Sam Sutton

Every DFL season starts with big talk, bold predictions, and a whole lot of confidence flying around WhatsApp chats. But when the dust settles, only one thing ever truly matters: who can deliver when it counts. Who can stay locked in, week after week, while the league throws its best shot at you. This year, that answer was undeniable.

The Baltimore Ravens didn’t just win the DFL. They controlled it. They defined it. And ultimately, they finished something incredibly rare in sports, a perfect season. From the moment this roster came together, there was a sense that this team had the ingredients. But nobody could have predicted they would roll through the league with this level of discipline, maturity, and competitive fire.

THE SIEGEL – COHEN AXIS

Every great team has a heartbeat. For the Ravens, that heartbeat was Eli Siegel. Siegel didn’t just play quarterback. He conducted games. He managed tempo, attacked matchups, and delivered throws that belonged in slow-motion highlight reels. His composure was unmatched, even in chaos. Even when the pocket collapsed. Even when the moment was enormous.

And behind every great QB is the one man who touches the ball before he does. Enter Victor Cohen, the league’s most reliable center and Siegel’s on-field equal in terms of impact. Together, they were the DFL’s most consistent pairing. Cohen’s leadership, protection, and football IQ created a foundation that never cracked! Not once. Their chemistry is one of the defining elements of this undefeated run.

WEAPONS EVERYWHERE

A perfect season isn’t built on talent alone. It’s built on stars embracing roles, role players becoming difference-makers, and everyone buying into the mission. And this Ravens roster checked every box.

Danny Massry delivered a full-blown comeback season, finally back, finally unleashed, and finally playing like a WR1 with something to prove. Big catches. Big moments. Big leadership.

Mordy Sultan was simply electric. Whenever he touched the ball, the entire field tilted. His playmaking ability forced defenses to stay honest, and his toughness turned short routes into long gains.

Menachem Dubin, the mid-season pickup, was the missing puzzle piece. He didn’t just fill a void; he changed the defensive identity. Alongside Noam Katsil, fresh off last year’s championship run, the secondary became suffocating.

And then there was the two-headed chaos creators up front: Escava and Sultan. Their pressure was not pressure, it was disruption. It forced offenses off-script and into panic mode. Few duos have caused this much weekly turbulence.

Finally, Spinrad, the quiet glue guy. The player who doesn’t care for the spotlight but makes winning possible. Every championship team has someone like him. Most don’t appreciate them until it’s over. The Ravens did.

THE SEASON OF STATEMENTS

Undefeated seasons aren’t smooth. They’re built on storms weathered, not avoided. And the Ravens weathered them all. They won shootouts. They won grinders. They won games that looked over until they weren’t. They won games that were over before halftime.

And every time the league whispered, “This might be the week…” the Ravens shut that door fast.

Signature moments defined this historic run: Siegel’s perfect touch-pass rainbow to Dubin. The bomb to Danny “Black” Masry that flipped momentum for good. Sultan’s jaw-dropping plays that swung entire drives. Defensive stands that drained the hope out of opponents.

Bottom line – the Ravens were unstoppable. They were undeniable. They were perfect.

Machla Abramovitz

The scene was surreal. It was early evening on October 7, 2023, and Givati Special Forces Captain Erez Masud, with 25 young men under his command serving as medical personnel, was speeding down the highway toward Kibbutz Kfar Aza, nearly two miles from the Gaza Strip border. The highway was covered in blood, while burning Israeli tanks and bodies littered the roads and along the shoulders. Were these bodies of Israelis, terrorists, dead, or alive? Masud and his group did not know and could not stop to find out or help. Their instructions were clear: go to Kfar Aza and assist the forces fighting there. They therefore forced themselves to disconnect emotionally from the horrors around them and kept racing northward.

“Our only goal was to storm Kfar Aza, evacuate people, and offer medical assistance. But we had no idea who these [IDF] forces were or where they were fighting,” he says.

Finding our forces proved far more challenging than anticipated. On entering Kfar Aza, and after a long period of eerie quiet, chaos erupted. Bullets flew at Masud and his men from every direction, and they returned fire blindly. Being hit by enemy fire and friendly fire was a very real possibility. Two of Masud’s men, Uriel Cohen and Netanel Harush, later succumbed to their wounds from friendly fire.

Kfar Aza

In all, 62 Kfar Aza residents and 18 security personnel were killed on October 7, and 19 civilians were taken hostage. Still, given the bedlam and the fact that the Israeli soldiers were ill-equipped to fight – they had only received shrapnel-proof, not bullet-proof, vests, and their rifles were not zeroed, meaning their accuracy was off – the results could have been even more disastrous.

