Rabbis Assisting in New Zealand Search for Missing Israeli Backpacker

QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand — Authorities in Queenstown, New Zealand, and a pair of Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis are scouring the surrounding countryside in the search for Israeli backpacker Liat Tess-Okin.

Jewish Communities Support Family of Slain American Soldier

DES MOINES, IA — The body of Maj. Stuart Wolfer, one of two soldiers felled by an April 6 rocket attack inside Baghdad’s Green Zone, made its way back home Tuesday as Jewish communities thousands of miles apart mobilized to give comfort to his loved ones.

Rabbi Avrohom Ziskind (1904-1967)

Reb Avrohom was born in Warsaw and studied in Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim. Later he was advised by the Previous Rebbe to move to Israel (1926-1931) where he studied in Yeshivas Toras Emes in Chevron and Yerusholayim and received smicha from the Tepniker Rov and dayanus from R. Pesach Tzvi Frank, the then Av Bais Din of Yerushalayim, as well as from R Moshe Lapidus & R Avrohom Kook. He was also the Rav in a Shul in the Shaarei Chesed section of Yerusholayim.

Continued in the Extended Article.

‘Lost’ Chassidic Treasures May Have Turned Up

MANCHESTER, England [JTA] — A group of Jewish experts may have discovered “lost” chassidic documents in Manchester’s John Rylands library.

They could include records of chassidic courts that were lost during upheavals caused by wars that ravaged eastern Europe from the time of Napoleon to World War One.

Renouncing anti-Israel remarks, Russian Muslims reach out to Jews

MOSCOW, Russia [JTA] — Russia’s chief rabbi and the chairman of the country’s main Islamic council are patching up a relationship severed two weeks ago after an Islamic community leader called Zionism a cancer and Israel a fascist state.

Ravil Gaynutdin, the chairman of Russia’s Councilof Muftis, reached out to Rabbi Berel Lazar during Purim celebrations and asked for a meeting as the Russian media began to report that Lazar’s Chabad-led Federation of Jewish Communities was cutting ties with the council.

OU Head chooses Kol Menachem Haggadah as pick of the Year

The following are testimonials on the new Kol Menachem Haggadah.

I write these words on the eve of Purim. At this time of year I receive, from authors and favorite bookstores, a number of new Haggados shel Pesach. I choose one for special study. There is no doubt that this year my selection will be the Kol Menachem, compiled and adapted by my dear friend Rabbi Chaim Miller with commentary and insights from the works of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l.

Op-Ed: Purim Parties

Hashem put us humans into this world. A world with its never-ending ups and downs, both physically and spiritually.

How lucky we are, us Yidden: We received the Torah as a gift. It is a gift from Hashem. Hashem knows what is best for us and there IS NO OTHER TRUTH besides the Torah. When we follow the Torah guidelines, we are assured by Hashem that we are living our lives in the best possible way, and in the derech that He wanted us to live.

A way that is contrary to how Hashem wants one to live their lives distances one from Hashem, and will ultimately bring one to no good, one way or the other. To help us live by the Torah’s ways, Hashem gives us leaders to help guide us and remind us of the correct way of life for a Yid.

New York Woman Opens Shabbat-Friendly Hospital Suites

NEW YORK, NY — A few years ago, Tovah Brill had to take her husband to the hospital on a Friday, essentially dropping all of her Shabbat preparations.

“I had a neighbor come to finish baking my challahs,” recalled the Cedarhurst, N.Y., resident.

Globetrotting Senator Tells of Worldwide Organization

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a speech Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) gave at Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton Beach in Florida back in January. The four-term senator, who received a charity box from the congregation, told the more than 300 people gathered in the sanctuary about guidance he received from the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory.

We are an extraordinarily lucky generation of Jews, and a particularly blessed generation of Jewish Americans. We live in this country that has given us more opportunity, freedom, respect and success than anywhere in the six millennia of Jewish history outside the State of Israel. And we live at a time when the state of Israel is reborn; it’s quite a remarkable and fortunate time to be alive.

New Five Dollar Bill Goes into Circulation

WASHINGTON, DC [CNN] — The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday began circulating a redesigned $5 bill. The first transaction was at a gift shop near President Lincoln’s summer cottage overlooking Washington.

Also, “How to Catch a Counterfeit” in the Extended Article!

Op-Ed: What We Can Learn from Satmar

I was sitting at the smorgasbord of a wedding the other day.

I can’t say I knew either side very well, but I helped raise money for the wedding so I thought it was only right for me to show up and wish the family Mazal Tov.

I turned to the person next to me and asked him who he was related to at this wedding. To which he answered, “Neither side, I just helped out here with money so they can afford the wedding and I felt I wanted to come and say Mazal Tov.”

It then dawned on me that many people that have Parnassah still need additional help to make a wedding.

What are you doing for your Purim program this Year?

Here comes another hit from the International Moshiach Campaign! ‘Hang Haman Live’ is a beautiful live action game where your community can feel like they are superstars right at your Purim event!

Hang Haman Live! is simple to use. All you need is a projector or computer screen and you’re all set to go!

Download ‘Hang Haman Live!’ FREE AT www.MoshiachCampaign.com