Especially During Stressful Times

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Lynn

Discover how 10,000 steps a day can be your secret weapon to resilience, clarity, and calm—no gym or extra time required.

The notification pings on my phone: “Great job! You’ve reached your daily goal of 10,000 steps.” It’s late at night and I’ve just finished pacing my living room to hit the number that has become my lifeline.
Judaism has long emphasized the connection between physical and spiritual well-being. The concept of shmiras haguf (guarding one’s body) is considered a mitzvah, a religious obligation. The Rambam (Maimonides), a 12th-century Jewish philosopher and physician, wrote extensively about the importance of physical health as a prerequisite for spiritual growth.
In his work “The Laws of Character Development,” the Rambam states: “Since maintaining a healthy and sound body is among the ways of G-d—for one cannot understand or have any knowledge of the Creator when ill—therefore one must avoid that which harms the body and accustom oneself to that which is healthful.”
This ancient wisdom aligns perfectly with modern research showing that physical well-being creates the conditions for optimal human functioning.
In our increasingly stressful world, I’ve learned that we cannot control outcomes, only the process of how we show up. And movement is crucial to showing up properly in life.
During periods of personal stress—whether family challenges, job uncertainty, health scares, or any crisis—movement cannot be optional. It’s the difference between surviving and thriving, between barely coping and maintaining your capacity to show up for what matters most.

Who Has Time to Exercise?
“I know I should exercise, but I just don’t have time.” This is the most common excuse I hear. Between work, family obligations, and constant demands, carving out 60 minutes for the gym feels impossible. 10,000 steps is the solution! Unlike traditional exercise, it doesn’t require finding extra time—you’re simply doing your existing activities more actively.

The Science Behind the Steps
The magic number of 10,000 steps isn’t arbitrary. Research consistently shows this benchmark creates measurable changes in both body and mind. Tom Rath, in his groundbreaking work “Eat Move Sleep,” demonstrates how daily movement serves as a “keystone habit”—one behavior that triggers positive cascades throughout our entire day.
People who walk 10,000 steps daily experience 12% better mood throughout the day, improved sleep quality by an average of 23 minutes, enhanced cognitive function and decision-making ability, and reduced cortisol levels.
And the 10,000 steps brilliantly solves the time problem. Every phone call becomes a walking opportunity. Every period of waiting becomes pacing time. You’re not doing extra activities—you’re doing existing activities while moving.
The Top 7 Ways to Hit 10,000 Steps Without Finding Extra Time
Here are the most effective strategies for seamlessly integrating movement into your existing daily routine. (You can easily track 10,000 steps a day using a fitness tracker, smartwatch, or step-counting app on your phone that logs your movement automatically.)

1. Walk during every phone call–This is the single biggest game-changer. Business calls, catching up with friends, coordinating with family—all happen while walking. A 30-minute call easily adds 1,500-2,000 steps.
2. Transform waiting time into pacing time–Waiting for elevators, meetings to start, coffee to brew, kids at pickup—every waiting moment becomes walking time. These micro-movements accumulate surprisingly quickly.
3. Make transportation more active–Park farther away, get off one stop early, or take the stairs always. Whether driving to work or taking public transport, these simple changes add 600-1,000 steps twice daily without any extra time commitment.
4. Turn family time into walking time–After-dinner neighborhood walks, bedtime routine walks with kids while chatting about their day, or walking during children’s activities instead of sitting. This creates quality connection time while adding 1,200-1,500 steps.
5. Convert household tasks into movement opportunities–Walk while talking to family about their day, pace while helping with homework, walk around while dinner cooks, or take multiple trips carrying groceries. Transform necessary tasks into active time.
6. Implement walking meetings–For one-on-one meetings, brainstorming sessions, or creative thinking, suggest walking instead of sitting. Many breakthrough ideas happen during walking conversations.
7. Strategically add movement to errands–Walk to nearby stores instead of driving, browse different sections of larger stores, or walk around the perimeter while shopping. Make necessary tasks more active.
   The secret is recognizing that you’re already spending time on phone calls, family conversations, waiting, and performing daily tasks. These strategies simply add movement to time you’re already using.

Taking the First Step
If you’re dealing with stress in your life, prioritize movement. Start with 10,000 steps. No gym required – just the decision to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes, the most profound act of love—for ourselves and for those who depend on us—is to keep moving forward, one step at a time.

Rethinking balance, digestion, and nourishment during the holiday

Laura Shammah, MS, RDN

Passover is a holiday centered around freedom, yet for many people, food during Passover can feel anything but freeing. Between the removal of familiar foods, the abundance of rich holiday meals, and the pressure to “do it right,” Passover can become a week of digestive discomfort, food guilt, or all-or-nothing eating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Passover offers a powerful opportunity to reconnect with nourishment, balance, and intention.

During Passover, eating patterns naturally change. Bread, grains, and many everyday staples disappear, while foods like matzah, potatoes, eggs, meat, chicken, and richer desserts often take center stage.
This sudden dietary shift can affect digestion, energy levels, and hunger cues. Many people notice constipation from increased matzah and reduced fiber, feeling overly full from heavy meals, blood sugar swings from long gaps between meals, and eating out of structure rather than hunger. None of this means you’re doing Passover “wrong.” It simply means your body is adjusting.

Matzah Is Not the Enemy
Matzah often gets blamed for digestive discomfort, but the issue is usually balance, not matzah itself. Matzah is essentially a refined carbohydrate without fiber or fat. When eaten alone, it digests quickly and doesn’t provide lasting satisfaction.
Instead of avoiding matzah, pair it strategically. Matzah can be eaten with egg and avocado, tuna and vegetables, or nut butter. Adding protein and fat improves satiety, digestion, and blood sugar stability.
It’s also worth noting that spelt and whole-wheat matzah are available each year, which can provide more fiber and help support digestion and fullness for those who tolerate them.

