The 12 Pesukim – A New Musical Composition

Chabad keyboardist Yehudela Kimiagrov presents a unique project of “The 12 Pesukim” – an energetic and unique musical composition, based on the 12 Pesukim and the sayings of Chazal that were pushed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

This musical composition, performed by Yehudela and the orchestra, with Chabad singers Elazar Biton, Shmuel Batash and Shmulik Sofer, combines new melodies and musical performances, in a high-quality and contemporary manner that many have been waiting for such a performance, in an uplifting and special Hasidic atmosphere.

Turn on the speakers and tune in to the beat!

Credits: Musical arrangement and keyboards: Yehuda Kimiagrov | Musical production: Mendel Gadsi | Guitar: Yehonatan Porat | Saxophone: Nocham Ofner | Vocals: Elazar Biton, Shmuel Batash and Shmulik Sofer | Cinematography, direction and editing: Yoel Roitman | Additional videographers: Mendy and Shnior Solish | Graphics: Mendy Elharar | PR: Mendy Kornet.

Following an overwhelmingly successful campaign with entries pouring in from around the world, KSCVK has officially announced the winners of its highly anticipated “Knot Alone” raffle.

The raffle, which benefited KSCVK’s ongoing efforts to support chossonim and kallos, generated extraordinary excitement throughout Crown Heights and beyond, with thousands participating for the chance to win an incredible lineup of prizes while supporting a most meaningful cause.

Organizers expressed heartfelt appreciation to everyone who purchased tickets, shared the campaign, and helped spread awareness over the past several weeks.

This year’s winners are:

* $30,000 Wedding Package — Brochie Reinitz
* $10,000 Cash — Benzion & Musia Stock
* A Year of Tuition Paid — N.M.
* ⁠Luxury Trip to Israel — Rabbi David & Nancy Nesenoff
* Zlata Wig — C. G.
* Yaffie Begun Wig — Rikel H
* ⁠Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin — Esther Blecher
* ⁠M4 MacBook Pro & AirPods Max — Shaina B.
* $2,200 Kirsh Jewelers Package — G. A.
* ⁠$2,500 Gift Card at Everythingbit the Baby — E. M. S
* ⁠Megillah — Yehuda Rosenberg
* $1,800 Tzfasman Jewelers Package — Uli & DL Baron
* ⁠$1,800 Visa Gift Card — Rivki Berg
* $1,000 Gift Card to Kosher Town — C.W.
* Bonus Prize: Custom Primo Kapota — S. R.

“The response was truly unbelievable,” Mrs. Devorah Benjamin shared. “Seeing so many people from all over come together in support of KSCVK was incredibly moving.”

KSCVK extended special thanks to all sponsors, donors, volunteers, and participants who helped make this year’s raffle such a tremendous success.

Donations can still be made at kscvk.org.

Op-Ed: The First Year of Marriage, and How Health Disappears

by Chaim Hershkop

I’ve watched young men enter marriage strong, energetic, disciplined, even athletic… and within a year look completely different. Rapid weight gain. Exhaustion. Loss of structure. Loss of confidence. Loss of themselves.

And honestly?
The Sheva Brochos are not what did this to you.

Yes, the first year is busy. There are meals, late nights, adjustments, responsibilities, and emotional changes. But somewhere along the way, many people start treating “I’m married now” as if it means:

Stop training
Stop moving
Stop caring
Stop maintaining discipline

Why?

Marriage is not supposed to be the funeral of your health.

If anything, it should elevate your sense of responsibility.

You are building a home now. A future. A family.
You want energy for your wife.
Strength for your children.
Confidence in yourself.
Discipline in your character.

The problem is that habits formed during this one year become deeply rooted.
Ten, twenty, thirty pounds turns into fifty.
The “temporary break” from the gym becomes five years.
Poor eating becomes normalized.
Exhaustion becomes identity.

And the truth is:
The damage done in one careless year can take decades to reverse.

Not because the body can’t heal — it can.
But because patterns become lifestyles.

Nobody is expecting perfection during Shana Rishona.
But completely abandoning yourself is not healthy, noble, or necessary.

You do not need six intense workouts a week.
You do not need to become obsessed.
But you do need maintenance.
You need structure.
You need movement.
You need self-respect.

A few workouts.
Daily walks.
Better food choices.
Some restraint.
Some discipline.

Small consistencies prevent massive corrections later.

And perhaps most importantly:
Your wife did not marry you so you could disappear a year later.

Take care of yourself.
Not out of vanity —
but out of responsibility.

The Kindness Hub’s first large-scale community initiative, The Box of Kindness, brought dozens of volunteers together to prepare and deliver homemade Shabbos meals to single-parent families across Crown Heights.

