After four months of meticulousplanning and promoting bySephardic National Allianceand SephardicDating.com, the

International Sephardic Shabbatonin Miami Beach, FL finally tookplace.

Singles from the US, Canada,Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and otherparts of the world united for an excitingweekend. Moshe Frances, Director ofSephardicDating.com, a new exclusiveonline dating service for the globalSephardic singles community, withhelp from his colleagues Eli Rouimi,Alberto Behoron and Sidney Levy,made sure everyone felt comfortable.

Over 70 singles (aged 25 to 40)were welcomed by the B’nei ZionSephardic Congregation in Sunny IslesBeach (178 St and Collins Ave.).Those who arrived on Thursdayattended a fun private bowling party.Then on Friday, between 2 and 4 pm,after everyone had arrived andchecked into their hotels, all the singlesgathered in front of the synagogue,where they began to get to know eachother. Daytime quickly turned toevening and they headed into the syn-agogue for evening services.

The wonderful Sephardic chanti-ng by Rabbi Muratov was followed by

a warm welcome from Rabbi Lankry,rabbi of the synagogue and SpiritualConsultant for the Shabbaton.

Afterwards, everyone went tothe synagogue's grand hall wherethey were greeted by a warmambiance and a sumptuous tradi-tional Sephardic-Mediterraneanmeal. Dinner lasted longer thanexpected, as people sang beautifulzemirot (songs for Shabbat) songs.

After the meal, everyone con-gregated in the synagogue's socialhall for exciting games, the perfectway to break the ice. By the end ofthe evening, people mingled as ifthey were old friends. It was the per-fect place to look for that specialsomeone. Finally, at 1 am, everyoneheaded back to their hotels.

The next day, after prayers anda lovely meal, it was time for somefun in the sun. The majority of thecrowd headed to the pool at the LeMeridian Hotel. People relaxed,enjoying the warm Florida weather,the spectacular view and scintillat-ing conversations.

Later Minha services were heldat the synagogue, followed by theSeudat Shelishit (the third Shabbatmeal). After Shabbat, everyone wasinvited to an outdoor cafe wherethey relaxed and enjoyed a drink ortwo with their new friends. Lots ofphotos were taken, phone numberswere exchanged and there was asurprise birthday party for MosheFrances. Still later, the group head-ed to the South Beach District.

The next day there was a brieflunch at the synagogue, followed bya cruise around Miami on the IslandQueen. The marina and market-place were beautiful, the perfect fin-ishing touch to a wonderful vaca-tion.

When all was said and done,everyone had a great time. Theongoing feedback has been incredi-bly positive. Sephardic NationalAlliance and SephardicDating.comwere asked to conduct many moreevents together in the near future.To receive information about futureevents visit SephardicDating.com.

S I N G L E S

Enjoying the cruise around Miami

Sephardic SinglesMeet for a Weekendof Fun in the Sun

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WITH NEW STATE-OF-THE-ARTMACHINES in place, the offices ofDr. Melinda Keller in Boro Park,

Williamsburg, and Bayside Queens hasexpanded her practice to accommodate morechronic back pain sufferers needing spinaldecompression therapy-an acclaimed state-of-the-art healing technique that remedies twoleading causes of back pain.

Doctors across the country are hailing the 86percent success rate of the spinal decompres-sion procedure, which they see as a cost-effec-tive, non-surgical treatment, for herniated anddegenerative spinal disc disease.

Dr. Keller was the first chiropractor in the areato have the DRX9000 machine, which makesspinal decompression possible. But as word cir-culated about the procedure’s success rate, morepatients flocked to her practice, creating theneed for an additional machine.

The DRX9000 machine offers patients relieffrom herniated or bulging discs, degenerativediscs, sciatica and acute and chronic low backpain. “There are no other machines like it inthe borough,” Dr. Keller said. “Before thesemachines were created, patients had thechoice of living with the pain or undergoingsurgery. They had no other place to turn.”

While disc degeneration is part of the natu-ral process of aging, the condition causeschronic low back pain in many adults.According to statistics, approximately 30 per-cent of 30-year-olds show signs of disc degen-eration on MRI scans. As the population ages,it is even more common for people to havesigns of disc degeneration. By the time a per-son reaches 60 years old, disc generation is

expected, according to mostdoctors.

D i s cdegenera-tion and

herniated discs, when the disc extrudes intothe spine and puts direct pressure on thenerves, causing chronic low back pain, is themost expensive benign condition medicallytreated in most countries. It is also the numberone cause of disability in people under 45,according to medical studies. After 45, chron-ic back pain is the third-leading cause of dis-ability, which costs this country's health caresystem more than $50 billion a year to treat.

Utilizing the spinal decompression tech-nique, doctors are able take all forces andstressors off the affected spot while healingand re-nourishing the area, bringing it as closeto its original condition as possible. The pro-cedure usually takes a series of three weeklytreatments for four to six weeks, depending onhow severe the condition is.

Currently, Dr. Keller is offering a free con-sultation to see if a patient will benefit fromspinal decompression therapy.

Dr. Keller has built her extensive chiroprac-tic medical career on finding new health-ori-ented, non-invasive methods and proceduresthat will not only aid her patients, but actuallytreat them as well.

“We try to get the root of the problem, findout what’s causing the condition and correct itrather than treating the symptoms,” saidKeller, who believes that drugs and pain med-ications merely cover up the problem and donot treat what caused the pain or discomfort inthe first place.

“Anytime you introduce a foreign substanceinto the body, there will undoubtedly be sideeffects,” she added. “If you take drugs to curethe problem, you could end up being drowsyall the time, suffer from weight loss or weightgain...when it comes to side effects, the list area mile long.”

“Many times, all they {drug treatments}do is mask the symptoms, whereas we

try to go to the root of the problem and correctit as best we can, “Keller said. Dr. Keller andher skilled staff offer a number of revolution-ary noninvasive treatments.

Anyone wishing to learn more about spinaldecompression or to set up an appointment fora free consultation, contact Dr. Keller’sBrooklyn office at (718) 854-8979 andQueens office at (718) 279-8319. Check outtheir website at www.brooklynspinecenter.comand www.queensspinecenter.com.

To get your free copy of Dr. Keller’srevolutionary new report, “How SpaceAge Technology is Solving Back PainWithout Drugs or Surgery!” Justcall toll free 1-800-747-6417and listen to a recordedmessage, anytime 24 hoursa day. Or visitw.NYdiscPainInfo.com.Call now SuppliesAre Limited!

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Crain's New York Business Special Section on the100 Most Influential Women in NYC Business fea-tured a profile of Pamela S. Brier, President andCEO of Maimonides Medical Center.

Representing “a vibrant array of industries thatmake our city unique and full of opportunity,” Crain'spublisher Jill Kaplan refers to Brier and the other womencited as “iconic movers and shakers who are helping toshape the trends in their marketplaces.”

Ms. Brier has indeed helped to shape emergingtrends in healthcare. In a profile entitled, Results ThatAre Off the Charts, Crain's reports that she has takenMaimonides Medical Center to “the next level.”Supporting that claim are mentions of the hospital's highrankings in national surveys and report cards. Forinstance, Maimonides is the top hospital in the state forcardiology and pulmonary care, according toHealthGrades, the leading independent evaluator ofhealthcare quality. In addition, Maimonides is ranked inthe top 5% nationwide for stroke care, cardiology andcritical care.

The Crain's article pointed out that Maimonidesdelivers more babies than any other hospital in thestate. “Although other community hospitals see obstet-rics as a money-loser, Ms. Brier predicted that goodmaternity care would increase patient loyalty and bringin new business.”

Ms. Brier’s back-ground in public healthwas also highlighted in theCrain's profile of her. Overthe course of 15 years,Ms. Brier held positions ofincreasing responsibility in the Health and HospitalsCorporation of New York City, culminating in her over-seeing operations at Bellevue Hospital, the oldest andlargest of the city's public hospitals.

Bringing her vast expertise to Maimonides MedicalCenter, Pamela Brier continued to innovate, developingnew programs and enhancing existing Centers ofExcellence. Since she became president in 2003, TheMaimonides Infants and Children's Hospital hasbecome fully accredited—one of only three such hospi-tals in the metropolitan area. Brier also oversaw thebuilding of the new Maimonides Cancer Center, the firstcomprehensive center for cancer services in Brooklyn.The Stroke Center at Maimonides was also expandedand became fully accredited. Most recently, a neweight-floor pavilion was designed, financed, built andopened.

In summing up her approach to leading a majormedical center, Ms. Brier is quoted as saying, “Eventhough I'm not working for the government anymore, Istill feel that I'm a public servant.”

Pamela S. Brier

Maimonides President and CEO Honored

The new eight-floor pavilion

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DRMDK.comT

here is nothing better in thisworld than having a happy,healthy child. Yet sometimes,taking care of a baby is a little

overwhelming. There are so manyquestions: When should I start mybaby on solid foods? Does my childhave allergies? Why does my childget so many ear infections?

Of course your pediatrician cananswer your questions, but if you'dlike to do a little research on yourown, there's a brand new websitethat has all the answers.