Preventing the “Passover Constipation” Problem
Constipation is one of the most common Passover complaints. The solution is gentle consistency, not extreme fiber loading.
Helpful strategies include drinking enough fluids throughout the day, including fruits and vegetables at meals, adding olive oil, avocado, or nuts daily, and incorporating light movement after meals. Cooked vegetables, soups, berries, kiwi, and stewed fruits tend to be easier on digestion than large raw salads during this week.

The Long Meal Reality
Seder meals are long. Very long. It’s easy to arrive overly hungry and eat quickly once the meal begins. A small snack before the Seder, like yogurt, vegetables, and chicken, or eggs, can help regulate hunger so you can enjoy the meal comfortably.
Eating slowly during the Seder also allows your body’s fullness signals to catch up with the pace of the meal.

Passover and Emotional Eating
Holidays can bring joy, stress, nostalgia, and family dynamics, often all at once. Food sometimes becomes the easiest way to cope with these emotions.
If this happens, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human. Passover is actually a meaningful time to practice awareness by noticing hunger and fullness, eating foods you truly enjoy, sitting down while eating, and allowing meals to feel satisfying rather than rushed or restricted.
Freedom includes freedom from guilt. Passover is only eight days. Your body does not need perfection during this time. It needs consistency and nourishment. You don’t need to compensate for heavier meals. You don’t need to avoid dessert. You don’t need to “start over” after the holiday. You simply return to your normal rhythm when Passover ends. That, too, is freedom.

Four pieces of Esther Perel’s incisive wisdom that keep marriages alive

Debbie Gutfreund

Esther Perel has been a couples therapist for over 40 years and has written extensively on desire and fidelity. One idea runs through all of it, “Love is a verb, not a permanent state of enthusiasm.” To protect and sustain your marriage, you need to nurture it every day.
Here are four ways to do that, drawn from Perel’s teachings.

1. Protect the Space Between You.
   Perel teaches that in every relationship there are two individuals, but also a third entity, the relationship itself. She encourages couples to make decisions together that prioritize the health of the relationship over their individual preferences. Protect that space by being careful not to criticize your spouse in public and by keeping intimate details about your relationship private. “Don’t just protect yourself, protect the ‘us.’”
2. Maintain Autonomy and Mystery.
   One danger for couples who have been happily married a long time is that they stop preserving their individual autonomy. Perel cautions partners to maintain their own identity and interests. Over-merging can sometimes damage a relationship just as much as too much distance. Desire requires space, and when a couple becomes too fused, attraction can fade.
   Leave room for mystery by cultivating a rich inner life that does not require your spouse’s constant involvement. “Fire needs air. Too much closeness can extinguish desire.”
3. Stay Curious About Your Partner.
   The person you married is not the same person you are married to today. Perel encourages spouses to stay curious about each other and to recognize that both of you are constantly evolving.
   Try to see your partner with fresh eyes by asking different questions and avoiding mind-reading. Use open-ended prompts like “Help me understand what was happening for you in that situation.” Or go deeper, “When do you feel most like yourself? What makes you feel free?”
   The answers might surprise you. “Assumptions are relationship killers.” Ask before you assume you know how your partner feels.
4. Talk About Difficult Things Early.
   After decades as a couples therapist, Perel found that one of the best ways to maintain a good marriage is to address difficult issues as soon as they arise. Do not avoid hard topics just because they are uncomfortable. This is especially true when resentment or hurt has crept in. Address it before it festers and creates more distance.
   Perel believes that behind every criticism is a longing. What have you been wanting that you have not said? “It’s not the fight that destroys couples, it’s the silence. Resentment thrives in avoidance.” Own your part in the conflict, avoid scorekeeping, and steer clear of emotional disengagement.
   Jewish wisdom teaches that love changes both us and the world around us. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “Love transforms us. It makes us beautiful in the eyes of those who love us. It makes us real.”
   Perel encourages spouses to allow themselves to transform and be transformed through the different stages of a continuously evolving marriage. Through that growth, marriage can make you feel safe and free at the same time. “When we seek love, we look for safety. When we seek desire, we look for freedom. Strong marriages learn to hold both.” q

How Israeli Athletes Showed Resilience and Pride at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Israel rarely comes to mind when people think about the Winter Olympics. Snow and ice sports are not part of daily life in a Mediterranean country better known for beaches and desert heat. Still, every four years, a small group of Israeli athletes steps onto the world stage to compete in events shaped by cold climates and long traditions. Their presence is modest in size but meaningful in spirit. It reflects persistence, identity, and the steady growth of winter sports connected to Israel.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Israel sent nine athletes competing in five sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, skeleton, and bobsleigh. The delegation finished the Games without a medal. Yet the results told only part of the story.
Israel has participated in the Winter Olympics since 1994, and its delegation has always been small. Unlike countries with deep winter traditions, Israel relies heavily on athletes who train abroad. Many competitors grow up in colder climates or develop their skills in Europe or North America. Participation itself carries weight.
One of the most notable developments at these Games was Israel’s first Olympic bobsled team. Pilot Adam “AJ” Edelman spent years building the program, recruiting athletes, raising funding, and securing training opportunities overseas. Edelman previously competed for Israel in skeleton at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang before turning his focus to bobsled development. He is also recognized as the first openly Orthodox Jewish athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics while maintaining full religious observance during competition.
In the two-man bobsled event, Edelman competed alongside brakeman Menachem Chen. The team completed its Olympic runs and recorded Israel’s first official Olympic result in the sport, finishing 26th. The four-man team completed two heats before being disqualified due to a substitution violation involving an attempted lineup change.
Israel was also represented in skeleton by Jared Firestone, who finished 22nd overall. In alpine skiing, Barnabas Szollos finished 26th in slalom, continuing a career that included both alpine skiing and short track speed skating at the Olympic level.
Figure skating remained one of Israel’s most visible winter disciplines. Mariia Seniuk finished 24th in the women’s singles event. Daniel Samohin continued to represent Israel internationally, and ice dancer Evgeni Krasnopolski added to his long Olympic résumé, having represented Israel in multiple Winter Games with different partners over the years.

