Rebetzin Esther Jungreis a''h

Very sad to hear about the passing of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, whose articles I have blogged from time to time, and who was one of the greats in Kiruv work. Click on the JUNGREIS label below to see past blogs.

The levayah will take place on Wednesday morning, at 11 o’clock, at Agudath Israel of Long Island, located at 1121 Sage Street in Far Rockaway, NY.

See Matzav and The Yeshiva World for more about her life and holy work.

Fire and Brimstone: What Does It All Mean?

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

The continuation of my article for the Jewish Press on the power of prayer was ready to go but then tragedy hit. A tragedy of a magnitude that none of us could have envisioned. Not even in our wildest imagination. New York the capital of the world -the invincible citadel is shaken to its core and before our very eyes buildings tumble - our highways are flooded - our bridges and tunnels are closed down - filthy disease carrying sewage enter our homes - and they sink in water - our cars float away - people lose their homes - and worse their very lives. We who prided ourselves with the most advanced state of the art technology stood humbled - our lights dimmed - we were left in darkness - our electricity betrayed us. We watched helplessly as our beautiful neighborhoods turn into war zones. What do we do? How are we to understand this?

Those of you who have read my books or heard me speak can testify that whenever suffering befalls us I search our holy books to find illumination and guidance. I turn to my most loyal friend, my friend who has always been at my side who has given me comfort and strength, my friend who never betrayed me, my sefer Tehillim, my Book of Psalms. "Hashem gave us the Torah and we gave Him the Book of Psalms" - the Psalms which were written by King David - the man who experienced every pain - every suffering that can befall mankind - each word that David wrote was drenched with his tears and his words speak for all eternity - for all mankind. 

The devastation occurred on Monday, October 29th - the 13th day of the month of Cheshvan. The Psalm designated for the 13th day of the month is Psalm 69. I opened to it and the words jumped out "Save us oh G-d for the waters have reached onto my soul". And there is more. This Psalm does not leave us in the cold - it also provides our remedy - our answer. "Va-ani, s'filosi l'cho Hashem'' - but as for me, my prayer is to You Hashem". Yes we must turn in heartfelt prayer to our Heavenly Father and beseech His Mercy - His Salvation. 

I look at the "Parasha" and once again the opening passage speaks - our father Abraham whose kind hospitality had no bounds - opens his home to strangers. That which our forefathers experienced - that which shaped their lives has become part of our DNA - lives forever in our yiddisha neshamas. I think of all the many people who were left homeless and then I think of those who lost power and were left in cold darkness. I know of a woman standing in her home - waist deep in water with fish swimming all around her while she was desperately searching for photographs of her father and mother who are no longer here. Who can comprehend the pain - the suffering? And then let us think of all the wonderful people who opened their homes like our father Abraham. I know for I am one of those who had to evacuate and I too have benefited from that hospitality and as I am writing this column I continue to benefit from that chessed. And there is more, much more.

Maimonides - Rambam taught that when suffering is visited upon us we are commanded to cry out and awaken our people with the sound of the "shofar". He taught that everyone must be alerted. Everyone must examine his or her life and ask, what is my life all about? How would I rate if I were given a "neshama check" up? What does my Judaism, my Torah, really mean to me? Maimonides wrote that if we regard the tragedies that befall us as simply "the way of the world - natural happenings" we would be guilty of "achzarius - cruelty". At first glance it is difficult to understand why Maimonides would chose the term "cruelty" to describe those who claim to be rational 21st century citizens and see trials and tribulations "as the way of the world". They may be unthinking, apathetic, and foolish, blind obtuse or just cynical agnostics but to accuse them of cruelty is rather farfetched.

The answer is simple - if we regard our pain and suffering as "mere coincidence" and feel no motivation to examine our lives, abandon our old ways and change - then indeed, such an attitude is "cruel" for it invites additional misfortunate upon ourselves and others. It would be the height of cruelty to dismiss that which we just experienced and all that preceded it for several years now as mere happenstance. "Daas Torah" - our great Torah luminaries of past generations including the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, and others told us that we are entering the final stages of history - a period of time called "Ikvsa Di Meshiach - Footsteps of the Messiach". So I ask you, can we remain silent? Would doing so not be an act of "cruelty"?

Ours is a generation that has been challenged again and again. We have had so many wakeup calls - some terrifying - and some more subtle but no matter what we have remained indifferent to them all. I will not go back to the time of the Holocaust although by every right I should for if that didn't shake us up what would? Sadly, nowaday's very few people can even identify with that monstrous period. It has long been buried in history.

So let us try to commence with 9/11 - but I'm afraid even that story has become tired. The flames of the twin towers are no longer vivid in our minds and the fellowship - the kindness - that ensued in its wake is all but gone. So let us just focus on more recent events.

During the summer of 2002 a terrible tragedy occurred in a bungalow colony in the Catskill Mountains. A mother had just bathed her infant baby and put her in her carriage for a nap. Suddenly out of nowhere a wild bear appeared, snatched the baby and made off with her. The baby was never again seen. This shocking story did appear in newspapers and was reported in the media but seldom did I meet people who were actually aware of it. Nor did I encounter too many of those who were aware of the Talmudic teaching that the generation that will witness a wild beast snatching a baby from its cradle should sound the shofar to awaken the nation. But alas the shofar was not sounded and we were not awakened. With the years our slumber has become deeper. There were no alarm clocks capable of awakening us - I should probably qualify this - there is one ring that does make us jump and that's the ring of financial crisis. But no sooner does that alarm stop ringing then we return to our old ways and continue to sleep.

During the past few years the number of catastrophes has multiplied to such an extent that we have all but become immune to them. Natural disasters -tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes, earth quakes, nuclear spill outs, uncontrollable fires, unknown diseases, barbaric savage acts of terror have become all too common and we no longer notice them. Could this be a wakeup call warning us? Somehow it never even occurred to us to ask that question.

Time and time again I have written, spoken and cited the teaching of our Sages - "K'ymei Tzescho....the manner in which you departed from Egypt so shall it be at the end of days". How did we depart from Egypt? What was that which broke the chains of bondage and opened the iron gates? Every child knows the answer and so do we: the 10 plagues. Have we witnessed the 10 plagues in our generation? Of course not you'll protest. But then think again, and think again..!!!!! What was the first plague in Egypt? Blood....the Nile River that the Egyptians worshiped - the Nile River where Jewish children's lives were snuffed out - became blood. Again you might ask; what on earth does that have to do with us? "Think". The Nile was the god of Egypt. Once again you might protest - we are not pagans - we worship the real G-d. But, do we really? Has it ever occurred to any of us that we are the generation that worships with passion and fervor the god of money? And in worshiping it we are prepared to sacrifice everything - even our families - our children. The plagues of Egypt continued to plague us and they came in many shapes and forms. Pestilence....bed bugs in New York. Do you remember that? Yes bed bugs in the finest places - elegant hotels - exclusive shops and mind you it wasn't only in New York. The bed bugs crawled everywhere. And then there were the dead birds falling from the sky by the hundreds of thousands -the dead fish and sardines washing up on the shore by the hundreds of thousands? One of my students asked me - "how about the wild beast that invaded the streets of ancient Egypt we haven't seen that". Really, I said, "you don't remember Ohio when one morning people looked out of their windows to see if it was sunny or raining and low and behold they saw lions- tigers - wolfs - and bears. Can that be? Were they hallucinating? Did they lose it? But as always, for this too there was a rational explanation. Some animals had escaped from their cages. There was nothing to worry about we assured ourselves - it's one of those crazy things that can happen.. And then there was the earthquake in New York City. To be sure it was an unusual phenomenon. I recall people's reaction - laughing..where were you when it happened - did you feel it? And so the earthquake became just another "fun" experience.

And now SANDY arrived in all her fury - mocking us - mocking our technology - mocking our invincibility - mocking our arrogance. This time we are silenced - this time we stand humbly - we tremble and we cry. How did this happen? How could this be? Things like this can only occur in primitive places - places that are far away from civilization - away from the hubs of the United States but it happened and we cannot escape it - this time we couldn't find an explanation because this time it was our house. This time it was our community. This time it was we who were drowning. This time was different. This time we cannot escape it. or will we stubbornly pursue our old ways and remain deaf, dumb and blind? It's all in our hands. Hashem is calling.

I was listening to the news. The anchor was interviewing one of the most prominent meteorologists and asked, "Is SANDY different from all other natural catastrophes? Is there any parallel to her? "No, this is totally different", he responded. "This calamity had many shades and shapes and they fell upon us at the very same time as one - floods, fires, snow, winds, and rain - all converged upon us. Yes, this time it was different. But the question we must ask - will we be different? Will we get it? Or, will we continue with our sick obsessions, worshiping the "god of Money" and succumb to the enticements of our degenerate society?

