The 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 47

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INSIDE FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK REMEMBERING THE HORROR MindBiz BY LARRY GORDON Esther Mann, LMSW 26 Something About Eggs Desperation Politics Hannah Reich Berman 28 Top Ten Ways To Count The networks are looking generally one consistent, Michele Herenstein 34 for good programming that surefire formula to achieve will keep us tuned in, our this (you’ll have to figure out Unwritten Chapters bleary eyes affixed to the TV what that is on your own), the Yochanan Gordon 38 screens, so that we buy the second-best draw is the cur- soap and the cars promoted by rent ongoing political show, Woodmere To Tel Mond the manufacturers who spend which seems to have all the Toby Klein Greenwald 79 millions of dollars on advertis- trappings of a knock-down, ing. Messages for those prod- drag-out championship fight. ucts are inserted between There are several attrac- whatever shocking and dis- tions of this type currently Leibel Zisman of Cedarhurst walking last week along the railroad tracks turbing news the experts can leading to the Auschwitz death camp. Mr. Zisman, who survived the Death conjure up. While there is Continued on Page 8 March, took part in the annual March of the Living. See Story, Page 76 FIVE TOWNS MAN REPORTEDLY HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE AT CENTER OF OLMERT SCANDAL JetBlue Experience B Y ARYE NISONSON passing bribes to Mr. Olmert Lev Leytzan on when he was mayor of BY LARRY GORDON ence been that some of my International Firefighters A resident of Woodmere is Jerusalem in the 1990s. Of all children have begun asking Day. See Page 90 at the center of the latest the investigations currently We finally found some blue why JetBlue does not fly to winds of scandal and dishon- being conducted on the mat- potato chips—certified kosher, Israel. I’m not sure what the esty blowing around Israel’s ter of Olmert’s business deal- low calorie, and good tast- answer to that is—though I prime minister, Ehud Olmert. ings, the latest brouhaha ing—and we don’t have to buy know they now travel to Morris Talansky, 77, a resi- seemingly has the best chance an airline ticket just to savor Mexico and the Caribbean— dent of Woodsburgh and for- of forcing Olmert out of that trademark JetBlue flavor but I think it probably has merly of Great Neck and Far office. anymore. something to do with the Rockaway, as well as a part- Talansky was the executive Ever since its founding in planes in their current fleet time resident of Jerusalem, is director of the American 1999, JetBlue has, to a great being relatively small. But if purported to be ready to pro- Committee for Shaare Zedek extent, revolutionized domes- they did fly to Israel, they vide testimony that he was a tic travel in the U.S. So posi- central figure in bribing and Continued on Page 18 tive has the JetBlue experi- Continued on Page 17

HAFTR French Poetry Club. See Page 52 A Chuppah After 70 Years A Mother’s SABA SHMU? Musings Our Aliyah Chronicle, Part 82 B Y SHMUEL KATZ Time To Grow BY PHYLLIS J. LUBIN In Woodmere, we developed a Pesach “tradition” of What is it about planting converting our kitchen back that excites children so much? to chametz as quickly as possi- I know it’s fun—digging, ble and then getting our watering, getting dirty, getting annual pizza delivery from one wet—but what is it about of the Eisen boys from across watching the plant grow that the street (who probably Pittsburgher Rebbe can really involve a child? brought pizza for everyone on coming to Long Beach. I think we adults take a lot our end of the block each See Page 48 for granted: the sun rises, and year). This year, we continued the sun sets, and the sun rises this tradition, sending Zaidy CANDLE LIGHTING once more. But children are and Chaim out for a couple of May 9 – 7:41 PM A couple from the Bnei Menashe tribe of India who recently made aliyah to more curious. pies to “ring in the chametz.” May 16 – 7:48 PM Israel remarried last Friday, this time in a Jewish ceremony. The groom is 97, the bride 88. See Page 25 Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 12 2 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 3 4 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 5 6 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 7 FROM THE EDITOR ty polls. While our way may in fact be FEATURES Continued from Front Cover the best and most efficient way to choose a leader, it is being reduced to being juggled in newsrooms and televi- the lowest of levels for the alleged Around The Five Towns 42 P.O. BOX 690 LAWRENCE, NY 11559 sion studios around the world. Which reason that the election coverage 516-984-0079 of them to feature first on any given must appeal to a broad cross section [email protected] Classified Ads 84 [email protected] day is the great challenge for those of the U.S. population. who manage and control the news that Lately, Senator Obama has been LARRY GORDON ESTA J. GORDON Publisher/Editor Managing Editor we, the consumers, are fed for chew- subjected to some severe criticism— Hock Of The Rock ing on and digesting. so much so that he has genuinely YOSSI GORDON, YOCHANAN GORDON Eli Shapiro 63 Sales Managers The upcoming Democratic and begun to make Senator Clinton look CHANA ROCHEL ROSS Republican conventions will be fea- like a formidable presidential candi- Editorial Assistant tured this summer on either side of the date. While the nominee will be cho- Insights On The Torah SIDI BARON YAKOV SERLE Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks 31 JERRY MARKOVITZ Sales Representatives The Keen Capitalist SHMUEL GERBER MICHELE JUSTIC I take no comfort in this scenario, in which Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor Martin Mushell 29 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Irwin H. Benjamin, Hannah Reich Berman Israel absorbs a nuclear assault in order for Anessa V. Cohen, Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg Letters To The Editor 70 Toby Klein Greenwald, Michele Herenstein Rabbi Yair Hoffman, Miriam Horowitz American leaders to support Israel. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky Luach 11 Shmuel Katz, Phyllis J. Lubin, Esther Mann Rochelle Miller, Rabbi Yoni Posnick, Naomi Ross Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow, Eli Shapiro, Ari Sher MindBiz MICHAL WEINSTEIN, DOV GORDON Major League Baseball all-star game at sen by the political process, it’s get- Esther Mann, LMSW 26 Staff Graphic Artists Yankee Stadium. That should keep us ting to the point where it looks like IVAN NORMAN, IRA THOMAS pretty busy throughout the summer— the sole purpose of the campaign is to Staff Photographers or at least that’s what the TV networks be an excellent show that is playing Real Estate FRANKEL & CO. are hoping for. itself out so beautifully and dramati- Anessa V. Cohen 50 Design & Production The race for the Democratic nomi- cally for the cameras. TALIYE CORLEY nation for president between Hillary And while the Democratic duel Art Director Clinton and Barack Obama is better dominates the news, the Republicans That’s The Way It Is! SUZETTE LEE than the most absurd “reality” pro- do indeed like their chances of keeping Hannah Reich Berman 28 Assistant Art Director gram the TV executives could possibly the White House—but that does not The Five Towns Jewish Times is an independent weekly news- come up with. Here we are with the mean that George Bush would be sat- paper. Opinions expressed by writers and columnists are not selection of the next leader of the free isfied with that accomplishment alone. Top Ten Ways To Count necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We are not responsible for the kashrus or hashgachah of any product or world turning into nothing more than That’s where good old Israel comes Michele Herenstein 34 establishment advertised in the Five Towns Jewish Times. a popularity contest—who can score a higher percentage in random likabili- Continued on Page 10

8 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 9 FROM THE EDITOR take no comfort in this scenario, in spent on weapons was specifically ded- point out that one of the reasons the Continued from Page 8 which Israel absorbs a nuclear assault icated to the idea of the U.S. achieving move never happened is that most and the deaths of hundreds of thou- and maintaining military superiority Israeli governments, including the into the picture. It seems that the sands of its citizens in order for over the Soviets. This meant that if the current one, have been against the unwritten rule is that when you look American leaders to support Israel by Soviets had enough weapons to move. As tragic and absurd as it is, back at your tenure as president and going after Iran. Even more puzzling is destroy us 200 times, we had to have that is the reality. the way it is best summed up is that it how comfortable and at ease Israel is enough to destroy them 300 times. The good news, though, is that did not go all that well, it pays to start with this position. Israel’s approach would lead one to none of this has stopped the three poking around Israel to see if a for- The idea of Israel being attacked by believe that while we are dealing with current candidates for president from eign-policy “accomplishment” can be Iran is in step with the current Rice- a real situation, we are not dealing expressing their support for relocat- squeezed out of the Jewish State. And orchestrated peace process, which with a realistic one. How’s that for ing the embassy to Jerusalem. Hillary so—keeping in stride with the zany, calls for Israel to make herself more turning a diplomatic phrase? And it’s Clinton, Barack Obama, and John incongruous fashion in which things vulnerable to being attacked in this line of reasoning that once again McCain have made it perfectly clear go in the Middle East (specifically, exchange for creating greater freedoms leads the candidates for president to that they, too, support the move of with Israel)—you take a lame-duck, for the Palestinian people. Why is it be falling over one another regarding the embassy to Jerusalem. But that’s unpopular president and you muster more important for Palestinians to be the usual campaign issue of whether not a difficult decision for a candi- whatever is left in his presidency to able to move about between their com- the United States embassy in Israel date to make these days, and it’s com- pressure Israel to shrink herself and munities with greater freedom than it should be relocated from Tel Aviv to pletely foolish to try to come out make him—the president—the hero of is for Jewish men, women, and chil- Jerusalem. It used to be an important against it even if one is against it. the Arab and overall anti-Israel world. dren to be able to ride on roads with- issue, but today it’s more revealing and Actually, for a politician in the throes That this is a laughable approach does out being shot at and shop in stores telling than it is vital. of a desperate race for the Oval not seem to matter to anyone. without being blown up? At the same As a reporter of news here and in Office, it’s a wonderful thing—you Fortunately for Mr. Bush, Israel’s time, it’s important to take note of other forums over the years, I can can be against the move of the Prime Minister Olmert is weaker and what the conditions are that will serve recall being involved in intense broad- embassy for any combination of rea- even less popular in Israel than Bush is as a catalyst for the U.S. to attack the cast and other discussions about the sons and still say you support it, within the U.S. So what does Mr. Bush’s Iranians. Before that occurs, or prior necessity and even urgency of moving out facing any consequences. appointed executioner, Condoleezza to Israel being given the green light to our embassy to Jerusalem. It’s impor- The Bush presidency is winding Rice, who is shuttling in and out of do so, sections of the Jewish State tant to understand that in all other down as the conflict in Iraq shows no Israel, really want? It appears to me that must first be incinerated by Iranian countries where the U.S. has diplo- end in sight. The only thing that can her objective is to exploit a weak and nuclear weapons. Now if this is a real- matic relations, embassies are located possibly eclipse the Iraq quagmire is confused Israel with a weaker and more istic scenario, then who in the current in the capital cities. As far back as I peace in the Middle East, a White confused leadership. Like so many oth- Israeli governmental hierarchy is com- can recall, every president since 1967, House Rose Garden ceremony, the sign- ers, she may believe in her heart about fortable with this? including the current President Bush, ing of a treaty, and the expressions from the justness and rightness of the That is, of course, unless it is not a has sided with and advocated for the both sides that the conflict is over. It will Palestinian cause along with the wrong- realistic scenario that is anticipated need for the U.S. embassy to be locat- make for great diplomatic fanfare and ness of the existence of a strong Israel. under any circumstance. We all know ed in Jerusalem. dramatic TV news. And, like the support I find it particularly absurd that Ms. that for decades the U.S. and the That’s all well and good—except for the move of our embassy to Rice and the candidates for president Soviet Union had enough nuclear mis- that it has never been done and, Jerusalem, none of it has to be real. O pronounce their commitment to siles aimed at one another to destroy unless something drastic occurs in attacking Iran in the event that it each country at least 200 times. The the near future, will not happen. It’s Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at launches a nuclear attack on Israel. I arms race and the billions of dollars probably equally as important to [email protected].

10 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES CALENDAR LUACH May9-May17 ZIP Code: 11516

4 Iyar – Erev Shabbos Friday, May 9 Daf yomi: Nazir 50 Omer: 19 Z’manim*: Earliest tallis/tefillin: 4:43 am Sunrise: 5:44 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 8:41 am Gr’a 9:17 am Candle Lighting: 7:41 pm 5 Iyar – Shabbos Saturday, May 10 Shabbos Parashas Emor Avos: Ch. 2 Shabbos ends**: 8:47 pm 72 min. 9:13 pm 11 Iyar – Erev Shabbos Friday, May 16 Daf yomi: Nazir 57 Omer: 26 Earliest tallis/tefillin: 4:34 am Sunrise: 5:37 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 8:38 am Gr’a 9:14 am Candle Lighting: 7:48 pm 12 Iyar – Shabbos Saturday, May 17 Shabbos Parashas Behar Avos: Ch. 3 Shabbos ends**: 8:54 pm 72 min. 9:19 pm * from MyZmanim.com ** add a few minutes for tosefos Shabbos according to your minhag Municipal Calendar For 5 Towns and NYC Sunday, May 11 Mother’s Day

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5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 11 ALIYAH CHRONICLE the office trying to begin to get back able to eat at most of the restaurants left on Monday night (after a too- Continued from Front Cover up to speed). Shopping in the mall in in the food court. short 11-day stay), we made our way Yerushalayim is an experience in Thankfully, the elementary schools back to a somewhat normal routine It was my last pizza for a while. With itself; the Malcha mall is never only took one day of additional vaca- by the end of the week. all the different changes and stresses Getting back to routine from any we went through since making aliyah, long break is always an experience. In I put on 50 unneeded pounds. the yeshiva, it means greeting the According to an informal poll of Bet talmidim as they return from their Shemesh residents, this is actually One of the most interesting questions was chag experience (some of them in unusual, as most of those I spoke with Israel and others who returned home talked about losing weight in the “Why didn’t they just come to Israel when it to be with their families). After move. In any case, I decided to make a Pesach we also get an inkling of real drive to lose the weight starting which of them will be coming back to the day after Pesach and hope to have was so bad there?” the yeshiva for a second year, which it off by Chanukah. adds a little excitement to their On Sunday—the last day all the arrival, as well. kids would be able to be with Bubby Although most post-high-school and Zaidy for the entire day—we empty—the crowds there resemble tion after Pesach, and by Thursday yeshivot in the U.S. begin on the first took almost everyone (no Chaim) to walking down a Manhattan sidewalk even Chaim was back in yeshiva. day of Iyar, in Israel there are many Yerushalayim for a little shopping at lunchtime. However, as I regularly School started on Monday for most of (and for me to spend some time in say, there is nothing quite like being the kids, and after Bubby and Zaidy Continued on Page 14

12 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

A Mother’s Musings “A verb is the action word that “I think you should ask Daddy. He farmers taking care of the Lubin Farm! Continued from Front Cover describes the act of planting,” I respond. knows everything!” It certainly is exciting to watch the “We only act like we are planting?” We planted yesterday. We planted plants grow. Slowly but surely we will “What does plant mean?” five-year- Lea questions. flowers and tomatoes, and we are enjoy the “fruits” of our labor! That old Lea asks. “No, we do the action of planting a even trying to grow blueberries this first cucumber is the most exciting “What do you mean what does it plant by digging and watering and get- year. But we are not finished. We thing to eat! Certainly we must save it mean?” I respond. ting dirty.” need to get a few cucumber and until every member of the household “What does the word ‘plant’ mean?” “How does the plant grow, Mommy?” pepper plants to complete our crops. has gotten a chance to see it before we she clarifies. I don’t know,I think to myself. Twelve-year-old Rochel has the actually cut it. “A plant is a thing that grows in the Something about photosynthesis that I green thumb in our family these days. I What a wonderful world this is! Just earth that can give us food to eat, or learned in school. Why does she ask so enjoy planting, but she follows go out of your house today and, using flowers to smell,” I answer, as the all- many questions? through. Every morning she will a child’s eye, take a moment to look at knowledgeable parent. “The sun’s warmth and the rain help remind me to water the plants. After the beauty of nature! O Lea thinks for a few moments and the plant grow.” I explain, as the all- all, once the plant is in the earth, we asks, “But how do we plant plants?” knowledgeable one yet again. must nurture it to help it grow. Of Phyllis Joy Lubin is an attorney with Rosenfeld “Good question, Lea! We use our energy “Why?” she asks further. course, both Lea and Yussie enjoy the & Maidenbaum, LLP, who resides in Cedarhurst with her husband Leonard and six to plant the plant. Plant can be a verb, too.” “Because that’s the way it is.” I declare. watering part. Every morning, weather children: Naftali, Shoshana, Rivka, Rochel, “What’s a verb?” she asks. “But why?” she inquires further. permitting, they are out there like Yosef, and Lea.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 13 ALIYAH CHRONICLE Continued from Page 12

yeshivot which started a few days earlier in order to have their students back for Yom HaShoah. We started on the day before Yom HaShoah in order to give some special shiurim and prepare everyone for the day. This was our second Yom HaShoah in Israel. When I was here as a teen, I left for Pesach and never returned, and I missed it. Last year, we were a few days post-diagno- sis and Goldie and I were at a doctor’s office in the basement of a hospital. We didn’t hear the siren, and with all the things we were dealing with at the time, the truth is that we really weren’t able to focus on the day. Having completed some errands in the center of town, Goldie and I headed for a major seforim sale run each year by the Mossad HaRav Kook publishing company (right behind the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva). We had a list of gifts to buy, and the sale could not have come at a better time. The doors were scheduled to open at 10 a.m., the same time as the Yom HaShoah siren and minute of silence. Wanting to really experience the moment, Goldie and I headed for a major intersection two blocks away, literally at the entrance to Yerushalayim. Within minutes, the siren sounded and life literally ground to a halt. Buses and taxis stopped in the middle of the road and their drivers stood outside their vehicles in respect. All pedestrian traffic froze. My sister told me she was once on the expressway and it was unbe- lievable to watch all the traffic instantly freeze. I know that the U.S. has Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day and these are recognized as honoring those who have served their country. However, with Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron (coming up in a few days), Israel’s observances pack much more power and really focus on memorializing those who have been lost. Although it is only for a matter of seconds, the entire country, at the same time and in a somber and respectful fashion, focuses on honoring and remembering those who were killed. Yes, we also have parades and services, but there is nothing quite like that minute. Of course, it goes without saying that Goldie cried. I turned to her as the sirens ended and there she was, wip- 14 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES ing away the tears. While seeing her Even though it didn’t make a differ- fathers’ ages. Shmuel Katz is the director of Yeshivat Eretz cry was not surprising, her explanation ence to this guy, I made sure to explain I think it was the hair. The gray is HaTzvi in the Katamon neighborhood in Jerusalem. Shmuel, his wife Goldie, and their six was. She said that it was the first time that Moshe was my youngest child, showing again in a big way (especially children made aliyah in July of 2006. Prior to that she really took a minute to think while his son was clearly the oldest, the sefirah beard). Maybe I need to his aliyah, Shmuel was the executive director of about all the people lost from her leading to the difference in their color it again. O the Yeshiva of South Shore in Hewlett. You can contact him at [email protected]. mother’s side of the family and to consider how our lives would have been different, if only… When we got home, each kid had a different story of what they were doing and how they reacted to the sirens. Chaim and Chaya were home (Chaya was lying in bed doing homework and she jumped up when she heard the siren in the privacy of her bedroom). Aliza was in the middle of an assembly at school where the twelfth-graders were reading very emotional compositions on the Holocaust. As she put it, the whole room was swimming from the tears. Batya and Mordechai were in special assemblies in their schools, and Mordechai told us that on his own, he decided to say some Tehillim to himself while the siren was ringing. We have a friend who assists in Mordechai’s first-grade classroom. She told us a bit about the special lessons they teach in the first grade here, and we were overwhelmed. In order to relate the day to the level of the students, the teacher described some of the hardships the little kids went through, talking about children leaving the ghetto through the sewers to go search for food for their families. She also got some fascinating questions from the boys. One of the most interesting ones to us was, “Why did- n’t they just come to Israel when it was so bad there?” Sometimes we take what we have for granted. On Shabbat, Chaia Broderick joined Goldie, me, and Moshe for a walk to the park. At the park, Moshe found one of his three-year-old friends from his playgroup and was busy playing together with him and his father (who was clearly much younger than us) while we sat and schmoozed on a park bench. About a half hour had passed, when Moshe tried to climb on a specific riding toy at the park and couldn’t get it right, so I got up to help him. “Look, Moshe,” said his friend’s father, “your grandfather is coming to show you how!” “His father!” I yelled, to the delight of Goldie and Chaia, who were laughing uncontrollably.

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HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE does business around the country, tells instances where you were practically the dashboard that he didn’t like and Continued from Front Cover me that he goes out of his way to fly forced to start getting negative feelings that he needed the mechanics to take JetBlue out of O’Hare almost without toward the airline, to put it extremely a look at it. A half-hour later, they would probably be very busy. consideration of whether there is mildly. However, once you endure the again announced that they needed a In the meantime, around here in the another carrier that can bring him pain and delays they have no choice computer part replaced and that it was Five Towns or Far Rockaway, if you closer to his destination. He just likes but to serve up, you come to the real- being trucked in from Orlando, about look up in the sky—which seems to be the airline, their schedule, the leather ization that whatever they do they do an hour away. So they opened the the reflex reaction to the nearly non- seats, the legroom, and the thirty- mostly to protect us, the travelers. plane doors and we went back to the stop air traffic above our heads— some-odd TV stations that you can get I’ve been pretty fortunate with terminal. We had originally been chances are you are going to see a right in front of your seat while you are JetBlue over these last few years, scheduled to arrive in New York at JetBlue plane either flying into or out up there. except for a six-hour delay out of 8:30 a.m. and were planning to daven of JFK. The airline has many planes There’s a folksy personal style to the Florida to New York about a year ago. Shacharis at that time. But that wasn’t and many routes, and their number is way JetBlue conducts the business of The weather could not have been bet- going to happen, so we had to search steadily increasing. for our tallis and tefillin, and daven in My draw toward flying JetBlue the terminal. It was a long delay on a whenever I can (considering, of beautiful sunny day. We finally left at course, that I have to get somewhere) noon and were back in New York at is the fact that they have a good num- Once more, it was an about 2:30 p.m. ber of flights going daily to many of Then, earlier this year at a wedding these key cities that people—like me, in Chicago, I looked out the floor-to- I guess—tend to fly to. For example, I hour-and-a-half flight ceiling glass windows to observe an had to be in Chicago for family ice storm in our midst, which is not events twice this winter within a two- unusual for Chicago in the winter but week period. For those of you who are that took a full day. does not bode well for people desiring familiar with the turf, JetBlue flies to be on the first flight out of there between O’Hare and JFK practically the next morning. The computer all day long. screen on the JetBlue website on my Also, just over the completed yom flying. The flight attendants are friend- ter on that day, soon after Pesach in laptop said simply that our flight had tov, we were in Florida for part of the ly and efficient, and even the pilots 2007. It was just before 6 a.m. on a been canceled. It was simply like a chag, and, like so many others, had to and co-pilots seem to display some Monday morning after a long yom tov ball game that got rained out; you participate in that reverse exodus that personality from time to time. I know and the following Shabbos, and we just try to catch the next one. In this took place on the Monday immedi- you know that the airline has received were all itching to get back to New case, there was not another such ately following the holiday. Except for some negative press over this last win- York. The passengers boarded the flight into JFK until 2:30 that after- El Al, I don’t think I’ve flown on ter. It was reported in the news several plane, the crew closed the doors, and noon. Once more, it was an hour- another airline over the last two times over the winter months that we started to back up in order to and-a-half flight that took a full day years. Now I’m sure there are other JetBlue was forced to cancel hundreds maneuver our way to the runway. All of of mostly waiting around. airlines out there that are just as of flights on a number of days because a sudden we came to a stop and we But I have to reiterate that the expe- comfortable and efficient, but there of poor weather conditions. then moved forward—right back to rience has mostly been good—that is, is something alluring and even addic- While my JetBlue experience to date where we had just come from. until last week. That’s when the cute tive about flying JetBlue. has been mostly positive, during the The friendly, upbeat pilot My brother-in-law in Chicago, who last year there have been a couple of announced that there was a light on Continued on Page 19

