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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers, Yitzy Halpern

his, perhaps, has been the longest year we’ve ever had. It was so long, that we scarcely remember what happened before quarantine and social distancing became part of our vernacular. Everyone – no matter where they live or how old they are or what they do – has been impacted by this year’s events, some of us in the worst way. And yet, we are all here, hoping and praying for a more uplifting, calming year in 2021. For many, December 31st brings us the opportunity to look back on the past 366 days (yes, it was a leap year!) and see how we’ve changed and improved in certain areas. I would venture to say that we can all pinpoint to many areas in which we progressed and congratulate ourselves on the strides that we’ve made. It’s not easy looking for the positive at a time when we’re mired in an uncomfortable situation. But if you peel back the layers of what 2020 was, I know that there are many areas in which we all became better, stronger people. When speaking with others, I am always struck by how thoughtful people are. And in corona times, you see it even more. You see how people reach out and help in their own way when someone is in need –

whether it’s with their tefillos or a phone call or a text message or a plate of cookies left on a doorstep. As a community, we’ve rallied around each other, being sensitive to others’ conditions and vulnerabilities. Our children have become resilient. They’ve taken to Zoom and drive-by bar mitzvahs. They’ve gotten used to masks and plastic dividers in the classrooms. They’ve understood when yom tov and traditional Chanukah parties and outings had to be enjoyed without their extended family. It’s been hard but we’ve proven to ourselves that staying at home can be fun – and it makes us value our friends and family even more! As we flip the calendar on 2020 and greet the next year, I have many hopes and dreams for the new year. I know you do, too, and I know that it probably includes a lot of parties and events with all your friends and family without hand sanitizer and without masks – and with a lot of references to the craziness that we have all finally put behind us. That day cannot come soon enough! Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

NEWS Global

National

That’s Odd

2020 Year in Review

ISRAEL Israel News

Survival Shot by Rafi Sackville 68

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

Constant Renewal by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parsha Ponderings by Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky

The Balance Between Individuality and Community by Shmuel Reichman

PEOPLE Operation Gunnerside by Avi Heiligman

104

HEALTH & FITNESS Parts of a Relationship, Part II by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

Migraine Foods by Aliza Beer, MS RD CDN

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Deli Roll

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW 70 Parenting Pearls

Dear Editor, We know Yaakov lived until 147 and that he descended to Egypt at 130. The question then becomes why the Torah had to go out of its way in the beginning of this week’s parsha to say that Yaakov “lived in Mitzraim for 17 years,” and furthermore, why not say the language vayeshev or vayagar. The message is powerful and wonderous. Yaakov lived with Yosef for 17 years before he was sold, as we know Yosef was sold at 17 years old. It may be said that these original 17 years “were” Yaakov’s life, his happiness and pride. He then descends into mourning. So, the verse in this week’s parsha is saying “vayechi,” to indicate that not only did Yaakov now enjoy “17” years of existential joy with Yosef, that mimicked the original “17,” but also years of “chiyus,” a spiritual nirvana, because he sees Yosef has withstood exile and didn’t lose his spiritual chiyus. Indeed, two sets of 17 personified all of Yaakov’s joy. Steven Genack Dear Editor, Many people attending outdoor minyanim have been having trouble with their eyeglasses fogging up in the cold, winter air. This happens when the warm water vapor in our breath condenses on the cold surface of our glasses. I have read that WD-40 can limit the buildup of snow on car windows if it is sprayed

on before it snows. If applied to your shoes, it will give them a waterproof barrier. I wondered if WD-40 could keep our breath from condensing on our eyeglasses. To find out, I conducted the following experiment. I sprayed the inside portion of the eyeglass lens with WD-40. After spraying, I let the excess drip off on a paper towel the glasses were resting on. I also wiped the bottom of the frames before I put the eyeglasses on. WD-40 can irritate your eyes and the can warns you to “immediately flush eyes with large amount of water for 15 minutes.” I put my glasses on and positioned my mask so my breath would be funneled onto the inside portion of the lens. I walked outside to see if my hypothesis was correct. With each exhale, the lens fogged up but…with each inhale the fog disappeared. It did not adhere to the lenses of the glasses. WD-40 has no repulsive odor and will easily wash off your glasses and hands with soap and water. It can also make your snow removal easier if you spray it on your shovel or down the chute of your snowblower. Mark Dubin Retired Science Teacher Dear Editor, I read Sara Rayvach’s article about reactive and proactive parentContinued on page 10

JWow! 95

Mind Your Business Your Money

96 110

Why Men Have More Time Than Women by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS 111 HUMOR Centerfold 58 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes An Act of Espionage, Not War by David Ignatius CLASSIFIEDS

98 102 106

Do you plan on getting the vaccine when it becomes available?

YES

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

Continued from page 8

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ing in this week’s paper and really enjoyed it. I always appreciate Sara’s insight and tips. I want to tell your readers about the 80/20 rule when it comes to parenting. In general, in order to have a good relationship with your child, you should 80 percent of the time speak to them in a positive way. The other 20 percent of the time should be giving instructions or corrections or maybe even punishments. It’s not easy doing this. In fact, it’s really, really hard. But the “positive” communication doesn’t always have to be words. It can be facial expressions, a hug or kiss, or even a positive tone. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hold fast to the 80/20 rule. It’s possible, though, that it will help remind you that perhaps you have to interact with your child more. Maybe you’ll see that you haven’t given enough positive reinforcement. Then, you can spend a few minutes with your child tonight complimenting them on their neat handwriting with their homework or their dedication to getting things done. Truthfully, with me, most days, I don’t see that I can uphold the 80/20 rule. After all, my kids are all in school all day, and when they come home at night, it’s all about supper and homework and bedtime. But if I keep this “rule” in mind, then it reminds me to sprinkle in positive reinforcement and compliments, and to give them extra attention when they walk through the door. Wishing everyone much success! S. Hershkowitz

Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home.

Please send all correspondence to: editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

Australian Evacuated from Antarctica

China, Australia, and the U.S. collaborated to evacuate an Australian expeditioner from Antarctica in a complex 5-day operation last week. The patient’s condition was not revealed and it remains unknown why he needed urgent medical assistance. He had been based at Antarc-

tica’s Davis Research Station. The highly complicated operation included diverting the Chinese icebreaker MV Xue Long 2 in order to use its helicopters to transport a team of Australians 25 miles inland. There, they built a landing site in the frigid subzero weather so that a U.S. aircraft could land to collect the expeditioner. The aircraft, which had been equipped with special ski-based landing gear, had flown over 2,000 kilometers from the U.S. McMurdo research station to Australia’s Wilkins Aerodrome to collect a doctor. It then traveled another 1,700 kilometers in order to pick up the patient and transfer him to an Australian Airbus A319 that brought him home. “We’re extraordinarily grateful to the Chinese and U.S. Antarctic programs for the fact that they were able to change their operating models and come to our assistance,” said Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Director Kim Ellis. “The synergy of operating capabilities, incredible expertise and a favorable weather window enabled us to bring the patient back from Antarctica to Australia within a week.”

China World’s Biggest Economy by 2028

A new report predicts that China will supplant the United States as the world’s biggest economy by 2028, significantly earlier than previously thought. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), a London-based research center, had estimated as recently as 2019 that China would become the world’s biggest economy before 2033 at the earliest. But in a new report, the think tank said that Beijing’s rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic along with the economic devastation suffered by the rest of the world are helping China to close the gap with the United States much more quickly than initially thought.

“We now think that the Chinese economy in dollar terms will overtake the U.S. economy in 2028, a full five years earlier than we thought last year,” wrote the Centre in a report released last Saturday. The consultancy added that its analysis found that China recovered from the coronavirus more rapidly than any other country, growing by 2%, while Europe and the U.S. suffer from negative economic growth. Beijing’s economy is now expected to expand by 5.7 percent annually until 2025 and 4.5% from 2026-2030. Meanwhile, the U.S. recovery is predicted to top out at 1.9% between 2022 and 2024, with only 1.6% annual growth from 2024 until 2013. The Centre points to the lackluster U.S. response as the biggest reason it expects China’s economy to rocket past the United States as the world’s main economic engine within the next decade. “For some time, an overarching theme of global economics has been the economic and soft power struggle between the United States and China. The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding economic fallout have certainly tipped this rivalry in China’s favor,” the report says.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

37 Orphans Are Getting Married in Chodesh Teves

! g in th o n e v a h y e th d an Harav Shimon Galai and Harav Naftali Nussbaum, shlitâ€?a:

"Upon witnessing the distress of the orphans and the importance of assisting them, we hereby bless from the depths of our hearts all those who contribute NIS 370 ($115.00) to the fund on behalf of the 37 orphans getting married during the month of Teves, that middah keneged middah, just as they have gladdened the hearts of HaKadosh Baruch Hu's children,

they should merit raising and marrying off all their children amidst serenity, joy and good health."

Maranan Harav Shimon Galai and Harav Naftali Nussbaum, shlit"a,

will pray on behalf of all who contribute NIS 370 ($115.00) to the 37 orphans, and mention each name individually at a special tefillah event

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Daniel Pearl’s Murderers Released

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A Pakistani court has ordered the release of four terrorists imprisoned for murdering Jewish-American journalist Daniel Pearl. The four Pakistani men had abducted and slaughtered Pearl in 2002 because of his Jewish faith. In April, a Karachi court commuted their sentences but they had remained in custody amid international protests. Last Thursday, the Sindh High Court ordered their immediate release, finding that the terrorists “suffered irreparable harm and extreme prejudice” until their sentence was overturned last year and then “almost a further nine months.” The High Court’s decision also sets free Omar Sheikh, a British terrorist who previously admitted to decapitating Pearl and has remained behind bars while the Pearl family appealed last April’s decision. “The detention order is struck down,” said Faisal Siddiqi, a Pakistani lawyer representing the Pearl family. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it was “highly concerned” about the verdict “to release multiple terrorists responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl. We have been assured that the accused have not been released at this time. “We understand that this case is ongoing and will be following closely. We continue to stand with the Pearl family through this extremely difficult process,” continued the statement. “We continue to honor Daniel Pearl’s legacy as a courageous journalist.” The Wall Street Journal’s South Asia bureau chief, Pearl was killed on his way to what he thought was an interview. The group that kidnapped him said he was a spy and demanded that the U.S. free all Pakistani terror detainees. Nine days later, on February 1, 2002, Daniel Pearl was beheaded. His severed head and body – which had been cut into ten pieces – was found in May of that year buried

in a shallow grave. A video of Pearl’s murder shocked the world when it was released on February 21, 2002. The video shows Pearl’s mutilated body and lasts 3 minutes and 36 seconds. In the video, Daniel Pearl states: “My name is Daniel Pearl. I’m a Jewish American from Encino, California, USA. I come from, uh, on my father’s side the family is Zionist. My father’s Jewish, my mother’s Jewish, I’m Jewish….” Following these statements, Pearl’s throat was slitand his head was severed.

Wuhan Infections Were 10X Higher

Although China had reported that 50,000 people had contracted COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, antibody results suggest that that number is much higher. Of the 11 million people living in the city, China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found 4.43% had antibodies for the virus. That percentage amounts to nearly 500,000 people who had contracted the novel virus, but at the time, the city was reporting about 50,000 infections. The CDC study involved a sampling of more than 34,000 people in Wuhan and six nearby provinces. Wuhan is where the coronavirus was first detected nearly a year ago. Outside of Wuhan, the study found the prevalence of antibodies was significantly lower, registering 0.44%. The CDC said that the low rate indicated that Wuhan’s disease control measures “effectively prevented the virus from spreading on a large scale,” according to the South China Morning Post, however, the containment measures and when officials chose to act has since come under intense scrutiny. In late January, the city was locked down and cut off from any outside resources or visitors for nearly 80 days. World leaders have

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

questioned the origins of the disease, and exactly when Wuhan and the rest of China knew about it, especially as leaders stifled media efforts and social media posts regarding the virus, then described as a pneumonia-like respiratory illness, during the intense lockdown. “Exactly how much we have missed we don’t exactly know, but this gives us an idea that we have missed quite a bit,” Ian Mackay, an associated professor at the University of Queensland in Australia, told the South China Morning Post. On Monday, China sentenced a former lawyer who reported on the early stages of the outbreak to four years in prison. Zhang Zhan was accused of spreading false information, giving false interviews to foreign media, disrupting public order, and “maliciously” manipulating the outbreak, according to the Associated Press. The country has faced prior allegations of covering up the true depth of the outbreak in the early stages and potentially enabling the virus to spread throughout the world through delays in information sharing and refusal to allow investigational teams from outside countries.

Main AMIA Suspect Acquitted

Argentinian Jews are outraged after a court acquitted the suspect accused of playing a major role in the 1994 AMIA Jewish Center bombing. The car bomb had killed 85 people and injured more than 300 and has remained an open wound for Latin America’s largest Jewish community. Despite ample evidence connecting Iran to the bloody attack, no one responsible has ever been brought to justice. That was expected to change last Wednesday when an Argentinian federal court was predicted to find Carlos Telleldin guilty of murder. Telleldin stood accused of filling the Renault van used in the bombing with explosives and parking it next to the AMIA

groun

dbrea

Jewish Center minutes before the explosion. Yet the court acquitted Telleldin of all the charges despite ample evidence from prosecutors linking him to the bloody terror attack. The judges refused to detail their reasoning behind the surprising verdict, writing simply that the court had decided “to acquit Carlos Alberto Telleldin for the facts that he was accused.” The acquittal enraged Argentina’s Jewish community, who viewed it as just another example of the miscarriage of justice that enabled the perpetrators of the country’s bloodiest bombing to walk free. Condemning the verdict for “consecrating, in a shameful manner, the path of impunity,” the country’s two Jewish organizations vowed to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. “The evidence collected is more than enough to achieve the degree of certainty and to convict the accused on order of the crime of malicious havoc, in the form of an explosion, followed by deaths, also attributable to malicious intent,” said AMIA and DAIA, Argentina’s two umbrella Jewish groups. They added that they had been “tirelessly pursuing justice for more

than 26 years.” Telleldin had been detained by federal police just a week after the 1994 attack and was sentenced to 10 years behind bars. He was later freed, however, after it was uncovered that a corrupt judge paid him $400,000 to cooperate with the trial. In 2009, AMIA argued before the Supreme Court that the evidence collected in the investigation should still be admissible. The Court agreed, ordering a new trial that ended in Wednesday’s acquittal.

Soviet-British Spy Dies at 98

George Blake, a senior British intelligence officer turned Soviet spy, passed away in Moscow at the age of

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sia as a hero. He would go on to teach courses on Western intelligence services at the KGB academy and was awarded Russia’s highest honor in 2007 by Putin. “Books have been written about him; films have been made. In intelligence, he was highly respected and appreciated,” said Russia’s SVR intelligence service on Sunday. “He himself jokingly said: ‘I am a foreign car that has adapted to Russian roads,’” the statement added. “Now this foreign car has completed its almost century-long run.” Russian president Vladimir Putin eulogized Blake as an “outstanding professional of special courage and life endurance.”

Earthquake in Croatia On Tuesday, a powerful earthquake struck Croatia. At least one person was killed, and a town was left in rumors from the heavy tremors. The magnitude 6.4 quake caused massive damage and destroyed nu-

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98 last week. Blake was one of several senior officers serving in Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency while secretly spying for the Soviet Union, the UK’s mortal enemy at the time. For at least nine years, Blake fed his KGB handlers an enormous amount of classified information that was highly damaging to the West’s effort to stem the spread of Communism. According to his own estimates, Blake unmasked more than 500 agents run by the MI6 and the CIA, leading 42 of them to be executed by Russian intelligence. An investigation of his activities found that the notorious spy enabled Russia to uncover virtually all of Great Britain’s operations in Eastern Europe during the 1950s. Blake’s downfall came after a Polisu defector exposed his identity in 1961. He was sentenced to 42 years behind bars. Blake managed to escape the heavily guarded facility a year later in a daring operation he masterminded with his cellmate and two peace activists. Managing to make his way to Moscow despite a massive manhunt, Blake spent the rest of his life in Rus-

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merous buildings in Petrinja, a town of about 25,000 people southeast of Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. A 12-yearold girl was killed there and at least 20 other people were hospitalized with injuries.

“The center of Petrinja as it used to be no longer exists,” Croatia’s state HRT television noted. The deadly event came a day after a magnitude 5.4 earthquake and several aftershocks hit Petrinja and the surrounding region. Tuesday’s quake was the largest in Croatia in more than a century, when a tremor of similar size was recorded near Zagreb in 1880, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The most recent large earthquake to hit the region was a magnitude 5.6 that injured 10 people in 1990. The latest tremor was felt throughout the country and in neighboring Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia and even in southern Austria. It’s possible that the death toll will climb as rescue crews search through the rubble for survivors.

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in smuggling cocaine from South America to Russia and other European states.” The mission took place over several stages, beginning in May of this year in Saint Petersburg. It concluded with the discovery of a cache in the Moscow region last month. The operation was a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the United States, which share a deep and mutual distrust over a range of issues. The two countries are also struggling to find common ground on the renewal of the New START nuclear arms control treaty which expires in February, 2021. President Vladimir Putin said this month that Russia’s ties with the United States were unlikely to improve under the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

China Faces Rising Obesity Chinese health officials are sounding the alarm as the obesity rate in the world’s most populous country continues to climb. New figures released by China’s National Health Commission found that half of all Chinese adults are overweight. This amounts to 600 million people, or double the total U.S. population. The obesity epidemic isn’t just limited to adults, with the data showing that 10% of children under the age of 6 are overweight along with 20% of kids aged 6 to 17.

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Russia and the United States worked together over the past few months to dismantle an international drug smuggling network. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had carried out a multistage mission with the U.S. Department of Justice that ended with the seizure of 330 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of 1 billion rubles (about $13.6 million). The security agency said in a statement that the joint-U.S. operation had disrupted “a transnational criminal community that specialized

The survey was overseen by China’s National Health Commission and examined 600 Chinese over the past five years in tandem with the country’s Center for Disease Control and the National Cancer Center. “Our country’s residents face a severe problem of overweight and obesity. The overweight and obesity rates among residents in both urban and rural areas and across all age groups are steadily rising,” admitted National Health Commission Director Li Bin.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

The numbers continue the trend of rising obesity in China as increasingly affluent Chinese shift from consuming traditional calorie-light meals to western-style junk food. Millions of Chinese starved to death in the 1950s and â€˜60s. China is today saturated with a host of the worldâ€™s largest fast food chains, including Pizza Hut, KFC, and McDonalds. With less than one in four people exercising each week, the change in eating habits has led Chinaâ€™s adult obesity rate to spiral from 29.1% in 2002 to 50.7% today. The chronic lack of exercise combined with poor eating habits has contributed to a corresponding rise in weight-related diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. â€œThe overweight and obesity rates in China have been climbing fast, with a high prevalence and affecting all groups in the population. This brings enormous challenges,â€? noted Zhao Wenhua, a nutrition expert at Beijingâ€™s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Israel-Iran Tensions

A new round of saber-rattling between Israel and Iran is raising fears that an all-out war between the two enemies is imminent.Â Last week, reports said that an Israeli nuclear-capable submarine had crossed the Suez Canal in broad daylight on its way to the Persian Gulf. Ordering a submarine to openly traverse a sensitive region such as the Suez Canal is highly irregular and is said to be Israelâ€™s way of warning Iran to think twice before initiating hostilities.Â On Saturday, only two days after the aforementioned report, IDF Spokesperson Haggai Zilberstein told Saudi news outlet Aleph that Is-

raeli submarines were tracking Tehranâ€™s activities â€œthroughout the Middle East.â€? Vowing that Israel would not ease up on its relentless campaign against Iranâ€™s bid for regional influence, Zilberstein said that the IDF had carried out over 500 air assaults on Iranian targets in Syria over the last year alone.Â Zilbersteinâ€™s comments came a few hours after IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi explicitly warned Tehran against attacking Israel, saying that the military stood ready to embark on an operation that would devastate the Islamic Republic. While Israel and Iran have battled each other for four decades, Kochaviâ€™s comments were the strongest threats expressed by an Israeli official in recent memory. â€œRecently, we have heard increased threats from Iran against the State of Israel. If Iran and its partners, members of the radical axis [Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Palestinian terror groups], whether in the first circle of states or the second, carry out actions against Israel, they will discover their partnership to be very costly,â€? Kohavi said. â€œThe IDF will forcefully attack anyone who takes part, from near or far, in activities against the State of Israel or Israeli targets,â€? he added. â€œI am saying this plainly and am describing the situation as it is â€” the response and all the plans have been prepared and practiced.â€? Iran responded by accusing Israel of needlessly escalating tensions in an attempt to drag the entire region into war. In an interview with Al Jazeera, an anonymous source described as a senior defense official alleged that Jerusalem seeks to exploit President Donald Trumpâ€™s final days in office to attack Iran and â€œisÂ looking for excuses to drag the region into tension that will create chaos.â€?Â Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, a top naval commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Saturday that Iran stood ready to defend against any â€œIsraeli aggressionâ€? and called the aforementioned submarine â€œan easy target for us.â€? â€œForces, systems and equipment are at the desired level of readiness to defend the water borders, the interests, and security of our country,â€? Tangsiri warned. Meanwhile, a U.S. nuclear submarine traversed the Straits of Hormuz bordering Iran ahead of the one-year anniversary of the assas-

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pears to be the most expensive single residence ever sold in Israel. The sale of the ambassador’s home helps to cement Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018 and to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. By selling the residence, it would make it harder for future presidents to reverse the decision to move the embassy. President-elect Joe Biden has criticized the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem but says he will not reverse it.

Records posted by Israel’s tax authority on Monday show that the sale of the official residence was concluded on July 31, several weeks before the U.S. State Department acknowledged it. They list the sale price as 230,353,536 Israeli shekels – $67,592,000, according to that day’s official exchange rate. On August 31, a month after the sale, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement that “it made sense” to sell the residency and said it expected the sale “to move ahead in the coming months.” In a statement released Tuesday, the State Department said the sale process was “open and transparent and included professional appraisals and advice to maximize value.” “The buyer was selected solely on the basis that they submitted the highest offer,” it added.

Israel Begins Third Lockdown

sination of Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani. The U.S. Navy said in a statement that the decision to order in the USS Georgia, which is equipped with 154 Tomahawk ICBMs, “demonstrates the United States’ commitment to regional partners and maritime security with a full spectrum of capabilities to remain ready to defend against any threat at any time.”

Amb. Home Sold for $67M According to the U.S. State Department, the United States sold its ambassador’s residence in Herzliya in July for $67 million. The State Department confirmed the sale in September, although it refused to identify the buyer or disclose the

sale price of the sprawling beachfront compound. On Tuesday of this week, it said the sale had been “open and transparent.” Globes identified the buyer as the U.S. casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a strong supporter of both President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A representative of Adelson said the billionaire had no comment. At more than $67 million, it ap-

Stores, eateries, and other non-essential businesses shut down at 5 p.m. on Sunday as Israel entered its third lockdown since the worldwide pandemic began. While the shutdown is slated to

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

last until January 10, senior health ministry officials already say that it will likely be extended for well beyond the scheduled two weeks. Restrictions include limiting movement to one kilometer from a person’s home, dropping public transportation to 50% capacity, and banning culture and entertainment events. While restaurants will be allowed to deliver food, in-person and take-away dining is forbidden. The restrictions exempt those leaving their home to receive medical treatment, exercise, or attend a wedding or funeral. First-time violators will be fined NIS 500, or $155. However, schools will remain open in all age groups despite Health Ministry protests. The original plan called for grades 5-10 to study from home via Zoom but was thwarted after the Knesset’s Education Committee torpedoed the regulations on Sunday. Kindergartens, day cares, and preschools will have full day classes after public anger forced the government to retreat from a plan capping them at half a day. The string of concessions infuriated Health Ministry officials, who accused the lawmakers

of caving to “populism” that would only prolong the lockdown. “We are using the word ‘lockdown’ even though this is not a lockdown if people are going to work and people are going to classes, so there isn’t a lockdown. There are restrictions that may and may not be strict enough to significantly lower infections,” said Sharon Alroy-Preis, who heads the Health Ministry’s public health services division. “All the other comments are comments by people who can sit as advisers and say them, but the responsibility, in the end won’t be theirs.” The current lockdown is Israel’s third and comes as daily COVID-19 infections surpassed 3,000 for over a week. While the initial shutdown last March and the second in September succeeded in lowering infection rates, morbidity ballooned as soon as the restrictions were lifted. But with Israel’s vaccination drive in full swing, Health Ministry officials predict that this lockdown will be its last. Over 400,000 Israelis had already been vaccinated as of Monday, the most worldwide, with the country on pace to inoculate 50% of the total population by February.

“Lockdowns save lives. We are in a race between the rising morbidity and the vaccines,” said coronavirus czar Nachman Ash. “The vaccine campaign is going exceptionally well. We have managed to vaccinate nearly 300,000 people, and at the same time, the vaccines are streaming into Israel according to plan and we will receive more during the coming weeks.”

Genesis Prize Awarded to COVID-19 Startups

The 2020 Genesis Prize was awarded to 10 startups whose products were used to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as the “Jewish Nobel,” the Genesis Prize is a $1 million yearly award given to Jewish individuals for their contributions to Jewish values. Past winners include the violinist Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor Michael Douglas. The 2020 prize was awarded by President Reuven Rivlin in a small ceremony last Thursday at his Jerusalem residence. The competition had been funded by 2019 winner Natan Sharansky, who directed his $1 million in prize money to 10 startups that worked to battle the coronavirus. The 10 winners were chosen by a panel that included scientists, Startup Nation Central head Eugene Kandel, and philanthropist Morris Kahn. The winners included Sight Diagnostics, which utilized machine learning algorithms for blood diagnostics, and Pluristem Therapeutics, whose regenerative medicine platform is being used to develop medications to treat COVID-19. Additional recipients were Israel Aerospace Industries, for its software that predicts the spread of the coronavirus, and Sonovia, a Tel Aviv-based start-up whose mask is 90 percent effective against the spread of the pandemic. At the awards ceremony, Rivlin

thanked Sharansky for directing the $1 million he received as the 2019 winner towards cutting-edge technologies that help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. “And thank you to the leadership of the Genesis Prize for your important work, not only to strengthen Jewish pride and unity, but to do so through Tikkun Olam, by bringing together the Jewish People through helping those in need, both in Israel and around the world,” Rivlin added.

Terrorist Arrested in Esther Horgan Attack

The IDF arrested the terrorist responsible for last week’s murder of Esther Horgan, a 52-year-old mother of six. The murderer is from Jenin, a Palestinian city near Horgan’s village of Tal Menashe. He was taken into custody on Thursday along with four others who are suspected of helping him evade the IDF manhunt. During interrogation, the terrorist admitted to killing Horgan by bludgeoning her head with a rock while she was jogging in the Reihan Forest. He reenacted the murder on Saturday before investigators and will face charges imminently. According to reports, the 40-year-old murderer acted alone and hid in the Reihan Forest with a large rock for the first victim to come by. Upon chancing upon Horgan last Sunday evening, he attacked her from behind with a large rock and then hid her body in thornbush. The terrorist is said to have served multiple prison sentences for security offenses in the past and grew up in a well-known family affiliated with the Hamas terror group. On Friday, IDF forces mapped out his house in line with longtime Israeli policy that demolishes the homes of terrorists. Esther Horgan’s husband congratulated security forces for tracking down the person responsible for

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

his wife’s murder. “We, of course, commend [the security forces]; I was sure it was going to happen sooner or later,” Benjamin Horgan said. “They did the job in a terrific way, and we trust the security forces and the courts, and, of course, expect justice to be served to the fullest with the despicable murderer.”

