thereby deliver a devastating attack on dream that would have all world lead- will also save our country here—the about Mr. Awlaki, is his American educa- the effectiveness and operations of these ers—legitimately elected as well as United States of America—from absorb- tion and his ability to converse in groups, which by definition operate in despots and dictators—reaching some ing setbacks that could take decades to English. For civil libertarians, the the shadows. kind of understanding that could be recover from. approach by Mr. Obama flies in the face In last year’s Gaza War, Israel had to eventually branded as world peace. It For Israel, it should not be lost on us of the man’s constitutional rights. make sure to show video footage taken took less than a year for Obama to come that we just completed a weeklong holi- Awlaki was the contact and inspiration from aircraft which demonstrated to the to the realization that his plan was day that focused almost exclusively on for the murders of thirteen U.S. service- how, despite overwhelming odds, we men last year in Fort Hood, Texas by became a nation, the people of Israel, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an army psy- and fastidiously maintained our people- chologist who was counseling soldiers While the U.S. daily hunts down hood while under the most adverse con- returning from the war fronts in ditions as slaves in Egypt. This was Afghanistan and Iraq. Whether he just accomplished by forgoing dependence mentally or emotionally cracked himself terrorists and their associates, on military strategists and hope in the or was pushed into the terror act by largesse of others. It also wouldn’t be a Awlaki is still part of the great specula- bad idea for Israeli leaders to forgo White tion on how such a dastardly and murder- Israel is now afraid to do likewise. House visits for a while. Mr. Obama, with ous act could take place right under the the assistance of the liberal Jews with noses of military officials. distorted views on Israel that he has sur- Today, Israel could easily deal a rounded himself with, is not a friend of severe and even irreversible blow to the world that prior to ordering a missile unworkable and nothing but a dream. Israel, despite the empty pronounce- terror leaders in Hamas building their strike the military had ascertained that Wheel out the drones and the bunker- ments to the contrary about security and mini-state in Gaza and to the Hezbollah the objects of the attack were engaging in buster bombs—here comes the U.S. trust amongst friends. organization that practically governs a terror operation. This means either This little history of fighting terror all Our political system mandates that we Lebanon as it stockpiles of tens of thou- loading missiles into trucks or actually spills into the experience that Israel’s be stuck with him for a while. But there sands of missiles, many already pointed preparing to fire rockets into Israel from prime minister walked into when visiting is also a mechanism in place that will at major cities in Israel. The odd thing missile launchers. Of course, once the the White House just before Pesach. shortly be available to us by which we here is that while the U.S. daily hunts deeds were done, the terror public-rela- Simply stated, the U.S. is stuck in battles can send a clear and stark message to Mr. down terrorists and their associates in tions apparatus disseminated informa- in Iraq and Afghanistan that Mr. Obama Obama—that electing him president in the mountainous regions between tion that said what looked like missiles has to extricate himself from in time for the first place was one very large nation- Afghanistan and Pakistan and has the being loaded onto a truck were actually the 2012 election. That is the only con- al mistake. O terrorists on the run, Israel is now afraid infant formula or baby diapers. The world ceivable way he will be able to wangle Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at to do likewise. preferred the latter explanation and was what will be especially dangerous for [email protected].

8 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES BAGEL STORE yom tov, many of these familial impres- side these same family tables. A few times him it was a song that came automatical- Continued from Front Cover sions are still fresh in my mind. Of course, I noticed myself pausing to observe the ly and almost reflexively over many I immersed myself and greatly enjoyed dynamics of some of these beautiful fam- decades. The elderly gentleman, who was nature of the seemingly sudden appear- the fact that G-d had bestowed upon us ilies. One time I heard a young father about 90 years of age, chimed in with the ance of two extra weekends magically the blessing of having four generations cajoling his possibly two-year-old son to two-year-old and sang animatedly. At one carved out of the middle of two consecu- sitting around the Seder table on those sing a traditional Pesach song that he had end of this generational equation it was a tive weeks. first two nights of the holiday. probably learned for the very first time in first celebration of the chag; at the other Where else do we find a group of peo- But being away and at times being sur- some playgroup or preschool just a few it was the same song that has been sung ple transforming an entire week into a rounded by hundreds of other people as weeks prior to yom tov. for more than nine decades. Both child semi-otherworldly existence? On top of we dined, I had the opportunity to look The words and melody were of the tra- and great-grandfather featured broad that sensational phenomenon, we take at the reality of the situation in an objec- ditional “Daiy-Daiyeinu” from the smiles along with wide-eyed enthusiasm. two midweek days—a Tuesday and a tive fashion. I looked around at long rec- Haggadah, featuring our ode and expres- This year, Pesach was the kind of yom Wednesday, in the case of the first week tangular tables dominated by large fami- sion of thankfulness to G-d for doing all tov that you could have fun charting on a of Pesach—and we turn them magically lies that branch out in a multiplicity of that He has done for us as a people dating graph. First it was yom tov, then a day into holidays that feel like weekends, later it was Shabbos, then a day later it without skipping a beat. was yom tov again, and then here comes But who are we kidding? I didn’t do a Shabbos—again. No one polled or asked thing for yom tov except buy two ties and me about what I prefer, but indulge me a few pounds of matzah. I know that The elderly gentleman, who was about for a few lines to say that I prefer this there are people reading this who are lit- week’s schedule to the alternative that erally exhausted and at their wits’ end sometimes leaves you with three and a after a grueling week and a half of slaving 90 years of age, chimed in with the half days of chol ha’moed and the chal- in the kitchen, preparing, serving, clean- lenge to come up with ideas for entertain- ing up—and then doing it all over again. two-year-old and sang animatedly. ing the children. Certainly for those who found them- As a child, there was no better combi- selves in that necessary cycle of the festi- nation for me than the intermediate days val, the talk of the beautiful days and the of the holiday, gracefully and sometimes restfulness of the chag may seem like a magically combined with the beginning pronouncement from another planet. directions. There were in many cases the back more than 3,300 years. The small of another season of hope for our local I think that Pesach accomplishes patriarchs and matriarchs of these fami- child sang the song to the delight of all. major-league baseball teams. But some- things in our lives that other yomim lies sitting at the head of the table. Then Nearby, the great-grandfather leaned in one seems to have messed up the base- tovim come close to achieving but just there was the next generation, usually and joined in the same melody. His cane ball schedule, as somehow the brain trust cannot get it done on the same level. The accompanied by the next one; and then leaned across his lap as his eyes, which of organized baseball saw fit to not start glue to this aspect of this holiday phe- it wasn’t all that unusual to look around had seemed at one point half-closed and the season until last Sunday night, the nomenon is not exclusively the culinary and see some young kids also at the tired, lit up with recognition at the famil- first night of what we call the “second challenge presented by Pesach. edges of these tables, sometimes in high iar words and tune. One could easily days” of yom tov. To add to the disap- Somehow when it comes to this yom tov, chairs, who represented generation num- observe that while the child was being pointment, the Yankees were in Boston families just come together unlike the ber four—all assembled together and introduced to the ideas and concepts of and the Mets did not get started until a way they do on any other. sharing the yom tov. these traditional songs, it was the great- day later, on Monday afternoon. Having just returned two days ago It wasn’t that unusual to see both car- grandfather who seemed to be experienc- from being away at an upstate hotel this riages and wheelchairs stationed along- ing the other end of the spectrum. For Continued on Page 10

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 9 BAGEL STORE a chol ha’moed without sports inspiring celebration of the and even punishing winter. I’m ALIYAH CHRONICLE Continued from Page 9 (that is, unless you wanted to chag, thanks to the hard work of not going to declare the arrival Continued from Page 6 see the Islanders at the Nassau Rabbi Moshe Fuchs, Corinne of summer, but those last few Why the season started so Coliseum last Thursday—but Fuchs, and Mati Klein—repre- days of the chag were indeed as his funeral, his distraught mother unusually late this year—so as why would you want to do senting the Twerskys and good as any summer days. wondered what she was sup- to miss the entire big crowd of that?). Leisure Time Tours. Of course there are still posed to do on Yom HaZikaron chol ha’moed fans—is beyond I don’t know about the attrac- I don’t know what hap- many problems out there that (Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen me. I know that the vendors tions in Florida, as I spent this pened to the days when the we left suspended to some soldiers); which son should she that sell soda and snacks at the past yom tov in the comfortable stores in Flatbush and Boro degree just as yom tov arrived. visit first? Which life, tragically local stadiums will not miss us and indeed exquisite environs Park were either closed or had Now it’s time to get back cut short in service to his country, as much as we will have missed of the Rye Town Hilton in Rye their front gates pulled down home, back to work and should she honor above the another opening day of baseball Brook, New York. Considering halfway to look like they were school, and pick up directly other? What a horrific concern in New York. all the options here, all we were closed on chol ha’moed. where we left off in our for a mother. Especially since two Perusing the chol ha’moed left with was spending part of Perhaps it’s still like that today, attempt to alleviate or solve other sons continue to serve. sports schedule left New York the only full day of chol ha’moed but up in Woodbury on the plethora of personal and The other fatality was my fans seriously wanting for in what looked like a solidarity Thursday it was a shopper’s communal situations we nephew Yonatan’s platoon- some kind of organized sport- rally for Jewish unity at the paradise. In addition to the were dealing with just ten mate, Ilan Sviatkovsky, an immi- ing event to attend. Looking at Woodbury Commons mall, usual hubbub of yom tov, it days ago. grant from Uzbekistan—one of the schedule a few weeks halfway between the city and was the first magnificent day It was a nice interlude and cel- eleven buddies he had done before yom tov, I was thinking the Catskills. after about a week of rain. ebration. But here we go—it’s almost his entire military serv- that even soccer or badminton The Rye Town Hilton was, as I don’t know about you, but it good to be back. O ice with. Yonatan is devastated. would do. Despite the yearn- usual, transformed into a venue looks to this observer like we’ve Comments for Larry Gordon are He rushed to join the platoon ing, however, it would remain for a spiritually uplifting and turned the corner on a difficult welcome at [email protected]. immediately before Shabbat. He helped bury his friend. The senselessness is overwhelming. Why should a 21-year-old have to face such heavy issues? He helped bury his friend. At 21. Hearing this, I thought back to the young soldiers I had met a few days earlier. I cannot imagine how stressful it must be for them to hear of soldiers, such as themselves, being killed in action. Yet here they are, 6,000 miles or more away from their families, ready to jump in at a moment’s notice. They are training to defend us to the death. And they do. I don’t know what it means, and I don’t know when it will end. The only thing I do know is how proud we are of them and how important our soldiers and our country are to us. I had intended to write a column about our terrific Pesach and chol ha’moed. It isn’t within me to do so. Instead I ask that you take a moment to honor the memories of Maj. Eliraz Peretz and Ilan Sviatkovsky, yehei zichram baruch. Mourn for their loss. Feel for a mother who has lost a second son and for her daughter-in-law and the four grandchildren (one of whom is a 2-month-old infant) whose husband and father will never again walk through their front door. Grieve for an immigrant family who has lost a son and brother in defense of their adopted homeland. Share the pain of 11 young men who have lost a brother-in-arms. They almost made it to the finish line when they lost one of their own. Yet they go on, knowing that his sacrifice and their loss is what makes us who we are. O

Shmuel Katz works at Machon Puah, a non-profit fertility organization that provides, worldwide, free halachic and medical counseling, independent supervision of fertility treatments, and educational programming. Shmuel, his wife Goldie, and their six children made aliyah in July of 2006. Prior to his aliyah, Shmuel was the executive director of the Yeshiva of South Shore in Hewlett. You can contact him at [email protected]. 10 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES The rosh yeshiva pointed out that sure- Remembering Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt’l ly Yaakov knew how much his mother loved him. Moreover, she had done every- B Y RABBI AVROHOM thing to help him to prepare. Certainly SEBROW Rivkah would enter with him if she could! Why was this utterance needed? The rosh The second yahrzeit of Rav Alter yeshiva demonstrated from here the Chanoch Henoch Leibowitz, rosh yeshiva necessity of relatives and spouses to con- of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, was just before stantly tell each other what they mean to Pesach. I was thinking then about some of them. These expressions of affection are my memories, and one still haunts me. obvious, but they are worth repeating. If The rosh yeshiva always had a busy and this applies to Rivkah and Yaakov, how strenuous schedule. He had to juggle the much more so does it apply to us. needs of the yeshiva and the needs of his Incidentally, this is but one example of many past and current talmidim. When he how Rabbi Leibowitz’s mussar shmuessin was in Eretz Yisrael, I insisted on a person- prepared his talmidim for marriage. There al appointment that I really did not need. was once a pamphlet on the topic of mar- At the meeting, the rosh yeshiva could riage being distributed for engaged indi- barely keep his eyes open. I ended the viduals. The pamphlet started out by say- meeting abruptly. I later heard that he ing that it was a necessity, since students fainted from exhaustion at the next only care for themselves and their books. appointment. However, in yeshiva it was While the rosh yeshiva was not against very rare to see the rosh yeshiva seem tired. the idea of the pamphlet as a whole, he Many people are aware that the rosh was opposed to those opening remarks yeshiva’s blatt shiur was not a lecture. On being applied to his talmidim. Could it be the contrary—it was an all-out feud. The Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt’l, with Rav Elyashiv, shlita. Also pictured (standing) is that a talmid who went through his rosh yeshiva used to good-naturedly the rosh yeshiva’s secretary, Rabbi Shimon Ishal, who will b’ezrat Hashem be repeat that one observer called it a three- starting a high school for Sefaradim in Los Angeles next year. Continued on Page 15 ring circus. There were intense argu- ments that took place between the rosh yeshiva and the talmidim in the shiur. The rosh yeshiva always put on a good show that seemingly displayed that he was refreshed, energetic, and ready to engage in the Melchemta shel Torah. One of my friends once walked him to his office at the conclusion of the blatt shiur. He told me that the rosh yeshiva fell against the wall from exhaustion as soon as he entered his room and wasn’t even able to make it to the chair. However, observing the shiur you would think that he was a well-rested person many years his junior. It is no wonder that on the occasions when he had to leave yeshiva for communal purposes he would say, “I really need a break from my talmidim.” Yet only moments into his trip he would say, “How can I leave them?” When bein ha’zemanim was approaching, he would often reference the Gemara in Sukkah and tell us, “Kasheh alai p’rei- daschem—your departure is difficult for me.” That is but one indication of the tremendous love he had for his talmidim. The rosh yeshiva often housed a number of bachurim in his own basement. One very close talmid who had that privilege was Rabbi Shimon Ishal. When Rabbi Shmuel Wasser (now a rosh yeshiva in St. Louis) was getting married in Florida, Rabbi Yehuda Mandel came to pick up Rabbi Ishal from the rosh yeshiva’s house for the flight to Florida. When the rosh yeshiva saw them leaving, he lov- ingly walked them out and said, “I wish I could go with you, but I can’t.” This incident reminded me of one of the oft-repeated shmuessin of the rosh yeshiva. The Torah tells us how Rivkah hatched a plot to ensure that Yaakov would receive the berachos from Yitzchak. The Ramban explains that she was acting based on prophecy. She prepared food for Yaakov Avinu to bring to Yitzchak and she gave him Eisav’s clothing. She even accepted upon herself any curse that might be uttered at her son. The Midrash Rabbah in Parashas Toledos says that Rivkah accompanied Yaakov to Yitzchak’s door and said, “I have done everything I can for you; I would go in with you, but I can’t” (for then the plot would be discovered). 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 11 Band Of Brothers The Inspiring Story Of Rami Berlin And Chaim Siton

B Y ROCHELLE MARUCH music. But the road that brought Rami and MILLER Chaim to Hevruta was long and turbulent. Born in 1982 in Jerusalem, Rami grew Rami Berlin was “born into music.” up in Gilo and is the second of four sib- Amiable and articulate, he is the son of lings. He first attended a religious school two musicians; Rami’s father plays in for boys in Nachlaot. One of the only the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and things he remembers from elementary his mother played the clarinet and was school is that the staff always compared a conductor. him to his older brother who, Rami says, Blessed with an abundance of talent is very different from him. “For example, even at an early age, Rami performed in an when I received my first report card in opera in Russian when he was in seventh second grade, they gave it to my brother Chaim Siton (L) and Rami Berlin (R) at the home of Janet and Ira Grosser in Woodmere. grade. Although he enjoyed the experi- to deliver to my parents because he was ence, he recalls that “it was time-consum- responsible. I was not good in math and ing and detracted from my studies.” After had a bad reaction to sugar. Everyone which resonated with me because I was During the first year, the students had that, he performed in Carmen, but then he knew that I had these problems.” so interested in music.” Jewish studies in the morning, music in decided that he “wanted to be with my As Rami’s passion for music blossomed, Of all the families who had attended the afternoon, and social activities at family and be a regular child.” his interest in school dissipated until it the meeting, Rami was the only one who night. “We did not learn from books Rami and Chaim Siton, close friends was virtually non-existent. “Then a mira- ultimately decided to attend this new because they intimidated many stu- and musical colleagues, were the featured cle occurred,” Rami explains. “We looked school. Because the system was new and dents,” Rami recalls. “The school made guest speakers at a parlor meeting gra- at our shul bulletin and read about a new could not yet be measured, Rami’s father booklets for us on things that are impor- ciously hosted by Janet and Ira Grosser to type of school that was opening. The arti- was opposed to the idea. His mother, how- tant for life and we learned from these benefit AMIT Bienenfeld Hevruta Yeshiva. cle suggested that families host a parlor ever, was supportive, and knew it would booklets. We did not have homework. As each of these young men shared his meeting to learn more about it, and that be beneficial for him. During his three-day We were on our own schedules; it was up riveting personal story, the guests lis- HaRav Shimon Adler would come and interview session, Rami’s wallet was to us when to wake up and when to go to tened attentively. speak. My mother decided to host it. At stolen. “The rav and the staff took care of sleep, and even when to go to class.” Coming as they did from two dissimilar the meeting, I identified with every sen- me in a way that no one else, beside my Then, after about three months had backgrounds, they seemed unlikely candi- tence that he said, such as, ‘We don’t take parents, ever had,” Rami explains. “I really passed, something happened to Rami. He dates for their longstanding friendship. children who can do very well in school. could see the difference between my old realized that if he did not take the initiative, But their years spent at Hevruta brought We want children who have dropped out school and this one. I decided that I would he would not progress. He needed to take out the very best in each of them and of the mainstream. These are children definitely enroll in this school, the AMIT advantage of his free time. Accordingly, helped them discover their common inter- who do not fit into the regular system.” Bienenfeld Hevruta Yeshiva.” Rami and the other students established a ests, particularly their shared affinity for He spoke about the Gardner Theory, Rami began the four-year program. “Round Table.” They sat around—the stu-

12 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES dents, their counselor, and the rav—and discussed what they should do and how they would vote on decisions. Among the topics discussed and decided upon was that everyone was required to wear long pants in shul. Many of the boys from the kibbutz wore short pants. It was decided that if these boys did not own long pants, the others would “chip in” and buy them pants. “At AMIT Bienenfeld, we were really a group on our own,” Rami says. We were a group of boys with long hair who walked around barefoot and did whatever we wanted. We became a very close-knit group of friends. From a scholastic point of view, things were also different. The teachers would show up and find only two students

