New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera at the 2019 CUFI Washington Summit, July 9, 2019. Credit: CUFI.
In Washington for the annual summit by Christians United for Israel, he took some time to talk about the Jewish state and what it means to him
By: Jackson Richman
Legendary closer. Thirteen-time All-Star. Five-time World Series champion (earning the WS MVP in 1999). Devout Christian. Israel advocate.
On July 21, New York Yankees icon Mariano Rivera, 49, will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the first player to be unanimously picked.
This week, he was in Washington, D.C., for the annual summit by Christians United for Israel, where he was a speaker.
Rivera, who holds the Major League Baseball record for most career saves, has been to Israel twice: in 2015 and 2018.
Mariano Rivera with soldiers of the Michve Alon Israel Defense Forces base in front of the Fitness Center donated by the FIDF Long Island Chapter, July 31, 2018. Credit: Nir Buxenbaum Photography.
JNS talked with Rivera in person. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: Tell us about Israel and why you are such an advocate, especially having traveled to Israel last year.
A: The experience that I had in Israel just speaks volumes in it of itself. The experience that I had there, it was amazing. There are no words to describe what I experienced, what I felt. Jesus was a Christian. He was Jewish. He fulfilled the Old Testament. When it comes to that he did everything as a Jew, I love that. I understand that, as my Savior, the Bible speaks about Israel and the Jews. And that’s his people.
Q: Did you ever witness anti-Semitism growing up in Panama?
A: I never saw anti-Semitism growing up in Panama. I was in a small village called Puerto Caimito, a fishing village, so I never saw it. The Jewish population in Panama is huge—big and great people. I have great friends and, no, I never saw anti-Semitism in Panama at all.
Q: What is your reaction to Guatemala, Honduras and Brazil forging ties with Israel?
A: To me, that’s a great decision. Hopefully, Honduras and Brazil will move their embassy to Jerusalem, where they belong. Being friends with Israel is a smart decision.
Q: Israel’s baseball team made a remarkable run in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Were you able to meet with the team during your visit?
A: I didn’t have the chance to meet with them, but they made a remarkable run, great games. I was cheering for them. All the principles and fundamentals that they have is based on the Bible; that’s what they believe. That’s why I’m always in tune with that.
Mariano Rivera. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Q: Does Major League Baseball have a role in recruiting players from Israel? Does the league have a role in the U.S.-Israel relationship, considering baseball’s international appeal?
A: I can’t answer that question because I’m not in MLB anymore. But at the same time, I hope that if they don’t, they will because they’re recruiting players also, so having that great relationship with Israel would be smart so they can bring the game to Israel and recruit more players from Israel.
Q: You were the closer of a team in one of the heavily Jewish populated places in the world. What were your interactions with the Jewish and pro-Israel community there?
A: My interaction with the Jewish community in New York? I have great friends, rabbis, friends who are Jewish that are amazing, beautiful people.
I went to Israel with a few friends of mine that are rabbis; to me, that was fascinating. We had a great time, and we’re working to do it again. That’s how powerful it was. Most of them were from New York.
The trip was to go to Israel and understand what Israel is all about—what is our G-d and just the people in general. How wonderful it was.
I believe that part of me is Jewish. I have to take a DNA test to see where my family came from, where I come from—all that stuff because I truly believe there’s something in me that just moves me to have something special for the Jewish community and Israel.
Q: What are your thoughts on the current baseball season? The Yankees are on a roll.
A: The Yankees are on quite a roll. Hopefully, they continue winning. My prayers are that they go all the way.
Q: Is there anything else our readers should know about you?
A: You want to know more about Israel, come to Israel. Visit Israel. It’s a place like no other. It doesn’t matter what kind of religion you are, if you are religious or not. Just come and see with your own eyes to understand what it is all about. That is the best thing that I can say. Before you make a comment, you need to go there and find out.
Lucette Lagnado, then 6, and her family pose for a family portrait on the eve of their exodus from Egypt in the 1960s
By: Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
Lucette Lagnado never stopped fighting. “She was a courageous and brilliant reporter and writer,” explained Paul Steiger, former Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal where Ms. Lagnado covered health care issues. The famous WSJ reporter died last week at the age of 63.
In The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, Ms. Lagnado describes the Jewish heritage her father left. Even in his declining years, wracked by ill health and living in a tiny apartment, he filled his days with giving
An article she wrote shed light on Josef Mengele’s gruesome experiments on Auschwitz prisoners and led to her 1991 book Children of the Flames about the survivors and their descendants. It was her memoirs about her own family, however, that brought Ms. Lagnado greatest fame. Her twin books The Arrogant Years (2011) about her mother Edith, and the award-winning book The Man in the Sharkskin Suit (2007) about her father Leon, brought to life the vibrant Jewish world of Egypt her family fled, and described their difficult acclimation to life in the United States and her longing for the world she’d left behind.
Ms. Lagnado was six years old in 1963 when her family fled Egypt. Her grandparents had moved there from Aleppo, and for years, her large extended family enjoyed a robust Jewish life in Cairo and Alexandria, which at the time boasted some of the largest and most established Jewish communities in the world.
On Friday nights, Ms. Lagnado recalled, her father had his pick of synagogues to attend in the Jewish quarter of Cairo. “When services were over,” she described in The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, “the exquisitely dressed men once again crowded the streets, laughing and joking as they hurried home to their wives and children, anxious to sample the special Friday-night cooking whose smells filled the night air of Ghamra” neighborhood.
Even in the darkest days of World War II, when it seemed that Nazi troops were poised to take over Egypt, Egyptian Jews comforted themselves that the Jewish community would be safe. “Dieu est grand” (God is great), Ms. Lagnado’s father Leon would say whenever his neighbors feared for their lives.
Egyptian Jews’ sense of security shattered after Israel was established in 1948. Anti-Semitism began to increase, and during the 1952 revolution in Egypt, foreign and Jewish-owned businesses in Cairo were attacked, burned and destroyed. Several people, including a young Jewish woman visiting from Alexandria, were killed in the riots. Jews, whose families had lived in Egypt for generations, began to face hatred and violence and fled.
The Lagnados considered moving after the riots of 1952, but stayed put for over a decade, while their Jewish community found themselves increasingly targeted and dwindling as more and more Egyptian Jews sought shelter Israel or the United States. Caroline Lagnado, Lucette’s niece, recalled her father Ezra Cesar Lagnado telling her that for years after the 1952 riots he and other Jews remember “walking fearfully outside, anxious not to be attacked”. Suddenly, Jews were the enemy in Egypt, regarded as non-Egyptians, despite their thousands of years of history there.
By the late 1950s, Lucette Lagnado recalled, Jews were being attacked and were panicking. The “grand synagogue on Adly Street” in Cairo had become, she wrote, “a hub of frenetic activity, the scene every day of hurried weddings. As families prepared to flee to any country that would have them, as they plotted their escape literally to the ends of the earth – Australia, Venezuela, Canada, South Africa, Brazil – young lovers chose to tie the knot lest they be separated forever. Engagements that would have lasted months were now barely a couple of days, while weddings that usually took a whole evening were performed in an hour.”
Jewish couples would sometimes go directly from their weddings in the synagogues to the piers to catch boats out of Egypt. “There wasn’t even time to cry,” Ms. Lagndano described. “There was only a feeling that one had to get out at any cost.”
Much of the Lagnado family fled to Israel. Life wasn’t easy there. In the 1950s, Israel was a poor state besieged by hostile armies from all sides, and it was struggling to absorb nearly a million Jewish refugees who’d been forced out of their homes in Arab lands like the Lagdanos. Ms. Lagnado’s grandmother and other relatives found themselves living in small farming communities across the Jewish state. Life was difficult. Her grandmother used to sing songs about the beautiful smell of orange blossoms back in Egypt, but now wrote saying she was living amongst orange groves in Israel and tiring of the scent she’d once found so alluring.
When the violence and anti-Semitism around them grew too great to ignore, Ms. Lagnado’s family decided life might be easier in the United States. It was a wrenching decision and in many ways her family never truly recovered.
The weeks before their departure were frenetic with preparations. Lucette, her parents, two brothers and sister all had new wardrobes made. Seeking ways to bring out some of the family’s savings, Ms. Lagnado’s father hired a man who owned a canning company to seal gold and jewelry into cans of marmalade to escape detection. (Fearing they would be discovered, he later opened the cans and gave away their contents; the family arrived in New York in 1963 with only $212, the amount they were officially allowed to bring out of Egypt.)
