Synagogue in Russia Vandalized

Vladivostok, Russia – Swastikas, anti-Semitic slogans and the words “Jews, get away to Israel” were discovered on the walls of the synagogue in Vladivostok, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia reported.

Israel Silberstein, rabbi of the Russian seaport on the Pacific, did not rule out the possibility that the incident was connected to a rally held last week by local radical nationalists and neo-Nazi skinheads. The incident was the third in recent weeks in which vandals targeted Russian synagogues. Previously, synagogues in Astrakhan in southern Russia and in Khabarovsk, also in the Russian Far East, were vandalized.

1972 Olympic Munich Massacre Talk’s Topic at Chabad

Santa Clarita, CA – The Israeli fencing champ dreamed of snagging a medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics for his prowess, but was lucky to escape with his life after terrorists stormed Olympic Village, killing 11 of his teammates.

Dan Alon, 61, started fencing at 12, but never hoisted another blade or spoke of the trauma after that day – until now.

The popularity of Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film “Munich” has prompted him to speak out, to tell his story.

Network Aims to Make Hospitals Haimish

A hospital is one of the loneliest places to be on a Jewish holiday, Shabbat, or a simcha.

It’s not just the patient who feels isolated and frustrated, as Devora Hosseinof of Teaneck discovered when her 15-month-old daughter, who had salmonella poisoning, was admitted to Englewood Hospital erev Pesach last year.

The holiday began on Friday night, forcing a worst-case scenario for the Orthodox mother — who spent three days and nights sleeping on a chair in her daughter’s room. Her husband, Josh, had stayed home with the other children, and people at the local synagogue couldn’t know she was right across the street because there was no way to let them know — she had no appropriate food for Pesach and limited access to a kosher pantry.

Meet Rapper “’White Mike’”

It’s hip-hop with a Jewish beat, and it’s straight out of Baltimore. Well, it’s actually out of a beit midrash, or study hall, in Morristown, N.J., but Menachem Shapiro — aka “White Mike” — is your typical American homeboy graduate of Franklin High School in Reisterstown. He went to Adat Chaim Synagogue and wore a chai around his neck, but never got into the Jewish thing.

My Rabbi, Reb Avram – by A Grateful Student

I’m not sure my Rabbi would approve of this honor. You see, my Rabbi, I’ll just refer to him as Reb Avram, is a very humble man. As a matter of fact, he probably doesn’t think that he has done anything so extraordinary. In fact, all that Reb Avram has done is provide sweet and delicious Torah education to young children for over half a century. Imagine – today there are gray bearded men who were taught by Reb Avram fifty years ago and this very morning, Reb Avram was still teaching, still caring, still reaching out to that ‘pintele Yid’ – that divine spark within each child that sometimes only he can see.

Reb Avram, you see is a different kind of teacher who believes that every child can learn. When I first arrived at the Yeshiva, I needed some remedial tutoring. Reb Avram spent his lunch hours catching me up. When I advanced to higher grades, he would always pass me in the hallways and offer his words of encouragement along with his radiant smile. When I began to teach, he was a primary role model. He offered practical, sage advice along with hand written teaching materials that he had created and perfected over the years. Need a Halachic decision? A blessing for a sick child or expectant mother? Want to hear a practical and meaningful gem of Torah about this week’s Parsha? Reb Avram has always been there – just a phone call or a visit with him lifts the spirit and the soul.

Israel Needs Ethical Soul Search: Sacks

As several senior Israeli government officials are mired in controversy, the Jewish State is in serious need of ethical soul-searching, Commonwealth Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks said this week.

“The way I see it is this: Zionism has achieved its first great objective – creating a Jewish state it is time now to achieve the second great objective – which is a Jewish society, and that is something quite different.”

First Public Sukkah in Australia

Chabad of Melbourne CBD hosted the first Public Succah in Australia.
A Succah was erected in the City Square, the centre of Melbourne’s Business District.

Rabbi Chaim Herzog the Director of Chabad of Melbourne CBD organized a Luncheon for the business people who work in the city. The Luncheon was attended by professional business- men and women working in the city, amongst them were lawyers, accountants, stockbrokers, and engineers, etc.

