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October 22, 2026

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Dear Readers,

e don’t live in ashrams. Or monasteries. Or convents. We live in homes. And those homes are filled with families and laundry and knapsacks and floors that need to be swept. That’s real life. And that’s how life is supposed to be. It’s filled with minutiae of the day, with responsibilities and tasks and boo-boos and laughter. In the feature this week on Rebbetzin Sara Yocheved Rigler, she talks about spending 15 years in an ashram, learning about spirituality and meditating each day. But then, she eventually found her way back to the real longing of her soul and has been connecting to G-d in a real, deep, uplifting way. Sometimes, though, she would go throughout her day and realize that although her morning meditations bonded her to her Creator, she felt disconnected from Him as she went about her day. Saying Shema, lying in bed at night, she would reconnect and say to Him, “Oh, there You are, Hashem. Where have You been all day?” This is not just Rebbetzin Rigler’s struggle. It is every Jew’s challenge to seek out G-d throughout the day, to connect to Him in our busyness and in the humdrum vibrations of our routine. The challenge becomes even more salient during the month of Cheshvan. In Tishrei, when each day revolves around the yomim tovim, we are reminded constantly to recon-

nect to the One Above. Even our hammers and nails are so obviously elevated that it’s hard to not consistently bump into our divine mission. But then comes Cheshvan, with its winds and its rains, and we begin the slow plod of our lives as we ease into the winter months. Bundled into our jackets with hands wrapped warm around our soothing drinks, it may be possible to only be reminded of our Creator in our morning prayers or when we take a few moments to thank Him for our meal. But perhaps we can look at Cheshvan as an opportunity – an awesome opportunity – to transform our lives. With Cheshvan comes routine. Its predictability can maybe make it feel boring or dull or monotonous. But with routine comes consistency. We know what to expect. We know what our days will look like. And that knowledge can help us plan our days to set them up to ensure that we infuse them with myriad connected moments. We can use the regularity of our days to our advantage. We can plan ahead to stop and to appreciate and to connect. We can embrace the routine and then uplift those expected moments. All it takes is an awareness and a desire to transform our days. And with that, we can uplift the humdrum into the holy. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka, EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Rachel Bergida Shana Brecher Lani White Design & Production Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857 Classified Deadline: Monday 5:00PM classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 PAYMENT VIA CREDIT CARD MUST BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH CLASSIFIED ADS The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | October 23 – October 29

Friday, October 23 Parshas Lech Lecha

FRIDAY

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Candle Lighting: 5:45 pm Shabbos Ends: 6:43 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 7:14 pm

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

What Does Bipolar Have to Do with Hachnasas Orchim?

NEWS

Global

National

That’s Odd

ISRAEL Israel News

I am an Israeli by Barbara Deutsch

118

Before Israel Votes

120

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

I Only Have Eyes for You by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Clothing by R’ Shmuel Reichman

102

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

106

Headlines and Halacha by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

110

PEOPLE The Wandering Jew

114

Inspiration Nation

122

Forgotten Heroes

152

HEALTH & FITNESS Is It ADHD? by Dr. Hylton Lightman

132 FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Silan and Mustard Salmon

142

LIFESTYLES

102

Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

126

School of Thought

130

Parenting Pearls

134

Book Nook

140

Lunch and Learn by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

158

HUMOR Centerfold

Shmooze and Muse

138

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

144

The Stealth Candidacy of Abdul El-Sayed by Marc A. Thiessen

150

CLASSIFIEDS

154

Dear Editor, Rabbi Yaakov Bender expressed a powerful idea. He quoted his Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Berenbaum, zt”l, who asked how it’s possible that we refer to the stones of the choshen as “fillers.” How can these spiritual gems containing the names of tribes on it be valued because of their ability to fill spaces? The answer, Rav Bender explains in the name of his Rosh Yeshiva, is that our purpose is to fill the voids of others and be attentive to their pain. Wherever you see there is a lacking and struggle for others, you must step in. This, Rabbi Bender explained, is why his Rosh Yeshiva had twelve empty chairs at his Friday night Shabbos meals, waiting to fill the voids of others. Therefore, the greatest praise that can be showered upon the stones, each representing a shevet of Bnei Yisrael, was that they filled voids. We see this in this week’s parsha, when Avraham and Sarah filled the voids of the people of their generation, infusing them with the joy of coming close to G-d, and continuing on with them in their journey. Steven Genack Dear Editor, I, too, greatly appreciate Chayee Blum’s recent, eloquent essay, When Your Daughter Gets Married. The marriage of a child certainly impacts the home and family life. Along with the mothers and the fathers, siblings too may have a tough time adjusting to their sister’s or brother’s marriage. A.S. had suggested last week that perhaps a workshop could be offered to help mothers through this transition. A

while back, I had the privilege of authoring two anthologies for mid-aged women, The Best is Yet to Be and To Fill the Sky with Stars, published by Menucha. Both volumes contain terrific, personal essays dealing with this subject, a crucial one. I would be happy to meet with these women. I can be reached through TJH or you can text me directly at 347-380-3710. May we always have joyous tidings to share! Miriam Liebermann, MSW Dear Editor, The joint letter from the grandmothers got my attention. For every issue the grandmothers have – about how young men are not preparing for their lives after yeshiva, the separate seating at weddings, the increasing amount of work that some people put into research before a first date, the shadchan setting up the first date – I have one thing to say. All the issues the grandmothers raise fall into the bucket of parents not treating adult children like trustworthy adults, or indeed as any sort of adult. Why do some young men think that they should have unlimited time in yeshiva prior to getting married? Because their parents support them while they are in yeshiva. Sit your son down, tell him that there are a small number of Gadol Hador slots per generation, you don’t have yechus, and that the money tree is shutting off when they’re 21 unless there’s some career prep going on in their lives. While you’re at it, send them to a high school that teaches that men should aspire to be primary breadwinners. Continued on page 18

Which accent do you prefer: Australian, South African or British?

48 42 10 %

British

Australian

South African

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Continued from page 16

Moving on to the FBI-level investigations that some people conduct before they will even allow their adult child to go on a first date. There are no shortcuts when it comes to getting to know someone. You cannot substitute an investigation for quality time, and most importantly, a sufficient QUANTITY of time. I think we should stop trying to find ways for couples to spend less time together. Better to date for a year and break up than to date for three months and get divorced. I’m not saying that investigations should be thrown out the window; I think they should be saved until a third date is planned. So many dates are one-and-done dates, followed by I-just-want-to besure-the-meh-first-date-wasn’t-nerves second dates, that it’s a waste of everybody’s time to bother with all of this until the third date. Also, do a real investigation. Run a background check on your date on your state’s database website to make sure they’re not a criminal. Call up people who might know them but also tell you the whole truth. Just skip it until the third date is planned! As for the shadchan setting up the first date, you can’t expect men living in a gender-segregated society to leapfrog from never speaking to a woman outside of their family to being a suave conversationalist with women. Who decided that these men should grow up in a gender-segregated society? Their parents. Years ago, I dated a modern orthodox guy whose little high school brother had a modern orthodox girlfriend his age. Both sets of parents knew about the relationship. When they broke up, he was sad, but he had emotional support from his family and friends, and they never felt a minute of anxiety about if they’d get kicked out of their high schools. Don’t send your children to gender-segregated colleges. My letter is getting a bit long, but you get my point. Sincerely, Ahuva Baruch

Dear Editor, A reminder to Jews who insist on voting Democrat and especially in NYC who helped elect Mayor Mamdani. Think antisemitism is bad now, just wait if the Democrats get into power and take over, Hashem forbid, the House and Senate. Remember you will thwart President Trump’s agenda which is focused on you as opposed to non-citizens as clearly demonstrated in his State of the Union speech. Remember the Democrats refused to stand for American citizens over illegal aliens. Additionally, not a single Democrat in the House voted for tax cuts instead deciding that tax increases were in order. President Trump’s accomplishments include: closing the border, deporting criminal illegals, passing the greatest tax cut in history which includes no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and limiting tax on Social Security payments. He lowered drug prices, and both the crime rate and poverty are at record lows while manufacturing and GDP are up. He eliminated DEI and men in girls’ sports to name just a few of his domestic accomplishments. By voting Republican for Governor and Congressional representatives, you will ensure that Trump’s efforts will be codified into law. Jan Henock Woodmere, NY Dear Editor, Can you please let your readers know that there is construction going on on the 878 for the next few weeks. The road is very uneven, which can be dangerous for those crossing the street, especially older people. Please be careful when walking and make sure to walk slowly. Rachel B.

Make your voice heard! Be part of TJH’s weekly poll. Email the editor to be included in the weekly poll at Editor@FiveTownsJewishHome.com

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

The Week In News

Aus. MP Attacked

Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines was fighting for her life on Monday after authorities said she was deliberately struck by a vehicle outside her electoral office in Wangaratta, northeast of Melbourne. Haines, 65, was airlifted to a Melbourne hospital with critical injuries after a white Toyota Land Cruiser struck her shortly after 3:30 p.m. A 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee was taken into custody at the scene, and police said a knife was recovered from the vehicle. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public and were treating the incident as isolated. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as an apparent intentional attack. “This wasn’t an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear,” Albanese said. Brendan Nugent from Tarrawingee was charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official. Haines lost one of her legs in the aftermath of the attack, in which Nugent rammed his car into her multiple times as she stood near the trunk of her own parked vehicle. She was getting something from the back of her car when Nugent drove past in a Toyota Land Cruiser. He turned his car around before veering into Haines, pinning her against her own vehicle, and then reversing before ramming into her again, according to local authorities and Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. The Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and domestic intelligence agency ASIO are jointly investigating, with the Joint Counter Terrorism Team activated.

Officials stressed that the suspect’s motive remained unknown. Albanese praised Haines as “incredibly hardworking” and “fiercely intelligent,” calling her “a thoroughly decent human being” who is widely respected in Parliament and throughout her community. Haines’ family thanked witnesses and emergency personnel who rushed to help her. “We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response,” the family said, asking the public to “please keep Helen in your thoughts.” Before entering politics, Haines spent roughly three decades working in rural health care as a nurse, midwife and academic. She was first elected to Parliament in 2019 as the independent representative for Indi, making history as the first independent lawmaker to succeed another independent in the same Australian parliamentary seat. She has focused on issues including regional housing, climate policy, and government integrity. The attack has also reignited concerns over threats facing Australian politicians. More than 1,000 threats against lawmakers were recorded during the previous financial year, according to officials. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor called Monday a “shocking day” for the country. “Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalized,” he said.

France in Flames

France is grappling with its worst civil unrest in years as massive demonstrations over soaring living costs and deteriorating public services have erupted into violent riots, leaving buildings burned, businesses looted, and thousands arrested. More than half a million protesters flooded streets across the country on Saturday, with demonstrations spiraling into chaos as rioters clashed with police, torched vehicles, smashed storefronts, and attacked government buildings.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

A historic town hall in Limoges was set ablaze, while widespread destruction rocked Paris, Marseille, Lille, and other major cities. Authorities have arrested approximately 2,400 people, with hundreds facing prosecution. Thousands of businesses have suffered damage, and nearly 1,000 police officers were reportedly injured during the violence. The unrest began with student demonstrations protesting teacher shortages and poor school conditions but quickly expanded into a broader movement driven by inflation, rising fuel prices, and frustration with President Emmanuel Macron’s government. Macron condemned the “unrestrained violence,” insisting that those responsible for destruction and looting would be held accountable. He then departed for a diplomatic visit to the Persian Gulf on Sunday. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that security forces had lost control in several cities, admitting that authorities had underestimated the potential for violence. “Yes, on Saturday, in some major cities, we lost control,” Nuñez conceded. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has introduced targeted nighttime curfews,

while the government announced plans to deploy additional troops and police to prevent further violence. Although the curfews helped restore some calm overnight, officials are bracing for additional demonstrations this weekend. The turmoil presents a growing political challenge for Macron ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election, with opposition leaders accusing his administration of failing to address mounting public frustration. With protesters promising to return to the streets and political divisions deepening, France’s crisis appears far from over. The violence followed weeks of student demonstrations over deteriorating schools, teacher shortages, and bleak employment prospects. Those protests resulted in more than 6,000 arrests and damage to over 100 schools. With additional demonstrations planned for next weekend and labor strikes scheduled for November, authorities are bracing for further unrest. Meanwhile, political rivals have seized on the chaos ahead of next spring’s presidential election. Marine Le Pen, the far-right National Rally candidate who is leading in the polls, blamed the unrest partly on crime in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods.

“Our country is caught in a vise…between violence and powerlessness,” she declared. The escalating disorder comes as France struggles with a stagnating economy, mounting government debt and deep political divisions. A recent Ipsos-BVA survey found that 85% of French respondents believe their country is in decline, while 98% expressed dissatisfaction with its current condition. France’s government debt has reached 119% of its gross domestic product, roughly twice the European Union’s target. The country is expected to borrow a record $395 billion through mediumand long-term bonds next year. Political gridlock has complicated efforts to address the financial crisis, with successive governments struggling to secure parliamentary approval for budgets. “France carries one of the highest government debt burdens in Europe, and political deadlock means we expect its debt level to continue rising,” Oxford Economics researchers warned. With President Macron’s approval rating hovering around 15% to 17%, France faces an increasingly uncertain future as political frustration, economic anxiety and street violence threaten to deepen the nation’s crisis.

Stampede at Hindu Festival

At least 19 people were killed and 25 others were injured on Saturday when a massive crowd surged at a Hindu religious festival in eastern India, turning an evening of celebration into a scene of panic and tragedy. The deadly stampede occurred in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, during Durga Puja, an annual festival honoring a Hindu goddess. Among the dead were 11 women and two children. Authorities said chaos erupted when heavy rain sent hundreds of worshippers scrambling for shelter near a temporary festival pavilion in the city’s Chorbagan neighborhood. As the crowd rushed through narrow passageways, several people fell and were trampled.

Investigators are also examining reports that an announcement warning that the pavilion’s bamboo structure was about to collapse sparked additional panic. “We are trying to identify who made the announcement and what prompted it,” a police official said. The official described serious failures in crowd control, saying organizers had failed to establish adequate safety procedures. “There was no clear plan to manage the large number of visitors, and everything was handled verbally,” the official said. Police have arrested seven individuals, including members of the festival’s organizing committee, on charges related to culpable homicide. A court ordered the suspects be held in police custody for 10 days. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced an investigation into the disaster and pledged approximately $30,000 and a government job to each victim’s family. Injured survivors will receive approximately $6,000. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “tragic” and expressed his condolences to the victims’ families. Following the disaster, authorities temporarily closed several popular festival sites and imposed restrictions on large gatherings in parts of northern Kolkata through October 20. The city hosts approximately 3,500 elaborately decorated pavilions each year during Durga Puja, attracting enormous crowds throughout the five-day celebration. Although such disasters are uncommon during Kolkata’s festivities, deadly crowd crushes have repeatedly occurred at religious gatherings elsewhere in India. In January 2025, at least 30 people died during a stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh religious festival. In 2024, a gathering in Uttar Pradesh ended in tragedy when 121 people were killed. The latest disaster has once again raised questions about crowd safety at India’s enormous religious celebrations, where inadequate security and sudden panic can have deadly consequences.

4 Killed on Canadian Military Base Four Canadian soldiers were killed and 39 others were injured, including 19 critically, when a massive fire swept through a military training base in Alber-

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

ta on Saturday, leaving Canada mourning one of its deadliest peacetime military disasters. Prime Minister Mark Carney led Parliament in a moment of silence on Monday, declaring that lawmakers were “united in grief” over the tragedy at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, a base located approximately 125 miles east of Edmonton.

The victims were identified as Sgt. Morgan Wong and Privates Shaun Farrell, Aidan Goulding, and Hayden Lykkemark. The disaster unfolded on Saturday afternoon as hundreds of soldiers participated in live-fire training exercises ahead of a planned deployment to Latvia. Military officials said personnel were aware of a nearby grass fire but initially believed it posed no immediate danger. However, powerful winds suddenly shifted direction, sending flames racing to-

ward the soldiers at extraordinary speed. “The fire was a kilometer away when the wind shifted. It is not normal for a fire to move a kilometer in 30 to 60 seconds,” Maj. Gen. Wade Rutland explained. Within moments, the training area was engulfed in flames, leaving soldiers scrambling for safety as military and civilian emergency crews rushed to the scene. Carney described the catastrophe as “one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime.” Authorities have launched an extensive investigation, with 50 investigators examining the circumstances surrounding the deadly blaze. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are leading the probe. The exact cause remains unknown, although preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated during the training exercises. Officials said there was no indication of terrorism. Defense Minister David McGuinty expressed shock at the scale of the disaster. “I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” he said. The tragedy also prompted condolences from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who said they were “greatly

shocked and saddened” by the loss of life. NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone offered his support to Canada’s armed forces. “Canada does not carry this grief alone. All 32 Allied Chiefs of Defense stand with you and the Canadian Armed Forces,” he declared. As investigators work to determine what went wrong, flags across Canada have been lowered to half-staff in memory of the fallen soldiers.

Japan’s Mission to Mars’ Moon

Japan is shooting for the moon — but

this time, it’s one of Mars’ moons. A Japanese spacecraft blasted off on Monday on an ambitious five-year mission to collect rocks and soil from Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons, in hopes of solving a decades-old mystery about how the moons came to exist. The $578 million Martian Moons Exploration mission, known as MMX, launched aboard an H3 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center. If successful, it will become the first mission to bring samples from the Mars system back to Earth. Scientists have long debated the origins of Phobos and its smaller companion, Deimos. One theory suggests the moons are asteroids captured by Mars’ gravitational pull. Another hypothesis says that they formed from debris scattered into space when a massive object collided with Mars many years ago. “One of the most intriguing questions about Phobos and Deimos is simply why these two little moons are there in the first place,” said NASA scientist Thomas Statler. Both moons are tiny compared to Earth’s moon. Phobos measures just 17 miles across, while Deimos is less than half that size. Their irregular shapes resemble asteroids, but appearances alone

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

cannot settle the question. The MMX spacecraft is expected to reach Mars in 2027 and spend approximately three years studying Phobos and its surroundings. In early 2029, scientists plan to deploy a 55-pound rover, developed by German and French space agencies, onto Phobos’ surface. With gravity approximately 1,000 times weaker than Earth’s, the rover will essentially bounce onto the moon before righting itself and beginning its exploration. The spacecraft will subsequently attempt to land on Phobos and collect at least 10 grams of soil, less than half an ounce, using specialized sampling equipment. After observing Deimos, the spacecraft will begin its return journey, delivering the precious cargo to Earth in 2031. A heat-resistant capsule carrying the samples is expected to land in Australia, where scientists will retrieve it for analysis. The mission could also provide valuable information for future human exploration of Mars. For Statler, the prospect of finally examining material from a Martian moon is particularly thrilling. “The most exciting thing of all,” he said, “will be watching the sample return

capsule re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and opening that capsule and seeing those materials for the first time.”

Alberta Rejects Independence

Voters in Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to pursue independence from the country, handing Prime Minister Mark Carney a major political victory amid growing tensions with the United States. Preliminary results released on Tuesday showed approximately 76% of voters favoring remaining part of Canada, while roughly 24% supported beginning the process toward a binding independence referendum. The nonbinding vote, held on Mon-

day, marked a significant setback for Alberta’s separatist movement, which has gained momentum in recent years amid disputes over federal energy policies and the province’s economic relationship with Ottawa. Carney, who grew up in Alberta, welcomed the outcome, saying residents had made a “clear choice” about their future. “They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other,” the prime minister wrote on social media. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative who called the referendum despite opposing independence herself, praised the strong support for keeping the province within Canada. However, separatist leaders insisted their movement was far from finished. “As far as I’m concerned we’ve already won. We’ve created a massive movement in this province,” declared Jeffrey Rath, a leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project. “We’ve been educating Albertans on the benefits of independence and we’re continuing to move forward.” Alberta possesses some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and resentment over federal restrictions on energy development has fueled demands for greater provincial autonomy. Separatists have accused Canada’s federal government of undermining Alberta’s economy through environmental regulations and policies affecting oil production. The independence campaign also attracted attention from prominent allies of President Donald Trump. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described Alberta as a “natural partner” for America, while billionaire Elon Musk publicly suggested that the province “should separate.” Carney had urged Albertans to reject independence, arguing that Canada needed national unity as it confronted Trump’s tariffs and repeated suggestions that Canada become America’s 51st state. Since taking office, Carney has sought to ease tensions with Alberta by cooperating with Smith on plans for a new pipeline to expand overseas oil exports. Thomas Lukaszuk, leader of the pro-unity organization Forever Canadian, celebrated the referendum results. “It’s amazing to see the enthusiasm and resolve among Canadians,” he said.

Haitian Gangs Attack Gangs in Haiti opened fire on Sunday on an armored vehicle, leaving four sol-

diers from El Salvador unaccounted for. This was the first major attack since an international anti-gang force began operations in the violence-wracked country. The attack occurred in Croix-desBouquets, a once peaceful neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, the capital. The neighborhood is now controlled by violent gangs. The Armed Forces of El Salvador said in a statement that the four aviation technicians were returning to camp when the armored vehicle was attacked with explosives and set on fire. The men managed to flee the burning vehicle, although it is not known where they are or if they are being held hostage.

Salvadorean authorities said helicopters were dispatched to the area but they, too, came under fire as they dispersed armed men in the area. “Multiple attempts to approach by land and air have been made, but these have been hampered by the intensity of the fighting,” the Salvadorean Armed Forces said. The area where the armored vehicle was targeted is controlled by gangs including Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent, and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou. Both gang leaders have been sanctioned by the U.N. and the U.S. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. It comes as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in more than a decade and showcases the power of armed gangs that control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince. In September 2025, the U.N. Security Council authorized a 5,550-member force to replace a former Kenya-led multinational force that struggled with a lack of funds and resources as it tried to help Haiti’s National Police quell gang violence. The force currently has more than 1,500 troops on the ground in Haiti, including soldiers from Chad, Jamaica and Guatemala. Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti in recent years, with more than 5,700 people killed or injured from January to mid-September, and another more than 230 people kidnapped, according to the U.N.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

School Collapses in Pakistan

A devastating school building collapse in Pakistan has left 34 children and a teacher dead, turning an ordinary school day into an unimaginable tragedy for dozens of families. The disaster struck on Thursday at the Al-Khair Education Center in Peshawar, a city in northwestern Pakistan, when the school’s roof suddenly gave way, crashing down on approximately 110 students attending classes. Among the victims was 7-year-old Rumaisa Khan, who had proudly worn a brand-new pair of shoes to school that morning. Her father, Ismail Khan, a garment shop owner, had purchased the shoes for her shortly before the tragedy. “I had got her a pair of new shoes which she wore that day after gifting the old one to a cousin,” the grieving father recalled. Hours later, Khan and his brother frantically searched the wreckage, eventually pulling Rumaisa from beneath the debris. They rushed her to a hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead. “She left us too early,” Khan said. Scenes of devastation unfolded as desperate residents dug through the rubble with their bare hands, pulling injured and lifeless children from beneath broken concrete, shattered furniture, and scattered schoolbooks. At least 45 students were injured, including three who remained in critical condition. Authorities said the roof had been overloaded with additional construction materials despite the building’s weak structural foundation. Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed confirmed that the school’s owner had been arrested and that an investigation was underway. Among those mourning was Mohammad Haroon, whose 13-year-old brother, Mohammad Amir, had dreamed of becoming a religious scholar. “We never imagined that sending him to school would end in such a tragedy,” Haroon said. “We had trusted that the

school was a place where he could learn, grow, and fulfil his ambitions.” Another father, Maulana Zakirullah, lost both his sons, Mohammad, 10, and Abu Bakar, 8. Zakirullah said he had been asleep when his children left for school that morning. “I did not see them off,” he recalled. Hours later, he saw his sons again — lifeless at the hospital. The disaster has renewed concerns about Pakistan’s poorly regulated private schools, many of which operate in aging buildings with inadequate safety oversight. Pakistan spends less than 1% of its gross domestic product on education, leaving many families dependent on inexpensive private institutions. Just months earlier, 14 children were killed when another school roof collapsed in Lahore. Authorities have now ordered safety inspections of similar school buildings.

Hegseth Meets with Bibi

As tensions with Iran continue to simmer, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday and held a secret meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu spokesman Doron Spielman confirmed the meeting on Tuesday, saying the two leaders met at the Ovda Air Force Base in southern Israel, where U.S. fighter jets and refueling aircraft are stationed. According to Spielman, Netanyahu and Hegseth discussed “the threats in the region” as well as the U.S.-Israel partnership in confronting those threats both “offensively and defensively.” Defense Minister Israel Katz was reportedly also present at the meeting, though IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir did not attend. Hegseth later acknowledged traveling to the Middle East but did not disclose

that he had been in Israel or provide details about his meeting with Netanyahu. “It was an honor to visit our warfighters in @CENTCOM today,” Hegseth wrote on X. “The best of our country, on a historic mission. Godspeed.” U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, oversees American military operations throughout the Middle East. The highly secretive visit comes at a particularly sensitive moment, with Washington and Tehran locked in a continuing standoff and Israeli leaders openly signaling that renewed military action against Iran remains possible. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu flew to the meeting aboard a private plane from Ben Gurion Airport rather than taking a helicopter, the more typical method of travel for meetings in southern Israel. Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu released videos from the Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel, where he warned Israel’s enemies against testing the country. The prime minister praised the Israeli Air Force’s “readiness, determination, and capability to strike our enemies whenever required.” Hours later, Netanyahu released part of a phone conversation with President Donald Trump, thanking him for endorsing Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s upcoming election. Netanyahu also referenced the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran earlier this year and suggested that the confrontation may not yet be over. “We have a job to finish,” Netanyahu told Trump, adding that the two countries would “finish it together.” The meeting between Netanyahu and Hegseth, coupled with the prime minister’s increasingly pointed rhetoric, is likely to fuel speculation that Israel and the United States are weighing their next move against Tehran.

Israel’s New Space Division

Israel is taking its military capabilities to new heights – literally. The Israel Defense Forces announced

on Monday the establishment of a new Space Division, marking a major expansion of Israel’s military operations beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Brig. Gen. “Shin,” identified only by his Hebrew initial for security reasons, was appointed to lead the division as part of a sweeping round of senior military appointments announced by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. According to the IDF, the new division will oversee the development of military space capabilities, coordinate operations, and consolidate training and expertise in what military officials increasingly view as a critical battlefield. The move follows the military’s assessment that space has become an active arena of warfare and will play an increasingly significant role in future conflicts. Until now, space-related operations, including satellite launches and missile defense, have largely fallen under the Israeli Air Force. Military Intelligence’s Unit 9900 operates Israel’s reconnaissance satellites once they are in orbit. It remains unclear how those responsibilities will be divided under the new structure. Defense Minister Israel Katz welcomed the announcement on Tuesday, declaring that Israel intends to become a major player in space-based defense. “The goal set for the IDF and the defense establishment is to make Israel one of the world’s leading countries in the field of space security,” Katz said, describing his vision as “Star Wars, made in Israel.” Katz said the ability to conduct surveillance, defensive operations, and strikes from space would strengthen Israel’s deterrence and protect the country against threats both near and far. The development comes amid growing concerns about Iran’s space warfare capabilities. During the war in March, Israel said it destroyed an Iranian facility in Tehran involved in satellite development and technology designed to target satellites belonging to Israel and other countries. Israel is also expanding its capabilities closer to Earth. The IDF announced the appointment of Brig. Gen. “Yud” to head a newly established Robotics Division, which will focus on unmanned systems and advanced military technologies. The division will operate under the Depth Corps, which handles missions beyond Israel’s borders. Additionally, the military is reopening its 500th Armored Brigade, a tank unit disbanded in 2003. Lt. Col. “Resh” will be promoted to colonel to command the revived brigade.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

The appointments, which are awaiting Katz’s approval, reflect the IDF’s broader effort to modernize its forces and prepare for future conflicts on land, through advanced robotics, and now, even in space.

Benny Gantz’s Party Pulls Out

Former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz announced on Monday that his Blue and White party will withdraw from Israel’s October 27 election, marking a stunning political downfall for a man once considered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest challenger. Gantz, 67, made the announcement after months of polling showed his party falling well below the electoral threshold needed to enter the Knesset. “I still believe with all my heart in the path I followed from my first day in politics, a path of statehood and unity that puts Israel above all else,” Gantz told reporters. “Unfortunately, at this time, I have not been able to convince enough of the people, and the responsibility is mine.” Because the withdrawal comes just days before the election, Blue and White will still appear on ballots, although votes cast for the party will not count toward Knesset representation. Gantz’s political fortunes have taken a dramatic turn since 2019, when he emerged as the leading alternative to Netanyahu. His Blue and White alliance challenged Netanyahu in three consecutive elections, but his decision to enter a unity government with the prime minister in 2020 fractured his political base. Under that arrangement, Gantz was supposed to eventually replace Netanyahu as prime minister, but the government collapsed before the transfer of power could take place. Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre, Gantz again joined Netanyahu in an emergency wartime government. His popularity initially soared, with polls briefly showing his party as Israel’s most popular political faction. However, Gantz resigned from the government in June 2024 amid disagree-

ments over the handling of the war in Gaza. His political standing subsequently deteriorated, and several prominent allies, including former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot, departed his party. Eisenkot, now leading the Yashar party, praised Gantz’s withdrawal as a “right and responsible decision,” while other opposition leaders welcomed the move as an opportunity to consolidate votes against Netanyahu. Meanwhile, members of Netanyahu’s coalition urged smaller right-wing parties struggling in the polls to follow Gantz’s example rather than risk wasting votes. Despite withdrawing, Gantz continued to call for a broad national unity government capable of bridging Israel’s bitter political divisions. “Do not take us back to October 6,” he warned, referring to the day before the Hamas massacre. “Be brave enough to bring about real and correct change. Put the old perceptions aside.” Gantz cautioned that without meaningful political change, Israel could face continued division, repeated elections, or even another national disaster.

IDF on High Alert

Israel’s military is on high alert ahead of next week’s national elections, with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordering a military-wide leave freeze and additional troop deployments as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Israel’s enemies. Following a security assessment with senior military officers on Monday, Zamir announced that the IDF would maintain its “highest state of alert” in the days leading up to the October 27 election. The chief of staff emphasized that the military’s primary responsibility during this sensitive period is to ensure that Israelis can cast their ballots safely and without disruption. Beginning Thursday, soldiers across the military will be required to remain on their bases rather than take scheduled leave, subject to further security assessments. Zamir also ordered an increased presence of senior officers at military command centers to strengthen operational readiness.

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Although military officials have not identified a specific imminent threat, they described the heightened precautions as necessary given the sensitivity of the upcoming vote. Additional forces will be deployed across several fronts, including Judea and Samaria, where the military has already increased its presence amid escalating tensions and violence. The Paratroopers Brigade will also be deployed to reinforce operations in the

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area between the Samaria and Binyamin regional brigades. Meanwhile, Netanyahu delivered a pointed warning during a visit to an Israeli Air Force base on Monday. “I say to our enemies: Do not test us,” Netanyahu declared in a video released by his office. “You will suffer harder blows than you have suffered until now.” The prime minister praised the Israeli Air Force’s “readiness, determination and capability to strike our enemies whenever

also underway, with the IDF scheduled to establish at least 850 polling stations at bases and military installations throughout Israel and beyond its borders. Voting for soldiers begins on Tuesday and will continue through October 27, when Israelis nationwide head to the polls.

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required.” “We are determined to defend ourselves,” he added. “Do not test us.” Netanyahu issued a similar warning last month, suggesting that Israel had indications of a possible enemy attack ahead of the election. However, opposition figures questioned the warning, and security reports at the time indicated that the IDF had not identified a specific threat. Preparations for military voting are

The Shuk’s $18M Makeover

Jerusalem’s iconic Mahane Yehuda Market is getting a major facelift, with officials unveiling plans for a nearly $18 million renovation aimed at modernizing the historic marketplace while preserving its unique character. The ambitious project, scheduled to begin in October 2027, will include replacing aging electrical, water and sewage systems, installing new flooring and lighting, and upgrading the roofing throughout the market’s covered passageways. And there’s one important condition: The market must remain open throughout construction. “We’re putting a lot of effort into making sure that businesses can stay open,” said Jerusalem City Council member Ariel Baziz, explaining that renovations will proceed one street at a time. Funded by the Jerusalem municipality and Israel’s Tourism Ministry, the NIS 54 million project represents one of the largest upgrades to the market in decades. Mahane Yehuda, home to more than 450 businesses employing approximately 10,000 people, is among Israel’s most popular attractions, drawing as many as 100,000 visitors on busy Fridays. For Tali Friedman, chairwoman of the market’s Merchants Association, the challenge is ensuring that modernization

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

doesn’t erase the character that has made the market a Jerusalem landmark for nearly 150 years. “There is a danger that the old, authentic market will get lost to the new market vibe, and that would be bad for everyone,” Friedman said. Over the past two decades, Mahane Yehuda has undergone a dramatic transformation, evolving from a traditional marketplace selling fruits, vegetables, fish and other staples into a bustling destination filled with restaurants, cafes, and nightlife. That evolution has also created tensions between longtime merchants and newer establishments, particularly over noise, crowds and competing business hours. The planned renovations will not resolve some of the market’s most persistent headaches, including overcrowding and limited parking. Nevertheless, Friedman stressed that shutting down businesses during construction is not an option. “Too many families need the income,” she said. Some vendors also worry that the area’s rapid development, including luxury residential construction nearby, could undermine the market’s traditional atmosphere. Culinary tour guide Harry Rubenstein believes that preserving its character is essential to its future. “Tourists actually love the noise, the crowds, and even the grime they experience in the shuk,” he said. “People don’t want to come here and see the same types of awnings on every stall.”

