Dave Gordon

This past February, six living hostages and the bodies of four Israeli hostages were exchanged for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners. One of them is presumed to be Palestinian Khalil Jabarin, who was seventeen in September 2018 when he stabbed and killed a 45-year-old American oleh from New York, Ari Fuld.

Ari’s brother Hillel, 46, said, “Truth is, I think we [our family] all had in the back of our heads that this was a possibility, but I don’t think any of us wanted to face that, so, it’s definitely a punch to the gut.”

An Undoing of Justice

For Hillel Fuld and  Micah Lakin Avni (Micah Hebraicized his last name), who lost his father, Richard Lakin, to a Hamas attack, there is a personal cost to negotiating with terrorists, particularly through prisoner exchange deals – one that reopens wounds, and creates a feeling that justice has been undermined.

They are caught weighing the moral scales between the desire to minimize the suffering of hostages, yet at the price of releasing individuals who may commit further atrocities, thereby undermining long-term security and rewarding terrorism.

Ari Fuld’s killer, Jabarin, came up from behind him on the sidewalk of Harim Mall at the Gush Etzion Junction, just south of Jerusalem, He stabbed Ari in the neck. Ari summoned the energy to chase down his killer, jump over a wall, and shoot him. Jabarin was stopped from attacking Hila Peretz, who only minutes before had served him a falafel from her stand.

“This kid lacked nothing in life,” Hillel Fuld said of Jabarin. “He was not oppressed; he was not occupied. He was living a free life.”

Jabarin, while serving a life sentence in prison, was paid by the Palestinian Authority’s pay-to-slay program, according to Fuld.

At least 59 hostages are still believed held by Hamas. Approximately 200 of those abducted on Oct. 7th have been returned, some alive, others not.

Ari Fuld’s Take on Things

“If Ari were here today, he would be unequivocally against this deal. He spoke about it multiple times, this kind of concept,” said Fuld. “I don’t think our personal tragedy or pain caused by the fact that he’s getting out changes our opinion on the deal, which is that the deal is absolutely terrible and beautiful simultaneously, right?”

Ari had completed his army service. but still volunteered in the IDF. He became leader of his platoon, while also advocating for Israel on social media and at speaking engagements. “Ari was more than an IDF soldier. He was also a staunch, vocal advocate for Israel,” Hillel said, “He spent his days going from base to base, bringing soldiers ice cream and food, just to put a smile on their face.”

On November 7, 2018, the Israel Police posthumously awarded Ari Fuld the Medal of Distinction.

Is Israel Winning the War?

“I think objectively speaking, what Israel has accomplished in this war is unparalleled and unprecedented,” Fuld said, which includes the elimination of the bulk of Hamas and Hezbollah, the Iranian military apparatus, and Syrian defenses.

“And so I don’t think there’s anyone who could say that Israel is not winning this war. The objectives have been very well defined, to remove Hamas from Gaza and from power, and to get our hostages back, neither of which have been accomplished. You can’t say that the war is over and we won the war. We’re in the middle of the war, and it’s a ceasefire,” Hillel said. But he is confident those goals will be reached.

“Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, [the] Babylonians – we don’t have any of these empires. They’re all gone. And Israel, the people of Israel, remain, and not only do we remain, but we are strong and we are resilient. And so that will be the case with this war. I don’t know how often we actually stop and think about the events that led to our holidays. At Purim, the leader of the world agreed to annihilate the Jews. Do we often stop and think that that was near genocide of the Jewish people? And the same thing for Hanukah and for Passover. So today that will be the case again. We will dance again.”

Prisoner Deals Evoke Mixed Emotions

Despite personal anguish over prisoner releases, both Fuld and Avni acknowledge the mixed emotions of needing to release hostages, at an impossibly high cost.

“I don’t think there’s a single person in Israel who wouldn’t do anything on a personal level to get hostages back. But on the other hand, strategically, it makes no sense to my mind to be letting prisoners out. It shows weakness,” Avni said.

Avni’s fatherwas killed by Hamas member Bilal Abu Ganem, part of the duo who killed three Israeli civilians and injured 15, in a bus attack in Oct. 2015. Abu Ganem was due to be freed in a recent prisoner exchange.

Richard Lakin’s Story

Born in the U.S., Lakin marched with Martin Luther King, and was an activist that helped desegregate schools in Connecticut. He was the principal at Hopewell Elementary School from 1969 until he moved with his family to Israel in 1984. He built an English-as-a-second-language school, teaching Jewish, Christian, and Arab children.

