Video of the Day! – JabadTube Kids Purim!

(Video in Spanish with English subtitles)

As is by now the well known tradition, Rabbi Yosef Slavin, Shliach in Caracas, Venezuela makes a weekly Dvar Torah video, in spanish. In the spirit of purim, he made a video with his children. Enjoy!

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Adar Dancing at Lubavitcher Yeshiva

Students of Lubavitcher Yeshiva’s 8th grade, otherwise known as the ‘Chayolei Beis Dovid’ really kicked off the month of adar with some joy! They put together the first ever Adar dancing, for all students of grades 5 through 8, together with their Melamdim and counselors from camp. The Students organized their very own full band with some of the most amazingly talented musicians from right within the Yeshivahs 4 walls.

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.