Avi Abelow

Last May, Community featured a report about the demand being made by left-wing groups to reconstruct the platform of the Kotel – the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, the holiest site in Judaism. These groups insist on the creation of a large adjoining space that would be placed under the control of the Reform leadership and used for large Reform prayer services, with men and women together, in violation of centuries’ old halachic tradition. For Torah Jews, this would constitute a grave violation of the sanctity of the Kotel.

Mati Dan and Oren Honig of the Libah Yehudit organization have been combatting this initiative on several different fronts, including in the courts, seeking to protect against not only this infraction on the sanctity of the Kotel, but also the leftist movements’ other initiatives that threaten to undermine the Jewish character of the State of Israel. And they are turning to Torah Jews in the Diaspora for help.

An Effort to Change the Status Quo

The Reform movement, which has little to do with traditional Judaism, now embodies the most “woke” ideals, platforms that are at war with many of the most sacred hallmarks of Judaism, including the nuclear family, the sanctity of marriage, fetal rights and even Orthodox Jewish practice. 

The president of the Union of Reform Judaism, Rick Jacobs, has made it very clear that the movement’s agenda extends well beyond the Kotel.  

“If the Reform Kotel plan is implemented,” he said, “this will open the door for more religious pluralism in Israel.” His movement seeks not merely an area by the Kotel, but official recognition in Israel as an alternative form of Judaism – absent authentic Torah observance. The movement has publicly declared its desire to have its conversions, marriage, and kashrut – all of which are totally disjoined from traditional Jewish halacha – recognized as law in Israel. It also hopes to foster widespread public Shabbat desecration by allowing buses to operate to and from the Kotel on Shabbat. 

The rickety Bennett-Lapid coalition government, which ruled the country from the spring of 2021 until the spring of 2022, included anti-Orthodox leftists eager to tamper with the status quo of religious affairs in Israel. Then Prime Minister Bennett signed coalition agreements with Reform Knesset members advocating to expedite the Reform agenda, pushing to change the kashrut and conversion laws, to permit hametz in the hospitals on Pesach, to create the Reform platform at the Kotel, and establish a budgeted government office to promote the leftist agenda in Israeli society.  

Although the Bennet-Lapid government has now fallen and is being replaced by a right-wing government with religious political parties, Mati and Oren warn that the threat to the soul of the Jewish State remains. Leftist movements, they say, have successfully infiltrated the Israeli government offices through strategic planning and a great deal of finding for their cause. The Libah Yehudit organization is reaching out to Torah-committed Jews throughout the world, imploring them to recognize the threat and join together to protect the sanctity of the Land of Israel. 

Infiltrating the Public Education System 

Already in the 1990s, the Reform movement understood that one of the most influential ways to change Israel is by introducing and disseminating its liberal, anti-Torah value system via the country’s education system. They therefore developed a strategy to infiltrate Israel’s Ministry of Education by slowly staffing senior Education Ministry positions with their own trained professionals, and taking charge of the textbooks and curriculums in the Israel public school system, that educates a majority of Jewish Israeli children. 

Many different foundations that promote the leftist agenda in the Jewish world donated money towards programs to infiltrate Israel’s education system. The Libah Yehudit organization has discovered that the Mandel Foundation – established by the Mandel family, which also happens to be a major donor to the Reform Movement – began a training program back in 1990 aimed at staffing 1,500 of the most influential positions in Israel’s education system, in order to change Israeli society. Today, 32 years later, they have succeeded in filling 500 of those influential positions with professionals that they trained with their pedagogical methods and materials. Each year, 20 experienced Israeli education professionals were carefully selected to join their exclusive educational training program to then be placed back into the education system, filling influential positions. One example is Itzik Danziger, Vice President of the stridently left-wing New Israel Fund, who today runs Matach, one of the leading educational resource institutions run by Israel’s Ministry of Education. 

A second tactic, as mentioned, is exerting control over textbooks and other materials used to teach about Judaism in Israeli secular public schools.  Previously, the materials used for teaching Jewish studies were based on authentic Torah Judaism. Today, however, according to Libah Yehudit’s research, 83 percent of the schoolbooks used in the Israeli education system were written by leftist organizations. The leftist organization with the most schoolbooks in the classrooms is the Conservative Movement’s Tali Foundation, which has produced all the books used in the first and second grades. Very few books written from the perspective of traditional Torah Judaism are used today in Israeli schools. Instead, schoolchildren are being taught anti-Torah, leftist values, such as the belief that it is acceptable for families to have two fathers or two mothers, or one non-Jewish parent. Children are also told that they can choose their gender. These troubling trends are unfolding with the active participation of government institutions that liberal movements have infiltrated through programming, funding, and staffing. 

Even more alarmingly, an increasing amount of school time is dedicated to teaching Jewish Israeli school children about Islam and Christianity, at the expense of time spent teaching them about their own religion, traditions and holidays. 

A third means by which this agenda is being implemented is informal education programs. The Libah Yehudit organization’s research uncovered many external organizations that are used to provide informal educational programs to Israeli schools. A vast majority of these organizations are associated with leftwing movements, while very few are associated with Orthodox Judaism. The Tali Foundation’s website proudly takes credit for developing the entire Jewish culture curriculum with Israel’s Ministry of Education. They are making a concerted effort to replace the instruction of authentic Torah tradition with the dissemination of anti-Torah, leftist values. 

The Libah Yehudit organization has found that many politicians in the right-wing and religious parties are unaware of these unsettling trends. As such, Libah Yehudit warns against complacency in the wake of the new right-wing, religious government that is currently being formed. To the country, with the advent of a ruling coalition with religious parties, the leftist movements are more driven than ever to fight to push their agenda forward, as they did during previous governments that included right-wing and religious parties. 

Facts on the Ground 

The liberal movements operate by slowly and stealthily creating facts on the ground, which then become very difficult to change. 

