Spending a few hours with 92-year-old Baltimorean Morty Esterson in his home office, I gazed at the many plaques, trophies, proclamations, commendations, and citations adorning the walls of his office. Here is a man who has had a huge impact on the Jewish community as well as on the greater Baltimore community during his long and illustrious career. A master educator in Baltimore City Schools as well as Hebrew schools, he was also a pioneer of special education services, and has held many positions of leadership in Jewish education and community institutions and initiatives. Morty Esterson is simply a exceptional person to all who know and have worked with him. It is people like him who laid the foundation for frumkeit and chesed in Baltimore. Morty Esterson is totally genuine, a sincere and “ehrlich” mensch with an unassuming and delightfully upbeat personality.

I have served as a very proud member of the board of Pearlstone from its inception in 2001. Pearlstone, today, in 2018, is a 180-acre nature retreat and conference center as well as a working organic farm complex just 24 minutes from Pikesville. Once you arrive at Pearlstone, driving through woods-lined roads and bountiful cornfields, you are in the picturesque outdoors, far from the hustle-and-bustle of city and suburban living. You have entered the scenic rural countryside. You will witness lovely sunsets at dusk and marvel at the bright stars and vast heavens by night. You may sing and roast kosher marshmallows at a campfire or relax by toasty fireplaces in our lobby or lounges. Then you will experience a deep and restful sleep in one of our newly-redecorated guest bedrooms. You will be awakened by the crowing of the Pearlstone roosters in the morning. You will enjoy watching the Pearlstone goats grazing in grassy pastures and squawking chickens running about. The air is fresh, so take deep breaths and suck it all in. Take a morning stroll and visit the large pond for boating (soon to be licensed for fishing), and the two large outdoor swimming pools. Visit our farm and gardens and pick strawberries and blueberries. Welcome to the Pearlstone!

Once a Pikesville country club, now a yeshiva campus, the Bais HaMedrash and Mesivta  of Baltimore is a jewel of Torah learning – and the pride and joy of its founder and Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Zvi Dov Slanger. I recently visited the yeshiva on a weeknight and witnessed over 135 bachurim packing the beis medrash and learning with tremendous enthusiasm. This room filled with a chorus of Torah learning is the fulfillment of Rav Slanger’s dream and the crescendo of his Torah life.

The journey to this accomplishment starts with a young Hungarian Holocaust survivor who, this year, celebrates the momentous

It has been over six months since the petira of my mother, Greta Schlossberg, Gelah bas Ze’ev, a”h. I experienced a year of aveilus (mourning) when my father passed away 15 years earlier, and now I am in the year of aveilus for my mom.

The purpose of this article is to discuss general issues on the practice of aveilus and describe my experience. However, I would like to stress, before I begin, the importance of always discussing any questions and issues with one’s own rav to receive proper guidance on halacha and minhag. In Pirkei Avos it is said, “Asei lecha rav – Establish a rav for yourself.” A strong relationship and rapport with one’s rabbi is always important, but it is during aveilus, especially, that one needs clarity on how to observe it properly.

I have to laugh when I hear the current wisdom about sound business management. Executives nowadays are supposed to be friendly; they are supposed to inspire and empower employees rather than boss them. In this respect, my father was way ahead of his time. Although Dad was owner, president, and later chairman of Castle Food Corporation, our family business, he never considered his position in the company to be very significant during the almost 55 years he worked in the business. Dad didn’t enjoy rank or power. To him, everyone in the workplace was important, and the main thing was that each employee did the very best at his or her particular job.

In his quiet and humble way, Dad regarded himself as a salesman. He loved people and loved the interaction with his customers and employees. With the twinkle in his eyes, his European charm and class, his fabulous sense of humor, and his fascinating stories, he captivated those around him. He was ehrlich and unassuming, and had a sweetness about him not typical of a hard-driving, aggressive businessperson. Yet when he combined all these personal qualities with the detailed and superior knowledge of his product and a strong resolve to be successful, Dad possessed everything a good salesman needed. Dad was a fabulous sales professional who made himself and his company very successful, with Hashem’s help. 

November 7, 2016, Baltimore, Maryland

This Shabbos Breishis, we lost our Mom, Gella bas Ze’ev, Greta Schlossberg, a”h.

Mom was not well and has been out of the public eye for many years, but old-time Baltimoreans will remember well her beautiful smile, happy disposition, kindness, and, of course, her music. For over 20 years, she led Bais Yaakov school choirs and played the piano accompaniment at Bais Yaakov and TA events and graduations. She also taught music to thousands of children in the Beth Jacob Sunday school. She wrote plays and cantatas as well as poetry and songs. Many readers will also remember her amazing garden. In everything she did, Mom was maalin bekodesh, using her talents and energy to rise ever higher on the ladder of holiness.