Did Our Ancestors Fail?

Many battles have been fought to bring the world to a state of redemption. Many tears have been offered in prayer. Much blood has been shed in martyrdom. Innumerable Mitzvos and acts of goodness were committed. Huge sums of charity were distributed. Much Torah has been studied. Many leading rabbis, tzaddikim, and famous kabbalists, giants of the spirit, have poured their energies into the efforts to bring redemption to an embattled world.

Yet inexplicably the redemption has failed to materialize. As of today the exile remains stubbornly intractable and unresolved.

The Perfect Steak-Out

THURSDAY NIGHT 10:15PM – Derek Nelson, probably one of the dumbest criminals to hit the streets of Crown Heights tried to strike again after being released from police custody a mere three days ago.

It all began when a senior member of Shomrim spied Nelson sneaking around on Union St. near Kingston Ave. The member called for back up in case Nelson was up to his usual antics which sadly for him he was.

While being watched by over twenty units Nelson made his way into a Jewish owned car, parked on Albany Ave. between President St. and Union St. Just as Nelson was putting things into his pockets which the owner of the vehicle had left in his car, the Shomrim units quickly made their move and detained him inside the car until the police were able to arrive.

NOTE: There are 23 more pictures in the extended article. Just click the line below.

Son of Hartford Chabad rabbi tells harrowing tale

In the aftermath of Katrina Hurricane, the Chabad-Lubavitch organization has taken a lead role in helping Jewish victims, keeping emissaries in New Orleans until the levees broke, a day after the storm; searching for missing residents, many of them elderly; and bringing food and water to the shelters where some are now staying.

Several recreational vehicles with members of Chabad from Houston appeared in Baton Rouge last week with boxes of food and clothing, and a contingent of yeshiva students from Brooklyn had driven to Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, where they, too, were distributing necessities.

Aliya / Chabad Inreach 3rd Annual Banquet Outstanding Success

Over 200 people filled the hall @ the Jewish Children’s Museum on Monday night to enjoy the Aliya (Alternative Learning Institute for Young Adults) organization’s third annual banquet dedicated to the memory of Reb Leima Levitin Z”L. Chairman of the evening was Reb Leima’s brother in law Mr. Mottel Feiglin who is also the father of director R. Moishe Feiglin.

Dedication speeches were given by Dr. Harvey Lang, close friend of Reb Leima, Dr. Rosen, father of staff member and involved board member, Gary Levine representative of Chabad of Brooklyn Heights (Aliya Yeshivah), Moishe Altman, father of 2 Aliya students and Moishe Feiglin, Director.

Charities Mull How To Divide Donations Among Jewish, Gentile Katrina Victims

After raising almost $10 million in response to Hurricane Katrina, Jewish organizations are facing the tricky question of how to divide the money among explicitly Jewish causes and general relief efforts.

The Reform movement has led the way among Jewish religious groups, raising more than $1.5 million by the middle of this week. In its first round of allocations, it gave $45,000 to Jewish communities in the affected areas, but much larger grants, totaling $500,000, to nonsectarian relief efforts. In contrast, the Orthodox Union, which set up a fund in conjunction with Yeshiva University and the Rabbinical Council of America, says it is concentrating on providing relief to displaced Orthodox Jews. So far, the Orthodox fund has sent $20,000 to an Orthodox congregation in Memphis that has enrolled evacuated Jewish children at its day school.

Protocol Established To Respect Jewish Dead

After “an intense meeting” yesterday with authorities responsible for the recovery and burial of the dead, Rabbi Edgar Gluck, the Chaplain of the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office told lubavitch.com that he was satisfied that Jewish bodies would be treated with absolute regard for Jewish law.

Some More New Colors To Kingston Ave.

As you may have noticed in the past 2 years we have seen quite a few stores go and update that sign/awning’s, the latest one is Apple Drugs.

Roving pothole repair crews in CH

Roving pothole repair crews are a common site in Manhattan and on the major thoroughfares like the FDR and the likes where the roads are in real shambles.

Today one crew was spotted in front of 770 and the Jewish Children’s Museum where the whole road needs a complete redo desperately.

Kabbalist Urges Jews to return Israel
Ahead of Upcoming Disasters

Israel’s leading known Kabbalistic Elder, Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri called upon worldwide Jewry Tuesday night to return to Israel due to natural disasters which threaten to strike the world.

In a class between the Mincha (afternoon) and Maariv (evening) prayers at his Jerusalem yeshiva seminary, Rabbi Kaduri issued the following call:
”This declaration I find fitting to issue for all of the Jews of the world to hear. It is incumbent upon them to return to the Land of Israel due to terrible natural disasters which threaten the world.

In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring about great disasters in the countries of the world to sweeten the judgements of the Land of Israel.

Israel’s chief rabbis to meet with pope Thursday

Israel’s two chief rabbis will meet with Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of a landmark Vatican document on relations with Jews, and will likely appeal for his support in fighting anti-Semitism and terrorism, Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See said.

Israel needs the Vatican’s support at “this very dire hour” now that it has completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur said on Wednesday.

Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi, Yona Metzger, and the Sephardic chief rabbi, Shlomo Amar, will call on the pope at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo in the hills south of Rome, the ambassador said.