For example, government policy did not allow replacing on official government forms the fields for father and mother by “parent 1” and “parent 2.” Leftist movements managed to have this policy overturned by wielding influence in the IDF to have the official army forms changed. Once these forms were changed, government ministries followed suit, and started making these changes, as well. After all, a policy valid enough for the army should be valid for government ministries. 

The good news is that a majority of Israeli parents – even secular Israeli parents – oppose this anti-Torah agenda in the Israeli public schools. Just several months ago, a Knesset committee hearing was held, protesting the fact that Islam and Christianity were given more time and lessons in school than traditional Judaism, and that the Judaism being taught is leftist values camouflaged as Judaism. One of the main speakers chosen to speak at this special hearing was a non-religious Israeli Jewish mother.  

This silent majority is being outmaneuvered by the leftist movements, which are well-funded, have developed a careful strategy, and enjoy the sympathy and support of the academic community, the media and the courts. The Torah community is largely in the dark about these activities, which have therefore met with little pushback. Until now. 

The Lone Voices to Protect Us 

A number of passionate, determined activists in Israel who have long recognized this threat to the Jewish character of the Jewish State have now mobilized to confront it. 

The Libah Yehudit organization was founded in 2013 with the stated mission to strengthen the Jewish identity of the State of Israel – from the sanctity of Shabbat, to the sanctity of the Jewish family, to the sanctity of the Kotel. Recognizing the threats posed by those seeking to undermine the Jewish character of the State, Libah Yehudit set out to combat those dangers and ensure that the world’s only Jewish State remains connected to Jewish tradition and Jewish values.  

“The Reform want to make our Jewish country into ‘a country for all citizens’ without any Jewish identity,” says Oren Honig, director of Libah Yehudit. “If we do not fight back and involve the public, we will lose our Jewish country. For the Reform, the Kotel is the Archimedean point, the springboard to change the whole country. If their power at the Kotel is legitimized, they will demand authority over conversions, marriage, kashrut, and education.” 

Reform MK Gilad Kariv and the Reform movement understand that once they gain a foothold at the Kotel, they will gain control throughout Israel. Honig explains that the Reform are trying to attract the Mesorti movement (which parallels the Conservative movement here in the U.S.) and secular Israelis who do not understand the dangers of the Reform agenda. Large amounts of funding have enabled the Reform to advance their agenda in Israel’s government, the Israeli media, and in the Supreme Court.  

Libah Yehudit works tirelessly to inform the Israeli public and to obstruct this effort via various methods, such as extensive lobbying in the Knesset, and careful reviewing of proposed legislation. The organization’s Rosh Hodesh Kotel initiative recruits and provides buses for over a thousand yeshiva and seminary students, and men and women from all over Israel, to come to pray at the 7am shaharit service at the Kotel every month on Rosh Hodesh, filling the Kotel plaza. This prevents the monthly publicity stunt by the fringe “Women of the Wall” group from achieving their desired photo-op while desecrating the sanctity of the Kotel. 

Oren Honig consulted on the matter with leading Torah luminaries such as Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and Rav Gershon Edelstein, shelit”a. These sages urged Oren to mobilize large numbers and fill the Kotel plaza in order to preserve the kedushah (sanctity) of the site. Through the organization’s hard work, buses brought thousands of men, women, yeshiva boys and seminary girls from throughout Israel who prayed peacefully at the Kotel. Their presence allowed no room for the “Women of the Wall” and heads of the Reform movement to execute their plans at the Kotel Plaza. 

“They Need to be More Involved” 

As founder and Chairman of Yeshivat Ateret Cohanim in the Muslim Quarter, Mati Dan has been working since 1977 to build up the Jewish presence in the Old City. He also recognized the threats of the Reform movement, especially its attempts to undermine the sanctity of the Kotel. Mati has spent the last number of years gathering a cadre of top-notch lawyers to advocate on behalf of maintaining the status quo at the sacred site. Facing off against leftist judges is a daunting challenge, requiring huge amounts of time, energy and legal fees. 

“The Reform do not come to pray; only to obtain legitimacy,” Mati explains. “Behind the Kotel campaign is their desire to start a revolution against everything that is holy in Eretz Yisrael – marriage, conversions, kashrut, and education. To fight against this, we need to mobilize Jews both in Israel and in the Diaspora who care and understand the Reform movement’s intentions and are willing to stop it. This involves PR initiatives to educate the public about who the Reform are and what their goals are. In Israel, there is very little knowledge of who the Reform are. American Jews understand. They need to be more involved and have a louder voice.”  

Mati is fighting the battle in the courts. When the “Women of the Wall” go to the courts to sue for the right to turn the Kotel into a Reform temple, Mati retains top lawyers to fight on behalf of the sanctity of the Kotel. 

“The Israeli courts are mostly liberal and have an agenda,” Mati explains. “If you do not appear in court, you lose. If you sit quietly, the judges will believe that the Reform demands do not bother people. If it really mattered to them, they would rise up and send 100 lawyers to oppose the Reform movement’s demands.” 

Mati warns that without waging a fierce battle in the courts, the Reform movement will succeed in defiling the kedushah of the Kotel and of Eretz Yisrael generally. 

A Call for Help 

Chayim Rabinovitz, director of SaveOurKotel.Org, who is helping to organize this campaign, is calling upon Orthodox Jewry throughout the world to support the efforts of Mati Dan and the Libah Yehudit Organization to fight against the woke leftists. 

“The only way to stop the Reform agenda is with true unity, with the Jews of Eretz Yisrael joining with Jews around the world,” Chayim says. He explains that if Torah Jewry comes together to help fund the efforts of Libah Yehudit, Mati Dan’s litigation expenses, and Libah Yehudit’s PR efforts, the leftists can be denied a critical foothold in Israel’s bureaucracy. 

