Please add Esther Georgette bas Misolda.
Parsha Ki Savo
This week marks the end of the three very rich in Mitzvos Sedras. It also marks the end of Moshe’s second address to the nation before he departs. Now we are starting to get to the nitty-gritty of entering Eretz Yisrael and the some of the Mitzvos of the land.
26:1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and dost possess it, and dwell therein; 2 that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring in from thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee; and thou shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there.
This is the Mitzvah of Bikurim that starts with Chag Shavuos with wheat and barley and ends in Chag Sukkos with the majority of the other fruits of Eretz Yisrael of the 7 brought by this time. Usually what is left are olives and dates but some late grapes in the Chevron area, Figs on the Golan and Pomegranates might be found.
3 And thou shalt come unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him: 'I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the land which the LORD swore unto our fathers to give us.' 4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thy hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.
The poorer families brought baskets of straw but as they were richer brass, silver and even gold baskets were brought perhaps of varying sizes.
5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God: 'A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. 7 And we cried unto the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression. 8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders. 9 And He hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
This is to remind us of the initial beginnings of Avraham and Yacov through the bondage of Egypt.
10 And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which Thou, O LORD, hast given me.' And thou shalt set it down before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God. 11 And thou shalt rejoice in all the good which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thy house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is in the midst of thee.
This is also a reminder of Teruma, Maaser, the corner of the field, forgotten sheath, etc.
12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithe of thine increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be satisfied,
Poor man’s tithe was given in the third and sixth year.
13 then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God: 'I have put away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Thy commandment which Thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed any of Thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. 14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I put away thereof, being unclean, nor given thereof for the dead; I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, I have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me. 15 Look forth from Thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Thy people Israel, and the land which Thou hast given us, as Thou didst swear unto our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Thus ends the complete confession and declaration of the Bikurim.
16 This day the LORD thy God commands thee to do these statutes and ordinances; thou shalt therefore observe and do them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. 17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and that thou would walk in His ways, and keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His ordinances, and hearken unto His voice.
You should only live and be well and keep all the laws, commandments and ordinances of the L-RD.
18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be His own treasure, as He hath promised thee, and that thou should keep all His commandments; 19 and to make thee high above all nations that He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in glory; and that thou may be a holy people unto the LORD thy God, as He hath spoken.
Keep your side of the bargain your forefathers made with the L-RD your G-D and HE will keep HIS side.
27:1 And Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying: 'Keep all the commandment which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over the Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God give thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster. 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over; that thou may go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath promised thee. 4 And it shall be when ye are passed over the Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Eval, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster. 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones; thou shalt lift up no iron tool upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of unhewn stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God. 7 And thou shalt sacrifice peace-offerings, and shalt eat there; and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God. 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.'
The plastered stones lasted for years but with the Roman Conquering whatever was left was destroyed. Instead of Yud Kay Vav Kay they took Yeshu and made him into Ye-Zeus. One day some or all of the stones buried or broken will be discovered by digging in the area. For Yehoshua followed this down to the letter.
9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spoke unto all Israel, saying: 'Keep silence, and hear, O Israel; this day thou art become a people unto the LORD thy God. 10 Thou shalt therefore hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and do His commandments and His statutes, which I command thee this day.' 11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying: 12 'These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and these shall stand upon mount Eval for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
The tribes that defended the coast and eastern flank from invasion were given the blessing. The tribes defending the north-south axis were put on Har Eval.
14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice: 15 Cursed be the man that makes a graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. And all the people shall answer and say: Amen. 16 Cursed be he that dishonors his father or his mother. And all the people shall say: Amen.
One should honor and respect his parents no matter what. I recently heard a 59year non-Jewish famous director taking out vengeance on his mother instead of understanding and trying to forgive an honest heart-felt mistake.
17 Cursed be he that removes his neighbor's landmark. And all the people shall say: Amen. 18 Cursed be he that makes the blind to go astray in the way. And all the people shall say: Amen. 19 Cursed be he that perverts the justice due to the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say: Amen. 20 Cursed be he that lies with his father's wife; because he hath uncovered his father's skirt. And all the people shall say: Amen. 21 Cursed be he that lies with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say: Amen. 22 Cursed be he that lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say: Amen. 23 Cursed be he that lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say: Amen. 24 Cursed be he that smites his neighbor in secret. And all the people shall say: Amen. 25 Cursed be he that taketh a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say: Amen. 26 Cursed be he that confirm not the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say: Amen.'
