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I KNOW A GUY, INC. HOME RENOVATIONS Call 516-216-0605 See Ad, Page 8 $1.00 WWW.5TJT.COM !jna dj – vcuy vnh,j rnd VOL. 9 NO. 2 11 TISHREI 5769 ubhztv ,arp OCTOBER 10, 2008 INSIDE FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK rsv .g hrp///ofk o,jeku The Myth Of Perfection BY LARRY GORDON Steven Genack 18 Oops: Tzom Mistake Backward Forward Hannah Reich Berman 25 Last week in this space, I nouncements were character- MindBiz took exception to the out- istic of the cagey and irre- Esther Mann, LMSW 26 landish suggestion by Ehud sponsible fashion in which he Olmert, Israel’s almost former had conducted himself since The Big Sukkah prime minister, that Israel’s becoming prime minister— Rabbi Yanki Tauber 34 only practical formula for and indeed for many years peace must include removal prior to that as well. Screen Savers of all Jewish settlements and The Forward, a left-leaning Elisheva Liss 61 settlers from their homes and national Jewish weekly, also the establishment of a broached the subject of Palestinian capital in at least Olmert’s new approach to Mr. Yaakov Charlop, of the internationally renowned Esrog Warehouse, half of Jerusalem. I believe peace, but saw it much differ- presented a workshop at Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, explaining to that Olmert’s so-called candid students the intricacies of the very special mitzvah of lulav and esrog for the and unprecedented pro- Continued on Page 6 Sukkos holiday. Esrog Warehouse has outlets in Woodmere and Queens. HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE TRULY AN HONOR Our Library Driveway The Hebron Fund: Honoring The Nikolsburger Rebbe, Our Jewish Heroes BY LARRY GORDON ra of CDs and DVDs, and that shlita. See Page 58 BY ROCHELLE the staff is extremely cordial MARUCH MILLER A library is a staple institu- and helpful. tion in any community. It is a Here in Lawrence, in the Hebron is the heart of the hub of activity and a center Five Towns, we have a won- Jewish people, a wellspring where knowledge is gathered derful library that serves all from which we draw forth spir- Myrna Zisman by minds thirsty to learn well but has been a casualty of itual renewal. It is the first about the world in which we internecine political haggling Jewish city in the land of Israel, live. Beyond that fairly well- for years. Over the last several home of our Patriarchs and established fact, what else can years, you’ve probably read Matriarchs. Dovid haMelech one say about a local library? about the political intrigue ruled in Hebron for over Perhaps we can say that they revolving around our school seven years before moving the have lots of books and period- capital to Jerusalem. Among icals, that they have a pletho- Continued on Page 14 Rabbi Kalman Topp of Young Israel of Woodmere for BINA. Continued on Page 10 Ruth Simon See Page 44 Can I Borrow MATURITY A Memorable Rosh Hashanah Your Power Another Mother’s Musings B Y PHYLLIS J. Washer? L UBIN BY RABBI YAIR HOFFMAN As the bar mitzvah boy began leining his haftarah the The Chofetz Chaim wrote a Shabbos before Rosh Ha- number of famous works. He shanah, the quiet in the shul wrote the Mishnah Berurah was palpable. This young man commentary on the Orach had the power to draw the Judge Dana Mitchell Jaffe Chaim section of Shulchan congregation’s complete at- seeking reelection. Aruch. He also wrote Sefer tention. This was no ordinary See Page 51 Chofetz Chaim on the laws of boy! We all sat and followed lashon ha’ra. There is another his every word. As I glanced book that he wrote which is over at the mother of the bar CANDLE LIGHTING not so famous. It is called mitzvah boy, I watched her Oct. 8 – 6:06 PM Rabbi Dov Silver and the Madraigos staff hosted a spiritually uplifting Rosh Ahavas Chesed, and it deals proud face as she sat on the Oct. 10 – 6:03 PM Hashanah event at the Holiday Inn in Edison, N.J. The guests enjoyed inspirational tefillos, lectures, and onegs. See Story, Page 53 Continued on Page 11 Continued on Page 16 2 October 10, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES October 10, 2008 3 4 October 10, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES October 10, 2008 5 FROM THE EDITOR Forward’s editorial position is wrong FEATURES Continued from Front Cover and misguided. Olmert is the least popular prime ently from the way it was analyzed minister in the 60 years that Israel has Around The Five Towns 44 P.O. BOX 690 LAWRENCE, NY 11559 here. “It is a rule of thumb in democ- existed. During the last year, Israeli 516-984-0079 racies that lame duck leaders should pollsters have rated him as having a 3 [email protected] Classified Ads 74 [email protected] steer clear of bold new initiatives