Over the course of the project, 37 volunteers ranging in age from 15 to 68 dedicated more than 120 volunteer hours to preparing a four-course gourmet Shabbos dinner for 14 families – serving an estimated 55 adults, teens, and children. Volunteers gathered over multiple sessions to prep, cook, package, and hand-deliver the boxes, which included challah, dips, soup, chicken, meat, kugel, side dishes and desserts – all prepared with warmth and care.

Organizers say the initiative was never only about food. “The goal of The Kindness Hub is to create meaningful opportunities for people to connect through giving,” says Goldie Avtzon, one of the event organizers. “The meals mattered deeply, and so did the experience of volunteers coming together, meeting new people, and feeling part of something purposeful.”

Recipients of the Boxes of Kindness shared emotional feedback following the deliveries:
“This was so helpful for me and my family, who struggle with getting food daily. This really means a lot. It was very much appreciated.”
“The box was packed so intentionally that it made receiving this box feel special as opposed to feeling needy.”
“This box feels like a hug.”

Volunteers described the experience as equally impactful.
“The Kindness Hub is filling a void that exists in Crown Heights,” one participant shared. “There is nothing like cooking with friends, especially when you know it is going to feed families in your own community.”

Another volunteer wrote:
“It was a great opportunity to socialize, meet new people, and connect through kindness.”

Organizers hope this will be the first of many future projects. They say continued programming will require modest financial support from the community. Each Box of Kindness event costs approximately $2,500 to cover ingredients, supplies, equipment, and packaging. “We saw firsthand how much this project meant both to recipients and volunteers,” says S. Yarmush, an active participant. “With community support, we hope to continue creating opportunities that bring kindness into action.”

The Kindness Hub is already organizing another set of events after Shavuos to give single-parent families some more relief. It includes a Challah Bake on June 4 followed by another Box of Kindness production during the week of June 7-11. Stay tuned for details.

Those interested in volunteering, partnering, or helping sponsor future events can contact The Kindness Hub at:
Whatsapp: 718-581-7383
Email: [email protected]
Website: kindnesshubch.org

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Shluchim in Medical Shlichus to Convene in Houston for Second Annual Kinus

Shluchim involved in hospital and medical-related shlichus are on the front lines of some of the most sensitive moments in Jewish life. The upcoming Chabad on Call Kinus will bring together shluchim who work in this growing field, as well as those looking to expand their shlichus into hospital and medical outreach, to learn from one another and strengthen their impact.

For the second consecutive year, the Kinus will be held on location, this time hosted by Aishel House, at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, led by Rabbi Lazer and Rochel Lazaroff, following last year’s gathering in Florida in partnership with Healing Hearts, which drew approximately 50 participants involved in hospital shlichus and chaplaincy work.

“The shluchim doing this work carry tremendous responsibility. A family in crisis needs someone who can hold their hand while also answering difficult halachic questions,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “The Kinus is where these shluchim get to feel supported themselves, exchanging ideas and drawing inspiration from peers and experts in the field,

Sessions will focus on halacha, building relationships with medical staff, hospice and end-of-life care, community engagement, and balancing the role of serving as both shliach and chaplain. Whether a shliach has years of hospital experience or is just beginning to explore this area, the program is designed to offer practical value.

One of the featured sessions, titled “When Questions Can’t Wait,” will be led by Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, a renowned posek and shliach. The halacha intensive will explore real hospital scenarios involving Shabbos, ICU situations, and urgent medical decisions, offering practical clarity through cases faced in medical settings.

Participants will also have the opportunity to experience the Aishel House model firsthand, including its hospitality suites, volunteer engagement, and patient support infrastructure. And how they can bring that back home to their medical shlichus.

“Last year’s Kinus brought tremendous energy to this growing field of shlichus,” said Mrs. Chani Goldberg, Director of Chabad on Call at Merkos 302. “Shluchim left with practical tools, new connections, and a clearer sense of how to serve patients, families, and medical communities.”

“The networking last year was the most valuable part for me,” said Rabbi Mendy Begun of LA Jewish Care and The Wisdom Circle. “Being together with others involved in this unique and sensitive work was energizing. I came away with practical ideas from other shluchim, small things I was able to adapt in my own hospital work. I’m looking forward to coming back this year.”

The Kinus will take place June 8–9, 2026, in Houston, Texas. Registration and additional information are available at chabadoncall.com/kinus.

In an uplifting atmosphere of hisaorerus (awakening) and kedushah, the annual gathering and traditional Seudas Mitzvah of the “Global Tehillim Society” was held on the day following Isru Chag HaShavuos. This special event took place in a hall adjacent to and overlooking the holy Tziyon of King David on Mount Zion in the Old City of Yerushalayim. It was arranged in honor of the Yoma Dehillula Rabba of the Ne’im Zemiros Yisrael (the Sweet Singer of Israel), which falls on the second day of Shavuos.

