MARCH 2004 swwxa, ixhb vwwc

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE RABBINICAL COUNCIL OF AMERICA vehrnts ohbcrv ,urs,xv iujrh

From the Desk of our Executive Vice From the Desk of our President... Director of Learning and Enrichment... Dear Chaverim: These are exciting times for the RCA! Under the visionary leadership of Basil Herring there are many new and Firstly, on behalf of our officers and office staff, I take this important initiatives which are being worked on here in our offices. opportunity, erev Pesach, to extend to each of you and your families, I have the privilege of overseeing one of these and that is the and through you your communities, our very sincere good wishes for Continuing Rabbinic Education program established in memory of a Chag Kasher ve’Same’ach, wonderful shelichuyot, sedarim, droshahs, Rabbi Steven Dworken of blessed memory. shiurim, piskei halachah, eitzot tovot, and all of the many presentations, formal and informal that you will be “serving up” The program kicked off with four outstanding courses (taught via over the course of the Chag and in the months ahead. May Hashem conference call) and attracted the participation of more than thirty bless all of our and your efforts with to’elet, success and personal rabbanim. Colleagues from around the country continue to call me gratification. expressing how much they appreciate the opportunity to hear high level, practical shiurim from top experts in their fields. The fact Much continues to transpire, and change, at the RCA. Briefly, and to that the courses are being archived on our website is also greatly mention just a few areas, we continue to seek ever more productive and appreciated. efficient modalities. We try wherever possible to involve a broad cross- section of our chevra, so that we can better represent the broadest Our next "semester" will begin after Pesach and run through the parameters of your priorities and concerns. And we are committed month of May. Please see below for yet another impressive line-up to fostering effective partnerships with sister organizations and of course instructors, titles, dates and times. institutions, professional men and women whose work can enrich Planning is well underway for the upcoming Annual Convention - and leverage our own efforts, even as we cultivate the friendship June 1-3. Those who will attend will hopefully be pleased to find and counsel of constructively oriented balebatim whom we view as that the program is being significantly restructured. For the first essential to the future well being of the rabbinate and the klal. time, special emphasis will be placed on small group interactions In many ways, I confess, this has involved a certain cultural change. It and roundtable discussions. The intention is to bring rabbanim is not easy, as rabbanim, to think of such other groups and individuals (with shared areas of background, experience and/or interest) face- as full partners. But it is essential that we understand, both as an to-face with colleagues and professionals to exchange ideas and organization and as individual practitioners (if I may use the term,) that acquire practical guidance to better serve their communities. we have made, and continue to make, a mistake by becoming (Please see detailed box in this newsletter for an overview of the generalists who try to be all things to all people. We are much better convention.) off if we see ourselves, and others see us, as specialists who Finally, we are hard at work creating an extensive and multi-faceted possess expertise in clearly delineated areas, and who work with, by members via the RCA website. It will be here that rabbanim will or refer to, partners, colleagues and knowledgeable others in those be able to access resources literally at their fingertips. Whether one areas where we cannot possibly have in-depth competence (whether by is looking for tapes from past conventions, ideas for sermons, temperament or choice.) For each of us, that area of specialization suggestions for running a holiday program, or zmanim for setting will be different, depending on our abilities, inclinations, and life up minyan calendars - the information will all be there. experience. And for all of us, it is essential to cultivate the possibilities of linking up with others (rabbinic and non) who can complement our As always, we welcome your thoughts and ideas for improvement. own work by virtue of their respective strengths and specialties. Hence Your feedback is essential so that we can build upon this invaluable the need for real partners, in every sense of the term. effort. Hence, I believe, we can encounter a new way of looking at, and relating To contact me, please send an e-mail to gshloush@.org or to, the RCA. We err grievously if we relate to the RCA as just a call me at the RCA office, 212-807-7888 x 106. place or entity where we can get certain services or products or classes or conferences or publications. It is first and foremost a With warmest regards, mechanism by which we can, for our own good, and that of our continued on next page Rabbi Gideon Shloush continued from previous page THE RABBI STEVEN M. DWORKEN communities, link up with chaverim with whom we can connect, from CONTINUING RABBINIC EDUCATION PROGRAM whom we can benefit and learn (from their experiences both good and bad!), and to whom we can turn in partnerships of mutual UPCOMING COURSES enhancement and personal reinforcement, each bringing our own strengths and talents, concerns and vulnerabilities, to the table. Course 1: Pre-MMarital Counseling Much like the familiar vort of the Meshech Chochmah in Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Lasson, Baltimore, MD explaining why it took the entire people to declare at the Sundays from 9:00 - 10:00pm covenantal moment of truth “kol asher dibber Hashem na’aseh May 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd ve’nishma,” (Shemot 24:7), i.e., none of us alone can do all taryag mitzvot, for there are exemptions and disqualifications and This course will guide rabbis in understanding and confronting chiyuvim that apply only to some; together, however, we can do the issues that arise with young couples (commitment phobia, much, if not all that we are called upon to achieve, in this calling unconsummated marriages, broken engagements etc.). Emphasis that is the rabbinate. will also be placed on how to discuss intimate topics with couples As you read the words of this issue of Maaseh Rav, I trust you will who are engaged and current and future trends in premarital education. see a reflection of these sentiments in action. The long distance courses of The Rabbi Steven M. Dworken Continuing Rabbinic Course 2: Chomer L'Drush V'Shiur Education Program, the committees functioning in broad Instructor: Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt representative fashion; the conference calls bringing together our Mondays from 2:30 - 3:30pm far flung constituency; the various on-line email networks; the May 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th sharing of drashah ideas and published materials; the sharing of Back by popular demand (though with a new instructor) this course perspectives through questionnaires and direct discussions; the new format of the annual convention; and not least the expanding will demonstrate a practical methodology for rabbinic universe of our RCA website which will soon include an extensive preparation for public presentations and will include extensive and rich database of resources and connections. sources and ideas covering the included time frame.