“It was a matter of principle for him. He thought that was the way to bring people together,” said his son.

Lakin was on the way home from a doctor’s appointment in Jerusalem, when there was a wave of Palestinian stabbings. Rather than risk being exposed to an attack on the walk home, he decided to take the bus. Two Hamas terrorists boarded, shooting Lakin and two other civilians, and injuring another 15 people.  

During the terror stabbing spree, police killed one of the attackers on the spot. The second, Abu Ganem, was brought to Hadassah Hospital, together with Lakin. Although the terrorist survived, Lakin, 76, did not.

Indoctrination to Terror

Two days after the attack, Hamas released a re-enactment video, said Avni. “They had actors get on a bus and ‘shoot’ another actor who was playing my father, and one playing a terrorist. They put it out to educate young children how to do terror attacks like that. And it got tens of millions of views,” said Avni.

 “An entire generation of kids grew up watching these movies all day long. Now they’re indoctrinated. It’s a culture of terror and death from kindergarten, summer camps, elementary schools, in high schools, in universities, anywhere children spend time.”

Abu Ganem, a resident of East Jerusalem who held an Israeli residency card, was tried in the District Court in Jerusalem, and sentenced to three life sentences. “He admitted to it, and there was no question that he and the other were both members of Hamas. He expressed zero remorse for what he had done,” said Avni.

A History of Prisoner Exchanges

Avni recalls the first time he expressed how adamantly he was against lopsided hostage deals.

Right after his family moved to Israel, a major prisoner exchange deal took place in May 1985, called the Jibril Agreement. “I remember telling my mother at the time – I was just about to enlist in the army – that if I ever get taken prisoner, don’t exchange any terrorists for me. It’s clear that they’re just going to come back and murder more people.”

The Jibril deal took place between the Israeli government and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command. Israel released 1,150 prisoners. In return, Israel received three prisoners captured during the First Lebanon War: Yosef Grof, Nissim Salem, and Hezi Shai.

The deal included the release of several high-profile prisoners including Ahmed Yassin, a Gazan Muslim Brotherhood leader who later became the spiritual leader of Hamas and Ziyad al-Nakhalah, who was serving a life sentence and later became the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

It set a precedent for future exchanges, including the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange in 2011, where 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli Arab prisoners were released in exchange for one IDF soldier.

Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, was released as part of the Shalit exchange. Avni saw this as epitomizing a long line of wrongful thinking amongst Israelis and the country’s elites.

Terrorists Do Not Play by Western rules

Avni said that in the past four decades, he watched Israeli leadership “become enamored with being accepted in the West, in a similar way that I watched lots of my Jewish friends in America trying to play both sides.Hamas are “like the Nazis, pure evil and sometimes it’s hard for the Western mind to grasp this.”

“But there is no reasoning with these people,” Avni said, referring to terrorists. “There is no negotiation. Their end goal is to destroy us, to destroy Israel, and for most of them, to take over the West, as well. So that’s ideological. You have to destroy them before they destroy you.” In the time he ran a finance business with thousands of clients across the Arab world, he noticed that their culture respected strength, and “abused weakness,” and he believes the time has come for Israel and her allies to be “strong handed with terrorists.”

Inspiring conversations with the women shaping our community, one story at a time.

“Fitness has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child I loved walking everywhere, and by high school I got my first gym membership. The gym became my safe space – a place where I could feel strong, confident, and clear my mind.”  – Yael Dayon

Ellen Geller Kamaras

Please meet Yael Frasko Dayon, a passionate mother, wife, and fitness trainer who keeps many of our community women in Long Branch, NJ, healthy and strong.

Yael’s parents, Liat and Yosef Frasko, are of Syrian descent. Yael is the second of seven children and is close with her siblings. She attended Yeshiva Ateret Torahfor elementary through high school.

A social and friendly child, Yael loved being active and in motion and won sports competitions during high school. She admits that she found it challenging to sit at a desk for long hours.

“My favorite part of the day was always gym class – I was naturally athletic and loved sports.”

Fulfilling Her Vision

After high school, Yael went straight to a hands-on sales job, not wanting to work at  a desk job. After work, she would head to the Sephardic Community Center gym, where she trained friends for fun. “Fitness was something I had always loved, and over time it became more than just a hobby.”

