Kba march 2015

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1 INDEX From the Rabbi: The Halachot of Joy News Roundup Mi Shebeirakh: Suggested Donaons Shevat/Adar Calendar Profile: Mordechai Ungar Beth Aaron Officers Beth Aaron News From the Rabbi: Simcha on Purim BeCounted4Israel A Leer from the Shaer Family Snow Job at Beit Yar Sisterhood Recipe: Purim Rum Cake The Cholent-less Challenge Seng the Example: Rabbi Rothwachs Donates Kidney Sanctuary Floods: JCT Hosts Men’s Club Kiddush Tree of Life Memorial Plaques Teaneck Boys’ Choir NCSY Shabbat Chayal Aveira & Onesh Word Search High Holiday Corporate Sponsorships Children’s Corner by Gavriella Hagler w Purim Poem w Purim Word Search w Purim Word Scramble Banim Mitpalelim Wine Sale Sisterhood Cafe Night Weekly Shiurim Upcoming Events 1 2 3 4 5 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 16 16 16 17 18 20 22 22 24 25 23 26 27 30 30 Kold Beth Aaron March 2015 Adar 5775 It’s freezing in this shul! From the Rabbi: THE HALACHOT OF JOY An imperave shiur by Rabbi Rothwachs Tuesday, March 3, at 8:15 p.m. Joy is a very crical component of Purim. La’asot osam yemai mishteh ve-simcha. They should make them days of feasng and joy” (Esther 9:22). The Melbruktza Rav says that one who is not joyful on Purim has not fulfilled his obligaon. The Luca Stello goes further: one who is not joyful is subject to malkus. All agree that the Beit Din can pressure a recalcitrant Jew to be joyful by threatening, taunng, and teasing. Needless to say, the fulfillment of joyfulness on Purim al pi halacha is a very serious maer, and one who is meculous to fulfill the halacha in all its details is to be praised. Below is an overview of the crical shailot I will be addressing. Crical Shailot: w Is joyfulness measured by the loudness of one’s laugh or the width of one’s smile? w What is the minimum shiur for joyfulness? w If one fulfilled the shiur for joyfulness before shekiya, the start of Purim, must he rejoy? w If one’s joy extended beyond Purim, has he commied an aveira? w If one’s da’at wandered during the day and he thought depressing thoughts, e.g., the New York Knicks, does he have to make up the me he was depressed? w Is one permied to be envious of another Jew who is more joyful than he? w Is one obligated to rebuke another Jew who is not exhibing joyfulness (or who is not exhibing the minimum shiur of joyfulness)? w Is one yotzei the mitzvah of joyfulness on Purim if his/her joy was caused by focusing on divrei issur, e.g., eang a cheeseburger? w If one derives joy from watching sad movies, has he fulfilled his obligaon? w If one recites a Purim shpiel without kavana to be joyful, does he have to re-shpiel? w Is someone who is always joyful obligated to increase his/her level of joyfulness on Purim? w Does one have to wait six hours aſter Purim before he can engage in acvies that diminish joyfulness, e.g. paying bills? w If one will be traveling to an unjoyful town on Purim, is he allowed to be joyful on an earlier day in Adar? w Is joyfulness on Purim a mitzvah sheyaysh bah kum assei, i.e., if the enre day of Purim passed and one was not joyful, is he permied to make it up on a later day? If so, within how many days? (connued on page 30)

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Transcript of Kba march 2015

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INDEX

From the Rabbi: The Halachot of Joy News RoundupMi Shebeirakh: Suggested Donations Shevat/Adar Calendar Profile: Mordechai Ungar Beth Aaron Officers Beth Aaron News From the Rabbi: Simcha on Purim BeCounted4Israel A Letter from the Shaer Family Snow Job at Beit Yatir Sisterhood Recipe: Purim Rum CakeThe Cholent-less ChallengeSetting the Example: Rabbi Rothwachs Donates KidneySanctuary Floods: JCT HostsMen’s Club KiddushTree of LifeMemorial PlaquesTeaneck Boys’ ChoirNCSYShabbat ChayalAveira & Onesh Word SearchHigh Holiday Corporate SponsorshipsChildren’s Corner by Gavriella Hagler w Purim Poem w Purim Word Search w Purim Word ScrambleBanim MitpalelimWine SaleSisterhood Cafe Night Weekly ShiurimUpcoming Events

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Kold Beth AaronMarch 2015 Adar 5775

It’s freezing in this shul!From the Rabbi:

THE HALACHOT OF JOYAn imperative shiur by Rabbi Rothwachs

Tuesday, March 3, at 8:15 p.m.

Joy is a very critical component of Purim. “La’asot osam yemai mishteh ve-simcha. They should make them days of feasting and joy” (Esther 9:22). The Melbruktza Rav says that one who is not joyful on Purim has not fulfilled his obligation. The Luca Stello goes further: one who is not joyful is subject to malkus. All agree that the Beit Din can pressure a recalcitrant Jew to be joyful by threatening, taunting, and teasing. Needless to say, the fulfillment of joyfulness on Purim al pi halacha is a very serious matter, and one who is meticulous to fulfill the halacha in all its details is to be praised. Below is an overview of the critical shailot I will be addressing.

Critical Shailot:w Is joyfulness measured by the loudness of one’s laugh or the width of one’s smile?w What is the minimum shiur for joyfulness?w If one fulfilled the shiur for joyfulness before shekiya, the start of Purim, must he rejoy?w If one’s joy extended beyond Purim, has he committed an aveira? w If one’s da’at wandered during the day and he thought depressing thoughts, e.g., the New York Knicks, does he have to make up the time he was depressed?w Is one permitted to be envious of another Jew who is more joyful than he?w Is one obligated to rebuke another Jew who is not exhibiting joyfulness (or who is not exhibiting the minimum shiur of joyfulness)?w Is one yotzei the mitzvah of joyfulness on Purim if his/her joy was caused by focusing on divrei issur, e.g., eating a cheeseburger?w If one derives joy from watching sad movies, has he fulfilled his obligation?w If one recites a Purim shpiel without kavana to be joyful, does he have to re-shpiel?w Is someone who is always joyful obligated to increase his/her level of joyfulness on Purim?w Does one have to wait six hours after Purim before he can engage in activities that diminish joyfulness, e.g. paying bills?w If one will be traveling to an unjoyful town on Purim, is he allowed to be joyful on an earlier day in Adar? w Is joyfulness on Purim a mitzvah sheyaysh bah kum assei, i.e., if the entire day of Purim passed and one was not joyful, is he permitted to make it up on a later day? If so, within how many days?

(continued on page 30)

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BETH AARON NEWS ROUNDUP

MEN’S CLUB HAS AN EVENT WITHOUT FOODLast month, the Beth Aaron Men’s Club ran an event where absolutely no food was served. “We don’t know what happened,” said Men’s Club President Mo-b Singer. “We did all the planning for the event as we usually do, but no one said anything about having food, so I guess we just didn’t order anything”. Everyone who attended the event enjoyed themselves, as if the food was actually there. People socialized without eating, and the event went off without a hitch. The lack of food wasn’t really noticed by anyone, as no one asked for anything, not even a glass of water. Kiddush Coordinator and Men’s Club Board Member Ari Gononsky was similarly surprised: “Usually there’s tons of emails discussing what to buy, where to buy it, how much to buy…. I guess we just forgot.”

NEWSPAPERS IN THE LOBBYIssues of both the Jewish SubStandard and That Other Paper are available in the lobby. IT IS FORBIDDEN TO REMOVE THE CURRENT ISSUES FROM THE MEN’S BATHROOM. We are accepting donations of past issues of these newspapers in good condition. Please see Mitch First or Josh Zakheim.

