Monday, February 28, 2005
Rabbi Wolf, zatz"l
Musings #102
February 27, 2005
The 18th of Adar Alef
An American Jewish Hero
This week was the first yartzeit (anniversary of the death of) a very special American rabbi. He wasn’t one of the “famous gdolim,” but his influence was no less vital to the Jewish world. When he and his family were still young, he took them to what was “the boondocks” of Orthodox Jewry, a community so lacking that others feared to tread or fled soon after arriving. Unlike many young rabbis, he didn’t use his lower-status pulpit as a stepping-stone to a “better job;” he transformed his tiny wisp of a congregation into a large vibrant Orthodox community.
In 1956 when Rabbi Ephraim Wolf, zatz”l, agreed to come to the Great Neck Synagogue, his sons were the only boys who wore kippot on the streets of Great Neck, and there were hardly any fully shomer mitzvot families. Today not only are there many more kosher restaurants than there were frum families, but there are also quite a number of additional Orthodox synagogues.
When Rabbi and Elaine Wolf moved with their two sons to Great Neck, the “experts” were predicting the demise of Orthodox Jewry. It’s ironic and fitting that this article about the growth of Orthodox Jewry came of the week of his yartzeit. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77454 . Rabbi Wolf was one of those who changed the face and soul of American Jewry.
Rabbi Wolf welcomed my family to the Great Neck Synagogue when we moved to Great Neck in 1962, even though we were far from being Orthodox. He welcomed my brother and sister into the afternoon Hebrew School and me into the “Teen Club.” He sent his own two sons to the “Teen Club,” even though most of the members were public school kids like me, who knew nothing of Shabbat, kashrut and Jewish Law. We were also encouraged to welcome all of our friends to the activities, irrespective of their parents’ shul membership. All Jewish youth of Great Neck was welcomed to our activities.
Yes, the word “welcome” is the key to Rabbi Wolf’s success. Chabad (Lebovitch Chassidim) may get all the big publicity for bringing Jews back to Torah Judaism, but the real heroes are people like Rabbi Wolf. Rabbi Wolf welcomed us and accepted us and with no fanfare slowly built an Orthodox community. Youth activities were always supported by professional youth leaders and membership in NCSY. In addition he established a Jewish Day School and to guarantee that the students would arrive, he was the driver who picked them up in the morning and drove them home in the afternoon. Within two decades, the school had grown so large that it took over an empty public school building that was no longer in use.
Rabbi Wolf took great pride in those of us who had participated in the Teen Club activities. Over the years I’d hear reports that “Rabbi Wolf mentioned you in his sermon, again.” I’m not the only one who is religious today because of the opportunities Rabbi Wolf gave us. When we were young we had no idea that we were part of a Jewish revolution, but apparently Rabbi Wolf knew perfectly well what was happening. He had a vision and a dream and worked hard to bring it to fruition. That is why is was so proud of us.
I was privileged to attend the Jerusalem memorial assembly for Rabbi Wolf. As I listened to all the shiurim and reminisces by the family and the distinguished rabbis, I realized that I barely knew him. He did so many things for so many people in a way that seemed so effortless. When he spoke to me, it was as if he had all the time in the world.
It was also good seeing my old friends, Dahvid and Leah, his son and daughter-in-law, whom I’ve known since my early teens.
How could Rabbi Wolf be dead a year already? To think that he’d no longer be greeting me with “How wonderful to see you and your lovely family.”
May the entire family be blessed, and may I take this opportunity to thank Rabbi Wolf for all he did for me.
More information about Rabbi Wolf can be found on the memorial site established by the Great Neck Synagogue. http://www.gns.org/index.cfm
Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA
February 27, 2005
The 18th of Adar Alef
An American Jewish Hero
This week was the first yartzeit (anniversary of the death of) a very special American rabbi. He wasn’t one of the “famous gdolim,” but his influence was no less vital to the Jewish world. When he and his family were still young, he took them to what was “the boondocks” of Orthodox Jewry, a community so lacking that others feared to tread or fled soon after arriving. Unlike many young rabbis, he didn’t use his lower-status pulpit as a stepping-stone to a “better job;” he transformed his tiny wisp of a congregation into a large vibrant Orthodox community.
In 1956 when Rabbi Ephraim Wolf, zatz”l, agreed to come to the Great Neck Synagogue, his sons were the only boys who wore kippot on the streets of Great Neck, and there were hardly any fully shomer mitzvot families. Today not only are there many more kosher restaurants than there were frum families, but there are also quite a number of additional Orthodox synagogues.
