Prayers go out to Israelis, Lebanese

An El Paso Jewish community gathered Tuesday to pray for Israelis and Lebanese as attacks continue between Israelis and Hezbollah forces inside Lebanon.

A group of about 30 members of Chabad Lubavitch gathered for an afternoon prayer, which Rabbi Yisrael Greenberg said harked back to a psalm that explains that true power is not in ammunition and weapons, but rather in spirituality.

“We have a spiritual and family obligation to get together and pray together as one nation, wherever we may be, in one voice,” Greenberg said. “Obviously there are innocent people in Lebanon who are suffering, but if you have a government that harbors terrorists doesn’t do anything to stop them then obviously they are the problem.”

Tsfat bombing shakes counselors

Two young women counselors at Camp Gan Israel in Portland are living on tenterhooks, uncertain about the fate of their homes and friends and loved ones in Israel.

Chaya Ceiitlin and Devora Neeman both make their home with their families in Tsfat, Israel, which has come under fire by Hezbolla rockets in the ongoing fighting between the Islamic terrorist organization and Israel.

Both women said they were in shock.

Israeli girl becomes Jewish woman, but grew up early

ROCKAWAY TWP., NJ — Sabbath at the Chabad Center of Northwestern New Jersey marked Yardena Twito’s ascension to womanhood. But the 12-year-old from Israel, who celebrated her bat mitzvah on Saturday in Rockaway Township, was forced to grow up suddenly four years ago.

On June 20, 2002, a gunman entered Itamar, an Israeli settlement south of Nablus in the Palestinian West Bank. He broke into the home of one of Yardena’s neighbors and began shooting. Yosef Twito, 31, Yardena’s father, a first-grade yeshiva teacher, went to help the neighbors, Rachel Shabo and her three sons.

All were killed — victims of terrorism.

Attorney Nathan Lewin lectures for the Institute of American and Talmudic Law @ Chabad of Midtown Manhattan

Nathan Lewin, distinguished Supreme Court Litigator, who represented the Rebbe in the Seforim case, spoke at the Institute of American and Talmudic Law (IAT LAW) about Judicial Appointments, from the perspective of American Jurisprudence, alongside IAT Law’s Dean of Talmudic studies Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe.

The Institute of American and Talmudic Law (IAT LAW) seeks to analyze contemporary legal issues from the perspective of American jurisprudence and Talmudic law.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Jewish Children’s Museum Nabs Top Honors in Brooklyn Architectural Awards

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce presented the Jewish Children’s Museum with the Building Brooklyn Award a presentation ceremony on July 18th at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The JCM won in the Arts and Culture category. The award honors recently completed construction projects that possess a unique architectural appearance, among many other criteria, that have a positive effect on the borough’s economy and quality of life.

At the ceremony attended by over 550 of friends and supporters of the awardees, BCoC President Ken Adams spoke about the great impact the JCM has had, and continues to have, on Brooklyn. He said he was excited about all of the winning projects and their distinctive designs, but that the museum is unique in that it combines an attractive façade with six stories of important educational tools that are bridging a cultural gap in the community.

New Meishiv at the Miami Semicha Program

The Miami Semicha Program is proud to announce the addition of Rabbi Yossi Shtern to its staff as a Meishiv. Rabbi Shtern comes with a great depth and breadth of knowledge of all the halochos related to Smicha. Rabbi Shtern is also well know for his great ability to relate to bochurim.

With this addition, the Miami Semicha Program marks another step in the tremendous growth it has experienced.

Rabbis visit Jewish community in GB

Freeport, Bahamas – it is unlikely for one to witness two Jewish rabbis strolling down the streets of Grand Bahama, but in their week-long visit to help cultivate the local Jewish community, that is just what one might encounter.

Rabbis Yosef Zaklos and Mendy Lesker, whose goal is to minister to Jews around the world, arrived on the island Sunday after a Caribbean crusade.

The duo are a part of a special visitation programme of the Chabad Lubavitch, an organization featuring some 200 rabbis ministering all over the world.

Making special efforts to visit communities that lack traditional Jewish facilities, rabbi Zaklos said the groups’ intentions are that of appreciation.

“We are trying to bring happy regards from Judaism abroad,” he explained.

Tzfat on Target

In my first three decades, I never heard a real explosion up close…or lived in a war zone. That was until last Thursday, July 13, 2006.

Bombing was faint as I made my way to work after running errands. The Hezbollah was busy – again – attacking northern border towns. It was “old news” and sadly did little to faze most. Surprisingly, smoke from missile fire rising off nearby Mt. Meron raised little alarm.

Around 2 p.m., my co-Tzfatians and I were shocked to discover that our small town of 20,000 was next on the terrorist target list. Two distinct booms were followed by an even louder whoosh and explosion from extremely close proximity. Shaking in fear, I tried to find my bearings, unsure what to do next.