Sam J. Sutton

We’ve reached the home stretch of the 2025 M&S Softball season, and every pitch, every swing, and every bounce of the ball is feels heavier. The scoreboard isn’t just telling you the score, it’s telling you your season’s fate.

It’s a 12-game campaign, and the math is brutally simple: finish in the top five and you’re in, with seeds four and five battling in a one-game Wild Card showdown for the right to join the big boys. Finish sixth or seventh, and you’re packing up the bats until next summer.

Up top, there’s an extra twist. The first, second, and third seeds get the same bye into the semifinals, but the number one seed gets to choose their opponent, a decision that can swing an entire postseason. The Wild Card winner often rides their momentum straight to a championship. In M&S lore, that one-game scrap is less of a formality and more of a launchpad.

Kaboom! (6-2)
What a Week 6 for Uri Adler’s squad. Kaboom walked into their showdown with the Texas Longhorns tied in the loss column, and walked out with a clean sweep and the best record in the league. Their mix of power hitting, steady defense, and timely pitching has them looking like the team to beat. When you’ve got the talent Kaboom has, plus the confidence of knowing you’ve already taken down the other top contender, it’s a dangerous combination.

Texas Longhorns (7-3)
The Longhorns aren’t panicking. They got stung by Kaboom, but they’ve been one of the most consistent teams all season. Max Yedid’s club has an explosive lineup – 75 runs scored is tops in the league – and they know how to win in bunches. The key for them is bouncing back, reclaiming their swagger, and ensuring they’re peaking when the playoffs hit.

King Salomon Part Deux (5-3)
Michael “Sabon” Salomon’s crew has been riding a roller coaster, but the recent stretch has been on the upswing. Their offense can erupt at any time, and the defense has started to gel. They’ve got the tools to make noise in October, and they know it. With their veteran leadership, this is the kind of team that can quietly put together a run.

Stayin’ Alive (4-4)
After a brutal start, Stayin’ Alive clawed their way back to .500. They’ve found their rhythm, and they’re exactly the kind of fourth or fifth seed no one wants to see in a one-game Wild Card. They have that “dangerous if you let them hang around” vibe, and their resilience matches their name.

Vandelay Industries (5-7)
Sammy Seruya’s squad has officially wrapped up their regular season slate and now enters the most stressful part of the year: scoreboard watching. They’re hoping their five wins are enough to hold off the chasers, but without games left to play, they’re at the mercy of the standings. If they sneak in, they could be a Wild Card landmine – the kind of opponent that’s been battle-tested with nothing to lose.

Sephardic Bananas (1-5)
Don’t let the record fool you – this is a team with opportunity. They’ve played fewer games than anyone, meaning they’ve got a heavy schedule ahead and a chance to climb fast. It’s going to take a strong push, but with talent on the roster and plenty of games left, the Bananas can still write a sweet ending to their season.

Thundering Hooves (2-6)
It’s been a frustrating run for the Hooves. On paper, they’ve got the roster to compete with anyone. On the field, they keep leaving runners on base, which cost them in the win column. If they can start cashing in their scoring chances, they could be a dangerous spoiler down the stretch.

The Road Ahead
Every team knows what’s at stake now. For the top three, it’s about securing seeding and avoiding the Wild Card minefield. For the middle of the pack, it’s about fighting for that 4-5 spot and surviving the do-or-die opener. Buckle up! The playoff push is here, the drama is high, and the next few weeks will decide who gets a shot at immortality – and whose season ends with a quiet walk back to the parking lot at M&S Park.

Pnina Souid 

A special Shabbat food program for needy Holocaust survivors was in danger of shutting down due to lack of funding. However, one Mitzvah Man volunteer, doing one small act of hesed, lead the way to others getting involved. “Mitzvah goreret mitzvah,” one mitzvah brings about another. One small act and the forging of a connection can snowball. And, how it did! Below is a letter of thanks from a dedicated social worker at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island. What a beautiful expression of hakarat hatov for the Mitzvah Man Organization, whose volunteers step up to the plate to help those in need, all with compassion and joy in doing hesed.