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 17 Olmert Scandal machinations of the prime minister of ple of days if in fact, as is rumored, grant violations of Israeli law and Continued from Front Cover the State of Israel? At this point, that Mr. Talansky testifies to the corrup- corrupt practices at the highest lev- is yet unknown, but one can rest tion and bribe-taking ways of Mr. els of the government. Hospital for over 20 years, and it was assured that it comes about as a result Olmert. [At this point, Tzipi Livni is It’s difficult to digest that Talansky, during this period that he apparently of the fashion in which government not publicly suppoting Olmert; see an American citizen, would also be so befriended Mr. Olmert, who was fre- works in Israel and its acceptable story, Page 72.] One Israeli newspa- receptive to incurring the wrath of quently featured at Shaare Zedek din- inbred corruption that is part and par- per reported that both the American U.S. authorities, considering that he is ners and other fundraising events cel of the system. While it is obvious- businessman and Olmert’s former about to quite possibly not just rain on sponsored by the Jerusalem-based ly possible to be a representative of assistant, Shula Zakan, are ready to George Bush’s and Secretary of State hospital. the Stare of Israel and even frequent- turn state’s evidence against the Condoleezza Rice’s peace process and Yehoshua Pollack, the deputy ly travel to the United States without prime minister in exchange for victory parade, but may in fact create a mayor of Jerusalem for the last five trolling for personal business opportu- immunity from prosecution. man-made political tornado. years, said that he was not familiar nities, that apparently was not the Some of the speculation revolves From our perspective, the disman- with Mr. Talansky and had not heard case with Mr. Olmert. around the theory that this is an tling of the Olmert government is his name previously in Jerusalem’s long overdue. There are few city hall—which, he says, tells him observers—inside or outside of that Talansky was part of the “old Israel’s government—that have any guard” in Jerusalem and not involved praise for the accomplishments of in city affairs since Mayor Uri He is about to rain on George Bush’s and this government. From the perspec- Lupolianski was elected in 2003. “I tive of Israel’s future and security, understand that this latest scandal there has not been a government may be the best opportunity to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s peace more committed to blunder and mis- remove Olmert from office,” Mr. calculations than this one. Whoever Pollack said in an interview on process and victory parade. brings it down and however it’s Tuesday evening. Mr. Pollack is in the done—so long as it is legal and prop- U.S. for speaking engagements relat- er—in some strange way still deserves ed to the celebration of the 60th a lot of credit, even if done based on anniversary of Israel’s independence. personal motivations. Pollack added that when he and Mr. At the same time, there are consid- intentional effort by either one man At present, there is still a gag order Lupolianski arrived in city hall in the erable numbers of people who have or a group of people seeking to min- placed on the media in Israel by Israeli aftermath of Mr. Olmert’s decade-long been wishing that the Olmert govern- imize any further damage an Olmert courts, with the suggestion by some tenure, they essentially found the left- ment—along with the increasing dam- government can do to the State of involved in the ongoing investigation overs of a financial mess. Mr. Pollack age it is doing to Israel’s image and its Israel. A cousin of Talansky who that the release of more information said that when they took office, the citizens—disappear from the scene resides in Brooklyn told the New would impede the progress of the case. municipality of Jerusalem was $600 like other failed governments before it. York Times on Tuesday that he did The Israeli court system and, to an million in debt. Since then, they’ve Somehow, despite investigations and not believe that his cousin harbored extent, the media in Israel is essential- managed to balance their budget and long-talked-about scandals, Olmert extremist anti-peace-process posi- ly closed down for the celebration of set the city in a more smooth and cost- has demonstrated a resiliency and an tions. Certainly the Israeli police Israel’s 60th independence day. As a effective direction. ability to hold on. and their fraud squad have no inter- result, little progress on the case or So, how does a New Yorker get so That political high-wire act may be est in bringing down a government news on the matter is likely to be forth- deeply embroiled in the twisted coming to an end over the next cou- but are rather concerned with fla- coming until after the weekend. O

18 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE Continued from Page 17 little effort to have us passengers help the crew clean up the plane so it can turn right around after it lands did not work out so well. Apparently someone on the previous flight had some gastric distur- bances, which resulted in some unpleasant regurgita- tion issues. And it seems they are so anxious to clean up the candy wrappers and turn the plane around that there is no provision for what to do in this type of unusual instance. And that’s exactly what they did—nothing. We applaud their quick and efficient methods of getting you into the plane and out. But sometimes, folks, you’ve got to stop and take a few minutes to clean the plane so people don’t become ill. We still have a warm spot in our hearts for JetBlue, with their certified kosher blue potato chips and chocolate- chip cookies. But the situation on that flight was an unpleasant experience for everyone involved. In fact, as we were getting off the plane, one of the flight attendants was heard to say that she was feeling sick and would have to take the rest of the day off. It wasn’t a good situation—very un-JetBlue. O

Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at [email protected].

For it is a day of atonement, to atone for you before G-d (Vayikra 23:28) [The Sages say:] Yom Kippur atones only for those who repent. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNassi] says:Yom Kippur atones whether one repents or one does not repent.

(Talmud, Shevuos 13a) On Yom Kippur, the day itself atones…as it is written,“For on this day, it shall atone for you.”

(Mishneh Torah)

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 19 question must be addressed in were not commanded to carry tell the gripping stories of identify the original prophets, Emor: order to understand the spirit out these laws, they had free Adam and Chava, Avraham culminating with Moshe who of the Torah with all its com- will to decide whether or not and Yitzchak, Yoseif and his saw G-d “face to face.” The ponents, namely prophecy, prophets were part of the nar- The Need laws, and our relationship to rative but tell a different story those laws. What is the mes- entirely. Avraham, Yitzchak, For Chidush sage of the Torah and what and Yaakov knew the Torah must every individual do in How do we have direction through “osmosis.” They all order to receive “their own had prophetic dreams as per- BY STEVEN GENACK portion” in the next world. sonified by Yaakov’s dream of Emor is part of the third in life if we can’t see G-d the angels ascending and Rashi asks a basic question book, Vayikra, which is a com- descending the ladder. on the first verse of Scripture. pilation of laws that should be on a daily basis? The last prophet in the Why does the Torah begin carried out by the priests. group was Moshe, about with creation when it could Biblical scholars all emphasize whom it is said, “There will have begun with the com- the difference between the never be another prophet like mandments, for the whole word Tzav (command) and to carry them out. brothers, and Moshe’s person- Moshe again.” He spent 40 essence of the Torah is to fol- Emor (say). Moshe was told by Though one must treat all al communion with G-d. days and 40 nights reviewing low G-d’s commandments G-d to “say” over the laws to components of the Torah Besides the colorful narra- the Torah with G-d Himself. (Bereishis 1:1). This simple the priests. Since the priests equally, Bereishis and Sh’mos tive, Bereishis and Sh’mos It can be stated with certainty that these prophets shared one common denominator that didn’t exist for later prophets. These prophecies came directly from G-d while later prophecies were delivered through angels. One can already begin to realize a schism between Bereishis and Sh’mos collective- ly and Vayikra. Bereishis and Sh’mos were dominated by individuals that connected to G-d directly. Vayikra is dominated

20 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES by laws given to men. Men who dictory phrase, “There is a a riddle? How can the wisest had the free will to disobey the time and place for every- man on earth who enjoyed a laws, should they choose to do thing.” How can there be certain amount of prophecy so. nothing new under the sun be trumped on this one law? This two-sided dynamic of when a specific time and The answer is that Judaism is quite frightening. place exists, indicating that “Everything has its time and After all the verse proclaims there is some unique discov- place.” It wasn’t Shlomo’s “The heavens belong to G-d ery that can be unraveled place to understand this and the earth was given to that wasn’t apparent before- halachah. Either someone in man.” How do we have direc- hand. In order to understand the future will solve the riddle tion in life if we can’t see G-d this, Shlomo’s own experi- or it will ultimately become on a daily basis? This schism ence must be examined. apparent. But it wasn’t his between prophecy and regula- Shlomo HaMelech, the wis- “portion” of Torah. tions needs to be solved. est man of them all, fell short It’s true that there is “noth- I believe this paradox can on one interpretation, the red ing new under the sun,” since be surmounted by studying heifer, which he said was “far” “G-d looked into the Bible the prophecies and human from his understanding. How engagements undertaken by could the riddler be fooled by Continued on Page 88 Shlomo HaMelech. Shlomo speaks in poetic expressions that often seem to contradict each other. The reason Shlomo speaks in poetic fashion, with parables and riddles, is because his prophecy came through an angel and not G-d. Shlomo either expressed these prophecies verbatim or inter- preted the visions through his own understanding of them. Shlomo coined the phrase, “There is nothing new under the sun.” However he also coined a seemingly contra-

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 21 22 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 23 family decided to remain in Cracow. “There are many organizations dealing spread out over many years. They want Ready To Be My parents owned property there, but with restitution and compensation, such people to wait in line, and try to prove after we came to Israel in 1951, we as the Jewish Agency, Bnai Brith, the their ownership, and bring all the doc- Reclaimed: [the children] were always told that we Congress, etc. But they are doing noth- umentation, and then if they ever suc- shouldn’t go touch it because it was ing, and their files are just collecting ceed, they will get a minimum value. unworthy for us to step on Polish soil. dust; the clients then come to me with Meanwhile, the survivors are already Jewish Property Only about ten years ago, after my par- these dusty files… Unfortunately, there very old, and many of them will die ents had passed away, I decided that I is still $40 billion worth of Jewish assets waiting on line…” In Poland wanted to see our family property. So I and property lying there, untouched. The process is not a simple one, nor went, and I saw beautiful residential The Israeli government reported in 2005 is it cheap, Taub acknowledges: BY HILLEL FENDEL homes in the middle of Cracow, the an even higher amount…” “Sometimes officials have to be paid Jewish area. They were in good condi- Taub also had strong words against extra—spoken to in their own lan- Shlomo Taub of Israel, founder of a tion, with Polish people living there. I the Polish government, which, he said, guage, if you will. There are other Polish-based organization, spoke with didn’t know if they knew who the own- costs as well, and it is very painstaking; IsraelNationalRadio’s Eve Harow about ers were. I found that my parents were it must be done step by step. We have his efforts to help Holocaust-era Jews still listed as the owners, and that an to work with lawyers in Poland. reclaim their long-lost property from administrative authority was running By not trying to Prospective owners must prove that the hands of absentee-owner adminis- the property on behalf of ‘owners who they are the heirs of the last owners of tration authorities, mostly in Poland. were not there.’” the property; this is not simple or Taub’s Legacy organization helps Taub decided that he wanted to claim these always possible. But in the end, it Holocaust victims and their descen- reclaim the property: “It was very easy could be very profitable. Out of every dants reclaim property they left behind for me to prove that I was the heir, but I properties, we are ten cases, two or three end successful- in Poland and elsewhere in Europe. had to find a local law office that would ly, which I feel is a good record—and “We must remember,” Taub said, be willing to work with me. It took me allowing the these properties are worth hundreds of “that Poland had 3.5 million Jews two years before the court awarded me thousands of dollars or more.” before World War II, and afterwards these two beautiful houses in Cracow. murderers to inherit “Not to mention the moral aspects,” only 280,000 or 300,000 survived. Life During this period, others asked me, added show hostess Harow. “By not was erased, but property was not; it is ‘Hey Shlomo, maybe you can find our as well. trying to claim these properties, we are still there. We are calling for aware- property in Lodz, or other places, too?’ allowing a situation of allowing the ness. Awareness is the name of the And this is how Legacy was born…” murderers to inherit as well, as in the game. Those 280,000 survivors have Legacy began with an office in case of King Ahab [as recounted in the right to claim what was never Cracow, “then we opened one in “is playing a cynical game. Almost Kings I 21, who killed Navot of Jezreel erased or destroyed; the properties are Warsaw, then in Prague, and now we every year, a new government arises in and then took his vineyard - ed.]… In there, they are being used. We say go are involved in Romania as well, and in Poland, and the new Prime Minister addition, many Holocaust survivors, as and take it, or at least sue for it—oth- Germany too, where possible.” The comes up with a new nice invitation we know, are very poor financially; erwise it will be lost forever. Time is company now has a website, www.pol- for Jews. The newest Prime Minister, they spent many of their working years absolutely of the essence.” ishlegacy.org. for instance, elected just last in concentration camps, many of them Taub became involved in the issue Taub is disdainful of the fact that 60 November, offered to give compensa- require medication, etc.” of Jewish-owned property in Poland via years after the Holocaust, so many tion—but he said it would be a mini- “The name of the game,” Taub con- his personal family experience: “I was Jewish properties in Europe have not mum percentage of the true value of cluded, “is awareness. Now is the born in Poland after the war, and my been returned to their Jewish owners: the property, and that it would be time.” (Arutz Sheva) O

24 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES It’s Never Too Late

Yaqov Manlun, 97, and his wife Orah, 88, new immigrants from the Bnei Menashe, were wedded Friday of last week in a lavish ceremony joined by many guests in Kiryat Arba. Yaqov and Orah have been married for almost 70 years. The couple finished their conversion process days earlier and asked to be remarried under laws of Moshe and Israel. Yaqov is the oldest oleh from the Bnei Menashe tribe in India, as well as one of the oldest immigrants to Israel ever. The couple immigrated last year, with the help of “Shavei Israel,” after waiting in India nearly 15 years to receive permission to make aliyah. The couple has 9 children (3 of whom also made aliyah), and nearly 70 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchildren living in Israel and in India. Shavei Israel, which was founded by Michael Freund, an American oleh, is an organization that reaches out and assists “lost Jews” seeking to return to the Jewish People. Shavei Israel works with various groups around the world, such as the Bnei Menashe of northeastern India, who claim descent from a lost tribe of Israel, the Bnei Anusim (“Marranos”) of Spain, Portugal, and South America, the Subbotnik Jews of Russia, and the “Hidden Jews” of Poland from the time of the Holocaust. The organization also engages in the absorption of new olim in Israel, including providing assistance with housing, employment, and professional training.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 25 be perfect. If the house isn’t 100 per- Dear Fearful, cent in order and my children aren’t Your story is quite straightforward, behaving perfectly and I don’t look and, as you say, you understand where perfect, I feel panicky. your fear is coming from. To begin with, Recently, my husband came home however, I would substitute the word from shul and brought home a single shame for the word fear. It sounds to me young fellow that he had met there as though, from a very young age, you and had invited over to have lunch at felt completely shamed by the status of Dear Esther, weird and not normal was going on in our house. Though I always cook your family. You were bright enough I come from a very dysfunctional my house. I never invited friends over, enough for an army, I was thrown for and responsible enough to glean that home. I know that many people throw and in fact I had very few friends such a loop that my husband had to something was more than a little remiss that term around, but mine was really, because of the situation in my home. I bear the brunt of my rage for weeks at home, and you tried your best to do really dysfunctional. My mother spent spoke to no one about what my life was afterwards. My children know better “damage control,” overseeing your sib- a great deal of time in her dark bed- like—how I acted more like a parent than to encourage their friends to lings’ needs and at least keeping up the room, with the shades drawn and a than a child—and I felt I had this huge just pop in. pretense of a regular home. But as you washcloth on her forehead. When my secret I had to carry around with me. I know that my behavior is not nor- mentioned, the threat of exposure was father wasn’t at work, he spent most of Just to bring you up to date, my mal—and that my family is suffering always a possibility lurking just around his time in the den, reading. the corner. The feeling of shame you Since I was the oldest, I felt respon- have carried around with you must have sible to take over much of the slack been enormous. created by my virtually “non-existent” You still carry that feeling of shame mother. I remember starting to cook Try asking yourself why that judgment around with you today. That is clear. and clean at a very young age. I Exposure is your greatest fear. You remember trying to get my siblings to believe, on some level, that once you do their homework, brush their teeth, matters. Why do you care so intensely would be exposed and people see you and do what was appropriate. for who you really are—imperfect and The party line that I was told was capable of flawed behavior—you that my mother suffered from terrible how others will view you? could not survive the shame that you headaches. I believe that was true. But would feel. as an adult, looking back on what went The problem with shame is that it on in my home, I believe there were eats away at an individual, leaving more serious problems going on. I mother is no longer alive, and my as a result. I understand where this them feeling raw and ultimately worth- believe my mother must have suffered father has remarried and moved to fear is coming from, but I don’t know less. It’s not an emotion you want to from serious depression or some other Florida and is much more involved how to change it. I’m wondering if you own. Nor is it an emotion that you form of mental illness. I also believe with his new wife’s family than he is have any ideas for me to try. I know deserve to own. that my father couldn’t deal with what with ours. that I am doing a disservice to my fam- I think your salvation lies in under- was happening, and just kind of tried I, too, am married with children. ily and I feel guilty about it, yet I seem standing and accepting the fact that to tune everything out and let the The reason I’m writing to you is unable to relax and act like a normal you had nothing to feel shameful chips fall where they may. because I still live with this fear of wife and mother. about. You were an innocent child, I lived in fear of being exposed. I exposure. I am a nervous wreck when unfortunately born into an unhealthy, knew in my heart that something very people come over. I want everything to Fearful neglectful environment. If, in fact,

26 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES your mother suffered from depression or some other awful disease, she was as much a victim as you. However, your father should have rallied support somehow. It was his responsibili- ty to allow you to feel like a child and live like a child, without the pressures of an adult hanging over your small shoulders. You need to look at that young child with pride and feel very, very impressed with how you managed to accomplish all that you did, against all odds. When we try to analyze the concept of shame and what it really is all about, it boils down to fear of judgment; fear that others are looking in on us and determining our worth. You’ve carried that fear into your adult life and seem addicted to worrying about how others will judge you. Try asking yourself why that judgment matters. Why do you care so intensely how others will view you? We live in a world where there will always be those people who need to look and judge others, probably as a way of distracting themselves from looking inward and trying to be the best they can be. People like that can and will always find something negative to say about absolutely everyone. However, the world is also full of kind, loving individuals who want to see the good in others—people who aren’t looking to judge you, but rather are looking to applaud your unique- ness and goodness. Those are the people with whom you want to surround yourself. And then you have to learn to trust. Trust yourself, and trust others, and finally learn how to really exhale. You’ve been carrying around a heavy sack of shame for too many years. It’s time to put it down and walk away. You don’t need to identify with it anymore. This means redefining your self-image, which takes a great deal of work. But it sounds to me as though you are ready and more than a little willing to take on the challenge. Good luck. Esther

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

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5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 27 respond with, “I’ve been cooking for ing the eggs out, which I occasionally 46 years! Exactly what makes you do. As I’ve aged, my patience has think I don’t know how to boil eggs waned proportionally. So, when eggs correctly?” don’t peel—out they go! I give it my When this reasonable response fails best shot, but if it doesn’t work out, to discourage my better half, I lower I’ve been known to skip the egg salad my voice, gnash my teeth, and growl, route and throw the entire mess in the Something About Eggs “I boiled all four eggs at once, and garbage, burying them deep so that since two peeled beautifully and two Hubs won’t see them. And if these did not, how do you explain that, should happen to be the last eggs in Life has a tendency to present us up on the idea of serving hard-boiled Emeril?” the carton, I bury the empty carton by with petty annoyances from time to eggs, and I make egg salad instead. I try to avoid these scenarios, by folding it into a piece that measures 3 time. I have several pet peeves, but it While my husband, Arnie, is terrif- boiling and peeling eggs when he’s not inches square and I bury that, as well. doesn’t get much pettier than the one ically supportive in many ways, he’s around, but that doesn’t always work As an added precaution, I cover the I have with hard-boiled eggs that no help when it comes to eggs that out. Now and then Hubby arrives evidence with a paper towel. don’t peel. When an entire egg slips won’t peel. In fact, he exacerbates the home and walks into the kitchen while Until recently, it never occurred to easily out of its shell, I’m in seventh situation. If he happens to be in the I’m grappling with uncooperative eggs. me that similar scenes might play out heaven; but when a thin rubbery kitchen when I’m struggling with This usually causes friction—but only in other households. But I found out membrane adheres to the egg white uncooperative eggs, the first words on my end. Hubby doesn’t get bent out otherwise when I went to a friend’s and refuses to budge, I get crazed. out of his mouth are always the same: of shape over the ensuing discussion, house before Pesach. She had offered I’m not a quitter, so, instead of giving “You didn’t cook it right.” At moments because he actually believes he’s being me the use of her Pesach food proces- up at the first sign of trouble, I keep such as these, it’s entirely possible helpful by giving me good advice. I sor, and I took her up on the offer, at it, inevitably tearing away pieces of that anyone living within three miles restrain myself from going for his jugu- because I knew it would beat grating the egg white along with the stubborn of the Berman domicile might have lar, but I am thinking of taking away dirty, ugly, smelly horseradishes by membrane. heard my reply. It generally comes in his house keys. hand and destroying my fingers in the When I finally face the fact that all the form of a shrill scream. For those His presence at these times causes process—while simultaneously crying that has survived is a yoke surrounded of you who miss it, my voice automat- another difficulty for me, because I and wheezing from inhaling the fumes. by irregular chunks of egg white, I give ically riises several decibels as I don’t want him to know when I’m toss- I brought apples, too, because my pal is also the proud owner of an electric apple peeler. And, unless you’ve ruined a manicure and developed a fin- ger blister from peeling a big bunch of apples, you can’t imagine how useful that little machine is. Thanks to the electric equipment, my charoses and my marror were done in half the time— and with a quarter of the effort. During the apple-peeling session, my friend’s husband meandered into the kitchen and thoughtlessly weighed in with an opinion. Criticizing the under- sized apples she had bought (I believe he called them puny), he pointed out that she should have gotten larger ones. At that point, she booted him from the room. I’m not sure what would have happened if I hadn’t been there, but if the look on her face was any indication, my guess is that she might have thrown an apple at his head. All things considered, he got off easy. The next day was erev Pesach, and I was lending a hand at my daughter’s house, when we ran into Ye Olde Egg Problem. Working side-by-side peeling eggs for the Seder, we discovered that they were of the troublesome variety. Clearly, egg salad was not an option here! As we struggled, I said, “Good thing your father isn’t here right now, or we’d be subjected to his class of Egg Boiling 101, because he would be telling us that we didn’t cook them right.” My daughter cracked up. Looking at me in astonishment she said, “And when my husband sees me having trouble peeling eggs, he tells me I’m not peeling them the right way.” Then it was my turn to crack up! My daughter’s husband is much like mine: an easygoing, cooperative soul who never mixes into kitchen business—except when it comes to eggs. I must ask my friend if her husband also mixes in when she’s peeling eggs. Maybe not! Maybe his area of expertise is strictly with apples. In our family, the males think they know about eggs. They don’t! O