These, in my view, are just a beginning. There is so much yet to be Course 3: P'sak Halacha - Niddah and Mikveh done. Our voices (individually and in the institutional sense) need Instructor: Rabbi Mordechai Willig to be projected much further and stronger than where we are now; Tuesdays from 9:30 - 10:30pm our professional lives need to be enhanced with the incredible April 20th, 27th, May 4th, 11th tools that others have learned to use so effectively; our personal family needs much be much more effectively identified and A joint project of the RCA and the Max Stern Division of Communal addressed by the RCA; rabbinic finances need fundamental Services at RIETS, this course will focus on difficult shaylot relating overhaul; our relationships with mechanchim and rabbeim and to niddah and mikveh (birth control, reproductive technologies etc.). community professionals of every kind must be transformed; how The goal of this course is to assist rabbis in understanding the young men are prepared for the rabbinate, before and after process of preparing a tshuvah and developing the confidence semichah, must be a direct concern not just of ours but of all to paskan on their own when appropriate. Orthodox leaders; we must be more inclusive of the non-pulpit rabbis in our midst; we must find imaginative ways of dealing with Course 4: Congregational Relationships/ the far-reaching changes taking place in the larger community and Being Politically Astute in your Shul society (including challenges to marriage and the family, sexual mores, government policies, educational challenges, the impact of Coordinator: Rabbi Kenneth Hain study, etc); our role in grass-roots Israeli society must be Dates and times to be announced rethought; we must find better ways to be assertive and make real A joint project of the RCA and the Orthodox Union, this course differences in umbrella communal organizations. The list goes on. will provide essential advice to rabbanim in how to be effective As we embark on this journey, we invite each of our chaverim to leaders. Discussions will include: cultivating key players, step forward and join us as we embark on the future. As always developing a process of cooperation with balebatim, and where your thoughts, ideas, and constructive criticisms, are valued and to draw the line in social relationships. This course will be welcomed. taught by several experts in the area of strategic leadership and will be coordinated by Rabbi Kenneth Hain. Be’virkat kol tuv, To register for courses, at only $36 apiece, please contact Rabbi Gideon Shloush at [email protected] or 212-807-7888 x 106. Rabbi Basil Herring cr vagn March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb From the Desk of our On the Importance of Using Email President... Once again, we urge all of our chaverim It is somewhat ironic that as we are in the midst of preparing for the upcoming Yom Tov who do not currently use Email, to of Pesach, ub,urj inz, we are all extremely pressed for time. After all, the hallmark of reconsider. Email has become an essential ,urj is the ability to be master over time, and yet we rabbanim, both throughout the year professional and personal tool on many in general and at this time of year in particular, find ourselves slaves to time rather than levels, in spite of occasional problems. its master. So many demands are made upon our day - by our congregations, Without it one is denied access to on-line communities, families, etc. that we often feel as if we run a perpetual treadmill. information, whether on our website, our I've often been tempted to enroll in one of the time management seminars I see list-servs postings and exchanges, or all of advertised occasionally, but irony of ironies, I don't have the time for it. But the helpful information elsewhere on the furthermore, my feeling is that these seminars teach ways to prioritize, and as a rule, we internet, including the sites of many Torah institutions and publications. as rabbanim do not have that luxury. We cannot re-schedule ,ujna, nor can we anticipate ,uhuk. How can we tell the brokenhearted individual who comes to us for From the perspective of the RCA, it is advice that we don't have time this week? How do we inform the members of our shiur much easier to notify emailable chaverim that we were not able to prepare adequately today? in timely fashion of events, announcements, and essential information (a case in point So as we continue our constant race with time, let me leave with the (hopefully being this very issue of Maaseh Rav.) The inspirational) thought that since our time is spent engaging in ohna ,ftkn, we are in efficiencies in terms of time, effort, money, effect its masters; we are utilizing our time as oav hscg, sanctifying it and making our and timeliness, are to say the least, lives truly worthwhile. considerable. .jnau raf dj And so, once more, we plead with our “email-less” chaverim: please avail yourself Rabbi Kenneth Auman of this tool; and whether it is your personal or institutional email address, or that of a ,ucuy ,uruac neighbor or friend who might conveniently be able to forward our postings to you, Rabbi and Mrs. Ronald Barry on being awarded the please give us a current email address, so Parents of the Year Award by Yeshiva Derech Hatorah. that your life, and ours, can be much more Rabbi and Mrs. Aaron A. Goldscheider on the birth of their daughter, Tehila Moriya productive, efficient, and networked. and on Rabbi Goldscheider’s installation as rabbi of Mt. Kisco Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi and Mrs. Joseph Daina on the birth of their granddaughter, Golda Rochel. Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Feuerman on the bar mitzva of their grandson, Nussy Schreiber. The following rabbis have applied for Rabbi and Mrs. Arie Folger on the birth of a daughter. membership in the RCA. Members are Rabbi and Mrs. Barry Gelman on the birth of their son, Elyakim Yisrael. invited to comment in preparation for Rabbi and Mrs. Gershon Gewirtz on being honored at the Young Israel of Brookline’s their acceptance. Annual Banquet for 20 years of service to the community. Rabbi and Mrs. Irving Glickman on the bar mitzvas of their grandsons Moshe Meystel and Kalman Cash and on the marriage of their granddaughter, Ahuva Sharp, to Shragi Feldman. Rabbi Nachman Bruce Rabbi and Mrs. Morton L. Gordon on the birth of their great grandson, Evan Wortman. Albany, NY Rabbi and Mrs. Fred Hollander on the birth of twin granddaughters and on the bat mitzva of their granddaughter, Moriah. Rabbi Aharon Ciment Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Lerer on the marriage of his grandson, Daniel Lerer to Rivka Katz. Baltimore, MD Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchak Rosenbaum on the birth of their granddaughter, Chaya Gittel. Rabbi Nathan Goldberg Overland Park, KS ohkct oujb Rabbi Daniel Kerbel We mourn the loss of our chaverim: Rabbi Howard Messinger, kz, Cape Town, South Africa Rabbi Samuel Prero, kz, Irving Rosner, kz and Rabbi Joseph Singer, kz Rabbi Jacob J. Greenberg on the loss of his father, Aaron Tzvi Greenberg. Rabbi Reuben Shechter Rabbi Michael Shmidman on the loss of his father. Passaic, NJ Rabbi David Winter on the loss of his brother, Dr. Nathan Winter.