Dear Mitzvah Man and Lillie,

Please forgive me for not writing sooner. My colleague at JCCGCI, Sarala Lieberman, and I wanted to thank you. I know that you do a lot of things, both big and small. You have provided the Holocaust survivors in my program major household appliances and other big-ticket items. However, as you have said in your Erev Shabbat audio messages, it’s the small things that lay a foundation for something bigger. And you never know what Hashem will bring unless you make an effort to do your part.

At the start of Covid in 2020, many of the Holocaust survivors and senior clients whom we service needed tasty, better food, especially for Shabbat. We still had funding from the Leader Family Fund and the IAC (Israeli American Council) also sponsored Shabbat food for quite some time in Brooklyn.

During that time, a Holocaust survivor, Mrs. Dora Marcus, isolated due to the pandemic, requested food. She asked me if the Mitzvah Man was still in business. I emailed the Mitzvah Man and in under a minute he recruited  the nicest volunteer, Judy Bassali, who cooked food for Mrs. Marcus and visited with her, giving her the company she had longed for.

Judy’s hesed was so appreciated. I called her to thank her, as the Mitzvah Man always stresses “to treat each volunteer with love and respect.”

About two weeks later, Judy told me, “I have a friend, Jazzie Einalhori, who owns a restaurant called Sage Kitchen. Jazzie would like to give a few Holocaust survivors meals, as she has wanted to help this population for a long time. Jazzie cooked for three Holocaust survivors that week. She was assisted by her partner Rachel Fuchs. The next week Jazzie offered to cook for ten survivors and even had her partners drive to Brooklyn to make deliveries.

Steven Galapo, another Mitzvah Man volunteer, then offered to match ten for ten.

At the same time, our other Shabbat food funding was running out. I spoke to Jazzie about this. She took it upon herself to fundraise and advertise awareness for our Holocaust survivors’ Shabbat Food program. She cooked and fundraised for many months.

Adi Heyman and Esther Soleimani, activists with a grassroots group in Manhattan called “Me for We” stepped in and met with Jazzie, and the staff at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI)/Holocaust Survivor Support Services (HSSS).

Baruch Hashem, Me for We stepped in and saved the project. Until today, Me for We and JCCGCI/HSSS collaborate to serve seventy plus needy Holocaust survivors who either cannot afford to pay for food or cannot cook for themselves. We provide food and ongoing visits. Many friendly relationships have resulted from this initial hesed.

Other donors provided food as well, such as  Alenbi restaurant. “The Well” (in memory of the Sassoon children) stored food and served as a pickup site. Many others were motivated to donate, including the Leader and Cayton Family funds.

Currently, our caterer is Tov u’Mativ, who kindly offer us  a discount. The food is delicious and the volunteers who pick up for delivery are greeted with warm smiles.

So many donors and volunteers got involved, following in Judy Bassali’s footsteps, and have gained from their volunteering experience both emotionally and spiritually. It is truly amazing!

I believe the program would have disappeared after the first year when funding ran out if the Mitzvah Man had not responded so swiftly. What got the ball rolling was one small act performed by one volunteer, Judy Bassali, to reach out to one survivor, Dora Marcus. If that hadn’t happened, all the other connections would never have materialized!

Tizku l’mitzvot!

Elisheva Lock MPA, LCSW

Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) Holocaust Survivor Support Services (HSSS)

To Our Beloved Community,

We, the undersigned rabbinic leaders of the Syrian Jewish community, write to you with a message of responsibility, urgency, and obligation. At this critical juncture in our city’s history, we declare without hesitation: every eligible member of our community must vote.

This is not about politics. It is about our sacred duty, to our families, to our schools, to our yeshivot, to our synagogues, and to our way of life. Voting is not merely a right. It is a halachic and moral responsibility. It is a declaration that we care, that we are engaged, and that we will not stand idly by while the future of our people is at stake.

