Which Shul to Choose

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See Page 67 $1.00 WWW.5TJT.COM VOL. 10 NO. 46 17 ELUL 5770 tc,-hf ,arp AUGUST 27, 2010

INSIDE REPUBLICAN STOMPS THROUGH CEDARHURST FROM THE EDITOR Tidbits From Israel Ron Jager 35 BY LARRY GORDON Thoughts Of The Admurim Honesty And Victor Cohen 36 Deception Hock Of The Rock Eli Shapiro 38 For most of the past 17 years, Meet Frank Scaturro Israelis and Palestinians negoti- Michele Justic 76 ated peace face-to-face while construction on the settlement On The Wings Of Eagles communities around Israel con- Avi Meir Hoffman 94 tinued more or less unabated. C

o Since President Obama came u r t e s y

o into office and Hillary Clinton f R i c k

L and George Mitchell took the a z i o reins of U.S. Middle East policy, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio (2nd from left) visited Cedarhurst and stopped in at David’s Famous prospects for peace have taken a Pizza on Monday on a campaign swing through Nassau County looking to generate support and garner votes for his September 14 primary election against businessman Carl Paladino from Buffalo, NY. Lazio is anticipating giant step backwards. And even facing off against Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Governor. Above (L–R): Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel, Mr. Lazio, David of pizza fame, and Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parisi. Continued on Page 9

WEDDING TEARS ISRAEL’S ATTACK HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE BY RAV ARYEH Z. ON DEMOCRACY GINZBERG The Republican Push CHOFETZ CHAIM TORAH CENTER BY 5TJT STAFF Munkaczer Rebbe to visit 5T’s. BY LARRY GORDON See Page 68 There are some social events In a shocking move, police in that are so significant that they Israel have taken the unprece- For the first time in a long make front-page news in every dented step of arresting a rabbi time, Republicans in New York corner of the world. According to for printing his analysis of Torah feel that they genuinely have an a BBC report, the gala social event law as it pertains to soldier inter- opportunity this year to upset of the year even made the front actions with civilian populations the political applecart. It’s defi- pages in newspapers in the and the laws of engagement. nitely true that in the past the strictest media-controlled Muslim Rabbi Yosef Elitzur-Hersh- Republican Party has always put countries such as Saudia Arabia. kowitz, a coauthor, was ques- forward candidates to oppose Of course, I’m referring to the tioned by Israeli police on suspi- the usually incumbent recent wedding of Chelsea cion of incitement to racism, Democrats at all levels of New Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky. among other charges. York government. More fre-

Continued on Page 19 Continued on Page 26 Continued on Page 16 Joshua Wanderer UJA donates school supplies. See Page 90 That Championship Feeling A View WHICH SHUL From Afar TO CHOOSE

BY RABBI AVI BY RABBI YAIR SHAFRAN HOFFMAN

To name the Muslim country When one visits Israel, one where she lives would compro- often faces a quandary: Which mise her security; the authori- shul should one daven at on ties there do not look favorably Erev Shabbos? The choices are on citizens who communicate often between nusach Sephard with Jews. Her husband is a and nusach Ashkenaz, or one Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz Hindu and she, although born a where there is a Friday evening new at BYA. See Page 56 Christian, long ago abandoned speaker or not. Should one her family’s religion and daven at the more yeshivish It’s been a great local shul baseball season! With the weather cooperating pledged herself to the Torah. minyan or the regular one? In CANDLE LIGHTING almost every time, Shuls from around the Five Towns were able to “Tehilla,” however, as I’ll call this article, a third factor will be compete weekly in championship-level softball competition. August 27 – 7:17 PM Above: Eli Dworetsky, league commissioner, presenting 1st-place trophy to her, has not converted, and has introduced which, at first, might Sept. 3 – 7:05 PM Charles Levine, player/manager of Congregation Knesseth Israel, with other players from The White Shul. See Page 74 Continued on Page 20 Continued on Page 23 2 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 3 FEATURES

Around The Five Towns 68 P.O. BOX 690 LAWRENCE, NY 11559 516-984-0079 Aliyah Chronicle [email protected] Shmuel Katz 64 [email protected] LARRY GORDON ESTA J. GORDON Classified Ads 82 Publisher/Editor Managing Editor YOSSI GORDON, YOCHANAN GORDON Daf Yomi Insights Sales Managers Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow 86 CHANA ROCHEL ROSS Editorial Assistant The Dish Elke Probkevitz 30 SIDI BARON YAKOV SERLE Education 48 Sales Representatives SHMUEL GERBER MICHELE JUSTIC Hock Of The Rock Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor Eli Shapiro 38 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Hannah Reich Berman, Anessa V. Cohen, Insights On The Torah Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg, Toby Klein Greenwald, R’ Ben Tzion Shafier 32 Rabbi Yair Hoffman, R’ Yanki Tauber 60 Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Shmuel Katz, Phyllis J. Lubin, Esther Mann, Rochelle Miller, Letters To The Editor 63 Elke Probkevitz, Naomi Ross, Dr. Rachael Schindler, Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow, Luach 14 Rabbi Avi Shafran, Eli Shapiro, Ari Sher, Samuel Sokol MindBiz DOV GORDON, ELISHEVA ELEFANT Esther Mann, LMSW 46 Staff Graphic Artists IVAN NORMAN, IRA THOMAS Mother’s Musings Staff Photographers Phyllis J. Lubin 43 FRANKEL & CO. Puzzle Design & Production Yoni Glatt 79 TALIYE CORLEY Art Director Real Estate The Five Towns Jewish Times is an independent weekly news- Anessa V. Cohen 34 paper. Opinions expressed by writers and columnists are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We are not That’s The Way It Is! responsible for the kashrus or hashgachah of any product or Hannah Reich Berman 42 establishment advertised in the Five Towns Jewish Times.

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FROM THE EDITOR Continued from Front Cover though the diplomatic movement is mostly in reverse, that motion is being heralded and trumpeted as progress of breakthrough proportions. This time around, in the aftermath of Madrid, Oslo, Wye, and Camp David one and two—as previous Israel-Arab negotiation summits have been dubbed— few are being deceived into thinking that it is anything other than a political charade orchestrated by the Obama administration’s foreign-policy apparatus in an attempt to project an image of success in a region where most presidents have previously failed. Israel is America’s most important ally, for reasons other than what any of us may believe. Israel is the only country in the world that allows itself to be diplomati- cally abused so that desperate American presidents with troves chock-full of foreign-policy fail- ures can point to at least one such achievement before history renders their efforts overseas as ranging from largely inconse- quential to troublesome. Not only is President Obama in that category, but also with this upcoming foray scheduled for September 2, he might be the biggest champion of all presidents who’ve dabbled in a mirage of Middle East peace. After an 18-month lull in direct talks between the parties, what really needs to be examined is why there is even the slightest need to tamper with the status quo. The fact is that it’s been the quietest 18 months Israel has had in many years. The rockets have ceased falling on S’derot, and even in the north it is very quiet on the Lebanese border. Israel’s economy is good and getting better, and the economies in the surrounding Arab countries are doing fairly well too. So why is there an urgent need to change anything? Earlier this year, Mr. Obama tried to intimate that peace between Israelis and Palestinians impacted directly on how Americans are perceived in wars currently being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. As you will recall, General Stanley McChrystal, who was ousted as the leader of the war effort in Afghanistan for making critical comments about the president and his foreign-policy officers to Rolling Stone maga- zine, was the official to first suggest the connection between the Israeli–Arab talks and U.S. casualties on the battlefield. McChrystal was way off base in his overall assessment of any such connection, but he still may have been onto something. What Israel has demonstrated

Continued on Page 14 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 9 10 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 11 12 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 13 FROM THE EDITOR Continued from Page 9 in its handling of Arab demands is a firm resolve in dealing with the Mideast men- tality whereby each demand gives birth to additional demands. Critics and observers understand that these latest peace moves have everyone involved lacking motivation. It’s quiet in Israel, and the Arabs have effectively demonstrated that resorting to violence in trying to assert themselves sets their cause back many years. For now, they possess an abundance of powerful weapons capable of extraordinary destruction. But what happens after that? There are not really any good answers. Obama and his associates have to know that the upcoming direct talks have no chance of succeeding. Obama knows it, the Israelis know it, the Arab states know it, and the Quartet knows it. So what is this effort really all about? Add- itionally, even if the Abbas–Netanyahu talks have some success, how do you deal with the fact that at best Mr. Abbas’s Fatah party represents only half of the Palestinian people? The parties involved in this process may not agree about much, even on issues that do not deal with Jews or Israel. But one item that they have a common inter- CALENDAR LUACH Aug. 27–Sept. 4 ZIP Code: 11516

17 Elul Friday, August 27 Daf yomi: Avodah Zarah 13 Z’manim*: Earliest tallis/teﬁllin: 5:21 am Sunrise: 6:18 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 9:00 am Gr’a 9:36 am P’lag ha’minchah: 6:11 pm Candle Lighting: 7:17 pm 18 Elul – Shabbos Saturday, August 28 Parashas Ki-Savo Avos: Ch. 3–4 Shabbos ends**: 8:16 pm 72 min. 8:46 pm 24 Elul Friday, September 3 Daf yomi: Avodah Zarah 20 Earliest tallis/teﬁllin: 5:29 am Sunrise: 6:24 am Latest Shema: M. Av. 9:02 am Gr’a 9:38 am P’lag ha’minchah: 6:02 pm Candle Lighting: 7:05 pm 25 Elul – Shabbos Saturday, September 4 Parashas Nitzavim–Vayeilech Avos: Ch. 5–6 Shabbos ends**: 8:04 pm 72 min. 8:35 pm 26 Elul – Motzaei Shabbos Saturday night–Sunday, September 5 Selichos begins (Ashkenazim) * All times from MyZmanim.com ** add a few minutes for tosefos Shabbos according to your minhag 14 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES est in is denying sovereignty to the Jewish people over the Land of Israel. After all these years, I have a very difficult time imagining that this is about achieving peace. Right now there is peace, albeit a tenuous peace. It is in fact quite unlikely that, considering the diplomatic game of chicken taking place and the intractable surface position of the Palestinians, anything tangible or substantive can be accomplished by direct talks. While the last few months of so-called proximity talks may have been viewed as a forum to progress toward direct talks, we may find out over the short term that keeping the two sides apart from direct contact with one another may better suit the potentially volatile situation here than anything else. More interesting than what may take place when the two sides sit down to talk face-to-face next week is the political maneuvering behind the scenes. The Obama administration and the Democratic Party overall are facing an electoral bloodbath in two months, part- ly due to the fashion in which the president has chosen to handle Israel and her leaders over the last 20 months of his tenure in the White House. There’s no questioning the fact that Israel enjoys the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people and that Mr. Obama deliberately attempted to violate that long-standing sacred bond between the U.S. and Israel. Thankfully, he was not successful; but still there will be a price to pay come November. So while the administration is now trying to project a lovey-dovey image in the relationship right now, that does not mean that the original objective has been abandoned: to make things at home so uncomfortable for Prime Minister Netanyahu that his right-leaning government has no choice but to dis- band, with the hope that Kadima leader Tzipi Livni, or even down the road Labor’s Ehud Barak, can construct the next ruling coalition. The overall problem with this plan is that while with Bibi you get a lot of vacil- lating, you still get more honesty; with the others, you receive mostly deception. Neither Livni nor Barak are dividing Jerusalem, and they are not implement- ing the international racist demands that Jews leave their homes in the territories because their very presence is considered to be fouling the very earth that they reside on. In addition, as we’ve stated in this space previously, the contingency plan in Israel in the event that there is a significant missile attack from Lebanon or Gaza is to evacuate residents from those areas to the Shomron (Samaria). And this is the very area that the Palestinians are angling to maneuver the Israelis into delivering to them, Jew-free, at some point in the process. No one is being fooled into thinking Barack Obama needs anything other than a photo opportunity featuring Mr. Abbas, Mr. Netanyahu, and himself in a Rose Garden ceremony that launches the negotiating breakthrough that was once a matter of daily routine in the relationship between Israeli and Palestinian negotia- tors. It is backward movement that, when seen through a rearview mirror that looks back over the last 17 years, looks very much like forward motion. O Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at [email protected]. 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 15 BAGEL STORE Continued from Front Cover

quently than not, however, those candidates were sent up as trial balloons to gauge whether or not the political winds had changed direction. The reality is that no one really knows for sure whether this year’s batch of Republicans are set to play the same traditional role or whether there is a definitive change in the air this time around. At this point there is a very positive feeling out there, and the Republicans seem to be on the move, making the rounds and being much more visible than in the past. Today no one really knows how severe the anti-Obama backlash is going to be in November and how well the Republicans are going to score on the national level. Over the last several weeks I had the opportunity to sit with and get to know four of the Republicans who are hoping that this year will be the one, and that the GOP will be able to break through even here, in the usually hopelessly Democratic New York. Josh Wanderer is a tax attorney who lives in Lawrence. In his effort to be elected to the New York State Assembly, he might have the most challenging uphill battle of them all. Wanderer will be facing either veteran assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg or his Democratic challenger, former Nassau County legislator Jeff Toback. The Weisenberg-Toback race is a complicated one, with sources from both camps saying that this was the race that was never meant to come to fruition. Mr. Weisenberg was contemplating retirement at the age of 77, after a long and effective tenure in Albany. Mr. Toback was in a sense boxed out of the political game in the aftermath of the Republican takeover of Nassau County government in last November’s election. With Weisenberg planning on retiring, Toback saw the exiting assemblyman’s seat as a great political opportunity for him. But that’s a Democratic Party issue in what is supposed to be a very Republican year. And that’s where Josh Wanderer comes into the picture. In previous years, it would have been considered a thankless task to be the Republican opposition to Democrats like Weisenberg or Toback. But something else shift- ed on the political landscape aside from the change we thought we could believe in that was wrought by Barack Obama. “The current state government cannot sustain itself if it continues in this direction,” said Mr. Wanderer. He says that in

Continued on Page 18 16 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 17 BAGEL STORE Continued from Page 16 Nassau County alone, taxes have been raised by more than $12 billion over the last few years, with jobs leaving and the unemployment rolls swelling to an all-time high. As a man who has spent his professional life analyzing financial situations, Wanderer, 45, says that more important than anything else is that the pension situation needs to be brought under control. “Pensions in New York cost taxpayers $1.3 billion in 1999,” Wanderer said. “In 2013, the projected cost to taxpayers of these pensions will be $6 billion.” The Republican candidate says that pensions in the state need to be frozen and taxes need to be reduced. “We are losing too many jobs in the state, and that means that we need elected officials who are capable of putting a halt to the uncontrollable spending, to help business grow and bring jobs back to New York,” he said. Wanderer—who grew up in Brooklyn and attended Yeshiva of Flatbush, Brooklyn College, and Cardozo Law School and holds an LLM degree from NYU—has very firm convictions on a number of other issues and in particular the issue of the day, the planned Islamic community center in lower Manhattan. He says that in a personal way and as a New Yorker, he is steadfast- ly against the center being built near the old World Trade Center. “I don’t think that anyone can challenge the fact that constitu- tionally they have a right to build there,” Josh Wanderer says, “but it doesn’t start or end there, and a great deal of other factors have to be taken into consideration.” Whereas I met with Mr. Wanderer one-on-one, Fran Becker was accompanied to the 5TJT offices by the man who can very well be considered the cata- lyst for this year’s Republican resurgence. Howard Kopel, in his win, along with the retaking of the Nassau County Legislature last November, communicated an important message to county- wide Republicans: that it is indeed possible to once again be the ruling party in the county. And that’s why Howard, known to many as Chaim, accompanied his colleague on the legislature, Mr. Becker, to our offices last week. Mr. Becker is facing a primary on September 14 against attorney Frank Scaturro for the right to face veteran incumbent U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy in November. McCarthy is a political fixture on this part of Long Island that includes the Five Towns and a number of other adja- cent communities.

Continued on Page 20 18 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Wedding Tears also, we were proud at the photo seen Continued from Front Cover around the world, of “the Donald” (as he’s referred to) raising a toast to the young The bride is the daughter of a two-term couple with a yarmulke on his head. still popular ex-president and the current While of course we are distressed at the secretary of state; the groom is the son of intermarriage of our children—and with former members of Congress. The picture the timing of the Clinton ceremony, which of the happy couple: she in the specially took place on Shabbos day, and with par- designed Vera Wang wedding gown and ticipation of a Methodist minister—deep he all splendidly dressed in his tallis and down within us there resonates a sense of a yarmulke featured prominently on his pride that we have finally made it. head. This was the picture that was liter- This is the one point that I believe ally shown around the world. requires our focus, especially in these Much has been written about this days of introspection, the Yemei HaDin. “blessed event,” but I would like to com- We are referred to in the Torah as a “mam- ment on just one aspect that we in the leches kohanim v’goy kadosh,” a royal and Torah community need to reflect upon. The holy people. We are the elite in Hashem’s Sunday afternoon following the wedding, world of creations and we should be when the official wedding photo entered indeed proud of that glorified position. into every home, I was spending a restful When one of our own steps into another afternoon in the bungalow colony where world, away from his or her people—no my family has spent the last dozen or so matter the stature and position of that summers. This event became the topic of new place—it can never match the glory conversation amongst the chevrah. I could- of being part of that mamleches kohanim n’t help but notice a sense of pride being v’goy kadosh. If our hearts do not swell expressed that we finally really made it. To with pride in that role, then we need to have one of our own—and not a closet Jew rethink what that role should mean to us. at that, but one who wears his Judaism on After President Kennedy was elected his sleeve, replete with tallis and yarmulke, president, he made his first official visit the kesubah being read under a chupah—be as commander-in-chief to New York, and accepted into the welcoming arms and his impressive motorcade passed through hearts of America’s former first family brings the streets of Brooklyn. The chassidim in along with it a deep sense of pride. Williamsburg were—as was most of the I noticed similar sentiments expressed country—fascinated with the new young last year, when the “event of the year” was president, and they lined the streets to the merger of two of the most successful catch a glimpse of him. The late Satmar real-estate families, as the Kushners and Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, zt’l, was not the Trumps joined together, when Donald pleased with what he viewed as too Trump’s daughter was married, also under much reverence and awe of this person. a chupah, to the son of the head of the Kushner family real-estate empire. There Continued on Page 45

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 19 BAGEL STORE care legislation, Becker says, “It’s a disaster, center in lower Manhattan. Continued from Page 18 and if the Republicans win in November a Becker, who resides in Lynbrook, is great deal of it will be repealed.” He adds from a Roman Catholic family and is Becker feels strongly that he is the that he finds it unfathomable and even one of eleven children. He says a good Republican candidate who is the best and shocking how insensitive Democrats number of the issues that are important most natural replacement for McCarthy. seem to be about the constant annual tax to the Orthodox Jewish community that “It’s an established fact that 97 percent of increases planned for years to come. is a central component of the congres- the time Carolyn McCarthy votes in “People are fed up with raising taxes being sional district are not unfamiliar to Congress with President Obama, Speaker the response to every problem since Catholics in the district. He says that he Pelosi, and Senator Reid,” he says. “Does Obama took office,” he says. understands how vital the issue of this community want that or need that?” On peace in the Middle East, Fran school vouchers are, particularly in this he asks rhetorically. And he boldly won- Becker says that peace can only be economy. He also makes clear his oppo- ders aloud whether, when push comes to achieved through strength, and he sition to same-sex marriage and his shove and there is pressure from the detests in particular the way that Obama position on abortion rights. The Becker White House to lean on Israel, we in this treated Israel’s prime minister on his campaign, with the assistance of community can count on our White House visit in the spring. “The U.S. Legislator Kopel, is making an emphatic Congressional representative to with- is projecting an image of weakness, and push for votes in the Five Towns and stand that pressure and support Israel in this administration won’t be satisfied surrounding Orthodox communities what could be some rather tough times. until Israel appears weak as well,” he located in the district. On his potential opponent after the says. On the planned Islamic center near This is going to be a Republican year Francis X. Becker Jr. mid-September primary, Fran Becker is ground zero, Becker says that it’s con- for a combination of reasons, including additionally blunt: “Carolyn McCarthy frontational and that he is dead set an anti-Obama backlash as well as an straddles the fence in an effort to come against it. He says that he has spoken anti-incumbent nationwide movement al football imagery—blitzing the oppo- across looking like a moderate,” he says. with many in the Muslim community in that raises the idea of change to new nents and just about sending everyone “The truth is that McCarthy is an extreme New York who are also opposed to build- and possibly unprecedented levels. This they have. If that’s the case, then Josh leftist, and let’s face it, she’s just not one ing at that location in the city. He points year’s elections here in New York as Wanderer and Fran Becker are possibly of us,” Becker says. out, of course, that Mrs. McCarthy has well as around the country have the two of the offensive tackles that at least On President Obama and the health- come out in favor of building the Islamic Republican Party—to use some season- here in Nassau County will be leading the rush. O Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at [email protected].

