Daily Archives: June 22, 2006

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.

New Shluchim To Cape May County, New Jersey

Rabbi & Mrs Avrohom Rapoport have recently moved on Shlichus to Southern NJ, to direct Chabad activities in Cape May County as well as assist Chabad of Atlantic County.

The new Sluchim were appointed by Rabbi Shmuel Rapoport, Shliach of Atlantic County.

They can be reached via e-mail @ chabadac@gmail.com

Open Letter From Shimshon Stock: Communal Issues

My Dear Friends. sheyichyu

The tremendous positive response from my recent letter had one common complaint; “Why did you wait so long to address this very important issue?” Therefore, I feel the need and responsibility to speak up again.

It is unfortunate that “old Shimshon” is the one speaking up. These important issues should be addressed by community leaders and Rabbis. For instance yesterday there was a funeral for a young Bochur who had a tragic end. The funeral was attended by many young boys and girls around the age of the Nifter. This was an opportunity for the leadership i.e. the Rabbis to attend and address these young men and women. Nobody attended or attempted to reach out to the young boys and girls that were at the Levaya. How should the youth interpret the absence of leadership at a Levaya of their peer, a young 17 year old boy – a Bochur from our system and schunah?

The message is an unfortunate clear message. It says “no one in the Rabbinate or the so called leadership gives a hoot”.

He Who Could Command Legions of the Faithful

It often occurred to me when Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was alive, that he was the one person, aside from the Israeli prime minister and the Israeli military’s chief of staff, who commanded a Jewish army. Who else in Jewish life could instruct a young man or a young couple to go to a specific remote city and live there possibly for the rest of their lives — and still be obeyed?

Most people who grow up frum do not end up in Nashville, Tenn., or in Columbia, S.C., or in any of the other relatively small cities in which the rebbe determined there was a possibility for Jewish growth. It is the natural tendency of most observant Jews to remain in a community made up of people with like-minded views and lifestyles. The rebbe, whose 12th yahrzeit we observe June 29, realized that such a view amounted to giving up the possibility that the large majority of American Jews would ever be exposed to a vibrant and joyous halachic Judaism.

Junior achievement

Mequon, WI — Where Rivke Spalter works, everything is colorful and teeny weenie — chairs, sinks, tables — even the pairs of shoes lined up outside the playrooms. Spalter is the director of the Mequon Jewish Preschool, where love and joy are as plentiful as construction paper and singing lessons.

Spalter is an absolutely serene woman, though she has every reason not to be. Under her care at the preschool are 45 children, from infants to K-4 kids. She’s also mother to 10 children, eight girls and two boys ranging in age from 6 months to 19 years. She insists that “when I had just one child she took up my whole life. I think it has to do with how we divide our time.”

Knowing what families need makes her particularly sensitive to mothers who arrive in the morning feeling stressed or guilty, both common states of being for all moms. Spalter, teachers and staff greet parents and children at the door with hugs and soothing comments to help everyone get off to a good day. How does she do it?

Chabad emissaries create family atmosphere on UA campus

Tucson, AZ — Chabad is one of the fastest-growing Jewish outreach communities in the world, says Rabbi Yossie Winner: “It’s everywhere, just like Coca-Cola.” The young rabbi, 25, moved to Tucson last July from Brooklyn with his wife, Naomi, 23, to establish a Chabad House on the University of Arizona campus. Winner, who is the son of a Chabad rab bi at a large synagogue in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, says he always dreamed of following the same path as his family, but was attracted to the campus environment.