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Kosher Travel FAQ

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February 2022

Thinking of heading out for a trip? Let’s hear from Rabbis Moshe and Hayim Asher Arking about common questions that can arise while traveling and how to best deal with them.

Are there any segulot for a safe trip?

Giving tsedaka is, in general, a protection. Therefore, it is customary to give tsedaka money to someone who is traveling for him to deliver at his destination. This makes the traveler a “shaliach mitsvah,” a messenger enroute to perform a mitsvah, thereby gaining protection throughout his travels. Escorting someone who is going to travel is also beneficial for his protection.

Must I pray with a minyan?

If one is driving and can find a minyan by going out of his way within eighteen minutes, then one should take out the time and do so. If by continuing along his route there will be a minyan within the next seventy-two minutes, then one should continue on to meet up with the minyan. GoDaven.com has a database for worldwide minyanim. However, when praying without a minyan one should try to pray at the same time as a local minyan is praying.

May I pray while sitting?

While traveling, one may pray sitting if he will have more concentration this way. When doing so, keep your feet together while sitting. One should bow at the appropriate times to bow, by either bending forward in his seat or, if possible, stand up and bow. If one is a passenger in a car, he should preferably request that the car stop while he is praying the Amidah; however, if this is not possible then he may pray while the car is in motion. However, the driver may not pray while driving, even if he will miss the time for prayer.

Which direction should I face?

Ideally, one should pray facing towards Israel. If one is in Israel face towards Yerushalayim, and if one is in Yerushalayim, face towards the Kotel. If one cannot determine the proper direction or feels he will have more concentration facing another direction, in his heart he should direct his prayer toward Yerushalayim.

When flying, how do I know when it is time to pray?

The proper time to pray or to recite Shema is determined by standing at sea level under the location of where your plane is at that moment. Just looking out the window may mislead you by up to a half hour, especially because many airplane windows are darkened during daylight. You can go to myzmanim.com where you can enter your departure, arrival location, and time and it will calculate your route and tell you all of your halachic times throughout your flight.

What if the “fasten seatbelt” sign goes on while I am standing praying the Amidah?

On an airplane, if passengers or staff are going to be disturbed by congregating, it is better not to make a minyan in the first place, and to pray individually.

If one was able to find a spot to stand and pray and the “fasten seatbelt” sign went on, one should sit down without saying a word or making any gestures and resume his prayer. Even if there is no danger involved it is proper to obey the rules and to be courteous to the staff who request that you remain seated.

May one pray in a non-denominational chapel?

Many airports or hospitals have rooms designated for prayer. As we know, one may not enter a church even just to sightsee. Since such a room is designated for people of all faiths to use for prayer, a Jew should not pray there.

If I am in the airport with my tefillin bag in hand, may I enter the bathroom?

Although anything holy must be covered twice before being exposed, tefillin is an exception; therefore, even in its regular tefillin/tallet bag it may be brought into a bathroom if it cannot be properly guarded otherwise. If there is a siddur or ketoret in the bag, then the bag will require one additional covering. However, do not place the bag with the tefillin in it on the floor.

Can I recite a beracha or pray if I am not properly clothed?

When praying one should be dressed as if he were having an important meeting. However, if in a pressing situation one can pray as long as something covers his chest and lower body, with a separation between the two. As for a beracha, as long as he is wearing something, e.g. a bathing suit, and one’s head is covered, he can recite a beracha. The covering of one’s head is to be with something other than one’s own hand (in a pressing situation, another person’s hand may serve to cover his head).

Can I recite a beracha or pray if others are not properly clothed?

One may not recite a beracha or pray facing any woman or girl over the age of seven who is not properly dressed. Ideally, one should turn around to recite a beracha; otherwise, if not possible, it is sufficient to close one’s eyes. When praying one should find a secluded spot where he can concentrate and not be exposed even to a screen showing anything inappropriate.

Can I wash my hands in the bathroom on the plane?

One can use the airplane bathroom to wash their hands for bread or for the morning netilat yadayim. One need not wash when walking into such a bathroom without using the facilities. However, for a regular bathroom, it is preferable for one to dry his hands outside of the bathroom.

What if I don’t have a cup to wash my hands with?

If there is no cup with which to wash one’s hands, one may turn on the faucet and wash with the first flow at each part of the washing. Therefore, one would place their hand under the spout and turn on the water then shut the water off, turn it on, then shut it off, three times. For washing in the morning, one would begin by placing his right hand under the faucet and then turning it on, then off. Next, place his left hand under the faucet, turn it on and shut it off, repeating this three times alternately.

If there is a lake or a pond, one may dip his hands into it, and then recite the beracha of “al netilat yadayim.”

What if I have no water with what to wash?

If one has no water, one may use other drinks to wash one’s hands. A minimum of three ounces should be used. When using liquids other than water, a beracha of “al netilat yadayim” should not be recited.