View From Afar Continued from Front Cover no plans to convert. She and her two adult sons are “Noahides”—non-Jews who have come to the conclusion that the Jewish religious tradition is true and who have undertaken observance of the “seven laws of the children of Noah”—the basic moral precepts that Judaism pre- scribes for all of humanity: the prohibi- tions against idolatry, profaning G-d’s name, murder, sexual immorality, steal- ing, eating a limb cut from a live animal, as well as the commandment to establish courts of law. There are Noahides in Australia, Asia, Europe, and here in the United States (a good number of them, for some reason, in Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas). Many face formidable societal obstacles, though Tehilla, considering where she lives, likely faces more than most. “Tehilla,” which means “praise” in Hebrew, is an appropriate alias for someone so filled with admiration for the Jewish people. Her studies of Judaism over years, by internet and e-mail, and her interaction with various rabbis around the world, have endeared the Jewish people and the Jewish religion to her—and endeared her to her mentors. Jews, to be sure, are enjoined from pros- elytizing to non-Jews, but Tehilla is self- motivated (an understatement); those, like me, who correspond with her are simply answering her queries—and being inspired by her observations, ren- dered in fluent English. Her empathy for Jews, especially in Israel, is deep. And it is accompanied by a clarity of vision that eludes so many, and so much of the media. “With all the sufferings [the world has] inflicted on you all,” she writes, “I still cannot fath- om how magnanimous you all are in being a light to all nations.” “After meeting your people [by e- mail],” she once wrote, “I cannot understand how such a warm, compassionate, and humane people can be so persecuted 20 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES and so misunderstood.” like us is to be able to live where we can And, from other e-mails: study. . .without fear, and acknowledge “One thing the mighty nations are Hashem as the supreme G-d and you all not absorbing is history. Even if they as His chosen.” don’t believe the Scriptures per se, histo- In fact, Tehilla’s dedication to our peo- ry itself is proof enough that your ple and our faith can sometimes sting, nation’s survival is the living and contin- forcing her readers to recognize their uous miracle personally brought about own imperfect appreciation of their won- by G-d.” derful lot in life as Jews. “G-d will never allow you to fall, in “It’s sad,” she once wrote, “that some of the merit of your patriarchs and your people do not seem to understand prophets . . . soon G-d is going to say or realize the special and holy heritage ‘enough’ to your tears . . .” given to them for eternity, not something “All I can pray is when Hashem decides they can disown . . .” it’s time for all your sufferings to be over, Tehilla worries about her adult sons He will show us Gentiles the compassion finding proper wives who will share her we failed to show you all.” and her sons’ outlook on life. She has also Tehilla is not only an observer of his- suffered a number of serious medical tory and the world around her but an crises. Even her reaction to that chal- example of commitment to self-better- lenge, though, stands as a valuable and ment on a personal level. She keeps a true lesson. picture of the Chofetz Chaim—the “You see, rabbi,” she recently wrote, “I saintly scholar who died shortly before know G-d is so kind and I am making the Holocaust and who wrote definitive atonement for my sins . . . sickness takes works on the laws of proper speech. away a lot of sins . . .” She has studied his works because, as That idea may make some of us she once explained, “. . . when I am squirm. But the fact that adversity and angry I speak without thinking. The pain can be atonements is a quintessen- Chofetz Chaim has really changed my tially Jewish concept, readily gleaned life and I am really trying to live up to from the Talmud and, in these waning his guidance.” weeks before the Days of Judgment— She is a charitable woman as well and when examining one’s spiritual state personally cared for a dying relative by can yield deep discomfort of its own— marriage who had for years ridiculed her a timely one. for her choices. May Tehilla’s lessons, and her exam- “My sons and I are . . . trying our best to ple, be a merit for her good health— do our part for the needy,” she once and for seeing her sons find their life explained. partners soon. O And she looks forward to the © 2010 Am Echad Resources. Rabbi Shafran is Messiah’s arrival with eagerness: “The director of public affairs for Agudath Israel of greatest blessing for believing Gentiles America.

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 21 22 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Which Shul? Continued from Front Cover seem to be not such a serious issue but after some analysis appears to be irrefutable. But first some background. The Navi Yishayahu (58:13) tells us, “Vekarasa leShabbos Oneg—and you shall call the Sabbath a delight.” The Gemara in Psachim (68b) understands this as an obligation to take delight in Shabbos through good food and drink. From a philosophical point of view, the reason for this halachah is that Shabbos is the sign, the flag, of the Jewish people, that we believe that G-d, who rewards good and punishes evil, created the world, and rested on the Seventh Day—Shabbos. With this “badge of honor” declaring our beliefs, we declare unto the world that evil will ultimately be punished; that good deeds will be rewarded, and that we proudly serve the will of G-d and declare His existence to all who see us. The concept of oneg Shabbos—taking delight in Shabbos—is a further step. We happily and joyfully mark this day and “flag” or “badge.” In fact, we take delight in it. The rubric of Torah, the notion of right and wrong, is not a burden or yoke, Heaven forbid. It is something in which we take delight. Thus we can understand the Gemara in Shabbos (118a) where Rabbi Yochanan cites Rabbi Yossi that whosoever takes delight in the Shabbos receives an inheritance without boundaries. The Zohar (Parashas Pikudei) informs us that many malachim check out our menu every Shabbos to determine if indeed we are fulfilling the oneg Shabbos mandate. There are two questions, however. Is this obligation of taking delight in the Shabbos biblical or rabbinic? Secondly, to what areas and venues does this “taking delight” extend? Does it include areas beyond food and drink? How about clothing—or, by extension, air conditioning? The air conditioner, or “mazgan”, is a word and concept that did not exist in the time of Chazal. Therefore, the halachic dimensions of it are also not discussed. It would seem that if the concept of oneg Shabbos is extended to clothing by the poskim, then it is quite an easy step to extend it to AC. Rabbeinu Yerucham in Toldos Adam V’Chava (12:1), was the earliest halachic authority to do this. He writes that one must honor the Shabbos with food, drink, and begadim—clothing. One might erroneously postulate that there is a textual error in our printed edition and the word should read magadim—tasty and delicious items— not clothing. Yet the standard print edition would seem to be the more halachically authoritative one. The Machtzis HaShekel OC (242:3), writes that one hon- ors Shabbos with good food and drink and nice clothing. So he would disagree with the alternative suggestion. We find that light is also considered to be a delight on Shabbos—further extending the notion beyond just food and drink. So now we are left with analyzing whether the issue of oneg Shabbos is a biblical or rabbinical mandate. The

Continued on Page 24 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 23 Which Shul? Continued from Page 23 Midrash Tanchumah (Bereishis 3) clearly states that kavod Shabbos is, indeed, biblical. However, it is perhaps possible to distinguish between kavod Shabbos— honoring Shabbos—and oneg Shabbos— taking delight in Shabbos. [Lighting Shabbos candles has both qualities in it]. Furthermore, the Midrash Tanchumah, although an early source, might not be halachically authoritative. It was com- piled in Eretz Yisrael at a time when they may not have viewed the Bavli as authoritative. Nonetheless, we find many authorities, Rishonim in particular, who hold that oneg Shabbos is clearly a biblical mandate. Rashi in Yevamos (93a) writes that it is, as does the Rashba both on Yevamos and in his responsa (1:127). The Rivash (Responsa 513) also rules that it is biblical. Rambam, on the other hand, (Hilchos Shabbos 36:1) is clearly of the opinion that it is only rabbinic in origin. Nonetheless, we see from all the discussion that oneg Shabbos is such an important thing that one should be careful about it—even if it is only rabbinic in origin. To further buttress the point, the Tzror HaMor on Parashas Bereishis points out that the letters in oneg and negah are interchangeable. This makes a point that whosoever does not treat and make the Sabbath a delight (oneg) deserves to receive a negah—generally understood as a skin affliction. The Zohar in Parashas Pekudei makes the same point. It is, therefore, suggested that in hot weather—particularly a chamseen—this oneg Shabbos aspect of air conditioning should definitely be a large factor in determining where one should be davening. The tefillah itself on Shabbos may be only a rabbinic requirement but the delight one takes in Shabbos is, according to most authorities, d’oraysa. It is also important to note the words of the Shlah in tractate Shabbos (Perek Ner Mitzvah). He writes that the wording is “Kol hame’aneg es HaShabbos” and not “misaneg”—the word is not reflexive. The delight, he notes, must be truly in honor of the Shabbos and not for his own personal honor. This must be kept in mind— even in regard to the A/C. An interesting note: While in Eretz Yisrael the author of this piece expressed this halachic musing to a gentleman sitting next to him. The gentleman, a rosh yeshiva of a boys’ high school in Yerushalayim, was so enthralled with this discussion that he offered the author a position teaching in his yeshiva. O

The author may be reached at [email protected].

24 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 25 Attack On Democracy ter in New Baghdad, Iraq fired upon a Continued from Front Cover building with Hellfire missiles. The video taken shows several armed and The book in question, Torat unarmed people entering the building, HaMelech, has been extensively ana- which is described as abandoned or lyzed by 5TJT staff, and the conclusions under construction. The building was are that this book has been woefully occupied by three families. The helicop- and grossly misrepresented both by the ter requests and receives permission to police and the media. fire upon the building, and shoots three The media and Judaism bashers have Hellfire missiles. described the book as follows: “In the • In the NATO air campaign against 230-page book, authors conclude that the Serbia in 1999, a policy of zero risk to its biblical commandment “thou shalt not soldiers was adopted. Pilots were kill” applies only to a Jew who might kill instructed to fly at a very high altitude, a Jew, but babies and children of Israel’s which significantly raised the risk to civil- enemies are acceptable targets, and an ian lives on the ground. There were 500 individual can carry out an attack alone.” civilian deaths in the NATO campaign, What is most shocking is that the including women and children. descriptions of the book have not been • In October, 1993, U.S. soldiers were written by people who can actually read caught in the streets of Mogadishu, the book in the original rabbinic Hebrew, Somalia. 18 American soldiers were killed the lingua franca of the Talmudic scholar. in a battle where women and children The accusations, in essence, amount to were being used as shields. After this, it both a blood libel against the authors, was learned, over 1,000 civilians were and an attack on religious freedom. This killed by American fire. type of attack has no place in a democra- • In April and November of 2004, cy. In truth, the book is an in-depth and U.S. and Iraqi forces attempted to scholarly analysis of the Torah rules of retake Fallujah, Iraq. U.S. forces includ- engagement. ed the use of white phosphorous in an The moral issues involved in engage- urban setting known to house civil- ment are quite complex. In order to pro- ians, in order to protect the lives of tect its citizenry, many countries have American soldiers. drawn guidelines for their soldiers as to Both U.S. and NATO forces would when to engage and when not to do so. never, ever, have embarked upon any of The Torah too, has such guidelines. Torat these operations if the civilian populace HaMelech is a scholarly examination of were American citizens. Their guidelines those guidelines. clearly distinguish between other civilian Below are four cases in which United populations and their own citizenry States and/or NATO forces implemented when engaging an enemy. seemingly aggressive guidelines. • On July 12, 2007, an Apache helicop- Continued on Page 62

26 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 27 28 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 29 The Juicy Red Melon

One of summer’s greatest pleasures is marking, it may have been harvested pre- biting into a sweet and refreshing water- maturely. melon while the juice trickles down your Preparing. Wash the watermelon chin. This summer staple is pure perfec- before cutting it. A wet cloth or paper tion on a hot summer day. Although towel will work fine since large melons watermelon can be found in markets will probably not fit in the sink. throughout the year, the season for Depending upon the size that you watermelon is in the summer when they choose, there are many ways to cut a are sweet and of the best quality. watermelon. The flesh can be sliced, Watermelons can be round, oblong, or cubed, or scooped into balls. While spherical in shape and have thick green many people are just accustomed to into cereal and used to make bread. 8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless rinds that are often spotted or striped. eating the juicy flesh of the watermel- Watermelon mixed with thinly sliced red watermelon They range in size from a few pounds to on, both the seeds and the rind are also onion, salt, and black pepper makes a 7-oz. package feta cheese, crumbled more than 90 pounds! edible. If you choose to eat the rind, I great summer salad. You can also make freshly ground pepper Selection. The best way to choose a fla- would highly suggest purchasing ice pops by filling a blender with chunks vorful melon is to look at the color and organic watermelon. of watermelon. There is no need to Directions: quality of the flesh, which should be a Serving ideas. Watermelon is delicious remove the seeds. Puree the fruit, then Boil balsamic vinegar in a small deep color and absent of white streaks. If to eat as is but also makes a wonderful strain it through a sieve. Add fresh lemon saucepan until reduced to 3 tablespoons, it features seeds, they should be deep in addition to a fruit salad. Fruit salad can be juice and sugar to taste, then freeze in ice 6 to 7 minutes. color. When choosing a whole watermel- made days ahead since cut fruit, if chilled, pop molds. There are so many ways to Arrange arugula over large platter. on, look for one that is heavy for its size retains its nutrients for at least six days. utilize this summer melon, so enjoy it Scatter watermelon, then feta over. with a rind that is relatively smooth and Jam, sorbet, and juice are some nutritious while it’s in season. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to taste and that is not too shiny or overly dull. One and delicious things you can make with sprinkle with pepper. side of the melon should have an area watermelon. Purée watermelon, can- Watermelon, Feta, And Arugula that is distinct in color from the rest of taloupe, and kiwi together. Swirl in a lit- Salad With Balsamic Glaze Eating quality, delicious meals is easy when all the work is done for you. Hire a personal chef to the rind, with a yellowish or creamy tone. tle plain yogurt and serve as refreshing prepare your dinners, Shabbos meals, or small This will be found underneath where the cold soup. In Asian countries, roasted Ingredients: parties. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508- melon was resting on the ground during watermelon seeds are either seasoned 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3663, writing to [email protected], or ripening. If the fruit does not have this and eaten as a snack food or ground up 5-oz. package baby arugula visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.

30 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 31 that wasn’t done with complete motiva- The power of simchah. This tion. The Midrash tells us that when Rabbeinu Bachaya is difficult to under- Reuvein attempted to save Yosef from his stand on two levels. First, how can the brothers, he said, “Let us put him in the Torah command me to be happy? Being pit.” His intention was to buy some time happy isn’t an emotion that we can to eventually save him. However, had he turn on and off like a light switch. And

The Shmuz On You sit down to a leisurely lunch The Parashah and walk away $1 million richer. Open a Gemara for the daf The Mitzvah To Be Happy goodness of heart when everything was BY R’ BEN TZION SHAFIER abundant. It seems the pivotal point of these two extremes is based on sim- ha’yomi—there’s another $750,000. “Because you did not serve Hashem, chah—implying that serving Hashem your G-d, amid gladness and goodness of with happiness is critical to our success heart when everything was abundant.” as a nation. —Devarim 28:47 Rabbeinu Bachaya explains that this is realized that he would have been record- second, how can we compare the effect The destiny of the Jews. At the end of because the mitzvos must be done with ed in history as the one who saved Yosef, of doing a mitzvah joyfully to the case a long prophecy of what will befall us if joy and complete devotion. When the he would have put him on his shoulders of Reuvein? We are well aware that we don’t follow the ways of Hashem, mitzvos are done without joyfulness, they and carried him home to his father. From honor is one of the most powerful driv- the Torah seems to lay the blame on one are lacking in their effect, and this can be here we see the importance of doing a ing forces in the human condition. issue: because you did not serve part of the spiral downward. mitzvah with complete dedication and Granted Reuvein was a tzaddik, but the Hashem, your G-d, amid gladness and He then gives an example of a mitzvah commitment. fact that he would have been titled the savior of Yosef for eternity is something that would propel a man to extremes. How can that be compared to something as minor as joy in the performance of a mitzvah? The answer to these questions can best be understood through a different perspective. If I were a rich man. Sheldon G. Adelson is the owner of Las Vegas Sands Corp. In 2003, his net worth was ranked at $1.4 billion. While that is an impressive sum, it didn’t put him anywhere near the richest people in the world. However, when he took his company public, a rather interesting thing happened. His personal wealth increased by 750%. By 2004, his personal worth had increased to over $20 billion, making him the fifth richest man in the world. Forbes maga- zine estimates that over those two years, Adelson’s fortune had been growing by $1 million every hour. Imagine for a moment what it must feel like to know that your wealth is increasing at that rate. You sit down to a leisurely lunch and walk away $1 million richer. Open a Gemara for the daf hayo- mi—there’s another $750,000. Lie down for a Shabbos nap; wake up $3 million wealthier. What it’s like to be alive! Every moment I live, I become richer, and richer . . . I can’t wait . . . I have no plans of dying. The single most difficult concept that we human beings deal with is our mortality. While we are cognitively aware of it, emotionally we just don’t feel it will happen. With that emotional blindness comes blindness to the value of our actions. Since in my operating reality I will never die, then what I do or don’t do really doesn’t matter. If for a flashing moment, I were to see what the World to Come will be like for me, I would effectively lose free will. The extraordinary accomplishment of one mitzvah would so overwhelm me that I would be completely and radically different—not different physically, not smarter, but much more driven to accom- plish my purpose in life. When Chazal tell us over and over again that mitzvos are worth far more than the greatest treas-

Continued on Page 34 32 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 33 Summer Review

We are still trying to make the sum- year—even the “hot selling years”—a mer stretch and enjoy every minute pos- number of homes remain on the market sible. Typically, as Labor Day approach- for one reason or another. es, we are getting the kids ready for The surprise of the season was the school and ourselves into more mun- coop market. A surprisingly large num- dane routines. This year, because of the ber of buyers came out over the spring way the Jewish calendar falls, Rosh and the summer looking to take advan- Hashanah is already around the corner. tage of the drop in pricing of the coop It falls unusually early this year—two market to purchase apartments. After days after Labor Day. The summer season is shortened this year since we all need to start preparing for the yom tovim as well as for school Come October everyone and whatever else earlier than ever. It still looking to buy, or has also changed the typical summer season of real estate sales. Those buying those homeowners and selling homes also have to contend with either trying to close their real looking to sell, will have estate transactions before the end of August, or else trying to maneuver at least two months of around the yom tov schedule—either decent weather to do closing in between one yom tov or the other, or deferring their closing dates their stuff. after all the yom tovim end at the beginning of October. I do not recall Rosh Hashanah ever falling this early before although I real- having quite a large inventory of coop ize it must have happened. I am think- apartments available on the market, a ing that October is going to be a very significant number were gobbled up long month this year with no yom and there still seems to be a strong tovim whatsoever. However, I think this demand by new buyers still looking to bodes very well for the housing market purchase and benefit from the good in our community since come October values. everyone still looking to buy, or those All in all, this summer has shown homeowners looking to sell, will have that the Five Towns real estate market at least two months of decent weather is still in very high demand and to do their stuff. although we need to get used to the The summer real estate market this new real estate values imposed by the year has been a very brisk one. Although economic turndown the last few years, home prices are lower than what we have we continue to prosper! O seen in the past few years, the summer brought with it an abundance of serious Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a licensed real-estate broker and a licensed N.Y.S. buyers looking for homes and sellers who mortgage broker with over 20 years of experience, priced their homes aggressively. Those offering full-service residential and commercial attuned to the new real estate market real-estate services (Anessa V Cohen Realty) and mortgaging services (First Meridian Mortgage) in norms found themselves with qualified the Five Towns and throughout the tri-state area. buyers, ready, willing, and able to pur- She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or via her website, www.AVCrealty.com. Readers are chase those homes. encouraged to send questions or comments to Not everything sold. But in any given [email protected].

