The fast of shiva asar b’Tammuz begins the mourning period known as “The Three Weeks.” On the 17th of Tammuz, the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, and three weeks later, the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed.  It is instructive to delve deeper into the purpose of fasting, in order to enter into this sad period with the appropriate state of mind.  

The Purposes of Fasting 

The Ben Ish Chai, zt”l, writes that there are two main purposes of fasting.  The first reason is fairly apparent – that fasting diverts a person from physical involvement so that he can focus on more spiritual matters.  His second reason is a little less obvious. He explains that when a person fasts, he feels hungry and endures considerable discomfort.  By placing himself in such a predicament, he can come to a greater appreciation of the constant hunger and discomfort that a poor person faces throughout his life.  This increased awareness will heighten his feelings of pity for the poor man’s situation, and will motivate him to offer greater assistance to his unfortunate fellow. 

The Ben Ish Chai applies this explanation to clarify an enigmatic gemara in Brachot.  The gemara tells us, “The reward for fasting is charity.”  The Ben Ish Chai explains that the gemara is telling us that as a consequence of fasting a person will give more charity.  His very act of fasting will cause him to be more caring about the poor people whom he constantly encounters, and accordingly he will want to help them to a greater degree.  

It is possible to add that fasting has another benefit related to doing kindness with those less fortunate than oneself.  As well as causing a person to give more abundantly, it enables him to improve his giving in a qualitative fashion.  By temporarily placing oneself in a situation similar to that of the poor person, he is able to show a far greater sense of understanding for his fellow’s desperate situation.  When the giver shows that he truly empathizes with the receiver, then the act of giving becomes a far greater act of kindness. 

The Importance of a Friendly Attitude  

The Siftei Chaim explains an Avot d’Rebbi Nosson in this vein.  It says, “One should greet every man with a friendly countenance… if a person gives to his friend all the gifts in the world, but his face is sullen, it is considered as if he gave nothing. But one who greets his fellow with a friendly countenance, even if he gave him no gifts, it is considered as if he gave him all the best gifts in the world.”  

The Siftei Chaim writes that what people want more than anything is for others to show an interest in them and to care about them.  A gift is merely an indication that the giver thought about the needs of his fellow and considered how to give him joy.  However, without an accompanying show of warmth, the main purpose of the gift is lost, because the person does not feel as if he is being genuinely cared about.  In contrast, when a person is friendly to his fellow, even without giving any gifts, then he is providing his fellow with his main need, the desire to feel cared about.  

A person who gives charity with a friendly attitude is giving much more than money. He is nourishing the poor man with a sense of importance by showing that he is cared about.  Similarly, when the poor man feels that his fellow truly relates to his pain, then he feels a great deal of comfort that someone truly understands and cares about his plight

Understanding One’s Fellow’s Plight

Rav Shach, zt”l, excelled in doing kindness by showing an understanding of his fellow’s challenges.  On one occasion Rav Shach heard about a widower who was depressed to the point that he stopped functioning.   Rav Shach decided to visit the man in an attempt to bring him out of his depression.  Receiving no response to his knock, Rav Shach let himself in, and found the man lying motionless on the couch. “I know what you are going through,” Rav Shach said to the man.  “I’m also a widower.  My world is dark and I have no joy.”  The man’s eyes lit up for the first time in months. This encounter was the catalyst of the man’s resumption of a normal life.  What was Rav Shach’s secret? By stressing that he too experienced the feelings of losing a spouse, he showed the man that somebody truly understood his pain. 

In this instance, the giver had first-hand experience of being in the receiver’s situation.  When one is fortunate enough not to endure the same difficulty, he must adapt the lesson of the Ben Ish Chai and try to somehow place himself in a state where he can somewhat relate to his fellow’s plight.  Rav Noach Orlowek, shlit”a, applies this lesson to help people empathize with those who lose family members through some kind of tragedy.  He suggests that when one hears about such a tragedy he should spend a short time thinking about how he would feel if this happened to someone close to him.  In this way, one can develop a far greater sense of empathy with those who suffer tragedy. 