This gathering is not merely another routine event; rather, it is the direct continuation of a historic, holy chain (shalsheles hakodesh). The “Global Tehillim Society” was founded 84 years ago, during the dark days when a heavy cloud of destruction and loss hovered over the Jewish communities of Europe. It was the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, nishmaso eden, who—in the very midst of World War II and the terrible Holocaust—took a series of heavenly initiatives, among them the establishment of this society. To this day, it is chilling to read the words he wrote from the depths of his heart in a letter at that time:

“Through their prayers, the praises of the Sweet Singer of Israel, they will protect Bnei Yisrael and will act to bring about the victory of honesty and justice, and to alleviate the birth pangs of Moshiach (chevlei Moshiach).”

In the year 5750 (1990), exactly 36 years ago, this monumental endeavor experienced a profound renewal. Following the holy directive of the Rebbe to the administration of “Colel Chabad,” the crown was restored to its former glory. From then until today, the voice of prayer at this holy site has never ceased. A permanent minyan of Chassidim and anshei ma’aseh (men of action), among the esteemed figures of heavenly Yerushalayim, gathers day in and day out to recite the entire Sefer Tehillim with deliberation and hisaorerus. As they do so, they arouse heavenly mercy (rachamei shamayim) and specifically mention the names of those in need of a yeshuah (salvation).

During the gathering, prominent Rabbonim delivered addresses in honor of this exalted occasion: Harav Hachassid R’ Yitzchak Meir Halperin – Chairman of the Association of Descendants of the Alter Rebbe. Harav Hachassid Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Slonim shlita – Rabbi of the ‘Baal HaTanya Shul’. Harav Hachassid R’ Moshe Tzvi Halperin – Rabbi of the Chabad communities in the Ramot Daled and Beis Yisrael neighborhoods. Harav Hachassid R’ Chaim Sasson – Author of numerous important sefarim.

Furthermore, the event was honored by the participation of several distinguished guests: Harav Hachassid R’ Eliezer Lichtenstein – A respected member of Anash in Yerushalayim and a veteran educator. Harav Hachassid R’ Yosef Lipa Alperowitz – Gabbai of the ‘Beis Yosef’ Shul and one of the elder, finest educators in Yerushalayim. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Azdaba – The Rebbe’s Shliach to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Harav Hachassid R’ Moshe Shmuel Deutsch – Representative of the Colel Chabad administration and director of the Tehillim Society.

The speakers at the event spoke one after another about the immense zechus (merit) bestowed upon the members of the “Global Tehillim Society,” and sought to praise the blessed work of its dedicated coordinator, Harav Hachassid R’ Daniel Koenig. In their remarks, they emphasized the uncompromising dedication of the minyan members, who never forgo their kvius (set commitment) and stand faithfully at their post to offer heartfelt, inner prayers for the salvation of the klal and the prat (the community and the individual)—every single day of the year, regardless of weather conditions. Special thanks were also extended to R’ Shmuel Mendelson for his invaluable assistance in organizing the gathering.

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On Sunday before Shavuos, Shmuel Zahavy Cheder Chabad Toronto held their annual Sunday Father and Son Learning and Breakfast.

More than 300 fathers and talmidim joined for Rosh Chodesh Shacharis, learning about the 12 Pessukim, and a delicious catered brunch. Rabbi Yitzchok Rosenfeld, Cheder’s former grade 3 rebbe, spoke to the boys about the power of achdus.

Then everyone played a lively 12 Pesukim Bingo game. The Grade 5-7 boys spent the previous days creating beautiful displays that depicted one of the Pessukim or one of the Rebbe’s Mivtzas. These were displayed for everyone to peruse and enjoy.

Thanks were given to Rabbi Bard-wigdor and Rabbi Marmulszteyn for organizing this event as well as the many generous sponsors whose support made the day so special.

In a historic milestone for Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim, 70 of the nearly 100 talmidim currently enrolled in the Dayanus program were recently tested successfully on Hilchos Shabbos, marking the largest group since the Rebbe initiated the program at the yeshiva in 5736.

In a series of tests administered by Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Zalman Labkowski, the talmidim were tested on the second section of Hilchos Shabbos.

“This is a very significant milestone,” said Rabbi Ahron Liberow, who heads the program. “While the program has grown exponentially in recent years, having the vast majority of our largest cohort yet successfully maintain the rigorous curriculum of Hilchos Shabbos is particularly noteworthy.”