Do you remember the story of Elijah the prophet and Jezebel -that satanic evil queen who seduced our people into worshiping pagan gods? Elijah rose like a lion and went to battle to save our people and bring them back to Hashem. And G-d responded and sent a great miracle for all to see and hear. The people actually witnessed the Hand of The Almighty and proclaimed in unison - "Hashem Hu Ho Elokim - G-d He is G-d"! Elijah rejoiced. The people understood. But Jezebel gleefully said, "Wait until tomorrow"! And tragically she was correct. Tomorrow came and it was all forgotten. And the question we must now ask ourselves is -will we forget - will we go back to business as usual? Or - will we remember Tehillim - Psalm 69; "the waters have risen to our souls" and now from our souls our prayers must reach to the Heavens Above.

"V'ani, s'filosi l'cho Hashem" - but as for me, my prayer is for You Hashem...

With Brochos - Blessing from the depths of my soul

Esther Jungries

Wherever You May Find Yourself.....

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

I have had much experience in bikur cholim - visiting the sick. Even at the age of six I would accompany my saintly father on his rounds to slave labor camps where young Jewish men were incarcerated by the Hungarians prior to the Nazi occupation.

The place where I was born and where my father was the chief Orthodox rabbi was located on the banks of the Tisza River. It was called Szeged (not to be mistaken for Szigit), the second largest city in Hungary. It was from Szeged that Jewish boys were shipped off to Yugoslavia and forced into torturous labor.

Every week my father would visit them and try to smuggle medication, letters, messages - and, most significantly, a concoction the Jewish physicians in our community invented under my father's guidance. This concoction was designed to simulate an illness that appeared to be infectious but in reality was totally benign. The symptoms induced by this potion were sufficiently frightening to prevent the Hungarian Gestapo from shipping the boys to the slave mines.

As the Nazi occupation became more imminent my father's visits became more hazardous. The Hungarian Zsandars took control of the camp; if they were to catch my father smuggling medication or anything else it would have meant certain death.

What to do? My parents came up with an idea. My mother, the great tzaddekes of blessed memory, sewed the formula into the lining of my coat. I would accompany my father, and when no one looked I slipped the medication to the boys.

Because I was a little girl, no one bothered to search me, and that was how I was initiated into the meaning of bikur cholim. My parents outlined to me the mission and the purpose very clearly: Whether the one you visit is in bondage or lying in a hospital bed, your mission is to help.

Many years have passed since those nightmarish days, but my parents' example is permanently etched in my heart. So I make a concerted effort to do my bikur cholim even if it's 2 a.m. after a long night of teaching Torah classes at Hineni and meeting with numerous people for private consultations. I try to bear in mind my parents' teachings - save lives, give a kind word, comfort your fellow man, touch a life, and bring hope and strength to a sick one lying in a hospital bed as well as family members who stand vigil trembling and praying at their bedside.

Since the middle of Pesach, as I explained in my previous two columns, I have found myself in a different position - a position that, baruch Hashem, I had never been forced to endure. Outside of joyous experiences such as giving birth, G-d had never tried me with the test of being confined to a hospital bed. So now it was I who was dependent on nurses' kindness. It was I who was waiting for a doctor. It was I who had to ring the bell and summon someone for help with the most elementary things, such as getting off the bed and even just sitting up.

Every moment was a challenge. I wondered how I would have the strength to get through all of this and then I remembered the berachah my father gave me so many years ago: "Mine kind, zolst eemer kenen geyben un zolst keinmol nisht haften beyten" - "My child, may G-d grant you the privilege of always being able to give and never having to ask." And now here I was, having to ask assistance for the most basic human needs.

The Patriarch Yosef found himself enveloped in darkness, and what kept him going was d'yukno shel aviv - the image of his father. In my own darkness, I, too, clung to the image of my father. I recalled the months when he was a prisoner of his hospital bed. He would greet whoever came to see him - nurse, doctor, housekeeper - with a smile and would thank them profusely. He asked about their welfare and blessed them from his heart.

My path was clear. Now it was my turn to bless all those who came to my door - whether it was to inquire about my condition or to give me an injection or to take me for an X-ray. I thanked them from my heart and blessed each one of them with the words that from time immemorial have been the symbols of our people.

Not once, but many times, I would notice a shocked reaction. One of the nurses actually said, "In all my years of working in hospitals, no one ever blessed me; no one ever inquired about my family or my life."

My father imparted this wisdom to me that he learned from his father, who had learned it from his father, going all the way back to our Patriarchs whose mission was to give blessings to all mankind.

I do not think any of the staff members at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego had ever met an observant Jew. My father's voice whispered to me, "My child, my precious light, wherever you are and whatever you do, never forget you represent the Torah, and the way people will see you and judge you is how they will see and judge our people."

So on every occasion and with every encounter I spoke to people of our Torah and the wisdom of our people that was granted us at Sinai. And soon we had Torah classes - discussions and explanations. Teaching became part of my daily life at Scripps Memorial and suddenly the days were not so heavy. The hours went by quickly. I smiled for the sake of others and smiles came right back to me.

Hashem should grant that you, my dear friends, will never find yourselves in a hospital or in any other difficult circumstance. But if, G-d forbid, your destiny decrees that you have to pass this test, then rise to the challenge. Put a smile on your face and share your Torah wisdom. Remember the passage that is written so clearly and yet is so easily forgotten: "For this is your knowledge and your wisdom in the sight of the nations."

I now prepare for my journey home and I look forward to returning to my family. Staff members come to say goodbye, and as they do their eyes are moist with tears. They tell me things like, "You touched us all, you brought the light of G-d into our lives."

This light is the heritage of our people, bequeathed to us at Sinai. Every one of us can kindle it and light up the world. That is our mission and our purpose. Wherever we go, wherever our destiny takes us, this light is our torch.

Hashgacha Pratis: Guidance from Above

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

Loshen HaKodesh, the holy tongue, is different from all other languages. Every word is definitive. For example, when you say in English "it happened," the connotation is a random happening - a happenstance - but the same word in loshen hakodesh - "mikreh" - places a totally different twist on the concept. The deeper meaning behind the word mikreh is "kara mei Hashem"  - "It happened from G-d," meaning that the world is not run by random forces without rhyme or reason, but that G-d`s guiding Hand is constantly with us.

This is not only detected in world events, but in our own personal lives as well, hence the concept of Hashgocha Pratis. Even if we are not aware of it, even if we do not see Hashem’s guiding Hand, it is there. Every morning, when we acknowledge our blessings and thank the Almighty for His many bounties, we recite the brocha of “Hamaychin mitzadei gover– “We thank the Almighty who firms men’s footsteps...”  We need only allow ourselves to see and hear G-d`s messages. Most people have difficulty discerning His call since His messages are hidden behind many veils. On occasion however, Hoshgocha Pratis is so clear and obvious that even a blind man has to see it, even a deaf man has to hear it.  If we allow ourselves to see and hear that which befalls us in our daily lives, we will be able to detect this Divine plan in our own lives. Most of the time, these messages are hidden behind many veils, but once in a while, HaShem’s Hand is so obvious who hears it has to be awed by it. Allow me to share with you a spectacular story that illustrates the veracity of this Hashgocha pratis.

Meet Yedidya - an eight year old yeshiva boy. Yedidya is a bright, sweet, young boy. He carries his name proudly - Yedid-Ya, which literally translated, means “friend of the Almighty". From the day of his birth, his parents imbued him with the awesome responsibility of that title, but in certain situations, he prefers that his English name, Jed, be used, and such was the case when he made his first visit to the orthodontist. He was with his beautiful mom, Shannon, and as in all doctor’s offices, a form had to be filled out. As Shannon started to write, Yedidya whispered, “Mommy, write down my English name, Jed.” When Shannon questioned him, he explained that he wanted to avoid all of the fuss that his Jewish name evoked.  Following the session with the orthodontist, Shannon hailed a cab for their return home. As they settled in the taxi, Shannon looked at the little box that indicated the driver’s name. What she saw there left her non-plussed. She looked again, and then again.... perhaps she read it wrong. Was she making a mistake? But no - amazingly, there it was in big, bold letters Yedidya! “How did you get this name, Yedidya?” he asked the driver.

“My parents gave it to me,” he explained. “ I always loved it and I was always so proud of it, but in Russia, we were not permitted to use our Jewish names, so when I came to America, I made myself a promise that, in this country, where everyone can live by his faith, I would proudly proclaim that my name is “Yedidya” and that I am a Jew. “Shannon couldn’t believe her ears. What are the chances of her finding a Jewish taxi driver in Manhattan? And more, what are the chances of his being called Yedidya? If you think about it, you too would be left non-plussed. You too would realize that the probability of such a happening is almost nil, Shannon was awed as she absorbed this enormous hashgocha protis. But more importantly, her son, who just an hour ago was uncomfortable with the name, Yedidya, was given a lesson that no school, parent, or rabbi could have given, and from that moment on, he never again wanted to be called Jed.

