You’ve heard of Alphabet City — now meet Alphabet State.
Using Google aerial maps, a British researcher has selected Empire State images that make up all 26 letters of the alphabet.
“When Av begins, we diminish [our] rejoicing” (Talmud, Taanit 26b).
On the 1st of Av, “The Three Weeks” mourning period over the destruction of the Holy Temple–which began 13 days earlier on Tammuz 17–enters an intensified stage. During “The Nine Days” from Av 1st to the Ninth of Av, a heightened degree of mourning is observed, including abstention from meat and wine, music, bathing for pleasure, and other joyous and enjoyable activities. (The particular mourning customs vary from community to community, so consult a competent Halachic authority for details).
Consumption of meat and wine is permitted on Shabbat, or at a Seudat Mitzvah (obligatory festive meal celebrating the fulfillment of a mitzvah) such as a Bris (circumcision), or a “Siyum” celebrating the completion of a course of Torah study (i.e., a complete Talmudic tractate). The Lubavitcher Rebbe initiated the custom of conducting or participating in a Siyum on each of the Nine Days (even if one does not avail oneself of the dispensation to eat meat).
CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — CrownHeights.info has learned that the sale of the Shuk was made final today. Itzik Benabou, owner of Kol-Tuv and Empire Kosher is the winning bidder, he now owns another supermarket in Crown Heights.
The following pictures were sent in a by a reader.
SEATTLE, WA — A Jewish day school near the University of Washington has left the Chabad center it has called home for the last 35 years, for a bigger and greener learning environment. “We’re going to move from having skinned knees to having grass stains,” said Rabbi Yossi Charytan, head of the Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School.
The Rebbe is on the National Museum of American Jewish History’s online poll for Jewish figures who will appear on their new $150 million building is set to open on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall in the fall of 2010.
Chabad.org will be offering live siyumim, by a variety of well-known and dynamic speakers, throughout the Nine Days. The Rebbe spoke of the need to shine a beacon of light on these days of darkness through participation in a siyum, and encouraged the use of radio to allow those outside the room to participate too, multiplying the a thousand-fold.
Participate online at www.chabad.org/siyum
Chabad, which is a Hebrew acronym meaning “wisdom, understanding, and knowledge,” is a philosophy, a movement, and an international organization all rolled into one. Chabad has already sent over 4,000 emissary families all over the world to provide Jewish education and community to the far reaches of the globe. Here in Orlando, we are already fortunate enough to have 3 emissaries, or “shluchim”: The Chabad of Greater Orlando in Maitland, the Chabad of South Orlando near Universal Studios, and the Chabad at UCF in Oviedo. Well now the greater Orlando area can count itself even luckier as we welcome our fourth Chabad center! As we speak, the Chabad of North Orlando is settling into Sanford, FL to provide the northeast corner of the Orlando Metro area with another center for Jewish learning and living.
NASHVILLE, TN [CHI] — Chabad at Vanderbilt University under the direction of Rabbi Shlomo and Nechama Rothstein just finished an amazing school year replete with everything a Jewish student could dream imaginable from the weekly Shabbat dinners to social events to classes that match every Jewish student’s interest. Junior Allan Safdie says “It was another wonderful year of Jewish activities and it was SO much fun! Chabad does so much work and seemingly impossible, it keeps getting better and better every semester!”
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Cybersmart, the first national cybersafety education initiative of its kind, was launched July 13, at Chabad’s Beth Rivkah Ladies College of Melbourne. An interactive website designed to keep kids safe when using the internet, Cybersmart was provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
There will be a Shiur tonight, Tuesday 8pm by Rabbi Yosef Losh on Hilchos Kiddush Hachodesh at Beis Eliezer Yitzchok, 394 Kingston Ave [between Crown and Montgomery St].
WHITE PLANES, NY [CHI] — Friends and supporters of the Jewish Childrens Museum turned out for its 3rd annual golf tournament benefiting the museum. Despite the recession economy an impressive amount people partook in a relaxed day of golf on the expansive green of the Ridgewood Country Club in White Planes.
Is there’ a “Shidduch Crisis” ? Not if you’ve been participating in the Brooklyn Ladies’ Shidduch Group. For us, well, we see only opportunities. With the motto “Let’s help each other.”, we’ve been meeting once or twice monthly for over one year. We meet in Flatbush, at Bais Menachem Mendel at 1000 East 17th St, and have developed a lively cameraderie. Mostly, ladies come and present someone single – sometimes their own child. Women have presented their siblings, their Shabbos guests, even themselves! Numerous professional shadchanim. have visited, as have a mashpiah presenting her mushpa, one mother who drove 4 hours from out-of-state to present her children, and visitors from California, Montreal, and Israel !
During the meetings, ladies present a profile of a single. General appearance, background information, style of religiosity and personality attributes are described. Other participants ask questions to clarify what the single is about or is seeking. Names of singles are not used.
POSTVILLE, IA — The sale of Agriprocessors in Postville was approved this morning by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Paul J. Kilburg to a newly formed company.
SHF Industries, a company formed in May by Canadian plastics manufacturer Hershey Friedman and his son-in-law Daniel Hirsch, is set to become the company’s new owners. Friedman has indicated that he will continue the plant as a meatpacking operation, and will continue to focus on kosher products.
In a historic move for Chabad of RARA, winter in Australia will see TWO major trips head out. Mendel Perlstein and Naftoli Goldschmidt will be blazing a trail in the RARA tank through the states of Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Ari Mochkin and Ari Cadaner will be based in NSW for the next month.
RHINEBECK — A Rhinebeck Jewish group’s plans to build a cultural and religious center in the town have been temporarily derailed by a real estate agent the organization later learned had filed for bankruptcy, the group’s leader said.
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