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>> CommunityTHINGS TO DO IN MIAMI 9

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS 12

>> World NewsTIME TO REFLECT 26

SFJH WORLD REPORT 32

>> IsraelMAJ. (RES) DR. YEHUDA DAVID IS ON A LIFETIME

MISSION TO DEFEND ISRAEL AND ITS SOLDIERS 24

ISRAEL’S NUMBER ONE HIT TV SHOW -

“TUESDAY NIGHT LIVE” 23

ONE ISRAEL FUND 48

>> ParentingMRS. HEBEL’S TOP TEN TIPS

FOR BRINGING OUT YOUR CHILD’S GIFTS 36

PARENTING TODAY – OMG….LOL…I LUV U :-) –

NO I REALLY DO - THE HARM CAUSED

BY TEXTING PARENTS 39

>> EducationHOW TO CHOOSE A SUMMER PROGRAM 29

TEENAGERS AND CELLPHONES:

A LIFE THREATENING ADDICTION 29

>> Torah PortionTORAH THOUGHTS 28

>> HomemakingSWEET SENSATIONS 37

>> Health & FitnessFLORIDA’S PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED RITUAL BATH VERY POPULAR 30

EPOC – EXCESS POST–EXERCISE OXYGEN CONSUMPTION 31

KEEPING YOU ON YOUR TOES ABOUT REFLEXOLOGY 47

>> LifestylesWHOM CAN YOU TRUST WITH YOUR TRUST? 22

CHANGE YOUR THINKING - CHANGE YOUR LIFE 34

>> HumorKIDS 43

CENTERFOLD 44

>> PoliticsBRETT TOLMAN ON THE RUBASHKIN SAGA 35

>> Kosher Dining Guide 41

>> SportsTOP 5 BEST SPORTS MOMENTS OF 2010

IN MIAMI 46

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the South Florida Jewish Home.In an era of “I can fi nd anything on the internet,” it may seem

counter-intuitive to start a new print publication. But our instincts and experiences tell us the opposite.

Let’s begin with the obvious. There is tremendous amount of Jewish life in South Florida – real gems!

What we also know is that people are aware of what is going in their individual neighborhood, but not necessarily the surrounding neighborhoods, cities, or counties in the third largest Jewish population in America after New York and Los Angeles.

So with a diversity and energy that exists from our shuls to our schools to the myriad of organizations, why not fi nd a communication vehicle to tie everyone together and create a special harmonious synergy?

We could have chosen the modern way. Yet there is so much “stuff” to be found on the internet that the search for information can be overwhelming. To put something in print, well, it has become something of a novelty.

South Florida Jewish Home is dedicated to bringing that Jewish life together in one location and improving the quality of life here in the process. We pledge to provide a tangible product for you to hold in your hands, to empower you, inspire you and not just provide a list of current events.

The South Florida Jewish Home will bring you innovative and entertaining articles pertaining to community news and developments, health, homemaking, parenting, education and more. Also enjoy hard hitting politics and highlights from Israel and around the world. We truly hope you enjoy our inaugural issue of the South Florida Jewish Home.

We want to make the South Florida Jewish Home a staple publication for the South Florida Jewish community for years to come. Our success can only be met with the input, feedback and support by you the South Florida community. E-mail us at [email protected] with comments and additions for future editions.

It is not only South Florida Jewish Home, but your home.

Dovid GutmanPUBLISHER/[email protected]

Bentzi ItzkowitzMANAGING [email protected]

Gila SternCREATIVE [email protected]

Chana BilletSarit LasryAD SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Danny KayDESIGN & PRODUCTION

4180 N. 42nd AvenueHollywood, FL 33021phone: 305-767-3443fax: [email protected]@sfjewishhome.com

The South Florida Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly magazine.Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the pub-lisher or editor.. The South Florida Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSYocheved OrlofskyIdo Stern Naftali HalpernChaya Hinda AllenSusie FishbeinEffi e SussmanSteve NicholRabbi Efrem GoldbergRabbi Perry Tirschwell Chana Billet Jeffrey (Yitz) SternJenny HazanReuven AraziBenji SternGabe SeghiKeli Musa

The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

‘Our Home – And Yours’

Dovid GutmanPublisher & Editor Managing Editor

Bentzi Itzkowitz

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SHOPPINGBAL HARBOUR SHOPS

Bal Harbour Shops has gained distinction as one of the most prestigious fashion destinations in the world. Anchored by Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, it offers a unique blend of internationally renowned high-end shops and beautiful galleries. If you get hungry, take a short walk down Harding Avenue and fi nd multiple kosher restaurants.

9700 Collins Ave

Bal Harbour, FL 33154-2208

www.balharbourshops.com

BAYSIDE

All that Miami has to offer in one spot – ex-cept kosher food. Whether you are interested in the best souvenir marketplace, boat rides around Miami, daily live entertainment or national brand name stores, Bayside’s wealth of activity offers something for everyone.

401 Biscayne Boulevard

Miami, FL 33132-1924

www.baysidemarketplace.com

LINCOLN ROAD MALL

This is a very pretty open air mall with 112 stores, a mix of national brand name stores and art and ‘fun stuff’ stores.

Stroll down Lincoln Road and peruse fi ne jewelry, electronics, clothing and art. If you’re there on a Sun-day check out the tantalizing fragrance of fresh fl ow-ers at the Farmer’s Market held every Sunday from

9am – 7pm. While you’re there make sure to check out The Frieze Ice Cream Factory at 1626 Michigan Avenue - a great kosher ice cream/sorbet shop right Off Lincoln Road.

Lincoln Road Between 16th & 17th Street

Miami Beach, FL 33139

www.lincolnroad.org

AVENTURA MALL

Aventura Mall offers all the big brand name stores and a lot of high-end ones too. If you’re bringing the little ones along check out the play area for kids lo-cated in front of Sears on the main foor. The Rainbow Valley play area is designed specifi cally for young children under the age of four. If you get hungry take a short ride over to the Waterways (see below) and fi nd amazing kosher restaurants.

19501 Biscayne Blvd

Miami, FL 33180

www.aventuramall.com

SAWGRASS MILLS OUTLET MALL

Sawgrass Mills, Florida’s largest outlet mall, value retail and entertainment destination, provides the ultimate shopping experience with more than 350 stores. Pick up great values at Coach Factory Store, Guess Factory Store, Escada Company Store, Kate Spade New York, Burberry Factory Outlet, PUMA

Outlet, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Lacoste Outlet, Nautica Fac-tory Store, Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole Company Store and many more…

12801 West Sunrise Blvd

Sunrise, FL 33323

www.simon.com

WATERWAYS

This open-air strip mall is a very popular strip-mall for the Jews of Miami-Dade. Hebrew can

be heard everywhere, besides a smattering of Eng-lish and Spanish.

This strip-mall has a surprising number of Glatt Kosher restaurants - Thai, Chinese, French, Steak, and Sushi among the dining choices - all so close to each other. Additionally, an amazing Kosher grocery store - Sarah’s Tent.

3575 NE 207th St

Aventura, Florida

www.thewaterwaysshoppes.com

Things to Do inThings to Do in

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MONKEY JUNGLE

Monkey Jungle was an innovator of many of the concepts currently seen in zoological parks. It is home to nearly 400 primates, most running free on a 30 acre reserve. It is one of the few protected habi-tats for endangered primates in the United States and the only one that the general public can explore.

Visitors are immediately welcomed by the Java monkey troop, now numbering in the 80’s. The Java monkeys forage through the Jungle eating natural foods. This experience with the monkeys continues to be a highlight of Monkey Jungle. The Java mon-key is a skilled diver in the wild, collecting crabs and other shellfi sh along the riverbanks and mangrove swamps. Scheduled feedings at Monkey Jungle show off these water skills as animals dive into a pool to receive fruit from the guides.

14805 Southwest 216th St.

Miami, FL 33170

(305) 235-1611

www.monkeyjungle.com

WANNADO CITY

Located in Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall, Wan-nado City is an extraordinary experience for chil-dren. Wannado City is a $40-million recreation enterprise ranking as the fi rst interactive empower-ment environment of its kind in the nation. Wan-nado City allows children age 4 to 11 to role-play in up to 250 careers, from TV anchor to lawyer, doctor and beyond. Kids manage money by spend-ing “earnings,” choosing among buying groceries or saving for a rainy day. Wannado City promotes values of hard work and responsibility within a fun and entertaining environment.

12801 W Sunrise Blvd.

Sunrise, FL 33323

(954) 838-7100

www.wannadocity.com

PARROT JUNGLE ISLAND

This animal theme park is minutes from South Beach. The park features exotic wild animals such as the world’s largest crocodile, baby orangutans,

tigers, and parrots of every species. There’s also an infl atable water slide for kids.

1111 Parrot Jungle Trail

Miami, FL 33132

(305) 248-6345

www.jungleisland.com

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

AIRBOAT TOUR @ GATOR PARK

Take an airboat ride through the Everglades and get a close-up view of the plants and animals native to this area. You will also see how to wrestle a large alligator at the exciting Wildlife Show. And if you are brave enough, you can hold a baby alligator!

At Gator Park you’ll have the chance to walk around and visit with the resident turtles, macaws and peacocks. Be sure not to miss the interesting display of snakes, such as the Blackpine, Brooks Kingsnake, Florida Kingsnake and Red Ratsnake.

24050 SW 8th St

Miami, FL 33125

(305) 559-2255

www.gatorpark.com

DUCK TOURS

Located in the heart of Miami’s South Beach, Duck Tours starts your land journey with a number of Miami Beach attractions such as South Beach, the Art Deco District, Fisher Island, Bayside and more! The water excursion starts in Biscayne Bay, where you will also get an up close look at the Homes of the Rich & Famous on Millionaire’s Row & Star Is-land.

Your guides are actors/comedians who will keep you entertained as well as educated on the sites for the duration of these 90 minute tours. The “Duck” is an amphibious vehicle called a “Hydra Terra”. These vehicles are land & water ready.

1665 Washington Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

(786) 276-8300

www.ducktoursmiami.com

BOOMERS

Boomers is a great mini theme park located in Hollywood - 20 minutes from Miami Beach. The park offers indoor and outdoor activities.

Indoor activities are mainly arcade games where kids & adults accumulate points and get prizes. Those games are various and will fi t all needs and ages. Outdoor activities include a very large mini golf course, a roller coaster, bumper boats, go karts and much more. Attractively priced day passes will ensure maximum fun.

1700 NW 1st St.

Dania Beach, FL 33004

(954) 921-1411

www.boomersparks.com

BUTTERFLY WORLD

This is the biggest butterfl y house in the hemi-sphere, with 10 acres of botanical gardens, waterfalls & aviaries. There are over 150 species seen through-out the year & over 5,000 butterfl ies on display at any one time.

These butterfl ies share their home with a num-ber of birds such as the “Free Flight” Hummingbird, Lorikeet, Blue Cheeked Cordon Bleu, Madagascar Red Fodie, Japanese White Eyes, Yellow Legged Honeycreeper and many more.

3600 W Sample Rd.Coconut Creek, FL 33073(954) 977-4400www.butterfl yworld.com

LION COUNTRY SAFARI

Lion Country Safari is a drive-through safari-like theme park located 45 miles north of Miami. The park claims to be the fi rst cageless zoo in the United States.

Florida’s only drive-through safari and walk-through amusement park invites you to spend the day with over 900 animals. With animal displays and encounters, animal feeding experiences, 6 rides, water sprayground and more, you are sure to have a memorable experience at Lion Country Safari.

2003 Lion Country Safari Rd.

Loxahatchee, Florida 33470

(561) 793-1084

www.lioncountrysafari.com


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WATER SPORTSBOAT RENTALS

To really experience South Florida, you must get out on the water. Here are some companies that offer boat rentals.

Tropical Boat - power boats in Bayside -

(786) 218-3030

Fast Track - power boats in Miami

Beach and Bayside - (305) 223-3488

KAYAKING

Miami offers many places where you can have a back-to-nature kayak adventure.

North American Canoes - (239) 695-3299

Blue Moon - (305) 957-3040

South Beach Kayak - (305) 332-2853

SNORKELING

Eco-Adventure tours are a great way to explore Miami’s parks and wildlife preserves. These narrated tours combine kayaking and snorkeling in the warm waters of Biscayne Bay.

Pelican Harbor Marina - (305) 365-3018

WAVE RUNNER RENTAL

There’s no more enjoyable water sport than wave running and jet skiing – but do it at your own risk.

American Water Sports - (305) 538-7549

Jet Ski Tour of Miami - (305) 345-5770

KICK IT UP A NOTCH….

ARTIFICIAL REEF SCUBA DIVING

There are 10 artifi cial reefs offshore, with 5 lying between Miami-Dade and Broward County and an-other 5 between Key Biscayne and Monroe County.

Some of the best scuba diving is in less than 100 feet of water and only 2 miles east of Sunny Isles, Miami Beach, and the Key Biscayne shoreline.

South Beach Divers - (305) 531-6110

WINDSURF LESSON

Key Biscayne is recognized as one of the nation’s best areas to learn windsurfi ng - the water is warm, the winds are swift, and it’s shallow - only a few feet deep. Learn how to windsurf in 2 hours.

Sailboards Miami - (305) 361-7245

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112COMMUNITYHAPPENINGS

Recently, the Hebrew Academy Lady Warriors Basketball team cap-tured the championship of the 7th Annual Jewish Day Schools of South Florida Preseason Classic at North Shore Youth Center, defeating Hillel, 49-44, pulling away from the Hur-ricanes with an explosive 4th quar-ter run. After a back-and-forth fi rst quarter ended with a 10-9 Hebrew Academy lead the game, the Warriors further extended its lead to 20-13 midway through the 2nd quarter with its unique triangle-and-two defense, containing and frustrating Hillel’s top scoring threat. However, a 6-0 Hillel scoring run sent the game into half-time with Hebrew Academy holding a tenuous 20-19 halftime lead, and set-ting up an exciting second half.

Hillel took a 27-25 lead with un-der a minute left in the 3rd quarter, when Lady Warrior Bari Gordon hit

a turnaround jumper while getting fouled with 3.4 seconds left in the quarter, converting the free throw and beginning the Warrior run that would seal the game. With the War-riors leading 30-29 early in the fourth quarter, Hebrew Academy ramped up its defensive pressure, forcing a num-ber of turnovers that led to a decisive 8-0 Warrior scoring burst, extending the lead to 38-29. During the run, Gordon converted on a layup while getting fouled, and then followed with Hebrew Academy’s only 3 pointer of the game, giving the Warriors a com-manding lead it would not relinquish. A steal by Hessie Friedland and a la-yup pushed the lead to 48-33, and Hebrew Academy withstood Hillel’s comeback attempt to hold on for the 49-44 victory.

Gordon fi nished with 25 points to lead the Warriors, Miriam Mond added 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Friedland chipped in 8 points and 4 rebounds for Hebrew Academy.

(From Right to Left) Coach Robyn Malek, Hessie Friedland, Penina Co-hen, Becca Masin, Bari Gordon, Mir-iam Mond, Andrea Weiss, Shoshie Mond, Amy Weiss, Adina Kaplan and Hailey Dobin.

Hebrew Academy LadyWarriors Basketball Team

Capture Championship

Over New Year’s weekend Hebrew Academy hosted an Alumnus vs Varsity Women’s Basketball Match-up at the North Shore Community Center in Miami Beach. With players ranging from the graduating class of 1985-2016, the game resonated with excitement and enthusiasm. The Hebrew Academy Alumni Warrior Women made a spectacular showing nearly defeating the current Lady Warriors Varsity Basketball Team with a score of 42-38, proving that a few years out of high school brings a wisdom that only enhances raw talent. Down at the half with a score of 25-12, the Warrior Women rallied in the fi nal quarter giving the current Varsity Lady Warriors a true run for their money.

Representing The Hebrew Academy Alumni Warrior Women:

• Robyn Malek (Class of 1995) with 13 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals• Daiana Leimdorfer (Class of 2009) with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 block shots• Ivonne Alfandary-Bengio (Class of 2005) with 4 points, 5 steals and 2 assists• Erica Newman (Class of 2001) with 4 points and 7 rebounds• Kimberly Frohlich (Class of 1991) with 2 points and 2 steals• Rebecca Lebwohl (Class of 2010) with 3 rebounds•Monica Sugar (Class of 1988) with 2 points and 4 rebounds• Elizabeth Katz (Class of 2008) with 4 steals and 2 assists•Dana Adler (Class of 2004) with 3 steals 2 assists and 5 rebounds• Fancy Saka (Class of 1985) with 2 rebounds• Jill Simons-Smith (Class of 1986) with 1 assist

Top scorers for The Hebrew Academy Varsity Lady Warriors:

• Andrea Weiss (Class of 2014) with 12 points and 3 steals• Bari Gordon (Class of 2013) with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 block shots• Hailey Dobin (Class of 2016) 8 points and 2 steals• Shoshie Mond (Class of 2012) 4 points, 3 steals and 10 rebounds

Hebrew Academy Lady Warriors Varsity Basketball Team Defeats

Hebrew Academy Alumni Warrior Women

Left to right: Erica Newman, Dana Adler, Fancy Saka, Kimberly Frohlich,Rebecca Lebwohl, Monica Sugar, Jill Simons-Smith

Front row: Daiana Leimdorfer, Robyn Malek,Ivonne Alfandary-Bengio, Elizabeth Katz

Aish South Florida seeks to instill an understanding of Judaism, a commitment to Jewish wisdom and practice, and a sense of responsibility for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. We accomplish this through cutting edge programs for all age groups and Jews of all affi liations. We conduct monthly Shabbatons, host regular singles and student programs, and serve as a center for learning for the entire community. We also have Shabbat services and classes every week.