Israel’s first Olympic bobsled appearance came with unusual challenges. During training in Italy, members of the Israeli bobsled team reported that their apartment had been burglarized while they were away at the track. Suitcases, equipment, personal belongings, and team passports were stolen, creating serious logistical obstacles just days before competition. The team continued preparing while working to replace essential documents and gear.
The bobsled team, sometimes referred to as “Shul Runnings,” pressed forward despite the disruption. Their participation also drew international attention during a live broadcast when a Swiss television commentator questioned Edelman’s presence at the Games, prompting criticism and later removal of the remarks by the broadcaster. In a separate incident, an Italian state broadcaster issued a public apology after an inappropriate off-air comment about the Israeli bobsleigh team was inadvertently aired. During the opening ceremony in Milan, the Israeli delegation entered the stadium to a mixed reaction from the crowd, including a small number of boos that were largely drowned out by music and applause.
The Olympics were meant to be politically neutral, focused on sport and international unity, yet global conflicts followed athletes onto the world stage. For Israeli competitors in Milan and Cortina, the ongoing war in Gaza and broader debates about Israel surfaced in public conversation around the Games. Israel’s delegation reflected the country’s diversity, including participation by a Druze athlete competing under the Israeli flag. Jewish sports organizations and Olympic observers also pointed to increased antisemitic incidents connected to international sporting events in recent years.
Despite finishing without a medal and facing setbacks during the Games, Israel’s athletes expressed pride in representing their country and competing on the Olympic stage. They stood tall and focused on performance, even when the environment around them felt tense.
Winter Olympic participation looks different for smaller delegations. Success is measured less by medals and more by qualification, completion, and growth. Each athlete who reaches the Olympic stage helps build momentum for future competitors.
When the Milan Cortina Games closed, Israel returned home without a medal but with experience, historic firsts, and greater visibility for winter sports connected to the country. Competing on the Olympic stage as proud Jews and Israelis, the athletes represented their nation with determination and dignity. For a country without snow-covered mountains or sliding tracks, showing up and competing at the highest level remains an achievement in itself.

Inside the Dolce & Gabbana Exhibition in Miami

Natalie Senior

Are you headed to Florida for the Passover break? This is a wonderful exhibit to go see during Hol Hamoed. Head over to the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) for a dose of high fashion with “From Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana.”

Following acclaimed, sold-out exhibitions in Milan, Paris, and Rome, this comprehensive retrospective represents the brand’s inaugural major exhibition in the United States. Curated by a renowned Italian fashion historian, the exhibition showcases more than 300 archival and modern pieces as a tribute to Italian culture.
The exhibition is structured as a theatrical experience, encompassing 12 themed rooms that reflect the multifaceted nature of the designers’ vision. Each area examines a distinct aspect of the Dolce & Gabbana identity, seamlessly integrating elements of fashion, art, architecture, and folklore. Each collection vibrantly comes alive through one of twelve dramatic acts. Some examples of these are “The Sicilian Room,” which is designed for joy. This space showcases vibrant tile floors, painted walls, and folkloric-adorned refrigerators, along with whimsical items like cannoli-decorated purses. In “Opera and Ballet,” theater is celebrated with couture inspired by Puccini and Verdi, accompanied by opera music. “Glasswork and Mirrors” features intricate beaded garments set against a backdrop of mirrors and chandeliers. “The Atelier” space recreates the designers’ workshop with mannequins, sketches, and materials.
In an interview with the curator Florence Muller, she describes the creation process of this exhibit: “Curating an exhibition like this is a very complex process. I began by delving into the history and archives, looking at what has been preserved and then discussing with the designers to understand their creative intention and what they wanted to communicate. The exhibition is an homage to the encounter between the creative idea, the master craftsmanship, and the creative passion that brings the designer’s desire to life. I feel very privileged to be able to understand their work, their intention, and their dream of creating beauty from the inside out.”
Most visitors to the exhibit have raved that the show was absolutely beyond their expectations and, if given the opportunity, this show is not to be missed. They appreciated the ability to learn about the history, culture, art, and passion of Dolce & Gabbana.
Located in the heart of the Miami Design District, the exhibition has become a must-see for locals and tourists alike. ICA Miami is located at 23 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137. The museum is open daily, with extended hours until 10:30 PM on Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets are available for purchase at https://miami.dolcegabbanaexhibition.com/. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, as this show has been consistently selling out.

This popular Chinese game has been largely shaped by a group of Jewish women

Dr. Yvette Alt Miller

Mah Jongg began as a Chinese game but the version millions of Americans recognize today was decisively shaped by Jewish women in the United States. A fast-paced tile game played by four people, Mah Jongg challenges players to draw and discard brightly colored tiles in order to complete specific winning patterns. It demands strategy, memory, and nerve.

Over the past century, the game has traveled from late imperial China to Jazz Age Shanghai, from 1920s American department stores to suburban living rooms and synagogue fundraisers. Along the way, it has been reinvented, most influentially by a group of American Jewish women who standardized the rules and tied the game to philanthropy, giving Mah Jongg a distinctly Jewish American identity.

Origins in Shanghai
In China during the late Qing Dynasty, which lasted until 1911, gambling games became extremely popular among men. New variations of old games sprang up all the time. One such innovation was a new way to play the old Chinese card game called madiao, instead of using cards, players began using ivory tiles instead. The tiles made a clicking game which reminded some people of the sound that sparrows make as they twitter together. In southern Chinese dialects, the word sparrow sounds like ma tsiang or ma chiang. Soon, the new game was called “Sparrow,” Mah Jongg, and pictures of sparrows appeared on some of the tiles.
Mah Jongg became a sensation in the southern Chine­se port city of Shanghai, which was home to a large European population of merchants and their families. Before long, European residents of the city were playing the game too. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, Europeans embraced Mah Jongg as a family game, with both men and women becoming avid players. Playing a “foreign” game like Mah Jongg was seen as a sign of sophistication by European expats, and the game dominated the evenings in European social clubs throughout Shanghai.
In 1921, Elsie McCormick, an American living in Shanghai, described Mah Jongg’s ubiquity in the local China Press newspaper: “Visitors to Shanghai who ride past any of the clubs” heard an odd clicking sound, “the galloping ivories of China.” Mah Jongg was so popular, she wrote, that it soon might displace Bridge as the European game of choice.

Bringing Mah Jongg to America
Bringing Mah Jongg, or Mahjong as it was spelled at the time, to the United States was the brainchild of three American men who met in Shanghai in the early 1900s and became fast friends. Albert Hager left the USA in 1901 to become a teacher in the Philippines. He eventually moved to China and set up a correspondence school in Shanghai. One of his employees was Anton Lethin. An adventurer with a longing to travel, Lethin had moved to Shanghai at the beginning of World War I and served in China’s volunteer force throughout the war. Joseph Babcock worked for Standard Oil, which sent him far from his home in Indiana to live and work in Shanghai.
Together, these three men decided to shed their jobs and embark on a new enterprise, manufacturing Mah Jongg tiles and selling the game to new audiences in the United States. They formed the Mah-Jongg Company, employing Chinese artisans to manufacture beautiful game sets, and shipped them to New York. They were sold at Abercrombie & Fitch, which at the time sold games. Chinese immigrants played Mah Jongg in New York and elsewhere, but Babcock, Hager, and Lethin wanted the game to feel more upper class and accessible to American players.
Babcock wrote a bestseller titled Little Red Book of Rules. The men tried to create a sense of mystique about the game, telling journalists that Mah Jongg was an ancient Chinese game and was played by Confucius over 3,000 years ago. They claimed, inaccurately, that Mah Jongg was called “the gift of heaven” and “the game of a hundred intelligences” back in China.
“By creating this origin myth, which became really widespread and lasting, about the game, marketers separated it from contemporary Chinese immigrants in terms of class and status,” explains Dr. Annelise Heinz, author of Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture (2021).
The ruse worked. Mah Jongg became a popular fad in the United States in the 1920s. Seen as cosmopolitan and exotic, players of all ages and ethnicities, first in New York, then elsewhere in the country, embraced Mah Jongg in clubs, at parties, and in their homes. Department stores offered in-store Mah Jongg classes, feeding the craze and providing new customers to buy Mah Jongg sets. The fact that it seemed exotic and foreign only added to its appeal.
Jewish American songwriter Eddie Cantor wrote a comic song “Since Ma is Playing Ma Jong” for the 1923 Ziegfeld musical Kid Boots. Jewish American composer George Gershwin wrote the song “Mah-Jongg” the following year for a Broadway musical Sweet Little Devil. For a time, the game was a byword for faddish exoticism and fun.

Becoming a “Jewish game”
Mah Jongg’s initial popularity in the 1920s was short-lived. After the stock market crash in 1929, the mood in America turned sharply away from seemingly frivolous pastimes like the game. By the time World War II broke out, Mah Jongg was rarely played in the US.
Historian Dr. Annelise Heinz observes: “By the 1950s, most Americans had shelved their mahjong sets. Mainstream media rarely mentioned the game except…to reference the outmoded fad of the 1920s.”
Jewish women were a major exception to this trend. By the 1950s, Mah Jongg was firmly established in American consciousness as a “Jewish” game, played by women. Media references to Mah Jongg in the 1950s overwhelmingly mention the game in conjunction with Jews.
Some historians posit that this was because Jewish women were more highly educated than the general population and also disproportionately stayed home to raise their families. After doing housework all day long, some academics theorize, the prospect of getting together with other women over a leisurely game of Mah Jongg seemed like a tempting break.
Jewish spaces embraced Mah Jongg. Resorts in the Cat­skills featured the game as a central activity, and Jewish networks in cities across America organized regular Mah Jongg gatherings. Over time, many Jewish women came to see playing not only as recreation but also as a way to raise money for charity. Although Mah Jongg originated as a gambling game, and some players still wager while they play, its growing association with philanthropy stemmed from a major innovation in the late 1930s, the founding of the National Mah Jongg League, created by a group of remarkable Jewish women.

Jewish Women Reinventing Mah Jongg
The version of Mah Jongg most Americans play today was largely shaped in 1937 in New York City by five Jewish friends who loved the game. They founded the National Mah Jongg League, which standardized the rules, reshaped the game, and helped propel its popularity nationwide.
Dorothy Meyerson, who grew up in an immigrant Jewish home in New York, developed a deep passion for Mah Jongg and had strong opinions about how it should be played. By the 1920s, countless variations of the game had emerged. Different social circles introduced their own elaborate rules. In some cases, the game became so complicated that interest began to decline. Even the wives of American Air Force pilots had created their own standardized version, known as the Wright-Patterson variation, which still exists today.
Inspired by such efforts, Dorothy began envisioning a streamlined, Americanized standard of her own. She created a simplified version of Mah Jongg and in 1936 published a book promoting it titled That’s It!, a nod to the triumphant cry of a winning player. Energetic and determined, Dorothy hired women to promote the book, encouraging customers to purchase it for one dollar and adopt her method of play. For many of these women, the income mattered, and they worked diligently to spread the word about Dorothy’s innovations. As interest revived, department stores in New York and elsewhere, including the May Company, owner of Lord & Taylor, reopened Mah Jongg clinics they had closed a decade earlier.
Around this time, another Jewish New Yorker, Viola Cecil, reached out to Dorothy. Viola loved Mah Jongg and lamented its fading popularity. Impressed by Dorothy’s efforts to revive the game, she proposed joining forces to restore it to prominence.
In 1937, Dorothy and Viola organized a public meeting of Mah Jongg enthusiasts to discuss standardizing the rules. They chose the fashionable Essex House Hotel in Manhattan where Viola lived. Expecting perhaps a hundred attendees, they were astonished when nearly 400 women arrived. Participants traveled from across New York City and beyond, eager to help unify the rules and rescue the game from the factionalism that threatened its future. After hours of spirited debate, the group voted to form the National Mah Jongg League. Viola Cecil became president and Dorothy Meyerson vice president, positions they would hold for years.
One of the League’s most visible changes was to the game’s name. Formerly spelled Mahjong or Mah Jong, it now became Mah Jongg, with an added “g.” The League also standardized the rules. “No one person created the new way to play,” Dorothy later explained, though the final version closely reflected the system outlined in her book. Together, Dorothy and Viola authored an instruction manual, How to Play Mah Jongg, presenting the game as transformed from an “ancient game of the Mandarins” into a “new American game made up of representative suggestions from different groups.”