Yael turned her passion into a career.  She started with a few clients, training them for free, just to gain experience. Next  she enrolled in school to become a certified fitness instructor. After earning her certification, she started training clients professionally and later began teaching classes at DSN Community Center, which inspired her to open her own home studio.

Yael is also a certified boxing trainer, certified nutrition coach, and is AED (Automated External Defibrillator)/CPR certified.

During the summer of 2023, Yael worked with Nutrition by Tanya as an EMSCULPT tech and earned the honor of employee of the month. She helped women gain confidence about their bodies and view themselves as strong, powerful, and beautiful.

And Then Came Marriage

Yael met her naseeb, David Dayon, one year her senior, through mutual family members and they clicked right away. David, also of Syrian descent, grew up in the Deal area. He works in ecommerce, advising and managing companies on Amazon. 

Yael moved to New Jersey when she married David ten years ago. Living away from Brooklyn was hard at first, but thanks to Yael’s work and dedication, she has built a fulfilling social life and a supportive community in New Jersey.

The couple has been blessed with four children.

Yael’s Essence

Yael describes herself as friendly, outgoing, hardworking, organized, and continually growing closer to Hashem. She is also warm, positive, and energetic. 

Having children was pivotal for Yael. She desired to feel strong and confident in her own body, and that fueled her passion for helping other women feel the same way.  Yael wanted every mother to feel proud of her body through its changes and to embrace becoming the strongest and best version of herself. Yael also understood that prioritizing fitness plays a crucial role in supporting the mental health of mothers, giving them a necessary outlet for self-care and personal well-being.

“My proudest accomplishments are getting my certifications, and empowering women in my community while balancing my career and family life.”  Having a nutrition certification enables Yael to guide her fitness clients about eating healthily.

Work/Life Balance

Yael’s fitness career allows her perfect work/life balance, giving her the flexibility to work from home, set her own schedule, raise her family, and be involved in the Jewish community.

“Balancing work and home life can be challenging. Mornings are hectic, knowing I have a client coming ten minutes after my kids get on the bus.  Some days, I miss out on personal time or the ability to drive my kids when they want, but the trade-off of being my own boss and setting my timetable is worth it.”

Yael starts her day at 5am with her own workout, followed by prayer, breakfast, and getting her kids ready for school. Her first client arrives at 8:40am, and she usually sees clients until the early afternoon and then she is free for her children. Yael works some evenings,as well. 

Over the years, she has transitioned from cardio to weight training, realizing that the heavier she lifted, the better her results and the stronger she became. She noticed the same pattern with her clients.  The more they focused on strength training, the less pain they experienced daily and the more energetic they felt, as opposed to the exhaustion that often comes with excessive cardio.

Yael is grateful for the huge and beneficial impact her career has had on her family. Her children have grown up seeing their mom prioritize fitness and the value of strength and health. Fitness has become a natural part of their lives. “We don’t focus on being skinny but on being strong and healthy. My family is proud of my career, and I know I’m setting a positive example for my children.”

The pandemic was a major turning point for Yael’s fitness business. With big gyms shutting down, people needed a space to train, and that’s when her home training and classes really took off. It afforded Yael the opportunity to build a strong clientele and expand her reach in ways she hadn’t expected.  As an extra boost to her business Yael started to sell juices and healthy desserts. Her clients are primarily women aged twenty and over.  Sometimes shealso trains high school students.

Community

Yael is deeply involved in the Syrian community and teaches in DSN. One of the most wonderful aspects of her career is training people she sees every day, building friendships, and strengthening the community. “Fitness isn’t just about working out – it’s about creating connections and supporting each other in our health journeys.”

For Fun

Yael enjoys activities that allow her to unwind while taking care of her body. That includes lifting weights, going for a run, or spending time in the sauna.  Self-care time slots for massages or recovery time are also a must for her.

Tips

Yael encourages young people to follow their dreams. “Don’t be afraid to start. Everyone begins somewhere, and success comes from consistency, dedication, and hard work. No one achieves success overnight.”

Although there were many instances where Yael questioned whether her career would work, she pushed forward. Over time, she is proud to have formed a strong clientele and a thriving business.  Her challenges helped her grow.

Connect with Yael on Instagram @yael_dayon or by text 703-853-6340. Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach.  Her coaching specialties include life, career and dating coaching.  Ellen can be contacted at ellen@lifecoachellen.com (www.lifecoachellen.com).

