Style & Living

The recent comments by freshman Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib during a podcast have been discussed thoroughly in the Jewish, and non-Jewish, community. Tlaib, who spun an ahistorical lie that the surviving Jews of the Holocaust were welcomed with open arms by her Palestinian ancestors, has her defenders in the Democratic Party. The nefarious aspect of the defense tactics is not claiming that she is right; rather, they attack the criticizers themselves. By doing this, their goal is to silence their opponents, and this silence has a history all its own.

“Not only one has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation they rise against us to annihilate us.” These words, recited during the most emotional point of the Pesach Seder, still ring true, despite the incredible freedoms American Jews enjoy. Six months after the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, last week another shooting occurred at the Chabad in Poway, California. A few days earlier, The New York Times published a cartoon of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicted as a big-nosed dog with a Jewish star necklace leading a yarmulke-wearing, blind President Trump. Anti-Semitism rears its ugly head in many forms, and American Jews must be knowledgeable of who our enemies are and where they come from if we are to continue to survive.

Fern Penn has been taking people on tasting tours of the interesting and innovative eateries proliferating in Crown Heights. Now she is starting fashion tours of Crown Heights, where she will not only guide women to stores with stylish but modest clothing, she will help them shop there. Plus there will be a break for lunch at Basil for shopping energy.

Understand the Relationship between Medicare and Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage

Medicare benefits start at age 65, but many people continue working past that age, either by choice or by necessity.  It is important to understand how Medicare and employer health coverage work together.  Depending upon one’s circumstances, Medicare is either the primary or secondary insurer.  The primary insurer pays any medical bills first, up to the limits of its coverage.  The secondary payer covers costs which the primary insurer does not cover (although it may not cover all costs).

Break a sweat and burn calories wherever, whenever

Q: Hey, Rabbi, I know that exercising is important and I probably should be doing more of it, but honestly my schedule is just insanely busy. Between earning a living, davening, learning, time with my wife and family, I simply have no energy left! There are only 24 hours in a day! Feeling frustrated and looking to change; what would you advise me?