Parashat Ki Teitzei – The Good vs. the Lesser Good

The first portion of our Parasha teaches us how to overcome our harmful desires. 

We learn about the laws of eshet yefat to-ar (beautiful woman).  Soldiers returning from battle are allowed to bring home a female prisoner of war.  At first sight this might seem quite strange, since the Torah forbids marrying out of the faith. 

The commentators explain this dichotomy as follows: just like a programmer knows his program inside out, the Creator of Humans knows His creations. 

When He prohibited something in the Torah – there will be a leniency, even one that is as remote as benefiting from the spoils of war, to teach us a lesson in self‑control.

This explains the connection between the verses describing the laws about eshet yefat to-ar (beautiful woman) and the laws of a Ben Sorer uMoreh (rebellious son): The Torah warns those who blindly follow their desires that ultimately, they will have to contend with a son whose actions bring sorrow and misery onto the family.

HaShem created the human being in such a way that there is a constant, internal battle between the Yetzer haTov (good inclination) and the Yetzer haRa. 

People want to enjoy life and sometimes this might lead to overindulgence or worse: transgressing a Torah law.

Our ultimate reward is earned in this world and in the world to come, when we overpower our bad inclination by following the whispers of the Yetzer haTov.

This continuous process of exercising or spiritual muscles turn us into better people: “No pain – no gain”.

However, what happens when fatigue sets in?  We are after all only human beings, each with our personal wants.

This is where the Torah allows us to sometimes ‘loosen up’ a bit, to relax and have a taste of what seems like forbidden fruit. 

Indeed, in the Gemorro (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chulin, 109b) we learn that when the Torah forbids something, there is a similar item that is allowed. 

Case in point: Blood is not Kosher, but the liver is allowed, although it tastes like blood.

When Yalsa, wife of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Nachman reasoned with her husband that she wants to eat something that tastes like meat mixed with milk, Rabbi Nachman placed an order with the local butcher: Barbecued Udder – a piece of meat saturated in milk, which is permitted (although this would nowadays not be available at your local butcher…).

So before plunging for a tasty bite that is beckoning, perhaps one should stop and think twice before letting a negative whim have the upper hand: the outcome might well come back with a bitter bite.

Using the analogy of a knife, we can use it for constructive or destructive ends. 

Nearer to home, we all know the admirable work done by community volunteers, day in day out.  Even during the holy day of the Sabbath, members of Hazola are Torah-bound to go all out to save the life of a patient, whilst Shabbos is kind of pushed to the sidelines. 

Our Parsha ends with the commandment to obliterate all the Amalekites, as soon as the Jewish people established themselves in the holy land of Israel.  Here too, the idea of killing a human being is abhorrent – until it pertains those who stand up to murder innocent people just because they are Jewish.

What we as thinking people might regard as murder, the Torah teaches us that one can find good in everything – within the prism of the Heavenly teachings.

Warnings for Holiday, Hotel and Hollows . . .

Warnings for Holiday, Hotel and Hollows . . .

Warnings: 

1) Talking about hotels or rentals in general, be sure not to pay upfront before verifying that you are dealing with a scammer.  In July 02 2026 someone paid thousands of £££'s for a place in Switzerland and when he arrived, the place was deserted with a sign saying: "This establishment is closed for the summer season".  Another tip: Try to pay with HSBC bank, as they did take action and - despite the fact that the eMail address of the scammer was already closed - managed to recoup the money and return it to the defrauded client.

2) Never try to set up a Mikve on a balcony, certainly not in a flat that is on the first, second or sixth floor . . .  Experts recommend checking the load-bearing capacity before any unusual installations.  Ask yourself the most simple question: Is it even allowed to put a pool on a balcony?  The problem lies in the weight of the water. One cubic meter of water corresponds to 1,000 liters - and weighs around a ton (= 1,000Kg).  Even small pools can therefore add several hundred kilograms to a balcony within a few square meters.  For example, in Switzerland, residential balconies are generally built in accordance with the SIA 261 standard so that they can bear a load of at least 350 kilograms per square meter.  The decisive factors are the size of the balcony, the amount of water and the question of how the pool will be emptied again later.

3) In August of 2026, Swiss and Austrian police contacted ultra-Orthodox activists and asked them to convey a message to Jewish vacationers, warning that they will be forced to close certain resort areas if the shameful behaviour does not stop.  As a result, the following proclamation was sent out on WhatsApp: "Do not take along, buy a new or hire an Electric Scooter.  In case you are forced to do so, this should only be used by an adult above the age of 16 and only one person is allowed on it.  The speed should not exceed the average running speed of a person and do not ride it in crowded areas.  Keep the Scooter locked at all times and do not enter with it into shops, swimming pools or other conveniences".

4) When going on a hike, walk or climb in the mountains, be extremely careful to follow the signs that are clearly displayed all throughout the promenades, hiking paths and trails. 

Following official trail markers is essential, but mountain paths are not always heavily signed like promenades. True mountain safety requires combining visible waymarks with independent navigation tools, proper gear, and constant weather awareness.

