'RaJ5f5i· or:'1!)hl:itfian'sa~ ' ·· Purim Perspectives, Rabbi Yaakov Feitman Ashes to Renewal: The Story of a Nation's Immortality is intended .to be a representation ofthe entire Torah community's struggle and victory over the ultimate evil that sought to destroy us. Every Torah Jew is invited and encouraged to take part in this monumental YOU TO profect through participation in the commemorative book. Ashes to Renewal: The Story of a Nation's Immortality will be PARTICIPATE preserved for posterity in the National Orthodox]ewish Archives.
THE FAMILY ALBUM. Your family's MEGILLAS ZnmRON/SCROLL OF DEDICATIONS. Individual pages in story will be told through words REMEMBRANCE. Everyone is invi the book can be dedicated in honor and photographs that you provide ted to become a Shomer Zikm·on or in memory of persons, places or on a per page design. Each page will and submit the names of relatives occasions. include photographs, documents or friends who perished during Your name and dedications will and/or short story.' the Churban. Participants who appear in the Churban U'Binyan contribute $118 to this section The financial commitment section. We cannot guarantee will receive a complimentary copy for this section is: placement on specific pages or in of Ashes to Renewal: The Story of $10,000 - for 4 pages, specific sections. a Nation's Immortality. $5,000 - for 2 pages, full page: $1,000 $2,500 - for a single page. Half page: $ 500
Please use the enclosed envelope to confirn1 If the envelope is 111issing, please call Agudath your participation in the ASHES TO RENEWAL: Israel of America at 212-797 -9000 to confirm The Story of a Nation's Immortality project.
Artifacts. Agudath Israel is photos and artifacts to: seeking photographs, Ashes to Renewal, docu1nents, artifacts c/o Agudath Israel and personal reflections 84 William Street, of pre-war Europe and New York, of lite in the ghettos N.Y.,10038. and camps - as well as "They will be of the early years of returned in the the rebuilding of same condition Jewish communal within six months. institutions in the *Sulnnissions may be edited for United States. Please readability or to cot~fOnn 11'ith spaCl limitations. send all documents, * .. Iii protect your artifacts, we sug gest thC}' be sent to Alfudath ls1·ad Fia 1tlJistcrcd mail or Fcdh'x, or centuries, great they were sustained by the Jewish communities lessons and images of their flourished in Europe; parents, grandparents and communities that, together rebbeim during the darkest with their institutions of years of the war. Finally, it Torah and many of their will follow these families to inhabitants, were wiped out America, where they resisted during the horrific years of A project of Agudath Israel of America the temptation to assimilate Chm-ban Europe. and instead built new mosdos Despite the destruction and the despair, the Hatorah and became ardent followers and supporters of slaughter and the sacrifice, great ycshivos and kehillos the great post-war spiritual leaders. The film will be a were rebuilt in America after the war. resource for educational initiatives on the Churban. The courage of the survivors who emerged from •ASHES TO RENEWAL: The Story of a Nation's the ashes to rebuild Yiddish/eeit and change the face of Immortality, the film's companion volume, will retell American Jewry has never been adeguatelv told. Now, the story of that dark era in words and pictures fifty years after the end of that terrible tragedy, through the eyes of Torah Jews. This coffee table-sized, Agudath Israel is spearheading a major dfort to coin hardcover book is intended to be an important addi cide with the 50th Anniversary ofV-E Day, to docu tion to everv Jewish home library. The book will ment both the destruction of Europe's great Torah . . include three major sections. The first, Churban centers and their renewal in the United States and U'binyan, will chronicle the destruction of the major Eretz Yisroel. Jewish centers in Europe and the inspiring rebirth of Kial Yisroel on new shores, through the prism of spe ASHES TO RENEWAL: The Story of a Nation's Immortality will tell the story of the Churban cific families' personal histories. The second, the Family through the eyes of several families that survived the Album, will focus on the stories and memorabilia of horror and devastation to build their lives and commu individual families who survived the horror and rebuilt nities in the United States. It examines how the lives their lives in America. The third, Megillas Zikoron/Scroll and words of their ancestors and Torah leaders were of Remembmnce, will list the names of thousands of able to sustain and inspire them to rebuild and loved ones, friends and relatives, who were murdered strengthen Torah in America. during the years of the Churban and will be preserved in the National Orthodox Jewish Archives.
• Siyum Mishnayos ASHES TO RENEWAL: The Story of a Nation's Immortality Individuals throughout the country will learn encompasses three major undertakings, each designed mishnayos in memory of the kedoshim, culminating in to provide compelling documentation of the lives of Siyumim during Chodesh Iyar. Learning participants Torah Jews before, during and after the Chttrban. will be recorded in the Yovcl Mishnayos Registry.
• A major audio-visual presentation will tell the ASHES TO RENEWAL: The Story of a Nation's story of chur/Jan Europe and the subsequent years Immortality will be unveiled at the Agudath Israel of rebuilding through the personal struggles, chal of America's 73rd Anniversary Annual dinner on lenges, and re-establishment of families in Sunday, May 21, 1995. A national Siyum Mishnayos the United States. It will elicit a picture of the " 1'r>lt"h will take place at the dinner. Dinner participants Yiddish/1cit the survivors experienced during will view the premiere of the film and will receive their youths before the war, and show how r.-iari,~'l a personal copy of the commemorative volume.
THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by theAgUdath Israel of America, 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N.Y. Subscription$24.00per year; two years, $44.00; three years, $60.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $12.00 surcharge per year. Single copy $3.50; foreign $4.50. Churban Europe and The Spiritual Survival of the Jews, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Joseph Geliebter, Ph.D. The Jewish Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y.10038. Tel: 212-797-9000. Fax: 212-269-2843 They're Still Saying Those Things: Printed in the U.S.A. A Journalism Outrage Update
RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR Rabbi Avi Shafran
EDtrORtAl BOARD DR. ERNST L. BODENHEIMER Chalnn1r111 From Government Oppression To American Freedom Bo111ch Shubert RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN The Torah Challenge MANAGEMENT BOARD Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks AVIFISHOF NAFTOLI HIRSCH ISAAC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESIN Planting the Seeds of Joy: Perspectives on the Simcha of Adar NACHUM STEIN Rabbi Yaakov Feitman
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MARCH 1995 VOLUME XXVlll / NO. 2 Letters To The Editor RABBI SHIMON SCHWAB, n:to7 ~~ -ot
s we go to press, we record His first Rabbanus with a profound sense ofloss was in Darmstadt, A the passing on 13 Adar /Feb then in Ichenhausen. ruary 13 of Rabbi Shimon Schwab, In 1935, his rabbinical ;i;n:i?j7"7ll"OT, Mora d'Asra of K'hal career in Germany Adath Jeshurun of Washington was cut short by the Heights, New York City, master Nazis. He moved with teacher, prototype Rav, and articulate his young family to spokesman for uncompromising Or Baltimore, to become thodoxy. Rav of Congregation Born and raised in Kehilla She'arith Israel, a posi KedoshaofFrankfurt-am-Main-"an tion he maintained island in a sea of assimilation... rising until 1957, when he was called by Agudath Israel of America during this above 100 years of Reform domi Rabbi Joseph Breuer to share the past decade were invariably one of the nance," in his own words--he was a Rabbonus of K'hal Adath Jeshurun highlights of the annual gatherings. shining exponent of the teachings with him. Rabbi Schwab eventually His subject matter would vruy from and ideology of Rabbi Samson succeeded Rabbi Breuer, as the sym year to year, from calls to integrity in Raphael Hirsch. In many ways, how bol of integrity and eloquent exposi business dealings, to condemnation ever, Rabbi Schwab was a transi tion of the Hirschian ideal. He guided of the invasive presence of television tional figure who bridged various cus the Kehilla'syeshlva to a new plateau, sets in Jewish homes, to analyses of toms and traditions within Torah and founded a beis midrash, kolleL current issues and trends in the Jewry. At fifteen, after studying under and a teachers' seminary. The broad context of Jewish history. His Rabbi Shlomo Breuer ?"lit, he left Kehilla's beis din stood out as a bea speeches at the Daf Yomi Siyum Frankfurt to study in the Telshe Ye con of probity and its kashrus super Hashas celebrations were also occa shiva-an unprecedented move in vision was widely regarded as the last sions of great impact. Rabbi Schwab those days, but subsequently fol word in thoroughness and consis also graced conventions of Torah lowed by hundreds of others of Ger tency. Eight years ago, Rabbi Schwab Umesorah with his wise counsel and man upbringing who went to study in and the Kehil!a invited Rabbi astute insights in chinuch matters. Llthuanlan yeshivos. He then went to Zachariah Gelley, ~"""'1!>, to join him He published seforim on halacha the Mir, where he developed a close in the Rabbanus, and then to serve as and mach'shava including Selected relationship with the revered his successor. Writings, Selected Speeches, Selected Mashgiach, Rabbi Yerucham Essays. and his monumental Levovitz, and the Rosh Hayeshiva, ver the decades, Rabbi MaayanBeis Hasho'eiva. Rabbi "Lazer YudeI" Finkel. During Schwab's cogent writings Rabbi Schwab leaves a void that his years in Eastern Europe, he vis 0 and forceful public ad cannot be filled-on both the indi ited various communities and spent dresses established him as one of the vidual and the communal level. as time with the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi prime thinkers and guides in our well as in the broad Torah world as a Chaim Ozer Grodzenski ?"T, and times, articulating a clear Torah ap whole. RabbiElchonon Wasserman "l'TI, all proach to the confusing issues con We will.,..,~ write a fuller apprecia of whom made indelibly strong im fronting Klal Yisroel His appearances tion in a future issue. pressions on him. at the national conventions of i1":00Tl.
2 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 he wrote a treatise on electricity and Its halachic ramifications. The sefer, Me'orei Eish, received a glowing ap probation from Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, ?"lit. He later wrote a RABBI number of other seforim, the most widely acclaimed among them, Maadanei Eretz, on the laws of SHLOMO ZALMAN Shmittah, terum0s and maasoros (tithes). The Steipler Gaon sent him a letter strongly praising that sefer. In 1948, after the passing of Rabbi AUERBACH, Yechiel Shlesinger, ?"lit, he was ap pointed to succeed him as Rosh Ye ;cu7~,~~ shiva of Kol Torah, a position he ac tively filled until five years ago. His students fondly recall his warm, en gaging personality and the feeling hese lines are being written on faces with contemporary technologi they received that he genuinely cared the evening after 20 Adar I, cal advances and modem-day situa for each and every one of them and T February 20, upon returning tions. The vast sense ofloss aroused was concerned over all their needs. from the levaya of Hagaon Rabbi by his passing was underscored by Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, j7'"Tll 1:n the huge crowd that followed his aron esides being involved in ;cu?, one of the most beloved and re (casket) to its final resting place in almost all the major organiZa vered Gedolei HaTorah of our time, Har Hamenuchos, a crowd estimated B tions of religious Jewry In widely regarded as the poseik hador. by the police to have numbered over Israel, including a leadership position His halachic responsa deal with the 300,000 people. in the Vaad Hayeshivos and the full gamut of Torah law as it Inter- Born to a prestigious family of the presidency of Irgun Taharas old Yishuv of Yeru H amishpacha, he also found time to shalaytm 84 years ago, advise and guide countless individu he later became als, listening to them with seemingly known as a leader of unlimited patience and his inimi Klal Yisroel in many table, warm countenance. As one of different areas. His fa his sons mentioned at the funeral, he ther, Rabbi Chaim was a personification of the Ghazal: Yehuda Leib Auer "Who is honored? He who honors the bach, ?''lit, was founder creatures." of the Yeshiva of Another son, In a moving hesped Mekubalim, Shaar (eulogy), commented on Reb Shlomo Hashamayim. He was Zalman's singular ability to walk the a beloved mechanech fine tightrope between Emes (truth), to thousands of stu which entails no compromise what dents in Yeshivas Kol soever-especially in the area of Torah for close to half halacha, wherehisexpertisewasuni a century. During this versally acknowledged-and Shalom time, he emerged as (peace), which involves being able to one of the leading live in harmony with Jews ofall walks halachic authorities of of life. Thus an individual, born and our generation. bred In a cloistered neighborhood in As a well-known the old Yishuv of Jerusalem-never child prodigy, he stud leaving Eretz Yisroel during his entire ied in Yeshivas Eitz lifetime--Bucceeded in having his au Chaim under the tute thoritative opinion on the full spec lage of Rabbi Issur trum ofhalachic matters accepted by Zalman Meltzer, ?''lit, virtually all factions of Orthodox who expressed the Jewry, the world over. highest praise for his A more detailed appreciation will young student. When 11"'N appear in a future issue. in his early twenties,
The Jewish Observer, March 1995 3 New for this season - a commentary on the Megillah bY a master of Halachah and Aggadah KOL DODI ON MEOILLAS ESTHER A n eminent Rosh Yeshiva presents a broad and illuminating commentary on the Book ~f Esther. In addition to making the Megillah amazingly clear, he shows how the text ~~ is the. basis for the comments of the sages. [;:1 Deceptively simple yet compellingly profound, Kol Dodi on Megillas Esther Will stand I··;: out as a. classic of the genre. !•; By Rabbi David Feinstein. Overview adapted by Rabbi Nosson Scherman. '" ·~.,,..,..,.,,.,...,.,,.,..,.,.,,..,,.,.,,,.,,,.....,,..,.=.,.,,,.,,..,.,,..,,,.,,..,..,,....,.,.,,..,,..,..,,,.,..,...,,.,...... ,,...,,,..,....,..,....,..,,.,.....,,.,...,,...... ,,,,,,.,..,.,.,,.,,.,..,.,..,.,.,....,._,,,..,,, 1 1 I,.1··.··'..· l.2et! ~f1lt~Jfit~';z~2GStLLal1? .0e· l!t! ~LH?.\!G li!LG!;flLe~\tB1: l7eU.~ th~ ·~~~~~·\lllim~iog·M,,;gi!la$·•.~h~,Th~nrst.•Ar!Scronh()()k ~~ebi~t~s il$ nlne··· · .. · , '. iJJ1n. i.v·.. e······tsa.··.... 1'9 .. ,.·., Th·i·s· is.the translation, c.. · ommen..ta1'9and Overvl···.w.·tryatrevo·····•.·.. ·.. luti..·ornz···.ed···.·. ~····~ t~~ ··. English'language Judaica.• By ~bbi'Nfelr Zlof~, Ovetviw by 1 Rabbi ·~rr.tH<>iil'Gh : .N()sson Schetrnan. .· : ·· ·· The Megnlah (;onyenient, clear, lightweight. Translatiqn, .cap" sule comments, introductions; .Ideal for synagogue and personal use. Economical .for. bulk i>urchases. Ar-tS<·.rn·ll Youth l\liegUla1h Your children .Will love .it (and so Will i you)! Simplified translation. Page-by-page synopsis for very young children. i Magnificent full-color illustrations. The Blessings, laws, introductions: It's a first, l and you won't need a second! Newl(>w price! I Pu1rirn I A bonanl:a of Purim treats. 1 Insights; background, laws and customs; and a new Overview by ·Rabbi Nosson I' I Scherman. Fifth in the acclaimed ArtScrotl Holiday Series•. Compiled by Rabbi Avie Gold. ) Gain new Insight ·into ! From the ArtScroll·Children's Holiday Series•' by YAFFA GANZ - TRACTAT€Me(JI11Ab Purim with Bina, Benny Tbe scborreNSTEtN ebtTION and Chaggai Hayonah The award'winning children's tALMUo··uxm author treats us With a delicacy 22 volumes featuring her cast ofcharacters. A talking dove takes Bina and now available. Benny on a guided tour of Purim's NEW: history, laws, and customs. sanhedrln New - Discounted set of Purim, Perek Pesach, Shavuos, and Tishah B'Av! Ohelek
Available at your local Hebrew bookstore or call l-8()(}.MESOHAH /In NYS: (718) 921-9000 I FAX: (118) 680-1875 F1FTYYEARsS1NCETHEENDOFWORLD WAR II Joseph Geliebter, Ph.D. Churban Europe, and the Spiritual Survival of the Jews We Must Record the Memories Now
Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Herzog !,...r, (center) first chief Rabbi oflsraeL visiting the displaced persons camp in Zalsheim·Frankjurt in I 946. Rabbi Leib Geliebter, ~.,., is second from right.