After 18 months of makeshift living first in Paris then in New York, the Lagnados finally moved into a tiny Brooklyn apartment. They found that life in America was much more difficult than they’d anticipated. Upper class in Egypt, the Lagnados were suddenly penniless refugees in New York. They’d brought 26 suitcases with them from Egypt, filled with ballgowns and other custom-made clothes, but they never opened them in their new home. (Years later, the suitcases were burned in a house fire, their finery never worn.) A well-meaning social worker pressured Lucette’s older brother to go to work in menial jobs instead of attending college, a decision that he deeply regretted for many years. An anti-Semitic landlord evicted the family from their first apartment. Without connections, speaking broken English, the Lagnados found themselves vulnerable and adrift.
Perhaps nothing made the Lagnados realize how different their new life was than the humiliating experience of eating in the local kosher soup kitchen. The women who volunteered there were kind, Ms. Lagdano recalled, but nothing could disguise the fact that the family which once had given charity was now receiving it.
Many other Jewish families from Egypt were also pouring into Brooklyn, and they established a vibrant community, reviving some of the sense of fellowship their members had enjoyed in Egypt. “The congregation was booming,” Ms. Lagnado recalled. “They prayed in the exact way that they had in Egypt, determined to allow nothing to change, despite the fact that they now lived thousands of miles from Cairo.” Ms. Lagnado’s father found a loving home in the resurrected community of Egyptian Jews, while some other members of her family rebelled.
Ms. Lagnado was shocked to meet Jews who were entirely secular, and soon felt pressure to give up her Jewish traditions. Ms. Lagnado’s sister left the family and their traditional way of life, and Ms. Lagnado herself began to separate from the warm Jewish traditions of her family. When she first came to America, Ms. Lagnado had an English teacher who taught her the word “broken”, smashing crockery in class so that students could describe various items as broken. As the years went by in New York, Ms. Lagnado came to realize how apt the metaphor was: much of her family life seemed to be broken in their new home. Increasingly, Ms. Lagnado mourned the loss of Jewish life and sense of community her family knew in Egypt.
In her final year of high school, tragedy struck: Ms. Lagnado was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She had the good fortune to come under the care of an eminent physician, Dr. Burton J. Lee III, M.D., who would later go on to become the private doctor of Pres. George W. H. Bush. Dr. Lee became a trusted friend and mentor of Ms. Lagnado, and years later she asked him about something that had always puzzled her.
When she was first admitted to the hospital, Dr. Lee and her father had a private talk that left her father extremely emotional. What did her father say, she wanted to know. Dr. Lee recalled their conversation perfectly decades later. Ms. Lagdano’s father had implored and begged Dr. Lee to take on his daughter as a patient. Dr. Lee was intending to treat Ms. Lagnado anyway, he recalled, but there was something in her father’s demeanor that haunted him for decades. Noting his desperation at the time, Dr. Lee remembers thinking, ‘This man has no cards left to play” as he begged for his daughter’s life.
Ms. Lagnado saw it differently. Her father Leon was utterly devoted to her and to his family; “by breaking down and pleading his case like a mendicant and invoking me again and again,” she wrote, “my father had in fact found one last card he could play,” helping his daughter once more. Luckily, Ms. Lagnado responded well to her cancer treatment and recovered sufficiently to attend Vassar College, then graduate school at Columbia University, then pursue an award-winning career in journalism.
In the 1980s, Ms. Lagnado’s parents became very ill; the poor care they received led her to focus on health care as a journalist. Yet it was their family legacy and their legacy as Jews that she wanted them to be remembered for most.
In The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, Ms. Lagnado describes the Jewish heritage her father left. Even in his declining years, wracked by ill health and living in a tiny apartment, he filled his days with giving. Ms. Lagnado gives a poignant sample of the envelopes filling his apartment. “Pay to the order of ‘The Institute to Uplift the Souls of the Holy’, $5; pay to the order of ‘The Orphans of Jerusalem’, my father would write in his tremulous hand, $10. Pay to the order of ‘The Light of Life Girls’ College, $15….” His desk wall piled high with thank you notes and pictures from the many charities he supported. He was always haunted by loss – the loss of his warm community in Egypt, the loss of tradition as his family members shed Jewish practice – but Ms. Lagnado also wanted people to remember the communities he helped build and support.
Ms. Lagnado married fellow journalist Douglas Feiden 1995. Sadly, as a result of the cancer treatment she received as a teenager she was never able to have children. She is survived by Mr. Feiden, as well as by her numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives. Ms. Lagnado also leaves a precious heritage to all of us, who are enriched by her beautiful writing and her descriptions of the Jewish worlds she loved, lost – and at times rediscovered.
In her book The Arrogant Years, Ms. Lagnado described how she left the Orthodox Jewish traditions she grew up in, and the loss and sadness she felt at their absence. She also beautifully describes rediscovering the warm Jewish lifestyle she craved years later, after she tracked down a beloved childhood friend who still lived in the heart of the Sephardi Orthodox Jewish community in Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn. Now a grandmother, Ms. Lagnado’s friend welcomed her back with open arms.
“In my absence” Ms. Lagnado wrote, “the (Orthodox Jewish) Community…had grown and flourished… Families stuck together here, and children lived near their loved ones even when they were grown… Above all, the Community took care of its own, my friend reminded me.” It was all so much like the close-knit community Ms. Lagnado’s parents described in Egypt, and for which Ms. Lagnado longed all her life.
In Brooklyn’s Orthodox community, “If someone was sick and infirm,” Ms. Lagnado described, “there were armies of volunteers rushing to visit them and comfort them and bring them soup. A bride in need of a trousseau could count on getting the fine clothes and gowns she needed…. It was exactly as the Jews had functioned back in old Cairo and in long-ago Aleppo, as it had in the world of the pasha and his wife, when philanthropy was personal as well as communal…” Ms. Lagnado had once again found the lost world of her youth.
“We have Thanksgiving every week,” she learned from her Orthodox friend, in the form of warm Shabbat and holiday meals. Ever the brilliant reporter, Ms. Lagnado wanted to convey that beauty and way of life. After a lifetime of yearning for the community and spirituality she’d had in Egypt, her gift to us lay in part in sharing the wonder she felt at finding this vibrant Jewish community once more in America.
“It was the siren song (my friend) had sung for years – every time I had run into her – a melody that filled me with yearning and where the lyrics consisted of only two words,” Ms. Lagnado wrote in her inimitable style of the Orthodox Jewish life she’d improbably discovered late in life: “Come back come back come back come back.”
Thousands of young people were among the 50,000 who gathered at the Rebbe's resting place to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his passing. (Credit for all photos: Bentzi Sasson)
Thousands of young people are among the 50,000 who visited the Ohel for Gimmel Tammuz
By: Karen Schwartz
Eitan Suss, left, with his father, mother, brother and sister last week at the Ohel.
When 16-year old Eitan Suss of Teaneck, N.J., first heard about the Ohel a few years ago, he told his parents that he wanted to go, and they were happy to oblige. Eitan first went with his father and then with friends from school. Late last week, he returned with his family ahead of Gimmel Tammuz, the anniversary of the Rebbe’s passing, when an estimated 50,000 people flocked to the site.
“Every single time, it just felt very peaceful and very holy there,” he says of the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, and his father-in-law, the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory. “When I need something, it feels like the place I need to go. If I need to daven [‘pray’] for something or do something better, going there makes me feel like I’m going to accomplish it. I feel like I see Hashem [G d] in everything I do after that,” the student at Torah Academy of Bergen County, N.J., tells Chabad.org. “Everything’s clear.”
Young yeshiva boys visit the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, and his father-in-law, the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
Eitan says he is intrigued by the power of the Rebbe’s blessings, and how much the Rebbe cared about people—all people, Jews and non-Jews alike. Being at the Ohel is an experience he says he is glad to get to share with his family. “I asked my siblings, and they said they would definitely want to go again,” he says. “Now it can be a family event.”
While the young man’s experience of the Ohel is new to him personally, the significance of visiting the Rebbe’s resting place is understood by the 50,000 people who were at Ohel over the past week, as well as for the millions who have visited there in the 25 years since the Rebbe’s passing.
Hundreds of thousands visit throughout the year, including tens of thousands of young people, when Jews and non-Jews alike seek blessings, spiritual guidance and inspiration. In addition to personal visits, the site annually receives more than 500,000 prayer requests via email and fax, and many visitors over the past week brought petitions for blessings from friends and family around the world.
