Victor Cohen

Besides for the rabbi, a synagogue’s hazzan is perhaps the single most influential factor in the strength of the congregation’s prayers. Proficient hazzanut can make the service an inspiring, uplifting experience, arousing people’s emotions and helping them deepen their connection to Gd.

Being a great hazzan depends on more than just having a beautiful voice. The best hazzanim spend years training, honing the craft, and delving into the minutiae of the maqamim – the system of notes and melodies of the prayer service. I had the pleasure of speaking with one of these great hazzanim – Netanel Askari, an exceptionally talented and accomplished hazzan who grew up in our community and now lives in Israel.

Netanel recently made a significant contribution to the world of hazzanut. He created a website with nearly 300 songs, so that aspiring hazzanim can listen to them, learn them, and sing them in their own synagogues. In honor of this achievement, we spoke with Netanel about his journey in the field of hazzanut, his thoughts on how it has developed today, and what he hopes his website will accomplish.

The Emergence of a World-Class Hazzan

Netanel grew up in Brooklyn, and always had a love for music, beginning to learn hazzanut at a young age. He also learned to play violin.

He has a special affinity for Sephardic music. “It always touched my neshamah [soul],” Netanel says, adding that he was always drawn to this genre. He grew up hearing the tunes sung in Bene Yosef and Ateret Torah, and he soloed in the Camp Shivte choir, run by the then-young Mordechai Salem.

From before his Bar Mitzvah, Netanel loved listening to all-star Hazzan Moshe Habusha’s “heavy” songs, as well as Yechezkel Zion and the Tiferet Hamizrach choir. “My parents always had music on in the house and encouraged us to listen and learn.”

Netanel vividly remembers going as a youth to the Chodesh Nissan yearly Tawahits in the Ahaba Veahva synagogue with Rabbi Alouf, Moshe Habusha, along with the master violinist Rafi Shawat. “The excitement there was palpable!”

At age 16, Netanel studied under Rafael Yair Elnadav, the legendary Hazzan who served at Shaare Zion in the 1960s and 1970s. “He really encouraged me.”

At the age of 20, Netanel went to Israel to study in yeshiva. On Shabbat mornings, he would walk to the Sephardic synagogue in Jerusalem’s Bayit Vagan to hear Hazzan Rafi Naftali. He began to understand the differences between the styles and tunes that he grew up with and those which were more common in Israel. Later in life, Netanel returned to Israel, studying maqamim more deeply. He learned from Uri Amram, the author of the “blue book” – an in-depth book on songs and pizmonim– and Rabbi Yosef Nouri.

“Rabbi Nouri taught me so much,” Netanel added. “In Israel, you’re exposed to Sephardic music and hazzanut all over the place, in the weekly Friday night bakashots, in the parties, concerts and haflas, and with the abundance of qualified hazzanim and musicians.”

Today, Netanel lives with his wife and children in Beitar Ilit, a town just south of Jerusalem, where he serves as hazzan of the Mishkan Hakodesh synagogue. He returns to the U.S. each year for the High Holidays, spending time in Bnai Yosef in Brooklyn, and Cedar Avenue Synagogue in Deal. For the past several years, he has had the privilege of serving as hazzan on the High Holidays in Bene Yosef alongside Hacham Moshe Yedid.

“He [Hacham Moshe Yedid] really enriched me with his complex maqam transpositions, his exact knowledge of authentic Syrian tunes and traditions, and, above all, his humility and yirat Shamayim [fear of Gd] that’s befitting a sheliach tzibur [leader of the congregational service].”

In addition to his work in these synagogues, Netanel sings at weddings and other events, and has his own YouTube channel. He has been a part of a choir in Israel called Nehallela, which sings with all-star hazzanim such as Moshe Habusha, Moshe Dweck, and Netanel Cohen.

Netanel also taught Torah and hazzanut in Yeshivat Lev Aharon for five years, with several of his students hazzaning and playing musical instruments in the community today. Netanel’s children follow in his footsteps. “My son Mordechai ‘melts people’ with his sweetness of voice. Singing with my children every Shabbat is me’en Olam Haba.”