DRMDK.com was started by Dr.Melvin Koplow. He asked hisfriends, noted pediatricians fromaround the NY area, to film videoson their areas of expertise. Whatresulted is a website with hundredsof videos on every medical subjectyou can imagine, including: allergy,asthma, autism, breastfeeding,hematology, growth, developmentand so much more.

You'll find many of the mostrespected doctors in NY onDRMDK.com:

• You can see and hear Dr.Steven Shelov, Head ofPediatrics at MaimonidesMedical Center, discuss earinfections, divorce, parenting,flu, antibiotics and more

• Dr. Martin Fisher, Director ofAdolescent Medicine atSchneider Children's Hospital,has videos about adolescentissues and eating disorders

• Dr. Warren Seigel, Director ofPediatrics at Coney IslandHospital, explores depression,drug abuse and weight prob-lems

• Dr. Michael Marcus, a pedi-atric pulmonary specialist atMaimonides Medical Center,discusses asthma, allergytesting and the flu vaccine

• Dr. Oded Preis, a neonatalspecialist, has videos on just

about everything you need toknow about newborns

• Dr. Jay Dolitsky, Pediatric ENTat the Manhattan Eye, Ear,Throat Hospital, discussesear infections and nasal prob-lems

• Dr. Henry Anhalt, Director ofPediatric Endocrinology andDiabetes at Saint BarnabasMedical Center, takes a look atchildhood diabetes and weightproblems

• Dr. Michael La Corte,Assistant Chief of Staff atSchneider Children’s Hospital,a pediatric cardiologist, talksabout all sorts of childhoodheart problems.

These are just a handful of thewonderful doctors who contributedtheir time, energy and vast knowl-edge to this amazing project.

A video that every parent shouldview is titled Internet Safety for Kids.On it, you'll hear guidelines to keepyour Internet-savvy youngsters pro-tected while surfing the net.

In addition to videos, there's up-to-the-minute pediatric medicalnews, as well as links to every med-ical resource available.

There are info sheets on everysubject you can imagine. There's alsoa growth calculator. If you enter your

child's height and weight now, it will cal-culate your child's height and weight atthe age of 18. It's very precise.

The website is truly a pediatricoffice without walls. There is a lot ofincorrect information on the Internet.You can count on the fact that all theinformation on DRMDK.com is notonly correct—it's coming from thebest of the best.

You could probably spend anentire day exploring this website.When clicking on info sheets, younever know what you'll find. Click on“allergy” and you'll get a list of tipson how to desensitize a house. Clickon “asthma” and you're taken to theNYS Department of Health asthmainformation page. Click on “diar-rhea” (who really wants to do that?)and you'll find yourself on theNational Digestive DiseasesInformation page. Click on “over-weight child” and you'll get excellentadvice that takes your child’s feel-ings into account.

Not only are the doctors top intheir fields, they’re compassionateas well, making DRMDK.com thebest place to find the informationyou need. So, the next time youhave a medical question, visitDRMDK.com. Just make sure youhave lots of time. Once you startviewing videos, it's hard to pull your-self away.

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The Holocaust, History and The Holy Land

We're always happy to bring our well-informed readers book selectionsthat were read by, or are highly rec-ommended to, our editorial staff.

We hope the compelling storylines willevoke interesting discussions betweenfriends and family. The books are gearedfor adults. We appreciate the feedback wehave been receiving and encourage com-ments to be sent to editor@imageusa.com.

Trapped Inside the StoryA Heart-wrenching Tale of a Young

Holocaust Survivor

The year was 1941. The city: Lvov,Poland. The fear level: palpable. To beJewish in this time and place was to be theprey; the hunted. Entire families disap-peared overnight, never to be seen again.Hitler's regime hijacked and took posses-sion of homes and businesses. Nazi sol-diers roamed the streets, mercilesslyrounding up innocent civilians. This was theharsh reality Jewish families faced in

Poland during the Holocaust. That is whyHolocaust survivors feel it is so important toshare their stories; to raise their voices anddrown out the ridiculous and insulting alle-gations that the Holocaust never happened.

While museums and historians havecarefully documented the Holocaust atroci-ties, one of the most harrowing descriptionsof the Nazi occupation comes from thevoice of a child, Sonya Hebenstreit.

Sonya lost her entire family in a six-month period and was forced to rely on herwits and instincts to stay alive during one ofthe darkest eras of human history. In hernew book, author Leslie Cohen chroniclesSonya's struggle to survive.

Sonya had just turned 13, when shefound herself all alone. Cohen begins thisheart-wrenching, yet inspiring tale withSonya's early memories of happier timeswith her family. She is a typical little girl,going to school and reading fairy tales.Slowly, her sense of safety and securityerodes. Sonya witnesses hushed and wor-ried conversations between her parents,the devastation of air raids, and finally, theunthinkable: all her family members die orsimply disappear.

Cohen vividly recreates the pervasiveduress that permeated every facet of life forSonya as she roamed the streets, trying toscrape together some money to buy food,all the while trying to avoid the clutches ofthe Nazi soldiers who would randomlyround up the Jews and haul them away. Inconstant fear of capture, Sonya quickly dis-covered that the only person she could trustwas herself.

Sonya felt like she was trapped inside abrutal and tragic fairy tale that had some-how come to life around her. She wouldthink about what the fairy tale hero woulddo and so that became her point of refer-ence and her coping strategy.

Trapped Inside the Story not onlyrecounts Sonya's desperate fight to survive,it also captures the voices of the missingand the dead.

B O O K R E V I E W

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WitnessAt 95, Ruth Gruber, the author of Witness, is still a

brilliant woman. In her book, she shows us, throughhaunting and life-affirming photographs taken on herassignments as an international journalist, the worlds,the people, the courage, and the hope she witnessedup-close and first-hand during most of the 20th century.

The photos and stories in Witness chronicle not onlythe daring adventures of one woman, but provide newinsights into some of the most dramatic events of thelast century. Among the photographs and essaysincluded are her accounts of her travels across Europeand the Soviet Arctic, where she was the first journalistto go to the Siberian Gulag and photograph the newcities being built by pioneers and the prisoners Stalindidn't execute. Also included is her top secret assign-ment for FDR where she accompanied 1,000 refugeesto America—the only Jewish refugees allowed into thiscountry. And she watched as the British attacked a boatfull of 4,500 refugees as it entered Haifa Harbor. Shesaid, “The boat looks like a matchbox splintered by anutcracker."

During the 32 years she worked as a correspon-dent, Ruth Gruber photographed what she saw andcaptured the triumph of the human spirit. This book is amust read for everyone.

You can also see an exhibit of her work at theMuseum of Jewish Heritage, now through October 8,2007.

Eretz Yisrael in The ParashahIs the Land of Israel really one of the cornerstones

of Judaism? If so, why do so many religious Jews stilllive elsewhere, even though the gates of our Land haveopened wide?

Eretz Yisrael in The Parashah reveals what theTorah, as well as the greatest of our Sages, have to sayon the matter. It will give you a newfound love andappreciation for the Land that G-d chose for His belovedchildren.

The author, Moshe D. Lichtman, analyzes every ref-erence to Eretz Yisrael in the 54 Torah portions read onShabbat and the Jewish holidays. Culling from the vaststorehouse of rabbinic literature, he shows us that livingin the Holy Land is more than a dry, halachic (Jewishreligious law) question. It is a fulfillment of the deepyearinings of millennia of Jews—to come to the Land inorder to perform all of G-d's commandments.

This is the true meaning of Zionism: loving andyearning for Zion—an ideal that all of our sagesespoused throughout the generations.

The author demonstrates the overriding importanceof Eretz Yisrael to our religion and unabashedly encour-ages every Jew to consider making G-d's Chosen Landtheir permanent dwelling place.

The author, Rabbi Moshe Lichtman studied in sev-eral Yeshivot in Israel. He received rabbinic ordinationfrom the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Rabbi IsaacElchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.He also holds an MS in Jewish Education.

The Holocaust...B O O K R E V I E W

Continued from page 56

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The Special Children's Centerhas been the best-kept secretfor parents of special children inBrooklyn and Deal for the last

eight years. In their honor, the JewishCommunity Center in Deal was trans-formed for an enchanting eveningfilled with music and dinner. TheSpecial Children's Center is a uniqueorganization dedicated to helpingchildren with a range of disabilitiessuch as Down syndrome, autism,cerebral palsy, etc., while providingmuch needed respite for the familiesof the child. Every program is specifi-

cally designed with the goal of provid-ing relief to the family from the difficul-ties and constant needs of a specialneeds child and allowing them theopportunity to focus on other mem-bers of the family.

The Special Children's Centerprovides our community's specialneeds children with programs tai-lored to their needs throughout theyear, such as the Max Harari DisneyWorld trip, Sunday programs,

overnight and weekend getawaysand a Shabbat house, where thechildren stay to enjoy a meaningfulShabbat.

Their flagship program is aworld-class summer camp featuringspecial education teachers, thera-pists and an incredible all volunteerstaff. This year they added an inte-grated class, which accommodatedchildren whose needs couldn't beaccommodated by any other camp.All of this growth made this year'sfundraising concert a must. Withoutthe generous help of the community,

the Special Children's Center could-n't possibly continue to be there forour children.

