Years ago, I received news that would permanently shift the course of my family’s life – my daughter was diagnosed with serious food allergies to nuts and sesame, along with environmental and animal allergies. At the time, the medical world offered very little support. We got a diagnosis, a prescription, and were sent on our way. No roadmap, no reassurance. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed. It was lonely, scary, and disorienting.

But like many parents in crisis, I turned that fear into action. First, I made it my mission to protect my daughter. Then I realized – if I was going through this, other parents must be, too. And maybe, just maybe, I could make their path a little smoother.

Since then, I’ve spent years educating myself, creating allergy-safe routines at home, and learning how to navigate a world that often doesn’t fully understand or accommodate food allergies. I started sharing my journey through a blog, which resonated with fellow allergy moms in ways I never expected. It helped them feel seen, supported, and not so alone. That sense of community is what keeps me going.

Today, I continue this work through my Instagram platform and by working directly with families to develop allergy-safe household systems. From meal planning and emotional support strategies to communication tips and action plans, I help families feel more confident and in control.

How to Travel With a Food-Allergic Child – and Still Enjoy It

By Paulette Cohen (The Nut Job Mom) and Frieda Schwecky

By the time you’ve booked flights, packed chargers, and triple-checked everyone’s shoes, traveling with kids already feels like a full-time job. Add a food allergy into the mix, and suddenly every meal, snack, and stop along the way can feel overwhelming. But here’s the truth many allergy parents learn over time: traveling with a food-allergic child doesn’t have to be scary. It does, however, require intention.

With the right preparation, travel becomes not just manageable, but empowering. Your child gains confidence. You gain peace of mind. And the entire family gets to focus on what vacations are actually about: connection, memories, and joy.

Here’s how I prepare to travel with my food-allergic child and how you can, too.

Start With the Right Mindset

Before packing a single bag, preparation begins with mindset. Food allergies are serious, but fear alone doesn’t keep children safe. Planning does. Kids are incredibly perceptive, and when they sense parental anxiety, they internalize it. A calm, confident approach reassures them that while allergies matter, they are manageable. Think of travel not as a risk, but as a familiar routine in a new location. You already manage allergies every day at school, at birthday parties, and at restaurants close to home. Travel simply extends those skills into a different setting.

Prepared, not panicked, is the goal.

Choose Accommodations That Give You Control

When possible, accommodations with a kitchen or kitchenette make all the difference. Control over food reduces stress, especially during mornings, late nights, or unexpected schedule changes.

When booking a place to stay, look for a refrigerator, a microwave, an oven, and enough space to store safe foods separately. Hotels can work, too, but call ahead to ask about refrigeration for medical needs, allergy accommodation, and if they can store and heat up your food.

Even if you plan to eat out, knowing you can always fall back on safe food provides invaluable peace of mind.

Research Before You Go

Before leaving home, do your research. Locate nearby grocery stores, allergy-friendly restaurants, and urgent care centers and hospitals.

Save addresses, menus, and screenshots directly to your phone. When you arrive tired, hungry, or jet-lagged, the last thing you want to have to do is to scramble. Many parents find comfort in identifying one or two “safe” go-to restaurants or grocery stores near their destination. And remember: vacation meals don’t need to be elaborate to be meaningful. Simple, familiar foods can still be special when you’re together somewhere new.

Pack Food to Accommodate Delays

Travel delays are inevitable and can happen. Pack as though you may need to get through 24 to 48 hours without reliable access to safe food.

Smart food packing includes shelf-stable snacks, breakfast items your child eats regularly, easy meals (instant oatmeal, pasta, soups), comfort foods (sandwiches, small to-go foods), and extra snacks for unexpected delays.

Bring more than you think you’ll need. Extra food doesn’t mean extra worry – it means flexibility.

Medications Belong in Your Carry-On

All allergy medications should stay with you at all times.

Carry-on essentials include: At least two epinephrine auto-injectors, antihistamines, any additional prescribed medications, and a written allergy action plan.

Check expiration dates before traveling, and consider splitting medications between bags if possible. Never rely on checked luggage or destination pharmacies for emergency needs. This step alone can dramatically reduce anxiety.