“With the ahdut [unity] of all Jews for the kedushah of the Torah, the kedushah of the Kotel, the kedushah of Eretz Yisrael and the kedushah of the Jewish Nation, we can fight back and, b’Ezrat HaShem, be victorious.” 

SaveOurKotel.Org, Libah Yehudit, and Mati Dan’s initiatives are endorsed by the leading Torah sages of our generation. Both Chief Rabbis – Hacham Yitzchak Yosef, shelit”a, and Rabbi David Lau, shelit”a – have written letters endorsing the cause and urging all to contribute. 

The first of many scheduled meetings was held on November 20th  at Shaarei Zion With Rabbi Yaakov Ben Haim at the forefront, together with Rabbi Uziel Admoni. 

Rabbi Admoni stated, “If we do not take immediate action now, recognize the dangers of the reform, and take united actions by helping Libah Yehudit fight the evil anti-Torah reform agenda, we will cry later. The dangers affect the children in the U.S. as well, especially in the Yeshivot and via social media. We must join and help Libah Yehudit in the fight for Torah values.”

Funds are needed urgently for this campaign, and the activists are turning to us for our assistance and support. For more information and to donate, please visit saveourkotel.org.

Avi Abelow is a writer for PulseofIsreal.com and IsraelUnwired.com 

Frances Haddad 

When December comes around, moms throughout the world start thinking about Hanukah. In preparation for the Festival of Lights they begin polishing their menorahs, digging up the dreidels, and buying ingredients for potato latkes. And when the long-awaited eight-day holiday finally begins, the Hanukah lights fill Jewish homes everywhere with that certain special glow that has the power to break through even the coldest and darkest nights of winter. Year after year, the Hanukah candles bring warmth and joy to our homes.  

Beautiful Hanukah lights also require vigilance, and fire safety precautions must be strictly observed. Being mindful of how to minimize risk and remain safe allows us to feel secure while the oil and candles burn and this helps us to maximize the special joy of Hanukah.   

LIGHT ON A SAFE SURFACE 

Consider the surface you will be lighting your menorah on. Make sure it is nonflammable. Tables or stands made of metal, glass, or marble are fine. Stay away from wood, as it is a serious fire hazard. 

Make sure the table that you want to mount your menorah on is sturdy, and is not flimsy or shaky. And to be extra safe, place an aluminum cookie sheet beneath the menorah to ensure that if a candle or spark falls, it will go out right away. 

KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS 

Once the surface has been chosen, check the area where you plan to light to ensure safety. Make sure that nothing nearby could, Gd forbid, catch on fire, such as drapes, books, papers, napkins, or towels. If you see anything  that may pose a fire risk, move it out of the way! Also, make sure that the menorah is located in a place where it will not be knocked over by people passing by, by a gust of wind from a nearby window, or from something from a high shelf or surface falling on top of it. 

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN 

Children love to run, jump, skip, hop, and climb on things. But those things should never be done near a lit menorah. So, before the candles are actually lit, teach your children about fire safety. Tell them that twisting, turning, and jumping near the menorah can be dangerous. Show them how to stand calmly near the menorah, and have them take turns practicing. Then, place your menorah on a surface that is too high for young children to reach. If that is not possible, continue reminding your children not to enter the room where the menorah is lit, or block the doorway with chairs or another object that will serve as a reminder. And after lighting the menorah, do not leave any lighters or matches lying around. Stow them away immediately.  

STAY WITH IT 

You may be itching to get out to a Hanukah party or other event, but leaving flames unattended is dangerous. Have someone within view of the menorah, or light later on in the evening when you know you will have time to be attentive yourself. 

LATKES AND SUFGANIYOT, PIPING HOT 

One of the trademarks of Hanukah is delicacies that are fried in oil, commemorating the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days and nights. The children may ask to fry foods with you, but hot pots and boiling oil are not something to play around with. The kids can eat the foods when you are done frying, but while you are working, insist that they stand back. If they really want to make Hanukah desserts, let them do a safe baking project, like whipping up some Hanukah cupcakes.   

When you are frying, make sure your sleeves are rolled up and your hair is pulled back. If possible, wear oven mitts to protect your hands from jumping droplets of scalding oil. And never, ever, ever cover a pot of boiling oil! Covering a pot of oil creates a pressure-cooker effect, which can cause an explosion, spewing hot oil, which can potentially start a fire. 

Follow these simple precautions, and you and your family can enjoy a happy, festive, and SAFE holiday!

Dr. Rachel Levy

Just imagine opening your mouth to speak, but finding your lips don’t close when they need to. Your tongue doesn’t move where you want it to go. And strangers can’t understand you.

Unfortunately, this scenario is an everyday occurrence for people with motor speech impairments, which are often the result of cerebral palsy, stroke, Down’s Syndrome, Parkinson’s Disease, and ALS. Speakers try to communicate with others but fail to convey their message. Even smart home devices can’t understand them. A simple command like “play my favorite song” goes unanswered. This is a reality that many people with speech disabilities contend with daily, but Voiceitt is working to change that reality. 

A Breakthrough Propelled by Love

Voiceitt is a voice technology startup and social enterprise based in Israel. Fifteen years ago, co-founder Danny Weissberg’s safta (grandmother) had a stroke. He clearly remembers the pain and sadness he felt because he could no longer communicate with her. Safta would open her mouth to speak, but the family could not understand her. The only person who knew exactly what Safta was saying was the nurse. That was Danny’s “eureka” moment: If the nurse could understand Safta and many others like her, then AI (artificial intelligence) could be trained to do the same. That’s when the idea for Voiceitt was born and developed in Ramat Gan, Israel.

Voiceitt uses artificial intelligence as a means of understanding non-standard speech patterns and converting them into easily understood speech and text. Currently, Voiceitt has a free iOS app with two main functions, interpersonal communication and smart home control with Alexa integration. The unique integration with Alexa allows users to communicate directly with Alexa through the Voiceitt app, making the interactions seamless and efficient. The app requires the user to train each phrase and use them to communicate with others and their smart home technology. 