Captain Masud hesitates to use the word “miracle” to describe what happened that night. “However, it’s hard to explain in any other way all the bullets that flew beside us and didn’t hit.”

Even now, his memories of that day and the days that followed are blurred. Not only was he psychologically catapulted from joyfully dancing hakafot in his hometown of Kiryat Arba into the fray of battle, but he was also clueless as to what he would be up against. It was at the Sde Teiman military base in the Negev where he learned that this assignment was significantly different from his previous Gaza deployments in 2012 and 2014. The venue, they said, had shifted dramatically from Gaza to Israeli territory. But, other than that, he knew nothing about the magnitude of the conflict confronting him.

What he learned since was that Kfar Aza was one of the most brutally hit communities and had been under attack since 6:30am that Simchat Torah morning. Gaza terrorists had breached the security fence between Gaza and Israel. At 8:33am, Golani’s 13th Battalion entered the kibbutz. By 10:45am, additional forces from the IDF’s Maglan unit, the Golani Brigade, and Israeli police joined the battle. However, there was no coordination among the Israeli fighters as the IDF’s traditional chain of command and control was broken. It would take the IDF three days to clear the area of terrorists: In all, the IDF killed 101 terrorists inside the community and 50 outside, the latter gunned down by the IAF and drones.

Profound Personal Changes

Looking back, the 34-year-old captain acknowledges that the 450 days he spent on active reserve duty in and around Gaza have profoundly changed the way he sees life and death, and the nature of evil itself. He confronted evil first hand, seeing it’s perpetration by Hamas and how it is inculcated into the minds of young Gazans. This newfound awareness is fuelling his civilian work, especially his commitment to the expansion and development of the Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) Jewish community, including its Benei Rachel Yeshiva, where he serves as Executive Director.

“We must maintain our connection to our historical past to better understand who we are, and to enable us to build a better future,” Masud says. “When we don’t bring beauty, light, and honor to the land of the Torah, October 7 can happen again and continue to give rise to the kind of evil we found in Gaza.”

Erez Masud’s Background

Captain Masud has an excellent command of English, with no trace of an Israeli accent, thanks to his mother, who hails from Baltimore. She married Erez’s Israeli father, whose family is from Tunis. His father grew up in Tzfat, after the family immigrated to Israel.

Although Masud’s family was not observant, the 6’4” commander attended Ateret Cohanim’s pre-army yeshiva, where he studied Torah, became a chozer be’teshuva, and met Rabbi Eliyahu ElKaslasi, who relocated Masud and his classmates to the Benei Rachel Yeshiva in Beit Lechem. They were the first yeshiva students to study there. Erez Masud is now helping to develop the community.

Even though Masud had dreamed of pursuing a military career as a young soldier, his early marriage to Inna at age twenty and the birth of his two oldest daughters curtailed that dream. Nonetheless, despite never completing officer training courses, he became team commander of the Givati Brigade medical platoon at age 24, a position he has held ever since.

Givati Brigade Medical Team

The Givati Brigade isone of the IDF’s five infantry brigades. It is also one of the two infantry brigades under the Southern Command that have distinguished themselves in counterterrorism and in defending Israel’s borders. Masud’s medical team can build a fully functioning hospital in 48 minutes. However, given Gaza’s proximity to Israeli hospitals, doing so here was unnecessary. Subsequently, the team took on other assignments: escorting secure convoys in and out of the Gaza Strip and serving as a medical emergency evacuation team.

On October 7, Masud commanded a new group of soldiers from Sayeret Givati, who were called into reserve duty for the first time. Not only were the soldiers fresh and inexperienced, but so were the mid-ranked commanders running the show. It, therefore, took time for them to understand how to use the troops to the best advantage. For six weeks they retrained, preparing to go into Gaza, and every day, commanders delayed their entrance for yet another 24 hours.

Many now say that Israel wrote the book on urban warfare – how to fight in such a dense environment where buildings are booby-trapped and with underground terror tunnels. What did the training look like?

“We trained for what we always train for. We know how to infiltrate properly, navigate, how to give emergency medical assistance, evacuate, connect with different forces,” Masud explains. “That said, not in any way, shape, or form did this prepare us for what we had to do at the end of the day. We learned on the go, to do things nobody had done before. Because the Americans were cutting us off, we had to invent innovative ways to address the threats we faced. Still, what our people did was amazing. Not because of their upbringing. Our soldiers grew up in different parts of the world. Rather, doing so was a necessity. We understood that this is the only way for our nation to survive, thrive, and prosper. The war brought out the best in many of us.”

