Rabbi Levi Bistritzky OBM (1948-2002)

Hagaon Hachossid Hatomim Horav Levi Bistritsky was born in 1948, on the 8th of Iyar to, may he live and be well Hachossid Horav Hatomim Reb Yehuda Leib and Mrs. Ita Bistritsky.

Tickets for the Rebbe’s and Rebbetzin arrival to the U.S.

Reb Leibel Bistritsky’s father Reb Mordechai merited to a special zchus. In 1941, after the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin escaped from France to Portugal, Reb Mordechai contributed two tickets for their passage to the United States. Originally, the tickets had been purchased for Reb Mordechai’s in-laws, were unable to get out of Europe. Reb Mordechai notified the Previous Rebbe and offered the tickets for the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin. The tickets were accepted, and that is how the Rebbe and Rebbetzin come to the United States on the 28th of Sivan.

Upstate City Says ‘Cheese’

It is an unfortunate reality that there are very few suppliers of chalav Yisrael cheese products. As a consequence, the price of chalav Yisrael products is quite high. So when the plant owned by Moshe Banayan almost closed this week, it was a miracle that the right person was there to ensure that the plant continue to supply the Orthodox Jewish market with chalav Yisrael product.

Arthur J. Sciorra, the city manager of Ogdensburg, New York, experienced kosher food firsthand when he dormed in a home with two yeshiva students while he pursued his graduate studies. “I basically only ate kosher for two years of my life, and I remember the Sabbath meals and Pesach Seders,” Mr. Sciorra told the Five Towns Jewish Times.

Chof Av: Yartzeit of R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, (1878-1944), was a Chabad Hasidic rabbi in Yekatrinoslav, Ukraine. He was the father of the seventh and last Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson was born in 1878 in the town of Podrovnah (near Gomel) to his parents, Rabbi Baruch Schneur and Rebbetzin Zelda Rachel Schneerson. His great-great grandfather was the third Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn of Lubavitch.

In 1900, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak married Rebbetzin Chana Yanovski, whose father, Rabbi Meir Shlomo, was the Rabbi of the Ukrainian city of Nikolaiev. In 1902, their eldest son, Menachem Mendel was born. He was later to become the Rebbe of Lubavitch.

Elderly Man found near Home

WOODRIDGE — An elderly man who was missing for nearly 16 hours was found late Tuesday morning sitting near a lake, one mile away from his family’s summer home in the Village of Woodridge.

Yankel “Jacob” Salamon, who is about 90 years old, wandered from the Woodlake Village housing complex about 7:30 Monday night. Salamon has dementia, and his family believes he walked away to find the nearest temple. His desire to worship — even when temples are closed — has increased since his diagnosis, they said.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

Op-Ed: Cell Phones in Yeshiva: a Demand for Accountability

The word is out that Lubavitch Yeshivas will not allow their bochurim to have cell phones beginning this year. The roshei yeshivos have banded together to ensure every bochur “exclusively dedicate(s himself) to spiritual pursuits and distance(s) himself from any and all distraction.” They announced the new ban to be rid of “a piece of equipment what can potentially undermine everything we stand for.”

Just like the bochurim headed off to yeshiva in a few weeks who are surely questioning the smarts of their roshei yeshiva, perhaps it’s important for the general community to ask the roshei yeshivos if they’re sure of the benefits that they allege this will provide. And that they’re prepared for the consequences and eventualities that this will no doubt cause.