Unless you have a friend or relative  you may never have considered the federal government as a potential employer. I am a federal employee who has worked for the federal government for a number of years. Having been furloughed due to the partial government shutdown, I thought I would do something productive with my free time and wrote this article. Although the shutdown makes it seem like the federal government is not a great place to work, at some point it will reopen, and things will hopefully get back to normal.

Those of us who in live in Baltimore are fortunate to have more opportunities to work for the federal government than people who live in other cities. This is because the headquarters of both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are located nearby in Woodlawn, Maryland. Baltimore is also close to Fort Meade, where the NSA and other agencies are located; and Washington D.C., the headquarters of almost all the other major federal agencies.

This article will provide general information about working for the federal government for those who may not know anything about it, including what types of professionals the government hires, the hiring process, and the website USAjobs.gov, as well as background investigations and security clearances; federal pay; and benefits provided to federal employees, including annual and sick leave, federal holidays, and health and retirement benefits.

The excellent article interviewing Shlomo Schor in January’s issue, “Understanding Trauma and PTSD in Laymen’s Terms,” was an informative overview. Now I will attempt to give some general and anecdotal ways in which trauma therapy and the path to healing play out and to suggest caveats to prospective clients.

I am a licensed counselor who has been in practice for 25 years, with specific trauma training for the past six. I have met people who endured physical violence and other abuse, which, while no doubt horrific and distressing, did not traumatize them. I’ve known others who went through a more common experience, nowadays, like divorce of their parents when they were vulnerable children, who remain traumatized as adults.

So a working definition of trauma is not the actual event but, rather, the symptoms of stress, anxiety, PTSD, and somatic illness that one is experiencing. Of course, each person’s temperament and physical, emotional, and environmental sensitivities are also factors in their own suffering.

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“Do you want to be a banana?”

“We’re looking for pirate costumes.”

“Where are the ‘Where is Waldo?’ costumes?”

“There’s ketchup and mustard, kids,”

“Mommy, look, a unicorn!”

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These comments would certainly sound unusual in the aisles of a department store, but they were apropos at the pre-opening of the Keren Reva Costume Gemach on Sunday, February 10.

“Mishnichnas Adar marbim besimcha – When Adar comes in, increase happiness.” For six years, this has been the mission of Tzilah Raczkowski and her dedicated volunteers. “If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to bring simcha to the community,” said

They’re disruptive; they’re delightful. They’re enraging; they’re engaging. Children with ADHD can have a powerful impact on everyone around them.

Because these children have problems with self-regulation, they often have trouble accomplishing tasks and following directions. At school, children with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) usually have problems focusing in the classroom and completing homework. Some have difficulty making and keeping friends. At home, their behavior can affect family harmony. As these issues accumulate, children with ADHD can feel terribly left out and alone. They often “self-medicate” deficits in neurotransmitter functioning by engaging in activities that provide immediate stimulation, which can

Purim is coming twice this year! There are so many things to love about Purim: I love reconnecting with people, even if it’s for only a few moments or just leaving a mishloach manos at their door to let them know I am thinking about them.

I love the whole concept of Purim – that nothing is as it seems. It is a reminder that Hashem is here and that He loves us. It looked like the Jews were going to be destroyed, but HA HA, Hashem put Esther in place, and all turned out not only okay but great. Purim reminds us that Hashem is running this world, and when things do not seem to be going the way we want them to, we can redouble our emuna and truly search for the good He is sending, even if it is not readily obvious to us. 

Everyone has challenges; that we know for sure. No one has a free ride in this world. What exactly someone else’s challenges are I do not know, but I know that, just as I have challenges, so do others. And I know with perfect clarity that, thus far, Hashem has sent me exactly what I needed. Thank G-d, we have never gone to bed hungry (except when I was trying to stay within my 1300 limit!). We have a roof over our heads every night. And, most thankfully, Hashem has always given me a chance to help others. In my bleakest times (and there have been a few), the one thing that has always made me feel better has been the ability to help someone else – with a smile, a meal, a phone call…. 

Purim is another one of those times. It’s all about building our community by sharing food, sharing money with the less fortunate, and sharing our time and our tables. You can even go further and share your joy and laughter with those who see the children in their costumes. This is the time to invite someone who does not have a place for the seuda and to take one of your two required mishloach manos to someone who will not be getting 100 of them. Be the unexpected light that shines this Purim. 

In that vein, since nothing is what it seems on Purim, here is a seuda menu of unexpected dishes that are not what they seem at first glance. Look for the rest of the seuda recipes in the next issue.  

A Shidduch Question:

I’m a 40-year-old professional woman who has not yet found my zivug. Although I am very well respected in my field, I unfortunately don’t get that respect in my own community because I am not married.

