by Rabbi Shmuel Simenowitz

The gemara in Chagiga tells the tragic tale of the four who entered the “pardes” – the mystical realm far beyond the pay grade of all but the most solid and stalwart spiritual scholars. The story I present here, by contrast, not nearly as dramatic but captivating nevertheless, is about three childhood friends. Similar themes snake through their upbringing, and despite marked differences in the forums within which they chose to leave their imprint, there are underlying commonalities in their respective callings. One became a celebrated rabbi, rarely failing to make the Newsweek top-50 most influential rabbi list. A second became the American ambassador to Israel during Donald Trump’s first term of office, and one of them tells jokes at Beth Abraham (Hertzbergs) between the lukshen and potato kugels. Please indulge me and allow me to elaborate.

Today, I interviewed Ruchi Tenenbaum.

What year did you graduate Bais Yaakov Baltimore, and what seminary did you go to? 

I graduated high school in 2008 and then went to Ateres for half a year. While there, I

made many good friends with whom I am still in touch. 

“It’s an exciting time in federal politics,” says Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of Maryland. That is because the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress are considering tuition assistance for private education. A historic $5 billion dollar scholarship tax credit proposal is part of a reconciliation budget package – also known as the “one big beautiful bill” – that has been making its way, first through the House of Representatives and then the Senate for approval. (It passed the House as I submitted this article!) The excitement began in September 2024, when members of the Ways and Means Committee passed the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) with a vote of 23 to16. It has passed before, but this time, Republicans are the majority in Congress, and they are supporting President Donald Trump’s agenda for “universal school choice.”

Getting married? Weddings are a big deal, and most people have lots of questions beginning from the time of engagement through the day of the wedding. I sent some questions to local vendors to get tips on how to help the big event run smoothly and be less stressful. I also asked what the common norms are. As a friend told me, “I just want to be normal.” But when it comes to marrying off children, one doesn’t always know what normal is. I spoke to some of our advertisers, and here’s what they had to say. Hopefully these ideas will help.

Dear Rabbi Beren,

Last summer, I worked at a camp. My seven-year-old sister was in my bunk, and there was one child in the bunk who seemed to have it in for her. She constantly made fun of my sister and got the other girls to join her and not allow my sister to play with them. She made my sister cry, and every morning my sister would say she didn’t want to come to camp. This bully made me very angry. I yelled at her a lot and didn’t treat her nicely. I’ll be working in the same camp this summer. My sister will not be in my bunk this time, but what if there’s another bully? When I mentioned it to the camp director, she just said, “Oh, kids are kids,” so please don’t tell me to go to the head of the camp. I feel bad that I didn’t know how to handle this situation. Do you have any advice?

Malki

“It is difficult to describe the impact that Mrs. Vim had on the Middle School and our students,” said Rabbi Frohlich, Principal of the Middle School. “Whether it was teaching Chumash or Ivrit, she was a teacher’s teacher. Mrs. Vim created our Ivrit curriculum from scratch, using her creative genius to design interactive and exciting games that brought Ivrit to life for the girls.”

One vivid example: You could walk into her classroom and see a student standing at the front wearing a headband with a Hebrew word attached – visible to her peers but not to herself. She would speak only in Hebrew, asking her classmates questions and using their answers as clues until she guessed the word (a variation of the game Headbands).

Mrs. Vim infused every lesson with energy and excitement, making it truly memorable. After her petirah, students shared how, even years later, they still find themselves singing her original songs during davening. One eighth-grade student remarked, “The learning I did with Mrs. Vim actually became part of me.”

Mrs. Vim constantly thought outside the box to engage every single student. Whether it was challenging a student to an arm wrestle or throwing a class party for a student who took the initiative to speak in Hebrew, every student mattered to her. As she once told Rabbi Frohlich, “There is no such thing as a ‘problem student.’ I want those students in my class.”

She taught her students that “I can’t” didn’t exist. She held high expectations because she believed deeply in their potential. Her unwavering belief in her students inspired them to believe in themselves. This message was at the core of her teaching and how she lived her life.

by her Children

The gemara relates that when Reb Shimon Bar Yochai hid in the cave from the Romans, he learned Torah for 12 years straight, uninterrupted. And when he emerged, everything physical he encountered was burned by the intensity of his spirituality. It took another year of Torah study for his outlook to shift. Upon exiting the cave again, Rashbi encountered a simple Jew preparing for Shabbos and was moved by the man’s sincere devotion. At that moment, a heavenly voice declared that he need not return to the cave.

This gemara offers a powerful lesson about perspective. While lofty spiritual pursuits are admirable, an even higher level is recognizing the holiness in the mundane, the beauty in each individual and the value in every moment. True spirituality exists not only in seclusion but in interaction, empathy, and appreciation for the simple and the real.

This message deeply reflects the way our beloved mother, Rochel Vim, a”h, chose to live her life. She was relatable, warm, witty – and at the same time, profoundly deep, reflective, and growth-oriented. Her greatness lay not in big actions but in the way she found value and purpose in everyday life.

From the time we are very young, people start asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At first, the answers are simple – firefighter, astronaut, princess. But over time, those childhood dreams fade and, bigger more complicated questions emerge: How can I make a difference? How can I build a career doing something I love – or at least something I’m good at?

Now, as I approach retirement, I find myself staring down that very same question – but with a twist: What do I want to do with the rest of my life?

Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) is Maryland’s version of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Designed to help low-income families with dependent children, TCA provides monthly cash support to meet essential needs such as housing, food, utilities, clothing, and childcare. The ultimate goal is to support families in becoming self-sufficient through employment and education.

This article outlines the key features of Maryland’s TCA program, how it differs from TANF in general, how income is counted (especially in households with stepparents), eligibility rules, and tips for a successful application.

TCA vs. TANF: What's the Difference?

TANF is a federal block grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Each state implements TANF under its own rules and program name. In Maryland, TANF is administered as TCA through the Family Investment Administration.

So, when people talk about applying for TANF in Maryland, they are actually applying for TCA.

Maryland has customized its TCA program with rules that are slightly more flexible than federal minimums, including:

·         A 12-month certification period, meaning you are approved for benefits for a full year without a mid-point review, unless there is a major change in circumstances. This is better than SNAP, which requires a mid-certification Review (MBR) every six months, and in some cases, as frequently as three months.

by Aidee Moss

Today, I interviewed Dalya Attar.

What year did you graduate from Bais Yaakov Baltimore, and what was the school like then?  

I graduated from Bais Yaakov in 2007. My grade was one of the largest, with about 120 students. We attended elementary school at the Park Heights campus and switched to the Smith Avenue campus in sixth grade. In high school, one of my favorite activities was Exhibit. It was an incredible experience that taught me about the subjects we presented during the event but also how to collaborate with others.  

Have you kept in touch with friends from high school or seminary? 

Absolutely! I am still close with many of them. We talk regularly and occasionally get together as a group. Those friendships have lasted through the years.