Ellen Geller Kamaras

“We need to unify as a group in our NJ townships and educate the community about the increasing growth and dangers of tick-borne illnesses and the fiscal harm resulting from the over-population of deer in our own backyards.” ~~ Sherryl Bouganim~~

Did you know that New Jersey has been identified as one of the top three states in the country for Lyme disease, tick-borne illnesses, and the expanding tick population?

As we spend more time outside, so do insects and ticks. Ticks are small bloodsucking parasites that spread pathogens carrying infectious vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Zika, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Humans, pets, and livestock can all become victims of these terrible illnesses. If not detected early on, they can develop into chronic conditions.

Sherryl Bouganim, (formerly Sherryl Betesh), an active member of our New Jersey community, is committed to ensuring we are educated and armed with the knowledge and resources to protect our community members from these potential issues. She is fiercely proactive about spreading information about potential dangers that can adversely impact our residents’ health and home environment.

Sherryl has identified two problems that have become “increasingly uncomfortable and dangerous.”

1. The physical illnesses resulting from Lyme disease and ticks.

2. Deer infestation – the expanding, severely out-of-balance deer population.

We should all take these problems seriously. The severity of ticks and resulting diseases have been documented by authoritative research.

Ticks

A 2019 Rutgers University research team identified eleven tick species living in New Jersey. The study resulted in a standardized tick surveillance program, which assesses reported positive results for Lyme Disease from bloodwork. In 2017 the first sighting of an exotic Asian tick, known as the longhorned tick, was right in New Jersey. It is one of two invasive species spreading around NJ which appear on white-tailed deer. The longhorned tick is similar in size to deer ticks and can go undetected on animals and humans, although they have not been confirmed as an immediate threat to people.

New Jersey already has one of the highest burdens of Lyme disease in the nation and its incidence rate of cases per population remains far above the U.S. rate.

Professor Thomas Mather, a University of Rhode Island entomologist known as “The Tick Guy,” refers to the tick issue as a “hidden threat.”

“Bloodsucking ticks that carry an array of diseases hitch rides on deer as the mammals multiply across the country, popping up in forests, parks, and even our front lawns. The phenomena of deer in more places and in ever-increasing proximity to people is, I think, the largest factor affecting the ticks-in-more-places trend,” said Mather, who calls springtime ‘almost a perfect storm’ for ticks.”

The Escalating Deer Population

The growing deer presence in NJ has already led to serious issues, including Lyme disease and other diseases in humans and animals, car collisions, and millions of dollars in losses from crop/landscape damage.

Sherryl explains, “Deer are meant to be out in the forest and, unfortunately, when builders constructed homes around forty years ago, there was no plan to remove the deer and relocate them. We have an imbalance in our ecosystem. When we built our house in Eatontown thirty years ago, we only saw a couple of deer every few months. Now we see herds of 12 to 14 deer weekly. They are starving and eat up everything on our properties.”

The current deer spraying services and other deterrents are ineffective in preventing deer from ravaging homeowners’ gardens and lawns.

A November 2020 video illustrates the two challenges. Hillsboro, NJ was the leading township in deer collision for 2017. Gene Huntington, a wildlife habitat consultant and founder of Steward Green (which offers consulting services for issues of wildlife habitat and conservation projects), studies deer densities data annually. Last year, the data showed that nine counties in NJ, including Monmouth County, had 150 deer per square mile. Ecologists prefer to see between 15 and 20, which is a healthy density level. Huntington explains that this presents a challenge for our ecosystem. If we do not have biodiversity in the forest ecology, we will not have the habitat to sustain ground nesting birds. Those birds eat ticks and ticks cause Lyme Disease. So, we see it is all connected.

Deer mating season (October through December) means more car crashes. Be on the lookout during this time.

Solutions Start with Education

Successful solutions must encompass education, reporting of Lyme disease diagnoses and sightings of both ticks and deer, as well as preventative measures. Our residents must collaborate to educate our community as described below.

It is crucial for us to understand and prevent tick bites. We need to be aware of them and know where we can encounter ticks. Online maps exist that show tick activity in different regions and can help identify the risk where you live.

Get educated about tick bites and how to avoid them and other diseases caused by infectious ticks. Dr. Ilias, an expert in Lyme Disease Research, says it is important to prevent ticks from coming into contact with your skin.