Hannah Berman lives in Woodmere and is a licensed real-estate broker associated with Marjorie Hausman Realty. She can be reached at [email protected] or 516-902-3733. 28 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

fact that the United States and environmentally friendly much more energy than he or has done nothing in the past that would be used to extract she has consumed in the past. The Keen Capitalist 20 years to make us energy the oil from the ground. They emphasize conservation, independent. President Bush Furthermore, many countries energy-efficient vehicles and lamented last week in the are already using nuclear home products, and alterna- How The Price Of Oil more than five times since Rose Garden that he pro- energy for electricity, and it is tive fuels such as wind power Affects Everything 2001, from $23 a barrel to posed digging in Anwar, very sad that we, the greatest and ethanol. The government BY MARTIN MUSHELL today’s levels, is complicated. Alaska, many years ago and economy in the world, are has pressured the automobile Pundits and politicians con- Congress rejected it. As he not self-sufficient when it and aerospace corporations to As I was driving down consistently increase their Rockaway Turnpike last week, energy efficiency, raising I noticed how absurdly high miles per gallon. This is a nice the price of gas has risen. first step, and I would like to Regular was as high as $3.89 Everything you spend on, from groceries to utility propose creating tax incen- and premium topped out at tives for hybrid vehicles, avail- $4.13. A regular fill-up for my able to both the automakers mid-sized car cost about $52. bills to commuting, is affected by energy prices. and the consumers. This got me nervous—and not Both liberals and conser- for the reason you would vatives make fair points, but think. Paying an extra 50¢ per the reality is that both asser- gallon only adds up to around tinue to argue as to what is and many have stated, few comes to energy. tions need to be addressed. $6 per fill-up. But rising oil the greatest catalyst. Most live there and there are new The liberals assert that the prices puts all products at a conservatives say that it is the technologies that are safe average American consumes Continued on Page 33 premium. The price of oil and energy is an extra cost or tax on the average consumer. Everything you spend on, from groceries to utility bills to commuting, is affected by energy prices. The recent rise in the price of groceries is affected by two components. The first is the cost to transport an item. That is the set cost of fuel to ship potatoes from Idaho and oranges from Florida, which has risen significantly. The other is the government’s advent of subsidizing the conversion of corn into energy. The energy extracted is known as ethanol and comprises about 10% of the fuel used by gasoline consumers. Keep in mind that corn is not only used in many basic food products, but it is also used as cat- tle feed, and the cycle contin- ues from there. Subsequently, corn is then replaced by other grains, which have also risen significantly. One way or another, the price of oil soaring above $120 per barrel affects everyone to a certain extent, even if you do not drive a car or pay the heating bills in your apartment. How did we get here, and what can we do to save money? The latest run-up in oil prices is indirectly corre- lated to the Fed’s lowering of interest rates. Once the Federal Reserve Board lowers interest rates, it subsequently lowers the value of the dollar. There was a time when the dollar and the euro were trad- ing around the same level. Today, 1 euro buys about $1.55. Since the price of oil is dollar-denominated, the price increases as the dollar decreases. Once the board feels that the economy is recovering, it will raise rates, thereby strengthening the dollar, and the price of oil will likely ease. Truly understanding how oil prices have spiked by 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 29 30 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

after you” is the counting of the omer; received the revelation, but the other, and “the king has brought me into his the capacity for evil, remained. Indeed, chambers” is the giving of the Torah. says Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, “Draw me” is passive—it refers to this is why the Israelites are described as the Israelites being taken out by G-d— having fled from Egypt (Sh’mos 14:5). and it is singular; whereas “we will run What they were running from was the after you” is both active and plural. evil within themselves. The Zohar explains that by the end of So we can understand the phrase their enslavement, the Israelites were “draw me.” Firstly, when we take pos- From The Chassidic Masters assimilated into the heathen ways of session of an object by seizing hold of their captors. They were not deserving it, nothing is changed in the subject of redemption. They had to be seized itself; it merely changes hands. In this The Morrow Of The Shabbos and drawn out of their captivity by the case, Israel went from being in the initiative of G-d. Since they were not hand of Pharaoh to being in the hand In the Torah reading of Emor, the of animal food as a humiliation for her inwardly prepared for it, this unexpect- of G-d, but Israel in itself was mitzvah of counting the omer is stated: immorality (“She did the deed of an unchanged. “And you shall count unto you from animal, therefore she brings animal Secondly, it was passive. The draw- the morrow of the day of rest feed as an offering”). But why was the ing out of Egypt was achieved by the (Shabbos), from the day that you omer of animal food? The drawing out of hand of Heaven, not by any sponta- brought the sheaf (omer) of the wav- On Pesach we are forbidden to eat neous act on the part of the Israelites. ing; there shall be seven complete leaven, because leaven symbolizes Egypt was achieved by Thirdly, it was singular. The revela- weeks” (Vayikra 23:15). man’s inclination to pride and self- tion of this sudden intervention of G-d The Talmud (Menachos 65a) tells us esteem. As leaven causes dough to rise, the hand of Heaven, not affected only one side of their being. that the sect of the Boethusians inter- so pride inflates a man to arrogance. Their spirit responded; their physical preted the word Shabbos to mean the But why, in that case, are we allowed by any spontaneous act passions did not. seventh day of the week, rather than to eat leaven the rest of the year, and on the part of the the “day of rest” of Pesach. As a conse- indeed obliged (in the Temple) to do so Intellect And Passion quence, they held that the counting of on Shavuos? Israelites. For all this, the purpose of a revela- the omer always begins on a Sunday. tion is that the spirit should change the There was considerable debate, during “Draw Me; We Will Run After You” physical nature of man as well. As which the rabbis brought many scrip- In Shir HaShirim (1:4), there is a Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi puts it, tural proofs to establish that the verse, “Draw me, we will run after you; ed revelation did not alter them inward- if man were meant to be pure spirit, he Boethusian interpretation was false. the king has brought me into his cham- ly. They were taken hold of by G-d would not have needed a body. The But a persistent question remains: why bers.” The Kabbalists see these three rather than by the promptings of their point of a religious life within the world did the Torah leave room for this error, phrases as references to the three heart. And although their “G-dly soul” is to bring every side of human nature instead of stating explicitly “on the day stages of the departure from Egypt. responded, their “animal soul” was after Pesach”? “Draw me” is the Exodus; “we will run unchanged. One part of their beings Continued on Page 32

Three Months In Sh’mos 3:10, G-d tells Moshe: “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve G-d upon this mountain.” In other words, the purpose of the Exodus from Egypt lay in the Mattan Torah, the Giving of the Torah. Between these two events—the Exodus and the Revelation on Sinai— came the seven weeks of the omer. These seven weeks were the necessary transition between the start and the completion of the redemption. Three months were involved in this process: Nissan, in which the Exodus took place; Iyar, which is wholly taken up with the counting of the omer; and Sivan, in which the Torah was given. Only these three are explicitly mentioned in the context of the redemption. Of Nissan it is written: “The month of Spring…in it you came out of Egypt” (Sh’mos 23:15). Of Iyar we find, “The second month…after they had come out of the land of Egypt” (Bamidbar 1:1). And of Sivan, “In the third month after the Children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt” (Sh’mos 19:1). All three are mentioned because each was an inte- gral part of the redemption.

Three Kinds Of Food Of these three stages, Pesach is linked to the eating of matzah. The omer was a measure of barley. And Shavuos had a special offering of two loaves of fine flour baked with leaven. This presents a number of difficulties. Only two meal offerings did not consist of wheat: The omer, and the offering of a wife suspected of infideli- ty. Both of these were of barley. In the latter case, the Talmud (Sotah 14a) gives a reason: her offering was to be 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 31

FROM THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS nature transfers its energy. ity was G-d. say, “I give acknowledgment before Continued from Page 31 Thus, Shlomo wrote, “We will run Thus it is that on Pesach we may not you…” (the Modeh Ani prayer). This after you.” We will run, because our eat leaven. At the outset, when pride is the acknowledgment, the surren- into G-d’s work. In the words of the service is quickened by this new source and willfulness preserve their power, der to G-d, that precedes under- Talmud: “‘And you shall love the L-rd of energy. We will run, because it is we, they must be suppressed, set aside. standing. It is the Nissan of the day, your G-d with all your heart’—this not G-d, who take the initiative. And They cannot be combated rationally the individual Exodus. means with both your inclinations.” “we,” in the plural, because both sides for they can subvert the mind: “They There then follow the “Psalms of This interplay not only elevates the of our nature are caught up in this are wise to do evil” (Yirmiyah 4:22). Praise” (Pesukei d’Zimrah) and the physical side of man, but also his spir- effort of reaching out towards G-d, and At the stage of the omer, we use our Shema and its benedictions. These itual life, by adding to it the drive and each gives impetus to the other. understanding to redirect our emo- are the prayers of meditation and energy of physical passion. Man as an tions. We use the leaven in ourselves understanding. “Hear, O Israel,” the intellectual being is dispassionate: his The Final Stage to change ourselves. first phrase of the Shema, means emotions and desires are mitigated by There is still a further stage. At the And when, at the point of Shavuos, “understand.” And through this medi- the rational control he exercises over Exodus, there was the Divine call. we reach the final openness of all our tation, the emotions are awakened, them. But animal energy, be it literally and the love of G-d is aroused with in an animal or in the instinctual “all your heart and all your soul and drives of man, is unchecked, powerful. all your might.” This is the daily “There is much increase by the equivalent of the month of Iyar and strength of an ox” (Mishlei 14:4). “The morrow of the Shabbos” the counting of the omer. When the animal in man is no longer But, so far, this represents only the at war with his spirit, but is sublimat- battle against half—the “animal” ed to it, all its passionate intensity is refers to the step beyond Shabbos, half—of one’s nature (bittul ha’yeish). transferred to the life of holiness. There still awaits the final extinction This is why the omer was of barley, beyond time itself. of self-consciousness (bittul b’metzius) animal food. This was the labor of which comes during the Amidah that period: to transform the “animal prayer, when “like a slave before his soul” of the Israelites which had master” we have no self with which to remained unaffected by the initial speak. We are empty of words. We say, revelation in Egypt. During the counting of the omer, there being to G-d, we are obliged to use the “O L-rd, open my lips.” And this is the How is this done? By meditation. was man’s response. But at the Giving leaven, making every part of our nature Sivan of the day, the moment when we Meditation on the nature of G-d of the Torah, there was the final abne- into a channel for the light of G-d. confront—like the Israelites at Sinai— awakens love and fear. At first, when gation of man in the face of G-d. the all-possessing presence of G-d. one knows that rebellion, pride, and While for 49 days the Israelite was Every Day animal obstinacy still hold power transforming himself, he was still a The rabbis tell us, “In every genera- After The Shabbos within oneself, one must “flee.” This self, still using his powers and relying tion, and every day, a man is obliged to Now, finally, we realize why the is the time of suppression. But once on himself. But at Sinai, in the face see himself as if he had gone out of Torah, in the verse quoted at the outset, one has left the “Egypt” of tempta- of G-d, “With every single word that Egypt that very day” (Talmud, says, “On the morrow of the Shabbos,” tion, there comes a time of meditation went forth from the mouth of the Pesachim 116b; Tanya ch. 47). So each instead of “…after the Pesach.” and sublimation, when the two sides Holy One, blessed be He, the souls of of the three stages of the Exodus are To achieve the transformation of of man no longer battle for posses- Israel departed” (Talmud, Shabbos components of the task of every day. the “animal soul” demands the deep- sion. The spirit rules, and physical 88b). They were empty: the only real- In the beginning of our prayers we est reserves of spiritual energy. To

32 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES have brought the Israelites out of s”xc their entrenched impurity needed more than an “angel,” an emissary; it needed G-d himself in His Glory and Essence. If this was true of the escape from evil, it is more so for the transformation of evil into good. The task demands a spiritual source able to enter into the heart of evil without being affected. Shabbos is a source of intense spirituality. It is the apex of the week. But it still belongs to the week, and thus to time and the finite. “The morrow of the Shabbos” refers to the step beyond Shabbos, beyond time itself: a revelation higher than the world. To count the 49 days of omer—that is, to transform into holiness every emotion that we feel—we must rest our efforts on the “morrow of the Shabbos”—the light of G-d from beyond the world. O

From Torah Studies (Kehot 1986), an adaptation of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s talks by Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks. Reprinted with permission from Chabad.org. Find articles for the entire family at www.chabad.org/Parshah.

The Keen Capitalist Continued from Page 29

Since the price of energy is simply based on supply and demand, we must increase supply and decrease demand. Our country and the rest of the world is rapidly growing, and the need to create new energy and curb demand is obvious. The rapid growth of demand via economic expansion has pushed the price higher, outpac- ing fresh supply. To save money, we need to understand that everything requires energy, and we need to use less of it. One can purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle, a tan- kless water heater, and energy-efficient products for the home. One can walk instead of driving when possible. To understand how much we can save, let’s examine our overconsump- tion and addiction to oil. Take the need for leasing a sports utility vehicle, such as the ever popular Honda Pilot. According to estimates at fuel economy.gov, the Pilot costs $62.24 per fill-up, yields 15 miles per gallon in the city, and costs about $2,990 per year. Even if leasing it is inexpen- sive—I have been told it can be as little as $300 per month—you will be paying much more in fuel costs. Add the price of insurance, taxes, and gasoline, and that amounts to about $9,000 per year—and you don’t even get to keep the vehicle. As a country, we are the greatest consumers of energy even though we have not even remotely the largest population. The rules of supply and demand have certainly pushed energy prices higher. However, to suggest that we force people to change their consumption habits is uncapitalistic and un-American. If the price of energy is too high, we must allow exploration companies to extract more energy and change our habits of our own volition. O

Martin Mushell has 7 years of valuation experience and manages assets for LPL Investments. He can be reached at [email protected]. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 33 Top Ten Ways To Remember To Count The Omer

BY MICHELE HERENSTEIN Everyone uses the fridge, so hopefully when one family member goes to get a I am the queen of lists. There’s noth- drink or an evening snack, he or she can ing I don’t have a list for: grocery shop- alert the other family members to count ping lists, lists of people to whom I owe the omer. If you don’t eat or drink after return calls, lists of things to pick up at 8 p.m.—well, then, this method will cer- Duane Reade, lists of things I need to tainly not work for you. accomplish in a given week, and so much more. It’s not that I’m forgetful; actually, quite the opposite. I suppose it’s just part of my type A personality. Prizes aren’t just for So with that said, how could I have the number one worst memory when it kids. Adults love the comes to counting the omer? Well, I don’t have the answer to that, but for anticipation of a those of you who have trouble remembering to count the omer each night, I reward almost as have put together a “top ten” list of ways that should assure that you never forget to count the omer again. much as children do. Actually, I had so many ideas, my list includes 11 items. Like David Letterman, I will start at 10. Put your wristwatch on your the bottom and work my way up to No. other wrist. I’ve heard that many men 1, which will be the best and most do this to help them remember to count helpful way to remember to count the the omer. Unusual? I think so, but let omer. (My list is about “omer,” not me explain how it’s supposed to work: “shomer.” If I were doing the top ten Someone who normally wears his reasons to be shomer negiah, maybe watch on his left wrist will switch it to Letterman’s show would be interested, his right for the 49 days of omer. Every but the omer is not as interesting to night before going to sleep, when he them. I will graciously share it with goes to his left wrist to take his watch you, however; Letterman’s loss is off, he sees it’s not there, and this hopefully your gain.) 11. Keep a chart on your refrigerator. Continued on Page 36

34 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 35 Count The Omer most sports fans remember the omer is Continued from Page 34 the Bangitout.com Sports Lover’s Sefirat HaOmer counter. When you go reminds him to count the omer . Would to the website, you are automatically this work for me? Doubtful. I think I’d referred to the page for that day, which get confused as to why my watch is not says, “Today is _____ days of the omer, in its rightful place, and omer would which is _____ weeks & _____ day(s) probably not cross my mind. But hey, if of the omer.” In each of the spaces is a it works for you, kol ha’kavod! major sports figure (basketball, foot- 9. Receive a reminder on your hand- ball, baseball, etc.) in action, wearing held device (Palm/BlackBerry) or com- his uniform with his number displayed puter. A text message on your cell phone clearly on it. That number corresponds is an excellent way to be reminded, as to the day of the omer . For those of you well. And a friend told me that Chabad who haven’t seen this site, definitely sends daily e-mail reminders. Problem? check it out at www.bangitout.com/ You just might check these messages sportsomer/omer.html. Another cool early in the day and still forget to “count site is http://homer.jvibe.com/Bart when it counts”—at night. .html. Check out the Homer Calendar 8. Use the sefirah counter made by (if you don’t like Homer Simpson you the olive-wood factory in Yerushalayim. might still find this site helpful, if a tad For some, this is a lifesaver. For me, it bit annoying). never worked. If you scroll to the next 5. Saturate your home with night, how are you supposed to remem- reminders to count the omer. You can ber if the page you are looking at is stick Post-its in several places in your from the night before or is the correct home to act as reminders, such as on night? This is not a surefire way to your bathroom mirror (doesn’t every- remember to count, but of course there one look in the mirror at least once a are those who find it to be extraordinar- day?). My friend’s friend sent tooth- ily helpful. Remember, no method brushes to her pals with a reminder on works for everyone. the handle to count sefirah. Unless you 7. Make a pact with a friend not to don’t brush your teeth each night, you go to sleep without speaking to each sort of can’t miss that one. Another other by phone every night with the friend leaves her siddur on her dresser, purpose of reminding each other to which reminds her to count, while count the omer. This only works if you someone else keeps her omer book by have friends; so, if you don’t—make Rabbi Simon Jacobson on her pillow in some, quick! And find a backup an effort to help her remember. The method for Friday night. more reminders, the more likely it is 6. Websites are a fun way to help that you won’t forget to count. remember to count the omer. One of 4. A pillowcase should do it. the coolest websites that will help Confused? Well, here you have it—a

36 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES pillowcase is not just for sleeping. thing. So, after giving this much There are pillowcases made specifical- thought, I’ve come to the conclusion ly for sefirah, where the chart of the 49 that if you put all of the above into days is drawn, and in each box is the action, there’s a 99 percent likelihood English date that corresponds to the that you won’t forget. So there should night of omer that you should be be an omer chart on your refrigerator, counting. When you head to bed to go you should switch your watch to the to sleep, your pillowcase will most like- opposite wrist for the 49 days of omer, ly be staring you right between the you should receive one or more eyes, and if you miss, it’s only because reminders on your you’ve stumbled to bed in the dark. Palm/BlackBerry/computer, keep the Hey, I told you that not every method olive-wood factory sefirah counter in a will work for everyone. place where you can’t miss it, make 3. Go to Maariv. If you stay sure you and your designated friend throughout the entire davening, you remind each other every night without can hardly miss omer, unless your fail, check out the websites every mind is totally focused elsewhere—in evening (which are fun to use and will which case I kind of think nothing’s help you remember to count), put gonna help you remember to count! reminders around your home so that if 2. Everyone knows the motivation all else fails you will see that Post-it on inherent in being awarded. My sister- the mirror and head straight to your in-law tells how she never counted siddur to say the berachah, make sure omer until she joined my family and to purchase a pillowcase with the sefi- heard that my dad gave a “prize” to any- rah chart on it to help you remember one in the family who counted omer all and know exactly which night it is, go the way through without missing even to shul to daven Maariv, and set up for one night (no, sorry, that’s not a good yourself and the members of your fam- enough reason for wanting to join my ily a system in which a prize is reward- family!). What do you know—that year, ed for counting the omer without miss- she completed her first full counting of ing even one night. the omer. Prizes aren’t just for kids. I hope this has helped. If not, I truly Adults love the anticipation of a reward don’t know what to tell you. However, almost as much as children do. But, every year, more sophisticated ways of hey, if you really want to accustom your remembering to count the omer seem child to not forgetting to count, a pres- to come to light, so maybe if you miss ent for completing the omer in its this year, it will be the last year you entirety will most likely do it. miss. Good luck—and don’t forget to 1. Use everything on the list! I want- count the omer! O ed No. 1 to be a surefire way to help Michele Herenstein is a freelance journalist who remember to count each night without lives and works in New York City. She can be fail, but alas, there really is no such reached at [email protected].

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 37 Unwritten Chapters Of History

BY YOCHANAN GORDON

Every year, with the completion and renewal of the Torah reading cycle, I face the same questions: Why did Adam and Eve have to eat from the Tree of Knowledge? Why did Cain kill Abel? Why did all the succeeding generations keep driving the glory of G-d out of the lower realms the way they did? Were they unaware that not only would their actions be recorded in the Torah, but that the laws they transgressed were the very fabric used in creating this world? Had Adam and Eve and all their successors refrained from acting on those evil temptations, we would be living in a perfect world. We see how one small evil act can snowball into an entire world becoming filled with zealotry and crime until the point of basically no return. G-d is the designer of all designers. He brought the entire world into existence and had a sym- metrical plan for all eternity, and we fickle human beings stood in the way of His plan. The angels made this claim when they spotted Moshe Rabbeinu in the Heavenly palace when he was preparing to receive the Torah to give it over to the Jewish nation. They turned to G-d and asked what connection mortal man has with the infinite wisdom of G-d. The Jews will receive the Torah and they will not always keep all that is written within. Is it really worth all the aggravation to send the Torah to the lower worlds, despite all the risks involved? But G-d countered their claim by explaining that the amount of joy that He receives when we mortal men fulfill His infinite word is certainly worth all the risks involved. The angels, for all intents and purposes, are unable to desecrate the word of G-d, so their fulfillment of what is written in the Torah carries little significance. On the other hand, it brings immeasurable pleasure to G-d when we, who are naturally drawn toward sin and temptation, push aside our apparent will to fulfill G-d’s will instead. We may try to place blame on people of previous generations for put- ting us where we are today. But the truth is that along with sin came the opportunity to repent and to fix what had previously gone wrong. So strong is this concept of teshuvah that one who has transgressed with rebellious intent has the ability not only to gain atonement, but even to gain merit for all that he has done wrong in the past! Furthermore, through the concept of the transmigration of souls known as gilgul, we have the ability to repent for the misdeeds of the

Continued on Page 40 38 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 39 Unwritten Chapters and over, because everything is con- Continued from Page 38 tained in it.” NNN past, being that we and they are one I remember the fateful Shabbos and the same. This is perhaps the when the news spread of the assassi- reason why our Sages say, “Any gen- nation of Yitzchak Rabin. I believe I eration that has come to pass without was in eighth grade at the time. Just rebuilding the Holy Temple is respon- as quickly as the news of his death sible for its destruction.” That seems was traveling, the Bible codifiers kind of unfair! However, had we repented, the Holy Temple surely would have been rebuilt. The fact that we are still in exile seems to sug- Everything we do gest that we are in a sense OK with what was done in the past, since we and say plays a have not done that which is necessary to correct it. Anyone who does not believe that vital role in the the Torah is eternal and carries messages and lessons for all of eternity destiny of this has outright denied the most basic and essential tenets that all of world. Judaism is based on. The Baal Shem Tov writes that someone who reads the Megillah backwards has not fulfilled his obligation to read the were saying that the event was Megillah. One who reads the recorded in the very portion that we Megillah—or any one of the parashios had read that Shabbos. I am not get- of the Torah, for that matter—as a ting into the Bible codes or whether I story of the past or an outdated and do or do not like them, etc. We have inapplicable message has not fulfilled to realize that every thought that his obligation. Not only are the passes through our mind, every word actions of Adam and Eve, Cain and we utter, and every action that we Abel, Noah and his generation, and commit has been recorded in the Abraham and his generation Torah and was used as the very fabric inscribed and recorded in the Torah, to create our world. but in fact our every action and every Perhaps this is what our Sages refer thought for good and consequently to as the light that G-d hid for the for evil is recorded in the Torah. As righteous at the very outset of cre- our Sages, in their wisdom, have said ation. Perhaps this is what Rambam (referring to the Torah), “Turn it over meant when he said that everyone’s

40 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES name is hidden somewhere in the Torah, which carries their singular and unique mission that they were created to accomplish. The name of a person given by the parents through Divine intervention sheds light on a person’s quintessence. And if someone is privy, through utilizing this hidden light, to figure out what his or her purpose in this world is, they should be blessed. They have surely done all they can to bring about the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the resurrec- tion of the dead. It is incumbent upon us to gain inspiration from these angels among men, and to follow in their footsteps, bringing our world closer to perfection. The only way to ultimately reach such a lofty level is to realize and inter- nalize that our every thought, word, and deed has been recorded and that everything we do and say plays a vital role in the destiny of this world. Not to place blame on what happened in the past, but to take a deep look at what lies ahead for our future and the future of our people. And so, if I ever have placed blame on Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, etc., I am committed to put- ting forth my utmost in correcting what has gone wrong and what has been wrong in order to bring the world back to perfection and the beginning of true joy and happiness, when we are reunited with our Father in His Palace once again. O

And for his virgin sister who has not married a man— for her, he may contaminate himself (Vayikra 21:3) Thus the verse states: “Who is this, coming from Edom? Of rancid and bloodied clothes, from Bozrah? … I, [replies G-d,] who speaks in righteousness, mighty to save…all My garments, I have soiled” (Yeshayah 63:1–3). Israel is G-d’s “virgin sister, who has not married a man”—who has resisted all the alien masters she has been subject to throughout her exile. For her sake, G-d “contaminates” Himself, to battle her enemies and to raise her from the dust.