NEW MI-SHEBEIRAKH CHARTIn order to facilitate pledge giving at the bimah, the Gabbaim at Beth Aaron will be using the handy chart on the opposite page. All men of Bar Mitzvah age should please familiarize themselves with the chart, and be ready to point to the appropriate pledge at the time of their Mi-Shebeirakh. Thank you for your continued support of Beth Aaron!

BOYS’ CHOIRThe New Jersey Boys’ Choir, formerly the Bergen County Boys’ Choir, formerly the Teaneck Boys’ Choir, formerly the Beth Aaron Boys’ Choir, is available to sing at YOUR simcha, shul dinner, baseball game, Grammy Awards party, Lincoln Center concert, or Carnegie Hall performance! Contact Yehiel Levy’s booking agent for details! Ask us about our Adon Olam/Anim Zemirot specials!

BEIT YATIR WINERY TO SHARE PROFITS WITH BETH AARONBeit Yatir, which has enjoyed tremendous growth since becoming linked with Congregation Beth Aaron, has agreed to start sharing winery profits with our kehila. “We owe it all to Beth Aaron,” said Ben Tzvi-Gedalyahu, who will personally start writing checks to Beth Aaron. “All of those KBA columns, month after month, in good times and bad, really formed the foundation of our success with Beit Yatir wine. The least we can do is write a few checks to those who supported us from the beginning.”

SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGThere will be a special meeting of the membership on April 31 to approve the increase of the size of the Beth Aaron Board of Directors. Currently, the Board of Directors is comprised of 31 people, which is somehow not enough to fully represent the diversity of our shul. The membership will be asked to approve a change to our Constitution to nearly double the size of the Board of Directors to 57 members (and 14 alternates). This way, everyone will get to serve on the Board at least twice in a ten-year period. Increasing the size of the Board may result in Board meetings lasting more than six hours, so future board members are advised to pack a lunch.

NEW SHACHARIT MINYANIMBeth Aaron announces two new Shacharit minyanim. On Shabbat morning, we will hold a monthly “Old Marrieds” Minyan, to start at 10:30 a.m. The minyan is limited to those who have been married for at least 35 years. There will be a Kiddush after davening, followed by a short nap, some bickering, comparisons of area doctors and the medications everyone is taking, and Mincha.

A new weekday Shacharit minyan, from 7:15 to 7:24 a.m., for mitpallelim who say only the first and last pesukim of each paragraph, will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays In the shul basement.

MARCHCALENDAR

MARCHYARHTZEIT LIST

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Profile:

MORDECHAI UNGAR

“Try it, you’ll like it,” is Mordechai Ungar’s motto. That’s what he would say to encourage anyone moving into the neighborhood to become a member of Congregation Beth Aaron. The members are “a nice bunch of people. It’s a great place to develop close relationships,” he explains, also using “heimish” to describe the feeling he has about the shul. People are “friendly, down-to-earth,” he feels, and “the Rabbi and Chaviva are warm people.” And becoming involved in the shul, he pointed out “is the way to meet people and create close friendships.”

When he and his wife Yaffa moved to Teaneck about 25 years ago, they lived on Teaneck Road, near Route 4. And when they bought their home in the Country Club area, they continued to make the trek up the hill to Queen Anne Road and Beth Aaron. “I don’t mind the long walk,” he said.

Mordy came from Los Angeles to attend Yeshiva University, where he majored in accounting. Yaffa is from Washington Heights, where the couple lived before their move to Teaneck. When they decided to cross the river, they knew Teaneck was a wonderful community, but it was the practical that really drew them here: the location was perfect for their commutes to work. Yaffa was working just on the other side of the George Washington Bridge and Mordy worked in Manhattan. Though they barely knew anyone when they arrived in the Township, a few years later Yaffa’s sister, Rachel Furst; their brother-in-law, Rabbi Yitz Furst; and their children joined them in Teaneck.

He and Yaffa raised their four children, three daughters and a son, at Beth Aaron. One married daughter now lives in Teaneck, too. Another daughter and her family now live in Queens, while the third couple is in Atlanta. Their son is spending the year learning in Israel.

Given his accounting background, a presentation of financial information about the shul piqued his interest and he was hooked. Most of Mordy’s volunteer work with the shul has been on the financial side. He’s served as both VP of Finance and Financial Secretary. Mordy expressed his gratitude to the presidents under whom he has served for their support in terms of the shul having “a tight ship and strong financials,” which he explained as ensuring a positive cash flow, monitoring expenses, and meeting the budget (within reason).”

His experience in accounting, his transition to technology, and his current position in computer security at Citigroup no doubt led to his choice of ShulCloud as Beth Aaron’s cloud-based website and database. “The software was the new kid on the block when we selected it,” he said, and while there was a hiccup or two at the beginning, now “the system facilitates getting statements more easily, allows people to charge their obligations on credit cards, and operates in a more efficient manner.”

And for their support, he thanked not only the presidents, but also Mo-b Singer for working to integrate the system then and continuing to do so now. He also is very appreciative of Yaffa’s allowing him to spend so much time on the shul.

“The shul encourages participation from all members and allows individuals to be creative in terms of programming and run with it,” he said, noting that “some of my ideas have been successful (ShulCloud), some not (Men’s Book Club).”

Lately, he’s turned his shul focus to Israel, as chair of the Israel Programming Committee, which is responsible for Beth Aaron’s Friends of the IDF Shabbat Chayal and other Israel education programming. “I want to ensure that Israel is a central pillar of the shul,” he stressed, adding that he welcomes input and ideas from members. During his November trip to Israel, he and Yaffa and their son Eitan visited Beit Yatir. And he invites all shul members and their friends to attend a Seudah Shlishit on Shabbat, March 14, when Mindy Stein of the organization BeCounted4Israel will be speaking about advocating for Israel, and on Shabbat, April 24, when Beth Aaron, along with several other Teaneck shuls, will celebrate Shabbat Chayal.

Beth Aaron Contacts

KiddushAri Gononsky

[email protected]

LibraryMitch First & Josh Zakheim

[email protected]@mosessinger.com

MembershipHillel Hyman

[email protected]

Men’s ClubMoishe B. Singer, [email protected]

SecurityDavid Fisher & Yakov Eizik

[email protected]@gmail.com

SisterhoodDeena Fisher & Sari Samuel,

[email protected]

YouthErica & Jason David

[email protected]

BETH AARON OFFICERS2014-2015

PresidentYair Mayerfeld

1st Vice PresidentIsaac Hagler

2nd Vice PresidentNeal Yaros

Vice President FinanceJosh Klavan

Vice President ProgrammingMicah Kaufman

TreasurerFeige Leidner

SecretaryMoishe B. Singer

Financial SecretaryDov Zakheim

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MAZAL TOV TO

• Azadeh & Rabbi Ezra Frazer, on the birth of their daughter Naava Tiferet. Mazal Tov also to Ezra’s parents, Rachel Frazer and Rabbi Chaim Frazer. • Naomi & Jonathan Freed, on the birth of their son Ami Yisrael. • Evie & Alden Leifer, on the birth of their grandson Noam Ephraim, born to their children Mira & Daniel Stokar of Fair Lawn, and on the birth of their grandson Ezra Dovid, born to their children Ari & Adina Leifer of Riverdale.• Malka Lewin (former member and mother of Chana Weissler), on making aliyah.• Dassi Mayerfeld, on her upcoming Bat Mitzvah, which will be on Shushan Purim. Mazal Tov also to her parents, Adeena & Yair Mayerfeld.• Chana Solomon, on her marriage to Alex Weidenfeld. Mazal Tov also to Chana’s parents, Miriam & Izzy Salomon.• Sharon & Kalman Seidenfeld, on the birth of their grandson Aiden Mitchell (Gavriel Yehuda), born to their children Denise & Zev Feinberg. • Adira Sheffey, on her Bat Mitzvah. Mazal Tov also to her parents, Debby & David Sheffey, and to her siblings, Yaffa, Meira, and Noam. • Miriam & Rabbi Perry Tirschwell, on the marriage of their daughter Yocheved to Moshe Abrams of Pittsburgh. • Atara Yaros, on her engagement to Avi Kaye of Bergenfield. Mazal Tov also to Atara’s parents, Barbara & Neal Yaros.

