On January 28, STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Sholom Tendler addressed the Shomrei Emunah Night Kollel, in Baltimore, about the practical halachos related to cholov Yisroel and its differing common practices in the field of kashrus. A PowerPoint production detailed STAR-K’s management of cholov Yisroel hashgacha at Kreider Farms. “Rabbi Tendler’s presentation was the perfect complement for the night kollel’s study of the sugya of cholov Yisroel,” remarked Rabbi Shmuel Iser, Rosh Kollel. “His clear exposition of the halachos and valuable and in-depth knowledge of issues in the real life field of cholov Yisroel hashgachah were greatly appreciated by the fellows of the night kollel. It is always a wonderful thing when you can take a sugya you are learning and translate it into the real world.” Rabbi Tendler was also invited to Detroit, on February 10, to present the latest developments in the world of kashrus and bug infestation, including hands-on cleaning and inspecting techniques. Mashgichim working in the food service industry certifying restaurants, caterers, and senior living centers, participated in the session held at the Detroit Vaad K-COR offices. “We asked Rabbi Tendler to address the mashgichim, as he has several times before, in addition to addressing our general community–because he is good, to the point, and knowledgeable,” remarked Rabbi Doniel Neustadt, Chairman-Yoshev Rosh of the K-COR Kosher division of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis. “How amazing it is that the STAR-K helps out the smaller Vaadim who don’t have the resources the big agencies do.” Last month, STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Dovid Heber gave a shiur to members of Baltimore’s Kollel Nachlas HaTorah–comprised of men of all ages who have flexible schedules, are retired or between jobs–on understanding the leap year and the halachos related to both months of Adar. “It was a great honor and privilege to have Rabbi Heber speak about leap years at Kollel Nachlas Hatorah,”said Rabbi Nechemiah Goldstein, Rosh Kollel. “As an expert in calendars, his shiur was very informative and interesting. A large, enthusiastic crowd attended his special shiur. We look forward to hearing from Rabbi Heber again.” STAR-K’s Speakers Bureau presents selected topics ranging from the basics of keeping a kosher home and its philosophical and spiritual significance and practical application to a behind-the- scene look at the manufacturing and processing of several industries. For further information, visit: http://www.star-k.org/speakers or call STAR-K, (410) 484-4110. (Margie Pensak – YWN)

We’ve all heard the stories. Stories of neighbors, relatives, or friends who are struggling to put food on the table, to buy the bare essentials for their families. Some of them have been struggling for years, while others were once financially comfortable and have now fallen on hard times. We hear the stories, sigh sympathetically, and offer a tefillah for things to improve. Then we move on to the next thing on our to-do list. It’s not that we don’t care; we just feel so helpless. What can we possibly do to improve the poor family’s lot? Consider the case of Family A. Mrs. A. has a master’s degree in her chosen field and works hard to support her family. She lives in a comfortable house, though the front lawn looks somewhat neglected. There are two cars parked in the driveway, because both she and her husband commute to work. When Mrs. A. goes shopping, she compares prices and often returns items to the shelf when she sees the total will surpass her budget. She rarely buys herself new outfits and tries to make do with the hand-me-downs of a well dressed relative. She’d rather reserve any wardrobe purchases she can afford for her children. At first glance, it may appear that Mrs. A.’s family is living a financially comfortable life. She and her husband are homeowners and drive their own cars. In truth, however, a business reversal resulted in some serious debt and the family’s home is now in foreclosure. Any extra expenses are difficult for the A. family, so preparing for Shabbos each week is a real challenge. Grape juice, chicken, fish, challah… None of these come cheaply, yet all are an essential part of Shabbos. So what can we do, you ask? How can you, a compassionate Jew sitting in from of his computer, possibly reach out to Family A. and others like them? Can you really make a difference? INVITE A TOMCHE SHABBOS FAMILY FOR SHABBOS The answer is a resounding “YES!” Now you can finally offer more than a sigh and a prayer. You can take action and ensure that struggling families will be able to enjoy the peace of Shabbos and partake in proper Shabbos meals. Perhaps, as they sit together with food on the table, they will temporarily forget their financial woes and experience real menuchas haShabbos. So how exactly does the