Join us for a Shabbat of Inspiration with Rabbi Tzvi Gluckin, January 21st-22nd, 2011! For more information about this event and all of our programs, please visit www.aishfl .com


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Boca Raton, FL. (December 19, 2010) – As ev-ery mother knows, raising children is a stressful experience. But for mothers of seriously ill young-sters, the unrelenting pressure of caring for a sick child seven days a week saps a woman’s emotion-al, social and physical energy.

Yesterday, Chai Lifeline Southeast, the not-for-profi t organization that provides critical health support services to seriously ill children, their families and communities, helped mothers and grandmothers of seriously ill children with an extraordinary “Spa Day,” respite and relaxation that helped them renew and refocus their mental and physical strength.

“It is hard to be a good caregiver when you are exhausted,” explained Simone, director of special projects for Chai Lifeline Southeast. “At the same

time, mothers of very sick children often neglect themselves. They are so busy taking care of every-one in their families that they don’t fi nd the time to pamper themselves.

The Chai Lifeline program, held at the home of Robert and Linda Levy, gave the mothers and grandmothers the precious gift of time. Freed from their normal routines, the women had the opportunity to experience a unique “Spa Day.” Candles, fruits and crudités fi lled each of the room throughout the home. Each of them were able to enjoy a manicure, indulge in a refl exology treatment, an aromatherapy facial, a Yoga class to aid in stress reduction from a certifi ed Yoga in-structor, to then be left feeling beautiful and re-newed by getting their make up and hair done by professional stylists.

“Our goal was to raise the spirits of our moms and their moms and give them a serene day of beauty for their mind body and soul” added Ellen Weiss, Director of Chai Lifeline Southeast. “We hope that today’s activity encouraged them to make time for themselves by showing them how much more effective they can be when they do.”

Each of the service providers donated their service and time with love and joy, they said “it felt so good giving back, we had the best time.”

“Thanks so much for this wonderful day,” said one mother as she collected her goodie bag and got ready to go home. “I haven’t taken time off for myself since my son got sick. Today made me re-alize how important it is for me to remain healthy and strong.”

Chai Lifeline is the international not-for-profi t organization that provides crucial social, emo-tional, psychosocial and fi nancial help to enable families of children with life-threatening or life-long illness to cope with the diagnosis, treatment and long-term repercussions of life-threatening illness or serious chronic and genetic condi-tions. Chai Lifeline’s two-dozen year-round free programs and services include professional case management; insurance support programs; coun-seling; Family Renewal Retreats; sibling pro-grams; holiday parties and Family Days; tutoring assistance; The Stella K. Abraham Respite Center; Chai House; and two celebrated camping pro-grams, Camp Simcha, named in memory of Dr. Samuel Abraham, for children with cancer and life-threatening illnesses, and Camp Simcha Spe-cial, for children with serious chronic and genetic ailments.

For more information please call 305.956.9990 or go to www.chailifeline.org

Chai Lifeline SE Day of Relaxation Helps Moms & Grandmasof Ill Children Refresh and Rejuvenate

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114 COMMUNITYHAPPENINGS

Davie- “One School, One Vision, One Future.” For months now, this has been the motto of the Da-vid Posnack Hebrew Day School. But as of January 3, 2011, the words “One Campus” can be added to this expression. After an extensive planning and construction effort, the Posnack middle and high school left their old Plantation site and moved into the newly renovated and updated facilities on the campus of the David Posnack Jewish Community Center (DPJCC) in Davie, Florida.

A community-wide celebration is scheduled on January 28, 2011 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the Orlove auditorium on the DPJCC campus, 5890 South Pine Island Road, to honor those individuals who were instrumental in making the “One School” a reality. Tours and open houses showcasing the K-12 Posnack experi-ence are on-going.

Lesli Rosenblatt, Director of Admissions and Marketing says this is the beginning of a new era for Posnack. “The energy and excitement we are feeling in the admissions offi ce can be seen and heard across our campuses and around the community,” says Rosenblatt. “Our K-12 vision on the DPJCC campus

is fi nally a reality, and the days of Posnack being the best kept secret in Broward County, are no longer.”

The news of the united campus is reaching the

community and people are responding. According to Rosenblatt, with the new location in a more entic-ing, central position in Broward, new student enroll-ment rose just in the few weeks prior to the start of the school year in August. Even with the current

economic climate, Jewish families in South Florida want the best education for their children, and Pos-nack is fi lling the need.

The school leadership and administration is placing a tremendous amount of emphasis on community building and partnering with agencies and synagogues across the county, including kin-dergarten readiness seminars with Posnack Lower School Principal Linda Gutheit where Gutheit will visit local preschools.

As one of Broward County’s premier educa-tional institutions for 36 years, the David Posnack Hebrew Day School provides a dual curriculum of Hebrew-Judaic and general studies for nearly 500 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Pos-nack boasts award winning athletic and fi ne arts departments, and state-of-the-art facilities on the new campus. 95% of the Class of 2010 received the Florida Bright Futue Scholarship.

David Posnack Hebrew Day School is located at 5890 South Pine Island Road in Davie. For more information about the school call Lesli Rosenblatt at 954-583-6100 ext 244.

A New Chapter for the David Posnack Hebrew Day School

In a partnership with the University of Miami R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program, the Hebrew Academy Fana Holtz High School Advanced Place-ment Environmental Science and Honors Marine Biology students will be participating in a series of educational “shark trips” the fi rst of which will oc-cur on Sunday, November 14, 2010. With the threat of over fi shing, bycatch, fi nning and habitat degra-dation, the shark population is seriously decreasing worldwide. South Florida enjoys a large population of several species of shark, is a wonderful nursery for young sharks, and is a part of the natural migration routes of this creature thereby creating the perfect setting for student research of shark ecology and bi-ology. Through this hands-on U.M. program Hebrew Academy students will have the opportunity to learn about and experience ecotoxicology, human impacts on sharks, predator and prey interactions, and par-ticipate in a shark-tagging experience. Activities dur-ing the trip will include: the humane catching and tagging of sharks with various tags, including satel-lite tags for tracking their shark’s activities; measure-ment of shark anatomical features; taking biopsies and tissue samples; administering behavioral tests; and, of course, releasing the animals back into their

own habitat in good condition. Data downloaded from the satellite tags will be utilized to: follow the sharks on-line and better understand shark response to the recent oil spill; foster an understanding of shark movements, patterns and impacts on their populations; and provide improved management and policy.

Hebrew Academy students will depart the He-brew Academy campus on Sunday, November 14, at 6:00 a.m., and will arrive to Florida Sea Base, located at 73800 Overseas Highway in Lower Matecumbe Key, Islamorada at 8:00 a.m., for boat boarding and departure. The students are expected to return on the boats at 5:00 pm and return to the Hebrew Acad-emy by 7:00 pm.

The Hebrew Academy’s mission is to inspire and equip students to achieve their greatest potential aca-demically and spiritually by focusing on their indi-vidual attributes and instilling eternal Torah values in a changing world. The recent addition of Marine Biology coursework at the Hebrew Academy is a prime example of the school’s mission appropriate education and student life. Through hands-on op-portunities such as the upcoming “shark trips” He-brew Academy students are provided with meaning-

ful and experiential learning opportunities that will be recalled and cherished for a lifetime.

For more information about this trip please con-tact Dr. Ted Nusbaum, Science Department Chair, at the Hebrew Academy at (305) 532-6421 ext. 223 or at [email protected]. You can learn more about The Hebrew Academy at www.rasg.org and The Uni-versity of Miami R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation program at: http://www.rjd.miami.edu/learning-tools/.

Hebrew Academy High School students to participate in Shark Tagging Trip with University of Miami


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COMMUNITYHAPPENINGS

The season is in full swing with many returning to the warmth of Aventura for the variety of programs at Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center. Under the leadership of Chairman of the Board William Landa, President Laurence Herrup, Rabbi Jonathan Berkun, Cantor David Muchnick, and Executive Vice President, Dr. Amir Baron, ATJC has planned many engag-ing events this winter and spring.

Shabbat [Saturday] morning services are always “open hous-es” and everyone is welcome to worship, hear distinguished speakers and learn about membership opportunities for families of all types. This season will featuring the following speakers from the “Distinguished Speakers Series:” David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, on January 15th; Joey Freeman, Senator in the Associated Students of the University of California, Berkeley and involved with AIPAC, on February 19th; and Rabbi Marc Wolf, Vice Chancellor and Chief Development Offi cer of The Jewish Theological Seminary, on February 26th. The Chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary and one of the world’s fore-most experts on American Judaism, Dr. Arnold Eisen, will appear on Monday, January 31st at 7:15pm. On February 27th at 10:30am, Israel’s Ambassador Yehuda Avner will appear in conjunction with Israel Bonds, for a book signing and lecture on his recent publication, The Prime Ministers An Intimate Narrative of

Israeli Leadership.

Dr. Amir Baron, ATJC’s Executive Vice President, remarked, “We are for-tunate to have been able to bring such important speakers into our syna-gogue for the past twenty years. Their messages are consistently electrifying

and express how their organiza-tions are sup-porting Israel. We take great pride in helping to educate our community on current affairs and deliver to them the most

thought-provoking and insightful Jewish theologians.”

Rabbi Jonathan Berkun will per-sonally lead a “Lunch and Learn” Torah study session following Shabbat services on February 5, 2011. This is free of charge and opened to ATJC members who RSVP by February 1.

ATJC also hosts lively, musical “Friday Night Live” services weekly. The spiritual and engaging service begins at 6:30pm with Rabbi Jonathan Berkun on guitar and Cantor David Muchnick on keyboard, who togeth-er with the congregation, create a warm and energetic Shabbat atmo-sphere. Services are followed by a light Shabbat dinner.

Friday Night Live services and Shabbat services, 9:00am – 12:00pm, are free and open to the commu-nity. For information regarding the event schedule or membership, con-tact ATJC at 305-937-1880 or www.atjc.org.

Seasonal Programs & Distingushed Speakers at Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center

groOrganic team members and Ben Gamla Charter School parents, teachers and students took part in a ground breaking ceremony of the school’s new organic garden project on Tuesday November 16, 2010. The project involved installing a raised planter, adding fresh organic soil, planting and seeding of organic herbs and vegetables. The installation of the garden is a collaborative effort between Ben Gamla School PTA and groOrganic to provide the opportunity and empower children to develop lifelong habits of nutrition, health and service. Producing their own organic garden promotes confi dence and positive role models for healthier lifestyles and sustainability within the community.

The goals of this project are to provide the school children a hands-on organic

Ben Gamla Miami Beach PTA andgroOrganic sows the seeds of learning.

Left to right: Lyon Roth, Professor Alan Dershowitz (previous ATJC Distingushed Speaker), Robyn Kane, Dr. Amir Baron,

ATJC Executive Vice President

vegetable gardening program dedicated to promoting balanced, healthy lifestyles ac-complishing cross curricular educational content standards.

The mission of the Ben Gamla Charter School is to deliver a fi rst-class academic program that offers a unique bilingual, bi-literate, and bi-cultural curriculum, which prepares students to have an edge in global competition through the study of He-brew as a second language. Graduates will leave the charter school with a sense of purpose, a belief in their own effi cacy, a commitment to the common good, and a zest for learning.

groOrganic is a family of companies committed to cultivating healthy lifestyles in every community they serve with our passionate and dedicated team of Certifi ed groOrganic Gardeners who offer their personal pledge of excellence. groOrganic in-stalls and maintains organic gardens in schools, homes, and senior health care facili-ties. They believe there IS an economical, healthy way to eat organically and can provide that with the sense of self suffi ciency.

The project is being donated by groOrganic, Ben Gamla Charter School PTA, and Black Cow. If you wish to donate to the Ben Gamla Charter School PTA Gardening Committee so they can continue to grow their garden contact Amanda Meyers, PTA Treasurer, at 786.295.6454.

If you’d like more information about this topic, or a sample copy, please contact Patricia Pardo at 305.731.2254 or email Patricia at [email protected].

groOrganic installs and maintains organic fruit and vegetable gardens in any out-door space. The company’s mission is to enhance people’s lives through ‘gro-ing’ green, fresh, and responsibly.

Hillel Day School Students KAR2E

Hillel Day School of Boca Raton has implemented its newest program to promote positive values and behaviors in all aspects of student life. The lat-est refi nement to the existing KAR2E Program (Kindness Always, Respect and Responsibility Everywhere), which instills values of midot through a series of ongoing programs and curriculum, are KAR2E Circles for middle school students, who spend 25 minutes each week participating in small student/teacher groups that offer a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere for the dis-cussion of ethical issues and moral dilemmas. Topics of discussion include social inclusion, chesed/volunteerism, honesty, respect for parents, and peer pressure. Most importantly, these dis-cussions are largely driven by the stu-dents themselves.

According to Rabbi Mordechai Smolarcik, KAR2E Program Coordinator, “having students initiate a discussion and a value that is relevant to them and allowing them to discuss

the topic among themselves in a non-judgmental atmosphere allows for a deeper and longer-lasting level of moral and ethi-cal education.” He continued to explain that, “stu-dents really seem to enjoy the KAR2E

Circle discussion groups and the teach-ers involved also give new insights into the issues that their students struggle with in their everyday lives.”

Future KAR2E Circle topics will include How to Choose a Career and Dealing with Stress in Our Lives.

Photo captions: Hillel Day School KAR2E Circle discussion groups led by Rabbi Gur Berman and Morah Hadassah Smolarcik.

Hillel Day School of Boca Raton is modern Orthodox Jewish Day School whose mission calls for an ongoing commitment to provide each student with a synthesis of Jewish and general studies, without compromise in either area. Hillel seeks to develop students, who have a deep-seated love of Torah, who are knowledgeable in academic areas, who are sensitive to moral and ethical concerns, and who are commit-ted to American democratic principles as well as Zionist ideals.

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The Shema Yisrael team has now seen fi t to take

on the role of reaching out to Jewish Business own-

ers worldwide who need guidance and are seeking to

Network with others. Shema will help in providing

Mentors to assist them in many aspects of the struc-

ture of their business. We are currently building a

worldwide data base of Networking with others in

all fi elds of business.. WE SHARE A COMMITMENT

TO THE FUTURE AND ARE DETERMINED TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE through the use of our in-

credible network of students to help assist our breth-

ren worldwide through the greatest economic crisis

since the Great Depression. We have been inspired by

the work of ORTJET based in Johannesburg, South

Africa. They have offered assistance based on their

many years of success in order that we may build a

working model in the U.S. Our project will be called

Shema Ort Jet USA. Our goal is simply to put people

on the path to economic independence.

Shema Ort Jet USA will seek the cooperation of

leaders in business, C.E.O.’s, government and in-

dustry. Shema through its educational programs,

throughout the world, have given its students the

best possible preparation for their future. This prep-

aration includes most importantly a TORAH educa-

tion to help them become citizens who will make

a positive contribution to their society, through the

understanding, appreciation and application of TO-

RAH LAW.

Our aim is to provide education and training op-

portunities that will enable people to compete in the

highly volatile business market which will lead them

to independent lives as contributing members of the

communities in which they live. In these times we

must fulfi ll the mission by offering access to those

mentors who can provide information and guidance

that are focused and relevant in addition to deliv-

ering scientifi c and technological applications that

keep abreast of the latest materials and methods in

an ever increasing competitive society.

With its exemplary professional staff and with

many years of structure in place we have the utmost

confi dent that SHEMA ORTJET USA is truly fi t for

taking on such a challenge. The raison d’etre of our

organization is to deliver high quality education and

training services to the tens of thousands of students

who depend on us through our Shulchan Aruch

Learning Project. We are single minded in pursuit

of this goal; we do not underestimate the severity of

the challenges that lie ahead but we are determined

not to be defl ected by them. Shema Ortjet USA will

now go to the next level in faithfully serving its com-

munities, this time by helping them to achieve and

to prosper providing Mentors to our Jewish Brethren

who are in such desperate need of our help and have

no where to turn.

As the world attempts to come to terms with

what has been described as the most serious eco-

nomic crisis in modern history, Shema’s mission and

its programs become ever more relevant. As indi-

viduals, the world over, suddenly fi nd themselves

unemployed - and sometimes unemployable - many

will turn to the Shema Network solutions that can

give them new approaches for a new beginning and

a fresh opportunity to make a valuable contributions

to society. That is precisely why Shema has decided

to take this challenge and offer up its network of stu-

dents who can now act as Mentors and Rabbincial

Leaders offering both spiritual and material guid-

ance.

It is by constantly and rapidly adapting to change

that SHEMA ORTJET USA will equip the Jewish

Business owner with skills and knowledge that are

relevant to the economy of the time. As a result of

our intervention, we seek to brighten futures for tens

of thousands of Americans who will now have ac-

cess to volunteer Mentors who are generally highly

trained teachers and are highly motivated by their

past experience and success.

Trying to stay one step ahead in times of rapid

change is a huge challenge, but it is one that we

embrace willingly. We also recognize that to main-

tain their place as responsible members of society,

our Business Owners need access to those who have

many years of technical skills in their area of busi-

ness. They also need the ethical and moral compass

that will guide them to make principled choices in

their lives. Without having proper Emuna and Bita-

chon grounded in solid Torah knowledge especially

in the area of Halacha how can one truly hope to suc-

ceed. There are now thousands of devoted contribu-

tors and participants throughout the world whose

blend of youthful energy (regardless of age) and en-

thusiasm combined with experience of many years

can change the lives of thousands of by now devoting

their precious time and knowhow.

