The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Vayigash

The Rebbe says:

1. Towards the end of this week’s Parshah the Torah tells us about Ya’akov Avinu (our father) traveling down to Egypt to see his son Yoseph.

Before Ya’akov Avinu went down to Egypt he sent his son Yehuda ahead of him. Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) tells us- in the name of the Medrash- that the reason Ya’akov Avinu sent his son Yehuda ahead of him was so that Yehuda could set up a Yeshiva (a study-hall to learn Torah in) there first. Ya’akov Avinu did not want to go to a land that did not have a Yeshiva ready. (See Rashi to Verse 28, Chapter 46).

Premium Post
Starting Today: 40% Off the Second Item at ATICA for the Kinus

Mazal Tov's View More

Attempted Robbery – At Gunpoint

At around 12:30 this afternoon the “Pace” hardware store was held up at gunpoint. The incident took place while one of the two store workers was tending to customers in the front of the store when a single Black male pulled a gun from under his coat and pointed it at the man behind the counter and simply told him “open register”.

He described the perp as around 5”10 who was wearing a red and white bandana over his face and a hood over his head and his eyes seemed glazed over. Upon seeing the gun he did not hesitate and opened the cash drawer, after which the perp began poking him with the gun. At this point he simply slammed the drawer shut and pushed the perp, and made a beeline for the door.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Vayeitzei

The Rebbe says:

1. The Torah is not a history book. Every story mentioned in the Torah is written for us to learn from. As we know that from one letter in the Torah our Sages learn out many Halachas (laws)!

This is why the Torah has the name “Torah” and not for example “Chochmah – Wisdom”. Seemingly, since Torah is the wisdom of Hashem it should be called “Chochmah – Wisdom”!? Instead Hashem named it “Torah” from the word Hora’ah meaning lesson. Hashem named the Torah “Torah – Lesson” because every detail in the Torah applies to every Jew in every generation to take a lesson from.

Therefore every Parshah in the Torah has its’ special lessons for each and every one of us.

New CD of the Rebbe’s 14 Niggunim – “Expressions of the Soul” A Resounding Success

After over three weeks since the release of its new CD “EXPRESSIONS of the SOUL” – the Rebbe’s 14 Niggunim, Infinity Productions is reporting that sales, namely in Crown Heights, “continue to be just remarkable”. The Kehos bookstore, Tzivos Hashem, Merkas Stam, Judaica World and Hamafitz, on Kingston Avenue, have all received additional shipments (some for the third time) after having sold out of their initial orders just a few days after the CD’s release.

Kapores For The Very First Time in George Town!

Photos by COL.org.il
(L) Shliach R. Avrohom Holtzberg doing kapores with residents.

Wednesday evening the truck loaded with chickens pulled up in George Town in front of the local Chabad House for the very first time in the neighborhoods history. The Shliach R. Avrohom Holtzberg told CrownHeights.info that most people didn’t understand the significance of Kapores, and the neighborhood which is nested between Crown Heights and Flatbush never got any attention.

From 6:00pm hundreds of residents came to perform the mitzvah, most with curiosity and wonder, but the Shliach and group of Bochurim the came to help, explained the mitzvah to residents.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Amidst the hustle and bustle; meaningful programming for Bochurim

The streets of Crown Heights are bursting with action, men women and children from around the world have gathered for “Tishrei in the Rebbe’s Court”. While sometimes the extra load of people can be burdensome; extra long lines in our local stores, extra pushing and shoving in 770, over flowing usage of the Mikva’s, to name a few. We know that the Rebbe was very supportive of hachnosas orchim, and the residents of the Shechuna, as always, have stepped up to the task.

Amidst all this hustle and bustle, The Vaad Hatmimim – International committee for bochurim – have taken upon themselves the task of making the month long stay meaningful and inspirational, for the estimated 1000 guest Bachurim. A wide array of programming assures that the bachurim not only use their time here wisely, but also that they go back home with a greater understanding, in how they can be real Chassidim in today’s trying times.

In West Boca synagogue, pair start to make amends for anti-Semitic vandalism

One of the original incidents these two teens committed

Sun-Sentinel

West Boca, FL — Two young men accused of committing hate crimes faced their victims and representatives of the Jewish community during an unusual meeting Tuesday organized by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.

Connor Ranieri, 19, and Jordan Gentile, 18, apologized for defacing cars, a mall bathroom and a Judaica store in May, saying they did not know their actions would so deeply offend the Jewish community, according to people at the session.

Ranieri and Gentile attended the meeting, part of which was closed to the media, as part of their guilty pleas.

Nelson Confirmed Breaking Into Cars

Friday at around 12:30pm Shomrim received a call from an alert resident about a Black male lurking around cars on Malbone St. Shomrim immediately responded and spotted the perp breaking into a car. When the perp noticed he was being watched he attempted to flee when one of the members grabbed the perp while another member confirmed that he had infact broken into the car.

While more members were arriving on the scene, the perp, who is well known both Shomrim and Police, managed to break free and get away. The perp known as Derrick (Terrence) Nelson, about 35 years of age, has a long history of breaking into cars in Crown Heights and even served a few sentences related to such crimes.

More in the Extended Article! Plus a picture of the perp!

Councilwoman Wins Primary for House Seat

The New York Times

A black city councilwoman won the racially charged primary for a Congressional seat in central Brooklyn yesterday, beating back a challenge from a white councilman to win a seat created nearly four decades ago to increase minority representation in Congress.