‘A Really Spiritual Place’
Young women davening at the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Eitan’s father, Jason Suss, says his family finds the Ohel to be a “really spiritual place.” He and his wife, Pnina, and three of their four kids (the fourth was at camp) went to visit the Ohel ahead of the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit. Long familiar with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement since his kids went to Chabad schools when they were younger, Jason Suss says they’re inspired by the Rebbe’s work. “He changed the world,” says Suss. “I think he had a vision that was really not limited by space or time.”
As such, Chabad continues to flourish with centers opening in numerous countries since the Rebbe’s passing 25 years ago, notes Suss. “How many people have been turned on to Judaism? How many people have been inspired to do good things in the world? He really had a love for people, for the human race—it’s really something very unique and very special.”
Suss’s family has been especially engaged with Chabad in recent months, and upon their visit to the Ohel, discovered people from all walks of life visiting the site and connecting with those gathered there.
“One of the most impressive things we saw at the Ohel was that there were hundreds of people angling and jostling and squishing to get in there, but everybody was happy,” he says. They were all inspired by the same message, he says—a message of goodness, openness and kindness. “There were so many people in one small place. Everybody was there for the same reason and really there on the same side.”
Young People a Fixture at the Ohel
Throughout the year, thousands of young people like Eitan visit the Ohel, some with their families, some with their schools.
There has been a plethora of news regarding Facebook and its privacy scandal, including an enormous data leak to a political research firm Cambridge Analytica. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
By: Ezra Ashkenazi
There has been a plethora of news regarding Facebook and its privacy scandal, including an enormous data leak to a political research firm Cambridge Analytica. According to The Post, the Federal Trade Commission opened its investigation in March 2018, after hearing reports that Cambridge Analytica had personal information about almost 100 million Facebook users, and that using this personal information, they were sending political ads during the 2016 presidential election.
The Federal Trade Commission opened its investigation in March 2018, after hearing reports that Cambridge Analytica had personal information about almost 100 million Facebook users. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The scandal has finally come to an end with the Federal Trade Commission penalizing Facebook with an astounding 5 billion dollar fine. The next largest fine was given to Google, they were fined 22.5 million dollars, an amount that is inconsequential compared to Facebook’s fine. According to a New York Post article, the penalty was approved with a vote of three to two, the three being all Republicans and the two being Democrats. For investors, however, the fine is incomparable to the penalties that Facebook was threatened with.
One of the possible penalties being a relocation of Facebook’s acquisitions, one of them being Instagram, and another being WhatsApp. Wall street feared that the FTC would punish Facebook with more than just a fine, so investors all took a huge sigh of relief when that wasn’t so. In conclusion, although Facebook was slapped with a record- breaking fine, Wall Street is happy that the fine is all they were slapped with.
(Ezra Ashkenazi is currently an intern in the Jewish Voice Student Journalist Initiative)
The City Rent Stabilization Association and the Community Housing Improvement Program have both filed cases in the Eastern District claiming that New York's law violates both the Due Process and Takings clauses of the United States Constitution
By: Daniel Jay Korenman
Do New York State’s new rent-control laws violate landlords’ constitutional rights?
Landlords intend to find out in federal court. They are challenging New York’s recent reform measures in a lawsuit filed Monday night. It claims that rent laws approved last month violate both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of New York property owners.
“Specifically, the suit says the expanded rent-control laws violate the Fifth Amendment Takings Clause, which states that private property cannot “be taken for public use, without just compensation,” reported Crain’s New York Business. “The landlord groups are betting that the Supreme Court will hear their challenge. The court considered hearing a case challenging New York’s rent laws in 2012 but ultimately let stand a U.S. appeals court decision on the matter. In that case, a landlord had similarly argued that rent control represented an unconstitutional taking of property but was ruled against by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York. But the Supreme Court is more conservative now than it was then.”
The Rent Stabilization Association said that, together with The Community Housing Improvement Program, it commenced a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, challenging the constitutionality of the State’s Rent Stabilization Law (RSL) and charging that the RSL, as amended by the Legislature this past June, violates the Due Process and Takings clauses of the United States Constitution.
“In short, the RSL, already vulnerable to challenge, was made even more vulnerable as the result of the June amendments and other recent court decisions which have provided RSA with the legal arguments to challenge the entire RSL system. Among its numerous claims, the lawsuit asserts that the City has never adequately justified its every-three-year declaration of a “housing emergency”; the RSL does not target affordable housing to those in need; the RSL is not a rational means of ensuring socio-economic or racial diversity, and the RSL is not a rational means to increase the vacancy rate,” the group said on its web site.
According to www.unlawfulrentregs.com, the RSL, first enacted in 1969 and revised numerous times – most recently in June 2019 – “has, in over 50 years, never achieved the objectives claimed by its proponents, which include providing affordable housing to low income families, reducing the city’s housing crisis and maintaining socio-economic and racial diversity in the city. The plaintiffs filed suit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against future enforcement of the rent stabilization scheme, which will not only halt the deprivation of the constitutional rights of property owners, but will result in increased development of rental properties and more affordable units available to rent. The suit will also alleviate New York’s constrained housing market, and will force New York City and State governments to adopt fairer and more efficient means of providing housing to those most in need.”
Terrie Sultan and Eric Fischl at Parrish Museum Gala. Credit for all photos: Lieba Nesis
By: Lieba Nesis
Ziel and Helene Feldman at Parrish GalaOur writer and photographer Lieba Nesis plans your upcoming weekend in the Hamptons
As the Hamptons gala season continues to pick up steam the weekend of July 19-22nd is the most jam-packed yet. Nearly every inn is booked with the cheapest price being that of Southampton Long Island Hotel for $699 which has one room available-this hotel bills itself as “unfussy” which is never a good sign; moreover, it is inconveniently located 1.4 miles from Main Street. This past weekend had some notable firsts including a more than 200-person crowd gathered outside 75 Main in Southampton at midnight to join in the Friday festivities for 18 year olds and over. The evening included booze for those that showed the right driver’s license.
Jean and Martin Shafiroff at the Parrish Gala
The $20 cover charge didn’t dissuade the teenagers and twenty somethings who were desperately trying to enter the overflowing venue. Saturday evening July 13th had four competing events including The Waxman Foundation’s Happening at the Fishel Estate (which was spectacular); Russell Simmon’s “Art For Life” benefit: St. Jude’s “Hope in the Hamptons”; The Parrish Art Museum Midsummer Party; and The South Fork Natural History Museum’s 30th Anniversary Benefit. The upcoming weekend will be even more outrageous with double the events in store and some major milestones including A Fashion Hamptons Week Sunday and a TV Awards show Monday night. Starting with Friday night here are some of the most exciting events of the weekend:
The Parrish
Dancers for Good 4th Annual East Hampton Benefit-held at Guild Hall on July 19th the event begins at 7 PM with tickets ranging from $50-$500 and honorees Jerry Mitchell, Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon ensuring a host of luminaries will be present. Publicity honcho Norah Lawlor is running this celebration of dance which will bring together world-class companies, choreographers and performers under one roof. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in purchasing tickets.
Dan’s Grill Hampton 2019 presented by New York Prime Beef-taking place at 19 Horsemill Lane in Bridgehampton on Friday at 7 PM this event is for food lovers only as Team Hamptons competes against Team NYC in a one-of-a-kind grilling competition. If you would like to buy tickets starting at $99 with VIP access for $185 head to [email protected] or call 631-725-8201.
Southampton Beach
The Hamptons Ferrari & Maserati Rand Brunch & Concours- beginning on Saturday at 11 AM the Fishel’s are opening up their estate for the 4th weekend in a row to benefit the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation and Southampton Hospital. Tickets are already closed for this $125 event but the cocktails, hand-rolled cigars, desserts, and hors d’oeuvres will guarantee your money’s worth.
2nd Annual Hamptons Interactive Influencer Brunch-on Saturday July 20th at 11 AM a tasting menu, rose lounge, beauty giveaways and celebrity appearances will occur at the Maidstone Hotel in Easthampton. Special honorees include Leesa Rowland, and Cara Woodhouse. For information on tickets which are priced from $350-$600 email [email protected].
Head of Fashion Week NY Fern Mallis in Southampton
LongHouse Reserve’s Summer Benefit 2019-on Saturday luminaries Donna Karan and Julian Schnabel will join premier entertainer Laurie Anderson for one of the highlights of the summer season. The magnificent grounds and elegant crowd create a combustible excitement that leaves an indelible impression. Moreover, none other than publicist extraordinaire Jonathan Marder is in charge ensuring the event will run without a hitch. Tickets start at $1,250 and are $650 for LongHouse Contemporary Members aged 21-35. If you are interested contact [email protected] or call 631-329-3568.