(Zohar)

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 41 need braces to make sure his teeth [email protected]. grow in properly, at the right time a “A Community Awakening to child may need intervention to keep Autism,” May 18. Susan Senator will him on a healthy track. serve as keynote speaker for a commu- Ohel is proud to offer the Jewish nity-wide autism awareness seminar to community Child Center Plus—a fuel awareness, understanding, and dynamic and simple evaluative pro- inspiration. A writer, activist, and OHEL Events And Services “Child Center Plus” program gram that is sponsored by Ohel in part- mother of three boys, Susan has an Ohel Bais Ezra is a pioneering social offers solutions for parents. Children nership with yeshivos and schools in eldest son, Nat, who was diagnosed services agency that delivers a breadth are often less than candid about their your neighborhood. This program with autism at the age of three in of innovative programs and services for emotional and personal struggles, helps identify potential problems early January 1993. Susan’s first-hand individuals and families at risk, and especially with their parents. As par- on and provides for subsidized, low- insight appeals to immediate families individuals with developmental or psy- ents, we raise our children and help cost, or even free treatment in a child’s affected by autism, as well as extended chiatric disabilities, in both residential them learn to face the challenges in home. It uses a survey checklist, families, friends, and the larger com- and outpatient settings. Founded in their lives. Some children are faced scored by a professional, to flag possi- munity who seek to help and support 1969 and with close to 100 residences, with academic challenges and feel ble areas of concern. The screening is loved ones faced with great challenges. apartments, and over 30 diverse pro- overwhelmed by the everyday demands free of charge and administered in the She provides useful strategies and grams, Ohel services have been consis- of a dual curriculum of Judaic and sec- school by highly experienced Orthodox resources that will help families, edu- tently ranked number one by New York ular studies. Other children watch professionals. If the screening indi- cators, therapists, and caregivers City. Touching the lives of thousands of their classmates play during recess, yet cates a possible need for an evaluation understand how to get through the individuals at every stage, and every are never asked to join in. Some chil- and assessment or follow-up counsel- daily living issues that autism brings. day, Ohel’s professional services are dren are overshadowed by an older sib- ing, Ohel will notify the parents in a Her best-selling book, Making Peace available throughout New York, New ling who excelled in everything, and discreet and confidential manner—not with Autism, is a family story with uni- Jersey, and South Florida. These servic- they feel they cannot match up. But through the school. Counseling and versal truths about struggle, coping, es include housing, foster care, outpa- we know that although these are all follow-up can be provided at one of discovery, and acceptance. Susan is a tient counseling, at-home services, normal issues that children face in the Ohel’s offices or even in the privacy of nationally known speaker on autism, school-based services, abuse remedia- course of growing up, sometimes they the family’s home. For more informa- captivating and inspiring audiences by tion services, and camps. need some help. Just as a child may tion, call 718-851-6300 or write to her diverse presentation, which includes such areas as getting through the early days, developing key coping strategies, helping to keep a marriage strong, what to do for siblings, how to deal with the school system, and how to have fun as a family with autism. The seminar is scheduled to be held at Lander College in Kew Gardens Hills on Sunday morning, May 18. The seminar is free and open to the general public, and has been made possible through a generous grant through the efforts of Councilman David Weprin. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided free of charge. Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, please call Ohel Bais Ezra at 718-686-3283, visit www.ohel family.org, or e-mail AutismAwareness@ ohelfamily.org. “ADHD: Meeting the Challenge,” May 21. Attention Deficit Hyper- activity Disorder, or ADHD, is a behavior condition that now affects some 4 to 12 percent of U.S. children, and is continually increasing. ADHD is char- acterized by the inability to focus, listen, and complete tasks and school- work. Many children are medicated to control the condition. While some studies point to an increased risk from TV and the use of interactive games, other findings point to genetics, which some argue may play a key role. Whatever the causes, the impact of ADHD can be daunting for families and can place significant demands on educators, clinicians, and other helping professionals called upon for assistance and intervention. Given these needs, the Institute for Advanced Professional Training at Ohel is proud to announce a full-day community conference entitled “ADHD: Meeting the Challenge” that will offer a forum in which professionals, family members, and advocates can gain valuable insights and essential tools to address the challenges posed by ADHD in children and adults. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field, who will share practical, hands-on strategies, as well as up-to-date information regarding current research and clinical findings. 42 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Speakers include Edward Hallowell, M.D., a child and adult psychiatrist who is a world-renowned expert on ADHD. Dr. Hallowell is the author of 14 books, including the widely recognized Driven to Distraction, Answers to Distraction, and Delivered from Distraction . Merrill Weiner, LCSW, is a frequent and popular presenter to both professional and parents’ groups and is the founder of the ADHD Treatment Program at North Shore University Hospital’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology. Ms. Weiner brings valuable insights from her clinical work, as well as her personal experience as a parent of a child with ADHD. “ADHD: Meeting the Challenge” is scheduled to take place Wednesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at the Baruch College Newman Conference Center (55 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan). An early-bird special rate is available through May 14. Given space constraints, enrollment is limited and early registration is advised. For further information or to register, please contact the Institute for Advanced Professional Training at Ohel at 718-851-6300, or visit www.ohelfamily.org. “Keeping Our Kids Safe”: Minimizing child sexual abuse in our community, May 21. Does this really occur in our community? What should I do if I have suspicions? Are summer camps as safe as yeshivas and schools? Mr. Barry Horowitz, LCSW-R, the coordinator of Ohel Long Island, will shed light on numerous critical issues such as the realities facing families, moving beyond scare tactics and empowering parents in a sensitive yet effective manner. Mr. Horowitz will explore signs and symptoms of child sexual abuse, and explore alternatives where camps, schools, and parents can effectively partner to provide a safe experience for children. This event is scheduled to take place May 21, 8:15 p.m. (followed by Maariv), at Congregation Shaaray Tefila (25 Central Avenue in Lawrence), with opening remarks by HaRav Dovid Weinberger, shlita. Young Families for Ohel on Long Island has developed a dynamic community lecture series aimed at building and maintaining resilient Jewish families, of which “Keeping Our Kids Safe” is the third and final lecture. The previous two lectures, “Finance and Family” and “Maintaining Healthy Marriages,” attracted large crowds and drew much audience participation in the question-and-answer period that follows each lecture. Services at the new Ohel Hewlett office include individual and family consultations, psychotherapeutic services, substance-abuse remediation services, and school-based mental- health services. The office is also a community learning center where staff and guests will provide seminars and workshops on a variety of topics to strengthen and support families. For inquiries about the community lecture series or sponsorship opportunities, or to seek further information

Continued on Page 44 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 43 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 43

about services provided by Ohel on Long Island, please contact Mr. Horowitz at Ohel’s Long Island Office, 516-569-0947, or write to [email protected]. Bike-A-Thon, June 15: Send a child to camp. Ohel is proud to announce its first- ever Bike-a-Thon, scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 15. Registration is to open at 7:30 a.m., with an 8:00 a.m. start time for the ride. The Long Island ride will com- mence at Ohel’s Hewlett Office, (1150 Broadway in Hewlett) wend its way to Jones Beach and back. There will be 10-, 25-, and 50-mile routes to choose from, and all proceeds raised from the event will send a foster child or a child with disabilities to Ohel Bais Ezra’s summer camp program. The Bike-a-Thon is a bike ride, not a race, that can be enjoyed by all family members. One does not need to be a professional biker to ride the route. Every biker is a winner at the finish line and every cyclist will receive free giveaways including a T-shirt, water bottle, and medallion. There will be healthy snacks and drinks provided at pre- assigned rest areas and a deli- cious BBQ will culminate a great ride after riders pass the finish line. Non-participating family and friends can join for the “bike feast” at the Grant Park in Hewlett by pre- registering. Corporate sponsors of the event will receive various benefits, including major recogni- tion such as signage, logo placement, and assigned riders. Even non-participants can sponsor a rider by pledg- ing a contribution for every mile completed by their designated cyclist. Every bike rider is a winner that day. But the real winners of the day will be the hundreds of Ohel Bais Ezra campers to benefit from the funds raised. Please join for a great family day of fun and cycling for Ohel’s kids! To learn more about this event, visit www.ohelfamily .org/bikeathon or call 718- 972-9338. Counseling-skills workshop for pulpit rabbis. Community rabbis are often the first helping professionals that families turn to in times of distress or crisis. Yet many pulpit rabbis admit to a lack of understanding of how to act and when to act. What is the unique role of the rav in responding to these needs?

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AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Congregation Gvul Yaabetz and mara The workshop’s morning session fea- terns, and they learned essential inter- Continued from Page 44 d’asra of Ohel, who addressed the com- tured David Pelcovitz, Ph.D., Strauss vention tools that will help them meet plex demands confronting community Professor of Psychology and Education the needs of couples that call upon How can he be most effective? rabbis in today’s challenging times. at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate them for help and advice. On Wednesday, April 2, rabbis repre- School. A renowned therapist, re- For further information, rabbis may senting a wide range of kehillas from the searcher, educator, and author, Dr. contact the Institute for Advanced Metro New York/New Jersey area turned Pelcovitz is internationally recognized as Professional training at Ohel at 718- to Ohel to find answers to complex ques- an expert in loss and bereavement. 851-6300. O tions they face that are frequently relat- Bringing together his vast clinical ed to significant mental-health issues. As expertise and keen understanding of the Former Wall Street Journal Editor a service to the rabbinic community, Jewish community, Dr. Pelcovitz shared Addresses Touro Business Forum Ohel’s Institute for Advanced valuable insights into the critical role Paul Steiger, former managing edi- Professional Training sponsored a full- community rabbis can play in helping tor of the Wall Street Journal and now day workshop to provide community rab- their congregants cope with loss. From editor-in-chief of a new investigative bis with key mental-health assessment explanations of how to prepare children journalism project, advised a gathering and intervention skills. for the funeral, shivah, and beyond, to of Touro College MBA students on Judging by the animated discussions guidelines for acting as gatekeeper for Tuesday of last week to expect “accel- and participants’ positive feedback, social supports, Dr. Pelcovitz’s presenta- erated challenges” due to the current “Intervention Skills for Rabbis: tion provided rabbis with the tools they economic crisis, which he predicted Bereavement and Couples need to more effectively intervene on would not turn around for at least the Counseling” more than met this objec- behalf of bereaved families. next couple of years. tive. The workshop opened with a pow- Rav Dovid Cohen, spiritual leader of The workshop’s afternoon session “It was easy ten years ago, with your erful presentation by Rav Dovid Congregation Gvul Yaabetz and mara d’asra of featured Yisrael Levitz, Ph.D., coauthor degree, to get nice-paying jobs right off Cohen, spiritual leader of Ohel, addressing the audience. of Practical Guidelines to Rabbinic the bat. It’s not going to be as easy,” Counseling and a specialist in marital said Mr. Steiger, a journalist for over and family therapy. A former communi- 40 years who served as managing edi- ty rabbi, Dr. Levitz has been involved in tor of the Wall Street Journal prior to the development and provision of men- the paper’s acquisition by Rupert tal-health training for rabbinical stu- Murdoch’s News Corporation last year. dents and mental-health professionals “The last quarter century was extraor- in the U.S. and Israel for many years. dinary. Expect things to be a lot He is currently the founding director of tougher,” Mr. Steiger cautioned, as he the Family Institute of Neve took the students through a brief his- Yerushalayim and the Machon tory of the nation’s bouts of economic L’Mishpacha Counseling Center of turmoil, ending with the current crises Jerusalem. Dr. Levitz’s presentation in the credit markets. highlighted the unique role that rabbis Mr. Steiger’s comments, delivered at can play in assisting troubled couples. Touro’s Graduate School of Business Workshop participants gained valuable in Manhattan’s Wall Street district, insights into the differences between launched the school’s “Keynote Rabbis at Ohel’s counseling workshop. healthy and distressed relationship pat- Speakers Forum,” designed to bring

46 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES L ucette Lagnado, Recipient Of tions and an elegant, cosmopolitan Jewish Literature Award, To Speak life. The story of her father, Leon, a In Forest Hills, May 13 charming, dapper boulevardier who In December 1963, Lucette was broken by his experiences, is at the Lagnado, her parents, two brothers, heart of this memoir, but it is also a and a sister arrived on a frozen pier in heartfelt elegy for a forgotten era of New York City, in debt, destitute, and Jewish-Muslim affinity. Reviewers without any family to greet them. In have praised the memoir as “stunning” her award-winning memoir, The Man and “brilliant.” in the White Sharkskin Suit, Lagnado Lucette Lagnado’s talk is one in a re-creates the modern-day exodus of series of Spring Author Events spon- the Jewish community from Egypt sored by the Rabbi Simon Hevesi through the tragic story of her father. Library of the Central Queens YM & Ms. Lagnado, an investigative reporter YWHA, at 67-09 108th Street in at the Wall Street Journal who has won Forest Hills. All events are open to the the highly prestigious Sami Rohr Prize general public, with a $4 donation Pictured at the recent Keynote Speakers Forum at the Touro College Graduate School of Business (L–R): Dr. James Musumeci, director of the Graduate School of Business; Paul Steiger, former for Jewish Literature, is scheduled to requested. For more information, call managing editor of the Wall Street Journal and currently editor-in-chief, president, and CEO of speak on Tuesday, May 13, at 718-268-5011, ext. 151, or e-mail Pro Publica; and Dr. Charles Snow, Touro’s dean of business programs. 1:30 p.m. at the Central Queens YM & [email protected]. YWHA in Forest Hills. The Central Queens YM&YWHA is a Egypt was once home to one of the non-profit Jewish center offering recre- real-world perspective to the school’s Wall Street Journal, the paper won 16 most ancient Jewish communities. ational, educational, cultural, and MBA students. Pulitzer Prizes. He is the recipient of With Nasser’s rise to power in 1956, social events to enhance the quality of Mr. Steiger said the credit markets numerous journalism awards and also Jewish neighborhoods quickly emp- life in the Central Queens community. are as “dysfunctional” as he has seen chairman of the Committee to Protect tied, and a community that dated to The Y is an agency of UJA-Federation. O in his career, and “much more impor- Journalists, a New York-based nonprof- Biblical times virtually ended. Nearly tant than stocks to the economy.” He it organization founded to promote 75,000 Egyptian Jews fled in the next blamed the problems on “misbehavior press freedom around the world. O few years, leaving behind rich tradi- Continued on Page 48 by the ‘three R’s’—regulators, rocket scientists (designers of securities), and ratings agencies.” Referring to mortgage-backed and other synthetic financial instruments that are at the nucle- us of the nation’s current economic woes, Mr. Steiger said, “The ability to unwind these artificial securities is limited and will take time. It will be years before this mess is fixed.” Mr. Steiger also discussed his new venture, Pro Publica, launched in January with $10 million in funding annually from the Sandler Foundation, begun by Herbert and Marion Sandler. The Sandlers were founders and co- CEOs of California’s Golden West Financial Corporation, a savings-and- loan company, which they sold to Wachovia Corporation in 2006. Mr. Sandler serves as chairman of Pro Publica’s board of directors, and Mr. Steiger as editor-in chief, president, and CEO. Mr. Steiger said Pro Publica was founded in part because the business model in news, particularly for metropolitan newspapers, has been severely damaged by the Internet. “Advertisers and readers are going to the Web, where advertisers feel they can more accurately target their audiences and people can get their information for free,” he said. Two areas of news are facing a particular challenge, according to Mr. Steiger: investigative and foreign reporting, which he said are relatively expensive to produce. Pro Publica, Mr. Steiger added, plans to fill the gap in investigative journalism by “identifying abuses of power— whether in government, business, or non-profits. By exposing abuses of power, we will give the public the information it needs to effect change.” When fully staffed with 25 reporters and editors, Mr. Steiger said Pro Publica will be the largest effort in the country devoted solely to investigative reporting. Stories will be distributed through the Web and to major news organizations, perhaps including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post and the PBS program Frontline. During Mr. Steiger’s tenure at the 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 47

AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS brief introduction by Rabbi Yotav study, as the national female and renamed “The Carol O’She Continued from Page 47 Eliach, principal of Rambam minority populations do not typically Sportsmanship Award” in memory of a Mesivta. Robotics team captain go into these fields. faculty member and former SportsNite Lawrence School News Shlomo Yosef Simpser and team “Legos at Lunch” was such a suc- supervisor who sadly passed away just Robotics team from Rambam member Eric Forkosh then explained cess that it will continue on into next days before this year’s big evening. Mesivta High School visits No. 6 to the children what robotics is and year. A Lego program will also be About 1,200 people bought tickets to School. Elementary students at the why it is important. They described incorporated into next year’s technol- this year’s SportsNite making the event Lawrence Number 6 School were how they designed, engineered, pro- ogy program in the Lawrence Middle a huge success. treated to a special presentation by grammed, and built their own “danc- School. Assistant principal Roseann Epp, ing” robots, which won them nation- Lawrence High School Girls who once participated herself as a al and international acclaim. Over SportsNite: More than just games. Lawrence High School student, the past four years, the team and For the 47th Annual “SportsNite!” the served as the supervisor this year. In their group of robots, named the Gold TV and the Blue Radio teams addition to Epp, all of the judges and “Rambam Robotics Band,” have par- battled it out in the high-school gym some of the faculty advisors for ticipated in and won numerous during an event steeped in tradition. SportsNite were alumni who had awards in competitions such as the From the balloon and tricycle relays to been captains for SportsNite them- Northeast Regional RoboCup Junior the tumbling and step exhibitions, selves in the past. Epp explained that Competition. They earned first place both teams showed tremendous spirit the event is about so much more than in the dance competition in the and amazing sportsmanship. the competition. “It’s about school National (USA) RoboCup Junior Gold captains Rosanna Cassetta spirit, making new friends, and show- Competition and placed fifth in the and Rosanna Linares and Blue cap- casing students’ talents and athleti- International (USA) RoboCup Junior tains Tricia Corso and Toni Salama cism,” she stated. With the stands Competition. led their teams through an introduc- completely filled with parents, sib- The team brought along one of the tion of dancing, singing, homemade lings, and friends, the participants robots they had built and everyone was costumes, and even some comedy. A weren’t the only ones having fun. O excited to see it dance around the friendly competition began shortly stage, showing off what it could do. after, as teammates cheered each Pittsburgher Rebbe To Visit Long The children also viewed a video clip other on and even supported their Beach, May 16–17 from the International Robotics opponents. Girls in ninth through The Long Beach community is Competition and clapped to the music twelfth grade were represented and eagerly anticipating the visit of Rabbi Robots! as the dancing robots performed. competed in traditional and not-so- Mordechai Leifer, the Pittsburgher The visit from the Robotics Team traditional events. Rebbe, who currently resides in tied in with the “Legos at Lunch” The first SportsNite was started to Ashdod, Israel. He is a descendant of members of the Rambam Mesivta program that Number 6 School initi- raise money for scholarships for Reb Mordechai Nadverno and the High School Robotics Team. The dis- ated this year. The school has invest- Lawrence High School girls. immediate heir of his saintly father, cussion was one of the ways the ed in and made available a variety of Scholarships are still awarded to Reb Avrohom Abba Leifer, zt’l, who school is trying to encourage its Lego kits that students have been deserving female students. Recipients established a magnificent Torah center minority and female population to using at lunch and in the classrooms are given $500 per year for four years consisting of several mosdos in Kiryat explore the worlds of engineering, to build on their math, science, and to help defray the costs of books and Pittsburgh in Israel. math, and science. engineering skills. The school hopes other expenses during their college The Rebbe and his entourage will The presentation began with a to create an interest in these areas of education. This year, the award was iy’H spend Shabbos Parashas Behar,

48 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Havdalah with the Pittsburgher Rebbe.

May 16–17, in Long Beach, where he father, Reb Yoseph Leifer, and before will daven at the Young Israel of Long his relocation to Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Beach and conduct his tischen both Wakslak was extremely close to the Friday night and Shabbos afternoon at previous rebbe and attributes much of the Jackson Hotel, 405 East Broadway his rabbinic vision and outlook to that in Long Beach. very strong influence. This visit, the second in as many It is anticipated that the entire com- years, is especially significant to the munity will participate in this unique mara d’asra of the community, Rabbi opportunity to spend a Shabbos in the Chaim Wakslak, rav of the Young presence of a chassidic rebbe. Many Israel. Rabbi Wakslak grew up in guests and visitors are also expected to Newark, New Jersey, where the come to Long Beach for Shabbos. Rebbe’s father established a beis Anyone wishing to join the Rebbe for midrash prior to his move to Pittsburgh following the petirah of his saintly Continued on Page 51

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 49 Boulevard and Central Avenue. Since beautiful decks, and property. this neighborhood is located in the Nearly every corner on Oakland Town of Hempstead rather than the Avenue features bus stops to every incorporated village, they are also yeshiva serving the Five Towns com- exempt from village taxes. munity, and walking on Shabbos and Over the years, these homes, like yom tov is a joy, with the quieter others, have been renovated, revised, traffic patterns with the many cul- Featured Neighborhood: plus full basements and two-car redone, and redesigned into fabulous de-sacs located there. Cedar Bay Park garages, a real luxury find at that time. living spaces that can compete with People living there find the conven- One of the hidden treasures of the Many different models of spacious the best of what is available with new ience of being within walking distance Five Towns is a neighborhood, which 3- to 6-bedroom splits and high ranch- construction in the Five Towns at pric- of many shuls, including the Agudah comprises parts of Cedarhurst as es also figure prominently here at coming giving you more space for your (which is located in Cedar Bay Park), well as parts of Woodmere, called Shaare Emunah (an Orthodox Cedar Bay Park. Cedar Bay Park was Sephardic congregation), the Red Shul started in the early 1960s and only a few blocks down Oakland includes many additions and contin- Avenue, Shtiebel, the Edward Avenue uing new construction. Walking on Shabbos and yom tov is a joy, shul, Chofetz Chaim, the Island Shul, Many of the homes built in this Young Israel of Woodmere, and even neighborhood feature oversized with the quieter traffic patterns with the Young Israel of North Woodmere. splanches and colonials, where it is Having so many choices has given this not unusual to find 5 or 6 bedrooms on many cul-de-sacs located there. neighborhood a mix of congregants one level as well as huge master bed- from all of the above shuls as well as room suites extending nearly 40 feet in some even further away. O length. Although most of these large homes were built in the late 1960s and petitive pricing, all boasting more buyer dollar. Some of these homes Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a licensed real-estate broker (Anessa V Cohen 1970s, they were considered the over- space than most of the homes available even have extra amenities such as in- Realty) and a licensed N.Y.S. mortgage broker sized homes of the times, featuring from the older sections of Cedarhurst ground swimming pools, cabanas, out- (A.C. Action Mortgage Corp.) with over 20 years over 3,000 square feet of living space and Woodmere between Peninsula door sunrooms, circular driveways, of experience, offering full-service residential and commercial real-estate services in the Five Towns and throughout the tri-state area. She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or via her website, www.AVCrealty.com. Readers are encouraged to send questions or comments to [email protected].

Speak to the kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say to them… (Vayikra 21:1)

“Speak” and “say”—enjoin the elders regarding the youngsters. (Talmud; Rashi) The above dictum, which constitutes a primary Biblical source for the concept of education, also offers insight into the nature of education. The word used by the Talmud and Rashi—lehazhir, “to enjoin”—also means “to shine.” Hence the phrase “to enjoin the elders regarding the youngsters” also translates “to illuminate the elders regarding the youngsters.” Education is not only an elder teaching a youngster; it is also an illumination for the educator.

