The Kohen* family was in a quandary. Their 85-year-old mother, Adele, had fallen and broken her right arm and was incapacitated to the point where could no longer live independently. But this determined, spunky woman wanted above all else to remain independent in her own home. She had no intention of moving into one of her children’s homes, even for a short time. 

Fortunately for the Kohens, Happy Home Health Aide Services was available to step in. Within 24 hours, an appropriate caregiver was assigned to take care of Mrs. Kohen’s needs. The caregiver was assigned to do light housekeeping, cooking, bathing, and driving. She also ensured that Mrs. Kohen got her medications at the right time and in the proper dosage. The caretaker additionally was responsible for overseeing Mrs. Kohen’s physiotherapy.  

The Kohen family is grateful that Mrs. Kohen did not take that bad fall a year ago, since the home health care service was only established six months ago. Founders Maurice Morabia and Nathaniel Owusu founded the homecare service with the aim of providing care for the Syrian Jewish communities in Brooklyn, Manhattan, New Jersey, and Florida. In time, they plan to branch out into other Jewish communities and to arrange for payments via Medicare and Medicaid.   

Why are these services better than the government’s? 

“Whether it’s live-in, live-out services, short or long-term caregiver services, we provide it all, and within a day,” Maurice says.  

Government services are not as quick to respond and they do they offer such extensive services. The government provided caregivers are not familiar with halachot and kashrut. And Happy Home offers new nanny “scrubble bubble services,” which gets elderly men and women – and their homes – spick and span clean for Shabbat and yom tov. 

Two hundred qualified and experienced aides are on call. They are all HHA (Home Health Aide) certified, and some are Registered Nurses. With this large group of qualified staff, getting the right caregiver to the client efficiently and quickly is not a problem. 

Happy Home Fills a Need in the Community 

In this regard, Happy Home answers a vital need within the community: This is evident by the increasing number of calls coming in every day. More elderly patients are seeking in-home care than ever before. This is partly due to increased longevity among the elderly, early discharges from hospitals, and an increase in chronic illnesses. But also, families realize that their loved ones recuperate better at home than elsewhere. Many community members, and others, can find themselves in a real crises when seeking the proper home health care services for their elderly relatives.  

The Dream Team 

So, how did Maurice Morabia, a typical Syrian Jewish man, end up in this line of work? He admits that few Jews work in the field, regardless of the monetary incentives – some caregivers earn over $500 daily with free food and board also included. 

“You have to be good-hearted and a little nutty,” he says, laughing. 

Maurice should know. He worked as a caregiver within the community for several years and knows what is involved. And Nathaniel, originally from Ghana,  has worked in the field since 2008, and knows many of the Happy Home aides personally. Together the two make sure that their caregivers have the requisite qualities: they must be kind, patient, and warm-hearted. They must be able to make quick decisions, to take responsibility, be reliable, and above all – honest.   

Getting the right person can often make all the difference. Nathaniel is currently working with an elderly gentleman named Ely, who only ate two Ensure high protein drinks a day when Nathaniel first arrived. “After determining that there was no illness preventing him from eating, with Hashem’s help, I got him eating regular meals three times a day.”

How to Get in Touch 

To arrange for a caregiver, give Maurice or Nathaniel a call at 732 642 7908. They will ask relevant questions regarding your relative’s needs. Then they will arrange either a remote or in-person interview with a caregiver who will be chosen specifically for your loved one, to provide just the right services needed.  

Thankfully, services like these now exist to serve the needs of our loved ones in their declining years, providing them the dignity and support they deserve, and giving the peace of mind to their family members. 

*All names were changed for privacy purposes. 

Avi Kumar 

The Ukraine Rescue Mission, recently organized by the Sephardic Heritage Museum, was nothing short of miraculous. The Russia-Ukraine War has been raging since February of this year, and with no end in sight, fleeing Ukraine is the only option for the Ukrainian Jews. The Sephardic Heritage Museum went to heroic lengths to coordinate internationally and aid the Ukrainian refugees in their hour of need from across the Atlantic. We remember that over 70 years ago Ukrainian Jews faced annihilation during the Holocaust. Again today, survivors of the Shoah and their descendants face dire uncertainty if not evacuated from Ukraine. 

