A Real Shanah Tovah

$1.00 WWW.5TJT.COM !veu,nu vcuy vba VOL. 6 NO. 51 29 ELUL 5766 SEPTEMBER 22, 2006

INSIDE

Yamim Nora’im Liturgy Cantor Bernard Beer 22 The Countdown Is Over Hannah Reich Berman 34 Matchmaking Michele Herenstein 38 Cooking Concepts Naomi Ross 39 MindBiz Esther Mann, LMSW 46 A Letter To Shulamith Rabbi Moshe Zwick 54 School Bus Fiasco Larry Gordon 55 15-Minute Chef Jaime Geller 57 Little Mitzvahs Irwin H. Benjamin 59 Aliyah Chronicle Shmuel Katz 62 Back To Normal Rav Aryeh Z. Ginzberg 67

Tashlich In Uman by C.H. Nathan. This and other Judaica works are available at www.judaicartexchange.com The Monsey FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK THIS YEAR LET’S Chicken Scandal And BY LARRY GORDON STOP BEING Fistel–Pack wedding. Timtum HaLeiv RELIGIOUS See Simcha Gallery A Real Shanah Tovah Pages 76–77 BY YAIR HOFFMAN BY GAVRIEL ARYEH DEAN, TIFERET CHAYA HIGH SCHOOL What a year this was, filled length about our going to SANDERS with ups and downs, joys and shul to “say selichos.” Selichos The Monsey treif chicken sorrows, triumphs, and— means forgiveness, and cer- As we approach Rosh scandal has shocked religious unfortunately—defeats. But tainly it is not we who are Hashanah, many of us start to Jews across the New York aren’t they all like that? Isn’t doing the forgiving, but rather think more seriously about our Metropolitan area. The extent this how life utilizes this tool it is we who are using the religious practices and com- of the damage is still unclear. called time, swinging it round ability to speak to beseech mitments. We might attend a Was it going on for just six and round sometimes like a and try to eloquently reason class, read a book, get tickets months, or was it much pendulum and other times like with the One Above so that for High Holy Day services, or longer? How many places nothing less than a sledge- He forgive us as the old year schedule ourselves for a fami- were affected? Was that cha- hammer? As we head into dissolves and we reboot every- ly or singles conference that sunah in Monsey that we Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish thing about ourselves with includes the holidays. Daily minyan at Woodmere attended a year ago serving New Year, we do so with vigor promises and wishes to once This year, I want to propose Rehab. See Page 48 treif food? Did my kid’s camp and confidence after a week of again start anew. a revolutionary thought (hold order from this guy? early-morning selichos, a sta- Selichos is not a magic for- on to your gefilte fish!). Let’s CANDLE LIGHTING But perhaps the most ple of our annual calendar. mula pieced together by our resolve to stop being religious. Sept. 22 – 6:34 PM pressing question is, How bad The other night at Yeshiva sages that if used in the cor- In fact, let’s resolve to stop Sept. 29 – 6:22 PM Darchei Torah, Rav Matis- Continued on Page 9 yahu Salomon spoke at some Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 12 2 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 3 4 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 5 FROM THE EDITOR work, somehow tefillah does not func- Continued from Front Cover tion quite that way. And who knows— perhaps it did work with some effec- rect proportions automatically exacts tiveness years ago when as a communi- forgiveness from G-d for whatever ty we were still in the process of flee- needs forgiving. Neither is it some- ing for our physical as well as spiritual thing that we can “speed hum” our way lives from the consuming flames of through and expect some magical Europe and World War II. Maybe combination of words to produce the then, while we were still catching our outcome we desire. The same is true of collective breaths as people escaped the Psalms we recite on a regular the clutches of the destruction that so basis, whether it is because someone many experienced, we could simply we know is not well or because of the put on a tallis and press those davening situation in Israel. In fact, the buttons, and that would be sufficient. Rambam observes that anyone who I think, though, that we’ve graduated

We are a manifestation of His will and we are, in a sense, His agents on earth, here to implement a Divine plan that preceded creation itself.

believes that reciting Psalms alone will from that and, whether we like it or help alleviate a difficult or complicated not, we live in times that some of that situation is completely mistaken. feeling of old should have returned According to these respected commen- and we need to put more of ourselves taries, what selichos and the words of into the effort we will be exerting over David HaMelech do is to provide you Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. with the prose and poetry that, if used In Psalm 51, David HaMelech with sincerity and meaning, can assist expresses with unusual clarity the rela- you in scaling the heavens in search of tionship between those of us who pray Divine mercy. and The One we pray to and Who con- Even though we live in times where trols everything in the world at large all you have to do is press a button on and, at the same time, our miniature something and it is supposed to do its personal worlds. But does Hashem,

6 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES who is all-knowing and all-giving, gen- therefore, does not need our Temple uinely need to hear our prayers? Does sacrifices or the checks we write at all He need our sacrifices or the charity the breakfasts and other receptions. we give in order to allow us to tweak Certainly those good deeds are neces- His system? David HaMelech says in sary cogs in the machinery of life and that Psalm, “For You do not desire a an opportunity to effectively emulate sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; a the ways of our Creator. What Rosh burnt offering You do not want.” And Hashanah is about, however, is dealing he continues: “The sacrifices—the with our thought processes and our offerings—that Hashem wants is a intentions when doing those and other spirit that is broken, a heart broken things to help fulfill His great plan. and humbled…” And in our very mate- In one single day earlier this week, rial and physical world, that can be while running around meeting with quite a difficult thing to achieve. people and overseeing the production That difficulty is precisely what we of this issue of the paper, I also attend- fight and try to overcome in our daily ed a b’ris early in the morning, a funer- lives. We pray and seek to overcome al in the afternoon, and a sheva bera- poverty and sadness, that they give way chos party for a new couple that very to hope and joy accompanied by pros- same evening. The emotion of the day perity. But what about the compatibil- should have been enough to pull just ity of having our prayers answered and about anyone apart. At the conclusion being able to achieve an appropriate of the day, it occurred to me that this level of humility? This may speak to day represented the essence of the the very essence and purpose of cre- month of Elul and the very fabric of ation and of Rosh Hashanah, which what Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur marks the two days on which we can are about at their core. The heart and accomplish getting the good start we soul of our prayers on these days is the need to keep ourselves anchored while poetic reflection on being the unpre- reaching new heights. dictable recipients of the will of Additionally, I’ve always felt that it’s Hashem. The liturgy states: “On Rosh important to understand—especially at Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom this time of year—that Hashem really Kippur will be sealed: how many will doesn’t need us, but it is we who need pass from the earth and how many will Him. We are here on this planet be created; who will live and who will amidst these extraordinary surround- die; who by water and who by fire; who ings because He desired that it be this by sword and who by beast. Who will way. We are a manifestation of His will rest and who will wander, who will live and we are, in a sense, His agents on in harmony and who will be harried…” earth, here to implement a Divine plan We frustrate ourselves and extend that preceded creation itself. It should not surprise anyone that Hashem, Continued on Page 8

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 7 FROM THE EDITOR Continued from Page 7 ourselves to assign our pedestrian logic P.O. BOX 690 LAWRENCE, NY 11559 to Hashem’s Divine wisdom. How can 516-984-0079 [email protected] we know or even come close to under- [email protected] standing His ways? We frequently LARRY GORDON delude and convince ourselves into Publisher/Editor believing that both Hashem and we ESTA J. GORDON think alike. There was once a chasid Managing Editor who came to his Rebbe to ask him to YOSSI GORDON help the chasid understand things that Director of Sales were happening to him. The Rebbe CHANA ROCHEL ROSS responded, “What kind of shape would Editorial Assistant Hashem be in if I could fully and so SIDI BARON, YAKOV SERLE, JERRY MARKOVITZ Sales Representatives easily understand His ways?” We know that the key to the current SHMUEL GERBER Chief Copy Editor season is teshuvah—mending old ways MICHELE JUSTIC, YEHUDIT SANDERS and repudiating and forswearing errors Copy Editors of the past. We are also taught that CONTRIBUTING EDITORS teshuvah itself is such a great and awe- Howard M. Adelsberg, Esq. inspiring mitzvah that the concept Irwin Benjamin, Hannah Reich Berman Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg itself was created prior to the creation Yochanan Gordon, Michele Herenstein of the world. We have also learned that Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky it is imperative to do Hashem’s will to Esther Mann, Rochelle Miller Paula L. Simmonds perform His mitzvos with great joy, which translates into doing teshuvah YOSEF BROWN, NECHAMA ROSENBERG, MICHAL WEINSTEIN with maximum enthusiasm and on a Staff Graphic Artists level of celebration. On the surface, IVAN NORMAN, IRA THOMAS the two concepts may seem inherently Staff Photographers contradictory, but they are not. There FRANKEL & CO., CREATIVE DESIGN LLC is joy and zeal packed into the solem- Design & Production nity of these High Holy Days. It is only JONATHAN ISRAELI our G-d-given intellect that can deal Layout Assistant with this seeming conflict and synthe- TALIYE CORLEY Art Director size the challenge, helping to create The Five Towns Jewish Times is an independent weekly news- for all of us a very happy and healthy paper. Opinions expressed by writers and columnists are not New Year for Am Yisrael and Eretz necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We are not ❖ responsible for the kashrus or hashgachah of any product or Yisrael.Ashanah tovah u’mesukah. Five Towns Jewish Times establishment advertised in the . Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at [email protected].

8 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Timtum HaLeiv consuming non-kosher foods, the tim- that even if Hashem throws at us a Firstly, our sages tell us (Kiddushin Continued from Front Cover tum ha’leiv stopped, and they were number of trials and tribulations, we 30b) “Barasi yetzer ha’ra, barasi lo open to true spiritual growth.” should still continue serving Him with Torah tavlin”; Hashem states, “I creat- is the damage, anyway? The Aruch HaShulchan (Y.D. joy and happiness. ed the evil inclination, but I also creat- 81:34) tells us that the consumption of So what should be the resolution? ed the Torah as a cure.” If you involve Pretty Serious Damage non-kosher food drives a child away Those that accidentally ingested the yourself in the study of Torah, then Well, it’s pretty serious, actually. from the path of Torah. Rav Ovadiah food should look for ways to undo you will not fall into the hands of the There is a fascinating ruling of the Yosef tells us that some of the person- the damage. Raavad: If someone is ill, and he ality changes that are caused are cruel- How so? Continued on Page 10 requires that either meat be slaugh- ty and azus panim—chutzpah. tered for him on the Sabbath or that Indeed, the Or Zarua (Hilchos he eat non-kosher food, the Raavad Shabbos Vol. II, end of #48) tells us rules that it is preferable to violate the that Acher, the teacher of Rabbi Meir Sabbath and slaughter rather than to went off the path of Torah largely have him eat non-kosher. because of what his mother had ingest- Many authorities question how this ed during her pregnancy. could be. Kashrus is an ordinary prohi- bition of the Torah, but Shabbos is one Let’s Not Get Depressed of the fundamental aspects of Judaism. Of course, we should not overreact The Talmud tells us that keeping the to the point of depression. The yetzer Sabbath is equivalent to observing the ha’ra has a way of knocking us down entire Torah! Where is the source for even in issues of religion. Notwith- the Raavad’s ruling? standing that one had ingested tarfus, there is still a concept of Ivdu es Timtum HaLeiv Hashem b’simchah (Tehillim 100:2)— There are a few possibilities. One serving Hashem with joy and happi- possible answer is that the violation of ness. Indeed, the Rokeach in his com- Shabbos occurs just once, but the non- mentary to the siddur (p. 71) writes kosher food violation occurs with each olive-size bite of food eaten. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (HeEmek Davar, Devarim 6:10), however, provided another answer; he writes that we see from the Mishnah in Yoma that there is damage caused to the soul and mind of someone who eats non-kosher. This damage is so severe that it puts off the more serious issue of violation of the Sabbath. This damage is called “timtum ha’leiv.” Now, invariably some people will dismiss the notion of timtum ha’leiv as ridiculous. We can respond to this by invoking a parallel from the world of medicine. Initially, scientists and doctors dismissed the notion of invisible bacteria living on our hands, because they couldn’t see it or detect it. Indeed, after president Garfield was shot, doctors operated upon him without first washing their hands. He died from a subsequent infection, not from the gunshot wound. For those of us who believe in the words of our sages, timtum ha’leiv most assuredly exists—and it is enormously damaging.

Nature Of The Damage So what exactly is the nature of this damage? The Shach (Y.D. 81:26), quoting the Hagaos Ashiri, tells us that the ingestion of non-kosher food items has two effects: (a) It changes one’s character traits, and (b) it causes damage to people in their old age. What type of damage in old age is not clear, but in all probability it refers to the mental infirmities that we often associate with old age. But let us explore a bit the change in character traits that the Shach discuss- es. Could there be any association with the current problems of struggling teens and youth and non-kosher meat consumption? Or, conversely, is there an association between remarkable spiritual growth and the cessation of eating non-kosher food? Rav Shlomo Freifeld, zt’l, once asked someone, “Do you know why the 1960s produced a plethora of ba‘alei teshuvah? Because in the 1960s a number of people became vegetarians. When this happened, they stopped 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 9 Timtum HaLeiv His answer was that we must purify our character. So, to recapitulate, in order to Continued from Page 9 empathize and share in the vicissitudes Another aspect of Yiddishkeit that undo any of the timtum ha’leiv dam- of the Jewish nation. has stood out ever since Sinai is the age we need to proceed upon a four yetzer ha’ra. We must, he asserted, go beyond notion that initiating changes in our- step solution: Rav Yisroel Salanter tells us that we mere recognition and acceptance of selves requires practice—practice and 1. Study more Torah. can tailor this cure to make it even our brotherhood with other Jews; we constant study. 2. Study specific mussar texts that more effective. Following this advice, must embrace it entirely, making it, A student of music cannot master will help us abolish cruelty and we should also include in our learning the piano merely by taking a few les- chutzpah. regimen mussar texts that focus on the sons and browsing through the musi- 3. Practically behave toward others elimination of cruelty and chutzpah. cal pieces of Mozart or Bach. Rather, as true brothers rather than as Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch People who took a painstaking amount of practice is strangers. “achzor,” “cruel,” to be a compound required—a daily routine. Just as a 4. Act with kindness and respect between two other words, and thus drugs in 1960s spoke student of karate cannot become a toward all others. derives an important lesson from it. He grandmaster merely by perusing a translates the compound formulation of “flashbacks” that karate instructional manual, so too Will It Go Away? to mean “ach zor”—“Behold! Behaving we cannot achieve the moral and Will the damage just go away by as if he is a stranger!” In other words, occurred 10 to 20 social perfection demanded of us, nor itself? the notion of cruelty means to treat undo the damage to our character During the time of Rav Yoseph someone indifferently, as if he were a and midos that non-kosher imbibe- Chaim Zonnenfeld, zt’l, in Yerusha- stranger. The lesson is clear: We years later. ment may have precipitated, without layim, there was a child in cheder should treat others around us as broth- practical performance in these areas. who was simply not understanding ers, rather than as strangers. We need to actively do kindness unto the Torah texts being learned. After In a theme-convention entitled “From as it should be, an essential part of others and to act respectfully. some investigation, it was discovered Adversity to Strength” held in Stamford, our essence. Consciously acting in such a manner that he was ingesting grapes that Conn., Rabbi Uren Reich, the dean of a “Every Jew is our brother!” he stat- will eliminate the subconscious act- were of tevel origin; the correct teru- high-level Talmudic academy in New ed. “And when we see things that way, ing in the opposite of such a manner mos and ma‘asros had not been Jersey, addressed the issue of how to the world is different.” If it works to and will eliminate the damage done maintain fervor in our serving G-d. maintain fervor, it can also work to by the treif ingestion. Continued on Page 12 CALENDAR LUACH Sept. 22 – Sept. 30 ZIP Code: 11516

29 Elul – Erev Shabbos/Erev Yom Tov Friday, September 22 Erev Rosh HaShanah Daf yomi: Sukkah 20 Z’manim*: Earliest tallis/tefillin: 5:49 am Sunrise: 6:43 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 9:08 am Gr’a 9:44 am Candle Lighting: 6:34 pm 1 Tishrei – Shabbos/Yom Tov Saturday, September 23 1st day Rosh HaShanah Shabbos Ends/Candle Lighting**: 7:31 pm 72 min. 8:03 pm 2 Tishrei – Yom Tov Sunday, September 24 2nd day Rosh HaShanah Yom Tov Ends**: 7:30 pm 72 min. 8:01 pm 3 Tishrei Monday, September 25 Tzom Gedalyah Dawn: 5:24 am Fast ends: 7:17 / 7:21 / 7:28 pm 7 Tishrei – Erev Shabbos Friday, September 29 Daf yomi: Sukkah 27 Earliest tallis/tefillin: 5:56 am Sunrise: 6:50 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 9:11 am Gr’a 9:47 am Candle Lighting: 6:22 pm 8 Tishrei – Shabbos Shuvah Saturday, September 30 Shabbos Parashas Ha’azinu Shabbos Ends**: 7:20 pm 72 min. 7:51 pm * from MyZmanim.com ** add a few minutes for tosefos Shabbos/Yom Tov according to your minhag 10 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 11 Timtum HaLeiv bids it? I think that the answer to this Stop Being Religious the move. We take the first steps Continued from Page 10 last question is in fact both. (See also Continued from Front Cover toward connecting—or reconnect- Rabbi Asher Weiss in Minchas Asher, ing—and the resources to nurture the removed from the grapes. As soon as Parashas Shemini.) calling Judaism a religion altogether. relationship start to flow our way. the situation was remedied, the So should a sick person who needs Why would I propose such a It’s an awesome thought for the child’s mind began absorbing the to eat treif avoid it? Well, there is also notion—that Judaism is not a religion? Days of Awe that are upon us—the concepts quickly and easily. the mitzvah of “V’chai ba’hem”—and Very simply, because it’s a relationship. King bids us to appear before Him. Won’t the same situation apply here you shall live by the Torah’s precepts Judaism is the channel, the conduit, the And as we approach, we discover too, without our above-mentioned four- and not die by them. The Belzer connection by which a Jew has a rela- something soul-stirring: the King is step solution? Perhaps not. If we recall, Rebbe, zt’l, once said (as cited in tionship with the Creator, with other really our Father. people who took drugs in 1960s spoke Chelkas Yaakov, Y.D. 13:3) that the Jews, and with the rest of the world. In the days leading up to Rosh of “flashbacks” that occurred 10 to 20 mitzvah of keeping v’chai ba’hem will The moment we use the adjective Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our sages years later. In the 1980s there was a protect the person against the timtum “religious,” we put ourselves on the reli- remind us that our ultimate destina- huge uproar in the scientific communi- ha’leiv of the non-kosher food. gion shelf, along with all the other tion in life is to be like G-d—to imitate ty as to whether this was a physiological What about for non-Jews? Is there a 14,999 different belief options on the His ways, to follow His pathway for us, truth or merely a psychological phe- timtum ha’leiv for gentiles who eat planet—the religion of Judaism as so that we can in turn channel back to nomenon. The majority of researchers non-kosher? They have no mitzvah to opposed to the religion of “fill in the the world the blessings of being a concluded that it was merely psycholog- eat only kosher food. Believe it or not, blank”ism. And that’s not what Judaism blessed people. This is a time when ical, because the particular drugs in it seems from the words of the Prisha is really about—though I think some some spiritually aspiring Jews review question were water-soluble. (Y.D. 228:6) that it makes a difference people have done a contortionist’s job of the classic work called “The Palm Tree The situation with treif chicken is to the gentile, too. twisting aspects of our faith into some- of Deborah”—Tomer Devorah—by the different than with the tevel grapes. As we enter into Rosh Hashanah, thing that can bear the religion label. great kabbalist Rabbi Moshe The tevel grapes were water-soluble, however, we should keep in mind that A quick tour through our Biblical lit- Cordovero of the mystical city of Tsfat but the fat in the chicken can be although we are tempted to cry and erature demonstrates that our forefa- in northern Israel. It’s an ethical trea- stored as fat. It seems that we would fast, we shouldn’t. In Sefer Nechemyah thers and our prophets weren’t purvey- tise on the teaching of how we actual- need the four-step solution. (Chapter 8), the verses relate to us how ors of religion. They actually talked to ly emulate the character of G-d in our Klal Yisrael started to weep and cry G-d. They spoke of G-d in terms of relationships with others. Nature Of Timtum HaLeiv when Ezra read the Torah to them on proximity—being close to or distanced To facilitate the linkage we long for in Questions about the notion of tim- Rosh Hashanah. Ezra responded: “Go from. They called people who had drift- a relationship to Hashem, our manufac- tum ha’leiv abound. Is there a timtum home, eat, and be happy; for today is ed into idolatrous diversions to return turer’s handbook—the Torah—speaks ha’leiv that occurs if the food is per- Rosh Hashanah, a time of joy.” No mat- to Hashem, to our true G-d. They did- of something called the mitzvos—a word mitted to be eaten? The answer is clear ter what the tribulation, we must con- n’t call people to renew their synagogue often translated as “commandments.” from the Ramah (Y.D. 81:7) that it still tinue to serve Hashem in joy and happi- memberships or join the sisterhood or But that’s a religious-sounding word does occur. Does timtum ha’leiv occur ness. Hopefully we as a nation will get sponsor the youth newsletter or teach a that frequently gets misunderstood. Its on rabbinically forbidden foods? We over this, and move on to greater spiri- chaburah class. They echoed the root meaning is one of connecting with, see from the response of the Chasam tual achievement. Amen. ❖ Creator’s longing to be close to us. of being bound to. Sofer (O.C. #83) that it in fact does. “Shuvu eilai ve’ashuvah eileichem,” The connected Jew understands that Yair Hoffman can be reached at vze37jka@ Does the Torah forbid the non-kosher verizon.net. Tiferet Chaya–The Carol Tepler said the prophet Malachi—“Return to there is a bridge between the physical because of the timtum ha’leiv that is High School for Girls, located in Hewlett, may Me and I will return to you.” The and the spiritual—and that bridge is be perfect for your daughter who needs a little caused by it, or is the timtum ha’leiv extra attention. You can contact the school at nature of the invitation is very clear: caused by the fact that the Torah for- 516-275-4190 or at the above e-mail address. It’s up to us—you and me—to initiate Continued on Page 14

12 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 13 Stop Being Religious as ArtScroll, Feldheim, Mesorah, Continued from Page 12 Judaica Press, and more. Audio resources abound, and the Web- the mitzvot—the 613 different oppor- based Torah inventory is vast. tunities given to us collectively to Embedded in the Jewish DNA is the establish and sustain a genuine, trans- code to lead the world in spiritual forming relationship with G-d. fulfillment. Yet we cannot give away So let’s get to the heart of the mat- something we haven’t cultivated for ter—our hearts—and let’s do what real- ourselves. Rosh Hashanah’s Future Past ly matters—acknowledge Avinu Mal- This year, let’s make a renewed The years seem increasingly long ago. only open for Rosh Hashanah and Yom keinu—our Father, our King. If we’ll commitment to connect with the Despite their increasing distance, how- Kippur. The Rebbe davened downstairs, start there this new year, we have a great Author of our holy heritage. May the ever, it is clear to me now that they will two floors below us, in what they called chance of elevating ourselves, our rela- overflow of our personal and commu- never fade away to a place beyond the main shul. My father was the ba‘al tionships, and truly the world itself—to nal relationship with Him bring unity, retrieval. They are so special, in fact, tefillah in that unusual upstairs minyan a whole new plateau of realization. wisdom, and healing to our people that it seems they are not a matter of that was usually just an empty room with Judaism is a relationship. That and blessing to the world. L’shanah what once was, but rather they live side- no seats or chairs. Another thing about means we’re not alone here. And Rosh tovah tikaseivu. ❖ by-side with the reality of the present. that room was that the floors were so Hashanah opens a door of renewal to I refer to those then-taken-so-very- shiny you could just look down and see Gavriel Aryeh Sanders, a resident of Far refresh the connection. Rockaway, is a marketer for a major Jewish much-for-granted days of Rosh Ha- your face. The floors were a dark wood, The faith of our fathers has never publisher. He hosts the Gavriel Aryeh Sanders shanah as a teenager and young adult in well preserved and antique-looking. On show on WSNR-AM 620, heard Tuesday nights been more accessible than today, at midnight. He can be reached by e-mail at my parents’ home. From the rush of the all four sides the room was surrounded thanks to excellent publishers such [email protected] pre-Yom Tov shopping to preparing for by glass-enclosed bookshelves, neatly yet another Rosh Hashanah davening to stacked, inaccessible, and locked. This the carefully prepared and celebratory was the Rebbe’s father-in-law’s library on holiday cuisine, there was nothing like the third floor of 770. the Yamim Nora’im at home. The minyan started way back before I Where I was raised, we never had to was born. The previous Lubavitcher deal with the concept of seats for Rosh Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson, Hashanah. For us it wasn’t just a matter lived on the third floor of 770. Toward of what location you would be placed in the end of his life, he was wheelchair- or in which shul, but whether or not bound and could not make it down to the you’d have a chair to sit on at all. Born main shul floor, so a handful of his fol- and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, I lowers were chosen to create a minyan found myself part of an unusual and kind for him up there, which they did. The of quasi-exclusive minyan for the holi- minyan continued to convene each year days that had its own rules and customs. at the appointed time even after he had We davened at the main shul of passed away in 1950. In later years, I Chabad, at 770 Eastern Parkway, where thought it was just a nonce tradition to there were, as I remember it, three levels be carried on in his memory, but later I of minyanim. Well, three floors, actually. We prayed at the top, third floor that was Continued on Page 16