The program dedicates nearly a full year to Hilchos Shabbos, divided into three sections. The curriculum covers the majority of Hilchos Shabbos, beginning with the Mechaber and Nosei Keilim and continuing through the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch.

At the tests, a l’chaim was shared in honor of the nine talmidim who, with the completion of Hilchos Shabbos, successfully concluded the program’s thirteen required subjects: Yaacov Alpern, Shaya Begun, Shmuel Gurary, Kalman Krinsky, Mendel Segal, Mendel Serebryanski, Leibel Springer, Mendel Sternberg, and Raphael Wilmowsky.

Applications for 5787 are currently open. To apply visit dayanus.org/apply.

In the heart of Maryland’s Eastern Shore—on the historic grounds of Kent Island, known as the third-oldest British settlement in America—a new chapter of the Rebbe’s Shlichus is unfolding.

Rabbi Mendel and Rivky Stern, together with their children Levik’l and Moussia, are establishing a new Shlichus based in Kent Island, serving the entire Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland. This includes a vast and largely rural region spanning over 90 miles, reaching communities across Queen Anne’s, Kent, Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester Counties.

Appointed under the leadership of Head Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, and with the assistance of Rabbi Nochum Light of Chabad of Anne Arundel County, the Stern family has embraced the unique challenge—and opportunity—of bringing Yiddishkeit to Jews spread across small towns, farmland, and quiet coastal communities.

In a place where organized Jewish life has been scarce, the Sterns have begun hosting Peulos and gatherings that are igniting a sense of connection and Jewish pride. A recent public Menorah lighting drew close to 50 participants—an inspiring turnout for a region where such events are rare.

At the same time, this Shlichus is extending its reach to the next generation as well, including Jewish students at Washington College in nearby Chestertown—ensuring that even in smaller, less-served campuses, students have access to Yiddishkeit, community, and connection.

What makes this Shlichus especially powerful is the mission to reach every Jew, no matter how far. Whether it’s a family tucked away on a quiet country road or a retiree living near the Chesapeake Bay, the message is the same: you are not alone, and you belong.

To support this Shlichus and help expand its reach across the Eastern Shore:

Zelle/PayPal/Cashapp: ChabadKe[email protected]

Credit card: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/chabad-kent-island

FREE CLASS FOR CROWN HEIGHTS MOTHERS, BUBBIES, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS

Morning and Evening options!
Wednesday May 27, 11:15AM
Wednesday, June 3, 8 PM
At Miriam’s Motherhood Center
781 East New York Ave

RSVP: miriamscenter.org
https://tinyurl.com/4bbvhxf2

Come join Sara Chana Silverstein for a FREE interactive class designed for moms, bubbies, and caregivers who want to help children feel calmer, happier, more focused, emotionally balanced, and better able to thrive. This exciting hands-on workshop is all about the use of herbs to support children’s emotional wellness. Together, we’ll taste herbs, smell essential oils, and explore practical, time-honored herbal approaches to helping kids with sleep, focus, emotional regulation, healthy eating, and everyday challenges that so many families are facing today.

Children today are struggling more than ever with ADHD, anxiety, frustration, mood swings, stress, and focus challenges. Parents are searching for effective ways to support their children while helping them build confidence, resilience, and emotional stability. In this eye-opening workshop, Sara Chana will share how herbs have been used for generations to support emotional wellness in both children and adults.

Parents will leave feeling empowered, educated, and inspired with practical tools and fresh insights they can begin using at home right away. The class is based on Sara Chana’s new book, Moodtopia for Kids, and Sara Chana will also be available for a special book signing.

Today, more children than ever are prescribed medications for ADHD, anxiety, and emotional challenges. As of early 2026, an estimated 3.5 million children ages 3–17 in the United States are prescribed medication for ADHD. Based on recent data, more than 4 million American children and adolescents, roughly 1 in 12, are estimated to be taking psychotropic medications, including over 270,000 toddlers and preschoolers. These numbers are surprising and highlight how many families are searching for answers and support.

For many children, medication can be life-changing and incredibly helpful. At the same time, some children experience side effects such as decreased appetite, trouble sleeping, irritability, or mood changes. Parents deserve access to education, information, and supportive options so they can make informed choices for their children and families.

This workshop is not about fear or judgment. It is about opening the conversation and exploring the many ways we can help children feel their very best, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Whether you are curious about herbs, looking for additional support tools, or simply want to better understand your child’s emotional world, this class promises to be inspiring, practical, and deeply empowering.

Largest Group in 50-Year History Tested at 770 Dayanus

In a historic milestone for Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim, 70 of the nearly 100 talmidim currently enrolled in the Dayanus program were recently tested successfully on Hilchos Shabbos, marking the largest group since the Rebbe initiated the program at the yeshiva in 5736.