All these curses are simple and logical some from Vayikra 18 and 20 and some like removing the landmark new. Removing the land mark today is just as problematic. But in the past was partially worse for the tribes divided the land among brothers and then they became first, second, third, etc. cousins so you are stealing from your own family and then you dishonor a forefather too in the process.
28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
The word OVERTAKE is used to explain that when one is G-D fearing, the blessings come unto him.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou come in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou go out.
By observing the Mitzvos, the blessings will be with you in all places. We saw this that Yitzchak was with the Plishtim and he got a hundred-fold blessing.
7 The LORD will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee; they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways.
My generation saw it in the Six Day War but the pork eating atheistic ‘leaders’ of Yisrael at the time refused to acknowledge this so they let the Arabs remain in Yehuda and the Shomron instead of crossing the river as they wished.
8 The LORD will command the blessing with thee in thy barns, and in all that thou put thy hand unto; and He will bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 9 The LORD will establish thee for a holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee; if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in His ways. 10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the LORD is called upon thee; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11 And the LORD will make thee over-abundant for good, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers to give thee.
This week one of the stories below talks about a barren couple adopting. If we were deserving but the last Lubavitcher and couple in our story would have had children.
12 The LORD will open unto thee His good treasure the heaven to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow. 13 And the LORD will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them;
See the last of the Segulas (treasures) for Rosh Hashanah below.
14 and shalt not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Moshe is warning and almost pleading “Observe, just observe!”
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock. 19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou come in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou go out.
First the curses reverse the blessings. But worse behavior brings about more and more judgements upon Israel
… 64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.
The Bible Code tells us a hidden message and that is the wood of a cross etc. and the stone of Kaaba in Mecca.
65 And among these nations shalt thou have no repose, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot; but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and languishing of soul.
Escapees from the camps risked their lives to take photos and bring them to Roosevelt and he hated the Jews as much as Hitler (see the secret agreements of Teheran where he was willing to give 6,000,000 US Jews for oil – don’t worry must Jews never learn or read this so his dirty little secret is safe from most).
66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear night and day, and shalt have no assurance of thy life. 67 In the morning thou shalt say: 'Would it were even!' and at even thou shalt say: 'Would it were morning!' for the fear of thy heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
Think back 80 years ago. People were taken from their homes and forced into ghettos. Then soon after into cattle cars and the camps if they were lucky enough to survive or into the gas chambers and ovens.
68 And the LORD shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee: 'Thou shalt see it no more again'; and there ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and for bondwoman, and no man shall buy you.
Nobody wanted to take the Jews from the Nazis but since nobody bought us as slaves eventually we grew to live in a free State.
69 These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which He made with them in Horev.
Dating the blessings and curses as a legacy before his death.
29:1 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them: Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 2 the great trials which thine eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders; 3 but the LORD hath not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. 4 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. 5 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink; that ye might know that I am the LORD your God. 6 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them.
Remember the miracles that your L-RD G-D is an active participant in your life.
7 And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. 8 Observe therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may make all that ye do to prosper.
Just a little over a week to the Day of Judgement.
We should all reflect on this past year. I am reflecting on mercy in judgement. Somehow my family managed to get through the Corona another member and I with a Gezaira of internal bleeding and blood loss. So even weaker, older, etc. I have things to thank HASHEM for.
Segula Foods: The Code of Jewish Law, some Siddurim and Machzorim have a list of these foods and the blessings. I am writing these treasured food symbols in the order of my Machzor. I have heard of Chassidim with up to 16 Segulas.
From my Machzor: The first Segula is a date (Tamar) in Heb. We make the blessing over fruit of the trees. May it be thy will our FATHER IN HEAVEN that we should make our enemies harmless (TAMU).
We then take black-eye peas (RUBIA in Aramaic) the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch uses carrots (MEHREN in his language). We make the blessing over the fruit from the ground and then say: May it be… that we should multiply our merit (RABU).
We then take leaks (CARTI in Aramaic and the test if we can see the difference between its color and white for saying the morning Shema) and then say: May it be… that we should cut off our detractors (CARTU).