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Israel’s senior vetting panel gave the final approval for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nominee to become the head of the Mossad intelligence agency. The Goldenberg Committee, which is tasked with vetting nominees to senior government positions, said in a statement that it “found no deficiencies” in the appointment. “The panel did not find any problems with ‘Daled’, nor regarding the considerations underlying the decision to appoint him,” it added. The incoming director cannot have his identity published due to security reasons and is known simply as “Daled.” His identity will likely be published imminently after receiving the final go-ahead for the prestigious appointment. Currently the deputy Mossad director, the veteran spymaster has spent more than three decades in the Mossad as a case officer charged with recruiting spies in enemy territory. Prior to that, he spent five years in the IDF’s vaunted Sayeret Matkal special operations unit. Daled was nominated two weeks ago by Netanyahu to replace Yossi Cohen when his tenure ends in June. At the time, Netanyahu described Daled as having a “stellar record and a lot of experience.” Having helmed the Mossad since 2015, Cohen is thought to be one of Netanyahu’s closest advisers and recently traveled with him to a secret meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in the Saudi Arabia city of Neom. Under his leadership, the Mossad brokered peace agree-

According to the 2019 Quality of Life Index released by the Central Bureau of Statistics this week, Kfar Saba, Ramat Gan, and Rehovot have the highest quality of life among large cities in Israel. The Tel Aviv district has the highest quality of life compared to other districts. On the other side of the spectrum, Jerusalem, Bat Yam, and Ashdod were the lowest ranked large cities in terms of quality of life. Large cities were defined as cities with populations of over 100,000 people. In general, across the country, the employment rate dropped to 61.1% in 2019, but work satisfaction grew to 90.5% and satisfaction with wages rose to 62.7%. The rate of injuries in workplace accidents grew to 1,781 per 100,000 workers. The rate of deaths in car accidents rose from 3.5 per 100,000 residents in 2018 to 4.0 in 2019. The rate of serious injuries in car accidents also rose from 24.2 per 100,000 residents to 26.7 in 2019. Meanwhile, the murder rate dropped to 1.3 out of every 100,000 residents in 2019. The life expectancy for women dropped to 84.7 years in 2019, while the life expectancy for men rose to 81 years. Cancer rates dropped among both men and women in 2019, as did the rate of residents who reported smoking. While the rate of residents killed in terrorist attacks did not change, the rate of injuries rose to 2 out of every 100,000 residents in 2019. Alongside the 2019 Quality of Life Index, the CBS also released a number of quality of life measurements from during the coronavirus crisis in 2020. The employment rate dropped by 2.6% to 58.2% from January to Octo-

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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ber 2020. The prolonged unemployment rate in October rose to 26.5% compared to 16.2% in January. The number of deaths in traffic accidents between January to October 2020 did fall slightly compared to the same period in 2019, with 260 deaths reported in 2020 and 285 deaths reported in 2019. On the other hand, 55.1% of Israelis over the age of 19 reported being impacted by violent behavior on roads in the second quarter of 2020, compared to 50.7% in 2019. The percentage of Israelis who reported that their health status was not good or not good at all rose from 23.5% in April to 28.6% in November. The rate of depression among Israelis 21-years-old and older also rose from 16.2% in April to 19% in November. The total death rate in Israel from March to October of this year was 10.7% higher than the rate expected for this year. Almost 21% of the people who died this year died due to the novel coronavirus.

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Charges to be Dropped? The Jerusalem District Court ordered prosecutors to hand over Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s authorization for police investigations into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In Tuesday’s directive, prosecutors need to provide the documentation to Netanyahu’s defense team within seven days.

The court’s ruling applies to Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000 against the prime minister, after lawyers for Netanyahu alleged that permission for the criminal probes — which must be granted by the attorney general — was given retroactively. Netanyahu’s attorneys have argued that if written authorization was not given, all the charges against him must be canceled.

The court rejected the prosecutors’ argument that the authorizations were not related to the investigation. The State Attorney’s Office said that “the authorizations to open an investigation were given at two meetings, one on December 25, 2016, and the other on January 5, 2017.” Netanyahu’s lawyers have also claimed that police investigators operated a wide-ranging probe beyond the scope of their authority. The lawyers argued before the court that investigation materials indicated that the probe into the premier was improperly handled and may have begun before the attorney general gave his authorization. Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 as well as in Case 2000. The former involves suspicions Netanyahu illicitly accepted some $200,000 in gifts such as cigars and champagne from two billionaires, Hollywood-based Israeli movie mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian magnate James Packer. In Case 2000, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to reach a quid pro quo with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes for positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening the rival newspaper Israel Hayom. Mozes was charged with bribery in the case. Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, which involves suspicions that Netanyahu granted regulatory favors benefitting Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Bezeq telecoms, in exchange for positive coverage of the prime minister and his family from the Bezeq-owned Walla news site. Elovitch and his wife, Iris, also face bribery charges in the case. Netanyahu, who is the first Israeli premier to be indicted while in office, denies any wrongdoing and has railed against the courts, prosecution, and media for what he terms a “witch hunt.”

National Vaccinations Israel’s Health Ministry has embarked on an ambitious vaccination plan that would see 150,000 Israelis vaccinated daily. The first stage started on December 20 and focused on people over the age of 60 and medical staff, along

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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with high-ranking army officers and nursing home staff. The next round of vaccines is earmarked for the hundreds of thousands of teaching professionals, a key goal for allowing elementary and high school classes to return to full-time studies.

Dr. Orly Greenfield, who directs the Magen Israel national vaccination program, told Army Radio that “the educational staff is a high priority,” adding that “immediately after the medical teams and people-atrisk, we will vaccinate them.” After the first two phases are completed, the Health Ministry will give the go-ahead to inoculate the rest of the general population on a first-come, first-serve basis. The injections are being administered by private health insurers, who have rented out large areas such as soccer stadiums and conference halls to

serve as mass distribution centers. If successful, the plan would see 25% of Israel’s population vaccinated by the end of January and 50% by February. The initiative was unveiled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who released a video Saturday evening explaining the government’s push to vaccinate as many people as possible. According to Netanyahu, the rapid inoculation drive could potentially allow Israel to become the world’s first country to emerge from the year-long coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 Israelis and devastated its economy. “I want to tell you that the combination of the marvelous vaccine campaign on the one hand, and a short and quick lockdown on the other, is allowing us to get out of the coronavirus [pandemic],” Netanyahu said. “And we’ll likely be the first country to get out of [it], within a few weeks,” he added. “This is the critical stage…because this is the entire at-risk population: All the medical teams, all the people over 60. Within this stratum is 95 percent of the mortality. Once we finish this stage, within 30 days we can get out of the coronavirus

[pandemic], open the economy, and do things that no other state can do,” Netanyahu asserted. As of Monday evening, Israel had vaccinated over 495,000 people – around 1 in 20 people – the second highest number of inoculations worldwide. The vaccination push comes as the country enters its third lockdown that will see wide swaths of the country shut down until mid-January.

No Quarantine Hotel for Returning Israelis

the rest receiving exemptions and being allowed to complete quarantine at home. On Monday, dozens of people quarantined in the Leonardo Hotel in Jerusalem attempted to break out of the facility, clashing at the entrance with security guards, who forced them back inside. At the same time, dozens of Israelis returning to the country from Dubai clashed with officials at Ben Gurion Airport while waiting in line to get an exemption from the hotel quarantine. Following Monday’s incidents, Defense Minister Benny Gantz urged the government to allow Israelis who enter the country to quarantine at home, on condition they undergo a COVID-19 test at the airport.

Will Ron Dermer Join Likud?

On Tuesday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced that returning Israelis will not have to spend two weeks at a quarantine hotel upon their return to the Holy Land. Instead, they will have to take a virus test upon arrival and will be allowed to stay at home and quarantine for 14 days. Their quarantine can be shortened to 10 days if they take another virus test on day number 9. Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch said those currently staying in the quarantine facilities would be allowed to complete their quarantine at home after undergoing another virus test. He added that incoming travelers who refuse to be tested at the airport will continue to be compelled to isolate at the hotels. A ban on all foreign nationals from entering the country will remain in place. Until last week, foreign travelers were allowed entry into Israel to attend Health Ministry-approved lifecycle events for first-degree relatives and for several other reasons. Amid fears of a new, more contagious strain emerging, the coronavirus cabinet last week voted to require a stay in the hotels for 14 days, which could be reduced to 10 days with two negative coronavirus tests. Despite the government order, however, only around a third of Israeli entering the country ended up in the hotels with

Reports say that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressuring Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, to join the Likud slate ahead of the upcoming elections in March. Israel’s envoy to the U.S. since 2013, Dermer’s tenure will end on January 21, the day after Joe Biden is sworn into office. Netanyahu wants Dermer to return to Israel early in order to run for a Knesset seat and has offered him a guaranteed slot on the Likud’s slate. The American-born Dermer has been close to Netanyahu for almost three decades and is viewed as one of the premier’s closest advisors. In 2019, Netanyahu was quoted as putting Dermer and outgoing Mossad chief Yossi Cohen as his potential successors after the long-serving prime minister leaves office. Netanyahu’s offer to Dermer is said to be a result of his desire to recruit new members to the Likud to draw attention away from rival Gideon Sa’ar. A longtime Likud veteran and former Education and Interior Minister, Sa’ar split off from the Likud in December to launch his “New Hope” party whose expressed aim is

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to remove Netanyahu from office. Sa’ar has since been joined by a slew of Likud lawmakers dissatisfied with Netanyahu’s leadership, including now-former Knesset members Sharren Haskel, Michal Shir, and Yifat Shasha-Biton. Last Monday, Sa’ar received his strongest boost as of yet when Ze’ev Elkin, a key Netanyahu associate, announced that he would join the New Hope in a blistering speech he gave attacking Netanyahu. Elkin’s surprise defection lifted the New Hope 21 points in the polls, only 4 behind the Likud and its highest showing so far. As a result, Netanyahu is now looking to install new faces on the Likud’s Knesset slate in order to blunt Sa’ar’s momentum.

Hamas Accuses Israel The IDF is denying accusations by the Hamas terror group that it had bombed a hospital for children with special needs. IDF warplanes and helicopters had pounded targets in the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning in retaliation for a barrage of rockets that

landed on Ashkelon hours earlier. The military said that the air assault targeted a lab used for developing missiles along with other Hamas underground infrastructure.

But in the hours after the raid, Hamas claimed that Israel had destroyed the El Dora Hospital that treats children with special needs. “The occupation missiles hit a children’s hospital and a rehabilitation center for people with special needs,” contended Hamas Spokesperson Hazin Qassem. The IDF rejected the allegations, denying that it had both targeted and hit a hospital and suggesting that the blast may have been a result of an accidental explosion of the terror group’s rocket arsenal that it stored at the site. “Secondary explosions, which

were identified from the strike on the Hamas rocket manufacturing site, are suspected of causing the damage to the nearby hospital,” the military said in a statement. The statement added that Hamas “bears responsibility for what is happening in the Gaza Strip and what results from it, and it will bear the repercussions of the terrorist acts committed against the citizens of Israel.” While Hamas “deliberately places military targets at the heart of densely populated areas,” the IDF “takes all possible precautions to avoid harming civilians and civilian buildings.” Hamas is infamous for situating its military infrastructure near civilian sites such as schools, medical clinics, and civilian homes in order to make it harder for Israel to target its weapons caches. The difficulty in avoiding harm to innocent Gazans forces the IDF to often forgo such operations despite the danger caused to troops as a result.

grassroots support and raised $40 million during his presidential run. However, Yang failed to make inroads among minorities, and he dropped out of the race in February after failing to win a single state. Since then, Yang has been spoken of as a future mayoral candidate and has reportedly been seen with senior New York power brokers. In early December, reports said that Yang had approached New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Al Sharpton to inquire about their backing for his mayoral run. Yang, who was born to Taiwanese parents, would be the second Asian American to run for mayor. Other potential candidates to occupy Gracie Mansion are said to be former de Blasio aide Maya Wiley and Citigroup Vice Chairman Ray McGuire. The first primary for mayor is slated to take place on June 22, 2021.

New Flower Discovered

Andrew Yang for Mayor?

Entrepreneur and failed presidential candidate Andrew Yang filed paperwork to enter the 2021 New York City mayoral race this week. Yang joins a dozen other candidates vying to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio when his term ends next January. Yang’s candidacy has the potential to upend the race, with a poll last week finding him with a 1-point lead over Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. The former entrepreneur enjoys a massive national following as a result of his failed bid for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. With an unorthodox plan to grant Americans a monthly $1,000 in universal basic income, Yang won strong

A new flower has been found in Hawaii. “Only one individual of the new species, named Cyanea heluensis, is currently known from a remote location in West Maui,” Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a December 24 release. “While exploring the steep slopes of Helu above Lahaina, botanist Hank Oppenheimer and colleague Jennifer Higashino found a single large plant in the deep shade of a healthy ohia forest.

The plant is similar to another native plant known as the hāhā “but has unique leaves and gently curved, long, white flowers.” Photos of the flowers were shared on Facebook and show they resemble something akin to a grouping of uncooked French fries. Cyanea heluensis is now added to 250 species being managed by the University of Hawaii’s Plant Extinction Prevention Program, the state

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says. “Since being found, numerous surveys using ropes to access steep cliffs have failed to locate any more individuals, making the conservation of the only known plant critically important,” the state reported. “Before a goat could eat the plant or another catastrophe caused immediate extinction, Hank Oppenheimer applied a special paste ... to produce new growth on the plant. The new growth was successfully transported to Maui’s Olinda Rare Plant Facility, where it is being propagated.” Botanists have also returned to look for “seeds that could be grown offsite.” State officials said they installed “protections” at the site to keep the plant from being destroyed by pests, including invasive rats known for eating “fruits before seeds can be dispersed.” “Dozens of native plants like this one are now only kept alive in nurseries,” state botanist Matthew Keir said in a release. “Just one natural disaster, like a hurricane, hitting a nursery could cause the extinction of many rare plants.” Botanist Steve Perlman of the Plant Extinction Prevention Pro-

gram said the find proves “the age of discovery is not over.”

An Issue of Black and White

A judge has ordered pictures of white jurists lining his courtroom taken down ahead of a hearing for an African-American man. In an opinion released last Monday, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard ruled that trying Terrance Shipp, Jr. in a room lined with pictures of white men could deny him a fair trial. Noting that 45 out of the 47 pictures in his courtroom were of white judges, the Virginia judge decided that displaying the overwhelmingly

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white portraits could be a sign of bias. “While to some, the issue of portraits might be a trivial matter, to those subject to the justice system it is far from the case,” Bernhard wrote. “The Court has considered the question of whether it should permit a jury trial to take place in a courtroom gilded with portraits of jurists, particularly when they are overwhelmingly of white individuals peering down on an African-American defendant whose liberty is the object of adjudication in this cause.” Shipp is slated to appear before a jury on January 4 on a slew of charges, including eluding police and assaulting a police officer. Bryan Kennedy, Shipp’s attorney, had petitioned Bernhard to remove the portraits lining the courtroom wall after noticing that they were largely of white judges. Kennedy contended following the decision that the portrait array was only one example of the wider systemic racial bias in the United States. “Too often, the actors in the system do not look like the people who are swept up into it,” Kennedy said. “This ruling is a start to ensure the optics in our courtrooms are more consistent with justice, but more work is needed to improve the substance as well as the appearance of justice.”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed back at accusations that he willfully deceived the American people regarding the percentages needed to reach herd immunity. In an interview on Sunday with CNN’s “State of the Union,” Fauci denied that he based his findings on herd immunity on recent polling, saying instead that the numbers were consistent with data from 2018’s measles outbreak. “Measles is about 98% effective vaccine; the COVID-19 vaccine is about 94%,” Fauci said. “When you get below 90% of the population vaccinated with measles, you start seeing a breakthrough against the herd immunity, people starting to get

infected, like we saw in upper New York State and in New York City, with the Orthodox Jewish group, when we had the measles outbreak.” “So I made a calculation that COVID-19 is not as nearly as transmissible as measles.” Fauci’s clarification comes after he caused controversy by raising his estimates regarding the percentage of the American population that would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the country reaches herd immunity. The longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases had maintained ever since the initial COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 that between 70 and 75 percent of Americans needed to be immune in order to return to normalcy. But in a recent New York Times profile, Fauci seemingly admitted that he had purposely low-balled the number needed to reach herd immunity. Rather than his longtime figure of 75%, Fauci said instead that 90% of Americans would need to be vaccinated in order for the country to emerge from the pandemic. “When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent,” Fauci told The New York Times. “Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85,” Fauci added. “We really don’t know what the real number is. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But I’m not going to say 90 percent.” Fauci’s remarks outraged Americans throughout the country, who accused him of “moving the goalposts” with sudden changes that would delay the much-longed for return to normal by months. The criticism comes amid rising opposition to Fauci as the person responsible for keeping the United States under draconian restrictions that have devastated the economy and led to 6% unemployment.

Trump is Most Admired Man According to a yearly poll released on Tuesday, President Donald Trump is the most admired man in the United States. In Gallup’s annual tracking, PO-

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TUS garnered 18 percent of the vote. Barack Obama, who had led the poll for the past few years, received 15 percent of people’s admirations.

In the 74 years Gallup has conducted its most admired survey, the U.S. president at the time of the survey has topped the list 60 times. However, Trump finished behind Obama in 2017 and 2018 and shared the top spot with him in 2019. Prior to 2020, Obama had been Gallup’s most admired man in America for 12 years running. It’s possible that Obama wasn’t able to get the top slot because of Joe Biden, who received 13 percent of support from Democrats and six percent overall, coming in third in the poll. Dr. Anthony Fauci came in fourth, and Pope Francis rounded out the top five.

Whereas Democrats were somewhat divided in which man they admired the most, Trump consolidated Republican support to earn the top spot. In all, 48 percent of Republicans chose Trump as their most admired man. Michelle Obama is the most admired woman in America, according to the poll. She nabs the top slot for the third consecutive year. Kamala Harris came in second; Melania Trump came in third.

How Long Does COVID Immunity Last?

A slew of recent studies found that immunity from COVID-19 can last as long as eight months after recovery.

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In one study published by Science Immunology last week, researchers examined 25 people who recovered after testing positive for COVID-19. The scientists paid careful attention to their antibodies, which are proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize diseases and are key to the body’s ability to ward off future illness. The results were encouraging. While blood samples showed that the patients’ antibody levels dropped after three weeks, the cells used by the immune system to produce antibodies continued to rise until hitting their peak on the 240th day. Meanwhile, another study published by the New England Journal of Medicine looked at 12,500 medical workers at the UK’s Oxford University Hospitals in the United Kingdom. Out of the 1,265 people whose blood samples showed that they had already developed antibodies, only two contracted the virus within six months. But out of the 11,364 employees without antibodies, 223 contracted the coronavirus during the following 180 days. An additional study conducted by the National Cancer Institute examined more than 3 million people who underwent antibody tests. While only 0.3% who had antibodies later tested contracted the coronavirus, 3% of those without antibodies later tested positive. The findings from the aforementioned studies suggest that the body remains immune for up to eight months after first successfully fighting COVID-19, significantly higher than previously thought. This bodes well for the ability of the vaccines to end the worldwide pandemic, as the drugs trigger the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to the disease. With reports worldwide speaking of people who had been reinfected after already recovering from COVID-19, scientists had feared that the body’s immunity may be fragile and wane relatively quickly. But according to U.S. National Cancer Institute Director Dr. Ned Sharpless, the aforementioned studies show that such cases remain relatively rare. “Those with antibodies from natural infections are at much lower risk…on the order of the same kind of protection you’d get from an effective vaccine of getting the virus again,” said Sharpless. “It’s very, very rare” to get reinfected.

Nashville Bombing

The FBI is probing whether conspiracies over 5G technology pushed a Tennessee man to detonate his RV in Nashville last week. Anthony Quinn Warner had killed himself and injured three others when he blew up his explosives-packed RV in downtown Nashville last Friday. At least forty buildings suffered considerable damage in the blast. Authorities say that it was “a miracle” that the death toll wasn’t higher. Now, the FBI is looking into whether Warner had been motivated by conspiracies regarding 5G, including allegations that the cutting-edge cellular network is responsible for spreading COVID-19. The car bomb had targeted AT&T’s headquarters, which sustained substantial damage in the explosion. While refusing to comment on the 5G angle, FBI Special Agent Doug Korneski confirmed on Monday that Warner was a known conspiracy theorist regarding “a range of things, including the existence of life in outer space.” Officials remain puzzled as to what motivated the 63-year-old to detonate his RV on a central Nashville street on the morning of December 25. A resident of the suburb of Antioch since 1995, Warner lived alone and worked as an IT worker for a collection of local businesses. He had no previous criminal record and had quit his job a week before the explosion. When a neighbor asked him about his holiday the week before the attack, Warner replied, “Oh, yeah, Nashville and the world is never going to forget me.” The RV arrived in the area shortly after 1 a.m. local time, and the explosion occurred around 6:30 a.m. The vehicle blared a warning to evacuate the area prior to the blast. It also played the song “Downtown.” Four quick-thinking police officers raced to tell residents to evacuate their apartments. Their heroic actions saved lives.

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Law enforcement say that Warner acted alone and are not searching for additional accomplices. “There is no indication presently that anyone else was involved in this crime,” said Nashville Metro Police Chief John Drake. “I’ve said earlier and several times before, Nashville is considered safe. There are no known threats against this city.”

destination. Nepali airline Buddha Air made the blunder recently when it took off from Kathmandu’s airport on December 18. From there, it flew northwest to the country’s second-biggest city of Pokhara, instead of going southeast to the flight’s intended destination, the southern city of Janakpur. The two cities are about 250 miles apart.

Spam Burger

File this under I-can’t-believepeople-are-eating-that. A McDonald’s in China is selling its newest burger of Spam topped with crushed Oreos. The sandwich consists of two slices of Spam (a spiced ham product) topped with mayonnaise and crushed cookies. Some patrons were enthusiastic about the unusual fare. “I thought it was delicious,” said a comment signed Feifei Mao Enthusiast on the Sina Weibo microblog service. “Is that because I love McDonald’s too deeply? Or is something wrong with my taste?” McDonald’s said it planned to sell no more than 400,000 of the “Lunchmeat Burgers.” “When you hate someone but have to invite him to dinner, you can ask him to eat McDonald’s Oreo lunchmeat burger,” a user commented online. But that would be too cruel.

The mix-up came about because of “lapses in communication and failure to follow detailed standard operating procedures (SOP),” according to Astha Basnet. After the 69 passengers realized the snafu, the airplane was given special permission to fly them to the correct destination. There is generally no direct flight between Pokhara and Janakpur. While these kinds of airplane errors do happen, they are fairly rare. In 2019, a British Airways flight from London City Airport that was intended to arrive in Dusseldorf accidentally went to Edinburgh due to an incorrect flight plan being filed. Passengers figured out something was going on when they looked out the window on the tarmac. Sounds like a typical story for 2020.

The D’Cruz family just cruised into the record books. The family of 12 earned an accolade from the Guinness World Record with their combined ages, which added up to more than 1,042 years. On December 15, 2020, the combined ages of the 12 living siblings was

right now,” Ginsburg added. Some residents visiting the park for a morning stroll caught wind of the monolith when they smelled its heavy gingerbread scent wafting through the outdoor air. “I think I smelled it before I saw it,” resident Ananda Sharma said. “It made me smile. I wonder who did it, and when they put it there.” The sweet structure appears to have been constructed in much the same way that gingerbread houses are, with icing used as an adhesive between panels of gingerbread, albeit on a much larger scale than is typical. It was supported by plywood and dotted with colored gumdrops. It’s monolith time. Last month, a metal monolith appeared in a remote area of Utah before disappearing a week later. Other monoliths have sprung up in various locations around the globe. With monoliths like these, 2020 is turning out to be lots of fun.

The Dining Car

Gingerbread Monolith

Age is More Than a Number

We Have Not Reached Our Destination Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts. We are in for a really long – I mean, really wrong – ride. Passengers on their way to Janakpur, Nepal, were surprised when their plane took them to the other side of the country instead of to the intended

a whopping 1,042 years and 315 days. The youngest in the family is 75; the oldest is 97. Genia Carter is the youngest in the family, but she said even her oldest siblings still are in good health. “It doesn’t seem real. I always think of Guinness records as the tallest or shortest person or something like that. It was a surprise they even count this,” Carter said. “But it’s exciting. I’m grateful to have all these siblings still alive.” Carter and her siblings grew up in Pakistan. Their oldest brother was the first to move to Canada, where he worked to raise money to bring the rest of the family to the country. One sibling now lives in California; another lives in Switzerland. The rest still are in Canada. “I can’t remember any of us ever having a fight where we would not speak to each other. We’re all very close. We would do anything for each other,” she said. In fact, the siblings have a video call every day at 11 a.m. so they can catch up with each other. With more than 1,000 years between them all, there’s a lot of catching up to do.

On December 25, residents of San Francisco were delighted when they found a monolith, measuring almost 7 feet tall, in Corona Heights Park. The giant structure was made out of gingerbread. “Wow. Even makes a Jewish parks director smile,” San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg quipped. “Looks like a great spot to get baked... we will leave it up until the cookie crumbles.” “We all deserve a little bit of magic

Missing the restaurant experience? Doug and Kim White of Illinois have been pining for the good, ol’ days when dining in a restaurant was a great way to spend time together. “You can get the take-out. It puts it in a little box, and you bring it home, you’re eating out of the box. Where’s the spirit in that?” Kim said. And so, they decided to take matters into their own hands. With a lot ingenuity, Doug and Kim created a little restaurant for themselves – at the back of their transit van. “We went, bought this little table at Menards and put some folding chairs and carpet in there,” Kim said. Since then, they’ve been visiting their favorite area restaurants and having plated food delivered to the back door of the van. “Eating out for us is that little teeny tiny bit of normalcy,” Kim said. And we all need a little normal now and then.

