Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

Edited by: Fern Sidman

As the announcement of a vaccine that is 90% effective in preventing the novel coronavirus has dominated the headlines and given hope to people in every corner of the globe, we pause at this juncture to pay tribute to Albert Bourla, the chairman and CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

Founded in 1849 in New York City by Charles Pfizer, the eponymously named pharmaceutical company is one of the worlds largest of its kind and it ranked 57 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. Pfizer develops and produces medicines and vaccines for a wide range of medical disciplines, including immunology, oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, and neurology. Its products include the blockbuster drug Lipitor (atorvastatin), used to lower LDL blood cholesterol; Lyrica (pregabalin) for neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia; Diflucan (fluconazole), an oral antifungal medication; Zithromax (azithromycin), an antibiotic; Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction; and Celebrex (also Celebra, celecoxib), an anti-inflammatory drug.

Currently, Pfizer is under the dynamic and innovative leadership of a man who came from humble beginnings and who rose to prominence in the medical field through his remarkable diligence and his tireless desire to help people.

Born in October of 1961 in Thessaloniki, Greece, Albert Bourla was raised in a Sephardic Jewish family. Bourla is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in the Biotechnology of Reproduction from the Veterinary School of Aristotle University. He left Greece with his wife when he was 34 and since then he has lived in seven different cities, in four different countries.

In 2020, he was ranked as Americas top CEO in the Pharmaceuticals sector by Institutional Investor magazine. He is on the executive committee of The Partnership for New York City, a director on multiple boards Pfizer, Inc., The Pfizer Foundation, PhRMA, and Catalyst and a Trustee of the United States Council for International Business. In addition, Bourla is a member of the Business Roundtable and the Business Council.

Bourla began his career at Pfizer in 1993 in the Animal Health Division as Technical Director of Greece. He held positions of increasing responsibility within Animal Health across Europe, before moving to Pfizers New York Global Headquarters in 2001. From there, Bourla went on to assume a succession of leadership roles within the Animal Health Division, including US Group Marketing Director (2001-2004), Vice President of Business Development and New Products Marketing (2004-2006), and Area President of Animal Health Europe, Africa and the Middle East (2006-2009). In 2009, he assumed additional responsibilities for the Asia and Pacific regions.

From 2010-2013, Bourla was President and General Manager of Pfizers Established Products business from 2010-2013, leading the development and implementation of strategies and tactics related to Pfizers off-patent portfolio, (including legacy brands and generics).

From January 2014 to January 2016, Bourla served as Group President of Pfizers Global Vaccines, Oncology, and Consumer Healthcare business, where he was instrumental in building a strong and competitive position in oncology and expanding the Companys leadership in vaccines.

Previously, from February 2016 to December 2017, Bourla served as Group President of Pfizer Innovative Health, which comprised the Consumer Healthcare, Inflammation & Immunology, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Rare Disease and Vaccines business groups. In addition, he created the Patient and Health Impact Group, dedicated to developing solutions for increasing patient access, demonstrating the value of Pfizers medicines, and ensuring broader business model innovation.

Bourla became Pfizers chief operating officer (COO) on January 1, 2018, overseeing the companys drug development, manufacturing, sales, and strategy, as stated in a Wikipedia profile. He restructured Pfizer and spun-off the consumer health care business during his tenure as COO. He was promoted to the chief executive officer (CEO) role in October 2018, effective January 1, 2019, succeeding Ian Read.

During his more than 25 years at Pfizer, Bourla has built a diverse and successful career, holding a number of senior global positions across a range of markets and disciplines. Prior to taking the reins as CEO in January 2019, Albert served as the Pfizers Chief Operating Officer (COO) beginning in January 2018, responsible for overseeing the Companys commercial strategy, manufacturing, and global product development functions.

Wikipedia reported that Bourla was one of seven chief executives of pharmaceutical companies who participated in a February 2019 Senate Finance Committee hearing on prescription drug prices in the U.S. In April 2019, he was presented with the award for Preeminent Greek Leader of the global pharmaceutical industry by Geoffrey R. Pyatt, in his role as United States Ambassador to Greece, at the Prix Galien Greece Awards ceremony. In January 2020, Bourla assumed the additional post of executive chairman upon Pfizers announcement in late 2019 that Read would retire from the position after eight years.

As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Albert Bourla leads Pfizer in its purpose: breakthroughs that change patients lives, with a focus on driving the scientific and commercial innovation needed to have a transformational impact on human health.

In 2020, Bourla pushed for aggressive timelines in Pfizers development of a possible vaccine against COVID-19. He determined production of a potential vaccine would begin, at risk, while awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although expected as soon as October 2020. In late July 2020, the company was among top developers of a potential vaccine, in partnership with German company BioNTech, as they entered late-stage trials with mRNA, BNT162b2.

