LOOKING FOR HOPE FOR CANAVAN DISEASE page 6

RABBI SHMUEL GOLDIN, AT HOME IN ISRAEL page 10

SALAAM / SHALOM SISTERHOOD COMES TO BERGEN COUNTY page 12
ROCKLAND NON-PROFITS PLAY BALL AT JCC page 26

DECEMBER 29, 2017

VOL. LXXXVII NO. 15 $1.00 86 2017
7

NORTH JERSEY THEJEWISHSTANDARD.COM

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

2017
Year in review page 30
Teaneck, NJ 07666
1086 Teaneck Road
Jewish Standard
 THE KOSHER MAVENS
We’re your source for everything kosher in New Jersey
KOSHER SEAFOOD KOSHER COFFEE FRESH CUT KOSHER BEEF KOSHER CUT FRUIT

Our fresh roasted coffee is

certified Kosher for use year round

KOSHER PREPARED FOODS KOSHER FRESH CHALLAH KOSHER ROASTED CHICKEN KOSHER FRESH SUSHI

Our chefs make over 30 varieties Our Challah is always Kosher, We only use freshest kosher
of kosher prepared foods from hand braided and baked fresh chickens and prepare them to the
scratch every day by our bakers highest kosher standards

HERE’S WHAT’S ON SALE THIS WEEK

Streits Fairway antibiotic free
Noodles fresh-baked fAIRWAY KOSHER
Assorted Varieties
12 ounce package
Challah Boneless
Baked right in our store CHICKEN BREAST
5$
for 5 SAVE $
UP TO 3 00
2$
for 8 SAVE $
UP TO 100 5
$ 99
lb. UP TO $100LB.
SAVE

Fresh Kosher Kosher Fairway Kosher

Premium Whole Roasted Italian Roast
Salmon Fillet Chickens or Fairway Kosher Hazelnut Coffee
Never frozen • Antibiotic Roasted in-house
Plain, Latin, BBQ or Herb

7
$ 99
and Hormone Free

$ 99
9 lb. 5
SAVE $ 00
UP TO LB.
$ 89
2 lb. 1
SAVE $ 00
UP TO LB.
lb. 1
SAVE $ 00
UP TO LB.

FAIRWAY MARKET PARAMUS

Located in the Paramus Fashion Center • 20 East Ridgewood Road
Open every day from 7am to 10pm • fairwaymarket.com
Prices effective December 29, 2017 to January 4 2018

2 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Page 3
Jersey City yeshiva boy comes to Marvel Comics
l With the recent expansion of the Jewish Federation
of Northern New Jersey into Hudson County, Jersey
City counts as part of “our community.” This has been
a bit of homecoming for this newspaper, which began
many years ago in Jersey City. But it has taken a while
for all its implications to sink in.
For example: Ms. Marvel, the youthful superhero
who hails from Jersey City, now is “our” superhero.
Okay, maybe in the Marvel Universe JFNNJ has a
different catchment area (and maybe, in a world of
government agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D., a catchier ac-
ronym). But readers in our universe who don’t follow
comic books should know that thanks to the writings
of G. Willow Wilson, Jersey City has become a hot lo-
cation for Marvel superheroics. For a new generation
of heroes and readers, Jersey City is the new Forest
Hills, the convenient-to-Manhattan-super-crises sub-
urb where Spider Man grew up half a century ago.
Jersey City’s Ms. Marvel was created in 2014. She’s
Kamala Khan, a teenage girl whose superpowers
don’t help her with teenage problems ranging from
sibling rivalry to keeping her secret crime-fighting
your bowels for a week, fresh
identity hidden from her family to trying not to gush
from Elite Meat on Newark Ave.”
too much when she meets her longtime personal
Yes, Kamala, there is an Ortho-
heroes like Spider Man. She is also, like Ms. Wilson
dox Union in the Marvel Universe.
and one of the editors who came up with the idea, a
We remember the thrill of recognition we felt back It turns out that readers haven’t met Naftali before
practicing Muslim. Her parents are immigrants from
in 1980, when Marvel introduced the Jewish X-Man, because he doesn’t go to school with Ms. Marvel and
Pakistan and questions of identity and assimilation are
Kitty Pryde, who wore a Magen-David and celebrated the gang. He explains why he’s visiting the halls of
a recurring background to the stories.
Chanukah. Ms. Marvel brought the similar thrill of see- Coles Academic High School: “We get Wednesday
You can get a sense of the warm-hearted and realis-
ing a character shunning pork — not precisely keeping afternoons off at my yeshiva, so I make a sandwich
tic way this plays out in a panel in the first issue of her
kosher, but closer than Kitty Pryde ever came. run for certain select friends who would otherwise be
monthly comic, where she is sniffing a BLT sandwich
Fellow fans of seeing dietary restrictions portrayed forced to eat ritually dubious cafeteria food.”
at the corner deli.
in popular culture should be sure to pick up the new We’re intrigued to learn of a North Jersey yeshiva
“I’m going to start charging you for smells,” the pro-
issue of Ms. Marvel, which returns to the theme. Ms. with early dismissal on Wednesdays. Yet another rea-
prietor says.
Marvel herself is altogether absent from the issue. Her son our teens want to emigrate to the Marvel Universe.
“Delicious, delicious infidel meat,” Kamala murmurs,
family isn’t concerned; they say they know what’s go- And while we await the next issue to see what the
entranced.
ing on. But her friends worry nonetheless. future has in store for our new friend Naftali, we can’t
“Seriously, Kamala, I don’t understand why you do
And in this context, we meet a friend named Naftali. help but hoping that Naftali gets super powers of his
this to your yourself,” a friend chimes in.
He visits Ms. Marvel’s high school brandishing a sand- own some day. Then we can finally thrill to the ad-
“Either eat the bacon or stick to your principles,”
wich he praises as “Paper-thin OU-certified corned ventures of the kippah-wearing hero Marvel can only
chides the deli man. “Chow or chow not, there is no
beef, toasted bread, enough horseradish to set up call “OU Kid.” Larry Yudelson
smell.”

‘Kosher’ now kosher for Spanish speakers

l Two weeks ago, we told you that the He-
brew Language Academy introduced new
words for “patriarchalism” and “matriarch-
alism” into the official Hebrew vocabulary.
(They’re “avhatanut” and “imhatanut.” You’re
welcome.)
Now, two words from that vocabulary —
the more familiar “kosher” and “hummus”
— have earned coveted status in the official
lexicon of the Royal Spanish Academy. The
words will appear in the next print edition
of the Dictionary of the Spanish Language,
which will be published next year, and al-
ready are available online.
The Royal Spanish Academy, or RAE, is
the main institution that establishes and
reinforces the use of the Spanish language
worldwide.
Approximately 570 million people around
the world speak Spanish. The countries with
the most Spanish speakers are Mexico, with
122 million; the United States, with 57 million;
Candlelighting: Friday, December 29, 4:18 p.m.
Shabbat ends: Saturday, December 30, 5:23 p.m.
Colombia, with 48 million; Spain, with 47 mil- CONTENTS
lion, and Argentina, with 44 million. Spanish Noshes���������������������������������������������������������������4
is the most common second language spo- briefly local��������������������������������������������� 24
ken in the United States. rockland����������������������������������������������������� 26
RAE defined “kosher” in its online version cover story������������������������������������������������ 30
23.1 of the dictionary as: “A product, a meal, jewish world���������������������������������������������35
a menu, etc. 1. Obtained or prepared accord- oPINION����������������������������������������������������������� 36
ing to the precepts of Judaism. 2. Said of d’var torah������������������������������������������������� 41
an establishment: selling or serving kosher THE FRAZZLED HOUSEWIFE������������������� 42
products.” crossword puzzle�������������������������������� 42
“Hummus” is defined in the dictionary as calendar������������������������������������������������������ 43
“Chickpea paste typical of Arabic cuisine, obituaries���������������������������������������������������� 45
usually seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, classifieds�������������������������������������������������� 46
sesame, and garlic.” real estate�������������������������������������������������� 49
Both words were presented on December PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT: (USPS 275-700 ISN 0021-6747) is pub-
20 as part of the first update of the online lished weekly on Fridays with an additional edition every October,
by the New Jersey Jewish Media Group, 1086 Teaneck Road,
dictionary, available since 2015 and the main Teaneck, NJ 07666. Periodicals postage paid at Hackensack, NJ and
source for online searches about the correct additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New
Jersey Jewish Media Group, 1086 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
use of the Spanish language. Subscription price is $30.00 per year. Out-of-state subscriptions are
$45.00, Foreign countries subscriptions are $75.00.
By the end of this year, the online diction- The appearance of an advertisement in The Jewish Standard does
ary will have had nearly a billion searches, not constitute a kashrut endorsement. The publishing of a paid
political advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of any
according to RAE authorities. JTA Wire Service candidate political party or political position by the newspaper or
any employees.
From the ‘Translation The Jewish Standard assumes no responsibility to return unsolic-
ited editorial or graphic materials. All rights in letters and unsolic-
Blunders in Israel’  ited editorial, and graphic material will be treated as uncondition-
ally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and subject
Facebook group
to JEWISH STANDARD’s unrestricted right to edit and to comment
editorially. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without
written permission from the publisher. © 2017

Jewish Standard december 29, 2017 3

Noshes
TRIFECTA DATING:
‘Will & Grace’
and oh, my…
• The revival this season
of “Will & Grace” has
been a success, get-
ting good-if-not-great
reviews, and good-if-
not-great ratings. The
premise of “Friends and
Lover,” the episode air-
ing on NBC on Thursday,
January 4, at 9 p.m. is a
little risqué for current
broadcast TV and cer-
tainly wouldn’t have got-
ten past network censors
when the show began
in 1998. Will and Grace
(DEBRA MESSING, 49)
try to convince them-
selves they are okay dat-
ing the same charismatic
man (played by Nick
Offerman, the real-life
husband of series’ co-
star Megan Mullally).
• “My Crazy Ex-Girl-
friend,” starring RACHEL
BLOOM, 30, begins its
new season on Friday,
January 5 on CW at 9
p.m. The last season
ended with Rebecca
(Bloom) acting even
more meshugah than
usual. The guy she’d
been chasing for years
abandoned her at the
altar — he left her for
the priesthood! In re-
sponse, Rebecca threw
herself off a (real) cliff.
She survived and found
an unexpected well of
Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard
4 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
strength. Her fierce girl
squad helped her get on
her feet. Now that squad
has to decide whether
to help Rebecca as she
seeks revenge on the
erstwhile groom.
• The Netflix limited se-
ries “Godless,” released
in November, got pretty
good reviews and ended
up on some critics’ best
10 of 2017 lists. It gets
kudos from me for plau-
sibly depicting the hero-
ism of frontier women. It
takes place in a mining
town after almost all the
men who lived there are
killed in an explosion.
The women show pretty
realistic courage as they
fend off unethical busi-
nessmen and kill-crazy
outlaws. Quite a few
newish Westerns feature
women who ludicrously
act like frontier Charlie’s
Angels.
“Godless” was written
and directed by SCOTT
FRANK, 57. “Godless” is
his directing debut, but
he has a long list of top
screenwriting credits,
including “Get Shorty”
and “Minority Report.” In
a recent interview with
TERRY GROSS, 66, the
host of “Fresh Air” on
NPR, Frank was asked
about the moving last
“I have one of the most Italian names you can ever imagine being
said at the bimah during your bar mitzvah. ‘We are gathered to-
day to celebrate the bar mitzvah of Michael Christopher Barbaro.’
It sounds like an episode of the Godfather.”
– Michael Barbaro, the New York Times reporter who created and hosts the
popular podcast “The Daily,” talking to Mike Pesca, host of the podcast
“The Gist,” who proudly proclaims himself another “matzah-pizza.”
This photo of
art carved by
World War I
soldiers is now
exhibited at the
Smithsonian Air
& Space Museum
in Washington
through
November 11, 2018
Debra Messing Rachel Bloom ER doctor captures
the art of soldiers
● Two weeks ago, I caught up with a Smithsonian Chan-
nel documentary, “Americans Underground: Secret City
of WWI,” which aired earlier in 2017. Right now (I don’t
know for how long) you can watch the documentary, in
full, for free, on the Smithsonian Channel website, on
demand, or on YouTube. Ignore what seems to be the
grim subject matter — this film is fascinating, moving,
and ultimately uplifting.
The central figure in the film is Dr. JEFF GUSKY,
64, a distinguished emergency room physician, who is
Scott Frank Terry Gross also an avid photographer and researcher. He traveled
to Poland in the mid-1990s to get more in touch with
scene of the series, in HALEVI (1075-1141), the his Jewish faith; on the site of the concentration camp
which a pastor recites a famous Spanish Jewish
depicted in “Schindler’s List,” he found a section that
beautiful prayer for those physician, poet, and phi-
killed saving their mining losopher. He came across was unknown even to local residents. Thus began his
town. Frank surprised it years ago and knew it hunt for sites—and the genesis of his first book of photos,
Gross by saying that it would work in this scene. “Silent Places: Landscapes of Jewish Life and Loss in
was a poem, “Tis a Fear- Here’s the poem. Save Eastern Europe” (2003).
ful Thing,” by JUDAH it for the right time: During the last decade, Dr. Gusky has explored scores
of virtually forgotten underground quarries near the
WWI front line in France that once housed thousands of
“Tis a fearful thing to love what death can touch.
WWI soldiers (French, American, British, and German).
A fearful thing to love, to hope, to dream, to be — to be,
And oh, to lose. The soldiers carved their names and symbols into the
A thing for fools, this, soft limestone walls. A little more than five minutes into
And a holy thing, a holy thing to love. the documentary, there is a glimpse of a wall carving of a
For your life has lived in me, your laugh once lifted me, Star of David.
your word was gift to me. I wrote to Dr. Gusky, and he told me that it was shrine
To remember this brings painful joy. created by French Jewish soldiers. I gather it is in a
’Tis a human thing, love, a holy thing, to love what death
quarry near the one fully explored in the film, but it’s
has touched.”
not the same one. The quarry he explores fully has many
–N.B.
American soldiers’ names carved into the walls. We see
Dr. Gusky find a few of their descendants — including
members of a Native American tribe. –N.B.
California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Middleoftheroad1@aol.com
 Aaah-sisted Living
Lester Style
Elegant assisted living is waiting for you
at the Lester Senior Housing Community,
with hotel-style amenities, luxurious
surroundings and services that support
healthy minds and bodies.

Our residents enjoy:

• Delicious glatt kosher dining. Prepared
under the Supervision of the Vaad
HaRabonim of MetroWest NJ

• Cultural, social and educational programs

including: Engaging social events with
musical entertainment, yoga and zumba
classes, stimulating lectures, balance and
mindfulness guided imagery relaxation
techniques, and much more.

• On-site medical/health care/rehabilitative

services.

We also offer supportive, individualized dementia care in our beautiful, intimate

Memory Care Suite.

Ask About Our Respite Stays

Flexible, short-term respite stays with supportive services for seniors, when
caregivers or family will be away. It’s a great way to sample the Lester lifestyle!
Contact David Rozen for more information or to arrange a tour:
973-929-2725 or DavidR@jchcorp.org.

The Lester Senior Housing Community

903-905 Route 10 East, Whippany, NJ
www.jchcorp.org • 973-929-2725
Owned and Managed by the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 5

Local
Looking for cures
Scientist hope that gene therapy might fight Canavan disease
Miryam Z. Wahrman Ph.D., child inheriting two copies of the flawed
Science Correspondent gene. When that happens, the child

J
ennie and Gary Landsman and their family
did extensive research to identify scientists
and clinicians who can best help their young
sons, Benny and Josh, who are afflicted with
Canavan disease. They discovered a promising
experimental gene therapy program right here
in New Jersey.
“We reached out to multiple physicians and
researchers,” Rise Landsman, Gary’s mother, said.
“We have happily connected with Dr. Paola Leone,
at Rowan, whose goal is to translate successes of
the lab into the clinical setting.” Dr. Leone directs
a research team at the Cell and Gene Therapy
Center at Rowan University School of Osteopathic
Medicine in Stratford.
Canavan is a disease the strikes Jews dispropor-
tionately. “The disease has been reported world-
wide, but is more frequent in Ashkenazi Jewish
populations,” according to www.orpha.net, a
website about orphan diseases, a category that
includes Canavan. “The incidence of severe CD in
the non-Jewish population has been estimated at
approximately 1:100,000 births,” it continues. “If
both parents are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, the Benny and Josh Landsman suffer from Canavan disease.
incidence is 1:6,400 to 1:13,500 births.
“The prevalence of Canavan disease in the general pop-
ulation is unknown. Among people of Ashkenazi Jewish
descent, the disease affects approximately 1 in 6,400 to
13,500 people, making 1 in every 40 to 58 Ashkenazi Jews
a carrier.”
Canavan disease is caused by a mutation in the gene
that makes the enzyme aspartoacylase, or ASPA, which
normally breaks down the chemical N-acetyl aspartic
acid, called NAA. Most people have two functional cop-
ies of that gene. A person who carries one copy of the
mutated gene is a carrier with no symptoms. When both
parents are carriers, there is a 25 percent chance of a
does not have that critical enzyme, and
instead has Canavan disease.
When the enzyme ASPA is missing,
there is a buildup of NAA in the brain; that
is a hallmark of Canavan. The chemical
dysfunction affects the way neurons in the
brain develop, including the myelin coat-
ing on nerve fibers, which is not being laid
down properly.
Because the gene mutation leads to
the absence of an enzyme that is critical
to brain development, researchers have
attempted enzyme replacement ther-
apy. That type of therapy works well for
another genetic disorder, Gaucher disease,
whose sufferers also do not have a critical
enzyme. That approach has not been suc-
cessful for Canavan, however, because it
has not been possible to get the enzyme
to enter affected brain cells.
Because the root cause of the disease is
a defect in the DNA sequence that encodes
the ASPA gene, the best hope to correct
that defect is through gene therapy. Dr.
Leone and her research team, who are
pioneers in this area, devised a way to use
a virus to carry the healthy DNA sequences into the brains
of Canavan patients. (The viruses used to transport the
therapeutic genes in these experiments are altered so they
do not cause disease.)
In Dr. Leone and her colleagues’ original study,
See Canavan page 8

Bubbes pitch in to help Benny and Josh

Family spearheads push not only to care for children
but to raise funds for research and rehabilitation
Miryam Z. Wahrman Ph.D. support research on Canavan disease, and their online

T
wo little brothers who share the genetic burden
of Canavan disease have touched many with
their heart-rending story.
Benny and Josh, sons of Jennie and Gary Lands-
man, both have a genetic disorder whose victims typically
fail to develop neurologically, are never able to sit up, walk
or talk, and have an average life expectancy of about 10 years.
Jennie and Gary first learned last summer that their
1-year-old, Benny, was not progressing developmentally
because he had inherited two copies of the Canavan dis-
ease gene from them. A few weeks later, their newborn son,
Josh, also tested positive for the disease, delivering a sec-
ond shock to the reeling family. Jennie and Gary want the
best for their sons, so they have explored every possible
treatment and therapy available, including experimental
gene therapy. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to
campaign has spread the word of their sons’ medical
challenge, capturing the hearts of people worldwide.
The main story about Benny and Josh is naturally
focused on the babies and their parents, but in this fam-
ily their grandparents are a big part of this story as well.
It’s not easy for parents to care for two healthy babies, let
alone two babies who need extensive care. That’s where
Jewish grandparents can come in handy. Rise Landsman
and Shani Rosenblum, two remarkable and involved
grandmothers, lavish lots of love and give boundless help
to their children and grandsons.
“We’ve chosen to be hopeful rather than despairing,”
Rise Landsman of Teaneck, aka Savti, said. “I delight in
them.” Rise is a social worker, retired now from a career
at the Jewish Home in New York. Her husband, Dan, is a The grandmothers and their grandsons: Shani
rabbi who gave up the pulpit many years ago and works Rosenblum, left, holds Josh, and Rise Lands-
See help page 8 man holds Benny.

6 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Treat yourself to a night off
and your family to our
Homestyle Deli and Appetizing!

pen! the family

Now O
BALTIMORE • CLIFTON • LAKEWOOD • LAWRENCE • QUEENS • SCARSDALE • MANHATTAN • LAWRENCE
COMING SOON!! CLEVELAND, AND CEDARHURST

SHOP 24/6 SEASONSKOSHER.COM • INFO@SEASONSKOSHER.COM

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 7

Local
Canavan
from page 6
published in 2002, Adeno-associated
virus (AAV) carrying the ASPA gene
was injected into the brains of 21
patients with Canavan disease. A fol-
low-up study of these patients, pub-
lished in 2012, showed that the treat-
ment produced no adverse effects; that
finding is critical to any experimental
procedure to be used on human sub-
jects. The research also showed a
decrease in the chemical NAA, thought
to be a factor in causing the Canavan
defect, and it showed other improve-
ments, including “slowed progression
of brain atrophy, with some improve-
ment in seizure frequency and with
stabilization of overall clinical status.”
That study provided a glimmer of
hope for the success of gene therapy
in Canavan patients.
A more recent study published
in 2016, conducted by Paola Leone
and collaborators in four prominent
research centers, showed how NAA
affects the development of brain cells
in a mouse model of Canavan disease.
“Dr. Leone’s team is currently testing
the most advanced gene therapy vec-
tor in the world for Canavan disease,
which was recently developed by
her collaborators at UNC,” an online
description of Leone’s research says.
“Unlike other gene therapy options,
this newest gene therapy vector specif-
ically targets the cells affected in Cana-
van disease and holds a real promise
for finally curing the disease.”
“Fifteen years ago, Paola was
involved in research introducing the
AAV vector into six holes in the brain.
She also worked with murine models,”
Rise said. (Murine models are mice.)
“She knows where to go, now using
two holes” instead of six, “for viral
vectors to get in.”
“Paola Leone’s project will cost $1.2
to $1.5 million,” she continued. “She
is submitting an application to a foun-
dation. Once it’s approved, we hope
that my grandsons will be part of the
research.”
When new therapies are devel-
oped, there are many steps needed
to test the procedures before human
subjects may be used. Under some
Hoping the New Year brings peace,
prosperity and positivity to all!
Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Northern New Jersey
8 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017
circumstances it is possible to fast-
track the process, and that is the goal
that Dr. Leone and the Landsmans and
Rosenblums share. They have no time
to waste; as the boys get older, the like-
lihood that they can be cured worsens.
“You can ask for compassionate use,
for a small group of subjects,” Rise
said. “With orphan diseases it’s the
families that get movement, raise the
funds, speak to politicians, get expe-
ditious approval of the FDA.” Orphan
diseases are rare diseases that affect
fewer than 200,000 people. The
Orphan Drug Act of 1983 provides a
mechanism to facilitate research on
these diseases.
“We do not want to wait for an NIH
trial, as it could take forever,” Rise con-
tinued. “We are hoping to move things
along. The government won’t fund a
compassionate use submission,” thus
the urgent need for private funding.
Just last week, the FDA approved the
first gene therapy treatment to correct
an inherited genetic mutation, in this
case in a gene that causes retinal dys-
trophy, a rare form of blindness. The
mutated gene RPE65 can be treated
by using a genetically engineered
virus carrying a healthy version of
the gene to the retina. Clinical trials
showed improved vision in 27 out of
29 patients who got the treatment.
Now that the dam of gene therapy is
open for one genetic mutation, there
is hope for success in curing other
genetic diseases as well.
“Through our grandsons we will find
a cure for Canavan, and we hope that
our grandsons will be beneficiaries of
the research,” Risa said. “Each success
is inspiring, and engenders greater
hope in us.”
You can find the family’s GoFundMe
project, “Save Benny and Josh” by
googling for it.
Miryam Z. Wahrman Ph.D. is
professor of biology at William
Paterson University of New Jersey, and
author of The Hand Book: Surviving
in a Germ-Filled World, a book that
provides handy tips on how to reduce
the risk of infectious disease, which
is especially important advice during
cold and flu season.
From the Board of Directors and Staff of
For information on JFCS services visit www.jfcsnnj.org or call 201-837-9090
Help
from page 6
for a real estate company. Members of
Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck, the
Landsmans raised their children in town;
their son Gary attended Yavneh Academy
and the Frisch School.
Rise loves her grandchildren. “Being
with them is therapeutic for me,” she said.
“They are 17 months and 5 months old.
Benny does not sit up, hold his head up,
he never rolled over, he doesn’t walk or
talk. He’s still a baby, a floppy, happy, deli-
cious baby.
“I sleep over on Monday nights and bab-
ysit Tuesdays and alternate Sundays,” she
continued. She noted that Jennie and Gary,
who live in Brooklyn, need a lot of help;
Gary “owns a retail wine shop, and puts in
very long hours. He is not home before 10
or 11 p.m.”
“I love my grandchildren,” their other
grandmother, Jennie’s mother, Shoshana
Rosenblum, aka Grandma Shani, said.
They’re my oxygen.” Shani, who lives in
Brooklyn and works at the Yeshiva of Flat-
bush, pitches in to help every evening.
Her husband, Rabbi Dan Rosenblum,
works for the New York City Department
of Sanitation.
“I work full time, then I go straight to
Jennie’s house, where I help out from 5
p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m., with my husband, who is there
almost every night,” Shani said. “Josh was
colicky when he was born, with reflux, cry-
ing a lot, but now he is not so colicky. Josh
is now all smiles and yummy, and a lot eas-
ier to manage.”
“In the summer, we had just heard the
news,” she continued. “When we heard
about Benny, it was bad enough. When we
heard about Josh, it was like being hit by a
train for the second time.
“In the summer I was a basket case. I was
hysterical over this. Now we have hope. We
are on a mission.”
Sometimes it does, indeed, take a village
to care for children, and the Landsman
family is grateful for all the support avail-
able. “There are therapists coming every
day, PT and OT” — physical and occupa-
tional therapy — “speech, and swallowing,
special ed and developmental, as well as
doctors’ appointments,” Rise said.
“The therapists are such devoted
people,” Shani added. “They are all family,
in this together. We’re really united. They
are rising to the occasion. They are a great
team together. We’re all trying to be nor-
mal, and to do normal things.”
Rise talks glowingly about her daughter-
in-law. “‘Master’ Jennie is a sixth degree
black belt in Pa-Kua, Chinese martial arts,
which include meditation, yoga, archery,
acupuncture, and martial arts,” she said.
“She is a personal trainer, an archer,
an acrobat. Jennie is an ashet chayil,” a
woman of valor. “She is my hero.”
“Jennie is nursing both of them,” she
continued said; that’s because breast feed-
ing apparently helps Canavan babies to do
better. “Benny nurses, and he eats solid
food. He has a feeding specialist. Thera-
pists help the boys to do the optimum that
they can. We are now trying to get Benny
to sit up, which is best for his breathing. So
we sit him up as much as possible.
“Down the road,” children with Canavan
“have feeding tubes, and ventilators, and
go blind.”
“When we’re at Jennie’s house we are
there to make the kids laugh and to have
a good life,” Shani said. She recalled when
Jennie’s oldest son Mikey, who is 7, blew
up a balloon for his little brother Benny,
and let it go. As it flew around the room,
“Benny laughed hysterically. Benny has
a great disposition and has a belly laugh
that’s so contagious, that we just want to
laugh with him.
“The boys are 13 months apart, so it’s
nonstop action.
“We are always emailing each other,”
she continued. “I once texted my daughter
in the midst of the real crisis at the begin-
ning: ‘I just want you to know that I have
no regrets that Benny and Josh were born.
I already have a lifetime of joy from them.
We are going to get through this together.’”
Genetic screening
for Canavan
Rise Landsman said that in retrospect there
were clues of this affliction in her family. Her
first cousin’s son, who married into a cha-
redi family, had eight children. Four of them
died early, but she had never asked why She
later learned that it was Canavan.
She also reported that her daughter,
Gary’s sister, had learned of her status as
a carrier of Canavan years before, but had

not told her family about it until later.
Both of Jennie’s siblings, the family
now knows, also are carriers.
Gary and Jennie Landsman did not
imagine that Canavan would be an
issue for the family, because Jennie,
who had been tested for the so-called
“Ashkenazi panel” of genetic illnesses
in 2009, was told that the tests had
come back negative. Based on that,
the family assumed that there was no
need for Gary to be tested.
They were wrong.
“The message is, for genetic tests or
for any sort of testing, to ask to see the
results, and to keep a copy,” Rise said.
“Jennie had thought, ‘I’m negative on
everything.’ She went along feeling
confident that she was not a carrier.”
She reported that genetics educator
and consultant Dr. Nicole Schreiber
Agus, who co-founded the Program
for Jewish Genetic Health at Yeshiva
University/Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, “recommends that before
every planned pregnancy, test again.
People in the Jewish community think
that you just have to do it once. But it
does change, as the types of tests are
updated, and the number of diseases
tested for may change.
“I have an i ssue with Dor
Yeshorim,” she continued. Dor
Yeshorim is the premarital genetic
screening program used by many
Orthodox families. “People who test
with them have no idea what they are
carriers of and are not carriers of.
“Knowledge is power. I prefer to
know, to be able to make informed
decisions.”
Dor Yeshorim’s screening is
designed for Jewish communities
in which couples are introduced
through a shadkhan, or matchmaker.
The organization performs genetic
screening of young men and women
before they start dating. Each per-
son is given a coded identity but is
not informed of carrier status for any
genetic disorders. When matches are
proposed, the coded test results are
checked to determine if there are
genetic issues for the prospective
couple. “We believe…that in keep-
ing all testing results confidential we
eliminate any potential stigmatiza-
tion of individuals and families,” Dor
Yeshorim notes on its website (dorye-
shorim.org).
According to the website, Dor
Yeshorim conducts tests only “that
have been determined to be in our
community’s best interests.” That
includes nine disorders — Tay-Sachs,
Familial dysautonomia, cystic fibro-
sis, Canavan disease, glycogen stor-
age disease type 1, Fanconi anemia
type C, Bloom syndrome, Neimann-
Pick disease, and mucolipidosis type
IV. Gaucher disease can be added to
Local
the screening only by special request.
In contrast to Dor Yeshorim’s pro-
gram, JScreen, a not-for-profit in-
home Jewish carrier screening pro-
gram, is much more extensive. It now
tests for more than 200 genes; more Le
nc
e
ga
than 100 of them point to genetic c y o f E x c e ll e
conditions “common in those with
Jewish ancestry” ( JScreen.org).
Please join the Yavneh family
Treatments for Canavan
and support for as we celebrate our
Canavan research
Once their sons were diagnosed, Jen-
75th Anniversary
nie and Gary Landsman did exten-
sive research to learn what treatment and honor
options are available to help them.
As a result, now the family works
with the many therapists who help
the boys achieve their best physi-
cal potentials. Another result of that
research is that they know that there
are three drugs available for children
with Canavan now. “Both boys are
on lithium, one of the medications in
the Canavan cocktail, meant to slow
the disease,” Rise said. “The second
drug is to reduce the accumulation Joel Kirschner
of fluid in the brain. Benny has mini- Guest of Honor
mal fluid in the brain. The third drug
they are not yet on, as we want to
see if any adverse reactions occur
with the first one.”
The prospect of curing the disor-
der using gene therapy provides even
more hope than does treating its symp-
toms. (See “Looking for cures” on page
XX.) The Landsmans have established
a GoFundMe, online campaign to raise
funds to support an experimental gene
therapy protocol; to find it, google Go The Carmel/Zakheim Family
Fund Me Save Benny and Josh. David Carmel ’59
“The support and amount of fund- Dr. Sara Carmel Zakheim ’89
ing has been so inspiring for the fam- JJ ’13, Max ’16, Alex ’19 and Isabelle ’24 Zakheim
ily. It’s exploded all over the internet
and worldwide,” Shani said. “We get Legacy Award Recipients
all these messages from people, from
Canavan carriers, donations from
Japan, and we have people collecting
in Israel.”
Other community efforts also
have yielded support. “The kids
in my school did a tournament
and raised money for Canavan
research,” Shani said, referring to a
fundraising program at the Yeshiva
of Flatbush. And she said that Jennie
and Gary’s shul, the Kingsway Jew- Judy Friedman
ish Center, held a Chanukah appeal, Faculty Recognition Award
raising more than $40,000. “The
amount of support helps Jennie and
Gary keep going.”
“That’s the heartwarming and
Saturday Evening Motzei Shabbat
uplifting part of it,” Rise said. “The January 13, 2018 8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn community has been good.
There are girls in the community offer- Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
ing chesed, offering meals, offering
babysitting. I am by nature a believer
in the goodness of people. I have been For more information or to make a reservation or gift,
floored by the reaction of people please visit yavnehdinner.com
worldwide, people who want to help.”
Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 9
Local
LETTER FROM ISRAEL
Earning a name … twice
Reflections on making aliyah and what it means to feel at home
A
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin
riddle for consideration as
the Book of Bereishit draws to
a close:
What is it that changes twice
during the life of the last patriarch, Yaakov,
but doesn’t really seem to change at all?
The answer, of course: Yaakov’s name.
On two occasions in Parshat Vayish-
lach God moves to change Yaakov’s name
to Yisrael.
The first endeavor unfolds through the
aegis of an angel who, after wrestling with
the patriarch through the darkness of the
night, ultimately responds to Yaakov’s
request for a blessing by declaring: “No
longer will your name be spoken of as Yaa-
kov, but as Yisrael, for you have struggled
with man and with God and prevailed.”
The second occasion develops through
a quieter series of events. Without warn-
ing, God commands Yaakov to return, in
fulfillment of the patriarch’s own vow,
to Beit El, the site of his earlier famous
dream of a ladder stretching heavenward.
There, God again appears to the patri-
arch and declares: “No longer shall your
name be called Yaakov, for Yisrael shall
be your name.” The Torah emphatically
concludes: “And He” — God — “called his
name Yisrael.”
The clear questions before us are two-
fold. Firstly, must God change Yaakov’s
name twice, and why specifically on these
two occasions? Secondly, why, even after
these two divine attempts, does Yaakov’s
name-change not stick? Because even after
the two-step name-changing process, Yaa-
kov still is called Yaakov in the Torah more
often than he is called Yisrael.
Concerning the second of these ques-
tions; the apparent lack of permanence
in the change of Yaakov’s name, a general
The Israel-based Goldin family gathers in Jerusalem. Barbara and Shmuel Goldin
sit surrounded by grandchildren; Shifra and Rabbi Yossi Goldin are at the left,
and Rabbi Yehuda and Noa Goldin are at the right.
10 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017
rabbinic consensus does emerge, although
with minor variations. The rabbis maintain
that Yaakov’s name change is meant to be
prophetically dynamic; mirroring shift-
ing conditions in the patriarch’s life and
in the lives of his progeny. There will be
times when Yaakov will be “Yaakov,” strug-
gling and downtrodden, and there will be
times when he will be Yisrael, triumphant
and dominant.
And because this last patriarch is the
most direct progenitor of b’nei Yisrael,
the Jewish nation, this symbolism extends
further. There will be times when, due to
their changing circumstances, Yaakov’s
descendants will be “Yaakov,” and times
when they will be “Yisrael.”
Concerning the first of our questions,
however — the question of why this dynamic
dialectic must come into existence twice,
and why specifically to happen when it does
— there is no clear consensus.
I would suggest that to understand why
that is we must travel back decades, to
Yaakov’s first encounter with his God at Rabbi Yossi and Shifra Goldin and their children greet Shmuel and Barbara
Beit El, on the eve of his difficult initial Goldin at the airport as they make aliyah.
departure from the land of Israel. Then,
the patriarch wakes up from his dramatic The statement “and the Lord will be my be in exile, no matter how comfortable
dream of divine reassurance and utters a God” is particularly troubling. Is Yaakov I may become, I will return to this land.
vow: “If God will indeed be with me, and actually saying that the Lord will be his Because I now realize that while you will
will guide me on this path upon which I God only if certain conditions are met? always be with me, you will only fully be
now travel, and will give me bread to eat And if they are not met, then what? God my God when I return. “The Lord will be
and clothing to wear, and I return in peace will not be his God? Inconceivable! my God” completely only when I am in the
to the home of my father, the Lord will The fact that Yaakov’s apparent land of Israel.
be my God… And this stone that I have demands call into question the very assur- With this bold promise, Jacob details the
erected as a monument will be a House of ances that God just delivered to him in his balance defining the physical and spiritual
God. And of all that he gives to me, I will dream further compounds the problem. journey that will mark not only his own
offer a tenth.” While many approaches are suggested life, but the story of his progeny, the Jew-
Readers across the ages, scholars and to explain this puzzling vow, it remains for ish people, across a long and storied his-
novices alike, are rightly confounded by a group of scholars, notably among them tory. Against great odds, they will survive
this vow. Can it be that the patriarch is Nachmanides, to suggest that we simply — even sometimes thrive — in land after
making his allegiance to God conditional? are reading the patriarch’s vow incor- land across the world. They will be chal-
rectly. The phrase “and the Lord will be lenged, however, to keep their destination
my God,” is not part of Yaakov’s demands. clear. They will be challenged to recog-
It is part of his promise. nize, as did their forefather before them,
Upon awakening from his dream, Yaa- that they can be complete with their God
kov turns to God and declares: only upon their return to Israel. And they
My Lord God, you made me two prom- will be challenged to promise, as Yaakov
ises in my dream. You promised to be with boldly did at Beit El on that fateful morn-
me wherever I may go, and you promised ing, to come home.
to bring me back to my land. The prob- The only problem is, however, that Yaa-
lem is, Lord, that these two assurances kov himself does not keep his promise,
are potentially contradictory. If you will at least not of his own volition. After 20
indeed be with me in wherever I am, if years in the house of Lavan, the patriarch
you are not tied, like the gods of the people needs to experience another dream, one
around me to a particular land, then why in which God directly commands him to
must I come back? fulfill his vow by returning to Israel, before
And so, God, I promise that I will under- he actually does so.
stand. No matter how successful I may And when Yaakov does return, he
Until a few months ago, Shmuel Goldin was the long-time senior rabbi of Congregation
Ahavath Torah in Englewood.
 Local Electrical
Plumbing
confronts two towering obstacles that and
forever will stand in the way of the ful- All Home
fillment of his own, and his children’s
destiny; obstacles around which the
Repairs
Yaakov–Yisrael dynamic always will
continue to swirl.
First the patriarch confronts an
external challenge. He struggles in the
darkness with a mysterious stranger,
according to midrashic tradition the
angel of his brother, Esav, in a conflict
seasonal promotions
Tables & Chairs - all sizes, all styles
that lasts “until the break of dawn.”
How prescient is much of the rabbinic
Tables & Chairs - all sizes, all styles
interpretation of this enigmatic strug-
gle, viewing it as a prophetic metaphor
Traditional. Modern.
for the ongoing hostility of an outside
world to the Jew. Hostility that even
Contemporary.
in our day, in the face of overwhelm- Rabbi Goldin plays guitar for some grandchildren; Barbara Goldin
ing historical and archeological evi- sits next to him and next to her is their good friend Andrea Winkler,
dence, would deny the Jewish peo- who made aliyah from Fort Lee with her husband, Rabbi Neil Win-
ple’s unique connection to their land; kler, two years ago.
hostility that seems destined to last
until the “dawn breaks” on the messianic era and the full that these obstacles will confront his progeny as the
change of Yaakov’s name to Yisrael. greatest impediment to the attainment of their own des-
But a second, even greater, obstacle remains. This tiny across time.
quiet obstacle becomes apparent when God has to A few months ago, after a 40-year career in the active
appear and push Yaakov yet again with the directive pulpit rabbinate, my wife and I made aliyah from the
“Arise, and go to Beit El and dwell there, and make there United States to Israel. Since then, for a variety of
an altar to God who appeared to you as you fled from blessed personal and professional reasons, I have spent
Esav, your brother.” more time in the States than in Israel; a situation that
Strikingly, it seems that absent God’s intervention, will remedy itself, please God, within a couple of weeks.
Yaakov again does not move to fulfill the specifics of his Clearly, I am far from a seasoned oleh. My experience as
vow. Can it be that he has temporarily lost the clarity of an Israeli citizen is, to date, sorely limited.
vision that was his during his first interface with God at Nonetheless, my short time in Israel has resulted in a
Beit El? Has he forgotten that his return to the land is not personal revelation that has been nothing short of trans-
complete until he discharges his spiritual obligations at formative for me.
Beit El, until he again recognizes that the primary rea- I have come to recognize something I should have
e son for the superiority of the Land of Israel is that only known all along: The most significant aspect of living in
. there “the Lord will be his God?” Israel is life in Israel.
l In fact, even after Yaakov does meet this second chal- As proof of this fact, consider that the most powerful
e lenge at God’s behest, his name change remains incom- moments that I have experienced in Israel so far have
e plete. It is an ever-present reminder that the patriarch been the unexpected ones…
e again will have to struggle with his own inertia and loss Walking down Emek Refaim in Jerusalem with my
of vision over his lifetime. It is an ever-present reminder teudat zehut (Israeli identification card) in my pocket, Traditional. Modern. Contemporary.
e I suddenly stop in my tracks, look around, and realize:
l I’m not a visitor anymore. Although I’ve been to Israel Traditional. Modern. Contemporary.
n countless times before, it’s never been like this. I’m now
- a participant in the greatest religious and societal experi-
- ment in world history. After thousands of years, we’ve
e come back. I am now part of that return. I am one with
r those around me.
- Standing at the Kotel in prayer always has been dif-
n ficult for me. I’ve always felt a sense of pressure: Who 908.583.6109
- knows when I’ll be back. I have got to grab the moment. 2500 Brunswick Avenue
, I have to feel something. This time, however, is differ- Bldg 908.583.6109
H, Linden, NJ 07036
d ent. In the middle of my tefillot, I relax: I can come back 2500 Brunswick Avenue
www.uniqueelegantseating.com
y anytime. The Kotel and all it represents is now part of
Bldg uniqueelegantseating
H, Linden, NJ 07036
v my life. It’s mine.
www.uniqueelegantseating.com
- Sitting on a bus, talking quietly with my wife about
our aliyah, suddenly two women in front of us who do uniqueelegantseating
- not know each other, and certainly do not know us, Decorators & Designers Welcome!
, join the conversation. And it’s as if we’ve known each
0 other all our lives. Mazal tov, beruchim haba’im, wel- Decorators & Designers Welcome!
h come, we are so happy that you’re here. The prelimi-
e naries are unnecessary. Immediately we are family. I More than 412,000 likes.
o admit that there are times when you want to strangle
e your Israeli “brother” who just pushed ahead of you on Like us on Facebook.
line, but when push comes to shove, you’re family. And
e that same Israeli would drop anything to help you at a
moment’s notice.
Barbara and Rabbi Shmuel Goldin stand together After all, that’s what family’s about.
after dinner in Jerusalem. see ALIYAH PaGe 28 facebook.com/jewishstandard
Jewish standard deCeMBer 29, 2017 11
Local