Sephardic Music & the “Quarter-Notes”

During our conversation, Netanel explained what maqamim are and how they work.

A maqam is a set of eight notes in a specific order. To understand exactly how it works, let us imagine a piano. Each key of a piano makes a specific sound. Besides the main, white keys, there are also black keys which produce a “sharp” or “flat” version of a specific note, what we might call a “half-note.” Using only the white keys, you could play basic forms of music. If you were to use the white keys and the black keys, using full notes and half-notes, you could play more complex pieces, like the scales used in familiar Western and Ashkenazic music.

But what if there was an additional layer of keys on top of the black keys, a level of “quarter-notes” to accentuate the half-notes? Certainly, this would allow you to produce music on a whole new level of beauty (and difficulty). This, simply put, is what the Sephardic maqam system is.

Sephardic maqamim is what you get when you introduce quarter-notes to hazzanut, adding an entirely new dimension to the music. It is more difficult, yet much richer-sounding, than the Western and Ashkenazic system. The main maqam categories are called Ajam, Nahawand, Bayat, Hijaz, Rast, Siga and Saba, and there are numerous subcategories. If you know how to properly maximize each scale, and also know how to mix in other maqam scales, you can uplift the congregation in ways that are otherwise unimaginable. A hazzan who understands maqam-scalecompositions is light years ahead of a hazzan who does not.

A professional hazzan, Netanel says, has an internal “roadmap” with precise directions for going in and out of the various maqams without losing the initial tone.

“He knows exactly when to give what so that the words penetrate the hearts and the feelings come out. It’s so exciting, so vibrant. It’s a world of its own and such holy work.”

Netanel has a fervent desire to help hazzanim enhance their skills. “I believe that if Hashem gave me a talent, then He gave it to me to give to others.”

“A Sublime Connection to Hashem”

Netanel’s ambition is reinforced by the positive feedback he receives. He frequently receives comments such as, “You literally made my Shabbat!,” “How did you mix Nahawand and Ajam so smoothly like that!” These reactions reinforce his conviction to do more to spread the tradition of Sephardic hazzanut – a conviction that has now given birth to his website – https://www.netanelaskari.com.

As mentioned, the site features 300 different tunes for Shabbat, holidays, and other special occasions, with Syrian, Israeli, and Yerushalmi tunes. They are all clearly organized according to maqams, alongside enriching comments. These include both old, traditional melodies, and more recent creations. During the first 20 years of Netanel’s life, he grew up with the core Syrian tunes of the “red book,” a traditional book of songs and pizmonim that have been sung in our community. In the second twenty years of his life, Netanel absorbed the Israeli tunes and variations. He took the best from both worlds and put it on his website.

Netanel says that this is just the start, as he is planning to add even more content. All the material on the website is available free of charge, to help aspiring hazzanim looking to learn the traditional tunes, and to help experienced hazzanim hone their craft and expand their horizons.

“My dream is that there should be well-trained hazzanim all over the world that are really helping people connect to Hashem,” he explained. “We are going to be praying three times a day for 120 years. It could be boring, or you could enjoy it. There’s a certain sublime connection to Hashem that only music can engender.”

Netanel concluded by citing the rabbinic tradition that in the heavens, just beneath the Shaar HaTorah, (the Gate of Torah), there is Shaar Hanegina (the Gate of Music).

Netanel’s passion for what he’s doing led him to create the “Maqam Academy” where he offers private lessons in hazzanut and maqamim, as well as workshops in Sephardic schools and synagogues. He’s also available for singing at events in Israel and abroad, together with his multi-talented, sweet-voiced son Mordechai.

“For the person with a passion for our beautiful Sephardic music who would like to take it to the next level and own it, I would love to help make it happen,” he says.

To learn more, you can find Netanel’s material at https://www.netanelaskari.com.