Florida’s Warrant for Raul Castro

Thirty years after Cuban fighter jets shot down two American civilian planes, killing four men, Florida authorities are seeking to bring former Cuban leader Raul Castro to justice. Florida Attorney General James Uth-

meier announced on Monday that a state arrest warrant had been issued for Castro, 95, charging him with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the February 24, 1996, attack. The warrant, signed by Miami-Dade Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan, accuses Castro of playing a central role in ordering the destruction of two unarmed aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based humanitarian organization that assisted Cuban refugees fleeing the communist island. The victims were Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña, and Armando Alejandre Jr. “Raúl Castro ordered the murder of four Floridians in cold blood, and Florida will never stop pursuing accountability for that communist conspiracy,” Uthmeier declared during a news conference. On the day of the attack, three small Cessna planes departed Miami’s Opa-Locka Airport. Two were subsequently shot down by Cuban MiG fighter jets over international waters. According to investigators, the aircraft were traveling away from Cuban territory and received no warning before being struck by air-to-air missiles. At the time, Castro served as Cuba’s defense minister and first vice president under his brother, Fidel Castro. Florida prosecutors allege that he was among the senior officials who authorized the deadly operation. Investigators also accuse Cuban intelligence agents operating in South Florida of infiltrating Brothers to the Rescue and providing Havana with information about the organization’s flight plans. The new state charges follow a federal indictment issued in May accusing Castro and five others of crimes connected to the shootdown. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Michael Stein said the latest development represents an important step for the victims’ families. “The passage of time does not diminish the value of these lives or our responsibility to pursue accountability,” Stein said. The court ordered Castro held without bond should he be apprehended. However, bringing the former Cuban leader before an American judge remains a significant challenge, since he resides in Cuba and is unlikely to be surrendered by Havana. Still, Florida officials say the warrant carries legal consequences, potentially restricting Castro’s international travel.

TSA Pulls Back Gateside Program

A new airport security program that brought back a taste of pre-9/11 travel has hit some turbulence. The Transportation Security Administration has quietly scaled back a program allowing people without airline tickets to pass through airport security and accompany friends or family members to their gates. The initiative, known as Gateside by TSA PreCheck, launched in September at 13 airports and subsequently expanded to additional locations across the country. However, just weeks after its introduction, the agency has pulled back the expansion, limiting the service to its original 13 airports. The program allows eligible members of TSA PreCheck and other approved traveler programs to apply for special permission to enter secure airport areas without a boarding pass. For families, that means being able to walk loved ones directly to their departure gates or greet arriving passengers as they step off their planes, something that was commonplace before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks prompted sweeping changes to airport security. Gateside had expanded to hundreds of airports before the TSA abruptly reduced its availability. Officials at Denver International Airport and Norfolk International Airport confirmed that their airports had been added to the program before being removed. Norfolk spokesperson Chris Jones said the airport began offering Gateside on October 2, with visitors successfully using the service. By October 13, however, travelers were reporting that they could no longer submit applications. Jones said a TSA official informed him that the program was “on hold indefinitely aside from the original 13 airports.” Denver officials similarly confirmed that Gateside had been restricted to its initial locations, “at least for the time being.” The TSA has not explained the reason

for the sudden rollback. In a statement, the agency said it was conducting an operational assessment at the 13 remaining airports, evaluating participation levels and the program’s effects on airport operations. The participating airports include major hubs such as Los Angeles International, Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit Metropolitan, Las Vegas, San Diego and Salt Lake City, along with airports in Columbus, Wichita, Indianapolis, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Omaha, and Mesa, Arizona.

Christiane Amanpour Leaving CNN

Journalist Christiane Amanpour is signing off from CNN after more than four decades with the network, bringing an end to a career that took her from an entry-level position to some of the world’s most dangerous war zones. Amanpour, 68, announced on Monday that she will leave CNN in June 2027, following a gradual reduction of her onair responsibilities. Her daily CNN International program, “Amanpour,” will transition to a weekly format in January before concluding in May. She will also end her PBS program, “Amanpour & Co.,” in December, although she plans to continue her podcast, “The Ex Files,” which she co-hosts with her former husband, former U.S. diplomat Jamie Rubin. “After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” Amanpour said in a statement. She added that she looked forward to pursuing new projects while continuing to support the network’s commitment to journalism. Amanpour joined CNN in Atlanta in 1983 as an assistant, initially facing skepticism about her prospects as an international correspondent. According to CNN CEO Mark Thompson, one early supervisor told her she lacked the ability to become a foreign correspondent or even appear on television. “Boy, did she prove him wrong!” Thompson remarked.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Amanpour rose to prominence during the 1991 Gulf War and subsequently reported from conflicts in Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran and elsewhere. Throughout her CNN career, Amanpour has repeatedly drawn criticism over her coverage of Israel and statements concerning Jewish history. In 2013, during an interview with then-Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, Amanpour referred to Judea and Samaria as the “occupied West Bank,” defending the description as “an international term.” Bennett rejected her characterization, responding, “One cannot occupy his own home.” The two clashed over similar terminology in 2022, when Bennett was serving as Prime Minister. During that interview, Amanpour claimed that “the West Bank has been occupied since 1967.” Another controversy erupted in 2020 after Amanpour compared the Trump presidency to the Nazi assault on Jewish communities during Kristallnacht in 1938. She described Trump’s presidency as an “assault” on human civilization, drawing criticism upon herself for invoking the Nazi pogroms in a contemporary American political context.

The Israeli government demanded an apology from CNN, and Amanpour subsequently expressed “regret“: “Hitler and his evils stand alone, of course, in history. I regret any pain my statement may have caused. My point was to say how democracy can potentially slip away, and how we must always zealously guard our democratic values.” In 2023, Amanpour caused an uproar after saying on her program that terror victims Lucy Dee and her daughters Rina and Maia were “killed in a shootout” rather than stating they were murdered in a terrorist attack. She later apologized to the family’s father, Rabbi Leo Dee. Amanpour faced another wave of criticism last year after suggesting that Israeli hostages held by Hamas had likely received better treatment than ordinary Gaza residents. Her remarks came during a live broadcast following the release of 20 Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity. Discussing the hostages’ experiences, Amanpour said, “It’s been a terrible, terrible two years for them, because not only are they there – you know, they’re probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had.” Amanpour did not explain her decision to depart CNN, which comes as CNN

undergoes a major ownership transition. Earlier this month, Paramount, controlled by Skydance, completed its $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing CNN and CBS News under the same corporate umbrella. Reflecting on her decades in journalism, she expressed particular gratitude to the crews who accompanied her into conflict zones. “It’s the teams and the camaraderie that counted so much,” she said, recalling their shared efforts to uncover facts and report the truth. She concluded her farewell message with a principle that has guided her reporting throughout her career: “Remember: Always be truthful, not neutral.”

Sgt. Killed in Rappelling Accident

A pregame military tribute turned tragic on Saturday when a decorated U.S. Air Force sergeant fell to his death during a rappelling demonstration at a college football game in San Antonio, Texas. Tech Sgt. Ian Patterson, a 15-year Air Force veteran, was participating in a special demonstration ahead of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s football game against Navy at the Alamodome when the accident occurred. Patterson, assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio, was one of four military personnel scheduled to rappel from the stadium’s rafters as part of the university’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans event. Video circulating on social media showed Patterson, dressed in military fatigues, falling rapidly 170 feet toward the field before striking the ground feet first. Emergency personnel rushed to his aid, treating him on the field before transporting him away on a stretcher. He later died from his injuries. The Air Force confirmed Patterson’s identity on Sunday, describing him as a

highly accomplished instructor who had dedicated 15 years to military service. In 2022, he was named the Air Force’s Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year. His numerous military honors included multiple commendation and achievement medals. “This tragedy is felt deeply,” said Brig. Gen. Scott Mills, commander of the Air Force’s 57th Wing. “Tech Sgt Patterson and his service mattered immensely to our wing, and to the family, friends, and teammates who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him.” The demonstration involved tactical air control specialists, elite personnel trained to accompany ground troops into combat and coordinate air and artillery strikes. An investigation is underway to determine what caused the fatal fall. Saturday’s game was delayed approximately 10 minutes before play resumed. UTSA ultimately defeated Navy 38-34, but the victory was overshadowed by the tragedy. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said the accident had noticeably shaken the crowd of more than 23,000 spectators. “You could tell the energy was just gone,” Traylor told reporters. “It just really puts things in perspective. It really does.” The American Athletic Conference said the decision to proceed with the game was made partly to avoid speculation about Patterson’s condition while his family was being notified. “Our team is now focused on standing beside Ian’s family, loved ones, and fellow air force members as we navigate this profound loss together,” Mills said.

Just 5 Days on the Job

President Donald Trump’s newest White House press secretary didn’t even last a week. Katie Zacharia, a conservative commentator who was unexpectedly tapped for the high-profile position, was removed on Friday five days after she began her tenure following a rocky debut, uncomfortable television interviews, and

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mounting questions about her professional credentials. Her brief tenure may be the shortest in White House press secretary history, lasting just five days and one press briefing. Zacharia’s troubles began on Tuesday, when she delivered a heavily scripted briefing that lasted just five and a half minutes before abruptly ending questions. The situation worsened when reports surfaced that Zacharia had presented herself as a lawyer despite failing the bar exam and not being licensed to practice law. President Trump had publicly described her as “an attorney.” When reporters questioned Zacharia about which state had admitted her to the bar, she twice gave the puzzling response, “When I moved to China.” She later maintained that she had misunderstood the question. Attempts to repair her image through television appearances only created additional headaches. During a Thursday interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Zacharia struggled under questioning. The following morning, a “Fox and Friends” host asked whether she regretted failing to disclose

her bar exam history to Trump. “Well, Lawrence, those questions weren’t asked,” she responded. By Friday afternoon, the writing was on the White House wall. Speaking to reporters before departing for a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump revealed that he had advised Zacharia to reconsider the position. “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this,” Trump recalled telling her. White House communications director Steven Cheung later announced that Zacharia would be transitioning to another position, with details to follow. Despite the abrupt departure, Zacharia praised Trump on social media, calling him “a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man.” The episode drew comparisons to Anthony Scaramucci, who famously lasted just 10 days as White House communications director during Trump’s first term. “Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain,” Scaramucci wrote on social media.

Flamingo Fiasco

A Canadian tourist who apparently thought what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas learned the hard way that the rule doesn’t apply when you steal a flamingo. Mitchell Fairbarn of Ontario was convicted on Monday of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges after snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and taking the bird to

his hotel room. The bizarre incident unfolded on March 3, when Fairbarn, allegedly fueled by alcohol and poor judgment, entered the hotel’s famous wildlife habitat and made off with the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo. Security footage showed Fairbarn carrying the squawking bird through hotel hallways and onto an elevator, apparently giving Peachy an all-expenses-paid trip upstairs that the bird never requested. Unfortunately for Fairbarn, his featherbrained adventure wasn’t quite the harmless prank he claimed it was. When authorities recovered Peachy, the flamingo was missing seven or eight feathers and had blood on its plumage and injuries to its wings. Prosecutors argued that Fairbarn deliberately caused the bird pain and distress, pointing to video evidence showing him pulling the flamingo by its feet. Defense attorney Josh Tomsheck insisted his client never intended to hurt Peachy, describing the incident as an alcohol-fueled lapse in judgment. “The truth is, Mitch was drunk. Mitch was stupid. He made bad decisions,” Tomsheck told jurors. “He should not have done that, should not have gone

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

into the habitat, shouldn’t have touched a bird, shouldn’t have taken Peachy inside.” But jurors weren’t willing to let Fairbarn wing it. After approximately five hours of deliberations, they found him guilty on both counts. Fairbarn, who showed little emotion as the verdict was announced, remains under house arrest until his December 1 sentencing. He faces up to four years in prison on the felony conviction and an additional six months for the misdemeanor. As for Peachy, veterinarians say the flamingo has physically recovered but remains more anxious during medical examinations. At least he’s not chickening out.

Tesla’s Flying Car

Move over, Back to the Future. Elon Musk is bringing flying cars one step closer to reality. Tesla unveiled its long-awaited second-generation Roadster on Thursday, showcasing a futuristic electric sports car capable of briefly lifting off the ground, performing midair maneuvers, and accelerating at breathtaking speeds. The vehicle uses cold gas thrusters and a specialized suction system, incorporating technology borrowed from Musk’s SpaceX rocket company, to propel itself into the air for short bursts. “Turns out the future does have flying cars,” Musk declared on X following the unveiling. The demonstration, held at SpaceX’s rocket testing facility in Texas, also highlighted the Roadster’s extraordinary acceleration capabilities. According to Tesla, the car can rocket from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than one second. But before drivers start dreaming of flying over traffic jams, there’s a catch: The Roadster isn’t expected to enter production until 2028, and significant regulatory obstacles could keep its airborne capabilities off public roads for considerably longer. “I’m not sure every state is going to allow a driver in the middle of traffic to suddenly elevate himself and fly,” noted David Vladeck, a Georgetown University

law professor and former federal consumer protection official. Tesla has not announced a price for the new Roadster, although reservations are already being accepted. Fine print on the company’s website warns that delivery dates are not guaranteed — and that customers may never receive the vehicle at all. Some experts are skeptical that the Roadster’s flying capabilities will reach consumers anytime soon. “This was a demonstration of a oneoff car using a technology around for many years and will not be coming to public roads in 2028,” said University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith. Despite Tesla’s increasing emphasis on self-driving technology and robotaxis, Musk insists the Roadster will remain a vehicle designed for human drivers. He described it as potentially “the only manually driven car that Tesla makes.” Thursday’s demonstration was conducted autonomously, which Musk explained was “to make sure we don’t kill anyone.” “This is not necessarily a safety-optimized car,” Musk joked, adding that the vehicle “takes the fun meter to 11 out of 10.” Tesla’s original Roadster debuted in 2008, and Musk famously launched one into space aboard a SpaceX rocket in 2018, complete with a mannequin named Starman behind the wheel. Now, nearly two decades after the original Roadster hit the streets, Musk is hoping his latest creation will take driving to a whole new level. Like, a sky-high level.

A Lost Art

A painting taken from a Jewish family during the Holocaust has sold for more than $42 million at a London auction, bringing a remarkable conclusion to a decades-long battle over ownership of the valuable artwork. The 1907 masterpiece by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, titled The Colorful Life, sold last Wednesday at Christie’s auction house for approximately $42.025

million, well above its estimated value of $24 million to $33.3 million. The painting sparked a six-minute bidding war and ultimately became the highest-priced artwork sold during the evening’s auction. The identity of the winning bidder was not disclosed. The colorful painting, which measures approximately 4 feet 3 inches by 5 feet 4 inches, depicts a bustling scene in a valley beneath a mountain topped by a palace. Christie’s described the work as “a monumental turning point on Kandinsky’s road to abstraction.” But behind the celebrated artwork lies a painful chapter of Jewish history. The painting was purchased in 1927 by Hedwig and Emanuel Albert Lewenstein, a Jewish couple living in Amsterdam. Beginning in 1933, it was displayed on loan at the city’s Stedelijk Museum. Both owners died before World War II, leaving their extensive art collection to their two children, who escaped Europe before or during the early years of the war. In October 1940, just months after Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands, the painting was sold at auction under circumstances that remained disputed for decades. It was purchased by Salomon Slijper, a Dutch Jewish businessman who survived the Holocaust in hiding. Following Slijper’s death, his widow sold the painting in 1972 to Bayerische Landesbank, a German state-owned bank. The artwork subsequently spent approximately 50 years on display at museums in Munich. In 2017, descendants of the Lewenstein family launched a legal battle seeking the painting’s return. Six years later, an independent German commission concluded that the artwork “was seized as a result of persecution” of Jews during the Nazi occupation and recommended its restitution. The bank complied in June 2023, finally returning the masterpiece to the family’s descendants more than eight decades after it had been taken from their relatives.

99 and Wingin’ It Most people approaching their 100th birthday are happy to keep both feet firmly on the ground. But Helga Duffy decided it was time to spread her wings. The 99-year-old British woman has officially entered the Guinness World Records after becoming the oldest female wing walker, proving that age is just a number – and apparently, so is altitude. Duffy pulled off the daring stunt at

RFC Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, where she stood atop the wing of an airplane as it soared through the sky. For those unfamiliar with wing walking, the activity involves standing or moving on the outside wing of an aircraft while it is in flight. In other words, it’s the sort of thing most people wouldn’t attempt at 29, let alone 99.

But Duffy wasn’t about to let her age clip her wings. Her inspiration came after watching 97-year-old Betty Bromage perform a similar stunt on television. Apparently, seeing someone just two years her junior taking to the skies was all the encouragement she needed. After completing her flight, Duffy was presented with an official Guinness World Records certificate, confirming that her adventure had landed her in the record books. The daredevil great-grandmother, who was the eldest of seven children, said her late father would have been especially proud of her accomplishment. She explained that he had always expected his children to give their very best, and she had spent her life trying to live up to those expectations. Her nieces, Jackie Rose and Julie Preece, were on hand to watch their aunt’s high-flying achievement. They described Duffy as fiercely independent and determined to show the world that turning 99 hadn’t changed who she was. “I can’t wait until I’m 100 and I can do it again,” the daredevil said. But the adventure wasn’t simply about breaking records or getting a bird’s-eye view of the British countryside. Duffy used her flight to raise money for the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, a cause with special meaning for her family. Her nieces explained that their mother had been transported on her final journey by an air ambulance. And while most people celebrate major birthdays with cake, candles and perhaps a nice cup of tea, Duffy has certainly raised the bar. Or, more accurately, flown right over it.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community Dor L’Dor Event at Darchei Torah Brings Together Generations

Photos by Yoel Hecht

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva

Rav Avrohom Bender, menahel

he second grade Dor L’dor program brought together Yeshiva Darchei Torah talmidim and their fathers—and, in some cases, grandfathers and even great-grandfathers—for a morning of spirited learning b’chavrusa in the

main beis hamedrash of Yeshiva Darchei Torah. This was followed by a riveting story told over by Rav Simcha Horowitz, a third grade rebbi in the yeshiva, and dancing.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

At Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Morah Elana Krasnow’s Pre-1A students dressed up as astronauts while learning the letter A

Parshas Noach at HALB

Shulamith ECC enjoyed a visit from the petting zoo in honor of Parshas Noach

BYAM Measures Noach’s Teivah

n honor of Parshas Noach, last Friday, HALB elementary had The Parrot Rebbe join the school for some fun with different beautiful parrots. Center One Therapy visited Lev Chana with

their therapy animals, and the teachers loved it just as much as the children! The classrooms also kept busy making various rainbow projects and cupcakes.

ow big was Noach’s teivah? Morah Shoshana and the BYAM Pre-1A girls wanted to find out! After learning its dimensions in the Chumash, they headed outside with string and a tape measure to see just how far 450 feet would take them. They walked from one corner to the next, crossed the street, and continued halfway down the block! “The teivah was bigger than this!” they chanted along the way, and they sang their Parshas Noach songs as they walked. Then Morah Shoshana had them look up at a neighbor’s roof to picture how tall the teivah was. The girls could hardly believe it! Now they could imagine how there was room for the elephants, giraffes, hippos, and all the other animals. Seeing the size for themselves gave the girls plenty to talk about—and a whole new understanding of the parsha!

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

YOSS students, recognized for their outstanding achievements to start the year, received student of the month awards

HALB seventh graders learned about and then built their own models of molecules

Parshas Noach came to life for the preschool girls at Bais Yaakov Five Towns with a special petting zoo visit

SKA Encourages Students to Connect and Reflect

ow much time do we really spend on our phones? And how much of that time could be better spent connecting with the people around us? These were some of the questions at the heart of a new technology initiative at Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, designed to go beyond our cell phone-free school day and to encourage students to take an honest look at their overall relationship with technology. SKA welcomed Mr. Menachem Newman, an attorney, husband, and father who shared his personal journey of rethinking his smartphone use. At the encouragement of his shul rabbi, and at a particularly busy time in his life as he prepared to launch his own law practice

while raising a growing family, Mr. Newman made the decision to reassess his technology use. His relatable story offered students in grades 10 through 12 an opportunity to consider their own habits and to look at the role technology plays in their daily lives. In advance of the presentation, students completed a survey about their relationships with their phones. Many girls acknowledged spending more time on their phones than they would like and expressed a desire for more genuine “face time” with friends and family. Following Mr. Newman’s presentation, a panel of current students and faculty members shared their own experiences, challenges, and perspectives on smartphone use. The conversation

was candid and thoughtful, focusing on small, realistic adjustments that can lead to healthier habits. The goal of the program was to encourage the students to pause, reflect, and consider how to use technology more intentionally. And the conversation didn’t end when the program was over. Teachers continued the discussion in their classrooms, giving students additional opportunities to share their thoughts, ask questions, and explore what meaningful change might look like in their own lives and to join school-wide challenges that will help us to continue the conversation. At SKA, education extends well beyond academics. It is about helping young women become thoughtful, self-aware individuals who are constantly learning

and growing. Meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t always begin with a new rule. Sometimes, it begins with an honest conversation, self-reflection, and the willingness to make intentional choices. That’s SKA.

Village of Lawrence Honors Nassau County Police Department Officers for Service and Community Partnership

he Village of Lawrence recognized Fourth Precinct Commanding Officer Matt Schiller and Lieutenant Charles Sollin of the Nassau County Police Department for their dedication, professionalism, and continued commitment to the safety and well-being of the Lawrence community. At the September Village Board meeting, Mayor Samuel (Shlomo) Nahmias presented Fourth Precinct Commanding Officer Matt Schiller and Lieutenant Charles Sollin with Village of Lawrence proclamations in appreciation of their service and partnership with the Village. Mayor Nahmias and the Board of Trustees expressed their gratitude for the leadership and dedication of the Fourth Precinct and for the strong working re-

lationship between the Nassau County Police Department and the Village of Lawrence. “The safety and security of our residents is one of our highest priorities,” said Mayor Nahmias. “We are grateful to have such dedicated law enforcement professionals working with us and looking out for our community. We appreciate everything Commanding Officer Schiller, Lieutenant Sollin, and the entire Fourth Precinct do for the residents of Lawrence.” The Village also recognized Auxiliary Police Officer Jon Isler, a longtime resident, who is retiring from the Nassau County Auxiliary Police at the end of September after 20 years of service. For approximately 15 years, Officer

Isler has regularly provided security and assistance at Village Board meetings, in addition to serving the community at numerous events and functions. His longtime presence has made him a familiar and valued member of the Lawrence community. “Jon has given two decades of his time and service to our community,” said Mayor Nahmias. “We thank him for his commitment, professionalism, and willingness to serve. On behalf of the Village, we wish Jon and his family all the best as he begins this next chapter.” The Village of Lawrence extends its sincere appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department, the Fourth Precinct, and all of the officers and auxiliary personnel who work to protect and serve

the community. The Village looks forward to continuing its strong partnership with law enforcement to promote public safety and maintain a secure and welcoming community for Lawrence residents.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Lev and Olga Leviev Champion a New Chapter in Jewish Education with the Dedication of Lev Jewish Academy

ev Jewish Academy celebrated a defining moment in its history on Thursday, October 15, as distinguished guests, elected officials, Jewish community leaders, parents, and graduates gathered for a dedication ceremony marking the school’s new name and a strategic partnership with the Leviev Foundation and JIQ Schools. The ceremony represented an important step forward for the Lawrence school, bringing together a longstanding commitment to education with a renewed vision for the future. Through the guidance and partnership of the Leviev Foundation and JIQ Schools, Lev Jewish Academy is strengthening its position within the community and expanding its ability to serve Jewish families seeking an education that combines academic excellence with a meaningful foundation in Torah and Jewish tradition. The occasion was especially significant for the families and alumni who have been part of the school’s journey over the years. The institution’s educational mission remains at the heart of this next chapter, with a continued focus on its students, its faculty, and the community it serves. Among the honored guests were philanthropist Lev Leviev, Olga Leviev, and Chagit Sofiev Leviev, president of Lev Jewish Academy, whose family’s longstanding commitment to Jewish ed-

ucation has helped support schools and communities across the globe. Also in attendance were Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Senator Patricia Canzoneri Fitzpatrick, Village of Lawrence Mayor Samuel Nahmias, Rabbi Baruch Babaev, Chief Rabbi of Bukharian Jews in the United States and Canada, and Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky, executive director of Machne Israel Development Fund, along with other community leaders and supporters. The ceremony opened a new chapter in the school’s story with a ribbon cutting and the installation of mezuzot at the entrance. The traditional act of affixing the mezuzot carried particular meaning, symbolizing a renewed beginning grounded in Jewish faith, tradition, and the values that guide the school’s educational mission. Speakers included Lev Leviev, Chagit Sofiev Leviev, Batya Zvulunov, head of Judaic curriculum at JIQ Schools, and Raz Levin, head of school at Lev Jewish Academy. Their remarks underscored the importance of investing in the next generation, strengthening Jewish identity, and ensuring that Jewish education remains accessible, relevant, and deeply rooted in tradition. The program was emceed by Rabbi Simon Taylor, executive vice president of the Bukharian Jewish Congress and Leviev Foundation. His role helped frame the gathering as both a celebration of the

school’s progress and an opportunity to reflect on the broader importance of Jewish education in the community. Following the ceremony, Raz Levin, accompanied by the school’s rabbi, Rabbi Aharon Bain, led the Leviev family on a tour of the campus. Visiting classrooms and observing lessons in progress, the guests saw firsthand the dedication of the school’s faculty and the learning taking place throughout the building. The visit offered a closer look at the daily work behind the school’s mission and the students whose growth remains its central priority. Building on a Strong Foundation At Lev Jewish Academy, the new partnership is rooted in a clear objective: to build on the school’s existing foundation and position it for continued growth and long term success. The collaboration with the Leviev Foundation and JIQ Schools brings guidance, support, and a shared commitment to the future of Jewish education. It reflects a belief that strong schools are essential to strong Jewish communities, and that investing in children today is an investment in the future of Jewish life. The school’s educational philosophy centers on the understanding that every child brings individual strengths, interests, and needs to the classroom. By combining rigorous academics with a rich Judaic curriculum, Lev Jewish Academy

seeks to nurture students who are intellectually curious, confident in their identities, and grounded in Torah, mitzvot, and Jewish values. The partnership also presents an opportunity to reach families who may have considered Jewish day school but encountered financial or practical barriers. The Leviev Foundation’s educational initiatives are intended to help make Jewish education more accessible and support families seeking to establish or deepen their children’s connection to Jewish learning. The October 15 dedication was more than a ceremonial milestone. It was a gathering of a community committed to the future, united by the conviction that a strong Jewish education can shape not only individual lives, but generations to come. About Lev Jewish Academy Lev Jewish Academy is a Jewish day school in Lawrence, New York, formerly known as Brandeis Hebrew Academy and The Brandeis School, established in 1930. The school is dedicated to academic excellence, meaningful Jewish education, and the development of each student’s individual potential. Through a curriculum that integrates rigorous academic study with Torah, mitzvot, Jewish values, and Jewish tradition, Lev Jewish Academy seeks to prepare students for the future while fostering a lasting connection to Jewish life and the Jewish people.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Bikur Cholim of Far Rockaway + Five Towns joined the Chessed Fairs at HAFTR High School, HAFTR Middle School and SKA this week, talking with students about chessed opportunities in the community and the work Bikur Cholim does

Gan Chamesh Parshas Noach Petting Zoo

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Keshertours.com Keshertours@verizon.net

arshas Noach came to life at Gan Chamesh as the children excitedly greeted the animals in a visiting petting zoo. They were able to feed,

touch, pet and observe all kinds of animals, which helped them conceptualize what it must have been like for Noach to care for the animals on the Teivah.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Never a dull moment at The Special Children’s Center! To get involved call 516-200-2234 ext 507

Mrs. Nussbaum’s fifth grade students at Yeshiva Darchei Torah performed chesed as they packaged food boxes for holocaust survivors at the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP)

Governor Hochul Joins Assemblymembers Berger and Rozic for Yeshiva Visit in Queens

overnor Hochul joined Assemblymembers Sam Berger and Nily Rozic for a tour of Bnos Malka Academy, a private Orthodox Jewish girls’ school located in Forest Hills, Queens. The school serves families in the Orthodox Jewish community and offers early childhood education beginning at the preschool level. The governor was also accompanied by Rabbi Michael Weichselbaum, Yeruchim Silber, CEO of Agudath Israel of America, and Sydney Altfield, CEO of the Teach Coalition. “I’m grateful to Assemblymembers Sam Berger, Nily Rozic, and Rabbi Michael Weichselbaum for welcoming me to Bnos Malka Academy for an insightful visit on the powerful work the academy is

doing to advance early childhood education in Forest Hills,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Now that New York will participate in the federal scholarship tax credit program, we are delivering millions of additional dollars to support New York students and families at academies like these to ensure every child has the best possible chance to succeed.” “I thank Governor Hochul for visiting my district and meeting with yeshiva leaders representing thousands of students and families across Queens,” said Assemblymember Sam Berger. “This was an important discussion about the challenges facing these schools, from strengthening security through NPSE grants to expanding access to STEM

funding and addressing the distinct needs of the yeshiva community.” “I’m especially grateful that Governor Hochul is opting into the federal scholarship tax credit program, which will help countless families shoulder the financial burden of education. Governor Hochul’s willingness to listen, engage directly with school leaders, and take meaningful steps to support these communities reflects a strong commitment to ensuring that yeshiva students and families have the resources and opportunities they deserve,” said Berger. “Governor Hochul has been a strong partner to Jewish day schools throughout her time in office, from increasing funding for our schools to strengthening security and now bringing the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit to New York,” said Sydney Altfield, CEO of the Teach Coalition. “Today, she even got to see her work in action, with students enjoying lunch thanks to the state’s free school

meals program! It was an opportunity to thank her for all she’s done, but also to show her firsthand what’s happening inside our classrooms. Jewish education is thriving, demand is growing, and families are making enormous sacrifices to give their children that education. What stood out was the Governor’s genuine interest in hearing directly from educators about the challenges they face and what more can be done. She understands that supporting Jewish education means investing in the next generation.” “We deeply appreciate the important dialogue Governor Hochul had today with school leaders in Queens,” said Yeruchim Silber, CEO of Agudath Israel of America. “Under her leadership funding for non-public schools has reached record levels and now with the governor opting in to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, parents and students across the state will see tremendous benefits.”