One of our members, Commonwealth Resource

Partners has immediately stepped forward and vol-

unteered their team of members in addition to mak-

ing a contribution to help kick this effort off. We will

need much help in making this a success but as we

have seen in the Shema Network the resources al-

ways come in the right time. For those who would

like to become mentors please write to pirchei@sh-

emayisrael.com.Otherwise you may locally contact

Mr. Keith Wasserstom at 954-648-5253

Sustaining and Growing Jewish Business Worldwide

“Yachad,” the fl agship program of the Ortho-dox Union’s National Jewish Council for Disabili-ties (NJCD), provides unique social, educational and recreational programs for individuals with learning, developmental and physical disabilities.

Yachad is a national organization with chap-ters throughout the United States and Canada. Here is South Florida Yachad offers inclusive programming to children and adults with special needs. All events, Shabbatons, dinner and learn-ing programs are all done together with main-stream students.

The Yachad members smiling faces tell it all, how much they love being treated like everyone else and participating like everyone else. Yachad had a Melave Malka Saturday night, the 8th in North Miami Beach, where there was singing, eating, making posters, playing basketball, mak-ing new friends and having fun by all who was there. Yachad has 2 events a month in different locations.

For more information, please contact Tzippi Rosen – 561-365-1416 or Esther Anton – 305-761-0608


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Several years ago, it came to my attention that there was something missing in Miami. While there were many Torah establishments that teach begin-ners, and there were several institutions of higher To-rah and halacha learning, there was nothing to help those who fell somewhere in between. Generally, the goal of a kiruv organization is to help someone de-velop a love and desire for Torah and Mitzvos. Once that goal is reached, the next step is to begin to teach halacha, hashkafah, and the Jewish way of life. In the most famous kiruv organizations, such as Aish HaTorah, Ohr Sameach, and Machon Shlomo, there is much success in attaining these goals. However, for someone who lives in Miami, there is no access to any institution of this kind. It is not easy for a col-lege age student in middle of a degree, or someone with a family and a job to fi nd the means to pick up and move to New York or Eretz Yisrael in order to gain access to these Yeshivos. We needed a way for people to learn about Mitzvos and Jewish spiritual pursuits here in Miami.

That was how Project Gesher was born. Project Gesher is here to bridge the gap for

those who have learned enough with a Rabbi or in a beginners class to develop a strong desire to learn more. It is for those who cannot stay in the same shiur, learning the same basic concepts that they

have already learned over and over. It is for those who are ready for the next step. Project Gesher teaches people who want to learn more, how to learn more.

I have had a participant in this program who said that he had been frum for fi fteen years, but he had never learned how to daven. Another told me, “My fi fth grade son comes home from school with Torah homework, and I can’t help him.” Proj-ect Gesher is here for these people. It is our respon-sibility as frum Jews to help those who are reaching

out. This is real kiruv krovim, or helping those who already coming close.

The program takes place Monday through Friday, from 9:15-11:30 in the Beis Medrash of Talmudic University (Yeshiva V’Kollel Beis Moshe Chaim). It consists of three sections. The main part consists of learning how to delve into and truly un-derstand a page of Gemarah. The goal here is for each student to eventually feel comfortable picking up a Gemarah to learn something himself. Then some time is spent on learning halachos from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, to teach basic, every day halachos that every Jew needs to know. The fi nal part of the program is devoted to learning about the meaning of Tefi llos, so that every student can feel and appreciate the beauty of time spent speaking with their Creator.

There are other classes available as well. There is an evening class held every Thursday night, from 8:00-9:15. Other programs are in the works for future classes, such as an explanatory Pesach seder prior to Pesach, and other shiurim on Halachah, Hashkafah, and Chumash. Classes are open to any male over the age of 18, at no cost.

It is our hope and our prayer that Project Gesher will indeed close the gap between those who want to learn, and those who are able to learn.

The Bridge in Our Community Edited by Yocheved Orlofsky

Daniel Behar JCLE alumni at our fi rst Siyum Maakos

South Florida is a destination for all kinds of Jews. Each year, the community expands, welcom-ing people who bring with them a variety of interesting life expe-riences and professions. We re-cently caught up with Rabbi Avi Billet, a mohel, who moved to Hollywood from New York two years ago.

SFJH. For how long have you

been a mohel? RAB: 13 years. SFJH: What inspired you to

become a mohel? RAB: I grew up in a home where

Judaism was an essential fabric of everything we did. I wanted to

become a well-rounded Jew, and the Talmud (hullin 9a) teaches a list of six suggested activities that help one achieve this status: “how to write (some say this means ‘to be a scribe’ while others defi ne it as ‘to be literate’), how to ritually slaughter (to make kosher animals fi t for consumption: inaccurate slaughtering renders even ko-sher animals such as cows, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks to be un-kosher), and how to circumcise... Even how to tie the knot of the te-fi llin, how to recite the blessing of the groom (to conduct a wedding), and how to tie tzitzit.” I can do all of them except ritually slaughter. Still too squeamish to take a life - though I have no problem eating meat or chicken!

SFJH: Where did you train and what was it like?

RAB: I trained in Jerusalem un-

der the tutelage of Rabbi Morde-chai Sasson, a Sefardic mohel who is the government supervisor of mohels in Israel. It was an amaz-ing experience - aside from learn-ing from an “Expert Mohel,” I had the privilege of seeing some of the greatest rabbis serve as sandak at many brisses. Rav Kadury z”l, Rav Ovadiah Yosef, Rav Mordechai Eli-yahu z”l, Rav Bakshi Doron. The images of these amazing scholars and leaders remain in my mind to this day. topics.

conituned on next page

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118

SFJH: The term “mezizah b’peh” has

been thrown around the news in the past

year or two. What is it?

RAB: Have you heard of vozisneias.com? It’s a news website that caters to Or-thodox Jews. They were recently banned by a whole host of rabbis... The website picked up an article I wrote for a NY Jew-ish newspaper about sterility standards for mohels at brisses. It made a splash for 15 minutes. In simple terms, Metzitzah means suction, and b’peh means with the mouth. The Talmud says metzitzah is one of the stages of the bris, but it doesn’t say what it means or how to do it. There is a tradition that metzitzah is the drawing of blood from the wound using the power of the mouth. But there’s a debate as to whether it is meant to promote healing or if it is ceremonial. All the advances we enjoy in science and medicine are little over 100 years old, which is why even this needs to be looked at in a new light. In simple terms, those who do metzitzah today either put their mouths directly on the wound or apply a sterile tube to the wound and draw out the blood through suction. Both methods are sanctioned by prominent rabbis (though many more prohibit the tubeless method than those

that prohibit the tube method). I just feel that, for the baby’s sake, if someone wants the “direct contact” method for his son, he - the father - should do it himself instead of asking the mohel to do it.

SFJH: Are there resources you rec-

ommend for people who want to learn

more about bris milah?

RAB:The Jewish Life Information

Center (Eng.itim.org.il) is a great re-source for all Jewish life cycle events. I also maintain a fully searchable blog that covers many topics related to bris - mo-helinsouthfl orida.com. It’s an informative resource which addresses all kinds of in-teresting topics.

SFJH: . What do you love about liv-

ing in Florida?

RAB: Other than that my kids, thank

God, don’t really get sick here? Everyone always talks about the weather and the lifestyle. But I’m a non-conformist. I love that when a bris is 30 miles away, I can get there in 30 minutes. In New York, a trip like that would take an hour and a half.

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Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico to speak and present awards at the Hebrew Academy Fana Holtz High School

On Tuesday, January 11, 2011, at 9:00 a.m., the Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico, Mr. Ofer Bavly,

will be speak and present awards of merit for excellence in Hebrew Language to students at The Hebrew Academy Fana Holtz High School, located at 2425 Pine Tree Drive, in Miami Beach.

Born in Geneva, Switzerland to Israeli dip-lomats, Mr. Ofer Bavly holds a Bachelor of

Arts Degree in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Mr. Bavly holds the rank of Captain in the Israel Defense Forces, joined the Foreign Ministry in 1991 and has served in Israel’s Embassies in Madrid and Rome. In 2005, Mr. Bavly was appointed Policy Advisor to the Foreign Minister of Israel.

Additionally in 2006, he was appointed Counselor in the Foreign Ministry’s North

America Division.

Mr. Bavly was appointed Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico in August of 2007. Fluent in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and speaks basic German as well. His vast knowledge of foreign language makes him an ideal spokesperson for inspiring a passion for learning language.

An aphorism is a brief state-ment of a truth or principle. One of the aphorisms of the life insurance industry is that people average seven life insurance pur-

chases in their lifetime. Wow!

The details of these seven life insurance pur-chases are a little fuzzy, depending on the param-eters of the studies that generated this conclusion. (Does it include buying policies on one’s children? If you have four kids, and you get the policies at the same time, is that four purchases or one?) Still, it’s easy to see that for most people, their fi rst life insurance purchase will not be their last, because things will change, and as they do, the perception of the value of life insurance will change as well.

An initial purchase might be Term, simply because it’s the only affordable choice. Later, some of the coverage might be converted to Whole Life. With children and a mortgage, the amount might be increased. Maybe another policy is purchased to supplement college funding or retirement. And fi nally, some coverage could be added or confi g-ured expressly for estate purposes.

But unlike many other fi nancial planning vehi-cles, life insurance products (and personal dis-ability insurance products as well) have a unique prerequisite for purchase: You must demonstrate to the insurance company that you are healthy enough to be considered a suitable risk. Even if

you have life insurance today, your ability to procure more of it in the future will be conditional upon the status of your health.

Since future insurability is always a risk, there are steps you can take to minimize or mitigate that risk.

Buy as much coverage as you can, even if you don’t need all of it right away. Assessing your situ-ation, you may feel that $500,000 of life insurance is adequate current protection, even though the life insurance company, based on your age and annual income, would be willing to insure you for $1,500,000. And you may want to buy Whole Life insurance, which has higher initial premiums than Term insurance, so you might not be able to afford the premium for the full amount. But even if the additional coverage has to be in the form of Term insurance, you may want to take it.

Many Term policies have provisions for conver-sion to permanent (cash value) insurance without requiring further proof of insurability. Buying as much coverage as you can right now gives you the option to permanently secure the coverage through conversion, continue paying a lower cur-rent price for the privilege of converting it later, or dropping the coverage if the reason for keeping it no longer exists.

Secure guaranteed increase options. Many life insurance policies allow the policyholder to add guarantee increase options to their contract. These options allow the policyholder to increase the amount of life insurance coverage at a later date – without having to prove insurability.

These options may be offered at regular intervals (once every two or three years, for example) or triggered by specifi c events (the birth of a child). The amount of the increase may be fi xed by the terms of the contract or tied to a cost-of-living index. Depending on the specifi cs of the increase option, the right to exercise the option may expire if not activated.

Many juvenile policies, i.e., those issued to children, have guaranteed increase options as standard features, while others are subject to

the review of the insurance company at the time the fi rst policy is initiated. In other words, you will be required to prove your future insurability in order to secure the privilege. For some policies, the guaranteed increase option requires an extra premium, while others may include the feature as part of the “standard” premium.

Select the paid-up additions option on cash value (Whole Life) policies. The paid-up additions (PUA) dividend option designates how dividends should be applied to a cash value life insurance policy. The dividend is used to purchase small amounts of paid-up life insurance that are added to the base policy. Given the expectation that the insurance company will be profi table, and that dividends will be paid to policyholders, this is a sure way to add coverage (albeit in small incre-ments) over time. Some contracts also allow the policyholder to buy PUAs through the deposit of “extra” premiums over and above the amount that would have been added by annual dividends.

Even if you don’t think you will buy life insur-ance seven times during your life, it’s likely that you will want to reconfi gure your life insurance program to respond to changes in your life. Having these insurability options available gives you a better chance of being able to make the changes you want.

Jeffrey (Yitz) Stern is a fi nancial advisor and is the managing partner of National Planning Corporation in Hollywood, Florida. For a review of your fi nancial plan and for career opportunities you can reach Yitz at 954-862-5440.

BUYING INSURABILITYKEEPING YOUR OPTIONS OPEN

By Jeffrey (Yitz) Stern


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122 LIFESTYLES

On Dec. 17, President Obama, with congressional Republicans and Democrats looking on, signed into law the most

signifi cant tax legislation in nearly a decade. The Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010 delivers tremendous, sweeping changes to the federal gift and estate tax laws. Unfortunately, this legislation is only a two-year “band-aid.” We could fi nd our government embroiled in the gift and estate tax debate until 2013 – much like what occurred this year with the sun-setting of Bush-era tax cuts.

You should know that The Middle Class Tax Relief Act:

• Establishes for 2011 and 2012 a 35 percent maximum tax rate for inheritances beyond $5 mil-lion. It could have reverted to 55 percent had Con-gress failed to act under terms established in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. The new law also establishes a gener-ous $5 million generational skipping tax. Failure to act could have set the exemption at $1 million in 2011 with a taxable rate of 55 percent.

• Introduces the concept of “portability” of

spouse’s exemption. This means that if a spouse dies without using his/her estate tax exemption, the survivor spouse can pass along that exemp-tion as well. In other words, an individual could inherit up to $10 million before the 35 percent inheritance tax kicks in on the value above that threshold. There may still be some tax advantages to using a trust to protect your heirs; all of these decisions will require careful analysis.

Finally, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act pro-vides an unlimited ability to “step-up” cost basis in inherited property to the value at the time of the decedent’s date of death.

In conclusion, it appears that the federal gov-ernment has temporarily averted a potential gift and estate tax crisis by passing a law that provides for very generous exemptions and unprecedented opportunities for multi-generational estate plan-ning.

On the negative side, this law is only a tem-porary repair, as we have no guidance as to the future of gift and estate taxes for 2013 and beyond. Accordingly, there is a limited window of oppor-tunity to take advantage of the estate planning op-tions which the new law provides.

At the Law Offi ce of Ido Stern, we take pride in the quality of our service. We give you, the cli-ent, the attention and time to feel confi dent that you are protected – and secure. For me, it’s not

just about writing a trust, but keeping your trust. Please visit me for a free consultation on these type matters and others.

by Ido Stern

Whom Can You Trust With Your Trust?

Congress Doles Out Generous Changes In Estate And Gift Taxes – But Only Until 2013

Attorney Ido Stern is in The Fountains at Camino business center at Camino Real and Powerline Road in Boca Raton.

His practice, www.isternlaw.com, (561) 961-5462, is focused on wills and trusts, estate planning, probate litigation, trust administration, guardianship and special needs planning.


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JERUSALEM—Israel’s smash hit “Tuesday

Night Live in Jerusalem,” the fi rst ever Jerusa-

lem-based English television show to broadcast

internationally, is taking their show across the USA.

The tour: “Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem across

America”. The next stop will be on January 18, 2011

at the Parker Playhouse in Ft Lauderdale, Florida

Hosted by internationally recognized TV and

radio personalities Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy

Gimpel, “Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem” sends a

universal message of inspiration, truth, and unwav-

ering dedication to the future of Israel. In Jerusa-

lem, the show regularly sells out to an audience that

includes multiple faiths, nationalities, and religious

backgrounds.

The fi rst show in the US sold out to a crowd of

over 1,200 people in downtown Houston, Texas,

and Ari and Jeremy are confi dent they’ll make an

even bigger mark in Florida. “We really want to

mobilize the larger pro-Israel community in Florida

and show the world that every State in America has

a powerful base of people who stand with Israel”,

says Gimpel.

The duo, commander and soldier in the IDF

reserves, started the English language variety show

to show the world the Israel they feel is never por-

trayed on TV. “While the confl ict has long been

at the center of the media’s attention, the concept

of the show is to shift the focus for the world to

see the beauty of the people and our heritage and

take pride in everything Israel has to offer,” added

host Ari Abramowitz. TNL is a platform for spiri-

tual leaders, notable politicians, educators, activists,

entertainers, and everyday people on the streets of

Jerusalem to share Israel through their perspective.

The show also offers an authentic experience of

Israel by introducing an Israeli Musical band at ev-

ery event. Gimpel says, “It’s not enough to know

the facts. We want people to experience the soul

of Israel and the energy of Jerusalem. We think the

best way to plug people into the vibrations of Israel

is to bring them live Jewish music from the land”.

“We want to highlight Israel’s unparalleled con-

tribution to the world”, said host Jeremy Gimpel.

“By bringing a taste of Israel to places throughout

America, we are sharing a celebration of Israel with

the people that support us, and showing the world

we stand together.” With over 57 episodes in just

three seasons, TNL has become a household name in

Jerusalem and is becoming a cultural phenomenon

throughout world.

TNL is broadcast on JLTV http://www.jew-

ishlifetv.com/profile.php?user=TuesdayNightLive

In Broward-Dade it can be found on channel 239

(Comcast), channel 167 (Atlantic Broadband) in

Tampa 172, and nationally via Direct TV on channel

366, and on www.thelandofi srael.com

ISRAEL’S #1 HIT TV SHOW “TUESDAY NIGHT LIVE”S MULTI-CITY US TOUR COMES TO FLORIDA

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124 When the Second Lebanon War broke out

in July, 2006, Dr. Yehuda David was in Greece on vacation with his wife and

three children. As soon as he heard the news, the 57-year-old senior orthopedic micro-surgeon at Tel Hashomer Hospital got on the fi rst fl ight back to Israel. By the time he arrived, the IDF paratroopers unit for which he had volunteered as a reservist medic each year since 1995 was already deep inside enemy lines. Maj. (Res.) Dr. David was reassigned to a new unit, the Nachal Brigade Granite Battalion 932, which ended up in Lebanon for most of the 34-day war, fi ghting in some of the war’s most intense battles – at Mis el Jabel, Kantara, and Randoria.

