jewish voice and opinion january 2013

THE JEWISH VOICEAND OPINION

Promoting Classical JudaismJanuary 2013 Vol. 26 • No. 5 Shevat 5773

Gun Control—Israel-Style .................. 5Kol Ami: Thoughts on Hagel? ........... 6The Current Crisis .............................. 7Safety Planning ................................15 CSS Protection ..................................17A Mother’s Plea .........................................21Seniors at Home.......................................22

Hagel for Defense? .................................24The Log .........................................................28New Classes .......................................36Mazal Tov ............................................37New Contests ....................................38Chesed Ops .........................................38Saving Lives at Holy Name ...........39

Ess Gezint: Tu B’Shevat ...................44Adult Ed at PTI ..................................46Torah in Motion ................................47Index of Advertisers .......................49Honor the Professional ..................51 Letters to the Editor .......................52 Jewish Leaders on Jewish Voice .....55

Inside the Voice

With the Left Sinking, Israel’s Right-Wing Parties Turn on Each Other, but Bibi’s Still Winning and Bennett Keeps Rising

If the past month’s trends continue through January 22, Israeli elections that day will show a surprising diminution of the country’s traditionally two largest parties, Likud on the right and Labor on he left. Taking a gigantic leap forward will be the Jewish Home party, the politically conservative,

national religious-Zionist amal-gam, formed by a merger of several parties whose political and ideological philosophies match that of its charismatic leader, Naftali Bennett.

In poll after poll, Likud, which merged with the Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) Party, formed primarily by and for Russian immigrants, has man-

aged to keep its commanding lead. When the two parties first merged, polls showed its list, consisting heavily of political conservatives, win-ning as many as 45 or even 50 seats in the new Knesset.

A series of pitfalls—some caused by the party itself, and at least one that might have been orchestrated by political enemies

of Yisrael Beiteinu’s leader, for-mer Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman—has reduced the number of seats Likud Beiteinu is expected to receive to about 35. This still will leave it the larg-est party in the new Knesset, as-suring its leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of another term as head of the country.

continued on page 40

Israel Approves New Construction, the Palestinian Authority and the World Call It a War Crime

In a joke making the rounds in Israel, two European UN ambassadors are having cof-fee in New York when one de-cries the situation in Syria in which 45,000 men, women, and children have died. The other looks up and says, “Yes, that’s a tragedy. But in Jeru-salem, a Jew wants to build a house. That’s a catastrophe.”

Less than 24 hours after the UN voted to recognize the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a non-member observer state, Israel responded by approv-ing the construction of 3,000 housing units in Jerusalem and throughout Judea and Samaria.

These will be built not only

in the so-called settlement blocs, but also in the area known as E1, which connects Jerusalem and Maale Adumim, thus fulfilling a long-standing request from

residents in those areas. Plans for housing in the E1 area of Jerusalem have been on hold for 15 years due to diplomatic pressure from Washington.

Closing the GapBuilding on E1 will close

the gap between the capital and the eastern suburb. It en-raged the PA, which claimed that the move kills any hope of creating a contiguous Pal-estinian state. It will also sever the PA-controlled areas from Jerusalem, thereby increasing Israel’s security and control over entry into the capital.

Israelis say building in E1 can be considered a barrier to a contiguous PA state only if the plan was for Maale Adu-mim to be abandoned. A mod-ern city, it is home to almost 40,000 Jews and a part of the


Contiguity at Last: A view of Maale Adumim, with E1 in the background, on the way to Jerusalem

Page - 2 January 2013/Shevat 5773 Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”

2013

www.leisuretimetours.comLeisure Time Tours 718-528-0700NEW YORK

800-223-2624TOLL-FREE

PRESTIGE CATERERS - NK GLATT SUPERVISIONPR

Entire Hotel Kosher for Pesach

Hotel ExcelsiorVENICE, ITALY

MULTI-MILLION EURO RENOVATION IN PROGRESS This world renowned 5 Star, beachfront resort features beautiful amenities, fabulous swimming pool, tennis courts and many exciting activities. Complimentary shuttle boat to & from San Marco Square. Gourmet cuisine, religious services, and esteemed scholar-in-residence & orator, Rabbi Adam Mintz of Manhattan, enhance your Pesach experience. We are excited that our culinary team will be collaborating with Ariel Porat, Executive Chef of the Dan Accadia Herzliya, Israel, and his excellent staff to bring you the finest Pesach cuisine.SUPERVISION BY RABBI GARELIK OF MILANSUPERVISION BY RABBI GARELIK OF MILAN

INCREDIBLELOW PRICE!STARTING AT ONLY2,565 EUROPER PERSON(INCLUDES TAX & SERVICE CHARGES)

INCREDIBLELOW PRICE!STARTING AT ONLY2,565 EUROPER PERSON(INCLUDES TAX & SERVICE CHARGES)

Boca Raton Resort BOCA RATON, FLORIDA• A Waldorf Astoria ResortPalatial resort exudes luxury & beauty. Gorgeous half-mile stretch of pristine private beach. Tower building completely renovated. 30 clay tennis courts. 2 championship golf courses. World class spa.

In cooperation with VIP PassoverDANZIGER CATERERS - PHOENIX VAAD HAKASHRUTHIn cDA

Arizona Biltmore PHOENIX, ARIZONA• A Waldorf Astoria ResortWorld-class resort on 39 lush acres. 8 swimming pools, 6 whirlpool spas, bicycles, jogging paths, 7 tennis courts, two 18-hole championship golf courses. State-of-the-art complex.

Rye Town Hilton WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK • Entire Hotel Kosher for Pesach30 minutes from NYC. Situated on 45lush acres. Newly renovated spacious & elegant guest rooms & suites, all with luxurious amenities. Indoor swimming pool and whirlpool, expanded fitness center & indoor tennis complex.PRESTIGE CATERERS - ORB GLATT SUPERVISION

http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com January 2013/Shevat 5773 The Jewish Voice and Opinion Page - 3

Karina had suffered debilitating arthritis for years, followinga car accident and subsequent knee surgery as a teenager.Later, a partial knee replacement didn’t provide the resultsshe’d hoped for. But after a total knee replacement by Holy Name Medical Center’s orthopedic surgeon Dr. MarkHartzband, Karina stands ready to resume the active life she once knew. “Holy Name is phenomenal,” said Karina. “It’s totally different from any other hospital I’ve known. Thenurses come when you call them, everyone is smiling, the physical therapists are amazing, the rooms are great andeverything is so clean. It’s been a really positive experience.”

Are you ready to start a healthy new chapter in your life? Visit holyname.org/bonejoint or call 1-877-HOLY-NAME (1-877-465-9626).

Healing begins here • 718 Teaneck Road • Teaneck, NJ 07666

for Karina to realize

new left knee

we had a leg up

It took a

on other hospitals.


~ Rabbi Avi Juravel, Rav~ Entire hotel Kosher L’Pesach~ Separate swimming only~ All baking done on premises~ Fully stocked Bais Medrash ~ Daf Yomi, Shiurim and lectures by noted Rabbonim and speakers

~ Jugglers, clowns, animal shows and more for the kids~ Infant Day Care and babysitting

~ Day Camp run by Rabbi Shlomo Hyman of Engelwood

732.370.7777 Looking forward to greeting you personally. Your hosts, The Mandel Familywww.pesachtimetours.com

• Beautiful Indoor Pool

• Indoor Tennis

• Exclusive Spa

• Horseback Riding

• Fishing

• Golf

• Archery

• Basketball and much more

JOIN US THIS YEAR AGAIN IN THE BEAUTIFUL POCONO MOUNTAINS

StunningMulti-Million Dollar

Our 8th Exciting Year

Special Discountto Families Affected

by Sandy

PRUZ SIMON “SEZ”

HYMAN

RABBI YISROEL

ROLL

Renovation

Pocono Manor ResortPesach 2013

at the

The Mandel Family Presents

Just 2 hours from N.Y.


THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION, Inc. © 2013; Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Susan L. Rosenbluth Phone (201)569-2845Managing Editor: Sharon Beck, Advertising: Rivkie SternThe Jewish Voice & Opinion (ISSN # 1527-3814), POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631, is published monthly in coordination with

The Central Committee for Israel. A one-year subscription is $25. Periodicals postage is paid at Englewood, NJ and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Jewish Voice and Opinion, POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. All advertising in the Jewish Voice and Opinion must conform to the standards of the Orthodox Rabbinic kashruth. Editorial con-

tent reflects the views of the writer and not necessarily any other group. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for typographical errors.

After Newtown Shooting, Israel Feels America’s Pain, America Seeks to Adopt Israel’s Security Measures

In the days following the shooting massacre of 20 small children and six teachers at the Sandy Hook Elemen-tary School in Newtown, Connecticut, individuals with widely disparate views all seemed to find proof of their deepest-held beliefs embedded in the tragedy.

Those on the Left, includ-ing President Barack Obama, saw the tragedy in Connecti-cut as the impetus to act on their long-standing belief in the necessity for more and tighter gun-control laws.

Political conservatives, including many Jews who

see the value in responsible gun-ownership, viewed the murders in Connecticut as an impetus to allow more people to become armed as a way of deterring gun crime and stop-ping crazed and evil murder-ers bent on destruction. Many with this perspective called for armed guards at each school, much as is done in Israel.

Conservatives also decried left-wing sponsored legislation that prevents mentally unbal-anced individuals from being held and treated for their dis-turbances before they set out on a killing spree. The Con-necticut murderer, Adam Lan-

za, was reportedly mentally ill and may have gone on his killing spree as a reaction to his mother’s alleged attempt to have him committed. Ac-cording to some reports, al-most no authority was able to give her much assistance.

Doing MoreRussel Kelner, president

of the NJ-based Golani Rifle and Pistol Club, which holds events in the tri-state area that do not conflict with Shabbat or Jewish holidays, said al-most all the club’s members “would agree that more could be done to keep firearms out of the hands of people who

should not have them.”However, said Mr. Kelner,

they probably would not want this accomplished through new restrictions which, he said, “will do almost nothing to curb mass shootings, but, rather, just make it harder for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms for their own personal protection.”

“Gun laws are enacted as an emotional response by politicians who have little un-derstanding of firearms and real-world situations,” he said.

Useless LegislationAn example, he said, is the

continued on page 8


Kol Ami: Thoughts on Chuck Hagel’s Nomination? presIdent Barack oBama’s apparent eagerness to nominate the controversial former Republican Senator from Nebras-ka, Chuck Hagel, to the post of Secretary of Defense has pro-Israel supporters on both sides of the aisle unhappy.

Some Republicans have spoken out forcefully against Mr. Hagel, whose anti-Israel positions and actions predated his 2006 anti-AIPAC slur.

“The political reality is that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here,” Mr. Hagel told former Mideast peace negotiator Aaron David Miller in a 2006 interview.

Mr. Hagel went on to boast to Mr. Miller that he could not recall ever having signed a letter from AIPAC asking for sup-port for Israel or a tough stand against its enemies, such as Iran.

While some Democrats on Capitol Hill have quietly confessed to being “concerned” or even “very angry” that the President is continu-ing to praise Mr. Hagel, thus far, not one sitting Jewish Democratic Senator or Congressman has come out publicly, on the record, to oppose the nomination. The only Republican on Capitol Hill, Rep Eric Cantor (R-VA) said he did not have time to think about it just yet. Y

For more information about this, see page 24.

I have not discussed this potential nomination and do not have a comment at this point.Sen Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

The nomination of Chuck Hagel will be the President’s choice. Once he makes it, Ha-gel’s record will be studied care-fully. Until that point, we’re not going to know what will hap-pen. I, too, will have to study his record. I’m not going to comment until the President makes a nomination.Sen Charles Schumer (D-NY)

I don’t want to comment on a hypothetical situation. I will revisit it if the nomination is actually made, but, for now, I’m not taking a position.

Rep Nita Lowey (D-NY)

“Chuck Hagel has consis-tently been against economic sanctions to try to change the behavior of the radical, Islamist regime in Tehran, which is the only way to do it, short of war. I wouldn’t say his votes disqual-ify him from serving as Secre-tary of Defense, but if I were in the Senate on the Armed Services Committee and he

were nominated, I would have some really serious questions to ask him. If Hagel is nominated, it’s going to be a very tough con-firmation process.”

Retiring Sen Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)


The Current Crisis: “Even in Laughter, the Heart Can Ache”Remember when pictures of Tivoli Gardens or the statue

of the Little Mermaid were enough to inspire a chorus of “Won-derful, Wonderful Copenhagen”?

Well, things have changed. A few weeks ago, the Israeli Embassy in the city was attacked by 20 demonstrators, mostly adherents of the religion of peace, who lobbed stones and fireworks at the building and painted the word “childkillers” on the embassy’s entrance wall.

No one was injured, but, since then, Israeli and Jewish officials in the city have warned Jews to avoid openly wearing religious symbols and dress when moving about. No kippoth on the street; no jewelry with Stars of David; no speaking Hebrew too loudly.

We wonder if the city’s new theme song is “There Once Was an Ugly Imam.” Unfortunately, there is no swan in Den-mark’s future; only the same swan song being sung for all of Western Europe, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer continent.

Hans Christian Andersen, call your office.•••

A Russian-Jewish friend visited her daughter recently at one of the supposedly best colleges in the country. Our friend’s daughter said that she has to be very careful in class, because she said that if the teacher doesn’t like what a student says, he may decide whether or not to grade the final exam based on how remorseful the student is. To our friend’s astonishment, six out of ten students at that school do not know what the First Amendment to the US Constitution is, let alone what it protects.

This information prompted our friend to ask us what we thought the difference is between the old Soviet Union and many of today’s American colleges and universities.

Answer: In the old days, Russian-Jewish families risked ev-erything to flee Soviet tyranny to gain freedoms guaranteed by America’s First Amendment. Today, those same parents spend everything to put their children through institutions that deny them those same freedoms. •••

In Israel, one group was getting that same education for free. Until just recently, Palestinian terrorists serving time in Is-raeli prisons were eligible to receive a free university education.

When the government decided enough was enough and cut the service, three terrorist prisoners sued the state, claim-ing they were being discriminated against because regular criminals in Israeli prisons are supplied with free courses and degree programs at Israel’s Open University.

In a rare instance of common sense emanating from the Israeli judiciary, the High Court ruled last month that discrimina-tion was not an issue. “Differences in treatment of criminal and terrorist prisoners are not due to discrimination,” said the judges who heard the case. “We believe the same applies to education.”

Then, reverting to type, the judges went on to insist that the prison system should be “considerate” in deciding what to do with terrorists who are already enrolled in academic programs.

“We think it would be worthy to consider those in the midst or close to the end of an academic program separately from those who have not yet begun a course of study,” the court said. “If the prisons decide not to continue funding the education of those prisoners, they will be free to file petitions with district courts on the matter.”

We wonder how “considerate” those convicted terrorists were of the victims whom they murdered and maimed. S.L.R.


proposed revival of a ban on assault weapons. The National Rifle Association’s vice-pres-ident, Wayne LaPierre, is al-ready on record as saying he did not think it would work and that his group would not support it.

“A gun is a tool; the prob-lem is the criminal,” said Mr. LaPierre.

In fact, when the Col-umbine shooting incident occurred, the previous, 1994 assault-weapons ban was al-ready in place.

Mr. Kelner pointed to a 1999 in-depth study, conducted by the US Justice Department, which concluded that the ban did nothing to reduce crime or shootings.

In the report, the Justice Department said, “The ban has failed to reduce the average number of victims per gun-murder incident or multiple-gunshot would victims.”

For Mr. Kelner, that should have been an “aha” moment. “No wonder Congress allowed the useless gun ban to ‘sunset’ after ten years. It simply did not do what they promised it would,” he said.

Gun Murders DecreaseHe does not deny that

incidents such as the mass shooting in Connecticut bring the issue to the front burners, but, he said, statistics show, despite these tragedies, gun murders themselves have ac-tually dropped over the last two decades.

One reason for this, he said, is that an increasing number of states permit residents to carry concealed weapons. Knowing that there are con-cealed weapons “out there” is a deterrent to crime, he said.

“Despite the fact we have these well publicized incidents where innocents were murdered, gun murders themselves have

actually drastically dropped over the last two decades. One reason is that more people are carrying concealed weapons, which means there are more deterrents to crime out there,” said Mr. Kelner.

Stolen WeaponsJoseph Farah of World-

NewsDaily.net pointed out that Mr. Lanza stole his weapons from his mother’s house and then murdered her. He had tried to buy a rifle of his own a day earlier, but had been turned down.

“No law could have stopped Lanza short of disarming all law-abiding Americans. And that would just mean more death and carnage—and the end of liberty for all. The massacre at Sandy Hook could have been minimized, if not averted completely, if just one teacher or administrator at the school had been armed,” said Mr. Farah.

Mr. Kelner agreed. He rec-ognized that many people, in-cluding the vice-president of the beleaguered National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, have endorsed the notion of hiring armed guards to protect every school in the country, but, said Mr. Kelner, that might not be practical or economi-cally feasible for financially-strapped Jewish day schools and yeshivas.

“Instead of adding to the expenses of our already bur-dened schools, we suggest adopting one of the Golani Club’s missions, which is to advocate that every respon-sible member of the Jewish community become proficient in firearm use and handling. If every one of our local Jewish institutions had 20 to 25 per-cent of its on-site employees well-trained and accessible to a firearm—as they do in Is-rael—the risk of unopposed

massacres, like the one we just saw in Newtown, would be severely limited,” he said.

Tax BreaksCharles Heller, executive

for the advocacy group, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, also believes a so-lution lies in training teach-ers and school administrators who want to work in security as well.

Mr. Heller’s group recom-mends offering tax breaks to veteran special-forces soldiers and retired policemen in ex-change for protecting schools.

“A society with fewer guns would be more violent,” says Mr. Heller.

Looking to IsraelLike Mr. Kelner, many who

support gun ownership point to Israel as an example of a country with many legally armed citizens in which there are almost no cases of mass murders—except for acts of terrorism which would not be a affected by gun-control laws.

After the murders in Con-necticut, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a condolence message to the families, Mr. Obama, and all US citizens, in which he drew a par-allel between the killing in the American school and the acts of Arab terrorism with which Israel deals on a daily basis.

“The people of Israel grieve with you,” said Mr. Netanyahu. “When we see these horrible sights of slain children, young boys and girls whose lives were nipped in the bud in such cruel acts of savagery, I can tell you from my own experience that we understand the pain and agony. We in Israel have ex-perienced such cruel acts of slaughter, and we know the shock and agony they bring. We feel we’re one family with you, and I can only pray that

Gun Control continued from page 5



FONTAINEBLEAU MIAMI BEACH

March 24 - April 3, 2013

3-10 Night Packages Deluxe Standard, Ocean View,

Terrace, Junior, 1 & 2 Bedroom Suites

Single & Family Rates Available

PASSOVERThe Tradition Continues... 2013

Info & Res: 877-538-9948 • 954-251-1940 [email protected]

LASKOgetaways.com

“Step It Up” Program by Yogev Berdugo, Teen Director

CME Credit Program: Facilitated by

Dr. Jay Mazel, FHRS

Presenting Our Scholars: Rabbi Joshua Joseph

Mrs. Julie Joseph Dr. Jay Mazel

Mrs. Sharon Mazel Dr. Rona Novick

Dr. Stuart Ditchek

Catering by RAM Caterers: Directed by Simon Auerbacher

Lavish Tea Room & Famous All-You-Can Eat BBQ

Ashkenaz and Sefardic Minyanim

40,000-sq ft Lapis Spa and Salon

Adult Activities and Excursions

Infant Care and Day Camp Programs


NJ Voice & Opinion4.75”x 6.75”

• Our 18th spectacular year!• Directly on the beach• Poolside fitness center with sauna & steam room• Children’s dining room• Superb day camp program• Private seder rooms available• Glatt kosher, NK supervision • Gourmet cuisine with

renowned Chef Andy Serano• Cantor led or private seders• Sumptuous “Tea Room”• Shabbos elevators• Oversized rooms many w/ terraces• Top name entertainment• Trips to major attractions• Golf, tennis, watersports nearby• Poolside BBQ’s• Olympic-size pool + kids pool• 2 min. to upscale Aventura Mall• Daily services, shiurim, lectures• Scholar-in-Residence Program

THE SCHECHTER FAMILY PRESENTS... FIRST

CHILD FREE!

For Reservations Call Caribbean Kosher Tours

[email protected]––––––––––––––––––––––Call Joy of AMIT Children

SOUTHEAST REGION:

954-922-5100

19201 COLLINS AVE., MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

www.MarcoPoloBeachResort.com

G-d will give you the strength, as he’s given us, to overcome the tragedy and go on living.”

Past Disasters Nipped EarlyIn the Jewish community, the Con-

necticut shooting reignited old memories, such as the 2008 terror attack in Jerusa-lem in which an Arab terrorist opened fire in a yeshiva, killing eight young men. An off-duty IDF officer who lived near the yeshiva became aware of the situa-tion just as he was putting his children to bed. He grabbed his gun, ran to the yeshiva, and hunted down and killed the

terrorist, shooting him even before the security guard had the chance.

In another incident, an Arab worker driving a bulldozer turned it into an in-strument of mass murder. An armed ci-vilian along with a soldier jumped onto the bulldozer. As the civilian struggled with the terrorist, he urged the soldier to shoot, which he did. The terrorist was killed and many lives saved.

In the US, too, there are examples of planned mass murders which were avert-ed because a responsible individual was armed and knew how to act.

Israeli School MurdersOften in Israel’s history, Arab terrorists

managed to carry out their murderous in-tent on children. In 1974, Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat sent terrorist operatives from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Lebanon into northern Israel. They broke into an elementary school in the town of Ma’alot and, in an act of cold blooded savagery, mowed down 21 chil-dren along with five adults.

In April of that year, Palestinian-Ar-ab terrorists attacked Kiryat Shemona, deliberatively murdering eight children. Palestinian gunman also ambushed an Israeli school bus from the village of Avivim, slaughtering nine students and three teachers, as the bus traveled along a road not far from the Lebanese border.

In March 1978, Palestinian terrorists from the Fatah faction of the PLO hijacked another bus on the Coastal Haifa-Tel Aviv Highway, killing 21 Israeli children.

No ComparisonAccording to some Israeli experts,

comparing Israel’s experience with ter-rorism to the mass shooting episode in Connecticut is flawed. Yigal Palmer, spokes-man for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the situation in Israel is “fundamentally different” from that in the US.

“We had to deal with terrorism. What removed the danger were not the armed guards, but an overall anti-terror policy and anti-terror operations which brought street terrorism down to nearly zero over a number of years. It would be better not to drag Israel into what is an internal American discussion,” he said.

Reuven Berko, a retired Israeli Army colonel and a senior police officer agreed. “There is no comparison between mani-acs with psychological problems open-ing fire at random to kill innocent people and trained terrorists trying to murder Israeli children,” he said.

Prof Gerald Steinberg of Bar-Ilan Uni-versity said trying to compare the trag-edy of Newtown with terrorist attacks is “absurd.”

“Palestinian attacks like the one at Ma’alon took as its goal to use children as hostages in order to free other terror-ists. This is totally different from crimes committed by deranged people with guns,” he said.



No Armed TeachersAfter the Connecticut murders, a photo

of Israeli schoolchildren lined up with a young armed woman, who seemed to be their teacher, circulated on the Internet. It gave the impression that all Israeli school teachers are armed, a picture several Is-raeli journalists endeavored to correct.

“There may be some exceptions in dangerous areas, such as Judea and Samaria, but, in general, Israeli teachers are not walking around like it’s the Wild West, strapped with a six-shooter,” said Ron Cantor, writing in Israel Today.

Nevertheless, he said, that did not mean that schoolchildren in Israel were without protection. “In most cases, it is an armed guard or a soldier who accom-panies a class, not an armed teacher,” he said, offering the assumption that the young armed woman with a group of children in the picture making the rounds on the Internet was actually a security guard and not a teacher.

But while most teachers are not armed in Israel, Israeli schools are very well se-cured. Virtually all of them are surrounded by fences. Entry is through a locked gate watched by an armed security guard who is trained to question all would-be visi-tors, asking for the child’s name and an identification card.

Just One ProtectorSondra Baras, Israeli director of a

group called Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC), resides in Karnei Shomron, in the heart of Samaria, together with her husband, Edward, and their five children. After watching television cov-erage of the aftermath of the Connecti-cut shooting, she said she kept asking herself: What would have happened if that school had been protected by an armed guard.

“The shooter would have been shot dead before being able to do any damage,” said Ms. Baras, thinking about the “count-less terrorist attacks in Israel which were stopped mid-stream by citizens or security personnel who were nearby and who were armed. And they were armed because they were identified as individuals who could help in our fight against terrorism.”