If one is traveling and does not anticipate having water within the next seventy-two minutes of their journey, and cannot get water without deviating eighteen minutes out of the way, then one may wrap their hands (not the food) in a cloth or bag and eat, without touching the bread. So too, if one cannot get up without waking up his fellow passenger, then they can wipe their hands very well on a cloth.

May I eat the breakfast offered by the hotel?

Bread, bagels, muffins, and individual cereal packets require proper kosher certification. Fresh fruit, such as apples, oranges, and bananas, of course, do not need to be certified outside of Israel. In Israel, in addition to making sure all produce has been properly tithed (terumot and ma’asrot taken), this year is the Sabbatical (shmitta) year, which has many restrictions regarding produce.

Even if no other ingredients are added to scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, if prepared by a non-Jew the food is considered to be bishul akum and may not be eaten. The pan or pot used is also forbidden due to the absorption of bishul akum. Additionally, the pot or pan is assumed to be not kosher from other ingredients.

Juice that is 100% pure is fine (unless it is grape juice). Once any flavors are added the juice will require certification. In order to have 100 percent juice from a fountain machine that serves non-kosher drinks, such as non-certified fruit punch or pink lemonade, let its spout run a minute before taking some of the kosher drink. If juice is in the hotel pitcher, look for the original container.

Coordinated by Pnina Souid

Thinking of Selling Your Home?– Start Here

Community Magazine

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February 2022

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Thinking of Selling Your Home?– Start Here

Are you thinking of selling your home this year? Not sure where to begin or if it’s worth it to renovate your home for the sale? Well, there are actually many ways to prepare your home for the sale besides renovations. But realize that homes that were recently renovated usually command higher prices than those that were not. Since Covid started, the Department of Buildings has been processing things more slowly, making it very hard get your requests approved. I have seen an increase of buyers who prefer a ready-to-move-in home and will pay a premium for that because who knows how long it will take to renovate their new home and if the Department of Buildings will even approve what they want. If renovating is not within your budget, no problem! Other ways to prepare your home for sale are improving your curb appeal, decluttering, depersonalizing your space, doing a deep clean, neutralizing the color palette, and doing minor repairs such as fixing cracks.

Decluttering your home is a real game changer. I see many homes that have a TON of items that are not in use (think baby walker, cribs, etc.) when all the kids are married and out of the house. Storing those things out of sight is an option if you want to keep them.

Thinking of Buying? Determine Your Non-Negotiable List

When you work with a real estate agent, they’re likely to ask you for a list of non-negotiable amenities – features that you deem are a must and you won’t consider purchasing a home without them.

If you’re about to search for a home, it’s a great idea to start to create your non-negotiable list now so you can determine exactly what you’re looking for. Not to mention, your real estate agent can help you pick out the best houses to show you that suit your needs!

Don’t forget – even your “non-negotiables” become negotiable when you see the right house.

This list just helps couples to start off with some basic ideas, especially when they have widely divergent expectations of what they must have.

New Buyers – Get Those Utilities Lined Up

New homeowners, listen up! Don’t make the classic first-time home buyer mistake of not coordinating with your utility providers before moving in.

This can easily be overlooked when you have a million other tasks to take care of during the home-buying process. But nothing’s worse than finally getting the keys and then realizing that you can’t take a hot shower or turn on the lights.

So, before you move in, make sure you get in touch with your electricity and gas providers to get everything transferred over to your name. The water bill is automatically switched by closing in New York and goes on the actual home, whereas you need to contact the electric company and gas company to get those service transferred to you.

Selling Myths

Selling myths are everywhere! Don’t fall victim to any of these false facts. Let’s bust some of the most common myths that agents frequently see.

A quick offer means the property is priced too low – A quick offer doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the price of the home and various reasons like location and need could have made your home a more desirable candidate.

Overpricing a home results with a higher sale price – Don’t fall for this! If you price your home higher than what’s normal for the area, you risk scaring buyers away and leaving your home on the market for too long

Thinking the house sells itself – Even if your house has impeccable design, selling a home is still work! You have to deep clean, get it ready for staging, plan out a marketing strategy, and host open houses. Negotiating, looking into the buyer’s finances, and assuring they really can get a mortgage are super crucial to the deal as well.

Too many times, I see sellers say, “My home is beautiful, on the best block, it’s going to sell in a hot minute…” and I try to keep my comments back because in the past few years I haven’t seen more than a handful of homes that sold “in a minute.” For one reason or another it can take a few months to sell.

One on One with Sophia Cohen

Community Magazine

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February 2022

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“My parents were my role models, my life and business guides, and always fostered spirituality.” ~~ Sophia Cohen ~~

Just five minutes into our interview, I could already feel Sophia’s warmth and energy. Her robust work ethic, modeled by her parents, came through clearly as she spoke.