When Rabbi and Elaine Wolf moved with their two sons to Great Neck, the “experts” were predicting the demise of Orthodox Jewry. It’s ironic and fitting that this article about the growth of Orthodox Jewry came of the week of his yartzeit. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77454 . Rabbi Wolf was one of those who changed the face and soul of American Jewry.
Rabbi Wolf welcomed my family to the Great Neck Synagogue when we moved to Great Neck in 1962, even though we were far from being Orthodox. He welcomed my brother and sister into the afternoon Hebrew School and me into the “Teen Club.” He sent his own two sons to the “Teen Club,” even though most of the members were public school kids like me, who knew nothing of Shabbat, kashrut and Jewish Law. We were also encouraged to welcome all of our friends to the activities, irrespective of their parents’ shul membership. All Jewish youth of Great Neck was welcomed to our activities.
Yes, the word “welcome” is the key to Rabbi Wolf’s success. Chabad (Lebovitch Chassidim) may get all the big publicity for bringing Jews back to Torah Judaism, but the real heroes are people like Rabbi Wolf. Rabbi Wolf welcomed us and accepted us and with no fanfare slowly built an Orthodox community. Youth activities were always supported by professional youth leaders and membership in NCSY. In addition he established a Jewish Day School and to guarantee that the students would arrive, he was the driver who picked them up in the morning and drove them home in the afternoon. Within two decades, the school had grown so large that it took over an empty public school building that was no longer in use.
Rabbi Wolf took great pride in those of us who had participated in the Teen Club activities. Over the years I’d hear reports that “Rabbi Wolf mentioned you in his sermon, again.” I’m not the only one who is religious today because of the opportunities Rabbi Wolf gave us. When we were young we had no idea that we were part of a Jewish revolution, but apparently Rabbi Wolf knew perfectly well what was happening. He had a vision and a dream and worked hard to bring it to fruition. That is why is was so proud of us.
I was privileged to attend the Jerusalem memorial assembly for Rabbi Wolf. As I listened to all the shiurim and reminisces by the family and the distinguished rabbis, I realized that I barely knew him. He did so many things for so many people in a way that seemed so effortless. When he spoke to me, it was as if he had all the time in the world.
It was also good seeing my old friends, Dahvid and Leah, his son and daughter-in-law, whom I’ve known since my early teens.
How could Rabbi Wolf be dead a year already? To think that he’d no longer be greeting me with “How wonderful to see you and your lovely family.”
May the entire family be blessed, and may I take this opportunity to thank Rabbi Wolf for all he did for me.
More information about Rabbi Wolf can be found on the memorial site established by the Great Neck Synagogue. http://www.gns.org/index.cfm
Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA
Saturday, February 26, 2005
TEL AVIV TERROR ATTACK
This is in bold as a cry of pain!
The terrorists were hard at work in Tel Aviv, Friday night. Yes, Davka, Tel Aviv. and davka a night club
4 murdered and dozens injured
Is that peace?
Is it?
Now, what do the Arabs really want? Who's talking peace? And who's threatening whom? Can you believe what they say? Take a good look and a clear "think."
The country's in danger, and the Jews in YESHA aren't the enemy. We're just trying to be good citizens, loyal citizens to "G-d and country." Isn't that what they used to say in the states? That seems to bother some people. Our kids are in the most dangerous of the elite units of the army. Instead of valuing in them, the government is turning on them.
Israeli kids were once raised on the heroic stories of the founding of the kibbutzim and the "moshavot." Now they're embarrassed by them, except for us. We're still living the Zionist dream. And we're treated like enemies, while the real enemies are excused for murdering.
But on a lighter and more joyous note. Read about the wonderful kids here in Israel and what they wrote. There was an essay contest initiated and organized by Yoel Ben Avraham. Israeli students from all over the country sent essays. The winners were just announced.
May there be a Shavua tov and geula shleimah b'mherah b'yamenu!
The terrorists were hard at work in Tel Aviv, Friday night. Yes, Davka, Tel Aviv. and davka a night club
4 murdered and dozens injured
Is that peace?
Is it?
Now, what do the Arabs really want? Who's talking peace? And who's threatening whom? Can you believe what they say? Take a good look and a clear "think."