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim Hosts Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum

he talmidim of Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim recently had the privilege of hearing from Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum, the noted mechanech, rosh yeshiva, author, and columnist, who delivered an interactive address on his newly released sefer, The Self-Esteem Trap: Why Focusing on Yourself Keeps You Stuck – and Focusing on Your Actions Sets You Free. After the address, Rabbi Kestenbaum personally inscribed a sefer for each participant—a clear zechus that turned the afternoon into a lasting personal connection. It was a genuine honor for the yeshiva to host Rabbi Kestenbaum. His talk was not a standard lecture but a dynamic, back-and-forth conversation that drew the students in and left a lasting impression. Those present described it as both deeply inspirational and, for many, genuinely life-changing—the kind of address that stays with a person and shapes how they think about themselves, their growth, and their avodas Hashem. Rabbi Kestenbaum is widely respected for his practical, Torah-grounded approach to character development, self-improvement, and chinuch. Through his writings—including Olam HaMid-

dos, Olam Ha’Avodah, Run After the Right Kavod, and his latest sefer—he has helped thousands gain clarity on topics ranging from healthy self-worth and purpose to navigating everyday challenges in a way that strengthens rather than undermines their connection to Hashem. His style is accessible yet profound: he combines Torah sources, real-life insight, and straightforward guidance that resonates with both teenagers and adults. The new sefer’s cover captures its central challenge in a single image: a signpost with “How good am I?” crossed out, and the path ahead labeled “What is the next right thing to do?” Above it runs the call to stop self-doubt, stop evaluating yourself, start living with freedom, and start evaluating your actions. Rather than trying to build or maintain a positive opinion of oneself as a “good person,” the book argues that healthy growth begins by accepting one’s inherent worth and then turning attention away from self-judgment toward the honest evaluation of actions. One can—and should—feel deep satisfaction after doing something right and genuine regret after doing something wrong. The problem arises when those feelings are followed by a quiet “there-

fore.” “I did something good, therefore I am good,” or “I failed, therefore I am a failure,” turns an action into a verdict about identity. That shift, Rabbi Kestenbaum explains, is what keeps people stuck. At Ateres Eitz Chaim, whose mission centers on guiding high-school bochrim toward a lasting love of Torah and Yiddishkeit while equipping them with the skills and work ethic they will need, the visit fit naturally. The interactive format allowed talmidim to engage directly with the ideas in the new sefer, ask questions, and reflect on how the concepts apply to their own lives. Many left the session with a renewed sense of direction and practical tools for personal growth. The personal inscriptions Rabbi Kestenbaum added afterward reinforced the message: each student carried away not only the ideas but a tangible reminder of the afternoon and of the practical path the sefer lays out—accepting inherent importance, evaluating actions honestly, and continually asking “What is the next right thing to do?” Building on the energy of the visit, the talmidim will now begin learning The Self-Esteem Trap in chaburos (study groups) with a rebbe, where they will discuss the ideas in depth, apply them

to their daily lives, and explore how the concepts can strengthen their avodas Hashem and personal growth. These ongoing conversations will help the students internalize the sefer’s message and turn the inspiration of the address into practical, lasting change. Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim is located in Cedarhurst and serves high-school bochrim with a dual focus on rigorous Torah learning and practical preparation for life. Events like this reinforce the yeshiva’s commitment to bringing high-caliber Torah personalities into direct conversation with its students. For the talmidim who heard Rabbi Kestenbaum, the afternoon was more than a special program— it was a meaningful encounter that, by all accounts, will continue to influence how they approach their learning, their challenges, and their potential.

Remembering October 7: AMIT Students Give Back

AMIT students visiting bereaved families in Rehovot. 2. Exhibit honoring fallen members of the AMIT Yagel community. (Credit: Eyal Nachum) 3. AMIT students volunteering in Kiryat Shmona. (Courtesy of AMIT) As Israel marked three years since October 7, students throughout the AMIT network of schools found ways to honor those who were killed, making their memory meaningful and bringing comfort to their families. At Yeshivat AMIT Amichai in Rehovot, students and teachers dedicated the week to strengthening Torah learning and acts of kindness in memory of those who lost their lives. Students worked on presentations about fallen soldiers and assembled gift packages for bereaved families in the community, visiting the families to deliver the gifts and listen to their stories. One group of students sat with the family of Captain Yarin Gahali, Hy”d, a platoon commander in Sayeret Givati, Gi-

vati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, who fell in battle in southern Gaza. “You could feel the mix of joy that we had come and sadness in remembering her son,” said students Eliya Atiya and Raphael Sasson. “The visit reminded us how the story of the whole nation and the story of one family are tied together.” At Yeshivat AMIT Yagel in Ashdod, students created a special exhibit honoring members of their yeshiva who were killed on October 7. Among those remembered was Eli (Eliku) Ozen, Hy”d, a respected chef. On October 7, Eliku was murdered alongside his father, Arie Ozen, Hy”d, while fishing at Zikim Beach. Eliku used his own body to shield his father and others who had taken refuge in a roadside shelter. Throughout the week, teachers brought their classes to view the exhibit giving students an opportunity to learn about the lives and courage of people connected to their own community. “As I read the stories of those who were killed, I thought about how much we can learn from them: courage, giving,

AMIT students visiting bereaved families in Rehovot

friendship, leadership, responsibility and love of the land,” said Evyatar Zanati, a student. Students at AMIT Tiferet Gur Arye Pre-Military Technology Junior College in Rehovot traveled north to Kiryat Shmona to show solidarity with the city whose residents were displaced during the war. The students spent the day volunteering in schools, kindergartens, and community centers, helping wherever they were needed. The group concluded the day at the memorial in She’ar Yashuv honoring the 73 soldiers killed in the helicopter disas-

ter there. The students, who are preparing to serve in the Israeli Air Force, discussed what it means to serve and the weight of the duties they will soon undertake. Three years after October 7, families and communities throughout Israel are still living with its aftermath. By honoring those who were lost while helping others, AMIT students strengthened their country. “It is our duty to turn the memory of those lost into responsibility and action,” said Rabbi Tzuri Levi, head of the pre-military academy. “The best way forward is giving back, standing by one another, and striving to be the best we can be.”

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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JSL Week 4 Recap

eek 4 powered by FM Home Loans & Bernath and Rosenberg brought another incredible round of JSL action. From hat tricks and shutouts on the hockey rink to overtime heroics on the basketball court, our players delivered excitement across every division. JSL Juniors K/P Hockey Papaya Events 4, Smash House 3 — Jacob Felder was on fire, recording a HAT TRICK to lead Papaya Events to a thrilling one-goal victory! Maidenbaum defeated Three Pillars Real Estate — Jack Schlessel delivered a tremendous allaround performance, bringing energy and determination to help Maidenbaum come away with the win! Blumenfrucht Rose 1 defeated Rip It — Shaya Noble stole the spotlight with a spectacular HAT TRICK, putting on an offensive show to lead his team to victory! SR Whee 5, Wieder Orthodontics 4 — What a performance! Sammy Mase was absolutely unstoppable, scoring an incredible FOUR GOALS as SR Whee survived a nail-biting one-goal battle! JSL Hockey 1st Grade Central Pizza Co. 6, Marciano PD 3 — Yosef Buchsbayew took over offensively, delivering a fantastic HAT TRICK to power Central Pizza Co. to an impressive victory! Mesila 6, SR Whee 3 — Another hat trick! Yoel Weiss was a scoring machine, finding the back of the net three times to lead Mesila to a big win! Woodmere Lanes 3, Suffolk Health 2 — A terrific battle between two determined teams! Yona Wegh delivered an excellent all-around performance, helping Woodmere Lanes grind out a hard-fought one-goal victory! 2nd/3rd Grade JNT LLP defeated Central Pizza Co. — Avraham Portal was outstanding all over the rink, while Elan Hirth stood tall between the pipes with a tremendous goaltending performance to help JNT LLP secure the win! Five Towns Restoration 5, Smash House 3 — Eli Bryks was everywhere! With two goals and two assists, he put together an incredible four-point performance to lead Five Towns Restoration to victory! Town Appliance 2, Posh Home & Bath 0 — SHUTOUT ALERT! In a defensive showdown where every opportunity mattered, Epharaim Shapiro was a brick wall in net, turning aside everything

that came his way to preserve the shutout! Aryeh Law Group defeated Collision Depot — An offensive explosion from Yaakov Jeidel and Gavriel Aryeh, who combined for FIVE GOALS to lead Aryeh Law Group to an impressive victory! 4th/5th Grade Frank Kitchen & Bath 5, Elegant Lawns 1 — Joey Gordon was sensational in net, delivering a dominant goaltending performance as Frank Kitchen & Bath rolled to victory! Honda of Valley Stream defeated J-Works Construction — Izzy Fried came up huge between the pipes, providing outstanding goaltending to help Honda of Valley Stream earn a big win! Battr 4, Extreme Event Cleaning 1 — Aryeh Perl put on a clinic with his defensive positioning and terrific passing, helping Battr control the game and secure a convincing victory! 6th–8th Grade Park Kitchens 4, J-Works Construction 3 (Shootout) — One of the most exciting games of the week! After a backand-forth battle, Aaron Silverman came through with a clutch shootout goal to help Park Kitchens pull out the dramatic victory! Twillory 9, Sperling Productions 4 — Shmuli Sitzer put together an absolutely ridiculous performance, recording a hat trick and three assists for a massive six-point game! An unforgettable offensive showing! JSL Basketball 1st/2nd Grade Wieder Orthodontics 10, Smash House 0 — Yitzy Lazar set the tone with tremendous hustle and energy on both ends of the court, helping Wieder Orthodontics deliver a dominant defensive performance and a convincing victory! Next Level Taste 4, Rip It 3 — Every basket counted in this defensive battle! Yoel Nagelberg brought the intensity and determination needed to help Next Level Taste escape with a thrilling one-point win! 2nd/3rd Grade TNB Architecture 18, Posh Home & Bath 16 — What a battle! Yaakov Grossman was a difference-maker, bringing energy and determination as TNB Architecture fought its way to a dramatic two-point victory! JNT LLP 8, Altbanq 4 — Tzvi Berger helped set the tone with his effort and all-around play as JNT LLP put together a terrific defensive performance to earn the win!

4th/5th Grade Maidenbaum 22, Zlotowitz Law 18 — Matisyahu Mark led the charge with an impressive all-around effort, helping Maidenbaum battle through a competitive matchup and secure a hard-earned four-point victory! Central Pizza Co. 10, Marciano PD 8 (OT) — OVERTIME DRAMA! With just six seconds remaining in regulation, Yaakov came up with a huge rebound and tied the game to force overtime! Then Tzvi Kesherim stepped up and delivered the overtime winner, completing an incredible comeback for Central Pizza Co.! 6th–8th Grade Brookville Auto vs. Reliable 1 Labs — 43–33 — Dovid Bornfreund delivered an outstanding performance in a high-scoring matchup between two competitive teams! JNT LLP 39, Emporio 31 — Shmuel Aharon Finman was a driving force for Jacob Newman, bringing tremendous energy and making his presence felt throughout the game to help secure an impressive eight-point victory! Five Towns Flag Football — Week 4 Recap Week 4 was absolutely electric! From one-point nail-biters and game-changing interceptions to a 55–49 offensive shootout, our players brought the excitement across every division! With close finishes, big plays, and incredible effort throughout the afternoon, this was another fantastic week of Five Towns Flag Football! 1st Grade FSSNY Dolphins 12, Town of Plains Jets 11 — What a battle! Nati Bauman was a standout for the Dolphins, bringing tremendous energy and making his presence felt throughout the game as FSSNY held on for a thrilling one-TD victory! SRV Seahawks 7, TYH Giants 6 — Another absolute nail-biter! Ben Miller delivered an outstanding all-around performance, helping the Seahawks edge out the Giants by the slimmest of margins! 2nd Grade Marciano Jets 11, Smash House Giants 9 — PICK-SIX ALERT! Harry Wilheim was a game-changer, coming up with a huge interception return for a touchdown and making several other terrific plays to lead the Jets to an exciting victory! Wieder Orthodontics Patriots 12, Mr. Softee Seahawks 11 — Yet another one-point thriller! Zev Begun and Rephael Moskow-

itz both stepped up with fantastic performances, helping the Patriots battle their way to a dramatic win over the Seahawks! 3rd/4th Grade TYH Giants 7, Elegant Lawns Eagles 4 — Yehuda Stein was a force on the field, bringing tremendous hustle and determination as the Giants put together an impressive team effort to secure the victory! Central Pizza Co. Chiefs 10, Maidenbaum Jets 4 — Shalom Halberstam left absolutely everything on the field! His relentless effort and outstanding allaround play helped power the Chiefs to a convincing victory! Mr. Softee Seahawks 5, Rip It Ravens 4 — What a finish! Akiva Jaspan and Shauli Bauman delivered fantastic performances in a hard-fought battle, helping the Seahawks come away with a thrilling one-point victory! 5th/6th Grade Ondas Eagles 6, TYH Giants 5 — Another game that came down to the wire! Yaakov Frishman and Avi Pelman brought their best, making big contributions as the Eagles held on for a dramatic one-point victory! J-Works Construction Jets 6, Honda Valley Stream Packers 4 — Shlomo Caller and Dovid Weingarten both delivered outstanding performances, helping the Jets put together a terrific all-around team effort and earn a hardfought victory! 7th/8th Grade Twillory Giants 55, Next Level Taste Dolphins 49 — WHAT A SHOOTOUT! In one of the wildest games of the week, the Giants and Dolphins combined for an incredible 104 points! The Dolphins mounted a furious comeback attempt, but the Giants refused to let the game slip away. Avi Mikhli delivered a tremendous performance as Twillory survived the late push and secured an unforgettable victory!

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Yaakov Shwekey at Pre-Shabbos Ruach at DRS

re-Shabbos Ruach has become a staple of the DRS week. Every Friday, the entire yeshiva comes together to sing and bring in Shabbos. Every so often, the ruach is enhanced by special guests – and last week’s was one to remember. The talmidim at DRS got the surprise of a lifetime. Yaakov Shwekey, who recently put out 11 albums and a book

focused on the music of Shabbos, had heard about how DRS brings in Shabbos, and he wanted to come share in it and contribute. The Beis Medrash, packed with DRS talmidim, was rocking, as Shwekey joined them in song, turning an already electric weekly minhag into an unforgettable way to welcome Shabbos.

Chessed in Action at HAFTR

hessed begins with recognizing a need and choosing to do something about it. At HAFTR, eighth grade students took an important step toward putting that idea into practice at the annual Chessed Fair, where they met representatives from a range of organizations dedicated to supporting individuals and families in need. Through these conversations, students learned about each organization’s mission and discovered meaningful ways to get involved. Representatives from Kulanu, BoiChallah, Israel Chessed Center, Gural JCC, Chai Lifeline Five Towns, Bikur Cholim of the Five Towns, Friends of the IDF, The Special Children’s Center, OHEL Family Services, Yachad, and Achiezer introduced students to different forms of service and the many ways people can make a difference in their communities. As students explored volunteer opportunities and ways to fulfill their Chessed hours, they encountered a les-

son that extends beyond any single organization: making a difference does not require fame, a title, or a large platform. It begins with seeing where help is needed, taking initiative, and recognizing that even one person’s efforts can have a meaningful impact. At HAFTR, chessed is more than an obligation to fulfill. It is a Jewish value that calls us to look beyond ourselves and take responsibility for others. By connecting students directly with organizations doing this work, the fair helps them move from learning about chessed to finding their own ways to practice it.

R.A.I.S.E. the Bar at HALB

ast week, HALB Middle School girls kicked off the R.A.I.S.E. the Bar program. The name stands for Respect And Include Students Everywhere, which is exactly what the students and morots focus on. The girls were treated to a hot cocoa bar and received pencil pouches. Throughout the year, they will add Jibbitz to their pencil pouches as they learn and practice their R.A.I.S.E. habits.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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YKLI Haschalas Gemara Mesiba

he fifth graders at Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island excitedly received their Gemaras at our Haschalas Gemara Mesiba. Hartzig

singing, divrei bracha, spirited dancing, proud parents and grandparents…it was a beautiful and nachas-filled morning!

YUHSG Community Celebrates Annual Challah Bake

n Monday, October 12, YUHSG opened its doors to the family and friends of students and faculty for a much-loved event: its annual Community Challah Bake. It’s an opportunity for the entire YUHSG community to come together to perform the mitzvah of challah and its hafrasha. Over three hundred women attended the event, which is always a source of inspiration and uplift. It is also a well-placed opportunity to practice the year’s theme, Modeh Ani: Living with Gratitude, by recognizing and appreciating the warmth and support of the Wildcat community. “The Central Challah Bake is always one of the highlights of the year,” said YUHSG’s Director of Israel and Religious Guidance, Senior Grade Dean, and Judaic Studies faculty member Mrs. Yael Axelrod. “It brings students, mothers, grandmothers, and sisters together to perform one of the special mitzvot given to Jewish women.” This year’s speaker was Mrs. Michal Horowitz, the author of Abled: A Torah View on Living with a Disability, pub-

lished by Mosaica Press. Mrs. Horowitz spoke movingly about faith, inclusion, and living with severe hearing loss. Notably, the event was coordinated by YUHSG’s FIRE (Friends Inspiring Religious Experiences) Ruach Fellows. An innovative program that offers seniors leadership opportunities and the chance to coordinate meaningful religious activities for the school community, this year’s FIRE Ruach Fellows – seniors Nili Aharon, Noa Berman, Emma Katz, and Orly Spinner – helped guide a moving event that included dinner and a book signing at the evening’s end. “The challah bake is a wonderful event that truly brings the Central community together,” Nili said. “It has been such an amazing and rewarding experience to facilitate it as a FIRE Fellow.” Mrs. Axelrod praised the extraordinary efforts of the FIRE Fellows. “We would like to give a huge thank you to our FIRE Ruach fellows, Nili, Noa, Emma, and Orly, for working so hard to set up for the Challah Bake, and for introducing our guest speaker,” she continued. “We would also like to thank Mrs. Michal Horowitz for inspiring us with her per-

sonal story of living with a disability, and for teaching us all to be so grateful for the abilities that Hashem gives us.” And there’s more to come in a dynam-

ic fall calendar – most notable is YUHSG’s annual Open House event, which will be held at the Holliswood campus on Sunday, November 1.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Falling Into Great Goals at YOSS

From Torah to the World Around Us

he boys in Mrs. Schuster’s fourthgrade class at Yeshiva of South Shore have jumped right into an exciting new school year! As they settle into classroom routines and expectations, the boys are learning the importance of responsibility, independence, and perseverance. To welcome the fall season, the students participated in a special writing activity titled “Falling Into Great Goals!” Each boy took time to reflect on a personal or academic goal he hopes to accomplish this year, why that goal is important to him, and the steps he can take to achieve it. Through this meaningful activity, the boys learned that setting goals is an important part of growing as both students and individuals. Whether working toward becoming a stronger reader, staying more organized, participating in class, or showing greater kindness to oth-

ers, each goal represents an opportunity for growth. The students discussed how reaching a goal takes patience, effort, and determination, and that even small steps can lead to big accomplishments. Most importantly, they recognized that success doesn’t happen overnight, but through consistent effort and a willingness to keep trying. As the school year progresses, the boys will continue building their skills and confidence through engaging lessons, learning centers, hands-on math activities, science labs, and social studies explorations. With their goals in mind, they are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, celebrate their progress, and reflect on how far they have come. We look forward to watching the boys of 4F grow, challenge themselves, and turn their goals into achievements throughout the year!

hat happens when Torah learning meets real-world expertise? For HAFTR’s Early Childhood and Lower School students, Parshat Noach became an opportunity to explore the animal world through the eyes of those who know it best. Last week, HAFTR welcomed parent guests Dr. Gabby Wild, a veterinarian, and Morah Alana Krul, founder and creator of Tevah v’Torah, for a special learning experience inspired by the parsha. Dr. Wild shared her experiences working with animals around the world, introducing students to the many aspects of animal care and the unique challenges of working with different species. Her knowledge and expertise sparked students’ curiosity as they learned more about what it takes to care for animals. The experience continued with hands-on activities tailored to each division. Lower School students built nests, while Early Childhood students explored the themes of the parsha through a creative coloring activity, giving each group an opportunity to connect their learning with something they could create themselves. At HAFTR, meaningful learning

often begins with a familiar story and grows through new questions, discoveries, and experiences. By connecting Parshat Noach with animal care and exploration, students were able to see the world around them through a deeper appreciation for Hashem’s creations. Experiences like these also reflect the value of bringing our HAFTR family into the classroom. When parents and educators share their knowledge and passions, they open new doors for students to discover, learn, and grow. HAFTR extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Wild and Morah Krul for helping make Parshat Noach a memorable learning experience for our students.

Rambam Mesivta’s Law Society Holds Its First Meeting

By Avner Iskhakov

tudents at Rambam who are interested in law spent lunch on October 15 at the Rambam Law Society’s first meeting, organized by Judge Ronald Goldman and club president Avner Iskhakov. The discussion covered the roles of lawyers and judges, giving students an introduction to the profession. Whether members are considering a legal career

or simply curious about the field, the club gives them a place to start. Judge Goldman and Iskhakov handled the preparations, including providing snacks for those who attended. We thank them for the time they put into getting the club underway. The Law Society hopes to invite additional lawyers and judges to speak about their work and answer students’ questions.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

A NIGHT OF

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Mercaz Remembers October 7

ifth and sixth graders at Plainview’s Mercaz Academy marked October 7 last week with a special program honoring the creativity and joyful exuberance of Maayan Kalichman, an artist murdered at the Nova music festival. Maayan was a personal family friend of Mercaz’s Israeli Shinshinim volunteers, who designed the program to offer students an age-appropriate way to engage with the tragedy of October 7 through the life of one victim and the good her loved ones have created in her memory. Kalichman, 22, studied animation at Tel Aviv’s Minshar School of Art. Known to friends as “Munch,” she was remembered for her humor, warmth, adventurous spirit and enthusiasm for life. Following her death on October 7, her family and friends created the Munch Collection, a nonprofit commemorative initiative featuring her original art on T-shirts, tote bags, hats and other items. Profits were donated to Tair, a center supporting survivors of sexual assault. At Mercaz, students learned about Maayan’s artwork and the values that defined her, exploring how her loved ones turned grief into a tribute that celebrates

Club Hour Offers Rambam Students 28 Ways to Get Involved

By Yoni Berkovitch

R her life and helps others. Inspired by the collection, students reflected on their own values, then used fabric markers and creativity to design T-shirts honoring Maayan’s memory. The activity gave students a meaningful, accessible way to remember October 7: learning about a young Jewish woman who embraced life, and joining her family and friends in carrying forward the joy and creativity she brought to those around her.

ambam Mesivta students have 28 clubs to choose from during club hour, with options ranging from sports and board games to music, technology, and emergency medical training. Students can join Knee Hockey, Chess, Scrabble, Podcast Club, D&D, Sign Language, and EMT Club, among others. Rambam Band gives students an opportunity to play music together, while Genius Math Games with Mr. Ganeles offers challenges for those who enjoy mathematical thinking. In the STEM Club, led by junior David Rabinow, students are preparing to build a robotic hand using 3D-printed parts. At the first meeting, Rabinow welcomed

members and introduced the project, explaining how coding and 3D modeling would come together in the finished hand. Members will learn to design and print components, write code, and assemble the hand. The project will also require troubleshooting. When a part does not fit or the hand does not respond as expected, students will work together to identify the problem and make adjustments. Club hour gives students a regular opportunity to pursue interests outside their classes and work with peers from other grades. With 28 options available, students can develop an existing hobby or try something unfamiliar.

50 Years of ArtScroll Part 31: Jewish History à la Wein

’ Berel Wein was a truly fascinating personality. The son of a Litvishe rav in Chicago and the sonin-law of a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim who was the leading rav in Detroit, R’ Wein was a talmid chacham, a successful attorney, a pulpit rav in Miami Beach, head of OU Kashrus, a rosh yeshivah in Monsey, a rav in Jerusalem, and one of ArtScroll/Mesorah’s most popular authors. To top it all off, he was a captivating orator, a sparkling conversationalist, and a man who decided to give up his law practice and devote his life to Klal Yisrael. When he was a young teenager, he heard R’ Yitzchok Halevi Herzog, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, speak in Skokie Yeshivah. There he recounted how, shortly after World War II, he appealed to Pope Pius to return the Jewish children whom their parents had entrusted to Catholic institutions during the war—an appeal the pope adamantly refused.

Through his tears, he said that we cannot do anything more for those children, but what are you going to do for the Jewish People? Young though he was, R’ Wein never forgot the impression that tearful demand made on him. It percolated within him for many years and was a major factor in his decision, years later, to give up a successful legal career and devote his life to the service of Klal Yisrael. It is no secret that most of us know very little about Jewish history after the Chumash and a smattering of Tanach. Jewish history was one of R’ Wein’s great interests, and it was the good fortune of ArtScroll and our readers that he wrote several magnificent volumes on the subject. His classic three-volume Jewish history takes us from 350 BCE to 1990. Beginning during the Second Temple era, it traces the courage, exile, and survival of a

nation that refused to succumb to “reality”—a nation founded on and sustained by Torah, vanquishing its enemies in a feat not only unrivaled in world history, but also eloquent proof that our destiny is guided and guaranteed by Hashem. R’ Wein intertwines our history with that of our host societies, which were occasionally tolerant, seldom benevolent, and mostly hostile. In his Faith and Fate, R’ Wein presents the story of our people in the harrowing twentieth century, and in Struggles, Challenges and Traditions, he traces how Jewish communities and Torah leaders in many lands and on three continents dealt with the challenges of emancipation, Haskalah, and assimilation from 1820 to 1940. R’ Wein was a participant in those struggles, a bearer of the mesorah, while a child of the New World. He not only taught the story but demonstrated that

Torah life and learning are stronger than its adversaries. Such people exemplified the well-known story of the Ponevezher Rav, who, when in Rome, went to the Arch of Titus, which depicts Rome’s destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash under General Titus and Jews being led into slavery. The rav looked up at the arch and declared, “Titus, we are here! Where are you?! But I am here!” Jewish destiny survives.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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Parsha Comes to Life at HAFTR

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Amy Vacchio, Museum Director, Village of Lawrence Mayor Shlomo Nahmias, and Reuven Guttman, Lawrence Village Historian, at the Rock Hall County Fair

The WRITE Way at TAG

he WRITE Way program is in full swing at the Ganger Early Childhood Center at TAG! Our Kindergarten and Pre-1A students have been busy building strong foundational skills and learning their letters so they can become confident, successful writers. The program is led by Mrs. Dena Isaacs, an occupational therapist and handwriting specialist, who brings our multisensory, immersive ABC handwriting curriculum to life in the classroom.

covery, Torah becomes more than something they hear in the classroom. It becomes something they can engage with, remember, and carry forward. The morning was filled with wonder, laughter, and excitement, creating a memorable experience for students and faculty alike. HAFTR extends its sincere thanks to the Greenbaum family for sponsoring this special experience and helping bring Parshat Noach to life for our youngest learners.

MTA Freshman Family Breakfast

Dancing in the Rain at BY5T

Y5T preschool and elementary girls welcomed Cheshvan with joyful “Dancing in the Rain” activities at their Rosh Chodesh assemblies! The preschool girls danced among

or HAFTR’s youngest students, some of the most meaningful learning happens when a story from the Torah becomes an experience they can see, touch, and explore. This past week, as students learned Parshat Noach, HAFTR Early Childhood and Lower School welcomed Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo to campus for a hands-on experience inspired by the parsha. Children had the opportunity to feed, pet, and interact with ducks, goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits, bringing the familiar story of Noach and the animals aboard the teivah into their own world. The visit offered students a new way to connect their Torah learning with the world around them, encouraging curiosity, discovery, and appreciation for the many creations of Hashem. At HAFTR, these experiences reflect an important part of early Jewish education: helping children build meaningful connections between what they learn and how they experience Jewish life. Through stories, exploration, and hands-on dis-

bubbles, pretending they were raindrops, while the elementary girls enjoyed a lively rain-themed freeze dance. What a fun way to welcome the new month and celebrate the bracha of rain!

TA welcomed its freshman families to the annual Freshman Family Breakfast this past Sunday, with a room packed with parents and talmidim coming together for a morning filled with warmth, ruach, and MTA pride. The event provided a wonderful opportunity for freshman families to connect with one another and experience firsthand the close-knit community that makes MTA so special. Families enjoyed a delicious breakfast before being welcomed by Principal Rabbi Daniel Konigsberg, who shared opening remarks. Freshman Grade Dean Rabbi Axelrod then introduced freshman William Moskovitz, who delivered a beautiful Dvar Torah to set the tone for the morning. The excitement continued with a spirited game of Panoply, led by MTA’s Director of Student Activities, Rabbi Shua Pariser, together with Rabbi Konigsberg. Parents and talmidim teamed up for some friendly competition, filling the room with laughter, energy, and plenty of MTA spirit. Menahel Rabbi Shimon Schenker addressed the families with a meaningful

Dvar Torah, reinforcing the values and sense of connection at the heart of the MTA experience. He also expressed appreciation to the generous sponsors who helped make the morning possible. Following the announcement of the winning Panoply team, each family received an MTA cooler tote bag and car magnet, a reminder that they are now part of the larger MTA family. More than just a breakfast, the morning reflected MTA’s commitment to building lasting relationships not only with our talmidim, but with their families as well. It was a wonderful way to strengthen the bonds of our freshman class and celebrate the beginning of what promises to be an exciting four years together at MTA!

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Shulamith SWO Kicks Off the Year with a Fun-Filled Family Carnival

his past Sunday, the Shulamith Women’s Organization (SWO) kicked off the year with an exciting family carnival that brought together Shulamith families for an afternoon filled with fun, laughter, and school spirit! The event was a tremendous success, with an incredible turnout of families eager to enjoy the festivities. From exciting inflatables and carnival games to a variety of fun activities, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Of course, one of the biggest highlights of the day was the unforgettable Puppy Party, which brought endless smiles and excitement to children of all ages! More than just an afternoon of en-

tertainment, the carnival was a beautiful opportunity for Shulamith families to come together, connect with one another, and strengthen the special sense of community that makes Shulamith so unique. Events like these remind us that Shulamith is more than just a school; it is a family! A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated members of the Shulamith Women’s Organization and all those who worked behind the scenes to plan and organize such a wonderful event. Your time, effort, and dedication helped create a memorable experience for our entire school community. Thank you to all the families who joined us and helped make the kickoff

carnival such a success! We look forward to many more exciting events and oppor-

tunities to bring our Shulamith family together throughout the year!

Bringing Parsha to Life at IVDU of the Five Towns

arsha learning has been an exciting and engaging experience at IVDU Five Towns! Our students have been exploring the Six Days of Creation and learning about the incredible world Hashem created. Through hands-on activities, our students have had the opportunity to experience the Parsha in meaningful and memorable ways. To learn about the creation of light, the classrooms came alive

with light-up wands and glowing bracelets. The students delighted in watching everything glow while connecting their activities to what they were learning. For Parshas Noach, the excitement continued with a special visit from a petting zoo! The students eagerly met the different animals, enjoyed feeding them, and experienced the fun of being up close with so many animals. This special visit provided a wonderful opportunity to

discuss how Noach cared for the animals in the Teivah and to reinforce the importance of caring for Hashem’s creations. Through these enriching experiences, our students are able to connect with the Parsha beyond the classroom, making their learning both meaningful and memorable. At IVDU, we strive to create opportunities that foster curiosity, deepen understanding, and bring Torah learning to life!

Cedarhurst to Rededicate Its Famous Horse in Tribute to Mayor Andrew J. Parise

early 15 years after the Cristo family donated what would become one of Cedarhurst’s most recognizable landmarks, the village’s famous horse will be rededicated in a special ceremony honoring the vision and legacy of former Mayor Andrew J. Parise. The Incorporated Village of Cedarhurst, Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, the Village Board and the Cristo family invite the community to celebrate the unveiling of “The Hybrid Horse” on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Andrew J. Parise Park. Originally donated by the Cristo family approximately 15 years ago, the horse proudly displayed the colors of the New York Mets. Mayor Parise, however, envisioned something unique. He approached local artist John Novello with the idea of transforming one side of the horse to represent the New York Yankees,

bringing together two of baseball’s greatest rivals in a single work of art. For Mayor Parise, the concept was about much more than baseball. It was a reminder that even those who cheer for opposing teams can come together as neighbors, friends and one community. Sadly, Mayor Parise passed away in February 2015, before his vision could be completed. The project remained unfinished for more than a decade, but the idea was never forgotten. Earlier this year, Frank Cristo Sr., John Novello and Hakan Mavruk joined Mayor Benjamin Weinstock and Assemblyman Ari Brown to revisit the project and finally bring Mayor Parise’s original vision to life. Lawrence graduate Hakan Mavruk helped guide the artistic direction, while JO Jerusalem executed the graphics, completing a project that had been envi-

sioned so many years earlier. The finished horse features two legendary baseball captains: Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees and David Wright of the New York Mets. Both represent leadership, loyalty, perseverance and the shared pride of New Yorkers, regardless of which team they support. Mayor Benjamin Weinstock expressed his appreciation for the Cristo family’s dedication to completing the project. “Mayor Parise loved Cedarhurst, and he understood that the strength of our village comes from the people who call it home. The Cristo family’s generosity and determination to complete his vision are a wonderful tribute to his memory. This horse will stand as a lasting reminder that, regardless of our differences, we are all part of one community,” said Mayor Weinstock.