An Associated Press story of November 15th reported that one of the scientists behind the experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer says hes confident that it could halve the transmission of the virus, resulting in a dramatic curb of the virus spread.

The chief executive of Germanys BioNTech said Sunday that it is absolutely essential to have a high vaccination rate before next autumn to ensure a return to normal life next winter. He says if everything continues to go well, deliveries of the vaccine will start late this year or early next year.

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The Sephardic Jew that Will Save the World The Story of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla - The Jewish Voice

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

Llamas are native to neither the Levant nor to New England, but a scientist in Jerusalem, using antibodies taken from a llama in Massachusetts, may have discovered a highly effective treatment for COVID-19. Unlike the vaccines that have recently been in the news, this treatment can be given to patients who already have the virus to hasten their recovery. Nathan Jeffay writes:

Dina Schneidman-Duhovny . . . has examined the qualities of dozens of antibodies from a llama called Wally, and identified which would best fight the coronavirus in humans. The best candidates have been tested in vitro by her U.S.-based colleagues with live coronavirus and human cells, and appear to reduce significantly the viruss ability to infect cells.

Since llama antibodies are much smaller than human antibodiesthey are often dubbed nanobodiesthey are simpler and cheaper to replicate artificially. Researchers say they would not need to be taken intravenously, unlike human antibodies, and could be dosed via an inhaler, which is already being developed for clinical testing.

They are highly potent, Schneidman-Duhovny [said], adding that the nanobodies have the potential to help millions of patients. The antibodies stick to the virus and just dont come off, almost acting like glue. The antibodies are also very specific, targeting the novel coronavirus very precisely.

Schneidman-Duhovny said that judging by their in-vitro performance, her teams antibodies are more effective than anything seen to date. . . . . Her research, which has just been peer-reviewed and published in the journal Science, focuses on the potential of synthetically made antibodies, based on those produced by Wally, who lives on a Massachusetts farm.

Read more at Times of Israel

More about: Coronavirus, Medicine, Science

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The Israeli Scientist Investigating a New Way to Fight the Coronavirus with the Help of a Llama - Mosaic

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Their 400-year journey started with expulsion from Spain, continuing through Mexico with persecution by the Spanish Inquisition, finally setting in the American Southwest.

The physical journeys of secret Jews conversos or crypto-Jews ended in colonial times, but their internal journeys continue to this day.

Filmmaker Isaac Artenstein has captured some of the powerful stories in his latest project: A Long Journey: The Hidden Jews of the Southwest." It will premiere Nov. 19 on New Mexico PBS.

As an ongoing resource for both cultural and historical discovery, NMPBS was pleased to work with the producers on not only presenting a side of history that many may not know, but of also looking at the modern-day people impacted by actions taken centuries ago, says Franz Joachim, NMPBS general manger and CEO. The story of the conversos or crypto-Jews of the Southwest is a story of relevance and resilience, culture, humanity and faith, of interest beyond the Jewish community and internationally.

In 1492, the Spanish monarchs decreed that all the Jews in Spain would have to convert to Catholicism or leave the country.

Of the several hundred thousand Jews living in Spain, about half went into exile, where they could continue to practice their faith openly.

The other half remained and converted. Five years later, the king of Portugal also issued an edict forcing the Jews in the country to convert.

Some of these conversos accepted baptism sincerely, but other converted in name only, while practicing their ancestral faith in secret.

Life became very difficult for these crypto-Jews, or secret Jews, as there developed within the Spanish Catholic Church an institution known as the Holy Office of the Inquisition. The Inquisition had no jurisdiction over Jews, but as Catholics, these crypto-Jews were vulnerable to persecution.

According to the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society, vestiges of this crypto-Jewish heritage can still be found among the Hispano community.

Some families retain only suggestive practices, disconnected from any consciousness of a Jewish past, such as the lighting of candles on Friday night, observance of the Sabbath on Saturday, refraining from eating pork products, and male infant circumcision, the historical society says. In other cases, knowledge of a Jewish past has been passed down through the generations to the present time.

The documentary brings to life the fascinating stories of contemporary individuals living an outwardly Catholic life whose secret was their hidden Jewish roots.

This is the second documentary that Ive done primarily in New Mexico, he told the Albuquerque Journal. I know settlers came to New Mexico very early, and theres this deep history. You had a viceroy in New Mexico. The history is so rich.

Artenstein says the documentary recounts stories of forced expulsion, with journeys to Mexico, southern Texas and northern New Mexico; the reawakening of long-obscured Spanish-Jewish traditions, the resilience of faith and culture, and the eventual triumph of acceptance and respect over tyranny and intolerance.

The stories are set against magnificent natural and cultural landscapes, accompanied by an original score by acclaimed composer Mark Adler.

