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Ohr HaTorah/Chai LifelineConnection

Magazine of Ohr HaTorah - Jewish Her i tage Center

m i l w a u k e e

J E W I S H SPIRITJ E W I S H SPIRIT

m i l w a u k e e

Magazine of Ohr HaTorah - Jewish Her i tage Center

$4.95Spring 2009

JSU/Jewish Student UnionBuilding Jewish Identity in Milwaukee

Ohr HaTorah/Chai LifelineConnection

Going Home for Passover?Forge a Chain of Love

After 28 Years,Your Momentin the Sun

Going Home for Passover?Forge a Chain of Love

After 28 Years,Your Momentin the Sun

JSU/Jewish Student UnionBuilding Jewish Identity in Milwaukee


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Dear Friends,In this time of economic turbulence, there is calm within the storm.

It is Ohr Ha Torah Jewish Heritage Center, an oasis and resourcewhere you can discover the essence of Judaism. It is our responsibilityas Jews to cultivate this oasis so it can continue to provide nourishmentto our community.

It has been a year of growth and discovery for Ohr HaTorah.We now have a permanent home on Green Bay Road in Glendale.This serves as a place to study, learn and grow as a Jew. Ohr HaTorahcontributes immeasurably to our Jewish future with its myriad of

unique educational initiatives.My wife and I have contributed and intend to continue to support

the work Rabbis Freilich and Zaitschek who give of themselves selflesslyto teach and spread the treasures of Jewish learning.

One investment that is not vulnerable to this recessionary economyis the Tzedakah you give to support such a worthy cause. Yourinvestment will bring you great merit.

We ask that you find it in your heart to assist us in continuing our

mission and commit to our goal to reach out to our community andprovide the needed services for our Jewish youth and adults.

Thank you for your continued support of Ohr Ha Torah,Sincerely,Cary and Susan Silverstein

PLEASE USE THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

TO SEND IN YOUR TAX DEDUCTABLE CONTRIBUTION

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a letter from our advisory chair

About Us: Ohr HaTorah - Jewish Heritage CenterOur Mission:Ohr HaTorah is a premier organization dedicatedto connect, inspire and empower Jewish youthand adults of Wisconsin to be involved in a living,vibrant and passionate Judaism through Torah and

Tradition.Our Values:Ohr HaTorah believes that strong Jewish Identityfor Jewish Youth is of paramount importance.

Ohr HaTorah seeks to improve the life of our Jew-ish youth, families, and community.

Ohr HaTorah believes Jewish Literacy is a funda-mental part of our Jewish future

Ohr HaTorah believes Jews should explore theirheritage at their own pace, and do so from a so-cial, educational, and spiritual perspective.

RabbiAkiva FreilichDirector

Rabbi Avi ZaitschekDirector of Special Projects


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3Ohr HaTorah

Whats Happening at

Jewish Ethics ClassAt Godfrey & Kahn

L-R: Mike Tabilson, Bryan Edgar,

Rabbi Freilich, Nathaniel

Hoffman, Keith Lindenbaum

Sukkah Buiding TeamBack: Yisroel Freilich,

Howard Fay & Larry Eckert

Front: Shmuel & Heschel Freilich

Jeff & Jodi Warren at

Ohr HaTorah Chanukah Party

Craig Abrams and Kids

at Ohr HaTorahs JCC Booth

Enjoying Crafts At Ohr Chanukah PartySunday Hebrew Class


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Chanukah at Ohr HaTorah took on a very specialflavor as we dedicated our Annual Chanukahgathering to serve as a Toy Drive for Chai

Lifeline.What is Chai Lifeline all about?When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, the

family moves from normal to crisis mode. Parents canfeel bewildered, wondering whether they are asking theright questions, consulting the right doctors, making theright decisions not only for the sick child, but for siblingsleft at home. For many, the dominant emotions in theirlives are worry and anxiety.

For these families, Chai Lifeline is often the one constantin their lives.

Chai Lifelines hot meals for hospitalized childrenand caregivers, hospital visits, insurance support services,information, advocacy, and emotional support bringimmediate relief and comfort. Big Brothers and Sistersand recreational activities for sick children, siblings, and familiesoffer additional support as families return to their daily livingactivities. Tutoring enables hospitalized and recuperating childrento retain their connection to school and friends. And of course,

Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, the only kosher campsfor seriously ill children bring joy to lives devastated by pediatricdisease.