Women waging peace

Salaam/Shalom Sisterhood helps redefine Muslim/Jewish relations in Bergen
Joanne Palmer

I
s it necessary for American Jews and
Muslims to look at each other with
suspicion?
Yes, the political rhetoric in the
supercharged air all around us pushes us
in that direction. But is it true? Is it wise?
Or would it be a good idea to test that idea
by actually meeting each other?
What if those American Jews and Mus-
lims were all women, coming together in
small groups to talk honestly? To come
to know each other? To do social action
together? To see who they really are?
Almost 10 years ago, a Jewish woman
and a Muslim woman started the first Sis-
terhood of Salaam/Shalom. Today, that
Princeton-based group encourages local
women to start their own groups, in their
own living rooms, sharing their own expe-
riences. Among the new groups spurred
by the last year’s political upheaval is the
one in Bergen County co-lead by Arwen
Kuttner of Englewood and Reem Fakhry
of Teaneck.
On Monday, group representatives went
to the St. Paul’s Men’s Shelter in Paterson,
where they cooked and served Christ- Sisterhood of Salaam/Shalom members prepare Christmas dinner for residents of the St. Paul’s Men’s Shelter in Paterson.
mas dinner to residents for what’s called
Sadaqa/Tzedakah Day. start a chapter.” she said. “It has been fascinating. bonds,” she said.
It’s not coincidental that the words Actually, it was Ms. Kuttner herself who “And it is music to my ears to see both She sees two parts to the work that both
“sadaqa” and “tzedakah,” which both said the thing about starting a chapter. “It sides, Jews and Muslims, come together matter greatly; not only are the partici-
mean justice and the obligation to reach was the last thing I needed, a new thing and say such positive things.” pants Jews and Muslims who make a con-
for justice by giving charity and helping to do,” she said; it’s far more comfortable She also has learned about the simi- scious decision to trust each other, and
others, have similar sounds. They’re from to wait for someone else to do it. But she larities between Judaism and Islam. Take to grow that trust, but that all the partici-
the same roots, and it is toward those roots offered her house for the first meeting, interest, she said. “I never knew that when pants are women. “Women are usually the
that the sisterhood aims. “and by the end I was a co-leader.” they loan money, Jews are not supposed to ones who change the world,” Ms. Ali said.
“We have more in common than we real- There is a handbook about how to start charge interest to Jews, and it is the same “We have a different kind of leadership,
ized,” Ms. Kuttner, who teaches special edu- a group; there are so many sensibilities thing for Muslims lending to Muslims,” she based on what our families need.
cation at Yeshivat Noam in Paramus, said. involved, so many potential minefields, said. “It’s a little thing, but it’s fascinating.” “What is important to us is to grow our
“You can’t hate someone when you get to that care is necessary. The basic struc- Like Ms. Kuttner, Ms. Golubkova felt communities with that kind of leadership.
know them. So we are waging peace.” ture, Ms. Kuttner said, is that the partici- that the presidential election propelled It is absolutely crucial to the survival of our
Ms. Kuttner is Orthodox, and a member pants — 10 to 12 is the ideal number, big her into this group. “The night of the elec- families and our communities.”
of Kehillat Kesher in Englewood. She’s also enough to include a range of voices, but tion, I went to mosques and left flowers Ms. Ali grew up in Wyckoff from the time
from Oregon, graduated from Oberlin Col- small enough to be intimate — go around and candy,” she said. “I felt that Muslims she was 14, a member of one of the few
lege, “and a lot of what I do is influenced the circle and talk. “It’s about getting to were being ostracized, and I couldn’t think Muslim families in town. After moving to
by my feminist values and my Jewish val- know each other,” she said. of any other way to make them feel less Houston and starting a family there, she,
ues,” she said. “And a lot of it has to do with listening ostracized than to do that.” her husband, and their three young chil-
She was spurred to join the Sisterhood skills. Similarly, the Salaam/Shalom Sister- dren moved back to her hometown when
of Salaam/Shalom — or to create it herself “We learn things like not to say ‘Jews do hood is a way to show solidarity, as well as his career brought them back east. “We
if necessary — in January. “It was after the this.’ Instead, we say, ‘In my house, we do to grow to feel it, she said. “I know that by ended up buying a house next to my par-
election, after I got to the point where I this.’ You learn to speak for yourself, not definition, the group’s members are more ents,” she said. “My kids were in elemen-
could stop crying about it, one of the many for the group. It’s a good practical skill.” open-minded than most in our community.” tary school then.” Now, the youngest is in
things on my mind was that I was thinking The group includes women of a range of So it’s a necessary step to do such things as high school, where some of the people
about how I didn’t want to be seen as part ages and religious backgrounds. Some of cook and serve at a homeless shelter, with who taught her now teach her daughter.
of a group that either could hurt others or the Jewish women are Orthodox, and oth- the group, on Christmas Eve. “It’s impor- She’s always felt a kinship with the Jew-
that could be hurt,” she said. “I could have ers are not; at least one is entirely secular. tant for us to show what we are doing,” she ish families around whom she grew up,
gone in any number of directions, but I That’s Vera Golubkova, who lives in said. “If we only sit behind closed doors, Ms. Ali said. When she became a public-
have a friend who is very involved in inter- Cliffside Park. Ms. Golubkova grew up in we’re not showing anything. We must show school parent, she realized that she had
faith stuff, and he told me about Salaam/ Russia, where her ties to Jewish life were our group doing something positive.” a problem that the Jewish community
Shalom. both fragile and uncomfortable. She feels Asma Ali of Wyckoff is a member of the already had confronted and largely solved.
“I wrote to them — they said they had herself a bit of an outsider in the group, Salaam/Shalom Sisterhood. “Our group is What to do about Muslim holidays?
hundreds of people writing the same thing she said, although she is welcomed with still young, we are still forming, but I see “I was talking to one of my oldest friends,
— and eventually a group of us who were warmth. “I am pretty much learning as that some of the work that’s been done who is Jewish, and I said ‘I wish I could fig-
in the same geographic area said okay, let’s much about Judaism as I am about Islam,” already has formed some really strong ure out a way to get my kids out of school

12 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Sandi M. Malkin, LL C
Interior Designer
(former interior designer of model
rooms for NY’s #1 Dept. Store)
for Eid,’ and she said ‘You need to take your kids out
those days.’ It’s the same thing as for Jewish holidays.”
Her friend, Ms. Ali continued, was in public school For a totally new look using
in Englewood, “and she said she remembers her par-
ents petitioning the school board to have those holi- your furniture or starting anew.
days off.”
The Muslim community in Bergen County is far
smaller and newer than the local Jewish community,
Staging also available
Ms. Ali said, and can learn a great deal about how to
flourish from the Jewish example. “And it’s nice to
973-535-9192
have a community of Jewish sisters who understand
the process, because they have been there.
“My kids really can relate, because we are a smaller
subset. We have unique holidays and different tradi-
tions from the larger norm. Take Christmas. It was

GRAND OPENING
!
always the Jewish kids who didn’t celebrate Christ-
mas, and who would always talk among themselves at
school about how they knew that Santa Claus wasn’t
real, but they had to be sure that they didn’t let their
Christian friends know that.
“They had different traditions, and they were able
OF OUR NEW SHOWROOM
to understand, with compassion, about someone
else’s traditions.
“We have so many more similarities than we have dis-
similarities,” Ms. Ali said. “We have to understand and
embody that, because we have so much that is shared.
“There is very little that should be dividing us.”
Ms. Ali’s daughter, Aisha, is her youngest child, and
“she is my activist,” her mother said. Sixteen-year-old
Aisha, a sophomore at Ramapo High School, is a mem-
ber of the Salaam/Shalom Sisterhood.
“I won’t lie to you,” Aisha said. “I definitely went
to the first meeting because my mom dragged me to
it.” Now, though, she goes because she wants to. “I
really enjoy talking and listening to the different per-
spectives,” she said. “I think that hearing the Jewish
perspective on different aspects of tradition and fam-
ily life and culture, I realize that often it is so similar
to my own.”
She’s particularly struck by the role food plays in
both cultures. “They were saying that they cook the
same foods every holiday. We do that too.” Religious
observance is another, perhaps deeper shared thread.
“I have a lot of Christian friends at school, and they
don’t observe their religion nearly as much as I do.
“So when I heard the perspective of the Jewish
women, I realized that many of them practice as much
as I do. So their lives are more similar to my life.”
W
sand & r e
Does Aisha identify more with the group’s youngest
members, the high school-age daughters, even though e
they are Jewish? Or does she identify more with the Mus- your exi finish
s
lim women her mother’s age? “It depends,” she said rea- hardwooting
sonably. “It depends on what we are talking about.
“If we are talking about tradition, I probably relate DIRECT • LINE floors!
d

CARPET
more to people my own age. In terms of different
practices and feelings, I probably relate more to
Muslim women.
“It’s a very fluid conversation,” Aisha said.
She is not recruiting more members for her own New
Salaam/Shalom Sisterhood, Ms. Kuttner said. It’s Location! VINYL | CARPET | HARDWOOD
reached a good size now, and its members have
begun to weave a strong web of trust and friendship.
But there is another group forming in the county, and
of course women are encouraged to start their own.
There’s information about how to do so at the national
organization’s website, sosspeace.org.

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 13

Local
Art through the ages
Children work with Jewish Home residents to create enduring Judaica
ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN
W
hen two pieces of a puz-
zle fit together, the puz-
zle-maker feels a sense of
accomplishment as well
as the pleasure of getting to see the com-
pleted picture.
The puzzle-makers who pieced together
an intergenerational art program at the
Jewish Home at Rockleigh are experienc-
ing that dual delight. The newly inaugu-
rated Art Through the Ages is forging a
social connection between sixth-graders
and retirees, while also yielding hand-
crafted Judaica the participants create dur-
ing joint sessions.
The concept took root when Sunni Her-
man, the executive vice president of the
Jewish Home at Rockleigh, met Yeshi-
vat Noam art teacher Judi Dimbert and
admired the decorative Jewish ritual objects
Ms. Dimbert helped children create.
“We’re always looking to increase the
number of volunteers and bring in kids of
all ages to create meaningful interactions,”
Ms. Herman said. “So when I met Judi, I
thought how to bring her into the home to
do these projects with the residents
That was the first piece of the puzzle.
The second piece came into view when
Melanie Cohen, the executive director of
the Jewish Home Foundation of North Jer-
sey, and Lisa Mactas, vice president of the
Jewish Home at Rockleigh, approached
Ms. Herman with the idea of implement-
ing some sort of novel intergenerational
program connected to Judaism and kids.
Residents of the Jewish Home at Rockleigh and students at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley joined in Art Through
the Ages.
14 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
The program would be financed
through the Leah Mactas Fund for Chil-
dren, established nearly 30 years ago at
Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley in
honor of Leah Mactas, an avid patron of
the arts who died in January 2016. Her son
Bruce is married to Lisa Mactas.
“My father-in-law, Leonard Mactas,
established the fund when my mother-
in-law turned 60,” Lisa Mactas explained.
The money has been used for innovative
Jewish programming, such as using tech-
nology to link Israeli children with kids at
Temple Emanuel’s religious school.
“There was some funding available,
and I know how creative Sunni is, so I
turned to her and she came up with this
idea together with Judi Dimbert. It took
about a year to put it together and get it
approved,” Ms. Mactas said.
Art Through the Ages was launched
this school year with nine sixth-graders
from a class of 20 at Temple Emanuel’s
religious school. The children chosen to
take part had expressed a serious inter-
est and agreed, in writing, to commit
approximately one Sunday per month to
the art encounter.
The group of seven girls and two
boys comes to the Jewish Home by bus,
accompanied by their teacher, Sara
Yehuda. Under the supervision of Tracey
Couliboly, the Jewish Home’s director of This artwork, signed Clara, is an example of Art Through the Ages.
recreation, each child is paired with a
resident (or two) to create items of Jew- During the meetings, Ms. Yehuda practices of different Jewish communities.
ish significance that could become heir- encourages intergenerational conversa- Ms. Dimbert introduces participants to a
looms — lending a double meaning to “art tions between the children and elders range of artistic styles and media, includ-
through the ages.” about Jewish lifecycle customs and ing paint, clay, wood, paper, recycled/
upcycled materials, batik, tie-dyeing,
printmaking, and origami.
The first joint project was drip-paintings
highlighting each participant’s Hebrew
name and its meaning. The second was
three-dimensional framed Shabbat candle-
lighting blessings.
“It’s not just about creating and appre-
ciating the art, but also the meaning of
the object created,” Ms. Herman said.
“Through the process of the art, friend-
ships are created and discussions are
launched about those Jewish lifecycle
moments and how this Judaica object can
impact each participant’s life or family. It
crosses different denominations within
Judaism and unifies them.”
Sammy Goldstein, a Woodcliff Lake
Middle School sixth-grader, said he likes
talking to the residents and hearing their
stories. “One of the people I worked with
told me she was 100,” he said.
Sammy said he signed up for Art Through
the Ages because “my grandma recently
passed away and I didn’t get to see her a lot
since she lived in Michigan, so I wanted to
spend time with other older people.”
SEE ART PAGE 16
upcoming at Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
Kids Club Open House
Come check us out! We provide door-to-door
transportation, snack, homework help, and escorts to
and from class. Kids love our special activities, games,
books, cooking and monthly mitzvah projects! Kids
Club participants save $25 on after school classes
(restrictions apply).
Grades K-5, Mon-Thur & Seasonal Fri, after school-6 pm
Open House: Sun, Jan 7, 12-3 pm
Visit jccotp.org/kids-club

Neil Klatskin Vacation Camp —

Martin Luther King Day
Spend the morning at Sky Zone; then head back to
the JCC for a variety of fun activities including crafts,
swimming, sports, and more!
Grades K-5, Mon, Jan 15, 9 am-4 pm, $85 per day
before Jan 2, $100 after (If Available)
$25 Extended Care, 4-6 pm

I’m ready!
To meet new friends at the J
Winter Classes for Infants & Toddlers!
As the weather gets cold, bring your munchkin into
the warm and cozy “J” for some fun! Our infant
and toddler programs in music, dance, swimming,
and pre-sports/movement are great ways to bond
and meet new friends.
Sign up today! Sessions begin in January.
Visit jccotp.org/infant-toddler for full class listings

music kids adults

Steven Masi Performs Piano Concertos Do It All @ The J… Beginner Bridge First Lesson is FREE
of Mozart and Beethoven with an Registration Open! with andrea hershan

All-Star Orchestra of Friends
Join Thurnauer faculty pianist, Steven Masi, in a
special concert featuring two great piano concertos,
Mozart’s Concerto No. 19 in F Major, K. 459 and
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58.
He will be joined by an all-star orchestra of friends,
including Thurnauer colleagues and alumni and
members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New
Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Orpheus, conducted
by Diego Garcia.
For tickets, visit jccotp.org/Thurnauer
Sun, Jan 7, 7 pm, $16/$20
Sign up for programs for all your kids
under 1 roof. Whether your children are
sporty, artsy, sciencey, virtually a fish,
ballet dancers, or love the spotlight – we
have the perfect class for them. Classes
begin Jan 28.
Visit jccotp.org/children for complete
schedule.
For those who have never played bridge before, here’s
your chance to join the 25 million Americans hooked on
the game. Our hands-on approach will have you playing
bridge before you know it.
8 Wednesdays, Jan 17-Mar 14, 7-9 pm
For details, call Michele at 201.408.1496.
to register or for more info
visit jccotp.org
stay in the Know! liKe us on
facebook.com/KaplenJCCOTP

Kaplen JCC on the Palisades taub campus | 411 e clinton ave, tenafly, nJ 07670 | 201.569.7900 | jccotp.org
JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 15
Local
Art
FROM PAGE 14
Rabbi Shelley Kniaz, director of con-
gregational learning at Temple Emanuel,
said Art Through the Ages meshes well
with the religious school’s experiential
approach to Jewish education, and also
with her desire to offer additional oppor-
tunities for student chesed — roughly
translated as acts of kindness.
“It’s such a beautiful combination of
intergenerational interaction and art,”
Rabbi Kniaz said. “We felt this age group
is perfect because they’re old enough to
do the art and old enough to have these
interactions.”
For a long time, the religious school has
had informal ties with residents of Jewish
Home Family facilities, which include
the Jewish Home at Rockleigh and Jewish
Home Assisted Living. The fourth-graders
recently went to Jewish Home Assisted
Living to sing Chanukah songs and play
Residents and children work
together to illuminate texts
and create joy through art.
16 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
dreidel with residents, and many of the
bar/bat mitzvah-age students choose to
do chesed projects related to the Jewish
Home.
Ms. Mactas said she hopes the joint art
sessions will give the sixth-graders insight
and respect for senior citizens. “They are
often overlooked, and until you start talk-
ing to them you don’t know what resides
within,” she said. And she hopes that the
encounters will help the older partici-
pants because it will “bring joy to their
day and bring back memories of celebrat-
ing holidays with their families.”
The program will be supported by the
Leah Mactas Fund for Children for two
years.
Volunteers are invited to help out at
Art Through the Ages. For information,
email the Jewish Home Family’s director
of volunteer services, Stacey Orden, at
sorden@jewishhomefamily.org or call
her at (201) 518-1175.
“May all our dreams and prayers come true”
“‫”שימלאו משאלות לבנו‬

Sunday Evening
February 25, 2018
ANNUAL
BENEFIT DINNER
Marriott Glenpointe Hotel, Teaneck, NJ
Honoring

EXCELLENCE IN
SPECIAL EDUCATION

Ruthie & Chazan Shim Amy & Dr. Joshua Dr. Perla & Dr. Gerardo
Craimer Fogelman Yablonovich
INDIVIDUALIZATION
INCLUSION BY DESIGN®
TRANSFORMING LIVES

PREMIERING
at the SINAI Dinner
Yaakov Guttman Shimmy Stein


SINAI alumnus & star of this Shomer She'erit Yisrael
year's feature documentary

Lawrence R. Inserra, Jr., CEO Overcoming disabilities and


and Inserra Family
Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., Community Partnership Award
painful loss, he rose to create
his own destiny
It is only through
Special tribute your compassion and generosity that
in memory of
our beloved our vital work can continue.
Associate Director PLEASE REMEMBER US IN
Jacob Weinstein, A"H YOUR YEAR-END CHARITABLE GIVING
We accept gifts of appreciated securities

www.sinaidinner.org • 201-833-1134 x105

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 17
Local
Responding to sexual misconduct
Local rabbis offer their thoughts on dealing with troubling allegations
LOIS GOLDRICH
S
ome issues are so complex, so
nuanced, and so serious that they
demand immediate and thought-
ful attention.
Allegations of sexual misconduct are
one such issue — but our responses tend
to be more immediate than thoughtful.
With this in mind, and with the purpose
of opening a productive dialogue, we have
sought the opinions of several community
rabbis. It is our hope that their perspec-
tives will help inform our thinking and
shape our responses to this increasingly
painful issue, whether they — and we —
address it from the pulpit, in our living
rooms, or in the pages of a newspaper.
Daniel Fridman, who is Orthodox and
the rabbi of the Jewish Center of Teaneck,
said, “The most important point is to take
a step back and recognize that the conse-
quences of misconduct and abuse, in all
the different severities, are very serious.
People carry these scars for their entire
life. Obviously, there are gradations in
abuse, but they’re all to be taken with a
great degree of seriousness.”
And, he said, it is exactly because the
offenses are so serious that we must take
the process so seriously. “Commensurate
to the seriousness of a violation is the need
for a very clear process,” he said. “Some
people feel that anyone who takes the posi-
tion that we have to be extremely cautious
with respect to the way we treat allegations,
explicitly or implicitly, are minimizing the
significance of what happened. No. The
reason we have to be so careful with these
allegations and accusations is the lasting
damage done to people, be it the victims,
of course, or those falsely accused.”
When it comes to the business world,
Rabbi Fridman said, “Corporations are
obliged legally and ethically and morally to
have clear channels through which these
complaints can be filed, to protect the per-
son who may have been victimized and the
way in which these allegations can be inves-
tigated.” As to Jewish institutions, he said
that “each context has its own dynamic…
and needs to have its own structure.”
Nevertheless, he continued, “There are
three principles in all environments.
“First, anybody who may have been
abused needs a safe way to report what
they have experienced to responsible
individuals, who will protect them from
repercussions. We cannot hide behind the
fact that no one reported any misconduct
if they had very good reason to believe
that they would be penalized for coming
forward. Second, any environment has to
safeguard the accused before anything is
established as authoritative. They need to
be protected as well. An accusation can
18 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
Rabbi Daniel Fridman Rabbi David Fine Rabbi Adina Lewittes
have a life-altering effect for the accused. “One has to be absolutely certain that the
Finally, there needs to be a system where question has been fully addressed, abso-
competent individuals can establish what lutely sure of not causing further grievous
actually happened. psychic harm,” he said. “Once someone
“Halacha, in general, tried very hard has been established as an offender, even
to create systems that were in place if the person is profoundly remorseful and
that would avert these situations for all has done sincere repentance, nonetheless,
people,” Rabbi Fridman said. “In every restoration to a position of communal trust
respect, leaders and people associated cannot be reflexive. The mandate to judge
with Torah have to hold to the highest each person favorably, as recorded in the
standard. As the Talmud teaches, based celebrated Mishnah in Pirkei Avot, does
on the prophetic verses, if the rabbi is like not maintain with respect to the question
an angel of the Lord, in terms of personal of restoring a person to a position of com-
conduct and rectitude, then one should munal influence and authority following
seek Torah from him. But the halachic sys- established misconduct.
tem tried hard to create a broad and sys- “On the contrary, the needs of past, and
tematic approach, germane to everybody God forbid, future potential victims must
— for example, ‘yichud,’ rules against peo- be our primary consideration.”
ple being in a secluded setting, providing Rabbi Fridman said that there are dif-
a safeguard against ambiguous situations. ferences between halacha and secular law
“While such rules are highly complex, in what constitutes actual assault, in so far
and certain elements may be of Torah ori- as the halacha was even more concerned
gin, while others are definitively rabbinic about harmful and emotionally injurious
in origin, what is crucial is that they are speech, ona’at devarim. “Hurtful com-
not restricted to leaders. We are re-dis- ments that can be very damaging are not
covering how important these rules are,” necessarily the same thing as assault, but
Rabbi Fridman said. we have to be careful about suggesting, ‘It
Asked whether there might be a statute was only a comment,’ or ‘this kind of touch-
of limitations for sexual misconduct, and ing [is less harmful than] another kind of
the relevance of Judaism’s provision for touching,’” he said. “While the distinctions
atonement and repentance, Rabbi Frid- are objectively true, the important part is
man said, “A statute of limitations is inher- the trauma of the individual in question.”
ently a legal term, and should be dealt with He cited the rabbinic teaching that embar-
in the legal system, when it has been estab- rassing someone is in some way like killing
lished that a person has perpetrated some him. “The rabbis are not being hyperbolic,”
misconduct. What we’re talking about he said. “Verbal attacks can be life-altering,
here is restoring that person to a particular possibly irreparable. We need to continue to
communal or educational position.” educate about hurtful remarks people may
He gave the following example. “To play over in their minds dozens of times a
determine whether an operation is neces- day, every single day.”
sary on Shabbat, halacha looks, in addi- Asked about the privacy rights of peo-
tion to the halachic considerations per se, ple accused of misconduct, David Fine,
to medical experts. In the case of sexual the Conservative rabbi who leads Temple
misconduct, we should similarly look to Israel and Jewish Community Center in
experts in the field of recidivism. What Ridgewood and is the newly elected presi-
do we know about the likelihood of recidi- dent of the New Jersey Rabbinical Assem-
vism, following intensive counseling? And bly said, “As rabbis, we are particularly
as regards the victim of an established vio- sensitive to that. We give up a certain claim
lation, might it be profoundly traumatic to to privacy” in becoming religious leaders.
see alleged abuser restored to a position of Calling it a matter of public trust, Rabbi
communal leadership? Fine said that “those who serve the Jewish
community bear a higher standard. It’s
not the same as someone who works in a
business.” Similarly, he said, those in pub-
lic service “represent the community, not
just themselves. They have a responsibility
not only to the public, or those they serve,
but toward the ideals and values” to which
they have committed themselves.
He noted that Al Franken, the Minne-
sota Democrat who recently resigned from
Congress following accusations of sexual
impropriety, “said that himself. He recog-
nized that. He understood that he was not
in the Senate for himself but for the people
of his state.”
Regarding journalists, he said, “I assume
that there are standards against publishing
‘fake news.’ You have to apply the same
standards as you would to any story: the
newsworthiness of the story and the bur-
den of factual proof.
“The most important thing with any
organization or community is that since
you never know when you’re going to have
a crisis or tragedy, you need to have proce-
dures and standards in place,” he added.
For example, he said, synagogues must
have bylaws and observe such procedures
as Roberts Rules of Order.
Rabbi Fine pointed out that while Jews
believe in repentance and atonement, “the
ultimate arbiter is whether the community
accepts the person.” He cited a story from
the Talmud about a “butcher found to have
been knowingly selling non-kosher meat. If
he repents, as an individual, he’s forgiven.
But it still will be hard for him to work as a
butcher in that community. If he’s lost the
trust of the community, he needs to resign
and go to another community.”
Another example: “It’s written that a
kohen who has a deformation in his hands
shouldn’t duchen. That’s terribly unfair. He
doesn’t deserve that. But it’s not only the
judgment of an individual but of the com-
munity as well. A community may not be
able to be served by that person, fair or not.
No individual is entitled to serve the public.
“In Pirke Avot, in the first chapter, it says
that when litigants come to you, assume
they both are guilty. After you pass judg-
ment, assume they both are innocent.
Don’t give preference to one side because
of your bias. Be harsh and interrogate both
sides, but when they leave, understand
that while you had to come to a conclu-
sion, you may be wrong.” Personal judg-
ment is not infallible, he said. “Ultimately,
it’s in God’s hands.”
When someone has been accused of
causing harm, “If we’re in the position of
protecting people, that must always come
first,” Rabbi Fine said. “Don’t pass judgment
on the person, but the standard procedure
is that the person is removed from the
SEE MISCONDUCT PAGE 28
 r e a t i v
C @ its best i t y
tsKiN Day
a
l

l
c ia l ! e N R o l
Ca
Neil K

ly b iR d s p e
eaR
mps

Ja N 15 & g e t

$ 2 0 0 o !
f o R N k d c by
f f *

Come be your best! Call for a tour or to register today!

New Reduced weekly Rate! call foR details!

ages 3-gRade 2 camp family summeR

full day: 9 am-4 pm membeRship: $750
swim, towel seRvice & luNch iNcluded New to the Jcc?
tRaNspoRtatioN & exteNded caRe available sigN up foR $250
amaziNg facilities & faNtastic staff
flexible RegistRatioN
hebRew immeRsioN optioN jccotp.org/nkdc
*Discount off of 5 weeks or more. Those who register for 1-4 weeks will save $100 201.567.8963
kapleN JCC on the Palisades taub campus | 411 e cliNtoN ave, teNafly, NJ 07670

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 19

Local
Being the ‘it’ show’s bad guy
Michael Zegen of Ridgewood talks about Mr. and Mrs. Maisel and much more
Curt Schleier
Michael Zegen, who grew up in Ridge-
wood, has been associated with some of
the best shows in the history of television.
There was the “Sopranos.” All right.
That was only one episode and he just
played the “partygoer.” But who knows
what might have happened to Tony and
the gang if someone else had that role?
After that there were seven seasons play-
ing Denis Leary’s nephew, Damien Keefe,
on the hit series “Rescue Me,” three more
as Bugsy Siegel on “Boardwalk Empire,”
and multi-episode arcs on “The Walking
Dead and Girls.”
And through all this he has managed to
stroll through life relatively unrecognized.
“I think that’s a good thing,” he said in a
telephone interview. “I like being able to
take the subway.”
That appears to be changing since he
took on the part of Joel Maisel in the “it”
(and most obviously Jewish) program of
2017, Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous
Mrs. Maisel.” He’s the bad guy, the one
who leaves his adoring wife for his sec-
retary. Yet his departure allows his wife,
Miriam, to blossom as a comedian, with a
20 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017
Johnny Carson appearance in her future.
One outgrowth of the show’s popularity:
On a recent plane trip “I got approached
by at least five people,” he said, adding
hopefully, “but maybe that’s just for now
while the show is new and fresh.”
It will remain fresh for at least another
season. It is the first program in Amazon’s
history to be picked up from the get-go for
two years’ production. Michael starts film-
ing season two in March, and in the mean-
time has allowed himself the thespian’s
luxury of taking a worry (and audition-)
free break.
But even before “Maisel,” Michael
wasn’t the type of actor who’d try out
for every role he heard about. “No, not
at all,” he said. “I’m super picky. I hardly
ever audition, much to the dismay of
my mother, who wants me to audition
for everything.”
That would be Rachelle, who, like his
bubbe Szoszana, subscribe to this paper
and are Michael’s career clipping service.
(As an aside, if you had a problem getting
your copy of the Standard from its normal
stand this week, it just might be Rachelle
and/or Szoszana’s fault. Just saying...)
That career began when Michael, who is
38 now, was 12 years old. “As a kid I always
wanted to be an actor, and my mom told
me about it not thinking I’d be interested,”
he said.
The “it” that Rachelle told Michael about
was auditions for the role of Tiny Tim in a
production of “The Christmas Carol” at
the John Harms Theater, now the bergen-
PAC, in Englewood. Mom was wrong. He
was very interested.
So his parents “reluctantly took me. I
was the last person to audition.” But he
got the part. The run, he thinks, was about
a month long. He’s not sure. “I just know
I missed a lot of school, which made me
love it more.”
It was not as much fun for his parents,
Rachelle and his father, Jeff, who had to
schelp him back and forth and weren’t
as enamored as Michael was about him
missing all those classes. “They wouldn’t
let me audition for any more parts,” he
said. “They didn’t want that life for me —
and I also think they didn’t want that life
for themselves.”
That choice might have been prescient,
at least based on his next solo appear-
ance. Michael was raised in a Conservative
household, attended Hebrew school at the
Michael Zegen,
a veteran of several
television hits,
stars as Joel Maisel
in Amazon’s
“The Marvelous
Mrs. Maisel.”
Jay Astudillo
Glen Rock Jewish Center, and was totally
prepared for his bar mitzvah until...
“I had a panic attack,” he said. “Every-
thing started spinning. I was the one who
wanted to be an actor in the family and
everyone in town knew I was going to be an
actor and I nearly fainted. I had a nervous
breakdown, but I eventually got myself
together and was able to complete it.”
Ultimately, seeing their son’s determi-
nation to succeed as an actor, his parents
backed him unreservedly, sending him off
to weekend acting classes. Michael par-
ticipated in the “great theater program” at
Ridgewood High School and then majored
in theater at Skidmore College, where he
founded an improv sketch group.
When he graduated, he started knock-
ing on doors. “I don’t think success hap-
pened as quickly as I imagined,” Michael
said. “It was a lot of work and a lot of
auditions. Some people say it takes 10
years for an actor to really make it and I
say you’d be lucky to make it in 10 years.
It took me almost 10 years to get my foot
in the door.
“But I really don’t have any complaints.
I’m in a show I love — and who knows what
comes next?”
JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 21
Chanukah

Chanukah in and around the community

Members of the
Teaneck Police
Department flank,
from left, Deputy
Mayor Elie Y. Katz;
Joy Sklar, chair of the
Bergen County annual

BERGENCOUNTYWINTERWONDERLAND.COM
Chanukah Toy Drive;
and Roz McLean,
who works for
Teaneck Township.
The gifts are from
the department’s
toy drive.
ISSA ABBASI

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, left, attended a menorah-lighting

ceremony at the Winter Wonderland in Van Saun Park in Paramus on De-
cember 16. With him are Bergen Freeholder Tracy Zilna Zur; Cantor Sam
Weiss and Rabbi Arthur Weiner, both of the JCC of Paramus/Congrega-
tion Beth Tikvah; and Freeholder Tom Sullivan.

The Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls Stomp Club performed for
France’s consul general, Anne-Claire Legendre, and Israel’s consul general, Dani Dayan,
at the French consulate in Manhattan. The Yeshiva University High Schools celebrated
the last night of Chanukah with a candle-lighting ceremony that featured performances
by the choir of the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/YU High School for Boys. Andrew
Lauer, YU’s vice president for legal affairs, spoke to the students and diplomats at the
consulate. COURTESY YU

The Indian Consulate in Manhattan hosted

Rabbi Avi Richler of Chabad of Gloucester County
is joined by state Senate President Stephen M.
Sweeney, left, and Maj. Brian Polite of the State
Police at the 37th annual gathering of Chabad’s
New Jersey shluchim, where they lit the giant
menorah on the State House lawn in Trenton
for Chanukah. The candle-lighting, hosted by
the Rabbinical College of America, included
58 Chabad shluchim and many local dignitaries.
Rabbi Arthur Weiner of the Jewish Community Center of Para-
mus/Congregation Beth Tikvah, left, joined Oradell’s Mayor
Dianne Didio, members of the Oradell Council, and Rabbi Paul
Jacobson of Temple Avodat Shalom of River Edge in celebrat-
ing Chanukah in Oradell.
its second annual Chanukah party with
members of the New Jersey American Jew-
ish Committee. Attending, from left, Susan
Levin of Hackensack; Noreen Daniel, wife
of Rabbi Romiel Daniel of the Indian Jewish
Congregation of USA; and Simone Wilker of
Washington Township. Rabbi David Levy, AJC
New Jersey’s regional director, said, “We are
pleased that India and Israel are public part-
ners and AJC was happy to be spending the
last night of our Festival of Lights together.”

22 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Chanukah

Rabbi Mendel
Zaltzman, right, and
Arthur Ayzerov lit
the menorah at Bris
Avrohom of Fair
Lawn’s “Dreidels &
Drinks” Chanukah
party.
COURTESY BA
BERGENCOUNTYWINTERWONDERLAND.COM

On December 17, members of Temple Beth Tikvah in Wayne,

led by architect Stephen Schwartz, built a huge Chanukah
menorah from Legos. Rabbi Meeka Simerly led attendees in
song; dinner included latkes, chicken, and donuts.COURTESY TBT

Temple Beth El of Northern

Students at the Bergen Valley held its 21st annual “101
County High School of Menorahs” Shabbat service
Jewish Studies celebrated on December 15. Families
Chanukah in school by brought their own menorahs
eating sufganiyot, spinning and candles to celebrate the
dreidels, and wearing fourth night of Chanukah
ugly Chanukah sweaters. and enjoyed a festive oneg
Teacher Barnett Goldman Shabbat with latkes.
COURTESY TBENV
joined BCHSJS students,
from left, Brianna Leopold,
Julia Holzsager, and
Annabelle Simhon.
COURTESY BCHSJS

Leah and Eli Kleinstein of

Congregation Shomrei Torah
in Wayne help residents
of Paterson’s Federation
Apartments celebrate
Chanukah. The Kleinsteins also
brought handmade gifts and lit
the menorah.
COURTESY SHOMREI TORAH

Middle school students from Valley Chabad’s Teen Leadership

Initiative celebrated Chanukah with residents at the Jewish
Home in River Vale on December 12. The students paired up
with seniors to make Chanukah crafts, play dreidel, light the
menorah, and sing Chanukah songs. COURTESY VALLEY CHABAD

Cresskill’s Mayor
The Jewish
Benedict Romeo
Center of Teaneck
and Lubavitch on
sponsored a
the Palisades’ Rabbi
“Chanukah
Mordechai Shain
Chagigah” that
are pictured at the
inlcuded a “Hunt
Cresskill Menorah
for the Missing
Lighting. LOTP also
Oil” and crafts.
celebrated Chanukah
MICHAEL LAVES
in Tenafly and
Demarest.
COURTESY LOTP

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 23

Briefly Local
Volunteer at Rockleigh on January 1
Share some holiday cheer by volunteer-
ing to work and play with residents of
the Jewish Home at Rockleigh. On Janu-
ary 1, beginning at 10 a.m., volunteers are
needed to play bingo and music trivia or
do holiday crafts. At 2:30, help ring in the
ASL interpreted Shabbat service
Town & Village Synagogue in Manhattan
will hold its first ASL sign-language-inter-
preted Shabbat service of the new year,
with full readings from the Torah and
haftorah, on Saturday, January 6 at 10
Ribbon cutting at Moriah
The Moriah School in Englewood is
hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for
Midrash Doresh Tov, the Sephardic beit
midrash, on Sunday, January 7. The morn-
ing begins with Shacharit at 8:30 a.m.;
breakfast and short presentation will fol-
low at 9 at the school.
Polly and Gabriel Bousbib, Elana and
Andy Dushey, Jacly and Eli Halali, Margaret
PE N !
OW O
N Thousands of Combinations
Unique and Healthy Toppings * Homemade Dressings
Choose a Delicious
Fresh Salad from our Menu
or Create Your Own
Fresh and Healthy Garden Salads,
Grain Bowls, Soups, and Sandwiches
182 West Englewood Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-837-9900
E mail: info@vinaigrette-nj.com
ORDER ONLINE www.vinaigrette-nj.com
under supervision of RCBC
24 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
new year with a party for residents. The
Jewish Home is at 10 Link Drive in Rock-
leigh. For more information, call Marina
Umansky at (551) 444-3162 or email her at
Mumansky@JewishHomeFamily.org.
a.m. A kiddush will follow. The shul is at
334 East 14th St., between First and Sec-
ond avenues. For information, go to www.
tandv.org, call (212) 677-0368, or email
bramweiser@usa.net.
and Andrew Levy, Lindsay and Daniel Set-
ton, Mor and Alphonse Soued, and Nikki
and Rami Sulemanoff are chairing the
celebration.
The school is at 53 South Woodland St.
in Englewood. For more information call
(201) 567-0208, ext. 393, email Alewis@
moriahschool.org, or go to www.moriah-
school.org.
Woodcliff Lake shul announces
an April date for dinner dance
Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Val-
ley in Woodcliff Lake will honor con-
gregants Joan and Dan Silna and Beth
and Gary Hirschberg and its director of
Dr. Steven Huberman of Teaneck, dean of the Touro College Graduate
School of Social Work, holds his 2017 Top Social Worker Leader award,
which he received at the annual National Association of Social Workers
New York City chapter’s Leadership Awards dinner. NASW-NYC chapter
president Candida Brooks-Harrison stands behind him, along with Touro
faculty, staff, students, and alumni. PHOTOS COURTESY TOURO
Touro College dean honored
for social work leadership
I n p re s e n t i n g t h e organizing skills played
award to Dr. Steven a pivotal role in the
Huberman at the school’s positive recep-
NASW-NYC’s annual tion from the city’s social
leadership dinner, Dr. work community, Dr.
Robert Schachter, the Schachter noted.
organization’s former
executive director,
Describing his interper-
sonal skills as his greatest
extolled the dean’s asset, which benefits “the
qualities. He said that faculty, students and all
Dr. Huberman’s vision the community stakehold-
ensured a strong foun- ers he has drawn in,” Dr.
dation for the school,
which is celebrating its
Dr. Steven Huberman Schachter said he “stands
with the very best educa-
10th anniversary.
“Dr. Huberman is not only a leading
academician, but also a talented and
tion leaders we have had in New York.”
In response, Dr. Huberman talked
about his difficult childhood, which
experienced community organizer led him to social work. He barely
— someone who could build a new knew his father, he said, and his
school that has become known for its mother suffered from mental illness.
excellence and unparalleled diversity He told of the poverty that enveloped
as well as its community engagement,” his family, and that made a 25-cent
Dr. Schachter said. hot lunch in high school beyond his
“Congratulations on this extraor- reach. He credits his school’s guid-
dinary accomplishment,” Candida ance counselor, Judith Shusterman,
Brooks-Harrison, NASW-NYC chap- who gave him lunch money and
ter president, said in presenting the showed him the kindness that trans-
award. “You clearly represent the formed his life. It inspired Dr. Huber-
best of the best in our profession.” man to join a profession where he,
Dr. Huberman’s “engagement too, could make a difference in peo-
of professional leaders” and his ple’s lives, he said.
congregational learning, Rabbi Shelley
Kniaz, on April 14 at a dinner dance. For
information, go to www.tepv.org or call
(201) 391-0801 for details.
 Welcome Home to

Enjoy a life of luxury at Premier

Residences of Teaneck. From our
Five Star Warmth & Hospitality, to
our friendly, dedicated staff, you’ll
love to call us home.