“It was very diffi cult,” says David, who fi rst joined the IDF in 1983 after making aliyah from

Paris, France in 1981. He fought in Lebanon in 1993, in Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, and 1979-81 for Israel as a soldier in the French army as part of their aid to developing countries. “But no battle,” he said, “was as tough as the Second Lebanon War.”

“It was a victory of each foot, each meter of each soldier, step by step, room by room, kilometer by kilometer of raging battle,” says David, explaining that the Hezbollah fi ghters were hidden in tunnels, while the IDF soldiers, in plain view, were charged with fi nding them. “It was very diffi cult to conquer each and every village. After six years of Intifada, the soldiers weren’t used to this type of battle.”

For David himself it was particularly challenging since he was on the front lines, performing operations in the battlefi eld side-by-side with the Nachal fi ghters. “I had to run with my soldiers, at the same pace with all my medical equipment. I am nothing without it. It’s my hospital. It was very, very diffi cult.”

The toughest point was the battle at Randoria, near the end of the war. When Battalion 932 arrived to the village, they were disheartened to see what had happened to the unit before them. They had been ambushed and the streets were scattered with

dead and badly wounded. Their medic was severely wounded and unable to help the others.

As the Hezbollah bombs and bullets fell around them, Battalion 932 Commander Ran Kahane gave the order to the soldiers to drop their equipment, each pack of supplies weighing 40-50 kilos, to allow the soldiers to run and take the village from the opposite entrance, a few mountainous and sandy kilometers away.

In the end, the maneuver was a success and they wiped out all the Hezbollah fi ghters, room by room, in a battle that lasted more than eight hours. As the battle raged, Dr. David went in to help the fallen soldiers from the ambushed unit. He and his young colleague, a fi rst-time battlefi eld medic, treated and evacuated 120 wounded.

None of the soldiers from Battalion 932 were

injured in the battle. “We felt God’s protection hovering over us,” says David. “Thank God no one was hurt.”

More Miracles

For David, this was the fi rst of several miracles. After the battle ended, the soldiers, exhausted, found

themselves without supplies. Most of the food, water, technical equipment, and ammunition that they had left at the entrance to the village had been destroyed by heavy shelling. The most urgent need was water.

David spotted two jerry cans of water between two houses. The question was to drink or not to drink? David had heard from a colleague of his who served in the Yom Kippur War of an Arab battle technique to leave out water poisoned with cyanide. The substance, which smells of bitter almonds, is extremely dangerous even to inhale. David poured a bit of the water into a cup, and while he debated whether or not to drink it, a small dog came out of nowhere, lapped up the water that had fallen to the ground and walked away, unharmed. “That water,” David says, “gave us a lease on life for another fi ve

days, until we were able to receive supplies.”David recalls a third incident. In the midst of

battle, to rehydrate and keep up their blood sugar levels, David entered a nearby pomegranate orchard several times to pick the fruit and throw it to the soldiers. As it turns out, the orchard was full of Hezbollah terrorists. “I went in some 20 or 30 times, and I still can’t fi gure out how I didn’t see them and they didn’t see me,” he says. Eventually,

the terrorists made their presence known and they were wiped out by David’s unit.

David also saw what he calls medical miracles on the battlefi eld. He shares the story of one Nachal soldier named Moshe, who was severely injured by a bomb. He suffered from several fractures and lacerations, including two to major arteries in his neck and right knee. David, who was 10 meters behind him when the bomb went off, resuscitated him and evacuated him to the nearest hospital. By the time he arrived on the operating table, he was almost without blood.

“Three months ago, he invited me to his wedding,” says David. “Everything we did in the battlefi eld saved his life.”

Beyond the Call of Duty

In 2007, David received two honors, a ‘tsallash’ Head of Regional

Maj. (Res.) Dr. Yehuda David is on a lifetime mission to

defend Israel and its soldiers.

Yehuda David in his army days

by Jenny Hazan

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JAN. 13, 201125Command (Aluf) Citation from the

OC Central Command, and the ‘messuah lighting’ (lighting of the torches) during the state’s offi cial Independence Day celebration for his actions in the Second Lebanon War. “These are great honors, and I hope it’s not the end, because if there are battles in the future, I’m sure I’ll ask for the honor of participating in them,” says David.

It’s not for the honor that he has continued to volunteer for the last 15 years since he completed his IDF reserve duty obligations, some years dedicating as much as 90 days to IDF service.

He does it for many reasons, but fi rst and foremost he does it because his presence, as a surgeon with more than 20 years of experience, gives the young soldiers with whom he serves a great sense of security.

“I have a lot of experience and for the young soldiers who are fi ghting it’s very reassuring to know that they have a good surgeon with them. They know that in case they get injured, they are immediately in very good hands,” says David, whose son will enter the IDF as a paratroop commander next month. “These kids are giving everything. They are giving their lives. They must have maximum support from the medical corps.”

David’s presence gives parents peace of mind, as well. “I am always thinking about the mothers and fathers,” he says. “If it is possible for me to bring their sons back to them alive and in good health, then I think this is my mission.”

There are other reasons for his dedication to the IDF. As an immigrant to Israel from France, he has a unique perspective on the importance of Israel and its defense. “The next battle with Lebanon will be different. Hezbollah has a lot of striking force today. They can throw missiles into Tel Aviv,” he says. “But with God’s help, we will win. We must win. There is no other choice.”

The Media War

David is also fi ght-ing for Israel off the battlefi eld. On February 8, 2011, he will appear at an international tribunal in Paris as a key witness in a case against French public television station France 2 over their coverage of the Jamal Al

Dura story, a Palestinian who accused the IDF of killing his 12-year-old son Mohammad and shooting him in the arm, alleged events that helped provoke the Second Intifada in September, 2001.

When the France 2 reporter published the photos of Al Dura’s injuries in 2005, David immediately recognized the scars, as they resulted from a rare surgery he had performed on Jamal Al Dura in 1994 to bring feeling back to his paralyzed hand after he was severely wounded in 1992 by an axe-wielding Palestinian thug.

He had been treated unsuccessfully at Gaza’s Shifa

Hospital and was sent to David’s department at Tel Hashomer. The procedure, which was successful, involved removing tendons from Al Dura’s left leg and inserting them into the injured right hand.

“The press images were from a medical fi le that I wrote,” says David. “His wounds are not bullet wounds, but were produced by two things – fi rst, the knife of the Palestinian who cut him, and second, my knife that fi xed his hand. He faked the case.”

As for the alleged murder of Al Dura’s son, who has become an icon of Palestinian martyrdom, David says that German documentary producer Esther Shapira has found compelling photographic evidence that he is still alive and that the boy who was buried in his name was not him, but another boy who died of completely unrelated causes.

“IDF soldiers do not fi re on children. I am speaking as a soldier who was a number of times in these kinds of situations. Before the IDF shoots a suspected terrorist, they practically need the authorization of the Prime Minister, and they would never get authorization to fi re on a child. It’s impossible,” says David. “It is of tremendous importance to me to show the Arab world that it was a lie.”

David is working on yet another avenue to help bolster the strength of the State of Israel – the political arena. After the Second Lebanon War,

he decided to pursue an M.A. in Political Science at Tel Aviv University, with the intention of becoming active in Israel’s political life. “It is the real theater of action,” says David, who is aiming to get into the next Knesset. “I think I have what to contribute, and my French culture, my Israeli culture, and my experience could be a pull for many young immigrants. My life shows that there is hope in Israel and you can succeed to get to the top even if you are beginning from zero, as I began.”

In the end, it’s all about defending and protecting Israel and securing the Jewish future. “Everything I do, everything I am, is in that service.”

This article has been reprinted with permission, from Aish.com.Dr. David in the Lebanon war with special unit to protect us during the treatment of wounded soldiers

Lighting the torch with Yossi Liberman, who also fought in Lebanon

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The tragedy in Arizona should make us all stop and think.We should think about how to get guns away from psychopaths who

shoot innocent victims in grocery stores and who rob and kill throughout the country. We should think about what we can do to identify these people and prevent their actions. We should think about implementing additional security measures that can be taken to protect people who are the most vulnerable. And, we should think about what we can do as a society to eliminate these sorts of tragedies from taking place in the future.

But what we shouldn’t do, and what is shameless and classless to do, is to immediately blame a particular political party for the actions of one lunatic who no one really knows anything about.

Maybe one of the fi rst lessons we can learn from this tragedy is how the media operates.

Within moments of the massacre, the media whipped themselves into a frenzy in an effort to ascribe a political philosophy to Jared Laughner as if he is a great sage that just came down from “the mountain.” The natural result of the media’s one-dimensional focus is that by the time people began processing what took place, they were already fed the uncorroborated story that a political slant-one way or another- was the decisive factor in the shooter’s motive. Had the media initially reported that Jared Laughner’s favorite book is Mein Kampf and that Congresswoman Gifford is a vocal Jewish member of Congress, then the whole focus of this saga could have been “Anti-Semitism in America.”

The point is, it is futile to try to fi gure out what was going on in this lunatic’s head and the media frenzy about motive is totally irrelevant to the real ques-tions that should be asked. But this incident can teach us a lesson about how the public is manipulated by the agenda-driven media.

Some of the allegedly brightest in the media, including Paul Krugman of The New York Times, have already written their tomes about how the Conser-vative movement has lead to this tragedy. (He concedes that he doesn’t know the shooter’s political philosophy, or even whether this uneducated psycho-path knows anything about politics, but goes on to suggest that he must be a Conservative.) Aside for being a baseless allegation, how hypocritical is that? By wagging a fi nger at a whole political philosophy —which a majority of the country subscribes to—is he not further contributing to the incendiary climate which he claims to abhor?

I am tempted to list the outrageous things that were said about President Bush and which continue to be said by the liberal media about anyone whom they deem to be a threat, including Sarah Palin’s young daughters. However, I won’t do so for the same reason that I don’t think the liberal media should do so. Now is not the time to pour salt in our national wound.

A Time to Refl ectBy: Naftali Halpern

WORLD NEWS

Refl ectBy: Naftali HalpernBy: Naftali H


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JAN. 13, 201127Most in the media are very quick to point out that the lunatic gunman was

anti-government, “much like the right wing Tea Partiers,” they add. First of all, contrary to what the liberal media wants you to believe, the Tea Partiers are not anarchists, and the media’s spin that the Tea Party is anti-govern-ment is just a cynical tactic to dilute their true philosophy and ideals.

Secondly, even if the media will be able to fi nd some common beliefs between the murderer and some on the political right, what relevance is that? Al-Qaeda is anti-water board-ing and Paul Krugman is anti-water boarding. Does that make Paul Krug-man part of Al-Qaeda?

It is pathetic to ascribe blame and is immature to politicize this heinous action.

We can refl ect on what happened and try to learn from it by asking ques-tions that don’t single out a specifi c group or political philosophy, but rather

apply to all of us.We can

ask: what ef-fect do violent video games, in which players score points for massacring as many people as possible have on our culture, espe-cially on mentally disturbed people who have access to real guns? Can watching TV and movies which de-pict killing as an everyday event erode a mentally

disturbed person’s ability to understand

that killing is wrong? What effect does it have on a mentally disturbed person when he hears the number one hip hop artist’s Grammy winning song which describes tying people up and burning their house down?

These are some of the questions that should be asked. What better time to ask them than now?

“It is pathetic to ascribe blame and

is immature to politicize this

heinous action.”

Congresswoman Giffords

For advertising opportunities please call

305-389-4990 or email to [email protected]

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(u:sh) “ung jek ung ,tu ucfr ,t rxthu” “He harnessed his chariot and he took his people with him” (14:6)

The Maharal, in the Gur Aryeh explains that

when the Torah uses the word “lakach” - “he took”

in reference to objects, it means physically tak-

ing. However, when using “lakach” in reference to

people, it refers to a verbal persuasion.

Therefore, says the Maharal, Rashi teaches that

Pharaoh used the following argument to persuade

his nation to pursue Bnei Yisroel: “How can we let

Bnei Yisroel go with all our money? Follow me into

battle, and we will plunder them and I will divide

the spoils with you.”

This is somewhat diffi cult to understand. If the

Egyptians were fi nancially motivated, would it not

have been a greater incentive to recapture the slaves

themselves, who were worth far more than the

wealth that they took with them? One might argue

that the ten plagues taught the Egyptians that they

were not able to enslave Bnei Yisroel. But if this is

true then how could they logically think that they

would be able to slaughter Bnei Yisroel and retrieve

their money?

A person can lose money in business in two

ways: Although he makes sound business deci-

sions, a person can suffer a loss due to unforeseen

circumstances which are beyond his control. The

other way is a direct result of poor business deci-

sions. If a person loses money through no fault of

his own it is easier for him to write it off and cut his

losses. On the other hand if he loses money because

he made a poor decision that is a direct refl ection

on his business acumen. In such a situation he

continues to “throw good money after bad” in an

attempt to salvage his bruised ego.

When the Jews asked the Egyptians for their

valuables, Rashi comments that not only did they

hand the valuables over willingly, they gave the

Jews double what they asked for. Pharaoh was a

very smart motivator. He realized that attempting

to persuade his people to recapture the slaves was

futile, for that loss was beyond their control and

they had already written that off. However, the

wealth that they gave willingly and even gener-

ously doubled was a loss that could be attributed to

foolishness. Therefore, Pharaoh appealed to their

egos, for in such circumstances, a person will act

irrationally.

The Torah is teaching us a very deep lesson that

applies in both our personal and business lives.

When an individual decides to act in a bold man-

ner he must be very careful to examine what his

motivation is. One must always consider, “Is this

the proper way to proceed in this situation or am I

recklessly trying to rectify a situation or a mistake

from the past?”

This thought was adapted from the weekly

Parsha publication “Insights” based upon Rab-

bi Zweig’s Torah and adapted by Rabbi Mor-

dechai Shifman. To receive the Insights Parsha

sheet please e-mail [email protected] or go

to WWW.Talmudicu.edu

Orthodox

Assimilation

Do you know and cel-

ebrate the date of your

Hebrew birthday? If you

are married, do you know

and celebrate the date of

your Hebrew anniversa-

ry? Tragically, many or most observant Jews

cannot answer yes to either of these questions.

Indeed, many can’t even name all of the months

of the Hebrew calendar. I am not suggesting that

this is the greatest challenge facing the Jewish

people. However, I submit to you that conced-

ing our time consciousness to the Gregorian cal-

endar and abandoning our own, is an expression

of how assimilation even effects the committed,

observant Jewish community.

As we spend these weeks reading the narra-

tive of the period of servitude and of exodus,

we are reminded that the Jewish people mer-

ited redemption because they never gave up

their identity. The midrash tells us that they

maintained Hebrew names, language (they only

spoke Hebrew among themselves), and distinc-

tive clothing. I submit to you that we would do

well to reinforce our distinct identities within a

foreign culture by promoting use of the Hebrew

calendar and staying mindful each day of the

Hebrew date.

This week’s parsha introduces us to the fi rst

mitzvah – ha’chodesh ha’zeh lachem, the gift of

controlling time. The Ramban understands that

the commandment is not simply to observe Rosh

Chodesh, but to count according to the Jewish

calendar. Indeed, the Chasam Sofer wrote

“Those who want to reform, and begin their let-

ters with the year of the birth of the Christian

messiah, are writing and signing away their

portion in the world to come!” According to

the Chasam Sofer, there is a prohibition against

using secular dates, concerning the days of the

week, the months of the year, and the year itself.

We follow the opinion that there is no prohi-

bition to use the secular date, but nevertheless,

there certainly is a great preference to date our

documents using the Jewish date. Rabbi Ovadia

Yosef summed it up well when he wrote, ““It is

therefore clear that there is no prohibition what-

soever in using the secular date. Nonetheless,

there remains a virtue of using the Jewish date,

and whenever there is no great need, the months

and years should be written according to the dat-

ing of Israel—and particularly in our holy land.

When there is a need to write the secular date,

it is good to also make mention of the count of

years from Creation.”

By Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Senior Rabbi,

Boca Raton Synagogue

Though it may not be popular to say, our English birthdays and anniversaries should not have signifi -cance for us. As Jews, it is the Hebrew calendar that best captures our most auspicious moments. Marking these events on a uniquely Jewish calendar will un-doubtedly strengthen the Jewish people and hopefully merit the redemption yet again.


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Simone Weisberg will never forget the fi rst time she laid eyes on the Western Wall.

“It was right before Shabbos when we were led to the Wall with our eyes closed. When we fi nally reached the wall we open them together and experienced it together for the fi rst time.” remembered Weisberg, 16, of her experience with NCSY’s Jerusalem Journey. “ It’s always been a dream of mine and once we fi nally got there it was even more powerful than I had expected”

After spending a summer touring Israel with her peers, the Miami resident feels a stronger connection to her homeland and her Jewish roots.

Weisberg is not alone. The Jewish Agency of Israel reports that close to 10,000 high school students participate in Israel programs annually. But while the decision to go may be an easy one, the process of selecting a program is not always so simple.

There are two primary ways of breaking down programs, by focus and by gender. NCSY offers a wide variety of tour-ing, education, and community service based programs.

Kollel (for boys) and Michlelet (for girls) are top in the industry for Torah learning coupled with a full schedule of great trips.

Students who want to spend their summer doing com-munity service can explore GIVE, Girls Israel Volunteer Experience, a 5 week Israel summer program where extraor-dinary high school girls are given the opportunity to experi-ence hands-on Judaism through the art of giving back.

