SAN FRANCISCO — Over the last decade, Rabbi Moshe Trager has performed more than 3,000 circumcisions on Bay Area Jews, he estimates. Mr. Trager, 45, said he sometimes performs as many as five in one day — driving as far as Lake Tahoe to snip a foreskin, helping modern Jews fulfill a commandment they believe was first issued by God to Abraham thousands of years ago.
WORCESTER — There’s a renewed interest in the Chabad movement worldwide, and local Jews involved are putting out the welcome mat to possible followers.
Yossi Cunin (Crown Heights) and Chaya Mushka Chariton (Winnipeg, Canada)
Moshe Dunn (Charlotte, NC) and Tzippy Jaronowski (Monroe, NY)
Avraham and Bayla (nee Altman) Kroll (Baltimore, MD)
Zalman and Esther Skoblo (Crown Heights)
Congrangents of Beis Hamedrash Eliyahu Nochum on Lefferts Avenue got together for a Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen. In addition to the Divrei Hisorrerus and Siyum Hatanya the crowd was treated to as special fiddle performance by Rabbi Yitzchok Hurwitz who played the Daled Bovos, video in the Extended Article.
2 days, 1600 Talmidim, 3400 Seudos, 7 major farbrengens and 100 Shuls and Yeshivas visited, over the days of Yud Tes and Chof Kislev, the walls of Oholei Torah permeated with Niggunim, Farbrengens, and Chassidus. Not withstanding the restraints of Erev Shabbos, the 1600 talmidim in all divisions had a full measure of chassidishkeit and celebration.
Congregants in Ksav Sofer on Empire Boulevard got together on Motzai Shabbos and farbrenged with Rabbi Nissim Mangel in honor of Yud Tes Kislev.
KEY WEST, FL [CHI] — On its 3rd annual trip to Key West Bochurim from the Lubavitch Klurmen mesivta from Miami Beach spent an inspiring Shabbos with Rabbi Yaakov and Chanie Zucker shluchim to the Florida Keys.
In this week’s “Opening the week with the Rebbe“: In honor of the upcoming holiday, Chanukah we presenting a short video clip from the Menorah lilting at 770 as the Chassidim sing ”Haneiros Halalu”. The Rebbe then asks the Chassidim to go do Mivtzoim.
Yossi and Arielle Lasry (Yerres, France)
With sadness we inform you of the passing of Mrs. Goldie Kastel OBM of Baltimore, MD at the age of 92.
She is survived by her children Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, director of activities at Lubavitch Youth Organization in Crown Heights; Mrs. Belkie Bloomberg of Baltimore; Mrs. Rivky Geisinsky of Crown Heights; Mrs. Tzippy Lisbon of Baltimore; and Rabbi Mordechai Kastel, a Shliach in Rechovot, Israel.
Thursday night, there were many farbrengens throughout the world. In Crown Heights it was obvious from the standing room only that the place to be was Empire Shtiebel.
Fathers and their sons from Oholei Torahs youngest division got together for a Melava Malkah in honor of Yud Tes Kislev. The program included a learning program, stories and Chassideshe nigguin in a farbrengen atmosphere, followed by entertainment by the twins from France.
At a table surrounded by swaying bearded Chasids singing a wordless melody sits a rabbi dressed in white, his long white beard and white head covering completing the ensemble. He appears asleep, but is actually meditating, reaching the furthest mystical heights. His followers attempt to arouse him by singing louder and with more emphasis, but you can’t see his piercing blue eyes until a Jew named Dovid enters the room.
There’s the strange case of the policeman accused of long-term bullying who has been on fully paid leave for two years. It seems he’s lucky enough to have a doctor willing to declare his ”patient” unfit to face questions about the alleged offences. We hope the (alleged) bully’s victims are being looked after nearly as well.
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