(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

50 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 49

Shabbos can make reservations to stay at the Jackson Hotel. For the Friday night and Shabbos seudos, call Moshe Robbins at 516-431-3700. A reception and opportunity for private consultation will take place on motzaei Shabbos at the home of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Chaim Wakslak. O

Maimonides Hospital Intent On Buying Every Available Property In Neighborhood Maimonides Hospital (MMC) had agreed to meet with the Boro-Park West Community Association (BPW), to discuss the hospital’s neighborhood development master plan. Local leaders are seriously concerned that the MMC’s recent acquisition of three properties in the heart of the residential area may lead to the destabilization of the community. BPW reported that at last Friday’s meeting with Maimonides Medical Center (MMC), a shocked delegation from the Boro-Park West Community Association (BPW) heard President Pamela S. Brier admit that she had a “mandate” from the hospital’s Board of Trustees to purchase every available property in the vicinity of the hospital. Attending the meeting was a local delegation of rabbanim—Satmar Dayan Rav Moshe Friedman, Rav Meir Simcha Bick, and Rabbi Gershon Tennenbaum—as well as political leaders: Assemblyman Dov Hikind, City Council Majority Leader Bill De Blasio, and City Council (Boro Park) candidate Joe Lazar. A surprise guest was mayoral candidate Tony Avella of Queens, who is currently chairman of the New York City Council Committee on Zoning, Buildings, and Franchises. Rabbi William Handler gave a ten- minute briefing, in which he reported that MMC acquired its high-quality brick two-family houses on 48th and 49th Streets by hiring a real-estate broker who used racial intimidation to frighten and harass residents into selling their homes to MMC. The hospital’s purchases led to the eviction or moving of about 200 Orthodox Jewish families from the neighborhood. President Brier apologized for the “unfortunate” tactics used to acquire these homes: “We’ve been a bad neighbor. But that was in the past. We cannot afford to give up these houses. We need to move on.” Councilman Avello expressed surprise upon hear- ing President Brier state that the hospital had no master plan for development: “In all of New York City,I have never seen a hospital that has no master plan. This is incredible.” Dov Hikind and Bill De Blasio suggested that MMC make an inventory of all its existing real estate holdings in the neighborhood, together with the purpose of each building, and meet with leaders of BPW in June to discuss how the hospital could work harmo- niously with the community to be a “good neighbor.” President Brier closed the meeting by stating that she would not do any construction on the hospital’s

Continued on Page 52 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 51 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS effort is the Bayswater Neighbors Continued from Page 51 Fund, which helps out residents in times of financial need. newly-acquired buildings prior to Due to the recent expansion and the forthcoming meeting in June. growth, the use of the mikveh has, nat- (YeshivaWorldNews.com) O urally, increased greatly. Therefore, the time has come for the Bayswater com- Bayswater Mikveh Fundraising munity to upgrade the Bayswater com- Brunch, May 11 munity mikveh, which opened for use Over the last number of years, the on Rosh Hashanah eight years ago. Bayswater community has enjoyed The mikveh is housed on the grounds phenomenal and continued growth. of the Young Israel of Wavecrest and Young families have moved in at a Bayswater. It is open for use on steady pace, and new faces are wel- Shabbos and yom tov and has been comed in our numerous shuls on a used almost every week since its incep- continual basis. Bayswater is now tion. It is staffed entirely by a dedicat- home to six regular shuls and minyan- ed group of volunteers who are respon- im, as well as Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh, sible for the ongoing functioning of Mesivta of Bayswater, and a new the mikveh. Several community mem- mesivta scheduled to open in the fall of bers are involved in scheduling, book- 2008 under the auspices of Priority-1. keeping, and physical upkeep. Shiurim and opportunities for Torah The mikveh is in dire need of funds learning abound for men, women, and to carry out hoped-for improvements children of all ages. Community events to better serve the growing communi- such as melaveh malkas, chesed events ty. As a result, a brunch to raise for women, and special speakers occur awareness and funds for the mikveh on a regular basis. Led by dynamic and is set to take place on Sunday, May inspiring community rabbanim, the 11, at 10:00 a.m. at the Young Israel Bayswater community is truly a of Wavecrest and Bayswater, 2716 m akom Torah. Healy Avenue in Bayswater. In addition to its Torah strengths, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis is the Bayswater is perhaps best known for scheduled guest speaker. Donations its warm and friendly “out of town” can also be sent to the Bayswater atmosphere. The members of the Community Mikveh Association, c/o community are there to support each Gelbfish, 1123 Bay 25th Street, Far other in numerous ways in times of joy Rockaway, NY 11691. O and times of difficulty. Community members are extremely kind and hos- HAFTR Students Awarded For pitable, and chesed extends through- Original French Poetry out, without regard to shul affiliation. HAFTR High School students used An example of this communitywide their creativity and their command of

52 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES adults to participate in social, recre- Advanced Beginner/Intermediate ational, and intellectual activities. Bridge with Mimi Simon. Five ses- Kosher lunch will be provided and sions, Mondays 1:00-3:00 p.m., start- door-to-door transportation is available ing May 12, $50. on a limited basis on Mondays and An Island Called Home—Returning Thursdays . For further information, to Jewish Cuba by Ruth Behar. please call Mary Sheffield at ext. 219 Monday, May 19, 8:00 p.m. Lecture or Linda Balch at ext. 211. and slide show. Parkinson’s Support Group. The pur- Book Review with Sarajane Gidding, pose of this group is to bring together Thursday, May 15, 10:00 a.m., $25. Parkinsonians, spouses, and their fam- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. ilies in order to help them better Dinner with Friends. Tuesday, May understand the nature of the condi- 13, 7:00 p.m. One of the hardest times tion, gain confidence, and join in com- when living alone is the dinner hour. munity activities. For further informa- Why dine alone when you can dine with tion, please contact Cathy Byrne at friends? Pre-registration is required. ext. 220. Please call Lisa Stern at ext. 209. L–R: Mr. Stanley Blumenstein, HAFTR general-studies principal; Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, rosh Remember When. This program is Intermediate Hebrew with Riki yeshiva of Machon HaTorah; Jonathan Mehl, Shelby Rosenberg, and Ariel Stern (Honorable especially designed for memory Fishbein. Seven sessions, Mondays Mention Awards); Moshe Zauderer (Second Prize, Level 11); Alexander Mehl (First Prize, Level enhancement and socialization. The beginning May 12, 9:30-11:00 a.m., 1); Rebecca Genack (Second Prize, Level 1); Talia Friedman and Alyssa Berman (Honorable Mention Awards); and Madame Adèle Renard Delson, French teacher and advisor. program runs 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. $125. Tuesdays at Congregation Sons of Israeli Dance. Wednesdays, Israel in Woodmere. The cost Advanced Beginners 9:15–10:15 a.m., the French language to compose origi- JCC May Events includes a full range of therapeutic Intermediate/Advanced 10:15 a.m.– nal poetry, which was entered into The JCC of the Greater Five Towns activities, morning beverage, dessert, 12:15 p.m., $10. competition with the work of French has a central location in Cedarhurst at and a kosher lunch. Round-trip, Jewelry Making with Ofra Levin. students at their own levels in the 207 Grove Avenue and several satellite door-to-door, handicapped-accessible Leather lariat, Wednesday, May 14, Concours de Poésie Française, a Long locations around the community. The transportation is available on a limit- 1:00–2:30 p.m., $35. Island-wide competition. central phone number is 516-569- ed basis. Registration is limited, on a Kosher Culinary Institute. Tuesday, Among the winning poems are 6733. first-come, first-served basis to May 13, 10:00 a.m.—Thirty-minute «Colère»/“Anger” by Alexander Mehl, Ongoing Events. ensure maximum benefits to each dinners with Jamie Geller. «Pluie»/“Rain” by Ariel Stern, Cards and Friendship Group. Come participant. Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 p.m.— «Madame de la Chaussure»/“Lady of alone or bring a friend for a fun after- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) group Extra-fancy party cookies with Ruthie the Shoe” by Rebecca Genack, «Qui noon at the JCC. Enjoy meeting new at Sons of Israel in Woodmere. The goal Klagsburn. Tuesday, May 20, 7:00 Suis-Je?»/“Who Am I?” by Shelby people, good conversation, and chal- is to offer a safe haven where clients p.m.—Spectacular cakes with Ruthie Rosenberg, «Salade»/“Salad” by lenging games. Every Wednesday, and family members feel accepted for Klagsburn (baking, not decorating). Jonathan Mehl, «Mon Miracle»/“My 1:00–3:00 p.m. For further informa- who they are. Takes place on Wednesday, May 21, 10:00 a.m.— Miracle” by Alyssa Berman, tion, please call Lisa Stern at ext. 209. Wednesdays. For further information, In-laws coming to dinner? Don’t panic! «Imagination» by Moshe Zauderer, Come Alive Program at Sons of Israel please contact Lisa Barnett (ext. 210) with Jamie Geller. Wednesday, May and «Le Temps»/“Time” by Talia in Woodmere. This program provides or Chana Pfeifer (ext. 213). Friedman. O an opportunity for homebound older Upcoming Events. Continued on Page 54

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 53 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS “Shield of Jerusalem.” At the request of Continued from Page 53 the Stein family, the hachnasat sefer Torah was also in memory of the eight 28, 10:00 a.m.—Pasta dishes for holy students murdered by Arabs in Shavuos with Naomi Nachman. Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav nearly two For further information or to regis- months ago: Doron Meherete, Avraham ter, please call Sheryl Wyszkowski at David Moses, Yonatan Yitzchak Eldar, ext. 222. Note: All cooking classes are Roi Roth, Yonadav Hershfeld, Segev $50; there is a 10 percent discount Pniel Avichayil, Yochai Lifshitz, and offered when registering for three or Neriah Cohen, who were studying more classes. beyond the regular times of Torah learn- Workshop for People With ing and now their blood has been Disabilities. “Communicate towards embedded on the holy pages of Torah, success.” Learn ways to greet everyone Mishnah, Gemara, and halachah. you meet with confidence; communi- The father of Avraham David Moses cate effectively with family members, said that his son’s initials are aleph- friends, teachers, employers, and deci- dalet-mem, and even though the ter- sion makers and gain respect as you rorist took his blood—dalet-mem—it assert and advocate for yourself. This still left the aleph—one G-d, one peo- workshop is scheduled to begin in May. ple, one nation, and one Jerusalem! At the hachnasas sefer Torah in Kidmat Zion. For further information or to register, Today the voices of our brothers’ please call Chana Pfeifer at ext. 213. spilt blood are screaming from the holy Yoga with Raizy Tauber. Mondays, ground of Eretz Yisrael and demanding 8:00-9:00 p.m. and Tuesdays 9:30- a response and action. This hachnasat 10:30 a.m., $15 per class beginning sefer Torah in this neighborhood of on May 5. O Jerusalem is one such response. JRP firmly believes that the Jewish JRP Sponsors Hachnasat Sefer population cannot allow Arab terror- Torah In Kidmat Zion, Jerusalem ism to achieve the goal of forcing us During chol ha’moed Pesach, there out of Israel. They want Jerusalem— was an emotional hachnasat sefer Torah we have to reclaim Jerusalem and add ceremony at the Jerusalem Jewish life to the neighborhoods where Reclamation Project (JRP-Ateret Jewish presence is at a minimum. We Cohanim) fledgling Jewish community have to add Jewish families, children, (six families) of Kidmat Zion, east of and yeshiva students to the Old City the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. and its environs. We have to be the Thanks to the generosity of Cyril supporting backbone for these resi- Stein and his family, a sefer Torah was dents living in the forefront and pro- donated to the new Jewish community vide security and children’s and family and the pioneering families in this vital projects. We have to establish centers neighborhood, which forms part of the of Jewish learning, build synagogues,

54 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES will be relaunched by a private opera- service to Far Rockaway at $6 a trip. tor in July, and expanded East River The result will be ferry service that ferry service is expected to begin in two offers an unprecedented degree of years. The city will also be analyzing convenience and affordability. additional launch locations across the The second phase of the plan will fur- five boroughs as it looks to expand and ther expand East River service by adding encourage ferry ridership. new stops at North Williamsburg and At the announcement at the Brooklyn Greenpoint in Brooklyn. Studies con- Army Terminal, Mayor Bloomberg and ducted by EDC and DOT have conclud- Speaker Quinn were joined by DOT ed that this arrangement on the East Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, River will provide the most useful serv- Economic Development Corporation ice for commuters in Manhattan, President Seth Pinsky, United States Queens, and Brooklyn. This phase of Representatives Carolyn Maloney and the plan will also include the construc- Jerrold Nadler, and New York City tion of a new landing at Roosevelt Council Member Sarah Gonzalez. Island that will be used by a private While previous attempts to connect operator. EDC has budgeted funds to the boroughs with ferry service have begin the design phase of this service, had mixed results, plans for the new and there is $4.4 million in federal service differ in important ways. The transportation funds secured by and have ceremonies such as this Landing in Far Rockaway to the NYC Council, DOT, and EDC are cur- Congressmembers Jerrold Nadler and hachnasat sefer Torah throughout all Brooklyn Army Terminal to Pier 11 on rently working with the MTA to con- Carolyn Maloney, matched with $1.1 sectors of Jerusalem, especially in the South Street will connect commuters nect ferry landings with bus service, million split from the Bloomberg eastern neighborhoods of the city. in Brooklyn and Southern Queens providing commuters an important Administration and the City Council. More than 250 people attended the with Lower Manhattan. layer of convenience traveling to and The federal funds will be used to con- ceremony on Pesach, which included Additional East River ferry service from their destinations. In addition, struct the ferry landings at Greenpoint singing and dancing on the mountain from Pier 11 and 34th Street to Long city funding secured by Councilman of Kidmat Zion and moving speeches Island City and South Williamsburg Joseph Addabbo will cap the cost of Continued on Page 56 by Cyril Stein, Rabbi Waldman (Kiryat Arba), Rabbi Shapiro, Rabbi Yerachmiel Weiss (Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav), and Reb Shmuel Gottfried (part owner of Beit Sara). Today, there are two residential buildings on the massive property (intended for a future neighborhood of 280–300 units), with six families, a hospitality room for visitors, and a small but functioning beit knesset. These two buildings are owned by Jews from around the world; one is called Beit HaAchim and the second is Beit Sara, named in memory of Sara Blaustein who was murdered by Arab terrorists on the road from Efrat to Jerusalem a few years ago. In the years 1924–1928, 210 Jews from a Jewish cooperative society pur- chased about 180 acres (nearly 600 dunams) of land in Kidmat Zion, near Abu Dis and east of the Mount of Olives. The neighborhood was never established, but the land remained owned by Jews. Unfortunately, 70 percent of the land is today the village of Abu Dis, with illegal Arab building on nearly all parcels of land. On the 30 percent remaining, JRP-Ateret Cohanim hopes to build hundreds of residential units and a thriving Jewish community. This hachnasat sefer Torah is another vital step in realizing this dream. For more information about the activities of JRP-Ateret Cohanim and possible projects and investments, please contact Shani Hikind at the New York office, 212-216-9270 or the head of the Jerusalem office, Daniel Luria at [email protected]. Ateret Cohanim- JRP is scheduled to hold its annual dinner on Monday evening, June 2, in New York. For information and reservations, please call the New York office. O

NYC Announces Ferry Service From Rockaways, Williamsburg Elected officials announced on Monday that key parts of a plan to bring ferry service to all five boroughs of New York City will begin next week, on May 12, when a new city-subsidized route from Far Rockaway to Lower Manhattan starts service. The route, which will run from Riis 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 55 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Transit Administration, Federal and emotional domains. an emergency). Parents and others in Continued from Page 55 Highway Administration, New York The presenters at the program the United States and Canada can State Department of Transportation, include Dr. David Pelcovitz, the reach the Eye Squad in Israel by dial- and North Williamsburg as well as the and Port Authority. O Strauss Professor of Education and ing toll-free 866-550-4EYE. dock at Roosevelt Island. Psychology at the Azrieli School of Synagogues and organizations who In addition, the City Council will pro- Shanah Aleph In Israel: Preparing Jewish Education at Yeshiva University wish to obtain more information about vide approximately $500,000 to fund an For The Post-High-School Year, and an expert in child psychology; the Shanah Aleph program on May 13 in-depth study to be conducted by city May 13 Elisheva Kaminetsky, the director of should contact Rebbetzin Judi Steinig agencies and outside consultants of Understanding the implications of religious guidance at the Stella K. at 212-929-1525, ext. 103, or potential sites in all five boroughs capa- sending a child to Israel and making Abraham High School for Girls; Rabbi [email protected]. O ble of supporting new ferry service, appropriate decisions for the post- Hershel Billet, the mara d’asra of the including Riverdale, Orchard Beach, high-school year are issues that affect Young Israel of Woodmere and a mem- Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep At Ferry Point, Soundview, and Hunts parents of 11th- and 12th-grade stu- ber of the Eye Squad Advisory Board; Laser Reflections Point in the Bronx; LaGuardia Airport dents. These matters will be addressed Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell, the director of By Rochelle Maruch Miller and Astoria in Queens; Bay Ridge and at an important program which is the Eye Squad and NCYI’s director of About one-fifth of American Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn; and 125th being sponsored by the National Israel operations; and Rebbetzin Judi women have excessive or unwanted Street, East 20th Street, East 75th Council of Young Israel (NCYI), the Steinig, director of programming for facial hair, which negatively affects Street, and East 90th Street in Eye Squad, the Young Israel of NCYI. the quality of life of many individuals. Manhattan. Analysis is already under Woodmere, the Council of Young “This unique program will provide Indeed, unwanted hair can result in way for service to Camp St. Edward on Israel Rabbis in Israel, and Ezrat critical information for parents to feelings of embarrassment or emo- Staten Island, and EDC is issuing a Chayim/Jewish Board of Family and educate them regarding their child’s tional burden that may impede rela- Request for Proposals for a consultant Children’s Services. post-high-school plans,” said tionships or daily activities. to study Coney Island ferry service. The “What Every Parent Needs to Rebbetzin Steinig, creator of the Adequate methods for hair removal study will include an analysis of the Know—Shanah Aleph in Israel: Shanah Aleph program. “Parents need have long been in demand; long-term ferry market within the five boroughs Preparing for the Post-High School to be made aware of the changes that hair removal with minimal adverse and will be used to plan new routes that Year” will take place on Tuesday night, often take place during the Israel effects is the ultimate goal. Laser hair will take pressure off of crowded trans- May 13, at 8:00 p.m. at the Young Israel experience in order to properly plan removal has become well-established portation routes and connect areas of of Woodmere, 859 Peninsula Boulevard for this transformational year.” as a highly effective form of treatment the city currently underserved by mass in Woodmere. This new program comes in the for unwanted hair. Hair-removal lasers transit with new transportation options. “What Every Parent Needs to wake of another recent NCYI initia- have been in use since 1997, and the The city is also participating in a Port Know…Shanah Aleph in Israel: tive, the Eye Squad, which is designed Food and Drug Administration has Authority study that will examine the Preparing for the Post-High-School to assist the 7,000 post-high-school approved it for “permanent hair reduc- commuter ferry network from a region- Year” was developed to prepare parents North Americans who spend a year tion.” The procedure has become al perspective. The Metropolitan of 11th- and 12th-grade students who studying in Israel. The Eye Squad pro- extremely popular because of its speed Waterfront Alliance, a region-wide are planning to spend a year studying vides a confidential, independent 24- and efficacy, dependent upon the skill coalition of 329 organizations and com- in Israel after high school. Although hour hotline for students who are and experience of the laser operator. munity groups, praised the leadership of the transforming nature of the year in experiencing any type of distress. The Laser hair removal is a medical pro- the mayor, the speaker, the council, and Israel commonly manifests itself phone number to reach the Eye Squad cedure that uses laser light—an intense, the New York Congressional delegation. through changes in religious belief and in Israel is *9111, which can be dialed pulsating beam of light—to remove hair. Many of the above initiatives also observance, it equally impacts atti- from any phone throughout Israel, It works by passing a light beam through make use of funding from the Federal tudes and behaviors in familial, social, 24/7 (including on Shabbat if there is the skin. The laser targets dark pigment,

56 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES called melanin, in hair. When the light can only affect the currently actively beam hits the hair follicle, where hair growing follicles, several sessions are growth originates, the intense heat needed to kill hair in all phases of destroys the hair follicle instantly. growth. During your consultation, Elky Although laser hair removal does not will determine whether you are a suit- guarantee permanent hair removal, it able candidate for laser hair removal. If does extend the hair-free period, which the procedure is right for you, she will can vary from several months to many give you an up-front and honest evalu- years. With multiple treatments, long- ation and let you know how many ses- term hair removal is possible. sions you will need. Be assured that Hair color and skin type are the key any questions and concerns that you factors that influence the success of may have will be answered and laser hair removal. It is most success- addressed, patiently and expertly. ful on people with dark hair and light Usually, treatments are spaced 3 to 12 skin. It can, however, also be used weeks apart to start, although the spac- safely on individuals with darker skin ing depends upon individual response to types. Laser hair removal does not treatment. Rather than follow an arbi- work for white, blonde, light brown, or trary schedule, you should wait until you light red hair. have experienced shedding of the treated To optimize your success and reduce hairs, which should complete within 2 to your risks, we recommend that you 3.5 weeks. Treatment spacing also choose Laser Reflections. Setting stan- depends on the area treated. dards of excellence in laser hair The efficacy of hair removal with removal, Laser Reflections has five each laser system is superior to other, locations, including a state-of-the-art more conventional treatments such as office in Woodmere. We spoke with waxing, shaving, or electrolysis. Active Elky Kohn, one of the owners of Laser communication must exist between Reflections and an expert in her field. the clinician and the patient regarding Prior to scheduling laser hair removal, indications, expectations, and treat- Elky consults with every client to dis- ment goals before laser-assisted hair cuss the factors that determine removal treatment begins. whether the procedure is likely to work At Laser Reflections, open commu- for her. During this discussion, you and nication exists at all times, from the Elky will talk about risks and benefits. initial consultation to the follow-up. Elky’s reputation for honesty and Indeed, the safety, success, and com- integrity is peerless. She will explain fort of every patient’s treatment is of what laser hair removal can and can’t do paramount importance. That Laser for you and what your results might be. Reflections is the gold standard of laser The number of sessions depends on hair removal is attested to by their ros- various parameters. In addition, since hair grows in several phases and lasers Continued on Page 58

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 57 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Optimizing Your Finances In Israel, May 18 Continued from Page 57 Nefesh B’Nefesh is sponsoring a pre- ter of highly satisfied clients. At Laser aliyah finance seminar to be held on Reflections, beauty is more than skin Sunday, May 18, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. deep. Call them today at 718-436- at the Holiday Inn JFK, 144-02 135th 2016 to schedule your consultation Street, Jamaica, NY. The seminar, called ( see ad on Page 70). O “Optimizing your finances in Israel” will feature two experts, Philip L. Stein, Have A Health And Fitness Worry? CPA, and Debbie Rosen-Solow, attorney Ask Sensei Warren Levi. at law, who will discuss finances, tax Question. Dear Sensei Warren, I issues, and real estate in Israel. don’t have time to work out. What do Topics include financial planning you suggest? and budgeting, the new tax laws in .Answer Exercising on a regular Israel and how they affect you, and basis brings a multitude of benefits, buying and renting your home in both from a physical and mental per- Israel. For more information or to reg- spective. Exercise releases endorphins ister, go to w ww.nbn.org.il/seminars. in our bodies which produce a feeling Warren Levi There will also be one-on-one NBN Sam Chanin of well-being. You should: pre-aliyah meetings in Manhattan, • Schedule a workout time as if it is Queens, and Teaneck, May an important appointment that cannot Sensei Warren Levi is a fifth-degree 13–May18, by appointment only. Visit rent bottled water coolers. You know be canceled. Don’t allow anything to black belt who has won numerous www.nbn.org.il/121 or call 1-866-4- the pitch: better product at a cheaper distract you during this time and don’t world karate championships. He holds ALIYAH. O price. It piqued my interest, so I make any excuses not to keep your a degree in physical education. Warren brought him in to Sam to discuss the “appointment”; runs a successful owner-operated mar- Outside Ventures: A Growing matter. Sam listens intently, and even- • Regard your workout as important tial arts and fitness studio in Business That Gives Back To The tually agrees to purchase the system and as habitual as brushing your teeth Lawrence. Lessons are given for ages 3 Community for our company. As he leaves, I could or taking a shower; and up. Group classes are given in By Efraim Jaffe see the wheels turning inside Sam’s • Determine when your energy lev- boot-camp fitness, abs and jump rope, “Sam takes an existing business and head. He sits silently for a minute or els are at their “highest” and make a traditional Japanese Shotokan karate adds steroids to it,” remarks Meyer two and then suddenly blurts out, ‘Get time to exercise accordingly; for exam- (separate male and female), boxing, (Marcus) Clapman of Outside that guy back in here! We’re going into ple, if you are a “morning person,” Tai Chi, street self-defense (krav Ventures LLC. “He thinks way outside the water business!’” wake up half an hour earlier; maga), Brazilian ju-jitsu, Russian of the box.” Clapman is admiringly Six months later the partnership was • Not regard a workout as some- sambo, and Muay Thai. Private lessons referring to Sam Chanin, 31, CEO of formalized and the company emerged thing to fit into your hectic life, but are available on request. Outside Ventures. as “Watermatic,” now the top-selling rather as something to help you “cope” If you have questions or comments Clapman describes the genesis of “point of use” water system in the NYC with your hectic life; or would like a customized daily fitness one of the company’s recent ventures. area. That’s classic Sam Chanin: take • Undertake a training schedule for routine, please contact Warren at “A year and a half ago, a businessman an ordinary business, mix in a heavy yourself that you know you will be able [email protected] or 516- approached me with a water purifica- dose of hard work and creative energy, to sustain and enjoy. 569-0808. O tion system that could replace our cur- and soon it’s growing by leaps and