Inventions are the ingenious gadgets and machines that have made our lives a little more fun, interesting, and useful. Real inventions are the things that we did not think were possible yesterday, and yet, it would be difficult to live without today. From the tiny paperclip to the massive jet engine, every month we will explore the history behind our world’s most famous inventions and learn about the innovators who designed them.

This month we explore the history behind the game of…

SCRABBLE

Scrabble is a board game that has brought joy to millions of people around the world. More than just a game of words, Scrabble is a story of innovation, perseverance, and the enduring power of a simple but brilliant idea.

Beginnings During the Great Depression

The story of Scrabble began in the early 1930s, during the Great Depression – a time of widespread unemployment and economic hardship. Like many Americans, Alfred Mosher Butts was affected by the downturn, and the loss of his job would ultimately set the stage for one of the most successful word games in history.

Alfred Mosher Butts

The inventor of Scrabble was Alfred Mosher Butts, an architect from New York. After losing his job in 1931, Butts used his unexpected free time to design a new kind of game. He studied popular pastimes of the era and noticed that while games like chess required strategy, and games like dice relied heavily on chance, there were few games that balanced both elements equally.

Inspired by the popularity of crossword puzzles, Butts set out to create a game that combined luck and skill. He wanted players to rely partly on the random draw of letters and partly on their ability to form words strategically. His goal was to design a mentally challenging game that could be enjoyed repeatedly without becoming predictable.

Creating the Point System

One of Butts’s most important contributions was the game’s scoring system. To ensure balance, he conducted a detailed analysis of letter frequency in the English language. He counted how often each letter appeared on the front page of The New York Times.

Using this data, Butts determined both how many tiles of each letter should exist and how many points each letter should be worth. Common letters such as E, A, and I were assigned low point values, while rare letters like Q and Z were given high values. This careful planning helped ensure that the game rewarded skillful play while remaining fair and engaging.

Did you know there are organized trips to Israel that include both volunteering and touring that are specifically for the Syrian community?

I participated in such a life-changing experience over this past winter break, led by Eddie Zeitoune, in partnership with Mitnadev Israel, Taglit-Birthright, and Israel Outdoors. Over sixty young adults from our community participated. We had the incredible opportunity to explore the land of Israel, to provide much-needed assistance, to share in meaningful experiences, and have a wonderful time along the way. Group members reported that the combination of volunteering, meeting Israelis from different walks of life, and exploring Israel made the trip both meaningful, enjoyable, and truly memorable.

On the Ground

Our volunteer stints took us to different locations throughout Israel. We visited and volunteered at kibbutzim in the north and the south. One day, we put on a fantastic carnival for the children of a kibbutz, with face-painting, games, and other fun activities. The laughter and smiles of the children was the best reward. But we didn’t just volunteer with the fun stuff. We also rolled up our sleeves. One day, we helped clear out water from a flooded gymnasium and cafeteria that were damaged by rockets. Through these and other similar activities, we felt like we were helping Israel to rebuild.

We also spent time doing agricultural work. We picked crops, raked leaves, and planted trees. We had a chance to build – helping to craft benches and assist in the work of putting in roads. We felt our contributions were highly meaningful, and also helped the group bond over the good that we were doing.

In the evenings we had a chance to recharge. .On our first night, some of us fought off the jetlag to attend a wonderful Omer Adam concert. He is a popular Israeli singer who infuses elements of both Mizrachi and Western pop instrumentation. Those who went loved it. On many evenings different groups went out for dinner and hung out together, getting to know each other better. This helped to make us a tight knit group, in addition to bonding with the meaningful volunteer work.

Some of the group members visited family members, including siblings in yeshiva or seminary for the year. Those who had learned in Isarel for a year got the chance to reconnect with their yeshivot and their rabbis.

We experienced an amazing Shabbat in Jerusalem. Friday afternoon we left the Royal Wing Hotel, where we stayed for the bulk of our trip, and headed to the Kotel. We first went to a stunning viewpoint, where we could take in the entire Kotel and the area surrounding it. Our trip leaders inspired us with words about the importance of Shabbat. Then, we headed down to the Kotel to bring in Shabbat and pray. Afterwards, we walked back together to our hotel for Friday night dinner.