QUESTION:

Dear Rabbi Ali,

I’m not sure if this is an issue but it does bother me a lot. I find it hard to connect with my wife due to the fact that she is very quiet and doesn’t speak much. She was always quiet and reserved, but it never really bothered me until recently. Baruch Hashem, we don’t fight but I would  still appreciate some advice on how I can connect with someone who doesn’t speak much.

R’ Ali’s Response:

I would like to start with something that Rabbi Shimon Gruen mentions often. If something bothers you, then it’s not trivial. Which means that we all have certain things that bother us and certain things that we’re okay with. What one considers unbearable, someone else may not even notice. Some people can’t handle a messy house while others could care less. The point is, if it bothers you, then you should address it. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is a problem, but you’re entitled to ask and search for a solution.

It’s also important for people to know that the person that they married is the same person that they are seeing now, months or years later. You mention that your wife was always quiet. Not to be cynical, but she is who you married. People should know who they’re marrying and accept who they are. Don’t expect someone to change who they are, or even worse, to try to change them. Of course, it goes without saying, unacceptable behavior should be corrected or at least acknowledged.

You mention that you don’t fight. That’s not a small thing in the slightest. It’s the literal definition of shalom bayit,a peaceful home. Unfortunately, there are many people who cannot say the same and pray so hard to be able to say those magic words, “We don’t fight.” Of course, we should always be striving for more and that’s wonderful when people want to better their relationship. It’s important to put things into perspective and realize what is actually going on. Many people equate shalom bayit with, “where I’d like my relationship to be.” Which means, if it’s not where I’d like it to be, my shalom bayit  isn’t great. I don’t believe this is true. As I mentioned, shalom bayit means peace in the home. Two people that respect each other, don’t fight, and communicate on a basic level definitely seems peaceful to me.

One more idea before I attempt to answer your question is that you mention this didn’t bother you until recently. I don’t know how long you’re married, but it’s definitely worthwhile to think about why this didn’t bother you when you got married and why “ all of a sudden” this started to bother you. It could be that you have more on your mind and need to talk things out. If that’s the case, you should acknowledge that it’s not your wife’s shy nature and maybe find a friend or family member to speak to more at length. This is just one idea and I could be way off on the reason I am giving you. My point is to give you food for thought and maybe you can identify yourself why all of a sudden this bothers you.

How do you connect with someone when they don’t talk much? Of course, there are people who talk less and are shy by nature, but I have noticed that even shy people can be very talkative. Most people open up and speak a lot when they are in their comfort zone. Some people need to be very relaxed or very comfortable with the person that they are talking to. Others need to be in the right setting. I know many people who open up when they go for a walk or out to eat. There are also many people who have a lot to say but get interrupted often which gives them the cue to just not speak at all.

As I mention often, we should never forget the importance of praying to Hashem and asking Him for assistance, no matter how small we may think our issues are.

Leon Sakkal

Yes, it’s that time of year again! As we clean out the cabinets, sweep the floors, and make all the necessary preparations for Pesach, it is important to remind ourselves of the many meaningfullessons and values we transmit to our children at this special time. 

“Let My People Go!” 

When finally agreeing to let the Jewish people leave Missrayim, Pharaoh instructs Moshe, “Go and serve Hashem, your Gd – butfirst, mi va’mi ha’holchim?” – “Just who will be leaving?” Moshe replies, 

“Bi’narenu u’bizkenenu nelech”— “With our young and our old we will go.” The question arises: why does Moshe mention the young before the old? It is no secret that we, as Jewish people, always give precedence to our elders. Why, then, the uncharacteristic choice of phrasing? 

The answer is one of the essential principles of Passover and of our Jewish tradition. 

Pharaoh agrees to let the Jewish People go, but before giving Moshe the absolute “green light,” he needs to know precisely who will be going. Men? Women? Children? For he fears Moshe will take his most significantmembers of Jewish people: the children. 

Well aware that Pharaoh fears the emancipation of the young, Moshe first stresses “bi’narenu” as if to say, “Indeed, we will be taking our young.” It is then that Pharaoh withdraws his sanction. 

The Evil Strategy 

Although this may shed light on Moshe’s choice of words, one cannot help but wonder: What is so significant about the Jewish children that Pharaoh does not want to let them go? 

In the Purim story, we find a similar interest taken by King Ahashverosh. There, the king throws a tremendous party, inviting everybody “mi’gadol ve’ad kattan” both great and small, young and old. But is it not strange? Surely most people would not want children running around a party of such magnificence and grandeur! And so again we wonder: Why the special interest in the little ones? 