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Community JCCRP Digital Food Pantry – Volunteer Today!

he JCCRP’s food pantry has joined the exclusive group of food pantries that have changed their system to completely digital. The new digital system that focuses on client choice and dignity is generously supported by the UJA Federation on NY and Met Council. The groundbreaking Digital Food Choice Pantry distributes uncooked meals to those who need food using a point system based on family size. Shopping is done on a computer or smartphone from the comfort of one’s home. Each item chosen subtracts points from an account, and groceries are packed to order. Points are automatically replenished every 30 days. With COVID raging, hunger in our community has grown tremendously. Hunger Free America reported in 2020 that 1 in 4 households lack adequate food resources. Before the pandemic hit, hunger was prevalent in the Jewish community and has since increased. Lunch programs at senior centers were forced to close; children do not receive hot meals at school; unemployment has hit record highs. Not being able to

buy food for yourself and your family is hard enough, asking for help should not make someone feel worse. The digital food pantry puts people’s dignity to the forefront. It gives people the opportunity to choose their food and the privacy they deserve. Most people picture food insecurity as volunteers handing out sandwiches and a water bottle to people on the subway. While that is a noble effort, that is based on the belief that hungry people will accept whatever is given to them and they have no control in the matter. The digital food pantry allows people who are struggling to choose what they receive using a point system based on family size. They choose from an online inventory that displays what the pantry has available at that time, making this a more dignified method of food distribution. People who are hungry still like certain foods and might not like certain foods. There is a lot more dignity for the people who are hungry in this system. Before the pandemic, JCCRP’s food pantry was a client choice system. People would walk through the

pantry taking what they wanted and needed. When the pandemic hit, due to health concerns, people were not allowed to walk through the food pantry anymore, taking the choice away. This is a way to give people choice and allow for social distancing. There is a different face of hunger today than there used to be. Someone goes to a food pantry not to just “get free food” but because they had to choose between paying their rent or having enough to eat that month. Many people do have full-time jobs and still cannot afford to pay all their expenses. A client expressed, “I used to feel like a schnorrer going to all the food pantries and taking what I can get. I don’t eat gefilte fish; it would go to waste if they gave it to me. I am so happy that I can choose foods that my family actually eats.” Rivky*, a local business owner, expressed, “My business was closed for months, and I never saw myself going to a food pantry. The government closed my business, I had no control. This system is so amazing, and it gives me some control when I don’t have many options these days.”

Moshe Brandsdorfer, executive director at the JCCRP, commented, “We are so appreciative to the UJA Federation and Met Council for their support and partnership with the digital food pantry. We urge everyone to consider volunteering at the pantry. The packages are labeled by client number, so volunteers will never see the names of recipients. This unique system feeds people with dignity and the utmost respect.” This system is labor intensive because individualized boxes are packed for each family so volunteers are needed to assist. The JCCRP has many volunteer opportunities to help with the packing and distribution of this food. Please help feed a family in our community by signing up to volunteer at the food pantry. To sign up as a volunteer, please email Gabe Boxer at volunteer@jccrp.org. To enroll in the digital system for food, please email info@jccrp.org or call 718-327-7755. *name changed to protect identity

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

One Israel Fund Virtual Gala

t a time when many businesses and nonprofits are closing their doors, One Israel Fund perseveres. The organization works diligently to support the residents of Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley as well as the vulnerable Jewish communities along the Gaza border. Founded in 1994, One Israel Fund has consistently provided upto-date infrastructure and security equipment for the residents of Judea and Samaria. They have upgraded communication systems and in-

stalled safety apparatuses for vulnerable Jewish communities. Despite many unexpected challenges, One Israel Fund held its annual gala event this week— albeit virtually. Hundreds of people participated in One Israel Fund’s “We Are One” live event on December 29. Hosted by Nachum Segal, the program featured digital influencer and Jewish activist Elizabeth Savetsky, musical guest Gad Elbaz, and special appearances by MK Naftali Bennett, Caroline Glick, Mayor Oded Revivi, Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi and more.

With the theme “We’re Stronger Together,” the event honored Dr. Emma Laskin & Bart Baum, Amichai Lourie, Rebeka & Gabriel Boxer, the memory of Gloria & Morris Grob, a”h, as well as five very special 12th graders at SKA HALB High School for Girls: Hannah Lewin, Talia Loskove, Molly Sigman, Isabella Weisfeld, and Arielle Yarmish. The past couple of years have been especially busy for One Israel Fund, an organization that has raised over 65 million dollars for the communities on the frontlines. Marc Provisor,

their director of security projects, uses his enormous experience to bring unique solutions in protecting CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

YILB Welcomes Rabbi Binyamin Silver

he Young Israel of Long Beach (YILB) officially installed Rabbi Binyamin Silver as its morah d’asrah on the sixth night of Chanukah, December 15, 2020. The joyous and COVID-conscious event took place at YILB with limited and socially distanced seating and was streamed online for several hundred more attendees. The event drew local and national rabbis, community activists, public figures and other dignitaries to both remember and celebrate the changing of the guard. After a celebratory menorah lighting and reception, the attendees heard from Rabbi Ephraim Polakoff, rav of congregation of Bais Tefilah of Woodmere, colleague and friend of Rabbi Silver and nephew of

Rabbi Wakslak, z”l, who spoke about Rabbi Waklsak’s legacy and the devotion and energy with which he led the Young Israel for over three decades. The attendees also heard divrai bracha from Rabbi Hoberman, menahel of the Mesivta of Long Beach; Rabbi Uri Silver, Rabbi Binyamin Silver’s father; Mr. Moish Bane, President of the Orthodox Union, whose wife grew up in YILB; Senator Todd Kaminsky; from Mr. Nelson Speiss, President of YILB; and Gavriel Koenig, who spoke on behalf of the shul’s youth, amongst others. The renowned R. Ahron Lopianksy, Rosh Hayeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington and a mentor to Rabbi Silver, delivered the keynote address. He delivered an insightful understanding of the role of

a rabbi and, in his inimitable style, explained how an installation ceremony is an appropriate beginning for a rabbi’s relationship with his congregation. In his installation address, Rabbi Silver highlighted his vision for the Young Israel explaining, “The goal of the Young Israel is to strive for excellence and beauty in every aspect. Whether it be davening, learning opportunities, or adult and children programming, we will strive to deliver a beautiful, meaningful, and sophisticated product.” Rabbi Zev Brenner, founder of the Young Israel’s original 8:30 AM daily minyan and president and host of Talkline Network, served as master of ceremonies. Talkline airs Rabbi Silver’s weekly Dvar Torah every Thursday night at 8 PM on WSNR 620 AM and online at www.talklinenetwork.com. Rabbi Silver is a talmid of Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. He received semichah from Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, and holds a J.D. from Hofstra Law School, an M.Ed from Loyola University, and an LL.M. from Georgetown University. Rabbi Silver is also a practicing attorney. Building on the legacy of Rabbi Wakslak, as well as Rabbis Kahane and Rottman, who preceded him in YILB, Rabbi Silver aims to perpetuate, rejuvenate, and guide the YILB and greater Long Beach community into its next glorious chapter.

Rabbi Binyamin Silver

Rabbi Ahron Lopianksy, Rosh Hayeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington

Rabbi Zev Brenner

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

Around the Community the nearly 500,000 Israeli citizens in these areas. For example, One Israel Fund has also provided the “GUY” Mobile Thermal Observation System. This tool is a portable thermal surveillance system which mounts on top of security patrol vehicles, identifying threats and preventing potential terror attacks. One Israel Fund also works along the southern border with Gaza, helping to protect the residents there as well. One of the greatest challenges for those along the Gaza Border is the threat of mortar and rocket attacks and the shrapnel contained in these projectiles. Marc developed the “Armadillo Protective Blanket” which is a life-saving blanket that people deploy and throw over themselves in a matter of seconds. The blankets are vital when bomb shelters are inaccessible or filled to capacity. Often, what maims or kills a person is not the explosion of the bomb itself, but rather the shrapnel inside of it. The simple yet brilliant protective blanket provides excellent protection, proven to save lives. The Jerusalem Post’s magazine recently included a feature article describing Provisor’s skills and creativity as an artist – both traits which enable him to think outside the box and determine which security systems are necessary for particular situations. One Israel Fund’s Director of Community Development and Tourism, Eve Harow, educates groups of tourists eager to see and learn about Judea and Samaria. Additionally, she connects with large audiences through One Israel Fund webinars and virtual tours, using her experience as a former radio host. Harow has sat and spoken with some of the greatest minds in the Jewish world, including Rabbi Mois Navon of Mobileye who discussed the ethics behind robots and their influence on mankind, and MK Naftali Bennett, who discussed sovereignty issues, Iran, and COVID-19. She also spoke with Dr. Yechiel Leit-

er, founder of One Israel Fund and one of the most well-traveled political thinkers in Israel, regarding the recent signing of the Abraham Accords. The most recent webinar featured renowned journalist and author Caroline Glick, who offered a thought-provoking discussion on the current state of U.S.-Israel relations. People from all over the world join Harow for her virtual tours. She shows the essence and history of the Heartland through thriving arts, historical locations, food and wine. Everything holds meaning in this part of the world. Everything is tied to history and the beauty of the Jewish religion and culture both in ancient times and now, l’dor v’dor. Scott M. Feltman, the executive vice president of One Israel Fund, is known for his astute commentary on Fox, i24 News, Newsmax and DOVE TV as well as on radio for issues related to Israel, including the possible declaration of Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and the impact of the Abraham Accords. His commentary has appeared in The Daily Wire, Newsmax and Townhall. com. One Israel Fund proudly stands up for Israel and the Jewish people. From combatting anti-Semitism on college campuses – as in Feltman’s piece in Townhall.com – to saving Jewish lives and souls, One Israel Fund is there.

Did you know? In non-COVID times, nearly 1 million people pack Times Square to watch the ball drop

For more than a quarter of a century, One Israel Fund has served the needs of Jews in the Biblical Heartland. It enriches communities, improves educational and recreational needs, and saves lives through medical and security-related projects. An upcoming medical-related development is the commencement last week of construction for the Binyamin Medical Center. Presently, if a person is injured in a terrorist act or car accident, or if a person has a medical emergency such as a heart attack or an appendicitis, they have to be rushed over treacherous roads to a hospital in Jerusalem – in some cases, over an hour away. Now, they will have access to a state-of-the-art hospital with easy access and outstanding care. Not only will it treat patients with emergencies, but will also offer routine and specialty service visits. Taking care of residents’ medical needs has always been one of One Israel Fund’s priorities, and it has raised millions of dollars toward the purchase of standard and armored ambulances, triage centers, defibrillators, and emergency lifesaving kits. Provisor works hand-in-hand with security chiefs to focus on their greatest needs, providing tools such as perimeter surveillance camera systems and thermal drones so they can save lives, and do so efficiently. Provisor has set up sophisticated communication systems that enable security teams to quickly detect threats and communicate with each other before and during terrorist attacks, oftentimes preventing them. “The projects we have implemented in the field of security have not only made our communities safer, but have also made the Min-

istry of Defense [MOD] and the IDF more engaged in these areas and, in many cases, they have matched our efforts, sometimes tenfold, in improving security around this region.” Provisor says. “We took on a pilot project to improve the communication for emergency services by sponsoring four communication repeaters in strategic locations at a cost of $50,000. Upon the success of this pilot, the MOD upgraded the communication equipment for every EMT and security professional in the region at a cost of 1.5 million shekels. That’s an unbelievable success for our donors and for our people.” During this worldwide pandemic, there has been an increase in cases of depression and suicides because of the isolation. People need a sense of community and opportunities to interact with others. And although there is no work more important than directly saving lives, One Israel Fund has always remained aware that people need communal infrastructure and support in order to lead healthy, productive lives. One Israel Fund has been at the forefront of providing for children’s and adults’ needs both educationally and spiritually through the building of playgrounds, schools, including special needs programs, libraries, mikvaot, synagogues, youth centers and senior centers. At times, they even partner with other local governments and philanthropies to accomplish these tasks. One Israel Fund also prides itself on supporting active-duty IDF soldiers through Pinot Chamot, hospitality centers where the brave soldiers can relax on their breaks. With the hope that, quite soon, life will return to normal, One Israel Fund is proudly embarking on new projects. The world might be facing a pandemic right now, but unfortunately terrorism continues and basic necessities are still required. With the generous support of donors, One Israel Fund is able to ensure that its communities continue to flourish. If you were not able to join the event live, you can still watch at your convenience! Visit oneisraelfund.org to watch the event recording, and, while you’re there, please make a generous donation to further their mission.

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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Khal Mevakshei Hashem Launches Adopt-a-Kollel Partnership with Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz

A partial view of the crowd, watching a video of Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz addressing the Kehillah

hal Mevakshei Hashem of Lawrence held a deeply inspiring and extraordinary Adopt-a-Kollel partnership launch on Wednesday, 6 Teves/December 21.

Rabbi Yosef Zakutinsky addressing the launch event of Khal Mevakshei Hashem of Lawrence with the kollel of Yeshivas Shaar Hashomayim led by Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz of Yerushalayim

The festive launch marked the beginning of a partnership with the kollel of Yeshivas Shaar Hashomayim led by the famed tzaddik, Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz of Yerushalayim. Yeshiva

L–R: Aryeh Blumstein, Rabbi Yosef Zakutinsky, Rabbi Chaim Heller, New York Region coordinator for Adopt-a-Kollel, Joey Newcomb, and Rabbi Yaakov Bernfeld, National Director of Adopt-a-Kollel

Shaar Hashomayim was founded in 1906 as a result of a dream that both roshei yeshiva who were eminent kabbalists had on the same night wherein the Arizal came to them and said that, as the time of the geulah nears, the thought of Kabbalah, of pinimiyus haTorah, must be spread throughout the world. There are no words to describe the good fortune that the members of the shul, led by their Rav, Rav Yosef Zakutinsky, feel at their opportunity to partner with a giant of stature such as Rav Gamliel. Rav Zakutinsky has enjoyed a close relationship with Rav Gamliel for many years, and the shul members are very excited about the partnership. The event was addressed by Rav Zakutinsky. The highlight of the

event was a special video presentation addressed by Rav Gamliel. With tremendous love and passion, Rav Gamliel said that the name of the shul, “Mevakshei Hashem,” is so appropriate because it is clear that the title encapsulates the fervent desire of the members. He spoke about the zechus and opportunity to connect with Rav Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rav Elozor, the Arizal, and all of the great kabbalists, something that is deeply significant in our times when Mashiach is so close. The event was also attended by the well-known chassidic singer, Joey Newcomb, who sang together with the shul members as they sang and danced in celebration of the new partnership.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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YOSS Commemorates Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Herzberg, zt”l

ast Wednesday, Ches Teves, marked the second yartzheit of Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, zt”l, Menahel of Yeshiva of South

Shore. To commemorate the yartzheit, a virtual Asifa was held in all the classrooms of the Yeshiva. Rebbe Eli Herzberg told inspiring stories about

his father’s life and emphasized his consistency in avodas Hashem. He shared memories of how much his father loved to learn and would spend all his free time learning, including on a trip with his children and grandchildren to Disney World. Although Rabbi Herzberg didn’t have much interest in rides, having the opportunity to be with his family and spend time learning while they waited on lines made it all worth it. Rabbi Greenberg, sixth grade rebbe in the Mechina, also addressed the students and spoke about Rabbi Herzberg’s impact on the yeshiva as well as on his personal life. Rabbi Greenberg related the story often told to him by Rabbi Herzberg about how he met Rabbi Freifeld, zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Sh’or Yoshuv, and how that encounter changed his life. Rabbi Herz-

Rabbi Eli Herzberg

berg was a young high school student who was not doing particularly well in school when Rabbi Freifeld invited him out for a danish and coffee. That conversation changed Rabbi Herzberg’s life forever and led him on the path of chinuch. May the neshama, R’ Chanina Getzel ben R’ Moshe, have an aliyah.

Model Beis Din Goes Virtual

Rabbi Aryeh Manheim, Model Beis Din organizer

he annual Model Beis Din competition hosted by Touro’s Lander College for Men has been a highlight of the year for high school students from Atlanta to Boston. This one-of-a kind tournament offers Orthodox high school students a chance to match wits and wisdom on complex halachic dilemmas. When the pandemic made in-person events impossible, Lander faculty decided it was too valuable to lose. So, they redesigned the competition to be virtual. For the first time it is open to student teams everywhere. This year, student teams will develop principles and protocols for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Each team will create a halachic blueprint and roadmap for this distribution. They will consider what priority, if

any, should be given to healthcare personnel, workers in essential industries, people at high risk, the elderly, revered rabbonim, poskim, communal leaders, Kohanim and Levi’im. “We are delighted to provide this opportunity for students to explore how Torah wisdom applies to a topic that public health experts and medical ethicists are debating in real time,” said Dr. Moshe Sokol, dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men. Each team of students, along with a supervising rabbi, will write an essay making the case for their distribution plan. Every team will have an opportunity to meet online with HaRav Yonason Sacks shlita, esteemed Rosh HaYeshiva of Touro’s Lander College for Men – Beis Medrash L’Talmud to present and defend their case.

“The Model Beis Din empowers students to understand the dynamic nature of halacha – how the Torah can inform and confront contemporary moral and halachic challenges,” said Rabbi Sacks. “My goal is to validate the students’ learning and to inspire them to learn more.” For more information or to register for the Model Beis Din, please contact Rabbi Aryeh Manheim at aryeh. manheim@touro.edu. Teams of two or more students from all schools, synagogues, and youth organizations are welcome to register. Registration begins on January 1, 2021. The Model Beis Din essays are due on March 7, 2021. For more information on Touro’s Lander College for Men, visit lcm.touro.edu

New Yahadus Curriculum for Mechina at YOSS

eshiva of South Shore has a comprehensive curriculum to provide a well-rounded chinuch to talmidim of the Mechina. Recently, the hanhala introduced another exciting weekly segment. Until now, the shiurim and talmidim concentrate solely on Gemara, Chumash, and halacha, and rightfully so. However, there are many important components of yahadus

which are important as well. The new segment focuses on understanding various topics in hashkafa, halacha, and mussar, and is delivered by Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky. The interactive shiur is based on the classic Sefer Orchos Yosher, written by Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, and together, the boys delve into topics of mussar and halacha, such as emes, tefilla, and

pilpul chaveirim, discovering sources from all over Torah and applying them practically to today’s teenagers. Rabbi Kamenetzky blends in his own insights and stories to illustrate the various lessons from Chazal as well. “I feel that this weekly class will give the talmidim an added dimension of Yiddishkeit, as they start to look at the world through the vision

of our Chazal,” remarked the Menahel, Rabbi Zev Davidowitz. “I have no doubt that the boys will enjoy these lessons and will gain much from them.” The talmidim have been enjoying these shiurim, and their rabbeim look forward to seeing the boys grow in these extra zones.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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The fifth grade talmidim of Siach Yitzchok started Gemara last week. The boys were zocheh to get their Gemaras handed to them from Harav Ledderman, shlit”a, the Yazlovitz Rav. Upon returning to Cheder, the boys had a Hascholas Gemara Seudah in the lunchroom with a beautiful speech from the Sgan Menahel, Reb Gruenstein.

MTA’s Outdoor Mesibah

TA offers seniors a unique opportunity for college-level, intensive Beis Bedrash learning through the Julius Wrubel Beis Medrash Katan (BMK) program. These talmidim are exposed to the very best of the traditional “yeshiva atmosphere” and study at a level not often made available to high school talmidim. Seniors in the BMK learn in the YU Beis Medrash, where they spend most of their morning b’chavrusa preparing for shiur under the close guidance of Rabbi Tanchum Cohen. Rabbi Cohen delivers his advanced level shiur following the morning iyun seder, much like at YU and at leading yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael. In addition to this unparalleled learning experience, Rabbi Cohen fosters a warm environment for his talmidim outside

the classroom through exciting shiur activities, including Shabbatonim, melave malkas, kumzitses with live music, mesibos, and more. Rabbi and Rebbitzen Cohen open their home for many of these events throughout the year, and talmidim enjoy spending time with the entire Cohen family. This year, due to social distancing guidelines, Rabbi Cohen came up with creative ways to continue hosting these events in a safe manner. On Wednesday, December 23, BMK talmidim had an amazing time at their mesibah, which was held in an outdoor tent in Riverdale. The event featured a musical performance by Rabbi Cohen on his guitar with talmidim joining in on percussion instruments, lots of divrei Torah, dinner from Carlos & Gabby’s, and individual

containers of Rebbitzen Cohen’s famous chocolate chip cookies for each talmid. The event concluded with a special visit from Rav Mordechai

Willig. Talmidim were excited to join together for this unique opportunity and look forward to their next event!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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Camp Shira Launches Exciting New Program

amp Shira introduced a new summer program this year that is going to deliver a unique summer experience for its campers! The fifth to seventh grade division is split into two halves: Shira Travel for first half and Shira Sensations for second half. The Travel program includes a major amusement park trip and a water park trip as well as other awesome adventures like horseback riding, ropes courses, and more. The Sensations half of the summer is a skills-based program that lets the girls hone their skills with professional lessons offsite like tennis, cooking, gymnastics, and more. Then there will be professional instructors who come to the camp for dance, art, drama, and much more. There will even be an electives day where the girls pick which classes they want to take! Every day in camp

will be unique and dynamic and nonstop action. Meanwhile, the younger division at Camp Shira now provides camp for girls and boys entering nursery to Pre1A and girls entering first and second grade. The program includes the famous Shira Water Park and foam activity, weekly trips, daily specialties, and more! The camp hours are 9-4 and 9-2 on Friday. The pricing for the summer was also adjusted to feature air-conditioned busing as an add-on so parents only pay for busing if they need it. The camp is running their Loyalty Special until January 15 so act quickly to sign up for another Summer to Sing About at Camp Shira! You can see more info or register at campshirany.com. The camp can be contacted via email at campshirany@gmail.com or via texting/calling 516-456-8392.

Bucket Filling and Slurpees

fter reading the book How Full is Your Bucket, IVDU LI students worked on a classwide initiative of pro-social behavior, where they helped “fill each other’s buckets.” They earned tickets by using kind words and doing nice things for their friends, placing each earned ticket into their own individual Slurpee cup and building the class pot.

This week, the class collectively earned over 300 tickets, entitling them to an exciting trip to 7-Eleven for Slurpees! Mrs. Wenig reported with pride that there has been a dramatic increase in positivity in the classroom since starting the program. The students have learned how to interact more positively through the use of their words and positive actions.

Did you know? It was a frigid -18 degrees when the ball dropped in Times Square in 1917

Shaar Lev at HALB

haar Lev celebrated its annual Chanukah Party this past week. Shaar Lev, in its third year, serves local children with unique learning needs who attend public school. The children get their limudei kodesh learning at HALB every day after school from 4-5 p.m. Children enjoy learning parsha with Rabbi Eli Herzberg and dinim and chagim with Rabbi Dovid Libman. They also get to learn kriyah with Morah Batsheva Milworn, Morah Tamar Mosak and Morah Michal Silberberg. Dovid Schiffer, who works summers in the Diamond Program, serves as HALB’s in-house behavior management specialist. Many Shaar Lev graduates have gone on to reintegrate back into lo-

cal yeshivot like HALB, South Shore, Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, and Yeshiva Darchei Torah. HALB coordinates this program with local public school District 15 and thanks Superintendent Dr. Anne Pedersen and Rabbi Jeremy Feder for all of their assistance over the years. HALB parent and District 15 speech therapist Stephanie Greenberg serves as the liaison between the public school system and HALB in making sure each child is grouped according to his or her abilities. The vision for Shaar Lev was developed by Mr. Richard Altabe in conjunction with Dr. Anne Pedersen and is a model for inclusion that has been recognized throughout the Jewish educational world.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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Creating our own snow masterpiece at Gesher

The girls in Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion in Forest Hills made cards for the elderly in nursing homes

Chanukah Snow Day at YCQ

By Noam and Eyal Traeger

or the first time in two years, there was a snow day for the students and staff at Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ). On Thursday, December 17, the sixth day of Chanukah, the children of the New York area enjoyed a snow day. For the students of YCQ, this was not an ordinary snow day that was spent away from school and school activities. Their morning began with a schoolwide virtual davening and Hallel led by the school’s amazing rebbeim, Rabbi Bernstein, Rabbi Soffer, Rabbi Ribalt, Rabbi Hamel and Rabbi Nat, as well as eighth grader, Yuval Wortzel. The davening was filled with ruach and was a beautiful way to bring everyone together virtually. After davening there were two Kahoot games about Chanukah. The games were led by Ms. Rosenblum and Rabbi Soffer. There were questions about Chanukah dates, events, and details about menorot and chanukiot. There was even a question about the name of the Greek translation of the Torah

(Septuagint). The Septuagint was created for Greek-speaking Jews in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. The points were tallied and one class from each grade won a pizza party for their entire class. During the afternoon, students enjoyed their time in the snow, with parents sharing snow day 2020 pictures of YCQ students for all to enjoy in a Snow Day video. Students built snowmen and even an upside-down snowman, wearing YCQ swag, of course. There was even a snow chanukiah with ice candles colored with food coloring. Later that evening, the YCQ PTO ran a virtual create-your-own-dessert program where students learned to create amazing winter treats, led by Lizzy Kramer, grade 6 and her mom. During the session, there were tutorials and demonstrations on how to make Muddy Buddies and Hot Cocoa Bombs. What a tasty end to a fun day. This snow day was a much-needed break and a great Chanukah gift enjoyed by the entire YCQ family.

YOSS Eretz Chemda Program

or the past few years, talmidim in the Silber Mechiona at YOSS have been learning various halachos of the mitzvos applicable to Eretz Yisroel through the “Eretz Chemda” Program. The classes are taught via Zoom by rabbeim in Eretz Yisroel about topics pertaining to the Holy land, thus strengthening the bond which the talmidim have with Eretz Yisreol, through Torah. Only a few weeks ago, Akiva Sector, a sixh grade talmid of YOSS, observed his brother making dough for bread. Akiva learned the halachos of hafrashas challah (taking off “chal-

lah”) and he remembered that, when kneading five pounds of dough, one must take off challah and give it to a kohein. Since we do not give challah to a kohein today for a variety of reasons, one must burn the small piece of “challah.” That is exactly what they did. “We took challah, said the bracha, and then burned the dough in our fire pit,” Akiva told his menahel, Rabbi Zev Davidowitz. Indeed, the fire of halacha – and less known halachos, in particular – is alive within the talmidim of Yeshiva of South Shore.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

Around the Community

“What Would Rabbi Herzberg Have Done?” By Elana Fertig

s this past week was Rabbi Chanina Herzberg’s yahrtzeit, I have been thinking about him a lot. In general, we all think about him at YOSS daily, as we often find ourselves asking, “What would Rabbi Herzberg have said, or done, in this case?” While none of us could have imagined what we would deal with on a daily basis in the months of this pandemic, we know there are some specific messages that we learned from Rabbi Herzberg that has helped us battle these waves. • Is everyone OK? As we go through the daily routines, we are all constantly checking, are we OK? Is the staff OK? Are the children OK? Are the parents OK? While many of these answers are not always yes, we are fully aware of checking in on everybody, and that was a lesson that Rabbi Herzberg

taught us by example. He checked up on us all the time. Seeing that we were OK, asking what we were dealing with or worrying about, and checking up on our own families, too. • What should you do when it seems like you just can’t make everything better? SMILE! I have shared many stories that, in the midst of crisis, when I was worried about a flood from one of the bathrooms, or a day when the heat broke and the children and moros were freezing, while I tried to deal with all the pieces, I obviously looked worried. “Just smile, so everyone will know it’s going to be OK” was a clear message that Rabbi Herzberg taught us. • Your job at YOSS is fulltime, 24/7. Even when you might not be here physically, your mind is always caring about the people you take care of. Over the last few months, we have had many late night or very early morning meetings (be it on the new

concept of Zoom). It reminds me of some of the conversations I had with Rabbi Herzberg on times when we were not at school. There was one year, on a winter morning, when Rabbi Herzberg called me at 6:00 a.m. His Rebbetzin Naomi was on another phone next to him, speaking to the preschool director at Shulamith. In our creative “conference call,” I stood in my driveway and realized that while there was no snow coming down, the sidewalks and streets were a sheet of ice. It was a day when the districts did not have bus service so we could not rely on their decision. As I described to Rabbi and Rebbetzin Herzberg that I could skate to school, but it would not be safe for anyone, we made a universal decision together to keep everyone safe, to keep everyone home. • Be normal and laugh! Many times, I found myself asking Rabbi Herzberg’s question for my own chil-

dren and in my own life. His messages were clear: Educate with love, don’t add on extra show for the sake of rules, care about your children and understand what they need and that different children need different things. • Davening for our children is part of our hishtadlus. After lengthy conversations of what we could do to help children in school and out of school, we would end the conversations quoting Rav Freifeld, Rabbi Herzberg’s Rebbe, “Did you daven for him, too?” We all miss Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, and we think about him daily. He taught us by example to love people, to love children, and to know that Hashem loves you. May his neshama have an aliyah, and may his family be comforted in knowing that he is a legend in our yeshiva and his impact will continue for many many years in the future. Elana Fertig is the in.