The attack in Connecticut, she said, forced her to wonder if there was a differ-ence between “this meaningless act of violence and the terrorist attacks that we have been subject to in Israel for decades”

She was aware that, in the greater world, Jews have been suffering. In France a few months ago, a Muslim terrorist mur-dered schoolchildren in a Jewish school in Toulouse.

Important for Prevention “Does it make a difference if the at-

tack is motivated by a purpose or if it derives from such sick mind?” she asked.

She concluded that there are differ-ences, which become significant “primarily in devising ways to prevent the attacks.”

But, she said, all the acts have one thing in common: they are rooted in evil. She denied the cry from the left that guns, too, are part of the “evil.”

“When used by evil people, they are indeed very dangerous. When used by good people, they can save lives. For those visiting Israel for the first time, hav-ing an armed guard check your pocket-book before entering a shopping mall can seem scary. For us, it’s just part of life. When guns are in the hands of the good guys, we are not frightened. We feel protected,” she said.

Arduous ProcessDespite the stereotype of the armed

Israeli, the truth is, gun control laws in the Jewish state are very strict and the procedure leading to private gun own-



ership is much more arduous than the process is in the US. Those applying for gun per-mits must be vetted by the government and the police, and then a doctor must attest to the applicant’s mental and physical health.

“Mentally unstable peo-ple don’t have guns, and, thus, don’t shoot people. And it is not as easy to steal a gun in Israel as it is in the US,” said Mr. Cantor.

The individual must un-dergo well-structured train-ing and testing at a licensed gun range whose officials must also sign off on the ap-plicant’s skill and expertise. During this time, the would-be gun owner learns how to handle the weapon, store it, and use it.

As a rule, the Israeli gov-ernment prefers to issue gun licenses only to those with army experience.

Soldiers and Those Licensed

Even after all these hur-dles, Israeli gun-owners are usually limited to one firearm per person.

Nevertheless, to the ca-sual observer in Israel, guns are everywhere, carried by resi-dents of Judea and Samaria, soldiers, and security person-nel, including guards standing outside schools, restaurants, and shopping malls.

“Two types of people have guns in Israel: soldiers and those with licenses,” said Mr. Cantor, pointing out that only those with the rank of Captain or Lieutenant Colonel, for at least two years, can qualify to own a gun after leaving the army.

“And those who do have guns are taught to guard them carefully,” he said. Soldiers who take their guns home are in-structed to keep their weapons on their persons at all times or under lock and key. Losing a weapon can result in arrest.”

Seeing a ReductionAccording to journalist and

gun-owner Shalom Bear, as soon as obvious, “soft” targets for attacks in the US, such as schools, JCCs, and synagogues appoint visibly armed and well-trained guards, “we will un-doubtedly see a reduction in the number of massacres per-petrated in American schools and other places.”

“But if schools and shuls can’t afford that extra expense, they should at least let mem-bers of their staff, who can af-ford it, undergo the proper training,” he said.

Mr. Bear, a penname, made his remarks in a column for the Jewish Press entitled “The US Should Learn from Israel How to Permit, Not Outlaw, Guns.”

AttitudeAccording to Mr. Bear, the

difference between Israelis who

own guns and their American counterparts is “in the attitude.”

“Even though Israelis watch the same movies and play the same video games that glorify gun violence as Americans do, Israelis, unlike Americans, are taught from a young age a mature, respect-ful and structured interaction with their weapons. In Amer-ica, it’s considered a right to carry a gun, but in Israel, it’s considered both right and a privilege,” said Mr. Bear.

His suggestion is for the US to adopt Israel’s procedures for vetting would-be gun-owners, making the route to legal gun-ownership “at least as demanding as the process one must endure to receive a driver’s license.”

Gun owners should be required to repeat the pro-cess every time the license is renewed, he said.

Holocaust LessonsLike many gun-owners,

especially Jewish ones, Mr. Bear maintained that the Ho-locaust was possible only be-cause strict gun-control laws had left citizens unarmed and defenseless.

“As Jews, giving up the means and the right to defend ourselves is the worst mistake we could make. Imagine if Ger-many’s or Poland’s Jews had been armed. Would rounding up

Jews have been as easy or even possible? The answer is, obvi-ously, no,” he said.

For this reason, he said, Jews, especially in the Diaspora, must continue to be armed.

“Jews have an obligation to themselves, their families, and their communities to own guns and be well-trained in their proper handling, storage, and use. We mustn’t wait un-til, G-d forbid, another JCC, synagogue, or yeshiva is tar-geted by some crazed gun-man,” he said.

Zev Nadler, an NRA-certi-fied instructor in Arizona said he finds it “mind-boggling” to learn what a high percentage of Jews favor strict gun-control.

“It’s one of the most frus-trating feelings to watch those who have been and continue to be the most persecuted peo-ple on the planet deny them-selves the inherent right of self-defense. A firearm is a great equalizer in that those who wish to do a Jew harm know that they may be armed, and suddenly we are not the easy prey we used to be,” he said.

Bad Guys Stopped by Good Guys

This was precisely the point made by the NRA’s Mr. LaPierre, who suggested that armed police be deployed to every school in the country.



Israeli teach with her students.


Central Europe

June 27-July 7

2013

Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava (Pressburg), Eisenstadt, Sopron

italy

August 5-14

Rome, Tuscany, Florence,Pisa, Pitigliano, Venice

WITH SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE RABBI NATAN SLIFKIN, THE ZOO RABBI

JULY 21 - AUGUST 1, 2013AN AFRICAN SAFARI

Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Private game reserve,Shabbat in beautiful Cape Town, Luxury hotels,

Gourmet kosher food prepared by a resident chef

2013

italychoose your

journey Through Jewish History

WITH DR. MARC SHAPIRO

Jewish Medical EthicsLake Placid, New York • July 4 - 7

5th International Conference onJewish Medical Ethics www.torahinmotion.org • [email protected] • 416.633.5770 • 1.866.633.5770

Travel with Torah in Motion


“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” said Mr. LaPierre.

It was not the first time Mr. LaPierre has made the request. In 2007, after an armed murderer invaded Virginia Poly-tech in Blacksburg, shooting and kill-ing 32 people and wounding 17 oth-ers before turning the gun on himself, Mr. LaPierre asked for “armed security in every school.”

“The media called me crazy,” he said. “But what if, when Adam Lanza started shooting his way into Sandy Hook Elemen-

tary School, he’d have been confronted by qualified armed security. Will you admit that 26 innocent lives might have been spared that day?”

Left Wants LessSen. Frank Lautenberg (N-NJ) said

Mr. LaPierre’s suggestion was evidence that “the NRA leadership’s drive to fill our schools with more deadly guns and ammo is wildly out of touch with responsible gun owners,” said Mr. Laut-enberg.

Mr. Lautenberg’s sentiment was en-dorsed by most of the media. CNN host

Piers Morgan, a British citizen, lectured the American public on the fact that “there are nearly 12,000 murders year from guns in this country.”

“When are you guys going to focus on that, and stop telling me the answer is more guns? It is not the answer! How many more kids have to die before you guys say: ‘We want less guns, not more?” he said.

Can’t Stop a CriminalThose who believe he and the Presi-

dent are wrong pointed to statistics in Mr. Morgan’s own United Kingdom, where strict gun-control laws are in place. In 1998, there were 5,209 firearm offenses in England and Wales. Ten years later, in 2008, there were 9,865, a rise of 89 percent. In some parts of the country, the number of crimes committed with guns had increased more than five-fold. In 18 police precincts, gun crime at least doubled.

As a result, just after the murders in Connecticut, police in London reported that they had begun carrying out armed patrols on some streets, a practice long unheard of in the United Kingdom, where officers of the law were armed with noth-ing more lethal than a billy club.

“Despite its strict laws, the UK has abjectly failed to curb gun violence. As in the US, crime there is perpetrated by fel-ons, who don’t live by the rule of law, and it’s the law-abiding citizens who are the ones impacted by silly legislation aimed at stopping violent crime,” said Matt Vespa who blogs on the conservative redstate.com website.

Mr. Vespa pointed out that the mur-derer, Mr. Lanza, could not have legally obtained the firearms he used against the children and personnel at the school because it is illegal in Connecticut for an individual under the age of 21 to pur-chase or possess a firearm. Mr. Lanza was 20 when he stole his mother’s guns to carry out his grisly crime.

“This is not a failure of gun laws. It is a failure of personal responsibility. What will more, redundant laws do when the laws already in effect fail to stop a crimi-nal, who, by the very definition of the word, has no intention of following the law anyway?” said Mr. Vespa. S.L.R.



Officials Tell the Community that in an Emergency, Safety Depends on Planning and Staying Alert

safety, especIally durIng emergencies, natural and otherwise, was the concern that prompted twenty-five representatives of Teaneck’s Orthodox-Jewish commu-nity to attend a meeting last month with local law enforcement and security officials.

Concurrently, the same concern prompted sixty law-enforcement personnel from twenty different police agencies throughout Rockland County to come out in force to call at-tention to the area’s counter-terrorism effort.

At shopping centers, train stations, and on the New York State Thruway, Rockland County security officials distributed “See Something, Say Something” flyers, encouraging members of the public to report any-thing suspicious.

At the Teaneck meeting, which was organized by Town Councilmen Yitz Stern and Elie Y. Katz, the operative words were “preparation” and “plans.”

“Every family, every syn-agogue, every school needs a plan that must be in place before disaster strikes. We can help, but we must work with you to determine your vulner-abilities and how to make you and your institutions safe or, at the very least, reduce your risks,” said Teaneck Police Chief Robert A Wilson.

Makeshift SolutionsToo often, lack of planning

has led to makeshift or spur-of-the-moment solutions that are less than ideal and should not be necessary.

Mr. Katz recalled a re-cent water emergency that prompted United Water to call its customers, advising them not to drink the water without boiling it first. The

problem was that the emer-gency occurred on Shabbat, when Orthodox Jews do not answer their phones and, with modern technology, could not even hear the voice message until after dark.

In that incident, the town manager contacted Mr. Katz who then took it upon himself to warn as many members of the community as possible, asking each person he met to try to reach out to others.

“We sent police cars to the parks, where many mem-bers of the community spend Shabbat afternoons, and to the shuls to catch people at later services,” he said.

A Better PlanAll town officials agreed

that a better plan would have to be found to address the is-sue of how to reach members of the Jewish community when emergencies occur on Shabbat or holidays. Some participants wondered if, during Shabbat emergencies, city officials could knock on the doors of pre-ar-ranged volunteers who would then follow a pre-organized plan to reach other members of their synagogues.

Others suggested that per-haps non-Jewish members of the community could be asked to notify their Jewish neigh-bors in cases of emergency.

In general, Teaneck offi-cials endorsed the concept of neighbors looking out for one another, especially in the case of senior citizens. In the 1980s, Teaneck had 2,000 residents over 65. Today, there are 5,800 seniors in the township.

“Neighbors need to know who they are so that, when the electricity goes out, someone can reach out to them,” said Teaneck Fire Chief Anthony Verley.

Good Morning Check-UpTeaneck officials are try-

ing with its Fire Department’s “Good Morning Check-Up Pro-gram.” Designed for shut-ins and senior citizens who live alone, the program provides subscribers with a telephone call service seven days a week (six days for Sabbath observ-ers) between the hours of 8 and 9am. A member of the Fire Department calls the resi-dent to see if everything is all right. If there is no answer to the first call, a second call is made about five minutes lat-er. If there is no answer again, a firefighter is dispatched to the residence to check on the individual.

“In the past, residents have been found in need of medical assistance,” said Chief Verley.

Before residents are en-rolled in the program, a Fire Department representative con-ducts an interview to obtain pertinent medical data as well as information on who should be called in an emergency. A home fire-safety check is also conducted at that time.

Storm PreparationDuring and after Hurricane

Sandy, when many Teaneck residents lost power for more than a week, the community’s firehouses and police station opened their doors, allowing

members of the community to warm up (those buildings had their own generators), have a cup of hot coffee, and recharge their cell phones.

At the meeting, Teaneck officials pointed out that the storm did not come without warning. According to Mr. Katz, officials spent the week before Sandy monitoring its path, and many meetings were held by various town officials, includ-ing the Health and Building Departments.

On the Friday before the storm, robo-calls were made to 12,000 Teaneck homes, warning residents to prepare canned and dry foods and water for five to seven days, to clear their yards of debris that could act as missiles during the expect-ed heavy winds, and to fill up their cars’ gas tanks.

For future reference, Chief Verley suggested that the many residents who now have generators learn how to use them safely. They need to be at least 20 feet away from the owner’s home and prob-ably an equal distance from neighbors as well.

Teaneck officials have asked all residents to register on the town’s website, listing all vital information, includ-ing email addresses and cell



phone numbers, so that officials can be in touch with them even if there is no phone or electric service. Thus far, only 800 of Teaneck’s 12,000 households have registered.

Fire AlarmsAnother suggestion by Chief Verley

was that residents learn where the near-est fire alarm box is located and how to use it, and then teach children how to use the device as well.

“Teaneck has 315 fire alarm boxes strategically located throughout the township. These can be used to report fires, of course, but also pre-fire smoke conditions, medical emergencies, elec-trical accidents, and steam leaks. If you have no other way to contact us, break open the box and pull on the lever and then stay there, so you can direct the responders to the emergency. But be-fore you can do this, you have to know where the alarm box is. That’s called planning,” he said.

His warning about planning extend-ed to family homes as well. “In case of emergency, do your family members know how to evacuate the house? Do they know where you will assemble once they get out? You can’t decide this when there is an emergency. You have to do it in advance,” he said.

For this reason, he said, he wishes all families would hold their own fire drills. Some Orthodox synagogues in Teaneck have held such drills, even on Shabbat, with the approval of their rabbis, he said.

AttacksBut natural disasters were not the

only emergencies on people’s minds. In recent months, Bergen County weathered a spate of attacks on synagogues. And recently, several burglaries occurred on Shabbat mornings while the homeown-ers were in shul.

Throughout Northern New Jersey, there have been incidents in which driv-ers attempted to lure children into cars.

According to Chief Wilson, many synagogues and schools have invested in surveillance cameras with volunteers designated to watch the perimeters and stay alert. He suggested that Orthodox institutions coordinate their safety plans with police and fire officials and send the authorities their building floor plans and blueprints.

“The rabbis need to tell us what kinds of procedures are acceptable to them and then everyone in the community needs to know that when there is a plan, it must be followed. Everyone needs to know how to evacuate the building,” he said.

No Fear of CallingSome of his suggestions seemed

more mundane, but equally important, such as using concrete barriers to pro-tect children in strollers on the sidewalks.

“You have to worry about drivers who are busy texting and lose control,” he said, explaining that there is funding to provide for these measures and that the police will help synagogues and schools apply for the necessary grants.

Surprisingly, according to Mr. Katz, too many members of the Orthodox com-munity are often hesitant when it comes to calling the police to report something suspicious, such as a person photograph-ing a school or synagogue.

“Don’t wait five days to send me an email. Call the police immediately. The individual may be engaged in an innocent activity, and we know you don’t want to look like a fool, but we would rather have 100 calls, even if only one of them proves to be serious,” he said.

Sgt. John DeLuca of the Bergen Coun-ty Bomb Squad had similar advice, urg-ing those present to warn members of the community to be alert for suspicious packages and individuals.

“If you see something, say something. Call the local police, and they will do an assessment and, if necessary, they will call us,” he said. “Usually it will turn out to be nothing more than someone’s lunch or an old suitcase, but you need to be alert and make that call.”

No ComplacencyThat was the same message conveyed

by the Rockland County police during their demonstration to the public. According to South Nyack-Grand View Police Chief Robert VanCura, the Rockland program was designed to encourage the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspi-cious packages they may come across.

“We rely on tips from the public to defuse possible threats,” said Chief Van-Cura. “We’d rather people call us if they think they see something suspicious, even if it turns out to be nothing, rather than not call us and it does turn out to be something dangerous.”

Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik said the special effort was also designed to fight complacency.

“You have to make sure the public re-mains aware and that complacency doesn’t overtake us. From my perspective, there is a legitimate threat until someone else says we are finally out of this,” he said.

He said that densely-populated sub-urban areas, such as those in Rockland County, remain targets for domestic and international terrorists, and that this is especially true for shopping and trans-portation centers.

Safety Planning continued from page 15



MatzaFun’s twelfth outstanding year at the New Jersey Shore. Celebrate with a pampered Passover at Ocean Place Resort & Spa

w w w. m a t z a f u n . c o m

Gourmet Glatt Kosher Cuisine, Orthodox SupervisionComplete Programing - Infants, Kids, Teens, Adults

Only 55 Minutes From NYC!

Call Jay800-752-6050 or

215-332-2444

TM

follow our blog

PassoverPassover20132013Culinary Cuisine By Mauzone’s Catering by Celebration with Alan Shulman and Executive Chef Martin Levin from the Culinary Institute of America, Author of Chef Marty’s Kosher Kitchen

• Scholars in Residence: Rabbi Efraim Kanorfogel - Head of Jewish Studies - Stern College-Yeshiva University,Mordechy Zigelbaum- Family Therapist - Teacher of Torah Shiurim - CantorSeders conducted by Cantor Pinchus Cohen Manhattan Beach Jewish Center.

• Special appearance by the hottest new singing sensation Yoni Z

• Kashrus under Kehillas Bais Benzion - Rabbi Zushe Blech

• Only 55 Minutes From NYC

• Award Winning Hotel “Gold Key Recipient”

• European Spa “ Pamper Yourself”

• 2 Miles of Boardwalk featuring Pier Village

• Ocean View & Private Balcony With Every Room

• Sandy beach Directly in front of Resort

• FREE Transportation to Great Adventure on NCSY Day

The Community KnowsIn Teaneck, Sgt DeLuca said that, in

synagogues, the assistance of members of the community is vital. “You know what belongs where and if something is either out of place or doesn’t belong. The threat of a synagogue bombing is real, which means you have to be involved and keep the conversation going,” he said.

In Teaneck, that is exactly what Messrs Katz and Stern intend to do. The next security meeting is scheduled for Febru-ary 7, with others planned for May, Au-gust, and November. Those interested in attending should contact Mr. Katz at [email protected] or Mr. Stern at [email protected].

“The obvious fact is that the police can’t be everywhere. We must depend on the community supporting the police and making a call when they see some-thing suspicious. That can make a big difference,” said Mr. Stern. S.L.R.

Community Security Service Helps the Jewish Community Protect Itselfat the teaneck security meeting at-tended by members of the Orthodox community last month, the only vol-unteer, non-profit organization rec-ommended by Police Chief Robert Wilson as a group to which Jewish institutions could turn for security ad-vice and personnel, especially against potential terrorism, was the Commu-nity Security Service (CSS).

A non-profit, grassroots organiza-tion, CSS was established six years ago to enable members of the American-Jewish community to respond to the increasing threat of violence against its facilities and institutions. Apolitical and affiliated with no specific faction or denomination within the Jewish com-munity, CSS coordinates all its activities with local police and operates only in those synagogues or schools which have either requested its presence or agreed to work with it.

“CSS believes in developing effective deterrence and response capabilities to protect the community’s members and its institutions,” said Dr. Joshua Gleis, CSS’s vice-president of operations.

Not a LaymanAn international security consultant,

political risk analyst, and author, Dr. Gleis is one of the original members of the volunteer-driven organization, but he hardly a security layman.

The author of the 2011 book, “With-drawing under Fire: Lessons Learned from Islamist Insurgencies” and co-author of the 2012 “Hezbollah and Hamas: A Compara-tive Study,” he has worked in the diplo-matic and security sectors, meeting with world leaders from across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

He has advised government agen-cies on issues of public diplomacy, coun-ter-terrorism, and counter-insurgencies,

and worked for a while as an analyst for the crack New York Police Department counter-terrorism unit.

Counter-TerrorismA graduate of the Frisch Yeshiva High

School, he majored in Near East Studies at Cornell, and then received a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) and doctorate in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts, the nation’s oldest school of in-ternational affairs.

While professionally, he works as a con-sultant for investors, politicians, investiga-


Planning cont. fr. p. 16


tors, government agencies, oil and gas firms, and even other consulting firms that lack ex-pertise in certain areas, at CSS, he works with members of the Jewish community who are in-terested in improving their own security.

“No one knows the local community and its facilities better than members of the local community, which is why they are often the best choice for assisting police in this en-deavor,” he said.

Rigorous TrainingTo meet the security threat

facing the Jewish community, CSS offers community mem-bers who pass an interview and background check the opportu-nity to take a free multi-month rigorous training course which includes lessons in physical self-defense and counter-terrorism

security measures, especially counter-surveillance.

Trainees learn to use secu-rity cameras and other means of deterrence. They learn to conduct lock-downs and plan escape routes in synagogues and schools as well as how to defend themselves and oth-ers if attacked.

They learn how to contact police quickly and file reports with photographs.

Those who are not suf-ficiently physically fit for the self-defense activities can still qualify to participate in other parts of the program, such as behavior detection and situ-ational awareness.

“Women are often bet-ter at behavior detection than men are,” said Dr. Gleis.

Winning ApprovalHaving trained over 20

groups of volunteers, CSS has already prepared thousands of members of the Jewish com-munity to serve as volunteers protecting dozens of schools, synagogues, and event facilities throughout the tri-state area.

An increasing number of security agencies, such as the Teaneck, Englewood, Tenafly, and West Orange Police Depart-ments now see CSS volunteers as partners, working to assist the professionals to keep the community safe.

Equally important, CSS has won the approval of Is-rael’s Chief Rabbinate as well as the Orthodox rabbis of the Rabbinical Council of Amer-ica. Not all Orthodox rabbis have been convinced that CSS volunteers are justified in ac-tivities that otherwise would be deemed a desecration of the Sabbath, but those rabbis who have approved view CSS’s counter-terrorism surveillance techniques as Pikuach Nefesh, the principle in Jewish law that sees preservation of human life as overriding virtually all other religious considerations.

Aware of the DangerAccording to Dr. Gleis,

members of the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbinates have undergone CSS’s security training.

“While we in the American-Jewish community are proud of our integration and acceptance into American society, we must be cognizant of the immedi-ate and growing threat to our physical security. Over the last decade, the American-Jewish community was the target of

dozens of planned or actual vio-lent attacks; we can no longer consider ourselves isolated from international threats and terror-ism simply by virtue of where we live. Extremist groups have declared their intentions to harm Jews everywhere in the world, including here in America. We can no longer operate under the assumption that we are not targets,” he said.

The fact that CSS works within the Jewish community allows its members to network to everyone’s advantage. Dr. Gleis recalls an incident in which a CSS team in West Orange was able to pass on surveillance in-formation to their counterparts in Teaneck, who then relayed the data to the police to investigate.

Seeking to ExpandLike all non-profits, CSS has

an ongoing need for funding. According to Dr. Gleis, the group uses donations not only to pay for members’ training, but to expand its reach to additional synagogues, schools, facilities, and Jewish communities.

For more information on how to volunteer or how to donate, CSS can be reached through its website, thecss.org, or at 917-720-5583, [email protected], or [email protected].

“We believe that security should concern everyone, and, thus, CSS welcomes partici-pation and engagement from the wider Jewish communi-ty. We offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for all levels of involvement, and we invite everyone to join us in this important endeavor,” said Dr. Gleis. S.L.R.

p h o t o g r a p h y | c i n e m a t o g r a p h y w i t h s t y l e

9 5 w . e n g l e w o o d a v e n u e t e a n e c k n j | 2 0 1 . 8 6 2 . 0 2 8 8

w w w . m e n d e l m e y e r s . c o m

CSS Protection continued from page 17

Female CNA/Home Health Care Aide Available Very experienced & caring, seeking position with

M or F, live-in or 12-hour shifts, refs. on request.

Call 917-566-1427


settlement bloc Israel intends to keep in any agreement.

Israel is also planning to build 1,500 new homes in the northern Jerusalem neighbor-hood of Ramat Shlomo, locat-ed between Ramot, which has 60,000 Jewish residents, and the Har Hotzvim Industrial Park.

A New CityAlso scheduled is a new

Jewish city planned in the Gush Etzion bloc in Judea. To start, the Defense Ministry has ap-proved plans to build 523 hous-ing units on the site that will be Gevaot.

In the year 2000, the re-gional council presented plans for a city of at least 6,000 homes. But, until now, there was no government approval. At present, there are a handful of caravans at the site, which functions as an outpost.