In a series of tests administered by Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Zalman Labkowski, the talmidim were tested on the second section of Hilchos Shabbos.

“This is a very significant milestone” said Rabbi Ahron Liberow, who heads the program. “While the program has grown exponentially in recent years, having the vast majority of our largest cohort yet successfully maintain the rigorous curriculum of Hilchos Shabbos is particularly noteworthy.”

The program dedicates nearly a full year to Hilchos Shabbos, divided into three sections. The curriculum covers the majority of Hilchos Shabbos, beginning with the Mechaber and Nosei Keilim and continuing through the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch.

At the tests, a l’chaim was shared in honor of the nine talmidim who, with the completion of Hilchos Shabbos, successfully concluded the program’s thirteen required subjects: Yaacov Alpern, Shaya Begun, Shmuel Gurary, Kalman Krinsky, Mendel Segal, Mendel Serebryanski, Leibel Springer, Mendel Sternberg, and Raphael Wilmowsky.

Applications for 5787 are currently open. To apply visit dayanus.org/apply.

Crown Heights Again Targeted As Missionaries Spread Materials At Peoples Homes

by CrownHeights.info

Missionaries have again targeted the community with a publication blitz, leaving Shmad materials across stoops and doorsteps throughout Crown Heights.

CrownHeights.info would like to remind the community of the danger these reading materials pose, as these deceptive publications are targeted to those struggling and at risk.

A Devastating Loss – A Beloved Husband, Devoted Father, Zeide, and Ehrliche Yid

With tremendous pain, we share the sudden petirah of Rabbi Pinny Scheiner z”l — a beloved husband, devoted father and zeide, and ehrliche Yid.

Rabbi Scheiner worked tirelessly and quietly to support his family with dignity and mesirus nefesh. Whether as a rebbi, tutor, mashgiach, chevra kadisha, or through countless other acts of avodas hakodesh, he never stopped giving of himself for others.

Donate Here

To the members of Bais Chabad of Oak Park, he was far more than the longtime gabbai. He was the steady presence behind everything — the one who opened the shul, stayed late, helped everyone, and carried the burden of the tzibbur with humility and heart. So much of what happened in the shul simply happened because Rabbi Scheiner was there.

He leaves behind his devoted wife of 39 years, 10 children, many grandchildren, and a family shattered by this unimaginable loss. Along with the overwhelming aveilus, they are now facing serious financial hardship after losing the husband and father who worked so hard, for so many years, to care for them.

In the zechus of supporting an almana and yesomim, we ask the community to come together and help lighten their burden. Every donation, every share, and every tefillah means more than words can express.

May the Ribbono Shel Olam bentch all those who help with bracha, yeshuos, and only simchos, and may the Scheiner family know no more tzaar.

Donate Here

Rabbonim:

Rabbi Chaim Gershon Steinmetz

Rabbi Shea Werner

Rabbi Yerachmiel Rabin

Rabbi Dovid Shraga Polter

100 Days of Daily Rambam: A Major Milestone for Rabbi Chay Amar’s Shiur

This week marked an exciting milestone for the growing community learning Daily Rambam with Rabbi Chay Amar as they officially completed 100 straight days of the one perek a day cycle.

What started as a daily shiur quickly became something many participants now look forward to every single day. Rabbi Amar’s unique style, energy, and creativity have helped make learning Rambam feel engaging, practical, and enjoyable for people of all backgrounds.

One of the things that makes the shiur stand out is the use of AI visuals, images, and creative presentations that help bring the Rambam to life. Whether illustrating historical settings, halachic concepts, or difficult ideas, the visuals add a whole new layer to the learning experience and help keep viewers connected throughout the class.

Many participants say the shiur feels different from a typical online class.

“It makes the Rambam feel alive and easy to follow,” one participant shared. “The visuals and explanations make you actually excited to learn every day.”

The shiur streams live every day at 11:00 AM on DailyRambamForYou.com and is later uploaded to the program’s YouTube channel for those who want to catch up or rewatch the class. Listeners can also follow the shiur on Spotify and receive updates through the official WhatsApp group.

Over the last 100 days, people stayed committed through busy schedules, long workdays, and everything life throws at them. That consistency created not only a strong learning routine, but also a real sense of community among those following the shiur daily.

The achievement reflects the power of combining timeless Torah learning with modern tools that speak to today’s generation. Rabbi Amar’s approach has shown how technology can be used in a meaningful way to strengthen Torah study and make difficult concepts more accessible.

As the community celebrates this accomplishment, many are already looking ahead to the next milestone and continuing the journey one perek at a time.