We then take beet leaves (grown so as not to have worms or dipped in salt water or vinegar to remove worms) they are called (SILKA in Aramaic) and then say: May it be… that we get rid of our enemies (SALKU).
We then eat a small like green like Israeli squash colored gourd called (KARA in Aramaic) and then say: May it be…that we should rip up (KARA) the bad judgement and read (KORAYA) before YOU our merits.
We then take an apple dipped in a little honey and then say: May it be… that we have a year sweet as honey.
We then take pomegranate (Rimon) and then say: May it be…that we multiply our merits like (the seeds of) a Rimon.
We take fish and then say: May it be…that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.
We then take a head of a fish, sheep or cow (due to Kreutz – Yacov disease aka mad cow disease unless you grow your own sheep or cow, I believe they are now forbidden). Since I do not like eating fish heads, I eat tongue. I learned that from a religious lawyer named Katz. He came to Israel before me and tried to make Aliyah. He failed because he did not have knowledge of Turkish, British and other laws and he had to feed his family. He hosted my wife and I 51 years ago and went back to the States. Anybody selling his house to move to Israel from Brooklyn where he practiced got free legal counsel.
So I say: May it be…that we should be a head and not a tail. I added on my own: and that it should be a year of guarding my tongue.
There are other customs but I brought this down now for 7 or 8 shopping days until Rosh Hashanah. Now if you are not in a Jewish area some of the fruits and vegetables may not be available.
The Hidden Jews of Montana by Sara Yocheved Rigler
https://www.aish.com/sp/so/The-Hidden-Jews-of-Montana.html?s=hp1
Not related to this story. I was traveling through Montana and I stopped off at a gas station to fill-up and perhaps make a pit stop. The owner asked me if I was Jewish and I said yes. He told if I recall as it was 29 years ago that his mother was Jewish and his father Sioux. As the older Rabbi London (Yacov Z”L) used to say, “You never can tell”.
Sarah McConnell was born in Missoula, Montana, in 1972. Her father’s family, proud descendants of the Ulster Scots, were avid genealogists. They traced their family tree back to the Revolutionary War and a Lieutenant McConnell, who fought under General George Washington. With her sterling credentials, Sarah was accepted into the select Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her mother’s family was much harder to trace. Sophie, the great-great-grandmother who had come to Montana in the early 1900s, was from Europe, but throughout her life she refused to divulge her maiden name or where she had come from. Moreover, she had cut off all contact with her European relatives. Immigrating to America at the age of 20, on the boat Sophie married a man named Kasinov.
As Sarah wonders, “They never shared anything about their journey in terms of how they got to Montana or how they got out of Europe. I don't know the ports they left from, who their family was, or any details. I have always found that strange, because in the other branches of my family, we have a ton of oral history passed down through generations. People love to talk about it.”
“No one in my family is going to marry a Jew.”
When Sarah’s mother Janet was in university, what Sarah calls, “the one Jewish man in Montana” courted her. When he asked Janet’s father for her hand in marriage, however, Sarah’s grandfather flatly refused, declaring, “No one in my family is going to marry a Jew.”
When he was 83 years old, Sarah presented him with evidence that he himself had likely married a Jew.
Unlike almost all of their neighbors, Sarah’s grandmother Lucy and great-grandmother Anna did not belong to any church. When Anna was on her deathbed, someone tried to convince her to accept Jesus. Her adamant response was: “I will NEVER accept Jesus!”
Sarah has dark, curly hair and what many would call a “Jewish nose.” Nevertheless, it’s hard to account for the repeated, uncanny instances of people labeling her a Jew.
Sarah’s father, Dr. Robert McConnell, PhD, is an academic, so the family moved several times as she was growing up. She spent her high school years in Indiana, in a town founded by German immigrants. Fellow students made fun of her, calling her “a Jew.” Recalls Sarah, “The students in the high school I attended were extremely anti-Semitic. I cannot tell you how I was bullied every day because they believed I was a Jew.”
When Sarah was a freshman in high school, she had a Jewish drama teacher who cast Sarah as one of the lead roles in the Holocaust play, I Never Saw Another Butterfly. When Sarah questioned why she had been given the part, her teacher replied, “I feel like you’re of my people.”
At the age of 21, Sarah went to France. Several French Algerian Muslim girls sought her out in order to improve their English. One of her Muslim friends took Sarah’s picture, and showed it to her brother. The next day she told Sarah, “My brother says you’re Jewish. He doesn’t like Jewish people.” Sarah felt maligned by her friend’s comment, but reassured her that her physical appearance must have come from an Italian great-great grandmother on her father’s side. Although her Italian relatives were actually very fair, Sarah could think of no other explanation.
