Rescue Crews Slog Through Costa Rican Tourist Center After Earthquake

By Yosef Lewis

Damage from a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Costa Rica has been centered northwest of its capital city, S. Jose.

S JOSE, Republic of Costa Rica — Following a major earthquake that has reportedly killed at least 34 people, Chabad-Lubavitch of Costa Rica is filtering through accounts of casualties centered in a popular tourist area northwest of the capital of S. Jose. Rabbi Hershel Spalter, who has offered the center’s assistance to emergency crews, reports that impact to the country’s Jewish community has been minimal.

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Vandals Deface Three Synagogues

CHICAGO, IL [STNG/WBBM] — Vandals spray-painted the words “Death to Israel’’ on two synagogues and a Jewish school early Saturday in three separate incidents police say could be linked and are being investigated as hate crimes.

Agriprocessors Ramping Up Production

By Dave DeWittef for The Gazette

POSTVILLE, IA — Bankrupt kosher meatpacker Agriprocessors is ramping up production of poultry and taking steps to reopen its beef lines to meet demands for the upcoming Passover season.

Joseph Sarachek discussed the steps in a prepared statement Wednesday discussing his desire to preserve the company’s role as a leader in the kosher meat industry. His company, Triax Capital Advisors, was appointed to oversee the company’s operation in bankruptcy by a federal judge.

Schools Open Amid Rocket Fire as Israeli Offensive Heads Into Week Three

By Tamar Runyan

The sidewalk in front of Be’er Sheva’s Soroka Medical Center, where many of Israel’s injured soldiers are being treated, was almost deserted Sunday. A sign on the fence outside, far right, was posted by the city’s Chabad-Lubavitch center. It reads: “Faith is our strength, our tradition, our force. We will unite, we will be strong, we will win.”

As Israel entered its third week of sustained fighting in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, several communities in the country’s south allowed schools to resume, albeit in bomb shelters. But while the change in posture came after the Home Front Command downgraded the risk from Palestinian-fired rockets, two long-range Grad-type rockets struck Be’er Sheva on Sunday as high school juniors and seniors resumed studying for their matriculation exams.

A Prayer Ritual Shared in Religion and Football

By Corey Kilgannon for The New York Times

BROOKLYN, NY — The Martin Greenfield clothing factory on Varet Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is known for turning out sleek suits for presidents, mayors and star athletes.

But in addition to being a clothier for the power elite — customers over the years have had names like Eisenhower, Clinton and Bloomberg — the factory may well be aiding the success of the New York Giants, who face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a National Football League playoff game. At least the factory owners think so.

Editorial: Alan Dershowitz: The CNN strategy

As Israel persists in its military efforts — by ground, air and sea — to protect its citizens from deadly Hamas rockets, and as protests against Israel increase around the world, the success of the abominable Hamas double war crime strategy becomes evident. The strategy is as simple as it is cynical: Provoke Israel by playing Russian roulette with its children, firing rockets at kindergartens, playgrounds and hospitals; hide behind its own civilians when firing at Israeli civilians; refuse to build bunkers for its own civilians; have TV cameras ready to transmit every image of dead Palestinians, especially children; exaggerate the number of civilians killed by including as “children” Hamas fighters who are 16 or 17 years old and as “women,” female terrorists.

Israeli Soldiers Carry Letters of Support Into Battle

By Joshua Runyan

An Israeli soldier reads a letter of encouragement, one of thousands written by people all over the world through a project spearheaded by Chabad.org. (Photo: Elad Nehorai)

GAZA — For three hours on Wednesday, the guns went silent in the Gaza Strip. Ignoring military advice to the contrary, Israel momentarily halted its offensive against Hamas targets so that trucks could ferry humanitarian aid to civilians. Israel Defense Force soldiers rested a bit, grabbed a bite to eat, and mustered their strength for the battles ahead.

When they returned to the front, they carried with them letters written by people all over the world and hand-delivered by teams of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries.

Simon’s Remembered at Yartzeit and Farbrengen

CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — Wednesday, January 7th, there was a gathering and farbrengen in honor of the one year anniversary since the tragic passing of Reb Zev Yosef and Rochel Simons of Sydney, Australia. A sefer torah will be written in honor of their honor, to inquire about donating to the sefer torah email: Info@simonssefertorah.com or log onto simonssefertorah.com.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Shabbos Storm To Dump Heavy Snow On Tri-State

NEW YORK, NY [CBS] — A low pressure front is moving into the area from across the Plains on Friday that is expected to impact New York City and the surrounding Tri-state area on Saturday. The strong system will move closer to our area overnight, and precipitation will gradually work its way in through the late morning and early afternoon hours.

Pirsum Rishon Picture of The Rebbe

This week’s picture is a first time released photo of the Rebbe taken during the winter of 1963. The Avner Institute gives special thanks to the Rebbe Archive and to Rabbi Yossi Solomon. to learn more about the Rebbe Visit: www.inspiringageneration.org