Identifying Mah Jongg with Jewish Charities
National Mah Jongg League rule cards are modestly priced, but the annual fees players pay add up. From its earliest years, the League closely linked the game to charitable fundraising, with Jewish charities representing a large and steadily growing share of the beneficiaries.
During World War II, the League raised funds for both Jewish and non-Jewish war-related causes. After the war, much of its charitable giving supported Jewish and general organizations aiding victims of the conflict. As Mah Jongg increasingly came to be seen as a “Jewish” game, however, a larger proportion of donations went specifically to Jewish causes. The 1950 rule card was the last to list American charities on its cover. Thereafter, the cards simply stated, “Proceeds donated to charitable causes.”
“After World War II, the League’s philanthropy noticeably shifted as more individual donations flowed to specifically Jewish organizations and, especially, to support the new state of Israel,” observes historian Dr. Annelise Heinz.
One prominent beneficiary was Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah program, originally established to aid Jewish orphans in Europe and later focused on helping orphans and disadvantaged children in Israel. Dr. Heinz illustrates this pattern through the story of Martha Lustbader, who led her local Hadassah chapter in Newburgh, New York. Lustbader relied on Mah Jongg parties to raise funds through ticket and raffle sales, directing the proceeds toward building a hospital in Israel, a cause she passionately supported. She ensured that her Mah Jongg group actively backed these fundraising events. Throughout the postwar years, thousands of women like Lustbader used Mah Jongg gatherings, tournaments, and clubs to generate significant support for Jewish causes, channeling the charitable commitments of their friends and neighbors.
Former National Mah Jongg League president Ruth Unger later explained that the Jewish value of tzedakah (charitable giving) helped sustain the game’s popularity. As synagogues and Hadassah chapters depended on selling Mah Jongg cards to raise funds, they had a vested interest in promoting the game, organizing classes, hosting tournaments, and ensuring that enthusiasm for Mah Jongg remained strong. Hadassah and other Jewish organizations remain among the League’s official charitable beneficiaries today.

Resurgence Today
Mah Jongg is undergoing a resurgence today, with younger and more diverse players discovering the joys of the game. Mah Jongg events advertised on the online platform Eventbrite rose 170% between 2023 and 2024 worldwide. New York has seen the most new interest, followed by San Francisco, then Houston, where Mah Jongg events advertised on Eventbrite rose a whopping 867% between 2023 and 2024. As a new generation discovers the joys of Mah Jongg, let’s embrace this game’s rich history, including the many contributions made by generations of Jewish women.

This month’s Community Photo Album celebrates Purim. Our schools, shuls, and organizations came together with lively programs, festive parties, and creative celebrations that brought people of all ages together. The photos capture children and families in costume, friends reconnecting, and the many acts of hesed and giving that define the holiday.

Reset your menu after the holidays

After a week of holiday meals, many kitchens are ready for something lighter. Spring brings fresh vegetables, bright flavors, and simple dishes that feel balanced without being complicated. A few good ingredients and straightforward cooking can go a long way.

These recipes focus on clean flavors and everyday practicality. They rely on vegetables, fresh herbs, olive oil, and simple preparation. The goal is not to cook less, but to cook in a way that feels fresh again. The dishes that follow are easy to prepare and work well for weekday dinners or a relaxed weekend meal.

Spring Greens and Avocado Salad
Parve
Yields: 1 large salad
Serves: 4

Ingredients
• 6 cups mixed spring greens
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the spring greens in a large serving bowl.
2. Add the sliced avocado, radishes, and cucumber.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.
5. Toss gently so the vegetables are coated but the avocado remains intact.
   Serve immediately.

Honey Dill Carrots
Parve
Yields: about 4 cups
Serves: 4

Ingredients
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsps fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the carrots on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and honey.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
5. Spread the carrots in a single layer.
6. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until the carrots are tender and lightly browned.
   Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh dill before serving.

Tomato Olive Baked Cod
Parve
Yields: 4 fillets
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup pitted olives, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the cod fillets in a baking dish.
3. In a bowl combine the cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Spoon the mixture evenly over the fish.
5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
   Serve warm with the tomato and olive mixture spooned over each portion.

Roasted Tomato Spinach Pasta
Dairy or Parve
Yields: about 6 cups
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces whole wheat pasta
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.
4. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to burst.
5. Heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted.
8. Add the cooked pasta and roasted tomatoes to the skillet.
9. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to combine.
   Serve warm with Parmesan cheese if using. q

How LibertyFiling.com simplifies the process and saves you money

Ben G. Matsas

Starting a business often begins with a simple step. You choose a name, register a company, and begin building something of your own. For many entrepreneurs, that first step means forming a Limited Liability Company, often called an LLC. The structure offers personal liability protection and flexible taxation, which is why it has become one of the most common choices for small business owners and real estate investors.

In New York, however, forming an LLC involves more steps than many people expect. The process begins with filing Articles of Organization with the New York Department of State Division of Corporations. This document lists basic information about the company, including the business name and the county where the office is located. The state filing fee is $200. Processing typically takes about five to ten days with standard service or two to three days if expedited service is requested. To keep an LLC in good standing, New York requires a biennial statement filing every two years, which currently costs $9.
New York also has a unique requirement under Section 206 of the New York Limited Liability Company Law. Within 120 days of the filing date, the LLC must publish notices of its formation in two newspapers selected by the county clerk in the county where the business is located. One newspaper must be daily and the other weekly. The notice must run once a week for six consecutive weeks.
Failure to complete the publication requirement can suspend the LLC’s authority to carry on business in New York until the requirement is completed.
For many new business owners, this requirement comes as a surprise because of the cost. In New York City boroughs, publication fees can range from about $1,000 to nearly $2,000 depending on the county and the newspapers assigned by the clerk.
Because the process involves paperwork, deadlines, and coordination with newspapers, many business owners choose to work with a filing service that can manage the administrative steps.
At LibertyFiling.com, we help entrepreneurs handle these administrative requirements by preparing and submitting the LLC formation documents to the New York Department of State and coordinating the required newspaper publication process. Our LLC formation service starts at $99 plus state filing fees. We also offer a publication service for $599, which includes coordinating the required newspaper notices and filing the documentation that confirms the publication requirement has been completed. In many New York City counties, where publication fees can reach $1,000 to $2,000, this service can help reduce both the cost and the administrative work involved in completing the requirement.
More information about the filing process and services is available at www.libertyfiling.com. q
The information above is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, or financial advice. LibertyFiling.com provides document preparation and filing coordination services and does not provide legal or financial advice.