Continued on Page 14

CALENDAR LUACH April 9–April 17 ZIP Code: 11516

25 Nissan Friday, April 9 Daf yomi: Sanhedrin 56 Z’manim*: Earliest tallis/teﬁllin: 5:31 am Sunrise: 6:26 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 9:05 am Gr’a 9:41 am P’lag ha’minchah: 6:06 pm Candle Lighting: 7:09 pm 26 Nissan – Shabbos Saturday, April 10 Parashas Shemini Omer: 11 Avos: Ch. 1 Blessing of Chodesh Iyar Shabbos ends**: 8:11 pm 72 min. 8:41 pm 27 Nissan Sunday, April 11 Yom HaShoah / Holocaust Remembrance Day 30 Nissan – 1 Iyar Wednesday–Thursday, April 14–15 Rosh Chodesh Iyar 2 Iyar Friday, April 16 Daf yomi: Sanhedrin 63 Earliest tallis/teﬁllin: 5:19 am Sunrise: 6:15 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 8:58 am Gr’a 9:34 am P’lag ha’minchah: 6:11 pm Candle Lighting: 7:17 pm 3 Iyar – Shabbos Saturday, April 17 Parashas Tazria-Metzora Omer: 18 Avos: Ch. 2 Shabbos ends**: 8:19 pm 72 min. 8:49 pm * All times from MyZmanim.com ** add a few minutes for tosefos Shabbos according to your minhag Municipal Calendar For 5 Towns and NYC Thursday, April 15 Tax-filing deadline. (Note: IRS deadline for residents of certain storm-damaged locali- ties in NJ, MA, RI, and WV is May 11.) Friday, April 16 Deadline for mailing U.S. census forms. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 13 Band Of Brothers want to be there. They didn’t have the tools became friends through our music. In live in Avigail, a yishuv of 16 families, south Continued from Page 13 to teach me or to relate to a child like me.” grade ten, we started playing together. We of Chevron. The band is his full-time job, But at Hevruta, suddenly everything was formed a band, and at first we started play- and Chaim feels that his success, personal- in the class; the rest would be sleeping. different. “I no longer felt different because ing anywhere we were invited (bar mitzvot, ly and professionally, is the direct result of They would also need to adjust their mind- everyone was like me: we were all differ- parties, etc.). Our teacher was David Lewis, relationships he formed while at Hevruta. set to know how to communicate with the ent. The school gave everyone space to be a trumpet player. He would give speeches “When I arrived at Kfar Batya, Rav Shimon students, because we all had this ‘Hevruta himself and to find his own place. I took and we would accompany him.” took the whole group of us who had failed mindset.’ Because we were all so close, this freedom and used it in all sorts of “We would practice for seven hours at in other places, and made something of teachers were not afraid to discipline us ways. At this time I was not religious; I did a time, playing blues,” Rami adds. our lives. Within our own group, we fell harshly if we were not acting up to our not wear a kippah. I was a real problem for “Hevruta helped us by hiring a minibus into three groups: those who succeeded, potential. We were all judged as individu- the school. I came in late every night. I did- for our events, and lent us the equip- those who were average, and those who als. Once a teacher of mine yelled at me for n’t go to beit knesset; I didn’t go to class.” ment. Anything that we (or any other stu- did not succeed. Rav Shimon worked with sleeping in class, but later that day, he During the monthly round-table meet- dent) needed, Hevruta provided. Even if a this last group to ensure each boy’s ulti- brought me chocolate and explained to me ing, the students discussed voting Chaim student did not have money to go home mate success. This is the hallmark of every that he did it for my own good. The princi- out of school and were in a deadlock over for the weekend, the rav would give him AMIT school: you work with every student pal was very accessible; his door was the outcome. Intervening due to the money to go home. They taught us to be and you don’t give up until you make always open to us. He always viewed us in extenuating circumstances, the teachers responsible, but they were always there if something of him or her.” a positive light, which encouraged us to decided that Chaim could remain at we needed anything. I want to emphasize Rami and his wonderful wife, Dalia, feel good about ourselves and take on Hevruta, but on probation. how unusual the system is at Hevruta, have two beautiful daughters, two-year- more responsibilities, both educationally For Chaim, the consequences were and what a unique school it is.” old Hodiyah Hen and one-month-old and personally. I am still in contact with life-altering. “I realized that I really want- Rami and Chaim also began creating Maayan Rahel. Dalia studied special edu- my classmates from Hevruta today. We are ed to be at Hevruta because of the free- their own music. They won first prize in cation and now teaches English near their all like one big happy family. Alumni stay dom it allowed me. One of my teachers a “Battle of the Bands” contest—ten home in Har Bracha in Shomron. Rami in touch and help each other with jobs and told me, ‘This is your life. You need to hours of recording sessions, using this and Dani co-manage and perform in the networking.” take responsibility for your actions.’ It time to create an entire disc. They also band; additionally, Rami is a therapist and Chaim Siton was born in Rishon LeTzion gave me a great deal to think about. I learned music theory at Hevruta. medical clown and has taught sound engi- in 1982 and lived there until he was six. His needed to speak to the students and con- Upon entering the army, the band took neering at Hevruta. “As a result of AMIT family then moved to Beit El, where he vince them why I should be allowed to a three-year hiatus. “Serving our country Bienenfeld Hevruta, six of us, all of whom lived until he got married at 24. He attend- stay at Hevruta.” was important to us; we were all in com- are in the band, earn our livelihood from ed a religious boys’ school in Beit El until Ultimately, Chaim was able to con- bat units.” All the while, Chaim, Rami, and the connections that we made and the eighth grade. Chaim entered Kfar Batya in vince his peers that they could trust him their fellow band members—truly a band strong relationships we built together ninth grade because “the school I was and they allowed him to remain at the of brothers—stayed in touch via phone while at school,” Chaim says. attending was not right for me. The studies yeshiva. He immersed himself in calls and visits, playing together whenev- Rami concurs. “I doubt that without were not serious; the school was focused Hevruta’s music program and found his er they could. After serving their country, the education and the understanding only on sports. I lost my will to study.” calling. Suddenly, Chaim had found his they decided to play at weddings. that I received during my years at Chaim heard about Hevruta from his raison d’être, playing piano, bass guitar, Chaim and Rami are two of AMIT’s Hevruta, I would be telling you my story. mother, a psychologist and counselor, and a and flute, eight hours a day, often into the many exemplary graduates. Both are devot- AMIT Bienenfeld Hevruta Yeshiva is a friend of Rav Shimon. “I came from a school early morning hours. ed to their respective families and are very special place. They are caring, com- in Beit El that did not let me be myself,” “When I first met Rami, we were ene- shomrei Torah u’mitzvos. Chaim and his passionate and believe in every stu- Chaim explains. I had to be like everyone mies,” Chaim recalls laughingly. “I was the lovely wife, Tvia, are the proud parents of dent—and inspire you to succeed far else. I was very temperamental and did ‘bad guy’ and he was a good student. We Roeh, an adorable two-year-old. The Sitons beyond your dreams.” O

14 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Rav Leibowitz, zt’l had already been created. But if man At his directive, the Chofetz Chaim significant even now, but was much Continued from Page 11 were not to be created, then what was the Yeshiva is brutally honest in its finances. more so back then. He told the rosh yeshi- point of creating the world? The lesson Rabbi Shlomo Yonason Harris, shlita, va that he didn’t have the funds to pay yeshiva and learned mussar daily would the Torah is teaching us is that even after related at the rosh yeshiva’s levayah that the IRS bill and didn’t want to borrow the not be sufficiently concerned for others? one has invested much time in a project, one time the yeshiva was given a grant money and fall into debt. The rosh yeshi- (Incidentally, in contrast to many other he should still consult others and be from New York State for a specific project. va advised him of a specific opportunity yeshivas, attendance was taken during ready to abandon it even though it is The project came in under budget and he could undertake to earn some money, mussar seder, as it was a mandatory part almost complete. there was a surplus. The government adding just one caveat—that the talmid of the curriculum.) The rosh yeshiva lived this mussar and agency was called for instructions on should wait until bein ha’zemanim. The rosh yeshiva and his first rebbetzin, was always ready to abandon a project no how to return the extra funds. The agent The talmid felt tremendous pressure a’h, were living examples of what a mar- matter how advanced the preparations on the other line commented that it was from the looming tax bill and twice asked riage should be. I’m sure that when a were. Even after the construction for the the first time anyone was returning a sur- the rosh yeshiva if he could leave yeshiva book is eventually written, this will be new Chofetz Chaim building in Kew plus from grant money! before the semester ended. Twice the covered at length, but for now let one Gardens Hills was well under way (the The rosh yeshiva would often say rosh yeshiva replied in the negative. Just story suffice. The rosh yeshiva’s first wife culmination of many years of planning), that the honesty of a yeshiva’s office when the talmid thought he would have was once faced with a sink full of dishes. the rosh yeshiva still considered argu- directly affects the quality of learning no choice but to leave yeshiva regardless She did not feel up to washing them at ments against moving the yeshiva to that in the yeshiva. The saintly Chofetz of the rosh yeshiva’s wishes, he was given the moment. However, she was con- particular location. Chaim would not even accept money a message that the rosh yeshiva wanted to cerned that if she left them in the sink, The rosh yeshiva would often tell his for his yeshiva from someone who des- speak to him. the rosh yeshiva would wash them. She talmidim that if you want to open a ecrates the Shabbos. He felt that such He entered the rosh yeshiva’s office therefore placed a small sign in front of yeshiva, you have to be ready to fix the funds would negatively affect the learn- and saw that he had his checkbook open. the dishes that said “SINK BROKEN.” plumbing yourself. You must take such ing in his Yeshiva in Radin. The rosh The rosh yeshiva asked him if $500 would Feeling assured, she went to rest—only to extreme responsibility for your yeshiva yeshiva felt that nowadays yeshivos hold him over until bein ha’zemanim; the return and find the rosh yeshiva washing that you would be willing to do any man- may accept money from such individu- student answered in the affirmative and the dishes in the bathroom! ual labor the yeshiva needs. Further, he als. However, any money that is donat- he accepted the check graciously. Years would say that you must be ready to ed by nochrim should be used for later, the student left yeshiva and earned Financial Honesty close the yeshiva if the situation war- English books (or for food). his first paycheck. He gave the rosh yeshi- While learning a daf in Sanhedrin, I rants it. He told of a yeshiva that was The rosh yeshiva demanded honesty va a check to repay part of the $500. At was reminded of one of the lessons started by one of his talmidim. That from his talmidim as well, and he would first the rosh yeshiva had no idea what it taught by the rosh yeshiva. The Gemara yeshiva became so burdened with debt constantly tell his talmidim that they was for. (After it was explained to him, states in Sanhedrin 38b that many of the that it was doubtful whether it could should rather live an austere lifestyle the rosh yeshiva still refused to cash it.) actions performed by Hashem are stated function as an ongoing concern. than burden themselves with debt which in the Torah in the plural form to teach us When the amount of debt reached would only cause severe problems down Being Generous that before acting, Hashem consults with the value of the building, the building the road. One married student was in a Those who knew the rosh yeshiva the Heavenly Court. Not that Hashem was sold, all debts were repaid, and the situation where his wife’s employer knew that he was a very generous person. needs any consultations, of course, but yeshiva was closed. He would explain refused to pay her on the books. The rosh He personified the mussar that he taught. this teaches us that we should always that you can’t build a yeshiva on non- yeshiva was adamant that full taxes must He constantly mentioned that Yaakov consult with others. kosher money. If a yeshiva is operating be paid on the income, regardless of the Avinu returned for small jugs even The rosh yeshiva often repeated an with labor that cannot realistically be lack of integrity of the employer. though they were of little value. The rosh insight he once heard. Hashem said, “Let funded, then the yeshiva is functioning This talmid was faced with a rather us make man” after the rest of the world with treife gelt. burdensome tax bill of $2,000—which is Continued on Page 16

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 15 Rav Leibowitz, zt’l melamed as the choicest profession.) Continued from Page 15 Once, at an event, some bachurim from another yeshiva offered to help the rosh yeshiva explained, based on the Midrash, yeshiva with his coat. The rosh yeshiva that Yaakov did this because honest graciously refused. However, later his money is hard to come by. Tzaddikim own talmidim offered to help the rosh want to distance themselves so far from yeshiva put on his coat and he allowed even having a nisayon of thievery that them to. When someone who witnessed they are careful about every penny. both events asked him for an explana- Yet the rosh yeshiva would also quote tion, he responded, “What can I do? They the Ramban, who described Avraham are my talmidim and I am obligated to let Avinu as a nediv lev, a generous person, in them serve me!” reference to when he had to pay 400 There was one particular time that shekel kesef to Ephron for seemingly bad the rosh yeshiva had to accept some dis- land. The rosh yeshiva asked, “Is that gen- play of honor for purposes of fundrais- erosity? Avraham Avinu was being ripped ing. The rosh yeshiva actually found it to off!” But once Avraham decided that it be demeaning and he whispered to one was proper to pay Ephron’s full asking of his students, “I accept these bizyonos price, he did so generously. Money that Rabbi Leibowitz delivering a shmuess in the old Chofetz Chaim building for Torah!” one has to spend should not be given over in Forest Hills. In 1966, the rosh yeshiva was told that begrudgingly. The money we have is given the community in Montreal desperately to us as a pikadon from Hashem. Why needed a yeshiva. He sent his best should we feel bad if the Owner directs us of kibud av v’aim, in which case I won’t grateful for the mesorah he received from talmidim at the time to form the nucleus to use it for the proper purpose? have the money to fly back, or should I the famed Slabodka Yeshiva in Europe. of a new yeshiva there, even though it When it came time for the rosh yeshi- stay in Eretz Yisrael for the summer?” The He consequently always supported the was possible his own yeshiva would suf- va to sell his house in Forest Hills, some- rosh yeshiva told the talmid that in his sit- Slabodka Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael, though fer from this. He was motivated by fulfill- one mentioned that he could negotiate uation he should fly home for Pesach. it was certainly not the same European ing Hashem’s wishes, and his own desires with a real-estate agent who would hap- Before the rosh yeshiva left Eretz Yisrael yeshiva where his mesorah originated. and kavod were irrelevant. That yeshiva pily agree to sell the house for only a he told the student that he would pay for ultimately morphed into the Yeshiva three or four percent commission. The his return ticket! The Rosh Yeshiva’s Modesty Gedolah of Montreal in 1970. rosh yeshiva asked the talmid, “What is His first rebbetzin, a’h, used to listen to One talmid who had recently joined I am personally grateful for the rosh the full undiscounted commission?” The a classical music radio station and the the yeshiva went to a local store. The yeshiva’s humility and selflessness. When talmid answered, “Six percent.” The rosh rosh yeshiva felt very strongly that she cashier asked him if he was a student of I was a young bachur in Eretz Yisrael, I yeshiva said, “Then that is what I will should send in a yearly donation. She the yeshiva nearby. When he answered once brought the rosh yeshiva some pay!” He didn’t begrudge anyone earning derived benefit from that station and it yes, the cashier offered, “Your rabbi is so mayim acharonim. I was somewhat nerv- a living and making an honest profit from was only proper for her to support them. humble!” When a chassid who was vaca- ous and proceeded to spill it all over him. him. (This radio station has an annual appeal.) tioning in New Hampshire asked the rosh I remember that a smile never left his Speaking of generosity, one talmid This is but another example of the rosh yeshiva what he did for a living, he face and I almost felt like nothing had once approached the rosh yeshiva while yeshiva’s generosity: using money for answered simply, “I am a melamed occurred. he was in Eretz Yisrael with a question: whatever is proper. (teacher).” (Although, all who knew the Rabbi Nachum Zlotnick, rosh yeshiva “Should I fly home for Pesach for the sake The rosh yeshiva was tremendously rosh yeshiva know that he viewed being a of Yeshiva Tiferes Torah in Kew Gardens,

16 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

The rosh yeshiva with a daughter of Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow. related to me that on one occasion he had the privilege of driving the rosh yeshiva to the airport. Due to unforeseen delays, they left Forest Hills late, and it was likely that the rosh yeshiva would not make the flight. At the airport, Rabbi Zlotnick made a wrong turn and added a minute or two to their travel time. Given their late departure, it was not a surprise when the rosh yeshiva did indeed miss his flight. He therefore spent the next 45 minutes explaining to Rabbi Zlotnick that it was not his fault, lest he perhaps think that it was his wrong turn that caused the trouble.

Concern For Other People The rosh yeshiva often taught that sincere expressions of spirituality should not come at the expense of others. He often quoted Rebbe Yisrael Salanter, who said that even during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah one should walk around with a happy countenance. He said that facial expressions are of the public domain, since they are visible to all. Why should a Jew suffer by having to gaze at a sour face because another person is doing teshuvah for his aveiros? One talmid was invited to the rosh yeshiva’s house for the Pesach Sedarim. The Seder on the first night finished rather quickly. On the second night, it was more in line with his expectations. He asked the rosh yeshiva why the first Seder was so much shorter, and the rosh yeshiva responded: “The rebbetzin is tired from preparing for Pesach, and I should extend the Seder late into the night?!” One time when the rosh yeshiva was eating a Shabbos meal in the yeshiva with his talmidim, I asked him if I could take his hat. The rosh yeshiva told me that he didn’t mind eating with his hat on, but then some bachurim would feel that they also had to eat the Shabbos meal with their hats on. So he thanked me and handed me his hat. NNN As I am writing this article, I just got off the phone with one of his close talmidim, who told me that even though two years have passed, he misses the rosh yeshiva terribly. We all do. But his legacy lives on in the harbatzas haTorah that happens around the globe directly because of his life’s work. O

Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead and is a rebbi at Mesivta Kesser Yisrael of Willowbrook. He can be contacted at [email protected]. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 17 Honorifics And Honor to be perceived as a Jewish leader, or of Tell that to the thousands who were reports of the JOFA conference, is that, Continued from Front Cover a struggle to be perceived at all. She was ably taught and guided by Zahava beyond all those valid concerns, the a noble Jewish woman who understood Braunstein. Or the many thousands entire enterprise is misguided in its betzin” because she married a respected well what the Jewish ideal of tzenius— more who have received, and continue essence. Because the motivation of those rabbi. Had she been married to a layman, modesty—entailed, not just in dress to receive, no less instruction and brandishing the cause of women rab- though, and known simply as a “Mrs.,” and conduct, but in life. She simply guidance from hundreds of other bis—notwithstanding all the high-sound- she would have been no less a gift to the learned at a young age that she had tal- Orthodox women teachers, rebbetzins, ing rhetoric about filling a need and ben- Jewish people, no less influential, no less ents that could be turned to good, to efiting the community—seems clearly to a Jewish educator, no less a Jewish leader. spread Jewish values and Jewish knowl- be the shattering of a perceived “glass It was not her title that garnered her the edge; and so she felt the obligation to ceiling,” an “advancement” of “women’s reverence of thousands of women of all use them. rights,” an end to “discrimination.” ages around the world. It was, rather, her But she didn’t revel in the renown or The rabbah-rousers The rabbah-rousers do apparently seek words, her care, her deeds, her teaching, the respect she earned. In fact, she pre- to serve—but their master seems to be her guidance, and her example. ferred the title “Mrs.” to that of do apparently seek feminism, not Judaism. She left the world in only her 61st year, “Rebbetzin.” She would sometimes say The Talmud (Kesubos 67b) tells of the but she touched more lives, taught more that if everyone in the Next World were to serve—but their great scholar Mar Ukva, who discovered, Torah, and inspired more people than given an hour to return to this one, some to his dismay, that in the pursuit of a most people granted decades more life. would surely use the hour to study Torah, charitable enterprise his wife had merit- She served as principal of a Sephardic perform a particular mitzvah, or recite master seems ed a miracle that had not been granted girls’ high school in Brooklyn. Her repu- Psalms. She, though? She would head him. The wise woman explained to her tation spanned many boundaries. She straight for the kitchen to make a hearty to be feminism, husband: “I’m in the house so much more lectured extensively to varied groups of soup for her children and grandchildren. than you, so I have many more opportu- girls and women on theological, practi- Not an image that would sit well, I not Judaism. nities than you to be charitable toward cal, and halachic issues, and she coun- imagine, with those who aspire to titles the poor who come to our doorstep. And seled and inspired countless others. And like “Maharat” or “Rabba,” the natty neol- the food and drink I give them can be when she was taken, some of the most ogisms being chanted these days by enjoyed immediately, unlike the money respected rabbinical personages in New some. The contrast between those you give [to the poor collecting alms]. York eulogized her. chanters’ ideals and Rebbetzin and Mrs.’s across the country and And so, with regard to charity, my merit is I only met her twice, both times when Braunstein’s example is stark. around the world. greater than yours.” she brought groups of students to At a recent conference of a group There are many reasons why every rec- Mrs. Ukva understood something that Agudath Israel’s offices to hear a presen- called the Jewish Orthodox Feminist ognized poseik across the Orthodox spec- most of us—men and women alike— tation. I knew at the time that she was Alliance, the woman on whom a rabbinic trum has rejected the concept of a don’t always sufficiently appreciate: That the sister of my dear friend and col- title was conferred spoke of the “fight to woman rabbi. Among the reasons are what counts over our years on this earth league Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, today confirm women as spiritual leaders”; objections based on particular technical is not the prominence we acquire but the Agudath Israel’s executive vice president. called women Orthodox clergy a “dream” requirements of a rabbinic role; others merit we achieve; not our particular roles But had I known just who she herself to be “vocalized”; insisted that Jewish are based on the decisors’ judgment of but what we do with them. What matters was, I’m not sure I would have felt com- institutions “must train women” for the what is sociologically proper in in the end are not the honorifics we sport fortable speaking in the presence of role; and implied that Orthodox women Judaism—a judgment of no less halachic but the honor we earn. O someone so accomplished. currently lack “a voice in shaping and import to a truly observant Jew. © 2010 Am Echad Resources. Rabbi Shafran is Rebbetzin Braunstein’s achievements contributing to our community as spiri- But what became apparent to me, lis- director of public affairs for Agudath Israel of were not the product of some struggle tual leaders.” tening to the presentation and reading America.