The Moving Gathering of the ‘Global Tehillim Society’ Directed by Colel Chabad on Mount Zion

In an uplifting atmosphere of hisaorerus (awakening) and kedushah, the annual gathering and traditional Seudas Mitzvah of the “Global Tehillim Society” was held on the day following Isru Chag HaShavuos. This special event took place in a hall adjacent to and overlooking the holy Tziyon of King David, alav hashalom, on Mount Zion in the Old City of Yerushalayim. It was arranged in honor of the Yoma Dehillula Rabba of the Ne’im Zemiros Yisrael (the Sweet Singer of Israel), which falls on the second day of Shavuos.

This gathering is not merely another routine event; rather, it is the direct continuation of a historic, holy chain (shalsheles hakodesh). The “Global Tehillim Society” was founded 84 years ago, during the dark days when a heavy cloud of destruction and loss hovered over the Jewish communities of Europe. It was the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, nishmaso eden, who—in the very midst of World War II and the terrible Holocaust—took a series of heavenly initiatives, among them the establishment of this society. To this day, it is chilling to read the words he wrote from the depths of his heart in a letter at that time:

“Through their prayers, the praises of the Sweet Singer of Israel, they will protect Bnei Yisrael and will act to bring about the victory of honesty and justice, and to alleviate the birth pangs of Moshiach (chevlei Moshiach).”

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by CrownHeights.info (@chinfo.official)

In the year 5750 (1990), exactly 36 years ago, this monumental endeavor experienced a profound renewal. Following the holy directive of the Rebbe to the administration of “Colel Chabad,” the crown was restored to its former glory. From then until today, the voice of prayer at this holy site has never ceased. A permanent minyan of Chassidim and anshei ma’aseh (men of action), among the esteemed figures of heavenly Yerushalayim, gathers day in and day out to recite the entire Sefer Tehillim with deliberation and hisaorerus. As they do so, they arouse heavenly mercy (rachamei shamayim) and specifically mention the names of those in need of a yeshuah (salvation).

During the gathering, prominent Rabbonim delivered addresses in honor of this exalted occasion: Harav Hachassid R’ Yitzchak Meir Halperin – Chairman of the Association of Descendants of the Alter Rebbe. Harav Hachassid Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Slonim shlita – Rabbi of the ‘Baal HaTanya Shul’. Harav Hachassid R’ Moshe Tzvi Halperin – Rabbi of the Chabad communities in the Ramot Daled and Beis Yisrael neighborhoods. Harav Hachassid R’ Chaim Sasson – Author of numerous important sefarim.

Furthermore, the event was honored by the participation of several distinguished guests: Harav Hachassid R’ Eliezer Lichtenstein – A respected member of Anash in Yerushalayim and a veteran educator. Harav Hachassid R’ Yosef Lipa Alperowitz – Gabbai of the ‘Beis Yosef’ Shul and one of the elder, finest educators in Yerushalayim. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Azdaba – The Rebbe’s Shliach to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Harav Hachassid R’ Moshe Shmuel Deutsch – Representative of the Colel Chabad administration and director of the Tehillim Society.

The speakers at the event spoke one after another about the immense zechus (merit) bestowed upon the members of the “Global Tehillim Society,” and sought to praise the blessed work of its dedicated coordinator, Harav Hachassid R’ Daniel Koenig. In their remarks, they emphasized the uncompromising dedication of the minyan members, who never forgo their kvius (set commitment) and stand faithfully at their post to offer heartfelt, inner prayers for the salvation of the klal and the prat (the community and the individual)—every single day of the year, regardless of weather conditions. Special thanks were also extended to R’ Shmuel Mendelson for his invaluable assistance in organizing the gathering.

Registration Opens for 26th Kinus HaMechanchim, Marking 50 Years Since the Rebbe’s Call

Registration is now open for the 26th annual Kinus Hamechanchim, the annual gathering for Lubavitcher Mechanchim and Menahalim dedicated to strengthening Chassidishe chinuch around the world.

The Kinus will take place this summer, IY”H, Tuesday and Wednesday, 14–15 Av (July 28–29), at the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut.

The Kinus, hosted by the Merkos Chinuch Office, has become a highlight of the summer for Mechanchim across the globe, offering two days of inspiration, collaboration, practical workshops and farbrengens, renewing the enthusiasm of the vital avodas hakodesh of chinuch.

This year also marks 50 years since the Rebbe first called for a Kinus for mechanchim, a milestone that adds special significance to this year’s gathering.