10th Annual “Unconditional Love Dinner Dance” to Benefit Southampton Shelter-Saturday’s event will be chaired by philanthropist Jean Shafiroff with honoree Aimee Sadler guaranteeing a top notch crowd. The shindig which begins at 6:30 PM features cocktails, dinner, auctions and a program. For the reasonable price of $500 with junior tickets available at $300 you can hobnob with luminaries Georgina Bloomberg and John Catsimatidis while hanging out in a tent on Wickapogue and Old Town Road. To purchase tickets email [email protected] or head to support.southamptonanimalshelter.com.
Entrepreneur Francesco Belcaro celebrates his birthday at Capri Southampton
2019 Hampton Designer Showhouse Gala Preview Cocktail Party-running from 6-8:30 PM on July 20th at 66 Rosko Lane in Southampton the evening starts with a Gala Cocktail party to benefit Southampton Hospital. The Showhouse will be open to the public on July 21st. To purchase tickets for $225 call 212-980-1171 or contact [email protected].
8th Annual “St. Barth Hampton Gala”-beginning at 6 PM on Saturday and presented by Escada guests will enjoy the island-inspired fete hosted by Charlotte McKinney at 2368 Montauk Highway. There will be gourmet tastings, champagne and music by DJ Lee Kalt in a lavish white tent. Tickets can be purchased for $160 by calling Matt Richman at 212-580-0835 or contacting [email protected].
Fashion Week in the Hamptons-for the first time ever on Sunday July 21st from 12 PM to 5:30 PM at 2368 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton guests will have a full frontal fashion experience. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com for $30-$275.
The Fishel Estate in Bridgehampton
Rumor has it that John Mayer will be performing at Surf Lodge on July 21st. Call 631-483-5037 immediately to reserve your tickets now as they will sell out quickly.
First Annual East Hampton TV Festival-taking place from Monday July 22nd-Tuesday July 23rd the festivities will be held at Guild Hall and will include a red carpet cocktail reception on Monday from 6 PM as well as a closing awards program the following night with both evenings containing multiple screenings. For $50 you can purchase VIP all access tickets on TicketPrinting.com or email [email protected]. For more information call 631-324-0806.
Award-winning Egyptian-born Jewish journalist Lucette Lagnado has died at age 62.
Lagnado, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, brought “a writer’s curiosity and a patient’s empathy to storytelling, illuminating the plight of the uninsured, the sick and the elderly for readers around the world,” the financial newspaper rhapsodized.
Over several years, Lagnado reported on immigration, Jewish life and the state of patients in healthcare facilities. She reportedly battled with cancer beginning in her teenage years, later graduating from Vassar College.
“Lucette brought a unique and powerful voice to the Journal, combining a relentless curiosity with a big heart and deep empathy,” said Journal Editor in Chief Matt Murray. “Readers knew she would bring a wealth of knowledge and humanity to everything she wrote.”
“She was a courageous and brilliant reporter and writer,” said Paul Steiger, who was managing editor of the Journal in 1996 when Ms. Lagnado was hired to report on hospitals.
After leaving Egypt with her family as a child, Lagnado lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. She recounted her father’s perilous trip out of Egypt upon the rise of Gamal Abdel Nasser in “The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: A Jewish Family’s Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World.” The book, published by Ecco, was awarded the 2008 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature. The prize, which is administered by the New York-based Jewish Book Council, comes with a $100,000 stipend and is the richest cash award in the Jewish literary world. The presentation of the Rohr Prize took place in Jerusalem in April, 2008. “The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit” was optioned by producer Anthony Bregman (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), according to a December, 2008 announcement in Publishers Marketplace.
A second memoir, published in 2011, was titled “The Arrogant Years: One Girl’s Search for Her Lost Youth, from Cairo to Brooklyn.” She was also a co-writer of the book “Children of the Flames: Dr. Josef Mengele and the Untold Story of the Twins of Auschwitz.”
Among Lagnado’s other awards are the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism’s 2002 Mike Berger Award for a story about the aging residents of an Upper West Side apartment building and three Newswomen’s Club of New York Front Page Awards for her reporting on hospital billing and collection.
Lagnado graduated from Vassar College and started her reporting career at a community paper in Brooklyn, noted the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “She served an internship with the investigative reporter Jack Anderson, as a columnist for the Village Voice and as executive editor at the English-language Forward newspaper.”
She also wrote “The Arrogant Years,” which forward.com reports “details her adolescence in Brooklyn and her teenage battle with cancer, in the midst of demonstrations at Tahrir Square. Lagnado watched the Arab Spring with guarded concern, dubious that the protests would lead to lasting democracy and wondering if the Cairo of her book, set in part during the reign of King Faoud, when Jews held posts as ministers in a more open society, provided a better template for the country’s future.”
“My trips to Bensonhurst always have a ritual quality to them, like a religious pilgrimage. I must go to this block, I tell myself, I must pay my respects to that building,” Lagnado blogged in 2011. “There are no people left there that I knew, not a single familiar face — my community long moved out — yet I keep returning.”
She is survived by her husband, journalist Douglas Feiden.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer faced off in a historic Wimbledon Final on Sunday, July 14th. This unforgettable matchup features two of the best to ever play the game of tennis. Photo Credit: Tennis365.com
By: Ezra Ashkenazi
After he defeated his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon semifinal, Roger Federer was off to play in the finals against another amazingly skilled player. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer faced off in a historic Wimbledon Final on Sunday, July 14th. This unforgettable matchup features two of the best to ever play the game of tennis. Before the final game, Djokovic had already won 15 Grand Slams, while Federer has won an astounding 20 Grand Slam championships. So there was definitely a lot of hype around this match, everyone knew it was going to be an epic matchup, but no one could’ve guessed that it would be this epic.
The match lasted for five long hours and it had everyone on the edge of their seats, with the two legends stealing the lead from each other time and time again. After five sets and an intense tie- breaker Djokovic was triumphant and was able to take home his fifth Wimbledon trophy, and his 16th Grand Slam trophy. The only two men with more Grand Slam final victories than him are Rafael Nadal, and the man he just beat, Roger Federer. After the match the two had some words to say about that incredible faceoff. Both of them acknowledged the fact that after working so hard and sweating so much, there is still a loser.
Djokovic said, “Unfortunately in these kinds of matches, one of the players has to lose … It’s quite unreal.” Federer, who at 37 is still playing at this high of a level said, “I just feel like it’s such an incredible opportunity missed,” But of course he had some love to show to his opponent, saying, “Novak, it’s great. Congratulations, man. That was crazy. Well done.” Roger Federer is an inspiration to all and seeing him perform at this level at his age is astounding, Roger talked about his age and said, “I hope I give some other people a chance to believe that at 37, it’s not over yet.” Replying that, Djokovic said that he is “one of them” who now believes that it can be done at any age. These two all- time greats really put on a show, and this match is one that will never be forgotten.
This week marks the 20th anniversary of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s horrific plane crash. Kennedy was piloting his plane, the Piper Saratoga II, with his wife Carolyn Bessette, and her sister Lauren on board. It is believed that Kennedy’s inexperience and his disorientation led to the fatal crash into the Atlantic Ocean. JFK Jr.’s wife Carolyn had another sister who wasn’t on board, her name is Lisa Bessette.
This week marks the 20th anniversary of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s horrific plane crash
Lisa was extremely devastated when she heard the news about her two sisters, and the tragedy caused here to live off the grid, isolated from society. She then settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she lives a simple life, with a very small group of friends and no social media accounts. One can’t find any pictures of her online either, her goal was to live an extremely private life after what happened to her family, and she succeeded. A friend of hers spoke about Lisa in a New York Post article saying, “She had a really hard time when they passed away and was strong for her mother and her family and has since decided that she doesn’t want to be in any way public.”
Right after the plane crash, the relationship between the Kennedys and the Bessettes faded away, as the marriage between Caroline and JFK Jr. was never really accepted by both sides. According to The Post, in 2001 the surviving Bessette family decided to disappear after, settling a wrongful-death claim for a reported 15 million dollars. Lisa’s stepfather spoke to The Post regarding their private life saying, “We never cooperate with the media, no interviews, no questions, and that is still our position,”
Lisa is now in a relationship with an Art History professor named Howard Lay. They will both be in Paris for the 20th anniversary of the plane crash, as Lay is teaching a course there for a chunk of the summer. The Post adds that Lisa’s privacy is still guarded with “religious zeal.” The article also interviewed her neighbors who said that, “They don’t socialize… They’re a little quiet.” This tragic plane crash drove Lisa to change her lifestyle completely, and this upcoming anniversary will for sure be an emotional day for her.
