Posted on 08/20/25
So who is the oldest Jew in the world? Last week I wrote here about the 105th (!) birthday of Renee Binstock. This week, I was delighted to hear from the Mamo family; compared to their grandmother, Renee is practically a youngster. Their grandmother, Aliza Mamo, will soon celebrate her 106th birthday.
Her grandson, Ilan Shevah, relates:
“Grandma was born on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, in 1919. As a child and teenager she was active and full of energy—helping the elderly, running errands for her parents, dashing through the narrow alleys of the Jewish quarter. She grew up under the influence of Djerba’s sages and righteous men, absorbing holiness and yirat Shamayim.
“After her marriage, our grandfather worked outside the home and she raised the family almost single-handedly. Their lives were not easy, but they were meaningful. Saba became a wanted man due to his vigorous activity on behalf of immigration to Israel, and the family had to be smuggled out of Tunisia. That began their chapter in Israel’s transit camps.
“She worked on a kibbutz, raised six children (one passed away as an infant), and was blessed with 26 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, and even a great-great-grandchild. She lived a simple, modest life in nothing more than a wooden hut, yet for us it contained everything. Forty-two years ago, Saba passed away, and since then she has lived in a tiny one-room government-subsidized apartment in Kiryat Ata—yet she comports herself as if she were the Queen of England in a palace.
“It may sound strange to our generation, but only after Saba’s passing did she learn to read and write Hebrew. Since then, she has read, prayed, and clung to her books. Today she still lives independently on a modest stipend but she is happier than most people I know. Even now, after suffering a hip fracture, she never stops thanking, praying, and yearning for the complete redemption. An ordinary, simple woman—seemingly—who has so much to teach the younger generation.”
Thank you, Mamo family. In last week’s Torah portion, Moses warns us: “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you strength to succeed.” He cautions that entering the Land and becoming established might lead to forgetfulness and disconnection. May we merit, like Aliza, to remember and to succeed, for many long and good years.
‘Did You Hear What I Said?’
Rabbi Berel Wein passed away last Shabbat, at the age of 91. He was a rosh yeshivah, an educator, author and historian, who made aliyah and inspired tens of thousands over the years.
The following is a story that Rabbi Wein told over many times and that can influence us as well:
“I was a young American boy in 1946 when my father woke me up early and said: ‘We’re going to the airport—Rabbi Yitzhak Herzog from the Land of Israel is arriving in Chicago!’ The whole city came out to welcome this famous rabbi.
“Rabbi Herzog even came to our school and told us the following: ‘I have just returned from meeting the Pope in Rome. I handed him a list of thousands of Jewish children who had been placed in Catholic monasteries by their parents during the Holocaust, in order to save them from the Germans. I told the Pope: “I present you this list as the representative of the Jewish people, and I ask you to return these children to us.” But the Pope refused. He explained that anyone who had entered a Catholic institution had already been baptized and must remain a Christian forever.’
“I remember, as a child, how Rabbi Herzog finished quoting the Pope, paused for a moment, and then burst into tears. I had never seen anyone weep like that. He bent his head over the podium, and it was as if two thousand years of Jewish history poured out of him. The entire audience was stunned.
“Then Rabbi Herzog straightened up, looked at us, and said: ‘I cannot do anything more for those children. But you—what will you do for the Jewish people? What will you do to rebuild our nation?’
“Afterward, when we went to shake his hand, he repeated the same message to each one of us individually. And when he looked at me, still just a boy, he said: ‘Did you hear what I said? Don’t forget what I said.’
That moment changed my life. It also changed the lives of many who were there. From that group came forth individuals who built great educational institutions and Jewish organizations, and many who made aliyah. Over the years, the young Americans in that hall went on to inspire tens of thousands to be active participants in the Jewish people. All because of one speech, and one sincere cry of anguish.”
The 40-Day Challenge
This coming Monday, Aug. 25 marks the first day of Elul — exactly 40 days until Yom Kippur. What are our aspirations? What must we change in ourselves, in our character, in our nation, in the world? How do we take the first step so we arrive at the holiest day of the year better than we began — and remain that way throughout the new year?
Many books highlight Yom Kippur, but its “spiritual training camp” begins now. Each year we’re given the chance to make lasting changes. This tradition dates back to the first Yom Kippur, when Moshe ascended Mount Sinai for 40 days to seek forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. On Yom Kippur, he descended with the second set of Luchot. Ever since, these days have been a time to draw close to God, reconcile with one another, and become better human beings.
We too can harness the power of the days from the 1st of Elul to the 10th of Tishrei by choosing — at minimum — one area of life to improve. This year, that commitment feels especially urgent. Many small changes can lead to a big transformation. Our sages teach that sweeping resolutions rarely last, but a realistic goal, built gradually over 40 days, can endure.
So — what is your 40-day challenge?