Op-Ed: Another 11th Grader Writes…

Kickoff Farbrengen, attended by the Girls’ High School division of the Online School, and being broadcast live online. Please note: Faces were blurred at the request of those photographed.

Hi, I’m an eleventh grader. Another eleventh grader wrote about how hard it is for girls in Crown Heights and other big Lubavitch schools to swim against the tide. One of the things that actually helps us teenagers create positive peer pressure is Achos Hatmimim (which deserves a whole article onto itself).

But what about the girls who don’t even have that??

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Chabad of San Antonio Breaks Ground for New Center

What a beautiful and exciting day it was! The Groundbreaking and Cornerstone ceremony was attended by close to 150 people from throughout the community. Community rabbis, leaders of local Jewish Organizations and young and old alike gathered for a special moment in the history of Chabad.

Op-Ed Response: Chabad. Period.

by Yitzchok Wagshul

Rabbi Shimon Raichik of Los Angeles recently wrote that he does not wish to enter directly into the “Chabad-Lite” issue, but simply to urge that we turn to the Rebbe for guidance. He quoted several passages from a published letter of the Rebbe, of which the following is representative:

Chabad Rabbi Publishes First Ever Animated Siddur

by Chaviva Galatz – Lubavitch.com

Some say that the hardest thing about being Jewish is getting a good handle on Hebrew, which, in its liturgical form, is necessary for prayer and in its modern form is a gateway to global dialogue. Thanks to one rabbi, the former has become more accessible, not to mention animated.

Jewish Women Connect Through Baking Challah

Herald-Tribune

An egg wash is brushed onto braided loaves of challah bread before they are baked during the workshop at Chabad of Venice & North Port.

Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., Rivka Schmerling remembers her grandmother making challah, an egg bread symbolically eaten in the Jewish tradition. The aroma of the fresh bread baking in the oven took over the entire house.

Friendship Circle Walk Inspires Community

by Chanie Kaminker

LIVINGSTON, NJ [CHI] — Last month’s surprise snowstorm wreaked havoc in the northeast. It brought down trees and power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents in the dark and cold for days. It also pushed off the much anticipated 5th Annual Friendship Circle Walk, originally scheduled for October 30. On Sunday, November 13, the walk finally took place, with a record number of more than 1,500 men, women and children, joining together to walk in support of children and teens with special needs.

Blog: The Chabad Connection

by Hannah Lee – Philadelphia Jewish Voice

Illustration Photo: Senator Joe Lieberman at Chabad of Stamford, CT.

Jews who travel know to contact the local Chabad rabbi in whatever city they find themselves to seek help about kosher food and Shabbat accommodations. The local Chabad website will have that week’s Shabbat candle lighting time and parshah (Bible portion), even when the traveller’s own congregation’s website may not be as current. This free service is extended to all Jews, regardless of religious background; but sometimes, the Chabad connection goes beyond the normal call of duty.

Jews and Politics: Orthodox Jews Play Pivotal Role in GOP Candidates’ Pro-Israel Stance

by Yechezkel Gordon

2012 Republican presidential contenders.

Texas Governor Rick Perry, a contender for the Republican Presidential nomination, held a press conference at the W Hotel in midtown Manhattan a few months ago. It was a clear showing of his strong support for Israel, and criticism for what he believes are the failed and misguided policies of President Obama on Israel.

What Did the Rebbe Have to Say About ‘Chabad Lite’?

by Rabbi Shimon Raichik

Rabbi Shimon Reichik, Mara D’Asra of the Lubavitch Kehilah in Los Angeles.

Recently there has been a public discussion taking place about Chabad standards. On one side of the discussion there are those that have taken a more lenient approach that is a direct challenge to what Chabad standards have been until now.