Notes:
OUR COMMUNITY OFFERS:
• Exceptional Five Star Service for

K
over 28 years
• Five Star Dining Experience,

Y
featuring Signature Recipes and

M
Local Ingredients

Colors

C
• Choice of 1 and 2 Bedroom
Apartments, some with Balconies

12.20.2017
• Lifestyle 360 Program offering a
full Daily Schedule of Activities

AM
AN
• On-Site Medical Suite staffed by
Geriatric Internists and Specialists

Date:
• 24 Hour Security and Concierge

De:
Ae:
Assistance

655 Pomander Walk

Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-836-7474
PRT171205
6.5” x 9.5”

EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL LIFE. CALL TO SCHEDULE

A PERSONALIZED TOUR AND COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH.
Publication:

www.FiveStarPremier-Teaneck.com
Job#:
Size:

INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING

©2018 Five Star Senior Living Pet
Friendly

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 25

BEAUTIFUL
BEGINNINGS WINTER 2018
FIRST PLACE
CATERER
S-3 Jewish Standard WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

From to-do to ‘I do’..............................................4

The plan’s the thing in getting down the aisle prepared
Countdown to the wedding.................................5
By your side.........................................................6
How many friends do you need up on stage?
Band or DJ?..........................................................8
What to groove to on the dance floor
Nice day for a bright wedding.............................9
Bridal gowns span the color spectrum
Forever hold your peas......................................10
Wedding menu trends
How to be comfortable
on your wedding day.........................................11
Express with the dress.......................................12
Beautiful wedding dress trends of 2017
Off the grid........................................................13
Getting guests off social media during your wedding
Back to nature....................................................14
Israelis are throwing themselves one-of-a kind weddings au naturel

Bachelorettes Party Here

At Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment we’re more than horses. We’re a cuing-edge
venue with a variety of unique event spaces. Our broad range of custom catering options
and experienced events team offer unlimited possibilities for your bridal shower or
bacheloree celebration. Get 10% OFF when you use code “BRIDE” during booking.
playmeadowlands.com/dining | (201) 843-2446 *For parties of 15 or more. Excludes liquor. Must book by 2/1/18
From to-do to ‘I do’
The plan’s the thing in getting
down the aisle prepared
Heidi Mae Bratt
I
know a bride who put together a glori-
ous wedding in a mere 110 days. From
proposal to chuppah, she booked a
hall and caterer, hired a band, got a
photographer, videographer and florist,
snail mailed custom-made invitations, pur-
chased and had fitted a beautiful wedding
gown, found a headpiece to sew a veil, got
a pair of killer white shoes, secured the
rabbi, and then some.
Granted, there were a few shortcuts
along the way. The hall was the temple-
catering hall where the bride had worked
as a waitress during some of her college
years, and she had familiarity with the
facility. The date was during the week so
there was availability. The caterer doubled
as the event manager or party planner of
sorts. He recommended the florist and
arranged for the décor of the room, includ-
ing all the linen and décor for the lavish
restrooms. The still photographer brought
along a videographer who would capture
the movement of the event. The custom
invitations were purchased through the
bride’s colleague, who had a side business
selling invitations. She brought her sample
books to the workplace making the selec- a deadline-driven life, and producing the in three weeks and they need a dress. I’ll
tion very convenient. The wedding dress? quick nuptials fit right into her adrenaline ask them, ‘Why did they wait so long?’ And
While it required some major alterations, charged mode of operation. they tell me that their son just got engaged.
that white beauty was found off the rack at “It can be done,” said Sara, the owner of Or, sometimes customers will come in
Kleinfeld Bridal. Mishelyne’s Fashions in Teaneck, who has last-minute because another dress they
The timeline of that particular wedding outfitted many a mother of the bride and ordered got botched or didn’t look right,”
was considerably more truncated than groom as well as bridesmaids. said Sara.
the usual planning that goes into creat- “I have had customers who have come “There can be two-day specials, buy-
ing a wedding, but this bride was used to in and said that their son is getting married ing right off the rack or rush orders. But

more realistically the mother of the bride
or groom should give themselves at least
six months to customize their gowns and
have it fitted in the normal production
cycle,” said Sara. “This way they have
piece of mind.”
More time. More planning. More
thought and following a timeline is a better
way to go, said experts. Following a good
schedule makes good sense because there
are so many things to do and so many
details to attend to.
When making a wedding what is the first
thing to do?
If you ask Les Friedman, the owner of
Northern Valley Affairs at Temple Emanu-
El in Closter, picking a venue and securing
your date are among the first and foremost
things to do. Because so many people want
the weekends, especially Saturday night,
there are fewer dates from which to choose.
“First you pick your venue. Second you
pick your band. And then you get your flo-
rist and photographer,” said Mr. Friedman,
who advises prospective clients to ensure
these elements will help make the party
exciting and beautiful and capture the
memories of the wedding.
Some clients book the venue and start
looking 18 months before their wedding
date. Others, typically more Orthodox
couples, may want to make faster wed-
ding and will start to look at venues 8 to
3 months out, and then they have to see
about availability. Once they get a date
and decide on the venue, Mr. Friedman,
and his manager Marty Maged, will shep-
herd the client through the process. He
will recommend a list of vendors, includ-
ing bands, DJs, and florists. About two to
three months before the wedding, Mr.
Friedman will hold a final arrangement
meeting in which all of the details are dis-
cussed, including food, linen, vendors,
band, photographer, and the choreogra-
phy of the wedding. Mr. Friedman also
gives the couple a Do Not Forget list with
a reminder of the items they should bring
to their wedding, including their marriage
license, ketubah, and kiddish cup.
At The Estate at Florentine Gardens in
River Vale, owner Maria Daidone said that
the top concerns of couples making a wed-
ding are getting the date that they want,
considering their budget, and making sure
that the food is going to be great.
The Georgian-style mansion not only
offers a romantic and elegant estate feel-
ing for the wedding, but, said Ms. Daidone,
it also is “a one-stop shop for clients. We
have a list of vendors who we recommend
and we definitely guide our clients.”
Recently, Ms. Daidone said, the venue
updated its bridal suite, making it a bright
and light timeless and elegant space for
the bride to prepare. “It’s white and beau-
tiful. It’s like a dream room that adds to
the event.”
At Meadowlands Racing & Entertain-
ment in East Rutherford, the venue offers
so many different party spaces that there
is much flexibility in booking an event.
“We can book in a few weeks or we have
booked way in advance,” said Andrea Lok-
shin, sales and marking vice president for
Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
There are more than a dozen spaces, both
indoor and outdoor, including an all-pur-
pose ballroom, a food court, and outdoor
decks.
When it comes to finding the right wed-
ding dress, Tova Marc, the owner and
designer of Couture de Bride in Teaneck,
said it’s best to buy a dress about six
months in advance. While she has accom-
modated brides on a tighter schedule, the
more time the better for the two to four
typical fittings.
The store specializes in modest wed-
ding dresses and is best known for creating
beautiful wedding dresses with stretchy
sleeves for maximum comfort and for
Countdown to the wedding
Timing is everything they say. There-
fore it’s important to create a timeline
for your wedding. It not only keeps
you focused, it reduces stress and
helps you keep within your budget, as
One Year Before
• Determine your budget.
• Decide who will pay for which
expenses. There is a great deal
of variation between the costs of
services for a wedding. Be realistic
about what you want to spend and
how you want to allocate your budget.
Make sure that you are maintaining
clear lines of communication between
family members that are involved in
the process.
• Select several possible dates and
keep in mind all holidays and other
potential date conflicts.
• Draft a guest list.
• Begin to research and visit venues
and wedding sites.
Eight Months Before
• Choose your maid of honor and other
members of the bridal party.
• Visit bridal shows.
• Book vendors (entertainment,
photographers, etc.).
• Arrange for food samplings at the
venues and with caterers if the venue
doesn’t offer catering.
• Shop for your dress and accessories.
• Send out the “Save the Date”
announcement
Six Months Before
• Create a bridal registry.
• Order bridesmaids dresses.
• Book a block of hotel rooms for out-
of-town guests.
dresses that have detachable trains. They
also create matching veils.
“Our dresses are modest but very fash-
ion forward,” said Ms. Marc.
For many brides, the DIY trend is the
rage. Pinterest brims with ideas, and so
many brides and grooms want to custom-
ize their party. They want a tabula rasa,
a blank slate where they can create their
dream from the furnishings to the music to
the favors they may give out to guests after
the end of the party.
A crucial element that helps create a
room where the party will take place are
Jewish Standard S-5
you efficiently handle all the details of
the wedding.
Here are suggestions from Emily
Dominguez, founder of Blu River mar-
keting and Everything Bridal shows.
Three Months Before
• Send out the official invitations.
• Order your wedding cake.
• Book transportation (if needed).
• Go for a hair and makeup trial.
• Write your vows.
• Select and order your floral
arrangements.
• Book the rehearsal dinner.
• Attend your bridal shower.
One Month Before
• Attend fittings for the bride and
bridesmaids dresses.
• Order and purchase any
bridesmaid gifts.
• Apply for your marriage license.
• Make last-minute adjustments/
changes with vendors.
• Plan a seating chart.
Two Weeks Before
• Go over all the last-minute details for
your wedding day.
• Finalize your RSVP list.
• Contact all vendors and review all
details and contracts.
• Book hair and makeup appointments.
One Week Before
• Give venue a final headcount.
• Confirm all vendors.
• Attend rehearsal dinner.
One Day Before
• Relax! Get a good night’s sleep before
your big day!
the linens that will line the tables and or
cover the chairs. Bergen Linen has worked
with caterers, party planners, and couples
themselves.
“There is no party too big or too small,”
said Donna Serino, marketing direc-
tor of Bergen Linen, which is based in
Hackensack.
About three months, said Ms. Serino, is
adequate when ordering linens for a party.
The trend in linens next year, she said,
will include damasks, the textured fabric
in ivory, black and white, and mixed met-
als, including silver, gold, and rose gold.
S-6 Jewish Standard WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

0002441714-01.qxd
Barbra
Cantor

Lieberstein
10/15/08 5:09 PM
By your side
Page 1

Certified Cantor with How many friends do you need up on stage?

12+ years
BAR & BAT of pulpitMAGAZINE
MITZVAH AD
Kristen Castillo quiet morning or don’t want to involve too many people
0002441714-01 on your day, then keeping the numbers low might make
Lessons in experience
your home

Learn to read Hebrew
Group and1 cols, 2.13Those
Learn to
read Hebrew private lessons
in your home
Officiant atCantor BarbraCeremonies,
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
201-818-4088
Baby Namings and Weddings
Cell: 201-788-6653
Officiant for Baby Namings
e-mail: cantorbarbra@aol.com
Certified Cantor with 12+ years
www.cantorbarbra.com
of pulpit experience
A
LIEBERSTEIN, fter theBARBRA
initial excitement of your engagement, more sense.”
Fri, Oct 24, 2008 will have lots of questions. Did you
everyone
choose a wedding date? And what’s your venue? Cutting Down
x 2.50"
are big questions, but you still have more It’s often stressful to choose wedding attendants, but it’s
Process Free
decisions to make, including how many people to have in even more nerve-wracking if you have lots of close friends
Lisa Spadevecchia
your wedding party. and family who want to be included in your wedding
Big or small? Do you have to have an even number of
Parent Paper party.
attendants? What’s the etiquette? You think it’s tough cutting your guest list, but what do
Carine
“There is no magic number to determine the size of you do when you need to cut your wedding party? Who
your wedding party,” says wedding planner Lauren Chit- stays? Who goes?
___ Art Direction
wood, owner of Lauren Chitwood Events, who has been “Often when groups of friends balloon in size, and cli-
coordinating weddings for over a decade. “Bridal party
_X__ E-Proof ents experience hesitations, I encourage my brides and
selections mostly depend on relationships and the pace grooms to keep it simple and just include siblings and fam-
and feel that the clients want for their wedding day.” ily,” says Chitwood. “It’s an easy way to draw a line with-
You need to discuss what each of you has in mind for out hurting feelings.”
the number of attendants and make sure there are no hurt
feelings. Even-Steven?
___ OK AS IS Wedding parties don’t necessarily need to be balanced,
Size Doesn’t Matter such as six groomsmen and six bridesmaids. Instead, cou-
___ OK W.wedding
Every CHANGE is different and there’s no formula for ples are choosing to focus on including the people most
assembling your bridesmaids, groomsmen and other important to them by their side.
attendants. Whether the number of attendants is odd or even
________________
“What is best is what you and your fiance will enjoy,” doesn’t matter and neither does gender.
approved
says by
Viva Max Kaley, wedding planner and creator of Viva Co-ed wedding parties are gaining popularity.
Max Weddings. “If you like having lots of friends around “If you want your closest friends and family by your
you, then a big party is right for you. If you prefer a more side, choose the people who will be most helpful and
bring you joy on your wedding day, no matter their gen-
der,” says Kaley. “If you prefer the ladies on one side and
the guys on the other, that is fine, too. Just know you
should do what is right for you and your besties.”

Destination I Do
Your wedding party size will likely be significantly smaller
if you get married on location.
“We advise brides to limit to one or two members per
side to avoid having half of your attendees being mem-
bers of the wedding party,” says Sara Locke of BookBet-
terTravel.com, explaining a typical destination wedding
has an intimate guest list, often between 20 to 60 guests.

Bridal Party Budget

PARTY LINEN RENTALS
TABLECLOTHS, NAPKINS, CHAIR COVERS, SASHES, TABLE SKIRTS...
Bergen Linen is your area’s leading linen rental company.
Call (800) 789-8115 today and inquire about our extensive selection of colors and sizes.
PICK UP AND DELIVERY SERVICES AVAILABLE
Being a groomsman or bridesmaid is a fun and exciting
honor, but it can also be expensive. Before you invite
people to be members of your wedding party, consider
whether you can afford to have a large crew and whether
each individual can afford it.
Here’s why: The more members of your wedding party,
the pricier it’ll be. You’ll have to buy boutonnieres and
bouquets, and thank-you gifts, for each of them, along
with covering their expenses for the rehearsal dinner.
There’s financial strain on the attendants, too, such as
paying for specific wedding attire, hair and makeup, and

WWW.BERGENLINEN.COM Kristen Castillo is a three-time Emmy Award-winning

60 OAK STREET HACKENSACK, NJ 07601 journalist. An editor and writer for wedding magazines, she’s
800-789-8115 · INFO@BERGENLINEN.COM written hundreds of wedding articles, as well as an e-book,
“Weddings on a Dime.”

Bergen Linen Half Page_6.5x5.indd 1 12/18/17 6:44 AM

 Jewish Standard S-7

travel expenses.
“You can have your besties around with-
out having them walk down the aisle,” says
Kaley.
If budget is a concern, invite your
e friends as guests and keep your wedding
e party small.
“Your wedding should be a fun time
for all, and not too much of a financial
stressor,” says Kaley. “Be realistic and
s respectful of your friends’ financial pres-
s sures and keep it in mind when finalizing
your wedding party numbers.”
Creators.com

Choosing members of
- the wedding party
can be a challenge.
- Creators.com photo courtesy of
Sweet Ice Cream Photography
-

,
-
t

n
on dean
Hours of Operation: Monday through Wednesday 10am – 6pm,
Thursday 10am – 8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Closed Sunday
r
d
-
Visit Engle Shop
d on Dean
u
for all your
Special Events!
r
All gowns can
be customized
-
- to your personal

UltraVylet Photography/Jess L. Beaudoin

g needs.

e
32 North Dean Street
Englewood, NJ
Tuxedos and Formal Wear for Men & Boys available in stock or Made to Measure!
201-568-1331
www.engleshopcouture.com
g

26 East Palisade Avenue, Englewood NJ 07631 1.201.894.1424

www.verouomo.com
S-8 Jewish Standard WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

Band or DJ?
What to groove to on the dance floor
Jeanelle D. Horcasitas even more memorable. There are plenty and if you like them, ask if they are willing DJ has never been easier. There are plenty
of bands that perform all types of musical to negotiate. Although this may take a bit of people, young and old, who perform at

E
veryone can agree that the best part
of a wedding is all of the celebrat-
ing and partying that happens at the
reception. These days, brides and
grooms and even entire wedding parties
often make quite a show of first dances.
Whether it’s a slow waltz that speeds up
into a hip-hop routine or a 10-minute dance-
off between the groom and his groomsmen,
there have been plenty of videos surfacing
on the internet. What all of them have in
common is music. What sounds better? The
digitized beats of a DJ or the strumming of a
real guitar from a live band?
Make It Live
A live band can be a great addition to a
wedding party. Bands carry an aura of
exclusivity; the feeling of having your
own private concert will make the day
genres, from ‘80s covers to reggae to rock
and roll. Additionally, bands can perform
cover songs at the request of the wedding
attendees or newly wedded couple. This
can mix up the set list and provide some
musical enjoyment for everyone.
Unfortunately, hiring a band can be
quite costly. In fact, according to The
Knot and WeddingChannel.com’s annual
Real Weddings Study, the average cost for
a band at a wedding reception is $3,084.
Therefore, choosing a live band to perform
at your wedding may be a deal breaker
when it comes to budgeting and costs. But
this does not mean it is impossible! If you
and your partner are open to the idea,
check out local bands or ask friends and
family if they know of a group interested
in performing. You can hold an audition or
see if they’re playing somewhere nearby,
more research and work, it could save on
costs and you can have the live band you
always dreamed of at your wedding.
Go DJ, That’s My DJ
One of the top choices for wedding recep-
tion entertainment is a DJ. If you choose
the right one, they’ll know how to spice
up the party with some amazing mixes.
The best part is that you and your part-
ner can submit a list of songs that you
specifically want played at your wedding.
Another plus to hiring a DJ for your wed-
ding is the cost. Compared to the cost of a
live band, hiring a DJ is extremely afford-
able. The Real Wedding Study reports that
the average cost for a DJ is $988. There-
fore, if you’re looking for entertainment
that won’t break the bank, hiring a DJ is
the perfect solution. Moreover, finding a
parties, nightclubs, restaurants and even
gyms. Similar to choosing a live band, find-
ing a DJ will require a bit of research. Many
DJs have pages on websites like Sound-
Cloud where they share their mixes and
you can listen instantaneously. So if you
like what you hear, you can make the deci-
sion right then and there.
Whether you’re looking to play some Top
40, jazz, techno or hip-hop, a DJ will deliver
and keep your guests dancing all night long.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can try
to incorporate both a DJ and live band.
However, having both will raise the price.
Overall, the choice is entirely up to you
and your partner. Whether you enjoy the
sounds of live instruments or the digital
sounds of a mixer board — they both can
bring the party to your special day.
Creators.com

F ORMALS ONLY The Tuxedo Specialty Shops

F ORMALS ONLY
We give our customers the service
We are your slim fit
and quality of a local, family-owned
experts.TheWe carry Specialty

F ORMALS ONLY
business,
Tuxedo AND weShops offer the same
slimWe fitgive
tuxedos
selectionin and
all prices
our customers as the big chains.
the service
the hot new
and quality colors,
The Tuxedo Specialty
of a local, Shops
family-owned
from black toAND
navy to offerthetheservice
Choose from business,
We give our
selection andof
we
customers same
gray, as well
and quality asprices
aslim as family-owned
local, the big chains.
our in-house business,
fit suits, AND
shirts, we offer the same
pants,
collection selection and prices as the big chains.
and accessories.
or have a
custom-designed
wedding gown
created just
for you. Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein
406 Cedar Lane · Teaneck, NJ
201-357-4877 · contact@couturedebride.com
Calvin Klein
300 Third avenue · WesTWood · 201-722-1700
www.couturedebride.com www.formalsonly.biz

Nice day for a bright wedding
Bridal gowns span the color spectrum
SHarOn naYlOr
N
ot every bride wants to wear a
white gown on her wedding day.
Over the past several years, there
has been a rising trend for brides to
choose nonwhite wedding gowns.
According to Shane McMurray, lead
researcher at the bridal industry statistics
company The Wedding Report, here’s how
the most popular colors of wedding gowns
stack up in popularity:
• Rose/pink/mauve: 14.3 percent.
• Silver/gold/copper: 6.2 percent.
• Blush blue: 5.9 percent.
• Red: 2 percent.
• Blush yellow: 1.3 percent.
• Blush purple: 0.9 percent.
• Other shade: 4.2 percent, which may
include the trend of watercolor-painted
gowns — an artistic option for the bride
who is so inclined.
Notice that those numbers don’t add
up to 100 percent, as 65 percent of brides
still prefer white gowns. But a number of
brides are choosing tan or Champagne-
colored dresses, providing a more flat-
tering dress for a bride’s skin tone than
stark white while still appearing more
traditional.
Although not recorded in the survey,
blush gray is making news as a popular
and neutral bridal gown color, as it allows
the bride’s shade of dress to complement
bridesmaids’ gowns, which are now often
in shades of gray and slate.
Bright, patterned gowns may not have
achieved widespread popularity, but
there are always artistic brides out there
who love the idea. Florals and other deli-
cate motifs — such as cherries — adorn the
dresses of brides who really want to depart
from the traditional white dress.
So, why have we witnessed this trend
toward colorful and/or patterned dresses
in recent years? The bride’s reasons may
include the following:
• Wanting something different that’s more
in tune with her alternative preferences.
Having
Jewish Standard S-9
an
affair?
• Finding a gown that looks more flatter-
ing against her skin tone than white.
• Preferring a gown for her second (or
third or fourth) wedding that’s completely
different than the white gown she dutifully
wore for her first wedding. FIRST PLACE
• Wanting to choose from the wide
SPECIAL OCCASION
array of gorgeous gowns that today’s
DRESS SHOP
designers are presenting in blush, bold
2011-2017
and metallic choices.
Jennette Kruszka, director of market-
ing and public relations for acclaimed
gown shop Kleinfeld Bridal, says that each
year she sees gowns in color in the Bridal
Fashion Week runway shows, with blush,
metallic, and blush-blue dresses leading
the trend and high in demand.
What else might be driving the trend Come see the
for wedding dresses in color? For some
brides, the bridesmaid-dress rack delivers Largest Selection
less-expensive options in fabulous styles. of Eveningwear,
With lovely, wispy fabrics and creatively
twisted, one-shoulder sleeves, these Sportswear, and
gowns can fit a bride’s personal sense of
style better than the collections of white Accessories, too!
gowns she has tried on at so many shops.
This expansion of where brides can shop
Mishelyne’s
for budget-friendly dresses has played into
the rise of gowns in color.
We’re also seeing more brides wanting
to wear their mothers’ or grandmothers’
wedding gowns as a family homage, but
the original gowns may be faded or stained
Fashions
— something a great alterations company 885 Teaneck Road
can solve by dyeing the dress a different
Teaneck, NJ
color. The heirloom dress becomes wear-
able once more. 201-862-9595
And for the bride who wants a tradi- Sun & Mon Closed
tional white dress but would like to incor-
Tues to Thurs 9:30-6
porate pops of color, other alterations are
Fri 9:30-5
a great option: Colorful hand-sewn bead-
ing, sequins, crystals, and appliques add Sat 9:30-6
a unique touch. Accessories, jewelry, and
shoes can complement these shades for a
colorful wedding-day look.
Sharon Naylor is the author of “The Bride’s
Guide to Freebies” and three dozen additional
www.m-fashions.com
wedding books. Creators.Com
S-10 Jewish Standard WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

Forever hold your peas H

Wedding menu trends
Kristen Castillo showcases local food.

E
xpect to be hungry on your wedding day! From
tasty appetizers to divine dinners and delicious des-
serts, your wedding will be one yummy celebration.
“A lot of couples we work with want their individ-
ualities and personalities to shine, so they look for menus
that reflect their own interests,” says Joyce Malicse of Pop-
Kitch, a boutique catering and events company. Malicse
finds that couples often choose “elevated versions of their
favorite everyday foods”.
Stylish Service
Pairings are popular as well. “It’s no longer just about an
appetizer spread,” says Laesser-Keck, noting pairings may
include sushi and sake or charcuterie displays served with
wine from different regions.
Comfy Cuisine
Comfort foods are a big part of many wedding menus.
“Couples are steering clear of the pricey, traditional
feasts and opting for comfort, finger foods,” says Jessica Comfort foods like tacos, mac and cheese and
Newton of Pechanga Resort & Casino, noting one of their candy stations are trendy wedding foods.
couples served up Mexican food featuring tacos with
made-to-order meats, fish, and veggies wrapped inside
Creators.com photo courtesy of Pechanga Resort & Casin

Plated dinners may be traditional, but these days, wed-
ding food service isn’t predictable.
“People want to switch it up. They are done with boring
plated meals and they want their guests to be able to taste
food from the destinations they’re hosting in,” says event
planner and designer Alison Laesser-Keck of VLD Events,
who notes that family-style dining is also popular because
it’s intimate and interactive.
She says farm-to-table cuisine is also trendy as it
mini corn tortillas.
Menus are full of flair and flavor.
“Our clients also try to incorporate the international
flavors that were part of their childhood,” says Malicse,
who’s dishing up global dishes including tandoori chicken
skewers, Korean gochujang dumplings and tequila-mari-
nated chicken sopes for tray-passed appetizers.
Other comfort foods include mac and cheese, corn-
bread, tater tots, and candy snacks.
Fair-ly Fun
Even fair snacks are taking center stage at receptions.
“Carnival food such as Cracker Jacks, funnel cakes,
and cotton candy are go-to carnival necessities and now
they’re perfect for your formal affair,” says Kim Forrest,
editor and trends expert at WeddingWire.com. You can
dress up the carnival classics to make them a bit fancier
or simply serve mini versions.

Suspended Snacks
WE RCBC A DAZZLING SMILE Make a statement by hanging wedding treats on the wall
at the reception.
DELIVER
FOR YOUR WEDDING! Kerri Sholly at Four Seasons Hotel Austin says the hotel
gets many requests to hang or “float” food. For example,
doughnut walls are fashionable, where doughnuts can be
suspended on shelves hanging from the ceiling.

Dietary Choices
It’s easier than ever if you or your guests have dietary con-
cerns or allergies. Many caterers can serve up vegetation
options, as well as nut-free and low-carb foods.
Those with gluten intolerances have choices, too, espe-
cially when it comes to ordering a wedding cake.
Steakhouse “The best part is that their guests won’t ever know the
difference,” says Nick Nikolopoulos, chef and owner of
Sushi Bar Gluten Free Gloriously, a bakery that ships nationally and
serves the gluten-free and dairy free communities. “When
Private Parties we create these high-end cakes, we use the highest quality
products that make it difficult for anyone to detect that the
Catering TEANECK DENTIST cakes are gluten-free.”
a reason to smile
Dine In Cheers!
Boozy ice pops are popping up at parties, too.
Take Out Richard S. Gertler, DMD, FAGD The icy treats from FrutaPOP, for example, are available
Ari Frohlich, DMD in a variety of flavors like cranberry mojitos, strawberry
Sami Solaimanzadeh, DMD mint julep, pina colada, and coconut rose sangria. The
company also offers coffee, fruit and juice pops.
Another spirited option? Spoonable Spirits, boozy pud-
dings and jellies, which are served in mini shots. Each con-
1008 Teaneck Road • Teaneck tains 5 percent alcohol by volume. Flavors include spiked

515 Cedar Lane, Teaneck

201.837.3000 cake shake and cookies and cream.
www.teaneckdentist.com
201-530-5665 Visit us on Facebook
Kristen Castillo is a three-time Emmy Award-winning
Sunday-Thursday 12-10pm journalist. An editor and writer for wedding magazines, she’s
www.estihana.com Convenient Morning, Evening & Sunday Hours written hundreds of wedding articles, as well as an e-book,
“Weddings on a Dime.”  Creators.com
 Jewish Standard S-11

How to be comfortable on your wedding day

Tova Marc you practice. Your bridal gown looks best when you have sitting? What about going to the ladies room in your big

S
great posture and your pictures will thank you. petticoat? Are your undergarments 100 percent comfort-
o you have the kallah gown, veil, headpiece, sash, 4. Put on all your undergarments (including petticoat) able after wearing them for one hour? Or are they digging
crinoline, and shoes, and you’re thinking “How in and practice walking, sitting and dancing: You need to into your side? You will need to be certain that you are
the world am I going to walk, take pictures, and know what to expect. Do you need help getting up after able to wear everything hassle free.
dance in 20 extra pounds of fabric and accesso-
ries?” Here are some suggestions for handling these con-
cerns with grace on your big day.
1. Break in your shoes: The last thing you want to do is
wear your bridal shoes on your wedding day for the first SUITS
time. We all know what happens when you put on a pair of
heels and walk around for a while. Hello blisterville! Ouch!
In order to break in your pretty shoes, you will need to
start wearing them fifteen minutes a day starting at least
two weeks before the wedding. Wear them with socks and
without — this helps to break them in even better. Walk-
ing around your house is perfect. Just be careful walking
on rugs as it can get slippery. Don’t walk outside, since we first PLACE
don’t want to get those little heels all dirty. men’s shop
2. Bring a pair of comfy shoes to the wedding: Depend-
ing on how high your heels are, you should bring a pair of
,
flip-flops, ballet slippers, or platform sneakers with you The finest selection of
just in case your heels have un-friended you. Very often,
a bride will become overly exhausted and kick off her Italian designer men’s &
n
shoes while dancing the night away. It is super danger-
ous to dance barefoot, as there may be glass and sharp
boy’s suits, sport jackets,
objects on the floor. Also, another woman’s heels step- coats, car coats, pants,
ping on your bare foot is so unbelievably painful. Ideally,
the comfy shoes should have the same heel height as your sweaters, shirts, ties,
bridal shoes. Bring both pairs to your bridal gown fitting
to check the hem of the gown.
shoes & accessories.
l
3. Practice your posture for pictures: Most likely, you
,
will be taking plenty of pictures on your big day. You want
those pictures to express confidence and beauty. One of
the best ways to do this is with good posture. Practice
standing and sitting straight several times a week in the
Visit the
SHOES
-
mirror. Make sure to keep your head up and shoulders
back. This may be uncomfortable for some, so practicing
Boy’s Store
n
for a few weeks before the wedding day is best. This will at Emporio
also give you the perfect opportunity to practice your fab-
-
ulous pose. For additional help, you can purchase a pos-
ture brace (Amazon sells lots of them) and wear it while
f
d Tova Marc is the head designer and owner of Award-Winning
Couture De Bride by Tova Marc. For over a decade, Tova has
been designing Fashion-Forward Modest Bridal Gowns for
brides worldwide. Her showroom is located at 406 Cedar Lane
Scarpa
in Teaneck. To schedule an appointment, call 201-357-487,
email contact@couturedebride.com or on the web at www.
couturedebride.com

-
-
d
BORO PARK: FLATBUSH: LONG ISLAND: LAKEWOOD: TEANECK:
5020 13th Avenue 1505 Coney Island Ave. 467 Central Avenue 1700 Madison Ave. 215 W. Englewood Ave.
718.972.4665 718.676.7706 516.295.5006 732.987.9480 201.530.7300
Sunday & Legal Holidays 10-6 Sunday & Legal Holidays 10-6 Sunday & Legal Holidays 10-6 Sunday & Legal Holidays 10-6 Mon-Thurs 10-9
Mon-Wed 10-7 Mon-Wed 10-7 Mon, Tues & Thurs 10-7 Mon-Thurs 10-7 Fri 10-2
Thurs 10-8, Fri 10-2 Thurs 10-9, Fri 10-2 Wed 10-9, Fri 10-2 Fri 10-1:30 Closed Sunday
m
S-12 Jewish Standard WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

Express with the dress

Beautiful wedding dress trends of 2017
Sharon Naylor notes that the modern-day bride wants move, many brides are choosing gowns on the runway. But nontraditional head-
with plunging necklines. Illusion necklines pieces were also seen. For example, bridal

W
edding gown styles evolve each
year, giving brides a myriad of
options to express their per-
sonal taste with the dress of
their dreams. Wedding gown collections
debut during Bridal Fashion Week. The
world’s top bridal gown designers — Vera
Wang, Monique Lhuillier and Vivienne
Westwood, to name a few — show off their
elegant, glamorous and adventurous cre-
ations. This year, Jennette Kruszka, direc-
tor of marketing and public relations for
renowned bridal gown shop Kleinfeld,
says, “This season, both traditional and
nontraditional trends floated down the
runways.”
Though designs are birthed from the
designers’ creativity and imagination,
they also tend to represent generational
and societal trends. For example, Kruszka
to “look and feel effortless” on her wed-
ding day. As such, one of the most popular
silhouettes shown on the runway for the
2017 season is billowing sheaths of fabric,
many of which are made with lightweight
chiffon and organza. Cascading ruffles,
one desired texture, are “a great way to
incorporate an element of drama.” The
ruffles are expertly placed and spaced to
create a flowing effect, especially down the
gown skirt.
Modernization appears in other
aspects, such as modesty and femininity.
For example, lace choices are shown in
bolder, more graphic designs compared
to the finer, more delicate designs of years
past. Off-the-shoulder dresses are gain-
ing steam, which may suit a bride’s wish
to show a bit of skin. Marchesa, Sashin &
Babi, Maggie Sottero, and other design-
ers tried this look. In an elegant, daring
allow appliques, beading, and crystals to
look as if they rest on the bride’s skin, cre-
ating an elegant yet sexy look. These styles
were among Brides Fashion Director Elle
Strauss’ top 11 favorite wedding dresses for
fall 2017.
According to Kruszka, brides are always
looking for something new. “For the last
several years,” she says, “strapless has
been the number one silhouette, but the
new generation of brides wants to give
a nod to old-school style by including
modern day sleeves.” Designers and cus-
tomers alike are still talking about Kate
Middleton’s trendsetting gown with full-
length lace sleeves. On the runway today
is an array of romantic cap sleeves, flutter
sleeves, and even flowing boho sleeves.
As we know, when it comes to fashion,
accessories can complete an outfit. The veil
is a staple accessory for the bridal gown. A
long cathedral veil with little to no embel-
lishment is a classic look that appeared
designer Mark Zunino showed an organza
hooded caplet. Kruszka says: “It is a great
way for a bride to wow guests and get
two looks in one. The hood replaces the
veil and can be worn for the ceremony
and removed for the reception.” Say, for
example, the place of worship where the
ceremony is held requires that women’s
shoulders be covered. A caplet is both
functional and fashionable.
No matter what style of dress is chosen,
seeking out a talented alterations expert is
a must. That way, the bride can ensure the
dress fits comfortably and perfectly to her
shape.
Every bride deserves to look and feel
her best on her special day. The 2017 bridal
gown trends allow for full self-expression
and individuality.
Sharon Naylor is the author of “The Bride’s
Guide to Freebies” and three dozen additional
wedding books. Creators.com

Plan your next event in our

Elegant Ballroom Beautiful wedding dress
trends of 2017 will suit
brides with all styles.
Creators.com photo
Beautiful Sanctuary · elegant neutral Ballroom courtesy of Mark Zunino

Scenic outdoor Patio & lake · HoldS uP to 300

diverSe catering Panel to Suit every taSte and Budget

For more information on renting our ballroom for your event

please call the office (201) 891-4466.
 Jewish Standard S-13

Off the grid

Getting guests off social media during your wedding
Julia Price until after the event. You can make it feel mode. Should a guest have an emergency guests be totally present with you and
a little less rule-ish and a lot more fun by reason to keep her phone on her person, your loved ones as you exchange vows to

W
ith so much of the world now
incorporating social media into
social engagements, you may
want a break from the real-time
posting on your wedding day. In fact, many
wedding photographers have complained
that they now have difficulty in getting the
perfect shots of couples getting hitched
because smartphone cameras tend to pop
up all over the place, either blocking their
view or adding less-than-romantic technol-
ogy in the foreground of the capture. We
all know you want that perfect picture for
the ‘Gram, but come on! People are trying
to remember this moment for the rest of
their lives!
There are several ways to get your guests
to go off the grid while you tie the knot.
The first one is to prepare them ahead of
time. Make sure you note on the wedding
invitations that this will be a Wi-Fi-free
event and that all social media posting is
either prohibited entirely or prohibited
using language that is playful yet direct.
For example, you can say: “The theme
of this wedding is throwback! No, don’t
worry; that doesn’t mean the bridesmaids
will be wearing huge neon green dresses
with puffed sleeves. But it does mean that
we will request you to leave your cell-
phones in your car or in a cute little box at
the entrance of the ceremony.”
If you don’t want to actually request
that guests leave their phones in a box or
bin at the front, then you can give them
personal cellphone holders with their
names on them — something satin or silky
or whatever goes with your theme. Once
someone drops his phone into the pouch
(which will have his name on it), you can
have a greeter collect it and place it at his
reception table. If you’d like to remove
yourself from any responsibility of hold-
ing the phones at all, have multiple greet-
ers who will welcome the guests and then
ask them to put their phones on airplane
ask her to keep her phone on vibrate and
respect the wishes of the bride and groom
by refraining from taking photos and post-
ing anything to social networking sites.
Another way to limit guests’ access to
their phones is to go off the grid. You can
search for locations where there is not any
service or barely any at all. Though this may
not free you from those annoying shots of
phones taking photos while your photog-
rapher is taking photos, you’ll have a lot
less to worry about when it comes to hav-
ing your guests wait to post their photos.
You may want to warn guests that there will
be spotty service. That way, they can han-
dle any personal or professional stuff that
needs to be put in order before your day
of love. And of course, this opens the door
to have a lot of fun with creating the theme
and vibe that really celebrates the beauty in
detaching from the outside world.
Overall, you have to ask yourself what
is more important. Would you rather have
your sweetie, or do you want to have a spe-
cial hashtag where you can search and find
a bunch of photos that your guests took
— photos that the photographer possibly
didn’t capture. Because though you’ll gain
quality over quantity by leaving the pic-
tures up to the professionals, sometimes
the people who know you best are looking
for special moments that can only be seen
by someone who truly knows you. If going
off the grid is what you’re looking for, per-
haps you can gift guests with disposable
cameras so they can still add their very
special memories to your very special day.
For a list of locations that are remote and
far from the grid, you can find a number of
options simply by searching “off-the-grid
locations” in your search bar. You can then
call and double-check that you’ll be as far
away from Wi-Fi as possible, just to ensure
that you’ll have all the phone-free fun that
you’re looking for on your day.
Creators.com

RISTORANTE

RESTAURANT Spanish & Portuguese Restaurant

“Fine Dining in
a Relaxed Atmosphere”
Before or After Dinner Enjoy Live Music
in our Lounge Fri. & Sat. Evenings
Fabulous Traditional Italian Food
Why Go to Newark? Come Once, You’ll be Back!
■ Specializing in Seafood and Steaks
■ Private Room Available For All Occasions
■ Birthdays, Anniversaries, Corporate Functions
■ Shower Packages
Other Packages Available, Call For Details
■ Open Seven Days For Lunch & Dinner
■ Full Bar and Extensive Wine List
TAKE OUT AVAILABLE

* Voted By The Wine

and Dine Restaurant
Researcher Society &
Charming & Casual Atmosphere The Record ✯✯✯✯
Excellent - Zagat
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2014 Party Room 120 Terhune Drive
ASK ABOUT OUR PARTY FACILITIES
25 to 60 people Wayne, NJ
CLOSED ON TUESDAY
973.616.0999
Lunch 11:30 am - 3 pm · Dinner 5 pm - 11 pm Call For Reservations
Lunch on Saturday from 3:00 on 12 TAPPAN ROAD
Open Monday-Sunday for lunch & dinner www.VilaVerdeRestaurant.com
HARRINGTON PARK, NJ
53 W. Passaic St., Rochelle Park Tel. 201-767-4245 · Fax 201-768-9271 DAILY SEAFOOD
201-843-1250 www.dinoshp.com SPECIALS
S-14 Jewish Standard
Back to nature
Israelis are throwing themselves one-of-a kind weddings au naturel
andreW tOBin worker from Jerusalem, and her hus-
I
band-to-be, Ran, were determined to do
n this tiny country, there are only so their wedding themselves. With the help
many places to have a wedding. Or so of Israeli wedding blogs and Facebook
you would think. groups, they spent months planning and
But a growing number of Israelis are preparing a wedding they felt reflected
creating one-of-a-kind outdoor weddings who they are.
from the ground up. In some cases, they Unlike some couples, Ms. Maaman and
even start with the ground. her fiance did not start from zero. Instead,
“We brought in bulldozers for one cou- they converted a biblical tourism center,
ple,” said Ori Fuks, an Israeli wedding Genesis World, into a bohemian desert get-
producer. “They wanted to get married away with Bedouin-style tents and cushions,
on an avocado farm, so we built them a billowing macramé decorations, and a cara-
parking lot.” van of camels on hand. A DJ played world
“Nature weddings,” as they are some- music-inspired beats late into the night.
times called, are an increasingly popular “Nature weddings have become com-
option for young Israeli couples seeking mon, but I know that our wedding was
unique nuptials. In recent years, an indus- very, very special,” Ms. Maaman said.
try has emerged around the bespoke out- “The nice thing about the place was that
door events, offering an alternative to the because it’s not for weddings, it doesn’t
traditional wedding hall blowout. feel commercialized. They don’t charge
Shani Maaman, a 31-year-old high-tech you for every little extra. If you want
Find everything for your wedding, honeymoon
& new home in one convenient place.
Wedding Gowns, Tuxedos, Florists,
Photography, Videography, Limos, Invitations,
Cakes, Financial Planners, Wedding Planners,
Registry, Salons, Hotels/Venues.
Live Entertainment
Prizes every 20 Minutes.
All attending couples will receive complimentary bridal
magazines, a bag and will be entered to win fabulous prizes.
Must be present to win.
Tickets available at
www.everythingbridalshows.com
#wherethestorybegins
WINTER 2018 BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS
another area to chill out, they give it
to you no problem.”
Mr. Fuks said many young
Israelis have become dis-
satisfied with the “copy
and paste” approach
o f we d d i n g h a l l s ,
which they see as
inauthentic. Having
grown up working
in two such venues
owned by his family,
in 2009 he started his
own company called
Bloom, which special-
izes in nature weddings
at sites with little to no
infrastructure.
“Young Israelis want their wedding
to be their own,” he said. “They want to
feel like they’re hosting you in their own
home. That’s why we come and say, any-
thing you want, we can create it.”
Mr. Fuks lets couples customize nearly
every aspect of their wedding, starting
with the location. In addition to the avo-
cado farm, he uses forests, deserts, vine-
yards, and fields. Last year he threw a
wedding in a pallet factory. He works with
suppliers to bring in the desired amenities,
like generators for electricity, a kitchen
and bar, a sound system, lighting, rest-
rooms, tents, and flowers.
Immediately after the event, everything
is dismantled. No infrastructure can stay
in place, Mr. Fuks said, because he rents
the properties from private owners and
may or may not have the required permits.
Fortunately, he said, he has never had a
wedding shut down.
Mr. Fuks said business has grown
steadily over the years to about 30 wed-
dings a year, mostly in the relatively sunny
months between March and October. At
the same time, he said, he has seen his
competitors in the nature wedding indus-
try proliferate, from just a couple eight
years ago to as many as 10 experienced
competitors and countless upstarts today.
A saleswoman at one of Israel’s posh-
est wedding halls said the growing popu-
larity of nature weddings has not cut into
her clientele. But speaking on condition of
anonymity to protect her job, she said she
expects that to change in the near future.
Among her Tel Aviv friends, she said, wed-
ding halls are already out of style.
“People want their wedding to make
them feel special,” she said. “But this
industry is all about money.
You spend money you
don’t have, and we
make money. In a cou-
ple years, everyone will
be planning their own
weddings.”
However, nature wed-
dings are not necessarily
less expensive. Mr. Fuks
said his average wedding
costs about $40,000, which
is at the high end of the
national average, according to
a 2015 survey. Maaman’s $25,000
wedding is at the low end.
Lira Wieman, the owner of LW Events,
said nature weddings are nothing new for
her clients, who include Israel’s rich and
famous. Nearly three-quarters of the wed-
dings she does are in nature, she said. In
May, she produced a high-profile desert
wedding for model Shlomit Malka and
actor Yehuda Levy.
“They wanted a Burning Man-style
event,” Ms. Wieman said, referring to the
American countercultural festival. “It was
crazy — three days on an isolated ranch
with a 24-hour DJ party.”
To some extent, Ms. Maaman’s wed-
ding — which was also Burning Man
inspired — was countercultural, too.
Like a growing number of Israelis, she
and her husband eschewed the Chief
Rabbinate, the Orthodox authority that
controls Jewish marriage in Israel. They
opted for a secular humanist rabbi, and
because only an Orthodox rabbi can per-
form a wedding in Israel, they have yet to
be officially married.
Ms. Maaman said they plan to eventu-
ally marry abroad and have the union rec-
ognized by Israel’s secular bureaucracy,
or to enter a common law marriage — two
increasingly popular options.
She said their motivation for not going
through the Chief Rabbinate was more
personal than principled. They wanted
to do the wedding on a date that is forbid-
den by Jewish law and, more important, to
have an egalitarian ceremony. Under the
macrame huppah, Ms. Maaman joined
her husband in the traditional concluding
ritual of breaking a glass in memory of the
destruction of Jerusalem.
“We’re not like ‘anti’ people,” she said.
“What guided us was making it our wed-
ding, fit to us. We did what we needed to
do.” Jta wIre serVICe
 Brett Matthews Photography

A lifetime of memories begins at The Rockleigh...