Stay calm if you find a tick on yourself or on your loved ones. It typically takes 36 hours for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease to travel from the tick gut to its salivary glands and into the host. Dr. Ribeiro, an expert in Vector Biology Research, cautions that it is key to remove the tick properly with appropriate forceps such as tweezers. “Grab the whole tick and pull it out.”

New Jersey doctors are required to report a Lyme disease diagnosis to the local health department within twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, Sherryl explained, Lyme disease often remains undetected through certain time sensitive blood work. How does this happen? The CDC guidelines limit the Lyme disease testing to two particular strains of the illness although there are remarkably many more strains.

Tech Help

A computer application, TickTracker, helps users report and track ticks in real time (https://ticktracker.com/).

Another app allows you to take a picture of a tick and send it for identification. Check out TickCheck Tick Testing – For Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease https://www.tickcheck.com/. It determines if your tick carries pathogens that cause Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

How to Protect Yourself from Ticks

• Use a chemical repellant with DEET, permethrin, or picaridin. Natural versions are also available.
• Wear light-colored protective clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Tuck pant legs into socks.
• Avoid tick-infested areas.
• When you are in the woods, keep to the center of the trail: ticks tend to stay in shrubs and bushes.
• Check yourself, your kids, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks. Comb your hair carefully with a fine-tooth comb and check folds of the skin. Showering and washing your clothes in hot water ensures ticks will be killed.

Reporting

Governmental agencies have joined to create programs on both a national and regional basis to collect tick infection disease data.

In addition, consultants like Huntington study deer densities and universities and government agencies such as Rutgers publish the related data.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife recently created The Deer Project to address the deer infestation resulting from the lack of natural predators of deer in NJ. Their goal is to correct the problem in a humane manner. If our communities collaborate, we can collectively report our information (positive medical diagnoses and results, deer sightings, damaged property, and more) and receive the agency’s assistance in our area.

Please contact Sherryl Bouganim with any questions or feedback at sherryl@betesh.us or call 732-245-9550.

Next Steps

• Be proactive and stay safe.
• Take pictures of the deer that you see and note how many there were.
• Document the damage to your property.
• Educate yourself on tick detection, practice preventative measures, get the TickCheck app, and take a picture and/or identify a tick on Google Lens.
• Understand the symptoms of Lyme disease, the required treatment protocols, and the long-term effects of the disease if it goes undetected.
• Report tick and deer issues and sightings to the Fish & Wildlife Commission (877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337)) and the governor’s office (in NJ 609-292-6000).1-877
• Be alert. Although deer will not attack unless you threaten their young, they could get startled and hit you accidentally, if confronted on your property.

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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).

Her Journey and the Importance of Education and Skills

Bonnie Azoulay

Sarina Roffé has 20 years of management consulting experience in nonprofit and small business management as well as in public service. As a mother of three, two of whom have disabilities (one deaf and one learning disabled, both with ADHD), Sarina was working as an educational interpreter for the deaf when she returned to school in her thirties. She graduated with a BA in Journalism from the University of Maryland twenty years after finishing high school. In her fifties, she earned an MA in Jewish Studies from Touro College and in her sixties, she received her MBA for nonprofit management. Sarina became an award-winning journalist before working in government relations for Jewish nonprofits like the Jewish National Fund and ORT America. Meanwhile, she served on the board of directors for the National Cued Speech Association and became its president for six years.

Sarina also wrote two Sephardic cookbooks and a few Sephardic Genealogy books including Backyard Kitchen: Mediterranean, Backyard Kitchen: The Main Course, and Branching Out from Sepharad, a history of our community and Rabbi Kassin’s lifetime as our chief rabbi. Currently, Sarina is a nonprofit management consultant, a Sephardic genealogist and historian, and the president of her nonprofit called The Sephardic Heritage Project.

A New Venture

After a long and successful career, Sarina started her own consulting business. “I started to help Rabbi Sammy Kassin of Shehebar Sephardic Center as executive director,” explained Sarina. “I watched as all the rabbis came from Israel to fundraise. I thought to myself – I can help them. I could make them more professional, help them understand how to fundraise and operate a reputable nonprofit. That was the genesis for Sarina Roffé Consulting Group. I got a few referrals and a decade later we have 15-20 nonprofit clients that we manage.”

