june 1, 2012
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The Jewish Star June 1, 2012TRANSCRIPT
By Juda Engelmayer
This Sunday, New York will celebrate 64 years since Israel declared its independence by hosting what has become an institu-tion for 48 years. The largest gathering of Jews outside of Israel to commemorate and celebrate the forming of the Jewish State is the Israel Day Parade which has in the past been arranged by the Israel Tribute Com-mittee with respect and dignity. June 3rd, however, will mark a new era for the parade and for those who support Israel. Not only will school groups, Jewish organizations, temples, synagogues, Zionistic artists and the like be proudly proclaiming their love for Is-rael, but this year’s parade will have the dis-tinction of fi nally becoming a true paragon of diversity, by having people who actively work to undermine Israel march, too.
When I served on the Israel Tribute Com-mittee’s board for several years between 2002 and 2009, my fellow members and I used to argue over themes, color schemes and logo designs. We sometimes fought over whether a band or an act was too parochial, too secu-lar or too awful, but we always agreed that no matter what we chose, it would highlight the very best of Israel and those who wish her well every day and on parade day in par-ticular.
Jews for Jesus wanted to march, and we believed that they probably really do love Is-rael for many of the same symbolic reasons that the mainstream Jewish community did, with some differing ideologies that this ar-ticle will not delve into. Yet, we also believed that we had to decline the request because it may cause the parade to take a tone that none of us felt was what the day called for.
We never once disagreed on the one fact of the parade - that it was a demonstration that would send ripples across the political and even global spectrums by showing the stunning and overwhelming support Ameri-cans had for Israel. The parade would send a message to anyone who doubted America’s resolve in its ally, that Israel had a true friend in the United States, fi lled with hundreds of
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Opinion
Saluting Israel
By Malka Eisenberg
Rabbi Eugene Labovitz passed away on the third of Sivan at the age of 82. One of the original kiruv rabbonim before it was even called kiruv, Rabbi Labovitz was born in Pittsburgh and was sent to Yeshiva Torah Vo-daas in Brooklyn to continue his studies. He attended Brooklyn College and the Mesivta of Torah Vodaas, learning one year in Lake-wood where he met Rav Shlomo Carlebach. He returned to Torah Vodaas to get smicha and became a rav in Houston, Texas in 1953.
He met his wife Annette through a con-gregant in Houston. They married and when a position for a shul in Miami Beach opened in 1958 they moved there. He was the rav of
Ner Tamid from then until 1998 and retired after the population there shifted and moved north. The Labovitz’s moved to Woodmere, to be closer to three of their four children.
Together they opened their home in Miami Beach during those 40 years, host-ing 15 to 20 at Shabbat meals, with songs, stories, and Torah, inviting the unaffi liated to “taste Shabbos.” Rav Shlomo Carlebach would come to their house teaching, singing sometimes till 3 A.M., recalled Dr. Annette Labovitz. Together, Rabbi and Mrs. Labovitz published four books of stories and later a history series, a timeline of Jewish history through stories. Many were brought to Juda-ism through their warmth and teachings.
One of their students, Devora Preiss-
Bloom, wrote: “what a sweet man he wasand how he had a great laugh and alwaysseemed so happy. It is true that he projecteda stately, smiling presence and radiated afullness of joy, intellect and sincere interest.Through both your and R' Eugene's exampleI learned what a Jewish house could be like.Gone was the tight, dark and muted Shabbosof my youth. Instead there fl owered a vibrantyoung couple with four beautiful childrenwho had a higher consciousness and acted ina G-dly way. I will always be grateful to youboth and will always think that Hashem sentme "malachim" to show me the way.”
He is survived by his wife, Dr. AnnetteLabovitz, four children, and grandchildren.
Yehay Zichro Baruch.
Rabbi Eugene Labovitz, alav hashalom
Leket Israel: closing the gap between waste
and wantSee story on page 3
thousands and, even over one million strong some years, of people willing to march up the avenue or cheer on the sidelines, in heat, cold, rain and every other climate.
The parade has since been consumed by a larger organization, one that used to have just a vote or two on the Board, but which now controls the whole agenda. Agenda is the op-erative word here, because there is no other
way to describe it. The Jewish Community Relations Council, funded largely by the UJA-Federation, now controls the parade. The parade is no longer referred to as a Salute to Israel, but it is now the expansive Celebrate Israel Parade, so many more people can now march under this undefi ned moniker.
Now, Jews for Jesus may as well be invited to march – they at least are happy mission-aries who love Israel. Also, the clown of a man, Yisroel Dovid Weiss and his Zion hating lemmings who proudly stand with, hug, kiss and present gifts to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s lunatic president, as he denies the Ho-locaust and declares his intent to kill Jews and demolish Israel.
Weiss loves Israel – the land and biblical symbols that is, but not the modern State or Zionism. So he and his Neturei Karta should be invited this year alongside their radicalized Islamic strange bedfellow broth-ers across from the Plaza Hotel to not mere-ly stand on the sidelines and declare God’s wrath and death to Jews in Israel, but to cel-ebrate the version of Israel they love.
This year, the parade should be open to Hamas and Hezbullah, as they too wish to celebrate the land Israel exists over. They may call it Palestine, and they hate the Jew-ish presence and even the name Israel, but they so love and want to celebrate on all of its land.
Oddly enough, these groups are not yet included. Maybe they were unaware of the open enrollment period that the New Israel Fund, a group that fi nanced the effort to convince the Norwegian government pen-sion fund to divest from Israel, knew about. Meretz USA, which urges a boycott of Israeli products, including Ahava cosmetics, and the group B'tselem, whose chairman publicly calls for "Effective Sanctions" against Israel, were also given marching privileges by UJA this year.
Richard Allen, founder of JCCWatch.org has been promoting the effort to rally at the parade against these groups. He said, “It is not surprising that the UJA-Federation is pushing these bash Israel groups to march in the parade. John Ruskay, UJA’s head, worked one of the fi rst political bash Israel groups called “CONAME” (Committee on New Alter-natives in the Middle East).”
Allen said that he and a committee he helped form to “give the parade back to the people who want to see a thriving Israel” are working hard to get the message out.
"We have an open call for all friends of Is-rael to attend the Israel Day Parade and give out a loud Bronx cheer to New Israel Fund, Meretz USA and B'Tselem as they march by. There should be no room at the Israel Day Parade for those groups that support Boy-cott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Is-rael,” Allen said.
It would be a very different parade if the Neturei Karta and Hamas marched, and even if missionaries did, too. The message, the spirit, and the reason the event begun in 1964 to salute will all be lost. In its own words on its website, the parade states its purpose being to “enable the tri-state com-munity to celebrate in a non-partisan, apoliti-cal show of unity with Israel.” Maybe unity means something else to the UJA, but it is still defi ned as harmony to most.
People should come out in the largest numbers ever this year to both unite against those who would work so hard to see Isra-el fail and to show the Jewish organization that seems to have lost sight of its mission that those who truly love Israel will no lon-ger stand for the dilution of its hopes. Israel and the Israelis who keep it alive should be saluted.
Juda Engelmayer is an executive with the NY PR agency, 5WPR
Continued from page 1
Saluting Israel at the Parade
Inside
The Jewish StarClassified Ads 14From the Heart of Jerusalem 13Hebrew Only Please! 14Kosher Bookworm 5Miriam’s Musings 6On the Calendar 12Parsha 10Politico to Go 4Who’s in the Kitchen 7
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By Steve Orlow and Eli Hertz
Given the extraordinary threat that Israel faces from her neighbors, we were shocked to read in the New York Times this week that one of the candidates for New York’s 6th Congressional District, Council Member Eliz-abeth Crowley, called Israel “a distraction.”
This is a wake-up call to all voters in Queens who value our country's relationship with Is-rael that despite the Iranian nuclear threat, the growing Islamist movement in Egypt, the virtual civil war in Syria and the continuous rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, there are still some seeking federal offi ce who do not take threats to Israel seriously.
This fl ippant attitude towards Israel’s safety and security shows that certain can-didates in Queens are simply not fi t for the responsibilities of national offi ce, and should caution any voter in the 6th CD going to the polls on June 26th. We need someone in Congress who understands the threat faced by Israel and the United States, and who has the record to back it up.
We've endorsed Rory Lancman in his campaign for the 6th District, because he is the only candidate, in our minds, who will be successful in advancing a mutually re-spectful and vibrant U.S.-Israel relationship
as a member of Congress. Rory, without any hesitation, has stood up to members of his own party and members of the media who may not fully comprehend the realities and history of the Arab-Israeli confl ict, and it is this kind of bold voice that is needed at the Federal level. As a former platoon leader in New York's 42nd Infantry Division and a graduate of Columbia Law School, Rory has the background and the expertise needed to lead on issues of national security and pro-tecting Israel.
It's diffi cult for an ordinary member of the State Assembly to have an impact on foreign policy and national security, but Rory has gone out of his way to lead on those issues. He continues to fi ght against the Palestinians' "lawfare" campaign, combat the insidious "boycott, divestment and sanctions" move-ment against Israel, and help pass legislation barring New York State and its municipalities from doing business with Iran's nuclear sector.
