The Jewish Star @e[\g\e[\ekXe[fi`^`eXci\gfik`e^]ifdk_\Fik_f[foZfddle`k`\jf]Cfe^@jcXe[ MFC%/#EF%+) F:KF9<I(-#)''0s)/K@J?I<@,..' nnn%k_\a\n`j_jkXi%Zfd I<D<D9<I@E>J8=@I< B8I8K< <OKI8<OKI8 That’s Life... and The Times Tryouts for martial arts team at JCC Elli Meyer’s trip to and from Hollywood GX^\) GX^\/ GX^\* I N M Y V I E W JXpjlbbX_fiZ_\\j\ The elephant @eZi\[`Yc\ in the room j_i`eb`e^ fggfikle`kp K_\befZbfej\ZlcXiZfcc\^\ NCSY estimates 15 more years to reach Jewish high schoolers 9 P D @ : ? < C C < 9 F I K E @ B never be exposed to Torah 9 P I 8 9 9 @ I < L M < E J G F C K < I Judaism. “These kids are not in col- our son is ecstatic. He just received a Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, regional director of New York lege so we know exactly where letter granting him admission to the they are,” Rabbi Lightstone summer program of his dreams; five NCSY, was speaking at a shul in the Five Towns last year when explained. “The only way to find P weeks at the highly prestigious sum- them is in the public schools he recounted an incident in a mer science learning program in Maine between the hours of eight and where he’ll study with noted experts in student club he ran in an East Meadow public school. One girl three-thirty. That's where 85% physics and chemistry; areas of particular of our teens are.” interest to him. You’ve been encouraging was strikingly enthusiastic about everything the club discussed: There are 35,000 Jewish him to expand his horizons; taking him to teens in New York according to scientific competitions and lectures for years, Israel, Jewish continuity, holi- days and Shabbos. a Federation survey completed so you find his enthusiasm encouraging. in 2001. Six or seven thousand What about kashrut? Shabbat? Sure, it G_fkfYpD`Z_X\c FiYXZ_ But there was one catch: the girl wasn't Jewish. are in various Yeshiva day might be challeng- schools and seven thousand are ing for him to deal :_`c[i\e\eafp`e^k_\J`dZ_Xk9\`k?XËj_f\mXjgfejfi\[Yp:_XYX[f]k_\=`m\Kfnejfe When she inquired about :_fc?Xdf\[Xk:\[Xi_lijkGXib% becoming Jewish, Rabbi Light- already in the NCSY database, with religious but that leaves a observance over stone told her that while she troubling figure. the summer. But “We're still that’s what real life was welcome in the club, he missing half the is about, isn’t it? Jewish people,” But then your rabbi couldn't teach her more about Rabbi Light- confronts you with stone said. “I am a troubling statistic: Judaism unless ÉJ\ZlcXi Finding inspiration in her parents gave asked the ques- 25 percent of all tion many times Orthodox atten- explicit permis- i\j`[\ek`Xc sion, something of whether dees to the summer going to public Zfcc\^\gi\j\ek program drop their they expressly tantrums and tennis balls refused to do. schools is a frill Orthodoxy. Despite Xj\i`fljXe[ The girl was dejected and when there are Orthodox fami- your skepticism, Two local inventors bring products to market in a recession lies needing help. It is our oblig- the rabbi shows spent the following Christmas \m\edfikXc 9 P D @ : ? 8 < C F I 9 8 : ? socks to her outfit. Needless Wilder, a freelance break with her maternal grand- ation to reach out to these kids.” you the surveys to say, she had a fit. designer, designed the prod- And he believes that mis- [Xe^\ikffli and it’s true: one- parents. Seeing she was unhap- The economy may be “I looked around and uct and Mogelefsky, who sion is becoming more and quarter of all py, the girl's grandmother asked Z_`c[i\ejË slow but things are picking said, ‘Please don’t do this works in fashion, arranged to important. Orthodox camp why. She wanted to learn more up for two South Shore entre- here,’” Wilder recalled. have it produced in Taiwan. “Inside of each club, I am participants aban- about Judaism, the girl said, but n\cc$Y\`e^%É preneurs. But if necessity is the Last month GRiPPiES lucky if out of 50 kids, 15 kids don Orthodox couldn't since she wasn't Jewish. Two-and-a-half-years mother of invention, there won The National Parenting have both Jewish parents. The practice. “You don't have to convert,” ago, Corrie Wilder of Bell- may be no greater necessity Center’s Seal of Approval, fol- other