For the Cristo family, the rededication represents the fulfillment of a promise and the preservation of a beloved mayor’s legacy. “The Hybrid Horse is a celebration of America’s favorite pastime, a tribute to two of New York’s most iconic baseball franchises and, above all, a lasting tribute to Mayor Andrew Parise,” the family stated. “His vision was that our differences do not have to divide us, but can instead bring us together. More than a decade after his passing, we are proud to see that vision finally completed.” The ceremony will also recognize the police officers, firefighters, first responders, public works personnel and village employees whose dedication and service help make Cedarhurst such a special place to live. It will also honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Day of Play at HANC EC

Learning the letter Alef, Morah Batsheva Adler’s kindergarten students at Yeshiva Darchei Torah played in their Esrog sensory bin

t was an exciting morning in HANC’s Reinstein Family Campus as the Early Childhood staff welcomed all of the prospective Nursery and Kindergarten students for next year for a “Day of Play.” Based on the theme this year, Celebrating Shabbat, each grade level created age-appropriate projects that would help the young children’s families celebrate Shabbat throughout the year. During the course of the morning, the children decorated wooden washing cups and kiddush cups with water drops that depicted various mitzvot that the children can perform to help their families prepare for Shabbat. The mitzvot included setting the table, helping to clean the house, helping Mommy and Daddy prepare and even putting away their toys so that their homes are nice and orderly when it comes time to usher in Shabbat. Even the youngest children in the family can do their part to help prepare for this special time with their families. Lucite Challah boards that were imprinted with the words “Shabbat Shalom” were also decorated with markers to create magnificent challah trays; vases and napkin rings were embellished with their own creative patterns. In addition to exploring their creativity and utilizing their small motor skills, there were numerous play stations prepared to help the children explore Shabbat in creative ways. Dress up areas were available to pretend to be Ima and Abba getting ready for Shabbat, “Shabbat China” place settings were available to practice setting a beautiful Shabbat table, and sequencing tables with Shabbat items were available for the children to create

their own Shabbat patterns. Healthy snacks and water bottles were provided for the young guests, and the adults were treated to fruit and vegetable platters and an extensive coffee bar. Dr. Schnitzel, who presented science experiences for the children, kept the crowd in rapt attention and provided entertainment that the children thoroughly enjoyed. This special event provided the new families with an inside view of what a HANC education can mean for their children. Through discovery, exploration, multi-modality learning, coupled with deep Jewish values based on Torah true living, the children will soon embark on their Jewish educational journey at HANC in September. Reflecting on this magnificent morning, Mrs. Trudy Rubinstein, Director of Early Childhood, remarked, “It was truly a pleasure to welcome students to explore their new surroundings and begin to feel comfortable in their new environment. We are excited to meet and share with the new students the wonderful learning experiences and friendships that await them. We look forward to having the new families join the HANC family!”

HAFTR Spirit Soars at Annual Shabbaton

By Chloe Fishbach and Bailey Rosenberg

fter kicking off the school year and settling into new classes and routines, HAFTR High School hosted its annual schoolwide Shabbaton, where students had the opportunity to step away from the classroom and enjoy a weekend of fun, friendship, and school spirit. On Thursday, October 8, after a day of classes, students headed to Camp Seneca Lake with their principals, rebbeim, morot and teachers for an unforgettable weekend. When arriving at Seneca, students enjoyed a delicious barbecue and time with friends, setting the tone for the fun and memorable moments to come. Friday was filled with exciting activities and unique opportunities to bond together, whether through engaging programs, athletics, or unscheduled downtime. In the afternoon, the boys enjoyed playing sports while the girls participated in a challah bake. Afterward, there were boys’ and girls’ swim sessions, and everyone had time to relax before getting ready for Shabbos. Once the sun set, we joined together for a beautiful davening, followed by a delicious Shabbos dinner, offering everyone the opportunity to spend time with friends, old and new. Later that night, guest speaker and performer Nissim Black shared his personal journey, leaving students with an inspir-

ing message to reflect on long after the weekend ended. Shabbos morning began with a moving davening, followed by lunch and another opportunity to hear from Nissim Black as he continued sharing his story. For the rest of the afternoon, students had time to unwind, spend time with classmates, and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Shabbos away from the usual busy school routine. As Shabbos came to a close, the girls enjoyed a special kumzitz, bringing them together with inspiring songs and special moments. The entire school then gathered for Havdalah, marking the end of Shabbos and the start of another fun night. The excitement continued with an amazing Nissim Black concert, followed by ice cream and waffles before packing up and heading home. This year’s Shabbaton was such a special experience. Between the fun activities, meaningful tefillot, inspiring talks, and time spent with friends and teachers, there was something for everyone to enjoy. It was a weekend filled with memories that we will definitely look back on for years to come!

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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HorseAbility Brings Unforgettable Moments to The Five Towns Premier Rehab and Nursing Center

ometimes, the most powerful moments are the ones that words simply cannot describe. On October 7, two beautiful miniature horses from HorseAbility brought a little bit of magic to The Five Towns Premier, filling the halls with laughter, warmth, hugs, and heartfelt connections that touched the hearts of residents and staff alike. As these gentle mares made their way through the floors and conducted bedside visits, something truly special happened. Faces lit up, smiles emerged, hands reached out to offer gentle touches, and moments of pure joy unfolded. For

some residents, the experience stirred cherished memories; for others, it offered comfort, excitement, and a beautiful opportunity to connect. The emotions were genuine, the reactions were moving, and the love shared between residents and these remarkable animals was unmistakable. The connection between animals and people can be especially meaningful for individuals living with dementia, recovering from strokes, or facing other health challenges. Sometimes, a gentle nuzzle, a soft touch, or simply being in the presence of an animal can reach someone in

ways that words cannot. Watching these moments unfold was a powerful reminder that even the smallest visitors can make the biggest difference. The HorseAbility visit was one of many special programs at The Five Towns Premier designed to enrich the lives of our residents, nurture meaningful connections, and bring moments of happiness, purpose, and wonder into everyday life. For further information about The Five Towns Premier, call (516) 588-3200.

Parenting in Turbulent Times By Rabbi Dov Brezak The Most Effective Tool for Chutzpah t a gathering for roshei yeshivah and mechanchim, R’ Pam introduced what he considered to be the “most effective and potent solution against chutzpah nowadays.” The solution is to treat and relate to the child with dignity. The highest priority in chinuch, for parents and teachers alike, is to preserve the child’s dignity. “I remember from my rebbi, R’ Dovid Leibowitz,” said R’ Pam, “that he was mechabed the students greatly and was careful never to belittle them.” R’ Pam related a number of anecdotes from his own experiences as a rebbi. One of them occurred when R’ Pam was a proc-

tor for a Regents Exam. He saw one of the boys looking at his neighbor’s paper. “Instead of ripping up his test or giving him a zero, which is the standard procedure when a proctor catches someone behaving in this way,” R’ Pam said, “I turned to him and said quietly, ‘I see that you don’t understand one of the questions. I think it’s better, if you have any questions, that you ask me.’ “When I met that student years later, he told me, ‘Rebbi, there are many things I learned from you that I’ve forgotten by now. But the respect the Rebbi showed me at that Regents Exam — I will never forget!’” (cited in L’Chanech B’Simchah, p. 324, and heard personally in an audio recording of a shiur by R’ Pam). R’ Pam went on to tell a story about R’ Isser Zalman Meltzer, who was very care-

ful to preserve the dignity of even younger children. A group of thirteen-year-olds in the Eitz Chaim Yeshivah once came to R’ Isser Zalman Meltzer to be tested. R’ Isser Zalman asked them about a certain Tosafos, and one of the students was quick to respond — with the wrong answer. With a smile, R’ Isser Zalman responded, “Wonderful! You surely meant such and such…,” and he began to explain the Tosafos properly. The young boy countered, “No, Rebbi, that’s not what I meant…” and reiterated his incorrect response. Unruffled, R’ Isser Zalman said, “I understand. Come, let’s see…” He then proceeded to explain the Gemara in detail, eventually returning to the question of Tosafos. Afterward, he explained Tosafos’ answer in such an erudite fashion that its meaning was beyond doubt. Yet the boy stood his ground. “Why doesn’t Rebbi understand — I explained it differently!” By now the other boys in the class were grinning, and their rebbi was growing increasingly upset. Yet for the next ten minutes, R’ Isser Zalman tried again and again to explain it to the boy, and again and again he would ask, “You probably meant this — right?” Yet the boy would not relent. “No, no…” Finally, when the situation had gone beyond all reasonable limits, R’ Isser Zalman excused himself and left the room. Curious to see where R’ Isser Zalman had gone, the rebbi opened the door quietly

and peeked into the hallway. He saw the great scholar pacing the hallway, repeating to himself over and over, “When the Torah commanded us to have honor for other people, it was referring to children also; honoring one’s fellow man includes children!” Shortly thereafter, R’ Isser Zalman reentered the room, returned to his place once again, and turned to the student with a shining face. Once again, he asked, “Now, please tell me, how do you explain the words of Tosafos?”

Reprinted from Parenting in Turbulent Times by Rabbi Dov Brezak, with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Around the Community

YKLI Night Seder

eshiva Ketana of Long Island’s incredible and phenomenal night seder program has gotten off to a geshmake start! Our 5th-8th graders create a beautiful kol Torah at Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv two nights a week, as they learn with their fathers or with a chavrusa.

POP Goes the Tech Excuses at Shulamith

he middle school girls at Shulamith Elementary School kicked off the year with an exciting and engaging POP breakout program focused on technology use and the power of being present. POP, which stands for Power of Presence, encourages girls to be more mindful of their technology use and more present in everyday interactions. The POP Committee launched the year’s program with an informative slideshow that introduced the initiative and explained how it would work throughout the year. Girls who follow the POP guidelines each week earn POPbucks, which they can redeem at the end-of-month POP-Up Shop. With prizes like sushi, poppers, and acai, the girls have plenty of exciting incen-

tives to stay committed to being present! The breakout highlight was a lively game of “POP the Balloon!” Each girl wrote a common technology excuse on a balloon, tied it to her ankle, and tried to pop the other girls’ balloons while protecting her own. The game brought plenty of energy and laughter while encouraging the girls to think about the excuses they make when it comes to technology. As the girls headed out, they each received a bag of POPcorners, a fitting snack to wrap up a program all about POP! With an exciting kickoff, creative activities, and fun incentives, the POP Committee looks forward to a year of helping Shulamith’s middle school girls put down their devices, connect with those around them, and discover the power of being present.

Around the Community

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center were regaled by a visiting petting zoo, generously sponsored by the Women’s League in honor of Parashas Noach

YCQ New Families Welcome Event

CQ’s New Families Welcome Event was a wonderful opportunity for parents and students to connect, build new friendships, and get to know the YCQ community! Families enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon of interactive games, balloon making, face painting, and a delicious lunch. One of the highlights was a family bingo game, where parents and students had to find people in various categories listed on their bingo cards, encouraging everyone to mingle, interact, and learn more about one another. Parents also had the opportunity to share what makes YCQ so special to them, highlighting the strong sense of community, connection, and belonging that makes our school so unique. A special thank you to the YCQ PTO for organizing and putting together this

wonderful event! Their time, effort, and dedication helped create such a warm and welcoming experience for the new families.

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Around the Community

Senior Gedolei Yisrael from Eretz Yisrael, America and Europe Journey with Dirshu to Beseech Hashem and Encourage Limud HaTorah in Radin, Vilna and Volozhin

By Chaim Gold

t is difficult to encapsulate such emotions on paper! Such passion! Such tefillah! Such she’ifa for Torah! Such depth of feeling! How to convey the electrifying power of the recent journey to Radin, Vilna and Volozhin by a delegation of senior Gedolei Yisrael from all over the world to daven on behalf of Klal Yisrael, and especially lomdei Dirshu who have accepted upon themselves to participate in one of the Dirshu’s programs such as the Amud HaYomi or Daf HaYomi B’Halacha?! In truth, it was so powerful, so emotive that mere ink on paper can never properly describe it! To see HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, break down in tears at the Vilna Gaon’s kever, to watch HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz, shlita, stand before the Chofetz Chaim’s kever begging Hashem, in the zechus of the Chofetz Chaim, to help all Yidden the world over who need yeshuos, refuos and nachas, was to feel the presence of the Shechinah. The sight of the great gaon and mekubel, HaGaon HaRav Messoud Ben Shimon, shlita, who was moser nefesh to come and called from his wheelchair to the Chofetz Chaim, “Shalom alecha Adoneinu HaTzaddik HaRav Yisroel Meir Hakohen ben Rav Arye Tzvi! Beg Hashem to bring techias hameisim so that the Chofetz Chaim can lead us one again!” left no eye dry. A Second Yom Kippur Indeed, HaGaon HaRav Nissan Kaplan, shlita, encapsulated everyone’s feelings when he said at the siyum at the end of the trip, “I don’t know how everyone else feels, but I can tell you that standing in front of the kever of the Chofetz Chaim, standing in the Radin Yeshiva, standing

before the kever of the Vilna Gaon… I feel that I have changed. I feel that I just underwent a second Yom Kippur!” That was the feeling permeating all members of the large delegation of senior Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbanim and Dayanim who participated in the two-day visit, elderly Gedolim who pushed themselves to travel in order to daven on behalf of the tens of thousands of Yidden who have accepted upon themselves to learn in one of Dirshu’s programs such as the Amud HaYomi and Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. It was an unforgettable trip! In addition to the reestablishment of the Chofetz Chaim’s yeshiva building in Radin as the Radin Yeshiva, the trip included tefillos at the kever of the Chofetz Chaim, tefillos at the kevarim of the Vilna Gaon, Rav Chaim of Volozhin, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky and Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz as well as a gala siyum on Masechta Yoma in the Amud HaYomi program. A Journey to the Past Even while it was a journey to visit the past, the underlying message was not about the past; rather, it was about the present and the future. All the Gedolim emphasized that this trip was not just nostalgia. The clear message voiced throughout was, “Of course we are davening here, but the main takeaway from the trip is that Radin, the Chofetz Chaim, the Vilna Gaon, Volozhin, etc., should all serve as catalysts for further Torah growth and learning. They should be the springboards for more Yidden to accept upon themselves to learn Torah, whether it is Amud HaYomi, which is beginning Masechta Sukkah, Daf HaYomi B’Halacha or any sustained effort at limud haTorah.” That was the ultimate message and takeaway of the trip. That was the reason

Gedolei Yisrael from all over the world pushed themselves beyond their abilities to travel across the world. It wasn’t for the past, but for the future! Rischa D’Oraisah Comes Back to Radin Yeshiva By early Wednesday morning, all the various groups had converged upon Radin. The large group from Eretz Yisrael consisting of many leading Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim from the Ashekanzi and Sephardi world; the European group of Rabbanim from France, England and Belgium; and the group of Rabbanim from America. Before Shacharis, Rav Yehoshua Abba Busel, R”M at Beis Medrash Govoha of Lakewood and Rav of Khal High Street, highlighted the kedusha of the place and the kedusha of the Gedolei Yisrael who had come to daven and encourage accountable limud haTorah. After a deeply inspiring tefillas Shacharis in the newly renovated beis medrash of the Radin Yeshiva, Rav Efraim Wachsman delivered an extremely passionate, elevating drasha that set the tone for the entire two-day trip. “It is possible that not a second during any twenty-four-hour period goes by when someone is not learning the sefarim of the Chofetz Chaim – the Mishnah Berurah, the Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Shemiras Halashon, and others… the neshama of the Chofetz Chaim is deeply embedded in our own neshamos. It is the foundation of every Yid. “A child goes to kindergarten and is told stories about Rabi Akiva, Hillel Hazakein and the Chofetz Chaim. When he goes to sleep at night, he says Shema and his mother tells him a story about the Chofetz Chaim. The Chofetz Chaim is literally a piece of our neshamos – of the

neshama of every Jewish child…” A short break for breakfast was followed by one of the highlights of the chanukas habayis, a shiur klali given by the Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron, Rav Dovid Cohen, shlita on the sugya of “yaharog v’al yaavor.” Hearing Rav Cohen weave a tapestry of lomdus and brilliance to the backdrop of the numerous Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim listening intently was breathtaking, matched only by the awesome rischa d’Oraisah that broke out during the shiur. Other Roshei Yeshiva such as Rav Nissan Kaplan, Rosh Yeshivas Daas Aharon, interjected with powerful questions, and Rav Dovid heatedly defended his chiddush as if he was defending his own baby! The fiery exchanges in the Radin Beis Medrash was the clearest display of “Netzach Yisrael lo yishaker”! Yes! Just as before the war, in that very building, the great Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Londinsky and Rav Naftali Trop, delivered shiurim and had fiery Torah exchanges with their talmidim, today once again, shiurim and fiery Torah “battles” resumed with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Dovid Cohen and the other Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim. The final drasha was given by the Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter. He said, “We are standing in the Kodesh Hakedoshim of Diaspora Jewry before the war, the place from which Torah and horaah emerged and spread to all of Klal Yisrael. “We were here in the past and saw, to our great pain and distress, how this makom kadosh, the beis medrash of the Chofetz Chaim, the Radin Yeshiva building was r”l being used as a theater! What a busha! What a cherpah! “B’chasdei Hashem, we merited to redeem this beis Hashem and restore the Shechinah to this makom kadosh by en-

Around the Community

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

suring that it will once again be exclusively a makom of Torah and tefillah. “We know that tzaddikim in death are still considered alive and especially the Chofetz Chaim is still here, alive and with us. He is alive, his beis medrash is alive and his Torah, all of it, spread through his many sefarim, is alive! “Chazal teach us that talmidim are considered like children. We too, all of us standing here today and Yidden throughout the world, can unequivocally say, “Kulanu bnei ish echad nachnu – we are all the children of one man! We have one father, the Chofetz Chaim! We are all his talmidim, we all learn his sefarim. “The koach of the Chofetz Chaim continues, becoming stronger and stronger every year!” Unforgettable Maamid at the Kever How can one measure the value of tears, Yiddishe treren, and even more, the tears of Gedolei Yisrael?! The maamad of tefillah at the heiligeh Chofetz Chaim’s kever was beyond description. Wherever you looked there were Rabbanim…shedding tears, copious tears, crying, begging and davening to Hashem with all their hearts for the yeshuos of Klal Yisrael. The Tehillim, led by HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, shlita, was so intense there was not a dry eye to be found. It was clear, without a shadow of a doubt that the difficult, precarious situation that the Torah world finds itself in in Eretz Yisrael, was heavy on their minds as was the difficulty with shidduchim, chinuch and so many other challenges that knock daily on their doors. The intense davening for the welfare of all lomdei Dirshu the world over as well as the rest of Klal Yisrael reached a crescendo when Rav Hofstedter placed the Sefer Haggiborim next to the kever of the Chofetz Chaim containing the names of the thousands of Yidden who have pledged to join the Amud HaYomi and Daf HaYomi B’Halacha programs.

The short, deeply emotional and passionate drasha of the leading posek, the Skverer Dayan of Boro Park, HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz, served as an initial taste of the upcoming maamad as he begged Hashem to protect Klal Yisrael. Rav Steinmetz, who had come with great mesiras nefesh, exclaimed, “We are standing on admas Kodesh here, next to the kever of the Chofetz Chaim. We beg of You Hashem ‘mimkomcha hu yifen brachamav l’am,’ may Hashem have mercy on us in the zechus of this great tzaddik who was so mashpia on Klal Yisrael. We are all his talmidim! Please, Hashem in his zechus send us refuos and yeshuos! Let this hour be an eis rachamim and ratzon before You. Yidden are broken. They need You. They need Your yeshua. Tens of thousands of Yidden are toiling in Torah all over the world in the zechus of Dirshu and Rav Hofstedter. In their zechus, look at us all favorably!” In a similar vein, Rav Messoud Ben Shimon, Sephardic Rav of Bnei Brak and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Elitzur, spoke as it were to the Chofetz Chaim himself, describing for him how many Yidden were learning his Torah and begging him to intercede so that Hashem, in the Chofetz Chaim’s zechus, should bless them all with all their needs, health, shidduchim, parnassah, etc. A deeply moving address was given at the kever by one of the members of the American delegation, HaGaon HaRav Uri Deutsch, shlita, Rav of Forest Park and one of Lakewood’s most prominent and influential rabbanim. At the Kever of the Vilna Gaon From Radin, the group journeyed to the town of Volozhin, the town from where the entire yeshiva world emanates. The journey continued from Volozhin to Vilna where the delegation spent the night. The next morning found the august delegation at the kever of the Vilna Gaon.

It is difficult to describe the atmosphere at the kever. It almost sounds like an oxymoron, but the atmosphere was simultaneously akin to the awe and seriousness of Yom Kippur and the deep, authentic joy of Simchas Torah! There was tremendous hisorerus with an outpouring of tefillah combined with a feeling of pure simcha aroused by the knowledge that so much of the Torah that we have today is due to the influence and impact of the Vilna Gaon. There is no question that the absolute highlight of the visit to the Gaon’s kever was the drasha given by Rav Dovid Cohen. “I heard from Rav Nochum Partzovitz and Rav Yitzchok Hutner, zecher tzaddikim l’vracha,” he said, “that the Torah says that at Maamad Har Sinai there was a ‘Kol gadol v’lo yasaf – a powerful voice that never stopped.’ This refers to the kol of Torah. They explained that the ‘kol gadol’ of Torah can be found today in the Olam Hayeshivos. However,” Rav Cohen asked, “who brought that kol Torah to the Olam Hayeshivos? Who brought the truth of Torah, the synthesis of Torah shebiksav and Torah shebaal peh to the yeshivos? Rav Aharon Kotler said that it was the Gaon who brought it. Thus, the entire world of the yeshivos that we have today is built on the Vilna Gaon. No more, no less!” The Chevron Rosh Yeshiva then passionately exclaimed, “If we want to receive a hashpaah from this holy makom kadosh where the Gaon is buried, we have to attach ourselves to the ideals that he taught. We have to attach ourselves to the kol gadol of Torah and rededicate ourselves to amal baTorah, yegias haTorah, middos tovos, humility and to daven. That is the Gaon’s legacy, and we need to follow in his footsteps!” The Amud HaYomi Siyum on Masechta Yoma The climax of the two-day journey took place on Thursday evening with a

gala siyum on Masechta Yoma recently completed by the Amud HaYomi program. At the siyum, powerful drashos were delivered by the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, Hagaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, shlita, Hagaon HaRav Nissan Kaplan, shlita, and Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita. After two days of intense tefillos and bakashos on behalf of Klal Yisrael, the siyum symbolized the ultimate purpose of the trip, to promote limud haTorah. The outpouring of simchas haTorah and ahavas haTorah were so manifest throughout that siyum held in a beautiful ballroom in downtown Vilna. One participant said, “During every step of the trip, we saw how the Gedolei Yisrael, most of whom are elderly and weak, went above and beyond their own strength to participate. What was seen at the siyum was simcha above and beyond ever geder possible. The dancing, the sight of Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel and Rav Sariel Rosenberg dancing on chairs with such simcha and such love of Torah was…unforgettable!” It is not possible to convey the picture of Rav Messoud ben Shimon standing up from his wheelchair, to dance with unbridled joy together with Rav Dovid Hofstedter. And the image of Rav Shimon Galei dancing in honor of the Torah together with the venerated Skverer Dayan, Rav Yitzchok Koledezky and Rav Uri Deutsch was a sight that showed how connected to Torah everyone in the Dirshu orbit truly is! The Power of One Yid! It was with tremendous feeling that Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel spoke saying, “We see how one Yid from a tiny village – Radin changed the entire world, that is the power of a yachid! Look today, there is a Yid from Toronto who is also transforming the world and bringing an unprecedented amount of Torah to the world!”

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Voice N

tes

What Does Bipolar Have to Do with Hachnasas Orchim? By A Reader

s we approach Parshas Lech Lecha, we are reminded of Avraham Avinu and the Jewish tradition of chessed, kindness, and welcoming others. Avraham’s example of hospitality, described more fully in Parshas Vayeira, teaches us that true hospitality is about far more than opening the doors of our homes. It is about opening our hearts. Recently, while traveling in Israel, I witnessed a beautiful expression of that lesson. It’s never easy to travel with children, especially overseas, when everyone hopes to relax, enjoy beautiful accommodations, and spend some peaceful time away. But imagine traveling with your 34-year-old son, a man living with bipolar disorder, whose exuberance for life and difficulty regulating his emotions can sometimes be overwhelming for those around him. There was screaming in the hotel lobby, disruption during davening, and moments when his behavior inevitably affected the peace and tranquility other guests had come to enjoy. He disrupted the hotel. They opened their hearts. Rather than responding with impatience or judgment, the people around us showed my son and our family extraordinary kindness. They welcomed him into the hotel sukkah, but their hospitality extended far beyond those four walls. Throughout the hotel, even when their patience was being tested, they responded with warmth, understanding, and compassion. They didn’t simply tolerate him. They engaged with him. They accepted his blessings and, remarkably, told me how much he had brightened their day. I was deeply touched. I began to wonder whether perhaps my son was giving them a gift of his own. Perhaps his presence was, in its

You didn’t merely welcome guests. You welcomed someone whose presence might have challenged your patience, and you responded with kindness. You made room for him, and in doing so, you made room for something much greater: compassion, understanding, and the recognition that every person deserves to belong. How wonderful are the Jewish people when we open our hearts to one another! May we all continue to learn from these moments and remember that sometimes the people who challenge us the most have the greatest lessons to teach us. own way, a form of chessed. By witnessing my son and the way our family embraced him, others might have been reminded of the blessings in their own lives. Perhaps someone who has a family member struggling with mental illness, someone they have kept at a distance out of embarrassment or discomfort, might now see things differently. Mental illness is an illness. Just as we would not be ashamed of a child or sibling with diabetes or another medical condition, why should we be ashamed of a loved one who struggles with bipolar disorder or another mental health challenge? There is no shame in loving someone who is ill. There is no shame in standing beside them, including them, and allowing them to participate in life as fully as possible. Perhaps someone who witnessed our experience will reach out to a family member they have avoided. Perhaps they will invite someone they once felt uncomfortable being around to join them at a family gathering. Perhaps they will recognize that the person they have been keeping at a distance needs love

and acceptance more than ever. It is easy to be gracious when a guest is quiet, pleasant, and undemanding. The true test of hospitality comes when it requires patience, understanding, and an open heart. That is the kindness I witnessed in Israel. And that is the kindness I will carry with me long after our trip. To all the people who were there, you know who you are. If you were on the receiving end of my son’s exuberance for life, thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your kindness toward him and toward our family. Thank you for seeing the person behind the illness and treating him with the dignity he deserves. May you all be blessed. May you enjoy your families and appreciate the goodness Hashem has placed in your lives. May you never take for granted the privilege of loving your children, your siblings, and the people who need you most. And may Hashem look down upon His children and smile, seeing a beautiful group of open-hearted, compassionate people who took the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim to the next level.

A New Beginning: Support for Families On a personal note, this experience has strengthened my desire to create a support group for mothers and siblings of adult children living with bipolar disorder. Loving an adult child or sibling with bipolar disorder can be an extraordinarily challenging journey. Families often carry enormous responsibilities, worries, and heartaches, sometimes feeling that no one truly understands what they are experiencing. I would like to create a welcoming space where mothers and siblings can meet once a month, share their experiences, listen to one another, and find comfort in knowing that they are not alone. If you are a mother or sibling of an adult living with bipolar disorder and would be interested in joining a women’s support group that meets monthly in my home, please email me at strongsupportofabp@gmail.com. Sometimes, the greatest gif t we can give one another is the knowledge that we don’t have to walk this journey alone.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

1. *

TJH

Centerfold

Statue of Liberty Gripes “I’ve been holding my arm up for 140

“They keep telling me to look toward the

years. At this point, even the teacher

horizon. I’ve been staring at Staten Island

should realize I know the answer.”

for 140 years. Trust me, I’ve seen enough.”

“They call me the

“Everyone keeps asking

Statue of Liberty, but

how I stay so fit. Try

I haven’t had a day

standing up for 140

off since Grover

years without eating a

Cleveland was

single meal.”

president.” “I haven’t changed my “Four million visitors

outfit since 1886. Even

a year, and not one

the Amish think I

of them has offered

should update my

to hold the torch

wardrobe.”

while I use the bathroom.”

“People keep asking if I’m single. Look at me! I’m 151 feet tall, green, and holding a

“I came here with a beautiful copper

giant torch. My dating options are

complexion and now I look like an

somewhat limited.”

average moldy green New Yorker.” “Give me your tired, your poor, your “I’ve been carrying the same tablet since

huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

1886. You’d think by now someone would

But for heaven’s sake, could somebody

have gotten me an iPad.”

give me a chair?”

140 - Age of the Statue of Liberty on October 28

4.6 feet - Length of her nose

300 pieces in 214 crates - How the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York, in June of 1885

25 feet - Length of her sandal (equal to U.S. women’s shoe size: 879)

305 feet and 1 inch - Feet and inches the statue measures from the ground to tip of torch (in 1886, it was the tallest structure in New York)

42 feet - Length of Lady Liberty’s right arm

450,000 pounds - Weight of the Statue of Liberty 54 million pounds - Total weight of the Statue’s concrete foundation

1903 - The year Emma Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus” – “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” – was inscribed on a bronze tablet laid in the Statue’s pedestal

6 inches - Distance the torch sways due to the wind

4 million - Amount of people that visit Lady Liberty every year

162 - Amount of steps from the pedestal to the crown of the Statue of Liberty

1916 - Year the torch was closed for good

35 feet - The waistline of Lady Liberty (which was my waistline right after Sukkos as well)

30 minutes - Approximate amount of time it takes to climb the 377 steps to get from the ground to the crown of the Statue of Liberty

8 feet - Length of Lady Liberty’s index finger

240 - Visitors permitted to the crown per day

The American and Russian look at

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

each other and ask him, “How do you

An American, an Englishman and a Russian are on

The Englishman states, “I have put

a plane flying around. Suddenly, the American puts his hand outside and exclaims: “Wonderful – the Land of the Free below us.” The Englishman and the Russian look at him and ask, “How do you possibly know?” The American says, “I’ve put my hand outside and was able to touch the Statue of Liberty, hence we’re above the U.S.” After flying for a while, the Englishman puts his hand outside and states, “Great – we are above Great Britain now.”

know?” my hand out the window, and I could touch the Big Ben. So I know we are above Great Britain.” The American and Russian are impressed. Again, they fly around for a while and suddenly, the Russian puts out his hand and yells: “Aaah, Mother Russia...” The American and Englishman ask him, “How could you know?” The Russian looks at them seriously and says, “My watch was stolen...”