This lesson of fasting is particularly relevant to “The Three Weeks.” Chazal say that the Second Beit HaMikdash was destroyed because of failings in the area of bein adam lechaveiro.  A failure to empathize with the situation of one’s fellow is one of the main causes for such flaws.  It is far easier for a person to harm others when he has no sensitivity to the pain that he causes them.  The Ben Ish Chai teaches us that fasting can be an effective way of eroding one’s apathy for his fellow Jews.  May we utilize the fast of shiva asar b’Tammuz to improve our conduct in bein adam lechaveiro. 

An Inside ArtScroll interview with Rabbi Meyer Yedid upon the release of the biography of his father, Hacham Yom Tob Yedid, zt”l 

Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger: There’s so much to talk about in this book. It encompasses so much history, your father’s fascinating life, his strength of character, and how he raised a community. Can you give us a brief background of who he was? 

Rabbi Meyer Yedid: My father was a great man. He had a history different than most rabbis these days. He was born in Aleppo, Syria, at a time when the community had thousands of families, but people were starting to move out to the West. Even at a young age, he connected to Torah learning and stayed in the bet midrash. It wasn’t very popular for a young man to stay in learning, but he did. His entire family eventually moved to Israel, but he stayed alone. He continued learning with his rebbi, Rabbi Moshe Tawil. He had a strong mind and dedicated himself to Torah Learning. 

Rabbi Hisiger: Where were you born? 

Rabbi Yedid: I was born in Syria, but 50 years later. My father wasn’t really a person of words. He never spoke much about where and how he grew up. So this book really opens up the history, not only of his life, but of the community’s. Even for someone like me who was born there, I didn’t really know most of it until I read the book. 

Rabbi Hisiger: The author, Mrs. Devorah Gliksman, worked five years on this book. It’s not just a documentation of his life. It’s about the entire community in this very specific time period. There’s so much intrigue and drama, and as the reader goes from page to page, they won’t want to put it down. 

One of the things that I noticed in the book is that your father was a loving, caring person, but he was a real “kana’i.” Did you know him as that tough, strongminded individual?  

Rabbi Yedid: With his family, he wasn’t really like that. You saw that he was strongminded, but he really let us be. I always tell my chassanim that my father got involved in our lives when we were young, but once we got married, he was hands-off. He never told us what to do. Looking back, that was part of his chochmah. He understood that it’s important to take a step back and let us find our way. 

Rabbi Hisiger: I think that’s even more incredible to hear, because as you read the book, you see that he clearly possessed an unbelievable strength of character to stand up and do what’s right, even when he was alone in Syria. You are a rabbi today of Shaare Zion, a large congregation, Can you imagine doing some of the things he did? 

Rabbi Yedid: Most definitely not! You have to remember that it was a different world and a completely different community. One man had to run the entire show – the schools, shechitah, milah, all halachic questions, and so on. It was a tremendous responsibility. 

Rabbi Hisiger: You speak about how after your father was niftar, you found many of his writings. How did he do that without many resources in Syria? 

Rabbi Yedid: You’re right. They had the basics, but there was no kollel of 100 people learning. It’s amazing that he had the time and ability to write books upon books on every subject, especially with the responsibility of the community on his shoulders. 

Rabbi Hisiger: There’s a story in the book about the time your father made a group of students swear that they wouldn’t take an important exam on Shabbat.  

Rabbi Yedid: You need to remember that each community back then was completely insulated, and there were standards for how one had to behave. In those kinds of communities, there was such a high level of purity that sometimes you had to give up important things to maintain that. 

Rabbi Hisiger: Which part of the new book has given you chizuk in the way you lead your community? 

Rabbi Yedid: One of the things that stands out in my mind is that my father, no matter what he was doing in his life, was learning Torah. When he was younger, that’s all he did. When he was chief rabbi of thousands of people and had so many responsibilities, he was learning Torah.   

Rabbi Hisiger: For the many people buying the book, what inspiration do you want them to take, aside from the lesson of learning Torah? 

