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INSIDE

38 © The South Florida Community Voice Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in printed or digital form in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission is prohibited. The publisher reserves all right to edit all articles for clarity, space and editorial sensitivities. Submissions cannot be returned to sender. The South Florida Weekly Magazine is not responsible for the cash flow of any advertised product or service that appears in these pages. The South Florida Community Voice Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements in this publication, nor for the content of books that are referred to or excerpted herein. Community Voice magazine is not responsible for the Kashrut or services provided by the advertisements. It is up to the consumer to verify the information.

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Beyond the Headlines

A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news By Sivan Rahav Meir

What Israel Can Learn From Them Rabbi Kalman Topp and his wife, Jordana recently announced that they are making aliyah to Israel. For the past 17 years, Rabbi Topp has led Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, one of the area’s largest and most influential Jewish communities. Now he is coming to Israel to establish a new community for olim in Jerusalem’s Givat Hamatos neighborhood. Once known for the temporary housing built there for Ethiopian immigrants, Givat Hamatos is now being developed as an upscale neighborhood, with growing numbers of Anglos moving in. It has already earned the nickname “Beit Shemesh in Jerusalem.” I still remember my first encounter with Rabbi Topp. Years ago, I was invited to speak at his synagogue. At the time, I knew almost nothing about how American Jewish communities function. When I arrived, a man greeted me and introduced himself as “the synagogue president.” I thought he was joking. Why does a synagogue need a president? Then he began introducing the rest of the team — the rabbi, associate rabbi, youth director, and others. I quickly realized that in America, a synagogue is often the center of an entire Jewish community, with programs, classes, activities, and an extensive leadership structure.

In many American Jewish communities, the rabbi is expected to be far more than a religious authority. He is also a teacher, counselor, community builder, and often the person who helps people recognize the significance of moments they might otherwise overlook. I remember one small moment that showed me exactly what that

Rabbi Kalman and Dr. Jordana Topp

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can mean. It was toward the end of a long Shabbat morning service. People had begun closing their siddurim, folding their tallitot, and preparing to leave. But there was still one final Kaddish to be recited — the Mourner’s Kaddish. Before it began, Rabbi Topp stood up and said, “There are people here who have lost someone dear to them, and they are about to say Kaddish in their memory. Let’s give them one more moment of our attention.” Wow. The room fell silent. Everyone listened, and then answered, “Amen.” Rabbi Topp had hardly said anything. He had simply drawn attention to what was about to happen. But sometimes that is all it takes: to remind us, to give a moment context, to connect us more deeply to what is happening around us. There is much that Jewish communities abroad can bring with them to Israel — not only their families and talents, but a deeply rooted culture of community, responsibility, and belonging. Welcome home. What Comes First? The wave of renewed Jewish connection sweeping through the Jewish world is producing all kinds of interesting developments. Here’s one that spoke to me. Popular Israeli singer Yagel Oshri shared this story this week: “Until recently, I didn’t put on

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COMMUNITY NEWS tefillin every morning, but after October 7, I decided I was going to make it a regular part of my day. In practice, though, I’d wake up in the morning and go straight to Instagram, TikTok, phone calls, work, meetings. Suddenly it would be six or seven in the evening, and I still hadn’t gotten around to it. “I created an app on my phone called: ‘Tefillin First, Then the World.’ It locks all my other apps, and whenever I try to open one of them, a single message appears on the screen: ‘Put on tefillin yet, tzaddik?’” I think this is a beautiful example of how we can “force” ourselves to do what our soul really wants — what we know is good for us, but don’t always manage to make happen. And the idea can be applied to so many other meaningful and sacred parts of life: Where else would we like to say, “This first and then the world”? A Time for Miracles Do you feel a different kind of energy in the air? Have you noticed how many conversations now end with “Shana Tova” or “Gmar Chatima Tova” — may you be inscribed and sealed in the

Israeli singer and songwriter Yagel Oshri

Book of Life? It may be worth tuning out the background noise for a moment and listening to this frequency instead. We call it optimism. We call it a new year. We call it Tishrei and Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. Netanel Peretz, a teacher from Ashdod, describes it this way: “Every year at this time, a small miracle happens. For a few days, all of us manage to believe that change is truly possible. “Even those who feel most discouraged, stuck, or broken open a

window and allow a little light into the darkness of their daily routine. Suddenly, millions of people begin to believe, sincerely, that this year really can be different and beautiful. That they can become better than they were before. That their hearts can open to receive the abundance of goodness that is constantly flowing from Above. That they can find the courage to move forward without fear, and the strength to repair what needs repairing. “Something softens, and not just for a fleeting moment. So many people decide to let go, to open themselves up, and to give goodness and kindness a chance. I find myself thinking how extraordinary that is — this ability to keep believing in the power of goodness and kindness. How fitting, then, to give thanks for this miracle that returns each year with the beginning of Tishrei. “May the new year, and all its blessings, begin.”

Translated by Yehoshua Siskin and Janine Muller Sherr Want to read more by Sivan Rahav Meir? Google The Daily Thought or visit sivanrahavmeir.com

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A Gap Year in Israel Just Got a Lot Easier — And FAU Is Leading the Way How Florida Atlantic University became the unlikely epicenter of Jewish campus life in America Ask Joey Sabag what’s happening at Florida Atlantic University right now, and he doesn’t waste time on small talk. “There’s a lot going on,” he said, and then proceeded to prove it. Sabag, who serves with the Florida Israel Institute — a linkage institute created by the state legislature and housed at FAU — sat down for a conversation about a announcement that, on paper, sounds administrative. In practice, it may reshape how thousands of Jewish day school graduates across South Florida think about their gap year in Israel. Here’s the news: FAU has completed a full accreditation of the Israel XP course catalog, the gap-year program that partners with Bar-Ilan University. Students heading into a gap year through Israel XP will now know, before they even choose their courses, that the credits will transfer directly into a Florida Atlantic degree. The university is also clarifying its deferred enrollment policy, meaning a high school senior can be accepted to FAU, then postpone enrollment for a year to do a gap year program in Israel, with a seat waiting for them when they return. “It’s a recognition by Florida Atlantic University that this experience is worthwhile,” Sabag said. “It’s worth giving these kids the accommodations they need so

they can go to Israel for a year and have this experience, and then still come back and make productive use of the credits they’ve earned.” For families who have watched their kids come home from a year at a program linked to Bar-Ilan only to spend months tracking down a professor willing to review a syllabus and sign off on transfer credits, this removes a real headache. “We’ve eliminated that administrative burden,” Sabag said. “Up front, before they choose courses through Israel XP, they know with certainty that these courses are going to transfer and be credited towards a degree at Florida Atlantic.” The financial case is hard to ignore, too. In-state tuition at FAU runs around $6,500 a year — Sabag pointed out that’s less than two months of private day school tuition for some families. For outof-state students, where tuition runs closer to $24,000 annually, the value of guaranteed transfer credit is even more pronounced.