The evening was dedicated inhonor of Joe and Trina Cayrethrough the generosity of their chil-dren and grandchildren. While com-munity members enjoyed a lavishbuffet dinner and bar by ZamiCaterers before the main event, therelaxing music of a harpist played inthe background. The magic began

when the doors opened to the newAxelrod Performing Arts Theatre.Rabbi Eli Mansour opened the nightby telling the crowd that althoughthey were there that night to enjoythemselves in an unforgettableevening, the help their participationgives to the Center, thereby

enabling them to do so much for thespecial needs children, is immeas-urable. The concert got right intogear with a fast-paced performanceby Piamenta, a well-knownSephardic Israeli singer. The excite-ment continued when YaakovShweky, the main performer of theevening, sang a duet with Piamentaand went on to sing some of hismost popular and well-loved songs.

C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S

Drs. Brian and Gayle Krost, EventCoordinator

Continued on page 62

Award presented to Sion Harari, founder of the Max Harari Disney World Make aDream Come True trip

Special Children’s Center Concert

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As the evening progressed, thewonderful people that spent theirtime and efforts making the event asuccess were thanked includingGayle Krost, Allie Cohen, LaurenFranco and Chanie Shoner. It goeswithout saying that the success ofthe Special Children's Center is duein large part to Michael Cayre andRichy Dweck, for whom no thankyou will ever suffice. The Centerwould not be where it is today with-out their dedication to the cause.

In order to showcase the virtuesof this organization, a video presen-tation was shown. The videodescribed the feelings of both a spe-cial needs child, who sees his coun-selor as his hero, and the feelings of

the counselor who likewise sees achild that overcomes many obstaclesas a hero. The presentation was veryheartwarming and really gave the

crowd a chance to see the effect theCenter has on all those involved. Aspecial acknowledgment was madein the video to the Harari and Mizrahifamilies for their generous contribu-

tion to the Center and for sponsoringthe 2006 Max Harari Disney WorldMake a Wish Come True trip.

As the concert went on, theaudience fell in love with a surpriseguest. Completely unplanned, ayoung boy with Down syndrometook to the stage. True to the heartof the organization, the boy immedi-ately started dancing with YaakovShwekey to the applause of thecrowd.

The evening finished with adelightful Viennese table. Theguests got to take home adorablecookies and maracas emblazonedwith the Center logo. Most impor-tantly, they took home the true satis-faction of knowing that they tookpart in supporting a truly greatcause. With the ‘word’ out about theSpecial Children's Center and thelove the community has for its spe-cial needs children, the evening wastruly successful in so many ways.The summer concert and dinnerevent allowed the Center to publi-cize the existence of an organizationthat services the children, helps thefamilies and offers the youth of ourcommunity the opportunity to dohesed. To get involved, please call732-367-0099.

Special...C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S

Yaakov Shwekey and orchestra

Yaakov Shwekey

Michael Cayre receiving award foryears of dedication to the center

Continued from page 60

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Move over Jeopardy! TheYeshivah of Flatbush HighSchool College Bowl Teammet the TV Challenge

recently. More specifically, it wasthe Cablevision/News12 Challenge,an academic TV quiz show for highschools in the tri-state region featur-

ing the best and brightest local stu-dents. The Challenge tests knowl-edge of history, arts and literature,science and math, popular cultureand current events.

This season was the first toinclude teams from Brooklyn, andfour of Flatbush's finest stepped-up

to the academic plate to challengethe opposition from Brooklyn'sSecondary School for Law. Wearingsuits, ties and face powder—tomake them ‘camera ready'—andgeared with buzzers and micro-phones, YOF seniors NormanGreenberg, Benjy Leinwand, EddieMishaan and Dovie Rosenberg tookto the studio stage with an air ofconfidence. Alternate HillelLandman stood ready to step in ifneeded.

Supporting them in the studioaudience was an enthusiastic YOFcheering squad including the dozenother College Bowl team members,faculty advisor Dr. Joanne F.Bernstein (Professor Emerita ofEducation at Brooklyn College andCoordinator of the YeshivahAcademic Bowl League), PrincipalRabbi Ronald Levy and family andfriends.

C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S

Dr. Joanne F. Bernstein, Benjy Leinwand, Norman Greenberg, Eddie Mishaan, Dovie Rosenberg and Hillel Landman with The Challenge emcee

Hillel, Dovie, Eddie, Benjy and Norman

Renee Beyda and Diane Chabbott

Continued on page 68

YOF College Bowl TeamCompetes on TV

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Motivating an Underachiever Strategies to Get Your Child to Do Better in School

At P.T.A. meetings, the teachersall tell you the same thing. Andyou know it yourself. “Your sonis not failing; but I really feel he

could do better.” “Your daughter'swork is satisfactory; but I know shecould get higher grades if she tried alittle harder.”

Your child is capable of gettinghigher marks if he would only put ina little more effort. But no matterwhat you and your spouse try to do,you have failed to motivate yourchild to improve his schoolwork.

Why does your child performbelow his abilities at school? Is yourchild an underachiever, and if so, whatcan you do to help him maximize hispotential in school and in life?

Why Some Children FailThere are a number of reasons

why children sometimes fail to liveup to their academic abilities.Understanding these root causesand determining which apply toeach child is the first important steptowards helping an underachiever.

Not all failing students are trulycapable of better school work. Somechildren sound or appear brighterthan they really are. These childrenunintentionally mislead their teach-ers and parents into believing thatthey are capable of earning highergrades when in fact, they are actual-ly doing the best they can.

The only way to know for sure ifyour child has the intellectual capac-ity for doing better work at school isto have him evaluated by a learningspecialist. The standardized testswhich will be administered canremove any doubt about your child'strue potential and can help youadjust your expectations, if necessary.

Some children, for example, maysuffer from learning disabilities which

make it extremely difficult for them tokeep up with a regular classroom cur-riculum. By the time these childrenreach high school, they may be sodiscouraged that they have, indeed,given up trying, not because they lackmotivation but because they needremediation or special services whichthey have not yet received.

Some children are unrealisticabout their expectations for them-selves. These perfectionist studentssee only the highest grades asacceptable. These children are alsooverly self-critical. They have notlearned how to accept their ownshortcomings without feeling like totalfailures. If and when they fall short oftheir unreachable goals, they give upcompletely and appear unmotivated.

Some children suffer from low self-esteem. They see themselves as inca-pable of achieving even the most mod-est goals. In fact, they are so convincedthat they will fail, that they often do notseem to have the energy to attemptanything. They do not try to study,socialize or even seek recreationbecause they believe that their effortswill be wasted.

What Won’t WorkIf you have an underachiever at

home, you probably know betterthan anyone else which strategieswill prove to be futile. Just to confirmwhat you may already know, here isa list of interventions which are mostlikely to fail:

1. Criticizing, carping and com-plaining may help you let off steam,but will do more harm than good. Ifyour child suffers from low self-esteem, your verbal attacks willcrush his already fragile sense ofself.

2. Giving advice may appearmore benign, but it is usually just asineffective as criticism. Especiallyfor high school students, advice istaken as a more subtle form of dis-approval.

Even a simple suggestion whichbegins with, “Why don't you try...”implies to an adolescent that he isinferior to you because he did notthink of that on his own.

3. Comparisons to siblings orclassmates can be extremely hurtfuland destructive. “Why can't you doX like your sister does?” is the ulti-mate put-down to any academicallystruggling child.

4. Even comparisons to yourselfwill backfire. Statements such as, “Iloved math in high school,” “I did myhomework the first thing when Icame home from school,” and “Iworked hard at school but felt satis-fied with my results,” only serve todiscourage weaker students. Suchcomments make children feel thatthey must live up to your standards,which may be unrealistic andunreachable for them.

What Parents Can Do1. Have your child evaluated by

a learning specialist. Make sure hedoes not have any hidden learningdisabilities which are being misdiag-

E D U C A T I O N

Dr. Meir Wikler

Continued on page 6866D

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After a cordial meeting with the opposition and agame regulations review in the “green room” (which isnot green), the teams were ready to begin. But anequipment failure delayed the start, and led the stagecrew to improvise an audience trivia challenge; teeshirts, bags and caps were awarded (tossed) to theaudience for answering some difficult and some sillyquestions such as “What is the name of CaptainCrunch's ship?” (S.S. Guppy).

Finally the meet began and it was exciting. Theresults are not yet publicly known, but you can watch thematch yourself. It will air on channel 12 on the week-ends of February 2 and February 16—at 6:30 and 9:30pm, on both Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Besides the fun and the pride of academic accom-plishment, The Challenge offers some monetary prizestoo. After 31 weeks, one team in each region is crownedRegional Champion, winning $2,500 for its school.Regional winners confront each other in a Tri-state show-down, vying for a prize of $10,000 for their school. Eachstudent (including alternates) participating in the final Tri-State Challenge Championship game will receive $500.

You can catch The Challenge every weekendthrough the end of June 2008 on Sunday nights. For fur-ther information, visit www.powertolearn.com. And formore photos of the YOF College Bowl TV experience,visit the Joel Braverman High School photo gallery atwww.flatbush.org.

Renee Beyda is a YOF parent and the Yeshivah's publications assistant.Diane Chabbott is the YOF publicist.