THE SHMUZ World to Come is growing at an incredi- Continued from Page 32 ble rate. My investments are paying back in spades. That excitement is one of the ures in this world, it is because they had most powerful motivating forces—equal that clarity. They understood what it will even to kavod. With it, a person can be like for each of us as we revel in our reach great heights. Without it, a person’s great wealth. In that world, we will look avodas Hashem can become stale and back at every chance we had to grow as lose its potency, thus beginning a down- the greatest opportunity ever given to ward spiral. man. We will look back at our mitzvos, Ultimately, joy is a great force that and they will bring us far more joy than both allows a person to enjoy his short earning $1 million an hour. stay in this world and propels him to This seems to be the answer to achieve the greatness for which he was Rabbeinu Bachaya. One of the greatest created. O motivators in the human is enthusiasm. That enthusiasm is based on a value sys- For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #5: tem. If I value money, I will be driven to Appreciating our Wealth. The Shmuz, an engaging and motivating Torah pursue it, and the acquisition of it will lecture that deals with real-life issues, is available bring me great joy. If I gain a deeper per- free at www.TheShmuz.com. The Shmuz on the Parsha book, a compilation on all of Chumash, is spective on life, then I experience ela- now available for purchase in your local sefarim tion, knowing that my net worth in the store and at TheShmuz.com. 34 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Tidbits From Israel

B Y RON JAGER

Rabbis Witness Renovation Of Joseph’s Tomb The IDF and the Arab Palestinian Authority have reached an agreement on the renovation of Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem. Almost ten years ago, Arab Palestinians took over the holy tomb vio- lently—destroying the holy site. They desecrated the religious site over the years, in clear violation of all agreements and understandings agreed upon in the Oslo accords. On Thursday morning, August 19, Israel’s Chief Rabbis Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar, visited the tomb along with Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and the holy sites of Israel. They were accompanied by IDF officers who stated that the visit was in honor of the upcoming Rosh Hashanah and the High Holy Days. Rabbi Rabinowitz began supervising the renovation of the holy site one year ago, following a meeting with the head of the Civil Administration, Yoav Mordechai. Since then, meetings have been held with the Arab Palestinian Authority on the holy site’s reconstruction. In honor of the rabbi’s visit, the fence surrounding Joseph’s tomb was rebuilt. It marked the beginning of the renovations. Rabbinate sources explained that the visit was aimed at demonstrating that the improvements being made at the holy site after terrorists destroyed it during the second intifada are religious and not political, which may speed up the renovations. The rabbis held a prayer service at the tomb as well as the ancient synagogue in Jericho. Rabbi Metzger spoke out against Jews who travel to the holy sites in the Arab Palestinian territories to pray without coordinating ahead of time with security forces. Rabbi Metzger added that officers had told him about a group of infiltra- tors who had nearly been fired at by soldiers, who mistook them for terrorists. O

PA Must Cease Climbing Trees Too High To Climb Down Palestinian Authority President Abbas agreed to resume direct negotiations with Israel on September 2 in Washing- ton without any of his preconditions being met. Israel has not promised to end construction in the settlements, and the Quartet’s statement does not even men- tion this issue. Contrary to the demand that the Quartet’s announcement would constitute the framework for the talks, U.S. special envoy George Mitchell was quick to make it clear this is not the way things will be. One of the leading analysts in the Palestinian media described how Abbas was forced to climb down from his uncompromising stance with a term normally reserved for describing the defeat of the Arab armies during the Six- Day War. Abbas succumbed to Arab- American dictate, the analyst said, despite never having missed a chance to reiterate during the year “there will be no direct negotiations without a complete freeze of settlements.”

Continued on Page 85 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 35 Thoughts And Reflections Of The Admurim

BY VICTOR COHEN

The Significance Of The Month Of Elul The Chidushei Harim noted we should be especially careful during the month of Elul. In this month a voice comes from Heaven declaring, “Return, O you back- sliding children.” (Yirmiyahu 3:22) The Chidushei Harim commented that the days themselves “roar as lions” admon- ishing us to become fully repentant. The Hebrew word for lion is ari spelled aleph, resh, yud—an acronym for Elul, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Just as Moshe went up during this period to plead for mercy and forgiveness, this month was designated for this purpose. Therefore, we should be more concerned for our lack of repentance than for the fear of punishment for our transgressions. The Chidushei Harim makes refer- ence to the parable found in Midrash Tanchumah. (Devarim 7:12) A king, while not revealing the different wages the workers would receive for the various trees they would plant, instructs his workers to plant many beautiful trees in his park. If they had known which tree would allow them more wages, they would have spent more time planting those. Some parts of the garden would be worked better than others. Therefore, we must treat all mitzvos as of equal importance. Just as the Midrash applies the parable to the mitzvos, the Chidushei Harim notes that it pertains to repentance as well. Therefore, one should not delay in repenting. In Pirkei Avos, it states, “He who fulfills even a single mitzvah gains for himself a single advocate, and he who commits even a single transgres- sion gains himself a single accuser.” (4:13). Therefore, it is imperative that we should be extremely careful scrutinizing all our activities during this month. (Siach Sarfei Kodesh) The Kotzker Rebbe interpreted the phrase in Tehillim (27:13) “Lulei he’emanti liros b’tuv Hashem b’eretz chaim—Had I not believed that I would see the goodness of Hashem in the land of life.” He noted that the word “lulei” contains the same Hebrew letters as Elul. Therefore, he said that in the month of Elul, “he’e- manti lirots b’tuv”—I believe that every Jew will make sure that he will see the good. (Siach Sarfei Kodesh) Rav Elimelech noted that the month of Elul, the month before the Yamim Noraim, prepares us to do battle with the evil inclination. We have time to ready our weapons, namely our mitzvos. We are given the opportunity to make preparations for Rosh Hashanah by perfecting our performance of the mitzvos for the four weeks of Elul. (Fun Die Chasidishe Oytzros) The Baal Shem Tov requested that his student learn the kavanos (proper devo-

Continued on Page 38 36 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 37 Rockaways. Under the leadership of The Admurim Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner, the seminary Continued from Page 36 boasts an all-star group of faculty and guest lecturers that further enhance tion) of blowing the shofar. The student the larger Five Towns and Rockaway wrote them down to study and to be community. used at the appropriate time. At the time Speaking of all-stars, here is where the for the blowing of the shofar, he looked underdog story really comes to life. This for the piece of paper and could not find past June, White Shul member Charles it. Upset, tearful, and with a broken Rockaway All-Stars Levine put together a group of White heart he blew the shofar. After blowing Shul folk to compete in the Five Towns the shofar, the Baal Shem Tov said to shul softball league. No one took the him that in the heavens there are many I know it’s been a while since I’ve ing the shul and participating in the team seriously. A newly formed team rooms and special keys that open the written, but there is a topic I wanted to shul’s wealth of offerings. This included from a shul that was down and out only doors. As an ax is stronger than a key and write about. Everybody loves a good regular weekday shiurim, Thursday-night a couple of years before surely couldn’t can break the locks, a broken heart is underdog story. Once upon a time there kumzitzes, special guest lecturers, schol- put together a competitive group of ath- even stronger than proper devotion. was a flourishing shul, with a large letes. The skeptics joked about team (Chasidus and Yom Tov) membership that was the center of com- members needing walkers to round the The Sfas Emes explains the signifi- munal life in the Rockaways. This shul bases. Naysayers even called it a fluke cance of the month of Elul coming a was Congregation Kneseth Israel or, as it after a decisive 21–3 victory in game 1. At month before Rosh Hashanah. His is more affectionately known, the The skeptics game 3 of the season, the White Shul explanation is based on the circum- White Shul. It is no secret that with the team was victorious over a team that had stances surrounding the giving of the growth of the community and the pop- joked about team not been defeated in two seasons. Finally, two sets of Commandments. Rashi ularization of smaller “boutique” shuls, people were looking at the White Shul notes in Sh’mos 34:3 that the first set the era of the large shul seemed to be members needing softball team as a group to be taken seri- was given with great ceremony while coming to an end and the White Shul ously. Week after week, the White Shul the second was given privately. The Sfas was on the brink of closing and becom- team won. This past Sunday, they entered Emes notes that the events of the sec- ing a division of Touro College. It walkers to round the playoffs with a perfect undefeated ond set gives us an understanding of the seemed that the rich history of the regular season. In the playoffs, the team first Elul as a nation. The first tablets White Shul and a chapter of the growth the bases. played and won through rain and injury. were given in full view of all the in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway They were shorthanded—missing their Israelites. They were instructed to ele- community were coming to an end. star center fielder. Yet, they won a close vate themselves spiritually which While I can’t go into all the details, let’s 3–1 game. In the final championship would impact on the rest of the world. just say that some last-minute maneuver- ars in residence, Shabbos children’s game, they battled their way to an 11–4 As Hashem said to Moshe, “You shall be ing, the emergence of new shul leader- groups, an expanded youth program victory to cap their perfect season. to Me the most beloved treasure of all ship, and the arrival of a young, dynamic, under the leadership of the newly hired Cue the inspirational music. peoples, for mine is the entire world.” and talented rabbi by the name of Eytan youth director, and much more. While there were many that counted (Sh’mos 19:5). However, Israel’s spiritual Feiner, along with his rebbetzin, brought Recently it was announced that the out the team, the shul, and the entity, it faith had been weakened by their an unexpected resurgence of interest and White Shul classrooms would serve as certainly seems that the “hock of the encounter with Amalek, who had reject- membership in the White Shul. What fol- the home for Machon Basya Rochel, Rock” is at the White Shul. I encourage ed the sovereignty of Hashem and lowed was dozens of young families join- the seminary of the Five Towns and you to check it out for yourself. O attacked them. This weakness manifest-

38 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES ed itself during the period of waiting for his anger. The fox suggested that he be Moshe to descend from Sinai, leading to sent since he was the wisest of all ani- the sin of the Golden Calf. The second mals and knew many fables. However, tablets were given 40 days later without upon receiving the consent of the ani- fanfare so that the Israelites could mals, he started to regret his suggestion. cleanse themselves of their transgres- He contended that he had lost his wis- sions. The goal of the Jewish People was dom and had forgotten the many fables. redefined to concentrate on self- Therefore, he told each animal to make improvement rather than perfecting his own request for forgiveness, thus mankind. Just as the Gates of Heaven quieting the anger of the lion. The Baal were open during those 40 days for our Shem Tov said that the same situation ancestors to repent, the month of Elul exists on the Holy Days. Each person

He contended that he had lost his wisdom, and he told each animal to make his own request for forgiveness, thus quieting the anger of the lion.

provides all generations the opportuni- must ask for his own forgiveness and ty to reflect and pray for forgiveness. not depend on the shaliach tzibbur. (Fun (Sfas Emes) Die Chasidishe Oytzros) The Baal Shem Tov cautioned that The first letters of the Hebrew words worshipers should not depend upon the of the phrase, “Ani l’dodi v ‘dodi li—“I am shaliach tzibbur, the representative of my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” the congregation, to ask for forgiveness (Shir Hashirim 6:3), spell out the Hebrew on their behalf. Each person should take month of Elul. Rav Shlomo Karliner com- responsibility for the transgressions mented that the last letter of each of the committed and personally ask for for- words is a yud. He said that the yud repre- giveness. The Baal Shem Tov gave the sents the Jew, and because there are sev- following parable: A lion had become eral yuds, they proclaim the necessity for irritated with the other animals because the proliferation of the Yid (Jew) to ensure of something they had done. The ani- a continuous relationship with the mals met to decide who would mollify Almighty (Fun Unzer Alten Oytzer). O

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 39 Why Are Professors Protected, Rabbis Not?

BY ELI STUTZ sional opinion, the police would not AND UZI BARUCH have decided to investigate Rabbis Lior and Yosef. Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger Neither Rabbi Lior nor Rabbi Yosef criticized police for summoning Rabbi arrived at police headquarters for their Yaakov Yosef and Rabbi Dov Lior for scheduled questionings. “The Torah is questioning regarding their endorse- ments of the controversial book The Torah of the King. The book deals with the laws of killing non-Jews during war- Neither Rabbi Lior nor time, and its author, Rabbi Yitzchak Rabbi Yosef arrived at Shapira, is under police investigation connected with it. In an early morning police headquarters for raid on his house last month, Rabbi Shapira was arrested and over 30 copies questionings. “The of his book were taken. He was released after several hours. Torah is not open to Rabbi Metzger said on Voice of Israel investigation,” the Radio that a rabbi should not have to be interrogated by police for his endorse- rabbis wrote. ment of a halachic book. Rabbi Metzger said, “Israeli professors traveling abroad openly criticize Israel and the IDF and are protected by freedom of expression, not open to investigation,” the rabbis so why are rabbis in Israel not protect- wrote. “The attempts to stop Israel’s rab- ed by the same freedom of expression bis from expressing their Torah opinions as well?” through fear and threats is a grave act He said that the police should have and will not succeed.” first approached the chief rabbis of Fifty rabbis signed a letter of support Israel to ask them the significance of for the rabbis, and a conference was an approbation for a book in our gen- scheduled for this Wednesday in eration. He said he was confident Jerusalem to support the “independence that after hearing the rabbis’ profes- of the Torah.” O

40 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 41 didn’t think he ever did but I wasn’t 100% said the chimney liner was crumbling so sure. The caller explained that the cost of he couldn’t possibly do the job. If I had an cleaning a chimney just before the start ounce of smarts I would have told this of winter would be $79 but that if it was guy to get lost and saved myself $29. I done now, when business was slow, the should have known from the get-go that charge would be $29. The word bargain nobody does anything today for $29. It flashed in front of my eyes in neon lights probably costs more than that just to and I immediately made an appointment. send a truck out. But I was vulnerable. The man said someone would be at my house the next day. If I had used the head My Turn that G-d planted on my shoulders, I would never have fallen for such non- I should have known It would be nice to be able to say that My friends don’t think of me as elderly. sense. When Hubby was around to save from the get-go that all my life I sympathized with elderly But then, why would they? They’re the me from myself and from spending people—people who were vulnerable same age as I am and some are several money unnecessarily, I was okay. But nobody does anything and easily taken in. But that isn’t quite years older. And my children don’t think now it’s different, and apparently I scare accurate and saying so wouldn’t be truth- of me as elderly, at least not that I know more easily. today for $29. It ful. In fact, I would often shake my head of. But as regards being vulnerable and I knew better. Who hasn’t heard stories and ask myself how he/she could have easily taken in, it has recently come to my about chimney cleaning companies? probably costs more been taken in by that scam. It never attention that I now qualify. These people enjoy the worst possible than that just to send a occurred to me that I might one day walk It started innocently enough when I reputation. I’m not sure if “enjoy” is the among those folks. But that time has answered a phone call from a chimney right word. But you get the idea! truck out. apparently arrived. Now my thought is cleaning company rep asking if I wanted The truck appeared in front of my how in the world could I—Hannah— to have my chimney cleaned and offering house at nine o’clock the following morn- have been so foolish? me a special. According to the caller, ing. I greeted the man who appeared to I’m not certain that I could be classi- every chimney should be cleaned out on be armed with nothing more than a pail Some chimneys may actually need fied as elderly but I guess that would a yearly basis. As I listened I tried to and a hose. Sure enough, five minutes repairing, but how is one to know? It’s a depend on who is doing the classifying. remember if Hubby ever had that done. I after he started the job, he stopped. He blind item since most customers never climb up onto their roof and peer down into the chimney to check things out. And calling another chimney company for a second opinion is useless because the likelihood is that company number two will give the same spiel about the need for repair and then drop the price by a few shekels in the hope of getting the job. So I got taken. I accepted what the man said and did- n’t bother to call anyone for a second opinion. There were any number of people I could have and should have called, starting with my contractor who is above reproach in the honesty depart- ment. His name is Mickey, and he has often done work for me and has never misled me or charged me one dime more than he was entitled to. But did I call him? No! Because I told myself that Mickey wasn’t a chimney expert. I now realize there is probably no such thing as a chimney expert! I asked the man how much a new liner would cost. His response was, “$1,800, ma’am.” I nearly choked. As soon as I found my voice I explained that it was far too much money. If only I had stopped there! But I didn’t. Instead, I made the mistake of asking what would happen if I didn’t have the liner replaced. His answer was that my chimney could crumble and then I would have a puff back. That was all he had to say! Puff back was the magic word. I must have looked as horrified as I felt because I thought I saw a look of compassion cross his face. Of course, I now recognize that look for what it was, and it had nothing to do with compassion of any kind. The expression I saw was one of satisfac- tion. He knew I’d taken the bait. His next move was to tell me he would go out to his truck and call his boss to see if he could give me a better price. Subconsciously I wondered why he did- n’t have a cell phone on his person or why he didn’t just ask to use my phone. But my brain had ceased to operate the minute he uttered those magic words— the dreaded puff back. Within minutes he returned and said, “My boss must be in a real good mood today because he said we could do the

Continued on Page 44 42 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Pizza Time

When asked what Yussie’s favorite meets one of his bunkmates around meal choice is (any time/any day) he usu- town is inspiring. These children under- ally replies “Pizza!” So deciding on the stand that Yussie might be “different” Yussie and his friends. meal that would be utilized to celebrate but he is loved just the same. The deci- his birthday was not too difficult. How to sion to include his newly found camp bring this party to fruition? What should friends at a birthday party just for Yussie Yussie was safe and happy at the party. As Ike, Uncle Arthur and our friend Sheila the plan be? Where to have it? How to was not difficult to make. soon as he arrived at his friend’s house, all cheering Yussie on, along with all his sib- entertain the kids? This past Sunday, Yussie attended his the boys who knew him from camp wel- lings in one room, my husband and I friend Shiloh’s birthday party. I was hesi- comed him like a visiting dignitary—he couldn’t have been happier. But no one tant to send him without extra one-on- was certainly not alone! was as happy as Yosef Binyamin Lubin. one supervision. But Shiloh and the other Sunday certainly put Yussie into the Every so often he would remind us, These children children at the party welcomed him with spirit of birthdays. After his friends’ “Tomorrow, I have birthday party with open arms. When I responded to the invi- lunchtime party, we gathered at the my friends!” tation, Shiloh’s mom explained to me Lubin abode for a small family birthday This was going to be Yussie’s very first understand that how much Shiloh feels for Yussie, and celebration. With Grandma Esther and Yussie might be that he (and she) would make sure that Zayde Donald, Bubby Bernice and Zayde Continued on Page 44 “different” but he is loved just the same.