The decisions being made in the coming elections, for mayor and other critical offices, will shape the future of our yeshivot, synagogues, schools, neighborhoods, and religious freedoms. We cannot afford silence. We cannot afford apathy. We dare not be passive when our way of life is on the line.

We are living in a time when the values that have allowed our community to flourish are under growing threat. The upcoming elections will have real and lasting impact on the safety of our neighborhoods, the strength of our institutions, and the ability of our children to grow up proudly and freely as Jews. To sit this out is to abdicate our communal responsibility.

This is not optional. It is a mitzvah. It is a communal obligation, like tefillah, like tzedakah, like educating our children. When we stay home and do not vote, we weaken the very foundations of the blessings we have built over generations.

Over forty years ago, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l expressed this obligation with clarity:

“The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference… Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which guards the freedoms we enjoy. The most fundamental responsibility incumbent on each individual is to register and to vote.”

We are blessed to live in a country that has allowed Torah to thrive. But that blessing must not be taken for granted. It must be protected with commitment, with unity, and with action.

We therefore implore and expect every member of our community to do the following:

Community of NY and NJ regarding voter registration

Register to vote. Show up to vote. Ensure your children, your siblings, and your friends vote. Speak about it.

Take it seriously. Treat it as a mitzvah, because it is. Our strength has always come from our dedication to Torah, to family, and to each other. With pride in our past and responsibility for our future, let us stand together, firm in our values and united in action.

May Hashem bless our community with continued protection, unity, and strength.

The day has the power to energize real change and help a person become unrecognizably different.

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen

The spiritual forces operating at moments of beginning are unique. “Hakol holech achar harosh – Everything goes after the beginning” – the entire course of any process is determined by its beginning. This is because a beginning is a conception, and conception represents the laying down of the genes that are the blueprint for everything that is built later. The spiritual rule is that the closer something is to the moment of conception, the more potent and critical the forces: a small injury to the human body may not be of major significance for an adult. However, a fetus during its development is much more sensitive to such an event, and a minute change to the genes may have the most far-reaching results imaginable.

The Importance of New Beginnings

At the moment of conception all details are being coded most potently; it is therefore the most critical moment. No subsequent moment can ever have the intensity and significance of that first moment. The flash of conception contains everything. All later development is simply a revelation of what was created during that first flash.

Rosh Hashanah is the conception of the year and the next ten days are its gestation. That is why these days are so critical to the whole year. That is why a person is judged for the entire year as he appears on Rosh Hashanah – the personality as it exists then is the core. It will take supreme effort to change later. Change on Rosh Hashanah is much easier – one can manipulate the “genes” of one’s character then. People of spiritual knowledge take extreme care to live as perfectly as possible on Rosh Hashanah – the year is being conceived.

Rosh Hashanah’s Unique Energy

What is the source of this special energy? The first Rosh Hashanah ever, which of course must represent its true nature most powerfully, was the day of the Creation of man. That day of Creation was the world’s first Rosh Hashanah, and its climactic event was the Creation of the human. That is why this day always retains its power to re-create man. When we genuinely and intensely decide to elevate our personalities on Rosh Hashanah and become inspired to live the coming year as higher beings, we are using the day’s deeply rooted energy as the day of human creation. The day has the power to energize real change and help a person become unrecognizably different.

There is an idea that Adam was created at the very place that would later be the mizbeach (altar) in the Temple. “Adam mi’makom kaparato nivra – Adam was created from the place of his atonement.” His very first moment of life was generated from earth that was gathered from all parts of the world, but that was concentrated on the one spot that would later become the site of sacrifices – that activity that most powerfully atones and brings man close to the Divine. Adam’s moment of creation is at once the most intense newness possible and also contains the element of the most intense change possible – from sin to atonement, which is really new creation itself. Hence, the unfathomable power of Rosh Hashanah to help us to become new. Little wonder that the mystical custom is to minimize sleep on Rosh Hashanah.

