Community Magazine October 2014

LETTERS With the community’songoingsupport, theRenewal organizationhascontinued to save the livesof those in desperateneedof akidney transplant. Elul5774 September2014 VolumeXIIINo.12 TheHighHolidayShopping List Fallacy RabbiEli JMansour TheHand ofHashem:A 9/11 SurvivorSharesHisStory SpecialHighHoliday Features AchievingSerenity Through Faith Page36 w the Gift of Life Celebrating COMMUNITY 9/11 SURVIVOR STORY It is hard to believe that it has been 13 years… It is hard to fathom that so much time has passed since that tragic day. You would think that enough time has passed so that I would be able to read an article on the subject, but after reading last month’s article about Sammy Cohen and his recollection of that day, I burst into tears - all over again. Sadly, I don’t think any amount of time will be sufficient to ever forget what happened on September 11, 2001. Sammy’s message, though, should serve as a wake-up call for all of us. We, who are fortunate to be here, need to be thankful for the time we have with our spouses and family members – and not take them for granted. The article brought to my attention the fact that those who perished that day no longer have the same opportunities I do – and it is my responsibility to make the most of the time that I have while I can. Brenda P. CHESED 24/7 ROOM When my husband passed away, it became very important to me to take on a hesed in his zechut [merit] . I was on the lookout for something that would be fitting and compatible with his legacy. Then I read about the beautiful Cornell Hospitality Room (in your June 2014 issue), sponsored by Mrs. Debbi Gindi, in memory of her husband, Jack, a”h . I was inspired and I knew that I, too, had to get involved with Chesed 24/7 in some way. You see, when my husband was hospitalized for seven weeks, our lives were turned upside down and Columbia Hospital became our temporary home. I didn’t want to leave my husband’s side throughout the ordeal, so I spent many days confined to that cold, sterile hospital ward. Fortunately, I found a little oasis known as the Chesed 24/7 Room. Inside, I found everything I needed, be it a hot cup of coffee, a quick snack, or a listening ear. This kosher Hospitality Room was open 24/7 so that I could always stop in for a bit of respite or a warm meal during the long stretches of time I was there. After my husband’s untimely passing, I began a food drive to fill these rooms with food and drinks so that anyone going through a difficult medical situation would have what I had. I asked friends and community members to join with me in this endeavor, and pretty soon, from nothing, came a tremendous web of hesed . Every Rosh Hodesh we collect and distribute food to the kosher Hospitality Rooms. This is a community project that is easy to take part in and is a tremendous mitzvah. People can participate in this wonderful hesed by contacting me at Lisom57@hotmail.com. May it bring a continued aliyat neshamah [elevation of the soul] for Shlomo Chaim ben Nouna a”h . E.W. HARD LOOK Even though I like the idea of your new column – debating the pressing issues in our community, I’m still fuming about last month’s topic, “Should one show financial restraint for the sake of others?” I just can’t understand the rationale of those that support this concept. I can understand the importance of financial restraint in order to curb spending and avoid getting into debt, but I cannot understand the rationale of showing restraint for the sake of ensuring not to offend others. This sounds like socialism to me. What’s next? Maybe we should not drink alcohol in public because someone may be a recovering alcoholic and we will be making him feel bad. Or maybe we should not eat fatty foods in public in order to prevent us from hurting the feelings of those who are overweight or have diabetes. Perhaps intelligent people should not share their knowledge in public in order not to offend those that are not as smart. Or maybe people who are physically fit should not utilize all their strength so the weaker people will not feel so bad about themselves. If this sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is! And it is just as ridiculous as watching what you spend just to make sure you do not make your neighbors feel bad. The truth is – this is their problem. People who have a hard time dealing with other people who have more have their own issues that they need to deal with. The people with the ability to spend should not be penalized because of other people’s low self-esteem. Maurice T. TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK! WRITE US A LETTER MOBILE: Scan the Quick Response (QR) code here with your tablet, smart phone or other mobile device. EMAIL: letters@Community M .com WEB: www. Community M .com FAX: 718-504-4246 POST: Community Magazine 1616 Ocean Pkwy Brooklyn, NY 11223 Letters submitted become the property of Community Magazine and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Letters may be edited and revised for length, style and grammar before publication. All submissions are considered for publication unless otherwise requested. Preferential consideration is given to brief comments and insights that relate directly to published content. Anonymous letters are generally not reviewed or considered for publication. 14 Community magazine