This was going to be a special party. This party was celebrating Yussie’s induc- tion into double digits . . . ten years old . . . how awesome! Thank G-d, Yosef Binyamin joined our family one decade ago, and our family has not been the same since. We have met many amazing people in the past ten years as a result of his birth. We have had the opportunity to witness many small miracles every day. Yosef is an amazing boy who has great insight beyond his years and his disabili- ty. If Yussie senses a slight sadness in someone’s eyes, he knows just when to offer one of his special hugs. He seems to know just how to bring out the best in people. You just can’t help but smile when Yussie is in the room. Even when he is mischievous, you just can’t get too angry. The extra chromosome that affects our son with trisomy 21 (more commonly known as Down syndrome) while unfor- tunately limiting much cognitive knowledge, somehow adds something incredi- ble to the basic nature of him and to the lives of those around him. Sadly, Yussie doesn’t always know how to express himself. When he is sad, it’s typically when he is frustrated that we don’t understand what he wants. He usually has a good reason for his dis- may, and it’s our job to help him figure out just what he needs. We knew that Yussie wanted a birthday party. He loves birthdays and enjoys singing that classic “Happy Birthday” song at every opportunity. As my readers know, this summer Yussie experienced a different summer than the past few years. He attended a typical day camp, mainstreamed into a typical bunk, with not such typical children. As my husband has said a number of times, “We don’t give these kids enough credit.” These young boys included Yussie into their fold. He was part and parcel of their group. The welcome that he receives whenever he 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 43 MOTHER’S MUSINGS pounding out her own pizza dough. give Yussie such a wonderful memory! So any boss. He probably was the boss and Continued from Page 43 Rochel had diligently wrapped a few next time you have a slice of pizza at chances are that he may even have been gifts for “pass the present” to be played Shula’s, think of Yussie’s shining face and the one who called me on the phone in party with his friends in attendance. Each while the pizzas would be cooking in the big smile! O the first place to offer the chimney clean- year we would consider doing some- oven. The joy on Yussie’s face when he ing for a ridiculously low $29. Phyllis Joy Lubin is an attorney with Rosenfeld & thing, but somehow it was easier to have saw his friends win the small gifts in the Maidenbaum, LLP, who resides in Cedarhurst Hubby must be shaking his head in our simple family get-togethers. This game tugged at my heart. It didn’t matter with her husband Leonard and six children: amazement. It’s usually a comfort to me Naftali, Shoshana, Rivka, Rochel, Yosef, and Lea. summer we wanted to try to do some- that Yussie didn’t win. He was just happy She welcomes your questions and comments at to think that he sees me and hears me, thing extra special. A few thoughts for his friends. [email protected]. but this isn’t one of those times. Right crossed our minds, but when Rochel sug- There was an unending amount of now I’m hoping he was looking the other gested contacting Shula’s Pizza, it some- smiles on the faces of everyone in atten- way when this went down. I’m also won- how seemed just right. Could we do dance. Our thanks goes out to Johnny THAT’S THE WAY IT IS! dering if this isn’t some form of a punish- “make your own pizzas” inside Yussie’s (and his wonderful daughter Ally) and Continued from Page 42 ment for all my years of wondering about favorite pizza store? Owners Johnny Allan and the whole Shula’s team for how people could be so naive as to allow Polansky and Allan Kessler were ready to making the party a huge success. Special job for $1,500.” I fell for it. I couldn’t give themselves to be scammed. I no longer try to make this party a reality (the first of thanks to Uncle Harris and cousin Yaakov him my consent fast enough. Totally wonder. I now know! its kind at Shula’s) and so were we. for making the trek from Forest Hills (and ignoring all the red flags, I signed the It doesn’t escape me that I’m opening Although a perfect idea in the abstract, I for escorting Naftali from the subway in contract. “When will you come back to myself up to some heavy duty ridicule by couldn’t help but be a bit apprehensive Queens after there was a track fire on the do it,” I asked. “Oh, we can do it right sharing this unhappy tale, but I’m doing it about this party coming to fruition. LIRR that might have otherwise prevent- now,” he answered. anyhow. I think of it as a public service Would his new camp friends behave? No ed Naftali from being there), and to I had some errands to run, and since message! O matter how kind they had been to Yussie Grandma Esther for contributing the he would be working on the roof and over the summer, would they cooperate? beautiful birthday cake from Shloimie’s not actually going into the house, I Hannah Berman lives in Woodmere and is a licensed real-estate broker associated with Would Yussie? for the festivities. Of course, I would be grabbed my car keys, locked my front Marjorie Hausman Realty. She can be reached at Rochel had a plan and it worked! She remiss without mentioning our gratitude door, and got into my car. Before I could [email protected] or 516-902-3733. carefully thought out what the kids to Jake Cooper, Yussie’s amazing shadow drive off he spotted me and came over would do at every moment, and it is her this summer, who not only facilitated to the car. “Where are you going?” he preparation and enthusiasm that made Yussie’s newest friendships at camp, but asked. Expecting that a $1,500 job would this party a success. also attended his party with his usually take several hours, I told him I would After Naftali, Rivka, Rochel, and our smiling and encouraging face. return in an hour. Remember that article? eldest daughter (who is off to At Michael’s craft store, Rochel found “Oh, it won’t take very long to do the Binghamton this coming Thursday), plastic pizza plates that she packaged for job,” he explained, “so maybe you should Visit our archive section along with a few of their friends (thanks a fitting party favor, along with a copy of just wait until we’re finished.” This big, and find any issue of the Kymmie and Daniel Baker and Hannah the pizza recipe that she utilizes quite important $1,500 job was going to take Cohen), distributed the pizza dough to often for homemade pizza dinners, and less than an hour? I should have thrown 5 Towns Jewish Times Yussie and his camp friends and school plastic aprons that the kids could wear at him out right then. But I couldn’t because friends, sister Lea and cousin Yaakov, we home while testing out the recipe. he had already started the job. So I hung online @ were all on our way to enjoying our own Yussie’s friends were wonderful. They around, knowing in my heart that I’d www.5TJT.com “homemade pizzas” due to the amazing behaved like true mentsches and truly been had, and when it was over I handed expertise and attention of Shula’s staff. honored Yussie every step of the way. We over the check. Even Grandma Esther joined in the fun were so happy that we were all able to I now realize that this guy never called

44 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Wedding Tears Continued from Page 19 And so that morning, as the Satmar Rebbe came to shul, he began to say the morning berachos in his everyday voice. However, when he reached the berachah of “shelo asani goy,” he shouted it aloud for all to hear. When asked by the chassidim to explain his odd behavior, he said, “When I made the berachah this morning ‘shelo asani goy,’ I didn’t have in mind the drunk on the streets of the Bowery—I had in mind President Kennedy.”

To feel any type of pride when one of our own has no sense of that role and instead joins with those that are outside of that special group, just adds to the scope of the tragedy.

The lesson the Rebbe was imparting to his chassidim was not disdain or disre- spect for President Kennedy, or for any other of G-d’s creations. He was teaching that a Jew has to understand his or her place in Hashem’s world as a special and distinct part of the mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh. To feel any type of pride when one of our own has no sense of that role that he plays and instead joins with those that are outside of that special group—rather than feeling a sense of tragic loss—just adds to the scope of the tragedy. My message is not to the unfortunate groom, who is just a “tinok shenishba bein ha’akum” and tragically never was exposed to the beauty of a Torah way of life; nor to the rabbi/clergyman who performed the marriage ceremony in partnership with his Methodist colleague, but rather to us, to understand that there is no place for any pride in our hearts at this “event of the year,” only a profound sense of loss. If only we were able to shed tears as we gaze upon the wedding photos shown around the world. I remember more than 30 years ago, I was greatly troubled at the news coming on a daily basis of Jews being attacked and killed in Eretz Yisrael. I was all of 17 years old, but I approached my rebbi, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt’l, about the possibility of arranging a yom tefillah for the Jews in Eretz Yisrael. He suggested I go to the gadol ha’dor, Reb Moshe Feinstein, zt’l, and discuss it with him. Reb Moshe suggested I speak to the legendary Torah leader Rav Moshe Sherer, zt’l, and get his thoughts on it. With great reservation and trepidation to call upon such a prominent Jewish leader and have him waste his time with a 17-year-old “nudnik,” I called him. He took my call and my idea very seriously and invited me to meet with him in his office on Sunday afternoon in Manhattan. I arrived at his office and, with the same dignity that he treated everyone

Continued on Page 60 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 45 I’ve spoken to my mother about it and sions too quickly. There could be other somehow she thinks Joyce looks fine. I things happening that might also explain think my mother admires really skinny the changes you are seeing in Joyce. people and just doesn’t believe in rocking For instance, perhaps she is suffering the boat. If fact, my mother kind of insinu- from depression, and Michael is calling all ated that maybe I’m jealous of how thin the shots because Joyce isn’t capable of Joyce has become. Nothing could be further making too many decisions on her own from the truth. So I seem to be the only one right now. Perhaps he is watching her eat Dear Esther, him. When he decides they should stay who is worried sick over Joyce’s well-being. out of concern, because she doesn’t have I’m writing to you because I’m concerned home for a yom tov, they stay home. When Do I just let it go and keep my fingers an appetite and he is actually hoping to see about my sister, “Joyce.” Joyce and I grew up he says it’s time to leave, they leave. He crossed, hoping that she stays healthy and her eat something. It’s possible that Joyce very close, she being two years older than I. goes shopping with her for her clothing happy (though she doesn’t look particular- needs Michael’s advice when shopping, Joyce was always very beautiful and plus everything related to their home. ly happy to me)? Do I try to stage an inter- because the task has become too over- glamorous. She was never what you Joyce used to have very specific and fabu- vention, getting some friends maybe to whelming for her to do alone. Or, maybe would call overweight, but she was lous taste in clothing. She didn’t need any- help me confront her about her weight? there is something physical going on with “zavtik”; very feminine and attractive. I one to tell her what she could wear or It’s really not in my nature to ignore what her that is affecting her general manner always thought she looked great. Frankly, couldn’t wear. All that has changed. needs fixing, but I’m just not sure what to and her physical appearance. It really is dif- it seemed to me as though she thought When they were first married, Michael do about this situation. ficult to know for sure. And since no one is she looked pretty great also. used to tease Joyce in front of the family Concerned “sharing,” all you can do is speculate. She always had a very bubbly personali- about how cute and chubby she was. She Dear Concerned, But what we do know for sure is that ty and was popular both with friends and was never chubby! I think Michael thinks I don’t want to jump to any conclusions Joyce is suffering in some way. What we also when she started dating. Anyway, she looks great now. I think Joyce looks here, but I must say that the obvious picture also know is that she has decided not to let Joyce married “Michael” five years ago. almost scary. you paint sounds very much like a classic you in. Perhaps she feels shame about Since that time, and two children later, she I’ve tried bringing up the subject of her tale of a woman being controlled by an abu- where her life has taken her. Maybe she is seems to be losing so much. First of all, she weight to Joyce, but she’ll just come up sive husband. You’ve dropped many clues afraid to pull you into her drama. There is no longer bubbly and outgoing. She with some excuse about how running after that are hard to ignore. The fact that she’s could be some guilt involved. And possibly seems very tense, distracted, and reserved. two children is the reason she’s lost weight. gone from bubbly and outgoing to “tense, she just doesn’t have the energy to engage She also has been getting thinner and thin- I have a child, and still manage to eat as distracted, and reserved” is hard to ignore. in heart-to-heart talks with you, or anyone ner and thinner. At this point, I really think much as I want to. I don’t buy it. Also, when I hear that a husband calls all the else for that matter. she looks anorexic. When we are together Something else is going on here, and I shots, watches what his wife eats, possibly It does leave you in a very difficult and and her husband is around, she basically want to get to the bottom of it. I’m down- controls what she is wearing and buying in frustrating position. Clearly you are a pushes food around on her plate and hard- right worried. general, my antennae immediately shoot helper by nature. Whereas some people ly eats anything. That’s not the Joyce I grew Joyce has lost the twinkle in her eye, up, picking up signals that are unsettling. feel right about standing on the sidelines, up with. She used to adore a great meal. which used to be her essence. It seems like The changes in your sister are signifi- watching life play out around them, you I don’t think I’m imagining it, but it she’s lost her entire personality. Besides cant, and it doesn’t sound to me as though are the type of individual who prefers to seems as though Michael is watching what being concerned about her well-being, I you are overreacting in your concern. Your get involved and help in any way you can. she is eating and she is watching him miss the fun, upbeat sister I used to have. sister is certainly a changed person from Sitting on your hands just doesn’t cut it for watching her. The whole thing makes me Clearly she doesn’t want to discuss her the woman who got married five years ago. you. And yet, that’s probably what you have very uncomfortable and worried. Not only situation with me. Though we were always Though a controlling husband is the first to do at this time. But not totally. that, but when Joyce and Michael are very close, it’s just not the same anymore thing that comes to mind, one must also be together, I notice that she always defers to and I feel there is a barrier between us now. cautious about coming to definite conclu- Continued on Page 58

46 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 47 MINDBIZ Continued from Page

RSA), or through private pay- strongly believe that parents are ular phone contact, and teacher- Now Is The Time To ACT ment. Services include occupa- an integral part of each child’s parent-therapist conferences are tional, physical, and speech/lan- treatment. They make every all part of the integrated treat- All Children’s Therapy (ACT) ed to children who have been guage therapy as well as coun- effort to keep the parents ment approach. provides a range of services for approved for services by Nassau seling/play therapy and parent informed of their child’s treat- Services can be provided in preschool through school-aged County school districts, the NYC training. ment goals and progress. their centrally located, state-of- children. Services can be provid- Board of Education (CPSE and The professionals at ACT Communication notebooks, reg- the-art facility, which includes several therapy rooms as well as a sensory gym. Therapy can also be provided at a child’s daycare, school, or home. Their therapists are all NYS licensed and certified. Your child can benefit from their services if he/she: • Is very distractible • Has difficulty concentrating on age appropriate tasks • Is over/under sensitive to movement/noise/textures • Has difficulty expressing themselves to peers or adults • Has unclear speech • Does not appear to comprehend directions or questions • Often needs information repeated • Does not interact appropri- ately with peers (very aggressive/too passive)

Continued on Page 55

48 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT August 27, 2010 49 Starting Off The School Year On The Right Foot

B Y DANA LEDEREICH, two or three times a week. Keep cutting MA, OT/L back as he shows more responsibility. Even after he demonstrates reliable orga- Each new school year brings a clean nizational skills, continue to spot check slate. It’s a fresh beginning full of poten- occasionally to make sure he is staying on tial. If maximized, habits formed in the top of all his assignments. beginning should last the remainder of the year and hopefully for life! Let’s start with organization. One of the most common parental complaints is After two months of that their children forget homework and books in school and the parents are left freedom and playing in to scramble to find it or else the child risks detention. Children forget there are the sun, we expect our tests coming up and leave projects for the children to stop it all last minute. It can be quite frustrating for the parents! and sit at a desk for When a child walks into the house after school, he should know exactly where to hours on end. place his jacket and knapsack and not just drop them in the middle of the floor. This is the beginning of organization. Next, sit with him and go through his knapsack Now is the best time to establish good together. Ask him about each book to organization habits. Make sure your child make sure they are all necessary for that has a daily planner with enough space to night’s work. Take out any loose papers record homework for all his subjects. Each and file them in the correct folder. Pens day he should write in the homework and and pencils should be in the pencil case. place a check next to it when he puts the This may sound tedious to do on a required books into his backpack. When daily basis, but hopefully in a short time he finishes the homework at night, anoth- the child will develop his own organiza- er check should be placed after the books tional skills and won’t require such close and homework go back into the backpack supervision. As you see him improving, let it go for a few days and check it only Continued on Page 53

50 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT August 27, 2010 51 52 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

Starting The School Year two months of freedom and playing in Continued from Page 50 the sun, we expect our children to stop it all and sit at a desk for hours on end. Not for the next day of school. Reward your only do they have to sit there, but they child for maintaining an updated daily have to listen and learn too! Some chil- planner to give him the incentive to keep dren thrive in this environment, but for on going. Rewards should be small and ini- others it is very difficult to switch gears. tially should be given each day. As he pro- Before they leave in the morning, try to gresses, space them out more. set aside two minutes for physical exer- Organization can also be addressed cise. Have your child do ten jumping outside the school framework. All chil- jacks and ten push-ups. The push-ups can dren benefit from household chores, also be done standing and leaning against even small ones! Each child should have the wall. This will give them the boost at least one chore that they are responsi- they need to help focus during the day. ble for, be it making a bed, setting the Explain to your child that if he finds table, loading the dishwasher, etc. Not himself having difficulty paying atten- only does it teach responsibility and fos- tion, he should try to excuse himself ter a sense of capability, it also teaches from the classroom and do a few push- organization by demonstrating every- ups and jumping jacks. Make sure he thing has a specific place and that things understands not to do it too often in one have to be done a certain way. Next we will tackle attention. After Continued on Page 54

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT August 27, 2010 53 Starting The School Year Continued from Page 53 day, or you might hear from his teacher. Some children benefit from sitting on inflatable cushions on their school chairs. This can be easily purchased from several different catalogs. If you find your child is having significant difficulty staying seated and maintaining attention, a consultation with an occupational therapist should be considered. Finally, homework—dreaded by children and parents alike. Let’s look at it from the child’s perspective. After a full day of school, he wants nothing more than to just shut his brain off and relax. But yet, he can’t. His teachers haunt him at home too. There’s no escape! Some parents have a policy that children need a break and homework cannot be done in the first half hour that the child is home. Others have a policy that homework should be done right away and leave time at the end of the day for relaxation. Each parent should choose what works for their family as well as what works for their individual child. Better to make a policy per child than per household, as this will better meet the needs of each individual child. Homework need not be done at a table or desk—and it’s usually preferable that it not be. The children spend all day sitting upright at a desk. Children should be allowed to do their homework however it bests works for them. Many children prefer to lounge on the floor, with their work spread about them. Some want to work in the center of the house, while others prefer quiet solitude. Some children prefer to do their homework at a desk but to sit on a large inflated ball. Allow your child to discover his own opti- mal homework conditions. Of course, if he is having difficulty completing his work, then he needs your intervention to make a better choice of environment. Time management can be difficult for grade-school children, especially when it comes to homework. To help your child become more aware, go over the homework with him initially and have him say if it’s something that requires a lot of time or can be done relatively quickly. If you see that your child is not spending enough time on his work and therefore is making careless errors, set a timer for a specific amount of time and explain that he cannot go on to the next activity or part of homework until the bell goes off. Some children have difficulty maintaining their attention despite all the environmental accommodations. A timer is helpful here, too, to schedule in much-needed breaks. When the child completes a certain amount of work, he is rewarded with a five-minute break and the timer is set for five minutes. When it goes off, it’s back to work on the next few questions. When the child knows that he will soon have five minutes to himself, he will be motivated to complete his work. Back to school is a great opportunity to establish good habits. Consistent attention and assistance from the parents at the beginning of the year will get the year off on the right foot! O

Dana Ledereich, MA, is a licensed occupational therapist who works in Yeshiva of Flatbush and also maintains a private practice. She evaluates and treats children ages birth to 13 years with sensory processing issues, poor handwriting, developmental concerns, and neurological issues. She can be reached at 718-252-2939. 54 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT ACT nicate with adults and peers in a variety Continued from Page 48 of environments. Therapy facilitates a child’s ability to follow verbal directions, • Falls or trips often (appears clumsy express themselves coherently, and and/or uncoordinated) maintain a conversational interaction. For children who have difficulty pro- Occupational Therapy nouncing certain sounds, articulation Occupational therapy, known as O/T, therapy can help them model, and even- is provided to children who require tually produce, the sounds correctly. assistance in their fine motor and sensory development. These skills are developed through age appropriate activities which can include cutting, coloring, stringing beads, handwriting skills, and Toys are the visual/motor activities. Sensory integra- tion techniques are also utilized to child’s words assist those children who are experiencing difficulties integrating environmental stimuli into their daily lives. and play is the Symptoms include refusing to wear certain clothing textures or reluctance to child’s language. eat various foods. Children with sensory issues often exhibit fearful responses to everyday activities (climbing up/down steps, going on swings/slides) and may appear clumsy or uncoordinated. Other Physical Therapy children appear to be fearless and will Physical therapists, known as P/Ts, engage in excessive movements (con- have the skills to evaluate and treat chil- stant jumping, climbing, and spinning). dren with a variety of sensory and motor An occupational therapist uses balls, delays. ACT’s physical therapists have all tunnels, climbing equipment, and other received training in pediatric motor physical activities to help a child development and are skilled in using process sensory stimuli in a more organ- equipment (balance beams, trampolines, ized and efficient manner. The goal is to balls, and ladders) to develop a child’s assist the child in managing their reac- strength and coordination. tions to their environment in a positive and socially appropriate way. Play Therapy/Counseling Play therapy is a structured approach Speech/Language Therapy to therapy that builds on children’s nor- Speech/language therapy focuses on the child’s ability to effectively commu- Continued on Page 58

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT August 27, 2010 55 Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz At BYA

The Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens is feels strongly that we need to educate proud to announce the appointment of the ‘whole child’ which includes atten- Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz as menahel, tion to the social and emotional well replacing the retiring Rabbi Moshe being of the student, as well. In addi- Neuman, shlita, who guided the school tion, Rabbi Gewirtz has always main- for over five decades. tained that a school cannot do the job Rabbi Gewirtz received semichah at of chinuch alone. “Chinuch,” asserts Yeshiva Tiferes Yerushalayim in New York Rabbi Gewirtz, “is a partnership City, after having learned in Yeshiva between school and home, and both Chofetz Chaim in both Forest Hills and need to work cooperatively together for Yerushalayim. the benefit of the child.” Having grown up in a ‘chinuch’ home in Queens, where both his parents were mechanchim for many years, Rabbi Gewirtz first pursued a career in teaching. Rabbi Gewirtz In this capacity, he taught virtually every grade level in elementary, junior high, believes that every and high school divisions. Rabbi Gewirtz’s ultimate goal was always to child is special and influence his talmidim and talmidos in proper hashkafah and middos tovos. This, unique and needs along with his natural ability to train his students with proper methodology in the to be dealt with in acquisition of knowledge and skills, quickly earned him the coveted title of that perspective. ‘master teacher.’ In the desire to reach as many students as possible and make a lasting impression on them, Rabbi Gewirtz In the schools that Rabbi Gewirtz moved from the classroom to school headed in both Philadelphia and administration. He received a master’s Toronto, the student body grew signifi- degree in education with major cantly during his tenure. His ability to emphases on administration, supervi- recognize a problem and work out sion, and curriculum development. appropriate solutions with both parents Rabbi Gewirtz believes that every and teachers helped many students child is special and unique and needs to achieve far beyond their previously be dealt with in that perspective. He expected potential.