The U.S.-based Sephardic Heritage Museum teamed up with the Sephardic Diaspora in Latin America to help over 13,000 Ukrainians (six percent of Ukraine’s Jewish population) to escape from the line of the fire and to move to relative safety in the first three weeks of the war. And the efforts are ongoing.  

Acting in Complicated Dire Circumstances 

Extracting the refugees was complicated on many levels. There was constant Russian bombardments and fighting. There was a lack of electricity, which made it extremely difficult to communicate via phones. And, of course, without electricity phones could not be readily charged. The lack of basics such as food, water, clothing, and medicine compounded the challenge of providing an escape through perilous pathways.  

Ukraine is a large country, about the size of Texas, and the Jews are dispersed throughout the country. It is estimated that  Ukraine’s Jewish community is probably the fifth largest Jewish community in the world at 200,000 to 250,000 strong, with some estimating even 400,000 (this larger number probably reflects the inclusion of those with at least one Jewish grandparent). Thirteen yeshivot across North America and a dedicated team joined together to accomplish phenomenal work, by gathering funds and focusing on meticulous planning.  

Saving Jewish Lives – the Sephardic Community Steps Up  

Rabbi Elie Abadie, Senior Rabbi of the UAE, in an exclusive interview with Community Magazine said, “The Sephardic Heritage Committee have always been attentive to the needs of Jews all over the world. The organization and I were involved in the rescue of Yemeni Jews most recently last year. This was with the help of UAE authorities. If we can rescue someone in need, we will. I cannot reveal exact details of what we did and are doing in Ukraine, but our end goal here is to transfer the refugees to a third country. Again, I cannot say too much, but I will tell you that we are raising funds to help those in need. We also must sort out logistics, which is very important: We need to provide the refugees with food and places to house them. This requires dedication, time, and money. Unlike Yemen, the Ukrainian Jewish community is bigger. It numbers an estimated 250,000 people.”  

Mr. Harry Adjmi said in a community-live broadcast, three weeks after the initial plan was conceived, “I cannot believe how much has gone on in Ukraine over the last three weeks. I cannot believe much death and injury is happening to the civilians, to children, to the people in Ukraine, city by city, town by town. But we are blessed to be able to have our hand in the rescue mission where saving lives – thousands and thousands of lives – you can hear tonight. The things that we have been able to do since that first Sunday when we came on the scene are phenomenal. And we are very proud of that.  

“And when a crisis happens you must come immediately to the rescue of whoever or whatever it is! And in this case, it is the 200,000 Jews who are in Ukraine who are struggling and suffering. And we made a difference! As you know, every single life that you can save matters, and we have saved thousands and thousands today. We will not stop. We are committed to continue to help these people in this country, Ukraine. We are committed to provide them with safe passage. They are being moved out by buses and vans, town by town, city by city.”  

Adjmi highlighted the active effort by the youth. “You are never too young to be involved in acts of tzedakah,” Adjmi said. He proudly noted that the effort to raise money and work on the ground was carried out by people of all ages. The thirteen yeshivas involved in mobilizing youth were Magen David Yeshiva, Yeshiva of Flatbush, Hillel Yeshiva, YDE Yeshiva, Barkai Yeshiva, Ramaz Yeshiva, Shaare Torah, Beit Yaakov of Brazil, Ilan High School, Magen David Academy of Panama, the SAM School, Hebrew Academy of Panama, and Magen David Congregation of Mexico.  

The long-established presence of Sephardim in Latin America traces its roots from waves of migration, beginning since the arrival of Spanish Jews in the 1500s (some crypto-Jews). Other waves included Moroccan Jewish migration in the 1800s and Syrian Jewish migration in the early 20th century. Today, the Diaspora in Brazil, Panama, Mexico, and the U.S. were all mobilized and ready to help the Ukrainian Jews in dire straits.  