The country's in danger, and the Jews in YESHA aren't the enemy. We're just trying to be good citizens, loyal citizens to "G-d and country." Isn't that what they used to say in the states? That seems to bother some people. Our kids are in the most dangerous of the elite units of the army. Instead of valuing in them, the government is turning on them.
Israeli kids were once raised on the heroic stories of the founding of the kibbutzim and the "moshavot." Now they're embarrassed by them, except for us. We're still living the Zionist dream. And we're treated like enemies, while the real enemies are excused for murdering.
But on a lighter and more joyous note. Read about the wonderful kids here in Israel and what they wrote. There was an essay contest initiated and organized by Yoel Ben Avraham. Israeli students from all over the country sent essays. The winners were just announced.
May there be a Shavua tov and geula shleimah b'mherah b'yamenu!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Two interesting new articles
No great surprise for us, but a real embarrassment for all the "brilliant sociologists," social commentators, and other self-proclaimed prophets. Popular knowledge for the past hundred years, ever since Jews began streaming, fleeing out of the shtetels of eastern Europe into enlightened USA, throwing off their hats, shaving the beards, cutting paot, pigging out on traif....
Everyone knew that Orthodoxy was going with their Yiddish accents. People were certain that by the 21st century Tfilin would be on display in museums.
But, surprise! READ THIS
Now, you should understand what "tzaddikim" the government is, showing their sympathy and sensitivity. Not only will they provide psychological services for the battered refugees, they're not going to drag people out their homes on Shabbat!
Oy, the Moshiach should definitely be on his way, G-d willing, but with our help.
Everyone knew that Orthodoxy was going with their Yiddish accents. People were certain that by the 21st century Tfilin would be on display in museums.
But, surprise! READ THIS
Now, you should understand what "tzaddikim" the government is, showing their sympathy and sensitivity. Not only will they provide psychological services for the battered refugees, they're not going to drag people out their homes on Shabbat!
Oy, the Moshiach should definitely be on his way, G-d willing, but with our help.
An important news story
This is definitely an important news story. I didn't write it, nor am I personally involved. But I highly recommend that you read this .
Monday, February 21, 2005
New, Old, Ancient, All the Same
Musings #101
February 20, 2005
The 11th of Adar Alef
New, Old, Ancient, All the Same
Ok, I admit that I’m not a rabbi; I’m just a housewife, who teaches English and writes. I learned that there’s a Jewish Law that even if one of the “shofrot,” rams horns, used in the time of the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple, was found, it wouldn’t be considered kosher for ritual use today.
Rabbinic decisions are connected to the times in which they are made. That’s why I have a problem with a few of the responses to my feeling that we must rethink our “enthusiasm” to the present State of Israel. A few people said that my thoughts and, opinions, are wrong because of what the Rabbis Kook (both of them) poskened, taught. Now, I would never criticize what the rabbis stated about the times in which they lived, but even Rav Tzvi Yehuda passed to olam haba a generation ago.
Not to diminish anything those great rabbis taught during their lives, I wonder what they would say and do if they were alive today, when the State of Israel planning on dismantling Jewish communities, schools, yeshivot and businesses and jailing those who protest against it. I can’t help thinking of Shmuel HaNavi, Samuel the Prophet, the man who anointed the first King of Israel, Saul, and soon after, while Saul still reigned, he anointed David king. In a sense, the Rabbis Kook can be likened to Shmuel HaNavi, except for the crucial fact that they died at too early a stage in the story.
I strongly feel that we are in those times again. We are reliving the times when Saul was chasing David, trying to kill him and all who followed him. Saul was desperate to preserve his kingship and pass it on to his son Jonathan.
David wrote some of his most moving T’hilim, psalms, when he was trying to avoid Saul’s persecution and murder attempts. Every week when I learn more of those lines (at our Boker Limud Nashim, Women’s Study Morning taught by Rabbi Nissan Ben Avraham), I’m more and more convinced of the similarities.
First of all, in Biblical times, the people asked Shmuel to make them a king, “like all other nations,” (First Samuel, Chapter 8.) “Like all the other nations” so clearly reminds me how the Zionist leaders were so insistent on getting the approval of foreign countries, and how they celebrated, even today, the UN vote on the 29th of November, commemorated on the goyish calendar date. And to this day, major national decisions are made, not for what’s best for the State of Israel, but how will the goyim see us. Now, in the Divine Plan, which was no secret, there was supposed to be a king, but he wasn’t supposed to be “like all the nations.”
I have to admit something that annoys or makes some people uncomfortable, the more I learn about King Saul, the less I think of him. Now, as I’m writing this, I reread Chapter 9 in the First Book of Samuel, just to make sure that my impressions are based on the text. And it just confirmed my previous feelings. Saul was chosen more for his physical attributes, “…from his shoulders and upwards, he was taller than any of the people.” (First Samuel 9, 2) I can see that line illustrated with the classic portrait of the early kibbutznik, tall, handsome, broad-shouldered, his sun-bleached hair in a natural pompadour crowning his forehead.
Just read the chapter for the narrative. You don’t see a leader, just a well-behaved son of a prominent family, the handsome, pampered son of a “man of valor,” thrust into a position for which he was unprepared and unsuited. So it’s no surprise that later on when Goliath taunts his army, Saul is paralyzed and doesn’t react. Young David, the “Cinderella” son of Jesse, arrives with some food for his more important brothers, hears Goliath, takes out his slingshot, and kills him.
I call King David the “Cinderella,” because, like the Fairy Tale character, he was from a distinguished family, but treated like a servant. His brothers were raised to be national leaders, but he was kept out, sent off to be a shepherd. Now read Chapter 16 in The First Book of Samuel. Again, the similarities are really spooky. I see our hilltop youth in the description of young David and the fear of today’s regime echoes in Samuel’s as he tries to avoid G-d’s orders. “And Samuel said, ‘how can I go? If Saul will hear of it, he will kill me.’” (First Samuel 16, 2) Think of the government ministers “holding onto their seats” rather than defying Sharon.
Reading our once and forever history book, the Bible, we learn that because he didn’t follow G-d’s commandments, Saul loses Samuel’s backing in one of most pathetic scenes in the Bible and secular literature. The once kingly Saul crying, begging, pleading and grabbing Samuel’s cloak, willing to do anything just to remain king (First Samuel 15, 22-35.) It ends with G-d being sorry for ever having had appointed Saul king.
My writing, even at its best, can’t compete with the compelling narrative of the Holy Bible, so I suggest that you read it in whatever language is easiest for you to comprehend.
If we continue to follow our ancient history, then our troubles won’t be over for a while. It took quite a few years for David to begin his reign over the entire Jewish Nation. Our struggle is far from over, but as long as we follow G-d’s commandments, b’ezrat Hashem, t’hiyeh Geula shleimah, b’mheira, b’yameinu, With G-d’s help, there will be a complete redemption in our day, soon.
Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA
February 20, 2005
The 11th of Adar Alef
New, Old, Ancient, All the Same
Ok, I admit that I’m not a rabbi; I’m just a housewife, who teaches English and writes. I learned that there’s a Jewish Law that even if one of the “shofrot,” rams horns, used in the time of the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple, was found, it wouldn’t be considered kosher for ritual use today.
Rabbinic decisions are connected to the times in which they are made. That’s why I have a problem with a few of the responses to my feeling that we must rethink our “enthusiasm” to the present State of Israel. A few people said that my thoughts and, opinions, are wrong because of what the Rabbis Kook (both of them) poskened, taught. Now, I would never criticize what the rabbis stated about the times in which they lived, but even Rav Tzvi Yehuda passed to olam haba a generation ago.
Not to diminish anything those great rabbis taught during their lives, I wonder what they would say and do if they were alive today, when the State of Israel planning on dismantling Jewish communities, schools, yeshivot and businesses and jailing those who protest against it. I can’t help thinking of Shmuel HaNavi, Samuel the Prophet, the man who anointed the first King of Israel, Saul, and soon after, while Saul still reigned, he anointed David king. In a sense, the Rabbis Kook can be likened to Shmuel HaNavi, except for the crucial fact that they died at too early a stage in the story.
I strongly feel that we are in those times again. We are reliving the times when Saul was chasing David, trying to kill him and all who followed him. Saul was desperate to preserve his kingship and pass it on to his son Jonathan.
David wrote some of his most moving T’hilim, psalms, when he was trying to avoid Saul’s persecution and murder attempts. Every week when I learn more of those lines (at our Boker Limud Nashim, Women’s Study Morning taught by Rabbi Nissan Ben Avraham), I’m more and more convinced of the similarities.
First of all, in Biblical times, the people asked Shmuel to make them a king, “like all other nations,” (First Samuel, Chapter 8.) “Like all the other nations” so clearly reminds me how the Zionist leaders were so insistent on getting the approval of foreign countries, and how they celebrated, even today, the UN vote on the 29th of November, commemorated on the goyish calendar date. And to this day, major national decisions are made, not for what’s best for the State of Israel, but how will the goyim see us. Now, in the Divine Plan, which was no secret, there was supposed to be a king, but he wasn’t supposed to be “like all the nations.”
I have to admit something that annoys or makes some people uncomfortable, the more I learn about King Saul, the less I think of him. Now, as I’m writing this, I reread Chapter 9 in the First Book of Samuel, just to make sure that my impressions are based on the text. And it just confirmed my previous feelings. Saul was chosen more for his physical attributes, “…from his shoulders and upwards, he was taller than any of the people.” (First Samuel 9, 2) I can see that line illustrated with the classic portrait of the early kibbutznik, tall, handsome, broad-shouldered, his sun-bleached hair in a natural pompadour crowning his forehead.
Just read the chapter for the narrative. You don’t see a leader, just a well-behaved son of a prominent family, the handsome, pampered son of a “man of valor,” thrust into a position for which he was unprepared and unsuited. So it’s no surprise that later on when Goliath taunts his army, Saul is paralyzed and doesn’t react. Young David, the “Cinderella” son of Jesse, arrives with some food for his more important brothers, hears Goliath, takes out his slingshot, and kills him.
I call King David the “Cinderella,” because, like the Fairy Tale character, he was from a distinguished family, but treated like a servant. His brothers were raised to be national leaders, but he was kept out, sent off to be a shepherd. Now read Chapter 16 in The First Book of Samuel. Again, the similarities are really spooky. I see our hilltop youth in the description of young David and the fear of today’s regime echoes in Samuel’s as he tries to avoid G-d’s orders. “And Samuel said, ‘how can I go? If Saul will hear of it, he will kill me.’” (First Samuel 16, 2) Think of the government ministers “holding onto their seats” rather than defying Sharon.
Reading our once and forever history book, the Bible, we learn that because he didn’t follow G-d’s commandments, Saul loses Samuel’s backing in one of most pathetic scenes in the Bible and secular literature. The once kingly Saul crying, begging, pleading and grabbing Samuel’s cloak, willing to do anything just to remain king (First Samuel 15, 22-35.) It ends with G-d being sorry for ever having had appointed Saul king.
My writing, even at its best, can’t compete with the compelling narrative of the Holy Bible, so I suggest that you read it in whatever language is easiest for you to comprehend.
If we continue to follow our ancient history, then our troubles won’t be over for a while. It took quite a few years for David to begin his reign over the entire Jewish Nation. Our struggle is far from over, but as long as we follow G-d’s commandments, b’ezrat Hashem, t’hiyeh Geula shleimah, b’mheira, b’yameinu, With G-d’s help, there will be a complete redemption in our day, soon.
Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA
excellent link
I want to thank Baruch Kraus for sending this excellent link about anti-Semitism. It's very well done and hopefully will convince those not yet convinced.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Party Time
Party Time!
Biur Chametz is helping us celebrate our One Hundredth Shiloh Musings at this week's Hevel Hevelim . Take a look!
Biur Chametz is helping us celebrate our One Hundredth Shiloh Musings at this week's Hevel Hevelim . Take a look!
Saturday, February 19, 2005
I Hope It's Not True
For the past few weeks, there have been rumors that the Israeli government is recruiting foreigners to "beef up" the "demolishing, destruction, transfer, &^#%&#^%$&^#$%&#* squad."
Read this , though on an empty stomach. Does anyone know more?
Read this , though on an empty stomach. Does anyone know more?
Friday, February 18, 2005
What's really in that new law...
There aren't too many people who read the fine print, or who read the complete and entire "Disengagement Law." There is one, and I trust him, David Badein. Read what he says about it.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
polling about the poll
The Arutz 7 site has a poll asking people's opinions about whether or not, a referendum. As you know, I'm totally against one, and there's an option that I agree with.
How about voting? I won't tell you what to vote for, and you can comment here, since there's no comment option on the poll.
And if the issue's important to you, then send the link out to others.
How about voting? I won't tell you what to vote for, and you can comment here, since there's no comment option on the poll.
And if the issue's important to you, then send the link out to others.
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