A benefit of the app for users who find speaking difficult is that the user can train short words or phrases to trigger the app to output longer sentences. For example, if the user wants to order a hamburger made a certain way, all he needs to do is train the word “hamburger” and program the app to “say” the extended order out loud. 

Voiceitt Users Speak Up

Alex Lytwin, a Voiceitt user, describes the experience of living with a disability and how Voiceitt helps him: “Having Cerebral Palsy and a speech impairment can cause many struggles on a daily basis. However, Voiceitt allows me to speak with ease and lets the world see my entire life’s potential.” For some, the current app does not quite meet their needs.

Barbara, who was diagnosed with ALS, a disease causing progressive deterioration of the muscles, writes, “I’m seeking deeper communication with my partner and friends.” Barbara will be among the first users to test the next generation of Voiceitt innovation.

A New Win-Win for Ensemble Community Members 

Voiceitt has been collecting non-standard speech samples in a proprietary database called Ensemble. The database allows the automatic speech recognition technology to learn the different ways people can pronounce words and learn to recognize non-standard speech. As the database increases and expands with more audio data, Voiceitt’s technology advances. Voiceitt invites more people with non-standard speech (clinically called “dysarthria”) to join Ensemble. Those who join will be a part of the Ensemble community who have done their part in enhancing speech recognition for all while removing barriers to communication. Ensemble members, by recording their voices, will have the chance to be among the first to experience the newest technology by joining a closed cohort of beta users.

Currently, Voiceitt is beta testing the next generation of speech recognition technology, offering select beta testers and those who have completed 1,000 recordings in Ensemble a unique spontaneous speech recognition web-based tool that will work on any device that can open a web browser. The technology will allow speakers to communicate freely on video calls with live transcriptions, transcribing emails, or ordering a pizza!

Partnering for Success

Voiceitt was born out of a seemingly impossible dream to create a communication solution for millions worldwide with non-standard speech who are not being served by existing voice products. The goal was to develop technology to support those individuals’ unique speech patterns. Voiceitt’s partners now include Yoocan, an Israeli-based empowerment and community resource for people with disabilities and their families, and AMIT Technion, which invests in exceptional biomedical innovations conceived by Technion students, faculty, and alumni (co-founders Danny Weissberg and Stas Tiomkin are both alumni).

 Voiceitt’s investors include Amazon, Microsoft, and AARP. The company is also working with state governments, such as the Department of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities in Tennessee, to bring Voiceitt’s groundbreaking technology to people with speech and motor impairments, to enable them to contribute to society and to enter the workforce. 

Members of the public can now be a part of this effort to bring accessible speech recognition technology to all, regardless of speech ability. Voiceitt invites people with dysarthric speech to join Ensemble and contribute to the next generation of continuous speech recognition. Additionally, Voiceitt seeks investors to join their efforts in building    sophisticated technologies that remove barriers to communication for all. To further the initiative, Voiceitt also works with college interns seeking to be a part of the voice equity revolution and to join an impactful Israel-based startup.  

For those who have experienced a breakdown in communication with a loved one or who have experienced the frustration of not being understood, Voiceitt is an excellent resource to help them to be listened to and understood. For more information, please visit voiceitt.com.

Dr. Rachel Levy is a practicing speech-language pathologist and customer success manager at Voiceitt. She is a proud Magen David Yeshiva alumnus, and  is wife to Cantor Shmuel Levy of the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue in Manhattan. Please connect with her at Rachel.Levy@voiceitt.com. 

Dr. Yossi Shafer

You’ve heard it before: communication is key for a healthy relationship. 

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But in real life, many couples have a hard time communicating effectively, often without knowing why.  

Consider this fairly typical scenario: 

Mazal has had a rough day. The kids are acting up, her boss yelled at her for missing a deadline, she ran out of a key ingredient while cooking dinner. The rice burned and the cleaning help never showed up. To top it all off, her husband Ezra is late and she’s facing bath and bedtime alone, with skyrocketing stress levels. 

When Ezra finally walks through the door, he’s accosted by a disheveled wife, an upside-down house, an empty dinner table, and overtired kids bouncing off the walls. He starts to observe his surroundings and says with a chuckle – “Wow, smells smoky in here!” – which completely sets Mazal off. She thrusts the baby at him and stomps off to cool down, leaving Ezra bewildered and hurt… not to mention hungry and overwhelmed. Within a few minutes, he’s angry, too, shutting down, stewing in thoughts of, “Why didn’t she even say hello to me?!” “All I did was make a joke and there she goes again, always angry and miserable.” “To top it all off, I was the one hustling at the office since 8am.”  

What Happened Here? 

Mazal didn’t have a second for herself all day long. She was constantly attending to her frustrating job during working hours, then to the needs of her children and the home after work. On top of this, all day she kept thinking of how she could meet the needs of her husband once he got home.  

Ezra walks in late, doesn’t acknowledge anything Mazal did that day, and offers a single offhand comment that makes Mazal feel belittled and unappreciated. Mazal’s needs at that moment were a simple acknowledgment and appreciation of her work, which were unmet during every passing minute as Ezra was still not home yet, and he didn’t even bother texting her he was running late. His innocent remark ignited that slow-burning fury, unwittingly making her feel misunderstood and overlooked.  

The entire fiasco could have been mitigated had Mazal been open and vulnerable from the start –  (“I had a terrible day; can you please take the kids so I can take a breather?”). Ezra – who loves her, but couldn’t have known how awful she was feeling – would have responded with compassion rather than judgment, anger, or passive-aggressiveness. 

Learn About Each Other – Accept Each Other 

The crux of a relationship is mutual openness between spouses. As human beings, we crave the ability to be ourselves and to be loved and accepted for who we are. To foster a healthy marriage, each spouse needs to learn about the other’s needs, values, vulnerabilities, and what’s important to them. Assumptions and attempts at mind-reading impede those relationship-building abilities. 