Stress and a Sense and a of Purpose

Consequently, Masud was stressed 24/7. He constantly worried for his soldiers’ well-being as well as his own. Each one felt as if the fate of the Jewish nation was lying on their shoulders. “We felt personally responsible for the hostages, for October 7, and for changing the situation.”

In mid-November, Masud’s team finally entered Gaza. With each sunrise, the team brought in food, supplies, gas, or explosives, and at dusk they escorted out everything that needed bringing out: captured terrorists, equipment, and intelligence.

These were psychologically challenging times. It was hard dealing with the emotions that transporting terrorists elicited. “Knowing what they did, watching them express pain is enraging and triggering. However, you must keep it together and know that you are not the one executing their punishment, but instead, [you must] stay alert [and committed] to the actual mission to secure the convoy.”

Masud’s team members could not contact their families for fear that the terrorists were tracking their whereabouts through their cell phones. Later, when this was no longer a problem, they brought with them phones, but there was no reception. WhatsApp groups updated families about their loved ones’ welfare.

As Jabalya, Beit Hanun, Khan Yunis, and Rafah fell to IDF forces, Masud and his team moved out of their armored vehicles into abandoned apartments with no electricity or running water. The experience was surreal. They were living in people’s homes, trying to act “normally” while under the constant threat of death from terrorists jumping out of underground tunnels or from sniper fire.

What Gazans Valued

They also saw firsthand how the Gazans lived, and what they valued, and were sickened by what they saw.

“We found weapons in every Gaza home. Moreover, they educate their children to hate Jews from early on. A 12-year-old filled a scrapbook with photos of his heroes – Hitler, Ahmadinejad. Another youngster wrote an essay, graded by a teacher, about Adolph Hitler and his success in annihilating Jews. Every soldier encountered similar artifacts.”

These anti-Semitic “artifacts” represented only a fraction of the evil they encountered. How Hamas fights and their disdain for life lies in marked contrast to the values of the IDF: The principle of never leaving anyone behind and protecting their second-in-command is deeply rooted in IDF tactics.

Hamas, on the contrary, did anything and everything to get results, even at the risk of their own lives and those of their comrades. Masud witnessed this sick ideology in action. His team had neutralized three terrorists who had shot a shoulder-launched missile at them. Hamas later distributed a video of the three terrorists shooting the missile, videotaped by the terrorists themselves, despite the rocket missing its mark, and Israel killing the terrorists. “Hamas published the video as a win because merely shooting at us was a win to them.”

In fact, Israel treated the lives of Gaza civilians with more reverence than Hamas did. Gaza apparently has more “hospitals” or “humanitarian” centers per square foot than NYC. These facilities also serve as Hamas military strongholds.

IDF Reverence for Life

“Only the IDF is careful not to hit these designated areas, while Hamas held Israelis and Gazans hostage there so they could fight out of them and create a scene when we retaliate,” Masud explains.

Even when backed against a wall, Masud points out, IDF soldiers’ reverence for the sanctity of life always won out, whether they were dati or not. Most of Masud’s team is not religious, but after working closely with them over these two years, he has observed them mature, religiously, and otherwise. “Facing death daily can’t help but strengthen our appreciation of life. We want to live life to the fullest and enjoy our families. Make religious experiences special. My soldiers all wear tzizit, even if they aren’t religious. Many have become more spiritual, more connected to Gd. They understand that there is something bigger and greater than themselves.”

In the context of war, spiritual awareness and practices change definitively. Days and weeks blur together, making it hard to keep track of Shabbat and Yom Tov. Last Rosh Hashanah, Masud blew the shofar for his men while driving his Namer Tank with a phone ringing in his pocket. “You understand the depths of meaning in being a tokeiah be’shofar during an actual war while protecting the Jewish nation. The practice becomes more profoundly meaningful.”

Psychological Toll

That said, Israel is only beginning to understand the psychological implications of October 7 on Israeli society. Soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not uncommon: Many watched comrades die, others lost limbs, while others underwent the breakup of businesses and marriages.

Moreover, many of their war experiences are impossible to share with their spouses. Subsequently, they turn to one another for support and healing. “Even strong, tough soldiers need to heal,” Masud says. “Expressing our feelings to one another helps us alleviate loneliness, which is a catalyst for trauma and war-related mental illnesses.”

However, those soldiers who best understood what they were fighting for – that this war isn’t a battle between Jews and Arabs, about religion or land, but between good and evil – that they are standing on the frontlines of over 3,000 years of Jewish history, those soldiers, Masud claims, pull through these experiences more psychologically intact.

Captain Masud’s Vision

Captain Masud now divides his time between reserve duty and helping expand the Jewish presence in Beit Lechem, which was nonexistent before 2002, and which is presently a hub of Islamic terrorism. Currently, 100 Jews live about 30 feet from Kever Rochel, surrounded by 30,000 Arabs.

The planned expansion of the Benei Rachel Yeshiva, founded by Rabbis Chanan Porat and Benny Alon in 2009, will increase the yeshiva’s capacity from 60 to 300 students and the community’s size from 12 to 35 families, thereby forcing the IDF to expand its buffer zone parameters. There is a waiting list for these new apartments.

A visitors’ center, restaurant, shul, simcha hall, and other amenities to accommodate young families will complete this exciting new project, which will cover 100,000 square feet. A walk-around plaza next to Kever Rachel is almost finished.

“Expanding the Jewish presence in Beit Lechem will not only benefit this community but the public at large,” Masud says. “We now have a real opportunity to build a Torah community where terrorists can’t live.”

By Rita Shabot, Career Division Director at SBH

At the SBH Career Division, our mission is simple yet deeply impactful: to help every job seeker find confidence, direction, and meaningful opportunity. We believe that when one person rises, the entire community rises with them.

Our Passion to Help

Every day, our dedicated team of professional job developers, résumé writers, and volunteer coaches walks into the Career Division with purpose. We understand that searching for work – whether you’re just beginning your journey or navigating a career transition – can feel overwhelming. At SBH, no one walks alone.

The voices of our clients speak powerfully to this care. One individual shared:

“You really helped me out with my résumé and connecting me with job opportunities. I’m waiting to hear back from a few companies and have a second-round interview on Monday thanks to one of the connections you made. Thank you for your assistance through all this. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year. Shanah Tovah!”

Messages like these affirm the impact of our work every single day.

Our Process: Step by Step, Side by Side

From the moment someone reaches out, we take the time to listen—to goals, concerns, and even insecurities. We create a personalized plan, offer targeted support, and remain alongside our clients throughout their journey.

One client expressed this experience with deep gratitude:

“Sheri, I want to thank you for being so available and patient with me through this process. I believe you must have a degree in social work because you addressed many of my insecurities. May Hashem continue to give you the words to help all who rely on you. You have a special gift!”

This kind of trust is something we cherish and strive to earn every day.

We’re Here for You

Our professionals do far more than match résumés to job postings. They are motivators, strategists, advocates, and emotional supports. Clients consistently feel seen, valued, and believed in.

As one person shared:

“Nathan treated me like his only client and genuinely cared about the mission of finding me a new role. SBH, and those who reach out, are fortunate to have him. Thank you.”

This level of care is not the exception – it is our standard.

Our Volunteers: The Heartbeat of Our Division

We are blessed with an extraordinary network of volunteer job coaches and retention coaches who give selflessly of their time, experience, and hearts. They mentor, encourage, and inspire – often continuing their support long after a placement is made.

One client captured this sentiment perfectly:

“Thank you for your assistance. I definitely appreciate that you’re on the other end trying to make things better for everyone.”

Their gratitude reflects the lasting ripple effect created by our volunteers’ compassion.

Our Supportive Services

To help clients thrive, the SBH Career Division offers a comprehensive range of services designed to support both immediate goals and long-term success:

• Professional Résumé Writing
  One-on-one collaboration to create polished, impactful résumés that open doors.
• Skills Training
  Interview preparation, workplace readiness, and confidence-building support.
• Job Coaches
  Personalized guidance through the job search process, from applications to offers.
• Retention Coaches
  Continued support after placement to ensure stability, growth, and success.

Young Professionals: Building the Future

We are especially proud of our Young Professionals Program, which empowers the next generation through:

• Internship placements that provide real-world experience
• Mentor–mentee relationships that inspire and guide
• Industry events and roundtables that build networks and open career paths

These initiatives equip young adults with confidence, direction, and opportunity.

At the SBH Career Division, we believe in people.
We believe in untapped potential, new beginnings, and the power of community members lifting one another up. Our staff and volunteers – job developers, résumé writers, coaches, and mentors – work every day with one shared mission: To help you succeed professionally, personally, and confidently.

We’re here for you. Always.

By SIMHA Mental Health Series

Technology has become a constant part of our lives. Our phones wake us up, guide our schedules, entertain us, and connect us with people around the world. Social media, texting, streaming, and now artificial intelligence bring incredible convenience and opportunity. But they also bring challenges that quietly affect our mental health, relationships, and sense of connection.

This guide, based on insights shared by Dr. Eli Shapiro, offers a warm, practical way to understand our relationship with technology and how to keep it healthy.