14 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 15 HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE carry one of those very smooth and into one of the men I recognize from and the one who always received Maftir comfortable chairs into the library and that minyan of yesteryear. I might nod on both days of Yom Tov and on Yom Continued from Page 14 it became your seat through Yom hello and ask how they are, but that’s it. Kippur. I guess it was the mid 1960s to discovered that another reason for this Kippur. If you came a little late—after They move on, I move on. Perhaps if I the early 1970s that I recall with most minyan was that his rebbitzen, Nechama the first 12 people—then you had no met their children, some who were a lit- clarity. Rabbi Rivkin was definitely Dina, still lived up there and the minyan choice but to take one of the wood- tle older than me at the time, or some of deep into his 70s and maybe even 80 was largely for her benefit. framed, red-cloth-covered folding the others who were younger, we might by then. But he had a vitality to him It was a quiet and majestic setting. chairs. These were not as sleek or com- have some interesting memories to and an earnestness about him that was Everything was meticulously clean. fortable as the leather dining-room share. But they are all grown now and interesting. I’ll never forget how he Near the library where we davened chairs, but were much better than the probably dispersed around the world cried inconsolably every year as he read there was a long hallway that would next choice—wooden benches lined up working in various Chabad Houses, the haftarah about how Chana prayed serve as the ezras nashim. Beyond this along the wall. continuing their life of that upstairs to Hashem to be blessed with a child hallway were the swinging doors to a I never understood how the composi- Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur min- and eventually gave birth to Shmuel kitchen, and nearby was a large and tion of this minyan was created. I knew yan in 770. We had our older minyan HaNavi. It was a moving story, but I fabulously decorated dining room. The that my father and one of his friends was members too, like Rabbi Rivkin, who could not understand why Rabbi thing is that I knew it was a beautiful there because they were the ba‘alei was the elder statesman of the minyan, Rivkin was so touched by it to the point room but didn’t specifically realize it tefillah. But the others, I just don’t know. a chassid of the previous Rebbe and a where he had to pause and gather him- until many years later when I would All I know is that come erev Rosh contemporary of the Rebbe who fol- self so as to be able to continue. combine what I could recall with what Hashanah, when you showed up to that lowed. Rabbi Rivkin was also a rosh Now, when Rosh Hashanah arrives I had learned about furniture, room which instantly became a shul, yeshiva in Torah Vodaas, not a likely and the haftarah is read, I think of him antiques, and the like. they were all there. In many cases I combination that you would find today. sobbing—and now I understand why. In the center of a stone-floored room wouldn’t see these people all year. Come Rabbi Rivkin sat in the front, off to the Chana’s story represents the fashion in was a long and regal dining-room table Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we left in a corner. He had one of the high- which G-d responds to prayer and gives covered with a tablecloth. Around the were together as if on a journey, passen- back leather chairs. health and life. Chanah prayed to and table were 10 or 12 leather high-back gers on some kind of spiritual 747. And He was the one the chazan waited beseeched G–d from the bottom of her dining-room chairs. If you got to shul then Yom Kippur ended and they were for to finish his Amidah before the heart. She understood that what she early enough on the first night of Rosh gone until the next year. chazan would begin the chazaras was asking was one of the three things Hashanah, you could probably get to On occasion, to this day, I may run ha’shatz. He also was the shofar blower the Talmud tells us is controlled exclusively by Hashem—the ability to have children. She was asking that the heavenly decree that called for her to be childless be reversed and, through her prayer, it was. But beyond that, she asked that her son, Shmuel, be able to dedicate his life and very existence to G-d and the service of G-d. She wanted assurance that she would not only have a son but that he would also be frum and G-d-fearing to the point where the entire essence of his existence would be dedicated to serving Hashem. And this, the Gemara says, is where the challenge that Chana was presenting really came into the picture. The Talmud tells us that when it comes to the direction of a person’s life, “all is ordained from G-d, except for fear of G-d (yiras Shamayim).” Nevertheless, Chana prayed that her Shmuel not only observe the laws of nazir for his entire life, but that he never stray from the path and be solely bound up in the service of G-d, which, as we know, he was. This was the miraculous accom- plishment of Chana’s prayer: not the fact that she actually had a child after years of being unable to conceive, but who he was and what he had become. Chana prayed that the very infrastruc- ture of creation be overturned and that she be assured that her child would be a tzadik. Her prayer was so deep and penetrating, so sincere and genuine, that it was as if there were no alternative other than that it be fulfilled. So I think that this is why Rabbi Rivkin used to cry the way he did in shul on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It’s the power of prayer— what it can accomplish when uttered and delivered from the recesses of the heart. After all, that’s what we do on Rosh Hashanah: we pray that we be granted life and health along with all the necessities of life in the year ahead. We learn from Chana that the exercise is not just a traditional or per- functory one, but rather one that can address the core of our daily lives. This minyan of mine was kind of exclusive. The same people pretty much davened up there every year. Not only that, they pretty much all sat in the same places from year to year— 16 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES this one by the window, that one by the door. The only thing that changed s”xc from year to year was the gray in their hair and beards and the types of chairs they sat on, which was determined by what time they arrived in shul. Here is something about that minyan that I know you’ll get a kick out of. We started davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at 10:30 a.m. I think I have to let that information sink in for a moment before I explain. The reason for the late start was that the main minyan downstairs started at 10:10 a.m. and this was the time that the Rebbe would leave his study and walk down the stairs and enter the shul. Some of the chassidim from upstairs wanted to be there when the Rebbe entered the shul, hence the 10:30 starting time. My father was a wonderful ba‘al tefillah who delivered the liturgy in a soft, steady, and melodious fashion. For my younger brother and me, the highlight of the davening was near the conclusion of the service, at birchas Kohanim (or the duchanin, as it is known). This was an opportunity for us to stand near our dad in the privacy and under the coverage of his old tallis and see on his face the satisfaction he had in having performed yet another Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur davening. One of the things he loved to do was to sing the duchanin while reaching out to us and pulling us close to him, squeezing us with a one handed- hug and then smiling and winking at us while leading the Kohanim in song. It was a great moment that was repeated so often and for so many years that I must have at one time believed that those days would never end. And in a way they didn’t, because they are so vivid and so alive inside my vcuy vnh,ju vch,f head. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can feel myself at my father’s We will be closed for Rosh Hashonah Sept 22 – Sept 24. side anticipating his hug, his simulta- We will reopen, ‘v vmrh ot, Sept 25. neous expression of satisfaction with his davening and his joy of us being together to kind of celebrate those precious annual moments. These little moments are replayed in shul these days as I pull my tallis over my head at the end of musaf and extend it over the heads of my boys. I’m not leading the davening, but I might as well be because it is such a wonderful and defining moment to be there together absorbing the priestly blessings and reaching out to the kids. About the late starting time, I know that for many of you that kind of thing is unheard of, and I understand and accept that. Having been away from Crown Heights for so long, I think that I would find it strange myself. But you have to understand that a chassid does- n’t start davening late on Shabbos or Yom Tov because he’s tired or lazy. A chassid starts late because he indulges in elaborate preparations for davening: going to the mikveh, reciting the entire Sefer Tehillim, having a cup of coffee, and so on. At least that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I think the late starting time versus the early starting time is one of those things that is representative of the different worldly outlooks between a chassid and a yeshiva man. In the

Continued on Page 19 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 17 Friday’s daf) says that Hillel Hashem to be a major link in whenever he excelled at restored the knowledge of the Torah transmission improving his trait of humility, Daf Yomi Insights Torah that was forgotten in process because of his humil- he became proud of it and his days. The Aruch L’ner ity. thereby failed. It is seemingly BY RABBI AVROHOM skip the point and get right to explains that over time, many The question arises regard- impossible for a humble indi- SEBROW the jokes.” I will do likewise. arguments arose between the ing the humility of these great vidual to be cognizant of his A joke is told about a visitor Talmudic students regarding individuals. Did Moshe humility and still retain his I once attended a melaveh to a yeshiva. The students the correct halachah in specif- Rabbeinu think he was a modesty—by definition, humil- malkah at Yeshivas Chofetz were engaging in self-improve- ic instances. Hillel taught the nothing? Did Hillel think he ity is not valuing oneself at all. Chaim in Yerushalayim, at ment techniques to learn correct halachos as he was a nothing? Individuals Our Talmud teaches us oth- which I was zocheh to hear humility. The visitor sat down received them from his who knew HaRav HaGaon erwise. The last mishnah in the mashgiach, HaRav next to one of the students, rebbeim, thereby solving the Moshe Feinstein, zt’l, Sotah states that when Rebbe Avrohom Kinarek (a talmid of who was repeating to himself, disputes. Why was Hillel the describe him as humble. Yet in Yehuda HaNasi passed away, Rav Boruch Ber and an “I’m nothing, I’m nothing, I’m individual to merit this dis- one of his teshuvos he writes the trait of true humility was escapee with Yeshivas Mir nothing.” So the visitor also tinction? The Imrei Pinchas regarding a particularly seri- no longer extant. The Gemara during the war), speak. Since started chanting the same says it was because of Hillel’s ous question that it can only subsequently quotes Rav Yosi, the meal was delayed for some mantra: “I’m nothing, I’m extreme humility. Moshe be addressed by a select group who states that this text of the time, Rav Kinarek began by nothing, I’m nothing.” The Rabbeinu, whom the Torah of qualified rabbis, himself mishnah must be erroneous, saying, “Since the hour is late, student turned to his neighbor describes as “humbler than included. Is that haughtiness? because “I have true humility I’m going to skip the jokes and and said disdainfully, “That any man,” excelled at humility There is story told about and I am living after the pass- get right to the point.” The guy just came, and already he and was therefore chosen to Benjamin Franklin. He devel- ing of Rebbe”! How can Rav very next speaker said, “Since thinks he’s nothing?!” teach Torah to Klal Yisrael. oped a system to improve his Yosi make this self-aggrandiz- the hour is late, I’m going to The Gemara (Sukkah 20a, So, too, Hillel was chosen by character traits. However, ing statement? To understand this properly, we must revisit the Torah’s definition of haughtiness and of humility. Humility is not an exercise is self-deception or in denying one’s G-d-given abilities; actually, it is the just the opposite. The Mesillas Yesharim (Ch. 11) writes that arrogance is a form of falsehood. Every person has strengths and weaknesses. Haughtiness occurs when one focuses exclusively on his strengths and denies his weaknesses. Rav Yisrael Salanter clarifies further: One can admit he has weaknesses, but deem them insignificant. His friend’s faults, however, are of prime importance. The upshot of his mental calculations is that by right of his personal strengths, he feels he deserves honor and tribute from other individuals. These feelings may lead a person to act in a way that we would deem arrogant. A truly intellectually honest person, however, will not view himself as a person who deserves praise and accolades, because he realizes his weaknesses. (One major human weakness is that we have to rely on Hashem for everything.) Rav Yosi was cognizant of his weaknesses, thereby making him a humble person. The fact that he realized he was humble does not negate his humility in any way. True, publicizing one’s humility is behavior typically associated with an arrogant person. However, as we see from Rav Yosi, it is not axiomatic. Rav Moshe Feinstein realized that he was one of the greatest poskim of his generation, but he did not feel he was deserv- ing of personal tribute for it. Consequently, his humble demeanor reflected that. In summation, humility is a state of true self awareness. Arrogance is a state of self- deception. Kesivah va’chasimah tovah. ❖

Rabbi Sebrow delivers a nightly shiur on the daf yomi at Priority-1. 18 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE Continued from Page 17 yeshivish and the Modern Orthodox s”xc world, shuls usually move up their starting times on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Some Young Israel shuls that usually start at 9:00 a.m. will roll back their starting time to 8:30 or 8:00 on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The yeshiva world will start even earlier, maybe at 7:00 a.m., and finish as late as 5:00 p.m. or even later on Rosh Hashanah. I mentioned our starting time in the good old days but I didn’t mention the fact that though we started berachos at 10:30 a.m., we still generally concluded the davening at about 2:30 in the afternoon. And we didn’t daven fast—we davened on an even keel, at a regular pace with sincerity and kavanah. I think the starting time really expresses the difference between chassidim and non-chassidim. After all, the idea of starting to daven at 7:00 a.m. stems from, of course, z’man k’rias Shema and tefillah but also is one way of expressing the fact that we are in a situation that calls for us to give up comforts and the usual routine, to introduce something additional and extra into our daily habits. By starting extra early, we are saying that what we do and desire is not important; we are minuscule and insignificant and only exist at the discretion of our Creator. This, if nothing else, in part expresses the smallness of man. On the other hand, the chassid does not usually dwell on this type of self- inflicted humility, but rather focuses on the greatness of G-d—on how large and looming He is and the unlimited generosity He bestows on us at all times. So, maybe the logic goes (if there is human logic to it) that G-d’s greatness is vcuy vnh,ju vch,f so all-consuming and pervasive that We will be closed for Rosh Hashonah whenever you are ready to daven, He is Sept 22 – Sept 24. We will reopen, ‘v vmrh ot, Sept 25. ready to hear what you have to say. Last week’s parashah introduced the double language that expresses the nature of G-d’s hiddenness from our generation. The double lashon in Parashas Vayelech is “haster aster,” which means “hidden, He shall be hidden.” On this, the Baal Shem Tov wrote some 300 years ago that in future generations not only will G-d seemingly be hidden, but the fact that He is hidden will itself be concealed. As a result, our people will go about their business saying G-d wants this or wants that and that Judaism and Yiddishkeit or Eretz Yisrael should be this way or that way, as long as it subscribes to our personal likes and desires. I think we need less hiddenness and a little more revelation of that sort of G-dly light and obvious Divine Presence in our lives and in Eretz Yisrael. With that, may we all be privi- leged and zocheh to a good and sweet New Year, a year of life, health, and happiness—a year in which our children grow and develop in the direction of Torah and a year that brings an end to suffering and restores the health to those in need of refuah. And may it happen speedily, now and in our days. A happy and healthy New Year to all. ❖

Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at [email protected]. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 19 20 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 21 expressive qualities in the synagogue Our Yamim service. He also outlined melodic direction of specific prayers: that is, he gave direction for tonal patterns, Nora’im Chants: phrase patterns, and appropriate melodies to be used in different Musical Practices prayer texts. The paragraphs that follow will attempt to describe some of And Traditions the practices of the Maharil as well as other leading authorities in syna- BY CANTOR BERNARD BEER gogue chant, and will examine closely the reasons for these musical cus- The Yamim Nora’im synagogue toms and usages. chants have always portrayed the moods and emotions of our people. A verse that reflects these moods and emotions is “lishmoa el ha’rinah v’el hatefillah”(Melachim I, 8:28), literally meaning, “to hearken unto the song and unto the prayer,” recited on the first Selichos night prior to the Yamim Nora’im. Our sages comment (Berachot, 6a) on this verse, “b’makom rinah sham tehi tefillah (where there is song, there shall be prayer).” The Maharil (Moreinu HaRav Rabbi Yaakov HaLevi, 1365–1427), the leading German rabbinic authority, set definite standards and practices for the music in the synagogue and community. A work entitled Minhagim Sefer Maharil, compiled by his pupil Rabbi Eliezer b. Jacob, is replete with descriptions of musical practices that became the guiding Bernard Beer. light for all of Ashkenazic Jewry. In regard to the recitation of synagogue The Ma‘ariv service on Yamim prayers by the chazan, he considered Nora’im opens with the Barechu such matters as changes in the melody, which is adapted to that of dynamics (loud and soft) and tempo (fast or slow), and how both relate to Continued on Page 26

22 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 23 24 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 25 Yamim Nora’im service. Subsequently, the ized by the Maharil, who prayer, tells how Hashem character of the day so that Continued from Page 22 melody serves as a prelude served as a shaliach tzibbur for judges the world on the the congregants might lend which creates the atmosphere the Shacharis service on Rosh Yamim Nora’im. From the their ears to the reading and the adjacent prayers with of the day. At the outset, it Hashanah. He began in a phrase “mi yanuach u’mi make amends for their faults slight variations. Because of proclaims that the Kingdom hushed, plaintive manner and yanua” (who shall be at ease in reading from the Torah the majestic character it sets, of Hashem (Malchuyos) is one gradually increased the vol- and who shall wander about) during the rest of the year. In the invocation is sometimes of the major themes of the ume heard by the congrega- to the end of the prayer, the addition, Rabbi Ephraim called “Barechu HaGadol— High Holy Day Service. Early tion in awe. In many congre- shaliach tzibbur chants the Zalman Margoliath, in his the Great Barechu.” Chanted chassidim referred to the first gations it is customary for the text according to a fixed Sefer Matteh Ephraim, points in a grand manner in a major night of Rosh Hashanah as shaliach tzibbur to chant nusach (melody chant) and out that the Torah blessings scale, it is difficult to com- “Coronation Night.” For this HaMelech while standing in increases the rate of speed at as well as the Mi prehend why we usher in the reason, Ashkenazic Jewry his place, then walk to the which he is reciting. This is She’beirachs are also chanted Yamim Nora’im services with throughout the world joins amud with bowed head and to done intentionally in order to on Yamim Nora’im according a melody whose style is so together with the shaliach continue with the words confuse the Satan as he lis- to this special tune. lofty. When all has been con- tzibbur in this exultant tune. “yoshev al kisei rom v’nisa.” tens to the enumeration of An interesting story is told sidered, it is Yamim Nora’im, The ba‘al Shacharis begins One of the most exalted the various decrees in prayer. of Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan a period when Hashem sits the morning service with the moments of the service The cantillation of the HaKohen, known to the in judgment. chanting of HaMelech. The comes when the aron Torah on the High Holy Days entire Orthodox world as the A reason given is that a pro- chant in its melismatic form ha’kodesh is opened and the is rendered in a special Chofetz Chaim. Upon being longed melody for Barechu was introduced by the chant of U’nesaneh Tokef mode. The motive for intro- accorded the honor of an constitutes a call to prayer Ashkenazic authority, the begins. The text B’Rosh ducing this special tune, aliyah on Rosh Hashanah, and gives the worshipers 13th-century Rabbi Meir of Hashanah, a section of the according to the Maharil, is the Chofetz Chaim quickly ample time to gather for the Rothenberg. It was popular- celebrated U’nesaneh Tokef to emphasize the awesome approached the bimah to recite the blessings, but to the amazement of the congregation, he stood motionless and in silence before the Sefer Torah. After several long moments, he finally commenced to intone the benediction. At the conclusion of the services, several of his disciples who noticed what took place earlier approached the great sage and asked, “Rebbe, what was the cause for your delay before reciting the berachos?” “For several moments I could not recall the Yamim Nora’im melody,” answered the Chofetz Chaim. “I would not begin to recite the berachah until I was remind- ed of the special niggun.” In his article entitled “Halakhah and Minhag in Nusah Hatefilah” (Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy, Cantorial Council of America, Vol. XIII), Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz expresses his opinion that congregations should seek sh’luchei tzibbur who combine piety and a mastery of traditional nusach, particularly on the Yamim Nora’im. “The absence of these hal- lowed niggunim during the davening would be unthink- able to any worshipper who has an inbred affinity for the feelings and stirrings of the heart, rendered by the proper nusach. Just as the avodah in the Beis HaMikdash was accompanied by a certain order of shir, or music, pri- marily vocal, so must our avodah in the synagogue maintain a proper contact and order of shir.” With the rendering of our High Holy Day nusachs in a proper and dignified manner, may we pray that all our tefillos be accepted before Hashem and that we be granted a sh’nas chayim v’shalom. ❖ Bernard Beer is director of the Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music, a division of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. 26 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 27 tain a Divine spark; there is no move- we learn how to pour out our soul. ment of the soul without G-dly purpose. Eli thought Chana was drunk with Only once we have made this peace wine. He was the High Priest, the holi- within ourselves—between our inner est of the Jewish nation. The Divine souls and our outer desires, between Spirit rested upon him and he was able the sanctuary of our hearts and the to see within the hearts of men and words of our lips—only then can we women. Yet, he saw Chana as a drunk- create this cosmic peace between the ard—drunk with a worldly desire, a Essence of All Being and our busy, desire for a child so she would no material world. longer suffer the shame and ridicule From The Chassidic Masters This is why prayer is called through- afforded her by Peninah. out the Tehillim “an outpouring of the But Chana answered: No, it is not soul.” That which lies within pours wine but my soul that pours out to G-d. Chana’s Prayer outward, with no dam to obstruct it, For my desire for a child has purpose no mud to taint it, nothing to change it and meaning beyond the pursuits and BY TZVI FREEMAN bothers you. Tell Me with all your along the way. The entire world may be follies of man. My child, the precious heart what you desire and I will listen. ripping apart at the seams, but the jewel of my heart’s desire, I have already Some people see the human being For what is important to you is impor- beseecher’s heart and mouth are at given him to G-d. as a lonely creature in an indifferent tant to Me. Speak to Me. I wish to peace as one. And then that peace So it is with our prayers: We pray for and even hostile universe. But they dwell within your world.” spreads outward into all things. material things, but it is not the mate- need to look deeper, for the two are The chasm merges and seals. Outer There are many things we learn from rial, but the spiritual within them that essentially one: The soul of man is and inner, higher and lower, spiritual the prayer of Chana (recounted in our soul desires. G-dly and the soul of the universe is The mission of every human being is G-d. Only in their outward expres- to bring the many things of this chaot- sion does a conflict appear—or even ic world into harmony with their inner that which may resemble indiffer- There is nothing of this world that does not purpose and the oneness that under- ence. But within is a love affair; an lies them. To do this, each of us must eternal, inseparable embrace. It is a have those things related to our mis- drama Shlomo HaMelech entitled contain a Divine spark; there is no movement sion: our family, our health, our “Shir HaShirim,” for it is what lies at homes, our income. We pray for these the core of every song, every human of the soul without G-dly purpose. things from the innermost of our expression, and all the cosmos: the hearts; our soul pours out for them— longing to reunite, to be one, to cre- because our soul knows that without ate a harmony in the outer world them she cannot fulfill her mission in that matches the perfect union that and physical, holy and mundane, heav- Shmuel I, Chapter 1 and read as the this world. lies beneath. en and earth kiss and become one. haftarah for the first day of Rosh And G-d listens. Because He wishes This, too, is the work of prayer: We There is a condition, however, to this Hashanah). We learn that our lips must to dwell within our mundane world. have our concerns; G-d seems so dis- healing of lovers’ hearts: first we must move in prayer, and that we must be (Chabad.org) ❖ tant from them. There is a vast chasm find the inner sanctity that lies behind able to hear our own prayer but no one between our world and His. But then our own desires and strife. For there is else should. We learn that prayer is to Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher He says, “Speak to Me about what nothing of this world that does not con- be said standing. But most important, Rebbe.

