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4 The New Ethiopian Aliya Yonasan Rosenblum THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by 11 the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, A Matter of Life and Death New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage Chaim Dovid Zwiebel paid in New York, N.Y. Subscription$22.00per year; two years, $36.00; three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $10.00 surcharge per year. Kids on the Fringe: Single copy $3.00; foreign $4.00. Send address CRISIS IN THE COMMUNITY, PROBLEMS IN THE SCHOOL changes to The Jewish Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Tel: (212) 797-9000. Printed in the U.S.A. 21 Seeds of Teshuva RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR Yaakov Astor
EDITORIAL BOARD DR. ERNST BODENHEIMER Chelrman Reminiscences of a "Shaliach" to the Soviet Union, RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS Mendel Goldberg JOSEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN
MANAGEMENT BOARD P.S. Summertime - Color War, Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum NAFTOLI HIRSCH ISAAC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESIN 39 NACHUM STEIN Books in Review: Halacha in English TORAH GUIDE FOR TIIE BUSINESSMAN/ JEWISH OUTREACH, RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING Business Mamiger .. HALACHIC PERSPECTIVES/ FAITII AND FOLLY/ CONCERN FOR THE LIVING/ KTZOT HASHABBAT ON "MUKTZEH" / TIIE LAWS OF MEAT AND I 1 Published by MILK/ A PARENTS GUIDE TO TEACHING CHILDREN MITZVOT Agudath Israel of America
RABBI MOSHE SHERER PRESIDENT Poetry: Dear Mom, Bracha Druss Goetz THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responslblllty for the Kashrus of any product, publlcatlon, or service advertised In Its pages Letters to the Editor ©Copyright 1991 JUNE 1991 Dateline: 84 William Street VOLUME XXIV I NO. 5 Testimony Before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources
COVER CREDIT: WlDE WORLD PHOTO Yonasan Rosenblum
The New Ethiopian Aliya ACHALLENGEOFMANYDIMENSIONS
I. THE GREATEST EUPHORIA namese boat people. for instance, famine, brigands, or in anti-Jewish SINCE ENTEBBE was stark. riots in the Sudanese capital of And why? For no other reason Khartoum. o single event since Entebbe than that this people has suffered for Out of respect for Beita Israel's so electrified Israel as last at least half a millennium because of dogged insistence on their Judaism, N month's Operation Solomon, their identification with the House of Israel was willing to undergo much the dramatic rescue mission in which Israel. Out of their conviction that sacrifice to save them. The direct cost over 14,000 members ofBeita Israel they are descendants of the ten tribes of absorption of the latest group of were brought to Israel over a 33-hour dispersed during the First Temple Ethiopian immigrants is likely to period, and a palpable sense of exul period, they fought vicious wars. in reach hundreds of millions of dollars, tation gripped the nation. which their ranks were decimated by apart from the tens of millions of dol Operation Solomon gave the lie their Christian and Muslim neigh lars spent on the rescue mission it once and for all to those who slander bors, and they endured the humilia self and on bribing the crucial Ethio Judaism or Jews as racist. Here was tion of being landless "falashas" in an pian officials. a country already bursting at the agrarian society. Their communal The logistics of the entire opera seams with new immigrants - 40 songs and stories are filled with long tion were awe-inspiring. In all, 33 students to a classroom, over ing for Jerusalem and the planes, ranging from Boeing 747 crowded hospitals, unemployment regathering of HaShem 's people from jumbo jets to lumbering propeller over 10% and predicted by many to the four corners of the earth. driven Hercules transports, were double in the near future - mount When rumors began to spread in pressed into service. Observers used ing an operation requiring months of 1985 that one could reach the Holy to the bedlam that can prevail on 747 intricate planning and tremendous Land via Sudan (until premature commercial flights, even with all the resources to save a people physically publicity from the Jewish Agency and passengers ensconced in comfortable indistinguishable from their Ethio certain Jewish newspapers brought seats. were astounded to see three pian neighbors. The contrast to the the whole operation to a halt), nearly times the "maximum" number of callousness of the far richer and 10,000 members of Beita Israel set passengers crammed, like so many larger Western nations to the Viet- out from fertile Gondar province to sardines in a can, into the planes cross a vast drought-stricken desert, from Which all seats had been re Yonasan Rosenblum, who studies in a kollel in Jerusalem, is a free-lance wrtter. His "Jerusa filled with marauders. to reach Su moved. Nary a word of complaint was lem War Diary'' was featured in JO, March '91. dan. Half lost their lives en route to heard over the four-hour journey to
4 The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 Bush (especially in winning the co they were by the sight of an old man operation of the Ethiopian govern clutching his only remaining posses ment), on behalf of the thousands of sion - a worn Haggadah-or of Beita Israel who had flocked to Addis young boys capable of reciting chap Ababa - many trekking 280 miles by ters from Torah by heart in Amharic. foot. Others were touched by the modesty At the other end of the journey and gentleness of the Ethiopians, in Israel - 40 completely new ab and wondered openly whether these sorption sites had to be found within traits can survive the exposure to the a three-day period to house the new coarseness oflsraeli society. arrivals - and all in absolute se David Grossman, Israel's leading crecy. young novelist, found himself pro For days after the operation, the voked to search for an answer to the newspapers were filled with heart "eternal question - Who is a Jew," warming stories of reunited families, by the sight of "a Jewry that survived as Ethiopians who arrived in 1985 2, 000 years of the vicissitudes of his combed the country in search oflong tory.... We observe them with won lost relatives. A public opinion poll drous eyes to peek for a brief moment taken two weeks after the mission behind a raised curtain to the alter showed 93% of!sraelis had a favor native biography of our fathers, to see able or very favorable impression of in the clear light the negative of our the Ethiopians. history." But behind all the personal con II. CONFRONTATION WITH A fessions, one senses an unwilling NATIONAL IDENTITY CRISIS ness to pursue the inquiry to its logi cal conclusions. Why, for instance, did Grossman choose to see the "road Out of respect for Beita From Exclamation Points not taken" by his Zionist forefathers to Question Marks in the arriving Ethiopians rather Israel's dogged than in the 100,000 religious Jews vents in Israel have a way of living in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem, insistence on their forcing one to consider the whose ancestors' history was pre E meaning of Jewish identity. cisely the same as Grossman's and Judaism, Israel was Operation Solomon, too, proved to be whose religious observance today is a catalyst for a great deal of reflection virtually identical to that which, no willing to undergo much on the meaning of Jewish identity. doubt, characterized Grossman's For all who are deeply troubled by ancestors three or four generations sacrifice to save the ever-increasing religious disaf back? fection of Israel's secular majority, One suspects that it is the exotic them .. .the direct cost of there surely lies a glimmer of hope in nature of the Ethiopians that creates the fact that Israel was prepared to a certain "safety" in admiring their absorption of the latest undertake such a great sacrifice on religiosity and lifestyle. Many, if not behalf of a people who could not be most, Israelis deep down suspect group of Ethiopian further distant from the average Is that they are not really Jewish in the immigrants is likely to raeli racially and culturally and traditional sense, but only as that whose history has been cut off from term has come to be used in Israeli reach hundreds of that of the rest ofworld Jewry for over society today: in one of history's bit two millennia. However hazy his defi ter ironies, the definition of Jew ap millions of dollars. nition of the term "Jew," the average plied by the State has been deter Israeli still sees himself as bound to mined by the Nazis -whomever the all those whom he considers Jewish. Nazis might have defined as Jewish, Israel. (On one flight, the surgeon on The arrival overnight of 14,000 so too does the State of!srael. board delivered three babies.) people, who have, by and large, re Expressions of respect for the The flights themselves were the mained faithful to their religious tra Ethiopians' culture, then, may beto culmination of months of planning, ditions in the face of untold suffer ken nothing deeper than when a and beyond that, nearly a year of ef ing, produced a spate of public reflec secular Jew, who bristles at wall forts by the Joint Distribution Com tions by secular writers on the ques posters requesting modest attire in mittee and other Jewish organiza tion ofwhat is a Jew. The Israeli jour Me'ah She'arim, readily acquiesces to tions, with the extremely significant nalists and soldiers who participated the dress code required to enter the assistance of US President George in the mission described ho\\' moved Vatican's Sistine Chapel. Rabbi
The Jewish Observer, Summer 1991 5 Dovld Gottlieb likes to tell the stoiy of being accosted by an assimilated The arrival overnight of 14,000 people, who have, Jew in the Boston train station one Saturday night while he was still by and large, remained faithful to their religious wearing his Chassidic garb from Shabbos. The man assailed him for traditions in the face of untold suffering, produced a bringing public humiliation on all Jews by parading around in public spate of public reflections by secular writers on the in such ridiculous attire. But when Gottlieb told him. "I don't know what question of what is a Jew. But behind all the personal you're talking about, I'm a 50th de gree Shriner,· the man was profusely confessions, one senses an unwillingness to pursue apologetic. The Ethiopians prick the Jewish consciousness of secular Is the inquiry to its logical conclusions. raelis, but not much: they, too, are 50th degree Shriners. ues. He produced a kibbutz instruc The most that the kibbutzim Confrontation With Policies tion manual for teachers and coun claimed in response is that they have ojthePast sellors from that period describing learned from the past. and that they the aim of the education as convinc will respect the Ethiopians' cultural he Ethiopians had been in the ing the youth that "their belief in G-d traditions. But Rabbi Peretz knows countiy less than three weeks is contraiy to all logic ... a reaction too well the effect of environment on T when they suddenly found aiy doctrine with no right to exist new immigrants. Especially among themselves at the center ofone of the among fighters for a progressive fu the young, the desire to adapt to the most bitter religious-secular confron ture." In place of that belief, the dominant culture as quickly as pos tations to divide the countiy in years. manual called for indoctrination in sible is veiy strong. and if the only Absorption Minister Rabbi Yltzchak the materialistic explanation of his culture they see is one of institutlon Peretz wrote to Prime Minister toiy. altzed breach of all Jewish law, that Shamir requesting that he use his Rabbi Peretz's charges set off an is the pattern most will follow. He also influence to prevent Ethiopians from unprecedented furor: eight no-con knows too well the symbolic tmpor being settled on secular kibbutzim. fidence motions were placed on the taoce of the Ethiopians to the secu In his letter, he pointed to the devo Knesset agenda, each focussing on lar Israelis to trust In their protesta tion of the vast majority of Ethiopi his statement. Even the government tions of respect for Beita Israel's reli ans to the religious traditions that coalition did not defend his state gious heritage. The secular Israeli is they have maintained over the cen ments. Suddenly all questions con in constaot need of retroactive con turies. and requested the Prime Min fronting Israel on the diplomatic and frrmation of his father's decision to ister not to repeat the absorption economic front receded into the cast off the yoke of religion, of one mistakes of the ! 950's when religion background. And yet for all the bit more "proof" that only primitive was systematically uprooted among ing attacks directed at the so-called people could believe In G-d and To North African youth. The subject is "ultra-Orthodox" whom Rabbi Peretz rah. Nothing could serve that pur one particularly close to the heart of is felt to represent and denunciations pose better than for the "backward" Rabbi Peretz, himself a product of the of any government which finds a Ethiopians to shed their religious North African aliya of the 50's. He place for such people in its ranks, the practice as they adapt to modern so told reporters of tear-drenched let substance of what he said went ciety. ters from his sister - who his par unchallenged. A typical response was ents were told was being taken to a Knesset Absorption Committee m. THE FUTURE: A MIRROR religious environment - complain Chairman Michael Kleiner's: "Even if IMAGE OF THE PAST ing of being forced to wear immodest some of what he said is true, he clothing and eat non-kosher food. In shouldn't have been so sweeping; the end she was one of the victims. and even if it is all true, he still The Way It Was In a television debate with Muki shouldn't have said it." The docu Tzur, head of the United Kibbutz mentation by secular academic so o assessment of the future Movement. Rabbi Peretz went fur cial scientists of the devastating im particularly the religious fu ther, accusing the kibbutzim of hav pact on traditional social structures N ture - of the more than ing waged a systematic campaign of caused by absorption of the North 30,000 members ofBeita Israel now shmru:l spiritual destruction, against African immigrants is simply too in Israel is possible without under North African children, and of hav overwhelming to deny, as is the bla staoding the background of this fas ing filled the jails with Sephardi taot plan to extirpate all religion from cinating people and the events since criminals and drug addicts created the children of North African immi 1985 when they first began to arrive by the destruction ofall religious val- grants. In Israel in large numbers. Beita Is-
6 The Jewish Obseroer, Summet 1991 race. which had converted sometime in the distant past. But, he said, be cause the "conversions" were without a commitment to the Oral Torah which remained largely unknown to Beita Israel-they were not halachically valid. The Chief Rabbi noted that his view was the most meikel since it allowed for Ethiopians to become Jews without any taint of mamzeirus. With the exception of former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, virtually every present-day poseik who has considered the halachic sta Biriki embraces his father:. Bi.riki had not seen his father since he left Ethiopia as a tus ofBeita Israel has ruled that they teenager thanks to Operation Moses in 1984. require "giyur !' chwnra" to be consid ered Jews beyond any doubt. Actu rael have always considered them observed. ally the term "giyur l'chumra" is a selves to be Jews and possess a To Thus, while Beita Israel main misnomer, especially as It Is fre rah WJitten in the ancient Semitic tained a general familiarity with the quently mistranslated as "symbolic language ofGe'ez, which is said to be broad outlines of Jewish practice, conversion." The geirus required in a faithful translation from the Greek there Is an almost total incongruity cludes all the elements of any other Septuagint. They have been aware of between the details of their practice geirus, including the acceptance of many of the major areas of Jewish and those of Shulchan Aruch. That mitzvos. practice, and are generally strict in paradox caused questions to be observance. But the form of that ob raised about the halachic status of Operation Moses-Dilemmas, servance differs radically in almost members of Beita Israel from their But Few Resolutions every particular from halachic Juda first discovery in the 16th century ism, and in many cases is far closer C.E. The earliest halachic treatment or the 10,000 Ethiopians ar to the practice of the Karaites, who of their status is that of the Radvaz riving In Israel In Operation rejected the Oral Torah. in 16th century Egypt. He was asked F Moses in early 1985, it was Thus, for instance, members of concerning the halachic status of very difficult being told that their re Beita Israel will not even use fires lit members of Beita Israel purchased ligious practices, which they had ob prior to Shabbos - in accordance as slaves by members of the Egyptian served with such devotion and sac with the literal translation of the Jewish community. Inaseriesoffour rifice over the centuries, did not con verse, "No fires shall burn... on Shab psakim. the Radvaz assumed that form to halacha. That was particu bos" (Shemos 35:3) - and therefore members ofBelta Israel are Jews de larly true of the traditional religious do not light Shabbos candles. In the scended from the tribe of Dan. But officials, the kessim, who felt their area of kashrus, only the meat of a he raised the disturbing possibility entire legitimacy undermined. On kid in its mother's milk is prohibited, that the tribe might include a high the other hand, the Ethiopians knew but not mixtures of goat meat and percentage of mamzeirim due to a that much had been forgotten over cow's milk, for instance. Members of lack of proper gittin, bills of divorce. the centuries of golus. They them Beita Israel drink no wine out of fear The Radvaz expressed doubts on the selves had even stopped certain prac that It may have been used in Chris latter point, since It was arguable tices - such as animal sacrifices - tian sacraments. They continue to that their marriages were also not when they felt that they no longer observe many more laws of tahara valid due to a lack of proper wit knew the correct manner of perfor than do we - for instance, contact nesses who accept the Divinity of mance or when they heard that the with a corpse required a week's quar Oral Law. (The mamzeirus issue Is practice of Jews elsewhere was dif antine followed by immersion in a particularly acute in view of the high ferent. And, unlike the Karaites, they stream. Similarly after contact with frequency of "divorce" and subse had never rejected the Oral Torah; Christians, immersion was required quent remarriage among Beita Is they were simply ignorant of it. Fi prior to reentry to a Jewish village. rael.) nally, Belta Israel had not developed Ethiopian Christians insist that Another approach, differing from Its own "Oral Torah" over the centu members ofBeita Israel can be iden that of the Radvaz, was that of ries, as various apostate groups had tified by their unique smell - that of Israel's Chief Rabbi Isaac HaLevi throughout Jewish history. What fresh water from their frequent im Herzog. In a letter Wlitten in 1954, they did not understand, they sim mersions. On the other hand, rab Chief Rabbi Herzog cited the view of ply did not do - for instance, they binic "fences," such as the require scientific investigations that the lacked the mitzvos of tzitzis and ment of seven clean days, were not Ethiopians were of a non-Jewish mezuza.
