Challah challenge

Venice, FL – Rivka Schmerling grew up in Brooklyn with a grandmother who would bake challah for everyone. If they needed more, they could walk to a bakery down the block.

Schmerling, 23, started the Chabad of Venice and North Port with her husband, Rabbi Sholom Schmerling, in 2005. As host of holiday and Sabbath dinners often for more than a dozen people, Schmerling had no access to a kosher bakery and no choice but to start baking the traditional Jewish yeast bread.

First full-time Chabad rabbi comes to Asheville

Asheville, NC – Rabbi Shaya Susskind, together with his wife, Chana, have moved to Asheville in order to establish Chabad Lubavitch of Western North Carolina, a Jewish outreach organization.

Nelson Locked Up – Car Windows Still Being Broken

Yesterday Nelson, the infamous perpetrator terrorizing our residents cars, was picked up and arraigned on charges for breaking into cars and was sent off to Rikers Island detention facility for 90 days.

We don’t believe that nelson was the only one breaking into cars, victims and eye witnesses have given 2 other descriptions of a group and a individual observed breaking into cars. Residents are urged to remain vigilant, if you see something say something. Call Shomrim anytime at (718) 774-3333.

Letter To The Community

As someone who has lived in the Schunah of Crown Heights-Kan Tziva Hashem Es HaBracha-for a number of years, and as I read the almost daily reports of violence going on in our community and the comments from the readers, I would just like to write a few lines.

First of all, the fact is that Crown Heights is a mixed neighborhood. Crown Heights used to be an upper class, predominately white neighborhood. President Street used to be called Doctors Row if I recall correctly. At that time many different groups of Frum Yidden lived here including Bobov, Skulen etc. When the Blacks started moving in and everyone started running away (White Flight) the Rebbe said to stay and we, as Lubavitcher Chassidim listened to the Rebbe.

Israelis seek shelter with Chabad

Bangkok, Thailand – As more than a dozen tanks were encircling Thailand’s Parliament building in a military coup d’etat, hundreds of Israeli backpackers were seeking shelter in the local Chabad House a mile or so away.

The four-story establishment on Khao San Road, Bangkok’s famous backpacker district popular with young Israelis, generally pulls down its shutters after 10 p.m. On Tuesday, though, it stayed open well into the night. Hearing rumors of an impending coup in the late afternoon, Rabbi Nehemya Wilhelm began warning Jews and Israelis to stay off the streets.

At around 7 p.m., “a Singaporean friend called to tell me that a large convoy of tanks and armored vehicles were heading toward Bangkok,” Wilhelm said.

New Historic Designation for Crown Heights Would Worry Some Residents

The Landmark Preservation Commission will today consider adding Crown Heights to the list of landmarked city neighborhoods, a list that includes much of the Upper East and West Sides, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenwich Village, and TriBeCa.

Crown Heights has a more troubled reputation than those neighborhoods, dating back to the riot there in 1993 that included the stabbing death of Yankel Rosenbaum.

The proposed Crown Heights North historic district, which roughly includes the area around Dean Street between Bedford and Kingston Avenues. The proposed district contains more than 470 buildings — the largest historic district the commission has proposed in more than decade.

Jewish students celebrate

The Chabad Jewish Student Organization and Chabad on Campus at Penn State gathered in front of the Allen Street Gates yesterday in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

The group members created shofars and invited those passing by to join. One of the most important symbols of Rosh Hashanah, the shofar, is a hollowed-out ram’s horn. It is blown to call the people to repent.

“When people see us making them, they’re reminded of the holiday,” Rabbi Nosson Meretsky, director of Chabad of Penn State, said. “It’s a fun activity.”

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Friday and ends at nightfall on Sunday. It is the start of the High Holidays, a 10-day period of reflection and atonement, Meretsky said.

Muslim, Jewish Communities Secure Halal-Kosher Labeling Law

Diverse communities in Virginia work to further common interests

Muslim and Jewish communities in the state of Virginia successfully have lobbied for enactment of a halal/kosher labeling statute. The new Virginia law requires that any food offered for sale as kosher or halal be labeled with the name of the person or organization certifying the item kosher or halal. Violations are punishable by a $500 fine.

Observant Muslims and Jews observe similar, but not identical, dietary restrictions. These practices – halal for Muslims and kashrut (kosher) for Jews – forbid consumption of certain foods and regulate how animals may be slaughtered. Trained individuals and organizations ensure compliance with these standards and permit vendors to affix their symbol of compliance on the product packaging.