Cheder Chabad of Monsey Celebrates 10 Years!

Cheder Chabad of Monsey hosted a beautiful gala reception in honor of its 10th year anniversary this past Sunday night at the grand ballroom of K’hal Tzemach Tzedek Lubavitch of Monsey.

The evening began with welcoming remarks by Cheder Chabad’s Menahel, Rabbi Yisroel Shusterman. Rabbi Avrohom Wolowick, Principal of the Cheder Boys School, then recited the Rebbe’s Kapital of Tehillim which was followed by a Dvar Torah by Rabbi Boruch Lesches, the Rav of the Monsey Chabad community.

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Boruch Dayan Emes – Rabbi Sholom Gourarie OBM

With deep sadness we inform you of the passing of Rabbi Sholom Ber Gourarie OBM, a prominent Chabad Rabbi and Shliach in South Africa. He passed away Monday morning after suffering an illness. He was 77 years old.

He is survived by his wife Mrs Winnie, and children Yossi (Postville, IA), Esti Fogel (Ottowa, Canada), Michoel (Sydney, Australia), Avremi (Crown Heights), and Chana Labkowski (San Paulo, Brazil).

The family is sitting Shiva now in South Africa and can be reached at (347) 298 0417 or 011 27 11 648 6813. And by email: Yossi, Esti, Avremi, Chana, Michoel.

Rabbi Gourarie was born in Riga, Latvia to the Lubavitch Mashpia Rabbi Moshe Gourarie. He learned in a Chabad Yeshiva in Israel and would later travel to New York to learn in 770.

After marrying his wife Winnie, the couple were sent on Shlichus to Cape Town in South Africa, where he served as a Rabbi and mentor. They later moved to Johannesburg.

Boruch Dayan Emes

Most Seculars Believe Media Biased Against Charedim

By Kobi Nahshoni for YNetNews

ISRAEL — Many in the religious and ultra-Orthodox society blame the media of being hostile towards them, and a new study that was recently released found that most seculars agree.

According to the study, 66% of seculars think that the media coverage of the haredi sector is unfair and unbalanced, and effectively contributes to fueling tensions between the different sectors in Israeli society.

Striving for Peace: In Memory of President Ephraim Katzir

By Dovid Zaklikowski

Israeli President Ephraim Katzir, right, toasts newly-arrived Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries sent by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 1976. The group’s scholarly teacher and mentor, Rabbi Mordechai Mentlik, second from left, accompanied the emissaries from New York. (Photos courtesy of Rabbi Zev Katz)

On May 24, 1973, Israeli eyes turned to the platform in front of the Knesset, the country’s parliament, for the swearing-in of its new president. Standing together were Speaker Yisrael Yeshayahu and outgoing president Zalman Shazar, called upon by Prime Minister Golda Meir to hand over the reins of the presidency to Ephraim Katzir, a London-born, American-educated scientist, one of the best minds in Israel.

Chabad Member on Missing Air France Plane

CrownHeights.info has just confirmed that Shlomo Anidjar, a resident of Boulogne-Billancourt, France was on the Air France flight that went missing flying over theAtlantic Ocean yesterday. Mr Anidjar is 40 years old, married, father of three, and a member of the local Jewish community.

Boruch Dayan Emes – Shea Berkowitz OBM

With sadness in our hearts we inform you of the passing of Shea Berkowitz, brother to Motel, of Crown Heights/Florida, Aron Dovid of Huntington Beach, Chaim of Montreal, Shiya of Los Angeles, and sisters Pearl Tennenbaum and Lea Mezei Monsey NY.

He is survived by his widow is Gittie Berkowitz of Monsey and Florida his children, Eli, Chaya Ester, Pearl Laya, Yitzi ad Chava.

The family will be sitting shiva at 2 Weiner Drive in Monsey NY (Directions). Call 845-425-9020.

Hamokom Yenachem Eschem B’soch Shear Avolei Tziyon V’yerushalayim

Mazal Tov! – it’s A Boy!

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Chaim Ozer and Racheli (nee Green) Metal (Shluchim to Summerlin, Nevada) on the birth of their son.

May the newborn be a source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents and Klal Yisroel.


Mayor, City Council Speaker Agree on Sales Tax Hike

By Henry Goldman for the Bloomberg News

NEW YORK, NY — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn agreed on a plan to raise $887 million by increasing the city sales tax rate and repealing an exemption for clothing purchases of less than $110.

The proposals, requiring Legislature approval, would boost the sales tax to 8.875 percent from 8.375 percent. The plan also would apply the charge to electricity and natural gas purchases from non-utility companies, according to Bloomberg.

‘Destroy their Holy Sites. Kill Men, Women and Children’

By Ami Eden for the JTA Blogs

The current issue of Moment magazine dedicates its “Ask the Rabbis” section to the question “How Should Jews Treat Their Arab Neighbors?”

Rabbis from various denominations offered responses, but it’s the final one — from a Chabad rabbi, Manis Friedman of the St. Paul-based Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies — that is likely to spark the most reaction:

I don’t believe in western morality, i.e. don’t kill civilians or children, don’t destroy holy sites, don’t fight during holiday seasons, don’t bomb cemeteries, don’t shoot until they shoot first because it is immoral.

The only way to fight a moral war is the Jewish way: Destroy their holy sites. Kill men, women and children (and cattle).

The first Israeli prime minister who declares that he will follow the Old Testament will finally bring peace to the Middle East. …

Alleged Robber Refuses Court

By Samuel Newhouse for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Still from the security camera of the alleged attacker putting the elderly woman in a choke hold

CROWN HEIGHTS — The man allegedly caught on videotape robbing an elderly woman in a Crown Heights elevator last summer was scheduled to appear Monday in Brooklyn Supreme Court for a pretrial hearing. The defendant, however, refused to appear via video, as scheduled.

Accident on Brooklyn Ave

CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — Yesterday, Monday afternoon there was a accident on East New York Ave and Brooklyn Ave. An elderly Jewish male driver driving an older model Buick was rear ended by a Black male driving a Nissan sedan.