The building plans call also for Jerusalem’s Gilo neighbor-hood to receive 1,200 housing units. Located close to the south-ern outskirts of Jerusalem, Gilo lies across from an Arab village which, before the separation fence, had been a source of terrorist attacks on the neigh-borhood. The barrier makes it impossible for gunfire to pen-etrate into the outlying neigh-borhoods of the Jewish capital.

Although it had nothing to do with the government’s plans for building, the Ariel University Center (formerly the College of Judea and Samaria) announced at the end of De-cember that Defense Minis-ter Ehud Barak had signed off on the project and that Ariel has been recognized as a full-fledged university.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has upheld the Judea and Samaria Higher Education Council’s decision to accredit the school.

Ready to TalkAlthough actual building

probably not take place for sev-eral years, the world did not react quietly. PA official Hanan Ashrawi called it “an act of Is-raeli aggression against a state” and she called on the “world to take up its responsibilities.”

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas denounced all the Is-raeli decisions in Judea and Samaria and called for a halt to construction of Jewish homes and a return to peace talks.

“I’ve said a thousand times that we want to resume ne-gotiations and we are ready to do it,” he said.

He did not address the is-sue of his preconditions which, thus far, have made talks im-possible for Israel, such as his demand for Israel to evacuate 100 percent of Judea, Samaria, and the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, evicting some 500,000 Jews from their homes so that the land can be deliv-ered to the Arabs judenrein.

The Arabs have also insist-ed on their “right of return,” which would allow all Arabs who fled Israel in 1948 and 1967 and their descendants to flood back into Israel proper, thus de-mographically destroying the Jewish state. The PA has said it would not recognize Israel as the Jewish State, which is one of Israel’s demands.

Going to CourtNevertheless, Mr. Abbas

called the plan to build in E1 “a red line that cannot be tol-erated: and warned that “if it goes ahead, we will resort to all legitimate and legal methods.”

One of his plans, he said, is to take the issue to the Inter-national Criminal Court, where he will call the construction of homes for Jews a “war crime.” Neither Israel nor the US recog-nizes the ICC’s authority. But if the court found specific Israe-lis guilty, it could place them at risk of arrest if they travel.

Before the UN recognized Palestine, the PA could not use the court, and it still is not cer-tain that the ICC would recog-nize Palestine’s right to press charges against a state that is fully recognized by the UN.

According to some experts, the ICC could be a double-edged sword for the Palestinians. While Israel as a country could not take the PA or specific Palestin-ians to the court, individuals, especially from countries that do recognize the authority of the ICC, could do just that, es-pecially in cases of terrorism.

Penalty for ViolationsMr. Netanyahu saw no

reason to address Mr. Abbas’s concerns beyond announcing that “by going to the UN, the Palestinians have violated the agreements with Israel, and Israel will act accordingly.”

In addition, Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said Is-rael will stop transferring the funds it collects for the PA. That money, he said, will be used to pay the PA’s debts to the Israeli electric company.

Most Israelis viewed the move at the UN as having “bur-ied the Oslo Accords,” taking peace talks off the table.

World Piling OnThe US, which had sup-

ported Israel at the UN and voted against recognizing the PA as a non-member state, nevertheless

condemned Israel’s decision, as did most members of the Euro-pean Union. The British, French, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, Russian, Australian, Brazilian, and Egyptian governments, all of which had either supported the PA move at the UN or abstained, called for a reversal of the construction plans.

In Paris, as elsewhere, the Israeli Ambassador, Yossi Gal, “clarified the Israeli position by explaining that it was impos-sible to expect Israel to stand idly by after the unilateral Pal-estinian move at the UN.”

Germany, which had ab-stained from the UN vote, said it was “deeply concerned” about Israel’s building plans and urged Je-rusalem “to reverse the announce-ment.” When Mr. Netanyahu met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, they said in a joint state-ment, “On the question of the settlements, we are agreed that we are not agreed.”

France and Italy said they were “not ready” to “start think-ing in terms of sanctions” against Israel. British Foreign Secre-tary William Hague said there did not appear to be any “en-thusiasm” in the EU to impose economic sanctions on Israel over its E1 development plans.

No Higher EducationWhen word of Ariel Univer-

sity’s upgrade was announced, Britain’s Minister for the Middle

Israel Builds continued from page 1



East, Alistair Burt, and Mr. Hague said the UK was “deeply disappointed.”

“This decision will deepen the pres-ence of the settlements in the Palestinian territories and will create another obstacle to peace,” said Mr. Burt, who condemned all the Israeli building plans and went so far as to praise Mr. Abbas for the PA’s “measured response…in response to Is-rael’s recent settlement announcements.”

Mr. Hague decried “the creation of Israel’s first university beyond the Green Line, in a settlement illegal under international law.”

EncouragedThe pressure seemed to motivate

the Israeli government to press on. “We continue to insist on our vital interests, even under international pressure. There will be no change in the decision that has been made,” said a statement from Mr. Netanyahu’s office.

Mr. Netanyahu stressed that the con-flict between Israel and her Arab neigh-bors has never been about any particular community in Judea and Samaria, but, rather, the denial of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

“The root of this conflict is not territorial. It is over our existence in any borders what-soever and our enemies’ desire to wipe it off the face of the earth,” said Mr. Netanyahu.

HypocrisyIsraeli UN Ambassador Ron Prosor

noted that the planned construction is in neighborhoods that will be part of Jeru-salem and under Israeli sovereignty in any future agreement between Israel and the PA.

“It is hypocrisy to call for Palestinian contiguity between Judea and Samaria and Gaza and, in the same breath, op-pose Jewish territorial contiguity between Maaleh Adumim and Jerusalem” he said.

Like Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Prosor said “settlements” were never the main ob-stacle to peace.

“The real obstacle to peace is the Pal-estinians’ demand of return, their refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, the continued terrorism, and incitement against Israel. If the Security Council really wants to contribute to the peace process, it must address these issues,” said Mr. Prosor.

“Where Were You?”Israeli writer Paula Stern said the world’s

hypocrisy had never been more blatant. Addressing the countries of the world “who say Israel threatens the peace,” she asked, “Where were you two weeks ago when I ran with my children to our bomb shelter? It is too late now to talks to us of peace. Speak to Hamas first.”

Mr. Netanyahu also denounced the hypocrisy. Meeting with representatives of foreign media in Israel, he pointed out that just hours before Israel announced its building plans, Hamas leaders openly called for Israel’s destruction.

“Where was the outrage? Where was the UN? Where was Abbas,” Mr. Netan-yahu demanded. “Why did Palestinian diplomats not only remain silent in the face of these calls, but then speak of their intention to unite with Hamas? There was only deafening silence.”

Committed to JerusalemIsraeli officials made clear that the

government was committed to the Jew-ish state’s interests in Jerusalem, even if it means standing up to world pressure and disapproval.

“If someone thinks Israel will avoid building in neighborhoods in its capital city due to reprimands or pressure, that person does not fully grasp Israel’s in-terests in the region,” said government secretary Tzvi Hauser. “There is consen-sus in Israel that there are areas in which we have to keep normal life going. We are not talking about a little stone in the desert. We are talking about Jerusalem.”

By the middle of December, Israel be-gan inviting proposals to build 92 homes in Maaleh Adumim. Other projects for which the government began issuing tenders include sites in Karnei Shom-ron, Efrat, and Givat Zev, all of which are located in settlement blocs.

More than 2,000 additional housing units have been approved for the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat HaMa-tos, which adjoins the area called Talpiot.

Campaign Ploy?Some observers, particularly on the right,

feared the entire push to build is a campaign ploy by Mr. Netanyahu to win votes.

Aryeh King, who is running for the Knesset in the nationalist Power to Israel party, insisted that the reports regarding the approvals for construction in Jerusa-lem are nothing but election-season spin.

“Netanyahu is running a campaign that places Jerusalem at the center of public discourse,” said Mr. King. “Bibi is trying to lie to the public and present a false picture in which he is building and widening the city, but in actuality, the facts are opposite.”

Mr. King said, despite the press re-ports, the plans for construction at Ramat Shlomo in northern Jerusalem have not been approved.

“Bibi is recycling plans from two years ago. In fact, no plan has been approved. If Bibi is elected, there will be no construction—not at Ramat Shlomo and not at E1,” he said.

A source close to Mr. Netanyahu agreed. “When a new government is formed and the Americans will pressure Israel, this plan will be shelved as has happened in the past,” he said. S.L.R.

Israel Builds continued from page 19


A Mother’s Plea: An Armed Guard for My Child By Sharon GordonEditor’s note: Ms. Gordon wrote this op-ed in 1999, which is when it appeared in The Jewish Voice, shortly after a JCC in Los An-geles was attacked by an antisemitic gun-man who came looking for blood. I am a Jewish mother whose child attends a Jewish day school in New Jersey. When I first heard about the car-nage in Los Angeles at the Jewish cen-ter, I thought that it could have been my child. Along with the rest of the country, I am horrified at the attempted massacre by the neo-Nazi monster Buford Furrow. Unfortunately, this type of violence is hardly a rarity nowadays.

Much attention is paid to the notion that such horrors can be prevented, primar-ily by eliminating the tools of destruction. Certainly, keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous madmen is one important step. Background checks on gun sales pro-vide that safeguard. Had Mr. Furrow tried to buy a gun through legal methods, he would have been justifiably denied.

Unfortunately, homicidal maniacs rarely concern themselves with legal niceties. They obtain their guns through

illegal methods. We must accept the real-ity that such people live in this country, plotting episodes of destruction and may-hem against not only Jews, but Christians and athletes (Columbine), whites (Long Island Railroad), blacks (Howard Beach), Mormons (Salt Lake City) and financial workers (Atlanta). There is no telling where the next tragedy will strike.

Protecting the ChildrenWe must protect our children; all our

children. My solution may not be a popular one, but it is a real one, a practical one, deal-ing with the reality of the madness that more and more evil people are acting out today.

The solution is clear, yet it is a politi-cally difficult one. My premise is that most people are good, and that there are few evil people who will actually commit these hei-nous crimes. The children would have been protected had a responsible, trained, armed person been on site to stop the bloodshed.

This approach is not without prec-edent. Many adults in Israel—both sol-diers and civilians—carry guns, because terrorism has been a chronic problem. Teachers and kindergarten nurses carry weapons. Few attacks have occurred on

children in Israel since this practice began, because their teachers have had the tools to protect the children: guns. In fact, one of the few recent attacks occurred on a group of children who were visiting Jor-dan, after their teachers were compelled to leave their protective weapons behind.

Like a Credit Card Closer to home, about ten years ago,

there were several days of minor rioting in my suburban town after a policeman shot a teenager who had been brandishing a gun. The rioters approached my neighbor-hood, near friends who lived up the street.

As the rioters approached her house, the husband called the police and plead-ed for help. The police, understandably busy in many other sections of town, said they could do nothing unless the rioters were entering her house.

That was an epiphany for the wife. She had previously been supportive of the efforts that are called gun control as a means to protect the population, but then she realized the police cannot pro-tect everyone; they can only pick up the pieces after a tragedy occurs.



When an Older Adult Should No Longer Be Home AloneBy Devorah Sinensky, OHEL Family Center Geriatric Servicesmost older adults want to remain in their own homes, the place where their lives were built, their families raised, and yom tovim prepared and celebrated. But for those over 85, especially those who need some sort of assistance with dressing, shopping, and taking care of personal needs, home may no longer be a place of comfort and solace from stress. It may become isolating and even dangerous.

At OHEL’s Geriatric Ser-vices, we are often asked to identify the signs that indi-cate if a parent may need as-sistance, a very difficult decision for family members and the older adult. The question is: How to know when a mother or father needs help at home.

First, it is important to note the subtle changes in behav-ior that professionals refer to as “red flags,” which, in many

cases, take place prior to the time a doctor has diagnosed a disease. Changes in personal-ity or a sudden loss or gain in weight, or developing an un-steady balance or other physi-cal ailments are easier to spot than quieter behavioral shifts, but these are important, es-pecially those that are out-of-character for the senior citizen.

Losing ThingsFor example, your mother

may be spending more time searching for lost items. If this is consuming a major portion of her time, it may be cause for alarm, especially if the mis-placed items turn up in inap-propriate places, such as sun-glasses in the freezer.

If Mom has always been a fastidious dresser, but now her clothes are less than pristine, there is reason to take notice. Perhaps she is confused about which medications to take, or she forgot a grandchild’s birth-day or special event. Has she

forgotten how to get home or let slip a doctor’s appointment? She may have forgotten to light Shabbos candles or has mixed up the meat and dairy dishes. Can she still follow directions?

Other questions we might ask include: Is she still connect-ing with friends like she did in the past? Does she retain an interest in her long-standing hobbies such as gardening or listening to or playing music? Are her pets receiving proper attention? Were burners or the oven left on? Is there regularly spoiled food in the refrigerator?

It is often helpful for a grown child to keep a log of these events to make refer-ring back easier at a later date.

Professional AdviceOnce it has been determined

that changes are taking place, adult children naturally want to ensure that the parent’s home is safe so that the senior adult’s in-dependence can be preserved in the most respectful way possible.

Here are some important steps to consider:

Discuss the signs that con-cern you with other family mem-bers to ascertain if they, too, have noticed some of these changes.

Schedule a comprehen-sive geriatric evaluation with a specialist, who can be rec-ommended by any respected hospital. These evaluations are generally performed by a group, as a consultation, or by an individual physician who can either follow the senior citizen’s medical care or advise the family physician.

Speak to your parent’s physician. It is important to rule out medication interac-tions. Adult children of one of our clients reported that their mother had become so para-noid she installed four locks on each of the doors in her home and refused to go out. After an evaluation, her doctor changed her medications and the paranoia ceased. Medicines


FOR MORE INFORMATION : WWW.CAMPKAYLIE.ORG718-686-3261 • [email protected]

See testimonials• pictures• videos & moreat campkaylie.org

REGISTER NOWFOR BOYS CAMP

JULY 2013

REGISTER NOWFOR GIRLS CAMP

AUGUST 2013

• Sports • Learning• Integration• Friendships• Adventure& much more…

are useful, but they are also powerful. Do not underesti-mate their side-effects as a root cause for unusual behaviors.

Keeping SafeAddress safety concerns

in your parent’s home, such as the need for improved light-ing, the addition of grab bars in the bathroom, installation of a walk-in shower, and, per-haps additional railings indoors and outside. These changes probably cost a lot less than moving the senior citizen to an assisted living residence.

Install an emergency re-sponse system so that, in case of an emergency, paramedics and family members can be con-tacted immediately. Emergency information, including medica-tions and any allergies, should be posted in a prominent place, generally on the refrigerator door.

Transportation plays an es-sential role in helping the senior citizen maintain independence. In many towns in New Jersey, handicapped transportation is available for a nominal fee. Fort Lee, for example, has several vans used to transport older adults to banks, supermarkets, and doctors’ offices. Teaneck provides free transportation for medical appointments, grocery shopping, and trips to the Ber-gen Towne Center shopping mall in Paramus. In addition, since 2008, EZ Ride Community cars offers seniors in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Monmouth, Passaic, and Union Counties flexible curb-to-curb trans-portation, for any purpose, at heavily discounted rates.

Joint DecisionShare your concerns with

your mother or father to see if the explanations they have for the concerning behaviors make sense. It is imperative that the senior adult be included in the discussion of whether or not to hire a home health aide. If it is sprung on the senior adult as a fait accompli, it may backfire, especially if it leads to resent-ment and extreme resistance on the part of the parent. On the other hand, the senior adult may recognize that accepting some assistance at home will allow him or her to remain at home for a very long time. It is important to remember that each individual and every family is unique and has its own needs.

All of these suggestions may become easier after a consultation with a geriatric care manager or other pro-fessional who specializes in the care of the aging. This is especially true if the senior’s children live far away or if the family is estranged.

At the OHEL Behavioral Health & Family Center of North-ern New Jersey, we can help concerned family members care for their elderly loved ones by providing direction, guidance, and support in a caring and professional Jewish environ-ment. Based in Teaneck, we can be reached at 201-692-3972.

Remember, it is important to plan before a crisis occurs. Once a senior has suffered a serious injury or been diag-nosed with illness, options become more limited. Y


WhIle some oBservers have suspected (or hoped) the President, in discussing Mr. Hagel, is merely floating another trial balloon, similar to the unsuccess-ful one he launched in an attempt to name UN Ambassador Susan Rice as Secretary of State, Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-president of the Confer-ence of Presidents of Major American-Jewish Organizations, made clear he thought that was wishful thinking.

“It’s most likely the President will an-nounce that Hagel will be the choice,” said Mr. Hoenlein whose umbrella group represents 50 of America’s largest Jewish organizations.

He made his comments at the end of December during the course of an in-terview conducted by Jewish radio talk show host Zev Brenner.

Although there have been suggestions that Mr. Obama might select one of two other very qualified candidates—Deputy De-fense Secretary Ash Carter or former Defense Undersecretary Michelle Flournoy, both of whom served in his first administration and have reputations for working positively to enhance relations between the US military and Israel—Mr. Hoenlein begged to differ.

“The White House did not call any-one [else] that I know of,” he said. “So I think [the Hagel nomination] is something that we’ll live with and we’ll work with whoever is in office, but the concern is because of his past statements and his record on a lot of issues.”

Contacting the SenateThat record does not sit well with

most of the pro-Israel community who view Mr. Hagel as one of the least sup-portive Republicans on matters relating to Israel during the 12 years he served in the Senate. Mort Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, said the possibility that Mr. Hagel might be nominated “has rightly shocked Israel’s supporters as well as those who want to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear-weapons capability.”

“Hagel has accrued a record on Capi-tol Hill as an apologist for Iran and anti-Israel terrorist groups and for relentless hostility to Israel,” said Mr. Klein.

In fact, pro-Israel political action com-mittees throughout the country, whose members donate to Senatorial election campaigns and secure close relations with many lawmakers, have been reaching out to their members, asking them to express their concerns about Mr. Hagel as a candidate for Secretary of Defense. If and when Mr. Obama nominates Mr. Hagel for the post, he will have to be confirmed by the Senate.

One suggested letter included an outline of the “Senator’s record on the threats America and its allies face,” es-pecially “the consistent solicitude he has shown toward Iran and the terrorist orga-nizations and states it funds: Hezbollah, Hamas, and Syria.”

Since leaving office in 2008, Mr. Ha-gel’s anti-Israel animus has become even

more apparent. This past December, the Atlantic Council, which Mr. Hagel chairs, published an article entitled “Israel’s Apart-heid Policy,” equating the Jewish state with South Africa’s historic racist policy.

Anti-Israel War HeroElected in 1996, Mr. Hagel took of-

fice as the recipient of two Purple Hearts from his time as an infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War. In October 2000, he was one of only four Senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel.

One year later, as the Palestinians’ Second Intifada was raging and the Is-raeli death toll rising, Mr. Hagel was one of only 11 Senators who refused to sign a letter urging President George W. Bush to continue his policy of not meeting with Palestinian Authority leader Yasir Arafat until the PA leader took steps to end the violence.

In 2002, the year in which 457 Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks (a figure proportionately equivalent to more than 20,000 fatalities in the US, or seven 9-11’s), Mr. Hagel had this advice for the Jewish state: “Israel must take steps to show its commitment to peace.” He made no ref-erence to the fact that, two years earlier, at Camp David, then-Israeli Prime Min-ister Ehud Barak had offered Mr. Arafat a Palestinian State, which was refused.

No SanctionsAlso in 2002, he was one of only ten

Senators to oppose banning the import of Iraqi oil to America until Iraq stopped compensating the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.

In November 2003, he failed to vote on the Syrian Accountability Act (which passed 89 to 4). The bill imposed sanc-tions on Syria for its support of terrorism and occupation of Lebanon.

In December 2005, Mr. Hagel was one of 27 Senators who refused to sign a letter to President Bush asking him to pressure the PA to ban terrorist groups from participating in the Palestinian leg-islative elections.

Second Lebanon WarIn the summer of 2006, Hezbollah

fired rockets at an Israeli border town as a diversion for an anti-tank missile attack on two armored Humvees patrolling the Israeli side of the border fence. The am-bush left three Israeli soldiers dead. Two

Chuck Hagel for Defense?


others, believed to have been killed out-right or mortally injured, were kidnapped to Lebanon by Hezbollah. After five more Israelis were killed in a failed rescue at-tempt, Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery fire that became known as the Second Lebanon War.

At the time, Mr. Hagel described Is-rael’s war against the Iranian proxy He-zbollah as “the systematic destruction of an American friend, the country and people of Lebanon.”

He argued against giving Israel time to destroy Hezbollah, urging instead an immediate ceasefire.

The following month, he was one of only 12 Senators who refused to sign a letter asking the European Union to de-clare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Dual-Loyalty ChargeIn August 2006, while toying with the

idea of running for President in 2008, Mr. Hagel was virtually the only Presidential hopeful who did not speak to the Ameri-can Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) during its conference.

No one was more pleased about that than the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The American-Islamist offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood not-ed, “Potential Presidential candidates for 2008, like Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Joe Biden, and Newt Gingrich, were fall-ing all over themselves to express their support for Israel. The only exception to that rule was Senator Chuck Hagel.”

When Mr. Hagel faced criticism for his lack of support for Israel as well as lack of recognition of the benefits accrued to the US by a strong relationship between the two countries, he told former Mideast peace negotiator Aaron David Miller, “I’m not an Israeli senator. I’m a US senator. I support Israel, but my first interest is I take an oath of office to the Constitution

of the US, not to a President, not to a party, not to Israel. If I go run for Senate in Israel, I’ll do that.”

Many supporters of Israel were shocked to hear Mr. Hagel come within a hairs-breadth of repeating the classic antise-mitic insinuation of “dual loyalty.” The interview was published in Mr. Miller’s book, “The Much Too Promised Land.”

Anti-AIPACIn that same interview, Mr. Hagel said

the reason so many politicians speak to AIPAC was that “the political reality is that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here [on Capitol Hill.”

“I have always argued against some of the dumb things they do because I don’t think it’s in the interest of Israel. I just don’t think it’s smart for Israel,” he said.

According to the World Street Journal’s deputy editorial page editor, Bret Stephens, Mr. Hagel’s “slight” admission of support for Israel was rather like “the sort of thing one often hears from people who treat Israel as the Mideast equivalent of a neighborhood drunk who, for his own good, needs to be put in the clink to sober him up.”

Mr. Hagel’s statements prompted then-executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council Ira Forman, to say that he “has a lot of questions to answer about his commitment to Israel.”

Pro-HamasEven after he left office in 2008, Mr.

Hagel continued to demonstrate a lack of concern with Israeli security. In March 2009, he was one of ten former and cur-rent foreign-policy officials who signed a letter urging President Obama to open direct talks with Hamas leaders, despite the fact that the organization is on the US list of terrorist organizations.

In 2009, despite Mr. Hagel’s positions and statements, Mr. Obama named him co-chairman of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. This recogni-tion prompted Mr. Forman, by then the head of Mr. Obama’s reelection campaign’s outreach to Jewish voters, to say, “If [Ha-gel] was taking a policy role, we’d have real concerns.” He implied at that time that the NJDC would oppose his nomi-nation to such a position.

As many observers have noted, the Secretary of Defense does play a policy role. Last month, Mr. Forman refused to return phone calls asking for a comment on Mr. Hagel’s possible nomination.

Pro-AssadShortly after being named to the Presi-

dent’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, Mr. Hagel told the notoriously left-wing J Street that he still believed in the good intentions of the Assad regime in Syria.

“I believe there is a real possibility of a shift in Syria’s strategic thinking and policies. Syria wants to talk—at the highest levels—and everything is on the table,” he said.

He and Sen John Kerry (D-MA), who is slated to become Mr. Obama’s Secre-tary of State co-authored an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal entitled “It’s Time to Talk to Syria.”

PaternalismAccording to Mr. Stephens, Mr. Hagel’s

positions probably stem from “his belief in the power of diplomatic engagement and talking with adversaries.”


Chuck Hagel


“Yet it’s worth noting that while Mr. Hagel is eager to engage the world’s rogues without preconditions, his attitude toward Israel tends, at best, to the paternalistic,” said Mr. Stephens.

Emblematic of this attitude were comments made by Mr. Hagel in a 2006 Senate speech: “The United States and Israel must understand that it is not in their long-term interests to allow them-selves to become isolated in the Middle East and the world.”

Mr. Stephens wondered if “Mr. Hagel reckons any other nation to be quite so blind to its own supposed self-interest as Israel.”

Pro-IranOn the other hand, Mr. Hagel’s sup-

port for Iran has been demonstrated many times. In June 2004, he refused to sign a letter urging then-President Bush, who was about to attend the G-8 summit, to highlight the potential danger of Iran’s nuclear program.