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But the bigger story, Sabag argues, isn’t really about credits and paperwork. It’s about why so many Jewish families are choosing to stay in Florida in the first place. A university that doesn’t flinch FAU is led by Adam Hasner, its first Jewish president, and Sabag doesn’t hold back when describing what that’s meant for campus life. “You’ve got definitely the most outspoken and strongest Jewish president of any university in the country,” he said. “This guy is singular across the entire country.” While Jewish students at universities around the country have spent the past two years navigating protests, encampments, and open hostility, Sabag says FAU has taken the opposite approach entirely. Hasner has said publicly that he wants FAU to become the safest and most welcoming university for Jewish life in America — and the university has been backing that up. FAU now holds the largest Israel Bonds portfolio of any university in the world, having more than doubled its investment to over $8 million. A new building is going up on campus that will house Judaic studies, Holocaust education, and the Florida Israel Institute itself. Sabag says the contrast with the Northeast is part of what’s driving a broader shift. “What people understand now is that the Ivy League schools are increasingly being understood as being

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intellectually corrupt,” he said, pointing to a wave of applications and enrollment moving out of the Northeast and into the Southeast. FAU, he said, just closed out its largest-ever freshman class — roughly 4,800 students out of 60,000 applicants. For a lot of Jewish day school families in South Florida, the calculation is simple. “You have 15 kosher restaurants that deliver on the campus, you have major Jewish institutions there, you don’t have protests,” Sabag said. His own son, a graduate of Shalhevet, chose FAU last year for exactly that reason — he didn’t want to deal with the discomfort of protests against Israel or antisemitism at schools further from home. Florida’s public university system, according to Sabag, now has the single largest population of Jewish students of any state public system in the country — more than double what New York’s public system has. And FAU, once a school with modest Jewish enrollment, is now counted among the top 40 largest Jewish student populations at any university nationwide. Building toward the workforce Sabag’s role goes beyond gap-year logistics. As part of his work with the Florida Israel Institute, he’s been building formal linkage agreements between FAU and universities across Israel — joint research, faculty and student exchange, and collaboration on commercializing academic research. The bet is straightforward: today’s students,

especially those in engineering, applied sciences, and business, will spend their careers doing business with Israeli partners, and Florida wants them ready for it. “These kids want to be ready to get a piece of the action,” Sabag said, describing how South Florida day school graduates already tend to view Israel favorably thanks to their upbringing — the practical work now is giving them the professional skill set to turn that into a career advantage. And the data backs up the idea that these students stay local. More than 80% of FAU graduates remain in South Florida and go on to work here, a retention rate Sabag calls extraordinarily high compared to most university systems. Ask him why Florida works the way it does, and he has a ready answer — because he helped write the underlying policy. Sabag says he authored Florida’s law regulating against commercial boycotts of Israel and helped codify the state’s legal definition of antisemitism. “Public policy is affecting economic opportunity. It affects your level of comfort walking around on the streets,” he said. “We’re comfortable here in Florida because the law and public policy have regulated this into a comfortable environment for us. New York has not created strong public policy and laws. California has not been proactive.” Whether or not one agrees with every point of that comparison, the numbers on the ground are hard to dismiss: a booming South Florida economy, a

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university system attracting record enrollment, and a growing pipeline of Jewish students choosing to stay close to home for college — and, increasingly, for their careers afterward. “We just want to see our graduates stay in South Florida and get jobs,” Sabag said, “and then become economically productive and do things to support Israel throughout their career.” Editor’s note: A few details from this conversation should be verified before print. The exact figures on FAU’s current Jewish student population were given inconsistently during the conversation (numbers ranging from roughly 2,000 to 26,000 were mentioned) and should be confirmed directly with the university or the Florida Israel Institute. Joey Sabag’s precise title at the Florida Israel Institute should also be confirmed — FAU’s own institute pages list a separate individual as “Director,” so “executive director” as used here reflects Sabag’s own description during the conversation and may need adjusting. The name of the new $30 million building referenced (heard as “the Wallach Building” or similar) could not be confirmed and should be spelled correctly before publication. The date/name of the FAUlinked conference mentioned (“Thursday,” believed to relate to the Israel XP/deferred enrollment announcement) should be confirmed with Sabag directly, as should the exact spelling of “Shalhevet,” the high school his son attended.

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Derech Eretz: An Imperative at Home, School and in our Community By Dr. Chaim Y. Botwinick

In preparing my thoughts for this article (between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur), I am compelled to focus on one of the most critically important challenges currently facing our Jewish community today – the midda of derech eretz. As we know, one of the most often used phrases in describing the important concept of derech eretz (respectful behavior) is “Derech Eretz Kadmah LaTorah” – derech eretz proceeds (or comes before) the Torah. At first blush, this phrase appears to be relatively simple and straight forward. In the total scheme of things, it should make perfect sense that respectful and exemplary middot and menschlichkeit are considered attributes, characteristics and behaviors which take precedence over the Torah. Or, to quote my high school Rebbe, “how is it even possible for one to engage in Torah study and learning, or to follow the laws, precepts and values of the Torah, if one is unable to exhibit proper behavior, middot and etiquette. It is antithetical at best”. At the risk of getting caughtup on semantics, and the variety of important halachic interpretations and implications, I present this topic with several points of reference. The literal meaning of derech eretz is defined as “the way of the land” and is a term used to

describe proper behavior. The concept of derech eretz kadmah l’torah is referenced in Leviticus Rabba 9:3. The term is further illustrative of the manner in which we view derech eretz as a top personal and communal priority and responsibility; and as a blueprint or road map for the manner in which we are expected to behave, interact and speak with one another. To be sure, derech eretz according to the Torah is a mandate as well as a moral imperative. Additional proof texts regarding the importance of derech eretz are found in Pirkei Avot (3:21) which states that “Rabbi Elazar ben-Azaria says: without the study of Torah there can be no derech eretz; and, without derech eretz there can be no Torah” The implications of these and

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other similar proof texts all have a significant cumulative impact upon our understanding of derech eretz kadma l’torah – the manner in which derech eretz precedes the importance of the Torah. As an educator and communal influencer, I have written and lectured extensively on this critically important topic, but every time I do, I am deeply pained to the core. Not necessarily because of the gravity of the topic, which is troubling enough, but rather its implications and the manner in which the norms and standards of derech eretz as a way of life, is currently devolving and is reaching an all-time low. Frankly, I and many of my educator colleagues are getting very tired and frustrated in suggesting blame-game excuses – namely, blaming or pointing fingers at society for this matzav. Today, it appears that every other article, drasha or post on this topic puts the blame on society; positing that what we are witnessing is just another sad mirror reflection of our larger society. Friends, although the profound lack of derech eretz does in part mirror our society, it is high time that our homes, schools, and community demand more responsibility, accountability, ownership and self-discipline from our parents, students and leadership. The questions still remain – what is our response to this vexing

YOU’RE NOT ALONE. COMMUNITY NEWS

challenge, and what response or course of action is within our reach. Friends, we have two choices. We can hold our noses, blame society totally for this condition and look the other way, or we can confront this disaster head on. I sincerely believe that this challenge should and must be confronted head-on. Implications for Parents, Schools and Community As educators and as parents of young children, we must be extremely vigilant and meticulous about how and when we use the phrase derech eretz kadma l’torah. On the one hand, it is essential that this concept be understood and presented to young children within the context of how important derech eretz is without necessarily juxtaposing it to the importance of Torah. On the other hand, the transmission of this important concept or midda must be presented in an age-appropriate manner that enables the child to understand and appreciate the primacy of the Torah and derech eretz. We never ever want to God forbid present the Torah as one of secondary importance. It is obvious that the older and more mature the child, the more flexible the parent can be when transmitting and interpreting these important concepts. As we drill down a bit deeper, our communities, not unlike society, are witnessing an accelerated erosion and degradation of moral values and standards which support the critical imperative for promoting and modeling derech eretz more directly and effectively. We are now beginning to witness a most dramatic decline in respectful behavior and middot tovot in our communities, schools, institutions and households. This is not only evident among our youth, but it has unfortunately seeped into our adult population. This reality strongly suggests an imperative that we as parents, families, educators, communities and communal leaders do everything in our power to recapture the hearts, and mindsets of our children in order to help imbue in them a sense of derech eretz responsibility, menschlichkeit, obligation (achrayut), middot tovot and proper etiquette and behavior.

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COMMUNITY NEWS My initial approach for this article was originally envisioned to be one with a “glass half empty”. But, as I began to opine more critically about this challenge, I started thinking about all of the good and positive now taking place in our communities. This includes the amazingly inspiring chessed projects, Torah study, volunteerism, and tzedakka opportunities to name a few. To be sure, as a community, we are far from starting from “ground zero” (on the derech eretz spectrum) but rather from an amazing place of tremendous strength, will, and commitment. The challenge is how do we harness these strengths and direct them in a manner that will bare maximum fruit. As parents and families, it is imperative that we model derech

eretch in our homes. This includes the language parents use in the presence of their children, and the manner in which parents interact with one another in the presence of their children. All of these behaviors must take place while our children are young and impressionable. Finally, it is imperative that we establish guardrails and consequences when our children do not exhibit derech eretz. The old adage of sparing the rod does not necessarily work effectively. Consequences must not be physically punitive with our children, but must be meaningful and significant enough for children to fully understand and appreciate the gravity of their actions. Over a period of time, our children will hopefully learn how to

demonstrate the midda of derech eretz publically and privately. The School As a Jewish educator and school consultant who has spent over 25 years teaching, observing and assessing day school and yeshiva classrooms, I can attest with great confidence that the lack of derech eretz in our schools and classrooms today has become dramatically worse over the years. In fact, it has created learning environments which make it extremely difficult if not virtually impossible for teachers to teach effectively. As a result, this conundrum is now a significant catalyst for today’s high teacher turnover. I am not apologetic when I regrettably describe the shocking behavior of many middle and high

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COMMUNITY NEWS school students in our day schools and yeshivot . Over the past several years, I have personally witnessed middle and high school classroom environments which babysit students instead of teaching them or challenging them academically. This unfortunate state of affairs is due in large measure to poor educational leadership and apathetic parents who are emotionally burnt-out. The in-your-face attitude and behavior of many students toward teachers and rabbeim in the classroom are unconscionable and are only matched by their inappropriate foul language publically directed at times towards teachers. Yes, I agree that there are many students who are in fact well behaved, and that we should nev-

er paint with broad strokes. But, unfortunately these well behaved and respectful students are overshadowed by an increasing number who are not. From teachers who are hesitant to complain for fear of being perceived as a teacher with poor classroom management skills, to principals that are poorly trained and do not know how to support teachers or conduct conversations with parents, we are all witnessing a true crisis in education which is only spiraling out of control. The Community From a communal perspective, it is essential that our students are held accountable to behave appropriately in shuls and in public places. This includes respect-

ful behavior during tefilla, and at smachot and celebrations. In addition, all communal and rabbinic leadership must speak out forcefully and intervene when they see or experience disrespectful behavior in public communal spaces….irrespective of how influential their parents or families are in the community A Summary of Possible Approaches As parents and families, we have an awesome obligation and responsibility to provide our children with a solid foundation upon which they can build and grow into upstanding respectful adults. Critical to this challenge will be the manner in which we model derech eretz for our children

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both in our homes and in the community. Several approaches for consideration may include: • Recognizing, supporting, rewarding and incentivizing derech eretz at home and in the community; • Being careful, watchful and diligent about the words and language we use in the presence of our children Shmirat HaLashon and Shmirat HaDibbur); • Ensuring that our interactions as parents and with other adults and family members are respectful and courteous; • Speaking with our children about kindness, chessed and respect and how these values are deeply embedded in our Torah values and way of life; • Spending quality time with our children and being “present” in their lives and when we respond to their questions and or concerns; • The modeling of subtle yet very powerful modeling behavior such as: holding a door open for another person; helping an elderly person or person in need carry packages or cross the street; using the words please and thank you often; and showing public empathy for those less fortunate; • Dressing appropriately in public and in private; • Addressing a parent or spouse with respect; • Exhibiting patience in the presence of children, when on line at a food counter, in traffic and when in a rush to reach a destination. The above suggestions are just a small example of ways in which pa-

rental behaviors can impact upon a child’s understand and appreciation of derech eretz. Being respectful or exhibiting middot tovot should no longer be a burden, but rather a natural extension of one’s repertoire of behaviors. In conclusion, the concept of derech eretz kadma l’Torah is not only interpreted in the literal sense but has deep and profound meaning as it relates figuratively to our lives. In the absence of derech eretz, we cannot possible understand and appreciate the beauty, wonderment and profundity of our Torah. In a brilliant volume entitled Chovas haTalmidim (Chapter 6), the great Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira (the Rebbe of Plaseczna, 1889-1842) writes that “one of the principle reasons that few Torah giants arise from our

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generation is because children grew up thinking that it is perfectly alright to contradict (or speak against) their parents and leaders.”. The ramifications and implications of his words should be clear and obvious.

About the Author: Dr. Chaim Botwinick is an organizational consultant and senior executive coach. He was president and ceo of the central agency for Jewish education in Baltimore and Miami and served as principle and head of school for a variety of yeshivot and day schools. He is a prolific writer and lecturer on topics relating to strategic planning, leadership development and school change. Dr. Botwinick is cofounder of LEV Consulting Associates and producer/host of the Chinuch Horizons podcast series. He is author of Think Excellence, Brown Books, 2011.