ALETTERFORTHE to be a Ga.dol in .Kla1 Ylsroel. He was reading of it in a letter in his own GENERATIONS wise beyond his years. He spoke like hand. Having read and re-read the a grown-up, with an extraordinary eulogy of one child by someone close command of language. He was beau tiful like the sun in the sky. He was a to both him and me, I can begin to yfuther, ':>"!,never showed it gifted child, an mui. He already knew recognize the pain of the loss to all of to us when he was alive. the AlephBeis. He had a veiy pleasant Jewry of one and one half million chil M It was while I was looking personality, like his mother. Whoever dren. through his papers about ten years looked at this child could not take his But therewas another document I ago that I found it, a letter he had eyes off him and bought him a gift. found among my father's papers that Such a talented child, lost. I regret all Wlitten to his sister's brother-in-law the losses, but especially of this child, I had not known about. It was a blue and hidden in 1943, in a work <;amp who was dear to me as my own. From print for a mikva near the Displaced Within the Chenstechov Ghetto, and such a child, we would have gained Persons Camp in Zalsheim, Frank retrieved after the war. great benefit. He was one in a thou furt, where he served as a Rav after The letter describes in detail the sand. This was the dear child of your the war. travail and torture that befell his fam brother Hirsch and my sister Rochel. I knew that at the Holocaust's end, ll y in particular and the Jewish "I am writing all this with tears, not ink. How could one forget such a great my father's first instinct-as that of people as a whole. One paragraph neshama? All our dear ones were others-was to rebuild Jewish life. I about the loss of his two-year-old tom away by the roots, in the bloom knew that he saw to the production nephew Yitzchak'l is especially poi of their lives. Our fathers, mothers, of tefillin, taleisim, and other gnant for me: sisters. brothers-taken away from tashmishei kedusha. and that he had "Every moment is a frightening ex us.... Wlitten a histoiy of the Gedolei Torah perience. I write with great fear, be "Remember us and say Kaddish; and Agudath Israel of his own city, see to it thatMishitayos are learned .... cause we are not allowed to stay in Plotzk, out of the simple realization our rooms•.•. He could have grown up The d~ar souls should not be forgot ten .... that there was almost no one else left Though I. as all of us, have read to record the stones. Dr. Joseph Geliebter, a musmach of Me.sivta To and studied much about the Holo But I had scarcely appreciated rah Vodaath, is a clinical psychologist. He served caust, I had never understood in a what it had meant for him and oth on the Oral History Committee of the Agudath Israel's Commission on Holocaust Remembrances. deeper sense the anguish that my ers of the She'aris Hapleita(survivors) and is founder of the Rabbi Leib Geliebter Memo own father had experienced-until to go on With their lives while contain rial Foundation. ing all their pain and rebuild the mag-
The Jewish Observer, March 1995 5 nificent structures of Torah life we the pain. We need to speak of enjoy today. Holding this blueprint in ?"t, strength, not weakness; of pride, not my hands somehow made it all much My father himself, indigoity. more tangible. passed away twenty-one It is in this regard-as has been The reallzation drove home to me emphasized for years by Agudath Is the importance of interviewing those years ago, his papers rael, and most recently, at this year's of the She'aris Hapleitaand recording annual national convention-that we their memories on videotape for their still waiting to be taken who are Torah observant have a spe own families and for posterity. It was cial obligation. While others may em around the same time that I was out and shown to his phasize physical resistance that took privileged to be appointed to the Oral place during the Holocaust, our task History Committee of the Agudath Is children. Until that point, is to highlight the spiritual resistance rael Commission on Holocaust Re that was so common, the Kiddush membrances, which produced he had not yet been able Hashem that was manifest every day. based on interviews It conducted with (See sidebar on page 10.) a representative group of survivors- to fully disclose to them Moreover, we must retrieve a pic the landmark video presentation, ture of the richness of Jewish life be "Faith Amid the Flames: The Untold what-I am sure he fore the war. And we must reflect on Story of Spiritual Heroism in the Ho the rebuilding of Jewish life in its af locaust." realized-eventually termath. We must make our children It was an important start, but feel the pride that after everything our much, much more is left to be done. had to be told. The survivors went through-after pass And the time is now. As our sage Hillel wounds were yet too raw ing through a modern-day kfvshan says: "Ve'im lo achshav, eimasat?" If ha'eish-they did not lose their faith; not now, when? for him, as they were for that after all they endured, they sent It Is for this reason that, working their own children to yeshinos and set closely with Agudath Israel and oth so many who survived. the example of Jewish living accord ers, I founded the Rabbi Leib ing to the mesom for yet another gen Geliebter Memorial Foundation, in eration. my father's memory. fronted and dwelt upon their losses in those first decades, they likely would THE MISSION OF THE CHILDREN TIME TO CONFRONT THE LOSS have been unable to go on with life. OF SURVIVORS They needed to keep busy, to work y father himself, ?"t, passed hard. They needed to re-establish ev hildren of survivors-deeply away twenty-one years ago, erything-their families, their aware of the Churban but not M his papers still waiting to be kehillos. their livelihoods-to restore C having been traumatized per taken out and shown to his children. for themselves a sense of stability and sonally by it-have a special respon Until that point, he had not yet been ensure a brighter future for their chil sibility of passing on this legacy. They able to fully disclose to them what-I dren. need to encourage their parents to am sure he realized-eventually had Today, fifty years after the talk about what happened. It begins, to be told. The wounds were yet too Churban, the wounds are still raw. of course, tn the family; from father to raw for him, as they were for so many Particularly from the perspective of son, from mother to daughter, who survived. Kial YISroeCs history, half a centlll}' is veshinantam levanecha-and you Had these survivors fully con- a relatively short span of time. We are shall teach them to your children. still close to the Holocaust. and I be It begins within the family, but it lieve that we have barely passed becomes more. It becomes the heri through the early stages of mourning: tage of all Kial Yisroel 1 shock, emotional numbness, and a Since we began videotaping last P:!lF!ClfOl t\JtUIA! fear oflosing control over one's emo year, more than 70 oral interviews tions. But it Is time, finally, to con with survivors have already been front the loss if we are indeed to completed. Each has shared tren "TIMELESS FASHION" transmit the legacy of our parents to chant memories of Jewish religious future generations. and spiritual life tn pre-war Europe Your complete in-depth guide It goes without saying that we and during the years of the Churban to halact1os relating must focus not just on the horror, but itself, as well as reminiscences of the rebuilding in the war's aftermath. to theinterchanging of on the heroism-that of those who survived and that of those who did The tntervlews are professionally men's and women's clothing. not. Children and teenagers need he 1 Referring to the Rabbi Leib Geliebter Memorial lli•lrib 6 TheJewishObserver. March 1995 )·.·· ,,;,, ,.. ·:." ···<·· --,.:.·, .·., ', Children and teenagers need heroes, and may Fllllll··Jthif:;,liltl!~~jil-,·· . >·· .·. . ·. < ·' ·.. -:.· ·.< -- :_ ,. > " . ·.. ::::·· ,··.<,":··:>·: '-' ·y·<<·>'·>·; ..:. ;/·::.·.:. ·. ·..·. ·.:.·.::.--::: ..:. :·.·:; :.·:,.: ....'::.'.··:: :.. ::": :;<::::'-<_<_v:::,:::::~_\t:_;i~'.::-/'-':~: not be able to deal with ·•'The~rmansafll1~r;~1a~·. ttia11!Qt1i~~t~~·1~~~~~ the pain. We need to td1''NefeWell~~l)ftljE!Jev\lishhf?lt •. · ing • .. J>ac~.ef! .;f DIGEST OF MEFORS.HIM YESHIVA RABBI SAMSON RAPHAEL HIRSCH 't.11pr, in:i 'Uij), Beth Jacob High School i,•llt i:11i,,?N.?1 The Jewish Obseroer, March 1995 7 ••• One oi the best Asti wines tasted in a 0 < 0 > , long while. M""1 Sdrwom NEW YORK DAILYN!WS •.• Byfarthebestwas Bartenura Ast! Spumante ••• In fact, it teceived the highest rating of any wine ••• Stllttley A. &tin THE WASlllNGTON POST ••• Outstanding from Italy is Bartenura's Astl Spumante, in a delicate yet fnll· flavored mode •.. N8tlum Cbrom .. LOS ANGELES TIMES ... Bartenura Asti Spumante is among the best Asti Wines on the market. Robert M. Parker, ft. THE WINE ADVOCATE RabbiAvi Shafran GREAT STORY, ONE PROBLEM When it comes to the he scene, colorfully painted with words, fairly leaped off the Orthodox ... the rules T news page: Shabbos at the Kosel Ma'arov~ people standing in seem more ... flexible. though, the school should not be so tefilla, a paraplegic in a motorized quick to target her. For while she wheelchair, a group of Chassidim ap clearly Jacks some essential qualifica rages." Coloration and telling modifi proaching him.... tions for a career 1n the press, her all "... like a big-league pitcher [one ers play their roll; yes. But the biggest too-eager superiors are at least as ChassidJ cocked his arm and flung indictment of the misused power of much at fault in the recent, telling the rock at the man in the wheelchair. the press is the very need to state that debacle. The rock hit him in the middle of his the above incident never happened. It forehead, his neck reeled back and is a total fabrication. HONEST REPORTING, blood oozed down his face. Unable to Running a close second, though, is wipe the blood from his eyes, the man COLOR ADDED was blinded .... Then the adorable little the fact that the "report" was not only children, who only seconds ago were accepted by the chairman of the Ari n truth, though, it is the more throwing candy (at a bar-mitzvah boy] zona State University journalism de subtle lie, not the total fabrica turned into savages and started pick partment and deemed an acceptable ing up rocks and hurling them at the I tion, that does the greater harm entry for a course requirement, but to the Orthodox image and commu man. Two of them grabbed the that it was recommended by him, brightly colored prayer shawl from nity. The modem equivalent of the around the man's neck and cracked along with the director of the blood libel is not what should concern it like a whip in his face. university's Walter Cronkite School of us most, but the contemporary twists "Some Americans tried to inter Journalism, for publication in the on the medieval Talmud-attacks. vene but were themselves stoned. university's daily newspaper, The Wildly overambitiousjournalism aca Nearby guards stood by, apparen.tly State Press. demics and venomous demagogues assuming that the man was getting The story was published on No just punishment for his crime~ using like Leonard Jeffries might seem like electricity on the Sabbath." vember 15, read by thousands, and SlJitable objects for justified outrage This story is Exhibit One in this only retracted by the paper when a indeed, they are-but we really law student forced the issue by de presentation of "journalism out- should be more offended by 'The New manding corroborating facts and York Times. none came forward. It was a product In an article dated one month to Rabbi Shafran, who serves as the Director of Pub of the fertile imagination of the Writer. lic Affairs for Agudath Israel of America, is a fre the day from the publication of the The inventive journalism major paraplegic-stoning fantasy, Clyde quent contributor to these pages, including ~In who wrote the piece is now being Challenge, Opportunity, n (Mar. '94), on res ponding Haberman reported for the Times on to media distortions of Orthodox Jewry. threatened with expulsion. Maybe, the Knesset quarrel over a snide com- The Jewish Observer. March 1995 9 ment Foreign Minister Shimon Peres every Jew who accepts our Mesora's Jew who can marry, but is restrtcted made aboutDouidHaMelech, and the placing Douid HaMeleclis "displeas by Jewish law in regard to whom he resultant motion of no-confidence ing of Hashem' into a very different or she can marry-a Jew who, inci made by several religious parties. context from the simplistic one, it be dentally, our tradition teaches, is The Times article did not content trays the essential journalistic man more deserving of respect if he is a itself with recording a religious M.K 's date: objectivity. When it comes to the scholar than a Kohein Gadol who is visible disapproval of Mr. Peres's re Orthodox, though, the rules seem not. marks, or even with noting his anger; more... flexible. The article goes on to refer to a it describes his reaction as an "apo "computerized list, held secretly by plectic rage," conjuring the image of UNTOUCHABLYYOURS, the Religious Affairs Ministry," as if a foaming-at-the-mouth madman to COURTESY THE RABBINATE the prtvate records of Israelis' per depict a feeling Jew who was an sonal status were part of some nefart guished and deeply offended by the en, just over a week later, the ous plot instead of a sensitive (and Foreign Minister's remarks. Two arne author in the same re therefore confidential) effort to pre simple words, "apoplectic rage," but T:spected newspaper struck serve the "Status Quo" agreement they say much to many. again, and again with his bias bla and prevent problems of issurei Another Knesset member is tantly showing. This article, also nesuin (halachically unlawful mar quoted as "scream(ing) 'Shut up!"' datelined Jerusalem, was headlined rtages). when the Hebrew phrase he most "Rabbis Decide Some Israelis Cannot The piece then descrtbes both the likely used could more reasonably Marry." and its lead paragraph set the shock of people who discovered they and more accurately be translated tone for the rest of the piece: were on the "blacklist" (Mr. "Be quiet" A minor point, perhaps, "The young Israeli woman learned Haberman's word) and the noble but augmented further by descrtbing suddenly this year that she could not (mine, but his clear sentiment) efforts his shout as a "scream." lawfully marry her fiance because his of a Reform rabbi in Israel who wants name turned up on a list of people In general, the Times article whom the rabbinical authorities de to "help these people... end the Ortho frames the picture it draws in pointed clared religious untouchables." dox monopoly." Though the article sarcasm and undisguised mockery. "Religious untouchables"? That is gives an observant rabbi the last The tone of the piece not only insults Mr. Haberman's way of referring to a word, it is in the form of a short and ineloquent statement. "We want to keep our tradition," goes the rabbi's quote, the last words in the article. Nowhere in the piece's 800-odd words is there any note of the fact that the state of Israel, at its inception, Just made a decision, not to mention a wise one, topreserveitsJewishchar The Most Amazing Summer ofyour acter by leaving issues of personal status and marrtage to Jewish law, as Fantastic Camping & Touring of Eretz Yisrael agreed upon by the state's founders in a Warm, Secure Sais Yaakov Atmosphere! (David Ben Gurion and Yitzchok Greenbaum) and the leaders of the •Leaving ~"C:i July 5th for Six Exciting, Inspiring and Fun Filled Weeks Agudath Israel World Movement No with a Select group of Wonderful 9th - 10th - 11th grade Girls. where does it point out the obvious •Daily Shiurim from Prominent Rabbonim & Mechanchos. fact that seculartsts, if unwilling to •Just Minutes from Yerushalayim, located on the Beautiful, Modero accept Jewish law's prtmacy in such Campus of Yad Benyamin with a Olympic size Pool, Gym & much more! issues for the sake of the state's unity •Delicious, American style meals-Hechsher Badatz and Rav Landau. and identity, can at very worst marry •Sa and !illcllrlty are always our Top Priority in one of the world's countrtes that z ~~- does not aspire to beingaJewish one. and then return to live in Israel. But that dearth of redeeming de tail is, unfortunately, almost expected Under the Personal Direction of the Renowned Mechanchim, these days. Observant Jews are the Rabbi Sholom G. Ginzberg & Mrs. Chaya Ginzberg press's new pincushions, a group that can be attacked without fear of With over 25 Years of Experience in Chinuch Habanos. charges of racism ("Hey, we're nice to (718)377-0222 1066 E. 23rd St Brooklyn, NY 11210 other Jews!") or anti-religious bias ("Aren't there other Judaisms? Well, Experience the Cueu of Eretz Yisrael! we like them!"). 