The powerful gifts of gratitude, hope and grit

Debbie Gutfreund

What’s the most important part of the Passover Seder? I’ll receive many different answers. My great-grandfather would have said singing the Haggadah in the tune that his own grandfather sang the words. My Uncle Leo would have said the delicious food. All the children would have said running around the house trying to find the Afikomen. And my grandmother would have said having the whole family together around the table.

But there is actually one part of the Seder that is the most important for all of us, and we are all obligated to recite it when it comes up in the Haggadah and understand it.
“Rabban Gamliel used to say: Whoever has not explained the following three things on Pesach has not fulfilled his duty: Pesach, Matzah, and Maror.”
What do each of these symbols mean?
Pesach. The shank bone symbolizes the sacrifice that the Jews in Egypt gave to thank G-D for the miracle of passing over their houses during the tenth plague in which all the Egyptians’ firstborn died. What can we learn from this sacrifice of gratitude? Just as the Jews thanked G-D for passing over their houses in Egypt and protecting them from the fate of the Egyptians, we can learn to thank G-D for the everyday miracles when we are spared from harm in the first place. Driving somewhere, arriving safely. Not getting sick. Not being hungry.
This Passover, think about all the hidden and open miracles that G-D has done for you in the past year and thank Him for the incalculable number of “ordinary” moments in which He saved you from harm without you even realizing it.
Matzah is the unleavened bread that the Israelites brought with them when they left Egypt. Matzah teaches that G-D doesn’t need any time to prepare, He can save us in an instant. Since He can turn everything around in a moment, we should never give up hope. And when things are going well, we should remind ourselves that this too is an ongoing miracle. G-D is with us in this moment even when it seems like everything is just proceeding as “it should.”
When we look at the matzah, think about the times in your life when everything turned around in a moment, seemingly without any warning or effort on your part, and how G-D can do the same for you today, no matter what your challenges may be.
Maror is the bitter herb that reminds us of the tears that the Jewish people cried when they were slaves in Egypt. It teaches that when we are going through challenging, seemingly bitter times, sweetness and light and hope are just around the corner. Maror reminds us not to avoid obstacles but to instead recognize that they are a necessary part of the process of success. Without our tears and our prayers, the Jewish nation would not have been able to leave Egypt. Without the bitterness and the struggle, we don’t reach our full potential.
When you look at the maror, think of a struggle you have gone through in the past year and how it helped you become who you are today.
Pesach, matzah, maror symbolize gratitude, hope, and grit. With these three powerful gifts we sit around our Seder tables and thank G-D for the miracle of our freedom.

Becoming a Character in the Story of the Jewish People

Rabbi Meyer Laniado

In 2007, I traveled to Leipzig, Germany, to help lead community Pesah seders as part of a Yeshiva University program. Most of the participants were teenagers from the former Soviet Union with little Jewish education. For many of them, it was their first Seder.

When we arrived in the city, the local rabbi brought our group to the Torah Center, where we would run the three-day seminar and seders.
Before entering the building, the rabbi led us past iron gates, through a small garden, and down into a concrete, sunken canal with a stream flowing through its center. As we stood there, he told us that in 1938, on the night of Kristallnacht, Jews from Leipzig had been rounded up in that trench before many were arrested and deported to concentration camps.
The place where we were about to introduce Judaism to these young Jews stood only steps away from that trench. I remember thinking: What a response to Hitler! In the very place where he had tried to destroy Jewish life, we were working to rebuild it.
The moment that really stayed with me, though, was a question from one of the participants. She was maybe sixteen years old, with bright red dyed hair. For most of the seminars and workshops, she remained on the sidelines, watching our programs with a distant curiosity. Every so often, I would hear her offer a quiet expression of “cool.” before retreating again into the background.
Then we ran the Seders, the culmination of our three days together. We performed plays and even an interactive rap battle of one of the sections of the Haggadah. At two in the morning, as the rest of the group was singing Chad Gadya at the close of the Seder, this girl pulled me aside for a conversation. I could not imagine what she would ask me after three days of barely speaking.