Inspiration from Ike Sutton
Ike Sutton, describing the turn of events that unfolded and inspired them to help, said, “What if I told you and you imagined for a moment (with real thought and understanding) that your brother was stuck in Ukraine? Not your cousin, not a relative, not just another Jewish person, but your real blood brother. Imagine your brother stuck in Ukraine, with no electricity, no food for a week, bombs exploding, guns shooting, and people dying all around. He calls you up and says, ‘I need help, I got to get out of here!’”  Sutton went on, “You know what, you make a phone call or two and find out that there is an Israeli special-ops unit that you can send in to save your brother’s life. It costs $50,000 to hire that group and get them in to Ukraine under those conditions and get them out. Would you spend the money? Would you spend $50,000 to save your brother?”  Sutton added, “I know every one of you would beg, borrow, and steal to try to get that money to save your brother’s life.”  Sutton paused. “We did that over 12,000 times.”  

Teamwork and Experience  

Sutton described the methodology employed. The groups on the ground dealt with all of the issues happening on a daily basis. They had to get the buses and ensure the escape route was clear. He also cited that funding was the most essential item to keep the effort and extraction ongoing “everything costs money.”  

The Sephardic community had been generous in that regard, having raised over 4 million dollars. Within the first three weeks, it cost them over 2.5 million dollars and they still had 1 million left in the bank account. The teams traverse back and forth via busses between Odessa, a town in western Ukraine, into the neighboring nation of Moldova. The teams go across the borders regularly. With time and experience they now are better equipped and have a better understanding of what to do, and how to traverse the journey that could take hours, depending on where they are geographically. A woman described how the team rescued her 80-year-old grandparents within 48 hours of notice. “Now that we really understand what we are doing and how to navigate and move about and bob and weave, we are ready to do more,” Sutton said, giving the firm indication that the experience garnered will only help them continue the ongoing effort to bring out more souls that need saving.   

Divine Intervention 

Mark Adjmi, one of the organizers described a story that was clearly hashgaha pratit. Adjmi had recently undergone surgery on a finger, and subsequently had and appointment to see a physician’s assistant (PA) to help with his bandage. The procedure went longer than expected. He was still with the PA when he received an urgent conference call with the team. Of course, the PA overheard the call. He said, “And I saw in her eyes something, and I asked her, ‘Where are you from?’ and she said, ‘Ukraine’.” Her parents were still there and needed help. The team had no idea where the parents were in Ukraine at the time, but they were able to get them out.   

“Again,” Adjmi said, “people are people. We help whoever we are able to help.”  He later found out afterwards that the PA’s parents had delayed leaving because they were helping an elderly Jewish couple and so they did not flee when they had a chance earlier. “To me it’s amazing,” Adjmi said. “There is no coincidence. So my story is that I was in the right place at the right time to have the zechut to help someone.”
Adjmi went on to note the critical contribution of a woman who also is blessed with the zechut to help others in Ukraine. “The star of our Ukrainian emergency effort is Magalit,” Adjmi said. “This woman has taken on the challenge to put together a team in an undisclosed location to work day and night, because there is a six to seven hour time difference, depending on time of year, from here to Ukraine.”  Magalit had lived in Ukraine and therefore was able to help provide useful information that enabled the team to figure out the data needed to carry out the mission in the field.  

Zaparizhzhia and Mariupol  

Rabbi Raymond Sultan, Executive Director of the Sephardic Heritage Museum described how he worked with many rabbis and Jewish leaders across the vast span of the former Soviet nation. He said they were able to mobilize “buses and buses” of Jewish refugees out of Zaparizhzhia, a city that had a vibrant Jewish presence only months ago. Rabbi Nachum Ehrentreu described the ordeal, constantly facing shelling. They “did not know what to do” until they got a miraculous phone call from the Sephardic Heritage Museum offering help! Describing the town of Mariupol near the Russian border, Rabbi Sultan adopted a grimmer tone, “If you are listening to the news, you may have heard of the city called Mariupol. It is a very, very sad story. It is not like Zaporizhzhia that still has a chance, maybe. Mariupol is surrounded. It is besieged for a long time. There is no electricity, no water, no telephones, and no internet. Hunger is rampant, and people are dying of starvation.”  