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

Happy Birthday, Lady Liberty

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Torah Thought

Parshas Lech Lecha By Rabbi Berel Wein z”l

ashi comments that the L-rd assured Avraham that leaving his home and family in Aram and heading to a then unknown destination would somehow be to his benefit and ultimate good. Even though this may appear strange to the casual observer – leaving the known and secure and

heading out to wander to an unknown destination – the ways of the L-rd are inscrutable and often counter-intuitive to human logic. The purpose of Avraham’s wandering journey is to reach the Land of Israel and to claim it for his descendants for only in the Land of Israel will Avraham

find personal fulfillment and realize his true spiritual, moral and holy potential. While in Aram and Charan, Avraham and Sarah did good work, spreading the idea of monotheism and teaching the basic system of morality that is the core of the Torah’s value system. Many people were influenced by them and became followers of monotheism and began to worship only the one true G-d. So, why not leave Avraham and Sarah in Aram to continue their good work? Why send them off to the Land of Israel, then inhabited by the fierce and pagan Canaanite nation, to a very uncertain and perilous situation? And in the Land of Israel, the wicked, powerful

in the Land of Israel. The obstacles that the Land of Israel itself raises to this self-actualization are many and profound, but the actions of our forbearers remain as the guideposts for all future Jewish generations. If we look around at the Jewish world today, the only significant demographic growth of Jews the world over is in the Land of Israel. The millennia-long exile and the Diaspora generally is shutting down, whether from external pressures or inner weakness. Only in the Land of Israel will the Jewish people find their soul and destiny. And, just as in the time of Avraham and Sarah, the Land of Israel is plagued with dangers, problems and fraught with

Only in the Land of Israel will the Jewish people find their soul and destiny.

and influential cities of Sodom are present. Seemingly, Avraham and Sarah can accomplish much more by remaining in Aram than by traveling to the Land of Israel. And because of this type of human thinking, Avraham has to rely on the L-rd’s counter-intuitive logic, so to speak, and unhesitatingly embark on this dangerous journey that will eventually change all of human history. What is clear from all of this is that the fulfillment of Jewish destiny and influence, of the holy self-actualization of the Jewish people can only be achieved

apparent peril. There is still a touch of Sodom present there, and the heirs of the Canaanites are in the land. Yet, just as the L-rd told Avraham many thousands of years ago, only there will you become great and blessed – blessed for yourself and for all of humankind. The opportunity to live a truly Jewish life and to help build a kingdom of priests and a holy nation is pretty much reserved to those who today live in the Land of Israel. The future of the Jewish people lies today in Chevron and not in Charan. Shabbat shalom.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

From the Fire Parshas Lech Lecha

I Only Have Eyes for You By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

his Shabbos is like Shabbos Sheva Brachos for the entire Jewish people because if you count the blessings Hashem gives Avraham at the very beginning of the parsha (Bereishis 12:1-3), there are seven blessings. We must understand how the covenant of Avraham Avinu relates to our covenant with G-d and the covenant between a chosson and a kallah, a husband and wife. The Midrash (Bereishis Raba 46:9) teaches, “If your children uphold circumcision, they will enter the land, and if not, they will not enter the land… Thus, Hashem said to Avraham Avinu, ‘And I have given to you and your seed after you…’ (Bereishis 17:8) on condition that ‘And you shall guard My covenant’ (ibid. at 9).” The Tur, at the beginning of his discussion of the halachos of bris milah (Yoreh De’ah 260), teaches this concept as well, stating that in the merit of the covenant of milah, Hashem entered into a covenant with us to give us Eretz Yisroel. But this is very difficult to understand. There are very few mitzvos that even the most non-observant Jews try to keep, and

bris milah is one of them. Yet Eretz Yisroel is not truly in our hands in the way that it should be. If almost all Jews try to observe this mitzvah, why don’t we have a true hold on Eretz Yisroel? It must therefore be that there are two aspects of the mitzva of milah. Chazal did not say, “If your children uphold the mitzvah of circumcision…” They say, “If your children uphold circumcision.” We see that one aspect of milah is the mitzvah to physically perform the act of circumcision. That is over in a moment. The second aspect of milah is our obligation to uphold our covenant with G-d to which we commit ourselves with the mitzva of milah. This is the lifelong mitzvah of “And you shall guard My covenant.” The act of circumcising the flesh is merely a signature, a sign of our consent to the obligation to uphold a lifelong covenant. Yet we do not merit entering Eretz Yisroel just by performing this act. We can understand this with an analogy. Reuven signs a contract obligating him to repay a certain sum of money to Shimon over a period of time. But as time goes

on, Reuven never makes any of the payments under the contract. When Shimon approaches him about this, he answers, “That’s my signature on the document. I have fulfilled all of my obligations by signing. I stand by my signature, but that does not obligate me to do anything further!” We can all see that Reuven’s claim is patently ridiculous. The whole point of a contract, a covenant, between two parties, is that the parties fulfill the obligations outlined in the agreement over time. A signature is not the end of one’s obligations. It is only the beginning. A signature without the intent to fulfill the obligations embodied by that signature is a completely empty gesture. Similarly, circumcision is the “sign of the covenant between Me and you” (Bereishis 17:11). It is our signature, obligating us to fulfill our obligations to Hashem over time. It is only a sign of the covenant, but it is not the be-all-to-endall of our fulfillment of the covenant itself. These two aspects of the mitzva of milah are reflected in the two blessings we say at a bris. The first bracha thanks Hashem for sanctifying us with his mitzvos and

commanding us “regarding circumcision.” This bracha relates to the one-time physical act of circumcision. The second bracha thanks Hashem for our obligation “to bring [the child] into the covenant of Avraham Avinu.” The first element relates to a mitzvah that is over in a moment. But guarding the “covenant of Avraham Avinu” involves changing how one views his entire life. It is a life in which one is always conscious of not desecrating the sanctity of his covenant with G-d. In the words of the Seforno (on Bereishis 17:11), the bris is an “eternal reminder to go in His ways like the sign of a master on his servant.” Through the covenant on our flesh, Hashem whispers to us at work, on the train, in the street, and while we are sitting at the computer, “And you shall guard My covenant.” Guarding the covenant means always looking for ways to sanctify everything associated with the part of the body on which Hashem has sealed His covenant with us. If we live a life in which we guard the sanctity of the covenant, it is a completely different life. It is a life with which we merit to enter into

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Eretz Yisroel, into the palace of the King, the land of true life. This type of covenant exists in the relationship between a husband and wife as well. The first mishna in Kiddushin says there are three ways one can betroth his wife, but our custom is to use a ring for betrothal. In explaining this (Even Ha’Ezer 27:1), Rav Moshe Isserles, zt”l, the Rama, writes, “And therefore we have the custom to betroth with a ring, and the reason is explained in the Tikunei Zohar (5).” Although he was a great kabbalist, the Rama almost never quotes the Zohar in his emendations to the Shulchan Aruch. We therefore see that the ring has a very deep significance. The Sefer Hachinuch, however, offers a simple explanation (Mitzvah 552). By using a ring, the wife always carries something with her to remind her that she is a married woman. If her husband used money to betroth her, the money would be spent right away, and nothing would remain to remind her of her special relationship with her husband. Marriage is a covenant. The chasuna, the wedding ceremony, is the initial act of entering into the covenant, but it is only the beginning. Marriage is a commitment between the chosson and kallah in which they tell each other, “And you shall guard

My covenant.” We see the ring serving as a reminder of the connection between two sides in other places as well. The Mishkan, the resting place of the Divine presence within the Jewish people, contained beams, kerashim. And each beam had rings. The word for beam, keresh, has the same letters as the word for connection, kesher. A ring is used to remember the connection between a husband and wife and between the Jewish people and Hashem. The last prophet in Tanach even says in his last prophecy (Malachi 2:14) that marriage is a covenantal relationship: “She is your companion and the wife of your covenant.” A life in which one remembers and guards his covenant with Hashem and with his wife is completely different from one in which he views his bris milah and his wedding just as bygone events from his past, mitzvos he long ago checked off of his to-do list. Every morning, a Jew wraps his tefillin strap around his finger like a wedding ring and says, “And you are betrothed to Me forever. And you are betrothed to Me with righteousness, with judgment, with kindness and with mercy and you are betrothed to Me with faithfulness.” Hashem is reminding us, “We are committed to each other. Remember to guard My cov-

enant!” That covenant is forever. We use a ring to remember it because a ring is round and has no end, just like our commitment to G-d and our covenant with our husband or wife is forever. The sefer Chupas Chasanim is very worthwhile to learn before a chasuna. He explains why we have the custom that the chosson puts the ring on his kallah’s forefinger and why the ring is made of gold. He quotes the following pesukim (Tehillim 19:8-11): “Hashem’s Torah is perfect, restoring the soul, the testimony of Hashem is trustworthy, making the simple one wise. The laws of Hashem are straight, gladdening the heart. The commandment of Hashem is clear, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Hashem is pure, standing forever. The judgments of Hashem are true, altogether just. More desired than gold and fine gold and are sweeter than honey and the dripping of honeycombs.” He points out that if one counts each word of these pesukim starting with the thumb on each hand, the word “Hashem” is always associated with the forefinger except for the last time, when the word “gold” is associated with the forefinger. It is like the kallah, when she holds out her forefinger, is pointing to G-d, saying, “Remember your relationship with Hashem, and with this gold ring that you are giving to me, always remember your relationship with me.” Everywhere a Jew goes, he must ask himself whether he is upholding the covenant of Avraham Avinu. If a woman at work starts talking with him and telling him all of her problems, what is he thinking? Is he thinking, “I am a married man. I am in a committed relationship with my wife and with G-d.” Is he ensuring that he is upholding the covenant when he looks at his computer, iPhone or Android device? Our efforts to guard the covenant with G-d truly sum up our goals in life. We want Hashem to be able to say about us at the end of our lives, “And You found his [Avraham’s] heart faithful before You (Nechemia 9:8).” As the Malbim explains on that pasuk, “After all of the tests with which Avraham was tested and which he passed, his heart was found to be faithful.” He guarded his covenant with G-d despite all of his tests and all of the difficulties. One of the most well-known stories of the Vilna Gaon, the Gra, took place in front of the entire community and was so famous that it was recorded in the city records of Vilna. While the Gra’s whole life was Torah, the one practical mitzvah he was involved with was ensuring that orphans, boys or girls who had lost one or both parents, were able to get married. He involved himself in making matches,

and the only time he left his home was to officiate at the weddings of these orphans. One time, he made a match between a beautiful young woman who had lost one of her parents and a very talented yeshiva boy who was also an orphan. But this boy was blind from birth. The girl’s surviving parent was completely against the match, but the young woman said that if the Gra suggested it, the match must be G-d’s will, so she agreed to the match. Despite her family’s opposition, the wedding went forward, and the Gra went to officiate. As he was holding the cup of wine, ready to start the brachos, the Gra stopped and turned to the chosson and said, based on the Gemara in Kiddushin (41a), “It is forbidden to betroth a woman without seeing her.” Under the circumstances, the halacha is that a blind man may marry a woman without seeing her. But despite his obvious knowledge of this exception, the Gra still said what he said. Everyone present was flabbergasted and began crying at the pain the chosson must have felt hearing the Gra’s words. But the Gra took the young man’s head and turned it toward his bride. He opened his eyes and was able to see his kallah’s face. While everyone was overcome with emotion, the Gra told him, “This did not happen because of me. It happened in the merit of your kallah’s faith. You are meritorious in that the first thing you saw in your life is your kallah’s face. May you always only see her.” There was an old song from a previous incarnation, “I only have eyes for you.” That is how we must approach our commitment to Hashem and our wives and husbands. As we live a life always working to fulfill our covenant with Hashem, we say, “I only have eyes for You, Hashem.” And by guarding our covenant with G-d, we also guard our covenant only to have eyes for our husbands and wives. In the merit of each of us upholding the covenant between the Jewish people and Hashem and the commitment between every chosson and kallah, may we merit to truly return in the fullest way to Eretz Yisroel and the ultimate reunification with Hashem and with each other when we will experience (Yirmiyahu 33:11) “the sound of happiness and the sound of joy, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride” with the coming of Moshiach, may it be very soon in our days.

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

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Think. Feel.Grow.

Clothing The Battle for True Beauty By Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

he Midrash explains that, originally, Adam wore kosnos ohr (spelled with an aleph) — garments of light. (See Shnei Luchos Habris: Tetzaveh — Torah Ohr. See also Torah Temimah, Bereishis 3:21.) After he sinned, Hashem clothed him in kosnos ohr (spelled with an ayin) — garments of skin (Bereishis 3:21). When spelled with an aleph, ohr is light; when spelled with an ayin, ohr is a hide, the skin of an animal. What is the deeper meaning behind this? Rav Eliyahu Dessler (in Michtav Me’Eliyahu) explains the meaning behind the descriptions of Adam’s clothing as follows: Originally, Adam’s body was transparent, emanating the light of his soul. Light reveals, and his original skin revealed his true, inner self. Once he sinned, however, his body no longer revealed the spiritual, but only its physical surface. The word ohr, when spelled with an ayin, means animal hide. This skin, like its English trans-

lation, hides the soul, the inner self. (The Ramban explains that once Adam sinned, his body “loosened” its connection to the soul. Once this separation occurred, the physical’s connection to the infinite decreased and therefore became more physical. The physical therefore began to deteriorate over time, as the soul is the life-force of the body. This is why human beings are now mortal.) The letter aleph is the first letter of the aleph-beis. It is the letter of oneness, representing transcendence, spirituality, and Hashem, our ultimate Source and root. The letter ayin represents the physical, limited expression of the aleph. This is why the word “aleph” means to elevate or lift to a higher spiritual dimension, while ayin means eye. The eye, naturally, sees only the physical; however, it has the potential to see past the physical surface of reality, to source itself back to the original light of the aleph. That is why the word ayin

is also connected to the word “maayan” (a wellspring). A wellspring has a limiting surface. Through effort, though, one can peer beneath that surface, revealing something endlessly deep behind it. By delving into the depths of the wellspring, one can draw forth water, the source of life. (This is the meaning behind “mayim chaim.” See Bereishis 26:19.) Ayin therefore reflects the concept of reaching that which is hidden, higher, and transcendent. However, the ayin also has the potential to corrupt, causing us to see nothing more than the physical surface without sourcing our physical sight back to any higher source. This is why the Hebrew word iver, spelled the same way as the word ohr, means “blind.” One who sees only the physical surface is blind to the truth; one who sees only the surface does not see at all. This is the unique challenge of sight. We can use it to see the physical as an expression of the spiritual,

or we can become trapped by the lure of the surface, ignoring its higher root.

The Spiritual Purpose of Clothing Before Adam sinned, he required no clothing (Bereishis 2:25.). His physical body radiated light, loyally expressing his angelic soul. Once Adam sinned, however, his physical body lost this spiritual level, no longer fully expressing the ohr (light) of his inner soul. The pasuk describes how Adam and Chava suddenly realized their nakedness and became embarrassed, desiring to cover their bodies with clothing (Bereishis 3:7). What is the meaning behind their embarrassment, and why was clothing the ideal remedy? One becomes embarrassed when the way they are perceived externally is not a true reflection of who they are or at least how they believe they should be perceived. This is the spiritual con-

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cept of bushah (shame). When there is a breakdown between the inner self and its outer expression, the inner self feels ashamed that it is being misrepresented, seen on the outside as something that it is not. For example, if someone tells everyone that you cheated on a test, when you did not, you would feel embarrassed, as you are being seen as something other than you really are. And even if you did cheat, you would still be embarrassed, because you know deep down inside that you are better than how you acted and how people now perceive you. (This works the other way as well. One will feel embarrassed if other people think they are greater than they actually are. Aharon HaKohen would befriend resha’im, evil people, so that they would feel embarrassed. They would think to themselves, “Why is he talking to me? He must think I’m a good person. I better become the kind of person he actually thinks I am before he finds out the truth!”) We wear clothes because our bodies, in their current lowly form, are a source of embarrassment. We are souls, holy angelic beings, and yet we appear in the world as physical beings with bodies only marginally different from animals. For those who understand who and what they truly are, it is embarrassing to be seen as anything less than an absolutely spiritual and transcendent being. This is the ultimate breakdown between the inner and outer self. The natural response to shame is the desire to hide. For example, if someone is embarrassed in public, their immediate wish is to dig a hole and hide until everyone leaves. If that doesn’t work, they might run away to a quiet room and cry alone. When we are seen as something we are not, or something we don’t want to be, we feel a need to escape the scene. When Adam and Chava realized their nakedness, their first instinct was to grab fig leaves and hide their bodies (Bereishis 3:7). Hashem then made them garments of ohr (skin), clothing them with dignity (Bereishis 3:21). However, there are two purposes of clothing. The first is to hide the embarrassment of our nakedness, but the second is to reveal our true selves — to express our dignity as tzelem Elokim. We use the very means of our failure and embarrassment as the solution to our problem. By eating from the Eitz Ha’daas, our bodies no longer reflect our spiritual selves, and we require clothing, but we use that very clothing to elevate ourselves and reflect who we

truly are. This is why Kohanim are required to wear such beautiful clothing; clothing allows our physical bodies to reflect the dignity and greatness of our true selves. (Our faces do not need clothing, as they still reflect human dignity, ziv ha’panim, and our individual uniqueness. Our hands as well do not require clothing, as they loyally reveal who we are through our actions.) Hashem covered Adam and Chava with ohr (with an ayin, clothing), so that they

chew its cud. So too, Eisav pretended to be a tzaddik on the outside, putting on a show for Yitzchak, but on the inside, he was twisted and corrupt. This is also why Eisav wore Adam’s garment, to make himself appear holy on the outside. Yaakov, however, is described as having the ziv ha’panim of Adam, the light of Adam’s face — true spiritual greatness. This greatness was revealed on the outside, but as an expression of something genuine existing within.)

Clothing allows our physical bodies to reflect the dignity and greatness of our true selves.

could uplift it and once again reveal their true ohr (with an aleph, light).

The Potential of Clothing Like all things in this world, clothing has tremendous potential when used correctly. However, it can also be corrupted and misused. When used properly, clothing mitigates the shame of our physical bodies and helps us express our higher, dignified selves in the world. When misused, clothing can hide our spiritual core, portraying ourselves as completely physical beings. The conflicting uses of clothing are expressed in the Hebrew word for clothing, “beged.” This word is made up of the letters beis, gimmel, and daled, the three letters that immediately follow the letter aleph. Aleph represents the spiritual root, the soul. If used correctly, our “beged” can loyally express our soul, our inner self, into the world. But the letters of “beged” also spell “boged,” which means traitor and treachery, because our clothing can instead be used to betray our true inner selves. A traitor is one thing on the inside but pretends to be something else on the outside — he adopts a fake exterior, a fake outer garment, that does not reflect his true inner identity. When our clothing hides who we truly are, expressing nothing more than our physical surface — our clothing and bodies — our inner self is betrayed. (Chazal compare Eisav to a pig (Bereishis Rabbah 65:1 and Vayikra Rabbah 13:5; see Rashi, Bereishis 26:34): A pig makes an external show of being kosher due to its split hooves, but in truth, on the inside, it’s completely treif as it doesn’t

Another word for clothing is levush, which can also be read as “lo bosh” (not embarrassed). Clothing has the potential to eliminate our embarrassment, but only when used correctly. When the focus of clothing becomes the clothing themselves, failing to reveal our true inner selves, the clothing does nothing to prevent our existential embarrassment. Me’il is yet another Hebrew word for garment, referring to an outer coat. Yet, the word that shares this same root, “me’ilah,” refers to the prohibition of stealing or benefitting from kodshim, that which was designated as holy for the Beis Hamikdash. The prohibition of me’ilah is taking that which is kadosh, that which is elevated and belongs to Hashem, and lowering it to a state of chol (mundane). Just as it is a problem to misuse hekdesh (consecrated items), lowering it from its state of kedushah to a state of chol, it is problematic to misuse a garment, failing to reveal anything higher.

Tzinius One of the most misunderstood ideas in Judaism is the concept of tzinius especially in regard to women. Many think that tzinius means to hide, that the ideal is not to be seen. However, there is an infinitely deeper approach to tzinius. In this age, beauty has been corrupted. The term “beauty” generally refers to outer beauty, a surface beauty that distracts from and hides the inner self. Physical beauty is neither good nor bad; it is merely a vessel with the potential to be used for good or bad. While our physical body is immensely valuable, our true self is our neshama

— our soul, our inner mind, our highest consciousness. Our inner world, thoughts, ideas, choices, beliefs, middos, and emotions are the deepest and most genuine parts of our “self.” True beauty is when the physical serves as a vessel that expresses one’s true self — one’s inner essence — into the world. The focus must always be on the inner beauty as the ikar. The purpose of tzinius is not to hide you but to reveal you! The true you. Tzinius shifts the focus from the external trappings to the actual self, the neshama, which lies beneath the surface and illuminates the physical vessel. True beauty requires a beautiful root and core, and the physical must then be used to project that inner beauty outwards. The inner light of true beauty illuminates the truth, helping us see that which lies beneath the surface. True beauty is much deeper than a description of how a person looks; it’s a way of life. A beautiful life is a life of oneness where we synthesize all the aspects of who we are; where our thoughts, words, and actions all reflect a higher purpose, a higher source, a higher reality. This is the beauty and light of living a Torah life.

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is an international speaker, bestselling author, business coach, the CEO of SMA, and a TED Talk Speaker. His online content reaches millions of people every month, and he lectures internationally on topics of Torah thought, psychology, leadership, and business – uniquely blending many areas of Torah and wisdom together. His bestselling book, The Journey to Your Ultimate Self, serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Torah thought. After receiving his BA from Yeshiva University and Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, Rabbi Reichman received a Masters degree in Philosophy and Religion from the University of Chicago. As part of his Masters Degree at the University of Chicago, Rabbi Reichman received an Ivy Plus Scholarship to Harvard where he spent a year studying Religious Philosophy and Literature as an Ivy Scholar. Additionally, he received a Masters degree in Educational Psychology from Azrieli Graduate School and a Masters degree in Jewish Thought from Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School. As a business and leadership coach, Rabbi Reichman provides a unique 1-on-1 coaching program where he helps high-achievers, coaches, and business owners achieve their financial and personal goals. To learn more or to get in contact with Rabbi Reichman, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com

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Delving into the Daf

What’s Black and White and Cold All Over? A Lakewood Bachur in the Freezer By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

his year, Tu B’Shvat falls out on Shabbos. That means the following story could actually happen: Someone suggests to a Lakewood bachur that he go for a Shabbos stroll as a first date. The bachur responds, “Sorry, I don’t open a freezer on Shabbos.” Why would someone be on the shelf about opening a refrigerator on Shabbos? Let’s chill for a moment and get to the bottom of this. When a freezer or refrigerator door is opened, warmer air enters. If the door is left open long enough, the compressor will turn on to bring the temperature back down to the set level. Even if the door is opened only briefly, the warmer air entering the freezer can cause the compressor to turn on sooner than it otherwise would. Consequently, may one open a freezer door on Shabbos to get his ice cream, or must he wait until “Sundae”? Let’s break the ice. The Mishnah in Bechoros (24b) dis-

cusses preparing a bechor for shechitah. One may push the animal’s hair aside with a knife to make it easier to shecht, even though one might unintentionally shear some of its hair. This would violate the prohibition of “v’lo sagoz bechor tzonecha” (Devarim 15:19). The Gemara suggests that this may be permitted because we follow the ruling of Rebbe Shimon: If someone performs an action that has an unintended forbidden consequence, the action is still permitted. This is one possible explanation offered by the Gemara. Rebbe Shimon’s opinion appears frequently throughout Shas. Indeed, the Gemara discusses similar principles elsewhere in Bechoros. One may not intentionally create a mum, a disqualifying blemish, in a bechor. But what if a medical procedure is necessary and might result in a mum? According to Rebbe Shimon, this might be permitted because the blemish is unintended. Now you know the scoop: getting

ice cream from the freezer on Shabbos should be permitted. One intends to open the door but does not intend to turn on the compressor. However, the Gemara makes an important distinction. If the act will certainly result in the forbidden consequence, it is prohibited. This is known as a p’sik reisha. If moving the hair aside on the bechor will definitely result in shearing, or a medical procedure will definitely result in a mum, Rebbe Shimon may concede that it is forbidden. Now we can let these ideas thaw out and apply them to our freezer. Opening the freezer door has the unintended consequence of causing the compressor to turn on sooner than it otherwise would. But here is the problem that could leave us frozen in our tracks: The compressor will most certainly turn on earlier because of the warmer air entering the freezer. This would seemingly qualify as a p’sik reisha. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l,

opined that causing the compressor to turn on would, at worst, involve the use of electricity, which is an issur d’Rabbanan. Furthermore, there is usually a time delay between opening the door and the compressor activating. Because of this delay, the action can be considered a gerama, an indirect cause. Rav Shlomo Zalman ruled that one may l’chatchilah cause a gerama of an issur d’Rabbanan. Therefore, one may open the freezer door on Shabbos even though doing so will certainly cause the compressor to activate earlier than it otherwise would. But this may be just the tip of the iceberg. Suppose the freezer is set to 5°, and its current temperature is 5.9°. As soon as the freezer door is opened, the temperature rises to 6°, triggering the compressor. In this scenario, there is no time delay. Since the compressor activates immediately, opening the freezer door would seemingly be prohibited even on a rabbinic level.

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Since this may always be a possibility, is opening the freezer door on Shabbos akin to skating on thin ice? True, the person opening the freezer did not intend for the compressor to turn on immediately. But in this scenario, it might definitely happen. This is termed a safek p’sik reisha. The outcome is predetermined: Either the unintended consequence will definitely occur or it will not. The person simply does not know which is the case. So must we warn the person about to open the freezer door to cool it? The Taz and the Mishnah Berurah, not being cold-hearted, come to the rescue. The Taz discusses the following scenario: Someone wishes to close the door of a cabinet that may or may not contain mosquitoes. He would certainly be happy if the mosquitoes were trapped inside, but that is not his intention. He merely wants to close the door for aesthetic reasons. May he close the cabinet door knowing that, if it contains mosquitoes, he will definitely violate the prohibition of trapping on Shabbos? After all, he does not know whether trapping will definitely occur. The Taz rules that one may close the cabinet door without reservation. One

does not have to check whether the cabinet contains mosquitoes. Since, as far as he knows, the prohibition of trapping will not definitely be violated, the action is not considered a p’sik reisha. But the Taz’s reasoning received a frosty reception in the Mishnah Berurah. If the cabinet does contain mosquitoes, one will certainly violate the prohibition of trapping. How, then, can one close the door?

cabinet contains mosquitoes—we can apply the principle of safek d’Rabbanan l’kula: In a case of doubt involving a rabbinic prohibition, we are lenient. Based on the above, there is no need to have cold feet before opening the freezer door on Shabbos. Most of the time, there will be a delay before the compressor turns on as a result of opening the door. According to Rav Shlomo Zalman, this would be a gerama

Is opening the freezer door on Shabbos akin to skating on thin ice?

Nevertheless, even the Mishnah Berurah ultimately concedes that closing the cabinet door is permitted. Mosquitoes are generally not trapped for use; they are trapped because one wants to get rid of them. Trapping creatures that are usually trapped because they are a nuisance involves only an issur d’Rabbanan. Since there is doubt as to whether any trapping will occur—we do not know whether the

involving a rabbinic prohibition, which is permitted. Although it is possible that the compressor will activate immediately upon opening the door, there is no way to know this in advance. Since it is only a possibility, the Taz would say that one need not be concerned about it. The Mishnah Berurah would be concerned if a biblical prohibition were involved. However, since Rav Shlomo Zal-

man ruled that the halachic issues here involve only rabbinic prohibitions, the Mishnah Berurah would concur that one may open the freezer door on Shabbos. Therefore, one need not get heated about the prospect of going without ice cream on Shabbos. The situation may be chilling, but the halachic analysis offers some cool comfort! Still, there are those who open the freezer on Shabbos only when the compressor is already running. Others will not open the freezer on Shabbos at all. Moreover, this article has addressed only the thermostat issue. There may be other considerations, such as lights and sensors, that also need to be addressed. So what’s black and white and cold all over? A Lakewood bachur who is still waiting for a definitive ruling before opening the freezer!

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@ gmail.com. The author’s past articles can be found at DafYomiInsights.com.

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Headlines

Halacha

Stuttering By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

e looks like any other bochur. He learns in a respected yeshiva and is immersed daily in his Gemara. But few people around him know the battle he fights every day. Speaking with his chavrusa is a constant effort. Asking the Rosh Chaburah a question is something he weighs carefully before trying. He will never volunteer to daven before the amud, and the thought of speaking at a family simcha fills him with dread. Must a person who stutters carry this burden at every stage of life? Is there a way out? And how did the gedolei Yisroel treat those who struggled to speak?

How Common Is It? Stuttering has no single cause and no single answer. It usually begins in early childhood, typically between the ages of two and seven. Sometimes, it follows a traumatic event, and quite often it runs in families. According to new consensus guidelines published this past August in Psychiatric Times, roughly five percent of children stutter at some point in their development. The good news is that between 70 and 80 percent of them recover by adolescence. The remainder, about one percent of the adult population, continue to stutter. Boys are affected about twice as often as girls in early childhood, and by adulthood, the ratio climbs to roughly four to one, since girls are more likely to outgrow it.

A Condition of the Brain, Not of Character For generations, stuttering was dismissed as nervousness, a passing phase, or even chalilah a sign of weak character. That view has now been firmly rejected. The guidelines were produced by a panel of 35 experts convened by the Stuttering Treatment and Research Society (STARS), drawn from psychiatry, neurology, and speech-language pathology, and including people who stutter themselves. Ninety-four percent of the panel gave the strongest possible agreement to the statement that stuttering is a brain-based

disorder, and most classified it as neuropsychiatric, involving disruptions in the timing and coordination of the brain’s speech-motor systems. The panel also found a clear genetic component. A recent large-scale genetic study identified multiple regions of the genome associated with stuttering, several of which overlap with genes linked to autism and depression. A minority of cases appear to have an autoimmune origin. Stuttering frequently appears alongside other conditions, including ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, and tic disorders. Researchers have also found that many people who stutter report worse symptoms when their sleep is disturbed, and that stuttering is associated with iron deposits in certain areas of the brain, a finding that may one day lead to an objective diagnostic test. Perhaps most important, more than 90 percent of the panel agreed that stuttering differs significantly from one person to the next. What helps one individual may do nothing for another, and treatment must therefore be tailored to the person.

A Caution About Common Medications The guidelines contain a warning that

many parents, and even many doctors, may not be aware of. Certain widely prescribed medications that raise dopamine activity in the brain, including stimulants used for ADHD and some antidepressants, may worsen stuttering in some patients. Given how common ADHD medication has become among children in our community, this is a point worth raising with a physician. Conversely, some medications that block or modulate dopamine have helped reduce stuttering in certain individuals, though they are used off-label and carry their own side effects. Common anti-anxiety drugs such as SSRIs may ease the social anxiety that often accompanies stuttering but have not been shown to improve the stuttering itself, and benzodiazepines have shown no consistent long-term benefit while carrying a risk of dependence. No one should start, stop, or change any medication on the basis of a newspaper article; these are questions for a qualified doctor.

Rav Chaim Ozer and the Man Who Needed Directions There is a remarkable episode once related by Rav Ben Tzion Bruk. He was once walking through Vilna with Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski when a man approached them. The man stuttered badly,

and with great effort, he managed to ask where a certain doctor lived. Not wanting to leave Rav Chaim Ozer standing alone, Rav Bruk simply pointed the way. Rav Chaim Ozer would not accept that. He instructed Rav Bruk to walk the man all the way to the doctor’s door. When Rav Bruk returned, he was astonished to find the leader of world Jewry still standing in the same spot, waiting for him. Rav Chaim Ozer explained that the man had difficulty speaking and found it hard to ask people for directions. Had he been sent off with only a pointed finger, he might have had to stop strangers again and again, each time struggling through the humiliation of asking. Better that he be brought directly to his destination. Rav Chaim Ozer did not merely avoid embarrassing the man. He anticipated the embarrassments that would come later and spared him all of them.

Rav Shlomo Zalman and the Aufruf Maftir Another story is told about Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. A bochur who stuttered was about to have his aufruf, and custom dictated that the chassan be called up for maftir and read the haftarah before the entire congregation. Rav Shlomo Zalman knew of the young man’s difficulty and understood what that Shabbos morning would mean for him. Rav Shlomo Zalman went to daven in that shul, although it was not his usual place. He approached the gabbai and said he needed maftir that week. When told that a chassan was present, he proposed a compromise: let the chassan be given the aliyah, and Rav Shlomo Zalman would read the haftarah himself. Naturally, no gabbai would refuse such a request. The chassan was rescued, and not a single person in the shul realized that anything had been arranged on his behalf.

The Hidden Virtue of the Stutterer There is a fascinating quality that people who stutter often possess. Because every word costs effort, a person who stut-

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ters generally says only what truly needs saying. He does not chatter, he does not fill silences with idle talk, and he is far less likely to stumble into lashon hara, rechilus, and other sins of speech that the rest of us commit so easily. The Drashos HaRan (Derush 3) explains that Moshe Rabbeinu’s impediment ensured that no one could attribute the acceptance of the Torah to persuasive oratory. The lesson for all of us is to avoid unnecessary words, but no one should ever wish for such a trial, which brings indescribable suffering to every part of a person’s life.

A Yeshiva Man’s Story An Israeli Yated Ne’eman story told of a yeshiva man identified as R’ Y. Hilman, whose stuttering began in early childhood. It drained his self-confidence, kept him from speaking in public, and led him to give up on many of his dreams. He was not rejected by friends, but whenever something required speaking, it became a serious obstacle. He described the “tricks” that so many people who stutter develop. He would speak very quickly, scanning ahead about ten words to spot the one

he would get stuck on and swap it for another. Others he knew became withdrawn or adopted a cynical, sparing manner of speech, all to avoid exposure. He acknowledged that some people who stutter do become maggidei shiur and public figures, but said that for most, the difficulty limits not only their speech but their confidence in every area of life. After he married, he enrolled in an intensive fluency course in Israel. By his account, the change was dramatic.

clinician and course instructor, helping others the way he had been helped, and the article reported weekly sessions in Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak for people who stutter.

What the Experts Say About Treatment Stories like his are genuinely encouraging, but the new guidelines offer a sad picture of the field as a whole. Nearly 90 percent of the expert pan-

He will never volunteer to daven before the amud, and the thought of speaking at a family simcha fills him with dread.

He now considers himself a person who controls his speech rather than one controlled by it, though he still occasionally “pushes” through certain words. The reporter noted that conversation with him gave no hint that he had ever stuttered. He went on to train as a communication

el rated the current state of stuttering treatment as only fair or poor. Speech therapy remains the cornerstone of care, and almost 89 percent of the panel recommended regular involvement of speech-language pathologists. Yet speech therapy suffers from high relapse rates, and many patients find it difficult to maintain their gains over the long term. Early intervention in young children appears to offer the most benefit, though this is hard to prove, since so many children recover on their own. It is partly for this reason that many insurers do not cover speech therapy at all. The article (as well as a recent New York Times’ article) notes that newer approaches are being studied. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, a non-invasive technique that uses magnetic pulses to influence brain activity, may show some promise. Deep brain stimulation may eventually prove more effective, but with current technology its risks are considered too great for general use. More than 90 percent of the panel agreed that the proper standard of care is a team approach, bringing together physicians such as pediatricians, psychiatrists, and neurologists along with speech-language pathologists and psychologists. The panel also acknowledged that such coordinated care is often hard to find and expensive. The practical lesson is clear. Methods and results vary considerably from person to person, and anyone affected, or any parent of an affected child, should seek a thorough evaluation from qualified professionals before choosing

a program. Notably, about 86 percent of the panel believed that people who stutter and their families do not have access to enough reliable information, so families should not hesitate to ask questions and seek second opinions.