Rabbi Yedid: Very often, we get scared to say or do the right thing. We should be sensitive to other people and their feelings, but nothing should hold us back from doing Gd’s will and doing the right thing. 

Another lesson to learn from my father is that he truly cared about each and every child in the yeshivah, spending countless hours to ensure that every child could read and know the basics. He wanted to make sure that each one would live a Jewish life. You’ll see that quite a bit in the biography. 

The new book, For the Sake of Heaven, published by ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, is now available at your local Hebrew bookseller and at ArtScroll.com.  

Watch the full interview with Rabbi Yedid at Inside.ArtScroll.com. 

In April 2022, the Anti-Defamation League reported that in 2021 anti-Semitic incidents reached a historic high across America. As a child of Holocaust survivors these hateful acts are very distressing to me. Shoah survivors in their nineties, have been using social media to fight the spread of anti-Semitism. 

The World Jewish Congress serves a vital role in combating anti-Semitism, supporting Jewish communities, and functioning as the diplomatic arm of the Jewish people. The hateful rhetoric on the internet and the misinformation posted on social media have sparked random acts of violence, and strategies are needed to contend with anti-Semitism on this additional front. 

I recently attended a WJC online seminar entitled “The Abraham Accords: Building Bridges to the Future.” Joseph Tawil, a graduate of Flatbush Yeshiva, hosted this engaging session. I learned about WJC’s mission, its global reach, their essential programs, and that more members of the Sephardic community are joining its leadership programs.

Of the many eye-opening facts I heard was that there are more influencers on social media platforms than there are Jews in the world. This statistic is quite frightening. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder is committed to fighting anti-Semitism on this frontier. Mr. Lauder is an internationally prominent businessman, philanthropist, and community and civic leader with a deep commitment to his Jewish heritage.

Primarily, WJC’s remarkable brand of supporting Jews everywhere embodies the Jewish value that all Jews are responsible for one another. This idiom is at the core of the Jewish concept of communal responsibility. The WJC’s mission includes defending ourselves in human rights issues and safeguarding our Jewish brothers and sisters.

The WJC is the only representative body of Jewish communities in more than 100 countries that stands steadfastly with Israel on the global stage and leads the fight against anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hatred. 

Roots and Accomplishments

Two-hundred-thirty delegates representing Jewish communities in 32 countries met in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1936 to establish the WJC. The danger to the Jews was clear and present:  Jews in Nazi Germany were being persecuted and stripped of their rights, and a growing wave of anti-Semitism was striking Jews across Europe.

The newly founded organization had the following goals: to mobilize the Jewish people and the democratic forces against the Nazi onslaught; to fight for equal political and economic rights everywhere; to support the establishment of a Jewish national homeland in Palestine; and to create a world-wide Jewish representative body based on the concept of the unity of the Jewish people. 

Throughout World War Two, WJC actively lobbied the Allied governments to grant visas to Jewish refugees from Europe and to restore Jewish minority rights in liberated areas. Though not the first message to reach the Allies about the Nazi’s plans to murder the Jews of Europe, a telegram sent by Gerhart Riegner, WJC’s representative in Geneva, to the U.S. State Department led to increased awareness and reaction to the atrocities committed

After the war, the WJC started to rebuild Jewish communities in Europe, helped displaced persons and Shoah survivors, pressed for Germany’s indemnification of victims of Nazi persecution, and advocated for the punishment of Nazi leaders for crimes against humanity.

The WJC was among those who lobbied the United Nations and governments to support the establishment of the State of Israel.

During the 1990s, Congress also petitioned for the restitution of assets of Holocaust victims held in Swiss and other countries’ bank accounts and ensured that the funds were returned to their rightful owners or that adequate compensation was paid. Commissions were established to investigate Holocaust-era assets such as looted art and recovered funds utilized for diverse programs. Under the leadership of WJC President Edgar Bronfman, the WJC exposed the Nazi past of Austrian President and UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim.

The WJC’s search for justice for forced laborers during the Holocaust resulted in the creation of an $8.63 billion German fund in 2001.

