In a few months, we will be filing 2020 taxes. Boy, what a year this has been! Let’s run through the important things you should be looking into.

First, assuming that Biden has actually won, we can fairly assume he will raise taxes, meaning it is better to earn money in 2020 than it will be in 2021. But charity deductions might not be more valuable in 2021. One thing I read said that under Biden charity might be capped at a 28% deduction, making charity more valuable in 2020! You can read lots of possible scenarios of a new tax law on the internet.

I was eating a sandwich a while back when, without warning, I suddenly felt a small pebble in my mouth – only it wasn’t a pebble. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was a piece of my molar. I felt around the affected tooth with my tongue and discovered a small crater. I’m one of those women who belong to the petrified-of-the-dentist-No- I’m-NOT-going group. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t mind going to the dentist for my biannual teeth cleaning. I’m okay with everything from plaque removal to teeth polishing. I’ve even learned to tolerate – well, put up with – the occasional filling, as long as the dentist has strict instructions about Novocain and my need for it. But this tooth breaking-off episode clearly did not fall into any of those categories.

While the final word is not in, it would appear that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic possibly originated in bats and then spread to humans via infected intermediate host animals in live food markets in China. Human-to-human transmission is primarily through infected airway droplets and aerosols but may also occur through contact with contaminated surfaces. There have been rare instances of coronavirus infection in various non-human species, including tigers, lions, hamsters, monkeys, and ferrets. In April, 2020 there was a COVID-19 outbreak at the Bronx Zoo affecting five tigers and three lions with probable virus transmission from an infected but asymptomatic zookeeper. The big cats had a mild cough and loss of appetite, but all made a quick recovery

Our mother's yahrzeit is on 23 Teves; we are grateful to share our memories davka in this issue that comes out on Chanukah. Our mother was liberated from Bergen Belsen just before Chanukah, and always spoke of the great chasdei Hashem that carried her from those horrific times and throughout her blessed life.

I once read a story about a man who got an invitation and tickets to fly to Switzerland for a wedding. He did know the person but took the opportunity for a vacation. When he got to the wedding, he did not recognize the chassan and asked him who he was and how they knew each other. The chassan answered, “When I was in yeshiva, I was feeling very lonely and was planning to leave the next day. When we were standing in line waiting for lunch, you were behind me. You saw that my collar was not straight, and you reached over and straightened it for me. That small gesture made me realize that I was not alone. I stayed in yeshiva and began to enjoy being there. I owe you my life, and so I invited you to my wedding.”

On Monday, December 6, the United States Supreme Court heard a landmark case which pits three Jewish families against the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Jewish families live in California, New Mexico, and London, England. They are the heirs of prominent Jewish art dealers who were forced to sell their property to agents of Hermann Goering in 1935. The priceless collection of artwork was in turn presented to Adolph Hitler as a surprise birthday gift. Today, it sits in a museum in Berlin with no mention of its history.

Dear Rabbi Hochberg,

At different times throughout the year, we are very excited to get together with our married siblings and all their children at our parents’ home. It is rare that we are all together, and we want to do all we can to have a beautiful, calm atmosphere for everyone.

Unfortunately, I sense possible trouble brewing ahead. Even though we are all adults, when we get together, my siblings and I tend to slip back into the same patterns we had as children. This one always feels left out, this one wants everyone’s attention, and this one tries to be the peacemaker and ensure we all get along.

Why do we do this? Shouldn’t we all act more maturely?

Concerned Sibling

In this era of uncertainty, we are faced with challenges that even the most cynical of us could not have possibly predicted. We have changed our behavior regarding everyday activities from shopping to carpooling and from doctor’s appointments to visiting with friends. Our expectations regarding simchas and even small family gatherings have been revamped to the point where questions like, “Was it a Covid wedding” or “Did you zoom with your family?” are not uncommon. Regardless of how well we have adapted, though, there are still things that take us by surprise. We are so hypo-focused on anything that has to do with Covid that we don’t even realize that other aspects of our life, which we took for granted, are being upended without warning. My most recent collision with an ever-changing reality occurred while looking through one of our venerable international frum magazines during Chanukah.

The shivah is over for Baltimore’s esteemed First Lady of Chesed, Mrs. Hannah Storch,a”h, and her passing symbolizes the end of a generation of Baltimore greats, those who laid the foundations of the community we enjoy today. But more than a symbol, Mrs. Storch was a warm, kind, and generous individual, the quintessential eishes chayil, who fulfilled the ideals of the Torah and led by example. Hannah’s impeccable character spoke volumes to all who knew her and even to those who only heard of her. I, personally, have known her “forever” as the Storches and my parents were devoted friends. I am honored to have this opportunity to recount her praises.

In the last issue, I described recent research into a phenomenon called adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. Studies show that abuse and neglect, exposure to domestic violence, household substance abuse, parental mental illness, parental separation or divorce, or an incarcerated household member, affect people into adulthood and can even decrease their lifespan. They are more likely to struggle with alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression as well as cancer, heart disease, and chronic lung disease. While, trauma in childhood has been called “the greatest public health issue of our times,” it is often hidden and unrecognized.