She looked up at me and asked a question I have never forgotten. “What’s my Hebrew name?”
While I don’t remember the name I gave her, what has stayed with me is what the question really was: a desire to be a character in the story of the Jewish people. Moshe, one of the most central figures of the Exodus story, also begins on the sidelines. His name, which today sounds unmistakably Jewish, was originally an Egyptian name, given to him by Pharaoh’s daughter, the woman who raised him in the Egyptian palace. He flees to Midian and builds a life there as a shepherd, far from the center of the Jewish story. There, in the middle of the desert, G-D approaches Moshe and invites him to assume the role of leader of the Jewish people. Moshe is not eager, to say the least. In fact, he is reluctant and says, “Who am I that I should go?” Moshe goes even further, asking G-D to send someone else.
And yet, Moshe, the man who was recognizably Egyptian in dress and name, is the one who becomes the figure through whom our entire people finds its freedom. His name was never changed to a “Jewish name.” What changed was his choice: to step into the story and take ownership of his role.
Many people encounter Judaism from the sidelines and don’t see themselves as participants in the story of the Jewish people. They are satisfied with Jewish identity inherited from birth but disinterested in taking an active role. These are the ones the Haggadah addresses with the rasha (wicked son). The rabbis portrayed the rasha not as rebellious but as someone who takes no ownership of his Judaism. He postures himself as distant and aloof. He makes clear that this Jewish practice has nothing to do with him, and so he comments from afar and judges at a distance, but never engages in taking responsibility.
Elie Wiesel articulated this idea well when he said, “The opposite of faith is not heresy, it is indifference.” Heresy still takes faith seriously enough to wrestle and argue with it. Indifference is what happens when a person no longer feels responsible for the story of their people, when it becomes something they observe from the outside rather than something that calls them to respond. That is the rasha. He is not a rebel. He is someone who watches the rituals, hears the words, and experiences them as belonging to someone else, something that places no demand or responsibility on him.
The Rasha asks, “What is this ritual that you are doing?” emphasizing to you, and not to me, drawing a line between himself and everyone else. The problem is not rebellion or disbelief. It is his standing at a distance, outside the story, watching others perform rituals he no longer feels are his own. And the Haggadah’s response: had he been there [in Egypt], he would not have been redeemed.
The misvot (commandments) of the Haggadah and the Seder are meant to move us from observer to active participant. We are asked to see ourselves as if we personally left Egypt. We eat the matzah of affliction, taste the bitterness of Egyptian slavery with the maror (bitter herbs), and recline like free people while drinking the wine of redemption. In fact, that is literally the misva: lirot et ‘asmo (to see oneself), to see ourselves as the actors, not merely the acted-upon. This is not about remembering what happened to others, but about actively living in the present story of the Jewish people. That is the message of Pesah. It is not only about what G-D did for His people. It is also about how Benei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) responded.
The first Pesah demanded the same decision and, in fact, became the prerequisite for redemption. Bringing the qorban Pesah (Passover sacrifice) was an act of identification, a deliberate choice to align oneself with the people who were preparing to leave Egypt. The midrash even suggests that only twenty percent of the Israelites made that choice and left Egypt, emphasizing that the Exodus was not something that simply happened to the Jewish people. It was something they had to choose to be part of.
Because in the end, the only ones who truly leave Egypt are those who decide the story belongs to them. When that girl asked me, “What’s my Hebrew name?” she was asking for more than a name. She was asking the question every Jew must eventually ask: What role will I play in the story of the Jewish people?

Linda Sadacka

The controversy surrounding the dinner at Gracie Mansion has largely been framed as a dispute about Israel. That framing misses the central issue. The problem is not simply that an anti-Israel activist was invited to dinner. The problem is that one of New York City’s most visible civic institutions was used to legitimize a figure whose prominence emerged from a protest movement that turned Jewish students into targets inside an American university.

Recent reports revealed that Zohran Mamdani hosted activist Mahmoud Khalil and his family at the mayoral residence. Much of the coverage has described Khalil simply as an activist critical of Israel. That description removes the context that made his name nationally recognizable. Khalil rose to prominence during the protest encampments and demonstrations that engulfed the campus of Columbia University following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. Those demonstrations quickly moved beyond policy arguments about the Middle East. Jewish students reported harassment, intimidation, and exclusion from parts of campus life. Protesters celebrated movements dedicated to Israel’s destruction and demanded that students publicly disavow the Jewish state simply to move through their own university. That atmosphere is what elevated Khalil’s public profile. That is why the setting of the dinner matters.
Gracie Mansion is not a private dining room. It is the official residence of New York City’s mayor and one of the most visible civic symbols of municipal authority in the United States. When a figure associated with a protest movement that produced widespread reports of intimidation toward Jewish students is welcomed into that setting, the gesture carries a meaning beyond personal hospitality.
It confers legitimacy. By hosting Khalil at the mayoral residence and publicly celebrating the occasion, Mamdani effectively recast a figure tied to campus confrontation as a guest of civic respectability. What had previously been associated with disruption and intimidation was reframed as something closer to moral vindication.
That reframing is exactly why the language used to describe the dinner matters. Labeling Khalil merely an “anti-Israel activist” makes the story sound like a distant foreign policy dispute. It implies a debate about events in the Middle East. In doing so, it erases the domestic reality that made the Columbia protests so controversial.
Those events unfolded on an American campus, affected American students, and raised serious questions about whether Jewish students could participate fully in university life without intimidation.
The Gracie Mansion dinner therefore carries significance that extends beyond Israel. It raises a question about the boundaries of civic legitimacy in the United States itself.
Democratic societies are strong enough to absorb fierce arguments about foreign policy. What they cannot ignore is the normalization of movements that helped create an atmosphere in which Jewish students felt threatened inside American institutions.
When political leaders elevate figures associated with that movement into the symbolic heart of city government, the gesture sends a clear message about what behavior is now considered acceptable within civic life.
That is why the Gracie Mansion dinner deserves scrutiny, not because it involved a critic of Israel, but because it signaled that the political culture which surrounded and celebrated the humiliation of Jewish students can now be welcomed into one of the most prominent civic spaces in New York City. Describing that merely as a controversy about Israel misses the real story entirely.

On a beautiful evening filled with nostalgia and pride, our Magen David School community gathered for Sephardic Heritage Night, a culminating celebration of a deep dive genealogical project by our 7th- and 8th-grade students.

The event was the grand finale of a semester-long journey where students stepped into the roles of historians and storytellers. Their mission? To bridge the gap between generations by highlighting the life of a grandparent or family member who immigrated to this country.
The centerpiece of the evening was the “Immigrant Suitcase” display. Each student meticulously curated a “suitcase” filled with artifacts ranging from vintage photographs and traditional Sephardic recipes to heirlooms and travel documents that told the story of their family’s journey.
Walking through the gallery, guests were not just looking at school projects. They were witnessing the living history of our community. As students presented their findings to families and community members, it became clear that these artifacts were more than just objects. They were the tangible threads connecting our students to their ancestors.