The WJC has been at the forefront of fostering a better understanding with other religions and facilitated the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See (the secular arm of the Vatican) in 1993.

Today’s WJC 

Today, the WJC is the only global Jewish organization with affiliated communities and organizations in over 100 countries around the world. It is committed to ensuring the safety of Jewish communities globally, protecting and defending Jews everywhere, and standing up to hate.

Empowering Jewish Leaders of Tomorrow 

The WJC sponsors a number of programs. The Jewish Diplomatic Corps (JDCorps) is its flagship program.  Others include: NextGen, The Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA), The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP), The Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR), Yiddish Center, and Webtalks. 

The WJC JDCorps is a diplomatic impact and leadership program of young Jewish professionals engaged in public diplomacy. Led by the vision and leadership of President Lauder, the Jewish Diplomatic Corps empowers the new generations of outstanding Jewish leaders.

The group is a highly selective international network of over 360 members from 60 countries receiving opportunities, experience, and skills to impact Jewish interest through diplomacy and public policy. Its objective is to represent and strengthen the Jewish communities, ensuring their strong voice in global affairs today and for decades to come.

Tikkun Olam Actions Against COVID-19

When COVID-19 hit, the JDCorps proactively and passionately supported Jewish communities around the world, as they confronted unprecedented challenges caused by this global crisis. As Jewish communities redirected their activities to the digital sphere, the JDCorps launched virtual projects to ensure that their advocacy work continued undiminished.

Its online advocacy efforts include a series of interviews of key experts by JDCorps members on Facebook Live. A wide variety of issues are discussed including the United Nations’ fight against anti-Semitism, the latest in the field of Holocaust education, Israel’s battle to end the bias at the UN Human Rights Council, and more. Through this digital platform, JDCorps can continue to share and discuss firsthand what is happening in the world, even from a distance, and reaches a broad audience in their homes. 

Practicing tikkun olam, the Jewish directive to “repair the world,” often translated as pursuing social justice, JDCorps members reacted swiftly, shifting their business models and their focuses.  For example, members moved from whiskey production to manufacturing and providing free hand sanitizers for first responders, others installed mobile hospitals in Peru to screen and treat patients for COVID-19, and yet others assembled Passover packages to the elderly in Israel, and more.  

Crisis in Ukraine 

The WJC continues to stand ready to help in any way possible when our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine and hundreds of thousands of refugees are suffering. Through the WJC Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Effort, the WJC is raising critical funds to ensure that those displaced by the current tragedy, and the people of Ukraine who are enduring horrific hardships, will receive the aid they desperately need for food, water, shelter, medicine, and resettlement. 

Building Bridges  

Getting back to the Abraham Accords online seminar, the Keynote Speaker was Dr. Efrat Sopher, a member of the Executive Committee of the WJC and a member of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps. She recently joined a 40-member delegation from 20 countries who participated in a week-long visit to the United Arab Emirates for high-level meetings with government representatives, think tanks, business leaders, and faith communities. Moderating the exciting discussion was our own Jennifer Sutton, a JDCorps member and Executive Director of the Council for a Secure America, an organization dedicated to promoting U.S. energy independence, its impact on U.S. foreign policy, and the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Israel. 

The key question: are there optimistic signs in the region that we can look to in the hope of a safer and more peaceful outlook for Israel? The answer was a resounding yes. JDCorps delegates engaged in open and frank talks with a range of UAE officials, sensed their leadership was open to their ideas and are hopeful that their visit was not only a one-time mission.  

For questions about the WJC, the JDCorps or to get involved, please email Isaac Choua, Operations Manager, JDCorps and WJC Liaison, at isaac.choua@wjc.org. 

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

This past month, PROPEL hosted its third graduation at The Center. The graduation celebration showcases PROPEL’s accomplishments through the achievements of clients who have completed their certificate studies or educational programs and are now ready to enter the workforce.

The room was full of proud family and friends of the graduates. The graduates were all adorned in their graduation sashes. They were followed by their coaches, Ellen Ades and Gitta Neufeld. Among the guests were PROPEL’s proud board members, President Dr. Gayle Krost, Michael Haddad, Jacqueline Harary, Elaine Parker, and Gitta Kaplan. In addition, many of the mentors from PROPEL’s “Weaving a Network: Women Helping Women,”  were in the audience applauding the accomplishments of the PROPEL graduates.

PROPEL’s Co-Executive Directors, Randi Eisenstein and Alissa Shams, and Director of Operations, Viviane Darwish, welcomed the guests, and praised the graduates for all of their successes. They also thanked all those community members who support PROPEL and its mission to inspire, train, and educate women to enter the workforce.

Dr. Gayle Krost, President of the PROPEL Board of Directors, expressed her heartfelt congratulations to the graduates and shared some exciting updates about PROPEL. Over the last six years, PROPEL has coached over 800 women, graduated over 200, and currently assists over 50 women in graduate school.

Ellen Ades, PROPEL’s career coach, proudly introduced Michelle Saad, who inspired the audience with her personal story and accomplishments in the workforce. Michelle, a wife and mother of four, reached out to PROPEL several years ago to hone her professional skills. With Ellen’s guidance, Michelle began taking computer courses, and worked diligently to gain skills essential in today’s workplace. Michelle succeeded in building a career and is proud to be a role model to her children. Michelle’s beautiful testimonial included words from her husband, who sees Michelle as a heroine who tapped into her inner strengths as she re-entered the workforce. PROPEL, Michelle’s husband noted, is the organization that helped her entire family move forward.

Gitta Neufeld, PROPEL’s educational consultant, proudly introduced Sally Baraka. Sally is a PROPEL Ed Touro graduate who is receiving a dual master’s degree in Jewish Education and Special Education. She is currently teaching at Yeshiva Prep and is applying the skills she acquired. During the pandemic, Sally reached out to PROPEL for guidance and help with determining how to best utilize her strengths and experiences. Gitta has helped Sally throughout her educational journey at Touro, and she continues to mentor Sally as she advances in her career.

The keynote speaker and awardee of the evening was Shifra Hanon, a well-known educator at Yeshivah of Flatbush, and namesake of The Shifra Hanon Pathfinders program. In addition to her many heartfelt hesed endeavors, Shifra is very involved in PROPEL’s mentorship program in conjunction with UJA – “Weaving a Network – Women Helping Women.” Evet Ballas, a PROPEL ambassador and entrepreneur extraordinaire (Light Lab Design), spoke beautifully about the many fine character traits that Shifra possesses. The audience was touched when Evet relayed the kindness that she experienced firsthand in high school from Ms. Hanon. Evet was a 14-year-old immigrant, new  in this country, with limited English-speaking skills, and Ms. Hanon took her under her wing.

Shifra, a woman of great humility, emotionally accepted the beautiful personalized Eshet Hayil plaque, whose words so befit her. Evet was one of Shifra’s many touch points throughout her career, and they continue to maintain a beautiful and supportive relationship.

Shifra has used her energies and talents to support those around her, and make them feel like they can accomplish anything. She exemplifies mentorship and there is no better PROPEL role model to honor for this accomplishment. Shifra spoke volumes about her love of PROPEL and her continued role as both mentor and advisor to community members.

Most fitting was the establishment of the Shifra Hanon Scholarship Fund. It was so fitting that fund Caroll Dweck Sutton announced the new fund. Shifra’s is Carol’s protégée and beloved colleague at Yeshiva of Flatbush.

The graduation concluded with the presentation of certificates by PROPEL’s board members. Receiving those certificates, testifying to the students’ perseverance and success, proved to be an incredibly proud moment for both PROPEL graduates and supporters alike. The song We Are The Champions rang loudly as the audience cheered during the closing montage, showcasing the accomplishments of the multi-faceted organization that is PROPEL. 

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

Please reach out to PROPEL: 

*If you are interested in a career or career advice; PROPEL can help you take the steps to fulfill your professional goals and dreams.

*If you are interested in joining PROPEL’s cohort of mentors in PROPEL’s “Weaving a Network: Women Helping Women” program or being paired with a mentor.