56 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT sional and strives to involve them in their devotion, expertise, and mesiras The experience and dedication of Mrs. decision making. He seeks to inspire nefesh, and lay leaders are appreciated Zehava Somerstein, principal of limudei and motivate them to reach the highest for their support, encouragement, and kodesh, Mrs. Sarah Bergman, principal of levels of professionalism, dedication, cooperation. limudei chol, Mrs. Karen Reisbaum, assis- and success. Rabbi Gewirtz’s primary objectives at tant principal of limudei chol, Mrs. Rabbi Gewirtz has enriched the com- Bais Yaakov are to build upon the high Esther Kirschbaum, preschool director, munities in which he has resided and level of academics and to establish a and Rabbi Nosson Neuman, executive has succeeded in creating schools in close and meaningful relationship with director, are true assets both to the which parents are viewed as full and all of the students, parents, and faculty. school and the community and Rabbi important partners in their children’s He is very impressed by the devotion of Gewirtz is eager to join the team at Bais development, teachers are valued for the hanhallah to each student’s success. Yaakov of Queens. O

Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz

In the area of leadership, Rabbi Gewirtz demonstrates patience, perse- verance, sound judgment, compassion, tact, and effective decision making. He is a shining example to students and faculty in his middos tovos and interperson- al relationships and displays integrity, honesty, and dedication to his role as a Torah educator. Rabbi Gewirtz is a strong believer in the need for children to feel comfort- able in school. A school needs to make every effort to create a safe and secure environment for students. Their needs, issues, and challenges must be a top pri- ority for the school. When it comes to faculty and staff members, Rabbi Gewirtz has boundless respect and admiration for each profes-

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT August 27, 2010 57 MINDBIZ ACT Continued from Page 46 Continued from Page 55 I would certainly suggest you stay con- mal learning process. Therapists use play nected to Joyce as much as she allows you therapy to help children express what to. I would encourage you to spend time they might not be able to express through with her and open up about your own life, verbal language. Toys are the child’s words in the hope that your openness inspires and play is the child’s language. the same in her. In other words, keep the channels of communication open as much Parent Training From The Chassidic Masters as possible, so that if and when she decides Parent training is provided by to let you in, it’s easy for her to do so. licensed social workers or psychologists You haven’t given me much to go on at the ACT office or in the child’s home. Crossing The Border regarding Michael. I sense he is very hands- Parents are often overwhelmed by the on, which, when taken to an extreme, can myriad of needs their child(ren) present “I offer thanks to You, O living and ever- governing the return of a pikadon (an object also be seen as controlling. Is it a long shot with and it is very helpful for parents to lasting king, for having restored my soul entrusted to one’s care), and the Kabbalistic to wonder whether he might be someone receive support from a qualified profes- within me; great is Your faithfulness.” concept of Sefiras HaMalchus (the Divine you can talk to? Can you share your con- sional. Parent training sessions can help Our first conscious act of the day is to attribute of Sovereignty). cerns with him about Joyce’s weight, parents learn parenting skills and use avow our indebtedness and gratitude to If so, asked the Rebbe on another occa- despite the fact that he seems to appreciate them consistently. Help from a profes- our Creator. As soon as we wake from sleep, sion, why is the Modeh Ani said immediate- the “anorexic look”? If he can perceive you sional is often necessary to establish before getting out of bed or even washing ly upon waking, with a mind still groggy as someone who isn’t challenging him but appropriate parent-child boundaries our hands, we recite the above-quoted lines from sleep? Would it not have been more rather someone who is supportive, maybe and to assist parents with their daily of the Modeh Ani prayer, acknowledging appropriate to precede it with a period of you can get him to trust you enough to childcare routines. that it is He who grants us life and being study and contemplation of these concepts? hear your concerns. The mission at ACT is to maximize every moment of our existence. In general, you will get furthest if you each child’s potential in every develop- The ideas contained in the ostensibly Night And Day remain cautious in your conversations mental area. Children learn best while simple lines of Modeh Ani fill many a pro- The physiology of our bodies and the with Joyce, your mother, Michael, and any- playing and all therapeutic goals are found chapter in the legal, philosophical, rhythm of the astral clocks partition our one else involved in Joyce’s life. You should achieved through play, educational, and mystical works of Torah. In an essay by lives into conscious and supra-conscious want to be gentle with your approach, social, and motor activities. the Lubavitcher Rebbe called Inyanah Shel domains. During our waking hours, our being non-confrontational and someone When children receive therapy in the Toras HaChassidus (“On the Essence of mind assumes control of our thoughts and who can be seen as a safe refuge. Not so office, parents have an opportunity to Chassidism”), the Rebbe speaks of the many actions, screening, filtering, and interpret- easy to pull off, but worth striving for. have consistent contact with their child’s layers of meaning contained within every ing the stimuli that flow to it and issuing I hope that your real questions are therapist and can discuss daily treatment part of Torah, using the 12 Hebrew words of commands and instructions to the body. answered soon and that it leads to happi- objectives and goals. Children progress Modeh Ani as an example. The Rebbe But at night, when we sleep, the “com- er and healthier days for Joyce. faster when there is follow-up at the extracts from them insights into the nature mand center” shifts to a deeper, darker Esther home and appropriate review activities of the omnipresence and all-pervasiveness place within our psyche—a place where can be made available to parents. of G-d, the principle of “perpetual creation” fantasy supersedes logic, sense supplants Esther Mann, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in If you have any questions or concerns (G-d’s constant infusion of vitality and exis- thought, and awareness is replaced by a Lawrence. Esther works with individuals and couples. She can be reached at about your child’s development, or would tence into the world, without which it more elemental form of knowing. Hard [email protected] or 516-314-2295. like to tour the facility call 516-374-7914. O would revert to utter nothingness), the laws facts become pliant and absurdities

58 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES become tenable in this nocturnal world. Yisro’s Estate the year 2488 from creation (1273 BCE). But formed until the land was conquered and There are certain truths, however, that A similar phenomenon can be dis- 14 years were to pass before the land would each family was allotted its own estate. are unaffected by these fluctuations of cerned in a halachic discussion that be conquered and each tribe and family (Indeed, the Talmud Yerushalmi knowledge and awareness. Our faith in underlies the mitzvah of bikkurim (“first- allotted its share (the conquest of the land expresses the view that no single family G-d, His centrality to our existence, the ripened fruits”). took seven years, and an additional seven assumed possession of the land allotted depth of our commitment to Him—we Bikkurim, like the Modeh Ani prayer, is years were required for its division into 12 to it until every last family had received know these things utterly and absolutely, a declaration of indebtedness and grati- tribal territories and more than 600,000 its share. Even if the Sifri were to disagree and we know them at all times and in all tude to G-d. In the 26th chapter of estates for the heads of households enti- with this position, it would have taken at states of consciousness. Devarim, the Torah instructs: tled to a share in the land). It is for this rea- least seven years—until the conquest of Wakefulness and sleep affect only the “And it shall be when you come in to the son, says the Talmud, that the verse speci- the land was completed—for the first external activity of the intellect; what land which the L-rd your G-d is giving you fies to bring bikkurim “when you come Jewish farmer to acquire a plot of land we know with the very essence of our for an inheritance, and you will possess it into the land . . . and you will possess it and from which to bring bikkurim.) being, however, we know no less when and settle in it: You shall take from the first settle in it”—to teach us that the first fruits There was, however, one case in which plunged into the deepest recesses of of the fruits of the land . . . and place them of the land should be presented to G-d only the Sifri’s concept of an immediate obli- slumber. On the contrary: when awake, in a basket; and you shall go to the place that after the conquest and allocation of the gation to bring bikkurim could have we must wade through the presupposi- the L-rd your G-d will choose to rest His land has been completed. applied in actuality. As a reward for join- tions and polemics of an intellect shack- name there. And you shall come to the The Sifri, on the other hand, places the ing their fate to that of the people of led to the “realities” of the physical state kohen that shall be in those days, and you emphasis on the same verse’s opening Israel, the family of Yisro was granted an in order to arrive at these truths; asleep, shall say to him: ‘I proclaim today to the L-rd words—“And it shall be when you come estate in the Holy Land, in the environs our mind loosened from its subjective your G-d that I have come unto the land into the land” to imply that the obligation of Yericho; this they received immediate- moorings, we enjoy a closer and deeper which G-d swore to our fathers to give to to bring bikkurim applied immediately ly upon the Israelites’ entry into the land, (albeit less conscious) awareness of our us . . . ’ ” upon the Jew’s entry into the land. The Sifri as Yericho was the very first city to be innermost convictions. In his “proclamation,” the bikkurim-bear- bases its interpretation on the first word of conquered by Yehoshua. So there was at The Modeh Ani prayer, explained the ing farmer goes on to recount the story of the verse, vehayah (“and it shall be”), which least one family estate from which Rebbe, exploits a unique moment of our our liberation from Egypt and G-d’s gift to throughout the Torah is indicative of an bikkurim could have been brought imme- day—the moment that lies at the threshold us of “a land flowing with milk and honey,” event that is to come to pass immediately. diately “when you come into the land.” of wakefulness, the moment that straddles concluding with the pronouncement: “And However, notwithstanding their con- the conscious and supra-conscious now, behold, I have brought the first fruit of flicting readings of the verse, there is not Between Dream And Reality domains of our day. There are other the land that You, G-d, have given me.” much practical difference between the While there is little difference, in terms moments, other prayers in the course of When did our forefathers begin bring- Talmud and the Sifri with regard to the of actual practice, whether we say that the our day which take full advantage of our ing the first fruits of their newly gained actual bringing of bikkurim. The Torah time for bringing bikkurim is when “you powers of intellect and reasoning—prayers homeland to “the place where G-d chose instructs that bikkurim should be brought will possess it and settle in it” (as the that follow lengthy and profound medita- to rest His name”? The first verse of the from “the first-ripened fruits of your land”; Talmud holds) or immediately “when you tions upon their content and significance. Torah’s chapter on bikkurim contains con- this, agree all the Sages, teaches us that the enter the land” (as per the Sifri), the Talmud But each morning, as we move from the lib- flicting implications as to when the prac- mitzvah of bikkurim applies only to a per- and the Sifri represent two very different erating hours of sleep to a day of conscious tice of this mitzvah is to commence, giv- son who owns the land outright. So even if conceptions of the mitzvah of bikkurim. thought, a unique opportunity presents ing rise to a legal debate between the the obligation to bring bikkurim had The Talmud’s conception of bikkurim itself: the opportunity to express to our- Talmud and the Sifri (a halachic Midrash). applied, in principle, from the very first expresses the notion that true gratitude selves a truth that inhabits our deepest The Jewish people entered the land of moment that the Jewish people entered the for something can only come after a per- selves, to declare to the awaiting day what Israel under the leadership of Yehoshua Land of Israel (as per the Sifri’s interpreta- we already know. one month after the passing of Moshe, in tion), the mitzvah could not have been per- Continued on Page 60

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 59 CHASSIDIC MASTERS edge may be primitive and unformed by the strive to carry over its unsullied perfec- Wedding Tears Continued from Page 59 standards of daytime reality, it comes from tion into our “daytime” lives. Continued from Page 45 a place in us that will no longer be accessi- NNN son has come to understand its signifi- ble when we have ventured further into this The Torah section of Ki Savo (Devarim with, he invited me to sit down while he cance and appreciate its impact on his or realm of conscious knowledge and feeling. 26–28), which includes the chapter on finished up an important call. While I her life. Unless we have “taken posses- Only by expressing it now, on the threshold bikkurim, is always read in proximity to 18 waited, my eyes drifted to the small table sion” of something by studying and ana- between supra-conscious awareness and Elul, which is the birthday of Rabbi Israel near his desk, where there were cutouts lyzing it—unless we have “settled in it” by conscious knowledge, can we carry over Baal Shem Tov (1698–1760), the founder of from that day’s Times. My curiosity was experiencing it in an aware and informed from the perfection and purity of our supra- Chassidism, and of Rabbi Schneur Zalman piqued and I leaned over to read what manner—of what value are our pro- conscious selves into the tactual reality of of Liadi (1745–1812), founder of the Chabad this dynamic Torah world leader was cut- nouncements and proclamations? our conscious lives. branch of Chassidism. ting out of the paper in his office on The Sifri, on the other hand, holds a Regarding the debates between our The lives and work of these two great Sunday morning. Modeh Ani-like vision of the mitzvah of Sages on matters of Torah law, the leaders parallel the two “versions” of I was astounded to see clippings of the bikkurim, insisting that our very first Talmud states that “These and these are bikkurim put forth by the Sifri and the wedding announcements and pictures of moment in the land that G-d has granted both the words of the living G-d.” For Talmud. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov revi- the brides and grooms that were featured us should be one of recognition and although only one view can be imple- talized and revolutionized Jewish life in the day’s paper. My first reaction was, acknowledgment of the Divine gift. mented as halachah (practical Torah law), with his emphasis on the depth and puri- what an unusual hobby for a person to For 40 years, as the people of Israel wan- both represent equally valid formulations ty of the faith and commitment of the have! However, a closer look revealed dered through the Sinai Desert, they of the Divine wisdom, and both can, and simple Jew. Rabbi Schneur Zalman taught that each marriage was of a Jewish bride dreamed of the land designated by G-d as should, be incorporated in our vision of the necessity of internalizing this faith or groom marrying a non-Jewish spouse. the environment in which to realize their and approach to life. and commitment through the structured These pictures were predominantly mission in life. Then came the great As per the Talmud, we must take care intellectual and emotional processes he spread out on that small table. moment of crossing from dream to reali- that we fully comprehend and identify outlined in his “Chabad” philosophy and Rabbi Sherer finished his phone call ty—a reality that actualizes the dream, but with the gifts we offer and the feelings approach to life. O and noticed my confusion at the sight of which also coarsens its purity. This is the we declaim. As per the Sifri, we must seek Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; these wedding announcements. He moment, says the Sifri, in which to give connection with the supra-rational, adapted by Yanki Tauber. Courtesy of opened our conversation by saying that MeaningfulLife.com via Chabad.org. Find more expression to all that we know and sense supra-conscious self that underlies our Torah articles for the whole family at as he reviews these intermarriage about the Holy Land. For though our knowl- conscious and intellectual persona and www.chabad.org/parshah. announcements in the paper every Sunday morning, the pain of the loss of so many of our young ones from K’lal Yisrael is what drives him to continue his tireless efforts on behalf of K’lal Yisrael throughout the week. This was my introduction to this very special Jew, from whom I was able to learn so much over the subsequent decades, and whom I consider one of my mentors. For years I thought this was something personal about Rabbi Sherer that only I was privy to; but over the years I found that many others knew this about him as well. In the recently published biography of his life, the author writes, “Rabbi Sherer forced himself to read the matri- monial notices in the Sunday New York Times every week; a form of self-inflicted torture, in order that he should never forget the scourge of intermarriage that the heterodox movements brought in their wake” (page 14). The story that defined the essence of the great pride that Sir Moses Montefiore felt at being a Jew goes as follows. Once he was called upon by Russian Jewry to intercede with the Czar, who had issued very painful decrees against the Jews in his country. He immediately traveled to Russia to meet with the Czar on behalf of his people. As he was riding in the streets of the capital in his splendidly decorated coach, some local children began to run after the carriage, calling out after him, “Zhid, Zhid!” (Jew, Jew). He immediately stopped the wagon and asked the coach- man to bring the children to him. As they gathered around him, he said, “You know, in England, they call me ‘Sir’ and ‘Lord Mayor’; but as respectful as these titles are to me, it is not even close to the respect and praise you all gave me by calling me ‘Zhid.’ Thank you for that honor.” And he proceeded to give each child a silver coin. We are Jews, Zhids, or whatever else we are called, and we take great pride in the description that Hashem gave us as a mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh. There is nothing that can possibly make us more proud of who we are—not even when we have “made it” into the first family of America. It should not bring us pride, only tears. O 60 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 61 Attack On Democracy zens who assist enemy combatants— Continued from Page 26 one may endanger their safety. A discussion of non-citizen collateral damage The book Torat HaMelech is no differ- even when they are innocent, if it will ent. It clearly states the prohibition in help spare the life of citizens. [It should killing Gentiles (pages 24 and 26) and that be noted that this rationale was used by it is a biblical prohibition that incurs a President Harry Truman to bomb Heavenly death penalty (Kesef Mishna). Hiroshima and Nagasaki]. Torat HaMelech, like U.S., NATO, and IDF policies, does distinguish between its own citizenry and other civilian populations when non-engagement involves In the NATO air campaign risks to one’s own citizens. The characterization of this scholarly against Serbia in 1999, work as racist is hypocrisy in the full pilots were instructed to sense of the term. Below we are including a chapter-by- fly at a very high altitude, chapter summary of the book. Please note that the terms Jew and Gentile which significantly raised should be understood to mean citizen and non-citizen. the risk to civilian lives Chapter 1. Discussion of the prohibi- on the ground. tion of a Gentile killing a Gentile and the verse source. Discussion of the prohibition of a Jew killing a Gentile and the death penalty punishment from Heaven. Chapter 6. A discussion of the underly- Chapter 2. Discussion of a Gentile who ing issues of war and its permissibility violates the seven Noahide laws; who when it is clearly known that innocent may judge such a Gentile; the TaZ’s view life will be taken. A discussion of the that rabbinically the judging process is Maharal’s opinion that “tit for tat” is per- quite limited. mitted between a second nation that was Chapter 3. Discussion of the Torah’s attacked by a first nation. views of a Gentile saving himself at the In short, the arrests, the intimidation, expense of being an indirect cause of the and the media reports were a terrible death of another. A debate among injustice against the scholarly authors of halachic authorities about this point. this book. The Israeli government should Chapter 4. Discussion of a Jew’s obli- immediately issue an apology against this gation toward Gentiles—equal to that attack on truth, free speech, and religious of a Gentile’s obligation toward other expression. O Gentiles. Chapter 5. A discussion of non-citi- See related story, Page 40

62 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Another Controversial Mosque right thing to do? No. Where is the sensi- Dear Editor, tivity to the memory of the thousands It strikes me as curious that we write who perished, and to the tens of thou- against a mosque being built near sands of heartbroken loved ones left Ground Zero while there is a mosque sit- behind? We simply cannot build an insti- ting on top of Har HaBayis! The ultimate tution on this sacred ground that is asso- ground zero. How do we tolerate that ciated with so much pain and violence. mosque? I am a former police officer, and in Yeshaya “Danny” Moskowitz the 21 years I’ve been in the Assembly, I Lawrence have done everything I could to support the police and fire departments in our A Different Take community, including sponsoring legis- On The Mosque Question lation to build the Firefighters Memorial Dear Editor, in Albany in 1998. In the surreal days that The mosque shouldn’t be built two followed September 11, I attended a hor- blocks away. It should be built on Ground rible succession of funerals of heroic Zero and hopefully it will act as a deter- first responders. The proposed mosque rent for any future attacks by certain nut denigrates the memory of those who cases who would like to fly commercial paid the ultimate price during our aircraft into our innocent citizens work- national nightmare. ing there. The outpouring of opposition to this Sincerely, proposal is, undoubtedly, hurtful to the Beryl Ostrov American Muslim community, the vast Far Rockaway, NY majority of which is peace loving and condemns acts of terrorism. Those Weisenberg Opposes The Mosque behind this project have said they hoped Dear Editor, it would help foster tolerance and heal- I am absolutely opposed to the con- ing. But the wounds are too fresh, and struction of a mosque in the shadow of the project is simply too divisive. I pro- the site where the towers fell. Does the pose we build a multicultural, interfaith Muslim community have a constitutional community and education center—a right to freedom of religious expression? Yes. Does that make this proposal the Continued on Page 68