Studio 1 Photo and Film Brett Matthews Photography

Andrew Graham Todes Photography

26 Paris Avenue, Rockleigh, NJ

www.therockleigh.net • (201) 768-7171
OurChildren
About
About
Useful Information for the Next
Generation of Jewish Families

School and Survival of the Fittest

After-School Making Money Cents
Programs

Supplement to The Jewish Standard • January 2018

 THE CHILDREN’S CENTER
Now Open
AT CHILTON MEDICAL CENTER

We’re Taking Pediatric ER and Hospital Care to the Next Level

Atlantic Health System has introduced an innovative approach to pediatric care at Chilton Medical Center, the
only one of its kind in the northern NJ region. The Children’s Center offers an exceptional level of care to our
most precious patients, combining pediatric emergency services and hospital care within a brand-new, family-
friendly environment.

With sleeping accommodations for parents, a kids playroom and a family lounge, our team of experienced
and compassionate pediatric physicians and nurses will put your family’s needs first. And, because we are part
of Atlantic Health System, there is ready access to more than 100 pediatric specialists who provide advanced
expertise at Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center.

Where You Go For Pediatric Care Matters

Chilton Medical Center · 97 West Parkway, Pompton Plains, NJ · atlantichealth.org

CMC-7208-17 ChildrensCtr_JewishStd.indd 1 10/23/17 12:54 PM

2 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
 OurChildren
About Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services
for children with autism,
developmental delays
and behavioral challenges
Useful Information for the Next Generation of Jewish Families
• play & social skills
• cognitive skills
Diane Berger, MA, BCBA, Director
• language/communication
January 2018 (201) 742-5298
• behavior: tantrums, eating, toileting

Boys to Men.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..5 Email: info@bergerlearning.com

31-11 Broadway · Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
For more information, please visit

Teaching them respect for women www.bergerlearning.com

Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Schools and after-school program

Full Steam Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Professional program for Ma’ayanot students

From Strength to Strength. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The key to unlocking children’s self-esteem

Making Cents of Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Teaching youngsters financial fluency

Let’s Get Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Winter activities for the whole family

Generation G.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The last bar mitzvah hurrah

Survival of the Fittest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Get your children moving in 2018

Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

!
Pictures of our youngsters

Top Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Best picks for January All new
! Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 experience!
Great things to do this month

Simchas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Newer, Better, More Spectacular!

Celebrating our milestones

MissionStatement Thrilling New Rides!

About Our Children is designed to help Jewish families in our area live healthy, positive lives that make the most of • Giant Slides • Giant Spider
the resources available to them. By providing useful, current, accurate information, this publication aims to guide • Obstacle Course Mountain
parents to essential information on faith, education, the arts, events, and child-raising — in short, everything that • Air Cannon Alley and Slide
today’s Jewish family, babies to grandparents, needs to live life to the fullest in North Jersey and Rockland County. • Sports Arena • And More!

AdvisoryBoard Birthday Parties!

Dr. Annette Berger, Psy.D. Jane Calem Rosen
Psychologist, Teaneck Marketing and Communications Specialist
• Giant indoor inflatables
• Private bounce and party rooms Spider Mountain
Michelle Brauntuch, MS,CCLS Barry Weissman, MD
Child Life Specialist, Englewood Hospital, Englewood Pediatrician, Hackensack and Wyckoff • Hassle-free, easy to plan!
Hope Eliasof Cheryl Wylen • Dedicated party pros
Marriage and Family Therapist, Midland Park Director of Adult Programs and Cultural Arts • Clean, safe and secure
Howard Prager, DC, DACBSP YM-YWHA of North Jersey, Wayne
• We clean up!
Holistic Chiropractor, Oakland FIRST
Beyond Birthdays! PLACE
PLACE
ley
About FOR A Air Cannon Al

OurChildren
James L. Janoff Natalie Jay Ed Silberfarb
• Open Bounce
KID’S PARTY
KID’S FUN
• Create & Bounce Art Camps PLACE
Obstacle Course

Publisher Advertising Director Slovie Jungreis-Wolff • Field Trips

Heidi Mae Bratt Peggy Elias Denise Morrison Yearian • Class and Team Parties
Editor Contributing Writers Kosher
Janice Rosen • Fundraisers and more! Available
Deborah Herman Brenda Sutcliffe
Art Director Account Executives Paramus
Paramus· (201)
• 843-5880
(201) 843-5880 Nanuet · (845) 623-5400
us www.BounceU.com/paramus-nj /BounceUofParamus
www.BounceU.com/nanuet-ny
About Our Children is published 11 times a year by the New Jersey/Rockland Jewish Media Group, BounceU.com/paramus
70 Eisenhower Dr. · Paramus, NJ 07652 424 Market St. · Nanuet, NY 10954
1086 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666; telephone: 201-837-8818; fax: 201-833-4959.; 70 Eisenhower Drive • Paramus, NJ www.Facebook.com/BounceUNanuet/
www.Facebook.com/BounceUParamus/ 07652
e-mail: AboutOC@aol.com.

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 3


I
have a dear friend who is the mother
of three spirited boys. She’s clever,
continental, and cool; a Renaissance
woman who has worked as an actress,
is fluent in French, well-traveled, stud-
ied children’s literature as a serious
discipline, sold real estate, and knows
every sample sale before it hits the
grapevine. She’s the kind of resourceful
and intelligent woman who other wom-
en turn to for advice. I’m glad to count
her among my friends.
I remember one afternoon when
the kids were in middle school and my
friend, whom I’ll refer to as Lily, called.
“David’s not home yet,” said a pan-
icked Lily, referring to her 12-year-old
son who was taking the public bus from
school, which was a mile away.
“When was he supposed to be
home?” I asked.
“Twenty minutes ago! I can’t get
him on him phone! I’m going to start
searching the neighborhood! I’m calling
the police!”
A search party? The police? Twenty
minutes?
“Maybe you should just wait a little
longer,” I suggested. “Perhaps the bus
got caught in traffic.”
4 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
musings from the editor
Who was I to judge her (over?)
reaction? But I know that she was in
the throes of a full-blown acute case of
mamasteria. That is, mama hysteria,
a not-yet-named-in-the-DSM-5 condi-
tion that is characterized by a feeling
of overwhelming anxiety, dread, panic,
fear, and potential doom, usually related
to a “missing” child.
Ten minutes later there was anoth-
er call from Lily.
“David’s home. His bus was held up
and he turned off his phone.”
“Thank God,” I answered.
I have another dear friend who is
the mother of three high-achieving teen-
agers. She’s warm, wise, and worldly.
Sarah, not her real name, is a woman of
much high-level academic accomplish-
ment. She skated through an Ivy-League
college for her undergraduate degree,
and glided into a topflight law school.
She passed the bar first time out, easy
peasey. Since her oldest is a bit older
than mine, I have on many occasions
turned to her for advice having to do
with the next step, and her sagacity
has always helped clear a path through
my tangled confusion. She is the sort
of woman who will drop all to help you
and deliver the goods in trip-
licate. I’m glad to count her
among my friends.
I remember one late
spring weekend when her
high school-aged daughter,
Noa, was hosting a group of
friends for Shabbes. It was a
big deal because it was the
first big social Shabbat of her daugh-
ter’s experience. I remember seeing the
happy teenagers at shul that Saturday.
Later on, I remember asking Sarah how
it went.
“I’m fine now,” she said. “But I really
wasn’t. I was a wreck and it took me a
long time to be okay.”
Apparently, Noa and her friends
had gone out during the afternoon and
forgot about the time, while they were
having a great time, and returned home
long after expected. As there was no
phone on the Sabbath, Sarah had no
other recourse but to start sweating it
out in an episode of mamasteria. I felt
her pain.
I know from mamasteria. I know
too well.
My own kid was out of town for a
Shabbaton and aside from a quick good
Shabbes Friday call, there
was no other conversation.
A quick text (from me) to say
I was going to bed early on
Saturday night got answered
but not quick enough, and
on Sunday, there was noth-
ing. No response to calls. No
texts. No response to texts.
No response to question-mark texts.
Hours, and nothing. And I felt it coming
on. Mamasteria. I even called two other
parents whose kids were on the Shab-
baton, and was advised to chill.
Turns out the kid overslept. Didn’t
hear the phone ring or ping.
Okay then. What are we to do, us
mamas who hit the panic button too
quickly? Sure, we want the kids to be
mindful and responsible and send some
signal of their safety to us. But before we
go from zero to sixty, we have to learn
to hit the brakes and give them — and
ourselves — a break.
Wishing all a calm and healthy 2018!
Cheers,

Raising Boys to Become
Good and Respectful Men
S LOV I E JU N G R E I S - WO L F F
W
ith so many high-profile cases
of men falling in disgrace, it’s
a good idea for parents to re-
examine how to best raise our sons to be-
come good men. How our sons view wom-
en when they are children will impact the
way they treat women when they venture
into the world.
We are given the responsibility to
provide spiritual training to our children.
Fathers and mothers are charged with
the mandate to leave a spiritual imprint
on our children’s souls.
If we expect the next generation to
listen to us while they grow, they must
hear us when they are young. What is
the message we impart? How can we nur-
ture our children’s character so that they
leave this world better than when they en-
tered? (It goes without saying the follow-
ing points equally apply to teaching our
daughters how to respect men.)
Honor the Women in your Life
More than any strong lecture about treat-
ing women properly is the firsthand view
of what children observe. When parents
honor one another, when they treat
women with dignity, respect flourishes.
Ask: How do we honor the women in
our life? Do we easily disparage women’s
thoughts? What is our tone and body lan-
guage? Do we carelessly mock a mother’s
concerns? Are grandmother’s ignored
and made to feel irrelevant?
There are positive ways we can teach
children, too. Instead of always having
mom serve, tirelessly prepare and some-
how make life run smoothly for the fam-
ily, let’s involve our spouses and children.
Even a toddler can learn how to bring a
spoon or cup of water to mommy.
And as children grow: “Please sit,
Mom, I’ll take care of this.” What beautiful
words to a mother’s ears.
Expressing gratitude in front of your
children is another avenue of honor.
How often do we leave the dinner table
or grab a snack that mom prepared with-
out a backward glance? Mom is expected
to sooth wounded feelings, heal scraped
knees, mediate siblings battles, feed hun-
gry tummies, supervise homework, ferry
after school activities, be sure there are
clean clothes hanging, and still be the in-
credible woman she was meant to be.
If we want our sons to respect wom-
en, they must hear and see that respect
modeled in the home.
Judaism recognizes the strength of
women. Every Friday night we sing “Esh-
es Chayil,” A Woman of Valor, paying trib-
ute to the women in our lives. We speak
about her rising in the darkest of nights
and never allowing herself to fall into the
depths of hopelessness. Her flame is nev-
er extinguished though her heart may be
full. She is exhausted but perseveres.
If we want our sons to respect wom-
en, they must hear and see that respect
modeled in the home.
Teach Self-Discipline
All children require self-discipline to reign
in emotions and actions that can harm
others. Our technology-obsessed culture
means that often there is no end. No end
to the music, no end to the show, no end
to the surfing. There is always something
else to watch or to listen. How does one
understand the definition of enough?
From where does a child learn the mean-
ing of stop? They keep scrolling down and
clicking more.
In a society of instant gratification,
children believe that their wishes come
before anyone else.
Growing up in a world where wants
are fulfilled with a touch of a button can
strain a child’s ability to comprehend the
word no. How many parents are able to
repeatedly deny their children’s desires?
In a society of instant gratification, chil-
dren believe that their wishes come be-
fore anyone else. “I want it and I want it
now!” Order from Amazon Prime and it’s
at your doorstep. Wants and needs are
often confused.
Character training demands that a
parent be unafraid to declare boundar-
ies. Teaching right from wrong requires
our stepping in and setting rules. Wheth-
er it is no phones at meals and home-
work time or limiting purchases on
iTunes, we have the obligation to stand
up for that which we believe in. Creat-
ing a space within a child’s world where
it’s okay to not have it all, to respect the
word no, to realize that it’s not what you
have but who you are that creates hap-
piness, are all essential rungs on the lad-
der to moral greatness.
Judaism provides us with built-in av-
enues toward self-discipline. Mitzvot help
us train our children’s hearts.
“Yes, you want to have that chocolate
bar but it is dairy and you need to
wait between eating meat and dairy.”
“Sure, you have a juicy piece of
gossip but that’s lashon hara, and we
cannot hurt others with our words.”
Plug into the positive energy of teach-
ing your child the strength of ruling over
one’s desires.
OurChildren
About
Teach Responsibility and Empathy
Here are two values to work on with our
boys to help mold them into great men.
Begin with responsibility. When we
hurt others we need to recognize the pain
that we’ve caused. Teach children to own
their actions. Apologize without ifs, ex-
cuses, or blaming others. Too many adults
disclaim the harm they’ve inflicted. We can-
not afford to rationalize our sons’ wrongs
by excusing bad behavior. Saying things
like boys will be boys or this is our culture
now is pitiful. There is no justification for
demeaning others. If you bring damage
into the world through your words or ac-
tions, you need to be accountable.
Inspiring children to respect and
have self-control nourishes the inner
voice that becomes their moral compass.
Empathy means I am responsive to
your feelings. In a world where we have
stopped looking at others and focus
mainly on ourselves, children have
become selfish. Much of the damage
inflicted has happened because self-
needs take priority over the needs and
emotions of the person I am hurting.
We want our children to grow up be-
ing attuned to the hearts of others.
There is no room for callousness.
How can I cause pain to another
human being?
Put names on emotions like sad,
hurt, and feeling badly so that we place
ourselves in another person’s shoes. Teach
sensitivity. Guide children to distance
themselves from writing and forward-
ing mean texts or leaving classmates and
siblings out. Helping children be aware of
how others feel will make them think hard
about the ramifications of their deeds; a
much needed asset when they enter the
adult world.
When our sons grow up realizing
that their actions impact others, they un-
derstand that what they do matters. Our
choices can hurt or heal. Let us teach our
children to grow sensitive to the feelings
of others, to see the faces of those who
surround them and recognize the shadow
of pain in their eyes. Inspiring children to
respect and have self-control nourishes
the inner voice that becomes their mor-
al compass.
We have the opportunity to teach our
sons how to infuse our world with honor,
kindness, and dignity so that they grow to
become the good men we know they are
meant to be.
Slovie Jungreis Wolff is an author, parenting
and relationship coach, and the daughter of
the late Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. Aish.com
ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 5

Schools
The Solomon Schechter Day School of
Bergen County
275 McKinley Avenue
New Milford, NJ 07646
201-262-9898 ext. 203
www.ssdsbergen.org
3’s through 8th Grade
Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen
County (SSDS) is a nationally accredited,
Jewish day school that cultivates the
next generation of global leaders through
an inquiry-based educational approach.
Now in our 44th year, SSDS is a 2018
International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate
for the Middle Years Programme with a
newly established Design Thinking Lab
and Middle School robotics course. Our
school integrates a rigorous dual STEAM
(science, technology, engineering, art, and
math) curriculum with Jewish values, and
provides a nurturing environment guided
by award-winning educators. We offer
Suzuki Violin and chess, musical theater
and yoga, an organic teaching garden, a
Zeiss microscopy lab, and a digital media
center for Holocaust studies. On-site day
care, extended day, robust after-school
Sensational Summers 2x7 01-17 12/5/16 11:52 AM Page 1
2018
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13
The Outlets at Bergen Town Center,
Paramus
SUNDAY, JANUARY 28
Livingston Mall, Livingston
For additional information about our other camp fairs
at Freehold Raceway Mall, and Quaker Bridge Mall,
The Grand Summit Hotel, and Menlo Park Mall visit our website:
www.njcampfairs.com
All camp fairs will run from Noon to 3:00pm.
6 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
AOC-6
Guide
to Schools and Activities
basketball and soccer leagues, and activi-
ties program offered. New in 2018: our
first summer STEAM camp (August 13-17
and August 20-24) for students in grades
5-8. We have partnered with i2 Learning, a
non-profit that creates hands-on STEAM
camps with courses in life sciences, engi-
neering, programming, and more. Contact
Charlotte Carter in our admissions office
at 201-262-9898 ext. 203. For more informa-
tion, see our ad on page 9.
Academies  Gerrard Berman
Day School
45 Spruce Street
Oakland, NJ 07436
201-337-1111
www.ssnj.org
Ages: 2-14
Academies @ Gerrard Berman Day School
offers a warm, nurturing environment
for children ages 2-14. Through a focus
in leadership, STEAM, and performing
arts, the Academies offers its students a
comprehensive Judaic and General Stud-
ies education. We educate children to be-
come successful leaders and learners who
will meet future challenges and make the
world a better place. Please see our ad on
page 11.
SINAI Elementary at Joseph Kushner
Hebrew Academy
110 South Orange Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
862-437-8000 x 8190
www.sinaischools.org
Grades: 1–8
Elementary-Middle School for children
with a wide range of complex learning or
developmental disabilities. Inclusive, yet
individualized to fit each student’s social,
emotional, and academic needs. Recog-
nized for educational excellence; Middle
States Association of Colleges and Schools
accreditation. Please see our ad on page 9.
SINAI Elementary at Rosenbaum
Yeshiva of North Jersey,
including the Riva Blatt Weinstein
Judaic Studies Program
666 Kinderkamack Road
River Edge, NJ 07661
201-262-4202
www.sinaischools.org
Grades: 1-8
Elementary-Middle School for children
with a wide range of complex learning or
developmental disabilities. Inclusive, yet
individualized to fit each student’s social,
emotional, and academic needs. Recog-
nized for educational excellence; Middle
States Association of Colleges and Schools
accreditation. Please see our ad on page 9.
SINAI Schools Rabbi Mark and Linda
Karasick Shalem High School at Heichal
HaTorah
70 Sterling Place
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-335-0633 x 4
www.sinaischools.org
Ages: 18–21
Functional academic high school program
preparing older boys with developmental
disabilities for rich and productive adult
lives. Focusing on life skills, community
awareness, and vocational studies, while
integrating a pragmatic Judaic and secular
curricula. Inclusive, yet individualized to fit
each student’s social, emotional, and aca-
demic needs. Please see our ad on page 9.
SINAI Schools Maor High School at Rae
Kushner Yeshiva High School, including
the William Solomon Judaic Studies
Program
110 South Orange Ave.
Livingston, NJ 07039
862-437-8000 x 8160
www.sinaischools.org
Grades: 9–12
Academically rigorous program for high
 AOC-7

schoolers with academic/social challenges. Inclusive, yet
individualized to fit each student’s social, emotional, and
academic needs. Recognized for educational excellence;
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accred-
itation. Please see our ad on page 9.
SINAI Schools Rabbi Mark and Linda Karasick Shalem
High School at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School
1650 Palisade Ave.
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-833-4307 x 249
s www.sinaischools.org
. Hebrew and English language skills. Half Day, Full Day. Ex-
Ages: 14–21
Functional academic high school program preparing stu-
dents with developmental disabilities for rich and produc-
l
tive adult lives. Integrates pragmatic Judaic and secular
curricula with community awareness and vocational
studies. Inclusive, yet individualized to fit each student’s
social, emotional, and academic needs. Please see our ad
on page 9.
SINAI Schools Rabbi Mark and Linda Karasick Shalem
m High School at Torah Academy of Bergen County
l 1600 Queen Anne Road
t www.cresskillperformingarts.com
Teaneck, NJ 07666
y Ages: 2∞/∏–teens
201-862-0032
e www.sinaischools.org
Shalom Yeladim Watch your child soar in the arts! Cresskill Performing
Multiple locations in Teaneck, Tenafly & New York City Arts specializes in small classes, great teachers and a
Teaneck: 201-837-0837 nurturing, inclusive, non-competitive environment. All
Tenafly: 201-894-8300 kinds of dance, ballet, pointe, variations, floor barre,
New York City: 212-960-8212 jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary, 5 levels of modern,
Ages: Infants to 5-years-old gymnastics jazz, tap, acting, musical theater production.
Early childhood dance beginnings, ballet beginnings,
A warm, safe and stimulating environment for children
where our experienced staff helps each child reach his jazz and acro add-ons. Fencing lessons. Aerial arts: Silks
or her full potential. Our curriculum is based around the & Hammocks & Lyra classes for age 6 through adults.
Jewish calendar, incorporating themes for weekly Parsha Rhythm Works Integrative Dance for children with learn-
and upcoming holidays. Our Morot concentrate on both ing differences and special needs. CPA Dance Collective,
& Boys’ Hip-Hop Crew perform for local charities and
fundraise for autism and the homeless. Birthday parties
tended Day offered. Please see our ad on page 7.
age 3 — teens, dance, acting, art. Legos, fencing, pajama
parties, princess parties. Please see our ad on page 8.
Arts & Performing Arts The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC
1 Depot Square
Cresskill Performing Arts Inc.
Englewood, NJ 07631
300 Knickerbocker Road, Suite 1100 201-482-8194
Cresskill, NJ 07626 www.bergenpac.org/educations
201-266-8830 Ages: 3 months–21 years.
201-390-7513
studio-info@cresskillperformingarts.com Classes offered in a variety of performing arts disciplines,
Guide continued on page 9

We are the Answer

r Grades: 9–12
t Functional academic high school program preparing stu-
- dents with developmental disabilities for rich and produc-
tive adult lives. Integrates pragmatic Judaic and secular

to the Tuition Crisis

curricula with community awareness and vocational
studies. Inclusive, yet individualized to fit each student’s
social, emotional, and academic needs. Please see our ad
on page 9.

Religious School
Glen Rock Jewish Center 12 MONTH PROGRAM
682 Harristown Road
h Glen Rock, NJ 07452
201-652-6624

Shalom‫שלום‬
office@grjc.org
Our curriculum includes instruction in conversational
Hebrew (Ivrit B’Ivrit), prayers, Israel, trips and Jewish

Yeladim‫ילדים‬
yoga along with music, art and cooking to enrich our
students’ experiences.Our “Gan” class for children in
Kindergarten meets twice monthly on Sundays. We offer
“Kulanu” (Hebrew for “all of us”) — a dedicated class for
students with special needs.To register and for more
information about tuition fees and curriculum, please EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
contact office@grjc.org or 201-652-6624.Please see our ad
on page 8.
Young
Age Infant Toddler Toddler 2s Nursery Pre-K Kindergarten
by 9/30/18 6-12 months Toddler 18-24 months 2-3 years 3-4 years 4-5 years 5-6 years
12-18 months

Nursery Schools Full Day $ 970 $ 970 $ 970 $ 890 $ 860 $ 750 $ 690
8:30am-4:00pm
Gan Aviv monthly monthly monthly monthly monthly monthly monthly

21 W. Main Street
Bergenfield, NJ Additional programs:
201-384-6111 07621
www.ganaviv.com
Ages Served: 6 weeks–Pre K Early Care
7:00am-8:30am
$ 550 yearly — Breakfast included
Gan Aviv, a Jewish Daycare / Nursery School for children
ages 6 weeks to Pre K. Founded in 2007, it was created for
After Care
Jewish working parents. Gan Aviv offers a bilingual Eng- 500 yearly
shalomyeladim.com
$
4:00pm-5:30pm
lish-Hebrew program. We offer age-appropriate activities
focusing on the physical, emotional, and social needs of
Late Care
each individual child. Please see our ad on page 11. 5:30pm-6:30pm
$ 550 yearly

Glen Rock Jewish Center

Erev Chagim &
682 Harristown Road Winter Break Care
$ 400 yearly
Glen Rock, NJ 07452
201-652-6624
office@grjc.orggrjcnursery@gmail.com
We are a small, nurturing environment rich in hands-on For more info or to register:
secular/Judaic experiences and exploration both indoors
and out. Our school promotes social, emotional and cog-
nitive development through creative play, art, music,
201.837.0837 • shalomyeladim@optonline.net
movement, literature. Flexible scheduling and extended
care are available. We are state licensed and 100 percent
of our teachers are certified with degrees in education.
Hours 7:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. In addition to Nursery School
780 Palisade Avenue CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF
Teaneck, NJ 07621
programs, we also offer Infant/Toddler Playgroups, Tod-
dler Time and Summer Camp. Please see our ad on page. 8 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION!

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 7

 AOC-8
y, December 11
am to 3:00 pm
OurChildren
About

Glen Rock Jewish Center

Full STEAM Ahead into
opping for all your Nursery School
2 to 5 Year Olds
Monthly Play Group
• free of charge for children
the Future at Ma’ayanot
iving needs! T
• certified teachers birth - 15 months of age
he future and its exciting professional possibilities
• high staff to child ratio Summer Camp took center stage at the third annual STEAMTalks, a
• hands-on play-based curriculum • small group size
• flexible scheduling • air-conditioned indoor facility
TED Talks-like program held recently at Ma’ayanot
• half and full day options • outdoor playground Yeshiva High School in Teaneck. The talks brought sev-
• extended care 7:15 am and water play eral successful women in STEAM careers to meet with
to 5:30 pm • extended care till 5:30 the students and broaden their scope and aspirations of

Clothing
• 5 day hot lunch option
• yoga and music specialists Toddler Time careers they may pursue. STEAM is an acronym for Sci-
• weekly sessions for children ence, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.
To register and for more 12-24 months of age
information about tuition fees with parent or caregiver
Modeled after the popular TED talks, each guest
and curriculum please contact speaker talked for seven minutes and shared her pas-

Jewelry
• professionally-led discussions
grjcnursery
gmail.com or for parents sion for her chosen career. The speakers included Ra-
201-652-6624. • art, music, and movement chel Book, director of Diversity Recruiting Strategies
• indoor and outdoor play
Hebrew School at Fidelity Investments, who spoke about the need for

Judaica
• Our curriculum includes instruction in conversational Hebrew women in technology fields; Shira Rubinoff, cyber-secu- Speakers at Ma’ayanot’s annual STEAMTalks from left, Kelsey
(Ivrit B’Ivrit), prayers, Israel, trips and Jewish yoga along with music, Dunn, Jessica Langer, Wendy Feldstein King, Shira Rubinoff, Rachel
rity executive and president of SecureMySocial & Prime
art and cooking to enrich our students’ experiences. Book, and Tali Cheses.
• Our “Gan” class for children in Kindergarten meets twice monthly Tech Partners, who spoke about the importance of digi-
on Sundays tal citizenship on social media; Kelsey Dunn, product

ages….and MORE!
• Kulanu — a dedicated class for students with special needs. owner at Paradigm Solutions, who described her hectic tured a panel of four Ma’ayanot students who spent their
To register and for more information about tuition fees and but gratifying workload at a startup; Tali Cheses, archi- summer pursuing STEAM internships. The students were
curriculum, please contact office
grjc.org or 201-652-6624. tect at Gensler Architects, who showed a kitchen office Atara Neugroschl (’18), who interned in the Partners in
design in reverse; Dr. Jessica Langer, manager of research Science Summer Program (through the Liberty Science
at L’Oreal who spoke about earning an advanced degree Center), studying osteoarthritis treatments in the lab
Glen Rock Jewish Center in science and conducting biochemical skin research; of Dr. Martin Yarmush; Meital Fuksbrumer (’20), who
682 Harristown Road and Wendy Feldstein, and industrial designer and vice learned advanced robotics and coding and programmed
office@grjc.org/201Ͳ652Ͳ6624
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 president of design at Crestron Electronic, who wowed her own robot at SHAPE, the Summer High School Aca-
Harristown Road,201-652-6624
Glen Rock, NJ 07452 students with the step-by-step design of a universal re- demic Program for Engineers, a three-week program at
mote from concept to development. Columbia University; Miri Cohen (’18), who participated
“Great things never come from comfort zones,” said in a cancer research program at the Cancer Institute
Gymnastics • Silks & Hammocks & Lyra Ms. Cheses, who described her own journey in which of New Jersey at the BOLD (Rutgers) program; and Ha-
she stepped out of her comfort zone to become the first dassah Freedman (’20) who joined Ma’ayanot STEAM
Cresskill student from her high school in Boston to apply to an ar- teachers at the New York University Tandon School of
Dance • Acting • Musical Theater • Voice • Choreography

Fencing • Princess Dance • and more • age 2-1/2 to adults

chitecture program. She attended a five-year curriculum
Performing Arts at Pratt, and while there she helped with the formation of
a joint program with Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design
300 Knickerbocker Rd · Cresskill in Jerusalem.
Judy Leibowitz, director of education at CIJE, spoke
Imagine Your Child, to students about the skills they are gaining by taking
Dancing, Singing, Learning STEAM courses, such as collaboration and problem solv-
ing. She told students, “Believe in yourself. If you fail, try
and Having Fun in the Arts! again. You can do anything you want to if you try hard
enough.”
“It was really inspiring,” said freshman Leora Burack.
“There are so many opportunities in biochemistry, engi-
neering, and other fields. These women showed us that
you could do anything you want.”
STEAMTalks, organized by Orly Nadler and Gila Stein,
co-directors of STEAM Education & Innovation, also fea-
Engineering’s iTEST (Innovative Technology Experi-
ences for Students and Teachers) program for robotics
and entrepreneurship. Together they explored robotics,
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robot de-
sign, and entrepreneurship. Meital and Hadassah both
said that Ma’ayanot’s STEAM class helped prepare them
with the coding skills necessary to excel in their summer
programs.
All freshman and sophomores at the all-girls ye-
shiva high school take a two-year course in Engineer-
ing, Coding, and Robotics, which is offered along with
traditional math and science courses, and provides stu-
dents with a solid foundation in engineering, entrepre-
neurship, and technology. These courses also prepare
students for advanced STEAM electives in their junior
and senior years.

Emek at Kaplen JCC Spreads the Light

Emek families at the Kaplen JCC on the
NEW! Dance Beginnings Palisades and other Israeli families in
(age 2½ - 3½) Bergen County volunteered recently in
Classes Start in January! a special “Spread the Light in the Com-
munity” Chanukah project that help
REGISTER NOW them bond with many sectors of the
community.
Classes are filling fast! The activities included baking pas-
Questions? tries for sale and donating the proceeds
201 390-7513 • 201 266-8830 to The Israeli Center for Guidance dogs;
studio-info@cresskillperformingarts.com sharing in activities and games with Alzheimer's patients
and senior adults; making menorahs and gifting them
www.cresskillperformingarts.com
to Holocaust survivors; making pancakes and organiz-
ing social games for adolescents with
special needs; transporting families in
need to the JCC Chanukah party; and
purchasing and packaging gifts for fos-
ter children.
“Organizing these kinds of interac-
tive activities is one of the key reasons
to have a program like Emek here at
the JCC,” said Galit Goldberg, director
of Emek, the JCC afterschool Israeli lan-
guage and culture program for children in pre-K to 10.
For more information on Emek, call Galit Goldberg
201-566-1507 or email galit.goldberg@gmail.com.

8 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018

 AOC-9

Guide continued from page 7 a positive behavioral approach. Please see

including dance, music, theater and re-

our ad on page 3. YOUR CHILD needs special education.
cording, with opportunities to perform on
You want her to have a Jewish education.
the bergenPAC stage. Programs include
cultural and special needs classes, sum-
Sports You want him to be included.
mer camps and master classes. Please see Bounce U of Paramus
our ad on page 6.
The Ultimate Party and Play Experience
Rina Goldhagen Art Lessons 70 Eisenhower Drive
Paramus, NJ 07470
7-01 Manor Ave.
201-843-5880
Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410
www.BounceU.com/Paramus
201-248-4779
Ages: Preschool–Adult
Artofexcellencestudio@gmail.com
Ages: 7–adult Voted #1 Best Place to have a Kids Party
and #1 Best Kids Fun Place, Top 3 for Kids
Art of Excellence Studio. Lessons in Fine
Gym. Bounce U is a party place for families
Art. Drawing and Watercolor Private Art
and friends to share memories that will
Lessons. Structured lessons, relaxed at-
last a lifetime. All parties and events com-
mosphere, fabulous results. Art Portfolio
pletely private for you and your guests.
Preparation Available. Experienced Art-
Two giant bounce stadiums. 10 incredible
ist/Trained Educator. Please see our ad on
inflatables. Plus the new Lightspace game
page 10.
wall! Cosmic Bounce-Glow parties. Check
out our open bounce and preschool play-
date schedule online. Kosher available.
Special Needs Please see our ad on page 3.

INCLUSION by DESIGN
Berger Learning Group, LLC Ice Vault Skating Arena ®
31-11 Broadway 10 Nevins Drive
Fair Lawn, NJ 07601 Wayne, NJ
201-742-5298 973-628-1500
www.bergerlearning.com www.icevault.com Serving Children with a Broad range of SpeCial needS
Ages: 18 months to 16 years Ages: All
BLG provides a range of Applied Behavior The Ice Vault has various activities for kids
Analysis (ABA) services for children with of all ages. Public sessions, hockey clinics, Special education uniquely integrated within Jewish Day Schools
special needs. Our ABA programs address hockey teams, figure skating, free-style,
e
cognitive, social-emotional, play, and self- • Individualization • Educational excellence
“Learn to Skate” programs. Birthday par-
n help skills, as well as language/communi- ties are also available. Please see our ad • Meeting each child’s academic, social, and emotional needs
e cation and behavioral challenges through on page 10.
b Elementary Schools n High Schools n Adult Services

www.sinaischools.org/js • 201-833-1134
-
t

e
-

f
-

-
-

-
-

Discover with Us.

r

h
n
d
- Find out about our inquiry-based SOLOMON
- approach and warm, inclusive community. SCHECHTER
s D AY S C H O O L
t Three’s through Grade 8. OF BERGEN COUNTY
r
- 275 McKinley Avenue, New Milford, NJ
To speak to a representative or schedule a tour, email us at admissions@ssdsbergen.org 201.262.9898 www.ssdsbergen.org
g

SSDS_10x6.6_DiscoverAdImageUpdate_WithCrops.indd 1 12/20/17 11:58 AM

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 9

Barnert Temple Offering Full-Day
Transitional Kindergarten
Barnert Temple is offering a full-day
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for the
2018-2019 school year. It is open to
children of all faiths and backgrounds.
Individualized attention, creative cur-
riculum, outdoor programming, aca-
demic challenges, and sensitivity to
each child’s unique learning style are
hallmarks of Barnert Temple.
With a ratio of 1:7, Barnert’s Tran-
sitional Kindergarten offers students
the time, creativity, and stimulating
ART
Lessons
Art of Excellence Studio
Unlock your Creativity with Classes in
Drawing and Watercolor
Structured Lessons - Relaxed Atmosphere
Fabulous Results!
Age 7 to Adult - All levels of ability
Art Portfolio Preparation Available
Artist, Rina Goldhagen 201-248-4779
www.artofexcellencestudio.com
10 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
AOC-10
environment which research shows to
be so important to emergent learning
skills. The program is taught by Sharon
Boosting Your
Ramsey, who holds a master’s degree
in education, an Ortin Gillingham cer-
tification, and has 17 years of teaching
experience.
Child’s Self-Esteem
from Strength
Barnert Temple Preschool is lo-
cated at 747 Route 208 South, Frank-
lin Lakes. For more information call
201-848-1027 or email schooloffice@
to Strength
barnerttemple.org.
A D I N A S O C LO F
M
ost people have no problem rat-
tling off their weaknesses and
have a much harder time articu-
lating their strengths. This is especially
true for children. We can build our chil-
dren’s healthy sense of self by teaching
them what their strengths are and how to
cultivate those strengths.
Here are six ways we can help chil-
dren develop their strengths:
1. Parents matter
Children need to know that they are
loved for who they are. As we men-
tioned above, they need to be cherished
and valued for their natural abilities
and strengths. Don’t underestimate the
power of being your child’s biggest fan
and supporter. When parents encourage
children’s strengths, children learn to be
independent, confident and responsible.
Help them shine by promoting their in-
terests in the areas they love and natu-
rally excel at.
According to psychologist Martin
Seligman, helping children appreciate
their strengths may take some detective
work. We may also need to check our
own biases since oftentimes our child’s
strength may go against what is culturally
valued in our society. Ask yourself: What
does my child enjoy doing? What comes
to him or her naturally? Once you have
a picture of what your child’s strengths
are, gently encourage them to pursue
those activities. Play math games with
your child who loves numbers, sign your
child up for dance or art lessons, buy
your child a journal if they love to make
up stories.
Give them space. Let them cultivate
their talents in peace. Practicing dance
moves in front of their mirror, being able
to relax and color or write during down
time might just be what your child needs.
Being pushed to do activities, even ones
they may love, can take away the joy in
doing them.
2. There are lots of ways
to be smart
In order to help children appreciate their
strengths parents may need to broaden
their vocabulary and understanding of
what constitutes a strength. For example,
there are nine different categories of in-
telligence. These intelligences can assist
parents with identifying what their child’s
strengths are:
• Intelligence Area represented in society
by: Visual/Spatial — Artist, Navigator, Ar-
chitect: You prefer using pictures, images,
and spatial understanding.
• Verbal/Linguistic — Journalist, Teacher,
Lawyer: You prefer using words, both in
speech and writing
• Logical/Mathematical — Accountants,
Computers, Engineers: You prefer using
logic, reasoning and systems.
• Interpersonal — Salesperson, Mental
Health, Politician: You prefer to learn in
groups or with other people.
• Intrapersonal — Researcher, Novelist,
Entrepreneur: You prefer to work alone
and use self-study.
• Aural/Musical/Rhythmic — Musician,
Composer, DJ: You prefer using sound
and music.
• Naturalist — Farmer, Botanist, Environ-
mentalist: You prefer working outdoors
with animals and plants.
• Existential  Philosopher, Theorist: You
prefer dealing with abstract theories
• Bodily/Kinesthetic — Athlete, Firefight-
er, Actor: You prefer using your body,
hands and sense of touch.
3. Teach children to notice
their strengths
Knowing about strengths and weak-
nesses is helpful to children, but it has
to be taken a few steps further in order
to be useful to them. How can we help
children use their personal strengths to
build self-confidence and a positive atti-
tude? Part of this depends on the child’s
age. Young children love to tell you about
themselves, and are open to telling you
what they like to learn. In contrast, older
children and teens may have a hard time
opening up. We need to point out their
strengths:
“I noticed you love basketball, you
seem so comfortable holding and drib-
 AOC-11

Mini Winter Series at Temple Beth Rishon

Temple Beth Rishon Wyckoff is hosting a requirement. The fee for participation is
new series for students in kindergarten $30 per session or $100 for the complete
through second grade called Welcoming series. The children will have mini-les-
Winter Weekends, a mini-Hebrew school sons related to the traditions, heritage,
of sorts. and religion of the Jewish faith with warm
The four-week session meets Sun- teachers in a social, friendly atmosphere.
days, January 21, 28 and February 4 and Temple Beth Rishon is located at 585 Rus-
the last on Saturday, February 10, from
9:30 a.m. to noon. The experience is
sell Ave. in Wykoff. To RSVP, call Gonen
Arad, director at 201-891-4466 or gonen@
• 
open to all families with no membership bethrishon.org. • 
 •
•


• Warm and loving
• staff

•  

 • 
• Limited holiday schedule
• 
• Ages 6 weeks • and up •
 
 
 • Newly renovated
large facilities



 • Outdoor and • indoor play areas 

• 
 • Bilingual Library Area • 

• 
Bilingual English-Hebrew 
 Program • Music and movement & gym



•
• Complete Jewish education • 

Extended operating


hours for • 

working parents 

• New nutritious
• Kosher meat
 
• 



lunch menu 
Ages 6 Weeks to Pre-K  •  
 
 • Webcam service
• 
• 

  OUR CURRICULUM
• 
 

Registration for Summer Camp 2018 • High Reach curriculum
is now open!
• 
• Handwriting without tears •
• 

 
Open Enrollment for 2018 School Year

• Center based learning 
•  
To schedule a tour, call Karen 201-384-6111.

 
• Sensory •cognitive
• Chalav u’Dvash
strategies

 


21 West Main St.  Hours

bling the ball.”
“I noticed that you love to figure out
math problems in your head.”
Sometimes children won’t talk about
themselves and we need to find a clever
in to help them understand the concept
of strengths.
For example, when children talk
about their friends they might say,
“Sara is so klutzy in dance.” It is a per-
fect opportunity to ask, “Well, what
are Sara’s strengths? What does she
like to do? Everyone has strengths and
weaknesses…”
4. Listen to children
The most important thing we can do to
encourage a child to use their strengths is
to listen to them. In our house, whenever
someone comes up with an innovative or
even silly idea, we try to listen as best as
we can and say, “In this house, we encour-
age innovation and creativity! Just keep
on coming up with ideas!” Even if it is said
tongue in cheek, it still sends a powerful
message.
5. Help children tackle
new challenges
Self-esteem comes from learning new
skills and undertaking challenges. We all
need to do things that we don’t like to do
and things that don’t come naturally to
us. Even pursuing our strengths can take
hard work and effort.
We can teach our children to tackle
challenges by making sure they are doing
chores at home, volunteering in the com-
munity, and taking responsibility for their
• 
of operation:


info@GanAviv.com


Bergenfield, NJ  Mon-Thu
 7:30 am - 6:30 pm

  
• 
 
Fri 7:30 am - 5 pm
1-888-GAN-AVIV · www.ganaviv.com
schoolwork. 

Role modeling also works. Talk about 
 • 
the challenges that you have and how
you managed them. “I had a really chal- • 
lenging issue at work today. I pushed
through, asked for help, and spent a few • 
extra hours on it. It paid off, we dealt with
it successfully!” • 
According to psychologist and author

Carol Dweck, children who are praised for
their effort and hard work will feel confi-

dent taking on more challenging work.
 