Less than two weeks ago, Rory Lancman stood with Eli and members of the Queens Jewish community to commemorate Yom Yerushalayim, and call out the U.S. State De-partment for failing to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, refusing to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusa-lem, refusing to put "Israel" on identifi cation
given to American children born in Jerusalem and trying to interfere with the construction of Jewish population centers on Israeli land.
U.S. interests in the region are tied to Is-rael’s, as the only place of stability in a region roiling with unrest. There is no other coun-try the U.S. can depend on as a base should U.S. interests be threatened in that part of the world. Israel is crucial to the security of our own country.
Come November, there will be a vacuum of strong, pro-Israel leadership in Congress, especially from our area of New York. Central
and Northeastern Queens, areas comprisingthe 6th CD, deserve a knowledgeable, boldleader in Congress who understands the importance of Israel's relationship with theUnited States and has the courage to fi ghtto strengthen that relationship. We sincerelyurge readers to vote for Rory Lancman forCongress in the Democratic Primary on June26th.
Steve Orlow, is a lawyer, former New YorkCity Councilman, and President of One Is-rael Fund. Eli Hertz, is president and authorof Myths and Facts.
By Malka Eisenberg
Just days after the holiday of Shavuot and the reading of Megilat Ruth with its empha-sis on chesed (kindness) and the agricultural mitzvah of leaving peah, leket and shikcha for the needy in the fi elds of Israel, another reality of the agricultural tie of need and charity comes to the Five Towns from Israel this weekend.
Joseph Gitler, Founder and Chairman of Leket Israel, the country’s largest food bank and food rescue network, will be speaking this Shabbat at Beth Sholom and Young Isra-el of Lawrence Cedarhurst to raise awareness and funds for an organization that works to close the gap between waste and want.
“I had a sense of a lot of people knocking on my door asking for tzedaka (charity) and news reports of people in need,” said Gitler, recalling the impetus for the organization in a phone interview from Israel. “And see-ing the other half, so much waste in restau-rants, so much waste and so much poverty. I started calling catering fi rms and asked if they had food that wasn’t being used and if they would be willing to donate if I would be willing to gather it. They said ‘come down!’ That’s the whole story of Leket Israel. If you have a resource that you are not going to uti-lize, let it go to the poor.”
Gitler grew up in Washington Heights. Twenty years ago, his parents moved to Te-aneck. He attended Moriah in Englewood, MTA, and graduated from Yeshiva University in 1996. He studied law in Fordham and af-ter a “brief legal career in New York” made Aliyah with his wife and daughter in 2000. He and his wife currently live in Raanana with their fi ve children.
Leket Israel began with one man’s efforts in 2003 and has grown to a massive organiza-tion with a staff of 90 employees principally in logistics—truck drivers, warehouses, pro-fessional pickers in the fi elds. The strength
of Leket, said Gitler, is its professional, highly motivated staff and its base of 40,000 volun-teers. They own ten refrigerator trucks and rent 10,000 square feet of warehouse space and collect and distribute food from Metul-la to Eilat. Collection ranges from crops in the fi eld, food in restaurants, catering halls, manufacturers, army bases, corporate cafete-rias, synagogues, shopping malls, and hotels.
“There are constantly changing sources,” he said. “A lot of companies learn to do busi-ness better so there is less waste. It’s good on the one hand but diffi cult on the other hand. The organizations we feed are relying on the food we collect.”
Some of the organizations they distribute to include Ezer Mizion, Yad Ezra VShulamit
and Meir Panim. “The primary focus is on smaller organizations that people in the U.S. haven’t heard of but are doing great work. Our food makes a huge difference to them in terms of the budget,” said Gitler. They also distribute to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, meals on wheels, battered women programs, and Holocaust survivors. “It runs the gamut,” he pointed out. “There is a lot of waste and a lot of organizations feeding the poor, primarily collecting funds to purchase food.”
He pointed out that although 10% of their budget is overhead he noted that that is “without taking into account the value of the food. If you add the cash value of the food collected then the overhead is under 1%.”
He compares Leket Israel to City Harvest, emphasizing that it is an umbrella organiza-tion and a food bank. “A typical Tomchei Shabbat would be a client of ours. We serve dozens of Tomchei Shabbat organizations all around Israel.”
Gitler stressed that they do “a lot of work fi nding out about the organizations they dis-tribute to” devoting time and staff to “try-ing to get to know the organizations and get comfortable with them” to know that they are “honest. It’s not a perfect science; we do our best.” He said most of the poverty is in the large urban areas. “We don’t always help every organization but we try.”
Volunteers are one time volunteers, army groups, Birthright, hi tech, family missions, federation missions, and bar and bat mitz-vah trips. Volunteer activities include pick-ing produce from fi elds, collecting food from restaurants and bakeries and other sources, making sandwiches for poor children, and preparing and delivering food packages.
He recounted two food collections that illustrate what Leket Israel does. “Over the summer we had a call from a kibbutz in the south that had over three million potatoes with a peel that didn’t fully develop; it was
not as thick as normal. It meant that therewas no market for the potatoes; no super-market chain would take them. We spent$18,000 and brought up $300,000 wholesaleworth of potatoes; we harvested them andspent donor dollars. Retail these potatoesare worth $1 million. That’s what we tryto accomplish—distribution. Potatoes last along time and every organization wants po-tatoes. It’s not a hard thing to give out. It’swhat we’re about.”
He pointed out another “wonderful op-portunity in the Dead Sea. We enlistedEgged bus drivers to pick up leftovers fromhotels in the Dead Sea area. You can see thehotel employees coming out as the bus goesby. They come with trays of food. We putthem in insulated containers in the luggagepart under the buses.”
“Leket is unquestionably the most effec-tive and comprehensive way to provide foodfor needy Israelis, regardless of their back-ground,” said Rabbi Kenneth Hain, Rav ofCongregation Beth Sholom of Lawrence. “Iam a huge Leket fan. On my last trip to Is-rael, I even harvested beets for Leket.”
Leket Israel has some supporters in theFive Towns area, noted Gitler, specifi callyYILC. His talk this weekend, he said, “is away of introducing us to the communities,for fundraising, developing new contacts andhope for more volunteers when they come toIsrael.”
The goals of the organization are “ulti-mately that Israel’s economy continues togrow and give people better wages and getout of poverty,” he said. But meanwhile,“trying to have an organization for foodcharities, a one-stop shop for food needs.We would love to shut down, but it’s not thatrealistic, unfortunately.”
For more information go to: [email protected] or [email protected]. In the U.S.A. call 201331-0070. In Israel call 09-744-1757.
Leket Israel: closing the gap between waste and want
Photo courtesy of Leket Israel;
Joseph Gitler, Founder and Chairman of Leket Israel to speak at YILC
Courtesy Lancman for Congress
Sixth district Congressional candidate Rory Lancman rallies with Queens Jew-ish leaders. to commemorate Yom Yerushalayim.
OpinionCandidate Crowley calls Israel “a distraction”
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Opinion
W inston Smith, the main character in Orwell’s novel 1984, worked for the Ministry of Truth, an enormous build-
ing made of pristine white concrete which housed over 3000 rooms. On the outside wall are the three slogans of the ruling party: “WAR IS PEACE,” “FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,” “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.”
If Orwell was writing today, he might change his description of that building. He would make it a bit smaller, fi x its address at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and based on the President’s latest campaign attacks, the
slogan down the side of the building would be, FREE ENTERPRISE ISN’T FREE.
President Obama has been relentlessly at-tacking Mitt Romney’s work at Bain Capital.
During the NATO summit in Chicago, Obama made a point of delivering some of his version of Orwell’s NewSpeak.
The President said he understands pri-vate equity’s role of maximizing profi ts is a “healthy part of the free market.” But he said
“that’s not always going to be good for com-munities or businesses or workers,” and he de-fended his campaign’s decision to scrutinize Romney’s Bain record.”(Romney’s) main call-ing card for why he thinks he should be Presi-dent is his business experience,” Obama said.
He went on to say the job of President is “not simply to maximize profi ts” and that he has to take “everybody” into account -- sug-gesting Romney would not do the same.
“And so if your main argument for how to grow the economy is, ‘I knew how to make a lot of money for investors,’ then you’re miss-ing what this job is about,” Obama said.
Let’s put aside for a moment the fact that those on the left and the right have universally panned this tactic. This view of the free enter-prise system that made our country great has been a constant throughout the fi rst three-
and-a-half years of the Obama presidency.Remember his attacks on the greedy insur-
ers and the greedy banks and other greedy corporations? His Bain attacks represent a frightening expansion of that presidential venom and strikes at the very heart of our free enterprise system.
Obama’s reelection campaign ran a com-mercial featuring former employees of a Steel Mill, which was closed by Bain Capital a few years after they purchased the plant (and two years after Romney left the company).