Skeptics might put all this down to random happenings that no intelligent person could seriously consider, so I invite those skeptics to read chapter two of the story.

Yedidya has a twin brother, Yaakov, and the day after the story with Yedidya unfolded, Shannon once again found herself hailing a taxi and even as she did so, the story with Yedidya kept replaying in her mind. As she settled in the cab, she once again looked at the little box identifying the cabby, never expecting any message, any new wisdom from the Heavens above. Incidents like this cannot be repeated, but lo and behold the little box identifying the taxi driver once again blew her away. There it was in bold letters – the name of the driver was “Yaakov” – not Jacob , mind you, but Yaakov, Yedidya’s twin brother! This hasgocha pratis, occurring twice, one right after the other, could not simply be dismissed even by the most cynical.

I now invite you to read chapter three of the story.

Should you wonder how Shannon and her amazing husband, Andrew, were zoiche to merit such an awesome happening, it goes back to another taxi ride, one that happened some years ago in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The story started with Shannon when she came to Hineni for the very first time and discovered the majestic world of Torah. Her heart, mind and neshama quickly ignited and she asked to study more... Her thirst for Torah was unquenchable, so I put her in touch with my children who are the Hineni Rabbis and Rebbetzins - Torah teachers. Then one day, Andrew a young man with a winning smile and keen bright mind came along. For him too, this was his first Hineni experience, and something told me that they would make a perfect shidduch so I suggested that they date. On those dates Shannon inspired Andrew to join her in Torah study with our family.

That year we made a Jewish heritage trip to Eastern Europe and convinced Shannon and Andrew to join us. It was on that trip in Prague that Andrew started to wear a yarmulke regularly. It was his very first yarmulke and he held it dear. On one occasion, instead of boarding the tour bus, Shannon and Andrew decided to take a taxi. No sooner did the taxi drop them off at the hotel than Andrew realized that his yarmulke was not on his head. In a panic, Andrew chased after the taxi with the swiftness of a marathon runner, all the while calling out to the cabby to stop. The driver heard his cries and waited for Andrew to catch up. Out of breath, Andrew opened the door of the cab.. And there, on the seat, was his yarmulke..... and not just that, he also found his international phone, which in those days was very expensive item, but what is significant is that it was not after the phone that Andrew chased, but his Yarmulke.

Recently, while visiting Shannon and Andrew, I heard the incredible story of Yedidya and Yaakov. Immediately, the scene in Prague which happened so long ago flashed through my mind. I connected the dots, Yedidya and Yakov’s taxi miracle started in Prague when their father chased after the taxi for his yarmulke. ...From a taxi in Prague to a taxi in New York - it’s one straight line – And that is the story of Hineni.

I now ask you to multiply that miracle a thousand times and span it over 45 years of Hineni kiruv, and you will realize the awesomeness of the miracle of a nation that, in an instant can close the gap of centuries and make the journey from New York to Sinai. And that is the story of Hineni,.... Here we are, Am Yisrael, Our neshamas are forever bound to our Torah bequeathed to us at Sinai. HINENI, HERE WE ARE!

Source: Hineni

Do You See That Which You See....[Part 2]

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

Part 1 here

In my last column I described some of the prophesies, wake-up calls that would befall our people in the days of ikvesei d`Moshiach - in the days when the footsteps of Messiah can be detected. But unfortunately, we have yet to attune ourselves to the sound of those footsteps.

The following is a continuation:

Had you heard the prophesies of which I spoke in my last article when they were written centuries ago, you might have laughed and scoffed - even if you read them as recently as 1970, you would have been hard put to believe it, for of all the Moslem countries, the Shah's Iran was probably the friendliest. But today, the impossible has become possible, and events are unfolding so rapidly that we have difficulty absorbing their impact. So how are we to understand it all?

The Yalkut compares our suffering to birth pangs. But birth pangs are deceptive, when the contractions begin, it's easy to ignore them since they are mild and occur between long intervals. As the birth becomes imminent however, the contractions intensify and the pain becomes more intense. And just when it appears that the woman can no longer endure the pain, the baby is born and new life enters the world. It is these labor pains to which we are witness today, How long will the labor last? It's anyone's guess, but one thing is certain - please G-d, the birth is sure to take place. In the interim however, we may very well ask. Is it possible to ease the suffering? Is it possible to protect ourselves from these painful contractions?

Every woman in labor needs help to ease her pain and speed the birth of her child. So too, we need help to lessen our pain and hasten the coming of Moshiach. We have been blessed by our sages who are perfect doolas and have the perfect doola - the perfect formula to assure us an easy and painless birth.; "Let he who wishes be spared the birth pangs of Messiah occupy himself with Torah and gemilus chasidim [acts of loving kindness] and let him be scrupulous about Seudah Shlishis - the third Sabbath meal."

The first two recommendations - Torah and gemilus chasidim are self-explanatory and do not require much elaboration, for he who is committed to Torah and mitzvos and to reaching out with loving kindness, must, of necessity, become a better, more spiritual person. But eating a third Sabbath meal is not as readily comprehensible.

We are enjoined to have three seudos - meals - on the Sabbath, - Sabbath eve [Friday night], Sabbath noon [following prayer in the synagogue] and the third seudah - meal - in the late afternoon as the Sabbath Queen prepares to depart. Through these three meals, we honor the three Patriarchs, the three sections of our Holy Writ (Torah, Prophets, and the Writings), and we also recall the three Sabbath meals of manna that G-d provided us during our sojourn in the wilderness [Exodus 16:25].

This final Sabbath seudah is called Shalosh Seudos, which translated literally, means "Three Meals" rather than Seudah Shlishis - the third meal. Our sages explain that the reason for this is that all three Sabbath seudos are embodied in this one.

This third meal presents a most auspicious time for prayer. And to this very day, when I close my eyes, I can hear the sweet voices of my revered father and beloved husband of blessed memory, leading their congregations in singing Psalm 23, the psalm that is traditionally chanted at the Shalosh Seudos.

Hashem is my Shepherd, I shall not want..." The task of the shepherd is a lowly and lonely one. Day in and day out he is destined to wander from place to place, seeking pasture for his flock, and yet, David did not hesitate to refer to G-d as a Shepherd, for he perceived that G-d's love is so total, so encompassing, that when it comes to caring for His children, nothing is beneath Him. What a magnificent and fortifying thought - for no matter where life takes us, even if we have to walk in the treacherous valley overshadowed by death, we need not fear, for G-d, our Shepherd, will always be there to lead us to greener pastures, even if at first, we do not recognize that the pasture is green.

Still, it is difficult to comprehend how the mere eating of a third meal, singing Psalm 23, and discussing words of Torah could have such awesome power that they can actually protect us from the suffering that will accompany the birth pangs. But there is a profound lesson at the root of this teaching. The first two Sabbath seudos are eaten when we are hungry, but after a festive noontime seudah, we are hardly in the mood for yet another meal. So it is not to satiate our hunger that we gather around the Shalosh Seudos table. Rather, it is to celebrate the Sabbath and sing her praises, and that is why the Third Meal encompasses them all. The Third Meal is symbolic of the conversion of the physical to the spiritual and ultimately, that is our purpose - to become spiritual beings and to free ourselves from the shackles of materialism - and that is something that our generation, obsessed with materialism and the pursuit of pleasure, has yet to learn.

You might of course wonder, "Why must we experience birth pangs in order for Messiah to come? Why can't he just announce his presence?" But the Messianic period will be very much like Shalosh Seudos, when we sit around the table - not to satiate our physical hunger nor to glory in our materialistic achievements, but to celebrate our spiritual attainments.

In order for this to happen, we will have to divest ourselves of all the icons that we hold dear. Therefore, our hallowed institutions, the bastions of strength in which we placed our trust, will have to fall away. It is that painful disintegration to which we are witness to today. From the corporate - financial world to government to religious institutions to science and medicine, they have all failed us. And worse, we no longer feel safe or secure in our daily lives. Terrorists and suicide bombers have all become a reality of our existence and no army or police force is capable of shielding us from them. Shorn of all our defenses, we stand vulnerable and terrified, and wonder what life is all about as we see our idols crumble before our very eyes. Tragically, it never occurs to us that Hashem is calling us.... His message is loud and clear, so let us seize the moment and return to Him before the fire becomes an inferno that could, chas v`sholom, consume all of us.

How long will these birth pangs last? Until we recognize the simple truth - that "we can rely on no one but Avinu She'bashamayim - our Heavenly Father." So let us sound the shofar, awaken ourselves from our lethargy, and heed the voice of our Father calling us.

Do You See That Which You See, Do You Hear That Which You Hear

By Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

We are in crisis, and with every day the crisis intensifies. There is a new Hitler on the world scene – Ahmadinejad, who unabashedly proclaims his plan to annihilate Israel, and he is preparing to do so. Some say that he is a few months away, and some say it will be a year or so ..... and still others say that he already has it in his hands. He has the arsenal that, in minutes, can do to an entire nation that which the gas chambers did to six million.