Teens searching for coed European options have two choices. ICE (Israel and Central Europe) and JOLT. On ICE participants tour such incredible locations as Milan, Venice and the Alps. After an energizing trip through Italy, travel to Israel to see how European society has evolved into the cur-rent Israeli culture. JOLT, NCSY’s

Jewish Overseas Leadership Training program provides an experience like no other. JOLT is an intense leadership program designed for truly exceptional high school teens is directed by Rabbi Nahum Zak of Boca Raton.

TJJ-The Jerusalem Journey, NCSY & JSU have teamed up this summer to offer TJJ (The Jerusalem Journey), an incred-ible opportunity for public school teens to explore all of the exciting sites that Israel has to offer. During the four weeks of the program, you will travel from the Golan Heights to the shores of Eilat and everywhere in between.

Swim in the Kineret, visit archeological digs, participate on incredible hikes, experience a magical Shabbat in Tzfat, visit the Kotel (the Western Wall) and fl oat in the Dead Sea. You’ll see history come alive while learning about your Jewish heritage. TJJ is directed by Rabbi Josh Broide of Boca Raton.

TJJ Ambassadors, Ambassadors is the ultimate leadership training program for public school teens. This extraordinary journey will combine the very best of touring and fun with social action, political advocacy, and high level study.

Back on state side, Camp Sports (for boys) is ideal if you’re looking for competitive sports, exciting trips, and learning with acclaimed NCSY staff from around North America. Similarly SEG (Summer Experience for Girls), is ideal for a

teen looking for an action packed and meaningful summer.

Options for younger campers include Camp Nageela Midwest, which is situated on our 500+ breathtaking acres in rural Indiana and Machane Dror which is located in Israel.

Regardless of which program you choose one thing is for sure that these summer experiences presents your child the opportunity to mature and gain independence, to learn social skills, and explore a deeper connection with Judaism. Anecdotal and statistical evidence confi rm that children who attend Jewish summer camps are more likely than those who did not to join a synagogue or a JCC, support their local fed-erations and become leaders in the community, whether as rabbis, educators, professionals or lay leaders.

This data has given scientifi c credibility to that which those of us who work in Jewish summer camping know instinctively. The informal environment of Jewish cam has grown leaders in the Jewish and secular world of today.. If the goal remains the strengthening of Jewish identity among our up and coming generation, then the impact of informal, experiential approaches exhibited by Ramah and other camp-ing movements adhering to immersion and experimentation must continue to receive support, notice and credit.

The Jewish camping season goes by in a fl ash, so let’s not ignore the critical, positive power of it for our youth and the long-term vitality of our community.

Today, Jewish summer camps have enriched the Jewish world. Jewish camping has been judged one of the most important venues for a Jewish child to continue to be proud of their heritage.

How to Choose a Summer Program

Teenagers & Cellphones: A Life Threatening Addiction In this post 9/11 era, many parents

believe that the cellphone insures the safe-ty of their children, by keeping them just a speed dial button or text away. Focusing on the frightful image of a child’s car going off the road and no one there to save them, I believe that most parents are oblivious to the many dangers that the cellphone pres-ents to their children.

Texting & Speaking While Driving-Too many adults are guilty of this. We all understand why car rental companies don’t rent to people under 23 or 25. Teenagers are less cautious, less experi-enced and much less aware of their own mortality. Adding the ubiquitous texting and cellphone use to the mix is a recipe for disaster.

The bone chilling story of the 19 year old observant teenager who is facing 4 years in prison after killing a delivery man on a scooter while driving and texting makes real the statistic that one in 23 times more likely to get into an accident while texting or e-mailing.

Watch (and have your child watch) the extremely well done 10 minute youtube video “TXTNG & DRVNG: It Can Wait” by AT&T. After we showed it to our student body, we announced a voluntary cellphone free week. It is so moving that over half the students gave in their phones.

Can They Stop For 24 Hours? Adults

welcome the weekly 25 hour respite from electronic stimulate that Shabbos privides. They fi nd texting to be useful when they need an immediate answer, but would rather speak on the phone or answer an e-mail at their leisure in non-pressing circumstances. They look forward to a day to focus on family and the opportunity to refl ect on the past and coming weeks.

Young people are different. They would rather communicate in by text or e-mail without be bothered to speak to some-one. For them, Sabbath observance means going cold turkey on human interaction, which one could argue is the opposite of what G-d intended. The addiction to tex-ting is as dangerous to their spiritual well-being as it is to their physical well being.

They Can’t Concentrate on Anything Else- It’s hard to get the full attention of a teenager who is constantly checking his cell for the latest text or call. The three to four hour AP, ACT and SAT exams are not being rewritten for this generation, the length of whose attention span is dimin-ishing rapidly.

To Whom Are They Texting & Speaking?- When the phone rings at home, you know who is calling. You have no idea who is calling your children.

Unsupervised Internet- As Computer Crime Investigator Phillip Rosenthal explains, teenagers should not use the

internet unsupervised. There are predators and people who misrepresent themselves (not to speak of a lot of inappropriate stuff we wouldn’t let into our home). Cellphones with internet pose this addi-tional challenge.

As long as our teenagers are under our roof, it is our responsibility to protect them physically, emotionally and spiritu-ally. Once they leave our homes, we afford them opportunities which we hope they will make the most of.

A few suggestions to avoid these pitfalls;

• Don’t call or text them when you know that they are in class or driving.

• Tell them to keep their phones in their backpack or back seat when driving & in class.

• Do they really need the texting? Save yourself some money and help your child with all of the above.

• If they don’t have a phone, don’t get one. If you can’t get the improbable image I mentioned above out of your head, get a prepaid cell (without text or internet capa-bility) to give your children when they drive. Keep it in your room at all other times. When they leave your home for yeshiva or college (where they most likely do not have a car and are a little older), then get them a phone.

It’s hard to be the parent who says

“no”. Your child will always tell you “but everyone else has one” or “you’re the only parent who…”. However, isn’t Judaism all about saying “no” to the physically and spiritually dangerous temptations that oth-ers cannot imagine resisting?

Each technological breakthrough pro-vides both opportunities and challenges. It is dangerous if we ignore the potential pitfalls and only focus on the benefi ts.

Rabbi Perry [email protected] of School

Weinbaum Yeshiva High SchoolBoca Raton

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Florida’s Physically ChallengedFirst Ritual Bath Very Popluar

Featuring ramps, hydraulic lifts and wheelchair-accessible preparation rooms, Florida’s fi rst Jewish ritual bath built with the needs of the physically-challenged was inaugurated Sept. 6, 2009 in the Broward County community of Hallandale Beach.

Managed by Chabad-Lubavitch of South Broward, the new Mei Menachem-Mikvah Israel comprises two separate facilities for men and women, as well as an additional pool for the immersion of kitchen utensils, an essential step for the usage of newly acquired vessels.All three Mikvahs are being used way beyond original expectations, specifi cally the Elana Leah Women’s Mikvah, the Yoseph Mordechai Men’s Mikvah, and the Ida and Jacob Kelim Mikvah.

“This has really opened the door to more people to fulfi ll the important [ritual] of mikvah use,” said Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, director of Chabad of South Broward, home to the Congregation Levi Yitzchok-Lubavitch synagogue, the Hal-landale Hebrew School, the Chai Tots Preschool, Camp Gan Israel, Project PRIDE (a drug prevention and education program), the Bar and Bat Mitzvah Clubs,the Kollel for Businessmen and Professionals, and the Chaya Aydel Seminary. “For some people, it was just too hard to fulfi ll this mitzvah before, but now everyone has accessibility.”

In addition to the unique function of these mikvahs, that make them acces-sible to all, the Mikvahs, which cost over $1,000,000 to build, are exquisite, and resembles an upscale, fi ve star, Japanese spa. Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, from Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, who participated in the inauguration of the mikvahs, and has visited many hundreds of mikvahs around the world, said “these are the most beautiful Mikvahs I have ever seen.” Many brides who originally intended to use the mikvah only once before they got mar-ried, were so overwhelmed by the beauty and atmosphere of the mikvah, that they have opted to use the mikvah monthly.

Essentially a pool of water connected to a reservoir of rainwater or snow melt, a mikvah is a fi xture of most established Jewish communities. A necessary com-ponent of the laws governing Jewish family life, the ritual bath is traditionally vis-ited by married women on a monthly basis to acquire ritual purity. An increasing number of men have also taken up a custom, followed mainly by Chassidim, of immersing themselves in a mikvah prior to morning prayer services.

Besides being the fi rst mikvah in the entire state for the physically-challenged,it is the fi rst ritual bath built in Hallandale Beach. At the Chabad House’s 28th An-nual Dinner, the community dedicated the Elana Leah Women’s Mikvah in honor of a complete and speedy recovery of Elana Kasle, a Seminary student who is slowly recovering from a car accident that took place on Hallandale Beach Blvd over three years ago, and the Yoseph Mordechai Men’s Mikvah in memory of Yo-seph Fellig, father of Chabad House co-director Rebbitzen Goldie Tennenhaus. The Kelim Mikvah was recently dedicated in memory of Ida and Jacob Sussman. The overall Mikvah Project is dedicated in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M Schneerson, of saintly memory, and Rabbi Yisroel Tennenhaus, the late brother of Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus.

“The new mikvah is better for everybody,” said Miami resident Jonah Schuirmerini, who added that his walker does not prevent him from going to the ritual bath. “This defi nitely attracts more people to use it.”

South Florida’s Jewish community numbers in excess of 700,000 people, while thousands more visit the area as tourists and business travelers. Although religious institutions are exempt from the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Chabad House’s decision to construct what has essentially become an ADA-compliant ritual bath follows similar efforts in Monsey, N.Y., and Jerusalem.

Chaya Sara Robbins, who suffers from a chronic kidney condition, said that there was a time that she didn’t need any special accommodations to visit a ritual bath. But when her condition deteriorated six years ago, she found herself in con-stant need of a walker.

“Before I had my walker, I never thought twice about being able to use the mikvah. It didn’t occur to me until I had to go down the steps into the water,” said Robbins. “I then realized how important it is to have a mikvah that is accessible to everyone. That fact that I have options now is a relief.”

The Kelim Mikvah is accessible all day ( not at night), and is outdoors. The Men’s Mikvah is open weekdays from 6-10AM, Fridays it reopens from 1-5:30PM, and Sundays from 7:30-10AM. The Women’s Mikvah is by appointment only. To arrange an appointment at the Women’s Mikvah, please call 954-851-6286.

Mei Menachem-Mikvah Israel is located at Chabad of South Broward Head-quarters, 1295 East Hallandale Beach Blvd. Chabad of South Broward’s 30th An-nual Dinner will take place on Sunday April 3rd. The milestone Dinner will cel-ebrate the launching of yet another new community program: The Friendship Circle of South Broward - which is a project that helps children with special needs. For further information about the Mikvahs and dedication opportunities, and to fi nd out more about the 30th Annual Dinner, please call 954-458-1877, email [email protected] or log on to chabadsouthbroward.com.

HEALTH & FITNESS

By Chabad.org and updated by Reuven Arazi


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Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption is a measure of increased oxygen consumption after exercise. EPOC is also accompanied by an increase in metabolism by 30%, an integral part of the weight loss process. The physiological mechanisms responsible for increased metabo-lism following exercise include oxygen replenish-ment, phosphagen (ATP CP) resynthesis, lactic acid removal, increased ventilation, and increased blood circulation and body temperature.

Body: During EPOC the body is restoring itself to its pre-exercise state, and thus is consuming oxygen at an elevated rate. This means that energy is also being expended at an elevated rate.

The following occurs during EPOC:

1) Replenishment of Energy Resources: Replenishment occurs for the immediate source of energy, known as the phosphagen system, which is comprised of creatine phosphate and ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In addition, lactate, a molecule that is produced during more intense exercise, is being converted to pyruvate for fuel utilization. The body is also restoring the muscle

glycogen (a stored form of glucose) that has been used during the exercise bout.

2) Re-oxygenation of Blood and Restoration of Circulatory Hormones: During exercise metabo-lism, large amounts of oxygen are used to break down food substrates for energy. Therefore, the body continues to expend energy after exercise to re-oxygenate the blood. In addition, in the postexercise period, the body restores the levels of circulatory hormones, which increased during exercise, to normal.

3) Decrease in Body Temperature: As energy is liberated from the exercising muscle tissues of the body, heat is produced. Thus, during EPOC, the body must expend energy to return to the normal core body temperature.

4) Return to Normal Ventilation and Heart Rate: Energy expenditure is greatly elevated as the body rapidly returns to a normal breathing rate. Heart rate is also returning to a pre-exercise rate

Your body can take up to 48 hours to fully recover to a resting state. This is called the “after burn.” This means that even after your workout,

you will continue to burn calories for 36 -48 hours to a greater degree. Intensity and duration play a huge role in EPOC. Take a look at sprinters and how lean their bodies are. Their intensity is high and the duration of their workout is short. EPOC is highest after high intensity training. The more intense you work your body, the more oxygen it needs to restore after. The more your body works to recover, the more calories burned from energy expended!

What does this all mean, you are burning MORE FAT even when you are not exercising!!

To learn more about EPOC, contact Kelli Musa, President of DIRT Fitness in Boca Raton, FL

Kelli Musa is President of DIRT Fitness DIRT Fitness is the only fi tness program in Boca Raton, Florida to offer the Cardio GX system, a group exercise solution that enhances the train-ing experience between instructors and their class participants. Cardio GX displays individual heart rate data onscreen, mo-tivating members to exercise at the right intensity and get the most out of their workoutsWith DIRT FITNESS training, you will improve your overall body performance and see the differ-ence in everything you do! We promise you will sweat, have a blast, and most of all get results! We build bodies from the ground up regardless of fi tness levels!

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CLEVELAND, OH – Never Give Up Hope: Homeless Man Becomes America’s Hottest Star

An Ohio homeless man whose smooth announcing voice was posted online in a video has achieved sudden fame in Cleveland. Left homeless after his life and radio career were ruined by drugs and alcohol, Ted Williams has been offered a job by the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and is being pursued by NFL Films and others. Williams and his story, which includes serving time in prison for theft, forgery and numerous misdemeanors, including drug abuse, became an online sensation after The Columbus Dispatch posted a video of him demonstrating his voiceover skills while begging by the side of the road.

“I can’t believe what’s going on,” Williams said Wednesday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “God gave me a million-dollar voice, and I just hope I can do right by him.”

It’s been a shocking turn of events for the golden-voiced man, who had gotten by living in shelters and occasionally with family and friends over the past few years. Williams has also been in his share of trouble. His past includes a lengthy list of arrests. He was most recently arrested on May 14. He pleaded guilty to a fi rst-degree misdemeanor theft charge. In court records, his address is listed as “Streets of Columbus.”

Upon learning of Williams’ criminal history, the Cavaliers said their offer still stands.

“We believe in second chances and second opportunities,” said Tracy Marek, the team’s senior vice president of marketing. “The gentleman deserves an opportunity to explain certain situations. We’re not jumping to conclusions. It’s not fair.”

WASHINGTON D.C. - Rudy Giuliani Meets with Political Advisors About a Possible 2012 Presidential Run

According to the New York post, Rudy Giuliani, confi dent that he’d have a chance to win, is rounding up his top political advisers for a possible 2012 presidential run.

Sources say the tough former mayor “thinks the Republican race will be populated with far-right candidates like Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, and there’s opportunity for a moderate candidate with a background in national security.”

Giuliani will travel to New Hampshire next month to meet with

potential voters in the state that failed him in January 2008.

Some say that although winning the presidency is a long shot for Giuliani, speculating a run is a way for him to stay in the game. Others say that Giuliani is positioning himself as a Republican nominee hopeful to at least

land a cabinet position, or even a nomination for vice president. After business at his lucrative law fi rm and consulting company has slowed he is looking to possibly revive his political career.

NEW YORK, NY - City Hall Won’t Say Who Was In Charge Over Blizzard Weekend

City hall refuses say who was in charge when the 2010 blizzard roared into town last week. Mayor Bloomberg, who often takes his private jet to his Bermuda vacation home for weekends re-fuses to say where he spent his holiday weekend.

The City Charter says Bloomberg must ap-point a deputy to take control when he leaves town, but Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith, who oversees crucial services including snow clearing, was in Washington. Another deputy mayor, Howard Wolfson, was vacationing in London and said he doesn’t know who was in

charge. City Hall remains silent as to which of the city’s seven deputy mayors was controlling the blizzard response.

The Bloomberg administration is under con-tinuing fi re for its handling of the storm.

The mayor acknowledged mistakes were made, telling reporters Tuesday he disagrees with Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty that crews deserved an “A-plus” for their work.

“I would give our grade as unacceptable,” Bloomberg said. “We’re gonna try to fi gure out why and make it better.”

WORLD WORLD REPORTREPORT

MOSCOW – Slap in the Face to Israel - Russian President to

Visit Palestinian Territories After his trip to Israel was canceled due to a

Foreign Ministry strike, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is still going ahead with a visit to the Palestinian Territory. Even though his trip to Israel was cancelled due to technical reasons, the Israeli government is likely to be angered by Medvedev’s plans to visit the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

The Kremlin statement, released late Tuesday, said Israeli President Shimon Peres had apologized to Medvedev for the inability to prepare for his visit in mid-January.