I am grateful that my family as well as friends and acquaintances are still thinking of me. But I don’t like the not-so-subtle pressure they apply when I turn down what I view as a totally unsuitable suggestion. They accuse me (in a nice way, of course) of being too picky, of not being realistic. They say I am being superficial and not giving people a chance. “Why not just go out for coffee?” they say. “What do you have to lose? Just give it a try. It’s just an hour of your time.”

I am getting flack from my family, too. They say I should just marry someone I enjoy spending time with and start a family already and not worry so much about what they call my “requirements.” What does it matter if he watches TV or not, or if he does or doesn’t go to shul three times a day. They don’t seem to understand that I have a life. With the preparation, the anticipation, and the disruption of my schedule, dating is exhausting. It’s not “just an hour.”

I am not inflexible, and it is not these specific issues that bother me necessarily, but some things are important to me. I’m not interested in spouse who watches TV for hours a day. I’m certainly not interested in someone who doesn’t have a job and doesn’t plan to get one. I work hard at who I am and at improving myself. I want a husband who does the same, someone I can relate to.

I do want to get married – but to an appropriate match. I know every guy in the Baltimore and Washington areas, and I know they’re not for me. At the end of the day, I’m the only one who knows what I can live with and what I can’t live with. Again, I truly appreciate the efforts of people who care about me, but I have to do what I think is best for myself. Am I wrong? How can I get that message across?

It’s February, and I’m basking in sunny Century Village Deerfield Beach. Welcome to Florida! Century Village is a senior (55 and older) gated community, a nine-minute drive to a beautiful sandy beach. Approximately 16,000 residents reside in 8,500 condos. Fifty-five percent of them are Jewish, eight percent of whom are frum. Most of the Orthodox residents live near the shul.

In the winter months, over 1,200 persons attend the Young Israel on Shabbos morning, making YIDB (Young Israel of Deerfield Beach) the second largest Young Israel in America. Three minyanim are held: a hashkama minyan, followed by a Sephard minyan, and then regular Shabbos Ashkenaz minyan, where the Rav delivers an inspiring drasha. With almost 120 men attending, the Daf Yomi class is America’s largest. Led by Rabbi Yisroel Edelman, the shul hosts many shiurim for both men and women, Torah lectures on all levels, and outstanding scholars-in-residence for its 1,000 members, making this community a true makom Torah.

Even if you never met Sherri Zaslow, you have likely seen her friendly face and cheery smile at Talmudical Academy, Tudor Heights assisted living, or the Jewish Caring Network 5K Run. Since relocating from the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, to Baltimore, 17 years ago, Sherri has reinvented herself many times. In this Where What When interview, Sherri gives us a glimpse of her eclectic and inspirational life – and talks about the new service she is initiating that she hopes will help many people at a difficult junction in their lives.

According to recent reports, we should be having an early spring this year, although, I admit, there are those who doubt the reliability of Phil the Groundhog’s predictions. In the event that his forecast is wrong and the cold weather drags on, I thought I would present some tried and true suggestions on how to keep warm while avoiding a thousand-dollar-a-month heating bill. Unfortunately, hibernation seems out of the question for most humans. Moving south is something else to consider, but for many that is not practical. Following are a few other ideas:

A while back, I saw a Facebook post which suggested bringing a hot water bottle to bed, however, commentators chimed in saying this can be dangerous. If the water bottle is old, damaged, or not correctly filled, it can lead to leakage and burns. Other options include electric heating pads or electric blankets or grain-filled bed/body warmers. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable with an electric blanket. First of all, it isn’t snuggly; you can feel the wires running through it. And when I had one years ago, I was always worrying that if I turned the wrong way I would either ruin the blanket or electrocute myself. This is true of a heating pad as well, which actually has a warning to not use it while sleeping. My only choice, it seems, is the warmers you can microwave.

When a pebble is thrown into a pond, it creates rings around the spot where the stone hit the water. The ripples become wider and wider and spread across the surface of the pond until they can no longer be seen by the human eye. So too, when a person performs an act of kindness, it creates a ripple effect with the people around them, causing the first act of kindness to morph into countless others. The effects of one act of kindness can keep going endlessly, helping and impacting countless numbers of lives.

Such a phenomenon happened in Mrs. Aliza Lee’s playgroup a few weeks ago when, in honor of their unit on chesed for the letter ches, she read Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler to her three- and four-year-old students. That same week, Mrs. Lee’s mother had to go to the hospital. After a very long night and early morning with her mother, Morah Aliza had to go to her playgroup. That is when the beautiful ripple effect begun.