Significance of the Order of the Tefillah

The service of the day reflects this idea of reaching for the root. The order of prayer is based on Malchuyot (kingship), Zichronot (memory), and Shofrot (shofar-blowing).

Kingship

Malchuyotrepresents the effort of renewing the root of all Creation and all service – establishing that Hashem’s rule is absolute and primary. Before accepting the yoke of specific mitzvotwe must accept Hashem’s kingship in general, as expressed in the famous mashal (parable) of a great king who was asked to decree laws for a country. The king agreed only on condition that the people first accept his sovereignty over them. Only then would his laws be binding and meaningful. The root of Creation is Hashem’s Kingship, and so too is the root of all spiritual growth. This realization is the most primary of all on Rosh Hashanah, and it requires a delving into the deepest level of ratzon (desire) during the prayer service to reach the consciousness of and desire for Hashem’s complete rule.

Memory

Zichronot represents the idea of remembering in true spiritual depth the points of origin of the world and of the Jewish people and its destiny. This deep form of memory is a re-entering of the male phase of new conception – to go back to the initial flash or spark and re-live it vividly and literally. The root of zachor, “remember,” is identical with zachar “male.” The connection should be obvious. Maleness is exactly that: a carrying over of the distilled essence of all previous generations in a seed that will form the next generation. The seed is a “memory” of the past. In fact, the words “memory” and “seed” are numerically equivalent in Hebrew. The work of memory, re-living the flash of creation, is perfectly fitting and necessary for Rosh Hashanah. 

Shofar-Blowing

Shofrotindicates, along the lines we have been discussing, reaching for the heart, reaching for the root of the neshama and the personality. The essence of the shofar is that it has a voice but no words. The mystics explain that the voice is the root of speech and contains far more than the individual finite words. Words may convey information, but the voice conveys the essence of a person. This is why prophecy is referred to as “voice,” not words: when Hashem tells Avraham to listen to Sarah’s prophetic advice the verse says: “Shma b’kola – Listen to her voice,” not “Listen to her words.”

Hashem tells the prophet: “Kra b’garon, al tachsoch – Cry out in your throat, do not hold back.” Prophecy is not from the mouth, the origin of words, but from the throat, the origin of raw sound. The blessing we pronounce on hearing the shofar is “lishmo’a kol shofar,” to “hear the voice of the shofar.” The shofar is raw sound, a raw cry, and that is why it has the power to open the neshama. All the words in the world cannot convey the emotion of the scream of a child in the night. The shofar is that scream.

Rosh Hashanah correctly lived should leave one supercharged. The energy achieved should be so great that the rest of the year can be lived accordingly – not as a continuation but as a constant experience of newness! Spark must become flame, and that flame must spark a new blaze, always. That is Jewish living. There is a mystical idea that being alive today because one was alive yesterday is called dying. Being really alive means that one’s life is generated today, not as a passive result of the past, but as an explosion of newness, now and always.

Spiritual Renewal

The Hebrew root ani meaning “I” has two fascinating derivatives, ana and ayin. The word ayin means “is not.” Ana is much harder to translate. It indicates an inexpressible pleading or longing as in: “Ana Hashem hoshi’a na,” the longing for redemption. These words, ayin “is not,” and ana, intense hope for the future, also mean “from where” and “to where.” When one wants to ask, “Where have you come from?” one says, “Me’ayin ba’ta?” When one wants to say, “Where are you going?” one says “Ana telech (or le’an)?” But incredibly, if one stops to consider the literal meaning of these expressions, a most inspiring depth becomes apparent: me’ayin ba’ta – “From where have you come?” literally means “You come from nothingness”! And ana telech – “Where are you going?” literally means “You are going to an inexpressibly great dimension”!