18 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES MOTHER’S MUSINGS This Pesach was certainly chock-full of Yussie was certainly the main attrac- back to the boardwalk. It was certainly a Continued from Front Cover activities! Yom tov was spent sharing time tion. Not only because he loves rides, but thrill to bask in the sun along the shore with family, listening to Lea and Yussie also because Adventureland has a wonder- and to watch the happy faces frolicking things. Fresh new tablecloths for Pesach recite the Mah Nishtanah, and hearing ful program for children with special along the beach. I crave just this type of until they are old by the following year some insights from all our children. needs and their loved ones. exercise each year, and when I get back to and it’s time for new ones. There are On the Thursday of chol ha’moed Understanding that certain children do the shore it is as if I am visiting a close items that we save just for use on Pesach we made the now yearly trek not have the patience to wait on long friend that I haven’t seen in a while. The Pesach—specific dish racks, etc.—but we storm a couple of weeks ago played are not consistent, and so the “search” for havoc with the waterfront and there will saved items is always a mystery before be work to be done before the summer the holiday. season begins, but it was good to see the Do we have salt from last year? Should I enjoy the creativity that is ocean in all its glory. I buy a new one? Inevitably, once we All holidays come with a sense of can’t seem to find the elusive salt and we involved in making a potato calm, but Pesach, with its mandate of buy a new one, we find the saved one to enjoying our freedom from bondage, add to our collection. truly instills within me a deeper sense of Why is this year different from all not just a potato! calm. The house is at its cleanest, the kids other years? When I noticed that we are free from homework, my husband indeed did have a fleishig dish rack from and I can take a break from work, and we last year after purchasing a new one, I can truly enjoy our family with a true chose to utilize both. And guess what? I (which began last year) to lines, they offer a special pass for the “spe- sense of freedom. put both away for next year! Adventureland. The weather couldn’t cial child” and four others in his party to And yes, Yussie, tonight you can have Every year I have grand ideas to make have been more perfect, and I made sure get a “go to the head of the line” allowance. pizza and fries for dinner! O lists of what we are putting away in the to pack up enough matzah-meal pan- With the beautiful weather and the spring Phyllis Joy Lubin is an attorney with Rosenfeld & attic and in which box. In fact, as I was cakes and snacks and drinks to last us recess from school, the park was extreme- Maidenbaum, LLP, who resides in Cedarhurst storing away unopened spices for next the afternoon. The kids enjoyed all the ly crowded, and joining Yussie on a ride with her husband Leonard and six children: Naftali, Shoshana, Rivka, Rochel, Yosef, and Lea. year, I had a thought to make such a list rides, and I enjoyed watching their smil- gained us an extra-special perk. She welcomes your questions and comments at this year and keep it inside a kitchen cab- ing faces. This past Sunday, Lenny and I made it [email protected]. inet to know for next year, but as I was just eager to get everything “turned over” as quickly as possible, that thought was yet another of the great organizing proj- ects that will have to wait until next year’s pack-up. I happen to enjoy Pesach. I love the feeling that at least once a year everything is spotless. I also enjoy the different foods and the creativity that is involved in making a potato not just a potato! As I was eating the last morsels of matzah brei before the end of Pesach last night, I realized that as much as I love the Pesach foods on Pesach, once the holiday comes to a close I will not want to look at another piece of matzah until next year. Yesterday afternoon, as the sun was shining and Naftali, Yussie, and I were taking a stroll to visit my folks, Yussie was having fun greeting everyone with an effu- sive “Chag sameiach!” And just in case they didn’t know that it was the final day of the holiday, he added on, for whoever would listen, “Tomorrow pizza slice and fries!” Sometimes I think Yussie would be on a diet purely of pizza if we would let him. Somehow his taste buds do not tire from the flavor of pizza. Of course on Pesach his big sister on break from Binghamton University made sure to make him his favorite “matzah pizza,” but nothing can substitute for the actual thing for him. I’m trying to think of which foods I miss on Pesach. Frankly, not much! Obviously I tell myself that I miss all the chametz foods, so to fill the void I partake in bananas and sour cream, and daily doses of matzah with cream cheese and jelly. But, truth be told, Pesach somehow gives me “permission” to go off my diet. I have no concept of how many calories I have consumed in the past week, and it just doesn’t matter. Pesach comes but once a year, and if I have learned anything in my more than 20 years as a weight watcher, it’s that I did not gain my weight from Pesach, and going off track for one week will not be my downfall. Of course it will take a bit for me to recoup from the added calories, but with the hope of the good weather of spring, the fruits and vegetables will be more enticing, as will the return to my walks outdoors. NNN 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 19 20 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 21 The real-estate broker showing them them, “Who would want a roof? Look at this place told them how lucky they were the beautiful light you get in this room!” that it was so centrally located and had They continued into the one bedroom, two bedrooms, an eat-in kitchen, and two and the broker opened the door to show bathrooms. The buyers entered the eat-in them a bathroom with a shower. The kitchen, which (I had to blink twice) had only problem with this bathroom was a cold-water faucet jutting out of the wall that it was only four feet high, so you had with a sink hanging down onto the floor. to enter and get on the toilet on your The real-estate broker pointed out that knees—although if you were not so tall, the beautiful ceramic floor was original. you could sit on the toilet without bend- What A Buy! The buyers asked the real-estate broker, ing. The shower was only good if you “Where are the kitchen cabinets, coun- crawled in, since its ceiling was only ters, and everything else?” His answer three feet high, but the broker pointed Pesach is over. We have all had more to thoughts of what we are used to looking amazed me. He smiled and said that in out that it had strong water pressure. eat and drink than we should have. By for go out the window. Cairo, kitchen cabinets and counters are Boy, am I glad we left Egypt! Thank next week, we will all be meeting at the The first house the couple looked at expensive, so when people move they you, Moshe, for taking us out of there! O gym or passing each other on the street was an attached cement unit with most not only take their appliances with them with our walking and running schedules, of its features as they were when it was but also remove their counters and Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a licensed real-estate broker and a licensed N.Y.S. as we do everything we can to take off all originally built. (I call it a unit since it was kitchen cabinets and take them as well. mortgage broker with over 20 years of experience, the stuff that we enjoyed so much over originally built in the 1300s as a multi- The buyers just nodded and smiled. (I offering full-service residential and commercial yom tov. real-estate services (Anessa V Cohen Realty) and mortgaging services (First Meridian Mortgage) in The week after Pesach, most people the Five Towns and throughout the tri-state area. are getting back into their usual routines She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or via her website, www.AVCrealty.com. Readers are and catching up on what occurred while encouraged to send questions or comments to they were away or finding out how yom “Who would want a roof? [email protected]. tov was with those who went away. While contemplating what I was going to write about, I was reminded of a show Look at the beautiful light you depicting the trials and tribulations of a couple looking to buy a home in Cairo, get in this room!” At 5TJT.com Egypt. What an apropos story to tell right after Pesach! you can enjoy articles It started out the same as any other in 3 ways: story of this type. A couple decides they need to find space in a large city, so they family building on three or four levels.) would kill for buyers like that.) 1. Read figure out what is important—such as Half of the steps going up to the second From the kitchen, they went into the how many bedrooms they need, what floor had disintegrated, so the buyers had living space, which they called a “recep- 2. Print kind of living space design, and how to hold on to the wall on the other side to tion area.” This area had no roof and had 3. Email many bathrooms. But when you take go up the stairs and tread very slowly and a stone fountain in the middle of the those basic items and convert them to carefully. By the way, the asking price for room. The buyers asked why there was shopping for a house in Cairo, all this metziah was $430,000. no roof, and the real-estate broker told

22 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES charming, more impressive. Dear Caught, Rod is so beaten down by now that he As you’ve seen the hard way, the takes my criticism without even a whim- impact of being unemployed is so much per. And, of course, it makes me disre- more than just not being able to pay the spect him even more when he lets me bills. Going into debt and worrying about bully him. I want him to stand up to me losing one’s home is bad enough and and appear assertive, strong, and in con- incredibly frightening, but the erosion of trol. I want him to stand up in general relationships and self-esteem is also a Dear Esther, about how much he was contributing to and be taken seriously. Maybe if he powerful effect of this awful tsunami I’m part of that sad group of women the conversation. believed more in himself and projected a that has swept over your family and so married to unemployed men. My hus- Or say, for instance, we bump into more confident individual, he would do many others. band, “Rod,” lost his job about nine someone we know and they ask him a better in his job hunt. You seem to have excellent insight months ago. We immediately started simple question. I’ll start analyzing his So it’s a vicious cycle. I keep examin- into the dynamics that are affecting your doing everything we could to cut back answer, thinking that his answer sounds ing him for the flaws that are keeping relationship with Rod at this time and and rearrange our finances. Since we really stupid and wondering why he him unemployed, and as a result I’m your feelings toward him. Not everyone didn’t have that much in savings, within couldn’t answer differently. When we’re sure that I’m further eroding his self-con- is capable of seeing so clearly what is six months we were forced to start bor- alone, I’ll point it out to him (in not the fidence. And I’m smart enough to know happening. For whatever it’s worth, at rowing money here and there. That was kindest way). that you need confidence when you least you understand your behavior— very tough, and I’m not sure how and what is motivating it and how damaging when we’ll be able to pay anyone back. it can be. The question is whether you If my husband doesn’t get a job very have the capacity to shift gears and go soon, I fear the worst—that we will lose from angry and critical to compassionate our home. If that happens, I just don’t I start wondering if things would be and encouraging. know how I’ll survive. Putting that aside for the moment, I I know that the economy is awful understand why you’ve taken out your and that we’re not alone in this disaster. different if he were more dynamic, magnifying glass as you peer at your hus- However, I find myself really angry at band so closely. Because jobs are so few my husband. Not only do I blame him more charming, more impressive. and far between these days, even getting for the mess we are in, but I find myself a foot in the door for an interview is a watching him very closely and cri- major coup. It has turned into survival of tiquing his every move. For instance, the fittest. Whereas there was a time, not let’s say we’re invited out to lunch by so long ago, when one could put together friends. He’s never been a raconteur— It’s so bad that I’ll even become criti- walk into an interview. a respectable résumé to send in to a he’s always been on the quieter side— cal of how he talks to our five-year-old How do I break this awful cycle prospective employer, today even the but now I find myself observing him son! I know I’m being awful, but I can’t that I feel we are caught in? How do I résumé has become a very complex enti- constantly and getting annoyed when help myself. On one hand, I know I’m stop myself from being so overly crit- ty requiring the assistance of a résumé he doesn’t participate in the conversa- being very hard on him. On the other ical about every word that comes out specialist so that it is perfectly tweaked to tion. And then I find myself feeling hand, I feel so angry at the position we of his mouth? How do I start respect- stand out and be noticed. angry with him. When we get home, I are in, and I hold Rod responsible and ing Rod again so that I can help build Suddenly, companies have cropped up attack him for his silence. Before he lost start wondering if things would be dif- him up? his job, I never would have worried ferent if he were more dynamic, more Caught Continued on Page 24

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 23 MINDBIZ Continued from Page 23 that prepare individuals for interviews. No longer can one simply rely on his or her instincts to say the right thing. Every aspect of this process has taken on enor- mous importance. Standing out and being the best has never before been so necessary. Clearly you understand that there is no room for error these days. Since you’re not going with your husband on an interview, perhaps you’re observing him in social settings to try and get a sense of how he presents himself, wondering if there is some fatal flaw in his personality that is keeping him unemployed. You’re probably trying to figure out how you and your family have come to find your- selves in this situation and determine where the problem lies. And, like most women, you are trying to fix the problem, by pointing out to Rod his flaws. There are several realities that you would benefit from understanding. Firstly, because jobs are so scarce these days, even highly qualified and impressive individuals are finding themselves without jobs. No longer can one point to unemployed individuals and blame them for their status. There is a tremendous amount of mazel involved in who gets and keeps a job and who doesn’t. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. There are so many dynamic people who have lost their jobs because their employers went out of business. There are absolutely qualified professionals who were “king of the hill” one day and standing on the unemployment line the next day, as their employers had to downsize. I don’t know the details of Rod’s unemployment, but most likely it is through no fault of his own. But this experience is demoralizing and poten- tially destructive to one’s ego. Though I understand why you are suddenly analyzing every word that comes out of Rod’s mouth, trying to determine if he has the goods to be employable once again, we both know that you are going about it the wrong way. Perhaps Rod can pick up some better communication skills. Perhaps he should work on his social presentation, so that he has the word “winner” written all over him. But by criticizing him, you’re moving him in the wrong direc- tion. Firstly, you need to take a step back and remember that however hard this period is for you, it is probably a hun- dred times harder for Rod. Whatever fear or shame you are experiencing can’t come close to the fear and shame that Rod must be feeling. And add to that pile of pain the guilt he no doubt carries around with him. Every time you remind him of his failings, you’re just putting one more nail in his coffin. So you need to ask yourself whether you want to get in touch with your com- passion and love for Rod and allow those feelings to direct your behavior toward him—or whether you want to allow your fear and anger to not only torture Rod, but yourself as well. You’re both hurting terribly right now, which is exactly why there will be no better time to figure out how to act as a supportive and loving teammate, building him up rather than

Continued on Page 28 24 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 25 Seasonal Cooking: Rhubarb

Spring has sprung upon us, and just as hothouse rhubarb variety, also known as the weather brings a breath of fresh air, strawberry rhubarb, appears in markets as the new crop of fruits and vegetables early as January and continues to be offers us a refreshing burst of flavor. stocked through April. Field-grown, or Rhubarb is considered a vegetable, but is cherry, rhubarb begins to arrive in markets minum pots; a non-stick or stainless-steel 3/4 pound rhubarb stalks, thinly sliced most often treated as a fruit—though it’s in March and can continue to appear pot is best. Aluminum and copper will diagonally (1/8 inch) rarely eaten raw. Just like fresh cranber- through the summer. Spring stalks are the turn the rhubarb—and your pots—brown. 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.25 ries, rhubarb is almost unbearably tart on juiciest and most tender. Proper storage. Wrap rhubarb in plas- oz. package), thawed its own and needs the sweetness of sugar, Fresh stalks are flat, not curled or limp. tic wrap and store it in the coldest part of 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest honey, or fruit juice added to it to balance Look for rhubarb with moderately thin, the refrigerator for up to one week. Both Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream out the acidity. Rhubarb’s nickname is the crisp stalks that are dark pink to red. cooked and raw rhubarb freeze well. Directions: “pie plant” because that is the primary use Greener, thicker stalks can be stringier, Uses. The most popular use for rhubarb Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in for this vegetable. coarser, and more sour; deep red stalks is making a pie. Strawberries are the most middle. Stir together orange juice, lime Strawberries and rhubarb are a classic are sweeter and richer. popular counterpart to rhubarb, but it can juice, and sugar in a bowl. Add rhubarb culinary pair: The strawberries’ sweetness Preparation. Rhubarb’s thick, celery-like be paired with most any berry or fruit. You and let stand, stirring occasionally, 10 coupled with rhubarb’s tartness makes stalks can grow up to two feet long. can make upside-down cakes, muffins, or minutes. for a delicious burst of flavor and a lovely They’re the only edible part of the plant— jam, or simply cook it down with a little Meanwhile, cut pastry in half length- sight for the eyes with their ruby reds and the leaves can be toxic, so they should sugar (no water necessary) and use as a wise, then roll out each piece into an rosy pinks. Don’t miss out on these spring never be consumed, whether raw or topping for ice cream or pancakes. 11" x 7" rectangle on a lightly floured sur- treats, as their time is short and sweet. cooked. Cut off and discard the leaves, face with a floured rolling pin. Arrange Selection. Today, most rhubarb is frozen then rinse and trim from the base and the Rhubarb Tart with Orange Glaze pastry rectangles side by side on an for commercial use; only about a quarter tip. You may peel or cut with the skin Ingredients: ungreased large baking sheet. Make a of the crop is sold fresh. While it might be intact. When cooking with rhubarb, you 1 cup fresh orange juice 1/2-inch border around each pastry rec- hard to find, you can come across fresh should use cookware that does not react 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice tangle by lightly scoring a line parallel rhubarb at specific times of the year. The with acids. Cook rhubarb in non-alu- 1/2 cup sugar to each edge (do not cut all the way

26 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES through). Prick pastry inside border all over with a fork. Strain rhubarb mixture through a sieve set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Top one pastry rectangle (within border) with half of rhubarb, overlapping slices slightly. Repeat with remaining pastry and rhubarb. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden (underside of pastry should also be golden), about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, boil reserved rhubarb liquid in a small saucepan, skimming foam if necessary, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tarts to a rack. Brush rhubarb and pastry with O glaze and sprinkle with zest. Eating quality, delicious meals is easy when all the work is done for you. Hire a personal chef to prepare your dinners, Shabbos meals, or small parties. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-858- 0215, writing to [email protected], or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net. Speak With Your Smile Today!

B Y DEBORAH PAPARO

Dental health has a direct impact on your general health. When you take good care of your teeth, the rest of your body is healthier. Missing teeth or uncomfort- able dentures can detract from your general sense of well being and make you feel self-conscious and insecure about your smile. The ‘good news’ is that dental implants have become the new and per- manent solution to missing teeth. Implants look, feel, and work just like natural teeth. Thousands of patients have reported that implants have changed their lives. Former denture wearers who had previously been forced to limit their diets to soft, mushy foods that didn’t interfere with their dentures are thrilled to bite into that apple, chew steak, and eat corn on the cob and other foods that they had missed. Other implant patients report that they can laugh, smile, and speak with confidence again. Contemporary Dental Implant Centre performs more than 4,000 implants per year. They have a team of cosmetic spe- cialists who have over 25 years of experience and are committed to providing patients with an informative and “stress free” visit using the latest state-of-the-art technology. Their team will follow your case through the implant consult, place- ment of implant, and delivery of crowns. Implants can eliminate denture adhe- sives and replace your missing or loose teeth permanently. Contemporary Dental Implant Centre is currently offering an unbeatable special on dental implants, at only $395! (Post and crown additional.) Sedation dentistry is available. In addition, their team of cosmetic dentists can also provide a one-hour in- office tooth whitening system at the low price of $350. You can also schedule an Invisalign free consultation; it is virtually invisible so you can smile during as well as after treatment. O

Contemporary Dental Implant Centre has seven convenient locations: Midtown Manhattan, Wall Street Area Manhattan, Scarsdale, Westchester, Massapequa Park, Rego Park, Valley Stream, and Brooklyn. Call 212-269-9500 for a free consultation or visit www.ContemporaryDentalImplantCentre.com to learn more. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 27 MINDBIZ Continued from Page 24 tearing him down. There is nothing wrong with pointing out to Rod that perhaps he needs to be more mindful of his social skills, but it’s how you point it out that is important. You should be thinking about the tone you use and how you couch your comments so that he doesn’t feel even further diminished. Perhaps Rod needs to work with a professional whose job it is to groom individuals to shine at interviews. Perhaps Rod does need to engage people whom he sees socially in a way that encourages them to think of him, in case they hear of a job opening at some point. I don’t believe any of this can happen if your relationship is infused with negative and critical energy. Some day Rod will find a job, and I hope it will be soon. Think of how nice it will be for you to look back then on this dark period and know in your heart that you came through it in a loving and supportive way, rather than in a way that makes you shudder. It’s all very nice and good to be a great spouse when life is moving along smoothly. It’s when life gets messy that we are truly put to the test, and it is up to us to figure out what we are really made of at that time. For those of us who can come through with dignity and success, we have the opportunity to learn a great deal about ourselves and are ultimately all the wiser and kinder for the experience. It’s all part of the journey, your own journey as well as your husband’s. We may not always have control over where our journey takes us, but we certainly have control over how we respond to it. Good luck to both of you. Esther

Esther Mann, LMSW, is a psychotherapist in Lawrence. Esther can be reached at 516-314-2295 or [email protected]. She works with individuals and couples.