Rabbi Mendy Cohen had served as a Chabad emissary for 17 years here. He initially thought that “there was no hope” until he got a lifeline via a phone call from Rabbi Sultan, Rabbi David Haber, and Magalit. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, everything was wiped out, the kindergarten, homes, the school, and the synagogues (including a new one). Every building was damaged in the shelling. It was also almost impossible to evacuate Mariupol because the city was closed off. Right at the onset of the war with Russia at least one hundred families managed to drive away with cars when they still had fuel, although it was risky. Those who remained, however, were less fortunate. Many are still in shelters with no food or electricity. They cannot shower, and they can only long to see the news. Their only goal is to survive for the next few hours or days while they wait. Rabbi Mendy says that 80 percent of the city has already been destroyed. He described how many fled with just their passports (maybe) and the clothes on their backs, many passing  scores of dead bodies as they fled. “The Jews from Mariupol have to start their lives from scratch,” he said. Rabbi Cohen then smiled. “I know that your community has a lot of Cohanim” but he and Rabbi Ehrentraub (also a Cohen) insisted on giving a beracha out of gratitude for them helping Jews “from another community.”  

Let Us All Join Together to Help 

The president of the Panama Magen David community spoke about how only six months ago, a number of Sephardic groups across the Americas gathered to form an initiative to get leaders to share ideas together. The groups hailed from Brazil, Panama, Argentina, and the United States. He highlighted how such groups are more important than now in crises such as this.  

“We have put our money together for something good” Adjmi said. Long after the Holocaust where many Ukrainian Jews died, unable to flee, they made a difference. This time in a crisis, the Jews were able to escape because the Sephardic Heritage Museum was able to raise money, coordinate the logistics efficiently and save them. For the mission to continue, it requires money to help the thousands more who are stuck in Ukraine. Given the efficiency of the group that formed on such short notice, they will continue to save more Jewish lives in need.

What do bullies look like? Most people would picture the burliest, toughest kid in the class, who has issues at home and who openly preys on the smallest and the weakest kids, harassing their victims both physically and emotionally. But actually, bullies comes in all shapes and their tactics can vary widely. Unfortunately, most bullying is not obvious. It typically does not look like what is portrayed in the media. Often, bullying starts with words and seemingly small actions, such as excluding someone from joining in at the lunch table. Then, leaving them out of a big play date. Then a birthday party. I clearly remember the awful feeling of being left out, myself. And what little social media we had at the time (My Space and then Facebook) made it worse because I could see when people would go out without me, and I knew exactly what I was missing out on. That sting I felt is still with me through adulthood. Unfortunately, the lasting effects of bullying and/or social exclusion are not magically erased on your 18th birthday. 

I imagine being left out feels far worse for kids nowadays, as they have endless amounts of apps and technology at their fingertips, which allow them to see just what everyone else is doing.

Parents, I call on you to increase your awareness and to take a strong stand against bullying in all its forms. If your child usually has a group of friends over from time to time, pay attention if one of the kids who used to come around suddenly does not. Ask your kid how that kid is doing. We should always teach our kids to seek out the child that has no one to talk to at lunch, or who is playing alone at recess. These kids will not ask for help, so it is our job to teach our own kids to look out for kids who do not seem to be included in a social group, and to befriend them and show them special consideration. Our aim is not only to teach our kids to not be bullies. We need to teach them to reach out to kids who are being bullied or simply excluded (a form of bullying in itself). Let’s hear from community members what they have to say about this important subject. Some names and details of the personal stories below have been changed to protect the parties involved.