“About five years ago, my son Abie was seeking an MBA and as we looked at programs, I found one for myself. We studied for our MBAs together but at different schools. I felt I needed the MBA to stay relevant and up to date in nonprofit management.”

The Importance of Education and Skills

“When I was growing up and attending public school, higher education was not valued, at least not by my family, and especially not for women. There was a lot of opposition to me going to school for my BA from everyone – my husband, my in-laws, and my parents. My husband’s business had just gone under, it was not a good time. But I had to leave educational interpreting, a job I had gotten to be near my deaf son. I knew in my heart I had to go to school. It was a critically important decision that literally changed our lives forever. I always felt the need for financial stability in our home. We were a two-income household and that was always a priority for me.”

“Education alone is not enough. You also need skills – organization, socialization, and the ability to network. Team building and project work are essential to today’s work environment. It is critical that we get along with others and respect diverse opinions.”

Inspiring Her Family

“I believe that my own determination in getting that first BA demonstrated an important lesson for my children. They saw me drive one hour each way to the University of Maryland, come home and manage their lives – school, homework, dinner, and after school activities. They saw me sitting at the dining room table every night studying and writing papers for school. They saw my determination, that I set a goal and followed it through to the end, no matter how hard it was. (Btw, during this time, my husband got a job in NY, so I was alone.) My children saw me graduate and it inspired them. I believe this was an important lesson for them and that it set an example.”

“I should mention that during all my work and all of my career moves, I never bought take out dinners, except for the occasional pizza on Sunday night. My family had a hot home-cooked meal every night. My house was always clean. I always tried to balance work and homelife. My kids did every activity – baseball, soccer, swimming, and more.” ____________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in a career, please reach out to PROPEL and we can help you fulfill your professional goal. Call PROPEL at 646-494-0822 or Email: info@thepropelnetwork.org Please follow PROPEL on Instagram@propelnetwork

A Tribute to Isadore “Izzy” Shamah

Mozelle Forman

“Ethics of the Fathers” presents us with the basic principles of Torah values – and few embodied these values more than Izzy Shamah, who passed away this past March at the age of 98.

Rav Yisrael Salanter (1810-1883) taught that it is harder to change one character trait than it is to learn the entire Talmud.

Fortunately, our sages provided us with a priceless manuscript of wisdom, Pirkeh Avot (“Ethics of our Fathers”), to guide us in our pursuit of character development. This text is customarily studied during the weeks between Pesach and Shavuot, as part of our preparations for receiving the Torah. As I learned it this year, while also conducting interviews and researching for this tribute to Mr. Isadore “Izzy” Shamah, a”h, who passed away just before Pesach, I was struck by how many of the essential character traits prescribed by our sages he embodied.

Izzy (Ezra ben Rosa) was very blessed, in every way. Not only was he a successful businessman who raised a beautiful family, but he was also blessed with the gift of clarity. He understood what was important in life, and he dedicated his life to bringing goodness into the world. Both personally and professionally, Izzy epitomized the three “pillars” upon which the world stands, as taught in Pirkeh Avot (1:2) – Torah, avodah (service of Gd), and gemilut hasadim (kindness to others). He was instrumental in the foundation of Beth Torah in Brooklyn, and he spent his life extending loving kindness to others.

True Wisdom

Having never finished high school, Izzy lamented his lack of education, never considering himself “smart.” But according to Pirkeh Avot’s definition of “smart” – “Who is wise? One who learns from all people” – Izzy was about as “wise” as they come.

He considered his time in the army, where he received an exceptional score on his IQ test, equivalent to a college education. As Isaac, his oldest son, says, “He felt that the army helped him grow up, see the world and blossom.” His experiences first in Savannah, Georgia and then in France, taught him skills like cryptography and coding and decoding messages as he rose to the rank of sergeant. He returned with newfound confidence and self-worth that allowed him to take on the world.

He began to work hard, to hustle, to pounce on every opportunity that presented itself. And he continued learning, about business and about himself, from every experience. As told to Sophia Franco in a 2005 interview for The Sephardic Angel News, Mr. Shamah acknowledged, “You cannot run a business by yourself. It was this lesson that I had to learn before I could become a true success. I was arrogant enough to believe that nobody could do the job as well as I could. It was a rude awakening when I found out they could do it even better, but it is what I needed to hear to move forward…” Having acquired the precious asset of humility, he went on to not only succeed in many endeavors, but also guide others toward success.