After getting her Master’s Degree at University of York in England, Sarah moved to Seattle, Washington, and got a job in information technology.
She became engaged to a man named Edward. Although Sarah was always kind to Ed’s mother, she hated Sarah, accusing her of being Jewish. Eventually, Ed’s mother forced him to break the engagement.
Broken-hearted, Sarah moved to a different town in Washington and searched for a new job. A female recruiter picked up Sarah’s resume and asked her out for coffee. She told Sarah that she herself was Jewish and added, “You look like the women in Israel. Are you Jewish?”
I always felt a kinship to the Jewish People.
Sarah responded, “Thank you. That’s a wonderful compliment because I always felt a kinship to the Jewish People.”
Some time afterward, Sarah set up her profile on a dating website. She used very specific search criteria to be matched, including the word “Christian,” but no good matches came up. One day, gripped by a strong feeling, she deleted the word “Christian” and replaced it with “Jewish.” The very first profile that came up, along with 100% matching criteria, was of a Russian Jew named Vladislav.
Vladislav was doing his second year of medical residency in Olympia, Washington. Both Sarah and Vlad were 29 years old. As soon as they met in person, they felt an immediate affinity.
Vlad’s parents, although nonobservant, were adamant that he should marry only a Jew. Early on in their dating, the subject of her not being Jewish came up. Vlad would call Sarah his “Yenta.” She would reply, “Well, I don’t think that’s the case.”
He would answer with conviction, “I really feel like you are Jewish.”
She would respond, “That sounds like wishful thinking.”
Although trained as a scientist, Vlad would insist, "I don't think so. I really do feel that you are Jewish."
Succumbing to parental pressure, Vlad broke up with Sarah five times. The irony: One prospective mother-in-law rejected Sarah because she thought she was Jewish, and another rejected her because she thought she wasn’t.
Finally, they eloped to Idaho in 2003.
A few years later, Sarah became involved again in researching her family tree. She had her father’s side in perfect detail, but her matrilineal line was still a mystery. “I was frustrated,” she recalls, “that there was nothing on my matrilineal line back in Europe.”
Sarah decided to do a DNA test on her matrilineal line. The results that came back shocked her. Her DNA put her in a cohort of almost 100 people, all of them Jews, and most of them Sephardic Jews. (Sephardic Jews are descended from Jews who chose to leave Spain in 1492 rather than convert to Christianity.)
Sarah phoned the DNA company and asked them if there was a mistake. They explained to her their strict testing protocols and their high rate of accuracy. There was no mistake, they assured her.
When Sarah informed her mother of what she had discovered, Janet responded, “Are you sure?” Sarah repeated the DNA company’s assurances. Her mother was silent for a few moments, and then said simply, “It makes sense.” Janet admitted that she had always wondered if their roots were Jewish.
The DNA results spurred Sarah to do a genealogical search of her matrilineal line. She discovered, through Ellis Island records, that her great-great grandmother, who had emigrated from Europe and had refused to divulge her maiden name, was named “Sophie Schaub.”
Sarah then researched the name “Schaub” on a Jewish genealogy database, and found “Schaub” on a registry of Jews in Spain in the late 1400s. From two directions, DNA testing and genealogy, the trail led back to the same place: The Jews of Spain.
“We come from a long line of rabbis who would rather die by the sword than convert.”
According to Jewish law, DNA testing does not determine one’s Jewishness. While Sarah’s status as a Jew has yet to be determined by rabbinical authorities, she believes she has discovered an “unbroken matrilineal line” reaching from 15th century Spain to 20th century Montana. Sarah, her husband, and two sons celebrate the Jewish holidays and are in the process of choosing a synagogue. Her journey continues.
She has made contact with many of the people who share her DNA profile. One such woman in France told her: “We come from a long line of rabbis who would rather die by the sword than convert.”
Is it possible that a spark of Jewish soul survived for five centuries, from the Spanish heroes who sacrificed everything rather than submit to the Church, through Sophie Schaub, who deliberately buried her Jewishness, yet whose daughter Anna, unaware of her heritage, on her deathbed proclaimed, “I will NEVER accept Jesus,” to a modern Midwesterner whose Jewish spark, flickering after generations of assimilation and intermarriage, still radiated a light that so many saw?