Technology Isn’t the Enemy

Rather than seeing technology as “good” or “bad,” Dr. Shapiro encourages us to see it like any other relationship in our lives. Some relationships are healthy, supportive, and balanced. Others become demanding, distracting, or draining.

A simple question helps us figure out where we stand: Is technology enhancing my life right now – or is it intruding on it?

Some days it helps us stay connected, learn, and accomplish more. Other days, it interrupts family time, sleep, or even our sense of peace. Becoming aware of this difference is the first step toward healthier digital habits.

Why We Feel More Connected Yet More Alone

Humans are built for connection. Our emotional health depends on real, face-to-face relationships – the kind where we talk, listen, laugh, and share experiences.

Yet today, people spend far less time with one another. The Surgeon General reported that in the past decade we spend 30 fewer hours per month in real social, face-to-face activities. And, we spend five fewer hours per month engaging with people in our own household.

Instead of being with people, we scroll. Instead of conversations, we consume content. Social media imitates connection but cannot replace real relationships.

You might have thousands of followers, but that doesn’t mean you feel emotionally supported or understood. Digital contact gives quantity, not quality. Real connection requires presence – something that technology often pulls us away from.

How to Recognize When Technology Is Getting in the Way

Technology becomes unhealthy when it begins to interfere with our primary responsibilities or relationships. Some signs include staying up too late on the phone, ignoring people in the home, missing work goals or schoolwork, feeling anxious when you can’t check your device, using screens to escape everyday life, and spending more time online than with friends or family

This doesn’t mean you have a “problem.” It means awareness is needed – and small changes can make a big difference.

People with anxiety, ADHD, depression, autism, or past trauma may be more sensitive to digital stimulation. Their brains can react more strongly to online activity, making it harder to unplug. There is no shame in this – it simply means healthier boundaries are even more important.

The Power of Digital Detox – Even for a Few Minutes

One of the most powerful tools for healthier living is intentional disconnection. In the Jewish community, Shabbat offers a built-in weekly reset: phones off, minds calm, and hearts open. Dr. Shapiro describes Shabbat as a true gift – a chance to breathe and be present.

But even outside of Shabbat, you can create smaller “mini-Shabbat moments” during the week:

• Put phones away during meals – “going dark for dinner”.
• Turn on “Do Not Disturb” or sleep mode at night.
• Leave the phone in another room for the first five minutes of your morning.
• Set one hour each evening for family-only time.

These small acts give your brain a break and allow deeper connection with the people around you.

Be Present. Be Aware. Be Balanced.

Technology is here to stay. And in many ways, it enriches our lives more than ever before. But it must be used thoughtfully.

Here’s the heart of the message: You don’t need to throw away your phone or quit social media. You just need a healthier, more intentional relationship with it.

Try the following: notice when technology enhances your life rather intrudes on it, create small moments of digital rest, and prioritize real-world relationships. Thereby, you can protect your mental health and strengthen the connections that truly matter.

And if you ever feel overwhelmed or unsure how to create this balance, SIMHA is here to help guide you, support you, and connect you with the right professionals.

Technology should serve you – not the other way around.

By Rabbi Hayim Asher Arking and Rabbi Ezra Ghodsi

What is the significance of Tu B’Shevat?

Each year features four distinct occasions that mark the beginning of a specific New Year, meaning there are four Rosh Hashanahs. The first day of Nissan serves as Rosh Hashanah for the counting of a king’s reign. The first day of Elul is designated for determining ma’aser from animals. The first day of Tishrei, Rosh Hashanah, is the time when all people are judged, and it is also pertinent to the counting of years for events such as yovel and shemitah. Finally, the fifteenth of Shevat – Tu B’Shevat (where “Tu” refers to the Hebrew letters ט”ו, corresponding to fifteen) – is the New Year for trees. This date marks the beginning of the year for purposes related to terumah and orlah.

What changes are made in the tefillah?

Tachanun is not recited on Tu B’Shevat, nor is it recited during Minha prior to Tu B’Shevat. If Tu B’Shevat falls on Shabbat, “Tsidkatecha” is also not recited.

Just as on Rosh Hashanah we pray for a good year, it is customary on Tu B’Shevat to recite berachot and prayers for the year’s prosperity. As such, we recite berachot for all types of fruits, vegetables, and foods. Reciting a beracha brings blessing to all living flora on Earth, the source of our sustenance. For example, when one recites the beracha of ha’ets, it invokes a blessing upon all fruit trees globally, enabling them to bear fruit abundantly.

Is there a special prayer to say before eating the fruits?