And it came to pass on the eighth day (Vayikra 9:1) The number seven represents the cycle of creation; the number eight represents the “circumference”— that which lies beyond the perimeter of time and space.This is why the Divine Presence came to dwell in the Israelite camp on the eighth day.This is also alluded to in the saying of our sages (Talmud, Erchin 13b) that “The lyre of Mashiach has eight strings.” (Keli Yakar; Shaloh)

28 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES TSA Talking Tefillin

The Transportation Security Admini- stration (TSA) has taken steps to educate its personnel as to the nature, contents, and use of tefillin. Information on tefillin has now been added to briefing materials for security officials across the nation. Agudath Israel of America’s Washington Director and Counsel, Rabbi Abba Cohen, called the TSA move “a welcome development that should go far in clearing up potential misunderstandings on the part of agency employees and the public regarding a religious article that Jewish travelers sometimes may carry or wear aboard aircraft.”

Work on the specific issue of tefillin training continued while the TSA addressed complex concerns regarding headwear screening procedures.

Representing the national Orthodox Jewish organization, Rabbi Cohen first raised the tefillin issue with the TSA several years ago, when a number of con- stituents reported problems they encoun- tered at airport security checkpoints. At that time, Rabbi Cohen explained to agency officials the religious obligation to wear tefillin, what the ritual entails, and—using a pair of dismantled tefillin— showed officials how the items are made and what they contain. At that time, the TSA responded posi- tively to Agudath Israel’s presentation, and undertook to include within its training manuals information to famil- iarize its officers with tefillin, and to offer guidance on screening procedures. Work on the specific issue of tefillin training continued while the TSA addressed complex concerns regarding headwear screening procedures—another area of importance to the Orthodox Jewish community and of cooperation between Agudath Israel and the TSA. In the interim, other Agudath Israel efforts were undertaken to help better acquaint airline industry personnel with Jewish practices. A special brochure was even produced by the Orthodox group that described Jewish prayer, rituals, and customs. “We are gratified by the TSA’s sensitivity on this issue,” says Rabbi Cohen, “and are pleased to have collaborated with it in developing the new guidance. Better information can only lead to our mutual goals—not only of religious sensitivity but of more effective security.” (Agudath Israel) O 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 29 the heavens and the earth…and on the cultural work is suspended on the sev- seventh day He rested” (Sh’mos 20:11). enth year and the land’s produce is Each Shabbos thus completes a full revo- declared free for the taking for all. Also lution of time’s original cycle, following suspended on the Shemittah year are all which we start anew from Yom Rishon, private debts and the terms of servitude “the first day”—as Sunday is called in of indentured servants. Lashon HaKodesh. Finally, our Sages describe the whole This is why many Jewish life-cycle of human history as a seven-millennium observances are seven-day affairs. Two week, consisting of 6,000 years of human From The Chassidic Masters seven-day festivals frame our year— labor in developing G-d’s world and a sev- Pesach, which runs from the 15th through enth millennium that is wholly Shabbos the 21st of Nissan, and Sukkos, occurring and rest, for life everlasting—the era of The Eighth Dimension exactly six months later, Tishrei 15–21. A Mashiach. marriage is celebrated for a full week of The Kabbalists explain that the Seven sheva berachos, and the death of a loved Days of Creation embody the seven “And it came to pass on the eighth and by extention, to the entire one, G-d forbid, is mourned for seven sefiros (Divine attributes) which G-d day…” Thus opens the Torah section of parashah—as “the eighth day”? days (shivah). Thus the freedom of caused to emanate from Himself to Shemini (“The Eighth”), which describes Pesach, the joy of Sukkos, the bond of define and characterize His relationship the events of the day on which the The Cycle marriage, and the coming to terms with with our existence. So seven is not only Mishkan, the portable Sanctuary build by The number seven figures prominent- loss are assimilated in all seven dimen- the elemental number of time, but of the People of Israel in the Sinai Desert, ly in our reckoning and experience of sions of created time. every created thing and of the created was inaugurated. reality as a whole. This is especially true It was “the eighth day” because it fol- of the human being, who was created in lowed a seven-day “training” period, dur- the image of G-d: the human character ing which the Mishkan was erected each comprises seven drives (love, restraint, morning and disassembled each evening, Eight represents that which is harmony, ambition, devotion, connec- and Aharon and his four sons were initi- tion, and receptiveness), mirroring the ated into the kehunah (priesthood). But it higher than nature, the seven attributes which G-d assumed as was also a day which our Sages describe Creator of the universe. as possessing many “firsts”: it was a Sunday, the first day of the week; it was circumference that encompasses Matter And Spirit the 1st of Nissan, marking the beginning Each of the seven units of the week of a new year; it was the first day that the the circle of creation. embodies the particular characteristics of Divine Presence came to dwell in the its respective sefirah. But in more general Mishkan; the first day of the kehunah; the terms, the cycle consists of two primary first day of the service in the Mishkan; phases: mundanity (chol) and holiness and so on. There is even an opinion that (kedushah). Six days of mundane labor this was the anniversary of the creation time. Most familiar, of course, is the Our years, too, follow the cycle of cre- are followed by a day of spiritual rest; six of the universe. seven-day work/rest cycle of each week, a ation: six workday years are succeeded years of working the earth, by a year of With so many “firsts” associated with reenactment of the original Seven Days by a sabbatical year of Shemittah (sus- suspension and uninvolvement with the this day, why does the Torah refer to it— of Creation when “in six days, G-d made pension). In the Land of Israel, all agri- material; six millennia devoted to strug-

30 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES gling with and developing the physical Yet, despite their transcendent a seventh day of shabbos, of cessation day of life. The festival of Shemini Atzeres world, by a seventh millennium in which nature, the seventh day, year, and mil- from work. (Eighth Day of Retention), whose func- the sole occupation of the entire world lennium are constituent parts of the Our Sages explain: What was the tion is to internalize the transcendent will be the knowledge of G-d. cycles of creation. Materiality and spiri- world lacking? Rest. When Shabbos encompassing light of the sukkah, occurs The Torah’s word for holiness, tuality might differ greatly—to the came, rest came. Rest—transcendence on the eighth day that follows the seven kedushah, literally means removed and point, even, of mutual exclusivity—yet and spirituality—is itself a creation. days of Sukkos. Seven Shemittah cycles apart. Its names for the seventh day, both are part of nature: both are gov- Though removed from the nature of the are followed by a jubilee year character- Shabbos, and for the seventh year, erned by the framework of laws which material, it is part of a greater nature— ized by liberty (i.e., freedom from all Shemittah, respectively mean cessation define the created reality. the nature of the created reality, which bounds) rather than just suspension. And and suspension. For holiness requires Indeed, the very fact that holiness includes the realm of the spiritual as well the Mishkan, whose role was to make the complete disengagement from all materi- demands the cessation and suspension as the realm of the material. infinite reality of G-d an indwelling pres- al involvement. In order to experience of all things mundane indicates that it, ence in the physical world, was inaugu- the holiness and spirituality of Shabbos, too, has its limits. It means that just as Circle And Circumference rated on the eighth day following a seven- we must cease all material labor; in order there exists a physical nature which If the number seven defines the natu- day training period. to touch base with the holiness of the defines and delimits the scope of physi- ral reality, eight represents that which is By the same token, the messianic sev- land in the Shemittah year, we must sus- cal things and forces, so, too, does the higher than nature, the circumference enth millennium of history will be fol- pend all physical work upon its soil and realm of the spiritual have its nature—its that encompasses the circle of creation. lowed by the ultimate “eight”: the supra- all claims of ownership on its produce. In own set of laws which define what it is Seven includes both matter and spirit, historical World to Come (Olam HaBa), order to experience the Divine goodness and what it is not, where it can exist and both mundanity and holiness, both in which the Divine reality will unite and perfection of our world in the age of where it cannot, and how, and in what involvement and transcendence—but as with the created reality in ways that we Mashiach, we must first achieve a state in manner, it can make itself felt beyond its separate, distinct components of the cannot even speculate upon, in a world which there is no jealousy and no compe- inviolate boundaries. So while the con- cycle of creation. The seventh dimension in which finite and infinite are mutually tition over its material wealth. cept of transcendence seems the antithe- will exert its influence on the other six, exclusive. In the words of the Talmud, (This is not to say that Shabbos has no sis of definition, transcendence is itself a but only in a transcendent way—as a spir- “All prophets prophesied only regarding effect upon the rest of the week, that the definition, for it defines (and thus con- itual, otherworldly reality that will never the days of Mashiach; regarding the Shemittah year does not profoundly fines) itself as beyond and distinct from be truly internalized and integrated with- World to Come, ‘No eye can behold it, O influence the farmer’s relationship with the material. in the system. In contrast, eight repre- G-d, save Yours.’” O his land during the other six years of the This offers insight into a key passage sents the introduction of a reality that is cycle, or that the age of Mashiach is in the Torah’s account of creation. In beyond all nature and definition, includ- Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; divorced from the workday generations Bereishis 2:2 we read, “And G-d concluded ing the definition transcendence. This adapted by Yanki Tauber. Courtesy of MeaningfulLife.com via Chabad.org. Find more of history. On the contrary: the primary on the seventh day the work that He had eighth dimension (if we can call it a Torah articles for the whole family at function of these sabbaths is to provide done.” This seems to contradict the sec- dimension) has no limitations at all: it www.chabad.org/parshah. spiritual vision, fortitude, and purpose to ond part of that very verse, which reads, transcends and pervades, being beyond the mundane periods of their cycle. But “And He rested on the seventh day from nature yet also fully present within it, in order to do so, they must be kept dis- all the work that He had done.” If the being equally beyond matter and spirit tinct and apart. It is only when the work of creation was concluded on the and equally within them. You can now upload boundaries between the holy and the seventh day, then the seventh day was So the covenant of circumcision, your display ad directly mundane are strictly enforced that we one of the days of creation; but if the sev- which binds the Jew to G-d in a bond that can experience holiness in our lives and enth day is the day on which G-d rested supersedes all nature and convention via our website at then extend its vision and influence to from all the work that He had done, even as it pervades every nook and cran- www.5tjt/com/ad our mundane endeavors.) there were only six days of creation, and ny of life, is entered into on the eighth

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 31 get it. It made no sense to me then, and it telling others about themselves than makes no sense to me now. My take on they are in knowing what anyone else the subject is that one uses Facebook to has to say. Facebook may be a global let people know what’s going on in his or socialization network, but to me it her life and, at the same time, to learn looks more like people keeping diaries what’s going on in the other person’s life. and opening them up to anyone who My question is, Who cares? wishes to see them. My interest in celebrities, be they ath- I know about diaries because, as a kid, letes, politicians, or stage and screen per- I kept one. But mine was private. On an formers, is limited to their performances. average day I might write: “Dear Diary, Dear Diary What they do in their private lives is of today I wore my new poodle skirt to zero interest to me. I don’t care what they school. In science class I saw Joseph. He’s do with their spare time. soooooooo cute. Chanukah starts next There’s nothing like e-mail. It certainly that someone had friended me, I tried to The people in whom I am sincerely week and I can’t wait to see what I’m get- beats snail mail, which is anything sent respond; far be it from me to insult any- interested are family and close ting. I sat next to Leora on the school bus or received through the United States one who reaches out to me. But I didn’t friends, and I already know how they this afternoon. My mother made salmon Postal Service. But not all is rosy in my e- know what I was doing. So my next step spend their time, where they shop, croquettes for supper and we had pud- mail world. Not all e-mails are created was to recruit one of my grandsons to and what music they listen to. I don’t ding for dessert. Today is Thursday and equal. Some are unwelcome. teach me what to do. “Sure thing, Savta,” need to see it on Facebook. For many she makes that every Thursday. Talk to When I sit down in front of the you tomorrow.” screen (a seasoned computer user refers For some reason, I always told my to it as a monitor, but I am anything but diary I would check in the next day! As if seasoned), my first order of business the diary cared! always is to peruse the list of incoming There was bound to be somebody just It’s hard to believe I once considered e-mails. But I get a distinctly unpleasant that drivel to be so meaningful that I sensation in the pit of my belly when I made a point of writing it down. see an e-mail with the word NOTIFICA- dying to learn all those scintillating Additionally, I thought the information TION in the subject box. By now I know to be so fascinating that I always made that it means I’m being notified that details of my 12-year-old life. sure to lock my precious diary with the someone wants to “friend” me on little key that came with it. Of course I Facebook. Aarrgghh! locked it. After all, there was bound to be It has been explained to me, repeat- somebody who was just dying to learn edly, that Facebook is a global socializa- all those scintillating details of my 12- tion network, so I tell myself I don’t he said when I made the request. I was individuals, Facebook provides exactly year-old life. need that. I do enough socializing and thrilled with the knowledge that I was what they need. But, after careful con- From all that I’ve seen so far, nothing have no desire to acquire more friends. making a sincere effort to come into the sideration, I have begun to see it in a more interesting has appeared on But that reason is somewhat disingen- 21st century by doing what everyone else different light. Facebook. And if that isn’t bad enough, uous. The real reason I eschew does—being on Facebook! My take on it is that this website is there’s another facet of the so-called Facebook is that I don’t know how, or My grandson patiently explained to more of a one-way street than most socializing network culture that eludes why, to use it. me exactly what Facebook is, how it’s people are willing to acknowledge. me. On Facebook, people often become When I received the very first notice used, and why it’s used. But I still didn’t People seem to be more interested in acquainted with friends of friends! Got

32 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

that? For instance, if I’m friendly with grandson is a poor teacher or I’m a poor Shira and Shira is friendly with Dena, student. But, judging from the way he suddenly Dena and I are friends! I didn’t appeared to be gnashing his teeth, know Dena before and, while I’m sure rolling his eyes, and roughly running his she’s a lovely person, I have no particu- fingers through his hair now and then, I lar desire to get to know her now. But have a strong suspicion that the blame somehow, because we both know Shira, lies with me. suddenly Dena and I are “friends.” This I Although I remained confused about do not understand. It goes to my origi- Facebook, for some reason I also asked Ohel Events with disabilities within the community. nal claim of not needing or wanting him to explain to me what Twitter is all Hundreds of Students and Schools Camp Kaylie at Ohel is one new initia- more friends. about. But as soon as the question was Participate in Ohel’s “Reaching Out to tive Ohel hopes iy’H to open in the sum- Most people write generic, innocent, out of my mouth, a look of utter horror Special Friends” Competition. Nearly mer of 2011. It will be a revolutionary, and non-controversial information came over his face. Then he caught him- 1,000 entries were received from over 50 fully integrated summer camp experi- that they feel is okay for everyone to self and tried to discourage me from pur- schools in Brooklyn, Cedarhurst, Teaneck, ence. It will be the first of its kind to serve see. This is known as writing on some- suing that topic. Diplomatic soul that he Monsey, Miami, Baltimore, Lakewood, both those with developmental disabili- body’s “wall,” a term whose meaning is, he phrased it this way: “Savta, Twitter Cleveland, Dallas, Toronto, and ties and those without disabilities, offer- totally eludes me. Of course one may is really ridiculous. Honestly, you don’t Englewood as well as from as far as ing unparalleled activity, enriched pro- also send a private message that is want to know about that.” Australia. The essay and picture competi- gramming, and exceptional leadership meant for one person only, but then The boy has smarts. He blamed Twitter tion was a part of Ohel’s 40th Milestone training where campers will enjoy an why not just send an e-mail to the indi- and not me. I think the poor kid was marking 40 years of strengthening the experience like no other. vidual in question and skip Facebook afraid he’d be stuck with me as a student community. Its aim was to help raise The winners of Ohel’s school altogether? What happened to old- for the rest of our lives. O awareness and sensitivity amongst stu- competition were: fashioned e-mailing? dents to those with disabilities within High School: 1st Place: Jared Rosen, As yet, I have never written on any- Hannah Berman lives in Woodmere and is a the community. Ramaz (12th grade); 2nd Place: Rivka licensed real-estate broker associated with one’s wall nor have I responded to any- Marjorie Hausman Realty. She can be reached at Judges for the essay included noted Lubin, HAFTR (11th grade). [To read Rivka’s one who has written on mine. I’m not [email protected] or 516-902-3733. writer and speaker Rabbi Paysach Krohn, essay, visit www.5tjt.com/featured-news/ even sure if I have a wall, and I wouldn’t Mrs. Rachel Hubner, editor of Binah 319-a-sibling-speaks-finding-the-ability- know how to find it if I do. I know how Bunch, and Mrs. Rookie Billet, principal within-a-disability.html] to send and receive e-mails and instant of Ma’ayanot High School. Winners of the Grade 6–8: 1st Place: Zehava Shayna messages, and that will have to suffice. competition were invited to Ohel’s Seidman, Moriah (6th grade); 2nd Place: I came to this realization after a few Remember that article? Annual Benefit Dinner where they were Yaffa Jacobson, Ashar (7th grade) sessions with my grandson. Sadly, I Visit our archive section individually recognized and received Grade 3–5: 1st Place: Faigy Greenspan, don’t know much more about how to their respective awards. Bais Yaakov of Toronto (3rd grade); 2nd use Facebook now than I did before. and find any issue of the The standard of entries was exception- Place: Baila Gunsburg, Yeshiva of Spring And I find it hard to keep the terminol- ally high and perhaps best reflected in the Valley (5th grade). ogy straight. I like to sound as if I know 5 Towns Jewish Times award-winning entry by Jared Rosen who Ohel To Participate in TD Bank Five what I’m talking about. But I don’t! I online @ reflected that “The challenge was to be Boro Bike Tour on May 2. Forty-two never know when to use which word. part of his world before trying to help him thrilling miles. Twenty-five enthusiastic There is writing, posting, and blogging; I www.5TJT.com be part of ours.” This competition is part bike riders. One important destination: think they may all have the same mean- of a more comprehensive initiative to ing, but I’m not entirely sure. Either my raise awareness and sensitivity to those Continued on Page 34

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 33 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS ence for many youngsters. The chance to three miles to the ferry. Spectators are Holocaust because the Soviet authorities Continued from Page 33 demonstrate leadership and help others welcome to cheer on Team Ohel along the did everything to prevent us as Jews from is life-changing, too, says Team Ohel route and at the festival, which will fea- creating an identity. The March of the Ohel’s summer camp programs. Reaching member and high school senior ture bike demos, giveaways, and games. Living is a show of the force and unity of that destination—day and sleep-away Benjamin Brandwein. “I attended an Ohel There is still plenty of time to con- the Jewish People.” O camp opportunities for children with dis- leadership training session last year,” said tribute to Team Ohel. Please visit abilities and children living in foster care Brandwein, “I learned lots of great skills http://teamohel.org/bikeny for more infor- JLI “Beyond Never Again,” or in domestic abuse shelters—is what that I have put to use since then and I feel mation or to make a contribution today. O Begins April 28 motivates Team Ohel’s twenty-five riders indebted to Ohel for the change they Timed to coincide with Yom Hashoah, as they train for the 2010 TD Bank Five brought about in my life.” Brandwein is Natan Sharansky To Lead This Holocaust Remembrance Day, Beyond Boro Bike Tour. enjoying his training for his trek, and rais- Year’s March Of The Living, April 12 Never Again, a six-part course about the Ohel’s summer camp programs pro- ing money for Ohel is “an awesome feat.” Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Holocaust, will premiere in more than vide opportunities to children from all Brandwein—and every member of Sharansky and former Israel Chief Rabbi 300 locations worldwide, including over the United States who might other- Team Ohel—is working hard to meet their Meir Lau will lead some 10,000 young Cedarhurst. Created by the Rohr Jewish wise miss the fun, new friendships, and goals. With limited or no government adults from Israel and abroad in the Learning Institute (JLI), the world’s largest all the special experiences every child funding for camping programs, these rid- March of the Living at Auschwitz- network of adult education, Beyond deserves in the summertime. From sports ers know the dollars they raise can go a Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. Never Again has won support from the to Shabbos experiences, Ohel provides long way toward making summer camp a This year’s March marks the 65th United States Holocaust Memorial specialized services for children with dis- realistic destination for many children. anniversary of the end of World War II and Museum, Yad Vashem, and more than 300 abilities in its summer camping and end- The TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour takes will honor the memory of the million and centers and institutes devoted to study- of-summer programs. Ohel pays full camp place on Sunday, May 2 and includes a a half children who were killed during the ing the Holocaust around the world. fees for children in the foster care pro- dedicated number of entry slots for chari- Holocaust; Rabbi Lau was among those Envisioned as a journey into the gram or living in the Ohel domestic abuse ty groups. Cyclists start off in Lower who escaped the Holocaust as a child. intense realm of meaning, Beyond Never shelter. Many children with disabilities Manhattan, head north through “The March of the Living strengthens Again examines the universal themes also attend summer camp and are provid- Manhattan, Bronx, and Queens, and then Jewish identity, individually and collec- that the Holocaust forces us to confront, ed generous scholarships. cruise into Staten Island where they’ll be tively,” said Sharansky, adding he sees it such as the nature of good and evil, and Summer camp can be an especially joined by enthusiastic supporters at an as a great honor to lead the March this how empathy and conscience may be memorable, even life-changing experi- outdoor festival before biking the final year. “Growing up I knew little about the nurtured. The course is formulated as a series of facilitated discussions that will enable participants to articulate their personal responses to the Holocaust, and provides relevant angles on some of life’s most difficult questions pertaining to faith and suffering. Starting on April 28 at Chabad of The Five Towns, Beyond Never Again will be held for six consecutive Wednesdays from 8:15 to 9:30 p.m., and is expected to draw more than 50 local students to its dynamic text-based and audio-visual classes. For further information, please visit www.chabadfivetowns.com/JLI or call 516- 295-2478. O

