Zoom In

We may have said goodbye to Zoom In, but did you know that even if there had been a Zoom In in every single one of Junior’s 900 issues, we would still have an endless number of critters, creatures, and creations to write about?! Mah rabu ma’asecha, Hashem!

Column: Share ‘n Care

Author: Chaim Ellis

Dear All My Wonderful Readers,

If you’re reading this — then you’re holding the 900th Jr. magazine! (Maybe save it — it may be a collectible one day.) We reached a huge milestone!

I remember when this column was first introduced, way back in in Issue 728. First, we must thank Hashem, as we say every Friday night, “Keil Ha’odoas Adon Hashalom,” (gematria 900!) praising HaKadosh Baruch Hu for the infinite chesed and rachamim that He bestows on us each and every second of the day. I thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for giving me this special opportunity to write for such a fine readership. Your letters, feedback, and encouragement are the glue that hold it altogether. You are the reason we write!

Thank you to the Jr. staff who work tirelessly to produce a weekly masterpiece. Nothing happens by itself. It’s only through their endless creativity, perseverance, and dedication that we get to enjoy a world-class magazine. I owe special thanks to my wife, an Ishah Tzadeikes (gematria 900!) for allowing me to give of my already overscheduled time for such a worthy endeavor.

Over the past three years I read your questions and empathized with the challenges presented. In response, I attempted to offer some perspective. However, we must ultimately remember after all of our hishtadlus, Dovid Hamelech said in Tehillim (perek 92) “V’Atah Marom L’olam Hashem (gematria 900!) — And You, Hashem, remain the most-high forever.” We all must realize that in all situations, we need to constantly raise our eyes toward Hashem and daven for an eitzah tovah (good advice), and ultimately an everlasting yeshuah for ourselves and our brethren.

May we be zocheh to experience the true and everlasting shalom within ourselves and together with those around us. This will result in “Asu kulam agudah achas” (gematria 900!) — that we become an “am” that is tied together as one. One nation. One will. One mission — to increase Kevod Shamayim. In this zechus, may we merit to greet Mashiach Bimeheirah B’yameinu… Amen.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Ellis

Please note: The gematrios mentioned above are true and tested. They are the result of a unique sefer entitled Gimatrios Parparos L’Chachma. If anyone has access to this sefer or knows where it can be acquired, please contact the author through

Junior@mishpacha.com

Column: Share ‘n Care

Author: Tali Arieff

900 hours.

That’s a lot of hours.

That’s how many internship hours social work students had to do during the Covid pandemic.  That’s the time they “practice” being therapists, working in a clinic or other setting under the close supervision of their professors and supervisors.

Those hours are in addition to all the hours of actual classes and homework they do. And once they graduate, social workers need another 2,000 hours of work experience before they can start a private practice.  And even fully licensed social workers must attend classes called “continuing education” in order to keep working. If you thought you spend a lot of time in school, guess what — therapists spend even more.  Forever.

Plus. many frum therapists take advantage of another very important type of class: opportunities to hear from rabbanim and gedolim, who selflessly give of their time, so   therapists can learn to provide therapy according to Torah values.

So if you’re wondering whether you should speak to a therapist, or whether you can feel safe with one, please know that any therapist has put a tremendous amount of time into learning how to help you (which is why it’s important to use a licensed therapist).

Not every therapist will be the right fit for you.  That’s okay — maybe you don’t like her personality or style, or maybe after a good, few sessions you realize you’re not sure she’s able to help.  It’s okay to stop with one therapist and try someone else.  But please try someone else!  Please remember that most therapists work very hard to learn and train so they can help their clients well.  Don’t be scared, your therapist has done her homework!

Column: Down to a Science

Author: Yael Zoldan

Today at school I heard the most awesome news. Jr. is turning 900! (Although, honestly, once you turn 900, I don’t really think you’re a junior anymore!) That got me to thinking about what I’ll be like when I’m 900!

First of all, I’ll obviously have created a super long-life serum that helps people grow very, very old while staying young at heart. Needless to say, after many years of effort, I will have achieved my goal of becoming a world-renowned scientist with a huge, state-of-the-art laboratory and dozens of scientists working for me, helping me figure out my next quest. My sister will be the janitor in my laboratory. Why? Because I want her to!

Hopefully, by the time I’m 900 my brother’s eyelashes will have grown back and he won’t look so shocked all the time. However, he will still be shocked by the fact that his younger brother Mordy is being honored by the president of the United States for being the world’s top scientist. He’ll also be totally jealous of the huge trophy and the bags of money I’ll get and the fact that the president gave me my own private island as a gift and that he named it Mordania and that I get to travel there whenever I want to. I’m sure that I’ll share some of my stuff with my family because I’m a nice guy, but I’ll probably keep most of it for myself. Hey, I’m the one who earned it!