Along with his triumphs, life sent Mr. Shamah some challenges, as well – challenges that would have left a man of lesser faith depressed and debilitated. His son Harold (“H”) describes how Izzy’s philosophy of life empowered him to deal with adversity. “Dad realized that difficulties are part of the fabric of life and a means to build your character. He always believed we should not be afraid of adversity or regret the difficulties, because they are a way to grow.”

And, amid the hardships, Izzy never lost his deep gratitude and appreciation for all that he had in his life, most importantly, his wife and children. Embodying yet another timeless teaching of Pirkeh Avot – “Who is wealthy? He who is satisfied with his lot” – Izzy always saw his glass as full.

“What’s Mine is Yours”

In another famous passage in Pirkeh Avot, we find Hillel’s famous exhortation: “Be among the students of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people…” Izzy was well known for loving and promoting peace and harmony. His daughter Mimi says, “My Dad lived by the mantra, ‘love and forgiveness.’ I never saw my parents fight, although I’m sure they had disagreements. And if ever he was upset at any of us, he would always come in and give us a kiss before sleeping and say, ‘I love you.’”

Many people who knew Izzy – friends, family members, business associates – would seek out his counsel when facing a difficult problem or making important life decisions. Business associate Jackie Rahmey says, “He gave time…mediating between fighting partners, working on fixing broken marriages, and helping people whose businesses were struggling.” His son Harold recalls that Izzy always “heard both sides of the story before giving advice,” and conducted himself with the principle that making peace is more important that being right. When his daughter, Rozy Cohen, was asked to identify the most important thing she learned from her dad, she responded, “How to say ‘I’m sorry’.”

In the fifth chapter of Pirkeh Avot, the Mishnah describes four types of people. The most revered type, to which the Mishnah refers as a hassid – “pious person,” is one who says, “What’s mine is yours, and what’s your is yours.” Rashi, in his commentary, explains, “The scrupulously pious person allows others to derive enjoyment freely from whatever he owns, and yet he does not permit himself to benefit from the property of others.”

By this definition, Izzy was truly a hassid. He and his wife, Renee, lived their lives with the attitude of, “What’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is yours.”

Izzy and Renee opened their homes in New York City and Florida to countless friends and family members. Even when not in residence, they welcomed people to use their apartments with one request: to sign the guest book – which, according to Mimi, grew to 6 volumes. I marveled to Renee over their generosity in opening up their home. Her simple yet profound response was: “We’re sharing.” Another family member recalls that during a difficult time, Uncle Izzy “in his humble and generous way, handed us the keys to his city apartment and an envelope of money to assure we would enjoy our getaway weekend. It was a gesture of love that instilled hope and helped us get through a difficult time.”

According to Isaac, Izzy and Renee “lived humbly for their wealth,” and were always more interested in giving than receiving. Renee would remind Izzy, “We have everything we need. Let’s give it to the children.” They generously funded the education of each of their grandchildren, loaned money to numerous people starting businesses, and donated funds to start various Torah institutions.

Like a Magnet

But where Mr. Shamah took “What’s mine is yours, and what’s your is yours” to the next level was in is interpersonal relationships. For him, treating others with respect was paramount. He believed that we must show love not because it benefits us, but because everyone deserves to be loved. And he realized that a smile and a hearty “good morning!” are precious gifts – following yet another directive in Pirkeh Avot (1:15): “Greet every man with a pleasant face.” Jackie Rahmey recalls, “He greeted everyone by name, no matter what their status in life. He inquired about the family and made you feel at that moment that you were the most important person to him.”

This theme, that Izzy made everyone feel like his favorite, was echoed by everyone I spoke to – and it actually sparked debates within the family about who was Dad’s/Grandpa’s favorite. Ultimately, everyone agreed that to be in Izzy’s presence, to hear his genuine “I love you” at the end of every phone conversation, meant you were special to him, and that was enough.

Izzy showed love and respect for everyone he met, from the doorman to the gardener to his dear friends and family. His warmth and sincerity made him a perfect confidante. One friend describes how he would take long walks with Izzy and they would discuss their problems. By the end of the walk, they would resolve whatever issue was troubling them.

“As long as I have Izzy,” he would say, “I will never need a psychologist.”

Another acquaintance recalls, “Izzy knew a lot of things about a lot of people that he would never divulge. He was like a doctor.” Daughter Rozy adds, “My Dad had an intuition for who needed something,” such as a kind word, a smile, or advice, which he gave freely. “He was like a magnet.”