10 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 OPINION PIECE the "Ultra-orthodox religious estab says in passing, "despise us"- "us" BRING IN THE BIAS lishment," the writer accuses it ofre presumably being non-Orthodox ceiving "illegal" state funding of Or Jews) of being on the verge of e aforementioned examples thodox institutions and of "attempts "achiev[ing] what Yasser Arafat and are from news stories; you can to blackmail" the Israeli government. the imams of Gaza can only dream of imagine how things sound In a similar vein, the Editor-in doing-ending Zionist control over when opinion pieces. where bias Chief of1heJerusalemReport, an En the city the Palestinians claim as their needn't even be disguised, appear. An glish-language bi-weekly, blames the capital." essay, for instance, penned by the Israeli Orthodox for everything from The writer's greatest fear, it seems Executive Director of the Association joblessness to high housing costs and from his words. is the implication of of Reform Zionists of America ap taxes. He calls Yerushalayim "more the fact that 52% of all Jewish chil peared in several Anglo.Jewish peri and more... a place not to live-unless dren in the Holy City are "Ultra-Or odicals recently. In it, the Orthodox you burn file Israeli flag on Israel In thodox." He describes how observant rabbinate in Israel was called "intol dependence Day.... " Jews will, in "partnership with... the erant, anti-democratic, anti-mod He goes on. incredibly. to accuse Arabs, ... wrench control of the city ern.... " In a bid to raise funds to fight the Orthodox (who, incidentally, he from the Zionist usurpers ... [when] TI-Ji;:···+ IllE COMMUTER'S CHAVRUSAH Tum your co1nmute time into learning time. You'll explore fasd11ating ha"lachic issues in the latest series oftapes from R,1bbi Fmml's popular weekly shiurim. Join him as he examines the progression ofhal.1chafrom the Chumash through poskim to current responsa. Eadl tape Hearing the Timeless Message of Torah concludes 1vith h The Jewish Observer. March 1995 11 today's 10-year-olds become trol of the city council?) Do we really welfare and food stamps, the result of tomorrow's voters." A columnist in despise other Jews? her husband "Yankel"'s years in the New York weekly, 'The Fonvard, It makes no difference, of course. KoUeL Though he has now found em seemingly caught short of fresh ma All's fair in the game of Orthodox ployment, the article tells us, "noth tertal, essentially copied the Jerosa bashing. ing he learned in his years of study lem Report fulmtnation in an opinion prepared him to earn a living." piece she graciously entitled "Jerusa CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING While Malkie D. may well exist, her lem-A Haredi Theme Park," adding pathetic plight behind the "wheel for a few phrases of her own, like "the omewhat less inflammatory hire" is one ofa kind among the 1000- Haredi and the rest of us"; and "the ut similarly disturbing por plus Kolle! wives in Lakewood. No enemies of Jerusalem"-a gentle ref ait of Orthodox Jews, this matter. For the purpose of the article, erence to the Israeli Orthodox. time American ones, emerged re she is a convenient point of departure Do we recognize ourselves in those cently from a Jewish Telegraphic to color the Orthodox world as impov portrayals? ls the political give-and Agency article on "Haredim" in this erished and desperate. This is fol take of Knesset politics ever called country. lowed by a de rigueur quote from so "blackmail" when engaged in by the Eight-months-pregnant "Malkie Clologist Samuel Heilman-who has non-Orthodox? Do the Orthodox re D." is the lead-in for the story. She is long managed to see only clouds amid ally covet an alliance with described as a Lakewood resident the Orthodox world's many silver lin Yerushalayim's Arabs? (Wasn't that who "can hardly fit behind the steer ings-which speaks of the "seeds of former Mayor Teddy Kollek's distinc ing wheel" of the car she uses as a failure" that exist in our community, tion, his strategy for maintaining con- car-service drtver. "Malkie" gets by on the result of "keeping people in edu- 'l'ravel BaeI{ 'l'o a World of His wry And Mystique ... From Yehoshua to the prophet Shmuel .. From Hamekch Dovid to Tzikiyahuh... From Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Akiva to the Beis Yosef. .. From the Ari z"l to Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonenfeld. .. From the grandeur of the Beis Hamikdosh to Yavneh V'Chacbomeha. .. From Golus Bovel to a reunited Yerushalayim. .. Experience the true historic appeal of Eretz Ylsroel under the guidance of renowned Talmidei Chachamim in a fun-filled six week tour of Eretz Yisroel with CAMP ESHEL AVROHOM. 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SPACE IS LIMITED: PLEASE RESERVE EARLY AT OUR LOW RATE OF $2,995 '"""- lndllde Alrfanl -..cl AH~ 12 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 cational institutions" for so long. for the article's alarmist contention Agudath Israel's own president, that the 'financial crisis' in the Observant Jews are the chareidi community has created a Rabbi Moshe Sherer, and its Director 'sense of desperation,' but as an ex of Government Affairs and General press's new pincushions, pression of the strong sense of famil Counsel, Chaim David Zwiebel, are ial responsibility that is so prevalent quoted as well In the piece - but, In a group that can be in chareidi circles. tentionally or otherwise, their quotes At a time when the broader Jewish appear in a context that distort their attacked without fear of community appears at long last to be intended meaning. Rabbi Sherer's coming to the realization that Jewish learning is the key to Jewish sutvival, in declaration of pride the success of charges of racism it would be unfortunate indeed if your the KoUel follows immediately after readers were to take from your article the writer's a description of the "large the message that those committed to a children to become a part of [a[ per· in life oflearning are wallowing in material economic underclass of families" manent 'schnorer' class... ") should miseiy. It is a misleading message, an the Orthodox world. The distortion of be understood-not in the context in insidiously dangerous message that Mr. Zwiebel's comment is clear from which it actually appeared. as support his letter of protest and correction, obscures far more than it reveals." published in several papers that had featured the JTA story. We quote: "Most Charet.dim regard it as an unparalleled privilege to see their children grow in Torah learning-and to help their children do so, often at considerable personal sacrifice, through tangible means of financial The Judaic Classics support. At the same time, they seek to inculcate in their children a sense of responsibility, an appreciation of Limited Edition the reality (and the mitzva) that when For Windows or Macintosh the time comes for them to support their own families, they must shoul ONLY $79.95 der their obligation to do so. Nowhere else will you find this much "It is in that context, parentheti lnfonnOl/on cally, that the statement attributed to packed Into a CD-RDM, for this low a price! me in the article {"We don't want our Look at all you get: • Tanach with full nikud Ul1de M9ishy, .· • Rashi on Chumash DagesbLlte Mo~dechai B!n/David; • Talmud Bavli, including Torah Ohr Hebrew/English Word and olhertop·of-lhe~line • Rashi on Talmud Bavli Processor For Windows • Tosafot on Talmud Bavli-a Davka exclusive! 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March 1995 13 Nowhere in the article, by the way, mination to try to set the record is there the slightest mention of straight, our attempt to be heard Why point out how the "Haredi" companies or professionals, above all the ill-will. or of the wide network of Orthodox Agudath Israel of America re Orthodox take care of Chessed organizations like Tomchei sponded to each of the two Times Shabbos or Project COPE that pro pieces; our letter on the second one themselves when one's vide assistance or job counseling to (or, atleast, most ofit) was published, members of our community. Why but it was the only one that appeared agenda is the portrayal point out how the Orthodox take care on the topic. One letter on the first of themselves when one's agenda is piece, from a different party, was of quite the opposite? the portrayal of quite the opposite? published as well. A large newspaper like the Times, to be falr, receives dates for publication. DISPATCH LETTERS, NOT ROCKS hundreds of letters a day and can We dispatched responses to the only print a small handful. But if a other articles mentioned above, as e may as well face the fact: particular topic elicits only a small well. There is no replacement, All that we have for coun number ofletters, it is likely deemed though, for thoughtful grass-roots re W tering the public hotzo'as oflimited interest to readers, and let action to the outrages of the press. sheim ra (slander) is our own deter- ters addressing it, less likely candi- Numbers count. And so it behooves all of us who Tt1URMBllOS., WORLDCNEest:CO., IMC., NEWYOf\K N.;-i come across inaccuracies or mislead I ing portrayals of Orthodoxy in the press to take the time and make the effort to respond. Local Jewish peri odicals, all-too-often prime violators of the ideal of impartial reporting, should certainly be prime candidates for our responses to the sanie. But even the folks at places like The New York Times, if made to real ize that we Orthodox wield not rocks but pens, might be less inclined to portray us as cavalierly as they some times are wont to do. • The Yitti Leibel HELPLINE No Pfob!'em JS Too8ig., No _Ptobleri'i ls TocrStnaft., 0, ls' ther~_ SO'me'ter~bt_e thing happening irt your ram-ily that y0;'U :are arra«lor -Mba:med to tell anyone? tJ ~te you _a_-t~ __of _young- adult- ba\>lng problems that ate too ,,difficult fo~ -you to liandlei? 0 Are yoU,_,_single rit~mittriedi alid :-experiencing This Purim, when you send perSOnator intet-pets(>rial oonfliciS'l1 your little ones out to deliver 0 Arii you siltlpty oo_nftonted 'With a' shuaU,on that' Mishloach Manos, send r_equites you to find :an objective tisten_er'l along something spedal-Haolam Cheese. Cheese, you're giving wholesome goodness $orile o_f ib'e_-1'orah COJi1Mlinity's highly' skilled -nature's finest gifts for this special holiday. tbetapt~_ts :a~-: available to _talk to you -on -the Haolam Cheeses add variety phone, with -total anonymity. to "Shalach Manos" -a wheel ofHaolam So this Purim, don't give stale cake, , , , , , , Gouda or Muenster, our popular Smoked loose popcorn, or crumbling cookies. H*O*U*R*S Cheese Sticks, or your favorite triangles. Give the gift that's good for you ... and Monday-Friday (Day) 8:00 AM-12:00 Noon I - Monday-Thursday (Eve.) 8:00 PM-11:00 PM And when you give a bottle the little ones, too! Sunday 9:00 AM-12:00 Noon of wine, a nice piece of fruit, and Haolam This year, smile, give cheese, and say 9:00 PM-11:00 PM HAPPY PURIM mr; lllOST TRUSTED l'!Alllf; 11'1 CHOWVYISROEL cur;r;sr; 14 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 ON THE ------A TorahPhone Program • Select any Mishnah from any Mesechta*. • All Shiurim begin whenever you call. • In English or Yiddish** • Instantaneous Rewind, Fast-Forward & Pause. • Volume & Speed Control. • Bookmark Capability. TorahPhone is a computerized tele-study system featuring Dial-A-Oaf, Mishnah-on-the-Phone, and Dial-A-Shiur. The subscription rate per program is $8 per month. The third program is FREE. There is a $36 registration fee. To sample TorahPhone dial 718-435-3492. *Available only in NYC Dedication opportunities available, call for information. **in progress ; A VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION! ~ ;::: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL OR WRITE -"' ~z w w TORAH COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK ~ 1618 43rd Street I Brooklyn, New York I 1204 "'0 z "'Vi I :!5 7 I 8-436-4999 THURSDAY EVENING - 50 YEARS LATER: A NATION OF SURVIVORS FACES NEW CHALLENGES Rabbi Avroh01n Pam, Rabbi 'laakov Perlow (Novonzinsker Rebbe), Rabbi Avrohom Ausband, Reb YosejFriedenson; Rabbi Dovid Weinberger (Chairman). 2 tapes. MOTZOEI SHABBOS - KEYNOTE SESSION Rabbi Yosef Harati·Raful, Rabbi Elya Svei, Rabbi Moshe Sherer, Rabbi Usher Weiss, Rabbi Aharon Dovid Dunner; Rabbi Avrohom C. Feuer (Chairman). 2 tapes. SUNDAY MORNING -THE WORLD AROUND US: RISKS OF EXPOSURE/COSTS OF INSULARITY Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Horcrr»itz (Bostoner Rebbe), Rabbi Ezriel Tauber, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman; Rabbi Nissan Wolpin (Chairman). 1 tape. 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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 11 I I I I --~ - PLtAS£ PRINT ALL INFORMATION CLEARLY - ADDRF.SS_·~·------ CITY/STATEIZIP Mail this order form tvith check or payment-information to: Agudath Israel of America/Convention Tapes, 84 William Street, New York, NY 10038 Baruch Shubert from Government Oppression to American freedom- A First-hand Report on Brooklyn's Recent Wave of Syrian Jews EMERGING FROM DECAD Baruch Hashem, our brethren year-old Syrian boy wearing jeans OF ISOLATION from overseas are now able to enjoy and a T -shllt, who only spoke Arabic, the abundant personal and political came to me and told me he wants to en the news came out this freedom offered by a hospitable learn Torah," the rabbi recalls. "When past October that nearly all American sOciety. But, as Torah-ob I asked him if he had ever learned W of Syria's 4,000 Jews had servant Jews, we are naturally quite Gemora before, he told me that he emigrated from their native country. concerned with their religious status. had met a local Ashkenazi yeshiva Jews everywhere breathed agreat sigh Have the new New Yorkers main student who taught him a page. 1his of relief. For decades, these helpless tained their lifestyle of adherence to was inspiteofthefact that neither one Victims of government persecution basic Torah tradition In the land of spoke the other's language. The rash and societal anti-Semitism were an liberty and openness? Has their time yeshiva tested him and the boy un important focus of the Jewish tested faith survived the transition derstood the content." Informed by community's concern. They had suf from closely guarded Middle Eastern the youngster that his father would fered through riots, surprise arrests mores to America's unfettered pur not be keen on having him enroll in a and lengthy incarcerations on un suit of pleasure? Conversely, have school as "strict" as Ateret Torah, the founded charges, severe restrictions years of isolation from the main two rabbonim met with the father to on basic freedoms such as the right to stream of Orthodox Jewry rendered obtain his permission. Surprisingly, travel and engage in business, dis them unable to adjust to a commu the man consented; In his words, "If crimination in employment, and open nity dedicated to Torah study and somebody wants to do a miizva, are displays of brutal oppression over re meticulous mitzva observance? you allowed to stop him?" ligious activities. Years ofbehind-the Anotherincidentinvolvesamother scenes negotiations with President THE STRENGTH OF THEIR who brought her son to be registered Hafez Assad by American and Israeli COMMITMENT in the yeshiva. When asked ifshe had leaders engendered official permission other children, she replied that an for Syria's Jews to leave beginning in ccording to Rabbi David older daughter had been registered In April of 1992. Over 3,000 of them Ozeirey, administrator and a local co-eel yeshiva. Hoping to per came to the United States so they A mechanech at Yeshiva Ateret suade the mother that the girl would could join their compatriots in Syrian Torah in F1atbush (which serves the fare better religiously under Ateret communities such as the well-known area's Sephardic population). these Torah's auspices, Rabbi Ozeirey asked enclave in Brooklyn's F1atbush section. transplanted Syrian Jews are main to meet her. As they all sat together, taining their commitment, and then the rabbi remonstrated with the Boruch Shubert, a publicist and journalist by pro+ fession, lives in Brooklyn. some. "Two years ago, a fourteen- mother - "Do you want your daughter The Jewish Observer. March 1995 17 to end up during the summer in par permit aJew to wear an item of cloth tzenius (modesty) was carefully ties with boys on the beach?" And the ing in public that indicated the Jew guarded. All of this was a natural ex mother indignantly replied, "I didn't ish religion. If someone wore a tension of Syria's glorious Torah-ob allow my children in Syria to go mixed yarmulke or displayed tzitzis in the servant heritage; the Rambam wrote swimming; they went tD the public pool street, he would be severely beaten that Aram Sovah (Aleppo) was a city with the Muslims - who don't allow and taken to jail. In the synagogue, of sojrim and talmidei chachwnim. rnixEd swimming." praying in Hebrew was allowed and Today-forthefirsttimeinover2,000 The persistent allegiance to Torah the Torah could be read aloud-but years-there is no minyaninAleppo. behavior among Syrian Jews is even they could not translate the Torah in The Jewish community in Syria more impressive in view of the diffi school for learning purposes. The had kept the flame of authentic Ju culties they faced back home in Mukhabarat (secret police) could daism burning throughout the cen mitzva observance. In general, their come into the synagogue on Simchas turies under a succession of sover confined circumstances created a Torah and send everybody home for eignties that included Roman, Byzan vacuum of accurate Torah knowl no reason. tine and various Muslim empires. edge. Te.fillin were typically pasuL While living a full-fledged religious The heavy hand ofoppression was felt having been unchecked for many life In Syria may have been exceed most painfully beginning in the years because of the absence of ingly problematic, Jews there were l 940's when military dictatorships sofrimand appropriate stam(scribal) nevertheless devoted to the Torah's antagonistic to the newly emerging materials. During the I 980's, Chief foundations. Everyone was shomer state of Israel began to enact harsh Rabbi Avraham Hamra had to send Shabbos to the extent of his or her decrees against their Jewish citizens. two students to America to learn the knowledge; people did not ride In The chief aim of these governments specifics of shechita. Yeshivos and cars, shop, or go to work, and made was to prevent the Jews from emi centers ofworship existed, but due to sure to attend services in the syna grating to Israel, which they felt Syria's isolation from the rest of Klal gogue. Children were trained-in ye would strengthen Syria's Jewish Y'1SroeL many Jewish residents had shiva and at times by parents-to be nemesis. President Assad, who took little awareness of routine halachos. gin each day by reciting the morning power in 1970, eventually exhibited a Syria's repressive atmosphere had prayer service and saying Tehillim As willingness to negotiate the issue of some very practical impact on daily the story about the girl who swam Jewish emigration, leading to the Jewish life. The government did not with religious Muslims indicates, 1992 exodus. Send me: Include $5 for QlY TOTAL Shpg.;Hndl.. 10% for Newest In the Series $112 ---- Canada-overseas Pesach Gift Pack $ 36 for orders over $72 - MC, Visa _GreatBiographies $144 No. _____ Intro Pack $ 9.99 Exp.date __~ /\flake checks payable to Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, lv'lail to ShaarCommunications, (include your name, address, tel.) P.0.8. 