March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb cr vagn Executive Minutes " Fifth Avenue Synagogue February 24, 2004

PRESENT: Rabbis Kenneth Auman, Mark It was also agreed that we would review the (four courses, 30 chaverim enrolled, Dratch, Menachem Genack, Nathaniel framework and mandate of the Vaad half from the NY area and half from Helfgot, Basil Herring, Emanuel Holzer, Halachah (as well as the role in psak of the around the country, many of them in Chaim Marder, Dale Polakoff, Myron Beth Din of America, and its Av Beis Din) more than one course, lectures being Rakowitz, Solomon Rybak, Yoel Schonfeld, to deal with past and future issues as well. archived, etc.) There have been some Gideon Shloush, and Joel Tessler This will include individual as well as technology glitches, but they are organizational questions and issues. The being worked out with the help of our ALSO PRESENT: Rabbis David Hollander, RCA needs to be able to issue timely Fred Hollander, Yaakov Kermaier, Sidney technology firm. pronouncements and positions on the Kleiman, A. Mark Levin, Fabian Schonfeld, b. The various email list-servs are also Jonathan Schwartz issues of the day, great and small, and therefore needs to have a mechanism in most successful, and being enthusiasticly CALLED IN: Rabbis Joel Finkelstein, place to be able to do so. received. They are addressed respectively Kenneth Hain, Doniel Kramer, Moshe to members at large, military chaplains, Krupka, Howard Wolk 3. Public Pronouncements - In line with the rebbetzins, and health care chaplains. above comments, it was agreed that the RCA should begin to focus on developing c. Also the RCA website will shortly Submitted by Rabbi Chaim Marder, edited the resources and associations to promote feature a member only section, with by Rabbi Basil Herring the views, positions, and perspectives of extensive resources, links, streaming, (Note: this summary does not purport to the RCA on the issues of our day. These useful forms, program ideas, shiurim, include all comments made at the meeting, positions must be projected to our member drashot, etc. but rather to focus on practical rabbis, to their congregations and d. Some regional conferences are conclusions that were arrived at.) communities, to the Jewish and general already being discussed. media, and to society at large. We will in The business segment of the gathering all likelihood need to engage professional e. The next semester of courses is being began at 1.30pm assistance to achieve this goal (several planned for after Pesach. options were identified, including public Rabbi Auman opened the meeting. He relations firms such as the Sheinkopf and f. Approximately $123,000 in pledges thanked the Fifth Avenue Synagogue, and Dicker organizations that have already have been received to date. We are aiming Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, for their gracious submitted proposals for such relationships; for $180,000. An attractive brochure hospitality. also RCA in-house staffing possibilities will be prepared to be utilized by our 1. Vaad Hakavod - Rabbi Mark Dratch might be considered.) It was pointed out chaverim in approaching congregants presented a motion to activate the Vaad that a number of our chaverim have and others to support the project. Hakavod of the RCA, to investigate and developed effective platforms for issuing 5. Rye Town Convention take action regarding accusations that have their opinions and positions, and that the been made against a member of the RCA, RCA should learn from those models. We a. Dates June 1-3, 2004. Co-chairs are alleging sexual improprieties. According to should also coordinate this effort with the Rabbis Steven Pruzansky and Donald the by-laws, the Executive Committee must OU's IPA structure. Bixon. approve this step. In due course a written communication will be sent to each It was agreed to establish a Task Force to b. Format under discussion will involve member of the Executive, requesting this develop and propose the proper major changes from past conventions: be done. In anticipation thereof, it was mechanism for this purpose. Those at the the convention will highlight interactive unanimously agreed to activate the Vaad meeting who agreed to serve on this Task sessions, serious opportunities for Hakavod to investigate the matter. Force included Rabbi David Hollander and chavrusa and informal sharing; grappling Rabbi Joel Tessler. Others will be added in with major issues confronting our 2. Vaad Halachah - Rabbi Yaakov Lerner due course. community and the rabbinate. has agreed to serve as the chairman of the Vaad. It has done significant work on the 4. The Rabbi Steven M. Dworken Continuing c. There will be a limited number of issue of organ donors, in response to a Rabbinic Education Program plenary sessions (with carefully chosen request by an outside organization for RCA a. Rabbi Shloush gave a brief report speakers presenting a variety of endorsement of their policies. Others will and update on the program. The first viewpoints, intended to clarify RCA be asked to serve as well. semester is going exceedingly well positions that will be discussed among cr vagn March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb those in attendance, to then be issued as convention resolutions for public consumption.) RCA ANNUAL CONVENTION PLANS d. The bulk of the time will be structured w The Convention this year, at the beautiful and luxurious Rye Town Hilton from June 1-3, to allow for simultaneous/parallel small with catering by Lasko Family Tours, will be co-chaired by Rabbis Steven Pruzansky group round table discussions that will and Donald Bixon. It will be like no previous RCA Convention, and will include bring together various constituencies and many important features and new dimensions, including the following: interest groups of our membership, to learn from each other, and establish closer w Parallel small group interactions throughout the convention, determined by relationships all around. For this reason shared interests and rabbinic specialties that will benefit from chavrusa, dialogue, the convention will also be a continuation best practices workshops, and brainstorming. Attendees will be able to choose of our Continuing Rabbinic Education groups and sessions based on interest and personal preference (including different efforts. types of communities and synagogues, varying age cohorts, rebbetzins networking, military chaplains, health care chaplains, community professionals, etc.) e. Senior Semichah students will be invited. w f. The relevant sessions and events will be A limited number of plenary sessions, each of which will feature panel presentations discussing various facets and perspectives of the issues, followed by planned in conjunction with MSDCS, the in-depth discussion and exchange of views, leading to the adoption of Convention OU, and others. Resolutions. Plenary themes will cover four major areas (being planned and 6. Israel Conference implemented wherever possible in collaboration with YU/RIETS and the Orthodox Union, respectively): a. Dates will be either during the 3 weeks, or right after Tisha Be'Av. v When the Rabbi is the Posek and Mara De'asra, and When He is Not.

