Emotional Celebration in Romania

Lubavitch.com

Bucharest, Romania — In a scene not seen in Romania since before WWII, thousands gathered to the festive grand opening of a newly restored 200 year-old Bucharest synagogue and the dedication of two new Torah scrolls, as Romanian national TV televised the event.

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Leaders Try To Revive Judaism

Queens Chronicle

Howard Beach, NY — Rabbi Tzvi Berkowitz, the director of Howard Beach’s Rockwood Park Jewish Center, rocked to the cadence of the Exodus verses that opened last Saturday morning’s Shabbat service. At the synagogue’s lectern, he then, like hundreds of other clergy people conducting weekend services throughout the borough, referenced scripture in his exaltation of virtues such as tolerance, charity and honesty. And though the 25 worshippers present listened with rapt attention, Berkowitz — like these other clergy people — still found himself addressing a congregation significantly smaller than those his predecessors did.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Terumah

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Hashem tells the Yidin (Jewish people) to make a dwelling place for Him; the Jewish people are to take 13 different types of supplies and donate them to the Tabernacle (Mishkan). Hashem then promises the Yidin that He will rest in the Tabernacle that they will make for Him (Chapter 25, Verse 8).

Hashem was saying that even though the Tabernacle would be very limited to an exact size and specific materials, He would rest there. Even though the Tabernacle would go with the Yidin on their journeys throughout the desert and be moved from place to place, Hashem promises to rest there.

CrownHeights.info Ranked #1 for ‘Chabad News’ by Google!

Thanks to our readers and supporters for making us number one!

From the day CrownHeights.info posted its very first story till today, more than 5000 articles later we have been the fastest growing Chabad and Crown Heights News website. With over 25,000 unique visitors every day our popularity on the web has given us worldwide recognition!

Internet search giant Google.com ranked CrownHeights.info number 1 on a number of key phrases including ‘Chabad News’ and ‘Crown Heights News’ and a tight number 2 for the term ‘Crown Heights’. Rankings are based on a number of elements including the amount of hits and links a site gets. Click Here to see the search results for yourself!

Advertise with us! Click Here to see the ad spaces we have to offer! We are also running a Purim special, Free Announcements! To post an announcement or if you have any questions in regards to advertising please email our ads department at sales@crownheights.info

To submit news or news tips you can simply email news@crownheights.info!

Successful Dinner for Chabad in Sydney

Sydney, Australia — At the beginning of Australia’s election campaign, two of the nation’s most senior political rivals have joined forces in support of Chabad.

The occasion was one of the biggest dinners for a Jewish cause in Australian history, the Yeshiva Centre’s annual gala dinner in Sydney on February 20, at which 1500 people attended.

New Chabad center aims to ease transition for Central Asian emigres

JTA NEWS
Funder Lev Leviev, front right, listens during a ceremony marking the opening of a Chabad center in Vienna, next to his wife and daughter and one of Russian´s chief rabbi´s, Berel Lezar, second from left, Feb. 18.

Vienna, Austria — As a slender violinist with flowing black hair played “Oseh Shalom” to an audience peppered with at least a dozen long-bearded rabbis, Bukharian Jews in this capital city ushered in a new era.

Their cause for celebration: Unlike many of those from Central Asia who came to Austria more than 25 years ago, immigrants to the country now have a new center to help them find their way.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Terumah – To Give Or To Get?

Rabbi Yossi Kahanov Shliach to Jacksonville, FL

Irving and Seymour were good friends. They enjoyed their retirement years fishing and boating together. One day as the two were out on the water, a storm blew in out of nowhere. Before they knew it, they were in the water gazing at their capsized boat.

Irving, who was a good swimmer, knew that his friend could not swim. He immediately spotted him and tried to help. But it was to no avail. As much as he begged Seymour to give him his hand, he would ignore him. He, in fact turned away defiantly.

When Irving finally returned to shore without Seymour, he found himself standing face to face with Seymour wife who demanded an explanation.

U.S. Congressman Visits Jewish Community Center in Moscow

FJC.ru

Moscow, Russia – Senior American congressman Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, visited the Moscow’s Jewish community center while paying a visit to Russia. In a meeting with Russia’s chief rabbi Berel Lazar, the two discussed issues affecting the growth of the Russian Jewry while praising continued governmental support and growth efforts of the community. They also discussed the removal of Russia from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment which denied normal trade relations between the US and Russia, and was put into place because of restrictions on Jewish community members right to emigrate during the soviet regime.

FREE Publishes New Russian-Language Megillah

The Jewish Press

FREE Publishing House, the publishing arm of Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe, has just released a new revised edition of the Megillat Esther, featuring the original Hebrew text with accompanying Russian translation. The new edition has been enhanced in several ways. The whole volume, both Hebrew and Russian, has been reset in a clear, crisp typeface. The Russian translation, while still based on the original edition, has been amended to read even more smoothly.

Following the megillah is an additional 30 plus pages that contain a chapter on Purim from FREE’s yet-to-be-published book, Jewish Holiday and Festivals. This chapter includes the holiday’s background, its history and laws, as well as its practical lessons and current relevance – some 2300 years later.

West Coast Kinnus Hashluchim Group Picture

Pictures by: Israel Bardugo
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Glendale, CA — Pictures from the Group picture that was taken at the West Coast Kinnus Hashluchim that took place this past Sunday and Monday, the 18th and 19th of February. Click here for the full article. Click here to view the first gallery and here for the second gallery!

Full Gallery In The Extended Article!

A Mezuzah for Every Home

FJC.ru

Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine — Dnepropetrovsk has now completed the first stage of the project “A Mezuzah for Every Jewish House,” which became possible through the initiative of the Jewish community and the financial aid from the Maecenas of Enrico Tsitsuashvili.

For two weeks the students of Dnepropetrovsk Yeshiva “Nakhlas Levi,” the volunteers and the colleagues in the Jewish community have been visiting homes and apartments of the elderly, limited-income families who have identified themselves as members of the Jewish community.

This Motzoai Shabbos the Soul II Soul Concert!

The annual Soul II Soul concert is set to take place this Motzoai Shabbos Parshas Trumah in the George Wingate Auditorium on Kingston Ave. The proceeds of the concert go to the funding of education and summer camps for special children with special needs.

This year the concert is featuring Mordechai Ben David as its featured performance as well as a special performance by the Temimim Boys Choir under the direction of Rabbi Yossi Goldstein. Producers of the Soul II Soul concert have informed us that ticket sales are moving at an incredible rate selling out some sections of the George Wingate Auditorium.