Dirshu Led by Rabbi Eli Mansour and Rav Dovid Hofstedter Transform Panama

Chaim Gold

“The first time I visited your community in Panama was twenty-five years ago. At that time, I remember meeting the unforgettable Chief Rabbi of Panama Haham Sion Levy, zt”l. During our conversation he told me, ‘HaRav Eli, do you know what the acronym (in Hebrew) of Panama is? It stands for Po Nimtzah Mamon Harbeh!’ [Here there is a lot of money.]

“That’s what he said twenty-five years ago. However, I have no doubt that if your great Rabbi, Haham Sion would be here tonight, he would for sure change the acronym and say, ‘Panama tonight – Po Nimtza Mattan HaTorah!’”

That was the powerful opening of a seminal address delivered by Rav Eli Mansour, Rabbi of the Safra Synagogue, at the historic Dirshu Maamad Ahavat HaTorah recently held in in Panama.

Dirshu Spectacular Community Event

To understand the history of the Torah revolution that the Panama Jewish community is undergoing, one had to witness this Dirshu event! It was an event where more than 1,000 men, women, and children representing the entire cross-section of the community came to celebrate Torah learning and to pledge their commitment to sustain accountable limud haTorah.

Never in its history has the Panama Jewish community ever experienced an event for the sole purpose of promoting limud haTorah. As one community leader related, “When I told people about the upcoming Dirshu event, the first thing they asked me was, ‘How much money do you want from me?’ Indeed, most Rabbinic guests who come to Panama come to raise money, but I told them that in this case Dirshu and its Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, are NOT coming to raise money! They are coming to GIVE! They want nothing more from the community than to increase Torah, to try facilitating more shiurei Torah, to try raising the level of daily accountable Torah learning in our community.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago Versus Today

“Should I tell you a bit more about my first trip to Panama twenty-five years ago?” Rabbi Mansour asked. “I’ll tell you! Twenty-five years ago, I wasn’t speaking in this beautiful, large auditorium. It was a gathering in The Club. Many of you weren’t even born! Rav Sion told me, ‘Rabbi Eliyahu we have a crisis in Panama, we need hizuk in kedushat hamishpacha, in shemirat Shabbat, in kashrut!’

“And who did I address in that club twenty-five years ago?” Rabbi Mansour exclaimed, “There were no white shirts! There were no black jackets! No one was wearing a hat! There was no band playing Jewish music, no Yoreh Deah on the tables, no talmidei hahamim at the dais! Nothing like this!

“I gave a speech for men and women sitting together. We were trying to convince them that it is kedai to keep tahara, to eat kosher, that it is kedai to keep Shabbat. Who would have believed that one generation later we would already be coming here?! Who would have believed that now the discussion is Daf HaYomi, Amud HaYomi, Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, Mishnah Berurah, this learning, that learning, more iyun, less iyun… Now we are already dealing with different sheailot!!

“I know our tradition says that there is yeridat hadorot but I question this because here in Panama we are witnessing aliyat hadorot! We are witnessing what the Gemara says, ‘achsar dara’ – the generation is getting better!”

A Line of Demarcation and a Night of Highlights

In truth, the Dirshu Evening of Hizuk was a rally on behalf of limud haTorah and a demarcation line that perhaps will forever be a “before and after moment” regarding the renaissance of Torah in the Panama Jewish community.

Never before in the history of the community has everyone – all the community’s Rabbanim, Ashkenazim, Sephardim, yeshivish, baalebatim – come together to show their support and admiration for something like Dirshu, an organization whoseraisond’être is to enhance Torah opportunities in the community.

One highlight of the evening was the speech of the Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, whose remarks, personality, and life story made a profound impact on the community. Rabbi Hofstedter also took the opportunity while he was in Panama to visit numerous Torah institutions throughout the city and address many of them as well.

Another highlight was the emotional, enthusiastic, beautiful musical entertainment led by Naftali Kempe and accompanied by a large band and choir, all of whom came especially to Panama for the event.

The combination of drashot and divrei Torah for the heart and music for the soul, provided the more than one thousand members of the Panama community an all-encompassing spiritual experience that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

One of the most heart-warming moments was the grand entrance of all the Rabbanim of the community culminating in more than twenty-five Rabbanim representing the entire spectrum of Panama Jewry taking their place at the dais. There could be no greater expression of the hashivut of what Dirshu is doing for the community than the presence of the entire Rabbinic leadership.

After the event, one prominent askan commented in amazement that the most powerful moment was when all the Rabbanim joined together to dance with ahdut and simha.

A Stellar Lineup

The evening began with welcoming remarks by Rabbi Gavriel Betesh, Rav of the Hebrew Academy of Panama, followed by addresses from four of the most prominent Rabbanim in the community, Rav David Perets, shlita, Rav Avraham Silvera, shlita, Rav Elazar Ben Hamu, shlita, and Rav Eliyahu Monobello, shlita.

An awe-filled silence settled on the room as Rabbi Eli Avraham, a prominent marbitz Torah who is at the forefront of many of Panama’s Torah activities, was asked to make a siyum on Masechtah Pesachim that is being completed by Dirshu’s Amud HaYomi program. After Rabbi Avraham completed the Kaddish the entire assemblage burst into spirited song led by Naftali Kempe. The emotion in the room was palpable as the feeling of being connected to the wider Torah world enveloped Panama’s Jewish community.

In an evening replete with highlights, the singular video messages recorded especially for the event by leading Gedolei Torah from Eretz Yisrael was particularly impactful. Special messages tailormade for the Panama community were delivered by HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Avraham Salim, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Me’or HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, and HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Yedidya Zafrani, shlita, Av Beis Din, Kesser Torah and Rosh Yeshivas Sifsei Chaim.

Their individualized words of hizuk contained timely messages for the community combined with a sense of joy, as each one of the Gedolim expressed their excitement over the fact that the Dirshu revolution is coming to Panama.