CONDOLENCES TO• The family of the late Rachel (Rochi) Lerner, on the passing of her mother, Shirley Lerner.• Eli Schaap, on the passing of his brother Menachem Meir Shachaf.• Esther Schnaidman, on the passing of her father, Ted Zeffren. • Lorraine Vogel, on the passing of her brother Howard Kalkstein. • The family of Jack Wimpfheimer, on his passing.

BETH AARON NEWS

PARNAS HAYOM DEDICATIONS

Dedicate a day of learning at Beth Aaron on the occasion of a yahrtzeit, in the zechut of a refuah shelaima, or in honor of a simcha, a birthday or any other occasion. Each week’s dedications are prominently displayed in the shul lobby and sent out to the membership via email. For more informa-tion, or to sign up, please go to www.bethaaron.org/parnashayom.

Parnas Hayom dedications in February made by:• Meryl & David Rubin, commemorating the 30th yahrtzeit of Blanche Rubin, Bayla Leah bat Meyer Zvi• Barry Weissman, commemorating the yahrtzeit of his mother, Pesha bat Shepsil• Marilyn & Itch Zeidel, commemorating the yahrtzeit of Marilyn’s mother, Rivka Leah bat Chana and Chaim• The Beth Aaron Officers and Board, on behalf of the entire Beth Aaron membership, as a zechut for a refuah sheleima for Eliezer Lipa ben Eta Riva (Rabbi Rothwachs) and Doniel Naftali ben Riva Baila (Donny Hain) and to honor Chaviva & Rabbi Rothwachs for their amazing example of leadership and genuine care of other members of our community.

New Members• Naomi & Jonathan Freed, who live on Grayson Place.

YAHRTZEIT DONATIONS

• Elaine & Howard Alt• Barbara Nowlin• Phyllis Reich

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DONATIONS TO THE RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

• Razel & Yosef Adler • Elaine & Howard Alt• Amy Bodoff• Varda Hager & David Brusowankin • Tamar & Avi-Gil Chaitovsky• Adrienne Cukor • Sheryl & Joshua Dubin• Rachel & Naphtaly Ehrenberg• Toby & Jody Eisenman• Ofe & Rob Ernst • Tal & Marc Felsen• Rachel First• Mollie Fisch • Rachel & Yitzchok Furst • Judith & Steven Gellerstein • Shoshana & Dov Glickman • Linda & Rabbi Dr. Jay Goldmintz • Marlene Greenspan• Rachel Haber• Renee & Harry Harcsztark, in honor of Susie Atlas’s birthday• Batya Harris• Jennifer & Eric Horn• Emily & Barry Kaplan• Altie Karper• Laurie & Jerry Kasdan• Sharon & Gary Kinstlinger• Sheri & Uri Korn• Rebecca & Jeremy Kurz• Evie & Alden Leifer• Brooke & Aryeh Lewitan• Rachelle & Chaim Mandelbaum

• Pearl & Moshe Markovitz• Tamar & Yaacov Metzger• Tova Resnick & Philip Meyer• Esther & Naftali Olivestone • Deborah & Aaron Rapps• Rochi & Lewis Rayman • Devorah & Michael Reich• Elissa & Joel Richter• Meryl & David Rubin• Sorah (Terry) Ruchlamer• Miriam & Izzy Salomon, for Project Ezrah• Arlene & Michael Sand• Shari & Richard Schiffmiller• Aggie & Mark Siletski• Annette & Howard Simmons• Yacha & Moishe Singer• Kenneth Stein • Shelley & Philip Stein, in memory of Chaim Miller’s father• Sara & Benjamin Taragin• Bashi & Howie Tepper, in honor of Rani & Paul Lustiger’s newest granddaughter• Yaffa & Mordechai Ungar• Yaffa & Mordechai Ungar, in memory of Esther Schnaidman’s father, Ted Zeffren• Chana & Alex Weidenfeld • Chana & Tzvi Weissler • Aubrey & James Wolff • Tikva & Larry Yudkowitz• Marilyn & Itch Zeidel • Beth & Ariel Zell • Avi Zimmerman

DONATIONS TO THE STANLEY FISCH YOUTH FUND

• Mollie Fisch, in honor of Azadeh and Rabbi Ezra Frazer, on the birth of a daughter. Mazal Tov also to Rachel Frazer and Rabbi Chaim Frazer.• Mollie Fisch, in honor of Sharon & Kalman Seidenfeld, on the birth of their grandson.• Mollie Fisch, in honor of Miriam & Rabbi Perry Tirschwell, on the marriage of their daughter Yocheved to Moshe Abrams.• Mollie Fisch, in honor of Barbara and Neil Yaros, on the engagement of their daughter Atara to Avi Kaye.• Mollie Fisch, in memory of Irving Friedman, beloved father of George Friedman. • Mollie Fisch, in memory of Ted Zeffren, beloved father of Esther Schnaidman.• Mollie Fisch, in memory of Jack Wimpfheimer, beloved husband, father and grandfather of Eve Wimpfheimer and family. • Mollie Fisch, in memory of Menachem Meir Shachaf, dear brother of Eli Schaap. • Rachel Frazer, in memory of Esther Schnaidman’s father, Ted Zeffren.• Rachel Frazer, in memory of Eli Schaap’s brother, Menachem Meir Shachaf.• Lorraine & Sam Vogel, in memory of Esther Schnaidman’s father, Ted Zeffren• Lorraine & Sam Vogel, in memory of Eli Schaap’s brother, Menachem Meir Shachaf.• Lorraine & Sam Vogel, in memory of George Friedman’s father, Irving Friedman.

BETH AARON NEWS

DONATIONS TO THE PHILLIPS AND HARRIS EDUCATIONAL FUND

• Estelle Harris, in memory of her father-in-law, Harold Harris.• Estelle Harris and family, in memory of Estelle’s father, Elchanan ben Abba Dovid, Harry Phillips, on his 39th yahrtzeit.• Tikva & Larry Yudkowitz, in memory of Esther Schnaidman’s father, Ted Zeffren.• Tikva & Larry Yudkowitz, in memory of Eli Schaap’s brother, Menachem Meir Shachaf.

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From the Rabbi:

SIMCHA ON PURIM

Expressions of happiness and joy are commonly made metaphorically. One is “happy as a lark,” or as a peacock, or is simply a “happy camper.” These idioms, perhaps somewhat obliquely, relate a particular feeling of bliss to a higher standard of elation. Accordingly, it comes as no surprise that in identifying the motif of simcha in the month of Adar, the Talmud provides such a model. The Talmud’s choice, however, is shocking.

The Talmud (Taanit 29a) states that “Just as the onset of Av marks a decrease in simcha, so the onset of Adar marks an increase of simcha.” The comparison seems bizarre. The mourning of Av and the joy of Adar are polar opposites. What is gained by the apparently erroneous use of the term “just as?” Perhaps, if the goal was to contrast the two time periods, it would have been better to begin with the word “whereas…” Is there anything about Av that is “just like” Adar at all?

One approach is to suggest that the days of Av and Adar may have much more in common than they seem. While the expressions are drastically different, they do both represent a reaction to the same impetus. That is, both joy in Adar and sorrow in Av are responses to the handprint of God on human history. Both emotions acknowledge, clearly and emphatically, the existence of a master plan, and a Master Planner. This can perhaps explain the peculiar mix of sorrow and joy associated with Tisha b’Av itself, and particularly with its aftermath.