ZivugTech By Noah Isaacs

s I watched my wife network on behalf of a friend of hers who was single, I noticed the following scene unfold. She first fumbled through her phone to find a blurb that was buried in an old text. Then, she parsed through her thousands of emails to locate the resume. Finally, she perused through the notes on her phone to see her list of single guys and tried to pick the best match. Only then did she consult another friend to review the idea and determine if it sounded like a good fit. Not surprisingly, what was initially meant to be a five-minute conversation to discuss just one idea, turned into a 3-hour event where they exchanged their entire list of singles in an attempt to brainstorm for each one. As this unfolded before my eyes, I thought to myself, “Is this what everyone does when they try to set someone up?” Not only did I find that this was commonplace, but some people I surveyed had adopted an even more inefficient process. I set out on a mission to gather as much data as I could on how people in the Orthodox world go

about setting up their friends, family, and any singles they know. I discovered that some people keep running lists on their phones, others keep spreadsheets on their computers, and a select few, to my dismay, jot down ideas in notebooks. When I probed further on how they network to find new singles to match with theirs, the answer often included phone calls, weekly meetings, or WhatsApp groups with friends and strangers who have similar interests in setting people up. It is now typical to have a WhatsApp group of hundreds of people who simply post a resume or short bio of a single in an attempt to network on their behalf. From an organizational aspect, the problem that lies within these methods is that ideas often get lost or forgotten as new people surface. There is no system in place to continuously see, remember, and use the many resumes that are constantly being posted. As I continued to research the topic, I was introduced to many full time shadchanim as well. I assumed this category of people would provide more insight into the organiza-

tional process of setting people up. Unfortunately, I was let down. From 100 to 3,000 people, no matter how many single people a shadchan had in their network, the process was at best scattered and at worst painfully inefficient. I was also informed that it is incumbent upon the single guy or girl to continuously follow up with the shadchan in order to keep themselves at the top of the list, otherwise, they risk being forgotten about. There already exists several platforms for Jewish singles to create profiles and network for themselves. Some platforms even include a way for a verified shadchan on the site to stay organized. However, there is no tool that is meant to help anyone and everyone – from the professional shadchan to the single individual – who is passionate about matchmaking. The world needs a mechanism that takes the current system and makes the entire process more efficient, organized, and simply easier. This is how ZivugTech started. Through months of networking and siyata dishmaya, I was introduced to Ephraim Arnstein, the CEO of a BitBean.com, an innovative soft-

ware company. Ephraim had built ZivugTech.org several years earlier with Ralph Lasry, who dreamed up the original idea. However, after several iterations, it sat there idly, used only by few who knew of the amazing website. I have recently joined the team and implemented new ideas to the site, and ZivugTech has now taken on a new life. Now used by thousands of people across the globe, Zivugtech is beginning to take root. It is not meant as a singles platform, but as a user-friendly system, to help anyone who possesses a desire to set up singles. The site is free and keeps profiles in your private account where you can easily record and tag specifications, filter through people, keep track of all your ideas, and create groups to share resumes. All information on the site remains private unless you choose to share it with someone. Whether you know 10 or 10,000 people, Zivugtech.org can help you. You’ll be thankful the process became that much better, and, G-d willing, all your single friends will thank you, too.

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Students at HANC ECC enjoyed making harps in honor of Serach bas Asher when they learned Parshas Vayigash last week

Rav Henoch Potash, pre-1A rebbi at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, New York, teaching the parashas hashavua to a talmid

Chanukah at Mishkon

Names, Not Numbers at HANC

hanukah is always a very special time for the Mishkon family. Although Covid has forced us to celebrate differently, celebrate we did! Our celebrations began with a Chanukah Pop Up shop, where staff and individuals were able to shop for gifts for family and friends. This was no ordinary pop up shop, as all items for sale were handcrafted with love by the talented individuals and staff. With Chanukah music playing, jewelry and jewelry boxes, aprons and decorated towels, mugs and beautifully decorated containers of scented soaps and body creams were offered for sale. Mishkon individuals and staff took turns coming to the event and buying their gifts. The Pop Up Shop was a tremendous success with all proceeds going back to the residences to be used for celebrations of their choosing.

The festivities continued as our annual Chanukah gala was transformed into smaller, more personalized celebrations. The residences were beautifully decorated for Chanukah, menorahs were lit, songs were sung, gifts exchanged, and there were plenty of latkes and doughnuts for all. A special highlight of Chanukah were the multiple Uncle Moishy concerts set up across our division which brought an extra special Chanukah spirit to each residence. It was truly an interactive experience! Clapping, dancing, and swaying with the tunes was happening, and no one left without a grin from ear to ear. Keep your eyes open, as we are beginning to focus on Purim. Mishkon will be selling Mishloah Manot Cards designed by our individuals for online and hard copy purchases. Stay tuned – details to follow as great things are happening at Mishkon!

n Thursday, December 24, the whole eighth grade began a project called Names Not Numbers. In the program, students interview Holocaust survivors and edit the interviews, which are then made into a documentary. The program began with powerful words from Rabbi Hecht, Middle School principal, about the importance of the program. He explained that, as we move farther and farther from the Holocaust, it is even more important for us to hear directly from survivors. Rabbi Hecht also explained the meaning behind the name of the project. The Nazis tried to remove each Jew’s identity and turn them into just a number. By the students speaking to the survivors and documenting their experiences, the people become people and not just a number.

The next speaker was Mrs. Tova Rosenberg, the creator of Names, Not Numbers. Mrs. Rosenberg gave an inspirational speech about how important this project is and how lucky we are to get the chance to participate in this program. We continued the program by watching a documentary of a Holocaust survivor, to get an idea of how the interviews should be conducted. It was very emotional, especially when the survivor recounted how his brother came and met him after he survived and was in Israel. The survivor was crying on the video, and it was very emotional in the room. It is so important that we have the opportunity to be involved in this important project to ensure that the Holocaust survivors’ legacies live on and that the Holocaust is never forgotten.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

Around the Community

Clubs at SHS

hulamith High School students, in every grade, pick semester-long clubs from an array of choices. These clubs take place during the school day and are more than just a fun period or a time for students to find, or focus, on their passions. They also provide an effective brain break that helps SHS students re-energize, making them more likely to feel better and more able to learn in the subsequent classes. Fun With Food is always a popular choice, led by Mrs. Adina Wolf, and a frequent spot for teachers to pop in for a quick snack. The aromas of stir fry, latkes, or French toast fill the hallways as students learn kitchen skills and halachot. Across the hall, Mrs. Rochel Aranov, teaches students to sew, a skill that many students were eager to learn this year.

Baking, art, basketball, board games, mock trial, book club, environmental awareness, Israel Advocacy, running, college bowl and current events are just some of the choices given to students. “I joined the board game club because it’s just a great break in the day and a fun way to relax,” Leora Walfish, senior said. “I chose Israel Activism,” Rivky Widroff added, “because I get a chance to dedicate part of my time just for Israel.” Clubs also give the opportunity for faculty to get to know their students outside of the classroom. More than just a break for students, SHS faculty get a different view of their current, and possibly future, students, which is an important part of the school culture. More than just a brain

break, clubs is a time set aside for faculty to share their talents and students to explore their passions.

The Halachos of Vaccinating

his past Sunday night, Central participated in YU’s medical ethics conference on halacha’s approach to the new COVID-19 vaccines. The conference was a discussion between Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai Willig and Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, Chief of Infectious Disease at Mount Sinai Hospital and rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere. Among the over a thousand virtual attendees were members of Central’s administration, faculty, and student body. Students in all of Central’s science classes were encouraged to attend; many did and wrote thoughtful reflections on the event.

Senior Gitty Kahn, an AP Biology student, reflected, “While I understood from a medical perspective how vaccines work and why they are necessary, I had never thought about them from a halachic standpoint, until tonight. Rabbi Willig said, ‘Just like we put fences on our roofs so no one falls off, we get vaccinated,’ which showed me how vaccines fit in perfectly with halacha.” Mrs. Fried, Central’s Science Department Chair, said, “I greatly appreciate Rabbi Dr. Aron Glatt’s and Rabbi Mordecai Willig’s willingness to address the rumors and the false science that seem to be permeating through

the community and inciting fear and distrust in the vaccine. When my turn comes, I, too, will gratefully roll up my sleeve to be vaccinated and say

the tefilla of ‘yehi ratzon milfanecha, Hashem Elo-kai, she’yehai eisek zeh li li’refuah ki rofei chinam atta,’ and add the bracha of ‘Hatov V’Hameitiv.’”

raise awareness of the organization’s mission. This three-minute information-packed video explains One Israel Fund’s vital work and life-saving projects in Judea and Samaria. The SKA girls were presented

with intriguing necklaces made from rockets directed at Israel as thanks for their amazing work. In addition to increasing public knowledge of One Israel Fund’s activities, the video has generated many donations to the

organization. Yashar koach to Hannah, Talia, Molly, Isabella and Arielle for being ambassadors of One Israel Fund for the next generation!

SKA Students Honored at One Israel Fund

azel tov to Hannah Lewin, Talia Loskove, Molly Sigman, Isabella Weisfeld and Arielle Yarmish, twelfth graders at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, who were honored with the Yedid Yesha award Tuesday evening, December 29, at One Israel Fund’s virtual event. As part of their eleventh grade project for the Reut Honor Society, the SKA students created a promotional video of One Israel Fund to

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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DECEMBER 31,2015 2020 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, | The Jewish Home

1. *

TJH

Centerfold

Meanings That Changed in 2020 BASEMENT: Used to be where you stored old records

SOCIAL DISTANCING: Used to be something I used

that you don’t want to see anymore but want to keep just so you can win the “has the most junk contest.” Now, it’s a place where an old candidate for president spoke about his bad record…and “won” the presidential election.

to do discreetly; now, I have to be discreet when I don’t social distance.

MARCH: Used to be a month with

KIDDUSH: Used to be a 5-course glutinous meal before

31 days; now, it’s a month with 224 days… and counting.

my Shabbos meal; now, it’s a fancy cardboard box with a Laff y Taff y in it.

KAREN: Used to be the name of your

NEW JERSEY: Used to be the only place in the world where I would wear a mask, because of all of the pollution; now, it’s the only place in the world where I can attend a wedding and not wear a mask.

elderly piano teacher; now, it’s the name for your elderly piano teacher caught on video after a bad day.

MASKS: Used to be something that we wore once a year on Purim; now, it’s something that we have worn every day since Purim.

FLATTEN THE CURVE: Used to just mean go on a diet; now, because of flattening the curve, I really need a diet.

TOILET PAPER: Used to have a

ZOOM: Used to be what we would do to get

few rolls in my house; now, I have 7,624 rolls and the media is telling me to go out and get some more.

away from class; now, it’s something that we do in order to get to class.

CHINA: A place that used to be known for changing

ANDREW CUOMO: Used to be the worst governor in

the world because of wonton soup; now, it’s known for changing the world because of bat soup.

New York’s history; now, he is the worst governor in world history.

CARDBOARD CUTOUTS: Used to only be at bar mitzvahs; now, they’re the fans at football games

You Gotta be Kidding Me!

A drunk man walks into a bar and hollers, “Happy New Year everybody!” The incredulous bartender turns to the man and says, “Sir, you must be pretty wasted; it’s June 17.” The man replies, “Oh no! My wife is going to kill me. I have never been so late in my life!”

The 31, 2015 2020 TheJewish JewishHome Home| DECEMBER | OCTOBER 29,

2020 Sports Year Trivia 1. Which MLB player had the highest batting average in the shortened 2020 season? a. DJ LeMahieu b. Juan Soto c. Freddie Freedman d. Trea Turner 2. Which professional golfer won the 2020 PGA Championship? a. Tiger Woods b. Jordan Spieth c. Collin Morikawa d. Dustin Johnson 3. Match the player with the amount of money made in 2020 (according to Forbes)? LeBron James

$72 million

Roger Federer

$99.2 million

Lewis Hamilton

$45 million

Tom Brady

$106.3 million

4. How much money is guaranteed to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in his new contract? a. $120,000,000 b. $245,000,000 c. $320,000,000 d. $477,000,000 5. Which team won the 2020 World Series? a. Red Sox b. Mets (come on, not nice) c. Dodgers d. Astros 6. Which hockey player had the most points in the 2020 NHL season? a. Conner McDavid b. Leon Draisaitl

c. David Pastrnak d. Artemi Panarin 7. Who won the 2020 NBA MVP? a. Gianis Antetkounpmo b. Giaanis Antetokompo c. Giannis Antetokouninonmopo d. Giannis Antetokounmpo 8. Who won the 2020 Super Bowl? a. Patriots b. Chiefs c. Rams d. Saints Answers: 1-A 2-C 3 - Roger Federer: $106.3M; LeBron James: $99.2M; Lewis Hamilton: $72M; Tom Brady: $45M 4-D 5-C 6-B 7-D 8-B Wisdom key: 7-8 correct: You really watched a lot of sports in quarantine. You may want to try getting on a Free Conference Call class or two (the waiting room music is a hoot!). 3-6 correct: You are in the middle of the pack, like Tom Brady. Well, not really. 0-2 correct: You donâ€™t know much about sports. But if you got question seven right, you may want to enter the Scripps Spelling Bee.

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Torah Thought

Parshas Vayechi By Rabbi Berel Wein

t the end of the book of Bereshis, as we read in this week’s Torah reading, there is little warning as to what the very next Torah reading will discuss and describe. The transition, from the benign and idyllic last years of the life of our father Jacob, is a harsh reality of servitude and slavery visited upon his descendants. From the biblical narrative, it

appears to have been sudden and unexpected. However, we already read in this week’s concluding Torah reading of the ﬁrst book of the Bible, that both Jacob and Joseph speak of redemption from the sojourn in the land of Egypt and a return to the land of Israel. From the nuances of their words and the hope and prayer that they expressed, it is obvious that they wish

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to warn the Jewish people that their future lay not in the land of Goshen or the decadence of Egypt but rather their stay in Egypt, no matter how many centuries long, should be viewed as only a temporary one. In this, our forefathers indicated to us that this would be the pattern of Jewish history throughout the ages and that no matter how long the Jewish people would live in countries and areas outside of the land of Israel, they should never view those societies as being permanent.

Bereshis that haunts them and follows the Jewish people throughout the biblical narrative of the remaining four books of the Torah. Whenever troublesome challenges arose, regardless of the great miracles of survival the Jewish people were blessed with, there always was an element within the people that said it was preferable to return to Egypt rather than continue the struggle for Jewish identity and independence that only the land of Israel could guarantee to them. Apparently, Jacob

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No matter how long the Jewish people would live in countries and areas outside of the land of Israel, they should never view those societies as being permanent.

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The remarkable thing about Jewish history is how repetitive it has been. If the Jewish presence in ancient Egypt was only for a few centuries, the presence of the Jews in areas such as Babylonia, Egypt, and Eastern Europe generally was for many more centuries than that of Egypt. We are all aware that all those societies came to an end, Jewishly speaking, as did ancient Egypt. The last words of Jacob and Joseph were to the eﬀect that the L-rd would take the Jewish people from Egypt and return them to their ancient homeland, the land of Israel. It is this ﬁnal message of the book of

and Joseph were aware of this tendency towards weakness and assimilation within their descendants. Their ﬁnal message to all future generations of the Jewish people concentrated on the belief that the L-rd would certainly redeem the Jewish people from all exiles, whether benign or cruel, and restore them to the challenge of independent nationhood in the land of Israel. That is why, at the conclusion of this week’s Torah reading, we will repeat our ancient model and prayer to be strong and to strengthen ourselves and others for the tasks that always lie ahead. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

Nearly 500,000 men, women, & children in Judea and Samaria appreciate your donations. We set out to raise $360,000 in 36 hours and thanks to you, we far exceeded our efforts.

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From the Fire Parshas Vayechi

Constant Renewal By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

av Shraga Feivish Schneebalg, a dayan in London, in the fifth volume of his responsa, Shraga Meir, writes an amazing thing. He says that many people ask him diﬃcult questions to which there is no established answer. He must therefore spend a significant amount of time reanalyzing the classic sources to unearth novel interpretations to address people’s challenging questions. And without any sense of irony, the Rav writes, “Am I not a simple Jew, just like all other Jews?” He recounts how, at one point, he was upset that the demands of his position as dayan did not enable him to simply study and review Chumash, Mishna, halacha, and Gemara like he used to. One day, he decided that he would no longer involve himself in answering questions that required him to plumb the depths of the seforim to uncover novel understandings of the sources. Instead, he would go back to a simple life of learning and reviewing.

The Rav recounts that the night he made this resolution, he had a dream. In it, he saw the pasuk in this week’s parsha (Bereishis 48:20), “And he placed Ephraim before Menashe.” He dreamed that the two names in the pasuk hint at two ways of studying Torah. The root of Menashe’s name is related to the word l’shanos, meaning to repeat or review. One way to study Torah is to concentrate on covering ground and reviewing what one has learned. But the other way of studying Torah is related to Ephraim’s name, which comes from the root word, l’fros, meaning to be fruitful and creative, always giving birth to novel ideals and interpretations. In his dream, Rav Shraga Feivish understood that “and he placed Ephraim before Menashe” means the way of bringing forth novel understandings of Torah and halacha takes precedence over the way of simply reviewing the Torah one studies. Needless to

say, the Rav continued answering the people’s questions and bringing more novel understandings of Torah into the world. The same is true with respect to Yiddishkeit and any aspect of it. There are those who believe that the Jewish way is to do mitzvos the same way one has done in the past, with the same intentions and intensity (or lack thereof) that he did them last year and the year before. But the pasuk “And he placed Ephraim before Menashe” teaches that the better way is to be fruitful: to consistently change and bring novelty into the way one does mitzvos. Similarly, Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, zy”a, in Derech Pikudecha, writes, with regard to the mitzvah to be fruitful and multiply, that even those who cannot get married or have children can fulfill the mitzvah. The underlying root of the mitzvah is to be fruitful, to be productive. And this can be accomplished by bringing novel ideas, new ways of

fulfilling mitzvos, and new aspects of kiddush Hashem into the world. By being productive and not being satisfied with the way things have always been, one brings new “children,” new aspects of G-dliness, into the world. We also must have in mind the following teaching of the Divrei Yisroel of Modzitz, zy”a, in the name of his grandfather Reb Chatzkal of Kuzmir, zy”a, on the pasuk (Bereishis 48:20), “With you, be’cha, the Jewish people will bless…” The Divrei Yisroel asks: Why does Yaakov refer to Ephraim and Menashe in the singular “with you, be’cha,” instead of the plural, “ba’chem”? The Rebbe answers that it is because blessings cannot rest in a group of people who are divided. “There is no vessel which can contain blessing other than peace” (Uktzin 3:12). Ephraim and Menashe must be like one, such that they may be referred to in the singular. Therefore, even if there are diﬀerences of opinion be-

tween them, they recognize that they are “on the same team” and there is no animosity between them. This is connected to a teaching of Rav Yisroel Rizhiner, zy”a, on the pasuk (Bereishis 49:1), “Gather together and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days.” The Rizhiner explains that the Hebrew word for “will happen, yikareh,” is related to the word cold, kar, because at the end of days, there will be a profound coldness that will consume the Jewish people. Their Yiddishkeit will be old, by rote, and filled with coldness. But Yaakov gives us the antidote when he says, “Gather together.” The only way we can overcome the oldness and the coldness of this last generation is to gather together with one purpose. We may not always agree, but we must recognize that we are one and must work flexibly together with mutual love and respect. The Satmar Rav, zy”a, in 1954, made a remarkable statement to

his chassidim, who were composed almost entirely of survivors of the War: “Every one of us must contemplate why we did not merit to be sacrificed on the altar by giving up our lives to sanctify G-d’s name.

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children.’ [He saved us to] allow us to establish a new generation of believers in G-d.” Remarkably, the Rebbe, like many survivors, could not initially understand why he and the other few

A Jew is always able to start anew with a fresh outlook and approach.

It must be that Hashem decreed regarding us that we remain alive for a purpose. And what is that purpose? To establish new generations for Hashem and His Torah. [Yaakov Avinu referred to] ‘The angel who redeemed me from every evil’ [ibid. at 48:16], from the fiery furnace [of the crematoria] for a purpose. [What is that purpose?] ‘May he bless the

survivors lived while their parents, brothers, sisters, children, relatives, and friends were all murdered. He concluded that the purpose of their survival was the creation of a new, young generation of believers. The purpose of renewal is to be fruitful, to bring forth a generation of Jews who would serve Hashem even more deeply.

The Chidushei Harim, zy”a, offers another novel interpretation of the pasuk quoted by the Satmar Rav. Yaakov Avinu asks that the angel bless “bless the children.” The word for children, na’arim, is related to the word hisorerus, meaning inspiration or renewal. A Jew is always able to start anew with a fresh outlook and approach. That is our people’s greatest blessing. May our shul, along with the entire Jewish people, merit to renew itself to serve Hashem with new vigor and excitement in a way of peace and love to increase the revelation of G-d’s presence in the world generally and in our own lives.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

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Parsha Ponderings Parshas Vayechi

Who’s Calling? By Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky

n Parshas Vayechi, Yaakov Avinu gathers his children before his passing to bless them and offer final guidance for them to utilize their individual uniqueness to build the Nation of Israel. He begins by attempting to reveal to them the date of the final redemption before the Shechina leaves him, and he is unable to tell them. The pasuk tells us that he tells them, “Es asher yikrah eschem b’acharis hayamim – What will happen to you at the end of the days.” The word “yikrah, will happen” is normally spelled with a “hey” at the end. However, over here, the pasuk spells it with an “aleph” at the end, resulting in the word “yikra,” meaning “calling.” Why is that?    Rav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zt”l, and Rav Chaim Mordechai Katz, zt”l, the son and son-in-law of the great Gaon and Rosh Yeshiva of Telz Yeshiva in Lithuania, Rav Yosef Leib Bloch, zt”l, traveled together to America in the late 1930s. Hints of the upcoming firestorm of war was already brooming in Europe, and the future of the Jews was uncertain. Yet, Torah needed to be learned, and funds were needed. And so, the two great rabbis made the trip across the ocean to raise the necessary funds from their American brethren, for the famed Telz Yeshiva in city of Telsiai, Lithuania. To their horror and disbelief, Rav Bloch and Rav Katz learned of the slaughter of the entire city of Telsiai, along with wives, children, relatives, and lifelong friends, and neighbors, on 20 Tammuz 5701 (July 1941). The two great rabbis were shat-

tered and heartbroken, but they knew they had work to do. Instead of turning to despair, they began, with supernatural strength, to rebuild their beloved yeshiva in America. After much eﬀort, they gathered a

across the country, and thousands of students have learned, studied, and graduated the yeshiva, changing the Torah landscape of America. How were they able to accomplish this feat?

One must know and internalize that everything that happens is a calling from Hashem.

group of students in the dining room of Mr. and Mrs. Yitzchok and Sarah Feigenbaum in Cleveland, Ohio, and founded the new Telz Yeshiva, teaching their students that “Torah in America will be built with simcha!” From that small group, blossomed a majesty of Torah. Over the next eighty years, another two branches of the yeshiva opened

Shortly after Rav Bloch founded the new yeshiva in Cleveland, he spoke to a gathering of former students of Telz of Europe, in the Broadway Hotel in New York, and told them his secret. “Nothing in life just simply happens,” he began. “If I was across the ocean when my family and beloved yeshiva was destroyed, it wasn’t

because I just happened to be there. Hashem sent me on a mission! A Jew is never lost, but rather, wherever he finds himself, he is there to fulfill the mission of Hashem. If I ended up in America after the war, safe and sound, it means that Hashem is calling me to plant the seeds of the living Torah on American soil!”    My grandfather, Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky, zt”l, explained, that, yes, the word “yikrah” means “happen.” But Yaakov Avinu is telling his children another message as well. “Yikra” with an aleph means “calling.” There will be times when we won’t know why certain events take place. Regardless of that, we must realize that these are not mere events. They are callings. One must know and internalize that everything that happens is a calling from Hashem. Yes, sometimes there is a difficult task at hand, and sometimes it may be a great challenge. But it’s not just a happening. It’s a calling. Realize that, and you will always be answering Hashem’s call.

Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky is the Director of Advancement at Yeshiva of South Shore – Yeshiva Toras Chaim Beis Binyamin. He is currently compiling the Torah thoughts from his grandfather, Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky, zt”l, into print, in Hebrew and English. If you have any stories or divrei Torah to share from his grandfather, or to subscribe to receive a weekly dvar Torah from Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky’s teachings, you can email him at skamenetzky@yoss.org.

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Think, Feel, Grow

The Balance Between Individuality and Community By Shmuel Reichman

here was an old man who would walk along the beach every morning before work. He was walking along the shore early one morning after a big storm had passed and found the beach littered with starfish. As he continued further down the shore, he suddenly noticed a small boy in the distance who was picking up shells from the shore and gently throwing them into the ocean. As he got closer, he realized that this boy was actually walking amongst the thousands of starfish that had been washed up during the storm. As he came across each starfish, he would gently pick it up and throw it back into the ocean. Amused, the man approached the child and asked, “Young boy, why are you doing this? Look at this beach. It’s littered with thousands of starfish; you can’t save all of them. What difference can you make?” The young boy looked down, momentarily crushed. But after a few seconds, he bent down again, picked up another starfish, and with all his might, hurled it into the ocean. He smiled up at the man and said, “I made a difference to that one!” The old man paused, intrigued,

and after a few moments he joined the boy in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and within a short time, all the starfish were saved. This story relates to a fundamental theme in Judaism.

Individuality vs. Uniqueness On the one hand, we all believe that we are unique and special. On the other hand, we sometimes struggle to experience our individuality, feeling almost lost in the crowd. If you’ve ever walked the streets of a crowded city, surrounded by thousands of people walking in different directions, you may have felt almost invisible. We live on a planet with over seven billion people; planet Earth itself is a speck in the universe. If our planet is so infinitesimally small relative to the universe, and within our planet, each of us is only one of more than seven billion people, how are we supposed to feel special and unique? Compounding this diﬃculty is the Torah’s emphasis on unity and community. Countless Torah themes and halachos are centered around the value of the community (tzibbur/klal) and how one must dedicate themselves to the greater good of the

Jewish People. If everyone is unique and individually important, how can we understand the concept of unity and the need to work towards becoming part of something bigger than ourselves? Must we sacrifice our uniqueness and individuality for the sake of the klal, for the greater good of the community? Many feel as though Judaism aims to remove one’s individual identity and sense of self, training us to be a uniform group of people, solely committed to Hashem and Klal Yisrael. What is the deeper Jewish approach to this struggle and conflict between individuality and community, between uniqueness and being part of a unified group?

