Hundreds of men, women and children turned out at K’hal Tzemach Tzedek Lubavitch of Monsey today, Wednesday, Erev Pesach 5769, April 8, for the once-in-28-year Birchas HaChama.
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Shliach, Rabbi Yisroel Rapoport officiated at Shacharis services, followed by a Birchas Hachamah ceremony with over 60 participants of all ages. To everyone’s delight the sun came out and shined brightly. Afterwards everyone was invited to a full course breakfast. Matzahs were distributed and chametz was burnt.
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BROOKLYN, NY — Following their recent expulsion from Russia, several rabbis have been working across phone lines and emails guiding their communities in Passover preparations.
Chabad representatives Rabbi Yisroel and Aliza Silberstein were living in Vladivostok, a port city on the Pacific Ocean, until they were forced to leave in February. Now, from their temporary residence in Brooklyn, the dedicated couple is still taking care of their community’s needs.
GOSHEN, NY [CHI] — The students at the Chabad Hebrew School, directed by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston held an interactive “Model Seder” for both students and parents in Chabad’s Goshen location. “The Seder is full of traditions, stories and observances and it’s important for parents to learn how to conduct a Seder in their own home” says Chana Burston. Her husband, Rabbi Pesach, led the model Seder wearing a “matzo pattered tie!”
WASHINGTON [AP] — President Barack Obama hosted close friends and staff at a private White House meal Thursday evening to mark Passover. It’s part of the new president’s effort to reach out to Jewish voters.
The White House said the Seder meal was traditional, including matzo, bitter herbs, a roasted egg and greens in the family dining room in the executive mansion. The evening also featured the reading of the Haggadah, the religious text of the holiday.
BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — On Wednesday Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined community leaders and children in song and celebration for a Birkat Hachamah ceremony led by Shliach Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin. The Talmud teaches that every 28 years the Sun returns to the same position, at the same time of day as that of the beginning of creation. A special blessing—Birkat Hachamah (“the sun blessing”)—is recited to mark this moment in time. Wednesday’s gathering was a project of Congregation Bnai Avraham and Chabad of Brooklyn Heights.
NEW YORK [FDA] — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers not to eat Strubs Norwegian Style Sliced Smoked Steelhead Salmon in 300 gram packages because of potential contamination with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause serious illness and death.
Distributed by West Side Foods Inc. of Bronx, N.Y., the smoked steelhead salmon was imported from Canada, and 13 cartons were sold to three kosher retail stores in New York and Maryland.
We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Peretz and Shaina (nee Kahn) Schmukler (Montreal, Canada) on the birth of their son.
May the newborn be a source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents and Klal Yisroel.
IRAN — Members of the Chabad organization smuggled a huge quantity of matzot into Iran last week in order to enable local Jews in the Islamic Republic to celebrate the Passover according to tradition.
Some 20,000 Jews currently live in Iran. The authorities allow them freedom to practice their religion, but forbid the import of Israel-made products to the country, an act that could cost a person three years imprisonment or the revoking of his passport for five years.
Hundreds including Senator Joseph Lieberman joined in the Birchat Hachamah in Stamford this morning. The gathering in a Cove Park on the shore of Long Island Sound began with a Vasikin Minyan – as the gathering waited for the sun to appear from behind the clouds Rabbi Yisrael Deren addressed the assembled with a Sicha from the Rebbe on the significance of the day followed by a siyum delivered by Rabbi Levi Mendelow.
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We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Yitzchok and Nechama Dina Bergstein (Crown Heights) on the birth of their twins, 2 boys.
May the newborns be a source of Nachas to their parents, grandparents and Klal Yisroel.
Email your Simcha or Mazal Tov to MazalTov@CrownHeights.info !!
NEW YORK [NY1] — State lawmakers passed legislation Tuesday allowing the city to add 50 red light cameras to catch drivers who run traffic lights.
The city already has cameras at various intersections.
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KETTERING, OH — For Rochel Simon, Passover always brings a “sparkling, clean feeling” that comes from both physical and spiritual renewal. It also brings a lot of hard work.
Tonight, April 8, the Kettering mom, her husband and their two children join friends and family at a seder meal to retell the story of their people’s exodus from Egyptian bondage. The 3,000-year-old Jewish holiday celebrates religious freedom.
More pictures in the Extended Article! (By Sholom Ber Goldstein)
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