58 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES bounds and gearing up to go national. help create a supportive environ- expanding business empire ever HaAtzma’ut This Year?—The essence I’ve returned to Outside Ventures ment. As Chanin proudly states, “My become overwhelming? “Not at all,” of Religious Zionism.” after more than a year (5TJT, April biggest nachas is attending a simcha Chanin exults through a wide smile. “I • Shabbos morning following 30, 2007) to again interview the col- of one of our guys who we took off thrive on new challenges!” Watermatic, Musaf, he will deliver the derashah: orful and vibrant CEO on the the streets. We get involved with our as well as Outside Ventures’ extensive “The unique perspective of HaRav anniversary of their move to 55 Broad employees in a way that other busi- line of merchant services, can be Issachar Teichtal, zt’l, regarding the Street, diagonally across from the nesses often aren’t willing to. Sure we reached at 877-700-7947. O establishment of the State of Israel— New York Stock Exchange. provide them with a parnassah, but The response of worldwide Orthodox Chanin provides an historic overview we also strive to give them the tools Rabbi Weinreb Celebrates Israel At Jewry to this historic event.” of the company, and pinpoints a key they need to create a successful life. 60 At The White Shul, May 9–10 • At seudah shelishis at 7:30 p.m.: decision he made three years ago to My ultimate goal is for them to be Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive “The distinct hashkafic approach of start a non-profit organization, independent and not need me.” vice-president of the Orthodox Union, is the great European Chassidic masters “Education, Empowerment & Again, classic Sam Chanin: making scheduled to be the scholar-in-residence to the creation of the State of Israel— Employment.” The idea was to help get sure that business and chesed are as Congregation Kneseth Israel (the The realization of events leading up to troubled youths off the streets and inextricably linked. White Shul) in Far Rockaway observes the footsteps of the Messiah and the focus them on earning money and Chanin is constantly seeking new Yom HaAtzma’ut, Shabbos Parsahas Redemption.” being productive. “I relate to these kids, frontiers to conquer. His business Emor (5 Iyar) in celebration of the 60th The shul invites men, women, and and they can intuitively tell that I care. activities have recently expanded to anniversary of the State of Israel. young people to hear Rabbi Weinreb We started this program; a little work, a include a concierge service for travel- The OU has called on all its mem- speak. O little education, a little Torah learning, ers to Israel, and another company ber congregations across North but the business part quickly took over which caters to national and interna- America to create special program- The Sulitza Tehillim Kollel Of and they became full-time employees.” tional kosher travelers. One of his ming for this extraordinary Shabbos. Yerushalayim – Annual Ladies “I wanted to create a unique environ- more unique ventures is an Israeli Yom HaAtzma’ut falls this year on Brunch, May 18 ment for these guys to work in. The first fish-farming business which was dis- Thursday, May 8 (3 Iyar). By Leanne Schwartz step was to make Judaism accessible in placed due to the Gaza pullout, Rabbi Weinreb is to speak three The phone can ring anytime, day or a way that people could appreciate it. which has now set up on a beach in times: night. Someone has a bakashah, a No coercion, no expectations, no guilt.” Turkey to grow and sell fish. • Friday evening at 9:00: “How Today, that vision has blossomed Does managing his diverse and ever- would Rav Kook zt’l celebrate Yom Continued on Page 60 into a veritable “shulchan aruch” where every imaginable amenity is readily available. A mini-shul, complete with a sefer Torah, hums with daily minyanim for Shacharis, Minchah, and Ma’ariv. Two dynamic rabbis offer daily shiurim as well as one-on-one learning and spiritual counseling. An onsite kosher cafeteria allows employees of all backgrounds to mingle freely in a family atmosphere within a corporate structure. “I knew that once the spirituality was available, we had to get guys in contact with a counselor who could help them work through some of the issues that had attracted them to the streets in the first place.” While in the process of looking for that unique type of professional, an unexpected turn of events made the search all the more urgent. A while back, one the company’s most popular employees suddenly died. At barely 18, the charismatic young man was cut down in the prime of his life. “People were really torn up around here. Ruchama Bistritzky- Clapman (executive director of MASK–Mothers and Fathers Aligned Saving Kids) referred us to Moshe Borowski, a top grief therapist. Once he got here the group wouldn’t let him leave. Now, he comes in once a week and deals with all sorts of personal and professional issues that staff want to discuss.” “As business continued to grow, new issues arose. Kids moved out of their parents’ homes, some abandoned their old neighborhoods. People had access to money, new friends, new nisyonos. We decided to add another piece to the puzzle, and we now have a counselor with an expertise in substance abuse on staff as well.” Spirituality. Mental health. And what about the physical side of life? To complete Chanin’s vision of a holistic workplace, an expert in massage therapy was brought in to deal with some of the stresses that result from working in a fast-paced Wall Street setting. Chanin sees the talent and potential in his employees, regardless of their histories and struggles. He sur- rounds them with role models who 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 59 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS community safe. And so it did. Continued from Page 59 Today the kollel has lists and lists of names, and each and every day request. They may need extra tefillos for throughout the year their tefillos and a refuah sheleimah, parnasah, a shidduch, ours are brought to the Kisei or success in a business transaction. HaKavod. The kollel serves every- Yitzchok would be undergoing major body in need, especially those from surgery on Tuesday. On Sunday, the our community. We all know that kollel was already davening with his when a Jew is in need, every tefillah name—and they did not stop until they and every act of chesed, when it is were told Yitzchok’s surgery was com- combined with the tefillos of a pure pletely successful. Fraidy needed a shid- kollel in Eretz Yisrael will always be duch. She did everything she was sup- accepted by Hashem. posed to do—but the kollel davened On Sunday, May 18, the kollel will with her name until the day of her cha- have its annual Ladies Brunch at the sunah . Avram lost his business. Things home of Mrs. Leanne Schwartz, 715 were getting very difficult. No stone Empire Avenue in West Lawrence. was left unturned. The Tehillim said in Please save the date. All women are his name for parnasah didn’t stop until welcome. The brunch is in memory of Avram found something productive. R’ Tzvi Menachem Greenwald and In the 1970s, tidings around the the Sulitza Rebbetzin, a’h, both world were dismal for many Jews. As a exceptional personalities who dav- result, in 1981, the Sulitza Rebbe, ened and said Tehillim for the benefit together with his rebbetzin, founded a of K’lal Yisrael. May we all be zocheh Tehillim kollel based at the Kotel, at to see the coming of Mashiach, the closest area facing Har HaBayis. bimheirah b’yameinu. O The kollel was to recite the entire Tehillim, with a minyan present, every Michael Tully day of the year. At that time, no such Builds Portable Aron For Kulanu, kollel existed, and no one was allowed Earns Rank Of Eagle Scout under the archway gates of the inner- Michael Tully of North Merrick most Kotel wall. built and dedicated a portable aron The Rebbe and Rebbetzin began kodesh (ark) to be added to Kulanu’s saying the entire Tehillim daily, and so simcha rental program. Alyssa Sterba, did their kollel. The tefillos of ten Kulanu’s fundraising chairperson, gra- temimusdik Yerushalmis reciting the ciously accepted the aron and present- entire Tehillim in the holiest place in ed Michael with a certificate of appre- the world, together with our own tefil- ciation. Michael worked for more than los, was sure to help any Yid anywhere 70 hours to build a lightweight and in need—and certainly it would help to keep our Five Towns/West Lawrence Continued on Page 62

60 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 61

AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Michael. Through his efforts, Michael families with special needs. Continued from Page 60 was able to attain the level of Eagle Kulanu is a local Jewish organization Scout, a significant achievement in open to all people with disabilities. functional aron that can easily be scouting. Kulanu will rent this special Kulanu provides inclusion, consultation, transported for weekend simchas. Fred aron, along with Torahs, siddurim, and training, support, and advocacy services in Schornstein, a resident of chumashim, to local families, with all social, religious, and educational areas to Woodsburgh and a dedicated crafts- proceeds benefiting the many pro- individuals and families with special man and Kulanu volunteer, assisted grams provided for individuals and needs. For further information on Kulanu programs, please visit www.kulanukids .org or call 516-569-3083. O

OU Announces Next Executive Vice-President: Rabbi Steven Weil The Orthodox Union announced this week that Rabbi Steven Weil, 42, senior rabbi at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, Calif., has been selected to assume the position of executive vice- president (chief professional officer) of Rabbi Steven Weil the OU, effective July 1, 2009. Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, who has occu- pied the position since 2002, will transi- Beth Jacob in Beverly Hills, an OU tion to the newly created position of members synagogue and the largest executive vice-president emeritus to Orthodox congregation outside the allow him to spend more time writing, metropolitan New York area, Rabbi lecturing, and representing the OU in Weil served as rabbi of Young Israel of L–R: Michael Tully, Jacob Cutler, Michael Motley, and Keith McCloat, many different areas. Oak Park in Michigan, also an OU all members of Boy Scouts Troop 103. Prior to his eight-year leadership at member synagogue. The appointment of Rabbi Weil was approved by the OU’s executive committee following a six-month national search. A statement issued by Stephen J. Savitsky, president of the OU, said, “We are extremely pleased that Rabbi Steven Weil will be joining us as executive vice-president of the Orthodox Union. Rabbi Weil has demonstrated in both his positions in Beverly Hills and Detroit that he is a remarkable leader. He brings energy, vision, and an incredible work ethic to this position. We look forward to his leadership and building on the great foundation that has been established by Rabbi Weinreb. Rabbi Weil is a native of upstate New York and a graduate of Yeshiva University. Concurrently with his rabbinical training at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, he received an MBA in Finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business. In addition to his leadership at Beth Jacob in Beverly Hills, he dedicates his energies to serving the Harkham-Hillel Hebrew Academy, to mentoring many top young rabbis in the U.S., and to lecturing around the world as scholar-in-residence for such organizations as the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the United Jewish Communities. A dynamic visionary with remarkable success in organizing institutions and financing charities, Rabbi Weil has also been honored by President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Governor Schwarzenegger, and Beverly Hills Mayors Webb and Delshad to deliver the invocations for them on numerous occasions. He and his wife Yael devote themselves to raising their three boys and four girls. “There are untold numbers of Jews across the country,” said Rabbi Weil, “who are missing out on a real connection to the richness and beauty of Jewish life because they don’t have the resources, critical numbers, nor tools for growth. It is my dream that this position will afford me the opportunity to help them build the kinds of programs and experience the opportunities that they richly deserve.” O

Continued on Page 66 62 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES ly on the progress of the Lanett play- gives us a grand total of more than ground redesign. For those of you that $2.3 million. Currently, Boomie have missed it, here is three years in a Pinter, president of the West Lawrence few sentences: Recognizing the growing Civic association, is working on coor- population of children in Far Rockaway, dinating all parties involved in the a number of community leaders deter- project to ensure a seamless execution mined that there was inadequate recre- of the park redesign. Stay tuned to this ational facilities in the vicinity. Lanett column for updates. playground was identified as a commu- Hit The Waters nity asset but in great need of updating Breaking News! and repair. As was reported here, the city is plan- The Parks Department projected the ning on creating a ferry service from Welcome back. I have received a lot of beach behind the hotel. While many expense for such a project to be Rockaway to Manhattan. According to a feedback about my article published two were complimenting the Schechter around $2.2 million. Through ongoing press release by the mayor’s office (pro- weeks ago in this paper, entitled “Pesach family for their thoughtfulness in lobbying with city agencies, advocacy vided to me by Y. Phillip Goldfeder, hotels.” While I felt that it was more of a arranging such a visual sensation for the groups and elected officials, a commit- campaign manager for Councilman response to the statement published in guests, I had the inside scoop that this Simcha Felder, candidate for a yet-to- Mishpacha magazine that Pesach hotels was just a chance occurrence that was be-announced citywide campaign that were “the single greatest threat to not planned by anyone other than the would be most appropriate for a CPA Yiddishkeit” some felt that I inadvertent- sea turtle. The female returns to with many years of experience as a city ly promoted Pesach hotels, and that This was not your average little tur- auditor), that service will begin on May since I failed to mention that I do partic- tle. It was huge. I have no idea how the beach of its birth… 12. Ferry service will begin at Riis ipate in a Pesach hotel program at the much it weighed but it was over six feet Landing in the Gateway National Ramada Marco Polo in Sunny Isles long and four feet wide. According to I’m sure there is a usable Recreation Area on the west end of the Florida (make your reservations now for Wikipedia, the leatherback is the parable in that Rockaway Peninsula and stop at the Pesach 2009) I was somehow being largest of all turtles. According to the Brooklyn Army terminal in Bay Ridge deceptive. So let me officially disclose Guinness Book of World Records “the somewhere. before going on to Pier 11 at Wall Street that I do attend a Pesach hotel program. leatherback turtle listed as having in lower Manhattan. The trip end-to- So if in reading my prior article you achieved the fastest speed of any reptile end is scheduled to be one hour, and found any leaning toward my belief that at a speed of 9.8 meters per second due to local and federal subsidies, will Pesach hotels are not the greatest threat (35.28 kilometers per hour).” Perhaps ment of $650,000 from councilman cost only $6 each way. The current to Yiddishkeit, you now may assume that what is most interesting about the James Sanders as well as a design schedule has only two ferries a day in I have arrived at this conclusion partial- leatherback sea turtle is that despite liv- grant from NYers for Parks was each direction. There is a 5:45 and a ly or solely on the basis that I participate ing primarily out in the open ocean secured in early 2007 as well as an 7:45 a.m. Manhattan bound, and a in this alleged threat. many hundreds of miles from land, the administrative grant from Assembly- return at 4:30 p.m. and at 6:30 p.m. In any case… for me it was a Pesach female returns to the beach of its birth woman Audrey Pheffer. A state grant of Special summer weekend ferries are to of nature. In addition to being merci- to lay its eggs. I’m sure there is a usable $500,000 was given in late 2007. And be announced soon. lessly attacked by jellyfish the day before parable in that somewhere. now I am pleased to report that I have Well, that’s it for now. Enjoy the Pesach, on the last night of Pesach a Anyway, on to the news from The been informed that Queens Borough spring weather and we’ll be in touch… O huge leatherback sea turtle emerged Rock. As many regular readers know, President Helen Marshall has allocat- Eli Shapiro can be reached at his group “I love from the ocean to lay its eggs on the this column has reported fairly regular- ed $1.2 million for the project. This Hock of the Rock” at facebook.com.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 63 64 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 65 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS teshuvah told me she likes imagining talking to their friends in the U.S. I to see how each of my kids was man- Continued from Page 62 what her religious friends would be tutored them when they needed four aging. She gave me all the time I like if they grew up as she did—with- hours for homework assignments that needed, called others on my behalf, Hakshiva Helps Families out Judaism. She told me that she took everyone else 20 minutes. I tried and recommended other experienced Making Aliyah envisioned me wearing a leather to keep their spirits up when they felt professionals to help as necessary. Aliyah has become a hot topic skirt, driving wildly on a motorcycle. they couldn’t make friends immedi- Mentors were subsidized by throughout the Jewish world. Many Actually, my life’s been pretty tame. I ately. But when they started skipping Hakshiva, and Adi’s countless hours people consider it, most have an opin- went to an all-girls high school, school because they couldn’t handle of advice and patient listening were ion on it, and virtually everyone is studied in Israel, graduated from feeling stupid all day, I needed more provided free of charge. I don’t know talking about it. Everyone knows Stern, and went on to graduate than a shoulder to cry on. When they how I could have managed without someone who has gone within the school. I never bungee jumped, sky- refused to accept phone calls from this help. past few years, and stories of their dived, or drove a motorcycle. I never friends and sank into depression, I Each professional I visited charged process in acclimating to life in Eretz even skied. Once I drove 75 miles needed practical advice. enormous fees, yet each one only Yisrael are an important part of Jewish per hour in the Van Wyck’s right I made numerous phone calls; I looked at the specific child he was consciousness today. lane. But that’s it. Until last sum- heard stories of kids who were initially dealing with for 45 minutes at a Ramat Bet Shemesh is one of the mer. Then I did something wild and similarly depressed and eventually time. Adi looked at the entire picture most popular destinations for North crazy: I made aliyah with two adjusted. But there were no guaran- and helped me feel more hopeful. American aliyah. A community that teenagers. And let me tell you, tees. Some never felt comfortable and Every conversation I had with her attracts a wide swath of Orthodox bungee jumping is nothing. gradually lost all self-esteem and even raised my spirits. She competently Jewry, RBS has become a testing I chose to live in Ramat Bet their desire to live. I didn’t know where validated all my feelings, laughed grounds of sorts of the most recent Shemesh because I thought the to turn. Did I need psychologists, and cried with me, encouraged me in wave of immigration. Hakshiva, an American community there would tutors, or mentors? Where could I find my attempts to help my children, and organization focused on seeing all the provide an easier adjustment for my the right individuals for my children? offered me names of people to see, children and teens in RBS maximize children. The people here were won- How could I get my kids to agree to go methods of discussing sensitive top- their potential, has played a pivotal derful. They invited us for meals, sent for help? How could I afford all this, ics with my children, and ways of role in helping hundreds of children over cakes and flowers, and provided now that my family’s salary was one approaching teachers or handling navigate the challenges of acclimat- us with mattresses and dressers until fourth what it was in the U.S.? difficult situations. ing to life in Eretz Yisrael. Through our lift arrived. Strangers in the I called Hakshiva the minute my While my family’s difficulties are its various mentoring programs, as supermarket spent 20 minutes help- friend mentioned its name. Adi Kahn, not yet over, I know that Hakshiva will well as its parental support program, ing me figure out which cream cheese an experienced social worker, patiently continue to be there for me. They will Hakshiva helps guide families so that would most closely resemble listened to my entire story, gently prob- give me the emotional support and the they can fully realize their dream of Philadelphia. They constantly ing for details and specific examples in psychological direction I need so I can making aliyah in a happy and healthy checked in to see how we were doing. the troubled lives of my children. With help my children without draining my fashion. Women I’d never met before offered her natural warmth and innate intu- limited funds. With G-d’s help, The following stories were written to talk anytime I wanted, and shoul- ition, she both soothed me and advised Hakshiva will allow me to actualize my by parents who have benefited from ders to cry on any time I needed. me. We began with a tutor/mentor for dream of living in Israel. Hakshiva’s services, describing some of At first I was fine. I tolerated my my son who would help him keep up N NN the challenges they have faced in real- kids’ complaints that school was with his classes while keeping an eye It has been eight months since my izing their dreams. starting in August here. I gently on him socially and serving as an ear to family and I made aliyah . So far, the NNN pushed them to sleep when all they him if he was interested. intensity of both the lows and the A friend of mine who is a baalat wanted to do was stay up all night Adi checked in with me constantly highs of our k’litah have been greater

66 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES than what we expected. with a tutor—having a good R CA Statement Regarding in their respective jurisdic- Israel’s Chief Rabbi Rav After the children (three time and sharing feelings and A Ruling Of The Israeli tions, the Rabbinical Council Shlomo Moshe Amar, who is girls and one boy, ages 13, 11, experiences with someone he Rabbinical Appeals Court of America finds it necessary also the president of the 8, and 7) started school in trusts, and who, without “You (plural) shall not to state for the record that in Rabbinical Courts System of September, half of the family Eliyahu realizing it, is help- oppress the convert in your our view the ruling itself, as Israel, that in releasing this wanted to move back to New ing him adjust to his new land.” (Vayikra 19:33) well as the language and tone ruling the court in question York. Our 13-year-old daugh- environment. Commentary of the Netziv: thereof, are entirely beyond directly countermanded his ter, Racheli, was miserable in B’ezrat Hashem it will not “The plural form of the verse the pale of acceptable instructions and policies. He school. She did not feel wel- take too long before Eliyahu teaches us that a third party halachic practice, violate has confirmed that the ruling come; she felt that she “did has the tools to appreciate the who sees the oppression of a numerous Torah laws regard- has no legal standing at this not exist,” she felt “invisible.” beauty and the joy of living in convert and does not protest ing converts and their fami- time. We commend Rav Our 8-year-old son, Eliyahu, Eretz Yisrael. I still look in won- is also guilty of oppression.” lies, create a massive desecra- Amar for his positive role in was crying every morning and der all around me, because Having reviewed the ruling tion of G-d’s name, insult out- this matter since its very begging me to let him stay everybody is Jewish! I am not of the Bet Din Elyon [the standing rabbinic leaders and inception in the Ashdod home. He just could not the rare religious woman cov- Rabbinic Court of Appeals of halachic scholars in Israel, regional court. understand or accept, let ering her hair; I am another Israel which nullified certain and are a reprehensible cause We add our rabbinic voice to alone deal with, the Israeli Jew among Jews! True, it is not conversions performed by the of widespread conflict and those of others who have called boys’ toughness. Not under- easy. But an easy life is not a State Conversion Authority animosity within the Jewish for a thorough review and standing a word of their Jewish goal. Getting closer to led by Rabbi Chaim people in Israel and beyond. repudiation of the actions of a Hebrew, he felt extremely vul- Hashem is our goal. Druckman] in detail, and The RCA is appalled that select few of the Bet Din nerable, lonely, and scared. May Hashem grant us the being fully mindful of the such a ruling has been issued Elyon, who in this ruling as in My husband has two jobs, strength to become united as we respect due the rulings of duly by that court. baruch Hashem, but he is not grow closer to Him. Amen. O constituted rabbinical courts We have been assured by Continued on Page 80 earning even half of what he was earning in New York with one job. When somebody put an offer to buy our house in New York, he was not sure anymore whether he wanted to sell it or keep it, in case we moved back. My two other daughters and I have loved Ramat Bet Shemesh since the first day we arrived. Five months later, Racheli has made new friends. My husband’s salary has not changed, but he has agreed to wait at least one year before making any decisions. At this point, only our son, Eliyahu, is asking us every day to move back to America. B’ezrat Hashem, one day he will stop asking. Of course, there are some things that he likes in Israel. He loves the cats, whose population must be about half the size of the squirrel population of New York. I love watching Eliyahu sitting in our back- yard caressing four kittens that adopted us since we started feeding them. He loved Purim here. I cannot say, though, that he loves the freedom and safety of walking everywhere. He would if he was not so afraid of the “tough boys” out in the streets, and if he had the language to communicate with people. He feels safe out there only when he is with somebody from his family, or with Rabbi Katz. Rabbi Katz is one of Hakshiva’s wonderful mentors. Rabbi Katz and Eliyahu go out for an hour or more once a week. I do not know exactly what they do, but Eliyahu loves to go out with him. They walk down to the mercaz (shopping center). Sometimes they learn Torah. They talk a lot. One time they came back with a sack full of cat food. I don’t ask much about what they do. What I see is that Eliyahu has one hour a week out of home—but not in school or 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 67 Pollard’s Release Would Boost National Morale

B Y HILLEL FENDEL Mrs. Pollard added that the Americans themselves “would look With President Bush on his way to favorably on a principled request of Israel next week for Israel’s 60th birth- this nature…not to mention that day, and with Prime Minister Ehud Bush, too, would not mind finding a Olmert under police investigation yet way to climb down from the tall tree again, Esther Pollard says her husband’s America has climbed in this matter, release now would provide a much- having sentenced him to such a dispro- needed national boost of morale. portionate term in prison.” Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard has Jonathan Pollard is the only person served 22.5 years of a life sentence— in the history of the United States to unprecedented for the crime of which receive a life sentence for spying for an he was convicted, namely, passing clas- American ally. The maximum sentence sified information to Israel, a U.S. ally. today for such an offense is 10 years. Many Israelis had looked forward to The median sentence for this offense Bush’s May 13 visit as an opportunity is 2 to 4 years. to pardon and release Jonathan Pollard She emphasized that the recent rev- from U.S. prison. Esther Pollard feels elations that another American Jew, that the current investigation of Ben-Ami Kadish, is suspected of spy- Olmert should not detract from the ing for Israel over 25 years ago should chances of seeing her husband here at have no effect on her husband’s home. “Jonathan’s return home now release: “Just like President Clinton would have a tremendously positive released FALN terrorists against the effect on the country,” she said. “It advice of his aides, Bush can similarly would be a great morale booster, and have Pollard released.” that’s why Olmert owes it to his coun- “As religious people,” Esther said, try to request this of Bush.” “Jonathan and I believe that Olmert’s “There is no more morally fitting failure to ask for his release up to now and appropriate act that Olmert could is beyond understanding—and almost do at this time,” Mrs. Pollard said, beyond teshuvah. But he can still “than to make a genuine request for redress this wrong now—not by turn- Jonathan’s release. This would not ing the matter into a public relations only redeem a man who has sat so long gimmick, but by making the request in in prison for saving Israel, but also the proper way. Imagine the cleansing redeem Olmert’s own very soiled and effect it would have on himself, and tarnished reputation.” for the whole country.” (Arutz Sheva) O

68 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 69 FDR And The Nazi Olympics wrong in the situation [of Germany’s Dear Editor, Jews] at present.” Despite many The ongoing controversy over reports from U.S. diplomats in whether or not to boycott the Germany about the persecution of Olympics in China has raised many German Jews, and despite Wise’s important issues. One is the problem efforts to persuade the president that of Free World leaders allowing them- the tourists’ report was mistaken, “I selves to be misled by a totalitarian could see”—Wise wrote to Supreme regime that exploits the games in order Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis— to hide its human-rights abuses. “that the tourists (whoever they were, The international community faced the Lord bless them not) had made an a similar problem in 1936, when the impression upon him.” Nazis used that year’s Berlin Olympics One can only hope that today’s to improve their image and distract world leaders will not fall prey to the attention from their persecution of kind of wishful thinking that Germany Jewry. Hitler’s propaganda Roosevelt exhibited. minister, Joseph Goebbels, called the Rafael Medoff, games “a victory for the German Director, cause.” In fact, it was a victory in ways David S. Wyman Institute for that Goebbels himself did not realize. Holocaust Studies, Washington DC Shortly after the games concluded, American Jewish Congress leader Remembering Kahane’s Bravery Rabbi Stephen S. Wise met with Dear Editor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt to dis- I read the Five Towns Jewish Times cuss a number of topics, including the religiously every Friday night with my Olympics. FDR had opposed boy- nightcap (a cup of herbal tea). cotting the games. Evidently President This last week I was particularly Roosevelt now felt vindicated, because tired and thrilled to welcome the peace he told Wise that he had recently met and restfulness of Shabbos. I was plan- two tourists who attended the Berlin ning to “skim” the paper to see what Olympics, and they had reported to has been “happening” in the neighbor- him “that the synagogues are crowded hood when an article caught my eye. I and apparently there is nothing very am referring to the article entitled