program work? Obviously, Family A. and others like them do not want to wander from house to house each Shabbos, broadcasting their pathetic situation and having pitiful glances thrown in their direction! Imagine the shame and humiliation that would cause! For years, Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County has worked tirelessly to help families maintain their dignity while receiving weekly boxes of food items necessary to prepare Shabbos at home. These boxes, delivered under the cover of darkness, ensure complete anonymity and allow struggling families to hold onto their dignity, even as they reach out for help. Some of these families are struggling because the primary breadwinner was laid off. Others are dealing with a serious illness, which resulted in a lost job and mounting medical debt. And then there are those who keep working and trying to make ends meet, yet simply can’t keep up with daily expenses. Now, Tomche Shabbos

[By Margie Pensak] It was not Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld’s first time in South Bend, Indiana, when he traveled there on January 27. Although the STAR-K Kashrus Administrator had been there previously, solely on Kashrus business, this time, in addition, he was asked by Rabbi Meir Bulman, Rav of the Hebrew Orthodox Congregation, to make two, women-only, vegetable inspection presentations– one for the Bais Yaakov of Indiana high school students and the other for the women of the community. “I was totally amazed and, quite frankly, pleasantly surprised at the number of frum women who attended,” admitted Rabbi Kurcfeld. “Additionally, it gave me great pleasure to see both their attention and enthusiasm, but more so, the seriousness they gave the subject matter by really trying their utmost to learn the process in the short time that we had.” Rabbi Kurcfeld is part of STAR-K’s Speakers Bureau, comprised of administrative staff members who travel throughout the country to present a wide range of selected topics that span the spectrum from the basics of keeping a kosher home, to its philosophical and spiritual significance and its practical application. It also explores the technical world of Kashrus, with behind the scene looks at the manufacturing and processing of several industries. “Too often in Kashrus, it is the blind leading the blind,” explained STAR-K President Avrom Pollak, “and we feel it is imperative that we raise Kashrus standards throughout the greater Jewish community by sharing the expertise of STAR-K personnel. We welcome inquiries.” Looking for Bugs Around the Country “Bug inspection has to be taught,” Rabbi Kurcfeld told both the 20 or so students and the approximately 40 women attendees, in South Bend. “Until somebody shows you what the bugs look like and, especially, the size of them, you can never figure out what to look for. You have to experience it and practice finding them. In fact, it is STAR-K policy that mashgichim are not authorized to check for bugs until they have been taught, tested, and approved. It is a common misconception that the method one uses to soak or cleanse the vegetables–whether it is salt, vinegar, soap, etc.– is foolproof in bug removal. On the contrary, these are merely tools that people use to ‘help’ extract the bugs; they are not guarantees there are no bugs still present. Therefore, inspection is still necessary. In the end, all the systems that are out there, that are used to assist in bug removal, must have one common denominator–you’ve got to learn how to check and be trained, as our mashgichim are, to differentiate between bugs and debris on fruits and vegetables. Even triple washed vegetables may be infested, I told the women; still, if we’re allowing you to check non-prewashed vegetables from the store which has a higher probability of bug infestation, surely it would be advisable to purchase the triple washed vegetables. At least then, you are ahead of the game. I taught them the cleaning procedure and the general rules.” Rabbi Kurcfeld was not the only STAR-K Kashrus Administrator teaching bug checking. Last month, Rabbi Sholom Tendler conducted two, 2-hour-long training sessions, in Detroit. One practicum took place at the Council of Orthodox Rabbis, the Vaad Harabbonim of Detroit, which was attended by Vaad chairman Rabbi Doniel Neustadt, Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Beryl