28 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Dovid’s severely limited ability to communicate was triggering uncontrolled The Sound Of The Silent Shofar and unpredictable behavior. Eighteen months before their son’s 13th birthday, BY DANIEL MOSKOWITZ he had also brought with him from there was no other option; he would not planning a bar mitzvah seemed totally Europe his heritage and traditions. disappoint the Sabbath queen. impossible. But even more frightening This year, as we enter the portals of The job required he work on Shabbos. Every Friday, as the Jewish immi- was the realization that living at home our synagogues on the first day of the He couldn’t; he wouldn’t. grant went through this financial ritu- was becoming more and more difficult new Jewish year 5767, we will wait in So each and every week, as he pooled al, he would repeat to his children the for Shmuel Dovid and for his family. vain to hear the inspiring blast of the together his meager wages that barely following chant: “If the Children of As they contemplated the future, shofar. The cantor will chant, the rabbi the possibility of a group home for will sermonize, and the congregation their mischievous jewel of a child was will join in loving praise of G-d and looming as an uncomfortable but per- our people. But the shofar—the ram’s Every Friday, as the Jewish immigrant went through this haps necessary option. It would bring horn whose piercing notes traditional- some long-forgotten calm to their ly signify the high point of the Rosh financial ritual, he would repeat to his children the home; but what of Shmuel Dovid? Hashanah service—will remain still. Would this be of benefit to him? Then This year, the first day of Rosh following chant: “If the Children of Israel keep the came the religious questions. There Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the day of was no organized facility in the area rest. The Talmud relates in the name Shabbos, the Shabbos will keep the Children of Israel.” that provided kosher food and a of the great sage Rabbah that when the Shabbos environment. New Year coincides with Shabbos, our Mr. and Mrs. E. went to their rabbi weekly dose of spiritual respite super- to discuss the latest challenge. What sedes the pageantry and the magnitude covered his family’s basic needs, he Israel keep the Shabbos, the Shabbos was the Jewish law? Could they even of the shofar’s call. allocated the money necessary to hire a will keep the Children of Israel.” consider a setting for their precious Fine, that’s the law; but where is the non-Jew to cover for him on Saturdays. Years later, this story took on great son that had no provisions for kashrus inspiration? Where is the majesty? How It wasn’t cheap—he had to pay his significance in the life of the E. family. can the routine Shabbos observance stand-in double the daily rate—but Things were getting tougher. Shmuel Continued on Page 30 replace the sound of the ram’s horn heard at Sinai? How will we crown G-d as King of the Universe? How will we get a foretaste of the “great shofar” that will usher in the time of Mashiach? How can we hear a silent shofar? I recently found the answer in a most unlikely setting. Last week, I attended a bar mitzvah that made a long-lasting impression on me. As a community rabbi, I attend many life- cycle events, each in its own way mem- orable and significant. But attending the bar mitzvah of Shmuel Dovid E., an autistic child with cognitive delays, was difficult—not for the child or for the family, but for us, the guests. Don’t get me wrong. The parents have their hands full. For years, Shmuel Dovid could hardly utter a word or communicate his basic needs. But they handled it. And in handling it, the family, the bar mitzvah boy, the inner circle of professionals and support staff—they are blessed with unusual insight that goes beyond the superficial and the external. They are privy to a dimension of life that we can only philosophize about. They can look directly into the soul of this beautiful child of G-d and see a truly stunning work of creation. They nur- tured Shmuel Dovid, lovingly and consistently, to achieve his bar mitzvah goals. We, the outsiders, could only hope to observe, to act natural, to say the right things, and to pretend that all is normal and average and mundane. At the celebration, Shmuel Dovid’s father got up to thank the community, the Keshet school, and the friends, rela- tives, and personnel who have walked hand-in-hand with the E. family at each and every step of this incredible journey. And then Mr. E. told a story: Thirty years ago, he encountered a Jewish woman in Seattle who told him about her immigrant father coming to Winnipeg, Canada in the very difficult years of the Depression. He had brought with him from the European shtetl a work ethic that nothing was too hard or demeaning. And so, when the only job available to him in this new- found land of opportunity was to be a simple milk man, he accepted the job with zeal. There was only one problem; 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 29 Silent Shofar lovingly cared for his new pair of tefill- Continued from Page 29 in and learned to wrap them each weekday morning just as his father and or Shabbos? Was it permissible? What brothers do. He got his own suit and was their Judaic parental responsibility black hat, like all the other yeshiva in this case? boys, and he brought to the home a The rabbi was clear: For a child who new calm that they hadn’t felt in a long was unaware of the significance of time. That day he became a “man.” basic Jewish laws, it would be halachi- “If the children of Israel keep the cally sanctioned to outplace him, even Shabbos—the Shabbos will keep the if the group home could not provide children of Israel.” for elementary Jewish practices. When Mr. E. finished his story there Mr. and Mrs. E. left the rabbi’s was not a dry eye in the shul. Every office with the clarity they had sought. heart was moved. Each of us sat in awe Shmuel Dovid would stay home. True, of this amazing boy, this awesome fam- his scope of knowledge was limited. ily, our wonderful traditions, and our His comprehension of things outside treasured Shabbos. his immediate reach was restricted. So this year, on the first day of Rosh But he did know of Shabbos. What he Hashanah, when the shofar is silent let did not know was Saturday. His face us make sure to listen very carefully. would shine as his mother lit the We can hear the whisper of genera- Shabbos candles. He anxiously await- tions; we can heed the secret of our ed his turn to drink from his father’s survival. We can reflect on those who kiddush cup on Friday nights. He have sacrificed and on those who have would drum his fingers and sing reaped the benefits of our faith. along—off tune—as the family broke We can close our eyes and see our out in chassidic song. Shmuel Dovid mother’s Shabbos candles and taste our knew of Shabbos and he even knew of zeide’s sweet wine. We can reach deeply kosher, carefully examining a package into the age-old wisdom of the weekly for its kosher symbol and recognizing Torah message. And we can resolve to the difference between meat and dairy. emulate the simple devotion and the Yes, Shmuel Dovid would stay home. amazing fortitude of Shmuel Dovid E. The decision was made, and the This Rosh Hashanah, listen careful- next 18 months were a turning point. ly to the resounding sound of the silent Together they struggled, they dared, shofar. It calls us to embrace the they dreamt, they planned, and they Shabbos queen. (Chabad.org) ❖ succeeded. When the big day arrived, Shmuel Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz is the regional director of Dovid was called to the Torah to make Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois and vice-president of the Chicago Rabbinical Council. the blessings and take his rightful place He can be reached at RabbiM@Lubavitch among those of all generations past. He Chabad.org.

30 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Q. I am selling my house and the returns under audit, involving individ- buyer asked me to have my attorney pre- uals and entities associated with the pare a contract for an amount higher real-estate business. than the actual sales price. Is this legal? These are some of the more com- A. Definitely, absolutely, positively, mon schemes seen by criminal certainly not! investigators: In recent years, the booming real- •Property flipping: A buyer pays a estate market has helped increase low price for property, then resells it mortgage fraud and other phony real- quickly for a much higher price. While estate-related schemes. The perpetra- this practice itself may be legal, it tors of these schemes range from becomes fraudulent where false state- mortgage brokers looking to make a ments to the lender are involved. fast buck to drug dealers laundering • Two sets of settlement state- their ill-gotten gains. Every year, ments: One settlement statement is these fraudulent schemes victimize prepared and provided to the seller, individuals and businesses from accurately reflecting the true selling many walks of life, including strug- price of the property. A second fraud- gling low-income families lured into ulent statement is given to the home loans they cannot afford, legit- lender, showing a highly inflated pur- imate lenders saddled with over- ported selling price. The lender pro- inflated mortgages, and honest real- vides a loan in excess of the property estate investors fleeced out of their value, and after the loans are settled, investment dollars. the proceeds are divided among the The number of real-estate fraud conspirators. investigations initiated by IRS criminal • Fraudulent qualifications: investigation has rapidly multiplied in Real-estate agents assist buyers who the recent past, doubling in just two would not otherwise qualify, by fabri- years. Similarly, the average prison cating their employment history or term handed out by federal judges to credit record. In these real-estate defendants in these schemes nearly fraud cases, money laundering is doubled over the same period (from 24 often the mechanism used to hide months to 46 months). In addition, the IRS has many Continued on Page 32

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 31 ASK THE LAWYER chasers defaulted on the loans, leaving the properties abandoned and Continued from Page 31 boarded up. After mortgage lending income from the government. Money companies refused to lend money to laundering is the process of attempt- the Platinum Mortgage customers, ing to make money earned illegally the same operator moved to Detroit appear to be legitimate. Many crimi- and opened another mortgage bro- nal tax investigations focus on money kerage company, Monumental laundering, because it is often insep- Mortgage, and continued the scheme arable from tax evasion. there. The total amount of loss To give you additional food for attributed to these schemes is more thought, consider the following case than $8 million. summaries based on public record • In July of 2003, one of the own- court documents on file in the judi- ers of Investors Mortgage Group— cial districts in which the cases were after pleading guilty to conspiracy, prosecuted: mail fraud, and money-laundering • In April of 2003, in Indianapolis, charges—was sentenced in Ind., the owner of Platinum Indianapolis to 170 months in prison Mortgage Brokerage—after pleading followed by three years of supervised guilty to conspiracy to commit mail release, and was ordered to pay resti- fraud and money laundering—was tution of $2,055,000. He had been sentenced to 105 months in prison to indicted, along with six other defen- be followed by three years of super- dants, in a mortgage-fraud and vised release, and was ordered to pay money-laundering conspiracy involv- $3.7 million in restitution. He oper- ing loans obtained through IMG on ated Platinum Mortgage in residential properties in Indianapolis Indianapolis from 1998 until May from July 1999 to June 2002. He was 2001, during which time the compa- the leader and organizer of the crimi- ny brokered more than 100 fraudu- nal activity, recruiting closing agents, lent residential mortgages. He and appraisers, investors, and other per- other members of the conspiracy, 13 sons to assist in the scheme. During of whom have been convicted, the course of the scheme, about 75 recruited several real-estate apprais- fraudulent loans were obtained. ers and closing agents to assist in the Almost all of the loans went into fraudulent scheme. Basically, the default, resulting in losses to the properties were appraised for two to lender of about $3 million. three times their true value. Straw • In August of 2003, in Greenbelt, purchasers obtained loans on the Md., a Mr. Bivins was sentenced to property well in excess of their true 57 months in prison followed by value, the members of the conspiracy three years of supervised release and shared the profits, and the pur- was ordered to pay restitution of

32 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES $297,188. As the loan officer for the First Capital Acceptance Corporation and Mortgage Corporation of Maryland, Bivins assisted his sister and another man in spending their drug proceeds to purchase real estate. As the loan officer, Bivins sub- mitted false loan applications and documentation, including false W-2’s and false employment verification, to obtain the mortgage loans. The drug proceeds were used for down payments and closing costs to complete the transactions. The properties involved were valued at over $1.1 million. Remember, the majority of real-estate brokers, mortgage brokers, and attorneys are honorable and upstanding individuals. However, as is the case with every profes- sion—and life in general— there are the rare few that tarnish the name and profes- sion for others. If your lawyer is willing to prepare a contract for an amount higher than the actual sales price, get yourself a new lawyer! ❖

This column is designed for general information only, and should not be construed as formal professional advice.

The Law Offices Of Howard M. Adelsberg is a full-service law firm with over 20 years of experience, and handles a variety of legal matters in the areas of personal injury, estate matters, real estate transactions and litigation, commercial litigation, and family law. You can call the office at 516- 569-6930.

Readers are encouraged to send questions to HAdelsberg@Lawofhma .com or to Law Offices Of Howard M. Adelsberg, 445 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516.

MAZEL TOV TO THE JUSTIC FAMILY ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR SON THIS PAST MONDAY AFTERNOON! FROM EVERYONE AT THE FIVE TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 33 spinach is such a dirty vegetable that by assorted guests, understand the relevance the time one would be able to rinse the of the subject matter at this time. That’s leaves totally free of sand, Yom Tov because we remember from year to year would be over. that everyone comes home from shul Moving on, it’s a given that a holiday starving, anticipating a veritable feast. menu isn’t complete without dessert. Clothing is another pre-holiday obses- What’s odd is that, although everyone in sion. Apparently Hashem isn’t the only the world is on one diet or another, most judge we worry about; the fashion police The Countdown Is Over hostesses still rack their brains trying to are a force to be reckoned with. So, with come up with ever tastier sweet treats. notably few exceptions, many females are Anticipation is always worse than—or imally enhanced the color. There’s not Today’s balabusta knows enough to put as preoccupied with finding the perfect better than, depending on what one is much one can do with iceberg lettuce fruit on the table at meal’s end—right outfit to wear as they are with locating anticipating—the actual event. For the (the only kind mom served), peeled alongside the inevitable cake and pastry their machzor. This is an understandable past few weeks, housewives everywhere cukes, and pale tomatoes; vivid red cher- offerings that would tempt the most phenomenon, since a machzor is a single have been preoccupied with the yamim ry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and vine- determined dieter. The prevailing ration- item that, if temporarily misplaced, can tovim. For some it was meal planning, for ripened tomatoes were unheard of back ale is that those who want to eat healthy be supplied by the shul. Wearing apparel, others it was the “what to wear” conun- then. But over time, salads evolved into will reach for the melon and kiwi, and on the other hand, involves multiple drum, and for many it was both. bright, colorful displays of every crunchy those who are unconscious in the weight items to keep track of, such as suit, hat, Coming up with creative menus shoes, and hose. Bear in mind that the involves first the decision making, and suit must look good, the hat must match then the shopping and cooking. But it’s or complement the suit, and the hose that first part of the process that’s chal- The single decision that a female needs to make after and shoes must blend. Should an item of lenging. I’m not sure why this is, since our apparel go missing somewhere in the choices are limited. What could a main leaving her house is to determine at exactly which point in house, we’re on our own. Shuls are good dish be other than meat, chicken, turkey, about providing machzors, but they draw or duck? Starchy side dishes shouldn’t the journey she should stop, lean on a fence, and make the line at lending out clothes. take all that much thought, either, the old switcheroo, i.e., stuffing her walking shoes into the The “look” must be completed with a because there is just a finite number of small paper shopping bag. For the unini- those: pasta, potatoes, rice, or that old bag and yanking out the high heels with the pointy toes. tiated, that’s the bag—which should be standby, kugel (which in some segments color-compatible with one’s outfit—used of my mishpachah is known as “keegle”). to tote the shoes that are too uncomfort- Then again, these same family members able for long-distance walking. The sin- refer to shul as “sheel.” But I digress. vegetable known to man (and grower). or health category can dig into the brown- gle decision that a female needs to make Today, vegetables and salads are the Sadly, this year’s salad choices will be ies and cookies. All too often, people wind after leaving her house is to determine at big-ticket items on a menu. When I was limited, due to the tragic events of last up helping themselves to both, which exactly which point in the journey she a kid, a salad meant an anemic-looking week, when a number of people across simply increases their caloric intake. should stop, lean on a fence, and make combination of lettuce, tomatoes, and the country became infected with E. coli This ruminating message might seem the old switcheroo, i.e., stuffing her walk- cucumbers. Occasionally my mother after eating bagged spinach. As of this an unimportant topic to put to paper— ing shoes into the bag and yanking out would add a shredded carrot or a sliced writing, even fresh spinach is suspect, but only to men, who, by and large, aren’t the high heels with the pointy toes. red radish, but this did little to change and we’re being warned not to eat that, responsible for feeding anyone. Females, Because of this game plan there’s a very the taste of the mixture, and it only min- either. This is probably just as well, since who are expected to nourish family and limited window of opportunity to show

34 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES off beautiful, toe-crushing shoes. Footwear can only be seen when one is upright. As soon as a woman takes her seat, everything from the neck down is hidden from view. I could be wearing a muumuu and rubber galoshes and no one would know the difference. It would seem that choosing fashion- able shoes, toting the appropriate paper sack, and ultimately making the changeover en route to shul is a lot to go through for such a short viewing period, but that’s the way it is. It’s true that one’s shoes can also be seen while leaving shul, but the tired and hungry masses are too busy rushing home to focus on anyone’s footwear. And with regard to how we will look, let’s not forget the jewelry department. Here, too, choices must be made. It’s a good thing most of us aren’t in Cleopatra’s shoes (make that Cleopatra’s sandals), because decision-making isn’t always an easy task. And clearly, the more gems one owns, the more difficult the selection process. Poor Cleo; in addition to having to choose from a vast selection of rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, she was seen in every photo op wearing a jeweled headpiece that must have weighed a good 20 pounds. No wonder she committed suicide before she was 40; I get a headache after wearing a lightweight hat for a few hours. Whether one has been obsessing about meals, clothing, jewelry, or all of the above, the time to stop is now. The anticipatory period is over; D-day is upon us. In just a few hours, we’ll sit down to that first meal and tomorrow we’ll head for shul—with or without a machzor tucked under one arm. Presumably we’ll all be appropriately attired, and will eat sparingly and sensibly, while still managing to enjoy the meals. Live a little. After all, Rosh Hashanah is only once a year. More importantly, regardless of whose machzor we use, let’s daven well. Shanah tovah to all. ❖

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.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 35 The pure and innocent eyes that saw all the tragedy and that read about all the aftermath were altered forever. It was the peeling back of all the layers of defenses, ambitions, and hypocrisies that revealed the essence of humanity Dear Editor, in its most pristine form. In reeling from the recent news of As a nation, we live in a world where chickens from the black market being integrity is no longer the core of a man’s sold as “kosher chickens,” I took a good, character. In a post-Holocaust era hard look at the world we live in. What where we sought to rebuild our rich drives a man who was a paradigm of the legacy, we did not allow for ourselves to community—on the board of prestigious be individuals. We were so afraid of institutions, father of men of character, being lost as a nation that we forced supporting his son-in-law to learn—to ourselves and our children to live suddenly dispose of all his scruples and Judaism competitively. We allowed take a sliding turn down devil’s lane? Enron’s influence to seep in, and we The perpetrator’s own words, “The convinced ourselves that we have to yetzer ha’ra got the better of me!” sheds worship the “almighty learner.” Never in no light on this enormous riddle. His the shtetl life was there a demeaning of yetzer ha’tov existed for everything else the bachurim who chose to find a pro- in his life, from giving a daf yomi shiur fession, being honest with themselves every morning, to being the shaliach that learning was not for them. My tzibur, to sending his children to the father—a Holocaust survivor, son of a best of yeshivas. How then could this businessman—chose learning; he had have happened? the utmost reverence for his most dear In the aftermath of 9/11, it is said friends who were businessmen. Never that amidst the horror and the shock of was there an undertone of superiority, what human nature could stoop to, it that he sat and learned all day while was also a time of great devotion by all they worked. I remember him telling me those who risked their lives or gave that in olam ha’ba, Hashem gave the their lives to help save the lives of those machzik Torah “auto knowledge” of all trapped in the towers. We live in times the Torah of those they helped support. of “exfoliation,” the removal of layers Chasan Bereishis was always a balabas in down to the most raw and basic heart- our shul, and Chasan Torah was usually beat of human character. Frantic cell my father, zt’l. They shared the crown of phone calls uttering farewells were the Torah while they both basked in the backdrop of this enormous tragedy. The glory of Hashem. simple expression of love evoked at We need to take a good look at the those moments surpassed all atrocities pathway we have created, leading our the terrorists brought upon the world. Bais Yaakov girls to all seek out “eternal

36 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES learners.” Our rashei yeshiva have to Mashiach comes, we will greet him— take a good look at the advice they give not holding our heads in shame, but their students—“Ask for ‘life support.’” I with faces radiating our cheilek Eloak remember hearing my sister-in-law say, mima’al (a piece of the Divine): porce- “All the girls sound the same—‘Such lain-perfect Yiras Shamayim. good midos, does a lot of chesed, good Rochel Weinfeld grades in school, good friends, etc.’; they Far Rockaway are almost interchangeable!” We have created the mold and made “out of the An open letter to Hatzolah and all box” so undesirable that our youth Hatzolah volunteers: choose suicide and our elders choose Once again I would like to sincerely cheating, embezzling, and being thank all of the volunteers of Hatzolah machtei es ha’rabbim (causing the pub- for your time, your caring, and the out- lic to sin) to preserve their “image.” standing assistance you provide. The competition begins in preschool On several occasions I had to call and intensifies all the way up to retire- upon Hatzolah for help. As the sole ment age. How wise were our caregiver for an elderly father with chachamim’s words (Sanhedrin 29a), Parkinson’s disease, I could not always “kol ha’mosif goreia”—he who adds on give the necessary emergency care; will ultimately detract. Let us be honest these were the times I reached out to about our “comfort zone” in Judaism. Let Hatzolah. No matter the time of day or us allow our children the space to devel- night, within a few short minutes op their own dreams and aspirations. As Hatzolah was there! a famous Jewish therapist and educator The last time I called for help, once said, “The ‘derech’ is a wide highway with again Hatzolah was there! This time was many lanes going different speeds and different; there was no first aid, and there with service roads taking the scenic was no emergency room, but Hatzolah route.” Let us cheer on our children for was there trying to resuscitate my father. any lane they choose and imbue them My father passed away peacefully with a lost gem—Yiras Shamayim—that in his home that day, but because of is developed and cultivated and learned the dedication, kindness, and caring by the example of those around them. of the volunteers of Hatzolah, I will Let us teach our children that we are all always be grateful. equal in the eyes of G-d. Lastly, let us It has taken me five months to write teach our children unconditional accept- this letter. Know how very special you ance of all darchei Torah (paths of the all are and that the help you provide is Torah) and a kind and favorable eye greatly appreciated. towards all of G-d creatures. I will always be thankful that In this way, our “exfoliation” will Hatzolah was there! reveal our supple skin, rich in color, Sincerely, character, and endurance. When Carole Daner

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 37 matchmaker is working on their behalf. that there were so many laws regard- “good catch.” I can suggest him for a Matchmaking When I was finishing my last semes- ing making shidduchim. I’m a little friend of mine, even if she’s not a ter at Stern College, I met a freshman nervous now about suggesting a member of the site. This gives me the in my psychology class, and I thought match, because there are so many opportunity to set up my friends with- Your Way To A to myself, Hey, she might get along conditions that have to be met out going into detail about the well with a certain guy friend of mine. halachically. I find some of the condi- guy/girl. I just do the suggesting; the I set them up and, lo and behold, they tions very interesting (and scary), site does the actual set up. I feel as if Shanah Tovah got married, and now they have lots of such as: If I know my friend only setting two people up in this manner great kids. Whenever this couple sees wants to date a guy two years younger lets me off the hook in terms of BY MICHELE HERENSTEIN me, they call me Aunt Michele in front than she, I can’t set her up with a guy describing the two people to each of their kids and explain how I set up two years older without telling her other, which has the potential for Thanks to SawYouAtSinai.com,a their mommy and daddy. It feels great. first, because that would be mislead- lashon hora. But it still gives me the Jewish dating site started by Marc The best part of this setup was that ing. Even if I think a friend has an leeway to hand over my ideas to the Goldman of Woodmere, I’m finally able neither one asked a million questions irrational checklist, I still can’t ignore site, and it can be taken on from there. to be an official matchmaker. I should about the other. They met, talked, and it and set her up with someone who When I got into the office one begin by saying that I absolutely love to decided for themselves that they were doesn’t fit her criteria, unless I con- recent morning, one of the first things set people up. It makes me feel good, good together. I don’t take too much sult first with a rav. There are so I did was log onto SYAS. I then lifts me up emotionally, and can be credit, because we all know matching many examples that are discussed by scrolled through past matches I’ve tremendously satisfying. However, it’s a is from Hashem, but I like to think the Chofetz Chaim that it’s made me declined, or guys I previously dated, lot more difficult than I originally that I was placed in a good position to quite anxious about matchmaking, and I thought about which girlfriends thought. First, being single and a help them meet. although I do very much want to help might be interested in some of these matchmaker at the same time is pretty Setting up friends is really diffi- my friends meet. guys. I came up with five ideas in as tough; I can’t always be as honest with cult. It’s like playing “Twenty-One So imagine my happiness when I many minutes. I had the choice to guys as I could if I were married. Questions” with no good answers. received an e-mail from SawYou have my name revealed to the couples Second, one can’t be too thin-skinned And after studying the laws of shemi- AtSinai, explaining how anyone can be or to be anonymous; I chose anonymi- as a matchmaker. People often get ras halashon (the laws of proper a matchmaker. It works like this: Say I ty. Sometimes friends or acquaintanc- angry at the matches they’re sent, speech), I’ve found that it’s even receive a match via the site, and I es don’t understand how you could instead of just being thankful that the harder. I didn’t know until recently decide the guy is not for me but he’s a have thought of them for a specific guy or girl, so suggesting a match anony- mously takes away the pressure and worry that you will insult a friend. This is a huge plus. If the match works out, great. If it doesn’t, I don’t have to lose a friend’s trust, or gain a friend’s frus- tration with me for suggesting such a “crazy” match. Four out of the five guys I suggested were ones I had previously gone out with and thought highly of, and the girls I suggested for them are ones I’m close to and know fairly well. I can’t predict if they will get along well with each other, but I can say with certain- ty that these are quality girls and guys, and maybe if the matches don’t work out, they can do the same matchmaking for others. So thanks to SawYouAtSinai.com,I get to meet new guys and be a matchmaker at the same time. I would encourage singles to try to help others in this manner. Think of guys or girls you like who may not be for you but whom you deem as being “quality” people. And whether it’s through SawYouAtSinai or on your own, set people up. There are too many singles out there for us to not take some kind of action. Everyone has a different role in matchmaking; for singles I believe the role is to look out for your friends. If you concentrate on setting up friends, hopefully Hashem will credit the mitzvah to you and you will in turn meet your bashert speedily. I hope at least one of my five suggested matches agrees to go out. And I hope that these ten people will say to themselves, “Someone thought of me; I will now think of someone else.” In this way, we should all be zocheh to meet the “right” person at the right time. My wish for all singles is that this year should be one in which you are all blessed with finding your bashert. Just as important, you should all have the clarity to know that it is the right person for you. My thoughts, hopes, and wishes are with all of you in this New Year. Shanah Tovah. ❖

Michele Herenstein is a freelance journalist living and working in New York. She can be reached at [email protected]. 38 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Cooking Concepts If You Can’t Beet ’Em...