b. Rabbi Hershel Billet has agreed to chair v Sinners in the Synagogue: Preferred Policies and Strategies for Dealing the conference, working with Rabbi Fred With a Major Challenge to Synagogue Leadership. Hollander v Rabbinic Authority and Lay Leadership: Past, Present, and Future c. Here as well, the goal will be to Partnership Models transform the conference into a worthwhile learning and growth experience for our v Post-High School Learning in Israel: Pitfalls, Perspectives, and Solutions, chaverim, giving them incentive to go to for Parents, Rabbis, Synagogues, and Yeshivot Israel for the conference. This might involve in-depth interaction with leading w New question and answer/discussion formats will follow each plenary session, to Israeli Torah institutions that might serve maximize productive participation and discussion. as ongoing resources to RCA chaverim. w Other themes and sessions will include 7. Dialogue with other Faiths. The Executive Committee reaffirmed the long-standing v Specials sessions on current issues facing rabbis, such as the proliferation position of the RCA, in accordance with the of popular mysticism for the masses, Rav's teachings, to stand opposed to any and all v Private and group sessions with RCA Pension Plan professionals theological dialogue with other faiths. v Late night screening of the unique never-before-seen video of the Rav's 8. Rabbi Herring reported that ongoing Teshuvah droshah, from 1976, in its entirety financial operations and restructuring of the RCA is moving along very well. This will allow v A full range of rebbetzins sessions for a comprehensive budgeting and planning process to be completed within months. A v Rabbinic finances: current realities and new possibilities major current issue relates to collections of v If requested, babysitting services past and current membership dues. Once our records will be accurate we will need to contact v Etc. each member who is in arrears to ensure proper payment. In due course we will also need to This will be a convention you, and your rebbetzin, will not want to miss! Details review our dues structure overall. will follow right after Pesach. The meeting ended at 3pm.

