Hollywood to pay synagogue $2 million

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Hollywood, FL — The city and an Orthodox Jewish synagogue reached a deal Monday in a dispute that will allow the group to continue holding services in two buildings located in a residential area.

The Hollywood Community Synagogue Chabad Lubavitch sued the city after it ordered the group to shut down in October 2003. The Justice Department sided with the synagogue, noting the city was violating the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act enacted in 2000.

The city claimed the group was violating its zoning laws by operating without a permit in a residential neighborhood.

Crown Heights Politics Takes A Drastic Turn For The Worse

Crown Heights politics took another decided turn for the horrible last week, as Jewish Community Council/Vaad HaKahal chairman Moshe Rubashkin and Netzigim chairman—according to some—Yisroel Best were arrested following a violent incident Monday night.

The violence, which occurred at a N’tzigim meeting Mr. Rubashkin had convened in his home, took place against the backdrop of ongoing contention and strife that has plagued the Rubashkin administration from the outset. Rooted in the controversy involving the Beis Din (sad to say, it must now be clarified that the controversy referred to is the original one, not the more recent controversy involving elections), the continuing struggle heated up after the N’tzigim’s annual election in September, when that body’s Executive Board, then chaired by Reuven Lipkind, was ousted by a slate critical of Mr. Rubashkin’s policies. The winning slate was chaired by Mr. Best. Subsequently, in April, Mr. Rubashkin called a meeting of N’tzigim in his home, at which the Vaad chairman’s supporters purported to hold a special election to replace the Best administration with a new Executive Committee—favorable to Mr. Rubashkin—chaired by Yankel Wice. Since that time, the Best slate and the Wice slate have each claimed to be the sole legitimate Executive Committee of the N’tzigim.

The Easy Way to Finding a Perfect Match

Once upon a time, a Lubavitcher bochur or girl trying to find a summer camp job, a Tishrei or Pesach shlichus assistance post, or a teaching position for the year, found it complicated to achieve.

A little over ten years ago, the Shluchim Office—the leading international shlichus resource center—began compiling lists of shluchim needing temporary and longer-range assistance. They also assembled lists of young men and women seeking to temporarily assist, at peak seasons such as pre-summer and before all major holidays. “Shidduchim” were made between shluchim and applicants at these times, as well as for longer-term commitments. It was rudimentary, but it worked.

The magnum opus of Chabad

As a dynamic and somewhat controversial force in the Jewish world Chabad has pioneered many of the modern day Jewish outreach techniques used by Jewish organizations across the field.

Today even conservative rabbis, such as my friend Rabbi Pete Stein, have turned to the outreach methods used by Chabad for decades. Chabad has had colossal success in reaching out to unaffiliated Jews all around the world and has arguably helped to stem the tide of assimilation more than any other Jewish organization on the planet.

But few realize that the core of Chabad is far more than an outreach organization – it is a philosophy with tremendous wisdom for life.

Learning the secrets of a good home-cooked Kosher meal

Celebrity kosher chef Susie Fishbein, booked by the Jewish Women’s Circle a year and a half in advance, disclosed some of her tips while giving a cooking demonstration at Sharon’s Chabad Center.

Some of her tips include: place chicken on a rack in the pan so all of the skin gets crusty; let cuts of meat rest in the pan after cooking so the proteins can reattach or you’ll lose the juice to the cutting board; scoop out cucumber and apple seeds with a melon baller; and avoid that unpleasant aftertaste by roasting and caramelizing garlic.

Sara Wolosow, one of the center’s educators and wife of Rabbi Chaim Wolosow, introduced the self-taught, nationally televised chef to the Sharon audience on June 12.

Chabad Midtown Manhattan celebrates 10th anniversary

New York, NY — Guests from all over assembled at the elegant Mandarin Oriental sky ballroom for a dinner gala celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chabad Lubavitch of Midtown Manhattan.