Sophia, the founder of Urban Pops, is the daughter of Beverly and Sammy Ifergan, zichronam l’beracha. Sadly, they passed away 16 months apart, about five years ago. Beverly, of Syrian descent, met her Moroccan-born husband, Sammy, in the U.S. Sophia is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and a sister.

A carefree and independent girl, Sophia attended Magen David Yeshivah Elementary School and Yeshivah of Flatbush High School.

“I was friendly and chatty, always on my rollerblades. My mother ‘let me be’ and encouraged me to do the best I could academically.”

As I listened to Sophia tell her story, I heard her thankfulness for the positive life lessons she learned from her parents.

Business Skills

Sophia was a working woman from a young age. Taking summer retail jobs during high school, she discovered that she was a natural at sales and possessed innate people skills. Sophia credits her father, a”h, for mentoring her. “He had a good relationship with all the fashion houses and after graduation, he helped me get a three-month internship at Versace, my first real job. It was a real learning experience to say the least.”

After high school, Sophia was itching to work and to earn a salary. One of her first positions was at a stylish eyeglass optique, the Alain Mikli Boutique on Madison Avenue. “I typed up a resume, got dressed up, went into stores before closing time, introducing myself and distributing resumes.” Due to her eager-to-learn attitude, she was assigned financial tasks as well as sales.

Sophia firmly believes that a solid work ethic is more important than sharpening one’s entrepreneurial skills. “Being ethical is my badge. Before becoming an entrepreneur, you must learn how to work: that means showing up dressed appropriately and on time, acting respectfully, knowing when to talk, when not to talk, and displaying resourcefulness. It’s about character building. My Versace internship taught me that we grow by being challenged and making mistakes.”

After attempting the college route, Sophia recognized that she had already shined in sales and networking and so she decided to choose the business path.

Sophia’s position with M. Hidary & Co., Inc., an apparel wholesaler, was life-changing. Hired as a sales assistant, she advanced to a full-time sales representative with her own accounts and territories. Sophia consistently demonstrated initiative in all her roles, and that quality helped her move up at M. Hidary. She always strived to go above and beyond. Seeing that, her managers allowed her to make cold calls to potential clients. Sophia developed relationships with these companies and at 21 she was sent on her first sales trip to Boston. That assignment later generated millions of dollars in sales. Sophia matured and thrived in her four years at M. Hidary.

“My father was hugely instrumental in those years. He gave me the best advice and celebrated my accomplishments with me.”

And Then Came Marriage

Sophia was happily growing her sales career when her naseeb, Gary Cohen, entered her life in 2004. The couple have six children: Beverly, 16, Isabella, 14, Ruby, 11, Albert, 8, Leah, 6, and Sammy, 3. They attend Yeshiva Derech Eretz.

A Balancing Act

Keeping those balls in the air and juggling her sales career while raising young kids was no easy feat.

While pregnant with her first child, Sophia decided that the fast pace and travel schedule at M. Hidary was no longer a good fit for her. She did some administrative work locally after Beverly was born. Sophia accepted an offer doing sales for a NY accessories firm following Isabella’s birth. “I felt reinvigorated being in sales again. I left after two years when I became pregnant with my third child.” After Ruby’s birth, Sophia sold corporate catering for Circa and created business connections with major Jewish and secular organizations.

Who Doesn’t Like Ices?

At home, Sophia advocated eating natural foods and healing through using natural products. Her focus was always preparing foods that contributed to her family’s physical and mental health.

The seed for Urban Pops was sown in the summer of 2012, when Sophia saw a recipe for ices. She struggled to give her kids a fun but healthy treat. Her solution? Ices made with simple syrup. Corn syrup was the culprit to avoid. Simple syrup is made by dissolving sugar in water. Sophia added fresh fruit and made sorbet that the family loved! The next summer, Sophia was at a Brooklyn street fair with her mother and saw a kosher lemonade stand. The ingredients the vendor used were kosher lemon juice and simple syrup. Sophia thought, “I bet I can turn those ingredients into ices.”

She made lemon ices for Shavuot, perfect for the hot weather. The whole family had doubles and triples and couldn’t get enough. Sophia then started experimenting with different fruits. Kids were lining up around the block to taste her ices. Her sister Alexis urged her to sell her amazing ices. Sophia credits Alexis for giving her the confidence to launch Urban Frost (the original name), by posting her products on Instagram and helping her sell quarts of sorbet locally. With Gary’s good palette, he became the taste tester. A few weeks in, Sophia found it too overwhelming and took a break from the endeavor.

Urban Pops Takes Off

About a month later, a friend in Sophia’s Zumba class asked to order ices for the holidays and she agreed. But Sophia had a different idea! As Gary was taking down their Sukkah, she poked her head out the window and asked, “Would you mind if I bought an ice pop mold and an ice pop book on Amazon?” Gary said yes, and Urban Pops was born. Sophia pivoted from quarts of sorbet to pops!