And what are we doing about it? “ Shockingly, NOTHING! Our world is crumbling and we are going on with “business as usual”

And should you be among those who take this threat to heart, you will quickly be assured that Ahmadinejad is a madman... not to be taken seriously.

Yes, I agree, he is a madman, and that is precisely why he should be taken seriously. We should be concerned. Madmen are mad enough to carry out their satanic plots.. Trust me– I know. I saw Hitler in action and I also saw a cruel, evil world willingly accept and participate in the barbaric extermination of our people.

Prior to Hitler’s conflagration, Hashem sounded the alarm. He sent us many wake-up calls, but we went back to sleep until the inferno consumed six million of our people. One would have imagined that we learned our lesson and would not allow this tragedy to be repeated. Hashem’s wake up calls have once again been sounded, but once again we have turned a deaf ear and shut our eyes. since Hitler’s conflagration was so recent and not something that occurred centuries ago, we would surely not fall into that trap again, but incredibly, we see it unfolding before our very eyes, We never absorbed the lesson. Tragically, we keep repeating the same mistakes and obdurately remain deaf and blind. Compulsively, we repeat the tragedies of the past. I have been speaking about this for many years, and there have been those who advise me to focus on “happier subjects” – subjects that are “entertaining”; subjects that are “light”. But I dare not remain silent, I dare not ignore the wake up calls and the catastrophe they portend, So my ensuing columns, which I ask all our readers to read with their hearts, will be devoted to this painful topic. I will limit myself to the wake up calls that we have witnessed in the last couple of years. But the wake-up calls commenced many years ago.

During the summer of 2002, a terrible tragedy occurred in a bungalow colony in New York’s Catskill Mountains, A mother had just bathed her infant and put her into her carriage for a nap. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a wild bear appeared, snatched the baby from her carriage, and made off with her. The shocking story appeared in newspapers and the media, but somehow it failed to make an impression, yet our Talmud clearly states that the generation that witnesses a wild beast snatching a baby from its cradle should sound the alarm with a shofar to awaken the people. But the shofar was not sounded and we were not awakened.

During the last few years, the number of catastrophes has multiplied to such an extent, that we have all but become immune to them. Natural disasters like tsunamis, Hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes [even in New York City], global warming, dead birds falling from the skies by the hundreds of thousands, dead fish and sardines washing up on the shores by the hundreds of thousands, wild animals..... lions, tigers, wolves, roaming the streets of Ohio, world economic crisis, devaluation of the dollar and the Euro, accompanied by crippling unemployment, high oil prices, hitherto unknown diseases, barbaric acts of terror, nuclear spill in Japan and today’s nuclear threat from Iran that threatens the very survival of our civilization, have all come to be accepted as the norm. “It is what it is,” we tell ourselves with resignation, and we go on with our lives as usual. But can all this be attributed to mere coincidence? Shouldn’t these afflictions give us pause? Shouldn’t we stop and take stock of our lives? But incredibly we remain blind deaf and dumb.

There is a story about a Hasidic rebbe who was walking with his disciples when he noticed a little boy behind a tree, crying bitterly.

“Why are you crying?” he asked.

“I’m hiding, and no one is looking for me.”

The words of the child were like a sharp knife in the heart of the rebbe. “Woe is us,” he said to his students, G-d is waiting for us to find Him, but we have failed to search for Him. Woe is us!”

Maimonides taught that, when suffering is visited upon us, we are commanded to cry out and awaken our people with the sound of the shofar, Everyone must be alerted to examine his or her life, and commit to greater adherence to Torah and mitzvos. Maimonides warned that, if we regard the tragedies that befall us simply as “the way of the world” – “natural happenings.” we will be guilty of achzarius – cruelty.

At first glance, it is difficult to understand why Maimonides would choose the term “cruelty” to describe those who view trials and tribulations as “natural happenings.” Such people may be unthinking, apathetic, foolish, blind or obtuse, but why accuse them of cruelty.

The answer is simple, If we regard our pain and suffering as “mere coincidence” we will feel no motivation to examine our lives, abandon our old ways and change. So yes, such an attitude is cruel, for it invites additional misfortune upon ourselves and others.

It would be the height of cruelty to dismiss that which is occurring in the world today as mere happenstance. Great Torah luminaries of past generations such as the Chofetz Chaim and Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, told us that we are entering the final stages of history – a period in time called “Ikvesa DiMeshicha – Footsteps of the Messiah” Our Torah foretells four exiles through which our people would suffer: Egypt, Babylonia – Persian-Mede Empires, Greece and Rome – [the exile in which we presently find ourselves, for it was the Romans who exiled us when they destroyed the Second Temple].

In Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, an early Midrashic work, it is written that, before the coming of Messiah, we will have to contend with a fifth source of tribulation that will come from Yishmael – the Arabs – who will inflict terrible suffering on the world and on our people. This teaching is reaffirmed by Rabbi Chaim Vital, the illustrious disciple of the Arizal, who wrote that before the final curtain falls upon the stage of history, Yishmael will inflict torture upon our people in ways the world has never before seen. One need not have great powers of discernment to recognize the painful veracity of these predictions, Consider only the suicide bombers, the decapitations, the hijackings, the missiles, the rockets and the constant, senseless, brutal acts of terror.

We are the generation that has been destined to witness the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Hagar the matriarch of the Arab-Moslem world [Genesis 16: 11-13]. “Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall name him Ishmael...and he shall be a wild ass of a man; with his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and over all his brethren shall he dwell.....”

The long arm of Ishmael’s terror has indeed reached every part of the world.

There is yet another amazing prophecy in the Yalkut Shimoni – a Medieval Midrashic compilation that eerily foretells the events of today and should give us all pause. Rabbi Yitzchok said: The year in which Melech HaMashiach will be revealed, all the nations of the world will be provoking each other, The King of Persia [Iran] will provoke the King of Arabia [Saudi Arabia] The King of Arabia will go to Edom [the leader of the Christian nations – the President of the United States] to take counsel and the King of Persia [Ahmadinejad] will threaten to destroy the entire world..

“The nations of the world will be outraged and panic . They will fall on their faces and experience pains like birth pangs...... Israel too, will be outraged and in a state of panic, ask, “Where do we go?”

“But say unto them, ‘My children, do not fear, The time of your redemption has come..... And this last redemption shall be different from the first that was followed by further bondage and pain. After this last redemption , you will not experience any further pain or subjugation” [Yalkut Shemoni, Isaiah 59].

The Klausenberger Rebbe, z”tl, referring to this teaching, said, “Remember these words. They are perhaps not understood now, but in time they will be, and will be a source of strength to our people.”

to be continued....

Part 2 here

Responding to Wake Up Calls: What We Must Do

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis 

For the past several weeks I have been discussing the contemporary crisis that is engulfing us and how we might respond to it. As we are all too aware, there is a new Hitler on the block. He has multitudes of followers and, as in the past, the world is ominously silent. In this column I will conclude (at least for the time being) this series on how we might respond to our challenges. That which I am writing is not based upon whim or opinion, but that which is rooted and documented in our Torah.

There is an amazing prophecy in the Yalkut Shimoni – a Medieval/Midrashic compilation that eerily foretells the events of today and should give us all pause: Rabbi Yitzchok said: “The year in which Melech Hamashiach will be revealed, all the nations of the world will be provoking each other. The King of Persia [Iran], will provoke the King of Arabia Saudi Arabia. The King of Arabia will go to the King of Edom [the leader of the Christian nations – the President of the United States] to take counsel, and the king of Persia [Ahmadinejad] will threaten to destroy the entire world.

The nations of the world will be outraged and panic. They will fall on their faces and experience pains like birth pangs. Israel too, will be outraged and in a state of panic, ask, ”Where do we go?”

“But say unto them, ‘My children, do not fear. The time of your redemption has come..... And this last redemption shall be different from the first that was followed by further bondage and pain. After this last redemption, you will not experience any further pain or subjection.” [Yalkut Shemoni, Isaiah 59]

The Klausenberger Rebbe, Z’tl, referring to this teaching said, “Remember these words. “They are perhaps not understood now, but in time they will be and be a source of strength to our people.”

Had you heard these prophecies centuries ago, when they were written, you might have laughed and scoffed – even if you read them as recently as 1970, you would have been hard put to believe it, for of all the Moslem countries the Shah’s Iran was probably the friendliest. But today, the impossible has become possible, and events are unfolding so rapidly, that we have difficulty absorbing their impact. So how are we to understand it all?