In May 2006, Mr. Hagel published an op-ed for The Financial Times, demanding an end to the military option against Iran that Mr. Obama had said was “kept on the table.”

On numerous occasions, Mr. Hagel has made clear that he supports direct unconditional talks with Iran.

This past December, it was report-ed that Mr. Hagel serves on the board of directors of Deutsche Bank, which is currently under investigation in Wash-ington for allegedly violating US sanc-tions against Iran, the same sanctions Mr. Hagel opposed as Senator.

Pay BackNot surprisingly, Mr. Hagel’s anti-Israel

positions have been endorsed by Steven Walt, the anti-Israel co-author of “The Is-rael Lobby.” When asked for his comments about Mr. Hagel’s possible nomination, Mr. Walt praised the former Senator for “not being a doormat for the Israel Lobby.”

Mr. Walt suggested that by nomi-nating Mr. Hagel, Mr. Obama would be “paying back Benjamin Netanyahu for all the ‘cooperation’ Obama received from him during the first term.”

Writing in Israel HaYom, the newspa-per with the highest distribution in Israel, Richard Baehr said Mr. Hagel “seemed to take pride in his independence from his [Republican] party on the issue [of sup-port for Israel] as well as in opposing the surge in Iraq, fighting sanctions or even the implied threat of military action to stop Iran’s nuclear program, and calling for big cuts in defense spending.”

It has been reported that, when asked about military spending, Mr. Hagel said, “The Defense Department, I think, in many ways has been bloated. So I think the Pentagon needs to be pared down.”

“Barack Obama seems to like federal spending of all kinds, except for defense. He seems to have found a soul-mate on that policy position in Hagel,” said Mr. Baehr.

Blaming ObamaMany observers have indicated that, if

Mr. Obama actually nominates Mr. Hagel for the position, the criticism should be lodged not so much with the former Sena-

tor, whose views have not been hidden, but with the President who has claimed to support Israel.

Frank Gaffney, president of the Wash-ington-based Center for Security Policy, agreed, noting that Mr. Hagel “has been an outspoken champion of controversial and even radical policies firmly embraced by Mr. Obama during his first administration.”

“Worse yet, they are likely to be priorities for his second term now that the President has, as he put it in his overheard conver-sation with Russia’s Dmitri Medvedev last March, ‘more flexibility,’” said Mr. Gaffney.

Speaking UpWhile Mr. Stephens made clear his

opposition to Mr. Hagel’s nomination for Secretary of Defense, he said there is one reason he personally might welcome it: It would confirm a point he made in an earlier column in which he wrote that “Mr. Obama is not a friend of Israel.”

“Perhaps the 63 percent of Jewish-Americans who cast their votes for Mr. Obama in November might belatedly take notice,” he said.

More importantly, he said, some of those voters might be moved to speak up before the nomination is announced, “about the insult that a Secretary of De-fense Chuck Hagel would be.”

“Jewish Democrats like to fancy their voice carries weight in their party. The prospect of this nomination is their chance to prove it,” said Mr. Stephens.

Terrible AppointmentSome of those Democrats seem to

be doing just that. Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat, said Mr. Hagel “would be a terrible appointment.”

“Most of the Jewish leaders who have expressed themselves [said it would in-dicate] that President Obama is seeking to put space between Israel and his ad-ministration,” said Mr. Koch.

On the Zev Brenner program, Mr. Hoenlein agreed that Mr. Hagel’s possible nomination has “raised a lot of concern because the Defense Department has a certain amount of independence that other government departments don’t have.”

“It will be a tough time because they have to make a lot of cuts and he is a Re-publican, but most Republican senators were not too thrilled about his nomination either,” said Mr. Hoenlein. S.L.R.

Hagel for Defense? continued from page 25


Do It NowDVD: “Stuttering: Straight

Talk for Teachers” is also for par-ents. Produced by the Stutter-ing Foundation, this film, which is helpful for teachers and parents of children of all ages, is available at NJ public libraries in Atlantic City, Edgewater, Leonia, Paramus, Ridgefield Park, Tenafly, East Or-ange, Lakewood, Paterson, Wayne, Hillside, Springfield, Union, and at the Pelham Bay Public Library in the Bronx. It is also available online at www.stutteringhelp.org/content/stuttering-straight-talk-teachers

College Students Can Ap-ply for the Areyvut Summer Internship Program; based it Bergenfield, it allows interns to develop National Mitzvah Day pro-gramming, teen philanthropy cur-riculum, and volunteering, June 3-July 26, 201-244-6702 or [email protected]

Shabbat, Jan 5Carlebach Minyan, Cong

Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:45am, [email protected]

Tefilat Shlomo: The Car-lebach Tefila of Riverdale, in-

cludes light and healthy Kiddush, at the Hebrew Institute of River-dale, 9am, 718-796-4730

Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, scholar-in-residence, Cong Ahshe Chesed, Linden, 908-486-8616

Rabbi Steven Weil, Schol-ar-in-Residence, Cong Shomrei Emunah, Englewood, “Don’t Jew Me,” 10am; Workshop: “The Evolu-tion of the World’s Greatest Lead-er,” noon, includes kiddush and lunch; “The World’s First Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement,” 4:35pm; 201-567-9420

Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, Scholar-in-Residence, River-dale Jewsh Center, “Extra-Legal Considerations in the Rabbinic Decision-Making Process,” noon; “Attitudes to Gentiles in Contem-porary Orthodox Literature and Society,” includes seudah shlishit, 4:30pm, 718-548-1850

“Wither Pluralism: Its Pos-sibilities and Perils,” Rabbi Law-rence Zierler, Jewish Center of Te-aneck, noon, 201-833-0515 ext 200

Shabbat Mevorchim Sha-losh Seudos, for women, spons by Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Te-

aneck Apartments, private apart-ment in Teaneck, 4pm, [email protected]

“The Religious Significance of Communal Prepare,” Amina-dav Grossman, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 4:14pm, 718-796-4730

Motzei Shabbat, Jan 5Parent-Child Learning, Rabbi

Aharon Ciment, includes stories and a review of the midrashim on the Parsha, Cong Arzei Darom, Teaneck, 6:15pm, 201-530-0043

Cupcakes for a Cause, for girls in grades 1-3, Emma Taylor, spons by East Hill Synagogue, at a private home in Englewood, 7pm, 201-567-0649 or 201-569-4008

Grandfather-Father-Son Melave Malka, spons by the Clif-ton Cheder/Bais Yaakov, at Cong Beth Shalom, Clifton, 7:30pm, 973-472-0011

Project Ezrah Dinner, hon-oring Ian Fields, Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, Rochelle and Phil Gold-schmeidt, Micah Kaufman, Re-bekah and Avi Mally, Shani and Yitz Norman, Dr. Benjamin and Elana Rosenbluth, Wendy and Isaac Shulman, Daniella and Ja-mie Stadtmauer, and Heidi and Jack Varon, Cong Keter Torah, Te-aneck, 8pm, 201-569-9047

Speed Meeting and Book Swap, for women, bring a book wrapped as a gift and take home another, private home in Teaneck, 8pm, [email protected] or [email protected]

Project Inspire Shiur, Rab-bi Eliyahu Bergstein, Cong K’hal Adath Jeshurun, Monsey, 8pm, 845-356-9050

“Learn How to Make Choco-late,” Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8pm, [email protected]

Israel Connection: “The Fu-ture of Electric Cars and Oil In-dependence,” Michael Granoff of Israeli Start-Up A Better Place, JCC, Tenafly, 8:30pm, 201-569-7900

Sun., Jan 6Highland Park Community

Kollel Breakfast, Cong Ohr To-rah, Edison, 9:30am, 732-266-9354

Parent-Student Learning Ses-sion: Heichal Program for Hala-chic Education: Tefillah, for parents and students in middle school and

high school, Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon, at Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 201-837-2795 ext 101

Giant Playdate, spons by Riverdale Israelis and Friends, for families with young children, River-dale YMHA, 10am, 718-548-8200

Cong Ahavas Yisrael of Edison Youth Make-Your-Own Pizza, at Jerusalem Pizza, High-land Park, 10:30am, 732-985-0649

Hudson Jewish Commu-nity Forum Meeting for Com-munity Leadership, 1pm, [email protected]

Meet the Artist Reception: Lapid Matsuo and Exhibit: “Is-rael: Land of Revelations,” JCC, Tenafly, 1-3pm, 201-569-7900

Shaina Wig Sale, private home in Riverdale, 1-4pm, [email protected]

Name-Your-Own Price Pet Adoption, cats and dogs to be adopted have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated, health-checked, and microchipped, Bergen County Animal Shelter, Teterboro, 1-5pm, 201-229-4600 or www.bergenhealth.org

Family Chocolate-Making Event, for children and adults, an afternoon of chocolate including a trip through Eretz Yisrael, games, priz-es, and stories, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 3pm, [email protected]

Cong Ohav Emeth Dinner, Highland Park, 5pm, 732-247-3038

Lubavitch on the Palisades Dinner, honoring Lawrence and Jeanella Blenden, Nelon and Sta-cey Braff, and Joseph and Yael Chamay, Rockleigh Country Club, 5pm, 201-871-1152

Torah Academy of Bergen County Dinner, honoring Vickie and Elliot Shulman, Ellen and Stan-ley Stone, Ceil Olivestone, and Josh Cohen, at Cong Keter To-rah, Teaneck, 6pm, 201-837-7696

Torah Links Benefit, hon-oring Dr. Bruce and Sara Fischer, Lisa Kaplan, and Herbert and Mil-dred Tanzman, Sheraton Edison Raritan Center, 6pm, 732-613-1613

Eden Village’s Earth-Based Jewish Organic Farm and Arts and Wilderness Camp Parlor Meeting, for parents with chil-dren in grades 3-11,Yoni Stadlin,

The Log: “Separate Yourself Not from the Community”


private home in Teaneck, 7pm, 877-397-3336 ext 4

Yeshiva Beit Hillel (YBH) Open House, for parents of chil-dren in preschool through 8th grade, Passaic, 8pm, 973-777-0735

Mon., Jan 7“Prophecy,” for women,

Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, private home in Teaneck, 201-692-3757 or [email protected]

Israeli Film Club, in Hebrew with English subtitles, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7pm, 845-362-4400

AIPAC Parlor Meeting, pri-vate home in Livingston, 7:30pm, 973-597-1650

Leah Sokoloff Nursery School of Cong Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn Parlor Meeting, for parents of children eligible for Tiny Tots to Pre-K, including extended care (7am-6:30pm), and camp, private home in Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-791-6744

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: Through Thick and Thin: Integrating All Areas of Judaism and Our Lives,” Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad of Northwest NJ, Rockaway, 7:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202

Cooking Techniques and Great Recipes, Chef Donny Rog-off, of Five Star Caterers, spons by Cong Ahavath Torah, private home in Englewood, 8pm, [email protected]

Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Yosef Adler, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-837-2795

“The Neurobiology of Free Will: Background and Brain Or-ganization,” Dr. Sam Shachar, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850

Tele-Shiur: “Teaching Kids Resilience in the Face of Ad-versity,” Slovie Jungreis-Wolff, 8:30pm, for the phone number, send an email, with Slovie Web Cast in the subject line, to [email protected]

Tues., Jan 8Online Course: “Microsoft

Word and Excel for Beginners,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.oujobs.org, 10am, 212-563-4000

Caregiver Support Group, JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900

“All You Ever Wanted to Know about Breastfeeding,” Elly Egenberg, spons by the La

Leche League, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 10:15am, 845-362-4400

Online Course: “HTML and JavaScript for Beginners,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.ou-jobs.org, 12:30pm, 212-563-4000

Jewish Caregivers Support Group, spons by the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, Beatman Center, Riverdale, 5pm, 718-601-9714

Cong Bnai Yeshurun Nurs-ery School Parlor Meeting, private home in Teaneck, 8pm, 201-836-6871

Online Course: “Three Steps to Your Best Job Ever: The Sim-ple Approach to Quickly Land-ing the Right Job,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.oujobs.org, 8:30pm, 212-563-4000

Ohr Naava on Tour, for women, private home in Teaneck,“Live in the Moment,” Rabbi Zechariah Waller-stein, 8pm; “Sense in Sensitivity,” Rabbi Motti Miller, 9pm, 718-647-6228

“Digging Deeper: Explor-ing the Philosophical Founda-tions of Judaism: Why Do the Innocent Suffer?” for men and women, Rabbi Netanel Wieder-blank, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Te-

aneck, 9:15pm, 201-836-8916Wed., Jan 9

Jewish Business Network Women’s Networking, Starbucks, Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel, E Rutherford, 9:30am, [email protected]

“Money Management: Learn to Budget Your Money and Pay Down Debt,” for wom-en, Ilene Schaeffer, Jewish Family and Vocational Service of Mid-dlesex County, Milltown, 10am, 732-777-1940

“How ORT Saved My Life: How ORT in Berlin Organized the Exodus of Its Students to England after Kristallnacht,” John Heller, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900

Lunch and Learn, for se-niors, Rabbi Avrohom Herman, Jewish Educational Center, Eliza-beth, lunch, 11am; parsha, noon, 908-527-9815

Book Review: “I Am Forbid-den” by Anouk Markovits, facilita-tor Lucille Schroeder, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 1pm, 845-362-4400

PJ Jewish Book Club and Dinner, for grades 1-2, JCC, West

The Log: “Separate Yourself Not from the Community”



Orange, 6pm, 973-530-3420Mom’s Support Group, for

mothers of children with special needs, Amy Brunswick, LSW, spons by Jewish Family Service of Me-troWest, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-765-9050 or 973-929-3129

“The Secret Lives of Wives: Women Share What It Really Takes to Stay Married,” Iris Kras-now, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1448

Support Group for Mothers of Special-Needs Children, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3400

Art Program, for special-needs teens and young adults age 15 and up, Debbie Green-wald, spons by Yachad, at The Art Place, Englewood, 7:45pm, 201-833-1349

Refresher Class on Taharat Hamishpacha, for women, Bracha Rutner, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, [email protected]

Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-836-3431

Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:30pm, 201-289-5474 or 917-902-9303

Thurs., Jan 10Virtual March to Commemo-

rate the 25th anniversary of the March for Freedom for Soviet Jewry, the largest-ever gather-ing of Americans rallying for the freedoms of a people in another nation. The march took place on the National Mall in Washington, DC. More than 1 million Soviet Jews became Israeli citizens, and more than 500,000 became Ameri-cans. Sign up at freedom25.net

“An Introduction to Se-fer Iyov,” Elana Flaumenhaft, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, 10am, [email protected]

“Women from the Ankle Down: A Story of Shoes and How They Define Us,” Rachelle Berg-stein, spons by Jewish Federation of Northern NJ’s Women’s Philan-thropy, includes kosher lunch, at Neiman Marcus, Garden State Plaza, Paramus, 10:30am, 201-820-3906

Film: “Yentl,” with Renee Weiner, JCC Rockland, West Ny-ack, 1pm, 845-362-4400

“Get Cooking! A Jewish-American Family Cookbook & Rockin’ Mama Doni Celebra-tion,” Doni Zasloff Thomas, in-cludes cooking and a concert, JCC, Scotch Plains, 7pm, 908-889-8800 ext 205

Israeli TV Show: “Srugim/Knitted Kippahs,” with Rotem Nahum, JCC Rockland, West Ny-ack, 7pm, 845-362-4400

Fri., Jan 11Jewish Film Festival: “The

Flat,” with director Zeva Oelbaum, JCC, West Orange, 10am, 973-530-3417

Human Trafficking Aware-ness Day Rally, spons in part by the NJ State Association of Jew-ish Federations, includes kosher lunch, State House, Trenton, 11am-1:30pm, 973-929-3064

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: Through Thick and Thin: Integrating All Areas of Judaism and Our Lives,” Rab-bi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at Linwood Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500

Russian-Themed Shabbat Dinner, Chabad Center of Passaic County, Wayne, 6pm, 973-964-6274

Russian American Jewish Experience Shabbaton, Cong Shomrei Emunah and Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, host families needed for Friday night meal and sleeping for mostly unaffiliated young Russian-Jewish adults,

through Shabbat, Jan 12, [email protected]

“Bringing It Home: Leil Kiruv,” Ira Bloom, Larry Cohen, Reuben and Belinda Ehrlich, Moshe Glick, Joc-elyn Holt, Sam Rosenberg, Moshe Roth, Ilene Strauss, and Rabbi Mi-chael Bleicher, spons by West Or-ange Encounters, home hospitality available, shiurim and lectures in private homes throughout West Orange, 8pm, [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected]

Chulent Challenge, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, to enter, call 201-836-6210; to taste to vote for the winner, come to the shul be-tween 8 and 9:30pm

Shiur, Rabbi Steven Miodownik, River Ridge Apartments, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-247-0532

“Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture: How It Works and Dispelling the Myths,” for women, Malka Widofsky, in-cludes ladies’ tea with Rebbetzin Rivky Herman, private home in Elizabeth, 8:30pm, 908-355-7410

Shabbat, Jan 12Chazzan Moshe Udashkin,

Shacharis, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 9am, 732-247-3038

Teen Minyan Alumni Min-yan, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9am, [email protected]

Selection and Crowning of Cholent King or Queen, cholent served during Kiddush, Cong An-she Chesed, Linden, noon, 908-486-8616 or 908-925-5224

JACS: Addiction in the Jew-ish Community, Charlie Hall and Paula Sinclair, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, noon, 718-796-4730

Bnei Akiva Snif Chadash Group, for grades 1-6 South of Route 4, at Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 4pm, [email protected]

“Between Parents and Chil-dren, Between Keil Shakai and Hash-em: What’s in G-d’s Name?” Dr. Jen-nie Rosenfeld, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 4:15pm, 718-796-4730

Motzei Shabbat, Jan 12Training Session for Cong

Keter Torah Security Team-Group Leaders, Cong Keter Torah, Te-aneck, 6:30pm, [email protected] or [email protected]

Cupcake Décor, for girls age

7 and up, private home in Livings-ton, 7pm, [email protected]

Kids’ Night Out, for ages 5-12, divided by age, so that parents can have a night out, includes creative and perform-ing arts, Riverdale YMHA, 7-10pm, 718-548-8200 ext 261

“Crimes and Misdemeanors: A Discussion of Morality, Jus-tice, and Religion,” Abe Kempler, includes screening of the Woody Allen film, Teaneck General Store, 7:30pm, 201-530-5046

Women’s Rosh Chodesh Dinner, Lubavitch Center, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-486-2362 or 973-731-0770

Yavneh Academy Dinner, honoring Gail and Richard Dukas, Tamara Heimlich and Steven Mer-melstein, Yisraela Friedenberg, and Nitza Harpaz, Marriott at Glenpointe Hotel, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-262-8494

“Financial Roadmap for Young Families,” David Lewin-ter, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-247-0532

Daniel Kurtzer, for the Ortho-dox Forum of Edison/Highland Park, at Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 8pm, [email protected]

Khal Tiferes Boruch (for-merly Cong Shomrei Torah of Passaic-Clifton) Melave Malka, honoring Mr. and Mrs. Elchonon Groman and Rabbi and Mrs. Yechiel Rhine, at the shul, Pas-saic, 8:30pm, 973-591-0172 or [email protected]

Sun., Jan 13Exhibit: “Judaism: A Contem-

porary Conversation,” six artists use varied media to address different aspects of the Jewish experience, Gaelen Gallery, JCC, West Orange, through Sun., Feb 24, 973-530-3413

Exhibit: “Judaic Textiles,” by Robin Atlas, JCC, West Orange, through Sun., April 28, 973-530-3413

“Lo Tachmod: Parameters and Perspectives on Presents and Pressure,” Rabbi Daniel Z Feldman, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8:45am, 201-837-2795

Kavvanah Minyan, slower Shacharit, including meditation, song, and a light breakfast, Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9am, 718-796-4730

The Log continued from page 29

The Log is a free service provided to the Jewish com-munity in northern and central New Jersey, Rockland County and Riverdale. Events that we list include special and guest lectures, concerts, boutiques, dinners, open houses, club meetings, and new classes.

Announcements are requested by the 25th of the month prior to the month of the event. Due to space and edito-rial constraints, we cannot guarantee publication of any an-nouncement. Please email them to :

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Explanatory Morning Service, Rabbi David Pietrusz-ka, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:15am, 201-966-4490 or [email protected]

Partners in Torah Break-fast, honoring Steven and Rosy Joseph, Rabbi Shea Buxbaum, Rabbi Mordechai and Mindy Rindenow, Meir and Mimi Mark, and Eugene Shpilsky, Cong Tifereth Israel, Pas-saic, 9:30am, 973-221-3650 ext 107

Highland Park Community Kollel Breakfast, featuring Rabbi Shraga Gross, and honoring David Goldberg and Dovid Zaslavsky, at Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 9:30am, 732-789-9119

Riverdale Israelis and Friends, for families with young children, in Hebrew, includes brunch and programs on Israeli culture, tradi-tions, and Jewish holidays, River-dale YMHA, 10am, 718-548-8200

“Chesed Project: Visit to Eva’s Kitchen,” to provide a nour-ishing lunch to the hungry, in Pa-terson, spons by the Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, need people to cook chickens and help serve, includes children over the age of 8, leave Passaic, 10am, 973-471-5376 or [email protected]

Fundraiser for Memories Live, a non-profit group that helps terminally ill patients create per-sonalized movies filled with photos and stories to pass on to their loved ones, at Flywheel Sports, Millburn, 11:30am-1pm, 973 943 6711

Sensational Sunday in Hon-or of Tu B’Shevat and Green Month, for children 2-11 accom-panied by a parent, includes deco-rating and coloring flower pots and filling with soil and flower seeds, Riverdale Jewish Center, noon, 718-548-1850

Pay It Forward: Monster Mini-Golf and Bake Cookies for Jewish Family Services Staff, for children ages 6 and up, Chabad Cen-ter, Wayne, 12:45pm, 973-694-6274

Lubavitch on the Palisades Dinner, Chabad House, Tenafly, 5pm, 201-871-1152

Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey Dinner, honoring Dr. Chaim and Rachelle Mandel-baum and Rabbi Shlomo Hyman, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5:30pm, 201-986-1414

Cuban Night: “The Life and Culture of the Cuban Jews,” Dr. Alan Goldsmith, includes Cuban-themed dinner, Young Israel of Aberdeen, 6pm, 732-583-3765

Adolph H Schreiber He-brew Academy of Rockland County (ASHAR) Open House and HaMalach HaGoel Chesed Program, at the school, New City, 6:30pm, 845-357-1515

Cong Ohav Emeth Progres-sive Dinner, pre-set groups of participants enjoy appetizers in one home in Highland Park and then proceed to another for a main course with a new group of people. Everyone regroups at Ohav Emeth afterwards for des-serts and a game night, begins 6:30pm, 732-247-3038

Training Session for Cong Keter Torah Security Team-Group Leaders, Cong Keter Torah, Te-aneck, 6:30pm, [email protected] or [email protected]

Hadassah Book Club: “The Prime Ministers” by Yehuda Avner, private home in High-land Park, 7:30pm, 732-545-3147

Rockland and Bergen Coun-ty Adoptive Families Meet-Up and Support Group, for those who have already adopted or are in the process of adopting, internationally and domestical-ly, private home, 7:30pm, www.meetup.com/Rockland-and-Ber-gen-Adoptive-Families

Taharas HaMishpacha Re-view: “A Deeper Look at Our Unique Rold,” for women, Debbie Selengut, spons by Neve Passaic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 8:15pm, 908-278-4059

Jewish Stuttering Associa-tion Support Group, for men, private home in Lakewood, 7:30pm, 347-855-7520 or [email protected]

Fathers of Special-Needs Children Support Group, spons by the Orthodox Union’s NJ Yachad, private home in Passaic, 8pm, [email protected]

“The Only Gift I Have to Give Is the Ability to Receive: The Story of Our People,” Jordana Baruchov, Yavneh Academy, Para-mus, 8pm, [email protected]

Mon., Jan 14Netivot Montessori Yeshiva

Open House, for parents of in-fants (6 weeks) through children in

middle school (12-14 years), High-land Park, tours begin at 9:15am, 732-985-4626

“Moshe’s Prophecy,” for women, Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, private home in Teaneck, 201-692-3757 or [email protected]

Online Course: “Microsoft Power Point 2010 Beginners Level,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.oujobs.org, 1pm, 212-563-4000

Story Time, for ages 3-5, in Hebrew, Keren Glick, JCC, Tenafly, 4:30pm, 201-569-7900

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: The Steps of Man: How G-d Guides Our Every Move,” Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad of Northwest NJ, Rocka-way, 7:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202

“The Neurobiology of Free Will: I Am Not Responsible be-cause of Specific Brain Activ-ity,” Dr. Sam Shachar, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850