BY NAOMI ROSS

Growing up, we each formulate opinions about certain foods; we develop our likes and dislikes, and very often those early tastes stay with us throughout adulthood. So it was for me when it came to beets. My father, a’h, enjoyed very few things more than a nice cold bowl of borscht. He would open a jar of store-bought borscht, meticulously dice in some cucumber and a dollop of sour cream, and he was a happy man. While he savored each and every bite, I could- n’t stand it. I just didn’t get the taste, and quickly made up my mind that beets were “gross”—a revolting food that would never touch my lips. Fast forward about 20 years and, there I am in my kitchen looking through my cooking magazines—only to be bombard- ed by the very food by which I was trau- matized as a child…beets! How could it be? Trying to have an open mind, I conceded: “What if it’s not true? What if beets actually are good and I just don’t know it? It has been many years since I’ve even tried one.” And so I mustered up the courage to overcome my aversion, to start anew and to taste as if for the first time. Underneath the ugly brown peel existed a fresh sweetness and a color so extraordinary that it was simply delicious to partake of—both for the palate and for the eye. No longer did I harbor any bad feelings against this unsung root vegetable, but rather celebrated it as a star in my salads on the Shabbos table. Beets are especially significant for this time of year and hold a special place on the Rosh Hashanah table. One of the simanei milsa (symbolic foods), we eat beets on the first night of Rosh Hashanah (some also eat them on the second night). The word for beets is “silka,” which sounds like “siluk,” meaning “removal.” We therefore ask G-d that “our adver- saries be removed (she’yistalku oy’vainu).” This is only one out of several simanim (symbolic foods) whose names allude to good things or that have positive connota- tions. The source for this custom comes straight from the Talmud (Kerisus, 6a) which states “Abbaye said, ‘Now that you have said that an omen is significant, at the beginning of each year, each person should accustom himself to eat gourds, fenugreek, leeks, beets, and dates.’ ” On a day in which we devote the entirety of our prayers and thoughts to establishing Hashem’s malchus (kingship) in the world, we use this small opportunity during our festive meals to pray for ourselves and Klal Yisrael in a covert way—by hint- ing to the things that we each deeply wish for. In this way, we remind ourselves that the main focus of the day is really G-d. But further, we are acknowledging that the source for all of the blessings we yearn for come only from G-d; we are dependent upon Him for these blessings. With such significance, it is a shame that it’s commonplace to rush through the simanim just in order to get to the food. Perhaps if the simanim were gussied up a bit, we would be able to focus on them more. With that said, here is a won-

Continued on Page 40 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 39 COOKING CONCEPTS Continued from Page 39 derfully refreshing recipe for roasted beet and orange salad, bound to convert even the most adamant beet skeptic. May this year be one of removing our enemies, removing our own limitations and enjoying the sweetness that Hashem puts into our lives. ❖ Roasted Beet And Orange Salad This flavorful salad is simple to make, but the beets must be roasted in advance. They can be prepared the day before. This salad is best served the day it is assembled as the strong color from the beets will run and dye the other ingredients over time, and you don’t want to loose these wonderful contrasting colors! 3 large beets (or 4 small), scrubbed and trimmed 1 Tbsp. water kosher salt Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare two large pieces of alu- minum foil, one on top of the other. Place the two layers on top of a baking sheet. Place beets in the center of the foil layers. Drizzle water over the tops and sprinkle with kosher salt. Gather the foil around the beets and close to form a tightly sealed pouch. Roast for at least 1 hour, or until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork. When tender, remove from oven and cool. Refrigerate until ready to assemble salad. 3–4 oranges 2–3 scallions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 2/3 cup olive oil 2 tsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste Gently peel or scrape away skin from beets so that you are left with the inner red flesh (You might want to use gloves for this—beet juice stains skin, too!). Cut the beets into 1 ⁄2-inch pieces and place them in a large mixing bowl. Cut off the polar ends of the oranges with a sharp serrated knife. Then slice the peel from the sides. Trim away the white pith. With a gentle sawing motion, cut along each mem- brane and release the orange sections into the bowl with the beets. (You will be left with an empty mass of membranes; dis- card!) Add the chopped scallions to the bowl and set aside. Combine the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a cruet or tightly covered container. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsi- fied. Season to taste. Pour dress- ing over beets and oranges. Toss to coat evenly. Serve and enjoy!

Naomi Ross teaches Cooking Concepts, courses on the fundamentals of cooking and Jewish homemaking. For more information, visit her new website at jewishcookingconcepts.com. Naomi can be reached at [email protected]. 40 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES use air conditioners, where possible, to reduce exposure to pollen in both your home The Doctor Is In and your car. Molds are pres- BY DAVID ROSENBERG, MD ent in the spring and late summer, particularly around areas of decaying vegetation. Dear readers: too small to be seen with the Children who are allergic to I would like to thank you naked eye, but can cause molds should avoid playing in again for all your e-mails as allergy symptoms. Furry ani- piles of dead leaves in the fall. well as your kind words of mals, such as cats, dogs, Dust mites congregate where encouragement. I will get guinea pigs, gerbils, rabbits, food for them (human skin back to answering questions and other pets, shed dander, scales) is plentiful; they are next week, but for this week’s another common allergen. especially numerous in column I would like to Commonly eaten allergens are upholstered furniture, bed- address a timely topic which I found in foods such as cow’s ding, and rugs. Padded fur- find myself discussing these milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, nishings, such as mattresses, days with many of the parents soy, wheat, and fish. box springs, pillows, and in my practice. Many children are allergic cushions, should be encased Fall is the start of allergy to pollen and mold, both of in allergen-proof zip-up cov- season. Here are some tips, which are found everywhere ers, which are available based on recommendations outdoors and cannot be com- from the American Academy pletely avoided. It’s helpful to Continued on Page 42 of Pediatrics, to help cope with allergy symptoms.

When To Suspect An Allergy Some allergies are easy to identify by the pattern of symptoms that invariably fol- lows exposure to a particular substance. But others are more subtle, and may mas- querade as other conditions. Here are some common clues that could lead you to suspect that your child may have an allergy: • Recurrent red, itchy, dry, sometime scaly rashes in the creases of the skin, wrists, and ankles. • Repeated or chronic cold- like symptoms that last more than a week or two or that develop at about the same time every year. These could include a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, and throat clearing. • Nose-rubbing, sniffling, snorting, sneezing, and itchy, runny eyes. • Itching or tingling sensa- tions in the mouth and throat. Itchiness is not usually a com- plaint with a cold, but it is the hallmark of an allergy problem. • Coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and other respiratory symptoms. Coughing may be an isolated symptom; when coughing increases at night or with exercise, there is reason to suspect asthma.

What Triggers Allergies? An allergen is a substance that is recognized by the immune system and causes an allergic reaction. Allergens most often enter the body when they are eaten or inhaled. There are several allergens commonly found in the home. Dust contains dust mites as well as finely ground particles from other allergens, such as pollen, mold, and ani- mal dander. Pollen (from trees, grasses, or weeds) and fungi (including molds) are 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 41 THE DOCTOR IS IN benefit of less sedation. Decongestants help relieve a stuffy nose. Continued from Page 41 Nasal corticosteroids are highly through catalogs and specialized effective for allergy treatment and are retailers. To avoid the buildup of widely used to stop chronic symptoms. household allergens, wash linens They are safe to use in children over weekly and other bedding, such as long periods of time. They are general- blankets, every two to three weeks in ly not well absorbed into the blood- hot water. Pillows should be replaced stream, and thus do not produce the every two to three years. systemic side effects of taking oral

As long as they are used sparingly and at the lowest strength that does the job, steroid creams are very safe and effective.

Treatment steroids (nor will your child start to hit Your child’s allergy treatment should home runs like Barry Bonds). Allergy start with your pediatrician, who may immunotherapy, or allergy shots, may refer you to a pediatric allergy special- be recommended to reduce your ist for additional evaluations and treat- child’s sensitivity to airborne allergens. ments. There are different types of Not every allergy problem can or needs medications used to treat allergies, to be treated with allergy shots, but each with its own role. treatment of severe respiratory aller- Antihistamines help relieve itchy gies to pollen, dust mites, and outdoor and watery eyes, runny nose, and molds is often successful. sneezing as well as itchy skin and hives. The classical version of antihist- Allergies And Asthma amines (such as diphenhydramine, the Allergies are a very common trigger main ingredient in Benadryl) usually of asthma. Allergies do not cause asth- works best, but it may cause drowsi- ma; rather, a child with asthma can ness. Newer antihistamines such as have his asthma triggered by allergies. loratidine (the active ingredient in Some allergies that can trigger asth- Claritin, Alavert, and others) have the ma include molds, pollen, dust

42 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES (mites), cockroaches, and animals dry products that are free of dyes and (especially cats and dogs). perfumes, and double-rinse clothes, Asthma can also be triggered by towels, and bedding. Launder new other means. Environmental triggers clothes thoroughly before your child include tobacco smoke, outdoor air wears them, and avoid fabric softener pollution, and indoor air pollution (especially dryer sheets). Lukewarm (such as aerosol sprays, cooking soaking baths without soap are good fumes, odors, and smoke). Infections, ways to treat the dry skin of eczema. such as viral respiratory infections Gently pat your child dry after the (including colds and sinus infections) shower or bath to avoid irritating the can also trigger asthma. Lastly, cer- skin with rubbing, then apply a mois- tain types of asthma can be triggered turizing cream. by exercise. Hopefully, this advice will help make the upcoming allergy season a Allergies And Eczema bit more tolerable. I would like to wish Food allergies also play a role in everyone a kesivah va’chasimah tovah about 25 percent of the cases of and best wishes for a happy and eczema in young children. Wheat, healthy New Year! ❖ eggs, milk, peanuts, and soy account for over 90 percent of food allergies in Dr. David Rosenberg is a board-certified pediatrician whose practice, VIPediatrics, is children. Antihistamine medication located at 945 Broadway in Woodmere. Please may be prescribed to relieve the itch- call 516-569-2323 for more information. If you ing and help break the itch–scratch have any suggestions or topics you would like to see discussed in future columns, please contact cycle. Long-sleeved sleepwear may him by e-mail at [email protected]. also help prevent nighttime scratch- The information provided in this column is designed to be an educational aid only; if you ing. New non-steroidal anti-inflam- suspect that your child has an adverse medical matory creams or ointments can be condition, always consult a physician. used to treat itching and redness, decreasing the need for steroid creams. But as long as they are used sparingly and at the lowest strength that does the job, steroid creams are Deadline for Advertising very safe and effective. in the Next Issue is Soaps containing perfumes and deodorants, which may be too harsh Monday, September 25 for children’s sensitive skin, should be avoided. The use of other products at 5:00 P.M. containing dyes and perfumes (such as diapers, baby wipes, and tissues) Call 516-984-0079 should also be avoided in children. For children with sensitive skin, use laun-

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 43 home buyers looking for houses would $15.08 for every $1,000 borrowed. In visit their local bank (mortgage brokers addition, there were only two products and the Internet were unheard of to choose from: either a 30-year mort- then) to see what kind of mortgage and gage or a 15-year mortgage. mortgage rates were available to them There was no such thing as first-time prior to looking for a house. home buyer loans, or adjustable loans, A typical mortgage rate back then or stretchable loans, or any of the many The week before Rosh Hashanah, ing at what has happened with mortgage could be anywhere from 13% to 18%— boutique loans that are available today when typically we all look back on the interest rates over the last 20 years or so. obscene amounts when compared to (just as there are different shoe sizes for past year, I thought I would stretch it a Some of you may be too young to rates we have seen in the last 10 years, a variety of people with different needs). bit and go back somewhat longer, look- remember the early 1980s, when and you would have to figure $11.07 to In fact, much of the burgeoning mortgage product boom came as a result of these high rates. Lenders looking for innovative ways to attract bor- rowers without changing their basic 15- and 30-year mortgage products came up with shorter term solutions, such as adjustable programs, alternative credit programs, no income programs, etc. In the past few years, as rates fell into the 4% to 5% range, we have ignored many of these à la carte programs and have gone back to the 15- and 30-year programs. In fact, we were so happy with these low rates, most of us forgot about the earlier years, becoming as comfortable with these rates as with an old pair of slippers. Although during the last year rates have gone up into the 6% to 6.5% range, we still are fortunate in having rates at a bargain as compared to years past. As you prepare your list of wishes for the new year, leave out mortgages— they’re still a bargain. Pray for peace, instead. L’shanah haba’ah Yerushalayim. Shanah tovah to everyone! Anessa Cohen is a licensed real estate broker (Anessa V Cohen Realty) and a licensed N.Y.S. mortgage broker (A.C. Action Mortgage Corp.). She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or [email protected].

44 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES even some clip art. They have pretty well). Another basic text, the Talmud, much made it an all-in-one package. can also be found in software format to While we’re on the subject, their save a lot of room and money. The Davka Dikduk I and Dikduk II soft- Soncino Talmud, for example, retails The Digital Sage ware may be an economical and at approx $240. It includes the BY JOSH JUSTIC potentially face-saving way of getting Hebrew/Aramaic text of the Talmud your child some needed extra dikduk and Rashi’s commentary. instruction. Each retails for around As our rabbanim have embraced $50. the use of technology, the options More Tools For Academic Success For a student whose dorm room have grown exponentially for chinuch does not accommodate an entire software. Surf the web to learn more So, you thought you did your Platinum 6 is the way to go. For about sefarim library, there are software alter- and get the best prices. parental duty by shelling out all that $139, your family will have a full natives. The classic ArtScroll Stone money for your student’s hardware? Hebrew word-processing program. Chumash with English Rashi sells for Josh owns New Technologies Consulting Inc. If you have any questions or suggestions for Well, you’re not done yet. There is still Davka also throws in the text for the $49.95 at jewishsoftware.com (where future articles, please contact him at software to consider. Our children siddur, Tanach, and mishnayos, and the Davka series can be found, as [email protected]. receive a dual curriculum, and so a dual set of software becomes necessary, as well. We’ll begin with the be-all-and- end-all of software—Microsoft Office. Some good news: Here is your chance to save some money. Microsoft offers a Standard Student and Teacher Edition of its Office package for roughly half the price of the regular edition. Just search froogle.google.com for offerings, where the average price is $150. You may also want to add on MS Encarta Premium 2006 software for around $50. This encyclopedia package will always be up-to-date. Some more good news: Online programs and websites will ensure your children’s bookshelves do not become overladen with heavy, quickly out-of- date books. These sites will save you money, too. Here are a few websites to bookmark for future reference: • For $16.99 per year, a student can practice with real Regents exam questions (including all test subjects) at barronsregents.com. Students receive immediate feedback and can take advantage of a host of other online-only features. No more of those outdated-before-they-are-even- printed red-and-white books that retail for over $6 each. A family could probably share a subscription for multiple students, as well. • Why bother with an unabridged dictionary anymore, when the entire English language is online at m-w.com—for free! The site offers a dictionary, a thesaurus, and some special features for college students and schoolchildren. • SAT review used to involve schlepping to courses, lugging around quickly outdated review books, and a host of other inconven- iences. Now, the standard names in test review—Princeton Review (princetonreview.com) and Kaplan (kaptest.com)—both offer better- than-ever online study programs. The savings are incredible: Kaplan’s classroom courses cost around $999, while their online course costs $399; Princeton Review’s classroom course costs $1,099, while their online course costs $699 (or less, depending on your preferences). Now, on to the other part of our children’s dual curriculum, limudei kodesh. For this area, students may have various needs, depending on yeshiva and location. Check with your children’s rebbeim and morahs to see if your children will need to type reports in Hebrew. Not everyone requires it; if your school does, DavkaWriter 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 45 still spend time alone with Alice and Dear Uncomfortable, time alone with Betty, and they will The situation you describe is a very often say terrible things about one difficult one to find yourself in. It another. I don’t want to get sucked into sounds as though you’ve tried the obvi- these conversations, and I try my hard- ous solutions, without success. It also est to avoid them, but sometimes, sounds as if Alice and Betty are deter- before I know it, one thing leads to mined to make you a part of their prob- another and I’m hearing stuff I don’t lem, which you definitely should not be. Dear Esther, Betty no longer speak to one another, let want to be hearing. There is a lot of Let me suggest something to you, Throughout high school, I had two alone the rest of their families. anger between them. however. This is not an accusation, only best friends, whom I’ll call Alice and I feel very bad that this happened, I have told both Alice and Betty that a thought that runs through my mind. Betty. The three of us were as close as and am writing to you because of all I don’t want to be in the middle of Sometimes, when we try to communi- close can be. We all got married with- the problems this causes me and my their problems. I’ve also tried asking cate an idea to someone, we ourselves in a few years of each other and ulti- family. There are many instances that them if there is some way I can help have mixed feelings and don’t necessarily mately wound up living in the Five arise when my husband and I aren’t mediate their way back to a peaceful communicate a solid idea. For instance, Towns. Our husbands got along, our even sure where to put ourselves and friendship. I haven’t been successful in you may be telling your friends that you children got along, and we were three whom to speak to, because you can be either of these areas. don’t want to hear anything they have to very close families. sure that Alice (and her family) and I’m wondering if you have any sugges- say about each other, but perhaps—on Something happened last year Betty (and her family) are generally on tions for how I can handle this situation some level—you really want to know between Alice and Betty. I don’t know opposite sides of any room we find in a way that will feel comfortable for me what has happened between them. So, the details, but I think it involved their ourselves in. It’s like a bad divorce. and my family. I’m really out of ideas. though your words may say one thing, husbands. Anyway, since then, Alice and What’s even more difficult is that I Uncomfortable your body language or tone of voice may say something else entirely. If even a small bit of curiosity exists, your friends may pick up on it and respond to it. If, upon honest reflection, you think that might be the case, it is incumbent upon you to state your feelings about wanting to stay 100 percent out of their “stuff” in a most forthright and non- negotiable manner. Most people are sensitive enough to know when we mean business and to act accordingly. If Alice’s and Betty’s “sensitivity switch- es” are shut off, your reaction to their gossip about one another has to be immediate and direct. Even if it means getting up and walking away, it is your choice as to whether or not you want to stay present for their gossip. It does seem as though Alice and Betty have not worked through the problems that brought them to this angry place. If a year has already passed since the event that led to their separa- tion and they are still busy thinking about and bad-mouthing one another, it seems clear to me that their pain is still very raw. Underneath the harsh words are probably two women who miss one another terribly and mourn the loss of a tight, longtime friendship. It’s hard to lose such an important friend, and even harder to replace such a person. Perhaps the dispute is about their husbands, and they feel they have no choice but to stand by their men. Whatever the case, as you’ve seen, you can’t fix them, as much as you would love to. This may a good time for you to try branching out a bit. I don’t know whether you spend a lot of time with Alice and Betty to the exclusion of other friends, or whether they are basically your entire friendship base. But it probably would feel great for you to be with other women who don’t have this negative energy emanating and with whom you do not form one corner of a triangle, etched in stone. Something tells me that you will always be seen by Alice and Betty as part of the threesome that was and no longer is. And unless and until they figure out how to resolve their problems, you probably shouldn’t be spending all your free time with either of them. It can’t be the most comfortable place in town. On a positive note, we’re at that time of the year…maybe there will be some forgiveness in the air! Esther Esther Mann, LMSW, has a private practice in Lawrence and specializes in couples therapy, but also works with individuals. She can be reached at 516-314-2295 or [email protected]. 46 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 47 Woodmere Rehabilitation And and my father felt lost without her,” Health Care Center: Laura explains. “My mother was the A Five-Star Facility bedrock of our family—a true eishes By Rochelle Maruch Miller chayil in every sense of the word, and an Like so many of her contemporaries, inspiration to us all. My dad has been in Laura G. is part of “the sandwich gener- frail health for the last decade with dia- ation.” Her lifestyle is frenetic; an exec- betes and glaucoma, and it was my utive at a high-profile corporation, she mother who took care of him, running to is, above all else, a devoted wife, moth- doctors, shopping for and cooking spe- er, and daughter, whose responsibilities cial foods, and attending to his needs. include caring for her own family as well Living on his own was out of the ques- as for her aging father. An only child tion. My husband has always felt as if he who has always enjoyed a close relation- were a son, rather than a son-in-law, and Pictured above, standing: Dr. Sheldon Greenspan, Rabbi Levi Shanowitz, Mr. Saul Feintuch, and ship with her parents, Laura and her my kids treasure their Zeidy. We had to Rabbi Yisroel Lazear; seated: Mr. Moshe Greenstein, Mr. Jack Schuss, and Mr. Abraham Endlich. father were devastated when her moth- convince my father to move in; he want- er passed away two years ago, following ed his independence, so we worked out All went well—until one day last winter, recalls. There the doctors informed her a valiant battle with cancer. a compromise, where he has his own when Laura received an alarming phone that her father had broken his arm and Coping with the loss of his beloved apartment and privacy in our home.” call at her office. Her father had fallen leg and had sustained other injuries, as wife was particularly painful for Laura’s Surrounded by his loving family, and was in the hospital. “I was in the well. Although his condition was not father. “My parents had a beautiful mar- Laura’s father acclimated to his new middle of a meeting, but I dropped life-threatening, he required extensive riage; they were together for 55 years, home, attending shul and a daily shiur. everything and ran to the hospital,” she occupational and physical therapy. “I felt so overwhelmed and helpless,” says Laura. “All the grief that I felt after my mother died—it all came back. It had been so hard for us all and especially for my father, but in my home, he was with his family. He had a routine; he was going to shul and enjoyed attending shiurim. Finding an excellent rehabilitation center was a necessity, but was it possible to find one that would have ruchniyus, as well? Without a minyan, my father would be miserable. And how could I be sure that my father would be in a warm and safe environment, and be well taken care of?” Laura researched the possibilities extensively, visiting several rehab centers that had been recommended, prior to selecting Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Center. This is what she says: “I took off several days from work to see, up close, the care that residents were receiving in each of the facilities. I wanted to see the staff, the administration, the therapists, and the atmosphere. I had to make sure that my father would be given superb therapy and care where he would, with Hashem’s help, recover and thrive. When I visited Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, I was very impressed. “It’s a state-of-the-art facility, well- staffed and immaculate. I stayed for quite a while, walking around and talking with individuals from the administration and staff as well as with residents. I observed the interaction between staff and residents, and I liked what I saw. I left feeling reassured that my father would feel at home at Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Center and that he’d be well taken care of while undergoing the necessary therapy. “He’s been there for several months now, and, baruch Hashem, he’s well on the road to recovery and will be coming home soon, in another month or two. My first impression of Woodmere Rehab was right on the mark; my dad felt at home right from the start, and he is responding beautifully to the therapy and all of the TLC from the staff. Plus, he’s an integral part of the daily Minchah minyan and enjoys the delicious glatt-kosher cuisine. We highly recommend this excellent facility; it 48 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES has surpassed all of our expectations.” p.m. on Wednesday, September 27, at rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion in (24 males, 24 females). Shemini Atzeret Little wonder that residents and their Weissberg Commons in Belfer Hall, Alon Shvut, Israel. The son-in-law of meals will be hosted by members of the families wax enthusiastic. Mr. Mitchell 2495 Amsterdam Ave. in Manhattan. the Rav (Rabbi Joseph B. community; Simchat Torah meals will Teller, Woodmere Rehabilitation and Rabbi Sobolofsky’s address will be Soloveitchik), Rabbi Lichtenstein has be in the YI of Hillcrest. The cost for Health Care Center’s distinguished broadcast live on the Internet at assumed the mantle as our genera- singles to attend is $50. administrator, is committed to providing www.yu.edu/torah. tion’s eminent Torah Umadda person- If you know of any eligible singles state-of-the-art services with a personal Rabbi Sobolofsky received his bach- ality. He holds a doctoral degree is who are interested in participating, touch. His innovative approach has elor’s degree from Yeshiva College, rab- English from Harvard University and please ask them to e-mail Sarah at transformed it into a superb facility, serv- binical ordination from RIETS, and served on the faculty of YU before [email protected]. ing the Five Towns and Far Rockaway was a fellow of the YU-RIETS Israel making aliya in 1971. community with exceptional care. Kollel. He also has a master’s degree in The Hausman/Stern Kinus Former Texas Governor Gathering a minyan, even under Jewish Education from Azrieli Teshuvah Lecture Series was estab- Ann Richards ordinary circumstances, can some- Graduate School of Jewish Education lished by philanthropist Judy Hausman By Odelia Goldberg times be a challenge. Consider, then, and Administration. He is the spiritual and the late Gerson Hausman, major I am saddened to hear of the passing the challenge presented by transport- leader of Congregation Ohr HaTorah, supporters of YU and RIETS, to honor of former Texas Governor Ann Richards. ing the men by wheelchairs or walkers a new Orthodox synagogue located in the memory of Elias J. and Mary Stern Governor Richards brought the role of from six different locations, an endeav- Bergenfield, New Jersey. and Moshe and Chava Hausman. women in politics to a new level. While or requiring great effort. But Leba Rabbi Lichtenstein, the Rabbi More information on the lectures is in office, Governor Richards ensured Sonneberg, Woodmere Rehab’s direc- Henoch and Sarah D. Berman available by e-mail at [email protected] the appointment of women and minori- tor of marketing and community rela- Professor of Talmud and rosh kollel or by phone at 212-960-5263. ties to various government posts, infil- tions, and Saul Feintuch, assistant and director of the YU-RIETS Israel trating the male dominated establish- administrator, are up to the challenge. Kollel in Jerusalem, will discuss Singles Shabbaton ment of Texas politics. In her four years Indeed, it was through their dedicated “Teshuvah and Joy” on Wednesday, The Young Israel of Hillcrest togeth- as governor she ended the “business as efforts that the facility’s daily Minchah Sept. 27 at 7:30 pm in Israel. The lec- er with EndtheMadness is planning a usual” mentality. She set out to help minyan was started one year ago. From ture will be simulcast in Weissberg Shabbaton for Singles ages 22-30 to be people and gave a voice to those individ- all six corners of the facility the partic- Commons on Yeshiva University’s Wilf held over Shemini Atzeret and Simchat uals who didn’t have one. ipants come, from whichever unit they Campus at 12:30 pm. Torah at the YI of Hillcrest (Queens). may reside, every one of them eager to Rabbi Lichtenstein serves as the co- The Shabbaton is for 48 singles only Continued on Page 50 be a part of the minyan. “It is with a great sense of joy and satisfaction that we observe the men face mizrach and begin to daven together with the rabbi,” says Mrs. Sonneberg. “During the month of Elul, the shofar (which is on loan from Isidor Stern, one of the residents), is blown right after davening.” The minyan is just one of the many accommodations offered by Woodmere Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Jewish Community Project. “We are proud to have our kitchen supervised by the Vaad Harabonim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway,” Mrs. Sonneberg tells us. “We provide electric Shabbos candles, electric Chanukah menorahs, and electric memorial lamps for our patients’ use during their stay here. We have a beautiful sukkah on our patio for our residents and their families to eat in. Newspapers of Jewish interest are always available in our library. Services are held on Shabbat and all Jewish holidays. Our residents are visited regularly by the rabbi and by bikur cholim groups and many students from local yeshivas,” she says, adding that Woodmere Rehab is affiliated with Metropolitan Jewish Hospice services. Mrs. Sonneberg also explains that they regularly educate their staff regarding Jewish religious customs, rituals, practices, and traditions: “We are committed to making the provisions necessary for Orthodox Jews in our facility to observe as they did in their own home.”