What Our Mosdos Can Learn The examples of Rav Chaim Ozer, zt”l, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt”l, translate directly into daily practice. A rebbi or teacher should not require a talmid who stutters to read aloud before the class without first speaking with him privately. A gabbai should never call such a person to the Torah or to the amud unless he has asked for it, and when a simcha brings an expected honor, a quiet word in advance can spare enormous pain. Listeners should resist the urge to finish his sentences or look away; patience and steady eye contact communicate respect. There is one more point that educators must take to heart. The expert panel singled out the persistent and false belief that stuttering reflects lower intelligence. It does not. A rebbi who mistakes halting speech for a halting mind does a grave injustice and may crush a talmid whose potential is enormous. The panel also stressed that a person’s well-being should be measured by far more than fluency: his confidence, his social life, his emotional health, and his ability to function in yeshiva and later at work all matter at least as much.

The Lesson for All of Us Most of us do not stutter. But every one of us will at some point stand next to someone who does: a talmid in class, a chassan at his aufruf, a stranger asking for directions. The Torah reminds us that Hashem is the One Who “sam peh la’adam,” Who fashions every mouth (Shemos 4:11). How we respond to the person whose mouth was fashioned differently is entirely up to us. Rav Chaim Ozer waited for a long time on a Vilna street corner. Rav Shlomo Zalman even changed shuls and read the haftarah. Neither said a word about what he was doing. Perhaps that, too, is part of the lesson: those who struggle to speak teach us that the most important things are often accomplished with little words at all.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com.

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The Wandering

Jew

Eretz Yisroel Why, When, Where & Who Part IV: 2014 – 2016

By Hershel Lieber

With Rabbi Michael Schudrich and Razi Mamet

s I started to prepare the material for our three journeys to Eretz Yisroel between 2014 and 2025, I realized that I had omitted a week-long memorable trip that we began on July 17, 2005. In order to introduce the main purpose of that trip, I will have to go back about sixteen years. It was during the summer of 1989 that Pesi and I were invited to help manage the Lauder Summer Retreat for its second year. The previous summer we had thirteen participants. This year, we were hoping that more people would join our historical mission to introduce Yiddishkeit to the next generation of Polish Jews. The number of participants was not much greater, but the seed we planted eventually did produce some lovely fruits. We spent the Shabbos before we started the retreat in Krakow. On Shabbos, we davened in the Remu Shul together with a small group of elderly Jews. In the shul, we were introduced to the family Lewkowicz from Wroclaw (formerly Breslau) who came to see their Israeli cousin Chaim Shalem who was leading a Jewish tour of Poland. Chaim approached Pesi and asked her to reach out to his cousin Malka to help bring her closer to her roots. Malka was there with her husband Karol and their two children, Monika and Henryk. A complete Jewish family was

With Pesi, Monika and Mechel

Malka and Monika

With the chosson Zev Landau

alongside limudei kowhile I eventually sent desh. Henryk, who was now Ever since her chilcalled Zvi, to learn at dren left Poland, MalDvar Yerushalayim in ka agonized that she Israel. Karol, on the was living apart from other hand, was not them. She was also keen for all the changdetermined to be in a es that Malka wanted. religious environment The difficulty of mainWith Rav Baruch Horovitz of where she would fully taining a kosher home Dvar Yerushalayim adapt to a frum lifeand keeping Shabbos style. As difficult as it was, she and Karol was too much for him to accept. The Lewkowiczes joined us each year parted, and Malka moved to Yerushafor both the Summer and Winter retreats, layim. After a few years, Malka retired where Malka’s talents working with little from her occupation as a professional children were remarkable. I spent a Shab- kindergarten teacher and moved to Beit Shemesh to be closer to her two children and her seven grandchildren. It was in 2005 that Monika, who was a nurse in the neo-natal division at That Shabbos began a relationship Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, married her husband, Zev, a computer analyst from which spanned thirty-six years and California. Their chasuna was the comcontinues to the present day. pelling reason that we traveled that year to Yerushalayim. Of course, we did other things as well. Our son Mechel was a chosson and I brought him to New York where he bos in Wroclaw where Malka organized was learning in Brisk while awaiting his had his bris. A few years later, we began a Shabbaton in which I conducted and chasuna a month later. His kallah, Leah the process of having the children sent gave lectures. After high school, Monika, Ostreicher, as well as her parents, were abroad to study in Jewish schools. Rabbi who was an excellent student, continued also in Israel at the time. We joined them Michael Schudrich, who is now Poland’s her education at a seminary in Israel. Zvi on Monday for dinner at the home of Rabchief rabbi, arranged for Monika to study changed schools to Machon Brand, which bi and Rebbetzin Avrohom Shmulevitz, at the Maimonides School in Boston, offered a secular education program one of the Roshei Yeshivos of Mir. The Osrare in Poland, as intermarriage was the general rule. After spending some time talking with her, in a combination of Yiddish and German, Pesi proposed that Malka bring her family and join us at the Summer Camp. Baruch Hashem, the next Shabbos, the whole family joined us as we celebrated a traditional Shabbos, from Friday night candle lighting to the Motzei Shabbos Havdalah. That Shabbos began a relationship which spanned thirty-six years and continues to the present day. Malka became very attached to Yiddishkeit. She introduced many mitzvos and traditions into her home. Henryk had his bar mitzvah later that year, and

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At the Kosel. L-R Debby, Pesi,Itty, Levi Yitzchok, me and Heshy

treichers were very close with Shmuelevitz family, and we were privileged to share that relationship. On Wednesday, we traveled up north to daven at the kevarim of some of the most illustrious tzaddikim that are buried there. Teveria, Tzfas, Amuka and Meron were the most notable places that we visited. Besides toiveling in the Ari’s freezing mikva, we also took advantage to enjoy a swim in the warm waters of Lake Kinneret. The next day was Monika and Zev’s chasuna. Karol came from Poland, as did his sister from the USA. Malka was overjoyed, and Tzvi, who got married a year earlier, was there with his wife Mazal. There were also a number of people at the wedding whom we originally knew from Poland who were living at the time in Eretz Yisroel. I sang at the chuppah, and we felt like true mechutanim at this simcha. On Friday, I went with Mechel to visit Rav Avrohom Yehoshu Soloveichik of Brisk, Mechel’s Rosh Yeshiva. Then we prepared ourselves for the Shabbos Sheva Brachos which was in Ramot Gimmel, Malka’s neighborhood. Rav Asher Weiss was the rav of the shul, and we had a chance to share some conversations together. I davened Kabbolas Shabbos, and

Dancing with Pinchy

the seudah was held in Malka’s apartment. Malka’s friends hosted the Shabbos day seudah. Between 2014 and 2025 we traveled to Eretz Yisroel three times. Rav Asher Weiss All of those trips were in conjunction with the chasunas of our grandchildren. Our daughter Faigy is married to Rabbi Pesach Moshe Grossman, the founder of Yeshivas Masoras Avos in Lakewood. My son-in-law is a Gerer chassid, as are his children. All of their married children’s in-laws are associated with the Gerer chassidus. Many of them live in Israel, and as a result some of our grandsons got married there. Though the main focus of our trips in 2016, 2017 and 2022 were for the occasion of their weddings, we participated in many more experiences and had the opportunity to meet many distinguished and diverse people. In August of 2016, we went for the chasuna of our grandson Pinchas Menachem. His kallah was Reizy, the daughter of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Lazenga. We stayed in an apartment in the Givat

Shaul section which we shared with my children Itty and Levi Yitzchok Klein, Mechel and Leah Lieber, and Heshy and Debby Daum (Pesi’s sister). Chavi and Volvy stayed nearby. Pesach and Chaiky (Pesi’s sister) Langsam stayed in Bnei Brak. The apartment was small, and we had no closet or dresser room to put away our clothes. They were all piled up on an extra bed! That very day, we went for a bracha to Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz who knew me from previous visits. The next day, Tuesday, was quite busy for us. We went to visit the rebbetzin of Rav Noson Tzvi Finkel, zt”l. We had an upsherin by our nephew and niece, Mechel and Miriam Jacobovits’ son. My sister Mati and her husband Gedalya were there together with their son Moishy and his wife Fraidy. Later, Pesi joined me for a short visit by the Gavad of the Eidah HaChareidis, Rav Tuvia Weiss, zt”l, who lived in our building. I had met him on two occasions in Antwerp, and we reminisced about people that we both knew. To top off our first Gavad Rav Tuvia Weiss zt’l day, we all went to the Kosel. Words cannot describe the emotional feelings that we experienced when standing and davening at that holy site. Thursday was the day of the chasuna. All day, we were busy with preparations. I sang at the chuppah, and the dancing was spirited and the music was lebeidig but somewhat overwhelming. The mitzvah tantz was moving and the badchanus was not overbearing. All in all, we had a beautiful time and shepped nachas from our family. Rabbi Lazenga is the rav of a shul which is predominantly made up of Gerer Chasidim. He is a mentor to many bochurim and to young married men whom he guides and advises. That’s where we davened during Shabbos Sheva Brachos. The seudos were very cozy and nice, and

My brother-in-laws, L-R: Pesach Langsam, Heshy Daum & Gedalya Jacobovits

I spoke during the day seudah. Sunday was the day we were making Sheva Brachos. We made it in the afternoon. Aside from the families of both Pinchy and Reizy, we invited guests that had a connection to us from our travels to Poland. Malka Lewkowitz, Monika and Zev Landau, Szmuel, a”h, and Chana Cymerman, and Basia Eigenberg joined our close friends Chanoch and Rachel Lubling in celebrating our family simcha. I did something novel at this Sheva Brachos. Instead of the usual speech, I introduced our guests to both our and the mechutanim’s families. I elaborated about our connection and spoke of their qualities. This went over very well. Our day was not over. We still managed to go for Mincha to Kever Rochel and to the Kosel for Maariv. Monday, we spent together with our children in the Old City. We visited the Hurva and the Ramban Shuls and went on a shopping spree in the Arab Shuk. After davening Mincha at the Kosel, we all headed to the Sheva Brachos sponsored by our mechutanim, Avrum Chaim and Chany Grossman. Late that night, our children headed back to the United States. Tuesday, we spent with our dear friends Razi and Rivka Mamet whom we originally met in Poland. Our friendship continues to the present day. That evening, we had Sheva Brachos in Ashdod, our first visit to that city. Wednesday, we joined Moishy and Faigy and our grandchildren in Holon at “Dialogue in the Dark,” a museum dedicated to experiencing complete darkness, the world of the blind. It was an “eye-opening” exhibit! Then we visited the new couple Pinchy and Raizy, as well as our grandchildren Binem and Chevy Kraminer. Thursday, we ordered a taxi and headed north by way of Yehuda and Shomron. Our destination was Tzfas for the weekend, but we made an important stop. First, a little background. I had always wanted to meet and get to know my second cousin, Rabbi Eli Sadan, who was the rav of the town of Eli in the Shomron. Our mothers were

With Rabbi Avrohom Shmulewitz, Yossi Ostreicher, and Mechel

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Family Chasuna

first cousins, and many times during our trips to Israel we made a point of getting together with Eli’s parents. Although we had met his half-brother Romi a few times before, we never met Eli, who I heard so much about. Since we were going for a Shabbos to Tzfas, we deliberately drove through the shtachim so that we could stop by for a visit. When we arrived, we were so heartily welcomed by Eli and his

Sunday was our last day, and we went to daven by the kevarim of the great rabbanim and mekubalim as well as to see the shuls that we missed on Shabbos. We also toured the Beit HaMeiri Museum, which tells about Tzfas’ history including the 1837 earthquake. In the late afternoon, we took a taxi directly to Ben Gurion Airport and flew home. Our two-week trip began on a high and ended even higher!

With Rabbi Eli Sadan and his father Irving

wife Verdeena, like long-lost mishpacha. Although his mother, Koti, had already passed away, we were able to see his father, Irving, who was living with them. Eli told us of his pre-military Mechina Bnai David, which was an extremely successful program for Orthodox young men, combining limudei kodesh with preparation to serve in the IDF. He was awarded the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement for this contribution to the country. He showed us the beautiful edifices that housed his Mechina, and they were truly impressive. We were all so delighted that we had visited and finally met each other. Friday, we visited many of the shuls as well as the artist colony in Tzfas. We rented an apartment on Rechov Yerushalayim in the center of the city which was very convenient and near everything. For Kabbalas Shabbos, we went to the Beirav Shul with its Carlebach style davening through song and dance. Shabbos morning, we davened at the Abuhav Shul, Mincha at the Karo Shul, and Maariv at Chabad. I guess we covered every nusach over Shabbos.

Pesi at the Ari Ashkenaz Shul in Tzfas Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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School of

Thought

I Am an Israeli By Barbara Deutsch

ears of war have left Israel with a potentially extensive and poorly quantified threat from unexploded bombs and other munitions. Despite public awareness campaigns and clearance operations meant to minimize the lurking danger, a cluster munition found by teenagers on a school hike in a northern Israeli forest exploded last Monday, killing a student and wounding two dozen others. A simple class trip turned into a horror show. This is life in Israel. Accepting this reality is part of what you need in order to live in Israel. Sadly, there are those who have grown tired of the strife, opting out and leaving. This Sukkot, with so many choosing to celebrate in Jerusalem, I started thinking about what it means to be an Israeli living full time in Israel. This past year, I have often been asked whether I will return to America (home?) now that Bob is gone. I have deliberated the options, and I have indeed wondered what life would be like in America without him. I do believe in the old adage “you can’t go home again.” Through the years, I have noticed that when people move on or away, they kind of expect everything and everyone to stay the same. All too soon, we find out that that’s not going to happen. What does happen is that what was left behind changes in the same way that you are experiencing shifts in the place you now call home. Nothing stays the same. When what you expected and dreamed about disappoints, then what? I have come to the understanding that my acceptance of life as an Israeli is a mindset that has been formed from hard realities that I did not experience in my former life in America. It has been two years of war and unrest and that has colored my expectations. When I started thinking about moving back, I realized that though I really miss my American, Canadian/Maryland and Woodmere families, my wonderful friends and colleagues and the niceties of familiar doctors and shops, my experiences have altered me too much to just slip back into any former life.

Losing my partner added a lot to the equation. This new year finds me different – not completely but a lot – from the person who I was a short/endless year ago. I have built this new me on values that continue to be important while not letting go of the person I used to be. It’s a struggle. I have become an Israeli. Anyone privileged to live in Israel, especially Jerusalem, believes that living in Israel changes you at your core. Once you live full time (OK, even mostly), you become cognizant of the realization that you are blessed, even while being tested; you will never be able to leave here of your own volition. Yes, there are unfortunate and out-of-yourcontrol circumstances that may push you out, but given the choice, you stay! Owning that you are an Israeli, with all of its bumps, bruises, bureaucracy and frustrations, landed you in this blessed place, your land and your life. It’s home. I love walking carefully (loads of broken streets with potholes) up and down the alleys and roads looking for house numbers that are not consecutive and lead to nowhere that is easily located. Even when I have been at a location several times before, I still somehow can’t seem to find the place. Oftentimes, complete strangers, sensing my confusion, will offer to help me google the location and assist me in

helping find my destination. The other day, a young man asked me if he could help. “You sure can!” He looked up the address, gave me clear instructions (no matter), monitored my progress, and then waved at me as he passed me by on the way to his own destination. He had quietly followed me to make sure that I was okay. I get pleasure when reading Hebrew street signs, seeing big garbage cans that proclaim Yerushalayim in Hebrew letters. When running errands, I continue in my efforts to make myself understood in a language in which I am still struggling to be fluent. Sigal, my manicurist (I speak Hebrew and she speaks English), recently lauded me on my progress. I had a conversation in Hebrew with my cab driver. He asked about my backstory, and I told him. His recommendation: find life. All in Hebrew. In the days preceding this October 7t, there was a crescendo of shared loss. I availed myself of the opportunity to hear and learn from two great women. Miriam Peretz is an Israeli educator and public speaker who received the Israel Prize in 2018 for lifetime achievement. She spoke of her two sons, who both fell during their IDF service, in Lebanon and Gaza, and she rose from those losses to become a lecturer on Zionism and living with loss.

Peretz describes struggles, resilience and determination to live when others would have buckled. She shared what keeps her positive and an inspiration to others; she encourages living life, even a shattered one, with purpose. Rachel Goldberg Polin turned her deep despair over the loss of her precious son Hersh into a platform for healing. Even as she continues to struggle as she attempts to reconcile her new reality with her past, Goldberg Polin is a model for aspiration. When she spoke, I felt like it was just the two of us sitting in the same room and discussing shared grief. I listened closely as her clear, strong voice described her struggle with acceptance for her changed reality following her brutally deep loss. Her wisdom, her eyes, her smile all gave me pause to evaluate my own loss and journey. There are no comparisons to be made. Finding hope after deep despair is an ongoing journey for anyone and in time affects everyone; it is life’s cycle. In a Vaad class I take with Reb. Dena Schoonmaker, I heard the story of IDF Chayal Shalom Shitrit. He had lost a leg during the first moments of October 7. When Shitrit speaks of his ordeal, he does not concentrate on the hardships of living with one limb. Instead, he chooses to celebrate the altered life that he has been gifted. Shitrit is steeped in gratitude for his newfound connection to Hashem. Simple hikes in Israel can turn into unfathomable tragedy. There are too many graves filled with the bodies of young people. Nobody who lives in Israel takes joy in the ordinary for granted. Living here exacts a high emotional and physical toll on most. Still, there is nowhere else I’d rather be. We have much to learn from our battle-scarred and heroic Israelis. Thank you, Hashem.

Barbara Deutsch is the former associate principal at HANC, middle school principal at Kushner, and Dean of Students at Yeshiva of Flatbush. A not-retired educator, she is still trying to figure out life in Israel.

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Israel Today

Before Israel Votes Why Small Parties Can Decide Who Governs By Stephen M. Flatow

The final installment in a series explaining Israel’s political system before Israelis go to the polls

ne of the puzzles of Israeli politics for many Americans is the power of small parties. How can a party with six or seven seats in a 120-member Knesset exercise so much influence? And why can an Israeli election produce a result in which the party winning the most seats does not necessarily govern? The answers bring together much of what we have discussed in this series. As we learned earlier, Israeli voters do not directly elect a prime minister. They elect parties to the Knesset. A government then must be assembled that can command the support of at least 61 of its 120 members. Because no major party is likely to win 61 seats on its own, coalition partners are essential. That makes small parties important. Imagine that the largest party wins 32 seats. That sounds impressive, but it is still 29 seats short of a majority. Its leader must find other parties willing to join a coalition. A party with six seats can suddenly become very valuable. Those six MKs may provide the votes that push a prospective government past 61. In return, the party may seek cabinet positions, legislative commitments or agreements on policies important to its voters. Critics complain that this gives small parties influence far beyond their numbers. Supporters argue that it forces larger parties to compromise and gives smaller constituencies a voice in government. Either way, it is an essential feature of Israeli politics. It also helps explain why governments can become unstable. A coalition may begin with 64 seats. If

a five-seat party withdraws, the government may lose its parliamentary majority. A dispute over the budget, military service, security policy, religion and state,

ue to command a majority. Which brings us to Election Day. What are Israelis actually deciding when they vote?

When the votes are counted, the election will not really be over.

or another contentious issue can therefore become a threat to the government’s survival. To Americans accustomed to presidents serving fixed four-year terms, this can look chaotic. But Israel is a parliamentary democracy. Political stability depends not simply on who won the last election, but on whether a governing coalition can contin-

Some will vote ideologically, choosing the party that most closely reflects their beliefs. Others will vote strategically. They may worry that a preferred small party will not cross the 3.25 percent electoral threshold. Or they may support a larger party because they want to strengthen its leader’s chances of forming the next government.

Still others will vote primarily on security, the economy, housing, military service, religion and state, judicial issues or the personalities of party leaders. Most will probably consider some combination of them. That is why describing an Israeli election simply as a contest between two leaders misses much of what is happening. Israelis are simultaneously choosing parties, representatives and possible coalitions. And when the votes are counted, the election will not really be over. The largest party may be unable to form a government. A smaller party may hold the balance of power. Politicians who spent months attacking one another may suddenly sit down together to negotiate. For American Jews following the results, that is perhaps the most important lesson of this series. We should care about Israeli politics. We should debate it. We can favor one approach over another. But before deciding what Israelis should do, we ought to understand what they are actually doing. On election night, don’t ask only: Who won? Ask the more Israeli question: Who can get to 61? Because in Israel, winning the most seats and winning the right to govern are not necessarily the same thing.

The writer is an attorney and the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995. He is author of A Father’s Story: My Fight for Justice Against Iranian Terror (now available in an expanded paperback edition on Amazon.com) and is the chair of the Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi. An oleh chadash, he divides his time between Jerusalem and New Jersey.

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Rebbetzin Sara Yocheved Rigler

A Life of Mindfulness and Meditation BY BrendY J. Siev

verything about the question had been rehearsed. For a year, a college student named Sarah Anne had ridden a bicycle across Benares, India, three times a week, wearing a sari, to sit with a guru who had once headed a Sanskrit college and had written books in Bengali and Sanskrit. He was brilliant, and she had chosen him because she was intellectual and needed a guru who was too. Now it was the day before she was

to fly home to the U.S., where decisions were waiting about graduate school and the rest of her life. So she asked him how she would know what to choose. “Follow the scriptures,” he told her. “What scriptures?” she remembers asking. In a year, he had never once mentioned the Hindu scriptures. Then she said the only honest thing she could. “I don’t have any scriptures.” He looked at her, she recalls, “like I had said to

In Her Words… i thought i was a mind inside a body. And he taught me that i’m a soul who has a mind and a body. Judaism is a spiritual path that takes you somewhere. i came on a two-month ticket and never left. At night, i’d get into bed to say Shema and it would be like, ‘Oh, there You are, Hashem. Where have you been all day?’

him, I don’t have a gallbladder or I don’t have a spleen.” With real compassion, he gave her the next best answer: “So you’ll have to listen to your inner voice.” But she did have scriptures. She had sat in front of them every Shabbos morning of her childhood, in a Conservative synagogue in the Philadelphia area, and no one had ever told her they were wisdom. “Boring, boring, not wisdom for living,” Rebbetzin Sara Yocheved Rigler says now of the Chumash she grew up with. It would take her the better part of two decades to find out otherwise. *

Before India, there was Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Her family belonged to what she calls a strong bastion of Conservative Judaism. She went to Hebrew school two nights a week until she was eighteen. Of Brandeis, which was eighty percent Jewish, she can say something remarkable. “I knew thousands of Jews,” she says. “I didn’t know a single Orthodox Jew.” In 1968, her junior year, she went to India on the University of Wisconsin’s college year program. In Benares, the thing to do, apart from studying Indian philosophy at the university, was to find a guru, and she found hers. The first lesson changed her life. He told her there are three dimensions of

reality. There is the physical, which she already knew, and the mental, which includes the emotions, which she knew too, because she had been raised in a middle-class Jewish world where everything was academic achievement. But there is also a higher level, the spiritual, which includes G-d and souls. “I had never heard of the spiritual dimension of reality,” she says. She had always assumed she was a mind in a body. He taught her that she was a soul who has a mind and a body. He taught her to meditate, and she has meditated, in one form or another, since 1968. On that last day in Benares, her guru gave her one more piece of advice, and it had nothing to do with India. You’re Jewish, he told her. Why don’t you explore Jewish mysticism? She had never heard of it. “I went to Hebrew school two nights a week until I was 18 years old,” she says. “We never learned anything about Kabbalah.” *

Sarah Anne came back and finished her psychology degree at Brandeis, and all she wanted was to pursue a spiritual life full time, but she didn’t know where. A rabbi who had been at Brandeis while she was abroad agreed to meet her at midnight in Harvard Square. She told him she was looking for a place to prac-

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The ashram had a connection to the Hillel rabbi at Boston University, Rabbi Joseph Polak, and he agreed to speak. The night before, Sarah Anne called to make sure the rabbi had directions to the ashram, which was in the woods. He asked her a question. “Will there be a cross in the room where I’ll be speaking?” She said, of course. They had symbols of all the great religions. “I’m not coming,” he said. She couldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t speak in a room with a cross, he said. He was a child Holocaust survivor. For five minutes, they argued. At last, he changed his tone. “What’s your name?” She gave him her Hindu name. “What’s your real name?” She told him, “Sarah Anne Levinsky.” “I’m coming,” he said. He came, she says, because he knew there was at least one Jewish soul he wanted to speak to. He spoke about love of G-d, even unto madness, quoting the Rambam. She sat there in shock. What does love of G-d have to do with Judaism? In her synagogue, which she had attended every Friday night and Shabbos morning, the word G-d was rarely spoken. “The words ‘love of G-d,’ I can assure you, never once were spoken in our synagogue,” she says. Afterward, the rabbi gave her a slip of paper with his name and phone number. She knew exactly what he would try to do, which was get her out of the ashram. She tucked the paper into a drawer. *

Then came 1984, a bad year in the New Age world. Throughout that year, she says, “every two weeks, there was another scandal with another guru, another swami, another Zen master.” And she had her own evidence. She and everyone around her had been meditating for years, and spiritual attainment, as she understood it, meant becoming a better person, a mensch, by getting be-

yond your ego. She could be short-tempered, and that hadn’t improved. One day, she pulled open the drawer and dialed Rabbi Polak’s number. It was February of 1985. Sarah Anne went to him for Shabbos, and it was very nice. After Shabbos, he took her along to a melave malka at an Orthodox synagogue in Everett, where he played his guitar and led a kumzitz with wonderful ruach. The next event in the shul’s spiritual series was a talk by Rabbi Dovid Din, a Breslov rabbi from Boro Park, titled “Judaism as a Yoga.” She went. The rabbi explained that the word halacha comes from the root meaning to walk, which makes Judaism a path that leads somewhere. The sentence stopped her. She knew thousands of Jews, and not one of them regarded Judaism that way. But if it was true, she decided, “I wanted to try it out.” At that moment, she had the means to try. Her guru had given her two months and two thousand dollars to go anywhere in the world after she wrote a book on his guru. She followed Rabbi Din back to New York and studied with him on the Upper West Side, where he taught Derech Hashem, the Ramchal’s work. “For a person who’s spiritually inclined, Derech Hashem is like a gold mine in Judaism,” she explains. “My mind was blown.” Rabbi Din told Sarah Anne that if she really wanted to learn Judaism, she would have to go to Jerusalem; he could get her a scholarship at Neve Yerushalayim, a school for women with little or no Jewish background. She landed in Jerusalem on June 28, 1985. On her first night, she met the Amshinover Rebbe, who would become her Rebbe, and Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller, who would become her mentor. “She was the most brilliant person I had ever met,” Rebbetzin Rigler says. Rebbetzin Heller has a photographic memory. She is deep spiritually, she has a great sense of humor, and she had nine children. Rebbetzin Rigler couldn’t make sense of it. How could somebody be so

intellectual and have nine children? *

Two months in Jerusalem, or perhaps less, and a man who was writing a book, a spiritual guide to Israel, asked her to write about holy women. Someone pointed her to Rebbetzin Chaya Sara Kramer, who lived in a ramshackle home on a moshav in the Jezreel Valley, two bus rides from Jerusalem. She heard the story before she met Rebbetzin Kramer. The rebbetzin was a Holocaust survivor who had lost her entire family. She came to Israel in 1946 and married Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Kramer, whom people considered a lamed-vavnik. The Kramers never had children. For about twenty years, Rebbetzin Kramer cared for severely handicapped children who had been left at her home. She woke in the middle of every night and checked every child, because she thought Hashem would not be happy with her if a Jewish child lay there in the middle of the night, in its filth, needing a change. She did it for twenty years, Rebbetzin Rigler says, “without a day off, without getting paid, without a vacation.” Rebbetzin Rigler also describes Rebbetzin Kramer as a woman of miracles. “She could do miracles,” she says. “She could read minds. She knew the future.” But what she wants to tell you about is her love. Rebbetzin Kramer called her a tzadika after knowing her barely two months, and said it to other people, too, pointing at her. “I’d spent 15 years in an ashram,” Rebbetzin Rigler says. “Why was she calling me a tzadika?” So she worked out what was happening. “She was a conduit for Hashem’s love, and she just loved me.” Rebbetzin Rigler eventually wrote a book about her called Holy Woman, and it became a bestseller. The Judaism she came to know and wanted, she explains, was a Judaism of love and joy. Rebbetzin Kramer had lost her whole family in Auschwitz, and she

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

tice spirituality full time. As an Orthodox Jew, she says, you laugh at that sentence today. But he told her there was no Jewish place where she could do that. She did hear of another suggestion: an ashram on the South Shore, an hour south of Boston, with a genuine Indian guru, a woman. She graduated on a Sunday, and on Monday, Sarah Anne stopped at the ashram. She asked if she could stay for the summer, for two months. “I ended up staying 15 years,” she says, “as a monastic member.” In every religion except Judaism, she explains, the highest spiritual path is to renounce the world. That meant celibacy, and renouncing family, money and material things, and she lived that life for fourteen and a half years. She became a personal secretary to the guru and secretary of the ashram. Something monumental happened on a day when she was leading the community meditation, and her mind went up. It was one of the rare times. She was lost in that higher consciousness for so long that everyone else got up and left. When at last she uncrossed her legs and walked out, her best friend in the community came over to ask her a question about the cooking schedule. She was the senior sister, in charge of the schedule. “What are you doing talking to me?” Sarah Anne barked. “Don’t talk to me now.” She says it came minutes after experiencing the oneness of all reality. She had gotten angry at someone for asking a simple question. “I saw that other people in the ashram also didn’t seem to be getting any better,” she says. Their teaching was Vedanta, which holds that all religions are equally valid paths up the mountain and worthy to be studying. In November of 1984, for the Jewish slot in the temple’s speaker series, they invited an Orthodox rabbi.

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had no children. “But she was always smiling,” Rebbetzin Rigler says, “except when her picture was being taken.” *

She had come to Jerusalem on a twomonth ticket, and she was supposed to fly home on August 26, 1985. But the chagim were close. She went to her Rebbe, who said, “You’re here. Might as well stay for the chagim.” The bottom line, she says, laughing, is that she came on a two-month ticket and never left. That was 41 years ago. To understand why she stayed, you have to know what she had been carrying since she was a child. She did not know a single Holocaust survivor, and nobody in her family had perished in the war. Still, from a very young age, she was obsessed with the Holocaust, and she had no idea why. “I didn’t even know how I knew about it,” she says. She also had what she calls a tremendous hatred of Germany and everything German. In ninth grade, when her friends picked French or Spanish as languages to study, she picked German. “You have to know your enemy,” she told herself. One week into learning German, she had a dream. “Everybody, including me, was speaking fluent German.” Years later, on her way home from India, she refused to change planes in Germany, and the airline routed her through Vienna with a seven-hour layover. She took a bus into a residential part of the city, and at every street corner, she grew tenser. Then she heard a gang of blondhaired, blue-eyed youths chasing her, shout ing c atcalls and curses.

She ran. She got on a bus, and the doors closed behind her. She looked back, and the street was empty. “It was what’s called a flashback,” she says. “In a flashback you are inside the memory. You hear the sounds. You relive it.” At the ashram, where reincarnation is a basic concept, she began to understand, or so she came to believe. In her account, she was a reincarnated soul from the Holocaust. When she came into Yiddishkeit, she told no one, because it sounded weird. But then she told one friend, who said, “So was I.” She later wrote a book on the subject, I’ve Been Here Before: When Souls of the Holocaust Return, for which she interviewed 550 people, all born after 1945. Whatever one makes of the theory, she says, it shaped her personal life. “I had a fear of having children,” she says, “because I identified children with little vulnerable beings that die.” *

Then she came into Yiddishkeit, and the rules were clear: get married and have children. She wanted to get married. That sounded great. Children were harder. She spent a year and a half in Jerusalem, studying and going out on shidduchim, and nothing happened. By then, she was thirty-eight and a half years old. Her eventual husband was a musician from California, thirty-nine years old, in Israel for six weeks for the chagim of 1986, with no intention of forming any kind of commitment. But a rabbi met him at a class and thought of her. “Blessed be that rabbi,” Rebbetzin Rigler says. “May he be blessed.” They were engaged on the eleventh day they met and married in two months.