 

So instead of telling your child, “You are   

so smart!” say, “Wow! You worked hard
studying for your math test, you reviewed   
the problems several times, and studied
with your friend. Looks like it paid off.”

6. Strengths are a lifelong pursuit
Not every child will figure out their

strengths right away. It might take awhile.
That’s what childhood is for. Encouraging
children to take part in different extracur-
ricular activities, within your budget and
schedule, is an important part of the pro-
cess. Parents often get frustrated when
children lose interest in karate, art, or
tuba lessons, but those are clues. Encour-
aging them to try different things without
any strings attached will help you have a
happier and more confident children.
Adina Soclof is a parent educator, pro-
fessional development instructor, and
speech pathologist. She is the founder of
ParentingSimply.com. She delivers parenting
classes as well as professional development
workshops for speech pathologists, teachers
and other health professionals.

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 11


OurChildren
About
Money Smarts Start Early
with Financial Education
H E I D I M A E B RAT T
A
mother tells a story about her
5-year-old son who wanted to buy a
toy, a toy that she said she couldn’t
buy for him. “Just go to the bank and
they’ll give you money,” the boy said to
his mother. It was then that she realized
that it was time to explain where money
comes from. It’s up to parents to teach
their children smart financial habits, and
it’s never too early to start, according to
money experts
When children see bills pop out of the
ATM, they don’t realize that money is a
finite resource. A parent should explain
that they work to make money and the
bank is simply a repository for the money,
a place that keeps the money safe.
Experts say that the best way to
Financial Institutions Teach Youngsters about Money
Several financial institutions have re-
alized that it’s never too early to learn
about money and have made custom-
ers of a population that can’t yet vote,
drive, or even shave by offering youth
services.
It’s a way for them to help teach chil-
dren and teenagers about money.
For example, Greater Alliance Fed-
eral Credit Union offers youth savings
12 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
AOC-12
teach youngsters about how to man-
age money is to give them some. If all of
their allowance is spent on a new Star
Wars figure and they don’t have enough
left for another object of their desire,
that’s a good thing. It gives them the
chance to learn about the consequence
of overspending.
Teaching children delayed gratifi-
cation will help combat the “buy now,
pay later” mentality that could mire
them in credit card debt later on. So, as
much as you can, reinforce the idea that
waiting pays off. For instance, make a
homemade pizza together with all the
ingredients your child loves; then mi-
crowave a store-bought frozen one. The
homemade pie takes longer, but it tastes
way better.
Curbing impulse buying goes hand
and checking accounts with no fees or
minimum balance requirement. For the
older minor, they offer a First Time Auto
Buyer Program, to help young adults
buy a new car if they don’t have estab-
lished credit. The credit union also of-
fers student loans for undergraduate
and graduate degrees, and scholarship
programs through Greater Alliance
Hopes and Dreams Foundations for
in hand with teaching delayed gratifica-
tion. Show by example. Before you go
shopping, create a budget. Outline what
you’re going to buy, what stores you’re
going to, and the price range for each
item. Then compare prices online and
clip coupons together (consider letting
your child keep the savings so she sees
that bargain-hunting pays). She’ll learn
that planning purchases before you buy
is the routine.
For example, if your daughter wants
a new doll that she doesn’t have enough
money for, tell her to save. Once she has
enough, take her shopping and let her
pay the cashier herself. She’ll never forget
how good it feels to work toward a goal
and be rewarded in the end.
Simply knowing where her money is
going is a big step forward in your child’s
qualified individuals within Bergen and
Passaic counties.
In addition, Greater Alliance Federal
Credit Union hosts lunch and learn meet-
ings on financial topics at various organi-
zations, and webinars on how to budget,
what is a credit score, what to expect
when applying for a student loan, and
other issues.
“As a financial institution it is our mis-
money management skills. Have her use
a notebook or go on a computer to keep
track of her money. Make a file or use an
old purse where she can store receipts
and statements.
It’s hard for children to set priorities,
so sit down together and make a wish
list of the things your child wants to do
with her money. Then help her rank the
list by discussing what’s important about
each wish.
Introduce your child to savings ve-
hicles that could earn interest, such as
savings bonds and certificates of deposit.
Search for a compound interest calculator
online and show her how just $1 can grow
with interest over time.
Heidi Mae Bratt is the editor of About Our
Children.
sion to help the younger generation be-
come better stewards of managing their
money,” said Sheryline Ingersoll, director
of marketing for Greater Alliance Federal
Credit Union. “If we can provide them
with the right guidance they will be pre-
pared to handle bigger financial decisions
through different stages of life.”
Heidi Mae Bratt
 AOC-13

OurChildren
About

Let It Snow
and We Will Keep
the Family Moving
DENISE MORRISON YEARIAN Place tarp over the snow and hold down the edges with a tagged by performing a simple, predetermined exercise
mound of snow or a few bricks. Fill several buckets with such as 10 jumping jacks, 15 squats, or 20 hops on one

W
e may be in the throes of winter but that does water, pour it over the tarp and let it freeze. When a thin foot. Set the rules prior to the game. And don’t let the
not mean you have to toss aside family fitness. layer of ice forms, put on your boots or sneakers and snow stop you. Running around in it will add resistance
Following are tips on how you and your family have a family skate. Or head out to a rink like Ice Vault and increase your heart rate.
can stay physically fit and enjoy time together during this in Wayne. Cold war capers. A fun thing to do in the snow is
frigid season. Frolicking fitness tag. It doesn’t have to be warm play tug of war. Dig parallel trenches that are 3- to 4-feet
Plan for success. Choose activities everyone can par- outside to play tag. With this version base isn’t an ob-
ticipate in and make it convenient, simple and fun. Get ject; it’s an activity. Players run around and avoid being Snow continued on page 19
your children’s input as to what they want to do so there
is some buy in. Also make sure you participate. They
have more fun if mom and dad get in on the act.
Rough and tumble zone. If possible, create an in-

START
door active zone where you and your children can be OPEN A YOUTH ACCOUNT TODAY AND RECEIVE:
active. See what you can shift around in a spare room or
the basement so you can move freely without tripping  3.00%APY* on first $1,000

YOUNG.
over wires or knocking something down. Or put on coats
and move the cars out of the garage. This will allow you
to do some motion activities such as jumping jacks, jump
 $25 minimum deposit balance
rope, hula hoop and hopscotch, as well as formal exer-
 $10 Gift Card** every year, on date

START
cises such as squats, lunges and sit-ups. Keep the area
dedicated so it’s always available when you’re ready to
be active.
account was opened

SMART.
Board ’em busters. Make a list of fun exercises you
and your youngsters can do in a given week, post them  $3 for every “A” grade, at end of year***
on a board in a visible location, then each day have ev-
eryone choose one or more activity they want to per-
form. Vary time and repetition according to age. When
ALSO CHECK OUT “THE EDGE” CHECKING ACCOUNT:
an activity is complete give your child a sticker to put on
the list. At the end of each week, offer a reward to keep  For members 15-21 years old****
everyone motivated — go ice skating, bowling or take a
winter bike hike.  FREE VISA® Debit Card
Go pro. Tweak professional games so you can play
them inside. Have a round of basketball with a soft foam  $5 minimum opening balance
ball or wad of newspaper and a basket. Try indoor bowl-
ing with ten soda bottles, each partially filled with water
or sand. Set in a triangular shape and then knock over
 No monthly service charges
with a medium-sized ball. Tennis anyone? Stretch a string
across the room, tape it to the walls, blow up a balloon For more information, please  50 FREE Checks provided upon request
and use poster board squares for rackets. Or play in- visit www.greateralliance.org,
door volleyball.

APPLY TODAY!
Tone up. Everyday items found around the house stop by one of our branches:
can help your family tone up. Use milk jugs partially filled Paramus, Hackensack, Paterson,
with water or sand to strengthen your chest, shoulders
and arms. Make the bottom step a stair stepper to build
or call 888-554-2328 x280.
your leg muscles and cardiovascular system. Step on the We now offer Unlimited ATM transactions at 75,000
waistband of old pantyhose and pull up to work biceps,
triceps and shoulders. Surcharge FREE ATMs in the US and overseas.
Color my wintry world. One fun and easy game your
family will enjoy is an outdoor ice cube hunt. Make dif-
ferent colored ice cubes and hide them in your yard or at
*Annual Percentage Yield effective 12/29/17 and is subject to change without notice. Additional verification may be requested for account open-
the park. Then bundle up and let the game begin. Create
ing. Fees or other conditions could reduce earnings. Certain restrictions may apply. 3.00% APY is earned on balances up to $1,000, balance
a color point system to determine the winner or whoever
higher than $1,000 earn 0.10% APY. **A $10 gift voucher will be mailed to you, please bring the voucher to the branch to redeem your $10 gift
finds the most. You can even do it at night with a flash-
card. ***You will need to bring in the final end of year report card to a nearest branch and we will deposit $3 into your Savings account based
light. The best part is the ice cubes won’t melt so you can
on the number of “A” grades you have received, grade 9 through 12 only. Membership conditions may apply.
stick them in the freezer and have the hunt all over again.
Skating on thin ice. If there is snow on the ground
and it’s below freezing, create a backyard ice skating rink.

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 13


Thanksgiving Even More So
with the Last Bar Mitzvah
E D S I L B E R FA R B
T
zvi is the youngest grandson and he became 13 in
November so, his parents reasoned, what more ap-
propriate time for a bar mitzvah than Thanksgiving
Day. You read the Torah on Thursday, and you can invite
people from afar without having them drive on Shabbat.
Even the Pilgrims would have approved.
“Hold it,” says Grandpa, the voice of reason. “No-
body will come. Who’s going to give up the traditional
family Thanksgiving dinner?”
No problem. There’s an early morning minyan. The
kid does his thing. You shout “mazel tov,” throw some
candy at him, and you’re free to go home, watch football
on television and eat turkey.
“Doesn’t seem like a very celebratory day for the
young man,” says Grandpa, but he has only a vote, not
a veto.
There’s a new factor. Two of Tzvi’s siblings will be
in Israel so of course that’s where the simcha should
A Reason to Smile
TEANECK DENTIST
We put the Care
into Dental Care!
Richard S. Gertler, DMD, FAGD
Ari Frohlich, DMD
Sami Solaimanzadeh, DMD
1008 Teaneck Road • Teaneck
201.837.3000
www.teaneckdentist.com
Visit us on Facebook
Convenient Morning, Evening & Sunday Hours
14 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
AOC-14
GENERATION G
be. A Thanksgiving bar mitzvah at the Kotel. Now that’s their mother photographs the dramatic scene. They re-
something to be thankful for, and Tzvi is thrilled at the turn to Baltimore to await the main event.
idea of reading the Torah at the Wall. Now all they have From New York and Virginia come aunts, uncles,
to do is figure out how to fly the rest of the family over cousins and grandparents, as well as friends and neigh-
there. Where would they stay, and what about transpor- bors from Baltimore. Donned in tefillin, the family took
tation once they get there? And how about the party? over the service. Tvzi recited the early prayers. Then
In Israel everybody comes to a simcha, not only your his older brother led the davening. A cousin, who is a
50 or so Israeli relatives. You can’t just give everyone Levi, was called to the bima, so was Grandpa. Another
some rugelach, and pass around a bottle of schnaps cousin was the gabbai, and in a booming voice called
for a l‘chaim. up Tzvi.
They mentally do a count of an Israeli guest list and His reading was flawless until he lost his place and
the number approaches that of the annual gathering of everyone held their breath, but he picked right up and
Chabad shlichim. Is there an unused airplane hanger that continued. to the end. There was a blizzard of candy and
would accommodate them? a reverberation of mazel tovs, then dancing around the
The problem is eased with a new development. Only bima. His uncle, a retired marine, was the hagbahah and
one of their children will be in Israel at the time. So in- raised the heavy Torah. An advantage of a weekday bar
stead of flying the whole family over there, let’s bring her mitzvah is the allowance of photography, and a family
home for the occasion. Not so simple. Can she get time friend was clicking his camera throughout.
off from her job? And does she want to give up most of Of course nobody would attend because of compe-
her annual vacation time? She gets only 10 precious days. tition with Thanksgiving, yet the party room was over-
Yes, of course she wants to come for the big event, flowing with scores of celebrants for the scrambled eggs,
but keep it a surprise for Tzvi. No one must know she’s tortillas with green salsa, waffles drenched with syrup
coming except her parents and grandparents. and heaped high with fruit, bagels with cream cheese,
The clock is ticking. Tzvi has been studying his para-
sha (Vayetze) and has learned how to don tefillin, but
juice and coffee.
It was unanimously agreed that Tzvi’s reading was
nothing else has been done with just six weeks to go. a virtuoso performance, leaving a bittersweet feeling
No invitations have been sent because the venue had among his parents and grandparents. As the youngest,
not been decided — Israel or Baltimore. And one of the his was the last hurrah.
choice synagogues in Baltimore said no because it was
already booked for another affair. Ed Silberfarb was a reporter for the Bergen Record in New
It’s time for decisions. A synagogue is chosen and the Jersey, then the New York Herald Tribune where he was City
rabbi is pleased at the idea of Tzvi “leining” at a special Hall bureau chief. Later, he was a public information officer
minion. A catered hot breakfast will follow, and later in for the New York City Transit Authority and editor of one of its
the day there will be a turkey dinner at home for the fam- employee publications.
ily. At last invitations go out with a picture of
Tzvi looking cheerfully dignified.
Now there’s a startling realization. Tzvi’s
birthday is the Sunday before Thanksgiving —
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. That adds another
layer to the already top-heavy structure. Tzvi
should lein the Rosh Chodesh parasha for his
ba-ba-yom, his birthday. He has only two weeks
to learn it, a formidable challenge and he has no
tutor to help. He masters it on his own to great
acclaim. Then a new complication. That’s the
day his sister will arrive from Israel, flying into
Newark Airport. The highly classified top secret
may be compromised.
It becomes like a strategically planned mili-
tary operation. Tzvi, his parents and one broth-
er will drive to New York Saturday night. Sunday
morning they will go to his grandparents shul
where Tzvi will lein the Rosh Chodesh parasha.
Then he will be distracted by his grandfather at
a museum while his parents pick up his sister
at the airport. She hides in the back of their van
when her parents collect Tzvi at the museum.
Then she materializes like an apparition while The bar mitzvah of the youngest grandson.

Getting our Children
Physically Fit in 2018
H E I D I M A E B RAT T
T
he facts are not pretty. Approxi-
mately one third of children 10 to
17 are overweight or obese, accord-
ing to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, and fewer than 25 percent of
children are getting the recommended
60 minutes of moderate-intensity physi-
cal activity per day recommended by the
American Medical Association.
Add to that the constancy and near-ob-
session with technology, suburban living,
crushing academic pressures, along with
other factors, and you get a startling reali-
ty: There is an historically low rate of phys-
ical activity among today’s youngsters.
For 2018 as folks are making their
resolutions for getting in better shape and
better health, it is incumbent upon par-
ents, teachers, and fitness educators to
teach youngsters the importance of phys-
ical activity — and to get them moving.
About Our Children turned to Don To-
maszewski, director of the Sports Institute,
Medical Fitness and Outpatient Rehabilita-
tion at The Valley Hospital, for his expertise
and advice on the topic of getting our chil-
dren more physically fit in 2018.
AOC: Why is it important for young-
sters to get involved in fitness?
Mr. Tomaszewski: The recommenda-
tion is that children and teens be physi-
cally active, at a moderate level of in-
tensity, most days of the week. With the
technology boom over the last several
decades children and teens now have
more sedentary hours in their day. When
combined with a reduced emphasis of
physical education and playground time,
there exists a higher risk for hypokinetic
(sedentary) conditions/disease such as
obesity and diabetes. In addition, the list
of health-related benefits of maintaining
an active lifestyle with regular exercise
is long. Of course there are well-docu-
mented physical benefits, but, there also
exists a mountain of evidence that there
are profound psychological and cogni-
tive benefits as well.
AOC: At what age should youngsters
get involved in fitness?
Mr. Tomaszewski: The normal de-
velopment of the musculo-skeletal and
nervous systems in children and teens
are directly impacted by their level of
physical activity at all ages. Moderate
intensity physical activity, playground
play for example, is safe at all ages. The
more intense, sports-based activities
carry a few more guidelines, but are also
safe at very young ages if there is high-
quality supervision and training. Formal
exercise such as resistance training, with
AOC-15
Don Tomaszewski helps a youngster get fit.
weights or machines, can also be safe if
resistance levels are kept low and proper
techniques are taught with qualified su-
pervision. The ACSM recommend age 10
as the youngest for resistance or strength
training primarily due to the need for a
Why Should Children Exercise?
Children who are active 60 minutes each
day demonstrate lower rates of obesity.
Greater rates of activity in children have
been associated with higher test scores in
reading and math.
Physical and cognitive development go
hand-in-hand. While this continues for life,
this relationship is most critical at a young
age. When children are active, their brain
develops, allowing for new types of activity.
Play-based activity that requires a high
degree of sensory input helps develop a
broad array of skills that make physical
activity more enjoyable later in life.
Frequent exercise decreases symptoms of
depression and anxiety in children.
high level of cognitive maturity necessary
for learning proper techniques.
AOC: What would you say are the
most age-appropriate activities for
children?
Mr. Tomaszewski: By far the safest
Regular exercise with children promotes
self-efficacy with regard to health and
self-image.
Frequent physical activity has been associ-
ated with improved behavior in the class-
room and beyond.
Aerobic activity has been shown to increase
the size of essential brain structures and
number of neural connections.
Frequent activities requiring a high degree
of balance and coordination have been
associated with improved emotional
response.
Active children are more likely to become
active adults.
OurChildren
About
mode of physical activity is full weight-
bearing ambulation that utilizes multiple
movement patterns and large muscle
groups, such as standard calisthenics.
As children go through their physical
development stages their abilities and ca-
pacities change and activities that mirror
those changes are recommended. During
the teenage years, more specific and tech-
nical activities, such as utilizing exercise
equipment, can be introduced to focus on
specific fitness goals.
AOC: What exactly is KidStyles?
Mr. Tomaszewski: KidStyles is a kids
fitness area at our soon-to-open LifeStyles
at The Valley Center for Health and Well-
ness in Mahwah. It is designed for ages
5 to 12 years old. There will be a variety
of equipment from a playground “jungle
gym” to youth-sized resistance exercise
machines and scooters to video-based
gaming that gets kids moving. KidStyles is
an exclusive benefit for our center’s fam-
ily membership holders as a supervised
area where parents can bring their depen-
dents for unstructured physical activity
and free-play. In addition, KidStyles will
feature more structured instruction with
specific programming scheduled through-
out the week and weekends.
AOC: Can you tell us about LifeStyles
and how KidStyles will fit in?
Mr. Tomaszewski: LifeStyles is a
world-class health and fitness center lo-
cated within the Valley Center for Health
& Wellness. LifeStyles is a membership-
based center offering individual, couples,
and family memberships. The facility
boasts state-of-the-art aerobic exercise
equipment and multiple lines of resis-
tance equipment, a rock-climbing wall,
gymnasium, walking track and free-
weight area, and three swimming
pools. LifeStyles’ pools include a 25
meter, six-lane lap swimming pool,
a mid-temperature leisure pool well
suited for group exercise, and a warm-
water therapy pool. Other amenities
include a whirlpool, sauna and steam
rooms, locker rooms and family chang-
ing rooms, and towel service. Member-
ship includes a full-access to the fitness
equipment, pools, and popular group
exercise classes. The most significant
benefit of a LifeStyles membership is
access to professional, degreed exer-
cise specialists who provide guidance
and prescriptive exercise assessments
and goal-oriented exercise program
development.
Heidi Mae Bratt is the editor of About Our
Children.
ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 15
 AOC-16
OurChildren
About
1 2
5 6
1. Ilana Knoll, left, and Shaina Davis, both sophomores at Yeshivat
Frisch in Paramus, won first place in a North Jersey Debate League
tournament at Pascack Valley High School. The junior varsity debat-
ers took the top spot out of a 51-team competition. Frisch is the only
yeshiva high school in the league.
2. Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies students enjoyed a
bit of Lower East Side history during their scavenger hunt where they
got to check out Shteibel Row, The Forward Building, The Bialystoker
Synagogue, The Pickle Guys and more.
3. Among those celebrating the Festival of Lights recently, Glen Rock
Jewish Center Hebrew School principal Rachel Blumenstyk and Rabbi
Jennifer Schlosberg lead the students in the blessings on the menorah.
4. The largest Chanukah menorah in memory was constructed from
Legos at Temple Beth Tikvah in Wayne. Led by architect Stephen
Schwartz, more than 100 people gathered to create parts which when
joined became a towering menorah and then was lit.
16 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
3
5. Children and adults at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley sang
and danced at Chanukah Alive with music led by Sheldon Lowe.
6. Students of Shomrei Torah learned the mitzvah of visiting the sick
and then made picture boxes for children at Tomorrow’s Children at
Hackensack University Medical Center.
7. The annual Chanukah bash for the JTeen Club at Bris Avroham in
Fair Lawn was a fun time with plenty to do, plenty to eat, and plenty of
celebration.
8. Tenafly Chabad Academy third and fourth graders showed their
appreciation to the local police and fire departments recently by bak-
ing and delivering cookies to them.
9. Local teens, friends, and parents took part in Valley Chabad’s
Friendship Circle Sports League and trophy ceremony. The event took
place at the Superdome Sports center in Waldwick.
 AOC-17
TopChoices J A N U A R Y 2 0 18
CO M P I L E D BY H E I D I M A E B RAT T
Take a Bite
Out Of the Big Apple Circus
Now in its 42nd season, the Big Apple Circus presents The Big Tour, an extravaganza set
in the 1920s that blends choreographed acts with music performed by the 100-man Big
Apple Circus Band. From a contortionist who can twist and turn into mind-boggling shapes
to aerial acrobats who become high-flying, super humans amidst a jaw-dropping pyrotech-
nics show, the entertainment is sure to astound audiences. The intimate-spaced circus guar-
antees a good seat for all. Through January 7. Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center, West 62
Street, Manhattan. www.big-apple-circus.tickets-center.com, 800-833-7698.
Underwater Fun
Comes to bergenPAC
Coming January 14 to Englewood, B-The Underwater Bubble Show. The show takes place
in the colorful underwater world of Bubblelandia. After another long day of meetings and
deadlines, Mr. B finds himself transported to a magical world that is inhabited by sea-
horses, dragon fish, starfish, mermaids, clown fish, and more. They carry Mr. B along his
imaginary journey in this beautiful underwater world where fantasy becomes reality and
you are invited to follow him. See for yourself. January 14, 2 and 5 p.m., bergenPAC,
30 North Van Brunt St., Englewood. 201-227-1030, www.bergenpac.org, www.
ticketmaster.com.
OurChildren
About
‘Let it Go’ with
Frozen Sing-Along
Elsa and Anna are back on the big screen in this instant animated classic that
featured the hit song, “Let it Go.” It was a great sensation when the Disney
movie hit the big screen in 2013, and we’ve been singing the iconic songs
made popular in the film ever since. The movie and sing-along will take place
on January 28 at bergenPAC. Sisters Anna and Elsa will be on hand during the
movie screening to lead the audience in singing along. They will be available for
photos before the show. January 28, 1 and 4 p.m. bergenPAC, 30 North Van
Brunt St., Englewood, 201-227-1030, www.bergenpac.org.
Jennifer Chalsty
Planetarium
Open at Liberty Science Center
Get ready to fly through the universe, roam distant planets, and navigate aster-
oid fields. Liberty Science Center’s greatest experience yet, the Jennifer Chalsty
Planetarium and LSC Giant Dome Theater, is now open. It is the largest and most
technologically advanced planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Only three oth-
ers in the world—two in Japan and one in China — are bigger. The new planetarium
boasts a resolution of 88 million pixels, a lighting system that can produce over 281
trillion individual colors, and new speakers capable of producing 30,000 watts of
digital sound. Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Blvd.,
Jersey City, 201-200-1000, www.lsc.org.
ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 17

The Good Life With Kids
JANUARY
To Our Readers: This calendar is a day-by-day schedule of events. Although all information is as timely as we can make it, it’s a good idea to call to
verify details before you go.
Wednesday, January 3
Mommy and Me in Teaneck: Teaneck Chabad
will hold a Mommy and Me group for children 9
through 24 months from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. 513
Kenwood Place, Teaneck, 201-907-0686.
Saturday, January 6
Wayne YMCA Open House: Come one, come all
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to see the facilities and try
a class such as zumba, hippity hop for preschool-
ers, sports, swim and more. 1 Pike Drive, Wayne.
973-595-0100, www.wayneymca.org.
Sunday, January 7
Shalom Baby at B’nai Israel: Congregation
B’nai Israel in Emerson with Jewish Federation
of Northern New Jersey offers a Shalom Baby,
Mommy and Me-style playgroup from 9:30 to
10:30 a.m. Following the fun a bagel break-
fast will be served. Reservations requested.
201-265-2272, office@bisrael.com or Federation
at 201-820-3902, Congregation B’nai Israel, 53
Palisade Ave., Emerson.
Addy and Uno Show: Ben Porat Yosef and the
Friendship Circle are pleased to present “Addy
and Uno Show,” the first family musical about dis-
ability, friendship and kindness. 4:30 p.m. at Ben
Porat Yosef, 243 Frisch Court, Paramus. Tickets
$10; $180 sponsor includes 4 tickets. www.
bcfriendship.com/concert.
Wednesday, January 10
Mommy and Me in Teaneck: Teaneck Chabad
will hold a Mommy and Me group for children 9
through 24 months from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. 513
Kenwood Place, Teaneck, 907-0686.
Face 2 Face at Temple Emanu-El: Join 9th to 12
graders and USY for an evening of Face 2 Face.
6 p.m. Temple Emanu-El of Closter, 180 Piermont
Road, Closter, Tammy Ween at 201-750-9997,
ween@templeemanu-el.com.
“Addy and Uno Show,” see Sunday, January 7
18 ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018
OurChildren
About
To Add Your Event to Our Calendar
Send it to:
Calendar Editor
About Our Children
New Jersey/Rockland Jewish Media Group
1086 Teaneck Road
Teaneck, NJ 07066
AboutOC­aol.com
or fax it to: 201-833-4959
Deadline for February issue (published January 19):
Tuesday, January 9
Tuesday, January 16 Public Library. 2 p.m. 840 Teaneck Road, Teaneck,
201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org.
Toddler Time in Teaneck: Welcome walkers up
to 2½ years old to come and listen to a story at Tuesday, January 23
the Teaneck Public Library at 10 or 11 a.m. 840
Toddler Time in Teaneck: Welcome walkers up
Teaneck Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.
to 2½ years old to come and listen to a story at
teaneck.org.
the Teaneck Public Library at 10 or 11 a.m. 840
Wednesday, Teaneck Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.
teaneck.org.
January 17
Face 2 Face at Temple Emanu-El: Join 9th to 12 Wednesday, January 24
graders and USY for an evening of Face 2 Face. Preschool Storytime in Teaneck: Welcome
6 p.m. Temple Emanu-El of Closter, 180 Piermont youngsters 3½ to 5 years old to story time in the
Road, Closter, Tammy Ween at 201-750-9997,
ween@templeemanu-el.com.
Teaneck Public Library, 3 p.m. 840 Teaneck Road,
Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org.
Preschool Storytime in Teaneck: Welcome Face 2 Face at Temple Emanu-El: Join 9th to 12
youngsters 3½ to 5 years old to story time at the graders and USY for an evening of Face 2 Face.
Teaneck Public Library, 3 p.m. 840 Teaneck Road, 6 p.m. Temple Emanu-El of Closter, 180 Piermont
Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org. “Despicable Me 3,” see Sunday, January 21
Road, Closter, Tammy Ween at 201-750-9997,
ween@templeemanu-el.com.
Thursday, Mazer and student cantor for a family-friendly
January 18 Shabbat Service at 6:45 p.m. Temple Beth El, 221
Schraalenburgh Road, Closter, 201-768-5112.
Thursday, January25
Story Lap Time in Teaneck: Welcome infants and Story Lap Time in Teaneck: Welcome infants and
little ones not yet walking to hear a story at the Saturday, January 20 little ones not yet walking to hear a story at the
Teaneck Public Library at 11 a.m. 840 Teaneck
Teaneck Public Library at 11 a.m. 840 Teaneck
Family Shabbat at B’nai Israel: Family services Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org.
Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org.
for all ages. For adults and children 12 and older, a
Family Crafts at the Library: Children age 4 and
Friday, January 19 learning service at 10 a.m.; families with children 8
to 11, and “8-11 Club” 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and fami- older are invited to the Teaneck Public Library to
Tot Shabbat in Franklin Lakes: Join a Tot lies with children 7 and younger a family Shabbat make and keep a craft project. 7 p.m. 840 Teaneck
Shabbat and pizza dinner at Barnert Temple program 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Congregation B’nai Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.teaneck.org.
starting at 5 p.m. Pre-readers are invited to a Israel, 53 Palisade Ave., Emerson, 201-265-2272,
family-friendly service. Barnert Temple, 747 office@bisrael.com. Saturday, January 27
Route 208 South, Franklin Lakes. 201-848-1027, Shabbat with Suzy: Join from 10:15 to 11:15
Shabbat with Suzy: Join from 10:15 to 11:15
www.barnerttemple.org, schooloffice@ a.m. for a musical Shabbat experience led by
a.m. for a musical Shabbat experience led by
barnerttemple.org. Suzy Rosenberg. Temple Emanu-El of Closter,
Suzy Rosenberg. Temple Emanu-El of Closter,
Shabbat Shabang at Temple Emanu-EL: Join in 180 Piermont Road, Closter. Naama Heymann 180 Piermont Road, Closter. Naama Heymann
from 6 to 7 p.m. for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat 201-750-2959, heymann@templeemanu-el.com. 201-750-2959, heymann@templeemanu-el.com.
with stories and song at Temple Emanu-El of
Closter. This program is geared towards young
COOL’anu Shabbat: First, second and third Tuesday, January 30
graders can join from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., for
families with children ages 5 years old and young- Toddler Time in Teaneck: Welcome walkers up
an engaging and interactive family service for
er. Temple Emanu-El of Closter, 180 Piermont to 2½ years old to come and listen to a story at
the whole family led by Rabbi Freedman and
Road, Closter. Naama Heymann 201-750-2959, the Teaneck Public Library at 10 or 11 a.m. 840
Naama Heymann. Temple Emanu-El of Closter,
heymann@templeemanu-el.com. Teaneck Road, Teaneck, 201-837-4171, www.
180 Piermont Road, Closter. Naama Heymann
Family Kabbalat Shabbat teaneck.org.
201-750-2959, heymann@templeemanu-el.com.
at Temple Emanu-El: Join
Ninja Night with Kaplen JCC: Drop your children
in with the entire family at 7
grades 2 to 6 off at
p.m. for an interactive ser-
the Kaplen JCC on the
vice led by Rabbi Kirshner,
Palisades for a trip to
Rabbi Freedman and Cantor
High Exposure where
Singer. Temple Emanu-El of
they will take part in
Closter, 180 Piermont Road,
an “American Ninja”
Closter. Naama Heymann
type experience while
201-750-2959, heymann@
rock climbing, going
templeemanu-el.com.
through and obstacle
Tot Shabbat at Temple course and more. From
Beth El: Temple Beth El will 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
hold its monthly informal Transportation and
Tot Shabbat led by Rabbi snacks included. Pick
David S. Widzer, Rabbi Beth up and drop off at JCC
Kramer-Mazer and stu- Lobby. For more infor-
dent cantor Julie Staple at mation, www.jccotp.org,
5:15p.m. Tot Shabbat is open call Leron Bensoussan
to all nursery school age at 201-408-1467.
children and features song,
stories, and crafts. Temple Sunday,
Beth El, 221 Schraalenburgh
Road, Closter, 201-768-5112.
January 21
Family Movie at the
Family Friendly Shabbat
Library: Welcome all
at Temple Beth El: Shabbat
to watch “Despicable
in Closter Rabbi David S.
Me 3” at the Teaneck Ninja Night with Kaplen JCC, see Saturday, January 20
Widzer, Rabbi Beth Kramer-
 AOC-19

OurChildren
About

Simchas
Snow continued from page13
long and mound up the snow in the mid-
dle. Divide your family into two teams
then have each team stand in a line per-
pendicular to the mound on either side
of the snow. The first team to pull their
opponent into the snow bank wins.
Out and about. Many parks are open
throughout the winter and you can incor-
porate exercise and education by taking
a hike to scout animal tracks, find crea-
tures that move about in the winter, and
identify trees that keep and lose their
form two teams, then have players slither
or roll to the pile (no walking allowed),
pull out and put on their shoes and walk
back to the next person on their team. Or
go feather up, belly down. Opponents get
on their bellies and use a straw to keep
a feather in the air and away from each
other. Whoever can blow the feather over
the other person’s line wins.
Ad lib with obstacles. Create an out-
door obstacle course that involves differ-
ent activities: dribble the soccer ball to a
certain point, skip to the next, pick up the

B'nai Mitzvah leaves. Or have a neighborhood scaven-

EMMA COHEN
Emma Cohen, daughter of
Kim and Andy Cohen of
Ramsey and sister of Jaden,
10, celebrated becoming a
bat mitzvah on December
2 at Temple Beth Rishon
in Wyckoff. As part of her
tzedakah project, she col-
lected toiletries and money
for the Hoboken Homeless
Shelter. Her grandparents
are Harriet and Fred Pitofsky
of Closter and Lynne and
EVAN GOLDGRABER
Evan Goldgraber, son of Tal
Goldgraber and Iris Perry and
brother of Daniel Goldgraber
celebrated becoming a bar
mitzvah on December 16 at
Congregation Beth Sholom in
Teaneck.
ZACHARY HALPERIN
Zachary Halperin, son of Lisa
and Gary Halperin of Upper
Saddle River and brother of
Jake, Silas, and Tyler, cel-
LEAH RIMLAND
Leah Jane Rimland, daugh-
ter of Michael and Rachel
Rimland of Upper Saddle
River and sister of David,
Anna, and Sarah, celebrated
becoming a bat mitzvah on
November 25 at Temple
Emanuel of the Pascack
Valley in Woodcliff Lake.
LEAH STEINER
Leah Steiner, daughter of
Sondra and Marc Steiner of
ger hunt. Make up a list of items your fam-
ily has to find: a red door, blue car, winter
bird, etc. Then take a walk around the
neighborhood and see who can find the
most items.
Snow games. Set up an obstacle
course by building snow hurdles and
other barriers your family has to either
jump over or run around. Or draw targets
with Sharpies on trashcan lids, dig them
at different distances into the snow, then
toss snowballs at your target. Add a new
slant to sledding by setting up stacks of
snowballs or upturned trashcans, then as
you head down the hill, throw snowballs
to work on target practice.
Concoct a competition. If you have
an indoor active zone, there are a num-
ber of relays your family can do. Pile ev-
eryone’s shoes in the corner of the room,
football and run home.
Ever-ready oldies. Consider tradi-
tional games you can do indoors or out-
side at the spur of the moment: “Duck,
Duck, Goose,” “Follow the Leader,” “Moth-
er, May I?” “Red Light, Green Light,” “Si-
mon Says” and “Charades.”
Find facilities. Check out local orga-
nizations to see if they offer parent-child
classes or have indoor pools or open gym
facilities for playing basketball, volleyball,
soccer, and other games. Many martial
arts programs have combined adult-child
programs. Call local ice and roller skating
rinks to get hours for open skates. Or for
inexpensive exercise, go to the mall and
take a brisk walk.
Denise Morrison Yearian is the former editor
of two parenting magazines, a mother, and
grandmother.

Howard Cohen of Wanaque.
ZEV DEWAN
Zev Dewan, son of Rachel
and Arjun Dewan of Ramsey
and brother of Kiran, 10, and
Rakhi, 5, celebrated becoming
a bar mitzvah on November
18 at Barnert Temple in
Franklin Lakes.
ARIEL FINE
Ariel Fine, son of Alla
and Rabbi David Fine of
Ridgewood, celebrated
becoming a bar mitzvah on
December 2 at Temple Israel
& Jewish Community Center
in Ridgewood.
ebrated becoming a bar mitz-
vah on December 9 at Temple
Emanuel of the Pascack
Valley in Woodcliff Lake.
SETH KAUFMAN
Seth Kaufman, son of
Julie Rosenberg and Greg
Kaufman of Norwood, cel-
ebrated becoming a bar
mitzvah on December 16 at
Temple Beth El in Closter.
JUSTIN MARTIN
Justin Richard Martin, son
of Janice and Don Martin,
brother of Connor and Devin
Martin and grandson of Mickie
and Harry Stricker, celebrated
becoming a bar mitzvah on
PARTY
Wyckoff and sister of Jacob,
14, celebrated becoming a
bat mitzvah on November 4
at Barnert Temple in Franklin
Lakes.
SHARA VanPRAAGH
Shara VanPraagh, daughter of
Jill and Steven VanPraagh of
Oradell and sister of Dannah,
celebrated becoming a bat
mitzvah on December 2 at
Temple Emeth in Teaneck.
Send us
your simchas! 973-661-9368
We welcome simcha
announcements for
births and b’nai mitzvah.
Announcements are subject
to editing. There is a $10
charge for photos. Photos
must be high resolution jpg
files.
Include:
Call (201) 837-8818 for
1 hours of skating (during public session)
information. Private decorated party room
Off ice party attendant
Send to Skate rental
pr@jewishmediagroup.com Invitations for party guests
Pizza and soda
or mail to NJ Jewish Media Personalized Carvel ice cream cake

November 18 at Temple Group, Favors and candy

Beth Tikvah in Wayne. For his
mitzvah project, Justin and
his mother ran a 5K race and
raised over $3,000 for breast
cancer research.
FREE skating pass for future use
ATT: Simchas
Birthday child receives FREE Ice Vault T shirt
1086 Teaneck Road,
Teaneck, NJ 07666
If a photograph is to be
returned, include a SASE.

ABOUT OUR CHILDREN • JANUARY 2018 19

 AMONG THE

TOP 5 HOSPITALS
in New Jersey*

Top quality care. The Valley Hospital was

recognized for outstanding
performance in:

Again and again. Aortic valve surgery

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Colon cancer surgery
Heart bypass surgery
U.S. News & World Report studied data from more than
Heart failure
4,500 medical centers across the nation to help patients
Knee replacement
find leading inpatient care. The Valley Hospital is proud to
Lung cancer surgery
be recognized among the top 5 hospitals in New Jersey.
We were evaluated on clinical outcomes, safety and nursing
care — all data that are connected to overall quality.

Providing top quality care is our number one priority. We

believe it is why patients choose us. Again and again.

ValleyHealth.com

*U.S. News & World Report

Rockland
Dodgeball tournament highlights fundraising
Community Campus hosts an eclectic mix of nonprofit organizations
Larry Yudelson

T
he rubber balls were flying at
him.
David Kirschtel couldn’t have
been happier.
It was his first game of dodgeball in
decades, and while Mr. Kirschtel wasn’t
long for the game, and his team wasn’t long
for the tournament, all was going accord-
ing to plan.
He had brought together eleven local
Rockland nonprofit organizations for
this dodgeball tournament. The goal: To
highlight the fact that these organiza-
tions all were running capital fundraising
campaigns.
(For those of you who aren’t active
board members, closely related to a non-
profit professional, or otherwise intimately
involved in how nonprofit organizations
raise their money, a capital campaign is
when an organization sets out to raise a
specific amount of money for a specific
cause. You’re welcome.)
Mr. Kirschtel wanted to draw attention
to the community’s capital campaigns
because the JCC is running one. Not the
Jewish Community Center, which he heads,
but the separate Jewish Community Cam-
pus organization, which he also heads. That
organization is the landlord for community
center programming as well as for the Jew- Dodgeball action heats up at the tournament organized by the Jewish Community Campus.
ish Federation of Rockland County. The
Community Campus is raising money for perhaps the least- St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill. he thought.
sexy (donor-wise, at any rate) goal of all: Paying down the The dodgeball tournament came about because the Com- And so it was.