Visiting the Nova Site

No one came away from the Nova Festival site unaffected. It was especially significant that we were there on the fast of the 10th of Tevet, which commemorates the start of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. This marked the beginning of the end for the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile. Upon arrival at the Nova site, our group members, always talkative and energetic, went silent. For most, it was our first time there.

At Nova, hundreds of photos of the approximately 364 victims killed and dozens taken hostage are displayed on wooden posts forming a “forest” or images. The victims’ smiling faces were on the walls, on posters, on giant boards. There were also individual shrines in an area covered with personal notes, candles, flowers, and items left by families and visitors. A large mural of faces stood in the center. We felt those beautiful souls were all looking at us, with their sparkly eyes and wide smiles.

We knew what happened to these happy-looking people on the posters. We saw scorched and bullet-riddled cars belonging to festival attendees, along with damaged personal belongings like a jumble of beach chairs and broken coolers, which we felt could have belonged to any of us. We felt in our hearts that the reason we came to Israel was because of these people, and what happened to them on October 7^th.

Also at the Nova site are thousands of ceramic red anemone sculptures, created by hundreds of artists across Israel. They have become a powerful symbol of the Nova festival massacre. The flowers (kalaniyot in Hebrew, a beautiful red wildflower that blooms across the country) represent the young lives lost, and they also serve as a metaphor for resilience, hope, and the renewal of life despite tragedy.

Before leaving, we gathered to say a silent farewell and to sing Hatikvah. We continued on to our next volunteer site, now with an increased sense of purpose.

Conclusion

From beginning to end, this was a truly amazing trip. Not only did we see Israel, but we also contributed in our own small way. We built close bonds as a group, built meaningful friendships, and a commitment to Israel that will last a lifetime.

Ellen Geller Kamaras

“What lights me up? As a nurse, helping people especially in their hardest moments.  Personally, staying grounded and supporting friends and family, raising a family that can add to our amazing community, and supporting my husband, a rabbi, in his awesome work.  It’s a kiddush Hashem, being a successful hard-working Jewish mom in a mostly non-Jewish environment.”  –  Renee

Please meet Renee Tawil, nurse, wife, mother, and a dedicated community member.  Renee is also the sister-in-law of Rachel Tawil Abraham who was featured in this column in July 2021.   

Roots 

Born to Rozie Shamah and David Steinberg, Renee grew up in Brooklyn as the third of four children. The siblings are still very close. 

The Steinberg family followed Sephardic traditions as Rozie is Syrian-Sephardic and David is one half-Ashkenaz but grew up in the Syrian community.  

A very social and creative child, Renee studied at Magen David Yeshiva from elementary through high school.  She became a serious student in 11^th grade when she set her sights on becoming a nurse.   

Although she wasn’t interested in academics in her early years, Renee loved being in the spotlight and overseeing science and dance projects.  As a sixth grader, she won the National Young Inventors Competition.   Renee would get tired carrying luggage on family vacations and she created a suitcase with a chair that folds back.  

As teenagers, Renee and her friends ran dance classes and plays for younger children.   This experience, organizing children’s programming for pay, demonstrated Renee’s early business acumen. 

Intro to Medicine

During eleventh grade, Renee loved training for her EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification.  “I was always interested in medicine and thought: how can I turn the EMT into a career?”  Renee researched nursing and decided that being a nurse would fulfill her interest in medicine and would satisfy her desire to help the community and positively impact society. 

“I also love being different and creating my own path and nursing was a great way to do this.”  And, this career path would make her parents proud.  Once Renee chose nursing, she buckled down with her studies. She was very driven, focused, and determined to achieve her goal. 

Staying close to home, Renee enrolled in the Kingsborough College nursing program and received her Associate Degree in Applied Science and her Registered Nurse (RN) license.  She obtained her bachelor’s degree online from Chamberlain College and her master’s in nursing from the University of Phoenix. 