577, 321 Rt. 59, Tallman, NY 10982 Call for a complete tape listing (914) 368-0960 • 24-Hourfax Line (914) 368-0940 18 The Jewish Obseroer, March 1995 MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF cent emigres constitute a majorily of and have become more comfortable SMOOTH TRANSITION the membership. When necessary. with Brooklyn's street life. A number Individuals avail themselves of adult of adults found the nisayon of y all indications, the emigres education outlets. which range from parnassa too difficult and took jobs were quickly assimilated into classes in Arabic that provide in requiring them to work on Shabbos. B Brooklyn's Orthodox commu struction in taharas hamishpaclw. to Ironically, they needed less education nily. Seven hundred children were periodicals in the mother tongue that to survive in Syria than on Kings placed in Brooklyn yeshivas-not one explain the fine points of kashrus and Highway, in Flatbush; there, in a child went to a public school. Once all shopping for kosher food. The youth sense, the ghetto protected them. the area yeshivas had been filled to ca have largely remained in yeshiva. Securing gainful employment has pacily, however, there were still some with many attaining laudable levels of unfortunately been difficult for many 80 youngsters not placed. Word was success in limud lw.Torah. Lamenta of the newly resettled Syrian Jews. sent out on a Shabbos among the lo bly, there are always exceptions to the Their occupational backgrounds cal Syrian populace that whoever rule. Some of the teenagers could not range from professional (doctors. law lacked a yeshiva for their child should find their place in the yeshiva world yers, pharmacists, accountants, come toAteretTorah the next Sunday morning for open enrollment in an as yet-unformed school. "It was like a scene out of Ellis Island at the turn of the centuiy. with eveiybody waving passports and pleading that their chil dren have to go to a yeshiva." Rabbi MARRIAGE. Ozeirey remembers. "We took some available space in a nearby yeshiva. COMMUNlCATlON borrowed a menahel and rebbe'im from our talmidim. and by Tuesday & RELATlONSH\PS CMWN FR.CM n~E WEU.ll'RNli Of . morning we had a new yeshiva." C.HAZAl AND DIFfERENT lDRAH TIX1' The enormous responsibilily ofcar -Set of 5 Tapes $18.00- ing for the Syrian emigres upon their arriVal in New York was handled skill fully by the Sephardic Bikur Cholim of F1atbush. under the close guidance of its First Vice-President, Dr. Mayer Ballas. The doctor suspended his prac tice so that he could oversee the re settlement with proper attention. ''We picked them up at the airport. prepared cooked meals for them, put them In hotels ... we even set up a big minyanat one of the hotels for the High Holidays," Anenfiglttenfng&i1lSjliritig.study jor . . ... · .... ·. · .. ·.. • · · Dr. Ballas recalls. "NYANA (the New FJ: ••·······.·• h Punm&allyeanauM York Association for New Americans) 5C er had a temporary office at the Bikur 1he.I.f8ht that Shone in the -Oarkest cf1imes Cholim to help us process them and deal with all their problems. We exerted ASix Tape Series - Set: ~ SPECIAL FOR PURIM $251 all these efforts, including making housing arrangements. because we 1r------, - ORDER FORM - I wanted the immigrants to stay with I NAME_. I their contemporaries in F1atbush and keep their traditions." : ADDRESS I For the most part. it appears that I CITY/STATE/ZIP I the Syrian Jews who have settled in Brooklyn since their arrival In 1992 ~ I would like to order the foUowmg tape set(s), I have enclosed a check : have strengthened their religious I 0 Special Set of 13 Tapes· $45.00 for $ I commitment and become a thriving I D Megilas Esther · 6 Tape Set - ~ $25 payable to I part of the surrounding Orthodox I D Marriage Communication & Relationships -$18 Ayelet I D Marriage the Exquisite Avcxlah -$18 0 Out 3 Mitrvot -$15 H h h I culture. On any given Shabbos. they I as ac ar can be found praying in Congregation I 0 Pkase send me a FREE catalog! . . I Achiezer. a major Sephardic bet .·.LReturn form w/payment to: Aye!et Hashachar, 806 Donan Ct., Far Rockaway, NY l 1691.J halcrlesset in F1atbush. where the re------~------The Jewish Observer. March 1995 19 teachers) to blue-collar (tailors, larly older tndividuals, have not man Call 1-800-KIRUV-84 simple laborers). Because of their im aged to master English, thus rematn migrant status, some of the white-col ing separated from American com (1-800-547-8884) lar people have encountered limita merce. And many blue-collar work To contact Agudath Israel of America's tions-doctors, for tnstance, have to ers, such as coppersmiths, have dis Information Hot Line be recertified, so some are working covered that their skills are worthless part-time in established medical of In the United States. Employment fices until they receive their license. levels are high among the younger Some of those with skills useful to Syrians, though, stnce they find it their neighbors have managed to easier to ac!Just to the local bustness earn a livtng by starting a new busi scene. The community is working at ness. Two key factors have prevented providing assistance. The Sephardic many from duplicating the financial Bilrur Cholim, for example, runs En stability achieved in their native glish programs for them and NYANA country. A sizable segment, particu- is retraining many tndlviduals. MERCAZ TEACHER TRAINING invites Rabbeim, Moros, Parents and the general public to its annual major chinuch LECTURE given by r.siiR RABBI NOACH ORLOWEK N"U'~tu the perfect review for daf yomi ti''"u,,, ,,,::i inc n::t'UI' 'ln,, "'l111~ Each Oaf is read TRANSLATED, EXPLAINED, RAISING SLOWLY & QEARLY in 20 minutes or less. Each tape ronsists of approximately 5 Blatt in their entil>'ty for only $3.00 (plus S&H)! A POSITIVE CHILD (ll)i'Tl (6)li'l!Jl'1 (10)i10'C (8)i17'l~ IN A NEGATIVE WORLD: (19)fO"l (6)10i',l.m 20 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 AND SOME WENT ON TO ISRAEL: and to allot substantial stipends to beforehand, the man passionately CONTRASTS AND SIMILARITIES Brooklyn yeshivos to cover the costs declared, "I left behind four stores of the Syrian students that were en With all their merchandise in Syria f the 3,600 Syrian Jews who rolled. and came to America because I want came to New York City, ap Rabbi Ozeirey's personal experi my children to learn Torah." A week O proximately 1,000 later went ences With the Syrian families on a later he was sporting a hat and grow on to live in Israel. When they were day-to-day basis reveal just how pro ing a beard. brought to the absorption centers, found their temimus really is. An older And then there is the woman who they were greeted by Yad L'achim couple came to his yeshiva With a left Syria years ago as a teenager and workers, whose diligent efforts proved rather unusual problem. It seems is today both a religious parent of an quite fiuitful-the Syrians were suc that the man had come to the Uruted Ateret Torah student, as well as a cessfully integrated into religious States With two Wives (as permitted to teacher of an adult class in taharas neighborhoods and their children Sephardim by halacha), and now he hamishpacha. were placed in haredi yeshivos. But was worried about the American law those who had escaped from Syria a prohibiting bigamy. When the man, he Jewish people-Kial few decades ago and went to their who still expressed love for both Y'isroel-is a nation that has families in Israel are not observant women, was asked which solution T been exiled to the four corners today. The Jewish Agency unleashed would make him comforiable, all con of the earth. Each locale has its own its usual de-Judaizing program on cerned replied that they would abide particular brand of golus, its own set them, and todayYad L'achim can not by whatever the chacham would de of spiritual and physical challenges. even gain entry into thetr homes. cide. Either woman was Willing to give In this era of Ikvesa D'Meshicha By contrast, Sephardic Jews were up her husband if the rabbi so de when we feel closer to Moshiach:s ar in the forefront of those insuring cided! rival and experience the beginillngs of proper absorption of the influx ofSyr On another occasion, a man who Kibbutz Goluyos--those of us fortu ian Jewry into Brooklyn. An impres was not yet observant came into nate to dwell In benevolent societies sive $21 million was raised by the Ateret Torah's beis midrash and in are called upon to welcome acheinu communities of Mexico, Panama, sisted that his children be enrolled bnei Yisroel with all available re Brazil and New York City to settle the there. When informed that certain sources, as so many have done on travelers in suitable living quarters processing procedures were required behalf of the Jews from Syria. • A NEW CA.MP ~yi~~:~~~~~~~ight to tioq~~w~~thejoccl!tted. • Emphasis ondkijycl!avrusos kii .•. • Exciting hikes and adventp>'es j, ]~·~\1 '(~;,:·. \·'(t .. •:.• q3ilydelici6\iSAi!\erl~~~Q:{emeals( llfr&R'LandaU.:ffl/:shg{iclt;) • '»>;<~;,·,.~{·,: '• ,-, ; !.\ti ~afety'& security ~p>'#l Pf.IOJ':ity '.~;.·.·--; ·\' .. I Full 'P?,*·pro~~tid~ng· • \;;:,· - <\y_<:_,- .;Medical p~t~Olllte1;!'!1~1\~\ ·• v;at oht'll@azlrigl)ll~w inlf oducto,ryfate f•i;,;;J '\,,\ Only$298'} f ' .additional expetlsesj. ~t1~efllll1tiong'aui;' Direptora'f7'ltr,945;~22,·••.. '".•""'"''y·'~ 'ri.!IW!Oafilp·····./-;,, --··-·- -·'opei!d"";#lll! - .,,,.,,,. _____ ,.,,,. . The Jewish Observer, March 1995 21 Tbe prof oun~ legac~ of Rav S imon Sc wab l i v e s 0 H . Listen to bis inspiring sbiurim1 captureo forever on auoio cassettes. is easy to lose sight of what davening is 1all about-- especially ifyou do it three times a day. Which is why Rav Schwab)s z)tl shiurim on tefiloh are so important. Now you can subscribe to these shiurim on cassette and enjoy them in the comfort of your car, office or home. Finally, you can fully understand the meaning and significance of each tefiloh as you listen to the divrei Torah of a true Godo! Hadar. Rav Shimon Schwab 7"17:i ------P1 EASE FILL OUT THE Oh.DER FORM AND RETlJRN TO: !YUN TEFILOH TAPES Yeshiva R.S.R. Hirsch, 100 Bennett Avenue, Address ______New York, NY. 10033 You can fax your credit card order to 212 928-7080 City/State------Phone ______PLEASE SEND ME: __ The first series* (Adon Olam -Hodu) PAYMENT __ The second series** (Hodu - Yishtabach) My check for$ ------ __ The third series*' (Yishtabach - Shemah) payable to Yeshiva R.S.R. HIRSCH is enclosed. Cost of any single set ( 10 tapes) $10 I prefer to pay by credit card: 0 Master Card 0 Visa Cost of any two sets (20 tapes) $180 Cost of the entire set of 30 tapes $250 Credit Card# ------Expiration Date _____ Year ___ __ Rav Schwab's z 'tl Haggadah tapes (set of two) Cost $25 *Sponsored in memory of Mr_ Irving Grunher;ger z,l by his children & grandchildren Authorized Signature ------**Sponsored t'n memory ofJacob & Rose Sirgel z'l by their children andgrandchil.dren nglo-Jewry has many weak then milzvos are no longer milzvos. ChiefRabbi Dr: nesses. But it has one great They become instead mere customs or trength. Until now, the vast traditions without Divine authortty, to Jonathan Sacks majority of its members have been Or be revised or discarded at will. thodox, If not always in practice, then in affiliation. They belong to Orthodox ' ~individual who has not taken synagogues. They subscrtbe, atleastin this step remains, as the principle, to the tenets ofour faith. Last ambam explains in his Com year almost eighty percent of syna mentary to the Mishna, within the gogue marrtages took place under Or community of faith. He may not yet thodox auspices.1his is not everything. learn Torah but he believes in Torah. But neither is it to betaken lightly. He may fulfill only some of the com It means that as a community we mandments, but he believes in the have standards, and those standards milzvos and in the Metzaveh. A com are Orthodox. The Akeidas Yitzchok munity which has stayed Orthodox is says that there is a difference between one in which Torah can llourtsh. That a country whose citizens are at fault, is what has happened in Anglo-Jewry and a country whose laws and stan In recent years. More young people dards are at fault. In the first instance, are going to yeshivas. There are more The Torah Challenge We live in a time of the sins are sins of individuals. In the shiurim than ever before. New second, they are sins of the whole mikvaos are being built at an unprec ideological confusion. We community. Once a whole community edented rate. Standards of obser are subjected to stirring loses its standards, everyone within it vance are rtsing throughout most of suffers. Thus far Anglo-Jewry and the our congregations. These are great calls for "Achdus" (unity) as communities it has inlluenced-Aus achievements, and they are crttical to a pretext for ignoring insur tralia, South Africa, Canada, New our future as a people. mountable barriers that Zealand-have all stayed within the They are critical not least because boundartes of our faith. They have re of our concern-not only in Anglo separate those who live by mained Orthodox. And that is of fun Jewry but throughout the Jewish the principles ofour faith damental importance. world-for Jewish continuity. We It is important because, in these know through long histortc experience from the exponents ofa communities, Orthodoxy is looked up that there is only one way to secure Judaism without the basics to by the overwhelming majortty of Jewish continuity: through Torah and Jews, not as a minority option, G-d milzvos. A few years ago a remarkable ofemuna forbid, but as the authentic, norma research finding appeared in the On the pages that fol tive voice of Judaism. This is a pow United States, where outmaniage had erful fence around the Torah. become an epidemic. It showed that of low, we reprint a statement !tis important because, once an in those who outmanied, 92 per cent of from Rabbi Dr. Jonathan dividual has taken the fateful step out women and 99 per cent of men came side of Orthodoxy, the circuit joining from homes where religious obser Sacks, Chief Rabbi ofGreat him to something so much greater vance was low to minimal. Fulfillment Britain's United Synagogue, than him is broken, rachmono litzlon. of the milzvos remains the only effec in which he clarifies his An individual who does not believe in tive banier against outmaniage. Only Torah min haShomayim has cut him a community that believes that Torah stance on this issue. This self off from living connection with and mitzvos are "our life and the statement originally ap Shomayim He has severed his links length of our days" will, in the long with the faith of his ancestors. He has run, be granted life and length of days. peared in The London cut himself off from what Rav Saadia Rabbi Moshe Sherer of Agudas Tribune, the weekly publi Gaon declared made us a nation, our Yisroel in Amertca is absolutely light Torah, which alone unites the Jewish when he says that programs of Jew cation ofAgudath Israel of people across centuries and conti ish continuity based on a rejection of Great Britain. nents. And lfTorah is no longer Torah, Torah are a contradiction in terms. The Jewish Obseroer. March 1995 23 They are bound to fail, and they de the coming years is a strengthening of ndeniably, though, Anglo serve to fail. But because the vast ma Jewish commitment through pro Jewry faces a danger. The jolity of Anglo-Jewry identifies with grams of outreach such as those pio U Masorti (akin to the Ameli Orthodoxy it is still possible to launch, neered by SEED and other Torah can Conservative movement-edit01j as l have done, a fund to resource pro based groups, through a yeshiva movement is currently engaged in a grams for Jewish Continuity which trained university chaplaincy, and country-wide campaign to start new will be based solely on Torah and other similar initiatives. There is no branches, particularly in the Prov mitzvos, a fund administered, distrtb other way of securing continuity than inces. The specific danger is that it is uted and kept entirely separate from through true Torah teaching and the being conducted with what seems to the independent Jewish Community power of genuine Jewish expelience. be a genuine attempt to mislead. Un- Allocations Board. What will emerge in Of that, I have no doubt. like its Amelican counterpart, the Masorti movement in Britain has claimed to be "orthodox," "tradi tional," "halakhic," and the true heir to minhag Anglia. It has even claimed that the late Chief Rabbi J .H. Hertz, 7"Yr, one of the most forthlight de fenders of Orthodoxy Anglo-Jewry has known, was a Conservative Jew. Ghazal said that there are seven kinds ofganovim, but the worst ofall is gonevdaas hnbriyos. The worst kind of dishonesty is intellectual dishonesty. None of these Masom claims is true, and over the past ten years I have de voted, through my writings and Includes C and Advanced C with Unix, C+ +, SQL with Oracle. speeches, more effort than any other 8 month program meets on Sundays and evenings. Orthodoxwliter known to me to show • For experienced programmers• only ing in detail how and why they are un • Very limited space • Classes begin right after Pesach. TRAINING true. The attempt to mislead Anglo- • Free job placement assistance upon successful AT Jewry into thinking that a movement completion of training. can abandon its faith in Torah min ·~-~Wplli-- COPE haShomayim. adjust Jewish law to the Call today: 212-809-5935 Ext. 13 INSTITUTE secular fashion of the times, and still be counted within Orthodoxy is disrepu table and unforgivable. I have said this ARE YOU MOVING? consistently and publicly. Masorti IS YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PRINTED know this, which is why I have always INCORRECTLY ON THE IO MAILING LABEL? been attacked by their spokesmen. Alone amongst Orthodox rabbis, I We need your help to.ensure proper delivery of the JO to your home. Please published a detailed refutation of the attach .current mailing labeHn.the space below, or print clearly your address Masorti position in the Jewish press ten and compu~rprocessing numbers that are printed above your name.on the years ago. Since then I have continued to address label. ' publish extensive crttiques of the Masorti position, alongside expositions of Ortho ADDRESS CHANGE FORM doxy, which can be drawn on by all those !Alfi~ label here) who are called on to defend our faith. nt.i?'O nxi!l'l) .!t.l::mn~1 m'l~? m 'D>n '41::1 Name~~~~--'--'~~....,.~~-,..,~.,..-~~~~~~""--~ nr.i?w ?t 24 The Jewish Observer. March 1995 Let me say explicitly that there has diction with it. and to malntatn as fur been no covert "deal" between the as lies within my power and with Chief Rabbinate and Masorti: none siyatn. diShmaya, the position of Or discussed, none proposed, none for thodoxy as the alllliation of the ma Large Selection of: mulated, none contemplated. The po jortty of the community. •BOASALINO sition of the Court of the Chief Rabbi The present moment is full of pos •BILTMORE •STETSON (London Beth Din) on Masorti mar sibilities for the Torah world. In a gen •PANIZZA rtages and conversions has been a eration of confusion, people are seek •RAFFAELLI matter of public record since the early tng clear guidance. In an age of cyni l 980's and there has been no change. cism, people are searchtng for genutne nor will there be. Neither marrtages belief. The Jewish world is slowly com SHIRTS o TIES o ACCESSORIES nor conversions performed under tng to realize that It can only sustatn Daily 11:30 - 7 463 t!llSlnet non-Orthodox auspices are valid in itself tnto the future by turning back sun. 10'.30 • 6 T11e1. 