Sophia made pops with different flavors and unique names such as Strawberry Smash and Coconut Crush. Her goal was to make as many of the ingredients from scratch, adding just the right amount of sugar to avoid the ices being too bitter or too sweet. She posted pictures of the pops on Instagram, took orders, and sold out weekly. The word spread fast. But Sophia and Gary were still employed at their respective jobs! She would come home, feed and put the kids to sleep, and then they would make ices until the wee hours of the morning to fill orders.

“Gary was my taster and partner from the very start. We partnered beautifully in making Urban Pops a reality.”

Sophia is convinced that they were blessed with the business when she gave birth to Albert, their first son. She remembers Gary telling her right after he was born, at 6:15am., “Mabrouk! We have a boy, and now I am going to Deal to deliver all the orders.”

Sophia described the differences between herself and Gary and how well they melded. “I tend to jump before I look, get nervous, and panic quickly, but I do bring my best game if I have a good instinct. Gary is calmer, more grounded, and his emunah is so strong. He balances me out.”

The couple eventually left their jobs, started selling wholesale in addition to retail, expanding to Deal, the Sephardic Community Center, Five Towns, and Lakewood. When Gary joined Urban Pops full time, they were able to consistently improve business logistics and make the business run more efficiently. They were elated when they procured a permanent spot at SCC in 2015. “Our community grew us into a business. There is no community like ours!”

In the Beginning

The early days included finding enough popsicle sticks and making their own toppings. Discovering dry ice was a big win. Sophia is proud of her Instagram marketing including her first successful contest for followers to post selfies eating Urban Pops. “I don’t know how we did it. When we made pops at home, we filled our orders all through the night on Thursday, and they were picked up after our kids went to school on Friday. My mom cooked our Shabbat dinners in our house on those hectic Fridays. We opened a concession in Allenhurst in our third summer and there was a huge hype about our pops and the cool flavors. I am the face of the business, but Gary deals with everything underlying it! The manufacturing, the office, the paperwork, and deliveries. He didn’t go to business school but figured things out as he became a business owner and grew the company.”

Values, Passions, and Pastimes

Sophia talks to her children about being blessed to attend yeshivah. “The reason our community is so successful is that our Torah and traditional values provide a tremendous foundation, work ethics, and interpersonal skills. We live and breathe them as a couple, a family, and in business.”

Sophia’s passions are family, health, and business. Natural and clean are #1 when it comes to her children and to Urban Pops. Sophia exercises daily for self-care and grounding.

Sophia’s Tips?

Be prepared to take risks, go with it, have emunah, and remember where it’s all coming from.

Connect with Sophia by phone (917-847-4688), email, sophia@urbanpopsny.com or on Instagram @urbanpops.

Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach.  Her coaching specialties include life, career, and dating coaching.   Ellen works part-time as an entitlement specialist at Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services. She can be contacted at ellen@lifecoachellen.com (www.lifecoachellen.com).

Dear Jido – February 2022

Community Magazine

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February 2022

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There seems to be an etiquette ritual of politely protesting when someone offers to do something nice for you. For example:

Person 1: Lunch today is my treat.

Person 2: Oh, that’s not necessary. You don’t need to do that.

Person 1: But I insist.

Is this necessary? Or is it proper to just graciously accept and thank the other person without the ritual protesting?

I ask because someone recently offered to buy my lunch, then accused me of “giving up too quickly” when my response was “Thank you, that’s very nice of you.”

Signed,

Just Curious 

Dear Curious,

I think I understand your dilemma. When your friend offered to treat you to lunch, s/he
really didn’t mean it or was joking (either before or after). Therefore, s/he was hoping you would
say, “No thank you.”  When you “gave up too easily,” s/he was either truly disappointed or was
then making a bad joke.

In general, when a person offers you a free meal, a gift, a party invitation or the like, they are usually sincere and are happy when you accept it. In fact, a person is not allowed to offer something (1) they have no intention of giving or (2) to someone they KNOW would never accept it. 

The next time someone offers you something, the proper response is simply, “Thank you.”

Thank you,

Jido 

The Lighter Side – January 2022

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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The Specialist

Doctor: You really must stop smoking or I’ll have to refer you to a specialist.

Herb: Really? What kind of specialist?

Doctor: A mortician.

Jack V. Grazi

Quick Q&A

Q: What’s the difference between an old shoe and broccoli?

A: Kids won’t put broccoli in their mouths.

Charles S.

Mom’s the Word

A man calls his mother in Florida.

“Mom, how are you?”

“Not too good,” says the mother. “I’ve been very weak.”

“Why are you so weak?” the son asks.

“Because I haven’t eaten in 3 days,” she answers.