Yaakov’s Brachos In Parshas Vayechi, Yaakov Avinu gives each of his sons a bracha before his death. One might expect Yaakov to leave his children with words of love, positivity, and encouragement. It is therefore quite surprising to see that many of Yaakov’s “brachos” appear to be exactly the opposite. His words for Shimon and Levi seem to qualify as outright rebuke. How are we to understand the meaning of this?

In order to grasp the meaning behind Yaakov’s brachos, as well as the relationship between individuality and community, let us study the concepts of order and structure, based on the ideas of Rav Eliyahu Dessler. Rav Eliyahu Dessler, a prominent 20th century Jewish thinker and author of Michtav M’Eliyahu, writes about three different levels of order: The first is order for the sake of order, which is a practical form of order, where pieces simply come together in an orderly, organized structure. The second is where the pieces within a structure are organized in such a way that it provides practical use and accessibility. The third is where the pieces within the structure come together in such a way that the ensuing result transcends the sum of the parts. Let us explore each form of order in further depth.

Order Itself The world we live in is exquisitely structured and ordered, down to the finest details. Anyone who has studied physics, biology, or chemistry has gotten a taste of the beauty and sophistication of our world’s order. Ev-

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ery human being has an inner order, which allows our bodies to maintain homeostasis. The order of our world has many important implications and applications as well.

Order for Practical Benefit The second level of order is where something is ordered in such a way that it yields practical benefits. For example, a library is organized in such a way that gives one access to a tremendous amount of information; the order facilitates this accessibility. Rav Elchanan Wasserman asked: Is it better to have 20,000 books or 20 books? While many are quick to say 20,000, the answer is not so simple. It actually depends – do you have an organizing index? If you have 20,000 unorganized books, they will be nearly useless. You won’t be able to find a single book you are looking for. With the 20 books, though, you will at least have access to each of them. However, if you have a system of organization for the 20,000 books, then, of course, it is better to have 20,000 books.

Individuality and Community This brings us back to our original question, wherein we find a conflict between our own individual sense of uniqueness and the fact that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. On the one hand, we each have a deep desire to be unique, to stand out. What is sometimes referred to as the “lone ranger” syndrome, we all have the desire to be the hero, the superstar, to have the spotlight shine solely on us as we unaidedly save the day. We have a sense of unique purpose, we know that we were created for a specific reason, we know that we have talents and gifts that no one else in the world possesses. We want to be

Do we prefer to be unique, to focus on our individuality and uniqueness, to stand out from the crowd? Or, do we prefer to be part of the crowd, to find ourselves sewn within the fabric of the klal, to hide within that which is infinitely greater than ourselves?

Our Unique Role The ideal is to synthesize both. Klal Yisrael is a nation shaped by the third level of order. Each of us is completely unique and intrinsic but only when we are connected to the rest of Klal Yisrael, living with a higher purpose. The ideal is to find your uniqueness within the klal, within that which is infinitely greater than

We are part of a plan, a grand cosmic story, which expands far beyond the borders of our own individual life.

The Highest Order The third form of order and structure is fundamentally different from the first two; in this level of order, pieces come together in such a way that they create something greater than the sum of their parts. It’s where the parts come together into a oneness, in a way that creates something which transcends the parts themselves. In neurobiology and physics, this would be referred to as “emergent phenomena”. Take a radio, for example. It is composed of numerous parts and components which, on their own, are practically worthless. However, when these same pieces are organized in exactly the right way, something emanates from them: a radio signal. This type of order is completely different from the first two forms of order. When a library is organized, you are still left with nothing more than the books on the shelves, and when the library is disorganized, each book still maintains its individual value. However, within this third level of order, each individual piece is worthless when all the pieces are not unified and transcendent when the pieces are organized properly and connected.

seen, heard, and understood. We wish to be important, accepted, and cared about. On the other hand, we simultaneously understand that this world is not only about “me.” We are part of something infinitely greater than ourselves. Looking at the night sky, we can’t help but feel ourselves shrink into nothingness, realizing just how small we truly are. We are part of a plan, a grand cosmic story, which expands far beyond the borders of our own individual life. And strangely enough, we actually enjoy experiences where we melt into the background of something infinitely bigger than ourselves. If you’ve ever been to a stirring kumzitz, with the lights off and the musical playing, you know how spectacular it feels to be nothing, to neither be heard or seen as an individual, nor to see or hear anyone else. All you hear is the collective echoing of hundreds of voices pouring out their souls; all you see is shadows and oneness. Which one of these desires is truly important, which one do we most strongly crave?

yourself. To find your talent, your passion, your gift, and then wholeheartedly devote that to Klal Yisrael, to the world. We need to ask ourselves: how can my uniqueness contribute to the Jewish People and the world as a whole? Then, we must turn the focus of our life towards actualizing our unique potential, towards becoming the person we were meant to become. We can now understand the meaning behind Yaakov’s brachos. If we analyze them closely, we begin to realize that Yaakov wasn’t simply blessing his children. He was showing each of them their unique purpose, their unique mission. Each of the brothers had their own unique talents, and their unique roles reflected these unique talents. In the case of Shimon and Levi, Yaakov was helping them see their character traits, their strengths and weaknesses. Only by fully understanding who they were, and their unique middos, would they be able to fulfil their unique role within Klal Yisael. When all the brothers come together as one, each filling their role,

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they melt together into a oneness, into Klal Yisrael. As we previously discussed, this is what the brothers expressed when they declared “Shema Yisrael” on Yaakov’s deathbed; they were declaring their oneness as a collective whole. Not only were they great as individuals, but they united into a cohesive and harmonious collective. Just like Hashem Echad, Hashem is One, so, too, we, Klal Yisrael, are one. As descendants of Yaakov and the Shevatim, Yaakov’s brachos must echo resoundingly in our ears; he was speaking to each and every one of us as well. We must determinedly search for our own uniqueness but then strive to fully devote that uniqueness to the klal, to that which transcends our limited selves. Our true greatness lies in finding our greatness within that which is greater than ourselves. We mustn’t think of ourselves as meaningless, or as an unimportant soul lost in the crowd. Each of us is unique, each of us important, but our true importance lies within the deep understanding of how we can fit into that which is greater than ourselves. The Mishna says that we must each consider as if the world was created for us. The deep explanation behind this is as follows: each of us plays a unique role in this cosmic symphony we call life. Just as every screw in the radio is fundamental, and a single missing screw renders the entire radio obsolete, so, too, each of us is fundamental, and without us, the story of our world would not be complete. Each of us is a letter in the ultimate Sefer Torah, a word in the story of life. We must write our own story, with the recognition that our story is part of a bigger story, his-tory, our story.

Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker, writer, and coach who has lectured internationally at shuls, conferences, and Jewish communities on topics of Jewish thought and Jewish medical ethics. He is the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy (ShmuelReichman.com), the transformative online course that is revolutionizing how we engage in self-development. You can find more inspirational lectures, videos, and articles from Shmuel on his website, ShmuelReichman.com.

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Israel Today

Survival Shot By Raﬁ Sackville The Baruch Auditorium in Karmiel, Northern Israel

Getting vaccinated

he parking lot on the eastern bank of Lake Montfort is visible from our kitchen window. It runs only yards away and parallel to highway 89. Starting at the go-kart track, it passes the sports center and an ice-skating rink before eventually

opening onto a large graveled lot. Nowadays, it comes to life on Fridays and Shabbat when, from our vantage point, the winter sun flashes on and off windshields as a caravanserai of cars snake their way along it. Drivers and their passengers are

lining up for COVID testing. Some of our friends have joined that line. We have never bothered, not even after news of a new strain of virus forced Israel to close its borders from England, Denmark, and South Africa. I should have been tested. I was awaiting an appropriate time to do so but always seemed to find an excuse not to. When Israel rolled out the COVID vaccine in late December, the notion of being tested appealed less to us, even if news reports suggested that the general population would only be vaccinated by March. And March was months away. While I was surfing my health fund’s website, I noticed that, as citizens over the age of 60, my wife and I were eligible for the vaccine’s first and second shots. This was on the Friday, a day before the prime minister was the first person to be vaccinated in the country. Within minutes, we had secured vaccination slots...for the following Monday! The shot was not to be administered in Ma’alot where we live, but 25 minutes away in Karmiel, the large regional town that divides upper and lower Galilee. On Friday, we were instructed to drive to the health clinic there at 8:00 a.m. By Sunday morning, we were informed that both the place and time had changed. The logistics of supplying the vaccine around the country to the four health funds would require military planning, and the army was involved.

A wise decision was made to centralize the distribution by opening vaccination centers in public places like theaters. In Karmiel, the Baruch Auditorium is being used for the first shot. The government has centralized the process so that citizens of all sick funds receive the vaccination at the same place. There are four funds: Clalit, Leumit, Maccabi and Meuhedet. Health Insurance coverage here is ranked as one of the best in the world. The system provides for all its citizens. Clalit insures over 50% of the population, followed by Maccabi at just under 30%, Meuhedet at 13%, and Leumit at 8%. Regardless of their size, each fund provides full and equal coverage. We are insured through Meuhedet. When we arrived at the Baruch Center, I was struck by quite un-Israeli like behavior. There was no yelling and fighting over places in lines. Then there was the wakeup call about my age. Having been a high school teacher for the last 35 years, I’ve been exposed to young people and their trends. It has made me feel forever young; it has made me believe I’m young. There, at the entrance to the theater waiting to be vaccinated, was a crowd all over the age of 60. I initially thought I was in the wrong place. My wife disabused me of that notion. “We’re in the right place,” she reminded me with a loving smile. “This is the way your students see you: as

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old as those here.” Ouch! Despite some initial internet problems, the schedule was only a few minutes late. You might think that being late is Israeli-like, but this was the first time a system for such a public health crisis had been implemented. When it got up and running, it ran well. Next, there were only a limited number of doses per health fund per any given session. We were slotted in the 1-3 p.m. This lessened the likelihood of pandemonium and the breaking down of social distancing rules. As I have mentioned, decorum was on display. People were courteous. There were no tickets or any other system in use, only employees from each health fund working with lists. They would identify people and invite them inside. There was no pushing or shoving. In other words, no expected Israeli behavior to be seen anywhere. The only difficulty we noticed was

with the line at Clalit; as the biggest sick fund, they also have the largest number of insured elderly. The line was crowded, and the organization confusing; they spent a lot of time numbering people. Inside, the coordination was fluid

I was later asked if I was suffering any side effects. No, I wasn’t. Did I still have to wear a mask? Yes, I did. Discussions among my students and acquaintances followed that would take the same inevitable path: there were those who said they’d get vac-

When we arrived at the Baruch Center, I was struck by quite un-Israeli like behavior.

and quick. Despite the fact that it was just a jab, I felt a feeling of relief once I left the nurses’ station. I felt a little bit safer. When we returned home, I opened Meuhedet’s website. There, already marked in bold, was the date and place for our second shot three weeks and one day later.

cinated, and those who said they wouldn’t. There are still many people who will refuse the vaccine. Among them are some with pre-existing medical issues. I maintain my equanimity and decline to react when I’m called irresponsible for having been vaccinated, that Bibi’s televised shot

was nothing more than vitamin C, that Covid-19 is nothing more than a hoax. Yes, even in Israel conspiracy theories abound. Here in Ma’alot, every mention of someone who has lost a life to COVID is rebuffed by these same conspiracy theorists who claim that even car accident fatalities are now being recorded as COVID deaths. Meanwhile, life in Israel carries on. Vaccinations aside, little has changed since the start of the pandemic. The country is masked up as we have been for almost a year. I have a bunch of students I still don’t recognize as I’ve never seen their faces. What else, you may ask? Arba: another election cycle. Shlosha: our third lockdown. Shtayim: the second vaccine shot. Echad: Hashem still reigns supreme.

Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.

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Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and just decided to write in about it.

All my friends have gotten married and moved on with their lives, and I feel like I’m the only one lagging behind. My friendships feel stifled the moment they walk down the chuppah. Suddenly, I feel like they’re in an exclusive club to which I’m locked out of and looking for the key, i.e., a husband to help me fit back into a world where I am zocheh to have friends again. It’s such a depressing cycle. I plan their bridal showers, arrange their gifts, act as the shomeret, and do everything I can to make sure their day is perfect. But that day always changes our relationship forever. I want to fit in with my married friends but I just can’t. I can’t sit there talking about dinners and linen, recipes and diapers. How can I fit into my old chevra if I’m not married yet? Is there a secret to keeping friends once they get married? Thanks, Chaya*

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

haya, your loss of your friends is painful. The ones who get married are suddenly immersed in things that are of no interest to you: the day-to-day management of a household, the pressures of thank you cards, the work-life balance of profession and family, and more. The intimacy you shared is not the same. Some subjects are private. And your friends have limited time for you, of course. However hurtful this may feel, you are searching for ways to maintain your relationship despite the fact that your live patterns are no longer similar. That’s smart. Your friends are still people whom you have shared time, values, experiences, aspirations, personal journeys, and a lot more. You are smart to value these relationships even though they have changed and seem to want to invest in keeping them. I admire your initiative in seeking input on the “hows.” The first is the recognition that things are different. The second is perhaps allowing time for a transition; newlyweds are absorbed in each other and their new domesticity. Many are also investing a lot of time in building their careers or professional education at the beginning of their marriages. So, give them time. And do invest in reaching out regularly; your friends may not have much time for a girls’ night out but they may make the time to go out for coffee after several invites. Those DMCs, shopping trips, entertainment outings, and just hanging out together are going to happen with much less frequency but you will do them from time to time. Most single people, male or female, develop a broader group of friends after members of their close original circle move away, marry, or

change. Getting to know a broader range of people can be fun and expand your dating opportunities, too. But more importantly, you will have single friends with whom to share your adventures in singlehood, vacations, classes, and shiurim. Broadening one’s circle also opens one up to new perspectives, ideas, and ways of doing things. It’s a good thing. Make new friends by taking a class together (art, literature, exercise, Torah, hobby, sport, etc.), or go on a weekend experience or a yom tov program in a hotel with another person or group even if they are not yet close friends. It’s a great way to experience a Shabbos or yom tov in a new environment where you are not “the single sister.” It also affords you the opportunity to see if you are sympatico without the pressure of investing time and energy. Another great way to make new friends is to volunteer for and/or join an organization with a mission – kiruv, people with disabilities, kids questioning their derech, etc. It is unhealthy to feel like an outsider looking in at the goodies in a shop window. Get a life and more friends like you, and you will be happier and more fulfilled. You will also grow. Going out of your uncomfortable zone and into another zone where at first you may feel uncomfortable will ultimately create more comfort zones for you.

rections, but eventually cross paths again. This is akin to human relationships and friendships throughout life. Stages of life come with challenges for everyone. Your married friends are navigating brand new territory and that itself is not easy for many. You feel as if you’ve been dropped when you’re merely just branches going in different directions. If you’d like to foster a spark, you be the light. Rather than viewing yourself as a nebach who has been left out of the married club, recognize that Hashem is taking care of you every step of the way. You are at the exact place in life where Hashem wants you to be. So, Chaya, the question is not how to hold onto old friends when they are no longer fitting into your life. The question is, how to move forward and create new bonds where you feel good. If you feel lonely, sad, or left out, the best thing to do is start volunteering. Volunteer positions tend to connect people with like-minded individuals (both married and unmarried) and can give you something positive to bond over. When you iy”H get married and feel more comfortable with old friends, you can pick things up where they left off, if you want to. Sometimes old friends are just what we needed at a certain point in time but after serving their purpose, the friendship expires, and it is maturity that helps us realize that is OK, too.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

f you think about it, our relationships are like trees. Your childhood friends are branches, but as time goes on, the branches branch out and new ones are formed. Some old ones break off, and new ones grow. There are branches that stand stagnant for a while, parallel to each other, growing in different di-

The Single Rena Friedman

haya, the position you’re in right now is extremely difficult and at times can be frustrating. You go above and beyond to do right by your friends with the hopes that they just won’t forget you once they

It is unhealthy to feel like an outsider looking in at the goodies in a shop window.

get married, and it seems to continuously backfire. I’m not sure if this helps, but you are not alone. My single friends and I have been trying to figure out this phenomena of married friends going MIA for quite some time now. After speaking with one of my rebbeim, I got the following clarity and eitzah. As life goes on, people have different responsibilities, therefore altering their priorities. It’s difficult to grasp the idea that your once-best friends will be giving their time and attention to someone else. It isn’t because they don’t want to be your friend or that they care about you less, rather it’s the fact that they have new responsibilities, which one day iy”H you will have and understand as well. As this occurs, there are natural dynamic shifts that will take place. For myself, the first step to handling this entire process was realizing and accepting the shift. It’s natural and healthy and will happen with each friend as she, or yourself, gets married. Once you acknowledge the shift, it’s important to speak to your friends and discuss what each of you need in the relationship. The friend you may have spoken to on the phone for two hours a day may not have that time anymore. As difficult of a pill as it is to swallow, accepting that and being able to adjust your schedules given the new parameters will help your friendship in the long run. Always keep in mind that your

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friend is not avoiding you or locking you out of an exclusive club; it’s simply the new reality of life. To address your question about the secret to keeping friends once they get married, I think it’s the same secret that applies in all areas of life – open and honest communication. As I have already mentioned, discussing what you need in a relationship with your friends is the “key” you are looking for. Yes, it may be slightly awkward at first, but trust me, without those conversations, there is a tremendous amount of tension built up for simply no reason. I don’t know your friends, but I cannot imagine they are intentionally hurting your feelings. You may be surprised to hear, but it isn’t always as easy for your married friends to talk to their single friends about their lives as you may think. If they are sweet and genuine people with your best interest in mind, they are aware of the fact that you are single and are trying to include you as much as possible, but they themselves may not know where to draw the line. Yes, I believe it’s vital to be sensitive to those

around you, especially when dealing with shidduchim. I also understand how exciting it must be for your friends who have already begun this next stage in life. Finding a comfortable balance between hearing all about your friends’ dinners and linen and not hearing about anything at all is one that you and your friends each need to find for yourselves and then convey to one another.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

our predicament is, unfortunately, a sad reality of life. Friendships among single women change dramatically when one woman moves on to the next, married, stage of life. This is far different than other types of friendships that can survive change, such as: *Geographic dislocation (my wife and I are in constant touch with good friends who moved to Israel 30 years ago)

*Economic disparities (we have great friends who are very affluent, and great friends who are very needy) *Racial or religious differences (these friendships endure, especially with fellow professionals or neighbors, even though kashrut regulations are obstacles) *Political disagreements (fiery liberals and staunch conservatives learn to avoid bloodshed) Why is marital status different? First, it is exactly as you describe. It is hard for a single like yourself to relate to discussions about dinners, linens, recipes, and diapers. You and your married friends are involved in very different life circumstances. Second, don’t be insulted by this thought, but you are viewed as a threat! The husband might worry that his new wife will regret marrying him when she sees how carefree and unencumbered you seem to be as a single woman. The wife might worry that you might seem much more fresh, stylish, and attractive because you are not yet burdened by household-type responsibilities. What should you do? Unt i l you

Pulling It All Together

be part of this “club” and that The Navidaters it hurts to not Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists have that...yet. I can understand how and why you feel like you are not a part of this “exclusive e a r club” when there is ware and new Chaya, so much pressure in the furniture and who blows What you speak of is real. It community to get married by a their sheitels. These are happens all the time. It’s more ofcertain age. It can leave single now things that they have in ten than not the reality that when people feeling “left out” and like common. Understandably, you friends get married, they enter a they are waiting to start living – as can be left feeling…left out. And new stage of life. During this stage, if life somehow begins and is defined that is very, very difficult for you the couple is focused on getting to by marriage. Marriage is beautiful and all the women who have walked know one another while trying to and a most worthy goal. But it can in your shoes (and there have been establish a new life for themselves become somewhat dangerous when many!). with other married couples in the it hasn’t happened (yet) and one We can acknowledge how much community. On the surface, this begins to feel unworthy of being alyou would like to get married and can look like talk of linen and flat-

The secret to keeping friends is...being yourself.

find your own bashert, embrace your current life circumstances. Find friends who are in the same stage of life. Enjoy the freedom and financial independence that being an older single can provide. Enjoy traveling with single friends to exotic locations. Splurge on those impractical (but fantastic) shoes that your married friends can’t afford. Enjoy your circumstances, because laundry, linen, dishes, and diapers aren’t as glorious as you think! B’ezrat Hashem, when you do marry, you might find that you are comfortable resuming some of your older friendships or you might find other newlyweds that you can relate to. And, when that happens, please remember to be kind to your former friends who are still single.

lowed into the exclusive club. It just rubs me the wrong way. My practical advice is to get together with your married girlfriends, one on one. More sensitive young women in groups are highly capable of not talking about their marriages 24/7 around their single girlfriends. Less sensitive or emotionally aware people have more difficulty. Try to solidify your relationships one on one. It’s more intimate. Obviously, your friend will talk about herself and her marriage; her new life is part of the package. We can’t expect her not to share nor do we want to shut our friends down. Without the “groupthink” mentality, I believe you have more of a chance to deepen your individual relationships.

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If you decide to hang out with them in a group, please set your expectations. If it’s simply too much for you, you can limit your group hangouts to whatever you can handle. In life, we can have friends at different stages. Sometimes we have a very rich friend. Sometimes we have a friend who is struggling financially. We have friends from all different walks of life. We have friends whose lives we would give anything to have (or so we think), and we have friends who have it very hard. If two friends are sensitive to each other’s realities, a beautiful relationship can blossom. But if we want to be friends with someone at a different stage of life, we have to

be able to stretch out of our comfort zone and put up with some information that makes us uncomfortable. It’s also very important to have friends at the same stage of life as we are. This is where we get our deepest support and feel our most “normal.” Married people need married friends. Divorced people need divorced friends. Single people need single friends. This isn’t to say that we all can’t be friends. We certainly can! But it is to say that no one can understand what you are going through like someone who is in your shoes. This goes for every issue and situation in life. I know it’s very challenging during Corona to find like-minded people in similar situations for friendship and

support. I am wondering if there are any groups of young women who do things together regularly. Or if you have single friends that you can hang out with and get your support from the people who just “get it.” The secret to keeping friends is... being yourself. That’s the whole secret. The ones who are meant to be in your life right now, will be. I don’t want you jumping through hoops. If hearing about diapers and linen in a group setting is compromising your sanity and mental health, get out of dodge! Try the one-on-one thing I suggested more regularly, and dabble in the world of group outings (maybe now taking place on Zoom). G-d willing, your time will come in the right time. This is a painful

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yet temporary problem. Please believe that. It is temporary. I want you to visualize good things (iy”H) happening for you. It can be so hard to stay positive during the dating parsha. Sooooo hard! It takes Herculean strength. Fill up your life with people and places and things that truly fill you up and satisfy you. Create your absolute best life and love yourself silly! G-d willing, your time will come! And you, one day, G-d willing, will be the sensitive kallah who makes sure her single friends feel comfortable and welcome. Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 516-224-7779, ext. 2. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

or many, 2020 was filled with a lot of stress and anxiety. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives, and many are still suffering from the effects of the coronavirus. As we take a

look back, we endeavor to walk you down memory lane and give you a glimpse of the year that was. But, after much thought, we decided not to focus on the hardship that we endured. Instead, we tried to give you a brief overview, TJH-style, of what took place the past 12 months and bring a smile or two to your face as you remember that there were some interesting, exhilarating, momentous, and even confusing events that made up the year 2020.

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Came & Went 2020 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dr. Anthony Fauci

X AE A-12

aise your hand if you heard of Dr. Anthony Fauci before March of 2020, and we’ll give you an extra spray of hand sanitizer. Few knew of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director a year ago but he shot into fame over the past few months with his press conferences, observations, guidelines, and edicts about the coronavirus pandemic, and, of course, his prowess at pitching. Last week, on Fauci’s 80th birthday, Time magazine named Fauci, as well as the world’s frontline health workers, as its Guardians of the Year for 2020. What’s more, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared last Thursday “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day,” recognizing the octogenarian for “sacriﬁcing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe.”

Zoom

Cardboard Cutouts

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ocked in our homes and quarantined for what seemed like forever, a new trend emerged. Instead of phone calls that had become passe, a new-fangled way of communication took over our lives. At ﬁrst Zoom calls and video conferences seemed cute – isn’t it fun to see all your cousins on one screen?! But then, as reality set in and students and employees had to grapple with Zoom classes and meetings, we became more Zoomed out. Now? Well, at least there’s no need to put pants on while conferencing with the judge before trial. No one has beneﬁted more from our stay-at-home work and school guidelines than Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. Revenue at the company quadrupled this year, and its stock is easily one of the top stocks of the year. Yuan is now one of the world’s richest people – his Zoom shares are worth almost $17 billion.

hat, my friend, is not a typo. That is the name of Elon Musk’s baby boy, born in May of this year. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO announced the birth of the baby boy in a post on Twitter, revealing his son was called “X Æ A-12 Musk.” What was the thought (if there was any) behind the baby’s strange moniker? According to the baby’s mother, a Canadian singer, “X” stands for “the unknown variable.” Meanwhile, “Æ” is the Elven spelling of AI, which is shorthand for artiﬁcial intelligence and the word for “love” in several languages, including Japanese. “A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent,” she added. The “A” in the name also represents “Archangel,” which she described as her favorite song. Oh, and how do you pronounce the gibberish? According to the mother, “It’s just X, like the letter X. Then A.I. Like how you said the letter A then I.” And then, to make it interesting, Musk changed the baby’s name to X Æ A-Xii. Because, you know, that’s much more normal.

uestion: What’s a sports game without screaming, beer-soaked fans on the sidelines? Answer: A sports game with cardboard cutouts silently cheering on the players. Unable to attend games in person, avid fans have been paying to have their photos printed and mounted onto seats at baseball games and soccer matches. The idea of cardboard fans silently cheering on sports players came to fruition in March, when Ingo Muller of Germany complained to his wife that he couldn’t attend his favorite soccer team’s matches. “Just take a photo and send it there,” she told him. Muller sprang into action. He contacted a local printer and team and printed out photos of avid fans for a sweet sum of $21. He anticipated around 1,000 purchases; more than 21,000 people so far have purchased a cutout. Muller’s idea went international. Shaquille O’Neal’s cardboard face even turned up for a soccer match in England. For now, it’s a great way for teams to earn some revenue and for fans to show their support – although there’s nothing like standing in the bleachers, holding two hot dogs and a cola, and screaming at your favorite players.

