Who among us has not longingly passed the colorful seed rack at the dollar store or the tomato plants in front of Giant, or had a hopeful little one come home from school with a lanky bean plant in a Styrofoam cup? Whether your gardening urges have been fleeting thoughts of free vegetables, a half-hearted response to an urgent five-year-old, or grandiose dreams of buoyant flower beds, there is a way to have a satisfying gardening experience without breaking your back or your budget.

I remember a family friend who spoke of listening to all the advice and marketing about double digging, soil amendments, fertilizer spikes, plant supports, and watering systems. After one season of such madness, he gave up in disgust. “At four dollars a tomato, it wasn’t worth it,” he said. He was right: It wasn’t worth it – and it wasn’t necessary.

Here are the keys to a cheap and successful vegetable garden:

1) Start small: A few tomato and cucumber plants in a one-by-six-foot area are more likely to give you satisfaction than an elaborate planting of many vegetables and flowers. You will have time to take care of them, which in turn increases chances for success. Next year, when you are full of confidence, is soon enough to add a few new items.

2) Plant vegetables, and most flowers, in full sun: Really keep track over the course of a whole day after the trees have leafed out. Your chosen spot should be in unobstructed sunlight for at least six middle-of-the-day hours (or eight hours if some of the sunlight time is early or late in the day). If you don’t have such a spot anywhere in your yard, stick with shade plants such as impatiens, ferns, and hostas. No, sorry, none of these are edible.

Who can forget the 1978 peace treaty between Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat of Egypt? Those of us without TVs in the house (no internet then) ran to neighbors to watch the signing ceremony on the White House lawn. We cried when Begin removed his yarmulke from his pocket to recite psalm 126, the Shir Hamaalot before benching – in Hebrew! This is the psalm that presages the return of the Jews to Eretz Yisrael, and Begin explained to the global audience that he had first learned it at his father’s table in Poland. He invited them to look it up in their English Bibles. What drama! What an emotional moment!

To most people under 60, the name Menachem Begin may as well be a part of ancient history. Ben Gurion is the famous one of Israel’s early days. Begin, with his diametrically opposing views, sat in the Knesset for years in seemingly permanent, albeit vocal, opposition. The Mapai Labor Zionists – a socialist, anti-religious, discriminatory (to Sefardim) party – ruled the government and dominated the society. The country was miserably poor and surrounded by implacable enemies.

Then, in 1977, in a surprise upset, Begin won the election and became prime minister. No head of the government before or since has been quite like Begin. He was one of a kind – a man of principle and resolve, steeped in Jewish tradition and feeling. In many ways, he changed the trajectory of Israeli history and laid the foundation for the strong and rich country we know today.

I want to review some incidents in his life which show the unique character of Menachem Begin so that we can have appreciation for one of the great leaders of our people.

Addiction is not a new phenomenon, but it has unfortunately become more “popular” in recent years, affecting all communities, including our Jewish community. The Twelve Step programs to conquer addiction are also not new. But, although eclipsed in the public view by all sorts of other approaches and treatment methods, they remain just as relevant and effective as in the past for those who choose to participate.

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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was the first Twelve Step program, established in 1935. Its cofounders, Bill Wilson and “Dr. Bob” Smith, dedicated their lives to advancing the belief that alcoholism was not a result of poor upbringing or faulty morals but, rather, a spiritual malady that manifested itself in the form of a behavior driven by obsession and compulsion. They believed that the disease was incurable but that it could be arrested one day at a time – not by proselytizing to other troubled alcoholics but by sharing their struggles and successes with each other, and by relying upon a Higher Power (of their own conception). These means, they believed, would give them the power, wisdom, and protection they needed to deal with life without alcohol.

Today, there are Twelve Step programs for addictions not only to alcohol but also to drugs, food, gambling, codependency, debt and under-earning, workaholism, online gaming, nicotine, cluttering, among others. There are also programs, like Al-Anon, for those in a relationship with an addict, whose members admit to eventually taking on many of the unpredictable, codependent, or dishonest behaviors of the addicts themselves.

Last Spring, I was mesmerized by my first Waterfalls, a Chinese auction sponsored by Kollel Avodas Levi of Yeshiva Ner Israel. For several years, I had studied the Waterfalls catalog and purchased tickets from 700 miles away. I hoped I would win and wished that I could attend in person. Now, back in Baltimore, that wish came true – at least part of it. I didn’t win a prize – not the exciting ones displayed around the perimeter of the room. But something positive happened when I attended my first Waterfalls and gave tzedaka to a Jewish institution that I love.

My connection with Ner Israel began before my sons learned there. Growing up in Baltimore, I attended seventh grade at Garrison Junior High. One winter day, there was a fierce snowstorm that came down so heavily that we were let out of school early. Trudging through the snow on Garrison Boulevard in hopes of catching a ride home to Shirley Avenue, I remember walking by a huge mansion that was the Yeshiva’s first building. For a fleeting moment, I wondered what was going on inside.

To the Shadchan:

Our daughter came back from seminary very idealistic and in love with Eretz Yisrael. Her dream is to live in Israel forever. In the almost two years since she’s been home, she has been studying for an associate’s degree in a field that is practical in Israel. She is also working as much as possible and saving money for her eventual aliyah. I must say that she is very responsible – but she has not “settled down” or given up her dream as most of her friends have done. Whenever a suggestion for a shidduch comes our way, the first thing she wants to know is if he wants to live in Israel. If not, she refuses to go out with him.

My husband and I are worried that she is limiting her options to a very small group of candidates. I also wonder how realistic she is, since living in Israel requires a lot more money than she can earn in a few years or that we can help her with. But our main concern is that there seem to be very few young men who match her criteria. What should we do?