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Being Happy, It’s not as hard as it sounds. By Menachem Dahan, LMHC

This is a piece about happiness. Specifically, the idea that happiness is attainable and that it was never meant to run at full intensity all the time, but it can still be constantly there underneath everything else. To make that case, it helps to start not with happiness directly but with the soul, because happiness turns out to be one of its built-in characteristics, not something added on top of a person from outside. To see that clearly, it helps to strip away everything that usually gets mistaken for the self. Not the accomplishments, the possessions, or the roles a person plays, all of which sit on the surface, but what is underneath them. What is left, underneath all of that, is a soul, a spirit. That core has its own builtin characteristics, and one of them is happiness itself, not something a person builds or earns, but something already sitting there at that level. Happiness is not pleasure. Pleasure is a response to something outside the self, a good meal, a compliment, or a purchase. Happiness is something else entirely. It is the feeling of life itself, the natural energy present whenever a person is operating as themselves, unguarded and unfiltered. It does not require anything to happen first. It is what is already there by default. The opposite of happiness, then, is not sadness. It is withholding. When something painful happens, the instinct is to pull back, to tame that feeling of aliveness, because opening up again feels dangerous.

Pain says, in effect, take me away from the world that just hurt me. That withholding makes sense as a protective response. But it comes at a cost, because it is also a withholding of life itself. The way back is not to eliminate the pain but to move through it, and on the other side of that movement, the openness returns. Life comes back onto the table. The person is, in a sense, back. This raises the real question underneath all of it. If happiness is already built into the soul, present by default, why does it feel so hard to reach? The answer is that the pure soul does not stay pure. Life adds layers on top of it, and this is not a flaw; it is simply what it means to be human. Other people, responsibilities, history, and circumstance all get involved, and none of that can be ignored or wished away. It is a little like a person who becomes well known and is suddenly handed a team of advisors, publicists, and consultants to manage every interaction with the world. The more layers accumulate, the harder it becomes to say clearly what that person actually is underneath it all. The closer one moves toward the pure, original self, the further one moves from language that can fully describe it. The mistake is not having layers. The mistake is assuming the layers are the self. When that happens, a person starts believing that the only way to feel alive is to keep stacking things on the surface: more accomplishment, more val-

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idation, and more proof. This is a vertical chase, and it can go on indefinitely without ever touching what it was actually trying to reach, because the feeling of life was never up there to begin with. The substance of happiness does not come from that chase at all. It comes from somewhere much quieter. It is accessed by slowing down the internal experience enough to simply watch it happen. Not fixing it, not narrating it, just watching it, the way a person might watch weather move across a sky rather than standing in the middle of the storm. Happiness, underneath everything, is really just the feeling of being whole. Not undamaged in the sense that nothing bad has happened, but fully okay with who a person is regardless of what has happened. When a person takes that seat and watches from there, something becomes clear that is not obvious from inside the storm itself. None of what is happening, as painful as it is, actually threatens that wholeness. The pain is real, and it can be frightening, but the person underneath it is still there, still intact, still whole. Pain, in that moment, is felt as a part of what is going on rather than the whole of it. That distinction is the entire substance of this kind of happiness. Nothing about the pain has to change for that shift to happen. This points to a more general rule about how substantial an experience actually is. The measure is how much of the self gets used in it. Pleasure does not require much

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COMMUNITY NEWS of a person at all, which is exactly why it does not last and does not run deep; it can be received almost passively. The more of a person that is present and working in a moment, the more real that moment becomes to them. Hard work, deep relationships, and honest introspection all ask a person to reach inward, to bring themselves into the moment rather than simply receive something from outside it. That reaching is what makes those moments feel substantial in a way pleasure never does. And since that same inward energy is what happiness actually is, the more a person practices reaching for it, the more familiar they become with finding it, and the more consistently they feel it, not because life became easier but because the self got better at showing up.

This is also why the vertical chase never actually works. It tries to solve an internal experience with an external stack of proof, and the internal experience was never the kind of thing that gets solved that way. The horizontal path, by contrast, does not add anything. It slows down and watches, and in doing so it clears away whatever layer was standing between the person and the seat of the self they were watching from all along. None of this should be mistaken for a way to avoid pain or a technique aimed at making pain disappear. That is not the mechanism, and treating it that way misses the point entirely. A person who is watching their pain as a part rather than the whole is still fully in the pain. What has changed is only the vantage point. And that shift,

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small as it sounds, is the difference between being consumed by an experience and being present with it, which is closer to what this kind of happiness actually is. That is, in the end, what this whole piece has been circling. Not damage control, and not a technique for avoiding what hurts. Just uncovering a self that was never actually lost, only covered over, and learning to take the seat of that self even in ordinary, unremarkable moments. That is what it means to be happy, not something added on top of life, but life itself, finally allowed to show up as it already is.

Menachem Dahan, LMHC is a psychotherapist in South Florida. mdahanpsychotherapy.com

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Operation Inspiration: Poetic Justice By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

I’m not one of those people who likes lining up to get on the airplane fifteen minutes before boarding begins. If you fly at least occasionally, you know what I mean. The airlines board on a priority system, and you go when your group is called. However, many people line up to be at the head of the line for that group, in order to get a more favorable boarding slot. It’s not a terrible idea, as often the overhead storage space fills up quickly since the average traveler in 2026 now carries on the equivalent of twelve water buffaloes-worth of hand luggage. I hate doing the line-up thing. It feels like I’m a coddled child who has to be first, and is willing to stand there doing nothing to get his way. I actually am a coddled child, but because of my flight status on most flights I take, I often get to board early, so I don’t have to wait in the long lines, and can wait a bit longer before lining up. That’s how this latest story unfolded. On a trip from Tel Aviv to Newark, I walked up to the zone for our group as soon as they made the announcement. I arrived at the designated spot at nearly the same time as a woman traveling alone. I deftly swung my rolling carry-on suitcase into place in the line as I stepped forward behind another passenger, then made room for my wife to stand with me. I was there before this other woman, but she kept her eyes focused straight ahead, ignoring me. When the line began to move, she moved forward, as if blind to

my presence. She pushed ahead, and my wife and I just looked at each other and let her go. Fast forward a dozen hours or so, and we’re approaching Global Entry at Newark airport. We step towards the facial-recognition kiosk, and as we do, guess who comes running over? That’s right, the same woman! This time, she misjudged where she had to be, and ended up just behind my wife and me. It was beautiful; it was magical; it was poetic justice. She had pushed ahead of us to get through faster, and now, she ended up right where she was supposed to be, behind us. No reward for bad manners, here; she didn’t profit from her behavior. It felt so amazing because Hashem built into our DNA an appreciation for justice and things working out as they should. When the bully gets caught, everyone cheers. When the person who mistreats us gets their just desserts, we revel. But now, we’re in the days of Judgment, approaching Yom Kip-

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pur and the judgment that extends through Hoshana Rabba. I wonder; do we feel as good about getting what we deserve as when it happens to other people? When we try to get ahead and it backfires, do we chuckle to ourselves that Hashem really has our number and kept us in line? The ones who are really honest with themselves might, but for the most part, we probably don’t enjoy it so much. If that was all Yom Kippur was about, getting what’s coming to us, I don’t think we’d like it so much. But the Mishna says there were no days as joyful as Yom Kippur or Tu B’Av. Why? Because Yom Kippur has forgiveness. It seems the people back in the day recognized that Yom Kippur wasn’t about Hashem getting back at us and punishing us. It’s about communication and kindness. If the woman at the airport had politely asked me to let her go ahead of us, certainly I would have agreed. Then, even if she had the temerity to ask me again in New York, I probably would have let her because she was aware of my presence, and she wasn’t trying to force her way on me. I don’t think I would have said, “Well, you got in front of me before, now you will wait!” I’m not that much of a creep. I’m basically a nice guy, and yes, even a bit forgiving to my own detriment. Well, if that’s the case with me, surely Hashem is much nicer and more forgiving than a human being. So, even if we were rude before during the year, ignored that He