(Ezra Ashkenazi is currently an intern in the Jewish Voice Student Journalist Initiative)
Buzz Aldrin attends "Man Who Unlocked the Universe" USA Premiere at London Hollywood in West Hollywood, California on June 21, 2018. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
By: Carl Bankey
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. walked on the moon a half a century ago. And then he walked on the streets of Montclair, NJ, his hometown.
Major Jennings, 12 then, recalled seeing the hero in an interview with nj.com. “It was prestigious to have somebody from our community be the second person to walk on the moon,” he said. Jennings would go o to serve as assistant principal at Buzz Aldrin Middle School.
“The greatest example for our students is here; you have a person from our township who probably exceeded everyone’s expectations. Kids can identify with that,” Jennings said in the recent interview. “When you can identify with someone who has done something great and they’ve sat in the same classrooms, walked the same halls, used the same lavatories, ate in the same lunchrooms, you feel good about that and you say, ‘if he did it, why not me?’”
Aldrin’s major claim to fame, of course, was his Apollo 11 moon walk. The Eagle landed at 20:17:40 UTC on Sunday July 20 with about 25 seconds of fuel left. Aldrin, a Presbyterian elder, was the first and only person to hold a religious ceremony on the Moon. He radioed Earth: “I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way,” noted Wikipedia. “Using a kit given to him by his pastor, he took communion, but he kept it secret because of a lawsuit over the reading of Genesis on Apollo 8. In 1970 he commented: “It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the Moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.”
In a book published 40 years later, Aldrin noted, “Perhaps, if I had it to do over again, I would not choose to celebrate communion. Although it was a deeply meaningful experience for me, it was a Christian sacrament, and we had come to the Moon in the name of all mankind – be they Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, agnostics, or atheists. But at the time I could think of no better way to acknowledge the enormity of the Apollo 11 experience than by giving thanks to God.”
Most of the iconic photographs of an astronaut on the Moon taken by the Apollo 11 astronauts are of Aldrin; Armstrong appears in just two color photographs. “As the sequence of lunar operations evolved,” Aldrin explained, “Neil had the camera most of the time, and the majority of the pictures taken on the Moon that include an astronaut are of me. It wasn’t until we were back on Earth and in the Lunar Receiving Laboratory looking over the pictures that we realized there were few pictures of Neil. My fault perhaps, but we had never simulated this during our training.”
The body of Rav Reuven Bauman, zt’l has been found. Bauman is said to have leaped into the sea in an effort to save the life of a student. He was located at around 1:00PM by a boat of volunteers from Misaskim of Maryland searching off the coast of North Carolina, and positively identified by authorities, it has been reported by theyeshivaworld.com. Photo Credit: YouTube
By: Edward Webstein
The body of Rav Reuven Bauman, zt’l has been found.
Bauman is said to have leaped into the sea in an effort to save the life of a student. He was located at around 1:00PM by a boat of volunteers from Misaskim of Maryland searching off the coast of North Carolina, and positively identified by authorities, it has been reported by theyeshivaworld.com.
“The tragic story united Klal Yisroel, as Jews around the globe Davened, gave Tzedakah, and learned – first for a miracle of finding him alive, and then for the miracle of locating his body so he can be brought to proper Kevuras Yisroel,” according to the web site.
“As YWN had reported earlier, dozens of volunteers traveled hundreds of miles to search all day Sunday, with boats, jet skies, and helicopters,” yeshivaworldnews.com added. “Yossi Margareten, Coordinator of Chaveirim of Rockland along with the members of the Achiezer Organization had been coordinating the search, and worked tirelessly all day and night since Rabbi Bauman was swept out to sea last Tuesday.”
Writing at aish.com, Dr. Yvette Alt Miller wrote that “When Rabbi Reuven Bauman saw an 11-year-old student struggling in rough choppy water off the coast of a state park in Virginia Beach on July 9, 2019, he didn’t hesitate. Rabbi Bauman, a 35-year-old father of five, jumped into the water and swam towards the student to save him.”
Miller continued, “It seems that as Rabbi Bauman struggled to reach the swimmer at least one other passerby jumped in to help as well. The student made it back to shore (some news reports say that there were several children), while Rabbi Bauman was swept out to sea. The Coast Guard searched the rough seas all day for Rabbi Bauman, then reluctantly, after many hours, they called off the search. “It’s always a hard decision, and it’s not one we make lightly” explained Coast Guard Lt. Steve Arguelles at the time. The likelihood that Rabbi Bauman was still alive in the rough, dangerous seas was nil.”
A search ensured. On Sunday, Bauman’s body was found by volunteers from Misaskim, a Jewish organization that aids people in crisis based in Brooklyn. After days of agony, Rabbi Bauman’s family will be able to make plans for his funeral and begin to sit shiva.
“He acted heroically,” said Coast Guard Lt. Arguelles, who led the Coast Guard’s search. Giving his own life to save others, Rabbi Reuven Bauman exemplified all that’s best and most noble. He lived and died a hero. May his memory inspire us all.”
Yeshiva World News reported that a levaya for Rabbi Bauman, zt’l, was held on Monday morning at Bnai Israel Congregation at 420 Spotswood Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia.
A flight by Hatzolah Air transported the niftar to Teterboro Airport and landed at 2:30 pm. Rabbi Abe Friedman, NJ State Police Chaplain, worked along with the Achiezer Organization to have the NJ State Police as well as the Passaic County Sheriff Police escort the niftar in a timely fashion to the cemetery for burial.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gave first responders a much needed show of support earlier this month when he signed A4882 and S716 into law, which will enhance protections for first responders, including those who volunteered for 9/11 rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts at World Trade Center sites. Photo Credit: New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
By: Deanna Melkowsky
Do New Jersey cops and firemen deserve pay raises? And if so, how much.
Welcome to the controversy.
The union that represents West Windsor’s police officers told an arbitrator that their members want a 4% annual raise for sergeants and patrolmen who merit top tier pay, and 2% annual hikes for all other officers. They also wanted the traditional pay hikes that officers get in return for their long years of service.
The arbitrator ultimately awarded two years of 2% as well as a couple more years of 2.25% hikes.
Those in the government are afraid that cops and firemen may ask for higher raises in the future after New Jersey decided not to renew a law that was holding property taxes down, and established a 2% cap on wage increases public-sector unions could win in interest arbitration.
“The West Windsor arbitration award is one of just three to emerge since the cap expired in December 2017, opening the door for police and firefighters to get bigger raises when contract talks stall between their unions and municipalities,” reported nj.com. “The state’s League of Municipalities and Association of Counties continue to urge lawmakers to extend the cap, which they say helped slow the growth of the nation’s highest property taxes. Last year, the average residential property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767.”
Interestingly, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gave first responders a much needed show of support earlier this month when he signed A4882 and S716 into law, which will enhance protections for first responders, including those who volunteered for 9/11 rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts at World Trade Center sites.
“Thousands of courageous volunteers put their lives on the line in order to save those affected by the devastation of 9/11,” said Murphy. “We will never forget their selfless acts of heroism, just as we will always be grateful for the first responders who put their lives on the line for us every day. Today we send a clear message to all of our heroes: We have your back. I am proud to sign legislation that will ensure the health benefits and compensation that these incredible men and women deserve.”
4882, also known as “the Bill Ricci World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Operations Act,” is named after Lieutenant Bill Ricci, a professional firefighter in Clifton, Passaic County, who volunteered to serve at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Lieutenant Ricci was ineligible for an accidental disability retirement under previously existing law. However, through this act, members and retirees who volunteered for 9/11 rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations, like Lieutenant Ricci, will be eligible to receive accidental disability retirement. This act will also create an exception to the normal five-year filing requirement for 9/11-related operations.
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your Sanctuaries, O Israel” [Num. 24:5]. Bil’am was amazed as to how the Israelite encampment (ohel) was constructed to respect everyone’s privacy, so that no one could see into his neighbor’s home. He was moved by the sensitivity toward interpersonal relationships, the love and respect displayed toward one another by family members and the harmony with which neighbors lived together.
By: Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
“My nation, remember what Balak the king of Moab advised and what Bil’am the son of Be’or…answered him in order that you may know the compassionate righteousness of the Lord” [Micah6:5]
Who, or what, defines Israel, and why does it matter? If deeply concerning trends continue in the United States, research and ample anecdotal evidence indicate that those succeeding in affecting views toward Israel are the very people who attack it as a racist, discriminatory occupier lacking any moral or political legitimacy. Noble attempts to brand Israel as a high-tech haven (“start-up nation”) notwithstanding, Israel is increasingly being effectively defined by foes, not friends. What, if anything, can be done to reverse these deeply troubling developments?
In our weekly Biblical portion, Balak, we read that efforts by enemies to define the Jewish People have ancient antecedents. King Balak of Moab, frightened by the “Biblical Israelis,” vastly overestimates their global designs as well as their military might: “This multitude will lick up all that is round about us as the ox licks up the grass of the field” (Num. 22:4). He therefore turns to Bil’am, a magician and a soothsayer, an accomplished poet and master of the spoken word, to curse the Israelis in order to vanquish them (ibid., v.6).
Bil’am represents the giant media corporations and social media platforms that play a dominant role in shaping public opinion. Is it not true that these manipulators of minds have the power to destroy a world with a word? And indeed, Bil’am sets out to curse the Israelites.
Nevertheless, the Torah goes on to say that the prophet ultimately blesses the Israelites. At first he is struck by his donkey’s refusal to take him where he wanted to go. Apparently even a donkey can be amazed by the miraculous events that contributed to the preservation and preeminence of Israel from abject slaves to recipients of God’s Presence at Sinai, despite their smallness in number and scarcity of power.
And then Bil’am sees for himself—to the extent that at least he attempted to record the truth as he composes his tweets and Facebook posts. He may have come to curse, but he stays to praise. He evokes Jewish destiny in glowing terms, extolling the uniqueness of Israel (ibid., 23:9) and evoking our ultimate Messianic victory (ibid., 24:17–19). He affirms unmistakably that “no black magic can be effective against Jacob and no occult powers against Israel” (ibid., 23:23) – evil words spoken by evil people are impotent before the modesty and integrity expressed by the Israelites in their daily lives.
Ultimately, however, it is not the speaking donkey that will succeed in changing the minds of the many Bil’ams around us; rather, it is the deeds of the Jewish People itself that will evoke change: “Your deeds will bring you close, your deeds will distance you” [Mishna, Eduyot 5:7].
First of all, Bil’am takes note of the military success of this fledgling nation against every one of her enemies—Israel had just emerged from a great military victory against the terrorizing Amorites. And, more importantly, the chaste and sanctified lifestyle of the Israelites and their commitment to their traditions and ideals made an even greater impact on Bil’am.
“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your Sanctuaries, O Israel” [Num. 24:5]. Bil’am was amazed as to how the Israelite encampment (ohel) was constructed to respect everyone’s privacy, so that no one could see into his neighbor’s home. He was moved by the sensitivity toward interpersonal relationships, the love and respect displayed toward one another by family members and the harmony with which neighbors lived together.
And when Bil’am saw the commitment the Israelites had to their study halls and synagogues (mishkan)—their fealty to traditional values and teachings and their faith in Divine providence—he understood, and proclaimed the invincibility of this Divinely-elected people.
Alas, what a person might—and words could not—do to the Israelites, the Israelites managed to do to themselves. Bil’am and Balak returned to their homes to leave Israel in peace—but the Israelites themselves self-destructed. They chased after the hedonistic blandishments of the pagan societies of Bil’am and Balak. The very next chapter opened with “And the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab…and Israel joined himself to the [idolatry of] Ba’al Peor [Bil’am ben Beor]” (ibid., 25:1–3).
We failed in the desert not because of what our enemies did or said, but rather because of our own moral weakness and rejection of the birthright that had initially formed our nation’s definition and mission. Indeed, we are “a people who dwells alone, not subject to the machinations of other nations” (ibid., 23:9).
In this generation, in which detractors and haters attacking the Jewish People and Israel are on the ascent in capturing public opinion, we must remember to ignore the noise, and to focus on our national mission. To rephrase Ben Gurion, indeed it is not what the nations say that matters, but rather it is what we do or what we do not do, especially in the spheres of ethics and morality, which is of supreme significance.
In an indictment, Geoffrey Berman, a federal prosecutor in New York, accused Epstein of allegedly paying the girls hundreds of dollars for nude or partially nude massages that "increasingly were sexual in nature" at his mansion on New York's Upper East Side and at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Screen Shot
The irony of the Jeffrey Epstein case breaking wide open this past week, as the week’s Torah reading was Balak, screams out for more scrutiny.
By: Ariel Natan Pasko
At the end of the parsha, we find that Balaam having unsuccessfully cursed the Israelites (blessing them instead, as God wanted) advises Balak the king of Moab, to send in his Moabite dancing girls to start an orgy with the Jewish men in the camp.
Knowing that the God of Israel detests sexual immorality, Balaam suggests to Balak that the debauchery and idolatry will bring the wrath of God down on the Jews. Midianite women (including upper class girls), were sent in to tempt the Jewish leaders.
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein seen leaving a Manhattan courthouse before the beginning of his sex crimes trial. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The story ends with the prince of the tribe of Shimon fornicating with a Midianite woman. So enraged is Pinchas (Aaron’s grandson), that he kills both of them, ending the plague that had broken out in the camp and had already killed 24,000 (Numbers 25:1-7, see also Sanhedrin 106a).
Epstein had been convicted of prostitution in 2008. That’s bad enough. But the present allegations against him of sex-trafficking, rape, and pedophilia, and the release of the names of some of his “friends,” (Or is that clients?) are atrocious, if true.
I want to say clearly, it is a terrible Chillul HaShem, and needs to be condemned by all Jews. Just as those who cavorted with the Moabite and Midianite women in the Torah, needed to be punished.
A Chillul HaShem by the way, occurs whenever a Jew acts immorally (against the laws of the Torah), while in the presence of others, whether fellow Jews or Gentiles. Judaism believes that the Jewish people are representatives of God and His moral code, the Torah, and when a Jew acts in such a shameful manner like that, s/he has brought disrepute on the Jewish people and God, thus desecrating His name.
That said, for all those following the unfolding Epstein saga, be alerted to the fact that Jew haters of all political stripes and colors in America, are using it to foment more Judeopathy than usual.
Jeffrey Epstein has been a major financial backer of Ehud Barak for years. Epstein invested millions of dollars in Carbyne, an Israeli start-up company in which Barak is the controlling shareholder. Maybe to clean up his image before elections, Barak recently announced on his Facebook page, that he will consider breaking off his business relations with Epstein. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
On the Far Right, the National Vanguard website blasts, “How Jews Got Serial Child Rapist Jeffrey Epstein Off.”
RenegadeTribune.com screams, “Jews Running Cover For Trump In The Jeffrey Epstein Sex Trafficking Scandal.”
The same sentiments are expressed at StormFront.org, indexing DavidDuke.com articles, and messages posted like, “Jews are sexual degenerates and they always protect their own. That’s how the ADL got started. To protect the child rapist and murderer Leo Frank.”
Frank if you recall, was kidnapped from prison and lynched by the Ku Klux Klan in 1915, after Georgia Governor John M. Slaton, based on new evidence, chose to commute Frank’s death penalty verdict to life in prison.
Then the Nation of Islam website blares, “Dershowitz-Epstein Sex Deal Has Deep Jewish Roots,” they even misquote and misrepresent the Talmud to prove their points.
And of course, the Left and pro-Palestinians have jumped on the bandwagon. Headlines shriek like, “Israel defender Alan Dershowitz has long history of attacking sex abuse victims.” The Electronic Intifada has used the tragedy to attack Israel, not just Israel supporters like Dershowitz, whose name has come up in this scandal, not just as Epstein’s lawyer, but also as an active participant.
The Far Right, Black Muslims, and the Extreme Left, have all followed the story with glee in their eyes, telling their audiences, “See, we told you so, the Jews…”
But even on a more moderate, liberal website, like Slate, for example, they named names of who’s been part of Epstein’s “party” world. In a recent article entitled, “A Running List of Jeffrey Epstein’s Rich, Powerful, and Presidential Friends: From A(costa) to Z(uckerman), everyone’s bad,” while mentioning such big machers as Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew, seven of the twelve names they chose to expose were Jews.
Also, in the magazine New York, an article entitled, “Jeffrey Epstein’s Rolodex: A Guide to His Famous Friends and Acquaintances,” named names, almost half of those they listed were Jews, or have a Jewish father and Jewish sounding last name (15 out of 35 names).
As if growing anti-Semitism in America and worldwide, needed some charcoal lighter fluid, to help the flames grow, to grill the Jewish people again.
Recently, when Ehud Barak was attacked by Netanyahu, for his involvement with Epstein, Barak responded to by answering, “Donald Trump and Bill Clinton also knew Epstein.”
Barak added, that the late former Israeli president Shimon Peres had introduced him to Epstein.
As if that made it OK!
Epstein has been a major financial backer of Barak for years. Epstein invested millions of dollars in Carbyne, an Israeli start-up company in which Barak is the controlling shareholder. Maybe to clean up his image before elections, Barak recently announced on his Facebook page, that he will consider breaking off his business relations with Epstein.
Barak has also had involvement with another Epstein “friend,” Harvey Weinstein, also known for “rape fame.”
About two years ago Barak recommended to Weinstein, that he hire Israeli private intelligence company Black Cube (loaded with ex-Mossad and security officials), to do some “dirty tricks” for him at the height of Weinstein’s scandal.
What good company Ehud Barak keeps!
So don’t worry, if you thought Jews and Israel would be left out of the Epstein story, the Jew haters and Israel bashers are shining a spotlight on the “Jewish” involvement in this scandal.
Yes, Epstein, Weinstein, and the others are Jewish.
No, they don’t represent the Jewish people.
No, this isn’t some systemic problem of Judaism.
No, it is not part of some Zionist Cabal.
But then, Jew haters today, whether loony tunes of the Far Right, Extreme Left, or your average garden variety, run-of-the-mill Farrakhanist Black Muslim, are running to blame Jews and Judaism anyway.
And, even genteel moderates who normally would call out the extremists on overt anti-Semitism, are having a field day blaming Israel, and could care less about reality.
Just like Balaam, Balak, the Moabites and Midianites, in this past Torah reading.
True Jewish leaders have to confront them, and the Jews who have brought disrepute to the good name of the Jewish people and the God of Israel, just as Pinchas did in his time!
Ariel Natan Pasko, an independent analyst and consultant, has a Master’s Degree specializing in International Relations, Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.
A great day out at the caves at Beit Guvrin. Photo by Shutterstock
By: Abigail Klein Leichman & Naama Barak
(Continued from last week)
Go caving
Exploring Israel’s famous caves is another great option for escaping the scorching summer sun. Located throughout the country, visitor-friendly and accessible caves offer cool respite and a fun opportunity to learn more about nature, geology and history.
Our top pick for a fun family day out is the Beit Guvrin National Park near Jerusalem, where visitors can easily spend a good few hours wandering underground, learning about ancient wine- and olive-press ruins and having an all-around good time.
Row the Pool of Arches in Ramla
Summer fun at an Israeli amusement park. Photo by Chen Leopold/FLASH90
Feel like soaking up some history without working up a sweat? The Pool of Arches is the attraction for you.
Located in the central city of Ramla, the underground water reservoir was constructed in the 8th century CE by the Muslim Abbasid ruler Caliph Harun al Rashid. Originally used to provide water for residents of the city, nowadays visitors can cross the cool, dark pool by rowboat. Perfect.
Strap on your ice skates
Ice skating in summer in Israel? Sounds impossible, but this is a great way to get some relief from the heat. Rinks generally have a minimum age limit of six.
In Tel Aviv, iSkate offers 500 square meters of real ice in a roofed, air-conditioned structure at the northeast corner of Luna Park (see #10). Skates, knee and hand guards are included; professional instructors are available.
South of Tel Aviv, check out the IcePeaks rink in Holon.
In the north, your kids can skate at the Canada Centre resort in Metula; and in the south at the huge Ice Mall rink in Eilat – ironically, one of Israel’s hottest cities.
Climb the walls
If you want to keep your kids active and cool, try Israel’s many indoor climbing walls.
Rafting on the Jordan River. Photo by Shutterstock
uClimb bouldering gym near the Rehovot train station is run by brothers Micha and Ram. This large facility offers classes for kids and climbing for children with special needs. Information: [email protected] or 972-(0)8-936-3455.
The Bloc bouldering/climbing gym in Jerusalem: [email protected] or 972-(0)2-539-8991.
Monkeys Climbing Gym in Netanya: [email protected] or 972-(09)-788-9933.
iClimb Boulderland has locations in Tel Aviv (Yarkon Park), Jerusalem (Teddy Stadium), Rishon LeZion, Kibbutz HaOgen, Haifa and Kfar Saba, for ages 6 and up. Some of these locations also have Funtopia, geared to children as young as 4. See the website (Hebrew only) for contact information for each location or contact [email protected].
Bounce it out
A volunteer tends to a young green sea turtle at the Israel Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Mikhmoret. Photo by Hadas Parush/FLASH90
Another fun and fit option for a day out involves plenty of jumping up and down – on massive trampolines.
A great option is to try out one of iJump’s many locations across the country. Just slip on some socks and bounce away – you too, parents! Not only is jumping up and down on a trampoline for an hour of massive fun, it’s also a good workout for almost every age.
An added bonus: your kids will be so wiped out, you’ll be able to enjoy some adult time in the evening.
Go visit a museum
A diver feeds the fish at the Underwater Observatory in Eilat. Photo by Shutterstock
You’ve got their bodies moving, now it’s time to get their brain cells moving too, and nothing does that better than a museum. Israel is said to have the highest rate of museums per capita in the world, so that means there are plenty of museums to visit all over the country.
Activities at the Youth Wing of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem include “Selfie in the Israel Museum,” a photography route in the Art Garden that ends up on Instagram; a
family tour using the museum Map with a game and a quest in the Shrine of the Book, the Art Garden and the Exhibition Galleries; art and recycling workshops; and an animated “Time Travel” film telling the story of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Beat the heat in the tunnels next to the Western Wall, located under the buildings of the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo by Shutterstock
The Israeli Children’s Museum in Holon is where children (and their parents) can learn about diverse issues such as coping with shyness and dealing with change through wonderful, interactive exhibits and activities. It also has special hands on exhibits for older children that showcase what it feels like to be deaf, blind or old.
Lunada Children’s Museum in Beersheva is geared to ages one to 12 and gives children a hands-on experience of culture, art, the solar system, communication, money and food.
Among other Israeli museums of interest for kids are the Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh; the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem; and the Nahum Gutman Museum in Tel Aviv, where they can discover their inner artist.
Read on for information about the fantastic science museums in Israel.
Get some scientific stimulation
Israel is a powerhouse in the field of science, so it makes sense that the country also boasts awesome, hands-on science museums for youngsters.
We recommend the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem; MadaTechNational Museum of Science, Technology and Space in Haifa; Carasso Science Park in Beersheva; Technoda Interactive Science Museum and Science Park in Hadera; Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa (ages 10 and up); and Clore Garden of Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot.
Indulge in indoor star gazing
A planetarium is a great place to learn all about the heavens from the comfort of an air-conditioned space. And on cool nights, you can observe the sky outdoors. Click here for possibilities across Israel.
The planetarium at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv offers a range of kid-friendly shows where your little ones can learn all about stars, planets and astronauts. English-language performances are available but need to be booked in advance. Combine your visit to the planetarium with a general tour of the museum, and you’ll get a great day’s worth.
Head for Tel Aviv Port
The Tel Aviv Port is one of the non-stop city’s main entertainment hubs for all ages. There’s a carousel, playgrounds and sandpit as well as the Yerid Hamizrach mini amusement park and playground for toddlers to tweens.
The port has trendy toy and clothing shops for kids, and cafés that cater to families. And it’s adjacent to the beach, making for a fun and mesmerizing spot to watch the waves or jump into them. Bring your sand toys or buy some here!
Travel through time at Caesarea Harbor
At archeology-rich Caesarea Harbor National Park, your children can splash through the ancient Roman aqueducts and frolic on the beach, and have a fun experiential history lesson at the multimedia Travel Through Time show inside a rebuilt Crusader fortress. Highlights include a virtual tour of the city as it was in Roman times, and personal “meetings” with figures from different eras, such as King Herod, Louis IX, Rabbi Akiva, Baron Rothschild and Hannah Senesh. In the port there are special events for families most weekends.
Dig up the past
What kid doesn’t love digging in dirt? While you have to be at least 16 to participate in most archaeological digs in Israel, Dig for a Day at Beit Guvrin National Park is geared to families – and because it’s underground, the summer sun isn’t a problem.
This isn’t pretend; it’s an actual excavation looking for artifacts from the time of the Maccabees. Younger children get plastic tools and older kids and adults use real excavation tools under the supervision of experts.
Once upon a time, ice cream in Israel was a sad affair – vegetable oil-laden and too brightly colored scoops of generic flavors. Luckily, those days are long gone.
Nowadays, high-quality stores and vendors can be found across Israel. Your kids can find their regular favorites but the more adventurous ones will want to try local specialties such as Bamba and watermelon. Don’t be shy about asking for a taste before you choose. And if they’ve had enough sugar for the day, most shops also offer fruit shakes.
Feed a sweet tooth
Making sweet treats is fun for the whole family any time of year, and especially on broiling-hot days when you want an indoor air-conditioned activity that doesn’t involve malls or movies.
Book your yummy experience in Israel at any of these locations (most have kosher certification) and bring an insulated bag to take home your chocolate goodies in good shape.
De Karina Chocolate Boutique Factory and Visitors Center in the Golan Heights: 972-(0)4-699-3622.
Emilya Chocolate Passion in the Tel Aviv suburb of Givatayim: [email protected]
Galita Chocolate Farm on Kibbutz Degania Bet near the Sea of Galilee (972-(0)4-675-5608) and on Kibbutz Tzuba outside Jerusalem (972-(0)2-534-7650).
Hagit Lidror in the Western Galilee offers a raw-food chocolate workshop: [email protected] or 972-(0)052-646-4884.
Sarina Chocolate in Moshav Ein Vered near Netanya, has a visitors’ center with a greenhouse growing cocoa trees: [email protected] or 972-(0)77-525-5370.
Shulman Chocolate Museum on Kibbutz Dafna in the Upper Galilee is a unique museum about chocolate-making (all displays and videos have English translation). Workshops in English can be arranged for groups of 15 or more: [email protected] or 972-(0)54-590-2198.
ToMo Candy in Ramat Gan offers rock candy-making workshops for ages 6 and up: [email protected] or 972-(0)52-546-8920.
Sound and light shows
Magnificent sound and light shows offer a whole new perspective on your favorite Israeli tourist destinations, and are a fabulous way to spend a family evening.
Our favorites include the Night Spectacular show at the Tower of David in Jerusalem, She’an Nights at Bet She’an National Park and the Masada Sound and Light Show.
And as strange as it seems, make sure to dress warmly. Even in the heat of summer, Israeli nights can actually be pretty chilly!
Sleep like a Bedouin
Hotels can get a bit boring for kids, so give them an only-in-Israel experience for a night or two: camping out Bedouin-style. The level of accommodations range from roughing it to luxury glamping.
Some options include Galilee Bedouin Camplodge in the Lower Galilee; Desert Days and Kibbutz Lotan in the Arava Valley; Silent Arrow and Desert Shade in Mitzpeh Ramon; Kfar Hanokdim near Arad; and Shayarotnear Sde Boker.
Do some good and volunteer
Inject some added value to your vacation by doing good while being away.
Excellent options for families include boxing up food for needy families at Pantry Packers https://pantrypackers.org/schedule-a-visit/ in Jerusalem (ages four and up), gleaning crops and volunteering at a food bank through Leket or helping out at the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levinin Jerusalem (geared especially to young teens).
For animal lovers, we recommend taking out doggies for long, loving walks at Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel’s shelter in Tel Aviv(ages 14 and up).
The Health Department recently launched a campaign in bars and nightclubs in Brooklyn to inform New Yorkers that fentanyl – an opioid 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin – has been detected in the cocaine supply. People who use cocaine, even occasionally, may be at risk of an opioid overdose. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The City’s fentanyl outreach campaign will appear on coasters and posters in North Brooklyn nightlife venues, and the Health Department will offer naloxone training for staff
Edited by: JV Staff
The Health Department last week launched a campaign in bars and nightclubs in Brooklyn to inform New Yorkers that fentanyl – an opioid 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin – has been detected in the cocaine supply. People who use cocaine, even occasionally, may be at risk of an opioid overdose. Health Department staff will visit bars and nightclubs in Williamsburg and Bushwick to offer coasters and posters that inform patrons that cocaine may contain fentanyl. All venues will be offered naloxone – the medication to reverse an opioid overdose – to keep on premises with first aid supplies, as well as training and kits for all interested staff.
In 2016 and 2017, fentanyl was found in 37 and 39 percent of overdose deaths involving cocaine without heroin, up from 11 percent in 2015. This suggests that some people who died from overdoses involving cocaine and fentanyl may not have intended to consume opioids. North Brooklyn was selected for the campaign because of its high density of bars and nightclubs and status as a nightlife destination for New Yorkers citywide. The Health Department is working with Brooklyn Allied Bars & Restaurants (BABAR) to reach bar and nightclub owners as well as staff. This campaign is an expansion of a pilot on the Lower East Side in May and June 2018.
“We want people who use cocaine occasionally to know that fentanyl may be mixed into cocaine and may increase their risk of an overdose,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Bars and nightclubs are an important avenue to reach people who use drugs with potentially lifesaving information. We need people who use cocaine to know that they should use with other people, so someone can call 911 in case of an overdose, and always carry naloxone. We are grateful to the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife, Brooklyn Allied Bars & Restaurants, and House of Yes for their enthusiastic support of this initiative.”
“Safety is always of the utmost importance when New Yorkers are enjoying a night out. This awareness campaign recognizes that nightlife spaces can actually provide an opportunity for people to look out for each other,” said Ariel Palitz, Senior Executive Director of the Office of Nightlife. “The Office of Nightlife is proud to stand with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in taking a harm reduction approach to the public health challenges posed by fentanyl, and we are pleased to see such strong commitment and partnership from the nightlife community in Brooklyn and all boroughs in this effort.”
“We are thankful for this opportunity to partner with the Department of Health on this important campaign,” said David Rosen, Co-Founder of Brooklyn Allied Bars and Restaurants (BABAR). “The Department of Health should be commended for their proactive research, campaign development, and outreach efforts. Over the past several years, BABAR has worked on various patron safety initiatives, so we understand and value the role our nightlife community can play in keeping our city safe.”
“We know that fentanyl is 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin and the likelihood of overdose is even greater when fentanyl is present. That’s why I’m pleased to hear that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will be visiting local bars and nightclubs in Williamsburg and Bushwick to raise awareness about fentanyl and ensure that venues are equipped with naloxone – the medication used to reverse an overdose – and first aid supplies in the event of an overdose,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “We need to ensure that people who use are well informed of the risk of potentially having fentanyl in their supply. We know there are ways to prevent people from overdosing and this is a positive step forward in addressing this serious epidemic.”
In New York City, someone dies of a drug overdose every six hours. In 2017, there were 1,487 confirmed overdose deaths. Opioids were involved in 82% of New York City overdose deaths last year, and the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl was the most common drug, involved in 57% of deaths. From January to September 2018, there were 1,055 confirmed overdose deaths. Drug overdose death remains at epidemic levels in New York City as illicitly manufactured fentanyl continued to be present in the drug supply. Fentanyl has been found in heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ketamine, as well as in benzodiazepines and opioid painkillers acquired from non-pharmaceutical sources.
Opioid overdose deaths are preventable, and naloxone is available to all New Yorkers who need it:
All major chain pharmacies (Walgreens, Duane Reade, Rite Aid and CVS) and nearly 500 independent pharmacies in New York City now offer naloxone without a patient-specific prescription. New York State will cover co-payments of up to $40.
Naloxone is available for free from registered Opioid Overdose Prevention programs, including syringe service programs.
The Health Department also offers regular naloxone trainings at its main office in Queens and Tremont Neighborhood Action Center in the Bronx; trainings teach New Yorkers to recognize the signs of an overdose and respond by calling 911 and administering naloxone. The trainings are free, and all participants are offered a free naloxone kit.
New Yorkers can download the Health Department’s free mobile app, “Stop OD NYC,” to learn how to recognize and reverse an overdose with naloxone. The app also links individuals to nearby community-based programs and pharmacies where naloxone is available without a prescription.
Treatment with methadone or buprenorphine is highly effective for opioid addiction and can reduce the risk of overdose. Individuals seeking support or treatment for substance use issues for themselves or their loved ones can contact NYC Well by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL, texting “WELL” to 65173 or going to nyc.gov/nycwell. Free, confidential support is available at any hour of the day in over 200 languages.