The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 7 Aware of their own ignorance, the ployed to enforce their will on the community had, over the years, sent community and to establish their a handful of emissartes from Ethio leadership role included physical pia to obtain a Jewish religious edu intimidation and threats, as well as cation and to return to share what ostracism of any who were prepared they had learned with the commu to cooperate with the Chief Rabbin nity. Rabbi Yosef Hadana, today the ate. (One of the first victims of this chiefrabbi of the Ethiopian commu ostracism was Kes Hadana, who had nity in Israel, was originally sent by urged the end of the protest strikes, the community-of which his father and whose son, Rabbi Hadana, con was one of the senior kessim-to sistently took the position that a studyinayeshivainlta]y. From there proper geirus was the best solution he went to Israel where he studied for to problems of the Ethiopian's years before receiving semicha from halachic status.) Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef. But it would be too facile to view All this suggests that given a the protests against the conversions proper presentation, the community as merely the doings of a handful of in 1985 might have been receptive to agents provocateurs: Had the protest the adoption of religious practices in movement not struck a deep, respon conformity with halacha, though the sive chord in the community, it could difficulty of suddenly accepting an never have succeeded. In light of their about their Judaism galling in the entirely new way of life should not be heroic suffering to preserve their extreme. Their outrage, Rabbi underestimated. It will never be identity as Jews, as well as the cour Hadana explains, was only increased known, however, what might have age required to undertake the peril when they saw all about them totally been because the bitter fights over ous journey to Israel, the Ethiopians non-observant Jews about whom no gelrus clouded the entire issue. found the questions suddenly raised question was raised of their Jewishness. In addition, their special sensitiv Absorption Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Peretz wrote to ity to immersion in a mikveh was in sufficiently appreciated by rabbinic Prime Minister Shamir requesting that he use his authorities. In Ethiopia, all immer sion was done in rivers. Only Chris tians used anything resembling a influence to prevent Ethiopians from being settled on mikveh. and these for the purpose of baptism. Thus for many of the Ethio secular kibbutzim, so as not to repeat the absorption pians, conversion was the ultimate farce: under the guise of making mistakes of the 1950's when religion was them Jews, the Chief Rabbinate was actually trying to make them into systematically uprooted among North African youth. Christians. Though the protests against gelrus were not per se motivated by anti-re ligious feelings on the part of the Protests, But Little Support terJews than we are," and express Ethiopians, by raising suspicions ing outrage at the racism of the Chief about the rabbinic establishment in n early 1985 there were a num Rabbinate. Efforts to explain that their eyes, the Ethiopians became ber of large sit-down protests in gelrus in fact offered the only means increasingly vulnerable to efforts to I front of the Chief Rabbinate pro of full acceptance of the Ethiopians wean them from their religion. And testing the Chief Rabbinate's deci within the body of Kla1 Yisroel fell on there were many willing to lend a sion that the Ethiopians needed deaf ears. hand. The head of the absorption gelrus to be considered Jewish. The Leading the demonstrations, as center in Arad, for instance, told vol demonstrations quickly attracted well as preventing those Ethiopians unteers from Amichai, a religious much support and financing from who did wish to go to mikveh from group working with Ethiopian immi anti-religious elements, who had fi doing so, were a group of young grants, that she would only permit nally found the perfect club with Ethiopian activists between the ages Shabbos programs on alternate which to beat the religious establish ofl 8 and 25. Many of these had stud Shabbosos, with discos on the inter ment over the head. Shulamit Aloni ied at Addis Ababa University under vening Shabbosos. and others joined the protests on be Mengistu's Marxist regime, where The Ethiopians were cynically ex half of the brave, long-suffering they had been well-schooled inter ploited as well. For several years the Ethiopians, proclaiming them "bet- rorist tactics. The methods they em- leadership of the Youth Aliya Depart-
8 The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 sion the litmus test of Zionist com ously disappeared until the benefac
1 "\l :!1 l"O il~' ll mitment, and all institutions that fol tors threatened to make a public M118! MC'lf!I F'E'.'NSTW'I c·'~"'""''""•' 111 r. o. ft. 01\Ni ,.•. .,,, lowed the Chief Rabbinate's psak scandal.) When the already over !<"' T•..._u.T. l'~i .•m,:;;-,.m2 found their funding cut off. Many of crowded State Religious schools set the institutions that suddenly lost up special branches for the Ethiopian their funding had been in the Youth children to try to compensate for ••• ,. 11 .. 1"> Aliya system for over 30 years. and their unique backgrounds, Tsur .... """ ······· "'"" .,,,. ,.,,,. ,.. _,,,, ""'..:.::: ::::: .•. ,.,.. were among the most successful termed the idea "apartheid" and or such institutions. Lest anyone think dered the children into regular pub ·::·'.:~:·::::'.:::::· ~'.::'.· ::~:;::~:;~:; ·:~·:::;:: :~=i'.~:~~:~~~ that Youth Aliya was acting out of a lic schools. When forty Ethiopian •• "''"' '' o• "" "' ' Pf'- .l.J·tf I,. .o»o ""'' concern that Ethiopian youth be able children in the Nazareth Elite public , II·~.,,.~· ~~·~ ... ~:·;;~tG":;!,f:.L*":;.,,,,,...j'">- ..,..1 11~ w~• """'"" to find a place in a religious residen .i 1li'''ll1 :tPY' Tl':t n1:tl i£>0 Tl':t Bois Yaakov High School of Chicago Opening for the 1990/91 school year. * Our school will be under the personal direction of our Menaheles, Rebbitzin Shulamis Keller, founding principal of Tiferes Bais Yaakov in Brooklyn, a close talmidah of Rebbitzin Kaplan, oHh. Rebbitzin Keller has been in the Bais Yaakov system and involved in Chinuch HaBanos with great success and distinction for over 35 years. * A highly qualified staff of experienced, dynamic, Limudei Kodesh teachers. * Stress on Halacha L'Maaseh and development of Middos T ovos, Derech Eretz, Yiras Shomayim and Tznius. * Individualized, personal attention designed to develop each girl's maximum potential. Excellent General Studies program under the direction of Mrs. Sara Neuman, a gifted educator with extensive teaching experience and organizational skills. Full General Studies staff of certified, accredited, young, orthodox teachers. * An extensive, vibrant extracurricular program. * Accommodations available for select out-of-town students. ment of the Jewish Agency had been seeking a pretext to cut funding to all For applications, or additional information, please contact: religious residential educational cen Bals Yaakov High School of Chicago ters whose Zionist bona fides were Rebbllzln Shulamls Keller suspect in their eyes. Youth Aliya 543 7 N. st. Louis eventually made the willingness to Chicago, IL 60659 accept Ethiopians without conver- 312-463-8708 The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 9 questions about the quality of those It is hard to be sanguine conversions. Today it is widely ru mored that various local rabbis will about the future of Beita issue certificates of marriage with out any geirus, which only clouds Israel. With each the halachic status of the Ethiopi ans and their offspring further. As passing day, their sense a further consequence of the oppo sition to the use of a mikveh. the ob of themselves as Torah servance of taharas hamishpacha, which was once strictly (albeit incor observant Jews lessens, rectly) observed by the Ethiopians is no longer. and with it the chances Far larger than the number of Ethiopians who have become fully that they will finally shomrei mitzvos are those who have become completely secularized. realize the destiny for Those who led the protests six years which they so ardently ago today head the Ethiopian um brella organizations. which makes prayed: to be fully them the effective spokesmen for the community to the government and reunited with the rest of the world. Interpreters for the new immigrants who have just arrived in Kial Yisroel. Operation Solomon will wield a dis A young Ethiopan waves an Israelijlag in proportionate influence on the new her new homeland. comers for whom they will serve as interpreters not just of Hebrew, but children have had some form ofreli who have become fully milzva obser of all that they see. And these inter gious education, though the intensity vant probably numbers in the hun preters are most likely to be chosen of that education varies greatly. Of dreds. from the most secularized elements these, several hundred have gone on And yet it is a measure of the in of the community. to institutions such as Machon Meir, tense resentment in the community In short, it is hard today to be san which is affiliated with Merkaz over the geirus issue that even guine about the future ofBeita Israel. HaRav, and to hesder yeshivas. At among those who are fully shomrei With each passing day, their sense of least thirty Ethiopians have attained mitzvos, most have not undergone themselves as Ortth (Torah-obser sufficient levels of learning to be ef conversion. By and large, Ethiopi vant) Jews lessens, and with it the fective teachers, and to present Ju ans converted only when coerced to chances that they will fmally realize daism to Ethiopians in a manner that do so by the need to get a marriage the destiny for which they so ardently takes into account their unique sen license from the Chief Rabbinate, a prayed: to be fully reunited with the sitivities. The number of Ethiopians fact which by itself raises serious rest of Klal YisroeL • Not just a cheese, a tradition... .. Haolam, the most trusted name in Cholov Yisroel Kosher Cheese. A, reputation earned through 25 years of scrupulous devotion to quality and kashruth. With 12 delicious varieties. Haolam, a tradition you'll enjoy keeping. ,!ill Hap!am (.Ilene prodw:I•~ U.!'Cit1 the ~trJctJl.U.b!nk;1l "1!>(r~J1lon of: 11.S.4.I The llabbin1tc of 11 ·hal Math Juh1111111. \lluh!ngton lltl9hl1, l'IV ••lln•LNUh~bb! o\vrotio NEW~~~~~~~~;,,ECO.INC YORK, N.Y. Haolam • 10 TheJewishObserver. Summer 1991 ChaimDovidZWiebel A Matter of Life and Death: Organ 'lfansplants and the New RCA "Health Care Proxy" landmark decision,· guidelines, which take effect next period of time. ''A December, that require every trumpeted the Jewish Secular law, at least in the United Telegraphic Agency. "A health-care provider to make avail States, now accepts that a person able a health-care proxy to pa victory for halachah." cheered the tients. The new proxy, prepared who has suffered brain death is le Washington Jewish Week. "A bold under the direction of Rabbi Moses gally dead. Therefore. upon his prior and creative effort... to provide Tendler of Yeshiva University, de consent, or the consent of his rela proper religious guidance to the clares that organ transplant proce tives, doctors may "harvest" his vi community... not only correct ac dures are in full compliance with tal organs for purposes of transplan cording to halakhah, [but also) halacha, traditional Jewish law." tation. Under current law, doctors deeply sensitive to the real needs of A landmark decision, indeed. Yet would not be permitted to harvest society today.· exulted Rabbi Marc D. not everyone greeted it with quite the such organs before brain death, Angel, president of the Rabbinical same enthusiasm its promoters dis even with the donor's prior consent, Council of America (RCA). played. In fact, as of the date of this because removal of the organs The cause for celebration? Ari L. writing - little more than two weeks would cause the donor's legal death. Goldman's June 15, 1991 "Religion after the Times broke the story, and On the other hand, to wait beyond Notes" column in The New York only days after The Jewish Press the donor's brain death until his Times tells the story: splashed the news ("Organ Dona heart has also stopped beating "In its continuing effort to apply tions Now Permitted•1 across its front would be impossible; once cardiac traditional Jewish teaching to mod page - the RCA's new foray Into the activity has ceased, the vital organs ern life, the largest group of Ortho field of medical halacha has already will have deteriorated to the point dox rabbis in the world has for mally endorsed the donation of or generated a firestorm ofcontroversy. where they are no longer suitable for gans from brain-dead patients. transplantation. Vital organs are "The action was taken at the THE BRAIN DEATH/ORGAN thus candidates for harvest only 55th anniversary convention of the DONATION EQUATION during that period when brain stem group, the Rabbinical Council of function has irreversibly ceased yet America, which concluded Thurs he controversy over organ the heart continues to beat. Hence day In Spring Glen, N.Y. The posi tion puts the 1.000-member group donation centers around the the linkage between brain death and at odds with some other Orthodox T critical question of whether organ donation. authortties, who are opposed to or halacha recognizes "brain death." (Parenthetically. it should be gan transplants because they do A person is brain dead when his en noted that organs such as kidneys not accept the end of brain func tire brain, including the brain stem, and corneas may be suitable for tioning as death. has irreversibly ceased functioning. transplantation even after the cessa 'The council's approval came in tion of cardiac activity. The publ!city a key paragraph of a 'health-care Medical science has concluded that proxy" prepared by the Orthodox the brain stem controls respiratory generated by the new RCA health rabbis in response to new Federal activity; and that accordingly, if a care proxy form relates specifically to person's brain stem has irreversibly the transplantation of vital organs Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Eaq. is the general coun· ceased functioning. he is no longer such as the heart and liver, which sel and director of government affairs for Agu capable ofbreathing independently. can be done only so long as the heart dath Israel of America, His article on the With the assistance of a respirator, still beats. Kidney and cornea trans ~Halachic Health Care Proxy," which included forms for designating such proxies, was featured however, his heart can continue plants present different sets of medi in JO, Sept. '90. beating, if only for a relatively short cal, legal and halachic issues.) TheJewishObserver. Swnmer 1991 11 The question of whether Rabbi 11 A landmark decision," trumpeted the Jewish Telegraphic Moshe Feinstein did or did not sup port brain death has generated a Agency. A landmark decision, indeed. Yet not everyone great deal of scholarly attention and greeted it with quite the same enthusiasm its promoters debate. Some scholars maintain that Rabbi Feinstein's writings - In par displayed. In fact, the RCA's new foray into the field of medical ticular. the teshuva Rabbi Feinstein halacha has already generated a firestorm of controversy. wrote In 5736 to his son-in-law, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Dovid Tendler (IggrosMoshe. III YorehDe'ah 132) THE HAI.Acme DEBATE One wouldn"t know it by reading does support brain death, as the RCA the RCA proxy form. but there is an statement recites. Others. however, hat Is the halachic status other "Torah Perspective" on this is contend that Rabbi Feinstein in fact of a person who has no sue as well. Thus, fouryearsagowhen did not support brain death or vital W brain activity and no Inde the Rabbanut Issued the pro-brain organ transplants. They point In par pendent respiratmy activity. but whose death/pro-organ transplant ruling ticular to Rabbi Feinstein's 5728 heart still beats? Ifhe Is alive. then one referred to and relied upon by the RCA teshuva to Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov may not disconnect his life-support - a psakwe will soon revisit In greater Weiss (Iggros Moshe. II Yoreh De'ah machinecy or remove his vital organs; detail - a number of distinguished 174) - which he subsequently reaf to do so would be an act of murder. If. tabbonim In Eretz Yisroel denounced firmed In a 5738 letter to Rabbi on the other hand. he Is dead. then he the ruling in no uncertain terms. Kalman Kahane (Iggros Moshe, II should be buried as soon as possible. These authorities included the late Choshen Mishpat 72) - wherein and his organs maybe removed -with Dayan Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss ?":ir Rabbi Feinstein employs extraordi the consent of his relatives to save (head ofthe EidaHachareidis, Jerusa narily strong language to condemn the life of another sick person. lem), and (D"n?1'n:i•) Rabbi Elazar heart transplants as "retzichas sh'tei It is this modern-day life and Menachem Schach (Rosh Yeshiva, nefashos mamash," the murder of death she'eila (halachic question) Ponevezh). Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, both the recipient and the donor. that the Rabbinical Council of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, Rabbi Nosson Reliable sources have testified that America has now purported to Gestetner (all three, widely respected In his later years, Rabbi Feinstein pasken (render judgment). In pub Rabbonim, of Bnei Brak) and Rabbi permitted people to receive heart lishing Its own version of a ""health Eliezer Waldenberg (a noted author transplants. Presumably, the im care proxy" as an alternative to the ity on medical halacha, Jerusalem). proved success rate for heart trans proxy/living will form developed by N"""°. each of whom wrote publicly plants gave Rabbi Feinstein basis to Agudath Israel of America (see 'The that removal of a heart from a person reconsider his earlier written ruling "Halachic Health Care Proxy·: An In who had suffered "brain death" but that the transplant procedure was an surance Policy with Unique Benefits," whose heart was still beating would act of murder upon the recipient. J.O.• T!shrei5751/September 1990). be an act of murder. Reliable rabbinic Still. there Is no indication that Rabbi the RCA encourages people to make sources report that Rabbi Yosef Feinstein also reconsidered that por an "anatomical gift" of their "life sav Sholom Elyashiv, N"""'1!