Absentee Ballots

bsentee voting used to be reserved for dedicated citizens who were overseas or knew that they couldn’t make it to the ballot box on Election Day. But 2020 saw an inﬂux of Americans who decided to mail in their votes for president. According to The New York Times, more than 159 million ballots were cast in the 2020 presidential election. A whopping 73 million of those votes were absentee ballots – 46% of Americans chose to vote absentee or mail in their vote in this year’s election. Controversy swirled (or shall we say “is still swirling”?) about the legitimacy of the said inﬂux of absentee and mail-in ballots. Regardless of any theories as to what exactly went on during election season this year, it was obvious that coronavirus and other factors drove people to cast their votes in the most-participated-in election in all of U.S. history.

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Asian Giant Murder Hornets

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Gastrodia Agnicellus

orget bumblebees and their stings. 2020 brought us murder hornets. The Asian Giant hornets have a 1/4-inch stinger which injects a large amount of potent venom in its prey. Although the murder hornet is native to Asia and parts of the Russian Far East, entomologists discovered two of the species in Washington State on October 22. Two days later, entomologists managed to eradicate the ﬁrst-ever known nest in the U.S. – vacuuming out 85 surviving hornets. Scientists hope to study the surviving insects, who are known to kill oﬀ an entire honeybee hive in a few hours. Not to scare you, but multiple stings from these hornets can even kill a human. So 2020.

ne of the world’s “ugliest” flowers turned up in 2020. The Gastrodia agnicellus is one of 156 plants and fungal species that had been named this year. The flower has been called “the ugliest orchid in the world.” It depends on fungi for nutrition and has no leaves. Although the flower has been assessed as a threatened species, it has some protection because it is located in a national park. Along with the orchid, other new species for 2020 included a webcap toadstool mushroom and a strange shrub found in southern Namibia.

Qasem Soleimani

resident Trump was swift in his reaction after Tehran attacked U.S. bases in Iraq, in which an American contractor and Iraqi personnel were killed. On January 3, 2020, Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, was killed by a U.S. airstrike. Soleimani led the terrorist organization since 1998 and was the mastermind behind Iran’s military operations in Iraq and Syria, supplying Iraqi insurgents with specially made bombs that could penetrate armor, a deadly weapon against American forces. It wasn’t just the Middle East that felt Soleimani’s malevolence. He was involved in a notorious plot on American soil in which operatives attempted to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States at Washington’s upscale Cafe Milano.

Megxit

Alex Trebek

hen Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, decided to “step back” as “senior members” of the British royal family, the media dubbed their audacious decision Megxit, a play on words of the Brexit from the EU. Although Harry and Meghan thought that England’s “loss” would be America’s gain, hardly anyone blinked an eye when they ultimately settled in Hollywood. Their splash was a mere ripple in a city teeming with actors and actresses who could care less about a prince from across the Pond and his B-list actress wife.

SpaceX

our lucky astronauts soared into space on November 15 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The capsule docked at the International Space Station the next day. Three NASA astronauts were joined with an astronaut from Japan’s space agency. They spent 27 hours in orbit before hitting their destination on the ISS. The liftoﬀ made headlines as the ﬁrst fully operational crewed mission for SpaceX.

lex Trebek was the dinnertime guest in millions of households in the U.S. for ﬁve decades, sharing interesting tidbits and asking thought-provoking questions – or giving thought-provoking answers. The genial host of Jeopardy! passed away this year at the age of 80 after bravely ﬁghting pancreatic cancer. He had hosted Jeopardy! for over 37 seasons, starring in more than 8,200 episodes, the most by a presenter of any single TV game show. Interestingly, Trebek didn’t start out wanting to be a TV darling. He studied philosophy before becoming a journalist and working as a reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Asked in 2014 about his long-running position as host of Jeopardy! Trebek said, “I’m just enjoying what I’m doing. I’m happy to have a job. I like the show, I like the contestants, and it pays well.”

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Redskins & Indians

2020 Olympics

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oodbye, Washington Redskins. Hello, Washington Football Team. In July, Washington’s NFL team decided to abandon its name after Native American and Black Lives Matter groups argued that the name was considered racist. Everything related to the previous name was removed, although the burgundy and gold team colors were OKed to use henceforth. Months later, in early December, the Cleveland Indians baseball team followed suit, deciding to change its name. In contrast to the Redskins, the Indians will continue to be known as the Indians – the name it carried since 1915 – until a new name is chosen. “The process of moving away from Indians is not going to be easy,” team owner Paul Dolan admitted. “We understand it’s going to be diﬃcult for a lot of people to make that adjustment. But I hope, over time, we embrace the process of reimagining our name.”

okyo in July of this year should have been teeming with people. Instead, it was quiet in Japan, as the 2020 Olympics were cancelled – er, postponed – until 2021. According to International Olympics Committee president Thomas Bach, the venues for next year’s Games are all set. “Athletes from all around the world will live together under one roof in the Olympic Village, sharing meals together, celebrating together, discussing together and forming these unique Olympic communities,” he said of next year’s scheduled Games. Tokyo lost out on millions of visitors this year with the loss of the Olympics. It was expected that 10 million people would show up in Tokyo to watch the celebrated competition. Now, they hope those visitors will be gung-ho about watching the Games next year in July.

Kamala Harris

t was a year ago when we thought we saw the end of Kamala Harris. On December 3, 2019, Sen. Kamala Harris ceremoniously ended her bid for the Oval Office. “To you my supporters, my dear supporters, it is with deep regret – but also with deep gratitude – that I am suspending our campaign today,” she said in a video to supporters. Harris had struggled for months to see an uptick in the polls. Ultimately, lack of support and money forced her to concede that America didn’t want to see her as commander-in-chief. “But I want to be clear with you: I am still very much in this fight,” Harris continued. “And I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the people. All the people.” But 2020 saw Harris with a different trajectory. In August, Joe Biden chose Harris to run alongside him in his bid for the presidency. Now, Harris is set to become the U.S.’s first female as second-in-command.

Polish Invasion

Pete Buttigieg

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ccording to Poland, it was a “misunderstanding” that led it to accidentally invade the Czech Republic in May near the town of Pielgrzymow. Polish soldiers mistakenly crossed the border and set up in the Czech Republic, turning away Czech citizens when they rightfully attempted to enter a church in the Czech Republic. After the Czech citizens complained, the Polish government swiftly assured the Czech embassy that it was a mistake and asserted that there was “no hostile intention” in the soldiers’ occupation of the Czech town.

ust when we got used to pronouncing his name – never mind spelling it – his candidacy dissipated in the wind. Now, though, Mayor Pete is back. Pete Buttigieg seemed to be the darling of the Democrats in the crowded arena of the Democratic primaries earlier this year, winning the Iowa caucuses. But then, right before Super Tuesday, the 38-year-old mayor from South Bend, Indiana, dropped out and endorsed Biden for president. His endorsement went a long way – in getting him another position. Now, Buttigieg is Biden’s nominee for Transportation Secretary – and would be the youngest member of the cabinet, if he is conﬁrmed.

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Alexei Navalny

RBG to ACB

t was the Novichok nerve agent applied to the inside his underwear that poisoned Russian opposition leader and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in August of this year. Navalny began to feel unwell on a return flight to Moscow from Tomsk, a Siberian city. Thankfully, his plane made an emergency landing, and medical teams managed to whisk him to the hospital in Germany, where they saved his life. Initially, Navalny thought that poison had been slipped into his tea. A recent debriefing surreptitiously given by Navalny to one of the Russian agents revealed that the poison was applied to the inside of his underwear. Once he began to sweat, the poison was activated. This week, the Russian prison service gave Navalny an ultimatum: to fly back to Moscow by Tuesday of this week or be jailed if he returns after the tight deadline. Russia has denied any evidence that Navalny was poisoned; the Russian prison service is accusing Navalny of violating terms of a suspended prison sentence he is still serving over trumped up theft charges from 2014.

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hey called her the Notorious RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the darling of the left and an icon for women across the United States. The Supreme Court Justice was appointed in 1993 to the bench by President Bill Clinton and kept her position, wearing a multitude of starched collars, until this year, when she passed away at the age of 87. Ginsburg held on tightly to the position, hoping to leave an opening on the bench for a Democrat president. But it was not meant to be. She died less than seven weeks before Election Day, and President Trump wasted no time nominating a replacement for Ginsburg. Amy Coney Barrett was sworn into SCOTUS a mere 38 days after Ginsburg’s passing, cementing the Court’s conservative majority. Barrett, 48, a former federal appeals court judge and law school professor, has been keeping a low proﬁle on the court so far, although she has been siding with fellow conservatives in key decisions.

Impeachment

e’re still trying to get the full picture of why President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives less than a year ago. Most of the U.S. was able to ascertain that it had something to do with Ukraine and that the Democrats were scratching at straws to get the President on the stand. Although Schiﬀ and Nadler steadily plowed ahead, it was clear that, in the President’s words, it was all a “nothing burger,” a burger full of nothing or just a bunch of hot air. And so, in early February, the Senate voted – mostly along party lines – to acquit the President of all wrongdoing. And Americans across the nation wondered what in the world the Democrats were thinking when they dragged them through this ridiculous charade.

CHOP & CHAZ

Fly Guy

hen protesters started to march across the country earlier this year, some demonstrators in Seattle refused to go home. The group erected a zone, originally self-declared the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest (CHOP) zone, in Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill as a place free from police “occupation.” The crowd threw rocks and bottles at police officers, shining lasers into officers’ eyes. Officers responded with flashbangs and pepper spray. The community of chaos took over six city blocks. Without official organization or leadership, the zone quickly descended into a place of anarchy, with looters roaming the streets at night. At least four shootings erupted, and at least one teen was killed by occupiers. Just a few weeks later, though, on July 1, the zone was cleared of occupants by police.

fly took centerstage when Vice President Mike Pence and Kamala Harris duked it out at the vice presidential debate on October 7. The black fly landed on Pence’s white hair and stayed there for two minutes during a serious moment, taking much attention away from the gist of the debate and refusing to buzz off. Pence didn’t move while the fly took up residence on his head. He passed the stoic test with flying colors.

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Around the Globe 2020 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> Iran On January 5, Iran announced that it would no longer limit itself to restrictions contained in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, essentially telling the world that it is going back to pursuing nuclear goals.

>> China On January 7, Chinese authorities confirmed that they identified a fatal virus that killed Chinese citizens as a novel coronavirus. On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. On March 11, it declared it a pandemic.

>> Ukraine Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 bound for Kiev, Ukraine, crashed after takeoff from Tehran, Iran, on January 8, killing all 176 people onboard. On January 11, it was confirmed that Iran shot down the airliner.

>> Lebanon >> United Kingdom The UK became the first country to leave the European Union when it officially left the EU on January 31. It took three-and-a-half years and three prime ministers to get the job done. On a lighter note, England faced another exit of some sort when Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, decided to leave the UK and their roles in the royal family for Hollywood.

At least 204 people were killed and more than 6,400 were injured when a warehouse housing explosive material blew up in the port in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 4. It is said that Hezbollah had been housing the ammonium nitrate for nefarious reasons.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> Africa Residents of Africa can now breathe a sigh of relief. In August, the continent was declared free from wild type polio after a decades-long campaign to stamp out the virus, which had, at one time, paralyzed more than 75,000 children in Africa annually.

>> Belarus After President Aleksandr Lukashenko was declared the winner in this year’s elections in Belarus – long described as Europe’s last dictatorship – protesters took to the streets almost daily for several weeks after the August 9 vote. Still, Lukashenko remains in power. His challenger, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, fled to Lithuania and is still popular with supporters.

>> United States

>> Antarctica >> Israel Never had the State of Israel been so busy making agreements with its neighbors than this year. With the Abraham Accords, the Jewish State shook hands with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. But that was just the beginning. Since August, the U.S. has helped to broker normalization agreements with Israel and Sudan and with Morocco, with more countries hopefully on the horizon.

By mid-December, it was revealed that coronavirus had hit Antarctica, the last continent on Earth to have been spared the pandemic, when Chile’s armed forces confirmed that its staff had been infected at its base on the tip of the frozen peninsula.

“Black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe” were chants that rocked the nation after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, on February 25, and George Floyd on May 25 while in police custody. Thousands of people took to the streets. In many cities, rioters and looters smashed store windows and looted stores. Subsequently, masses pulled down statues that they said were connected to racism including those of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Ulysses S. Grant.

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By the Numbers 2020 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

158 Million

Yes, you read that right. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, world’s wealthiest person, purchased a 9.4-acre estate in Beverly Hills from David Geffen this year for the eye-watering price of $165 million. Even more eye-watering is the fact that Geffen bought what is known as the Jack Warner Estate in 1990 for $47.5 million.

3.3 Million Passengers

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It was a mere 33 days between the nomination of Justice Amy Coney Barrett and her confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court on October 26. She is the third Supreme Court justice to have been nominated by President Trump. Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh were sworn into SCOTUS during the Trump administration as well.

$84.6 Million

$1.845 Million

33 Days

Expected to take in $65 million to $80 million in an online auction by Sotheby’s, Francis Bacon’s Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus commanded a price of $84.6 million by the time the hammer fell, making it the most expensive piece of art sold this year. We can’t, for the life of us, tell you why someone would pay that price for these three painting, but then again, it’s, you know, art.

  

Harshit Bansal earned a Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a ring when he designed “The Marigold: The Ring of Prosperity” with 12,638 diamonds. The finger adornment weighs 5.8 ounces and has eight layers. According to Bansal, “It’s wearable and comfortable.”

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That’s the number of votes counted in the November U.S. presidential election this year, according to state reporting. Four years ago, in 2016, 137 million Americans voted in the presidential election.

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12,638 Diamonds

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Votes

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Instead of playing in front of a live audience, musicians from UceLi Quartet, a string quartet, performed “Crisantemi” by Puccini for an audience made up of 2,292 plants on June 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. The plants were later delivered to 2,292 healthcare professionals.

$165 Million

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2,292 Plants

This dismal number is the lowest number of passengers whose flights landed or departed in the United States in April since at least 1990. Airlines reported a loss of $14.9 billion between January and June of this year.

A LeBron James trading card is now the most expensive basketball trading card to be sold at auction. The bidding skyrocketed to a whopping $1.845 million in the July auction this year. Only 23 versions of the card exist. It’s fitting for King James to have a card that tops all others.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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Winners & Losers of 2020 >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Winners nk a l P r u o H 8 196 Math Questions

NADUB Gill is only 10 years old, but he’s better at math than most adults. The Pakistani boy was able to solve 196 math questions in just one minute this year. He said he was “very thrilled and excited” upon earning the Guinness World Record for his achievement.

$110.3B Gain

ELON Musk must be smiling. In 2020, he had the biggest one-year gain of any billionaire since Forbes started tracking wealth. Musk started out the year with a net worth of $26.6 billion – not too shabby. But the past twelve months saw him aggregate his wealth. The Tesla CEO and SpaceX enthusiast is now worth an eye-popping $136.9 billion. With SpaceX launching a manned orbital mission this year and with permission to shuttle astronauts from NASA to the International Space Station, we’re thinking that the sky’s the limit when it comes to Musk’s wealth.

DO not stand next to George Hood at the gym. The retired police officer and current personal trainer managed to break the world record this year for the longest plank. The 62-year-old held a plank for a whopping eight hours. He admitted, “There are times you get selfdoubt. You get bored. You wonder if it’s worth anything.” It better be worth something, George, if you’re spending eight hours doing it.

$67.5 Billion+

WHERE would 2020 be without Jeff Bezos? Millions of people around the globe survived lockdowns and quarantine because of the Amazon boxes that faithfully showed up at their door. This year was really good for the founder of Amazon. Bezos’s net worth skyrocketed by an extra $67.5 billion (that’s billion with a B) from just March to June this year. In fact, in August, Bezos became the first person in history to have a net worth above $200 billion. Oh, and if 2020 was brought to you by Amazon, it was also brought to you by Zoom. Eric Yuan, the founder of the video-conferencing platform (can you unmute me? I can’t hear you), grew his nest egg by over $2.5 billion.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

7B Views

nd Undergrou Concert

YOU’RE not crazy if you think that the “Baby Shark Dance” is coming out of your ears. This year, the catchy children’s rhyme, created by Pinkfong (Republic of Korea), was the most viewed music video on YouTube and the most viewed video on YouTube overall. It is now the number one viewed video in YouTube history. Yup, that’s not saying much about our generation. The video was originally uploaded on June 17, 2016. Between then and November 2, 2020, the dance was viewed a whopping 7,042,967,886 times. Hope Segoine, a Korean-American singer, sings the catchy Baby Shark tune. From where did the song originate? It’s possible that it came about in summer camp in the 1970s. Regardless of when and where it originated, the song has been eliciting strong reactions. It also has over 22 million likes and 10 million dislikes, making it both one of the most liked and disliked videos ever on YouTube. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Best in Show

THIS is the epitome of a rock concert. The Shaft Bottom Boys, a band of four musicians, performed the world’s deepest underground concert this year when they rocked deep in the Vale’s Creighton Mine in Ontario. The mine is 6,213 feet below sea level, making the performance the deepest concert underground, according to Guinness World Records. Rock on!

Word of the Year

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Oodles of Udon

I like to celebrate my birthday with balloons and a cake. Jeremy Liang dares to be different. The teacher, who lives in Japan, ate more udon noodles in three minutes than anyone in history to celebrate turning the big 4-0. His record-breaking bowl had 39 ounces of noodles, which is equivalent to about 10 normal bowls of udon noodles. Ooh!

WE wish that this wasn’t so, but this year, the Word of the Year brought to you by Merriam-Webster’s was, quite anticlimactically, “pandemic.” According to the online dictionary, the first spike in lookups for “pandemic” took place on February 3 – when it was searched 1,621% more than it was searched the year before. By early March, the word was being looked up an average of 4,000% over 2019 levels. When the WHO officially declared the coronavirus a pandemic, there was an increase of 115,806% lookups over that same day in 2019. “Pandemic” is Greek in origin. Pan means “all” or “every”; demos refers to “people.”

EVEN though there were no spectators cheering her on, Claire the Scottish Deerhound was named the best in show at this year’s National Dog Show. She battled it out against six other pups to nab the title. Following the win, her handler said that “Claire’s day is every day, to be quite honest. She is as wonderful on the inside as she is on the outside.” Woof, woof.

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Losers

ity New York C

Retail

2020 was a brutal year for restaurants and stores. According to Coresight Research, as many as 8,400 American retailers closed this year. In terms of restaurants, around 17% of restaurants in the U.S. permanently closed – a devastating 110,000 eateries that have closed for good. Along with the closures of retail stores and restaurants came a wave of bankruptcies from companies that we had grown to take for granted in malls across America. Pier 1 Imports called it quits in February; Modell’s shuttered in March; and J.Crew Group went bankrupt in May, although it exited bankruptcy in September and named a new CEO in November of this year. Neiman Marcus also was hit hard, and JCPenney closed a third of its stores this year. Lord & Taylor called it quits after nearly 200 years in business, and New York’s beloved Century 21 said sayonara to all its 13 locations after six decades in the Big Apple.

USPS

WHAT was once the most coveted real estate and business center in the world saw a dismal decline this year. Aside from the horrific number of tragedies the Big Apple saw in 2020 due to corona, scores of protests turned the city into a third-world country. Rioters and protesters smashed storefronts and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise. Furthermore, Mayor Bill de Blasio brought hundreds of homeless into hotels in swanky areas, ostensibly to keep them safe and healthy while forcing NYC residents to flee either out of state or to the shores of Long Island. Lawlessness and crime skyrocketed in 2020 on the streets of New York. And companies began offering their employees a work-at-home option. What, then, was keeping NYC residents in the Big Apple? Not much. According to the United States Postal Service, around 300,000 residents have fled New York within the last eight months – and that translates into more than that number, as the USPS doesn’t consider all members of a household in its numbers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more residents escaped from New York over the least year than from any other state. Depressing, for sure. But don’t count New York out just yet. As “The Boxer” famously says, “I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains.”

per p i R e h t y c Nan IT was the rip heard around the world. After President Trump gave his State of the Union address on February 4, 2020, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stood up and ceremoniously ripped a copy of the President’s speech in half. Although Pelosi stayed throughout the speech – other Democrats walked out in protest – she made her disdain for Trump clear with her tantrum-y act that would get most 3-year-olds sent to their rooms. Of course, if Pelosi was sent out of the room for her actions, she would take her $12 tubs of ice cream with her – because that’s her way of getting through tough times. The Speaker did not apologize for tearing up Trump’s speech – which she called a “manifesto of mistruths.”

THE United States Postal Service has a really bad rap as it struggles to deliver mounds of circulars, political ads, bills, and overdue notices to millions of Americans through the snow, rain, heat, and gloom of night. Although it had been going through a tough time for tens of years, the USPS was thrown into the spotlight this year when citizens doubted that their mail-in ballots would get into counting centers on time – or even get there at all. On November 4 – and even days after Election Day –the USPS asserted that it came through for Americans and democracy in a big way. There are, certainly, critics who doubt that the USPS delivered the mail and delivered it on time. Still, the agency is in peril. Its 644,000-person workforce delivers and sorts the mail mainly by hand, hardly an efficient system. In November, the USPS reported that it suffered a net loss of $9.2 billion in fiscal year 2020 – up $363 million in losses from 2019 due to a decline in mail due to the pandemic. The $10 billion loan it received from Congress this year is a mere Band-Aid on the struggling agency, as Americans turn more to email and texts and less and less to handwritten notes of appreciation.

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Dr. Deb

Parts in Relationships Part II By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

ast week, I introduced you to a made-up couple that could be anybody. I have seen similar examples over and over again. Let’s change their names for fun and reverse the story. In last week’s story, the husband was about to become angry and critical of his wife for wanting to go on an expensive vacation. Except she didn’t. He was jumping to a conclusion based on the fact that she merely said she wanted a change of pace. She had had a fabulous store on Central Avenue that was closed down due to COVID and she could not keep it going. Not only didn’t she have the income anymore but the store became a drain on their finances. We will call her Marcie. Her husband grew up in a family that fought over money. His mother would spend almost uncontrollably so, although his father made a good living, he would be shocked time and again to find his bank account drained. And his father would react badly. Very badly. His mother did not get help for her spending problem, and his father did not get help for his anxiety and anger. The little boy hearing all this was sure his parents would get divorced. He loved them both and was terribly frightened. Since his parents only fought over money, that became his Achilles heel. Anything to do with spending frightened him. Actually, as you now know from my series of articles on parts, it wasn’t really himself that was frightened but that little boy in him who stayed with him all these years to jump up and “protect” him whenever the topic of money came up. Let’s call this husband Nachy.

In last week’s version, Nachy consulted inside himself and realized it was just his little-boy anxious part that jumped up to rescue him from the horror of overspending. He wanted to respond to Marcie’s statement from a place of Self rather than being ruled by the child within him. So he asked her what she meant by “wanting a vacation.” This week, we will switch the roles around. Let’s assume that Nachy has not learned to consult within. He explodes at Marcie and the kids from time to time – usually when it’s about money. Marcie, however, has learned to look inside when her reactions seem to be that of a child. She has learned to re-establish her-Self as the leader of her parts; she doesn’t want to be run by reactive children. Often, I’ve found that in couples, one person’s trigger comes from one of the other person’s child parts. For Nachy, the trigger was spending and anything Marcie might say that implied spending would set him oﬀ.

For Marcie, the trigger was yelling. She got yelled at often by a mother who was upset for her own reasons and took it out on the children. The yelling was frightening and invalidating. She never got to say her say. She never felt understood but rather totally and unfairly, misunderstood. Although her father didn’t yell, he didn’t intervene, either. She felt unsafe and unprotected growing up. Her childish response made perfect sense at the time: she would dash oﬀ to her room and shut the door to drown out everything. As a teenager, that escape mechanism became harder and harder because her mom wouldn’t let her leave, contending that it was “disrespectful.” (So many times parents are overly concerned about their respect without recognition that their child also was created with the breath of Hashem and therefore deserves respect, too.) Marcie’s teenage child then learned a super-clever trick for nullifying the pain: She simply tuned

out. (How many of you learned that one? Lots of you, for sure.) Marcie’s mother could rant all she wanted, and Marcie quite literally did not hear it. What a wonderful game plan her teenage part invented! Of course, this didn’t fare well with Nachy. When he became loud, unreasonable, anxious, and angry, her tuning out only fanned the ﬂames. He could see she wasn’t “there” so he did – what? – he got louder, of course! That is exactly how so many, many of us operate. And it is not at all helpful. At that point, Marcie wanted to change then entire scenario. She took the time to learn how to go inside and separate from her parts. She chose to be in Self energy in order to handle things like an adult. That day, after Marcie said she needed a vacation, Nachy didn’t “waste” a second; he exploded right away instead of quieting himself a moment to go inside and question which part carried these angry, anxious feelings and what he wanted to do about it. That is so normal for most people. We are all basically run by our parts. “Are you crazy?” Nachy asked. “How in the world can we aﬀord to take a vacation?” his voice rising. “Boy, are you selfish!” The frightened child within will say anything to stop the music. Marcie used to escape this misjudging into tune-out land, but this time she did not. She went inside. She could feel her victim part being very sad, hurt, and mistreated for being so badly misjudged. She told her victim part that she really appreciated its bringing the mistreatment to her attention but that she would

handle things at this point. Her tuning-out part was already pointed toward the bedroom to escape. And she told that part that she realized that leaving was probably a smart idea rather than taking abuse but that more abuse would most likely follow if she did. She appreciated it for suggesting an escape route but told it that she would take care of things herself. Marcie stood stock still, breathing slowly and deeply. All that she had learned about being in Self came back to her. “It’s not really about me,” she told her-Self. “This poor man has no tools for his nerves.” One of the great characteristics of Self is compassion; it must be correct because rachamim is the template G-d used to create the world and for us to follow. She looked attentively in his eyes, continuing to breathe. “May I respond?” she asked very softly. Nachy, of course, didn’t even hear her and ignored the request.

She asked again in the same quiet way. Finally, he quieted. “Nachy, I didn’t actually say what you thought I said. I would like to discuss this with you in 20 minutes after you have gotten to where we can talk.” She knew that an upset

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ing himself up so it didn’t help. The next morning, he was back to his old, pleasant self. Marcie took advantage of that and instead of escaping as she had always done, thinking that things were better today, so why bring back a fight, she confronted him.

We are all basically run by our parts.

person’s physiology takes 20 minutes to calm down. She also knew that talking to him while he was still upset wouldn’t work because nothing she said would register. But at least she did not ignore him. Nachy hated how calm she could be. He was so jealous of her! So he yelled at her for that. The 20 minutes passed but he was still work-

“Nachy, I know you’re a good person. That is why I love you. And you are not taking care of yourself by allowing conclusions you jump to to get you upset,” she began. Starting a “confrontation” with words of compassion and a recognition of a person’s Self under their parts is a good way to bring out the best in them.

Nachy admitted she was correct. It was only then that she explained her intention was to take a oneday break just to get away, such as a drive out to a scenic place in the area. The only expense would be gas. Nachy felt really stupid now for jumping on her the way he did, and he was full of self-loathing. This gave Marcie the opening to bring up the possibility of getting outside help, the kind that addressed parts as valuable components of who we are but recognized that they are not our-Selves. Help that would address his view of himself and replacing with a more accurate one. Help that would allow both of them to get past their resentments and become true friends and intimate partners. Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.