“That’s terrible! Why haven’t you eaten in 3 days?”

The mother answers, “Because I didn’t want my mouth to be full of food if you should call.”

Claudia A.

On the Way to School

Teacher: Why are you late, Billy?

Billy: Because of the sign.

Teacher: What kind of excuse is that? What sign?

Billy: The one that says, “School Ahead, Go Slow.”

Rachel G.

A Mouthful

When you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s hard to know when you’re finished.

Jack V. Grazi

The $100 Wish

A little boy decided that he wanted $100. He prayed for two weeks, but nothing happened. He began to want the money so badly that he decided to write Gd a letter requesting the money. When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to: Gd, USA, they weren’t sure what to do with it. Finally, they decided to forward it to the White House.

The President was so touched and amused by the letter, that he decided to help the boy get started on saving up for his $100 goal. Thinking that it would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy, he instructed his secretary to take a five-dollar bill from his own money and send it to the boy.

When the little boy received a response to his letter, he was delighted. After opening it and finding the five-dollar bill, he sat down to write a thank you note which read:

Dear Gd,

Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington D.C. and as we would be expect, those crooks deducted $95.

Melanie W.

The New Arrival

A young couple informed their three-year old daughter that they were expecting the arrival of their second child – a baby boy, and thus would have to move to a bigger house. “That’s not going to help” the little girl said with a heavy sigh. “He’ll only follow us.”

Charlotte A.

A Privacy How-To

Q: How does a woman make sure her husband will never read her diary?

A: By writing on the cover in big letters “Instruction Manual.”

Vera L.

The Shopping List

A woman comes into a pharmacy with a shopping list and hands it to the pharmacist.

Pharmacist: Okay, it says here you need a tube of Crest toothpaste. Is that regular or tartar control?

Lady: Tartar control.

Pharmacist: Good. Next it says Children’s Tylenol. Do you want liquid or chewable?

Lady: Chewable please.

Pharmacist: No problem. Finally, it says you need a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. What size would that be?

Lady: Well what size would you suggest? I’m only having four guests over for dinner.

Jennifer E.

Watching the Neighbors

Tommy: Mom, I think the people who are living next door are really, really poor!

Mother: Now why do you say that, Tommy?

Tommy: Because you should have seen the fuss they made when their baby swallowed a dime.

Danny F.

Ambulatory Antics

An ambulance was sent to check on a 92-year-old man who had become dizzy. The medics decided to take him to the hospital for evaluation. On the way, with the siren going and lights flashing, they asked the man a few questions to see if he was aware.

Leaning close, one asked, “Sir, do you know what we’re doing right now?”

The old man slowly looked up at him, then gazed out the ambulance window. “Oh,” he replied, “I’d say about 50, maybe 55.”

Joey D.

Dear Jido – January 2022

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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Dear Jido,

My husband has been in a very negative state of mind ever since the pandemic. He seems to always be complaining about something. He hates working from home, misses the office and his closer colleagues, worries constantly about the children getting sick (they’re ages ten and eight), and is always tired. Nothing relieves his gloomy moods. Meanwhile, I’m a born optimist whose parents made the most of every possibility and encouraged my belief in my ability to succeed at whatever I gave a very good try. I have never experienced anything like this before and I don’t know what to do. I would appreciate any suggestions and advice.

Signed,

Concerned

Dear Concerned,

And well you should be. The prolonged Covid isolation has caused many serious, and not so serious, cases of depression, withdrawal, and anxiety for people of all ages in all social strata. Know that you are not alone in your concern.

While many companies have gone back to full or at least partial office attendance, many others have learned to adapt to a remote work force and the savings it offers. Unfortunately, this is often to the detriment of the workers. It has been shown that in extreme cases, “solitary confinement” is a more difficult assignment than hard labor.

Fortunately, we have an organization – Sephardic Bikur Holim – that has been dealing with this and many other mental health issues for members of our community.

Uh oh, did I say – mental health?

Yes. And although no one likes to admit that they have “that” type of problem, it is best to confront it head on and resolve it before it becomes a permanent personality trait.

Contact them. If your husband refuses the assistance, either out of embarrassment or denial, I strongly recommend that you get and follow their expert advice.

No one knows what path this pandemic is going to take. But with your positive attitude, positive actions, and Hashem’s help, you and your husband can quickly get back to the old normal of work, home, and family.

Jido

Small Sephardic Synagogue with a Big Heart Makes Its Mark in Jackson, NJ

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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Small Sephardic Synagogue with a Big Heart Makes Its Mark in Jackson, NJ

DAVE GORDON

Nearly three years ago Rabbi Aharon Mizrahi called up Joel Berdah and proposed the founding of a new Sephardic minyan in Jackson – to be housed in Berdah’s basement on Shabbat.

Thus, was born the Sephardic Congregation of Jackson, located on Metedeconk Trail, adjacent to the Lakewood border.