Jewish Mystery Machine Comes to Auraria

Auraria, CO — If you were on campus Oct. 12 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. you may have passed by the sukkah van parked near the P.E. building and thought, “What’s a sukkah van?”

The Chabad of Auraria, a campus Jewish student organization affiliated with the Chabad of Colorado, set up the van in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which means “booths” in Hebrew.

Sukkot celebrates the beginning of fall and the Biblical wandering of the Jews during the Exodus. The holiday started Friday night.

Rabbi Yisrael-Moshe Ort, who is a member of the Chabad of Colorado, said it is a mitzvah, or Jewish commandment, to live in a sukkah for a week.

Rabbi Ort and his family observe the holiday by eating, drinking and spending time in the sukkah, but do not sleep in it.

Analysis: Playing Politics in Moscow

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert waded deep into the divisive Russian political scene during his recent trip to Moscow, attending two different affairs sponsored by two different Jewish organizations supporting two different chief rabbis and funded by two different Jewish billionaires.

On Wednesday night he went to an event under the patronage of Arkadi Gaydamak at Moscow’s central synagogue, and on Thursday he attended a similar affair sponsored by Lev Leviev.

Two Confess Involvement in Attack on Orthodox Jew

Melbourne, Australia — Two men accused of an alleged antisemitic attack on an Orthodox Jew earlier this month have confessed their part in the incident, the AJN has learned.

The men, who are both players with Ocean Grove Football Club, last week told club officials they participated in the attack on Menachem Vorchheimer after an end-of-season trip to Caulfield Racecourse on October 14.

Hollywood Temple’s Neighbors File Federal Appeal of Settlement

Hollywood, FL — City officials made their peace with Chabad Lubavitch earlier this year, but a turf battle between the Orthodox Jewish synagogue and its Hollywood Hills neighbors is not over yet.

Six neighbors have taken their dispute to a federal appeals court, complaining that the synagogue, City Hall and a federal judge each cut them out of the picture when Hollywood in July settled a discrimination case filed by Chabad.

In their appeals brief filed last month, neighbors argued the settlement created a “zoning change” that affects their enjoyment of their homes.

Spielberg Urges Jews: “Return to Roots.”

Kiev, Ukraine — If you want to ensure continuity of Ukrainian Jewry, Stephen Spielberg told an audience of 2,000, a majority among them Jewish, you must “return to your roots.” Spielberg shared these thoughts last week when he made his debut in his ancestral home, to attend the screening of his documentary film, Spell Your Name. Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yuschenko, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and heads of Parliament turned out to preview the film.

Groups hope new U.N. Secretary General will be fairer toward Israel than Kofi Annan

Jewish officials are greeting the selection of Ban Ki-moon as the next U.N. secretary-general with cautious optimism, hopeful that the South Korean foreign minister will use the office to push for fairer treatment of Israel and more equitable application of international human rights standards.

Giving Sukkah On Four Wheels

London, England – A Buckhurst Hill Rabbi has been touring the area in his Sukkah Mobile to bring home the message of a Jewish festival.

This week the Jewish community has been celebrating the festival of Tabernacles, which commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt.

The exiled Jews built huts in the desert and Jewish people all over the world build their own replica huts to remember the occasion.

Because not all Jewish people are able to build their own huts Rabbi Odom Brandman, of the Chabad centre, Russell Road, has been touring schools and Jewish families in the area with his Sukkah Mobile – a hut on the back of a pick-up truck.

From White Suburban Teenager to Chassidic Reggae Star

Matthew Miller, a self-described “white suburban teenager,” grew up in White Plains, New York, to Reconstructionist Jewish parents. He describes his teenage years as being filled with drugs and treif, (non-kosher food) and listening to hip-hop and reggae.

Today, Matthew Miller is Matisyahu Miller, an observant Chassidic Jew and top-selling artist on the Sony-BMG label. He performs across the country to Jews and non-Jews alike. His most popular song, “King Without a Crown,” made it to number seven in the Billboard charts.