The Yalkut compares our suffering to birth pangs. But birth pangs are deceptive; when the contractions begin, it’s easy to ignore them since they are mild and occur between long intervals. As the birth becomes imminent however, the contractions intensify and the pain becomes more intense. And just when it appears that the woman can no longer endure the pain, the baby is born and new life enters the world. It is these labor pains to which we are witness today. How long will the labor last? It’s anyone’s guess, but one thing is certain – please G-d, the birth is sure to take place. In the interim however, we may very well ask, “Is it possible to ease the suffering? Is it possible to protect ourselves from these painful contractions?”

For that too, our sages have an answer: “Let he who wishes to be spared the birth pangs of Messiah occupy himself with Torah and gemilas chassidim [acts of loving-kindness] and let him be scrupulous about Seudah Shlishis – the third Sabbath meal.”

The first two recommendations – Torah and gemilas chasadim are self-explanatory and do not require much elaboration, for he who is committed to Torah and mitzvos and to reaching out with loving kindness must, of necessity, become a better, more spiritual person.

But eating a third Sabbath mean is not as readily comprehensible. We are enjoined to have three seudos – meals on the Sabbath – Sabbath eve [Friday night], Sabbath noon [following prayer in the synagogue] and the third seudah – meal —in the late afternoon as the Sabbath Queen prepares to depart. Through these three meals we honor the three Patriarchs, the three sections of our scriptures [Torah, Prophets, and the Writings] and we recall the three Sabbath meals of manna that G-D provided us during our sojourn in the wilderness [Exodus 16:25].

This final Sabbath seudah is called Shalosh Seudah, which translated literally means “Three Meals” rather than Seudah Shlishis – the third meal. Our Sages explain that the reason for this is that all three Sabbath seudos are embodied in this one.

This third mean presents a most auspicious time for prayer. And to this very day, when I close my eyes, I can hear the sweet voices of my revered father and my beloved husband of blessed memory, leading their congregants in singing Psalm 23, the psalm that is traditionally chanted at the Shalosh Seudas.

“The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want... The task of the shepherd is a lowly and lonely one. Day in and day out, he is destined to wander from place to place, seeking pasture for his flock, and yet, David did not hesitate to refer to G-d as a Shepherd, for he perceived that G-d’s love is so total so encompassing that when it comes to caring for His children, nothing is beneath him. What a magnificent and fortifying thought - for no matter where life takes us, even if we have to walk in the treacherous valley overshadowed by death, we need not fear, for G-D, our Shepherd, will always be there to lead us to greener pastures, even if, at first, we do not recognize that the pasture is green.

Still, it is difficult to comprehend how the mere eating of a third meal, singing Psalm 23, and discussing Words of Torah could have such awesome power that they can actually protect us from the suffering that will accompany the birth pangs.

But there is a profound lesson at the root of this teaching. The first two Sabbath seudos are eaten when we are hungry, but after a festive noontime seudoh, we are hardly in the mood for yet another meal. So it is not to satiate our hunger that we gather around the Shalosh Seudos table. Rather, it is to celebrate the Sabbath and sing her praises, and that is why the Third Meal encompasses them all. The Third Meal is symbolic of the conversion of the physical to the spiritual, and ultimately, that is our purpose – to become spiritual beings and to free ourselves from the shackles of materialism – and that is something that our generation, obsessed with materialism and the pursuit of pleasure has yet to learn.

You might of course wonder, “Why must we experience birth pangs in order for Messiah to come? Why can’t he just announce his presence? But the Messianic period will be very much like Shalosh Seudas, when we sit around the table, not to satiate our physical hunger not to glory in our material achievements, but to celebrate our spiritual attainments.

In order for that to happen, we will have to divest ourselves of all the icons that we hold dear. Therefore, our hallowed institutions, the bastions of strength in which we placed our trust, will have to fall away. It is that painful disintegration to which we are witness today. From the corporate world to government, to religious institutions, to science and medicine, they have all failed us. And worse, we no longer feel safe or secure in our daily lives. Terrorists and suicide bombers have become a reality of our existence and no army or police force is capable of defending us from them.

Additionally, we are witness to constant horrific natural disasters – Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods.... we see the devaluation of our assets, be it the dollar or the Euro.... We see dictators, who for generations ruled with an iron fist falling like dominos as they are overtaken by Muslim fanatics, the sons of Yishmael. Yes, prophecy is unfolding before our very eyes.

Shorn of our defenses, we stand vulnerable and terrified and wonder where it will all end...... what is it all about? But we see only that which we want to see and hear only that which we want to understand as our world quickly disintegrates.

How long will these birth pangs last?.... Until we recognize the simple truth – that “we can rely on no one but our Heavenly Father.” So let us sound the shofar, awaken ourselves from our lethargy, and heed the voice of our Father calling us. And that is the only answer to the big question – what are we to do?

Even as I write these words, I realize that this simplistic response may disappoint and irritate many. But there is no way that we, the Jewish people, can escape our destiny.

G-d appointed us to be His light on this planet, a light, which illuminates the world with His Torah.... a light which proclaims G-d is One and His Name is One... And that is our calling – a calling that we cannot escape.

Wake Up Calls......

.....What Must We Do?

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

For the past few weeks I`ve been discussing the crises facing our people. I`ve been asked by many of our readers a question which should challenge all of us: "What are we to do?"

Before I offer specific answers however, I would like all our readers to fully understand the urgency of the moment so those who are ambivalent will also comprehend, respond, and thus secure blessing for all our people.

The crises that we are encountering today can be seen on a national and personal level - There is a man, a nation on the world scene, that openly declares its intention to orchestrate another Holocaust - Hashem Yeracheim - may G-d have mercy.. Ahmadinejad and his cohorts have amply demonstrated that they have the wherewithal to carry out this satanic plan. And should you argue that "he is just a mad man", and the people who are with him are equally mad, I agree, but mad men, mad people, must be taken seriously, for they are mad enough to implement their evil. I know - I experienced it first hand in Hitler's concentration camps.

As Jews, we must be keenly aware that there are no random happenings in our lives. Everything, but everything that befalls us are wake-up calls from Hashem. This is a difficult concept for our generation to accept. Our culture tends to look askance at those who propound such views as simplistic, if not unbalanced. Moreover, our society tends to neutralize all personal culpability and removes all sense of responsibility from our consciences. We are never at fault - there are always some mitigating circumstances for that which befalls us, be they societal, familial, and environmental or sheer bad luck, but one thing is certain, it`s never, but never our fault! We convince ourselves that "things happen simply because they happen". Sadly, this rationale has seeped into our Torah community as well. We too have been impacted, and too many of us have turned a deaf ear to the call of Hashem. Too many of us refuse to see and understand.

It is amazing how, despite all our advances, all our discoveries, despite all our discoveries, despite the passage of centuries, education and enlightenment, we have learned nothing. From the genesis of time to this very day, nothing has changed. Even as in days of yore, in the generation of Noah, when man refused to heed G-d`s call, so today, we turn a deaf ear to the countless messages that He sends us.

In vain does Hashem send us His wake-up calls...we do not respond, we are spiritually comatose. We convince ourselves that "things happen simply because they happen".... and even those among us who do listen too often fail to translate their awareness into action. Not in vain does the Torah teach us, "V`yadata Hayom" - and you shall know today, and you shall absorb it in your heart".

There is a small gap, only seven inches, between the head and the heart, but to close that gap is a herculean task. To have heart and mind act in consonance remains a formidable challenge for every generation. Allow me to illustrate: Very often, we intellectually understand that we should not lose our tempers; we should not smoke, etc.. But since our hearts fail to absorb this, we continue to indulge our anger and we continue to smoke. So it is that the Torah admonishes us to absorb in our hearts that which our minds understand.

The Urgency of the Moment - Sound The Alarm

Maimonides taught that, when suffering is visited upon us, we are commanded to cry out and awaken our people with the sound of the shofar. Everyone must be alerted to examine his or her life and commit to greater adherence to Torah and mitzvos. Maimonides warned that, if we regard the tragedies that befall us simply as "the way of the world" - natural happenings" we will be guilty of achzarius - "cruelty."

At first glance, it is difficult to understand why Maimonides would choose the term "cruelty" to describe those who view trials and tribulations as "natural happenings". Such people may be unthinking, apathetic, foolish, blind or obtuse, but why accuse them of cruelty?

The answer is simple. If we regard our pain and suffering as "mere coincidence," we will feel no motivation to examine our lives, abandon our old ways, and change. So yes, such an attitude is cruel, for it invites additional misfortune upon ourselves and others. Therefore, step number one is not only to awaken ourselves, but also alert our fellow Jews to the urgency of the moment and the dangers that loom ahead. And yes, it would be the height of cruelty to dismiss that which is happening in the world today as mere happenstance. Great Torah luminaries of past generations, such as the Chofetz Chaim and Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, told us that we are entering the final stages of history - a period in time called "Ikvesa DiMeshicha" - when the footsteps of Messiah can be heard. This period will be accompanied by terrible tribulations, but it is in our hands to overcome them.