Humble Beginnings

Berdah, who was born in Paris and moved to Jackson from Lakewood, recalls, “I reluctantly accepted. I was already going with Ashkenazi for a while, and I was very used to it. I said, ‘You know what? Maybe it will be good.’” Initially there was a core group of seven interested men from the area, and a few guests were recruited.

With a table and eighteen chairs, and a little playroom for the children, everything came together. Locals were joined by a few men who lived a twenty-minute walk away. Encouraged by the successful start, the group decided to meet monthly. After two months, they began to meet every other week, and within a few months, weekly.

A Place That Feels Like Home

“I went for that first Shabbat and felt at home. I decided this was a good project,” Berdah recalled. “It’s important for the next generation to feel what it is to be in a Sephardic environment, that is community based, where everybody knows each other and has – more or less – the same background, and the same feelings.”

Berdah loves bringing his six children to services. “They love it. They absolutely love it. We’re constantly finding new ways to make projects, learning programs, reading along with the Torah, and getting young people involved,” he says. “My kids wouldn’t go anywhere else. It’s a warm, welcoming – yet serious – place.” The bulk of members are in their thirties, although both younger and older participants attend the services.

Berdah is passionate about the project. He is one of the key outreach people, and he helps newcomers to move into the area and to join the congregation. Berdah attributes economics as the reason for the rising influx of neighbors from Lakewood. People are looking in Jackson to find less expensive housing options.

“I see a lot of young families interested. I see a lot of involvement with the members. And I see that we are going to be a hub for the Jackson Sephardic community within the next 12 months to two years.” Another selling point for newcomers is the large kosher supermarket down the block from the shul, called NPGS Jackson, Berdah added.

Mizrahi, a Jackson resident of three years, proudly noted that twenty families are already affiliated with the synagogue. As of 2022, they have a property to call “home,” a fully renovated house-shul, that seats forty. “It was such an unbelievable accomplishment with such a small crowd to put in the money and build this,” said Mizrahi.

Events That Bond

Various events have been held in a short time, such as Sunday breakfasts, bar mitzvah learning programs, and Simhat Torah celebrations.

Two of the older members of the shul married their daughters off, and they made Melava Malka/Sheva Brachot for them both. “It was very nice, and some of the weekday people came as well. Even people who don’t come often came for that. It was really great. You can do it when it’s a small shul. It’s a homey feeling,” said Mizrahi.

During the winter there is a motzei Shabbat learning program for the boys, “a big hit in the shul.” There are ten fathers learning with about 15-20 kids. Another recent development is the “night seder” evening learning sessions where other locals in the community have joined in.

Mizrahi noted that, although there are “at least forty other shuls” in the area, and one other Sephardic shul that follows the Moroccan tradition, the Sephardic Congregation of Jackson is the only Syrian shul in the vicinity.

Chazzan Dabbah Sings the Shul’s Praises

Rachamim Dabbah, the shul’s chazzan, is also a founding member. He and his family moved from Lakewood to Jackson five years ago. He said he enjoys the neighborhood because it is quiet, and does not cost as much as surrounding areas. In terms of the shul, he especially noted how the youngsters have taken a liking to the atmosphere, and feel at home.

“I think, so far, for us and the kids, it is working out very well. All the kids enjoy coming. And mine, ages twelve, eleven and six, all love it so much. They feel very much a part of it. It’s a pleasant place to be.”

“They really feel like it is their place. They look forward to coming every week. We have all kinds of programs for them.”

Overall, the shul has made a deep impact on him, and others – from humble beginnings to rapid growth in short amount of time, it’s a true success story of bringing people together for a common cause, and celebrating our Jewish life.

“It’s a very friendly, open, accepting place,” Dabbah added.

“Even though we are of different stripes and colors, it’s all very tight knit. Everybody who is there is appreciated and welcomed, and they are happy to be there.”

The Sephardic Congregation of Jackson

To learn more about the Sephardic Congregation of Jackson, please contact one of the following members:

Rabbi Aharon Mizrachi – 732-779-9041

Joel Berdah – 732-664-2539

Rachamim Dabbah – 732-740-8304 / 732-284-8757

Business Insights – Your Website & What It Could Do for You

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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Business Insights – Your Website & What It Could Do for You

Samuel Hadriye

Here is the best way to think of your website – it is the same as retail packaging for your product or service. How you design it, how you box it, and how you present it, all matter. Whether your website is chic, modern, or classic, it is one of the best and fastest ways to represent your brand culture to potential customers. It tells them who you are, what you are all about, and why they should choose you over the competition.

Key In to Your Target Customers

There are obvious reasons for setting up a website, such as the benefits derived from selling directly to your end consumer. There is an additional benefit to having your own website. It helps you to better understand your target customer.