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 63 Give me a ride and I will take you there!” replacement battery (I paid a 5% premi- And we did. um at the dealer, but I wanted his warran- Well, earlier this week I had to go copy ty in case there was a problem). The deal- some keys for the shul. While I had got- er was astounded and asked me why I did ten a ride to the hardware store, I had to not explain what I was told. make the mile-and-a-half return trip on I actually had explained it, but here is foot; Goldie and the kids had the car in the issue: when dealing with technicians Modi’in for the day. On the way home, a of any sort, my weak Hebrew vocabulary car pulled over and the driver asked me if inevitably leads me to be unclear in what I knew where a certain road was. I am saying. The technicians don’t under- Call Me Shmulik My response? “Sure do. And if you give stand me and I don’t understand them. I me a ride, I will take you halfway there often feel stupid and embarrassed and I I have been called “Shmu” since at The Alfasis live a block away from us and you will be on the right road for the am not as successful in getting what I least the age of 10. Well, either Shmu or and we daven together in Rabbi Rosner’s rest of the way!” need because of the inability to express Big Shmu, depending on who you shul. Their second son is Moshe’s age and There is no way I would have been so myself. were. When I was a little kid, my fami- they have loved playing together for the aggressive about getting a ride from a So I have a new (warrantied) battery ly used to call me Mully (that leads to past couple of years. Menachem is a rav stranger before we came here. It is sim- and I am waiting for the inevitable. When another story—but not today). Both in the army, stationed in the Chevron ply another thing I have learned from the battery dies again and I go back to the nicknames are incredibly American ver- area. He only comes home a couple of being here and a clear adjustment that alarm company, I hope that this will be sions of my name. nights a week, which we cannot relate to. my subconscious has made in helping enough proof to them that it is indeed Israelis who I am friendlier with tend They are a terrific family and we have got- me fit in. the alarm that is malfunctioning. Unless, to call me Shmulik, the Hebrew variant. It ten friendlier as time goes by, which led Yet, there are still the maddening diffi- of course, it turns out that they were right is a cultural thing. Similarly, here, only to the invitation for a meal. culties that crop up from time to time. and it is the dealer whom I need to trust chareidim or true Anglos say “Good In the end, while there were definitely One of the hardest things is to figure out a bit less. In either case, it is frustrating Shabbos”; everyone else says “Shabbat a couple of awkward moments because the car. Of course, that means that the car and annoying. Shalom.” So, I accepted it as just another Goldie and I were struggling to express ends up constantly needing attention. Hopefully, the growing pains will quirk of how we interact with them. ourselves, a good time was had by all. For Our car battery had been dying over continue to be fewer and fewer as time This past week, I felt a bit more like a a first start, they were a great choice— Shabbat the past couple of weeks, so I goes on. While we may never be able to Shmulik and a bit less of a Shmu. people we already know and like. took the car in to the dealer. After deal with repairs and technical stuff as After four years here, we passed Hopefully they will be the first of many. inspection, he showed me some meter well as we would like, our social circle another milestone this past week. For Our new location offers more potential and talked about loads and signals and and sphere of comfort continues to the first time, we had an entire family of invites among the neighbors and we are monitors, finishing by adding that the increase, which definitely has to be a Hebrew-speakers for a meal. Menachem excited to continue our growth (in fitting meter clearly shows that the alarm is good thing. O and Oshrit Alfasi were not simply guests in with native Hebrew speakers). causing the problem. With the warranty Shmuel Katz works at Machon Puah, a non-profit whom we invited on a whim. We had A couple of weeks ago, I related a story due to expire in a matter of days, I fertility organization that provides, worldwide, wanted to invite them for quite some about our first time in Ikea. Goldie and I rushed to get the car serviced by the free halachic and medical counseling, time but were too uncomfortable with were trying to find a specific street and a alarm company. independent supervision of fertility treatments, and educational programming. Shmuel, his wife our communication skills. However, restaurant there and stopped to ask a bus They did their own tests. Their tests Goldie, and their six children made aliyah in July over the past few months, the kids (espe- driver for directions. Although the bus showed nothing wrong with the alarm, of 2006. Prior to his aliyah, Shmuel was the executive director of the Yeshiva of South Shore in cially Chaya) had been pushing us to driver did not know the answer, a man at but that the battery was the problem. So Hewlett. You can contact him at make the plunge. the stop shouted out, “I know the street. I went back to the dealer and got a [email protected].

64 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 65 66 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 67 The Munkaczer Rebbe, Shlita To opening their home for this event, have Visit Five Towns, September 5 deep roots in this holy chassidic dynasty, Preparations are under way for the stemming all the way back to the glory annual breakfast to benefit the days of pre-Holocaust Europe when Munkaczer Yeshiva Chaim V’Shalom. The Yussie’s paternal grandfather, Reb fundraising breakfast will be hosted by Menachem Ostreicher, a’h, served as one Mr. and Mrs. Yussie Ostreicher at their of the roshei kehillah in Munkacz and home, 184 Wildacre Avenue in Lawrence helped direct the community under the on Sunday, September 5 at 9:45 a.m. leadership of the previous Munkaczer Residents of the Five Towns well Rebbe, Rav Chaim Eluzar Spira, zt’l, remember the Munkaczer Rebbe’s visit (1872–1937). The close ties continue with last year in honor of the yeshiva’s success- the next generation. Yussie maintains a ful breakfast. The Rebbe’s inspiring words close relationship and is a devoted chas- were remembered for a long time follow- sid of the Munkaczer Rebbe, shlita. The Munkaczer Rebbe ing the visit. This year, Lawrence will Today’s Munkaczer Torah institutions once again have the honor and privilege worldwide are a continuation of the vast of hosting the Rebbe when he will grace and elaborate network inaugurated by shlita, the current Munkaczer Rebbe, is Yeshiva Chaim V’Shalom Munkacz, the breakfast which benefits the the previous Munkaczer Rebbes and are the worthy grandson of Rabbi Chaim one of the jewels in the crown of Munkaczer mosdos. being continued and expanded by today’s Eluzar Spira, revered Munkaczer Rebbe Munkacz Torah institutions world- The Ostreichers, who are graciously Rebbe. Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinowitz, and renowned author of Minchas Elazar. wide, is under the dynamic leadership of the Rebbe’s son-in-law, Rav Yosef Horowitz, shlita. The rosh yeshiva, with the guidance of his holy father-in-law, the Munkaczer Rebbe, shlita, is completely devoted to the spiritual success of his talmidim. The breakfast will serve as a unique opportunity for members of the community to personally meet and hear divrei Torah and chizuk from the Rebbe. The Rebbe is also slated to visit Yeshiva Darchei Torah, where a grand kabolas panim is being planned. The bachurim and talmidim of the yeshiva will have the unique opportunity to hear inspiring words of Torah from the Rebbe ahead of the upcoming Yomim Nora’im and will get a chance to greet the Rebbe personally. O

Continued on Page 70

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from Page 63 place where all voices can be heard and respected, where bridges of understanding can be forged. As members of a democratic society, we have the privilege and burden of grap- pling with complex issues—and we have the responsibility to weigh all sides, to recognize not only what is permissible, but what is right. Sincerely, Harvey Weisenberg Member of Assembly

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68 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 69 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS worked with professionals from nonprof- Continued from Page 68 it agencies who provided information about the variety of job paths within UJA-Federation Of New York communal service, as well as the differ- Awarded More Than $1 Million In ent job openings and paid internships Scholarships To Jewish Students available within their own organizations. More than $1 million in scholarships Participating agencies who had repre- was awarded to over 400 of New York’s sentatives present during the job fair most talented and needy Jewish students included UJA-Federation of New York, at the 17th annual scholarship presenta- UJA-Federation of New York’s Wiener tion during the third annual Rose Biller Educational Center, YAI, and beneficiary Career Fair on Tuesday, August 24 at UJA- agencies Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Federation of New York. Community House of Bensonhurst, The Scholarship Awards Program is the F•E•G•S Health and Human Services largest Jewish scholarship program in the System, the Educational Alliance, Hillel: country. In conjunction with the Rose The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, Biller Career Fair, undergraduate and Kings Bay YM-YWHA, JASA, and graduate students received annual schol- Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. arships from the Rose Biller Endowment The scholarship awards program was Fund of UJA-Federation of New York. administered by the Hebrew Free Loan Karina Burman, special-needs coordi- Society. The program enriched the lives nator at the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish of thousands of Jewish students, help- Community House of Bensonhurst, ing enable them to fulfill their educa- shared her experience as a past scholar- tional aspirations and go on to lead ship recipient. productive lives. O At the career fair, whose theme this Robert Friedman, Rose Biller’s grandson, addresses the scholarship recipients at year was careers in nonprofit communal UJA–Federation of New York’s Rose Biller Career Fair, where Jewish students in need received Rav Goldvicht’s Shiur service, scholarship recipients also net- over $1 million in scholarships and networked with several non-profit agencies. Begins 13th Year The shiur of Rav Meir Goldvicht, rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchanan, is proud to announce that it will begin its 13th year in the Five Towns area. The shiur meets weekly on Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. at Congregation Shaaray Tefila in Lawrence. Over the past 12 years it has attracted men and women from the Five Towns, Long Beach, Oceanside, and West Hempstead. The shiur, given in an easy Hebrew, focuses on the parashas ha’shavua and on the Jewish holidays throughout the year. It is

Rav Meir Goldvicht

currently studying themes of the Yomim Nora’im and Sukkot. All are invited to enjoy a unique experience on Monday evenings. Dedication opportunities are available. O

Project Transformer Is Launched Project Transformer will captivate and fill the minds with wonderful life-enhanc- ing insights from the world-renowned Rav Avigdor Miller, z’l. After years of much time and effort, the entire Rabbi Avigdor Miller lecture library consisting of over 1,900 lectures is now available in one simple format, on the Rav Avigdor Miller iPod. All the lectures have been trans- ferred to MP3 format. Included in this library are the world-famous Thursday night lectures and the entire mussar series which includes all the mussar classics. Rav Miller influenced an untold number of people. His pure sage advice was sought after worldwide. The Thursday- night lectures were attended by a virtual 70 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES kaleidoscope of the Jewish population. Businesspeople, teachers, chassidic, Sephardic, learned, and beginners all drank thirstily from the clear waters drawn forth from the depths of his soul. Even now, almost ten years after his passing, the thirst for these lectures is growing. Audio cassette tapes are today almost obsolete and those who amassed these tapes are truly on the verge of being left out in the cold. From the originators of recorded audio, Rav Miller has been the travel companion of many. Tape recorders are no longer available in many models of cars and people are left with a void. Today the vast treasure is available on an iPod where one has all the lectures including the classic mussar library such as Chovos Halevavos, Mesilas Yesharim, and much more, literally, in their palms. All the topics are indexed and easily accessed. In this auspicious time before the High Holidays when we all pray for a good year, the producers of these lectures are grateful to an anonymous donor for his kindness in making this entire library available to all. Thanks to his generosity, the iPod is now available at a significantly reduced price of $1,800, discounted from the usual price of $2,500. It was further stipulated that this much-sought- after treasure should be offered with very convenient payment plans so as to enable the greatest accessibility of the iPod. The rabbonim reiterated that this purchase can be made with ma’aser monies. To order or for more details, please contact R’ Yehuda Brog at Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel, 718-258-7400, 917-662 1619 or [email protected]. O

Madraigos, Cross River Bank Golf And Tennis Outing To Help Teens-At-Risk, August 30 Cross River Bank will host its annual golf and tennis outing to benefit Madraigos on August 30 at the Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, NY. This event will raise funds to enable Madraigos to provide innovative programs for the close to 600 teens-at-risk in the Five Towns/Queens community who are currently utilizing their services. The golf and tennis outing is also being generously sponsored by the Pratt Park Group, Greystone Financial, Twin Med, and BRIUS. Other key sponsors are Treff and Lowy, Scientific Fire, Morgan Stanley, 718 Insurance, Infinity Land Services, and Singer Environmental, along with many others. “We are thrilled at the enthusiastic response from our supporters and look forward to attracting even more people to attend this exciting event,” remarked Rabbi Josh Zern, executive director, Madraigos. Reservations for golf are $500 per person and $250 for tennis (including all fees, use of the clubhouse, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, cocktails, and gratu- ities). There will be a raffle at the event as well. The cost is $125 for those wishing to join just for cocktails and dinner. “Our goal is to provide each of our members with the tools and skills to enable them to live a healthy lifestyle and be a contributing member of society. There is much need in the community. We hope this event will bring us closer to reaching that goal.” comments Rabbi Dov Silver, founder and executive V.P. To register for this event or to pur-

Continued on Page 72 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 71

AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS Continued from Page 71 chase raffle tickets, please visit www.madraigos.org/golf, or call 516-371- 3250, ext. 5. O

Not Your Mother’s Hebrew School We all know at least one person who speaks of his or her days in Hebrew school with the same tone of voice as wisdom-tooth removal and chicken pox. However, you won’t hear any such talk from the attendees of the Chabad Hebrew School in Cedarhurst. Those moans and groans have been replaced by squeals of delight. It starts with Aleph Champ, an exciting Hebrew literacy education program, which uses the karate model. Children move through the ranks of white, red, orange, etc. all the way to the highest level—Black Aleph Champ. “The students love the personal challenge, and the ful- fillment of progressing to another color,” says Rabbi Meir, the Hebrew-reading instructor. “Charting their own progress keeps them motivated.” Also included in the curriculum is Jewish history, understanding the Jewish holidays and Shabbos, and most essen- tially, Jewish values. This unique Sunday school is geared for boys and girls ages 5–13 who attend public school. Parents are also included in fun days and in holiday lessons. The school’s enrollment has doubled in this last year alone, and Chabad expects the numbers to keep rising as more parents learn of this important tool to ensure the future of Judaism. For more information, contact the Hebrew School director, Rabbi Meir Geisinsky, at 516-295-2478 ext. 19 or [email protected]. You may also visit fivetownshebrewschool.com to download forms, learn about Chabad’s unique approach, and obtain more information. Chabad of the Five Towns is located at 74 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst. O

Kulanu Kids’ Cedarhurst Farm Experience On Tuesday, August 17, David and Lisa Mark hosted the Kulanu campers at their home for a full nature program. The children engaged in apple cider pressing (thanks to apples donated by Gourmet Glatt), picking organically grown vegetables, playing with chickens, and a barbecue—all without having to schlep on a school bus for two hours. This sort of interaction with nature does wonders for adults and children of all abilities—but its effects are especially keen on those with special needs. Here, they can interact in an environment with just the right amount of sensory stimuli. They can touch and look and taste without being told “no” and without any judgment. David Mark has a degree in educational psychology and, together with his wife, Lisa, has found a very needed and welcome niche—bringing nature back into our lives. They didn’t arrive at this decision after holding focus groups or brain- storming sessions—it is genuinely part of their personalities to live in a manner where they are connected with the earth. They have created this small farm in which they raise chickens and eat the fresh eggs, pick fruit from their trees and press apples into cider using an old-style 72 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

Kulanu campers enjoyed a day at D. Mark’s Cider Press Farm. Participants in this year’s Camp Kaylie end-of-summer program. machine, and eat organic produce they A vision of the Ohel Bais Ezra board of Campers arrived from as far as Los Angles best expressed in the words of a typical raised themselves. Graciously, they have directors, Camp Kaylie opened this past and Toronto—reflecting the united pas- camper, Shari from Brooklyn, age 13, who been holding more events in which they Thursday, August 19. It welcomed the first sion in nurturing inclusivity and personal commented that “sharing a bunk with invite the community to see the fruits of ever fully integrated group of girl campers growth through a greater understanding kids of my age with different abilities is their labor and enjoy a day in the country, ages 10–16; there were an equal number of and increased sensitivity to challenges something that brings us all so much right here in Cedarhurst. To arrange a typical kids with no disabilities and kids more often unfamiliar and misunder- closer together,” and Shoshana, a 13-year- visit, call 516-241-1177. O with developmental disabilities. stood. old camper with Asperger’s syndrome, While Camp Kaylie will only officially Nestled in over 100 acres with a private who emotionally conveyed that “at other First Ever Camp Kaylie Shabbos open in summer 2011, offering a four- lake, Camp Kaylie offers a most pictur- camps I was seen as different. At Camp It’s not every Shabbos that tears of joy week boys’ camp in July 2011 and four- esque setting. Coupled with unparalleled Kaylie, I am not a chesed project. I am one are shed by grown men and women. But week girls’ camp in August 2011, this sum- activities and sports including zip lining, of the team!” this was no ordinary Shabbos. mer Camp Kaylie is running an end-of- swimming, basketball, hockey, volleyball, Camp Kaylie is much more than just a This was history in the making. The first summer program August 19–August 29. and go-carting, arts and crafts, theater, a camp—it’s an experience for life! For ever Shabbos at Camp Kaylie. The first ever Equally enriching is the fact that Camp carnival, and a concert, Camp Kaylie more information or applications as a fully integrated camp for kids of all abili- Kaylie campers have come from diverse offers campers the most exhilarating camper or staff member for Summer 2011, ties, singing, dancing, and sharing divrei yeshivos, schools, and different communi- summer camp experience ever! please visit www.campkaylie.org, or call Torah together. The exuberance was elec- ties—from Flatbush, Five Towns, Monsey, The palatable ruach at Camp Kaylie has trifying; the moment was transformative. and all communities in between. been instantaneous and can perhaps be Continued on Page 74

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 73 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS order of the day, and a bit of precipitation team play, teammates, and shul pride was Continued from Page 73 didn’t seem to deter these Sunday morn- rather evident from players adapting vaca- ing diehards either. tion schedules to allow return for games, Peretz Hochbaum, camp director, at 718- These are not “pick-up” games. Shul and mazel tovs were wished as a player 686-3162 or e-mail [email protected]. O team managers and Commissioner Eli welcomed his baby daughter to the world Dworetsky take the games seriously, with hours before the championship. With the The End Of Another Season: the assistance of the umpires who call season over (White Shul 11, Chabad 4), all Playing Hardball In The Five Towns the plays. Logistically, planning is are looking forward to a restful off-season The air was filled with seriousness detailed and meticulous. Between early as the bats and cleats are packed away tinged with a dash of fun as the Five Towns spring planning, schedule creation, and until next season. shul softball league played at Lawrence booking fields for Sunday morning play, Congratulations to the White Shul for Middle School this past Sunday morning. the level of involvement, determination, an undefeated season! O After weeks of competition and communi- and cohesiveness is evident. Player Yossi ty unity, the morning was the culmination Krasnianaski of Chabad, who has played Hikind Calls On Mayor Bloomberg of the summer 2010 season. With friend- on the team since its inception and previ- To Withdraw Support Of ship and harmony in the air, play com- ously in a league in Crown Heights, notes Ground Zero Mosque menced despite the off-putting weather. that it is a “great game, great fun.” Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D- Sunday morning started off as a gray With Chabad facing the undefeated Brooklyn) is calling on Mayor morning with intermittent showers. But newcomers to the league, the White Shul, Bloomberg to withdraw his support for that did not deter ball players in the Five the culmination of a summer season of the Ground Zero mosque in the wake of Towns. The goal of the day was to qualify determined play was at stake. Giving the Rabbi Meir Geisinsky, player and manager the revelation of Imam Feisal Abdul for the championship. With Chabad pit- players a few minutes to both rest and of the Chabad of the Five Towns, at bat. Rauf’s anti-American and anti-Western ted against Beth Sholom (Chabad 1, Beth gear up for the second game of the day, rhetoric. Rauf has been quoted as say- Sholom 0) and the White Shul against that of the championship between ing, “We tend to forget, in the West, that Shteebl (White Shul 3, Shteeble 1), rivalry Chabad and the White Shul, Com- ily from the White Shul showed support the United States has more Muslim was fierce until the end of each of the missioner Dworetsky took a moment to for their son, Daniel, Mrs. Pearlman noted blood on its hands than al Qaeda has on games. The field conditions varied lead the players and spectators in a kapi- that it was “good to see sportsmanship” its hands of innocent non-Muslims . . . between the two simultaneously held tel of Tehillim for cholei Yisrael and those and that the players were “having a good The West has not been cognizant and games and yet the goal was to play who were injured during the course of time.” Chabad pitcher, Sruli Max, who has has not addressed the issue of its own despite the rain. the softball season. In between watching been playing with the Chabad team since contribution to much injustice in the On the sidelines, cheers from the from the sidelines, making certain every- the league’s inception indicates that the Arab and Muslim world.” crowd, comprising friends and family, thing was in order, and schmoozing with “playing is good” and that they have a Hikind, who has been an outspoken sought to keep up the momentum and players, Dworetsky says the “purpose is to “good team” and are “trying to win.” critic of the proposed project, recently spirit despite the gloomy morning. With have a good time, but there is a high level Maybe you would call this “shul rivalry,” demanded that the mayor apologize to energies running high, the players kept at of seriousness.” though the issue at stake is not who has all New Yorkers for his sanctimonious it and played fierce games. Each player During the seven innings of play, ten- the best kiddush; it is all about prowess on remarks chastising those who oppose was aware of his limits, with runners sions ran high. One of the two umpires, the field. The goals of team play among the building of the mosque. “The called in for those who couldn’t make it Feivel Dov, commented towards the mid- the shuls are to increase camaraderie and mayor needs to publicly denounce this around the bases. Kids playing catch, dle of the championship game that the shul pride. With words of encouragement contemptuous imam and withdraw his intently watching and cheering on their game was “to be determined” as the com- showered between the players, the level of fathers and their teammates, were the petition loomed on. As the Pearlman fam- competition remained high. Dedication to Continued on Page 78