YOF...C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S

Eddie Mishaan getting ready for the taping

Go Flatbush!

Continued from page 64

nosed as lack of motivation.2. Be sure to praise even the smallest step in the

right direction. No improvement, however temporary,should go unnoticed and unacknowledged by you.

Nothing motivates a child more than the prospect ofsuccess. Even before report cards are mailed or examsgraded, if your child sees that he can earn your approvalwith a little effort, that will spur him on to even greaterachievement.

3. Show your child that you are sincerely interestedin whatever interests her. Paying attention to yourchild's thoughts, preferences and feelings, is the great-est boost you can give to her level of confidence.Fortified with this hike in his self-esteem, she will bemore willing to take the risk of trying harder at school.

4. Encourage and support your child's stated goalsand aspirations even if you suspect they may neverbecome actualized.

Abe dropped out of high school. He did not work orsocialize. He filled each day and much of the nightwatching TV and listening to the radio. He barely left hisroom except for meals and meetings with his therapist.

After two years of his self-imposed isolation, Abeannounced to his parents his intention to become a psy-chologist.

“Why don't you try to finish high school first?” Abe'sdad advised.

Abe felt his father had burst his bubble of enthusi-asm. And he stayed in his room for another two years.

Abe's father meant well, but he misunderstood howweak Abe's sense of self was at that point. Had hisfather only complimented Abe on his choice of career,for example, it is highly probably that Abe's isolationmight have been drastically shortened.

If your child is lacking motivation at school, you can-not do anything to make him motivated any more thanyou can make grass grow out of the ground.Nevertheless, you can still have a lush, thick lawn if youplant seeds, mix in fertilizer and water the ground thor-oughly to provide the optimum conditions for growth tooccur.

The same is true for helping your unmotivated child.If you provide the right atmosphere of acceptance andapproval, you just may see your underachiever blossominto a successful, productive adult.

Dr. Meir Wikler is a psychotherapist and family counselor in privatepractice in Brooklyn, New York. He is also the author of Partners WithHashem: Effective Guidelines for Successful Parenting. This article firstappeared on Aish.com.

Motivating...E D U C A T I O N

Continued from page 66

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Ask the Educational Advocate

Educational advocates are familiar with the lawsprotecting children with disabilities, guaranteeingchildren receive therapy, services and appropriateschool placement.

Educational advocates are also knowledgeableabout childhood disabilities and can guide parents toqualified resources for their disabled children.

Each month, Joan A. Harrington and RachelShamah answer your questions relating to educationand disabled children.

Dear Advocate,What is this I hear about people getting their tuition

reimbursed? Who is eligible, and how can I apply? Joey F.

Dear Joey,There are parents who do get their private school

tuition reimbursed, at least for the non-religious part ofthe child's school day. However,this is not an entitlement, and youwill not get money just by asking. Itall begins with the federal statue,The Individual with DisabilitiesEducation Act (IDEA). This is alengthy and comprehensive law thatprotects children with disabilities inrelationship to their education.

The IDEA has two basic princi-ples. They are that children who areclassified by the local committee onspecial education as disabled areentitled to a Free and AppropriatePublic Education (FAPE) in theLeast Restrictive Environment(LRE). FAPE is an individualized educational programthat is designed to meet the child's unique needs andfrom which the child receives educational benefit. LREusually means being educated in a classroom thatoffers the child mainstreaming possibilities whereverpossible.

The Department of Education (DOE) has theresponsibility to find, evaluate, observe and review anychild that may be eligible for special education services.I defined the disabilities that qualify a few months ago,but keep in mind the child can be clearly disabled ormight have a more subtle learning disability, such as alanguage processing deficit.

After the DOE assembles the information they havegathered, they meet with the parent and discuss theoptions; they then have an obligation to recommend anappropriate program for the student. Because of theIDEA there is a wide array of special education classesavailable in the public school system. It is important tokeep in mind that the DOE cannot, except under exten-uating circumstances, place a child in a private schoolat the DOE's expense. Therefore, it follows that thecommittee on special education will send the parent afinal notice of recommendation with a particular class ina local public school.

The parent then has an obligation to seriously con-sider if the recommended placement is ‘appropriate,' andwill offer the child both FAPE and LRE. It is important tovisit the classroom and observe the teacher and the stu-dents. Parents should ask questions to determine if theirchild will benefit from being educated in the class.

If a parent does not believe that his child will bene-fit from the recommended place-ment, he then can place his child ina private program and request animpartial hearing to request tuitionreimbursement. There are manyprocedures the parent must adhereto in order to request a hearing, andmost parents seek representation todo so.

To be successful at the hearing,the parent must prove that the pro-gram the DOE recommended wasnot appropriate, and that the pro-gram that they purchased is. A writ-ten decision is then rendered by theimpartial hearing officer.

This is an extremely brief outline of the process youhave asked about, and it is important to keep in mindthat reimbursement is not a right; it must be that your‘disabled' child was denied a free and appropriate pub-lic education in the least restrictive environment accord-ing to their individual educational plan.

Please e-mail your questions to: Rachel@easead-vocates.org or Advocate@tmo.blackberry.net.

Joan A. Harrington and Rachel Shamah are educational advocates atEASE Educational Advocacy Services in Brooklyn NY.

The information in this article is not intended as legal advice. Pleaseconsult an educational advocate or an attorney for more detailed information.

E D U C A T I O N

By Joan A. Harrington & Rachel Shamah

”...the parent must

prove that the

program the DOE

recommended was

not appropriate...”

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Jewish Groups Worked to Reacha Positive Resolution

The Sephardic CommunityFederation (SCF) praised arecent decision by the NewYork City Department of Health

and Mental Hygiene (DOH) to aban-don a plan that could have resultedin the possible closure of yeshivahsthroughout New York City. TheDOH's decision comes after sixmonths of consultation with SCFand other leading Jewish groups inNew York City.

According to SCF ExecutiveDirector David Greenfield, after ini-tially learning of the proposedchanges to Article 47 of the NewYork City Health Code, it becameapparent to yeshivahs throughoutNew York City that the significantfinancial investments necessary tocomply with the new regulationsand the drastic change in policycould ultimately lead to their clo-sure or would have forced them toincrease tuition.

“The decision by the DOH toexempt yeshivahs from the require-ments that the city was contemplat-ing is great news for our communityand a big win for our children,” saidGreenfield. “Instead of trying to fig-ure out how to comply with intrusivemandates, yeshivahs can focus onteaching our children and givingthem the best education possible.”

Pursuant to Article 47 of theNew York City Health Code, a reli-gious school is currently notrequired to have a permit to oper-ate a day care service if it is part ofan elementary school. Last April,the DOH announced plans to mod-ify Article 47 and rescind the NPR(No Permit Required) exemption forreligious schools throughout NewYork City. As part of its proposal,the DOH set forth a long list ofrequirements with which religiousschools would have to comply. The

proposed changes would haverequired all child care services forchildren less than six years of age tohold a DOH permit.

SCF, the umbrella governmentrelations and public policy organi-zation of the Sephardic Jewishcommunity, which has nearly10,000 students in yeshivahs, gotinvolved and worked to ensure thatthe DOE recognized the myriadconcerns and possible complica-tions associated with its proposal.

After studying the proposal, itbecame clear that a number of theproposed regulations would seri-ously impact yeshivahs. For exam-ple, there was a proposal involvingthe minimum square footageallowable per child. If enacted,yeshivahs would have beenrequired to have at least 30 squarefeet of wall-to-wall space for eachchild in a classroom. An over-whelming number of yeshivahswould have difficulty complyingwith this requirement due to ashortage of classroom space. SCFstrenuously objected to this pro-posal and highlighted the detri-mental effect that it would have onyeshivahs to the DOH.

In addition, there was a pro-posal that stated that teachers ofchildren between the ages oftwo and six would have to have acollege degree and New York

State certification. Currently,there are many yeshivahs whoseteachers would not meet thisrequirement.

Greenfield noted that the SCF'sprimary area of concern was thatthe DOH was attempting to regu-late not just health and safetyissues, but curriculum issues aswell. Greenfield, together with sev-eral other prominent Jewish com-munity leaders, met withCommissioner Frieden andexplained to him that any reason-able regulation that pertains toimproving the health of our chil-dren and keeping them safe is cer-tainly welcome; however, the certi-fication requirements, the teacherto child ratio, and the 30 squarefeet required for each child, wereparticularly troubling. In additionto SCF, the other groups that wereinvolved included UJO (The UnitedJewish Organizations) ofWilliamsburg, the BJE of New York,and Agudath Israel.

After much discussion,Commissioner Frieden officiallyagreed not to pursue the proposedrequirements which would haveaffected how the yeshivahs educatetheir students.

Greenfield praised CommissionerFrieden for taking the time to workwith SCF and the other Jewish groupsand for listening to their concerns.

“Commissioner Frieden shouldbe commended for his willingnessto work with the religious commu-nity,” said Greenfield, “By workingtogether we were able to achieve aresult that will keep our childrenhealthy and safe without compro-mising their religious education inany way.”

Aaron Troodler is an attorney and theLegislative Director of the SephardicCommunity Federation.