Strengthening Torah Learning

Rav Moshe Hillel expressed tremendous joy about the remarkable Torah strides made by the Panama community in recent and then he spoke about Dirshu, saying, “I have seen what Dirshu’s programs to strengthen the learning of Torah, whether it is Gemara or halacha, have done for the Jews of Eretz Yisrael and America. They have added so much to the spiritual lives of those who are part of Dirshu and who have profoundly upgraded their Torah learning. I am certain that joining Dirshu’s programs will likewise tremendously elevate the level of Torah learning in Panama.” 

Rabbi Gavriel Chizkiya, who leads Dirshu’s operations in Panama, related, “The community was very strongly moved by the fact that senior Gedolei Yisrael such as Rav Hirsch, Rav Salim, Rav Dovid Cohen, and Rav Zafrani sent special messages encouraging the Jews of Panama to join Dirshu’s programs and describing for us how they have seen the phenomenal impact that Dirshu made in many locales across the world!”

Rav Dovid Hofstedter

There is no doubt that one of the highlights of the evening was the powerful drasha given by Rav Dovid Hofstedter.

Rav Dovid began by recalling his last visit to Panama over thirty-five years ago.

“The reason I came then was not because of the wonderful weather or the other recreational opportunities that Panama has to offer. You’ll be surprised to hear this, but thirty-five years ago, the economic situation in the city of Toronto was such that several mosdot haTorah were in danger of closing their doors! Klal Yisrael is amazing! What does one do when faced with such a challenge? I was told that I should go to Panama because the wonderfully warm-hearted Jews in Panama would take care of us… and indeed, this wonderful community didn’t ask why Toronto was coming for support! Rather, they accepted us with open arms and did whatever they could to help us! And today? Look around. Wow! What a wonderful community! What a community with spiritual aspirations!”

Rabbi Hofstedter then went to deliver a dvar Torah that showed how a person having to come out of their comfort zone to go above and beyond. He explained that Mordehai HaYehudi had every reason in the world and every justification to bow down to Haman. It was permitted. It wasn’t idolatry. Nevertheless, the passuk tells us, “U’Mordehai lo yichreh v’lo yishtahave – and Mordehai refused to bend and refused to bow.”

Panama at a Crossroads

Rav Hofstedter continued, “There are times in life when a person or a community is faced with a challenge. There are times when there is every reason in the world not to try achieving a specific goal and many times it is possible that the reasons are even justified. Sometimes, however, when a difficult challenge presents itself, we, just like Mordechai, come to the realization that this is our purpose and if we don’t elevate and motivate ourselves to meet this challenge head-on, we may squander the opportunity forever.

“This wonderful community that has, bli ayin hara, grown so much, is at a crossroads. The foundation has been built. Now the people of this community are empowered to accept upon themselves and decide with an ironclad decision to elevate themselves and achieve an important goal! This city can become an ihr v’em b’Yisrael [a Jewish “mother-city,” a cultural center for the Jewish people] in Torah study! It can be a community that when people come to visit, they can say that this community, this unique community, has flourished to become full of talmidei hahamim from east to west and from north to south.”

The applause was deafening as the entire assemblage stood on their feet clapping. You could see the glint of the challenge in their eyes as they contemplated meeting that challenge head on.

Rav Hofstedter concluded his remarks with a fascinating story that emotionally drew the assemblage into his personal world.

A Young Girl’s Story

“We are now in the period between the Yamim Tovim of Purim and Pesah. I want to tell you a story about someone who had all the excuses in the world but instead rose to the occasion and merited in that zehut something eternal.

“Around one-hundred years ago this person, a young girl, lived in a tiny little village in Europe before the Holocaust. There was no Bet Yaakov school in her village, no day school, no summer camps, and no Bnot groups. There wasn’t even a minyan in town during the week. The hinuch she received was what she learned from her mother, her father, her grandmother, and her uncles. The town was so small that in order to have a minyan on Shabbos, they would have to bring in bahurim from a nearby town. In our world, we would say that she had no hinuch…

“When the war broke out, she was all of sixteen years old. At that young age, she was taken to Auschwitz, and from there to a brutal slave labor camp called Allendorf. Then came Pesah, Pesah, 1945. She knew that it was simply impossible for a Jewish girl to eat hametz on Pesah. But not eating hametz meant starving. Nothing less. Still the hinuch she had received at home was so real, so sincere, so Gd-fearing, that she felt that, come what may, she would not eat bread on Pesah. There was a problem, though. If the Nazis saw that the prisoners didn’t take the bread, they would beat them to death, so she had to take the bread. What did she do? She took the bread and buried the pieces in the ground.

“Not long after that fateful Pesah, the last Pesah of the war, the allies began bombing Allendorf. The Nazis liquidated the camp, sending that girl with all the other prisoners on the infamous Death March. They marched for days and days. People were falling and dying all around. There was no food, no water… nothing!

“And then it happened! One day, the Nazis suddenly disappeared! The allies were almost there! That girl and her friends were a short distance from a farmhouse when she collapsed. She simply couldn’t carry on. Her friends, however, brought her to the farmhouse, gave her water and some food that revived her and brought her back to life.

“What enabled her to last on the Death March until that point even though so many others had died? Just before they were herded away to begin the Death March, she remembered the hidden bread and retrieved it. It was that bread, bread that she had not eaten on Pesah so that she could refrain from eating hametz. That bread saved her life, giving her sufficient nourishment to withstand the cruel march into Germany…! Until they were finally liberated.

“Morai v’Rabbotai! That young girl was my mother, a”h! It is because she survived that I am here with you tonight! Because there was a young girl who had all the teirutzim, all the excuses in the world, but pushed herself above and beyond, to do what she felt was important in order to fulfill her purpose in the world!”

The History of Dirshu in Panama

Rabbi Gabriel Chizkiya, who leads Dirshu’s activities in Panama, described how Dirshu has grown in Panama, raising the spirituality of the community. Dirshu has been in Panama for more than a decade. It began with a group that learns the Daf Hayomi B’Halacha and more recently the Amud Hayomi. In the last few years, however, the community has grown exponentially. There is a very large yeshiva and there are also teachers of Torah who have come to the community and this has facilitated a tremendous spiritual growth and Torah learning. The younger generation, here in Panama, have also gone to learn in yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael and have later returned to the community after their marriage. These young people are coming with a background in Torah learning and are now being offered serious learning opportunities even as they are already involved in the business world.

Many baalebaim learn at the kollel in the morning or in the evening and they have avreihim as havrutot. Dirshu programs such as Amud Hayomi are perfect for them! The set schedule along with the built-in review and possibility of taking tests serve as even greater motivators. In addition, an Amud Yomi haburah has opened, where there are many havrutot learning at the same time and a rosh haburah who is available to answer questions.

“Now,” Rabbi Chizkiya continued, “in the aftermath of the event, I have been swamped with phone calls, messages and even people coming up to me in the street saying that they want to join a program. They came to the evening of Ahavat HaTorah and were so inspired! They don’t want to lose their enthusiasm! They want to grab the opportunity to incorporate more Torah into their life in a sustainable way.

“Another byproduct of the event,” Rabbi Chizkiya stressed, “was the very positive impact it made on the women of the community. Although many young men go to learn in yeshiva, most of the girls and women remain in Panama and don’t have any exposure to the Torah world as the boys do. One community member told me that the presence of prominent rabbanim and the opportunity to hear messages from gedolim, the inspiring music, and the fact that so many came to the event just to celebrate limud haTorah has strengthened observance and Judaism in many homes!”

The Price for Torah!

There was pin-drop silence as Rabbi Eli Mansour rose to deliver the keynote address of the evening. Rabbi Mansour elaborated on the miraculous way that Torah has endured throughout the Galut. He explained that we see how throughout the years, the only way Torah survives and thrives is when we pay a price for Torah. At the time of Purim, the Bnei Yisrael were threatened with death, but they were saved! Afterwards, Chazal teach us that the Bnei Yisrael accepted upon themselves the Torah with ahavah, with love as a result of the miracle of Purim, as a result of going from mitah l’haim, from the decree of death to life!

What ensued was most fertile periods of Torah. That was when the Talmud was written, the Mishnah, Gemara, etc.

“The bottom line,” Rabbi Mansour exclaimed, “is that every time there has been a renaissance of Torah it was only after the Jewish people paid a price! Now, in our generation,” he continued, “we are getting toward the end of the tunnel! We are starting to see the light of the Torato shel Mashiah. All the great roshei yeshiva who came after the Holocaust, whether it was Rav Aharon Kotler in America or the Klausenberger Rebbe. The Rebbe lost all his children, but he went on! These Gedolei Yisrael built Torah! They went forward! And since the price paid by Klal Yisrael during the Holocaust was so expensive – they went not from mitah l’haim. During the Holocaust six million Jews were killed! Now, look at the result! The result is unstoppable!”

A Novel Interpretation

Looking around at the crowd, Rabbi Mansour said, “I would like to offer a novel interpretation in your honor, and it is based on a story that happened with me. Many years ago, a wealthy Syrian Jew asked me to accompany him to Eretz Yisrael, so I took him. When I asked him where he wants to go, he replied, ‘I want to go see Rav Chaim Kanievsky.’

“Now, of course, I know where Rav Chaim lives. I had been to the rabbi many times. I had been to his father, the Steipler. I bought my set of Kehillat Yakov from the Steipler himself.

“So we go. Now, this wealthy man has everything. And there we were, walking up the steps and he gets rust all over his hands from the rusty banister. The steps are creaking like a haunted mansion. When we open the door to walk in, the door squeaks. We enter a very austere, modest abode. The light bulbs are hanging. There are no [light] fixtures. The Rebbetzin comes out, ‘Come, let me show you the kitchen.’ The kitchen we see is a small little hole in the wall with a Bunsen burner, a small skillet with some eggs and tomatoes – the Rabbi’s lunch.

“This rich man cannot believe what he is seeing! And then we go in to see Rav Chaim. He is sitting there on this warm spring day at his shtender, his jacket off, tzitizit over his shirt, the window is open and he is learning, with a smile from ear to ear. We got brahot, of course…

“On the way out, this fellow start crying and he says to me, ‘This man has nothing, no physical [comforts] or anything material. How is it possible that I have everything, I have planes, helicopters, and all the money in the world, but I don’t have the simhat haim that he has?! I don’t have the joy, the contentment that this man has! How is it possible?’

“I replied, ‘Please don’t feel bad for him. He must have something that is more pleasurable than what you have! That’s all. He is not sacrificing at all. As a matter of fact, he thinks you are making the ultimate sacrifice because you haven’t yet found something sweeter! Therefore, what you are involved in, your addiction, doesn’t bring you the same bliss, the same joy. You don’t have to pray for Rav Chaim.. His quality of life is perfect!’

“Hello! When you study Torah, you are doing yourself a favor! Our ancestors have paid the price for this Torah! They paid a price with their blood.

Following Hashem

“When the Jewish people left Mitzrayim, Hashem said, ‘Lechtech Acharei bamidbar’ and we followed Him to the midbar because we knew He was going to take good care of us. Gd would not tell us to go to the midbar if He wouldn’t provide ananei kavod, mohn, and the well of Miriam.

“But in the Holocaust?! ‘Lechtech Acharei’ – to where? To Auschwitz, to Treblinka??!To Dachau? We got nothing! After the 2,000 years of galut, we still came back to Hashem and said we want more Torah. What did we get? We only gave our lives! Hashem broke us!

“Today’s Torah is ahava she’ein teluyah b’davar. On Pesah, after 210 years of slavery, we got something. We accepted the Torah. On Purim, after the decrees of Haman, we got something, we accepted the Torah. In the 2,000 years of Galut, we gave our lives and no one had any claims! We still go to the Daf HaYomi, the Amud HaYomi, the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. We are still plugging away and we are still learning!

“That is the highest level! The highest level of commitment!

“Mashiah is coming very soon! I am not a prophet. I have no inside information any more than any saddikim here. They can probably tell you more about what is going to happen. I know basic facts from what I read in the Talmud.

“I am just looking at forecast. All the simanim in Masechta Sota already came true including putting talmidei hahamim in prison. That was already predicted in the Torah. All the signs are here. All the simanim are coming together and I am glad that Panama did not miss the boat, that you didn’t miss the train!

Baruch Hashem you got in before it was too late. Not only did you get in, but you are doing very well! You caught up a lot! And I can testify! This event is not in The Club with your parents and grandparents. This is a new generation!

My blessing is ‘Ki Mi’Sion teitzei Torah.’ Your Grand Rabbi was Sion, his great sacrifice was planted on empty fallow ground and today we are reaping the benefits of ‘hazorim bedimah berinah yeksoru’ and I say on events like tonight, we can say, ‘laYehudim haysah orah v’simha v’sasson vikar!’”

“Panama Will Never be the Same Again!”

What happened next was also unique for the Panama community. A large part of the community including many of bnei Torah and bnei yeshiva gathered hands, coming together in a large circle and joined Naftali Kempe for a beautiful kumzitz.

The spiritual high and the inspiration were palpable as they sang with Naftali into the night. Many women remained in the Ezrat Nashim observing and swaying along with the moving music. It was a magnificent testament to their Ahavat haTorah. Perhaps the words of a prominent community leader said in the aftermath of the Dirshu event in Panama, says it all. “The day after the event, I went to pray in the kollel, and I met an avreich. This avreich told me, ‘You know, when we were saying Minha today, during Modim, do you know what I did? I thanked the Ribbono Shel Olam for sending this amazing event to Panama. Panama will never be the same again!”

“The Warmth of the People!”

During Rav Hofstedter’s stay in Panama, he visited many of the Torah institutions, yeshivot, the Bet Yakov, the cheder, and kollelim. His first visit was to the Talmud Torah where he was greeted with excited singing. The principal offered him the opportunity to ask the boys questions on what they were learning and Rav Hofstedter was amazed at their ready knowledge and instant answers to the questions they were asked. He then gave a small schmooze related to the weekly parshah. Rabbi Eli Avraham, who accompanied him, explained the miraculous nature of the renaissance seen by Rav Hofstedter. Many of the parents of the older grades never went to yeshiva, never had a Torah education, and now their children are able to recite entire Masechtot by heart.

When he came to the Beit Yakov of Panama, Rav Dovid was very moved by the respectful conduct and refinement of the Benot Yisrael. From there he proceeded to the Mehina, the yeshiva for boys around the ages of thirteen-fourteen and he also imparted words of hizuk to them.

One of the most inspiring visits was Rav Hofstedter’s visit to the yeshiva. The bahurim, still on a high from the previous night’s event, greeted Rav Hofstedter with spontaneous singing and dancing. Rav Hofstedter then delivered a mussar discourse full of words of encouragement and goal-setting suggestions. From there, he went to the kollel where he was asked by the Rosh Kollel to address the avreihim.

He then had a meeting with four of the prominent community and Torah leaders to discuss issues of communal relevance.

When Rav Hofstedter was asked by one of the community leaders which of all the visits made the greatest impression on him, he replied with just a few words, “The warmth of the people!” Yes, it was the warmth of the community members and the way the community had embraced the message that made the most profound impression!

Our kids are the future of the community. We invest not only in them, but in their children and the generations to come. It is incumbent on us to be the best parents we can be, and I see many in our community take this challenge seriously. This month let’s look at  a tricky parenting topic – technology for our kids. When and how should technology be allowed, and  when should it be restricted?

Most parents recognize that technology is bad for our brains – especially for underdeveloped ones. So, maybe we should cut it out completely. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, this option seems untenable. Technology has become part of our lives now, like it or not. Clearly, it’s been extremely useful for classrooms and learning in general, especially during Covid. It is not practical to avoid teaching our youth how to interact with technology because in the real world, it’s practically everywhere. Especially AI can be a game changer in almost all areas of business and even for home economics.

But, the risks are high. One concern is that if we now require technology for learning then how do we keep our youth safe from the dangers associated with certain types of technology? Also, do we hold the schools responsible for making and enforcing boundaries around technology or is it primarily a parent’s job? I posed these questions to my Instagram followers. Here are their responses.

Community Member #1

As a parent of teenagers and younger children, the topic of technology in our community schools is very concerning.  After COVID, families were suddenly thrust into a world of technology far beyond what most of us had previously experienced, and it quickly became clear that many of these changes were not benefiting our kids.

It was refreshing to see schools and the community begin to take initiative together. However, the conversation seems to have stalled. While many schools have implemented different rules and regulations regarding technology, these steps, although positive, are only a starting point.

For example, one school has asked parents to sign a contract stating that their family agrees not to give their child a smartphone until eighth grade. Another school is actively working to remove smartphones from the school building entirely. Meanwhile, other schools simply avoid acknowledging that smartphones exist at all. The reality, however, is that the phones are still there.

Children whose schools prohibit smartphones often still have them. They either leave them at home or hide them in their bags at school. When kids feel they must hide their phones to avoid consequences, it unintentionally teaches them that being dishonest is the way to navigate the rules. This is not a lesson any of us want to reinforce.

Schools may threaten consequences if phones are discovered, but punishment alone does not address the larger issue: children are not being taught how to use technology responsibly or safely.

Many parents also feel unequipped to handle this challenge. They may not fully understand how to introduce technology to their children in a safe and developmentally appropriate way. Some schools have begun pilot programs that teach students about online safety, including topics like stranger danger and the risks associated with technology. These are important steps.

However, as a community we need to go further. Instead of relying solely on rules or restrictions, we should focus on providing families with the tools and knowledge needed to introduce technology in a thoughtful, gradual, and responsible way.

Community Member #2

Our school is very vocal when it comes to technology. However, it has to start at home as a partnership with the parents. Unfortunately, I have personally had an issue with my child and group texting. As the bullying went on, many parents were not monitoring their children on their devices. I approached the school and they said they “could not parent the children.” While I agree with this, I also see it as a much larger issue. Technology and our children are quickly becoming extremely uncontrollable. If parents do not monitor their kids’ use of, technology, it will (and already does) cause a lot of harm. 

Community Member #3

Some schools even have a large screen in kindergarten classrooms – which I find crazy! Screens are in every single grade going forward. Some kids are wearing Apple watches to school and already have phones – and now they’re getting computer time in school at such a young age. I honestly think it’s just too much screen time. Shouldn’t school provide a break from screens?

Community Member #4

My kids are young now so I’ll have to cross this bridge when I get there. But I have a plan. I ‘m going to have a large computer desktop in the family room for homework. If the school requires laptops – no problem, but laptops stay in backpacks and will be for school only – not for home use. My kids will likely have phones because that is the way of the world. However, I won’t allow social media or WhatsApp- Group chats of any kind. They’re going to have to lift the phone to their ears and make some good old fashioned phone calls to connect with friends.  I feel that’s the safest way. The other side of the coin is if you don’t expose them enough when they are younger, they can get really hooked on technology when they’re old enough to self-govern. I’m aiming for controlled exposure, kind of like candy, which we enjoy in moderation. 

Community Member #5

I’m very pleased that my school has multiple meetings a year about having technology filters on all devices in the home. Also, they’re not allowed to have smartphones until a certain age. I feel like my school is on top of it and I’m grateful for that!

Community Member #6

I know one school that requires parents to pledge no smartphones until 8th grade. I wish more schools promoted this. At the end of the day, parents need to make rules for their own households and not just rely on the schools’ judgment. If parents were to band together that would be very helpful and empowering. That way, students wouldn’t feel left out, as their parents would be advocating for them. I think a lot of classroom management issues would be resolved if we banded together as a community to limit access to media that is too mature and anxiety inducing. Maybe some brave parents can take the initiative and suggest it to fellow parents who have kids in their kids’ grades.

Community Member #7

I have a high schooler – no restrictions (besides the obvious no phones in class rule). I don’t like it, but these kids grew up this way and aren’t as comfortable with textbooks as millennials were. They juggle it well and have less to carry around. They have access to everything when they need it. They never “forgot what they need in school.”

Community Member #8

As a parent, I wish kids would be taught safe ways to use technology instead of “tech is evil don’t touch it.” Let’s face it, the kids are going to be using it. We might as well teach them how to use it responsibly and safely. As an elementary school staffer (I work in a school office), those ChatGPT essays and assignments that kids hand in are obviously plagiarized. I definitely have not seen any upsides to it at all. I also hear a lot of the drama and fights that are happening on Snapchat, texting, etc.

Community Member #9

As a mom, I hate that summer homework is on a computer! What happened to getting a workbook sent home and the students actually have to write and show their work?

There’s something about hand written homework away from a screen that is simply superior. And if I leave them alone to do the work while I go shower or make dinner they click away and end up on YouTube or the like. It’s a gateway for them and I don’t see the pros outweighing the cons.

I think that as a community we recognize  that both our schools and parents are making efforts to navigate the new technology our kids are exposed to. This is an important issue that needs constant attention and effort. We are dealing with a new issue and we have to realize that  it’s going to take time and concerted effort to create regulatory systems that actually work. I am hopeful, because as a community, we have strong values and we have faith in our leaders to guide us. Bezrat Hashem  we will ultimately come up with workable solutions to address the new technology issues. Honestly, I’m praying we won’t have to because Mashiach will come soon and abolish the evils amongst us. But until then, it’s incumbent on parents and schools to stay vigilant to protect the generations to come. 

Signing off until next time,

Frieda Schweky!Frieda is an event and portrait photographer. Check Frieda out on Instagram @friedaschwekyphoto For photography inquiries or article topic suggestions email her friedaschweky@gmail.com.

Jack Gindi

I recently read a story about renowned physicist Richard Feynman as a young boy, walking with his father and learning about the world around him. Other children could proudly name the birds they saw. They had memorized them perfectly. But his father asked a different question: “What does it do? How does it move? What makes it different?”

He wasn’t teaching his son to label the world. He was teaching him to observe it. To stay curious. To look longer than everyone else.

Feynman later said the easiest person to fool is yourself.

That line stays with me.

Because I’ve seen how easily we fool ourselves, not with ignorance, but with certainty.

An Open Palm or a Closed Fist

Some people move through life with an open palm. Others move through it with a closed fist.

An open palm is willing to learn. A closed fist fights to be right.

Now here’s something important: I live with certainty. I always have.

When I entered the real estate brokerage business, I was certain of one thing. I would become a top producer. I didn’t know how. I had no connections, no playbook, no roadmap. But I was certain of the destination.

That certainty didn’t close my hand. It opened it.

Because I didn’t know how, I had to watch. I had to ask questions. I studied the best. I followed leads. I failed. I adjusted.

My certainty was about where I was going. My openness was about how I would get there.

There’s a difference.

A closed fist says, “I already know.”

An open palm says, “Teach me.”

When Certainty Turns into Fear

We see this posture in the smallest moments. A disagreement at the dinner table. Feedback at work. A spouse pointing something out. A child asking a hard question.

Something challenges what we believe, and we feel it, that tightening. We defend. We explain. We protect our position.

That tightening can feel like strength.

But often, it’s fear.

Fear of being wrong. Fear of losing control. Fear of discovering we still have more to learn.

The most dangerous certainty isn’t believing you’re right. It’s believing you no longer need to grow.

You cannot receive anything new with a clenched hand. Not wisdom. Not correction. Not even deeper connection.

I learned this the long way.

There were seasons in my life when I believed standing firm meant refusing to question myself. I thought strength meant holding my ground at all costs. Over time, I discovered something humbling: when my hand was closed, nothing new could enter.

Wisdom does not force its way in.

It waits for space.

Naming Isn’t the Same as Seeing

We label situations quickly: “That’s just how I am.” “That’s the problem.” “That’s the answer.”

Once we’ve named it, we believe we’ve mastered it.

But naming isn’t seeing.

Seeing requires humility, the willingness to look again.

And humility is not weakness. It is strength under control.

Our children are watching this more than we realize. They don’t learn humility from lectures. They learn it by watching how we respond when we’re corrected.

Do we listen? Do we reconsider? Do we admit when we’re wrong? Or do we tighten our grip?

Confidence without curiosity becomes arrogance. Conviction without openness becomes blindness.

The Strongest Posture

The strongest posture I’ve found in life is this:

Be certain about your direction.
Stay open about your method.

Be certain about your values.
Be open about how you apply them.

Be certain about who you are becoming.
Be open about what you still need to learn.

Before you leave this thought tonight, ask yourself:

Where in my life am I certain about the outcome but closed to learning the path?
When was the last time I truly changed my mind?
What belief might I be holding too tightly?

Growth does not require abandoning conviction. It requires loosening our grip on how things must unfold.

Wisdom is not something we conquer. It is something we receive. And it can only enter an open hand. Onwards together – with love and gratitude.

Why Brooklyn’s Jewish Community Must Speak Up Now

Linda Argalgi Sadacka

In Brooklyn’s Jewish neighborhoods, certain scenes are so familiar that we rarely pause to notice them.

On Shabbat morning, fathers walk with their sons toward shul. Mothers guide small children down the block. Teenagers drift toward friends already waiting outside synagogue doors. Grandparents move more slowly along the same sidewalks they have walked for decades, sometimes leaning on a cane, sometimes arm in arm with a spouse or child.

In neighborhoods like Flatbush, Midwood, Gravesend, and the surrounding communities, the walk to shul is not simply routine. It is one of the quiet, defining rhythms of Jewish life.

No one used to think twice about it.

New Question of Safety

Which is why the question many Brooklyn families now quietly ask would have sounded unimaginable not long ago: will the walk to shul always feel safe?

For generations, Brooklyn represented something powerful for Jewish life. It was a place where Jewish families could practice their faith openly, build institutions, and raise children with the confidence that their synagogues were places of prayer, dignity, and community.

But since October 7, the atmosphere surrounding Jewish institutions in New York has shifted in ways that many families feel every week.

Sometimes the change is subtle. Sometimes it is unmistakable.

Security outside Jewish schools has increased. Synagogues have become more vigilant. Parents walking with their children to services find themselves paying closer attention to their surroundings.

A Pivotal Event

For many Brooklyn residents, the moment when that tension became impossible to ignore came during the protest outside Congregation Shaare Zion on Ocean Parkway, when demonstrators gathered outside the synagogue in response to a planned appearance by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Supporters also arrived, and police were forced to separate the groups as tensions escalated. Clashes broke out, arrests were made, and the event was eventually canceled.

For those watching the scene unfold, the most unsettling aspect was not the political disagreement itself. New Yorkers are accustomed to protests. The city has always been a place where people gather to express strong views about global events.

What made this moment different was where it was happening. This was not a demonstration outside a government building or a public plaza. It was unfolding outside a synagogue where families had gathered for a community event and where worshippers regularly come to pray.

Once protests move to the doors of houses of worship, the nature of the confrontation changes.

Sanctity of the Synagogue

A synagogue is not a ministry or a parliament. The people walking through its doors are not policymakers or negotiators. They are parents bringing children to services, elderly congregants attending prayer, and families participating in the rhythms of Jewish life.

Yet the protest outside Shaare Zion was not an isolated moment. Similar scenes have taken place outside Jewish institutions across New York, including outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, where protesters gathered while congregants attempted to attend services.

Moments like these raise a troubling question: if houses of worship become routine protest sites, what happens to the ordinary act of entering a synagogue?

Children absorb these moments in ways adults sometimes overlook.

A child approaching synagogue should be thinking about prayer, about friends waiting inside, about the warmth of community. That child should not be processing hostility directed toward the place where their family gathers to worship.

The elderly feel this tension as well.

Anyone who has watched older congregants make their way slowly toward synagogue understands how vulnerable that walk can already be. Many move carefully. Some rely on assistance. To place them in the middle of emotionally charged demonstrations is not merely inconvenient. It is deeply unsettling.

Buffer Zones

The debate over buffer zones around houses of worship grew out of precisely these concerns.

Within a week of the October 7 attacks, as protests began spreading throughout New York City, I reached out to members of Mayor Eric Adams’s staff to raise the idea of establishing buffer zones around houses of worship. Watching demonstrations escalate so quickly, it seemed clear that the city needed to think several steps ahead.

The proposal never advanced to the level of serious policy discussion.

Fast forward to City Hall, where the New York City Council recently held a nearly ten-hour hearing debating legislation that would allow the NYPD to establish limited buffer zones around houses of worship and schools.

The proposal, part of a broader effort introduced by Council Speaker Julie Menin to combat rising anti-Semitism and hate crimes, does not prohibit protest. Demonstrators would still be able to assemble and express their views.

What the legislation seeks to do is to ensure that protests do not take place directly at the entrances of houses of worship where worshippers must pass to enter.

For many members of the Jewish community, that distinction is both reasonable and necessary.

Community Members Take a Stand

During the hearing, several voices from the community articulated that concern directly.

Community activist Abie Hamra addressed lawmakers and made a straightforward point: the First Amendment protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, but those rights do not extend to blocking access to houses of worship or interfering with another person’s ability to pray.

Cities impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions all the time. Ensuring safe access to houses of worship should not be controversial.

District leader Joey Saban also emphasized the importance of legislation introduced by Senator Sam Sutton. In addition to serving in the Assembly, Saban is also Senator Sutton’s Chief of Staff.

“The buffer zone legislation introduced by Senator Sutton is precisely why it is so important that we have a seat at the table,” Saban said. “Through his leadership we have been able to introduce a major piece of legislation that will have a direct effect on keeping our community safe at a critically fragile time for the Jewish community in New York.”

I was invited to testify during the hearing as well. Because I was available earlier in the morning and could not remain until my scheduled speaking slot later in the day, I submitted my testimony to the Council by email.

Addressing Arguments by Opponents of Buffer Zones

In my testimony I addressed an argument raised by several opponents of the legislation.

During the discussion, much of the justification for protests centered on claims that certain religious institutions host events connected to political or international disputes. People may strongly disagree with those issues, and protest is a protected and important part of democracy. But the individuals walking into a synagogue, church, or mosque are not policymakers or negotiators. They are ordinary people coming to pray.

If disagreement with an idea becomes justification for confronting people at the doorway of a house of worship, then no doorway remains neutral ground.

Parents arrive pushing strollers. Grandparents move slowly with walkers. Families come seeking prayer, comfort, and community. They should not have to pass through shouting crowds or emotionally charged demonstrations simply to enter a religious space. At that point, it ceases to be protest and becomes intimidation.

Buffer zones do not silence protest. Demonstrators remain visible and heard. What buffer zones do is create a margin of space so that worshippers are not forced into confrontation simply to practice their faith.

Devorah Halberstam and Inna Vernikov

Among those who also addressed lawmakers was Devorah Halberstam, whose son Ari was murdered in a terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1994. For decades she has worked to combat anti-Semitism and advocate for Jewish safety in New York.

Speaking during the hearing, she urged lawmakers to pass the legislation for Ari, a”h, and ensure that houses of worship remain places where families can gather without fear.

Council Member Inna Vernikov has also expressed support for protecting access to houses of worship, emphasizing that while protest is a protected right, intimidation that interferes with the free practice of religion should not be tolerated.

Troubling Trends

Still, beyond individual statements, many Jewish New Yorkers are concerned about a broader convergence of troubling trends.

Public sympathy for groups that openly celebrated the October 7 massacre has appeared at protests and across social media. At the same time, debates about policing and enforcement have left some communities questioning whether sufficient resources exist to respond when demonstrations escalate.

When sympathy for extremist violence, uncertainty about enforcement, and the absence of clear protections around houses of worship collide, the result can feel like a dangerous vacuum.

And that vacuum is felt most clearly at the doors of synagogues.

If the ordinary rhythms of Jewish life begin to feel uncertain, the consequences ripple outward. Parents hesitate. Children absorb the tension. The sense of security that once defined community life begins to erode.

That is why this moment cannot be met with quiet concern alone. Brooklyn’s Jewish community must make its voice heard.

Speak Up!

Residents should contact their City Council members and state representatives and tell them clearly that protecting access to houses of worship must remain a priority.

Reasonable buffer zones are not about silencing protest. They are about ensuring that families can enter synagogues without intimidation.

New Yorkers can identify their elected officials by entering their address here: https://www.mygovnyc.org.

The message should be simple. Support reasonable buffer zones around houses of worship so that worshippers can pray without fear.

Congregants should also speak with their rabbanim and community leaders and encourage them to publicly support these protections. When lawmakers hear directly from the families who fill Brooklyn’s synagogues every week, the issue becomes impossible to ignore.

The demonstration outside Shaare Zion should not become normal in Brooklyn.

The hostility seen outside Park East Synagogue should not become the expectation for Jewish families entering houses of worship anywhere in this city.

The walk to shul should remain what it has always been, a peaceful expression of faith – not an act of courage. And ensuring that it stays that way requires the community to speak up now.

The Morris I. Franco Community Cancer Center Opens Its Doors to a New Chapter

For nearly thirty years, Nancy Sutton has made sure that no one in the community faces cancer alone. From the very first phone call, she and her team at the Cancer Center have been there – guiding patients and families through one of the most overwhelming experiences of their lives. For many clients, that first call comes during a moment of fear or uncertainty. Although it starts with needing doctors and referrals, the center understands that behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, and a story, and their mission has always been to offer compassion, guidance, hope, and support.

What began as architectural drawings and construction plans slowly transformed into a welcoming, vibrant center designed to serve thousands of people in the years ahead. After years of dreaming, planning, and building, that mission finally has a home that reflects everything it stands for.

The new building, located at the corner of McDonald Avenue and Avenue S in Brooklyn, is nearing its grand opening. For Nancy, the goal was to create an oasis.

“As soon as you walk in the door, you feel relaxed and welcomed,” she says. “Tranquil – that’s the word.”

From the first step, atmosphere sets the tone. Natural light pours through large windows, filling the space with an airy, open feeling. Gentle greenery and warm wood tones create a sense of nature indoors. Throughout the building, the soft sound of a waterfall flows quietly in the background, creating a peaceful rhythm that can be heard from many areas of the center. The effect is immediate – calmness, warmth, and a feeling of serenity.