We come into this world with the task of finding our purpose and perfecting our character – and this was Izzy’s aspiration throughout his life. He said of himself in the aforementioned interview with Sophia Franco: “Some people are born with traits. I think I created mine. I don’t know how much talent I really had. I didn’t know how much I could accomplish, but I worked many hours anyway, determined to make something of myself.”

“You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it” (Pirkeh Avot 2:16). We are not expected to complete the task of spiritual growth and perfecting the world, but we are obligated to commit our best efforts. Izzy Shamah spent 98 years living this ideal, and left this world a better place than he found it. By all accounts a worrier, he sought out opportunities to support and benefit others, and responded to the needs of his friends and family with an open and generous heart.

Isaac speaks for all of us when he expresses the hope that his father’s legacy of honesty, hard work, seeking peace, forgiveness, and putting others before himself is one that will “live through our actions and through our caring and open-heartedness for each other, and for our working to resolving conflicts.”

The family invites anyone wishing to share a story about their experiences with Mr. Shamah to send it to grandpaizzyshamah@gmail.com.

Everything you need to know to Vote in the June 22 Democratic Primary Election

Voting is not only a right, but a civic responsibility. The SCF, along with other prominent organizations and leadership have been advocating for everyone to be registered as Democrat so that we may all have a vote in this crucial primary.

Here is all you need to be ready:

1) You must be registered to Vote (as a Democrat).

2) If you are unable to vote in person or you will be out of town on Election Day (June 22, 2021), request an Absentee Ballot, or participate in Early Voting.

What’s “Early Voting”?

Early voting runs from June 12 to 20.

Essentially, you can vote early, in person, at a site that is set up for this purpose. You can find your early voting site at findmypollsite.vote.nyc. Your site will have its hours posted there.

Note that the link above will display both regular AND early voting sites.

What’s an absentee ballot?

An absentee ballot is a way to vote without going to the polls on Election Day. It is often referred to as “voting by mail”, but you can also drop an absentee ballot off at a voting site or the Board of Elections office. You don’t NEED to mail it in.

Because of the pandemic, ANYONE can request an absentee ballot this year. In March 2020, state lawmakers passed a law that said a voter’s concern over spreading or getting COVID-19 counts as a “temporary illness” when requesting an absentee ballot. That means that anyone can still claim “temporary illness” as a reason to request an absentee ballot, regardless of the availability of vaccines or any other factors that may have changed since last year.

How do I request an absentee ballot?

You can request an absentee ballot at www.nycabsentee.com, or by calling 1-866-VOTE-NYC.

When can I request an absentee ballot? (And when is the deadline to do so?)

You can request one any time before June 15 to vote in the June 22 primary. But an important note: The deadline to request an absentee ballot may change to June 7, so best to request before then.

When can I expect to get my ballot in the mail?

Even though you can make the request right now to get an absentee ballot, you won’t get your ballot in the mail until at least the last week of May. That’s because Board of Elections officials are still determining which candidates will be on the ballot, and they have a policy to not send out ballots until 32 days before the election.

What do I need to know when filling out my absentee ballot?

You want to make sure you fill out your ballot correctly when you vote absentee. An error could get your ballot thrown out. This year, with ranked choice voting, be careful not to rank two candidates in the same column. That’s called over voting, and it makes your ballot invalid.

With ranked choice voting, you’ll be choosing up to five candidates in order of your preference. The SCF has provided our recommendations on a full page tear out in this month’s issue. To learn more about ranked choice voting, and how it works, please visit nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/ranked-choice-voting/

When mailing your ballot, keep these things in mind:

After you fill out your ballot, put it in what’s called the oath envelope (the smaller one with the signature line). Then, sign the outside of the oath envelope and put it in the mailing envelope.

The mailing envelope will be pre-addressed to your county board of elections office, but you need to use your own stamps.

Campaign Finance Board officials recommend putting three stamps on just to be safe.

You need to mail your ballot by the day before election day. As long as it has a postmark on or before June 21, you’re good.

But you don’t have to mail it. Here’s what to do to drop it off.

You can drop off your absentee ballot at ANY board of elections office, ANY early voting poll site or any election day poll site up until when the polls close on election day. Note: You can also drop off absentee ballots for other people, as long as they’re properly signed and sealed.