Our Torah foretells four exiles through which our people would suffer: Egypt, Babylonia - Persian-Mede Empires, Greece, and Rome - (the exile in which we presently find ourselves, for it was the Romans who exiled us when they destroyed the Second Temple).

In Pirkei d`Rabbi Eliezer, an early Midrashic work, it is written that, before the coming of Messiah, we will have to contend with a fifth source of tribulation that will come from Yishmael - the Arabs, who will inflict terrible suffering on the world and on our people.

This teaching is reaffirmed by Rabbi Chaim Vital, the illustrious disciple of the Arizal, who wrote that, before the final curtain falls upon the stage of history, Yishmael will sadistically torture our people in ways the world has never before seen.

One need not have great powers of discernment to recognize the painful veracity of these predictions. Yishmael does not merely kill - he slaughters. Remember Daniel Pearl, who bound and forced to his knees proclaimed to the world, "I am a Jew," only to be decapitated. And then, remember our IDF soldier who was kidnaped and carried off to Ramallah. They literally chopped him into pieces and held up their bloody hands in a gesture of victory. They threw his remains out of the window to the frenzied waiting mob which danced upon his body parts until they were ground into pulp. What sort of a nation can do that?

We are the generation that has been destined to witness the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Hagar (Genesis 16:11-13). "Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall name him Ishmael.... and he shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and all over his brethren shall he dwell...."

The long arm of Ishmael's terror has indeed reached every part of the world.

Their barbarism continues unabated - Suicide bombings, decapitations, senseless and brutal acts of terror in face of which the world is silent.. And as always, when Jewish blood is spilled, the nations of the world look away. But we dare not! We must call out to our Heavenly Father, for only He can help us.

But again, what exactly does that mean? How do we navigate these stormy seas?

[To be Continued]

Sound the Alarm

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

My column usually focuses on guiding and advising those who have difficulty navigating the murky turbulent waters that challenge their personal lives, be they shalom bayis, shiduchim, etc. From time to time, I depart from this format to comment on the issues that affect our very lives as a people.

Of late, this has occurred more often than I would care to admit. Events are unfolding so rapidly that before we can absorb one, another befalls us. Most of us opt for the easy way out........We shut our eyes, close our ears, and just glide along. I have sounded the alarm through this column myriad times and I realize that some of my readers may have tired of hearing it.... but just the same, I am writing again for I know that we dare not remain silent and feel the responsibility to raise our voices.

Some years ago, I came across an old Jewish newspaper printed in Warsaw in the early thirties. Incredibly, there was no mention of the dangers that loomed ahead. This, despite the fact that the menacing, hateful voices of anti-Semitism could be heard throughout Europe, provided of course, that you had open ears and were willing to listen. But then as now, people chose to ignore the warning signs. They preferred to attribute them to a few “crazy fringe fanatics”.... not to be taken seriously. Even as now, they assured themselves that the world had changed. “It’s not like it was in the dark ages. Today, we live in an enlightened society.... people are educated and cultured. No. There is nothing to worry about, There is no reason to pay heed to a few lunatics”.

Amazingly, we never learn. Despite having known the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, we continue to follow the same pattern. We too choose to shut our eyes, We too close our ears and lull ourselves into believing that catastrophes such as occurred in the past can never again befall us. After all, we live in a democracy in which the rights of every individual are protected and guaranteed. And moreover, Israel is a close ally of America and Washington will never abandon her.

Despite all this however, I once again take pen in hand and write. I invite you to consider the events of the past few months, past few weeks, past few days..... Tragic events have befallen us, but should you say this to the average Jew, he will stare at you uncomprehendingly and wonder what on earth you are talking about.

Let us open our hearts and listen carefully. In every generation, we, the Jewish people have “loyal shepherds” who champion our cause and plead on our behalf in front of G-d’s Holy Throne., These shepherds are the sages and Roshei Yeshiva (heads of Torah Academies). In the last few weeks and months, many of our loyal shepherds have been called on high. These sages span three continents.... Europe, America, and Israel. One after the other, they were taken from our midst, and most recently, the loving “shepherdess”, the kind, warm Bubbie of our people, Rebbetzin Batsheva Esther Kanievsky of B’nai Brak, was also summoned. The Rebbetzin left thousands of women mourning and lost.... Additionally, the eminent Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav HaGaon HaTzaddik Nossen Tzvi Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir in Yerushalayim where thousands upon thousands of students received the light of Torah, was also taken from our midst, as was HaRav HaGaon HaTzaddik Dov Schwartzman, Z”l of Beis HaTalmud in Jerusalem.

Again, to the average Jew, these names and titles are of little consequence, but know and make no mistake about it, these are the loyal shepherds of our people – the “Giants” in whose merit the world is sustained, and in these past few weeks and months, they have been called home, leaving us vulnerable and challenging us to take responsibility for our lives and take upon ourselves a Torah way of life.

But disaster upon disaster continues to befall us – the tragic accident in which two outstanding yeshiva students were killed. Doniel King, age fifteen Elie Schonbrun, Z”l, age sixteen. The boys, together with fellow students were on their way to the yeshiva when their van skidded off the road... There is no way in which anyone can comprehend the terrible suffering of their parents.

But even as this catastrophe struck, we learned of the lamentable, freak accidental deaths of babies and toddlers, here as well as in Jerusalem, and all this unfolded before we could recover from the savage barbaric slaughter of our precious Leiby. On this very same week seventy three years ago, Hitler’s satanic Krystal Nacht, set afire Jewish synagogues and homes, in Germany and Austria. Jewish businesses were ransacked and destroyed, their windows shattered and the streets paved with thousands of glittering pieces of broken glass.

Some years ago, I spoke in Washington Heights, a community which was populated by many Jews of German descent. An elderly gentleman shared some of his Krystal Nacht experiences. “My synagogue and my home were torched by the Nazi Youth. I called the fire department only to be told that it was against the law to put out fires on property that belonged to Jews.”

Today, 73 years later, as we remember Krystal nacht anti-Semitism once again rears its ugly head. a tragedy once again unfolds. In the Jewish neighborhood of Midwood, Brooklyn, cars were set on fire and swastakas with obscene curse-words vilifying Jews were sprayed on sidewalks and benches.. Even a blind man would have to see it, but we continue with “business as usual.”

Coincidence? Accident? What possible connection can there between the barbaric events of yesterday and that which is befalling us today?

Can it be that there is a message behind it all – a message that we should ponder? ....Can it be? 

(To be continued)

Alone

Art: Dalhart Windberg

Words by Rebetzin Esther Jungreis

Yes, I`m afraid. When I say these words, most people do not understand, and they attribute my fears to the fact that I am a survivor and live in the shadow of my Holocaust experiences. Still others attribute my fears to "overreaction", and assure themselves that everything is okay, that there is nothing to worry about. "Fear", they rationalize, is a Jewish neurosis, identified with past generations, when our people lived in the darkness of the ghetto.

But today, things are different. Today, we live in the United States, a free, democratic country, in which all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..” And more, for the very first time in almost two thousand years, we have our own State and because of that, there is nothing to fear. I wish that I could be as confident as they, but I smell the noxious fumes of pre-Holocaust Europe, and so I write and speak wherever I can. It is not Hamas or the Moslem Brotherhood, nor for that matter, Ahmadinejad that I fear. Nor do I fear the United Nations, an institution notorious for its despicable hypocrisy and anti-Israel bias. I do not fear the sophisticated, intellectuals who camouflage their hatred of Jews behind politically correct pseudonyms that mis-lead all too willing ears, but what I do fear is our own people – yes, our own people who have forgotten who we are, who no longer remember that we stood at Sinai, that we heard the voice of G-d, that we belong to a priestly kingdom, a holy nation and that everything that befalls us is choreographed by Hashem, and is a reflection of our own deeds, our own hands.

To be sure, there is nothing new about all this. It is a “Truth” that is a very pillar of our faith and is inscribed for all eternity in G-d’s Book – the Torah. The warning screams out to us from almost every portion, yet we refuse to heed it. How can it be that we, the nation that is so brilliant, is so blind? How can it be that after thousands of years, we still fail to understand?

Our history is constant replay – again and again, tragedies befall us, yet we refuse to comprehend. It could all be so simple if we would all be willing to understand. But no matter how unbearable our pain, how agonizing our suffering, we continue to reject it. Every day, a Bas Kol – a Heavenly Voice calls us, but we choose to remain deaf. We have shed our Priestly garments and no longer recognize ourselves.

Time and again G-d sends His prophets to remind us that our destiny is different from that of all other nations, that our very existence is directly linked to our adherence to G-d’s commandments. Hashem has guaranteed our eternity, for we, the Jewish people have been chosen to be His witnesses, but tragically, we fail to see the glory of our calling, and that is the painful reality of our long, tormented exile. We have seen mighty nations come and go, rise, only to fall, but even as we have endured and triumphed,....but it’s all to no avail. We continue to remain obdurate.