Then Came Marriage 

Renee met her naseeb at an MDY Shabbaton. David Tawil, three years older, was an alumni, and Renee was a senior advisor at the event.  David was also friends with Renee’s brother.  

On their first date, David told Renee that he remembered that she had won the Young Inventors Competition. He was at the contest as his younger brother was Renee’s age. “David was enamored by the idea of my becoming a nurse and called me ‘Renee RN.’” 

The two were married the following year after Renee completed her freshman year of college.  Their first child was born during her second year at Kingsborough during winter break. David, her parents, and in-laws were very supportive of Renee’s nursing career. This gave her hizuk, keeping her motivated. 

Inspired by Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l.  David became a rabbi. He serves as the Head Rabbi of Bet Rachel Synagogue (Larchwood Avenue Shul) and teaches Humash, Navi, and Gemara at Hillel Yeshiva High School.

The Tawils live in West Long Branch and have six children, ranging from two to fourteen.  

Renee’s Essence 

Renee is both a take-charge and hard-working person. She is positive, organized, passionate, and is a team player.  Personality-wise Renee is outgoing, friendly, creative, bright, and super energetic. In her current role as Cath Lab nurse manager, her leadership and team building skills shine through. 

Role Models 

Renee credits her parents for modeling good middot and helping her grow into the woman she is today. 

“My father is hard working, driven, always helping others, thoughtful, and has strong emunah.  My mother is hospitable, caring, loving, and warm, always helping others, and she is dedicated to tradition.” 

Linda Kacher was Renee’s first boss in nursing. Linda, a working mom at NYU Brooklyn Endoscopy, provided Renee with nursing and life lessons, amazing guidance, and inspiration.  Linda encouraged Renee to go for her master’s degree and to invest in herself. Linda believed that Renee had a bright professional future ahead of her.  

Career Trajectory 

Renee’s nursing career was launched at NYU Langone Brooklyn Endoscopy and Ambulatory Surgery Center. She spent seven years there, learned a tremendous amount, and loved her job. Renee’s work-life balance was just right at NYU.  “I thought I would be there forever.”    

Renee’s life changed dramatically when the Tawil family moved from Brooklyn to NJ eight years ago.  David took a founding rabbi position at Bet Rachel Synagogue.  The shul was initially open on weekends only and then a year later it had daily minyamin.  A new building was erected, and last March a mikvah was built. 

Both Renee and David took a leap of faith when they moved to Deal.  David jumped in as Head Rabbi of a new shul in a new town and state and Renee now served as a nurse in a medical center where most of the staff knew nothing about Yiddishkeit and Shabbat.   

Renee emphasized how her faith guided her career decisions, including a move to a new hospital where she had to educate her colleagues about her religious observance and work-life balance. 

Renee started out doing endoscopy work at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JSUMC,  and within four years had earned the trust of the hospital administration.   

Despite having a limited cardiac background, Renee took on the interim leadership of a cath (catheterization) lab after a previous nurse manager’s departure.  Notwithstanding initial doubts about balancing this new role with her responsibilities as a mother of five, Renee trusted her boss and embraced the challenge. Over the past four years, she led the construction and opening of a state-of-the-art $45 million cardiac unit with 11 procedure rooms, which has since seen a 40 percent increase in volume and become a leading heart care facility in NJ. 

Renee oversees a team of 150 staff members including nurses, technologists, and nurse practitioners. She appreciates the flexibility of her managerial position, but at the same time she has constant responsibilities and occasionally emergencies require her attention even when she is not physically at work. 

“Eric Coyle, my current manager, urged me to take on this new role even though I would never have predicted I would be here today.”  

Thorns and Roses  

 Renee’s roses are watching the amazing talent of her staff, literally saving lives every day, creating a good name for Jews, and debunking some stigmas. “Making a difference one patient at a time.” 

Her challenges include work life balance, juggling Shabbat and holidays, and ensuring that everyone on her staff feels seen and heard.  