L ’ Shana
debt on the building it bought and renovated 10 years ago. munity Campus is an organization that enables other orga- The tournament charged $75 a player; it raised

L ’ Shana
By comparison, Rockland’s Holocaust Museum and Cen- nizations. That led Mr. Kirschtel to think about how his orga- $20,000, split equally among the participating
ter for Tolerance and Education is raising money for a yet- nizations fit in with the 600 to 800 nonprofits in the broader organizations.
to-be-built new building, including an exhibition hall. Rockland community — and in particular, with the ten other “It wasn’t about the money,” Mr. Kirschtel said. “It

Tovah!
And Rockland County Pride Center just bought its build- organizations also trying to raise large sums of money for was about showing the community how we could all

Tovah!
ing in downtown Nyack last year. capital campaigns right now. work together, and demonstrating the importance of
Other organizations that fielded teams were Domini- “What can we do to bring all of these organizations each organization.”
can College in Orangeburg; Hi Tor Animal Care Center in together with us as the facilitator, showing the value of who Each team had at least 25 players. Which led to
Pomona; Islamic Center of Rockland in Valley Cottage; we are?” he asked himself. “We’ve got a gym. Maybe some some intergroup cooperation, with the larger organi-
Jawonio in New City, which provides services for people kind of a basketball tournament?” zations helping pad the teams of some of the smaller
with special needs; Nyack Hospital; the People to People But basketball only fields five people, he realized. Volley- ones. The Islamic Center was proud to get more than
Wishing you a sweetyou
food pantry in Nanuet; Rockland Community College, and
Wishing newa sweet
year. new year. ball, perhaps? “Dodgeball is a game that anyone can play,” 20 members to join the team — but played with a cou-
ple of outsiders, among them Paul Adler, who is a for-
Jamie and Steven Dranow • Larry A. Model • Harvey Schwartz mer JCC president and is running the campaign for
Gregg Brunwasser Jamie
• Michaeland Steven Dranow •General
L. Rosenthal, Larry A.ManagerModel • Harvey Schwartz
Gregg Brunwasser • Michael L. Rosenthal, General Manager Rockland Pride, and Rabbi Craig Scheff of the Oran-
As your local Dignity Memorial® providers, we wish you the best this Rosh Hashanah. getown Jewish Center.
CANDLELIGHTING
As your
We reaffirm our local Dignity
commitment Memorial
of service
®
providers,
to the we wish you the best this Rosh Hashanah.
Jewish community. In fact, it was Rabbi Scheff who got Mr. Kirschtel out,
We reaffirm our commitment of service to the Jewish community.
catching the ball he threw. But while the augmented
December 29 .......................................
Hellman-Garlick Memorial 4:18 Chapel
Hellman MemorialHellmanChapels Memorial Chapels Hellman-Garlick Memorial Chapel Islamic Center was able to defeat the JCC, it fell before
January 5 ............................................. 4:24
15 State Street 15 State Street • Spring Valley, NY 10977 1300 Pleasantville NY
• Spring Valley, NY 10977 1300 Pleasantville Rd. • Briarcliff Manor, Rd. •10510
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 the ultimate victor: Rockland Community College.
January 845-356-8600 914-762-5501 4:31
845-356-860012 ............................................ 914-762-5501 “Rockland Community College put its entire base-
January 19 ............................................ 4:39 ball team on its dodgeball team,” Mr. Kirschtel said.
Our affiliate Jewish Memorials of Rockland
Our affiliate a complete full
Jewish Memorials ofservice monument
Rockland and full
a complete inscription provider. and inscription provider.
service monument
Large display on premises. 845-425-2256 “I’ve got 45- and 50-year-old people playing dodgeball,
Large display on premises. 845-425-2256
and they have 20- and 21-year-olds. We didn’t set tight
Hellman Memorial Chapels enough rules” about who could be on the teams.
15 State Street • Spring Valley, NY 10977 So what about the JCC’s capital campaign?
DignityMemorial.com
www.jewishmemorialsofrockland.com 845-356-8600
DignityMemorial.com www.hellmanmemorialchapels.com
www.hellmanmemorial.com
www.hellmanmemorialchapels.com
See Dodgeball page 27

26 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

BVK • SCI • #9a • JobBVK • SCI • #9a

No 025012 • JobHashanah
• Rosh No 025012
ad••Rosh
5” x Hashanah ad •• 5”
5” • 8/18/05 V2x•5”
ir • 8/18/05 • V2 • ir
 Rockland

Dodgeball
from page 26
Mr. Kirschtel said it began with the JCC’s
buying and renovating its present building
a decade ago. The JCC had been in a 26,000
square foot building. The new building,
which opened its doors in December 2007,
was more than five times larger. Counting
the renovations, it cost $24 million. At the
time, the JCC raised about half of that, and
since then “we’ve been able to whittle
that down to just about $8.5 million.” As
the debt has dropped, the JCC’s operating
budget has gone from $2 million to $6 mil-
lion annually. “We’ve grown in lots of dif-
ferent ways,” Mr. Kirschtel said.
“We need to raise $3 or $4 million,” he
said. “In a perfect world, if you can find me
a $10 million donor we can say we’re done.”
While fundraising is harder for an
already completed building, “we’ve had
10 years to show the value of what we are
to the community,” Mr. Kirschtel said. Let the games begin. Participants gather for the dodgeball
“We’ve got lots of good stuff going on here. tournament sponsored by Jewish Community Campus.
“We have almost 2,600 membership
units — call it around 4,000 members,” he
said. “Four years ago we started our early
childhood full-day program with 18 kids. Pamphlets describe
We crossed the hundred kids line.” the activities of
several organizations
participating in the event.

Apple Bank Money

Market Account

Great Rate & 100% Liquid!

1.25 %APY*
for balances of
$2,500 and up**

Visit us today!
Y
NDA 75 Route 59, Monsey Town Square
N SU
OPE ROM (Evergreen Kosher Market Center)
F
A M - 1PM Anita Levine, VP, Branch Manager • 845-425-0189
9

Established 1863 · Member FDIC

www.applebank.com
*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) disclosed is effective as of 9/5/2017 and may be changed by the Bank at any time. **For the Apple Bank Money Market Account, interest earned on daily balances
of $2,500 or more at these tiers: $2,500-$24,999: 1.25% APY, $25,000-$49,999: 1.25% APY, $50,000-$74,999: 1.25% APY, $75,000 or more: 1.25% APY. There is no interest paid on balances between
$1-$2,499. $100 minimum deposit required to open account. $2,500 minimum daily balance required to avoid $10 monthly maintenance fee. A combined $3,000,000 maximum deposit per house-
hold applies to the Apple Bank Money Market Account. A household is defined as a family residing at the same address. Fees may reduce earnings. Funds used to open accounts cannot be from an
existing Apple Bank account. Offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.

apple bk - JEWISH STANDARD - MONEY MARKET - EFF DATE 9-5-17.indd 1 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 2017PM27
29,3:21:45
9/1/2017
Local
Misconduct
from page 18
situation until it can be resolved. Remove
them from active duty until you look at the
evidence. If it’s at least credible, you can’t
not act on it. You have a responsibility.”
Asked if we as a community have become
less tolerant of sexual misbehavior, Rabbi
Fine said, “I don’t want to believe that we
were ever more tolerant of this as a society,
but now we’re more attuned to these ques-
tions. This is a discussion that starts with the
revelations about the president. Ultimately,
it’s a very healthy discussion for our society
to have. It’s long overdue.”
It’s not a partisan thing, he stressed, not-
ing President Clinton’s sexual misdeeds,
“but when the top dugma” — role model —
“of the country sets a dubious to negative
example, that will trigger a national dis-
cussion. That’s natural, coming from the
exemplar-in-chief.”
Sexual misconduct happens through-
out the country, Rabbi Fine said. “Clearly,
there’s not the kind of equality between
men and women in the workforce that we
would like to see.” But a vigorous national
discussion “can ultimately help us make
progress. We need to be wary and not
jump up and down as rumors are spread,
but people need to feel comfortable about
The Most Exciting
New Retirement Community
Is Coming to Rockland County.
Brightview is bringing
carefree, resort-style living
– with no large entrance fee –
to Rockland County.
Brightview Lake Tappan
offers access to tri-state
shopping, culture, and
entertainment, and endless
on-site opportunities for a
rewarding retirement.
Reserve your apartment
now to enjoy exceptional
savings.
Independent Living • Assisted Living • Dementia Care
28 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017
speaking out when they’ve been wronged.”
Adina Lewittes of Closter, who earned
rabbinical smicha at the Conservative Jew-
ish Theological Seminary and is the founder
and leader of Sha’ar Communities as well as
a part-time interim rabbi at New York’s Con-
gregation B’nai Jeshurun, talked about “the
outrage many of us felt at the end of October
when allegations came tumbling in, in part
about [Harvey] Weinstein, but also about the
unconscionable behavior of the network of
individuals in service of his devious plans,
who were enabling him, and about the culpa-
bility one shares when one chooses silence.
“In the language of Talmud, silence can
be easily misconstrued” as condoning the
act in question, she said. “That’s not okay.
Even though people feared for their jobs and
livelihood and consequences to their fam-
ily in speaking up, tradition teaches us the
difference between earning money in ways
that are dignified, honest, and true, and
earning it in another way that compromises
our dignity.” She cited a blessing recited by
her mother, and now by her, asking that we
be given the opportunity to make good the
works of our hands in ways that are noble,
righteous, and holy.
Rabbi Lewittes also stressed the “extreme
humility with which we have to weigh deci-
sions about publicizing the allegations.”
WELCOME CENTER NOW OPEN
Call Cindy to
schedule your visit.
845.203.2338
31 Hunt Road • Orangeburg, NY 10962
www.BrightviewLakeTappan.com
Acknowledging the challenge this poses
to journalists, she said, “It is important
for people — editors, writers, etc. — to
have a space to wrestle with these things
and not be caught up in the frenzy.” They
should not have to worry about a deci-
sion’s affect on the bottom line, she said.
Rather, such decisions must be made
“with a whole different set of variables
and values. Torah is very clear in the
instruction in Vayikra not to be spread-
ing gossip, but the same verse says not
to stand by the blood of a fellow human
being. If it can prevent further harm, we
have an obligation” to make such infor-
mation public. “This doesn’t mean that
every accusation presents the same dan-
ger and obligations. We have to be more
sophisticated in our decision-making.”
As she wrote recently in a synagogue
publication, “Jewish ethics are based not
on rights but on responsibilities — to one-
self, to one another, and to the commu-
nity. Protecting an individual’s privacy
is, then, a Jewish ethical imperative. But
not at the expense of communal well-
being, or of another’s safety.”
Readers have responsibilities as well,
she wrote. “Refraining from spreading
accusations, restraining our appetite for
sordid details, and calling for due pro-
cess to ensure a just resolution to these
cases are steps that neither dismiss the
accuser nor defend the accused. They
are moves that promote the values and
vision of a community grounded in an
ethics of responsibility, not of rights; of
righteousness, not of self-righteousness.”
Rabbi Lewittes pointed out that usu-
ally when people hear about allegations,
they absorb that information and talk
about it. But “rarely do they take the
time to follow up on the next step, the
nuances of resolution. The branding has
already been done. It’s next to impossi-
ble to restore fully a once-tainted reputa-
tion.” In this regard, she cited Proverbs,
Aliyah
from page 11
Life simply is different in Israel. It’s
more real, it’s more immediate, it’s more
powerful, it’s more meaningful.
As the passage of time places greater
stress upon the definition of “Zionism”
in a world where many Jews continue
to live in a diaspora of choice, we must
openly and unapologetically return to
the original balance of our historical jour-
ney. We must recognize the Jew’s ability
to thrive and contribute in the Diaspora,
yet unabashedly argue and advocate for
the ultimate goal of life in Israel.
The healthy preservation and trans-
mission of this difficult balance, I believe,
will rest upon our ability to distinguish
between guilt and discomfort. Diaspora
Jews should not feel, nor should they be
made to feel, guilty over their choice to
remain where they are. Aliyah is not for
which holds that the tongue has the
power of life and death.
On the issue of repentance, she said,
“I think that we ought to be having dif-
ficult and complicated conversations
about the role of teshuvah.” Pointing
out that “life gets very messy and peo-
ple do disturbing things,” she said, “it’s
important to wrestle with the question
of how and when teshuvah can be done
and how it is we will know that teshuvah
has been done. How trusting can we be
of the internal and external processes of
rehabilitation?”
Should we in any way equate the mis-
deeds of Harvey Weinstein with those of,
say, Al Franken? “If we are going to deal
with these issues responsibly and sensi-
tively, we have to have the capacity for
a nuanced, sophisticated conversation
about them,” Rabbi Lewittes said. “Not to
say that any act of abuse or exploitation
should be dismissed, but we need to have
the capacity to have sophisticated enough
conversations to be able to distinguish
among them. Losing this power will not
help anyone, the accuser or the accused.”
She hopes that public discussion will
spur “vigorous renewed commitment to
treating every human being, regardless
of gender, sexual preference, or ethnic-
ity, with the utmost dignity and respect,
which every human being is due.”
Both women and men can be vic-
tims of sexual exploitation, she said,
and she hopes that victims of abuse
will feel “increased empowerment, not
to be silenced by power dynamics or
threats.” Seeing so many other people
come forward “will hopefully give peo-
ple who dare to think that they could
hurt another person and get away with
it, cause to rethink. We have to be mor-
ally, ethically, and spiritually diligent
to make sure justice is served, and that
those who need to be held accountable
are held accountable.”
everyone right now, and there can be
valid reasons for preserving your own
personal status quo. At the same time,
however, those who remain in the dias-
pora must, of their own volition, expe-
rience an ongoing healthy dose of exis-
tential discomfort. They must find a way
to recognize and teach their children, in
positive terms, the truth ultimately rec-
ognized by Yaakov, a truth that remains
concretely valid to this day.
The most important reason to return
to Israel is the nature of life in Israel.
There and only there, our land is our
land, our people are our people, and our
God is our God.
And, if the perpetuation and the teach-
ing of that truth ultimately does lead to
increased aliyah in this generation or the
next, then all the better. For only when
we finally all come home, will we fully
become Yisrael.
 In the mail!

2018

A lot to read during

the New Year break
and throughout the year.
Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 29
Cover Story
The top 10
moments
that mattered to Jews in 2017
T
Josefin Dolsten
his year has not been a restful one. — like so many others — found it hard to take
From the tumultuous start of their eyes off the news in the past 12 months.
Donald Trump’s presidency to a As 2017 draws to a close, JTA looks back at
wave of bomb threats against Jew- some of the moments that had the most sig-
ish community centers to the flood of high- nificance for Jews, sorted below by date.
profile sexual harassment allegations, Jews JTA Wire Service

The Gordon JCC in Nashville, Tenn., was targeted with bomb threats
many times in 2017. Courtesy of Gordon JCC

2. JCCs in U.S. and Canada targeted

with more than 100 bomb threats.
From January to March, Jew- the threats turned out to be moti-
President Donald Trump stands with his wife, Melania, his daughter, Ivanka Trump, ish community centers, Jewish vated by far-right beliefs. One of
and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, on the inaugural parade reviewing stand in schools, and other institutions the accused, Juan Thompson, was
front of the White House, January 20, 2017. Mark Wilson/Getty Images were hit with more than 100 bomb arrested for making bomb threats
threats. None of the threats, many against eight Jewish institutions in
1. Trump takes office, bringing Ivanka and Jared with him. of which were called in, turned the name of an ex-girlfriend; he
Trump took office in January after his brought with him a cadre of Jewish advis- out to be credible, but they forced wanted revenge and she was the
unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton ers, including his daughter, Ivanka Trump, evacuations and spread fear among real target. The main suspect in the
in November, pledging in his inaugural and her husband, Jared Kushner. The cou- local communities. Several Jewish bomb threats, however, turned out
address to put “America first.” The use of ple, both of whom are observant Jews, cemeteries also were vandalized, to be an Israeli-American teenager,
the slogan — also the name of an isolation- would take on critical roles in the adminis- prompting some to blame the Michael Kadar of Ashkelon, who
ist and often anti-Semitic movement lead- tration as senior advisers to the president, rise of the alt-right — the move- was arrested for making hundreds
ing up to World War II — alarmed some with Kushner in charge of a thick portfo- ment, some said, was legitimized of threats. Kadar reportedly sold
Jews, but Trump said the phrase as he lio that included brokering a peace deal following Trump’s election — for his bomb threat services online
used it had no historic resonance. Trump between Israel and the Palestinians. the threats. However, neither of and his lawyer says he suffers from
the two men arrested for making a brain tumor.

30 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 The 7 most heartwarming Jewish stories of 2017
Josefin Dolsten

Political turmoil, terror attacks, and natural disasters around the

world — 2017 had plenty of people feeling down, for good reason.
But there also were notable moments of light. As this year draws to a
close, here is a chronology of some of the more heartwarming stories
JTA published this year. JTA Wire Service

1. An Orthodox Jew builds bridges

with his Yemeni Muslim neighbors
After President Donald Trump
issued his first executive order
banning immigrants from seven
predominantly Muslim countries,
Alexander Rapaport, a chasidic Jew,
wanted to show his support for his
neighbors in Brooklyn. So when
New York bodega owners from
Yemen went on strike in Febru-
ary in protest of the ban, Rapaport
organized community members to
put Post-It notes with messages of
support on the storefront of a local
store owned by Yemeni immigrants.
“I made a point of walking in
there today — I actually live a mile
away,” Rapaport, the executive
director Masbia, a kosher soup
kitchen network, said. “I just
learned that they were Yemenite,
and I was looking to do some-
thing in solidarity with the people
affected by the executive order.” Orthodox Jews put messages of support on the storefront of a Brooklyn Yemeni-
See Jewish Stories page 33
owned bodega, February 2, 2017. David Schwartz/Twitter

President Donald Trump speaks at a White House news

conference, February 16, 2017. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

3. Trump shouts down reporters who President Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, left, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, May
ask him about a rise in anti-Semitism. 22, 2017. Israel Bardugo

In February, the president shouted at two journalists who asked

him about an increase in anti-Jewish sentiments and incidents,
and said he “hates” being called an anti-Semite, although neither
reporter called him one. After asking for a “friendly” reporter,
Trump interrupted a question by a charedi Orthodox journalist —
the president accused the journalist of lying about his intentions
— and claimed to be the “least anti-Semitic person that you have
ever seen in your entire life.” Trump’s response drew criticism
from Jewish groups, many of which already had criticized him
a month earlier for releasing a statement on International Holo-
caust Remembrance Day that notably did not mention Jews. His
defenders said the president’s critics were politically motivated.
4. On his first overseas trip, Trump visits Israel.
President Trump visited the Jewish state in May on
his first overseas trip as chief executive, which also
included stops in Italy and Saudi Arabia. The two-
day trip featured a stop at Yad Vashem and meet-
ings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
President Reuven Rivlin, as well as with Palestin-
ian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Trump,
accompanied by his daughter Ivanka and her
husband, Jared Kushner, also stopped at the West-
ern Wall for a private visit, making him the first sit-
ting U.S. president to visit the holy site and earning
him high praise across Israel. A few months after
the visit, Trump dispatched a team of top aides,
including Kushner, Jason Greenblatt of Teaneck, and
Dina Powell, to visit Israel and other Middle Eastern
countries in an attempt to revive peace talks.

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 31

Cover Story

Marchers at the 48th annual Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade in Chicago,
Jewish women pray at the women’s section of the Western Wall in June 25, 2017. Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images

Jerusalem, May 16, 2017. Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

5. Israel freezes pluralistic Western Wall agreement.
A June decision by Netanyahu’s Cabi-
net to put the establishment of an egal-
itarian section of the Western Wall on
hold drew the ire of American Jewish
leaders. Some leaders, also angered by
the advancement of a bill that would
give the Orthodox chief rabbinate
complete control of conversions per-
formed in Israel, warned of a growing
schism between American Jews and
Israel. (The decision negated a deal
that had been struck in 2016.) Natan
Sharansky, the chairman of the Jewish
Agency for Israel, was among the deci-
sion’s critics. “It will make our work
to bring Israel and the Jewish world
closer together increasingly more dif-
ficult,” Sharansky said. In August, the
Israeli Supreme Court said the govern-
ment must either reinstate the agree-
ment or explain why it had been put
on hold.
6. Chicago Dyke March bans three women
for carrying flags with Jewish stars.
In June, a Chicago lesbian march
ejected three women for carrying gay
pride flags adorned with Jewish stars.
March officials said that the event was
meant to be “anti-Zionist” and “pro-
Palestinian.” The move generated a
heated debate, and the Jewish reporter
who first wrote about the incident for
a Chicago LGBTQ newspaper said she
was removed from her reporting job
as a result of the story. The Dyke March
controversy — as well as similar debates
about the role of Zionists in the feminist
movement and whether demonstrators
could bring banners with Jewish stars to
a Chicago feminist march — illuminated
a growing challenge for Zionist Jews
who feel unwelcome in liberal spaces.

Rescue workers and volunteers help residents evacuate a flooded

Hundreds of white supremacists and far-rightists on the outskirts of neighborhood in Houston after Hurricane Harvey, August 29, 2017.
Emancipation Park during the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Scott Olson/Getty Images
August 12, 2017. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

7. Neo-Nazis rally in Charlottesville. 8. Hurricane Harvey floods Houston.

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists
gathered in a Virginia park in August
to protest the removal of a statue of
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The
far-right protesters chanted racist and
anti-Semitic slogans, including “Jews
will not replace us,” and brawled with
counterprotesters. One counterpro-
tester, Heather Heyer, was killed when
a suspected white supremacist rammed
his car into a crowd. Trump waffled on
condemning the protest, calling out
neo-Nazis and white supremacists in
one statement but blaming both sides
for the violence at other times, saying
there were “some very fine people” in
both camps. Jewish groups, lawmakers
from both sides of the aisle, and even
the president’s top economic adviser,
Gary Cohn, criticized Trump for his
response, saying he was not doing his
part to condemn hate.
Homes were flooded and lives were
turned upside down as Hurricane Har-
vey hit Texas in August, forcing mass
evacuations across the state. More
than 70 percent of the city’s Jews live
in areas that experienced high flood-
ing, and synagogues, schools, and
other Jewish community buildings
sustained significant damage. Recov-
ery from the hurricane is expected to
take years, but the disaster also served
as a rallying point for the community,
as Jewish groups went into overdrive
to distribute donations and local Jew-
ish camps offered housing to people
who otherwise had nowhere to go.
See ten top moments page 34

32 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Cover Story

Jewish Stories from page 31

3. A dog saves a couple from

a fire at a kosher supermarket
Daisy, a 3-year-old spaniel, helped avert
disaster when fire broke out at a London
kosher supermarket in June. The dog’s bark-
ing roused Alex Gibson and Charlotte Per-
ren, who were sleeping in their apartment
above the store. Fortunately, the couple
was able to make it out on time — but Daisy,
who belongs to Gibson’s mother and who
the couple was taking care of, died of smoke
inhalation.
Daisy woke up a couple sleeping in an
“Daisy was our hero,” Gibson told the apartment above the London kosher grocery
Jewish Chronicle. “It was fate she happened store where a fire broke out. GoFundMe
to be staying with us that night. She saved
both of our lives and our neighbors.”

4. A Jewish woman comforts a distressed

Ayel Morgenstern painted rocks to decorate cemeteries in child with autism on an airplane
St. Louis and Philadelphia. Courtesy of Lauren Morgenstern During a trans-Atlantic flight in July, Rochel Groner
noticed an autistic boy who was crying and then shriek-
2. A 6-year-old girl sends painted rocks ing. The atmosphere on the flight grew increasingly
to decorate vandalized Jewish cemeteries tense, and she felt she had to do something. Groner,
When 6-year-old Ayel Morgen- well as for additional gravesites a Chabad emissary in North Carolina, who with her
stern learned that her great- that were vandalized at a Phila- husband runs two groups for young adults with spe-
great-grandmother’s headstone delphia cemetery. In the end, cial needs, approached the child and comforted him
was among the 100 toppled at Ayel painted more than 250 for about two hours.
a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis rocks, which she sent to the “I put out my hand, and he took my hand,” she said.
in February, she sprung into cemeteries — plus an additional “It was such a surreal moment, and he just took it, and
action. 100 stones that she sent to the he stopped crying. He kind of just followed me into the
Ayel lives in Florida. In family of Adam Krief, a Jewish aisle. I walked to the bulkhead, and I sat down and I put
March, she decided to paint father of three who died after a him in my lap, and I gave him a gentle but firm hug and
Rochel Groner calms a child with
rocks to decorate headstones highly publicized struggle with I just started to rock him. He calmed down.”
autism on a flight from Europe to the
at the St. Louis cemetery, as blood cancer. Social media users were touched by the story. Photos
United States.
of Groner holding the boy, along with a post by her hus-
Bentzion Groner/Facebook
band telling what happened, received some 6,700 likes
and was shared 1,300 times on Facebook.

6. After surviving Hurricane Harvey,

this woman distributes mezuzahs to people in need
Chava Gal-Or of Houston was lucky:
Though flooding from Hurricane Harvey
reached her door, her home survived
the storm unscathed. But that wasn’t the
case for many of the members of Tem-
ple Sinai, where she works. So Gal-Or
wanted to do something to help those
families in need — along with assisting
scores of others who had been affected
by recent natural disasters.
At the Ramat Gan Safari Park near Tel Aviv, Niv, an Indonesian black
macaque buddies up with a chicken who has become his best friend. “I can’t rebuild their houses,” Gal-
 YouTube
Or said. “I don’t have the money to do
much. There was this increasing aware-
5. In Israel, a monkey and a chicken become best friends ness that there was nothing I could do.”
At the Ramat Gan Safari Park near next to it at night. The friendship, Then she realized she could help by
Tel Aviv, Niv, an Indonesian black which was documented in August, collecting mezuzahs, the small scrolls
macaque, was having a bit of trouble appears to be mutual; after all, the traditionally attached to the doorposts of Chava Gal-Or has been distributing
finding a mate. So he got creative. chicken can slip out of the monkey Jewish dwellings, and distributing them free mezuzahs to Jewish hurricane
When a chicken wandered into cage easily but chooses to stay. for free to Jews in need. She started the victims. Courtesy of Gal-Or

his enclosure, the monkey cozied
up to it — and an inseparable friend-
ship was born. Niv has been hanging
out with the bird on a regular basis,
holding it, caressing it, and sleeping
While 2017 wasn’t a year for forg-
ing lasting peace between Israel and
its neighbors, at least this pair found a
way to put their differences aside and
live in harmony.
unofficial organization Door L’Door — a
play on the biblical phrase “l’dor v’dor,” which means “from generation to generation”
— raising money and soliciting donations for mezuzahs, with the goal of dispatching
them to Jews in need.
See Jewish Stories page 34

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 33

Cover Story

Top Ten Moments from page 32

9. Allegations against Harvey Weinstein

open the floodgates of sexual assault accusations.
In October, the New York Times and the
New Yorker published articles contain-
ing allegations by more than a dozen
women that Jewish Hollywood mogul
Harvey Weinstein had sexually harassed
or assaulted them. Those reports led to
Weinstein’s firing and prompted a flood of
other allegations against prominent men
in the worlds of entertainment, politics,
and media. Newspapers around the coun-
try published accounts of sexual harass-
ment and assault, and social media users
shared their experiences using the hashtag
#MeToo. Prominent Jews were among the
accused, including Senator Al Franken,
director and writer James Toback, for-
mer New Republic editor Leon Wieseltier,
New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush,
producer Brett Ratner, and actor Jeffrey
Tambor. The Conservative Jewish youth
movement, USY, also grappled with alle-
gations against former staff members. The
allegations ignited conversations in Jew-
ish homes around the country, as well as
Harvey Weinstein speaks at National Geographic’s Further Front Event at
in Israel, where women had been sharing
Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, April 19, 2017.
similar stories for years.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for National Geographic

Jerusalem seen
from the Mount
of Olives.
Flickr Commons/Dan

10. Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The president reversed decades of U.S. policy
when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel, saying he would move the U.S. embassy
there from Tel Aviv. The decision earned Trump
praise from the Jewish state and American evan-
gelicals — but the rest of the world was less enthu-
siastic. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas said he would refuse to meet with Vice
President Mike Pence during an upcoming visit to
the region and that he would no longer accept the
U.S. involvement in peace negotiations. The United
States vetoed a resolution at the United Nations
Security Council — supported by all other 14 mem-
ber states — to force Trump to rescind his decision.
Days later, the U.N. General Assembly passed a
nonbinding resolution rejecting any recognition of
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, with 128 votes in
favor, 9 against, and 35 abstentions.

Jewish Stories from page 33

7. Supporters raise more than $1 million for an Orthodox

fashion designer after her husband suddenly died
Tragedy struck Simi Polonsky, the Orthodox co-founder of a modest fashion
label, when her husband, Shua, died in November from a condition he had
contracted only weeks before. To help alleviate her suffering, supporters
quickly came to her aid — and more than 9,000 donors raised more than
$1 million online for Polonsky and her two young children — there is a third
on the way.
Polonsky, who said she will continue working on the Frock NYC, wrote
movingly on Instagram that the support helped her go on.
“I know no one will be able to heal my broken heart, but at the times
when I feel like I just cannot keep my arms raised any longer, your love and
support are the rocks that hold them for me,” she wrote. “My mind boggles, Simi Polonsky and her late
when I think about the unstoppable love that ushers unto my family on a husband, Shua.
minute-to-minute basis.” The Frock NYC/Instagram

34 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Jewish World

Palestinian reconciliation creates opportunity

for families of soldiers held by Hamas
RON KAMPEAS answers about her son. He noted that the Pales-
tinian Authority recently had joined the Interna-
WASHINGTON — Israel’s government may be tional Criminal Court. That action, taken in order
ambivalent about the nascent reconciliation to advance criminal prosecutions of Israelis, also
between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, but made the P.A. more accountable, Cotler said.
it outright opposes Palestinian bids for statehood The P.A., by not taking action, is in “standing
recognition through international bodies, includ- violation” of prohibitions in the statute that cre-
ing the United Nations. ated the ICC against “outrages upon personal dig-
However, for one influential Israeli constituency nity” and “humiliating and degrading treatment.”
— the families of Israelis held captive in Hamas- In an interview, Cotler, who now is the chairman
controlled Gaza — both developments present an of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights,
opportunity: to hold someone accountable for said that strategy could extend to other bids by the
those soldiers who are still captive, as well as for Palestinians to join international bodies with mem-
the remains of dead ones. ber nation status.
“Now the Palestinian Authority is responsible,” “You can’t join international agreements unless
said Leah Goldin, whose son, Hadar, was captured Leah Goldin, mother of late Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, speaks at you are fulfilling obligations under international
and killed after a cease-fire went into effect ending a Knesset meeting on April 19, 2017. HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90 law,” Cotler said. “You cannot be a violator of inter-
the 2014 Gaza War. national humanitarian law and also be a member
Unlike Hamas, which is widely considered a terrorist refusal to release Hadar Goldin, Oron Shaul, and two in good standing of these organizations.”
organization by Israel, the U.S. government, and others, Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Juba Abu Ganima, To be clear, neither Goldin nor Cotler endorsed reconcil-
the Palestinian Authority is recognized as the representa- who crossed over into Gaza, they would be “violating iation or Palestinian ascension to statehood status at inter-
tive of the Palestinians. international law,” she said. Mengistu and Ganima are national organizations; instead, they were arguing that as
Goldin argued as much last week, at a special session of presumed alive. long as these processes were under way, the Palestinian
the U.N. Security Council convened by the United States Alongside her at the Security Council meeting was Authority should assume the concomitant responsibilities.
and Ukraine. Irwin Cotler, the former Canadian justice minister who is Reconciliation between Hamas and the Palestinian
If the Palestinian Authority fails to address Hamas’ representing Goldin pro bono in her attempts to obtain SEE RECONCILIATION PAGE 41

Not just a gym,

A Family Wellness Center

Conqueryour
cutting-edge fitness center features state-of-

taub campus
411 east clinton avenue, tenafly, nJ 07670 | jccotp.org
the-art cardio & strength equipment, & over
90+ complimentary group exercise classes

Wellness resolution! including the best cycling, barre, pilates, yoga,

Zumba & more!

JCC on the Palisades

indoor & outdoor aquatics center with water
play parK

basKetball, racquetball & tennis courts

youth fitness center for ages 6-13

full service luxurious spa

complimentary babysitting

incredible infant, toddler, & school-age

programming
Kaplen

renowned nursery school, day camps, music,

drama & dance schools

Stop by the membership desk, call

201.408.1448, or email join@jccotp.org
Join by 1/31
get $100 off & taKe a tour & get a one-weeK pass
a free massage for your entire family.*
or personal
training session
for each
adult!*

* Valid on new, annual memberships; 1 massage or personal training session

per each adult on membership, maximum 2 per family, nontransferable;
may not be combined; offer good through 1/31/18. No building fund or bond
required. Individual, family, youth & senior membership options available.
Must take a tour to receive guest pass. The JCC is proud to be an inclusive
environment, open to all.

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 35

Editorial
Save Bennie and Josh
keeping the faith

Don’t dismiss or ignore

T
wo related stories in this become ever more precise. Do not January’s ‘other’ new year

week’s Standard by our sci-
ence correspondent, Dr.
Miryam Wahrman, beauti-
fully told and scientifically complex,
tell the heartbreaking story of Bennie
Landsman, not quite 1 1/2, and his lit-
tle brother Josh, about 5 months old.
Both the brothers have Canavan dis-
ease; unless science stops and magic
takes over, the boys are likely to die
before they can turn 10.
Their grandmothers have devoted
themselves to their care, and to raising
money to fund the research that prob-
ably will not cure them but probably
could prolong and comfort their lives.
There are many lessons to all of us
in this story, should we be able to dry
our eyes and still our hearts enough to
learn them.
To be clear, none of those lessons is
theological. I have no idea what peo-
ple whose minds go in that direction
make of this story, and I do not want
to know.
This story is about human love and
perseverance and the ability to keep
going; about the ability to take love
wherever you find it and make more
of it and keep going; about the ability
to find hope in odd places and make
more of it and keep going.
It is also about science’s failures,
and its successes, and its future.
The boys’ parents maybe could
have been diagnosed as carriers, had
the tests been more available and the
need for both parents to take them
been more clear. It is vital that we
as a community stress the need for
people who are thinking of becom-
ing parents to test themselves, and
to do it more than once, because as
scientific knowledge grows the tests
The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors, not
necessarily those of the newspaper’s editors, publishers, or other staffers.
We welcome letters to the editor. Send them to jstandardletters@gmail.com.
assume you know what any panel of
tests will show. Take it.
Fund science. That’s how we fight
terrible illnesses like these. That’s how
we keep children from dying. Fund
science. Value science. Teach our
children about the value of analytic
thought, of never taking anything for
granted, of challenging assumptions,
of experimenting and experimenting
and experimenting.
Value love. The boys’ parents and
grandparents are not giving in to
despair, although who could blame
them if they did? They are loving Ben-
nie and Josh. They are giving them the
experiences that all children deserve,
no matter what we assume about their
life expectancy. They are honoring
their lives, listening to their laughs,
playing with them, cuddling them, lov-
ing them. That matters.
Help the family. Go to the fund-
ing page — to get there, google
“GoFundMe” and “save Benny and
Josh.” It will help the family afford
the experimental drugs that will keep
their sons alive, at least for now. Every
little bit adds up, and every little bit
counts. That matters.
As this new year begins, as we leave
perhaps the most contentious year
that most of us can remember, as we
head toward a year that we fervently
hope will be better, less partisan, less
crude, less snarlingly ugly, we under-
stand that we also are moving toward
more light, and we hope that we also
are moving toward hope.
Cherish hope. Nourish hope. Fund
hope. Love hope. It matters.
We at the Jewish Standard wish all
of our readers a new year of hope and
love and peace. —JP
T
here is a new year coming in Janu- major importance in our times. Tu b’Shvat,
ary. No, not the one on January 1 after all, is the ultimate Earth Day. This day
— the one on January 31. underscores Judaism’s mandate to preserve
It is the New Year for Trees, also and protect the natural world around us, for,
known as Tu b’Shvat. in the Torah’s words, “Are trees of the field
Most Jews, children especially, will cel- human to withdraw from before you.” (See
ebrate on January 1, but they will not Deuteronomy 20:19.)
even notice anything special about Put another way, the
January 31. That is a sad commentary environment c an-
on Jewish life today, but it is not the not protect itself, so
only one. we have to protect
How many people reading this col- the environment.
umn, for example, understand the sig- Based on that verse,
nificance of this past Thursday, Decem- as regular readers
ber 28? It was the Fast of the Tenth of will recall, a princi-
Tevet, Asarah b’Tevet, which marked ple of law was estab-
the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar’s Shammai lished — bal tashchit,”
siege of Jerusalem in 588 B.C.E. The Engelmayer which literally means,
day, however, has a contemporaneous “you may not destroy.”
significance. It is the day set aside by In the Babylonian
Israel’s chief rabbinate to mourn the loss of Talmud tractate Shabbat 67b, a Babylonian
all those whose dates of death are unknown, sage named Rav Zutra uses this verse to pro-
and particularly the victims of the Shoah. hibit the wasteful use of fossil fuels or their
(It is likely this day was chosen because the derivatives. “He who covers an oil lamp or
Tenth of Tevet is the only fast day that is uncovers a naphtha [lamp] infringes the
observed even if it falls out on a Friday.) prohibition of wanton destruction.” The
Then there is Shavuot. It is the second of commentator Rashi explains Rav Zutra’s
our three pilgrimage festivals. Most Jews statement this way: Covering an oil lamp or
know that Shavuot marks the giving of the uncovering a naphtha one makes the fuel
Torah on Mount Sinai, but it is much more burn faster, thereby requiring more fuel
than that. It marks the official birth of the than is necessary to produce light. This is
Jewish nation, the day God declared us to a waste of resources, and therefore violates
be his “kingdom of priests and holy nation.” the ban on wanton destruction.
Until that moment, we were a collection of Maimonides, the Rambam, addresses the
tribes. At Sinai, we became a unified nation question of removing trees for aesthetic
with a sacred mission. Too few Jews even purposes. Says he, based on this simple
notice when Shavuot occurs, yet it is likely verse (Responsa, No. 54), “The Torah for-
we all know when July 4 falls out. bids...uprooting without any purpose, for
There are many reasons for this diminu- that is wanton destruction.”
tion of Jewish knowledge, and for the dimi- A 14th century rabbi, Aharon Halevy of
nution of observance that runs with it. This Barcelona, in his Sefer Ha-Chinuch, said it
column, God willing, will deal with some of “is the way of the pious and those of good
these reasons in the coming months. deeds” to carefully adhere to the principle
For now, though, let us deal only with of bal tashchit; “not even a grain of mustard
the imminent arrival of Tu b’Shvat, the do they destroy, and they are grieved by any
New Year for Trees, which is classified as destruction they may see. If it is possible to
a “minor” holiday, but is (or should be) of save anything that is being spoiled, they
Shammai Engelmayer is rabbi of Temple Israel Community Center | Congregation Heichal
Yisrael in Cliffside Park and Temple Beth El of North Bergen.

Jewish
Standard
1086 Teaneck Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 837-8818
Fax 201-833-4959
Publisher
James L. Janoff
Associate Publisher Emerita
Marcia Garfinkle
thejewishstandard.com
Editor
Joanne Palmer
Correspondents
Warren Boroson
Advertising Coordinator
Jane Carr
Production Manager
Jerry Szubin
Founder
Morris J. Janoff (1911–1987)
Associate Editor
Larry Yudelson
Lois Goldrich
Banji Ganchrow Account Executives
Peggy Elias
Graphic Artists
Deborah Herman
Editor Emeritus
Meyer Pesin (1901–1989)
Abigail K. Leichman Bob O'Brien
Community Editor Miriam Rinn Brenda Sutcliffe City Editor
Beth Janoff Chananie Dr. Miryam Z. Wahrman Administrative Assistant Mort Cornin (1915–1984)
About Our Children Editor Advertising Director Jenna Sutcliffe Editorial Consultant
Heidi Mae Bratt Natalie D. Jay Max Milians (1908-2005)
International Media Placement
Classified Director P.O. Box 7195 Jerusalem 91077 Secretary
Janice Rosen Tel: 02-6252933, 02-6247919 Ceil Wolf (1914-2008)
Fax: 02-6249240 Editor Emerita
Israeli Representative Rebecca Kaplan Boroson

36 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017


spare no effort to do so.”
Trees, however, are only the beginning of Judaism’s
environmental and ecological focus. Starting with
, the Torah, there are laws that protect both air and
y water quality. Thus, for example, in BT Bava Batra
18a, we are told: “A man may not open a bakery or a
r, dyer’s workshop under another person’s storehouse
[because of the smoke], nor make a cowshed there
[because of the smell]....”
) Further on (24b), it says: “A fixed threshing-floor
must be kept 50 cubits from a town [because of the
- harm from airborne pollutants, in this case the flying
chaff ]. A man should not fix a threshing-floor on his
t on history, he saves special criticism for Ulysses S. Grant
, of his presidency than his victories in the Civil War. He
-
These are not laws
- created today. These
”
,
are laws created
” 2,000 years ago,
based on 3,500-
- year-old Torah law.
r rather the establishment of a new nation. Similarly, the
r own estate unless there is a clear space all round of 50
cubits. He must keep it away from the plantation of his
neighbor, and his ploughed fallow a sufficient distance
to prevent damage being caused.”
r And on the very next page (25a), a mishnah adds:
l “Carrion, graves, and tanneries must be kept 50 cubits
from a town [because of the bad smell emanating from
such places]....”
One provision allows a person to sue for damages if
someone does something to lessen the quality of his or
her water supply. Residents even can obtain an injunc-
c tion against a business opening up near them if they
can show the business will create undue noise. (See
- BT Bava Batra 21a.)
r These are not laws created today. These are laws
created 2,000 years ago, based on 3,500-year-old
f Torah law.
t The Torah, in fact, makes clear in several ways that
humankind does not have absolute power over the
environment. Nowhere is this more evident than in
the notion that even the land is entitled to rest. Thus,
y the Torah in Leviticus 25:1-19 requires us to give the
land a year-long “Shabbat of rest….; you shall not sow
y your field, nor prune your vineyard....”
As God’s “kingdom of priests” and “holy nation,” we
are His agents; meaning we must set an example for
everyone else. Thus, not only must we thank God for
His creation every day of our lives, but we must take
the lead in making certain His creation is treated with
respect and given the protection it deserves.
That is the underlying premise of Tu b’Shvat. That
is what makes “the New Year for Trees” so important.
Tu b’Shvat reminds us of our responsibilities to the
natural world around us — a world easily taken for
granted. It is not a day to be shoved aside as irrele-
vant, or even silly (“a new year for trees, seriously?”).
It is a day to make a big deal over, especially in homes
with children. Teach them the importance of protect-
ing the environment today, and there is hope for this
world tomorrow.
Opinion
A misplaced obsession with war
I
n a provocative op-ed published in
the Jewish Standard on November 24,
2017, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach chal-
lenges our idolization of peacemakers
and peacemaking.
In “Our misplaced obsession with peace,”
Rabbi Boteach argues that it is the warriors
against wickedness who are the true heroes of
history, not the appeasers who compromise
away any advantages the warriors may have Rabbi Dr.
gained. He criticizes Yitzhak Rabin for “trans- David J. Fine
forming himself from conqueror into peace-
maker” between the Six-Day War and the Oslo
agreement. He prefers President Trump’s threats against
North Korea to President Obama’s conciliatory and posi-
tive approach. In a sweeping though selective meditation
for preferring to be remembered for the peacemaking
blames Grant’s conciliatory approach to the South as the
cause of the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the century-long
delay in desegregation and full civil rights.
Rabbi Boteach’s analysis is striking both in its histori-
cal claims and in its religious/moral perspective. Interest-
ingly lacking from his brief survey is the case of George
Washington himself, the quintessential warrior and polit-
ical leader. Few would argue that Washington’s greatest
accomplishment was not the defeat of British arms but
greatness of Abraham Lincoln, and of Grant’s military
career, was in preserving the Union, not in quashing the
South. While the defeat of Britain in the Revolutionary
War, and of the South in the Civil War, were essential com-
ponents of each story, they are not the crowns of glory
that we celebrate. And for good reason. The American
people have always understood that while there are times
when patriotic duty calls upon the nation to take up arms,
it is in the settlement of peace, not the victory on the field, with the people until Moses returns, even working with
where true redemption is found.
Rabbi Boteach’s criticism of Ulysses S. Grant is par-
ticularly curious, as one of the ways President Grant dis-
tinguished himself and his administration from his pre-
decessor, President Andrew Johnson, was through his
commitment to enforcement of the enfranchisement of
the former slaves and the prosecution of the KKK. Grant’s
administration was the first with a federal Department of
Justice, a department that distinguished itself with thou-
sands of indictments against Klan members. Ron Cher-
now, in his magisterial biography of Grant published just a
couple months ago, cites the campaign against the Klan as
“the foremost accomplishment of Grant’s administration.”
As president, Grant championed the Fifteenth Amend-
ment, secured its ratification, and signed comprehen-
sive civil rights legislation that outlawed segregation. We
should not blame Grant for the Supreme Court’s decision
to strike down that law in 1883, and Congress’s inaction in
passing similar legislation until 1964. Rabbi Boteach can
argue that the long delay in desegregation is the fault of
Grant’s folly as a peacemaker. But the weight of evidence
indicates that Grant was a crusader for justice, and that
JS-1*
CONSIDERING RECONCILIATION
RESTORING SEPHARDI
REMEMBERING WITH
REVIVING LEVY’S JEWISH
THEJEWISHSTANDA
NORTH JERSEY
Making
books
Englewood artist Irmari
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED makes volumes explode
Teaneck, NJ 07666
1086 Teaneck Road
Jewish Standard
he planted the seeds for a more integrated
republic that needed more than the force
of arms to bring it together. And neither
can we rest on our laurels that the work of
equality and justice is complete.
Rabbi Boteach’s assessment of Yitzhak
Rabin is more disturbing because his mar-
tyrdom is still so raw for many of us. Prime
Minister Rabin’s great lesson was that we
don’t make peace with our friends. The
reticence that showed on his face when he
shook Yasser Arafat’s hand on the White
House lawn in 1993 indicated the many
complex feelings he was experiencing. Naiveté was not
one of them. The current Israeli government struggles
with the legacies of Rabin, Peres, Barak, Sharon, and
Olmert, all of whom understood that while peace is not
perfect, it is the only way to secure military success. What
Rabbi Boteach sees as naiveté and recklessness others see
as courage and responsibility.
Rabbi Boteach has to explain away the Bible’s testi-
mony that King David is not permitted to build the Tem-
ple because he “had blood on his hands” (which, by the
way, many argue is a reference to his causing the death of
Uriah the Hittite, Batsheba’s first husband, rather than his
raising arms against the enemies of Israel). And yet the
Temple is remembered as “Solomon’s Temple,” named
after a king whose name encapsulated the ideal of peace
(shalom).
Rabbi Boteach argues that the messiah comes from
King David, but we also should note that the priesthood,
those responsible for the maintenance of the divine cult in
ancient times, came from Aaron, Moses’s brother. Aaron
is remembered as a pursuer of peace, and as such he, not
Moses, was the priests’ ancestor. At the incident of the
Golden Calf, Moses loses his temper by breaking the tab-
lets inscribed by God’s hand, while Aaron compromises
the idolaters, all the while maintaining order and avoid-
ing mayhem.
That Aaron’s actions, not those of Moses, merit the
priesthood is a powerful lesson on the primacy of peace
over crusading ideals. Our tradition always has valued
centeredness and stability over extremism and rigidity.
God’s words break through the hands of the angry Moses.
They are transmitted to the people through the loving
hands of Aaron, who raises his hands in the shape of the
letter shin to pronounce the priestly blessing, which is the
blessing of peace.
After the disastrous defeats of the Great Revolt in the
first century, when the Temple was destroyed, and the ill-
fated Bar Kochba revolt, the ancient rabbis rejected the
messianic fervor that Rabbi Boteach touts. Yes, of course
we celebrate those in history who “fought and defeated
wickedness.” But we follow in the paths of those who
establish peace.
Rabbi Dr. David J. Fine is rabbi of Temple Israel and Jewish
Community Center in Ridgewood, and president of the New
Jersey Rabbinical Assembly.
page 6
STORIES page 8
KNISHES page 10
ROOTS page 37
86
Sign up for the
JANUARY 6, 2017 7
2017
14 $1.00
VOL. LXXXVI NO.
RD.COM
Jewish Standard daily newsletter!
Visit www.thejewishstandard.com and click on
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY
JewishStandard
N E W J E R S E Y R O C K L A N D
Nacht
page 22
and expand
Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 37
Opinion

Looking back: a year in review (more like a lifetime!)