Here’s the part that Obama didn’t mention. Bain didn’t shut down that plant, the consum-ers of its product shut it down. If a steel mill owned by Bain wasn’t making money it means the mill couldn’t compete with more effi cient mills, or ones that produced better product. Another piece of truth is that when it pur-chased the steel mill, Bain extended its life. It was already losing money when Bain made the purchase, but the turn-around attempts were too late.
Make no mistake about it, with his latest attacks, Barack Obama is not simply target-ing Mitt Romney, as much as he is attacking Americans for being too ignorant to make the correct marketplace choices.
Capitalism is the most democratic of eco-nomic systems. We (the consumers) choose with our wallets which brands make it and which ones fail. There is a truism in adver-tising (an industry I’ve worked in for thirty years) that nothing kills a bad product like good advertising. What it means is once ad-vertising gets a consumer to try a product, if it doesn’t work or doesn’t provide the expected value, it will not be purchased again.
The President is correct when he says it’s all about profi t. As my kids might say to him, “Duh!” Of course it’s all about profi t. That’s what keeps the marketplace honest. The mar-ketplace has no prejudice. It does not care if the president of a company is Black, White, Asian, Jewish, Christian or Sikh. It is the fair-est system of all. In capitalism the way to maximize profi ts is to develop the best prod-ucts at the lowest cost, in other words, listen to the consumer.
The money Bain spent on the Steel Mill was moved to another company where it would benefi t the consumers and create more
jobs and, yes, the motivation to Bain is profi t. When the government gets involved “tak-
ing everyone into account” as the President insists, it messes up the system and produces higher prices and/or lousy product (like the exploding Chevy Volts).
In fact the housing/banking crisis was caused by government regulation, forcing banks to make loans to people who couldn’t afford them. Insurance costs grew partially because state governments stifl e competition, and would not allow companies to compete across state lines. Even the high gas prices have more to do with government devaluation of the dollar than supply and demand.
The only job of the government in a capi-talist economy is to play umpire—that is, make sure companies are not lying to, or de-frauding the public, enforcing an even play-ing fi eld and making the marketplace as free as possible. That’s what creates a successful economy with a growing private sector and more jobs.
Many leading Democrats have disagreed with Obama’s attacks on free enterprise. Add-ing their disapproval were Newark’s Mayor Cory Booker (who called the attacks “nau-seating” but had to walk the statement back after he got his hand slapped by the White House), former representative Harold Ford, Obama car czar (and former head of venture capital fi rm Quadrangle) Steven Rattner, Sen-ator Mark Warner, former Pennsylvania gov-ernor (and Obama mouthpiece) Ed Rendell and others.
That is the essential difference between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, between the conservative and progressive approach. Rom-ney believes in the American people’s abil-ity to pick winning products and companies. Obama believes we are too dumb to make that choice and need the government to choose for us. Hence we have the oppressive EPA regula-tions, failed energy companies such as Solyn-dra, Obamacare mandating that you buy in-surance, Dodd/Frank, etc.
In the end, that is what the attacks on Bain Capital are really about: a paternal “nanny state” where government makes your choices for you vs. free enterprise where you are al-lowed to make your own market choices.
THE JEWISH STARIndependent and original reporting from the Orthodox communities of Long Island and New York City
All opinions expressed are solely those of The Jewish Star’s editorial staff or contributing writers
Publisher and Editor Karen C. Green Assistant Editor Malka Eisenberg Account Executive Helene Parsons Contributors Miriam Bradman Abrahams Rabbi Avi Billet Jeff Dunetz Juda Engelmayer Rabbi Binny Freedman Alan Jay Gerber Rabbi Noam Himelstein Judy Joszef Zechariah Mehler Editorial Designers Sean Doyle Alyson Goodman Photo Editor Christina Daly
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POLITICO TO GO
Jeff Dunetz
Barack Obama’s “NewSpeak”Pro-Asaifa, May 25 issue
I fi nd the vitriol directed against the Citifi eld asifa not only to be unfounded but downright offensive. Yes, the inter-net is an inescapable part of our modern world, but to be inattentive to the enor-mous dangers that lurk in this medium is naive and foolhardy. To demand that we supervise our children and ourselves is no less than absolutely necessary, and is the “price” to be paid for our indulgence in this area of society. Call it Torah U’Mada or Torah im Derech Eretz, or what have you, neither the Rambam nor Rav Hirsch, not Rav Soloveitchik believed that our participation in society means embrac-ing ALL aspects of society. What is crude, crass, coarse and demeaning; what is nothing more than the yetzer harah garbed in a screen and keyboard must be recognized for what it is, and studiously avoided! The Rambam in Hilchos Dayos writes of running away from an envi-ronment which is morally bankrupt and perverse,even at the cost of living like a hermit in a cave. We don’t have to go that far because nearly all of the most corrupt elements of popular culture are imported by US into OUR homes via electronics. In his infi nite wisdom, the Ribono Shel Olam gave us the off button on the re-mote.
Rabbi David FriedmanOceanside
Anti-AsaifaI wish to congratulate you on publish-
ing the article by Juda Engelmayer on the fi rst page of your paper. Many publishers would shy away from any disagreement with those ultra-orthodox who are deter-mined to create new biblical command-ments to further impose themselves on our everyday lives. Actually, this propen-sity is itself a violation of a Torah com-mandment. Chapter 4, Verse 2 of D’varim (Deutoronomy) not to add to what the Lord commands, nor subtract therefrom. Yet, some rabbis are determined to add their own interpretations to further im-pose themselves on our daily lives.
Some years ago, a rabbi (I believe from Far Rockaway) determined to expand the concept of kashrut from dietary laws to hair announced that he was able to deter-mine if a wig was kosher and directed all women wearing wigs without his hash-gacha to burn their wigs. It was reported that when somebody with a miniscule of common sense inquired why these wom-en were burning their wigs when there are many women, not of the Jewish faith, being treated for cancer, who had lost their hair and would be happy to have these unwanted wigs, he ruled that they must be burned as they were tref.
Silly interpretations, such as that of the wig rabbinical expert and those who (as Mr. Engelmayer noted) convened in two large sports arenas to discuss the in-ternet, without allowing the presence of any women will ultimately destroy our continued existence.
Saul I. WeinsteinWoodmere
Parade, May 25 issueJeff Dunetz’s opinion piece in which he
states that he is not going to the Israel Day Parade and urges others to do the same, does
nothing more than allow these anti-Israel groups, who we would all like to see the end of, to claim hosts of invisible backers of their venom since based on what he would like to see, no one would be present to protest their presence as they march down the street.
A more productive way of showing solidarity to Is-rael and our vehement nausea and rejection of these groups would be for a large showing upfront at the parade to boo and hiss them as they march down the street and even hold placards against them to em-barrass and humiliate them as much as possible.
Just staying home solves nothing other than to give them the opportunity to push their agendas with no one to dispute its acceptance and more recognition of a positive note because no one would be there to show the world our disgust of their existence.
Anessa Cohen
VOICE YOUR OPINION! e-mail letters to
Letters to the editor
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This past week witnessed two events that brought the Talmud into central focus, one positive, the other negative.
First, we have the positive, which involved the fi rst publication of an English translation and commentary of the fi rst volume of the Talmud in the Land of Israel.
Entitled, “Koren Talmud Bavli:Berachot,” this work encompasses a basic translation of the Talmud text, with an elucidation of the same text. Further, there are sidebar seg-ments that highlight relevant Halacha, brief
biographies of relevant personalities, clarifi ca-tions of Aramaic words derived from Arabic, Greek, Persian and Latin origins, as well as a section dealing with historical background information.
Also featured are portions of the Talmud that were suppressed by non-Jewish au-thorities down through history, most fully restored based upon
careful study of medieval manuscripts.This expansive commentary is based upon
the original historic Hebrew commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael [Steinsaltz] who personally oversaw the translation of this work together with the staff of the Shefa Foundation and the Koren Publishers.
Complementing this work, is the inclusion of an enhanced version of the Vilna Shas,
completely digitally reset with both the Talmud and Rashi commentary vocal-ized and punctuated to help facilitate the proper and effi cient pronuncia-tion and comprehension of the sacred text and commentary.
This work is of great sentimental value to me inasmuch as I studied from this original work in my years at Yeshiva Uni-versity. Also, the current work has as its editor-in-chief, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, the for-mer Executive Vice Presi-dent of the Orthodox Union and a former teacher of mine at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School from where Rabbi Weinreb received his rabbinical ordination.
In his introduction, Rabbi Weinreb states that, “Rabbi Steinsaltz excels in his ability to weave helpful explanations into the text without compromising its integrity. He has also supplemented the translation with infor-mational notes, providing the readers with essential context for a full understanding of the subtleties of each Talmudic passage.”
“In this masterful Hebrew translation, Rabbi Steinsaltz does not merely facilitate the task of the novice Talmud student. Rath-er, he provides the student with the skills to eventually study the text on his or her own, without resorting to the translation.”
The history of English translation began in ear-nest in the 1960s in Eng-land with the publication of the Soncino Talmud. This work was primarily a translation with brief footnotes aimed at fur-ther explaining the core text.
The Artscroll editions two decades later further developed this concept and enhanced the foot-notes into a full supple-mental commentary to the basic elucidated translation that became the hallmark signature of
that work.Today, this American produced work can
be found in just about every Jewish educa-tional institution and synagogue of every denomination and has served as the foun-dational element to popularize the study of Talmud worldwide.
With the publication of the expanded Koren edition in Israel, the translation skills projected in this work gives us a further en-hancement of the quality of the English trans-lation that makes it far more understandable from all previous cognate works. This fact alone gives this new work a dimension that is surely worthy of your consideration and patronage.
Now the negative event of this past week:The Middle East Studies Center, [MESC],
based in Jordan, issued an introduction to a projected Arabic translation of the Talmud.
According to a translation of that intro-duction made available by the Anti-Defa-mation League,[ADL], the MESC stated the following:
“These texts confi rm the racist and hos-tile perception toward non-Jews, especially those who threaten the ‘chosen nation’ andstand in the way of its ambition and hopes.There is no doubt that Israel is the best ex-ample of this racist position, both in the levelof its daily crimes against the Palestiniansand the level of its rejection and contemptfor international resolutions and laws. Forwhat applies to other countries in the worlddoes not apply to contemporary Israel, as it is unique….Jews, according to this racist po-sition [of the Talmud] are permitted to dowhat is not permitted for non-Jews.”
Further on the ADL states that, “Al-Jazeerahas specifi cally promoted this book as a con-tribution to the ‘establishment of Arabic lan-guage Jewish studies’ as well as claiming thatthe translation ‘identifi es the features of theJewish character that blend elements of ra-cial superiority with Mosaic teachings’.”
Not just for the fact that the Israeli pro-duced Koren Talmud Bavli is such a high quality work of Torah scholarship, but, alsogiven the rancid regard by certain bigoted elements in the Moslem world toward our basic holy writ, should we, as proud Jews, consider the patronage of this new work, the fi rst of its kind to be published in Israel, as amark of our fi rm support for the people and the State of Israel.
Alan Jay Gerber
The Kosher Bookworm
Two Takes on Two New Talmud Translations
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By Karen C. Green
On Wednesday, May 23, the Five Towns & Greater South Shore Inaugural Community Event to benefi t the soldiers of the IDF was held at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst. The event paid special trib-ute to local lone soldiers from our commu-nity. Ben Brafman who served as master ceremonies stressed to the packed room of over 500 participants, “There is no Israel if there is no IDF, we have to support the IDF with our hearts and money.”
Following a video highlighting the thirty-eight lone soldiers who come from the greater Five Towns and South Shore, Shaul Mizrachi, a reservist, and now a lawyer, spoke of how FIDF’s Impact Pro-gram had such a profound effect on his life. “Knowing that there are good people far away who care about me as if I were one of their own is incredible.”
FIDF National Director, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon addressed the attendees and spoke about the many programs that the FIDF provides. “The best investment in the future of the State of Israel is the Jewish people,” he said. “The best security is not just tanks, it’s stamina. It’s knowing where we came from.”
Proceeds benefi t well-being and edu-cational programs for Israel’s soldiers.
Sponsors can allocate their gift to Lone Soldiers, the Nachal Haredi Battalion or General Funds for FIDF programs.
In the coming weeks The Jewish Star will be showcasing these lone soldiers.
FIDF Inaugural Dinner Honors Area Lone Soldiers
Knesset Deputy Speaker MK Danny Danon (3rd from right) will, once again, be the special guest speaker at the Carl Freyer Tribute 19th Annual Dr. Man-fred R. Lehmann Memorial Israel Day Concert, this Sunday, June 3, 2012, from 2:30-7:30 PM, at Central Park’s SummerStage (enter at 5th Ave. & 72nd St.), rain or shine, free admission, after the Salute to Israel Parade. Dr. Joseph Frager (left of MK Danon), long-time organizer, and Dr. Paul and Drora Brody (on right of MK Danon), Chairpersons, have announced the concert’s themes: Jerusalem United Forever--Never to be divided again, No further concessions of ANY part of the Land of Israel, and Stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons NOW, before it is too late. Emcee Nachum Segal is pictured 2nd from left. The decorative Concert placard is displayed on the magnifi cent Central Park stage.
Several HAFTR eighth grade students spent much of the year taking part in a unique and incredible program, entitled Names Not Numbers. The program, created by Tova Fish Rosenberg, helps students learn about the Holocaust in a new way. Three students were assigned a survivor. The stu-dents researched the survivor using books, the internet and a trip to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. They composed their own questions for the sur-vivor. The students learned video interview techniques from a professional fi lmmaker,
including practiced use of the hi-tech equip-ment. Using documentary fi lm tools, they conducted actual videotaped interviews with their survivors. They edited their own work with assistance from a professional and com-pleted their own documentary fi lm project. The student project culminated last week in a celebration with a gala movie premiere at HAFTR High School with the community and participants invited. Members of the audi-ence were blown away at the presentation, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Names, Not Numbers: HAFTR students impress audience
Photos by Shane Molanari
Above, Capt. Zadok Durlacher, and Lt. Nimrod Arat. Top right, Lt. Nimrod Arat & Pvt. Fanny Sommer. Bottom right, Master of Ceremonies Benjamin Brafman with FIDF National Director Major General (Retired) Yitzhak “Jerry” Gershon.
19th Annual Dr. Manfred R. Lehmann Memorial Israel Day Concert
Photo courtesy of HAFTR
Left to right: David Rubin, Mikayla Fuchs, Erika Drellich, (Holocaust survivor) and Justin Lish.
Over one hundred thousand people will line the parade route from fi fty –ninth to sev-enty-ninth streets this Sunday as they join the Celebrate Israel parade. Thousands of Israeli fl ags will be waved enthusiastically by young and old alike. Sidewalks will be virtually im-passable, fi lled with baby carriages, dogs of all breeds and proud parents and grandpar-ents waiting to catch a glimpse of their chil-
dren marching by. All will treated to color-ful fl oats, magnifi cent marching bands, danc-ers, celebrities, politi-cians and thousands of yeshiva, day school and congregation chil-dren, in an endless ar-ray of colorful t shirts, along tree lined 5th Av-enue, nestled between the park and the most expensive real estate in America.
Seems like yesterday when I marched with my high school class-mates of Central, Bklyn.
Before we knew it, we were there with our spouses, then our babies, toddlers and teens, always meeting on 72nd and 5th. How nice it was to touch base with friends from long ago. Facebook wasn’t around then so we all had a lot of catching to do.
As the years went by, it got harder to get there on time. No matter how early we
planned to leave, we were always a bit late, not easy with three kids. We then had to deal with traffi c, fi nding a spot and then mak-ing our way to 5th Ave. As the kids started marching with HAFTR, we had to get there punctually in order to see them You know, the kid you just dropped off at school to board the bus to the parade… The kid that barely said goodbye as you dropped him off? Didn’t matter. As we saw the school ban-ner we would move forward toward the front of the crowd, saying “excuse me, my kid is about to march by” We would scream their names and fl ail our arms around ...”there he is, take a picture!” Of course, with-out exception they would usually manage a slight wave, then make believe they didn’t see us till we picked them up at the end of the route. (Then they were only too happy to see us, as they didn’t have to take the bus back home). Was I too enthusiastic? Too loud? Ok, so I probably shouldn’t have ducked under the barricade to get a close up shot, but hey, I was excited. By the time my youngest,started marching, I knew I had to get there on time.
Her main concern, was that I be waiting on 79th when the school turned off 5th Ave, and headed toward the busses. At that point, we were able to retrieve our kids and spare them the bus ride home. As luck would have it Haftr was the fi rst to march . It took forever to get into the city, fi nd parking and navigate my way around the closed streets . My daugh-ter thought I had abandoned her. However, I did manage to snatch her right before she got shoehorned on the bus, but she was not hap-py. I decided I needed a David Weber tuto-rial. David always likes to be early. In fact, he used to get to Disney before Mickey Mouse was even awake. He insisted Aviva be ready to
leave at least three hours before the Israeli Day Parade started. There they were, bright and early; folding chairs arranged front and center. I think they even got to witness sunrise Being early also meant choice of premium parking spots, or parking lots Of course there was the time the el-evator broke in one of those garages and they waited over 3
hours to retrieve their car . Let me apologize now for having a laugh at your expense Da-vid.
Great memories, great times and great friends. These days, we still head to 72th, park side, but now we update each other on graduations, weddings and grandchildren. So much has changed since the old days, but not our love of Israel, or showing support for the State!
In honor of the Israel Parade, here is a
recipe for an old time favorite. Of course it’salways better in Israel, but if you can’t getthere, why not whip one up yourself.
I can still taste the shawarma my daughterwas eating in Tel Aviv, when I visited her dur-ing her year in Bar Ilan.
“No”, I said, “I’ll just have a bite; I don’twant a whole one”. Of course it turned intoone bite for me, one for you, then two for me, one for you, then “Jord, you just might want to order another one......”