On October 21-23, STAR-K Kashrus Administrators traveled to Lakewood, New Jersey, to present their Kashrus Training Program to twenty-five Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) Kollel fellows who are participants in the Ner Le’Elef program. STAR-K Rabbinic Administrator HaRav Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K Institute of Halacha Rav Mordechai Frankel, and STAR-K Kashrus Administrator-New York/New Jersey Rav Shmuel Heinemann joined STAR-K Kashrus Administrators Rabbi Eliyahu Shuman, Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld, Rabbi Dovid Heber, Rabbi Avrohom Mushell, Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, Rabbi Zvi Holland, Rabbi Moshe Schuchman and Rabbi Sholom Tendler, in covering topics ranging from the kashrus of medicines, alcoholic beverages, milk/cholov Yisroel, meat, and fish to foodservice challenges, commercial and residential kashering and industrial kashrus. Practicums included: vegetable checking/insect recognition; nikkur; koshering; and, chicken shaylos. Kosher accountability, answering consumer shaylos properly, overseeing plants overseas, and agency administrative issues were also discussed. Tours of a catering facility and a mikvah rounded out the seminar experience. Since 2005, the Ner Le’Elef Training Program, a division of Torah Links, has helped capable Beth Medrash Govoha yungerleit fill crucial communal roles – rabbanim, kollel yungerleit, educators, kiruv professionals and institutional administrators- -across North America and beyond. Its two-year course covers general hashkafa, da ma shetashiv, Jewish history and pertinent halacha topics, such as eruvin, mikvaos and taharas hamishpacha. Lectures also focus on various leadership skills, such as teaching, public speaking, fund-raising and marketing techniques. “It was fascinating to hear shiurim from the rabbonim of the STAR-K,” noted BMG Kollel fellow/Ner Le’Elef participant Yaakov Lyons. “They showed us how the sugyas in yoreh deah combine with technology and science in the world of Kashrus.” BMG Kollel fellow/Ner Le’Elef participant, Moishe Botnick, concurred. “It was great to hear about the practical application of hilchos kashrus in a commercial setting and to get hands on experience in bug checking and nikkur. I was impressed with the halachic knowledge of all the star-k speakers in addition to their expertise in the practical issues relevant to hashgacha.” “It’s a pleasure working with Rabbi Holland,” said Rabbi Moishe Katz, director of Ner Le’Elef Lakewood. “The Kashrus seminar is one of the highlights of our program.” “STAR-K has always been dedicated to our various training programs in the world of Kashrus,” remarked STAR-K President Avrom Pollak. “It is something that makes us very proud and we are committed to continuing it.” (Margie Pensak – YWN)

Yosef Cohen has been attending a community kollel in Raanana, Israel, for the past five years. He decided to sign up for STAR-K’s Food Service Kashrus Training Seminar, held July 28-30, because he is considering moving back to the US and will need a parnasa. “I was always interested in Hashgacha and have taken a Hashgacha course in Eretz Yisroel and received a certificate from Rav Efrati and the Rabanut of Israel,” notes Mr. Cohen, a first time STAR-K seminar attendee. “The STAR-K training seminar was a great review of the pertinent Halachos, and gave amazing hands on information and tips for the seasoned and beginner.” What Mr. Cohen found most helpful was learning how to deal with the vendors: “We learned to always be a mensch and remember that you are the Rabbi while on the job, whether you think of yourself like that or not, and to remember what responsibility you have.” The seminar, held in STAR-K’s Baltimore offices, included sessions on Food Service Hashgacha, Kashering, Vegetable Checking, Raising and Maintaining the Standard of Kashrus Out of Town, Kashrus of Beer and Liquor, Important Differences Between Ashkenazim and Sefardim, and Practical Kashrus in Practice. Field trips included tours of Seven Mile Market, the Baltimore Convention Center, a catering commissary, and local eateries. At the conclusion of the seminar, certificates were awarded to all participants. Jacqui Austen, a mashgicha in Baltimore, Maryland, said one of the reasons she signed up for the seminar was, ”to see how people who have been in this business for years have worked through all of the different difficulties that come with it. I really believe that everything that I learned and re-learned in the seminar was very helpful. In kashrus one can second guess oneself and worry about the different aspects that come with it, and in this seminar we were taught about situations and the different areas of the food business that most of us probably hadn’t heard of before, and they reassured us about all of them…. My favorite part of the seminar was getting to see the different facilities. Seeing things hands-on is really important because we won’t be working in a classroom, we will be working in kitchens and hotels, etc. I appreciated that they didn’t sugarcoat it, because, let’s be honest there is no way to do that with kashrus.” Yehuda Nosenchuk, a mashgiach for Six Points Restaurant Group-a catering company in King of Prussia, PA, said, “I attended this program to keep up with the latest developments in the kashrus industry….The program was very informative and really beneficial for me as a kashrus professional. It was a good review of everything a mashgiach should know and offered me an opportunity to get my questions answered and to network with others in the field. My favorite part of the program was HaRav Heinemann’s shiur; I enjoyed the Halcha and Hadracha from a prominent Posek. I also enjoyed connecting with the staff of STAR-K and having the opportunity to interact with them.” Michael Bolden traveled from Houston, Texas, to attend the seminar. He has been employed by Houston Kashruth Association for about 3-1/2, as a mashgiach. “This was my first STAR-K training seminar, but hopefully not my last,” said Mr. Bolden. “I decided to attend the training because of