March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb cr vagn vause hahna, SUMMER ISRAEL CONFERENCE We are anxious to start concrete planning for this year's summer conference in “Nachalat Aryeh” - a Torah memorial Israel. The committee, under the direction of Rabbi Heshie Billet, and in dedicated in memory of RCA member conjunction with our Israel region under the leadership of Rabbi Fred Hollander, is Rabbi Dr. Leo Landman, z”l, edited by seeking membership input, specifically in response to the following questions. Yaakov I. Homnick of Jerusalem. Over 20 Please respond by either calling the RCA office or emailing us. Indicating your members of the RCA contributed divrei interest does not of course represent a commitment on your part. Torah. RCA members can acquire the w Would you seriously consider attending a 3-5 day conference, based in sefer for $15 by calling Mrs. Landman at Yerushalayim, to take place during the 3 week period preceding Tisha Be'Av? 718-692-0958.

w The program would offer a number of educational gatherings, meetings, tours, “Sefer Orot HaPesach” - Originally printed and discussions, with important Torah institutions and leaders, allowing for in- 12 years ago, by our chaver, Rabbi depth rabbinic exposure to their work and expertise. These would facilitate subsequent utilization of their valuable resources by participating rabbis, on an Shlomo Wahrman, “Sefer Orot ongoing basis back home. HaPesach” has been reprinted by several students of w The conference would also feature meetings with high level political and military with seven additional ma’amarot. The figures in Israeli society. sefer can be obtained for $15 including postage. For more information please w There could be an option whereby participating rabbis would lead synagogue contact Rabbi Shlomo Wahrman at 718- groups visiting Israel prior to the conference, thereby subsidizing travel costs for 544-5329. the rabbi, while encourage tourism to Israel.

Your response to this matter, at your earliest opportunity, would be most appreciated. “Raayanos on the Parshah” - Rabbi Avrahom Kelman of the Prospect Park Yeshiva has just completed the fifth volume of “Raayanos on the Parshah” RCA LIST-SSERV REPORT (260 pages). It contains weekly brief sermons on the parshah and chagim. Over the last weeks and months, an innovative wonderful opportunity to share and The first three volumes are sold out. rabbinic project has taken off, with little communicate on an ongoing basis. Some copies are still left of Volumes IV fanfare but bearing great promise in our efforts and Volume V was just published. Novel too was the recent launch of a to overcome the distances (both physical Copies can be obtained from the and psychological) that may have separated rebbetzin's email forum, under the fine Prospect Park Yeshiva, 718-376-4400 chaverim of the RCA in the past. coordination of Rebbetzin Rivy Kletenik. The responses and participation are for $12 a copy plus $3.95 postage. Thanks to the marvels of cutting edge heartwearming and most promising, as technology, hundreds of our chaverim are now our spouses get used to the idea of Remnant of Israel: A Portrait of receiving, and responding to, postings of availing themselves of the benefits of such America’s First Jewish Congregation - comments, questions, responses, ideas, and a network. Shearith Israel. Written by our chaver, musings, as part of the Rabbis' Forum email Rabbi Marc D. Angel, the book is Finally, there is the RCA military chaplains list-serv. The moderator of the enterprise is profusely illustrated and is produced in email list. This list is not moderated, and Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, and his dedication, the quality of a fine art book. It is our chaverim who are in the military creativity, and foresight, have been valuable published by Riverside Book, and is catalysts in the emergence of this wonderful (including some stationed in Iraq, Kuwait, available for $50 per copy, plus tool that will benefit all of us, and our the Far East, and the deep South) and on shipping costs. For more information congregants. our chaplaincy committee have been actively sharing information and perspectives and to order, please contact A similar effort was also launched to benefit directly with each other. The subjects have [email protected]. the significant number of our chaverim been fascinating, and indeed eye-opening who are in health care chaplaincy. Here for anyone not familiar with the very real Pews available - For more information, too, with the dynamic leadership of Rabbi challenges of the military chaplaincy in a contact Rabbi Moshe Kwalbrun at 718- Zev Schostak, chaverim will have a time of war. 464-9144. cr vagn March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb vkhve hbhbg The Max Stern Division of Communal Services - RIETS, in co- Kashruth. Participants will hear 10 lectures, see a demonstration sponsorship with the Rabbinical Council of America presents of live specimens (caged birds) and nikur. a live webcast special pre-Pesach question and answer session It is free, but registration is required. A boxed lunch can be ordered with Rabbi Hershel Schachter on Thursday, March 25, 2004, 3 in advance for $10. Early registration is recommended, as seating Nisan 5764, 3:00-5:00 p.m. is limited. Register by Wednesday, April 21 at www.ou.org or Questions can be emailed at any time prior to, or during, the by e-mailing Rabbi Yosef Grossman at [email protected]. event by mailing to [email protected]. You can also call in the PART II - "Halachic Seudah at Levana's" - Eat the animals you've questions to 212-960-5212. only learned about! In order to participate in this event, you must have Internet Explorer Later that evening (from 6:30 to 10 PM), Levana's Restaurant in and Windows Media Player 9 installed on your computer. Internet Manhattan, NY, will serve exotic kosher foods such as quail, doves, Explorer comes with all Windows-based systems and Windows deer, goat, a kosher fish that tastes like chazir, and other delicacies. Media Player can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com/ Each course will be preceded by a shiur with sources in Chazal and windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp. halakhic issues associated with each food, complete with slide shows TO LOG INTO THIS EVENT, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE and videos. Cost is $161 per person ($125 + taxes and service) STEPS CAREFULLY: For further information, please visit www.ou.org or contact Rabbi 1. Go to www.yu.edu/riets. Yosef Grossman at [email protected] or 212-613-8212. 2. Click on the link on the front page on the day of the event Help Jewish G.I.’s Celebrate Passover - with all of the Jewish people. 3. The user name will be “Rabbis” and password will be “riets” Solo Seder Kits and other services provided by the JWB Jewish (only put in those two words, without the quotes, in their Chaplains Council will bring them the Jewish community’s love and appropriate spaces). gratitude. Contributions may be sent to JCC Association, JWB Jewish Questions about the Program? Please call Rabbi Mark Levin at Chaplains Council, 15 East 26th Street, Suite 1013, NY, NY 10010. 212-960-5212. Technical Questions? Please call Rabbi Marc Spivak at 212- Yoatzot Halacha: Nishmat's Yoatzot Halacha Hotline can be 960-5261. reached through a toll free number. Rabbis might also want to access Nishmat's Women's Online Information Center, a website devoted to taharat hamishpacha and intersecting issues of Unique OU Conference (and Dinner!) on Rarely-eeaten Kosher women's health and halacha. Animals: Yoatzot halacha are within easy reach at: PART I: Free Conference: "The Mesorah of Kosher Birds and Nishmat's Golda Koschitzky Women's Halachic Hotline: Animals" Please join us on Sunday, May 2 from 9 AM to 5 PM 1-877-Yoetzet (1-877-963-8938) at Lander College in Kew Gardens Hills for a free, first-time- in-America conference on "The Mesorah of Kosher Birds and Nishmat's Women's Online Information Center: Animals," as part of the Ask OU: Advanced Seminars on www.yoatzot.org