Your target customer is the person that you need to learn about. They are purchasing your product or service and you need to learn as much about them as you can. You can monitor their buying habits such as – when they buy, what they buy, and what they keep coming back for. You can study their demographics and see where they click on your website and even how long they spend on each page. This will help you understand what they like and what they don’t.

Unfortunately, this information is something that most businesses ignore, don’t know enough about, or even make use of. That is where offering customer support provides a great benefit for your customers, and for you.

Customer Support Can Lead to Broader Sales

Customer support interactions give you the ability to connect with your customers and understand what they are thinking, wanting, and needing. Knowing these things can even help you formulate ideas for your next product(s).

This leads to another great selling benefit – the Upsell. Selling items from different categories, that a customer might not initially be looking for, but decides that they need. For example, if your website sells shoes, you may want to offer them socks, or a shoe cleaner.

Website Building Options

There are many website-building options available, depending on what your goal is. If you only want a website to showcase your brand, some of the cheapest and quickest platforms out there are, Wix, SquareSpace, or Weebly. They come with cookie-cutter pre-built designs and make it very simple to get set up with no coding required. They have starting plans that are free but can go all the way up to $500/month, depending on what you need. They do offer E-commerce add-ons to allow you to sell on their platforms, but they are not the most effective in the E-commerce space.

Currently, the most popular website platform for E-commerce is Shopify. They have pre-made templates to get you started, but they lack luster and usually need some development work. Shopify built out a platform to help with this called experts.shopify.com that connects you to Shopify developers. These developers are adept at Shopify’s programming language “Liquid” and can help you with the changes you seek. Just be aware, that a Shopify platform can start out cheap and can quickly get very expensive.

The Right Graphic Designer

However, many people assume that developers know how to design. Website design is completely different than what a developer does. Developers are trained in coding and know how to execute commands. Whereas website design requires eye-catching images, colors, and fonts to give you the flow and the aesthetics that you are looking for. Think about this – if you were building a new home from the ground up, you would first discuss with an architect and an interior designer what your needs are for functionality and how you want your house to look. You would not leave that up to your contractor to decide.

So, for a successful website it is important to choose the right graphic designer. Their artistic tastes and ideas should be in line with your business goals. On top of that bringing in a marketing professional to work with your graphic designer will give you a beautiful-looking website, and make sure the site is clear and cohesive, so the customer is able to easily navigate your site and make their purchase.

Set Goals and Timelines

Most website development companies might not have all these professionals on staff, so make sure to ask the right questions upfront before signing a contract with them. Set goals and timelines for them to stick to, or else you can find yourself stuck and will have to accept what they offer in the end. Setting timelines will allow you to catch these issues early in the process.

@HungryMom’s Food Diary – Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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@HungryMom’s Food Diary – Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

By Susan Zayat

This is a fun way to change up the basic Asian type chicken lettuce wraps!

Ground chicken
Tomato sauce
Brown sugar
Vinegar
Frank’s hot sauce

Brown 2.5 lbs. chop meat until cooked through. Add in two 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce, 4 tbsp brown sugar, and 1.5 tsp white vinegar. Cook for around 20 minutes on medium heat, mixing every few minutes. I usually serve it to my kids at this point. When I’m reheating it to serve to my husband I add in around 2 tbsp of Frank’s hot sauce. It takes these tacos to the next level. (Add more or less depending on taste.)

Assembly:

I like to use Butter lettuce. The soft smaller leaves make it easier to eat and serve.

Lay some guacamole on the lettuce, a spoonful of the buffalo chicken mixture, some Cole slaw, more guacamole, and you can finish off with a drizzle of hot sauce. You can have fun with the toppings and also add jalapenos, pickled onions, parve sour cream etc.

This chicken mixture can also be served over rice, in a taco, or sloppy joe. Either which way it is always a hit!

Recipe by Susan Zayat. For more recipes and ideas follow @Hungrymom on Instagram. Check out her amazing homemade spelt sourdough for sale.

Photo styled and photographed by Sarah Husney. Sarah Husney is a food photographer servicing NY & NJ. She has clients from the food businesses in the community upgrading their photos for Instagram and websites. She also takes photos for restaurants on UberEats, and is featured on Kosher.com for styling and photography. Contact info: 917 626 2991 / @sarahhusney_foodphoto.

The Case – Moving Out of State?

Community Magazine

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January 2022

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Deborah is an experienced general studies teacher working in a local New York school. She and her husband planned to move out of state immediately after winter intersession. Deborah notified the school of her post-intersession plans and resigned from her position. With nearly two months’ notice, the school interviewed many teachers to fill her post for the second half of the year and narrowed down the potential candidates for the job to one teacher. Sometime thereafter, before the winter intersession, Deborah and her husband had a sudden change of plans and notified the school that she intended to stay longer at her job. The school board rejected her notification, explaining that it was too late to reverse her resignation. Deborah responded that her resignation went into effect only after intersession and prior to that date she still has the right to choose to continue her employment. The board further claimed that they finally found a qualified teacher to fill the post and they were unwilling to jeopardize the new teacher’s hiring. They added that Deborah is actively pursuing to move out of state and the school is likely to be stranded without a qualified teacher for their students. Deborah responded that she is willing to give notification two months before leaving, just as she did in the past, and that is sufficient time to find another teacher.