“Rabbi Chodakov asked me back in 5736 to arrange a summer Kinus,” recalled Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, Executive Director of the Merkos Chinuch Office. “The Rebbe was pleased that it took place and encouraged that it continue. In תש״ס we revived the Kinus, and today we are proudly marking 26 uninterrupted years.”This year’s Kinus places emphasis on: “Focused on the עיקר”, delving into the Rebbe’s words on the true ikar of chinuch:

“המטרה העיקרית — די תלמידים זאלן זיין פרומע ערליכע אידן, ווארימע אידן, חסידישע אידן” (כרך ד, מכתב תתקמט)

“The primary goal — that the students should be frum, ehrliche Yidden, warm Yidden, Chassidishe Yidden” _(Igros Kodesh, Vol. 4, Letter 949)_At the Kinus, the emphasis will be on the outcome of chinuch as the Rebbe envisions it: raising Torah Yidden, both in learning and in action, and who are yirei shomayim. Raising “vareme” Yidden, who see and care for another, and Chassidishe Yidden who are deeply mekushar to the Rebbe.

The Kinus brings together hundreds of Mechanchim for two days of connection with those who share a deep sense of mission in shaping the next generation of Chassidishe Yidden.

“The Kinus is a reflection of the value we place on Mechanchim and on the lasting impact of their work,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman of Merkos’s Chinuch Office. “It is an opportunity to invest in those who are shaping the next generation.”

This year’s Kinus will feature practical sessions led by seasoned Mechanchim and professional educators, catering to all grade levels, along with leadership tracks for principals and administrators. Mechanchim will also have opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and gain tools they can bring back into their classrooms.

“Each year, the Kinus keeps growing: in impact, in quality, and in what Mechanchim take back with them,” said Rabbi Zalmy Loewenthal, Associate Director of Merkos’s Chinuch Office. “We’re looking forward to welcoming Mechanchim from around the world for another meaningful Kinus this summer.”

Registration is now open at kinus.chinuchoffice.org.

Additional details regarding the program, speakers, session tracks, and schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

Dr. Ephraim Rubenstein, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and devoted Chosid from England who founded an organization to provide assistance to many, passed away on 4 Sivan, 5786.

He was 69.

Dr. Rubenstein founded Keren Shmuel in 1996 in memory of his father, an organisation that played an important role within the UK Jewish community by supporting religious education, charitable institutions, and families in need.

Through grants and assistance, Keren Shmuel strengthened schools, community programmes, and charitable initiatives across the United Kingdom.

In later years, he expanded his charitable work internationally through Keren Shmuel Zhitomer, further benefiting Jewish communities in Russia and Israel. Through his tzedakah initiatives, many individuals and families received educational support and financial assistance, reflecting the generosity and compassion that defined his life.

He was known for his deep warmth, unwavering faith, generosity, and devotion to his family, friends, and community. He touched countless lives through his kindness, wisdom, and caring heart, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

Kinus Torah Held In Honor of Isru Hag Shavuot at Beth Haya Mouchka of Paris

A Kinus Torah was held in honor of Isru Hag Shavuot at Beth Haya Mouchka in Paris’s 19th arrondissement. The evening was rich in Torah and inspiration.

Speaking at the event were:

• Rabbi Haim Herts

• Rabbi Moshe Vishedski

• Rabbi Nethanel Loeb

• Rabbi Mendel Uzan

Photo Credit: Mordechai Lubecki

By Kasriel Shemtov, CHYE

One of the most common patterns I’ve observed while mentoring entrepreneurs through CHYE is that many businesses don’t fail because the idea was weak—they struggle because discipline disappears once money starts coming in.

Launching or scaling a business is exciting. Revenue starts growing, customers begin responding, and opportunities suddenly feel endless. But that stage can also become dangerous. When early success creates overconfidence, many founders begin treating the business like a personal ATM instead of the fragile engine it still is.
In reality, the early and middle years of a business require tremendous restraint, focus, and patience.

The entrepreneurs who build lasting companies understand this deeply.
The first principle is simple: be extremely careful with every dollar spent.

In the beginning, capital efficiency is often your greatest advantage. While others spend aggressively on impressive offices, unnecessary hires, or flashy branding, disciplined founders constantly ask themselves one important question: “Does this expense directly help us grow the business?”

The strongest businesses are usually built by people who learned how to operate lean long before they became successful. They track their numbers carefully, understand their margins, and stay focused on building sustainable systems rather than appearances.

Another major challenge today is lifestyle pressure.

Social media has made it incredibly easy for entrepreneurs to compare themselves to others. You see founders, taking extravagant vacations, or projecting enormous success online, and naturally there’s pressure to keep up.

But appearances can be very misleading.
Often, people don’t see the debt, outside funding, family support, or financial stress sitting behind the image. One of the healthiest things a business owner can do is separate personal ego from business decisions.

A business should support a lifestyle upgrade only when it can genuinely afford it without weakening future growth.
I often encourage entrepreneurs to set a modest, consistent owner draw and avoid making emotional financial decisions based on one strong month or temporary momentum.
Another area where discipline is critical is partnerships and investors.