Chai Lifelines goal is to bring joy and hope to families,allowing them to function as cohesive units while fighting illness.Every program and service is free of charge, alleviating the burdenof finding funds to pay for desperately needed support.

Chai Lifeline is there for its families in the bad times and

the good times, explained Rabbi Simcha Scholar, executive vicepresident, Chai Lifeline. Our worldwide Chanukah celebrationsmake the good times a little sweeter, offering a stress-free way forour families to enjoy the holiday. Weve reached more familiesthan ever before this Chanukah, with events across the countryand around the world thatreplaced anxiety and worry withfriendship and celebration.

Ohr HaTorahs Toy Drive was a grand success. 100s ofToys were brought to the party,wrapped and then subsequentlydelivered to the MidwestRegional Office of Chai Lifelinein Chicago. Rabbi ShlomoCrandall the Midwest Director

expressed his appreciation forour efforts.

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OHR HATORAHS

TOY DRIVE FOR CHAI LIFELINE

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Dr. Kevin Packman and son Jonah wrapping gifts

Larry Ekert and Mark Maimon behind 100s of Toys before sending down to Chicago


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Nicolet High School in Glendalehas now joined with over 200

public schools nationwide thatare hosting a phenomenal new club called JSU (Jewish Student Union). This newventure was initiated in an effort to instilla sense of Jewish pride and increase Jewishaffiliation.

Unlike traditional outreach or Jewishcommunity-based programs, JSU clubs

operate on school grounds, during schoolhours thereby creating a maximallyconvenient venue for unaffiliated andunder-affiliated teens to connect Jewishly.Funded by private philanthropists acrossthe country, each club is sanctionedby its host school and supervised by aschool faculty member. JSU providesan additional club advisor who suppliesfree pizza or other kosher refreshments,delivers a teen-savvy educational program,and bonds with the teens serving as theirlink to the organized Jewish community.

The mission of JSU is to get Jewishteens to do something Jewish and toconnect to the Jewish community onwhatever level they feel comfortable. More

specifically, JSU seeks to enhance Jewishidentity and pride, nurture a connection

to the State of Israel, provide a portalfor deeper involvement with the Jewishcommunity and inspire an enduringrelationship with the Jewish People. Itssuccess at achieving this mission, bothanecdotally and statistically, over the lastseven years has been undeniable. Foundedin 2002 with four clubs in Los Angeles,

JSU has grown rapidly and currently boastsalmost 200 clubs in 23 U.S. states andCanadian provinces. JSU club advisorsinteract with almost 6000 teens annuallyin weekly club programs. Many of theseteens have no other Jewish affiliation. Asa result of their JSU involvement, manyget involved with other Jewish activitiesand eventually seek out Jewish connectionon their college campuses.

Rabbi Akiva Freilich and Rabbi AviZaitschek of Ohr HaTorah were successfulin winning the support of the Nicolet HighSchool Administration and a significantgroup of students who wanted to see anactive JSU club in Glendale.

Michal Ish-Shalom a Junior in Nicoletwho agreed to be the clubs president isreally enthused about the clubs progress.Its a great way to meet new people,learn about different customs andbroaden you horizons. The programis about what we the students areinterested in. JSU is the most organized Jewish group on the school campus

with students actively participating andreally enjoying it

Ari Rothenberg, a sophomore says

The JSU club is a really great Jewish socialatmosphere and an opportunity to increaseyour knowledge of Jewish culture

At a recent JSU meeting in Nicolet,the students were privileged to hostformer State Representative Dr. Sheldon Wasserman. In an inspiring talk, Dr.Wasserman recounted his experiences on

the campaign trail and in state governmentin which his Jewishness was a focus ofattention. He said that he always standstall and proud of his Jewish heritage, andfound that non-Jews appreciate us muchmore when they sense that pride in us.