“Engaging Israel,” with a staff member of the Shalom Hart-man Institute in Israel, at the JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-569-7900

Tues., Jan 15Deadline to Enter the Sister

Rose Thering Fund Essay Contest,

for high school students, with awards given for each grade level, based on the film, “Sister Rose’s Passion,” available from the NJ Commission for Holocaust Education. To enter, write a 500-word essay on “How Does Sister Rose’s Passion Relate to an Experience in Your Life,” 609-292-9274 or 973-761-9006

Last Day to Apply for Spring Internship with the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA);, the group is looking for applicants who can spent 5-10 hours per week in the Manhat-tan office working on graphic and web design, case archiving, and/or social media. ORA operates un-der the halachic guidance of Rav Hershel Schachter of YU. To apply, send cover letter with two refer-ences to [email protected] or [email protected]

Last Day for Early-Bird Spe-cial for Chabad of Passaic’s Chai Tots Preschool and Camp Gan Izzy, for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years, Rabbi Yitzchak and Miriam Sebbag, 973-246-5251

Women’s Club for Widows, Jewish Federation and Vocation-



al Services, Concordia Shopping Center, Monroe, 10:30am, 732-777-1940 or 609-395-7979

Job Search Workshop: “A Recruiter’s View of LinkedIn: Don’t Underestimate Its Role,” Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 11:30am, at 201-837-9090

Story Hour, for children ages 2-6, Chabad Center, Wayne, 4:30pm, 973-694-6274

Wed., Jan 16Last Day for College or Grad-

uate School Students to Apply for an Interview for a summer internship with Sharsheret, the Teaneck-based organization that addresses the needs of Jewish women and families facing breast and/or ovarian cancer. For more information, 866-474-2774 or [email protected]

Cong Ahavas Achim Israel Mission, leaves, to return Jan 28, 732-247-0532

An Armchair Tour of the Lower East Side, Marty Schneit, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900

Strength-to-Strength Sup-port Group for Parents Whose Children, Ages 15-25, Are Deal-ing with Chemical Dependency, Psychological Disorders, or Co-Occurring Issues, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1403

Abused Women’s Confi-dential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090

Tu B’Shevat Program: “En-vironmental Victories in Israel,” Michelle Levine, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1429

“Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-339-8492

“An In-Depth Analysis of One of the Sugyos That Comes Up in the Daf Yomi Studies,” Rav Tan-chum Cohen, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8pm, 201-384-0434

Shomer Shabbos Boy Scout Meeting, for boys in 6th grade or 11 years old and up, Bais Medrash L’Torah, Rabbi Davis’s shul, Passaic, 8pm, [email protected]

“About Parenting,” Dr. Wen-dy Pollock, Riverdale YMHA, 8pm,

718-548-8200Video: “What Is Jewish

Culture?” Amos Oz, Daniel Libeskind, James Young, Debo-rah Dash Moore, and Fania Oz-Salzberger, JCC, West Orange, 8pm, 973-530-3400

“How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk: Engage Your Child’s Will-ing Cooperation,” Emily Shap-iro, private location in Riverdale, 8pm, 347-560-1027

Parenting Tele-Conference: “Values: A Priceless Gift,” Rabbi Shmuel Zimmerman, spons by the National Association of Sup-port and Outreach, http://www.nasoamerica.org/recorded-pro-grams.html, 9:30pm, call 712-432-1001, Access Code: 431-701-747#; to playback the shiur anytime, call 712-432-1011, Playback Ac-cess Code: 412-184-214#; [email protected]

Thurs., Jan 17La Leche League of Bronx/

Riverdale, Mia Damond Padwa, pregnant women, babies and small children welcome, healthy snacks, Riverdale YMHA, 9:30am, 718-543-0314

Story Time, for children 3-5, in Hebrew, JCC, Tenafly, 4pm, 201-408-1448

Mishmor Program, for boys and girls in grades 2-5, Rabbi Yisroel Rosenblum, includes help with home-work, stores, raffles, refreshments, prizes, and sports, at Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 6:30pm, 973-251-0205

“The World without You,” Joshua Henkin, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3421

Fri., Jan 18Jewish Film Festival: “Coun-

selor at Law,” with Prof Gabriel Miller, JCC, West Orange, 10am, 973-530-3417

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: The Steps of Man: How G-d Guides Our Every Move,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at Linwood Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500

Friday Night Dinner: “One Shabbat, One World,” for families, Lubavitch Center, West Orange, 5:30pm, 973-486-2362

Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Stewart Weiss, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, through Shab-bat, 201-568-1315

Motzei Shabbat, Jan 19Parent-Child Learning, Rabbi


Grandmother-Mother-Daughter Melave Malka, spons by the Clifton Cheder/Bais Yaa-kov, at Cong Beth Shalom, Clifton, 7:30pm, 973-472-0011

Pamper Yourself, spons by Cong Ahavas Yisrael Sisterhood, at Joanne’s Nails, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 917-704-6305

“Stand Up Comedy—and the Announcement of His New Book, if He Has Decided on One by Then,” Mordechai Schmutter, and other comedians who would like to ask him if they, too, can perform, at the Teaneck General Store, 8pm, 201-530-5046 or 973-473-1771

Bonei Olam Dinner, to support its work helping infer-tile couples achieve parenthood, Ateres Charna, Spring Valley, 8pm, 845-362-5262

Sun., Jan 20Brunch, Jewish Educational

Center, Elizabeth, 9:30am, 908-355-9542

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas: Privacy,” Rabbi Avrohom Bergstein, Congregation Anshei Lubavitch, Fair Lawn, 10am, 718-839-5296

Giant Playdate, spons by Riverdale Israelis and Friends, River-dale YMHA, 10am, 718-548-8200

“Who Said What in the White House” Presidential Trivia Game, Dr. Avi Isseroff, Teaneck General Store, 10:30am, 201-530-5046

Hebrew Club, for men and women who are advanced Hebrew speakers, spons by Hadassah, in-cludes chats and readings, private home in Edison, 11am, 732-819-9298

“Stone Soup the Musical,” about a family in Pinsk tricked into creating a meal, for children, JCC, Tenafly, 2pm, 201-408-1493

Taharas HaMishpacha Re-view: “The Importance of Asking Questions,” for women, Debbie Selengut, spons by Neve Passaic

Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 8:15pm, 908-278-4059

Mon., Jan 21“Concept in Sefer Beraishis

and Sefer Shemos,” for wom-en, Dr. Shana Posy, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-247-3038

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: Means to an End: Discovering the Meaning in the Mundane,” Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad of Northwest NJ, Rocka-way, 7:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202

“The Neurobiology of Free Will: I Am Yes Responsible be-cause of Specific Brain Activ-ity,” Dr. Sam Shachar, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, 718-548-1850

Jewish Stuttering Associa-tion Support Group, for women, private home in Monsey, 8:30pm, 347-855-7520 or [email protected]

Tues., Jan 22Celebrate Tu B’Shevat,

for ages 2-5 with an adult, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 3:45pm, 845-362-4400

Tu B’Shevat Seder, led by Ilana Liftman and Neshama Marcus, spons by Hadassah, for members and non-members, at the Highland Park Senior Center, 7:30pm, 908-227-4869

“Elections in Israel: Analy-sis,” Gil Lainer, Israeli Consul for Public Diplomacy, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1429

“Digging Deeper: Explor-ing the Philosophical Founda-tions of Judaism: What Does This Mean?” for men and women, Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm, 201-836-8916

Wed., Jan 23Support Group for Fathers

of Special-Needs Children, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3400

“Social Issues in the Home and Community for Elementary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” Jacqueline Dubil Craig, Community Services Building, Para-mus, 7pm, 201-343-6000 ext 4076





Thurs., Jan 24“How to Talk so Kids Will Lis-

ten and Listen so Kids Will Talk: Engage Your Child’s Willing Co-operation,” Emily Shapiro, at Kida-roo, Riverdale, 10am, 347-560-1027

Caregiver Support Group, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-569-7900

Israeli TV Show: “Srugim/Knitted Kippahs,” with Rotem Nahum, JCC Rockland, West Ny-ack, 7pm, 845-362-4400

Cantorial Concert: “Ha’Am: Songs of Our People,” JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3988

Fri., Jan 25“Torah Studies into the

Soul of the Torah: Means to an End: Discovering the Meaning in the Mundane,” Rabbi Avro-hom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at Linwood Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500

Shabbat, Jan 26, Tu B’Shevat

Motzei Shabbat, Jan 26Hakoah and Hakoah Junior

Sports Clubs: Camp Games, for grades 2-5 and K-1, JCC, West Or-ange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3425

Tu B’Shevat Sing-a-Long, with Zvi Klein, in Hebrew, includes wine, Tu B’Shevat refreshments, live music, and dancing, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-408-1427

Sun., Jan 27UN Holocaust

Remembrance DayJewish Federation Phone-

a-Thon, Paramus, 9am-9pm, 201-820-3937

Explanatory Morning Ser-vice, Rabbi David Pietruszka, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:15am, 201-966-4490 or [email protected]

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Privacy,” Rabbi Levi Shem-tov, Chabad of Riverdale, 9:45am, 718-549-1100; Rabbi Dov Drizen, Valley Chabad, Park Ridge High, 10am, 201-476-0157

“Living with Integrity: Navigating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas: Forgiveness,” Rabbi Avrohom Bergstein, Congrega-tion Anshei Lubavitch, Fair Lawn, 10am, 718-839-5296

Riverdale Israelis and Friends, for families with young children, in Hebrew, includes brunch and programs on Israeli culture, tradi-

tions, and Jewish holidays, River-dale YMHA, 10am, 718-548-8200

Baking Love for Tu B’Shevat, for parents and children ages 4-6, in Hebrew, Ayelet Nathaniel, JCC, Tenafly, 10am, 201-569-7900

Tu B’Shevat Celebration: Tree Time through the Ages,” for children, JCC, Whippany, 1pm, 973-428-9300

UN Holocaust Remembrance Day: Commemorating the Ho-locaust in Stone and Metal, audio-visual slide presentation, Prof Milton Ohring, JCC, Tenafly, 1:30pm, 201-408-1429

“World of the Jew,” chess master Boris Gulko, speaking for the Jewish-Russian Cultural Club, Jewish Federation of Greater Mid-dlesex County, South River, 2pm, 732-698-9213 or 732-588-1800

Bergen County Mitzvah Clown Program, spons by Ar-eyvut, at Bright Side Manor, Te-aneck 4pm, 201-244-6702

JACS Meeting, 12-steps meeting for Jews in recovery, Rabbi Steven Bayar, Cong B’nai Israel, Millburn, 6pm, 973-379-3811

“Women, Power, and Poli-tics,” Hanna Rosin, includes wine and snacks, YMHA, Riverdale, 7pm, 718-548-8200

Mon., Jan 28Last Day to View Art Exhibit:

“Israel: Land of Revelations,” paintings by Lapid Matsuo, JCC, Tenafly, 201-569-7900

“The Eternity of Torah,” for women, Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, private home in Teaneck, 201-692-3757 or [email protected]

Café Europa Holocaust Survivor Group, Jacob Weiland, MSW, Riverdale YMHA, 1pm, 718-548-8200 ext 303

Online Course: “Quick-Books for Beginners,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.ou-jobs.org, 1:30pm, 212-563-4000

Online Course: “QuickBooks for Beginners,” spons by the OU Job Board, www.oujobs.org, 7pm, 212-563-4000

JoJo’s Cajun-Style Kosher Superbowl Party Recipes, Chef JoJo Rubach, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1457 or 1496

“Concept in Sefer Beraishis and Sefer Shemos,” for wom-en, Dr. Shana Posy, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 7:30pm,

732-247-3038“Living with Integrity: Navi-

gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Privacy,” Rabbi M Kasowitz, Lubavitch Center, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-486-2362

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: Theism vs Deism: Does G-d Really Care?” Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad of Northwest NJ, Rockaway, 7:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202

Gemara Shiur, Rabbi Yosef Adler, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-837-2795

Tues., Jan 29“Living with Integrity:

Navigating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas: Privacy,” Rabbi Levi Azimov, North Brunswick Chabad, 7:45pm, 732-398-9492; Rabbi Dov Drizen, Woodcliff Lake Chabad, 8pm, 201-476-0157

“Digging Deeper: Exploring the Philosophical Foundations of Judaism: What Was Given at Sinai and the Nature of Trans-mission?” for men and women, Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm, 201-836-8916

Wed., Jan 30“Living with Integrity: Nav-

igating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Privacy,” Rabbi Levi Azimov, Chabad of North Brunswick, 11am, 732-398-9492; Rabbi Mendel Mangel, Cherry Hill Chabad, 7:30pm, 856-874-1500; Rabbi Ephraim Simon, Teaneck Chabad House, 8pm, 201-907-0686; Rabbi Chanoch Kaplan, Franklin Lakes Chabad, 8pm, 201-848-0449

Abused Women’s Confi-dential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090

Video: “Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning,” Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and Ira Flatow, JCC, West Orange, 8pm, 973-530-3400

“How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk: Engage Your Child’s Will-ing Cooperation,” Emily Shap-iro, private location in Riverdale, 8pm, 347-560-1027

Thurs., Jan 31Last Day to Apply for June

23-July 21 Program at The Tikvah Institute on Zionist Thought and Statesmanship at Ein Prat Acad-emy in Israel, for ages 20-29. There is a stipend of $2500 and, in addi-tion, some need-based travel sup-

ziplining

rainforestwalk

boat ride

plus more!

canopy tourwaterfallrapellling

national park hike

JewishMuseum

glatt koshermeals

volcano tour

CALL 888-66-kosherCostaRicaKosherAdventures.com

Experience a unique Passover vacation likeno other in beautiful Costa Rica!

upcoming:January 20 - 27, 2013

yeshiva Week Tour$2560 per person

MARCH 25 - APRIL 3, 2013 10 days / 9 nights

PRICING Passover in Costa Rica is simple! $8000 for 2 people. $9000 for 3 people. $10,000 for 4 people! (Best deal!)

NO added costs! All inclusive! FREE pre-day! Airport to airport!

Family friendly! Book now! Limited spaces.

passover 2013



port is available. An essay is required to apply: www.tikvahzionism.org

“Baseballaffs,” Dan Schloss-berg, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-569-7900

“Bread for Hunger: A Fam-ily Education and Social Action Program,” for parents and children ages 10 and up, includes cook-ing, Jewish values, and chesed; bake two loaves of bread, one to take home, one for a senior adults, 6pm, 201-408-1429

“The Future of the Ameri-can-Jewish-Israeli Relationship,” Yossi Klein Halevi, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1426 or 29

TV: “Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope,” to commemo-rate the 10th anniversary of the Columbia disaster and the story of Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who carried a tiny Holocaust To-rah into space. Dr. Alex Grobman was the film’s historical consultant. Public Broadcasting, 9pm

Fri., Feb 1Jewish Film Festival: “Nicky’s

Family,” with Barbara Wind of the Holocaust Council, JCC, West Or-ange, 10am, 973-530-3417

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: Theism vs Deism: Does G-d Really Care?” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at Linwood Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500

Minyan Tiferet, Shira Hada-sha-Style, private home in Engle-wood, 5:45pm, 201-567-2820 or 201-567-3323

Scholar-in-Residence Gilah Kletenik, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, through Shabbat Feb 2, 201-568-1315

Motzei Shabbat, Feb 2Parent-Child Learning, Rabbi


Cong Shaare Tefillah Dinner, honoring Karen and Eric Orgen and Stacy and Keith Kaplan, shul in Teaneck, 8pm, 201-357-0613 or 201-289-5474

Khal Chassidim Malave Malka, honoring Yaakov and Barbara Clark, and survivors of the Holocaust: Alex and Agnes Lowinger, Nicholas Schwartz, z”l,

and Imre Lefkowitz, z”l, includes music by Sruli Wulliger, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 8pm, 732-777-6840

Khal Tiferes Boruch (for-merly Cong Shomrei Torah of Passaic Clifton) Women’s Melave Malka, Clifton, 8:30pm, 973-591-0172 or [email protected]

Sun., Feb 3First Day of Online Course:

“The Jewish Metropolis: Warsaw and Vilna before the Holocaust,” Prof Samuel Kassow, spons by the Yiddish Book Center, readings and interactive online discussion avail-able through Sun., Feb 24, www.yiddishbookcenter.org/jewish-me-tropolis-reg or [email protected]

Kavvanah Minyan, slower Shacharit, including meditation, song, and a light breakfast, Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9am, 718-796-4730

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Forgiveness,” Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Chabad of Riverdale, 9:45am, 718-549-1100; Rabbi Dov Drizen, Valley Chabad, Park Ridge High, 10am, 201-476-0157

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas: Charity,” Rabbi Avrohom Bergstein, Congregation Anshei Lubavitch, Fair Lawn, 10am, 718-839-5296


Pre-Holiday Boutique and Family Fun Day, includes shop-ping; gold, silver, and Judaica for cash; kids activities; culinary, acu-pressure, and makeup demonstra-tions; ice cream; and raffle prizes, Cong Israel, Springfield, 10am-1pm, [email protected]

Matan B’Seter Bambi Brunch, for women, featuring Rebbetzin Rochel Chalkovski, private home, Passaic, 10:30am, 973-219-6928

Film: “The First Grader,” with Dr. Susan London, JCC, Edi-son, 1:30pm, 732-494-3232

Rabbi Jacob Joseph Yeshiva Scholarship Dinner, at the school, Edison, 5pm, 732-985-6533

Mon., Feb 4Deadline to Enter the

Manischewitz Cook-Off, those over 18 can submit simple, family-

friendly recipes online at www.manischewitz.com/assets/coo-koff2013/rules.php

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Privacy,” Rabbi Chanoch Kaplan, private law office, Oak-land, 9am, 201-848-0449

“The Morning Prayers,” for women, Rabbi Yisroel Teichman, private home in Teaneck, 201-692-3757 or [email protected]

Current Events, Stan Gold-berg, Buddy Tell, and Keren Glick, JCC, Tenafly, 1:30pm, 201-408-1457

Israeli Film, with Rotem Na-hum, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7pm, 845-361-4400

“Concept in Sefer Beraishis and Sefer Shemos,” for wom-en, Dr. Shana Posy, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-247-3038

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Forgiveness,” Rabbi M Ka-sowitz, Lubavitch Center, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-486-2362

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: What Makes Us Jewish? The Significance of the Conversion Process,” Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad of North-west NJ, Rockaway, 7:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202

Tues., Feb 5Women’s Club for Widows,

Jewish Federation and Vocation-al Services, Concordia Shopping Center, Monroe, 10:30am, 732-777-1940 or 609-395-7979

“Digging Deeper: Exploring the Philosophical Foundations of Judaism: Rabbinic Author-ity: Should We Follow Even if We Think They Are Wrong?” for men and women, Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 9:15pm, 201-836-8916

Wed., Feb 6“Living with Integrity:

Navigating Everyday Ethical Dilemmas: Forgiveness,” Rab-bi Levi Azimov, Chabad of North Brunswick, 11am, 732-398-9492; Rabbi Mendel Mangel, Cherry Hill Chabad, 7:30pm, 856-874-1500; Rabbi Ephraim Simon, Teaneck Chabad House, 8pm, 201-907-0686; Rabbi Chanoch Kaplan, Franklin Lakes Chabad, 8pm, 201-848-0449

Contemporary Israeli Po-etry Group, in the original with English translation and discussion, Atara Fobar, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7pm, 718-796-4730

Strength-to-Strength Sup-port Group for Parents Whose Children, Ages 15-25, Are Deal-ing with Chemical Dependency, Psychological Disorders, or Co-Occurring Issues, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1403

Parenting Workshop: “Mind, Body, and Soul: Parenting from the Inside Out,” Mirel Goldstein, includes children’s program in an adjoining room, Clifton Library, 7pm, 973-772-5500

Jewish 12-Step Meeting, JACS—Jewish Alcoholics, Chem-ically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201-837-9090, ask for IRA (Informa-tion and Referral) or 201-981-1071

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Forgiveness,” Rabbi Levi Azimov, North Brunswick Chabad, 7:45pm, 732-398-9492; Rabbi Dov Drizen, Woodcliff Lake Chabad, 8pm, 201-476-0157

“An In-Depth Analysis of One of the Sugyos That Comes Up in the Daf Yomi Studies,” Rav Tan-chum Cohen, Cong Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, 8pm, 201-384-0434

Shomer Shabbos Boy Scout Meeting, for boys in 6th grade or 11 years old and up, Bais Medrash L’Torah, Rabbi Davis’s shul, Passaic, 8pm, [email protected]



Thurs., Feb 7“How to Talk so Kids Will

Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk: Deal with Your Child’s Negative Feelings—Frustra-tion, Disappointment, Anger,” Emily Shapiro, at Kidaroo, River-dale, 10am, 347-560-1027

Mishmor Program, for boys and girls in grades 2-5, Rabbi Yisroel Rosenblum, includes help with home-work, stores, raffles, refreshments, prizes, and sports, at Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West



Orange, 6:30pm, 973-251-0205Israeli TV Show: “Srugim/

Knitted Kippahs,” with Rotem Nahum JCC Rockland, West Ny-ack, 7pm, 845-362-4400

“McCarthy Witch Hunt: A Not-So-Funny Reminiscence of the Fearful Menace of McCarthy-ism Which, to a Large Measure, Singled Out Jews Whether or Not They Were Involved Politically,” Dick Burnon, Cresskill Public Li-brary, 7pm, 201-567-3521

“Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety,” Daniel Smith, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-569-7900

Fri., Feb 8Jewish Film Festival: “Rosen-

strasse,” with Dr. Harriet Sepin-wall, JCC, West Orange, 10am, 973-530-3417

“Torah Studies into the Soul of the Torah: What Makes Us Jewish? The Significance of the Conversion Process,” Rab-bi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at Linwood Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500

Shabbat, Feb 9Carlebach Minyan, Cong

Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:45am, [email protected]

Tefilat Shlomo: The Car-lebach Tefila of Riverdale, in-cludes light and healthy Kiddush, at the Hebrew Institute of River-dale, 9am, 718-796-4730

Shabbat Mevorchim Sha-losh Seudos, for women, spons by Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Te-aneck Apartments, private apart-ment in Teaneck, 4pm, [email protected]

Motzei Shabbat, Feb 9Kids’ Night Out, for ages 5-12,

divided by age, so that parents can have a night out, Riverdale YMHA, 7-10pm, 718-548-8200 ext 261

Hakoah and Hakoah Junior Sports Clubs: Super Bowl Fever, for grades 2-5 and K-1, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3425

Jewish-Themed Play Com-petition, three finalists’ plays will be presented and the audience decides the winner, JCC, West Or-ange, 8pm, 973-530-3421

Frisch Yeshiva High School Dinner: “Frisch at Forty,” honoring Marvin Eiseman; Dr. Charles Feldman, z”l; Arthur Goldberg; Jerry Milch; David Rauch; Stanley Turitz, and Rabbi Joshua Wald, at the school in Paramus, 8pm, 201-267-9100

Orthodox Forum, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 8pm, [email protected]

Sun., Feb 10Yom Iyun: The Importance

and Legalities of the Halachic Pre-Nuptial Agreement, retired NJ Supreme Court Justice Virginia Long, Rabbi Jeremy Stern, and Rabbi Joshua Hess, includes video: “Women Unchained,” spons by Anshe Chesed and the Organiza-tion for the Resolution of Agunot, at Cong Anshe Chesed, Linden, 9:30am, 908-486-8616

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Charity,” Rabbi Levi Shem-tov, Chabad of Riverdale, 9:45am, 718-549-1100; Rabbi Dov Drizen, Valley Chabad, Park Ridge High, 10am, 201-476-0157

“Living with Integrity: Navi-gating Everyday Ethical Dilem-mas: Parents,” Rabbi Avrohom Bergstein, Congregation Anshei Lubavitch, Fair Lawn, 10am, 718-839-5296


“How to Respond to Anti-

Israel Rhetoric on College Cam-puses,” for Jewish high school juniors and seniors, boys and girls, includes lunch, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High for Girls, 10:15am, www.jfnnj.org/jcrc

Purim Carnival, JCC Rock-land, West Nyack, 1-3:30pm, 845-362-4400

Uncle Moishy and His Mitzvah Men Concert, to ben-efit Jewish Education Program of Rockland, at Ramapo Senior High School, Spring Valley, 3pm, 845-222-6436

SINAI Special Needs Insti-tute Dinner, honoring Lisa and Lowell Baron, Rachel and Michael Dube, Rabbi Dr. Wallace Greene, Debbie and Neil Kaplan, Marri-ott Glenpointe Hotel, Teaneck, 4:45pm, 201-833-1134 ext 105

Bikur Cholim of Raritan Valley Dinner, Pines Manor, Edison, 6pm, 732-287-2222 or 732-572-9545

“One Day after Peace: Can the Means Used to Resolve the Conflict in South Africa Be Ap-plied to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict?” Robi Damelin, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-569-7900 Y

An Accredited BAchelors DegreeMajor in Business or Human Services/ Behavioral Science• Apply up to 70 Judaic credits in transfer toward the

required 127 credits of the degree

• Government tuition grants and loans available

• Registration is currently underway

An Accredited MAsters Degree MA in Educational Leadership or Master of Business Administration - MBA• Apply your Bachelors Degree from any regionally accredited

or Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS) accredited or affiliated institution

• Government student loans available• Registration is currently underway

Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Earn your degree through onlinE coursEs, accessible anywhere and anytime. (in 15 to 18 months, depending on the degree)

For more information:[email protected] or 917-209-8204 •Visit us at www.TheYIEP.com

Apply Your Yeshiva/Seminary Credits or Your Rabbinic/Secular Degree Toward

Bellevue NeBraska

new programs begin January, 2013


New Classes This MonthSundays

Beit Midrash Learning, for men and women, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, choose a half hour between 7:30am-10am, 201-837-2795

Fathers of Yeshiva Mekor Baruch 6th-Grade Boys Chabura: Gemara Brachos, 4th Perek, Yeshiva Passaic Torah Institute, 8am, 862-371-3186

Halachic Insights in the Past Week’s Daf Yomi, Yeshiva Pas-saic Torah Institute, 9:20am, 973-594-4774

Gemara Keddushin, Rabbi Shlomo Singer, Yeshiva Passaic To-rah Institute, Passaic, 9:50am, 862-371-3186

“‘It’s All in Your Mind’ by Sara Yosef,” for women, Rabbi David Bassous, Cong Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, 10am, 732-247-3839

Zichron Rivka Community Library, thousands of books for children and adults, the Agudah Building, Highland Park, 10am-noon, 732-213-5304

Mimush Parenting Workshops, for parents of teenagers, in Hebrew, JCC, Tenafly, 4pm, 201-569-7900

Chaburah Avodah Zorah, Binyomin Halberstam, Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic, 9pm, 862-686-6748

MondaysMommy and Mr, for children 12-24 months, Morah Rhea Levart,

at Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 9:30pm, begins Feb 4, 201-951-7458Free Hebrew Reading Class, for women, Karen Lefkowitz, spons

by Neve Passaic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 10am, 908-278-4059

Israeli Dance, for women, Sara Birnbaum, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 10am, 845-361-4400

Intermediate Israeli Dance, Sara Birnbaum, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, noon, 845-361-4400

Relationship Building Course: “Beginning Communication and Conversation Skills,” for individuals 18 and older with learn-ing, communication, and social needs, Chani Hermann, spons by the Orthodox Union and Yachad, includes dinner and the opportunity to practice newly learned social skills, Yachad Office, Teaneck, 6pm, 212-613-8373 or [email protected]

Chavrusa Learning, for 7th and 8th grade boys to be paired with Torah Academy of Bergen County juniors and seniors, TABC, Teaneck, 7pm, 646-706-2553 or 201-396-5951

Level One Hebrew Reading, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 6:30pm, 718-548-2461 or 718-796-4730

Level Two Hebrew Reading, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:15pm, 718-548-2461 or 718-796-4730

Project Inspire Chabura Learning, for members of the commu-nity and those just becoming interested in Judaism, includes potato kugel, Cong Knesses Yisrael, New Hempstead, 7:45pm, [email protected]

Dikduk, Rabbi Shaya Jaffe, Yeshiva Passaic Torah Institute, Pas-saic, 8pm, 862-371-3186

Sefer Yehoshua, Rabbi Ian Shaffer, Young Israel of Fair Lawn, 8pm, 201-797-1800, begins Jan 28

Advanced Talmud, Rabbi Jeff Fox, private home in Riverdale, 8pm, 718-796-4730 or [email protected]

Advanced Hebrew Ulpan, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-548-2461 or 718-796-4730

Mimush Parenting Workshops, for parents of young children, in Hebrew, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-569-7900

Parshat HaShavua, shiur and guided study to further indepen-dent Chumash learning, Rabbi Yaakov Blau, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Te-aneck, 8:15pm, 201-837-2795

Night Seder: Gemara Chavrusa Study, Rabbi Pinny Roth and Rabbi Yoel Weinreb, Yeshivas Bais Mordechai of Teaneck (formerly Yeshiva Gedolah), 8:30pm, 917-991-7985 or 201-310-2485

Become Self-Sufficient in Your Learning: Gemara on Four Levels, Beginners to Advanced, Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, Yeshiva Passaic Torah Institute, Passaic, 8:30pm, 862-371-3186

TuesdaysTorah in the AM: Chavura in Divrei HaYamim, Cong Keter To-

rah, Teaneck, 9am, 201-907-0180Women’s Tehillim Group, East Hill Synagogue, Englewood,

9am, 201-569-4008Gemara Ketubot, Chapter 2, for men and women, Rabbi Mena-

hem Meier, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-907-0180Mommy and Me, in English, Hebrew, and French, private home

in New Milford, 9:45am, 646-884-3499Women’s Learning Group, Rabbi Ze’ev Reichman, East Hill Syna-

gogue, Englewood, 10am, 201-569-4008“The Unique and the Sublime: Biblical Characters,” Sara Hur-

witz, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 11am, 718-796-4730Music and Piano Skills, for children ages 4-9, includes introduc-

tion to piano, listening and ear training, note reading and writing, and music theory and history, Cheder N’Shei, Clifton, 3:15pm, 862-485-4385

“Jump into Judaics,” for children in grades K-1, JCC, Tenafly, 3:45pm, 201-408-1429

Toradojo Martial Arts, for beginners and children 5 and up, Senseis Mark Grebenau and Howard Sragoe, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 6pm, [email protected]

Zichron Rivka Community Library, thousands of books for children and adults, the Agudah Building, Highland Park, 6-8:30pm, 732-213-5304

Advanced Hebrew, Einat Levy, JCC, West Orange, 6:30pm, 973-530-3519, begins Jan 29

“The 39 Melachos of Shabbos,” for women, Rabbi Eliezer Krohn, private home in Passaic, 7:45pm, 973-471-9536

Shiur, Rabbi Ze’ev Reichman, East Hill Synagogue, Englewood, 8pm, 201-569-4008

Clarity Seminar, for women, Tzipora Harris, spons by Neve Pas-saic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 908-278-4059; this class can also be accessed by phone, 712-432-0075, code 681749#, or online http://theclarityseminar.com/allclasses.php, 8pm

“An Introduction to the Study of Medrash and Aggada: Fact or Fiction?” Rabbi Jeremy Donath, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, [email protected]

Partners in Torah, for learners or mentors, Agudas Yisroel Bircas Yaakov, Passaic, 8:15pm, 862-591-2920

Gemara Keddushin, Rabbi Shlomo Singer, Yeshiva Passaic To-rah Institute, Passaic, 8:30pm, 862-371-3186

Beit Midrash Learning, for men and women, Cong Rinat Yisrael,


Teaneck, 8:45pm, 201-837-2795Interactive Tele-Shiur: “Tefillah Power: Seven Steps to Build-

ing a Relationship with Hashem—The Deeper Dimensions Re-vealed,” for women, Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller, 10pm, 732-806-1578

WednesdaysPassaic Bais Yaakov Class, for women who lack a Bais Yaakov

education, spons by Neve Passaic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 9:30am, 908-278-4059

Parshat Hashavua, Yael Weil, in memory of Alisa Flatow, hy”d, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 10am, 201-907-0180

Yiddish Vinkel, Blossom Milyoner, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 11am, 845-362-4400

Chumash Shiur, for women, Rabbi Yosef Adler, Cong Rinat Yis-rael, Teaneck, 12:30pm, 201-837-2795

Help-with-Homework, provided by Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls students for children in grades 1-5 who need help, at Ma’ayanot, Teaneck, 4:40pm, [email protected], begins Feb 2

Hebrew Quality Story Time, for children 2-5 and 5-8, Riverdale YMHA, 5pm, 718-548-8200

Beginners Hebrew, Rachel Kushner, for those over 15, JCC, West Orange, 6pm, 973-530-3519, begins Feb 6

“Navigating the Siddur and Chumash,” Marilyn Selber, River-dale Jewish Center, 6:30pm, 347-275-8801 or 718-548-1850

Matan Bat Mitzvah Class, Rebbetzin Debbie Baum, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-907-0180

Youth Mentor Training, for adults seeking to mentor children, 5-18, who are experiencing social, emotional, and/or behavioral prob-lems, Volunteer Center of Bergen County, Hackensack, 7pm, 201-489-9454 ext 121 begins Jan 16

Intermediate Hebrew, Rachel Kushner, JCC, West Orange, 7:15pm, 973-530-3510, begins Feb 6

Schmooze on the News B’Ivrit, Rotem Nahum, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-361-4400

Intermediate Hebrew Ulpan, Sara Kinberg, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-548-2461 or 718-796-4730

Inclusive Art Program, for all high school students and special-needs Yachad members age 15 and up, spons by NJ Yachad, at The Art Place, Englewood, 7:45pm, 201-833-1349

“The Life of King David,” Rabbi Mordecai Feuerstein, Syna-gogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, 8pm, 973-994-2620 or 973-994-0122

Night Seder: Gemara Chavrusa Study, Rabbi Pinny Roth and Rabbi Yoel Weinreb, Yeshivas Bais Mordechai of Teaneck (formerly Yeshiva Gedolah), 8:30pm, 917-991-7985 or 201-310-2485

Become Self-Sufficient in Your Learning: Gemara on Four Levels, Beginners to Advanced, Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, Yeshiva Passaic Torah Institute, Passaic, 8:30pm, 862-371-3186

ThursdaysTorah in the AM: Chavura in Divrei HaYamim, Cong Keter To-

rah, Teaneck, 9am, 201-907-0180Gemara Ketubot, Chapter 2, for men and women, Rabbi Mena-

hem Meier, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-907-0180Women’s Discussion Group, Rabbi Ze’ev Reichman, East Hill

Synagogue, Englewood, 10am, 201-569-4008“Book of Joshua,” Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of River-

dale, 10am, 718-796-4730Sefer Daniel, Rabbi Menahem Meier, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck,

10:45am, 201-907-0180Establishing Financial Freedom Support Group, for those

exploring avenues to achieve financial freedom, Jewish Family Ser-vices, Teaneck, 1pm, 201-837-9090

Zichron Rivka Community Library, thousands of books for children and adults, the Agudah Building, Highland Park, 6-8:30pm,

732-213-5304Toradojo Martial Arts, for beginners and children 5 and up, Sifu

Gene White, Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange, 6pm, [email protected] Martial Arts, for adults and advanced, Sifu Gene White,

Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange, 7pm, [email protected]“Biblical Hebrew and Siddur Study,” Sara Kinberg, Hebrew

Institute of Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-548-2461 or 718-796-4730Open Israeli Dance, Sara Birnbaum, JCC Rockland, West Nyack,

8-11pm, 845-361-4400Beit Midrash Learning, for men and women, Cong Rinat Yisrael,

Teaneck, 8:45pm, 201-837-2795Chumash Shiur, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, via satellite, Cong K’Hal

Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188);Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck (201-907-0180); Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic (973-773-2552); Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732-247-0532); Kehillas Bais Yehudah, Wesley Hills, (917-623-4711), 9pm

Gemara Shiur: Yoma, Rabbi Menachem Genack, Cong Shomrei Emunah, Englewood, 9pm, 201-567-9420

Rambam on the Parsha, Rabbi Yosef Strassfeld, spons by the East Hill Synagogue, private home in Englewood, 9pm, 201-567-3962, 201-569-4484, or 201-569-4008

“Emunah and Bitachon: Facing Life’s Challenges Successfully,” Rabbi Yisrael Weiss, Rabbi Horowitz’s Shtieble, 9:15pm, 732-985-1698

FridaysTalmud Moed Katan, Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of

Riverdale, 7:20am, 718-796-4730Mommy and Me, for mothers and babies up to 1 year, in Hebrew,

Orly Gal, JCC, Tenafly, 9am, begins Feb 1, 201-569-7900Farbrengen: Cholent, Singing, and Chabura on Tefillin, for high

school and college-age boys and adults, Tzvi Gordon, spons by Khal Chassidim, private home in Highland Park 9:15pm, 732-985-1698 or 732-572-2892

ShabbatNavi Shiur: Sefer Malachim, Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, Yeshiva

Passaic Torah Institute, Passaic, 8am, 862-371-3186Bnos Clifton and Passaic, for girls in grades K-5, Cong Adas

Israel, Passaic, 2:30pm, [email protected]

Mazal TovMazal Tov to the Bar Mitzvah Boys: Yosef Berger,

Zevi Bin-Nun, Benjamin Brody, Zalman Fingerman, Moshe Hecht, Paul Horowitz, Ilan Katz, Jonathan Katz, Mordechai Klahr, Jordan Kleinhaus, Hershey Kogan, Gordie Kolb, Ari Nat, Steven Paul, Yehuda Aryeh Raskind, Eli Seidman, Yozi Wagner, Yaakov and Akiva Wieder, and Max Wolff; and the Bat Mitzvah Girls: Meira Baum, Arielle Borger, Chana Fisher, Shira Knapp, Hannah Mendeles, Mia Nissel, Eve Orbach, Keren Plaut, Emily Ratzker, Judith Rosenbluth, and Avigail Schiff

Mazal Tov to Yocheved and Bennett Deutsch, Renee and Moshe Glick, and Alyssa and Chaim Winter on being honored by Beit Orot at its dinner on Jan 8 in Manhattan

Mazal Tov to West Orange Toradojo advancing students: Tali Novick and Elie Minsky (Yellow Belts); Mireet Fournier, Rowi Novick, and Tziporah Zwickler (Blue Belts); and Eli Novick (Green Belt) Y



Sefer Chofetz Chaim, for women, Rabbi Eliezer Moskowitz, spons by Neve Passaic Torah Institute, private home in Passaic, 3pm, 908-278-4059

Motzei Shabbat“Contemporary Halacha Based on the Parsha,” Rabbi Michael

Taubes, Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 70 minutes after Havdala, 201-836-4334

Navi, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, live via satellite, Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732-247-0532); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic; JEC, Elizabeth (908-591-5929); Cong Khal Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck; Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320), 7:30pm

Navi Shiur: Sefer Melachim I, for men and women, Rabbi Yosef Wiener, spons by the Passaic-Clifton Community Kollel, Cong Agudas Yisroel Bircas Yaakov, Passaic, 9pm, 718-755-3515

New MinyanimMincha Minyan, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 1:45pm, 201-

836-8916Mincha Minyan, private office in River Edge, Mon-Thurs, 2pm,

877-APP-FUND ext 246Shabbat Hashkama Minyan, Cong Bais Torah, Suffern, 7:30am,

845-425-9469Chesed Ops

The Bayswater-Jewish community is still in desperate need of the following new items: clothing for children under 6, dia-pers, baby wipes and other baby items (BPA-free pacifiers, baby/toddler car seats, strollers), blankets, linens, bath and kitchen towels, paper goods, games and books (can be used in good condition), kerchiefs and snoods, and sheitels (can be gently used); in addi-tion flashlights and batteries, 7-day yahrzeit candles, space heaters, water bottles, hand warmers, gloves, hats, scarves, boots (all sizes),

school supplies, socks, pajamas, undergarments (men, women, and children), and women’s makeup, coordinated at a private home in Elizabeth, 908-558-1920

Another group assisting the thousands of Jewish families still affected is the Achiezer Community Resource Center, www.achiezerstormrelief.org

Rabbi Yaakov Glasser of the Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton is collecting funds for people impacted by the hurricane. Checks can be made out to Rabbi Glasser’s Discretionary Fund and mailed to the Young Israel at 200 Brook Ave, Passaic, NJ 07055, 973-778-7117

Chabad Chesed raised more than $25,000 for victims of Hur-ricane Sandy who reside in Brooklyn and Queens. Anshe Shalom Chabad has secured a Kew Gardens, NY, storage location and can accept, with a tax-deduction, cars (in any condition), furniture (in good condition), books and seforim, clothing (new or gently used), new housewares and appliances, food and kitchen items, Rabbi Mor-dechai Hecht, 718-441-2470 ext 2

Project Nivneh’s “Partners in Sandy”, pairs families who are struggling to cope with the devastation they suffered with a part-ner who can serve as a liaison to help them. Countless families are waiting to be paired. Send an email to [email protected]

Too many Chanukah presents? The Passaic Toy Gemach is taking donations of new and used toys (only in good condition), 973-471-9603

The Passaic Children’s Clothing Gemach takes donations and offers clothing, 973-594-1010

Kosher Meals on Wheels in Bergen County is looking for vol-unteer drivers for homebound seniors in Fort Lee, Leonia, Engle-wood, and Park Ridge; one-two hours per week, 201-837-9090 ext 328

Contests to Enter NowTribute to the Rescuers High School Essay Contest, spons by

the Institute for Holocaust Education in Omaha, NE, for students in grades 9-12, a 750-1,000-word essay on an individual or group that shows moral courage, deadline is Feb 26, http://ihene.org/tribute-to-the-rescuers-essay

Essay Contest, for middle and high school students, based on the book “A Lesson before Dying” by Ernest Gaines, spons by the Brookdale Community College Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education, Lincroft, NJ. There is no required length of the essay. The themes are: Responding to Injustice, Respect for Hu-man Dignity and How One Recovers Human Dignity in the Face of Dehumanization, Racism and Discrimination, and Lessons Learned in Response to the Hardships of Others. Deadline in Feb 28, [email protected]

Student Literary Writing Contest, for students in grades 7-12. The NJ Commission on Holocaust Education can send a copy of the documentary “Only a Number.” Based on the film, students can write, in prose, poetry, dramatic form, or any other mode: “Relate Aranka’s Experience to Issues of Today Regarding Prejudice, Intolerance, Ste-reotyping, and Bullying and What People Can Do to Reduce These Evils.” No required length of the essay. Deadline is April 15. 609-292-9274 or [email protected]

Youth Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Award, members of the community can nominate a student in grades 4-12 who has demonstrated an altruistic act of generating awareness, empathy, and action for Holocaust and/or genocide education. Possible top-ics: anti-bullying, bystander behavior, name-calling, sensitivity to the disabled. In 250 words or less, describe the action or educational event(s) you believe warrant special recognition. Spons by the Mer-cer County Holocaust/Genocide Resource Center. Deadline is April 15. 609-581-0239 YCORPORATE ACCOUNTS | LOCAL & LONG DISTANCE | LICENSED & INSURED

CAR SERVICE & LIMOUSINE WORLD CLASS TRANSPORTATION

10% INSTANT DISCOUNT FOR ONLINE RESERVATIONS

“Serving over 500 cities worldwide”

Teaneck Taxi

24 HOURS - 7 DAYS A WEEK

SEDANS | STRETCHES | MINIVANS | SHUTTLE VANS | BUS CHARTERSFOR ALL YOUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS:

WWW.TEANECKTAXI.COM201-836-8282 | 1-888-441-8294

800 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, NJ 07302

New Classes continued from page 37


Holy Name Medical Center Re-ceives Award For Promoting Organ Donation – Officials from NJ Shar-ing Network recently presented Holy Name Medical Center with its 25th Anniversary Circle of Life Award. The medical center received the award for its efforts to assist NJ Sharing Net-work with the recovery of organs and tissue for the nearly 5,000 New Jer-sey patients awaiting a life-saving or

life-enhancing transplant. Pictured (left to right) at the award ceremony are: Kelly Weiland, NJ Sharing Net-work’s Hospital Services Manager; Basil Vorolieff, a liver recipient and NJ Sharing Network volunteer; Sheryl Slonim, Holy Name Medical Center’s Executive Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Of-ficer; and Joe Roth, NJ Sharing Net-work President and CEO. Y

Saving Lives at Holy Name


IndictmentMr. Lieberman, who served as Mr. Ne-

tanyahu’s Foreign Minister and partner in the Likud Beiteinu merge, had been under investigation for several years. The timing of his indictment, one month before elec-tions, prompted many to believe it was orchestrated by his political enemies, of which the blunt, outspoken, politically con-servative Russian-Jewish leader has many.

Mr. Lieberman was indicted on charges of fraud and breach of trust. He is suspected of having suggested in December 2009 that the government name the former am-bassador to Belarus to a post in another country, despite the fact that evidence pointed to the individual’s having passed along secret information, including details of a police enquiry against Mr. Lieberman.

Once he was indicted, Mr. Lieberman resigned his post as Foreign Minister and dropped out of the campaign for Knes-set. Mr. Netanyahu is reported to have guaranteed that there will be a position for him when he returns. To that end, Mr. Netanyahu has assumed the position of Foreign Minister himself rather than giv-ing the ministry to someone else.

Israel’s Attorney General, Yehuda Weinstein, said he has not yet decided if Mr. Lieberman’s suggesting an individual for consideration as an ambassador in exchange for some information amounts to “moral turpitude.”

Although Mr. Lieberman indicated he expects to be back at the Knesset as soon as possible, his departure from the race is thought to be hurting Likud Beit-einu in the polls.

A ProblemIn general, Mr. Weinstein has be-

come a problem for Likud Beiteinu. The attorney-general has issued an opinion that Jewish residents should be evicted from Beit Ezra, a Jewish-owned building in Hebron that was abandoned in 1947 when Jews were forced from the city. Beit Ezra was restored to Jewish ownership following the 1967 Six-Day War.

In 2001, the owners of Beit Ezra asked the Arab tenants to leave and the court allowed several Jewish families to move into the building. It is these residents whom the attorney general wants evicted.

An Israeli court has already issued a verdict in favor of the Jewish families living in the property, but the families’ rights to the building have been chal-lenged by a Peace Now lawsuit calling for their eviction.

State attorneys, rather than challeng-ing Peace Now’s claims, plan to support the group’s demand to oust Israeli fami-lies from the property.

Unpopular EvictionThe state is now expected to give its

decision on whether or not to evict the Jewish residents. The state’s request to postpone giving its position to the court until after elections has been denied.

Many Likud MKs fear that unless Mr. Netanyahu rejects the attorney general’s position, voter outrage at the eviction may cost Likud more seats.

Informal polls taken by MKs on the right indicate that a Netanyahu capitulation to the left on this issue may prompt as many as three Knesset seats to leave the party.

Israel’s political Left is also fragmented, but in contrast to Likud, the left is sinking. Polls show that Labor will receive about 17 seats; Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua Party and Yair Lapid’s “Atid” Party about 11 each; Meretz between 3 and 5; and the three Arab parties at the same 11 they had in the last Knesset.

Kadima, which for several years was the largest party in the Knesset, probably will not garner sufficient votes to make it this time around.

Sinking ShasAnother loser, according to the polls,

is Shas, the Sephardic-hareidi party. Be-fore this election cycle, it was assumed that Shas would glide comfortably into any right-wing coalition headed by Mr. Netanyahu. But, before the campaign be-gan, the party’s rabbinic leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, decided to name Aryeh Deri as head of the party. Mr. Deri is a Shas leader who has spent time in prison and has been known for leaning left on issues such as land-for-peace.

As a result, Shas, which had been polling at about 12 seats, was down to 8 in the latest poll. Some of those seats have been lost to parties which are more reliably right wing, such as Likud Beiteinu and even Jewish Home.

Other former Shas votes may go to Am Shalem, a break-away faction head-ed by Rabbi Haim Amsalem, who had been a Shas MK until he was fired by the party’s leadership for ideas that did not match theirs. Still an MK, Rabbi Amsalem formed Am Shalem, which seeks to at-tract Zionist-Sephardim who favor yeshiva students serving in the IDF and receiv-ing, along with Torah studies, high-level secular educations which would allow them successfully to join the workforce.

Most polls show that Am Shalem will not reach the necessary threshold to join the Knesset, but, at the begin-ning of January, a few surveys indicated that it just might be possible for Rabbi Amsalem to win the needed two seats.

Rising RightDespite the fact that the Knesset

will be overwhelmingly right wing, Mr. Netanyahu still may have to enter into some tricky negotiations in order to put together a coalition of at least 61 seats to form a government. The smaller the number of Likud Beiteinu MKs, the greater will be the expectations and demands of the smaller parties whose participation he will need. Battles are expected as the various right-wing parties contend for ministries that allow them to parcel out jobs and follow through on the promises made to constituents.

Jewish Home started the election cycle with expectations, based on polls, at about 13 seats. By the beginning of

Rise of the Right continued from page 1



January, some polls had the party as high as 18 seats, chal-lenging Labor for the second largest party in the Knesset.