Marcy Jemal

In elementary school there was a girl in my class who was actually a nice, normal girl. For whatever reason my friends used to call her a loser, so I went along with it . I took the initiative to tell everyone not to invite her or include her in any of our plans. It got to the point where I became the leader of the pack, and got my friends to behave badly towards this one girl, too. I didn’t even have a reason. I think my friends just called her names and I went along with it, but ultimately, I took it too far. Once in middle school we were all at one girl’s house for a sleepover party and I said out loud, “Omg what is she doing here?!” While she went into the bathroom to get ready for bed, I started making fun of her and calling her names, knowing she could probably hear me. I was saying such mean things even though I knew she was listening. My friends even thought I took it too far.  She came out of the bathroom crying. Every year after that I wrote her a letter before Yom Kippur asking for forgiveness. Years later she told someone that she was traumatized from the experience, and it got back to me. She recovered and we’re friendly now when we see each other, but it definitely affected her in her life. When I think about why I was so awful to her, I think it was most likely just me trying to be cool and fit in. The reason why I share this experience is to present a realistic depiction of what bullying looks like and how it can impact someone, especially at an impressionable young age. 

Gabriella Cohen

I’ve dealt with my child being bullied and so have my friends. It can be difficult to pin down from the start because sometimes it starts at such a young age and happens so subtly that you may not even realize it’s an issue until it escalates. And at that point it’s like, what can you do? Avoiding playing with a certain child deliberately and in a mean way is one of the subtle ways bullying can rear its ugly head. I think the schools really have to get a handle on it. I’ve seen it, a mean comment here and there gets ignored and eventually it can get physical and only then is the bully penalized. It’s absurd that it has to get to such an extreme situation before anything is addressed. Children should feel safe in school. During lunch and on the bus there are large gaps in supervision and kids take advantage of this. Parents and teachers should be teaching kids to be sensitive and to be inclusive. I feel as though we have enough resources in this community to nail down this issue and make it a thing of the past. 

Dani Sutton

I went to yeshiva from K-8th grade. Then I went to a public high school. I had three kids in my 8th grade yeshiva. Going from a tiny school to a huge high school was very intimating. I knew no one. I was bullied by upperclassmen. They called me “ugly” and made fun of my eye that looked different. Then they started to make fun of me for being Jewish. The school did nothing… I let them know and got them to listen to voicemails that bullies would leave me, but still nothing was done. 

Rena Ash 

My son was bullied at school. It was really bad. At one point he didn’t want to go to school because one kid was extremely mean to him. Fortunately, he had an amazing principal whom we called and he really took care of it all the way. He made an announcement that any form of bullying will not be tolerated, and I guess they were young enough that they still feared authority and they listened. My child is only six now. I’m sure it’s more complicated the older they get. If the teacher is really good and truly cares about the kids I would recommend calling her/him. I always tell my kids how important it is to accept everyone and not push anyone away. The last thing I want is for my kids to be the bully. I’m sure most parents feel this way, too.  

Valorie Shamah

The bullying started out in first grade. It was so confusing to me. I really truly did not understand why no one wanted to be my friend all of a sudden! I told my mom what had been going on and she was devastated. I still remember her face. She couldn’t believe other six-year-old kids were capable of doing this to another child. She was horrified. Little did either of us know this was just the beginning. My school life first through eighth grade was consumed with physical and emotional abuse. Name calling, pushing, shoving, spitting, punching, and more. I was not safe and there wasn’t anything any adult at school was doing to stop it.

My mother tried several things to get it to stop, but to no avail. First, she tried calling the parents of my tormentors, but they truly could not have cared less. They dismissed her and me. They treated it like a joke. Their children continued to break me down. My mother tried talking to the principal, but unfortunately these families had money and power and it was clear they weren’t going to have consequences. When it got really obvious that it wasn’t resolving itself the principal came up with an idea. We were to have team building workshops to try and bring us together as friends.

Good intentions, bad idea. This made things 20 times worse for me. I was getting threatening notes in my locker saying I’d better lie and say things got better with them, although they had no intention of backing down or leaving me alone. I gave in and told the principal that all was well, I insisted, in fact, and I guess it seemed fishy. They brought in a therapist to try to get a handle on things, but once again, it made matters worse. These girls told the entire school there was something wrong with me and that I needed a therapist. 

Finally, my mom pulled me out of that school and into a safe haven. I came to my new school a broken down shell of the girl I once was. The new principal saw that I was lacking confidence and self-esteem and suggested a specific therapist. At first, I was hurt and opposed to the idea, thinking that therapy was a punishment and would only make things worse.