Even as a young child in Bergen Belsen, I was aware of this Truth. My saintly father, HaRav Avraham Halevi Jungreis, Z’tl, embedded it in my heart and soul. But I could never have imagined that, before I would see the dawn, six million of our people would be consumed in the flames. Despite it all however, by the grace of G-d, not only are we here, but we have reinvented ourselves. We have given new life to the great academies of Torah that once shone so brightly throughout the shtetlach of Europe, and we have returned and rebuilt our ancient land. We have brought new life to the barren wasteland. We have planted gardens and forests, and despite the constant barrages of missiles and rockets, we redeemed our land. Yes, miraculously, we did it all and yet we still failed to see G-d’s guiding Hand.

As I said, I smell the noxious fumes of pre-Hitler Europe. Once again, the nations are bent on swallowing us, and, as always, there is no one to come to our aid, no one to even raise a voice on our behalf. Once again, we are reminded of the eternal words of our Torah: “They are a people that dwells alone and not reckoned among the nations.”....”We are like one lamb surrounded by seventy wolves” – all to remind us that our salvation can come from only One source – AVINU SH’BASHAMAYIM – our Heavenly Father.

Time and again, G-d has impressed this Truth upon us. Not only did He engrave these words in our holy writ; not only did He send His prophets to remind us, but He constantly speaks to us loud and clear. And yet, we continue to fail to heed His messages, and it is that which I fear. Our generation has seen darkness and light. We have seen the most painful, the most tragic, and also the most spectacular, the most miraculous. I am not only referring to the Holocaust, but to the ongoing, savage, brutal and blood soaked hands of our neighbors who are united by only one purpose – to slaughter and exterminate our people. They surround our tiny State and encamp on all our borders, but miraculously, we have survived in this sea of murderers. Just the same however, we still fail to see the Hand of G-d – We refuse to hear His voice calling us.

I invite you to consider only the recent attack on Ashdod.....On Shabbos afternoon as our people gathered to daven mincha, Ashdod was hit by rockets. Such an onslaught could have resulted in catastrophe, but while there were some injuries, Ashdod held fast. Although a synagogue and a school suffered a direct hit, miraculously, the building was empty. This synagogue usually has a large minyan in one of the classrooms, but on that Shabbos, services did not take place. The Gabbi was not feeling well and could not make the necessary preparations. Just think about it..

All those who came to see the sight were awestruck. It was an open miracle. Had the Gabbai not been ill, had services taken place, the tragedy would have been to painful to contemplate...and there was more. The entire place was covered with shattered glass and debris.... Everything in the room was damaged, but the Holy Ark and the Torah within remained untouched! And there was still more!

Just two hours later, another rocket hit a parking lot setting cars afire, but the adjacent building escaped damage. Miraculously, the rocket exploded near a large gas tank. Had there been a direct hit, the result could have been catastrophic.

Coincidence or the Hand of G-d? Yet we fail to see it – we fail to understand.

Darkness and light in the very same breath, and once again, I ask, Coincidence or the Hand of G-d?

It is the blindness of our people that I fear!

When will we wake up? When will we don our Priestly garments and fulfill our G-d given destiny and be “a light unto all mankind?”

No Fear

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

In our rapidly changing society, events occur with such speed that before we absorb one, another is already upon us. Additionally, our attention span has become nil. We no longer know how to listen.... even while someone is talking to us, we are busy texting someone else or scrolling through our Blackberrys. So let us pause for a moment and review recent events.

During the last months, we have lost many great Torah sages, but I wonder if we truly feel the terrible void that has been left. And now, the beloved Rebbetzin Bathsheva Kanievsky has been called on high. Her sudden demise represents a tragic loss, especially to the many thousands of women who found solace and comfort through her loving guidance, wisdom and sage advice. May her holy neshama have an aliyah and may she continue to daven for all of us.

This past week has also been a cause for jubilation and thanksgiving. For the past five years, all of us have been davening for the safe homecoming of Gilad Shalit, and now, Baruch Hashem, this past Succos we saw our prayers answered. I realize that there has also been some controversy over the exchange that made his freedom possible – a thousand savage monstrous killers released for one frail, painfully thin little Jewish soldier! To many it is incongruous to even imagine that such a disproportionate, suicidal deal could be struck. Surely, this was a grossly dangerous, ridiculous exchange.

I am not going to argue the pros and cons of that, but I do know that every Yiddishe neshama is precious to us. Our sages teach that ‘kol ha mekayem nefesh achas’ – all those who save just one life, it is accounted to them as though they saved an entire world’. Of course, you could protest, “At what price?” These savage killers could, G-d forbid, take many more lives and encourage more kidnaping.

I am not a halachic expert and I am not here to make a judgment call on that. We are Am Yisrael, and we march to the tune of a different drummer. It is not that we are unaware of the terrifying dangers that this deal represents, but just the same, to us, every Yiddish neshama is precious, so even as we offer prayers of thanksgiving for Gilad’s homecoming, we also pray that Hashem protect us from these barbaric monsters and that they perish before they inflict more harm.

Throughout the years, in my classes, I have taught that one can always find some sort of “remez” - allusion in the parsha (Torah portion of the week) to events that are unfolding before our eyes. This time, it was not only the parsha, but the Book of Psalms as well which stunningly confirm this teaching.

The Book of Tehillim designates a psalm for each day of the week. Gilad Shalit was released on the third day – Tuesday, and the psalm for that day is number 60. There are two words in that Psalm that jump out and demand our attention – Succoth and Gilad. Indeed, the release occurred on the holiday of Succoth, followed by the words, “li Gilad.” “Gilad is mine”

As for the parsha which we read on Simchat Torah, it is written, “And Hashem showed him the entire land – the Gilad” [Deut. 34:1]

Farfetched? Coincidence? Remez (a sign), a message? Take it as you will, but the fact is that these are the passages that we read from the Torah and the Book of Psalms at the time that Gilad Shalit was returned to his land. So take a few moments, put aside your Blackberry and your cell phone, and think. Think some more and absorb.

For a long time now, in many of my messages throughout the world, I have quoted a passage from our sages which teaches that our final redemption will be akin to the first one when we went forth from Egypt. In Jewish history, everything is replayed – What was it that broke Pharaoh and Egypt? – The Ten Plagues. And indeed, today we have experienced the beginnings of this very same phenomena. Time and again, I have demonstrated how each of these ancient plagues has unfolded before our very eyes.

At one of my programs, a young girl approached me: “I have to admit that your examples cannot be refuted, but Rebbetzin,” she challenged, “what about the plague of wild beasts that roamed the streets of ancient Egypt? Surely such occurrences could never happen in our 21st century.”

Well, last week, we witnessed the unbelievable – lions, lionesses, tigers, wolves, bears, monkeys, roaming the streets of Ohio. Can you imagine looking out of your window one morning and seeing lions and bears in front of your home? You’d probably shake your head in disbelief and think that you were having some sort of a nightmare.

Yes, events are unfolding so rapidly that even as they do, we remain immune. We are so preoccupied with our addictive gadgets that we don’t see, we don’t hear, and we don’t think, but while we are playing games, time is relentlessly marching on. The signs are becoming more and more intense and menacing, but we congratulate ourselves and rejoice in a false sense of security. Bin Laden and Khadaffi have been killed, so what is there to fear? We forget that even before their elimination, they had become “has been” and no longer represented a global threat. Tragically, we are oblivious to the new menace that threatens us – IRAN!. Ahmadinejad is given free rein to continue her Satanic agenda while Washington ties up Israel’s hands and instructs her to “take risks for peace.”

Just recently, Ahmadinejad’s long arm reached the U. S. where he planned to murder the Israeli and Saudi Ambassadors .... Make no mistake about it, he has many partners ready to execute his nefarious plans and some of them are right here in our own neighborhood. Just consider Chavez of Venezuela. And mind you, he has these partners throughout the world, the most dangerous being Israel’s Moslem neighbors who, in the guise of democracy and with the support of the U.S. have overthrown their dictators. These terrorists have been romantically dubbed “Revolutionaries of the Arab Spring”, but they are the harbingers of a bitter Arab winter that could freeze the world.. They have only one agenda: “Kill the Jews! Obliterate Israel!”

Ironically, it is Washington that helped choreograph this ominous scene. With America’s blessing, Mubarak of Egypt, Khadaffi of Libya, have been eliminated, paving the way for Iran’s domination of the region. It is maddening when you think about it. It was only yesterday that America helped unseat the Shah of Iran, paving the way for the mullahs to take over and impose sharia law, and it is that road that made it possible for Ahmadinejad to institute his satanic plans.