The film is a story about self-awareness and reaffirmation, and a celebration of the richness and diversity of Jewish and Latino cultures in the American Southwest that I believe all audiences will find engaging, Artenstein says. The Western frontier is, after all, one of the most influential myths in American culture.

Producer Paula Amar Schwartz and Artenstein also worked on the documentary Challah Rising in the Desert: The Jews of New Mexico.

During audience discussions following the showings of Challah Rising, we were stunned to have individuals open up and share their family stories of hidden Jewish roots; some cried as they told their story; others affectionately spoke of asking their parents, who are we? The responses varied but were usually veiled and imprecise, Amar Schwartz says. We are who we are, was one such response. This kept happening, and the more it happened the more we became aware of how much more there was to tell.

Amar Schwartz had the privilege of getting to know Maria Apodaca, a founder of a group in Albuquerque that was meeting monthly to hold Sephardic Shabbat dinners and discuss the members family histories.

Marias story was one of those told in Challah Rising in the Desert. That group, with the support of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, has now evolved into Centro Sefarad, New Mexico, with leadership drawn from around the world, she says. Another member of that group, Rabbi Jordi Gendra-Molina, also the descendant of hidden Jews, has a role in telling the story in A Long Journey.

Charlie Carrillo was among those who sat down to talk about his life for the documentary. A month after production ended, he suffered a massive heart attack and stroke.

Today, hes on the mend at his house in Abiqui, wheres hes been social distancing since before March.

My doctors told me that I had to stay away from people, he says. We have a nice home up here, and its where I can still be creative.

Carrillo is a nationally recognized santero, specializing in carved Catholic saints and painted wood retablos.

While working on his Ph.D. in anthropology, he discovered his Jewish roots and embarked on a journey of self-discovery.

This led to the incorporation of Jewish themes and iconography in his creative work.

The point I was trying to make in the film is that many of us have that ancestry, he says. We recognize thats our ancestry. But I claim to my Catholic faith. My message is that I understand its part of my ancestry. I embrace it only to the degree that I recognize. I chose to remain Catholic.

A devout Catholic, he's also a Penitente.

Carrillo says he does incorporate Jewish symbols and images with Old Testament figures.

It relates to the Jewish faith, he says. Since finding out about my ancestry, Ive been invited to Congregation Nahalat Shalom to do shows there where I was the only artist.

Unlike Carrillo, upon learning of his Sephardic ancestry, Tim Herrera began a plan to make his way back to Israel.

The La Jara resident is featured in the documentary going on a visit with a cousin who discusses the meaning of the small rocks placed on top of the graves of relatives (an ancient Jewish custom).

There had been moments in his life when he wondered where certain traditions came from.

It was butchering, he recalls. I remember my grandpa and my dad. We were butchering our own beef and he turned around to grab the knife. He wanted to cut the throat before the meat went bad. I always thought you would ruin the meat if you waited too long.

When Herrera joined the military, he had an opportunity to know people from all over the world.

Thats when he realized that what his grandfather and dad were saying was wrapped up in Jewish tradition.

Herrera says people often ask him why he chose Israel instead of Spain.

I want to go back home and let it come full circle, he says. Weve put our paperwork in, and it got denied. Were looking at the next step to continue this journey.

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Documentary tells stories of hidden Jews of the Southwest - Huron Daily Tribune

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

MONTREAL Armed police officers converged Friday on the Montreal offices of Ubisoft, a French video game company, in response to a 911 call, and dozens of people were evacuated, but no threat was found and no injuries were reported.

During the police operation, local television reports showed Ubisoft staff on the roof of their office building with doors barricaded. A police SWAT van was seen in the area.

The police did not immediately clarify the nature of the 911 call.

Gilles Douaire, an online programmer at Ubisoft, said the episode appeared to have been a prank, like somebody confused Friday the 13th with April 1st.

In a LinkedIn message, Mr. Douaire said employees evacuated to the roof and to meeting rooms in adjacent buildings because the police were not taking any chances. Ubisoft Montreal is a campus that occupies several buildings in the area, he said.

Ubisoft employees said they had received instructions from the authorities telling them to barricade themselves, to hide and to put their phones in silent mode.

The incident convulsed the surrounding neighborhood, called Mile End, which is well known for its bagel emporiums, a large Hasidic community and a cluster of high technology companies, of which Ubisoft is one of the major players.

Martin Blais, who works in an art gallery across the street from Ubisoft, said he was enjoying a quiet afternoon when dozens of officers arrived around 1:30 p.m., some with guns drawn. He said the police went from shop to shop on the street, telling merchants and customers to barricade themselves inside.

Unsubstantiated rumors of hostage-taking at Ubisoft, some reported by local media, spread through the close-knit neighborhood, Mr. Blais said, further spurring anxiety.

