“Imagine encampments spilling into residential neighborhoods, protests outside synagogues, mobs outside schools, and police ordered to do nothing. Under a Mamdani administration, it will not be a question of if these things happen. It will be a question of when.”

Linda Sadacka

From Baghdad to Aleppo, from Cairo to Beirut, from Damascus to Tripoli, Jewish communities once flourished. They created schools and synagogues, vibrant markets, and family homes. They poured everything into neighborhoods they believed would last forever. Yet time and again, when hostile leaders rose to power and law enforcement looked the other way, those communities vanished. Families were uprooted, businesses destroyed, lives shattered.

In New York, many believed it could never happen here. They said America was different, safe, permanent. Yet history warns us that it can happen anywhere. Today, with Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed radical and candidate of the Democratic Socialists of America, leading in the mayoral race, those echoes are becoming frighteningly familiar.

Who Is Zohran Mamdani?

Zohran Mamdani is not a mainstream politician. He is a radical whose public record should alarm every New Yorker.

He defended the slogan “Globalize the Intifada,” a phrase embraced by extremists as a call to spread violence against Jews beyond the Middle East. Despite criticism, he attempted to sanitize the phrase, even as respected institutions condemned it as dangerous. He declined to denounce DSA’s anti-Zionist resolutions and instead doubled down, claiming he is accountable only to “the people.” He has also stated, “If you win an election, you go ahead and implement the platform, even if you do not have a majority mandate.” That is a promise to impose an ideology regardless of public consent.

He has said, “Billionaires should not exist,” adopting rhetoric that directly targets Jewish values of enterprise, ownership, and family legacy. He stood alongside Bernie Sanders at rallies against “oligarchy,” calling for rent freezes, free buses, and punitive taxes on the businesses and families that fuel New York’s economy.

Mamdani’s platform includes dismantling capitalism and abolishing landlords, which many see as a direct attack on the Jewish community that has long relied on property ownership to provide stability and continuity for families. He advocates slashing police budgets, empowering radical protest movements, and normalizing reckless policies that weaken law and order. He has spoken about creating a borderless America, a vision that would overwhelm already fragile city resources.

These are not quiet opinions. They are public declarations, proudly and unapologetically defended.

The Danger of a Mayor Mamdani

History already showed us what happens when a mayor refuses to protect his city. Under David Dinkins, New York witnessed the Crown Heights riots. For three painful days, mobs targeted Jews while police were ordered to stand down. The result was violence, destruction, and death.

Now imagine a mayor who is not merely hesitant, but ideologically committed to siding with radicals. Imagine encampments spilling into residential neighborhoods, protests outside synagogues, mobs outside schools, and police ordered to do nothing. Under a Mamdani administration, it will not be a question of if these things happen. It will be a question of when.

When that day comes, the NYPD will have no choice but to obey the mayor’s orders. That is the power of the office. That is why this election matters more than any other in recent memory.

What We Stand to Lose

Our community has invested generations of work into this city. We have built schools, synagogues, and community centers that serve tens of thousands of families. We have supported businesses that drive New York’s economy. We have turned entire neighborhoods into sanctuaries for Jewish life.

All of that is now at risk.

Families are already whispering questions at Shabbat tables and community events. What will we do if he wins? Do we leave? Do we uproot everything? The fear is real, and it is growing. People understand what is at stake: safety, security, and the very survival of our way of life in New York.

It is not just activists raising the alarm. The rabbinic leadership of our community has spoken with one voice, issuing a letter that removes any doubt about the urgency of this moment. In their words:

“Every eligible member of our community must vote. This is not about politics. It is about our sacred duty to our families, to our schools, to our yeshivot, to our synagogues, and to our way of

life. Voting is not merely a right. It is a halachic and moral responsibility. We cannot afford silence. We cannot afford apathy. This is not optional. It is a mitzvah, a communal obligation, like tefillah, like tzedakah, like educating our children.”

When every rabbi of the Syrian-Sephardic community of New York and New Jersey signs a letter like this, it is not rhetoric. It is a clarion call. They are telling us plainly: our future, and the future of our children, will be decided by what we do in this election.

A Shadow of Privilege

For someone who rails against privilege, Mamdani’s background tells another story.

His mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, has enjoyed generous Qatari patronage. Qatar’s ruling family financed her 2012 film The Reluctant Fundamentalist, supported her Maisha Film Labs, and paid for a lavish adaptation of Monsoon Wedding during the World Cup. These were not token cultural gestures. They were major investments from a regime that uses money as political leverage.

Why does this matter? Because Qatar is not a benign patron of the arts. It is the single largest financier of Hamas. It bankrolls extremist clerics, shelters terror leaders, and pours billions into propaganda networks that delegitimize Israel. When Qatar invests, it is never charity. It is strategy.

So while Mamdani preaches about justice and rails against “privilege,” his family has benefited from the largesse of a regime that enables the very terror groups murdering Jews in Israel. That contradiction is not nuance. It is a red flag.

The Awakening

And yet, thank Gd, something extraordinary is happening.

For too long, good people avoided politics. That era is ending. Schools are now telling parents: you cannot register your child unless you are registered to vote. Synagogues and community centers are requiring voter registration for participation. Even singles events are saying: no registration, no entry.

This is nothing short of historic. For the first time, our community understands that survival depends on civic engagement.

But registration is only the beginning. It is not enough to sign a form. We must vote. We must show up on Election Day and make our voices heard. Otherwise, all this newfound effort will mean nothing.

Years of Warnings

As an activist, I have been saying this for years. I have written, spoken, pleaded, and urged action. I said it when people rolled their eyes. I said it when people insisted politics would never touch us.

Now, at last, the community is mobilizing. Volunteers are registering voters outside stores, in schools, and even at social gatherings. Their work is extraordinary and deserves recognition. But it should not have taken fear to push people into action.

The past is behind us. What matters is what we do now.

A Community on the Move

The energy is real. Families are recognizing the stakes. Institutions are demanding accountability. Volunteers are carrying clipboards and voter forms because they know our survival depends on it.

Beginnings matter only if they lead to results. Registration is the first step; turnout is the test. The ballot box is where this awakening must be proven.

Politics does not reward intentions; it rewards action. The radicals know this, which is why they always show up. If we match our convictions with ballots, we will decide the future of this city. If we stay home, others will decide for us, and the outcome will be one we cannot accept.

The choice is clear, the responsibility is ours, and this time no one will be able to say they were not warned.

Albert’s email arrived at 11:47pm: “Rabbi, I said Birkat Hamapil with Kriat Shema al HaMitah, but I’m lying here wide awake. I realized I forgot to take my blood pressure medication tonight. And I need some juice with melatonin to help with my jet lag. I was told not to speak or eat after Hamapil, but if I don’t sleep well, I’ll struggle to get up for Shacharit and will feel groggy all morning.”

The Nature of Birkat Hamapil: Praise, Not Benefit

To answer Albert’s question we first need to distinguish between two categories of brachot: Birkat HaNehenin (blessings over benefits like eating or drinking) and Birkat HaShevach (blessings of praise). Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, addresses this in Yechave Da’at (Vol. 4, 21), explaining that Birkat Hamapil belongs to the Shevach category rather than the Nehenin category.

Consider the parallel: every morning we recite “Hanoten La’Sechvi Binah”- “Who has given the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night” – even when no rooster crows nearby. These brachot belong to the category of Shevach, praising Hashem’s orchestration of natural cycles.

Since Birkat Hamapil praises Hashem for the gift of sleep rather than being dependent on the actual act of immediate sleep – unlike eating that requires immediate consumption after the bracha – the bracha of Hampil remains valid even if sleep doesn’t immediately follow. Therefore, Hacham Ovadia rules, the bracha should be recited with Shem U’Malchut – mentioning Hashem’s Name and Kingship – regardless of whether one falls asleep quickly. Hacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul, zt”l, (Ohr LeTzion 2, 15:12) concurs while acknowledging that some people have the minhag to say Hamapil without Hashem’s name.

Speaking and Drinking After Hamapil: When Interruption Is Permitted

Albert’s concern about taking medication addresses an important halachic question. The Mishna Berurah (OC 239:4) states that one should not talk or eat after saying Birkat Hamapil unless facing an emergency. However, Hacham Ovadia takes a different approach. Since Hamapil functions as Birkat HaShevach, interruptions – while not ideal – do not invalidate the bracha. Hacham Ovadia demonstrates this by permitting reciting “Asher Yatzar” after using the bathroom,

even following Birkat Hamapil (Hazon Ovadia Brachot p. 511). The bracha’s validity does not depend on immediate sleep.

This permits common situations: calming a crying child, taking medication, or addressing genuine thirst. Though Birkat Hamapil should ideally be said right before sleep, necessary actions do not invalidate the bracha.

Sleep as Divine Service

Judaism transforms even basic physical needs into opportunities for spiritual elevation. The Gemara (Berachot 63a) derives from “In all your ways, know Him” (Mishlei 3:6) that every human activity can become Divine service when approached with proper kavana, intention. The Rambam (Hilchot De’ot 3:3) writes: “A person should intend that his body be healthy and strong to serve Hashem. Even sleep – if done to rest the body in order to serve Hashem – becomes an act of Divine service.”

This principle extends into practical halacha. Those engaged in pidyon shevuyim (redeeming captives) are exempt from sleeping in a sukkah, not only during the day but even at night, since better indoor sleep provides more strength and energy for this life-saving mission (Beit Yosef O.C. 640). Since their quality of sleep is paramount to the mitzvah, their sleep itself becomes part of their mitzvah engagement.

Finding Balance in Sleep

The Mishna Berurah (O.C. 238:2) teaches that sleep has no universal requirement – it varies by individual needs. However, he cautions against oversleeping, citing the Gemara (Sanhedrin 71b): “Sleep is bad for the righteous and bad for the world,” as excessive sleep can distance one from spiritual growth.

Yet, the Taz (E.H. 25:1) offers nuance on Tehillim 127:2: “It is in vain that you rise early and stay up late… for He gives His beloved sleep.” Both those who sleep less to maximize Torah learning and those who need more sleep for focused and effective learning are equally beloved to Hashem. The determining factor is intention.

Practical Guidance

Returning to Albert’s situation, his Birkat Hamapil remains fully valid whether or not he falls asleep immediately. He may take his blood pressure medication with water, and if he needs melatonin to help with his jet lag, he may drink it without concern. His intention to rest properly for tefilla aligns perfectly with the Rambam’s teaching about sleep as Divine service.

Sleep represents more than physical restoration – it’s a Divine gift that renews us after each day’s challenges. In Albert’s case, taking necessary medication to ensure good health and quality sleep for tomorrow’s tefilla becomes spiritual preparation.

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. His latest book is Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome. To contact Rabbi Finchas, email rabbi@torathabayit.com.

Pnina Souid

The Mitzvah Man shared the following story with me:

One freezing cold winter day I passed by the Mirrer Yeshiva, and I saw a young man about 24 years old standing on the sidewalk, shivering. He appeared to be looking for someone.

I asked him if he needed a ride. I realized he might be suspicious of a stranger offering a ride so I pointed to my tefillin next to me in the car, so he knew I was a religious Jew. He asked where I was going. I answered, “Where are you going?” We should all keep in mind that when doing a hesed the emphasis should be on what you can do for the other person.

The young man told me that he was going to Nostrand and Avenue Z. “That’s right where I’m headed,” I responded. It wasn’t really where I was going, but I knew if I said that he would be taking me out of my way he would not have accepted the ride.

As he thawed out in the warmth of my car, I told him about the Mitzvah Man Organization. I explained that our volunteers give rides, help people who need appliances and furniture, arrange hospital visits, and many other types of hesed. I gave him my card. I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to do a mitzvah. I added that if he ever needed anything to please give me a call.

Two Years Later

I was driving on East 10 and Avenue R, and I saw a young man on a bicycle. He was shouting. It looked like he was following me. I was a little anxious when I realized that some crazy guy was following me, but as he got closer, I realized that what he was shouting sounded like, “Mitzvah, mitzvah!”

I pulled over and the man asked me, “Aren’t you the Mitzvah Man?” I nodded yes. He said, “I recognized your car. A couple of years ago you gave me a ride home when it was freezing cold. I’m sorry I lost your card. But now I need your help again please. I am getting married in two days. We have an apartment, but it is empty. We have no beds, no table or chairs, and no appliances.”

I said, “Not to worry! Let me call my dispatcher. She keeps a database of everyone who has items to donate.”

He heard my end of the call. “I have a young man here getting married in two days and needs his apartment completely furnished, including both furniture and appliances.” “Tell him not to worry,” the dispatcher answered. “I have everything he needs to furnish the apartment including the appliances.”

I gave the dispatcher the man’s number and address. She assured me that everything would be delivered in time. I gave a sigh of relief, thinking that not only will we be able to relieve his burden but in doing so will also give him a beautiful wedding gift.

Take Home Message

The young man and I were both amazed that “by chance” we met again, just when he needed more help.

The Mitzvah Man has a message to share. When you do a mitzvah from your heart you never know where it may lead, and what other mitzvot may follow. Doing hesed in a way that will help another person is acting in the service of Hashem. We never know how Hashem works but we always want to be His partner.

The story of the Tower Babel, which we read this month, is – like many stories in the Book of Beresheet – very well known. We are all familiar with the people’s idea to build a tower to the heavens and challenge the Almighty, and with the way Gd disrupted their scheme by causing them to speak different languages and thus lose the ability to collaborate with one another.

There is one detail of the story, though, which does not receive much attention, but is well worth our consideration – particularly during the times we are living through, when the Jewish Nation finds itself at war and continually targeted by false, malicious accusations.

“Coming Down” to See

The Torah tells that Gd “came down to see the city and the tower that the people built” (11:5). Already Rashi notes the peculiarity of the description of Gd “coming down” to observe the events here on earth. It goes without saying that Gd does not need to go anywhere to see anything; He is keenly aware of all events that occur at all times at all places in all of existence even before they happen. Certainly, He had no need to descend to the earth to see the tower.

Rashi explains, citing the Midrash: “He did not need this [to ‘come down’], but He wanted to teach judges not to convict the defendant until they have seen and understood [the matter].”

Gd here taught by example not to pass judgment flippantly, before definitively determining what happened. He, of course, had firsthand knowledge of the tower – but He wanted to teach human judges not to reach a conclusion before they thoroughly investigate and study the case.

Similarly, the Torah later (18:21) tells that Gd “came down” to see the sinfulness of Sedom, and Rashi there references his comments regarding the Tower of Babel, explaining that Gd set an example by “coming down” to directly observe Sedom’s crimes before condemning it to annihilation.

To show how far this principle extends, let’s fast-forward to the Book of Devarim, where we find, startlingly enough, how even the greatest of all men may have been ever so slightly too quick to judge.

The People’s Cries

The context is the upsetting story of Kivrot Hata’avah, when, during Beneh Yisrael’s journey through the desert, they felt discontented, and demanded a richer “menu.” Dissatisfied with their daily ration of miraculous manna, the people expressed their desire for vegetables and meat.

The Torah tells: “Moshe heard the nation crying with their families…and Gd was exceedingly incensed, and it was evil in Moshe’s eyes” (Bamidbar 11:10).

Upon reading this verse, we are immediately struck by its unusual structure and syntax. Rather than simply stating that both Gd and Moshe were disturbed by the people’s complaints, the Torah says that Gd was angry, and then adds, separately, that the complaints upset Moshe, too.

If we examine this verse carefully, we might propose a surprising and novel reading. The Torah at this point does not tell us that Gd was angry at Beneh Yisrael for complaining. It says, “Vayihar af Hashem me’od” – that He was very angry. This anger was not necessarily directed at the people. We might suggest that – astonishingly enough – it was directed at Moshe.

Moshe? What did he do wrong? How was he to blame for what was happening?

We discover the answer by looking carefully at the first part of this verse: “Moshe heard the nation crying…” Moshe did not hear the people complaining – he heard them crying, and he assumed that they were crying because they wanted a more varied diet.

And Gd was “exceedingly incensed” at Moshe for jumping to this conclusion, for determining what the people were crying about before verifying this.

This is truly astonishing. Just before, Moshe heard the people complaining, and this was hardly the first time they complained. Even so, he was not justified in his assumption regarding the reason for their crying.

Moreover, this assumption was 100 percent correct. The people were, in fact, crying because they wanted a variety of food. And even so – Moshe was wrong to prematurely make this assumption.

This is how far the Torah goes in demanding that we reserve judgment, and avoid reaching unfounded conclusions about other people’s wrongdoing. Even when we have very good reason to assume the worst, and even if it actually turns out to be the worst – we are held accountable for making an assumption that has yet to be conclusively substantiated.

Erecting a “Fence” Around Judgmentalism

Our sages expressed for us this concept in the very first Mishnah of Pirkeh Avot, which cites three teachings of the Ansheh Kenesset Hagedolah, the Men of the Great Assembly at the beginning of the Second Temple era. The first two are: hevu metunim badin – be patient and thorough in judgment, when presiding over a trial; and asu seyag laTorah – “erect a fence around the Torah.”

This second teaching is commonly understood as a reference to the enactment of safeguards, instituting restrictions that the Torah itself did not command, as a “fence” keeping us away from possible violations of Torah law.

There may, however, be an additional interpretation of this instruction, “asu seyag laTorah” – that it pertains to the previous instruction, to be slow and patient when judging. The great sages of the Ansheh Kenesset Ha’gedolah teach us to erect a “fence” around the obligation to reserve judgment. Not only must we avoid reaching conclusions before seeing the evidence –

but even after we see what happened, even when we have concrete knowledge about the event, even then we should hesitate before judging.

Just as we saw in the story of Kivrot Hata’avah, we are expected to reserve judgment even when we have good reason to assume the worst about somebody. We are to recognize the inherent potential within every person, the spark of holiness embedded in each soul, and to trust in all people’s capacity for goodness. So much so that even when we think we have reason to assume somebody did something wrong – we must still consider the possibility that they didn’t, that things aren’t the way they seem, that there are mitigating factors, that the person really didn’t act as badly as it appears.

An amusing example is a story I heard about a certain yeshiva in Israel. It came to the administrators’ attention that the students were often using the disposable coffee cups for water, instead of the less expensive plastic cups. Yeshivas are always very cost-conscious and looking for ways to save money, and so the Rosh Yeshiva wrote a strongly-worded letter demanding that the hot cups be used only for hot beverages, and that students who use these cups for water are guilty of stealing from the yeshiva. This letter was hung up in the room where the students came for drinks.

Sometime later, a student was seen reading the sign, and then taking a coffee cup, filling it with water, and drinking. He was harshly reprimanded for this clear violation of the yeshiva’s new rule.

He explained that he was planning to have a cup of coffee, but he wanted some water first. Rather than take a plastic cup for his water, and then a hot cup for the coffee, he decided it would be better to use the same cup for both.

The people who saw what this boy did were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he violated the rule. They assumed – for good reason – that they caught him red-handed. But they were wrong.

And this is true of so many of the assumptions we make about other people. We are so sure we know exactly what they did and exactly why they did it, and we cast judgment. But the truth is we know so little. Even when we have firsthand knowledge, we know nothing about the background to the incident, or about the background of the person who committed the act. There is so much about people that we don’t know – how can we judge based on the minuscule amount that we do know?

Let’s Not Do Our Enemies’ Job

This is one of the important areas for us to focus on during the extraordinary times we’re living in, when irrational Jew-hatred has reached levels that we had not before seen in our lifetime.

A ubiquitous feature of this alarming trend is the knee-jerk accusations against us. The moment that Hamas – a terror organization that preaches and glorifies murder, violence, torture and mayhem – puts out a statement alleging some Israeli crime, news outlets across the globe accept it and run banner headlines. The hysterical reports of widespread starvation in Gaza because of Israel’s war effort have largely been proven false. Early in the war, Hamas accused Israel of bombing a Gaza hospital, killing hundreds of patients – when in fact it was a misfired Palestinian rocket that struck the hospital’s parking lot, causing a small

number of casualties. Every Palestinian action against Israel is justified as self-defense, and every Israeli counterterrorism measure is condemned as aggression.

Our enemies are doing a “fine” job on their own jumping to conclusions, rushing to criticize and condemn, and thinking the worst about us. Our response to this trend must include a commitment to do just the opposite – to avoid judgment of our fellow Jews, to look favorably upon them, to think the best instead of the worst, to admire their goodness instead of searching for what’s wrong. Our foes across the world are already doing what they can to find fault in the Jewish Nation. We need to go to the opposite extreme, as far as we possibly can – focusing our attention on all that is good in other Jews, and refraining from judging and condemning.

The more we strive to judge our fellow Jews favorably, the more we will be judged favorably from Above, and earn the same love and affection from Hashem that we extend to others.

QUESTION:

Dear Rabbi Ali,

I heard you mention in one of your classes the importance of spending quality time with your spouse. My husband and I do set time aside twice a week to spend time together, however it’s always me who initiates it. This makes me feel as though my husband is not interested in going out with me. How can I either get over these feelings or maybe get him to initiate?

