Mazal Tov's View More

Taanis Esther – The Fast of Esther – Laws and Customs

The fast begins at 5:15am and ends at 6:09pm (NYC Times)

Because Adar 13 (the day before Purim) falls on a Shabbat this year, the “Fast of Esther,” usually observed on that date, is moved back to today.

Haman’s “Final Solution” was scheduled for the 13th of Adar. Instead, Haman was hanged, and by royal decree the Jews mobilized in self-defense and successfully defended themselves against all attacks. On the next day, the 14th of Adar, the Jews rested, savored their miraculous salvation, and established the holiday of Purim.

Whenever in peril, we are commanded to institute a fast day to repent, pray, and ask for Divine mercy. Thus the 13th of Adar, the day of battle, was a day of fasting.

Op-Ed: On Giving Fancy Shalach Manot

Illustration Photo

Purim is less than two weeks away. Purim is a holiday filled with fun and sweets. Everyone is already thinking of original ideas what to give as ‘Mishloach Manos’. How about this year we try to make it more fun for all the people that are less fortunate in our community. As you may know or as many are not aware of yet that in our very own community there are many families that are struggling financially. Some large families live in a basement, kids wear old clothing. Some have barely basic furniture; some big families share one bedroom.

Jewish Diamond Dealer Released from FSB Custody

St. Petersburg, Russia — Israeli diamond dealer, Rafael Aviv, represented by Attys. Mordechai Tzivin and Gil Wojakowski, was released last week from a long period of custody during which he was held without trial by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) – the successor to the KGB, the NKVD and Cheka – arrested Aviv last July on suspicion of “exchanging precious stones and unlawful possession of diamonds.” Russian law prohibits the export of raw diamonds mined in Russia, unless they are polished locally.

This was not the first time an Israeli diamond merchant was arrested under similar circumstances, but in all of the other cases they received long sentences, sometimes more than 10 years, which they served to the end; one even passed away in a Russian jail.

Texas Weekend Draws Hundreds of Students

by Tamar Runyan – Chabad.edu

Jewish students across the Lone Star State excitedly pronounced the second-annual Grand Texas Intercollegiate Shabbaton to be even bigger and better than last year’s event. Hosted once again by collegians at Texas A&M University in College Station, the collection of networking events, workshops and spiritually inspiring talks was attended by hundreds of students from more than half a dozen colleges.

Photos: Darchai Menachem Goes Skiing

DELAWARE, PA [CHI] — Students of Darchai Menachem who excelled in school and accumulated the right amount of ‘points’ over the last 12 weeks, were all rewarded with a full day trip up to the Shawnee Mountain, a ski resort that’s a two hour drive from Brooklyn, where the students took skiing lessons and spent a day on the ski slopes.

Video: JEM interview with Rabbi Menachem Porush

Just over a month ago, on January 12th, JEM conducted a series of important interviews in Israel for the My Encounter with the Rebbe project. Among those interviewed was Rabbi Menachem Porush, of blessed memory. He was 93 years old at the time of the interview.