He said he went to the roof of his building to see what was happening and spotted dozens of Ubisoft employees on their roof. By 3:45 p.m., he saw the police evacuating Ubisoft employees.

It was frightening, Mr. Blais said. It wasnt clear what was happening.

Mr. Blais said his fear was compounded by the date, Nov. 13, the five-year anniversary of attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, the most lethal attack in France since World War II.

The date is chilling, he said.

Ubisoft has 17,000 employees at 55 studios around the world, making games like Far Cry, Assassins Creed and Just Dance. The Montreal office went through a major recruitment drive last year, and now has more than 3,000 employees, but because of the pandemic, many have been working remotely.

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911 Call Spurs Fear and Evacuation, but Montreal Police Report No Threat - The New York Times

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

Course is made available at no cost to schools and teachers across the U.S.

In response to a surge in antisemitic acts in schools, EVERFI, Inc., the leading social impact education innovator, and ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today announced the availability of a new digital antisemitism prevention course for high school students. BINAH: Building Insights to Navigate Antisemitism & Hate is designed to help students understand the history and current reality of antisemitism in the U.S. and its relation to other expressions of discrimination to help build greater tolerance and empathy in society and reduce hate.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201119005305/en/

BINAH inspires students to identify as global citizens with respect for all people. Comprising four digital lessons, students learn through short real-world stories, helping them to explore and engage in topics like the Holocaust, the lives of Hasidic Jews, immigration, and antisemitic acts in America. The inclusion of personal stories helps students build empathy, perspective-taking, and allyship.

Through this digital course, which can be implemented in the classroom or a virtual learning environment, students will be presented with real-world scenarios that prime them for long-term behavioral change using problem-solving and self-reflection activities. BINAH seeks to help students build familiarity with Jewish people, their history, culture, religion, diversity; understand what is antisemitism, its basic tropes, history, impact; promote understanding of the connection between antisemitism and other forms of bigotry/oppression with which students may be more familiar/face themselves; and foster social cohesion, empathy, and allyship with the Jewish community.

"One of the oldest forms of hate, antisemitism has perpetuated centuries-old myths that continue to plague our society in the present day," said ADL National Director of Programs on Antisemitism, Vlad Khaykin. "The first step in eradicating hate is education. Binah, the Hebrew word for understanding, is critical in changing how our society looks at, engages with, and builds upon a foundation of acceptance and respect. Prejudice of any kind can ultimately lead to hateful actions and policies, and understanding how antisemitism grows within society can help students recognize the importance of standing up to prejudice of any kind before it escalates."

Story continues

While antisemitic attitudes remain relatively low in the United States, there has been an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents, including violent crimes, in recent years. In 2019, ADL documented a record number of antisemitic acts across America, including a 19 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools. Additionally, a recent survey found that more than 28 million Americans believe a number of false stereotypes related to Jews.

"We believe that reaching young people on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion is key to addressing and putting an end to issues like antisemitism and hatred towards others," said Jon Chapman, president and co-founder, EVERFI. "The first step to addressing these issues is to educate ourselves on the biases we may hold and the impact of antisemitism and hostility toward or prejudice against people who identify as Jewish. We are proud to be able to work with the ADL to bring this important topic to high school students around the country."

The release of BINAH expands EVERFIs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offerings, one of the 12 critical skills areas EVERFI has included in its Social Impact Index (Index). The Index, announced as part of the companys $100 million commitment to social justice education, addresses the missing layer of education that contributes to mounting social injustice and greater economic inequity.

BINAH is the latest addition to the roster of ADL education and antisemitism programs challenging bias and championing justice in schools. For more than 20 years, schools across the country have been implementing ADLs signature No Place for Hate program as a foundation for teaching students to challenge bias in themselves, others, and society. In 2019, over 1.2 million grade school students took action against bias and bullying in 1,600 schools. And through ADLs A World of Difference Institute, ADL facilitators delivered in-person anti-bias training to more than 45,000 students, educators, administrators, and staff in K-12 schools and universities.

BINAH is available at no cost to schools and teachers across the U.S. For more information on the curriculum, visit https://everfi.com/courses/k-12/binah/.

About EVERFI, Inc.

EVERFI is an international technology company driving social change through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to prescription drug safety to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI is fueled by its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) community engagement platform and has reached more than 41 million learners globally. In 2020, the company was recognized as one of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and was featured on Fortune Magazines Impact 20 list. Some of Americas leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EVERFI investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Twitter founder Evan Williams, as well as Advance, Rethink Education, Rethink Impact, The Rise Fund, and TPG Growth. To learn more about EVERFI and how you can #answerthecall please visit everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @EVERFI.

