Texas Community Hails Late Preschool Teacher as Mentor

S ANTONIO, TX — Members of south Texas’ Jewish community remembered Robin Schneiderman – who died last Wednesday at the age of 62 – as a dear friend, a true inspiration and a mentor. Schneiderman, who was fondly referred to as Morah Robin – morah means teacher in Hebrew – taught the pre-K class in S. Antonio’s Gan Gani Day School until two months before her passing.

Torah Studies Launched by 180 Shluchim Worldwide

BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — Torah Studies, a JLI program designed to spark prominence, prestige and professionalism to weekly Parsha classes at Chabad Centers worldwide, is now being launched in over 180 cities around the world and started this week with a new 11-week series on Sefer Shemos.

Scroll Power: Nicaraguan Jews Celebrate First Torah in 28 Years

MANAGUA, Nicaragua — After 28 years without a Torah scroll, Nicaraguan Jews joyously welcomed a new Torah in a ceremony community members say helped rekindle the Jewish spirit in this turbulent Central American country.

Beijing’s French-Speaking Jews Benefit From New Rabbi

BEIJING, China — As French expands as a language spoken by Jews in Beijing, a local Jewish community center has begun offering programming specifically with the French-speaking population in mind.

3 Generations of Hechts Prove Strong Mentors

ORANGE, CT — Rabbi Sheya Hecht always tells people he had “a better mentor” than his oldest son, Mendy, does, but that self-effacing view is part of what makes Sheya Hecht such a good father to his 10 children, 200 students and hundreds of congregants.

The “better mentor” to whom he refers, his own father, the late Rabbi Moshe Yitzchok Hecht, founded the New Haven Hebrew Day School in the 1940s beginning with a few students. Moshe Hecht also brought the Chabad movement to Greater New Haven; Chabad is a Hassidic movement in which a central theme is outreach to the community.

Shabbat 100 Rising to the Challenge

TENAFLY, NJ [CHI] — Once again, the Teen Friendship Club of Lubavitch on the Palisades will be running, Shabbat 300. As implied by its name this ambitious project aims to gather 300 high school students from the Bergen county community, to enjoy a Shabbat dinner. This program, includes a delicious luxury catered Shabbat dinner, Jewish songs, Shabbat rituals, and plenty of spirit.