It is a long-standing Syrian custom to recite the Arabic translation of the Aseret Hadibrot found in Shir Ushvaha (page 515) on Tu B’Shevat. Many also have the custom of reciting certain specific passages from the Torah, Mishnah, and Zohar that are relevant to the particular fruit they are eating, as detailed in the Sefer Pri Ess Hadar. There is also a custom to eat a dish of etrog jelly, made from the etrog used as part of the Arba Minim on the previous Sukkot. One should say a prayer that he should merit to find a beautiful etrog to use for the mitzva on the following Sukkot.

What is the proper order to recite the berachot?

When reciting berachot outside of a bread meal, the typical order is as follows:

1. Mezonot
2. Hagefen (Note: when reciting Kiddush, the hagefen needs to be said first.)
3. Ha’ets
4. Ha’adamah
5. Shehakol

What if I mistakenly recited a beracha not in the preferred order?

Although the berachot are supposed to be recited in the proper order, reciting a beracha out of order does not invalidate the beracha itself. However, it is important to note that in some cases a more specific beracha can be covered by a broader beracha. For example, if one mistakenly recites the beracha of ha’adamah intending to include an orange, a subsequent blessing of ha’ets on that same orange would not be permissible. However, if the ha’adamah beracha was recited on a vegetable without the intention of including the orange, the orange would not be covered by the initial beracha, and a separate ha’ets would still be required.

If I am eating different types of fruits, on which one do I recite ha’ets?

If a platter of many different fruits is served, for example, dates, figs, apples, etc. then the ha’ets is recited on one of the Shiv’at HaMinim (the seven agricultural products mentioned in the Torah as being special to the Land of Israel). There is also a specific order within this group. It is based on which fruit is mentioned closest to the word ‘erets’ in the pasuk ארץ חטה ושעורה וגו’. Therefore, the first beracha would be on the olives, and if there are no olives, then on the dates. If there are no dates, then it is said on the grapes, the figs, and then pomegranates.

What if there are no fruits from the Shiv’at HaMinim?

If the fruits that are served do not include one of the Shiv’at HaMinim, then the beracha is recited on a fruit that is whole. If there are many whole fruits, then you recite the beracha on the fruit that is generally more desirable to you. This is done out of honor for the blessing.

These rules also apply to any assortment of foods that are of the same beracha, such as bananas, watermelon, and cantaloupe; or cookies, cake, and pretzels.

If there is a shehehianu fruit, when would shehehianu be said?

According to many opinions, a shehehianu fruit is regarded as the “preferred fruit.” Therefore, if there are fruits from the Shiv’at HaMinim, the ha’ets would be recited on one of them. When only eating regular fruits, one should make a beracha of ha’ets on the shehehianu fruit, provided it has not been cut up. (Others say that a shehehianu fruit always takes precedence.)

What fruits require a shehehianu?

One can only recite shehehianu on produce that is seasonal and not available year-round. Nowadays, many seasonal fruits are still readily available to be purchased year-round, as they are imported from countries with warm climates, and would not require a shehehianu. If one wants to recite a shehehianu on a new fruit, they should get a more exotic one, like starfruit, passionfruit, etc.

What if I do not enjoy the taste?

If one knows that he does not enjoy the taste of a specific fruit and does not feel any happiness in eating the new fruit, a shehehianu should not be recited.

Should I recite ha’ets or shehehianu first?

It is preferable to recite ha’ets first, followed by a shehehianu, and then eat from the fruit. Some have the custom to recite the shehehianu first followed by the ha’ets.

What if I forgot to recite shehehianu?

If one is still in the middle of eating the fruit, he can still recite the beracha. However, if one is finished eating the fruit, the beracha can no longer be recited.

In Summary: When one is ready to partake of the Tu B’Shevat table, he should begin with a beracha of mezonot on cookies or cakes. Next, he should recite hagefen upon wine or grape juice. Then he should say the beracha of ha’ets on olives, dates, grapes, figs, or pomegranates (in that order). Otherwise, ha’ets is recited on any fruit of his choice if it is a whole fruit. If there is a fruit that one will be reciting shehehianu on, then that will take preference over other fruit. Afterward, one recites ha’adamah on the vegetable he generally prefers. Shehakol is the final beracha recited on food

90 Seconds: For Young Readers teaches young readers about selflessness, sacrifice, bravery, and the profound impact that caring for others can have on their own lives. Through an engaging and accessible narrative, the book tells the story of Eli Beer, who founded the world’s largest volunteer EMS (Emergency Medical Services) organization to ensure that anyone in need of emergency medical aid in Israel receives fast, free help.

On October 29th, Gavy Friedson, a United Hatzalah volunteer EMT who has responded to more than 10,000 emergency calls in Israel, spoke to 6^th graders at Yeshivah of Flatbush and Magen David Yeshivah, sharing life-saving stories from the field and distributing these books to hundreds of enthusiastic students.