On the night of Pesach we can truly understand the intention of Pharaoh, Ahashverosh, Adolf Hitler, and all of the wicked men who have tried so desperately to annihilate us.   

Throughout history, our enemies have realized that the key to both the construction and destruction of the Jewish people is largely dependent on their youth. “If we get the kids,” they muse, “the rest is history.”    

The frightening truth is that this tactic has not disappeared with time. Modern-day villains likewise prey on the innocence of the young. In fact, a recent study shows that more than 75 percent of ISIS and Al Qaeda terrorists recruited from the United States are teens!   

Both past and present tyrants understand that Jewish children are the lifeline of the Jewish faith, the future of our Holy Torah and traditions. Making it so that Jewish children are disconnected from our People would surely threaten the future of Am Yisrael. 

The Seder Night 

Perhaps it is more apropos to transmit our people’s ancient story on Succot, when we leave the comfort of our homes to reside in huts. Surely that is deserving of a “Mah Nishtana?” Yet, it is only on Pesach that we entice our children to ask questions, and teach them the story of our redemption. We are commanded, “Ve’higadeta le’bincha,” to tell our children. On the surface, the instruction seems fair and reasonable: Give the kids a nice lesson in Jewish history. This, of course, is incorrect.    

With the recital of the Haggadah we achieve far more than a mere history lesson. We ensure that those who seek our destruction donot have their way by infecting the pure minds of our youth. This is why we tell the age-old story of our exile and redemption from Egypt exclusively on Passover. 

Transmitting our Story  Understanding the wicked intention of Pharaoh can inspire us to have a more meaningful seder. Knowing that our own children are the target of all who seek our demise, we should do our best to transmit our heritage with pride. This seder night, enlighten your children regarding the gratitude they should feel – not only for being part of the Jewish nation, but for belonging to such a unified community. They are so fortunate to have such an extended family.

Promises Made, Promises Kept

Frieda Schweky
Growing up, I thought I’d NEVER be interested in politics. Ever since Trump entered the scene in 2015 I’ve been hooked. I think my generation (millennials) crave authenticity and we think Trump is authentic! We don’t want two-faced politicians. We’re not interested in the sameold politics. We want and deserve to know the truth and Trump seems to be the agent for that.

Word on the Street

I was in Brooklyn this last weekend to visit my parents. I noticed that my parents’ neighbors on Bedford Avenue  were talking about  Trump and what he did to improve our country the past week. One neighbor said, “So, what’s new with Trump?!” My dad answered that Trump was very tough with Zelensky, the President of Ukraine. Although many may disagree with Trump’s treatment of our ally, my dad and his neighbors believe Trump did an amazing job advocating for the American people.  One of Trump’s first moves was removing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies from government agencies including the private sector and the military. Many felt this was important because it challenged the idea that it was reasonable to promote people based on their skin color or other externals. Rather, it makes sense that one’s skillset and merit should be at the top of the list of what is important. I believe that our military should be strong, not colorful. I think that promoting individuals based on their race is not right. However, doing so was a major goal of the past administration. In fact, many of the things Trump did when he first took office were designed to reverse a number of Biden’s policies, which many of us found objectionable.

Women’s Sports

Trump made a campaign promise to bar transgender women from women’s sports. On February 5^th, he signed an executive order that put this into effect.In Maine, instances were cited where transgender women competed in women’s sporting events, contrary to Trump’s executive order. At the 2025 winter meeting of the National Governors Associationthis past February, the president censured the governor of Maine for not complying with his executive order. He noted that even though her constituency is somewhat liberal (Harris won in Maine in the last election), barring transgender women from women’s sports is what the American people want. And if Maine does not comply they willlose federal funding.

Supporters of the ban on transgender women competing in women’s sports feel that there are serious repercussions for allowing men who have become women to participate in women’s sports. Biologically, males are stronger than females. There have been many cases where transgender girls and women have unfairly beaten their female-from-birth opponents. Girls and women are discouraged from participating in sports where they fear they are at an unfair disadvantage with former boys and men competing.