Fourteen months after the wedding, they had a daughter. They named her Pliya Esther. Pliya means wonder of G-d. “I kept saying, ‘Why didn’t anybody tell me it’s so wonderful to have a baby?’” she says. Then the problem started. Rebbetzin Rigler wanted another baby very much. So began five and a half years of trying. “We did everything spiritually,” she says. “And we did everything medically.” But the real obstacle, she came to understand, was fear. “I was afraid of having children because I had lost children in the Holocaust,” she says, “and I was afraid of having another child.” She still can’t explain why Hashem let her have Pliya, fourteen months after her wedding, with no fear at all. At last, she made a vow to Hashem. “If You give me a son,” she said, “and he lives to be 12 years old,” she would be so grateful and happy to have him, she told Hashem, even for twelve years of “talking and walking and thinking and seeing and hearing,” that if He took him then, she would say HaTov v’HaMeitiv. “And that was my vow to Hashem.” Nine months later, her son was born. They named him Yisrael Rohn, which means Israel rejoices. “He’s now 32 years old, 6’6”,” she says, “and baruch Hashem.” Years later came another test. She had spent sixteen years in a mussar vaad with Rav Kelemen in the Old City, one that had started in her living room. As the group was choosing its next middah, with simcha as one of the two choices, Rebbetzin Rigler was diagnosed with breast cancer. She called Rav Kelemen. “I need to work on simcha,” she told him, “and my life may depend on it.” On the way to the hospital for her surgery, she and her husband stopped at

the Kelemens’ home, and the two men started dancing and singing in the street. *

By then, her days looked very different from the ashram’s. She was spending an hour and a half every morning on what she calls her morning devotions. But she had a problem. “When I finished my morning devotions, life would start,” she says. There was cooking, and there were emails, and there was work, and the day would go by. At night, she would get into bed to say Shema. “It would be like, oh, there You are, Hashem. Where have You been all day?” Three years ago, she heard Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, who had once been her neighbor in the Old City, teach something. It was about the ordinary actions we are already doing, because Jewish women are all too busy. Even drinking a glass of water, he taught, can be a mitzvah of the Torah if you have the kavana, since there is a mitzvah to take very good care of your health. “It just takes eight seconds to say, ‘I’m doing the mitzvah of taking very good care of my health as You commanded me,’” Rebbetzin Rigler explains. “Hashem is with you.” “This totally transformed my life,” she says. She wrote a book about it, 8 Seconds to Connect with Hashem: Mitzvah Mindfulness for Women, with Rabbi Wegbreit. It is full of lists of what women do every day that could be a mitzvah, if only they had the consciousness. She sees it as the culmination of everything. “This was really the culmination of my spiritual life that started in 1968 in India and ended here in Jerusalem,” she says, “with being able to bring Hashem into my day.”

This article is based on a podcast, “Inspiration For the Nation,” hosted by Yaakov Langer. To catch more of this conversation, you can watch it on LivingLchaim. com or YouTube.com/LivingLchaim or listen wherever you listen to podcasts (just search for “Inspiration For The Nation”) or call our free hotline: 605-477-2100

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Dating Dialogue

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

Dear Navidaters,

Dear Navidaters, My husband and I love reading your column. We have a question for the panelists.

We recently thought of an excellent shidduch for our neighbor’s daughter. The boy is the son of a family who davens at our shul. We went through the steps of getting his resume, asked what he was looking for, etc. Everything looked great for our neighbor’s daughter, Shira. The family said they would look into it, but it has been weeks since we sent the resume. I followed up but the mother of the boy sounded distracted, almost uninterested to respond. We think they aren’t taking us seriously because we are not official shadchanim. This girl is literally everything their son is looking for! How can we get them to take us seriously despite us not being seasoned/official shadchanim? What is the appropriate line between being efficient and not too nudgy? Thanks! Sheryl & Benjamin*

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

Looking forward! Michelle, the “Shadchan”

The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

ear Sheryl and Benjamin, Please do not doubt yourselves. A suggestion from someone who knows both parties is always preferable. People can trust the one who is suggesting that the couple go out. They know them fairly well, usually, and in your case, definitely. A recent study shows that a very sizable proportion of matches in our community come through friends and neighbors and family rather than official shadchanim. Also keep in mind that professional shadchanim are overwhelmed and frequently do not know the parties involved well at all. So it is definitely not a matter of your not being a professional shadchan. Please continue to suggest matches as they come to mind. Do not be affronted by the fact that your suggestion is not being taken up. You don’t know what connection these people have with the family of the person you are suggesting. You also don’t know what is being put on the table. In other words, people do shop around and go for something that is most interesting and intriguing to them at the moment. All things being said, you still can remind your neighbor that you had a good idea that bears looking into. After about three months, you can say, “I’m going to remind you about this shidduch one of these days.” I think three months

is a decent interval. Once you are more confident about suggesting shidduchim, you will not take lack of action so personally. Keep at it! Our community needs more concerned adults suggesting matches.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

hank you so much for writing in! I want to applaud the two of you for taking on the job of setting others up. The truth is, if more people did what you are doing, there would be more marriages in our community! Shidduchim should not be limited to “official” shadchanim. In fact, when I started setting people up after I got married, I was not an “official” shadchan either! I was just a regular person thinking of ideas for others. Someone only becomes “official” once they become successful and their name starts floating around. I’m going to admit something I don’t think I’ve admitted on these pages before. I hated it when people started calling me a shadchan because I personally felt there was such a negative connotation associated with the term, based on my own personal experiences. However, it became inevitable as I was making dozens of shidduchim and people started calling to meet me as “a shadchan.” My point is, you are doing the right thing! You are thinking of ideas and following up. There is a plethora of rea-

sons why this boy’s family may not be responsive. Maybe he is busy dating someone right now, and they don’t want to mention it. Or perhaps this boy is the type who has a bunch of resumes, and his mother is completely overwhelmed with ideas. Be in touch with this boy’s parents every couple of weeks, reminding them of the idea you have. Also, communicate directly, mentioning that if they feel it is not a good fit, or if he is currently busy, they can be honest with you. Let them know you would really appreciate an answer either way. I have one story I will relay on this topic. I had a truly perfect shidduch idea for the single daughter of Chabad shluchim in a remote town in Florida that we had visited. The boy I had in mind was an incredible guy, the son of wonderful Chabad shluchim in a remote town in Pennsylvania. Over the course of about six months, I followed up with this girl’s mother. I got the same reaction you are getting: total indifference, sometimes complete unresponsiveness, and almost disinterest. I could have easily been turned off and stopped trying. After all, I was the one doing them a favor, so why was I being snubbed?! However, I kept on trying. One day, months later, the mother actually listened, gave my idea the time of day, and the shidduch, B”H, progressed nicely. Ironically, the girl was ready way before the boy, and the mother then became an eager daily phone buddy as we spoke about being patient and giving things time to progress. They are now married with four kids, ka”h, and very happy! Before the wedding, the mother confided in me that, generally, Chabad people only trust or use Chabad shadchanim, which was why she hadn’t taken my idea seriously. She didn’t think I could possibly understand her world or what her daughter was looking for. She shared that after a particularly hard day, she received yet another text from me, which she took as a sign that she should finally look into the idea. She told me she wanted me to know just how grateful she was that I had been so persistent!

A shidduch can come from anywhere.

The moral of the story is: when you have a great shidduch idea, do not give up! Another crucial lesson for our readers is that when someone, even someone seemingly random, sends you an idea, LISTEN TO IT! A shidduch can come from anywhere. Just because an idea is not coming from the most familiar source does not mean it should be dismissed. May you have much hatzlacha, and please keep us posted on the outcome!

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

his is a very useful and practical question. I have a few thoughts to share with you. First: We need more folks like you What you are trying to accomplish is wonderful. With everyone complaining about the “shidduch crisis,” it’s refreshing to hear from people who are actually trying to do something about it. Of course, despite your efforts, you are now feeling frustrated. I discussed your frustration with an actual, professional, successful shadchan. She remarked, “Welcome to the life of a shadchan! You put so much thought and effort into an idea behind the scenes, make a really thoughtful suggestion, and then basically get ignored or dismissed. It’s not always the ideas that have been so carefully thought through and researched that end up going anywhere.” Second: Why are they not responding? Their lack of enthusiasm probably has nothing to do with the fact that you are not professional shadchanim.

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers, We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion! Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition. If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.

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Perhaps they just don’t wish to share their reasons for not accepting your suggestion. By not responding, they could simply be telling you, “No, thank you,” but are uncomfortable giving you an outright rejection. Perhaps their son is currently seeing someone else, but they want to keep your suggestion in reserve until they see how things work out. Or, if you read last week’s newspaper, you would understand that perhaps Shira’s father wears a hat with the wrong brim width. (Just kidding!) Third: What should you do now? You might wish to try one more time, by saying something like, “Hi! Just checking in about the suggestion we sent you a few weeks ago. Whatever you decide is perfectly fine, but we’d appreciate knowing whether there’s any interest, so we can give Shira’s family an answer.” And that’s it. If they still don’t respond, consider it a polite “no, thank you.” And, of course, let Shira’s family know that the boy’s family has not responded to your overtures. You have done a great mitzvah by opening the door for two wonderful

singles, but you cannot push two people through it. Professional shadchanim, and professional real estate agents, all understand that their most enthusiastic, well-thought out, and perfectly planned attempts often wind up with no sale. One final thought: Please don’t allow this disappointing experience to discourage you from continuing your efforts to help singles find each other. Our community desperately needs more thoughtful, caring people who are willing to take the initiative. And remember, you don’t have to be a professional shadchan to make a wonderful shidduch. You just have to care enough to try.

Reader’s Response Leo Your Friendly, Local Contributor

t can be so frustrating to put time, effort, and heart into making a match, only to feel like your suggestion is being brushed aside.

The first step in this situation would be to figure out why they haven’t responded. If it is truly the case that this is an amazing match but they aren’t taking you seriously because they have a lot on their plates and are putting you on the backburner—or disregarding you merely because you aren’t official shadchanim, then it may be helpful to find a different way to suggest the match. However, I would say to first find out if there is another reason why they may not want this match for their daughter and perhaps they pushed off responding to you because they feel bad outright declining. If you are close with your neighbors, it is worthwhile to ask them questions to get a feel for whether this is the case. If there is a personal reason why they feel that particular boy is not a match, you don’t have to pry further; that will give you a clear answer so you can move on without feeling like you’re constantly nagging them. On the other hand, if you find out that the first scenario is what appears to be going on—that they were simply busy with work and life and put your suggestion at the bottom of their long to-do list or that they aren’t taking you seriously due to your lack of official

You have done a great mitzvah by opening the door for two wonderful singles, but you cannot push two people through it.

shadchan status—you may want to try another avenue. If you think they would take a professional shadchan more seriously, you could try reaching out to one so that the match becomes “official.” If that is a viable option, it is definitely worth a shot! But remember, your job is simply to be the messenger. Once you’ve done what you can and passed along the idea responsibly, the final outcome is in Hashem’s hands, and you can rest easy knowing you tried your best to do a wonderful mitzvah.

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

ear Sheryl and Benjamin, I think there’s something really lovely about seeing a potential shidduch and taking the initiative to explore it. You don’t have to be an official shadchan to have a good eye or to make a thoughtful suggestion. Sometimes, the best shidduchim come from people who

know a family and genuinely want to help. That said, even when we see a match so clearly, we have to remember that we’re seeing it from the outside. We may know why we think two people could be right for each other, but we don’t know

everything the other family is considering or where they are in the process. I would follow up once more, warmly and simply, and let them know you’re happy to share any additional information. If they don’t respond with much interest, I would let it rest. You’ve made the introduction, and the next step is theirs. It can be disappointing when we put thought and effort into something and the other person doesn’t seem to share our enthusiasm. But you can make a

wonderful suggestion without needing to make it happen. You offered Shira a possibility she might not otherwise have had, and that’s meaningful in and of itself. Sometimes our part in a shidduch is simply to see a possibility and help bring it to someone’s attention. What happens next belongs to the people whose lives are involved. Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW, is a therapist and certified life coach in private practice in Cedarhurst, NY and via telehealth. She works with individuals, couples, and families, and is a part-time school social worker at Bnos Malka Academy. Her work centers on anxiety, relationships, life transitions, and narcissistic abuse. She integrates attachment-based therapy, cognitive behavioral approaches, and relational work, grounded in the belief that healing and growth emerge through honest, attuned, and meaningful human connection. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512.

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School of

Thought

By Etti Siegel

Dear Etti, My daughter has always been an excellent student who loves school, so I was surprised when she began coming home complaining about her new teacher. Many of the girls have already decided they don’t like her, saying she’s boring and doesn’t know how to teach. When I asked my daughter what was bothering her, she said the lessons aren’t stimulating, there’s little to make learning enjoyable, and much of the material, especially in math, is review from last year. I feel terrible for this first-year teacher, particularly because the girls seem to be testing her with silly questions, frequent bathroom requests, and other disruptive behavior, and I was once an inexperienced first-year teacher myself. At the same time, I’m concerned about my daughter. She’s always been well-behaved and enthusiastic about learning, and I worry that the atmosphere in the classroom will eventually affect her attitude and behavior as well. I’m not a parent who runs to the school with every complaint, and I don’t want to make the situation worse. But I also don’t want to ignore something that may be a genuine problem. How do I know when it’s time to get involved, and what would be the right way to handle this? - A Concerned Mother

Dear Concerned Mother, I appreciate that you’re looking at this from both sides. You recognize that your daughter may have legitimate complaints, but you also understand how difficult it can be for a new teacher to find her footing, especially once a class has decided she isn’t very good at her job. Children are quick to form opinions about teachers, and those opinions can spread surprisingly fast. One girl says the teacher is boring, another agrees, and before long it becomes the accepted view of the class. Once that happens, the girls begin noticing everything the teacher does wrong, and it becomes even harder for an inexperienced teacher to turn things around. That doesn’t mean your daughter’s complaints aren’t valid. Perhaps there’s too much review, the lessons aren’t engaging enough, or the teacher is so busy trying to manage the class that she’s struggling simply to get through the material. Having been a teacher yourself, you know how much a first-year teacher is learning at once. Classroom management, pacing, transitions, discipline, and engaging stu-

dents are skills that take time to develop. Unfortunately, children are also very quick to sense when a teacher isn’t quite in control, and once they begin testing the limits successfully, the problem can snowball. Your daughter has always been a good student, but I wouldn’t automatically assume she’s completely removed from what’s happening. When an entire class gets silly, even children who ordinarily behave beautifully can get swept along. Gently ask her what she does when the other girls are interrupting or fooling around. Does she laugh? Join in? Encourage it without realizing it? Most importantly, make it clear that boredom is never permission to be disrespectful. You might say, “I understand that you’re not enjoying the lessons as much as you usually do, and I’m sorry about that. But your teacher deserves respect, even when you’re bored. I expect you to be cooperative and not make her job harder.” At the same time, try not to let the teacher become the subject of a daily critique at home. You want your daughter to know she can tell you what’s going on, but there’s a difference between listening to her frustrations and giving her an audience for a running commentary on everything the teacher does wrong. It may also help to broaden the conversation about school. Since your daughter’s concerns seem to center on the afternoon General Studies class, make sure you also ask about her morning Limudei Kodesh classes. What’s she learning? What is she enjoying? What went well that day? When one difficult part of school gets all the attention, it can begin to color a child’s feelings about the entire day. As for whether you should get involved, I think that depends partly on your relationship with the school and principal. If you feel the principal would be receptive, a gentle conversation may be appropriate. But I wouldn’t say, “My daughter is bored, and this teacher isn’t doing a good job.” Instead, I would express concern that a new teacher seems to be struggling with a class that has learned how to take advantage of her inexperience. You might ask whether she has a mentor or experienced teacher supporting her, or whether someone could observe the classroom and offer practical guidance. From my own coaching experience, relatively small changes can sometimes transform a classroom. A new teacher may not realize how much time she’s losing between activities, how certain responses encourage more calling out, or how a few stronger routines and incentives could change the atmosphere. Thoughtful coaching can be enormously helpful. Of course, you know your daughter’s school and

whether such a conversation is likely to be received constructively. There’s also a harder truth worth remembering: sometimes a child simply has a disappointing school year. I had a few as a kid, didn’t you? We naturally want our children to have wonderful teachers every year and to come home excited about what they’re learning. But not every teacher-child match will be ideal, and not every classroom experience can be fixed by a parent. What you can do is encourage your daughter’s love of learning. If the work in school is genuinely too easy, encourage her to read challenging books, explore subjects she’s curious about, or pursue projects she finds exciting. You don’t need to turn home into another classroom. Just keep giving her opportunities to remember that learning itself is more than one teacher or one school year. See if you can encourage her to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Her teacher is learning, too. Your daughter may even discover that being one of the students who listens, cooperates, and shows a little kindness can make a difficult classroom better for everyone. For now, I would keep an eye on the situation, hold your daughter to a high standard of respectful behavior, and consider a quiet conversation with the principal if you believe it would lead to support rather than blame. And on the harder days, a scoop of ice cream or another little treat when she gets home can go a long way toward softening a difficult afternoon. Hopefully, with some guidance and time, this teacher will become more confident and the classroom will settle down. For now, keep listening to your daughter without feeding the negativity, insist that she remain respectful, and look for ways to keep her challenged and interested. Sometimes, that’s the best we can do when a school year isn’t quite what we hoped it would be. Hatzlacha, Etti

Mrs. Etti Siegel holds a MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. Etti is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, FACTS Education Solutions, Brienza Academic Advantage, Yeled V’Yalda; is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country; and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School Leaders and has a weekly column in The Jewish Home. She can be contacted for questions and comments at ettisiegel@gmail.com.

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Health & F tness

Is It ADHD…or Is Your Child Just Exhausted? By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH (SA), FAAP

t’s the month of Cheshvan. Yom tov is a wonderful memory. The honeymoon phase is school is over. And it unfolds almost accordingly to a seemingly preordained plan. Your child’s teacher calls. Again. It’s about your son. He’s distracted. He can’t sit still. He interrupts lessons, struggles to follow instructions, and seems incapable of concentrating for more than five minutes. At home, it’s no better. Homework is a battle, he’s irritable, and everyone’s patience is running thin. Someone suggests it might be ADHD. Suddenly, the conversation turns to Ritalin, medication, and how quickly we can get this situation under control. If only it were that simple. As a pediatrician with more than four decades of experience, I’ve seen how quickly frustrated parents can look toward a bottle of pills for answers. I understand the temptation. Everyone wants their child to succeed, and nobody enjoys nightly homework battles or calls from the principal. But raising children isn’t about find-

ing the quickest fix. It’s about identifying the underlying problem and addressing it properly. Medication may be part of the answer. But before we start discussing prescriptions, I’d like to ask a question. What time did your child actually fall asleep last night? Not when you sent him upstairs. Not when you turned off the lights. When did he actually fall asleep? Because sometimes, what looks like ADHD is actually an exhausted child struggling to function.

A Tired Child Doesn’t Always Look Tired When adults are exhausted, we generally slow down. We yawn, lose concentration, and reach for another cup of coffee. Children can react quite differently. Instead of becoming sluggish, they may become hyperactive, impulsive, irritable, and unable to concentrate. Sound familiar? Those are also behaviors commonly associated with ADHD. A teacher may correctly identify that a child is constantly moving, interrupting

lessons, or struggling academically. But observing the behavior doesn’t necessarily explain its cause. Behavior is what we observe. Diagnosis is what we investigate. Confusing the two can lead to treating the wrong problem.

Going to Bed Doesn’t Mean Going to Sleep “He goes to bed at nine, Doctor.” Wonderful. But is he sleeping at nine? Or is he reading, worrying, talking, sneaking screen time, or staring at the ceiling? Children ages 6-12 generally need 9-12 hours of sleep daily. Teenagers need 8-10 hours. Yet between homework, extracurricular activities, electronics, and early school schedules, many children aren’t getting nearly enough. We expect them to perform academically, regulate their emotions, and behave appropriately while running on insufficient sleep. Then we’re surprised when they struggle. Perhaps the problem isn’t their attention span. Perhaps it’s their bedtime.

Sometimes It’s the Quality of Sleep A child can spend ten hours in bed and still wake up exhausted. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, potentially affecting concentration, mood, and behavior the following day. Warning signs include frequent snoring, gasping, mouth breathing, restless sleep, morning headaches, and difficulty waking. Anxiety and certain movement-related sleep disorders can also interfere with restful sleep. If your child regularly snores or seems exhausted despite adequate time in bed, speak with your pediatrician. Some children may require an overnight sleep study.

Ritalin Isn’t a Quick Fix for Childhood Here’s where I may upset a few parents. And teachers. And principals. We’ve become a society that expects quick solutions to complicated problems. Child can’t concentrate? Give him something. Disruptive in class? Perhaps

venient little bottle. But parenting has never been about convenience. We should never mistake making a child easier to manage for actually improving that child’s health. One additional thought about medication: it may have its place. But it should always be done with an active plan as to “dribbling” skills into kids.

Sometimes, improving sleep produces meaningful behavioral improvements. Sometimes, ADHD remains evident despite better sleep. And sometimes both conditions exist together. Children with ADHD may also experience sleep difficulties, and certain medications can make falling asleep harder.

Raising children isn’t about finding the quickest fix. Find the Cause Before Choosing the Treatment A proper ADHD evaluation involves more than a teacher’s complaint or a parent’s frustration. We examine developmental history, behavior across different settings, emotional well-being, academic performance, and sleep. Parents can help by recording actual sleep times, nighttime awakenings, snoring, morning behavior, and what teachers are observing.

That’s why sleep should be evaluated before treatment and monitored afterward.

needs better sleep deserves that attention just as urgently. Our responsibility, as parents and pediatricians, is to understand what’s actually happening rather than automatically reaching for the quickest solution. Before asking what medication might help your child get through the school day, let’s find out whether something is preventing that child from getting a good night’s sleep. Because the goal isn’t simply a quieter classroom or an easier homework session. It’s a healthier child. Above all, whether we’re considering diagnoses, medications, or treatment plans, never underestimate the power of davening for your child’s health, happiness, and success. As always – daven.

My Message to Parents I’m not suggesting that ADHD isn’t real or that medication is inherently wrong. Quite the opposite. When children genuinely need treatment, they deserve it. But I care too much about children’s health and development to recommend shortcuts simply because they’re convenient. A child who needs Ritalin should receive appropriate treatment. A child who

Dr. Hylton Lightman MD DCH(SA) FAAP is a board-certified pediatrician and the Medical Director of Suffolk Health Five Towns. He adores his patients and tolerates their parents. His life’s mission is to deliver quality health care to babies, children, teenagers and young adults so they bring their children and grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) to him. He loves what he does.

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medication will settle him down. Homework takes forever? Surely there’s a prescription that will make evenings easier. The advertisements and commercials don’t help. They can make it seem as though one prescription will transform a restless, distracted child into a perfectly behaved angel overnight. That’s not how childhood works; that’s not how medicine works. Ritalin and other ADHD medications can be enormously beneficial for children who genuinely need them. Proper treatment can improve concentration, academic performance, and everyday functioning. But these medications also have potential side effects, including appetite suppression and sleep difficulties. They require appropriate diagnosis, prescribing, and monitoring. More importantly, medication cannot correct a problem that hasn’t been properly identified. If a child’s difficulties are primarily caused by insufficient sleep, we need to address the sleep problem. That may mean establishing consistent bedtimes, removing electronics from bedrooms, creating routines, enforcing boundaries, or investigating an underlying sleep disorder. None of these changes comes in a con-

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Parenting Pearls

Making a Mensch By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

hen describing a person complimentarily we may describe them as a “mensch.” For many, referring to someone as a “real mensch” is the greatest way to praise them. There is so much that goes into building a child. We want to inculcate within them yiras Shamayim and middos tovos. We want them to become emotionally healthy adults who can have healthy relationships and function well within the world around them. Among all the positive traits we want to inculcate within our children there are basic middos that we can’t forget to include. Many of these would be considered simply “good manners” by the society around us. These character traits help children function among others and interact appropriately with the world around them. It’s also one of the first things people notice when it comes to making a kiddush Hashem. There is so much involved with interpersonal skills that I cannot list all of them in one article, but I still want to start the discussion on this important topic. Often, people are unable to notice how wonderful another person is if these foundational characteristics are neglected.

Hygiene Kids may not appreciate it, but

adults are quick to notice. Sadly, hygiene is often not natural to kids. As proof, all you have to do is watch how many kids neglect to wash their hands after leaving the bathroom. Many children would happily go months without bathing if those pesky adults didn’t mandate otherwise. Personal hygiene and cleanliness need to be actively taught – and often enforced. It takes time for the habits we teach to become ingrained and natural. It requires patience and consistency. I’d like to mention a few areas where kids don’t instinctively understand personal hygiene. Brushing and flossing: kids don’t realize that even if baby teeth are replaced by adult ones, there are no more replacements after that set. Adult teeth need to last them for decades to come. Younger children are generally incapable of brushing and flossing by themselves. They don’t do a sufficient job, and they may not do more than just eat their yummy flavored toothpaste. Please speak to your child’s dentist for tips on how to brush and floss your child’s teeth, as well as which toothpaste to use when your child is prone to eating non-food items. COVID taught us a lot about handwashing, and it is extra important during flu season. It’s a simple but

crucial step in preventing the spread of germs and “yuckies.” Children will need to be reminded to wash after the bathroom, after playing in dirt, during times they’re actively contagious, and whenever it’s necessary. Especially with young children, it’s not sufficient to say, “Wash your hands, sweetie.” Their idea of handwashing is very different from ours. There are songs to assist children in knowing how long to wash. They may enjoy parents making up their own tunes as they learn to wash all areas of their hands, including their fingers, backs of hands and thumbs. Parents should demonstrate and assist children in correct handwashing, periodically spot-checking them once they’re able to wash independently. They’re finally potty trained, yet they still need assistance. Young children are often unable to reach their own bodies and may need assistance wiping after the bathroom. It’s not one of the more enjoyable parts of parenting, but it prevents rashes and other “owies.” Flushable wet wipes may be helpful for some youngsters. Young children cannot brush their own hair adequately – particularly those with longer hair – and it takes a number of years of development before children

can reach the back of their heads with that brush. They often don’t even realize they have not brushed any of the back portion of their head. It can be very frustrating for parents if they expect a child to be able to do this independently. It’s a good job to let children do on their own but still requires parental follow up.

Seder V’nikayon It’s a known fact that children are fantastic at making messes. They come in like a whirlwind, destroying everything in their sweet little paths. Many parents have likened their play areas to that after a tornado. When analyzing the discrepancy between adults and kids when it comes to clean up, there are a number of factors that I believe are at play. Kids don’t see the same mess we do. We can ask them to clean something, and they will only do half of the job. They then appear completely confused when we don’t feel they are finished. I honestly don’t think children recognize the same things we do when we see items on the floor. They are also less bothered by that mess and don’t see it as being a problem. They may even feel we are being irrational when we act disturbed by food particles left on the counter.

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When it comes to keeping things clean, we also run into the issues of both lack of experience and laziness. It may seem obvious what we mean when we say, “Clean that up,” but kids have a different interpretation. We need to be clear and specify exactly what it is we want done, and demonstrate, as needed. “I need papers in a neat pile on your desk, books in your school bag, and wrappers in the garbage.” It may be easier to do the job ourselves, but kids only learn from practice. We need to be realistic in our expectations and understand that children may not be able to do as proficient a job as we could – and that’s OK. Laziness is a different issue, and one we hope they will outgrow in time. Parents need to follow up and ensure any job they asked has, in fact, been done. It’s when kids know they will be held accountable that they consistently do what they are asked.

Middos Tovos There are other middos that don’t come up as frequently on the mitzvah notes but are often under the category of “derech eretz.” Being on time is important both because it’s practical and because it shows

respect to the person waiting. Kids do not naturally have a sense of time, and they may need parents to help them learn to regulate their time appropriately. While some people are naturally punctual, there are others who lack those internal clocks and struggle with this despite their best efforts. Parents

with self-control to become trained to do things right away and not wait. We often push off what’s hard, avoiding it at all costs, but it often makes things easier when we get the hard stuff out of the way. Holding doors and assisting others is a simple but at times forgotten part of derech eretz. Often, we only notice

It takes time for the habits we teach to become ingrained and natural.

should be mindful to help their punctually-challenged child learn the skills they need while being gentle and understanding in the process. As soon as Sukkos came around, the memes flowed describing the many ways families procrastinate taking down that sukkah. Along with being punctual comes the middah of zerizus and not procrastinating. It may be chores, schoolwork, or that pre-Shabbos bath. It’s a learned skill combined

someone hasn’t held the door because it suddenly smacks us in the face. There are many ways we can help those around us. Often, these jobs are easy for us but make a meaningful impact on others. This includes picking up dropped items and carrying in groceries. “Please” and “thank you” are important words to remember, as is “excuse me” when we bump into someone or need to get past. Some children may need to be reminded that saying “excuse

me” doesn’t work instead of preventing the accident in the first place. I’ve seen many children intentionally run, scooter, or bike just past (or into) a pedestrian and assume that if they yell out “excuse me” it’s then OK. It’s not. Taking turns in conversation is an important skill that doesn’t come naturally. Children need to learn to take turns and not speak over others. Becoming a person – a mensch – takes many years of development and practice. One could honestly say that it takes a lifetime to master. As parents, it’s our job to help our children grow and learn the many skills they will need to succeed – now and in the future. With Hashem’s help, we can guide them into becoming true menschen that bring nachas to Hashem and klal Yisroel.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, holds a master’s degree in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 15 years. Sara provides personalized parent mentoring services, addressing a variety of general and specific parenting concerns. She can be contacted at Sara.Rayvych@gmail.com with comments, questions or for private consultations.

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Shmooze & Muse

Don’t Yell at the Eggs By Mordechai Schmutter

ver since I’ve gotten chickens, people have been asking how they can get their own. “Do we just hatch some eggs? It seems easy, right? Put them in, and three weeks later, BOOM! Someone knocks over the incubator.” It’s always the incubator’s fault. The ECD department of the yeshiva that my daughter works for has an incubator. A lot of schools do. I think it’s a metaphor for school. This is how we got our original chicken. Every chicken since then we got either to keep the ones we had company or because we already had chicken food we didn’t want to throw out. The yeshiva uses the incubator every year. It has spots for seven eggs, and on the average year, they successfully hatch anywhere between one and zero. Some years they say, “The eggs didn’t hatch; someone must have unplugged the incubator...and then plugged it back in.” So this past spring, they decided, “You know what? It’s possible that the incubator doesn’t work. Let’s just get a new one.” So they gave my daughter the old incubator, because she was the only teacher who currently has chickens, and they got a new one that held even more eggs. And they put all the eggs in, and they hatched: one. Meanwhile, we plugged in the old one at home and hatched a whole bunch of them.