70 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES “Reading Kahane.” I heard Rabbi Meir ing bills, and when I approached someone needs $5,000 or $30,000 since I have met the author, I have an Kahane speak a few times and he some of the more affluent in the area, they will not be denied. We have to objective appreciation for the article by greatly influenced me. The article the answer was either “I don’t have come up with some plan to help these Martin Mushell in the May 3 edition reminded me of the things that he said any money available” or “I will try to people without questions, without of the 5TJT. It was well-written and in those speeches and of how brave a come up with something.” The some- mussar and with some compassion. I articulate. In addition, most similar person he was. On the recommenda- thing they came up with—I am not would love to hear any feedback on articles nowadays are full of self- tion of Larry Gordon I will purchase sure if it was more embarrassing for this topic and just maybe we could aggrandizing and self-centered opin- the book about Rabbi Meir Kahane’s the giver or the receiver, and that took come up with a solution to this press- ions designed to promote a personal life written by his wife Libby. I doubt almost a month. ing problem. (or, more-likely, professional) agenda. very much if I will be able to read all Don’t get me wrong. I and my friend Tzivia Schwartz Mr. Mushell’s article was objective and 700 pages; however, I know that it is are not jealous of these people; we are Lawrence lacked such unnecessary rhetoric. I an important book to have in my very happy that they are in such a posi- hope he will continue to publish arti- library and I will certainly read a few tion. So why not help the less fortu- P raise For ‘The Keen Capitalist’ cles for your paper. chapters from time to time. nate? We have in this community Dear Editor, Sincerely, Thank you, Mr. Gordon, for your those who are comfortable and those While the following may be biased, Shlomo Sokel wonderful review and for bringing this who are mega-rich. I am now talking book to my attention. about the mega-rich in our area. Most Leba Sonneberg of these people have enough money for several lifetimes and will give a lot of A Community Tzedakah Fund? tzedakah on one condition: Either You shall dwell in huts seven days Dear Editor, their names are plastered on some B”H we are living in one of the most building, or their names are plastered (Vayikra 23:42) incredible communities in New York. in a well-read newspaper, or some The chesed that is generated from this well-known rosh hayeshiva or rav from area is tremendous. The money that is the area asks for their help. How [does one fulfill] the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah? given to all types of organizations and Whatever happened to true yeshivas is mind-boggling. So, what is tzedakah where nobody knows where One should eat, drink, and live in the sukkah, both day and the problem? one might ask. I will tell the money came from and nobody night, as one lives in one’s house on the other days of the you. When it comes to helping our fel- knows who the receiver is? I asked to low Jew in our community, nobody is speak to one of the ultra-rich people in year. For seven days a person should make his home his home. Some funds that we have the area and was told to speak to a rav temporary dwelling, and his sukkah his permanent dwelling. around town will throw these people a who takes care of it. I did and the “bone” but not enough to get them amount I received was embarrassing. (Shulchan Aruch) over their situation. These people run multimillion-dollar I have been trying to help a friend companies, but to help a simple Jew— Sukkah is the only mitzvah into which a person enters with in need and I have come up against that does not happen. Something is brick walls no matter where I turn. wrong someplace. his muddy boots. Those in the area who b”H were cho- Why can’t we have a fund started by sen to be in the highest financial level these affluent people with substantial (Chassidic saying) can’t seem to relate to the not so cho- funding and have this fund run by the sen. This friend is having trouble pay- rabbanim in the area, and whether

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 71 have to reach a dramatic decision, Livni Getting Set which will lead to early elections,” he estimated. “A prime minister’s resigna- To Replace Olmert tion will rock the political system, and Labor members are convinced that Barak will have to ride this shockwave BY GIL RONEN in order to strengthen his status and his party, even if Likud turns out to be Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni the big winner.” is making preparations for replacing Other analysts believe that Ehud Prime Minister Ehud Olmert if and Barak will not rush to elections, when the latest bribery scandal forces since they will likely lead to a Likud him to resign, political analysts report- Party victory. ed, even as Olmert’s aides denied he had any intention of stepping down. “The main scenario discussed yesterday in the political corridors, Livni has offered no assuming Olmert does indeed leave or is made to leave, is that the foreign public backing for minister will replace him, in her capacity as acting prime minister,” right-of- center website Makor Rishon wrote the prime minister Wednesday. While the Kadima party’s regulations determine that a new party in his time of chairman must be chosen in primaries, Livni may circumvent the regulation trouble. by arguing time is pressing and stabili- ty is of cardinal importance. Livni has offered no public backing for the prime minister in his time of According to Ynet’s analysis, if trouble. According to the report, she is Olmert resigns, Kadima’s most senior already making “careful and delicate” members will back Livni as the “natu- contact with the Kadima party’s ral successor” at first. Things will then Knesset faction members in an depend on Barak again: he may want attempt to secure their backing. to cut short her term in office in order “If Olmert is forced to leave the to prevent her from consolidating her Prime Minister’s Bureau, all eyes will status as a leader, or he may reach the turn to one man: [Labor Party conclusion that she does not pose a Chairman] Ehud Barak,” wrote an threat either way. Another option analyst for Ynet. “If this scenario turns which Barak may be mulling is a merg- into reality, the Labor Chairman will er between Labor and Kadima. Some

72 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES in the Left believe that such a merger would give them a better chance to defeat the Right. Kadima’s second major coalition partner, the Sephardic chareidi-religious Shas party, may also accept Livni. Livni’s confidantes reportedly began wooing Shas—which opposes conces- sions to the Arabs in Jerusalem—by hinting Tuesday that Livni is not pleased with the way Olmert is handling the negotiations with the PA Arabs. The foreign minister’s confidantes reportedly said that “red lines have been crossed” in the negotiations with Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, “especially with regard to the question of refugees.” Anonymous Shas sources did not rule out the possibility of continuing in a coalition under Livni. “It is true that Livni has said some things about reli- gion and state that do not completely line up with our views, but we should listen to what she has been saying recently,” the source said. “If Livni is acting prime minister, it is unlikely that we will rock the boat,” the source said. (Arutz Sheva) O

I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel (Vayikra 22:32) It was resolved in the upper chambers of the house of Nithza in Lod: Regarding every law of the Torah, if a man is threatened, “Transgress, lest you be killed,” he may transgress to avoid being killed…as it is written (Vayikra 18:5),“[Keep My statutes and My laws, which man should do and] live by them”—not die by them…except for idolatry, arayos (incest and adultery), and murder [for which a person must give up his life rather than transgress]… When Rav Dimi came, he said: This applies only if there is no tyrant’s decree [whose purpose is to uproot the Jewish faith]; but if there is a tyrant’s decree, one must incur martyrdom rather than transgress even a minor precept.When Ravin came, he said in Rabbi Yochanan’s name: Even without a tyrant’s decree, it was only permitted in private; but in public one must be martyred even for a minor precept rather than violate it. What is meant by a “minor precept”? Rabbah the son of Rav Yitzchak said in Rav’s name: Even to change one’s shoe strap (from Jewish to gentile custom).

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 74a)

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 73 Behold we are commanded with con- Yom HaAtzmaut: Our Bar Mitzvah quest in every generation…. If so this is a positive commandment, which applies in every time… And the proof B Y YEHUDA HAKOHEN Hashem and an early stage in the the major reasons for the celebration that this is a commandment is this: development of universal redemp- of Yom HaAtzma’ut is to commemo- ‘They were told to go up in the matter There is confusion among many tion—a process that unfolds through rate the establishment of renewed of the spies: Go up and conquer as people today concerning the true sig- a series of natural events within his- Hebrew sovereignty in the Land of Hashem has said to you. Do not fear, nificance of Israel’s Independence tory. This group ecstatically com- Israel following a long and bitter exile and do not be discouraged.’ And it fur- Day. Even within Israel, many opin- memorates Yom HaAtzma’ut as a from our soil. Yom HaAtzma’ut cele- ther says: ‘And when Hashem sent ions exist. A considerable portion of sacred day possessing the same reli- brates the liberation of Eretz Yisrael you from Kadesh Barnea saying, Go the Jewish Nation relates to the festi- gious significance as other festivals from British occupation and the up and possess the land which I have val as no different from gentile holi- on the Hebrew calendar. implementation of a Jewish political given you.’ And when they did not go days that commemorate the achieve- But the great majority of the entity to govern it. up, the Torah says: ‘And you rebelled ment of national independence. English-speaking Torah world In his supplement to the Rambam’s against the word of G-d, and you did These people celebrate the founding not listen to this command.’” of the Jewish state as if Israel were no (“Positive Commandment 4” of the more than another flag at the United Ramban’s supplement to the Nations. They rejoice in the holiday The Ramban teaches that it is a Torah Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot) and when it ends, they return to their The Ramban states irrefutably that private lives as if nothing of substance the conquest and settlement of Eretz had occurred. commandment for every generation that Yisrael is a mitzvah for Israel in every There are others, albeit few, who generation and that we are forbidden view the State of Israel as a destruc- the Nation of Israel take control of and from allowing any part of our country tive entity that exists as a negation of to fall into, or remain under, gentile Torah observance in order to create a settle the entire Land of Israel. control. The Shulchan Aruch states “new Jew” that would be a great conclusively that all of the arbitrators nationalist without adhering to G-d’s of Torah Law (rishonim and achron- law. This group views the Jewish state im) agree with the Ramban concern- as an historic tragedy and treats Yom expresses uncertainty on this issue Sefer HaMitzvot, the Ramban teaches ing this issue: “All of the poskim, both HaAtzmaut as a day of mourning. and finds it safer to ignore the state that it is a Torah commandment for rishonim and Acharonim, decide the The most fanatic among this camp and festival rather than accept it as every generation that the Nation of law in this fashion on the basis of the equate Zionism with the forces of evil good or condemn it as evil. They sim- Israel take control of and settle the Ramban.” (Shulchan Aruch, Even in the world and can often be seen ply go about their business on Yom entire Land of Israel: “This is what HaEzer section 75, Pitchei Tshuva 6) marching with Israel’s enemies at HaAtzma’ut as if it were no different our sages call milchemet mitzvah… The Nation of Israel is eternally demonstrations (ostensibly in the from any other day. And do not err and say that this pre- commanded by G-d to conquer and name of Torah). In order to fully appreciate the true cept is the commandment to vanquish implement sovereignty over the Land There is another group, however, significance of Yom HaAtzma’ut, one the seven nations…. This is not so…. of Israel. Yom HaAtzma’ut commemo- who take the opposite approach. must clarify what the day is meant to This land is not to be left in their rates the fifth day of Iyar 5708, when They understand the modern State of commemorate and what this con- hands, or in the hands of any nation, Israel fulfilled this great mitzvah for Israel to be the handiwork of notes according to Torah Law. One of in any generation whatsoever…. the first time in nearly 2,000 years by

74 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES establishing Hebrew rule over Eretz giving meant to express gratitude to fallacy that the mitzvah of the settle- history’s goal to fruition, we must Yisrael. Just as a young man celebrates G-d for saving a community from dan- ment of Israel no longer applies in our first be united and independent on becoming a bar mitzvah because it is ger. Since Yom HaAtzma’ut is a day on day, an opinion which has already our soil. Only then, as a major world his first opportunity to fulfill Torah which a miracle occurred for the entire been disproved by the giants of the power that lives a life of national commandments (from obligation Jewish Nation, it is a Torah precept to world, the rishonim and achronim.” holiness, can Israel reveal the majesty rather than volunteerism), we cele- ordain a public festival for commemo- (Kol HaTor, chapter 5) of Hashem in every sphere of life. brate Yom HaAtzma’ut as our first ration of Hashem’s kindness towards The most amazing miracle of Yom Only by establishing the Kingdom of opportunity to carry out the Divine His chosen people. Israel’s Chief HaAtzma’ut is perhaps the foundation Israel—G-d’s throne in this world—in directive of Jewish sovereignty over our Rabbinate ruled that it is an obligation for all of the others. After so many cen- the whole of our borders, can we country. It is our collective bar mitz- to say Hallel on this day in order to turies of persecution in the exile, bring mankind towards universal vah, signifying the Jewish people’s remember the miracles that G-d per- Hashem placed a new spirit of valor blessing through illuminating the national renaissance. formed for Israel during our War of within Israel. For the first time since world with the light of Torah. Aside from renewing the mitzvah of Independence. the defeat of Bar Kochba’s revolt While the current State of Israel has sovereignty, there is another essential But if the Law is so obvious, why against Rome, a courageous genera- not yet reached the greatness for reason to celebrate Yom HaAtzma’ut— would so many great Torah scholars tion of heroes arose to raise high the which it is destined, it must be recog- the mitzvah to thank G-d for the mira- appear to be so unsure about—or banner of freedom and expel the nized that the physical vessel is once cles He performs. This was the basis vehemently opposed to—the State of British oppressor. More astonishing is again in our world and will grow to for sanctifying Chanukah and Purim. Israel and the celebration of Yom that G-d strengthened the hearts of contain the exalted spirit of Torah. After the British were driven from our HaAtzma’ut? The Gaon of Vilna Israel’s political leaders so that they After so many centuries as a ghost borders and the State of Israel was answers this question in Kol HaTor were able to declare the establishment walking through history, Israel once declared, seven Arab states immedi- (his teachings on the redemption of a sovereign state in the face of so more exists within a national frame- ately waged war in an attempt to anni- process): much Gentile aggression. work. The redemption has begun and hilate the Jewish people. Armed and “The sin of the spies… hovers over And today, while Israel is reasonably the Jewish people have taken an enor- trained by British officers, the Arabs the Nation of Israel in every genera- aware of our military potential, we mous step forward by establishing attacked with tremendous force. tion…. How strong is the power of the should pray that G-d again strengthen Hebrew rule in portions of our land. Israel, on the other hand, had a small sitra achra that it succeeds in hiding Israel’s leadership so that the While the mere existence of a secular and unskilled army with virtually no from the eyes of our holy fathers the Redemption may continue in a swift Jewish state was never the final goal of ammunition or supplies. The entire dangers of the klipot; from the eyes of and painless fashion. the redemption process, it is certainly world expected Israel’s destruction Avraham our father, the klipah of Yom HaAtzma’ut is the most a powerful vehicle which must be driv- and no nation attempted to intervene exile…and in the time of the important event to take place for en towards achieving the Hebrew in our defense. The Hebrew Nation Mashiach, the sitra achra attacks the mankind in nearly 2,000 years. It was Nation’s greater aspirations. was in great peril, but refused to sur- guardians of Torah with blinders…. on this day that G-d returned the The Zionist revolution will continue render. As Israel demonstrated tena- Many of the sinners in this great sin Israeli Nation to sovereignty over our as all the Jewish people return to the cious heroism in the face of impossi- of, ‘They despised the cherished country; and it is this sovereignty that entire Land of Israel with G-d’s ble odds, Hashem marched out to war Land,’ and also many of the guardians will lead the world to unparalleled Temple on the Mount shining Divine with us and triumphed over seven of Torah, will not know or understand goodness and universal harmony. It is blessing to all existence. (Arutz Sheva) O Arab armies. that they are caught in the sin of the the goal of Creation that G-d’s great Throughout the exile, scattered spies, that they have been sucked into Name be sanctified through Israel Yehuda HaKohen lives with his family in Jewish communities have had the the sin of the spies in many false ideas before all of existence. The Maharal Jerusalem and is a leader in the Zionist Freedom Alliance (www.zfa.org.il). He is also the host for authority to establish what is called a and empty claims, and they cover of Prague teaches, in Netzach Yisrael, Arutz Sheva’s new radio program, The Struggle, Purim Katan—a sacred day of thanks- their ideas with the already proven that in order for Am Yisrael to bring live Mondays on Israel National Radio.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 75 The ensuing months were defined by intense hardship and suffering for the Remembering The Horror young boy, who was all of 50 pounds during his time in Birkenau. He describes his proudest accomplishment BY JEREMY WIMPFHEIMER Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau), Zisman, persistence paid off. As they began to as having smuggled a pair of tefillin into along with his wife Myrna and good sing, the Nazi soldiers on duty were the camp which he was able to wear and Sixty-three years earlier Leibel friend Benny Fishoff, walked at the bewildered and began to check their exchange with fellow prisoners. With lit- Zisman had left Birkenau, condemned head of the gathering of more than papers as to where this group of boys tle knowledge of what was going on in to the March of Death designed by the 10,000 students from around the world. Nazis to liquidate the last few remaining Zisman was a 13-year-old redhead prisoners of the infamous death camp. when he arrived at Auschwitz- On Yom HaShaoh, the Cedarhurst Birkenau on Tishah B’Av of 1944. resident returned for the March of the Born in Kovno, Lithuania, he had been Living to the very site where he spent imprisoned in the ghetto before eventually reaching Auschwitz along with 137 other young teens from his home- town. Only five would survive. Zisman received a blessing from the previous He describes his Lubavitcher Rebbe and says, “I believe strongly that his blessing carried me proudest through all I experienced.” During the time that he spent in accomplishment as Auschwitz and the ensuing March of Death which eventually brought him having smuggled a to the Mathausen camp inside Germany, Zisman was on the verge of pair of tefillin into death no less than five times. Immediately upon arrival at Birkenau, the camp. he was sent along with the 137 other children directly to the gas chambers At the gate of Auschwitz on Thursday of last week. Spanning the gate is the infamous slogan and certain extermination. Despite the “Arbeit macht frei.” fact that he was the youngest among nearly half a year of his early life—this the group, his spunky attitude which time as a successful businessman and he ascribes to his red hair, made him a had come from. In one of the first of the outside world, the days were spent proud father, grandfather, and great natural leader. the miracles that Zisman says saved either entirely without activity—which grandfather. Given the honor to be He convinced several of the others his life, the paperwork had become Zisman says were most difficult of all— among the leaders of the march (which that they should sing the song Ani confused and the always meticulous or performing brutally difficult tasks also included dignitaries like Lieutenant Maamin (I Believe) as they were being Nazis turned the singing boys around such as pulling a heavy cart through the General Gabi Ashkenazi, the Israeli shepherded into the chamber. in the direction of the barracks—and Army Chief of Staff, and former Israeli Initially his friends resisted but his towards life. Continued on Page 78

76 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 77 Remembering The Horror allied forces liberated the camp and set Continued from Page 76 him on the course to a new life. The decision to return to Poland constantly muddy fields. was not an easy one for Zisman who Able to survive until the Nazis liqui- says that he wanted to retain the visu- dated much of the camp with the al picture of Birkenau in his mind that March of Death, Zisman made it had been with him for over six through the murderous trek through decades. Yet, in recognizing that his the Polish forests and countryside return came as part of the March of

L–R: Benny Fishoff of Queens, Mrs. Myrna Zisman, and Leibel Zisman.

forced to drink from the drains and the Living annual event designed to be sewers. By the time he reached a highly educational experience for its Mathausen, the intake of these infest- participants, he said, “If I could make ed waters had led him to develop a very any kind of positive impact on the high fever to the extent that he has no recollection of when the American Continued on Page 80

78 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

From Woodmere To Tel Mond

BY TOBY KLEIN people working in my home, because GREENWALD they were from Venezuela and Argentina. When we couldn’t Two years ago, Naomi and Avi smooth some things out with our Friedman and their four children original contractor, we ended up made aliyah to Tel Mond. Israelis who with a new one.” hear the name “Tel Mond” usually They had to get used to different think of the prison, but Naomi points building practices. “I was in my house out that the prison is actually called for two months when we encountered “Keleh HaSharon,” and is on the some water damage. My ceiling col- other side of Route 4, between lapsed when my water heater burst, Raanana and Netanya. Tel Mond because I didn’t realize I was supposed itself, a beautiful, pastoral moshavah to turn off my water heater when I did- (town) of about 10,000 people, was n’t need it. It works differently than in founded in 1929 by Lord Alfred the U.S., where water heaters are kept Mond, a British industrialist, finan- on 24/7.” The damage was repaired cier, and politician, who became an last summer when the family was in active Zionist. New York. The Friedman children. Naomi came with fluent Hebrew because she had studied at the Yeshiva of Central Queens and Yeshiva High friends in college, as well,” she says. n’t speak any Hebrew when we came “We weren’t 100% School of Queens. “I also used to visit How did the children settle into but the teacher spoke English so she my grandparents in Petah Tikva every using the language? and one of his friends translated and sure we were other summer and played with the kids “My oldest and middle sons are in their building, and I had Israeli doing pretty well. My third child did- Continued on Page 80 coming, because there was a war going on.”

“We decided originally to buy a home for vacation use,” says Naomi, “so we joined Kehilot Tehila, whose raison d’être is to buy land. We looked in Modi’in and Ra’anana, but we wanted something more ‘suburbia,’ and the broker we had called in Modi’in suggested Tel Mond. It’s ten minutes from Raanana. We fell in love with the place and decided to stay. “There is an Anglo community here and an Anglo shul of about 70 families, a mixture of Americans, British, and South Africans. There are several from the New York area.” The Friedmans have four children: three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 4 to almost 13. Their oldest goes to school in Ra’anana, at an Amit religious high school, and the others are in religious schools and preschool in Tel Mond. In Woodmere, Naomi, the daughter of Abe and Bea Ainspan, had been a property manager and an insurance broker. Avi, the son of Al and Lilly Friedman, worked in realty and com- modity investments, which he contin- ues from his home office in Israel. For the last few months Naomi has been working part time at the Anglo- Saxon real estate office and is also looking for something she can do from home. The Friedmans came during the second Lebanon war. “They hadn’t finished working on my house yet, because we weren’t 100% sure we were coming,” says Naomi, “because there was a war going on. My son was in camp in the states and he called me up in tears and said, ‘Mommy, I heard that with all the fighting, Israel is throwing all the Americans out.’ Of course it wasn’t true; we came anyway. “I came fluent in Hebrew but I ended up speaking Spanish with the 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 79 Remembering The Horror Shanghai, invited his friend to finally Woodmere To Tel Mond money. For the last two years she vol- Continued from Page 78 make the return trip to Poland, Zisman Continued from Page 79 unteered to help the Purim carnival/ decided that the time had come. flea market raise money for the youth, I decided that this was more Once in Auschwitz, Mr. Zisman said he picked it up quickly. My second school. She also serves on the parents’ important than any personal reserva- he was somewhat taken aback by the son speaks Hebrew so well now that safety committee, called “einayim tions I might have.” The March of the “commercialization of the camp which he doesn’t even receive ulpan les- b’drachim”—eyes on the roads— Living 2008 represented the 20th makes it feel all sterile. It was far sons anymore. My daughter, who which helps unload the children from anniversary of the organization which worse than one could ever imagine.” started in Hebrew gan last year, is drop-off points for cars. has brought over 100,000 students Yet after making the three-kilometer bilingual.” “For my son’s bar mitzvah, we’re from more than 70 nations to Poland voyage to the Birkenau camp where he Avi works totally in English so he is looking to do something meaningful, to learn about the Holocaust. spent most of his time, he pointed to not as much in need of Hebrew. He by twinning our celebration with a For much of his life, his wife Myrna the areas where his bunker stood and works New York hours from Israel, family from S’derot who also has a son says he remained largely silent about the animatedly described his arrival at the which means he can’t always help put that age,” says Naomi. “This week my horrors he experienced. Yet, she encour- camp and where he had been sent on the kids to bed, “but it gives him time planner was speaking to someone in aged him to speak and lobbied the that critical first day. to actually go out in the morning.” the S’derot school but they couldn’t Steven Spielberg Shoah Foundation to As he left behind the infamous brick What is your social circle like? finish the conversation because a come and document his story. structure that is known throughout the “We are mainly friendly with the Kasam fell in the middle.” Eventually, after much effort on her world as the very representation of the Anglos, but I have some Israeli friends Their boys all play baseball (on the part, Zisman’s story was chronicled and Nazi evil, Zisman paused to reflect and as well. Even in the States I was local teams) and tennis and their would become one of the longest video with tears in his eyes began to smile. friendly with Israelis. You gravitate to daughter takes a class in gymnastics. testimonies recorded by the foundation. “By no stretch of the imagination, in what you know.” The Friedmans live in a seven-bed- “After that point,” Myrna Zisman says as 1945 when I was liberated by the Naomi is involved in the shul and room home with two floors and a she toured the Auschwitz camp, “it was Americans, did I ever think I’d have school. This year, she’s on the shul basement. “A friend of mine, who like a faucet that couldn’t be turned off. children, grandchildren, and great- committee planning the Lag BaOmer moved to Hashmonaim, said that He just needed to let it all out which grandchildren living in a democratic event. Whenever she is asked to vol- when most people move to Israel, they eventually led us here.” country like America, all shomrei unteer for something in the schools, move into a smaller house; I moved When Benny Fishoff, who had also mitzvot. That is the best living victory she responds, whether joining a class into a house much bigger than the survived the Holocaust by fleeing to anyone can ask for.” O parents’ committee, or collecting four-bedroom home I had in New York.” Another friend, when she saw her front and back yards, said, “I feel like I’m in Florida!” The Friedmans have lemon, orange, palm, and olive trees and an herb garden, in addition to a wide variety of flowers. How does it feel to be celebrating your second Independence Day in Israel? “It’s a nice family day. I celebrated Yom HaAtzma’ut in New York as well, but the difference is that you’re in the actual place that is celebrating, not 6,000 miles away.” O

AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 67

other previous instances, have sought to undermine the Conversion Authority. For this reason, and others, it is more important than ever that the Conversion Authority be strengthened in its important work in bringing about halachically proper conversions to our faith and to the Jewish people. Given the very public nature of the challenge posed by the ruling in question, we call on the Chief Rabbis of Israel to reaffirm their support of the Conversion Authority and its leadership in clear and unambiguous terms at the earliest possible time. Until that will happen, each passing day will cause reprehensible anguish to halachic converts, irreparable harm to the fabric of the Jewish people, and a considerable debasement of the good name of Torah, halachah, and tradition. O

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necessary to encourage this trend. Approximately 10% of Israel’s entire The Golan Heights Peace Plan budget is wasted annually on impossi- ble solutions based on the Oslo eager- BY MOSHE FEIGLIN had been scattered throughout villages these places to emigrate without the ness to partition the Land of Israel. in the Golan Heights disappeared even necessity of a major war? University This sum constantly grows as mega- Is there a solution for the military before the Golan was liberated. The Al-Najah in Shechem answered that costly solutions like the Separation crisis plaguing Israel’s south? Can only ones who stayed were the Druze question with the results of a poll that Fence are proven absurd. They are then Israel successfully deal with the in the north of the Golan. These vil- it had taken. It turns out that over 60% exchanged for even more grandiose Kassam rockets? Or is Ehud Olmert lages are the exception that proves the of the Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and defensive schemes—cutting edge space right when he tells us that we just have necessity of implementing the first Gaza (YESHA) do not need any technology to protect Israel’s citizens to get used to it? principle. encouragement to leave. They are dis- from flying pipes. The colossal sums of You don’t need to be a military The second principle, conquest, was gusted with the rule of the armed money spent on these unrealistic pro- expert to come up with a plan to solve fully implemented by Israel in the thugs that the Oslo Peace Club forced grams could be spent more effectively. the Gaza problem. Israel already has a Golan. No foreign forces remained upon them. Their preferred destina- Instead of paying for more white ele- successful model that works perfect- phants, Israel can give $250,000 to ly—at least since the Yom Kippur War. every Arab family that will stake its It is the real peace model that has future far from Israel’s borders. been implemented for years on the Israel can implement a political plan Golan Heights. Israel can give $250,000 to every based on the Golan Heights model. It Have you ever asked yourself where depends on nothing more than our the safest place in Israel is? Where do Arab family that will stake its mentality. All that we have to under- you not have to worry about Arabs stand is that this is our land—not throwing rocks at your car? Where can theirs. The question is if Israel really you walk around at night without fear future far from Israel’s borders. wants peace or if the “Peace Process” of arms or drug smugglers crossing the is just a euphemism for getting rid of border? Where don’t missiles fly and the settlements that force Jewish iden- where don’t bombs explode? In short, tity on Israel’s tiny “elite.” where is the place that you are safest there. The area is entirely controlled tions are the Gulf States and Canada. As simple and effective as this plan from both external enemies and from by Israel. Many Western states currently suf- may be, it will most likely not be adopt- internal Arab terror and crime? Israel declared sovereignty over the fer from negative demographics—less ed. Instead, Israel’s current leaders That place is the Golan Heights. entire Golan, settled it and, most than two children per family. They are will stubbornly continue down the Without even trying, possibly even by important of all, never signed a peace anxious to absorb skilled immigrants Oslo path of blood and terror. The sen- mistake, Israel enjoys real peace there. treaty with Syria. This is how we have such as the Arabs of YESHA who have sible, Jewish solutions will all be Any new peace plan must follow the prevented the war under the guise of learned quite a lot from Israel over the pushed to the sidelines, because the principles that have brought us true peace that we suffer on our border past 60 years. The huge current of minority ruling our country today is peace in the Golan. There are just five with Egypt from repeating itself on our Muslim immigrants that has engulfed simply not interested. (Arutz Sheva) O easy steps: encourage Arab emigration, border with Syria. the Western world in the past decades conquest, Israeli sovereignty, settle- These five steps will bring peace and points to the fact that this solution is Moshe Feiglin is head of the Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction in the Likud party ment, and no peace accords! security to Gaza, Judea and Samaria. entirely possible. Israel must make and a former prime ministerial candidate in the Sixty thousand Syrian Arabs who How do we encourage the Arabs in available to the Arabs all the resources Likud primaries.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 81 82 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Your Ad Could Be Here.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 83 AUTOS SERVICES FOR SALE PROVIDED

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Master Teacher Tutors at 5:00 p.m. Limudei Kodesh/Secular Subjects 1 Week...... $35 Specialize grades 1-8. Adults; Boys; Girls. Call 718-868-3968 2 Weeks ...... $60 New Table and Chair Gemach for 4 Weeks ...... $100 short-term simchas. 740 Mador Ct., Far Rockaway. Call 718-471-0368 Weekly Ads of up to 25 words Wallpapering/Painting Every home needs a woman's touch. Call: 516-569-0502 Consultations available. Wallpapers, paint- Fax: 516-977-0608 ing, and borders for any room of your house. 20 years experience in the area. Or E-mail ads to: Call Sasha at 516-812-0089 [email protected] Plumbing and Heating: Sundial Plumbing. Boilers/water heaters serviced Include payment info. and installed. All leaks fixed. Bathrooms, kitchens, basements. No job too big or small. Call 718-252-1234 84 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES HELP HELP REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE WANTED WANTED FOR SALE FOR SALE

College Instructors May 25th – July Teacher's positions available. BBY of Woodmere/Cedarhurst Oppty! Law: Hi Ranch. Must see, 4br, 2.5bth, 24th. Sundays and/or evenings in June, Far Rockaway. General Studies depart- 12,000 sq. ft. approx. 90’x150’, Colonial, fam rm, CAC, 2 car garage, large prop weekdays and/or evenings in July. ment Sept. '08. Due to opening new 17 rooms, full bsmt. with hi ceilings, ...... $800sK Education, Psychology (computer classes, grades 1-4 and all junior high clean 2 car garage plus storage, 6 space Law: Nu Construc’n, 6br, 5bth, parking, 2 family, professional use, based), Music History, and Statistics. subjects. Minimum 2 years experience a lg prop, walk all, with all goodies. Plans accountant, Esq., medical and/or educa- can be seen in office. Brooklyn and Monsey locations. must. Teacher's assistant positions also tional and religious uses. Grand colonial Ced: Nu2Mkt, 2Fam, 3br/3br, 2fpl, deck, Email: [email protected] available. Monday-Thursday 12:20-4:30 with charm and great possibilities. all new, grt loc, full bsmt...... $795K Fax: 718-435-0115 PM. Transportation from Brooklyn Available at once . . . $875K Negotiable Wdm: Reduced. Ranch, 3br, 3 bth, lg available. Fax resume 718-337-9160 Owner 516-322-3555 prop, grt loc, walk all ...... $749K Seeking experienced and qualified attention Mrs. C. Katz, Oceanside: Col, renov’d, lr, dr, nu EIK, Spanish, Accounting, and Earth Call 718-337-6000 ext. 320 Kings Point Delray Beach condo for den, 3br, fin bsmt. Best Buy! . . . $439K Science teachers. Master degree sale 1,100 sq. feet. 2 BR, 2 bths, new Cedarhurst: CH col., new quality construction. 7 bedroom, 4.5 bths, den, LR, required, for Shevach High School, for Experienced secretary wanted for elec- European kitchen and appliances, updated bath, new carpets, 24-hour DR, oversized gourmet, granite EIK, September 2008. trical business in Hewlett area. F/T. guarded community. Golf, theater, huge FDR, 9' ceiling, finished basement Please fax resume to: 718-263-3759 Hebrew speaking a plus. library ...... $199,999 prime location. Asking ...... $1.25M or email [email protected] Fax resume to 516-812-7607 Call 631-664-0075 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710

Service Coordinator F/T position avail- Administrative Assistant F/T for Far Rockaway: 2 Fam. All NU able. Bil Hebrew, Spanish, or Russian a Queens location, Mature, Detail-oriented 3 over 3 Br. 4Fbth, Dr, Full bsmt plus. At Queens location. BA in Human and responsible. Office experience and All features ...... $779K Services or related field required. Computer skills a +. Call 516-263-6417 LMSW preferred. Excellent benefits Fax resume 718-851-3392 package. Fax resume: 718-851-3392 Cedarhurst — Nu 2 Mkt. Lg Lr, Dr, New salon looking for experienced: hair EIK, Den, 5 Br, 3bth, Skilits, Cabana, dresser/sheitel macher, make-up Lg prop., IG pool, Walk to all. . . $699K 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 artist, manicurist, masseuse in central Cedarhurst area. Please call 516-791-2520 or 646-270-3381 Attention: Large property, corner Cedarhurst and Woodmere 150x100 apx. Professional child care for children 2-4 13 large rooms, 3 baths. Good for years of age in a loving heimishe envi- kindergarten, elementary school, yeshi- ronment is seeking loving and caring va, synagogue, or other institution. teachers, teachers' assistants, and sub- Parking garage for 4 cars and 2 buses. stitutes. Call 516-371-6858 Immediate. Reasonable. Owner 347-439-8234 Local Yeshiva office A/R, deposits, bank North Woodmere (Sale-Rent) reconciliations. Proficiency in Far Rockaway/Lawrence: House For Sale 2 BR/ 2 BA, Newly Renovated, (Extended Woodmere 400). Price drasti- Quickbooks and strong computer skills. Dead-end street, Price ...... $539K cally reduced! 7BR, 3FBA, Finished Flexible schedule. Position starts imme- Call Owner: 516-750-9257 Basement, Lg property 84x100, Walking diately. E-mail resume to to 4 shuls...... $639K [email protected] Call 917-238-0098 Miami Beach — Tower 41. Ocean View. 1 bdrm, 17th floor. Stunning. Hewlett — Col. MIC, 4br, 2bth, 2fpl, full Food Service Supervisor needed for 732-522-0813 Nursing Home in Nassau County.LTC deck, wood flr, Lg. den. Walk to all. Full Time Bookkeeper/Secretary for ...... $729K experience required. Please fax resume Far Rockaway: 2 Family. All NU, Yeshiva in the Five Towns. Knowledge Lawrence — NU 2 MKT. Legal 3FAM. to 516-431-0398 3 over 1 Bdrm, 3 full baths. Great of Quick Books, Excel, Word and basic Lg. 3Br/2/2, Full FIN. bsmt., walk to all. Location ...... $599K NYU sep. mtr, htg & Wtr . . . . . $949K bookkeeping is required. Must be organ- Teachers positions available, due to Call 516-322-3555 5 TOWN HOMES 516-322-3555 ized, team player, energetic. opening new classes. Bnos Bais Yaakov Please send resume to: email of Far Rockaway general studies Far Rockaway — House For Sale Ced: Nu 2 Mkt. Col, 4Br, 2.5bth, All NU, [email protected] or fax. department September '08, grades 1-4 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath plus guest room. Den, Mrbl EIK, Full Fin. Bsmt, walk to Renovated w/New Kitchen, New and all Jr. high subjects, minimum 2 all...... $799K Bathrooms. Huge Master Bedroom. Full time route driver for Cedarhurst 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 years experience a must. Teachers Price...... $499K dry cleaning company. Ideal person assistants positions also available Mon- Call Owner 917-836-6838 should be detail and service oriented Thurs 12:20-4:30 PM. Transportation Brand new construction on Clubhouse Road in the heart of Woodmere Park— who is good with established routines. from Brooklyn available. West Lawrence-Far Rockaway Fax resume to 718-337-9160 attn: Contemporary style home. 6 BR, 4 Bths, Hourly wage & commission. Open Houses: Radiant Heat, Alarms, Camera Mrs. Katz or call 718-337-6000 ext. 320 Contact Jerry Pozniak HR director at 797 Empire Ave New construction. 11-12 pm equipped, 85X100. Buyer has ability to 212-677-3949 ...... $800's customize interior before completion Bnos Malka Academy of Queens seeks 156 Beach 9 New construction condos ...... $1.899M Call Avi 917-512-5442 Warm, enthusiastic, boys' elementary/ Teachers to fill the following positions for sale or rent. 11:30-1:30 pm. Woodmere Park—Brand new for the 2008-2009 academic year. JHS Yeshiva looking for secular studies Lawrence — 4/5 bdrm homes for rent Mediterranean style construction. 6 BR, teachers for next year. Please call 917- Limudei Kodesh: 3rd grade and 7th Cedarhurst—Woodmere — Open Houses 3 Full Bths, 91X100, Radiant heat, 742-8909, 718-969-1000 or fax resume 718- grade. Experience required. General Pine St., Woodmere — By appt. Alarms, Camera equipped. Buyer has 969-9600 or e-mail [email protected] Studies: Pre1A and Middle School Magnificently renovated 6 bdrm col. ban- ability to customize interior before completion ...... $1.899M Science. Experience and State License quet FDR, den library, 150 deep prop. Bookkeeper F/T. For 200+ bed Queens Call Avi 917-512-5442 required. E-mail resume to 1005 Dartmouth La., Woodmere — Cedarhurst—New to the market. Won't nursing facility. Responsibilities include [email protected] or 3-4 p.m. New to market ...... $599K Last! Beautiful 5 Bdrm Split located on accts payable, payroll and other book- fax 718-228-9159 115 Harold Rd., Hewlett Neck — By a Cul-De-Sac block. New roof, windows, keeping functions. Exp in a nursing appt. C/H col. on beautiful cul-de sac . working fireplace, and a sunroom with facility a plus. E-mail resume to: Executive Secretary position available, a skylight off a spacious Eat-In-Kitchen. [email protected] ...... $900'sK Walk to all Call Jackie 516-526-8841 Orthodox girls’ school. Efficient and Herrick Dr. — Elegant tudor, 5 bdrms, Hewlett—Brand new construction. 5 organized in office management, updat- den library, IGP, many beautiful bedrms, 2.5 baths, office, wood floors, Teachers— Excellent Opportunities. ed computer and correspondence skills. details. CAC, Laundry room on 2nd flr .. $749K Girls school in Far Rockaway is seeking Experienced only. Monday-Thursday, 10 Co-op Open Houses: Call Jackie 516-526-8841 Woodmere—Sprawling ranch on deep experienced 8th grade science teacher. a.m. - 5 p.m. Fax resume: 718-258-8511, 285 Central Ave. apt. C4 11-12:30 property. 4 bedrms, 3 baths, Master Qualified applicants are invited to Fax include references. 3 bdrm, 1st floor. suite, walk to all...... $1.250M resumes to TAG, attention Mrs. Cecile 285 Central Ave. apt. A6 10:30-12 p.m. Call Jackie 516-526-8841 Weider, at 718-868-4612 2 bdrm, 11/2 bths, mint. Weissman Realty Group, LLC REAL ESTATE Milky Forst Properties, Inc. 516-791-6100 Teachers— Excellent Opportunities. 516-239-0306 FOR SALE Luxurious apartments: Penthouse in Girls School in Far Rockaway will have Bucman, Modiin. 5 BR, balconies, Woodmere — For sale by owner. several available vacancies in the 5th Shabbos elevator, 2 sinks, 2.5 bths. 5 BR, 2.5 bths, large LR, FDR, kosher ...... $350K Grade of its General Studies Cedarhurst High rise, BR, 2.5 bths, EIK, den, playroom. Near YI Woodmere Villa 6 BR, c/ac, parking, storage, back- Department for the 2008/2009 school brand new appliances, central air, new and Island ...... $765K yard ...... $550K roof, close to all shuls. Call 516-569-9243 year. Qualified and interested appli- Call 516-295-6884 Call 718-471-8888 cants are invited to FAX resumes to Woodmere by owner. 560 Derby Ave. N. Wdmr: HiRanch, 4Br, 2.5Bth, Nu Classified Ads are TAG, attention Mrs. Sarah Goldstein at Waterfront, 6 BR, 3 bth, playroom, huge Kit, Lg. Den, deck, Overlg Property. 718-868-4612 or call Mrs. Honickman at kitchen, den, fireplace, sprinklers, AC, Reduced ...... $659K Continued on the Next Page. 718-471-8444 ext. 2 80x100. Call Ronnie 917-295-7678 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 85 CLASSIFIED ADS REAL ESTATE Continued from Page 85 FOR SALE REAL ESTATE For sale by owner. Woodmere — FOR SALE Beautiful & Bright 4BR, 2.5B, Split Level w/Den and Gunite IG Pool many built-ins and Hardwood Flrs . . . . $709K ABC Street Woodmere SH Colonial A Must See! Call 516-569-4115 House for sale by owner. New to market! Quiet block. Minutes from Edward, Cedarhurst — 288 Leroy Avenue. Mint Island, YIW. Fully Renovated and condition, large center hall col., 5 BR, 3 move-in condition. 4+ bedrooms, 4 Full bths, EIK, large den with built-ins, bathroom including a master bath with FDR, finished basement, central AC, in- Jacuzzi, large newly renovated granite ground sprinkler, huge outdoor porch, kitchen, large den with cathedral ceil- low taxes. $775K by owner. 551-206-1187 ings, DR, LR with fireplace, office, attached garage, full basement with For Sale In Jerusalem large playroom and extra bedroom, new BAKA - Penthouse! 150 sqm on 2 floors. washer/dryer, new roof, gas heat, brick Private Shabbat elevator! Separate patio, CAC, fully alarmed, in-ground entrance, Parking, Sukkah Terraces. sprinklers. Asking ...... $899K Fabulous Views!! Shaarei Chesed— For more info 917-301-2584. Adorable 2+ bedroom. Ground floor, Sukkah patio, steps to the "Gra" Shul. , Looking for a Beautiful Home in a Distinctive Properties +972-544-553- GREAT Community? Look no further 649, 1-516-620-0668 + 7 HOURS than Oceanside, NY. Call about the [email protected] next exciting "Come Home to Oceanside" Shabbaton. Find out why so many young frum families are moving to this warm and friendly FOR RENT community. Spacious and Extremely Affordable Homes. Call Robert Manel at 516-458-4847 Hal Knopf Realty [email protected]. Want to Office space for rent. know how you can save $25K - $55K on Central Avenue. Includes utilities, AC, the purchase of your new home? alarm, internet. Call David C. Welner at 718-928-4775 Call 516-569-4949 x104 [email protected] Ced. — 3+ br apt, 1.5 bth, lg FDR, new EIK, on quiet street, walk to all . . $2,200 North Woodmere — New listing. High N Wdm. — house rental. Hi-ranch in ranch, 5 BR, 2.5 bths, hardwood floors, MIC. 4 br, CAC, den, on quiet street. large den, deck, fenced yard, all sys- 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 tems, possible mother-daughter. $645K. Owner 516-791-2884 Rockaway Beach — 9009 Rockaway Blvd. Fully equipped state-of-the-art laboratory. 2,400 square feet of working space. Near all major highways. Parking space. Rental .. $14K monthly Call 347-409-3266

Woodmere — For rent by owner. 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, eat-in-kitchen, living room/dining room, private entrance. Minutes from all shuls $1,800+utilities. Call 917-327-1291

The deadline for placing classified ads in the next issue of the 5TJT is Monday, May 12 at 5:00 P.M. Call 516-569-0502

86 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

FOR RENT FOR RENT

Cedarhurst — House Rental LR/FDR, Woodmere/Cedarhurst— 1 and 2 BR den, 3br, 2.5bth, Fin. Bsmt . . . . . $2,300 available. Secure buildings, updated Call 516-322-3555 EIK, Shabbos elevator close to all and train station. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 Far Rockaway — Apartment available. Far Rockaway— 1 BR, 2 BR and 3 BR Brand new construction. Furnished or apartments. some balconies. New unfurnished. 3 BR, 2bths. Cleaning and kitchens, lots of closets, 24 hr doorman, laundry services available. Perfect for security cameras. Close to White Shul, the elderly. Call Sherri 516-569-5450 Shor Yoshuv and train. 2-3 BR rental apt 2 family house 2 BR, Call Sherri 516-297-7995 lg LR, DR, EIK, den, quiet location. Weissman Realty Group, LLC ...... $2,200 516-791-6100 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Miami Alexander Hotel — Short or long Miami Beach-The Dalano Effect — term rental. 2 BR, 2 bths, luxury, Stunning millionaire's row, panoramic Shabbos elevator, swimming pool, bal- view, beach block, 2 BR, 3 bths, approx- cony, parking, beachfront. imately 1,700 square feet, white porce- Call Zeev Kolman 212-245-1715 lain floors, vessel sink, gorgeous pool, or 917-287-5858 state-of-the-art gym, valet parking. Rent $3,800, Sale $675K. Call 917-301-0104 RENTAL WANTED Far Rockaway — Walk-in Apt on Beach 9. Newly renovated. Close to synagogues ...... $675 including all Summer rental wanted. Seeking 1 BR Call 646-342-4030 or 718-350-6303 apt in Long Beach for month of July and August. Please call 718-377-7589 Far Rockaway — Lg. Hse Rental: 4br, 2bth, bsmt., hi-ceilings, NU bths, W\D. Call 516-322-3555

Cedarhurst — House Rental; kit, den, LOST AND FOUND 3br., 2.5 bth. bsmt ...... $2,400 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Found on Reads Lane in Far Far Rockaway — 2 Huge Office Spaces. Rockaway — Pair of Tefillin with no 6,000 and 2,500 Sq Ft. 2nd Floor. Near name on Tefillin bag. Subway & LIRR. Build to Suit. Can Be Please call 718-938-8282 Divided. Owner 917-359-9776

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 87

Emor Continued from Page 21

and created the universe,” which means all of the Torah and its laws were revealed from the beginning of time. However, each person is given a capacity to mechadesh Torah on his own, which will come to be referred to by his name. One need not rise to the level of Moshe, but he must rise to his own potential. This explains the mind-boggling story of when Moshe is told by G-d that there will be someone in a later generation that will be able to explain the crowns on all the letters of the Torah, which Moshe was unable to understand. Moshe, the greatest prophet, av hanivi’im, was unable to understand an aspect of the Torah which he studied for 40 days and 40 nights. It wasn’t his time or place. This dichotomy of prophecy and man’s ability to be mechadesh on his own is now clear. Man’s only chance to gain a place in the next world is through his own innovation and imagination. He need not prophesize but he does have to toil to uncover paradoxes and difficulties. I believe this now explains a mishnah in Pirkei Avos. It says, “All Torah that is not combined with work will be nullified.” The simple explanation is that one must work and study in order to remain balanced. However another interpretation is that “All Torah with no melachah (chidush— See the Beit Halevi on kiddush, who extrapolates that melachah means something new that wasn’t there before, as the verse states, “G-d took a rest from all his melachah on the seventh day—namely from creating anything new). According to the Beit Halevi, Torah without chidush will not survive. Using this new paradigm, I will try to contribute my own chidush in honor of sefiras haomer on Shlomo’s own words that have been miscon- strued to mean that no new chidushim are possible. He writes, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” The verse can also be read in the following manner: There is no chadash (as opposed to yashan) under the sun (in the seasons when it is hot—since it will then be after the korban omer deeming it yashan.) Chidushim are not under the category of Emor but rather under the category of Tzav. O

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Young Israel of Far Rockaway Dinner Photos By Ivan H. Norman

At the YIFR dinner, which took place before Pesach: Rabbi Shaul Chill; Menachem Landau presenting Hakoras Hatov Award Guests of Honor Susan and Jeff Cohen; and D. Bernard Hoenig. to Danny and Judith Rose.

Menachem Landau presenting Hakoras Hatov Award Mr. Landau with Yad Awardee Rabbi Yaakov Bender to Ben and Lindsay Abrams. Zev Aber. addressing the guests at the dinner.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 89 Clowns Say “Learn, Don’t Burn”

To help mark International Firefighters Day, the Clowns for Safety Squad presented “Learn, Don’t Burn,” a fire prevention and safety program for children with disabilities, on Sunday, May 4, at the Staten Island Children’s Museum. This project of Lev Leytzan deals with fire hazards that professional firefighters have documented as posing the most danger to children with developmental and physical disabilities. The program, which is funded by a grant from the Ronald McDonald House charities, teaches about the special precautions necessary to optimize safety in the home. Pictured are Asher Mechanic, Aron Martin, Shlomo Dov Kopelowitz, Meir Dovid Weinberg, and Ron Hoffman.

90 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES May 9, 2008 91 92 May 9, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES