Jewish Identity, Jewish Life, Grows Vibrant in Bulgaria

By EJ Tansky

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Amar, center, and Chabad’s Rabbi Salamon, greet a city official at the celebration.

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Three milestones of Jewish revival in Bulgaria were feted in grand style by dignitaries, the Chief Rabbi of Israel and hundreds of well wishers at the Rohr Chabad Jewish Community Center in Sofia this week.

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Mazal Tov! – Its A Boy!

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Itche and Chanale (nee Caplan) Itkin (Crown Heights) on the birth of their firstborn son.

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

CGI Extravaganza at Running Springs

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RUNNING SPRING, CA [CHI] — History was made this week as over 500 campers from Gan Israel day camps across California camped out at Gan Israel Running Springs for an unbelievable two-day extravaganza! The camps included CGI of the Valley, CGI of Los Angeles & Beverly Hills, Silver GI of Huntington Beach, CGI of Bentwood, Silver GI of Mission Viejo, CGI of Lomita, Gan Izzy Extreme of Agoura, and of course CGI of Running Springs. The highlight of the extravaganza was the commencement of a new Sefer Torah, sponsored by AskMoses, and an incredible concert by the 8th Day band! Rabbi Reuven Wolf, camp Rabbi at CGI Running Springs, explained the significance of the writing and inspired the crowd to utilize this momentous occasion to bring Moshiach.

Sound the Bagpipes: Scots Design Jewish Tartan

Beth Schwartzapfel – Forward

AUTHENTIC: Rabbi Mendel Jacobs displays
a certificate from the Scottish Tartans Authority
and a piece of fabric featuring the design of the
first official Jewish Tartan.

GIFFNOCK, Scotland — Rabbi Mendel Jacobs was never much of a kilt man. Although he is the only Scottish-born rabbi living in Scotland, he had always preferred suits to the traditional dress of his home country. Until now. The Scottish Tartans Authority recently registered the only official Jewish tartan, which was designed with Jacobs’s input. He plans to wear a kilt in the Jewish Tartan pattern to his sister’s wedding in November.

Tartan is the Scottish word for “plaid.” Traditionally, various clans or regions each had a unique pattern; the MacDonalds or the MacKenzies would pass down the pattern of their ancestors through the generations. The Tartan playing field has widened considerably in recent years: The Tartans Authority has registered patterns for Sikhs, Chinese, the state of Indiana and the Fire Department of New York’s bagpipe band. But it wasn’t until last year that Jacobs, a Glasgow Lubavitch rabbi, decided it was time for the members of his congregation and beyond to be able to “combine their Scottish heritage and Jewish heritage together.”

Jewish Law Symposium Examines Talmudic Take on Civil Rights

Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Shalom Lubin, second from left, and New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Barry T. Albin, talk with attendees at the second-annual Jewish Law Symposium.

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Some 200 attorneys and jurists packed a ballroom of the Madison Hotel in Morris Township, N.J., for two presentations dealing the nexus between civil rights law and Talmudic jurisprudence.

Boruch Dayan Haemes – Dr. Yaakov Hayes OBM

We are deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of Dr Yaakov (Jacob) Hayes OBM, a long time resident of Monsey.

He is survived by Yibadlu L’Chaim Tovim, his wife Baila Hayes and Children; Mrs Raitzel Wenger (Montreal, Canada), Rabbi Dovid Hayes (Ottawa, Canada) Mr Yosef Hayes (Monsey, NY), Mrs Yehudis Baitz (Crown Heights), Mr Avrohom (Avi) Hayes (Brooklyn, NY) and Mr Mendy (Mark) Hayes (Florida).

The Levaya will take place this Sunday, at 1:15 PM at Rabbi Waxman’s shul on Harvest Court (near Mesivta Beis Shraga).

Shiva will be at the Hayes home, 12 Besen Pkwy, Monsey, NY 10952. Davening times will follow.

Boruch Dayan Haemes

Aussies Count Kosher Calories

Dan Goldberg – Forward
LIGHTER LOAD: Rabbi Mendel Kastel
(left), shown with Sam Rowen, is
launching a campaign to encourage
Jews to lose weight.

An American-born Australian rabbi is waging war on kosher calories by launching a campaign to shed pounds for charity.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel, a Lubavitch movement member who is executive director of The Jewish House, a crisis center in Bondi, hopes to encourage 100 Aussie Jews to lose 10 kilograms — around 22 pounds — each.

The Jewish House will receive $1 from corporate sponsors for every kilo lost. “If you look at the 1,000 kilos it adds up to, it all helps,” Kastel, 40, told The Shmooze. “The response has been great. I’ve had people contacting me on my Facebook site and by text. People want to lose weight.”