Jews and Israel

Trump has consistently shown hisstrong support for Israel, including its right to self-determination and to defend itself. On March 5^th,Trump met with eight former Israeli hostages, Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher, and Noa Argamani. The president listened intently to the former hostages’ stories about the horrors they experienced on October 7th, about their friends and families that were brutally murdered, and the unspeakable conditions they lived under in Gaza. Immediately after the meeting Trump sent an Instagram message to the former hostages’ captors. “’Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose. Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed. This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” he added. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful future awaits, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” This is the kind of leadership we needed on October 8^th, 2023.Let’s not forget the president’s announcement of his plan to relocate the people of Gaza and make it beautiful again. It has received a lot of flak from the Arab world, but I think that’s the best idea anyone’s had to-date.

Anti-Semitism on Campus

Since October 7th, Jewish students on many college campuses have not felt safe. They have met with threats, bullying, and physical violence. Trump has come out strongly, stating that anti-Semitism on campus, and elsewhere, is unacceptable. The U.S. Department of Justice is sending a federal task force to ten universities – George Washington University, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, UCLA, UC Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, and USC – where Jewish students and faculty have been left vulnerable to rising anti-Semitism. The task force aims to combat unchecked anti-Semitism and ensure Jewish students can learn in a safe environment. 

Additionally, the Trump administration has cut $400 million in federal grants and contracts with Columbia University because of what the government describes as Columbia’s failure to squelch anti-Semitism on campus. Trump’s message that there will be consequences for our enemies both here and abroad is so refreshing and honestly is just incredible.

My Personal Take

As a Jew and as an American, I felt like my government did not care much about me and my problems. My tax dollars were funneled  overseas or used to aid illegal aliens that were flooding in. I felt that I was the last to be considered. Now, I feel differently! Trump is working to abolish income tax, and I am thrilled, as I’m sure many are. He’s thinking out of the box in terms of how to make our country rich in ways that don’t involve the government’s appropriating our hard-earned money. I am honestly confused when I hear that some people are against any of the president’s policies. However, those who favor Trump are now in the majority, and I thank Gd for that.

I smiled when I saw a news alert stating that the Trump administration revamped the CBP One  app, which was formerly used to process asylum claims at the southern U.S. border. Now, the app has been reimaged as a platform for “self-deportation.”The idea is to get illegal aliens to deport themselves, with the hope that they will be allowed to return legally in the future. I believe this is another way Trump is making America great! We have an obligation to help the homeless, our veterans, and low- and mid-income families who need support. I believe we have overextended ourselves when it comes to immigration.I believe that immigration should happen slowly and with intention. We are not anti-immigration. How could we be- we’re all immigrants! We simply want immigrants to be vetted properly.

I honestly can go on and on about the amazing things that Trump has been doing for us and Israel, but I digress. Hashem thank you for saving Trump and for causing him be elected president. Please bring Mashiach as he is our true savior!

Until next time,

Frieda Schweky!Frieda is an event and portrait photographer. Check Frieda out on Instagram @friedaschwekyphoto. For photography inquiries or article topic suggestions email her friedaschweky@gmail.com.

Victor Cohen

Shabbat observance, as we know, requires abiding by numerous restrictions, many of which are well-known to all those accustomed to observing Shabbat. For example, we are keenly aware of the prohibitions against cooking, kindling a fire, using electronic devices, and even handling certain things which are classified as muktzeh. But one of the Shabbat prohibitions that might not be very familiar to observant Jews in today’s day and age is the prohibition against carrying objects into or through the public domain. Many Jews today live in communities with an erub – a symbolic enclosure that, ostensibly, allows for carrying within the area surrounded by the erub. The community in Deal, NJ is one such community, which benefits from an erub.

Unfortunately, however, many people mistakenly assume that this erub grants unrestricted permission to carry on Shabbat. The truth is that the erub relies on leniencies to permit carrying for health and safety purposes, and does not provide a blanket permission to carry.

To understand how the Deal erub works and which kind of carrying it permits, I had the privilege of interviewing Rabbi Nissim Basala, one of the creators of the Deal erub, who continues to maintain and oversee it even today.

The History of the Deal Erub

The process to build the Deal erub began in 1998. Thanks to the efforts of Rabbi Isaac Dwek, Mr. Jack Adjmi, Solly Dweck, and a number of other individuals, the erub was launched in the summer of 1999. It was expanded several times throughout the years, and now surrounds an area of over 24 square miles, extending into sections of Long Branch, Brighton Avenue, and some parts of West Allenhurst. The erub has been down only on very rare occasions, such as after Hurricane Sandy, which took the erub down for around a year.