To support a separation betweenChurch and State is critical if Jews are

to survive and thrive in the AmericanDiaspora. Equally important, however,in the struggle for vibrant Jewish life inNorth America is our support for extra-curricular Jewish activities in the publicsphere. America, with Gods name onits currency, has never pretended to be asecular country, only a country where no

particular national religion is endorsedor enforced. Therefore, given the U.S.snational paradigm and accompanying

JSU Jewish Student Union

Building Jewish Identityin Milwaukee

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continued on page 55Students Enjoying a JSU Club Discussion

Dr. Sheldon Wasserman and JSU Club Members

in Nicolet High School


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Capturing Rav NoachNote: Rabbi Noah Weinberg of blessed memory was a

person who is responsible for impacting the lives of hundredsof thousands of Jews worldwide. Although I was not a

personal student of his, his teachings and inspiration wherea driving force in much that Ohr HaTorah stands forand strives to accomplish. As a tribute we are presenting acommemoration written by one of his close students RabbiEfraim Shore and an article written by Rabbi Weinberg himself.

Rabbi Akiva Freilich

What was the essence of his greatness?

Ever seen a grown man cry?Ever seen a thousand grown men cry? If you

had been at the funeral of Rav Noach, you would have. Not tomention the thousands of women joining in the vast outpouringof tears, together with thousands more listening online.

What was it about this man that so deeply touched the lives

of tens of thousands of people from all over the world, no mattertheir age, gender or religious background? How can we capturehis essence?

Rav Noach was great in so many areas of life. He hadseemingly superhuman wisdom; he had an uncanny way ofknowing the answer to every life question. He cared about everyperson in a way they instantly understood they were in thepresence of a man uniquely full of love and compassion. His

joy for life was massive and contagious. He was a visionary likefew others. He truly believed that we all can and must solve theworlds problems - and he set his life course to do just that. Andhe demanded the same of all those around him.

He was a master communicator and a serial entrepreneur. Hewas a disciplined strategist, thoughtfully searching for solutionsto break new ground. He was a once-in-a-generation leader,inspiring thousands to devote their lives to a noble cause while

giving them the space to achieve their individual aspirations andeven to make their own mistakes.If we regular folk would achieve greatness in even one of

these spheres, we would surely be famous just for that. But he,somehow, acquired them all.

How does that happen? How is it possible? Did he, as somevenerable rabbis implied at his eulogy, truly belong to an earlier,higher generation?

Im sure Rav Noach would protest. To him, his accomplishmentswere not fantastic. And his proof? He did them! What he foundunbelievable was that we werent accomplishing the same. Heunderstood the power of free will. He had integrated what our

heritage teaches that God created man justless than Himself.

And therein lies the essence of hismulti-dimensional greatness. He listened toGod. He believed in God and he believedthe words of His Torah. Sure, we all believe.He believed with a capital, highlighted B.

He was fond of relating the Medrash

about the leading rabbis of one generation reaching the grandstudy hall in Heaven. To their surprise, there in the front rowwith Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and God Himself, on the firstrow bench, was none other than Shlomo the butcher! They, fromtheir bleacher seats, object and demand an explanation. Theanswer soon comes: He listened to God.

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

Clarity or death! was his battle cry. Truth was all that

mattered and it inspired a generation of students to search fortruth and to be willing to make painful choices for the truth theydiscovered.

But of course, the truth never really hurts. Truth and realityare always more pleasurable than illusion. One saw that in hisface and it made it easier to follow that path.

If the truth is that God gave us a Torah -- the ultimateinstruction manual full of the Creators wisdom for how to live

life to the fullest, then how could Rav Noach do anything butstudy it all day, fighting off sleep except for three hours a day-- for years?

And if the truth is that there are Six Constant Mitzvot thatdefine the ultimate goal of existence, how could that no be acentral element of our daily lives - even if the rest of the worldwas ignoring them?

And if Radical Islam threatens to destroy the Western World,

how can we not be called to action. How can we turn on the TVor open a book and pretend its not happening?

And if, as he wrote in a communication to his students, thereexists in our time a terrible profanation of Gods name in the factthat a majority of the Jewish People deny the validity of Judaismand our charge of being a light to the world, how can that notbecome the overriding mission of each of our lives?

He was moved to action not because he was looking for

excitement or because he had talents for outreach work. He wasmoved by only one thing: Gods will. Assimilationwas, and is, the emergency of our generation.

continued on page 54

by Rabbi Ephraim Shore


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The key to happiness is to appreciate what you have. If its so

simple, why are so many people unhappy?