Adopting Five Children in Montana by Dr. Yocheved Alt Miller
https://www.aish.com/sp/so/Adopting-Five-Children-in-Montana.html?s=rab
In 2009, Rabbi Chaim Bruk and his wife Chavie had it all. The young couple moved to Montana to set up the state’s first Chabad-Lubavitch synagogue and headquarters, and they planned to start a family in their new home. But as time went on, the children they longed for didn’t come. “We were diagnosed with infertility,” Rabbi Bruk recalled in a recent Aish.com interview, “and it was beyond painful.”
Creating a family through adoption was an option, but Chaim and Chavie hadn’t yet decided to embark on that route. Adoption can take a long time and be emotionally grueling, and in some corners of the Jewish world there is a potential stigma. The Bruks were weighing their options when Chaim travelled to New York for the annual gathering of Chabad rabbis around the world. That trip changed their lives.
The Saturday night of the conference, Chaim joined thousands of other rabbis to watch a series of previously unreleased videos of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the late Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe was speaking with several women who were struggling with infertility and advising some to build their families through adoption.
We didn’t forget about the challenges of infertility, but as soon as we held our new daughter the pain disappeared.
Chaim couldn’t believe it. He felt he was getting a very specific message that he needed to hear. Chaim immediately called Chavie and told her about the videos. "We've considered adoption for long enough – we felt it was time to act."
Chaim and Chavie adopted a baby girl and named her Chaya. She was born premature and faced grave medical problems, but Chaim and Chavie never hesitated. “We went from being an infertile couple to parents of a beautiful baby girl,” Chaim said. "We didn’t forget about the challenges of infertility, but as soon as we held our new daughter the pain disappeared,” Chaim recalled.
Once they became parents through adoption, Chaim began noticing the many instances of adoption in the Torah and Jewish history. Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, Esther was an orphan and was raised by her cousin Mordechai. “The idea of adoption is not foreign to Judaism,” Chaim said. "In fact the Talmud teaches that anyone who raises a child – whether through adoption or as a foster parent – it's considered as if you gave birth to that child."
Meeting Our Baby Daughter at Car Rental in New Jersey
Soon after adopting Chaya, Chaim and Chavie got a phone call from a Chabad rabbi in New Jersey who heard they adopted a baby and wanted advice in placing another baby up for adoption. Chaim and Chavie immediately said they would take the baby, and a few months later they became parents to another little baby girl named Zeesy.
Zeesy was born on Shemini Atzeret which posed a challenge to the Bruks. They had only three days to show up and complete the paperwork for their new daughter and couldn't travel all the way to New Jersey in time due to the Jewish holiday. Chaim’s brother took care of the paperwork, and the first time Chaim and Chavie met their beloved little daughter was in Newark Airport the following day. “We met our daughter for the first time at Enterprise Rent a Car in Newark,” Chaim recalled with a chuckle. "It was a magical moment, despite the location."
It soon became apparent that Zeesy also had serious health issues. After four years she was finally diagnosed with Glut 1 deficiency syndrome, a rare genetic metabolic disorder that causes seizures. The Bruks have been able to manage Zeesy’s condition and today she’s a studious girl who loves discussing the weekly Torah portion with her parents, but she will have a lifelong journey of health challenges.
Our Biracial Son, the Only Black Jew in Montana
Three years after adopting the girls, the Bruks received another phone call: a biracial baby was going to be put up for adoption. Chaim and Chavie wanted to adopt another baby and discussed the potential challenges inherent in raising a biracial child. “Chavie was on board immediately,” Chaim recalled, "but I was concerned that a biracial Jewish child might face prejudice from within the Jewish community and from the wider non-Jewish community too."
Eventually, Chaim and Chavie decided to embrace this opportunity. “We decided that if God sends us a beautiful baby who needs a loving Jewish home, who are we to disagree?” In April 2013, they welcomed their son Menny into their family.
Instead of facing prejudice, Chaim has been blown away by the warm embrace Menny has received by the community.
Becoming a multi-racial family altered Chaim’s view of the world. “We live in Montana where the black population is next to zero. Here’s this Orthodox Jewish kid with a yarmulke and Tzitzis, and he’s Black.” Instead of facing prejudice, Chaim has been “blown away" by the warm embrace Menny has received by the community.