Rav Moshe Heineman from Baltimore, one of America’s preeminent halachic scholars, was brought to authorize the erub, and he spent three days walking the entire length of the erub to assure its validity. The erub was inspected also by Rav Avraham Moshe Katzenelbogen, the rabbi who oversees the Jerusalem erub. Rabbi Basala says that he consults with Rav Moshe Heineman’s younger brother, Rav Shmuel Heineman – who runs the Star-K Hechsher in the New York/New Jersey area – with regard to erub-related matters.

The Four Shabbat Domains

Just as maps show different kinds of areas – residential, commercial, public, etc. – halachah similarly recognizes four different domains with respect to the prohibition of carrying on Shabbat:

1. Reshut hayahid – private property, referring to homes and other enclosed properties.
2. Reshut harabim – a public thoroughfare.
3. Karmelit – a public area that does not meet the qualifications of a reshut harabim, because of its size or the relatively little traffic passing through it (see below).
4. Makom patur – a small area such as a fire hydrant or a small ditch in the ground.

Inside a reshut hayahid, of course, carrying is permissible. However, Torah law forbids bringing something from a reshut hayahid into a reshut harabim, or vice-versa – from a reshut harabim into a reshut hayahid. Torah law also forbids carrying within a reshut harabim. Carrying from a reshut hayahid into a karmelit, or from a karmelit into a reshut hayahid, is forbidden miderabbanan – by force of rabbinic enactment. It is similarly forbidden miderabbanan to carry within a karmelit,

An erub is effective in halachically converting a karmelit into a reshut hayahid; the enclosure around the karmelit allows us to regard the enclosed area as a private domain, thereby sidestepping the rabbinic prohibitions against carrying within a karmelit, carrying from a karmelit into a reshut hayahid, and carrying from a reshut hayahid to a karmelit. Once the karmelit has been “downgraded” to a reshut hayahid through erub, all these become permissible.

Significantly, an erub has no effect on a reshut harabim. If an area is halachically defined as a public thoroughfare, then the construction of an erub does not allow carrying on Shabbat within this area, or to or from this area.

Hence, in order to determine whether an erub can be effective in a given area, we must determine whether halachah treats this area as a karmelit or as a reshut harabim.

The Differing Opinions, and Why They Matter

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 345:7) brings two opinions regarding the definition of a reshut harabim. According to the first opinion, any area that is 25 feet wide or larger qualifies as a reshut harabim. The second opinion, by contrast, maintains that a public area does not qualify as a reshut harabim unless 600,000 people or more pass through it in a day. The question of whether streets in Deal are to be regarded as a reshut harabim or a karmelit – and, by extension, the question of whether an erub is effective in permitting carrying in Deal – hinges on this debate. According to the first view, a large public area qualifies as a reshut harabim, and thus suburban neighborhoods such as Deal, despite their relatively quiet streets and little traffic, must be treated as a reshut harabim, where an erub is ineffective. The second view, however, would allow constructing an erub in places such as Deal that does not see heavy volume passing through them.

In other words: according to the first opinion, bringing a small object outside one’s home in Deal on Shabbat would constitute a Torah violation, just like cooking on Shabbat, despite the erub. According to the second view, this is entirely permissible.

Who is the Erub For?

In light of these differing opinions, Rabbi Basala explained that the Deal erub was erected not to grant a blanket license to carry on Shabbat, but rather for the benefit of those who have a particular need to carry, that justifies relying on the lenient position.

“It was intended for someone, who, let’s say, needs to carry medicine in their pocket,” Rabbi Basala said, “or who need some sort of walker.” By contrast, he clarified, the erub “wasn’t meant to cover people playing basketball.”

Secondly, as Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, writes in a responsum on the subject, “You should build the erub to save people who don’t know they are violating Shabbat.” Many people are unfamiliar with this prohibition, and so an erub should be erected so they are protected from Shabbat desecration, at least according to the lenient view quoted by the Shulhan Aruch.

Thus, the erub was created for people who need it, and to protect people who are unaware of this prohibition. It is not set up for casual carrying.

In fact, Rabbi Basala said that he himself does not use the erub, even though he leads an entire team dedicated to ensuring it is up each week.

The rabbi emphasized the responsibility we all have to familiarize ourselves with the halachot of Shabbat. He noted the well-known comment of the Hafetz Haim (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), in his Mishnah Berurah, that learning the laws of Shabbat is an indispensable prerequisite to the proper observance of Shabbat. This is relevant also to the prohibition of carrying. One cannot willfully decide to not know about this issue so he can rely on the erub without any restrictions.