2:30 • 7 -(7181.. ·-·-*9-7420 Jewish law. Any suggestion to the to what Torah Judaism has always contrary is pure fiction, put forward proclaimed. Now Is not the time to de by Masorti spokesmen, presumably feat ourselves by self-tnflicted tnjuries with the intention of misleading and tnternal dissension. Instead it is Masorti members and potential a time to strengthen one another, each members that theirs is a credible al according to our partieular contrtbu ternative to Orthodoxy. It is not. as I tion. May Hashem send bracha and have made repeatedly clear. hatzlacha to the work of our hands. An individual who does not believe in or those who seek clartty. let Torah min haShomayim has cut himself me make my position abso off from liVing connection with F lutely clear. My task is at all Shomayim He has severed his links with times to strengthen emuna, to in the faith of his ancestors. He has cut crease the fulfillment of mitzvos, to himself off from what Rav Saadia Gaon articulate in all contexts and con declared made us a nation, our Torah, stituencies the values ofTorah, to op which alone unites the Jewish people pose those views which are tn contra- across centuries and continents. • • office & school fumlfure • partitions •bookcases • chairs • accounting supplies • file cabinets • rubber stamps • computer furniture • copier, laser, fax papers • toners • typewriter & printer ribbons • flllng systems • computer supplies LET US HELP YOU MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE ATTRACTIVE AS WELL AS EFFICIENT • Fax Us Your Order • Corporate Accounts Welcome• Free Delivery COMPLETE OFFICE PRODUCTS 793 MCDONALD AVE. (nea. D•lmas Ave.) B'klyn, NY 11218 OPEN MON.·THURS. 9-6, FRI. 9·'1WO Hours Before Sundown ~ The Jewish Obseroer. March 1995 25 By Rabbi Yaakov Feitman "Rebbi planted something joyous on Purim" (Megi/Ja Sb). Chazaf teach us with this state Perspectives on th ment that on Purim we can Motherhood. Apple Pk. Simcha. plant the seeds of Some things are just above criticism.andbeyondreproach. joy in our heart so Or perhaps not. Thtrpassion forjoy as away oflifeiscer that we will always tainly ernbraced by the Chl1ssidim as a leifmotifandmain serve Hashem stay oftheir approachlo life. Theyfollow the .dfct4m of withsimcha Rabbi Nachman·of Breslov "T'>l:U'1 i'l~l"l'l'l'l?.nm~ i'l~"ft is a rnitzva lobe con.stantlyjoyous."1 (Chiddushei HaRim; Se/as On the other hand, one ofthe majorhalachic: authorities of Bmes, Purim Reb Nachman 's owntime, Rabbi YaakovLorberbaum of Lisa, author ofthe Nesivos Hamishpat, warns in his Ethical 5646, 184). A CELEBRATION, WITHOUT People of Israel. We were saved from everything has returned to the way it HAPPILY EVER AFTER annihilation at the hands of a power was. It is true that we have been ful and ruthless enemy. We had a saved from a horrtble death and for ven the most casual reference spiritual as well as physical revtval. 4 that we are surely grateful. It would to Purtm gladdens the heart The sanctity of the Jewish body as appear, however, that the level of ela E and brings a smile to every well as its soul was verified for all eter tion requtred for Halle! is absent on Jewish face. The sheer intensity of the nity. 5 Surely these victortes naturally Purtm. simchn of Purtm is demonstrated by result in a day of joy which overflows • The final verses of the Megilla tell the fact that it is the only Yorn Tovthat to affect an entire month. us of the fame and glory Mordechai changes the complexion of the entire But there is another side to this sa has achieved. He is now second to the month in which it is celebrated. cred coin, which would seem to mod king, revered and honored by all. Succos may be the Biblical Z'man erate our celebration and perhaps Well, almost all. It seems the group Simchoseinu-the Season of Joy even cast a pall over our festivities. In whose opinion might mean the most but Tishrei remains profoundly som three different areas, we find that the to Mordechai-his own colleagues ber durtng its entire first half. Adar, Purim events concluded with a less was not as impressed as the general on the other hand, is irradiated with than fully satisfactory result. populace. The Megilla records that the joy of Purim from its very first • Why don't we recite Ha!lel on Mordechai was-"popular with the moments.3 Purtm? One of the answers given in multitude (larov) of his brethren." The On the surface, this certainly the Gemora (Eirachin lOb) is that Genwra (Megilla l 6b) reads the word makes a great deal of sense. Purtm "Akatt avdei Achnslweirosh ninlui' larov literally, meaning "Mordechai was an outstanding triumph for the at the end of the Megilla, we still find was popular with a majortty of his ourselves in servitude to Ach brethren." Some of the members of Rabbi Feltman is the Rav of the Young Israel of ashveirosh. Rava teaches that, unlike the Sanhedrin (the High Court), how Beachwood {Cleveland), Ohio. He ts a frequent con~ Pesach, when we rapturously sing ever, forsook Mordechai. Rash! ex tributor to these pages, most recently with "1he Sword and the Sefer-The Ufe and Legacy of Rabbi that we are servants of G-d, no longer plains that they separated them Mordechai Weinberg, 7"::rt." April '93. of Pharaoh, on Purim it appears as if selves from him because he no longer 26 The Jewish Obseroer. March 1995 Seedsofoy ;imcha ofAdar Will ''Mgbeloved childrJ!n, y:rJumust distanc~ yourselves fromjoy~ndlauJJhter, for•"fi?w canapersonbehappywhen :evetJJday .isfullofs.in.:·•···•Afl.ddo notlisten.tQ.tho.se wf1o counsel to be happy allthetime,for;tltisisthea,dvjce ofthe EvillncUnationi ... ()nlg when doing aJpeci~crnitzva or studying 'forah should yoµ~ejoyous it:i your heart. ''2 Obviously, there(Jte varidtJS.(Jpproaches·to avodas Hashem;.;,..,.howto l>estferve G~d-andthe.df!gtee and ma,nner of was able to devote as much time to tations. sight he once shared at his Pwim Torah study since he had become a One can only conclude from all Seuda table: powerful political figure. this that "they lived happily ever af AJter the joy of Shemini •Finally, and in many ways most ter" is not quite the approprtate epi Atzeres,Succos and Simchas Torah, troublesome.the Megilla presumably logue to Megillas Esther. Our people what more do we want.from the joy of ends on a sad note in terms of the prt remain under the heel of the same Purim? The Rambam teaches (Hilchos vate life ofMordechai and Esther. Al despot as before. The Gadol Hadar Yesodei HaTorah. 2.2). "What ls the path though a superficial reading of the who Iisks all for his people loses es leading to love and reverence for G-d? Megilla (2, 7) presents Mordechai as teem amongst his beloved Torah When a person contemplates .... " One Esther's cousin and adoptive father, scholars. And the heroic couple who must practice hisbonenus-"contempla our sages (Megilla 13a) reveal that lead us through the darkness into tion" in every divine service. Ahava {love] they were husband and wife. The Tal salvation have their own union dis hos tts type of contemplation, ytra (rev mud and Rishonimgo to greatlengths solved forever. Are these the results erence) hos its form of contemplation to explain the process by which which inspire us to celebrate eter and simcha hos tts own imique kind of Esther clandestinely returned regu nally as never before? Are these the contemplation. We have grown spiritu larly to Mordechai even as she conclusions which lead to such a res ally.from the simcha ofSuccos, Shemini reigned as queen. According to the ervoir of eternal joy that the month of Atzeres and Simchas Torah, and we overwhelming majortty ofcommenta Adar is permanently bathed in the hove learned.from them 11Dw to properly tors", when Esther went voluntartly to aura of ultimate bliss? contemplate that aspect of our avoda Achashveirosh to plead for her known as simcha. On Purim our most people. she knew that the conse A JOY BEYOND REASON ardent wish Is that thejoy oj"Ashrelnu quence would be her permanent es ma tov chelkeinu-We are fortunate, trangement from her husband. Thus ne might suggest that my 11Dw good Is our portion" /Shacharts lit we read the words •n"TJN'lTTJN"lWl'Ol-• Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchok urgy. KorbanosJ-sl1Duld have tts effect "and if 1 perish, 1 perish"-in the 0 Hutner ':>":it, gave us a upon us euen withDut contemplation. 7 mournful tones of the Eiclm !..amen- glimpse at the answer In a short in- On Purim, thereisasourceofspiri- The Jewish Observer, March 1995 27 tual growth which is beyond intellect and beyond oontemplation,which by PINCHAS MANDEL passes the realm ofmind and the nor Over 40 Years Experience ln Kvure In Eretz Ylsreel mative sphere of cognition.Its epitome Personal ResponsibilityThrC>Ughout Service-NO AFFILIATES is the add'lo yodastate of besotted in ORIGINATOROF THE PRESENT METHOD comprehension which is the defining Highly Recommel)ded by Gedolai Hadar,..... Here and in Eretz Yisrael state of the Purim commemoration. 8 1569-47th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219 llis concept has been explained and Day &Night Phone: (718) 851·8925 . illuminated through the ages. But why . is the result of this planned irrational lllO'l:)N"l!ll:)Np lll"'i' - l'i::>. "INl. ·nil:)Jll •il!l ity a newfound joy in our lot and por Chased Shel EMES with Mesiras Nefesh. •• as understood and practiced by . tion? one active in the industry for more than half a century. The answer may be found in a re - Tahllres Hanlftar Should.Never Be COinmerclallzed- markable teaching of the Gaon of Vilna. The Midrash Tanna D'bei Eliyahu lists among the midos of Hashem the attribute of same'ach bechelko-being happy with one's lot Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin asked his Rebbe, the Gaon, "How can this be? Surely, this trait, as understood in Pirkei Avos (4: 1), refers to one who lacks certain things, yet is satisfied nevertheless. How could this possibly apply to the Master of the Universe, the Creator of all that is?" In a conversation with bis son, the Chofetz Chaim related the Gaon's an The children stand by, mbulance, urging Hashem swer to Reh Chaim. The Torah tells us frightened. The wife fights 'to relieve the plight of a ''Ki cheilek Hashem amo-Hashem's to overcome her panic as sick or injured Jew. Almost portion is His people" (Devarim32,9). she absorbs the fact that instantaneously, the prayers Despite our deficiencies, regardless of her husband is the victim of five, ten or even more the lowliness of a particular genera of a heart attack. She voices would join forces tion, Hashem is same'ach beche/ko- 9 instinctively reaches for with Hatzolah's efforts. happy with His people. If we extend the phone and dials Through these heartfelt this concept to Hashem's happiness Hatzolah. In a moment, words of Tehillim, we can with all His creations-Yismach Hashem bema'asav (Tehillim help is on the way. create a vast wellspring of 104,31)-we will gain a fresh under rescue work by reciting merit to benefit a fellow You may not know a standing of the entire concept of thing about first aid. But in Chapter 130 of Tehillim"* Jew at a critical moment. 10 1 simcha. Many Siddurim with clas this case, and thousands of lo'pr.iyr.ir.i ninn:in ,,w) upon Each Jew who adds his sic commentaries used to contain a others like it, you have the hearing a Hatzolah siren or voice to the cry section known as "Perek Shira," skills to be an important seeing a vehicle responding "Mimamakim" strengthens which was recited daily by many pi part of the rescue team. to a call. our claim upon Hashem's ous Jews. Th.is Talmudic segment re We urge every Jew who Housewives in their compassion and helps bring counts the pasukthat represents the hears a Hatzolah siren to homes, business people and healing to those who are shim-or song of praise-uttered by join in a new, life-saving professionals in their suffering. Carried on the many of G-d's creations. Some are effort now being instituted offices, drivers in their cars wings of pure Ahavas obvious and easy to understand. The throughout our community. ~. each should, for a Yisroel, these are tefillos heavens recite the verse, 'The heav Every Jew, from schoolchild moment, take up the cause that would surely reach ens tell the glory ofG-d" (Tehillim 19, to Zaidy, can join in this of whoever is riding in the their destination. 2), fish sing, 'The voice ofG-d is upon 'This famWar chapter is relatively easy to commft to memory Ar night when the minhag is not to the water" (Tehillim29,3) etc. But the recite TehiiI.im, say wards of mt:p;:, (supplication) to Hashem on behalf of !he sick or m;ured person. sh'ratzim-the lowly reptiles-recite "YISmachHashemBemaasav."They, THEHATZOLAHTEHILLIMPROJECT of all creatures, sing of Hashenis joy A PROJECT OF HATZOLAH, CHEVRA TEHllLIM AND THE CHOFETZ CHAIM HERITAGE FOUNDATION in His world. Why?. With the Gaon'sinterpretation, we can understand the song of the sh'ratzim It is in the lowliness of ere- 28 1he Jewish Observer, March 1995 ation that G-d expresses His greatest inherent in a particular moment and terday, this couple came to me to ar joy, for He accepts each creature for situation: range a divorce for them. I asked them what it is and for what it contributes "He took note when they were in if they had any children, and they told me about this young man you see be to His world. He alone is aware of the distress, when He heard their song fore you. As I pondered over what his purpose of every one of His creatures (ru1)." Says Reb Yisroel of Ruzhin. fate would be. I asked them to bring and its place in His Divine scheme, "One can deduce someone's circum him today. When he anived, I put him and therefore He is able to rejoice with stances from what causes him to cel on my lap and I began to cry;My son, it even in its unassuming state. ebrate. If someone is ecstatic to have my son, what will be with you? You From G-d's joy to our own. All that found two pennies, it is a sign of ab will have neither father nor mother.' As I cried, he, too, began to wail, and we are and have flows from Him. The ject poverty. If someone is grateful soon the parents were weeping as essence of simcha, therefore, is not even though he has lost all that he well. After they had cried for a while, the happiness that comes from owns, it is indicative that his life was they looked at each other and re achieving perfection but the special in danger and he was saved. "14 The solved to stay together and give their satisfaction that comes from being test of true simcha is to find the rtl1, marriage a new try. That is when we part of the process that leads to that the song, when they were in distress. all began to dance out of greatjoy."" perfection. It is the joy born of accep It is when tears can be transformed What happened to this couple? Did tance of imperfection as a rung on the to dance that we know that the magic they suddenly resolve all their marital ladder to eternity. Thus, the of simchahas been at work: difficulties? Did the Ohr Same'ach pull Chassidim teach that simcha and Reb Yosef Shareshevshsky could off a miracle? No, achieving simchare humility are inexorably entwined: not believe his eyes. The dignified old quires neither. The Ohr Same'ach Said the Rebbe, Reb Bunim, 'Tue Gadol, the OhrSame'achhimselfwas helped the unhappy mates to look at dancing in a strange foursome. In one their situation with fresh eyes. They best of dejections is clothed in arro hand, he held the hand ofa young boy, gance and the lowest ofjoys is clad in learned to appreciate what they did in the other he tightly clutched that of have, not to focus on what they humility."" And the Rebbe of his father. The two held the hands of Alechsander added, 'The lowly and their mother and wife. and the strange thought they had to have. And they downtrodden can be happy constantly circle went around and around with a realized that they had much to cel because they are always grateful for joy rarely seen. When they finally sat ebrate after all. Learning the art of even the tiniest benefit that comes down, the venerable tzaddik ex simcha means finding a new perspec- plained to his astonished guest: "Yes- their way. Not so the egotist who is al ways indignant because he has not received that which he feels is his due." Thus the Torah teaches: "Vehayisaachsome'ach-You shall be Ye$~iYtJof,th~,'felshe~l'llm.ni but happy" (Devarim 16,15.). These ~iverdale,.1ie.~Ya~k cret to happiness is the little "ach." which is a mi'ut It teaches to dimin ish and reduce (Pesachim 5a); and ispro;~d.to ilnn?un~e -~h~t our thatis the route to simcha as well." 14th4~t1U;~Dit1.t1er Seen in this light, simcha may be understood as a lifetime process of Willtakepl(JC~tJnMarth26,-1995,_.2~AdatBei$5755 growth, energized by the dialectic be tween the constant pleasure offuifill attheNew YorkHilton Hotel ment and the ongoing search for new accomplishment. It is not surprising HoNqa l NG.<_· that Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch sees a profound connection between MR.•llrM~. YrsROELBLooM T1l:l1!1, which means joy, and Tll:lll, ·--~~.of~OIJor • which means growth or Mi;.-.&M~,JQSH-BERGER "expansion ... of progress in emotional · · EitzChaimAwirtlees development."13 Simcha comes not from the feeling that one has arrived •1vlt~DELll~ER¥~1lJ.YEC~ESKEil 30 The Jewish Observer. March 1995 vision. If your perspective is eternity, earth for separating the fruit from the Have you eaten of the tree ... ?" temporal setbacks and disappoint tree by sanctifying process and con Haman, the embodiment of evil, ments pale in insignificance com secrating means. tempts Mordechai and Esther with pared with the global picture. Neither Chazal (Chulin 139b) tell us that the same enticement as his primor the place in Chumash where Haman popularity nor even personal tragedy dial ancestor:19 "Bow down to me. It's are consequential when the fate of is hinted at is in the words: "Harnin not really idolatry.'"0 Mordechai and Kial Yisroelis at stake. Even an entire ha'eitz asher tzivisicha. .. achalta- generation's indenture to an Achashveirosh does not disrupt the 11 incredible joy of a new acceptance of t~~'~,''' EVERY GIRL S DREAM... the Torah, of spiritual renewal and J,;., A summer in Israel of camping and touring for ~N 1 the discovery of collective mutual ~·~· a select group of frum girls ages f0-f8 ~'<-~ love. The Jewish Observer, March 1995 31 bowing to him as a means of luring They sanctified the eitz to atone for except the process leading to the them into actual idolatry, just as the sin of the eitz. Mordechai and Purim mlracle. But this is the Yorn Achashveirosh had sought to use his Esther made the ultimate sacrifice Tov of process and that takes more banquet to lure the Jews into hedo knowing fully well that the result than a day. Perhaps for this reason, nism and sin. The food would be ko would be incomplete. This was not to too, Purim will exist forever. Even if sher; on the surface all would be well. be the final redemption, and the road other Yomim Tovim dlsappear, Purim But the seeds would be sown for sub ahead was still a long and arduous is eternal.21 For Purim's very essence sequent spiritual decay and ruin. one. But Mordechai and Esther is that It is but a beginning, a step in Mordechai and Esther's antidote taught us the Importance of seizing the process, and so its eternity is to this alluing plot was to strengthen each stage along the way and infus guaranteed. the spiritual process. They gave up ing it with the satisfaction usually re To bejoyous on Purim one need not their ability to live together, and sac served forfullfillment and conclusion. be perfect, one need not have arrived. rificed Mordechai's stature as the un This is the source of the great joy One need only find the great joy inher challenged Torah leader, to engage in that defines the month of Adar. Noth ent in every step, in every breath, in the incomplete process of Ge'ula. ing happened in the early part of Adar every heartbeat. For that. it may be best to go beyond intellect and com prehension and to feel instinctively the joy of contnbuting, in whatever small SUBSCRIBE NOW TO way, to Hashe11is simcha in "His lot, 22 the people oflsrael. " • THEOWISH ENDNOTES 1 Likutef.Maharan. Tinyana. No. 24, page 51. BSERVER z The entire tzavaa is printed at the end of Rabbi AY. Bromberg's biography of the Nesivos in his selies M'gedolei HaTorah V'chassidus, and in Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Kasher's Peraldm B'Torah AND$AVE HaChassidus, unpaged introduction. 