Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
It’s part of the paradox of our times. The more comfort, amenities, and conveniences we have, the more anxious and depressed we seem to become. Despite all our technological advancements, we are unable to predict or control the future and, despite what we have today, we have absolutely no guarantees about tomorrow.
Shortly before I married, I spent a Sukkos in a yeshivah for Russian boys in Copenhagen, Denmark. After Sukkos ended, I had the opportunity to visit a couple of nearby countries in Europe. One of the places we visited was Amsterdam. While there, we saw Anne Frank’s house, including the annex where she and her family lived until they were discovered and deported to Auschwitz in 1944.
During a Tuesday evening a few weeks ago, one of our younger sons asked me to turn the shower on for him. Being that the first burst of water is cold water, he wanted the water to be nice and warm when he went in. Being the incredible father that I am, I went to do so. Standing on the outside of the shower, fully dressed, I unsuspectingly turned the nozzle full blast. I was totally unprepared for the rush of cold water that sprayed me in the face and drenched the bathroom. It took me a few seconds before I realized that the shower head had been facing outwards. I was wet and annoyed, as I cleaned the water from all over the bathroom.
When I think about my Bubby, Rebbetzin Fruma Kohn a”h, my mental image is of her reciting T’hilim. Until her last years, she would read the entire T’hilim every week. No doubt, I and my family have benefited tremendously from those repeated recitations.
The month of Cheshvan is the only month on the Jewish calendar that has no unique endemic avodah. Even months that contain a fast day have special focus and significance.
Like everyone else, after the unspeakable atrocities that occurred in Eretz Yisrael on Simchas Torah, I was and am looking for all the chizuk I can get. I have listened to quite a few lectures from various rabbanim, to hear their reflections and thoughts.