The environment was designed intentionally to help clients breathe, slow down, and feel supported. Whether someone is coming for support services, a wellness program, or simply to attend a community event, the center welcomes them into a space that feels peaceful and alive.

For many visitors, the building itself becomes part of the healing experience.

Building Vision

The search for the right location took nearly a decade. Once the property was secured, construction – led by general contractor ABECO – spanned more than four years.

Every detail was thoughtfully considered, from the bamboo paneling and expansive atrium to the greenery cascading down the building’s facade.

The goal was not simply to build a medical support facility, but to create a place that feels uplifting and restorative.

“The more you care about every tiny detail, the happier you will be with the final product,” reflects Sam Sutton, chairman of the building committee. “This was a work of love, and the building reflects the love our community has for anyone touched by this disease.”

Architect Michael Goldblum, who worked closely with Nancy throughout the process, designed the space around a two-story, light-filled lobby that serves as the building’s heart.

“No matter where you go, you always know where you are,” he explains. “The building is part of the therapy, part of the process, part of the cure – it’s part of the healing.”

Board member Alan Tobias, who stepped in as project manager during the final stretch, watched that vision come together piece by piece.

“It was like a puzzle,” he says. “All the parts were separate, and then suddenly they came together. That felt very good.”

A Space That Heals

Step inside, and the scope of what has been created becomes clear.

At a spa lounge, with a waterfall and soothing music, acupuncture, Reiki, and reflexology are offered. The peaceful sounds and calming scents in the spa create an environment that immediately relaxes visitors.

In the salon, clients can be fitted for a wig and receive a full beauty treatment. Artisans of wig selection and styling staff the salon. The salon provides a private, uplifting space where clients can feel like themselves again. For many individuals undergoing treatment, these small moments of self-care can restore confidence and provide an emotional boost on difficult days.

There is also a creative expression room where adults and children can heal through art, music, and other creative activities. A full gym and yoga studio are located on the first floor. Yoga classes focus on breathing, calm, and gentle movement, helping participants reconnect with their bodies and find moments of peace during challenging times.

A children’s room provides younger visitors with a space where healing can occur through play and creativity. The room includes games, activities, and music that give children an opportunity to express themselves, relax, and enjoy being kids.

The building includes a café and demonstration kitchen that feels sweet, warm, and inviting. Here, healthy cooking demonstrations are offered regularly, teaching practical ways to prepare nourishing meals. These events are open not only to cancer patients but to the broader community as well, helping everyone learn how healthy choices can support long-term wellness.

Private counseling rooms provide psychological and emotional support for individuals and families, navigating difficult moments. Support groups, wellness workshops, and educational events will take place throughout the year, encouraging open conversations about emotional well-being.

The center will also host social gatherings, holiday celebrations, preventive health care,  and community events designed to bring people together. These moments of connection are just as important as the wellness services themselves, helping people feel less alone on their journeys.

Another special feature of the center is its rooftop garden terrace, a peaceful retreat that offers clients a moment of calm above the activity of the building below. Designed as a quiet sanctuary, the rooftop provides a place where visitors can step outside, take a deep breath, and simply be still. Surrounded by greenery and open sky, the terrace allows clients and their families to enjoy fresh air and natural light in a setting that feels both peaceful and restorative.

Throughout the building, great care was taken to create spaces where clients feel comfortable and respected. The center is designed to offer both welcoming community areas and quieter corners like the medical library, for those who prefer a more personal setting. The center cultivates an environment that supports each person in whatever way they need during their journey.

Interior designer Joy Silvers poured herself into every room – but her connection to the center runs far deeper than design.

She is a former patient – someone who Nancy once guided through both breast cancer and lymphoma.

“I didn’t know if I was going to survive,” she says quietly. “I had a baby who was a year and a half. Now my son is 21, and I’m so blessed. “Working on the building was deeply personal. To see someone who isn’t well walk into a beautiful environment and feel happy – that’s extra special.”

Staff members often see firsthand how meaningful the space can be for clients.

Nina Tawil describes the experience of welcoming people into the building.

“I love seeing the look on the clients’ faces when they walk in the door,” she says. “Showing them this beautiful space always excites me because I know this is a haven for them to come to and enjoy and put their mind at ease while they’re going through trying times. I see the sense of calmness and ease they feel when they walk in.”

A Place for the Whole Community

Claire Cheika, Vice President, reflects, “There’s a genuine sense of warmth here that makes you want to be part of something so meaningful and give as a volunteer.”

Volunteers help assemble welcome packages and thoughtful gifts for clients beginning their journey. They assist with preparing flowers for Shabbat and preparing delicious, nourishing meals. Families facing illness can still experience a genuine sense of support in their day-to-day lives. Volunteers also play an important role in organizing fundraising events, planning community programs, and helping bring the center’s mission to life.

Holiday celebrations and special gatherings throughout the year will continue to make the center a place where people come together for joy and connection.

Educational programs, wellness demonstrations, and community events will encourage people to learn about healthy living, prevention, and emotional resilience. The center hopes to inspire individuals and families to care for their health in meaningful ways.

Built by the Community

None of this would have been possible without the community.

Fundraising was led by Sam Sutton, and support poured in from donors who believed deeply in the mission. Government funding, secured through the Sephardic Community Federation, helped bring the final touches of the building to life.

The builder who worked on the project captured the feeling perfectly:

“This wasn’t just about constructing a functional space. It was about creating somewhere people could feel supported and welcomed during one of the most difficult times in their lives.”

Nancy sums it up simply.

“When I see clients walk in and say, ‘Oh my… we get to come here?!’- that’s when we knew we got it right.”

No single person built this center. It took a team, a community, years of dedication – and Hashem’s helping hand. It is a refuge where people can find peace, strength, and support. And now, at last, it’s home.