3 Taanis 29a and see B'nai Yissas'char, Adar, Become a monthly subscriber to the Jewish Observer and save up Maamarl.8-9. to 43% off lhe single copy price (a savings of $45.). The longer you 4 See Shabbos 88a, Megilla 7a and. for instance, subscribe for, the more you save. Ohr Gedalyahu, pages 86-103. oSee Alei Shur. volume 2, page 466. And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to 6 The NodahB'yehudah(Mahadura Tinyana. Yoreh ask and you will receive a prompt refund on any undelivered issues De'ah, No. 161). theSh'vusYaakov(Volmne2, No. should you decide to cancel at any time, for any reason. 117) and most other poskim conclude that Mordechai and Esther, in fact, remained forbidden Each monlh, lhe Jewish Observer will be delivered directly to to each other. To my knowledge, only Rabbi Yaakov your door, filled wilh lhe views of leading Torah lhinkers on current of Tsozmir, in his Responsa Bais Yaakov (pub issues ... comments on the strengths and foibles within the Jewish lished 1693), No. 39, contends thatMordechaiand community... analysis of contemporary Jewish events .. .inside Esther were permitted to live together once again reporting, interpretive commentary, inspiring biographies, after the Pwim miracle. 1 Pachad Y-itzchak. Purim. KUIJtras Reshimos, No. infuriating letters and illuminating responses - all wilhin lhe covers 13. of one magazine, The Jewish Observer. 8 SeeMegiUa So don't delay. Check lhe money-saving tenns below and send in 9 DugmaMistchas Avi. No. 29. your order right away. We'll try to get your order filled in time for io For instance, Rabbi Yaakov Emden's Siddurand the Sfddur Shalah. our very next issue. 11 YechahenPe'er, Parshas Kedoshim.page 117. 12 Y-tsmach Yisroel. Simchas Torah. page 178. ------• 13 Commentary to Tehillim 9,3 . 14 Ner Yisroel. Tehillim l 06,44. Name (l'lea5eprlnt) ------15 Rabbi Yisroel Spiegel, She'alAvicha V'yagedcha Address ______('The stortes of Rabbi Shalom Shwadron). volmne 2. page 127. Suite 1200 • 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038 City, ______16 She'alAvicha V'yagedcha, volume X, page X. 11 Pachad YUzchak, Pwim.InyanX. 0 YES! Please enter my subscription for: State------Zip ------18 See this Maharal at length who discusses how USA ·ourSIOE OND' UM such a MsinM could happen. =------""'---'"'-- 0 Enclosed,$ ______19 Maharal. Chiddushei Aggados to Chulin l 39b. 0 3 years - at 43% off the cover price $60 $96 0 Charge my: O MasterCard Q VISA See also Rabbi Meir Bergman, Shaarei Orah, vol 0 2 years - at 37% off the cover price $44 $68 ume 1, page 137 who shows that Haman is the an 0 lyear-at31%offthecoverprice $24 $36 Acct.No.------tithesis of the one who is happy with his lot. .Price reflects $12 extra per year to defray air shipping costs. Expiration date: (montb/ye.ar) ------20 See, Tosfaos, Aooda2'.am3a MShelo." Foreign payment must be made in U.S. dollars, dlher by check 21 Rambam. HUchosPurim3:18. drawn on a bank In the U.S.A. or by Visa or MasterCard. Signature ------22The author wishes to thank Reb Yitzchak Meir The Jewish Observer is published monthly except July and August. Please allow 4 - 6 weeks for delivery. Stark, with whom many of these concepts were worked our during varkrus study sessions. 32 The Jewish Observer. March 1995 Elimelech Meisels LIKE YOM KIPPURIM?- pring is coming. Although the I was still puzzled. Where was the mercury may not reflect it. I saw the delighted sha1ach monos? And what was Bubby S there's no doubting its ubiqui going so crazy over? We didn't need tous harbingers. King Achashveirosh smiles on the children's soup, we needed fruit leather. But then glowers at us from store Windows, I saw the delighted smiles on the alongside pint-size Queen Esthers, be faces and the pride with children's faces and the pride With nevolent Mordechais, and (gasp) which they presented their wares, and I Batman and Robin. (How did they get which they presented knew something marvelous had taken in here?) Of course, in spite of sanc place. I just wasn't sure what it was. tions, Saddam Hussein has once again their wares, and I knew Every Purim, while running found his way Into our toy stores. around delivering our nicely pack In every grocery, candy store, and something marvelous aged, store-bought shal.ach manos health food store, are shalach manos "clones," I think of how two poor chil baskets, veritable cornucopias of had taken place. I just dren were made to believe they were candy, chocolate, and everything else delivering the nicest shalach manos the dentist warns against. Yep, spring wasn't sure what it was. in the world. It brings home to me a Is definitely on the way. The entire very salient point. frantic scene leaves me With just one The purpose ofsending gilts to one question. Is Purim on the way? manos goodies were arrayed. It was another on Purim is not to see who Is this what Ghazal meant by truly a child's fantasy land. could create the most innovative mishloach manos ish l're'eihu, and In the middle of all this, the door wrapping, or the most original shtick yemei mishteh v'simcha, or have we bell rang. Thmking it was some more It is to create a spirit of unity among lost sight of the real intent of the loot, I ran to answer the bell, and the Jewish people, as there was in the mitzvos hayom? Is all this frenzied there stood two shabblly dressed chil times of Mordechai and Esther. This gift-giving just another symptom of dren-a young boy holding a pot of can be accomplished With a pot of "keeping up With the Berkowitzes"? soup, and his sister clutching a foil kreplach as easily as With a bottle of I would like to relate a story which tin of kreplach.. I recognized them as Chivas Regal, for what matters is the occurred when I was a young boy. My two of the Milstein children, a large feeling With which it is given, and family had a custom of gathering at family that had recently arrived from equally, With which it is received. our grandmother's home forthe Purim Israel. My grandmother had be So, while nobody likes to look like Seuda. The men staggered around the fiiended them, and tn many ways. fi a tightwad, or, chas v'shalom, un dining room, the women sat in the liv nancial and moral, helped them ad original, it is worthwhile to keep in ing room, and the kids were every just to their new country. mind the p'sak haRambam, that, where. Discarded costumes were I knew this, but I couldn't figure "one should limit his mishloach strewn all over the house. One of the out where the kreplach came in. so I manos expenditures tn order to give hlghlights for us kids was a table in a just stood in the doorway, looking at more maimws l'evyonim." There is, slderoom where all the mishloach them dubiously. As soon as my however, a derech hamemutza, a grandmother saw them, however, she middle road. Nobody says you have to Ellmelech Meisel8 ofBrooldyn is studying in a Ye shiva in Jerusalem. nus is his first appearance in ran over, thanking them profusely, give chicken soup With kreplach.. these pages. and invited them in for some nosh. Vegetable soup Will do just as well. • The Jewish Observer, March 1995 33 .<.·.,~"~l'.·::·": ..,-i"),,~"'f.·. It Almost laid To Wait stood in front of the cash register, I left the store and proceeded en came the 80's. Stopping to clutching two cholov yisroel own the street, I popped a unwrap the double fudge I double chocolate imitation iece of Super Duper Gushy Timulti-swirl chocolate coconut Snicker's bars, and patiently waited Banana Strawberry Watermelon Ex peanut butter dietetic cookie I had in to pay for my purchase. Three little tra Juicy Gum into my mouth and my pocket, I pondered the enormous girls peered around the end of the thought about what the woman had changes that decade had wrought. counter watching the store owner at said. She was right, I decided. The From almost out of nowhere, new vis work. Each girl held eight white cot children of previous decades had tas had emerged. Communal and pri ton candies in her hands. The owner been deprived of their childhood. vate hashgachos expanded with a was busy creating cotton candy num They had been forced to go to the cir vengeance, leading to what has been ber 25. The father of one of the girls cus and forego the cotton candy that described by some historians as the stood behind them, slightly embar was so much a part of that experi seminal event of the decade: the ad rassed. ence. And that wasn't all. vent of the "heimishe" hashgocha. "They must really like cotton Remembering back to the 60's and The market exploded. Sometimes, candy," I remarked to him, trying to 70's, I considered the plight of the with just the 111ck of a sticker, prod be pleasant. mi1zva observant, Orthodox Jewish ucts that had eluded our taste buds He looked at me with resignation. child. Imagine entering a grocery for years became available. Every trip "Actually," he explained, "all this is for store with your parents and looking to the store was a cause of excite their siywn on Parshas Bo. You see, over the vast array of candy displayed ment, for who knew which formerly the white fluffy cotton candy repre at the checkout counter. Back then, forbidden artificially flavored fruit sents the wool of the korbon Pesach." none of it was kosher. If you were a treat would now be graced with an ac "How symbolic," I replied, hoping Kashrus observant child, your ceptable entree into our community. my candy had not yet melted. Trying choices were severely limited. Of It was a heady time. Suddenly, to sound excited, if only for the girls' course, there was always the stale houses, lands and even entire worlds sake, I added, "But boy, that cotton peanut brittle bar, but that was about of candy sprung up in formerly va candy sure looks delicious!" all. Why, in some places, you couldn't cant storefronts. For the ]rum child, The owner had just finished mak even find kosher potato chips or pret it was a giant leap forward. He still ing the 28th, and final, sugary treat. zels, much less rabbinically certified lagged behind, but he was catching She stood up, schlepped herself over pizza-flavored falafel snacks. All you up quickly. to the register to take my money, and could do was stand at the checkout entered the conversation. and gaze dreamily at the wonderful "Not only does it look delicious, it treats that were so near and yet so far. tastes delicious too," she exclaimed. A faraway look came across her face as she recalled an event from her childhood, years before. "Don't you remember when you were a kid," she asked, "and you went to the circus, but you couldn't eat the cotton candy?" RabblAvrohomY. Stone, a musmachofYeshivas Be'erYaakov, studies in the KoUelofBeth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ. He writes and lectures on topics of Jewish interest. 34 to forgo the pleasures of his youth. No Ing to the circus but not being able to longer will the Orthodox Jewish child eat the cotton candy. be deprived of the full joy of child Now, you can eat the cotton hood. No longer will the kashrus candy!!! keeping child have to suffer the indig There's just one problem. nity and lifelong trauma rooted in go- Now, you can't go to the circus. • now, the 90's. What could nestly be termed 'The De M e ofthe Kashrus Obseivant YOUR CAR IN /SRAEL Child." As I slowly chewed on a rum flavored strip of coated Viennese Crunch I had saved from a recent milchig Bar Mitzva with a Continen fLDANLT'Ci tal motif, 1 was filled with a sense of 1-~~~~~...... ;;;;;..;~;,.-"T--,.::;;;;;;~ TYPE OF CAR 6/1/95." deep satisfaction. The Jewish child 7/4/95 has finally achieved parity. Even some of the candies considered in the A Fl.Ar UNO STING .... B PEUGEOT 20l5 AC 175 past to have no chance ofever becom c CITROEN ZX 1.4 224 ing kosher now sport the most repu c·' MAZDA323 245 table hashgachos. For the cholov c' PEUGEOT 405 1.0 280 M MINIBUS FORD 476 yisroel observant public, American, N BABY BUS 7 SEATS 322 European and Israeli firms have du plicated the bars of their dreams. Al 0 SUZUKY 231 MAZOA323 294 most every snack, candy, treat or •F "NISSAN SUNNY 322 trail-rrtix is available for munching G "SUBARU LEGACY 1.8 420 le'mehadrin. It Is a cause for celebra K "GMC SAFARI PS 595 x "PEUGEOT4a5 1.8 476 tion. XL *TOYOTA CARINA 560 USA & CANADA: 800·938·5000 No longer will the rnitzua-obser sx "VOLVO 9'10 I SIMILAR 630 vant child have his natural birthright • POIM:R STEERING & ELECTRIC WINDClw.l IN NY: 212·629·6090 kept from him. No longer will he have ISRAEL ·s No. 1 Sweeten Shalach Manos with Schmerling Sduturli!tS~ Dl~TRIBUHDBY TAAM TOVfOO[)PR(lDU(T\ BROC:JKI YN. NY l 122l The Jewish Obseroer, March 1995 35 The February '94 Jewish Observer featured a symposium on "The World Around Us: The Risks ofExposure, The Costs ofInsularity," which included discussion ofmethods for extending the environment ofthe Yeshiva and Bais Yaakov to the "world around us," to protect the individual from the corrosive influence ofthe marketplace. The following ar ticle offers further ideas on the topic. Dear Friend, \!l''lT.lV maybe the "keeping up with the pressing responsibilities, desperately I !mow you well, though you may Jones" syndrome has also set in. It trying to clear your head, at a time not be able to identify me. You've must be very hard for you; I can see when you may be both physically and passed me by quite a few times in shul evidence of the frustrations you are emotionally exhausted. on your way to Shaclwris, when your expertencing. Your entire self-esteem I have found that keeping a Oaf eyes were only half-open. I'm usually as a ben Torah who toils in Avodas Yomi schedule on a simple Gemora/ there before you, finishing my seder Hashem may just have evaporated. It Rashilevel sets a good minimum base before davening, but I wasn't always may seem impossible, at this point, to of k'vias ittim, especially for there so early. I knew I could relate to establish a respectable k'vias ittim Mesechios that I learned in Yeshiva. you when I saw you fall asleep dur !'Torah (schedule for regular Torah Joining in a shiw"is helpful in another ing Kabbolas Shabbos. I did that, too, study ). !tis for this reason that! wrtte way-being connected to a maggid for the first six months after leaving to you through this very public fo shiur or rebbi can provide vital en the "koslei beis hamidrash" to enter rum-because I !mow that you are by couragement in difficult times. the workforce. no means alone in this difficulty. Picking one Mesechta. even a small Many of us have gone through the Let me share with you some sug one, to review again, again, and again, same thing-schedules that have gestions that you may find useful: on a simple Gemora/Ras hi level has suddenly grown hectic, and adjust Firstly, realize that though your allowed me the comfort necessary to ments to new responsibilities which learning, in whatever quantity, will progress and expand to Tosqfos and throw people off the patterns of life not be of the same depth as durtng more, reviewing again and again. In they have so carefully cultivated. your yeshiva years, it is equally, ifnot the sixth Perek of the Chafetz Chaim's Rubbing shoulders with a very mun more, beloved to Hashem because of Taras Habayis, you will find encour dane world creates many new the sacrtfice entailed in its acquisi aging, even eye-opening, words for nisyorws. Now that you're working. tion-ripping yourself away from undertaking such a project. I hope that this letter will serve as an encouragement to you, and per haps spawn further discussion within these pages regarding the many diffi culties of entering the workforce, along Yad Eliezer distributes with possible solutions. Sincerely yours, Matanos L1 evyonim BARNISAYON on Purim YadEliezer 1102 East 26th Street 4916 Uth Ave .. B'klyn, N.Y. 11219 Brooklyn, NY 11210 (718)854-2911 36 The Jewish Observer. March 1995 CHAPTER SIX (EXCERPI'S) for himself a "palace" (in the World to at home or when he finishes a meal, Come). Should he learn more, his re before Birchas Hamazon, he should ach person should be expert ward will increase accordingly. When review it once more. Besides reinforc on aMesechtaor on a Seder of he learns something several times, ing his knowledge, he will then fulfill E Mishnayos and commit it to and has committed it to memol}', this the passage: "1bis is the table which memol}'. This would be beneficial in acquisition protects him, and saves is before Hashem" • several ways: him from Gehirwm as well as from • One would be fulfilling the pas other evil forces that pursue a soul. sage from S'hma, "And these words • All that we have written about which 1 commanded you today the necessity for a person to be expert Daf HaYomi Kollel is should be on your heart," in its sim· baal peh refers to someone in his plest explanation-that the words of youth. How much more so do these now being organized in the Torah be engraved on his heart. words apply if he is approaching his Yerushalayim, backed by Rabbi Chanina S'gan HaKohanim old age, when the shadows ofevening said: "Whoever carries words ofTorah grow longer. Gedolei Yisroel. in his heart will be relieved of con • Sefarim Hakedoshim commend We are looking for cerns ofsword or famine" (Avos D'Rav the study of Mishnayos. If a person Nasson). He will also be free of con gathers his Torah knowledge incre sponsors and supporters. temporal}' distractions, because the mentally, a bit at a time, he will gain yeitzer hara only gains entry in a in the long run. Therefore, aside from heart void ofwisdom. one's regular shiur in a specific If interested, please contact: • Once he has learned parts ofTo Mesechta or Seder Mishnayos, one DAF HAYOMI KOLLEL rah by heart, it will make it easier for should endeavor to master one dafor him to fulfill the words