The Fast of Shivaa Asar BeTamuz

The fast begins tonight at 4:01am and ends at 8:53pm (These times are for the NY area)

Tammuz 17 is a fast day, devoted to mourning the breaching of Jerusalem’s walls and the other tragic events that occurred on this day and repenting and rectifying their causes. We refrain from all food and drink from “daybreak” (about an hour before sunrise, depending on location) until nightfall. Special prayers and Torah readings are added to the day’s services.

Chabad.org Calender (Set your location by Zip Code to get your fast times)

Center For Children With Special needs Concludes Year

DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine [FJC] — The Dnepropetrovsk Education Resource Center for special needs’ children, which is run by the ‘Beit Chana’ Women’s Pedagogical College, hosted a celebration to mark the end of the school year. The party involved 27 pupils and their parents, who were thrilled to witness their children in this wonderful learning environment.

Mazal Tov! – Its A Boy!

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Mendel and Chana (nee New) Kaplan (Shluchim to Germantown, MD) on the birth of their son.

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


The Weekly Sedra – Pinchas – Character Assassination

by Rabbi Yoseph Kahanov Shliach to Jacksonville, FL

In a small village lived a poor groom. Unable to afford a proper tailor to make a wedding suit, he brought material to a second-rate one. The poor boy was shocked to see the results.

“But this sleeve is six inches too short,” he cried. “So pull in your arm,” smiled the tailor. “But the other sleeve is a half a foot too long!” “So extend it,” beamed the so-called craftsmen. “And the pants,” screamed the groom, “the left leg is twisted!” “Oh that’s nothing. Just hop down the aisle with your knee slightly bent!”

At the wedding, the assembled reeled in horror as the poor groom hobbled down to the canopy in the poor excuse for a suit. “What a grotesquely disfigured young man,” gasped one guest. “Oy! Ah rachmunis (pity) on his poor bride,” sighed another. The spectators looked once again at the pathetic sight and noticed how well the suit appeared to fit. In unison they all exclaimed. “But his tailor — what an extraordinary genius!” (More Parsha Parables Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky)

Man Robbed and Assaulted, Perp Arrested

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] —- Wednesday, at around 5:45pm, a yungerman pushing a stroller was ‘held-up’ in an alleyway. The incident took place in the alleyway between Carroll and Crown, Kingston and Albany, where a Black male approached the yundgerman, stated he had a gun, and demanded money.

The Black male had his hand in a plastic bag and said he had a gun, the yungerman who was stunned did not immediately respond, prompting the mugger to attack him and punch him in face, dropping the bag that was over his hand, revealing that he in fact did not have a gun, the mugger then grabbed the yungerman’s bag, which contained his cellphone, and digital camera then fled down the alleyway.

Mazal Tov! – 13 Sholom Zochors this Week!

Dovid and Henya (nee Lieberman) Friedman.
IYH at 724 Eastern Pkwy, [bet Brooklyn and Kingston Ave].

Eliezer and Chanie (nee Brashevitzky) Lipkind.
IYH at 510 Crown St, Apt 1A, [bet Kingston and Albany Ave].

Dovid and Eidle (nee Klufgant) Sputz.
IYH at 585 Crown St, [bet Albany and Troy Ave].

Moshe and Toby (nee Kosofsky) Benshimon.
IYH at 711 Montgomery St, [bet Kingston and Albany Ave].

Shimon and Esther Chyrek.
IYH at 361 Troy Ave, 2nd Flr, [bet Carroll and Crown St].

Yossi and Chanie (nee Rieber) Chein (Queens, NY) .

Chaim Boruch and Rivkie (nee Laine) Lipskier.
IYH at 600 Oak Cir, Oviedo, FL 32765.

Shmulik and Malky (nee Apflebaum) Chein (Miami, FL) .

Shloimy and Rochel Rosenberg.
IYH at 6541 NW 46th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33319.

Mendel and Chana (nee New) Kaplan (Shluchim to Germantown) .

Mendy and Sternie (nee Blau) Mellul.
IYH at 4893 Avenue Carlton, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Avi and Estie (nee Erlich) Tansky.
IYH at 6700 Avenue Westbury, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Odom and Henny (nee Scheiman) Brandman,
IYH at 73 Ardmore Ln, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, UK.

Stay tuned as we update this list as information becomes available. However, in an unfortunate event that we do not get all the Sholom Zochors this week, we are sorry. But you can help! If you know of any Sholom Zochors or Mazal Tovs you can email it to us at MazalTov@CrownHeights.info! Thank You.