WEEKLY SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 37 Candle-lighting/Shabbos ends Friday, January 13: 4:33/5:36 Kew Gardens Hills • Kew Gardens • Forest Hills • Hillcrest • Briarwood • Jamaica Estates • Holliswood • Fresh Meadows Great Neck • Rego Park • West Hempstead • New Hyde Park • Five Towns • Long Beach • Oceanside • Plainview • Catskills Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) January 12, 2017 • 14 Tevet 5777 Free Former Met Nelson A Community Mourns OU To Hold Figueroa To Host Benefi t The Loss Of Rebbetzin One-Of-A-Kind Day For Chai Lifeline Ruth Schonfeld, a”h Of Learning At Citi Field Exclusive QJL interview! SEE INTERVIEW ON P. 57 SEE P. 33 AND ADS THROUGHOUT PAPER SEE STORY ON P. 47 Rabbi’s Musings Blue And White BDS Struggles Stories Of Greatness Dating Today With To Live Huckabee Diminishing A Soulful Getting Beyond And His Support Returns Sacrifi ce Catfi shed Of Missionaries By Rabbi Dani Staum In Israel By Rabbi Dovid Hoffman By Goldy Krantz hen I was a graduate n many ancient European very year new words are student at Fordham By Shmuel Sackett communities, there existed added to the Merriam- WUniversity working Ia pinkas, or sefer kehillos, EWebster Dictionary. Usu- towards my Master’s Degree in which collected documents, ally a word is added when it has Social Work, a fellow student of- do not own a television but I lists, personal memoirs – some become part of everyday speech fered me a piece of advice: If you work out in a gym that does in their original unedited form – when most people have either have the option, try not to have a Ihave a TV. As soon as I enter historical accounts and essays spoken or know of the word. CONTINUED ON P. 9 CONTINUED ON P. 31 SEE THE STORY ON P. 23 CONTINUED ON P. 6 CONTINUED ON P. 61 SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 5 SEE AD ON P. 65 14 Tevet 5777 • Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] 1 2 QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) • January 12, 2017 14 Tevet 5777 • Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] 3 4 QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) • January 12, 2017 14 Tevet 5777 • Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] 5 Stories Of Greatness R’ Dovid Hoffman A Soulful Sacrifi ce CONTINUED FROM P. 1 their efforts to convince her that the opera my daughter. It is the dream of every Jew- and persuading could not shake her new- was no place for a Torah-observant girl fell ish woman to merit a child who will illumi- found adamant resolve. She forfeited the devoted to the life of the Jewish kehil- on deaf ears. They were at their wits’ end nate the world through his Torah learning. chance at fl eeting fame for a guarantee of los, from antiquity until its demise. It at- and the thought of losing their daughter to I give you my promise that if you sacrifi ce eternal nachas. tempted to illustrate the life that once was this temptation gave them no rest. this opportunity at fame with the opera, R’ Don Segal read this story and was and is no more. Many people have found Herr Shiff decided to take his daughter there will come a time when you will be amazed. Who was this girl and what be- amazing stories and anecdotes about their to their rav, R’ Yosef Baumgarten, zt”l, who blessed with a child who will light up the came of her son? Was he indeed a gadol towns and shtetls, as well as their families, tried to convince her that she should not world. He will eventually become one of hador as the Rebbe predicted? After doing friends, and relatives, in these historical accept the tantalizing offer of the gentile. the great halachic authorities of his time, some research he discovered that this girl ledger books. The mashgiach, R’ Don Segal eventually married and had a son by the shlit”a, recounts a fascinating story that name of Shmuel. This Shmuel grew up to he found in the sefer kehillos of Vienna, Who was this girl and what became of her son? be HaGaon R’ Shmuel Wosner, who was Austria, when he visited the city a number Was he indeed a gadol hador as the Rebbe predicted? the av beis din of Bnei Brak, author of the of years ago. R’ Segal read about a young Shevet Halevi, and one of the outstanding girl with the surname Shiff who was said halachic authorities of our time, until he to have had an unusually beautiful sing- But he, too, was unable to convince her. Fi- a posek hador. My daughter, you will have passed away a few years ago. When R’ Segal ing voice. Her talent was nothing short of nally, R’ Yosef suggested to her father that fame. Your fame will come through him, approached R’ Shmuel Wosner to ask if the professional and she was legendary among he bring her to the Kapischnitzer Rebbe, R’ the