It’s human nature to avoid the risk of pain, and often our thoughts and emotions run away with us. When a spouse is afraid to share his or her feelings, he or she will avoid doing so – as resentment builds up. The trouble is that people often assume that those closest to them automatically know what they want or what they’re experiencing: he knows I’m trying to lose weight, why did he tempt me with my favorite cake? All I wanted for my birthday was some quiet time together, why did she throw a big party and buy a fancy present? He knows I want to try out that new restaurant, why does he keep blowing me off?  

Many couples who seek counseling express similar sentiments: I want to make my spouse happy, but whatever I try backfires. 

That’s because everyone has different preferences, needs, and emotions, and spouses often assume – wrongly – that they know what their partner wants, based on their own experiences and desires. The clichés are clichés for a reason, because there is some truth to them: generally, men are from Mars, women are from Venus; men express their love and care by problem-solving, while women show their love by offering emotional support. So when a wife vents about her tough day at work (seeking validation and sympathy) and her husband responds with logical solutions, she feels misunderstood (why can’t he give me what I need?) and he gets frustrated (why doesn’t she appreciate my advice?). 

The pasuk in Parashat Beresheet says that Adam knew Chava. In marriage, spouses need to know each other – and the simplest way to accomplish that is by creating an open space for both to express their needs without fear of rejection, judgment, or hurt feelings. This concept applies to people in every type of relationship, including the parent – child relationship – from a slightly different angle – which we will address next month.

Dr. Yossi Shafer, PhD is the clinical director and a clinical psychologist at Empower Health Center, a private practice of multispecialty psychotherapists. They have offices in Deal/Long Branch and Lakewood and can be reached at (732) 666-9898 or office@empowerhealthcenter.net. 

Rabbi Adi Cohen 

The eternal existence of the Jewish People, despite all the upheavals and hardships that they have suffered, is truly miraculous. But what makes the wonder of Jewish survival especially awe-inspiring is the fact that this miracle was predicted already in the Torah. The Torah foresaw the exiles, the persecution, the dispersion across the world, the reduction of the nation’s population – and its eternal survival against all odds.

The Four Corners of the Earth 

In the Book of Devarim, the Torah warns of the calamities that would befall the nation as punishment for betraying Gd, and states: “Gd will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other” (Devarim 28:64). We are told that the Jews would be exiled from their land and dispersed throughout the world. History bears witness to the fulfillment of this prophecy; there is hardly a place on earth without any Jews residing there. No other nation has been exiled to every possible civilization. Only the Jewish Nation, which is, by nature, close-knit, and thus could be least expected to spread out, has been scattered to the four corners of the earth. 

The Torah continues: “And there you will serve other deities which are unknown to you and your forefathers, deities of wood and stone” – meaning, the Jews in exile will be subservient to worshipers of other deities, and subjected to forced labor, such that they will, in a sense, be considered as worshipping foreign deities. As Rashi explains: “They will not serve the actual deities themselves, but rather will pay taxes in the form of forced labor.” These foreign deities will have been previously unknown to the exiled Jews and their forebears, and these faiths will be represented by “wood and stone.” 

Two new religions emerged after the Jewish Nation’s exile – Christianity and Islam. The symbol of Christianity is the wooden cross, and that of Islam is the stone in Mecca. These are new religions which the Jews and their forefathers never knew, and to which they were subservient throughout the centuries of exile. 

The Exile Within Exile 

In this same section, the Torah warns: “And you will remain few in number, instead of your once being as numerous as the stars of the heavens, because you did not obey…” (Devarim 28:62). The Jews’ population in exile will be exceedingly small, but they will survive. Logically, of course, the larger a nation’s population, the greater its chances of survival; and the smaller the population, the greater the risk of extinction, for several reasons, including the simple fact that it is more difficult for people to find a suitable mate. Sure enough, throughout our nation’s exile, its population was small, numbering  just 17 million at its peak,  and dwindling to just about 1 million during its darkest periods. 

The Torah continues: “And among those nations, you will not be calm, nor will your foot find rest” (ibid. 65). The nations among whom the Jewish People will be scattered will not allow them peace or stability; as we know from Jewish history, the Jews were driven from country to country, rarely finding a safe, secure haven. 

This phenomenon of an “exile within an exile” – a nation in exile being driven from one country to another – is unparalleled. No other nation has been exiled and then expelled from the land to where it was exiled. This phenomenon also belies logic; there is no explanation for why self-respecting governments, such as France, England, Spain, Germany, Russia, and others, forcibly expelled their innocent Jewish citizens. What human being could have possibly predicted that different nations, with completely different mentalities, would all behave the same way in respect to one particular matter – their attitude toward the Jews? 

The “Stupidity” of Anti-Semitism 

The Torah continues in the same section: “And your life will hang in suspense before you; You will be in fear night and day, and you will not trust your life. In the morning, you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening, you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’ because of the fear in your heart which you will experience and because of the sights that you will behold” (Devarim 28:66-67). 

The Torah alludes in this passage to the phenomenon of anti-Semitism, which has no parallel in world history. Professor Yosef ben Shlomo, in an essay written for officers of the Israeli Defense Forces, writes:  

This hatred [of the Jews] is principled and unconditional, and therefore depends on no factors…not on any economic situation, not on societal conditions, not on the type of government and not on its relationship to the Jews, not on their success and not on their lack of appeal, not on failure and not on progress, for we have had experience in all these circumstances, and the hatred remains… 

They hate us with the complaint that we are too good, and on the other hand, because we are bloodsuckers; because we are separate, and because we are too involved. They hate us in periods of economic prosperity, and persecute us in times of economic depression. The monarchy is disgusted by us, and so is the dictatorship, and the democracy. In times of anarchy we are the first prey of the looters. They view us as responsible for every disaster, and unnecessary for any success; they beat the one who bends to them and attack the one who walks upright; they prevent the observance of our religion, but will not accept one bent on assimilation; at every moment and in every situation, they have a reason to hate the Jews. 

In 1923, David Lloyd George, who had served as Prime Minister of Britain, was quoted as saying:  

Of all the bigotries that savage the human temper there is none as stupid as the antisemitic. In the sight of these fanatics, Jews of today can do nothing right. If they are rich, they are birds of prey. If they are poor, they are vermin. If they are in favor of war, that is because they want to exploit the bloody feuds of gentiles to their own profit. If they are anxious for peace, they are either instinctive cowards or traitors. If he lives in a strange land, he must be persecuted and pogrommed out of it. If he wants to go back to his own, he must be prevented.

“A Topic of Discussion” 

The Torah describes further: “And you will become an astonishment, an example, and a topic of discussion, among all the peoples to whom Gd will bring you” (ibid. 37). 

Rashi explains the phrase “an astonishment” (“leshamah”) to mean that people will be baffled and astonished by the hardships and suffering that the Jewish Nation will endure. And “an example” (“lemashal”), Rashi writes, means that “when some terrible calamity befalls someone, people will say: ‘This is like the trouble that happened to so-and-so’.” Meaning, the Jewish People will serve as an example of every kind of disaster and misfortune. They will also be “a topic of discussion” – meaning, people will speak about them. The Jews will always be the focus of people’s attention, and they will be rigorously scrutinized, with people eagerly looking to identify their faults. 

It seems bizarre that a tiny nation, scattered throughout the world, would be the focus of people’s attention and consistently subject to scrutiny. Such a prediction sounds utterly irrational. And yet, history has proven the accuracy of the Torah’s words. In every generation, the entire world spoke about the Jews; and in our day, of course, Jews are always highlighted on the news and are continually the subject of conversation. 

Mark Twain wrote in 1899: “If statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people.” 

A nation that will suffer countless exiles, oppression, hostility – even the “final solution” of complete annihilation – could be expected to disappear from the world. Yet, the Torah promises that against all odds, and contrary to all reason and laws of history, the Jewish People will survive: “But despite all this, while they are in the land of their enemies, I will not despise them, nor will I be repulsed by them to annihilate them, thereby breaking My covenant that is with them…” (Vayikra 26:44).  

Additionally, the prophet Malachi wrote: “For I, Gd, have not changed; and you, the sons of Yaakov, have not reached the end” (Malachi 3:6). The Rambam, in his Iggeret Teman (“Epistle to Yemen”), explains: “Just as it is impossible that the existence of Gd could be nullified, so too, it is impossible that we should be lost and nullified from the world.” 

These explicit promises, and others like them, appear throughout the books of the Torah and the Prophets. They promise that the Jewish People will be few in number, scattered among the nations, persecuted and hated, but they will nevertheless survive forever.  

The Land’s Desolation  

The Torah describes the Land of Israel as “a good land, a land with brooks of water, fountains and springs that flow in valleys and mountains; a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs and pomegranates; a land of oil-producing olives and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, you will lack nothing in it” (Devarim 8:7-9). 

Even before Beneh Yisrael entered the Land of Israel, they were told that it is a fertile land, suitable for development and agriculture, a land with the necessary water sources, a flourishing land whose inhabitants will “lack nothing.” Elsewhere, however, the Torah states that when the Jewish Nation will be exiled, “I will make the Land desolate, so that it will become desolate also of your enemies who live in it… Your land will be desolate, and your cities will be laid to waste” (Vayikra 26:32—33). During the nation’s exile, the land will be empty. 

The Torah foresaw that when the Jewish people will reside in their homeland, it will blossom, but when they live in exile, it will be desolate – not only without Jews, but also without enemy nations. 

This prediction runs contrary to all historical experience and logic. In the natural order of things, once a nation is conquered, the new settlers come and exploit the land’s resources and take full advantage of its economic potential. And let us not forget that the Land of Israel is sacred not only to the Jews, but also to millions upon millions of Christians and Muslims. Moreover, it is located at the meeting point of three continents – Asia, Europe, and Africa, such that it has great strategic importance as a transportation route. Additionally, the climate is mild and the soil is fertile, making it a desirable place to live. 

Yet, the Torah foresaw that after the Jews were banished from the land, it would remain desolate and undeveloped. 

The Ramban, in his Torah commentary, explains that “in all our exiles, the land will not accept our enemies. This is also a great proof and promise for us, for nowhere else in civilization will you find a land that is good and spacious, which had always been settled, that is as desolate as the Land of Israel. Everyone tries to settle there, and no one is successful.”  

The Modern-Day Blossoming of the Land of Israel 

Did the promise that the Land of Israel will flourish when the Jews reside there come true? 

The historian Josephus Flavius, who lived during the Second Commonwealth and saw the Land of Israel before its destruction, writes in The Wars of the Jews:  

It is a rich land with ample pasture, with numerous fruit trees and a wealth of grain that attracts men from far away who love agriculture. The entire land is tilled by its inhabitants; there is no desolate stretch of land anywhere. Because of the land’s great fertility, the cities and villages of the Galilee are very populous; the smallest village has 15,000 inhabitants. 

What happened to the Land of Israel once the Jews left? Did it lie desolate, as the Torah predicted?  

Famous tourists who visited the land in the 19th century described what they witnessed. 

1. V. Schultz writes: “And what is the current state of Palestine? It has turned into a desert in comparison to its former, usual fertility. In our travel, we were forced more than once to hike for hours until we found a shady place to rest under a tree.”

Mark Twain, who visited the Holy Land in 1867, writes in Innocents Abroad: “Arrived at an elevation of twelve hundred feet above the lake (Sea of Galilee); as bald and unthrilling a panorama as any land can afford, perhaps, was spread out before us.” He continues: “Desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action… We never saw a human being on the whole route…hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.” 

In another place he describes: “Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes. Over it broods the spell of a curse that has withered its fields and fettered its energies.” He concludes: “Palestine is no more of this work-day world. It is sacred to poetry and tradition – it is dream land.” 

Professor Sir John William Dawson writes in 1888: “Until today no people have succeeded in becoming settled as a nation in Palestine. No national entity or national spirit has acquired a foothold there. That mixed multitude of sparse tribes that dwell there hold onto the land only as sharecroppers, temporary owners, and it appears as if they are awaiting those with the right to permanent ownership of the land to return.” 

Now, what happened to the Land of Israel when the Jews returned to it? Did it again flourish and bring forth fruits? 

To answer this question, we need only take a look around the Land of Israel today and feast our eyes on the green fields and blossoming fruit trees that fill the length and breadth of the Land, and take a walk in the modern cities, where we can only be amazed by the skyscrapers and enormous bridges. And to think that all this took place within only 100 years! 

Such an important event in the history of the Jewish People should certainly be foretold by one of the prophets, and sure enough, the prophet Yehezkel foresaw thousands of years ago the land’s return to prosperity when the Jews return, describing it as if it happened right before his eyes: 

Mountains of Israel, hearken to the word of Gd… So said the L-rd Gd to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the deserted cities, which became a scorn and a mockery among the remnant of the nations that are around… And you, the mountains of Israel, will produce your branches, and you will bear your fruit for My people, Israel, because they are about to come… and you will be tilled and sown. And I shall multiply men upon you, the whole house of Israel in its entirety, and the cities will be settled, and the ruins will be built up.” (Yehezkel 36:1-10) 

Yehezkel prophesies that once the Jews return, the Land will bear fruit and prosper as it had in the past. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) adds that the flourishing of the Land of Israel is a sure sign of redemption: “Rabbi Abba said: There can be no more manifest sign of the imminent redemption than that which is said: ‘And you, the mountains of Israel, will produce your branches, and you will bear your fruit for My people, Israel, because they are about to come’.” 

Rabbi Shmuel Ideles, the Maharsha, comments on this Talmudic passage: “As long as the Jewish people are not in their land, it does not yield its fruits the way it should. However, when it goes back to yielding fruits, this is a revelation of the imminent redemption and that the Jewish people will return to their Land.” 

The Torah and the Prophets promised thousands of years ago that the Land of Israel will flourish only when the Jewish people inhabit it – and we see today with our own eyes how this promise has been fulfilled. 

Rabbi Adi Cohen is the head of Maagley Yosher educational institutions, who has educated hundreds of students over 

the years.

The eternal existence of the Jewish People, despite all the upheavals and hardships that they have suffered, is truly miraculous. But what makes the wonder of Jewish survival especially awe-inspiring is the fact that this miracle was predicted already in the Torah.  

“…Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. …the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people.”  

srael’s 8,522 square miles makes it smaller than the state of Massachusetts. Yet, despite its size, this tiny strip of land is the most hotly-contested real estate in the world. It is truly miraculous that Israel exists, considering that it is surrounded by enemies that want to destroy it. 

The Ramban writes that “in all our exiles, the land will not accept our enemies. This is also a great proof and promise for us, for nowhere else in civilization will you find a land that is good and spacious, which had always been settled, that is as desolate as the Land of Israel. Everyone tries to settle there, and no one is successful.” 

Ellen Ades

Reading is the gateway to learning in school and in life. In many instances, reading specialists are the catalysts that allow students to reach their full potential. Let’s meet Carol Missry, reading specialist extraordinaire.

Carol studied for her Bachelor of Science at New York University. She worked as a certified special education teacher for over twenty years in New Jersey’s most challenging public schools. Carol eventually focused becoming a reading specialist and trained in the Orton-Gillingham method. This method is a multisensory phonics technique for remedial reading instruction. Carol integrates this method along with others, as she sees fit. Carol considers the unique needs of each of her clients, so they can make optimal progress. She has been successfully teaching private clients for the past ten years and takes particular pride in having helped children who were struggling in math and language arts to reach fluency level.

Carol shares, “When I came to PROPEL, I was advised to brush up on my computer skills by signing up for classes through SBH Career Services Division. That advice led me to acquire skills that help me manage and market my business more efficiently. PROPEL is a great resource for every woman, no matter where she is on her journey to earn.”

Carol has a special talent for connecting with her students. And she makes learning enjoyable! Carol says, “The students enjoy the sessions because I create a fun and inviting learning environment.”

I asked Carol to share a success story. She related,  “I remember one 9th grader who could not read any of the letters of the alphabet. He was not interested in English Literature, so I had to identify what did interest him. We began focusing on song lyrics. After two years he was literate and was able to read.”

Carol does not judge her students, and she meets them wherever they are academically. She knows what it takes to engage pupils and inspire them to learn. Carol is creative in her approach to teaching, and will make use of different teaching methods and learning tools. Her students respond by reaching higher and higher. She has taken unmotivated do-no-homework types of children and helped them through a metamorphosis to emerge as enthusiastic learners who fully participate in the classroom.

Carol believes parents are the best advocates for their children and they must become involved in their children’s education.

Carol offers two parting pieces of advice, for students and for parents. For students: “All children want to do well. We must develop skills and strategies that remove obstacles to learning.” For parents: “Reading can be fun. Education can be fun. Make it enjoyable!”

_________ 

If you are interested in a career or career advice, please reach out to PROPEL and we can help you take the steps to fulfill your professional goals and dreams. 

PROPEL:  Call 646-494-0822 | Email info@thepropelnetwork.org | Instagram @PropelNetwork  

The misvah of menorah is an extremely beloved misvah (Rambam). All misvot have a standard way of performance and an enhanced and more meticulous way. By the strict letter of the law, one can fulfill his obligation by lighting only one candle each night. Hanukah is so beloved, that it has been unanimously accepted for all to perform the misvah in a superior manner. We begin with a single candle on the first night, then add a candle each night, until ultimately kindling eight lights on the final night. We hope the following guide will enhance your performance of this beloved misvah. 