,utnmgv ouh I recently issued a psak regarding the observance date of Yom Haatzmaut this year, in light of the position taken by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate to delay observances of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut by one day. The position I took was to maintain 5 Iyyar (i.e., Sunday evening April 25th/Monday April 26th ) as the day of observance, given the fact that the key consideration invoked by the Rabbanut of chillul Shabbas on Motzaei Shabbas did not apply in America. I have subsequently been approached by one of the Rabbanim Harashiim. While they understand the rationale of the position I have taken, they have requested that I reconsider in the interest of uniformity of practice. I have given the matter due thought, and as a result wish to recommend that our chaverim should indeed make every effort to schedule their local commemoration of Yom Hazikaron and celebration of Yom Haatzmaut to Sunday evening/Monday, and Monday evening/Tuesday April 26/27, respectively. Of course if programs have already been scheduled for the earlier dates, and cannot be changed, they can continue to be held on the original date. As always, if individual rabbanim wish to discuss this matter with me directly, they should feel free to do so. Rabbi Gedaliah Dov Schwartz, Av Beis Din, The Beth Din of America

March 2004 Š swwxa, ixhb cr vagn Important Changes In RCA Pension Plan

January 12, 2004

Dear Chaver:

Your Pension Board has been working to make your pension plan even better. Over the last few months, our efforts have streamlined our operations, changed some of our fund offerings, and lowered the administrative charge for our operations.

The following changes were made as of the beginning of January. Please read them carefully as we think they make our plan much more attractive.

• All monies received in the RCA office by the 15th of the month will be transferred to the individual accounts within seven business days, Funds received after that date will become part of the following month’s transfer. • We have replaced “Selected American Fund,” a large cap value fund, with “American Funds Washington Mutual Investment.” This was done because “Selected American” was no longer serving as a large cap value fund, but was becoming a large cape core fund. We already have such a fund and the change was necessary to rebalance our portfolio. “American Funds” is a true value fund and has a good track record. • We have replaced the “Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund” with the “Pimco Total Return Bond Fund.” The reason for the switch is that Pimco is the leader in the Bond field and has an excellent manager. • Our current Guaranteed Investment Contract with MetLife ended on December 31st. After talking to other insurance funds, we found that MetLife offered us the best rate available. It is 4% for the next twelve months. This is slightly lower than last year’s rate of 4¼%, but, in the current market, is significantly higher than is being offered elsewhere. Most banks and money markets are paying 1% or less • Because the number of Plan members has increased and the value of our investments has risen, the revenues from our .025 administration charge has produced a surplus. As a result, we were able to reduce that charge to 0.18%. We should be able to maintain that rate for the next 3 to 5 years based on current calculations and are optimistic that increased participation in the plan and greater returns on our investments will enable us to continue that rate or reduce it in the near future.

Anyone with questions about any of these changes should contact the Plan administrator, Marvin Scherb either by phone 908 709 1600 Ext. 102 or through our website www.pentrack.com. For information on our investments, call Harris Nydick or Greg Makowski at 800 298 6059. Remember they are paid by the plan to serve you and there is no charge for these services.

Our plan’s returns and features, such as access to investment advisors with no vested interests, no withdrawals required until actual retirement and housing benefits, have attracted a number of new members, including people switching from their current plans.