E D U C A T I O N

Aaron Troodler

“...a number of the proposed

regulations wouldseriously impact

yeshivahs.”

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T Fusion SteakhouseFine Dining in the Comfort of Brookyln

If you’re looking for Upper EastSide dining without the traveltime, T Fusion Steakhouse iswhere you want to be. Walking

into this beautiful two-story restau-rant, you’ll soon forget you’re in theheart of Brooklyn.

A rustic stone wall drenchedwith the soft light of elegant sconceshints at the restaurant’s element of‘fusion.’ The space is large: thelower level seats 50, the upper seats80, and their courtyard, when thewarm weather returns, will seat anadditional 45.

With such a grand size andupscale decor, the space still retainsa warm and cozy atmosphere.Contributing to this warmth is a staffwhose number is vast as the restau-rant itself. With over 20 staff mem-bers, you can be sure that you’llreceive prompt and friendly service.There is also a sommelier (trainedwine professional) on site, who willhelp you choose the perfect winefrom their expansive selection toaccentuate your meal.

T Fusion Steakhouse offers avariety of steaks, including the clas-sical Filet Mignon, Tournedo SteakWellington and Carica MinuteSteak. Be sure to try one of theiraged varieties, which include themouth-watering Prime Aged‘Chateaubriand,’ 21+ Day AgedPrime Entrecote and 21+ Day AgedTenderloin Delmonico.

True to their name, T FusionSteakhouse has an extensive menu,reaching far beyond the realm ofsteak. Entrees feature other landmeats, including ChickenChanterelle, Irish Veal and LambMutarde. Seafood lovers can enjoythe Balsamic Marinated Tuna,

Chilean Sea Bass or SalmonRoulade Florentine. Every three orfour months the sumptuous menuchanges, bringing even moremouth-watering delights.

Whet your appetite with theirdelicious soups, salads and tastersthat truly define fusion cuisine. Startyour meal with Winter Squash Soup,a hearty butternut squash soup gar-nished with beet puree, or theGreen Papaya Salad, a deliciousblend of finely cut green papaya,carrots and cherry tomatoes, withchili lime dressing and crushed pis-tachio.

It will be a challenge, with suchhearty portions, to leave room fordessert—but you’ll be glad you did.There are so many wonderful home-made desserts, you never knowwhat you’ll find on the menu.

The size of the restaurantmakes it a wonderful venue for a

celebration, so rent a floor for yournext major party, presentation orevent. It’ll serve as the perfectbackdrop for your next engage-ment party, wedding, brit, orbar/bat mitzvah. And don’t hesitateto bring the kids—while refined,the menu is also extremely kid-friendly, and the chefs are accom-modating.

The steakhouse is the latestendeavor of the minds that broughtyou Tea for Two, a popular Brooklyndairy eatery established about 11years ago. With their new ventureinto meat, T Fusion has certainlyraised the bar for kosher restau-rants.

To make a reservation, call 718-62-STEAK (78325), and stop by thisneighborhood gem at 3223 QuentinRoad in Marine Park. View their fullmenu at their website,www.Tfusionsteakhouse.com.

F O C U S O N

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History of the Jewsin Australia

The history of the Jews in Australiabegan with the transportation of sever-al Jewish convicts aboard the FirstFleet in 1788, when the first European

settlement was established on the conti-nent in present-day Sydney. Today, an esti-mated 120,000 Jews reside in Australia, themajority being Ashkenazi Jews of EasternEuropean descent. Many are refugees andHolocaust survivors who arrived during andafter World War II.

The Jewish population has beenswelled more recently by immigrants fromSouth Africa and the former Soviet Union.The largest Jewish community in Australiais in Melbourne with about 60,000, followedclosely by Sydney with 45,000 members.Smaller communities are dispersed amongthe remaining cities.

Since the days of British colonialism,Jews have enjoyed formal equality beforethe law in Australia and have not been sub-ject to any form of state sponsored anti-Semitism, which would exclude them fromfull participation in public life.

They assisted in the development ofthe country and were particularly prominent

in the raising of sheep and cattle. In sci-ence, art, and literature, Jews have beenactive contributors. A number have evenheld prominent public government office.

European settlement began in 1788and the earliest Jewish community cameabout almost 100 years later. Sydney, thecapital of the mother-colony of New SouthWales, contains the oldest Hebrew congre-gation. There were about 20 Jews in thecolony in 1817.

Nevertheless, they were sufficientlyattached to their religion to form themselvesinto a Jewish burial society. In 1820 theJews obtained their own bet chayyim (bur-ial ground) by applying to the Rev. Dr.Cowper, who allotted to them the right-handcorner of the Christian cemetery. The deathof one Joel Joseph prompted the applica-tion; and he was the first Jew buried there.During the next 10 years there was no greatincrease in membership; and the servicesof the society were not called for more thanonce a year.

In 1827 and 1828 the worldly conditionof the Hebrews in the colony improved con-siderably, in consequence of the greatinflux of respectable merchants; and this,with other circumstances, raised theHebrews in the estimation of their fellowcolonists. About this period Mr. P. J. Cohenoffered the use of his house for the purposeof divine worship, which was performed forthe first time in the colony and was contin-ued regularly every Sabbath and holiday.

Divine service was also performedoccasionally in a room hired by A. Elias andJames Simmons. Everything in connectionwith their religion remained in this conditionuntil the arrival of Aaron Levi, in the year1830. He succeeded in instilling, into theminds of the congregation, a taste for thereligion of their fathers. A Sefer Torah waspurchased, divine service was more regu-larly conducted, and from it, establishedJewish religion in Sydney. In 1832 theyformed a proper congregation, and appoint-ed J. B. Montefiore as the first president.

J E W I S H H I S T O R Y

East Melbourne Synagogue

Continued on page 76

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In the same year, the first Jewish marriage was cel-ebrated between Moses Joseph and Miss Nathan.Three years later, a Mr. Rose came from England andacted as the chazzan, shochet, and mohel. He was suc-ceeded by Jacob Isaacs. The condition of the Jewsimproved to such an extent that in 1844 they erectedtheir first synagogue in York Street, Sydney, in whichthey continued to worship for more than 30 years.

Tasmania was most likely the second Jewish settle-ment in Australia. The oldest surviving synagogue onthe continent is the Hobart Hebrew CongregationSynagogue. It was consecrated on July 4, 1845. Jewsalso began to assemble in Victoria in the 1840s andcongregations sprang up in Melbourne, where in 1847the first synagogue opened. This was followed by St.Kilda, Geelong, Bendigo, and Ballarat (1853).

By the 1850s, during the time of the Victorian GoldRush, Melbourne had become the largest Jewish settle-ment in the country. Jews settled considerably later inSouthern Australia than they did in Victoria, but it wasnot until 1871 that they were numerous enough to erecta synagogue in the capital city of Adelaide. Somewhatlater, the Brisbane (Queensland) congregation formed.For more than 20 years (1865-1886) they continued tohold services in the Masonic Hall, and at the end of thatperiod, they were able to build a synagogue in MargaretStreet, with a seating capacity of 400.

The youngest of the Australian communities is thatof Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It was formedin 1892 due to the great influx of people into the west-ern colony after the discovery of gold in the 1890s. TheJewish congregation grew rapidly, and five years afterthe first minyan, a synagogue was built and consecrat-ed in Brisbane Street.

Each of the colonies has witnessed the rise anddecline of a congregation. In New South Wales therewas, at one time, a flourishing community in Maitland. A

synagogue was built there in 1879; but owing to adversecircumstances, many of the Jews left for other parts.The same fate befell the congregation of Toowoomba,Queensland, where in 1879 the Jews built a beautifulhouse of worship under such favorable conditions that,within a few years, the synagogue was entirely free fromdebt. It was used only on the High Holidays by the fewJews living in Toowoomba.

The Coolgardie community in Western Australiaalso encountered problems. In 1896 a number of Jewsarrived. They at once obtained a grant of land from thegovernment, collected subscriptions, and proceeded tobuild a synagogue. Within three years, however, such athinning-out had taken place that the remaining mem-bers were unable to pay the debt on the synagogue andthe building was sold by the creditors to a Masonicgroup and converted into a Masonic hall.

Jews have been mayors of nearly all the capitalcities of Australia, as well as of many smaller towns. TheHon. H. E. Cohen was on the judicial bench in Sydney;and the appointment of chief justice was offered andaccepted by Sir Julian Salomons. The agent-general-ship of New South Wales, the premier colony, has beenadministered by Jews and numerous Jews have sat inthe State and Commonwealth parliaments. In proportionto the population, a large percentage have also heldministerial portfolios.

The foremost among the Jews who have figured aspioneers in Australia was Jacob Montefiore, a cousin of

History of the Jews...J E W I S H H I S T O R Y

Continued on page 78

Maitland Synagogue

Hobart Synagogue, Australia’s oldest Jewish house of worship

Continued from page 74

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Sir Moses Montefiore. South Australian history recordshim as one of the founders of the colony; and he wasselected by the British government to act on the firstboard of commissioners, appointed in 1835 to conductits affairs. His portrait hangs in its National Gallery, andhis memory is perpetuated by Montefiore Hill, one of theleading thoroughfares of Adelaide. J. B. Montefiore'sactivity was not confined to Southern Australia. With hisbrother, Joseph Montefiore, he gave an impetus to theprogress of New South Wales. Jacob owned one of thelargest sheep-runs in the colony, and founded (and formany years acted as director of) the Bank ofAustralasia. The firm that the two brothers establishedin Sydney, in its early days, ranked among the first ofthe business houses of that city. Joseph Montefiore wasthe first president of the first Jewish congregationformed in Sydney in 1832.

The Hon. V. L. Solomon of Adelaide is rememberedfor exploring the vast northern territory of his colony, theinterests of which he represented in Parliament. M. V.Lazarus of Bendigo, known as Bendigo Lazarus, alsodid much to open up new parts in the back country ofVictoria. The coal industry of Victoria received a greatimpetus from the persistent advocacy of the Hon.Nathaniel Levi, who for many years urged the govern-ment of Victoria to develop it. The cultivation of beetroot,for the production of sugar and spirits, likewise owes itsexistence as an industry to Levi's ceaseless efforts. Inhis work on behalf of this industry, he published, in1870, a study of 250 pages on the value and adaptabil-ity of the sugar-beet. In western Australia, the townshipsof Karridale and Boyanup owe their existence to theenterprise of M. C. Davies, a large lumber merchant.

In 1931 Sir Isaac Isaacs was appointed the firstAustralian born Governor-General. He was the firstJewish vice-regal representative in the British Empire.Sir Zelman Cowen also served as Governor-General,between 1977 and 1982. Sir John Monash, a distin-guished Australian Lieutenant-General during WorldWar I, was also of Jewish descent. Monash University,Australia's largest university, is named after him.Malcolm Fraser, the Prime Minister of Australia, 1975-1983, was of Jewish descent, as well.

Barnett Levy founded the first theater in Australia. Inthe late 20s His Excellency Sir R. Bourke granted BarnettLevy a license for dramatic performances, with a restric-tion that he should confine himself to the presentation ofsuch pieces only as had been licensed in England by the

Lord Chamberlain. Levy was at that time the owner of theoriginal Royal Hotel in George Street; and he fitted thesaloon of that establishment as a theater, where the firstproductions of legitimate drama in the colony were given.The encouragement that this undertaking receivedinduced the enterprising proprietor to enlarge his sphereof action. He built a theater called the Theater Royal,which was opened in 1833.

In the course of the half-century of communal life inAustralia, four important Jewish journals appeared: TheAustralian Israelite was issued from 1870 to 1882 inMelbourne, and was edited by S. Joseph, a practicedjournalist, who also conducted The Tamworth News.The Jewish Herald of Melbourne has been published,first weekly and then bi-weekly, from 1885 onward,under the joint editorship of E. Blaubaum and MauriceBenjamin; The Australian Hebrew, conducted by Jacob

Goldstein, appeared for only 18 months in 1895-96; TheHebrew Standard was first published in 1897, under thedirectorship of Alfred Harris.

In the area of art, two Jews, E. P. Fox and AbbeyAlston, have achieved distinction. Paintings by bothartists have been hung in the Melbourne NationalGallery. In the Adelaide Gallery hangs a tribute to thememory of H. Abrahams for the services he rendered tothe progress of art in Australia. Two Jews of Australianbirth have attained some distinction as writers, S.Alexander and Joseph Jacobs.

Today, Australia's Jewish community thrives in all themajor cities. In May 2004, the great art collector and deal-er, Dr Joseph Brown donated his substantial collection ofAustralian art of the 20th Century to the National Galleryof Victoria. It was the most generous single gift of works ofart ever made to a public gallery in Australia.

Dr Brown, who until recently lived in one ofMelbourne's greatest mansions in Caroline Street,South Yarra, was born in Poland in 1918 and migratedto Australia in 1933. He was awarded an Order ofAustralia, Australia's highest civilian honor, for his serv-ices to the arts.

Documents revealed that Palestinian terroristsplanned to kill high profile Jewish figures, including theAustralian ambassador, in 1975. Prominent Jewish sup-porters such as former Prime Minister Bob Hawke werealso targeted. Since the September 11, 2001, terroristattacks in the United States, Jews in Australia haveseen a rise in attacks on synagogues and violenceagainst persons of Jewish descent.

History of the Jews...

”Today, Australia's Jewish community thrives in all the major cities. “

J E W I S H H I S T O R Y

Continued from page 76

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Criminal Suit for Temple MountDestruction

A group of Israeli's filed a class actionsuit alleging criminal behavior against theMoslems who run the Temple Mount site forhaving destroyed Jewish antiquities there.The suit charges that Islamic Waqf (thegroup that administers the Temple Mount)officials have engaged in the deliberatedestruction of ancient Jewish relics. Thecriminal suit is the first of its kind in Israelilegal history.

The suit accuses members of the Waqfof intentionally demolishing priceless Jewishartifacts, including remains from the SecondTemple. In recent months, the Waqf broughtin bulldozers and heavy digging equipmentto dig a long trench on the Mount, supposed-ly to replace electrical cables. Israeli archae-ologists who sifted through the discardedearth were shocked to discover a greatnumber of Jewish artifacts brutally trashedby the bulldozers. A wall from the outercourtyard of the Second Temple is believedto have been completely pulverized.

The suit maintains the recently acceler-ated destruction is part of a four-decade-long campaign by the Waqf to eradicate allevidence of the historical Jewish connectionand claim to the Temple Mount.

Addicted to DietingA new study shows that the percentage

of Israeli girls who are on a diet (26%) is oneof highest in the West. But they're not dietingbecause they are overweight. The onlycountry that has a higher percentage (28%)of normal weight girls that diet is Denmark.The United States was ranked fourth.

Israeli boys also restrict their caloricintake, with 8% of normal weight boys on adiet.

The findings point to the overwhelmingeffect of the thin-craze and support theassumptions about the relationshipbetween the place of residence and diets.

28% Do Not Serve in the MilitaryTwenty-eight percent of Israeli youth eli-

gible for the draft are not recruited into theranks of the armed forces. Of this number,5% are labeled draft-dodgers and the restare exempted as a matter of policy.

A little over 11% of non-recruits arelisted as full-time yeshivah students, whohave the option of indefinitely postponingmilitary service. This figure was only 4.9%in 1991. Just over 7% of this year's recruitsobtained a medical exemption, while 2%were listed as handicapped or deceased.Another 4% of potential recruits are over-seas and 3% were exempt from servicedue to their criminal record. Six percent ofarmy-age youths requested review for anexemption due to an unsuitable psycholog-ical profile in 2006.

Among those discharged from the armyin 2006, 17.7% were only six-months intotheir compulsory service. The majority ofthose released early were exempted due toa problematic psychological profile thatbecame evident only after conscription. Inaddition, many of those discharged earlywere from the administrative or transporta-tion branches of the army.

In response to the worrying conscrip-tion statistics, Knesset Member ChaimKatz (Likud) proposed a law that wouldstrip draft-dodgers of their driver's licens-es. Any person who avoided IDF servicefor psychological reasons should not beallowed to get or renew a driver's license,Katz said, adding that his bill would reducethe number of young people avoiding IDFservice by claiming to suffer from mentaldisorders.

Earlier in the year, dozens of CEOs ofIsraeli companies signed a pledge not to hireshirkers of IDF army service. At the time,stepped up efforts by the army to identifydraft-dodgers were netting more than 10such young people every week, compared tojust one or two per week.

N E W S B R I E F S

Israeli News

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Nuclear ThreatsEgyptian and Saudi Arabian intentions

to begin or revive their nuclear programs inthe face of Iran's continued race towardnuclear power present an “apocalyptic sce-nario” for Israel as well as for the rest of theworld, Strategic Affairs Minister AvigdorLieberman told The Jerusalem Post.

Lieberman's remarks came a week afterEgyptian President Hosni Mubarakannounced a decision to restart his country'snuclear program. Shortly thereafter, IranianPresident Mahmoud Ahmadinejadannounced that his country had begun oper-ating 3,000 centrifuges for the enrichment ofuranium.

“If Egypt and Saudi Arabia begin nuclearprograms, this can bring an apocalyptic sce-nario upon us,” Lieberman told the Post.“Their intentions should be taken seriously.”

Lieberman also said Pakistan was amajor threat to Israel due to the politicalinstability there and the fact that the countryhad “missiles, nuclear weapons and aproven capability.”

Ethiopian Jews Celebrate the Sigd Festival in Jerusalem

Hundreds of members of the Ethiopiancommunity signed their names to a petitionrecently calling for Israel's religious leadersto incorporate the annual Sigd festival in thecalendar of religious Jewish holidays.

As in previous years, Ethiopian Israeliswere bused to Jerusalem's Haas Promenadeto mark the ancient holiday, whose namemeans “to prostate oneself in worship” and ismeant to renew the covenant between G-dand the people of Israel.

It is normally celebrated 50 days afterYom Kippur, on the 29th of the Hebrewmonth of Heshvan, but was held two daysearly this year because the date fell onShabbat. The community's spiritual leadersrecite prayers in the Ethiopian Jewish lan-guage of Gez calling for the return of allJews to Jerusalem.

The drive to have the holiday made partof the Jewish calendar was initiated by theIsrael Association of Ethiopian Jews, whichsent its request to Sephardi Rabbi ShlomoAmar and Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger.

Within an hour of issuing the petitionand calling on passersby to show theirsupport, more than 150 people had signedup.

"We have talked about this becoming amainstream Jewish festival for years, butmostly in the privacy of our homes. This isthe first time that we have asked for recogni-tion of our traditions from the larger Jewishpublic," said Masfin.

Rabbi Itzhak Paraz, director of Amar'soffice, told The Jerusalem Post that Amarhad strong relations with the Ethiopian com-munity and was very sympathetic to theirneeds. He said that Amar would certainly bewilling to sit down with community leaders todiscuss the Sigd issue. Ashkenazi ChiefRabbi Yona Metzger was not available for comment.

Is Holocaust Denial a Crime?Spain's Constitutional Court ruled

recently that Holocaust denial will not bepunishable by imprisonment, due to the factthat it falls within freedom of speech.

Spanish law had mandated a sentenceof up to two years in prison for Holocaustdenial, but the court, which deliberated onthe case following the trial of a neo-Naziactivist, ruled that such a punishment wasunconstitutional.

Nonetheless, the court did rule thatimprisonment is a constitutional punishmentfor any individual convicted of justifying theHolocaust or any other genocide for thatmatter.

The court began deliberating on theissue following the 1996 trial of a Barcelonabookshop owner, Pedro Valera, who hadbeen distributing neo-Nazi material. Valerawas convicted and sentenced to five years inprison and a monetary fine.

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World News

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Hallelu AtlantaMore than 4,500 people gathered for

Hallelu Atlanta, a celebration of Jewish spiritand community.

Organized by Synagogue 3000, anational institute for congregational leader-ship and synagogue studies, this one-dayevent culminated a yearlong series of out-reach workshops held at 21 Atlanta areasynagogues.

Cantor Alberto Mizrahi opened theprogram with a Sephardic version of“Lecha Dodi,” followed by sing-along per-formances by Theodore Bikel, JoshuaNelson, Mare Winningham, NeshamaCarlebach, Debbie Friedman and CraigTaubman.

“Most of the synagogues bought blocksof seats in the theater, so their memberscould feel the spiritual power of comingtogether for the sole purpose of celebratingthe joy of being Jewish,” said Synagogue3000’s president, Ron Wolfson.

Hallelu Atlanta was the second suchevent organized by Synagogue 3000, follow-ing a similar mass event in late 2001 in LosAngeles.

Woman Leaves $38 Million to JewishHome and Care Center

A businesswoman who was born andraised in Milwaukee and spent nearly a half-century working for her family's furnituremanufacturing firm left $38 million to theJewish Home and Care Center in Milwaukeeafter her death at age 95.

About $35 million will be available imme-diately. The money will help the JewishHome cover the difference between whatMedicaid pays for the care of some residentsand the actual cost of the services.

“She wanted us to make sure that noperson who knocked at our doors who need-ed our services was ever turned down,” saidNita L. Corre, president of the Jewish Homeand Care Center Foundation

Garner first contacted Corre about 10years ago and the two women talked abouthow a bequest could help the Jewish Home.

“She chose something that was notglamorous or powerful or would bring her themost publicity,” Corre said of Garner's gift.“But it was something that was very sacred.She was a brilliant investor in her life and abrilliant investor with her gift.”

The American Jewish Committee HonorsFrench President Sarkozy

French President Nicolas Sarkozy washonored recently by the American JewishCommittee with the global advocacy organi-zation’s prestigious Light Unto the NationsAward.

“Above all, we honor PresidentSarkozy’s conviction, conscience, andcourage–qualities that are in short supply ina world desperately in need of all three,” saidAJC Executive Director David A. Harris.

The AJC award pays tribute to outstand-ing statesmanship.

“President Nicolas Sarkozy is a man ofpassion,” said Harris. “It is his passion, com-bined with his conviction, conscience, andcourage, that has quickly elevated him to aplace of exceptional prominence and respecton the global stage.”

President Sarkozy, thanking AJC, spokeforcefully against anti-Semitism and in sup-port of Israel’s quest for peace and security.

“Anti-Semitism must be attacked headon,” he declared. “Once you try to explainanti-Semitism, you are rationalizing anti-Semitism.”

He said anti-Semitism is a reality thatmust be acknowledged, not denied. “Wecannot fight against what is denied,” he said.“Unless you agree on a diagnosis, you can-not find the remedy.”

President Sarkozy described himself asa committed friend of Israel who regards thevery creation of the state as one of the “mir-acles” of the twentieth century.

N E W S B R I E F S

US News

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Leon Levy Foundation Awards $670,000Grant to Center for Jewish HistoryThe Center for Jewish History is the

nation's leading repository for books, docu-ments, photos, ritual objects, art, and othermaterials that detail Jewish life around theworld and across the centuries. Through thecollections of its five partners representing:the American Jewish Historical Society, theAmerican Sephardi Federation, the LeoBaeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum,and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research,the Center houses more than 100 milliondocuments, 500,000 books, tens of thou-sands of photographs, plus film, art and arti-facts, paintings and textiles, and more. Untilnow, only a fraction of these archival materi-als have been catalogued for ready accessby researchers and other Center visitors.

That situation is about to change dramat-ically, thanks to a generous grant of$670,000 awarded to the Center by the LeonLevy Foundation. The Leon Levy ArchivalProcessing Initiative will, over a period ofthree years, catalog 1,200 linear feet ofarchival materials from more than 50 collec-tions of the Center's partners—in essence,tripling the amount of materials previouslycatalogued through a 2000 grant receivedfrom the National Historical Publications andRecords Commission.

The addition of these materials to theCenter's Online Public Access Catalog(OPAC) will vastly increase the OPAC'svalue as a critical research tool for scholars,researchers, students, and the general pub-lic. The 1,200 linear feet of materials that willbe catalogued represent millions of officialdocuments, manuscripts, correspondence,newspaper clippings, photographs, audiorecordings, and much more, providing anunparalleled window into the diversity of theJewish experience throughout history andaround the world.

The Center for Jewish History is locatedat 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY.

Rally Against Hate Crimes at ColumbiaUniversity

A group of students and faculty atColumbia University held a rally against hatecrimes recently, following several incidents ofanti-Semitism and racism in the past monthon campus.

The Teachers College JewishAssociation (TCJA) rallied outside the schoolto send the message that such acts areunacceptable.

“As taught in the ethics of our Jewishfaith, the TCJA denounces prejudice directedtoward all minority groups, and stands in sol-idarity to support them,” TCJA Co-PresidentRebecca Pasternak said.

Professor Elizabeth Midlarsky, whosedoor was found defaced with a spray-paintedswastika said, “It's a wonderful thing that isbeing done today. I feel it is a real act of affir-mation.”

New York City declared November 29 asthe city's Day Out Against Hate. On that day,the Teachers College hosted a prayer break-fast against hate.

Rabbis and Imams MeetRecently, Jewish and Muslim clergy

gathered for the first American summit ofrabbis and imams. Organized by theFoundation for Ethnic Understanding, thesummit, held in New York, brought together ahand-picked group of 25 rabbis and imamsfrom major cities across the country.

Sessions explored commonalitiesbetween Jewish and Muslim approaches toritual and texts. Workshops were intended topromote cooperation between synagoguesand mosques on issues of mutual concern.

The summit concluded with a dinnerhosted by the World Jewish Congress.

Rabbi Marc Schneier founder and presi-dent of the foundation, told reporters thesummit presented a unique window of oppor-tunity to bring clergy together and project avoice of moderation and tolerance.

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New York News

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Elite Anti-Terror Team in Fort Hamilton,Brooklyn

Congressman Vito Fossella andCongressman Peter King announced that amajor hurdle has been cleared in establish-ing an elite terror response team at FortHamilton in Brooklyn. The House ofRepresentatives approved $3.8 million forthe operation of the unit.

Without the funding, the federal govern-ment might be forced to abandon plans toestablish New York City’s first and only“Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil SupportTeam” (CST). The funding, which wasincluded in the Fiscal Year 2008 DefenseDepartment Conference Report that passedthe House recently, would allow the unit tocontinue organizing and help pay for train-ing, equipment maintenance and salaries ofArmy and Air National Guard personnel whocomprise the CST.

Fossella said, “This victory brings us onestep closer to making New York safer fromacts of terrorism. A CST at Fort Hamiltonwould give New York City’s first respondersa valuable resource to draw upon in theevent of a terrorist attack. While we have notbeen attacked since 9-11, New York Citymust be prepared for every possible sce-nario. A CST would ensure that our firstresponders have the manpower, resourcesand training they need to respond to a terror-ist attack involving weapons of massdestruction.”

Families Protest Spitzer's ParoleChanges

Families of crime victims joined electedofficials in speaking out against Gov. EliotSpitzer’s proposal that would grant earlyparole hearings to convicted felons.

Brooklyn lawmakers are also pressuringthe governor to reject the deal. State Sen.Martin Golden and Congressman VitoFossella are calling on Spitzer to quash the

deal. Golden said it would allow 1,000 con-victed felons early parole hearings. The dealwould also reportedly take an inmate’sremorse and rehabilitation into considerationfor a parole decision.

Golden says he’s working on a bill thatwould prevent the state from setting earlyparole hearings.

Jewish Education OnlineMore than 200 students and educators

gathered at a Brooklyn synagogue recently,for a banquet celebrating the boys' divisionof the rapidly expanding Yaldei HashluchimOnline School. The initiative provides an in-house Jewish education to the children ofChabad-Lubavitch emissaries that live inlocations without proper Lubavitch schooling.

The banquet was the first time class-mates could meet with each other and theirteachers since the beginning of the schoolyear, two-and-a-half months ago. It tookplace during the annual InternationalConference of Chabad-LubavitchEmissaries.

The Online School, a project of theBrooklyn-based Shluchim Office, which pro-vides resources to Chabad-Lubavitch emis-saries, offers four hours of lessons everyMonday through Friday to those in preschoolthrough Grade 8. Some 400 students sign into an online classroom to listen to lessonsand interact with their peers through a tele-conference system. Online courses cover allthe usual day school subjects, includingBible, the Prophets, the weekly Torah read-ing, Jewish law and Mishnah.

“The purpose of this school is to makesure that children are not left behind theirpeers,” said program director Rabbi MosheShemtov, “nor deprived of a Chabad education.”

Crown Heights resident Rabbi KasrielShemtov helps fund the program.

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Brooklyn News

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Mikvé Israel-Emanuel, Curaçao

Jews first arrived in Curaçao(Netherlands Antilles) seeking anew home after escaping theInquisition in Spain, Portugal

and later in Brazil. Many familiesfound refuge first in Amsterdam; andlater travelled west to establishthemselves in Curaçao. The historyof the people, cemetery and syna-gogue are testimony to the deepJewish roots in Curaçao.

The Jewish Community The first Jew to arrive in

Curaçao was Samuel Cohen. Heserved as an interpreter on boardthe Dutch fleet under the commandof Johan van Walbeeck, who con-quered the island from the Spanishin 1634, over 365 years ago. A fewyears later, in 1651, Joao d'Ylanbrought 10 to 12 Jewish familiesfrom the Amsterdam Portuguesecommunity to Curaçao and estab-lished Congregation Mikvé Israel in

that same year; they lived onPlantation De Hoop (The Hope) andtended the land. A second group ofsettlers followed in 1659 under the

patronage of Isaac da Costa andbrought with them a gift from theAmsterdam synagogue: the firstTorah, still used today in the MikvéIsrael-Emanuel Synagogue.

The settlers could not earn a liv-ing with agriculture and soon went insearch of viable economic activities.They came to live inside the walledcity of Willemstad as early as 1660and established trade betweenNorthern Europe and the SouthAmerican Coast. In 1674 they con-structed the first of four synagoguesin town and built houses in town aswell as plantation houses scatteredaround the island. Through the cen-turies Jews flourished in trade, ship-ping, commerce and banking andleft their mark on practically allfacets of life on the island.

Beth HaimIn 1659, with the arrival of the

second group of Jewish settlers,cemetery Beth Haim was consecrat-ed. The oldest tombstone dates

S Y N A G O G U E S

Continued on page 194

The Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Use in the Americas

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CruisingThree Continents T

hinking of going to Europe? We did! But we’resmart—we went on a cruise. Since the euro (€)came into existence in 1999, the value of ourAmerican dollar has fallen so much that now it's

worth very little in Europe.On January 1, 1999, 11 countries—Austria,

Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain—voted to make the euro their official currency.

In 2001 Greece joined the European Union andadopted the euro. By May 1, 2004, Cyprus, the CzechRepublic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,Slovakia and Slovenia changed their currency to theeuro. On January 1, 2007, Bulgaria and Romania joinedthe European Union and adopted the euro; and byJanuary, 2008, Malta and Cyprus plan to make the eurotheir currency too.

Now, when we visit any of these countries there willbe no currency conversions; all monies are the same.The only problem with the euro for us is that the ratekeeps changing hourly and if we don't change enoughmoney at one time, we might have to pay moreAmerican dollars and get fewer euros by the end of theday.

But being smart, we planned a cruise. This time wewent on Holland America's Rotterdam. That meant wepaid American dollars for the trip before it started, and thecruise included everything—a cabin, all meals, laundryand shows—and our itinerary spanned three continents.What more could you ask for?

Albert and I chose a pre-cruise package in Venicefor four days, and when we arrived, it was a briskautumn day. The Bauer Hotel, which overlooked the

T R A V E L

Francine in Venice

Francine Dweck

Continued on page 94

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Grand Canal on one side and the Prada store on theother, was a new hotel for us. Usually we stay at theDanelli, but this time the price was exorbitant. Our suitewould have been $1,800 a day plus tax. On our honey-moon in 1964, we paid 17,200 lire for the same suitewhich was equivalent to $30! The world has changed.

We usually enjoy shopping more than sightseeingwhen we are in Venice, but this time the shopping waswearisome. In previous years when I saw something Iliked, Albert would offer American dollars or AmExinstead of local money and we would get a discount.This time no one, not the gelato vendor nor the Pradasalesperson, wanted our dollars. There were definitelyno discounts for us!

Even though we knew lunch at the Cipriani would bevery costly, we did it. Of course, we couldn't be in Venicewithout eating at the Cipriani. The ride over to the hotelwas refreshing and beautiful. All the canals are very clean,with many gondolas and motorboats. Stepping off theboat onto the island is similar to walking straight into a fairybook. Lunch was delicious and expensive but worth it! Iremember cocoa-light (which was called the AmericanChampagne in 1964) was then 250 lire, or 40 cents.Today that same small bottle of soda is nine euros, or $14!

Reaching the ship on the fourth day was a relief. Forthe next 14 days, everything was free. (Remember, wepaid for the trip in dollars at home.) Our first stop wasDubrovnik in Croatia. The city is still surrounded by the oldwalls dated from the beginning of the twelfth century.There are four gates into the city, but most people use theTile Gate. The country is quaint, with rolling hills, so thestreets have many steps reaching the top. The unassum-ing synagogue is unmarked, but it has stood in Dubrovnikfor many years. It is located on Ulica Zudioska, where thesecond floor is a museum and the third floor is the actualsynagogue. Even though Croatia is not part of theEuropean Union, their currency, which is the CroatianKuna, was worth more than our dollar. We tried to shop onBrsalje Square but came away with nothing.

From Dubrovnik we went to Valletta in Malta. Thiscountry is getting ready to receive the euro. All theshops showed both the old currency and the new. Theship gave a few choices for shore excursions, but weopted to go ashore ourselves. We walked the mainstreet, found nothing to buy, and returned to the ship toenjoy a wonderful lunch on board.

Our cruise also took us to the ports of Messina andRome in Italy, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Valencia inSpain, and Lisbon. Most of these ports Albert and I havebeen to in the past, so we really didn't do any plannedexcursions. We enjoyed each city at our leisure, and ouronly obligation was to be back on the ship in time for thesail away party.

In Rome we lunched at the Hassler Hotel overlook-ing the Spanish Steps. In Monte Carlo we went up to thepicturesque village of Eze, where even the shopkeeperscomplained that although there were many tourists, noone was buying the merchandise. By this time, $1.50 ofour money bought €1, making things very pricey. InBarcelona we went on a four-hour bike ride through thecity, which has undergone major changes since wewere there last. The man-made beach area is stunning,with the sun beating down on miles of white sand. In theafternoon we hopped on the sightseeing bus and got offat the number eight stop—Gaudi's famous creation withits eight tall spires reaching the sky.

In Valencia we went to the Lladro factory thinking wecould at last get a bargain straight from the source. But againwe were disappointed. The Madison Avenue store's pricewas lower than in Spain! When we reached Lisbon, theywere celebrating a holiday and all the stores were closed!

We came away with the realization that the world isbecoming one big global economy where no specialmerchandise or product is particular to any one countryany longer. You can find almost everything that is avail-able in major European cities in stores on MadisonAvenue for the same or lower prices. Even though wecame home without any material things, we had a won-derful and relaxing time.

Francine Dweck is a community member.

Cruising Three...T R A V E L

Albert in Dubrovnik

Continued from page 92

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• Peanut Butter: Top half of anEnglish muffin with one tea-spoon of protein-packedpeanut butter and you willhave a healthy and fillingsnack with only 95 calories

• Whipped Cream: For a deca-dent treat, top sliced fruit witha light whipped cream. A halfcup of fresh berries paired withfour tablespoons of lightwhipped topping equals 90calories

• Chocolate: Hershey's Kissesare a perfect choice if you arelooking to curb a chocolatecraving. Creamy and full of fla-vor, these morsels are satisfy-ing. Three pieces are only 100calories.

If you watch your portions, youcan eat almost anything and still fol-low a well balanced healthy plan.

Laura Sasson Shammah has completed hermaster’s degree in nutrition at BrooklynCollege. She is currently a nutrition counselorpracticing in Brooklyn.

H E A L T H

A bowl of fruit in your fridge or on yourdesk will keep your snacking healthy

Laura Shammah

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