About ADL

ADL is the worlds leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADLs ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. Learn more at http://www.adl.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201119005305/en/

Contacts

Jennifer EdgerlyEVERFI202-871-3637jedgerly@everfi.com

Todd GutnickADL917-544-2342adlmedia@adl.org

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EVERFI and ADL Join Forces to Teach High School Students About the Consequences of Antisemitism and Hate - Yahoo Finance

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

Sefaria.org is one of the wonders of the modern Jewish world.

The free website offers an ever growing library of Jewish texts, starting with Torah and Talmud (with English translation!) and myriad commentaries, but including contemporary authors such as Teanecks Rabbi Chaim Jachter, whose four volumes of Gray Matter halachic discussions are online.

And its not just the texts; its the features. Theres the ability to make, save, and share source sheets; topics range from the weekly Torah portion to the question of whether one should punch Nazis.

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This year, of course, computer-based learning has gone into overdrive, and Sefaria has risen to the challenge with two exciting new features.

One is a new video-conferencing feature, allowing chavruta study partners to talk with each other on screen while viewing the same Sefaria texts. Its like a watch party, but for Torah.

The other is a way for websites to automatically create links between references to the classical Jewish texts and the actual texts on Sefaria. Weve implemented this on our site (JewishStandard.TimesOfIsrael.com).

In a typically clever move, the software creates automatic links back from Sefaria to the websites that cite it. So on Genesis 1:27, for example, Sefaria now shows not only 10 Talmudic citations and 34 quotations from chassidic writings (among many other categories of classical writings), but 1015 citations from web pages seven of them from the Jewish Standard.

Until, that is, this article is posted online. Then it will be eight.

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Jewish digital library gets better and now were in it - The Jewish Standard

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

Rabbi Michael Barclay, Special to Ventura County Star Published 10:00 a.m. PT Nov. 14, 2020

There is a Jewish teaching that when Pharaohs soldiers were drowning in the sea, the angels started to rejoice, but were silenced by God who remonstrated them: the work of My hands is drowning and you want to sing songs?" (Midrash Megillah 10b).

This teaching of how we treat our opponents and about rejoicing inappropriately in victory is especially important in the challenging times of the last weeks and months. What is really our goal in any conflict, and how do we achieve that goal?

Rabbi Michael Barclay(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

In Judaism, we try to avoid war whenever possible. As famously said by Golda Meir, We dont want wars, even when we win." It is clear throughout the Bible and Talmud that conflict should never be taken on for personal glory, poweror victory, but only for spiritual purposes to make the world a better place.

This doesnt mean we dont fight when necessary, and in fact we are obligated to fight with all our passion for causes that we believe righteous. We must constantly fight evil actions and pursue justice(Deuteronomy16:20), but we fight to achieve a true peace, not a personal victory over a perceived enemy.

Moreover, it is important to never view our opponent as evil." We may feel he is misguided, wrongor even that his actions are evil; but we can never judge another person in that way. We may judge anothers actions, but no human being is so wise so enlightened, that her or shehas the right to castigate another individual as evil. This is a decision that is only in the hands of God.

More: Interfaith: A letter to the community as the election nears

And since God is infinite, no individual, no religion,and no political party has the exclusive monopoly on understanding what is right and righteous. We all need to work together in order to understand that infinite deity.

Since our ultimate goal is understanding and peace, then it is through the conflict as illustrated repeatedly through the Talmud, including Bava Metzia 84a that we begin to understand more than our own point of view.

We must not just tolerate our opponents; but accept them, understand their point of view especially when we believe they are deeply mistaken, and grow as spiritual beings in the process. Thou shall nothate thy brother in thy heart (Talmud, Arachin 16b) is an important dictate. We can hate and fight the actions, but must avoid at all costs hating the individual person.

It is this teaching that is so important in these timesand seems to have been so forgotten, especially since the election. Both political parties believe they have the way;" and all too often consider the other side evil for the last 12 years or more. This attitude will never lead to peace in our nation.

From a spiritual perspective, we are required to be politically active and to be champions for the causes, beliefsand politics that we are passionate about. But we must stop vilifying those on the opposite side of the aisle.

More: Interfaith: Faith communities of many types can treat body, mind and soul

If we follow the ways taught by our sages, it is imperative that we respect the individuals even and especially when we disagree. The goal of peace will never be served by viewing our opponents as evil," but only through respect in all forms of conflict.

May we all be blessed to see our lives, and our nation, come together in peace as we hear and respect our opponents;transforming those we consider enemies into friends that we respectfully disagree with. And may we stop and never again hate any brother or sister in our heart.

Rabbi Michael Barclay is the spiritual leader of Temple Ner Simcha and can be reached directly at RabbiBarclay@aol.com. He is a member of the Conejo Valley Interfaith Association, which meets monthly and welcomes clergy and representatives of all religious faiths.

Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2020/11/14/interfaith-even-when-we-disagree-we-should-respect-others/6286428002/

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Interfaith: Even when we disagree, we should respect others - VC Star

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

By Rabbi Zvi Hersh Weinreb

Iam fairly certain that you have heard this saying before: If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. It is a popular saying and is attributed to all sorts of wise people, ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Lucille Ball. Whatever its original source, Im convinced that there is a great measure of truth to it.

Busy people are generally responsible and reliable people. It, therefore, makes good sense to entrust the tasks one wishes to accomplish to such individuals. But it goes deeper. Busy people are always looking for new challenges, interesting options, and opportunities to use their intelligence and creativity, and that is what makes them so valuable.

There are all sorts of reasons why some individuals are not busy. Some simply lack opportunity. Others are incompetent.

But such individuals are not opposites of the busy person. The busy persons opposite is the individual who shirks new tasks, who actively avoids new assignments, who is reluctant to risk novelty and uncertainty.

Where in the Torah can we find mention of archetypes, or models, of the busy person and of the one who is determined not to be busy? I like to suggest we consider this weeks portion, Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9). I refer to Jacob and Esau, and specifically to the following passages:

Jacob was cooking a lentil stew when Esau came in from the field, exhausted.Esau said to Jacob, Pour some of this red stuff down my throat because Im exhausted! Jacob said, Sell me your birthright (the privilege of performing the sacrificial services carried out by the firstborn). Esau replied, I am going to die, so why do I need this birthright? He sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank, and got up and left. Esau despised the birthright. (Genesis 25:29-34, adapted from the expanded translation of Rabbi Chaim Miller)

Now let me to introduce you to a Torah scholar and his unique take on the personalities of Jacob and Esau. I refer to a man whom I had heard about many years ago from my childhood tutor, Rabbi Jacob Abramczyk. In his youth, Rabbi Abramczyk was a student at the Yeshiva of Novardik in pre-Holocaust Lithuania. He survived the Holocaust, but most of his fellow students did not. He often spoke to me of one of those fellow students, a man named Rabbi Yitzchak Valdshain.

Irecently came across a book entitled Torat Yitzchak, which contains a biography of Rabbi Valdshain, along with a few of the Torah essays which he had published in his lifetime. One of those essays is devoted to this weeks parsha. It is entitled, The Devout Person Seeks Obligations. That title intrigued me, and his opening paragraphs intrigued me all the more.

He distinguishes between two types of religious personalities. One he calls the Eagle. Just as the Eagle flies ever upward toward the sun, so does the Eagle-personality seek every opportunity to get closer to the Almightys service. He seeks to learn about religious obligations of which he was previously ignorant, and he seeks to become involved in new religious roles.

The other religious personality type he terms the Bat, the person who not only does not fly toward the sun but flies in the opposite direction, away from the suns rays, toward the darkness in which he is most comfortable. This person is satisfied with the religious obligations that are familiar to him and wants to remain oblivious to the other duties that might be out there. He is comfortable in his current role and does not wish to even hear of new possibilities, of new religious roles.

Rabbi Valdshain reminds us of a passage in the Talmud that illustrates these two opposite tendencies. It reads:

The later generations are different from the earlier ones. The earlier ones would bring their newly harvested crops through the wide front doors of their homes and courtyards, so that they could proudly perform the obligation to tithe their crops. Later generations brought their crops through rooftops, alleyways, and side entrances in order to exempt those crops from tithes. (Talmud Bavli, Berachot 35b, loosely translated.)

The earlier generations were Eagles, flying upward toward the sun and performing the good deeds far beyond the minimal standards. Later generations deteriorated to the level of Bats, doing what they could to evade, albeit within the letter of the law, unwanted obligations.

Rabbi Valdshain elaborates upon the differences between the two personalities. As I understand it, his Eagle is like our busy man, who is ever alert to new responsibilities, who rises to every new occasion, and who constantly broadens the sphere of his experience.

Of course, Rabbi Valdshain is concerned with the man who is busy with religious affairs, but from a psychological perspective, his analysis can easily be applied to any area of human activity.

Rabbi Valdshains Bat is not a bad person. He is a complacent person. One might even say that he is a self-satisfied person.

Taking the Eagle/Bat metaphor a bit further, one can say that the Eagle, because he is open to the suns radiance, is open to personal growth. The Bat, however, hides from the sun and so denies himself personal growth opportunities.

For Rabbi Valdshain, this is the key difference between the Jacob and Esau. Jacob actively seeks to purchase the role of the firstborn. He greatly desires the role of sacrificial service, the challenges of leadership, the expansion of his spirituality, and the opportunities for reaching out to others.

Esau, on the other hand, eschews new responsibilities and new obligations. He is satisfied with lentil stew, with the red stuff, with his basic physical needs. Sacrificial service, the pressures of leadership, challenging spiritual opportunities these are all mere burdens to him. They are to be despised.