Five hundred copies of 90 Seconds were generously sponsored by Raymond and Elizabeth Gindi, along with Al and Chantal Gindi, to distribute to children at these schools and throughout the Syrian Jewish community to inspire the next generation toward getting involved in tzedakah and United Hatzalah’s life-saving mission.

“The Syrian community has always stood by United Hatzalah. We are deeply grateful for the Gindi family’s selfless philanthropic leadership and effort to share their values of hesed and education through these books,” said Marcelle Farhi, Senior Development Associate at United Hatzalah.

The books are well suited for 6th graders, many of whom begin seeking to support impactful organizations for their bar and bat mitzvah projects. As they prepare for these moments, many children begin to understand that they can personally and directly make a difference by helping others in need.

When selecting their bar and bat mitzvah projects, kids can join United Hatzalah’s Leight Legacy Heroes program at www.israelrescue.org/heroesto raise $180 to sponsor an oxygen tank in Israel that bears their name. Their oxygen tank is then used by United Hatzalah medics in real, lifesaving missions, giving each child a tangible connection to the impact of their philanthropy.

For more information about United Hatzalah, or to receive a copy of 90 Seconds: For Young Readers and arrange a speaker for your school, please contact Marcelle Farhi at MarcelleF@israelrescue.org or visit IsraelRescue.org/heroes.

Ellen Geller Kamaras

“I am a self-starter. I started working at thirteen and put myself through college. My dream was to work in advertising on Madison Avenue. I found my sweet spot in promotional merchandising.” – Elaine

Please meet Elaine Parker, a successful businesswoman, mother, grandmother, and community member. She was born in Neptune, NJ and attended public schools while growing up in Elberon and West Long Branch, NJ. She reconnected with her Sephardic roots when her children studied at Hillel Yeshiva. She is the daughter of Naomi Nahum and Morris Dweck, a”h. The family of four, including Elaine’s older sister Randy, lived in Bradley Beach for a few years.

The sisters were three and eighteen months old respectively when their parents divorced. The girls saw their father on weekends and enjoyed family holidays in Brooklyn for many years.

Elaine’s mother Naomi later married Jay Wohl, an Ashkenazi man who became a wonderful second father, raising Elaine and Randy. Naomi and Jay had a son together, Neil. Elaine’s father, Morris, also remarried and had two children, Chucky and Loren, with his wife, Ellen Katz.

Morris Dweck, a”h, passed away sixteen years ago. After Morris’s passing, both sides of the family stayed very close sharing Shabbat dinners and holidays together.

Elaine’s Backbone – Her Mother

Naomi, Moroccan-born, spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Israel before moving to NY. Naomi’s Aunt Esther, married to Hacham Matloub Abadi, brought Naomi to America to live with them in the late 1950s. Naomi was very close to her Aunt Esther who often came from Brooklyn and spent time with her in New Jersey.

Elaine’s mother was the one who most influenced her to have a career. It was important to Naomi that Elaine learn to stand on her own two feet, to be a good wife and mother, and to achieve her goals. Naomi taught Elaine to have grit, to work hard, and to be a kind person.

A wise and strong woman from a religious family, Naomi lived through the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. Her family lived in Jerusalem at the time, and survived a bomb hitting the family home in Jerusalem.

Naomi later studied with a French couturière (seamstress) and became a talented seamstress herself. Naomi’s grandfather, Nissim Nachum, was a wealthy philanthropist who funded Yeshiva Rohobot HaNahar for Rabbi Shaul Dweck, who taught him Kabbalah. Many prominent Sephardic rabbis, including those from the Kassin, Tawil, and Yedid families, studied at that yeshiva.

Elaine’s School Days

As a child, Elaine was a B student, shy and quiet. In fifth grade, Elaine’s teacher called her mother, concerned that Elaine had only one close friend. Naomi replied that her daughter only needed one good friend. In truth, Elaine had several close friends and she became more extroverted in college and once she launched her career.

Although Elaine attended public school, she and her family were active members of the Jewish community. They prayed at Brothers of Israel, an Ashkenaz shul, and belonged to the JCC.

Elaine played trumpet in her high school marching band and was the yearbook photographer. Both roles helped her to secure admission to Rutgers University, where she majored in communications with a specialization in marketing and advertising.

“As a young girl, I loved advertisements and spent a lot of time studying the ads in magazines. After college, I found my niche in promotional merchandising.”

During the late eighties, most Jersey Shore high school graduates were attending college and pursuing careers. Neither of Elaine’s fathers encouraged her to apply to a four-year college. Determined to show her family that she could “have it all” – a family and a career – Elaine followed her dream.