Hebrew, the language of holiness, is pregnant with spiritual depth. The simple, mundane idea of a person arriving from some previous place is expressed in common Hebrew as the transition from nothingness to his present state (yesh me’ayin – something from nothing!). In other words, the spiritual grasp of this moment is that it is relative to the previous moment, as existence compared to nothingness! That is newness! And from this moment to the next, the explosion is so great that it cannot be translated! That is the striving of a spiritually sensitive person, to generate a new inner life continually.  Avraham Avinu says of himself, “Va’anochi afar va’efer – And I am dust and ashes.” Torah is never mere poetry – every nuance has infinite meaning. What is the meaning of “dust and ashes”?

The idea is this. Ashes are the bare elements left when a substance has been completely burned. “Dust” of the earth is the rich soil in which growth takes place. Avraham, who most profoundly represents the idea of newness, of being the father, the founder of the Jewish people, who forged a whole new way of living, sees himself as constantly incinerating what he has become, in order to use those elements as soil for new growth. No element of his development is allowed to continue passively, here today because it was here yesterday. All of Avraham’s being is distilled into a memory that is the nucleus for a new birth – constantly! That is the power of hiddush, self-generating newness, the source of spiritual life and growth.

QUESTION: 

Dear Rabbi Ali,

I have been married for 14 years. From the beginning, things were rocky and we knew we needed to seek out help. We were guided to speak with a marriage counselor. Fourteen years later and five therapists later we are pretty much exactly where we started. Maybe we had some success, but ultimately ended up with the same old issues. Are we doing something wrong ? Why can’t we get it right ? I’d appreciate any perspective as I do appreciate your marriage insights. Thank you. 

R’ Ali’s Response: 

With Hashem’s help, I will offer some ideas as to why you are possibly not “getting it right,” and suggest some ideas as to what you can do to head in the right direction. Unfortunately, this situation is not uncommon, as many of my clients complain about the same thing. 

When seeking help in marriage (and all areas of life for that matter ) we have to know what it is that we’re looking for. Yes, of course, we’re looking to get our marriage in order or better our relationship, but what exactly do we want ? Do we want a third party to explain to our spouse where they’re going wrong? If so, this approach will inevitably fail (for the most part). This is one of the reasons that I see couples “therapy hopping.” There are three problems with this approach.

One, your spouse may get defensive and feel attacked if they sense that all you want to do is fix them. It’s irrelevant if they are the cause of the problems or not, most people don’t want to be told they are “the problem.”

Two, out of fear or force, they may agree to change things that they either can’t change or need a lot of time to change. For example, a wife may complain that her husband is not “present” when they are together. He may promise to be “present” from now on. This gives the wife false hope and leaves her frustrated when eventually she sees him “slipping up.” 

And third, when one person believes that they are fine and there’s nothing for them to do, while their spouse is faulty, then basically one person is getting “helped,” while the other is waiting around. Meaning to say it never turned into “couples” therapy at all. The couple will continue this cycle with the counselor until they realize they are going nowhere, which causes them to discard the therapist for another.

The next approach is when there are many disagreements, and the couple is looking for someone to “decide” who is wrong and who is right. Each one assumes they are “right” and would like the third party to side with them. I’m assuming they’re hoping the therapist will finally explain to their spouse how they were mistaken all of these years! This fails for obvious reasons and in turn on to the next.

The last approach is better, but also has flaws. When two people are willing to hear someone out (and not put the blame on one another) but become upset at the therapist when they are told that they need to work on certain things they disagree with or they weren’t “validated,” which turns them off. 

I don’t know if this is your situation but I’ve seen these scenarios so many times it’s very likely you fall under one of these categories. Also, it is worthwhile entertaining the possibility that all five counselors were not missing the mark. That’s a lot of professionals who are unable to help. 

So, how should a professional be approached? In my opinion it’s with humility and unity. “WE are not understanding each other (unity).  WE are not getting anywhere, let’s go to a professional and see how WE can work this out. If both parties have an understanding that it’s not me vs. you, rather WE  together are stuck, your starting point is much better. The attitude of “maybe we’re missing something” is a winning attitude. “Maybe I’m doing something wrong,” (humility)  is a way to be successful with marriage counseling. 