Flying With a Food-Allergic Child: Communicate Early

Air travel can feel intimidating, but preparation helps.

Before flying notify the airline of your child’s allergy, review their allergy policies, and pack all food regardless of airline accommodations.

On the plane, wipe down tray tables and armrests, keep medications accessible, and remind children not to accept food from others.

While airlines cannot guarantee allergen-free environments, clear communication allows families to make informed decisions.

Teach Confidence, Not Fear

One of the most powerful tools a food-allergic child can have is confidence. Before traveling, it’s important to have clear, age-appropriate conversations with your child about their food allergy. Talk through which foods are safe, how they can speak up for themselves, what to do if something feels uncertain, and when they should come to you right away. These discussions don’t need to be dramatic. When allergies are normalized rather than framed with fear, children are more likely to advocate for themselves – a skill that extends far beyond vacation.

Advocating for a child’s safety can feel uncomfortable, especially in unfamiliar places, but asking questions is never rude. At restaurants, communicate clearly, ask about preparation methods and cross-contact, and trust your instincts. If a situation doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to leave. Choosing safety without apology shows children that their health matters and that setting boundaries is both necessary and empowering.

Travel often includes social situations like family gatherings, group meals, or buffets, which require extra awareness. Before arriving, communicate your child’s allergy clearly and explain cross-contact concerns calmly. Offering to bring safe food can ease tension and ensure your child is included. Even when others promise accommodations, having backup food is essential. Being prepared prevents awkward moments and helps your child feel secure rather than singled out.

Maintaining routine while away from home can also support allergy management. Children thrive on predictability, especially when navigating new environments. Keeping regular meal and snack times, offering familiar foods, and maintaining clear expectations around eating can reduce anxiety and help children make safer decisions when they’re tired or overwhelmed.

It’s also important to let go of the idea of a perfect trip. Not every meal will work out, and not every plan will go as expected – and that’s okay. Traveling with a food-allergic child isn’t about eliminating risk, but about managing it thoughtfully while still enjoying life. Flexibility and perspective make challenges easier to navigate and often lead to the most meaningful memories.

Despite the extra planning and vigilance, travel is worth it. Food-allergic children gain confidence as they learn that the world is navigable, their needs are valid, and preparation empowers them. Food allergies don’t define who they are, but learning to live confidently with them helps shape who they become.

Final Takeaway: Preparation Is an Act of Love

Preparing to travel with a food-allergic child is not about control. It’s about care. Every snack packed, every question asked, and every boundary set communicates to your child:

You are safe. You are capable. And you deserve to experience the world.

With preparation, awareness, and confidence, traveling with a food-allergic child can be not just manageable, but meaningful. 

Wishing everyone safe and fun travels…

Jenna Ashkenazi

When thinking about the brand Anna Augusta, people might think this bridal brand is like all the others, that may create beautiful dresses, but do not really care about their customers. Anna Augusta is different. Each customer is valued, no one is treated less than anyone else. That is to be expected with the one-on-one appointments with Anna herself (where she creates custom gowns to perfectly accentuate each bride). But customers who do not choose a one-on-one appointment can also see how much the staff at Anna August cares by looking at Anna Agusta’s store BUY GOWN.

BUY GOWN Offers Options

At BUY GOWN, customers have a chance to see the kinds of dresses Anna offers without needing the one-on-one appointment. Customers can see a select number of evening gowns, all custom made and couture. BUY GOWN offers evening gowns for many different occasions, available for purchase or rental. Speaking to Kamila, the sales manager at BUY GOWN, it’s easy to see how unique the store is, which is why so many people chose Anna Augusta and BUY GOWN.

“For us, it’s never just about the gown,” Kamila says. “It’s about trust, connection, and making sure every client feels beautiful and supported. When someone leaves happy and confident, that’s our greatest success.” That mindset is what makes BUY GOWN and the Anna Augusta brand stand out in the NYC market. “Our flexible business model is built around people. We don’t just sell gowns – we build long-term, family-like relationships with our clients, always aiming to make them feel cared for and satisfied,” Kamila stated.