I was wrong on both accounts. The therapist and I worked together for years. It used to be that I’d hardly ever leave my house and when I did get up the nerve to go out and I saw my old tormentors out in the community I would have almost a physical reaction. I was suddenly a small helpless child again and just wanted to throw up. It made me hardly go out at all. Now I can even walk up to them at a wedding or social gathering and catch up and make small talk as if it never happened. Although I’ll never forget, I have healed. I understand that  I’m lucky and not everyone will have the same fortunate outcome as I did. My heart breaks for the kids and parents that are still going through this.

I wish bullying was a cause we could all rally against. Let’s together fight to make sure every child is safe at school and no one goes through half the abuse I had to take. 

Liat Dahan, Director of Community Education of Project SAFE 

The SAFE organization via Project SAFE has recently begun an anti-bullying initiative in our communities’ schools. SAFE is aware of what a huge problem bullying is and is determined to help students, parents, and schools to make a change for the better. Project SAFE is out to help the community reimagine how we approach bullying prevention in schools. Some of this initiative includes anti-bullying units for middle school SAFE classes. SAFE teachers must go through a full day of training on the subject of bullying. Participating middle schools held assemblies with special guest speaker Debbie Nahmad, and a parent program as well. SAFE understands that the parent portion of this is extremely important. No change in students’ perspective, understanding, and behavior could ever be complete without the active involvement and participation of their most important influencers, their parents. SAFE is enthusiastic about the change that has already begun, addressing the issue in a new way.

Isaac Setton, LMHC,CASAC of Flow Therapy NYC 

When people hear that bullying is going on, they will typically focus their attention on the person being bullied. However, studies have shown that bullying can have negative effects on all  involved, including the bully, the person being bullied, and those who witness the bullying. The “bully” is typically found to engage in risky behaviors as they grow up. The “bullied” face many social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. And the “witnesses” are more likely to face similar issues as the bully and the bullied, but to a lesser degree. It is vital that we address bullying from all aspects and focus on each individual involved in the situation in order to produce the best outcomes. 

Some of the main points to know about bullies is that they typically struggle with low self-esteem, have trauma from past events, and may have been, or continue to be, neglected.

Some ways to address bullying include talking to those being bullied to empower them to stand up for themselves. It is important to also talk to the bully and learn more about what may be triggering their bullying behaviors. We must teach the “witnesses” to take a stand and push back against the bully along with the ones being bullied. It is crucial that parents, schools, rabbis, and community leaders take a strong stance against any form of bullying. That includes verbal, physical, and cyber.  

I’d like to mention that cyber bullying, although it was not mentioned much above, is possibly the most sneaky and harmful type of bullying, and parents and teachers must be aware of it. WhatsApp chats can get out of hand as well as other platforms that have private group conversations. I would also like to note that children are not the only ones who can be bullies or get bullied. We adults should take stock of how we treat one another. We must lead by example. It is nice to tell your children to be kind to others, but actions speak louder than words. We must set the example for to the next generations to emulate.  

Frieda Schweky is a full-time photographer and part-time freelance writer. If you’d like to message her with questions and comments about the above topic or if you need a photographer for your upcoming simha or photoshoot she can be reached via Instagram @friedaschwekyphoto or email friedaschweky@gmail.com

As Hanukah approaches, we recall the miracle of the small jug of oil that lasted for eight nights. Passover evokes the memory of the backbreaking labor we endured in Egypt, and the matzah we eat to commemorate our liberation. When Shavuot comes along, we rejoice in celebrating the accepting Gd’s Torah on Mount Sinai. 

    Each year, on the 18th day of Iyar, we are called to celebrate Lag Ba’omer, a holiday that comes in between Pesach and Shavuot. Occurring on the thirty-third day of our counting of the Omer, it may not have the pizazz of some of the more well-known holidays, but it is worth celebrating for many reasons, and not just as an occasion that allows us to make weddings and take a haircut! 