CHICKEN SHAWARMA IN A PITA OR LAFFA■ 2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs
cut up into strips■ 1 small onion very fi nely chopped (op-
tional if you do not like onion)■ 1 tsp cumin■ 1/4 tsp turmeric■ 1/4 tsp nutmeg■ 1/2 tsp onion powder■ 1/2 tsp garlic powder■ salt & pepper■ small amount of olive oil■ 6 thick pitas or laffas■ Salad of your choice■ Sliced sour pickles■ Chumus and techina■ Hot sauce, optional Broil the chicken strips till golden brown
and set aside.In a pan sauté onions till soft, then add
chicken and spices and sauté for a minute.Heat the pitas or laffas, slather on the
chumus and techina, add the chicken mix-ture, salad, sour pickles and hot sauce.
If any of you fi nd yourselves on 72th parkside this Sunday, come by and say hi. If youget there before the crack of dawn, say hi tothe Webers.
Judy Joszef can be contacted at Judy.soiree@
gmail.com.
Who’s in the kitchen
Parade Memories & Shawarma
Judy Joszef
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A project of: A special thanks to our sponsors:
Sunday June 3,
11am - 4pm 57th - 74th Streets,
5th Ave, NYCRain or shine.
Don’t miss the 2012 Celebrate Israel Parade, the world’s largest public gathering in celebration of Israel, commemorating the 64th anniversary of the country’s founding, featuring fl oats, bands, marchers, dancers, performers and more.
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CAHAL & HAFTRannounce the opening of a new
Freshman High School Class with opportunities for mainstreaming
for the 2012-13 school year
For 20 years, CAHAL’S highly individualized program has enabled hundreds of children
with learning disabilities to successfully complete the mainstream curriculum.
4 to 1 student to teacher ratio, maximum 12 per class, Certifi ed Special Ed teachers and therapists
We have graduates who have returned to teach in our program, Westinghouse science fi nalists,
high school honor roll students,and hundreds of other success stories.
For information about this new High School class or other CAHAL classes contact
CAHAL540-A Willow Avenue • Cedarhurst, N.Y. 11516
516-295-3666
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Hebrew only please!
ובחג , בחג המצות, אלוקיך במקום אשר יבחר' שלוש פעמים בשנה יראה כל זכורך את פני ה" ).טז, דברים טז". (ריקם' ולא יראה את פני ה, ובחג הסוכות, השבועות
מסוריה , ודה ומהגלילמיה; היו עולים אליו יהודים מכל מקום אפשרי, בזמן שבית המקדש היה קייםקשה לחשוב כיצד . מכפרים קטנים שבהם גרו רק כעשר משפחותו מגיעים הם הילפעמים . ומרומא
לא 1התקשורתכמובן אז ! ושם פגשו עשרות אלפי יהודים, הם הרגישו כאשר הם עלו להר הביתאני בטוח שההתרגשות הייתה ... והם לא יכלו לדעת מה לצפות , כמו שבימינו 2הייתה מפותחת .מיוחדת במינה
ואולי , היה עליו לקנות בהמות לקרבנות, ה הרגל מגיע סמוך לכניסה הדרומית להר הביתכשהיה עוללשם כך היו . שהרי כל יהודי היה צריך להביא את מחצית השקל למקדש; אף להחליף כספים
כמובן .ושם היה עולה הרגל יכול להשיג את כל אשר היה צריך, חנויות סמוכות לכניסה 3ממוקמותולשם כך היו באיזור הכניסה , שהיהודי היה צריך לטבול ולהיטהר לפני שהיה נכנס להר הבית
!הדרומית יותר מחמישים מקוואות
נמנעו , התחיל לתקוע תקיעה ראשונה, שש תקיעות תוקעין ערב שבת, תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל" ):הל, בבלי שבת..." (העומדים בשדה מלעדור ומלחרוש
היה עומד יהודי על הגג בפינה הדרומית מערבית של הר הבית, ניסת השבתסמוך לכ, בכל יום שישילפני 4עד היום בארץ משמיעים סירנהו. כדי להזהיר את העם שהשבת נכנסת, ותוקע בתצוצרה
...כניסת השבת
דורו , וכהן גדול עומד ומשרת. ומקדש הקודש על מכונותיו, כל אלה בהיות ההיכל על יסודותיו", אבל .)יפוריםכמתוך מוסף ליום ה". (הלא למשמע אוזן דאבה נפשנו, אשרי עין ראתה כל אלה .ראו ושמחו
כשיבנה ', ובעזרת ה! יש לנו צבאו, יש לנו מדינה', ברוך ה, אנו רגילים לחשוב שהיום הכל טוב ומצויןעולם . לא נורמלי, אך יש לדעת שאנו חיים בעולם לא טבעי... יהיה עוד יותר טוב , בית המקדש
ולכן , שאין מקדש 5כי כבר נולדנו לתוך מציאות, רק שלנו קשה לחשוב כך! שיש מקדשנורמלי זה .קשה להרגיש את חסרונו
איזור מי שמגיע ל. עוד אפשר לראות היום )הנזכר למעלה( ל"הנמכל התיאור 6אבל מעט מהשרידיםאת מיקום החנויות ליד יכול לראות ממש , ןשעל יד מרכז דוידסו החפירות הדרומיות בהר הבית
ובהם קיר מפריד בין היורדים לטבול לבין , יכול למצוא מקוואות; הפינה הדרום מערבית של הר הביתיכול לראות את האבן שהיה מוצב על גג ; כדי שהטהורים לא יגעו בטמאים הנכנסים, העולים מהמקוה
.ועוד ועוד, "לבית התקיעה להבדיל: "ל האבן כתובוע, ששם היה עומד התוקע ביום שישי, הר הבית
! ולאן צריך לשאוף, לדעת מה היה לנו; אנו צריכים להתחבר לשורשים
"!כימי עולם וכשנים קדמוניות, ושם נעבודך ביראה, יהי רצון שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו
1 communication 2 developed 3 placed 4 siren 5 reality 6 remnants
Rabbi Noam Himelstein studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion and served in the Tanks Corps of the IDF. He has taught in yeshiva high schools, post-high school women’s seminaries, and headed the Torah MiTzion Kollel in Melbourne, Australia. He currently teaches at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusa-lem, and lives with his wife and six children in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion.
By Rabbi Noam Himelstein
Two thousand years ago, Jews would make the trip to Jerusalem three times a year. Today, at the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount, one can see the shops where the pilgrims would exchange money and buy animals for sac-rifi ces; the mikvahs where they would purify themselves be-fore ascending the mount; and a stone inscribed: “To the Place
Of Blowing,” which came from the roof of the mount, where on Fridays a horn would be blown to alert people that Shabbat was imminent. It is diffi cult to feel the lack of the Temple, as we were born into a world without it, and didn`t actually experi-ence the loss; but it is incumbent upon us to realize that until the Temple is rebuilt, we are living in an abnormal reality.
To Touch the Temple
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While Rachel Masters Science...
500 West 185th Street | NY, NY 10033 | 212.960.5277 | www.yu.edu/osf
At YU, we understand the cost of Jewish living and the value of
Jewish life. We’re making Jewish life affordable. Just ask the 78%
of undergraduates who received help with tuition in 2011-2012.
Our exceptional Torah scholarship and academic excellence and our
commitment to affordability deliver remarkable value to students and
parents alike. See for yourself. Call our Office of Student Finance at
212.960.5399 or email [email protected] for a confidential consultation
and start your remarkable journey today.
remarkable journeysnowhere but here
*According to a YU Career Development Center survey with an 80% response rate
of our most recent graduates are
professionally employed, in graduate school
or both.
94%
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By Ally Polansky
For the past several years I have been growing my blonde hair and, like countless others, I made the decision to donate it to a worthy cause. The cause I am speaking of is specifi cally the creation of human hair wigs. These wigs are then distributed to either woman or children who have a particular ailment (disease) called alopecia where you lose all your hair or, as in most cases, people lose hair from chemotherapy treatment used in fi ghting cancer.
For any female of any age the loss of hair can be devastating. In the United States, as well as many other countries, women spend thousands of dollars over their lifetime for the care and beautifi cation of their hair. We put great importance on this particular part of our body. In fact, women have admitted that if they are having a "bad hair day" it ef-fects their mood.
I decided I would cut my hair on Lag-
B'omer, one of the few times between Pesachand Shavuot that one is allowed to cut one’s hair. I did it at Fairy Tales hair salon in Hewlett. A friend of mine, Ashely Kanarek,donated her hair to the beauty company PAN-TENE. I looked it up on line and learned thatthey have an association with the AmericanCancer Society. Both Ashely and I have moth-ers who are, thankfully, cancer survivors. Welearned fi rst hand at a young age the waywomen we love feel when losing their hair.