Who is required to light? 

Both men and women are obligated in the misvah of lighting. Although it is a time-bound commandment, which women are generally exempt from, women are obligated in this misvah as they played a significant role, through Yehudit’s actions when she killed an important Greek general.  

Unlike other misvot, such as eating massah or shaking lulav, where each person is required to perform the misvah individually, any one member ― man or woman over bar/bat misvah ― may light the menorah on behalf of the household. 

Children under the age of bar/bat misvah may light any subsequent candles after the first candle is lit by an adult, provided that they have reached the age of chinuch (i.e., they understand how to perform the misvah). 

I have a child studying out of town. Is he required to light himself? 

Children who are supported by their parents and view their parents’ house as their home are still considered part of the household. Even if they are temporarily not living in the house, they can fulfill their obligation with their parents’ lighting.  

The question becomes more complicated if the child is in a different time zone. For example, if the child is in Israel and the parents are lighting at home in America. At the time of lighting in Israel, it is not time to light in America, and when it becomes nightfall in America it is past the time for lighting in Israel. Therefore, it is preferable for the student to light himself, and according to some opinions even with a beracha. If the child is in a later time zone, for example, their home is in New York and the child is studying in L.A., then according to all opinions, a beracha is not recited. 

What should I do if I am a guest? 

One may fulfill his obligation with his host. The guest should participate in the misvah by acquiring partial ownership of the oil and wicks. For close family members visiting and sleeping over, we can assume the host gives them partial ownership, just as he allows them to eat and drink in his house without payment. Concerning other guests, it is preferable for the host to verbalize that he is giving the guest acquisition as a partial owner in the oil, wicks, etc. 

Should I use candles or oil?  

The miracle occurred through the flask of oil lasting eight days. Therefore, the preferred manner of performing this misvah is with olive oil; otherwise, candles are acceptable.  

Every Friday night while reading Bameh Madlikin, we recite a list of wicks and oils unsuitable for Shabbat candles. Some are not suitable because they do not draw the oil well, thereby causing the flame to flicker, while others are not suitable because of their odor. The objective of Shabbat candles is to enjoy and benefit from their light, and we are worried one may mistakenly adjust or tilt the flickering candle for it to light better, or he might leave the room if there is an unpleasant odor. For Hanukah, however, these wicks and oils may be used. The Hanukah candles are not for our personal use. Therefore, even if they do not light well, we are not concerned that one may adjust the candles. 

Where do I light? 

Initially, the lighting would be outside, by the entrance to the courtyard or home, as a public display of the miracles Hashem has done for us. Nowadays, that we are in exile among other nations, it is recommended in most places to light inside so as not to incite our gentile neighbors. Although when lit inside, the menorah is primarily meant to be seen by those inside the home, we light the menorah by the window so that it is also visible to passersby. 

How high should I place my menorah? 

The menorah should be placed at a height where the flames of the candles are above three tefachim (approximately 9.6 inches), and preferably below 10 tefachim (approximately 32 inches). If the menorah would only be visible to passersby outside if placed on a higher window ledge, or if there are young children around, there is no problem placing the menorah higher than 10 tefachim. 

Which side of the menorah do we start lighting from? 

On the first night, we light the rightmost candle in front of the one lighting. On the second night, a second candle will be added on the immediate left of the first candle. And so on ― every added candle is placed in the next left slot. The lighting will always begin with the newest added candle (increasingly left) so that when you actually light, your direction will bring you to move your hand toward the right. The reason to perform the lighting in a rightward direction is like all Avodah ― service in the Bet Hamikdash where the setup of the service positions the Kohen to begin at a point where his direction during his Avodah will subsequently turn toward the right. 

When is the preferred time to light the menorah?  

The preferred time to light is twenty minutes after sunset (4:55pm in the NY/NJ), or at least within a half hour after this time. If one is unable to light then, he should strive to do so as soon as possible. It is important to light while there are still passersby outside, as it is still considered lighting at the proper time. In a situation where no one will be home until late at night, one may light, as long as it is still nighttime. However, one should endeavor to have at least one other family member awake, so that the berachot can be recited according to all opinions.  

May I eat before I light?  

Once it reaches within a half hour of the time to light the menorah one should not sit down for a bread meal. However, if one already started his meal before that half hour, he may continue, though he may light during his meal.  

How do I get to the Hanukah party on time?  

One does not fulfill his misvah with what was lit at a family Hanukah party unless he is sleeping there overnight (or was sleeping there already from the night before even though he will be leaving that evening). If one would like to light quickly at home and then go, then his menorah will have to stay lit for a half hour. After this time, it is permitted to extinguish the lights. Otherwise, one can light the menorah when arriving home (as long as it is before dawn!).  

When do we light on erev Shabbat?  

Although one should first light the menorah and then light the Shabbat candles, if the wife mistakenly lit the Shabbat candles first, the husband may still light the menorah afterwards. If the woman is the one lighting the menorah, and she lit the Shabbat candles first, lighting the menorah at this point will depend on if her custom is to accept Shabbat with the lighting of the candles or not. 

What if my candles went out? 

It is proper to keep one’s hand lighting the flame until most of the wick is lit before proceeding to the next candle. Once the fire caught onto the wick properly, even if it went out within a half hour, one is not required to light again. However, it is preferable. The leftover oil or candle from it extinguishing prematurely can be used for the next night. Otherwise, it should not be disposed of like regular garbage since it was dedicated for a misvah. Therefore, it is burned, similar to leftover sacrifices. 

A project of “Ohr of the Shore.” For questions or comments, feel free to contact us at: faqs@ohrhalacha.org or (732) 359-3080.