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was there, and did whatever we wanted - perhaps thinking we were getting ahead - at the end of the year (technically the beginning, but it’s when we do the year in retrospect,) we can make up for it by asking Hashem to let us move forward. Because we’re acknowledging our previous behavior and that Hashem is in control, we’re more likely to be forgiven than have the book thrown at us. And that’s where the joy of Yom Kippur comes from. Hashem loves us so much that once He see improvement, even just in our admitting that we were wrong but not fully correcting the issue, He will give us a pass. Not to be rude again, or to flagrantly ignore Hashem, but if we still have some growing up to do, Hashem understands and will give us the opportunity. Hashem’s kinder, gentler, version of justice may not be poetry, but it’s definitely music to my ears. 2026 – All Rights Reserved Did you enjoy this column? Feedback is welcome and appreciated. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com to share your thoughts. I doubt anyone actually reads this. Prove me wrong. D E C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 4 / P.33

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Autonomous Weapons Systems By Dr. Yeshayahu (Yishy) Bick

(Also published in Hebrew in ramatgannet.co.il, and in Givatayimnet.co.il newspaper in Israel)

Armies around the world are undergoing conceptual changes as they adapt themselves to the battlefield of the future. The entry of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our lives is transforming technological capabilities to such an extent that new thinking is required to integrate these changes into military systems, as well as research-based thinking about what no longer fits the modern army. Autonomy carries inherent dangers that must be anticipated in advance. The war between Ukraine and Russia has driven original and creative thinking within the Ukrainian military. A wealthy grain merchant named Robert Brovdi, nicknamed “Magyar” (the Hungarian), enlisted in the weaker Ukrainian army and introduced an approach centered on the use of various drones tailored to different missions. Magyar brought not only drones, but also a culture of management and documentation, drawn from his grain business, to track and analyze drone activity. The IDF has integrated drone usage extensively, and nearly every military unit, from battalion level down to the squad, is equipped with small drones capable of taking off and providing an aerial situational picture. Tiny drones enter houses and positions, offering realtime visuals of what is happening inside. The Engineering Corps uses minia-

ture drones to map Hamas and Hezbollah tunnels and to plan tunneldestruction operations. It won’t be long before basic training includes drone operation alongside rifle training. A new type of warfare involves drone swarms, in which large numbers of drones coordinate information and divide tasks among themselves without human control. This is one of the fastestdeveloping fields in the world. Israel’s Ministry of Defense is currently developing drone swarms designed to overwhelm enemy forces. The Israeli Air Force began using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones nearly 50 years ago. Today, entire squadrons of drones remain airborne for up to 24 hours. UAVs are divided according to mission: some for sur-

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veillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence; others for attack. The Air Force also operates refueling aircraft that are not autonomous themselves but can autonomously refuel fighter jets. Laser systems have been added to fighter jets and helicopters. When the system detects airtoair or surfacetoair missiles, an autonomous laser beam is fired to destroy the incoming threat. The laser requires large amounts of energy, and aircraft have been equipped with systems capable of generating concentrated highpower output. The Engineering Corps has developed autonomous operation of D9 bulldozers used to clear paths or demolish buildings in enemy territory. Operators sit at a safe distance and control the bulldozer using cameras and remote con-

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trol, avoiding risk to heavyequipment operators. The Corps also added autonomous navigation to thousands of old “Zelda” APCs that had been stored unused (because their thin armor and aluminum hull no longer protected soldiers). These APCs were loaded with hundreds of kilograms of explosives and sent toward enemy positions, where they detonated, becoming a source of fear for Hamas fighters. Other autonomous vehicles have been adapted for route clearing and transporting military supplies. Supply convoys are extremely vulnerable: truck convoys carrying ammunition, weapons, or food are easy targets for enemy aircraft or artillery once their location is known. The “Taltan” unit handles logistical supply using drones or autonomous vehicles that replace vulnerable convoys. In the “Carmel” program, Israel is building the future armored fighting vehicle, designed for autonomous operation. Its nickname is “Jaguar.” It is a small autonomous wheeled vehicle capable of climbing steep slopes. It is equipped with a cannon and laser system. Its mission is border patrol. The vehicle has advanced cameras and sensors, hybrid engines, completely silent movement, and speeds up to 50 km/h. If captured by the enemy, it can selfdestruct. Ukraine has begun developing combat robots to replace human soldiers, reducing casualties and the number of troops required. The Israeli Navy is also joining

the autonomous trend, developing small, fast remotecontrolled vessels equipped with weapons, missiles, and cameras that transmit realtime visuals to operators. These vessels are designed for patrol, intelligence gathering, and antisubmarine warfare. They sail partially submerged, creating a low profile that makes detection difficult. On command, they accelerate from 0 to 45 knots, rise to skim above the water, and can chase any hostile vessel — essentially a maritime drone. The U.S. Navy already operates autonomous robotic submarines for longrange patrol and intelligence missions. In the infantry, attempts have been made to develop a robot capable of carrying loads on its back — a kind of mechanical camel or mule. Israel Aerospace Industries developed the LORA highspeed ballistic missile, which can be launched from sea, land, or air. Its uniqueness lies in its supersonic speed and accuracy, striking within a 10meter radius. From launch to impact, the missile autonomously navigates itself. With a 500kg warhead, it can shift from cruising flight to vertical descent, increasing its effectiveness. Alongside offensive missiles, defensive systems such as Iron Dome exist. Iron Dome is a multilayered defense system capable of intercepting incoming missiles across atmospheric layers. The interceptor missile autonomously guides itself, pursuing the incoming threat with sharp, rapid maneuvers until it detonates near

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the target and destroys it before impact. The AI revolution has created endless possibilities for developing software to operate autonomous systems. With advanced AI, a few sentences describing the mission are enough for the AI to build the required program. AI enables rapid and easy creation of cyberwarfare tools. Unit 8200 of Israeli Intelligence develops malware targeting banks, fuel stations, power plants, street cameras, and more — disabling enemy infrastructure. The Stuxnet virus, famously planted in Iranian nuclear centrifuges, caused them to accelerate until they selfdestructed. Such programs operate via timers or predefined triggers set by their designers. A small anecdote: all illustrations accompanying my recent articles were created using AI. The most advanced stage is known as LAWS — Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems. These systems use algorithms capable of performing most mission stages — “detect, select, attack” — without human involvement at any point. This is the subject of major international legal and ethical debate. Future warfare is becoming robotic and autonomous. A philosophical question arises: are we risking loss of control — a “reversal of roles”? Could the system decide on its own to attack its operators? Dr. Yeshayahu (Yishy) Bick yishybick@ gmail.com