from the perekevel}'Week. Once he has learned 2 Park Lane, Monsey, NY 10952 Sh'ma: "And you should speak in it well, he should see to it that he does 914-425-1311/-1346 them (divrei Torah! when you sit in not forget it. When he has spare time your house, and when you go on the way." There are times when a person is unable to go to the beis hamidrash. and he does not have access to a sefer-especially when one is travel ing. He will now be equipped to fulfill the words of that command: "Uv'lechtecha Vaderech." • The Zahar says: "A man who takes possession of one Mesechta possesses a world." The term "pos sess" refers exclusively to someone who is truly expert in a field of knowl edge. This should encourage a person to review what he has learned until he knows it verbatim. • A person should recogruze that even if he has learned but one Torah 5:lO F Grand St., #GC N, Y;, N.Y. 10002 thought, he has fulfilled a mitzvas asei (positive command) and has acquired The Jewish Observer. March 1995 37 Yisroel Yehuda Pollack discerns, among the meforshbngen through Rabbi Eisemann's analysis. erally, two separate Jines ofapproach One finds in his effort a good deal of to the meaning of Sefer Iyov, With constructive synthesis-pulling to Books in Rashi and Ramban as their chief ex gether seemingly far-flung thematic ponents. It will be remembered that. strands-as well. Perhaps one other in gist, Iyov is struck with immense example will serve for illustrative pur Review disaster in a test of his faith. He is vis poses. As unraveled by the author, ited by a trlo of friends who engage the Book of Iyov lends itself to inter him in conversation, in the hope of pretation on two separate levels: One alleviating his pain and lightening his ls surface-based or literal-what is burden. Their efforts proving futile found on the face of the text. The and entirely misdirected, untll Elihu other is below-the-surface or appears, providing new direction to subliteral, a meaning for which the the encounter. This interchange reader must search deeper to extract. takes the form of three rounds of Remarkably, he contends that Sefer speeches, in which the participants Iyov tells different stories, depending take turns in holding forth. The stage on the interpretive level one is oper is thereby set for the climactic event: ating on. They dtffer in respect to a Iyov's revelatory experience of the key question, namely. the true char Whirlwind. acter of Iyov as a moral, G-d-fearing With this much of the story as agent. By the literal version, he is background, a key question of inter looked upon approvingly and as hav pretation is already brought to the ing ultimately been vindicated. But fore. Is any issue being debated in on the sub-surface reading, Iyov is these speeches; are the discussants shown to have been beset by spiritual Iyov, by Rabbi Moshe Eisemann trying to resolve something in par weakness. (ArtScroll/Mesorah, Brooklyn. NY, ticular? According to Rabbi Beyond developing this line of 1994, h.c. $32.95, p.b. $29.95) Eisemann, it is their respective posi thought and substantiating it. Rabbi tions on this question that set Rashi Eisemann's treatment integrates its and the Ramban apart. For the elements into a spiraling web of in- Iyov is the latest volume in the Ramban the answer is yes, and the ArtScroll Tanach Series. Of the six subject of their debate is: How do we teen volumes already in print, this is reconcile our conception of Divine Call 1-800-KIRUV-84 the third written by Rabbi Moshe Providence with the fact-<0onstantly (1·800-547-8884) Elsemann, who has authored the making itself felt on us-that "tzaddik earlier volumes on Yechezkel and v'ra lo, rasha v'tnv lo (the righteous To contact Agudath Israel of America's DivreiHayamim For accepting these one suffers, while the evildoer enjoys Information Hot Line most forbidable challenges to enlight bliss)"? Through a careful and thor ening explication, and meeting them ough reading of Sefer Iyov, we are af resoundlingly, he has earned our forded a handle on this very vexing gratitude and appreciation. A fore problem. ~ Sii.BiG/ER'S _.. most hashkafa thinker. Rabbi ....~ .... ""''''''" Rashl however, takes the contrary Eisemann is broadly respected and position. The lesson of Iyov is not so admired for an ever-growing number much an intellectual one as a practi ~ BLOW·OUT ~ of eloquent contrtbutions, incisively cal one. The speeches, in particular, probing themes deriving especially are highly emotionally charged ex fromTanach pressions of anguish (on the part of This work, comprising a transla Iyov) and reciprocative responses of tion and commentary. seeks to illu ~SALE!~ empathy. One comes away from a minate and elucidate the perplexing study of this Book with enlarged in ;: All wool; wool/cashmere """ story and text of the Book of Iyov. sight into the proper means of offer Winter Coats • Drawing on earlier commentators on ing consolation to the grlef-strlcken. this sefer, the author has elected to Much to its credit. the author's expo ...... $99-$119 ~ focus, in the main, on the interpreta sition remains throughout duly at ~ and many other ._ tions of Rashi and the Ramban. He tentive to these divergent readings of :: unadvertised specials ~ Ylsroel Yehuda Pollack's earlier Book Review ap the dialogue. peared in JO, March '94. His translations of war .._ 1769 5 lst Street, Brooklyn, NY ..... time-related statements of the Klausenberger ebate-or-no-debate is just Rebbe, 'nn, were featured 1n the Nov. '94issue. A ~ (718) 854-1196 ~ resident of Brooklyn, he is a former Rebbiln the Ne\V one of several well-articu England Hebrew Academy, in Brookline, Mass. D lated dichotomies that run ~ll~ C~lli~l°1 ~ ....~ 38 The Jewish Observer, March I 995 sights and distinctions that cast ciles the conflicting accounts by im One can easily see that the perspec enormous light on the Intricacies of puting to Iyov a flaw that is ambigu tive Rabbi Eisemann has provided the Scriptural narrative. To gain a ous in terms of culpability. Also, it il runs deep and is rife with far-reach glimpse of this. notice how the claim luminates the use of a concealed in ing implications. just advanced cries out for further terpretation to berate lyov: to reflect explanation: How can lyov, at one the fact that his "transgression" too is ne other distinction, which and the same time. be deemed blame hidden from (his own) view. figures prominently In the less and blameworthy? 1bis is not the But the case does not rest here. 0 author's approach, sepa place to recount the details of the ex For the question lingers: Why is lyov rates the Torah-oriented outlook on position, still its outline can be indi subjected to such dreadful afllictions, the way things happen in the world cated: if consciously he had intended no from the non-Jewish viewpoint. lyov is being blamed for something wrongdoing? The explanation of this Rabbi Eisemann posits that the sur hidden from him, a fault he was not is elegantly wedded to a larger eluci face level (i.e .. literal) reading of Sefer aware he had. In one stroke, this as dation of the role of suffering in the Iyov relates exclusively to the per suages multiple concerns. It recon- Creator's stewardship of the world. spective of the non-Jew. Curiously. this flies in the face of the fact that Iyov numbers among the kisvei kodesh-it is a part of Torah shebichsav, intended for the Keep track of your spiritual progress ... mekablei Thrah What is there for us to learn from a lesson grounded in alien standards? But perhaps this underscores the importance of keeping both interpre with CHESHBON HA·NEFESH! tive readings in full view when learn ing Sefer Iyov. The Sefer is not am <.•f\•~~§~~,'~ll~~f~';~;D;;t'l,; < biguous; it is not equally readable in either of two ways. Rather, its mean ··. f-+4ri'f~ll~i!alf!e.i9 .. E(J/l1sllr ing is singular, although-in its total Those who diet keep track of the ity and myriad aspects-it is revealed weight they lose. And athletes keep track from disparate levels. The perspective of changes - in speed or strength. of the non-Jew is relevant for us. in sofar as it serves as a backdrop to the So why not keep track of spiritual true view of things. bringing the con progress? Well ... you can! trast in sharp relief. And the book to help you 'keep A reading, and re-reading, of Rabbi track' was published in Hebrew in 1845 Eismann's work will go a long way to with the encouragement of Rav Yisroel ward impressing us with this under Salanter - and now - this mussar standing. • classic is available in a clear, easy-to-read English translation. CHESHBON HA-NEFESH, by Rabbi Mendel of Satanov, NOTICE presents a unique system for self improvement and the The 10110,..lng I•. lhe text of .article VI development of positive character traits. of the lll!lh Medta111po.~Oha, Lake, woo_d;_-, ti~J. ,,,_by.;.•aw:si: '!tfhic.,_ are ,--cu~ The text discusses 13 vital traits, such as patience, decisiveness, rentlyinmn force andellect, and.a"' humility, silence, calmness and truth. It also describes techniques to ca-med out in practice. help you monitor your daily and weekly progress. ARTIC:lEVI This attractive bi-lingual edition also contains Rav Yitzchok Isaac Befll M.edrash.Gld.voha shall mailllal• Sher's inspiring "Foreword" to this classic work. anl)ndlscrlm.inalo".f adm.lsslono,pomw •nd shall ata!ltimes b&,ln .COl!)pllance CHESHBON HA-NEFESH - from Feldheim Publishers: with applicable federal, state and IOC!il r_'!,gulati()nS _in regard _to:--a_dmis_sions_1 A book that can truly help you grow! accon:am_~ations,:__ educ::aH_on_a1 4ppor tunlty, sl~den.t aid. policies. and employment Qu~llli~.!"eh ol lhe Jewish faith are adml!ted. to Seib MedrashGovohaand "'" ~nilormly .•!>'•orded .all. rlgh!I, privileges and benefits, WllhO!ll regard :•_;;.- rac~;-C,C>l~r1 ~~n~~_al ~"_:'!thn_ic:Origi_n ~ .Belh Medras)I Govolia "'1•11 mal.ntain . " policy, o.1 EquaJ .QppotlUrillY i~ Elll" ploymen!. The Jewish Observer, March 1995 39 Mi.riamMargoshes Books in Review Rebbetzln Grunfeld, by Miriam bombardment) during World War II, Rebbetzin Grunfeld was not only a Dansky (ArtScroll/Mesorah. Brook she moved with her school to gifted mechaneches (pedagogue). but lyn. NY, 1994, h.c. $19.95, p.b. Shelford, in the countryside, where also (that is, until her recent illness) $16.95) she was knowo as "the Queen." To a wonderful writer and speaker; so the hundreds of children evacuated her biographer wisely decided to cull there from London, many of them or Rebbetzin Grunfeld's journals, let ach phase of the life of phaned refugees from a Europe in ters, and speeches and let her tell Rebbetzin Judith Grunfeld Is flames, she served as guardian, men much of her story in her own words. E so interesting, so full of para tor, confidant and cheerleader. The old photos reproduced in the dox, so openly directed by hashgacha Fifty years later, in the 80's, the book are a treasure in themselves. pratis, that her story makes fascinat charismatic Rebbetzin Grunfeld Mrs. Dansky has fashioned a fine ing reading. came full circle, mesmertzing assem Lebensbild (word portrait) of a re As a young Fraulein Doktor from blies of thousands of Bais Yaakov markable lady. Germany, Judith Grunfeld suddenly girls around the world, their mothers, found herself in Cracow, Poland, just and their teachers, with her personal To Vanquish the Dragon, by Pearl as the Bais Yaakov movement began reminiscences of the movement's pio Benisch. Foreward by Reb. Judith to blossom. She became an adored neering days. At those public appear Grunfeld. (Feldheim, 1991, h.c. teacher in the original Bais Yaakov ances, packed auditoriums wept with $19.95, p.b. $16.95) Seminary and second in command to her for the colleagues and students the saintly Sarah Schenirer rrv. Dr. lost in the War whom she eulogized, Holocaust book isn't meant to Grunfeld subsequently served as and rocked with laughter at her un e literature, it's a cry from the headmistress of the Jewish Second expected wit. She turned staid eart; to subject it to critical ary School under Dr. Solomon Rebbetzins, great-grandmothers analysis is to risk trivializing it. Still, Schonfeld in London for a number of now, back into the giggling school it should be said that even as books years. To escape the blitz (German girls they had once been in her class of the genre multiply (if not now, room long ago. A whole new genera when?). To Vanquish the Dragon Mrs. Margoshes, of Brooklyn, NY, is a frequent tion fell in love with that inspired edu stands out for its impressive literary contributor to these pages, most recently with "Yonah Gedalia Comes to Kishinev.~ which she cator, the still queenly and ever quality. ~lated for publication (JO, December '93). cheery Rebbetzin Judith Grunfeld. The book's leiJmotifis a myth dat ing to the Middle Ages: The dragon of Cracow, so the tale goes, would 0 emerge each day from its lair, breath ing fire, not to be appeased except by COMPET;lT.t•VE consuming a maiden offered up for its meal. Just so were the young stu CONTR'ACT;t.NG, ·.t·.NC. dents and recent graduates of the Bais Yaakov Seminary in Cracow, to WOODRibG'E, NY. gether with their parents, sisters and brothers, and in some cases hus bands and tiny children. sacrificed to the insatiable appetite of the Nazi beast whose fires raged until they consumed a continent. The Bais Yaakov girls whose story ~···:==~~== this is-the author's close group of friends-were almost all doomed to fi "If you're not paying COMPETITIVE prices ery extinction. But what a transcen you're paying to much" dent life they managed to live on the road to doom-a life offalth, of moral ity, of tenacious kiyum mitzvos, and of the most ingenious kinds of chessed. 40 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 And this is no myth. It is alluded ror, flight, hunger and degradation. to in other Holocaust memoirs, where She ended up on that "special" trans ping, full of telling details and strtk the girls are simply called "angels." port (arranged by Kastner) which ing similes. Wrttten with a restraint Here their exalted behavior is cel dead-ended in Bergen-Belsen, where that hints at volumes left unsaid, it is ebrated (if that's the word), by an eye she was befrtended by the Satmarer a poignant account of one survivor's witness, in heartbreaking, awe-in Rebbetzin. She was finally repatriated crooked road to hell and back. spiring detail, not as peripheral to the to Switzerland and later reached Two Sides of a Coln, by Miriam Elias experience but as the point. Eretz Yisroe~ a long-chertshed goal. ffargum/Feldheim, 1994, $9.95) It takes a strong stomach to get There she re-joined her brother, who through this book. But there seems had been Munkaczer Rebbe, and to be a shared feeling that that's the nursed his motherless children back rs. Elias has adopted an old only way we have left to pay our hom to health. She returned once more to and honored literary device, age to those who suffered so griev Europe, this time to marry Mr. Wolf Mwriting a whole book in let ously and died so anonymously, yet Frtedman, an old family frtend who ters and diary entrtes. lt's a trtcky ap left such a subllme legacy. With cour was then a rescue worker In the DP proach as the points of view keep age and with great skill, Mrs. Benisch camps and later a prominent askan shifting, but in this well-plotted and has raised a matzetvafor them in our of Agudath Israel. The Friedmans well-crafted story, Mrs. Elias pulls it hearts and minds. emigrated to the US where they made off splendidly. She writes ofa crtsis in a new home and raised a family. the lives of two schoolgirl frtends in GoingForward, by PeskaFliedman with Like their fellow survivors, the volving two highly sensitive areas Fayge Silverman (ArtScroll/Mesorah, Frtedmans were determined to give one girl's struggle to overcome her 1994, h.c. $17.95, p.b. $14.95) their children "normal" lives, and so stuttertng, and the other's dilemma in they suppressed their memortes and dealing With theft In her school. The ile Mrs. Frtedman (then their pain for close to fifty years. Now crtsis is finally resolved with the help Pesa RabinoW!tz) evaded Mrs. Friedman is finally sharing of a Wise and funny grandmother the worst of the Holo them, leaV!ng us both appalled and overseas. With lots of local color and caust-the death camps-she did ex grateful. natural sounding dialogue, this is a pertence almost every other horror of Going Forward is a beautifully book that rtngs true and is altogether those dark days: loss and grief, ter- crafted book, fast-paced and grtp- very appealing. Do You Want o Become A Talmud Chochum? * FOCUS COMPUTER CENTER Torah Rhymes & Riddles Interactive Educational Extravaganza ..... S Multimedia Israel Sights, Sounds, History & Culture of the Holy Land$ 3 Bible Scholar Includes Pentateuch, Prophets, Psalms & Scriptures . $189 With Rashi ...... $229 Torah Codes Discover Hidden Codes in the Torah on your own· ...... $ 79 ...... 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I Books in J"'l'JM., N:t"! 11'!nri , which the book is wrttten enhances 1 its "you are there" impact. Another N'J!!m "l!)v.1 n)l!>m.,, n":11:J )»'nn.?1)11( flll'IJ!l~ n•nn~ncw11 achievement is that each story and Its tJ'l))'fl t:Pl'>Y2 O'>:mil ~» 't»:I lesson is different from the others, '1l'l»t d.:i•~ _1p_'ttJJ) '1)! tilitil'tl , Review ,tri"flmll7l01 c•~nlM» ~:i'O:> 'ft!ll:I sharing only their uplifting quality. ~ m'in::rn•Jti tll"l!loti nii1;>n:i l'1m' 111•)• This was definitely a fourteen ~'lt.tnl!i "IV> 'N Machon Beer Hatorah hanky book, for each story ended 600 forest Avt. {suitf! 19) Lakewood NJ 08701 USA with tears ofjoy at happy endings and l ek (908) 364 9638-F'axi {908) -901 0621 the beautiful feelings that Kial Yisroel .eti•:i:i "IJ)tin111o1' ,;:ii;._;l)Dl"l l1.,, ~n1 is "Goy echad ba'aretz," united by a ll:>ml ,,,.,1 l'ITT'i .,"ri:)'lfh1i ti•}>}'!»"On firm commltment to Torah, Aooda, Y'.M1 rouei.i !l'v ,;.1i'l!IJJ'1 'll!I>' and Gemillas Chassadim. • Aishel, by Dr. Meir Wik/er (Feldheim, Spring Valley, NY, 1994, $15.95) Mussar, the art of inspiring people to ever greater spiritual achievement and perfection of character, takes many forms, from direct exhortation to inspiration by example. In his new book, AisheL Dr. Meir Wilder brings inspiration by example to the wrttten word. Reading Aishel instills in the reader a powerful urge to emulate the warm, friendly and in telligent hachnosas orchim practiced by "everyman· heroes. Fourteen stories of hachnosas orchimand hospitality are recounted. Some involve Dr. Wikler himself, while others are firsthand reports. What they share in common is the in tense emotion and spiritual bonding between Jews that Chessed brings about. It is essentially the story of the prime mitzva of AvrahamAvinu, tak ing us through the trepidation, trauma and ultimate joy of having and being a guest. A eompellin~ look at Especially striking Is "West Side the Book of Esther - and at Story," which chronicles Dr. Wtlder's own introduction to the powerful our own lives. world of hachnosas orchim. in which we join him on a hair-raising Erev The amazing comparison between Shabbos odyssey through a New En the lives or Esther and Yoseph gland snowstorm to his eventual sue- A TARGUM PRESS Book Rabbi Becker heads the Torah Projects DiViSion of Distributed by: Feldheim Publishers ,,,, Agudath Israel ofAmertca. Thts ts his first appear ance in these pages. 