UJA/Hilibrand Foundation Autism Symposium, April 22 UJA-Federation of New York’s Caring Commission hosts an autism symposium that will address the needs of young adults with autism. Experts report that the current prevalence of autism spectrum disorders are at least 1 in 100, and a large portion of the diagnosed population is rapidly approaching young adulthood. How can parents, professionals, and communal organizations prepare for the needs of these individuals as they enter the adult phase of their lives? Through presentations by renowned professionals in the field, this symposium will examine the impact of emerging into young adulthood with autism. The symposium will feature a webinar, allowing a national audience to connect with other Jewish federations and agencies from around the nation. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, M.D. will discuss “Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders: the science, new findings, and implications for services for young adult.” Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., director of the Yale Child Study Center, will be the keynote speaker and will discuss and host a question and answer session on “The Changing Face of Autism: emerging challenges and opportunities in working with young adults.” Shana Nichols, Ph.D. will discuss, “Growing Up With Autism: developing a healthy sexuality curriculum for young adults.” Randy Lewis and Deb Russell will discuss, “There is Not Greatness Without Goodness: Learning from Walgreens as a leader in offering employment opportunities to those with 34 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES autism.” Charles D. Hammerman will dis- move in leave larger apartments that tant products.” Jenkins, Yaakov Mendelson, and cuss “Addressing Housing Needs With become available for low-income fami- Gatorade Thirst Quencher is the most Abraham Juravel, as well as Phyllis Innovative Financial Models.” lies who need housing. thoroughly researched sports beverage in Koegel, OU marketing associate, to The seminar is scheduled to take place Met Council currently manages more the world and is scientifically formulated cooperate with Gatorade’s team and on Thursday, April 22, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. than 1,000 units of senior housing in New and athletically proven to quench thirst, bring the Gatorade products to eagerly at the UJA-Federation of New York, sev- York City, with more than 500 more in replace fluids and electrolytes, and pro- awaiting kosher consumers.” enth-floor conference center, 130 East pre-development. For more information, vide carbohydrate energy to enhance ath- Consumers who maintain a kosher 59th Street (between Lexington and Park contact: Rachel Wizenfeld at Met letic performance. By offering a scientifi- diet will be able to purchase kosher-certi- avenues) in New York City. The couvert is Council, 646-784-0673 or rwizenfeld@ cally proven blend of carbohydrates and fied Gatorade at retail locations where $25. (The couvert represents the cost of metcouncil.org. O key electrolytes, Gatorade Thirst Gatorade Thirst Quenchers and G2 ready- the event and is not tax-deductible.) Quencher is designed for use in the to-drink beverages are currently available. R.S.V.P. to Diane Scherer at 212-836-1604 or Gatorade Announces Kosher moment of activity to help athletes and Kosher-certified Gatorade will be avail- [email protected] (Assisted listening Certified Products active people hydrate, refuel, and push able in all Gatorade Thirst Quenchers and devices available upon request). O The Gatorade Company, a division of through. G2 is a low-calorie option that G2 flavors by summer 2010. O PepsiCo (PEP), is strengthening its catego- delivers functional hydration to active Met Council Urges Obama To ry-leading portfolio of sports perform- people, but with less than half the calo- Lander College 10th Anniversary Reinstate Full Funding For Low- ance beverages in 2010 by announcing ries of Gatorade Thirst Quencher. Dinner, April 25 Income Senior Housing Program the kosher-certification of Gatorade To maintain kosher-certification, Steve Brown, founding chairman of Metropolitan Council on Jewish Thirst Quencher and G2. In partnership Gatorade will continue to undergo regu- Touro College’s Lander College for Men’s Poverty urges the Obama Administration with the Orthodox Union (OU), Gatorade lar inspections by OU rabbinic represen- board of overseers, and his wife, to reinstate full funding for the low- completed the kosher-certification tatives to ensure ingredients, formulas, Mychal, will receive LCM’s Founders income senior citizen housing program process and certified kosher Gatorade processes, and manufacturing plants Award at its inaugural dinner celebrat- known as HUD Section 202. Together with Thirst Quencher and G2. Kosher products, comply with the guidelines for manufac- ing its 10th anniversary on Sunday Senator Schumer, it urges U.S. Secretary of which will bear the OU symbol, will turing kosher products. Throughout this evening, April 25, at Congregation Housing and Urban Development Shaun begin appearing in stores this spring with process Gatorade has ensured the ingredi- Kneseth Israel (The White Shul). The Donovan to bring the funding up to fiscal a full rollout expected by summer 2010. ents, efficacy, and taste would not be Browns split their time between year 2010 levels of $825 million. For the fis- “Gatorade understands that different altered. Gatorade Thirst Quencher and G2 Cedarhurst and Jerusalem. cal year 2011, the administration has only athletes have different needs, and provid- will feature new packaging that includes Dr. Moshe Sokol, dean of Touro budgeted $273.7 million. ing sports performance beverages that the Orthodox Union certified kosher College’s Lander College for Men/Beis Whenever Met Council builds afford- adhere to kosher standards is important symbol which identifies products that Medrash L’Talmud, has announced that able senior housing, it receives nearly a for us,” said Andrea Fairchild, vice presi- may be consumed by those who main- Brown is being honored for his many dozen eligible applicants for every unit dent of brand marketing for Gatorade. tain a kosher diet. years as founding chairman of the LCM available. The waiting list for the program “We’re proud to make these offerings “It was gratifying for us to partner board of overseers and his continued gen- is so big that many applicants unfortu- available to help meet the needs of ath- with Gatorade through the certification erosity towards LCM. “We are delighted to nately will never have a chance to get letes who maintain kosher diets, so they process and bring these much-sought- present this award to Steve and Mychal called. Instead of cutting this incredibly can perform at their best.” after sports drinks to the ever-growing Brown for their profound loyalty and ded- important and successful program, the Rabbi Menachem Genack, OU Kosher’s kosher marketplace,” said Rabbi ication to Lander College for Men,” Dean administration should be doubling its CEO expressed his “great satisfaction that Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s vice presi- Sokol said. “Despite having an extremely size. In addition to providing a safe, the iconic Gatorade products will now dent of communications and market- demanding professional life, Steve, who is affordable, and healthy environment for bear the OU symbol allowing the kosher ing. “It is most rewarding for OU our seniors, many of the seniors who community to benefit from these impor- Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbis David Continued on Page 36

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 35 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS the Beis Medrash L’Talmud Harbotzas Kulanu Gesher Program Continued from Page 35 Torah Award for their numerous accomplishments in spreading Torah, a truly gifted individual, takes a genuine both in America and Israel, and Rabbi interest in Jewish learning and the spiritu- Ariel and Shani Kopitnikoff, who will al growth of young people eager to make be presented with the LCM their mark on the world.” Distinguished Service Award. Brown has had a successful career that “These are people who have been a includes his post as chief financial officer critical part of Lander College for Men of IDT Corporation, a Fortune 700 NYSE from its inception,” Dean Sokol said. listed company; creating a mini-film stu- “Throughout the years, they have sup- dio; and becoming an Emmy-nominated ported us with their loyalty, dedication, producer of animated feature and televi- and hard work, which has helped make sion films—as well as operating his own our school into one of the top institu- accounting practice. Both Brown and his tions in the nation that combine both wife are known worldwide for their phi- Jewish and secular academic studies.” lanthropy and are involved with numer- The dinner will also feature Beis ous charitable organizations. Medrash L’Talmud’s first-ever chag He has been LCM’s chairman since its hasemichah (rabbinic ordination ceremo- inception and has sponsored its bekius ny), celebrating a decade of musmachim Ilan Liechtung, a student at the Kulanu Gesher Program, was awarded a contest, which tests one’s knowledge of a (those who will receive rabbinic ordina- pet groomer career diploma. Pictured above, Dr. Glenda Wexler of Broadway full tractate of the Talmud, in Israel for tion). All 52 musmachim will be individual- Veterinary Care in Hewlett, NY, where Ilan has interned for the past two the past four years. The Browns have four ly honored for the completion of their ordi- years; Gerry Hanson, Gesher instructor; and Ray Guarneri, Ilan’s job coach. children and seven grandchildren. nation studies at Beis Medrash L’Talmud. The Gesher program provides individualized support which allows students In addition to the Browns, the “We are delighted to have reached this ages 18-21 in special education to transition successfully to their new roles school is also honoring two prominent important milestone and we look for- as adults in the community. Kulanu’s vocational team matched Ilan’s love for LCM alumni and their wives, Rabbi ward to sharing the celebration of our animals with a training experience at Dr. Wexler’s office. Daniel and Ziva Glanz, who will receive 10th anniversary with the Jewish community, both here and abroad,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, who recently succeeded Dr. Bernard Lander, z’l, as president and CEO of Touro College. “We are also proud of our 52 musmachim and wish them well as they go on to serve the Jewish people and promulgate Jewish tradition.” While still a young institution, Lander College takes great pride in its alumni who have chosen to pursue careers in the rab- binate, Jewish education, and communal outreach, according to Rabbi Yehuda Shmulewitz, menahel (director) of the Beis Medrash L’Talmud. He said: “In addition to our musmachim who have made aliyah and now work in post-high school yeshivot in Israel, many of our local institutions— including Young Israel of Scarsdale, Ezra Academy, Davis Renov Stahler High School for Boys, Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, Congregation Etz Chaim, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, Ramaz High School, Young Israel of Lawrence- Cedarhurst, Westchester Hebrew High School, Yeshiva of South Shore, Yeshiva of Central Queens, and Hebrew Academy of Long Beach—have all benefited from the talents of our young musmachim.” Dean Sokol added that LCM graduates gain admission to the best graduate and professional schools in the nation, including Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, The University of Chicago, New York University, Columbia University, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. They also receive job offers from top firms and corporations around the country, he said. Lander College for Men/Beis Medrash L’Talmud, located in Queens, is committed to the pursuit of excellence in Jewish and academic studies in a personalized environment. Established in the fall of 2000, the purpose of LCM is to provide a superior college education for students committed to serious Beis Medrash learning in an atmosphere of Torah. O

WebYeshiva Announces Its Summer 2010 Seminar Schedule Rabbi Chaim Brovender’s WebYeshiva has announced the first three courses in its seminar schedule for the current semester. The seminars are being offered live through WebYeshiva’s virtual classrooms, accessible through their website, www.webyeshiva.org. 36 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Yom HaShoah. Some of the most difficult halachic questions were asked during the Holo- caust. Impossible choices between life and death and hero- ic decisions were made by ordi- nary people who followed their faith in the most inhumane conditions imaginable. This seminar is being offered Sunday, April 11, 9:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. How “Jewish” is the Jewish State. In 5708 (1948), the course of Jewish history was changed. Or was it? The controversy over Israel’s Jewish nature began before the State was even born. Was declaring Israel as the Jewish State merely a compromise to the religious right, or was it an event of religious and historical significance for the Jewish people—religious and secular alike—throughout the world? This seminar is being offered Sunday, April 18, 9:00 p.m. EDT. This Land is Your Land. There is a portion of land in Israel for each and every Jew to build their eter- nal home; so why do so many treat this Divine gift as a mere vacation, while others reject Eretz Yisrael outright? Rabbi Ron-Ami Meyers will take you through the teachings, halachot, rights, privi- leges, and obligations every Jew has towards Eretz Yisrael. This seminar is being offered Tuesday, April 20, 9:00 p.m. EDT. Other topics in the schedule include the halachot of Shavuot, the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, and 15th of Av, Israel’s “Day of Love.” “We’re very excited to be able to provide this online educational forum to people throughout the world,” said Rabbi Rausman, director of WebYeshiva. “Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day, is such an amazing chag (holiday) here in Israel, which people from outside of Israel can’t appreciate.” By providing these seminars, Rabbi Rausman continued, he hopes to share just how significant these days are in Israel, and the moderate cost makes them easily available. Rabbi Jeffrey Saks, director of ATID, WebYeshiva’s parent organization, explained how WebYeshiva differs from other online Torah education. “There’s simply nothing like WebYeshiva available anywhere. Most online learning is a passive experience. At WebYeshiva, it’s exactly like learning in a beit midrash or classroom. The teachers can respond immediately to questions. At times, the classes can get very lively.” WebYeshiva is the first fully- interactive online yeshiva, offering distance-learning courses to hundreds of students in dozens of subjects. Students attend classes from 46 countries throughout the world, from Argentina to Zambia. All students need to attend classes at WebYeshiva are a PC or Mac and an Internet con-

Continued on Page 38 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 37

AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS not stop until hard-working New Yorkers Continued from Page 37 have a government that works for them,” said Greenfield. nection. Course archives are available to Even before officially taking office, registered students. Rabbi Chaim Councilman Greenfield has already hit Brovender, rosh yeshiva of WebYeshiva, has the ground running. When Greenfield been a leading force in teaching Torah in was notified of a tree-pruning project Israel and enabling his students to “learn that would displace hundreds of parked how to learn” according to the renowned cars during the Pesach holiday, he asked “Brovender Method” for over 40 years. O the Brooklyn Parks Commissioner to delay the project so residents could enjoy Greenfield Officially Sworn In the holiday without worrying about their To City Council vehicles. Additionally, Greenfield was David Greenfield was officially sworn able to arrange for pre-Pesach garbage in as a member of the New York City pickup for residents living south of 60th Council Wednesday morning by the City Street, the first time residents in that area Clerk and began his term, replacing for- received the extra pickup. This week, mer Councilman Simcha Felder. Councilman Greenfield joined Councilman Greenfield, who ran on a Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) at position to make New York more afford- the Boro Park Y to urge everyone to send able, has already committed to tackle the back their census forms to make sure the rising cost of education, the inadequate neighborhood, borough, and city receive resources made available to seniors, and the federal funds that they deserve. the skyrocketing taxes, tickets, and fines Greenfield also met with his colleagues that are hitting hard-working New in the City Council to develop a plan to Yorkers trying to make ends meet. save Section 8 housing vouchers. “From the day the people elected me, I New York City Councilman David Greenfield being officially sworn in by “The time for politics is over. Every part committed to fight for the people. I will City Clerk Michael McSweeney. of this district must now come together and fight for the needs of the entire district,” said Greenfield. “I look forward to working with each community to make sure everyone’s needs are met.” For now, Councilman Greenfield will be working out of former Councilman Felder’s office located at 4424 16th Avenue. The phone number is (718) 853- 2704. “I want everyone to know, no matter the problem, big or small, we are here to help you,” Greenfield said. “Please stop by and visit us or call our office.” Councilman Greenfield will be holding a public inauguration ceremony within the next few weeks. O

DA’s Animal Cruelty Unit Kept Watchful Eye On Elephants While Circus Was In Town Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s recently established Animal Cruelty Unit supervised and coor- dinated a series of “spot check” inspections of Feld Entertainment’s Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus elephants this year while the circus performed at the Nassau Coliseum. The circus had nine Asian elephants at their 11 performances in Nassau County. The DA’s Office conducted the inspections, along with members of the Nassau County SPCA, mainly in response to a formal written complaint made last year by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and additional animal rights groups, which accused the circus of unnecessarily beating the animals prior to performances. In 2009 PETA had sent the DA’s office a video depicting dozens of incidents where circus handlers had struck elephants with various implements, including a “bull hook,” a metal prod with a sharpened point, weighing about 15 to 20 pounds. The incidents were captured on video at both Madison Square Garden and the Coliseum, with the incidents at the Garden being much more egregious. The objective of the inspections were to determine whether Ringling’s animals were being neglected or deprived of food, water, shelter, or adequate veterinary care or if they were being cruelly or unnecessarily beaten by their handlers in

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AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 38 violation of the New York State Animal Cruelty laws. “We want to send a clear message that animal abuse will not be tolerated here in Nassau County,” said Rice. Seven spot check inspections were conducted by animal cruelty investigators from the DA’s office—one with investigators only and three with investigators accompanied by Dr. Laura Twedt, a former resi- dent veterinarian from the Bronx Zoo with a specialty in Asian and African elephants, who helped with the assessment. While the circus did know that the DA’s office would be inspecting the animals sometime during the Nassau Coliseum stay, they did not know which days or times that the Animal Cruelty Unit would be arriving. The investigators reported that during all surprise visits to the circus the elephants were found to be in good physical condition and well fed and their holding areas were well ventilated and clean. There were no obvious injuries to any of the elephants. The elephants seemed to have plenty of room for movement and minor play and even played with tires and sticks while being observed. The investigators even observed that when the elephants saw their costumes prior to the show, they actively aided their handlers in dressing themselves and auto- matically lined up for the performance. The investigators and veterinarian also inspected other circus animals present, including tigers, llamas, ponies, donkeys, goats, a horse, and an Australian bull. “Our presence this year at the circus was undoubtedly a deterrent of any unlawful behavior,” said Rice. “I believe the inspections, coupled with the report from the veterinarian, show that overall, the care of the elephants and other animals at the circus this year is humane and acceptable. My office will continue to be vigilant in protecting any animal, whether a companion pet or a three-ton circus elephant, to assure that they are all cared for properly and never abused.” O

April Events At Chabad Of The Five Towns Chabad of the Five Towns is located at 74 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst. To learn more or to register for an event, visit www.chabad5towns.com or call 516- 295-2478. Birthday Shabbat for children who celebrate their birthday in Iyar. April 10, after morning services. Meet at Chabad to celebrate your special day with friends, family, and cake. Women’s Circle. April 12, 8:15 p.m. 10 Simple Steps to a Healthier Home. Uncover the healing power of food with health and nutrition educator Sheva Balkany at the home of Mrs. Tamar Pewsner. Call for location. Children’s Rally for the 28th of Nissan. April 13, 5:30–6:15 p.m. Friendship Circle Sports Night Out. April 15, 6:00–7:00 p.m. Brandeis School, 25 Frost Lane in Lawrence. Call Batsheva at ext. 13 to RSVP. Farbrengen for Men: 2nd of Iyar. April 15, 8:15 p.m. In honor of the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash, 4th Chabad Rebbe. Friendship Circle Sunday Circle. April

Continued on Page 43 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 41 Sami Rohr Prize For Literature Awarded In Jerusalem

