Sydney, Australia — At the beginning of Australia’s election campaign, two of the nation’s most senior political rivals have joined forces in support of Chabad.
The occasion was one of the biggest dinners for a Jewish cause in Australian history, the Yeshiva Centre’s annual gala dinner in Sydney on February 20, at which 1500 people attended.
Vienna, Austria — As a slender violinist with flowing black hair played “Oseh Shalom” to an audience peppered with at least a dozen long-bearded rabbis, Bukharian Jews in this capital city ushered in a new era.
Their cause for celebration: Unlike many of those from Central Asia who came to Austria more than 25 years ago, immigrants to the country now have a new center to help them find their way.
Irving and Seymour were good friends. They enjoyed their retirement years fishing and boating together. One day as the two were out on the water, a storm blew in out of nowhere. Before they knew it, they were in the water gazing at their capsized boat.
Irving, who was a good swimmer, knew that his friend could not swim. He immediately spotted him and tried to help. But it was to no avail. As much as he begged Seymour to give him his hand, he would ignore him. He, in fact turned away defiantly.
When Irving finally returned to shore without Seymour, he found himself standing face to face with Seymour wife who demanded an explanation.
Moscow, Russia – Senior American congressman Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, visited the Moscow’s Jewish community center while paying a visit to Russia. In a meeting with Russia’s chief rabbi Berel Lazar, the two discussed issues affecting the growth of the Russian Jewry while praising continued governmental support and growth efforts of the community. They also discussed the removal of Russia from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment which denied normal trade relations between the US and Russia, and was put into place because of restrictions on Jewish community members right to emigrate during the soviet regime.
FREE Publishing House, the publishing arm of Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe, has just released a new revised edition of the Megillat Esther, featuring the original Hebrew text with accompanying Russian translation. The new edition has been enhanced in several ways. The whole volume, both Hebrew and Russian, has been reset in a clear, crisp typeface. The Russian translation, while still based on the original edition, has been amended to read even more smoothly.
Following the megillah is an additional 30 plus pages that contain a chapter on Purim from FREE’s yet-to-be-published book, Jewish Holiday and Festivals. This chapter includes the holiday’s background, its history and laws, as well as its practical lessons and current relevance – some 2300 years later.
Please take a moment and say a Kapitel Tehillim for a Refuah Shlaima.
Rivka bas Rochel She is going into surgery tomorrow, Thursday.
Aryeh ben Sarah
Avraham Feivel ben Reilah
Glendale, CA — Pictures from the Group picture that was taken at the West Coast Kinnus Hashluchim that took place this past Sunday and Monday, the 18th and 19th of February. Click here for the full article. Click here to view the first gallery and here for the second gallery!
Full Gallery In The Extended Article!
Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine — Dnepropetrovsk has now completed the first stage of the project “A Mezuzah for Every Jewish House,” which became possible through the initiative of the Jewish community and the financial aid from the Maecenas of Enrico Tsitsuashvili.
For two weeks the students of Dnepropetrovsk Yeshiva “Nakhlas Levi,” the volunteers and the colleagues in the Jewish community have been visiting homes and apartments of the elderly, limited-income families who have identified themselves as members of the Jewish community.
Moscow, Russia — A new auditorium of the Yeshiva Gedolah in Moscow was dedicated last week in the presence of the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, members of the Beth Din in Russia, Roshei Yeshivah, Rabbis and dozens of students.
The annual Soul II Soul concert is set to take place this Motzoai Shabbos Parshas Trumah in the George Wingate Auditorium on Kingston Ave. The proceeds of the concert go to the funding of education and summer camps for special children with special needs.
This year the concert is featuring Mordechai Ben David as its featured performance as well as a special performance by the Temimim Boys Choir under the direction of Rabbi Yossi Goldstein. Producers of the Soul II Soul concert have informed us that ticket sales are moving at an incredible rate selling out some sections of the George Wingate Auditorium.
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