In a statement to Lubavitch.com early this morning, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of the Lubavitch educational arm, confirmed that 33 communities around the world have been selected for inclusion in a groundbreaking adult Jewish education initiative.
Kabbalah is about wrestling with the complex and paradoxical nature of life, which is why this Jewish mystical tradition, with its thousands of sacred texts, leaves most people confused. But in its essence, Kabbalah is really about making the mundane holy.Kabbalah is about wrestling with the complex and paradoxical nature of life, which is why this Jewish mystical tradition, with its thousands of sacred texts, leaves most people confused. But in its essence, Kabbalah is really about making the mundane holy.
Rabbi DovBer Pinson grew up in the tightly knit Chassidic community of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, New York, speaking Yiddish as his first language. Although he often skipped school when he was a kid, it soon became clear that he would follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and great-grandfather, both highly respected spiritual teachers and scholars in Russia. He was self-taught and ordained as a rabbi in Israel at 18 and spent the next few years locked up in his room, meditating and studying a wide range of spiritual traditions, contemplating the possibility of life as a monk (until the day he came out and met the woman he married). At 34, he is a world-renowned Jewish scholar, lecturer, and spiritual teacher, with seven books on Kabbalah under his belt.
The word kosher, Hebrew for fit or proper, has become such a part of the world’s word-stock that even non-Jews use it as vernacular language. “That isn’t kosher” is practically interchangeable with “That isn’t according to Hoyle.”
At approximately 3 O’clock this afternoon at the intersection of Eastern Pkwy and Brooklyn Ave. a light colored Buick driven by an elderly Black male lost control and careened into two SUV’s.
The red SUV was driven by a Jewish man who was on his way to queens to take part in the levaya of Benny Keller, the other one was driven by a Black couple.
The Buick then proceeded to plow into a taxi cab, which was driven by an Indian male; the elderly driver of the Buick said that he lost his brakes, and lost control of the car.
More pictures in the Extended Article.
Family, Friends, Teachers, Mashpi’im and people that didn’t even know Benny, gathered around his Aron in front of 770 to ask Mechilla and say Tehillim. He was then escorted by a Hatzalah Ambulance along with many friends and members of the community to the Montefiore Cemetery in Queens where hundreds were on hand for the Kevurah.
The family will be sitting Shiva in their home at 935 Eastern Parkway between Troy and Albany in Apartment 1C [entrance from the right side of the main entrance]. Shacharis will be at 7:00am, Mincha and Maariv will be Bizmana.
Hamokom Yenachem Eschem Besoch Shaar Avaylay Tzion VeYerushalayim. Vehakeetzu Veranenu Shochnay Ofor VeHu besochom.
Rebbetzin Etel Tzerna bas R' Meir Shmaryahu Hodakov, who passed away at age 96 on Erev Shabbos was mourned today in Crown Heights.Rebbetzin Etel Tzerna bas R’ Meir Shmaryahu Hodakov, who passed away at age 96 on Erev Shabbos was mourned today in Crown Heights.
The funeral procession left Shomrei Hadas and arrived at Bais Rivka Campus Chomesh shortly after 11:00am. There, hundreds of parents and students walked behind the Aron down Brooklyn Avenue till East New York. From there, the procession went to 770 where hundreds of people were on hand and went over to the Aron to ask Mechila and recite Tehillim. About 100 family members and friends attended the Kevura in the Bais HaChaim. Rebbetzin Hodakov was laid to rest on the first row opposite the Ohel, and in close proximity to Rebbetzin Nechama Dina and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.
Rabbi Sholom Yisroel Hodakov and Mrs. Chaya Kramer are sitting Shiva – until Erev Shabbos, click Extended Article for Nichum Aveilim information.
As if enough didn’t happen Friday… …At around 2:00pm a group of Jewish youths, some from Crown Heights, and others not, got into a fight in the alleyway between Shain Shul and Zakons Toys on Kingston Ave. when they were observed fleeing the alleyway leaving one behind, injured.
Hatzalah responded and began treating the youth for a BB gun shot to his hand and to his back. When questions by authorities as to his age and name he responded with silence and when asked what had taken place he responded the same way. Hatzalah then transported him to Kings County Hospital where he received further treatment.
The Rev. Al Sharpton got involved yesterday in a racially charged congressional contest in Brooklyn, asking Senator Charles E. Schumer, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to take a position in a primary where a white candidate is running for a seat historically held by blacks.
The race involves the seat now held by Major R. Owens who, after 24 years in Congress, is not running for re-election this year.