200 Airport Executive Park, Nanuet, N.Y. 10954Tel1-800-237-7149 ,.. 42 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 terest in replif::ating her program; in ad tailored program to help them cope dition, she is called upon to explain her with all their needs. Not each teacher actions in these pages. It therefore and every classroom is qualified to would be in place to refer to her by her deal with such a situation, though actual name, YentiFrost, ofMonsey, NY. seemingly Mrs. Winter had some The 7th grade class prqject that she di good results. Letters to rected last year has now spread to a Clearly 7th graders are not equipped number of schools, and is called to deal with a sick child or unfortu "Hands-On Program." nately a dytng child. True, classmates the Editor N.W. and fiiends of children with cancer have to deal with their peers, but why "WHEN CHIUJREN HEU' WHEN CHllDREN NEED HELP- expose children not directly affiliated or CHIUJREN": LETTERS AND A WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, tn contact with a sick child with such a RESPONSE. NOTES OF CAUTION difficult situation? Are we creating objects of chessed by ustng sick children? Are we taktng The November. ·94 issueofTheJew To the Editor: note of the overall ramifications of ish Observer featured an article by As an avid reader of The Jewish such a chessed project? Children Yaakov Astor. "When Children Help Observer, I was deeply impressed with with cancer are tndividuals who need Children." describing a seventh grade Yaakov Astor's article, "When Children help themselves, their siblings and class·s program extending friendship Help Children."' It brought to light the families. Only highly trained volun and encouragement to girls who are trials and tribulations of children and teers, professionals and mechanchirn strl£ken with cancer. The artiele gener their families suffering from cancer, who are well equipped to deal with ated a great deal ofinterest and a large which need much attention and expo such a delicate situation should be volwne of mail-mostly positive, some sure in the Orthodox world. As the allowed to tnteract with them. There criti£al, a sampling of whif::h appears leader of Chai Lifeline, an interna is nothing wrong with a simple letter below. While every letter submitted was tional organization that helps children writing campaign, which give chil signed. some correspondents requested with cancer and other life-threatening dren tn a difficult medical situation that their names be withheld; consider illnesses, we annually help over 2,000 help and chizukknowingthey are not ing the personal nature oftheir commu children a year through our tntema isolated. Well meaning seventh grad nications. the reasonsfor anonymity are tional networl<: of services. I can truly ers stngtng tnto the telephone can be obvious. appreciate this article. an intrusion. In the original article. the seventh However, I must comment strongly Mrs. Wmter's noble act may have grade teacher who trailblazed this both from the psychological and edu proved to be an interesting educa prqject was identj/led as "Mrs. Breindy cational perspectives on the benefit of tional tool for the students. but I Winter." Since the appearance ofthe ar Mrs. Wtnter's project. Children with doubt how much truly it benefited the ticle, she has been contacted by many cancer suffer greatly-physically and young children by exposing the pos teachers and parents who expressed in- emotionally. It takes a sophisticated sibility of death to a normal class room. I am sure that. with creative thinking, the elements of chessed and tefilla can be taught in a more subdued and less emotionally charged manner. Once again, I commend Mrs. Wm ter on her noble act. but I would like to caution anyone who wishes to pur- FOR THE FINEST IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO UW/SRAEL The Jewish Observer. March 1995 43 sue such a risk-prone path to think with children with developmental dis have grown mutually beneficial. The out the ramifications and alternatives abilities (autistic, severeADHD, mul patient recovers his/her feelings of very clearly. tiple handicapped, spina bifida, cere "normal" life, while the care-givers of RABBI SIMCHA SCHOIAR bral palsy, etc.) has led to different ten discover dimensions of their own EXECUfIVE VICE-PREsIDENT, conclusions. Initially, I was cautioned personalities when faced with real CHAI LIFELINE New York City against encouraging youngsters to emotions-providing a source of offer respite care and play activities to hakaras hatov for their own exist other severely impaired children. I ence. LESS JUDGMENTAL WHEN was warned of the terrible effects that Even in cases of poor prognosis, HELPING CHILDREN this could have on the fragile psyches the involvement of healthy children of school- aged children. can directly assist in hatzolas However, our experience has nejashos, saving a life. The victim is To the Editor: proved just the opposite. Once chil in grave physical and emotional dan While I was moved by the article's dren become involved as friends and ger because the diagnosis of cancer depiction of the noble intentions of support providers, the relationships creates the feeling that all hope is lost those involved in trying to mitigate the suffering of cancer stricken children, I found the tone of the article conde scending to acquaintances ofAhuva's mother as they struggled to react to their friend's situation. Is it not a te net of Jewish faith to judge others fa vorably? Their denial may stem from fear or past personal experiences. Let us educate rather than judge. A PARENT NAME WITHHEW BY REQUEST CHJLDREN'S ROLE IN THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS To the Editor: I read Yaakov Astor's story, When Children Help Children. with great in terest. I have since become aware that a respected professional cau tions strongly against the "grave dan gers" of involving 7th graders in a support program for cancer victims. For many years, Bikur Cholim of Rockland County has offered coun JJ!ffi1~ l)a~J~11~~6~~i seling to cancer patients and to thou lfl:tleckfiq\\llf hetoef aµd hetoi~.,,S~ sands of families facing a variety of •W,otld: that we~? take for gran!ed."/ medical crises. lenge .. l\ea~afuut,:. . . .• .•. ··•··· 44 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 The slrength and support of others is tide concerning the efforts of Mrs. told so admirably. Her genuine critical in recoveiy from cancer. Peer Winter and her students. It is a !rue Ahavas Yisroel and sensitivity to a support is effective in promoting a kiddush Hashem and beautiful dis much forgotten and neglected group positive outlook, which is a vital ele play of Ahavas YisroeL Many of us, of children is truly an inspiration to ment in recoveiy. The Jewish Observer, March 1995 45 a very consistent manner helped to· programs, school administrators, as promptu by just any teacher. It re make a very stressful period a bit well as dedicated teachers In the tri quires guidance, as well as dedica easier. state area and beyond. tion, hard work, and ofcourse siyata Fortunately. our community Is Several letters mentioned certain diShmaya.. Nevertheless, in my opin also very lucky to have an outstand precautionary statements made in ion, and in the opinion of those whom ing organization working in Its cho the name of social workers and the I have consulted, it Is a project well sen format In the same field: Chai like; I too have been In constant con worth undertaking for all involved. Lifeline, which had dedicated Itself to tact with health professionals. I regu Following the suggestion that helping children in need of yeshu'os larly dlscuss the issues and receive such a pn~ect should only be under and encouraging both children and guidance from them. They Inform me taken by the classmates of a stricken thetr families. I have personally seen If a situation might be too stressful student would certainly have been how Camp Simcha. run by Chai Life and guide me in how to handle It nice-and perhaps even ideal-had line, has brightened the future for This leads me to reiterate a point the girls' classmates become In many children who aren't sure there made clearly In the article: this prt/iect volved. However, they did not (for will be one. The love and devotion of is not a program to be wuiertaken im- whatever reasons). As for the thetr outstanding staffls apparent in all aspects of camp life. They too are to be commended for all they are do 1"0l ing and It Is wonderful to see more people realizing the great need to reach out and help these children so that they can face their tomorrows with hope and happiness. o::i11:i.::i nN pmn7 UN 011:i.::inr.i May others learn from both Mrs. Winter and Chai Lifeline and emulate their wonderful Aluwas Yisroel and is coriliaU~ requesteo at the niin 71?> n11:i.::i7 ~nnwn7 dedication to bikur clwUm. NAME WrrnHELD BY REQUEST Annual Dmner of the ?w 'nlwn il'i:i Mrs. W'mter Responds: West Siae I 46 The Jewish Observer, March 1995 stricken girls and their families who EDITORIAL NOTE Schwester Selma, rrv. Torah subjects received our chessed, I know that were an integral part of the curricu they were truly grateful for the help, lum from its inception until this very no matter from which quarter it day. came. We have received a communica As the chairman of your Editorial A parent should be on the alert tion from Prof. Lawrence Kaplan, in Board, Dr. Ernst L. Bodenheimer, can and contact me-or the person(s) in which he takes issue with the inter certainly attest, Shaare Zedek Medi charge of directing their child's in pretation of his approach to Daas To cal Center, as well as Laniado Hospi volvement-in the event they are wor rah, as published in Rabbi Wein's ar tal, can pride itself of dispensing the ried about any particular side-effects ticle on the topic, in The Jewish Ob· best in medical care with the nth de on their children. server, Oct. '94. Professor Kaplan's gree ofhalachic observance. The article was not meant to perspective on the topic, in his own A. AsHER HIRSCH sound condescending in any way. words, are part of the record, as pub· Jerusalem We thought it necessary to describe lished in the lead chapter ofRabbinic the reaction of Ahuva's mother's Authority and PersonalAutorwmy (Ye GREAT ARTICLE, WRONG friends, to highlight the alienated shiva University Press. New York. CITATION feeling a parent can have. This was 1992). not to be judgmental, but to make people sensitive to how additionally ADDENDUM TO PRAISE OF SANZ To the Editor: devastated a parent can feel when MEDICAL CENTER I greatly eqjoyed the article about liiends and acquaintances fail to ac the Mashgiach of Lomza, Rabbi knowledge their calls for emotional Moshe Rosenstain, ?"::11, by Rabbi support. To the Editor: Chaim Shapiro (Jan. '95). It was a May I conclude by commending fn your Kislev issue, describing the very interesting and inspiring. I all those involved tn other programs wonderful accomplishments of the would, however, like to make two serving the same or similar needs Klausenberger Rebbe, ?~, I found an points. groups. Each program performs a unfortunate misrepresentation as fol- On page 13, it says, "Reb Moshe unique and vital function. I person 1ows: "The Sanz Medical Center would underscore the above message ally am grateful for the opportunity (Lanlado Hospital) Nursing School is with a pasuk: 'Chaklili eiynaim to help these families-the entire the only nursing school in Israel in miyayin... ul'ven shinayim family, includtng the siblings-on a which Torah subjects are an integral mechalav-white teeth [a smiling daily basis. part of the curriculum." face] is better than milk.'" First, the "MRS. WINIER'' It is a known fact that in Jerusa source of the pasuk is mistakenly A.K.A. YENTI FROST, lem the Shaare Zedek Hospital cited as Shir Hashirim, whereas it is DIRECfOR Nurses Training School opened in HANDS-ON PROGRAM in Bereishis 48,12. in YaakovAuimis Monsey,NY 1936 by the tzaddik Dr. Moshe berachos to Yehuda. Wallach, ?"l, and the sainted Second, Reb Moshe was probably referring to the Gemora (Kesubos 111 b): Rabbi Yochanan said, "One who whitens his teeth to his liiend is better than one who gives him milk to .. drink, as it says. 'Ul'ven shinayim Yeshiva boys ages 5 · 12 • Yeshiva girls ages 5 · 12 ::::Y·):;:·::h:· mechalav.' Do not read 'ul'ven.' read 'u'l'von shinayim[-whitening of teeth].'" MORDECfWWAKSLAK ·~~-~.,~~~~~;g Long Beach. NY MODIFICATIONS ON SIGNALS .. ____·.···.·.···aoo·•.··.in.. •.n_._, __f_._._=_rt_ow_t_!_•• ..•_·:a_ •. .•.••• •• .• .. ..•..... ••_...... ••• _.·.. •.•.... ·.)·.. ·.·.1····.•_··.•.·_·•.•.•.•· .. ·. ·.a._.········_·.·~-··._.·••.. -.·~_;. .. ······• ,.••.•_m···m···_'_~_&_~_··c..f_,._:._._:._::_t_:_•.h_rt·t·~-'.t_'_._•.·a_;_·_e······n_•. l30ysleamdaily.attheYftom·9·•llam,:_:_._:_._u_1_1~.~.s_ _.~ ~_.·_·._.·•··_cts.~.•-.·•.:_.__:_•.•_:_s_·.·.···-~---•~ _~-.'. ·.•.••.••.••.•.·.•.·.•.•.•.~.;-········.·_ ..;. /.••••'<~_.J_·_~_._·.·._ ~ ...... FOR HELP · ·. ·. · · • SWimmfi19 dailyintv(o ()l)'mpi(;sizep~~~> ··.•.••.~· ftlugh~ by li~nsed an9 ex~del'l'.~li~eg~~dSi.. • To the Editor: , • Free transportation indu~~.il'l. tornp.fllt!f '•s · Re: "More Than Meets The Eye," by • .Also N1lfSety Do.y Camp l'oE (!hilc!ren, .3.•.~ June Prochko, (JO, Jan. '95) 9ttheX bUilding. · ·· My husband and I, as products of Ohr Somayach and Neve calt4&8•592,l_torbroc~ure.iirtaiii@Ryi~i16~..• ; ..•••. Yerushalayim, related to much of lforoPork YM·'lWi'!A; 491214.thAv~nul!,. Brp~klyn;~ 1i.~19.; what was Written in her article. Three M The Jewish Observer. March 1995 47 Firstly. not all baalei teshuva feel SOURCE OF CHilDREN'S G'MACH their "recess" money and pocket alienated since many of those who FUND IN RABBI MYSKI ARTICLE change for the mitzva of helping the went through the "late comers" ye other Yiddin in need. Rabbi Myski at shiva system have established lasting the time remained unconvinced that family-like relationships with their To the Editor: the effort involved, from an account teachers/rabbaim and their fellow I thoroughly enjoyed the article ing perspective, justified the students and their families. This is about the late Rabbi Myski, ?"lit, in herculean effort of keeping track of certainly true In our case. the December issue of The Jewish the pennies that might be deposited. Next. baalei teshuva don't always Observer. The author did leave out a As my father was not the type of per suffer from "loss of family and friends small but Important detail, in the ar son to take ··no" for an answer. and they left behind." Unless-and sadly ticle, recounting Rabbi Myski's "vi because of all the effort my father to say, it happens-that one's family sionary" concept In regard to involv had already given to Rabbi Myski's does the cutting off. most baalei ing school children in the mitzva of cause, Rabbi Myski had no choice teshuva continue a fine relationship gemillas chessed by having them con but to go along with this "visionary" with their families. Ifanyone out there tribute their spending money to concept. In just a couple of years knows my family for example, they G'mnch Keren Hachessed whenever there were more than a million dol know that I can truly say that as far possible. This idea was not unlike the lars on deposit with the G'mnch as one's family goes regarding taking passbook savings accounts many While I myself was unaware of on new aspects of Yuidishkeit or even schools opened for us 20, 30 years the amount of effort my father had becoming jrum. well, you just never ago when I was in yeshiva ketana. given to help Rabbi Myski, the two krww. The objective then was to teach us as of them were quite content with Lastly. my husband pointed out to young children the value of saving knowing that as oskim betzorchei me that not all.frum people who feel a our money. tzibbur be'emuna, Hashem would sense of alienation are baalei In 1974ourfamllymoved to Mon compensate them many times over teshuva sey where my father. William for their chessed in seeing to the We have had the pleasant experi Shandelman. ?"lit, met Rabbi Myski various needs of the Monsey com ence of having been told that we at the Lakewood Mlnyan on Maple munity. helped make the Shabbos or Yorn Tov Leaf Rd. My father, a financial ana Most of the above details were re experience of an always .frum family lyst for HUD (Housing and Urban counted to me and my family by more enjoyable. Development). volunteered his ex Rabbi Myski when he came to be I'll finish by reminding all those pertise to the G'mach and assisted menachem ave! our family when my who became frum after their mar Rabbi Myski in setting up an ac father passed away in February of riage or got married before their ba counting system that my father en 1987. sic learning was finished. there are visioned would soon have millions of JOEL SHANDEI.MAN opportunities to spend a week-end dollars on deposit. He suggested the Monsey,NY or Yam Tov In a baa1 teshuva learn concept of school children saving ing environment I recommend they call The Jewish Learning Exchange for information at 212-344-2000. Keep an open line to family and friends always being guided by daas Torah. There may be social gather ings which strangers may not at tend. but for family, may be perfectly JOIN WIZARD CLUB muttar. If you are not invited and your kashrus Is reliable. Invite others In. You may be surprised at how you grow when you find how much you have to share. I sign off with a note of thanks to ourwonderful families, teachers, and friends. before. during, and after we discovered the derech of Torah and Mitzvos. We felt and continue to feel their love and support. Good luck to the author and her family and all those enhancing their Jewishness. MRS. MIRIAM GREEN SouthBend. mdiana NEW JERSEY: 201-816 8157 CANADA H.R.C: 1·800·526·5343 U.S.A: 1·800·638 4016 48 The Jewish Observer. 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To order Call 1-800-878-5000 or Send Check to: Congregation BethJehudah 2700 N. 54th St. · Milwaukee, WI 53210 Yes, I agrte to participate in the Yovcl Li1nud Mishn 1"'il C''Wlipil l~lh. Please record 111Y 1u11ne in the Yovcl Mishnayos Re._qistry to be rnaintained at the National 01·thodox Jewish Archives ofAgudath Israel of Arncricc. I will learn l"?:::t the f"ollowing mesechta(s): CITY, STATE, ZlP PLEASE MAIL TO: AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA 84 Will/AM STREET, NEW YORK, NY 1003 ATTN. SIYUM MISHNAYOS