You can find your regular polling place at findmypollsite.vote.nyc

What if I decide I want to vote in person but I already requested an absentee ballot?

That’s OK! You can still vote early or on election day in person even if you requested an absentee ballot.

One more time, these are the key dates:

• Request your absentee ballot to be extra safe by June 7.

• Mail your absentee ballot by June 21, or drop it off by the time polls close on primary day, June 22.

Need to figure out who your current elected officials are? Visit mygovnyc.org

Sam Sutton is the President of the SCF, Ron Tawil is the Co-Chairman.

Pnina Souid

Last month, women and girls of all ages and stages virtually “gathered” together for the first Daughters with Dignity Modesty Forum and Business Expo. An online website was set up as the platform for sharing this inspirational experience. What first began as an idea to help community-based businesses, became an exciting and unique event.

Business owners sponsored the event. Each sponsor broadcast a video commercial advertisement that was shown in between the speakers. The lineup was incredible, featuring hosiery, makeup, invitations, furs, jewelry, and more.

Women from our community shared their personal stories of growth in modesty or other inspiring stories to encourage others to strengthen their commitment to this special mitzvah.

Boi Kallah Bridal Fund

The organizers decided to donate the proceeds from the event to the Boi Kallah Bridal Fund in the zechut of a refuah sheleima for Leora bat Tsipporah.

Boi Kallah is a community-based bridal fund. Volunteers from Boi Kallah guide new kallahs in every aspect of how to prepare a Jewish home. The fund provides new utensils, pots and pans, bedding, and towels. Guidance is also provided for the spiritual aspects of building a new home as well.

The event was done virtually in order to allow more women to participate, comfortably from their own homes.

Different Journeys to a Lifestyle of Tsniut

Jennifer Franco opened with her personal story, making the point of how gorgeous a girl can look dressed modestly. As a teenager, she made the decision to dress modestly while at her friend’s wedding and she felt she made a tremendous kiddush Hashem.

Lisa Chams spoke about how our children learn the most from how their parents conduct themselves on a day-to-day basis. “Some things can be taught; other things must be caught.” The subliminal messages that are given by a parent’s actions go much further than their words do. In order to properly guide our daughters, sisters, and friends, we must share how much we love this special mitzva of tsniut, how excited we are about it, and how we do not feel burdened by it.

Joya Tawil, a community teacher and one of the heads of Boi Kallah spoke next. She emphasized that we, Jewish girls and women, are the daughters of the King. With her inspirational mashal Joya helped us understand that we are here for a higher purpose and we must not lower our dignity.

The next speaker was Jackie Bitton, a teacher in the community and a world-renowned lecturer. As she started to grow and dress more modestly, a close friend of hers told Jackie that it looked like she was going to lose herself. Jackie explained that just the opposite was happening. She was not losing herself, instead she was actually finding her true self. That friend also started dressing modestly and Jackie now calls her “a queen of tsniut.”

Jaime Soudry’s story is familiar to many. She shared how her journey began by watching her sister grow, who was inspired by her friend who began to grow, who was inspired by her brothers who began to grow. We never know where the domino effect will lead. Mitzvah goreret mitzvah!

Lastly, Honey Hamra explained how she used to be far from dressing with tsniut. However, she decided that she wanted a different type of life, a life with more fulfillment, with Torah and mitzvot. She started her journey by just adding an inch of material to her shorts. Then she gradually began dressing and acting more according to Torah values. Honey eventually took on the modest lifestyle and has started a business delivering modest attire. She is happy to help and guide others in the mitzvah of tsniut.

Included in the event was an excerpt from a speech on tsniut by Rabbanit Kolodetsky, the daughter of Rav Kanievsky, shlit”a. She shared how even just one centimeter can heal the sick, help childless couples, and more. The zechut we bring to the world with our modesty is unimaginable.

There was also musical video presentation by Frieda Cookie Marashli. She gracefully inspired participants with her beautiful voice in a song about tsniut called “It’s Who I Am.”

The Main Message

All the speakers had one strong message. We are royalty. We are precious gems of the Bore Olam. That which is valuable is kept hidden – like a jeweler’s most precious jewels. Tsniut is not a burden, rather it is our crown.

For more information or to donate to Boi Kallah Bridal Fund please contact Mrs. Joya Tawil at 646-824-8858.