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The World Is Open to the Kosher Traveler There was a time when planning a kosher vacation often began with a short list of limitations. Which cities had kosher restaurants? How much food could be packed into a suitcase? Would there be a synagogue within walking distance of the hotel? Could a family enjoy an ambitious itinerary without spending half the trip worrying about the next meal? Today, the better question is not where a kosher traveler can go, but where the traveler wants to go. The modern kosher vacation can include a safari in South Africa, a drive along California’s Pacific coast, a yacht excursion among Croatia’s islands, or a journey from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef. The possibilities have expanded because travel planning has become more creative, connected and personalized. A destination does not need a kosher restaurant on every corner to become accessible. It needs careful preparation, dependable local relationships and a plan designed around the traveler’s standards. That planning begins long before the flight. A truly tailor-made itinerary considers far more than hotels and attractions. It asks what level of kashrut the traveler requires, whether anyone has allergies or mobility needs, how energetic the family wants each day to be, and where the group should be for Shabbat. Flights, transfers, touring, meals and downtime must work together. The best itinerary should feel natural once the vacation begins, even if considerable coordination took place behind the scenes.

Food is central, but it is only one piece. Reliable kosher meals may come from certified local caterers, trusted restaurants, advance deliveries or arrangements coordinated with a hotel. Day trips require portable meals that travel well. Remote destinations may need coolers, reheating equipment or detailed instructions for hotel staff. Shabbat may require a hotel within walking distance of a synagogue, traditional keys instead of electronic access, prearranged meals and enough time on Friday to settle in without rushing. This is the philosophy behind Bespoke Kosher Travel, a London-based specialist that creates individualized kosher trips around the world. Its team handles complete travel planning—not only food—including accommodations, transportation, private guides and experiences. According to the company, meals are prepared under reliable local kosher supervision, with certified kosher caterers used at each destination. Travelers also receive practical information about local kosher facilities, synagogues and Shabbat times before departure, with support continu-

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ing during the trip. Personalization matters because no two kosher travelers are identical. A couple celebrating an anniversary may want beautiful hotels, private touring and slow evenings. A family with young children may need adjoining rooms, shorter drives and attractions that hold everyone’s attention. Grandparents traveling with several generations may prioritize comfort, accessibility and unhurried meals. Business travelers may need efficiency and dependable food delivered around a demanding schedule. Over the next nine installments, Kosher Journeys will explore some of the world’s most exciting possibilities—from Australia and China to Morocco, Croatia and Sri Lanka. Each destination presents its own combination of culture, landscape, Jewish connection and logistical challenge. Yet the larger lesson remains constant: keeping kosher does not have to make the world smaller. With knowledgeable planning, it can become part of a richer and more meaningful way to see it. A useful way to understand this change is to separate access from infrastructure. A place may have

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COMMUNITY NEWS very little permanent kosher infrastructure and still be workable when meals, transportation and accommodations are coordinated in advance. The reverse is also true: a city with several kosher restaurants may produce a difficult trip if the hotel is far from the community, Friday transportation is uncertain or daily touring leaves no realistic time to eat. Successful planning therefore begins with the complete rhythm of each day, not with a restaurant search. Travelers should also distinguish between preferences and requirements. A preferred hotel view can be changed; a serious allergy protocol, mobility limitation or specific kosher standard cannot. Writing those requirements down early allows guides, hotels and food providers to respond clearly.

ture. That balance matters. Jewish travellers do not need to choose between seeing the wider world and maintaining Jewish practice. Thoughtful preparation makes it possible to do both with confidence, curiosity and enough flexibility to enjoy the unexpected. It also exposes weak points before deposits are paid. If a remote excursion cannot safely accommodate a traveler, the itinerary can be redesigned around an equally meaningful experience instead of forcing a bad fit. For some, memorable kosher journeys may include Jewish connection without making it the only subject of the trip. A historic synagogue, a local family, a cemetery or a small community can deepen a destination that is already compelling for its landscape and cul-

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Before NAZA: Previously Unreleased Regavim Investigation Raises Questions About Yuval Abraham’s Gaza Reporting Years before Abraham’s latest film put his reporting back in the international spotlight, Regavim examined his portrayal of a Gaza Hebrew teacher who had murdered an Israeli civilian, reenacted the killing and publicly defended violent “resistance.” September 15th, 2026 — As filmmaker and journalist Yuval Abraham draws renewed international attention over his new film NAZA, the Regavim Movement is releasing previously unpublished research into one of Abraham’s earlier reports from Gaza, raising questions about the information presented to viewers and the material that was left outside the frame. In 2020, Abraham produced an episode of the web series Shasheh / Screen focusing on the Nafha Center, a Hebrew-language school in Gaza run by Ahmad AlFaleet. Al-Faleet was presented as a former prisoner who had served approximately 20 years in an Israeli prison after killing “a soldier his own age.” The victim, however, was Shimon Biran, a 32-year-old Israeli civilian who was murdered while on his way to work in Kfar Darom. The Forum for Regional Thinking subsequently corrected its description to acknowledge that Biran was a civilian. Moran Tal, Regavim’s Arabic

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OSINT researcher, began examining Al-Faleet’s background and found extensive Arabic-language material that presented a dramatically different picture. In footage published years before Abraham’s report, Al-Faleet returned to the scene of Biran’s murder and described planning the attack for approximately two months. He reenacted the stabbing and discussed the fear generated by knife attacks against Israelis. In the same interview, he defended Palestinian “resistance” using “a stone, a knife or a gun.” Regavim’s research also documented Al-Faleet’s repeated

praise for terrorists and senior Hamas figures. In social media posts published before Abraham’s report, Al-Faleet celebrated his release in the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange as his “rebirth,” praised senior Hamas commander Ahmad Jabari and honored figures involved in the operation that led to Shalit’s abduction. The investigation also examined content published by the Nafha Center itself. One Hebrew-language video featured a student telling Israelis to leave the land and declaring that “the only language you understand is resistance,” alongside imagery of masked men carrying knives. The center also published a message from Hamas terrorist Hassan Salameh, who is serving 47 life sentences. Even Abraham’s original episode showed students being exposed to Hebrew military terminology including “intelligence officer,” “Border Police,” “Chief of Staff,” “IDF” and “attack helicopter.” Following the October 7 massacre, Al-Faleet’s online activity became significantly more explicit. Regavim documented posts in which he shared material from the Hamas assault, tracked the rising Israeli death toll, described civilians fleeing the Nova music festival as “settlers” fleeing Pal-

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estinian “resistance,” circulated images of dead Israeli soldiers and shared a prayer containing a call for destruction upon the Jews. This is also not the first time Regavim has challenged Abraham’s work. Following the success of his oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land, Regavim released footage from Masafer Yatta that showed provocations omitted from scenes presented as Israeli aggression, published research challenging the film’s portrayal of the area, and participated in the Daily Wire documentary No Other Lie, which returned to Masafer Yatta to fact-check the Oscar-winning film.