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Hosts Annual Kinus Teshuvah Lectures Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky and Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein are the featured speakers on September 27 at Yeshiva University-affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary’s 22nd Annual Hausman/Stern Kinus Teshuvah lectures, given annually between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in New York City and Jerusalem. Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky, a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), will give his address on “Love and Fear of Hashem: A Halakhic Analysis” at 8:00 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 49 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS recipient for the Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award than Continued from Page 49 Rabbi Meir Muller,” said Dr. Irma She sacrificed her own personal life VanScoy, Associate Dean, USC to fight for what she believed in. We College of Education. “He is a truly need more women who are pioneers, extraordinary early childhood educator acting on behalf of all women. in every way: excellence, leadership, I am proud to say she was my gover- advocacy, mentoring, and outreach. nor while I grew up in Texas. Although Rabbi Muller is truly an exemplary role I was too young to really appreciate model for others. what she stood for, Governor Richards “We are thrilled that Rabbi Muller was my inspiration to run for office has been recognized for his dedication myself. She was a tough, “no-nonsense” to our school,” said Rabbi Hesh Epstein, leader; whenever I hear the words executive director of Chabad South “Don’t mess with Texas” I think of Carolina. “Rabbi Muller has always put Governor Richards. our children first and our families have She will be missed. long benefited from his commitment to high quality education. The proof of his Chabad Nachas leadership is our students who continu- Rabbi Meir Muller, son of Dr. ally graduate from our school and William and Leah Muller, grew up in become academic leaders with strong the Five Towns and relocated to South grounding in ethics and values. Our full Carolina 15 years ago where he resides classrooms and waiting lists are a testa- with his wife and four children and ment to his skill and devotion.” directs the Columbia Jewish Day Rabbi Muller holds both rabbinical School. Ph.D. candidate in Early ordination and a master’s degree in edu- Childhood Education, Rabbi Meir cation. He is currently pursuing a doc- Muller has been named as a national toral degree in education at the early childhood professional of the University of South Carolina. Rabbi year, a top national award program rec- Muller was recently appointed to the ognizing early childhood educators. governor’s South Carolina Child Care Early childhood experts and advisors Coordinating Council and serves on from Scholastic Publishing selected the local and national early childhood com- five grand-prize winners from over 700 mittees. He has served as principal of nominees. Judging criteria included the the day school for the past 15 years and educator’s overall commitment to advo- also teaches at the University of South cacy, developmentally appropriate cur- Carolina’s College of Education. riculum, cultural sensitivity, leadership, Each of the grand-prize winners will and community outreach, as well as receive a roundtrip ticket to Atlanta GA, their ability to mobilize resources. to attend the National Association for “I can not imagine a more worthy the Education of Young Children

50 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES (NAEYC) Conference and a collection company continually works closely span of six years, Meir Panim has been offering a vital service to those who of Scholastic products. They will also with both amateur and professional recognized as Israel’s most innovative had fallen through the cracks of the be featured in the November/December chefs throughout the year, utilizing outreach and social services organiza- government’s antiquated social and 2006 issue of Scholastic Early Tnuva products as a base for creating tion, utilizing a combination of unparal- welfare bureaucracy. Through the gen- Childhood Today, the leading magazine new culinary offerings that are easy to leled professionalism and “human kind- erous support of donors, the reaching over 50,000 early childhood make. With the Internet rapidly ness” to help cure a host of societal Zilberschlags were able to open more professionals. becoming a repository of key consumer maladies. The Zilberschlags dedicated “soup kitchens” and expand their out- information, we have placed our the organization in memory of their reach services. They created the Mediterranean Feta Cheese Quiche hottest tried-and-true recipes on our young son, who passed away from a rare “Power of Giving” organization, which By Benny Saida, expanding website.” liver disease, and embarked on a life- serves the dual purpose of providing Well-Renowned Israeli Chef Tnuva’s growing number of kosher long mission to give to others. second-hand furniture and home Ingredients: consumer products can be found in Meir Panim (which means “A appliances to poverty-stricken families Dough: the dairy, frozen food and gourmet sec- Friendly Face”) debuted in the year and offering part-time employment to 2 cups flour tions at your local supermarket. 2000 with a cheerful soup kitchen in handy-men and -women who were pre- 5.3 ounces cold Tnuva butter, cut Jerusalem to appease the hunger of viously deemed “unemployable.” into cubes Meir Panim: A Smiling Face And A hundreds of poverty-stricken families By 2004, Meir Panim’s network of 1/2 tsp. salt Helping Hand of all ages and nationalities. The idea soup kitchens and Power of Giving 1 egg By Kenneth Stephens was to transform the gloomy image of outlets spread across the country. 1-2 Tbsp. cold water While there are many worthy chari- a “soup kitchen” into a place where Much to their chagrin, Mr. and Mrs. table causes in Eretz Yisrael, Meir each and every person who walked Zilberschlag also discovered that thou- Filling: Panim Relief Centers, the brainchild of through the front door would be greet- sands of children who lived in Israel’s 10.6 ounces Tnuva Feta Cheese Dudi and Rivka Zilberschlag, was sin- ed by friendly volunteers dedicated to southern periphery (especially within (Mediterranean), crumbled gled out for high praise by the country’s rekindling the human spirit with a the impoverished immigrant commu- 5 red peppers, roasted and peeled business and political establishments smiling face and a hearty meal. nity) have been going to school with- 1/4 cups basil leaves, chopped for nurturing thousands of hungry and Based on the growing numbers of out the basics—a schoolbag and a 3 Tbsp. thyme leaves, removed from tired residents in northern Israel during needy people who flocked to their cen- nourishing lunch meal. The image of the sprigs the recent war with Hezbollah. Thus, it tral Jerusalem locale, Mr. and Mrs. 3 scallions, finely chopped comes as no surprise that in the short Zilberschlag understood that they were Continued on Page 52 1 1/2 containers whipped cream 3 eggs 3 Tbsp. flour 1 goat cheese (CHEVRE), cut into small cubes

10” spring form pan, greased

Instructions: 1. Mix 2 cups of flour, butter and salt in a food processor with sharp blade, until crumbs are formed. Add the eggs and mix for a few seconds until a ball forms. If necessary add cold water. Wrap dough in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours. 2. Roll out the dough between 2 floured sheets of baking paper or on a floured work surface to a circle with a diameter of 11”. Transfer the dough to the spring form pan and press down. Cool for an hour. 3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Sprinkle Tnuva Mediterranean Feta cheese on the dough, cut the peppers into strips and arrange on top of the cheese. Sprinkle on the spices. 4. Mix whipped cream, eggs, 3 Tbsp. flour, and goat cheese. Pour into pan. Bake for about 45 minutes until the dough is golden. Remove from oven and wait a 1/2 hour. Cut and serve.

Tnuva USA Offers Tempting Recipes For Holiday At Home Gatherings With trendy new kosher cookbooks setting the pace for festive at-home holiday gatherings, TNUVA USA is offering free downloadable gourmet recipes to consumers via its website at www.TNUVA.com. Some of Israel’s most renowned chefs have whipped-up an exclusive array of easy-to-use recipes that can be used for a variety of holiday dishes including appetizers, first and main courses, side dishes and desserts. “We are thrilled to offer the growing number of American Jewish families who love to entertain family and friends at home during the holiday season, a unique opportunity to create something sumptuous… something different this year,” remarked Yoram Behiri, the CEO of Tnuva USA. “Our 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 51 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS ects, he embarked on a quest to build rockets kept falling all around them. Donations can be sent to American a $5.68 million mega-kitchen and There was no time for fear; faith and Friends of Meir Panim, 5316 New Continued from Page 51 outreach center in the Negev city of compassion for humanity were the pri- Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219. an abundantly prosperous Holy Land Kiryat Gat that, upon completion orities of the moment. was in reality a desert mirage. Even the next year, will provide 50,000 school- In the aftermath of the war, Meir Monsey Rabbis, Community Look government was shocked when it children with a hot meal each and Panim is rededicating itself to contin- For Elusive Answers released statistics showing that nearly every day. At the present time, Meir ue assisting residents of the North, by At meetings of rabbinic groups and one-fourth of Israel’s population was Panim feeds 336,000 people a month upgrading soup kitchens and outreach certification agencies, a number of pro- living below the poverty line—includ- via its 14 soup kitchens, including centers in Tiberias and nearby locales posals were floated to protect kosher ing 738,100 children! 10,000 children. Meir Panim has also to make all resources available. By consumers from the type of scandal that Meir Panim found itself in a race launched a rehabilitative project for doing so, they will be able to continue rocked the community just a couple of against time. Social workers realized abused women, based on a step-by- helping these struggling families with weeks ago, as Shevach Meats, a popular that incessant poverty had created a step program to restore their person- food and equipment. In addition, work glatt-kosher butcher, was caught selling dangerous domino effect. al self-esteem and teach them voca- continues on the Kiryat Gat facility in non-kosher poultry as kosher. Undernourished schoolchildren were tional skills. the South, which will, when complet- One rabbi suggested banning the found to be less interested in learning The aforementioned statistics do ed, not only feed tens of thousands of sale of fresh meats in supermarkets and skills and apt to be more violent. An not include the thousands of innocent people, but also will become a place of returning to the days of the local kosher alarming number of abused women, Jewish citizens—young and old—who fiscal opportunity for many unem- butcher. Others promoted the idea of mostly from economically challenged were trapped in northern Israeli bomb ployed men and women. requiring a mashgiach temidi—a per- families, were showing up at shelters shelters without basic food and living The generosity and devotion of manent kosher supervisor—at such throughout the country. The very fab- supplies when Hezbollah rockets donors in the U.S. allow Meir Panim stores, while another proposal called for ric of the cohesive family unit was on rained down on Eretz Yisrael during to fulfill its mission of providing phys- rabbis and agencies to have the keys, the verge of being torn asunder. July and August. The volunteer staff at ical and emotional nourishment to codes for alarms, and combinations to Dudi Zilberschlag and his small Meir Panim’s soup kitchens in Tzfat, thousands of families in Eretz Yisrael. establishments selling fresh meat. team of dedicated professionals Tiberias, and other Galileean towns For more information about Meir Meanwhile, rabbis were busy quash- decided it was time to do something worked round-the-clock to pack and Panim, please call 877-736-6283, ing rumors that a popular Boro Park dramatic. Fueled by his typical deliver basic foodstuffs to thousands of e-mail [email protected], or visit butcher was also involved in the scan- enthusiasm towards all chesed proj- trapped Israeli residents, even as the their website at www.meirpanim.org. dal. One rabbi said that the store had actually been fingered by Mr. Shevach, but that a close inspection of the store showed that there was no basis for the accusation, and the rabbis interview- ing Mr. Shevach found his story to be “less than credible,” which was con- firmed by a subsequent investigation of the Brooklyn store. Residents of the community were still asking, “How could it have happened” in their community? This past Sunday was declared a fast day in the community to atone for the unsuspect- ing violation of kashrus laws by so many residents. Some residents are temporarily going vegetarian, while others are eating only on paper and plastic plates and using plastic uten- sils, as the scrubbing and cleansing of kitchens continues in many homes. The question that many are asking these days is if this serious scandal in Monsey will at last prompt both rabbis and the community into action. (KosherToday.com)

Learning To Cope With Diabetes “How Diabetes Changes Your Lifestyle: Resources, Referrals, and Programs” will be the topic of discus- sion at the next diabetes education program at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, to be held on Monday, September 25 at 1:30 p.m. Social worker Patricia Stewart, LCSW, CASAC, will be the presenter. The program will take place in the board room at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, located at 327 Beach 19th Street in Far Rockaway. Ms. Stewart will discuss how to make lifestyle adjustments easier for those living with diabetes by drawing upon community resources for help. While providing expert information about living with diabetes, the monthly diabetes education program offers a forum where questions and comments are welcome. To find out more, please call the phone number for the program, 718-869-7116.

Satmar Bikur Cholim Annual Queens Tea The Queens community will be hosting its annual tea on behalf of Satmar Bikur Cholim this week, on 52 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Tuesday, September 26. The event, which will be held at 8:00 in the evening, will be at a new location this year: Congregation Shaare Tova, 82-33 Lefferts Boulevard in Kew Gardens. Friends and supporters of Satmar Bikur Cholim—from this community and beyond—are expected to turn out in full force to pay tribute to this out- standing organization. Satmar Bikur Cholim was estab- lished over 55 years ago by the renowned Satmar Rebbetzin to bring food and comfort to the ill and infirm. The scene of Bikur Cholim women in hospital corridors carrying shopping bags of food is a familiar one. An average of 150 kosher meals are prepared and distributed by Satmar Bikur Cholim volunteers each day. The meals are wholesome, nutritious, filling, and delicious. Patients at 15 metropolitan hospitals are treated to these hot meals daily. They eagerly await the arrival of the Bikur Cholim volunteers. Aside from the chicken soup, Satmar Bikur Cholim provides many other services, including “meals on wheels,” volunteer visitation, transportation services, financial assistance, and recreational and educational programs. More than 10,000 people from all walks of life are served through the Bikur Cholim each year. The organization has grown to include four flour- ishing chapters, with a budget of close to $800,000—all of it raised through private donations. Satmar Bikur Cholim just learned of the passing of Mrs. Rella Sternbach (Berger), a staunch supporter of the organization, a true ba‘alas chesed, and one of the founders of the Queens chapter. May this forthcoming event serve as a z’chus for her neshamah.

A Canopy Of B’rachah: Rabbi Avrohom Feuer To Explain Mitzvah Of Hair-Covering The topic of women’s hair-covering is often misunderstood and unappreci- ated; many consider it an uncomfortable burden. Rabbi Avrohom Feuer, a world-renowned speaker, promises to provide a comprehensive explanation of this mitzvah, demonstrating how hair-covering is the key to a stronger marriage and a deep emotional relationship between husband and wife. Rabbi Feuer is the Rav of Kehilas Bais Avrohom and has addressed this sensitive topic to audiences all over the globe. Much of Rabbi Feuer’s delivery will focus on the blessings that rain down upon a woman who observes this mitzvah properly. Surely in these trou- bled times—and especially now, as we prepare for the Yamim Nora’im—boun- tiful blessings are crucial. Rabbi Feuer will deliver his address on Wednesday night, September 27, at the Ateres Nechama Liba Simcha Hall on the Maurice Lowinger Campus. All women of high-school age and above are invited to attend. The talk is scheduled to take place 8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., with a 15-minute intermission. The entrance fee is $12.00. Mothers and wives who yearn to be challenged and changed by the Days of Awe will find an exciting opportunity for spiritual growth in an intensive two-hour lec-

Continued on Page 55 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 53 sonality, experience, enthusiasm, eidelkeit, frumkeit, professionalism, A Letter To Shulamith Schools intelligence, empathy, and confidence. Then it struck me. It had never BY MOSHE ZWICK Seeing this ideology become actuality confidence is essential to overcoming occurred to me before how unusual it EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR is the most rewarding and enduring these obstacles. must be for every teacher, with almost aspect of the job. Rabbi Mandel quoted a statistical no exceptions, year after year, to be I would imagine it is unusual for the With permission from its author, study about the level of self-confidence absolutely sensational. It’s like hitting executive director of a yeshiva to write please allow me to share a letter I of American girls. The study demon- a home run every time at bat. This can an article for public dissemination. In received from a parent at Bnot strates the steadily declining level of a be said for all my daughter’s morot. my case especially, as the executive Shulamith. It is the kind of letter every girl’s self-confidence as she progresses It certainly is no coincidence. Such director of Shulamith Schools for over executive looks forward to opening. from high percentages at the start of a track record is either a tribute to the 35 years (though I’m sure many other Since many Bnot Shulamith parents, schooling, declining to high-school grad- ability of your principals and yourself executive directors could relate), my ten- students, and faculty members read uation. Rabbi Mandel contrasted this by to recognize and hire the finest educa- dency is to remain in the background, this newspaper, I want to spread the describing how the immediate goal and tors, or it is Bnot Shulamith’s reputa- and, unless asked, not to intervene in the nachas. Because the message is univer- the long-term success of Bnot tion that attracts the most talented, day-to-day operations of the school. sal, I hope it will be mechazek all Shulamith has been its ability to infuse enthusiastic, effective professionals. It The typical executive director gladly Jewish parents. its students with self-confidence. is probably a combination of both— cedes the front-and-center roles to the A gut gebentched yur. Although a genuine and valuable sen- and the students are the winners. charismatic personalities of the highly ◆◆◆ timent, his words made their impact only The confidence comes from being capable principals, devoted teachers, Dear Rabbi Zwick, after my wife and I went up to our daugh- exposed to proud, strong, self-confi- and expert consultants. We work best For years, I’ve come away from Bnot ter’s classroom to meet her teachers. You dent, accomplished morot who are yirot when behind the scenes, in firm com- Shulamith’s parent orientations, well know my feelings about the current Shamayim and ba‘alot middot. They are mand of the school’s daily ebb and flow. whether for the preschool, the elemen- physical accommodations of Bnot well educated, professionally trained, Budgets need to be set and maintained. tary school, or the middle school, with Shulamith. The fact that the school has and highly motivated to help our girls Managing finances—which includes positive feelings about the school. This grown so much these last few years (I succeed. The morot exude self-confi- raising money, determining salaries, reg- week, I decided right after the middle- think you’re up to 450 students? I dence, and the students emulate it. istering every child, and sustaining cash school orientation to share a few remember when 200 seemed large), I see this self-confidence in my own flow—is a full-time job. So is hiring observations. while truly a blessing, has not helped daughters and in their friends. This kind teachers, administrators, and principals Rabbi [Hillel] Mandel [one of Bnot matters. I admit, walking into a classroom of self-confidence is the key to Jewish and managing the physical school plant, Shulamith’s two educational consult- that was on the small side and a bit stuffy continuity. Jews must be self-confident which in my case includes leading the ants, the other being Dr. Aaron that night, those feelings were all there. that in our society, which supports the efforts to secure our own school build- Friedman] spoke about the level of self- But those feelings melted away with- most outrageous sheker, the most outra- ing, or at least the land on which we confidence Jewish girls must attain to in moments of my wife and I meeting geous behaviors, and the most depraved would build. live life as proud b’not Torah. His our daughter’s morot and principal. morals, frum Jews are standing proud Another behind-the-scenes respon- remarks related to what Rabbi Once again—and we’ve seen this year and confident in the mesorah they sacri- sibility of an executive director is that [Nosson] Schreiber (whom I met that after year after year (it’s not just the fice so much to preserve. of standard-bearer. The institutional night for the first time since he became middle school, we’ve experienced this, While sitting in my daughter’s class- memory of a school, as it relates to the middle-school principal), had just too, in the elementary and pre school)— room, I made another observation: hashkafah and chinuch, must be care- said about the challenges of living in Bnot Shulamith morot are consistently Education is all about substance. Style fully maintained and perpetuated. today’s society, and how strong self- devoted educators who burst with per- is nice, but it is the substance that mat-

54 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES ters. Bnot Shulamith consistently gets ha’tov for preserving the secret formula the substance right. I refer to the sub- for educating self-confident Jewish stance of consistent Torah values based women. I am certain many other girls on halacha, substance in the curricu- schools around the world emulate the lum, substance in esteemed rabbanim standard set by Shulamith. For the sake who visit, and substance in the parents of a stronger, more self-confident Klal and students Bnot Shulamith attracts. Yisroel, I hope so. To conclude, I want to convey to Shanah Tovah and you, the conductor leading this impres- with warmest regards, sive group of mechanchot, my hakarat Name Withheld

meeting with the board’s sub-committee AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS on busing, board president Dr. Asher Continued from Page 53 Mansdorf said, “We are here to address and find solutions to the problems, and ture prepared especially for them. I’m confident that all necessary changes The administration of Bnos Bais can be made within two weeks.” Yaakov wishes a kesivah va’chasimah Parents—those of public-school as well tovah to the Far Rockaway/Five Towns as of private-school students—spoke up Community. In the merit of the at the meeting, some describing night- nashim tzidkaniyos of our community, mare scenarios that have mothers and may this be a year of yeshuos and b’ra- fathers leaving their homes before 7 chos for us all. a.m. so that their child can be in school by 8:30. Some talked about how buses School Board Meets either roll right by their homes or even To Discuss Busing stop very near to their homes for a traf- By Larry Gordon fic device, but transportation policy The Lawrence school board this week does not permit them to open the school tackled the local busing fiasco that has bus door to allow children on or off at impacted on thousands of children and these unscheduled stops. their families since school began about Of course, stopping at people’s doors two weeks ago. As reported last week, instead of central bus stops would cer- new bus schedules and reconfigured tainly make the bus trips longer rather bus-stop locations have had children as than shorter, which would not provide young as six years old walking three or any relief for the current problem. Still, four blocks to their bus stops. there are circumstances under which Additionally, some students have been many feel that policies need to be rede- traveling on the bus for up to two hours fined so those in hardship situations each way to and from school. On Monday evening, at a public Continued on Page 56

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 55 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS get to school by bus, while pri- they may live. Still, he points 3. Students will be picked district’s busing problems. vate-school students were on out, the administration of the up at the nearest corner to Continued from Page 55 buses an average of 38 minutes district did change bus routes, their home. Brooklyn: Does Living Here can still be effectively served in each direction. He pointed resulting in an inordinate num- 4. Students will be picked Shorten Your Life? by district transportation. out at a school-board meeting ber of difficulties and com- up at their door if their home is The numbers from a new As the confusion and impo- on Tuesday night that students plaints on the busing issue. within 500 feet of the bus stop. Harvard study seem to suggest sition of the new bus routes going to five local yeshivas After Tuesday night’s meet- 5. Students will not be that living in Brooklyn can became public information, were spending an average of 48 ing, the board agreed on six required to cross any street if shorten a person’s life. New word emanating from the dis- minutes on the bus. Those points that the district will such a crossing is deemed York City residents live an trict office was that this was a yeshivas are Darchei Torah, endeavor to achieve over the dangerous by the district or by average of 77.4 years. In result of rising fuel costs and South Shore, Yeshiva Ketana, next several weeks: the bus company providing Brooklyn, life expectancy is the need to consolidate in the Shulamith School, and Yeshiva 1. Pre-kindergarten and the service. 76.7 years. “It just amazes me. aftermath of consecutive budg- of Far Rockaway. kindergarten students eligible 6. Special consideration You would think that et defeats in the district over Mr. Kaufman pointed out for bus service will get door-to- will be given in hardship Manhattan or the Bronx would the last several years. After that part of the great divide in door service. For some inexpli- cases, such as children under be the lowest, with all the pol- careful study of the differences the different amounts of times cable reason, not all private- age 5, when the bus already lution,” said Elmo Singletary, between last year’s bus sched- spent on buses can be attrib- school pre-K and kindergarten passes their home on the way 56, a Flatbush sign painter. ules and those of this year, uted to the fact that, in many children currently get busing, to the central stop. Within Brooklyn, the study board member Uri Kaufman instances, public-school stu- while all public-school chil- The board decided to retain found that life expectancy made several interesting find- dents attend the school closest dren do; that policy is being the services of Mike Olds, a ranged from a low of 71.1 ings. The first was that it was to their homes, while yeshiva looked at and worked on. transportation consultant, to years for black men, while taking the average public- students travel to a specific 2. No student will be on the help reconfigure the system white men had the next lowest school student 19 minutes to yeshiva regardless of where bus for longer than 45 minutes. and hopefully alleviate the life expectancy, 74.0 years. Black women averaged 78.5 years, and white women averaged 80.2. Here are the figures for the other boroughs: Staten Island, 77.0 years; the Bronx, 77.7 years; Manhattan, 78.0 years; and Queens, 79.0 years.

Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Inspired By ‘Chickens For Shabbos’ Mr. Robbie Newman, the man who has spearheaded the “Chickens for Shabbos” program, shared some inspira- tional insights with the talmidim of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov after Shacharis last Friday. This tzedaka addresses the growing problem of families in Eretz Yisrael who live below the poverty line and are literally unable to put food on the table. Mr. Newman explained that over 750,000 children can go hungry and that the lack of proper nutrition for them can cause irreparable harm. Chickens for Shabbos feeds over 10,000 people on a weekly basis and has raised over $1.8 million since its inception three years ago. One student remarked how impressed he was by the pas- sion Mr. Newman displays when it comes to helping his fellow Jew. After the speech, Shmuel Abayev (a 12th grader) and Alex Silber (a 9th grader) went collecting from fellow classmates and raised over $320. “This is only a start,” said Abayev. “We are going to continue to collect and donate what we would have spent on breakfast and lunch (if not for the fast) on Tzom Gedalyah.” Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, the menahel of the mesivta, was very excited. “It is not enough just to teach concepts, such as tzedakah, in theory, but it is crucial that they are transformed into concrete expression, as well. I consider it to be a mark of our success when our talmidim internalize the messages presented and act upon them independently and with such heart.” 56 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Return Of The 15-Minute Chef am so full now that I can’t imagine Ingredients: 6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and driz- not dieting tomorrow, so this new eat- 1/3 cup chopped nuts zle with honey. Repeat with remaining New Year, ing plan feels very encouraging. 1/3 cup raisins ingredients. Part of the success of my “lose the 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 7. Place in prepared pan. New Baby, baby weight now” agenda will be to 2 medium baking apples, such as 8. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 cook yummy and healthy meals for Rome or Cortland, peeled, cored, and minutes or until apples are soft (a New Beginnings hubby, babies, and myself over the halved sharp knife inserted into an apple holidays. Hubby will note that I have 4 frozen puff pastry squares (from a should slip out easily). BY JAMIE GELLER to actually cook first and then I can 20-oz. package), defrosted 9. Serve each with a scoop of non- worry about whether the meals are 1/8 tsp. cinnamon dairy vanilla ice cream, if desired. “What took so long? When are yummy and healthy. Hey, I’ve been 2 tsp. honey Food tip: For a change of pace, sub- you writing again? What have you overwhelmed, alright? So here’s s 1 pint vanilla non-dairy ice cream stitute dried cranberries or dried blue- been doing this entire time? When deliciously somewhat healthful (defi- (optional) berries for the raisins. is the book coming out? What did nitely lower in calories than a big Directions: Suggested wine: Hagafen 2005 you have? Isn’t she about to be bas rich fudge cake smothered in icing) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly Estate Bottled Napa Valley White mitzvah?” Rosh Hashanah recipe. grease a 9"x13" pan with non-stick Riesling. The raisins, brown sugar, Okay let’s just address these FAQs This dessert is like a present. You baking spray. cinnamon, and honey require a wine in order: discover a treat all wrapped up in puff 2. In a bowl, mix the nuts, raisins, to accent their sweetness; the Napa What took so long? pastry: a soft, sweet apple surprise, as and brown sugar; set aside. Valley Riesling will do so with I really don’t know what took so in “Surprise honey, I actually turned 3. Place 1 apple half, skin-side aplomb. long. Time just seems to fly, especially on the oven!” down, on a puff pastry square. Pastry ❖ Jamie Geller is an NYU graduate and former in the summer. Although, unless you’re A shanah tovah to ALL!! should be pliable enough to twist. senior writer/producer for HBO. She quit her a teacher or professional student or 4. Fill apple cavity with nut mixture, job to be a stay-at-home mom, publish a you have kids of school age, the sum- Puff Pastry Apple Purses approximately 1/4 cup per apple half. quick-recipe cookbook, write newspaper and magazine articles, host and produce a kosher mer isn’t much different than the “reg- Prep Time: 12 minutes 5. Bring pastry up and around the food TV pilot, teach dance classes at the local ular year” except for the heat. So I’ve Cook Time: 45 minutes apple half to cover. Twist the corners gym, and care for her family in Far Rockaway. Jamie’s cookbook is slated to be released by been sweating and adjusting to life Chill Time: none together so it looks like a drawstring Feldheim. You can contact her at with two babies. Yields: 4 servings purse. [email protected]. When are you writing again? I guess the answer to this one is obvious. Enough said. What have you been doing this entire time? I’ve been awake at nights and sleeping at really odd hours during the day. I catch my extra zzzz’s usually about five minutes before someone decides to call me. The phone wakes me up and the caller usually feels bad and wonders what I’m doing sleeping when I have a newborn. I have been ordering delivery from Supersol and take-out from just about every restau- rant on the Avenue. I have been com- plaining about the extra baby weight and doing basically nothing about losing it. I have cut down the book manuscript (yes, it’s still in the works) by about 150 pages once we realized it was cost prohibitive, not to mention totally impractical, to print a 500-page, 50-pound book. I have decided to do some freelance TV work to help pay for extra help around the house; started (about two weeks ago) teaching dance classes again; and have been composing this article in my head for the last few months (P.S.: It’s not coming out at all the way I envisioned it). When is the book coming out? G-d willing, in time for Purim; no, Pesach…2008. Just kidding—really around this coming Purim, 2007. What did you have? Isn’t she about to be bas mitzvah? It was a girl, still is a girl, and ha, ha, ha—I know I’ve been away a long time but not that long; she’s almost three and a half months old. So with the New Year approaching and a new baby on my hip, I want to raise a glass to new beginnings. I started a new workout plan at the gym and haven’t missed a day yet. I began it this morning and only hit the treadmill for 20 minutes, but so what? It feels like a promising start. I am beginning a new diet plan— tomorrow, because today’s start was ruined by a double egg roll and fried dumpling Chinese dinner (did I mention the General Tsao’s chicken and veggie lo mein—they were so yum!). I 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 57 58 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Little Mitzvahs

BY IRWIN H. BENJAMIN Haman offered to buy them for 10,000 pieces of silver. That 10,000 number It is well known that Yom Kippur, was considered an enormous amount besides being the holiest day of the of money, and something that would year, is also mechapeir (atones) for the have certainly come to the attention of Chet HaEigel. What is not so well most of the country. No doubt it would known, however, is that the machatzis have made front headlines. The rav ha’shekel does the exact same thing; it pointed out that that fact, the making is also mechapeir for the Chet HaEigel of headlines, has been Haman’s (Yerushalmi, Shekalim). (Amelek’s) modus operandi from time How is that possible? One can read- immemorial, and one of the major ily understand that Yom Kippur, the weapons he uses against the Yidden. holiest day of the year, being so power- Amelek tries to “farfeer” the Yidden ful, is strong enough to erase one of by baiting them, enticing them, the great cardinal sins of Klal Yisrael. encouraging them to only do mitzvahs But the machatzis ha’shekel, a puny when it is done in a big way; to aspire coin, not even a whole coin; how is it for the spectacular; to do things on a possible for a half shekel to accom- grand scale. Finish the whole of Bavli plish the same thing that the holiest in one year; next year the whole of day of the year accomplishes? In terms Yerushalmi. Give tzedakah for the sole of value, one is probably the most sig- purpose of getting your name on the nificant, while the other is probably front door plaque of a yeshiva, or to be the most insignificant. made guest of honor. Obviously, some mysterious power That was Haman’s weapon against the must lie within the machatzis ha’shekel, Yidden; go ahead and do mitzvahs, but albeit not readily apparent, giving it such only when it is done on a grandiose scale, enormous power. This past Yom Kippur I glamorous, and make sure there are discovered what that power was. superlative descriptions attached to them. A while ago I had the good fortune The Jewish response to Amelek, said of hearing a Purim shiur given by Rabbi Rabbi Weinberger—and here I had my Moshe Weinberger, shlita, the distin- first revelation of the mystery we spoke guished rav of Congregation Aish of before—was the machatzis Kodesh. The rav revealed an incredible ha’shekel, the half coin. Not even a insight into the Purim story. He mentioned that in order to destroy the Jews, Continued on Page 60

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 59 Little Mitzvahs you resisted a burning temp- Kippur. What will the new least of my worries. The dark- walked back up the block to Continued from Page 59 tation by omitting that juicy year bring? Happiness or sadness was thick, damp, and where Reb Chaim Pinchas lay bit of news, but that’s gadlus. ness, sickness or health, life palpable. Chains clanged huddled against a tree, a whole shekel, but a puny half The power of the machatzis or the opposite, chas v’shalom? loudly and banged against my frozen pile of rags, and asked coin. That’s how the Jew will ha’shekel becomes strikingly I was very hot and tired small, tin prison wall, causing him to come and spend the win his fight with Amelek. apparent in Parashas Ki Sisa, when I walked upstairs to my a thunderous hollow echo and night in my house. The Jew will win not by set- when it states that the bedroom. Unfortunately, we ear-shattering reverberations. Reb Chaim Pinchas looked ting up impossible goals for machatzis ha’shekel was kofer had forgotten to turn the air I couldn’t remember the last at me like I was crazy. “Are you himself, or doing things only nefesh; it saved one’s life. In conditioner on, and my bed- time I ate or drank. My sure?” He asked incredulously, when publicly acknowledged other words, the small mitz- room was like an oven. I tongue felt like it was plaster- as he lifted his head from or lauded, but by doing the vahs, the “machatzis ha’shekel opened the windows, sat on board, and my shirt clung to between his knees. small things, little deeds; qui- mitzvahs” are the mitzvahs the edge of my bed, took off me like tissue paper. I hadn’t “I am very sure,” I said, etly. Learn ten blatt Gemara that save lives. my socks and sneakers, and been able to swallow for sev- hoping against hope that my this year, but learn it well. wife and children were asleep Granted, it’s not a great deal, upstairs. and granted no one will give I took him in, and made you a groisen ‘yasher koach’ for warm milk for the both of us. that, but that small little As I ran for my life, I looked to either side We both shared a piece of a achievement is something for Zomick’s brownie. Reb Chaim which you will gain eternity. of me. I saw my Rebbi, and I screamed Pinchas’s long arms were cov- When speaking on the ered with curly red hair, the phone, if the urge possesses lice clearly visible. Reb Chaim you to say a tiny bit of lashon “Rebbi, help me. Please help me!” Pinchas told me when he was ha’ra, and you catch yourself, young they called him Pinky, and you leave that little part because of his red hair. I out, you have soundly beaten showed Reb Chaim Pinchas Amelek. The withholding of I experienced the truth of got into my pajamas. I put my eral hours. I was in my dank, to the downstairs guest room that little bit of news was— that this past Yom Kippur. head on my pillow and closed dark hole of a prison, while and he went to sleep. like today’s child would say— Last Yom Kippur evening, my eyes. And I had a dream. my captors above gleefully They would be coming for the F-16 fighter plane that as I left Sh’or Yoshuv and (Author’s note: The Gemara plotted my torture and me any minute now, so I tried fired a missile squarely on the commenced my long walk in Nedarim, daf ches, states that planned my demise. to hark back to happier times, head of Amelek. The back home, my mind was all dreams are a combination of It was the end. I knew that and think of any z’chuyos I machatzis ha’shekel, the small filled with all the things I am some reality and some fantasy.) there was no escape. There was may have had that would things. No bells and whistles. sure all Jews worry and won- Unbearable; the heat was nothing I could do but wait. I somehow come to my No one will ever know that der about on the eve of Yom oppressive. But that was the already said every tefillah I defense. I learned Torah as knew by heart. I said them a often as I could. I sent all of hundred times, over and over my children through yeshivas, again. I thought of my life; the trying to raise them as b’nei happy parts, the regrets. And Torah. “What a z’chus,” I then the heavy metal chains thought. “Let them come.” I again thumped against my tried to support talmidei prison walls; deafening, intimi- chachamim. I did what I had dating, terrifying, shocking. to do, and I have no regrets. My life passed by like a The heavy, thick steel doors slide projector of family por- opened with a bang. Bright light traits; visions of my children’s flooded my cell with a fury, laughter, my wife; our young blinding me. It was going to years. Well, at least I did some happen soon. I just hoped it good things while I was alive: would be over quickly. I could Although it was not a great hardly make out the two big, deal, I gave tzedakah to aniy- burly men in black uniforms. im, to yeshivas, to kollelim. I They pulled me to my feet, drag- did what I could to support ging me along the stone stairs, many of the shuls in my scraping my legs and knees on neighborhood. Yes, baruch the jagged pavement. My head Hashem, I tried to accomplish smashed against the low con- whatever I could. crete ceiling of the prison. But the heat was too pow- Warm blood trickled down my erful. I was overcome by it. head, dripping into my eyes. Delirium set in. I attempted Although bloodied, bruised to counter the intense heat by and aching all over, I was out thinking of the beautiful cold of the dungeon, breathing in winters we used to have. The fresh air, and standing on clean, white snow on the solid ground. I tried to stand ground. The snowball fights up as straight as I could. My with my friends. The fun we tormentors were lined up, had building snowmen. I each with a sinister smile, and remembered the town “shnor- each with their own evil rer,” old Reb Chaim Pinchas, device designed to inflict the sleeping in the snow, like a maximum pain and torture. heap of humanity piled on the I knew then that it was now street. No one would touch or never. Mustering up all the him. He never bathed, and strength I had left in me, I was full of lice. I remembered swung with a fury at my near- coming home from shul late est tormentor, knocking him one night, almost tripping down to the ground. I turned over poor Reb Chaim and ran like I never ran before Pinchas. He looked frozen. in my life. I anticipated any But even in the cold, I was minute my back being riddled able to see the lice crawling with bullets, but, instead, a all over him. I quickly walked worse nightmare—ferocious past him and went home. dogs were let loose, the men Then, for some unexplain- screaming them on as the dogs able reason, I turned back. I chased me, barking incessant- 60 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES ly, vicious, relentless. hooked onto the back of my As I ran for my life, I looked shirt, abruptly catching me and to either side of me. I saw my stopping my freefall. Apparently, Rebbi, and I screamed “Rebbi, the back of my shirt had caught help me. Please help me!” But onto an errant limb or root of a my Rebbi stood motionless. tree protruding from the moun- He couldn’t help me. He was tain. As unbelievable as it was, blocked behind barbed wire. my life had been saved. On the other side of the road As I dangled in the air, I I saw crowds of yeshiva boys pondered the irony of it all. and poor people whom I had With all the great z’chuyos learned with and tried to help that I felt I did in my lifetime, over the years. “Someone help I would have thought that one me!” I screamed. But no one of them—something—would came to my aid. They only have come to my defense. But stood by, helpless. They too, that did not happen. Instead, were blocked by heavy barbed what saved my life was a little wire. My own children branch that came out of watched as well. I screamed nowhere. But as I got a closer for them to help me. Although look at the life-saving branch, they cried bitterly, they, too, what I saw struck me, hitting were powerless to help. me like a ton of bricks. Finally, disheartened, dis- It was then that I finally couraged and exhausted, I gave appreciated the full impact of up and stopped running. The Rabbi Weinberger’s derashah, truth is, I had no place to go. I the greatness of the machatzis had reached the edge of the ha’shekel, and the awesome cliff. I could either stay and face power of small mitzvahs. the torture, or jump into the Because what was sticking abyss, and into the inevitable. It out of the mountain was not a was an easy decision. I jumped. tree limb at all, you see, but a As my arms flailed in the air, long, bare arm, covered with I went down quickly, falling at curly, red hair. ❖ breakneck speed. But then, mir- Irwin Benjamin can be reached at acle of miracles, something [email protected].

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 61 A Tale Of Two Cities

Our Aliyah Chronicle, Part 21 enough to sleep, and the people BY SHMUEL KATZ around me were also all well-rested, so they were making plenty of noise When I got to the airport on Sunday throughout the flight. morning, I discovered that the yeshi- By the time we got to New York va’s travel agent had not done a very (Kennedy Airport), I was tired and good job of making my reservations. ready to get moving. Immigration was He had neglected to order the glatt a breeze. From the time they opened meal for me (although I got lucky the plane until I was at the baggage there) and hadn’t bothered to reserve a carousel, I think 12 minutes had seat for me—so I ended up with a mid- passed. Then I waited for the luggage. dle seat. At six-foot-two, I am a rather And waited… And waited. large guy, so a middle seat would not It took over an hour for my luggage have been my preference. to appear. I don’t understand why it A side note about kashrut: I believe took so long. There were a lot of other that it is not so easy to actually find people who were still waiting when I treif food in Israel. Most things have left, so I guess I was lucky, but it some form of hashgachah on it. should never have taken so long. However, there are many different By the time I got out to get my hashgachot and they use various differ- rental car, I was nice and grumpy. It ent rulings in how they determine didn’t help that there are almost no what is acceptable as kosher. signs that make sense in Kennedy Accordingly, our yeshiva recommends and it took me three tries to find the that our talmidim eat from “mehadrin” train to the rental car and get on the hashgachot as a minimum, and we try right train (silly me, I thought the to apply that standard to our family as trains would be clearly marked as to well. Therefore, I requested the glatt which was which). meal on the airplane—I am in no way I had reserved my car online from saying that the El Al hashgachah is not Dollar; Dollar had quoted a rate which valid, I just prefer to order the glatt as was the cheapest by a lot—at least $10 an extra stringency. less per day. It didn’t take long to dis- I had deliberately stayed up almost cover why they were so cheap. the whole night motzaei Shabbat in They had one person manning the order to make sure that I would be rental counter with a long line. I think tired for the flight to America on I waited 45 minutes to get my paper- Sunday. Unfortunately, as a day flight, work processed. The line to pick up I really couldn’t get comfortable the car was just as long. By the time I

62 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES drove out of the rental car lot it had been more than three hours after we had been let out of the plane. I was disgusted by the inefficiency at JFK. I was also somewhat disappointed. The Young Israel of Hewlett (my shul before we made aliyah) was having a picnic/BBQ that afternoon, and I had planned to catch the end of it, surprising all of our friends. However, by the time I was out of the airport, it was way too late to try to make it to there. Being back in New York was kinda weird. The first adjustment was the car. It was way too big. In Israel, the rental car we are using (until we buy a car) is much smaller—all the cars are smaller. The American cars are much larger and have tons of room. Back at home, Goldie was not having an easy time of it. It is of course a rule that whenever things happen, they will happen at the most inoppor- tune time. It is tough to be the only parent when you are used to having a team. I know she feels more comfortable when I am in the house, and she has told me that she never feels safe when I am away—even if it is only for a late meeting. Compounding all of this is the fact that we simply have no comfort level yet. We live in a foreign country, where nothing is familiar to us. We have developed no routine or standard approach to daily life. Everything is new and strange to us and until we have spent months adapting to the changes, each day takes an enormous amount of effort. Of course, inevitably, things that could have gone wrong at home, began to. Aliza (and several other of her new olim classmates) spent an hour crying in school because they don’t understand what is going on in class. Then, the girls’ ulpan was moved to a different building and Goldie had to scram- ble to arrange transportation for them. The repairs to various systems (like the A/C) are ongoing. The car battery died and she needed to go get the car replaced. So Goldie had a tough few days after I left. It was strange to go back to our old neighborhood and see everyone for the first time. Since we have tried to adapt so hard, and have invested so much energy and emotion into making new friends, we have not really had time to miss the friends we left behind. We have spoken to people on our internet phone, and have kept in contact via e-mails and instant mes- saging, but it isn’t the same as actually being there. Driving was also much different. In Beit Shemesh, where we live and do most of our driving, there are almost no traffic lights. Wherever there is an intersection of major cross streets, there is a traffic circle. Drivers enter and exit the traffic circle when there is an interval between cars which makes for a pretty orderly flow of traffic. I love these traffic circles. It eliminates a lot of wasted time spent waiting for a traffic light. I had approached driving in Israel with concern. Goldie was even more worried. The reputation of Israeli drivers and driving was that it was very

Continued on Page 65 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 63 64 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Aliyah Chronicle In the end, after measuring it ironic that I will most likely would escape the lice issue. house. Chaia Broderick was Continued from Page 63 the window space, I had to be visiting Chicago more Apparently, everyone in Israel great. She ran to our house buy 14 different packages of often now that I have moved has this problem and usually immediately and jumped right dangerous and discourteous. blinds at Home Depot. Of to Israel than I did when I more than once. There are in, calming Goldie and help- However, we have found driv- course, they didn’t fit into my lived in New York. Our yeshi- many families who simply ing strip linens and check ing in Israel to be pretty com- suitcase, so I had to tape them va has strong Chicago con- don’t care if their kids get it or hair. She also called one of fortable, orderly and calm. together into a bundle and nections and we have a signif- if they pass it on to others. her friends, a teacher in the Goldie drives into shlep them with me through icant amount of Chicago Goldie was totally pan- girls’ school, who came to our Yerushalayim without con- the airport, on the plane and alumni as well. icked. In her words, “I was house on her way to a Bar cern and we have been pleas- everywhere else I had to go on At my first meeting the first so sure that we would be dif- Mitzvah (all dressed up) just antly surprised by how easily my way to Chicago. day in Chicago, I got a pan- ferent, that I would make to show Goldie what to do. By we adapted to the driving pat- The arrival in Chicago was icked call from Goldie. Her sure that they were clean the end of the day, they had terns. So it was strange to be as great as the arrival in New terrible week was continuing. and we would not get lice. I gone a long way in getting sitting at red lights again. York was awful. Mine were She was panicked and inco- knew people had said that it Goldie back to normal, but I I enjoyed the trip to New the third and fourth bags to herent because of something was inevitable, but I didn’t really felt bad that she had to York. I was busy running hit the carousel and I had a with the kids. After a lot of really believe it could possi- be alone when this happened around to see people great experience with trying to figure out what she bly happen to us. I think I (not that I really wanted to (fundraising is after all a Enterprise Rent-A-Car. They was saying, I finally caught was more shocked that it deal with hair lice—but I still major part of my job), connect greeted me at the door with a one word. “Nit.” actually happened than I was felt bad). with our alumni at the various bottle of water, and were so We had been warned over about them having it.” The time in Chicago start- universities they attend (I had cheerful and fun. And they and over that no matter how Goldie learned a lot about ed much slower than New a really nice breakfast with had the cheapest price too. lucky we had been in the past hair lice this week, having to our YU alumni and a great As a Chicago native, I find that there was no way we deal with two cases of it in the Continued on Page 66 lunch with the NYU guys), visit friends and see how they are doing and also spend some time with our family. The Yeshiva of South Shore happened to have their back to school night while I was in New York. So I decided to hang out there so that I could see all the people who I had worked with and wouldn’t have the opportunity to make a special visit to see. It was really funny to watch everyone’s reaction as they saw me at the entrance to the building. I really enjoyed that shocked reaction all week; it was just very exciting to see everyone (in both cities). Although the trip was a “business trip,” there were various things Goldie wanted me to pick up for the kids and the house that simply aren’t available in Israel. So I made sure to pack an extra empty bag to bring stuff back in. In the end, my mother-in-law bought so many things for the kids that I was very lucky to have thought of bringing that empty suitcase with me. Among the things that we needed were paper blinds for all of our main floor windows. Most windows in Israel have trissim (shutters) that roll up and down for privacy, except in our neighborhood. In our neighborhood, the majority of the houses—including ours— do not seem to have trissim on the main floor. When you consider the fact that the main floor is about five feet below ground level and that we have a lot of windows, privacy becomes a major issue. Each day at 7:00 p.m., the construction workers across the street assemble to wait for their bus home. The workers are all Thai, so we have had to deal with 20 or so Thai workers literally star- ing into our home as we eat dinner, do homework and go about our lives. Plus, I am sure that the neighbors are sick of seeing into our house. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 65 Aliyah Chronicle Continued from Page 65

York. After that first day, where I was able to get stuff done, I hit Erev Shabbat and then Shabbat. I was able to do a little more shopping (a new wireless router and a camera and mike to set up Skype for the kids to talk to their grandparents and friends via computer) as well as prepare notes for a couple of speeches. These articles are running both in New York and in Chicago. When we scheduled this trip, I had been asked to speak in Chicago about our experi- ences and perspective as new olim.I spoke at Seudah Shlishit in my parents’ shul, KINS, as well as twice on Sunday (once between Mincha and Ma’ariv at Or Torah in Skokie and once at a special event organized by Religious Zionists of Chicago whose newsletter runs these articles). Goldie had wanted me to try to move my return up a day or two (part- ly in shellshock from what had happened while I was gone). However, it was a good thing that I stayed, because I had come to Chicago to prepare for a parlor meeting we are having there after Yom Tov and I really needed to get some wrinkles straight- ened out on Monday. I will be flying back via Newark on Tuesday, overnight into Wednesday, and I will have a couple days to prepare for Rosh Hashanah—our first. As we prepare to enter the new year, we are filled with mixed feelings. We are of course excited that we have begun our lives here. We are also worried about the various issues that can crop up for us, and about the kids and their acclimation into the school system and the neighborhood. Not everything is guaranteed to go well, and we hope that Hashem answers our Tefillot this year as positively as he did last year (making our aliyah possible). On behalf of Goldie and all the kids, we wish one and all a Shana Tova Umetuka, health, happiness and that Hashem grant that your Tefillot are answered with the best possible results for you and your families. ❖

Shmuel Katz is the director of Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi in the Katamon neighborhood in Jerusalem. Shmuel and his wife, Goldie (the telecommuting controller at Bnos Bais Yaakov of Far Rockaway), and their six children (ages 1 to 15) made aliyah on July 5. Prior to his aliyah, Shmuel was the executive director of the Yeshiva of South Shore in Hewlett. If you have a specific question (beyond “Are you out of your mind?”), please feel free to contact him at [email protected].

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66 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES “VaYeishev Yaakov” it spells trouble. gedolei Yisrael in close succession, Why is that so? there was a real sense of despair and ‘Back To Normal’ The Maharal (in Gevuros HaShem) desperation in the air. I called him, explains that for a Jew to sit and remain and suggested a kinos be scheduled to in one place invites calamity. Jews are give much-needed chizuk to the com- A Message For The New Year not made to sit still. A Jew has to be munity at large. constantly growing, adapting, and He responded that the feeling of changing. After a year like the one that doom and despair is misplaced and inap- BY RAV ARYEH Z. GINZBERG opposite sides of the life cycle spec- we just had, each and every one of us propriate. Chazal say (Berachos 32a) CHOFETZ CHAIM TORAH CENTER trum, I knew just then that I have my has to be changed, as individuals, and that the “gates of tears” are never closed. message for this Yom Tov season. as a tzibbur. More importantly, we can- Rav Sherer insightfully pointed out that While every G-d-fearing Jew’s mind is After such a painful year from not go back. Things in Klal Yisrael are while they might never close, they are preoccupied these days with thoughts of tragedies in Eretz Yisrael, of terrible not normal, and therefore our lives can- locked shut for anyone who sheds copi- introspection and teshuvah, the role of a accidents here, of so many people in not be normal, either. ous tears when instead he could be tak- rav is to try to find just the right words the community without a source of So if we are called upon to change ing action. “We do not have the luxury to articulate those thoughts to the men parnasah, the message is that things ourselves, where do we start? With so today of handwringing and despair.” and women in his charge. cannot go back to normal! many areas of the collective soul of Every man, woman, and child And so each year, in the weeks and All this should have changed us; it Klal Yisrael that needs mending, where should take some type of action, days before the Yamim Nora’im,I,as should have made us different. We are do we begin? The first step is to fully whether in the form of a mitzvah,a well as many of my colleagues, discuss, not the same and we cannot return to understand that no matter how diffi- chesed, or an extra tefillah. These are debate, and try to analyze what should where we were before all this started. cult the situation is we cannot afford not normal times, and we cannot let be the theme of this year’s derashah. We cannot go back to when things were to give in to despair. things continue in the normal fashion. Most of the rabbanim who shared just plain normal. The late unforgettable leader of One young woman once comment- their thoughts with me agonized over The Midrash comments that when- Agudath Israel of America, Rav Moshe ed to me on Rosh Hashanah, that for the difficult year that just ended, and ever an episode in the Torah begins Sherer, zt”l, besides all of the other tal- the first time in her life, when hearing they were searching deep within them- with the word, “VaYeishev,” it is a sign ents that he possessed, was also the chazan singing the powerful selves to find just the right words of of foreboding. And so when the extremely insightful. I remember once, chizuk to share with others. parashah in Bereishis begins with years ago, after the passing of several Continued on Page 69 While we all desperately need chizuk, I felt that chizuk alone would just not be enough. I approached my own revered Rebbe, HaRrav HaGaon Rav Henoch Leibowitz, shlita, as well as other gedolei Yisrael for their thoughts on what message should be shared with others after such a painful year. Then, two innocuous conversations with ba‘alei batim within minutes of each other underscored for me what the year’s Rosh Hashanah message should be all about. Several days ago, I officiated at the levayah of a congregant from my former community. After the burial, I returned with the aveilim to the shivah house in order to respond to any questions that they may have had at this difficult time. After explaining some of the relevant laws of shivah, one of the mourners began to question me regarding the date of the yahrtzeit, and the ending of the 12-month mourning period. A little puzzled at the timing of these questions, I asked him why the need to know all this at this time, when we had just completed the burial. He responded matter-of-factly “Rabbi, I just want to know when things are going to get back to normal.” The significance of that statement didn’t yet register with me until minutes later. As I exited the shivah house, my cell phone rang. It was a congregant from my new community calling with news that they had just had a baby girl. After the words of Mazal Tov were fully expressed, the new father had several she’eilos to ask regarding the choosing of a name, and when to give that name, etc. After several moments on the phone, I was told that the new mother had one question to ask, as well. She asked, “Rabbi, I was told that a person should not leave the house until she goes to shul after giving birth; does this have to be done?” I responded that it should be done, but asked why is this on her mind now, only hours after giving birth to her first child? She responded, “But Rabbi, I just need to know when things will get back to normal.” Hearing the same phrase twice within minutes from two people on the 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 67 68 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Back To Normal derful tzedakah campaigns are no more tears left, then a minyan. Toward the end of really know? It could be more Continued from Page 67 ongoing for the poor in Eretz what more will it take for the davening, a student of of the same, or maybe even Yisrael (a great z’chus for those tears to come! No, Rav Ziemba approached him chas v’shalom…! All we have tefillah of Unesaneh Tokef she Jews throughout the world things are really not back to and asked him “Rebbe, what left is our tefillos and our tears, shed tears and couldn’t regain who are the mainstay of these normal, and until they are, we do you think the coming year and all we need is what our her composure for several organizations) Rav Ezriel can’t go back to being normal, will be like?” Rav Ziemba forefathers have taught us moments. She was disturbed Auerbach, shlita shared with either. We need to be differ- replied, “One thing I can through their example, their by it and asked me what I me in a recent conversation ent. Different in how we guarantee you is that next commitment, and with their thought it meant. that the number of poverty speak, different in how we act, year will be a better one than blood, that “Ein lanu al mi I shared with her the holy sticken families are increas- how we do mitzvos, and, most the year that just ended.” The l’hisha’ein ela Avinu She’ba penetrating words of the Ari, ing at a frightfully alarming importantly, how we daven. student persisted, “But Shamayim” (“We have only our z’l. The Ari said that “one who rate. And all this is going on, On Rosh Hashanah in Rebbe, how do you know?” Father in Heaven to rely on”). doesn’t shed at least a few while the most powerful and 1942, in the Warsaw Ghetto “It’s simple. There are no These are not normal tears during the period of dangerous enemy that Eretz (several months before the longer three and a half mil- times, and they require of us Aseres Yemei Teshuvah possess- Yisrael has faced since its final liquidation of the lion Jews in Poland for the to not go back to our “normal es a flawed soul.” He added founding—Iran—is fast on Ghetto), only a few Jews Nazis to kill next year, so it lives.” Only through our col- “that when one suddenly finds its way to becoming a nuclear remained. Amongst them was has to be a better one than lective efforts, tears, and tefil- himself aroused to tears during powered nation with all its one of the great geonim of the the last one!” los, will we be zocheh to join these days, it is a sign that his focus on Artzeinu HaKedoshah time, Rav Menachem We’ve just completed a terri- together in the coming year soul is being judged in the (Hashem Yerachem!) Ziemba, zt”l. A small minyan ble year for Klal Yisrael, and we with one heart and one mind Heavenly Court above, and in If this is not enough of a was organized in one of the would like to say with clarity in the greeting of Mashiach anticipation and trepidation of reason for all of us to sit and remaining bunkers so Rav that it will be a better year Tzidkeinu, May it come the judgment, he is over- cry our hearts out until there Menachem could daven with than the last one. But do we speedily in our day. Amen. ❖ whelmed by tears. I explained to her that according to the Ari, z’l, that moment of tears was her judgment in that world, and that no doubt due to thos tears, I was confident that she would be judged favorably in the coming year. That is something that we all can do. Maybe we are just too complacent—too set in our ways to make any changes to our daily lives, even in the slightest fashion. But we can all shed tears. If they are hard to come by, just think of the three Israeli soldiers kidnapped several months ago with not a word or sign as to their fate. Can we even begin to grasp the pain of their loved ones and what they are going through each and every day? I thought that I did until I met with the young bride of one of the soldiers, and I realized just then that I don’t even begin to understand. And if that still doesn’t bring tears, then think about the family in our own community that is still in mourning for the loss of their beloved son, a bright star with a glorious future awaiting him, who was snatched away from us in a freak accident on the other side of the globe. May his wonderful family who have taught all of us what the meaning of “gevurah” and “dignity” is and how just one family can turn personal tragedy into inspiration for countless others, be zocheh to a nechamah from the Ba‘al HaNechomos in the coming year. In Eretz Yisrael, thousands of Jews expelled from the various communities in Gaza are still without homes and jobs and their children are suffering from all types of mental trauma. And now added to that are hundreds of families from various communities in the North whose homes have been destroyed and who are living in shelters or in crowded public facilities. With all the various won- 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 69 war development.” Expected to raise unprovoked aggression. The casus But Hezbollah is an armed militia The Stockholm about $500 million, the participants belli that triggered the war on July affiliated to a political party with sig- pledged twice that amount in what 12—after six years of cross-border nificant representation in the was considered an overwhelming suc- violations in full view of the UNIFIL Lebanese parliament and at the min- Conference: cess, while Israel was sidelined. observers, whose dubious role is still isterial level, even though it is trained, The Swedish Prime Minister, being questioned today—was the armed and spiritually supported by a A Political Obscenity Goran Persson, showed his solidarity launching of Katyushas across the foreign power, Iran. with the Lebanese people: “Our mes- Israel-Lebanon border at the same Moreover, except for his declara- BY RACHEL NEUWIRTH sage… should be clear and firm: You time that two Israeli soldiers were kid- tion on the first day of hostilities, are not alone…. War may be the busi- napped and four others were killed. Fouad Siniora maintained his firm UN Security Council Resolution ness of some, but peace will always be Everyone recognized that Israel was support for Hezbollah throughout the 1701 put an end to the monthlong our common duty.” the attacked party: the G8, the UN, period of hostilities, conveniently for- war between Israel and Hezbollah. However noble these sentiments the EU and even Saudi Arabia getting his obligation to disarm Two weeks after the cessation of hos- may be, there was a shocking omis- unequivocally identified Hezbollah as Hezbollah, as required by UN tilities, a conference was held in sion: the quest for responsibility. the aggressor. Resolution 1559, which was passed Stockholm to specifically raise funds Whereas the European Left has And yet, at the Stockholm two years earlier. The regular for the reconstruction of Lebanon, always been eager to find exculpatory Conference, the only thing we heard Lebanese army also cooperated with but without any concern whatsoever “root causes” in all matters related to from the “international community” Hezbollah on more than one occa- for the damage inflicted by Hezbollah Islamic terrorism after 9/11—and has was pledges to assist Lebanon in its sion. Therefore, holding Lebanon to on Israeli civilian facilities. found them in such implausible fac- reconstruction effort, as if the coun- be a squeaky clean victim of aggres- The Stockholm Conference includ- tors as poverty, inequality, oppres- try had suffered a natural disaster. sion is also obscene. ed some 60 participants, comprising sion, joblessness and alienation— This is an obscenity. Whatever the legal responsibility of many countries, international organi- there was no mention in Stockholm There was nothing natural in this Hezbollah and Lebanon in the war, zations and NGOs. The Lebanese of the root causes of the Lebanese destruction: it was the result of a war Israel was certainly the victim of Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, ordeal. This omission is nothing short launched from Lebanese territory aggression. Not only did the partici- opened the conference on August 31 of obscene. against a sovereign neighboring coun- pants in the Stockholm Conference with an appeal for help after “Israeli A brief background is in order. try. Certainly, Lebanon, as a country, never raise this issue, but some organ- bombing wiped out 15 years of post- Israel was attacked by Hezbollah in an did not attack Israel. Hezbollah did. izations even compounded the obscenity by accusing Israel. In an appalling statement, analysts of the European-based Committee for the Abolition of Third World Debt (French acronym CADTM) declared, “Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon must demand accountability from their aggressors…. For Lebanon, a possible solution resides in the immediate cancellation of its debt and the establishment of funds for its reconstruction, which would be fed by reparations deposited by Israel.” Furthermore, CADTM suggested that the United States, as a backer of Israel, should also be liable for “reparations.” They concluded with this pearl of Orwellian doublespeak: “It is only then that it will be possible to say that the Lebanese people will have received justice.” These comments from CADTM should have provoked an uproar of indignation, but nothing was heard in the august halls of the Stockholm Conference. This silence was also obscene. Now is the time to put “reparations” in its proper context. The issue of war reparations is covered in the 1907 Fourth Hague Convention and in the Geneva Conventions of 1949. More recently, the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) was set up to deal with Iraq, following its attack on Kuwait in 1991. Security Council Resolution 687, adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter, mentions that “Iraq… is liable under international law for any direct loss, damage… or injury to foreign Governments, nationals and cor- porations, as a result of Iraq’s unlaw- ful invasion… of Kuwait.” Chapter VII deals with “threats to peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression.” Iraq was forced to accept all the provisions of Resolution 687. Similar action should have been taken against Hezbollah for the damage inflicted on Israel’s civilian areas, but UN Resolution 1701 failed to mention any liability on the part of the aggressor. Had a conference been convened in Stockholm back in 1991, I doubt 70 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES its single concern would have been to assist Iraq financially. No one would deny that innocent Lebanese civilians suffered greatly from the war. But so did Israeli civilians, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced, 6,000 homes destroyed and the northern Israeli economy in shambles. So, rather than basking in the one- sided consensus of Stockholm, a more constructive way to handle the situation would be to create a joint Lebanese-Israeli body, including those elements of Lebanese society that have not been tainted by Hezbollah, i.e. Christians, Druzes, Sunnis and possibly a portion of the Shi’a population, and launch a com- bined claim for war reparations from Hezbollah’s supporters —Syria and, especially, Iran. This approach would have many advantages that were not apparent in the ill-conceived Stockholm Conference: 1) A claim for war reparations would be a powerful deterrent to aggressive “adventurism,” as the Saudi foreign minister characterized the Hezbollah attack. Leaving military aggressors financially unscathed encourages further aggression. 2) Creating a multi-billion dollar lien against Iran would be welcomed by the international community, now that sanctions are envisaged against Iran for the non-fulfillment of its nuclear obligations. 3) The creation of such a joint Israeli-Lebanese body will be a positive sign of collaboration between Israeli and Arab civil societies. There is no territorial dispute between Lebanon and Israel, notwithstanding the phony issue of the Shebaa Farms. This initiative should be welcomed by all Sunni Arabs, who are now more scared of Iran than they are of Israel. None of the above was on the agenda of the Stockholm Conference, where Israel was viewed either as the aggressor or as the party working against peace. In the conferees’ lopsided view of reality, where the relationship of cause to effect never enters the equation, the donor countries also pledged half a billion dollars to the Palestinians, 90 percent of which is to be channeled through the Palestinian Authority, now controlled by the terrorist organization Hamas. No questions were asked, no conditions set. Once again, the international donors were mesmer- ized by the swan song of Mahmoud Abbas, whose senior advisor com- plained about the “never-ending” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the “constraints imposed on the Palestinians.” It would have taken a volley of Kassam rockets crashing through the entrance of the Stockholm Conference hall to give those donors a bitter taste of reality. (Arutz Sheva) ❖

Rachel Neuwirth is a Los Angeles-based analyst on the board of directors of the West Coast Region of the American Jewish Congress and the chairperson of the organization’s Middle East committee. Salomon Benzimra also contributed to this article. The views expressed in Rachel´s articles are strictly her own, and may or may not reflect those of the American Jewish Congress leadership. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 71 A Scent Of Dreyfus, A Trail Of Jihad

BY ELLEN W. HOROWITZ I’m unsettled because three Jews, who had enough of a conscience to ”We wander over to place de la question the media and call them to République, perhaps the most schizo- order over the role played in disseminat- phrenic of all of Paris’s major ing information regarding an incident places.”—the Paris Free Voice maga- that occurred on September 30, 2000 in zine, June 1999. Gaza—an event which sparked and If place de la Republique was schiz- spurred world-wide protests, unrest, vio- ophrenic back in the summer of 1999, lence and death—are being individually then by the autumn of 2000, it was called before a French court of justice overtly psychopathic. on defamation charges. You would think that the bronze lady The media is crying slander based of the republic would have felt a bit on a law most likely designed to pro- violated by the keffiyahs, swastikas and tect the public from defamation by the hatred gracing her foundation—but media. Now that’s justice with a she didn’t protest too much. The events unique French twist. in Paris in the fall of 2000 would reveal Is it defamation to question the an intensifying and twisted romance media? I would say that it’s downright between pacifism, fascism and anti- irresponsible not to. But remember, this Semitism. Six years later, the flames is 21st Century France, and the Lady of spawned by that mutant alliance have the Republic has been raped, Lady left an indelible stamp on Europe. And Liberty’s in bondage and Lady Justice the prognosis for Eurabia looks grim. has a migraine—as she’s been standing Now, we Israelis are up to our necks on her head for way too long. in a regional jihad problem, so why But what is most difficult for a lot of must I concern myself with the global us Anglos to understand is that this is jihad scene? Under the present dismal more about a French code of honor than circumstances, I’d just as soon forget anything else. People are being put on Paris, and I’d urge the Jews of France trial for expressing opinions that dishon- to quit Paris. I’d like to turn my atten- or or embarrass France, as France 2 tel- tion towards High Holiday prepara- evision represents the French Republic. tions, but my conscience bothers me. Forget the courts—this calls for a duel.