[By Rabbi Yair Hoffman] Among the religious Jewish ambulance corps, there is a great debate that has been transpiring. It is a debate that separates one Hatzalah organization from another. Boro Park, Lakewood, Williamsburg and Los Angeles do it one way. In most other communities, it is done another way. One side claims that they are being more careful in their observance of Hilchos Shabbos. The other side claims that they are adhering more stringently to Hilchos Pikuach Nefesh. Each side has its halachic decisor, as it should be, of course. The debate lies around the following issue: Most everyone knows that what the sages tells us regarding the verse (VaYikra 18:5), “v’Chai Bahem” and you shall live by these laws.”  The Gemorah in Yuma 85a tells us that these words teach us that the obligation to save human life overrides the other obligations of Judaism.  True, there are three exceptions enumerated in Sanhedrin 74a, but saving a life overrides the laws of observing the Shabbos. No one is debating this point.  Indeed, even if we are unsure if it is a life-threatening emergency, we must still violate Shabbos.  No one is debating this either. The issue at stake here is when it is a case of Pikuach Nefesh, a  life- threatening matter, but it is not exactly an emergency – in other words there is plenty of time to deal with the situation and no one is in a state of panic or chaos.  Do we attempt to minimize [1] the Shabbos violation in such a case?  Should we try to do it through a gentile, or to perform what needs to be done in a manner that only involves a Rabbinic violation? The short answer is yes.  When there is plenty of time, and there is no concern of danger of any sort if there is a delay, the Ramah rules (OC 328:12) that we do attempt to minimize the Shabbos violations.  While the other view (that of the Bais Yoseph and the Rambam 2:11 [2]) is that no minimization is required, Ashkenazic Jewry has followed the custom that we do minimize Shabbos violation when no delay or confusion will be incurred on account of the minimization.    This is the view of the Raavya cited in the Ohr Zaruah, the Shiltei Gibborim, and the Maggid Mishna (Hilchos Shabbos 2:11 citing the Ramban) and is cited by the Ramah as the authoritative halacha [3].   This also seems to be how the Mishna Brurah rules. CONTEMPORARY POSKIM WHO ARE LENIENT But wait.  Some Poskim qualify this Sabbath stringency – even for Ashkenazic Jews.  They reason that when dealing with numerous people (such as a number of EMT’s), things can sometimes go very, very wrong.  An EMT might erroneously think that a matter which is an emergency is really not an emergency.  EMT’s are not are not always able to distinguish between time-is-of- the- essence emergencies and time is not of the essence emergencies.  Precisely because of the possibility of EMT error, these Poskim reason that, generally speaking, when dealing with EMTs, all cases of Pikuach nefesh whether they are time-is-of- the-essence or not, should be treated as if they truly are time-is-of-the-essence. Practically, this means that these Poskim hold not to minimize Shabbos violation and not to obtain a gentile – even in cases where there is no pressing

We’ve all heard the stories. Stories of neighbors, relatives, or friends who are struggling to put food on the table, to buy the bare essentials for their families. Some of them have been struggling for years, while others were once financially comfortable and have now fallen on hard times. We hear the stories, sigh sympathetically, and offer a tefillah for things to improve. Then we move on to the next thing on our to-do list. It’s not that we don’t care; we just feel so helpless. What can we possibly do to improve the poor family’s lot? Consider the case of Family A. Mrs. A. has a master’s degree in her chosen field and works hard to support her family. She lives in a comfortable house, though the front lawn looks somewhat neglected. There are two cars parked in the driveway, because both she and her husband commute to work. When Mrs. A. goes shopping, she compares prices and often returns items to the shelf when she sees the total will surpass her budget. She rarely buys herself new