As I write these words, the murderer of Khadafy is joyously celebrating, but even as this news reaches us from Libya, so does the announcement that henceforth Sharia will be the new law of the land. Ahmadinejad is laughing up his sleeve. Not only has Washington given him the green light and tied Israel’s hands, but Washington has also eliminated all his neighbors who would obstruct his path. To be sure, he has one more obstacle to overcome..... American troops stationed in Iraq. But not to worry – Washington will soon pull them out as well.

As you my readers know, I am a survivor of the Holocaust. I smell the toxic fumes that assailed us in pre-Hitler Europe, but not only has our generation lost its ability to see, to hear, but we have also lost our sense of smell, so as the toxic fumes assail our nostrils, we fall asleep and become oblivious.

I have just touched upon a few events that must give us pause, but trust me, my friends, there is much, much more. When will we realize that there is no one to help us – that in the entire world there is no one to even raise a voice on our behalf. We, the Jewish people are like one little lamb among 70 ferocious wolves who stand ready to pounce upon us and totally devour us.

There is only One source of help for us, only One support, and that is our Heavenly Father, the Almighty G-d. From time immemorial, He has saved us from their clutches. We need not fear.. We need only turn to Him – and if we do so, not only will He answer us, but He will take our hands and lead us through the dense darkness that looms menacingly before us.

“If only My people would heed Me – If Israel would walk in My way, I would subdue their foes and against their tormentors turn My Hand...” [Psalm 81]

What a simple teaching, and yet, how difficult to understand.

Over-Reaction or Wake Up Call

by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

That which transpired during these last few weeks should have shaken us all. To be sure, traumatic happenings have been pounding away at American Jewry for years now ... as a matter of fact, from 9/11 on. But very few of us have taken them to heart or even blinked an eye to somehow indicate that we heard “the message”. Something was happening and is happening in the world, but we react as if we are blind and deaf. We choose not to see; we choose not to hear. It’s easier to attribute everything to natural causes, because in that way, we can go on our merry way and indulge in “business as usual”.

But this time, things were different – that which transpired during the past several weeks must make us all stop and ponder.. First, we were witness to the roller coaster stock market. For three consecutive days, the market plummeted and each day, at its closing, the numbers differed, but on each day, totaled “26", which in Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, equals the Name of G-d.. If you recall, at that time, I wrote about it at length. People smiled – they found it curious. Some put it down to “so much hype” but few took it seriously. Only a very small number considered that it might be a message from G-d telling us that at the end of the day, it is He, and only He who is in charge. If He wills it, all our speculation, our best laid plans can come to naught, and in a matter of minutes, our money is gone.

We try to place the blame for our financial downfall on this or that, but only to an exceptional few has it occurred that this might be a warning from the Almighty to stop worshiping the “Golden Calf” and re-examine our lives. We refuse to listen, so the wake up calls became more intense. New York, the bastion of strength and finance, Washington the symbol of power, shook and trembled....tremors of an earthquake rocked our very foundations. To be sure, it lasted only a few moments, so the experience made for good conversation. “Did you feel that?” we asked one another. “Where were you when it happened?” “Wasn’t it amazing?”, etc. etc. Once again, we failed to heed the call. It all flew over our heads and we went on with “business as usual”.

But G-d keeps knocking. The wake-up call becomes louder and louder. “Irene”in all her fury comes to visit. We hear the warning – an historic hurricane, the likes of which New York has not witnessed. The mayor takes to the airways and warns all citizens to be on guard. Hundred mile an hour winds are predicted, swells from the ocean might go 10 – 15 feet, all public transportation is shut down, communities in low-lying areas close to the shore are ordered to evacuate. Once again, many people dismiss the warnings and attribute them to overreaction. But then, the warnings become more urgent and can no longer be ignored..

I myself reside on Long Island and it was on erev Shabbos, that we were told to evacuate.

But since it was almost Shabbos, we were even more conflicted.. What to do? Where to go? How would we make it before Shabbos.

Panic broke out. Frantic calls were made. People tried to get reservations in nearby hotels, only to be told that they were all fully booked.. Many decided to leave their homes. I and my two children who live nearby were caught in a dilemma. What should we do? To be sure, we had many invitations. My children who reside in Brooklyn urged us to come to them. Hineni friends who have studied with us for years and live in areas that were not threatened, offered hospitality with generosity and heart felt concern. But where to go remained a major problem.

What if we encountered a traffic jam and couldn’t make it to our destination before sundown? Every highway had its own perils, so we decided to stay put together in the home of my daughter. The knowledge that we would all be together was comforting and strengthening. B’li ayn hara – Baruch Hashem, with all the kinderlach, we are a large mishpocha. My children decided that we would all sleep on the same floor so that we might watch over one another and, if the electricity failed or some other crisis erupted, we would all be there to help.

Of course, we did not have beds for so many people, so the children would sleep on the floor. If you are mishpocha, there is always place for everyone. 

Shabbos was calm, but the announcements became more ominous. The eye of the storm was expected to hit with full force in the middle of the night or at dawn. Once again, we were told to evacuate. However, the same problem which we encountered just before Shabbos still prevailed. This time there was no fear of desecrating the Sabbath, but the possibility of being stuck on the road with babies and small children was frightening, so once again, we decided to stay put. The little ones kept everyone busy. One of my grandsons learned the entire night, my daughter recited tehillim until the break of dawn, we all davened with full heart. As for me, I was in a strange place. The word “evacuation” evoked ominous memories. It took me back to a different time. I will never forget the sound of their voices – “All Jews must evacuate!” And there were other painful reminders – the question of what to do – where to go?... the dangers we might encounter on the road, all served to recall the past.

My father, HaRav HaGaon Avrahan HaLevi Jungreis, Z’tl was the Rabbi of our city. I remember the meeting in our home – “Where is it safer? The shtetlach? The city? The forest?” No one had an answer ... no one knew .... but we did know for certain that all roads were perilous. The Nazis and the Hungarian Zsandars (Gestapo) were everywhere, ready to slaughter us.

Oh, I know. I know my thoughts were totally ridiculous. There was no comparison – this was totally different, but just the same, you, my readers must understand that those of us who went through that gehenom remain forever scarred and can never forget. Even as these recollections crowded my heart, our Torah teaching of the flood in the days of Noah also came to mind. I asked myself a simple question that we must all ask – Are the heinous sins that brought about the flood still a part of us? Over the thousands of years that have since transpired, have we really changed? Of course, we cloak our transgressions in sophisticated 21st century garb, but the question remains, Have we changed? Are we living by the laws of our G-d?

We Jews who are the custodians of the Torah, have to understand that there are no accidents in this world. Nothing, but nothing happens by coincidence and that which happened these past few weeks are wake-up calls that we dare not ignore, that we dare not attribute to happen stance.

“Ayn yisorim bah l’olam eleh bishvil Yisroel....” Tribulations are not visited upon the world but for the Jewish people...” is a teaching of the Talmud. Yes, all these events are wake-up calls urging us to act before further tragedy strikes, and we have seen many of these calls unfolding in recent months – the passing of three Torah sages in the U.S., Europe, and Israel within a period of two weeks; the barbaric, unfathomable slaughter of little Leiby, the savage murder of a great Torah Sage in Israel — and sadly, I could cite many more. But as much as we mourned and wept, as much as we united in expressing our sorrow, we have yet to make changes in our lives, and banish the jealousies, the mean spiritedness, the strife and hatred that have become part and parcel of our lives.

As these thoughts dominated my mind, the sound of the fierce winds and torrential rain could be heard from outside. Suddenly, it became dark – we lost power, and in the darkness of the night, I made a silent prayer, “Ribbonoh Shel Olam – Almighty G-d, Creator of the Universe... In the parsha that we read this Shabbos, You told us that we were Bonim L’Makom – Your special children, chosen from all the nations of the world to be Your treasured people. So. Almighty G-d,” I pleaded, “You are not only the Creator of the Universe, G-d our King, but You are our Father, Who chose us to be His.

“Surely, as our Father, You will forgive us and spare us from any further tribulations. Let none of Your children come to any harm in the fury of this storm. Protect us, guard us, even if we are not deserving”

“As for me, I give You my word that so long as You allow me, I will not stop, but will remind myself and all Your children of who we are – Bonim L’Makom – Your special children who have a mandate to live by that awesome calling. It is to that end that, B’ezrat Hashem, I will devote my next few columns. It is to that end that I will speak. True, I have always tried to achieve that goal. It was in that spirit that I founded Hineni so many years ago when outreach was virtually unknown. It was in that spirit that we called for a Jewish awakening in Madison Square Garden.

So what is different now, you might ask. Haven’t you been doing this all along?

The answer to that is “yes” and “no” -

Yes, Hashem did grant us the privilege of being among the first to start a kiruv – outreach movement, but now, in these pre-messianic times, our thrust cannot be directed to secular Jews alone, for the sin that is at the root of our destruction, the sin that has enveloped us in dense darkness for almost 2,000 years is not limited to a small segment of our people, but is sadly, very much a part of all of us, even our own Torah community.