So, what do Baltimoreans Chavi Barenbaum, Esky Cook, Malky Goldstein, Rebbetzin Fredda Hopfer, Rebbetzin Judy Neuberger, and Chaya Zwick have in common?

Why, Rebbetzin Chana Wesel, of course!

The veteran teacher par excellence taught them all at the Bais Yaakov in Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, New York. The adage, “Teachers live forever in the hearts they touch,” is certainly true of Rebbetzin Wesel. And after having the pleasure of meeting and interviewing her, I understand how this beloved and inspirational protégé of Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan – the founder of the first Bais Yaakov high school and teachers seminary in America – captured the minds and hearts of her students. Indeed, many of her former students – who are scattered around the world – still keep in touch with her over a half-century later.

Here is her story and theirs:

A Close Escape

Rebbetzin Wesel did not start life in America. Born in Vienna, she was only seven years old when her family left. But she clearly remembers the events that foreshadowed their escape.

“It was March, 1938, on Shabbos Parshas Zachor, when Hitler, y”s, marched into Vienna and annexed Austria to Germany,” recalls Rebbetzin Wesel. “We knew then that we had to get out; we were fortunate that we made it out.”

Rebbetzin Wesel explains that the word, “Jude” was painted on all the Jewish-owned stores, and signs were affixed to benches that said Jews were not allowed to sit there. Her mother was afraid for them to use their Jewish names, and her eight-year-old brother was only allowed to wear a cap instead of a yarmulke.

In this latest in the series of articles presented by Chayeinu, a new organization dedicated to providing education and guidance to our community regarding substance use disorder, I would like to talk about marijuana. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. In 2018, over a third of high school seniors reported using marijuana in the past month, with 6% using it daily. A substantial number of eighth graders are also using the drug. Marijuana remains quite popular among adults as well. Approximately 15 to 20% report using the drug each year, with higher rates of use in states that have legalized recreational or medical use of the drug. While we hope that these statistics are not as high in our Jewish community, we would be naïve to think that we are untouched.

What Is Marijuana?

Marijuana usually refers to the leaves that come from the cannabis plant. The main psychoactive compound in marijuana is THC, and it appears that levels of THC in marijuana are rising. Smoking THC-rich resins or extracts from cannabis, which are called by names like hash, wax, or shatter, is also increasing in popularity. There is incredible diversity among marijuana extracts, one more potent than the other. The point is that this is not the same marijuana smoked by Bill Clinton or Barack Obama.

Marijuana can be purchased relatively cheaply. In Maryland, where marijuana for recreational use remains illegal, marijuana is purchased on the street in different amounts. An ounce costs somewhere between $250 and $350, while a gram can be purchased for as little as $12 to $20. Synthetic forms of cannabis, such as K2 and Spice, which are considerably more powerful and unpredictable than marijuana – and are sometimes called “parole-weed” because they do not show up on routine urinalysis testing – seem to be somewhat less popular at this time.

The two months before Pesach is an intense parenting/teaching time. Teachers fill every moment with projects and lessons to prepare their students for the two central holidays of Purim and Pesach. For parents, the month before Purim requires juggling and creativity to plan the costumes, calculate who will get what kind of shalach manos, and shuttle kids from party to party. The day of Purim itself is exhilarating and exhausting. Despite the hard work, I walked away this year feeling satisfied, like I was a real mom doing real chinuch (education). 

The minute Purim ended, we went into full Pesach mode. The intensity continued and even grew as we scrubbed, shopped, and planned. The importance of the time superseded anything else – homework, bedtime, dinner; everything had to fit into the mitzvos of Pesach rather than the other way around. The Seder was, of course, an evening devoted to chinuch. And then we had trips to the zoo for the younger crew and trips to an escape room for the older kids. We baked together in the kitchen, listened to music when cleaning up, and spent the long Yom Tov afternoons playing games.

Spinach and Butternut Squash Calzone

I like anything surrounded by dough, and with dairy dishes on the agenda for Shavuos, it’s hard to go wrong with a calzone. Calzones are a pizza turned into a pocket. The fillings can vary as far as your imagination takes you. Cheese and spinach makes a great combination. You can add broccoli, red sauce, and more to this delicious dish. You can make them small (cut the dough into 8) and use them as appetizers, or make them medium for individual main courses, or make them big (use the whole dough), to slice and serve at the meal.  

1/2 c. ricotta cheese

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. sautéed onions

1/2 c. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 c. butternut squash, diced and cooked

1 T. fresh basil, minced

1 T. fresh parsley, minced

1 lb. raw pizza dough

1 egg

1/2 T. sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix cheeses, spinach, basil, and parsley. Divide dough into 4 equal parts and roll out on a floured board to about 6 inches in diameter. Spoon equal amounts of filling onto each piece of pizza dough. Fold over and seal edges, pinching closed with fingers or tines of a fork. Place calzones on prepared cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush tops. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until dough is golden. Makes 4.

It’s hard to believe that 30 days have passed. I just came back from an azkara for a friend who passed away at the age of 62. We sat in a circle. I, as a friend, the staff of the assisted living residence (“the hostel”) in Jerusalem where he had lived, and the residents. I choked away tears when I quoted the Talmud that stated that Hillel caused the poor to be incriminated. Poor people, when they come to Heaven, bring to their defense the argument that they didn’t learn Torah because they were suffering from poverty. The “prosecutor” in the heavenly tribunal then points to Hillel: “Who could be poorer than Hillel? Yet he learned Torah!”