P
eople often take this time of year
to look back at the previous 12
months and examine how life
has changed.
New Year’s Day is a designated time for
reflection, where we mark our current
places in life while also looking ahead to
the future, planning on how we would
like to change ourselves or our life circum-
stances for the better. Granted, New Year’s
doesn’t carry the same weight as Rosh
Hashanah — the focus tends to be more
on shrinking waistlines than on searching
souls — but it is a marker nonetheless.
And it’s also fun. We celebrate the fes-
tivities with our silver top hats, goofy pipe-
cleaner glasses, champagne, and confetti,
listening to the top 100 hits of the year as
we wait for the ball to drop from the top
of the Empire State Building — all while
there’s growing ruckus in Times Square
and Ryan Seacrest joins in the countdown.
Or, as is my tradition when New Year’s Eve
falls out on Friday night, I drop an apple
from the top of the stairs and watch it roll
under the living room furniture.
But for me, this New Year’s feels remark-
ably different than those of the past. As the
New Year approaches, I can’t help but look
back at not only the past year, but at the
past three decades, really. I might have
started out this column with the words,
“Oh, what a year it has been.” Yet as of late,
my thoughts are closer to, “Oh, what a 30
years it has been.” The reason for this is
simple, not at all unique.
It all boils down to reflecting on the pas-
sage of time.
For me, that means reflecting on fourth
grade — where my ability to focus on real-
ity kicked in — all the way up to the present
day. No, I mean really. Fourth
grade and down is completely
covered in fog. Except for that
one wonderful teacher who
designated a block of time
each day to sing songs with
us while she played the accor-
dion. It’s funny, the things
we remember.
While I know that most peo-
ple arrive at this point of reflec- Dena Croog
tion at one time or another —
or, perhaps, many times as
they age — it’s the first time I’ve arrived
at this milestone. The passage of time
is palpable.
I recently attended my 20-year high
school reunion. Some describe those as a
blast from the past — or something to avoid
at all costs. Either way. For me, it felt like and I encountered an odd case of syn-
a time warp wherein my reality was dis-
torted to the point of bordering on a paral-
lel universe.
At these reunions, you see people who
you recognize but who are different ver-
sions of those whom you remember. It’s
flat-out weird. But it also feels like a slap entries and remembering the aspirations
in the face that’s telling you to “Wake up!
Welcome to who you’ve become.” Some
of the old cliques may form hives once
again, but it’s clear that most people have
evolved, have grown up, both literally and
figuratively — and some in quite interesting
ways. Then you find yourself realizing that
— wait — you have evolved just as much.
For the most part, it was fun to see the
roads upon which old classmates were
traveling, both reunion attendees and
those who were absent: The history buff
who became a published author. The stu-
dious sweetheart who chose dentistry. The
Mr. Nice Guy who became
a nurse. The bright, smiling
girl who became a halachic
visionary. The interests,
choices, and professions
go on and on. Hedge funds,
real estate, music industry,
teaching, the rabbinate,
law, the medical profes-
sion, nonprofits. The doz-
ens who made aliyah.
Reaching back further, I
recently saw a close friend
from elementary school. We, too, revisited
the past, as we sifted through our eighth-
grade yearbook, page by page, trading
memories that sparked memories and
sharing stories that each of us were hear-
ing for the first time. Soon thereafter, she
chronicity when former classmates started
posting some old photos and memories of
those early days on Facebook. (And oh,
how I cringed at the sight of my young
brace-faced self.)
All of this looking back at yearbook
of youth has been dangling in a place
between overwhelming and eye-opening.
This has not been my year in review. It’s
closer to a life in review.
But as I said, I am by no means alone in
this experience. It happens to most of us at
one time or another, and sometimes many
times at that.
There’s a related phrase, “Looking back
through the rearview mirror.” But I don’t
think that’s exactly what I mean by a life
in review. I think it’s more like looking
out the driver’s side mirror and combin-
ing it with the view of the person sitting
to the right.
When we move forward on the prover-
bial road of our present and future, we’re
only seeing half the picture, at most. Yet
there’s another perspective. That’s the
view of the person in the passenger seat
— the fellow traveler riding shotgun. As a
passenger, I might assess an old classmate
as if he were the driver; I see his journey
from my viewpoint. The basketball junkie
turned lawyer. The jokester turned doctor.
The surprises. The “of course they did…”
But on the flipside, in my former class-
mates’ minds, I am the driver. Just as I see
them, they see me. It’s a shared experience,
even if we haven’t seen one another in two
decades: the places where we’re each going
and the places from where we have come.
It’s natural to look back to the past, espe-
cially when celebrating milestones, like a
20-year high school reunion, or a forth-
coming 25-year anniversary from elemen-
tary school. Certainly when you’re visit-
ing with old friends. I imagine it would be
draining to evaluate your entire past upon
the arrival of each and every New Year.
But every now and then, sparingly, I
would think, looking back can be quite lib-
erating. Maybe I’ll revisit it all in another
30 years.
As for now, though, I’ll just enjoy
the ride.
Dena Croog is a writer and editor in Teaneck
and the founder of Refa’enu, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to mood disorder
awareness and support. More information
about the organization and its support
groups can be found at www.refaenu.org.
You can also email dena@refaenu.org with
any questions or comments.

Letters

More on Sudanese refugees in Israel Thank you, Holy Name

We write in response to the fact-challenged letter that
Dr. Scott Lippe wrote in opposition to our Decem-
ber 15 column, “We Were Once Refugees” (Letters,
December 22). According to published Israeli gov-
ernment statistics, there were 39,274 “infiltrators” in
Israel as of the end of March 2017, with no new arrivals
since the beginning of the year. The published Israeli
government figures show the overwhelming majority
of these people were from Sudan, where the govern-
ment has been waging a vicious campaign of genocide
in Darfur, and Eritrea, which currently is governed by
a notoriously cruel dictatorship.
Only a handful of those people have been granted
hearings. Yet these are not “economic refugees,” nor
does the government of Israel contend that they are.
This is evidenced by Israeli government plans, which
do not involve deportation to their country of origin.
Our column spoke in opposition to an Israeli gov-
ernment decision to expel these refugees to third
countries. Contrary to Lippe’s letter, this is not a
criticism of Israel. It is a criticism of government pol-
icy. Many in Israel also are critical of this decision. We
also publicized a letter presented by the leadership of
HIAS, American leaders across all the leading Jewish
religious streams, as well as by leaders from a num-
ber of American Zionist affiliates. The letter urged
Prime Minister Netanyahu to reverse the decision, and
offered to raise money to help defray costs.
The letter speaks of the Jewish people’s experience
as refugees. Would that countries of Europe and North
America had been more open to Jewish refugees dur-
ing the 1930s. But it seems that for Dr. Lippe and oth-
ers who share his views, when it comes to sheltering
African refugees in Israel, none is too many.
Dr. Mark Gold,
Teaneck
Hiam Simon
Englewood
Joanne Palmer’s article about Holy Name Medical Center’s
simulation center beautifully expresses Holy Name’s mis-
sion to take the best, most advanced medical care to an even
higher level, and to reintroduce humanity to medicine (“Com-
passion 101,” December 22). Michael Maron has established a
true culture of caring and compassion for his entire staff, and
we are continually inspired by the standard of kindness he
sets for others.
We at Sinai Schools have seen this over and over in the
many different ways Sinai Schools has partnered with Holy
Name over the past several years. We are truly blessed to have
Holy Name in our community.
Sam Fishman, Managing Director
Rabbi Yisrael Rothwachs, Dean
Sinai Schools
Paramus

38 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Opinion

Saying goodbye to the Jewish Standard

H
ow do you say goodbye to the The firm was growing, and they asked looking for, so I said to him “I Not only are the adver-
Jewish Standard after working me to be a full-time employee. I said “No, will try it.” tisers great, but my fellow
there for more than 25 years? thank you.” Before I left, however, one Now here it is, more than employees are remarkable
It is not easy! snowy day, I noticed that the diamond 25 years later, and I do not and caring people. And
Thinking about it made me reminisce, from my engagement ring was missing. remember ever telling him Jamie, my boss, is a very car-
going back to when I first stepped into Everyone stopped working and looked for I accepted the position. I do ing, kind, and easygoing per-
the business world. My first job was work- it, but no luck finding it. Everyone tried remember the big clunky son. We at the Jewish Stan-
ing for Medo-Alco Photo in New York to console me. (I did find it, but that’s computer, but it became my dard are a family.
City. I worked for the advertising man- another story). So that is another special friend and I felt comfortable Each day when I leave
ager as a private secretary, using a man- place I hold in my heart. using it. (In time, I did get a Janice the office, I say to at least
ual typewriter and carbon paper. (How I went back to being a full-time wife and more up-to-date computer.) Rosen one fellow employee, “I’m
many of you know what a manual type- mom and continued to volunteer for many At first, I just entered ads into gone.” And now, as I started
writer and carbon paper are?) He taught years, but again I got the itch to return the computer, but eventually this by asking “how am I
me about work ethic, and much more. to work. On several occasions I told my I was asked to solicit them too. I never going to say goodbye after 25 years work-
Also, I became good friends with a fellow friend Esther that I thought I would like to thought I could do this, but I became quite ing for the Jewish Standard?” I will just say
employee, who introduced me to Jerry. We get a part-time job. She happened to work proficient at it. I now did everything per- “I’m gone...for good.” But everyone at the
have been married for 61 years. at the Jewish Standard, and one day she taining to classified ads. I really enjoyed Jewish Standard always will have a place
Why I left this job I do not remember, said that the person who types classified the everyday challenges. in my heart.
but it holds a special place in my heart. ads was leaving. Maybe I would like to do Over the years I have made many com- And now, what will I do that I am
My next place of employment was See- this, she said — and before I knew it she set puter friends. The home health aides who retired? I will go back to being a full-time
burg Jukebox, also in New York City. I was up an interview for me with Jamie Janoff, advertise with me are the nicest people. wife, mother, grandmother, and soon
employed as a secretary and also relief the Standard’s publisher. They are so concerned about me, and in great grandmother!
switchboard operator. (Are you asking He told me what the job entailed. He turn I am concerned about them. In fact,
yourself what a switchboard is?) I enjoyed said that I would have to use a computer. all the classified advertisers are nice peo- For 25 years, Janice Rosen of Teaneck has
this position, as it was fun meeting and “What is a computer?” I asked. “I am ple. So, if you need a plumber, car service, run the classified department at the Jewish
speaking to recording artists. I remember only experienced using a typewriter.” “It antique dealer, home health aide, or any- Standard. Everyone here says goodbye
Perry Como coming into the office (do is similar to a typewriter,” he told me. It one else who advertises on the classified with love, and wishes her a long and happy
you know him?) and we all were in awe. was a part-time job, which was what I was pages, I suggest that you employ them. retirement.
(I have a photo with him and
a Seeburg jukebox.) I became
engaged, married, and pregnant
while I worked there. My boss
was very old-fashioned and when
I told him I was pregnant he said
I would have to leave. I talked
him into letting me continue to
work and I worked until my ninth
month, but at the end of each day
he had a fellow employee walk
me to the train station. No won-
der I still hold a place in my heart
for him.
Jerry and I lived in Brooklyn,
but after we had two sons we
moved to Teaneck, and in time
we added two more sons to our
family. I continued to be a stay-
at-home wife and mom. I became
involved in our synagogue, in
Hebrew school, as sisterhood
president for 10 years (not in suc-
cession), on the congregation
board as recording secretary, and
in several vice president posi-
tions. I also volunteered for JNF
and taught fourth-graders at the
Whittier School, I knitted — and
there was much more. I kept busy
— but there came a time that I felt
I needed to do something else.
As a lark, I started to look for a
part-time position, never thinking
I actually would go back to work,
but lo and behold, I was hired as
a secretary at Emabond in Engle-
wood. While I was working there,
they moved to Norwood. Janice Rosen, second from left, joins other Seeburg Jukebox employees in welcoming crooner Perry Como to the office.

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 39

Opinion

Demonstrators carry a picture of the

late palestinian leader Yasser arafat
as they march in Berlin in July 2014 to
protest the israeli military’s Operation
protective edge in gaza.
BOrIs NIeHAUs VIA WIKIMeDIA COMMONs

An anti anti-Semitism commissioner

is a good idea for Germany right now
T
here’s an intense debate going
on in Germany right now
about whether to create a post
for a federal commissioner
to deal with the growing problem of
anti-Semitism.
The proposal — originally floated by
parliamentarians from the left-wing Green
Party — has taken on an added urgency
following the spate of demonstrations
around Germany that accompanied Presi-
dent Donald Trump’s decision on Decem-
ber 6 to recognize Jerusalem
as Israel’s capital. In several
cases, including at a rally at
Berlin’s landmark Branden-
burg Gate, the mainly Mus-
lim protesters burned Israeli
flags while waving Turkish
and Arab ones, and chanted
“death to the Jews.”
Many German politicians,
including Justice Minister Ben Cohen
Heiko Maas, believe that the
creation of a commissioner’s
post will send a clear signal that there is and three young children? What else, for
zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in mod-
ern Germany. Some members of the ruling
CDU party are also calling for the burning
the center-right and the center-left, to rec-
ognize that anti-Semitism — or “Judenhass,”
as it is more evocatively called — has become
embedded within Germany’s Muslim com-
munities. This should not mean, as the
head of Germany’s Jewish community Josef
Schuster noted, that the problem of far-right
anti-Semitism, in the country that spawned
National Socialism, should be ignored or
downplayed; rather, what needs to be
understood is that we are dealing with two
distinct challenges that frequently overlap.
Violence based on anti-
Semitic belief is the most
obvious common factor here,
not just in Germany, but else-
where in Europe. What else,
other than a burning hatred
of Jews, led the Islamist ter-
rorist Mohammed Merah
to enter the courtyard of a
Jewish school in the French
city of Toulouse in March
2012, brandishing a gun with
which he murdered a teacher
that matter, lies behind the lesser, but still
ugly, incidents that we read about from the
Amsterdam rabbi whose windows were
least self-interested ones. Germany does
not want its 150,000 Jews to live with fear
or uncertainty, or to leave. A Jewish exo-
dus not only would leave Germans cul-
turally impoverished and — in the case of
many of its leaders and citizens — utterly
heartbroken. In the eyes of many ordinary
Germans, it also would sound the alarm
about the future of their own civilization.
And who can predict what grotesquely
ironic twist of history it would lead to?
Dealing with the problem now, devoting
research and resources to it, and stating
resolutely that anti-Semitism is alien to
national culture and national life, is the
most realistic option open to governments
who want to ward off both domestic and
foreign extremism.
There is another reason why the German
proposal is a good one — and why it might
also be an appropriate model for other
European countries, particularly France,
Belgium, and Sweden. All too often, the pol-
icy discussion of anti-Semitism in Europe
has become buried in the more general
framework of countering racism.
I feel it is necessary to be extra clear
here, so let me say that I do not believe
that the personal experience of anti-Semi-
hatred — not worse than, not better than,
but distinct from. For example, anti-Sem-
itism is far more politically promiscu-
ous than other forms of racism, settling
with ease on both left and right. Or, to
take another example, deep within the
anti-Semitic worldview is a stress on “origi-
nal sin” that is absent in other racist dis-
courses. Jewish culpability for the death of
Jesus is one ancient example, Zionist cul-
pability for the dispossession of the Pales-
tinians is a modern one.
I could go on, but suffice to say that it
is these distinctive characteristics of anti-
Semitism that inflame much of the vio-
lence that Jews in Europe face today. That
Jews feel a natural solidarity with the vic-
tims of other forms of racism doesn’t mean
that we should compromise our analysis
of the problem — which includes estab-
lishing why it is that European Muslims,
themselves indubitably victims of racism,
tolerate in their midst the merchants of
genocide against the Jews.
Finding credible answers to that ques-
tion should be the first job of any minister
or public official tasked with combating
the oldest, most long-lasting hatred.
JNs.OrG

of the Israeli flag to be made a criminal broken by Jew-baiting thugs to the anti- tism is worse than the personal experience
offense, with deportation as the punish- Semitic riots in the Swedish city of Malmö? of any other form of bigotry. To the people Ben Cohen writes a weekly column
ment for any foreigner who defies the law Those who see the creation of a federal on the receiving end, the hurt and pain on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern
on that point. commissioner as a response that exag- and shock are more or less the same. politics. His work has been published in
Both those views are to be applauded. gerates the current scale of the problem But sensitivity to emotion is not the only Commentary, the New York Post, Haaretz,
From what I have seen in the German press, should consider that there are long-term factor we must take into account. the Wall Street Journal, and many other
there is a laudable willingness, at least on considerations that weigh in its favor, not Anti-Semitism is a distinct form of publications

40 Jewish standard deCeMBer 29, 2017

 D’var Torah
d

Vayechi: The blessing of harmony

W
hat does it mean to give a
Jewish blessing?
Last spring, I was help-
ing to plan an interfaith
vigil to recognize and support a group
of college students who were engaged in
a weeklong hunger strike in support of
farmworker rights. Though the students
were all either Christian or non-religious,
the clergy planning the service were more
diverse, including myself, a Presbyterian
minister, and a Muslim leader, so finding
a shared way to impart religious meaning
to the fasters was complicated. A Chris-
tian colleague suggested anointing the
fasters with olive oil (“But it’s biblical!”)
and as I rejected that idea outright, I impa-
tiently declared: “This vigil is on Friday
afternoon. I’m just going to bless the fast-
ers, because that’s what Jews do before
Shabbat.” As a murmur of approval went
around the room, my outward bravado
gave way to internal doubt. What kind of
blessing could I give?
This week’s parsha, Vayechi, is stuffed
with generational blessings. As Jacob pre-
pares to die, he first blesses his grandsons,
Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh,
(Genesis 48) and then calls together all of
his sons for final words (Genesis 49). This
moment is particularly tense for Jacob,
having used the similar moment in his
past to trick his father and swindle his
brother, leading to decades of strife, and
because his sons don’t have the best track
record of graciousness when another one
of their cohort is being favored. The bless-
ings he ends up bestowing seem for some
of his sons more like a settling of scores
than an expression of future prosperity,
as Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are exco-
riated for past violence and betrayals
(49:4-7), and for others like a prophecy.
A frail old man, Jacob can only use his
final words to settle his own scores, not
bring unity to his fractious clan, to the
point that his sons, immediately after his
burial, are certain that their long-wronged
brother Joseph, now in a position of great
power, is going to finally enact a long-
awaited revenge (50: 18-21)
But Jacob’s blessings of his grandsons
— his true heirs, since in blessing both of
them, he gives Joseph a double inheritance
— is a different kind of legacy. Ephraim
and Manasseh are the first pair of brothers
in the line of Abraham to break the fam-
ily mold of jealousy and strife between
siblings. We are never given Manasseh’s
reaction when Jacob elevates his younger
brother over him, placing his right hand
on Ephraim’s head. Joseph seeks to correct
his father, but the boys sticks around even as children
silently accept that their become adults and parents.
relationship is more sacred My parents still say “Consider
than squabbling about yourself blessed” at the end of
this possible inequity. Past our pre-Shabbat phone call,
generations saw blessing and when my older daughter
as a currency of scarcity, went to sleepover camp for
to be hoarded and fought the first time this past summer,
over, while Ephraim and I ended my Friday emails to
Manasseh can be seen as Rabbi Rachel her the same way (even when
approaching it from a place Kahn-Troster I wasn’t sure if she would get
of abundance: through them before Sunday).
God’s goodness, there is While we tend to think of
plenty to go around. Jacob can see that Jewish blessings as moments of express-
his conflict-free blessing of his grandsons ing gratitude, birkat banim is an appeal to
will become the template for transmitting hope. Rather than thanking God for what
future intergenerational blessings: “So he we have, we ask God to secure all of our
blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you shall hopes and dreams for our children. We
Israel invoke blessings, saying: May God invoke Ephraim and Manasseh to remind
make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” them that blessings can exist in abundance
(Genesis 48: 20). if they commit to peace and harmony —
The blessing to Ephraim and Manasseh that there are no blessings found in strife.
thus becomes the origin of the Friday night May God make us like the ones who put
custom of birkat banim, the blessing of the relationship over outcome, which indeed
children recited by Jewish parents after the is a core value of those who fight to make
lighting of Shabbat candles. We bless girls the world a better place, like my hunger-
by invoking Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and striking college students.
Leah. Coming as we transition between
the chaos of the week to the sacred quiet Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster of Teaneck
of Shabbat, birkat banim is a necessary is director of programs at T’ruah: The
moment of emotional connection that Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.

Reconciliation
FROM PAGE 35
Authority, launched in October, is still in
its nascent stages. It’s not clear to what
degree Hamas has transferred powers
to the P.A., and whether the Palestinian
Authority has made an issue of conveying
information to Israeli families about the
living captives or the remains of the dead.
A request for comment from the office
of the Palestine Liberation Organization
envoy to Washington was not answered.
Israel has expressed concerns about rec-
onciliation, and whether it will leave Hamas
militias in place. It is adamantly opposed to
recognition of Palestinian statehood out-
side the context of peace talks, which have
yet to resume, although the Trump admin-
istration is endeavoring to restart talks.
In the past, Palestinians have coun-
tered that Israel also uses captives and the
remains of the fallen as bargaining chips.
Cotler said these were not comparable to
the plight of the Goldins: Israel, he said,
abided by laws requiring that information
be conveyed to the families of captives and
the fallen. Moreover, he said, Goldin was
not nabbed during the conflict but in its
immediate aftermath, likely for the express
purpose of being a bargaining chip.
“At this point, it is known who is being
held, where they are being held,” he said.
“There is also a process of legal appeal
in Israel.”
Goldin said she was heartened by the
response to her presentation to the Secu-
rity Council, first in that all but one nation
— China — attended, and China’s envoy
sent apologies, noting a scheduling con-
flict. The Security Council was convened
under a semiformal mechanism that does
not require attendance by all members.
Among those attending was Egypt, one
of a handful of nations that has influence
with Hamas, through the border Egypt
shares with Gaza. In his presentation, Cot-
ler noted that Hamas — and, he argued, the
Palestinian Authority, by dint of the recon-
ciliation process — was in violation of the
1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights
in Islam, which declares that “[t]he state
and the society shall protect one’s body
and burial place from desecration.”
For Egypt, the declaration is a signal of
the leadership to which it aspires in the
Arab and Muslim worlds. The PLO is a
signatory.
Egypt’s envoy did not comment, but
many others at the session expressed
sympathy, Goldin said. Among them are
such nations as Sweden, which have an
otherwise fraught relationship with Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
government.
Countries not now on the Security
Council, which has five permanent mem-
bers and 10 members elected to two-
year terms, also were at the session. “We
welcome today’s session, and Canada
wishes to stand in solidarity with the fami-
lies — to quote former Canadian Minister of
Justice Irwin Cotler, who testified before us
today — we wish to tell you that you are not
alone,” Louise Blais, the deputy Canadian
ambassador to the United Nations, said in
remarks addressed to Goldin.
Goldin credits Nikki Haley, the U.S.
envoy to the United Nations who has made
bold declarations of the alliance with Israel
a centerpiece of the U.S. mission, for ini-
tiating the session, and she also thanked
Ukraine for co-sponsoring it. The issue
of troops held hostage incognito is a sore
point for Ukraine in its ongoing war with
rebels backed by Russia.
“This is another real opportunity to
resolve our case,” Goldin said. “Every
country that has relations with the Pales-
tinian Authority should consider seriously
what the PA is doing to return Hadar, Oron
and the civilians.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

WE OFFER REPAIRS 1245 Teaneck Rd.

AND ALTERATIONS
We want your business and we go the extra
Teaneck
TALLESIM CLEANED • SPECIAL SHABBOS RUSH SERVICE mile to make you a regular customer 837-8700
5 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 41
Crossword
“NEW YEAR’S DAYS”
The Frazzled Housewife
BY YONI GLATT, KOSHERCROSSWORDS@GMAIL.COM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM

Husband #1 and Alexa —

a match made in heaven
BANJI GANCHROW The kids can’t stop laughing. If Alexa was

S
real, she would be laughing as well.
ometimes people doubt things Unfortunately, the only person not
that I write about. Mostly when laughing is Husband #1. We had turned
it comes to Husband #1. How Alexa off for Shabbos — well, the kids did,
many of you have often thought, because I have no idea how she works —
“poor guy, has to live with that crazy and Husband #1 came home from shul.
woman.” And to you I say, “Please, come “Alexa,” he said calmly, “Please play
live in my house for a few hours, and you havdalah.” No response from Alexa
will see that I am crazy for a reason.” because, well, she was turned off (for
Let me take you back a few years, many reasons). “Alexa, please play
when the light in our closet was broken. havdalah.” Nope. Nothing. Dad, we
You had to keep pulling on the string turned her off for Shabbos. So, Son #1
to get the bulb to turn on. turned her back on and
It took at least five tries to then Husband #1 started
accomplish this goal. And again. “Play havdalah.”
every morning, when Hus- Dad, you have to say Alexa
band #1 got up for work at first. “Alexa, please play
6 a.m., he would attempt havdalah.”
to turn the light on, and he And it was as if she
would wake me up in the knew what I was think-
process. FIX THE LIGHT!!!! ing. She responded, “I am
STOP WAKING ME UP sorry, I don’t know that
EVERY SINGLE MORNING!!!! Banji one.” We couldn’t stop
So I fixed the light. And Ganchrow laughing.
peace was restored to our Poor Husband #1. I used
Across Down
home. to be the only female in the
1. Zilpah’s second son 1. Plays have them
6. November verb 2. Executive, slangily Now it is his alarm clock. If he goes to house to give him a hard time and now he
11. Where Joel often plays: Abbr. 3. They’re greatly expected from the sleep too late at night because of some has Alexa baiting and mocking him. See,
14. Ex or current New York Governor Yankees this year sporting event — and that isn’t a euphe- all it takes is living with him for a little bit
15. Notable woman pregnant at 90 4. “Bam!” chef mism, he is actually watching a sport- and even the electronics catch on.
16. TLV est. 5. Al who was the 1953 A.L. M.V.P.
ing event — his alarm scares him in the Alexa is an amazing invention, if not
17. Where many non-Jews celebrate New 6. Lawyers’ letters
Year’s 7. Former Israeli chief rabbi morning. So he ends up jumping up and just for the purpose of aggravating tech-
19. Doubtfire title 8. 1996 Schwarzenegger-Caan film knocking it on the floor, where it con- nologically challenged individuals. In
20. Sound investments? 9. They include Funshine, Love-a-Lot, and tinues to wail its morning greeting. So the morning, Son #1 often asks me what
21. Place for a girl to learn Torah, for short Tenderheart pleasant. It is a miracle that I haven’t the weather is like, and unless I have
22. Symbols that signify OK for some 10. Not us
killed him yet. gone outside to warm up his car (yes, I
Jews 11. Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie”, e.g.
23. Peel 12. Dealt a blow, in the Bible Yes, some of you might think the mira- am that kind of mother) I have no idea
24. Messing or Winger, for short 13. Neon and argon, for two (Var.) cle is that he hasn’t killed me yet, but the what the temperature is. All he has to
25. “Yafeh” 18. Lay turf guy has never had to do his own laundry say is, “Alexa, what is the weather like
26. Last month 24. Beit follower or cook a meal. Yes, I am patting myself in Teaneck?” and she miraculously
28. What many non-Jews blast on New 25. One with a real schnoz, you could say
on the back. responds. It’s amazing!!!
Year’s 26. Antlered animal
30. TV host Goodman 27. Waikiki wear And now we have Alexa. She is the dot Of course, wouldn’t it be nice if when
31. “The Da Vinci Code” priory 28. Mountain mist version. Small, inexpensive, and now your kids ask Alexa a question, she
33. “Ooh” companions 29. “Huh?” she is Husband #1’s problem. At first I would respond, “Ask you mother, she
34. Secular way to bring in New Year’s 31. Hyperbolic function in trigonometry thought of returning her, but the laugh- knows more than I do!” But I am assum-
36. Jewish way to bring in New Year’s 32. “The Age of ___” (Winona Ryder film)
ter that has resulted from their conversa- ing that a man invented Alexa so he
40. Wayside spot ran by Rahab 35. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-___
41. America, in relation to Israel 36. The “p” in r.p.m. tions has been so therapeutic that she is could have another woman around who
42. “___ won’t be afraid” 37. Tantalize here to stay. First, he forgets that he has knows all the answers.
43. What many Jews blast on New Year’s 38. AKA for Israeli singer Achinoam Nini to say “Alexa,” so we hear him yelling at As for Alexa and Husband #1, I am
47. Great Lee turning 95 on December 28 39. “Hey Jealousy” band ___ Blossoms the inanimate hockey-puck-looking con- hoping that even though their relation-
48. A heroic Netanyahu 41. Obi follower, in sci-fi
traption on the kitchen counter. “Play ship has gotten off to a rocky start, they
49. 100 yrs. 43. Antiochus IV or Ivan IV
50. Trei ___ (minor prophets) 44. Leader during the Depression Jewish music.” Louder. “PLAY JEWISH will eventually start to understand each
52. Make a stink? 45. Independent being MUSIC.” Um, dad, you have to say Alexa other. Anything is possible!
53. Michele or Thompson 46. Purim meals first. “Alexa, play Jewish music.” Alexa
54. Slanted letters 47. Great Jewish Queen ___ Alexandra takes one look at this guy and says, “I’m Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck is happy that
57. Arad of Marvel 50. Words before distance or discount
sorry, I don’t know that one.” Alexa knows who Rick Springfield is, so
58. Where many Jews celebrate New 51. “The Lord of the Rings” and the like
Year’s 53. He played Oskar for Steven Poor Husband #1. He just wants to she can be transported back to the ‘80s
60. Brooklyn player, in Silver’s league 54. He was played by Harrison for Steven hear some music. I can’t stop laughing. any time she wants.
61. Made like Adam Sandler, at times 55. On the ___ of...
62. Make like Adam Sandler, at times 56. Has a prophecy
63. Undertake 59. Ken of Israel?
64. Not well-groomed

“Play havdalah.”
65. Permeates, with “through”

The solution to last week’s puzzle is on page 47.

Dad, you have to say Alexa first.
“Alexa, please play havdalah.”
42 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
 the 21st Century,” at
Calendar
young children on their Music, 7 p.m. The concert core exhibition and three
Congregation Beth Aaron own out of France on is to celebrate Masi’s special exhibitions. Adult
in Teaneck, 8:30 p.m. The an impossible journey 65th birthday. Reception and family-friendly tours
series concludes January to safety across the follows. 411 East Clinton are free with museum
9. 950 Queen Anne Swiss border. 389 West Ave. (201) 408-1465 or admission. See the
Road. (201) 836-6210 or Englewood Ave. Tickets, jccotp.org/Thurnauer. National Yiddish Theatre
www.bethaaron.org. (201) 837-2795 or www. Folksbiene’s production
rinat.org/event/fannys- of “The Sorceress” (Di
Friday journey.html. Kishefmakherin). The
museum’s restaurant,
JANUARY 5
Sunday LOX at Café Bergson,
will be open. 36
Shabbat in Fort JANUARY 7 Battery Place in Lower
Lee: The JCC of Fort Manhattan. www.mjhnyc.
Lee/Congregation Blood drive in org or (646) 437-4202.
Gesher Shalom hosts Englewood:
a congregational Congregation Ahavath
dinner and musical
service. Dinner, 6 p.m.,
Torah holds a blood drive
with New Jersey Blood Singles
followed by services Services, a division of Knitting/book club in
at 7. 1449 Anderson New York Blood Center, Teaneck: The sisterhood
of the Jewish Center of
Sunday
Ave. Reservations, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 240 Broad
(201) 947-1735. Ave. (800) 933-2566 or Teaneck hosts Knitting JANUARY 7
www.nybloodcenter.org. Night, 7-8 p.m. Afterward,
Seniors meet in West
Saturday Play group in Emerson:
the Leaves of Faith
Book Club will discuss Nyack: Singles 65+
JANUARY 6 Shalom Baby of the Franz Kafka’s “The Trial,” meets for a social bagels
Jewish Federation of with Professor Sarah and lox brunch at the
Shabbat in Teaneck: Northern New Jersey Rindner and Rabbi Daniel JCC Rockland, 11 a.m. All
Temple Emeth holds a offers a Mommy-and- Fridman. 70 Sterling are welcome, particularly
Shabbaton exploring the Me-style play group Place. (201) 833-0515 or if you are from Hudson,
themes in the Jewish for family members jcot.org. Passaic, Bergen, or
Federation of Northern and caregivers with Rockland counties. 450
New Jersey’s One Book, babies and toddlers, West Nyack Road. Gene
JAN. On Friday, January
5, New York
One Community book
selection, “Zahav — A
at Congregation B’nai
Israel, 9:30 a.m. Bagel In New York Arkin, (845) 356-5525.

5 breakfast. 53 Palisade Comedy and brunch

Philharmonic violinist World of Israeli Cooking”
in Clifton: The North
Yulia Ziskel and pianist
by Michael Solomonov Ave. (201) 820-3902,
www.jfnnj.org/
Monday Jersey Jewish Singles
and Steven Cook. Torah
James Rensink will be guest artists study, 9 a.m.; services at shalombaby. JANUARY 1 at the Clifton Jewish
Center, 40s-60s, meets
at Temple Beth El in Closter. They 10:30, when Rabbi Steven
Jazz in Glen Rock: January 1 at the for brunch and open
Sirbu will explore Israel
will perform a mini-concert at and its land of bounty; Guitarist Ken Karsh, museum: The Museum mic comedy, noon.
bassist Charlie of Jewish Heritage — Bring your favorite
6:30 p.m.; wine and cheese follow lunch at 12:15 p.m., with
Dougherty, and drummer A Living Memorial to jokes. 18 Delaware St.
at 7; Shabbat services with the salads prepared with
Sam Fishman play at the Holocaust offers a (973) 772-3131 or www.
recipes from “Zahav.”
guest artists, led by Rabbis David Screening of Israeli the second annual “Big “Day at the Museum,” meetup.com (use group
Jazz Comes Back to 10 a.m.-6 p.m. See the name).
Widzer and Beth Kramer-Mazer documentary “In Search
Glen Rock,” 5 p.m., at the
of Israeli Cuisine,”
and student cantor Julie Staple, starring Chef Solomonov Glen Rock Jewish Center.
are at 7:30. 221 Schraalenburgh at 1. 1666 Windsor 682 Harristown Road.
Road, Closter. (201) 768-5112 or Road. (201) 833-1322 or (201) 652-6624 or grjc. Emerson shul will host
org.
www.tbenv.org. COURTESY TEMPLE BETH EL
lindaposkanzer@msn.
com.
February comedy show
Music in Tenafly:
Thurnauer School Advance tickets for comedy night at Congregation
faculty member Steven B’nai Israel of Emerson on Saturday, February 10
Masi performs piano (snow date February 11), are on sale through January
concertos by Mozart
Friday Tuesday 12. Doors will open that night for desserts and drinks
and Beethoven along
at 7:30 p.m.; comedy begins at 8:30 p.m. with Rodney
DECEMBER 29 JANUARY 2 with an all-star orchestra
of friends, including Laney (Comedy Central, HBO), Mick Thomas (Mohe-
Shabbat in Jersey City: Jewish parenting: Film in Teaneck: Thurnauer colleagues gan Sun, Showtime), and Steve Shaffer (Tonight Show,
The adult education and alumni and members
Congregation B’nai Rabbi Larry Rothwachs Late Show, CBS Morning Show, ACE Award-winner).
Jacob has a Shabbat continues a series, committee of of the Metropolitan
Congregation Rinat Opera Orchestra, New Tickets are $50 per person ($40 for seniors) if you
service including yoga, “Perspectives on Jewish
allowing participants Parenting in an Ever- Yisrael in Teaneck Jersey Symphony buy them on or before January 12; they are $55 per
to relax and take deep Changing World,” with screens the award- Orchestra and Orpheus, person afterward. Tickets include beer, a signature red
winning true story film, conducted by Diego
breaths, 7 p.m. 176 West a discussion, “The Times
Garcia, at the Kaplen cocktail, soft drinks, snacks, and desserts. Attendees
Side Ave. (201) 435-5725 They Are A-Changin’: “Fanny’s Journey,”
8:30 p.m. In 1943, 13- JCC on the Palisades can bring their own kosher wine. For information, call
or info@bnaijacobjc.org. Jewish Parenting in
year old Fanny led 10 Thurnauer School of (201) 265-2272  or  go to www.bisrael.com.