74 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 75 Meet Frank Scaturro

BY MICHELE JUSTIC

Chances are, you’ve already met Frank Scaturro. He’s made appearances at a myriad of Jewish events this summer. He has also greeted riders on the LIRR at various stations throughout Nassau County, and shook hands with participants at just about every public gathering this summer. Beyond his charismatic demeanor and youthful looks, this Congressional candidate is worth getting to know. Frank was born on Long Island in 1972 and witnessed the American Dream first- hand at home. His father, an immigrant from Italy, worked his way up from appli- School of Law. ance repairs to supervisory roles. His So what made Frank take the plunge mother worked as a secretary. Frank and run for Congress to serve in New worked his way through school and York’s Fourth Congressional District? It became the first in his family to earn a all started with a set of encyclopedias and four-year college diploma—at Columbia a propensity for reading. Thankfully University. He studied history and gov- Wikipedia had yet to be invented so ernment and then went on to University Frank, beginning at the tender age of 7, of Pennsylvania School of Law to receive worked his way through each volume, his law degree. getting stuck on the “P”s, reading up on During his years in school, Frank put presidential biographies and politics. some of what he learned into practice by Speaking with Frank recently, it is clear forming a nonprofit to restore Ulysses S. he has never outgrown this ambition, Grant’s tomb after witnessing its decay. information-seeking, and idealism. Thanks to his efforts and the generous Frank remains committed to his belief donors he recruited, the landmark that the American people were, are, and received a $1.8 million facelift. Since then, can continue to be full of initiative, he has worked at the law firms Lane & courage, and greatness, if unfettered by Mittendorf and Cadwalader, Wickersham burdensome governmental legislation & Taft, served as counsel for the Senate and taxation. He seeks to tame our cur- Judiciary Committee, and is currently a rent Hobbesian Leviathan which he feels visiting professor at Hofstra University discourages ingenuity and hard work in

76 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES favor of entitlements. This idea would extend tax cuts and not and doctors. He feels encourag- deal with it in the same way as genocidal rhetoric” the leader has been reinforced by his many vote in favor of proposed ing competition, even across we do other nations. He asserts meetings with people on the increases and dividend taxes. state lines, and creating mean- that as someone who “spouts Continued on Page 80 street who want lower taxes Regarding health care, ingful tort reform, which would and more jobs. Scaturro agrees some reform is put an end to defensive medi- Scaturro seeks to forge the necessary but not in the form of cine, would significantly lower next chapter. He states, “We are the current plan which was costs. at a crossroads in which deci- passed by Congress. He notes, Yet, certainly our most sions we make in the near “The status quo, in which 17% of immediate threat is coming future will determine whether our economy is tied to health- from Iran, and the powder keg we have a Western European– care spending, is not acceptable. in the rest of the Middle East. style social democracy with Even worse, this number will Scaturro feels we are headed in high taxes, crushing regulation, grow if we don’t change.” He a “regrettable direction” in this and chronic unemployment or would vote for a plan which regard. He identifies Iran as if we will encourage individual puts more decision-making “the most dangerous country initiative and intelligence— power in the hands of patients on earth” and notes we cannot traits that made this country the successful example that it was and a beacon of freedom for the world.” He continues, “Many people feel our government is too big and onerous and has denied them opportunities to pursue their goals. We are mortgaging our future generation with the tremendous burden of a $13 tril- lion debt. What we need to come back are lower taxes, less spending, and less regulation on small businesses.” He has several concrete ideas to achieve this, including curb- ing discretionary spending and putting a moratorium on ear- marks. He also feels trading in our “60,000 page mess of a tax code” for something similar to a flat tax would make things easier for taxpayers. Considering our dismal “recovery,” Scaturro

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 77 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS awareness and visibility, a strong manage- Continued from Page 74 ment team, and dramatic improvements in fundraising and governance. For the next issue, support for the project,” Hikind said. “It Prior to his service with AMIT, Arnold is unconscionable for this plan to Gerson served in a variety of senior staff move forward.” positions with the UJA-Federation of deadline for reserving Hikind also noted, “How can this New York for 13 years. In his most recent mosque possibly promote tolerance and role, he was the executive director for ad space is understanding when the very foundation the annual campaign, responsible for will be built with blood money from our developing the strategic direction of this enemies in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other major Jewish fundraising enterprise, Monday, Muslim countries which despise us? meeting with donors, working with vol- Hikind’s sentiments were echoed by unteers, and supervising a staff of more August 30 the Rabbinical Alliance of America, an than 100 individuals. Orthodox rabbinic organization which In announcing the selection of Mr. boasts more than 800 members. Gerson, Lewis Krinsky, AFMDA national at 5:00 P.M. “Opposition to the building of the chairman, remarked that “Arnold brings mosque is not an issue of religious intol- to AFMDA skill sets which will be enor- erance or a matter of us versus them,” mously valuable to our organization. His said Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, direc- experiences with AMIT and UJA- tor of the Rabbinical Alliance of America. Arnold Gerson Federation of New York will serve us very All graphics for ads “People of all faiths should be appalled by well as we embark upon major new goals the imam’s remarks and very frightened in support of our beneficiary, Magen must be in by at the possibility of terrorist monies fund- Gerson earned a B.A. degree in psycholo- David Adom in Israel. He has achieved ing this endeavor.” gy, English, and Jewish studies from Natal noteworthy success in taking AMIT to Hikind added, “Sixty-three percent of University in South Africa. He has also new levels of achievement in support of Tuesday, New Yorkers oppose the building of this lived in Israel where he received his mas- its mission to bring improved education mosque. That’s a statistic that simply can- ter’s degree in social and industrial psy- and educational opportunities to thou- August 31 not be ignored.” O chology from Bar-Ilan University. He sands of students in Israel. He has adroit- received further education in the post- ly brought new standards of leadership Arnold Gerson Named master’s program at Columbia University and professionalism and met the chal- at 5:00 P.M. New CEO Of AFMDA in New York at their Institute for Not-for- lenges of every role he has assumed American Friends of Magen David Profit Management. throughout his distinguished career as a Adom takes pleasure in announcing For the past five years, Mr. Gerson has non-profit professional. AFMDA is indeed that Arnold Gerson has been selected served as executive vice president of thrilled to welcome Arnold Gerson as we as its new chief executive officer. Mr. AMIT where he developed a five year build on our 70 year record of service to Call Gerson brings to AFMDA a wealth of strategic plan and implemented new ini- the people of Israel through our unparal- experience in the field of Jewish phi- tiatives in development, marketing, com- leled and exclusive support of Magen 516-984-0079 lanthropy and will take office in munications, personnel management, David Adom in Israel.” O October, 2010. and accounting. Under his leadership, A native of Durban, South Africa, Mr. AMIT has benefited from heightened Continued on Page 90

78 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5TJT Puzzle: High School

B Y YONI GLATT

Across 63. Darn 1. Halloween month 66. Get up 4. Naomi Lippman 69. Not chubby 9. Rabbi Moshe Stavsky 70. Ire 13. Writer Roald 71. Genuine 15. Shalom 72. Angelic item 16. Not for 73. Box (for practice) 17. Dipping cookie 74. Projectile weapon 18. Some kingly clothes 75. Rabbi Mark Gottlieb 19. Dr. Daniel Vitow 20. Rabbi Yotav Eliach Down 22. Preminger of film 1. Smells 24. Horse 2. A diamond might have one 25. Rabbi Ronald Levy 3. Motif 27. World’s most dangerous mammal 4. Endanger (for short) 5. Much ___ . . . 31. Bit for a horse 6. Be untruthful 34. Literary Asher 7. Start some golf 35. LaBeouf of “Indiana Jones” 8. Oxidize 39. Still 9. Hannah of war Solution to appear next week. 40. Shrewd 10. Q follower 42. Chaya Batya Neugroschl 11. ___ degree 44. Yosef? 12. Org. started under Truman 35. Listerine alternative 56. You might put powder on it 45. Hardship 14. Ear part 36. Temple builder 57. Monotheistic religion 46. Droop 21. You might take some in this paper 37. Many a low-budget film 58. Leaning 47. Man 23. ___ are for you 38. Had a meal 59. There’s an American “version” of it 48. Hawaiian cuisine 25. She killed Sisra 41. Rabbi Michoel Shepard 61. Performs like Kanye West 49. Brave Spaniard 26. A lot 43. Ira Miller 62. Scorch 52. Bodily swelling 28. Feather 44. Some first words 63. Harvey Feldman 54. Age 29. Northernmost part of Guatemala 46. Rabbi Tully Harcsztark 64. Matisyahu might do it 55. Solos 30. Not concealed 50. Rip apart 65. ___memnon 60. End of exile prophet 32. South African antelope 51. Sis boom follower 67. Liked pres. 62. Value cola drink 33. Florida 53. Foot equivalent to most of the world 68. Mrs. Helen Spirn

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 79 Meet Frank Scaturro “This generation has been led to Continued from Page 77 believe they need to accept a lower standard of living than their parents. should be treated as a pariah. He fur- That should not happen.” Truly, in all thermore says that Israel should “not be matters, both domestic and interna- expected to sustain a devastating attack before defending itself.” According to Scaturro, “Sanctions won’t work. Considering that their ideology holds “Many people feel our that world chaos will bring the return of 12 imams, we need to be realistic. We government is too big should remember that unpopular meas- ures in the past, such as bombing reac- and onerous and has tors, ended up increasing peace in the denied them present.” On our own turf, he feels we need to opportunities to pursue stop treating acts of terror as mere matters for the criminal justice system and to their goals.” classify them as acts of war. We need to follow through on our missions abroad. We also need to acknowledge the UN as “ineffective at maintaining world peace tional, Scaturro is an idealist who will and security and create more a NATO- work hard to help rebuild this country style network of nations which would and repair the mistakes of the current include Japan, Australia, and Israel.” leadership. To learn more about Speaking of Israel, certainly a matter Scaturro’s ideas, visit frankscaturro.com. close to the heart of most Five Towners, Or, better yet, visit him in person at a Scaturro has been extremely outspoken “Fridays with Frank,” 11:00 a.m.– in his unconditional support of Israel as 2:00, p.m. at 87 Franklin Avenue in an ally. He feels no peace process should Franklin Square. O be forced upon Israel, considering that all concessions in the past have been met with further aggression. He insists the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a WHAT’S YOUR OPINION? state and change their “pathological cul- ture which misinforms people” and pro- WE WANT TO KNOW! motes hatred. He asserts that the “U.S. should not allow aid to reach those who E-MAIL US AT directly or indirectly fund terror.” I believe Scaturro’s message can be [email protected] summed up in one concern he raised:

80 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 81 SERVICES SERVICES PROVIDED PROVIDED

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Activity Director, F/T for senior retire- Far Rockaway: Coop, 3Br, 1Bth Far Rockaway — W. Lawrence Fabulous buy in Inwood. Large updated ment hotel in the 5 Towns area. Must Be Lr/Dr, Walk to All ...... $179K New brick legal 2 family homes 6/6, fin- home with two kitchens on large lot. Experienced & Qualified in handling all Close to everything!! A must see!! Call 516-322-3555 ished basement with bth, garage, park- types of recreation and activities. Must ...... $449K ing ...... $380K-$425K be mature, responsible and have upbeat Possible Mother/Daughter (with per- Hewlett — Col. MIC, 4br, 2bth, 2fpl, full personality and enjoy working with sen- 833 Central Ave For Rent 1BR, 1bth, lg mits). Move right in!! Call Leah. deck, wood flr, Lg. den. Walk to all. iors. Must have recent checkable refer- EIK terrace ...... $1,300 Weissman Realty 516-791-6100 ...... $729K ences. Excellent salary. Please fax 5 TOWN HOMES 516-322-3555 New to market brick legal 2 family resume to 516-239-0358 5 Town Homes 516-569-5712 duplex...... $650K Cedarhurst: NU 2 Mkt. Lg LR, DR, Lawrence — Open House by appt Shadows Needed: Work 1 on 1 with spe- Boca Raton, FL — Fabulous 5BR, EIK, Den, 5BR, 3bth, Skilits, Cabana, cial needs children in a school setting. 4.5bths, amazing golf views, spectacular For Rent 2/3 BR duplex ...... $2,100 Lg prop, IGPool, Walk to all . . . $659K Must obtain NYCDOE fingerprinting EIK, master downstairs, walk to syna- For Sale Co-op-2BR, 2bth, terrace$139K gogue, golf, tennis, and social activities clearance. High School diploma or GED 2 Herrick Dr — Co-op. 2BR, 2bth, FLR, is a requirement set by the DOE. on ground. Shelley 561-706-7520 COMMERCIAL REAL FDR elevator bldg...... $339K Experience A+, great hourly wage. ESTATE FOR RENT Email resume to Hewlett — New to market. Beautiful 5 5 Auerbach Lane — 6BR c/h col priced [email protected] or fax 718- BR, 3 bths, split. All updated, in SD#14. to sell ...... $818K 338-3277 Att: Ms. Levitan. Separate entrance can be M/D with Woodmere Park — Beautiful 5BR col Three newly decorated offices available proper permits. Owner motivated, pres- ...... $869K for sublet on Central Avenue. Double ent all offers...... $550K Woodmere — Majestic 7BR c/h col office “Suite”, 9’x11’ & 9’x15’. The third 5 Towns Home Realty 516-569-5710 REAL ESTATE 100x150 property ...... $1.675 office is 10.5’x13’. Available furnished or FOR SALE Woodmere/Cedarhurst Oppty! N. Woodmere — Renovated 4BR split unfurnished. 24 hour access. Includes A/C, alarm, utilities, internet, cleaning 12,000 sq. ft. approx. 90’x150’, Colonial, nu kitchen and bths ...... $749K 17 rooms, full bsmt. with hi ceilings, service. For more information please N. Woodmere — Grand col 5BR 1 level Lawrence/Far Rockaway — clean 2 car garage plus storage, 6 space call Renee at 516-569-4949, ext. 104...... $700’s 833 Central Ave. New to market. parking, 2 family, professional use, Spacious 1 BR, light and bright, door- accountant, Esq., medical and/or educa- Woodsburgh — Co-op 2 lg BR, 1bth, 1st Cedarhurst office for rent— 2 small man/elevator building, walk all. . . $210K tional and religious uses. Grand colonial flr...... $239K offices on Central Ave. 1 flight up, C/H, 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 with charm and great possibilities. Inwood — Open House 194 Wanser Ave C/A. Call owner 917-417-5725 Available at once . . . $875K Negotiable — 3-4:30 p.m. Renovated 4BR col Owner 516-322-3555 Valley Stream — newly renovated 900 & Kew Garden Hills — 3 Family Brick 100x186 ...... $500’s 700 sq. ft office spaces. Near LIRR, corner house, Across from Chofetz Cedarhurst — New house Young con- Milky Forst Properties Inc Post Office, & Green Acres Mall. Call Chaim, Finished basement, Large prop- temporary col. high ceilings, large win- 516-239-0306 owners— Moishe— 516-284-0114 erty. 917-836-0146 Principles Only. dows, bright and light, 4 BR (1 level) LR, FDR, large EIK, den, full finished Oceanside — Brand new construction. Rockville Centre — 3,500 sq. ft., fully Woodmere/ Woodsburgh — Let’s talk! basement, large fenced yard. Walk all. Beautiful CH col. Large 4 BR (1 level), wired for Web, partitioned, will divide. Co-op one of the largest. 3BR, huge ...... $3,000 2.5 bths, granite EIK, FDR, den with fp, Call 516-322-3555 closets, 3 full bths, huge LR/ pillars, Five Towns Realty 516-569-5710 full bsmt, in cul-de-sac, walk all, best huge DR, huge den, EIK . . . . . $400’s+ price ...... $675K Cedarhurst — Office rental: Executive 516-476-7764 House for sale by owner, on a very cute 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 2 Bths, Fully Web wired, 1,250 sq. ft., block in Cedarhurst, 3 BR, 1 1/2 Bath, EIK, CAC. 5TGR 516-322-3555 Woodsburgh — 1931 English Tudor. Gut LR/DR and Finished Basement. Priced to renovated 2006. All Available Amenities. sell. For more info please call 516-569-1685 Glendale/Ridgewood, NY — 5,500 sq. 6 BR, 4 1/2 bathrooms, half-acre, SD#15 (leave a message if no answer). ft. available for immediate. High ceil- Very Low Taxes ($14K), in Eruv, ings $5.50/sq. ft. Call 917-841-1580 Custom Decorated, High-End Cedarhurst: 1st Show Contemporary Interior, granite kosher 1st FLR, FDR, 2BR. 2BTHS Terrace. Far Rockaway — 2 Huge Office Spaces. kitchen, sunken LR with fireplace, large Views of Gdns, W/D, Lo maint, Grt. 6,000 and 2,500 Sq Ft. 2nd Floor. Near deck, circular driveway, All Systems, loca’n, Walk all ...... $319K Subway & LIRR. Build to Suit. Can be finished basement with playroom and 2 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 divided. Owner 917-359-9776 addtl BRs. Impeccable and new!!! By owner $1.395 mill, 516-902-8686 Lawrence — Ours Alone!! Brick, C/H COL, Stately brick, w/old Far Rockaway — Nice 12 unit building, world charm, Hi ceilings, 6Br, 4.5 bths, FOR RENT excellent location, many upgrades, good Kosher EIK, Lg. FDR, Library, Fin. Bsmt., Lg Prop., walk all. cash flow, assumable mortgage. Call 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Mark Weissman Realty 516-791-6100 Alexander Hotel, Miami Beach — 2 BR apts., 2 Bth, breathtaking views, Lawrence — Prime loc, elegant c/h col, Lawrence — Wonderful c/h col. house Cedarhurst — New construction. First on the nicest cul-de-sac there is. Brand Southern exposure, 10th floor. 1/3acre, 12 rms, 5 lrg BR, 3.5 baths, show. Col. 9’ ceilings, 5BR, 2.5bths, full new kitchen, finished basement. 516-581-2058, 516-374-4001 frplc, FDR, sunroom, EIK, Pesach Asking ...... $875K basement, on quiet tree-lined street. kitchen, all systems, no agents pls. E- Call 516-902-0936 Call for details ...... $799K Flatbush AveN/E4 — Newly renovated, mail: [email protected] or 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 4BR, 1Bath, LR, DR, EIK, W/D, in pvt 718-974-6766 Back Lawrence — 519 Chauncey Lane 5 house. Near all. Call 917-929-3118 BR, 3.5 Bths, 8/10 of an acre, facing golf Lawrence co-op — 1 Roslyn Place— Cedarhurst — Priced for quick sale. course, igp, priced right. Jr4, 1 full bth, LR/DR with terrace Hewlett — Apt for rent. Modern 2BR, 5BR, 3.5bths, full finished basement w/ 516-581-2058, 516-374-4001 overlooking Central Ave. Low mainte- new kitchen, LR with fireplace, DR, OSE, many green updates too many to nance, possibility of two parking spots. SD#14...... $1800 list...... $649K North Woodmere — Decorator’s Dream. Reduced! ...... $185K Call 5 Towns Homes 516-569-5710 Call Joe 516-852-9099 Beautiful bi-level, large granite kosher Please call Ari 516-521-8870 EIK, FDR, large LR, den, 4BR, water- Weissman Realty Group, LLC Hewlett — House for rent. Updated Hewlett — 4BR, LR, DR, EIK, 1.5bth, view, all systems, walk all shuls. Owner 516-791-6100 3BR, 2bths, new EIK, SD#14, walk all. foyer, attic storage, closed-in porch, motivated. Present all offers. walk to many shuls, near Aish, South Available immediately ...... $2600 Lawrence — New to market. Spacious Shore, LIRR. 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Call All features ...... $779K Continued on the Next Page. 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 516-295-3491 Call 516-263-6417 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 83 CLASSIFIED ADS Continued from Page 83 FOR RENT FOR RENT FOR RENT