And so, he eats and he drinks and he gets up and he leaves.

These two personality types, the Eagle and the Bat, reside side by side within each of us. There are occasions when we fly upwards to the sun and become responsible busy people. There are also, regrettably, moments when we withdraw to the dark caverns of our souls, avoid all sorts of possibilities, and forfeit growth opportunities.

Rabbi Valdshain, may his memory be blessed, urges us to be aware of these tendencies within us all. He implores us to suppress our inner Bat and permit our inner Eagle to soar.

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Ask a busy person and you'll get the job done - The Jewish Star

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

David Dardashti of Ibogaine Clinic has pioneered an alternative treatment using Ibogaine (extracted from Iboga root bark, a natural psychedelic with dissociative properties. Ibogaine in its purest form offers true perception of ones brain body and subconscious, possesses anti addictive properties and is not psychedelic) for the treatment of the highly potent and addictive Suboxone, Methadone, Subutex and Kratom drugs.

The pandemic has exacerbated theaddictioncrisis and with lack of in-person support groups, many are turning to drugs to cope with the new normal. Ibogaine treatment tackles trauma,anxiety, anddepressionhead on, and even resolves issues with Diabetes, Neuropathy, Alzheimers, acne, skin diseases, dementia, rebuilding the immune system, improving the conical gland, stimulatingweight loss, and more. Each issue has a mathematical calculation based on different conditions including age, weight, type of drugs ingested previously, personal traumas and is treated using only natural substances.

Dardashti says, We use absolute pure Ibogaine, versus Iboga mixed with unknown substances and we work with experts, doctors, neurologists, immunologists, blood specialists, general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, cardiologists, and chemists to develop the protocol. Its not a medicine or a drug. People are overdosing and there are problems with suicide, but nobody comes up with a solution. We can contribute tremendous help to solve theaddictionand opiate problem and the rising trauma andanxietycases.

Blending Talmud and Kabbalah is part of Dardashtis process, coupled with using Ibogaine as a detox without any withdrawal symptoms. With over a decade of researching treatment protocols using pure Ibogaine and other natural substances, this process delivers safe results across a broad spectrum of conditions.

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About David Dardashti

David Dardashti s work with the symbiotic Mother Nature and animals developed the early connection to spirituality. This led to an interest in studying the Talmud and Kabbalah. For more than 30 years David studied and performed in-depth research of the scientific world. David attended school in Israel and the US, graduating from Jamaica High School, NY. Upon graduation, David spent 3 years in the Israeli army. During his time of service, he was subjected to immense trauma. As a young adult, David moved to the United States to study music at

Florida Atlantic University. At the Ibogaine Clinic, the music played for patients is a compilation that David himself put together specifically for the treatment. David founded the Ibogaine Clinic in Mexico. David has treated thousands of people, healing them from life threatening conditions and restored their freedom. David has helped the world to better understand ibogaine and the natural healing powers of this substance. David has a unique ability to heal using Maimonides hypocrites and other forgotten remedies of past civilizations practices and strategies which, when paired with his thorough understanding of human anatomy and ibogaine treatment, can get to the root of ones problem in a simple, logical manner. David has found that ibogaine, helps the individual bypass physical withdrawal and cravings by neurologically triggering the central nervous system, but it is the cleansing of the spirit that is the first step to a lasting recovery. The Ibogaine Clinic has focused largely on addiction, depression, anxiety and PTSD treatment.

Opinions expressed here are the opinions of the author. Influencive does not endorse or review brands mentioned; does not and can not investigate relationships with brands, products, and people mentioned and is up to the author to disclose. VIP Contributors and Contributors, amongst other accounts and articles, are professional fee-based.

Dr. Jay Feldman is an Osteopathic medical doctor, speaker, and serial entrepreneur. He is the founder of several successful companies such as Otter Public Relations, Instelite, and REX Fitness. In addition to running multiple businesses, he hosts the Mentors Collective Podcast where he teaches the secrets to business success and creating freedom. He maintains a strong social media presence with over 200,000 followers. Dr. Feldman was recently named International Business Times Top Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2020

Published November 18, 2020

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Ibogaine Clinic Treats Suboxone Addiction and Is Saving Lives - Influencive

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

A Torah scroll. Photo: RabbiSacks.org.

Earlier this week, The New York Times carried a fascinating article. It had nothing to do with the disputed presidential election results, so you will be forgiven for having missed it. Titled Old Dogs, New Research and the Secrets of Aging, the article addresses one of the most vexing problems of the modern era the aging process.

We tend to forget that while our ancestors may have faced myriad health challenges, aging issues were never the highest priority, and research into aging and how to reverse it was primarily the field of cranks and quacks the medical health research equivalent of alchemy.