Sincerely,

Rabbi William Herskowitz Chairman, Pension Board

Volume 11 Issue 1 March 2004

Buying Habits

A recent article discussed the squeeze on middle income families and stated that the pinch was not coming, as had been thought, from spending for luxury items, numerous restaurant meals, and other nonessential expenses. It quoted budget statistics showing that the need for a second income was essential in order to meet regular monthly expenses. Although the writer was non-Jewish and describing her contemporaries, the critics only faulted her for stating that a good second car and a fancy nursery school were necessities. It sounded like a typical Jewish family who was paying for a Yeshiva education. She lamented the fact that there were tax breaks for the wealthy and the poor, but very little assistance for the middle class.

I’m sure this is a phenomenon that most of us are very familiar with. While I have often devoted pages to how to increase income and invest safely, items which are often beyond our control, I want to go back to the one aspect which is always in our hands, lowering expenses. The relationship between time and money is always important and often people find they can use their time to earn more money than what they would save by being careful shoppers. Despite this, I believe that frequently we would come out ahead if we took some time to get the most mileage out of our buying habits.

One of the high volume purchases we make is gasoline for our cars. I have found that, on the routes I normally travel, there are gas stations that lower their prices on weekends, others that are in perpetual gas wars with competitors, neighboring areas that I visit from time to time which have much lower prices, and some off-brands that are always cheaper. By planning ahead, you can save small amounts that become significant when you are filling up once or twice a week.

Sales and Loss Leaders

Breakfast cereals take up a significant share of the household budget. People with large families will usually benefit from the giant size packages sold at discount stores such as Walmart and Costco. Since this is a non-perishable purchase, the large sizes also make sense for small families with some storage space. For those who prefer the smaller packages, there are other alternatives. Often generic brands are truly equivalent to their name-brand look- alikes. In addition, most cereals go on half-price sales from time to time. By stocking up when prices are low, savings can be significant. What is true of cereals is also true of many grocery items from orange juice to waffles and frozen soups to chickens. Freezers cost money to run, but if the items are purchased when they’re on sale, keeping a freezer properly stocked can not only be a great convenience, it can provide substantial savings.

Supermarkets, electronic giants and chain stores, such as Walgreens, Staples, etc. offer loss-leaders every week and provide sales brochures advertising these specials. By looking through these ads and buying selectively, a great deal of money can be saved. I recently purchased a computer printer which went on special sale at several outlets for $50 off its regular price. I found one that matched the bargain price and threw in a $20 shopping voucher. I ended up with $70 off a top-rated Consumer’s Reports choice. (I am a big believer in Consumer’s Reports and find that not only do I save money and get better quality from the items they recommend, I also am better informed on subjects from nutrition to finances as well as what to look for in the items I want to purchase. It’s a very worthwhile publication.) Catalogs from such sources as apparel, office supply and electronic merchants often offer not only discount prices, but enticements such as small television sets, suitcases, free merchandise coupons, etc., for first time customers.

I have been buying my prescriptions for a reduced price through our health insurance. While the co-pay has increased steadily over the years, $25 is a very reasonable price for the drugs we purchase. Still, $25 per prescription per month comes out to a sizable sum each year. I was recently informed that I could get a three month supply with only one co-pay by ordering from a mail order firm associated with my insurance provider. On my first order alone I saved $250 in addition to the convenience of ordering by phone and having the drugs mailed free to my home. Many of you may already be familiar with this provision, but I was delighted to learn of it.

New Charge Called ‘Oops’

An interesting article entitled “Checking Your Bill for a New Charge Called ‘Oops’ (Circuit section NYTimes 12/4) illustrated how providers of services are getting millions from small increases and new charges added to monthly bills. It quoted Business Week which said that newly concocted fees will generate $100 million for hotels this year, $2 billion for banks, $11 million for credit card companies and an average of 20 percent extra on every phone bill. My recent cable TV bill, for instance, contained a 7% increase on the cable box and remotes.

I have noticed a number of these charges and have called up to challenge them. Unfortunately, many of these companies have either gotten legislation to sanction these fees or have made them uniform in the field. How many of you have been hit by a $29 late fee if your credit card payment comes in even a day late. It is an outrageous charge and you sometimes can get it removed once or twice, but the companies dig their heels in after that. I dropped a credit card for repeated charges of this fee. One of my big gripes is that you are supposed to get 25 days to pay the monthly charge without incurring interest. The companies start their count on the day they issue the bill (which will take 5-7 days to reach you) but insist that the 25 days end on the date they receive the payment rather than when you mail it, thereby cutting off another 5-7 days from the period which leaves you with 10-15 days of grace. In addition, their due date often falls on a Sunday or holiday when there is no mail making it a day or two shorter since many holidays fall on a Monday. To make matters worse, they claim they enter the payment on the day it is received, but I have shown them how sometimes it is not entered in their records until a day or two later.

One of the horror stories included in the article spoke of a contract with a cell phone company where the ad specified a certain amount of free calls and the bill charged for units over a lower figure. The author said that it took several calls on several bills, despite an acknowledgment by the company of the error, before he was charged the proper amount. He said that many other people had experienced the same problem. My experience was similar, but of a slightly different nature. I signed up with Verizon for a two family member contract where the first line cost $39 and the second $20 with a 400 minute allocation to be split between the phones. For the first several months, I was charged a higher figure for the second phone. I called several times and got a supervisor to agree that I was correct and that he would monitor my bill. Despite this, the error continued until finally he himself got so frustrated that he had the bill routed through his office until the billing department made the proper adjustment.