Two Great Choices

Other than the trust that is built between the staff and clients, the store has unique features that make customers turn to BUY GOWN when looking for a gown for an event. Customers can choose to rent a gown from the store, instead of buying it. In fact, about 80 percent of customers rent their gowns at BUY GOWN, rather than buy them. Renting gives the customer the ability to wear a showstopping gown once, for a fraction of the price, and not have to worry about long term storage. For those who purchase gowns, there is more room to customize the gown to their liking, and they can wear it as many times as they’d like.

Jack Gindi

Every February, winter sets in. We spend more time indoors, but we don’t get more connected. In fact, research shows couples fight more during these cold months, not less. We talk about caring for our neighbor, but what about giving our family more grace first?

I’ve lived through enough winters to see a pattern: the cold brings couples closer physically but often pushes them apart emotionally. Research now confirms what many of us feel – relationship conflict increases during these months.

The Loneliness Epidemic

The U.S. Surgeon General has declared an epidemic of loneliness. Nearly half of all American adults feel isolated, and for one in three, that feeling hits them every single week. We’re more connected digitally than ever before, yet we’ve never been further apart. We’re losing the art of true connection, and it’s a structural problem in human relationships.

I think about my early days in real estate. You’d have all these guys in the office, all different backgrounds, different beliefs, all hustling hard. We’d argue about current events, share lunch, celebrate each other’s deals. Nobody scheduled “connection time.” It just happened because we showed up, in person, every day. Today, the average American has fewer than five close friends, and a staggering 17 percent report having none at all. We’ve traded job sites for social media feeds, and we’re paying the price in our well-being.

My son Shaun had a gift for this kind of connection. He didn’t ask, “How are you?” he’d say, “What’s going on in your world?” That small shift invited real conversation. He instinctively knew how to make people feel seen. It’s a lesson I carry with me every day.

The Foundation of Marriage

But there’s a load-bearing wall that continues to support the structure of our happiness: marriage. Study after study shows that married people are consistently, significantly happier than their unmarried peers. A recent Gallup poll found those who are married are far more likely to be thriving. It’s not the piece of paper that creates this happiness premium; it’s the daily, intentional act of building a life with someone else.

This is where the Balance pillar of L.I.F.E. Mapping becomes so critical. Balance isn’t about a perfect 50/50 split between work and life. It’s about the integration of all our parts – our Body, Being, Business – into a harmonious whole, supported by the relationships that give it all meaning. It’s about designing a life where connection is not an afterthought, but the central beam that holds everything up.

In my own marriage of over fifty years, I’ve learned that love isn’t a feeling; it’s a project. It requires daily maintenance, honest communication, and a shared blueprint. It’s about creating rituals, the “important little things” we’d say to our kids at bedtime, and the non-negotiable Sunday morning coffee together that reinforce the foundation of your connection. A staggering 78 percent of married people feel closer to their spouse than to any other adult. That’s not an accident; it’s the result of intentional design.

So this February, I invite you to look at the blueprint of your heart, at the structure of your bonds. Are you building a life of intentional relationships, or are you living in a house of digital isolation?

Rebuild Loving Connections

So how do we fix this? We need to set a new navigation strategy. Here are three simple ways to start rebuilding loving connections right now:

The Analog Dinner Hour: For one meal, all phones go in a basket.

The Living Room Time Capsule: One night a week, break out a board game or a deck of cards. The silence we now fill with scrolling used to be filled with conversation.

The Front Porch Visit: Pick one person you care about and give them the gift of your undivided attention. A real phone call, a front-porch chat.

Loneliness is a crack in our national foundation, but it’s a crack we can repair, one relationship at a time. The data is clear: a deep, meaningful connection is the most powerful predictor of a thriving life. This month let’s not just celebrate family. Let’s prioritize the work of building the riches of feeling safe, appreciated, and seen. The blueprints are available to all of us. We just have to start building them together, right here, right now.

Because a life of balance isn’t about having it all. It’s about having the people who matter most, and building a world with them, for them, every single day.

Jack Gindi helps families navigate life’s challenges through the I Believe in Me Foundation. Contact: [email protected].

Michele Shrem

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often compared to the discovery of fire or the invention of electricity. This new technology is changing the path of civilization. Today, AI is no longer a futuristic concept confined to scientific laboratories. It is the silent engine behind our morning playlists, the ghostwriter in our office software, and the diagnostic eye in our hospitals.

However, as AI integrates into the intimate spaces of our homes and the high-stakes environments of our workplaces, a significant debate has emerged: is AI a helpful, good assistant or is AI a disruptive force that is harmful to us? Community members have different opinions about AI altogether and also concerning where we should draw the line. Let’s hear what different community members think. Included here are both men and women, some who work on site, others who work remotely. Included in this small survey are stay-at-home moms and dads as well.

Ezra M.

To me, AI is the ultimate force in productivity. From my perspective as a CEO, AI is the greatest gift to the modern workforce. By automating boring, repetitive tasks – data entry, scheduling, and basic reporting – AI frees my employees to engage in deeper work projects. At work, the line is drawn at routine. If a task is predictable, AI should handle it. This does not mean that you will be able to replace workers, but it changes them, allowing a single employee to produce the output of a ten-person team. This can potentially allow an employee to move up the ladder at a faster rate.

Jeannie T.

My worry is the fear of losing my job and being unemployed in the future. If AI can do my job better and faster than I can, this is a real concern, not just for me, but for many out there in the job force. If hundreds of employees are cut from a company, leaving a smaller work force, the companies will do better as they keep those salaries to mix into their revenue. The only losers in the whole thing are the employees. Not only that, but finding another job will be a tremendous problem, since many companies will be doing the same thing. The middle class who have jobs in certain fields such as coding, accounting, and research, will be replaced. We need to ensure that AI remains a tool used by people rather than as a substitute for employees.

Teddy A.

I feel like AI is an intrusive presence in my home. I feel that voice-activated assistants and predictive smart homes create a life that saps the human brain. If you need AI to decide the temperature of your room, the music you hear, and the grocery list you prepare, are you still the master of your own domain? We should be able to be ourselves and make our own decisions. AI can be helpful when it can execute a command, but harmful when it anticipates one without our consent.

Lori P.

Privacy is extremely important to me, and with AI, I feel that my entire life is on display for the whole world to see. To me it is like a hungry machine that keeps eating and eating my personal data. With every keystroke, AI is listening to everything and even tracks our sleep patterns. While AI should be helpful to us, I feel like I live under heavy surveillance. I have read books about dystopian worlds, but I never thought that the world I live in would be so similar. I don’t feel that AI should be allowed to eavesdrop and store intimate behavioral patterns and on top of that make money by selling the information to outside third parties. To me, AI is scary.

Michele S.

As a writer, my take on AI is very complex. On one hand, it can create a masterpiece in seconds. But to what end? It uses millions of works done by other people and without monetary compensation. It lacks the uniqueness of the human experience and threatens the livelihood of writers, artists, designers, and others. Nothing is original anymore. AI should be a canvas, not the painter. For myself, I am always torn between using it. Now, I have gained the experience that allows me to use AI as an assistant, and for me, this works. I can still be creative, but instead of taking an hour to think of a better way to say something, I can get the help I need in an instant, and still be able to not lose my train of thought.

Anonymous Community Doctor

In the medical field, the argument for AI is overwhelmingly positive. AI algorithms can detect Stage 1 lung cancer or rare retinal diseases with higher accuracy than human specialists. In the home, AI-powered wearables [for cardiac or other patients] can predict a heart attack before the wearer feels a chest pain. Here, AI can be a real asset to human life by using it as a diagnostic tool, but the responsibility of care is still the burden of the doctor. I feel that something that benefits my patients is a tool that I must use in order to keep them safe and live a longer life.

Judy T.

As a mother and a teacher, I feel a unique challenge. AI can provide personalized tutoring to a child at home, adapting to their specific learning pace. However, it also enables a culture of “shortcut learning” via tools like ChatGPT. The idea is that AI is helpful for supplementation but harmful for substitution. The development of critical thinking is a very important skill, which will be lost. AI should help a student understand a concept, not write the essay for them.

Raymond A.