Is the school required to further employ Deborah after intersession? Is the school allowed to release her as planned? How should the Bet Din rule and why?

Torah Law

According to the ruling of the Shulhan Aruch an employee is entitled to quit his job midway. In the event an employee exercises this basic right, his employer is required to prorate the time the employee worked and compensate him with his wages accordingly. Compelling a worker to continue for the duration of his job is viewed by Torah law as a form of slavery. Hence, not only does the worker maintain the right to leave his job, but he is also entitled for his wages for the time he was employed. The employer is required to pay the prorated wages for half the job, even if due to rising inflation the cost of the balance of labor suddenly increases.

The above ruling is applicable to nearly all employer-employee relationships. Nevertheless, if from the onset of employment, the worker understood that quitting his job midway will subsequently cause irreparable damage to his employer, the above ruling differs. In such instances the prorated wages owed to the employee can be withheld by the employer in order to mitigate the damages sustained. In short, quitting midway after assuming responsibility to complete a job is unlawful.

By rule of the Shulhan Aruch, a classroom teacher and even a housekeeper that quits without a qualified replacement is halachically viewed as doing an act of irreparable damage. Upon a teacher quitting midway, an entire classroom of children is in jeopardy of not having a qualified teacher. A housekeeper that walks off a job midway creates a situation of distress as some of the daily chores of the household simply cannot be done by the homeowner.

In the event a teacher chose to abandon her class midway without sufficient reason, the school is by no means required to rehire her. A teacher that willingly jeopardized her students and abandoned her responsibilities to the board of directors is seemingly not the proper candidate for such a job. This is especially true if she further suggests that if rehired, she is considering quitting again during the school year.

If, however, a qualified substitute teacher can readily replace the current one, obviously, the teacher is not in violation when leaving midway. However, not every teacher with credentials is viewed as a viable replacement. Many variables are considered before hiring a teacher, especially if the class is known to have disciplinary issues.

Leading halachic authorities rule that an employer has no legal obligation to a worker that formally resigns from his job. Once the resignation is submitted, either verbally or in writing, the employer is released and is not required by law to reassess the status of his former worker. Additionally, in the event the original employee is aware that someone was already interviewed and assigned as his replacement, it stands to reason that no further confirmation is required, and his employment is officially terminated.

VERDICT: For the Sake of the Children

Our Bet Din ruled in favor of the board of directors and instructed them that they were not required to give Deborah back her job. Deborah submitted her resignation in the middle of the school year thereby causing the school to scramble to find a qualified replacement. The reason for her quitting midway did not halachically justify her actions. By Torah law, abandoning students prior to securing them with a qualified substitute is viewed as irresponsible and damaging. Her year contract with the school did not include an opt out or a provision allowing her to give two months’ notification before leaving. Furthermore, Deborah is requesting to return to her job with an option to leave with two months’ notice. The school is not required to risk the recent secure hiring of the new teacher to accommodate Deborah’s schedule.

Additionally, Deborah officially quit her job. By law, once she submitted her resignation, the school is not required to reassess her employment status. Deborah further confirmed her resignation by consenting to the interviewing and hiring of her replacement.

YOU BE THE JUDGE

A Mother’s Jewelry

Upon the passing of their dear parents, Joan, Albert, and Eddie proceeded to divide their parents’ estate as per the Last Will and Testament left by their father. Each of the two sons inherited forty percent of the estate while Joan, the only daughter, was bequeathed twenty percent. Joan, who had access to the safe in her late parents’ home, opened it and removed her mother’s valuable jewelry. When Albert and Eddie discovered the missing jewelry, they immediately demanded of her to return what she had taken. Joan defended her position explaining that it is customary and a well-known fact that jewelry of a mother belongs to her daughter. Joan further clarified that her mother passed on suddenly, and that her father was ill at the time of her mother’s passing. She continued to explain that if her mother was still alive, or had her father not been ill, they would have most definitely gifted her with the jewelry. As such, she is unwilling to allow her much younger sisters-in law to take possession of the jewelry. Joan’s brothers were not interested in their sister’s plea and demanded that she return what she stole. Without any legal records proving the existence of the jewelry they threatened as a last resort to call the police. The family ultimately brought their dispute to our Bet Din to resolve.

Is Joan entitled to her mother’s jewelry? Are the brothers entitled to a percentage of the jewelry? How should the Bet Din rule and why?