A young man with an unusually happy disposition once

came to meet me in Jerusalem. I asked him, Whats your secret?

He told me, When I was 11 years old, God gave me a gift of

happiness. I was riding my bicycle when a strong gust of wind blew

me onto the ground into the path of an oncoming truck. The truck

ran over me and cut off my leg.

As I lay there bleeding, I realized that I might have to live the

rest of my life without a leg. How depressing! But then I realized that

being depressed wont get my leg back. So I decided right then and

there not to waste my life despairing.

When my parents arrived at the hospital they were shocked

and grieving. I told them, Ive already adapted. Now you also have

to get used to this.

Ever since then, I see my friends getting upset over littlethings: their bus came late, they got a bad grade on a test, somebody

insulted them. But I just enjoy life.

At age 11, this young man attained the clarity that it is a waste

of energy to focus on what you are missing, and that the key to

happiness is to take pleasure in what you have. Sounds simple,

doesnt it? So why are so many people unhappy?

HAPPINESS IS A STATE OF MIND

People often think happiness is based on what you achieve and

acquire. My whole life would improve if I had a new car...

I just need a better job and then I can relax and be happy...

If only I met the right girl...

You get the car and what happens? For a whole week youre

walking on air. Then you go right back to being unhappy.

Happiness is not a happening; its a state of mind. You can have

everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have

relatively little and feel unbounded joy.As the Talmud says, Who is rich? The one who appreciates what

he has (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1).

Thats why the morning prayers begin with a series of blessings

thanking God for the simple and obvious:

Thank you, God, for giving me life Thank God I can see, that I

can use my hands and feet, that I can think.

Happiness comes from mastering the art of appreciating and

consciously enjoying what you already have.

ON THE LEDGE

Imagine you are standing on the 70th floor of the Empire

State Building, gazing at the cityscape. Suddenly a rather large

man brusquely pushes past you, wrenches the window open and

announces his intention to jump.

You yell out, Stop! Dont do it!

The six-foot-five figure turns to you and menacingly says, Try to

stop me and Ill take you with me!

Umm... No problem, sir. Have a safe trip. Any last words?

Let me tell you my troubles, he says. My wife left me, my kids

wont talk to me, I lost my job and my pet turtle died. So why should

I go on living?

Suddenly you have a flash of inspiration.

Sir, close your eyes for a minute and imagine that you are blind.

No colors, no sights of children playing, no fields of flowers, no

sunset. Now imagine that suddenly theres a miracle. You open your

eyes and your vision is restored! Are you going to jump? Or will you

stick around for a week to enjoy the sights?Ill stay for a week.

But what happened to all the troubles?

I guess theyre not so bad. I can see!

Well your eyesight is worth at least five million dollars. Youre

a rich man!

If you really appreciate your eyesight, the other pains are

insignificant. But if you take it all for granted, then nothing in life will

ever truly give you joy.

MISCONCEPTIONS ON THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS

Misconception #1: Once I know the tools for being happy, then

it will work like magic.

Dont expect the results to come automatically. It is possible to

understand how to attain happiness, yet not put it into practice. In

fact, many people actually prefer to be comfortable and unhappy,

rather than endure the discomfort of changing their habits.

Shalem Healing

Natural Medicinefrom a Nutritional Science

and Chinese Medical Perspective

Treating children and adults from 2yrs and up

414.640.5433 800 E. Locust St. Milwaukee, WI

HappinessThe Secret of

continued on page 55

by Rabbi Noah Weinberg


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laws, it is unlikely that the thousands ofChristian missionary clubs which operateon or near public high schools will cease toexist. These clubs regularly and successfullyreach out to Jewish teens with friendlystaff members and free pizza. We must

fight pizza with pizza, creating our ownopportunities through JSU culture clubs for students to encounter Judaism andfriendly, informed Jews. Not to do so is tobehave like the proverbial ostrich with ourheads in the sand.

Synagogue-based youth groups, Jewish Community Centers and other

communal institutions do an excellent jobof programming for their members andteens should be encouraged to seek out suchprograms. However, research indicates thatwe are raising a generation of non-joiners.Thus, Jewish professionals must adapt ourmembership models. Jewish culture clubs, with their low barriers to entry, can play

an increasingly important role in the questto inspire passionate Judaism. Ideally, JSUclubs should serve as feeder programs for thetraditional, institution-based, teen programs with JSU staff members and institutionalprofessionals working together to mutuallyreinforce each others programs.