World Loves Sharon – Because He Caved In

Sharon arrived in New York last night to take part in the United Nations’ World Summit in honor of its 60th birthday. World leaders appear to be waiting in line to meet with him, including U.S. President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bush reportedly made a special request to meet with Sharon to express his admiration for the withdrawal from Gaza.

Other leaders with whom Sharon will meet are those of Jordan, Turkey, Canada, Australia, and others, including possibly the emir of Qatar.

Former commander of Israeli forces in Gaza Strip evades arrest in London

Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom has condemned a UK attempt to arrest a former Gaza Strip military commander for alleged war crimes as an “outrage”.

Maj Gen Doron Almog escaped detention at Heathrow airport on Sunday after an Israeli official warned him he was facing arrest and should fly back home.

Lawyers said an arrest warrant had been issued over allegations he ordered the destruction of civilian homes in Gaza.

Mr Shalom said his government would raise the matter with UK PM Tony Blair.

The Crown Heights Cronicle on Last Nights Shooting

Shooting Closes Montgomery Street near Bais Binyomin Synagogue

September 13, 2005–An elderly man was shot outside his home at 676 Montgomery Street just off Kingston Avenue this evening, after a younger black man, reportedly a relative, opened fire at approximately 8:45 p.m. The incident occurred next door to the Bais Binyomin shul, between Kingston and Albany Avenues. The shooting caused Montgomery Street to be roped off near Kingston Avenue for 2 Ѕ hours, as police searched for shell casings and other evidence.

Car Broken Into

In a separate event, at the Razag Simcha Hall at a wedding that took place one of the attendants had the valet parking park his car, and as a common practice they park the cars on Maple St. between Troy and Schenectady and have a hired security company go around and make sure the cars don’t get vandalized or get broken into.

But tonight the security didn’t help, and this man had his window smashed in, although it didn’t seem like anything was stolen from the car, he still had the broken window. Such events are not good at all for the hall, for people wouldn’t want to host events there when their guests cant park in peace.

Shooting Right in the Heart of Our Shechuna

At 8:38 I got a call from a friend that was driving up Kingston Ave. and was at the Montgomery St. intersection and all of a sudden he hears about 12 gunshots and sees a black man running towards Kingston Ave. waiving a gun.

The occurrence took place further into Montgomery St. right in front of the “Bais Midrash – Bais Binyomin” Shul.

In what appeared to be a dispute over rent, the man got into a fight and pulled a gun and shot the 2 men (both black), one was hit in the arm and the other is unknown where he was hit. Both were taken to a nearby hospital and the place flooded with Police and Emergency Service Units which proceeded to block off the street and sidewalk and investigate the occurrence.

From eye witness accounts the police were able to get a description of the man and arrested him shortly after. On site a few young black kids went and cut the yellow “Police: Do Not Cross” tape and were arrested as well.

Carnival brightens survivors’ spirits

Assessing the needs of Hurricane Katrina evacuees in San Antonio, Rabbi Chaim Block found it in the faces of the children.

Block said a Jewish organization in Los Angeles called him and said, “You tell us what they need.”

“I went to the shelter and saw that their basic needs were being met, but what I thought they needed was something to lift their spirits,” said Block, the executive director of the Chabad Lubavitch of South Texas.

Thus, a carnival was born.

Car Thief Strikes Crown Heights Once More

While members of Crown Heights Shomrim Volunteer Patrol were making there usual checks in the neighborhood, one of the members spotted a suspicious person sneaking around in a car. as the member approached the man, he immediately recognized that this is the same perpetrator who had been caught (by Shomrim) and arrested for breaking into someone’s car just one month ago. The perp then noticed the Shomrim member, (the perp by now knows who’s who) and made a run for it.

20+ Shomrim members then followed him into Lefferts park on Lefferts Ave. between Albany and Troy. The members then guarded all corners of the park to make sure they don’t lose sight of him. Shomrim then climbed over the park fence to hold down the perp but they couldn’t find him. After looking around for about a minute or two, they caught sight of him up in a tree where he was pleasantly sitting on a thick branch high up. the perp then began yelling and slurring about how he hasn’t done anything, and Shomrim is always out to get him. “so then why are you all the way up there in the tree if you didn’t do anything”, yelled one passerby.

shomrim then awaited the police who made him come down eventually. After some questioning and investigating, the police had to let the perp go due to lack of substantial evidence. “The problem is,” said one of the officers, “that he doesn’t literally break into cars so there is no proof of ‘forced entry’. We are on your side, but we can’t lock him up just on your word without evidence “.

Shomrim then went to the police station on Empire and New York Ave. to speak with the heads of the department to see if there was anyway to get the perp off the streets and stop him from breaking into more people’s cars.

Until further notice, the perp is still out there thanks to our great friends at the police station. so remember to keep your car doors locked, and your windows closed.

If you see something, say something. Shomrim is available 24/7. Call us at: 718-774-3333

To see the story of the perp being nabbed for the car break in of August 11 click here: Crown Heights Community Blog / SHOMRIM CATCH THE CAR THIEF OF CROWN HEIGHTS