My last reason for donating my hair is to encourage both mothers and daughters to consider doing the same. For me, it is botha way to honor family and friends who sur-vived cancer, and memorialize others who bravely lost their battle against such a pow-erful and malignant disease. I did it in honorof: my mom, Debbie, and in memory of: my grandpas Jack Kreitman and Al Harris, myfamily friend Jeff Kurtz, Cindy Hirchler andmy great grandma Jean Gross and ShirleyGross and the countless others.
A haircut for a cause
Photo courtesy of Ally Polansky
Ally Polanksy, a seventh grader at HAFTR Middle School, displays her tied andshorn locks to be donated to make wigs for cancer patients.
Photo courtesy of Ally Polansky
Before and after photos of Ally Polansky’s hair, recording her hair donation .
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...We’ll Help You Master the Math on College Expenses.*
Scenarios are based on the comprehensive cost of a YU undergraduate education for the 2011-2012 academic year, include all scholarships awarded, federal and state grants and loans received, and standard room and board. Additional fees are not included. Financial aid awards are based on many factors, are subject to funding availability and may vary significantly. This is not a guarantee of your actual cost to attend YU.
$6,150*A student from Illinois has two siblings in day school. The family has an adjusted gross income of $98,000 a year, and pays $6,150 a year for a YU education. Unlike other private universities, YU’s financial aid calculations consider K-12
tuition for siblings and do not consider the value of a family home and retirement savings.
$17,600*A student from New Jersey has four siblings—one in
college and three in day school. The family has an adjusted gross income of $192,000 a year, and pays $17,600 a year for a
YU education. Unlike other private universities, YU’s financial aid calculations consider K-12 tuition for siblings
and do not consider the value of a family home and retirement savings.
Includesroom and
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June 1 and 2Joseph Gitler (founder of Leket Israel) speaking at Congregation Beth SholomMr. Gitler will be speaking at Congregation Beth Sholom (401 Roslyn Road, Roslyn Heights) on Friday night and Shabbat morning at various minyanim. He will also be giving a talk at Young Israel Lawrence Cedarhurst’s Seudah Shlishit. On the eve of the Celebrate Israel Parade, it is an especially fi tting time for Joseph to educate the community as to the current situation of poverty and hunger in Israel and how Leket Israel is facing this growing crisis every day. Leket Israel works to alleviate the problem of nutritional in-security among the growing numbers of Israel’s poor. Food that would otherwise have gone to waste is redistributed by nearly 300 nonprofi t organizations.
June 3CPR AND AED Certifi cation Course (For Women)This event will teach emergency care to young mothers. A short video clip will be shown and Malky Tropper, a successful EMT, is holding the event. Space is limited, so all interested women must RSVP to [email protected]. The event will take place at 7:30 pm in the Shor Yosuv Din-ing Hall (1 Cedar Lawn Ave., Lawrence) This event costs 25 dollars.
Israel Day Parade in Central ParkThis parade has been an annual event in New York since its fi rst year in 1964. It draws people of all ages from Jewish schools and synagogues,
and a variety of other organizations. The parade is a chance for the New York Jewish community to show their pride and support. It should not be missed! The parade will start at 11 am and go un-til 4 pm. The route of the parade is Fifth Avenue from 57th to 74th streets.
19th Annual free Concert in Central ParkCome outside and enjoy the nice weather! Join us for a fun concert in the heart of NYC! Last year, more than 20,000 people attended this same concert. This event is in honor of the 44th anniversary of the miracle of the Six-Day War and the re-unifi cation of Jerusalem. It will be held on Central Park’s summer stage. (Central Park S & 7th Ave New York, NY 10019)
Summer Scholarship BreakfastProject Extreme is holding a scholarship break-fast, aimed at helping teens at risk. The breakfast will take place at 9:30 am at the home of Michael and Michelle Edery, on 22 Meadow Lane, in Lawrence, New York. Guest speaker will be Rabbi Yaakov Feitman.
June 4Spring LuncheonThis spring luncheon is dedicated to honoring our many supporters of Emunah of America.Amongst those being honored are women from the Five Towns community; Lisa Zaslowsky, her daughter Amanda Miller, Lisa Reich and her
mother, Roaslie Reich. Guest speaker Sandra E. Rapoport will be attending, as well as another special guest from Israel, Noa Attias. The lun-cheon will be at 11:30 am in the Prince George Ballroom on 15 East 27 Street in New York City. For information and reservations, call 212-564-9045 ext 306.
Friendship Circle-Evening of Volunteer Recognition This event is dedicated to honoring our helpful Friendship Circle volunteers. At 7 pm, there will be a salad bar and dairy dessert reception. At 7:30 pm, the awards ceremony will begin, and at 8:30 pm, Dimitriy Salita, an accomplished pro boxer and observant Jew, will speak. The event will take place at the Chabad on 74 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst. The charge for this event is $50.00. Info: Call 516-295-2478* 13 or Email [email protected]
June 5Chai Lifeline 2012 Awards DinnerChai Lifeline is an organization committed to helping children around the globe with life threatening illnesses. Please join us for a very special evening that brings hope and help to Chai Lifeline’s children and families around the world. The reception will take place at 6 pm and the din-ner will be at 7:15 pm. The event will take place at the Marriott Marquis (1535 Broadway, New York)
June 6Young Israel of Hewlett Dessert ReceptionHave you ever wondered where your ances-tors came from? If so, come to this event and eat some yummy dessert while Dr. Ausubel, a physician and author, will be speaking about his 3,000 year journey of tracing his ancestors! The dessert reception is located at the Young Israel of Hewlett. (1 Piermont Avenue, Hewlett) The speaker is from the UJA sponsors.
OngoingCalling all Song Birds THE JCC OF THE GREATER FIVE TOWNS, located at 270 Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst, hosts a choir for seniors every Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. for a joyful hour of singing with choir master Zvi Klein.We sing songs in all languages and we perform for local venues. There is a $5.00 optional con-tribution requested per session. For information please call Sheryl at 516-569-6733 x222.
Movement class for special needsTHE JCC OF THE GREATER FIVE TOWNS of-fers “Movement with Mary Moshos,” a class for children with special needs ages 5 and up, designed to enhance interaction with the environment through work with music, bubbles, and various textures. Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30pm at the JCC, 207 Grove Avenue, Cedarhurst. 12 sessions/$240. Please call Sharona Arbeit at 516-569-6733 x218 for more information.
Recession impact groupJCC OF THE GREATER FIVE TOWNS is sponsoring a support group for those affected by the reces-sion. The group meets on Thursday mornings at 10:15 a.m. at Temple Israel, located at 140 Central Avenue in Lawrence. This group is part of the UJA-Federation’s Connect to Care initiative. For more information call Talia Rapps at 516-569-6733 x213.
Photo by Ira Thomas Creations
Young Israel of Woodmere honorees Yaakov and Tzila Morgenstern, Max and Audrey Wagner, Stephen and Tammy Wagner, Stuart and Terri Wagner with Rabbi HerschelBillet, Rabbi Shalom Axelrod, Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt and Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf at recent dinner held at The Sands of Atlantic Beach.
ON THE
CalendarSubmit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to [email protected].
Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.
THE
JEW
ISH
STAR
June 1, 2012 • 11 SIVA
N 5772
13
Take a drive up the south side of the Go-lan Heights, and you will see one of the most incredible vistas in Israel. As the road winds up the side of the Golan cliffs, the panoramic view deep into Syria is overshadowed by the Russian made Syrian Bunkers that bear silent testimony to the near suicidal challenge that
faced the Israeli troops who made their way up the mountain under murderous fi re in 1967, breaking the strangle-hold Syrian guns held over the Israeli towns and villages below.
Up on top of the Heights, as one drives across the open plains, one notices the occa-sional odd collection of trees that seem to grow in clusters above most of the Syrian po-sitions that controlled the Heights. These trees are no accident; they are part of one of
the most incredible stories in modern Israeli history, and bear witness to the fact that one man, in the right place, at the right time, can make all the difference.
In the early Sixties, after fi fteen years of war and threatened aggression, the young State of Israel was still struggling for its right to exist.
Desperate for information on Syrian troop build-ups, Israel needed intelligence on the military strength and array of forces being moved in to the Golan Heights. So Is-rael trained and dispatched Eli Cohen to be a deep cover spy whose job was to infi ltrate
the Syrian high command and report on the Syrian fortifi cations and troop movements.
Masquerading as a successful business-man, Eli succeeded beyond Israel’s wildest dreams, cultivating the higher-ups in the Syr-ian Defense establishment to the point that he was being touted as the next Syrian Min-ister of Defense.
One fateful night, the Syrians received a com-plaint from one of the foreign embassies in Da-mascus that someone was jamming their radio fre-quency, preventing them from sending cables. It seems Eli Cohen had been using this embassy’s radio frequency at a time early in the morning he thought no one would notice. But an embassy staffer trying to send an urgent cable uncovered the problem just as the Syrians, who had already begun to sus-pect that someone was leaking military secrets, were patrolling his neigh-borhood with a radio de-tection truck.
Zeroing in on the source of the unauthor-ized transmissions, Syrian soldiers burst into his apartment, catching Eli Cohen in the midst of a transmission, with no way or time to hide his equipment or deny the charges.