Understanding Mountain Signage & Reality

Fading Signage: Formal signs and painted blazes exist at key junctions, but harsh weather, rockfall, or fading can obscure them in remote terrain.

Upland Gaps: Above the tree line or across open plateaus, official signs are often sparse or replaced entirely by stone cairns.

False Trails: It is easy to mistakenly follow animal tracks, such as sheep paths, that lead to dead ends or dangerous ground.

Essential Safety Practices

Carry Navigation: Never rely solely on posted signs; always pack a physical topographic map and a charged GPS device or smartphone app.Check 

Mountain Forecasts: Upland weather changes rapidly. Always consult specialized resources like the Met Office Mountain Weather Guide or regional equivalents before you step out.

Watch for Wind & Visibility: High winds and low cloud bases ("whiteout" conditions) can make both signs and paths impossible to see. Turn back if visibility drops or conditions worsen.

The Shul with the Old-New Clock - Stories

The job of the Reverend: a) See, Listen, Observe b) Think it through and take advice, c) Only then choose between Taking action - or leave it: Pick your fights...

During the Kidush: As a feminist, she wouldn't come to Shul: Backstage

Shabbos morning: Harvey: We should include te ladies in the Minyan! Why are there 11 players in a football team?

Purim evening: Peter: Pray for us! Rabbi (panicking): What happened, is someone sick at home? Peter: Nah, kick off is in half an hour.

Raphael's written compaint: "I have been repeatedly assigned to read passages from the Torah that describe the killing of animals, specifically because the rabbi is aware that I am vegetarian and find such content distressing. When I have struggled with these passages, the rabbi has emphasised the details further, in a way that feels targeted rather than educational".

Gabbai: This is not our Nussaf (instead of Nusach...)

Stephen: Asher Bochar Bonu Mikol - FULL STOP (as he reached the end of the line) and then Ho'amim Venossan Lonu es Toroso".

Chossid: "Why did you Daven at the place of the Goyim?" Me: "Because they did not have a Minyan on Friday evening."  Chossid: "But the whole reason why they come is not because they want to come; only because their father used to go to SHul and take them along, so they are merely continuing this tradition.  They themselves are not really interested!".  Me: "And so are you...".  Chosid: "......"  (= deafening silence...

Natalie: How may we eat yellow cheese that was formed by mixing it with animal rennet; is it not mixing meat and milk?"

Tommy is sitting all through Davening, even when the Chazan takes the Safer Torah round before Leyning.  Tommy complaints of a bad leg, which prevents him from standing... until he needs to say the Prayer for the Royal Family and EVERYONE has to stand: Tommy bellows "Prayer for the Royal Family" and if even one person is still found seated, Tommy raises his voice and says again: "Prayer for the Royal Family!".  Now wait for the Kiddush: Tommy suddenly forgets about his ailing foot and scurries around, pushing tables and pulling chairs, carrying two-liter bottles of drink and dishing out disposable plates filled with food...

The Chazzan coes to the Amud with a coffee in one hand and his Siddur in the other... Every page or two throughout Pesukey deZimrah he sips from his drink, tells the page number he's at and then continues to Daven...

Here in this Shul I'm the ba'al kery...

Is there any Levy in the Shul? = a Lady?!

This is the Shul without a flock . . . I came into Shul on Shabbos morning and wanted to know what time it is.  As I was scanning the walls, my frustration grew since I couldn't find it!  The early risers watched me looking for something, with my head tilted upwards, so when I asked them - half in jest, half with alarm: "Is this the Shul without a clock?", one good soul pointed to the west-facing wall and said: The clock is on that wall, just beneath the women's gallery.  As I read the time, another member piped up and said in an audible sigh: "This is the Sul without a flock!".  He explained that the younger generation is moving to the Greater London suburb.

We finished reading Parashas Shekolim and Gerry - the 96-year old member of the our Shul - pipes up from his wheelchair seat: "How did they pay their dues in those days of the desert - they didn't have a penny to their name and anyhow, who knew at the time what a Shekel is, when these coins were invented in Roman times!?  When the Rabbi opened a Mishnayos and showed the English text to Gerry, where it clearly explains how the Shekel is calculated, from days of yore until current times, he sneered at the Rabbi and said 

Gerry was sitting at the Kidush and we discussed a Bris.  He derided the whole idea of circumcising an eight-day old boy (whilst he was brissedat the same age), since we only know that three angels - one of them G-d almighty himself disguised as an angel - visited Abraham in the heat of the day and he was then told to circumcise himself, his servants and his children. . .

When teaching about Eruv Tavshilin, one congregant piped up: "A very religious neighbour of mine told me in the name of his even-more-religious-Rabbi that - in order to be able to carry from one flat to another on in our block of flats, all I had to do was to place a plate with a Challoh and a boiled egg on the window sill in the communal area".  Another question: After finishing the explanation about the Eruv, one question popped up: Aren't the Frummes against the Eruv?!