Well, not chickens. We hatched quails. See, we had chickens, which are nice pets in that they live outdoors and they provide eggs that are still chicken body temperature. And we were like, “You know what? We should get something that’s like chickens, but dumber. And lives indoors. And gives us smaller eggs. And never ever sits on them.” That’s not quite how it happened, but here we are. So if we want more quails, we have to use an incubator. We hatched four. Actually, the first time we just borrowed the incubator, and we hatched one, but it turns out it was a boy. Which was not quite what we wanted. Boys don’t lay eggs; they just make noise. And we already have plenty of noise. What we need is eggs. So as of the last time I wrote about this, we were going to try again, and that was three weeks ago. And now we got three more babies! So we get a mazal tov! Unless they’re all boys. Point is, I’m a good person to ask, because I think I know what I’m doing. Not as far as determining gender, but at least as far as getting incubators to work. My secret is that you read the instructions. Even though it’s 16 pages. If you have no time for 16 pages, there’s no way you have time to take care of baby birds. So first of all, incubating eggs is not as

simple as you think. You think it’s easy – you have this machine with a very low heat, like a dehydrator, and you put the eggs in and don’t think about it, and then babies! TIP: Don’t just use a dehydrator. If the air is not humid enough, you’re just making really weird jerky. There are a whole bunch of things to take care of before you even start: 1. Temperature Basically, you have to bring the eggs back up to chicken body temperature and keep them there. So the incubator has to be between 99.5 and 100 degrees. How did they figure out the numbers? Did they find one quail who actually did sit, and make her also sit on a thermometer? So I set the machine to the correct temperature, and then I also put a second independent thermometer in the incubator, because I had a feeling that the incubator was off. Which it was. It was a couple of degrees too cool. If I was okay with even one degree below 99.5, I can just sit on them myself. For three weeks. Call in paternity leave. 2. Humidity Apparently, the people who put a thermometer in the nest also realized how sweaty it is under the mother, sitting on warm eggs for three weeks, and you’re supposed to be replicating that, so you need to maintain a certain level of humid-

ity in there, that you then increase incrementally as time goes on. The way you do that is by putting water into a little groove in middle of the incubator and then replacing the water whenever it evaporates. The instructions also say to cover the water so the babies don’t immediately drown. I’d be more worried about the independent thermometer falling on them. So ideally, they tell you to make a flow chart to figure out what the humidity should be on any given day. Which I did not do, because we didn’t do anything that elaborate any of the times my wife was expecting. What should the humidity be in the house? I just went by whether my wife was complaining about it. 3. Turning the Eggs And then on top of that, you have to set the machine to turn the eggs every hour, because in nature, the mother periodically turns them, though I think that’s more about her sweating on the eggs and turning them over to find the cool side. But the incubator people said, “Maybe that’s essential for the eggs. I don’t know.” You never know which things the mother happens to do were actually put there on purpose by the Ribbono Shel Olam. 4. Cooling Breaks Then the instructions point out that

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eggs. And then you can’t even offer the guests some eggs to break the tension, because the eggs are all in there. “Just you wait until later; the eggs are going to turn over! Next turning over is in…45 minutes. You just missed the excitement.” The last two days are the most exciting. Those last two days are spent crowding around, staring intently at the eggs to see if any of them are moving. They all seem to be moving. It’s a round item on a flat surface, in a house where the floor shakes when people walk and nothing is level, and people keep joining you to stare at it. Also, those last two days usually last about four days, because it’s two days until an egg “pips.” This means that a tiny hole develops, but you can’t do anything about it manually, because that might kill the chick, so you kind of have to wait until the chick pecks its way out. And that takes a lot longer than you’d think, because the quail’s first instinct, when it

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

when there’s a mother, she gets off the eggs for a short amount of time every day to eat. I would have thought that that is definitely for her, but the incubator people, in the manual, wrote something like, “We’re starting to think that might be important for the eggs, too. What do you think?” So there’s an optional setting to drop the temperature automatically for some time every day. You can put in your two cents. “Should we drop it? And for how long? And by how much?” I used to say that I think chickens are one of the easiest pets. Then I realized that quails are even easier. The only tradeoff being that they’re more boring. Chickens are hilarious. They eventually learn which people are there to feed them, and they come up to you and grab the food out of your hand before you get a chance. In fact, some of the fun of chickens is getting them to try new foods, like cholent or jalapenos, and seeing their reactions. My quails don’t try new foods. If I put

If you have no time for 16 pages, there’s no way you have time to take care of baby birds.

my hand in with food, they’re like, “Run! It’s the hand with the food!” And people come to see our chickens. Quails are not so much fun, except for the initial, “You have quails? I’ve never seen quails!” and then they look at the quails for a second, and they’re like, “Let’s go back to watching the chickens.” And then I go, “Can I offer you a quail egg?” and then they’re eager to go home and make their egg. And then later I ask, “How was the egg?” and they say, “It was regular.” Anyway, now that I’ve had eggs in an incubator for two three-week periods, I can say that just having eggs is even easier than quails. And even more boring. They do give you things to do. Boy, do they. They try. But they’re boring things: Measuring humidity. Adding water with a medicine dropper. That is the biggest excitement of the day, actually. It’s almost like feeding a pet. “Come, kids! Who wants to watch me check the humidity?” People come in and say, “Oh, you’re hatching eggs? Wow!” And they look for two seconds, and then it occurs to them that that’s it – there’s not much more to see. The eggs just sit there. Are they alive? You can’t even tell. Some of them are just

notices the hole, is, “Oops. K, maybe it will heal itself.” But during that entire period of shaking and pipping, there are zero guests to be found. They already got bored of the eggs during the past three weeks and have made themselves scarce. But sure, hatch your own eggs. In fact, you don’t even have to have anything in the eggs. You can just buy eggs from the supermarket and put them in an incubator. And there: you have pets. You can just tell the kids they take five years to hatch. And if you’re like, “Then what do I do in five years from now? I have to figure out where to source baby chickens by then!” No, you don’t. Within five years, your kids will drop the incubator. I guarantee it. (Or you’ll have a blackout at some point.) Put it up somewhere high and set up a stepstool for them to look at it and things will take care of themselves. Pip.

Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. He can be contacted at mschmutter@gmail.com.

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Book

Marked

Every Hour Has Its Halacha By Raffi Crouse

Reviewing: “The Concise Code of Jewish Law, Volume One: A Guide to Daily Prayer and Religious Observance” by Rabbi Gersion Appel, revised edition edited by Rabbi Daniel Goldstein OU Press, YU Press and Maggid Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers

he first halacha in Rabbi Gersion Appel’s Concise Code of Jewish Law, Volume One is a verse from Tehillim: “I have set the L-rd always before me.” The next one comes before we’re even out of bed. Our first thought should be gratitude to Hashem, and while we’re still lying there, we say Modeh Ani. Then a footnote tells us something many of us were never taught. Modeh Ani isn’t in the Talmud or the major codes. It comes from a 16th-century kabbalist in Tzefat, and since it doesn’t contain Hashem’s name, we can say it before we wash our hands. That’s how the whole sefer works. It takes something we already do, often without thinking about it, and tells us where it comes from and why it matters. It does that for an ordinary day, from the moment we wake up to the last bracha before sleep. Anyone who learned the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch will recognize the order, because this sefer is built on it. So why do we need another one? Rabbi Appel himself called the Kitzur the work traditional Jews generally turned to for daily guidance. It came out of a world where, as the editor puts it, halachic literature “was written for learned, observant men.” Rabbi Appel was writing for someone else. He served for many years as a congregational rav and also chaired the Jewish Studies and Philosophy departments at Stern College for Women, and in his 1977 preface he wrote that the sefer was meant primarily “for my congregants and my students” and “especially for our young people today.”

So he kept the Kitzur’s order and filled it in, in plain English, with the reasons behind the halachot and notes on the questions of his own day. The new revised edition, edited by Rabbi Daniel Goldstein and published by OU Press, YU Press and Maggid Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers, brings it up to date for the last 50 years. It covers davening and the shul, brachos, the kosher home and a final section Rabbi Appel called “Acknowledging the Divine Order,” on the mitzvot of our bodies and our land. The best way to see the difference is to open it with a real question. Lunch is over, and there’s a minyan down the hall. Is it too early for Minchah? The sefer starts by explaining what Minchah is. It stands in for the afternoon korban in the Beit Hamikdash, which was almost always brought late in the day but sometimes as early as half an hour after midday. That’s why, ideally, we wait for the later time, called Minchah ketanah, and why we can daven earlier when we need to. A footnote then adds that the Kitzur’s preference for waiting follows the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch, but many Rishonim say the early time is fine, “and this is the common Ashkenazic custom nowadays.” Now we know what we’re doing when we walk into that early minyan. Lunch itself came with halachot of its own. The Gemara says that enjoying this world without a bracha “is like robbing the Holy One, blessed be He.” Then why not one bracha for everything? The sefer’s answer is that a specific bracha

teaches us to notice what we’re eating. “The more specifically we express ourselves, the deeper our thanks.” It’s that idea that makes the sefer care so much about foods the Gemara never saw. What bracha goes on a breaded chicken cutlet? On a lightly fried one, many poskim, Rav Moshe Feinstein among them, treat the crumbs as secondary. On Southern fried chicken, it’s Mezonot. Not every bracha is about food. Hagomel, the bracha of thanks after danger, shows how the sefer handles a machloket. Rav Moshe says it after any flight. Others say it only over a sea or a desert, which seems to be the common practice, and some don’t say it at all, since “statistically speaking, flying is not dangerous.” Can the 10 people needed for Hagomel be on a Zoom call? If need be, yes, because Hagomel publicizes that we were saved, and it doesn’t need a minyan in the room the way Kaddish does. There are 462 notes like these, and the revised edition has carried them into our own time. Then there’s the kitchen, where the sefer opens with a question we might not expect. Do we keep kosher because it’s healthier? No, Rabbi Appel writes, “the Torah does not give consideration to reasons of health.” We keep it for holiness, and for who we are as Jews. So the details matter even when they’re new. Many poskim require tevilah for an electric appliance, and Rav Moshe rules it’s enough to immerse the part that touches the food. Where Sephardim and Ashkenazim differ, as they do on glass dishes,

each gets its own answer. The last section moves from the kitchen to our bodies and our land, and it’s where we’re most likely to meet halachot we’ve never learned. The Torah says, “You shall not imprint any marks upon you.” So what about someone who already has a tattoo? The sefer is gentle. There’s no need to have it removed, it says, though it’s permitted, to avoid embarrassment. Even the stable has halachot. Some poskim hold that you can’t ride a horse while leading a dog on a leash, because kilayim forbids working two species together. Behind every one of these answers is a source, and readers who want to go deeper will find more than 40 pages of them, in Hebrew, at the back. They’re in rabbinic shorthand, so a reader without Hebrew won’t always know which posek stands behind “some poskim.” The sefer is also clear that it’s a guide, and it sends us to our own rav for a ruling on our own case. This brings us back to that ordinary day. Rabbi Goldstein wrote his introduction in Neve Daniel “during a time of war and uncertainty.” He could have written about crisis. Instead, he wrote about “the quiet consistency of erev, boker, v’tzaharayim,” evening, morning and afternoon, day in and day out. That’s where our bond with Hashem gets built, he says, one mitzvah and one detail at a time. From Modeh Ani in the morning to Hamapil at night, the questions will come. This is the sefer to reach for when they do.

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In The K tchen

Silan and Mustard Salmon with Crunchy Onions By Naomi Nachman

This is one of those weeknight recipes I come back to again and again. Sweet silan, tangy mustard, and a crunchy onion topping, all on the table in about half an hour. There are no exact measurements here, so go by your own taste. You really can’t go wrong!

Ingredients

Preparation

• 2 pound side of salmon

• Silan, to taste (or honey)

the salmon on top.

• Mustard, to taste • 2 to 3 cubes frozen garlic • Salt and pepper, to taste • Crunchy onions, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place

2. In a small bowl, mix together the silan, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. 3. Pour the mixture over the salmon, coating it all over. 4. Top with crunchy onions. 5. Bake for 25 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

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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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

Unless you live in Vegas, you’ve come a long way to spend some time with Metallica. We’re grateful for that — your travels, the money you spend, the time it took, thanks for coming to celebrate with us. I just gotta say, Metallica is not here, like some other entertainers, to influence you with their [garbage]. - Metallica’s James Hetfield at a concert in Las Vegas

As part of a final push before the midterm elections, Barack Obama is campaigning with El-Sayed in Detroit. It’s all part of a larger operations called “Dodge Michelle.” - Greg Gutfeld

Demonstrators expressed concern about the cost of living and the price of fuel. Both are driven by the conflict launched in the Persian Gulf, a conflict in which France has taken no part but whose consequences we are suffering. - French Pres. Macron trying to blame the U.S. for mass riots in his country being fueled by Muslim migrants and radical leftists

I said the first time I met Macron, I said, “You got to close up your borders. You’re going to ruin your country.” And they’ve ruined their country. - Pres. Trump addressing the Paris riots

In amazing footage, Tesla demonstrated a new Roadsters that uses rocket thrusters to launch off a ramp, flip over another car and land safely. Or, as Tiger Woods calls it, going for milk. - Greg Gutfeld

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I got it, and I want it, and I want it to get worse. If I could take a pill that would help me hate [Trump] more and obsess on him more, I would take that pill. - Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville talking about his Trump Derangement Syndrome

We can’t think of anything else, you understand that? If you were in the middle of World War II or the Civil War or the bubonic plague, what … else you gonna think about?! Nothin’! … I’m obsessed with it. I can’t sleep at night. I got a disease, I like the disease.

Listen, I’ve been wanting to get involved in this. I went to [the University of] Michigan, my sister went to Michigan, so we have Michigan ties. This guy makes me puke. Everything about him makes me puke. - Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy talking about Michigan’s Democrat senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, on Fox News

His entire attitude, when you ask him about his terrorist ties, his family ties — whether it’s his mother, his sister-in-law, his sister. I mean, it’s his whole family. And then he campaigned, obviously, with Hasan Piker, who said Americans deserve 9/11 and al-Qaeda is better than the United States. And when you ask him about this, he’s like, “What are you doing? How do you ever ask me this question?” - ibid.

- ibid.

This guy has 10,000 red flags and seems to be insulted when you ask him directly, “Why did you campaign with Hasan Piker?” - ibid.

Sen. Schumer, I had a good relationship with him over the years. I thought he was a good man. But in recent years, I felt he’s just trying to keep his job. And, you know, that’s the really low point for politicians, when they’ll compromise on their values. - Bill Ackman on the “The Katie Miller Podcast”

And they’ll support, you know, a quasi-terrorist perhaps running for Senate in Michigan because they have to for the party. Stuff like that to me is – a terrorist supporter – I find that pretty, deeply concerning. - ibid.

My plans right now are to run for reelection. But as I’ve said before, if I don’t think I can be effective in the Senate anymore, I would consider it. You know, what’s the old Judds song, “Why not me on a rainy day? Why not me to love your blues away?” But I haven’t made a decision. If a bunch of on my side of the aisle, if a bunch of goobers run, and I think they’re goobers and one of the goobers might win, and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running. But right now, I’m running for reelection. - Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked if he plans on running for president

We face evil. We face these people who are willing to do anything to destroy us. All they do is talk on Twitter. But Twitter fingers never built the country. - Boxer Jake Paul, at a Trump rally, addressing the socialists taking over the Democrat Party

Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I’m doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no. - One of the catchy campaign slogans used by Brady Rogers, 33, who ran for city council in British Columbia and put up signs such as, “I barely want to do this” (Yes, of course, he won the election!)

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If you want to know why America is polarized, it’s the fault of the media. Yesterday, the Free Beacon, a conservative outlet, caught Abdul Sayed in a lie when Abdul denied his family had a connection to the Muslim Brotherhood. The FB showed a tweet by his own sister saying their mother belonged to the MB. The revelation that Abdul lied about his family ties to a radical Islamic terrorist group was ignored by NBC, ABC, CBS’s nightly news shows. The NYT and WP haven’t covered it. This should be a screaming front page story. Instead, the MSM runs cover for Abdul. The American people just want to know the truth about their politicians. Instead, the media are helping Abdul cover up the truth. Abdul has a lot to hide. It’s a tragedy the MSM is part of the team helping him hide it. - Ari Fleischer

I can’t wait until I’m 100, and I can do it again – I’ll beat you again! - Helga Duffy, who celebrated her 99th birthday this week by going wing walking (strapped standing up on the wing of a flying plane), winning the Guinness World Record for oldest wing walker and taking the title from fellow Brit Betty Bromage, 97, who earned it several months ago

I’m just not frightened. I thought that was brilliant. Something I’ve never done before. Enjoy life whatever it brings. And never say I can’t do it. You will only know once you’ve done it, and you usually can do it. – ibid., explaining that she was inspired by watching a news segment about Bromage’s wing walking several months ago

Fabulous! Peculiar sensation, especially when it tipped. That was something I’ve never experienced before. – ibid., when asked how it was

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OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Political Crossfire

The Stealth Candidacy of Abdul El-Sayed By Marc A. Thiessen

bdul El-Sayed is not who he says he is. The U.S. Senate candidate wants Michigan voters to believe that he is a conventional progressive Democrat with no ties to or sympathies for Islamic radicalism. The opposite is true. El-Sayed is a radical leftist whose campaign serves as a Trojan horse for a “red-green alliance” of Marxists and Islamists seeking power in Washington. When an Islamist terrorist attacked Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in what the FBI called “a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan,” ElSayed rationalized the attack, pointing out that the perpetrator had lost family in an Israeli strike in Lebanon and that “hurt people hurt people.” He later said, “To anyone who feels like my comments might have been hurtful, I’m really sorry,” adding that it “wasn’t the time for context” – as if a terrorist attack on a synagogue could be justified by any context, much less one targeting American Jews in retaliation for Israeli actions. When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a man with the blood of thousands of Americans on his hands, was killed, El-Sayed advised campaign staff that “there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad today” (a comment for which he has not apologized). When asked in a debate if Israel or Iran posed a bigger threat to America, he said both had “proven dangerous in their own way” – drawing moral equivalence between the world’s worst state sponsor of terror and the Middle East’s lone democracy. He does not support Israel’s right to exist and has

called it “bloodthirsty” and an “apartheid regime.” Before his primary victory, he appeared at campus rallies with Hasan Piker, a radical streamer who once said “America deserved 9/11” (Piker later apologized) and who has expressed support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. He has since sought to distance himself from Piker but has not definitively repudiated him. El-Sayed also has not condemned the Muslim Brotherhood, branches of which have been designated terror organizations by the United States. In 2011, he wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post dismissing fears that a Muslim Brotherhood takeover in Egypt would usher in a Hamas-style Islamist dictatorship as “foolish.” When Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt leader Mohamed Morsi became president, he sidelined the judiciary, amassed authoritarian powers, cracked down on the press, and sidled up to Iran and Hamas, prompting a popular uprising against the regime. On “Meet the Press” on Sunday, ElSayed was asked whether he or his family have any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. “No,” El-Sayed replied twice. But his half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, a University of Chicago professor, said on X in 2012 that their family “has long been MB” and a year later noted that some relatives had been “jailed” in Egypt for activism in the group. Abdelhadi also said that El-Sayed’s mother, Fatten Elkomy, was a Muslim Brotherhood activist in Egypt before emigrating to the U.S. According to reporting by the Midwesterner, from 1999 to at least 2004 she worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which was listed in

2004 by the Treasury Department as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” group after it was found to have provided financing for al-Qaeda and Hamas. That’s not all. His father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, serves on the Founders Committee of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a group that former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy wrote in 2010 had been named by the Muslim Brotherhood as a partner in its “grand jihad” and had a joint bank account that was used to funnel money to Hamas. In 2009, a federal judge ruled that there was “ample evidence” of an association between ISNA and Hamas. (The American Civil Liberties Union, representing ISNA, that same year denied there was evidence connecting ISNA with Hamas, calling the allegation a “public smear.”) El-Sayed has spoken at ISNA conventions, and his father-in-law has contributed $300,000 to the Fighting for Michigan PAC supporting his Senate campaign. Given his own words and family history, we are supposed to believe that he has no sympathies with Islamist radicalism? Give me a break. And what about the socialist part of the “red-green alliance”? El-Sayed says he is not a socialist, but he campaigns with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and other prominent democratic socialists and has been endorsed by every member of the socialist “Squad,” including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan). He has headlined,

spoken at or raised money at many DSA events since 2017, and has backed much of the DSA agenda – from a wealth tax to tuition-free higher education, free child care, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Green New Deal and Medicare-for-all (which is “socialized” medicine). If that’s capitalism, I can’t imagine how he’d define Marxism. He is so far left that in 2012, he blasted President Barack Obama, declaring in an op-ed that under Obama “inequality has accelerated and the divide between the haves and have-nots in our country has never been starker.” He also criticized Obama for killing al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki in a drone strike, accusing Obama of expanding an “aimless ‘war on terror’ … where the president can freely order the murder of Americans on foreign soil.” It would be one thing if El-Sayed openly campaigned on his radical beliefs. But instead, he pretends to be something he’s not, because he knows his real foreign and domestic policy views would be toxic to most Michigan voters. So, he is running a stealth campaign, seeking to downplay his true “red-green” agenda. This race is bigger than Michigan. Last month, Americans marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The idea that Americans would now elect a candidate like El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate is appalling – and his victory would leave an indelible stain on our country. © 2026, Washington Post Writers Group

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Forgotten Her es

The History of Israel’s Submarines By Avi Heiligman

The INS Drakon in 2026

n the early days of the Israeli Navy, leaders were focused on getting any ships that they could acquire as long as they were seaworthy. Purchasing a submarine was a much more complicated task, and it took until the late 1950s for the introduction of the submarine fleet into the navy. Since then, Shayetet 7 – the 7th Flotilla – has been a vital and strategic part of the IDF’s naval strategy. They perform elite and covert missions as well as traditional submarine duties. In September 2026, the newest submarine, the INS Drakon, entered service as a diesel-electric attack submarine and has unique capabilities adapted towards the new type of warfare the IDF is now fighting. Shayetet 7 was established in 1959 when Israel purchased two WWII-era S-type submarines from the British Royal Navy. The INS Tanin (C-71) arrived in December 1959, and the INS Rahav (C-73) came a few months later, with their Israeli crews having trained in Europe prior to taking command of the submarines. The Rahav had been the HMS Sanguine and was part of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. While the Rahav didn’t see much action, the Tanin was quite busy during the Six-Day War. She sent six Shayetet 13 commandos into the port of Alexandria, Egypt, and while waiting for the commandos to return, the Tanin placed mines to sink enemy shipping. Then she tried to torpedo an enemy warship, but the Tanin was damaged by depth charges. The Tanin stayed in the navy until she was decommissioned in 1977. Three more submarines were pur-

The INS Rahav

chased by the IDF in the 1960s. These were of the T-class and were larger and more advanced than the S-type. Disaster struck the INS Dakar while on its way from England to Israel. After leaving England on January 9, 1968, the Dakar, under the command of Major Yaakov Raanan, sent an SOS signal but was never heard from again. All hands were lost, and it wasn’t until 1999 that the wreckage was discovered between Cyprus and Crete. However, none of the sailor’s bodies were recovered, and the exact cause of the sinking has never been definitively established. The other two submarines purchased at the same time as the Dakar, the INS Leviathan and

The INS Tanin

The salvaged conning tower from the INS Dakar

history included action during the 1982 Lebanon War, and they mostly were used on covert missions. The submarines were regularly upgraded and retrofitted and stayed in service until the 2000s. At that point, the newest class of submarines was operational, and all the older submarines were retired. Dolphin 1-class submarines joined Shayatet 7 starting in 1999 and included the INS Dolphin, INS Leviathan, INS Tekumah. They were built in Germany and partly funded by the German government. These submarines were customized for long endurance missions and were substantially larger than the Gal-class.

On January 9, 1968, the Dakar, under the command of Major Yaakov Raanan, sent an SOS signal but was never heard from again.

INS Dolphin, saw action during the War of Attrition but were sidelined by mechanical issues during the Yom Kippur War. Smaller and more agile than the WWII era T-class submarines, the Gal class was more sophisticated and better adapted to the conditions of the Mediterranean. Arriving during the 1970s, these submarines were named the INS Gal, INS Tanin and INS Rahav – the last two after their retired predecessors. Their operational

During the 2010s, Israel received the first two of its Dolphin II-class submarines starting with the INS Tanin. Two years later, the INS Rahav was delivered to the Israeli Navy. These two were recently joined by the INS Drakon providing Israel with a unique strategic capability that previous submarines lacked. The newest submarine features an extensive weapons system, advanced radar, and state of the art intelligence-gathering capabilities, many of

which remain classified. Many of their capabilities and missions are classified, but there have been reports that they have been active well outside the Mediterranean Sea. Other reports indicate that they were involved in the 2011 air raids off the Sudan coast against weapons smugglers headed towards Gaza. In 2013, missiles launched from a Dolphin-class submarine targeted Russian-made anti-ship missiles and radars located at the Syrian port of Latakia. Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, Shayatet 7 has been on high alert and has been deployed to the Red Sea as well as the Arabian Sea to provide intelligence and strike potential against the Houthis. The newest class of submarines was designed for longer and further missions, and the crews train extensively to prepare themselves for the longer missions. Over the last few decades, the Israeli submarine fleet has increased in both size and operational capability. However, the wreckage of the INS Dakar, displayed in part at the Haifa museum, serves as a reminder that the “silent service” is also one filled with many dangers. Today, these submarines operate silently and without fanfare, standing ready to protect Israel from any threat.

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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Bi-level home offering a bright open concept layout for modern living. The main floor features a sun filled

This spacious col ,room in the prestigious village woodsburgh, living room, s/h dining and kitchen withof seamless flow sits 1/2 acreliving property a. most sereneThis setting, withoffers beautiful for on everyday andinentertaining. home waterviews, and magnificent sunsets . Flr banquet fdnr , 3+2 bedrooms, including a home office or additional COMMERCIAL RENTAL! NEW! 9 Room Dr office Suite, Located breakfast rm, main level den /fpl , master bdrm suite with his inand theher Heart of Cedarhurst, room, Reception bedroom, plus a den/ ideal for activitie. $1.135 closets and bth +playroom 4Spacious bdrms , waiting new bths, newly renovated Area and Exam Rooms, alllaundry on Mainrm, Floor. Close to of Public finished basement with playrm, lots storage, Transportation many special details thruout $1.9M+ $6,000

FAR GrandROCKAWAY Center Hall Colonial .Elegant living room,

156 B 9th St Mint 2BR, 2 BTHdining room, perfect for a banquet -sized formal Beachfront Condo entertaining. The main level den offers a private retreat with Wraparound Terrace, Magnificent for relaxing. Beautiful chefs eat in kitchen,Upstairs there Sunrise & Sunset is a spacious primary bedroom with a large bathroom $589K and walk in closet, plus additionalMint, bedrooms 2 29 Woodmere Blvd Apt 2B3Renovated, Corner 1with Bdrm additional baths. POR Eat In Kitchen, 2 Sinks, Granite with 9ft Ceilings. Spacious Counter tops and S.S. Appliances.Large Lvgrm/Dnr and Large Bdrm/BR with Lots of Windows REDUCED $299K

Beautiful 500 sq. ft. move-in-ready office off Broadway. Private bathroom. $1,600/month. Available now. Evan: 516-447-1018 CEDARHURST Prime Restaurant Location For Lease. For more information: Call/Text/WhatsApp Owner: (516) 206-1100 5 TOWNS - SHOWROOM/ Warehouse For Lease 4000 + 1000 SF Can divide - Parking included Next to LIRR - No broker fee Call/text/Whatsapp: 516-206-1100

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

OCTOBER 22, 2026 | The Jewish Home

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

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

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Classifieds

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

HELP WANTED

MISC.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT Office in Cedarhurst looking for in-office assistant 25-30 hours/week. Ideal candidate will be proactive, detail oriented, positive, and a team player. Must have willingness to learn about financial markets, financial planning, and account types. Email résumé to wmassistantjob@gmail.com

CARE MANAGER Remote (requires in-person home visits in NY) Support families facing serious medical or emotional challenges. Provide guidance, advocacy, and resource coordination from home or on-site. Training provided. BA or 2 years Care Management required Apply online: www. chailifeline.org/careers or email hr@chailifeline.org

SEEKING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS For current school year, starting from end of January: Seeking assistant teacher for General Studies. Candidate should have skills to take over for teachers if needed. Far Rockaway area boys’ school, M-Th, PM hours, strong support. Excellent salary. Possibility to continue for next year. Send resume to teachersearch11@gmail.com

SHMIRAS HALASHON

ARE YOU A DOULA? Or have a passion to be? Come join our great referral group and get access to a vast new clientele through Medicaid. JUST CALL 347-668-7886

MDS REGIONAL NURSE 5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office. Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required. Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered. Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well. Email: officejob2019@gmail.com

UPSCALE EVENING & Ready-to-Wear Boutique opening on Central Ave seeks fashion-forward, friendly sales associates with retail experience. Full-time & Part-time. Text/WhatsApp 718-310-8550. BOOKKEEPER A Five Towns Real Estate Company is seeking a full-time Bookkeeper. The right candidate must be proficient with QuickBooks and Excel. They must also be self-motivated, organized, detail oriented, reliable, and able to work independently or as a team player. Warm, frum office environment with excellent salary & benefits. Please email resume to HR@capsprop.com

REGENTS EXPERT Tutoring regents in Algebra and Geometry A Darchei Torah instructor. Guaranteed results Text 347-491-8045 WhatsApp 347-767-1755

Text 516-303-3868 with a time slot of your choice to be careful on lashon hara. Be a part of the 1,000 people for klal yisroel!

BEIS HAMEDRASH CONG. Chasdei Uvois Oshpitzin Talmidei chachomim are willing to learn mishnayos, say kaddish and be the shliach tzibbur to daven for the umid on the yartzeit yom hashanah of your parents or close relatives or loved ones To arrange please call Rabbi Miller 917-445-6220

LEAH SCHEININGER

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Better Homes & Gardens RE Realty Connect 516-884-6530 (C) Lscheiningerrealtor@gmail.com @LeahScheininger_Realtor 24 Franklin Ave. Hewlett NY 11557 REACH OUT FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE OFF MARKET DEALS

JUST RENTED

SARAH ‘CHAYA’ ISAACS TOP SELLING BROKER IN THE FIVE TOWNS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Realty Connect USA (917) 587-5704 Sarahcisaacs@gmail.com

FOR SALE!

WOODMERE

Desirable N. Lawrence home on oversized 8600 sq ft lot. Multi-vehicle parking. Great location, close to many shuls & shopping. Asking $1.299M

NEW LISTING

JUST SOLD

LAWRENCE

N. WOODMERE 900 Flanders Dr Last ask: $1,050,000

LAWRENCE

FAR ROCKAWAY

Private street luxury living in this custom-built 2026 gut-renovated home. 8 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, soaring ceilings & radiant heat. $3.95M

Stately all-brick Center Hall Colonial set on .51 of an acre, featuring a beautiful foyer entryway, high ceilings, a timeless slate roof, 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. Asking $3.9M.

Brand-new 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath home featuring hardwood floors throughout, kitchen with island, 2 sinks and 2 dishwashers, plus a high-ceiling walk-out basement. Asking $1.375M.

FOR RENT

JUST SOLD OFF MARKET!

FOR RENT!

CEDARHURST

WOODMERE

FOR SALE!

LAWRENCE

Fully updated 4 bed, 3.5 bath colonial in the desirable Academy Area. CAC, kosher eat-in kitchen w/ 2 of everything, finished basement. $7000/ mo

Sprawling beautiful ranch on 1/3 acre in desirable Woodmere Park. CAC & radiant heated tile floors. Low SD 15 taxes. 6 min walk to YIW. $1.99M

FOR SALE!

SOL

Beautiful Center Hall Colonial in prime Cedarhurst location, just steps from Cedarhurst Park! Featuring 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, spacious rooms, and high ceilings throughout. $10,000/month

LAWRENCE 117 HARRISON STREET

Beautiful inground pool on a quiet street, located on one of Lawrence’s most sought-after blocks.

LAWRENCE

7 Bedrooms • 7 Bathrooms • Home Office • Pool • Hot Tub • All Amenities Fully Furnished Price Upon Request

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 22, 2026

Life C ach

Lunch and Learn By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

ounds like food for thought, right? When we go to exercise at the gym, just about the most we want to take along or have access to is a bottle of water. I think that’s because we want our minds to stay turned off. Because how much fun is lifting, crunching, squatting, lunging, bending, aching, holding and repeating and repeating it over and over and over again? Yet, the minute our brains are being exercised, all of a sudden, food is the number one fodder. Are we really trying to turn our brains on or are we perhaps trying to please our stomachs? And why do we need the food? Does information really go in better if there is nourishment in the mix? How about the need for food at a wedding? Have you noticed it seems the food keeps us there. Just stretch out those courses, and you stretch out our attendance. One can query after the event: how did the bride look? And they’ll get: beautiful, stunning, original gown. That’s about the most detail. Or how were the flowers? Stunning, creative! But…ask: how was the food? Well, the shmorg had amazing food. There was this crispy chicken with waffles – so good. And a million stations with a taste of delicacies from every country. I had to try them all. And did I mention the carving station…. There was so much I had to try I practically couldn’t think of eating at the dinner. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying I didn’t! After all, I had to sit through the ceremony and before that half the world walked down the aisle, plus their rabbi

spoke endlessly. And all they served there were those crystal breath mints. So, that definitely made room in my stomach for a little more to eat. And you know you burn off so much dancing at the celebration.

resist?! Granted – I missed some of the best ones. But the ones I had were soooo good. And of course, they had hot dogs and cookies to go as you left. Who wouldn’t take something? I mean, you have a long drive home…

Does information really go in better if there is nourishment in the mix?

They had an absolutely delicious appetizer that I almost missed because I was socializing in the hallway. Thankfully, they had soup after that for those who came in late. And the main dish had both beef and chicken which were flavored with these amazing sauces. And the dessert, well, it was circulating even on the dance floor, so who could

I had been thinking of leaving early, but I’m so glad I didn’t. What is it about us and food? Are we constantly starving? They say, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” It seems the way to all our brains is through our digestive track, as well. And the way to keep us intrigued and present seems to

be through the same system as well. Scientifically, we can say it wakes up and fortifies our cells. Energizes us, so to speak. But there seems to be an age-old wisdom to serving food. Chava ate that apple and got knowledge. Here began the idea that food and knowledge are connected. You want people to stay at an event, feed them. You want people to show up to get more knowledge, feed them more. It seems if we want to feed more inspiration, we need more food. Maybe we need to introduce: Shnitzel and Shteig Dinner and Daven Cookies and Class Lollys and Lectures And Subjects and Snacks Just doing recess and snacks, doesn’t seem enough. After all, it doesn’t even start with the same letter! Where’s the poetry in that?! Somehow, the esophagus and education along with inspiration are paired and seems to work. And if it ain’t broken, why fix it?! Everyone shows up for a Lunch and Learn, and for things like Ice cream and Info, Chulent and Chavrusa, Kugel and Knowledge. We just need more bribes to get our brains coming through. Anyone want to go out for smoothies and smarts?!

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certifie d relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

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