outfits and tries to make do with the hand-me-downs of a well dressed relative. She’d rather reserve any wardrobe purchases she can afford for her children. At first glance, it may appear that Mrs. A.’s family is living a financially comfortable life. She and her husband are homeowners and drive their own cars. In truth, however, a business reversal resulted in some serious debt and the family’s home is now in foreclosure. Any extra expenses are difficult for the A. family, so preparing for Shabbos each week is a real challenge. Grape juice, chicken, fish, challah… None of these come cheaply, yet all are an essential part of Shabbos. So what can we do, you ask? How can you, a compassionate Jew sitting in from of his computer, possibly reach out to Family A. and others like them? Can you really make a difference? INVITE A TOMCHE SHABBOS FAMILY FOR SHABBOS The answer is a resounding “YES!” Now you can finally offer more than a sigh and a prayer. You can take action and ensure that struggling families will be able to enjoy the peace of Shabbos and partake in proper Shabbos meals. Perhaps, as they sit together with food on the table, they will temporarily forget their financial woes and experience real menuchas haShabbos. So how exactly does the program work? Obviously, Family A. and others like them do not want to wander from house to house each Shabbos, broadcasting their pathetic situation and having pitiful glances thrown in their direction! Imagine the shame and humiliation that would cause! For years, Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County has worked tirelessly to help families maintain their dignity while receiving weekly boxes of food items necessary to prepare Shabbos at home. These boxes, delivered under the cover of darkness, ensure complete anonymity and allow struggling families to hold onto their dignity, even as they reach out for help. Some of these families are struggling because the primary breadwinner was laid off. Others are dealing with a serious illness, which resulted in a lost job and mounting medical debt. And then there are those who keep working and trying to make ends meet, yet simply can’t keep up with daily expenses. Now, Tomche Shabbos

Even as the 50-day sefirah countdown to Shavuot (June 4-5) proceeds, OU Kosher has released a different set of holiday-related numbers, reflecting the performance of the Orthodox Union during the recently concluded Passover festival. As always, Passover was a gargantuan effort for the Orthodox Union, but the work was organizational rather than departmental, and shared over a period of many months leading up to the holiday. “Passover was a combined effort of different departments of the Orthodox Union, working together with Kashrut to produce the materials we disseminated to the kosher consumer,” declared Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher. “Working with Dr. Samuel Davidovics, chief information officer of the OU and his team; Mayer Fertig, chief communications officer and his team, including Carrie Beylus, director of design and branding, and Gary Magder, director of digital media, and their staffs, the materials were produced in the various formats needed to deliver our message. The entire effort was overseen by Rabbi Moshe Zywica, executive rabbinic coordinator and director of kashrut operations; and Rabbi Eli Eleff, rabbinic coordinator and consumer relations administrator of OU Kosher.” The most direct contact between the kosher consumer and OU Kosher was through the oupassover.org website which recorded 130,000 visits, with the busiest day being Sunday, April 13, the day before the first seder, when 15,000 visitors logged on. The iconic OU Guide to Passover, which was also available online, had its 100,000 printed copies snapped up by synagogues, yeshivot/day schools, kosher stores and individual consumers. The OU Passover App, available for iPhone and Android, had almost 45,000 users in just its second year of existence. There were more than 1,300 emails to OU Kosher received prior to the holiday, averaging about 100 a day; a full-time team of three Kashrut staff researched and responded to these messages. In addition, social media users interacted with OU Kosher on both Twitter and Facebook. Experts from OU Kosher were busy on the radio dispensing Passover wisdom. Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief operating officer of OU Kosher and the OU’s world-renowned Daf Yomi maggid shiur, appeared every night for a month on Zev Brenner’s Talkline Show, responding to a wide variety of questions with his limitless knowledge and his ability to clarify even the most complex aspects of the festival. Rabbi Yoel Schoenfeld and Rabbi Eli Gersten made their annual appearance on JM in the AM, the morning radio program hosted daily by Nachum Segal; Rabbi Eli Eleff was a guest on That’s Life, with Miriam Wallach, on the Nachum Segal Network; and Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz appeared on an online program on JRoot Radio hosted by Rabbi Yosef Wikler, editor of Kashrus Magazine. Rabbi Yosef Grossman, senior educational rabbinic coordinator, arranged three ASKOU programs for varied constituencies that together attracted an audience of more than 500. Rabbis Akiva Tendler and Zvi Sobolofsky (of Yeshiva University) went to Riverdale; Rabbis Abraham Juravel and Moshe Klarberg spoke in Lakewood; and Rabbis Elefant and Juravel led the program in Boro Park. There was an online pre-Passover webcast for rabbis only, with Rav Hershel Schachter, OU Kosher posek (halachic authority) and Rabbis Dov Schreier, Gavriel Price and Eli Gersten answering questions related to their specialties. Perhaps the largest effort on the part of OU Kosher was the Passover Hotline, which fielded almost 5,600 calls —

392 organ transplant operations were performed in Israel in 2013, the most in a single year. 144 of the operations involved live donors, of which 114 were from family members. This represents a 24% increase from 2012. The increase is attributed to an increase in the willingness of family to donate organs from relatives declared brain dead. Of the 143 such requests, 80 families agreed, representing a record-breaking 56% as compared to previous years. 248 of the organ donation surgeries involved organs from deceased donors as compared to 163 in 2012. In 109 of these cases the niftar had signed an organ donor card. 90,224 Israeli signed up to the Adi organ donor program in 2013, http://www.itc.gov.il/eng/merkaz.html bringing the number of nationwide organ donor card holders to 787,000. Despite the encouraging statistics, 89 patients died as they waited for donor organs. However, this represents the lowest mortality rate in the past four years, signaling a growing wiliness to donate organs to save lives. The Adi website explains the priority system under the new law: The Organ Transplant Law was formulated after comprehensive and in-depth discussions by a forum of ethicists, philosophers, jurists, clergymen, psychologists, and physicians. The Law grants priority on the waiting list to the organ transplant candidate holder of a donor card before other candidates with similar medical data who do not hold such a card. The new Law also grants priority on the transplant waiting list in the following cases: · To a transplant candidate whose first degree relative (parents, siblings, children or spouse) has signed the donor card. · To a transplant candidate whose first degree relative died (in Israel) and his/her organs were donated for life saving. · To a transplant candidate who has donated, or whose first degree relative has donated an organ (kidney, liver lobe or lung lobe) to a non-specified recipient, i.e. to a stranger, from the transplant waiting list. There is also HOD (Halachic Organ Donor Society) which lists rabbis who carry organ donor cards. The website shows 235 Rabbis carry the HOD organ donor card: · 31.06% Rabbinical Council of America · 86.38% define brainstem death as death · 7.66% define only cardiac death as death · 5.96% requested not to publically show their definition As of January 2014, there are 1,075 Israelis waiting for donor organs nationwide. Most of them, 762, are waiting for a kidney. 124 of the patients are waiting for a liver, 89 a heart and a similar number waiting for lungs. Rav Dovid Feinstein Shlita Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler Shlita (Opinion of R’ Moshe ZATZAL) Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein Shlita Rabbi Walfish on the Position of Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik ZATZAL (YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

As part of his ongoing effort to ensure the timely completion of the MTA’s work on New Utrecht Avenue, Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) recently joined MTA officials to review the progress of the various subway station construction projects currently underway along the D train line in Borough Park. As a result of Greenfield’s intervention, the MTA has recently filled most of the holes in the ground that have been disrupting businesses and taking parking away from customers and residents. After this most recent walk-through with MTA officials, the MTA agreed to wrap up work on all construction by the summer and take measures to alleviate the construction’s impact on foot traffic and visibility for local businesses. Greenfield met with MTA officials including Lois Tendler, vice president of government and community relations, and Seymour Portes, project manager, on Tuesday, February 21 for a firsthand review of the ongoing work at the D train stations along New Utrecht Avenue from 44th Street to 55th Street and the impact the project is having for passersby and store owners. Prior to the meeting, Greenfield received