R’ Ali’s Response:

This is a common question. Actually, I hear this equally from men and women. Yes, men also want closeness and connection with their wives. Don’t be mistaken that women are the ones who want to cultivate a loving relationship and men could care less. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Your question was concerning your husband’s lack of initiative to go out and spend time together. I would like to elaborate first on the importance of quality time since it is so important. Many people feel as though quality time is a “nice thing.” I believe it’s more than just a nice thing, it’s extremely crucial for a couple to spend time together for the couple to build and maintain a healthy, loving relationship.

We all agree that we feel close to people who we speak with and meet up with often. And people that we don’t have much contact with – we don’t have such a great connection. So why would our relationship with our spouse be different in this sense? The truth is, that it isn’t.

Many people that I speak with or counsel mention that they don’t spend quality time with their spouse, sadly. They have many excuses, and the main one is that they are simply too busy. While I understand that we all get busy, this is not an excuse. I’m pretty sure everyone can find twenty minutes, three times a week to spend quality time with their spouse.

What does help a lot of people is to schedule specific times and days for quality time. Some people tell me that this feels “unnatural.” To this I say, would you rather have good quality time with your spouse that came about in an unnatural way or “organically disconnect” from each other? I believe the former makes more sense.

Before I answer your question it’s important to have in mind the main purpose of the quality time and that is, quality. What makes the time “quality”? If the time spent is light and enjoyable as opposed to pressurized and critical. This is not the time to “fix” your spouse (nor is anytime really appropriate for that). People feel connected when they’re heard, understood, and just plain enjoying time together.

Getting back to your question, how can you get your husband to initiate or to manage the uncomfortable feelings? Concerning the feeling that he is not interested in you, I can reassure you that he wants to spend time with you and enjoys it. Some people feel content with the small interactions they have throughout the day and maybe feel connected already.

As I’ve mentioned before, setting times is ideal and this would actually work to your advantage. This way no one’s initiating! The time is set already. However, if you desperately want him to initiate maybe once in a while, just tell him nicely and gently that it would mean so much to you, without blaming or accusations. Maybe he will initiate, maybe he won’t, but with this approach you will have a better chance of having him initiate.

One last thing to bear in mind – many times in an attempt to bring our spouse closer, we push them further away, unfortunately. You would like two things, to spend quality time with your husband and to have him initiate the outing. By pushing an agenda and complaining how he never initiates, you may be creating a situation, chas veshalom, where he becomes disinterested in going out altogether. This way you will lose more than you will gain. Not to say that this is what you were doing, I’m just putting it out there to be aware of this pitfall that entraps many people.

“Jeffrey and I have been raising our family and working together for over two decades. My family is Ashkenazi Hungarian and his is Egyptian. Our home is the best mix of both Ashkenaz and Sephardic customs and food. We run a home health care company that we built together.”

~~ Agnes ~~

Ellen Geller Kamaras

Please meet Agnes Shemia.

Agnes exudes positive energy, warmth, and an upbeat perspective. She is definitely a people person.

Agnes describes herself as giving, hardworking, diligent, and relentless. Agnes is both driven and is committed to her family, business, and community.

Agnes was born in Hungary and moved to New York with her parents, Susan and Leslie Gollender, at the tender age of one. Her grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Agnes speaks fluent Hungarian. She is very close with her brother, Alen, who is five years younger and lives in New Jersey.

Growing up in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, Agnes attended Shulamith Elementary school until sixth grade. She then transferred to Yeshiva of Flatbush and studied there through high school.

“I was shy as an adolescent and became less so as I got older. By the time I graduated college I was a total extrovert.”

Agnes greatly enjoyed her Judaic and Hebrew classes and preferred science to math and history. Languages came easy to her, and she was an above average student. Agnes was very social, however, and admits to chatting a lot in class.

After high school, Agnes studied at New York University and majored in speech-language pathology (SLP). Why speech? “I always loved medicine, and I thought I could be a great teacher. SLP seemed like a great combination of the two.”

Family

Agnes was introduced to her naseeb, Jeffrey Shemia, of Egyptian descent, through her high school friend, Debbie. The couple have been married for twenty-six years and combined forces to create a family and build successful home health care companies operating in New York, Florida, and Missouri.

Their children are Victor (25), Esther (22), Jacob (18), and Sophie (16). Victor attended NYU Stern School of business and is working in the family health care business. Esther is studying nursing at NYU and is married to Samuel Krost, who is like a son to the Shemias. Jacob is starting his sophomore year at NYU and Sophie is a junior at Ramaz High School.

Agnes and Jeffrey raised their children in Brooklyn and spent summers in Deal. Their office is in Brooklyn. As they started their family, the Shemias moved to Mill Basin to be close to Agnes’ parents. “My career would not have flourished if not for my parents. They helped us with our kids tremendously.”

With their youngest in school in Manhattan, Agnes and Jeffrey are planning a move from Brooklyn to the Upper East Side.

Their Journey

As a newlywed, Agnes completed her master’s degree in SLP at Lehman College. She has always preferred working with adults. Her patients were primarily stroke victims or had traumatic brain injuries.

It was Jeffrey’s idea and dream to build a home health care company. An avid newspaper reader, he recognized in his early twenties that the aging baby boomers would need and desire home health care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cited that by 2050 those over age 85 are projected to more than triple, and an estimated 70 percent of older adults reaching age 65 are expected to require, in their lifetime, some type of long-term care assistance, such as help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication management, housekeeping, and transportation.

Jeffrey worked in Agnes’ father diamond business and Agnes practiced SLP at outpatient rehabilitation centers. They worked hard to build up savings to realize their dream. A few short years after graduation, Agnes and Jeffrey built their home health care business one patient at a time.

After many failed and challenging attempts, the Shemias were licensed by the NYS Department of Health. They opened their first home health care business, HCS Home Care, in 2004, providing non-skilled services. In 2017, they expanded their scope and purchased Girling, which includes a range of skilled services, nursing, SLP, physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Approximately a year ago, HCS-Girling entered into a strategic partnership with Pinnacle, one of the largest private Medicare certified providers of skilled home health and extended care services in Florida.

Passions

On a personal level, Agnes is most proud of her children and family.

Professionally, she is thrilled with the business she and Jeffrey created. Agnes loves the purposeful work that she does.

She is impassioned about health care and truly enjoys helping people.

“Unfortunately, there will always be a need for home health care. Fortunately, with the advances in technology, we have been able to take care of so many patients, their caregivers, and families.”

Agnes’s biggest challenge is finding the right people to take care of the patients. She is always looking for new opportunities and new creative and smart talent.

During the pandemic the Shemias went to their office daily. If their staff was required to work and be there for their clients, then they were there, too.

Agnes explained how HCS-Girling is different than other agencies – it’s about their adherence to compliance with government regulations and also her accessibility. “I can be reached on the phone and help a family find the right caregiver. I genuinely care. I am aware and appreciative that my secret to success is Hashem.”

Balance

“I am obsessed with my children. I don’t want to miss out on being a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a hostess, and a community member. I do what needs to get done. I love to cook and entertain. Chicken soup for Shabbat and cholent parties are a must. Juggling business and family is challenging but greatly rewarding.”

Agnes is grateful that she and Jeffrey have very similar values, and they are on the same page regarding parenting. “We work a lot, talk shop a lot, and our kids grew up in the business. Both my daughters want to have careers.”

The Shemias appeared on a Propel panel called Couples Who Work. Watching the interview, one could see the love and effort they both gave and continue to contribute to their children and the business.

Agnes is happy that she was able to practice SLP for several years and has grown in her time management skills, organization skills, and as a clinical director and administrator of HCS-Girling. “I don’t work less but I work with more intention.”

Jeffrey is proud of how he and Agnes partner on both fronts, at work and at home, and he confesses that achieving work-life balance is not easy and requires a lot of effort.

Community is essential to Agnes. She is involved with SBH, Propel, various mikvehs, and helping Chabad houses all over the world. She does not say no when organizations reach out to her.

Agnes acknowledged that she is not so good at relaxing, but she does enjoy cooking and she loves music.

Tips for Young Adults

Don’t give up and don’t take yourself too seriously. Do what you love, and it won’t feel like work. Stay humble especially when you are successful – it’s not only because of you.

You can connect with Agnes at Ashemia@hcshomecare.com. Please check out her Instagram pages @HCS Home Care, @Girling Healthcare, @Extended Home Care and @Pinnacle Home Care.

Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach. Her coaching specialties include life, career, and dating coaching. Ellen can be contacted at ellen@lifecoachellen.com.