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HAIFA - Significant Natural Gas Field Confirmed Off Israel’s Mediterranean Coast

A natural gas fi eld has been confi rmed to hold an estimated 16 trillion cubic feet of the natural resource. The fi eld was discovered last year in Israel’s territorial waters. The fi nd is the world’s biggest deep-water gas fi nd in a decade. Electri-cal log tests confi rmed the size of the natural gas fi eld, dubbed Levia-

than, after the biblical sea monster. Leviathan is almost double the

size of the Tamar fi eld, which was discovered off Israel’s Mediterra-nean coast in 2009. “This discovery has the potential to position Israel as a natural gas exporting nation,” said David L. Stover, president of Noble Energy.

IRAN – Widening Cracks Seen in Ahmadinejad’s Grip on Power

According to Debka.com, there are growing indications that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is facing another epic struggle to stay in power. Iranian sources report that a sign of the president’s situation is his last minute cancelation of a secret trip to Beirut by one of his chief aids. The need to keep his trusted confi dant at his side was apparently more pressing than a key step in Iran’s takeover of Lebanon. A day earlier, Ahmadinejad fi red his 14 top advisers, breaking up the inner circle which virtually ran

the country under his control.Washington sources report that

the White House is watching the infi ghting and deepening splits in the clerical regime. The cause that triggered the crisis is being debated. Ideas range from opposition to the economic cuts Ahmadinejad ordered last month in subsidies for essential consumer goods, to difference of ideas and a straight power struggle. But they all agree that the Iranian president is fi ghting for his political life.

TOKYO, JAPAN – Q. What can you get for $526 per pound in Japan? A. Tuna

A record $396,000 was paid by the owners of Kyubey, an upscale sushi restaurant in Tokyo’s Ginza district for a giant blue fi n tuna. The price paid for the giant tuna, caught off the coast of northern Japan, amounts to about $526 per raw pound.

Japan is the world’s biggest consumer

of seafood, with the Japanese eating 80 percent of the Atlantic and Pacifi c bluefi ns caught. The two tuna species are the most

sought-after by sushi lovers. Fatty bluefi n, called “o-toro”, sells for up to $24 per piece at high-end Tokyo sushi restaurants. You better enjoy that tuna!!

JERUSALEM – Former Mossad Chief: Iran 4 Years from Nuclear Capacity

According to media reports out of Israel it is speculated that Iran will not be able to build a nuclear bomb before 2015.

Recently retired Mossad Chief Meir Dagan said Thursday that Iran’s nuclear program had been delayed by unspecifi ed “measures” employed against it. This new estimate comes after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak’s prediction of an Iranian nuclear bomb by 2011 and Moshe Yaalon’s prediction of the bomb being three years away.

Predictably, Iran has blamed Israel for disruptions in its nuclear program. In November, assailants on motorcycles attached bombs to the cars of two Iranian nuclear scientists as they drove to work in Tehran, kill-ing one and wounding another. At least two other Iranian nuclear scien-tists have been killed in recent years.

In addition, a computer worm known as Stuxnet is thought to have caused the Iranians serious technical

problems in the centrifuges used for uranium en-richment.

SAUDI ARABIA – ’Bird’ Captured by Security Forces Suspected of Spying for Mossad

Saudi Arabian security forces have taken a vulture into custody that was carrying a global positioning satellite (GPS) transmitter and the words “Tel Aviv University” etched on a name tag. In a sign of the regime’s hysteria with Israel, they suspect the bird of spying for Israel. The GPS was connected to the bird as part of a project by Israeli scientists that follow vultures’ locations and altitude for research purposes.

The arrest comes weeks after an Egyptian offi cial expressed the suspicion that a shark that attacked tourists off the Sinai shore was also a Mossad agent. These incidents may refl ect a growing absurd hysteria among Arabs nations surrounding Israel. This hysteria is speculated to be a reaction to Israel’s superior military, it’s intelligence service and the success of the Stuxnet virus.

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134 LIFESTYLES

My twelve year old son shows no interest in his

Torah learning and is threatening to go off the

derech, what can I do?

We owe thousands of dollars!

My fourteen year old daughter is wearing her

skirts shorter that I want, can I do something to

stop it when she won’t listen to a word I say on the

matter?

My husband spends time with everyone else but

not with me.

My fi fteen year old has been thrown out of yeshi-

va again but this time they won’t take him back-

and he doesn’t want to go back. What can I do?

These painful situations are all too common. Of

course we as parents feel the pain of our child as

well as our own pain, and we’re lost when it comes

to trying to help. HaShem, however, has given us

the power and the tools to make a difference

Believe it or not, the parents quoted above

shared their experiences a short while later:

My twelve year old is learning with a private

Rebbe and doing great, he’s really enjoying his

Torah learning now.

We paid back the entire debt!

My daughter took out the iron and took down

her hem!

My husband is spending more time with me now!

My son is now learning in a yeshiva that is right

for him, he’s supported and enjoying himself, B”H.

What happened? These parents uncovered the power of thought that HaShem gives us and used that power to bring about the results they wanted.

The Chazon Ish zt”l wrote, “One of the mysteries of creation is that a person’s thoughts can trigger unknown forces in the physical world”.

Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, in his Sichos Mussar, explains how a woman who believes in her hus-band’s earning ability can change their fi nancial situation through that belief.

“As water refl ects a face to a face, so is one per-son’s heart refl ected in another’s”, it says in Mishle. The Vilna Gaon explains that the way we feel in our hearts about another is transmitted to him without conscious knowledge.

What we need to know is that our thoughts are like a transmitter, constantly sending out messages to those around us. I saw this years ago, before I began teaching any of this. My family and I were all sitting around our Shabbos table. I noticed that the shtender was too close to the table and was in the way. I thought to myself, ”I should ask my son to move it. Just then my husband turned to my son

and asked, “Didn’t you hear your mother - move the shtender!” My son looked from his father to me in confusion, not knowing what he was talking about. I just laughed as I explained that I had in fact thought just that, but hadn’t got to say it yet! In our house we now call this “thinking too loud!”

The truth is though, that we all think too loud. Everything we think has power to affect either ourselves or another. If someone thinks about her son, “Oh he’s so lazy, he’ll never make anything of himself, he’s just wasting his life!”, that thought will transmit itself to her son and he will pick it up.So how does this son then feel? Lousy! He might not know why, but he understands deeply that his par-ent doesn’t believe in him, so he loses faith in him-self. One woman told me that as a troubled teenager she never felt that her mother knew that she was going to be alright. She just picked up the mother’s despair for her and her future.

On the other hand, when we take the ability that HaShem gives us, the power and responsibility, and use it consciously, we can choose to think the thoughts that will bring us the results that we want to see. We learn to think positively. We focus our imagination on the way we want the situation to turn out. We begin to trust that HaShem can and will turn around this situation for us. When we imagine it so strongly that we feel as if it is really happening now, then those thoughts spread out to those around us and into their hearts, especially those who are close to us. The feeling of trust is powerful in and of itself and becomes a vessel for great blessing. Then we begin to see great and even wondrous changes.

The way that we think is mostly formed by habit. Unfortunately for us, these thoughts are usually negative. “He’s so selfi sh; people are so inconsider-ate; money is tight; business is bad; the economy is ruined; etc.” Anyone who says something overly positive is branded a hopeless optimist at best, out of touch with reality at worst. Yet, what we think is exactly what is going to create more of the negative reality that we’re experiencing! So we have to stop the cycle somewhere.

Where we start is by putting positive messages into our subconscious. We have to bypass the con-scious voice of the rational mind that tells us, ”but he is a no-good-nick” and put in instead ”B’ezras HaShem my son is improving every day.” The sec-ond phrase will help us begin to feel better, will allow him the space to improve, will help us believe that Hashem will intervene in ways we can’t even begin to imagine to bring about the improvement that we are so longing to see.

How do we do that? We need to get into a deeply relaxed state, the alpha state. In this state of mind our rational mind won’t come up with all it’s

excuses and rationales for why we won’t succeed. The Rabanit Sara Yosef, daughter in law of HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, has created a series of Jewish positive thinking guided imagery exercises. These exercises enable us to get into a deeply relaxed state easily, pleasantly and with an awareness of HaShem’s closeness in a Jewish way. I translated these exercises and teach the Rabanit’s eleven ses-sion workshop in English. The workshops and exercises have the Haskama of HaRav Avraham Stern Shlita, the Rav of the Anglo Litvishe com-munity in Beitar. I’ve also received brachos from Rabanim and Rebetzins in the wider Litvishe and Chassidishe community, including Rebetzin Luba Feuer, daughter of HaRav Gifter zt”l. They have all encouraged me and said they believe the workshops and exercises are tools that our generation needs.

What’s the difference between the workshops and the exercises? The twelve exercises, when practiced regularly, enable one to think positively, feel trust in HaShem, hope in ones life, achieve goals, forgive ourselves and others, improve interpersonal rela-tionships, gain true self esteem and more.

The workshops create a framework for mastering our thoughts and achieving our goals, step by baby step. The workshops provide numerous practical ways to implement thinking-changes in our lives and how to use the exercises to the best possible effect.

A new teleconference workshop is beginning, B’ezras HaShem, Monday January 24th between 10:00-12:00 am EST. The teleconference is acces-sible by phone and by Skype. Each workshop is recorded and made available for the entire week for participants who cannot attend the live session. Part of the workshop is the individual attention I give to each participant to tailor her thinking program to her individual situation. I spend time on the phone and by e-mail to guide each participant in how to use the exercises in the best way for her particular goals.

Join the hundreds of women worldwide who are using these exercises to see their lives, and the lives of their near and dear ones, constantly improving. Be empowered to deal with issues in your life posi-tively and with real trust in HaShem. Just begin to imagine what these tools can do for you...

Call and hear the free introductory lecture: 712-432-1085, entry code 351029#.

Visit our website www.JPThink.com

To sign up for the teleconferencing workshop or to get more information, contact: Leiba Silverman JPThink Class Coordinator [email protected] 215-745-3996

Change Your Thinking - Change Your Life by Chaya Hinda Allen founder of JPThink


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Brett Tolman was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Utah by President George W. Bush and served from

July 2006 to December 2009. Before becoming U.S. Attorney, he served as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee and as Chief Counsel to the U.S Senate Judiciary Committee for Crime and Terrorism matters.

As U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, Mr. Tol-man was known for his tough prosecution of mort-gage and bank fraud. Although U.S. Attorneys are usually replaced by incoming presidents, President Obama kept Mr. Tolman in place for a year, in order to assure that the closely-followed Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case was being handled effi ciently.

Mr. Tolman is a great advocate on behalf of Sho-lom Mordechai Rubashkin and recently gave the key-note address at a rally in the Five Towns on behalf of Mr. Rubashkin. Naftali Halpern of the The Jewish Home conducted a telephone interview with Mr. Tol-man in order to discuss the Rubashkin case.

• SFJH: How did you get involved in the Rubash-

kin case?

BT: I was working with a colleague in Washington D.C on criminal reform and my colleague was ap-proached by some Rabbis. I had actually previously heard about the case through the grape-vine as U.S Attorney in Utah.

• SFJH: Brett, your speech at the Five Towns

Rubashkin rally was well received and very

informative.

BT: Thank you. It was an incredible experience for me. It’s such a worthy cause and actually quite heart-breaking.

• SFJH: Having recently left the U.S. Attorney’s

offi ce, do you have any concerns that being

vocal about this case can damage some of

your relationships?

BT: It’s funny, when I met with the Rabbis they were concerned whether my involvement would put me in a compromising position. I told them, “If it’s right,

then it’s right.” I don’t mind being very vocal. If it’s right, then I’m going to do what I can.

• SFJH: At the rally you said, “I’m not a

Jew but I know injustice when I see it.”

What is the injustice in this case?

BT: There were numerous injustices. This case started out as an immi-gration and workplace enforcement case and although we could discuss whether those charges were politi-cally motivated or not, I conducted

many investigations and prosecuted many cases and I have never seen a case

that justifi ed 7 trips to the grand-jury or an infl ation of charges from 2 or 3 counts to

over 160 counts. And that is exactly what hap-pened in this case.

What I believe happened is that the prosecutors offered a plea agreement that was enormous. Rubash-kin had no other choice than to say, ‘I’m going to try and beat this.’ And I think that the prosecutors took that personally and they started increasing the charges and things spiraled out of control.

The prosecution then brought dozens of fi nancial charges, which really could be boiled down to an overrepresentation by Rubashkin of his fi nancial picture in order to secure certain loans that he needed to continue running his business.

• SFJH: As U.S. Attorney for

Utah you are known to have

prosecuted many mortgage

and bank fraud cases. How strong was the

government’s case against Rubashkin?

BT: Unlike most bank fraud or Ponzi scheme cases, there were no actual victims of fraud in this case. The bank fraud allegedly was an overrepresentation by Rubashkin of his ability to pay off loans. He never actually defaulted on those loans before his arrest for bank fraud. In fact he was making payments and pay-ing interest on the loans. So that’s an entirely different scenario than when a scammer seeks to capitalize and fi nancially prey on others.

The stiff penalties of the federal guidelines- which are not mandatory - are intended to go after individuals who perpetrated offensive fraud against innocent victims. That’s not what happened here. So what frustrates me and many others in this case is that while you can make a technical case for bank fraud, it doesn’t mean you should.

• SFJH: What do you think about the 27 year

sentence?

BT: For the sake of argument, lets concede that we wish Rubashkin wouldn’t have done what he alleg-edly did. There is still absolutely no circumstance where he would come near to deserving 27 years in prison. This sentence is totally disproportionate

based on the conduct and based on the sentencing that is going on across the country.

I had a case in Utah involving a multimillion dol-lar fraud; the kingpin of that fraud will sit 3½ to 4 years. For one person to be sentenced to 27 years and another being sentenced to 3½ for similar crimes is, in my opinion, the very defi nition of injustice. • SFJH: This seems like a longer sentence than

some people get for murder and other violent

crimes.

BT: You are absolutely right. I pointed this out in my speech at the Five Towns Rubashkin rally. You don’t have to go too deep into the criminal statutes to see that a 27 year sentence far exceeds the penalty for aiding terrorists and violence against a child. Its mind boggling but that’s what happened in this case.

I prosecuted a case in which the individual ter-rorized, assaulted, threatened to kill and beat up four victims, whose lives will never be the same. The per-petrator is serving 12 years less than Rubashkin. • SFJH: There are some people that would say,

“He committed the crime and the sentence is

within the federal guidelines.” What would

you say to that?

BT: Let me tell you, I had a repu-tation as one of the most aggres-sive and hard-nosed prosecutors out there. Some people are sur-prised that I’ve been willing to become so vocal when it comes to the rights of a particular case. And that’s because they miss one critically important point, and that is: The criminal justice sys-tem is intended to be strong, it’s

intended to be hard charging, but it is supposed to be “just”.

And if I, myself, have sent someone to prison for 3 or 4 years for conduct that is more egregious than Rubashkin’s, how can I sit back and say Rubashkin got what he deserved?

This individual should do, at the most, a couple of years in prison. And even that would be a tough sell because there were no actual victims of fraud; there were no defaults on the bank notes prior to Rubashkin’s arrest and the plant being shut down; there was no immigration case; and I don’t believe that 163 counts are justifi ed.

I’m an insider. I know what can be done to ma-nipulate charges. He could have been charged with 1 count of bank fraud instead of hundreds. I also know the ability of the prosecution to fashion or manipu-late a dollar loss fi gure. They can take every loan that occurred, add all the balances and say the bank fraud was in the 20 million dollar range. For me, I can’t fathom that. That is not impartial administration of justice. • SFJH: It seems unjust that a prosecutor can

take one action and break it down into its nu-

merous components and

POLITICSBrett Tolman On the Rubashkin Saga

The criminal justice system is intended to be strong, it’s intended to be hard charging,

but it is supposed to be “just”.

Jewish Home Interview of a Former US Attorney

Continued on page 38

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1. IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO START - As parents, we all want to see our children flourish into successful and satisfied adults. Cultivating your child’s unique talents is one of the best ways to prepare him/her for a positive future. Believe it or not, you can encourage growth in your child’s areas of strength even within the first year of life! Children are born with potential in certain areas – it’s just a matter of discovering what those talents are. The younger you start, the more you will enhance your child’s actual brain development and the likelihood that they will achieve their full potential.

2. REDEFINE “GIFTS” - Giftedness can be loosely defined as a level of ability that sur-passes the expected norms for that area. Society has placed academic gifts as the height of talent – at times to the exclusion of all other gifts. Yet studies demonstrate that only a small percentage of people are truly “gifted” in this area. When parents focus only on academics, they lose the opportunity to foster the potential in other areas that may lead their child to success and fulfillment. Studies at Harvard University strongly suggest that children display giftedness in many different areas such as in forms of art or music, number skills, types of hands-on ability, or social savvy. If you look at the most successful adults, you will find that, alongside the academics, they have all utilized those gifts effectively to get to where they are.

3. SEARCH FOR THE GIFTS - If your child is a prodigy and has been tinkering with electronics since he is four years old, or has taught herself to play a musical instrument at the age of three, then look no further. But if your child is a healthy and regular child, you may need to look a bit closer to pinpoint his/her talents. Listen to your child. The things he cares about most may pro-vide clues to his special talents. Pay attention the activities your child chooses - it will probably tell you where his gifts lie. And, if your child has not yet developed a special are of interest, it does not imply that he isn’t gifted somehow. Introduce your child to a spectrum of experiences and activities and you will eventually find it. There is a saying, “All children are gifted, some just open their packages later than others.”

4. NOURISH THE GIFT - Give presents that encourage growth in your child’s strengths. There are hundreds of great “how to” books for children of all ages in a huge assortment of activities. Provide the supplies he/she needs to develop those gifts. Make time in your child’s schedule for working at it. Sign your child up for lessons in that area. Introduce your child to people who excel in those areas to learn from and to gain inspiration.