Accomplishments 

Personally, Renee is so proud of her amazing children, running an organized home, teaching kallah classes, hosting bnot sherut for Hillel Yeshiva, and modeling good middot for her kids. Renee and David have two teenage girls living with them.   

On a professional level, Renee values her nursing certification and her position as Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse Manager at JSUMC.  

Rebbetzin and Community Leader 

Renee is passionately dedicated to her community, especially Hillel Yeshiva and Bet Rachel. As a rebbetzin, she thrives on teaching kallah classes from both a halachic and medical viewpoint.   

Her key to success?  She is super organized and believes in the “Let Them” philosophy of Mel Robbins.  The “Let Them Theory” is a guide on how to stop letting other people’s opinions, drama, and judgment impact your life.  

Renee believes in talking to the people [connected to certain issues], not about the people, taking a positive spin on everything, keeping everything in perspective, and maintaining religion/Hashem at the center of everything.  

Parenting and Balance 

“We are a great team! Our parenting style is to lead by example and foster independence.” 

Renee and David parent as a team and support each other. Renee can usually break away from work for her children’s special school events.  Renee is grateful for her husband, her leadership team at work, and her parents’ and in-laws’ support. 

Her work-life balance tools include cooking on Sundays for Monday through Thursday’s meals, taking Thursdays off for Shabbat preparation, using a written planner, asking for help when needed, and being nice to herself. 

 “I couldn’t be luckier, even with leaving at 6am and late nights, David and the children always cheer me on.”  

 To unwind, Renee takes a day off, has date night with her husband on Thursdays, schedules “me time,” does meditation, reads, and spends time with friends. 

Connect with Renee at ReneeTawil@gmail.com.

  ​

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.

By Rabbi Hayim Asher Arking and Rabbi Ezra Ghodsi

Throughout history, wine has been regarded as a distinguished drink that can both elevate the spirit and expose one’s innermost thoughts and feelings. This potency makes it a double-edged sword: it can be used to bless life, as we say L’hayim, or, if handled improperly, to destroy it. Seeing this power, our Hachamim instituted safeguards regarding its consumption, to protect the holiness of the Jewish people and prevent intermarriage. Additionally, wine from a non-Jew may have been used for idol worship (avodah zara). Such wine, like the avodah zara itself, must be destroyed; it is forbidden to derive any benefit from it or its value.¹

Wine used for idol worship is referred to as yayin nesech (wine that was poured), while wine produced or touched by a non-Jew is usually referred to as stam yeinam (their regular wine).

I received a non-kosher bottle of wine as a gift; can I sell it or re-gift it?

As mentioned, it is forbidden to derive any benefit from non-kosher wine. Therefore, one may not purchase non-kosher wine to gift to a non-Jew, such as a co-worker. By the same token, if one receives such wine, it may not be sold or even re-gifted, as there is always some benefit or goodwill that will be gained by the giver. The bottle should be destroyed in a way that prevents anyone from benefiting, such as pouring the wine down a bathroom drain.

Do the laws of stam yeinam apply only to wine?

These laws apply to both wine and grape juice equally. Therefore, if one has a non-mevushal grape juice, it may not be handled by a non-Jew. This makes grape juice concentrate a significant kashrut concern. It is frequently used as a sweetener or flavor enhancer in products like fruit punches, fruit snacks, and “Refreshers” (such as those at Starbucks).

Fortified wines, such as sherry and port, share the same status as regular wine. If they are not mevushal and are handled by a non-Jew, they become forbidden.

What about brandy or vinegar?

Wine derivatives, such as brandy, cognac, and wine vinegars, are still forbidden if they were produced from non-kosher wine. Although they are no longer considered wine, the change in status does not remove the original prohibition. Nevertheless, kosher brandy or vinegar that was produced from kosher wine, may be handled by a non-Jew, since it is no longer classified as wine. Similarly, if kosher non-mevushal wine is used to prepare a marinade or sangria, the final product may be handled by a non-Jew, as the addition of numerous other ingredients significantly alters the wine’s original taste. However, if non-kosher wine or vinegar is added to a recipe, it will render the entire dish forbidden.