half either has just a Jew- Would you her grandmother explained, more brought her daughter to than quieting a screaming lowing eight weeks of testing ish mother or a Jewish father. encourage your son “I'm Jewish and so are you.” a local gym where a strict two-year-old. Later, Wilder, by parents and kids that 15 years from now [only] five to go? It’s my article so I can say it: I would- Amid college fairs, SATs, rule required children to wear and fellow gym attendee found that not only do they kids will have both Jewish par- n’t. After spending so much time, effort, football games and parties, high socks with rubberized grips. Yelena Mogelefsky of Merrick work, but will also survive ents. Out of the other 35 only a blood, sweat, tears and money on conveying school presents kiruv (Jewish Her two-year-old daughter created GRiPPiES, no-slip multiple trips through the quarter will have Jewish moth- the importance of Jewish life to my children, outreach) professionals what is was wearing tights and a shapes that can be ironed on laundry. They are now sold in ers,” Lightstone predicts. “If we how could I risk it all on one summer — no perhaps their best opportunity twirly skirt and had no inter- to any piece of clothing, and over 850 Target stores across don't find these kids now, in the matter how enriching it may be? to reach unaffiliated Jewish stu- est in adding large white a line of no-slip tights. If you haven’t realized it by now, I’m not See FINDING, Page 6 dents, who otherwise might See SHRINKING, Page 9 writing about a summer program. No, I’m writing about attending secular college. In a fascinating symposium published in a special education issue of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah’s Meorot Journal, Rabbi Todd Berman writes about preparing stu- It takes a village (or one Rabbi Grossman) dents to thrive in non-Orthodox environ- ments, specifically secular colleges. His essay focuses on important ways to mitigate the The miracle of Migdal Ohr effects of the pressures to abandon religious 9 P D @ : ? 8 < C F I 9 8 : ? new wife picked up their young daugh- ter and got on a bus. See VIEW, Page 4 After witnessing the Six Day War, Once there, he saw poverty — Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, a sev- burned out homes, lines of beggars — Rabbi Reuven Spolter is Director of enth generation Yerushalmi (Jerusalem and he asked some elderly men who Admissions and an instructor of Jewish resident) figured there were enough were playing backgammon where he Studies at the Orot Israel College of Edu- chasidim in Meah Shearim. He asked could find the local shul or yeshiva. cation in Elkana, Israel. Before his aliyah the Israeli government what he could to They laughed at him and pointed to a in 2008, he served as the rabbi of the do help the young country, and where nearby disco. So, Rabbi Grossman, Young Israel of Oak Park in Oak Park, MI. was the worst possible place in Israel dressed in his customary black hat and G_fkfZflik\jpD`^[XcF_i This essay first appeared on his website where he could go to help. Migdal long black coat, went to the disco. IXYY`P`kqZ_Xb;fm`[>ifjjdXe www.spolter.net and is reprinted with Ha'Emek, he was told, a town to the "I was very naive," Rabbi Grossman c\X[jDX[`jfeJhlXi\>Xi[\e`e permission. south of Haifa. Rabbi Grossman and his jfe^`e)''/% See VILLAGE, Page 13 Y K_XkËjC`]\%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%) :Xc\e[Xi%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%() :Xe[c\c`^_k`e^1,1,+g%d%N J_XYYXk\e[j-1,*g%d% N AID 301 P Y @ej`[\ J_XYYXk T I Fg`e`fe%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%+ :cXjj`]`\[%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%() KfiX_i\X[`e^19\i\`j_`k 0 GE STD C 3 NO A 5 N 1 E 1 D PRST R POST A PERMIT G US Long Island’s premier builder of quality homes, offering fantastic opportunities for everyone – st 11530 from 1 - time buyers…to those looking to “right-size”… NY to active adults seeking a new, resort-like lifestyle. , City REQUESTED The Seasons at Massapequa Westhampton Pines den Courthouse Commons VICE $ Gar Pool & Clubhouse Opening Spring 2010! 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