On This Day in History 

    In the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, a deadly plague raged amongst the disciples of the great sage Rabbi Akiva. As a symbol of mourning for Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 disciples who died, we refrain from listening to music, taking haircuts, participating in wedding celebrations, and the like. On Lag Ba’omer, the plague finally ceased, which was considered a miracle. (In our days we can relate to a deadly plague suddenly ending!) In commemoration of this miracle, we are permitted again to perform the aforementioned practices. 

    Also, on this day we remember the great sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, who died on this very day.  In Israel there is a well-known custom to travel to Meron on Lag Ba’omer. It is the burial place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, commonly referred to by the acronymic abbreviation of his name, Rashbi. This great rabbi died on Lag Ba’omer about eighteen centuries ago. 

    One might wonder: If Lag Ba’omer marks the date of Rabbi Shimon’s death, why is it largely celebrated with outings, bonfires, and other joyous events? To answer, let’s first better understand who this great man was. 

The Story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai 

    When Rashbi was a young boy, he studied in the great academy of Yavneh. His principal teacher was the illustrious Rabbi Akiva, with whom he developed a strong relationship. In fact, Rabbi Akiva would come to refer to him as “my son.” 

    After the Bar Kochba revolt, the Roman emperor, Hadrian, persecuted the Jews mercilessly. He shut down the Talmudic academies and Torah study was forbidden under penalty of death. Some Jews learned Torah in secret. They brought food and drink with them outdoors, and sometimes bows and arrows. If approached by the Romans, they would claim they were on an outing. Thus, Lag Ba’omer is a popular time in Israel for picnics and archery.  

   During Hadrian’s time, Rabbi Akiva defiantly continued to teach Torah publicly. His devoted pupil Shimon remained at his side. Although Rabbi Akiva was eventually arrested, Rabbi Shimon continued to visit his mentor in prison to receive instruction. It was only death that would finally separate them as Rabbi Akiva was condemned to die al kiddush Hashem (for the sanctification of Gd’s name). 

    These were horrific times for the Jewish people in Israel, who remained under the brutal persecution of the Roman emperor. It was nearly impossible to study Torah or to worship Hashem. 

    The cruel Romans realized that the continuity of the Jewish nation depended on the chain of semicha, the ordination of rabbis. They forbade such ordination, and decreed that anyone who ordains or is ordained would be executed if discovered. Thus, the knowledge of Gd and his Torah was at risk of being forgotten. 

    Despite the danger, the great Rabbi Yehudah ben Baba publicly ordained five scholars during this time. The Roman authorities discovered the semicha ceremony taking place. The scholars, including Rabbi Shimon, escaped. Rabbi Yehudah ben Baba was already seventy years old, and could not run away, but he directed his students to flee. Rabbi Yehudah ben Baba was caught and put to death. 

    Finally, Hadrian himself died and the decrees that had been in effect were no longer enforced with the same brutality. The leading sages of the time gathered to consider how they might restore the Jewish religion. 

    The sages moved to Yavneh, where they conferred in a vineyard. 

    In discussing what stance to take towards the Roman government, Rabbi Yehudah suggested a friendly one, Rabbi Yossi HaGelili expressed no opinion, while Rabbi Shimon spoke very bitterly of the Roman tyrants, and advocated every possible defiance.  

    Among the great sages present was Rabbi Yehuda Ben Gerim, who recounted the meeting to others. It was a fatal mistake, which led to the Roman government’s discovery of the meeting and the details of the rabbis’ exchange.  At once, honor and rank were decreed for Rabbi Yehudah for speaking favorably of government, exile was decreed for Rabbi Yossi for failing to do so, and death was decreed for Rabbi Shimon, who dared to challenge the empire. 

    Rabbi Shimon fled for his life together with his son Rabbi Elazar. 

    For some time, the two stayed in hiding in a bet midrash, where Rabbi Shimon’s wife brought them bread and water daily. When the search for them was intensified, they decided to seek a better hiding place. The father and son moved to hide in a cave, not telling anyone of their whereabouts. Gd caused a carob tree to materialize at the entrance of the cave, along with a spring of fresh water. For twelve years, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai and his son, Elazar, dwelt in the cave, sustaining themselves on carobs and water. During this time, they studied and prayed until they became the holiest sages of their day. 