One of historys most famous longevity gurus was Luigi Cornaro, a 16th-century Venetian nobleman and patron of the arts, who promoted a demanding holistic lifestyle that prescribed a limited daily intake of food, although this had to be accompanied by a good helping of wine. Remarkably he lived into his late nineties, or possibly even to 102, and his quirky book The Sure and Certain Method of Attaining a Long and Healthful Life, was republished dozens of times, even long after his death in 1566.

But while modern medicine has seen the average life expectancy in developed countries shoot up from mid-60s to late-70s since 1950, with the expectation that it will be into the early-80s by 2050 (compare that with an average life expectancy of 40 in early-19th century England), many of the non-life threatening challenges associated with the process of aging have yet to be addressed.

November 19, 2020 7:33 am

Esther in America, edited by Rabbi Dr. Stuart W. Halpern (2020, Maggid Books/Yeshiva University).Below is an excerpt from Esther in...

In any event, according to the Times article, researchers have decided that we have a lot to learn from dogs, which is why they have begun to research exactly how dogs age, in the hope that [this] will help us understand how humans age.

There have been no remarkable breakthroughs yet, and it would appear that while the research has thrown up some wonderfully interesting and quantifiable data, we need not hold our breath for any groundbreaking news about how dog-aging insights will help us all live longer and healthier lives.

So far, all we know for sure is that dogs are similar to us in important ways [such as] what happens in their DNA as they get older. All of this may eventually lead to what scientists call a model for human aging, so that we can learn more about how we age and perhaps how to age better.

Incidentally, I was fascinated to read that as part of their research, one study compared an aging Labrador to the aging process of Hollywood actor Tom Hanks. The Labrador happened to be the dog they were studying, and they used Tom Hanks as a counterpoint because he is a celebrity in the public eye whose aging process from early life to the present we are all quite familiar with.

Or, as James Gorman, the articles author, noted: for most of us, of course, there is no pleasure in seeing a dog get older, but seeing even a beloved celebrity subject to the irresistible march of time is somehow reassuring. Well, maybe.

You may be wondering where Im going with all of this. Truthfully, I was quite struck by the serendipity of it all, as the article in the Times appeared in the very same week that we read about aging in the Torah, in the portion of Chayei Sarah (Gen. 24:1): Abraham was old, well on in years; and God blessed Abraham with everything.

According to the Talmud, the proximity of the first and second part of this verse is not a coincidence. Before Abraham, there was no concept of aging. This meant that as Isaac closely resembled his father, making them almost indistinguishable from each other, people often made the mistake of speaking to one instead of the other.

As a result of this confusion, Abraham prayed that God introduce an aging process for humans so that such mistakes would be avoided in the future. Consequently, God aged Abraham, and thats why the verse concludes by saying he was blessed with everything even aging.

Or at least thats what the Talmud seems to be saying. But as many of the earliest Talmud commentaries note, there are quite a number of Torah verses which clearly indicate that aging existed long before Isaac was born. Some of these commentaries offer the rather limp suggestion that although people did become older before Abraham and Isaac, their age was not noticeable via any external features, which was why Abraham requested that age be apparent for all to see.

But Rabbi Yochanan Zweig offers a rather more satisfactory solution. According to Jewish tradition, after Adam had sinned in the Garden of Eden, eternal life was off the table, and the human body was doomed to decay and decline. To suggest that this state of decline was invisible, says Rabbi Zweig, defies rational explanation. Indeed, the Torah itself clearly describes a visible aging process, when Sarah, after hearing that she would give birth at the age of 90, responded by saying that this totally impossible in her words: After I am already wrinkled will I have ever again have delicate skin? (Gen. 18:12)

It would therefore appear that Abrahams request was not related to physical aging, as that was a given. Rather, Abraham had noticed everyone spoke to him in the exact same way as they spoke to his son Isaac, with no particular respect shown for his advanced age, with its accompanying wisdom and experience. Abraham was very concerned that this non-recognition and non-acknowledgement of age was a dreadful mistake, as humanity must surely rely on those born before them, and learn from them, so that they can function more effectively in their own lives.

According to the Talmud (Kidd. 33a), even unlearned people must be respected if they reach old age, as their life experiences amount to facts learned and knowledge gained. It was this appreciation for age that Abraham asked God to inculcate into the psyche of mankind, to which God responded by blessing Abraham with everything, including this.

So, whether or not we can learn anything about the aging process by comparing ourselves to dogs, we must certainly recognize how lucky and privileged we are, with a vast wealth of human knowledge and experience available to us via the ever-increasing numbers of elderly people in our midst, probably the largest repository of such knowledge in all of human history. We are truly blessed.

Yet we would do well to remember the famous Oscar Wilde aphorism: With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone.

The author is a rabbi and spiritual leader in Los Angeles.

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Parshat Chayei Sarah and the Wisdom of Old Age - Algemeiner

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