complaints from residents and merchants regarding issues including lack of cleanliness, blocked sidewalk access, trouble receiving deliveries, confusion due to lack of signage at station entrances and lack of parking. Tendler and Portes are taking the input from Greenfield back to the MTA so these ongoing issues can be resolved. In addition, the agency has agreed to install a large sign on the side of its construction shed outside Luzee’s Take Home restaurant, which has been blocked from pedestrians’ view by the large work site set up on much of the sidewalk beneath the 55th Street subway station. “We’ve been working on the ongoing MTA issues since I have come to office. I asked for a personal on-site meeting because there are still outstanding issues that were frustrating residents and businesses. I am confident that the MTA heard my feedback and will take additional steps to mitigate the impact this project is having on the community until it is completed this summer. My thanks to Lois Tendler, Seymour Portes and the rest of the MTA officials who joined me for this important site visit,” said Greenfield. As a result of the meeting, Luzee Glick, owner of the popular Luzee’s takeout restaurant on New Utrecht Avenue at 55thStreet, said he is hopeful that Greenfield’s efforts will improve conditions for him and other merchants. READ MORE: BOROPARKSCOOP.COM

With the approach of the Chanukah season, marking the Maccabees’ valiant efforts to defend Jewish values and time-honored practices, a group of over 100 American-trained Orthodox Rabbis issued a statement this week reaffirming traditional Jewish views of marriage. The group of Orthodox rabbis represents a spectrum within the community, spanning nineteen states in the United States and three other countries, and the signatories include several prominent Orthodox rabbinic scholars, synagogue rabbis, organizational rabbis, and other Orthodox rabbinic thinkers in the United States and Israel. In their statement, the rabbis clarified that “Jewish tradition unequivocally teaches that marriage can only exist as a union between a man and a woman, to the exclusion of a homosexual relationship. It is a distortion of Torah to confound that sacred principle.” Expressing disapproval of recent media reports that have suggested possible movement towards a change in the position of Orthodox Judaism on the subject of gay marriage, the rabbis emphasized: “The public should not be misled into thinking that Orthodox Jewish views on this issue can change, are changing, or might someday change. The Rabbinical Council of America recently declared that ‘the Torah, which forbids homosexual activity, sanctions only the union of a man and a woman in matrimony.’ This is the only statement on this matter that can reflect Orthodox Judaism. Any claims or statements to the contrary are inaccurate and false.” In their letter, the Orthodox rabbis reaffirmed Orthodox Judaism’s recognition of the inherent conflicts sustained by some who seek to live an authentically Orthodox Torah life while confronting personal challenges that threaten to compromise their abilities to live conforming to Torah values. Expressing compassion and emphasizing the traditional role of pastoral care played by Orthodox rabbis as accessible life counselors, the rabbis added: “Rabbis are always available to discuss congregants’ personal issues, including intimacy. We understand from our experiences in offering pastoral care that some individuals experience deep inner conflict as they seek a holy path to serve G-d and to fulfill their spiritual needs. As rabbis, we devote our lives towards helping all those in our broader community achieve their loftiest spiritual potential, while fully upholding the timeless values expressed in our Holy Torah.” Nevertheless, the rabbis made clear that “By definition, a union that is not sanctioned by Torah law is not an Orthodox wedding, and by definition a person who conducts such a ceremony is not an Orthodox rabbi.” The following is the Rabbis’ official statement: Orthodox Rabbis Stand On Principle. Recently, an American Jewish clergyman officiated at a matrimonial ceremony that is incorrectly being reported by some in the media as “the first time that an ordained Orthodox Rabbi has officiated at a same-sex marriage in the United States.” We, as rabbis from a broad spectrum of the Orthodox community around the world, wish to correct the false impression that an Orthodox-approved same-gender wedding took place. By definition, a union that is not sanctioned by Torah law is not an Orthodox wedding, and by definition a person who conducts such a ceremony is not an Orthodox rabbi. Jewish tradition unequivocally teaches that marriage can only exist as a union between a man and a woman, to the exclusion of a homosexual relationship. It is a distortion of Torah to confound that sacred principle. We strongly object to