Another right-wing party, Otzma LeYisrael (Power to Is-rael), led by MKs Dr. Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari, had con-sidered joining Jewish Home, but, at the last minute, decided to form its own faction. Dr. El-dad and Mr. Ben-Ari are joined on the ticket by the fiery He-bron activist Baruch Marzel and Aryeh King, the founder and director of the Land of Israel Fund, a non-profit organiza-tion dedicated to helping Jews from abroad buy homes and land in Israel, including areas in Judea and Samaria.

Until just recently, it did not seem as if Otzma Leyisrael would earn even the minimum level of support needed to en-ter the Knesset. At the end of

December, while some polls showed Otzma Leyisrael still not reaching the threshold, other surveys showed the party win-ning two or even four seats.

Losing CenterBy the beginning of Janu-

ary, polls showed that Likud Beiteinu was losing seats at an average of one every two weeks. Jewish Home, on the other hand, was growing. Less than three weeks before elec-tions, a Geocartographia poll showed Jewish Home hitting 18 seats. In a surprising turn, the poll showed Otzma Ley-israel winning 6 seats.

No one wondered where Likud Beiteinu voters were go-ing. Jewish Home, and espe-cially Mr. Bennett, seem to have caught the imagination of many on the right.

Polls show that as many as one-third of those attracted to

Jewish Home are secular. Two-thirds of Jewish Home voters are age 40 and under. A sig-nificant portion are under 30.

Tired of the TightropeMany Jewish Home vot-

ers said they were attracted to Mr. Bennett because they feared Mr. Netanyahu will cave to demands of the Obama ad-ministration to evacuate Jew-ish communities in Judea and Samaria. Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, Mr. Netan-yahu seemed to be walking a tightrope on that issue: on one hand trying to please the Likud’s right-wing voters and MKs; and on the other hand submitting to the rulings of the left-wing Israeli courts, which have mandated evacuations from Judea and Samaria (which could be stopped only by leg-islation that Mr. Netanyahu would have to endorse) and to the more left-wing part-ners in his coalition and his Cabinet, especially Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Mr. Bennett’s much more right-wing position seems un-shakeable, and every time the Jewish Home is attacked by Likud, it results in higher numbers for the new party. Mr. Bennett has made it clear that he expects to be in Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition. How-ever, the more seats Jewish Home receives, the more the party can insist on moving the coalition towards the right.

“This is now the young Israeli hard-liners’ party, the refuge for those who mistrust both Palestinian protestations of seeking peace and Mr. Ne-tanyahu’s commitment to the communities of Judea and Samaria,” said journalist Da-vid Horovitz, writing in the Times of Israel.

Learning from BibiMr. Bennett, the 40-year-old

Haifa-born son of Jewish parents

who made aliyah from San Fran-cisco, is a graduate of one of the IDF’s most elite commando units, Sayeret Matkal. While he was still a child, the family became more religious, and Mr. Bennett wears a kippah srugah and identifies as religious.

After finishing his degree at the Hebrew University, he became involved in a technol-ogy start-up which had created a high-tech security system to assist in online banking. When it sold in the US, Mr. Bennett earned $145 million.

Married and the father of four, he arrived back in Israel in the summer of 2006, just in time for the Second Leba-non War. After watching his best friend die, he decided he wanted to do something more meaningful than simply find-ing another company.

He secured a position with Mr. Netanyahu while he was still in the opposition, and, when Mr. Netanyahu became Prime Minister again, Mr. Bennett was in place. He stayed with Mr. Netanyahu for two years, leaving only when the Israeli Prime Minister caved to Presi-dent Barack Obama’s demands that the Jewish state freeze all construction in Judea, Sa-maria, and eastern Jerusalem for ten months, in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to lure the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

Schizophrenic PolicyMr. Bennett has charged Mr.

Netanyahu’s most recent gov-ernment of pursuing a “schizo-phrenic” policy on communities in Judea and Samaria and on dealings with the Palestinians.

According to Mr. Bennett, the Prime Minister “talks a lot about major expansion of build-ing beyond the Green Line, while also insisting he wants to move forward with the Pal-estinians.”



are you looking for

when it comes toa senior loved one,

of life

of mind

QUALITYPEACEand to

MAXIMIZE ALL RESOURCES?

THE OHEL NEW JERSEYBEHAVIORAL HEALTH & FAMILY CENTER

OHELGERIATRIC CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING EXPERIENCED CASE MANAGEMENT

KEY SERVICES INCLUDE:

INTR

ODUC

ING

OHEL’s experienced geriatric professionalshelp you e�ciently organize and managea loved one’s total care needs.

696 Palisades Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666

O Needs assessment, best alternativesO Securing entitlementsO Monitoring, coordinating of services

PLEASE CONTACT Devorah Sinensky, OHEL’s Geriatric Coordinator

201-692-3972 | [email protected]

These mutually exclusive positions, he said, manage to annoy the international com-munity, the Palestinians, the resi-dents of Judea and Samaria and their supporters, and just about everybody else in between.

No Palestinian StateMr. Bennett, on the other

hand, declares outright that there will be no Palestinian state. Rejecting what he called “the terrible two-state solu-tion,” he said his “annexation agenda” would prevent PA Ar-abs from establishing an army or absorbing Jordanian and Syrian refugees.

Mr. Bennett and his party are committed to annexing Area C of Judea and Samaria, which is about 60 percent of the territory and over which Israel maintains full control. Only 4 percent of the Palestin-ians in Judea and Samaria—the area demanded by the PA for its future state—reside in Area C, and Mr. Bennett is pre-pared to offer the 50,000 Ar-abs who live there full Israeli citizenship, just as the Arabs in eastern Jerusalem were of-fered citizenship when Israel annexed those neighborhoods and unified the city. Area C is home to about 350,000 Jews.

Mr. Bennett said he would be surprised if Palestinians in Area C accepted the offer to become Israeli citizens. He said they would probably opt for “permanent residency.”

“Area C forms a contiguous Israeli land mass and includes the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, Ben Gurion airport, and surrounding area, Maaleh Adumim and all the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Residents of Tel Aviv, the coastal plain, and the entire country will live in secu-rity and be protected from the threats from the east,” he said, adding that when the Arabs of Area C are offered full citizenship “it will pull the rug out from the Apartheid accusation.”

Palestinian AutonomyArea A, which is under

Palestinian administration and control, contains 59 percent of the Arabs in Judea and Sa-maria. Area B, which is under Israeli control and Palestinian administration, is home to 41 percent of the Palestinians. Ac-cording to Mr. Bennett’s plan, in Areas A and B, which take up 41 percent of the land, the PA will have full autonomy.

What they will not be able to do, according to Mr. Ben-nett’s plan, is allow millions of refugees to “return,” not even to the areas under Palestinian control. Mr. Bennett called Mr. Netanyahu’s agreement that refugees could be repatriated to Palestine alone “an egre-gious mistake that would lead to an irreversible demographic nightmare.”

Mr. Bennett harbors no illusions as to international acceptance of his plan. “The world will not recognize our sovereignty in the area, just as it does not recognize our sovereignty at the Western Wall, in the Ramot and Gilo neighborhoods of Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights. Not to worry, the world will get used to it,” he said.

Stuck with Two StatesMr. Netanyahu, on the

other hand, is stuck with his commitment to the “two-state solution.” Many of his support-ers argue that Mr. Netanyahu’s requirements for the Palestin-ians before their state can be established—such as relinquish-ing the demand for the “right of return,” which means that all Arabs who fled from Israel in 1948 and their descendants will not have the right to “re-turn” to Israel proper; and the acceptance of Israel as “the Jewish state”—will never be accepted by the PA.

Some say, in his subtle way, Mr. Netanyahu is trying



Ess Gezint: Tu B’Shevat SnacksDoni Zasloff Thomas, better known as Mama Doni, is a popular performer and singer-songwriter, well recognized for celebrating

Jewish holidays and traditions with children and families. In 2012, she teamed up with Chef Rachel Hartman to produce Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook (Behrman House). With its accompanying CD, the book is a good place to start for Tu B’Shevat (Shabbat, Jan 26) and Super Bowl parties (Sun., Feb 3), especially if the children will help with the preparations. Y

Fill-in-the-Blank Chocolate Bark4 cups chocolate chips2 cups of toppings,

such as chopped

nuts, dried fruit, gra-nola, crushed pretzels, cookie crumbs, etc.

Melt the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is smooth. Fit parchment paper over a baking sheet and, with a spatula, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the paper. Cover the surface of the chocolate with the toppings of choice. An alternative method is to mix the chosen bark toppings into the melted chocolate before spreading. Refrigerate for two hours or until firm. Then break the chocolate into bit-sized (or slightly larger) pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark location.

Energy Snack Mix4 cups wheat cereal squares2 cups pita chips2 cups pretzel sticks or snaps2 cups mixed nuts or potato sticks5 Tbs olive oil

5 Tbs barbecue sauce1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce1 tsp chili powder1 tsp onion or other seasoned salt1 tsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 250º. Spray two large baking sheets with nonstick spray, and set aside. Mix first four ingredients in a large bowl. In a saucepan, heat the oil and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour the sauce over the snack mix and gently stir to cover evenly. Spread the coated snack mix in a single layer on the baking sheets and bake for 1 hour, mixing every 20 minutes. Makes 8-10 cups.

Shwarma Wings1 tsp paprika1 tsp cumin1 tsp parsley flakes1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powder1 tsp turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste2 lbs chicken wings, split at the joint1 Tbs olive oilHummus for dipping

Pre-heat the oven to broil. In a small bowl, mix the herbs and spices (first 7 ingredients). Put the chicken wings in a gallon-sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the olive oil and shake so the chicken is coated in oil. Pour the spice mix into the bag and shake until the chicken is covered. Broil the wings on both sides until the center is no longer pink. Serve along with hummus so these flavorful wings can be dipped. Makes about 24 wings.


to have his cake (appear to the international community as willing to make concessions for peace) and eat it too (insist on reasonable requests that the Palestinians will not accept).

The problem is that too many right-wing voters do not trust him and believe that once elected, he will proceed with the evacuations they fear. They have no such fear with Mr. Bennett, and thus many are voting for him.

Refusal to EvictFor a few days at the end

of December, Mr. Netanyahu seemed to think that capital-izing on what many thought was a gaffe by Mr. Bennett would actually serve to sty-mie Jewish Home’s skyrock-eting numbers.

On December 20, during a television interview, Mr. Ben-nett, who still serves in the IDF as a reservist, was asked what he would do if ordered to evict Jews from their homes in Judea and Samaria. Mr. Ben-nett replied that he would ask his commander to release him from that position or reassign him. If necessary, Mr. Bennett said, he would be willing to serve time in prison rather than violate Jewish law.

“If I received an order to evict a Jew from his home, my conscience would not allow it. Sorry, I cannot enter a Jew’s home and evict him.”

He then added that, as an MK, he would work to thwart any plan that could hurt the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

“Appalled”Likud and several left-

wing parties pounced. Li-kud Minister Moshe Ya’alon, a former IDF Chief of Staff, said he was “appalled” by Mr. Ben-nett’s comments, which, he said, “endanger the IDF and Israeli democracy.”

Likud’s MK Zev Elkin said he, too, if ordered to expel Jews would ask to be released from duty. But, he said, if his com-mander refused, he would carry out the eviction order.

Mr. Elkin said he certainly does not support such orders and, he said, like Mr. Bennett, he, too, plans to use his position as an MK in the ruling party to ensure that such orders are not given in the first place.

“Dangerous to Democracy”

Mr. Netanyahu seemed to lower the boom when he appeared to make clear that, based on Mr. Bennett’s remarks, he would not include Jewish Home in his coalition.

“I’m not prepared to have anyone who reveres refusal of orders in my government,” said Mr. Netanyahu, calling Mr. Ben-nett’s statement “very serious.”

“I think the idea of re-fusal, even as a natural incli-nation, is something which is simply not acceptable. If every soldier decides that he likes or dislikes certain orders, we won’t have an IDF and we won’t have a state. I am not willing to accept such a thing,” he said.

The following day, Likud launched a massive ad cam-paign which appeared in ev-ery newspaper in Israel. The ad cited Mr. Bennett’s quotes and called him “dangerous to democracy.”

None of the criticism said a word about the many left-wing politicians from Labor and Meretz who have said they would refuse orders to evacuate Arabs. Labor candi-date Merav Michaeli, who won the Number Five slot on her party’s list, has openly called on soldiers to refuse to serve at all in the IDF. She calls on Jewish women not to send their sons to the military.

Facebook ExplanationMr. Bennett turned to

his Facebook page to explain that his remarks should, in no way, be seen as advocating for soldiers to refuse their com-manders’ orders. He did not, however, back away from his own personal position.

“As one who led fighters in operations and in battle, I oppose refusing orders with all my heart and soul,” he wrote. “I fulfilled all the orders in my 22 years in the army and will continue to do so. Personally, I simply cannot evict a family from its home and would ask my commanders to release me from that. I pray and will work with all my might to ensure that the Israeli government will never evict families from their homes in this country.”

He also took Mr. Netanyahu to task for the newspaper ad at-tacks, accusing him of “tearing Israeli society [apart].” He called on Mr. Netanyahu to stop attacking others in the nationalist camp.

“We’re from the same camp. We served in the same unit. Do not shoot inside your own APC,” he said, using the mili-tary abbreviation for “armored personnel carrier.”

He then suggested that Likud’s “preoccupation with the question of whether sol-diers will expel Jews from their homes or not” speaks volumes.

“Mr. Prime Minister, yes or

no?” Mr. Bennett asked, “Do you intend to uproot Jews from their homes again? Jewish Home will be a large and meaningful party to prevent a situation in which IDF soldiers again have to face such dilemmas, which are not humanly bearable.”

ElectricThe effect was electric. Over-

night, Mr. Bennett’s approval numbers climbed as an increas-ing number of right-wing voters told pollsters they had decided to vote for Jewish Home. Once again, Likud hemorrhaged seats.

Some on the right sus-pected Mr. Netanyahu had so cavalierly condemned Mr. Bennett’s remarks because he really did not want Jewish Home in his coalition.

Citing sources close to Mr. Netanyahu, Arutz Sheva said Mr. Netanyahu wanted a “a more centrist” government, which might include a hareidi party or two (Shas and, possi-bly, United Torah Jewry), and, perhaps, another “center party.”

Likud Won’t Go LeftThe polls, however, showed

that without Jewish Home, Mr. Netanyahu would not be able to form any coalition that his own Likud MKs would tolerate.

The nationalist Manhigut Ye-hudit faction’s Moshe Feiglin, who was elected to a realistic slot on the Likud list, not only excused Mr. Bennett, he honored him.




Neve PTI: Helping Women Without Day School Backgrounds Catch UplIke many ba’alei teshuva (Jews raised in secular homes who have decided to return to traditional Jewish obser-vance), Sorah Birnbaum of Teaneck knew that she had missed opportunities that Jews raised in Orthodox homes “may take for grant-ed.” As a child, she did not

experience “the excitement of preparing for each Shabbos, the strong ties and connec-tion to a community, and the yearly flow of the holidays.”

“High on the list,” she says, “is having missed the oppor-tunity to receive a Jewish ed-ucation—even a basic one.”

Today, that opportunity

is being met by the Passaic Torah Institute.

For BTs and FFBsFounded 20 years ago

in Passaic by Rabbi Shlomo Singer, PTI was established as “a yeshiva for working people and their families.” Classes are held mostly in the evening, and there is no minimum or

maximum number of hours expected.

Although there is now a women’s division, PTI was be-gun just for men, as a place for BTs (ba’alei teshuva) and FFBs (those born into Orthodox families who see themselves as “frum from birth”) to learn.


“A country which sanctifies liberty must reserve a place of honor for conscientious

objectors. If we refuse to do so, then we must all request Eichmann’s forgiveness for ex-

ecuting him,” said Mr. Feiglin.The Nationalist Likud Fac-

tion, an internal group made up largely of party members from Judea and Samaria, called on Mr. Netanyahu to cease the party’s attacks on Mr. Bennett, as did sixty-two soldiers who signed a petition saying the same thing.

ReversalMr. Netanyahu’s reversal

came within hours. He insisted he had “never told anyone” that he intended to block Mr. Bennett from his coalition. Mr. Netanyahu suggested to reporters that Mr. Bennett might have produced

this “spin” by himself in order to attract still more religious Likud supporters to Jewish Home.

Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely told reporters that despite recent con-frontations between her party and Jewish Home, she could not imagine that Mr. Bennett would not be part of the next coalition.

Stressing that Likud was still the party with the most expe-rience and “ideological stead-fastness,” she said, “Any person who sees the Jewish people’s right to its land as sacrosanct” is a natural ally for Likud in the next coalition.” S.L.R.

A Mother’s Plea continued from page 21


Her husband legally owned a gun, but she had been quite uncomfortable about it. After this incident, she decided to learn how to use her husband’s gun. She finally understood what her husband meant when he had said: A gun is like a credit card. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Not a Personal Gun-Owner

Let me make one thing clear. I do not have a gun, nor have I ever had one. I do not personally want a gun now because I am not ready to assume the responsibility in-volved in proper training for it. I am not even suggesting that most adults should own guns. However, I do think those who are willing to accept the responsibility for proper gun

safety should have right to do so. I am grateful for those who do.

My attitude has evolved from that time long time ago when I believed the sophistry of the radical anti-protection lobby, whose adherents are well-meaning but misguided. But as I looked deeper into the subject, I came to recognize the folly of their arguments, and the benefit of crime prevention that a well-armed responsible populace would provide.

Even with the crushing restrictions on guns in many parts of the country, guns do prevent over 600,000 crimes per year, according to FBI sta-tistics.

There is no question that states (such as Texas and Florida) that allow responsible citizens

to carry protective weapons have lower rates of crime; the effect of deterrence is signifi-cant. Were more responsible people able to protect oth-er innocent individuals, the criminals would soon learn that they put their own lives in peril when there are many citizen protectors surround-ing them.

Not PCI know I am swimming

against the tide, and that the initial reaction of the majority in the wake of a shooting inci-dent is to impose even more stringent constraints on gun ownership.

Yet, this recent tragedy convinces me even more about the need to make it easier for responsible people to obtain protective guns.

I am sure the usual epi-thets will be thrown at me by the anti-protection gun control lobby. I am not a member of any gun-related group. I have not sought the endorsement of any gun-related group. I have not obtained funds from any gun-related group. I am in no one’s pocket.

These are personal, heart-felt beliefs developed through years of study and observation of the topic.

To protect our children, many of us vaccinate them, even though there is a small risk to their health by doing so. To ensure our children’s safety even more, we need to protect them with the only tool avail-able to stop a madman: a gun in the hands of a responsible, trained, loving adult. Y


Torah in Motion’s Summer Trips for 2013thIs summer, torah in Motion, the Canadian-based internationally rec-ognized organization known for its innovative and creative programming, has several trips planned that will be of great interest to the Jewish traveler.

From late June and into July, two Torah in Motion trips are scheduled: one to Central Europe, including Prague, Budapest, Bratislava (Pressburg), Eisenstadt, Sopron, and other sites well off the beaten track, and the other to Africa for an exploration of the beauty of nature on a safari.

The trip to Central Europe, from June 27-July 7, will be led by Dr. Marc Shapiro, who holds the Weinberg Chair in Judaic Studies at the University of Scranton. The author of several books, including two that were National Jewish Book Award finalists: “Between the Yeshiva World and Modern Orthodoxy: The Life and Works of Rabbi Jehiel Jacob Weinberg” and “The Limits of Orthodox Theology: Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles Reappraised,” Dr. Shapiro is also the author of “Saul Lieberman and the Orthodox” and “Studies in Maimonides and His Interpreters.”

SafariThe African Safari, which will leave July 21

and return on August 1, will be led by Rabbi Natan Slifkin, also known as the “Zoo Rabbi.”

Known for teachings about the relationship between Judaism and the animal kingdom, Rabbi Slifkin has had a lifelong fascination with wildlife, which has prompted him to keep a wide variety of exotic pets, including iguanas and tarantulas. He has developed the Zoo Torah program which has been successfully operated in almost a dozen major American cities, from New York and Philadelphia to Los Angeles and San Diego.

Torah in Motion’s African Safari will feature a private game preserve, luxury hotels, and gourmet kosher food prepared by a resident chef. The safari will include Victoria Falls and Shabbat in beautiful Cape Town.

ItalyFrom August 4-15, Dr. Shapiro will lead

another Torah in Motion trip, this one to Italy, including Rome, Tuscany, Pitifliano, Florence, Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Ferrara, and Venice. Participants will visit numerous sites of significance in Jewish history, some of them not often part of organized tours, as well as places of general interest.

A central feature of both of Dr. Shapiro’s Torah in Motion tours this summer will be

his expert discussions of the many places to be visited, making the trips nothing less than traveling classrooms. In addition, local guides will join the trips, providing their expertise as well.

Before departure, Dr. Shapiro will send participants an educational packet to be used on the trip.

In addition to the special Torah in Motion educational and spiritual aspects, the trips to Central Europe and then Italy will include luxury hotels in prime locations, strictly kosher food, and expert local tour guides for sites of general interest.

Jewish Medical EthicsAt Torah in Motion, the summer will kick

off with the fifth International Conference on Jewish Medical Ethics, which will take place

from July 4-7 in beautiful Lake Placid, NY..This year’s key presenters will include

Prof Avraham Steinberg, MD, a former medical officer in the Israeli Air Force and the winner of the 1999 Israel Prize for his Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics, who now serves as a pediatric neurologist at Shaare Zedek Medical Center and the director of the Center for Medical Ethics at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem, and Rabbi Steven Weil, chief executive officer of the Orthodox Union.

Topics and other speakers will be announced soon.

For more information, Torah in Motion can be visited online at www.torahinmotion.org, by phone at 866-633-5770, or by email at [email protected]. Y


“Many of our students, if not most, did not have the chance to be nurtured in yeshivos growing up. Single or married, beginner or advanced, all walk through the doors of PTI with the opportunity to acquire valuable skills and dig deeper into the de-tails of the Gemara, with the Rishonim and Acharonim. Whether it’s learning through chavrusos or being guided by one of our top-notch rabbeim who are there each night leading groups at multiple levels, everyone at PTI works on solid, specific goals, and is given the tools to really ac-complish,” says Rabbi Singer, a student of the late Rav Aaron Kotel, zt”l, and the late Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l.

Classes range from various levels of Gemara study, Chumash (Bible), practical halacha (Jewish law), and Hebrew read-ing and language skills. Men can spend an hour a week at PTI or days on end.

Adding WomenA few years ago, Rabbi Singer real-

ized that helping Jewish men grow closer to their roots was not enough.

“He recognized that the nasheem tzidkonios, the holy Jewish women, are the backbone of the Jewish nation and the key to spiritual growth of any com-munity,” says Mrs. Birnbaum.

Rabbi Singer methodically sought out and created a partnership with Rabbi

Dr. Dovid Refson, founder and dean of Neve Yerushalayim, the popular women’s seminary in Israel. With Rabbi Refson’s guidance, PTI developed its women’s branch, Neve PTI, which offers its own solid and sophisticated curriculum.

Its courses include classes on Books of the Bible and other Jewish commentaries, Jewish law, Hebrew reading and language, and programs on taharas hamishpacha, family purity.

Diverse BackgroundsTwo years ago, Neve PTI took as one

of its goals the establishment of a class in Passaic for women who had come to Orthodox Judaism without benefit of a day school background. Extremely suc-cessful in Passaic, Neve PTI brought this same program to Teaneck one year ago.

The goal of the program in Passaic and Teaneck is to enhance Hebrew liter-acy, davening (prayer), and the building of textual skills while deepening hashka-fa, which is the term used to define the personal view of an individual regarding Jewish philosophy, law, and observance.

In Passaic, the classes have attracted some women who actually do have ex-tensive Jewish-education backgrounds as well as those who are novices.

In Teaneck, while there is some di-versity, most of the women do not have yeshiva or Bais Yaakov backgrounds, and it is for them that the program was de-veloped.

Under the direction of Morah Blimie Lampel, Neve PTI-Teaneck will begin its new semester on January 9, and all women able to read simple Hebrew (even if they cannot translate what they are reading) are welcome to join the class.

In Passaic, the program began on January 2, but women are invited to join at any time.

Needing the HebrewMany would not understand why Mrs.

Birnbaum felt the need for this program. She has been fully observant for many years and has attended literally hundreds of shiurim, lectures, and classes.

“I still seek growth in Yiddishkeit,” she explains, “and the ability to write a simple ‘Shabbat Shalom’ in Ivrit [Hebrew] on a greeting card was eluding me. Along the way, I’ve managed to learn enough He-brew to make it through davening, but

I never made the time to learn how to write and read Hebrew script.”

