Aishel House volunteers give Challah, comfort

As the world learned in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Houston is big on hospitality, known for embracing and caring for strangers in need.

When visitors come to Houston to weather a different kind of a storm, such as a severe medical condition, many area churches and organizations provide lodging and other services to assist them.

One program aids patients by easing all of the daily burdens they and their families face, along with providing emotional and spiritual support.

Living With Moshiach Every Single Day

Click Here to veiw the booklet!

Available through Tzach in Israel for a few years, the ‘Lichyot Im Hageulah Bchool Yom Vayom’ has been a daily inspiration about Moshiach for Hebrew speaking readers. The Global Moshaich Campaign which is a Project of the Kinus Hashluchim at the Shluchim Office has translated these monthly booklets for the benefit of the English speaking community.

Robbery At The Offices of Kehot Lubavitch in Argentina

Last Thursday afternoon, August 24, while Rabbi Nosson Grunblatt, a Shliach in Buenos Aires, along with two assistants were working in the office two robbers charged into the offices of Kehot Lubavitch, and attacked them and robbed them of all their money and valuables.

The hoodlums came in yelling, “This is a robbery,” and indicated that they had weapons on their persons, but not displaying them. While gathering all the electronic equipment, including all cell phones, one of the robbers punched Rabbi Grunblatt in the face, accusing him of trying to place a call.

They then took all the jewelry from the rabbi’s secretary and all the cash from the third victim, who had just withdrawn a substantial sum of money he needed for his aging mother, who is a Holocaust survivor.

Chanala’s Question

Chana Miriam pulled my fingers urging, “Dance. Can we dance? My totty does with the men.”

I smiled at my granddaughter. “Soon. I need to finish here in the kitchen.”

“We can dance in the kitchen!” Sunlight from the small window caught Chana Miriam’s green eyes.

Jewish Learning Institute comes to the Poconos

STROUDSBURG — Many believe it’s healthy to be familiar with one’s own faith.

Conveniently accessible adult education on Jewish law, ethics and practices has been virtually nonexistent in Monroe County.

The Poconos recently became one of 200 regions around the world that now host the Jewish Learning Insitute, described on its Web site as “adult Jewish education the way it was meant to be.”

Residents oppose proposed synagogue

Congregants with Shalom Deitsch are just looking for a permanent place to call home.

Now the Upper Dublin Zoning Hearing Board has more than a month to decide whether that home can be placed among other homes that are residential.

Representatives with the orthodox Jewish religious institution, a roving synagogue of sorts for some time now, made their case before the quasi-judicial body Aug. 28, but supporters weren’t the only ones in attendance.

Coalitions And The Clubhouse

Carl Andrews has a wide range of supporters, but ties to scandal-plagued Brooklyn Democratic machine have dogged his bid for historic Brooklyn House seat.

Stepping out the door of his Nostrand Avenue campaign office on Tuesday, state Sen. Carl Andrews took a minute to express pride in the diverse coalition backing his congressional bid.

“Who else can bring together Eliot Spitzer on the left and Dov Hikind on the right, and Tom Duane on the left and Rhoda Jacobs on the right, and David Dinkins on the left and Carl Kruger on the right?” asked Andrews as he stepped out into a light drizzle.

New Jewish Community Center For Donetsk

Donetsk, Ukraine – September 5th, the Jewish Regional Community of Donetsk will inaugurate a new Jewish Community Center.

This three-story building is located at Oktyabrskaya street 39, not far from the Synagogue. All Jews of Donetsk and its region are welcome to participate in the inauguration ceremony; personal invitations have been sent to 2000 prominent personalities of the region.

There will be an exciting show featuring a famous actor from the “Shalom” Jewish Theater, Yevgeniy Valevich, who has already performed in Donetsk at last year’s Chanukah event.

FREE of Illinois takes group to Ohel

This past Sunday a group of 20 young professionals & entrepreneurs of free of Illinois had the privilege to a one day trip to New York. The group, headed by Rabbi Levi Notik began early Sunday morning, with Shacharis in the airport before departing, Upon arriving in NY the participants proceeded directly to the ohel where they wrote panim and entered the Ohel, Davend for a good year and asked for many Brochos.

When leaving the Ohel many of the participants accepted new hachlotos, especially regarding Teffilin and Lighting Shabbos candles. They then continued to crown heights where they had a catered lunch at the shluchim office before continuing to the rebbes room for Mincha. Followed by a tour of the library, and a special visit to the Jewish Children’s Museum.