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Health & F tness

Migraine Foods When Your Eating Gets to Your Head By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

ore often than not, you are what you eat. This is especially true when discussing various diseases and disorders. It is not uncommon for migraine patients to notice that their

symptoms correspond with certain food triggers, although which foods or ingredients contribute to the migraine will vary from person to person. There are some foods and additives, however, that seem to trigger

aliza beer 1/2 page with her 1/4 page ad

or worsen migraine symptoms in a high percentage of migraine sufferers. Let’s review and discuss the foods to avoid for improved migraine management. • Processed Meats: Processed meats usually contain tyramine and other preservatives that can trigger migraines. Tyramine is an amino acid that helps regulate blood pressure. It occurs naturally in the body and is found in certain foods. Scientists have made a connection between tyramine and migraines. They believe that tyramine may cause nerve cells in your brain to release the chemical norepinephrine. Having higher levels of tyramine in your system can cause changes in the brain that lead to headaches and migraines. Tyramine can be found in processed turkey, bologna, salami, and hot dogs (yes, any kind of hot dog!). A better option would be fresh turkey and/ or roast beef. • Bananas: They are indeed high in potassium, but they are also high in tyramine and histamine, another possible migraine trigger. Histamine has been suspected to trigger migraines for many years. If you are migraine-prone but really want a banana now and again, at least avoid the stringy bits since the peel is the main source of the tyramine. • Excessive Caﬀeine: Moderate caffeine is often used to help alleviate migraine headaches (i.e.,

caffeine is found in Excedrin Migraine). Research shows, however, that excessive caffeine consumption can trigger migraines. Two studies done in 2016 and 2019 both suggest that cutting back on coffee consumption can help reduce migraines. If you suffer from migraines, then it is recommended not to have more than 2-3 cups of coffee a day. • Alcohol: Alcohol – red wine, in particular – contains tyramine. The sulfates in the red wine are also known as headache triggers. In one study, over 77% of the participants reported red wine as a trigger. Mindfully consume your alcohol and try drinking more white wine versus red. • Aged Cheese: Not all cheeses act as migraine triggers. It’s the aged cheese that needs to be avoided due to the high levels of tyramine contained within the protein. The older the cheese, the more tyramine it will contain. Regular cheese should not be a problem. Ideally, consume the low-fat varieties. • Yeast-Based Breads: Unfortunately, sourdough, pizza and challah fall into this category. Most yeast-based dough contains coumarin, a naturally-occurring chemical that may trigger migraines, as well as tyramine. Choose non-yeastbased whole grain/whole wheat breads instead. • Pickled and Fermented Foods: Like aged cheeses, pickled and fermented foods can contain

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high amounts of tyramine. These foods include pickles, kimchi, kombucha, and pickled jalapenos. • Monosodium Glutamate (aka MSG): MSG is a flavor enhancer used in a variety of processed foods such as frozen or canned foods, soups, snacks, seasoning, and, of course, Chinese food. Many migraine sufferers feel that MSG-containing foods trigger migraines. Some food for thought: most products high in MSG tend to also be high in sodium, which triggers dehydration and migraines as well. • Chocolate: My favorite food is not an ideal option if you are trying to avoid migraines. One study found that, compared to a placebo, chocolate triggered a migraine in 42% of its subjects. Some neurologists say it is a migraine trigger because it contains our culprit tyramine. Another connection might be that women tend to crave chocolate during stress and hormonal chang-

es, both of which also may trigger headaches. Additionally, chocolate contains caffeine, yet another migraine trigger. As much as this pains me to say, if you suffer from migraines, try avoiding chocolate and see if your condition improves.

sugar, try weaning yourself off of the sugar slowly. Be cognizant of food labels and read ingredients. Sweeteners can be found in the most unlikely places, like bread and soup. In general, the fewer ingredients listed on a product, the better

The fewer ingredients listed on a product, the better and the healthier it is for you and your migraines.

• A r t i ficia l Sweeteners: These are sugar alternatives added to foods and drinks to add sweetness. These sweeteners can cause migraines – aspartame, in particular. If you are trying to get off sugar and eat healthier, then instead of substituting the sweeteners for

and the healthier it is for you and your migraines. Many things can trigger a migraine attack, including what we eat and drink. Discuss with your physician the best way to pinpoint your specific triggers. Your doctor may suggest you eliminate all of these

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common triggers for several weeks and then reintroduce each one individually and slowly in order to determine a reaction. Keep to a healthy diet, don’t skip meals, and minimize/eliminate processed foods. Make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, since dehydration can be a migraine trigger. In conjunction with diet, some other treatments may be recommended such as medication, meditation, and massage therapy. Always discuss any plan to significantly change your diet with your primary physician first.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.

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Parenting Pearls

Maintaining Open Communication By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

can’t tell you how many times over the past number of months (and years!) I’ve thought to myself how important it is to have open communication with our children. Some of my kids are teenagers, which makes this even more pronounced. Recently, there was a traumatic event on our block which made the importance of communication even more prominent. I won’t go into the actual details of that event since they’re not relevant but many parents were relying on their ability to speak openly with their children. Keeping the lines of communication open is such a vast topic that this article is really only the beginning of this conversation. Open communication isn’t sitting your child down and in a stern voice saying, “Son, talk to me when you need me” before ruffling his hair and walking away. That will not get a child to talk to you and open up about his day and his feelings. It isn’t a single major conversation but a series of smaller, seemingly less meaningful ones. The truth is that, ideally, this begins when they’re little and just beginning to communicate. Even babies

communicate before they can talk. We need to be available to discuss the small things as they grow so they’ll discuss the big things when they’re big. When your child wants to tell you something that happened at school or a playdate, and you listen with interest, that is when you’ve started opening the lines of communication.

Additionally, the brains of children and teens are not fully developed yet. Despite their intelligence and best efforts, they can’t always analyze the situation fully or make the correct decisions. They rely on us to help them fill that gap – a gap they don’t realize they have.

Kids will talk

We’re all busy and it’s hard to find time to talk but it’s important that kids feel they are their parents’ priority. Conversations can happen throughout the day and whenever. If you can see your child has something on their mind, then it’s worth putting aside other things. You may not always get your opportunity later. Those who know me in real life know I try to be realistic. I don’t expect you can always drop everything at any moment to speak to your child. Life happens. If you truly can’t talk at that instant, then give your child a time you can speak to them. Make sure you keep the appointment or approach them at a later time and bring up the issue. This tells them that you weren’t ignoring them or pushing them off; you simply wanted to speak

Our children need to know they can speak to us about whatever is troubling them. Children, even teens, are not as experienced about life and don’t always know how to handle and process different situations. If they don’t have a trusted adult to speak with, then either they’ll walk around without answers or they’ll find someone else to ask. That someone else may be a similarly clueless peer. If we can’t give them the truth, then you can count on someone else to give them information that may not be accurate or appropriate. By continuously talking with our kids and letting them feel heard, even about the small stuff, we know they’re more likely to come to us about the issues that really count.

Make the time

to them when you could fully focus on them. Often, our children don’t approach us but we know there is something to discuss. It can often be beneficial to find creative ways to get them that quiet time they need to talk more comfortably. I had an important discussion I needed to have with one of my children. I surprised her by taking her out for lunch, something I rarely do, to give us quiet time and a better chance for her to focus. You can have a child accompany you on errands, go for a walk, or help you with a chore at home to encourage them to speak freely.

Keep it light Conversations need not be heavy or stressful. They don’t even need to be long. Most of the important topics are often best discussed over a series of smaller conversations with you being open to questions in between. Making the conversation more comfortable will help everyone be more open (you included) and help the discussion progress. I also want to stress that open

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communication doesn’t begin with serious topics; it begins with the more simple, day-to-day discussions children want to have. It’s the small, light conversations throughout our lives that open children to the possibility that they can confide in us when they need. It begins with us listening with interest and focusing on them as they tell us what happened in school or how they felt when their sibling broke their toy. It’s these smaller discussions that build the bond of trust. Even if the topic doesn’t interest you, your child does interest you. I cannot reiterate enough that if we don’t communicate effectively throughout, then they are less likely to come when we really need them to. Trust is an important word here. When children share their feelings, they are trusting us with their information and feelings. They are making themselves vulnerable. This is something even adults can have trouble doing. It’s important that your reaction is appropriate. You don’t have to agree with everything they say but if you verbally jump on them, get angry, or look out of control then they’re not going to come to you again so fast. Also, kids need us to be calm for them when they don’t feel that way. You shouldn’t be emotionless but the kids shouldn’t feel like you’re panicking.

Take on the hard topics The hard topics are the ones we often avoid but are usually the ones we need to discuss the most. If you’re not sure how to address certain topics, then you might find it helpful to ask advice first. Medical and mental health professionals are often trained in how to discuss difficult topics and they can help you. A rav, mentor, or experienced parent can also be a good source of information. Most likely others have dealt with a similar enough topic that they may have helpful information for you. Stick with facts. If you’re discussing a hard topic, then have facts prepared. When we were discussing the recent traumatic event mentioned above, we tried to stick to the basic facts and answer with real information. Of course, we acknowledged the feelings experienced but we didn’t want fear or other emotions to push aside facts. Emotions are real

and need to be discussed. Often, the emotions outweigh the other issues. Many times, by giving over the facts, you can remove some of the fear, es-

as they’ve occurred and began those uncomfortable discussions. “Kiddush clubs” have been the start of topics on drinking while an unfortunate death

It’s the small, light conversations throughout our lives that open children to the possibility that they can confide in us when they need.

pecially the fear of the unknown. It’s a judgment call of the parent to appropriately acknowledge and accept your child’s feelings while balancing those emotions with the facts. Each case will be different, and children of different ages and maturities will have different needs. Older children often need more information than younger children. You want them to have a more complete picture but not be introduced to information they aren’t ready to process. It’s not just what you say but how you say it. Often, the same information can be told in many different ways – one which increases fear, while another provides calming facts. Each situation will differ. A young child that hears about an event won’t require as much information as a child that personally experiences the same event. I know parents that had to have very mature discussions with children at a very young age because the child personally experienced the trauma. For those children, the extra information helped them process it. For other children, the same information would’ve made things worse. Anyone in this situation should consider asking a professional as this requires much more than just open communication with a parent.

Begin the discussion Often, we wait until our kids bring something up. It can be helpful to initiate difficult conversations. If you’ve already brought up the more sensitive topics, then your child knows you are comfortable discussing those issues. We have often brought up these topics

began the discussion on drugs. I wish my kids didn’t need to know this, but, as sheltered as our kids may be, they still hear and see more than most of us did when we were little. We try to make sure it remains a discussion and doesn’t turn into a lecture. Choose your timing wisely. Think first about your child’s mood before

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you begin a difficult discussion. If your child is stressed or angry about something else, then you should wait until they’re calmer and receptive. I would even avoid giving them a hated chore just before an important discussion. You want them open and able to hear what you have to say. Other negative emotions can interfere with the lesson at hand. Despite the sad jokes about kids never listening to their parents, your children really want to connect with and trust you. Your child is unique and amazing, and by keeping communication open you have the opportunity to really get to know them. They, in turn, will have someone they can turn to and trust when they really need it.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

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In The K

tchen

Sweet & Savory Onion Deli Roll By Naomi Nachman

When I first got married, deli roll was all the rage. I first had it at a friend’s house, and once she gave me her recipe, I made it over and over and over�because who can resist fresh hot puff pastry?! One of my favorite things about deli roll is there are so many ways to add a personal twist to it. Over the years, I have tasted so any different combinations, and now, I developed my own that my family devours.

Ingredients

Preparation

b1 sheet puﬀ pastry, thawed b2 tablespoons canola oil b2 large onions, sliced into half-moon rings b1 teaspoon kosher salt b2-7 oz. packages of your favorite Empire Kosher® deli slices (I used Turkey Pastrami and Turkey Salami), sliced into strips b2 tablespoons barbecue sauce b2 tablespoons mayonnaise b1 teaspoon Dijon mustard b1 egg, lightly beaten Sesame seeds for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Roll out the puﬀ pastry to about 10”x12”. 3. In a large skillet on medium, heat canola oil on high heat. Sauté onions until soft. Add in salt, followed by deli slices and simmer on low until heated through. Set aside and cool slightly. 4. In a small bowl, mix barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard. Spread over the pastry, leaving a ½ inch border around all the sides. 5. Place the deli/onion mixture over the sauce. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and place seam-side-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 6. Brush deli roll with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

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jewish women of wisdom

Tales of a Newly Minted Hands-On Savta By Miriam Liebermann

ntil now, I had been a long distance Savta. I relished my role and invested much thought and effort into bonding with my grandchildren when we were actually together. I would bring along my “Savta Simcha” bag containing appropriate art projects, pop-up books, special reading material, needlework projects, and my favorite word games. I relished my interactions with each child. And when I’d find myself miles away, or across the ocean, which is still the case much of the time, I would console myself and say, “Long distance nachas is also nachas.” One day, missing my children and grandchildren, a profound thought occurred to me. As much as I miss my family, that’s how much the Almighty misses His children who are distant from Him, even more. Reframing this longing of mine, in a spiritual fashion, helps me accept the inevitable distances. I also maintain that the fact that so many of our adult children are living far away from their parents and extended family is all part of the galus that we’re in. May it soon come to an end! Now, for the very first time, we are living approximately 10 blocks

away from a ka”h terriﬁc assortment of grandchildren, of all ages. What a thrill! There is a challenge, though, in living in close proximity. Some of us may not have the tolerance level we had years ago. The noise, the commotion that accompany young children, may be a bit much for us. Although we may dream of being really handson and involved, the reality is that we

want them to impose upon my space and privacy. I was also concerned about expectations, unsure of what our adult children were anticipating with our move to the Five Towns. I’m delighted to tell you that my concerns were for naught. B”H, the transition has been super smooth. And I’m loving it! Leil Shabbas, Friday nights, one or two grandchildren will join us for the seudah and sleep

I would console myself and say, “Long distance nachas is also nachas.” may not have the emotional and physical stamina to deal with little ones for a lengthy period of time. My friend Etty’s husband had a great line. He would tell his grandchildren who live down the block, “Thanks so much for visiting and bringing me nachas today. Time to go home now. Tomorrow you can come and bring me more nachas!” I was concerned about boundaries. I would not want to impose upon my adult children. And I would not

over. Shabbos day seudah we will often join our children. The older ones may drop by occasionally during the week, nothing excessive. And what an absolute thrill it is… I’m sitting outside on my front porch enjoying a cup of coﬀee when a charming young man bikes by and calls out, “Hi Savta!” The boys have friends on my block and may drop by before or after their “play date.” Sunday afternoons we’ll go over, just for an hour or so. I’ll bring along my favorite word

games and my special pop-up books. I’ll play piano with Aviva, guitar with Ari, word games with the big boys, sing with little Lilly… Doesn’t get any better than this! There is another aspect…a crucial one. My dear husband hosts the grandsons for Melava Malka, not just to enjoy their company, but, in his words, to imbue Yiddishkeit with a “geshmak!” They prepare the seudah together, working as a team as they cut up veggies and set the table. They sit around and sing, sharing maysalach of Gedolim, having a thoroughly good time. We are a link to the past, to our sacred mesorah. Seeing the children on a regular basis, we can really connect and have an impact in all areas of their lives. This is a unique privilege, as well as an immense responsibility. May we do our job well! Dear readers, tell me, please, what tips do you have for me? How do you connect with your children who live close by? I’m very new at this. You’re much more experienced. I’d love to hear your take. Join the conversation and email list of JWOW! by writing to hello @jewishwomenofwisdom.org.

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Mind Y

ur Business

Marc Bodner: Work On Your Business, Not In It By Yitzchok Saftlas

very Sunday evening since July 2015, Yitzchok Saftlas, CEO of Bottom Line Marketing Group, hosts 77WABC’s “Mind Your Business” show on America’s leading talk radio station. The show features Fortune 500 CEOs, CMOs, and top business leaders where they share their business knowledge and strategic insights on how to get ahead in today’s corporate world. Since Q2 2017, the 77WABC “Mind Your Business” show has remained in the coveted Nielsen “Top 10” in New York’s highly competitive AM Talk Radio market. Guests have included John Sculley, former CEO of Apple and Pepsi; Dick Schulze, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy; Beth Comstock, former vice chair of GE; and Captain Sully Sullenberger, among nearly 200 senior-level executives and business celebrities. TJH will be featuring leading questions and takeaways from Yitzchok’s popular radio show on a bi-monthly basis.

n a recent 77WABC “Mind Your Business” broadcast, Yitzchok Saftlas (YS) spoke with guest Marc Bodner (MB), CEO of L&R Distributors, a wholesale distributor of consumer products servicing more than 17,000 retail locations and direct to consumer ecommerce fulfillment throughout the United States. * * * YS: Can you talk about strategic planning? MB: Strategic planning is on everyone’s To-Do list. And more likely than not, like most To-Do lists, things like strategic planning tend to slide down to the bottom. So why is it important to do strategic planning? It’s kind of like having a cookbook. You want to prepare a really amazing dish. You open your cookbook; you’ve never prepared it before. And you need ingredients, you need utensils, and you need all the gear to make it happen. Strategic planning is the exact same thing. If you don’t have the recipe for where

you’re going, then you’re just going to get caught up in the grind of the day-to-day. So, doing strategic planning is really, really important for understanding and helping you build your vision. We’re in the distribution business, so when we talk about strategic planning in our business, we take it down to the customer level and we take the time to plan strategically around our customers and develop a cookbook for every customer. And we go deep, and we look at every aspect of that customer. We do a relationship matrix; we have a list of a hierarchy for customers. Are they green, yellow, or red? Green means they are a promoter; they like us and promote us. Yellow – it’s kind of a vanilla relationship that can take us or leave us. And obviously red means what red means. You know, they’re there with the tractor. Understanding is number one. We first do a nice relationship matrix, which really helps us gain some good understanding of how we’re perceived by that customer. After the relationship matrix we

look at the existing current business across the entire gamut. What’s up? What’s down? We bring into it market trends. We bring into it customer data that we get. And that’s really a good measuring stick of where we are today and then we can talk about tomorrow. Where are the opportunities in this customer? The first time you do this it’s really hard but once you do it once, next year, you can go back and look at the previous year. You have something to measure against. We look at the different pieces of the business where we think we can grow. If there’s bleeding in the existing business, how do we stop the bleeding? If there’s an issue with the relationship matrix, which is really, really important, who can we use to help us improve that relationship? If it’s yellow and it’s a good relationship, how do we make it even better? It’s really something that has been transformational to our business because it’s a thought-out plan. I don’t know whose quote this is but, “if you don’t change, nothing changes.” So simple, right? If you

grow stagnant with a relationship in business, there’s only one way you’re going. You need to change, improve your capabilities, and constantly look at what can you bring to a relationship that’s going to make their business better. If you’re the leader of your business, develop a process, you know – one, two and three. Start there and just do it and follow the process. And once you have a process, next time you do it, you may add four or five or six. That’s not hard to do. Just get started and develop a small process. Let’s move on to business transformation. Business transformation is something that is really important. If you’re not transforming your business on a regular basis, you’re going downhill. There are no ifs, ands or buts. If you’re in the service business, if you’re in the product business, or if you’re in the manufacturing business, it doesn’t matter. I can almost guarantee you that if you’re not transforming it, you’re

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going downhill. We’re a distributor. When people hear the word distributor or wholesaler, they envision a bunch of knuckle-dragging humans, in a distribution center or a dirty warehouse, just tossing boxes around. I can tell you from experience that we are very much not that. We used to be but we’re not anymore. So, how did we make that transformation? One of the key things in a leadership role is having the ability or at least people in your organization that have the ability to look around the corner and predict the future. Try to identify things that your customers need before even they know they need it. You know your business well, you know what it can do, you have a vision. Look at what your customer may need tomorrow and see if it passes a business smell test and start developing new capabilities off of a vision of the future. And that’s transformational. We developed a direct-to-consumer blind drop shipping fulfillment capability, which was done with transformational thought, with vision. What do my customers need tomorrow that they don’t even know about yet? That’s what I always am talking to my team about. Let’s have that mindset. Let’s have that creative mindset and imagine that there are no obstacles in the room and we can do anything we want. What does it look like? We start having those conversations, and they become very strategic and transformational. We build a project, and we start assigning tasks out. How critical is it to be able to delegate tasks to key people? What secrets could you share about building out an executive team? One of the things I did about 10 years ago was starting to invest in myself really around coaching, business coaching, finding mentors that could really help me think differently. That really helped me understand the importance of delegation and understanding how to delegate, when to delegate, and what type of delegation. Do I want to delegate it, and it’s off my desk? Do I want to delegate it, but I want frequent re-

ports? Do I want to delegate it, and just let me know when it’s finished? Different levels of delegations. Once you understand that, you can get some comfort. A big piece of it is tools. We have implemented some amazing, amazing tools. Developing the right tools in terms of how to communicate, how to understand what people are feeling, etc. One tool we use is called “inbox zero.” If I get an email, I deal with it right away either by filing it, dealing with it by doing what has to be done, or, if I can’t

selling literally in three words. You have a client, a customer, or a vendor relationship. It’s very easy in business to talk about yourself. I’m in the distribution business. We could talk about warehouses and distribution centers, we could talk about automation, we could talk about the quality of the box that we ship in, or that we have a brand-new fleet of trucks. It’s so interesting, but I can guarantee you one thing. The person sitting across the desk from you does not care. They don’t care. We think they care, and you feel

“Be interested, not interesting.”

deal with it right now, I’ll pause it or put it to sleep and have it come back up to the top of my inbox at a later time. It’s extremely efficient in terms of being able to find those extra minutes which turn into extra hours over the course of a day or a week. Marc, let’s move onto solution-based selling. It doesn’t matter which industry you are in; solution-based selling is a mindset. This solution-based selling is a method that was taught to me by one of my mentors. You can teach concepts, you can talk about concepts, but really owning it and implementing it is really taking it to the next level. How many of us read business books and it’s like we’re reading a novel, a fictional novel? Or you go to an inspirational speech and you get inspired for about forty-five minutes then you walk out and look at a text message and bang, gone. Forty-five minutes of inspiration gone. So how do you take things like that and own them? Solutions-based selling was brought to me by a mentor of mine. And it was something that really resonated with me. And I said, how can I take that and implement that? Being interested versus being interesting. That is solution-based

good talking about it because you’re comfortable. Solutions-based selling is about getting interested. You’re going into a new customer or an existing customer, and you’re making a pitch, really doing your homework, understanding that particular customers pain-point. What is their painpoint? What is a problem that they are having and is there a solution that you have to solve that problem? Imagine opening up a meeting, a sales meeting, and saying, “I’ve been to your business, your stores, I’ve spoken to your customers. I have done my research. I’ve done my homework, and it seems that your business has a problem from all of the research I’ve done, and the problem is problem X.” And I’ll say, “Would you be interested in learning a solution that we’ve worked on for your business that we think could really help solve that problem?” You can always tell when people are engaged in a meeting, especially when you’re trying to sell them something, if they’re sitting forward or they’re sitting back. It’s kind of like when you were in school, right? The teacher knew you were engaged if you were sitting straight up in the chair leaning forward with your finger on the place or if you’re sitting back, even if you had the finger on the place and at the same time

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you’re not engaged. So, having an engaged audience, I could tell you, wow, it is the feeling that you have when you know that you have them really interested because you’re being interested. What ends up happening is that they give you the opportunity to be interesting. You get to say everything that you want. Mark, this is an unfair question to you, but perhaps you could share a final 60 second takeaway for our listeners? Working on your business is so important. I didn’t say working in your business is so important but working ON your business is so important. Everything we talked about today was working on your business. I spent many, many, many years working in my business with the mindset of: how’s it going to get done if I don’t do it, if I’m not involved; how do I know they’re doing it, if I’m not watching them, let’s put cameras up everywhere. That’s a rough culture – think about if you were on the other side of the desk – would that make you happy? So, everything we talked about today was working on your business. Just to wrap this up in a bow here, find the time to work on your business. There are great tools to increase your productivity, to find more time. Learn about the concept of “inbox zero.” I think that’s a really important thing. It’s created tremendous amount of time. Work on your business, don’t work in it.

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

It’d be one thing if we were told you have to give up your liberty, you have to give up your freedom, we’re going to save your life. But what if you have to give up all your freedoms and they’re wrong on the science? Every one of the mandates — and you look in country after country, state after state — you look at when the mask mandates went in — the incidents went up exponentially after the mandates. Restaurants, nobody can eat in a restaurant, there’s no science behind any of that.

I love our country, and I love our fans, and I love that people support me and really care what I’m doing. I’m just going to represent best I can and do the best I can. But people also need to be patient, and I need to be patient. It’s not all going to come in one day. I’m not going to score 40 in one day. It’s a process. But hopefully everybody’s going to enjoy the experience like I do. - Deni Avdija, of Israel, after making his NBA debut with the Washington Wizards, in an interview with Times of Israel

If the NFL, the NBA, if Amazon can be essential, so can the small mom-and-pop businesses that wake up every single day and figure out how to keep their customers safe. - Rep.-Elect Burgess Owens (R-UT), on Fox

I don’t know too many people who enjoyed 2020 — probably some sickos out there who have — but 2021 has to be better. I wasn’t expected to be alive today. - Rush Limbaugh, during his last show of the year

Middle seat missing on the airplane, you really think you’re like 12 inches from the other guy instead of six inches, it really makes a difference? None of it really makes any sense, and there’s no epidemiological evidence… There’s no evidence that that slowed down the [spread]. … The trajectory of the virus hasn’t been altered at all by any of these things. I think the vaccine will, and this is why I really despise people like the CNN Doctor Gupta, who I think is committing television malpractice by saying, “Oh, your mask is a much better thing than the vaccine.” Well, no, it isn’t. The masks aren’t working at all. The thing’s going through the roof and people are dying. Why would you want to discourage someone from taking a vaccine and say, “Oh, wear the mask”? - Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Fox

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I panicked. I have panic attacks. That’s it. I didn’t hurt anybody. I have mental health issues. -31-year-old Antonio Murdock of Queens, explaining to a reporter outside of Queens Criminal Court why he and his friend opened an emergency door on a taxying Delta airplane last week and slid down the emergency raft

Our Kwanzaa celebrations are one of my favorite childhood memories. – Kamala Harris in her Kwanzaa message, recalling celebrating the holiday which was invented by an activist a few of years after Kamala was born

The fate of U.S. President Donald Trump will not be better than Saddam Hussein. - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

We had two crazy creatures in history who imposed war on the people. One was Saddam and the other was Trump. Saddam imposed military war, and Trump imposed economic war on us. – Ibid.

The sea of portraits of white judges can at best yield indifference, and at worst, logically, a lack of confidence that the judiciary is there to preside equally no matter the race of the participants. -From a ruling by Fairfax County (VA) Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard requiring portraits of white judges to be taken down from a courtroom in which a black man will be criminally tried

Magna Carta, Bill of Rights / The constitution, what’s it worth? / You know they’re gonna grind us down / Until it really hurts. Is this a sovereign nation / Or just a police state? / You better look out, people / Before it gets too late. - Eric Clapton, singing about lockdowns, in a song written by Van Morrison

Jonathan, how good it is that you came home. –Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevich, on twitter, welcoming Jonathan Pollard to Israel on Wednesday after Jonathan and his wife Esther touched down at Ben-Gurion Airport

We are ecstatic to be here after 35 years. -Jonathan Pollard to Prime Minister Netanyahu on the tarmac upon Pollard’s arrival to Israel this week after Pollard kissed the ground

We’re trying to think of something nice to say about 2020. OK, here goes: Nobody got killed by the murder hornets. As far as we know. That’s pretty much it. Dave Barry, in an article titled, “Dave Barry’s Year in Review: 2020 was a year of nonstop awfulness”

In international news, the big story is a U.S. targeted drone strike, ordered by Trump, which kills Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, thereby triggering World War III and forcing the U.S. to reinstate the military draft, at least on Twitter. Iran responds…by shooting down a Ukrainian airliner. – Ibid.