and percent favorable standing among the sharp turns of policy,” the editorial Israeli public. Except for the nuances LARRY GORDON ESTA J. GORDON Insights On The Torah Publisher/Editor Managing Editor read. It continued: “They’re supposed in Israel’s election law that keeps him Chassidic Masters 33 YOSSI GORDON, YOCHANAN GORDON to sit tight until their elected succes- in office today, Olmert would have Sales Managers sors can settle in and take the wheel. A been bounced out of there months “The Big Sukkah” 34 decent respect for the opinions of the ago. It is nothing less than astounding CHANA ROCHEL ROSS Chevrah Lomdei Mishnah 32 Editorial Assistant electorate demands that the voters’ that the Forward sees the uprooting of SIDI BARON decisions be honored, including the Jews from their homes and giving away YAKOV SERLE decision to repudiate an incumbent. at least half of Jerusalem as Olmert’s Letters To The Editor 36 JERRY MARKOVITZ Ehud Olmert…broke that rule… And moral duty. Sales Representatives Luach 9 SHMUEL GERBER MICHELE JUSTIC Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor MindBiz CONTRIBUTING EDITORS It is as though it is no longer politically Irwin H. Benjamin, Hannah Reich Berman Esther Mann, LMSW 26 Anessa V. Cohen, Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg Toby Klein Greenwald, Michele Herenstein correct or credible to acknowledge that Rabbi Yair Hoffman, Miriam Horowitz Real Estate Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky Anessa V. Cohen 28 Shmuel Katz, Phyllis J. Lubin, Esther Mann there is a relationship between the Jewish Rochelle Miller, Martin Mushell, Naomi Ross Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow, Eli Shapiro, Ari Sher people and the land. That’s The Way It Is! MICHAL WEINSTEIN, BINYAMIN RHODES Hannah Reich Berman 25 DOV GORDON Staff Graphic Artists IVAN NORMAN, IRA THOMAS Staff Photographers rightly so.” Gone from Olmert’s (and the FRANKEL & CO. In essence, the Forward is saying Forward’s) calculations are the biblical For the next issue, Design & Production that even though Olmert has been run as well as historical attachment of the deadline for reserving TALIYE CORLEY out of office by multiple corruption Jewish people to the Land of Israel, Art Director scandals—facing possible indictment, and in particular the city of Jerusalem. ad space is SUZETTE LEE conviction, and time in prison for Speaking about or writing about this Monday, October 20 Assistant Art Director financial crimes, not to mention his special connection between the Jewish The Five Towns Jewish Times is an independent weekly news- awful mismanagement of the Second people and the land is viewed in con- at 5:00 P.M. paper. Opinions expressed by writers and columnists are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We are not Lebanon War—still somehow he is temporary terms as some kind of mad Call 516-984-0079 responsible for the kashrus or hashgachah of any product or correct and indeed obligated to see his establishment advertised in the Five Towns Jewish Times. peace visions to fruition. I think the Continued on Page 8 6 October 10, 2008 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES 5 TOWNS JEWISH TIMES October 10, 2008 7 FROM THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6 raving or political lunacy. It is as though it is no longer politically cor- rect or credible to acknowledge that there is a relationship between the Jewish people and the land. We live in times where there is no longer what used to be called red lines. Now, any- thing goes—and it goes as far as your imagination can possibly take you. Part of the Forward’s rationale for encouraging Olmert to move ahead and sell out Israel and the Jewish peo- ple is the mistaken notion that there is some kind of special opportunity here with the Palestinian leadership of Mahmoud Abbas. As the Forward edi- torial states, Olmert “warned that the current Palestinian leadership might very soon be replaced by something far more intractable if Palestinians aren’t shown concrete gains. And he warned that the alternative to sweeping con- cessions is continuing tension and likely war.” This point speaks to the very crux of the difficulty of the matter currently before Israel. And that is getting the Palestinian leadership to agree to honor past agreements that were made by Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian negotiators. That Abbas may disappear from the political scene suddenly and without warning as a result of any combination of natural or political cir- cumstances is one of the very good reasons why it is particularly danger- ous for Israel to rush into any agree- ments with the Palestinian Authority as represented by Mr. Abbas. What does Israel do if Mr.