Searching for Noah’s Ark in Turkey

LYNCHBURG, VA — It’s one of the most familiar Bible stories.

Saddened by the wickedness of man, God directs the righteous Noah to build an ark for his family and two of each species of animal.

City of Ogdensburg moves to Evict Ahava

CANTON, NY — The owner of kosher food operations in Ogdensburg will be evicted by the city for failure to pay rent and utilities.

Ahava of California LLC, Venice, Calif., reportedly owes the city $90,000 in back rent and $618,138 in delinquent utility payments, according to a four-page complaint filed Friday. The city will evict the business March 10, should the delinquent bills not be paid. The Times was unable to ascertain whether the plant was operating Friday.

Siyum and Hachnosas Sefer Torah in Memory of Reb Chaim Tashkent

BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — This Sunday a Siyom Sefer Torah took place in Memory of Rabbi Chaim (Reb Chaim Tashkenter) and Chava Hurwitz A”H. The Torah was completed at the home of Rabbi Sholom Ber Hurwitz in Flatbush and then a procession was led down Ocean Parkway all the way to United Lubavitcher Yeshiva of Ocean Parkway where all the Talmidim greeted the Torah, which proceeded with ‘Atah Horaisah’ and Hakofos.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Belonging is Believing

Honestly, I would have felt disappointed if there had been no reaction to my statement, “There are no secular Jews,” in the article “Do U.S. Jews belong without believing?” in the Dec. 19 Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle.

I therefore welcome Michael Tarnoff’s remarks in his letter to the editor in the Jan. 9 issue.

The Winners of the Chayolei Tzivos Hashem Auction Are…

Last week the first Global Chinese Auction of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Tzivos Hashem’s new Chayolei Tzivos Hashem program was held, and what an excitement it was!



Unlike other Chinese auctions, the children work hard during the month doing special Mitzvos and missions, and then use their earned mileage points to enter the auction. Complete with a personalized order form showing each child which prizes they can go for based on their earned miles, and a wide choice of amazing prizes to go for (ranging from a pocket Siddur, to a set of Seforim to an ipod…), the auction is a whole experience unto itself!


Full List of Winners in the Extended Article!

Winners of the ULY 10th Annual Auction are…

Grand Prize – Faigy Drizin
Split the Pot – Chaya Berkowitz

Full List of Winners in the Extended Article!

New Webcast to Discuss the US Airways Miracle and more…

MINEOLA, NY [CHI] — Chabad of Mineola today announced it will hold a webcast to discuss ‘Joe the Plumber’ and the ‘US Airways Miracle on the Hudson’ on Jan. 20, 2009 at 8 p.m. EST. Rabbi Anchelle Perl, Director of Cong. Beth Sholom Chabad of Mineola, will host the Webcast. The estimated one-hour webcast conference will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.

A Letter from the Rebbe about a Recession…

In honor of fifty-years today from Reb Zalmon Jaffe’s first visit to the Rebbe in 5719 (1959), www.myencounter.com is releasing a copy of a letter from the Rebbe from 5714 (1954) to Reb Zalmon that talks about how one must increase their faith in Hashem when there seems to be a recession and that G-d is not limited to the “business cycles.”

The Letter in the Extended Article!

Seize the Power of the Day: Study the Alter Rebbe’s Torah

Chof Daled Teves is the Yahrtziet of the Alter Rebbe. The Rebbe encouraged that on this day one should learn the works of the Alter Rebbe in Nigleh and Chassidus.

On this occasion Yagdil Torah has compiled a short booklet with selected pieces of the Alter Rebbe’s Torah on the subject of Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam.

To download, click here.

Five Towns Jewish Times Hacked, Again

NEW YORK, NY [CHI] — It’s the second time in a month that the Five Towns Jewish Times have been the target of Muslim Extremist Hackers who replaced their homepage early this morning, Monday January 19th, replacing it with statements from the Quran and threatening hate filled messages.

More in the Extended Article.

Soldiers Turn to Secret Weapon: Jewish Spirituality

GAZA — Two soldiers made their way through the winding streets of Gaza City, carefully watching for booby traps. Their objective was to hunt down Hamas terrorists and locate caches of Kassam and Grad rockets and other arms.

As they deliberated whether to turn left or right at an intersection, a woman dressed from head to foot in black appeared from out of nowhere.

Reporter’s Notebook: Miracles and wonders

BEERSHEBA, Israel — Walking through the rubble on the floor of Gabi Ben-Hamu’s Beersheba home on Sunday, everyone was talking about miracles.

It was hard to imagine joy, or at least awe at a time like this. Ben-Hamu’s recently remodelled ground-floor apartment had absorbed the majority of a Grad rocket strike, which had landed nearby just hours before.

Sales Collapsing, Boymelgreen Increases Mizrahi Guarantees

TEL AVIV, Israel — With sales deals collapsing, personal guarantees are raised. Shaya Boymelgreen, the controlling shareholder in Boymelgreen Capital Ltd. (TASE:BMGN), is being forced to increase his personal guarantees to Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (TASE:MZTF) to $50 million from $25 million. Other terms of the guarantees remain unchanged.

Boymelgreen Capital reported the item to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) after its board of directors and its audit committee authorized the increase in the guarantees as a deal between the company and its controlling shareholder. Shaya Boymelgreen owns 89.8% of the shares in the company

A Prayer Ritual Shared in Religion and Football

BROOKLYN, NY — The Martin Greenfield clothing factory on Varet Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is known for turning out sleek suits for presidents, mayors and star athletes.

But in addition to being a clothier for the power elite — customers over the years have had names like Eisenhower, Clinton and Bloomberg — the factory may well be aiding the success of the New York Giants, who face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a National Football League playoff game. At least the factory owners think so.

So What is the Story Behind this Picture

Hundreds of pictures have circulated since the Gaza incursion began, but few have captured the hearts of the public as this photograph, showing a group of young yeshiva boys taking cover together with helmet-clad border police. What’s the story behind the picture?

Hundreds of Yaldei Hashluchim participate in Yud Tes Kislev Hachana

In honor of Yud Tes Kislev over 500 Yaldei Hashluchim actively participated in an international Yud Tes Kislev Hachana organized by CYH – a division of the Shluchim office.

Yaldei Hashluchim of all ages memorized Tanya in preparation for the Yom Tov and called in to record it on our Super Phone. They were rewarded with points to be redeemed for prizes. It was a smashing success!

2 of the Yaldei Hashluchim memorized the entire Perek Aleph Tanya!

You Can Go Home

The hall closet still has a box of mothballs sitting on the shelf directly over the coatrack. As a result, it still harbors this pungent but otherwise sartorially healthy scent that tells you that the clothes in here are well protected. This is the hallway closet in my mother’s house in Crown Heights in Brooklyn. I’m there often—though not often enough—usually to pick my mom up before Shabbos or drive her back home after Shabbos, but rarely, if ever, am I there to spend a Shabbos there myself these days.