“It’s been an incredible journey for us to understand what it’s like for a person of color to be in the observant community,” Chaim said. “We have not experienced racism, but there is some confusion. Menny doesn't neatly fix into people's typical boxes.”
“Throughout his life Menny is going to have challenges based on his skin color,” Chaim said. In addition to studying Torah, playing sports and music, Chaim and Chavie have make a point of talking about Black culture and emphasizing Black role models with their kids.
Menny recently told Chaim that he wants to be White. “I responded that I want to be Black and showed him photos Barak Obama, Colin Powell, Oprah Winfrey and Condoleezza Rice, emphasizing that many accomplished people are Black." The family also enjoys the music of Nissim Black, an American Black Hasidic rapper who converted to Judaism and sings about being Jewish and worshipping God.
Having Menny in their family has benefited the entire community in Montana. “People see me with my Black child and it reminds us that Black people are real people, not theoretical people living in New York and other big cities. They’re real, wonderful people who need to be treated well.”
After adopting Menny, the Bruks adopted two more girls, each with a unique compelling story.
Their oldest daughter, Shoshana, faced many challenges in her earlier life. When she was a preteen she spent some time staying with the Bruks so she could attend their summer camp. She then asked if she might become part of their family too. The thought of adopting a much older girl gave Chaim and Chavie pause. “We eventually realized that God literally put Shoshana on our doorstep and we had to make a choice: do we answer that opportunity that God put before us?”
They decided to adopt her and she chose the name Shoshana, which means rose in Hebrew, because of her resilience and determination. She felt like a rose plucked from amid the thorns of a difficult situation to join the Bruk’s family. Shoshana also chose the Yael as her middle name, like Yael in the Prophets who fought for the Jewish people. “We call her our Warrior Rose,” Chaim said. “She fought for what she has.”
It wasn’t always easy to expand their family but today they couldn’t imagine their family without their brave teenage daughter.
Their youngest child is their most recently adopted. Chaim received a phone call in 2017 saying a baby was going to need a home and Chaim immediately knew that he and Chavie would want to adopt this baby themselves. In August 2017 Chana Laya joined the family. She was named for Chaim’s mother who passed away in 2010 after a 12-year battle with breast cancer. All of Chaim’s siblings had been able to name daughters after their mother, and it meant a great deal to Chaim to do so as well.
When we talk about unity or respect for Jewish people, it shouldn’t be just for someone who looks and sounds like you. It should be respect for all people.
Chaim and Chavie have received phone calls from people all over the world with questions about adopting. Chaim believes that adoption is becoming more common in the Orthodox Jewish world and has seen more of a willingness to adopt non-white children. “When we talk about unity or respect for Jewish people, it shouldn’t be just for someone who looks and sounds like you. It should be respect for all people.” Adopting children, raising kids with special needs and becoming a multi-racial family have made Chaim more aware than ever before of the crucial need to be sensitive and recognize the inherent value and worth in every human being.
Sometimes people tell Chaim that they hope one day he’s blessed with his own children. “I don’t get offended,” he said, "and I explain that God has already blessed me and my wife with our own children.”
Chaim encourages couples facing infertility to consider adoption. "Infertility is one of the most painful problems a couple can have, but you don’t have to live a life in silence and inner pain, crying whenever you see a baby stroller.” Adoption isn’t easy, but for some families it is the right course.
"When I gaze at our family at the Shabbat table each week, I see the beautiful rainbow of the human experience.” Each of his children is different, with their own unique path by which they came to be a family. “Each one in this family has had a different background and set of experiences,” Chaim said, “and we embrace it.”
Milestone Don Everly, 84 rock and roll singer. https://www.aol.com/entertainment/don-everly-set-standard-pop-082231910.html
Milestone Charlie Watts, 80 Rolling Stones Drummer. https://www.timesofisrael.com/charlie-watts-legendary-rolling-stones-drummer-dies-at-80/
Jewish Dr. who escaped the Nazis founded the Paralympics. https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-jewish-doctor-who-escaped-the-nazis-and-founded-the-paralympics/ Story will be told in the future ble Neder.