This past Friday, the 20th of Sivan, was the 6th Yortziet of R. Yehuda Kalman Marlow OB”M member of the Badat”z of Crown Heights. In the picture is R. Yossi Marlow Davening at his father’s gravesite on Friday.
A speech by Harav Heller Shlita, adapted by Yaakov Ginsburg and Yaakov Paley
The following is a compilation of topics that were the focus of a recent Shiur, given by Harav Heller Shlita, in response to oft-posed queries vis-à-vis the Torah’s view on contemporary issues. This is by no means a thorough treatment of any particular topic, rather snippets and illustrations that nudge the reader in the proper direction. Whilst the wording has been adapted (and no responsibility is therefore taken), the clarity and truth of perspective is apparent, refreshing, and timely.
“Behold the goodness of Yerushalayim; peace upon Yisrael” (Tehillim 128). One must certainly look at Yidden in a positive light and strive to see only good within them. However, “Consider well her walls; behold her towers; in order that you may be able to recount it to a later generation” (Tehillim 48). Reality dictates that we ‘build a wall around Yerushalayim’; that when we notice breaches within Yiddishkeit we extend effort to strengthen it, especially when the effect is evident on our next generation.
A 4 year old boy was struck by an SUV on Empire Blvd between Albany and Troy. The incident began at around 1:00pm when a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee struck the 4 year old boy in the middle of the block, right in front of his home. It is still unclear [pending investigation] what has happened.
From eyewitness accounts there were two stories. First account was that the child ran out into the street and was struck in the right lane. The second account was that the Jeep made and Illegal U-Turn and struck the boy.
Hatzalah was the first to arrive on scene and immediately began to treat the child who was unconscious. He was then rushed to Kings County Hospital where he immediately went through surgery in the Emergency Room. He is currently stable, but in critical condition. The public is requested to say Tehillim for a Refuah Shlaima for Reuven Moshe ben Chana.
More pictures in the Extended Article.
Washingtonville, NY – There’s this summer camp at Taft Elementary School. It’s called Camp Gan Israel, run by the Chabad-Lubavitch of Orange County. It’s using the school for three weeks free of charge like other nonprofits this summer.
But it’s only this Jewish camp that has sparked threats from taxpayers to derail the Washingtonville School District’s revised $73 million budget, which comes up for a vote Tuesday.
Taxpayers think the Monroe-based Chabad is getting a free ride. Critics believe the camp – and any nonprofit group – should have to pay because the district can’t afford to run buildings free of charge.
Miami, FL – It was a night of miracles. The American Airlines Arena in Miami was jam-packed this past Tuesday as the NBA ‘06 finals went into game three at Dallas 2, Miami 0.
The thousands of cheering Miami fans knew this game was crucial. Losing would almost certainly cost them the championship since no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 loss. The Heat were praying for a miracle.
Yesterday at approximately 7:30pm, a car diving down Carroll St hit a cyclist while crossing the intersection with Schenectady Ave. The cyclist, a black male, appeared to have taken a red light, when the car, a white dodge charger appeared to have a green light, hit him swerving unto to the sidewalk and taking down the gate in front of the Raim Ahuvim Shul, which has recently been replaced. The cyclist then got up, limped unto his bike and fled to a nearby alleyway.
More pictures in the Extended Article!
Brussels, Belgium — Two Jewish umbrella organizations in Belgium are waging an intense political struggle over which will serve as the main Jewish representative to the European Union.
The two groups involved are the Conference of European Rabbis, a veteran organization that has been representing the continent’s chief rabbis for 50 years, and the Center of European Rabbis, a fairly new organization that is associated with the Chabad Lubavitch movement. Two weeks ago the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger, sided with the latter group, which raised a few eyebrows at the EU and generated a storm in Brussels.
Well into her first year at Western Washington University, Elizabeth Setlow wanted to learn more than what was taught in her college classes. She also wanted to learn more about what it means to be Jewish.
“I had sort of a secular upbringing” on Whidbey Island, Setlow said. “I always identified myself as Jewish, but I never had the opportunity to do anything about it.”
At around 3:45pm yesterday two minivans collided in the intersection of Carroll and Albany, both drivers were ok and refused medical attention, and both are Jewish members of the community.
According to one of the drivers, a woman who was driving down Carroll St she had a green light when all of a sudden a white minivan just drove up right in front of her and they collided, the driver of the other van was overheard saying they he tried to stop but his brakes failed and he couldn’t stop. B”H no one was injured the only damage was to the cars.
More pictures in the Extended Article.
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