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84 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

BUSINESS Tidbits From Israel OPPORTUNITY Continued from Page 35 So what made Palestinian Authority President Abbas agree? When Abbas real- Become an Acai Berry Juice distribu- ized that Washington’s approach had tor and earn commission immediately. changed, and that the White House want- Online trainer, work from home, no investment, e-mail [email protected] ed him to enter direct negotiations, he searched for a face-saving option, like the Quartet’s declaration. Israel’s steadfast refusal, however, to accept any preconditions in the direct Deadline for negotiations and concerns at the White House of the impact of more pressure on Classified Prime Minister Netanyahu before Congressional elections in November, resulted in an announcement without Advertising teeth. Another factor in Abbas’s decision was the policy of the moderate Arab coun- in next week’s tries, in particular Egypt and Jordan. They backed him at first on the settlement freeze in return for direct talks. issue is Nevertheless, when Abbas saw Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed in Amman and Cairo, and the Arab League Monday, refusing to impose a ban on direct talks, the only option left for the Arab Palestinian leader was direct confronta- August 30 tion with the U.S. administration. Since Palestinian Authority President Abbas has become totally dependent on U.S. eco- at 5:00 P.M. nomic aid as a leverage to maintain the economic achievements felt throughout the Arab communities of Judea and Call Samaria, Abbas was concerned that the White House would, at some point, stop economic aid. 516-569-0502 In spite of opposition at home, Abbas

Continued on Page 89

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 85 rebbi of mine entering yeshiva with a cake box from Zomick’s. He explained to me that it was for his child’s eighth birthday. Looking for an insight, I challenged him and said, “The only person we find in the Torah who celebrated his birthday was Pharaoh!” (See Rashi on Bereishis 40:20.) He replied that Chazal tell us that one should make a se’udas hoda’ah, a feast of thanks- giving, on the date that a miracle occurred Happy Birthday! for him. The survival of a child during childbirth is likewise a momentous occa- At some point towards the end of my ha’moed Sukkos of that year, many of my sion to be celebrated. Tosefos in Bava Basra elementary-school years, I stopped cele- fellow bachurim went on a trip to the zoo! indicate that this is the reason behind mak- brating my birthday. Beginning my rebel- The Gemara in Avodah Zarah lists hol- ing a shalom zachar; the parents are publi- lious adolescent years, I deemed it too idays that were celebrated by Roman cizing the miracle of childbirth. (According childish, just like going along with one’s leaders. Birthdays made it to that list. The to this explanation, the kiddush that is family on a chol ha’moed trip to the zoo. Gemara discusses the halachic implica- made for the birth of a girl is possibly for Interestingly enough, it wasn’t until my tion of these celebrations. In the times of the very same reason as a shalom zachar. beis midrash years in Eretz Yisrael when I the Talmud, one could not do business The reason that the shalom zachar is on A half-baked birthday celebration. had my next birthday party. How did it with idol worshippers before their birth- Friday night is due to other considerations. come about? One bachur’s mother sent day, lest he somehow contribute indirect- See Ta’amei HaMinhagim.) chance of sin is very great, it would be bet- money to the yeshiva to buy her son a ly to the idolatry performed during their My rebbi’s retort notwithstanding, we ter if a person were never born. So why birthday cake, and a trend was started. For birthday celebrations. do find that many gedolim were against should we celebrate an event that in some some reason, once you pass the adolescent The Gemara does not discuss birthday celebrating birthdays. The Minchas Elazar respects would have been better not hap- years, it’s not childish anymore to celebrate celebrations by Torah adherents, which wrote that the rabbanim of previous gen- pening! It is interesting to note that a birthday. This rediscovery of childhood leads me to the following story: erations never celebrated birthdays. The Tosefos on a daf we learned a few days ago traditions explains why, during chol One day, back in America, I noticed a Gemara said (Eiruvin 13b) that since the (Avodah Zarah 5a) states that the afore- mentioned Gemara doesn’t apply to tzadikim. The only reason it would be better not to be born is so that one doesn’t fall into the depths of sin. A tzaddik who emerged victorious from the temptations of sin has every right to fully celebrate the day he was born. This only accentuates the Minchas Elazar’s point; if the tzadikim of previous generations didn’t celebrate birthdays, even though they had every right to, why should we? There may be a discrepancy in the Chasam Sofer’s opinion on birthdays. In the sefer Minhagei Chasam Sofer, it states that every year the Chasam Sofer would complete the Chumash with his students on the 7th of Tishrei, which was his birthday. Afterwards, he would distribute four coins to each of his students to enable them to purchase fresh milchig rolls. The sefer Afraskta D’anya seems to differ on this point. He quotes a tradition that he received in the name of the Chasam Sofer that one should not celebrate his birthday. However, there is cause to celebrate the anniversary of one’s bris milah. The Chasam Sofer says that when the pasuk says that Avraham Avinu made a party on “the day Yitzchak was weaned,” it is really referring to the second anniversary of Yitzchak’s bris milah. He says that Avraham Avinu celebrated every year the anniversary of Yitzchak’s bris milah. HaRav Aharon Menachem Mendel of Radzimin, however, did seem to be in favor of celebrating a birthday. He said that the Rebbe from Charktov used to make a party every year on his birthday and that it is a segulah to do so. In Militzei Eishit is written, “Every year on a birthday, a person can ask something from Hashem and He will fulfill the request.” This is based on the following pesukim in Tehillim (2:7–8): “You are My son, I have begotten you on this day. Ask of Me and I will give . . .” However, he goes on to write that perhaps only someone of an accomplished spiritual stature can make those birthday requests. My wife frequently told me that all her friends used to ask people for blessings on their birthdays. I never thought there was a basis for it until I saw the above. It is interesting to note that the sefer V’Rapoh Y’rapeh quotes R’ Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, that possibly one should arrange to have any required surgery on his birthday 86 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES because that’s when his mazel is strongest. Yom Kippur. I once heard from Rebbetzin For those of Sephardic ancestry, the Pesha Leibowitz, a’h (granddaughter of R’ Ben Ish Chai (Parashas Re’eh 17) writes, Naftali Trop), that she remembers that in “There are those who have the custom of Radin some parents would celebrate their turning every birthday into a joyous occa- children’s birthdays by distributing treats. sion. It is a good sign and that is the cus- Of course, they didn’t invite Mickey tom in my house.” Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, or Superman to In the last will and testament of the those parties. However, this mini party Tiferes Yisrael, he takes birthdays one step was made to give the children a break further. He writes, “I command you, my from their routine. sons and daughters, that on each other’s We are all getting ready to celebrate birthdays you should write them ‘Bircas another birthday: Adam HaRishon’s. The mazel tov.’ ” Perhaps he started the birth- liturgy of the Rosh Hashanah davening day-card phenomenon! reflects this by referring to Rosh At the levayah of R’ Moredechai Gifter, Hashanah as the birthday of the world. zt’l, at Darchei Torah, one speaker noted Although creation actually started on the that every erev Yom Kippur there was a 25th of Elul, the world was meaningless beautiful bouquet of flowers on his din- without man. Happy birthday to us! O ing-room table. Rav Gifter used to take the time from his busy schedule to personally Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead stop by the florist and buy flowers for his and works for Project Inspire. He can be contacted rebbetzin, whose birthday was on erev at [email protected].

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 87 88 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES Tidbits From Israel towers of office and apartment truths and endless lies by their ity have no Democratic man- between these two entities Continued from Page 85 complexes rise above the leaders. Sitting and talking to date, and their fear that Hamas would become a bloody squalor of old houses, refugee average everyday Arab will likely win an election shootout between the Iranian knows that the bottom line is camps, crowded markets, and Palestinians is an invitation to whenever held underscores the proxy in Gaza and mafia dons he could survive different opin- narrow streets of what was once hear their bitterness about Arab contempt of ordinary receiving protection money ions but not an end to American a small town some 10 km north leaders, and of their experience Palestinians for Mahmoud from the West in the West economic aid. of Jerusalem. with discrimination and vio- Abbas, the president of the Bank. This reality created and The chief Arab Palestinian There is money here, plenty lence in places such as Lebanon Palestinian Authority, and the perpetuated by the Arab negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said on of it, and those who have it are and Kuwait. They speak of how men around him. Palestinians themselves some- Saturday that if Israel resumes not afraid to flaunt it. New cars, the Arab Palestinian leadership There is irony in the fact how bears little if any resem- settlement construction, the beautiful residences, fancy resembles Ali Baba and his 40 that there are two Arab blance to the perception of direct talks will stop and this stores and restaurants will star- thieves, robbing the people of Palestinian entities between how the Arab Palestinians are will probably be what to expect the Jordan River and the projected and branded from the Arab Palestinians. Mediterranean Sea. If it were throughout the world. What’s unfortunate is that the not for the State of Israel in the White House has a golden The visit was aimed at demonstrating that middle, the war of words Continued on Page 92 opportunity to influence the classical Arab Palestinian intran- the improvements being made at the holy sigence to always miss an site after terrorists destroyed it are s”xc opportunity, but the White >> COMING TO ISRAEL? << House operating under an over- religious and not political. ly sympathetic ideology We’ll handle the meals, soup to nuts. towards Islam cannot bring Would you like to help out your married children making itself to make the Arab Yom Tov in Eretz Yisrael? Did someone have a baby? Palestinians cease climbing tall tle any outsider arriving here the money that has poured in as trees from which they are not with his head filled by the aid from the West. America Offering a variety of Heimish home-cooked catered dishes. sure how to climb down. biased Western media about the alone has donated $2.9 billion Full menu filled with delicious gourmet meals. misery of the “West Bank” by since the signing of the Oslo Excellent prices. Delivery available. References available. The Town Of Ramallah: the Israeli so-called “occupa- agreement in 1993-4 to the lead- Contact Tehila and have a menu emailed or faxed to you. New Cars, Beautiful tion.” The biased and demo- ers of the Arab Palestinian ( ) Residences, Fancy Stores nized narrative reported daily in Authority, little of that has fil- 845 364-7164 And Restaurants the printed and broadcasted tered down to the Arab If one visits Ramallah, the media never manages to show Palestinian residents. capital of the Arab Palestinian the high standard of living in The term limit of the Authority, the construction Ramallah, which would put the Palestinian Authority President boom strikes you across the best neighborhoods of London Mahmoud Abbas and the legisla- city, the legislative and political and Paris to shame. tive assembly has expired, and center of the Arab Palestinian And there’s the resentment no new elections are scheduled Authority in Judea and Samaria that spills over any conversa- to provide Palestinians with any (also known as the West Bank). tion with ordinary Arab say on how they are being gov- Just about everywhere, high Palestinians fed a diet of half- erned. In effect, those in author-

5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 89 AROUND THE FIVE TOWNS across Long Island. A yearlong effort to ishing 2,331 backpacks in 2009. Continued from Page 90 collect supplies and cash donations cul- Over the past year, volunteers have col- minated in this three day volunteer effort. lected new supplies and donations from UJA-Federation’s Supplies for Success Give Back With a individuals and businesses. Synagogues, “Supplies For Success” Backpack, a Long Island–wide school sup- JCCs, schools, libraries, and camps have More than 200 volunteers worked ply drive, is a project of UJA-Federation of held drives to collect supplies. Teams of from August 17 to August 19 to fill more New York’s Connections program. Started volunteer shoppers maximized cash dona- than 2,500 backpacks with school sup- in 2002, the drive has grown from filling tions by purchasing pens, crayons, note- plies for children from needy families 68 backpacks in its first year to an aston- books, and much more at sales in stores across Long Island. The entire effort has been chaired by Mindy Richenstein, Ellen Grossman, and Karen Avrick. “With Supplies for Success, impover- ished families don’t have to choose between food and notebooks,” says Mindy Richenstein, one of the program’s founders. “Our many volunteers and supporters have made it possible for disad- vantaged children to start school without embarrassment, but rather with excitement and hope like their classmates, Reuben Maron, executive director of HAFTR; knowing they have the tools for a suc- Gideon Bari, executive director of The cessful school year.” Eliezer Project; Joy Hammer, principal of Backpacks are filled with age-appropri- HAFTR Lower School; and Helena Rubin, ate supplies so those in kindergarten PTA, HAFTR were on hand to receive 55 backpacks filled with school supplies for through high school would be well needy children in the Five Towns donated equipped for the new school year. The by UJA-Federation of New York. backpacks will be distributed to young- sters through several UJA-Federation beneficiary agencies, including F.E.G.S. Health and Human Services System, Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center, and Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, and other local organizations. O

The following shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon… (Devarim 27:12) Six tribes ascended to the top of Mount Gerizim, and six to the top of Mount Ebal; the Kohanim, the Levites and the Ark stood below in the valley. The Levites turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim and began with the blessing: “Blessed be the man who does not make a graven or molten image,” and both the tribes on Mount Gerizim the the tribes on Mount Ebal] answered “Amen!” Then the Levites turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and began with the curse, saying: “Cursed be the man who makes any graven [or molten] image,” and both groups of tribes responded “Amen!”… Thus it continued in this manner for all of the blessings and curses, until the very last curse, namely (verse 26): “Cursed be the one who does not uphold [the words of this Torah]….”

(Talmud, Sotah 32a)

90 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 91 Tidbits From Israel Continued from Page 89 President Obama Has Abandoned The Middle East After dozens of years of intensive American activity in our region—pres- sures, schemes, deals, mediation, diplo- macy, threats, concessions, and doc- trines—the current U.S. President, Barack Obama, is slowly making America disap- pear from the Middle Eastern landscape, creating a strategic power vacuum. Arab regimes hated former President George W. Bush, but they also feared him and were cautious. President Obama simply doesn’t exist. Syria allows itself to dis- regard the U.S.; the same is true for Iran, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Erdogan of Turkey, and others. The Turkish flotilla affair is an example of this. Obama should have immediately sent his secretary of state to Ankara and to Jerusalem in order to end the matter quickly, yet nobody arrived from the U.S., and the region suffered great damage. Once upon a time, moderate Egyptians, Saudis, Moroccans, Jordanians, and Palestinians would rush to Washington to coordinate positions, receive instructions, and engage in con- sultations. Today they no longer bother to do it, because it’s a waste of time. They have a feeling that the young president fails to understand what they’re facing. So, what’s the point? Everyone has a feeling that President Obama is talking but not acting—let alone shooting. Benjamin Disraeli once said: “Never argue . . . only give results,” yet President Obama does not have even one Middle Eastern result to show. He excels at speeches, fancy words, and hol- low slogans, yet in our region Arab regimes disparage speeches, intellectuals, and words and this is exactly the way he’s perceived over here: childish, foolish, and unwilling to really get his hands “dirty.” We saw a signal, using Middle Eastern codes, when Egyptian President Mubarak did not welcome Obama in Cairo last June at the president’s speech to the Muslim world, where he sought to turn a new leaf in U.S.-Muslim relations. President Mubarak knew it would end badly and even refrained from appearing in the same hall when Obama delivered his speech. As Obama approaches the halfway mark of his presidency, his plan of rap- prochement with Islam has collapsed and he has no other plan, no agenda, and no direction. He is helpless vis-à-vis Iran, and the tough sanctions imposed on Tehran by Congress last month were approved against his will. Meanwhile, as President Obama announced his success at pulling the American army out of Iraq, Sunni terrorism is running wild there yet again, more brutal and violent than ever. The American president’s lost direction played a role in the weakening of this camp, as a weak and confused U.S. gives way to a strong, threatening Iran, with no certainty that there’s someone out there who would safeguard Gulf States. Yet, it’s not only about Iran: Turkey, too, is taking a radical turn and attempting to form a radical alliance of its own in the region, while correctly interpreting the American vacuum. Yet here comes a warning: Those who run away from the Middle East are destined to have the Middle East run after them. O 92 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 93 Israel easier. They succeed in removing the impediments—easing any “pain in On The Wings Of Eagles the neck” associated with aliyah to Israel. From processing all the paperwork in rev- olutionary new ways, to providing cer- BY AVI MEIR HOFFMAN lady who had just graduated from SKA– Hempstead, Sandra Sokol, who had all tain types of grants, airplane fare, trans- HALB High School for girls in the Five her children educated at the Hebrew portation, housing, and job assistance, I personally witnessed them. They Towns. Another belonged to Jasmine, a Academy of Nassau County. Nefesh B’Nefesh does it all to make aliyah were two men sitting in the first-class sec- The items were American passports an easier decision. tion of an El Al flight headed toward and there was nothing untoward about The upshot? It works. Israel. Between the two of them they what these two men were doing. They This past El Al flight on August 18 was were holding onto some very small items Anyone who has ever were taught how to process these pass- Nefesh B’Nefesh’s last charter flight of the with an illegal street value of well over $1 ports by the government of the State of summer. It carried 239 olim. 103 of them million (American). exited or entered a Israel. Everyone on board the flight was were children. This summer alone Nefesh They were both busy and working making aliyah. These two men, who B’Nefesh assisted in the aliyah of over through the night. Everyone else on the foreign country work for Nefesh B’Nefesh, were process- 3,000 Jews to Israel. In the past nine years flight seemed to be sleeping. ing their passports. The passports were NBN was responsible for assisting over Not them. knows passport handed to them at the beginning of the 25,000 people in making aliyah. They were using computers—power- flight. By the time we got over England At the arrival ceremony, thousands of ful late-model notebooks. It seems that control can be a major they were done. They were examined for people were present—Knesset members, they were cataloguing. The items were forgeries, computer examined, labeled, business leaders, and family members. not theirs and I had never seen so many “pain in the neck.” stamped, and processed. Knesset Member Silvan Shalom voiced of these items in one spot. Every country in the world, including what everyone else was thinking: “NBN They were doing something unique. Israel, has something called “passport founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Something that no one else had ever control.” Anyone who has ever exited or Gilbert deserve the Israel Prize—Israel’s done before, it seems. This required woman from Great Neck who originally entered a foreign country knows passport highest award.” another, more careful, look. hailed from Hamburg, Germany. Another control can be a major “pain in the neck.” Both founders were on the flight. One of the items belonged to a young was the property of a woman from West Nefesh B’Nefesh helps make aliyah to Rabbi Fass could easily have been confused with one of the new olim. I saw him schlepping a baby in a carseat down the aisle of the airplane, appearing as the consummate new oleh. I asked him if the baby was his. His negative answer con- firmed my thoughts: here was a CEO who has no qualms about picking up the broom and mop himself to ensure that everything goes well. The flight had four dogs (one named Gandolph), one cat, and 58 single adults. A previous charter flight had a ferret that got loose, to the chagrin of the El Al team. But they took it in stride. NBN is innovative. Not a month goes by when some improvement isn’t thought of, discussed, and/or implemented. New programs to populate the Galil, the North, or even the Negev are constantly being developed. Nefesh B’Nefesh is a team player that works with the Jewish Agency, El Al, and the Knesset. Together, they make a well-oiled machine. It was a flight laden with emotion too. The TSA booth at the bottom floor of the terminal broke out in song. “Veshavu banim, veshavu banim, veshavu banim ligvulam . . . And the sons shall return to their borders, home.” The song was heard again a few minutes before landing. Raz Goldman, an El Al steward, is on board for every Nefesh B’Nefesh charter flight. “I made aliyah a few years ago and it was not as easy as it is now. I am the only American El Al steward in the entire fleet. I love the Nefesh B’Nefesh flights. I identify closely with each and every oleh on this flight.” New olim came from across the spec- trum and from so many of our local schools. There was the sole Jewish resi- dent of a small town of 100 people just outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. And there were former students of HALB, TAG, HANC, and Bruria. Upon arrival, the new olim were greeted by soldiers, fellow citizens, CNN televi- sion crews, and a remarkable reception. One 82-year-old woman, the oldest person on the flight, said with tears in her eyes, “I left the gates of Auschwitz and went to America to survive. Now, finally, I am home.” O Nefesh B’Nefesh can be contacted at www.nbn.org.il. 94 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES August 27, 2010 95 96 August 27, 2010 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES