Many people ask me about investing in the stock market. I tell them, do I know where the Dow will be tomorrow? The answer is, of course not – but then, neither does Warren Buffet. Here is what I do know: Inflation and the Feds raising interest rates have caused turmoil in our IRAs and financial portfolios. It’s unsettling to see a financial statement that is 15% off its high for a conservative portfolio and even more for a Nasdaq high-tech portfolio. There’s a natural feeling of uneasiness and financial concern. We get seasick.

We have seen the markets correct over the last year, b”H, and the markets had a very positive 2023. As interest rates begin to come down, bonds and the markets should hopefully do well. Gold just hit an all-time high at over $2,100 per ounce, and Bitcoin has made a healthy recovery as of late. Real estate, especially office space rentals and shopping centers, have had a rough time coming out of Covid. There is a lesson here to be learned. Come aboard and listen to my advice.

Back in 2002, I took a group downtown for a Shabbaton at the B’nai Israel Congregation, where my nephew Rabbi Shraga Goldenhersh was then rabbi. This year, we again came to the Harbor to spend Shabbos with the congregants of this historic Jewish jewel, tucked within sight of Baltimore’s shot tower, the soaring financial building of Alex Brown, the towering Marriot Hotel, and close to Port Discovery and quaint Little Italy and Fells Point. 

B’nai Israel, built in 1876, is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in continuous use in Maryland and still houses a vibrant and active congregation. They provide beautiful services every Shabbat, as well as each Sunday morning and on the religious and secular holidays.

When we daven U’nesana Tokef each Yom Kippur, we recite, “Mi yichyeh u’mi yamus – who will live and who will die.” We do not know what the judgment will be, and we pray for a year of life and health. But other than davening to Hashem, what else can we do?

Over the last 40 years, the Baltimore community has helped many widows and orphans after they have unfortunately lost their husband and father, with no plan to replace the lost parnassa that the deceased had been providing for the family. I have been involved, too often, in helping raise these needed funds. Many millions have been raised, and tzedakahs like Avigdor’s Helping Hand, a New York-based tzedakah organization, and our local Ahavas Yisrael Charity Fund have provided tzedakah to these mishpachos. Rabbi Boruch Brull, the executive director of Ahavas Yisrael, has been at the forefront of many of these efforts.

 Elaine Berkowitz

 Soon, many of us will share our Rosh Hashanah tables with the head of a fish. And that is not so strange; Jews and fish have a long acquaintance with each other.

In fact, Jews have been compared to fish. A Roman asked Rabbi Akiva why the Jews risked death by studying the Torah when the Romans outlawed it. Rabbi Akiva answered with a parable: A fox, seeing the fish in a stream scurrying here and there to avoid the fishermen’s nets, beckoned them to come ashore. He had ulterior motives, of course. But the fish were not taken in. They said, if we are at risk of death by the fisherman, we will certainly die if we come ashore. And so it is with the Jews, who must be immersed in the waters of Torah to survive.

The purpose of this article is not to make judgments; rather, it tells how frum life was back–in-the-day and how things have changed over the past 70 years. There have been some very positive changes and some negative ones. Let the reader draw his or her own conclusions.

*  *  *

In the 1950s, I was a student of Talmudical Academy, my sister was a student at Bais Yaakov, and our family was a part of the very small and close-knit Baltimore Orthodox community. Our home and my parents were very frum, with many minhagim (customs) and special music for all Yom Tovim that were based on a strong German mesorah (tradition) passed down by our avos (ancestors) from generation to generation. Our home was one of hachnasas orchim, chesed, and tzedaka. Limud Torah was not visible in the home and was centered, instead, in our schools and our shul. Granted, there was no ArtScroll back then. Still, how was it that our home had practically no sefarim?

in collaboration with the Bamberger Family

Baltimore and klal Yisrael recently lost an ish chesed, an ish emes, a humble and unassuming individual. It is a shame that the younger generation did not know Reb Osher Bamberger, who contributed so much to the Baltimore community – but always below the radar. Reb Osher was an architect who laid the groundwork for the growth of Torah in this community. He shied away from any kavod (honor) even as he expended great effort to build and maintain the infrastructure we still benefit from in this community. He was a rodef shalom (pursuer of peace) and a role model to many.