Over 350 guests enjoyed an uplifting program featuring a special video prepared especially for the occasion. Rabbi Yehoshua and Brocha Metzger, Shluchim to Midtown thanked all the attendees for the great outpouring of kindness and generosity.

More Pictures in the Extended Article!

Hollywood seeks last-minute settlement in Chabad suit

Hollywood, FL – Hollywood commissioners voted late today to allow an Orthodox Jewish synagogue to stay at its current location in a residential neighborhood in return for the group dropping its religious discrimination lawsuit against them.

The last-minute proposal does not include the city paying any money to the Hollywood Community Synagogue Chabad Lubavitch, which currently operates out of two residential houses on North 46th Avenue in Hollywood Hills.

Angry neighbors complained about cars parked, traffic and noise, and the City Commission responded by trying to boot the synagogue.

Final Verdict: The Rebbe’s Institutes are Rightful Owners of 770

Judge Ira B. Harkavy presented his final verdict today, granting the International Agudas Chassidei Chabad and Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch complete ownership over the Central Chabad buildings in Brooklyn, New York. The verdict claims that these bodies have the only right to display any sort of ownership.

An excerpt from the Court statement reads:

“’Ordered Adjudged and Decreed that pursuant to the decision entered March 13th, 2006, that plaintiff Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch INC, shall have judgement against Lubavitch Congregation INC. declaring that Merkos has all right, title and interest in and to the premises located at 784-788 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York, and is the owner thereof and has the right to exercise all incidents of fee title ownership”.

Click the ‘Extended Article’ to read the complete ‘Order and Judgement’ released by the judge.

Chabad House at University of Oregon to get first Torah written for Eugene

Eugene, OR – In late September, students at the University of Oregon will come together to fulfill a mitzvah. As the Chabad House­–Jewish Student Center begins its fifth year on campus, it will dedicate a Sefer Torah that is currently being written in Israel.

“As far as we know, there has never been a Torah written specifically for Eugene,” said Rabbi Asi Spiegel, who has overseen the growth of Eugene’s Chabad since September 2002.

Rabbi Spiegel and his wife Aviva have created “a home away from home” for Jewish students, offering classes and holiday celebrations as well as regular Shabbat dinners and monthly Rosh Chodesh gatherings.

Jewish center opens in Clark County

Clark County, WA – “Wherever there are Jews in need, there are federations and Chabad,” said Marshal Spector, vice-president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland.

That was the general sentiment June 11 in Vancouver, Wash., when Chabad Lubavitch of Clark County held a formal celebration for the opening of the first Jewish center or synagogue in the county’s history. Congregation Kol Ami, a Reform congregation in Clark County, meets in rented space.

Even the standing room only crowd of about 75 was not indicative of the event’s magnitude. As almost every speaker noted, the addition of this location creates a foundation for the Jewish community in Vancouver that also enhances the entire city’s religious and cultural representation.

Girl Mugged On Lefferts Ave and Balfour Pl.

The incident took place on Wednesday morning at approximately 11:00 am. A Jewish girl was walking on Lefferts Ave and Balfour Pl listening to her iPOD, when she was mugged by a black youth. The youth ran past her, grabbed her IPod and ran toward and down Brooklyn Ave. A member of Anash that had witnessed the crime immediately called Shomrim, and the first members who responded immediately called 911.

Police responded within 2 minutes of the call and after taking a statement as to the description of the perp the Police took the girl around to attempt to find the mugger, but were unsuccessful.

Minivan shot up by BB Gun

On Wednesday at around 4:00pm another incident with a BB Gun took place, this time in the alleyway between Montgomery and Empire, Brooklyn and New York where a minivan owned by a member of Anash was shot 13 times in the windshield causing it significant damage.

The owner of the minivan who had it parked in an open garage came out to find 2 Jewish teens playing around in the alleyway shooting at things with a BB Gun, upon seeing the owner they immediately fled.