Tried for treason by a military tribunal in a lightning six-hour military trial with no de-fense counsel (after forty-eight hours of hor-rifi c torture), Cohen was sentenced to death for treason, and, despite pleas for clemency
from all over the world (including the Pope and the Queen of England) was hanged in the main square in Damascus while his wife could do nothing but watch on television less than 300 miles away. His bones, buried with the bones of a dog, still lie in an unmarked grave in the Damascus Jewish cemetery.
The most poignant me-morials to Eli Cohen are the trees planted as a re-sult of what seemed at the time like an innocent sug-gestion.
On one of his many tours of the Syrian front lines, noticing the many Syrian soldiers sweltering under the heat of the sun, he suggested the Syrians plant fast growing trees over all the fortifi ed posi-tions, to both shelter the Syrians from Israeli air-cover, as well as cause the Syrian soldiers to naturally remain at their positions, which became the coolest place to be in the sum-mer…. He then informed the Israelis of this deci-
sion, so that in 1967, Israeli warplanes simply bombed all the tree clusters, taking out most of the Syrian positions on the Heights before a single shot was fi red.
In 1967, many Israelis, viewing the Syr-ian troop buildup (and the diatribe on all the Arab airwaves calling for the destruction of Israel and declaring their intent to push the Jews into the sea) with alarm, were praying for a miracle. And one man, all alone and far from home, gave it to them in the guise of
trees, which today sway silently in the windon the Golan Heights.
This week’s portion, Naso, contains one ofthe most oft-repeated blessings in the entireTorah: the Birchat Kohanim, or priestly bless-ing.
Every Friday night, in hundreds of thou-sands of Jewish homes across the world, just before we recite the Kiddush, families pauseto bless their children with this three thou-sand year old blessing. There is no moment in my week that is more special to me than this one, as the opportunity to bless each ofour children gives me a moment to appreci-ate all that this child is, and all the hopes anddreams for who we hope they will be.
One wonders what this blessing is reallyall about, especially given the context within which this blessing is given in the Torah.
“And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying:Speak to Aaron and his sons saying: So shallyou bless the children of Israel, saying tothem:
May Hashem (G-d) bless you & safeguardyou.
May Hashem illuminate His countenancefor you and be gracious to you.
May Hashem lift His countenance to you& establish peace for you.
And let them place my name upon thechildren of Israel and I shall bless them.”
(Bamidbar 6:22-27)Who is doing the blessing here? It seems
the Kohanim (the priests) are commanded togive this blessing to the Jewish people, andyet at the end of this section (v. 27) it is G-dwho will ultimately bless us, so why do weneed the Kohanim?
Rabbi Yishmael in the Talmud (Hullin
Gratitude and the blessings of the Kohanim
FROM THE HEART OF JERUSALEM
Rabbi Binny Freedman
The Yalkut Shimoni (Naso 6:710) raises an interesting non-halakhic debate between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon as to what was the motivation for becoming a Nazir.
Rabbi Yehuda claims the Chassidim Har-ishonim (the early pious ones) would take upon themselves the vow of Nezirut (abstain-ing from cutting hair, drinking wine, and be-coming tameh to a dead body) in order to
obligate themselves to bring a Sin offering on the completion of the vow.
Rabbi Shimon dis-agrees as he fi nds it unconscionable that people would take a vow of Nezirut for the sole purpose of having to bring a certain sacri-fi ce afterwards. For in-stance, there are many offerings people could commit to bringing without having to go through a process that,
noble and ascetic as it may be, brings about an obligation for a sin offering upon its com-pletion. In fact, claims Rabbi Shimon, they would never commit to be a Nazir because they did not want to have a sin – mild as it may be in the scheme of things – on their record. Regardless of the impetus, bringing a Sin-offering is a sure sign that the one bring-ing it has sinned.
The question of who is right is either a
question for historians to explore or for the philosophers to debate. My gut tells me Rab-bi Shimon is correct. At the same time, I am fascinated by the thought Rabbi Yehuda as-cribes to these early pious ones.
Chapter six describes the personal and spiritual responsibilities and goals of the Na-zir during the Nezirut period, a time in which the Nazir is considered holy, and consecrated to G-d (Bamidbar 6:8). The Children of Israel certainly have a responsibility to achieve that end as much as we can (Vayikra 19:2).
But the method that is utilized by the Na-zir, as it were, is highly criticized. What gives a person the right to withdraw completely from the world? To swear off wine – which is considered one of the sources of true joy (Tehillim 104:15, Kohelet 10:19)? During the minimal one month period of Nezirut, for example, the Nazir will miss four or fi ve op-portunities to perform Kiddush properly on Shabbos!
What gives a person the right to neglect one's grooming, to have the appearance of a mourner?
What gives a person, especially a non-ko-hen, the right to swear off becoming tameh to one's relatives?
To understand the thought process of the Nazir is to understand one who either is try-ing to commit wholly to G-d at a price, or who is looking to get away from the world because that seems the best choice at this time, in a manner that successfully pushes off one's problems for the duration of the Ne-zirut (of course there may be other reasons
driving a person).According to Rabbi Yehuda, the early pi-
ous ones purposely sought this existence not necessarily because they felt being a Nazir was a good thing, but because they wanted to be able to fulfi ll a mitz-vah they could not oth-erwise do without going through the process.
Imagine a person wants to make the Yom Kippur confession and repentance a more meaningful expe-rience. A person might deliberately sin, might deliberately eat forbidden foods or engage in sinful behavior as a one-time shot, knowing full well that a one-time satisfi ed craving will be enough to last a life-time, such that it will never really be a chal-lenge again, in order to be counted as sincerely peni-tent on Yom Kippur, in a manner the person knows can be maintained. A real baal teshuvah!
This method is certainly a lot easier than promising not to return to the sinful ways we nonetheless return to each year. And yet we know it is ludicrous. How does the future penitence justify the current wrong behav-ior? It doesn't!
Being committed to the Torah and its
mitzvot does not mean a person needs to ful-fi ll every one of the mitzvot. It does meanthat one's heart and mind is committed tothe life-system that is ordered by the Torah. Idon't need to kill an Amalekite, I never need
to send away the motherbird, and I don't need tobecome a Nazir.
Any marriage that lastsa lifetime never needs tosee the issuance of a get.Even the prophet Shmuelchastised the people forasking for a King – thereis an element of ideal ina Jewish king, but appar-ently it is not always thebest option for the peopleof Israel.
A committed Jew seeksto perform mitzvot eitherbecause they are simplyavailable without arm-twisting, or because theyenhance a person's life. Butmitzvot that are set-up as afollow up to a less than ide-al circumstance – such as
denying certain pleasures we are encouragedto enjoy – are not meant to be for everybody.
Rabbi Shimon said it best when he said"Chas Veshalom" that a person feel obligatedto take such a route. This is an aberration ofthe Torah's stance on commitment and obli-gation. It is a sign of weakness and false piety– certainly not a sign of strength.
Parshat Naso
Embracing mitzvot properly
Rabbi Avi Billet
It was certainly
important for the
Jewish people,
right at the outset
of their journey as
a nation, to realize
that the only true
source of blessing
in this world is G-d.
Continued on page 15
A committed Jew
seeks to perform
mitzvot either
because they are
simply available
without arm-
twisting, or because
they enhance a
person’s life.
June
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• 11
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When you walk into Ladino, Midtown Manhattan’s new tapas bar, on a Sat-urday night you can’t help but notice
the festive atmosphere. There is live music, a man in the corner hand rolling cigars, and even when the restaurant has just opened af-ter Shabbat, it is fi lled with diners all talking
and laughing in a way that suggests that they are not simply enjoy-ing their meal but they are enjoying their eve-ning. This may seem like a rather marginal distinction but it is one that I have come to rec-ognize as the defi ning factor between a res-taurant that you go to because it’s good and a restaurant that you go to because it’s a good time.
The spirit of Ladino is one that embodies that essence of Tapas,
the food that it serves. Tapas, which origi-nate as a form of Spanish cuisine, are a vari-ety of appetizers or small snacks. These ap-petizers can range from something small and simple and delicious like Aceitunas (marinat-ed olives) to dishes that are bold, complex and rich like Pato Adobado (duck breast with onions and peppers). In Spain, it is common for people to go on Tapas Bar crawls where they have a drink and a meal that moves progressively with each tapas bar they go to. Ladino takes that concept and applies it to their restaurant by offering a wide assort-ment of tapas along with an atmosphere that
personifi es the vivacity of a night out on a tapas crawl.
I began my meal at Ladino by trying their Guacamole and house tortilla chips. Without exaggeration, it was the best guacamole I have ever eaten. It was a simple creamy gua-camole that was perfectly balanced with cit-ric and salt and served beautifully in a stone bowl, but simple or not, it set the tone for the meal. That tone was simple but delicious food, nothing overly complex or confusing, no aioli or foam or other marvels conjured by chefs who consider themselves to be amongst the gastronomic elite. No, Ladino’s Chef and owner Alexandre Petard chooses to use his
formidable cooking skills to provide cuisine that is delectable, immaculately prepared, and has a simple but enchanting quality that is a very rare fi nd in today’s world of celeb-rity cooking.