From crime to Orthodox Jew. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312266
Inyanay Diyoma
SGT. Barel Hadarya Shmueli injured in the head. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312158
IDF hits weapons storage in Gaza after shooting. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312157
Earlier the riots: https://www.timesofisrael.com/17-gazans-said-injured-in-clashes-with-israeli-troops-at-renewed-border-protests/
State Dept. Hacked. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312162
Debacle in Afghanistan. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312161
6.9 quake in Sandwich Islands. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/550249
Bennett – Biden meeting: https://www.debka.com/bennetts-white-house-visit-amid-us-afghan-collapse-a-chance-for-gains-on-the-iranian-front/
Poland Symbolic grave for Jews desecrated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312144
Soon Booster shots for all. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312139
Santa Monica antisemitism. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312135
New Jeopardy Host out after antisemitic remarks. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312132
96 died from Corona last week. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312118
Arab woman shot dead suspect caught. https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-shot-dead-while-driving-in-ramle-3-other-shootings-in-arab-communities/
I smell a rat. Netanyahu meets witness in HI. https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-on-vacation-at-island-owned-by-larry-ellison-a-witness-in-graft-trial/
Fake Covid Passes. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/sjqybojet
Exhuming missionary wife who pretended to be Jewish. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-chief-rabbi-calls-to-exhume-wife-of-missionary-who-pretended-to-be-a-jew/
Correction I heard the news wrong the soldier injured is Barel Hadarya ben Nitzah.
Bennett’s Corona policy slowly succeeding. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1bh11tkzy
New Covid treatment saves lives. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312235
Some provinces will not surrender to the Taliban. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/22/afghanistans-massoud-says-he-will-not-surrender-to-taliban-report/
Ed-Op Israel is destroying its tourism. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1yu3sset
Londonstan a person from the religion of peace attacks a child and a Jew. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/22/london-police-searching-for-suspect-who-assaulted-jewish-man-after-apparent-attack-on-child/
Hamas tactics cost them millions. https://www.debka.com/hamas-provokes-a-clash-to-abort-a-gaza-deal-in-bennett-biden-talks/
Many died and missing in TN. https://www.foxnews.com/us/22-dead-many-missing-after-17-inches-of-rain-in-tennessee
Trump in Alabama. https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/live-former-president-donald-trump-to-speak-at-alabama-rally/
Conservative host who did not get vaccinated dies. https://www.aol.com/entertainment/radio-host-regretted-vaccine-hesitancy-004349441-114530487.html
Bederman on the Nuremberg Code. Perhaps unlike the US and Europe, Israel does not force vaccines on workers. https://dianebederman.com/when-they-say-show-me-your-papers-show-them-the-nuremberg-code/
2 CA police officers charged, 13 suspended over antisemitism. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/20/two-california-police-officers-charged-13-more-suspended-over-antisemitic-vandalism-and-bigoted-messages/
Pax America is failing. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyhhj2cgy
Hezballah warns again about Iranian fuel. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1rplfl11y
Israel must rethink its failed Gaza Policy. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1oogtywy It was reported that certain tactics are being changed as a result of the attack on Barel.
Finance Ministry did not pay hospitals as agreed there is a movement to refuse to take in Covid Patients. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1oogtywy
Arab Mafia continues. https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-killed-another-seriously-injured-in-nazareth-shooting/
Woman killed by falling tree in gale force winds. https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-killed-by-falling-palm-tree-in-tiberias/
Corona cases slightly less than the end of last week. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312240 Three-hundred-and-six seriously ill patients are unvaccinated (45.3%), compared to 11 (1.6%) who had one dose of the two-dose vaccine, and 346 (51.6%) who had two or three doses (including the booster). Seven other patients did not have a vaccine status listed.