“Yuval Abraham is once again asking international audiences to place enormous trust in his reporting, his sources and the context he chooses to present,” Regavim said. “Years ago, our researchers examined another story he told from Gaza. We found that the civilian victim had been described as a soldier, while publicly available material showed the man at the center of the story reenacting the murder, defending knife and gun violence and praising terrorists. Abraham wants to be treated as an investigative journalist, but this record gives the public every reason to see an ideological activist whose reporting repeatedly serves a

deeply political narrative. Turning a convicted terrorist into the sympathetic face of a ‘coexistence’ story while his victim becomes a ‘soldier’ is whitewashing, plain and simple. Before the world accepts Abraham’s latest claims about Israel at face value, it should take a much harder look at the journalist making them.” The research was compiled by Regavim several years ago but was never published in full. With NAZA placing Abraham’s journalistic work and conclusions about Gaza at the center of renewed international discussion, Regavim is now releasing the investigation publicly.

B”H

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K IDS Z ONE KIDS ZONE . .. T A H T W O N K U O DID Y

YOM KIPPUR FACTS

1. In the Torah, Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shabbaton, the “Sabbath of Sabbaths” — a title it shares only with the weekly Shabbos.

2. Five tefillos are said on Yom Kippur: Maariv, Shacharis, Musaf, Mincha, and Neilah — one more than even Shabbos or a regular Yom Tov. 3. Neilah, said only on Yom Kippur, means “closing” — marking the closing of the gates of judgment as the day ends. 4. In the Beis Hamikdash, the Kohen Gadol alone entered the Kodesh HaKodashim, and only on Yom Kippur. 5. Yom Kippur includes five traditional restrictions, among them not eating or drinking, not washing, and not wearing leather shoes. 6. White is worn on Yom Kippur to resemble the purity of angels, who have no physical needs.

7. The Talmud’s tractate about Yom Kippur is called Maseches Yoma, which simply means “The Day.” 8. In the Beis Hamikdash, the Kohen Gadol pronounced Hashem’s actual Name out loud on Yom Kippur — something never done any other day of the year — and when the people heard it, they bowed all the way down to the ground. 9. Yom Kippur atones for sins against Hashem, but the Mishnah teaches that sins against another person require asking that person directly for mechilah first. 10. The tekiah gedolah, one long final shofar blast, marks the end of Neilah and the close of the fast.

K IDS Z ONE KIDS ZONE YOM KIPPUR TRIVIA QUIZ 1. HOW MANY TEFILLOS ARE SAID ON YOM KIPPUR? A) THREE

B) FOUR

C) FIVE

D) SIX

2. WHAT DOES THE WORD “NEILAH” LITERALLY MEAN? A) OPENING

B) CLOSING

C) REMEMBERING

D) SOUNDING

3. IN THE BEIS HAMIKDASH, WHO ENTERED THE KODESH HAKODASHIM ON YOM KIPPUR? A) ANY KOHEN B) THE KOHEN GADOL ALONE

C) THE SANHEDRIN

D) THE ENTIRE

NATION 4. WHAT IS THE TALMUDIC TRACTATE ABOUT YOM KIPPUR CALLED? A) BERACHOS

B) YOMA

C) TAANIS

D) MEGILLAH

5. ACCORDING TO THE MISHNAH, WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOM KIPPUR CAN ATONE FOR A SIN AGAINST ANOTHER PERSON? A) NOTHING EXTRA IS NEEDED

B) THE PERSON MUST ASK HASHEM ALONE

C) THE PERSON MUST ASK THE ONE THEY WRONGED FOR FORGIVENESS ANSWER KEY: 1-C, 2-B, 3-B, 4-B, 5-C

D) THE SIN CAN NEVER BE FORGIVEN

UNSCRAMBLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS RELATED TO

YOM KIPPUR 1. HANEIL

5. T E N O A

2. NOHEK

6. D U J G T M E N

3. BLEMHU

7. I I V U D

4. YCREM

5. ATONE 6. JUDGMENT 7. VIDUI

ANSWERS: 1. NEILAH 2. KOHEN 3. HUMBLE 4. MERCY

FOOD

Sweet Challah with Streusel Topping By Jamie Geller

• 3 HR 10 MIN DURATION • 35 MIN COOK TIME • 15 MIN PREP TIME • 60 SERVINGS • This Sweet Challah with Streusel Topping is one of my favorite challah recipes and I make it almost every week—to rave reviews! It also looks great made in muffin tins when you need individual challettes. My kids love the sweet crumble topping, but feel free to omit it if you prefer a sweet challah that is not too babka-like. Ingredients • 2 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar • 4 rounded teaspoons or 3 1/4-ounce packets active dry yeast • 4 cups warm water • 6 eggs • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons canola oil divided • 2 tablespoons salt • 14 to 15 cups high-gluten flour • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup 1 stick margarine, cut into pieces, or canola oil • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon optional

Preparation 1. To prepare the dough: Place the lukewarm water in a large bowl. (Note: For the yeast to proof, the water must truly be lukewarm. Dip your finger in the water. If it’s too hot for your fingers, it’s too hot for the yeast as well. If it’s cool, it won’t work either. Lukewarm is just right.) Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Wait 5 to 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof. It will appear foamy. 2. In a separate large bowl (or a large 6-quart mixer fitted with dough hook), mix remaining 2 cups sugar, eggs, 1 1/2 cups of the oil, and salt. Add proofed yeast and mix. Add flour, 4 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes by hand or mixer, adding additional flour if dough is too sticky. 3. Drizzle remaining 2 teaspoons

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oil in mixing bowl; roll dough in oil to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, prepare the topping. 4. To prepare the topping: Combine sugar, flour, margarine, vanilla, and cinnamon, if using, in a small bowl; mix with a fork until coarse crumbs form. 5. Grease six loaf or challah pans. Punch down the risen dough. Divide into six pieces; divide each piece into at least three, and roll into long ropes about 12 inches long. Braid and place in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. 6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle reserved topping over loaves. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then remove the challahs to wire racks to cool.

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D E C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 4 / P.51

FOOD

Butternut Squash Kugel By Jamie Geller

• 45 MIN DURATION • 40 MIN COOK TIME • 5 MIN PREP TIME • 6 SERVINGS • This Sweet Challah with Streusel Topping is one of my favorite challah recipes and I make it almost every week—to rave reviews! It also looks great made in muffin tins when you need individual challettes. My kids love the sweet crumble topping, but feel free to omit it if you prefer a sweet challah that is not too babka-like.

Ingredients • 2 10-ounce packages frozen butternut squash, thawed, or 2½ cups peeled, cubed, cooked and pureed squash • 2 eggs beaten • ½ cup flour or almond flour • ½ cup light brown sugar packed • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg • Maple syrup optional

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch round baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, place squash, eggs, flour, and brown sugar; mix well. Pour mixture into prepared bak-

ing dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with a little maple syrup, if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until set and edges are slightly golden. Serve warm or cold.