At the heart of Sephardic Heritage Night is a vital lesson. To know where you are going, you must cherish where you come from. By interviewing their elders and documenting these stories, students learned that their heritage is not just a part of the past. It is a legacy that serves as a guide for the future.
One MDY student remarked, “Interviewing an immigrant made me realize and value the things we have today. They came to America with so few belongings, and they were happy. They knew that their freedom was worth more than everything they owned combined.”
The atmosphere of the evening was one of deep connection. We bonded over our heritage through invaluable artifacts, cherished pizmonim and delicious mazza, which combined to bring tradition to the forefront in a very special way. Families were moved to see their personal histories honored with such care, and students walked away with a newfound sense of identity.
We are incredibly proud of our 7th- and 8th-grade students for their hard work and for keeping the flame of our Sephardic heritage burning bright. This event reminded us all that while our branches reach toward the future, it is our roots that give us the strength to grow.
Sephardic Heritage Night is generously sponsored by Marlene and Hymie Mamiye.

The Cheryl and Victor Azrak Lev Hatikvah Division at SBH Community Service Network

When life changes in an instant, the path forward can feel overwhelming. For widows, single mothers, and orphaned children, the emotional and financial challenges often arrive at the same time, creating a reality that few are prepared to face alone.

Recognizing this need, SBH Community Service Network recently launched a new division dedicated specifically to supporting these families: The Cheryl and Victor Azrak Lev Hatikvah Division. The division’s mission is simple yet profound. To ensure that no widow, orphan, or single mother must navigate life’s most difficult transitions without compassionate guidance, practical assistance, and a community standing behind them.
Lev Hatikvah focuses on meeting both emotional and practical needs, from counseling and trauma support to employment assistance, financial guidance, and provide essential goods and services that might otherwise be out of reach. One story, among many, illustrates the impact this new division is already making.

Sarah’s Journey: From Loss to Renewal
When Sarah* lost her husband, the world as she knew it changed overnight. A young mother with a small son, she suddenly faced the emotional weight of grief while also confronting the practical realities of raising a child alone. To ease the financial pressure, Sarah moved back in with her parents. While the arrangement helped stabilize things temporarily, the emotional toll of her situation remained heavy.
Eventually, Sarah reached out to Lev Hatikvah seeking something simple but powerful: emotional support. The Lev Hatikvah team responded immediately, surrounding Sarah with warmth, empathy, and understanding. Beyond listening and providing encouragement, they helped in tangible ways, offering gift cards for her young son’s clothing and providing vouchers for an overnight getaway, giving Sarah a desperately needed moment to breathe and recharge. Still, Sarah was hesitant. Having endured such trauma, accepting help didn’t come easily. That’s when another SBH division stepped in.

Healing the Trauma
Sarah needed to heal, and we provided trauma-focused therapy from within our Mental Health Division. With the right professionals walking beside her, Sarah began regaining confidence and emotional strength. But, as Sarah was starting to rebuild internally, another challenge emerged. She lost her job.

Discovering the Right Path
While the job loss might have felt like another setback, it ultimately opened the door to something better. Sarah had been working behind a desk, something that never truly suited her personality. She is naturally creative, energetic, and thrives in dynamic environments.
Through Lev Hatikvah, Sarah was connected with a job developer within SBH’s Career Division. After learning about Sarah’s personality and talents, the job developer immediately recognized that Sarah needed a role that would allow her creativity to shine. They introduced her to a company seeking a creative employee to plan and decorate events. It was the perfect match. The position allowed Sarah to move around, express her artistic talents, and contribute creatively to celebrations and events. Even better, the job came with higher pay and opportunities for advancement, giving Sarah both financial stability and personal fulfillment. For the first time since her loss, Sarah could see a clear path forward.

Building a Home Again
Despite the progress she was making, Sarah still had a dream: she wanted a home of her own for herself and her son. For a long time, the numbers simply didn’t work. Rent, furniture, and daily living costs felt out of reach. But, with her new job and increased income, that dream slowly became possible.
With a little help from SBH, including donated furniture and basic household necessities, Sarah was able to secure an apartment and move out on her own. Now she and her son had a place to call home, a space where Sarah could continue rebuilding her life while providing stability and love for her child.

Looking Toward the Future
Recently, Sarah reached out to her Lev Hatikvah social worker again, but this time not because she was in crisis. She had a new goal. Sarah wanted to learn how to financially plan and invest for her and her son’s future. Lev Hatikvah continues to guide her through this next stage as well, helping her develop financial skills that will create long-term security for her family.
From the moment she first asked for help to where she stands today, Lev Hatikvah has walked beside Sarah every step of the way. Her story is a powerful example of what happens when compassionate support meets determination and resilience. And Sarah is not alone.

A Growing Network of Support
Today, Lev Hatikvah is actively supporting 48 families, each guided by specially trained case captains who understand the unique emotional and logistical challenges facing widows, single mothers, and orphans. The division’s support also extends to community life and holidays, moments that can feel especially difficult for families experiencing loss.

This past Purim, Lev Hatikvah ensured that every child in the program felt the joy of the holiday:

• Each child received a Purim costume
• Families were given Mishloach Manot to share with friends
• Lev Hatikvah arranged proper Purim Seudot
• Prepared meals were delivered to homes
• Families received significant Matanot La’evyonim

As Passover approaches, the support continues. Lev Hatikvah will be distributing:

• Supermarket gift cards to Moishe’s
• Clothing cards to Zara
• Pesach food boxes filled with groceries and prepared meals
  These efforts ensure that families facing difficult circumstances can still celebrate the holiday with dignity and peace of mind.

The Heart Behind Lev Hatikvah
The Cheryl and Victor Azrak Lev Hatikvah Division embodies the core mission of SBH. To strengthen families and restore hope. For some, the support may begin with a conversation.
For others, it may mean counseling, employment guidance, financial planning, or simply knowing someone is there to help. But for every family, the goal is the same. To help them move from survival to stability, and ultimately, toward a hopeful future.
Sarah’s journey is just one story among many already unfolding.
We would like to thank the incredible team behind Lev Hatikvah, our dedicated staff, captains, volunteers, and, of course, our generous sponsors, whose support allows this sacred work to be carried out with dignity, compassion, and the utmost confidentiality.

Name changed to ensure confidentiality.