> (one of the tion of his psak that spoke of removal ing organs." to take effect after their foremost poskimofour time), has also of the donor's heart as an act of mur death; and offers the following "To expressed his opposition to brain der upon the donor; allowing a sick rah Perspective" on organ donation: death. Here in the United States, rab person to receive a heart that has al "The saving of a life takes prece binic opponents of brain death in ready been removed from a donor dence over all but three halachic clude such a diverse group as Rabbi does not necessarily imply that re Imperatives - murder, idolatry and Menashe Klein, Rabbi Aharon moval of the heart was permissible. adultery. Therefore, no halachic baniers exist to donation of the or Soloveitchik, Rabbi Dovid Cohen and Rabbi Feinstein's unequivocal gans of the deceased ifthey are har Rabbi Yehuda Dovid Bleich.• written rulings that removal of a vested in accord with the highest donor's heart is murder imply either standards of dignity and propriety. THE SOURCES RELIED UPON that he rejected the entire concept of Vital organs such as heart and liver BY THE RCA brain death, or that he did not con may be donated after the patient sider the tests used to ascertain brain has been declared dead by a com petent neurologist based upon the s we have seen, the RCA cites death halachically sufficient. or that clinical and/or radiological evi the rulings of Rabbi Moshe the transplant doctors could not be dence. lnaccordwilhthen.dingofthe Feinstein ?":IT and (?":J') Rabbi A •The reader is cautioned not to conclude that any Rav, Reb Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, YosefDov Soloveitchik N"P>?\?I, and list of names in this article is comprehensive. It is Shlita and Hagaon Hatav Moshe also that of the Israeli Chief Rabbin based on my owll records and files. which may be Feinstein, z'tl and ofthe Chief Rab ate, In support of its position on or quite incomplete. I would be glad to share my bis oflsraeL death as detennined by gan donation. Here too. however, "nlW"ei mekomos" for any of the assertions in this neuro/ogicalcriteria[Le.. brain death/ article, or copies of pertinent documents from my fuJ1y meets the highest standards of the RCA's statement is extremely file, with interested parties, who may contact me halacha." [Emphasis added.] controversial. through The Jewish Observer. 12 The Jewish Obseroer. Summer 1991 relied upon to wait for brain death ber of slringent conditions. including a great deal of public attention has before removing the donor's heart. (among others) the performance ofan been drawn specifically to that aspect Under any of these explanations, the additional medical test to confirm the of the RCA's new "health care proxy." RCA's reliance upon Rabbi Feinstein prospective donor's brain death, and However, by no means is the brain would seem to be misplaced. More participation by a representative of death/ organ donation provision the over, as his son Rabbi David the Rabbanutin making the medical only component of the new RCA form Feinstein N""'°'1il pointed out to me, determination. No such safeguards that is halachically controversial. there ls certainly nothing in any of appear in the RCA document. Most notable in this regard is the Rabbi Felnstein's rulings that en The debate over brain death has broad authortty the RCA health care courages people to do what the RCA been going on for many years, and proxy confers upon an individual or document encourages them to do: fill there ls a great deal more that can be his health care agent to decline life out a standardized form to make a said on the subject. For now, how sustaining treatment. Thus, the RCA general "anatomical gift" of their "life ever, what is wrttten here should suf form allows a person to check a box saving organs" after death. fice to demonstrate how conlroversial indicating his advance desire to de The debate over Rabbi Feinstein's an issue it is, despite the unequivo cline virtually all forms of life-sus views revolves around the written cal nature of the RCA's statement. taining procedures if he ever devel legacy of the teshwx>s he left behind. ops, for example, "brain damage or In contrast, Rabbi Yosef Dov OTHER NOTEWORTHY ASPECTS some brain disease that in the opin Soloveltchik, tJ"T1? 7r.I'. does not ap OF THE RCA FORM ion of my physician and several con pear ever to have wrttten on this sub sultants cannot be reversed and that ject. In attributing a pro-brain death/ n light of the highly conlroversial makes me unable to recognize people pro-organ transplant view to Rabbi nature of the RCA's ruling with re or to communicate in any fashion, Soloveitchik. the RCA apparently relied I spect to brain death and organ do but I have no terminal illness, and 1 on the testimony of someone who nations, it is quite understandable that can live in this condition for a long claimed to be familiar with his views. However, informed sources report that prominent members of Rabbi Soloveitchik's own family havewrttten im•10?:n D"n ron n:i•t~" a formal letter to the RCAfirmly deny ing that Rabbi Soloveitchik ever issued Talmudical Academy !{Baltimore a ruling supporting brain death. Tragically, Rabbi Feinstein is no longer with us; and Rabbi Soloveitchik (may he have a rejimhshleima) is in no position to speak for Wmself today. Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim There ls thus no way definitively to re solve the debates over their respective Talmudical Academy halachic positions. In attributing such unequivocal views to these authortties is accepting applications to our High directly in the body of its new health School dormitory program from moti careproxydocument, theRCAhasap parently decided to resolve those de vated bochurim looking to develop into bates without even acknowledging their existence. serious Bnei Torah. Our program offers: The RCA's citation to the Israeli • limit.ad Blze shiurl.m with regular and advanced tracks. Chief Rabbinate's ruling as further • concerned, experienced Rebbeim. support for its position is also prob • individua.lized a.nd personalized attention. lematic, though for a different reason. The Chief Rabbis did indeed ex • a modern dormitory facility on a beautiful t.en-acre subur press their view that heartbeat alone, ban campus. without independent resplratmy ac • fully accredit.ad General Studies program. tivity, ls not a halachic sign of life; • int.eraction with the vibrant community of Baltimore. and that therefore irreversible cessa .1'o.r .ftz.rt1Jer bdonlJatitm J11llastl call OZ' writs: tion ofbrain function ls an acceptable Yeshivas ChofGs Chaim-'ralmudical.Academy means of establishing death. How 4445 Old Court Road ever, in issuing the psak authorizing Baltimore, Maryland 21208 transplant surgeons at Hadassah (301) 484-6600 Hospital in Jerusalem to remove Rabbi Mena.chem Gold, Menahel hearts from brain dead persons, the Chief Rabbis insisted upon a num- The Jewish Observer, Summer 1991 13 time" (i.e., an advanced stage of state explicitly that all health care pared to go along with certain of the Alzheimer's Disease). Moreover. the decisions are to be made in accor controversial halachic statements document declares, "a quality of life dance with halacha. In fact, the and implications contained therein. that is burdensome to the patient document labels as • optionar the in In addition, the current Chief may justify passive Euthanasia ... struction that the health care agent Rabbi of England, Lord Immanuel Only the patient and his/ her proxy should consult with Orthodox Jakobovits- himself a noted scholar can declare a quality oflife unaccept halachic authortty prtor to making in the field of medical halacha, and able." !Emphasis added.) his decision. If one chooses not to a member of the RCA- has taken The implications of these provi exercise that "option," in what sub sharp issue with the RCA's adoption sions are staggertng. They suggest stantive way does this form differ of its new health-care proxy. And, as that halacha embraces the notion of from similar forms developed by to noted above, eminent members of personal autonomy in medical deci tally secular groups? Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik's fam sion making - permitting an indi ily have formally objected to the vidual to decide in advance that his A MATTER OF INTEGRITY AND RCA's reliance upon Rabbi life will not be worth living, and hence COURAGE Soloveitchik in support of its stance not worth preserving, when its qual on brain death/organ donations. ity is severely diminished. Moreover, umor has it that there is con Perhaps the post-facto ferment they suggest that a designated rela siderable dissatisfaction within the RCA will result in an inter tive or friend, no less than the indi R within the RCA itself over the nal reconsideration of the proprte1y of vidual himself, can make that same substance of the new proxy docu publishing a form, designed to be used decision when the individual is no ment, and also over the means by by masses of people, that embodies longer capable of deciding for him which it was adopted as the such controversial halachic positions self. I am no halachic expert, but organization's official form. The and even appears to depart in several these implications are contrary to document was apparently published ways from accepted halachic consen virtually everything I have studied or without prtor consideration by the sus. Such reconsideration would be a heard on the subject. RCA's own halacha committee, at welcome development indeed-an act Another puzzling aspect of the new least several ofwhose members, ifnot of integri1y and courage in an era so RCA form is the fact that it fails to the majortty, are reportedly not pre- sorely lacking in both. • PRAYER HOTLINE TO jERUSALFM 24 HOUR CRISIS SERVICE In time of illness, family or personal crisis, need success, hatzlacha, or on any occasion when ''.4 Prayer Would Help," special prayers will be recited at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Don't go through a crisis yourself. CALL: 1-800-545-PRAY Our sages say, "prayer helps," especially tehillim recited with a minyon at the Western Wall. fRll JEWISH CATALOGS Check one or more D Full color catalog from the leading pub lisher of English language Judaic.a literature. for children and adults. 0 How-to books and cassettes on: reading Hebrew, learning to pray, leading the services, the Seder and Bar-Mitzvah prep, and unique educational gifts. 0 The finest kosher vitamin and mineral supplements. 0 World's largest catalog of sheet music, cassettes and CD's.-lsraeli, Yiddish. Klezmer, Cantorial, Children's music, instrumental, etc. To obtain your FREE catalq&s_ CALL In NYC (718) 856-31182 Outside NY I ·800-NET-TAPl KADDISH Mishnayoth, Yizkor & Yartzeit observed with a minyon or return this coupon with your address to: in our Yeshiva Heichal Rabbi Meir Baal Haness in Jerusalem. JUDAICMIDIA -Call: (718) 871-4111- 453 l Ninth St., Suite 106, Brooklyn, NY 11218 14 '.I11e Jewish Obseroer. Summer 1991 ant a mirac e • 1n rae • Because trees arenl the only things that need to be planted. Miracles do too. And these immigrant children need )l)Ur help so that their Judaism will grow. And you know that. You spent years begging and pleading, protesting and praying to get these Jews out of the Soviet Union. Now they're out. And they've come home to Israel. To plant roots, to grow and to flourish. To learn what until now was illegal to learn. And to discover what has been lost. Unfortunately, that isnl happening. Israel can barely afford to house these people, let alone provide a proper Jewish educa tion. It oould be a sad statement about our generation if, years from now, these children were wholly indistinguishable from those who stayed behind in Russia. RETURN, an organization backed by some of the greatest spiritual leaders of our day, is he_,ing. We're providing class rooms and funding after-school programs. We're helping to grow roots for them, to plant them in holy soil. And while none of these necessities oould be provided with out us, we canl continue to provide them without you. Wrthout )IJU, what someday might haw been a fertile forest, will some day be a barren wasteland. Please - we canl do tt wtthout your help. And we need your help now Because if you think trees are beautiful when they grow,r------just watt till you see the frutt of these little miracles. : This summer, RETURN is organizing sum· I oould like to help. Please accept nw tax-deductible contribution for ', mer teaming and outreach programs for the 0 $500-to sponsor a full summer oufreaeh "'""------program for one child 1 1 Russian immigrant children in Israel. We'll D $180-to sponsor one week of the summer "''""------I reach fhOUSBndS Of new SOU/S and awaken program for one child Ofy S!.ra __ "'--- 1 them to the beauty of Judaism. It will take a 0 $1 00 o $50 o $36 01her $.____ '"'"'------1 miracfe fO dO fhe job. And yDUr hefp. Please make check pay.ible to: RETURN, Sude 3300. 39 Broadway, New \brl<, NY 10006 • 212-425-3500 L------Rabbinic Sponsors: Bobover Rebb~ Skulener Rebbe, Noominsker Rebbe, Rav Avrohom Pam, Rav Elya Svei, Rav Aaron Schechter Honorary Chairmen: Chief Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jakobovits, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Mr. Joseph Gruss. Chairmen: Sheldon Beren, Abraham Biderman, Max Knopf, PJ Rieder RETURN /1!l1'rU The United Fund for the Education of Russian Immigrant Children in Israel AWAKENING THE JEWISH SOUL ur educational institutions are embattled-beset by a 0 variety of difficulties. In the previous issue of The Jewish Ob Kids on the Fringe server, Rabbi Yaakov Bender elo quently highlighted one critical prob lem: what about the large number of students who cannot find their place In our schools because of academic weakness. poor preparation and background, or limited ability? Great effort and large resources are re quired to meet their needs. Can the yeshivos carry the burden? If not, who will? There is yet another problem that poses this question In an even more serious form but has not been given the attention that it most urgently demands: the issue of our problem students. I do not refer here to chil dren who are severely emotionally disturbed. These are tragic cases that are clearly not within the purview of the regular schools. My concern is with the growing number of our chil dren that cannot or will not adjust to our Institutions and their standards. Rabbi Bender touched on this problem in passing when he spoke of youngsters being told to leave their respective yeshi.vos "for even minor infractions" and refers to "the boy who has even slightly strayed off the Crisis in the Community, Problems in the Schools well-defmed derech, the boy with the so-called 'bummy appearance' ... academic work, and the transcript ers. however, flock to this Intriguing whom most high schools will not from the school she attended raises and different creature, and soon she touch." He reminded us of the time no questions. Why not take her in? has her circle of admirers. muses the principal; she will ad honored approach of our gedolim just. However, before ushering that a student should not be expelled them out of the office, the principal THE SCHOOL'S DILEMMA unless he has a defmite, clearly-de draws attention to the dress code fmed detrimental effect on others. and uniform of the school. and dip t was only a few days into the This is such an obvious and logical lomatically points out that the teen term when a mother called to guideline that it would seem very ager will have to do something protest about the school accept about her hair~ "After all, we want I simple to apply. to be able to see you." The mother ing this student. The principal ex But appearances often are deceiv assures her that this is no problem plains: "After all, this girl grew up in ing. at all. a somewhat different environment. Mother and daughter walk into Indeed it is not; on the first day of We are working with her, and she the prtncipal's office. The family school, the new student appears with doesn't wear her leather jacket any just moved from another part of more. If your daughter and her town. They are shomrei mitzvos, her hair neatly tied back-wearing a and want the daughter to attend shiny leather jacket over her uni friends will be mekarev her, I have no the school. The mother does all the form. There is something of a stir in doubt that she will soon adjust to our talking while the girl silently the classroom, but it passes as the standards. Do you really think that watches the proceedings through class settles Into its routine. A goodly the things you object to warrant the curtain of hair cascading over number of her classmates stay out of sending away a child and maybe los most of her face. She seems to be her way. feeling ill at ease with the ing a precious neshama?' reasonably well prepared for the new arrival-especially when it is Indeed, they do not-so we all noted that on the way to and from agree. Were not our schools built to The author, a principal ofa high school in a large metropolitan area, has requested anonymhy to school she uses a walkman to listen recapture our children from an alien protect the identity of the people described. to her favorite popular music. 