B Y TOBY KLEIN cock feathers. They let her go. Epilogue: eyes to the fact that even something as her book Plumes: Ostrich Feathers, Jews, GREENWALD Half a year later Tali became Mirjam’s wispy as a feather can reveal stories of a and a Lost World of Global Commerce daughter-in-law. culture and of a people. (Yale University Press), said in her accept- I cannot resist opening with a feather It was that incident that opened my And indeed, Sarah Abrevaya Stein, in ance speech of the 2010 Sami Rohr Prize anecdote. for Jewish Literature, “Jewish histories In the autumn of 2004, while our Raise are found in unexpected places.” Your Spirits theater company was prepar- Stein, for Plumes, and Kenneth B. ing for the production Noah! Ride the Moss, for his book Jewish Renaissance in Wave!, we discovered that peacock feath- the Russian Revolution (Harvard ers were nowhere to be found in Israel. University Press), were the two recipients Mirjam, one of our “peacocks,” asked Tali, of the prestigious award at the recent cer- a student returning from the U.S., to bring emony in Jerusalem. It was a glittering, her some. Tali packed them in a long international gathering of writers, intel- cylindrical cardboard case. As she strode lectuals, and their patrons that was held briskly in the vicinity of the Republican at the King David Hotel on March 31, on National Convention in New York City, chol hamoed Pesach. For those who love where President Bush was scheduled to Jerusalem, love books, and love meeting speak, she suddenly found herself sur- their authors, the evening was tantaliz- rounded by policemen. An officer asked ing. Among those present were Ari what she had in the package and she said, Goldman, Yossi Klein Halevi, Yoram “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.” “Try Hazony, Jonathan Rosen, and Nessa me,” he sneered. Tali answered, “Peacock Rapoport, who read a moving excerpt feathers.” Apparently, the annoyed officer from Stein’s book. Devorah Menashe, a grabbed the case from her hand, opened storyteller who was also an editor and it, and his jaw dropped as he saw—pea- Kenneth B. Moss Sarah Abrevaya Stein translator for Isaac Bashevis Singer, read from the book by Moss. The Sami Rohr Prize is the largest monetary prize of its kind, awarding $100,000 to its winner, with a $25,000 award given to its first runner-up. This year, for the first time ever, the judges were deadlocked and the prize was split in two. “Actually,” said master of cere- monies Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, renowned author and one of the judges, “the split was four and a half to four and a half.” The year-long review by nine judges was for books published during 2008 and 2009. Established in 2006, the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature recognizes writers who, a spokeswoman says, “have demonstrated a fresh vision and evidence of future potential and whose books show exceptional literary merit and stimulate an interest in themes of Jewish concern.” The alternate-year winners (fiction and non-fiction) are chosen by independent panels of judges. This year’s award was for non- fiction. Dore Gold, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1997-99, himself a prolific author, was the guest speaker at the affair. Both the award and the ceremony are administered by the Jewish Book Council. Stein gives a scintillating account of how she came to research the ostrich feather trade by accident, while researching an earlier book. While in South Africa, she discovered that although the only history regarding the ostrich feather trade, whose middlemen were predominantly Jewish, had been penned in Yiddish, there was a local museum that had 30 years’ worth of financial records of a Russian Jewish feather merchant with connections around the globe. Her research spanned three conti- nents, leading to the descendants of feather families in six countries. She writes that the ostrich trade was so lucrative—almost as precious as dia- monds—due to the fact that from the 1880’s to the First World War, “ostrich plumes could be found wherever there were arbiters of style: a consignment worth 20,000 Pounds Sterling went

Continued on Page 45 42 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 41 18, 1:00–3:00 p.m. Respite program for our children with special needs. Call Batsheva at ext. 13 for more information. Friendship Circle Sibs Circle. April 19, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Respite program for siblings of children with special need to relax and share their experiences. Friendship Circle Chai-A-Thon. April 25, 1st shift 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., 2nd shift 6:00–9:00 p.m. Help raise money by making calls to benefit the Friendship Circle. Call Batsheva at ext. 13 for more information. Making Marriage Work With Daniel Schonbuch. April 27, 8:00 p.m. First of a two-series workshop. A new perspective on relationships and intimacy. Second workshop will be held on May 11 dis- cussing the art of communication. Jewish Learning Institute III Begins. April 28, 8:15–9:30 p.m. Beyond Never Again: How the Holocaust speaks to us today, with Rabbi Wolowik. Fee: $99 per person includes the textbook. Early bird special: Register before April 21 and receive a 10% discount. Pre-paid registra- tion required. Space is limited. O

But these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof… (Vayikra 11:4) The Torah does not list the animals that have both kosher signs (and are thus kosher), nor does it list those which lack both (and are thus forbidden); but it does name the four animals—the camel, hyrax, hare, and the swine—that have one but not the other (making them, too, unfit for consumption for the Jew). It is noteworthy that in the 33 centuries since G-d communicated these laws to Moshe, entire conti- nents, replete with many “new” and unimagined species have been discovered.A number of these hitherto unknown species possess both of the kosher signs, and many lack them both; but not a single one has been found with only one sign.The only such animals on earth are the four species enumerated by the Torah!

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 43 5TJT Puzzle Page: The Table Setters

BY YONI GLATT

Across 67. Leave out 1. What some do before a test 68. Imposed on 42-Across in 1773 5. Declines 69. Awful basketball team 9. Nice sized wedding band 70. Zeros 14. Ire 15. Not nah Down 16. Havdallah spice 1. Lunch cut-off 17. Like a trade-in 2. Historic commentator 18. Major European river 3. Spy 19. Consumed 4. Famous Greek tragedy 20. Author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav 5. Looker 23. Mammoth 6. Chassidic sect 24. Odyssey, e.g. 7. First name of a great Sephardic Rav 25. The Vilna Gaon 8. Place for cans 28. Circle segment 9. Indian____ and ____Spray 31. With 44-Across and Michel, The Aruch 10. Scottish group HaShulchan 11. Babe 33. Dovid Hamelech, e.g. 12. Erev 37. ______girl! 13. Number of “sorry” days 38. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Rav 21. Strip of nukes 42. Green and Black 22. Plan out 43. Some scarves 25. Enter 44. See 31-Across 26. Gets powerful Solution on Page 60. 48. Debt letters 27. What you might want to take out on 49. Kosher animal found in Yellowstone this page 39. ______didn’t! 55. Sifts 50. Gene letters 29. Former Brazillian capital 40. Where to see a Gibbon 56. Grade 51. Some injectors 30. Machine part 41. Rice Krispy Treat ingredient 57. Seep 56. The Shulchan Aruch author 32. Wheel 45. Words on some marathon shirts… 58. Type 60. Leelach 33. Car part 46. LG phone model 59. Arpt. letters 63. Arguable 34. ______of funds 47. Simpletons 60. Father of Ammon 64. Loud laugh 35. ___ Kollel 52. Ohio city 61. Fund for the future 65. Give a dvar Torah, perhaps 36. Style of sushi 53. Mother-in-law of note, in Tanach 62. JFK to MEL stopover 66. Aliyah leader from Bavel 38. Mess 54. Goblet

44 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Sami Rohr Prize will be created in Jewish culture in Continued from Page 42 America today will be in English, yet he stresses that dialogue must be sought down with the Titanic.” “Astonishingly,” with Jewish worlds created in Yiddish she continues, “in all hubs of the global and Hebrew. feather trades—North and South Africa, Rabbi Telushkin told the story of how Yemen, London, Paris, and New York— the award was born. The family wanted Jews were the principal plume middle- it to be in honor of Sami Rohr, but due men and -women.” Stein calls the reso- to his modesty, they could not call it by nance of the story to the present time that name until the winners were “breathtaking… It suggests… how falla- announced, so the code name for it, dur- cious is the assumption that things have ing the first year-long process, was an enduring and knowable value: how “sode”—Hebrew for “secret.” After spend- wrong it is to assume that the profits ing his early years in post-WWII Europe, earned in a speculative, volatile, and Sami Rohr moved to Bogota, Colombia, inflated market are guaranteed, even where he was a leading real-estate devel- deserved.” oper for over 30 years. Today he lives in Kenneth B. Moss, who is raising his Florida and continues to be active in children as Yiddish speakers, dove into international business endeavors and in the Jewish Renaissance during the philanthropy to Jewish education and Russian Revolution. He says he is “fasci- community-building. This prize, his fam- nated by the drama of the story” and ily says, is a gift by them to honor his calls his book the first comprehensive love of Jewish writing, and to encourage history of “this exciting, tragic endeav- the continuation of the legacy of the or”—that endeavor being the Russian People of the Book. Jews’ creation of “modern Hebrew and Other finalists for the 2010 Sami Rohr Yiddish cultures with their own litera- award were Lila Corwin Berman, for ture, art, music, journals, clubs, publish- Speaking of Jews: Rabbis, Intellectuals, ing houses, and schools.” In the eight and the Creation of an American Public years that he researched the book, he Identity (University of California Press); went from being a young graduate stu- Ari Y. Kelman, who wrote Station dent to a husband and the father of two Identification: A Cultural History of children. “A great many of the figures I Yiddish Radio in the United States was studying had reached that exact (University of California Press); and point in their lives—marriage and chil- Danya Ruttenberg, author of Surprised by dren—around 1917.” It helped him under- God: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and stand their “paradoxical” ideas, having Love Religion (Beacon Press). discovered so much new in Western cul- The 2011 award will be presented on ture, yet wishing to imbue their children May 31 in New York City, at the Museum of with “a substantial, worthwhile Jewish Jewish Heritage. More information can be culture.” Moss admits that most of what found at www.JewishBookCouncil.org. O

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 45 Chabad Of The Five Towns Annual Dinner

Sholom Jacobs, Shlomei Kaufman, Yaakov Ettinger, and Asher Fine lead an inspiring Havdalah ceremony. Jakob Zylberberg and his grandson Sam Edelstein hold the Havdalah candle. Rabbi and Mrs. Chanie Wolowik present a silver Seder plate to honorees Sholom and Pessy Jacobs at the annual dinner on March 13.

Chanie Wolowik pictured with Pessy Jacobs, Aviva Zylberberg, Wendy Ottensoser, Illana Moskowitz, and Susy Adler, who proudly display their Honorees Dr. Neil and Mrs. Susy Adler. personalized memory albums.

46 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Rabbi and Mrs. Chanie Wolowik present a silver Seder plate to honorees Penina Popack, one of the dinner chairmen, accepted flowers for all her hard Keith and Illana Moskowitz. work on behalf of the dinner.

Honorees Jakob and Aviva Zylberberg. Honorees Uri and Wendy Ottensoser.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 47 thing that may challenge his spiritual than itself only when forcefully purity. But in doing so, he also disavows dragged down. The liquid, however, nat- his most lofty potentials, the vulnerable urally flows downward, seeping but invaluable “human food” resources through the slightest of openings to of his life. transport itself from the highest eleva- The second law specifies that food tions to the lowest plains. becomes susceptible to contamination The “dry” individual is egocentric, stag- only after having come in contact with a nant, and jealous of his position. His life liquid. In other words, simply being fit is a series of “localized” deeds—deeds and From The Chassidic Masters for human consumption is not enough; achievements which have no effect unless the foodstuff has been wetted, it beyond their immediate time and place, does not attain the high degree of poten- and which leave no lasting imprint on A Fluid Life tial that is indicated by the possibility of their performer. He stands alone, shun- impurity. ning connection and adhesion with his In the spiritual sense this means that a fellows, particularly with those inferior All food that is eaten, upon which water and pragmatic guide to daily living; its “dry” life will always remain safely limit- to himself. comes, can be contaminated. “soul” is the inner dimension of these ed in scope and extent. In order to be in a On the other hand, the fluid individ- —Vayikra 11:34 laws, which addresses the internal world position to truly realize its potential, it ual is one who knows that “he who eats In the 11th chapter of Vayikra the Torah of the human mind and heart—man’s must assume a “liquid” quality. without drink, his food is poison.” A discusses some of the laws of ritual impu- relationship with his Creator and his pur- What are the specialties of the liquid thought learned, a goal achieved, must rity (tum’ah): food that comes in contact pose in life. state? never remain confined to its specific with a source of impurity (such as a The is also true of the laws regarding Liquids have three notable properties: place; it must affect his entire person corpse, a rodent, an object of idolatry, the ritual impurity of food. These, too, liquid can cement other matter; liquid and pervade his every thought and etc.) is thereby rendered ritually impure have a moral, spiritual application to acts as a conveyor; and a liquid naturally experience. and disqualified from use in the Holy our lives. flows to the lowest point of a terrain. This individual also extends the fluidi- Temple and its service. The first law recounted above—that With the addition of liquid, powder ty of his life to his relations with his fel- The above-quoted verse touches on only food that is fit for human con- becomes a paste, clay a pot, flour a loaf. lows. He unites with them so that their two of the necessary conditions before sumption is open to contamination— Liquid is thus a unifier, bonding the dry endeavors should fuse to a cohesive food is susceptible to contamination: expresses the idea that the loftier a particulars to a cohesive whole. whole, understanding that “If I am only the food in question must be fit for thing, the more vulnerable it is to cor- While food provides nourishment for for myself, what am I?” human consumption, and it must first ruption. Animal fodder is of a limited our bodies, it would be utterly useless And as water, he flows from a high come in contact with water (or one of potential; equally limited are its nega- without the fluids that carry it to the place to the lowest of places. He applies the other “seven liquids”). For example, tive uses. But the food that drives the body’s every limb and cell (in the words his most sublime experiences to the grain that has been kept dry from the human mind and heart can be the of the Talmud, “He who eats without mundane particulars of everyday life, time it was harvested is not subject to instrument of tremendous achieve- drink, his food is poison”). In other and he relates to every man as his tum’ah. ment; conversely, it may fuel the most words, when transportation and inte- equal, regardless of their moral and Man is a synthesis of body and soul, destructive endeavors. gration is needed, be it in the human spiritual station. O and the Torah that instructs and inspires The same applies to all areas of life. A body or in a river valley, water is the Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; his life likewise possesses both a “physi- person may choose to “play it safe” and medium of conveyance. adapted by Yanki Tauber. Courtesy of cal” element and a spiritual (conceptual) avoid anything touched by controversy, Finally, the solid is a snob. It clings to MeaningfulLife.com via Chabad.org. Find more side. The “body” of Torah is its legal code risk, or the possibility of failure—any- its station, descending to levels lower Torah articles for the whole family at www.chabad.org/parshah..

48 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

The Gaza Narrative: Distracting The World From Real Human Rights Abuses And Radical Islam

BY NOAM BEDEIN its support of jihadist terrorism both in Israel and around the globe. The Gaza narrative serves only one When I spoke to audiences in South purpose: to distract the rest of the world Africa, I told them of my experience pre- from pressing issues and humanitarian senting the S’derot story before South crises taking place around the globe. African Judge Richard Goldstone and the As the director of the Sderot Media UN Committee last July. The fact that Center, I was recently invited by the Judge Goldstone fell asleep during my South African Union of Jewish Students presentation on S’derot children under (SAUJS) in a CAMERA-sponsored trip, to attack, was, to me, a general reflection of create a media awareness campaign pre- the world’s silence to Islamic terrorism. Trying to create awareness for Israeli victims. senting Israel’s side during the anti-Israel Indeed, Iran’s radical Islamic agenda is events on South African campuses. limited not only to the Middle East, but is The tragic reality of S’derot, a reality spreading across the continent of Africa as attacked members of the South African ment. I realized that I was in a country that which resulted as a direct consequence of well. Iran financially supports radical Union of Jewish Students who were set- still had the largest economic and social Gaza rocket terror supported financially, Islamic groups and cells in Somalia, ting up the Sderot Media Center photo gaps in the world, even after 15 years since politically, and militarily by Iran, is the Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Zimbabwe, and gallery to accompany my presentation. the apartheid system was abolished. only humanitarian issue that shows even South Africa. It is Iran’s support of One member was called a “___ Jew” and South African human rights groups’ Israel’s side of the conflict in relation to Islamic terror that is the real human rights even a college professor spat out “Fascists embrace of the Palestinian narrative is a the Gazan narrative. This overlooked ele- abuse in need of international address. Nazis” at us. If it wasn’t for the undercov- distraction from South Africa’s own human ment of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the rea- A week before traveling to South er campus security officers walking rights abuses and issues that are impacting son why I was asked to come to South Africa, I prepared constantly, studying my around, it would have been unsafe for me the country today. The white minority of Africa: to show the devastating effects talking points to counter any accusations to conduct these presentations on South Africa still enjoys the highest stan- that Iranian support of Hamas’s rocket or ridiculous comparisons that have been S’derot’s human story. The Vice President dard of living while some 50 percent of terror has had on innocent Israelis. used by Palestinian Solidarity Coalitions of SAUJS said that this was the first time South Africans live in poverty. The country Multi-million dollar campaigns for the on campuses around the world. I was also in 20 years that such an event almost got suffers from stratospheric levels of crime Gaza narrative, such as promoting mod- aware that the South African universities so badly out of hand. and has one of the world’s highest rates of ern myths of an Israeli siege or blockade, which I would be lecturing would be the During my visit, I learned more about HIV/AIDS epidemics which, combined by organizations like New Israel Fund most hostile campus environments South Africa’s apartheid past and the way a with poverty, have left 1.2 million orphans and Breaking the Silence, divert the pub- around. small white minority controlled every and countless homeless. lic’s attention from very real issues sur- Sure enough, a day before my first aspect of the black majority’s way of life rounding the growing power of Iran and presentation, a mob of Muslim students including education, voting, and employ- Continued on Page 50

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 49 The Gaza Narrative S’derot, a city where thousands of Knesset, and every Israeli Arab has a right Continued from Page 49 Palestinian rockets have struck at civilian to the same education and health servic- homes, schools, and neighborhoods, es as Israeli Jews. But all of these issues seem to take the there are dozens of Arab families who live More importantly, what about the fact back seat when it comes to Israel and the peacefully alongside Jews in the same that 120,000 Ethiopians living in Israel all Palestinians. In Cape Town, the Israeli neighborhoods. share the same rights as every other Apartheid Week featured ‘Open Shuhada Street,’ a street in Hebron closed to Palestinian Arabs which became a major apartheid marketing symbol for anti- Israel groups. The fact that as an Israeli The fact that Judge Goldstone fell Jew I am not allowed to walk in 97% of Hebron, the capital of the kingdom of Judea over 2,700 years ago, is blatantly asleep during my presentation, was, ignored. Also overlooked are the reasons why Shuhada street has been closed; to me, a general reflection of the numerous attacks on the small Jewish population in Hebron by Palestinian fanatics as well as the eruption of the ‘sec- world’s silence to Islamic terrorism. ond intifada’ the year after the street was reopened in 2000 made it unsafe for the street to be opened for security reasons. Shuhada Street is one street out of the Noam Bedein speaking in South Africa. millions of streets in Israel whose history At Sapir College, a local Israeli college Israeli? Tuvia Sadtik, an Ethiopian hus- has been twisted to represent the outside of S’derot, where I studied, there band and father who lives in S’derot, Palestinian narrative. What about the were countless Arab students learning for walked thousands of kilometers through own free will, with Israel being the only millions of streets where Arabs and Jews their degrees in a Jewish Israeli college. Sudan and Egypt to immigrate to Israel. country in the world to host a black do live together side by side in Israel? In There are Israeli Arab members of He came to the Jewish state out of his African community with open arms. I fail to see the Israeli ‘apartheid’ that these self-righteous South African human- ists and Muslims are so angry about. There is no segregation in Israel; human rights are extended to everyone. Where is their outcry on the human rights abuses in Iran, Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia, and countries from the UN human rights council? And finally, one cannot compare the context of situations between Israel and South Africa. Security issues have always plagued the existence of the Jewish state as radical Islamic elements terrorize Israeli civilians precisely because Israel is a Jewish state and not an Islamic repub- lic. The Palestinian terrorists who fire rockets at S’derot do not care that it is a city full of Jewish, Christian, Ethiopian, Russian, Indian, Burmese, and Arab Muslim civilians. They target the city because they regard all of Israel pre-1948 to be their own. O

Noam Bedein is a photojournalist, lecturer, and the director and founder of the Sderot Media Center (www.SderotMedia.org.il). Noam gives briefings to foreign government officials, embassies, foreign press, and student groups from around the world.