After spending so much time to convince a Kohen to come for Duchening, we gave him the first Aliyah and when it came to Musaph, the warden adamantly refused to allow the Duchening, on the grounds that "Our Minhag in this Shul is that - when Yontef falls on a Shabbos - there is no Duchening!".  Since I was tired from the exercise to bring this Kohen, I prevailed upon the warden to allow it - just this time, so as not to inflict pain on the Kohen for coming all the way in vain.  Turns out that the warden confused saying the Yehi Rotzon during the Duchening (when the Kohanim sing) and the whole of Duchening . . . 

The difference between Chassidim travelling to the Rebbe for Yontef and Anglo-Jewry flocking to football stadia: The first are Oleh Regel whilst the latter are Oleh Kaduregel . . .

When the Chazan finished Shacharis on the second day Yontef of Shovuos, the time came to say Megillas Ruth, only that the warden maintained that "Our Shul's Minhag is to leave the reading of Megillas Ruth for when we arrive home and not during the Davening".  At this point, I turned around an asked: So is this the Ruthless Shul?

Warden: "When the doors of the Harem Kodesh are open, one should stand".  

We were on our way to the holy land and it was a day after Rosh HaShanah.  I managed to recite Selichos on the Picaddily line and - even the long-winded Piyutim of Tzom Gedalyah couldn't compete with the chugging tube wagon.  When we finally arrived at Heathrow, I was anxious to clear the security clearance area, so that we could reach the boarding area and find a spot to Daven Shacharis.  Sure enough, as we approached the gate, there was an empty patch between the Claw Machine and the other vending machine.  Before I made a beeline for it, I told my to take her place in line and - as the queue was mving ever so slowly - I shall be back before the half an hour of estimated waiting time for reaching the boarding desk will be over.  My Davening went quite speedy and when I finished, I noticed my wife moving along the trail of co-passengers, so I made my way there, still wrapped in my Tallis and Tefillin.  The problem I now had was: How do I explain to the people in the queue that I really belong with my wife.  So I approached the man standing behind her and said - loud enough so the rest of the people behind him could also hear: I'm still tied up at the moment - pointing out to my Tefillin - and edging myself into position.  The guy has been chatting to my wife until now and - when he heard me explaining why I look so untidy - he piped up: "When I was a teenager, my father always used to ask me when I was a boy: Do you have time To Fill In?".  I stopped in my tracks, as this was an ear-opener question!  Wow! I thought and then told my newly-found friend: "This is a winner! Now let me see if I can better that".  I asked him: "What is the earlies sport in history of mankind?".  He looked at me in total bewilderment and scratched his occiput... "Wrestling" he finally said - referring to Cain and Abel.  I told him in no uncertain terms that he is wrong!  After half a minute, it looked like he conceded defeat and asked me to to tell him, so I told him it was Cricket.  Now he became totally disoriented!  The people waiting behind him were watching how a youngster like me is having a go at this white heared septuagenarian and waited for the punchline.  I then told him a clue: The Torah starts with Bereshis, which in English reads like "In the beginning".  He was still befuddled so I read it to him s l o w l y: "In the Big Inning".  He started giggling politely and this was the end of it - or so I thought!  After queuing up for another tow minutes, all the while shuffling my luggage along on the carpet and trying to arrange my Tallis and Tefillin into their respective bags, he tapped me on my shoulder and half-begging he asked me - with a look of concern on his visage - "please can you explain the joke to me?".  The real laughter emanated from his mouth, now that he understood this oh-so intricate joke.  After all, he himself admitted that - although heis cousin is a Rabbi somewhere in Greater London, he himself lives in the outskirts of Manchester.

A couple of weeks later, I was back in London and during my weekly Shiur at my little Shul, I decided to tell the story and then I posed the above question "What is the first sport mentioned in the Torah?".  There were about half a dozen attendants, amongst them people who never opened a Chumash, let alone delved into its treasures.  After a couple of attempts by the listeners ("Archery"), one older Shul member  pipes up: "The first sport in history is Cricket".  I was floored, I mean - out of all these ignorami - how did he hit gold?!  I asked him in astonishment: "Mark! How on earth do you know the answer?!".  Mark, in his non-chalant way of speaking, answered: "Ian Botham (England's highest Test wicket-taker) used to say that".

The Chazan started with Birchos haShachar: Hanosen laSechvy Vino..., She-osany Goy, She-osany Oved, She-osany Isho, without batting an eyelid . . .

The Chazan started with Birchos haShachar: Hanosen laSechvy Vino..., She-osany Kirtzono and then he heard the people behind him protesting, so he quickly said: Oh no, Shelo osany Kirtzono but then the people behind him protested again so he then said: Oh no, She-osany Isho and by the fourth try he found his balance and said: Oh no, Shelo Osany Isho . . .

Q. Why is Pesach called "Passover" in the English language?

A. Because some Jews - for example, British citizens of the Jewish creed, who consider themselves to British first and Jew second . . . - want this Yontef to be paased over already . . .