At 13, Elaine started to earn money. Her jobs included babysitting, working at her father Jay’s penny arcade in Bradley Beach, and selling ceramic tiles on commission while studying at Rutgers University. The money she earned enabled her to put herself through college and helped her to become a confident people person.

Her Core

Elaine describes herself as disciplined, down-to-earth, a go-getter, very loyal to family and friends, playful, and funny. She is also warm and creative. She prides herself on being an out-of-the-box thinker – a talent that contributes to her success in promotional merchandising.

Marriage and Family

Elaine met her bashert, Glenn – a pre-med student – while at college. They had much in common. Both were hard-working self-starters who financed their own education. Glenn went on to study at Rutgers Medical School, and Elaine launched her thirty-seven-year career in promotional merchandising.

Glenn is a colorectal surgeon and is the Program Director for the General Surgery Residency at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JSUMC. Elaine says, “Glenn mentors so many community kids to become doctors, PA’s, and nurses, helping them get internships and jobs. He stays with them throughout their journey. I am in awe of him.”

The couple has three children: Mitchell, a resident in radiation oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Carly, a digital marketing account executive at the Morning Brew, and Jonathan, an attorney at Paul Hastings. Mitchell and his wife Michelle, a child psychologist at Barkay Yeshiva, have two young children. The Parkers raised their family in Oakhurst, NJ, and their children attended Hillel Yeshiva. Elaine refers to their upbringing as “Ashkefardic.” The family is affiliated with Brothers of Israel and Chabad of the Shore in Long Branch.

“Glenn and I live for our children. We are so proud of them. They are not entitled; they always worked summer jobs, did internships, and studied hard to achieve their degrees and positions.”

Career Path

Elaine’s professional journey has been marked by inventiveness, resilience, and a passion for excellence. She has consistently adapted to changing industry trends and technologies while maintaining long-standing client relationships, including NBC. Her innovative approach empowered her to deliver creative solutions that set her apart in the world of promotional merchandising.

Eight months before marrying Glenn, Elaine began her career in sales and promotional merchandising. Her first professional job was as executive assistant to the president of Bellmore, a promotional products company. When Bellmore was acquired, Elaine was tasked with transferring business data to the new company – after which her role would become obsolete.

Since the president was not staying on, he offered Elaine his remaining clients, including the Marriott Marquis Hotel. She accepted the offer, which fit her need for flexibility, as her future depended on where Glenn would do his residency.

From Modest Beginnings to Big Achievements

Elaine was referred to a partner from Ernst & Young (E&Y). No one wanted to travel to Manhattan for a small order – so Elaine went.

She began with that tiny order of 50 portfolios for E&Y and expanded it into a thriving promotional products business. Elaine developed a line of recruitment merchandise for them, which grew to include half a million dollars’ worth of products shipped worldwide by 1996. Her business generated approximately $3 million in sales each year, between 1996-2000, and she worked with the national recruitment division to maintain consistent branding across 80 offices.

Making her family her #1 priority, Elaine chose to work from home while her children were young. She could feed her babies, go to school events, and return to her home office after bedtime.

When her youngest child began attending school for a longer day, Elaine rented an office nearby that allowed her to get home before the kids. As her business grew, she brought on two assistants.

Elaine is currently the Director of Business Development at PromoShop, specializing in customized branded merchandise and gifts. She has been with the company for ten years, working with her own clients. Elaine brings in clients while PromoShop handles the back office and financing.

This arrangement allows her to maintain a flexible schedule while remaining financially competitive with running her own business. Elaine can focus exclusively on her clients and finding the perfect products for them – which is what she truly loves.

Community

Elaine has contributed her energy, ideas, and passion to the boards of Hillel Yeshiva (for 15 years) and more recently for PROPEL, whose mission is to empower women to earn, thrive, and lead. “There are so many talented and resourceful women in our community,” Elaine said. She has especially enjoyed working on both boards with her close friend, Dr. Gayle Krost, current president of PROPEL, who was also featured in Community.

Elaine’s key to success? “I am diligent, hardworking, and always do right by my clients – and they appreciate that. They say, ‘If Elaine can’t get it done, then nobody can.’” Elaine’s strengths include understanding her clients’ vision for their company and their stakeholders.

To unwind, Elaine enjoys yoga, walking, biking, and hosting Shabbat meals with family.

Advice

A woman can have it all. Life is a juggle, but it can be done. It takes determination, hard work, and a good partnership with your spouse. Glenn and I are always a team.

Connect with Elaine at Eparker@promoshopnyc.com and follow her on Instagram @eparkeratpromoshop.

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.