mother of a future leader of the Jewish story was true, R’ Wosner emotionally re- her friends and family for her unique gift. Yitzchok Meir Heschel, zt”l, who was in Vi- people!” plied that his mother had never recounted However, for a religious girl in Vienna dur- enna at the time. Immediately, father and The young girl wiped away her tears this story to him. But, he said with tears ing the early half of the 20th century, her daughter set out to visit the Rebbe. The and thought deeply about the magnani- in his eyes, it all made sense now. “When stunning voice didn’t afford her much op- young lady was unsure of how the Rebbe mous promise the Rebbe had just made to I left home to learn in Yeshivas Chachmei portunity. That was, until one day when would react to the offer, but to her surprise, her. She was an upstanding, religious girl, Lublin, my mother begged me to never reports of her amazing potential and talent his reaction was not what she expected. Af- and so, after considering the offer, she ac- stop learning and always remain an ehrli- reached an agent of the famous Vienna op- ter he heard the situation he remarked that cepted the Rebbe’s proposition. She soon che Yid. I remember her words. She told era, who heard her sing and immediately he understood how hard it was for her and informed the agent that she was no longer me, ‘You cannot imagine what I sacrifi ced offered her a position in the opera. It was what a diffi cult predicament she found interested in his offer. All of his cajoling for you!’” quite an honor for the young, impressiona- herself in. Then he asked her, “Tell me, why ble girl, and she was thrilled beyond words. do you want to join the opera? Is it for the Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, fi lled Her parents, however, did not share her money?” She thought for a moment and with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin sentiments and were increasingly troubled then replied that it wasn’t the money – but Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, by the offer and their daughter’s reaction the opportunity for fame. If she joined the “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are to it. They were religious Jews, and a career opera everyone would know her name. fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshop- in the opera world was not what they had The Rebbe closed his eyes, deep in publications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, in mind for their talented daughter. All of thought, and then replied: “Listen closely, e-mail [email protected] 6 QueensJewishLink.com • 718-880-2622 • [email protected] Vol. VI No. 2 (#194) • January 12, 2017 PUBLISHED BY Community Queens Jewish Link, LLC Calendar – Rebecca Wittert .......................................................51 RABBINIC CONSULTANT Recent Happenings – Susie Garber, Sergey Kadinsky ................................35-49 Snapshots – Shua Katz ..........................................................43 Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld MANAGING EDITOR Classifieds & Real Estate .......................................77/78 Naftali Szrolovits Forecast General Interest SENIOR CONSULTANTS This Week in History - Yakov Merkin .............................................26/27 Yaniv Meirov Financially Forward - Gerald Harris .................................................23 FRI • JAN 13 TUE • JAN 17 Cynthia Zalisky Style & Living Helen Hoffman 45° 49° Beauty Briefs – Risselle Naimark ...................................................71 Rebecca Wittert Dating Today – Goldy Krantz ......................................................61 Sergey Kadinsky 23° 42° Foodie Adventures – Bracha Serle ..................................................63 ADVERTISING MANAGER Interior Design for the 99%– Zisi Naimark ............................................59 Style Myths Debunked - Meira E. Schneider-Atik .......................................69 Yaakov Serle Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy COPY EDITORS Light & Fun R’ Yisroel Benedek Feelin’ Funny – Mordechai Schmutter ...............................................73 SAT • JAN 14 WED • JAN 18 The Fun Side – QJL Staff. 74/75 Rivky Bergstein Snippets of Strange – QJL Staff .................................................18-21 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER 30° 49° Shua Katz Mental Health & Physical Wellness 27° 42° Helpful Books Worth a Look - Eta Feuerman-Yaeger .....................................53 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Hooked on Healing – Caroline Schumsky ............................................52 Rachel Goldsmith Snow Showers Opinion As I See it – Cynthia Zalisky