Rabbi Basala concluded by emphasizing two other points relevant to the use of the Deal erub.

First, he wishes to remind everybody that the erub does not allow handling muktzeh items, such as an umbrella. Relying on the erub allows carrying permissible objects, not items classified as muktzeh. It is imperative to educate oneself about the topic of muktzeh to know which objects may not be handled under which circumstances.

Secondly, the fact that “Deal has an erub” does not mean that the entire town is encircled by the erub. Those who rely on the erub may do so only after ascertaining that the area where they will carry is indeed included in the erub. Maps are available for this purpose.

All are encouraged to check the status of the Deal erub, and to sign up for the mailing list, at http://www.njerub.org/, where the information is updated weekly. Updates are also available by phone at 732-660-1001.

Rabbi David Sutton & Dr. David Katzenstein, LCSW-R 

We all claim to be ready to die for the sake of Hashem. But are we ready to live for His sake?

Accepting the Yoke of Heaven

In Alei Shur, Vol. II, p. 362, Rav Wolbe discusses how we recite Kriat Shema twice every day and we are mekabel ol Malchut Shamayim,accepting upon ourselves the yoke of Hashem’s Kingship. In so doing, we crown Hashem King over all our limbs and commit to control our eyes, our ears, our mouths, our hands, our feet, our thoughts, and our feelings.

At that time when we accept ol Malchut Shamayim, someone who knows himself well may sense a voice inside that says, “I want to speak lashon hara.” And it’s quite possible that most, if not all, of our senses want to rebel. Not only do we not want to control our mouths, but we don’t want to control our appetites, our eyes, our bad middot. We don’t want to control any number of things that we should be controlling. And that’s when we are being honest. Someone who’s not attuned to his inner thoughts can easily fool himself. ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Theory) posits that trying to push away these thoughts only invigorates them.

The Fiery Furnace

The rabbis say we are supposed to imagine a burning furnace, ready to devour us if we don’t refrain from worshiping avodah zarah,just like Avraham Avinu was thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to do so (and was saved by Divine intervention). When reciting Shema, we are to think that we are ready to jump into that furnace and give up our life rather than worship idols. We are ready to die for the cause! That’s “u’v’chol nafshecha,” serving Hashem with all our soul.

As a young man learning in Yeshivas Mir, Shlomo Wolbe would say Kriat Shema like a good boy, including having in mind that he was willing to die al kiddush Hashem. Then an hour into his first learning seder, instead of learning, he noticed he was discussing nonsense. Four hours is a long time to learn without any chatting! But he said to himself, “Hold on, I’m willing to jump into a fiery furnace, but I’m not willing to learn for four hours straight? Something’s a little off here. Something is a little hypocritical. Something is insincere.”

And the answer is, his kabbalat ol Malchut Shamayim was not complete.

Putting Hashem in Control

Rav Yisrael Salanter says, when saying Shema, we can accept Hashem’s Kingdom over the seven heavens and the four corners of the earth — and leave ourselves out! So yes, of course, be prepared to die al kiddush Hashem, but kabbalat ol Malchut Shamayim means putting that yoke on all of those inner forces inside of us, on all of those voices that want to be in control, and putting Hashem in control.

A man was becoming a member of the Communist Party, and his comrades asked him a number of questions.

“If you have two houses, what will you do with them?”

He answered proudly, “One for myself, one for Mother Russia.” One check.

“If you have two airplanes, what will you do?”

“One for myself, one for Mother Russia.” Another check.

“If you have two coats, what will you do?”

“One for myself, one for Mother Russia.” Beautiful.

Then they asked, “If you have two chickens, what will you do?”

He didn’t answer.

Again, they asked, “What if you have two chickens?”

No answer.

Finally, they demanded, “Why aren’t you answering?”

And he said, “Well, I HAVE two chickens…” Which means, of course, we’ll give up that theoretical house, plane, and coat. Which is all wonderful. But that’s in theory. Once we’re talking about practical, as they say, tachlis,then the picture changes. “Yeah, I’ll jump into the fiery furnace. But not telling a little white lie? That’s a whole different story.”

TAKEAWAY

What do we do when we find that darker side inside of us? We have to admit, “Yes, I have those forces inside of myself. I can’t suppress them; they might come out. I have to work them through.” And then, follow through