Why is “mevushal” wine different?

Because cooked wine is of lower quality and historically less common, the Hachamim did not extend the prohibition to wine that was cooked prior to being handled by a non-Jew. However, cooking the wine after it has been produced or handled by a non-Jew will not reverse its forbidden status.

Modern “mevushal” wine is typically flash pasteurized in a closed system rather than boiled, a process that minimally affects its quality. While the common custom in America is to treat such wine as mevushal, some are more stringent and do not apply this status to wine that has only been pasteurized.

What’s the story with Scotch aged in sherry, port, and madeira casks?

The distinct look and taste of premium Scotch often come from wine barrels. Whether the whiskey is aged the whole time in a “first-fill” sherry cask or just given a quick “wine finish,” the goal is the same: to give the drink a deep ruby color and rich notes of dried fruit. These flavors come from barrels that previously held fortified wines like sherry (from Spain), port, or madeira (from Portugal). “Fortified” means these wines have been strengthened with extra alcohol, making them more potent than standard table wine. While this process creates a popular and exquisite drink, it also creates a complex halachic reality where the wine’s presence is no longer just a background detail, but a main highlight of the final product.

There are varying degrees of “sherry cask” aging, ranging from barrels containing actual liters of wine (as testified by industry experts), to “wet barrels” that remain very saturated, to “second-fill” barrels that impart only a subtle flavor.

Much has been written regarding the questionable permissibility of sherry casks in Scotch production. Some authorities argue that the sherry does not render the Scotch forbidden based on two main points:

1. The Shulhan Aruch (137:6) rules that water and other beverages stored in a wine cask remain permissible, as the wood’s absorption is not consequential enough to affect the liquid.
2. Many authorities maintain that when wine is diluted at a 1:6 ratio, its taste is “ruined” to the point that it loses its identity and becomes nullified.

However, it is difficult to apply these leniencies here for a number of reasons: (a) since the wine is fortified, it imparts a stronger flavor and can potentially penetrate deeper into the wood; and (b) the casks are selected specifically to impart flavor. This becomes even more problematic for “first-fill” or “special finish” Scotches, where significant amounts of actual sherry wine, sometimes many liters, are left in the barrels to be mixed with the Scotch. It is difficult to argue that the wine is “nullified” when its presence is being celebrated and sought after. In fact, some Scotch companies go so far as to own large stakes in wineries simply to secure a steady supply of sherry casks.

Given these complexities, it is important for the kosher consumer to be more discerning when selecting a bottle. One should recognize that Scotch aged in sherry casks presents a significant halachic concern, and even within this grouping, the level of concern increases with the intensity of the wine’s influence. Often, the bottle’s labeling and the depth of the Scotch’s color can indicate the volume of sherry involved, serving as a practical guide for those looking to maintain a higher standard of kashrut. One can also check the cRc Liquor List or the Star-K Liquor List for a list of approved alcohols without any questionable additives.

What type of drinks can I order at a bar?

It is not only the drink itself, but also our environment, the ambiance and company, that help us retain our identity. Therefore, drinking alcohol in the company and place of non-Jews, such as a non-Jewish bar or party, is not allowed, even for drinks that pose no concern of containing non-kosher wine. Similar to the above-mentioned restrictions on wine, the Hachamim put these guidelines in place to prevent intermarriage.

More to come next month…

A project of “Ohr Halacha..” This is Part One of a two-part series. The full article with the footnotes can be viewed on our website: ohroftheshore.com. For question and comments, or for general halacha questions, please call/text the “Ohr Halacha Hotline” – (732- 359-3080. We can also be reached via email: halachaquestion@ohrhalacha.com.

1^ This is the ruling for Sefardim. For Ashkenazim, in a case of a loss, one may derive benefit from wine handled by a non-Jew. Drinking, however, remains forbidden according to all opinions.

What Do My Kidneys Do?

The answer is, quite a lot! The kidneys, which are part of the urinary system, are two bean-shaped organs, each about five inches long and three inches wide – about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. The kidneys play an important role in keeping the body functioning properly. Some of their important jobs include making hormones that help control your blood pressure; making red blood cells; and keeping your bones strong and healthy.