She is convinced she is not alone. “There are many full-blown ba’alei tes-huva—you can’t tell them apart from FFBs—who still recite tefillos [prayers] in English,” she says.

Many ToolsThis should not be a surprise, she

says, considering how much there is to learn in order to transition from a secular to a religious way of life. In this, the new-ly religious have many tools, especially the numerous prayer books and Books of Scripture in Hebrew and English, with commentaries in English.

“We are more focused on the content and less so on the basic skills. Artscroll and NCSY Benchers have been our constant companions,” she says, referring to the series of translations, books, and com-mentaries from an Orthodox perspec-tive that have been published by the Brooklyn-based Mesorah Publications, and the popular book with the Grace-after-Meals as well as other prayers and Sabbath songs (zemiroth) in English and Hebrew, including transliterations, spon-sored by the National Council of Syna-gogue Youth of the Orthodox Union.

Nevertheless, she says, she and other BTs she knows “acknowledge a deep re-gret at not having had a day school or yeshiva education.”

“We know we could go much fur-ther in our learning if we had a greater command of the language. Many women especially long for that year in sem—without the extra 20 pounds of course,” she says.

“Sem” is shorthand for “seminary,” the schools, mostly in Israel, in which young Orthodox women frequently spend the year between high school and college immersed in Jewish learning. The weight gain is most commonly attributed to the availability of ubiquitous kosher food and a diet of pasta-and-cheese prepared in the dormitory kitchen.

Fear of GemaraMrs. Birnbaum learned about PTI

through her husband several years before Neve PTI was opened. Also a BT, Howard Birnbaum attended PTI to learn Gemara.

“As a talented musician, he is distinctly continued on page 50

Adult Ed at PTI continued from page 46


Index of AdvertisersAds with CouponsChopstix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Kol Chaverim Summer Program . . . . 42

Burial ServicesEden Memorial Chapels. . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Gutterman and Musicant/Wien & Wien.. 54

Camps and Summer ProgramsCamp Kaylie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Gan Israel Day Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Kol Chaverim Summer Program . . . . 42Camp Regesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Car ServiceTeaneck Taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Catering Hall/Event PlanningCongr. Shomrei Emunah . . . . . . . . . . . 23

CharitiesDonate Your Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Umbrella Tzedaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

EducationYeshiva Initiatives Education Programs 35OHEL School Competition. . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Entertainment & EventsMy Name is Asher Lev. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311/27: Aliyah Shipping Seminar . . . . . 112/10: SINAI Annual Dinner . . . . . . . . . 282/12: Parna$$ah Networking Event . . 27

Graphic Artists & Editorial ServicesRivkie.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Home Products & ServicesAmerican General Windows. . . . . . . . 51Classic Tile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Door 2 Door Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Shalom Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Kosher GroceriesCake & Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Kosher Restaurant, Take-OutChopstix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Medical ServicesFemale CNA/Home Health Care Aide . 18Frankowitz Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . .8Holy Name Medical Center. . . . . . . . . . .3 OHEL Geriatric Care Management. . 43OBGYN, Dr. Efrat Meier-Ginsberg . . . . . . .51Women’s Personal Training Sessions. . . .45Psychotherapy, Chana Simmonds . . 51

MiscellaneousGlitter Galore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19KosherWoman.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46NARTH/JONAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Jewish Voice Subscription Form . . . . 55

MusiciansJeff Wilks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Photography/VideoMendel Meyers Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Real EstateLivingston, NJ Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Zimuki Property in Jerusalem . . . . . . 15

Travel & VacationsCosta Rica Kosher Adventures. . . . . . 33Elite Dimensions Passover Tours. . . . . .6“Flakey” Jake Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Jewish Heritage Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Hudson Valley Resorts Passover . . . . 20Kosherica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Lasko Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Leisure Time Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Marco Polo Pesach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10MatzaFUN Tours Passover . . . . . . . . . . 17Orlando Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Quality Hotel, Montreal . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Passover Resorts Palm Beach, FL . . . . .5Passover Resorts Valencia, CA . . . . . . 21Pesach Time Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Torah in Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Walking Israel Tour Guide . . . . . . . . . . 16


left-brained, and Gemara had always seemed somewhat dry and scary to him. In fact, he says he was ‘Gemara-phobic.’ Rabbi Singer brought it to life for him through a unique and interactive approach which tapped his creative mind, greatly enhanced his learning, and, Baruch Hashem, set him on a path to loving Gemara,” she says.

Mrs. Birnbaum speaks just as reverentially about her Neve PTI teacher, Mrs. Lampel, who, in addition to her work with PTI, serves as curriculum co-ordinator and teacher-mentor for Jewish studies at the Ye-shiva K’tana of Passaic.

“In addition to her 30-plus years in chinuch [education], Blimie brings us a connection to a rich mesorah [tradition]. For me, this is a bonus since I am always seeking a closer connection to our heritage,” says Mrs. Birnbaum.

Bais Yaakov ConnectionIn fact, Mrs. Lampel was a

student of Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan, who established the Bais Yaakov chinuch system in America and was consid-ered the preeminent student of Sara Schneirer, the founder of the movement in Krakow, Poland, in 1917.

Named for the “house of Jacob,” which is traditionally understood in Judaism to re-fer to the female population

of the Jewish nation, the Bais Yaakov movement was begun by Mrs. Schneirer as way to stem the tide of assimilation among young Jewish women who were attending secular schools. Although it was high-ly controversial at the time, she concluded that the way to combat this phenomenon was by providing young Jew-ish women with a thorough, school-based Jewish educa-tion. For this project, she won the approval of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, better known as the Chofetz Chaim, who issued a ruling that contemporary con-ditions required a departure from the traditional prohibi-tions on teaching women Torah.

After obtaining Rabbi Ka-gan’s approval, the Bais Yaakov movement became nearly uni-versally supported by Orthodox Jewry. Mrs. Schneirer’s origi-nal Bais Yaakov trained young women to become teachers who taught in other Bais Yaa-kov institutions.

Eclectic GroupIn Teaneck, the Neve PTI

class has attracted an eclectic group of women. Most reside in Bergen County, but wom-en have traveled to Teaneck from Monsey, and one woman skyped in by computer from South Carolina.

The class meets on Monday evenings for 90-minute sessions in a private home in Teaneck.

As in Passaic, the class covers four or five subjects, includ-ing Tefilla (prayers); Chumash with Rashi; Psalms; dikduk (He-brew grammar), conversational Hebrew, and Hebrew reading; and holiday laws, history, and customs.

Periods are organized into 10-15-minute segments, each focusing on specific skills, such as conversational Hebrew, gram-mar, Bible, or reading.

Last summer, the women learned Pirkei Avos (The Chap-ters—or Ethics—of the Fathers), the ethical and moral teach-ings and maxims of the rabbis during the early period when the Talmud was being formu-lated, and Tehillim, or Psalms. This past fall, they began the study of Navi, or Prophets.

“The context is deep, and in every subject we tackle, there is an emphasis on the acquisi-tion of basic skills,” says Mrs. Birnbaum.

RashiFor example, Mrs. Lampel

translates the difficult Rashi script into Hebrew, making it a bit easier for the women to understand the commentary of the medieval French Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki.

Although Mrs. Birnbaum readily admits she and her class-mates are not yet ready for Rashi script, there is an elation in the class at being able to ask about “Dibbur Hamaschil,” the lead words or quotes from the Torah, which begin all Rashi comments; or “ma kashe leRashi” (“what is bothering Rashi?”).

“Then we delve into un-derstanding how Rashi uses pshat, the surface or literal meaning of a text, to draw insights. We even learn little tunes to help us remember,” says Mrs. Birnbaum.

Open FormatTerri Woo, a senior direc-

tor for information technology

product development and a recent convert to Judaism, travels to the class in Teaneck from Staten Island. She says she likes the “open format.”

“Each of us can participate at our own level and feel com-fortable. Blimie is a patient, caring teacher who answers all our questions with expla-nations that are clear and easy to understand.”

Rise Cooper admits to having felt intimidated before joining the class because she feared the women might be more advanced than she, but she soon learned that the at-mosphere was very supportive to women at all stages of life, observance, and backgrounds.

“We each have strengths and weaknesses, and we pool our resources to get to the com-mon goal of growing in our Judaism,” she says.

Common GoalAccording to Mrs. Birn-

baum, while each woman comes to the class with her own unique story, “we share the common goal of trying to catch up.”

Dr. Joanna Syzlit of Fair Lawn describes herself as the child of Holocaust survivors who chose to offer her no Jewish educa-tion. Her father was a survivor whose life was saved by the Kindertransport, a rescue mis-sion undertaken nine months before the outbreak of World War II in which 10,000 Jewish children from Germany, Aus-tria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland were taken to Britain. Accord-ing to Dr. Syzlit, his reaction to his childhood experience was to “push away his roots.”

Several years ago, Dr. Syzlit, a physician, and her husband and daughter decided to re-connect to that heritage. The Neve PTI class, she says, gives her “a little window into the




“Honor the Professional According to Your Need”


Letters to the Editor “Thought Is the World of Freedom” (R’ Dov Ber of Mazeritch)Who Does the Cooking?

I was astonished to see the headline of your December 2012 Kol Ami column: “What Should the Bride Know about Cooking?” Perhaps you were inspired by the archives of women’s magazines from half a century ago.

Nowadays, many young men and women work full time, necessitating that household duties are shared. Why is cooking the responsibility of the bride? Is today’s groom helpless in the kitchen? And if so, why?

With a little extra thought, you could have phrased your question to the chefs as “What is the next big thing in kosher cooking that every newlywed couple should know?” Instead, you chose to perpetuate a silly, old-fashioned, sexist stereotype. Even a newspaper “Promoting Classical Judaism” can rethink gender roles in the kitchen.

Hope S. Langer, MDBronx, NY

SLR Responds: You are 100 percent correct. This is even funnier because two of the top staffers at The Jewish Voice (your truly included) live in households in which the husbands do virtually all the cooking. It may not be the case in the majority of the households we reach, but, nevertheless, an increasing number of men take great pride in their culinary skills (if not in shopping or cleaning up). Eternally beautiful gender roles in shul, for sure; in the kitchen, not so much.

InclusionI read your story about youth group leaders receiving training

sessions (“OHEL Training Program for Shabbos Youth Group Leaders Kicks Off at Congregation Beth Abraham,” December, 2012).

Nowhere did I see any mention of Inclusion programs which OHEL should be pushing. Why aren’t group leaders taught how to include special-needs children? There should be room for everyone in Shabbos groups.

Special-needs children and their parents are crying out for programs since they usually do nothing on Shabbos. Friendship Circle encourages the typical teens to be with special needs children. Where is OHEL?

Stanley ScherRiverdale, NY

Derek Saker, spokesman for OHEL responds: For over 40 years, OHEL has been at the forefront of integrating young children and adults challenged by disability into the community. OHEL’s new training program for Shabbos youth leaders at Congregation Beth Abraham is a two-part session and certification which includes a curriculum of sensitivity training to children of varying physical, emotional, and cognitive abilities, and practical steps to effectively encourage and manage integration. Many children of readers of The Jewish Voice and Opinion already attend Camp Kaylie at OHEL—which is OHEL’s latest “integration initiative”—our groundbreaking two-year-old summer camp for kids of all abilities.

Remembering Sen Daniel Inouye (D-HI)As a journalist in Israel for the past 26 years, I have met

hundreds of politicians from around the world who visit Israel and laud the Jewish state with superlatives of support.

There is only one visiting politician whom I ever met who

had tears in his eyes as he discussed his connection to Israel.That was Senator Daniel Inouye, the Democrat from Hawaii

who has just passed away last month.When I first interviewed Inouye in 1987, I held out my right

hand to shake his hand, not realizing that he did have an right arm.Although I felt embarrassed, he went on to reassure me,

with genuine good spirit, that his loss of a right arm in the war against Germany in World War II was nothing like the losses suffered by the Jewish people to the Nazis.

The Senator went on to relate that in the 20 months that he spent in US Army hospitals recovering from the loss of his right arm and other wounds, he learned about the Jewish death camps from a fellow officer in the hospital and that he spent his convalescence reading up on Jewish history, and, when Israel was formed in 1948, he became a registered Israel Bonds salesman—without commission.

I will never forget how, while looking at my kippah, the Senator smiled and told me that he spent a few years considering conversion to Judaism, but that he did not want to make his Methodist mother uncomfortable.

This was a man whose support for Israel and the Jewish people was deep and genuine.

Daniel Inouye will be mourned in Jerusalem.David Bedein

Director, Israel Resource News AgencyJerusalem, Israel

Forcing a Victim to Relive the HorrorIris Almog lost much of her family on October 4, 2003.

They were in a Haifa restaurant, Maxim, owned by a Christian Arab, when the 28-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradat, an educated lawyer, detonated the explosive belt she was wearing. Jaradat murdered 21 Israelis, many of them children, and wounded 51 others.

Five members of Iris’s family were murdered, including her father, a senior navy officer; her mother; her brother; and her two nephews, ages 9 and 11.

These days Iris has been taking courses at the Beit Berl “College,” which is a pseudo-institute of higher learning, run by the Kibbutz Movement in Israel.

Last month, she was attending a course taught there by one Michal Chacham, a radical anti-Israel pseudo-academic who teaches “women’s studies.” Chacham (whose name is more than ironic) is a sponsor of calls for world boycotts against Israel, was a supporter of the traitor/spy Azmi Bishara, and was one of the extremists calling for Israeli soldiers to mutiny and refuse to serve.

She claims Israel is an apartheid regime that carries out ethnic cleansing. She supports the “Palestinian right of return” that would destroy Israel.

She was a supporter of Tali Fahima, the convicted girlfriend-accomplice of a terrorist who helped him plan atrocities.

In Chacham’s course, which turned out to be largely a recital of the Palestinian pseudo-history of the “Nakba,” Chacham screened the slanderous anti-Israel propaganda film “Jenin Jenin,” produced by terrorist Mohammed Bakri. The film portrays Israeli


“Thought Is the World of Freedom” (R’ Dov Ber of Mazeritch)

The Jewish Voice and Opinion welcomes letters, especially if they are typed, double-spaced, and legible. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and style.

Please send all mail to POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631.The phone number is (201) 569-2845. The email address is [email protected]

soldiers as Nazi-like monsters who committed mass massacres in the Battle of Jenin in 2002.

Bakri himself admits his film is a tissue of lies. In street-to-street fighting there, against entrenched terrorists, perhaps 20 Palestinians died and almost as many Israeli troops, thanks to the reluctance of the military to use artillery to dislodge the terrorists.

Bakri was sued for libel by a group of Israeli fighters who took part in the battle, but a leftist court judge (who has been in the news for years because of allegations of corruption) exonerated him.

You can imagine Iris’s reaction when she saw that the course in which she was registered morphed into a celebration of the genocidal terrorists who murdered her own family. She and other students walked out of the classroom in outrage when the “film” was screened.

Iris was subject to abuse by the “college,” forced to relive the murder of her parents and other family members, while her lecturer celebrated the murderers.

Beit Berl campus officials defended this atrocity and the lecturer. The time has come to strip Beit Berl of its accreditation and to shut it down.

If you would like to express your anger about this, write to President of Beit Berl College Dr. Tamar Ariav, Tel: 972-9-747-8701, Fax: 972-9-747-8700, Email: [email protected]

You can also write to The Council for Higher Education in Israel (governmental body that funds and supervises Israeli universities and colleges), Prof. Manuel Trachtenberg, Chairman, Council on Higher Education, Email: [email protected].

Aharon Beit-Halahmi, Planning & Budgeting Committee Chairman, Council for Higher Education, Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Ministry of Education, The Honorable Gideon Sa’ar, Minister of Education, Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Shalomit Amichai, Director General of the Ministry of Education Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Email: [email protected]

Prof Steven PlautUniversity of Haifa

Haifa, Israel

HaKaras HaTovOn November 17, Sgt Ian Doubak, known by the Passaic

community as one of the nicest members of the police force, was jumped by three thugs as he responded to a disagreement at 3am. The sergeant was in plainclothes having come straight to the scene.

He was brutally beaten just outside Zarco Lounge on Main Street in Passaic while interviewing a witness to the disturbance. Police said three men attacked him, knocking him unconscious, leaving him with a broken jaw and nose and a concussion.

He was rushed to St. Joseph’s hospital. His jaw is now wired shut.

Baruch Hashem, prayers are helping the sergeant get better each day, although he has a long way to go. Please keep davening.

Flyers may help the police catch the perpetrators. If you are able to post flyers at stores in Passaic, it would be appreciated. Please ask permission from the managers as some stores will not allow it. To pick up flyers, or to give the police any information you discover, please call Detective Wayne Jennings at 973-365-3932 or 862-245-1961. Remember, it is always better to go in groups than alone.

Catching these thugs would make all our lives safer, but more importantly, Sgt Dubak’s attackers should be brought to justice.

According to PBA president Anthony Weiners, there were numerous people in the area when the attack happened, and we need them to come forward to capture the suspects.

The police are offering a $20,000 reward. This is your chance to be a hero and catch the cowards.

If you can’t think of anything else to do, please send Sgt Doubak a get well card or bring some good old-fashioned Jewish cooking to the police station, They will get it to him.

Dov PerelPassaic, NJ






GUTTERMAN AND MUSICANT JEWISH FUNERAL DIRECTORS

800-522-0588Since Biblical times the value of kavod hameit, “respect for the dead” has been part of Jewish tradition.

WIEN & WIEN, INC. MEMORIAL CHAPELS

800-322-0533402 PARK STREET, HACKENSACK, NJ 07601

ALAN L. MUSICANT, Mgr., N.J. Lic. No. 2890 • MARTIN D. KASDAN, N.J. Lic. No. 4482

IRVING KLEINBERG, N.J. Lic. No. 2517 • RONALD BLOOM, N.J. Lic. No. 4545 (Advance Planning Director)

GuttermanMusicantWien.com

For generations our families have providedJewish Funeral Management to those

we are chosen to serveand have made family, community and tradition

our promise to youALAN L. MUSICANT MARTIN D. KASDAN

world that I was never fortu-nate to experience earlier, and I love every minute.”

“I will never catch up, but I will forever enjoy the experi-ence of trying,” she says.

“Aha” MomentsElissa Sce, who is in phar-

maceutical sales, says she loves the way the class is taught, with subjects divided into 10-15-minute segments.

“The class is fun. We stay on the subject for just the right amount of time and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each segment. There is an ‘aha’ moment, a feel-good moment, several times dur-ing the class,” she says.

Ms. Sce likes the way Mrs. Lampel intersperses the les-sons with “wonderful stories of her personal experiences of faith and connection to G-d.”

“In this way, she makes the class very interesting and

teaches us ways to build our relationship with G-d and en-rich our observance. She is very respectful of each student’s level of learning and obser-vance,” says Ms. Sce.

Open EnrollmentThe class has an open en-

rollment, and new students are always welcome. Those who have difficulty reading and writing Hebrew script are given extra tutoring time at the beginning of class.

Tuition for the class is dependent on the number of women who enroll and the number of classes sched-uled. It usually ranges between $130 and $150 for six or seven 90-minute classes.

This semester, classes in Teaneck will be held on Wednes-days, January 9-30 and Febru-ary 6 and 20 at 7:30pm.

In Passaic, the class is be-ing held in a private home on

Wednesday mornings at 9:30. Taught by Goldie Cohen, it will also run through February 20.

Week’s HighlightMrs. Cohen’s students

speak glowingly of her pro-gram, many confessing that her class is the highlight of their week.

“The amount of growth we have been able to achieve both spiritually and academically in that time has been amazing,” says one of the Passaic women.

They say participants now have an increased ability to help children with homework, as high as fourth and fifth-grade lev-els. As in Teaneck, they point to increased skills in Chumash translation, Hebrew vocabulary, grammar, learning to read Rashi script, and enhanced engage-ment in davening and recita-tion of Tehillim.

Able to Catch UpFor more information on

the Neve PTI programs in Pas-saic and Teaneck, the director, Shuli Mintz, can be reached at 908-278-4059. Her email is [email protected]. Mrs. Birnbaum can be reached at [email protected].

Ms. Sce says the classes should be sought by women who “missed out on a yeshiva education.”

“This is the go-to place to learn in a very orderly and sup-portive way. I tell my friends this is one-of-a-kind class that they will not find anywhere else,” she says.

Mrs. Birnbaum encourag-es women to come to these classes, because with patience, they can “catch up,” she says.

“I like to say it is like a soap opera. It doesn’t matter when you come in. You can learn something no matter when you decide to enroll in the class,” says Mrs. Birnbaum.S.L.R.





“The Jewish Voice and Opinion informs, educates, en-lightens, (occasionally enrages leftists), and boldly speaks truth to power - however unpleasant that truth might be - without hesitation or fear. It is an indispensable source of information for those who want to understand events in Israel, in our area, and across the Jewish world.

Rabbi Steven PruzanskyCongregation Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ

“The Jewish Voice and Opinion contains the most thorough and hard-hitting reporting on Israel and the Jewish world you’ll find anywhere. It brings you news you’ll find nowhere else. It is must reading for those who want to know the behind-the-scenes truth of criti-cal events affecting our people.”

Morton A. Klein, National President

of the Zionist Organization of America

”I find The Jewish Voice and Opinion interesting reading. I read it cover to cover every month.”

Rabbi Ephraim Simon, Friends of Lubavitch of Bergen County,

Teaneck, NJ

“As the first frum Assemblyman in New Jersey, I find that The Jewish Voice and Opinion is a vital source of information about our community.”

Assemblyman and Passaic Councilman Gary Schaer

“Although I don’t always agree with everything in The Jewish Voice and Opinion, I do find it interesting. I es-pecially want to commend editor Susan Rosenbluth for her courage and involvement in the agunoth issue. I am personally aware of several cases which were successfully concluded largely through her and the paper’s efforts.”

Rabbi Menachem GenackRabbinic Administrator, Orthodox Union

“The Jewish Voice and Opinion is great! Its articles have information and insights that help us understand the complex dynamics of American and Israeli politics.”

Ben Chouake, MDPresident NORPAC

The Jewish Voice and Opinion is a valuable source of news for the Jewish Community.

Elie Y. KatzMr. Katz is a member of the Teaneck Town Council.

Jewish Leaders on The Jewish Voice and Opinion

The Jewish Voice and OpinionSubscription Form

Yes, I want to pay for subscription(s) to The Jewish Voice and Opinion. The first one ($25) covers my own, and then I will list any other individuals whom I wish to subscribe. Any additional funds will pay for subscriptions for libraries, Hillel and Chabad Houses on campus, and/or others in need who have requested the publication.___$25 ___$50 ___$75 ___$100 ___$250 ___$500 ___$1000 _________write in amount

Name_________________________________

Address________________________________

City___________________________________

State______ Zip Code__________________

Payment: Visa • Mastercard • AmEx • Check

CC Number_________________________________

Exp. Date_________ 3-digit CCV code_______Attach name and billing address if different from above

Optional SurveyWe welcome your feedback about this magazine. Please rate each item using the following scale:1: Dislike a lot, 2: Dislike, 3: Don’t care, 4: Like 5: Like very much1 2 3 4 5 Kol Ami 1 2 3 4 5 Current Crisis1 2 3 4 5 The Log 1 2 3 4 5 New Classes1 2 3 4 5 Ess Gezint 1 2 3 4 5 Ad Index1 2 3 4 5 Walk to Shul 1 2 3 4 5 Letters to the Editor1 2 3 4 5 Honor the Professional Article Topics1 2 3 4 5 Israeli national politics1 2 3 4 5 American national politics1 2 3 4 5 American regional politics1 2 3 4 5 American regional news1 2 3 4 5 International news (Europe, UN, etc.)1 2 3 4 5 New businesses, restuarants, shuls, etc.1 2 3 4 5 Jewish events, i.e. concerts, trips, fairs, etc.1 2 3 4 5 Lives of interesting Jews1 2 3 4 5 Antisemitism1 2 3 4 5 College campus issues1 2 3 4 5 Book / Play / Movie reviewsHave you patronizied any advertisers in the last year? __Y __N How much time do you spend reading each issue? _________How many people read your copy each month? ___________Please mail this, with any comments, to: The Jewish Voice and Opinion, P.O. Box 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631

As always, each issue of The Jewish Voice and Opinion

is available online at http://JewishVoiceAndOpinion.com

PeriodicalsPOSTAGE PAIDat Englewood, NJ& additional offices

Jewish Voice and OpinionPO Box 8097Englewood, NJ 07631Address Service Requested

jewish voice and opinion january 2013

Documents