I happen to work in a technical field, and I feel that AI is only as good as the data being fed into it. How is AI making decisions and reaching conclusions? We need to make our own decisions and not leave it to AI. This is a very dangerous road to go down. The information can certainly be biased, based on so many factors. I think this can be very harmful, especially for children and young adults who may not fully understand how to use AI properly as an assist, and not as a resource to provide a full-blown answer for important matters. Whether it is used to figure out a homework problem, peer issue, medical problem, or anything else, if the information entered is not accurate, and a young person sees it on there, they may then factualize the information, and then we have a big problem.

Nathan C.

AI is a double-edged sword. It hardens our cyber defenses but also accelerates the spread of false information and market-manipulating disinformation. The challenge isn’t just about authenticating the source – it’s about data integrity. When bad actors inject fraudulent data into the training loop, the AI becomes a megaphone for deception. We don’t just need to know who wrote it, we also need to ensure the underlying data hasn’t been corrupted.

Goldy R.

Is anyone going to actually think on their own? If AI doesour work, manages our homes, and solves our problems, do we lose the very challenges that give life meaning? I think AI can be harmful, since it is removing the need for a person to think and to expend effort to think outside of the box. Creativity will lessen over time, and to me this is very sad.

In conclusion, it seems that most of our community members do not like AI for home or work, based on a variety of reasons. Many feel that the line between helpful and harmful AI is a moving target that requires constant monitoring. The consensus is that at work AI should be used as a co-pilot to assist us, while leaving the final decisions to people. At home, the line should be drawn when it infringes on our privacy or our ability to be present for those around us. Our homes should remain a sanctuary where people are allowed to live without the constant gaze of Big Brother. Ultimately, AI is a mirror of its creators. If we value efficiency above all else, AI will be a cold, efficient master. If we value empathy, creativity, and privacy, we can steer this technology to be the most helpful assistant humanity has ever known.

Michele

The hall in the Geulah neighborhood of Yerushalayim was filled with Torah greatness—132 avreichim Gaonim Shas Yidden, along with Gedolei Torah who would be testing them on the entirety of Shas, as well as their financial supporters who came to witness this astounding scene—when Hagaon Rav Reuven Elbaz proclaimed: “Seeing this many true gaonim… I am nearly convinced that we are obligated to recite the berachah of Baruch Shecholak… He Who has shared of His wisdom with those who fear Him!”

Hagaon Rav Menachem Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Nesiv Hada’as, added: “I have had the merit to sit in great and illustrious batei Midrash, alongside great men of mastery in Torah—including in the esteemed Kollel Ponovezh—and to serve as an attendant to some of the greatest Gedolim from the previous generation —but I have never seen Talmidei Chachomim such as these.. It’s worthwhile coming from faraway countries just to witness this!”

History Repeats—Yet Continues to Astound

The phenomenon of seeing the Gaonim Shas Yidden display utter and complete mastery of the entire Shas is not new—in fact, “Shas Yidden” is now celebrating its eighteenth year. The Torah world has become accustomed to this annual sight which is repeated annually in all its glory—and yet, it continues to astound all those privileged to witness it, because it touches something so deep within the Jewish heart.

There isn’t a Yid who has witnessed the site of this exam and wasn’t affected by it. Baalei batim report having taken on a new shiur, accomplished talmidei chachamim have resolved to invest more in the mastery of Shas, and young bachurim attest to having the scope of their aspirations and life goals altered forever.

And so, it is an historic event—even if it transpires every year—to see on one dais 132 young men, from every stripe and denomination in Klal Yisrael, drawn from the seven Kollelim under the Torah empire known as “Shas Yidden” located in every major Jewish metropolis, as they undergo a rigorous exam on, literally, the entire Shas, and respond with crystal clear answers that display an astounding mastery reminiscent of previous generations in Klal Yisrael.

This year’s bechinah took place at the legendary Yeshiva Ohr Hachaim, founded and led by Hagaon Rav Reuven Elbaz, in conjunction with a siyum on the entire Shas by each of the avreichim. And indeed, to be present and to witness the glow and the joy on the faces of the Shas Yidden was to walk away with ohr and chaim—light and life—in the depths of one’s heart.

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.