Community Magazine December 2013

Community Chest Hacham David Yosef Inspires at Bnai Yosef Over two dozen men were on hand for a special address delivered by Hacham David Yosef shelit”a , son of Hacham Ovadia Yosef zt”l and author of the widely-acclaimed Halachah Berurah series of halachic works, on November 18th. The hacham spoke about his illustrious father, who passed away in October, and emphasized the importance of Torah study. He told that his father would call him at designated times in order to study Torah with him over the phone, and each time Hacham Ovadia had to look up Hacham David’s phone number. Finally, his wife asked him why he couldn’t just commit the number to memory, and so he read the number 20 times in an effort to memorize it. But the next day, he still had to look up the number. A short while later, he was speaking with his son about a certain halachah relevant to tefillin, and Hacham David asked him how long it has been since he looked up this halachah. He said it was 70 years prior. Remarkably, he clearly remembered a halachah he had studied 70 years later, but he couldn’t remember a phone number a day after he had memorized it. Hacham David explained that people remember that which is important to them, and to his father, nothing was more important than Torah. Yeshivat Keter Torah Seniors visit Sephardic Bikur Holim “Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will say to you” (Devarim 32:7). The Yeshivat Keter Torah Seniors of Deal , NJ , proved their “seniority” when visiting Sephardic Bikur Holim on Tuesday, October 29th, putting their middot tovot (refined character) and leadership skills on full display. The students approached and interacted with the senior citizens with utmost grace, dignity and respect. The light of young connecting with old spread as students and seniors linked arms to create a Hanukah masterpiece. The beautiful menorah that was crafted was well received, as evidenced by the radiant faces of both young and old. Students also utilized this opportunity to get a glimpse of the past by interviewing many of the seniors, receiving the torch from the previous generation so they can carry it with them for the rest of their lives and pass it on to their own children. KOSHERFEST 2013 The 25th anniversary edition of Kosherfest, the annual trade show for the kosher food and beverage industry, took place on October 29-30 and drew more than 6,500 buyers and industry professionals to the Meadowlands Exposition Center, demonstrating just how far the kosher industry has grown in the last quarter century. This year’s show, which included a 28 percent increase in the number of attendees from just a year ago, shows the important role that major retailers play in the kosher market. Those in attendance included high volume kosher buyers from such companies as Jewel Osco, Whole Foods, Winn-Dixie, Kehe Foods, Walgreens, Walmart, Gourmet Glatt, and Evergreen. Kosherfest 2013 featured 350 booths in a sold out exhibit hall, which included 275 exhibitors from throughout the United States, as well as Israel, Argentina, the UK, the Philippines, Brazil and Canada. Sheldon Cole, Morris Setton, Joseph Setton, and Moshe Kadosh of Setton Farms Keter Torah student, Charlie Botton with Mr. Harvey Shomer. Richard Setton and Victor Setton of La Collina Toscana Eyal Edri of Food Art Marty Kairey (on right) of Norman’s Photos by Morris Antebi 92 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE