It’s a Chanukah first for Trafford

ALTRINCHAM, England [CHI] — The first Jewish Mayor of Trafford for many years, Councillor Bernard Sharp, hosted a candle lighting ceremony to welcome the festival of Chanukah in the Mayor’s parlour for the first time ever on Tuesday 4th December.

Under the auspices of Rabbi Dovid Jaffe of South Manchester Lubavitch, the ceremony took place on the first night of the festival. The number of candles lit is traditionally increased by one every night for eight nights.

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Mazal Tov! – Its A Girl!

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Avremi and Shaina (nee Rosenbloom) Rothman (Crown Heights) on the birth of their firstborn baby girl.

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


California, Iraq and Afghanistan Spread the Light of Chanukah on Cable TV

SACRAMENTO, CA [CHI] – Tens of millions of Americans were treated to a special Chanukah broadcast over the ION cable network, organized and produced by Chabad of California under the directorship of Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

‘Driedels and Donuts’ Celebration

Maggie FitzRoy – Shorelines

PONTE VERDA BEACH, FL — Dan Safra of Ponte Vedra Beach gave his 1-year old son Eitan a taste of kosher falafel, a pita filled with vegetables, fried chickpeas and hummus.

Abigail Fixel, 3, of Ponte Vedra Beach sat perfectly still as Sandra Lee of Atlantic Beach painted a blue menorah on her cheek.

Baruch Dayan Hoemes – R. Yehoshua Korf OBM

With sadness we inform you of the passing of HaRav HaChossid HaRav HaTomim, Zkan HaChassidim, Rabbi Yehoshua Korf of Crown Heights at age 102.

Reb Yehoshua served as a Mashpia in Tomchei Tmimim for many years, was the author of Biurim BeTanya and was also chosen as one of three Mashpiim for Crown Heights.

He is survived by R. Gedaliya Korf, Crown Heights, R. Avrohom Korf, Miami, Florida, R. Pinchas Korf, Crown Heights and Mrs. Bat-Sheva Shemtov, Detriot, Michigan.

The Levaya will take place today, Sunday, and will be leaving from the Shomrei Hadaas Chaple at around 1:00pm and passing by 770 at around 2:00pm.

Hamokom Yenachem Eschem Besoch Shaar Avaylay Tzion VeYerushalayim.

Menorah Starts Fire in A Home on Montgomery St

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] – Around 12:00am this Motzoai Shabbos a fire broke out in a Jewish home on Montgomery Street between New York and Brooklyn Avenues, the cause of which is blamed on a Chanukah Menorah.

The house, which was empty at the time, had a Menorah next to a couch and somehow fell and ignited the couch. A Bochur who was passing by noticed the fire and called 911, who responded within moments and had the fire under control immediately thereafter.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

Macy’s is inviting you to Celebrate Chanukah!

NEW YORK, NY [CHI] — In a unique collaboration between the mega-retailer Macy’s and the Jewish Childrens Museum in Crown Heights, a Chanukah workshop for kids will be open to the shopping public today, Sunday on the seventh flood of Macy’s at Herald Square in Manhattan.

This workshop and hands-on activity was heavily promoted by Macy’s in most major newspapers such as the New York Times, as well as many other newspapers. The activity takes place on Sunday, December 9th at 1:00pm in Macy’s on 34th St. and Broadway.

The full ad in the Extended Article!

At Historic Synagogue, a Congregation at Last

The following is a beautiful story about a Shliach in Connecticut which is going to be published in the Sunday’s edition of The New York Times. The piece in the Times is the result of a similar story that appeared on Chabad.org’s news site, which we here at CrownHeights.info ran, two weeks ago and caught the attention of the editors at the NY Times. This article follows a long stream of similar successes by the Chabad.org/news section.

Jeff Holtz – The New York Times

MILFORD, CT — THE Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont is 81 years old, but when its members lighted a menorah on the Milford Green on Tuesday night, they were celebrating more than the first night of Hanukkah. They were also celebrating Hanukkah for the first time as a congregation.

Built a few hundred yards from Long Island Sound in 1926, their temple, a one-room wooden building with stained-glass windows that faces the water and has been on the National Historic Register since 1995, served for decades as a place of worship for hundreds of Jews from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York who spent their summer vacations in Woodmont, a small borough on the southeastern edge of Milford.

Menorah Parade Spreads the Chanukah Light

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — As is a long standing tradition, every Motzoai Shabbos Chanukah all the Mitzvah Tanks, that are busy doing Chanukah Mivtzoim every day, set out from 770 in Crown Heights on a parade to Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan where they pass by as they light the worlds biggest Menorah.

More pictures in the Extneded Article!

Chabad of Tucson Celebrates Chanukah

TUCSON, AZ [CHI] — Last week Chabd of Tucson held their annual olive press demonstration in the Foothills Mall. The presentation was enjoyed by many. Rabbi Shemtov, Yossi Beenstock and Shraga Putter entertained the crowd with the fascinating story of Channuka. Children were called up to help with the pressing of the olives and were given a Dreidle to take home with them.

TODAY: Menorah Mania at the JCM!

CROWN HEIGHTS, Broooklyn [CHI] — Parents and Kids! For the next three days of Chanukah here is an activity for the whole family, right here in Crown Heights!

The activity includes hands-on exhibits as well as arts and crafts a live game show and a mini golf course, all right here in the Jewish Childrens Museum on Eastern Pkwy.

Admission is $10 and the programs are runing through December 12th. For more information please view the flyer in the Extened Article!

Eight Nights of Delights and Lights

Bv Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan – The Herald-Syn

Ben Volin, 7, gazes at a menorah-shaped ice sculpture on Tuesday at Lerner Jewish Day School. Ben is a first-grader at the school, which hosted Chabad of Durham and Chapel Hill’s Hanukkah celebration.

CHAPEL HILL, NC — One of 10 public menorahs — and perhaps the most unique — between Durham and Chapel Hill was kindled Tuesday, the first night of Hanukkah, at the Lerner Jewish Day School in Durham.

A Superlative Triumph – the Creation of Hatzolah in Sydney

Rabbi Mendy Litzman with some of his medical equipment

SYDNEY, Australia — Rabbi Mendy Litzman arrived in Sydney from New York four and a half years ago. After studying here, he went to America to do his smicha (studies to become a Rabbi). We in Sydney are fortunate that he then returned to marry his wife Dani, and they have made their home here.

A certified paramedic working with Hatzolah in America, Mendy often responded to medical emergencies around him, and he saw an urgent need for something more structured. He knew that Hatzolah would be the answer. Hatzolah is known as “Community first responders”, and is now an established medical emergency response service.