Perhaps the kidneys’ most important job, though, is to filter your blood and help get rid of waste products from your body. As blood flows past cells and through tissues, it collects more than a hundred different types of waste, as well as any excess sodium, blood sugar, and water in the body. Carrying all these waste products, the blood then travels to the two kidneys, where the wastes and excess substances are made into a liquid called urine. The urine passes through two tubes called ureters, one extending from each kidney, until it reaches a kind of “storage bag,” called the bladder. From there the urine leaves the body.

The average person has one to one and a half gallons of blood circulating through his or her body. The kidneys filter that blood about forty times a day!

Filter System

The blood vessels entering your kidneys divide into smaller and smaller branches. These lead to tiny filtering units called nephrons , which are so small that you can only see them with a high-powered microscope. There are more than one million nephrons inside each kidney! Tiny as they are, these nephrons catch all the stuff your body doesn’t need, and they send it all out as waste.

Food for Thought

The kidney bean is named for its resemblance in both shape and color to a kidney.

Facts & Figures

Although the weight of the kidneys is less than 0.5 percent of the total body weight, they actually receive a lot more blood than the other organs in the body. Almost 25 percent of the blood pumped by the heart goes to the kidneys!

The Great Balancing Act

Another important function the kidneys perform is monitoring the amount of fluid in the body. If someone does not drink enough, and/or loses fluid through sweating, his blood contains less fluid than normal. When this blood passes through a certain part of the brain, special receptors detect the drop in water level, and the pituitary gland (housed in the brain) is stimulated to release a special hormone into the blood. When this hormone reaches the kidneys, it causes these wonder organs to increase the amount of water they absorb from the liquid they are filtering. Thus, more water is retained, and less water is sent out through waste.

Similarly, if someone drinks a lot of water, this extra fluid finds its way into the person’s bloodstream, and tells the brain receptors of the increased water level. This, in turn, informs the pituitary gland to release less of the special hormone. When the kidneys receive this message, they re-absorb less fluid back into the system, and more water is sent out through waste.

It’s pretty incredible that each little kidney, weighing just six ounces, is so complex and so advanced that some of its functions are beyond human comprehension. Surely, whatever we do know about the kidneys is enough to make us recognize the greatness and wisdom of the One Who created them.

What Are Kidney Stones?

If you ever heard someone complain that he was in pain because he had kidney stones, you probably wondered: What exactly are kidney stones, and how do they get inside the body?

Kidney stones are hard collections of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys when too much of certain minerals, such as calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus, accumulate in the urine. These minerals are normally found in urine and do not cause problems. However, under certain conditions, these minerals can become too concentrated, and then they separate out as crystals. When these crystals in the urine attach to one another, they accumulate into a small mass, or stone. That is called a kidney stone.

Kidney stones vary in size. They can be small, like a tiny pebble, or they can be a few inches wide, or even bigger.

Most kidney stones pass out of the body on their own, without causing any harm. The smaller the kidney stone, the more likely it will pass by itself. If a stone is too large to pass on its own, several treatment options are available. Pain medicine and plenty of fluids help most people with kidney stones get better.

Staying Hydrated

Kidney stones often have no definite, single cause, although several factors may increase the risk of them. The leading cause of kidney stones is a lack of water. Kidney stones are more commonly found in people who drink less than the recommended eight to ten glasses of water a day. When you aren’t well hydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated, with higher levels of certain minerals, and when mineral levels are higher, it’s more likely that a kidney stone will form.

A Busy Bean

Kidneys pump around 400 gallons of recycled blood every day!

Fact or Fiction??

Drinking milk causes kidney stones.

This is not true. Drinking milk, which contains calcium, does not cause painful kidney stones to form. As a matter of fact, some research suggests that drinking milk is associated with loweringone’s chances of having kidney stones. According to this research, it is not too much calcium that can cause trouble, but having too little of it.