Let’s take a common scenario to understand this better: husband and wife have been arguing about finances for years. One says the other is cheap, the other says the other is an over spender. This can go on for years with each one proving their point with zero success. At this point, the couple should stop and say, “Hey, we obviously see things differently and need some help to sort things out, let’s reach out for advice on how to deal with our differences.”  Maybe it’s time to approach the marriage counselor in a unified and humble way, and with Hashem’s help you will finally have seen your last marriage counselor.

Linda Argalgi Sadacka

This September is not politics as usual. It is a referendum on the future of New York City: Will we remain a city of law, prosperity, and safety, or will we hand the keys to Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a self-declared democratic socialist, a cheerleader for Hamas, and an enemy of the Jewish community?

Mamdani doesnot just sympathize with radicals – he is one. His rise is powered by the Democratic Socialists of America, whose ideology is embraced by the likes of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It is the same movement that has pushed to defund the police, vilify Israel, and dismantle the economy. This isnot hidden information. It is Mamdani’s platform: weaken policing, punish the wealthy, and side with Israel’s enemies under the banner of “solidarity.”

The Record That Speaks for Itself

In Albany, Mamdani was the face of the “Not On Our Dime” bill (A6101/S606), a scheme to weaponize the courts against Jewish charities that support Israel. Leaders across the Jewish spectrum warned the bill would unleash harassment against mainstream institutions. This was not sloppy drafting. It was deliberate lawfare to punish Jews for standing with their homeland.

On moral issues, Mamdani’s record is equally alarming. He pledged support for dismantling long-standing restrictions on vice industries, signaling his willingness to erode the guardrails that protect families and neighborhoods. As mayor, he would have the authority to set enforcement priorities, shape budgets, and broadcast this agenda across the city.

The Company He Keeps

His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is not simply a Columbia University scholar. He sits on the Gaza Tribunal’sAdvisory Policy Council, a body known for echoing Hamas propaganda and anti-Israel positions. This alignment is not accidental. It reflects an ideology passed down and proudly carried forward.

What New York Would Look Like Under Mamdani

• A diminished police force, which would cause an increase in crime. A mayor wedded to de-policing means fewer officers, slower responses, and emboldened criminals.
• Jewish life under siege. A City Hall that normalizes “Not On Our Dime” gives a message to schools, agencies, and institutions that Jewish organizations are fair game, inviting harassment and intimidation.
• Economic punishment. Mamdani’s worldview is not about opportunity but is about envy. He seeks to abolish the wealthy, penalize hardworking New Yorkers, and drive out small businesses. Capital flight will not be a risk; it will be inevitable.

Families are already saying what once they only whispered: “If Mamdani wins, we’re leaving.” Community members are preparing to move to Deal, New Jersey, or Florida. This is not melodrama. It is rational self-preservation when Jewish life feels conditional, not guaranteed.

Why Registration Is Everything

Mamdani’s strategy is simple: count on apathy. He doesn’t need most New Yorkers to agree with him. He only needs enough people to stay home. That is how he won his primary, and that is how he plans to march into City Hall.

The answer is clear: register and vote. Every eligible voter must be on the voting rolls before the deadline. Applications must be received by a board of elections no later than October 25^th to be eligible to vote in the November general election. In the general election, your party doesnot matter. Republican, Democrat, Independent – if you are registered, you can vote. Two minutes online secures your voice. Do it now, and make sure your family and friends do the same.

The Bottom Line

This election is not about left versus right. It is about survival: safe streets, a working economy, and Jewish life in New York. Mamdani has shown us exactly who he is: a radical, a Hamas sympathizer, and an adversary of everything this city was built upon.

If you want a New York that protects families, rewards hard work, and refuses to launder anti-Semitism through policy, there are only two steps: register and vote.

Stop Mamdani. Save New York.

Linda Argalgi Sadacka is a political strategist, writer, and community leader. She serves as lead strategist for World Likud.