DECEMBER 12 • 2024 | 7
J
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Jewish community would do well 
to pause and make note of the debt 
we owe them for their steadfast 
commitment to all of us, for the 
Jewish infrastructure they have 
created and maintain throughout 
the world, and for reminding us of 
who we are and the values we stand 
for.
The world would also do well 
to pause and learn from Chabad’s 
remarkable army of men and 
women who never hide or shirk 
their identity and values but choose 
instead to work fearlessly anywhere 
and everywhere to bring light to 
a darkened world. Their strength 
should inspire the many who 
continue to display weakness in 
their epic failure to act with moral 
clarity and courage and confront 
evil and who have chosen instead to 
cow to popular opinion and tie the 

hands of Israel. 
What has been done and said in 
recent days by the ICC, the UN, the 
Vatican and by some in the United 
States Congress has added wind 
to the sails of Iran, Hamas and 
Hezbollah, further fueled global 
antisemitism, and empowered the 
enemies of the Jewish people. If 
only they had the moral courage of 
a Chabad shaliach. 
The vicious murder of Rabbi 
Kogan reminds us Jews of who we 
are. The life of Rabbi Kogan and of 
his fellow shluchim should remind 
all people of good conscience to act 
with discernment and moral clarity, 
standing up fearlessly to evil and 
lovingly offering their support for 
the good. 

Rabbi Moshe Hauer is the executive vice 

president of the Orthodox Union.

Conference showed the extent 
to which Israeli companies are 
“transforming Miami into a global 
tech hub.” Any student of computer 
science or software engineering, or 
even a budding tech entrepreneur, 
will suffer greatly by boycotting all 
things Israel.
STEM students who refuse to 
work with Israeli technologies, 
scientists and universities will 
sabotage their careers. They will 
likely wind up at the bottom of 
their professions — far from 
important research and Nobel 
Prize winners. Israeli schools and 
research companies are responsible 
for many breakthroughs in 
detecting and treating cancer, and 
Israelis have dominated the Nobel 
Prize in chemistry for most of the 
20th century.
Naturally, none of the student 
demands should be taken seriously. 
In America today, no one virtue 

signals like a college student. 
Their hunger strikes begin after 
breakfast and end at lunch; so, too, 
do their demands end the moment 
they sign a resolution or shout in 
front of the camera.
Of course, I would love for just 
one anti-Israel, pro-BDS, boycotting 
and/or divesting protester to prove 
me wrong and truly refrain from 
using or benefiting from anything 
derived from Israeli ingenuity. 
Write me, using pen and paper, of 
course, and tell me how it’s going. 
Find an envelope and stamp, and 
mail it to me at: The Investigative 
Project on Terrorism, 5614 
Connecticut Ave. NW, No. 341, 
Washington, DC 20015. 

A.J. Caschetta is a principal lecturer at 

the Rochester Institute of Technology and 

a fellow at Campus Watch, a project of the 

Middle East Forum, where he is a Ginsburg-

Ingerman fellow.

continued from page 4

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STORY
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STORY
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In February 2024, Melissa and Adam Neff became 
the proud owners of the 75th U.S. franchise of Scenthound 
when they opened their dog-focused Birmingham shop. 
“We try not to use the word ‘grooming,’” Melissa said. 
“Grooming implies that you just drop off your dog and leave 
the care to others until your next visit. We offer services, but 
also teach you how to keep your dogs healthy when they’re 
at home. There’s an educational component with Scenthound, 
even in the business name – SCENT is an acronym for Skin, 
Coat, Ears, Nails and Teeth.” 
Prior to launch, the Neffs thought they could finance their 
entire venture internally, between themselves and their families, 
but it was much more costly than they thought it would be to 
get across the finish line. They turned to Hebrew Free Loan’s 
Marvin I. Danto Small Business Loan Program. 
“The HFL process was very smooth and painless,” Melissa 
said. “It was much friendlier than traditional lending, we 
loved the concept of HFL helping to uplift our community, and 
we also liked that it was something that we could eventually 
give back to someday. Being interest-free didn’t hurt, either.” 
Almost a year later, Melissa and Adam are pleased with 
how it’s going. “Scenthound uses a membership model, which 
offers customer benefits, and we’ve doubled our membership 
in the last eight months,” Adam said. “We have a dynamic 
staff, and public reaction to what we offer is really positive.” 
As the Neffs look at their success with Scenthound, and 
consider the future of their business, they recommend that 
local Jewish small businesses push the envelope. 
“Dream, experiment, network, formulate your plans, then 
go to HFL,” Adam said. “Don’t be afraid of the work, and 
don’t miss out on what you could contribute to the world.”