Leviev Posts $426 Million in Real Estate Loss

Lev Leviev addressing Shluchim during the 2007 banquet

JERUSALEM [JTA] — Russian Jewish billionaire Lev Leviev’s Africa Israel Group announced the largest loss in Israel’s history. The company lost $426 million in 2008, it announced Monday.

Africa Israel, which is 75 percent owned by Leviev, had a net loss of $637 million in the fourth quarter.

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Cars Being Towed to Make Room for Mitzvah Tanks

CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — This morning, Tuesday, police department tow trucks were seen towing cars parked in the no parking zones, designated for Mitzvah Tanks thats will participate in the parade. There are no parking signs posted on President St between Kingston and Albany Ave and Kingston between Carroll and President St.

It is likely that the sign and towing policy will remain in place until the parade, scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 2nd. More info on Parde Here.

Continued in the Extended Article

Paterson: MTA Bailout Won’t Include Bridge Tolls

Governor Paterson with MTA Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger.

ALBANY, NY [AP] — Gov. David Paterson and New York legislative leaders are rejecting a proposal to put tolls on bridges as part of any deal to bail out New York City’s financially troubled mass transit system.

Announcing 10th Shlichus Family Team to China

Rabbi Chaim Shalom and his wife Nechama Dina Segal will soon be moving with their son Menachem Mendel on Shlichus. They are going to establish the tenth Chabad House in China. It will be located on Lantau Island, home of sleepy fishing villagers and the largest island in Hong Kong, near the Pearl River.

The new Shluchim were appointed by Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon the communist countries head Shliach

CrownHeights.info wished the new Shluchim Hatzlocha Rabba on their Shlichus!

Take Hilchos Birchas Hachama on the Road!

CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — Everyone is looking for ways to find and save time. Wouldn’t it be gratifying to know that there is now even more time? Enter Uvlechtecha Baderech Program by Yagdil Torah (Beta). No tape decks to install, no Mp3 player to buy, no files to convert. Just take the CD and put it straight into your car, personal CD player, or computer and listen. Utilize your time purposefully and learn interesting and important subject matter while you drive. Do the Mitzvah of Uvelechtecha Baderech, get trip security provided by learning Torah, and avoid wasting time.

The CD’s are being sold for a $1 and are available in 770 (on the center table) and at Empire Shtibel.

Siberian City Celebrates Restoration of Central Synagogue

By Tamar Runyan for Chabad.org

After a 2004 fire nearly destroyed its historic synagogue, the Jewish community of Irkutsk, Russia, spent four years restoring it to its former glory.

Members of Irkutsk, Russia’s central Jewish community spent the first Shabbat since the reopening of their 130-year-old synagogue in a state of disbelief. According to Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Aharon Wagner, the Siberian city’s chief rabbi, the community has come a long way since a 2004 fire destroyed almost all of the historic shul.

“The community didn’t believe that the synagogue would be rebuilt,” said Wagner. “It was like a dream.”

Salmonella Worries Prompt Pistachio Recall

FRESNO, CA [AP] — A Central California company is recalling about 1 million pounds of pistachios over concerns of possible salmonella contamination.

Food safety officials are looking through Setton Farms’ plant in rural Tulare County to see if it could lead them to the source of the contamination.

Rabbi Moshe Gutnick Wins Right to Fight Sacking

By Susannah Moran for the Australian

SYDNEY, Australia — A prominent Sydney rabbi has blocked his congregation from making him redundant, successfully arguing he should be subject to Jewish, rather than secular employment laws.

Moshe Gutnick took the Mizrachi Synagogue, his employer, to the NSW Supreme Court yesterday for an urgent hearing ahead of a proposed meeting last night to make him redundant.

Press Release – Cheskel’s Shwarma King Update

BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — Cheskel’s Shwarma King located at 3715 13th Avenue in Boro Park, the site of an unfortunate incident involving the sale of a non-kosher frankfurter is currently very busy. No longer answering questions about what transpired–that has been answered to the satisfaction of its supervising agency–Bais Din Tartikov but extremely busy trying to fulfill orders of everything ranging from Shwarma, fries and its trademark VIP Chulent.

Gun Purchases Up in New York caused by Recession, Obama

By John Sullivan for the Times Herald-Record

MONROE, NY — Fears that a liberal presidential administration will impose more restrictions on gun ownership have triggered a frenzy of gun buying at local suppliers, who are struggling to restock their shelves with firearms and ammunition.

Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov! – Its a Boy!

I would like to wish a very hearty MAZAL TOV! MAZAL TOV! to my dear brother-in-law and sister Yaakov and Mushky (nee Lifshitz) Flint (Crown Heights) on the birth of their firstborn son!

And to the grandparents, Avrohom and Yedida Flint (Crown Heights) and Yossi and Dvorah Lifshitz (Crown Heights) .

May the newborn be an endless source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents, and the entire Klal Yisroel!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Vov)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Plan Unifying Community for Birchas Hachama Falls Through

CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — Efforts were made in the community to organize a large, unified Birchas Hachama ceremony in front of 770 next week, 14 Nissan 5769, April 8, 2009. However the efforts fell through due to the usual Crown Heights politics. “Yechi” or no “Yechi”.

The Rebbe ran the show last time around, some 28 years ago. There was a large, public, unified Birchas Hachama ceremony in front of 770. Eastern Pkwy was closed for traffic and Anash from far and near came with their families, to be with Rebbe at during this once in a generation Mitzvah.