The councilwoman, Yvette D. Clarke, 41, narrowly beat three opponents to capture the seat, which has been held by blacks since the 1968 victory of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress.

Congressional Candidates in Dead-Heat Race Look for a Last-Minute Edge in Brooklyn

The New York Sun

With the high-profile race to replace Rep. Major Owens in Brooklyn’s 11th congressional district shaping up as too close to call, the four candidates were scrambling to energize their supporters and to raise last-minute funds in the final full day of campaigning.

The Democratic primary is tomorrow, and unlike the campaigns for Senate, governor, and attorney general, there is no clear front-runner in the 11th, an election that has generated widespread attention for its racial dynamic. A City Council member, David Yassky, has run circles around his opponents in fundraising, but he is the lone white candidate in a district that is nearly 60% black. He has faced relentless charges that he moved into the district with the idea of dividing the vote among the three African-American candidates.

Coalitions And The Clubhouse

The Jewish Week

Carl Andrews has a wide range of supporters, but ties to scandal-plagued Brooklyn Democratic machine have dogged his bid for historic Brooklyn House seat.

Stepping out the door of his Nostrand Avenue campaign office on Tuesday, state Sen. Carl Andrews took a minute to express pride in the diverse coalition backing his congressional bid.

“Who else can bring together Eliot Spitzer on the left and Dov Hikind on the right, and Tom Duane on the left and Rhoda Jacobs on the right, and David Dinkins on the left and Carl Kruger on the right?” asked Andrews as he stepped out into a light drizzle.

New CD: Expression of the Soul

Click Here to listen to a demo of this CD

Infinity Productions announces the release, G-d willing, of its new CD album introducing the baal menagen – vocalist of Chasidic melodies – Mayer Simcha Rivkin, in his debut performance on a CD. Singing the Rebbe’s 14 niggunim, “EXPRESSIONS OF THE SOUL,” he performs these beautiful, reflective, mystical melodies in a sweet, heartfelt voice, sure to inspire listeners to sing along, rejoice and shed a tear of joy.

Courting Black Voters’ Support, a Candidate Hits a Hurdle

The New York Times

In setting Brooklyn politics astir as a white man trying to take a Congressional seat traditionally held by black politicians, Councilman David Yassky has faced one huge challenge: capturing the support of black voters, who are the majority in the central Brooklyn district.

As part of his effort to attract these voters, Mr. Yassky’s campaign sent out fliers over the last month that discussed his passion for gun control laws, an issue that resonates among many minorities. One flier featured an endorsement by Thelma Davis, the mother of James E. Davis, a black city councilman who was killed by a gunman in City Hall three years ago.

Fatal bus accident boy ordered to foster care

7 Online

The 8-year-old boy accused of causing the bus to run over a little girl has been ordered placed in foster care. The girl, Amber Sadiq, was run over and killed Monday by a school bus in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Police say the troubled boy fiddled with the controls and caused the bus to roll backwards over Amber.

There were two major developments here this afternoon. First the child’s father has been stripped of custody of the child. He will be placed in foster care for at least the next eight months.

Charge of Negligent Homicide for Boy, 8, in School Bus Death

The New York Times
EMT’s, Paramedics and Fire Fighters huddled over Amber in attempt to save her life.

An 8-year-old boy who climbed into a parked school bus, released the emergency brake and sent 26,000 pounds of steel rolling through Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Monday was charged yesterday with criminally negligent homicide in the death of Amber Sadiq, 8, who was crushed between the bus’s right undercarriage and a street pole.

The boy, Tafari James, had been suspended from second grade on Friday for climbing onto another unattended bus, officials said yesterday in Family Court in Downtown Brooklyn.

Investigators said it was unclear whether he released the brake on Monday intentionally. Witnesses saw him board the bus alone, on Nostrand Avenue near Crown Street, around 3:15 p.m. He rode the bus as it gathered speed down a slight incline and jump off as it thudded to a halt after traveling 100 feet, the police said.

Va’ad HaKohol Responds To Comments

After many readers commented on the letter issued by Moshe Rubashkin in the name of the Va’ad HaKohol, we received a response from the Va’ad addressing issues raised by individual’s comments.

Presented in the extended article are the responses to the comments along with letters from Rubashkin in response to; R. Mangel, Nash and Sprelin. Update: Letter From Nuchie Gross.

Torahs ‘R’ Us

Shahar Smooha – Haaretz
An exhibit at the Jewish Children’s Museum,
which recently celebrated its first anniversary.
‘High-tech and cool.’

About 50 pairs of confused eyes tried to identify the source of the sonorous and authoritative voice addressing them from state-of-the-art loudspeakers hung on the walls of the dimly lit auditorium. Colorful scenery – balconies, a stage, podia with electronic buttons and a giant screen – imparted to the auditorium in the Jewish Children’s Museum in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights the look of a television game-show studio. “Boys and girls, welcome to the game show you’ve been waiting for!” the voice thundered. “Welcome to ‘Torah Concentration!’”

A small, hidden door in the stage slowly opened opposite the seats packed with children (all of Korean heritage) and dozens of excited faces fixed on it, eager for a first glimpse of the master of ceremonies of this game with the mysterious name. A few seconds later, the mystery man burst into the studio. He was a short, young, bearded fellow with a purple skullcap and a Madonna-style microphone attached to his head, wearing black jeans and a white shirt with his long tzitzit (fringes) sticking out. He stood center-stage, taking in all the dropped jaws and wide-eyed faces. He smiled. The audience was his.