A benefit of writing articles for the Where What When is the opportunity to meet interesting people. Recently, Rabbi Dovid Katz asked me to interview one such person, Yair Halevy, who was in Baltimore garnering support for Yeshivat Shavei Chevron. When he is not abroad working for the yeshiva, he is doing post-doctoral work on “Chareidim in Israeli Culture.” Yair has a Ph.D. in Jewish history and thought from Hebrew University. This sounded like an unusual and intriguing combination, and I learned a lot from getting to know him.

Yair told me that he has been coming to Baltimore for 10 years, and he spent over a week here. Perhaps it shows how large and diverse Baltimore is that I had never heard of him before. I asked him his impression of our Jewish community. His response was the same as I have heard from others: “People in Baltimore ‘notnim et halev’; they give their heart.” He and others have told me that they are impressed with the kavod and derech eretz shown to them in Baltimore. “Maybe there are some cities where we raise more money, but Baltimore is tops when it comes to ahavat Yisrael,” he said.

Pro-Hamas protests on U.S. campuses are a small, albeit significant, element in a wider anti-Israel/antisemitic global campaign. The virulent and worldwide launch of an unparalleled explosion of outright, explicit antisemitism advocating the outright slaying of all Jews wherever they might be was clearly triggered by Hamas’ heinous slaughter of large numbers of innocent human beings just inside Israel on October 7^th. It is clear from the “in-your-face” disruptive tactics that there is no interest in “winning over” public opinion. Clear also is the intent to intimidate, to further cow not just the general population but also the authorities into

acceding to outrageous demands. The protests, now occurring widely outside the United States as well, are clearly different from earlier ones, if only in their antisemitic focus. What do they mean? What do they portend? What are their antecedents? The pages that follow will try to clarify their role and significance within the broader strategic picture.

As chaos, confusion, and darkness descend upon the world, I occasionally reminisce about the America of my youth. Sometimes I find comfort in recalling the privilege of growing up in an optimistic time, post-World War II. Sadly, that America is gone – replaced by an Orwellian, dystopian mess.

When I was young, we went to school to learn to read, write, and become good citizens. Everyday we prayed to G-d, recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag with our hand over our heart, and sang the “Star Spangled Banner.” We loved our country, looked up to our heroes in sports, in the movies, and on TV. (In those days, movies and TV weren’t toxic because of strictly enforced “morality” standards.) We respected the police and were in awe of the FBI. In those days, “heroes” meant good guys who did good things, fought for worthy causes, and were role models for good citizenship.

Today, over 84 years since the start of the Holocaust and 79 years from the end of the Second World War, a multitude of Torah learning and educational vehicles are available to enhance the chinuch of our children and make them bnei and bnos Torah. Many of our parents and grandparents are Holocaust survivors who escaped the horrors of Hitler’s Europe. Many of them unfortunately did not have the opportunity to study in yeshivas but came out of the horror of the war with strong emunah and were firmly committed to halacha and shemiras Shabbos

Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing at the Kosel Hamaaravi. What are you davening for? 

“If I could daven at the Kosel right now,” Mrs. Penina Rosenberg began, “I would daven that, in this crazy world, my children should grow up pure, ehrlich, and happy to be a Yid. And that when there are challenges, and even emergencies, I should know how to deal with them.”

This is how Mrs. Penina Rosenberg, Hineni L’Doros facilitator in Lakewood, began her talk to tens of women of the Baltimore community on Sunday evening, March 10, in a special event entitled, “Evening of Hineni: Understanding the Technology Challenge.”

Hineni L’Doros, a project of TAG International, arranges a six-week series of workshops for mothers, providing them with guidance needed to help their families navigate the challenges of technology. It is a division of Hineni, a three-year curriculum, created by TAG, to give the future mothers of Klal Yisrael the hashkafos and tools to live their lives and fight the challenges of technology.

One of the most stressful things about being a parent is taking your child with a learner’s permit out to practice driving. I don’t think my father ever forgot what happened when he took me driving as a teenager. Suddenly, we found ourselves on the beltway going in the opposite direction of all the other cars. My father remained calm, and we quickly got off at the next exit, but it was very scary.

I remember one of my first driving experiences after I got my license. I lived on Yeshiva Lane and took the car to go to Shapiro’s, the kosher supermarket on the corner of Old Court and Reisterstown Roads. I turned right on Old Court but then was too scared to make a left turn into the Shapiro’s parking lot. I just continued driving straight, on and on, because I was afraid to turn around. Soon I was lost. This was in the days before cell phones and Waze. Finally, I was brave enough to pull over at a pay phone and call my mother. She called our neighbor and cousin, Sheftel Neuberger, z”l, who knew everything. After I described which billboards were in front of me he directed me on how to get home. 

A few months ago, the Where What When published an informative article by Howard Shiman, an avid local bicyclist, with some “rules of the road.” A subsequent issue included a letter to the editor about driving, citing violations of Maryland law as well as basic driving etiquette. I’d like to expand on that writer’s letter, as I, too, am frequently amazed and stunned by some of the illegal as well as dangerous driving habits in our neighborhood.

There are too many near accidents in Northwest Baltimore. For example, I was stopped at the red light at Park Heights and Fords Lane. The driver idling next to me in the left lane made a right turn onto Fords Lane, right in front of me. Lucky for me, the light was still red, and I was not moving.

With the house cleaned from Pesach, we already have a head start on my follow-up topic: general organization. Tidying, decluttering, straightening, organizing – whatever term you deem worthy – can be a big stress reducer. In this article, I will explain various tips, tricks, and hacks that I have implemented in my life as a busy, working parent to make life a little less chaotic.

Clutter Conquest

Here’s an organization basic: When attempting to straighten an area like a closet or home office, the trick is to stick to that one area. When you find an object that goes in a different room, leave it in a bin or a pile in the hall outside that room. As you return various items to other spaces in the house, resist the temptation to start straightening up here and there. You will wind up with several semi-tidy areas rather than one completely functional space.

By now everyone is aware of the sudden passing of Senator Joseph Lieberman, of blessed memory. For me, and so many others, it was a shock. He was sharp, fit, and active until his untimely death. Just two weeks ago, an article he wrote appeared in the Wall Street Journal chastising Charles Schumer, saying “He has lost his way.” Joe Lieberman was interviewed by Fox News a day later. As always, he was clear and concise, while speaking respectfully about his shock and disappointment in the positions taken by Schumer and our current administration. It was less than a week later that Fox News covered his funeral.

Joe Lieberman was a larger-than-life figure, who accomplished great things, met with presidents and kings yet always remained the humble Yosef Yisroel ben Hanan. In his own words, “I’m just a simple Jew trying my best to honor G-d and my parents.” I was privileged to know Joe Lieberman, and of course, many thousands of people can say the same thing. I would like to share a few personal recollections which may help those who didn’t know him understand who he was.

I’m the kind of person who ponders over things. I guess I’m not one of those water-off-a-duck’s-back kinds of people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m good at making snap decisions, like what to make for Yom Tov or what kinds of presents to buy for our grandchildren. But there are other, more challenging decisions that I find harder to make, especially if they are ones that I’ll have to live with for a long time, like choosing window coverings. Should they be Roman shades or honeycomb? Horizontal or vertical? And don’t get me started about the color. Which is better, bright white or warm white or perhaps butter cream?