5. DON’T STIFLE THE GIFT - Beware of push-ing activities that you think highly of, but hold little interest for your child or which your child is simply not good at. Your child may be gifted in an area totally foreign to you – in experience and in interest. Remember that your child is not you and may want to cultivate talents that are not of your preference. Your child will never be you and trying to make that happen will only result in frustration and lost opportunities.

6. ENCOURAGE WITHOUT PRESSURE - Help your child compare himself to his own past performance and to brainstorm ways to grow. Make sure to also give your child leeway to make mistakes and to learn from them. When under pressure to do things perfectly, your child will never take the risks necessary to discover and develop a gift. And if you criticize or judge the things your child does, he may give up on his talents.

7. HONOR YOUR CHILD’S CREATIONS - Treat your child’s creations – from baked goods to dance routines with the respect they deserve. When children see that they are respected they feel proud and motivated to keep working at it. You don’t need to gush; a genuine compliment, which points out the specific aspects that you really admire will do the trick. A nice idea is to set aside an area of the house for displaying your child’s creations and awards or a set time for them to share what they have done.

8. JOIN YOUR CHILD - Do things with your child in his areas of interest. Many talents are the expression of deep emo-tion and are often more enjoyable when shared. Even if this is not the case, sharing your child’s interest will provide a stimulus for your child to develop it further – so as

to have more to share! I have spent numerous hours engaged in computer programming with my 14 year old son. I still have no personal interest or talent for it, but I enjoyed his company immensely and actually learned a thing or two!

9. BE AN AGENT - Help your child find ways to share his/her talents with the world. When my son was in the sixth grade, my husband and I suggested to his Rebbe that he have my son generate a weekly newsletter out of the lessons for the class. The Rebbe was thrilled, my son was delighted; the amount of effort he put forth was incredible! Today, at our suggestion, he main-tains a troubleshooting and computer repairs gemach for the neighborhood. It doesn’t matter if you find something formal or just help your child find outlets for his/her talents.

10. BUILD INITIATIVE - Teach your child to find outlets independently. Even if you make sug-gestions, empower your child to make the choic-es. Decision making fuels initiative. The more you do it, the more you will teach your child to trust his/her intuition and feel the confidence in his/her own capabilities to pursue those gifts.

Mrs. Estee Hebel, MsED, is the General Studies Princi-

pal of Shalom Torah Academy, a preschool through eighth

grade day school, in Morganville, NJ. Mrs. Hebel has over

15 years of experience in education and educational leader-

ship. She is also a dynamic teacher trainer who has taught

a graduate course in educational research. She presents in-

novative hands-on training workshops on a wide assortment

of teaching methods, classroom management, motivational

techniques and strategies for encouraging self-directed and

higher-level learning. To learn more about her workshops or

to schedule one, you can contact her at 732-536-0911x12 or

[email protected].

Parenting TIPS

Mrs. Hebel’sTop Ten Tips

FOR BRINGING OUT YOUR CHILD’S GIFTS


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JAN. 13, 201137Sweet SensationsSweet Sensations Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 slices soft white bread• 1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy or crunchy pea

nut butter• 1 small banana, very thinly sliced• 4 large eggs• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat milk• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper• 2 tablespoons butter• Pancake syrup or honey, for serving

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA FRENCH TOAST

This sweet and creamy combination was famous at sandwich shops across the country in the 1950s.

DIRECTIONS: 1. Arrange the bread on your work surface. Spread one tablespoon peanut butter on each of 4 slices. Top with banana slices. Cover with a second piece of bread.2. Using the tines of a fork, press down around the outside of the bread to seal the 2 pieces together, enclosing the fi lling.3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and pepper. Dip the sandwiches, one at a time, into the egg mixture, pressing down to saturate both sides. Turn the sandwiches over for a dunk on the second side if necessary. Don’t let the bread sit in the mixture for too long or it will get too soggy. 4. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and hot but not browned, add the French toast sandwiches. Cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden but not brown. Flip each sandwich over and cook for 2 minutes on the second side until golden. 5. Transfer to plates and serve with pancake syrup or honey.

DAIRY • YIELDS 4 SERVINGS

Susie Fishbein

Title: Kosher By Design Teens And 20-Somethings

Author: Susie Fishbein

Publisher: Artscroll - Shaar Press

Pub Date: Oct 2010 Pages: 233

Hardcover $29.99

An anticipated highlight of last week’s KosherFest at

the Meadowlands was the release of four new cookbooks.

Prominent among them was Susie Fishbein’s Kosher by

Design - Teens and 20-Somethings: Cooking for the next

generation.

This is the seventh in her well-known Kosher by Design

series. Bloggers in the US and Israel declared it a hit, not

only for young people, newlyweds, and students, but also for

adults. Fishbein told The Jewish Home that, “this cookbook

is for the person that who doesn’t have a lot of fancy

equipment, who wants to use simple ingredients, and

who wants a delicious homemade alternative to fast

food”. KosherFest co-organizer Menachem Lubinsky

said Susie’s new cookbook refl ects the trend in kosher

food toward a younger demographic.

Teens and 20-Somethings reveals imaginative and

original thinking, from Pizza Soup and Turkey Sliders

to Thai Chicken Burgers and Dulce de Leche No-Bake

Cheesecake. Each of the 100 brand-new recipes

includes a large full-color photo. Icons indicate

vegetarian, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free

recipes. Today’s digital generation wants great results

quickly and Teens and 20-Somethings delivers.

Kosher by Design Teens and 20-Somethings: Cooking for the next generation

Book Review

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138 Brett Tolman Interview Continued from page 35

• then charge dozens of charges for that one

action.

BT: That’s right - it is all based on the same transac-tion. And I say - when is enough? The criminal jus-tice system should get its pound of fl esh for crimi-nal activity. But this is the life of a man, not just a pound of fl esh. Those who are very quick to say, “He did the crime, he deserves the time,” probably have the least knowledge and appreciation of how the system ac-tually works. • SFJH: The case is currently pending appeal.

What do you think the chances are that the

verdict will be overturned?

BT: I frankly think that there are some really good arguments and I’m optimistic that they can carry the day.

Judge Reade’s interactions with the prosecu-tion in this case prior to the charges being brought are very disconcerting. I’ve dealt with hundreds of felony cases, many of which had multiple defen-dants and were large scale investigations like this one was, and I never saw a need or a desire on the part of the court to have any involvement in the case before charges were actually brought before them.

I fi nd it very hard to believe that there was a need to have Judge Reade involved in meetings of strategy on the investigation. And the defense didn’t even know the level of Judge Reade’s in-volvement until they got the information from the government, in responses to their Freedom of In-formation Requests, and they were only given all that information after the trial.

Judge Reade also ruled that she wouldn’t allow any of the immigration accusations to be raised to the jury at the bank fraud trial because it could improperly sway the jury. But in the end she did allow the immigration allegations to be brought up by the prosecution at trial.

So there are some strong grounds for appeal in this case. If the Court of Appeals upholds the verdict then they could try to appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court. • SFJH: Hopefully the conviction will be over-

turned. But if it isn’t, do you think that it

is possible for a presidential pardon to be

issued in this case?

BT: I think it is possible because I don’t under-estimate the Jewish people. I don’t underestimate their resolve, commitment, and the fact that they will expose this. And I will do everything to help them do this.

I was actually involved in obtaining a pardon for an individual who was certainly not as quali-fi ed as Rubashkin. I know people have said, “It’s such a long shot, it’s not going to happen,” but I am not going to be one who says that it’s not going to happen. • SFJH: Do you think a Republican or Demo-

crat is more likely to grant a pardon?

BT: I used to think a Democrat is more likely but now I think it doesn’t matter. It was surprising to see how many people President Bush pardoned.

• SFJH : If Obama would pardon Rubashkin,

when would he do it?

BT: It would come at the end of his fi rst or sec-ond term. Presidents rarely ever pardon in the mid-dle of a term. He can do it in order to get votes or if the case appeals to his conscience.

What is really important is how many Senators, Governors and members of Congress we could get lined up and who’s pushing for it. It is really about what political weight you could put behind it. This would come after we exhaust the appeals process,

but obviously we hope that the conviction will be overturned on appeal. • SFJH: Thank you Mr. Tolman for your won-

derful insight, and for all your work on this

case. We hope that with the help of G-d, we

will celebrate good news together.

BT: Absolutely. I look forward to that as well.


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JAN. 13, 201139PARENTING TODAY

Much of the concern about cell phones, instant messaging and Twitter has been focused on how children have abused

the use the technology and how it has affected the new generation of children. However, the surge of studies assessing the affects of parents’ use of such technology — and its effect on their family — is now becoming an equal source of concern to child-development researchers.

The New York Times recently reported on a study conducted by Sherry Turkle, who has been observ-ing the effects of technology on parents and children for the past fi ve years. She has found that feelings of jealousy, hurt and competition are common in many homes, as children and spouses vie for attention that is being given to technology instead. In her studies, Dr. Turkle reports, “Over and over, kids raised the same three examples of feeling hurt and not wanting to show it when their mom or dad would be on their devices instead of paying attention to them: at meals, during pickup after either school or an extracurricu-lar activity, and during sports events.”

This is a generation of email and texting and in many ways it’s great. It allows us to connect to so many people in so little time. In the context of a hy-peractive world in which people are often running in various directions at once, text messaging appears to be a viable way for people to not just keep in touch, but actually increase their social and work produc-tivity.

Ironically, the more we “connect”, the more we lose our connections. We may be gaining in the quantity of our social networking, but we are losing in the quality of our most signifi cant relationships. Respect to another individual is displayed by showing them that “they take up space on our hard drive”, that’s how we show that they mean something to us. Hence the Hebrew root word for respect is ka-vod, heavy. We demonstrate honor to someone by standing up when they walk into the room, as we show that we feel their pres-ence. Anybody who has been the recipient of a “cold shoul-der” knows the devastation of feeling “light weight”, as if our presence does not

exist.

When we show that we recognize

the presence of our children and we have a desire to listen to them, we have essentially granted them respect and love. No matter how many times we repeat to our family members how much we love them, our actions in demonstrating that at this mo-ment you are more important than anything else in this world speaks ten thousand times louder. Eye contact, attentiveness and being able to disentangle oneself from outside distractions are key.

One very practical solution that helps dem-onstrate respect to our children is by designating a specifi c “no email, texting and phone” time every day. As we ignore the very tempting buzzing sounds per-meating from our cell phones and give our children our fullest and utmost attention, we demonstrate at that moment that they are the most important people in our life. When a child has waited an entire day to share with mommy and daddy what they had done in school; what are they to feel if their excitement is welcomed with a response of “that’s nice dear” as the parent types a hundred words a minute? This experi-ence can be very painful for the child. They may come to perceive our connection to our ‘technologi-cal others’ as an aloofness and lack of caring. Feelings of resentment build, which can lead to a greater risk of families breaking apart.

Talking to our spouses and children is more than just having a conversation. We are demonstrat-ing that we are interested in their lives and care about their words. The few minutes a day that we put our cell phones to the side and give priority to

our family can produce tremendous amount of positive consequences. As we demonstrate

self respect and importance to our children and spouse, they begin to truly internal-ize that they carry weight, importance, and self-respect. The more we prioritize our family over our gadgets, the more they will feel loved, a sense of security, and a desire

to open up to us. The following are some more practical suggestions to keep

in mind: No technology during

dinner (or bedtime). Re-search shows that family meal time is an impor-tant protective factor for young kids and families. Use it to really engage with each other.

Be aware of hints. Know when you child

needs attention. “Be aware of each other,” says Dr.

Harstein.Our fi rst interaction with

our children and spouse when we fi rst arrive home from work should be designated purely to them. We show how excited we are to see them by giving them time to share their experiences of the day with us. Take fi ve seconds before walking into the door to think about how grateful you are for having the opportunity to be able to come home to a family, and get in the proper mindset to give them your fullest attention.

Family is more important today than it has ever been. If we were closing on a very big deal with an important client would we interrupt them by looking at our texts and pretend to be listening to what they have to say? No, we would not! There-fore, it is important to show our family that they are just as important as that very respected client. We have been witness to the breakdown of marriages and parent-child relationships at an alarming rate. Even families that remain intact, have parents and children who have stopped speaking to each other, as they are constantly engaged with those who are not present. We simply cannot afford to lose our connection with our children. We need to make our families our priority.

Benjie Stern, PhD (Candidate) in Counseling Psychology, MS in School Psychology, is a School Psychologist in Magen David Yeshiva and specializes in counseling children, teenagers and parents. He is a member of Nefesh International - Network of Orthodox Mental Health Professionals, the American Psycho-logical Association (APA), and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). For appointments (in Brooklyn or Five Towns), comments or questions please email at [email protected] or call (516) 232-7466.

omg….lol…I luv u :-) – No I Really DoBY BENJIE STERN

The Harm Caused By Texting Parents

For advertising

opportunities

please call

305-389-4990 or email to

[email protected]

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JAN. 13, 201141

AROMA 9415 Harding Avenue Surfside, FL 33154305-861-0787 Supervision: ORB

BAGEL TIME 3915 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33140305-538-0300 Supervision: Circle K

CAFE VERT 9490 Harding Ave. Surfside, FL 33154305-867-3151 Supervision: OK

JERUSALEM PIZZA 761 NE 167th Street North Miami Beach, FL 33162305-653 6662 | Supervision: Kosher Miami

JONAS PIZZA 2530 NE Miami Gardens Drive North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-918-8998 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

NEWTIME Moroccan and Spanish cuisine 2120 N.E. 123rd Street North Miami Beach, FL 33181305-891-6336 Supervision: Kosher Miami

PRIME SUSHI 726 Arthur Godfrey Road Miami Beach, FL 33140305-534-0551 Supervision: Kosher-Miami Cholov Yisroel

PRIME SUSHI 18250 Collins Avenue Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160786-284-8430 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

RITZ RESTAURANT 1678 NE Miami Gardens Dr. North Miami Beach, FL 33179305-354-9303 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

SEVENTEEN 1205 17 Street Miami Beach, FL 33139305-672-0565 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

SHEM TOV’S PIZZA 514 41st Street Miami Beach, FL 33140305-538-2123 Supervision: Kosher Miami

TASTI CAFE 4041 Royal Palm Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140305-675-5483 Supervision: Kosher Miami Dairy

TEA FOR TWO 1205 17th Street Miami Beach, FL 33139(305) 672-0565 Supervision: Kosher Miami Dairy

WEBER CAFE 3565 NE 207th Street Aventura, FL 33180(305) 935-5580 Supervision: Kosher Miami

41 ON THE BAY 4101 Pinetree Drive Miami Beach, FL 33140305-535-4101 Rabbinic Supervision: Kosher-Miami

ASI’S GRILL AND SUSHI BAR 4020 Royal Palm Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33140305-604-0555 Supervision: Kosher Miami

AVENTURA PITA 18129 Biscayne Blvd. Aventura, FL 33160305-933-4040 Supervision: Kosher Miami

B & H PIZZA 233 95th Street Surfside, FL 33154786-245-5557 Supervision: Kosher Miami

CHAI WOK 1688 NE 164 Street North Miami Beach, FL 33162305-705-2110 Supervision: Kosher Miami

CHINA BISTRO 3565 NE 207th Street Aventura, FL 33180305-936-0755 Supervision: Kosher Miami

CINE CITTA MIAMI 9544 Harding Avenue Surfside, FL 33154305-407-8319Supervision: OK

DECO SUBS 3919 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33140305-672-7285 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

ELIES CAFE 145 East Flagler Miami, FL 33131786-594-0196 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

ELSIE’S CAFE Located in the North Miami Beach JCC 18900 NE 25th Avenue North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-778-5946 Supervision: Kosher Miami

GIGI’S CAFE 3585 NE 207th Street Aventura, FL 33180305-466-4648 Supervision: Kosher Miami

GRILL TIME 16145 Biscayne Blvd. North Miami Beach, FL 33160786-274-8935 | 305-491-3325 Supervision: ORB

HARBOUR GRILL 9415 Harding Avenue Surfside, FL 33154305-861-0787 Supervision: Kosher Miami

J CAFE 18900 NE 25th Avenue North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-778-5946 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

JONA’S GRILL & BAR 2520 NE 186th Street North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-466-0722 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

KIKAR TEL-AVIV RESTAURANT Carriage Club North 5005 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33140305-866-3316 Supervision: OK Laboratories

LUL GRILL CAFE 18288 Collins Avenue Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160305-933-0199 Rabbinic Supervision: OK

MISTER CHOPSTIK 4020 Royal Palm Ave Miami Beach, FL 33140305-604-0555 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

NEW TIME 2120 NE 123 Street North Miami, FL 33181305-891-6336 Supervision: Kosher Miami

ORIGINAL PITA HUT 5304 41 Street Miami Beach, FL 33140305-531-6090 Supervision: ORD

PISTACHIO GOURMET GRILL 740 41 Street Miami Beach, FL 33140305-538-1616 Supervision: Kosher Miami

PITA LOCA 601 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139305-673-3388 Supervision: Kosher Miami

South Florida Kosher Restaurant Guide

continued on next page

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PITA PLUS 1883 Biscayne Boulevard Aventura, FL 33180305-935-0761 Supervision: ORB

RARE STEAKHOUSE 468 W 41st Street Miami Beach, FL 33140305-532-7273 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

SHALOM HAIFA 18533 W. Dixie Hwy. North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-936-1800 Supervision: ORB

SHALOM HAIFA RESTAURANT 18533 W. Dixie Hwy Aventura, FL 33180305-945-2884Supervision: ORB