Joe Biden, preparing for a historically difficult transition to a presidency that will be confronted with a daunting array of critical challenges both at home and abroad, fractures his foot playing with a dog. - Ibid.

MORE QUOTES

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I am eyeing a seat right now. I’m not going to say whether it’s in the Senate, whether it’s in the House, whether it’s for governor, whether it’s for president. But I am serious about it. I am very serious about it. We have too many people that are too scared to look people in the face and tell them the truth, and I’m not one of them. - Conservative political commentator Candace Owens in an interview with Glenn Beck

With the current contracts, even with just the vaccines we have right now, we still expect that any American who wants a vaccine can be vaccinated by June. That’s really very exciting. - Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary Adm. Brett Giroir talking about the coronavirus vaccine on Fox News

Maybe just this once, just for this Festivus 2020, we take pass on the “Airing of Grievances.” - Tweet by comedian Jerry Seinfeld

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Political Crossfire

An Act of Espionage, Not War By David Ignatius

ne simple way to think about the threat posed by Russian intelligence in its “SolarWinds” hack is that it exposed the vulnerability of the vast store of supposedly secure personal and corporate data known as the “cloud.” This wasn’t an attack on classified systems or a sabotage mission, from what we know. Loose talk by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., calling it “virtually a declaration of war” is misplaced. This appears to have been an especially intrusive version of cyberespionage, which governments conduct routinely around the world. But make no mistake: The SolarWinds hack, named for the company whose widely used network software was manipulated to plant malware, was a scary snapshot of today’s Internet – a world where personal privacy has all but vanished and nation states or private actors can penetrate systems and steal data almost at will. If you’re used to thinking of the United States as a fortress, forget it. Our information space has become the terrain where people fight their cyberwars: We’re the Internet version of Belgium or Lebanon, trampled by so many armies of manipulation. An interesting fact about this hack is that private companies seem more agitated about it than do the cyberwarriors at the Pentagon. Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, called the SolarWinds hack “an act of recklessness” and a “moment of reckoning.” A more cautious assessment came from an official familiar with the thinking of U.S. Cyber Command, who was

reluctant even to call it an attack, describing it instead as “espionage” and “below the level of conﬂict.” The oﬃcial cautioned in an interview: “To respond to espionage as an act of war might be disproportionate.” Was this a failure of the U.S. approach to cyberwar, a strategy described as “persistent engagement” by Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of both Cyber Command and the code-breaking National Security Agency? I think not. Instead, I believe it underlines the reality of Nakasone’s premise in framing that doctrine two years ago –

“connect the dots” and share information between silos. Glenn Gerstell, a former NSA general counsel, noted in an interview that the Department of Homeland Security was apparently aware last summer that the Russians were probing the “Einstein” system that supposedly protects unclassiﬁed “dot-gov” systems. But that information didn’t trigger action by the FBI, NSA, or Cyber Command or other agencies that might have identiﬁed and stopped the hack. Answer: That’s not their turf, but DHS’s. As Gerstell told me: “There’s no one place in the

We’re the Internet version of Belgium or Lebanon, trampled by so many armies of manipulation.

that the world is in a constant state of low-level cyber conﬂict and the United States needs to “defend forward” so it can deter real acts of war, like disabling the power grid, by threatening similar actions. Why wasn’t the SolarWinds hack discovered sooner, so preventive action could have been taken? That’s the real question, and it involves whether government and the private sector can cooperate better in cyber counterespionage. What’s really happening here, I suspect, is a problem very familiar for the United States – a failure to

U.S. government where all the foreign intelligence gets merged with the domestic cyber hints and turned into action.” Connecting the dots should also involve private companies. Smith put it bluntly in his blog post last week: Cybersecurity threats “require a unique level of collaboration between the public and private sectors.” Private companies may be the ﬁrst to spot malware breaches, and, as Smith argues, “eﬀective cyber-defense requires not just a coalition of the world’s democracies, but a coalition with leading tech companies.”

To understand why tech companies are so concerned, check out the Cybersecurity Advisory issued by the NSA last week warning that attackers are “abusing trust” by using forged credentials “to access protected data” in the cloud. The NSA warned that these hacking tools “subvert the mechanisms that the organization uses to grant access to cloud and on-premises resources and/or to compromise administrator credentials with the ability to manage cloud resources.” Yikes! Fortunately, this is the rare crisis where the needed reforms have just been enacted into law – too late to stop the SolarWinds hack, obviously, but perhaps in time to prevent the next one. The National Defense Authorization Act passed last week contained 26 amendments from the blue-ribbon Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s report last March, including a new White House cyber director and a new threat-hunting team at the Department of Homeland Security. “We can’t patch our way out of the risk,” argued Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, one of the co-chairs of the commission, in an interview last Tuesday. New laws will encourage the “layered deterrence” the commission recommended. And if other tech companies follow the lead of Microsoft and ﬁnd ways to work with democratic governments, we might have a better chance of protecting the security of our data – which was so ravaged in the latest assault. (c) 2020, Washington Post Writers Group

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

Operation Gunnerside The Mission to Destroy the Norsk Hydro Plant By Avi Heiligman

The Norsk Hydro Plant in Norway

clandestine operation in military terms is a mission that is intended to go completely unnoticed by the enemy or civilians. Most of these operations include intelligence gathering and leaving no footprint behind to be detected later. In contrast, covert operations are meant to be noticed by the enemy but are supposed to conceal the identity of the operators. These secret missions played a vital part during World War II by using stealth and surprise to minimize enemy resistance. Thwarting the German attempt to build an atomic bomb is an example of a covert operation that took careful planning and, despite some failures, was ultimately successful. In the years prior to World War II, work on nuclear fission was advanced significantly, and several countries wanted to know if it was possible to build a nuclear bomb. Even though it was determined by Allied spies that the Nazis weren’t close to building the bomb, Germany still tried and used their conquests in the effort. One of the methods tested to cre-

ate a fission chain reaction needed to produce a successful bomb included “heavy water.” Without going into scientific details, heavy water has a different chemical makeup than other regular water molecules. Norway’s Norsk Hydro’s plant in Vemork was able to produce heavy water on a large scale. After the German invasion of Norway, the plant fell into Nazi hands and soon the Allies were planning missions to blow up the strategic plant.

The brave men involved in the mission

ens of commandos failed as one of the gliders crashed into the mountainside on the approach. A few months later, in February 1943, Operation Gunnerside was put into action. A group of six Norwegians led by Lt. Joachim Ronneberg, dressed in British uniforms, parachuted into the area. Due to a blizzard, it took them a week to meet up with the original four commandos who had evaded capture. The area was remote, and the plant’s main ap-

The snow in some places was so deep that it reached their waists while they were trudging up the steep slope.

The first mission was a failure. A team of four Norwegian commandos successfully parachuted into Norway and skied to the surrounding area near the plant to gather intelligence. The subsequent operation with doz-

proaches were heavily guarded. The back of the plant was a railway line and the German barracks. The commandos opted to go to the bottom of a gorge, cross a river, and climb 500 feet up a cliff. The snow in some plac-

es was so deep that it reached their waists while they were trudging up the steep slope. Four commandos were to set the explosives while the rest provided cover by a shed near the outer fence. The entry team cut through the fence and then split up. One team entered through a tunnel, while others went through a window. They found no guards at the heavy water production area and motioned to a worker to be quiet for fear of reprisals. The commandos set the charges on the electrolysis chambers and then quickly left the plant. The ensuing explosions destroyed 1,100 pounds of heavy water and stopped production for months. Three-thousand German soldiers were sent looking for the commandos, and the entry and cover teams linked up. The commandos escaped successfully, with some staying in Norway to continue underground work. Five commandos under Ronneberg trekked 250 miles over two weeks before finally reaching the safety of neutral Sweden. Work to produce heavy water for Germany was halted while the plant

Joachim Ronneberg died in 2018 at the age of 99

was being repaired. Allied command determined that it was too risky to send in another commando unit so they opted to bomb the facility. In November 1943, over 140 American heavy bombers attacked the plant and caused extensive damage. These bombing raids caused the Germans to make the move to abandon the facility altogether. The remaining stockpile of

heavy water was to be moved to Germany by the ferry SF Hydro. Knut Hauklid was a Norwegian commando in the area and was informed of the German plan. He recruited two other saboteurs and went to where the Hydro was docked. While the crew of the ferry was distracte,d the saboteurs placed over eight kilograms of explosives to the

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The heavy water room

shipâ€™s keel and set time fuses. The ferry then started its journey over Lake Tinn when an explosion caused it to sink in deep water. All of the heavy water sank with the Hydro, ending the Nazisâ€™ ambitions for creating an atomic bomb. The operations to destroy the heavy water plant are classic examples of covert operations. These mis-

sions had favorable results for the Allies, and the men who partook in them are remembered for their courage and bravery. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

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SH TudorInfrared colonial with brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished - 4Termite Inspection basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K

Full Report All Included NYC 718-INSPECT CEDARHURST Long Island 516-INSPECT www.nyinspect.com

Brick SH col. on great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs & Brick SH col. on great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs & 2bths on 2nd floor, walk upWOODMERE attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 5BR, 3.5bath center col. on oversized on very WOODMERE desirable 2bths on 2nd floor,WOODMERE walk uphall attic, extremely low prop. taxes.BAYSWATER Tamar BAYSWATER (917)902-0613 $899K block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M (917)902-0613 $899K WOODMERE WOODMERE WOODMERE

CEDARHURST

FAR ROCKAWAY

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

on quiet block. Fully enclosed yard. Malka (516)967-1967

BAYSWATER

BAYSWATER WOODMERE FAR ROCKAWAY WOODMERE

$529K BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

LIRR, park, shopping. Not in flood zone, low taxes. Chana (516)449-9692 BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE $590K

WOODMERE

WOODMERE CEDARHURST WOODMERE

Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Adorable 3br colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Adorable colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Adorable colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit3br Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit3br Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K

N. WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

WOODMERE

Classic huge side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs on the 2nd Classic huge side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs on the 2nd Classic huge side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs the 2ndClassic side hall col.side w/ 4BR 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs the 2nd Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished colonial, eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished colonial, eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full Classic hall& col. 4BR 3 on full basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, $799K on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, $799K on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K $799K floor, fin. basement. Beautiful yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $799K baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Stunning new construction on quiet Well-kept colonial on a quiet culblock. No expense spared. de-sac. Kosher $799K $799K EIK, 4BRs on $799K $799K 5brs &

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE

1 level, fin basement.

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

3 full baths upstars, full fin. bsmnt

w/colonial br & bth, Malka 967-1967 Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, Beautiful exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3(516) lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2nd floor, finished SH Tudor with 4oversized brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K SD many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K SD many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K SD 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K kosher kitchen. $799K

BAYSWATER CEDARHURST

BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

27 Frost Lane, Lawrence, NY 11559

BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

WOODMERE Asking $1.49M WOODMERE

CEDARHURST

N. WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

(516) 374 - 4100

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

WOODMERE

Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs the 2ndClassic side hall col.side w/ 4BR 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs the 2nd Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full Classic hall& col. 4BR 3 on full SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. & Brick on greatBeautiful block in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, Brick on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679K 4BRs$799K floor,SH fin.col. basement. yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar baths. on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. 2bths on 2nd floor, All walkbrs up attic, extremely low taxes. 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, 3.5bath center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 basement. $899K block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park.Spacious Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park.basement. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M Park.basement. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M split with 4BRs upstairs, Charming 3 br, 2 bath cape in the basement. Beautiful yard. Beautiful yard. block near Cedarhurst Beautiful yard. Beautiful yard. 3 full baths, new appliances, heart of SD 15. Main br and bth Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 sunk-in den, hardwood floors, on the 1st floor with 2 br and $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

www.ftmr.com

Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K

BAYSWATER CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST

WOODMERE LAWRENCE low taxes. a bathroom upstairs. Avigail (516)316-3452 Rear den. Beautiful exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2nd floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4 brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished $949K $599K many updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K

Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Adorable 3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, unit Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K

N. WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

WOODMERE

Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs the Wide-line 2ndClassic side hallcol. col.side w/ 4BR 3 full baths. All&brs the 2nd Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR &brs 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full Classic hall& col. w/ 4BR 3 on full ch quiet cul-de-sac in Exceptionally hi-end gut ren. S/H SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRscol. & Brick SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart Cedarhurst. & Brick on greaton block in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, Brick on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, $799K on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679K 4BRs$799K floor,SH fin.col. basement. Beautiful yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar “front” Lawrence with 4BRs on the 2nd loc. on desirable block in taxes. SD14. 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. 2bths on 2nd floor, All walk up attic, extremely low taxes. 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, 3.5bath center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center col. on oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park.basement. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M floor & 1BR on 1st floor, partially fin 5 large brs &Beautiful 3 bathsyard. upstairs, Beautiful yard. basement. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. bsmnt, low taxes, much more. beautiful bsmnt w/ playroom, Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Avigail (516)316-3452 A Must See! Bruria $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

Donny Miller

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

$1.65M (718)490-7791 Beautiful exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls &$1.85M 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2nd floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4 brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished

TamarTamar MillerMiller

Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K many updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

COMMERCIAL RE

APT FOR RENT

VACATION RENTALS

HELP WANTED

INVESTORS WELCOME GREAT DEAL IN WOODMERE, amazing location, double lot, low taxes ,SD 14 Asking $599, won’t last 25 CONKLIN AVE, WOODMERE Call Alexandra at Realty Connect 1-516-784-0856

INWOOD Brand new bright and airy basement apartment near LIRR . Never used kosher kitchen , 2 bedrooms , LR/DR central air /heat ,full bathroom washer/dryer $2000 a month Call/text Yitzi (929) 225-3616

VACATION IN JERUSALEM: Beautiful Short-term rentals in Jerusalem (Sharei Chesed, Romema, Hanevi'im – City Center) Contact today for great service: Shisha Realty 718-408-8070 vacation@shisharealty.com

SHULAMITH EARLY CHILDHOOD is looking to hire a full time teacher assistant for the current school year. Please email resume to earlychildhood@shulamith.org

SF MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE Available, Reception Area, Waiting Room, Kitchenette, 2 Consult, 4 Exam Rooms, 2 Bathrooms, 30 Car On-Site Parking, For Lease …Call Ian 516-295-3000 www.pugatch.com

83-78 Richmond Hills, New York 11418. Walk in studio apartment and washer/dryer hook up $1300 including water/heat and electric. Call or text 917-907-4794

VACATION IN JERUSALEM: Beautiful 3 bedroom apartment with porch and view available for short term in the Kaduri – Jerusalem Heights project on the 8th floor. Shisha Realty 718-408-8070 vacation@shisharealty.com

WOODMERE: BEST BUY

HELP WANTED

INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. Will divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100 EAST ROCKAWAY: Retail Stores on Busy Corner, 1000SF& Up Available, Great High Visibility Location, For Lease… Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

Spacious 2BR Apartment, Washer/Dryer In Bldg, Elevator Bldg, Open Floor Plan, 1st Floor, Close To All...$199K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 Heart of Far Rockaway 3 bedroom apt. Two sinks and dishwasher. Washer/dryer hookup. Please txt 917-860-5762

Looking to hire sales people to train as NY & NJ Public Adjusters. No experience necessary, flexible hours. Call 973-951-1534 SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL is seeking a Global Studies teacher, Algebra teacher. Please email resume to Office@shevachhs.org

Girl's Bais Yaakov seeking elementary school assistant for the afternoon. Position available immediately. Please email teachingpositions1@gmail.com Girls High School in Queens seeking full time front desk secretary. Must be computer literate and able to multi task. Email resume to Office@shevachhs.org

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

HELP WANTED

Girls High School in Queens looking for Algebra 2 and Global 9 teacher. Afternoon positions and experience required. Salary commensurate with experience. Email resume to Office@shevachhs.org

CAHAL is seeking AM, PM or FT Assistant Teachers for special ed classes in yeshivas in 5-Towns/ Far Rock. Send your resume to Shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666 for more information.

ASSISTANTS NEEDED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AFTERNOON SESSION. Email: fivetownseducators@gmail.com BAIS YAAKOV IN FAR ROCKAWAY seeking permanent substitute for Preschool and Elementary school. Please call 718-868-3232 ext 211 Seeking full time OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred. Competitive salary. Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org 5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

Five Towns 516-374-0242

woodmere

West Hempstead 516-565-4392

cedarhurst

4 br, 4 fbth brick colonial 4 level split in cedar bay park. 5br, 2.5bth on an 82 x 120 prop. in woodmere’s sought - updated eik with rad. heat, fm rm, mstr ste after “tree streets” - xl eik, mstr w/ new w/ wic and 4 additional brs up, large gunite fbth, xl fdr, full, fin. base with ose. heated ig-pool w/ slide. $899,000 low taxes and flood ins. $929,000

bright and sunny

Far rockaway

4 br spacious center hall colonial in the heart of far rockaway. lg lr w/fpl, eik, family room with access to deck and yard. xl full unfinished basement. private driveway. $925,000

www.sharonabeckrealty.com

w. hempstead

3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch in heart of the dogwood area w/ franklin square schools. xl lr w/fpl, hw floors, full finished basement, cac, 7,000+ sqft lot. $565,000

Info@sharonabeckrealty.com

SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR Responsibility: Curriculum Designer Individual curriculum as needed Staff training Innovative, visionary Requirement: Masters Special Ed and Education Administration or SLP Backgroup Email Resume: specialedresume2018@gmail.com 5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com CAHAL is seeking AM, PM or FT Assistant Teachers for special ed classes in yeshivas in 5-Towns/ Far Rock. Send your resume to Shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666 for more information.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020

HELP WANTED SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR Responsibility: Curriculum Designer Individual curriculum as needed Staff training Innovative, visionary Requirement: Masters Special Ed and Education Administration or SLP Backgroup Email Resume: specialedresume2018@gmail.com **Afternoon Playgroup Assistant** Looking for a heimish, warm and loving assistant Morah in a 2 year old Far Rockaway playgroup (starting now). Hours are Mon-Thu 12:00-3:10 and Fridays 9:00-12:05 For more information, please text your name and 2 references to 718-926-9336 CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers, Title I Boro Park, Williamsburg and Flatbush Schools *College/Yeshiva Degree *Teaching experience required *Strong desire to help children learn *Small group instruction *Excellent organization skills Competitive salary. Send resume to: Fax: (212) 480-3691 ~ Email: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com

HELP WANTED “NEW FIVE TOWNS RESTAURANT IS LOOKING TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: Experienced grill man Laffa maker, Dishwasher, Delivery guy Please email Ronazohar@hotmail.com OFFICE POSITION available in busy legal support company. 5 Towns area (near train). Full Time M-F. Opp for growth. Must be friendly, motivated, organized, detail oriented & efficient. Cust service & communication skills are crucial. Will train. Please send resume hr@platinumfilings.com

MISC Gemach Zichron Yehuda In memory of R’ Yehuda Aryeh Leib ben R’ Yisroel Dov We have a library of books on the subjects of loss, aveilus, grief, & kaddish. We have sets of ArtScroll Mishnayos to assist with finishing Shisha Sidrei Mishna for Shloshim or yahrtzeit. Locations in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, & Lakewood. Email: zichronyehuda@yahoo.com

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Your

Money

It Was a Very Good Year By Allan Rolnick, CPA

merica has always been a land of opportunity, and there are many paths to fame and fortune. If you’re physically gifted, consider professional sports. If you’re blessed with good looks, Hollywood beckons. If you’re born with the gift of gab, consider used cars (or politics). And if you’re just plain brilliant, Silicon Valley begs for your tech unicorn. But what if you don’t have physical gifts, good looks, charm, or intelligence? Don’t give up hope! You can be completely devoid of any redeeming qualities at all and still grab headlines through the awesome power of reality TV. And so, it’s only fitting that we close out 2020 with a story ripped from that collection. Best of all, there’s even a hidden tax angle! Since 2009, the Real Housewives of New Jersey have been hard at work repairing the damage those Jersey Shore knuckleheads did to the Garden State’s reputation. Sadly, not all of those housewives and their posses have upheld that sacred duty. In 2012, cast member Dina left her husband, Tommy. And while some jilted husbands accept their fate with

dignity and grace, Tommy did not. Most men in Tommy’s situation would content themselves with therapy, or maybe some a night out with friends. But Tommy wanted more. So he reached out to an associate named

was bound to attract attention. And so, in July, FBI agents indicted Tommy and Perna on the usual laundry list of charges you might expect. Earlier this month, Perna pleaded guilty to committing a violent crime in aid

Count Perna as one guy who doesn’t get to say “at least 2021 is going to be better.”

John Perna, a “made man” in an organization called “the Lucchese Family.” (Think of it as an Italian-American social club or maybe a mutual-aid society.) The two men decided to swap favors. Perna would beat up one of Dina’s friends. In exchange, Tommy would host a lavish wedding reception at the restaurant he owned, for a fraction of the usual price. Perna probably fancies himself a thoroughly discreet, “professional” hit man. But a high-profile beating involving a popular reality-TV show

of racketeering activity. He’s facing up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines when he’s sentenced on April 28. (Count Perna as one guy who doesn’t get to say “at least 2021 is going to be better.”) What does any of this have to do with taxes? Well, Perna contracted to do a job (the beating) in exchange for payment (the discounted reception). And while that payment didn’t come in the form of cash, it’s taxable just as if it had. We’re probably safe assuming Tommy didn’t issue the appropri-

ate 1099-MISC, and Perna certainly “forgot” to report the discount on his 1040. But it’s easy enough to calculate the taxable amount involved here – it’s the discount Tommy gave Perna. Now, if this had been a strictly business transaction – say, an attorney trading professional services with a publicist – both parties would enjoy offsetting deductions, with no actual tax due. Sadly for Tommy, hiring a goon to beat up your ex’s new friend is a nondeductible personal expense. 2020 has brought us a whole new set of challenges that few of us were prepared to meet. But we made it through, battered as we may be. So this week, raise a toast to a better future, or just go to bed early for some much-needed peace and quiet. We’ll be here in 2021 to help you accomplish your business and financial goals with the least interference from taxes possible! Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 31, 2020 OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Life C ach

Why Men Have More Time Than Women Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

ost men get a haircut, and it’s basically done. They’re in and out. Not so for a woman. It’s an odyssey – defined as a long and eventful experience. So, too, when it comes to a lot of other activities – such as nail care, body grooming, and clothing selection, to highlight a few. Let’s just try to envision the differences. A man walks into a barber shop or a fancy salon. He gets a 2-minute hair wash, or a 3 minute, in the shmaltzy place, and a few minutes later he’s trimmed and out. Now let’s look at the woman. She walks in and starts with the same simple hair wash. But it’s already a longer ordeal. More hair – longer wash! Then, it’s onto one rinse or two, full condition or tips, and brush out the tangles. And guess what? The fact that it takes longer to wash her hair makes a big difference! Because, unfortunately, some ergonomically challenged person, or a simple sadist, designed the hair washing sink. There you are thinking this should be a coddling, soothing experience. Someone running their fingers through your hair, massaging your scalp, allowing you to lay back and enjoy the experience. However, that’s not how it plays out. The head rest area is hard as a rock and hits you at a torturously uncomfortable angle. You are trying to just lay there and savor the experience. However, instead, you are feeling a persistent pain at the nape of your neck while the front is extended to giraffe-like proportions. It’s, at best, a bittersweet event. This is just the start. Afterwards, you walk over to your hairdresser, and the person scheduled before

you is still sitting there. Just like the Three Bears: “someone is sitting in my chair and there she is!” Because when people have more hair, there are longer appointments. Finally, your turn begins. It’s often the same thing as a man – a haircut – but yours takes twice as long. More hair – longer styling. In your case, it’s always followed by a blowout. But, why does that take longer if a man also does both? Well, more hair means a longer amount of blowing! Then we can’t forget those really long appointments... The ones where color comes in! And it’s no longer just for covering unwanted color. These days it’s for adding a lot more color that you just never got to begin with. This comes with a lot of extra time

all, she/he repeatedly brushes, bobs, and blows all day. Therefore, how can you not entertain them while they’re busy catering to you? So, there you are, attempting to fill them in on your life. But you’re struggling to muster up some interesting narratives to keep her/him committed to you. Otherwise, your fear is that they’ll do a mediocre job, just to get onto someone with a more interesting life. This is just one timely burden a woman must endure. Then there’s the nail salon! And here, you are forced to perfect a whole different skillset: smiling and shaking your head a lot. After all, you are speaking with someone who hasn’t perfected more than five English phrases. One of which is “what

You’re literally stuck there staring at a goop-headed alien or a somewhat funky metallic-headed robot.

and a bit of aesthetic trauma, too. After all, it takes some time for the color to take. And you’re literally stuck there staring at a goop-headed alien or a somewhat funky metallic-headed robot. After all, you’re not leaving the salon to get errands done looking like that! Now, it’s true, there are some quick appointments. For instance, when you come in for a simple blowout. This should not be so time-consuming at all. But it does come with its own set of obligations. You feel the pressure to break the monotony for your hairdresser. After

color, what color?” And once you’ve made that choice, there’s very little else for you two to talk about. Then, depending on your chosen treatment – one set of 10 digits or both hands and feet – it can be a very long trip down the “strained communication” lane. Plus, choosing a polish that actually lasts can be an added challenge: hmmm…3-day, 5-day, 14day, or 21-day. Truthfully, it’s all the same; they only last till you wash your first dish. But, it’s nice to think you’ve got a fighting chance. Honestly, the only real guarantee of the polish staying on is to do a gel treatment. With

that choice, the polish definitely does last. It’s just your nails that don’t! When it comes to men, I believe, nail care is a whole different thing. I think the practice for toe grooming is that when their nails grow, they simply go up a shoe size. As for their fingernails, it’s probably a tossup between bite ‘em or clip ‘em! But either way, it’s quick and forgotten. On with life. Now shopping – that’s different. That’s where men do experience true pain. The only thing worse for them than shopping for themselves is shopping for their wives. In neither case do they like it. But, in the first, at least they have some control over when it ends. Women do not usually suffer the same way through this activity. They embrace it. They don’t see it as the same tedious, obligatory, necessity as men do. However, that is not to say it is less of a trial or tribulation for them. Finding the right thing to wear can be hours of wear and tear! And confronting one’s actual size can be the ultimate trauma! The point is that men accumulate a lot of extra free time because they spend a lot less time working to keep their natural beauty intact. So, men, take a few seconds from all that spare time you’re lugging around and salute a woman for all they do. And recognize that, amazingly, they manage to do all this while multitasking at every other level, as well. Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

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DECEMBER 31, 2020 | The Jewish Home

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