Recently, in the office of one of the

National JSU directors a JSU club presidentvisited. This director reported, We hada long discussion about her plans for thefuture, her desire to travel to Israel, theimportance of selecting a college with astrong Hillel and her internal conflict aboutbreaking up with her non-Jewish boyfriend. Without JSU, this student might have

become another NJPS statistic. With JSUas a catalyst, she now has many Jewishoptions before her. For the sake of this teen,and 350,000 like her, we must support theformation of Jewish culture clubs in publichigh schools. There is too much at stakenot to

Ohr HaTorah is proud of their role inMilwaukee JSU and looks forward to newclubs being formed next school year in otherlocal and regional High Schools.

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Just as learning any new

skill requires effort, you

have to be willing to invest

serious effort to achieve real

happiness.

Misconception #2: If I become

content and satisfied with what I have, Illlose my motivation to achieve more.

Happiness doesnt drain your energy.

It adds more!

Ask a happy person: I have a boat. Do

you want to go fishing?

Great! Lets go!

Now ask someone who is depressed,

Cmon, lets go fishing!Im tired. Maybe tomorrow. And

anyway, it might rain...

Happy people are energetic and

ambitious. Theres never enough time to

do everything they want to do.

Misconception #3: If I want to be

depressed, thats my own prerogative.

A beautiful Sunday afternoon. Yourein the park having a picnic with friends.

Suddenly the air is pierced by one person

complaining: Who forgot the forks? Its

too hot for volleyball. I want to go home

already.

When our mood negatively affects

others, we recognize we have an obligation

to be happy and not spoil the fun. Thatswhy we try to put on a happy face when

were at a party.

But what about when were at home

with our spouse and kids? Or when

we trudge into the office on Monday

morning?

Like an open pit in the middle of the

road, a sourpuss is a public menace. Being

happy is part of being considerate to the

people around us.

HAPPINESS EXERCISES

These exercises will increase your

gratitude and help you build a solid

foundation for a lifetime of happiness:

a. The Daily Pleasure Count

To increase your appreciation of life,pinpoint some things you are extremely

grateful for and count them every morning

for one month, e.g.: your eyes, your hands,

your children, your cat.

Set aside a few minutes each day

to contemplate these pleasures and feel

gratitude for them.

To really drive this home, sit down

with your spouse or friend every evening

and discuss one pleasure that each of youhad that day. At the very least, youll have

a happier spouse or roommate! You can

incorporate this into your family routine

so that your children will also learn to

appreciate their daily pleasures.

b. One-Hour Blessing-Fest

The next exercise is more

challenging.Spend one hour writing down

everything for which you are grateful.

Most people fly through the first 15

minutes. The next 15 minutes the pen

moves more slowly. The next 15 minutes

get even tougher, but you can pull through

if you include your eyebrows and socks...

The last 15 minutes are excruciating.Once the list is compiled, add one

new blessing each day.

The power of this exercise is clear: You

must be conscious of all your blessings

in order to appreciate whatever new

blessings come your way.

c. Prioritize Your Blessings

To become a real expert at appreciation,prioritize your list. Which is more valuable:

your hands or your feet? Eyes or ears?

Sense of taste or your sense of touch?

Comparing pleasures forces you to

articulate the subtle aspects of each one.

continued from page 7

55continued from page 51

Ohr HaTorah would like to thank

The Helen Bader Foundation

for their assistance in making

this publication possibleand their support of our program

The Milwaukee Institute For Jewish Ethics


10/10

Ohr HaTorah - Jewish Heritage Center

7020 N. Green Bay Ave.

Glendale, WI 53209

Published by:Ohr HaTorah - Jewish Heritage CenterPhone: 414 228 8930Fax: 414 228 8933E mail: [email protected]

Rabbi Akiva Freilich - DirectorRabbi Avi Zaitschek - Director of Special ProjectsMrs. Rachel Rudman - Administrator

Ritual Items Chanukah Gifts

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All Major Credit Cards AcceptedWE SHIP WORLDWIDEContact Us At:414-228-8930

[email protected]

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