My mother, who will be 928 years old by then, will spend all of her days talking to her friends about how she loves all of her kids but “I’m sure you’ve heard about my son Mordy, the world-famous scientist!” She’ll be so proud of my accomplishments that she’ll even forget all the times that I made her crazy! As for me, when I’m not lounging around on my private island, I’ll still be thinking up questions and doing research. Because, what can I say? I’m a curious guy!

Column: Inside Scoop

Author: Rochel Burstyn

A few years ago, Jr. editor Libby Tescher said they were going to start something fun: asking Jr. readers to weigh in on a fun question.

Things started slowly. At first, I had to beg my kids, nieces, nephews, and neighbors to participate. But as each issue was printed, more and more kids read the answers and thought, “This looks like fun!” And more and more kids got involved. After every feature that includes Inside Scoop, there’s a whole new wave of interest from newbies. At this point, we have 900 members at least! (Okay, not exactly, but it definitely feels that way!) It’s a lot of fun to get to know our readers through this column and I always look forward to reading the fun and clever answers.

Column: Build It Up

Author: Yitzy Kasowitz

Dear Jr. Readers,

I created this especially for Jr.’s 900th edition!

Column: Weekly Wisdom 

Author: Devorah Grant

900 cups of coffee? Nah, I don’t drink it!

Who lived 900 years ago? I have no idea!

900… 900…

What HAS 900 got to do with Weekly Wisdom, anyway?!

These were the thoughts flying through my mind when I heard Libby’s idea to connect my column to Jr.’s 900th birthday. I wracked my brains out, and then again, until suddenly I wondered: Where was I 900 days ago? And was I writing a Weekly Wisdom column that day?

A small calculation told me that 900 days ago, I was on vacation in Netanya, marveling at the wonders of Eretz Yisrael’s coastline. A quick look at my emails told me that indeed, I wrote a column that day. Now I remember that in the afternoon, I spent time soaking up the beautiful sunlight, paddling in the warm blue sea. Then, in the evening, there I was, plugging away at my laptop, writing my next Mashal and Nimshal, and sending them off for Racheli David to do her fantastic illustrations.

And in fact, 900 days ago wasn’t the only time I was somewhere random while writing this column. Meshalim have been written from a plane on my way to Italy, on a train on my way to Gateshead, on the balcony overlooking the beach in Cornwall, UK. I have thought of ideas while teaching Chumash to my students, have dreamed up a comic while standing at Niagara Falls. Inspiration can really come from anywhere, I find. As long as you look for it.

900 days ago, I may have been in Netanya, but it didn’t really matter, I could have been anywhere. People in 900 places could be learning the same parshah, and hearing multitudes of hashkafos, halachos and meforshim from the same words. The Torah is endless. As I wish Jr. a happy birthday, I hope that in 900 days’ time, wherever we all are, we’ll be learning then, like now. For wherever we Yidden go, Torah comes, too.

Column: Incredible Lab

Author: Malka Winner 

I’ve always loved science and numbers… which is a funny thing for a writer, isn’t it? My currency is words. Yet, science and numbers have given me so much to write about. Sometimes, science can be everyday magic, like my Incredible Science column. And sometimes it can be a beautiful way to increase one’s appreciation of niflaos haBorei. And sometimes it can just be fun….

For the 900th issue, here’s some 900 fun.

A 900 series is three perfect games in bowling (never gonna happen for me!). Also never happening here: the “900,” a special aerial spin in skateboarding, where the skateboarder revolves 2.5 times in the air before dropping back to the Earth. Speaking of Earth, the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 has covered more distance on Earth’s oceans than any other ship in modern history. It’s also just a tad more than 900 feet long.

If I was traveling on foot (and not by ship) from my house in Israel and started walking 900 miles, I could get to large cities in Saudia Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, or Turkey. No thanks, I think I’ll stay home… where I could flood my bathroom by filling the tub with 900 cups of water (it only holds about 680 cups). But … what a waste!

To count from 1 to 900 takes the average person around seven minutes — probably a waste of time. Studies show that people waste around 900 hours (that’s 37.5 days) each year doing things like errands, yard work, deleting useless emails, and so on, which they could hire other people to do. Not a waste of time: in 900 seconds (that’s 15 minutes), I can take a power nap, read a chapter of a book, hang a load of laundry, or write in my journal (but, alas, not complete this short article). The first human spacewalk was shorter than that — lasting only 720 seconds. And Louis-Antoine d’Artois was king of France for only around 1,000 seconds (on August 2nd, 1830).

So, what about you? What’s 900 to you?

Column: Incredible Lab

Author: Yochanon Ghoori

There are clear water balls in the container, but when I add water to it, they become invisible and  it reveals the picture below: Mishpacha 900.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 900)