0th- environment? Should we now lock 16 TheJewishObserver. Summer 1991 our doors to the children that need children-and increasing numbers of Let me not be misunderstood: I do us most? But wait a minute: what these children turn out to be prob not suggest that only children from about the gtrls who are attracted by lems for us. Take a stroll on a troubled homes become problems, or exactly those things about her that Motza'eiShabbos to the local delica that all or even most of the children we object to? With alarm, the teach tessen, pizza parlor or shopping from such homes get into trouble: in ers note that, not surprisingly, it is mall-whether the locality be Brook fact, many children faced with such precisely those girls in the class who lyn, Monsey, or the Catskills. By the situations ultimately emerge stron are the most vulnerable-with the standards of contemporary society, ger as they struggle to contend with weakest background, the least aca the scene is tame indeed: but It hurts their problems. But, alas, too many demic success, the most complex deeply to find here boys and girls who do not-and thus, a majority of prob home situation-who flock to her and have gone to our institutions, or still lem children come from such a back begin to imitate what we sought to do, whose attire and behavior is in ground. We have to realize that chil discourage. Before long the battle is glaring contradiction to all the Torah dren differ in their reaction to strain joined between those who decry our standards that we have been trying and stress. Some show a remarkable readiness to exclude children who to teach them-and it is not just thetr resilience: through the mercy of are a little different, and those who present situation that frightens us Heaven, they are the fortunate ones. see the need to protect the children but, much more, the future toward But there are also all those who with entrusted to us. The school is which they appear to be heading. draw into themselves, develop ner squarely in the middle--condemned vous symptoms and actual illness- by both sides for failing in its educa A WORSENING PROBLEM OR AN or compensate for their problems by tional task. OPTICAL ILLUSION? "acting out" or indeed becoming full This scenario could just as easily fledged rebels against adult society. be presented with a Mesivta appli ome hard questions must be Yet we should not automatically cant as its "hero"-and it is played asked. ls it only an optical il assign blame or guilt to any of the out in innumerable variations S lusion that this is a worsen parties involved in these problem throughout our educational institu ing problem, and the larger number situations. In the first place, some of tions. Thus the question is raised: of such cases is merely a result of the them cannot be controlled by human What can and should schools do? increase in Yeshiva and Beth Jacob actions, such as severe sickness, G-d Perhaps, however-and this is the students in general? Or is it a sign of forbid, or inability to earn a living. thesis of this article- this issue is a the increasing difficulties our schools But even when the problems appear community problem that is deeply face in countertng the influences of to derive from human failure, mari rooted in our society and must be an ever-more radically demoralized tal or parenting, we must realize that, tackled by the community at large, society? Surely both are factors to be to a great degree, the adults involved and should not be dumped into the considered-and there are others. are victims of a society in which there lap of the school. Most important for our consider- is confusion about one's personal My concern is with the growing number of our children that cannot or will not adjust to our institutions and their standards. Can the yeshivos carry the burden? If not, who will? SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE ation, however, is the role played by rights and duties in marriage and the deterioration of family life even in child rearing, great emphasis on ma et us be clear about what we the.frumcommunity. terial possessions and self-gratifica are discussing. At issue are I cannot provide scientifically ob tion, vast variations in religious stan L not children from "modern" tained statistics. However, in case dards and understanding, and an homes whose parents approve of, after case that I have been involved unremitting pressure from the out and indeed destre, a lifestyle incom in, the parents were divorced, there side world. (It was Reb Baruch Ber, patible with Yeshiva and Beth Jacob were serious problems of Shalom 7"YT, the Kamenitzer RoshHaYeshiva, teachings. These children will attend Bayis, or there were other major fam who before the war corrected a man the type of day schools that accom ily problems-an extreme degree of criticizing American rabbis: "It's not modate such parents-and very of parent-child friction, with one or the that the American Rabbonim are ten do the very best for these children other parent far too rigidly authori smaller. The problems they face are within the confines of the parents' tarian or else too permissive or inef larger.") The fact remains: problem ideology. We are talking about par fective, or stresses due to major sick situations are proliferating-and the ents who do want us to educate their ness or bereavement. children all too often are the victims. The Jewish Obseroer. Summer 1991 17 IN SEARCH OF SELF-ESTEEM his is easy to understand. Negative childhood experi T ences have serious conse quences (and these tend to surface durtng adolescence, which can be a turbulent time in even conventional families). In the first place, there is a deep-seated alienation from adults and their efforts to provide direction. Respect for their authority is lost and, worse, so is the confidence in their wisdom and trustworthiness. In contrast, the hedonistic values and standards of the outside world ap pear most attractive. Secondly, there is the harm done to the self-image of the child. He may feel guilty about what is going on; he is embarrassed and will desperately try to hide it from others; he lacks positive experiences and, in the face of glaring adult failure, becomes con vinced that failure is unavoidable in life. He needs to feel that he is some body-and he gains this feeltng from association with others who are in the same boat. Moreover, he has to be reassured that somebody not only respects him but likes him and cares about him-and here the girlfriend (or boyfriend, in the case of a girl) plays a crucial role. If a child is fortunate enough to be befriended by a trustworthy and un derstanding adult. a neighbor, teacher, or relative-in effect. a sur rogate parent figure-this will go a long way to provide reassurance and to nurture the resilience that the child needs in order to cope with his problems. Given at an early stage, such help is likely to make a big dif ference in the child's life. But time is of the essence here. Once he starts to develop a negative attitude toward adults, and links up with like minded friends. it becomes vecy dif ficult indeed to reach him-and I pointed out previously that these children tend to find each other and flock together. That is why schools can usually handle a single student who poses problems, but will fail if he becomes a catalyst in the forming of what might be called a cell. If this analysis is correct. it follows that we cannot expect our schools to solve problem situations that are so 18 "The Jewish Observer, Summer 1991 deeply rooted in the failures of our society. The community, whether It Were not our schools built to recapture our children is a single congregation or a whole neighborhood, must realize that the from an alien environment? Should we now lock our weakening of families does not just spell heartache for individuals but is doors to the children that need us most? But wait a a real danger to the Klal and its fu ture. The great rtse in the number of minute: what about the girls who are attracted by divorces and of troubled youngsters found in our communities is surely exactly those things about such children that we a warning signal. In this connection we must face the fact that the prob object to? lem is particularly serious in the most intensely "frum" localities. Firstly, children who do "act out," do not stand out so glaringly in other communities; this does not diminish the heartache of the parents, but the youngster does not see himself (or herselOJ shunned and rejected so much, and can therefore be reached more easily. Secondly, there is the tendency, all too natural, to deny the JERUSALEM existence of a problem until it is too late, and to reject outside help---in ANNOUNCES stead, all too often severe punish ment makes the situation worse, or GEMARA SHEKALIM children are shifted from school to school, with teachers and principals being blamed. Thus, there rests an =====IN ENGLISH-- enormous responsibility upon the "Soon, tens ofthousands offews who leamDafYomt will community and Its leaders. reach Masecbta Shekalim. Many ofthem will find that • In the first place, major efforts this translation assists them to understand and compre are called for to buttress our families. hend the Gemara more easily. " Effective intervention measures need -Rav Avrobom Pam "~=·5ci , Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva to be put into effect by Rabbonim, Torah Vodaath, from bts letter of approbation talmidei chachomim and askonim. For the first time, there is an English translation of Shekalim, Torah guidance to newlyweds and the only tractate of Talmud Yerushalmi that is studied in the regular Daf help to families in trouble, shiurim Yomi cycle. Its author, Rabbi Yaakov Shulman, writes in a manner and lectures on family life and edu remarkable for its clarity; the work has been praised by leading Rabbonim cation, all will help to shore up our both here and in Israel. families. Each page of the Vilna edition of the Yerushalmi faces its corresponding Social service agencies must not page of the translation. Footnotes explain the text, citing the classical only be prepared to provide material commentaries to the Yerushalmi as well as several unique to Shekalim. help to the needy but to deal with families at rtsk, at their own request "With great ta/eut, via his translation and commeutary, be euahles thepeople ofthis generation to understand the language ofour sages in the Jerusalem Talmud." -Rav Shimon Schwab ••·'~, Rav ofK'ha/ Adath Yeshurun, Washington Heights, N. Y. Distributed by MOZNAIM $18.95 at your 4304 12 Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y 11219 Tel, (718)853-0525 or 438-7680 Local Hebrew Bookstore 4916 13th Ave., B'klyn, NY 11219 (718) 854·2911 The Jewish Obseroer. Summer 1991 19 Is it only an optical illusion that this is a worsening problem, and the larger number of such cases is merely a result of the increase in Yeshiva and Beth Jacob students in general? Or is it a sign of the increasing difficulties our schools face in countering the inAuences of an ever-more radically demoralized society? or that of Rabbonim and neighbors . • Secondly, much more has to be done in the area of providing guid ance and counselling to children. This need not necessarily be done by professionals-quite often, individu als with intelligence and skill, warmth and the right hashkafos, can help just by lending an understand ing ear. Counselling centers should be made readily available in every community. For a variety of reasons, such counselling can probably be done most effectively within the con SARA SCHENIRER fines of each school by a competent teacher or a guidance counsellor. But TEACHERS SEMINARY the community must provide the means needed. How many of our ... Our first class was enrolled in 1g67 schools have enough manpower for ... During the next 24 years, we successfully graduated many hundreds of this purpose? How many could afford students it? In truth, we cannot put a further ... Today's enrollment is welcoming students to our 25th consecutive class burden on the schools; and even if the class of 5752 ( 1991-92) they are enabled to provide adequate INTENSIVE SEMINARY • Full-day- counselling, it must be clear that the 1 year program problem cannot be vanquished un HALF-DAY SEMINARY • 2 year program til the community accepts its respon sibility for the Jewish family and its RESIDENCE HALL-DORMITORY children within twentieth century The beautiful Residence Hall, entering irs 19th year, is open to all appli society. • canrs, and offers full room and board for a very nominal fee. We invite applicanrs from the continental U.S., from countries abroad, and those returning from Israel who wish to enter our second year program, to join the Seminary for the 5752 school year. RACING AHEAD TORAH Those entering our second year are offered a program which does not repeat IN TIMES OF SECRETS their previous studies. RECESSION FOR ...... WITH BITOCHON PROSPERITY Rebetzin Malka Paretzky Rabbi Michoel ]. Meisels $4.00 $4.00 MENAHELES DEAN Please call ar write: Sara Schenirer SeminatY 4622 - 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 1 TEL (718) 633-8557 nmo? ii oc ·1""MW ~iW ~ FAX (718) 435-0115 20 The Jewish Observer, Swnmer 1991 Yaakov Astor Seeds of Teshuva Hope for Geula grows from the remorse of a solitary Jew at the very beginnings of the destruction and exile. hen thinking of the great people over 2,000 years ago, when not enough to salvage the situation. baalei teshuva in the To they returned to Eretz Yisroel to build The Temple structure stood, but W rah, personalities such as the second Beis Hamikdash, as re Jerusalem remained in shambles Kayin, Yehuda, David-tonamejust corded in the Book ofNechemiah. and the spirit of its settlers was all three-come to mind. It is thus sur It began with the tragic destruc but broken. prising to find that when the tion of Solomon's Temple, which had Into this setting the unique abili Rambam (HUchos Teshuva 7,6) cites stood for four hundred and ten years. ties of Nechemiah were introduced. the exemplruy baa1 teshuva, he men During its final years, however, it was It was he who rebuilt the walls of tions Yechaniah. little more than a shell. In the end, Jerusalem and reestablished the "Who?" one wonders. Examining the Babylonian conquerors demol city's foundations, physically and the Book of Nechemiah.' however, ished mere brick and stone, for the morally. Nevertheless, the Jerusalem reveals the answer, as well as the key spiritual and moral decline of the he helped rebuild was also ultimately to many important issues-both country had long since eroded the destroyed (after four hundred and communal and individual. spiritual foundation of the Holy City. twenty years) because of the spiritual Seventy years after Babylon's rise and moral shortcomings of its inhab THE VISION OF as the dominant world power, and its itants. THE BOOK OF NECHEMIAH subsequent replacement by the Per Since the Book of Nechemiah is sians, a group of Jewish exiles led by included in Scripture, we must Jews in the land of Israel threat· a descendant of David returned to search its nflJ'ffitive for a unique mes ened! ... Intermarriage! ... Sabbath Zion, by the grace of G-d, and began sage relevaht for future generations. desecration!... Assimilation!... reconstruction of the Temple. They What is that message? hese may sound like phrases met with much resistance from the Nechemiah may contain no ex from this week's newspaper local populace, however, and the en alted visions, as one finds in the headlines, but they actually tire undertaking teetered on the books of the Prophets, but the book T brink of disaster. Even the arrival of itself constitutes a vision. Conveying describe the status of the Jewish the towering personality of Ezra was the very last events in Israel's Scrip· Yaakov Astor, of Monsey, N.Y.. wrote Choose tural history, it is the conclusion of Life!, with Rabbi Ezrtel Tauber-whose lectures 1. There is actually no separate Book of Scripture-not just historically, but form the basis of that book. Rabbi Astor's ar Nechemiah; it is considered part of the Book of ticle, 'When a History Class Contains Torah Les Ezra. Nevertheless. for the purposes of this ar in the sense that it represents the sons.~ appeared in JO, Dec."90. ticle the distinction is drawn. end-goal for the nation of Israel. It The Jewish Observer, Summer 1991 21 stances (see Ramban, Sefer Geulah, was he? What did he represent? Second Gate). The vision of an eter Remarkably, the Sages summa nal people living In an eternal Jerusa rize the inner essence of Nechemiah lem is a seed that as yet has never in a few short words: "Zerubavel... fully taken root, to blossom. Ezra and what was his name? Nechemiah ... Nechemiah, however, taught us that was his name" (Sanhedrin 38a). the seed exists, that it In fact once did take root when all seemed lost. AND WHO WAS ZERUBAVEL? More importantly, we learn from their efforts that realization of the erubavel was the descendant end-goal of Scriptural teaching-of of David mentioned above who Israel dwelllng In peace-ls possible Z led the first group of return only to the degree that her people ees In an attempt to rebuild the Beis projects an eternal Israel walking undergo a spiritual rejuvenation. Hamikdash in the days of Cyrus, albeit sometimes limping-through Only spiritual renewal nurtures the King of Persia. But that is only his the annals of history and finally unit seed-like vision of an eternal Jerusa tory. Zerubavel, the sages Inform us, ing in "the place that G-d shall lem. stood for something more. His name choose"-Jerusalem. This makes Nechemiah's role in is a contraction of two words mean the reconstruction of Jerusalem all ing "sown (or conceived) In Babylon" SEEDS the more significant. For one of the (ibid.). More specifically, this name basic tenets of our emuna (faith) is refers to an Incident concerning King rophetic projections are that nothing happens by coinci Yechaniah, the man whom the p seeds. Sometimes, because of dence; G-d oversees and directs all Rambam cites as the exemplary baa1 poor "soil," poor "cultivation," events. Therefore, Nechemiah could teshuva. or other factors, they do not develop not have simply "stumbled into" his Yechaniah (also known as to full fruition. The seed, though, mission. He was chosen by G-d. The Yehoyachin) was the second-to-last maintains the potential to realize its question is then: What qualified him king of Malchus Yehuda (the King full stature under the right circum- for this task? On a deeper level: Who dom ofJudah) before the destruction of the First Beis Hamikdash When Nebuchadnetzar, King of Babylon, CIDCAGO COMMUNITY KOLLEL conquered Jerusalem (eleven years PRESENTS before the ultimate destruction), he threw Yechaniah into prison in CHICAGO TORAH TAPES Babylon. It was Yechaniah's just reward. He A series of cassette tapes based on popular shiurim dealing with contemporary was so evil that G-d had Instructed halachic issues and their everyday application. His prophet to record forever in Scripture: "ForifChenayahu (a vari Rabbi Dovid Zucker, Rosh Kolle! ant ofYechru:rtah) ... were a signet ring on My right hand-from there I D Halachos of the Three Weeks and Tisha B' Av (3 tapes) would tear him off. Thus says o The Coca-Cola Debate Hashem: Condemn this man to be o Bas Mitzvah Celebrations? childless ... for none of his seed shall D Halachos of Writing a Will ever sit on David's throne or again o The Mitzvah of Living in Bretz Yisroel rule in Judah" (Yirmiyahu22:24,30). o Child Care on Shabbos For all Intents and purposes, then, Yechaniah and his seed should never Rabbi Moshe Francis, Rosh Kolle! again be found In the annals ofScrip o Sharing With Others - An Halachic and Philosophic Perspective on tural history. After all, it is as if G-d Tzedakah Himself made an oath that o Shalom Bayis -·A Lifetime Quest Yechaniah would die childless. However, the story continues: Ex· To Order: Send $6 per tape or $50 for the complete set of 10 tapes (includes postage and iled and alone In a prison too narrow handling) to Chicago Community Kollel, 6506 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60645 to even lie down In, he experiences a A complete catalog of over one hundred audio and video tapes will be included with each order remarkable challenge. Nebuchad or upon request. netzar is persuaded to allow Name Address Yechaniah's wife lowered Into his ~~~~~~~~~ ·~~~~~~~~~~~~~- City /State Zip___ Amount Enclosed$__ _ dungeon, and he is delighted to be reunited with her. She immediately explains to him that she has just be- 22 TheJewishObserver. Summer 1991 come a nida. a menstruant woman, THEZERUBAVEL-NECHEMIAH and contact is now forbidden. The The man condemned as CONNECTION man condemned as evil by the word of G-d pauses. Somewhere in a dark evil by the word of G-d n Ezra 2,2 (and similarly in ened chamber of his own heart a Nechemiah 7,7) we read: "[The transformation takes place. He redis pauses. Somewhere in a I following are] those who had covers his inner conscience, and re come [to Jerusalem from Babylon] strains himself. At that heroic sign of darkened chamber of his with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Necherniah, repentance, G-d retracts his oath Seraiah, Re'elaiah, Mordechai, etc." and later grants him children own hearta Zerubavel and Necherniah are men (VayikraRabba 19:6). transformation takes tioned in the same list. and therefore Who issues forth from the eventual it would seem that they were two dis union of Yechanlah and his wife? A place. He rediscovers tinct individuals (Rabbi Yaakov Em man called Shealtiel, a contraction of den in his notes to Sanhedrin 38a), the Hebrew words meaning, "G-d his inner conscience, not one and the same as the Talmud asked that the oath (that Yechaniah apparen!ly says. In fact, Rambam (In die childless) be nullified.