One Shabbos morning, during the 2026 FA World Cup, one of the seniors in the Shul approached me, with concern plastered all over his face.  He asked me in the most serious manner to "put in  a good word for us".  I aksed him "is everything alright?", to which he responded: "What do you mena - Kick off is tonight!".  They won . . . .

I had to join a group to visit the Holocaust museum up in Nottinghamshire, so I asked the Rabbi of a Kehillah where we spent many a Shabbos with the Travelling Chassidim, if they had a Minyan for Shacharis.  The answer that came back included an invitation: "Yes, we start Shacharis at 8:00AM.  Please come and join us; we will be delighted to have you for our Shachaeis service".  When I entered the SHul, there were some 15 men all wrpped in their tallis, tefillin and prayer.  Lee was also there and gave me a bear hug.  Lee lives far away from this Shul but makes it his duty to attend Minyan whenever he can.  Whenever the Travelling Chassidim would come to spend a Shabbos with th elocal Shul, Lee would walk for miles to join in the happy clappy Davening.  When we finished Shacharis, there was some small talk in the Shul hall and then Lee turns to and says "This is the first time I saw you coming in with your trousers on".  It took me a split second to comprehend what he was on about: Us Chassidim wear knee high socks, which are reaching up to the hal trousers that we wear under our Bekeshe.  Poor Lee always thought that we are some kind of Chassidic Scotts, who walk around with just their socks . . . 

Typo Hyppo - the Classic Mistakes

Spelling mistake: "you're" should read "your"

Correction: "ilford" not "Illford"

Typo: The word leavya should really read levaya.

Organising a holiday camp or residential school trip in Switzerland

How to arrange Group accommodation in Switzerland (or anywhere else):

Group accommodation: searching for it, finding it and booking it

There are plenty of tips and tricks out there for preparing holiday camps or residential school trips. But there is often a lack of information on successfully booking group accommodation for them. Choosing the right accommodation and using the correct rental agreement or accommodation contract are crucial factors for organising a great trip or holiday camp. Groups has put together some useful tips drawing on more than 40 years’ experience in advising and organising holiday camps to support group leaders in successfully reserving the right accommodation for them.

Searching for accommodation

Start searching early: if you start 11 months in advance of the trip, you’ll have the widest selection of accommodation. Of course, there will be options available later, but on a ‘first come first served’ basis...

Search criteria: As well as your trip dates, number of people and key words, make sure you also use the additional search criteria such as region, room allocation, location (e.g. close to water, location border, in location), facilities (e.g. sports halls) and budget.

Our tips:

• Start with a ‘broader’ search, even if you know exactly where you want to go. This will give you an overview of all the options on offer, so you’ll soon find out whether your vision is realistic. After that, you can start using more criteria to narrow down your search results more and more. While certain criteria won’t limit your results so much during the low season, they might drastically reduce the available selection during the high season.
• Read the guest reviews: all guest reviews posted on group.swiss are checked by us. You can trust them! 
• Use the wish list feature: click the heart button to save accommodation options to your ‘Favourites’ and use the handy comparison function to view them side by side. 

If you can’t decide which accommodation to go for by yourself, you can share your wish list on Facebook and Twitter or send it out via email.

Getting advice

If you have any questions about choosing accommodation, just get in touch with Groups. We’ve visited many of the properties before and would be happy to advise you on the available options, including what would be suitable for your specific needs. Just give us a call on: +41 61 926 60 00

Enquiries

www.groups.swiss is the only portal where you can enquire about several accommodation options at once via a collective enquiry. This feature saves you a lot of time and makes it easier for you to compare your options. You can submit the collective enquiry from the wish list or directly from the search filters.

Help the host to understand your group’s requirements: more informative enquiries result in better quotes. For example, specify the purpose of your stay and your budget. You can write up any specific requirements or preferences under ‘Comments’.

If you don’t know exactly how many participants you’ll have on your trip yet, no problem! Just give the host a rough estimate of how many you’re expecting. 

Viewing the property before signing the agreement

We recommend viewing the property and surrounding area, and resolving any outstanding issues with the host BEFORE signing an agreement.

Booking accommodation

Via booking enquiry or direct booking

There are two options to choose from: 

1) Booking enquiry on www.groups.swiss 

You can request a quote by clicking the envelope button or submitting a collective enquiry. From that point on, you will be in direct contact with the host. You will arrange all the important aspects of your stay with them and enter into the rental agreement with them directly. For your own protection, please insist on using the contents of the Groups industry-standard sample lease agreement. We are happy to assist with any questions you may have.

2) Direct booking on www.groups.swiss

Accommodation with the shopping trolley button  can be booked directly. That means you can make a reservation online and your requested dates will be kept free for you. The host has three days to confirm the reservation. You can either pay by credit card or print out your invoice. 

No commission!

Unlike other portals, Groups doesn’t charge any commission whatsoever. This means you’ll be put in direct contact with the host right after making an enquiry and be able book accommodation more cheaply.

Travel cancellation insurance

Private travel cancellation insurance policies are not valid for groups, so we recommend taking out group travel insurance. 

Handover of the accommodation upon arrival and departure

Together with the host, make a record of the condition of the property upon arrival and departure. Hosts typically have the relevant paperwork to hand, but if not, you can find sample arrival and departure protocol forms on our website. If possible, fill in the form together with the host and ensure you have both signed it. If the host isn’t present, fill it in on your own. You should notify the host of any defects in writing immediately. If you don’t create this record, the property will be assumed to be handed over to you in good condition and you will therefore be liable for any damage or defects, including any that were there before your arrival.

Additional resources

You can find lots of useful information about preparing and leading holiday camps, for example on education website zebis.ch (in German), which provides documents and links about trip destinations, meal planning, group games and much more.

Groups is happy to help! 

We do everything we can to make your stay perfect. Simply contact us, we’re always happy to help. 

We provide free advice and can help you find just the right accommodation. Look at our help page to find some useful tips and tricks.

See the Blog Page "Warnings for Holidays, Hotels and Hollows . . .".

Taking youngsters on a outing in North London

Taking youngsters on a outing in North London

Day Trips, Activities and more:

Day Trips:

Alongside the River Lea

Visit Old Age Home - Schonfeld Square in Stamford Hill / Sage Home in Golders Green

Grave of Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld in Highgate

Dig up dirt in the pond, to create a cleaner environment for the whole Ecosystem

During the walks, do a Tehillim Contest: Every participant says one chapter by heart and the next in line picks up where the previous left off.

Disused Railway in Finsbury Park > Ally Pally

Activities:

Visit Kotkes in Chase Farm Hospital

Find all the Seforim mentioned in the Sidur Avodas haShem

Learn the meaning of: Selichos, Machzor for Rosh haShono, Yom Kippur & Succos, Hosha'nos etc.

Design bookmarks /stickers / posters with one liners from Tanach, Mishna and other Seforim

Learn all YOMI throughout the day: Chumash, Tehillim, Mishna, Daf, Halacha & Mussar

Sit around in Springfield Park and prepare the new songs for Shalesheedes

Arrange all the change into banking bags

Prepare the 13 Ikarim by the Rambam (one per month for the Daf haShavu'a?)

Arrange books in Alphabetical order in FPUS

Shuls:

FPUS

LAWS

Walford Road

Palmers Green

Chatham

Long Distance:

Rabbi Moshe Montefiore

National Holocaust Museum, Acre Edge Road, Laxton, Nottinghamshire, NG22 0PA

Seven Sisters near Brighton

Drive to Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation on 29a New Church Rd, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 4AD.  After Shacharis, drive to Seaford and park at South Hill Barn (BN25 4JQ) right at the edge of Seaford Head and the seafront Seaford Esplanade car parks, or slightly further inland at the Seven Sisters Country Park / Exceat (BN25 4AD).  Make your way back to the parking using the regular Coaster 12, 12A, or 12X bus services connecting Brighton, Seaford, and Eastbourne.

More details:

Fabulous Seven Sisters Walk, East Sussex | Sussex Exclusive

Seven Sisters Cliffs Walk — Let's Trek It

Training Resources

 Training courses

Add to training material - Place where relevant:

info@shufra.org.il

Snipping Tool - Copying text out of pictures: Recording-20240711_112647.webm (sharepoint.com)

Word:

ascii for “No Entry” sign Alt+128683

Letter "ó" Alt+0243

Cannot FIND Two Chevrons: If you search for <>, the result will be "No results found", so search for < and then for  > separately

Cannot find the ASCII Code for the Crosshair Cursor Symbol 

Q. I try to delete a new page at the end of the file but however much I try, it doesn't work!

A. Copy a Paragraph Return from elsewhere in the same (or an another) document and then select the last blank part of the document.  Now with the selected blank space, paste the copied Paragraph Return and then press the Backspace Button.

 

Q. How can I use the Find dialogue box to search for Table elements?

A. 

 

How to find / Replace / Insert Cell Marker: See Word code for end-of-cell mark. On replace special character a - Microsoft Community

 

Outlook:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/view-email-messages-by-conversation-in-outlook-0eeec76c-f59b-4834-98e6-05cfdfa9fb07#PickTab=Classic_Outlook

When the InBox looks empty and the following message displays "Currently displaying all messages newer than 12 months", you can change this by following the instructions: How to see more than 12 months worth of emails on Outlook?  However, depending on the number of eMails, see what the IT Helpdesk says: Please do not change the sync date to "All" as this will slow down your Outlook massively due to the sheer size of your inbox.  In regards to searching for those emails, I suggest one of the two: Make your search as detailed and as specific as possible. Use the filters (date from to date to), add a specific sender, etc. or Use Outlook on the web for finding these as that is where it will display you loads more results than the Outlook app search feature.

search a string of text by removingthespaces: example: If you search for "automatic" and "replies" will not work as effectively as "automaticreplies" 

reducing image sizes, image attachments in emails: Recording-20240716_215514.webm (sharepoint.com)

How to print Memo Style double sided? 

"field chooser" "outlook" "in folder" - Google Search

How to setup and cancel automatic confirmation of Meeting invitations 

Tip #41 - Outlook - Creating Meeting Appointments from Emails

This is one of the most useful new features of Outlook I used in 2024. Such a simple way to create meetings from Emails.

I also forgot to mention that it doesn't only work with meeting appointments, if you use tasks you can do exactly the same by dragging the email into your tasks icon to create a new task, secondly it also works with contacts, so if you receive an email you haven't got in your contacts, just drag and drop the email to the people icon and it will create a new contact with all the users info in there.

Any questions let us know.

Recording-20250109_112812.webm

https://unitedsynagogue-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/mshear_theus_org_uk/EY0TtHLxDGhCgGl-HK61tp0BhEBFJlr1r1r-ua0dGrLzvw?nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJTdHJlYW1XZWJBcHAiLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJTaGFyZURpYWxvZy1MaW5rIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXcifX0%3D&e=3DBus3

 

Shortcuts

 

Q. When I try to paste text with a picture the following warning appears:

See the attached file, which is a screenshot of a computer description automatically generated

A.

Q. How do you set one of the dozen or so Calendars in Outlook to be the default one?

A. 

Q. I received an eMail message but it looks completely blank.  

A. Restart Outlook and this problem  should go blank...

 

When an eMail is sent from an eMail system - i.e. not by a human being... then the message does not have the option to React - e.g. with a smiley or a "thumbs up".

 

Excel:

Focus Cell - See: Recording-20241205_144736.webm

 

Shortcut How to enter the time into a cell

 

Excel tip: How I use conditional formatting to automate my Excel spreadsheets like a pro https://www.xda-developers.com/conditional-formatting-automate-excel-spreadsheet/ 

To calculate the percentage difference between two numbers in Excel, you can use the following formula:

=(New Value - Old Value) / Old Value * 100

For example, here's how you can apply it:

 

1. Enter the old value in cell A1 and the new value in cell B1.
2. In cell C1, enter the formula: =(B1 - A1) / A1 * 100.
3. Press Enter to get the percentage difference.

 

For example, if the old value is 50 and the new value is 75, the formula will be =(75 - 50) / 50 * 100, which results in a 50% increase.

 

If you need to calculate the absolute percentage difference (ignoring whether the change is an increase or decrease), you can use the ABS function:

=ABS((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value * 100)

This will give you the percentage difference without considering the direction of the change.Quick Analysis - What is it and How to 

 

Learn a trick or two in Excel: Up Up and Array!: Dynamic Array Formulas for Excel 365 and Beyond | SpringerLink

Paste multiple items: Clipboard in Windows - Microsoft Support

How to remove yellow tip notes comments from Cells Erasing floating comment on excel - Microsoft Community

 

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To change text from uppercase to lowercase in Excel, you can use the `LOWER` function. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

 

### Using the LOWER Function

 

1. **Identify the Cell with Uppercase Text:**

   - Suppose cell A1 contains the text "HELLO".

 

2. **Use the LOWER Function:**

   - In a new cell (e.g., B1), enter the formula:

     ```excel

     =LOWER(A1)

     ```

   - This will convert the text in A1 to lowercase and display "hello" in B1.

 

3. **Apply to Multiple Cells:**

   - If you have a range of cells (e.g., A1:A10) that you want to convert to lowercase, you can apply the formula to each cell in the range:

     - In cell B1, enter:

       ```excel

       =LOWER(A1)

       ```

     - Drag the fill handle (a small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell) down from B1 to B10 to apply the formula to the rest of the cells.

 

### Copying and Pasting as Values

 

If you want to replace the original uppercase text with the lowercase text, follow these steps:

 

1. **Convert to Lowercase Using the LOWER Function:**

   - Follow the steps above to convert the text using the `LOWER` function.

 

2. **Copy the Lowercase Text:**

   - Select the cells with the lowercase text (e.g., B1:B10).

   - Right-click and choose "Copy" (or use `Ctrl+C` / `Cmd+C`).

 

3. **Paste as Values Over the Original Text:**

   - Select the original cells with the uppercase text (e.g., A1:A10).

   - Right-click and choose "Paste Special".

   - In the "Paste Special" dialog, choose "Values" and click "OK".

 

This will replace the original uppercase text with the lowercase text.

 

### Example

 

Let's say you have the following data in column A:

 

| A |

|---------|

| HELLO |

| WORLD |

| EXCEL |

| FORMULA |

 

1. **In column B, use the LOWER function:**

 

   | A | B |

   |---------|---------|

   | HELLO | =LOWER(A1) |

   | WORLD | =LOWER(A2) |

   | EXCEL | =LOWER(A3) |

   | FORMULA | =LOWER(A4) |

 

2. **After applying the LOWER function:**

 

   | A | B |

   |---------|---------|

   | HELLO | hello |

   | WORLD | world |

   | EXCEL | excel |

   | FORMULA | formula |

 

3. **Copy the lowercase values from column B to column A using "Paste Special" > "Values".**

 

After these steps, your data will look like this:

 

| A |

|---------|

| hello |

| world |

| excel |

| formula |

 

This method ensures that your text is converted from uppercase to lowercase efficiently.

 

Tip #37 - Excel - Extracting data from a cell: Viva Engage - Conversation (cloud.microsoft)

 

How to compare or remove horizontally-duplicated values, when a value appears in two Columns on the same Row, using the TRUE/FALSE (or “Match”/“Mismatch”) result in a new - third Column? How to Compare Two Columns in Excel (for matches & differences)

 

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A. If nothing helps - even after closing the application and restarting, do this: Switch another Google Drive that is open is your Browser and then click the GoogleAccount Drop-Down-Menu.  From there click the Account for which you're trying to open the Google Drive for and bob's your uncle!"  If this also doesn't help, delete your Browser Cache.  If this doesn't help, see: How to fix the message "drive.google.com uses an unsupported protocol." "ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH" - Google Search

F7 = Spell Checker: Before you hit the Send Button on your eMail message, please place the text into a MSWord file.  Then hit the F7 Button (on top of the numbers 7 & 8 of the keyboard).   When finished, place the corrected text into your eMail message and hey presto, your message now makes [more] sense!  As an example, here is the message that you sent me about 40 minutes ago, but after it has been corrected by the Spelling Checker of MSWord:

גילוי דעת מהאח ה"בר דעת"

 חתונה? השיריים של האדמו"ר לאחי אהרל’ה / טור

דודי שוומנפלד, החליט שלא לסקר בתכנית הרדיו שהוא מגיש את הסערה סביב שמחת החתונה לנכד האדמו"ר מבעלזא • בטור שכתב הוא מספר על אחיו המיוחד, והקשר לרבי (חסידים)

כאחד ששותף בהגשת תכנית אקטואליה יומית אתם בוודאי מתארים לעצמכם, שבישיבת צוות העריכה עלה על השולחן נושא החתונה בחצר הקודש בעלזא. מטבע הדברים, אכן נושא ראוי ואולי אף חשוב.

אז הנה ‘גילוי דעת’ או שמא ‘גילוי נאות’ שאותו שיתפתי עם המגיש שלצידי ועורך התכנית כמו גם יתר חברי ההנהלה השותפים בקבוצת העריכה של תכניתי "ישר ולענין".

“אינני מתכוון לשוחח ולהעלות את הנושא בתכניתי שלי!”, הודעתי. למה? הם שאלו, “נעשה זאת עם כל הכבוד הראוי, כדרכנו בכל אייטם ובוודאי כשמדובר באחת מחצרות הגדולים ובאחד האדמו"רים המוערכים ביהדות בכלל, וביהדות החרדית בפרט”. אבל אני בשלי! לא מוכן לדבר בנושא! שוב הם שאלו, למה? מדוע? אז הנה התשובה, הנה ה’גילוי הנאות’ שמעולם לא שיתפתי והערב הזה אני מרגיש צורך לשתפו לכל העולם.

יש לי אח אוטיסט. אהרל'ה שמו. היום הוא בן 50 ( אך נשאר ילד והמבין יבין). אני זוכר את היום ההוא לפני כעשור, פוסע לי בשכונת ילדותי בירושלים, כשלפתע עוצר אותי חסיד בעלזא ושואל: “דודי, אתה יודע שהרוב (כך נקרא האדמו"ר בלשון החסידים) שולח בכל 'טיש' של ליל שבת שיריים לאחיך אהרל'ה לפני כולם?!

אני במבט המום מסתכל על אותו חסיד, והוא ממשיך: "לפני הדיינים, לפני הרבנים, לפני הגבירים, אפילו לפני הנכדים. הרבי טועם מהאוכל, נותן לבנו יחידו, ואז זורק מבט לכיוון המקום של ארהל'ה, ממלא לו בצלחת מוסר לגבאי הראשי ואז, מול אלפי הנוכחים הגבאי מכריז בקול רם, ארהל'ה שוומנפלד".

לא רבים הצליחו להעתיק נשמתי עם סיפורים, ואני עומד שם ברחוב מביט עליו בשוק, האם הוא מספר על אחי שלי, על אהרל'ה שלי? והוא ממשיך: "הצלחת הזו עוברת עשרות עד מאות ידיים, כולם מביטים בה, אבל האדמ"ר מביט על מישהו אחד, על אהרל'ה. באולם דממה וצלחת אחת שעוברת עוד יד ועוד יד, והעולם כולו מחכה שהיא תגיע לידיו, ואהרל'ה כמו בכל פעם, מסמיק כולו מאושר ורק אז האדמו"ר מרשה לעצמו לחלק את השיריים לכל יתר החשובים ואז לקהל כולו”.

אני עומד משתהה, מאזין ולא מאמין, מילותיי נעתקות מפי והוא מבהיר לי: "זה קורה בכל שבת פעמיים ושלוש, וכך חוזר על עצמו הטקס הזה כבר שנים, במיוחד מאז שאהרל'ה הפך ליתום"

הסיפור ההוא ששמעתי על המדרכה הירושלמית באותו יום לפני שנים, נחרט בליבי ובמוחי. איזה אדמו"ר ענק זה שכך נותן את תשומת הלב לחסידו. מנה שבועית שהיא לא רק שיריים, אלא מנה שמאכילה למשך שבוע שלם את הילד המיוחד הזה בן ה-50, שמבחינתו מחכה בכל צאת שבת לשבת הבאה, וזה מה שמחזיק אותו שבוע שלם.

לא בכדי כל אדם שמתעניין בשלומו במשך השבוע, שומע מאהרל'ה אחי בהתרגשות את האהבה של האדמו"ר אליו. "אתה יודע שאני מקבל שיריים מהרוב ראשון??? כי הרוב אוהב אותי יותר מכוווולם!". דאגתו ואהבתו של האדמו"ר לא מסתכמת רק שם, לא אחת כאשר אהרל'ה מתארח אצלי או אצל אחיי בשבת, עם צאת השבת אחותי מקבלת טלפון מבית האדמו"ר שמתעניין לדעת היכן היה אהרל'ה בשבת, והתעניינות האדמו"ר שהכל בסדר כי הוא לא ראה אותו בטיש. ואנחנו במשפחה כבר התרגלנו ברבות השנים, ליידע את בית האדמו"ר בימי שישי, אם וכאשר אהרל'ה ייעדר.

אז עכשיו חברים, אני שואל. האם אני, דודי שוומנפלד, אח של אהרל'ה, האם אני יכול לשאול שאלות של כמה, למה, מתי ואיך? הרי גם אם היה מדובר בסתם באדם שמפנק ודואג ומחיה את נפשו של אחי, לא הייתי מסוגל לנצל את המיקרופון שברשותי כדי לבקר אותו, אפילו לא בדרך של כבוד. על אחת כמה וכמה כאשר משדובר במנהיג בקנה מידה עולמי בעולם החסידות, אדמו"ר ענק שבכל ליל שבת מותיר את רבבות חסידיו בצד, הכל בכדי לעודד ילד מסכן, ומצידו שכל העולם יחכה עד אשר הילד המסכן יחייך את חיוכו השבועי. את האיש הענק הזה אתם רוצים שאבקר???

ואם בחתונה עסקינן, אז אני מבקש לחדד. תשומת הלב שדיברתי עליה, לא מסתכמת ב'טיש' ליל שבת. זה קורה בכל חגי ישראל, גם כאשר בית המדרש עמוס ומתווספים לו עוד אלפי אורחים מחו"ל, ובהם עשירי החסידות שמחזיקים כלכלית את המוסדות. גם הם יחכו כמו יתר החסידים לאותה נתינה שמעניק האדמו"ר. וכן, גם בחתונות נכדיו ונכדותיו, גם שם כאשר רבבות עומדים על הפרענצ'עס ושרים 'דער רבי זאל לייבען א מזל טוב אלע חסידים א מזל טוב', והוא בשיא מלכותו ותפארתו, יטעם מהצלחת, גם אז יחל במבטיו לכל עבר ובסוף ישאל לאחד המשבקי"ם וויא איז ארהלה? (איפה ארהל'ה), ושנייה אחרי – תשמע ההכרזה בכרוז הראשי: "ארה'ה שוומנפלד".

ומאז ועד היום, כן, גם היום. כל מי שביקר אי פעם בטיש בבעלזא, לא יפספס את ההכרזה בעת חלוקת השיריים: "ארהל’ה שוומנפלד". מי שלא מכיר, וודאי יתאר לעצמו שמדובר בגביר של החסידות, אבל די בבירור קצר לגלות שמדובר באוטיסט הבוגר של החסידות, זה שהאדמו"ר החליט לפני שנים שהוא מקבל שיריים לפני כולם!

זה הנימוק שלי דוויד שוומנפלד (בהגייה חסידית). ואם לרגע אתנתק מהאישי ואחזור להיות דודי שוומנפלד אומר רק שני דברים: דמיינו לערב אחד את כיכר בעלז לכיכר בלפור/פריז ומבטיחכם נאמנה כי הדברים יסתדרו לכם טוב יותר. ודבר נוסף: אם תשאלו אותי על מי אתה סומך יותר על נתניהו, ליצמן, בר סימן טוב, אדלשטיין ופרופסור גמזו, או על האדמו"ר מבעלזא? התשובה ברורה: על האדמו"ר מבעלזא, ואידך זיל גמור.

מזל טוב לאדמו"ר, מזל טוב לחסידים, דורות ישרים ומבורכים.

דודי שוומנפלד, אח של ארהל'ה.

ט"ז באב תש"פ 10:08  06.08.2020

תגיות: דודי שוומנפלד, בעלזא, חתונה, האדמו"ר מבעלזא