Young People on ECMO Machines are all unvaccinated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312233
Schools to reopen on time. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312215
Who did not get vaccinated? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312219
Who is exempt from military service. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312202
We will settle the score with those who harm our soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312188
Science and Technology Minister contacts Covid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312124
Biden’s catastrophic judgement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312212
Two old Jews fighting our culture is wrong. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/22/two-cranky-old-jews-symbolize-everything-thats-wrong-with-our-political-culture/
Man who threatened to murder Bennett arrested. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312216
Hamas trying to change the game. https://www.debka.com/hamas-provokes-a-clash-to-abort-a-gaza-deal-in-bennett-biden-talks/
US donates vaccines to the west bank. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/b1cf1100f11y
Booster shot lowered to age 30plus. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/skb60uf11f
CIA head meets with Taliban leader. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj4ordzzt
Bennett takes off for the USA. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312337
Bennett seeks reset in White House meeting. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjcjohzwk
Dr. Price wants more restrictions. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/byhjrezzf
Israel attacks Hamas after fire balloons. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rynatbmwt
China, Pakistan, India jockey for position in Afghanistan's Game. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r100cu11zwf
Wounded soldier’s parents demand that commander resign. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312332
How Hamas is fooling Israel & the international observers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312333
I wish that Ganz would fight for missing and wounded soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312329
New cases the highest since Jan. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312310
The decline of San Francisco. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312325
Suspect in stolen Sefer Torah in LI. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312299
Israel masses troops on the Gaza Border. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryh5safbt
Terrorist open fire on the IDF in Shomron. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312304
Bennett we will not annex or have a Palestinian State. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312370
PM to discussing Iran’s Nuke Ambition. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1fb5yf11f
What goes around comes around. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312377
Hackers antisemitic rage during Rio Memorial Zoom. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312381
Stranded Afghani to Biden – “You planned this”. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312365
IDF speeds up operational plans against Iran. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/25/idf-says-israel-speeding-up-operational-plans-against-irans-nuclear-program/
Explosion in Kabul. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/live-updates-taliban-gain-more-ground-in-afghanistan-as-they-close-in-on-kabul
Liberal media outlets and power-hungry Democrats are showing just how terrified they are of losing, especially to conservative front-runner Larry Elder. https://conservativefiringline.com/dems-media-reveal-theyre-terrified-of-elder-in-recall-election/
Women of Afghanistan must be heard. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/24/the-women-of-afghanistan-must-be-heard-israels-ambassador-to-un-demands-equal-rights-for-afghans-at-human-rights-council/
Germany attack on Jewish Youth. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/23/two-arrested-in-cologne-germany-for-cowardly-group-attack-on-jewish-teen-wearing-kippah/
Bennett warns of Iranian Enrichment. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/23/ahead-of-biden-bennett-meeting-israel-warns-of-dizzying-and-worrisome-uranium-enrichment-by-iran/
Syrian and Iranians attack rebels. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/23/syrian-army-and-pro-iranian-militias-attack-rebel-enclave-in-southern-city/
Four incidents in London linked to same antisemite. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/25/rampage-of-four-attacks-on-jews-now-linked-to-suspect-still-wanted-by-london-police/
If Trump is banned why not ban Hezballah and Hamas? https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/25/us-jewish-group-asks-jack-dorsey-to-enforce-twitter-ban-on-accounts-linked-to-hezbollah-hamas/
Algeria breaks ties with Morocco. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312373
Sisters die in truck accident. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312353
New PA NGO could halt US Aid. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312472
Israelis to be exempt from US Visas soon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312456
Aug. 31 dead line still in place. https://www.timesofisrael.com/emotional-biden-vows-to-finish-kabul-evacuation-hunt-down-airport-attackers/
Emotional Biden vows to continue evacuation until Aug. 31st. https://www.timesofisrael.com/emotional-biden-vows-to-finish-kabul-evacuation-hunt-down-airport-attackers/
Biden knows the Iran Deal may be lost. https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-knows-iran-deal-may-be-lost-is-open-to-israeli-proposals-bennett-staffer/
Biden calls Bennett because of postponement. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312521
Time’s Up CEO resigns for helping Cuomo. https://www.aol.com/news/times-ceo-tina-tchen-resigns-213218398.html
Dr. Fauci must apologize. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312478
Opinions the same new spirit. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312462
PLO squad member not welcome. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312493
Stranded Afghani to Biden “You planned this”. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312365
MK dies of heart attack. https://www.timesofisrael.com/raam-mk-said-al-harumi-a-champion-of-negev-bedouin-dies-at-49/
Japan suspends Moderna Vax due to contamination. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312484
Harvard – Klalit study finds less side effects from Vax. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312475
Merkel calls off trip due to Afghan crisis. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry6blqr11k
Pentagon set to make Pfizer Vax Mandate. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312308
Fishman - Hamas’s latest antics a show for USA. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjwknxm11y
Yoshua – Israel’s Military has never been in a more dangerous state. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjwknxm11y
Death toll 85 responsibility ISIS. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjwknxm11y
CA must reject the antisemitic ‘Ethnic Studies’ bill. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312470
Have a healthy, happy and peaceful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