· Shealtiel, and restrains himself. troduction to Commentary on in turn, is the father (or, some say. Mishna and Introduction to Mishna grandfather) of Zerubavel, whose Torah), MeiTi (Introduction to Avos), name signified that he was "sown in Thus, the teshuva of a single man Abarbanel and Bertinoro (Avos 1: 1) Babylon." Thus, the extraordinary performed in private ignited the hope all list Necherniah and Zerubavel as origin of Zerubavel-Nechemiah re and paved the future for a defeated two separate individuals. veals to us specifically why he was people. The effects of his act, how These commentators would not elected to rebuild and refortify Jerusa ever, go beyond even this. To appre disagree with the Talmud-unless lem. His mere existence exemplified ciate them, a deeper understanding there were some other basis for a dif the power of spiritual rejuvenation. of the Zerubavel-Necherniah connec fering view. For our purposes, we His progenitor, Yechaniah, was a man tion is required. shall follow the approach of the com- condemned by man and G-d. Yet. the power of teshuva is so great that even a prophecy to the contrary cannot prevent the person ofstrong will from returning to G-d. It is this lesson that Jerusalem's surviving remnant had to NeW-from learn and accept. And they required a leader who would serve as a sym Miriam bol of that principle. Adah an The author of EMMETT, Raising Children to Care, and Appreciating People, explains how the home life you had as a child can affect the home life you have as an adult. The book covers a wide range of emotional problems that plague many families, and presents H.c. $11.•s positive, Torah-oriented ways of handling them. Here is an important, insightful work devoted to increasing self-awareness and self-improvement. The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 23 mentators that take the Talmudic statement at face value: Nechemiah and Zerubavel were literally one and A IDBAH VACATION IDVB"! the same person. If so, how do we understand the passage that lists them both? Answer: Read the verse 8 DAYS IN YERVSHALA YIM TO with a pause after Zerubavel's name. In other words: "!The following are] RECHARGE YOVR NESHAMAIA! those who had come Ito Jerusalem] • LECTURES BY TOP RABBANIM with Zerubavel (pause): Yeshua, • MEETINGS WITH G'DOLEI HATORAH Nechemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah. Mordechai, etc."2 • PRIVATE CHEVRUSAS FOR ALL LEVELS Thus, the verse In Ezra reads very • SPECIAL CLASSES FOR WOMEN much like the verse tn Bereishis 46. • EXCITING TOURS 8: "These are those who came with 5-star accommodations at the luxurious "Ramada Renaissance". Travel with the Children of Israel (pause): Yaakov .... " No one would argue that us on TWA and receive a FREE* round-trip ticket to Israel (or triple Yisroel and Yaakov were different mileage credit)! Dates August 21-29. people, and therefore that verse, like ours tn Nechemlah, has to be read Your Cost: Only $1680! (per person/double occupancy/halfboard) with a natural pause to be under with these low rates-space is limited so stood. Now, ustng the verse tn Bereishis CALL NOW! 46,8 as a model. perhaps we can un FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION. derstand the Nechemiah-Zerubavel association: Yisroel was the name that repre sented Yaakov's higher calling tn life. WORl.D CLASS TRAVEL Similarly, Zerubavel was the name of CALL COi i ECT 516-295-5900 Nechemiah that expressed his higher *restrictions apply calling. Why wasn't this Zerubavel Nechemiah connection stated openly in the Book of Ezra. as the Yaakov Yisroel connection is in Bereishis? The answer is that Scripture never made the association because, un like Yaakov, Nechemiah never fully realized his higher calling tn life. "Zerubavel"-he who was "sown tn Babylon"-represented the very seed of the eternal people. In fact, the Malbim (Chaggai 1,1) writes that Zerubavel would have been Moshiach if the generation had been worthy. In other words, the seed was ripe, but the optimal conditions did not de velop. Had the Jewish people-the soil for the blossoming of the "seed of Babylon"-been worthy, Nechemiah would have fulfilled his higher calltng as Zerubavel, the literal "seed" of re juvenation and repentance, which had been embodied by David and 2. It would seem that the verse must be under stood this way. Otherwise, who is the person who "had come~ with the people listed? Further more, when the Talmud discusses this verse (Megilla 16b), it mentions that Mordechai Is fifth on the list. which only makes sense if one per son (Zerubavel) is not counted at all, or is in a category all to himself. 24 The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 .Zerubavel was the ~,,.,,·"'------"MY CLIENTS ARE AMAZEO descendant of David AT THE SERVICE ANO who led the first group of SAVINGS ON THEIR INSURANCE-BUS/NESS INSURANCE returnees in an attempt OR l'ERSONAL" One 8lue HUI Plaza. Suite 1024 Peart RMo<. NY 10965 to rebuild the Beis IRVIN6 SAFRIN Tei• (914) 62Cl-1800 Hamikdash in the days of Cyrus, King of Persia. PINCHAS MANDEL But that is only history. Over 35 Years Experience in Kvura in Eretz Yisrael Zerubavel, the sages •Dedicated to Kavod Haniftar with personal responsibility throughout service inform us, stood for •Highly recommended by Gedolai Hador -Here and in Eretz Yisrael- something more. 1569 - 47th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11219 Day & Night Phone (718) 855-5121 Yechaniah-the seed of Moshiach. As Honesty - Integrity - Reliability it was, we did not merit to know Cl Jf';Eo StiEL Hv\ES ,1~ unrkr\!cJOd Jnd practiced hv one active in the indu~fry more than half a centurv. Nechemiah as Zerubavel tn Scrtpture; Taharas Haniflar Should Never Be Commercialized only the Sages of the Oral Torah tell us of this unrealized potential. Of course, Nechemiah was by no means a failure. The name by which we know him identifies him as a "comforter" or "consoler." In a sense, he fulfilled the famous words of the prophet Yishayahu (40, I): "Console, console (nachamu, nachamu-con tairllng the same Hebrew letters as Nechemiah), my people ... " which Tue were spoken to give Israel strength for its long and bitter exile. New-from the Tables are Nechemiah has comforted us by demonstrating that the seed of David Author of One Turoed and Yechaniah was never lost, and is waiting to be replanted tn a more re Good Turn ... sponsive time, tn a more fertile place. Nevertheless, a man who serves as One Good Turn deserves a source of comfort cannot regener- another, and here it is: a sequel full of surprising twists, and delightful characters in l exotic settings. BIG Join the reunion of Nava APPLE Letchkov and her English friends, COPY & PRINTING as they spend an exciting CENTER summer together in Israel. 87 NASSAU ST NEW YORK, NY 10038 (212) 962-4282 (212) 267"9478 TheJewishObseruer. Summer 1991 25 ate new life. All he can do is take away farting altogether. 3 THE DECAYING GARDEN the sting of a loss. Only a Zerubavel, the seed of Babylon, could have ac 3. Of course, all this is based on the premise that ith this understanding. tually replaced-replanted-that Nechemiah and Zerubavel were one and the Yechaniah's teshuva takes which was lost, and thereby elimi same person. The truth is, though, that even if on an even deeper shade of they were not, the essential lesson would be the W nate the need for any form of com- same. Whether it was one person with two mis- meaning. Not only was his return the key to the future of the next two or three generations, it also possessed the potential to lead to the redemp tion of Israel and the world. Even more significantly, according to Seder Olam Zutta (7:5), Yechaniah was the sole survivor of the House of David. In other words, if not for his turn-around, the Messiah (appar ently) could never have been born! From this perspective, we can now marvel at the wonderful workings of Hashem The decaying "garden" that was Jerusalem had to be razed to the sions or two people with two missions. the Jews of that time were presented with two options: partial redemptlon, or the full, messianic re demption. It is, however, illustrated more dra matically if these two potentials existed within the one man. Still and all, there are two points that seem to lend support to the hypothesis that Nechemiah and Zerubavel were literally the same person, but for various reasons could not be stated as such in the text: A) Zerubavel's name is conspicuously never mentioned again A REMARKABLE BIOGRAPHY! after we are informed of his ascension to Eretz Yisroel, and the aborted first attempt to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash. The biblical narrative The Rav ... The Tzaddik seems to leave his )ife in the middle; he is pre sented as a great leader, yet there are no details of his efforts, neither during the first ascension ... The Gaon of Posen ... nor during the time of rebuilding efforts of Nechemiah. We never even read of his death. Rabbi Al 26 The Jewish Observer. Sununer 1991 Of course, Nechemiah BOATING• FISHING SEPARATE SWIMMING was by no means a failure. In a sense, he fulfilled the famous words of the prophet Yishayahu: "Console, console (nachamu, ' nachamu), my people ... " •' .• Mikraoth •• •• which were spoken to ~'1!!!111!/l Gedoloth give Israel strength for its The Height of Scholarshi11 Within the S11irit of Torah long and bitter exile. With this innovative series JUDAICA PRESS pioneered, in 1969, the popular Hebrew·English format of translated Torah texts. The original biblical text ground. After this destniction, how and all the classical commentaries in ever, it continued to harbor within it Hebrew, face a new complete translation an eternal potential. Thus, before de into English of the text and Rashi, and a stroying the garden, the Master Gar comprehensive and carefully selected digest of the classic Mikraoth Gedoloth dener took a lone seed and deposited commentaries of tbe Prophets. it in a vault. That vault was a narrow prison cell deep within Babylon. The concise and probing treatment given to the often difficult material, with a special Cataclysmic events-the destnic emphasis on Halacba, provides a proper study tion of the First Beis Hamikdash, the companion as well as an incentive for further defeat and exile ofJudah-were tak learning with the guidance of the indispens· ing place, but in a lonely, dark able meforslrim (commentators), Babylonian dungeon, the future was This series, edited by R11bbi A.J. Rosenberg, being prepared. It happened without h11s earned the unstinting approb11tion of fanfare, and no one took note of it. R11bbi Moshe Feinstein '"~ Yet, a single individual was able to turn the personal depths of despair Just Published and depravity into the heights of ho PSALMS liness, opening new vistas of hope for in Three Volumes himself and mankind. • VQlu_me Qne,- '16.9S per vol. The Rambam (Teshuva 3:4, based Chaptero l•4l, 352 PP· -.- Vbium~ Two,_ on Kiddushin 40a) writes: "A person Chapters42-89, 424 pp. •49.95 should always look at himself as .•: volurne. tlitee, shtitlk,wrapped, equally balanced between merit and Chapters 90-15.0, 432 pp. · 3 vol, set sin, and the world as equally bal The following 17 volumes are now available in a anced between merit and sin. If he durable hardbound edition only-$16.95 per vol. The Books of: commits one transgression, he tips -In preparation: Joshua • Judges • Samuel I • Samuel II • Kings I • Kings !I • the scale of the entire world to the fsalah, Vol. One• Isaiah, Vol. Two •Jeremiah, Vol. One• Ezekiel (2 vol.) side of guilt, and brings destniction Jeremiah, Vol. Two • Twelve Prophets, Vo!, One • Twelve Daniel, Ezra, & Nechemia (1 vol.; Prophets, Vol. Two • Proverbs •Job• Psalms, Vol. One • upon himself." Conversely, if he re Chronicles I & II (2 vol.) Psalms, Vol. Two • Psalms, Vol. Three sists a temptation and commits his heart to righteousness, he can bring At Your tocal Jewish Book Dealer Or Di reel From: redemption to himself and the world. Exclusive United States Distributor That was Yechaniah, the exem Israel Book Shop, Inc. 410 Harvard Street• Brookline, MA02146 • (617) 566-7113 • (800) 323-7723 plary baa! teshuva, which is why the Rambam chose him to teach us about the power of teshuva. TheJewishObseroer, Summer 1991 27 REPIEPIHER THE HEAUTifUL & INSPIRING SOUNDS Of THE OHIGIJYAL PIRCHEI Lr JEP RECORDS? In response to an overwhelming demand, we take pride in announcing the re-release of the original ]EP and Pirchei recordings on quality cassette tapes. These are not re-recorded imitations, but the same original voices, songs, and music that set the standards for true Jewish recordings back in the late 60's and early 70's. After being "off-the-market" for many years, these crystal-dear recordings that brought tears of joy and inspiration to all who heard them, are now available for your listening pleasure. Who can forget the golden voice of the then-child prodigy, Yossi Son- nenblick? ... the chills-inducing Ani Maamin? . .. the uplifting Lev Tabor' . .. the original and electrifying Someday We Will All Be Together sung by Mordechai-Ben-David? ... Pirchei's Ani Maamin, Aylecho, Mi Ho'ish, and Uro Chevodi . .. JEP's Six Million Tears, Dear Nikolai, Oh David, Benjy ... and all the rest. You (and your children) can now enjoy the beautiful musical and choral arrangements of the original Pirchei Agudath Israel and JEP choirs ... the lively songs ... the superb adult and child soloists ... nine complete tapes-a total of 107 songs in al1' And the best news of all is that you can order them direct from us at a "re-release" grand opening special of just $7.00 each; or take advantage of our super special and order all nine tapes for only $49.00; that's like getting two tapes absolutely free! So don't delay; order todoy! Send this order form to: Pirchel/ JEP Tape Oller, 84 William Street, New York, New York. 10038 _ Pirchei #1 @ $700 $ ____ _JEP#l @$700 $ D Yes! 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Russia, Eu defeated, solitary and sitting tn the rope, America, and the Middle East darkest dungeon of exile. are going through political, social, Nevertheless, we can take encour and ideological convulsions that agement, for a Zerubavel could only bring to mind descriptions of Ikvesa have been conceived by the waters of deMeshicha. However-today as filly Babylon. Exile precedes redemption, years ago-there are no guarantees and in fact cultivates redemption. as to the outcome of these events. Just as the seed must decay before The seed of Babylon may be waiting it sprouts and grows, so, too, the for an even more fertile time. physical-spiritual decay of contem Nevertheless. it is clear that recent porary Jewish life can well be the pre years have witnessed a rising inci cursor for our final, long-awaited dence of teshuva And therein is our flowering. true cause for hope. The teshuva of This awareness, however, should Jews from so many different places be tnformed by the lesson of the Book and walks oflife is the crucial differ tum the occasional occurrence into of Ezra, the lesson that Nechemiah ence between our time and times a widespread phenomenon, that Zerubavel tried desperately to infuse past. Whether we see it or not. that slumbering seed-that eternal vision in the people of his time: that it is teshuva-isolated as it may be at this of the eternal people-will find its way impossible to achieve true redemp time-is nurturing the seed. Ifwe can to the light of day in our times. • tion without first undergoing a spiri tual-moral rejuvenation. Many of us realize this axiom. yet-unfortunately-wallow in the vestiges of a Yechaniah-before-exile state. As head of his nation, Yechaniah was defeatist, even de Now you can structive. Only later, in the most humble of circumstances-politically put it into powerless and cut off from contact with others-did he reach for change your pocket! tn himself, which ultimately led to the political and spiritual rejuvenation of his people. STRIVE FOR TRUTH is the People tend to fall short of their newest title to join the ranks of calling, never fully divesting them Feldheim's 'Pocket Torah selves of the Yechaniah-before-exile Classics.' mentality ... putting prime resources And not just one, but all 3 of time and energy into matters re volumes are available in this lattng to the political process. for ex hardcover, handsomely ample, at the expense of ustng those slipcased, pocket edition. same energies in the teshuva pro cess. Now, this masterpiece of These thoughts are always rel Jewish thought is yours-to take with you wherever you go golus, evant. Throughout our espe or wherever you wait. It's cially during this last turbulent cen convenient. It's easy to read. 3 Vol. H.C. Pocket edition, tury, Gedolei Yisroel have pointed to And it's a perfect gift idea, too. the upheavals surrounding them as slipcased $21.95 indication that we may well be in the throes of the scenario our sages called Ikvesa deMeshicha--the Foot falls of the Messiah. Indeed, the Chofetz Chaim said as much in his The Jewish Observer, Swnmer 1991 29 Mendel Goldberg It is now ten years since Agudath Israel launched the Vaad LeHatzolas Nidchei Yisroel, which has dispatched more than 400 shlichim to the Soviet Union, to teach and encourage members ofa budding baal teshuva move- ment. The Vaad today is engaged in establishing and maintaining yeshivos, kollelim, day- and sleep-away camps, and intensive, two-week seminars (see "Dear Ophra, "in JO, May '91), and sees to the physical and spiritual needs ofthe many Russian baalei teshuva both in the Soviet and in Israel. In its earlier days, however, most ofthe activity was illegal, and was carried out in a clandestine fashion. Mendel Goldberg, one ofthe first shlichim ofthe Vaad, has frequently been asked: W'hat was it like to travel under the constant watch ofthe K. G.B., while maintaining contact with people who were on the fringe ofthe society in which they lived? With the fall ofthe Iron Curtain, many facts-until now classified-can be revealed. rah? (Instruction in safrus had been requested by a student learning to write mezuzos and fix siji"ei Torah.) These doubts and many more un EMINISCENCES OF A nerved me for just a short while. I knew I could not let fear take hold. Only a few hours before our depar ture, the ailing Rav Shneur Kotler ?"