    At the end of twelve years, the Prophet Elijah brought them good tidings. There had been of a change in the government and they had been given a reprieve. Father and son finally left the cave. 

    Rashbi settled in the town of Tekoa, where he founded a great Torah academy. The most eminent  scholars of the time gathered there to receive instruction from Rabbi Shimon. Among them was Rabbi Yehudah Ha’nasi, who later compiled the Mishnah. 

Reason for Celebration 

    When he reached the final day of his life, Rabbi Shimon called his students together and told them to pay close attention. The Zohar (3:291b) describes the scene: Rabbi Shimon spent the entire day in a prophetic stream of consciousness, revealing the deepest mystical secrets of the Torah. He told his students: “Until now, I have held the secrets close to my heart. But now, before I die, I wish to reveal them all.” 

    Rabbi Abba, a student assigned with the job of transcribing Rabbi Shimon’s words, reports: “I couldn’t even lift my head due to the intense light emanating from Rabbi Shimon’s face. The entire day, the house was filled with fire, and nobody could get close, due to the wall of fire and light. At the end of the day, the fire finally subsided, and I was able to look at the face of Rabbi Shimon: He was dead, wrapped in his tallit, lying on his right side – and smiling.” 

    Let’s return now to our original question: If Lag Ba’omer marks the date of Rabbi Shimon’s death, why is it cause for such a celebration? 

    The Romans had convicted Rabbi Shimon of a capital crime. By all rights, he should have died well before his time. But through tremendous self-sacrifice and a series of miracles, Rashbi was able to live out a full life, the climax of which was the revelation of the Torah’s greatest secrets. All this is cause for celebration! And the bonfires lit all around Israel, and in other Jewish communities around the world, commemorate the bright fire of Rashbi’s last day. 

Some requests to the Mitzvah Man hotline can be answered within a day. Others require more intensive tefillah for siyatta d’shmaya. Here is one example of a first-time request that came in some time ago. A woman named Laura, a young mother with children aged five, seven, and nine, called for help. “My husband is in a prison in upstate New York,” she said. “It is four hours from our home in Brooklyn. I have no car. Visiting hours are Sundays and Thursdays. My children miss their father terribly. If you can find a ride for us, even a few times during the year, we will be very grateful.” She paused and took a breath. “According to his sentence he’ll be there for three years.” 

The Mitzvah Man was taken aback for a moment and then answered with all the confidence he could muster, “Laura, I will get back to you. Right now, I do not know of a driver available for this, but I will do my best.” 

Who could the Mitzvah Man turn to? He prayed. He asked Hashem to please help him to help Laura and her children to get to visit with their husband and father. Four hours away to upstate? These are necessary visits for the stability of this family, for three long years. 

The Mitzvah Man put the word out for a volunteer driver. Texts were sent, emails, public postings, and whatever he could think of, but no one responded. He even called some of the other hesed organizations to see if they could help. Nothing. Feeling helpless, he called Laura. “We have nothing yet, but we are not giving up. You are in our prayers.” 

A week later, the Mitzvah Man received a call from Shlomo. 

“Someone forwarded me your request. I drive my van to that prison every Sunday and Thursday, leaving Brooklyn at 8:00 a.m. and returning after visiting hours are over at 5:00 p.m. I would be happy to take this family every Sunday and Thursday for the time that their loved one is incarcerated in that prison. This is my hesed. At one time I was in Rikers Island and had no visits from anyone. Of all the difficulties of prison life, that was the worst. 

“I promised Hashem that when I would be released from my five-year sentence, I would drive people every Sunday and Thursday to visit their loved ones in prison. Miraculously, I was released 14 months before my sentence was up. I have been doing this hesed for the last three years.” 

The Mitzvah Man couldn’t believe how precisely Hashem answered his prayers. He called Laura immediately to tell her the good news. 

And for the next three years, every week, Shlomo drove the children and others to the prison to see their loved ones. 

Indeed, it is only Hashem who could possibly have coordinated the rides to the prison!