Thousands Of Lubavitch Come To Town For Annual International Conference

NY1

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Thousands of members of Chabad Lubavitch visited the grave of Rabbi Manachem Schneerson in Queens Friday, who many of them believe is the Messiah.

They paid homage at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Cambria Heights. About 3,000 Lubavitch representatives are in town for their annual international conference. The group usually gathers in Brooklyn, but this year there were so many representatives, they had to book the Garden State Exhibit Hall in New Jersey.

“We came to plan, to become inspired, to learn new methods, to hone our skills, and to become better rabbis, better community leaders, so that our communities that we go back to around the world will be able to benefit from our additional resources,” explained Rabbi Yosef Kantor.

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Two Cars Burglarized

Last week on Thursday night, Nov. 6th a Honda Accord parked on Crown St. between Kingston and Brooklyn was broken into and burglarized, the thief made off with the cars 2 airbags and did not take anything else from the car. A yid that was passing by saw the perp and called the police, but they did not apprehend the thief. The owner of the vehicle later followed up with the police and made sure a report had been filed.

Then yesterday another car had been broken into and burglarized over night. The car, also a Honda Accord, was parked on Montgomery St. between Brooklyn and Kingston had been broken into and its airbags and navigation system removed, again with nothing else taken.

More in the Extended Article.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Chayei Sarah

The Rebbe says:

1. A big part of this week’s Parshah deals with the preparation and actual wedding of our father Yitzchak and our mother Rivkah. This is the first time the Torah clearly tells us about a wedding.

2. To make a long story short:

Avraham Avinu sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for his son Yitzchak in Aram Naharayim, the land of Avraham Avinu’s birth.
Avraham Avinu promises Eliezer that Hashem will send an angel with him to make sure he is successful in his mission. Avraham Avinu even sent Eliezer with a document stating that all his wealth (which was enormous) was now Yitzchak’s so that people would be willing to send their daughter back with Eliezer.

500 at the Annual Gala Auction of Chabad of Alaska

COL.org.il

An outstanding show of over 500, including prominent leaders business, academia, and elected officials gathered at the Hilton Anchorage for a black tie, auction fundraiser and gala dinner in Anchorage Alaska.

The Jewish community of Alaska, headed by the Shluchim, Rabbi Yosef & Esty Greenberg held and auction incorporated with the grand annual dinner this last Motzie Shabbos. Over 500 items were donated by local companies and community members to raise funds for the future Alaska Jewish Historical Museum and Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska.

Orthodox Rabbi Searches for Jews all over County

Herald Net
Moussie Mandel (left), 2, lights a candle for at the start of Shabbat, as her father Rabbi Yossi Mandel, Chana, 1, and Mendel, 6, watch at their Everett home last week. The Rabbi and his wife Chaya Sara direct the new Chabad Jewish Center.

Everett, WA — Rabbi Yossi Mandel intends to leave no stone unturned in his search for Snohomish County’s Jews.

“It’s really important that we not miss a single person,” he said.

Mandel and his wife, Chaya Sara, moved with their three children to a south Everett home in August to offer something they say is missing in Snohomish County: Orthodox Jewish teaching.

Not Just a Symbolic Battle – Fights Continue Over Public Menorah Displays

Josh Lipowsky – Jewish Standard

Palisades, NJ — The Chanukah menorah stands as a symbol of Jewish freedom — but is it a universal symbol that should be publicly displayed? That answer is not clear, as evidenced by the debates currently going on in local communities.

As Chabad opens new centers across the world, one staple of its holiday programming is a large menorah display during Chanukah. In Bergen County, menorahs are erected at town halls in Teaneck, Englewood, Tenafly, Hackensack, and in other public areas through the county. Similarly, for the past three years the Chabad Center of Passaic County in Wayne has put up a display at the borough building.

Before Purity – Waiting for Rain to Revive Bathing Rite

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

West Boynton, FL — An Orthodox synagogue is about to revive an ancient ritual. If only it rains a little more.

Chabad of Greater Boynton Beach completed its $500,000 mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath, on Nov. 10 and is ready to open it to Jews who seek purification. But the mikveh needs lots of rainwater, combined with tap water, to be considered kosher. It rained for the first time this month on Thursday, contributing a few drops to the more than 380 gallons needed. The congregation chose the driest year in 75 years to open the bath, which some observant Jews consider even more important in a Jewish community than a synagogue.

Rabbi Sholom Ciment is anxious to open the mikveh after months of construction delays. But he knows the weather is out of his control, just as is the birth of his fifth child. His wife, Dina, is nine months pregnant.

International Conference of Shluchim Convenes

EJ Tansky – Lubavitch.com

They are angels in black coats for the downtrodden and broken. Doctors treating the ills of faded Jewish values. PR men, ice cream scoopers, school directors, tefillin wrappers, psychologists, scholars, Chabad representative are a breed apart. To whom do they turn to for advice, for reassurance, new ideas and insight into the way forward, for strength?

The 18th Annual Kosherfest

The annual two day Expo in which food vendors and distributors gather in the Jacob K. Javits Center and display their produces and services brought out around 285 different companies. Though significantly smaller then last years massive show it was a mixed bag of feelings from the exhibitors, most said that the turnout this year was not beneficial to their business while few others said that they felt that the new configuration helped somewhat.

Last year the Expo spanned across the entire floor, this year it took up only a half, leaving space for two other shows, the Asian and Latina food expos, which some vendors said that helped bring in a more diversified crowed and get more exposure for kosher foods.

Lubavitch owned companies on hand this were included DUSO food Distributors, Rubashkins Aarons Best Poultry, OK Kashrus and NY Pasta.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Swastikas on a Lubavitcher Yeshiva School Bus

Wednesday morning one of the bus drivers for Lubavitcher Yeshiva was inspecting his bus before setting out to pick up and bring the children to school, when he noticed two swastikas on one of the windows.

They were done with a finger in the dust and dirt that’s on the window cleaning off that area and leaving the swastika marks on it. Police were not called and no report has been filed, the markings were wiped clean.

Film Of Gush Katif Shows In Crown Heights

Prior to screening the Disengagement film ‘Behold There Came a Great Wind,’ which was shown at the Jewish Children’s Museum Theater, Mrs. Baila Kamman introduced the film by speaking about an article written by Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht and posted on Arutz Sheva on August 6th, 2006. Click Here to read the article

The article tells the story of the Arizal diverting a plague of locusts. The plague was decreed because a certain unfortunate individual complained about his bitter lot, and no one came to help him. The plague was diverted when the students of the Arizal came to help the individual – just in time!

Full poster in the Extended Article.

Small plane makes emergency landing in Brooklyn

Police and other emergency officials gather around a Cessna 172 that made an emergency landing in Calvert Vaux Park on Tuesday, November 14, 2006. photo: Charles Eckert

A pilot made an unexpected but relatively smooth landing on a muddy field near Coney Island Tuesday morning — then calmly summed up his aeronautical adventure as a “walk in the park.”

Paul Dudley, 51, was heading to New Jersey’s Linden Municipal Airport, which he manages, when he sensed a mechanical problem with his single-engine Cessna 172.

The Weekly Sedra – Chayei Sara – It’s All Good

Rabbi Yossi Kahanov Shliach to Jacksonville, FL

Rabbi Shimon of Yaroslav lived to a ripe old age. When asked what the secret of his longevity was, he would respond in jest: “When a person is in the habit of complaining about the injustices of life and G-d’s mismanagement of the universe, he is called back to heaven where he is shown the overall scheme of things – how G-d is indeed just and kind. Since I always accept Divine judgment there was never a need to call me back to heaven. Thus my long life.”

The story is told about a student of the renowned Magid of Mezritch who complained that he cannot, for the life of him, comprehend the Talmudic statement that one is obligated to bless G-d for the bad in his life, as he is inclined to do over the good.

Shluchim PSA: House of Glatt Salutes the Shluchim!

With admiration of the hard work and tireless efforts of the Shluchim, House of Glatt is offering a special this weekend. Shluchim come into the store and present your convention sticker and receive a free knish and can of soda, with respect for your passionate success.

In addition to the year round policy of commitment to the Shluchim, House of Glatt has an extra bonus for you. We know that behind every successful man is a hard-working woman, and behind every thriving Shliach is an attentive, painstaking woman. So bring your wife a special treat home; spend over $250 in House of Glatt, and get a free, fresh vacuum-packed chicken dinner to bring to your family.

As always, we continue to provide the Shluchim with a continual year-round 10% discount on all products, in admiration of your dedication. Shluchim, House of Glatt serves and salutes you!

Info to be Menachem Avel R. Binyomin Emmer

R. Binyomin Emmer is sitting Shivah after the passing of his mother Shaina Leah Emmer OB”M (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) in his home at 831 Montgomery St. between Albany and Troy. He is sitting until Tuesday morning.

Times for the Davenings are as follows:
Shachris at 9:00am
Mincha and Maariv bizmana

Dennis Prager Lectures at Chabad of the Valley

Over 400 people attended a lecture on Tuesday evening at Chabad of the Valley Headquarters as part of The Menachem Institute Adult Education program featuring renowned national radio personality Dennis Prager, on “Israel: America’s ally in the war on terror”.

Dennis also spoke very highly about the work of Chabad all over the world and commented on the always happy demeanor of the Rebbe’s Shluchim across the globe who are always available to inspire, assist and uplift.

Click Here to listen to an audio recording of the lecture!

More pictures in the Extended Article!