Army of volunteers gave plenty of assistance in wake of Hurricane Wilma

Excerpt of the article:

Other religious groups such as the Chabad-Lubavitch synagogue of Pompano Beach helped too, handing out jugs of water to Century Village residents trapped in their homes after the power outage rendered elevators useless.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Rabbi Moishe Denburgsaid, balancing four jugs of water in his arms. “The electricity doesn’t work and many residents here can’t use the steps. But you see so many people willing to help their neighbors. You see so many neighbors helping each other and it’s great.”

Wrapping Up, Mayor and Ferrer Ask Voters to Ignore Polls

On the final Sunday before the election, the New York City mayoral candidates made competing last-minute appeals to voters on the need for change versus the need to stay the course, and both sides made urgent appeals to their supporters to turn out tomorrow despite polls predicting a lopsided victory for the incumbent.

With just three days left in the contest, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and his Democratic challenger, Fernando Ferrer, concentrated on rallying voters in areas containing their most faithful supporters as their organizations began a final blizzard of phone calls and door-to-door canvassing aimed at getting supporters to vote tomorrow.

“Reaching for the Infinite:” Scholars At NYU On the Lubavitcher Rebbe

“Menachem Mendel Schneerson is larger than life,” said Elliot Wolfson, a professor at NYU and scholar of Chasidism. “To speak of him is fraught with danger.”

And yet that’s precisely what a cadre of academics and scholars of Chasidic thought are attempting to do this week as they tackle a variety of themes related to the Rebbe and his legacy. Coming to NYU’s Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, from as far as Australia, Israel and the U.K., the academics are presenting at a conference billed “Reaching for the Infinite, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Life, Teachings and Impact.”

Binghamton University Chabad House given Torah

There was a wedding on Sunday with cries of mazel tov as members of the Jewish community were married to God during the completion of the Torah at Binghamton University.

BU’s Chabad House took part in writing the last letters of a new scroll, known as Siyum Sefer Torah. The Torah contains the first five books of Hebrew scripture.

Lundberg Survey: Retail Gas Falls 23 Cents

Well in case you havent noticed the gas prices did ease up a bit.

Retail gas prices plunged an average of 23 cents nationwide in the past two weeks, marking a return to pre-Hurricane Katrina levels, according to a survey.

The weighted average price for all three grades declined to $2.45 a gallon on Friday, said Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations around the country.

Lessons for the soul

Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical tradition that has captivated Madonna and Britney Spears and spawned accoutrements such as red bracelets that ward off evil, is coming to St. Petersburg.

But don’t expect the faddish Kabbalah of the stars. This version of the ancient teaching is rooted in the Orthodox Chabad Lubavitch movement and is being brought to St. Petersburg by Australian author and lecturer Rabbi Laibl Wolf. Wolf, who lectures on the topic around the world and travels to about 80 cities a year, will speak at a St. Petersburg synagogue on Nov. 14.

Kahane Activist Linked to Bomb Plot Killed in Prison

A Jewish Defense League activist imprisoned for his role in a plot to bomb a California mosque and the office of a Lebanese-American congressman was killed at a federal prison in Phoenix, an FBI spokesman said Saturday.

Earl Krugel, 62, was killed in an assault Friday evening at the Federal Correctional Institution, said FBI agent Richard Murray.

Murray wouldn’t release further details but said federal authorities had opened a homicide investigation.

Krugel’s wife, Lola, said FBI investigators told her an inmate had struck her husband on the head from behind with a cement block.

Ushpizin

The current ‘hot favourite’ Israeli film is called ‘Ushpizin’. Ushpizin is an Aramaic word for ‘guest’ and the verb means ‘to host’. The film is made and acted by two formerly secular actors, now married and converted to religion in a very serious way.

The plot is about a childless couple of ‘returnees’ to religion who have adopted the Bratslav version of Chassidic Orthodoxy that was founded by the early nineteenth century Hassidic master Rebbi Nachman of Bratslav.

He is the known for his stories and aphorisms. Amongst them are, ‘It is obligatory to be in a state of spiritual joy all day long,’ and, ‘This world is like a very narrow bridge and the most important thing is not to be afraid.’ After he died in his late thirties, they never appointed another rebbe. As a result the Bratslaver Chassidim were known as the ‘Toiter Chassidim’ the ‘Dead Chassidim.’

Mayor Spends Final Days Of Campaign Courting Democratic Voters

Newscast of this story.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be a Republican, but he’s campaigning heavily in Democratic rich areas, and he’s finding it’s not so hostile territory.

The Republican incumbent didn’t spend Friday on Staten Island or other Republican rich areas like Middle Village, Queens – he went straight into Democratic territory. In order to win, he’ll need them to cross party lines come Tuesday.

At subway stops, he pressed the flesh in Crown Heights and Park Slope with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Then he appeared at a senior center in Bushwick with his Latino supporters, salsa star Willie Colon and City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez.

New Uncertainty About Democrats Holding Seat in Assembly

In a typical local election in Crown Heights and Flatbush, Brooklyn, there is little for the Democratic candidate to worry about. But this year’s special election for a vacant Assembly seat is far from the typical election contest.

For one thing, the special election is to fill the remainder of the term of Clarence Norman Jr., who was found guilty in September of soliciting illegal campaign contributions. Because of his conviction on various felony counts, Mr. Norman, who also led the Brooklyn Democratic Party for 15 years, was required to vacate both his position as the borough’s Democratic leader and his Assembly seat.

‘The Shluchim’ Movie to be Translated to English

A generous donor, who wished to remain incognito, decided to fund the translation of the ‘Shluchim’ show that was broadcasted on channel 1 of the Israeli T.V. a half a year ago. The video is mostly in Hebrew and therefore many shluchim asked producers, the management of the Israeli T.V. , the division of heritage programs and producer Eitai Rappaport that English translation be made to benefit many non-Hebrew speakers.

At this time, independent producers in Israel are examining several possibilities to distribute the translated version which would be available, perhaps, by the next Kinus Hashluchim. Producer, Eitai Rappaport said he heard about this but cannot confirm it.