SUBWAY 18900 NE 25th Ave North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-663-9883 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

THAI TREAT & SUSHI & BOMBAY GRILL 2176 NE 123rd Street North Miami, FL 33181305-892-1118 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

THE FAMOUS PITA BURGER BAR 18798 W Dixie Hwy North Miami Beach, FL 33180305-682-9692 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

WEST AVENUE CAFE 959 West Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139305-534-4211 Supervision: Kosher Miami

AVIGDOR’S MOZART CAFE 4433 Sheridan Street Hollywood, FL 33021954-584-5171 Supervision: ORB

BON AMI CAFE 5650 Stirling Road Hollywood, FL 33021(954) 962-2070 Supervision: ORB

CAFE EMUNAH 3558 North Ocean Dr. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308954-561-6411 Supervision: ORB

DAIRY BITES 660 W Hallandale Beach Boulevard Hallandale, FL 33009954-457-2700 Supervision: Kosher-Miami

JP BISTRO Pizzeria 5650 Stirling Road Hollywood, FL 33021(954) 964-6811 Supervision: ORB

SARA’S 3944 N 46th Street Hollywood, FL 33021954-986-1770 Supervision: ORB

AT HAGI 5800 Stirling Road Hollywood, FL 33021954-981-7710 Supervision: ORB

HOLLYWOOD DELI 6100 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, FL 33024(954) 608-5790 Supervision: ORB

L’CHAIM MEE CHINA ORIENTAL RESTAURANT 3940 North 46 Avenue Hollywood, FL 33021954-986-1770 Supervision: ORB

LEVY’S KOSHER OF HOLLYWOOD 3357 Sheridan Street Hollywood, FL 33021954-983-2825 Supervision: ORB

PITA GRILL CAFE 658 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. Hallandale, FL 33009954-455-2118 Supervision: ORB

PITA PLUS 2145 Stirling Road Hollywood, FL 33312954-241-2011 Supervision: ORB

PITA PLUS 3801 N. University Dr. Sunrise, FL 33351954-741-5844 Supervision: ORB

SUNRISE PITA & GRILL 2680 N University Dr. Sunrise, FL 33322954-748-0090 Supervision: ORB

SUNRISE PITA TOO 5650 Stirling Rd. Hollywood, FL 33021954-963-0093 Supervision: ORB

THE MAGIC CHEF 400 N. 46th Ave. Hollywood, FL 33021954-966-9546 Supervision: ORB

EUROPEAN CORNER CAFE 7300 Camino Real Boca Raton, FL 33433561-395-1109 Supervision: ORB

JCC CAFE American 9801 Donna Klein Blvd at Cultural Arts Center Boca Raton, FL 33428561-852-3200 x 4103 | Supervision: ORB

JON’S PLACE OF BOCA Pizzeria 22191 Powerline Road Boca Raton, FL 33433561-338-0008 Supervision: ORB

ASIA Sushi, Wok, Grill 7600 W Camino Real Boca Raton, FL 33433561-544-8100 Supervision: ORB

BOCA PITA EXPRESS Middle Eastern Israeli cuisine & grill 7185 N. Beracasa Way Boca Raton, FL 33433561-750-0088 Supervision: ORB

GRILL TIME RESTAURANT Fusion Steak House 8177 Glades Road Boca Raton, FL 33434(561) 482-3699 | Fax: (561) 487-4044 Supervision: ORB

ORCHIDS GARDEN 9045 La Fontana Boulevard Boca Raton, FL 33434561-482-3831 Supervision: ORB

SAGI’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 22767 US Highway 441 Boca Raton, FL 33428561-477-0633 Supervision: ORB

MAOZ VEGETARIAN Town Center Mall 6000 Glades Road #1175 Boca Raton, FL 33431561-393-6269 | Fax: 561-393-6532 Rabbinical Supervision: National Orthodox Rabbinical Organization

South Florida Kosher Restaurant Guidecontinued


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DOWN1. There are 613 of these in a pomegranate.2. Type of3. A place where fresh fruit and ice cream blend well.4. Fruit that only ripens once it’s picked.6. Grown as squares in Japan for easier storage

and shipping.7. Happy birthday to the trees.8. Some may say that this crossword puzzle is10. Land of _______ __ _______.11. This fruit is grown in every state.14. An important ingredient in chulent.17. offi cial fruit of New York.18. Fruit that produces wine.

ACROSS5. Not just a supermarket in Brooklyn.9. Amount of feet of Fruit-by-the Foot.12. Fruit with the most amount of calories.13. Number of minim.15. Monkey’s favorite food.16. _____________you glad you did this

crossword puzzle?19. Fruit that produces oil.

A beggar enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the dumbest beggar in the world. Watch I’ll prove it to you.” The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the beggar over and asks, “Which do you want?” The beggar takes the quarters and leaves. “What did I tell you?” said the barber. “The guy never learns!” Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same beggar coming out of the ice cream store. “Hey, sir! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?” The beggar licked his cone and replied, “Because the day I take the dollar, the game is over!”

Submitted by Dovid Schiff

Answer to Riddle:

There is one son, one father & one grandfather

Submitted by: Leah Zeidner

You Gotta be Kidding!

Plain English facts(Submitted by: Gila Berkowitz)

UNCOPYRIGHTABLE: The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter.

SCREECHED: The longest one-syllable word in the English language.

Q: The only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States.

“I AM.”: The shortest complete sentence in the English language.

DREAMT: The only English word that ends in the letters “mt.”

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS: The longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is. The only other word with the same amount of letters is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses, its plural.

MONTH, ORANGE, SILVER, and PURPLE: No words in the English language rhymes with any of these words.

FRUIT EXTRAVAGANZA

ANSWER KEY


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JAN. 13, 201145Riddle:

Question:

Two fathers and two sons

walk into a restaurant.

The waiter brings them

3 slices.

Why didn’t he bring 4?Answer below

FOOTBALL TRIVIAHey football fans! Now that we’re in the playoffs, you gotta review

the rules in order to play the game. Let’s put your knowledge to the

test with this quiz on the rules of football!

1. How many yards is a team penalized for being off sides? a. 5

b. 10 c. 15 d. 20

2. If the referee has his hands on his hips, what penalty is he indicating?

a. false start b. unnecessary roughness c. off sides d. holding

3. Which 2 offi cials determine whether a fi eld goal attempt is good or not?

a. referee and umpire b. back judge and side judge c. back judge and fi eld judge d. side judge and referee

4. Which one of the following is not an offi cial: a. referee b. timekeeper c. umpire d. side judge

5. Which offi cial is responsible for the players’ equipment?

a. referee b. head linesman c. fi eld judge d. umpire

Answers:

1. A2. C3. C4. B5. D

Answer key:4-5 Correct - Stop sitting around and call Roger Goodell right now! (For

all you that didn’t get 4-5 right, Roger Goodell is the Commissioner of the NFL)

2-3 Correct - Keep on studying the rule book, and maybe you’ll make it someday.

0-1 Correct - No offense, but you’re better off sticking with baseball. Try this - how many strikes makes an out?

Talking about

LUCK…(As reported in the Daily Telegraph, England)

Frane Selak, born in 1929, is a Croatian music teacher who used to be famous for his numerous escapes from fatal accidents:

• In January, 1962, Selak was on a train that derailed and plunged into an icy river, killing 17 passengers. Selak managed to escape with minor injuries.

• In 1963, Selak was fl ung out of a plane when a door fl ew open. 19 people died but he was thrown clear of the crash and landed in a haystack.

• In 1966, he was riding on a bus that crashed and plunged into a river. Four others were killed, but Selak managed to escape un-harmed.

• In 1970, he managed to escape before a faulty fuel pump engulfed his car into fl ames.

• In 1973, another of Selak’s cars caught fi re, forcing fi re through the air vents. He suffered no injuries save the loss of most of his hair.

• In 1995, he was hit by a city bus, but once again, suffered minor injuries.

• In 1996, he escaped death again when he drove off a cliff to avoid an oncoming truck. He managed to land in a tree, and watched as his car exploded 300 feet below him.

To top it all off, in 2003,he won $1,000,000 dollars in the Croatian lottery!

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146 2010 will be remembered as a mo-

mentous addition to Miami’s rich sports history. Team owners and local politicians invested in Miami teams despite the city’s reputed composition of bandwagoners and fair-weather, poncho-averse sports fans. Time and again, Miami sports captured local and national attention with front-page events and acquisitions, all of which will shape the landscape of Miami sports for the next decade.

It may seem counter-intuitive to a younger generation that has witnessed the triumphs of the Florida Marlins and Miami Heat and failures of Miami football teams, but Miami is football town. Its football roots are deeper and fi rmer than any of the other sports and holds glorious memories from a distant past. Like cactus roots, however, the memories of Shula and Marino, the ferocious U of the ‘80s and ‘90s, and the ‘72 Dol-phins are the unseen lifeline to the teams’ current barren incarnation.

As football fans basked in their nostalgia, a basketball, baseball and hockey team spawned in the Miami-area and have performed at a higher level since their inceptions, creating new fan bas-es in the process that don’t seem to attend any games. With world championships in 1997 and 2003 for the Marlins, 2006 for the Miami Heat, and an appearance in the Stanley Cup in 1996 by the Panthers, these teams have all achieved what has eluded the Dolphins for 25 years, with consid-erably less support.

Accordingly, the moves made in 2010 repre-sent new levels of investment in Miami organiza-tions that don’t need fairy-tale language to discuss their successes and hope for the teams that do.

Here is a recap of the Top 5 Miami Sports Moments in 2010:

5. Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium

Although this fi rst event doesn’t involve any Mi-ami teams, being selected as the venue for the big-gest event in American sports is a distinguished honor. It generates revenue and publicity for the city. Miami has hosted the Super Bowl a record 10 times.

4. Construction of Miami BallparkIf you drive down State Road 836, known locally as the Dolphin Expressway, you can’t help but get excited about this awesome structure. It comes with promise of an end to the nickel and dime era in Marlins history. For years, team owner Jeffrey Loria and president David Sampson have com-plained about their inability to sign talented free agents or keep their discoveries because they are burdened renters. Hopefully, with this new luxu-rious home and revenue stream, team executives will keep their promises and diversify spending habits.

3. Acquisition of Brandon Marshall

After decades of offensive impotence, the Brandon Marshall acquisition represents that fi rst integral step in recovery for the Dolphins: acceptance. For years, the Fins have tried to win by suffocating you with spartan defenders and attacking you with a smurf-powered fi eld-goal offense. Unfortu-nately, elite offensive teams can’t be defeated with 3 points mini-blasts, even with a savage defensive line. The only victims of the blunt knife the Dol-phins call offense is their fans. Signing one of the best receivers in the league at the very least shows that the organization is willing to start making some concessions, and just maybe, a philosophy adjustment. Next, how about getting someone who can actually throw him the ball?

2. The Firing of Coach Randy Shannon

Once upon a time the dominant program in college football, the Canes have been marred by mediocrity for far too long. During Coach Shannon’s tenure, I have heard preseason speculation downgraded from “will we win it all” to “can we make a bowl game,” and fi nally “will we have a winning record?” For a spoiled fan-base accustomed to absolute dominance, this is too painful to endure. Subsequently, Shannon was fi red after a loss to USF that would have been unimaginable 10 years ago and Canes’ fans are hoping Mi-ami will seek a more accomplished coach and recruiter.

1. The Miami Big Three

Dwyane Wade. Lebron James. Chris Bosh. No explanation required.

clip this ad for 10% off your next order

Top 5 Best SportsMoments

of 2010 in Miami


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JAN. 13, 201147Keeping You

on Your Toes about

Refl exologyR

ecently, there has been a tremen-dous shift in the way people take care of themselves and their en-

vironment. Words like “Going Green” are seen on store fronts. “Organic” and “reduced sugar” are seen all over the su-permarket aisles. In our high stressed society people are seeking many dif-ferent ways to nurture themselves and those around them. People are looking for ways (perhaps “alternative” ways) to help their whole selves. Thank G-d there are many alternative, holistic

ways to succeed in this. One of the many ways is through refl exology.

Now, I must admit I am a novice to all of this. Even though I did train under the best in Yerushalayim, and have been practicing since, I fi nd with refl exology that the more I practice, the more shocked I am by the results. Just to back up for a minute, for those that have been hearing the word again and again but don’t really know what it is, refl exology is a type of energy work. Each part of your feet, hands and ears to a different part of your body. It should really be called refl ect-ology because every part of your extremities refl ects a different point in your body. And through your extremities you could manipulate different organs, limbs and hormones. Refl exology is mainly done on the feet.

As refl exology gets more popular, statistics are being published about its benefi ts. In Denmark, a study was done on patients who were suffer-ing from migraines. After 3 months of refl exology sessions, 81% of the pa-tients claimed that refl exology cured or helped their symptoms. Another study was done with 48 elderly pa-tients with high blood pressure. After a series of refl exology sessions, the pa-tients reported that they had signifi cant improvement in performing usual ac-

tivities, lower blood pressure and were in a better mental state. Refl exology has been lauded for aiding people with many types of stomach and respiratory issues. It is known to help children with ear infections, adults with sinus infections. The list goes on and on.

Refl exology is an impressive tool, because it works with the body. Our bodies know what to do on their own (most of the time). Occasionally, be-cause of the over-abuses we tend to put ourselves through, we don’t function optimally. Refl exology gently reminds our body of what it already knows, and sets it on the correct path.

Effi e Sussman practices massage, refl exology and energy therapy. She can be reached at 516-462-4624.

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148 ONE ISRAEL FUND Life in Judah and Samaria

I found myself tonight standing outside in the cold, wet winter evening, together with a few hun-dred other parents in Mitzpe Yericho. In past years, I have always asked myself, “What the heck am I do-ing out here?” This year, though, I think I’ve fi nally started to get it.

Tonight was the culmination of Hodesh Irgun. This peculiar Israeli custom consists of a month of rehears-als for an evening of short ‘dances’ put on by each age group in the local youth group (often Bnei Akiva, although here we have ‘Ezra’).

What happens on the fi nal Shabbat of Hodesh Ir-

gun? All Shabbat, the kids eat, daven and sing together

in their various age ranges. They distribute a book-let produced by the kids, with articles, puzzles and jokes. The grand fi nale is Motzei Shabbat. An hour af-ter Shabbat, the kids in Ezra get together for a parade around the yishuv. They then proceed to the “Ampi” (the outdoors amphitheatre). Slowly but surely, the parents, siblings and friends of the kids (grades 3-9) and the counselors (grades 10 - 11) all trickle in for the assembly.

And unless none of your children fall into that age range (pretty rare here), you too are going to be there!

Being Jews, there are the interminable speeches. And being Israeli, everyone is talking during the speeches. The kids are extremely excited and worked up. Israeli fl ags wave and drums roll. Balloons ex-plode every now and again. Boys on bicycles and roll-er blades weave in and around the crowd. Toddling

babies escape from their mind-ers and must be rescued every few minutes. Whether seated or standing, everyone seems to be there.

As I arrived this year, I was struck at how much the yishuv has grown. I still know most of the people, but I remember how 10 years ago, when we fi rst got here, we all fi t onto a small bas-ketball court. Now we pack the large outdoor amphithe-atre, and you need to shout a

bit to make yourself heard. As each group performs, I am struck once

again at the fantastic experience that I am liv-ing here, in Israel. The children do not all go to the same schools, but they get together for youth group meetings. Smaller and larger kippot, some with fl owing payot, and some with hardly any, shorter or longer hair and skirts - together we are building a community.

When one group gets up and proudly marches in formation with Israeli fl ags – I can’t help it – my throat gets tight and I feel tears in the corners of my eyes. When I see the newest batch of children doing their dance – so serious and excited that they fi nally are in ‘Ezra’ – I can’t help but exclaim to myself, “Al-ready! They were just in kindergarten a couple years back...”

I notice a couple of kids who just made Aliyah this past summer, already fi tting in nicely with their new friends. When the bicycle dance begins, I spot one boy wearing a helmet – the son of American im-migrants, of course. The sixth grade boys take them-selves very seriously as they march around beating their drums. Anyone ‘lucky’ enough to live next to one of these boys has had the ‘pleasure’ of hearing them practice for this past month. Finally, for the last dance, the big lights go out and ultraviolet lights are trained on the dancers. Just about everyone is taking pictures with digital cameras – something new to this

community. When it is all over, we congratulate our chil-

dren on performing well, and there is dancing. Watching this scene, I am struck that I am do-ing what I set out to do: build a Jewish commu-nity of Torah life in Eretz Yisrael. My dream is unfolding before my eyes. The greatest of Jews of the past (like Moshe Rabbeinu) did not merit seeing this, yet I get this chance. Watching 250 kids perform for over an hour, in the cold and drizzly weather (it always drizzles on Hodesh

Irgun) isn’t especially enjoyable or meaningful. But watching the future of Mitzpeh Yericho, and of Israel, is.

• If the majestic beauty of the Jud-dean desert speaks to your soul,

• If passing camels and sheep on your way to work makes you smile,

• If you like living in a small, peaceful com-munity, 20 min. from Jerusalem,

• If you want to be part of the pioneer-

ing effort to build up Eretz Yisrael -then Mitzpeh Yericho is for you!

May you all merit to join us here in Eretz Yisrael.

If you or someone you know would like more information about visiting, supporting or, ideally, moving to Mitzpe Yericho , please contact One Israel Fund offi ce at 516.239.9202 or [email protected].

Mitzpeh Yericho: Hodesh Irgun by Gaila Morrison

Entrance to Mitzpeh Yericho

Children performing at a Hodesh Irgun

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