~.speaking from his hospital bed, had given us words of encourage ''SHALIACH'' ment. together with a message for the baalei teshuva: "Tell them that they are living proof of Netzach Yisroel the eternity oflsrael." Passing through customs was not TO THE the worst-case scenario that was out lined to us during our bliefing, but it came close to it. We were advised not to line up together lest the customs agent become suspicious of our ac cumulation of "items unbecoming a SOVIET UNION toulist." Our plans deteliorated rap idly as I was pulled off my line and instructed to line up with Chaim. The questions started immediately: Why Remembering the Days of Risk and Toil do you haue so many books? For whom are these religious articles? Why so muchfood, especially the I. personal safety. But now that we matzah? My carefully thought-out were about to land in Moscow's explanations were ignored and I was he last-minute instructions, Sheremetyevo Airport. last minute instructed to follow another agent to briefings and packing had concerns entered into our mind. a prtvate room where a search of my T kept Chaim Septimus and me What if customs were suspicious pockets and all my clothing ensued. too busy to be concerned about our about the mezuzos? I had placed The admonition that followed gave some in seforim to look like book me selious doubts about our effec Mendel Goldberg lives in Far Rockaway, N.Y. marks. And what about the seforim tiveness. 'We know why you are here. He wrote of the Russian teshuva movement in themselves? Would customs discover If you pursue your endeavors. you "The Russians Are Returning" in JO, Feb. '73, using the nom de plume Menachem Zahavi for that the ftlm in my camera contained will get yourself in trouble. This is security reasons. undeveloped exposures of a seferTo- your last warning." 30 The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 we walked back and forth on the fif KGB headquariers.... Eliyahu never The questions started teen-minute route between the hotel looked at us when he spoke. His eyes immediately: Why do you and the shul. Ironically. Eliyahu were constantly darting about look pointed out an imposing structure. ing for signs of danger. have so many books? For whom are these religious articles? Why so much food, MAKE especially the matzah? My RESERVATIONS FOR carefully thought-out YOMIM NOROIM explanations were ignored (~TOL ANDSUCCOS HOTEL + MOTEL and I was instructed to follow NOW! another agent to a private LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY room where a search of my Madison Avenue; Corner of 7th Street GLATT KOSHER pockets and all my clothing WEEKEND BAR MITZVAHS CHOLOV YISROEL ensued. SHEVA BRDCHOSISHABBATONSISEMINARS Under Strict Rabbinical In the end. all the seforim were (201) 363-5000 Supervision of confiscated with the exception of the t-800 CAPITOL (227-4865} Vaad HaKashrus Gemora I had brought for my per sonal learning. We proceeded to the Only 15 Minutes from Great Adventure of Lakewood hotel somewhat dejected. Neverthe less, we were resolved not to allow this incident to deter us from our mission. II. ur first objective was to make contact with Eliyahu 0 Essas. We assumed that our rooms were bugged. so we never made calls of this nature from our hotel room but rather from a public phone.... Later on in the trip. a hid den microphone dislodged from a Sanctity & Science weaves door frame when the door was together true stories, practical slammed shut. halacha, insights into Medrash, Eliyahu was excited to hear from and current medical knowledge us. We made up to meet outside the to create a text that highlights both the power and significance shu1 the next morning. after he ended of Bris Milah. a shtur in Gemora given by Reb Avrohom Muller. If Eliyahu Essas is • The author, a Rosh Kole! and the father of the baa! teshuva move practicing Mohel, describes all ment in Russia. then Reb Avrohom aspects of the traditional is its grandfather. A talmid of the ceremony and procedure. Chafetz Chaim. he was one of a hand • The history, significance, and ful of individuals to remain faithful benefits of Metzitzah is elaborate to their yeshiva training throughout ly documented from Rabbinic and secular sources. H.C $13.95 P.B $10.95 the tenible Stalin years. Within min • The latest scientific findings are reviewed to demonstrate the safety and utes, we felt at ease with Eliyahu. desirability of Milah and Metzitzah as perfomed in the traditional manner. This initial meeting-a mutual brief ing-lasted over three hours. The air was cold during that March day, but due to security reasons. this discus sion could not take place indoors. So The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 31 m. disembarked and proceeded by foot. risk was limited to one individual. I asked Eliyahu where the shiurwas This whole procedure was consistent e were to meet Eliyahu in being held. He responded that he did with a self-imposed rule that Eliyahu his home in the early not know, but not to worry. Almost lived with: What I don't have to know, W evening and from there immediately we were joined by an l don't want to know. proceed to the shiur scheduled for other individual. After a quick intro There were fifteen of us assembled that night. duction we continued on our way. in a small dining room. The curtains The short trip to the class was a Our new friend was also not sure were drawn an'd everyone spoke in scene out of a spy novel. After meet about our final destination. Our small hushed tones so as not to alert the ing Eliyahu's famlly and a lengthy dis group was met by another fellow. neighbors. Eliyahu conducted the cusslon about our personal lives, we He was the only one who knew shiur in Babba Metzia on an ad departed from the apartment and where the shiur was being held. In vanced level, interspersing the caught a trolley. Two stops later, we this way, the amount of exposure to Gemora with comments from Rislwnim For an hour and a half, we were in a sheltered port on an island in this vast sea called Russia, com • SONCINO PRESS • pletely oblivious to any danger. Eliyahu introduced us, and we Publishers of the Sonclno Talmud began by relating our personal his -The Talmud Sponsored by Myriad Purchaser-Users tories and day-to-day lives. Whenever During the Past 60 Years-Which Has Contributed we met with Russian baalei teshuva, Immeasurably to the Proliferation of Talmud Study Groups we found a thirst to know how a Jew (Including Daf Yomi) Now Announces to conducts himself in an open society. What was it like to live without re DAF YOMI LEARNERS straints? How did we educate our children? What are schools like? Are there shiurimfor adults? What is it GET M(lRE like at a Shabbos table? MOED We answered questions for over an hour. One young man who had just FOR started to learn was bothered by a disagreement between Hillel and LE$$ Shammai, two great masters of the MONEY Mishna, How could they be at odds with each other when they both re ORDER 1HE REMAINING 9 ThAcrAm OF SEDER MOED ceived the Mesora from their teach IN 4 VOUJMFS IN A GENEROUS 8" X 12" SIZE ers all the way back to Sinai? [This FOR THE SPECIAL PrucE OF ONLY $75. is the difficult concept expressed Jn the Gemorcx "These and those are the THAT'S EVEN lFs.s THAN 0uR REGUL\R Low PRICE OF $91.80 words of the living G-d."] Another in VOLUME 1 Rosh Hashanah '/ Bezah '/Shekallm' (REG. $22.95) dividual was seeking advice as how VoLUME 2 Yoma' (REG. $22.95) VOLUME 3 Sukkah'/Moed Katan• (REG. $22.95) to concentrate during davening. It VOLUME 4 Taanlth6/Meglllah '/Haggigah' (REG. $22.95) was well past midnight when the [l-9: order of study of DafYomi] group began to disperse. We hastily made plans for a small shiur the next I'HEsE FOOll. VOWMES INcwoE TH£ ORIGINAL llEau:w/Alwwc: Tttr WITH morning. . ENGLISH 'faAmU.TION ANO C'.oMMENTAIUES ON FACING PAGES OitAcrATE S~AYOTII ONt.v TlW!SlATim) 'T"t>l •• Ai.so AVAUABl.E •• THE CoMPUTE BABYLONIAN TAIMUD HEBREW/ARAMAJ:c-ENGusu CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST IN 30 VOLUMES INCLUDING AN INVALUABLE INDEX VOLUME DR. BENZION • MAROON $735.00 • BWE DELUXE $795.00 SOROTZKIN • BoNDED-WIBER $995.00 N.Y. STATE LICENSED • BoNDEo-LEAmERIG1LT-l!DGED $1295.00 ADULTS From your local book dealer or direct from the publisher or distributor: AND THE SONCINO PRESS, LTD. ISRAEL BOOK SHOP, INC. I 410 Harvard Street CHILDREN 123 Ditmas Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11218 Brookline, Mass. 02146 (718) 972-6200 • FAX(718) 972-6204 (617) 566-7113 / (800) 323-7723 (7181266-7151 32 The Jewish Obseroer. Summer 1991 IV. to their hotel. After exittng from the fair grounds, they would be met by a he events of that evening ac runner who would deliver the books centuated another difficulty to the correct address. In order to T that needed to be resolved. compensate for the missing books for The thirst for knowledge by these the trip back home, the U.S. Em baa1ei teshuva would never be slaked bassy supplied the Association with by short-duration shlichim. What a number of old books from its library was needed was a giant influx of to replace those "borrowed." Still seforim. Books on all levels. concern short of the number of books they ing all aspects of Yahadus, had to be brought with them, the supervisors made available to large segments of of the booth-a kollel couple from the Jewish population. Based on our Baltimore-decided to pre-empt the own experience at the airport, we KGB. They reported theft of some of knew that innovative methods would their books to the Soviet police, and have to be found. they could only look but not touch. demanded compensation. The police Eventually, this problem was re On occasion an individual would succeeded in mollifying them and solved to a certain degree. Agudath walk off with a book, only to return averting an international scandal. Israel. through its contacts With gov with a K.G.B. agent at his side who ernment officials at the highest level. made him return the "stolen" object. v. was able to meet With congressmen Nevertheless, under the gaze of these and senators who were planning same agents, members of the Asso hat same evening, we made trips to the Soviet Union. After being ciation filled duffel bags with books. the acquaintance of two briefed on the educational work be At an opportune moment, they would T young men, Sasha and ing done on behalf of Soviet Jews, nonchalantly walk off the fair Moshe, who taught the children of many were amenable to bringing in grounds with their bag as if to return baalei teshuva. To find out more large amounts of seforim. On one oc casion, Geraldine Ferarro took a package of books to Moscow in her luggage, confident that because of her status as a former congress woman and vice-presidential candi date, she would not be challenged or searched. On a larger scale, Agudath Going UR? Israel had a significant impact on the TO DWELL IN THE PALACE explores the distribution of books through its in issue of livlng in the volvement with the Moscow Bi-An Land of Israel from a nual Book Fair. Publishers from all ~ETHER Torah perspective. Full over the world were invited to display YOU'RE PLAN of insights, thought- provoking essays, and first their wares; they were not, however, NING A MOVE hand accounts-all written allowed to distribute or even sell any of their stock. Among those invited to attend was the Association ofJewish ERETZ YISROEL; Publishers, which is comprised of OR JUST HAPPY HINTS: HINTS publishers of secular and anti-reli FORA FORA gious material. Due to the influence SUCCESSFUL ALIYA of an Agudah staff member on the by Tzvi Erhrlich-Klein ABOUT IT ... A handy, upbeat manual book-fair steering committee, pub for the new oleh on how to lishers such as Mesorah, Feldheim THESE TWO NEW handle bureaucracy, and C.I.S. contributed seforim. The TITLES ARE immigrant's rights, housing, problem of getttng seforim into the schooling, shopping, and USSR was now resolved. The next ESPECIALLY more. Explore the laughter and tears of aliyah with a 20- problem was how to distribute the FOR YOU! year veteran. P.B. $4.95 books. The most popular booth at the fair was by far the Association of Jewish Publishers. Every day for a week, thousands of Jews lined up to get a brief glimpse at Jewish books. Like a child at the window of a toy store, TheJewishObseroer. Summer 1991 33 about their activities, we made up to Food is not easy to come by in Mos tears in her eyes, thanked us and eat the Shabbos night meal with cow, especially Kosher food, so we explained that this would be the first them at the home of a woman who took along some fish and chicken. We Shabbos in many weeks that they organized classes for children. It was also took wine and candles. Sasha had candles to light. Wine was also a criminal offense to teach religion to and Moshe met us at the aparlment scarce, as any grapes they could get a child other than one's own. Yet chil and introduced us to our hosts, Mark a hold of were put aside for Pesach dren were being taught at great per and Slava Shifun and their two chil use. sonal risk. We were resolved to pro dren, Emmanuela and Joseph. The assembled were anxious to vide as much assistance as possible. Emmanuela, who was fifteen years experience a true Shabbos davening, Our Friday night rendezvous old, was a baa1as teshuva who had so we proceeded with Kabbolas Shab proved to be one of the most moving great influence on the entire family. bos and Maariv with the full nusach experiences of our trip. We left the We presented the family with the and niggun, even though we did not hotel about an hour before Shabbos. wine and candles. Emmanuela, with have a minyan. This entire scene, in cluding the meal that followed, was reminiscent of stories about Marranos. For hours we sang, spoke divrei Torah, and conducted conver sations-all in hushed voices. At the same time, we learned all about the entire educational system for their children. VI. ur days and nights in the So· viet Union continued jam 0 packed with shiurimgiven to individuals thirsting to absorb as much Torah as time would allow ... also offering them a con cerned ear for their many personal problems. We had almost forgotten about the incident at the airport, un til we were reminded in Leningrad that we were not acting as tourists we hadn't done any touring. When I asked the individual how he knew that we hadn't toured, he answered, "We know." We were not deterred. Not from any sense of heroism but due to the inspiration we received from some of the most extraordinary Jews we had ever met. One of these people was Yltzchok Kogan of Leningrad, his wife and children. The Kogans conducted their religious lives as ifthey were free to do whatever they chose. Their home was truly a Jewish one. Yitzchok explained that he would never beg the government to allow him to leave. After all, the pasuk says. "I wlll bring you upright to Zion." When he leaves for Zion he will do so proudly. Yitzchok revealed that he had recently fixed the only mikva in Leningrad, which his grandfather had built half a century earlier. At that time, people ridiculed his labors. They told him that no one would ever 34 The Jewish Observer, Swnmer 1991 use it. Now, said ,Yitzcliok, his own descendants were among the hand ful of people making use of that mikveh. Subscribe now to VII. The Jewish Observer eparting the Soviet Union was a bittersweet moment. D Being under smveillance for and$AVE two weeks had taken a toll on our mental state. On the other hand, it was hard to part from our new Become a monthly subscriber fiiends, knowing that they were shut to The Jewish Observer and in behind the Iron Curtain. A poi save up to 47% off the single gnant reminder of their situation was a sign at the last police checkpoint copy price (a savings of over before boarding the plane to the $40.). The longer you sub West: "Emigration is not free until scribe for, the more you save. you pass this point." Now h"b this has changed. But the dedication and And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to ask and you will receive mesims nefesh of the pioneers of this a prompt refund on any undelivered issues should you decide to cancel at any time, past decade is a source of zechuyos for any reason. and inspiration for the task that lies ahead. • Each month, The Jewish Observer will be delivered directly to your door, filled with the views of leading Torah thinkers on current issues ... comments on the strengths and foibles within the Jewish community ... analysis of contemporary Jewish events ... inside reporting, interpretive commentary, inspiring biographies, infuriating letters and illuminating responses-all within the covers of one magazine, The Jewish Observer. So don't delay. Check the money-saving terms below and send in your order right away. We'll try to get your order filled in time for our very next issue. ------I llNt nDJ N~, I SUBSCRIPTION SAVINGS CERTIFICATE I I THE~H Suite 1200 • 84 William Street I QBSER\'ER New York, N.Y. 10038 I I D YES! 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Please allow 4-6 weeh for de!iveiy. gj FELOHEIM PUBLISHERS ------· The Jewish Observer, Summer 1991 35 They Left Russia, But Will Tiiey Really Return? AvROHOM was lucky, but over 300 Russian children are waiting to enter the doors of Yeshiva Shearit Israel. .. for the chance to find out what it means to be a real Jew ... But, due to lack of funds and resources, all they they do is wait and plead: =Can You Help Us?== May Hashem, the ~NW> w1v bless you for your part in ~NW> 17''7.'W 11r.n11, protecting the vestige of Israel. ~aad Hachinuch: Rav Feivel Cohen •Rav Hillel David• Rav Yakov Horowitz Please detach & mail to: Yeshiva, She'arit Israel, 2600 Ocean Avenue, Bklyn, NY 11229, YESHIVA SHE'ARIT ISRAEL, is a school For or call Rabbi Moshe Boudilevsky, Principal 718-891-4333 or Russian immigrant children, most of who are Rabbi Meir Gross, Executive Director 908-364-8705 D 1 can help you find a new building learning Torah for the first time. The D Tuition for one child for one year ...... $2500 Yeshiva's success is primarily due to an D Tuition for one child for one-halfyear ...... $1250 ---~ educational system much like the D Tuition for one child for one-quarter year. $625 YESHIVA one children are used to in Rus D Enclosed is my check for $36 SHE' ARIT ISRAEL D Enclosed is my check for$. ___ sia. She'arit Yisroel opened its D I can offer you my services. doors with 50 students one Name ------and half years ago. Today, ~ the enrollment has grown to Address------ E over 200. With your help we Q . h City, State, Zip ------~ can continue to grow, so t at Telephone ______Russian children can truly return! Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum PS: Summertime, An Opportunity For Growth PRETTY MUCl-I But where. you ask? Let me help you fmdit. During the morning dvar halacha Color War a talented counselor gave a dramatic and masterful halacha lesson (worth 25 points) on the topic of: "One who ome win. Some lose. Yet over shames his friend in public loses his those funny lines at him long after all, it's the exciting contest share in the World-to-Come." His Color War is over? S that finishes off the season content and superb deliverywere in But let's take things a step further. with a bang in all summer camps: spiring. He touched everyone's heart, Even when the person gave his felL Color War! and left everyone convinced of the sincere consent to others to poke fun It taps great storehouses of hidden danger of shaming another person. at him, it still sends a dangerous talent that would otherwise lie dor All was fine and well until the message to the listener. It clearly tells mant, revealing what many a person lunch skit began (50 points). It was everyone that making fun of people can accomplish when he (or she) con a comedy that matched Abbott and is a legitimate form of recreation, and centrates his efforts, energy and de Costello at their best. The skit was a it is permissible as long as it's done sires towards meeting a challenge. parody of some of the counselors of "only in jest." What a horrifying les And the accomplishments are enor the opposite team, done with superb son these 300 young boys went away mous. When learning itself becomes impersonations. It sent everybody with, especially when they see the part of the contest, and there are toppling off their chairs and rolling adult judges, who may even include points to be earned for each Mishna on the floor. Even the members of the some of their rebbeim, sitting up front or halacha mastered, the hidden tal opposing team, who did their utmost and laughing along. This very live, ents burst forth like a powerfully to keep straight faces, were provoked real-life, hands-on lesson far out erupting volcano, whose mighty to uncontrollable laughter. weighs any Mussar Shmuess or Dvar strength one never knew existed. Interestingly. the main actor was Torah they may hear-before or af Color War, even though no more than none other than the counselor who ter the experience. Even the best a game, seems to muster one's inner had so ably presented the morning classroom lesson is no match for most strength to reveals a person's halacha about the prohibition what the child sees in real life. real potential, should he give it all against shaming another person Perhaps this is what Chazal mean thathe has. publicly. What hetter could he now what they say: "Gadol shimusha Yet, in accordance with a kind of have found to ridicule, shame, and yoseir milimuda--to setve a tzaddik Murphy's law, the greater the Torah embarrass his peers in front of more is even greater than learning from accomplishment. the more reason for than 300 boys? him." a destructive element to join the fun His rationalization must have Who hasn't witnessed the deep and make its way to center stage. You been quite simple: "It's all in fun. No pain inflicted by embarrassing may not have noticed it, but that's body really minds." Such answers grammen (humorous ditties) sung in only because of its clever camouflage. are easily swallowed, yet one must "innocent jest"? The victim's red face wonder: Can one actually insult oth is a dead giveaway of the real hurt Rabbi Teitelbaum, a rebbe in Yeshiva Torah ers in public and claim that it's all in concealed in his heart. Long after the Temimah, Brooklyn. founded and heads the jest? Even when the target laughs burst of laughter subsides, the Torah Communications Network. He has been along, how can one know his inner wounded victim continues to suffer active in summer camping for boys for the last few decades, most recently as head of Camp feelings? Does one take into account in silent shame. He may smile and S'dei Chemed for Boys. his response when people throw laugh in everyone's presence, but the TheJewishObseroer. Summer 1991 37 DISCREET CONFIDENTIAL Rabbi Aryeh Schechter RABBIAVROHOM GoLDBERG, WHAT A ROTTEN M.S.,M.Ed. SOFER S''TAM UNrvERS11Y CERTIFIED FAMILY COUNSEWR JOl(E!Mlf HEART IS Counseling: snu. POUNDING! 1235 49th St. 0 Marriage 0 Individual Brooklyn, NY 11219 0 Family 0 Child e make "housecalls.'' 0 Pre-Marital (718) 972-4003 (Help yourself make a decision and commitment) n-,.,~ .. For an appointment call: (718) 338-2170 / • -ib~ft.> EMPATHETIC CARING hurt lingers on. Beth Jacob High School of Denver For that reason, many camps re .... a Bais Yaakov for the motivated out-of-town girl. Providing an quire that all "grammen" go through outstanding Torah Chinuch, secular education, and facilities. strict censorship, but even with the • Featuring that unique Bais Yaakov/Denver Ruach. tightest control. something objection • Oldest and most experienced Bais Yaakov Dormitory able Is bound to slip by. When it is High School in the nation. over-and too late-we say. "If only • High scholastic program. Recognized as on of the country's "Exemplary we had the sense to elimlnate it en schools". tirely!" A Grand Sing is far more • Emphasis on Midos Tovos, Hashkofos, and Leadership Training. beautiful if the ridicule Is left out. Af ter all, not all counselors have the Registration for '91-92 school year open now fifth sense to distinguish between 9th through 12th Grades good and bad taste. If even one for further information, call or write person's feelings is hurt, then the en Rabbi Myer J. Schwab, Dean, Beth Jacob High School tire Color War was not worth it. Is 5100 W. 14th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204 there anyone who would trade his Video available upon request. share tn O!wn Habbo for a couple of APPOINTMENTS FOR INTERVIEWS ON THE extra potnts for his team? EAST AND WEST COASTS CAN BE MADE So. it is worth remembering: Color BY CALLING: (303) 893-1333 War is a beautiful game, but if you allow the yeitzer hora to sneak in through the back door, you'll soon find him taking center stage. • TYPE OF CAR ' . 38 The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 B•O•O•K•S• I· N ·R·E·V·l·E·W reviewer cannot fail to note mult.itude of halachic issues in the way in which halachic lit volved. What are our obligations? A erature in English is becom When are we required to admonish, ing increasingly sophisticated and re and how? Are we permitted to use sponsive to the needs of the frum questionable means (such as coop community in our days. Specialized erating with non-Orthodox syna works are appearing that deal with gogues) in pursuit of our goals? Are areas of life of particular concern to we required-or permitted-to intro us. uce the person we seek to be abbi S. Wagschal's Torah mekarev, to the full range ofhalachic Guide For the Businessman demands? These and many other Is R (Feldman, Jerusalem-New sues are dealt with by the author, York. 1990, $15.95. h.c.) in a concise who draws on his own experience as manner covers the wide range of well as a remarkably comprehensive halachos applicable to financial and array of rabbinic sources. The Baalei business dealings. While many of Teshuvaand Kiruv Movement is such them are of primary interest to the a new and unique phenomenon that businessman. almost all concern all many of the topics dealt with have of us: not only the landlord. employer not yet found a definitive solution, or vendor. but the tenant, employee, but Rabbi Weinberger at the very and purchaser. The author also in least presents the different options cludes relevant halachos from Orach and halachic approaches. Ofparticu Chayim and Yoreh De'ah, such as arise and will be able to seek further lar value is also the appendix deal yichud in a one-man business or rabbinic guidance as he encounters ing with the problems faced by the writing on Chol Hamoed. The entire them in practice. Thus this book is a baal teshuva as he "reenters" the second part of the book is devoted to very major contribution to the Torah Jewish community. Jewish Outreach the all-pervasive issue of interest. We community. is required reading for anybody who usually think of the topic of ribbis in very different field of is at all involved in working with the connection with loans. but It affects halacha-but also of great non-committed Jew. currency exchange. discounts, and A concern in our contemporary aith and Folly (Yeshivat many other financial dealings. As the society-ls dealt with in Rabbi M. Hevrat Ahavat Shalom, author points out in his introduction. Weinberger's Jewish Outreach, F Jerusalem. 1990, distributed the ordinary person-even if he has Halakhic Perspectives (Ktav Pub!. by Feldheim Pub!., $10.95) is learned In a yeshiva-enters the House, in conjunction with the As adapted from the Hebrew work, world of business with a lack of sociation of Jewish Outreach Profes Tamim Tiheyeh, by Rabbi Yaakov knowledge of the most basic halachos sionals, N.Y., 1990. $19.95). Out HllleL At the urging ofleading Torah in this field. This book will familiar reach to the assimilated and semi scholars, the author himself an out ize him with the most common is assimilated Jew is not just the prov standing Torah personality, wrote sues. Necessarily. the wide range of ince of the professional in the vari this work to clarify the place of the topics treated forced brevity on the ous outreach organizations: in vary occult in Torah-and to try to put an author (even after omitting such top ing degrees we all are concerned with endtothemisuseofKabbalisticand ics as wills. damages, neighbors' it, as we encounter such Jews in pseudo-Kabbalistic practices by un rights, and return oflost property). business. on our apartment house scrupulous individuals. The author However. the reader is made aware floor. or through social activities. points out that, while our world is of of the varied halachic issues that Thus we should all be aware of the course governed by higher spiritual The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 39 forces directed by Divine Providence, 1990, $12.95) deals with the laws, tra Two appendices are worthy of note: our task is to seek help from G-d ditions and customs of mourning One deals with excessive mourning, alone, through faith, prayer, Torah from the last moments of life to the and the other is a collection of words study and mitzvos, and the blessings observance of Yahrzeit and Yizkor. of consolation. Rabbi Press was in of those who have achieved greatness But, while It is remarkably complete spired to write this work by suffering in Torah. In contrast, pursuit of the In its enumeration of the practices the loss of close family members; he occult (divination, astrology, relying connected with bereavement, it is not has turned his own experience into a on omens, etc.) is not only misguided primarily a halachic compendium. very real contribution to others. and futile but, all too often, a direct Rather, it seeks to provide Insights tzot HaShabbat, The Laws of violation of specific Torah laws. After into the origin and rationale of these "Muktzeh" in Brief for carefully delineating the halachic is practices. Thus, it seives as a most K Shabbat and Holidays, by sues involved, the author stresses valuable and inspiring companion to Rabbi Michael Chizkia (Feldheim, that our obligation is, instead, to put the traditional halahic guides. The Jerusalem-New York, 1990, $9.95). our trust in G-d and follow in His author has drawn on a wide range of Laws of muktzeh are fully discussed s. rabbinic sources interpretations and in the works of the earlier and later oncern for the Living; by thoughts about mourning that Illumi poskim, halachic decisors, and one Chaim Press (Targum nate the dinniminvolved and highlight may wonder why new works on this CFeldheim, Southfield, Mich., the message that they convey to us. subject are required. However, even a brief glance at this work will pro vide an answer. The one volume con tains both English and Hebrew sec tion: while the English section offers a brief introduction to the main laws, the Hebrew section presents a de tailed scholarly exposition of all as pects of muktzeh---and both sections are devoted in large part to muktzeh classification charts listing more than 1500 items and their muktzeh status. Obviously, changing tech nologies and life styles make it im perative to provide guidance on new objects and usages as they come along. Thus we fmd here rules for dif ferent kinds of clocks and watches, cookers and ranges and their parts, all kinds of brushes and the currently popular toys. This work can be used as a handy manual; but the reader will derive the most profit from seek ing to understand the way in which objects are classified, based on the main rules of muktzeh. he Laws of Meat and Milk, INSURANCE BROKERS & CONSULTANTS by Dr. Yeshoshua Cohen Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Life & Health T (Judaica Press, N.Y. 1991, $15.95) is an English translation of the chapters of the Chochmas Odom that deal with the rules of Kashrus governing the separation of meat and 60 J0 · 15th Avenue/Brooklyn, !'/. Y. 11219 milk. The author has put us into his debt by providing a revised clear and accurate Hebrew text, based on a • PROFESSIO/'IAL SERVICE • study of the various earlier editions. • QUALITY l/'ISURAf'/CE CARRIERS • There is an excellent English trans • COMPETITIVE PREMIUMS • lation facing the Hebrew text: the sources quoted in the Chochmas Odom have been moved into the mar BARBARA GOLDGRABEN/HESHY SCHWEBEL gins; and a concise commentary ex plains the text and includes relevant 40 T71e Jewish Obseroer. Sununer 1991 halachic decisions of later authori ties. At the same time, the author wisely warns that when practical questions arise, a competent rab binic authority should be consulted. The usefulness of this work is en hanced by the inclusion of the Binas Odom (in Hebrew) and by the com prehensive indices. The Chochmas Odom was originally composed to provide an authoritative synopsis, of the laws contained in Yoreh De'ah, particularly for the layman. This vol ume will indeed serve this purpose most admirably, and the author hopes to publish additional volumes in the near future. Parent's Guide to Teaching Children Mitzvot by Rabbi ?:in11'P A Shmuel Singer, (Ktav. n)1,n1 :i11)'n 01t>)1P HobokenN.Y., 1991. $14.95). The di \Jlli' ?N)l1l :iin l1NY.l rective about teaching children to ob Author, A Future and a Hope and serve mitzvos, and their halachic ob Ancient Mountains, Timeless Hills ligations, are scattered throughout all the parts of the Shulchnn Aruch 7Jm l'P nl!!1!1J O'l!!ll'nl 0'1lN'J and later rabbinic works. Thus, gath ,nl!!1!ln nNt7 on17m O'l'll'Jl ering their main provisions in one .o>l!!npn 0'1!lt>l 7"tn '1!!111J "'!Ill volume. in English, is a worthwhile n>7llN n!ll!!J 11JNIJ m7 ~t>lll and useful undertaking. The range of ."ml!!n l!!N1 n11Jlll 7Jm l'P,, l'lllJ subjects treated is indeed very wide; , 1Jnon 7llN l'l!!n7 1\!!!IN 1!lt>n for example, such important areas as Rabbi Nesanel Kasnett, 1602 57th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 the halachic implications ofadoption Price: $6.00 (includes postage) or health problems are discussed. Also Available at Hebrew Book Stores The subtitle of this work is "A Halakhic Guide"; however, in con Yaakov Levitz-Im HaSefer (718-377-0047) trast to, say, the recent work on the Sole Trade Distributor same topic, by Rabbi David Weinberger (Shema BenQ, Rabbi Singer does not present the material in the form of short definitive rules, 'Y.ll' 'Jl 'lY.ll?? il:lll!ln ilYllY.l but rather discusses each topic and subtopic and the questions they AVAILABLE IN ITS THIRD PRINTING raise; he does not attempt to say the final word on the subject, and indeed '1t71' 'JjJ'lJ draws attention to different rabbinic '"lit )nNtnnN 'Jll •1 )lNln Jin nNIJ opinions where he considers it called ~t>l' for. Such an approach, however. • A Rashi-Style l!!n'!l on o>,pl? n:ioo in .... makes very special demands on an • Concise, Easy Hebrew, Surrounding the N1!ll TIOY author: he must be very sure not to • With o•wn>n c1oon ~m:i> confuse or mislead his readers by • nu:i::>un from 7 11!:it l""'lll"!> il'l'D ,, llNln :i,n, and other Gedolim, describing halachic alternatives including the '"~l :i1 1Yl'lll1?1:>, who specifically not its usefulness for where there is actually a well-estab lished and authoritative approach to 'Ill' ~· the topic. • Also Available: ~01' 'Y1l on all ten mn:ioo of o>)l1l '!l'\?11' By this standard, the author un AVAIL/,BLE IN STORES OR CALLo fortunately must be faulted in his (914) 352-3146 • (718) 633-6470 • (718) 377-0047 treatment of several important is SUGGESTED RETAIL' $8.50 sues. On pages 99-102 he discusses Rav Aronson's Fourth Yahrtzeit will fall on Wed. :lN l"' (in the middle of 0')?'0). girls' education. He carefully pre The nn!>'t'D asks that anyone wing his sefer ar that rime be 1nnv1 ''~'Y.7 1110'):1 1'1:>0 sents the opinion of the poskim. 