The author states “In Running Down Rogue Charges, Persistence is Crucial” and outlines the following five steps “Follow Up” “Escalate” “Dispute” “Appeal” and “Protest.” The companies count on the fact that people won’t take the time to protest and they will wear you down as you go through their bureaucracies. It sometimes can be a daunting challenge, but you’d be surprised how many times you’ll win. With the internet, it is relatively easy to look up the article and read it.

Religion Pays Off

Lisa Keister, associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University, conducted a study which showed that people who attend religious services regularly accumulate more wealth than those who don’t, that the average net worth of Jews in the US is three times that of the general population and that conservative Protestants only have half of the average. She explains this by saying that the religious beliefs children learn in their families translate into educational attainments, adult occupations, financial literacy, social connections and other factors that influence the level of wealth. In the September issue of Social Forces she writes, “Religion is an important factor in wealth accumulation, a factor that hasn’t received a lot of attention. The results suggest that people draw on the tools they learn from religion to develop strategies for saving, investing, and spending and those tools may be different in various faiths.” An important factor is whether the religion places its emphasis on this world or the next. I’m reminded of a childhood joke. The answer to the signs proclaiming “Jesus saves” was “Moses invests.”

Changes in the tax laws may lead to some different methods of investing. Heretofore, if you had a stock that paid dividends, it made sense to keep it in a pension plan where the dividends were not taxed until they were withdrawn. With the change in the dividend taxes, it pays to keep these stocks in your regular account. One of the items that should be kept in pension accounts are zero coupon bonds. Since there is interest added every year which is reported to the IRS and your focus is on the amount it will be worth at maturity, you can end up not reporting the income. The changes in the capital gains laws can also affect which stocks you keep in a pension plan and which should be in your private account. It is important to discuss these changes with your accountant since there are different implications and varying termination dates to some of these laws.

One of the practices that caused serious losses during the bear market was the tendency of people to focus on some so-called “hot” stocks” and to over-invest in certain fields. Now that the markets are recovering, you may find that, as a result of uneven gains or major losses, your portfolio is unbalanced. By keeping your holdings balanced among large and small growth and value stocks as well as cash and bonds, you may not make spectacular gains, but you will protect yourself against catastrophic losses. Now is a good time to reevaluate your portfolio and our financial advisors will be happy to assist you in this regard. Once you have done this, you should stick with this plan even as the market fluctuates. It may be a conservative strategy, but it has proven itself over time.

Retirees Own A Lot

One of the items that has consistently risen in value over the past decades is the value of a house. While this is a very positive factor, it may be a source of trouble. Have you increased the value of your house insurance commensurate with your gains? Has your insurance company changed its reimbursement rate .from the replacement cost of rebuilding to a percentage of the cost of the home? It’s important to review your coverage. With some of the storms and floods experienced over the past year or two, many people have found out the hard way that they weren’t properly insured.

Elizabeth Harris (“For Boomers Near Retirement, Toolboxes Aplenty” NYTimes Business Section 1/4/04) says that people who will be retiring own about “$4.4 trillion in assets or about a quarter of all financial assets in the country.” According to SRI Consulting Business Intelligence, current retirees under the age of 70 hold $3.3 trillion in wealth, excluding their homes. As a result Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch and others are working to attract that money and offer many tools online to help people with retirement planning. Many of these programs are quite helpful, but users must be aware that they are being offered in order to attract people to invest with these firms so that they can make money. I am proud of the fact that our pension plan offers financial advisors who do not have a vested interest in what they recommend.

The author states that “increasing health care costs, longer life expectancies, and some lingering unrealistic expectations about investment returns make it difficult for some investors to get these complex retirement decisions right.” We all have experienced the devaluation of our assets because of the financial climate, seen interest rates that hover between 0 and 2%, and are aware of the higher living costs. (The 4% rate on our new GIC with MetLife is a coup.) In figuring out how much money will be needed, the experts say that to draw more than 4 to 5% in the early years of retirement poses a dire threat that you will run out of money. It is crucial that you reevaluate how much you will need to maintain your lifestyle and take steps now to raise your assets to the proper level.

Best wishes for a chag kasher v’sameach.

Rabbi William Herskowitz ohhjv .rt SAVE THE DATES: SAVE THE DATES: Situated in the Jerusalem hills, near Beit Shemesh, the RCA has available for sale, at reasonable rates, kevarim for our chaverim, their families, as RCA ANNUAL well as congregants and members of RCA ANNUAL your community. With such a purchase, you will ensure peace of CCOONNVVEENNTTIIOONN mind and the highest level of professional treatment after 120 years, as well as providing financial support to further the important work of the RCA in assisting all our TTUUEESSDDAAYY-T-TTTHHUURRSSDDAAYY chaverim and communities. ”” ”” ”” Plots may be purchased for $3900 ss xa,xa, ,,iuhxiuhx ss h-ch-c hh apiece. For further information, call the RCA at 212-807-7888 ext. 104, and speak JJUUNNEE 11-3-333,, 22000044 to Dov.

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