After Katrina: Category 5 kindness

It was exactly one year ago. Storm hit New Orleans, turning Mardi-Gras city into rubble. Local Chabad rabbi writes to Ynetnews about days following disaster, and about one good-hearted act, that infused hope into hearts of all

New Orleans: As today is the one-year anniversary of Katrina we reminisce about the passed year. Pre-Katrina Greater New Orleans was a city of 1.3 million inhabitants, amongst them 12,000 Jews, half of whom have not returned. The life of every single New Orleanian was shaken to the core and changed forever by Katrina.

We remember levees breaking and 80 percent of the city inundated by water. We remember the 1,700 that passed away. We remember the members of the Jewish community, mostly elderly, who passed away during, or immediately after, the storm.

Professional Film About The Disengagement From Gaza, Thursday Night

A professional film about the Disengagement from Gaza, will be shown at an event by women in Crown Heights to raise funds for women in Kfar Chabad who are making Chassidishe Farbrengens with women who were expelled from Gush Katif.

The documentary entitled “And Behold There Came a Great Wind,” which was given honorable mention at the Jerusalem Film Festival this summer, will be the feature presentation at the home of Mrs. Miriam Feldman, Thursday evening at 8 pm.

The entrance donation of $25 will be going to support the efforts by a group of women in Kfar Chabad to reach out to women from Gush Katif who were the victims of the evil Disengagement Plan. “Although other groups can give support to the Gush Katif refugees by sending them shoes and coats, only Chabad Chassidim can provide the special Chabad Varmkeit, Lebedikite, and medicinal philosophy to help heal the spiritual wounds caused by the evil Disengagement Plan,” says Mrs. Feldman, whose husband is a popular Crown Heights physician.

New English Rendition of ‘Kuntres Umaayon’

The popular Chassidic Heritage Series publicizing selected Maamors with English translations has just released the ‘Kuntres Umaayan’ booklet of Maamors recited by the Rebbe Rashab, with a comprehensive English translation. ‘Kuntres Umaayon’ – named ‘Overcoming Folly’ is one of the basic Chassidic works recommended for beginners in several of the Rebbe’s letters. In many yeshivas this book has become a preliminary to further study of Chassidus. The book is available in the Kehot shop and other bookshops both online and in-store.

Concert raises money for Israeli city

Haledon, NJ — Sending money to Israel wasn’t enough. That feeling brought close to 100 area Jews out Sunday night for a “solidarity concert” to show their support for Israelis whose homes were damaged in the recent 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We can send donations by mail, but to express solidarity in person, it’s what we want to do,” said Boris Medwood, 54, of Wayne. “It’s solidarity with the struggle of the people in Israel, with their suffering, and with the unfair treatment by most of the countries of the world with the exception of the United States.”

Shul‘s Serving New Nighttime Purposes?

On Motzoai Shabbos at around 4:30am Shomrim received a call for a robbery in progress in the ‘Bais Medrash Bais Binyomin’ Shul on Montgomery St between Kingston and Albany. The first Shomrim member to arrive on scene saw movement thru the windows of the Shul and spotted the back door open and heard voices from inside.

Within moments a number of Shomrim members arrived on scene and began securing the Shul’s perimeter when young kids started exiting the Shul. The kids, 5 boys and 2 girls, all Jewish ages ranging from 15 to 18 were apparently ‘hanging out’ in the Shul’s basement, while claiming to have gone in to ‘use the bathroom’.

Bochur Mugged and Assaulted on Crown St.

At around 12:35 last night a Bochur on his way home from a wedding was attacked by a black male on Crown between Brooklyn and New York. The Bochur, who was intoxicated, and talking on his phone when according to two witnesses, he was attacked by a ‘large built’ black male and after being knocked to the ground had his Cell Phone taken.

One witness stated that he clearly saw the knife while the other said he didn’t see it. The Bochur sustained minor injuries which consisted of scrapes and bruises to his knees was taken by Hatzalah to Kings County Hospital, against the will of the responding police officers.

Katrina The Shadchan

A natural disaster creates the perfect climate for a young chasidic couple to meet.

In the chasidic world, matchmakers bring young men and women together.

In the case of Rabbi Mendy and Rachel Traxler, the shadchan was Katrina.

Mendy, 22, part of the Chabad-Lubavitch rescue-and-relief effort in Baton Rouge following the hurricane a year ago, traveled to Houston to join his parents, Chabad emissaries there, for the High Holy Days season. Rachel Kaufmann, also 22, was in Houston with her family, also Chabad shluchim, who left their home in New Orleans for temporary accommodations in Houston.