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Question of the Week: What faith was Fiorello
LaGuardia, the much-loved mayor of New York City during the
1930s and 1940s?

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Father Knows Best

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

In honor of Father's Day, ce e oratec Sunday, June 18, here's a
collection of facts, stories anc tang izing tidbits apout Jewish dac s.

#1) The Hebrew word for father is av, or
abba. Av is made up of the letters aleph and
vet, also found in the word "love," spelled
aleph, hey, vet, hey

Rabbi Akiva was both a well-respected and
Fame, Ross was termed by boxing historian
much-loved teacher of Torah, who continued to
Nat Fleischer as, "one of the greatest light-
instruct his students even after the Romans for-
. weights and welterweights of all time."
bade it. Subsequently, he was arrested and tor-
But Ross' fame didn't stop there. In 1942,
#2) According to the Torah, a father is obligat- 1 tured to death.
he began serving with the Marine Corps and
When Rabbi Akiva began his studies, he nai-
ed to:
saw combat on Guadalcanal. Ross proved to
1 urally started with the aleph-bet. He was not
• Provide for the basic needs (food, clothing,
be an extraordinary fighter outside the ring,
alone.
When
Rabbi
Akiva
sat
down
to
study,
shelter) of all his sons and daughters
too, receiving the Silver Star, the third-highest
he did so with his son.
• Teach his children Torah
decoration given for valor, for his efforts. Ross
• Make certain that his son learns a trade or a
admits to worrying from time to time during
#4) Had it not been for the death of his father,
profession, and bear all financial responsibili-
battle: "I did a little praying," he said. "In
1 Barney Ross (1909-1967) might never have
ties for this training
Hebrew."
become one of the world's greatest boxers
• Find a suitable husband for his daughter, and
In later years, drugs wrecked Ross' life (he
and a World War II hero.
provide her with a dowry if necessary.
was a morphine addict), then he claimed to
Born Barney Rosofsky, Ross was raised in
have kicked the habit. His ordeal inspired
These are a father's responsibilities, regardless
1
Chicago.
In 1924, his father, a talmudic schol-
the film Monkey on My Back. Ross was
of whether he is actually married to the child%
ar who also ran a grocery store, was killed in
mother, regardless of whether he and his wife
diagnosed with throat cancer and died at
a holdup. Ross' mother had a nervous break-
divorce.
age 57.
: down and all the family's children — Barney,
his two younger brothers and sister — were
#5) One of the best-known Jewish texts is
#3) Rabbi Akiva (c. 50-135 C. E) is one of the
sent
to
an
orphanage.
Ross'
parents
had
Pirkei Avot — Sayings of the Fathers, part of
most extraordinary figures in Jewish history. For
years he was not only ignorant, but even hostile Hoped their eldest son would become a
the Mishnah (which, together with the Talmud,
1 Hebrew teacher. But it wasn't to be.
to the idea of scholarly pursuits. Then he mar-
constitutes the Oral Law). It is here that you'll
"Everything that happened to me afterward,
ried Rachel, who made her husband promise
find the famous statement, "By three things the
happened because of that senseless murder,"
to study Torah. This he did, and became a
world is sustained: by judgment, by truth and
1
Ross
said.
leading influence on the development of Jewish
by peace," uttered by Rabban Simon ben
What happened is that Ross took it upon him-
law. In addition to being a scholar, Rabbi
Gamaliel, who was one in a long line of out-
self to reunite his family. To do that would take
standing scholars.
Akiva was an advocate for the poor and was
1
money,
so he decided to take up boxing to
a genius who nonetheless was exceptionally
earn a living. He became a professional in
#6) Two Jewish godfathers you might know:
humble.
1929. Later named to the Boxing Hall of
Director Steven Spielberg is godfather to one

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