72 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES The Al-Dura trials begin this Chardonnay and discuss liberty, equality Inasmuch as there’s a surprising lack want to publish Where’s Al? as part of September 14th in Paris. The main- and brotherhood with top intellectuals of blood in the footage, there’s been a a “Jihad for Junior” series.) stream media may not deem the story in Paris—and they can do it in French. staggering amount of blood spilled in The Al-Dura image puts in a big fit for coverage (which in and of itself The kind of people who have Harvard, this world in the name of Mohammed appearance at the Durban 2001 Anti- is intriguing and worthy of investiga- Princeton and Oxford under their belts, Al-Dura’s image. Semitism Fest (otherwise referred to as tion), so I guess it’s up to us concerned and whose writings are published in the Now, go back to the picture of the the Word Conference Against Racism). and informed folks to push this issue Atlantic Monthly, Commentary maga- October 2000 protest linked at the Osama Bin Laden publicly enlisted Al- into the headlines. zine, the Wall Street Journal and respect- beginning of this article. The banner Dura’s legacy for the cause of jihad. Perhaps it’s the public’s love affair ed academic periodicals. depicts a Star of David equaling a And the image appears in the video of with the macabre and their lust for the But the mainstream, mediocre media Swastika equaling the Al-Dura image. Daniel Pearl’s beheading in 2002. sensational that enticed France 2 televi- just doesn’t want to go there. They’ve Based on that picture, I decided to Whether we’re dealing with negli- sion to recklessly release footage report- lost their ability for serious introspec- take a virtual tour through the cyber gence, recklessness or outright lies, edly depicting the shooting to death of tion, cutting-edge journalism and inves- archives of Hell. I searched through the handling of the Al-Dura affair by a young boy, and the wounding of his France 2 was obscene, irresponsible father, at the hands of the Israelis (at and possibly devious. It must be taken least that’s what the voiceover said). In seriously by the public. the rush to air 55 seconds of exclusive Three Jews, who had enough of a conscience to Asking the right questions now and footage, which was rushed to France 2 question the media and call them to order over the role demanding valid answers may be the by their Palestinian cameraman who best way to avert further tragedy. As filmed the scene, 27 minutes of rushes played in disseminating information regarding an Jews, we need to learn to be in an active- (unedited footage) were deliberately left ly introspective mode, where we are free on the editing room floor. France 2’s incident that occurred on September 30, 2000 in Gaza, to question and to exercise foresight and Charles Enderlin was so anxious to get wisdom. It’s the very key to our survival. the news out that he generously distrib- are being individually called before a French court of Reserving reflection for after the fact uted the 55-second clip free of charge justice on defamation charges. may work well for historians, but it’s not to the global media. recommended for the Jewish people. Despite the incredible questions sur- Ironically, it’s the history professor rounding the case, France 2 has per- Richard Landes who will be covering the sistently refused to release the unseen tigative reporting. And why bother the protests and riots that erupted in trials in Paris via his blog, The Augean footage to the general public. However, when, thanks to that very same media, the Middle East and throughout the Stables. The professor is fully aware that those few who have seen the footage so much of the public is dumbed down, world on October 2000 as a result of we stand at an abyss. If France 2 wins report that it’s rather embarrassing, as passive and scandal-fatigued anyway? the alleged Al-Dura killing. I managed their trials against three concerned it essentially records 24 minutes of Some argue: Even if France 2 was to follow Al-Dura’s image around the Jewish citizens who dared to challenge youths feigning injuries and ambu- negligent in handling the affair, why world—from Paris to Miami to the careless treatment of the Al-Dura lances evacuating the uninjured. obsess over an event that happened six Lebanon to New York to the affair, then it will be a further indication This is not some over-the-top conspir- years ago? Leave it for the history Netherlands and then some. that the annals of history will record 21st acy we are dealing with. Highly regarded books and get on with it already. (This exercise was reminiscent of century Eurabia as a place bereft of journalists and historians have gone out Except that it isn’t exactly history sifting through the popular seek-and- scruples, judgment and truth. ❖ on a limb to question and probe the cir- yet. At present, we’re still living, in find children’s book series Where’s Ellen Horowitz and her family live on the Golan cumstances surrounding the case—the real-time, the results of France 2’s ren- Waldo?—only it’s a lot more ghoulish. Heights. She is a painter, columnist and author kind of people who can comfortably sip dering and editing of that footage. An enterprising young extremist may of The Oslo Years: A Mother’s Journal.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 73 Spanish Kids Learn Jewish Heritage By Baking Matzah—In September

BY JEROME SOCOLOVSKY to the Sinagoga del Transito—the old As he mashed the dough with his biggest in Spain, most of Spain’s Samuel HaLevi Synagogue that, like hands, Ivan Izquierdo, 11, showed that remaining 35,000 Jews are concentrat- Sept. 7 (Toledo, Spain)—It doesn’t many others, still bears its post- he had at least listened to the explana- ed in Madrid, Barcelona, the Costa del look like matzah. It doesn’t feel like expulsion name. tion about what matzah is. Sol and the enclaves of Ceuta and matzah. And it certainly doesn’t taste “I wanted my children to know the “It’s like bread, but without yeast,” Melilla on the North African coast. like matzah. culture of their city,” said Luisa Ruiz, he said. “The Jews eat it.” While the synagogue museums But for dozens of non-Jewish kids, one parent whose child was learning After kneading the dough, the chil- attest to the vibrant Jewish life that the doughy patties that they made with how to make matzah. “And Jewish cul- dren were told to roll it flat and season once existed in Spain’s biggest jud- flour and water—and then fried on an ture formed—no, it forms—part of it with herbs, poppy seeds and sesame ería, they also are a reminder of the electric hot plate—represented the their city, because when we walk seeds, then place it on the greased hot many anti-Jewish riots and massacres unleavened bread Jews eat on Passover. through the city, we walk through plate. The final product bore a greater that occurred here. One of Europe’s At least, that’s what they were told on areas that used to be Jewish.” resemblance to a pizza base than the worst anti-Semitic myths—El Nino de a recent Sunday morning at a matzah- The instructors conceded that the Israelite bread of affliction. la Guardia—involved a Christian baking class in this city that was a hub matzah was far from authentic—and Victor Manuel Martin, another child who supposedly was abducted of medieval Jewish Spain, a place where that, yes, the class was held nowhere instructor, said organizers do try to use here by Jews and crucified. As a Jews both thrived and suffered. near Passover. kosher ingredients, so that no one feels result, Jews were tortured and the boy The class was held last weekend on Instructor David Calvo said they “uncomfortable or offended.” was sainted, even though his remains European Jewish Heritage Day, when were adapting the baking process to Bemused might be a better way to were never found. cities across Europe seek to honor make it easier for Toledo’s kids to get a describe the reaction of an American “We don’t tell the children these their once-vibrant Jewish cultures. feel for a Jewish custom. Jewish tourist who stepped out of the things because they might be fright- In Spain, 23 cities and towns take “It’s a nice custom with plenty of Transito synagogue and stopped to ened,” said Martin, the instructor. “We part in the annual day. The main history and importance in Jewish cul- watch. try to focus on it from a more cultural events were in the cities that have pre- ture, and in Toledo the Jewish heritage “It doesn’t strike me as a piece of and more positive point of view. There’s served their juderías, the quarters is one of the most important that we authentic Jewish culture, but perhaps really no point in talking about those where Jews lived until the expulsion have,” he said. that’s what you would expect” with no black legends, at least not with children from Spain in 1492. “I suppose that we Toledanos all significant Jewish community left in who wouldn’t understand very well.” Visitors today can see ancient syna- have Jewish ancestors. I probably have Toledo, said Ed Frankel of Cincinnati. “They should have fun and get their gogues restored and turned into muse- Jewish blood,” said instructor Juan Frankel said he also happened to be hands messy making unleavened ums of Jewish culture and history. In Carlos Villacampa, with dark curly hair in Europe last year on Jewish heritage bread,” he continued, “and then they some juderías, doorposts still have holes pulled back in a ponytail. “It’s impor- day. But then he was visiting should eat it.” where mezuzahs once were affixed. tant for people to know the past so that Amsterdam, a city that still has a sig- Which they did. And though it was- The Network of Juderías sponsors in the future they will understand that nificant Jewish community, where he n’t matzah, it actually tasted pretty tours, seminars, concerts and cultures are mixtures of people and said “the non-Jewish community was good. (JTA) ❖ Sephardi culinary tastings on Jewish that they should be tolerant.” able to get a better sense of what it Jerome Socolovsky is JTA’s correspondent in heritage day. In Toledo, the city with Jewish communities in Madrid means to be Jewish.” Madrid, covering Spain and Portugal. A former the biggest judería, participants were advertised the event, but not a single Indeed, Jewish Toledo never recov- AP reporter, he has covered the Arab world, the Lockerbie trial and the Bosnian war crimes offered tours of the district on Jewish child was to be found at the ered from the expulsion five centuries tribunal in The Hague. His articles have also Segway scooters, and free admission baking class. ago. Though the city’s judería was the appeared in The Economist.

74 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 75 Five Towns Simcha Gallery Photo By Jeff Neckonoff

Bat Mitzvah of Ariela Bortz, daughter of Maurice and Rivki, of Woodmere. The celebration was held on Monday night, September 11 at the Shtiebel in Cedarhurst. Musical entertainment provided by Azamra DJ.

76 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Photos By Captured Images

Shmuel Pack and Dina Fistel were wedded on Thursday, September 14, at Congregation Beth Sholom. Wedding planning was done by Nan Munczyk.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 77 Rah-rah, Rudy!

BY SHMUEL ROSNER race is already taking shape. The candidates are raising money and skitter- Like many of his colleagues in the ing about, the pollsters are working party who are thinking about running overtime, the strategists are blueprint- for president—as well as his rivals ing work plans. The height of the race from the Democratic Party—Senator is still far off, but no one can say it has- John McCain, of Arizona, came to Des n’t begun. Various factors contribute to Moines to see but mainly to be seen. this: the weakness of President Bush is In the 2008 elections, too, Iowa will be adding weight to the question of who the first state to choose its candidates will succeed him, the gravity of the for president. In 2000, the last race in problems that await the next president, which he tested his strength, McCain and above all the fact that neither decided to skip Iowa and focus on New party has a “sure” candidate. Hampshire, the next state in line, and This is actually the first time since he shook up the party by defeating the the 1968 elections in which no serving leading—and ultimately victorious— president or vice president will be candidate, George W. Bush. among the candidates. And even in This time McCain is the leading 1968 the winning candidate, Richard candidate for president in the Nixon, was a former vice president (in Republican Party and he has no inten- the Eisenhower administration, eight tion of skipping Iowa. It’s part of being years earlier). So we definitely have a the leader. But the annual State Fair, rare moment here. which this year drew about a million of the state’s residents (more than a third New York Leading of the total) in mid-August, recorded Senator Hillary Clinton did not the presence of other candidates as attend the Iowa State Fair. She is being well: Sam Brownback, George Pataki, cautious. As McCain is the leading Newt Gingrich and Bill Frist on the Republican candidate, Clinton is the Republican side, and Tom Vilsack, Bill leading Democratic candidate, even Richardson, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh though she has not yet announced. on the Democratic side. She is devoting all her energy to the This is a peculiar phenomenon election campaign in New York, where which is nonetheless spreading and in two months she will be reelected to this year reached new peaks: two full a second term in the Senate. years remain until the quasi-official Clinton is a breath of fresh air in the campaign for the presidency, yet the political field. As things look now, she

78 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES may well become the first woman to the celebrity trap. Less familiar candi- contest the high office, with a real dates, such as Mike Huckabee and chance of winning. But it’s worth Tom Vilsack, failed to get high marks remembering that a month before the from the team. Their foreign policy 2004 primaries the Democrats already positions are less sharp, and the panel had a candidate who was considered a graded them with due caution. We can shoo-in to get the nomination: Howard assume that as time passes the num- Dean. In the volatile world of poli- bers will jibe with the candidates’ tics—almost two and a quarter years declared positions. before the elections, two years before the campaign, a year and a quarter before the start of the primaries—it’s too soon to assume that there is a sure In about two months, candidate in either party. Clinton, like McCain, is a big star. Americans will go to the And so is Rudy Giuliani, who was polls in the midterm mayor of New York on September 11, 2001. And so is Newt Gingrich, the elections, in which they Republican leader in the House in 1994. So are John Kerry and John will elect a whole new Edwards, the losing duo of 2004; Al Gore, the tragic hero of the 2000 elec- House of Representatives, tions; and Condoleezza Rice, the secre- a third of the Senate, and tary of state, who in the meantime is saying she will not run but whose name 36 governors. continues to crop up in the party. Other potential candidates are less well known, certainly to Israeli readers. Some of them are state gover- Israel Panel nors—as were Jimmy Carter, Ronald Here is the reason for the creation Reagan and Bill Clinton before they of the panel: The president of the won the presidency. There are many United States is the world’s most possible candidates from the Senate, important leader, of the world’s but it bears remembering that the last strongest country. So much so, that it time a senator made the leap from sometimes seems that the identity of Capitol Hill into the White House was the person who occupies the White in 1960, when John Kennedy squeezed House is no less meaningful for Israel’s past Richard Nixon. future than the identity of the prime The Haaretz panel of experts, all of minister in Jerusalem. whom are well acquainted with the arena, also sometimes seem to fall into Continued on Page 80

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 79 Rah-rah, Rudy! ables that comprise the average (with Continued from Page 79 the proficient assistance of Prof. Camil Fuchs, from Tel Aviv University, Here is the method: Eight experts Haaretz’s regular pollster, who is also on Israel-U.S. relations and American at present in the United States). In politics and American foreign policy the end each reader will choose his have assumed a long-term commit- preferred candidate, but the panel, ment. They will try to rank the 2008 which reflects opinions across the presidential candidates, month by political spectrum, will be able to pro- month, give them grades and deter- vide indications about the desirable mine which of them is “good for result for Israel, or at least to spark a Israel” and which of them is less debate on the subject. good. Four of the panelists are from Nearly two years ago, on the eve of academe and four held various posts the 2004 elections, Haaretz conducted in the government of Israel. All of a readers’ poll as part of an interna- them spent long periods in the United tional project which sought to examine States, on the job. the attitude of various countries What in fact constitutes a “good-for- toward the Bush administration and Israel” president? Is it a president who the American election system. The will try to dictate a political agreement most pronounced fact, and the one between Israel and the Palestinians, or most quoted internationally, could not one who will leave the region to its be blurred: Israel loved President Bush own devices and let Israel do what it and esteemed his support more than wants? Is it preferable for Israel that any other country. Only the country’s the president try a dialogue with Arab citizens took a negative view of Damascus and reach understandings, his presidency. or move to topple the regime of Bashar Yet this is a deceptive outcome, Assad? Is it better for Israel for the because Israelis reacted with the U.S. president to believe that the time same warmth to the very different has come for the democratization of presidency of Bill Clinton. Policy, the Middle East, or that he emphasize then, is not always the keystone, but a regional “stability” and espouse a less feeling that the president is interested ideological and more “realistic” policy? in Israel’s good. The circumstances The answers to these questions had changed, too: Clinton was popu- depend on the prior attitudes of the lar in the decade in which Israel panel members, so we collected back- strove for peace agreements, Bush ground material about them, which has been in power in a decade in will help interpret their choice. The which Israel has been at war. The “weighted average” will be processed needs changed but the popularity from all the responses, but Haaretz remains intact—for the past 14 years will also be able to explain the vari- Israel has enjoyed the presidency of

80 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES two of its greatest supporters ever. It’s Joe Biden, about whom the majority of not certain whether we can expect the the panel is not enthusiastic, was same attitude in the future. recently named, in a poll among politi- cians and Democratic experts, as the Washington Results elected representative they “trust most” There were a few interesting, and on foreign policy. The fact that Israel also disturbing, numbers in the first has enjoyed unprecedented support poll to which the panel responded. It’s from Washington in an era in which clear, for example, that the experts do the Republicans are in power certainly not believe an American president will also helps them, in terms of the pan- decide to attack Iran in order to prevent elists’ consciousness, to be perceived as it from acquiring nuclear weapons. The wanting Israel’s benefit. general average the candidates received Still, a few of the Democrats get on this question is markedly lower than high marks. The panel members who the average they recorded on other want greater involvement by the next questions, such as how involved the president in the peace process will give president would be in resolving the a higher grade to Democrats, while Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or how deep those who want a less involved presi- their attachment to Israel runs. On the dent may lower the grade of a candi- other hand, as Prof. Fuchs, who ana- date whom they suspect will try to lyzed the panel’s voting for Haaretz, push an agreement with all his might. says, it’s noteworthy that overall the In the past weeks and months some panel gives higher grades than they do members of the panel noted that the on the individual questions. This is grades reflect answers of “yes” and apparently due to the rankers’ natural “no” and sometimes also “maybe,” but tendency to be kind to the candidates not the more complex explanation. and say that even if they do not think One of the panelists, Prof. Yossi Shain, they excel in each individual parameter, thinks there are no significant differ- they are nevertheless “alright.” ences between Republicans and All in all, Republican candidates Democrats on the question of involve- enjoy a certain preference over the ment in the Israeli-Palestinian con- Democrats. There are several reasons flict. He gave them grades, but empha- for this. Even some of the panel mem- size that the determining factor would bers who are not right-wingers discern be the reality on the ground. After the anti-Israeli tones at the fringes of Clinton’s bitter experience, no presi- the Democratic Party. They do not rep- dent will waste energy on a process resent the party’s mainstream at this which he does not think has a concrete stage, and its senior members certainly prospect of success. do not sound like that, but they could The specific points awarded by each have a certain influence on a potential Democratic administration. Senator Continued on Page 82

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 81 Rah-rah, Rudy! Illinois is being touted as the party’s Continued from Page 81 future major politician. He exudes charisma and stirs admiration. In the panelist will not be revealed here. Some candidates ranking by Chuck Todd in the of the panelists have professional busi- National Journal, Obama is described as ness or academic ties, or personal con- “the Giuliani of the Democratic field,” a nections, in the United States, and they candidate who probably will not run but were explicitly promised that we would cannot be written off. Obama has done not spoil their good relations in everything needed to be considered a Washington. Among the current candi- friend of Israel. He visited the country, dates, Giuliani comes out as the most addressed the conference of the pro- desirable for Israel. In his matter there Israel lobby AIPAC and did not cast hos- is general agreement. Those on both the tile votes. Nevertheless, the panel does right and the left, those who lean toward not trust him and most give him medium the Democrats and those who prefer the to low marks. Republicans, those who think that Bush made a serious mistake in invading Iraq November Elections and those who believe the invasion was In about two months, Americans will justified—all view Giuliani as a candi- go to the polls in the midterm elections, date who will be good for Israel if elect- in which they will elect a whole new ed president. It’s hard to say this is a sur- House of Representatives, a third of the prising choice—the problem is that it’s Senate and 36 governors. The House is not certain that it will stand up in the going to get a severe shaking up and its long term. Giuliani hasn’t yet decided leadership will likely go to the about running, and his prospects of win- Democrats; the Republican majority in ning the Republican Party’s round of the Senate is expected to be reduced; primaries are in dispute. and governorships will also change The Democrats’ Al Gore scored rela- hands, mostly to the left. Hillary tively high, but in his case there is no Clinton—the panel liked her overall, but consensus. It’s clear from the grading there is no uniform agreement as with that some have fond memories of his Giuliani—will be reelected and will have tenure as Clinton’s vice president, but to decide whether to run for president. that there are also some who are wary Newt Gingrich, who is also high on the of his new and updated incarnation to panel’s list, will appear as the analyst of the left of the Democratic center. At the Republicans’ defeat. He will be the this stage the sentiments overcome the symbol of past success contrasted with suspicions, but this may not persist if present failure. A few days ago, Gingrich he decides to run. dissociated himself from possible mili- The case of Barack Obama, the tary action against Iran. The panel did Democrats’ rising star, is also worth con- not manage to factor in this statement sidering. This young black senator from and assess its weight. He is in a very

82 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES respectable second place, but not by have been issued since the beginning ments in the road map and the com- consensus. In recent years he has made Tenders Issued of the year. mitment made by Labor and Kadima an interesting effort to shed the divisive The tenders issued include the con- to the voting public.” image he acquired in Congress and struction of 342 housing units in the MK Dov Chenin (Hadash) com- move closer to the center. His partner in For Hundreds Of settlement Betar Ilit and the construc- mented that “the Olmert-Peretz gov- this move, who also has to shed a sectar- tion of 348 housing units in Ma’aleh ernment is cutting back on health ian image on the other side of the politi- Homes In W. Bank Adumim. The municipal territory of and education and investing hun- cal map, is Hillary Clinton. The two Betar Ilit has been expanded in the last dreds of thousands in the settle- speak about each other with high regard, year in a manner that brings the ments. This will cause a social and almost fondly, and sometimes cooperate. Settlements Orthodox settlement much closer to political catastrophe.” The November elections will be the Jerusalem. Betar Ilit is located south- The Yesha Council of Jewish watershed for the Bush administra- BY NADAV SHRAGAI, YOAV west of Jerusalem and is home to a Settlements, for its part, said the tion. The last two years in a second STERN AND AKIVA ELDAR poor Orthodox population of over building plans were “too little too late.” term are always problematic and 25,000. Its growth rate is one of the The approval of construction in the tired. Everyone is looking ahead, In the largest wave of new settle- fastest in Israel. large settlements accompanies the while the president has to continue ment construction activity approved Israel also seeks to connect Ma’aleh Ministry of Justice outpost authoriza- coping with the day-to-day problems. by the Olmert government since it Adumim to Jerusalem through the E1 tion initiative. A Congress that has shifted to the came into office, the Housing building plan, currently on hold. According to a recent Haaretz control of the rival party will not nec- Ministry issued tenders for the con- According to Peace Now, the ten- report, the Ministry of Justice has essarily make it easier for Bush to struction of 690 new housing units in ders prove that the “Olmert govern- formulated a decision proposal cope, but may actually benefit the the territories. ment functions as a right-wing govern- according to which no illegal out- Republican candidate who will want The new apartments will be built in ment in all senses; instead of evacuat- posts in the West Bank would be to succeed him. It’s better, that is, for large settlements, included in the set- ing outposts and freezing construction evacuated. Instead, the state would the Democratic rage to be channeled tlement bloc plan, which the govern- in settlements, the government is legitimize the outposts and provide into the midterm elections instead of ment intends to annex to Israel as part building hundreds of housing units in them with government funding, dis- the presidential elections. It’s better of a final agreement. the territories and plans on authorizing carding the recommendations made to come to 2008 with the possibility Tenders for the construction of 788 dozens of illegal outposts. “These by Talia Sasson in her report. of accusing the Democrats of making housing units across the Green Line actions go against Israel’s commit- (Haaretz) ❖ “legislative blunders.” Questions relating to Israel are now at the center of the American agenda. Middle East democratization, Iran’s nuclear program, Syrian intransi- gency, Hezbollah terrorism, Lebanon’s stability, the price of oil—and develop- ments in Iraq also have implications for U.S. security. The candidates, if we can rely on past experience, will all be “for” Israel in general terms, but their positions on the various questions at hand will reveal something of their true intentions, part of the way in which they will choose to shape their future policy. In any event the president has limited influence on American policy, and there are similarities between the administra- tions on many issues, but at critical junctures his strength is seen for good or for ill. Eisenhower chose to force Israel to withdraw from Sinai in 1956, whereas a different president might have made a different choice. Kennedy chose to sell Israel advance weapons which the U.S. had not previously sold. Clinton chose to go to Camp David and risk his prestige in an attempt to bring about an Israeli-Palestinian agreement. And, before all of them, Harry Truman chose to recognize Israel. There is no doubt that there were presidents who would have chosen differently. Already the doubts begin to creep in: Could anyone have foreseen that an unknown governor from Arkansas would invest such great energy in Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat? Could anyone have anticipated that another unknown governor from another southern state (Georgia) would become the knight of peace between Israel and Egypt? And what did we know about George W. Bush before he was elected and before September 11? Here, then, is good reason to be skep- tical about the panel’s forecasts, but also good reason to follow them. Maybe next time we will know a bit more a bit earlier. (Haaretz) ❖

The full results of the poll, as well as more details about the candidates and the panel, along with a detailed analysis of the numbers on a weekly basis, and more can be found at Rosner’s blog, entitled “Rosner’s Domain,” at Haaretz’s English website: www.haaretz.com/rosner. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 83 84 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Your Ad Could Be Here.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 85 SERVICES AUTOS PROVIDED FOR SALE

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88 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 89 Anti-Semitic Attacks In U.K. Soared During Lebanon War BY ASSAF UNI

The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Great Britain has risen sharply since the start of the Lebanon war, according to an organization dedicated to the safety of Britain’s Jewish community. According to Mark Gardner, spokesman of the Community Security Trust, there were over 90 incidents of anti-Semitism in Britain during July, including attacks on Jewish-owned stores, hate mail sent to representatives of the Jewish community and verbal and physical attacks on Jews in public. Over the past few years, the monthly average has been 10 to 30 such attacks. The British report is merely the latest in a series of reports docu- menting an increase in anti-Semitic incidents throughout Europe in the past two months. An all-party parliamentary inquiry into anti-Semitism in Britain will soon publish a report that is expected to declare anti-Semitism a serious problem and call on the government to fight it. Committee Chair Denis MacShane MP said in The Times of London that the CST’s figures “confirm the evi- dence given to us that anti-Semitic attacks are a very real problem.” Gardner told The Times that the July incidents “were more dispersed than usual,” noting that “it is usually a small number [of people] responsible for a large number of attacks, but these were very widespread across the country and included graffiti attacks on synagogues in Edinburgh and Glasgow.” Hate mail sent to senior Jewish figures blamed them for the deaths of Lebanese children in Beirut, Gardner told The Times. The public debate in Britain over the Israel Defense Forces’ operations in Lebanon during the war was heated. It included mass antiwar demonstra- tions, political denunciations of Israel’s “disproportionate use of force” and attempts to prevent the transfer of American weapons to Israel via Scottish airports. Last week, Lord Janner was attacked in the House of Lords by fellow peer Lord Bramall during an argu- ment over Israeli actions in Lebanon. “The number of anti-Semitic attacks reflects the mood music around Jews and Israel,” Gardner told The Times. The past two months have brought a steep increase in reported incidents of anti-Semitism around the world. The Australian Jewish Council reported a fivefold increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the country. Synagogues in Italy and Norway have been defaced and vandalized in recent weeks, and a monitoring organization in the Netherlands reported a “steep rise” in the number of anti-Semitic incidents there. (Haaretz) ❖ 90 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES September 22, 2006 91 92 September 22, 2006 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES