DAVE GORDON

On December 14, 2025, as candles were being lit and Hanukah songs were sung near Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, a celebration that was meant to be a public gathering featuring joy, Jewish identity, and community became the scene of a brutal and targeted act of terror that left 15 people dead and dozens more injured. The beachfront became a site of grief and horror, sending shockwaves far beyond Australia’s shores.

The assault became another reminder that anti-Semitic violence is a present and escalating threat.

Father-Son Islamic Terrorists

Police identified the alleged perpetrators as Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, terrorists driven by Islamic state ideology. The revealing of their identities raised urgent questions about Muslim radicalization, prevention, and the warning signs that were neglected. Candlelight vigils sprang up across Sydney and internationally.

Witnesses of the attack described moments of panic alongside moments of defiance, as attendees attempted to shield others or confront the attackers despite the danger.

Forty thousand of the 5.25 million residents of the metropolitan Sydney area identify as Jews.

Attack Survivor

Chavi Israel, an American citizen and a high school teacher living in Australia, used her body as a human shield to protect her six-month-old daughter and other children during the attack.

Chavi told Community Magazine that she knew some of the injured and murdered, including Rabbis Eli Schlinger and Yaakov Levitan, who were close with her father-in-law, and her husband.

A friend’s grandfather, Tibor Weitzen, was murdered, and a friend’s father, Reuven Morrison, who threw bricks at the terrorists, was also killed.

“I trust in Gd, and I am a believer. I have to live my life. I can’t live in fear,” Chavi stated

The Government’s Failure

Chavi believes the government completely failed to protect the community. “The writing was literally on the walls,” she said, adding that her brother’s home in Melbourne was vandalized last year with “genocidal baby killer” and “Free Gaza” graffitied on his home.

With homes defaced, cars firebombed, and restaurants vandalized in the past two years, she asked incredulously, “How much more do we need? The government has failed the Jewish community miserably. It had allowed the bad behavior to be perpetuated, the protests that have been allowed to happen in this country, all in the name of freedom of speech. It is hate-speech when you allow people two days after October 7to come outside the Opera House and chant, ‘gas the Jews.’”

Across Harbour Bridge, in August 2025, ninety-thousand people gathered in a pro-Palestine march, some waving flags of terror organizations, Chavi said. “The government could have prevented this. They could have changed the laws around hate speech. They could have doubled down. They could have not allowed the protest,” she said.

“We don’t see Australians protesting for the Russia-Ukraine war, or what’s going on in Sudan, with a government that has blood on their hands, and they know it.”

It is Chavi’s belief that the government needs to up its security to guard Jewish institutions and take steps to help arm local security groups.

Hunkering Down

While discussions swirl amongst Sydney’s Jews whether to leave Australia and move to Israel, Chavi feels compelled to stay.

“I feel like I can’t abandon my community now. Now more than ever my community needs me. I started an organization post-October 7 called The Empowered Jew to equip and educate my community surrounding Israel, their Jewish identity, how to engage in dialogue, and things like that. And I feel like now more than ever, we need the Empowered Jew,” Chavi said.

“And so, I do feel like the community, in a weird way, is coming closer and stronger together. And I would not dissuade people from visiting Australia. I think that I can’t tell them whether it’s safer [elsewhere]. I don’t feel safe here, but I think the chances of something happening, who knows? I’m not Gd, but I wouldn’t dissuade people. Thank Gd, we are able to live our lives as normal as we can now.”

In summation, she maintains hope despite the perilous times.

“Yeah, we’re very angry and upset, but as Jewish people, we channel these emotions, and we channel them into increasing acts of goodness and kindness and acts of light, because that’s who we are as a people.”

Global Ramifications

After the attack at Bondi Beach, many Jews asked: are we safe anymore, can we be openly Jewish anymore, and will it happen to us?

Melinda Strauss, a New York-based cookbook author and creator of “Welcome to My Jewish Life,” knows people who are showing up even more – such as attending public menorah lightings, just to feel that sense of community and strength.

But she knows of many who are fearful, such as college students wondering if it’s safe to wear their Magen David, families unsure about lighting publicly because they don’t know if they can trust their neighbors, and people who want to be proud, but are scared.

Working as a Jewish food influencer, with a quarter million followers, Strauss noticed that some influencers are standing with the Jewish community while others are admitting they’re too afraid to even say the word “Jew” in a post because they’re scared of losing jobs.

Her advice? “Find other Jews. Surround yourself with community. Whether it’s a shul, a Hanukah party, a campus group, a Shabbat dinner, whatever it is, don’t do this alone.”

A Voice from Toronto

Larry Zeifman is an experienced CPA and active community volunteer from Toronto, Canada. When asked if he felt less safe after Bondi, he replied, “How could I not?”

For some time, he’s believed an attack in the city will be imminent – “a result of the tolerance of ongoing incitement and even the rewarding for the terror of October 7 by the recognition of a Palestinian state by Prime Minister Carney. The attack on Bondi Beach proves it.”
Zeifman believes that Jewish organizations have consistently downplayed the threats – likely to mollify the community – but that is counter-productive on all fronts. Those organizations, moreover, have often hesitated to criticize the various levels of government for their betrayal.

From Berlin

Ben Salamo lives in Berlin and is a prominent Jewish-German rapper, author, and activist, known for addressing anti-Semitism and racism through his music and public advocacy. He said that Jews in Berlin feel less safe now.

“Just like in Sydney, we’ve seen in the past two years how pro-Hamas mobs have incited hatred against Jews and against Israel. Berlin is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Palestinian territories, which is why the protests here were particularly massive. On the day of the October 7th massacre, people from the Arab community distributed sweets in the Neukölln district and glorified Hamas’s terrorism. In the months and years that followed, many more people became radicalized – from the streets to the universities.”

He claims the authorities have done far too little to counter this hate and incitement, yet fortunately, there have been arrests of Hamas cells in Germany.

Salamo says, “Sadly the Jewish organization are often too weak – and because of their financial dependence on the state, too fearful – to address these problems clearly or make concrete demands. It seems they’re afraid of potential consequences. This attitude has proven to be a grave mistake.”

“The question is not if, but when… Sydney was probably just the beginning.”

From London

Peter Baum, in London, UK, is a pro-Israel writer and activist and is the International Affairs Editor of the Weekly Blitz. Baum noted that political leaders and the police forces “continue to facilitate and encourage [anti-Israel] protests, which in my opinion, have emboldened the extremists.”

Baum described a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism since Oct. 7, 2023, by the number of attacks on Jewish individuals, synagogues, schools and cultural centers. Jews are afraid to wear kippahs or Stars of David, he said. Two Jews attending Yom Kippur services were killed by an extremist in Manchester. Baum added that there was an unstoppable flow of illegal immigrants from places that are hotbeds of anti-Semitism.

“The government seems powerless to stop the inflow, and reluctant to deport those who are already here. This can only provide more discomfort for Jews who are frightened and feel vulnerable and unprotected,” Baum said. He is currently applying to make aliyah.

Sydney Expat

Naomi Nachman is a kosher cookbook author, chef, and media personality. She is a Sydney expat (and Bondi Beach fan) living in New York.

“We’re much more nervous,” she said of Jewish community members she knows.

“They’ve been scared since October 7th. One Palestinian rally after another, and they arrest the one guy with an Israeli flag, which stands for mercy and peace,” Nachman said. Last January a Jewish preschool in Sydney was set on fire, a synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed last year, and other synagogues were vandalized.

“We’re afraid for Australia. What’s Australia turned into?” she exclaimed.

Had Prime Minister Albanese had taken action against the extremists, Nachman said, “Australia would be a different place right now. The leader sets the tone, and he set a bad tone. We feel that around the world.”

As Australia’s Jews mourn and the world watches, the Bondi attack stands as a hard reminder of the consequences of hatred left unchecked, and of the urgent need to confront radicalism – not only in moments of tragedy, but long before.

A sound is a vibration in the air, like a ripple in a pond. Sounds create sound waves. Your ears take in these sound waves and then send messages about them to your brain.

There are three major parts of the ear that work together to collect sounds and send them to the brain: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear directs sound to the middle ear, which then transmits the sound waves from the eardrum to the inner ear. The inner ear converts sound waves into nerve signals which the brain interprets. All of this happens in a fraction of a second!

OUTER EAR

The outer ear has three sections: the pinna, ear canal, and the outer layer of the eardrum. The pinna is the part of the ear on the outside of our heads. It acts as a kind of funnel, directing sound waves further into the ear. The ear canal is a tube that helps sound waves travel from the pinna to the eardrum.

MIDDLE EAR

The middle ear consists of the rest of the eardrum and three tiny bones called the hammer, or malleus (MAL-ee-us); the anvil, or incus (IN-kus); and the stirrup, or stapes (STAY-peez). The eardrum is a thin sheet of tissue that vibrates when the sound waves hit it. These vibrations are transmitted to these middle ear bones, which in turn pass signals on to the inner ear.

INNER EAR

The inner ear contains a snail-shaped, fluid-filled organ called the cochlea (KO-klee-uh). Every second, the cochlea receives thousands of vibrations as ripples in its fluid. The cochlea has a complex structure called the organ of Corti, which is filled with special hair cells. When the stapes vibrates, pressure waves are pushed into the cochlea. As the hair cells move back and forth, nerve impulses are triggered that send signals to the hearing center of the brain. The brain then translates the signals into sounds that we recognize and understand.

How Hearing Aids Work

Hearing loss is a common problem caused by overexposure to loud noise, aging, disease, and/or heredity. Depending on the type of hearing loss a person has, a hearing aid can improve his hearing in both quiet and noisy surroundings.

What Is a Hearing Aid?

A hearing aid is a small electronic device that is worn in or behind the ear. It makes some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities.

A hearing aid has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The hearing aid receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier makes the sound louder and sends the amplified sound to the ear through the speaker.

How Hearing Aids Help

Hearing aids are very useful in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss due to damage of the small sensory cells in the inner ear (called hair cells). This type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss.

As mentioned before, the inner ear is made up of a snail-shaped chamber called the cochlea, which is filled with fluid and lined with thousands of tiny hair cells (an outer row and an inner row). When sound vibrations move through this fluid, the tiny outer hair cells react first by amplifying sounds. Then the inner hair cells translate the vibrations into electrical nerve impulses and send them to the auditory nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain.

Hearing aids intensify sound vibrations that the damaged outer hair cells have trouble amplifying. The more a person’s outer hair cells are damaged, the higher the hearing aid is turned on.

Listening to loud sounds can harm your hearing.

This is true. Loud sounds can physically damage the hair cells in your cochlea. Sometimes this is temporary, like when you have “ringing in your ears” that lasts for a few hours after you’ve gone to an event with loud music. But over time, too much loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss.

Machla Abramovitz

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

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

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

Kfar Aza

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

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

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

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

Profound Personal Changes

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

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

Erez Masud’s Background

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

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

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

Givati Brigade Medical Team

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

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

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

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

Stress and a Sense and a of Purpose

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

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

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

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

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

What Gazans Valued

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

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

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

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

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

IDF Reverence for Life

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

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

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

Psychological Toll

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

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

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

Captain Masud’s Vision

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

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

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

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

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

This month we explore the history behind…

The SNEAKER

The story of the sneaker begins in early nineteenth-century England, when advances in rubber manufacturing opened the door to footwear unlike anything worn before. During the 1830s, the Liverpool Rubber Company began producing simple canvas shoes with thin rubber soles. Marketed as “sand shoes,” these early models were intended for beachwear and were valued for being softer and quieter underfoot compared to the sturdy leather or wooden shoes that dominated the era. Although primitive, these beach shoes introduced the essential combination of a flexible textile upper joined to a rubber bottom – an idea that would become central to the sneaker’s identity.

The Development of the Plimsoll

By the 1870s, the basic sand shoe had evolved into the British “Plimsoll,” named after the Plimsoll line on a ship’s hull. The point where the canvas upper met the rubber sole echoed the line that marked a ship’s safe loading limit. The Plimsoll became widely used in gym classes, athletics, and casual recreation. Its light weight and comfort made it a popular choice for sports such as tennis and recreational activities. Although the design remained straightforward, the Plimsoll represented a key milestone: the first widely recognized form of modern lightweight athletic footwear.

Vulcanized Rubber: The Turning Point

The technological breakthrough that made durable rubber-soled shoes possible came with Charles Goodyear’s discovery of vulcanized rubber in 1839. Vulcanization strengthened rubber, giving it flexibility, resilience, and resistance to heat and cold. Before this process, natural rubber was sticky in warm weather and brittle in cold temperatures. Vulcanized rubber transformed rubber-soled shoes from fragile novelties into practical, long-lasting products suitable for mass production and athletic performance. Goodyear’s discovery would shape not only early sneakers but nearly every major rubber-based product of the next century.

The Rise of Sneakers in the United States

By the late Victorian period, rubber-soled shoes appeared in the United States, where industrialization allowed them to evolve quickly. In 1892, the U.S. Rubber Company began producing a line of canvas-and-rubber shoes that would eventually become the brand Keds, officially launched in 1916. Keds produced one of the earliest widely distributed U.S. sneakers, known for their soft rubber soles that enabled wearers to walk quietly. Around the same period, the word “sneakers” entered American slang, reflecting this quietness and the ability to “sneak” while wearing rubber-soled shoes. By the early twentieth century, sneakers had become accepted for both athletic use and everyday comfort.

Athletic Innovation and the Influence of Converse

The rapid growth of organized sports in the early twentieth century further propelled sneaker development. Converse, founded in 1908, entered the athletic market in 1917 with its first basketball shoe, the canvas-and-rubber “Non-Skid.” This model eventually evolved into the iconic Converse All Star, which gained prominence after basketball player Chuck Taylor joined the company as a promoter and designer. His endorsement and contributions to improving the shoe helped establish Converse as the leading basketball footwear manufacturer in the United States. Through gymnasiums, high schools, and colleges, All Stars became synonymous with athletic performance.

International Growth and Olympic Success

Sneakers reached global attention in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals wearing track shoes crafted by the German Dassler Brothers Company. This company would later divide into the now-famous brands Adidas and Puma. Owens’s remarkable performance showcased the importance of specialized athletic footwear, demonstrating that carefully designed shoes could deliver meaningful competitive advantage. His achievements elevated the reputation of performance sneakers worldwide and helped launch German athletic shoes into international markets.

Post-War Culture and Everyday Fashion

After World War II, sneakers began transitioning from purely athletic equipment to everyday casual wear. Relaxed dress codes in schools and workplaces, combined with the growing influence of youth culture, made sneakers a fashionable alternative to traditional shoes. Their association with leisure, physical education, and comfort allowed them to enter mainstream wardrobes. By mid-century, sneakers were no longer restricted to the gym or track; they were becoming symbols of ease, modernity, and youthful energy.

Innovation in the 1960s and Beyond

In the 1960s, new companies brought further innovation to sneaker design. Nike, founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports, introduced lighter running shoes and later developed its famous waffle sole, which improved grip and performance. As recreational jogging grew in popularity during the 1970s, athletic shoe companies began producing running shoes with specialized cushioning, improved support, and novel materials. This period marked the beginning of modern sneaker technology, blending biomechanics, engineering, and athletics.

The Modern Sneaker Industry

Today, the sneaker industry brings in nearly $95 billion annually. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent in research, development, and branding – all to advance the technology of sneakers.

What began in the 1830s as simple canvas shoes with thin rubber soles has become a sophisticated category of footwear that continues to evolve with new materials, scientific advances, and cultural trends – and shows no sign of slowing down.

On November 12, 2025, the Philadelphia Mint struck the final batch of pennies, closing the book on a coin first introduced in 1793. The decision marked the end of a 232-year production run, making it one of the longest-standing traditions in U.S. currency. Treasury officials confirmed that while pennies will remain legal tender, no new ones will enter circulation, and the supply will gradually shrink as coins wear out or are hoarded.

Why the Penny Had to Go

The penny’s downfall was rooted in economics. By 2025, each penny cost 3.69 cents to produce and distribute, according to the U.S. Mint. Rising prices of copper and zinc, combined with labor and overhead, meant the government was losing millions of dollars annually just to keep pennies in circulation. President Donald Trump directed the Treasury Department to halt production of circulating pennies to reduce “wasteful” spending.