Over the course of the night, I sampled dozens of different dishes, all of them won-derful. I ran the gamut of Ladino’s different Ceviches, all of them refreshing, bringing out the inherent quality of the fi sh that it con-tained. I had the Remolacha Rostizada, which is roasted baby beets served with red onions and jicama. I don’t normally love beets, but the earthiness of the beet coupled with the sharp onion and sweet jicama made for a
dazzling combination that was perfect for a summer evening. As my meal progressedI tried Taquitos Con Pescado, which is a fi shtaco with cilantro and red onion. They weresuperbly seasoned and I really enjoyed how well the fi sh, onion and cilantro paired withthe citrus dressing and soft taco shell. I alsohad the Barbacoa de Res, the braised shortrib. The short rib has become a staple of ko-sher restaurants and each of them has their own signature preparation. What made La-dino’s short rib unique is that the emphasiswas placed on the meaty fl avor of the rib andso it was not covered in sauce or spice. It was simple, tender, and most of all delicious.
There were a dozen other fantastic offer-ings that I tried at Ladino and a dozen morethat I intend on going back to try and thereinlays the absolute brilliance behind the res-taurant. If you are looking to have a full mealand spend eighty dollars a plate, you can eas-ily do that. If you want to have a drink andspend thirty dollars a person, you can do that as well, and still have a sizeable quality meal. That’s what makes tapas wonderful; it al-lows you to customize your meal and enablesyou to create the experience that you wantaround that customization. Ladino has donea marvelous job of embracing this ideal and,thanks to the animated surroundings, is ableto transcend being a restaurant and becomean evening destination. Ladino is the kind ofplace to go with friends and to enjoy a night with a bottle of wine and plenty of excellent tapas.
Zechariah Mehler is a widely published foodwriter and expert in social marketing. Followhim on Twitter @thekoshercritic
The Kosher Critic
Ladino, midtown Manhattan’s new tapas bar
THE KOSHER CRITIC
Zechariah Mehler
When we got married I moved from Brooklyn to Queens to live close to the hospital where my husband in-
terned. After our fi rst child was born we moved back to Brooklyn to be closer to my family. David didn’t want to, claiming there
weren’t any trees, to which I retorted that there are enough to have a book named for them “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” He relented for shalom bayit and because his commute to Manhattan would be more or less the same. We spent three years there until we moved to the Five Towns, where there are a mil-lion trees.
Of course, there are trees in Brooklyn and we spent free time at Marine Park, Prospect
Park and at the beautiful Botanic Gardens, with photos of our babies under the famed cherry blossoms to prove it. But Brooklyn is most defi nitely urban, with the noises, crowds and no parking of the city.
On the other hand Lawrence and Wood-mere are somewhat suburban. Although we started out in an apartment our fi rst six years here, we were surrounded by trees. We lived in a garden apartment complex with plenti-ful foliage and a playground right across the street by the wonderful Peninsula library. I
pushed the stroller just a few blocks away to back Lawrence and felt as if I was in real sub-urbia. Grant Park and North Woodmere Park offered shade, water, ducks, squirrels, easy parking and plenty of space for the kids to play as freely as I would allow them.
I could never have imagined living in any suburb, neither here nor in New Jersey where my aunt and cousins live. Always a Brooklyn girl, I yearned to lose the bridge-and -tunnel stigma by moving to the city, the real me-tropolis just across the water. I loved working downtown, beginning with my job as a sales and stock girl at “Herb’s,” a small shop in the Village. I became a real adult when I moved on to a post college career at the World Trade Center and later on Lafayette Street. I loved the vibe of downtown’s City Hall neighbor-hood and would walk around during my lunch hours and hang out after work.
Although my husband didn’t care much for Brooklyn, he enjoys the city. His favorite place is Central Park which is fi lled with na-ture (including trees!) rather than roaming the crowded streets, which is my preference. We passed on an opportunity to live in NYU hospital housing near the East River because our family was growing and it was expensive to crowd into even the tiniest apartment. I sometimes still regret that decision since it would have been an amazing experience. In-stead, we rented in two of the boroughs and though the commute was longer, we lived in roomier, cheaper places.
Until recently I still hoped to one day trade our house for a small spot in Manhat-tan, but lately I’m not sure. We’d have to
downsize drastically, miss our friends and have no room for our guests and our stuff. City or suburb, each have ups and downs. Location, space, price, noise level, air qual-ity are factors to weigh. Realtors sell “loca-tion, location, location” but I’ve become too comfortable with the peace and quiet of our neighborhood.
Now and then I need to get my adrenalin and cul-ture fi x by riding the train into another world. I gaze up at the vertical architec-ture, take in a museum ex-hibit or zoom through the crowds. I revel in the di-versity of people and lan-guages and the throbbing pulse of the city. I explore a variety of neighborhoods and eateries and browse bookstores and boutiques. I people watch at the High Line, Madison Park, Union and Washington Squares and the subway. I also guiltily avert my eyes from subway panhandlers and recoil from the wacko who spat at my feet in midtown. I avoid walking under precariously overhang-ing cranes and dodge fast and fearless mes-senger bikers. I’m amused by dog walkers holding a dozen leashes and perplexed by nursery school kids maneuvering traffi c at-tached by rope around their waists to their teacher. I trek all day and into the evening
hours until I’m depleted and head back to the station for the ride home.
Arriving at Woodmere my blood pres-sure drops. I breathe in the cleaner air moredeeply. I smell the ocean three miles awayand my body begins to heal from the hecticday. I walk four blocks to our house on Pine
Street, one of the “treestreets” (my husband gothis wish!). I see verdantlawns and the Woodmeregolf course, an oasis of bird life and greeneryacross Broadway. Sirens, car alarms and honking may disturb the peaceat times, but it’s nothing compared to the ever pres-ent din of the city.
I feel blessed to havethe best of both worlds;experiencing “the city thatnever sleeps” while livingin our “bedroom commu-nity.” My mind craves the stimulation offered acrossthe river, but my body re-quires the nourishmentprovided by a suburbanlifestyle. It’s the contrast
of yin and yang, sweet and savory, mellow and lively that keeps life balanced.
Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban born, Brooklyn bred and lives in Woodmere. Miriamcan be reached at [email protected].
MIRIAM’S MUSINGS
Miriam Bradman Abrahams
City Mouse, Suburb House
I feel blessed to
have the best
of both worlds;
experiencing “the
city that never
sleeps” while living
in our “bedroom
community.”
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49a) suggests that G-d blesses the Priests, who then bless the Jewish people. But if all blessings come from G-d, why are we receiving the blessing by way of the Ko-hanim?
Maybe this blessing is not just about the blessing we receive, but indeed the rela-tionship we have with the concept of Ko-hanim. Perhaps the fact that G-d wants the Kohanim to offer a specifi c blessing (which is really G-d blessing us), is not to portray the fact that the Priests are blessing us, but rather precisely the opposite.
Perhaps the entire point here is for us to realize that the Kohanim are indeed not the source of blessing, but merely tools of G-d, who created and continues to bless all of us, each in our own way, every day.
On one level, given the fact that a peo-ple that had just left behind the caste sys-tem of Egypt, where priests were not just vehicles for blessing, but actually often the repository for the blessings of the gods, it was certainly important for the Jewish peo-ple, right at the outset of their journey as a nation, to realize that the only true source of blessing in this world is G-d.
But of course it goes much deeper than that. How often do we get so caught up in our own pursuit of the things we perceive to be the ‘blessings’ in our lives, that we come to think, even subconsciously some-times, that we are really at least a part of the source of those blessings.
We think that if we are blessed with much wealth, it is because we have earned
it. And if we are blessed with wisdom, we give ourselves credit for having acquired it.
Perhaps the opportunity to refl ect on these blessings is actually the chance to recognize that they are gifts, which repre-sent less what we are given, and more the challenge of being sure we know what to do with them.
And nowhere is this more apparent than in the contemplation of the marvelously wondrous blessing of children. No one can truly imagine that he or she has somehow deserved or earned on his or her own the gift of healthy children. Rather, children carry with them the enormous responsibil-ity of being partners to some greater pur-pose, some majestic plan for making the world a better place. A child, more than anything else in this world, represents raw potential. And our challenge is how we al-low ourselves to be a part of transforming that potential into something that makes a difference in the world.
And of course, this is why we offer this blessing on Friday night, at the beginning of Shabbat, which is a day that is all about ap-preciating who we are and all the things in this world we need not to take for granted. Nearly 50 years ago, one man, representing so many, gave us a gift, and as we recall the miracles of the Six Day War, it behooves us to recall just how blessed we truly are and how many ‘Kohanim’ were vehicles to allow us to live in a time that is so blessed….
Shabbat Shalom, Rav Binny FreedmanRav Binny Freedman is Rosh Yeshivat
Orayta in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Continued from page 13
Kohanim as conduits
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