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 43

Jewish World
How Sholom Rubashkin’s supporters got
Trump to commute his sentence
RON KAMPEAS
WASHINGTON — Why did President
Donald Trump commute the sentence
of Sholom Rubashkin, the former CEO
of an Iowa kosher meat plant who had
been sentenced to 27 years in prison for
bank fraud?
The official line is that the bipartisan
support for Rubashkin’s cause made cut-
ting short his sentence a no-brainer. The
first sentence of the White House state-
ment calls the commutation “an action
encouraged by bipartisan leaders from
across the political spectrum, from Nancy
Pelosi to Orrin Hatch,” referring respec-
tively to the Democratic leader in the U.S.
House of Representatives and the conser-
vative Republican senator from Utah.
Uncharacteristically, the announcement
is pronouncedly hedged and goes out of
its way to note that others who are not the
president wanted Rubashkin freed.
One of those others is Alan Dershow-
itz, the constitutional lawyer from whom
Trump has solicited advice since becoming
president. Dershowitz directly counseled
Trump to free Rubashkin, the attorney
told various media outlets.
“I raised it with the Obama administra-
tion,” Dershowitz told the Orthodox news
site Hamodia. “A number of us wrote let-
ters to President Obama, trying to get him
to commute the sentence. He didn’t do it.
And then when the Trump administration
came in, we continued our efforts.”
Dershowitz also may have reached the
president at a time when he is inclined
to think favorably about Orthodox Jews.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and
his daughter, Ivanka Trump, are Orthodox
Jews, as are some of his closest advisers. A
majority of Orthodox Jews voted for Trump,
compared to the non-Orthodox majority of
Jews, who voted for Hillary Clinton.
“During the course of the campaign, he
identified the Orthodox as the segment of
the Jewish community most likely to be
supportive of him,” said David Zweibel, the
executive vice president of Agudath Israel
of America. “We proceeded over the last
year with the assumption that this change
in the administration could make a differ-
ence in the Rubashkin case because he
would be more likely to have an open ear
to things that are open to us.”
Kushner has longstanding ties to the
Chabad-Lubavitch movement, of which
Rubashkin is a member.
“My impression is that Donald Trump
is much more receptive to the interests
and concerns of the Orthodox Jewish
community, maybe because of the asso-
ciation with his son-in-law,” said Nathan
Lewin, a top Washington lawyer involved
44 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017
Sholom Rubashkin, seen in Postville, Iowa, in December 2004, served eight
years of a 27-year prison term for bank fraud.
 ZBIGNIEW BZDAK/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS VIA GETTY IMAGES
in Jewish causes.
Lewin, who represented Rubashkin for
a number of years, said that prosecutorial
and judicial misconduct made Rubashkin’s
case an easy sell when he and Paul Clem-
ent, a former U.S. solicitor general, did
the rounds of Congress seeking support
for Rubashkin.
“I would offer the draft of a letter, and
more often than not they would say ‘I’m
going to write my own letter’,” Lewin said
in an interview.
The same was true of about 100 top for-
mer Justice Department officials, Demo-
crats and Republicans, who also joined
drives to persuade courts to reconsider
Rubashkin’s sentencing.
Whatever the circumstance, Rubashkin’s
release led to a rapturous reception in the
Chabad enclave of Borough Park, Brooklyn,
where his family now lives. “I believe there
is a sense of relief because many millions
of people were under the impression that
the integrity of our judiciary had been com-
promised,” Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the execu-
tive vice president of American Friends of
Lubavitch (Chabad), said.
The commutation, in any case, was
exceptional. Trump has used his execu-
tive power to free someone from a prison
sentence only one other time: In August,
he pardoned Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff
of Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpaio, who
had been convicted of criminal contempt,
had yet to begin his one-year sentence.
The sheriff was a prominent Trump
backer in the 2016 presidential race, and
the White House was unapologetic in its
pardon statement. “After more than fifty
years of admirable service to our Nation,
he is worthy [sic] candidate for a Presiden-
tial pardon,” the statement said.
The Rubashkin decision seemed to be
based more on its merits than on Trump’s
loyalty to an ally. In the statement, Trump
said that Rubashkin’s sentence was one
“many have called excessive in light of its
disparity with sentences imposed for simi-
lar crimes.”
Rubashkin’s plant, Agriprocessors, was
targeted by a major immigration raid in
2008 that led to the arrest of nearly 400
undocumented Guatemalan and Mexican
workers. Facing charges for employing the
undocumented workers, including chil-
dren, Rubashkin tried to sell the company.
Federal prosecutors warned potential
buyers that the government would seize
the company if anyone in Rubashkin’s fam-
ily retained a stake in it. That scared away
buyers, and when Rubashkin declared
bankruptcy, banks were in a $27 mil-
lion hole.
Rubashkin was convicted for masking
the company’s declining fortunes from
the banks that had lent money to the com-
pany. His advocates claim that prosecu-
tors effectively set Rubashkin up by taking
steps that drove him to take illegal actions
that concealed his company’s true debt.
Rubashkin was sentenced to 27 years for
bank fraud. Federal guidelines provide for
sentencing of up to 30 years for that crime
but allow for mitigating factors, including
the defendant’s prior record, his charac-
ter, and the amount in question. Rubash-
kin had no prior record, and was known
for his charitable contributions to Jewish
causes. According to one sentencing study,
in 2012, the range for financial crimes
between $20 million and $50 million hov-
ered around 10 years.
Additionally, the judge who imposed the
sentence, Linda Reade, had presided over
the crackdown on illegal immigrant work-
ers. Attorneys for Rubashkin argued that
she did not reveal what could have been
construed as a bias against Rubashkin at
the trial’s outset. Prosecutors dropped
the immigration charges, citing Rubash-
kin’s long bank fraud sentence. A year
later, Rubashkin was acquitted of child
labor charges.
In 2008, federal prosecutors convinced
a magistrate to deny Rubashkin bail, argu-
ing that because he was Jewish, he posed
a flight risk — he could immigrate to Israel.
The prosecutors did not provide any evi-
dence that Rubashkin had any plans to
move to Israel, claiming only that he had
“de facto dual citizenship.”
That sparked widespread outrage
among his supporters. Reade overturned
the ruling, and Rubashkin was free on bail
during his trial. Still, Zweibel said, a bad
aftertaste lingered.
“The implications of that is that if you
are a Jewish American you will be denied
bail,” he said. “You will be a flight risk. To
the community, this gave more exposure
to questioning how a chasidic Jew in Iowa
could get a fair shake.”
Some Jewish observers of the case
agreed that Rubashkin’s sentence was
excessive and the commutation fair, but
also insisted that he didn’t deserve a
hero’s homecoming.
Rubashkin’s business model “was built
on the exploitation of his immigrant labor
force, indifference to the environmental
damage caused by his plant, and unnec-
essary pain and suffering for the animals
that he slaughtered,” Rabbi Morris Allen,
an advocate for ethical values in kosher
slaughter, wrote in the Forward. “Indeed,
as many inside his piece of the Jewish com-
munity celebrate his release, many others
are wondering when the Jewish commu-
nity as a whole will come to grips with the
ethics demanded of us in the production
of kosher food.”
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, who heads T’ruah, a
rabbinical human rights group, said true
repentance doesn’t depend on the length
of a prison sentence and isn’t guaranteed
once the sentence ends. The responsibility
is on the person.
“Just punishment should push peo-
ple toward teshuvah,” repentance, “and
should be restorative,” she said. “Eight
years or 27 years or any number of years
is unlikely to move him toward a place
where he has more compassion for immi-
grants and workers.”
 JTA WIRE SERVICE

Jewish groups find small victories
in a tax bill they otherwise hate
RON KAMPEAS
WASHINGTON — Most Jewish groups
decried a massive tax reform package
for what they said were cuts in taxes that
would savage entitlements, although
some groups celebrated discrete victo-
ries in portions of the massive bill.
The Republican-led Senate and U.S.
House of Representatives passed the bill
last week, and President Donald Trump
signed it a few days later.
The bill, which goes into effect for
2018 tax filings, institutes some moder-
ate cuts for individual filers and slashes
the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to
21 percent, which Republicans say will
spur business. It purports to simplify tax
filing by replacing deductions with tax
cuts. One nonpartisan analysis predicts it
will increase deficits by $1.4 trillion over
the next decade.
The Reform movement, in a statement
before the Senate vote, said the law “will
impose a massive addition to the debt
and threaten effective anti-poverty pro-
grams, including Medicaid and SNAP.”
Medicaid subsidizes health care for the
poor, and SNAP, formerly known as food
stamps, provides nutritional assistance
to the poor. “It makes the tax code more
regressive and less fair, deepening our
country’s already-significant economic
inequality,” the statement said.
B’nai B’rith International, which runs
a network of homes for the elderly,
decried the risks it said the tax bill posed
to Medicaid as well as to Medicare, which
subsidizes health care for Americans 65
and older. “B’nai B’rith International is
deeply disappointed that Congress has
passed a tax reform plan that does not
consider the negative long-term con-
sequences to Medicare and Medicaid —
the social safety net programs that are a
hallmark of this nation’s commitment to
those in need,” it said.
The National Council of Jewish Women
also reserved its most pointed attack for
the reform package’s potential to slice
funding for Medicare, Medicaid and
Social Security. “Perhaps most egregious,
the cuts to revenues endanger programs
such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social
Security by triggering rules that would
force Congress to make up for shortfalls
in those programs by slashing benefits,
since revenue increases would be off the
table when the tax bill becomes law,” the
group’s CEO, Nancy Kaufman, said in
a statement.
The Reform movement and B’nai
B’rith also decried the removal of a tax
penalty for those who fail to buy health
insurance, which had been a feature of
the Affordable Care Act, the signature
law passed by Trump’s predecessor,
President Barack Obama. “Last year 3.3
J
Jewish World Obituaries
Sylvia Danzig
Sylvia Danzig, originally of
Beer, Adam Beer, and
Aaron Fleischauer, and
Anna Lee, Amy Pakett,
and a great-grandson.
the Bronx, died Decem- two great-grandchildren. Arrangements were by
ber 25. Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Chapel,
million people between the ages of 55 She was a singer and Robert Schoem’s Menorah Fair Lawn.
and 64 received insurance through the businesswoman. Chapel, Paramus.
Affordable Care Act marketplace,” B’nai Predeceased by her Francine Maybaum
B’rith said. “Repealing the individual husband, Leon, and sister, Eric Katzman Francine “Fran” May-
mandate, according to the Congressio- Sandra, she is survived Eric Katzman, 30, of Har- baum, 83, of Fair Lawn
nal Budget Office, will cause premiums by children, Jeffrey and rington Park died Decem- died December 23.
to increase by 10 percent.” Pamela; daughter-in-law ber 20. Predeceased by her hus-
Charities also fear that the new tax Joan, and grandchildren, A graduate of Northern band of 41 years, Philip,
code will discourage charitable giving by Lloyd and Blake. Valley Old Tappan High she is survived by a daugh-
doubling the standard deduction, which Contributions can be School and the University ter, Hilary; sisters, Shirley
does not require itemization from $6,350 sent to the American of Michigan, he is survived and Barbara; a nephew,
to $12,000 for individuals and $12,700 to Heart Association or the by his parents, Lori and Jake, and cousins.
$24,000 for married couples. “These Valley Hospital, Ridge- Marc, and siblings, Bryan Donations can be made
provisions will greatly decrease the wood. Arrangements Katzman, and Amanda to the American Lung
number of taxpayers that itemize (and were by Robert Schoem’s and Garen Ferstandig. Association.
thus benefit from a tax deduction for Menorah Chapel, Donations can be made Arrangements were by
charitable giving) as well as ‘increase the Paramus. to Major League Baseball Robert Schoem’s Menorah
cost of giving’ for those who continue to Urban Youth Foundation. Chapel, Paramus.
itemize,” the Jewish Federations of North Mae Fleischauer Arrangements were by
America said in an analysis. Mae Fleischauer, née Louis Suburban Chapel,
Groups pointed to some wins wrapped Fishman, 92, of Teaneck, Fair Lawn.
into the reforms — although in many formerly of Fair Lawn,
cases, the victories involved the preser- died December 20. Frances Kramer
vation of long-existing provisions that She was a longtime Frances K. Kramer, 96,
Republicans had at various points sought member of the Fair Lawn died December 19. Obituaries are
to remove. Jewish Center/CBI. Predeceased by her prepared with
The bill preserves deductions for Predeceased by her husband of 66 years, information provided
medical expenses for at least two years. husband of 61 years, Ben- Robert, she is survived by funeral homes.
There had been talk of removing them, jamin, sisters Anne Den- by children, Dr. Mel, and
Correcting errors is
and JFNA and B’nai B’rith said the elderly baum and Esther Raphael- Ilene Pakett (Howard);
especially would be adversely affected. son, and daughter-in-law, grandchildren and their the responsibility of
Also preserved was the Low Income Linda, she is survived by spouses, Emily Kramer, the funeral home.
Housing Tax Credit, which B’nai B’rith children, Joan Beer (Den- Michelle Kramer Coakley,
says is an incentive to build affordable nis), and Jay; grandchil- Matt Coakley, Samantha
housing for the elderly. dren, Joshua and Caroline Kramer, Jason Pakett,
Orthodox groups, usually to the right
of other Jewish groups on domestic
issues, found reasons to praise and criti-
cize the legislation. The Orthodox Union Robert Schoem’s Menorah Chapel, Inc
and Agudath Israel of America praised Jewish Funeral Directors
the preservation of “qualified tuition Family Owned & managed
reductions.” Intended primarily for grad- Generations of Lasting Service to the Jewish Community
• Serving NJ, NY, FL & • Our Facilities Will Accommodate
uate students whose university employ- Throughout USA Your Family’s Needs
ment is paid in part by tuition write- • Prepaid & Preneed Planning • Handicap Accessibility From
offs, the measure exempts taxes on the • Graveside Services Large Parking Area
tuition. Religious schools use the reduc- Gary Schoem – Manager - NJ Lic. 3811
Jordan E. Schoem – Funeral Director - NJ Lic. 5146
tion to subsidize tuition for the children
Conveniently Located
of staff and are thus able to attract qual- W-150 Route 4 East • Paramus, NJ 07652
ity teachers. There had been proposals 201.843.9090 1.800.426.5869
to end the exemption.
“Many nonpublic schools — includ-
ing the Jewish community’s day schools We continue to be Jewish family managed,
— utilize QTRs as an essential element knowing that caring people provide caring service.
to recruit and retain teachers to work
in their schools by offering tuition dis- GUTTERMAN AND MUSICANT
counts for the teachers’ children to JEWISH FUNERAL DIRECTORS
attend the school,” Nathan Diament, 800-522-0588
the OU’s Washington director, said in
a statement. WIEN & WIEN, INC. MEMORIAL CHAPELS
Orthodox groups also welcomed one 800-322-0533
new measure allowing parents to use a 402 Park Street, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601
portion of tax-exempt savings for tuition,
or 529 plans, to subsidize education in ALAN L. MUSICANT, Mgr., N.J. Lic. No. 2890
K-12 private schools. MARTIN D. KASDAN, N.J. Lic. No. 4482
Agudath Israel of America decried Advance Planning Conferences Conveniently Arranged
the removal of personal exemptions — at the Funeral Home or in Your Own Home
$4,050 per tax filer and each dependent
SEE TAX BILL PAGE 47
GuttermanMusicantWien.com
JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 45
Classified
Florida Condo For Rent Help Wanted Situations Wanted
(201) 837-8818
Situations Wanted Cleaning Service Home Improvements
A responsible woman looking to COMPANION: Experienced, kind,
BEST BEST
B”H
. Magnificent Vacation Condo MATH TEACHER care for elderly. Live-in or out. Re- trustworthy person seeking part
Del Ray Beach 55+ Community Immediate Opening liable! Pleasant! Experienced! Ref- time work. Weekends OK. Meal A POLISH CLEANING WOMAN of the
Beautifully furnished 1 Bedroom Algebra grade 8-Small class, erences. Waiting for your call 347- preparation, laundry, housekeep- - Homes, Apartments, Offices- Home Repair Service
Utilities Included one period per day 816-1363 ing. Will drive for doctorsʼ appoint- 15 years experience, excellent
Meal Plan Available Oakland, N.J. location references. Carpentry Painting
ments; occasional sleepovers. 973-
Daily Activities Programs Degree in Education with 519-4911 Affordable rates! Decks Kitchens
Monthly-Mar. or Apr. available math a must. AIDE available to do elder care. Izabela 973-572-7031 Locks/Doors Electrical
Cammy 561-213-0479 Resumes to Warm, loving, caring, experienced, Basements Paving/Masonry
rsmolen@ssnj.org reliable, excellent references. Live- Experienced, Caring, loving,
Bathrooms Drains/Pumps
in or out. 201-668-7946 compassionate CAREGIVER will
care for elderly. Day or overnight. Plumbing Maintenence
CHHA Certified Nurseʼs Aide/Long Reliable, excellent references. Driving Service Tiles/Grout Hardwood Floors
time care - 15 years experience Own car. Calll 201-755-8658 General Repairs
caring for the elderly with Alzhei-
Roofing mers/dementia. Knowledge of HHA with 11 years experience, MICHAEL’S CAR NO JOB IS TOO SMALL
kosher food preparation, will shop, Two years Nursing School. SERVICE 24 Hour x 5 1/2 Emergency Services
LOWEST RATES Shomer Shabbat Free Estimates
ROOFING · SIDING
HACKENSACK GUTTERS · LEADERS
clean, administer medication and
drive client to MD appointments.
Live-in/out. Great references. Reli-
able, compassionate, dependable. • Airports • Cruise Terminals
• Manhattan/NYC 1-201-530-1873
Free ROOFING
OOFING Roof
References upon request. 201-
310-3149
Speaks English. Drives/own car.
201-982-3176 • School Transportation
Masonry
201-836-8148
Estimates CO. Repairs chha looking for Monday-Friday veteran/college graduate 201-314-9592
INC. morning positiion. Willing to clean seeks employment in telephone PICCA Masonry
201-487-5050 83 FIRST STREET
HACKENSACK, NJ 07601
& cook. I am caring & reliable. Ref-
erences. Drives/own car. 732-543-
sales. 25 years experience in pur-
chasing and marketing of diverse
Handyman
Est. 1955
Waterproofing · Steps
4548 products. Proven success in gen-
erating new business through Walls · Tile · Repairs
companion, nurseʼs aide/care- building strong relationships, senior
buyer of toys, hobbies, hard goods
Your Neighbor with Tools Lic #13vh00258800
giver. Flexible hours. Days/nights.
Live-in/out. Reliable. Excellent ref- and bulk toys. Honest, hard work- Home Improvements & Handyman 201-967-9295
erences. I live in Bergen County. er. email:yendisid@optImum.net Shomer Shabbat · Free Estimates
Help Wanted 201-951-0362 Over 20 Years Experience Plumbing
Adam 201-675-0816
teachers - Passaic, N.J. - Afternoons Only amark2@hotmail.com · NJ Lic. #13VH05023300 APL Plumbing & Heating LLC
BoysʼYeshiva has a few Party Planner Instagram: yourneighborwithtools
Complete Kitchen &
teacher positions available. Bath Remodeling
All classes are Monday - Thursday afternoons. Boilers · Hot Water Heaters · Leaks
EMERGENCY SERVICE
* 3rd grade Teacher: hours are 12:45 -4:00 p.m. Fully Licensed, Bonded and Insured
* Junior High Teachers: Science, Math and NO JOB IS TOO SMALL!
History 2 - 5 :30 P.M. 201-358-1700 · Lic. #12285
* Candidates who are only available at 2-3:30 or
beginning at 3:30/4 - 5:30 may be considered as Professional Services
well.
* Bachelorʼs degree pref in Ed. or related field or Alt
route, 2+ yrs classroom elementary or high school Jewish Music with an Edge educationAL THERAPY CENTER
teaching experience required.
Ari Greene · 201-837-6158 Learning Disabilities, Orton Trained
Email: bhykop@gmail.com Specialty in Dyslexia, Autism,
or Fax: resume to 973-778-5697 AGreene@BaRockorchestra.com
www.BaRockOrchestra.com & Neurological Impairment
Reading, Math and Study Skills, SAT, ACT
201-568-1410

Antiques Car Service

A PLUS
We pay cash for Antiques Wanted Limo & Car Service
Antique Furniture The most reliable and efficient service
at all times for your transporation needs.

Modern Furniture WE BUY Our professional and courteous team works together for you.
Serving the Tri-State Area, New York and Bergen County
Modern Art EWR $39 • LGA $42 • JFK $59
• Oil Paintings • Silver
Paintings
Tolls, parking, wlt, stops & tps are not included • Extra $7 Airport Pickup
Prices subject to change without prior notice. Price varies by locations.

• Bronzes • Porcelain Fuel surcharge may add up to 10% · Additional charge may be applied to credit card payment

Bronzes ❖ Silver 201-641-5500 • 888-990-TAXI (8294)

Visit us online at: www.apluslimo1.com E-mail: apluslimo@earthlink.net

Chinese Porcelain & Art • Oriental Rugs • Furniture

Men’s & Women’s Watches • Marble Sculpture • Jewelry Antiques

Top Dollar for any kind of • Tiffany Items • Chandeliers

Sterling Associates Auctions
Jewelry, including costume • Chinese Art • Bric-A-Brac SEEKING CONSIGNMENT AND OUT RIGHT PURCHASES
Sculpture • Paintings • Porcelain • Silver
ANS A Tyler Antiques Jewelry • Furniture • Etc.

Over 25 years courteous service to tri-state area • Established by Bubbe in 1940! • TOP CASH PRICES PAID
We come to you ❖ Free Appraisals 201-768-1140 • www.antiquenj.com
Shommer tylerantiquesny@aol.com info@antiquenj.com
Call Us! Shabbas 70 Herbert Avenue, Closter, N.J. 07642
201-861-7770 ❖ 201-951-6224 201-894-4770 FREE APPRAISALS TUESDAYS FROM 12-2
www.aadsa726@yahoo.com Shomer Shabbos IN OUR GALLERY. CALL FOR APPOINTMENT.

46 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Classified

Solution to last week’s puzzle. This week’s puzzle is

on page 42. Tax Bill
FrOM PaGe 45

— and reductions in deductions for state and local taxes.

“As a high percentage of Orthodox Jews have large families,
and reside in areas that are highly taxed, these changes
will likely have a dramatically negative effect on large num-
bers of our community,” said Agudah, an umbrella body
for charedi Orthodox Jewish groups.
Groups across the Jewish spectrum also breathed a
sigh of relief at the preservation of the so-called Johnson
amendment, a decades-old ban on tax exemptions for
houses of worship that are directly involved in election-
eering. Trump campaigned to kill it, but the provision that
would do so was removed at the last minute on a tech-
Call us. We’re waiting for nicality. Although some synagogues may have welcomed
the opportunity to endorse candidates, most organiza-
your classified ad! tions believe the amendment draws an appropriate line
between church and state and relieves local clergy of the
201-837-8818 pressure to take divisive political stands.
JTA WIRE SERVICE

“ Being hungry affects

your appearance,
Inspired by Jewish values and ideals,
MAZON is a national advocacy
how you act. When I’m
hungry, I’m not in the
“ organization working to end hunger
mood for anything. among people of all faiths
and backgrounds in the
United States and Israel.

Help us end hunger.

Please donate today.

10850 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 400

Los Angeles CA 90024
(800) 813-0557 | mazon.org

Jewish standard deCeMBer 29, 2017 47

 Jewish World

Mormons still baptize Holocaust victims

in violation of deal with Jewish leaders
Josefin Dolsten
A researcher says Mormons have post-
humously baptized the late Lubavitcher
rebbe, the grandparents of Carrie Fisher
and Steven Spielberg, and hundreds of
Holocaust victims.
In doing so, they are violating an agree-
ment to halt the practice.
Helen Radkey, a Salt Lake City-based
independent researcher who has been
looking into the Mormon practice of post-
humous baptisms for two decades, said
there are hundreds of examples of Jew-
ish Holocaust victims being baptized in
Mormon churches around the world since
2012. In a report released this week, she
shared names of 20 such people who had
been baptized.
“There are at least hundreds, probably
more,” Radkey, a former Mormon who
was excommunicated from the church in
1978, said.
The names Radkey cited are Holocaust
victims who were baptized from April
2012 onward. In March 2012, the Mormon
church, formally known as the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sent a let-
ter to its congregations restating a 1995
policy that members should do posthu-
mous baptisms only on their own ances-
tors. It forbade baptisms of Jewish Holo-
caust victims and celebrities.
In addition to hundreds of Holocaust
victims, Radkey claims to have found other
examples of famous Jews having been
baptized. For example, she says, the late
Chabad-Lubavitch leader Rabbi Menachem
Mendel Schneerson and his father, Rabbi
Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, were baptized
in 2015. So were philosopher Martin Buber
in 2016, and the grandparents of Spielberg
and Fisher in 2015 and 2017.
Radkey found the names in FamilySe-
arch, a website Mormons use to trace fam-
ily lineages and submit requests for proxy
baptisms. Her study first was reported by
the Associated Press.
The practice of proxy baptisms is a con-
troversial one. Mormons are instructed to
perform baptisms on dead relatives who
did not have the opportunity to convert
to the church. However, in the 1990s it
was discovered that Mormons had per-
formed such rites on hundreds of thou-
sands of Jews who died in the Holocaust.
This angered Jewish groups, which said
the practice disrespected the victims’ reli-
gious beliefs.
In 1995, the Mormon church reached an
agreement with Jewish leaders to cease the
practice, and that agreement was empha-
sized in the 2012 letter.
Radkey also says she found examples
of family members of famous politicians,
including Presidents Donald Trump,
Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton, as well
as relatives of celebrities such as Kim
Kardashian, being posthumously baptized.
Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
said the church was doing its part to ensure
that there were no posthumous baptisms
to which family members could object.
“The Church cares deeply about ensur-
ing these standards are maintained,” he
said in a statement. “Each month, we
receive a list of names of Holocaust vic-
tims from the [Simon] Wiesenthal Center
in Los Angeles. These are added to our
database of names that require a direct
family connection before temple work can
be requested or performed.”
Four full-time employees at FamilySe-
arch monitor the site for names of Holo-
caust victims and others that should not
be added, Hawkins added.
The Anti-Defamation League, which has
worked with the Mormon church on the
issue, said the church was doing its part to
prevent Holocaust baptisms.
“My sense is that they are making every
good faith effort to first of all block these
before they happen, and if in the case
that something slips through and they
become aware of it, they then remove it
and reverse it,” ADL’s director of interfaith
affairs, Rabbi David Sandmel, said. “I’m
satisfied that they take this seriously, and
that they are doing the best they can to ful-
fill the commitment they made on this.”
However, Gary Mokotoff, a Jewish
genealogist who has been involved in the
issue, differed. “If the problem still exists,
whatever the church is doing to prevent it
is not working” he said.
“If a single person called Helen Radkey
can find hundreds, if not thousands, of
examples of Holocaust victims being sub-
mitted for posthumous baptism, then why
can’t the church, which claims they actu-
ally have people working on it, find the
very thing that Helen is finding?” he asked.
Mokotoff, who has relatives who died in
the Holocaust, said the baptisms of Nazi
victims were particularly jarring.
“These people died because they were
Jews, and here you are bringing them into
a second religion even though these peo-
ple are not related to you,” he said.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center said the
idea that Jews had to be baptized was
offensive. The parents of the center’s
namesake, famed Nazi hunter Simon Wie-
senthal, have been baptized posthumously
by Mormons.
“We were sure that these baptisms
were removed, but we’re seeing that
they’re not,” Rabbi Marvin Hier, the cen-
ter’s founder and dean, said in an emailed
statement. “We reiterated yet again the
reasons we protested that it’s insulting
that the People of the Book whom G-d
made a Covenant would need the assis-
tance of a group of Mormons to gain
entrance to Heaven.” JTA Wire Service

Calendar 2018 Calendar 2018

r 2018 January May September
19 Change Your Life 18 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles 21 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
anuary 26 Bar/Bat Mitzvah May 25 Events & Celebrations September
28 Fall Spice
9 Change Your Life 26 About Our Children 18 Healthy Living & Adult
25 Lifestyles
About Our Children 21 Healthy
28 Living
About &OurAdult Lifestyles
Children
6 Bar/Bat Mitzvah 26 Rockland 25 Events & Celebrations Rockland
25 28 28
Fall Spice Rockland
6 About Our Children 25 About Our Children 28 About Our Children
February June October
6 Rockland 9 25
Finance & Charitable Giving Rockland 15 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
28 Rockland
19 Finance & Charitable Giving
16 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles 15 Bar/Bat Mitzvah 19 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
ebruary 23 Events & Celebrations 15 About Our Children
23 About Our Children
June 15 Rockland
October 26
26
Events & Celebrations
About Our Children
Finance & Charitable Giving 23 Rockland Living 15 Healthy & Adult
22 Lifestyles
Summer Dining 19 Finance
26 &Rockland
Charitable Giving
6 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles March 15 Bar/Bat Mitzvah July 19 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
November
3 Events & Celebrations 15 About Our Children20 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
16 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles 26 Events9 & Celebrations
Holiday Dining
3 About Our Children 30 Spring Style 15 Rockland 27 Readers’ Choice 26 About OurHealthy
16 Living & Adult Lifestyles
Children
16 Chanukah Gift Book
3 Rockland 30 About Our Children 22 Summer Dining 27 About Our Children
27 Rockland
26 Rockland
23 Giving Tuesday
30 Rockland
arch July November23 About Our Children
9 23 Rockland
Holiday Dining
6 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles April 20 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
August
0 Spring Style 13 Israel at 70 27 Readers’ Choice 17 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles 16 December
Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
0 About Our Children 20 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
27 About Our Children Synagogue Directory
17 16 ChanukahHealthy
21 Living & Adult Lifestyles
Gift Book
27 Dining 24 Synagogue Directory 21 Winter Bride
0 Rockland 27 About Our Children 27 Rockland 24 About Our Children
23 Giving21Tuesday
About Our Children
27 Rockland 24 Rockland 23 About28OurGuide
Children
to Jewish Life
23 Rockland
pril (5778-79)August
For Further Information orHoliday
to Advertise, Call 201-837-8818 x 121
r3 2018
Israel at 70
2018 Jewish Holiday Calendar Greetings 2018
17 HealthyJan.Living
Tu B’ Shevat ................................................................Wednesday, 31 & Adult Lifestyles
Passover .....................................March 30
December
0 Healthy Living & Adult
48 Jewish Lifestyles
Standard DECEMBER 29, 2017 17 Thursday,
Purim ............................................................................... Synagogue Mar. 1Directory Rockland, March 30 21 Healthy Living &1086
Adult Lifestyles
Teaneck Road

7anuary May September Teaneck, N.J. 07666

Dining Passover .............................................. Saturday, Mar. 2431 -Synagogue
Saturday, Apr. 7Directory
Rosh Hashanah....................... September 7 21 Winter Bride 201-837-8818 · 201-833-4959
97 Change Your
About Our Life Holocaust Remembrance Day ...........................................
Children 18
24 Thursday,Healthy
About Our Living
Apr. & Adult Lifestyles Rockland, August 31
12Children 21 Healthy Living
About Our &ads@jewishmediagroup.com
Adult Lifestyles
Children
67 Bar/Bat
RocklandMitzvah Shavuot ................................................. Sunday, May
Israel Independence Day 25 Events
.......................................................Friday,
2420 - Monday,
Rockland & Celebrations
Apr. 20 Chanukah .............................. November 30 28 Fall Spice
Guide to Jewish Life
May 21 Rockland, November 30

Unique pairing at Miami Beach event brings wine history full-circle
A high-end kosher food and wine event sponsored in
part by Carmel and​ N.J.-based​ Royal Wines brought
together nearly 60 wine aficionados earlier this month
in Miami Beach to celebrate a selection of notable vin-
tages. The extraordinary 10-course dinner, catered
by one of the country’s finest kosher restaurants, was
praised by all as a culinary adventure to remember.
But the highlight was the historic assemblage of wines
poured throughout the evening.
According to wine critic Gabriel Geller, who served
as the evening’s expert sommelier, an unheard-of eight
vintages of Carmel Limited Edition wines were among
those featured in the vertical tasting. In attendance was
Frédéric Mairesse, CEO of Champagne des Barons Roth-
schild. A premium Rothschild Champagne was served to
all the guests as the aperitif.
“This was the first time ever that Carmel and Roths-
child showcased their wines together,” said Geller, who
also serves as vice president of public relations and wine
education for Royal Wine. The significance of the pair-
ing, he explained, is that Carmel Winery was founded
and financed by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner
8 from the Otterstedt Agency gain
accreditation as risk managers
The New Jersey Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insur-
ance Fund (MEL) has accredited eight risk managers
from the Otterstedt Agency. Risk managers are licensed
insurance agents who are retained by towns and local
authorities to advise them on insurance, claims, and
safety.
The following individuals completed the course
and are considered MEL Accredited Risk Management
Consultants:
GJEM Public Entity Team - 201.641.3800
• Ezio I. Altamura, AAI, CIC, CWCP, NJWCP (Certified
Course Instructor)
• Joseph Gentile, CIC
• Mathew McArow
• Mathew McArow, Jr.
Hasbrouck Heights Public Entity Team - 201.288.8844
• Kim Cosimano
• Jacky Wienclaw
Englewood Cliffs Public Entity Team - 201.227.1800
• Anthony Sorrentino, CIC
• Anna McNerney, ACSR
To be accredited by the MEL, a risk manager must
Vinaigrette comes to Teaneck’s restaurant row
Vinaigrette, a new dairy restaurant, including fish and
tofu combinations, has opened at 182 West Englewood
Ave. in Teaneck.
It features fresh and healthy garden salads, grain
bowls, soups, and sandwiches. Unique toppings and
 Real Estate & Business
of the world-famous Bordeaux 1er cru Château Lafite- and its relationship with the Rothschilds dates back to the
Rothschild, in 1882. very first Kosher Medo — Baron Edmunds Benjamin Roths-
Moreover, the specific wines selected for the event child Medoc — in 1986. We couldn’t be more delighted to be
underscored the two wineries’ shared heritage even part if this historic event, with representation from both of
further. “Carmel Limited Edition is made in a style these prestigious wineries.”
inspired by the wines of Pauillac, the Bordeaux Appel- Mr. Buchsbaum served as master of ceremonies for the pro-
lation where Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is located,” gram, which came on the heels of the 2017 Miami Kosher Food
Geller explained. and Wine Experience (KFWE) — the first of several upcoming
Arguably among Israel’s finest wines, Carmel Limited KFWE events including the 12th Annual KFWE New York on
Edition earns a 90-plus score from Robert Parker’s Wine February 5 at Chelsea Piers. For tickets and information, visit:
Advocate nearly every year. Also spotlighted at the event http://thekfwe.com. Royal has been the importer and distribu-
were vintages of Carmel’s Single Vineyard Kayoumi Ries- tor of Carmel wines in the U.S. and U.K. for more than 30
ling, Shiraz, and Sha’al Late Harvest Gewürztraminer. years.
As Geller noted, “Mr. Mairesse dines on a regular
basis at Michelin-starred restaurants and drinks some
of the world’s most prestigious and expensive wines. He
was impressed with both the delicious food and the stel-
lar wines from Carmel, which the Baron de Rothschild
himself would have undoubtedly been proud of.”
According to Royal Wine’s executive vice president
Jay Buchsbaum, “The Royal Wine family’s relationship
with Carmel dates back to the early 1960s in the U.S.,
Wishing You
complete four all-day sessions over a six-month period
A Very Happy New Year
with a total of 28 hours of classroom instruction. Topics
included a wide range of issues including basic risk man-
From Russo Real Estate
agement, governance of a local governmental entity, For Our Full Inventory including
operation of a joint insurance fund, New Jersey Work- Details & Pictures, Visit our Website
ers’ Compensation and Liability law, and the Local Offi- www.RussoRealEstate.com
cial’s Ethics Act.
The purpose of the MEL’s accreditation program is (201) 837-8800
to assure that risk managers serving local government
meet the highest standards. Professionals who success-
fully complete the program may use the designation
“MEL Accredited Risk Management Consultant.”
FORT LEE – THE COLONY
MEL is owned by its members that comprise almost
65 percent of municipalities and local authorities in New
Jersey. The risk managers continue to play an important
part in the $3 billion in taxpayer savings achieved by the
MEL since the program’s beginning in 1987.
Otterstedt Insurance Agency, Inc. has nearly 100 years
of experience as agent and broker in the areas of prop-
erty, casualty, life, health and surety for a wide array of
personal and commercial clients, including numerous A FABULOUS LIFESTYLE AWAITS YOU
public entities at all levels of government. 24 hour concierge • Valet parking • Movie theater
Otterstedt Insurance Agency, Inc. operates seven State of the art health club with indoor and outdoor pools
branches at six locations in New Jersey: Englewood Close to everything • And more
Cliffs, Summit, Pompton Plains, Teaneck, Allamuchy
and Hasbrouck Heights. ■ 2 BR 2.5 Baths. Rarely available! Renovated.
Hardwood floors. 50+ foot terrace facing Manhattan
with spectacular views all the way to Long Island.
A must see! $499,000
■ 1 BR 1.5 Baths. Renovated kitchen. Hardwood floors
throughout. Won’t last. $139,900
homemade dressings make it a salad lover’s delight! ALL THE BEST IN 2018!
The restaurant is under the supervision of RCBC.
Allan Dorfman
Order online www.vinaigrette-nj.com or call (201) Broker/Associate
837-9900.
201-461-6764 Eve
201-970-4118 Cell
201-585-8080 Office
Realtorallan@yahoo.com
JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 49
Real Estate & Business

Israeli Construction sector looks to break new technology ground

SHOSHANNA SOLOMON
Israeli builders and construction profession-
als believe they can leverage local technolog-
ical prowess to revolutionize the highly regu-
lated, conservative, and traditional building
industry and make their country a global
leader in the field.
“How do we bring innovation to an indus-
try that is stuck in the seventies, techno-
logically?” asked Shay Pauzner, the dep-
uty director general of Hitachdut Boney
Ha’aretz, the Israel Builders Association,
which represents some 2,000 construction
companies working in Israel.
“We want to build a construction-tech sec-
tor in Israel,” said Pauzner.
The idea is to make Israel a global
technology hub that will spearhead innova-
tion in the sector, similar to what Mobileye
and other automotive startups are doing for
the automotive industry globally.
Intel Corp.’s massive acquisition of Jeru-
salem-based Mobileye for $15.3 billion in
March this year has pushed Israel to the
forefront of the highly competitive autono-
mous car and auto-tech industry. Some 450
companies in Israel are currently engaged
in smart transportation fields such as travel
sharing, communication, sensors and con-
trol systems, according to the Israel Innova-
tion Authority. Israel represented some 4
percent of the global auto-tech deal share in
2016, the third-largest globally after the U.S.
(68 percent) and Canada (7 percent), a CB
Insights report said.
Now, Israeli builders, together with
the government, want to replicate that
success in the construction sector.
The Israel Builders Association has
teamed up with the Construction Minis-
try, the Ministry of Economy and Indus-
try, and SOSA, a company that connects
startups with investors and corpora-
tions, to set up the Construction Innova-
tion Zone. This initiative aims to create
a whole new ecosystem, bringing new
technologies to cranes, planning and
building procedures, and infrastructure.
The key is to raise awareness and chan-
nel the interest of entrepreneurs and
investors into the field.
The global construction industry is
estimated to be worth $10 trillion and in
Israel the sector generates some NIS 90
billion ($25 billion) annually, accounting
for some 10 percent of the nation’s GDP.
industry that often needs to meet tight
deadlines.
Thus, there is a huge opportunity for
startups to “disrupt” — in a good way –
the so-called construction-tech indus-
try, with solutions that can improve
efficiency at construction sites and in
project management processes, shorten
timelines, sharpen building techniques,
create new building materials and digi-
talize the industry with IoT tools — and
cut back on use of expensive manpower.
Israel can use its prowess in software,
artificial intelligence, sensors and com-
puter vision to spruce up the building of
homes, offices and roads, just as it did
with auto technologies.
“Our vision is to transform Israel into
a global technological fulcrum for con-
struction-tech,” said Zachi Flatto, a road
planner and the manager of the Con-

SELLING YOUR HOME? Most construction sites today still use

traditional tools while costs for the sec-
tor have doubled since 2000, accord-
ing to Marc Andreessen, the co-founder
of U.S. venture capital firm Andrees-
sen Horowitz. In addition, productivity
growth in the industry has stalled.
The technologies used are sometimes
hundreds of years old: the first known
construction cranes were built by the
ancient Greeks. Hammers were first
used in the Stone Age. Many other tools
in use today are also still mechanical
contraptions, leading to flawed secu-
rity practices and a chronic shortage of
workers to operate the machinery in an
struction Innovation Zone initiative at
SOSA. It may be an audacious goal, but it
is doable, he declared.
The success of Israel’s auto-tech is
encouraging, he said. “The car technol-
ogy was unchanged for many years and
now it is undergoing a revolution. We
believe that can happen, and is already
happening, in the construction industry
as well.”
“This sector offers a huge business
opportunity for the local and also inter-
national market,” said Oded Distel, the
director of Israel New Tech at the Minis-
try of Economy and Industry.
 TIMES OF ISRAEL

Holy Name recognized again

as highest rated hospital in county
Holy Name Medical Center is one of
only five hospitals in New Jersey and
Call Susan Laskin Today New York and the only hospital in Ber-
To Make Your Next Move A Successful One! gen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex and Union
counties to achieve a five-star rating
BergenCountyRealEstateSource.com Cell: 201-615-5353
from the Centers for Medicare & Medic-
©2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC. aid Services (CMS) for overall quality. It pital was rated for the first time. Slightly
is the fourth rating period in a row the
patient experience, readmissions, safety
of care, care effectiveness, care timeli-
ness, and efficient use of medical imag-
ing. Of those 64 hospitals, 22 improved
by one star, 13 dropped by one star, 28
did not change at all, and only one hos-
more than one-third of all hospitals in

J J
J
medical center secured its spot as the the report received just two stars. The

immy im
im
only top performing hospital in its five- federal agency created the hospital star
county region. ratings system to help patients make
“This latest report designating Holy more informed decisions about their
Name as one of the highest-quality pro- care and to compare how hospitals in

the Junk Man the

the
viders in the state is a reflection of the
strong emphasis we place on quality and
their area are performing.
“The healthcare landscape continues

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL RESIDEN safety,” said Michael Maron, president

and CEO of Holy Name Medical Cen-
to evolve and consumers are seeking
greater transparency from providers,”
WE CLEAN OUT: ter. “To go from four stars to five stars WE
said Dr. Adam Jarrett, chief medical offi-
Basements •Basements Attics • Garages • Fire Damage validates the efforts of our entire health- cer at Holy
• Name. “This report
Att is a signal
Construction Debris Construction are an De
• Hoarding Specialists care team. Less than five percent of the to patients that quality and safety
state’s hospitals achieved five stars. The integral part of our culture and by set-
WE RECYCLE W
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE CALL TODAY
patient experience is a priority to us and
it shows.”
ting the standard, we are giving our com-
munity what they deserve — access to

201-66•1845-600-5941
201-661-4940 - 4940 201- 6
CMS rated 64 hospitals in the state
across 57 quality measures in seven dif-
the highest level of care.”
To view CMS star-ratings, visit www.
We do not transport solid or hazardous waste We ferent do categories, including mortality,
not medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.
trans

50 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017

 Are you or a loved one a
Holocaust Survivor?

Jewish Family & Children’s Services, through generous funding from

Jewish Federation of North America, can now assist Holocaust Survivors with
the cost of home health aides while in a hospital or rehabilitation facility.

• For 90% of the survivors we assist, their home health aides

are their primary caretakers.
• When survivors need to be placed out of the home
temporarily, they lose their connection to the person who has
become their day-to-day lifeline.
• This causes disorientation, decreased communication,
agitation, and anxiety as they are not cared for in the way in
which they are accustomed.

Our survivors deserve to be cared for with dignity and consideration.

We are proud to be able to offer this bridge funding to cover to the cost of
personal care services during hospital or rehab stays.

For information on this program or other services for Holocaust Survivors including:

Café Europa, Shabbat meal delivery, home assessments, dental assistance and care management,
please call (201)837-9090 or email PattyS@JFCSNNJ.org.

17-10 River Rd, Fair Lawn, NJ 1485 Teaneck Rd, Teaneck, NJ 1 Pike Dr, Wayne, NJ
www.jfcsnnj.org
201-837-9090

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 29, 2017 51

W I S H I NG YO U A V E RY