Do not drink wine or strong drink…when you enter the Tent of Meeting (Vayikra 10:9) Though the vine be supported by straight reeds and forked reeds, these cannot stand up under the weight of the wine in the grapes. So if wine’s own mother cannot bear its burden, how then can you? (Midrash Rabbah)

50 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES valued and loved human being. Rav Pam, Raising Children In Today’s World zt’l, always said, “Never label a child. If you call your child a liar, he will come to believe that and act as such. You don’t BY RIVKI JUNGREIS, One of the first things I discuss in my “You’re such a big shot,” or “You’re such a have to diminish the child’s self-esteem.” MS ED., LCSW sessions and my parenting workshops is scaredy cat,” parents should address the Yosef haTzaddik was very careful of language. Dr. [Haim] Ginott discusses negative action. For example, “Your not embarrassing his brothers and only Young parents of today often hear “compassionate communication” for behavior was unacceptable (stupid),” or revealed himself to them after sending their moms wax sentimental about a everyone else out of the room. more innocent era, when one-on-one Unfortunately, many of us fall short in conversation with their children was the this area when dealing with our children. standard fare. How often do you hear parents yelling at But now it appears that parents are left Cell phones, computers, iPods, and their children in stores, or parents getting with quite a different parenting scenario. so impatient and publicly embarrassing Due to the explosion of modern technology video games promise to afford us them? Do we stop for a moment to con- and increased responsibilities and material sider their feelings? needs, we find ourselves on mental over- Consider the following scenario: You load and riddled with guilt that we can no more time with each other, yet the are having company and you are rushing longer parent with the same degree of atten- around trying to get everything ready, tion that our parents of yesteryear had. sad reality is the opposite. and your child keeps asking you ques- The empty pursuit of materialism tions, keeps asking you for things, or threatens to wreak havoc on our family’s wants you to find something for him. stability and harmony, and modern tech- How impatient and irritated do you get nology seems to signify an end to emo- with him? Do you ever stop to realize tional intimacy. Texting, e-mails, and building children’s self-esteem. Parents “You are often afraid,” or “Last night you that your child looks up to your every computerized voices have replaced the are taught to criticize the negative behav- behaved like a big shot.” You are word and every action, and it is his or her warm tones of human voices and human ior of the child, not the child himself. telegraphing to the child that his behav- connection. Cell phones, computers, Rather than saying, “You’re so stupid,” ior needs to change but he or she is still a Continued on Page 52 iPods, and video games promise to afford us more time with each other, yet the sad reality is the opposite. The abundance of time gained is squandered, and this results in even less time spent with our precious children. We are finding that parenting in the new millennium requires greater deter- mination and, at times, nerves of steel. Studies indicate that all these factors have led to a breakdown in family relationships. The number of increased “youth at risk” is staggering, and access to our children or maintaining a sense of control in the home is no longer a given. How do parents deal with the adverse effects of the technological challenges and the ever-increasing pressure of the pursuit for materialism? When we were given the opportunity to bring children into this world, Hashem bestowed upon us a treasured gift. Parenting affords us the ability to improve ourselves, to correct our short- comings, and to examine our actions, all in the hopes of becoming better role models for our children. Despite the hec- tic schedules of today’s parents, mothers should be aware that proper role model- ing can still reach their children in profound ways. The Noam Elimelech writes that it is difficult for children to behave in a manner that is different from the one they were raised in at home. Respect in the home is predicated on how spouses treat one another and how they relate to their children. Lifetime lessons are learned when a child witnesses the interactions and communication style of his mother, especially when she is trying to accomplish a multitude of tasks under stressful conditions. Does she lose her cool? Does she speak with anger? In the Igeres HaRambam, the Rambam instructs his son to always speak in a soft tone of voice, in order to control his anger. When we speak quietly we convey strength and control of the situation. The ultimate objective of every parent is to rebuke without anger, without diminish- ing their child’s self-worth or losing control. Yaakov Avinu waited 14 years to rebuke his son Reuven. Why so? He was afraid that his son would turn to the house of Eisav for comfort. What a message! 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 51 Raising Children this, there must first be awareness; then, details of their daily lives—their worries, ents are the adults who are in charge. When Continued from Page 51 the process is to simplify. Keep your goals concerns, interests, and problems—come too much power and control is handed to a simple and take small steps. Become to the fore in this setting. Whether you eat child, it frightens him, because his parents soul and character that you are shaping? aware of how often you are on the cell or just sit with them is irrelevant; it is the have seemingly relinquished their role as Did you ever stop to think, “Big deal— phone while in your children’s company. communication that is key, and the more protectors. Children can’t handle too much who is this company?” Guests come and Following that, perhaps pledge no cell- often the better. power. When parents don’t set limits and go, but your child stays with you forever, phone usage while taking your child to Then there are times when communi- there are no boundaries for the child, he and he will carry the memory of your and from school or any appointment. cation must be monitored. As parents we cannot feel safe. Anxiety usually sets in, behavior long after the guests are gone. Remember, the first exchange of words feel an obligation to explain and to let along with a host of symptoms. Similarly, On the subject of communicating with that a child has upon entering his home at them into our adult world, and unfortu- adults know they can keep going because children, I recall many years ago a col- the end of a school day is crucial. Try not nately we end up adultifiying our there is a higher authority—Hashem is run- league of mine always saying, “Talk now so to be on the phone when your child walks younger children. We thus bestow upon ning the world, and it is always for our good they’ll talk later.” No truer words were ever in. The first five minutes set the tone. If a them equal rights, and with their new- and our benefit; this gives us the deepest said. One of the ideas I try to promote with mother is on the phone when the child found status they often have overblown sense of security and serenity. parents is five minutes of private time with enters, perhaps she can say in a loud expectations. They are given the oppor- I often give an example to parents I their child every night. Parents are sur- voice, “My child is home from school tunity to voice their opinions more work with: prised at how cherished this time becomes now, so I must go because I really want to freely than adults, and their demands to Imagine you are asked to become the and at how often children request their pri- talk to him (or her).” Of course, the child be part of our world grow more intense. president of the U.S. It’s very exciting— vate time. I remember a client telling me must know there will be exceptions—if These children become angry and the White House, the power, the private about her son. It was years later and her the call is to grandparents, to his father, or demanding. Often there is a real sense of chefs and jets. But what happens when son was married and long gone. His child regarding something very important. entitlement; they can’t understand why important decisions need to be made? Or was very ill and needed to be hospitalized. On occasion, take out a child individu- they are not being treated equally with if war breaks out? Are you able to handle She said she never forgot the phone call ally, for a malted, a pizza, even an errand their older siblings. the responsibility? Do you know any- she received from her heartbroken son with him or her alone. Children remember Research indicates that deep down in thing about foreign policy? You have all requesting private time. and cherish these moments forever. Make their souls, children don’t want to be treat- the power, the whole country is turned to Acquiring private time and quality a goal for some family dinners during the ed as adults. They feel more secure and you, but are you prepared for this job? time with our children seems more elu- week. Dinner together with children can loved when they know that they are chil- You might become anxious, stressed, and sive today than ever before. To achieve change their world. So many important dren and when they know that their par- fearful of making the wrong decision. Symptoms like headaches or stom- achaches might set in. Perhaps you will begin to have sleepless nights. It is important for parents to be aware that whatever else is going on, the younger children should be allowed to have their childhood. They need not be privy to all the adult issues going on around them. They need not be given choices outside their capabilities. They will fight for the power, but ultimately it is not good for them. Young children want to stay up as late as they can and eat what they like; it is up to us to decide what bedtime and dinner will be. We need to offer good choices and children may pick from those choices; but we set the limits and the boundaries. We do not need to explain and convince our young children of our decisions. That adultifies them and gives them power they do not need. They need to understand that “our parents know what is best for us; they protect us.” That helps the child feel safe and secure. If a child is not bogged down with all these decisions, if he knows consistency and boundaries, he will be free to soar, to grow, to explore, and to learn to become a productive, caring human being. O

Rivki Jungreis, MS Ed., LCSW, is a psychotherapist specializing in play therapy and is EMDR trained and certified from EMDRIA institute. She graduated with an MSW from Columbia University and with a master?s in special education from Bank Street College. Rivki maintains a private practice open to adults and children.

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52 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 53 54 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 55 56 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

evidence suggests that exercise helps optimize brain function by promoting The Body–Mind Connection cardiovascular health and good circula- tion, which helps deliver nourishing Part I discoveries about how our brains age healthy socialization, self-esteem, per- nutrients, glucose, and oxygen to the BY RACHAEL E. and how we may keep our brains young. sonal goals, artistic expression, confi- brain. Aerobic exercise also produces neu- SCHINDLER, PH.D. Of all these brain discoveries, the most dence, and overall life enjoyment. The rotrophins, which promote new synapses significant is neurogenesis (literally, secret behind these peak brain health and make the neural membranes suppler. In a previous article, titled “The birth of neurons), or the process of brain benefits is incredibly exciting and signif- This is critical for building, rebuilding, Mind/Body Connection,” I wrote that cell regeneration. First identified in a icant but surprisingly simple. The latest and protecting the brain’s neurons. being a diet and exercise expert, as well as landmark 1998 study, neurogenesis dis- research suggests the peak brain health The brain is a “use it or lose it” organ. a Pilates master, I work with a wide array proved the century-old belief that neu- solution is a three-step strategy: exercis- Mental workouts support peak mental of clients, ranging from the highly moti- rons only regenerated during brain devel- ing the body, challenging the mind, and functionality. As you seek secure footing vated, extremely physically fit individual, opment. In addition to its obvious poten- getting the right nutrition. and handholds and otherwise strategize to the exact opposite type; namely the your best path to the mountain’s peak, unmotivated, sedentary individual who you’re sharpening cognitive function, absolutely hates to exercise. While many because actively exercising the brain ele- factors may play a role in a person’s Children whose mothers received the cod vates cognitive performance. New learn- lifestyle habits, e.g.: genetics, environ- ing builds new synapses on top of old ment, physical injuries, many medical synapses, which helps reinforce older studies, including my own dissertation, liver oil scored significantly higher on synapses so they stay active. Challenging concluded that there is a profound and the brain with puzzles, reading, and other undeniable connection between the intelligence tests at four years of age than mental workouts appears to stimulate effect of the mind (and/or spirit) on the neural development. So, even as we age, body. This mind-body (and body-mind?) those whose mothers took the placebo. an active brain stays sharp; a passive connection may be the most important brain grows dull. health insight in the history of mankind. Certain nutrients supercharge mental With roots in traditional Chinese med- performance and prevent cognitive icine and Ayurvedic medicine dating back tial to boost cognitive performance, neu- How does one reach this brain pinna- decline. Could you ascend to the moun- thousands of years, health-related mind/ rogenesis opened an intriguing new door cle? Imagine you are standing before a tain’s pinnacle without shoes or equip- body philosophies are now making a to peak cognitive longevity. Adults as old mountain. At the mountain’s pinnacle is ment? Probably not… that’s where spe- comeback. Nowhere is this resurgence as 72 have been shown to make brand peak cognitive function: astonishing clar- cial brain-nutrients come in. Neuro- more exciting than in the one area of new neurons! ity of vision, crystal-clear mental process- nutrients are the climbing shoes, cables, health that is most critical to overall qual- With emerging brain function ing, razor-sharp memory, positive mood, grapples, protective clothing, and ener- ity of life, namely cognitive function or advancements, people from all walks of and the capacity to absorb and retain gizing sustenance that enable you to “brainpower.” For not only can the mind life and all age groups can supercharge new learning and knowledge. To climb to climb to the highest peak of mental per- affect the body but in this series of arti- their brainpower in the here and now, the top, you need to leverage the follow- formance by helping the brain make cles, we will explore how the body can which may hold incredible promise in ing three cutting edge brain discoveries: new neurons, better enable nerve trans- affect the brain in a profound manner. terms of raising quality of life by increas- Exercise boosts brainpower. In essence, mission, boost blood flow to the brain, To date, this mind-body medicine ing any one or more of these areas: aca- ascending the mountain in itself sharp- Renaissance coincides with exciting new demic performance, career success, ens cognitive function, because emerging Continued on Page 59

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 57 Rubashkin Bail Request Taken To U.S. Supreme Court

Nathan Lewin, an attorney represent- ment than other employers targeted by related to alleged bank fraud. geting Rubashkin over the last two ing the former CEO of the Agriprocessors Immigration and Customs Enforcement As reports of these and other irregu- years, seemingly to retroactively justify kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, officials for hiring even larger numbers larities in the case have filtered down to the massive 2008 raid on the Iowa, Sholom Rubashkin, has taken the of illegal workers than were discovered the grassroots community, several Agriprocessors plant—which included case for granting bail to Mr. Rubashkin to at Agriprocessors. He further points out Jewish organizations have joined in military helicopters and more than 600 the highest court in the land. federal agents—that economically On March 11, Mr. Lewin petitioned the destroyed the town of Postville and left U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the deci- the company bankrupt. sion of the lower courts denying Mr. The prosecutors have shown unusual Mr. Rubashkin’s bank-fraud convic- Rubashkin bail pending his forthcoming tions were for inflating invoices to sentencing. On March 15, he took the harshness in resisting Mr. Rubashkin’s expand a line of credit he used to operate additional step of making a direct appli- his business, even though timely pay- cation to Supreme Court Justice Samuel ments were made on the loan and the Alito, who presides over the Iowa judicial request to spend the first days of Passover bank appeared uninterested in the accu- district in which Mr. Rubashkin’s case is racy of the invoices. being heard, to grant Mr. Rubashkin his and celebrate the Seders with his family. Prosecutors were allowed to include immediate release on bail pending his inflammatory evidence regarding the sentencing and appeal. Sentencing in the employment of illegal workers at the case has been set for April 28. bank-fraud trial, even though the judge Mr. Lewin asserts that federal prose- that the judge presiding over Mr. questioning the basis for prosecutors’ had previously ruled such evidence cutors were overzealous in Mr. Rubashkin’s case improperly allowed assertion that Rubashkin is a flight risk would prejudice the jury and had severed Rubashkin’s prosecution from the start, prejudicial evidence of alleged immigra- who must remain imprisoned before the immigration and bank-fraud cases for submitting him to considerably more tion infractions, despite the fact that the sentencing. They are also critical of the that very reason. The charges regarding severe restrictions and potential punish- only charges against Mr. Rubashkin federal government for relentlessly tar- harboring illegal immigrants were eventually dropped. Perhaps most dismaying, prosecutors fragmented two basic charges into 163 counts in seven superseding indictments. And the prosecutors have shown unusual harshness in resisting Mr. Rubashkin’s request— even with the posting of a large bond and his hiring of a round-the-clock private guard—to spend the first days of Passover and celebrate the Seders with his family. “We are deeply concerned about the seeming pattern of overzealous prosecution in this case,” said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, executive vice president of the National Council of Young Israel. Similarly, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, reported that “the vol- ume of e-mails and phone calls we have received about the Rubashkin case has reached a loud crescendo in recent weeks, as the full horror of how he is being singled out for harsh treatment has become strikingly clear.” Rabbis Lerner and Zwiebel, along with representatives of other Jewish groups, are exploring ways of expressing their deep concern to the federal prosecutors in Iowa as well as the U.S. Justice Department at the national level. Despite the fact that the jury found in a special interrogatory that Rubashkin did not profit personally from false invoices presented to the lending bank, prosecutors have indicated that they view an appropriate prison sentence as being in the 21-to-27-year range. Rubashkin is the father of 10 children, including an autistic teenage boy who depends heavily on him. In the meantime, private advocates for Rubashkin have also launched a “Justice for Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin” website. Members of the community who wish to communicate their respectful concern over the han- dling of the Rubashkin case and the excessive sentence being considered are urged to contact the Justice Department’s Office of Intergovernmen- tal and Public Liaison at 202-514-3465 or [email protected] and sign an online peti- tion available at www.justiceforsholom.org. O 58 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Connection in front of the TV for hours on end) con- Continued from Page 57 tributes to brain decline. Chronic stress. and bring more nutrients there in the Environmental toxins. Pesticides, mer- process to supercharge the brain so that cury, and other heavy metals are deadly it can fire on all cylinders. to brain cells. When a baby is born, its brain already Medical conditions. Examples include holds around 100 billion neurons, which hypertension, stroke, high cholesterol, means that over the course of a regular and diabetes. nine-month pregnancy, the fetus is devel- Overconsumption of alcohol. oping new brain cells at a rate of 250,000 Chronic abuse of synthetic drugs. per minute. How does the fetal brain Seemingly innocuous products such as develop new cells so rapidly? This cough suppressants and antidepressants impressive phase of human development are all linked to what I call the “brain bust.” depends on building blocks for new brain Aging. Neurons, neurotransmitters, cells, and research overwhelmingly and blood flow to the brain all decrease shows that these neuronutrient building over time. blocks are omega-3 fatty acids—especial- In essence, being bombarded with ly DHA. A mother’s intake of essential mind-numbing environmental elements fatty acids is a critical component of fetal and starved of critical nutrition, the brain brain development, which explains why can fall into foggy thinking and impaired high concentrations of DHA are found in memory. Dull thinking and faulty memo- mother’s milk. In one DHA study, women ry are no laughing matters. These symp- at 18 weeks of pregnancy were given cod toms are early warning signs of far more liver oil (containing 1,183 mg of DHA) or serious cognitive impairment conditions placebo oil until three months after deliv- like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. ery. All infants in the study were breast- (Dementia is progressive cognitive fed until at least three months of age. decline with symptoms like disorienta- Children whose mothers received the cod tion, personality change, inattentiveness, liver oil scored significantly higher on and poor reasoning ability. Alzheimer’s intelligence tests at four years of age than disease is an irreversible mental decline those whose mothers took the placebo. caused by the gradual malfunction, Another study of 135 babies found that degeneration, and ultimate deactivation the highest intelligence scores were of the brain.) among those whose mothers had con- Despite these heartbreaking condi- sumed more than two helpings of fish tions and their rising risk factors, it’s crit- per week; for each additional weekly ical to stay positive and recognize a pow- serving of fish, the babies’ intelligence erful truth: losing your mental edge is not scores increased by 4 points, or an aver- a normal part of aging, and cognitive age of almost 7%. This improvement was decline is not inevitable. Modern attributed to the brain-nourishing research asserts that aerobic exercise, Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Once a mental challenges, and proper amounts baby is born, external stimulation trig- of specific nutrients may help stave off gers waves of brain development, with many forms of cognitive decline, so that statistically significant peaks in brain you can get to and actually enjoy those growth rates at age 7, 11 to 12, and 15 years. “golden years.” These “mental growth spurts” yield stag- Though old age is the biggest contribu- gering results in terms of cognitive func- tor to dementia, high blood pressure, tion. However, by the time we hit our high cholesterol, and excessive drinking twenties, our cognitive decline begins. —especially coupled with lack of physi- “In our 20’s!” you exclaim? cal activity and passive mental states— “Declining! Why do our brains decline escalate the gravity of the problem. An so early in our lives?” While genetics are unhealthy lifestyle really makes a mental partly to blame, many experts believe difference! In part II of this series I will that environmental factors are increas- show you how to put your brain on a ingly responsible for inhibiting brain proper diet that will boost your power activity. Some of the more popular risk and vitality. So stay tuned! O factors include: Poor dietary choices. Consumption of Rachael E. Schindler, PhD, MA, MS, CAI, CPT, has over 18 years of experience in exercise physiology, fatty, sugary, and salty foods. Pilates, nutritional counseling, and teaching, as Smoking. This reduces brainpower by well as multiple degrees in forensic and developmental psychology. She specializes in food depleting macronutrients which we all and behavioral issues for children and adults, need. offering the right combination of diet, exercise, and support. Insurance is accepted. To contact Sedentary lifestyles. This physical and her, please e-mail [email protected] or call mental passivity (think parking yourself 917-690-5097.

For the next issue, deadline for reserving ad space is Monday, April 12 at 5:00 P.M. All graphics for ads must be in by Tuesday, April 13 at 5:00 P.M.

Call 516-984-0079

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 59 A Five Towns Simcha Solution To This Week’s 5TJT Puzzle: Photos By Ira Thomas Creations The Table Setters

Moshe Keller, a student at Yeshiva of South Shore, son of Rachel and Seth Keller of Woodmere, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the White Shul on February 21. Music was by Shloime Dachs Orchestra, with entertainment and dancing by Yitzy Haber and crew.

Puzzle appears on page 44.