Nevertheless, despite the validity of this idea, the Talmud’s effort to equate these two disparate seasons is jarring. However, a closer look at the passage in question reveals additional oddities that in turn can help solve our difficulty.

In truth, independent of any comparisons offered by the Talmud, the entire statement requires explanation. Granted, the miracles of Purim demand our attention and are an adequate source of great celebration. But why does this celebration move beyond the day (or days) of Purim itself? Why is the onset of Adar already the trigger for our happiness? After all, on a biblical level, the “season of our joy” is Sukkot. Here there is no mention of special joy in the days that precede the festival. Not at the onset of Tishrei (when our thoughts of Sukkot may be understandably overwhelmed by our focus on the High Holidays), nor even after Yom Kippur. The expressions of simcha demanded by Sukkot do not begin until the days of Sukkot themselves.

Perhaps this is the intent of the Talmud. The equation is not directed to the feelings or emotions of Adar and Av at all. Rather, in Av we find a model of prolonged and sustained observance. The mourning over the destruction of the Temples is not limited to a specific date or dates. It defines a longer period of time, and is therefore properly identified with the “onset of Av.” Likewise, and unique to Purim, the happiness we will express is not limited to a day or two -- it must be woven into the fabric of an entire month. “Mi-Shenichnas Adar - Marbim be-Simcha.”

Why should this be so? Why is this a facet of simcha on Purim that is not shared by other holidays?

The naming of Purim itself has always struck our commentators as strange. Was the lottery employed by Haman to determine the date for his plans in any way central to the story? In fact, we are told that Haman took particular delight in the outcome of his “random” selection. Before the story of Purim, Adar was an especially bleak month on the Jewish calendar. It was marked by the death of Moshe, and not much else. Haman understood the significance of Adar’s darkness. The lottery pointed to a month devoid of all success and divine protection. Its emptiness promised a window for Haman’s nefarious plan.

And of course, Haman badly miscalculated. In this sense, the miracle of Purim was marked by the transformation of Adar. The joy of Purim emerges from the realization that desolation can be revitalized and darkness turned to light In this sense, simcha on Purim is reflected as much in the month of Adar as it is in the day of Purim.

Recreating these feelings of happiness involves recreating this same spirit It is not just calendars that are marked by dark periods and points, but communities and individuals as well. Communities have their empty spots and areas where they have not been heretofore successful. Areas where initiatives have failed and progress has been slow can be rejuvenated in the spirit of Adar. Segments of the population that have been shunned or ignored can be reintroduced to the communal agenda. Individuals too, can take stock of personal shortcomings and identify the “Adars” of one’s religious personality. Finding success in precisely these areas gives birth to the most wonderful feelings of delight.

This is a happiness which needs no other measure.

LR

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BECOUNTED4ISRAEL

by Mindy Stein

Israel is no longer just engaged in a military war; it is fighting a war against deligitimization, demonization, and double standards in the media, college campuses and throughout the world. It is our responsibility to fight this by advocating for Israel.

My name is Mindy Stein, and I have been given the opportunity to address you at your shul’s Seudah Shlishit on March 14. Cheryl Rosenberg and I co-founded a grassroots initiative, BeCounted4Israel. The mission of BeCounted4Israel is to enlist as many people as possible to advocate for Israel whenever anti-Israel and anti-Semitic issues arise. We sign up leaders of schools, colleges, synagogues, churches, organizations and Israel Engagement Committees. They, in turn, mobilize their memberships when we periodically e-mail a BeCounted4Israel alert for their approval.

This allows thousands of people to quickly advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. In the alert is a short sample script, which can be used as is or adapted, as well as the contact information for people to use in emails or phone calls.

BeCounted4Israel reaches people who would not be inclined to act on their own when receiving e-mails from various organizations and need the encouragement and inspiration from their leaders in order to advocate.

This mission is accomplished without any solicitation of funds, payment of dues, or earned salaries. You will not be asked for any money -- just two minutes of your time to make a difference for Israel and the Jewish people. BeCounted4Israel prepares a brief message by condensing information from news sources and major pro-Israel organizations, such as the Conference of Presidents, Stand With Us, EMET, AIPAC, Norpac, Camera, Honest Reporting, ZOA, AFSI, and many others that send us information. We give attribution to these sources at the top of each alert so that our advocates can go directly to these organizations’ websites for further information, and, hopefully, membership enrollment.

The participation of school principals, college representatives, congregational leaders, Israel Engagement Committees, and heads of organizations is essential. BeCounted4Israel e-mails every leader an alert which he must first approve. Using school public address systems, religious services or gatherings, and organizational meetings, the leaders announce to their members that their offices are emailing a BeCounted4Israel alert and urge them to open the email and act upon it as soon as possible.

Student volunteers in schools and colleges, Israel Engagement Committee members or other volunteers in synagogues and churches, and interested parties in organizations also actively promote the initiative by urging their members to take action, handing out copies of the alert, and following up with members. Their involvement is crucial, for it increases regular advocacy participation.

We would like to make an app for BeCounted4Israel and also develop a website. If you know anyone who would be willing to volunteer to help us, please let us know.

And please come and hear me speak about how you can make a difference for Israel. I look forward to meeting you and answering any questions you might have!

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A LETTER FROM THE SHAER FAMILY

This past July, Chana & Zvi Weissler, who recently made aliyah, and their family members brought a photo of the #BringOurBoysBack poster displayed on the Beth Aaron lawn to the shiva homes of the three boys who were brutally murdered. The Shaer family recently sent a note to the synagogue, which we reprint below.

Dear Beth Aaron,

Gather the deeds, The words and the letters,Like the produce of a blessing, heavy in weight.

Gather the floweringWhich ripened into memoriesOf a summer which passed before its time ...

We are well into the year and have just celebrated Chanukah, the holiday of lights ... So much has happened since the time that our children disappeared, since we learned of their murder.

Day pursues day, and night pursues night. War. More and more of the Land of Israel’s murder victims have joined our children. Private pain has become intertwined with national pain. We have been through days of war, days of destruction, days of a strong longing for great salvation, for complete salvation, for the Third Temple to arise, to unite us and to bring us together.

Everything is still so fresh and so painful. Nevertheless, we find ourselves, little by little, gathering “the deeds, the words and the letters.” Gathering, that is, the things which were written with tears, the drawings, the gifts which piled up for us throughout the whole period, and our feelings overflow. Indeed, they are a great blessing for us, for the burden is heavy.

Would that you could only imagine how much strength every such manner of relating to us granted us, and continues to do so. How we are moved by this deep inner need everyone has to envelope us with love, to express their crying out through use of simple words, or through song, or through flowers, or through foodstuffs, or through books, or through other gifts of loving, thus telling us, “We are with you! With you in hope, with you in faith, with you in your pain!”

We didn’t choose the road, but we met good people on the way. Very good people. One of them was you, and along the entire length of the road we met more and more.

Thank you for heartfelt letter of condolence. It reminded us how lucky we are that we were born into such a people.

Thank you.Ofir and Bat Galim Shaer

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Beit Yatir

SNOW JOB AT YATIR by Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu

Psalms, 147:16-17 - “He gives snow like wool; He scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls His ice like crumbs; before His cold, who can stand?”

If you ever make aliyah, or even just visit Israel in the winter and it snows, you will understand that the word “snow” gets lost in translation. Last year’s snowstorm that hit Israel, including Beit Yatir, was a decent storm even by Teaneck’s standards. Approximately 6 inches of the white stuff piled up between Thursday night and Friday morning. Winds brought the wind-chill index down well below the freezing point, which is usually the lowest temperature in most of Israel when it snows. If it is dry cold, sometimes we get down to minus 2 or even minus 3 Fahrenheit.

But last month’s snow was the usual case and spelled out the wild differences between Teaneck and the Land of Miracles, where the forecast of one flake of snow drives the People of Israel into panic that hasn’t been felt since being trapped at the Red Sea. No matter how many times God almost always sends warmer weather between one minute and six hours after it stops snowing, and no matter how often there is barely any left on the ground the next day even after a foot of the white stuff the night before, Israelis rush to the supermarket like a horde of bees to stock up as if the Yom Kippur war were coming back for a re-run, God forbid.

Yatir was a winter wonderland at 7:00 a.m. in last month’s storm, when a rush of frigid air invaded the country for several hours and brought snow to Dimona in the south and Nazareth in the north, for the first time in two decades. There were even flurries in the lowest of areas, such as Modi’in, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and Ginot Shomron, near Kfar Saba. My niece in Modi’in and sister in Ginot told me that their friends and children saw flurries at 2:00 a.m. How do they know? People were awake in the middle of the night because weather forecasters correctly said that the peak of the cold air would bring the miracle of snow to low-lying areas in the middle of the night.

At Yatir, at the crack of dawn, our neighbors built a beautiful snowman. By high noon, it was gone, the streets were clear, and an erev Shabbat rain washed away all the slush. All that was left Shabbat morning were a few patches of white memories of yesterday. That won’t prevent Yatirniks from acting the same way next time there is snow in the forecast, which probably won’t be until next winter, when everyone will have forgotten this year’s snow, but will recall an unusual snowfall three years ago as if it were yesterday.

That snowfall was followed by freezing temperatures, and I remember literally sliding, not walking, on the largest ice skating rink this side of ice hockey. Perhaps that is one reason why after the words “possible snow” appear in a weather forecast, our regional council, the Israeli version of a “county,” goes on emergency mode. SMS messages are sent out every hour, if not on the half hour, to update worried parents that there will be an update as soon as possible. Warnings are sent out that if there is snow (meaning a dozen snowflakes) schools may be closed and sidewalks may be slippery. Magen David Adom and the police go on emergency alert. Motorists will be cautioned that they will be responsible for their own fate if they dare get behind the wheel when a snowflake is in the air. Some opinions are more lenient and require at least two snowflakes.

Before last December’s snowfall, which was all of two inches deep, one worried wife called her husband working in Be’er Sheva and told him to hurry home because the “blizzard” was about to begin. The husband, who spent his childhood in one of the snowiest areas of the United States, performed the mitzvah of listening to his wife, a Sabra from Tel Aviv. The first flakes fell around 12 hours after he came home. After the December snow, we were warned that it would be better to stay home on Shabbat morning rather than risk breaking bones while sliding to shul. Of course, the next morning the only thing that was ice was the imagination of the day before.

Beit Yatir is 3,000 feet high, but in an area where annual precipitation is only around 15 inches of rain. Snow falls almost every year, but what you in Teaneck and I -- who grew up in Balti-more -- call snow is not what the average “Yatir-nik” sees. Snow in the air doesn’t happen very often -- perhaps two or three times a year; it sticks to the ground maybe once a year, and real

(continued on page 29)

photo by Eli Shechter

photo by Chana Ofek

photo by Eli Shefer

photo by Dov Bloom

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BETH AARON SISTERHOOD RECIPE: PURIM RUM CAKE

Ingredients:

1 or 2 qts. high quality rum1 cup butter1 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar2 large eggs1 cup dried fruit1 tsp. baking soda1 tbs. lemon juice1/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Before you start, sample the rum to check for quality.

2. Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.

3. Check the rum again. It must be of the highest quality.

4. With an electric mixer, beat butter in large fluffy bowl.

5. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again.

6. Meanshile, it’s important to make sure the rum is still good. Try another cup.

7. Open the second quart of rum, if necessary.

8. Add 1 arge leggs, 2 cups of fried druits, and beat till high.

9. If the druits get stuck in the beats, just pru it loose with a drewscriver.

10. Sample the rum again for cinscistincy.

11. Next, add 3 cups of salt and or pepper (it really doesn’t matter which).

12. Sample the wum again.

13. Sift 1 pint of lemon goose, add 1 bablespoon of brown thugar, of whatever color yoo can find. Mix well.

14. Grease oven, turn cake pan to 350 greeds.

15. Nyow, pour the whole mess sinto the boven and ake.

16. Check the crum again and bo to ged.

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THE CHOLENT-LESS CHALLENGE

by Isaac Hagler

On a frigid Friday night, February 13, more than 50 people braved the cold to participate in the Cholent-less Challenge. The Challenge is the brain-child of the Men’s Club and is in its 6th year. Adults and children of all ages came to warm up and taste six hot cholent-less dishes and vote for their favorite.

Mo-b Singer, the President of the Men’s Club, commented, “For the last five years, we have had the Cholent Challenge; this year, we decided to spice things up a bit and allow people to use their creativity.” Several of the dishes were stew based, one was a bean-based vegetarian option, and a few dishes were various types of chili; the last entry was a “Yapchik.”

For all those like me who are unfamiliar with the Yapchik, it is a potato kugel with meat baked in the middle. Since the meat is covered by the potato, it maintains its moisture without being overcooked. Zev Weisinger entered this dish and was declared the winner; he received a $50 certificate for a purchase on Amazon. “This was my first time making this dish, but I was confident it would come out tasting good. I figured, what could be bad? Potato kugel is good and, of course, meat is even better,” Zev eplained.

Adding to the complexity of the event, Mo-b said, “It’s always easier to make things at home where you can watch it and make sure it gets the care that it needs; once you make the dish in shul, you cannot go back to check it.”

There are so many minyanim that are available at Beth Aaron for people to attend that it’s conceivable for one not to have the opportunity to get together and schmooze with some other Beth Aaron members, except for special events like this. On Friday night, people enjoyed talking and sampling the hot potato kugel the Men’s Club provided along with the delicious cholent-less dishes. It was a great time for people of all ages to socialize and catch up. The event showed a tremendous amount of shul spirit.

Thank you to the Men’s Club and to all the participants for helping to make a cold Friday night in February one filled with warmth.

Zev’s Yapchik Recipe:1. Make your favorite potato kugel recipe2. Insert meat (flanken, pastrami, etc.) into the middle by pushing it in the kugel batter3. Bake as usual and enjoy.

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SETTING THE EXAMPLE: RABBI LARRY ROTHWACHS DONATES KIDNEY TO DONNY HAIN

by Elizabeth Kratz

It’s Adar, and a time to look for hidden miracles, but it is not every day that we see miracles up close, in person. What could be more miraculous than the manifestation of pikuach nefesh, saving a life? When community members heard this week that Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, mara d’asra of the Congregation Beth Aaron community and a beloved 8th grade rebbe at Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, stepped up to donate a kidney to Don-ny Hain, they were awed, but those who know him are not surprised. Many cried tears of joy at the gift that this donation will bring, and the blessing that Rabbi Rothwachs and his family are to our community, as they have been for decades.

It’s not only that Donny Hain and his family will, God willing, get their lives back and see Donny live for many healthy and happy years until 120. We also cry tears of joy and thanksgiving because Rabbi Rothwachs’ example will save so many more lives.

“Our hope is that Rabbi Rothwachs’ donation will inspire the Teaneck community and the community at large to participate in this wonderful mitzvah opportunity,” said Rabbi Josh Sturm, director of outreach at Renewal, a Jewish organization dedicated to matching donors with recipients.

“A kidney transplant literally is a renewal of the recipient’s life,” said Sturm, who explained that 72% of people on dialysis don’t survive more than five years. Donny had been on dialysis already for three years.

“Thanks to the combined efforts of Renewal and the Jewish Link of New Jersey, there were many phone calls in response to Donny Hain’s need. A number of people inquired about stepping forward to get tested,” said Sturm.

Rabbi Sturm shared that the Hain/Rothwachs transplant was Renewal’s 255th transplant since the organization’s founding in 2006, but there are still currently 270 patients on their waiting list who are in desperate need of a kidney. “Renewal encourages all those who expressed interest to inquire if they would be a match for anyone else on our list,” he added.

Rabbi Sturm said that Renewal will be sharing many opportunities to hear more about kidney donation in the future, and will be presenting shiurim and Q&A session at Congregations Bnai Yeshurun and Rinat Yisrael after Pesach. “This is part of a larger campaign to raise awareness about the importance of kidney donation,” said Sturm.

“The unfortunate reality is that many patients die while waiting for a kidney. And for many, the whole time they are on the transplant list, their condition is deteriorating. A person cannot live without a kidney, and generally, most cannot survive long-term on dialysis. Renewal’s goal is to get people transplanted as quickly as possible.” said Sturm.

“For Donny, the quality of life difference is amazing. Aside from the time commitment of dialysis, it has many different negative side effects, from blood pressure problems to really only doing 10-15% percent of what a healthy kidney does. ”

Learn more about Renewal at www.renewal.org/ or by calling 718-431-9831, or by emailing [email protected].

The Hain and Rothwachs family request that the community keep both men in our tefillot for a refuah sheleima. Their Hebrew names are Doniel Naftali ben Riva Baila (Donny) and Eliezer Lipa ben Ita Riva (Rabbi Rothwachs).

Reprinted with permission of the Jewish Link

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BETH AARON SANCTUARY FLOODS; TEANECK JEWISH CENTER HOSTS DAVENING

by Elizabeth Kratz

At approximately 1:15 p.m. last Erev Shabbos, a pipe burst in the main sanctuary of Congregation Beth Aaron on Queen Anne Road and caused sig-nificant damage, rendering the shul uninhabitable for Shabbos. As the sun began to set, and it came time to light candles, many members wondered if the shul had been destroyed beyond repair.

“It impacted the front right of the sanctuary,” said Yair Mayerfeld, Congregation Beth Aaron’s president. “The problem is water seeps and flows and sinks to the lowest level. The carpet and floor needs to be replaced, and there was some damage to the ceiling.”

Mayerfeld told JLNJ that no Torahs or sacred objects were affected or damaged. The damaged portion of the building was built in 1986; its expan-sion was completed in 2011. The newer part of the building was spared.

As the shul’s office is located below the main sanctuary, there was some damage there as well, though computers were removed before they were affected. Quick action by the Teaneck Police and Fire Departments as well as the Building Department prevented more extensive problems. Emergency crews drained the water and began the drying process before Shabbos, thanks to fast actions by shul members who were “first responders,” including Micah Kaufman, Larry Kahn, Abe Leidner, and Daniel Chazin.

The Jewish Center of Teaneck hosted the entire Beth Aaron membership for Shabbos. Some 250 people appeared, including those attending groups. Rabbi Larry Rothwachs was invited to give his regular Shabbos morning drasha.

“The Jewish Center of Teaneck was very pleased to be able to accommodate Beth Aaron on such short notice. Our team approach made it possible. We are all fortunate to live in a community that values chesed and midot tovot. The members of Beth Aaron were delightful guests and the sermon given by Rabbi Rothwachs was enjoyed by all,” said Isaac Student, the Jewish Center’s president.

“There was an incredible show of achdus (unity) in the community. It was through the extreme graciousness of the Jewish Center that we were able to move all our minyanim there for Shabbos, including hashkoma (early minyan), groups and kids programming, and also our Sunday minyanim, of which we have five,” said Mayerfeld.

“It was incredibly humbling and deeply heartwarming to see the community spring into action, assisting in damage control, recovery efforts and contingency plans. The unfortunate circumstances notwithstanding, this was undoubtedly one of proudest moments I have ever had in this exceptional community,” said Rabbi Rothwachs.

Mayerfeld was able to announce at the shul’s annual dinner on Sunday evening that Beth Aaron would reopen Monday for its regular davening, with all minyanim held in the social hall. Repairs will be ongoing over the next several weeks or months. “We will be in the building for Shabbos and for Purim,” said Mayerfeld.

Lamdeinu, the learning program housed at Beth Aaron, was temporarily displaced. Lamdeinu Dean Rachel Friedman stated: “Lamdeinu is extremely grateful to Congregation Arzei Darom for housing our learning this week and for making us feel so welcome and at home. We are truly makir tov.”

Updated and reprinted with permission of the Jewish Link

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BETH AARON MEN’S CLUB KIDDUSH

As part of our ongoing effort to further the friendliness of Beth Aaron, we are happy to provide our weekly kiddushim. Kiddushim are held weekly, except when there are private events or rentals in the Social Hall. The Men’s Club is pleased to offer four options for kiddushim, both single-sponsored as well as multi-sponsored. Our standard weekly kiddush is the “Weekly Cold Kiddush.” WEEKLY KIDDUSHIM: Weekly dairy cold kiddushim with chips, cookies, and soda. Become a Mezonot sponsor for only $54 or a L’Chaim sponsor for $72. MULTI-SPONSORED KIDDUSH: Hot fleishik Kiddush with chulent, kugel, cakes and more. Multi-sponsored kiddushim are held approximately every six weeks. Sponsorships are only $200.

If you are celebrating a simcha, commemorating a yahrtzeit, or simply want to say “thank you,” consider sponsoring an upcoming kiddush. Visit our website to sponsor. If you have any questions, contact Ari Gononsky, [email protected].

Hashkama Minyan Kiddush “Society” To support the Hashkama Minyan’s monthly hot Kiddush on Shabbat Mevorchim for a second year, join the Hashkama Minyan Kiddush “Society.” The membership of $54 can be made online; please note in the “comments” section that the contribution is for the Hashkama Minyan Kiddush. Contact Ari Gononsky, [email protected], with any questions.

TREE OF LIFE

The Tree of Life commemorates the birth of a child or grandchild, honors someone, or celebrates a marriage or other family simcha. Leaves on the Tree of Life are $100 each. For further information, please contact Aviva Leffel, [email protected].

MEMORIAL PLAQUES

Memorial plaques commemorate the passing of a loved one and perpetuate his or her memory. Plaques are $350 each. For further information, contact Aviva Leffel, [email protected], or Larry Kahn, [email protected].

TEANECK BOYS’ CHOIR

The Teaneck Boys’ Choir is now accepting new members for 5775. We welcome boys in grades 1 to 7 from Teaneck, Bergenfield, Paramus, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, and neighboring towns. The choir is known for its warm, haimish, and fun atmosphere, encouraging our boys to experience and learn teamwork and mutual respect. Be part of a great group, learn new songs, and take part in performances and CD recording. For information on enrollment, please contact Yehiel Levy, 201-357-5495, [email protected]. Yehiel Levy & Hillel Kapnick,Directors

NCSY

For information about NCSY events, or if you have questions, comments, or ideas, please mail Spence Weitzen, [email protected].

Join us on Facebook or email us, [email protected].

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SHABBAT CHAYAL, APRIL 24

Beth Aaron, along with several Teaneck shuls will be celebrating Shabbat Chayal on April 24. Shabbat Chayal will be in loving memory of Ilan Tokayer, z”l. Together, we will celebrate our values and honor the children of our community in the IDF whose passion and idealism continue to inspire us. Those of you who knew Ilan Tokayer, z”l, knew of his unyielding dedication to the State of Israel and Tzahal. In 2005-06, Ilan served in a combat unit in the IDF, fulfilling his commitment to the land and people of Israel. In this way, Ilan was not alone. Like other sons and daughters in our community, Ilan realized his sense of obligation and stood up to the challenge, veering from the traditional course to volunteer and enact what he believed.

We who live outside the borders of Israel benefit enormously from the great sacrifice of the soldiers and their families. We travel to Israel at will, send our children there for Torah study, and take for granted the constant and ongoing safety we feel under the protection of the IDF.

In conjunction with programming events planned for this Shabbat, Beth Aaron will be sponsoring a fundraising Kiddush for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Lone Soldiers Program.

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) is a not-for-profit organization that was created with the mission of providing and supporting educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and facilities for the brave soldiers who protect the State of Israel. Every year, about 900 determined young men and women from all over the world choose to leave the comfort of their homes and families to travel to Israel and become proud IDF soldiers. FIDF offers the unique opportunity to sponsor one of these incredible young men and women through the Lone Soldiers program, which provides financial, social, and emotional support to these Lone Soldiers, ensuring that they know that they are truly never alone. By sponsoring a Lone Soldier, you are giving the invaluable gift of support through financial grants, holiday gifts, a 24/7 call center, and so much more. Additionally, each Lone Soldier receives a flight home during his or her service, funded solely by the FIDF Lone Soldier Program and your generosity. Most recently, FIDF has sponsored flights home for all Lone Soldiers who participated in this summer’s Operation Protective Edge.

By participating in this effort on any level, you are demonstrating achdut within our community and your support of our children who protect us and Israel daily. In this way, we are hoping for 100% participation from the members of all our shuls.

Kiddush sponsorships can be made on-line at www.bethaaron.org/event/shabbat-chayal.html or via check. If paying by check, please mention FIDF Kiddush in the check memo line. Sponsorship categories include Chayal ($18), Tal Aluf (419-$99), Aluf ($100-$199) and Rav Aluf ($200 & over). Sponsorships will be publicized in the Kol Beth Aaron and on a poster in the lobby on April 24.

By generously donating to the IDF Kiddush, Ilan’s ideals and goals live on, and you are stating clearly and loudly that we are with our young men and women serving in the IDF for our benefit, be-chol makom she-haim.

With much appreciation,Mordechai Ungar and Shifra Shafier

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AVEIRA & ONESH (SIN & PUNISHMENT) WORD SEARCH

All the words or phrases listed on the opposite page are hidden vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

C H I L L U L H A S H E M O P

L J E H R I B B U S R M A A R

L A W A E J O P Z I K Y L L P

K M V I X R C H E N E C K S M

A F K O B N E A U A E L U V O

R Z A A D Q T G J S M G S G L

E R R K X A Z R E C E L I P E

S H A T N E Z K E H A K M A C

B Z Y Q A A Q A M I E F I H H

Z W O B O R A Y R N F N P L T

L O S H O N H A R A T B N Q A

S E R E I F A X I M A A F I M

F R C H U K A S H A G O Y I M

L J Z I L Z U L H O R I M C N

T C H O M E T Z B P E S A C H

AVEIRA & ONESH (SIN & PUNISHMENT) WORD SEARCH TERMS ARE FOUND ON THE ADJACENT PAGE

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ARAYOSAVODAZARA

BORAYRCHENECK

CHILLULHASHEMCHOMETZBPESACHCHUKASHAGOYIM

GEHENNIMHEREGKARES

LOSHONHARAMALKUSMOLECHNEGIAHRIBBUSSEKILASEREIFA

SHATNEZSINASCHINAMZILZULHORIM

AVEIRA & ONESH (SIN & PUNISHMENT) WORD SEARCH

AVEIRA & ONESH (SIN & PUNISHMENT) WORD SEARCH TERMS

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HIGH HOLIDAY CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS

This year, we are excited to announce that we have received corporate sponsorships to help us defray the cost of seats for the Yomim Noarim.

We are excited for this partnership with two major airlines as part of their “have your prayers reach the sky program.”

Some of the eciting charges are detailed below.

United Airlines is sponsoring our two of our minyanim at 950 Queen Anne Road. For the Main Minyan (our first class section), seats will cost $100 per person with 21-day advance purchase. Tickets purchased 14-21 days in advance will have a $50 surcharge. Seats are non-refundable, and if you need to change the date you will be attending (or try switching from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur), there will be a $50 change charge. Aisle seats will cost an additional $20. Each member will be allowed one machzor or tallit bag, but each additional item brought into the main section will cost $10 ($15, if you don’t pay at the time of reservation). Frequent members will be able to select from front and back row seats at no additional charge.

Coach seating will be available in the Beit Midrash, also sponsored by United Airlines. All members ages 3 and up will need their own ticket. Those sitting by a window or door will need to attest that in an emergency they are willing to follow the orders of the gabbaim. Babies under 3 sitting on a lap are at no charge.

Southwest Airlines is happy to sponsor our Social Hall Minyan. In keeping with Southwest traditions, there will be open seating in the Social Hall. Members with the letter A on their admission ticket can come 5 minutes prior to brachot and select any seat. Members with a B on their ticket will be able to choose any remaining seat at Baruch She-omar. Members with a C on their ticket can take seats at Ashrei. Members with small children or others who need additional time to get down the aisles should speak with a gabbai for assistance.

In addition, we are announcing several personal Kiddush menus to help you with your kavanah. Meals will be served by the Men’s Club after Kriat ha-Torah. Choices include: w Kosherw Glatt Kosherw Glatt Kosher badatz with checked vegetablesw Kosher badatz with no vegetables w Yoshonw Vegetarianw Our special cholent with potato kugel and kishka selection

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$147 ROUND-TRIP TO ISRAEL!

STOPOVERS IN BUENOS AIRES, TOKYO, JOHANNESBURG, AND BAGHDAD.

LEAVE JFK 2 DAYS AFTER PURIM, ARRIVE 3 DAYS BEFORE PESACH SHEINI.

[email protected] (5775) BOO-KNOW

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PURIM

by Gavriella Hagler

As the mounds of snow begin to melt, And the sun finally peeks through,

March has finally arrived,And there’s so much prep to do.

Purim around the corner, Everyone in the family’s doing their share,Shira and Aviel trying to make costumes

Deciding what everyone will wear.

Baby Bracha and Ima’s in the kitchen, Flour shmeared over their cheek,

As Baby Bracha forms the hamentaschen, Mamma gives the triangles one last tweak.

Abba roams the aisles, Looking for the perfect treat

To put inside the Shelach Manot For all their neighbors and friends to eat.

The ba’al korei’s preparing for megillah reading, The seudah’s being cooked by Uncle Josh,

The table will be covered with delicious food, Including his famous squash.

Purim 2015 is no doubt to be perfect, With all this planning and prep

The perfect day was definably worth the schlep!

CHILDREN’S CORNER

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CHILDREN’S CORNER

PURIM WORD SEARCH

by Gavriella Hagler

M H N J S T F R M C O G M D V

H E I D B R N X E D N T I U S

K A G Y L I M A F H T F R Q I

A T M I C A N D Y E T H U N G

S N D A L S Q B V Y C S P G Q

X Q R D N L M A Q R I A E D F

Z F Q U A U A T A C K Z K Q Q

S H A L O C H M A N O T R Y S

I B N S J C G H H K U T E J Z

U Y L A G R E D W F B H A I I

R C D J O G P O R S H I D E Z

E R F G A A U E I P N S I Y Q

E X G O R B D U Y I Z H N R Z

X E A Y O B G S O U I V G E F

R O A L Z N N R F K L T X V W

CANDYESTHERFAMILY

GROGGERHAMAN

MARCHMEGILLAPURIM

READINGSHALOCHMANOT

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CHILDREN’S CORNER

PURIM WORD SCRAMBLE

by Gavriella Hagler

1. rpumi _________________________________________________________________

2. hmaan _________________________________________________________________

3. aiprse _________________________________________________________________

4. nesamatchnha _________________________________________________________________

5. ilohyad _________________________________________________________________

6. gnki _________________________________________________________________

7. rceede _________________________________________________________________

8. hiasvt _________________________________________________________________

9. nuqee _________________________________________________________________

10. eahzktad _________________________________________________________________

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MONDAY10:15 AM - 12:30 PM

Parshanut HaMikra: BereishitExplore topics in Bereishit through the lens of midrash, medieval and modern commentaries - chevruta and shiur.Rachel Friedman, Shira Schiowitz, For women (12 weeks), Tuition $220

February 2, 9, 23 March 2, 9, 23, 30 April 20, 27 May 4, 11, 18

WEDNESDAY10:15 - 11:45 AM

Parashat HaShavuaExplore the parashah closely using midrash, parshanut and literary tools. The last few weeks will be devoted to pre-Pesach classes.Rachel Friedman, For men and women (9 weeks), Tuition $160

January 28February 4, 11, 18, 25 March 4, 11, 18, 25

WEDNESDAY10:15 - 11:45 AM

Megillat RuthExplore the book of Ruth and its connections to the holiday of Shavuot.Rachel Friedman, For men and women (5 weeks), Tuition $90

April 22, 29 May 6, 13, 20

THURSDAY10:15 - 11:30 AM

The Later Prophecies of Yirmiyahu: The life and times of the prophet and his message for us today.Shira Schiowitz, For women (13 weeks), Tuition $230

January 29February 5, 12, 19, 26 March 12, 19, 26 April 16, 30 May 7, 14, 21

THURSDAY11:45 AM-1:00 PM

Great Thinkers of the Twentieth CenturyBe inspired by the thought of Rav Kook, Rav Soloveitchik and the Lubavitcher Rebbe on contemporary issues.Rabbi Yosef Bronstein, For men and women (8 weeks), Tuition $145

January 29February 5, 12, 19, 26 March 12, 19, 26

TUESDAY8:15 - 9:30 PM

Megillat EstherPrepare for Purim at Lamdeinu. Explore Megillat Esther with classical parshanim and literary analysis.Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Berger, For men and women (4 weeks), Tuition $72

February 3, 10, 17, 24

TUESDAY10:15 AM - 12:30 PM

Talmud: Berakhot Chapter 4This class is an introductory Talmud class for students with Hebrew text skills.Rabbi Daniel Fridman, For women (16 weeks), Tuition $275

January 27February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 April 14, 21, 28 May 5, 12, 19

WEDNESDAY9:00 - 10:00 AM

Yoga with ShifraMindful yoga to begin the day.Shifra Shafier, For women (16 weeks), Tuition $192 or $15/class

January 7, 14, 21, 28 February 4, 18, 25 March 11, 18, 25April 15, 22, 29May 6, 13, 20

Lamdeinu at Congregation Beth Aaron 950 Queen Anne Road Teaneck, NJRachel Friedman, Dean | Shira Schiowitz, Assistant Dean

SPRING 2015 SEMESTER Register at lamdeinu.org

All classes will cover new topics. New students are welcome to join any class. Drop-in rate for a class is $25. Please consider dedicating a shiur for a minimum contribution of $180.

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Snow Job at Yatir(continued from page 11)

accumulations occur perhaps every two years. This year was unusual because there were two real snow-storms. In both cases, the accumulations melted away within a day or two.

It is not worth it for the regional council to have an entire crew of snowplows and salt trucks ready for a once-every-two-years snowfall. Beit Yatir has an advantage because of our cow barns, which require a tractor and plow that is used to shove the cow stuff out of the sheds. The same plow clears our roads when it snows before the sun gets a chance to melt it all.

There have been occasions when Beit Yatir gets hit with a blizzard that also would paralyze Teaneck. I recall the “storm of 2000” when approximately 18 inches fell, with the winds piling up snow in three-foot-high drifts. I was driving the security jeep at night and simply could not even see the light poles because of the blinding snow. Despite years of experience of having driven in snow in Baltimore and in Montreal, I started to feel that I was going off the road and turned the wheel just in time to avoid falling into a ditch. That storm was a very rare exception, one of those “once-in-a-century” storms that seem to occur every 10 years.

The usual fare is a dusting of snow, when everyone screams in joy and panic and the kindergartens and schools close down. People don’t even try to go to work. As President Reuven Rivlin said after the last snow, when it snows in Israel, it is a holiday. Snow seems to bring out the fun for Yatirniks, even if we native Americans guffaw when there a few flurries in the air, and Yatir children -- and adults -- scream, “Yay. It’s snowing!”

photo by Inbal Arviv

CORRECTION: In the article on “Beit Yatir and the Israeli Elections” in the February 2015 issue of Kol Beth Aaron, the photo above the caption “Moshe Hagar” was incorrect. A photo of Moshe Hagar is shown to the right.

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CONGREGATION BETH AARON950 Queen Anne Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Phone: 201-836-6210www.bethaaron.org [email protected]

Laurence Rothwachs, Rabbi Yair Mayerfeld, President

WEEKLY SHIURIM

• Daf Yomi in Teaneck: For Daf Yomi shiurim and resources in Teaneck, go to www.teaneckshuls.org/daf/.• Daf Yomi shiur by Rabbi Rothwachs / Rabbi Daniel Feldman / Rabbi Mark Staum / Rabbi Daniel Herrmann: Monday-Thursday evenings, at 9:45 p.m.• Rabbi Rothwachs’ Bava Kama shiur: Wednesday evenings at 8:30 p.m. • Morning Mishna Chabura: Monday, Thursday: 6:55 a.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 7:00 a.m.

SHABBAT SHIURIM• Daf Yomi: one hour and ten minutes before mincha• Women’s Learning: one hour and ten minutes before mincha• Meir Hirsch’s shiur: one hour before mincha

(Continued from page 1)w Is one permitted to watch The Three Stooges to become joyful even if one’s mother says, “They are so stupid. Shut the TV!”?w If one became so joyful that he could not distinguish “baruch Haman” from “arur Mordechai,” is he still obligated to become drunk? w Does the joyfulness requirement apply to one who lives in a walled city?w Does the joyfulness requirement apply to one who lives within the techum of Wall Street?w Is being joyful a mitzvat asei she-hazman grama and, if so, are women obligated to be joyful?w Is a woman yotzei being joyful simply by virtue of being a wife and mother?

A joyfulness Q&A session will follow

The Purim section of the Kold Beth Aaron was produced by Ira Buckman, David Goldberg, Joel Richter, and Mo-b Singer. Thank You!

PESACH CLEANING AT BETH AARONPlease note we’ve begun prepping the building for Pesach already, starting in the Main Sanctuary and the offices. We’ve installed a new subfloor in the Main Sanctuary and sent the carpet out for replacement. We’ve begun to take apart the ceiling in the Main Sanctuary as well. The offices have also been completely emptied and checked for chametz. Please refrain from bringing chametz into these areas.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Tuesday, March 3Rabbi Baruch Simon Pre-Purim Shiur at 8:15 p.m.

Wednesday, March 4Fast of Esther begins at 5:11 a.m.Fast of Esther ends at 6:22 p.m.Reading of the Megillah: 6:25/9:25 p.m.Youth Megillah: 6:25 p.m.Chagigah follows 6:25 p.m. reading

Thursday, March 5Megillah readings at 5:30/6:00/7:00 and 8:00 a.m. minyanimMegillah only at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday, March 8 Daylight Savings begins at 2:00 a.m.Wandering Que BBQ from Noon to 9:00 p.m.Wine Tasting from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10Sisterhood Cafe Night at 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat, March 14Seudah Shlishit: BeCounted4Israel

Shabbat, March 21Scholar-in-Residence; Jeremy BobJunior High Oneg at 5:00 p.m.

Friday, March 27Men’s Club Shabbat Ha-Gadol Dinner

Shabbat, March 28Shabbat Ha-Gadol Drasha

Sunday, March 29Kashering of Utensils at 6:30 p.m.