Jamie Geller is the Chief Media and Marketing Officer at Aish. She is also a bestselling cookbook author, celebrity chef, television producer, and businesswoman. She’s the author of eight cookbooks and the founder of Kosher Media Network. P.52 / T S F C O M M U N I T YVO I C E .C O M | +1 ( 9 5 4 ) 6 6 2 - 5 0 5 4 | I n f o @ t s f c o m m u n i t y v o i c e . c o m

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D E C E M B E R 6 , 2 0 2 4 / P.55

REAL ESTATE & FINANCE

The Risk of Retiring With Too Much Market Exposure By Glen R. Golish

Some retirees fear running out of money. Others fear missing out on growth. Both concerns are understandable. But too much market exposure in retirement can create serious challenges, especially when the portfolio is also being used for monthly income. During working years, investors may be able to tolerate market downturns more easily. They are still earning income. They may still be contributing to their accounts. They may have time to wait for recovery. In retirement, the situation changes. When money is being withdrawn from investments, volatility becomes more personal. A market decline is no longer just a number on a statement. It may affect the income used to pay bills, support family, give charity or maintain lifestyle. At G Wealth Strategies, we believe retirees need growth but they also need protection. The question is not whether to invest. The question is how much risk is appropriate at this stage of life. Too much market exposure can create emotional pressure. When markets fall, retirees may worry about spending. Some may reduce their lifestyle unnecessarily. Others may panic and sell at the wrong time. Neither outcome is ideal. A thoughtful retirement plan should separate short-term income needs from long-term growth

goals. Money needed soon should generally not be exposed to the same level of volatility as money intended for later years or legacy purposes. This does not mean eliminating risk. It means organizing risk. Some assets may be positioned for stability. Some may be positioned for income. Some may be positioned for growth. The right balance depends on age, income needs, health, family responsibilities, other assets and personal comfort with uncertainty. A retiree with guaranteed income sources may be able to take more investment risk than someone relying entirely on portfolio withdrawals. A retiree supporting children, grandchildren or charitable commitments may need a different structure than someone with fewer obligations. This is why retirement planning cannot be copied from a generic chart. It must reflect the actual person

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and family. In Jewish tradition, responsibility means caring not only for today but also for tomorrow. That includes protecting yourself from unnecessary exposure while still allowing your resources to serve their purpose. A final thought: Growth matters in retirement. But so does stability. The goal is not to avoid every market decline. That is impossible. The goal is to build a plan that can withstand volatility without forcing emotional decisions. Because retirement confidence does not come from chasing the highest return. It comes from knowing your income plan can survive real life. For more information call us, 5618694600 About the Author Glen R. Golish is the Founder and CEO of G Wealth Strategies and a Forbes-recognized Top Financial Security Professional. He works closely with families on comprehensive financial and estate planning, including cross-border considerations for those navigating U.S. and Israeli planning needs. Important Disclaimer Please seek qualified legal and tax advice before implementing any planning strategies, in conjunction with guidance from G Wealth Strategies. Contact Information 3010 N. Military Trail, Suite 318, Boca Raton, FL 33431 Office: 561-869-4600 | Cell: 561-239-9400 www.gwealthstrategies.com Investment Advisory Contact Yosef Benson yosef@gwealthstrategies.com 786-376-3548 Property & Casualty Insurance Contact Rafi Benzaquen rafi@gwealthstrategies.com

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REAL ESTATE & FINANCE

Breaking the Habit of Being You By Shmuel Shayowitz

On a podcast I was recently listening to, a neuroscientist recently explained “habits” in a way I’ve never heard before. She said a habit is something that once required thought but has become part of our automatic programming. Habits are difficult to break because, eventually, it stops being a decision. The brain sees a cue, creates a craving, anticipates a reward, produces a response, and reinforces the behavior. Repeat that enough times, and the loop gets continually stronger. Eventually, we stop choosing. We become loyal to patterns – even those that no longer serve us. And that is exactly how many financial problems develop. Someone gets a raise and immediately upgrades the car, vacations, restaurants, and everything else. Soon the higher income is gone before it ever had the chance to accumulate. Someone else has a difficult day and shops online because buying something creates a quick emotional lift. Another person carries credit card balances month after month because looking at the numbers feels overwhelming. Others never review subscriptions, fees, or recurring charges because avoidance feels better than confrontation. Then there is a habit we rarely call a bad one: excessive caution. Someone keeps money sitting idle for years, refuses to invest, avoids reasonable leverage, or passes on every real estate opportunity because something could go wrong. They call themselves conservative. Sometimes they are. Or, sometimes fear has simply taught this

person the habit of how to sound responsible. That is what makes these behaviors so powerful. They rarely look like a bad habit. They disguise themselves as comfort, prudence, or “just the way I am.” The psychology matters because each behavior follows the same architecture. There is a cue - stress, an advertisement, a paycheck, a market decline, or an uncomfortable bill. Then comes the craving - Maybe we want pleasure, status, security, relief, or simply not to think. Then comes the response - We spend, avoid, delay, or freeze. Finally, there is the reward - We feel better, safer, distracted, or relieved. And that incentive teaches the brain to do it again, and again. The answer is not simply more discipline. You have to interrupt the loop. You have to create friction before the response becomes automatic. Remove the saved credit card. Wait a day before an unnecessary purchase. Schedule a monthly financial review with a third party so ignoring the numbers is no longer the default. If fear keeps you from investing, replace the automatic “no” with a commitment to understand the risk, study the downside, and make a thoughtful decision with some expert guidance. The goal is to create enough space between the trigger and the response for judgment to return. There is another layer, and it may be even more important. Our habits eventually become part of the story we tell about ourselves. “I’m bad with money.” “I’m a spender.” “I don’t understand investing.” “I never take risks.” Repeated often

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enough, those statements become instructions. We stop describing ourselves and start limiting ourselves. That is especially meaningful as we approach Rosh Hashanah. Teshuvah is often translated as repentance, but its deeper meaning is ‘return’. We are not simply reviewing last year’s mistakes. We are being asked to notice the patterns that keep bringing us back to the same place. What triggers the anger? What feeds the jealousy? What happens before we lose patience, speak badly, procrastinate, or repeat the flaw we promised ourselves we would change? Real change begins in that tiny space between impulse and action. That is where choice lives. That is where growth lives. Perhaps that is where teshuvah begins. A new year does not magically create a new person. But one new choice can interrupt an old pattern. Enough new choices can create a new habit. And enough new habits can change the story of who we become. All of that will help us have a great new year! Shana Tova Shmuel Shayowitz is a highly regarded Real Estate & Finance Executive, Writer, Speaker, Coach, and Advisor. He is President and Chief Lending Officer of Approved Funding, a privately held national mortgage banker and direct lender that has facilitated over $4 billion in funding. Shmuel has over twenty-five years of industry experience and holds numerous licenses and accreditations, including certified mortgage underwriter, licensed real estate agent, residential review appraiser, and accredited investor, to name a few. Shmuel has successfully navigated through many changing markets and business landscapes, making his market insights and experience well-coveted within the banking and real estate industries. He can be reached at www.coachshmuel.com.

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