60 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Israeli Researcher Finds Natural Cure For Insomnia approved for the market in patients between the ages of 18 Europe in 2007. and 55. Until then, the target BY ILANA TEITELBAUM Possibly the worst aspect of press the production of mela- Zisapel became interested in population for the drug was insomnia is its deleterious effect tonin and cause insomnia. the effects of melatonin during patients over 55, but the FDA For some, getting a good on daytime functioning. That’s “People may start sleeping her post-doc work at Weizmann required that Neurim, which has night’s sleep remains elusive. where Circadin has an addition- less well when they age,” Zisapel Institute, and researched the hor- R&D in Tel Aviv and business Neurim Pharmaceuticals hopes al edge over its competitors. points out. “The brain structure mone’s effect on animals for a development in Switzerland, to change all that with its new “Circadin not only improves changes with age, and may lose decade before beginning to apply expands its research to include drug Circadin. the onset of sleep, but also the the ability to produce melatonin that research to humans. Now she younger patients. Traditional sleeping pills quality of sleep,” Zisapel, a neu- if the pineal gland becomes cal- is also researching a treatment for “We just finished one study have many side effects. Now an roscientist, tells ISRAEL21c. cified. It doesn’t happen to Parkinson’s disease, as well as a that shows what’s going on in Israeli company is introducing a “People who take the drug have everyone at the same age, but in treatment for insomnia that is the population over 18 and the new drug that works with the reported that they have better general, people who begin to get induced by pain and depression. drug is still effective, but we feel body’s natural processes to daytime functioning and an gray hair are losing the ability to Circadin recently completed a that patients aged 55 and older induce restful, restorative sleep. improved quality of life.” produce melatonin.” clinical trial in the U.S., which benefit the most,” says Zisapel. When that good night’s sleep The drug is already being dis- Circadin is therefore a hor- tested the drug for its efficacy in (Arutz Sheva) O becomes elusive, sometimes the tributed in Israel and some mone replacement therapy that only option is medication. But countries in Europe by Neurim, becomes applicable if the pineal the sleeping pills now on the which was set up in 1991 by gland—the gland which pro- market often come with risks Zisapel and her husband, entre- duces melatonin—stops doing that may outweigh the benefits, preneur Yehuda Zisapel its job sufficiently. inducing dependency, with- (founder of the RAD Group), to Zisapel describes how drawal symptoms, and occasion- develop treatments for age-relat- Circadin works in a way that ally even cognitive impairments ed disorders. It is now in the mimics the activity of the pineal such as short-term amnesia. process of obtaining approval gland. “Circadin produces mela- Not so with Circadin, a new from the US Food and Drug tonin in the same way as the drug produced by Neurim Administration. gland: It starts slowly at around Pharmaceuticals and based on Melatonin is produced in the 10:00 p.m., gets to a peak at the research of company body at the onset of darkness, around 2:00 a.m., and gradually founder and chief scientific offi- preparing the body physiologi- stops by the morning. It releases cer Professor Nava Zisapel at Tel cally by lowering the blood pres- melatonin in a gradual manner.” Aviv University (TAU). sure and body temperature. Its In reaching this point, it’s Unlike other sleep medica- primary function is to separate been a long road for Zisapel, tions which suppress brain activ- day and night in the body’s who began developing the for- ity, Neurim says that Circadin internal biological clock. mula in 1992 in her neurobiolo- works with the body’s natural Since darkness is a trigger of gy lab at TAU. Because Circadin processes to induce a restful, melatonin, strong fluorescent was a new kind of sleep medica- restorative sleep. It does so by lights can suppress its production, regulators insisted on gradually releasing melatonin in tion. But other factors may also much more clinical data than the body—the hormone that be involved: Anxiety, depres- they had with other medica- prepares the body for sleep. sion, or simply aging can sup- tions. The drug was finally

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 61 A Diverse Dialogue Photo Courtesy Of UJAFederation

L–R: Rabbi Moshe Shur, executive director of the Queens College Hillel; Russell Simmons, chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and founder of Def Jam Recordings; Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding; and Sandy Cahn, past president of the Queens College Hillel, gathered at “A dialogue between the African American and the Jewish Communities” on the Queens College campus. The communitywide event was sponsored by the president’s office, Student Association, Hillel, AEPi, QC Campus Ministers, Haitian Club, Society of African Students, and Guyanese Student Association. This event was part of an ongoing series of programs from the Queens College Hillel’s Center for Diversity Studies.

62 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES young people use to interact. Social media is a new area of the playground, Stop the Techno-Bullying and educators have a responsibility to learn how to patrol its virtual hallways and classrooms just as they learned how BY KATHLEEN RICE mandatory reporting. walls, where discipline is decided by a to teach science and math. NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY New York is among fewer than a dozen few. It must be made clear to students We adults must support these curricu- states whose laws have yet to acknowl- that if they bully someone, there will be lum additions and the educators who are School bullies are nothing new. What edge the virtual playgrounds of the 21st consequences. And it must be clear to doing more, with fewer resources, to edu- are new are technology and social net- century. I ask state lawmakers to join me educators that law-enforcement profes- cate our children. We must reinforce working sites that take harassment and in supporting cyber-bullying legislation. sionals need to be more involved. those lessons at home by steering our intimidation to new and increasingly According to the National Crime Technology has expanded the school dis- children away from popular culture that deadly levels. What was once a cruel Prevention Center, more than 40 percent trict’s boundaries beyond its geographic uses mean and derogatory humor to per- remark or an embarrassing insult said of all teens with Internet access have location. Any law enacted must cover sonify “cool.” within earshot of a few classmates is now reported being bullied online in the past cyber-bullying at any location or activity A strong cyber-bullying law must a stinging viral message that can instantly incorporate education for our children be read by an unlimited number of peers. and cyber-education for our school Proposed legislation like the Dignity for administrators. Schools need a clear set All Students Act provides a good founda- Social media is a new area of the playground, of guidelines to ensure that law-enforce- tion for meaningful action aimed at pro- ment officials get involved before tecting children. But the act isn’t specific and educators have a responsibility to learn how tragedy strikes. enough to address 21st century threats. We need to send a message to cyber- How many more heart-wrenching to patrol its virtual hallways and classrooms just bullies that you are not anonymous, and stories do we need to hear about teens that you will be held responsible for your taking their own lives because they actions. To parents and teachers, we are were overwhelmed by cyber-bullying, as they learned how to teach science and math. all in this together. To victims of cyber- before we change the way we teach our bullying, you are no longer alone. We are kids tolerance and change the way our stepping into the virtual playground to school administrators handle this grow- protect you. O ing threat? year. Thirty-five percent said they have related to the school. School administra- A successful campaign to prevent inci- been threatened and 21 percent said they tors must view off-grounds incidents that dents like those that have taken the lives have received mean or threatening affect the school environment as an of teens across the country must do both. e-mail messages. Most disturbingly, more extension of their responsibility. Deadline for Advertising It’s time to pass laws that requires cyber- than half admitted to saying something Our educators have responded to bullying education programs and manda- hurtful online. social changes by including curriculum in the Next Issue is tory reporting in New York schools. The Our schools need to implement a pre- on issues like sex education, drug and Tuesday, April 13 failure of school officials in Massa- vention plan; education for students, alcohol abuse, and “stranger danger.” chusetts to tell law enforcement about staff, and parents; and mandatory report- Now they must address the benefits and at 5:00 P.M. the merciless bullying of Phoebe Prince ing of any cyber-bullying incidents to law dangers of social media. Call 516-984-0079 before she killed herself speaks volumes enforcement. Schools should not be able They must be aware of the latest meth- about the need for accountability and to keep such incidents within their own ods, applications, websites, and gadgets

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 63 64 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 65 SERVICES SERVICES PROVIDED PROVIDED

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Expanding Queens mesivta with strong Woodmere/Cedarhurst Oppty! Woodmere Open Houses: Flatbush AveN/E4 — Newly renovated, secular studies program seeks experi- 12,000 sq. ft. approx. 90’x150’, Colonial, 336 Midwood Road — 12-1:30 4BR, 1Bath, LR, DR, EIK, W/D, in pvt enced teachers for September 2010 to 17 rooms, full bsmt. with hi ceilings, 3 BR, 2.5 bth, c/h col. Huge den, fin- house. Near all. Call 917-929-3118 teach math, science, and Ivrit. clean 2 car garage plus storage, 6 space ished basement ...... $599K Extremely plesant working environment parking, 2 family, professional use, Buyers, brokers welcome Cedarhurst — Nu House CH Col. LR, with small classes, libral compensation accountant, Esq., medical and/or educa- 876 Woodmere Place — 2-3:30 FDR, Kosher EIK, Den, 4BR, 3BTHS. program. Fax resume, cover letter, tional and religious uses. Grand colonial First show 6 BR, 3.5 bth col. large Bsmt. For Rent ...... $2,500 references: 718-969-6766 with charm and great possibilities. 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 rooms, near Aish Kodesh ...... $695K Available at once . . . $875K Negotiable Counselors and lifeguards needed for Owner 516-322-3555 Cedarhurst: Cedarhurst — Garden apt. Nu 2 Mkt. Upstate bungalow colony day camp 288 Cedarhurst Ave. — Apt E3 12-1:30 2BR. 2Bth, Mint, 1st Flr, heat & prk (ages 2-7). Call 917-584-3544 Bayswater — Updated Dutch Colonial, First floor, 2 BR, 2 bth, FDR, incld ...... $2,300 Circa 1904, huge rooms, ideally located, washer/dryer, enclosed Florida room 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Administrative Assistant — Super on 104’x150’...... $299K organized person with strong social Joe Hersh, Noam Realty 212-431-1234 Cedarhurst BA — second floor 2 BR, skills, to handle phones, filing, office Valley Stream — All new beautiful large 1 bth, new EIK, large entrance hall. calendars, scheduling, mailings, inter- Far Rockaway: 2 Fam. All NU 2 BR, EIK – FDR, upper of 2 family ...... $239K action with families, schools, teachers, 3 over 3 Br. 4Fbth, Dr, Full bsmt house, quiet residential street, includes Hewlett: therapists, 5 Towns Non-Profit. All features ...... $779K heat and parking...... $1,700 Call 516-263-6417 1205 East Broadway — Apt F11 12-1:30 Proficiency in Word, Excel, and e-mail. 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Fax resume 516-295-2899, or e-mail First floor 2 BR 2 bth, FDR, new Lawrence — Wonderful c/h col. house kitchen, w/d, terrace ...... $229K [email protected] Lawrence — Coop Rental. 1BR. 1NU on the nicest cul-de-sac there is. Brand Sue Schachter Realty 516-295-1860 Bth, LR, DR, EIK...... $1,300 Special Ed Teachers and Assistants — new kitchen, finished basement. Asking 5Town Homes ** 516-569-5710 Certified & experienced teachers, assis- $875K Call 516-902-0936 Lawrence/ Far Rockaway Co-op — tants. Judaic & Secular, P/T or F/T for New to market. 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ESTATE FOR SALE LR, FDR, EIK/ w new appliances, new Beautiful CH col. Large 4 BR (1 level), carpet, w/d included, yard and parking. 2.5 bths, granite EIK, FDR, den with fp, Walk all ...... $2,150 full bsmt, in cul-de-sac, walk all, best Cedarhurst — Central Ave. corner 1 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 price ...... $675K story retail building for sale. 1100 sq. ft. Great location...... $469K 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Far Rockaway — Beautiful 6.5 rooms, 3 Call 917-704-2950 BR, 2 baths, new kitchen, separate Lawrence COOP for sale: Beautiful 2 entrance, own thermostat. Best block in BR/Jr4,1 Bth, Hrdwd Flrs, New ktchn, Far Rockaway. 718-868-1153 Centrally lctd, MIC ...... $169K West Lawrence/Far Rockaway — by COMMERCIAL REAL 516-670-2952 or [email protected] appt. ESTATE FOR RENT Nicest house rental in Far Rockaway. Contemporary c/h col. high ceilings, Beautiful, ready to move in, 5 BR house Lawrence: OURS ONLY!! skylights, fpl ...... $825K on excellent block in Far Rockaway. 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Lovely 4 Separate entrance can be M/D with ...... $375K 12-1 p.m. BR, 2 bths, in SD#14, LR, DR, den, on proper permits. Owner motivated, pres- Lawrence — 40 Ventana Ct . . . . $1.2M Rockville Centre — 3,500 sq. ft., fully large property, walk all, ...... $2,350 ent all offers...... $550K 2-3:30 p.m. wired for Web, partitioned, will divide. 5 Towns Home Realty 516-569-5710 5 Towns Home Realty 516-569-5710 Milky Forst Properties Inc 516-239-0306 Call 516-322-3555 Lawrence/Far Rockaway — 833 Central Ave. Jr 4 (2 BR) Spacious doorman/ ele- Far Rockaway: Coop, 3Br, 1Bth Law: Hi Ranch. Must see, 4br, 2.5bth, Cedarhurst — Office rental: Executive vator building, walk all ...... $1,500 Lr/Dr, Walk to All ...... $179K fam rm, CAC, 2 car garage, large 2 Bths, Fully Web wired, 1,250 sq. ft., 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Call 516-322-3555 prop ...... $800sK CAC. 5TGR 516-322-3555 Ced: Nu2Mkt, 2Fam, 3br/3br, 2fpl, Lawrence — New to Market. Pristine 5 Town Homes 516-569-5712 Far Rockaway — 2 Huge Office Spaces. deck, all new, grt loc, full bsmt house on quiet cul-de-sac. 5 bed 4 full Cedarhurst: NU 2 Mkt. Lg LR, DR, 6,000 and 2,500 Sq Ft. 2nd Floor. Near ...... $795K bath. Oversized master suite with EIK, Den, 5BR, 3bth, Skilits, Cabana, 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Subway & LIRR. Build to Suit. Can be Jacuzzi. Cac. Walk to all. . . $4500 Neg. Lg prop, IGPool, Walk to all . . . $659K divided. Owner 917-359-9776 Avromy 347-752-0948 Cedarhust — New house Young contem- Weissman Realty Group, LLC House for sale by owner, on a very cute porary col. high ceilings, large win- Lawrence — 700 Rockaway Turnpike 516-791-6100 block in Cedarhurst, 3 BR, 1 1/2 Bath, dows, bright and light, 4 BR (1 level) office spaces in newly renovated build- EIK, LR/DR and Finished Basement. Cedarhurst — All updated charming LR, FDR, large EIK, den, full finished ing 24/7 access, HV/AC, large parking, Priced to sell. For more info please call from 600-3,000 sq. ft. Call 646-508-4200 Col. New granite EIK, FDR, LR with basement, large fenced yard. Walk all. 516-569-1685 (leave a message if no fireplace, 4+ BR, CAC, in the heart of $3000 answer). Cedarhurst Office Space for Rent Cedarhurst. Walk all. Five Towns Realty 516-569-5710 1,000-3,000 sqft avail. Start at $1,500 Call 5 Towns Homes 516-569-5710 North Woodmere — First show! EquiShares,Inc 516-792-9888 Cedarhurst: 1st Show Decorator’s dream. Beautiful bi-level, large granite kosher EIK, FDR, large 1st FLR, FDR, 2BR. 2BTHS Terrace. Shared Office Space Cedarhurst/ Classified Ads are LR, den, 4 BR, waterview, all systems, Views of Gdns, W/D Woodmere All utilities inc + free inter- walk all shuls...... $679K Lo maint, Grt. loca’n, Walk all. . $319K net & conf room. Starting at $500 Continued on the Next Page. 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 EquiShares, Inc 516-792-9888 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 67 CLASSIFIED ADS Continued from Page 67 Book That Saved Jewish Lives

FOR RENT B Y RAFAEL MEDOFF went through seven hardcover printings change the American public’s under- and a paperback edition, and sold more standing of how the U.S. responded to Twenty-five years ago this week, the than 150,000 copies worldwide. Following the Holocaust. It actually helped save Lawrence — 18 Berkley Place United States airlifted 812 starving the book’s release, Professor Wyman was Jewish lives. Center hall col., 4 BR, 3 bths, stunning Ethiopian Jews from a makeshift refugee featured on Larry King Live, Nightline, and In late 1984, Israel struck a secret deal cul-de-sac, best location . . $4K monthly camp in Sudan and brought them to other national television talk shows, and with the Sudanese government to let Call Irene 516-652-7099 Israel. And a book played a major role in delivered more than 400 lectures about Israeli planes land near the Ethiopia- making it possible. Sudan border and bring Ethiopian Jews North Wdm. — house rental. Hi-ranch The book was The Abandonment of the to Israel. Thousands of Ethiopian Jews in MIC. 4 br, CAC, den, on quiet street. Jews, by Professor David S. Wyman. streamed to the border site. But leaks to 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Published in November 1984, it the media embarrassed the Sudanese described, in heartbreaking detail, the They watched the regime and it canceled the deal in the BUSINESS many opportunities to rescue Jews from midst of the operation. OPPORTUNITY the Holocaust and the Roosevelt admin- six foot-four More than 800 Ethiopian Jews, many istration’s refusal to take meaningful of them destitute young orphans, were action. Wyman was the first scholar to scholar bend stranded near the border when the last Become an Acai Berry Juice distribu- reveal that while the administration was Israeli plane left. tor and earn commission immediately. claiming, in 1944, that U.S. bombers could American Jewish activists turned to Online trainer, work from home, no not reach Auschwitz, American planes down to embrace Washington for help. Working closely investment, e-mail [email protected] were at that very moment bombing with U.S. Senators Alan Cranston and German oil factories just a few miles the young Rudy Boschwitz, and Rep. Stephen Solarz, Deadline for Classified from the gas chambers where millions of they helped mobilize all 100 senators to Jews were murdered. orphans his book sign a letter to President Reagan urging Advertising in next Abandonment was quickly recognized American intervention. as the definitive study of America’s had helped save. Meanwhile, California Jewish newspa- week’s issue is response to the Nazi genocide. Elie per publisher Phil Blazer, learning of a Wiesel called it “irrefutable,” while forthcoming visit to Sudan by Vice Professor Yehuda Bauer wrote that President George Bush, arranged to see Monday, April 12 Wyman’s “immense scholarship com- the Reagan administration’s liaison to the bines with a sense of fairness and a the U.S. abandonment of Europe’s Jews. Jewish community, Marshall Breger, and at 5:00 P.M. sharp analytical mind.” Professor The large audiences and enthusiastic two senior aides to Vice President Bush, Leonard Dinnerstein expressed the responses his lectures generated spoke to Craig Fuller, and Dodd Gregg. Call reviewers’ consensus when he wrote: the level of interest that this grandson of It was just then that The Abandonment “We will not see a better book on this two Protestant ministers had helped stim- of the Jews had reached the New York Times 516-569-0502 subject in our lifetime.” ulate among Jews and non-Jews alike. best-seller list and attracting nationwide Abandonment won numerous prizes, But Abandonment did more than attention. To underscore his argument on

68 April 9, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

behalf of the Ethiopian Jewish refugees, Blazer gave copies of Abandonment to Breger, Fuller, and Gregg. Blazer then met with the vice-president himself. Presenting Bush with a copy of Abandonment, Blazer pleaded, “Mr. Vice President, we can do now what we didn’t do then.” U.S. Congressman John Miller (R-WA) also met with Bush and, citing Wyman’s book, empha- sized the importance of the United States not repeating the errors of the 1940s. The vice president, in his meeting with Sudan’s leaders shortly afterwards, made it clear that the U.S. intended to rescue the Jews. The Sudanese were in no position to object. On March 22, 1985, a fleet of US Air Force C-130 Hercules Transport planes airlifted the 812 refugees from Sudan to Israel. They called it “Operation Joshua.” Vice President Bush later sent a handwritten letter to Professor Wyman, thanking him for helping to bring about the rescue mission. It was surely no coincidence that, in a speech not long after the mission, Bush characterized the Ethiopian airlift and efforts to aid Soviet Jewry in these terms: “Never again will the cries of abandoned Jews go unheard by the United States government.” During a visit to Israel three years later, Prof. Wyman’s hosts took him to an orphanage to meet some of the children who had been rescued in Operation Joshua. He later described it as one of the most moving experiences in his life, and more than a few of those present had tears in their eyes as they watched the six foot-four scholar bend down to embrace the young orphans his book had helped save. Wyman said later that “to meet those children, and to think that my book had something to do with their rescue, was truly a blessing.” Amen. O

Dr. Rafael Medoff is director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies. To learn more, visit www.WymanInstitute.org.

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5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES April 9, 2010 69 A Five Towns Simcha

Yitzchok Krasnow, son of Naomi and Avi Krasnow, of Chap-a-Nosh fame, a student at Yeshiva Ketana, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the Lawrence Country Club on Tuesday, March 23. Shloime Dachs Orchestra performed the music to which everyone danced the night away.

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