What Happens Next

Though pennies are no longer minted, they remain legal tender. Retailers must still accept them, but many businesses are expected to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel. Already, some stores have reported penny shortages and even offered incentives for customers to bring them in. For digital-first generations, the change is barely noticeable – apps like Venmo and Apple Pay don’t deal in cents anyway.

Cultural Ripples

The penny’s retirement is more than a financial adjustment; it’s a cultural shift. Expressions like “a penny for your thoughts” and traditions like tossing pennies into fountains or saving them in piggy banks are part of American memory. The coin also carried Abraham Lincoln’s image since 1909, giving it symbolic weight as a reminder of thrift and history. Its disappearance underscores how quickly traditions can fade in a digital-first economy.

Winners and Losers

Taxpayers stand to benefit most, as the government will save hundreds of millions annually by ending penny production. Digital payment users will hardly notice the change. Coin collectors, however, are already eyeing the final batch of pennies – two of which were stamped with a special omega mark and will be auctioned rather than circulated. On the other hand, cash-reliant businesses and unbanked individuals may face short-term challenges adjusting to rounding rules.

Should You Save Your Pennies?

Experts caution against hoarding pennies in hopes of future value. With an estimated 300 billion pennies still in circulation, scarcity is unlikely anytime soon. That said, the final 2025 pennies, especially those with special markings, may become valuable collectibles. For most people, though, pennies are best spent, donated, or kept as nostalgic keepsakes.

What It Means for Young Adults

For millennials and Gen Z, the penny’s end is symbolic of a broader shift: cash is fading, and digital transactions dominate. The discontinuation forces us to rethink how we value small change. Few of us bother to pick up a penny off the sidewalk anymore, yet its story reminds us that even the smallest things can carry weight – economically, culturally, and emotionally.

In the recent months, Rabbi Shlomo Anapolle, Director of the International Programs at Machon Lev, accompanied by Rabbi Moshe Tessone, visited Deal, New Jersey, where they met with a group of Syrian students to share insights about Machon Lev College for Men and Machon Tal College for Women and their unique educational opportunities. The rabbis were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Harold Sutton and a group of his learning cohorts in the Deal community.

During their visit, Rabbis Anapolle and Tessone spoke about the value of spending a gap year in Israel and how studying at Machon Lev for Men (and Machon Tal for Women) allows students to continue growing both spiritually and academically. The students expressed enthusiasm about learning in Jerusalem, strengthening their connection to Eretz Yisrael, and preparing for meaningful careers rooted in Torah values.

Integration of Heritage and Academic Achievement

The visit underscored how Machon Lev and Machon Tal and their mission deeply resonates with young Sephardic Jews seeking to integrate their heritage with modern professional achievement and with a strong connection to the Land of Israel and Jerusalem. The campuses are centrally located in Jerusalem.

For Sephardic young men and women seeking a meaningful and transformative educational experience, studying in Israel offers not only academic growth but also spiritual and cultural enrichment. Among the many institutions of higher learning in Israel, the Machon Lev (for men) and Machon Tal (for women) stand out as an ideal choice, especially for students who value a strong balance between Torah learning and cutting-edge professional education. With a proud commitment to religious values and academic excellence, both Machon Lev and Machon Tal offer Sephardic students an environment where their heritage is respected, their potential is nurtured, and their future is bright.

Dual Focus Learning

Founded in 1969, Machon Lev and Machon Tal are part of JCT, the Jerusalem College of Technology, which is known for its integrated approach, combining rigorous Torah study with high-level programs in engineering, business management, health sciences, computer science, and more. Unlike many secular universities and colleges in Israel, JCT is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, offering separate men’s and women’s campuses and schedules that allow students to maintain a full yeshiva-style learning program alongside their degree studies. This dual focus reflects the ideals of Sephardic Jewry – a community that historically has emphasized both religious devotion and active participation in society.

Sephardic Friendly

For Sephardic students, Machon Lev and Machon Tal offer a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The college is home to a diverse student body, including many from Sephardic backgrounds – whether from Israel, France, Latin America, North Africa, or the United States. The staff, rabbanim, and faculty are sensitive to Sephardic minhagim and halakhic rulings, and Sephardic students will find rabbis and peers who share their traditions and outlook. From tefillot according to Sephardic nusah to shiurim that reflect Sephardic halakhic perspectives, students are empowered to grow in their own heritage while engaging with a wider Torah world.

Academically, both Machon Lev and Machon Tal are highly respected in both the Israeli and international job markets. Graduates have gone on to successful careers in hi-tech, finance, management, cybersecurity, biomedical engineering, and other fields that are vital to Israel’s economy and to global innovation. With its close ties to the leading Israeli companies and startups, both Machon Lev and Machon Tal students benefit from internships, mentorship, and job placement opportunities that open doors to meaningful careers – all while maintaining a strong Torah identity.

Extra Bonus – Affordability and the Jerusalem Experience

For Sephardic families considering higher education options, the affordability at Machon Lev and Machon Tal is also an important factor. Tuition is often significantly lower than that of comparable institutions abroad, and scholarships are available for international students.

Moreover, the experience of living and learning in Yerushalayim – the eternal capital of Am Yisrael – is priceless. Walking the streets of Jerusalem, praying at the Kotel, and being part of the vibrant religious life of the city is something no classroom can replicate.

In short, Machon Lev and Machon Tal offer a unique opportunity for Sephardic students to combine Torah, tradition, and professional success. It is a place where you can honor your past, build your future, and take your place as a proud and capable member and leader of Klal Yisrael.

QUESTION: 

Dear Rabbi Ali,

I hope you can give me some advice on how to deal with this situation as it’s been taking a toll on my relationship. I work very hard to provide for my family and make a decent living. Sometimes, things are good and other times money is tight. The past year-and-a-half my business has been slow. We are not in a position to spend as we used to, whether it be winter break or summer vacation. I find that my wife and I are fighting a lot about this. I don’t blame her at all. I just would appreciate any advice on how to deal with this situation.

R’ Ali’s Response: 
I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this in the past, but it’s worthwhile mentioning again. It’s wonderful when I see more and more people reaching out for help instead of suffering for no reason. Many times, all a couple needs are a few pointers and their marriage dramatically changes for the better. Even if a couple isn’t suffering, but rather needs some clarity, it’s still recommended to reach out to someone who deals with shalom bayit.

Before I give you practical advice, I’d like to mention a few points on this topic in for you and the readers to gain the proper Torah perspective. Everyone, men and women must understand and internalize the fact that money comes from Hashem. I’m well aware that this is a marriage column, but as people of the Torah, we need to incorporate the proper Torah ideologies into our lives. Men are obligated to support their wives and do the proper hishtadlut. At the end of the day, we must all believe, acknowledge, and accept the fact that the amount of money we receive has been decreed by Hashem on Rosh Hashanah. 

Practically speaking, women should be understanding of two things. One, your husband cannot make more than the decreed amount, and two, do not be resentful if he is not bringing in the amount that you’d like. Expressing your frustration towards him will make an already stressful situation into a shalom bayit issue. He may feel down on himself or as many people tell me, they feel like a failure. 

I completely understand that the standard of living these days is high and we need a lot of money to get by. However, this is (for the most part) not your husband’s fault. Being an eshet chayil means being there for your husband whether he is making money or not. Respect is not contingent on dollars and cents. We respect our spouse no matter what they “make of themselves.”

On the flip side, many men overwork when their wives would prefer to live a minimalistic lifestyle and have their husband around for her and the family.  Many men say,  “I’m working all these hours for you,” but their wives are saying they don’t need all of the “extra” money.

Of course, everyone’s situation is different and should be discussed with a third party and people should not rely on an article to make any drastic changes in their work ethic or marriage. Getting back to your question, I believe you need to practice gentle communication with your wife. I don’t know the specifics of your situation, but as a general rule, you should let your wife know how much you can and can’t spend. Validate her needs, instead of saying,  “Leave me alone I can’t afford it.” Tell her, “I totally understand you want to go away, I wish we could. Be’ezrat Hashem, things will get better.” 

In conclusion, having high standards hurts many relationships. Work on being happy with what you have. As the Mishnah says, a true rich man is happy with what he has.

A Gemara asks the question, “How does one become rich?” and answers, “Pray to the One who has the riches.” I hope we all understand that is referring to Hashem!

Work together as a team, pray to Hashem, and you should see tons of bracha in your life and your marriage, amen.