'The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 41 down to the Chofetz Chaim and Law. The author continues: "Obvi teach women Talmud but it is not for Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, that prohib ously it was permitted for them to be bidden for them to learn it if they are its us from teaching them the legal taught in this subject." This sentence capable of doing so. The only other texts of the Mislmaand Talmud, and is followed by the reference to the source Rabbi Singer brings is a concludes that "many girls' yeshivot source in the Chida. The clear impli teshuva of Rabbi Chaim Halevy, and schools follow this point ofview." cation is that the above-quoted sen Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv. With all due Then he continues that there are tence is the Chicta's conclusion-but respect to him, are we really justified poskim who disagree and states that the Chicta does not say anything of to present this matter as ifthese were "there are girls' yeshivot and schools that sort. He does speak of many two equally acceptable opinions be which follow their approach." Before learned women (pointing out that tween which schools can choose? the reader makes his choice, he is they were a veiy small exception); but The same question arises when the well advised to look at the sources this is a fact accepted by all-they author turns to co-education. After, quoted. One is Rabbi Chaim Dovid were women who found ways to pur again, presenting the traditional view, Azulai (the Chicta) who points out sue these studies, in their particular down to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, that that there were many women who circumstances, and the poskimespe strongly opposes co-education or were veiy knowledgeable in the Oral cially stress that it is forbidden to mixed social activities of the sexes (he could have added that there was a for mal psak of Torah Umesorah's Rab binical Board to that effect). He then proceeds to quote Rabbi Yechiel Considering a move Yaakov Weinberg as disagreeing MOIVSEY'l strongly with this restrictive ap to proach. and concludes that, accord ing to his approach, "there is no re For careful attention to your striction against co-educational individual needs, call us today! classes or mixed recreational activities. "(p, 105). It is not necessaiy (914) 354-8445 for the reader to go to the ortginal text of Rabbi Weinberg's responsum; he can find it carefully and correctly summed up in Jewish Outreach, re viewed above, on pp. 76 - 78, and will see, in the first place. that it does not speak about schools at all but about mixed activities (hedged around with major restrictions!) organized for Western European Jewish youth who could not be effectively reached oth erwise (the responsum was addressed to a French youth organization tying to attract Jewish youth). Thus this responsum indeed validates the work • OOO:IXATE, CO!ITilllED IDElVATIOllS (Nol Stand By) of NCSY and similar efforts-but it • IOUJID. TllP TICKET: V~id For Ont Year has no bearing on whether we should • JIJJllO, 747 AllCIAFT: NN York·Ttl A~v Non-Stop have separate schools-such as the admirable Beth Jacob school sys Attention Parents ri~ER.Lli,DEfiJWlfi~:i.i tem-or create co-ed schools, over the Earn a FREE TICKET explicit prohibition of the greatest July thru Aug. 19 from ~9 +tax halachic authortties of our time. We Call us for details need not even belabor the fact that in A .20 thru Od. 6from $799 +tax Rabbi Weinberg's time even the non Special Groups Jewish society was restrained in the For Elul Z'man SPACE relations between the sexes, whereas Aug. 4,5,6, 7,10,11 today youth is extraordinarily at rtsk IS LIMITED in this respect. It is regrettable that Rabbi Singer, in effect. lends credibil ity to the misguided efforts of some Modem Orthodox groups to promote the creation of co-ed high schools all over the countiy. • 42 The Jewish Observer. Surruner 1991 BrachaDruss Goetz MALOHN Dear Mom MIFAL Dear Mom, Shalom! How are you? I hope you're feeling well. vrsmNG NEWYORK77 Thank G-d everyone is fine. And I have some news to tell. Beautiful rooms. with kitchen It's hard for me to write you, these words which should cause joy. facilities. in heart of Boro Park by day or week. Near Shuls. Soon we will have. G-d willing, a brand new girl or boy. take-out foods, etc Profits to Already I can picture your look that's on your face. Mifal Torah Vodaas. Daughter dear. must you produce the whole human race? Call f718J 851·Z969 I'm thinking of your health. you'd say with genuine concern. You want to save the Jewish People-but give someone else a turn. Your body needs a rest, my dear. why can't you take a break? for YOUR If you will not listen to me-do it for the children's sake. FUNDRAISING or Until you gave me my first grandchild, I could hardly wait. PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN But every year you're giving birth-and now it's number_eight! CONSIDER a CUSTOM DESIGNED Of course I love each little face. I treasure every one. LUACH or DIARY But don't forget you're still my child-and I'm worried about you. hon. (718) 851-1314 Physically, emotionally and financially too. Children are very draining. What will be left of you? And then come your closing words-Mom. they always pierce through me. Just remember: what's important is quality. not quantity. The other arguments never swayed me-but this one would sting. Quality-not quantity-that does have a good ring. I AlmtORS G !WISTS I Your words never leave me. Mom. they won't go away. But this time as I write to you. I now know what to say. authors and artists to sub- Better quality than quantity, which one must I lose? e,; manuscripts and - for I evaluadon. We seek manu· Who says that you can't have both? Who says I have to choose? • scripls In all areas of]uclalca rJ I don't see why I should settle and sell myself so short. n publishing - orlglnallty. t I'm trying to make good human beings-this isn't merchandise I've bought. creativity and high lltermy ~.. - Our editors develop This job would be too much for me if it all fell on my shoulders. and hlghllght the lndlvlduallty Their father and I do our parts-yet it is G-d who grows them older. 'I department gives each book I You're worried if we'll have enough-but can't you see my wealth? I am glowing from my diamonds and these children give me health. '- Its:=· the oppodu· 1•• Do you think more pleasure will drain me? Then let me say one thing ~11 nllytowork;you. ~ Nl that I can give to them does not compare with what they bring. Why don't you understand me? Really you're the one to blame. ... ©0$ You filled my life with so much love. Mom. I want to do the same. /'016o&. Ltalta ·}lntsJatt... , •• I'll keep wishing you will share my joy-I hope someday you'll see ~ NI my children are an expression of all the love you put in me. :::-;--...... -=. Ult ':01-81J9.3723:::::,: ~ ..• I Ja 1-1 oz.538.935 Mn. Goetz, a published author. lives in Ba1tlmore. She was represented by a poem... A Helfinist Left Standing." in JO Dec. '89. ~.;:"'>&.;: I The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 43 Uncle Moishy, Mordechai Ben David, and other Top-Of-The-Line Jewish Entertainers • Letters are available ••••••••••• to the to visit ••••••••••• Seriously Ill ••••••••••• Children Editor thanks to mn nnn~ nnvn ,::n7 :u,,.,Nl :ip:.i' •; n:i mr. MOREPOWEROFPRAYERTO t!on. As a nation. we are called Kial A New Chcssed Project Run Bv Yisrael, or Am Israel. The Ribbono Aewfath brae! of Americ:a HELP THOSE IN NEED in conjuncion with Shel Olam has given us a responsi Suki &. Dini Productionll To set up an appointment, c:all: bility towards one another. Even ifwe (212) 797-9000ext. #57, M-F, 9-5 To the Editor: all davened for three years for . The article (Apr. '91) about the Raphael Yehuda, there is no guaran passing of Raphael Yehuda hen tee he would have suIVived. However DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM Bracha Rachel, who had suffered my intuition tells me that the num with cancer for over three years. ber of Raphael Yehuda hen Bracha 't11p? ,n:i 't1ip? highlighted the painstaking attempts Rachel's who die prematurely, and '::>"YT "1l1!3?1< '::>K1J:l!ll l"l1"1l'TJ:l to arouse community tefilla and To the number of people who suffer end Available al rah learning in the child's merit. lessly. would be a lot less if we real LEKUTEI Now, there's no way to quantify ized the collective potency of our this, but say 10% of Klal Yisroel tefillos. clo Yitzchok Rosenberg 10 West 47th Street, Room 503 davened for this boy for one day. It may be that we view ourselves New \brk, NY 10036 Would he have become better? Would as inadequate to effectively daven for (212) 719·1717 it have taken 20%, or 50"Ai? Or maybe someone else, on an individual basis, 20 Volumes on Turah, Perek, it would have only taken 1%. but for but collectively we may be underes a longer period of one year. How can timating our power. One thing was Medrash, Megilos and Talmud. one predict something that is heav for certain; Raphael Yehuda was Proceeds of sales distributed enly controlled? never able to daven sufficiently for among Yeshivos and used for The relevant question here is one his own recoveiy. He needed us. reprinting of volumes oUt-of·print of communal arousal and participa- MARVIN BEHAR PRJCE: $8.00 PER VOLUME &arsdale, N. Y. r------, DON'T • • • NOW - DIRECT MAIL ORDER from JERUSALEM • • • DELAY! AS IT MUST BE 100% KOSHER, YOU WILL FIND IT AT "HaSOFER" Now is the M. FLUMENBAUM "HaSOFER" 10 STRAUSS ST. time to ioin the • Tefillin, Mezuzoth, Scrolls •Taleisim, Tzitzioth, Shofars •Ta/is & P.O.B. 16299 • '?Ki'IO' mUN "1o lll:J 'mu mlM Teflllin bags • Challah and Matza covers JERUSALEM, ISRAEL 8AgudistBenevolent Society, Inc. • Torah Search computer programs TEL 02-383-701/384-723 • Mezuzah covers • and more .. , • full Burial Bene/,r, fr,,t !he fom,fy FAX: 02-385-166 ((h,Jdren up 10 the age of 20 yeors, EXAMINATION AND REPAIRS • Blood Bonk Beneli!s for 1he Family • Everyrhing corned our m otcordonte w•th Holacho TORAH SCROLLS, TERLLIN & MEZUZOTH SOLD BY "HASOF£R" INCLUDE: COMPUTER (711) 436-1458 EXAMINATION BY MISHMERET S. T. a M. AND CHECKED BY CERT/RED EXAMINER Special rates to Yeshivoth, Schools & Organizations • lntemationally Recognized as the Standard of Kashruth & Quality Agudiff llenewolent Sod•ty 84 Wiiiiam st,..t New York, NY 10038 L------~ 44 The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 LETTER THROUGH THE EDITOR CORRECTION ON DEATH OF his road to Noachidism and died a TO A CONSCIENTIOUS MOTHER AIME' PALLIERE martyr's death at the hands of the Nazis." To the Editor: This statement Is Incorrect. Jn the Following the lead of the "Hesped To the Editor: Introduction to the new French edi For Derech Eretz" in your Letters Writing about the book The Path tion of The Unknown Sanctuwy (April Column. I offer the following: ?l!l thoughts centered around the insen program that Harav Shimshon Pineus N"O'Jl!J sitivity exhibited. What a tease it hundreds of Harav Yisroel Rakovsky N"O'Jl!J would be to lick an ice cream cone in Heimishe Jami- Rebbitzen Tehila Jaeger, for women front of your little ones! lies have chosen. Well. I was soon proven to be truly naive-and you were proven to be WHEN: July 25-28-1Y.lnJ 11'.l\!J much too trusttng of your babysitter. WHERE: The Capitol Hotel, 325 7th St., Lakewood, N.J. She had no thought to withhold this To Register Call: 718-435-1041 718-438-7332 wonderjill (traife) treat.from her ador 718-438-0851 1-914-356-3515 able charges. Instead, she handed it 718-633-3005 to your four year old, who promptly began licking it, without a bracha of course. (Is one supposed to make a bracha on a traifefood item?) I experienced a mixed reaction. Should I confront her? Do Ijust askfor her mistress's name? Well, the Ameri can "touch"-that is, Mind Your Own Business-won out and I went home. BOSTONER YESHIVA So here I am, on the pages of your "monthly conscience column" express DARKEINOAM ing my dismay at this new revolution ofhousekeeping/ babysitting help. In We Are Pleased To Announce That an age when large sums are spent on accessing the best yeshiva educations, REGISTRATION arid camp fees have become "second Is Now In Progress For The New Zman tuitions" as a mustforayear-round To The Yeshiva provides the finest in Torah Chinuch, with rah atmosphere, we've begun to rely special attention to the individual Tai mid, in our beautiful new on our non-Jewish cleaning ladies for centrally Air Conditioned Beis Hamedrash in Flatbush. the Kashrus of our kitchens ("What? The Yeshiva serves Post High School Bochurim, and Me wash the dishes?") and our non Jewish babysittersfor the Kashrus of provides Dining Room and Dormitory facilities of excellent our kinderlachl quality. Please, Yicldishe Mamma. look into For Appointment and Interview Please Call this situation. Could it have been your (718) 338-6464 children I observed? 2822 Avenue J, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210 A CONCERNED FELWWYIDDISHE MAMMA Brooklyn, New York The Jewish Observer. Summer 1991 45 Agudath Israel of America's Testimony Before the Senate Committee on Lavor and Human resources Regarding Senate Bill# 1135, THE 2000 IN EDUC,t\TION l\CT" as delivered by Chaim Dovid Zwiebel (excerpts) !tie V of S.1135. the the educational choice component of children will often encourage more ·AMERICA 2000 Excellence AMERICA 2000. Indeed, in our view, responsible parenting behavior in In Education Act," which is It is one of the bill's most vital features. other contexts as well. entitled "Parental Choice ofSchools," authorizes the appropriation of fed I. THE IMPORTANCE OF II. THE CONSTITUTIONALITY eral grants for local educational agen EDUCATIONAL CHOICE OF ALWWING PARENTS TO cies that Implement educational CHOOSE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS choice programs; assures that Chap ducational choice would de ter I remedlal educational services will liver an important message erhaps the most sertous legal be available for children participating not only to schools, but to question raised by AMERICA In educational choice programs; and parents as well. As many knowledge 2000's choice proposal Is provides special grants for educa able observers have pointed out, the whether the First Amendment's pro tional choice programs of national sig crtsls in Amertcan education mirrors scrtption against establishment of nificance. A key aspect of these pro the larger crtsis in the Amertcan fam religion would prohibit the inclusion visions - and one of its most contro ily. All too often parents fail to fulfill of religious schools In any choice versial - is the requirement that an their parental responsibilities re plan. We think not - so long as the "educational choice program· must sponsibly. Sometimes they fail even public assistance is so structured Include both public and non-public to recognize that they have such re that it is the parent who has the fi educational options. Thus, for ex sponsibilities. This Is certainly true nal say on where the public dollars ample, section 523(b) defines "educa in the context of education. Despite are to be spent. As I pointed out re tional choice program· as: the fact that Amertca Is committed to cently in a letter to The New York "a program adopted by a State the concept of public education, it is Times: or by a local educational agency essential that we start thinking of The Supreme Court has made underwhich- It abundantly clear that there Is (1) parents select the school, in education. like all other aspects of child-rearing, as first and foremost no First Amendment violation cluding private schools, in which when education grants are made their children will be enrolled: and the responsibility of parents. not of available to Individuals who are (2) sufficient financial support Is the public. Teachers and school offi then free to use such grants at provided to enable a significant cials should perceive themselves as any type If school they see flt - number or percentage of parents to agents of. and accountable to, their even a religious school. That Is enroll their children in a vartety of students' parents. Public policy in because any benefit accruing to schools and educational programs, this context should encourage par the religious school comes as re~ including prtvate schools." suit of the parents' or students' Agudath Israel strongly supports ents to get directly involved in their Independent choice rsther than children's education. The best way to through dhect government assis do that is by affording parents an tance. opportunity of genuine choice in the Two recent Supreme Court de Chaim Dovtd Zwiebel. Director of Government schools their children attend. I would cisions are directly on point. In Affairs and General Counsel of Agudath Israel one case, the Court unanimously of Amerlca, offered thls testimony before the go even further and suggest that giv Senate Committee on Labor and Human Re ing parents the responsibility of rejected a challenge against a blind person's using a state vo- sources on June 9, 1991. choosing the rtght schools for their 46 The Jewish Obseruer. Swnmer 1991 Chaim Dovid Zwiebel (r.) testifying before the Senate Committee, including (from the left) Sen. Paul Simon, Sen. Clayborne Pell. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, and Committee Chairman, Sen. Edward Kennedy. cational rehabilitation grant to well as my own background, it is IV. PRESERVING THE enroll In a rellglous college to clear to me that children who are INDEPENDENCE OF RELIGIOUS train for the ministry. In the sec nurtured with the foundations of SCHOOLS ond, the Court upheld a state law conferring tax benefits upon par faith and community that religious ents who incur expenses for the institutions provide are far better nother concern raised by education of their children even able to withstand the pressures and some opponents of non-pub In parochial schools. dangers they face in their everyday lic school choice Is that ac- The critical point, In the Su lives. Indeed, statistics bear this out: cepting any form of government sup preme Court's words, is that "no Children who attend religious port, even indirectly, could compro Imprimatur of state approval can be deemed to have been conw schools and are exposed to a rtgor mise the Independence and integrtty ferred on any particular rellglon, ous program of moral training are far of religiously afftliated schools. This or on religion generally," whenw less likely to fall prey to the tempta is, of course, a serious concern: It ever aid to rellglous schoola "Is tions of drugs, far less likely to drop would certainly be a moral travesty available only as a result of deci out of school, far less likely to con and a national tragedy were religious sions of Individual parents." tribute to the epidemic of teen preg schools to trade in their sacred val nancy, far less likely to engage in ac ues for a pot of government lentils. III. PUBLIC POLICY tivities that are dangerous to them ... [However, accepting such sup CONSIDERATIONS selves and dangerous to society.... port] is a decision only the entity It Stated simply, Amertca's stake in self should make - not any outside n many districts, the local paro the health and vitality of its parochial body speaking out ofan abstract con chial school is frequently the only schools is substantial. Yet, as a re cern for the school's independence. I viable option for parents seeking sult of staggertng budgetary deficits, It is blatant paternalism at best, and to give their children an opportunity many such schools are being forced outrageous cynicism at worst, to ex to break the cycles of devastation and to turn students away or even to clude religious schools from the ben desperation.... It would be cruel in close their doors. This is a trageey for efits of an educational choice plan on deed to tell such parents that only the entire nation that deserves the ground that such schools must children from wealthy homes can thoughtful and urgent attention .... not be led into sinful temptation. Re have access to the type of quality Some have expressed the concern ligious entities, presumably, have educational environment many non that allowing parents to opt for non prtnciples, and must be trusted to public schools provide. public education will destroy the abide by those prtnciples. Moreover, it is in the best public public school system. I do not believe ... We ... (would nonetheless] urge policy interest of this nation to en this will be the case: There will always this Committee to consider amending courage and support parents who be a place for public schools, espe the bill to ensure that it not lead to any seek religious and moral training for cially those that are well run and of compromises in the independence their children. It is time to recognize fer a good quality education. How and integrtty ofreligious schools. One that the great danger to the contin ever, the very articulation of the con simple way to accomplish this would ued health and vitality of Amertcan cern would appear to reflect greater be to expand the definition of"educa society comes not from an excess of commitment to existing bureaucratic tional choice program" to make clear religion, but from the fact that so systems than to individual parents that religiously affiliated schools that many of our children grow up with a and children. I believe the stakes are accept students who are beneficiartes total lack of moral values and sense too high to accept with equanimity of the choice program shall not be re of purpose in life. Speaking from my that particular hierarchy of prtortties. quired to adapt policies or practices expertences as a member of the Na Our nation's first concern must be for that violate their underlying religious tional Commission on Children as its families, not for its bureaucracies. tenets. • The Jewish Obseroer, Summer 1991 47