Many founders assume that if someone brings money to the table, they automatically make a good equity partner. In reality, capital alone is rarely enough.

The strongest partners contribute strategic value—industry relationships, operational expertise, customer introductions, or skills that strengthen the business in ways money alone cannot.

Otherwise, founders may end up sacrificing significant ownership while creating future friction, conflicting priorities, or pressure that ultimately hurts the company.
Sometimes, the right mentor, advisor, or strategic relationship can provide more value than an investor taking equity.
That’s one of the reasons CHYE exists—to help entrepreneurs access experienced guidance and support without unnecessarily complicating their cap table or giving up ownership too early.

Another dangerous mistake I frequently see is founders confusing business cash flow with personal wealth.

A healthy operating account balance does not mean the money is available for personal spending. Unexpected expenses, delayed receivables, economic shifts, or growth opportunities can quickly change the picture.

The businesses that survive difficult periods are usually the ones that protected their reserves when times were good.
Clear separation between personal and business finances is absolutely essential. Owners should pay themselves predictably and maintain discipline around distributions and spending.

Perhaps most importantly, successful entrepreneurs maintain patience and focus.
Real wealth compounds quietly over many years. The strongest founders stay intensely focused on improving their product, serving customers well, refining operations, and strengthening the core business during the critical building phase.

Distractions can become extremely expensive. Chasing every opportunity, attending endless networking events, or constantly pivoting weakens momentum.
Businesses grow faster when leadership remains focused on the few things that truly matter.

One painful truth is that “acting rich” has destroyed many businesses that otherwise had tremendous potential.

Some owners begin believing they’ve already made it as soon as revenue increases. They lease expensive cars, dramatically raise personal spending, or prioritize status over stability.

But underneath the surface, the business itself is often still fragile.
In many cases, lifestyle inflation and overconfidence create far more damage than bad markets or weak ideas ever do.
The entrepreneurs who ultimately build enduring companies think differently. They reinvest aggressively in the early profitable years, strengthen their foundations, build loyal customer bases, improve systems, and create real long-term stability.

The rewards eventually come—but they arrive as the natural result of discipline and consistency, not appearances.

At CHYE, we work closely with entrepreneurs at every stage—from startups to established businesses—helping them navigate these exact challenges with clarity, structure, and experienced mentorship.

If you’re building a business today, remember that long-term success is rarely built through shortcuts or appearances. It’s built through patience, discipline, and consistent focus over time.
Those foundations may not always look exciting in the moment—but they are what ultimately create real freedom, stability, and lasting success.

At CHYE, we’re here to support you at every stage—whether you’re starting, growing, or navigating challenges.

👉 Book a free mentorship session:
Level8 NYC Mentorship Session
We’d also love to hear your thoughts on this piece—and what topics you’d like us to cover next. Email us at [email protected]

As the KSCVK “Knot Alone” raffle enters its final hours, community members are making their last chance entries in support of an organization that has helped countless chossonim and kallos begin married life with dignity.

For years, KSCVK, under the leadership of Mrs. Devorah Benjamin, has quietly become a lifeline for couples facing the overwhelming financial pressures that often come with planning a wedding. From major expenses to the countless smaller ones that quickly add up, KSCVK has helped ease the burden for families throughout the community, always with extraordinary sensitivity and respect.

Those who know Mrs. Benjamin often speak not only about the help itself, but about the compassion behind it. Her care for every individual and her tireless dedication to the community are a large part of why KSCVK has earned such deep trust throughout Crown Heights and beyond.

With tickets being purchased from around the world, the overwhelming response to this year’s raffle has become a powerful testament to just how far-reaching KSCVK’s impact truly is, and how deeply connected people feel to both the cause and Mrs. Benjamin herself.

Now, supporters have the opportunity to stand behind that mission while entering to win an array of incredible prizes through the “Knot Alone” raffle.

The drawing takes place tonight, and organizers are encouraging anyone who has not yet entered to do so before it closes.

Get your tickets now at https://kscvk.org/colpr

By COLlive staff

Comedian Modi Rosenfeld recently sat down for a conversation with speaker and humorist David Nesenoff on his podcast, And Here’s Modi.

The discussion focused largely on the lasting influence of the Rebbe and the continued global impact of the Chabad movement decades later.

Nesenoff also discussed his bestselling book, “I Never Met The Rebbe Many Times,” sharing stories that combine humor, personal experiences, and encounters connected to Chabad shluchim around the world.

During the interview, Modi praised the book’s engaging style and remarked that he found it difficult to put down.

Throughout the conversation, Nesenoff reflected on visits to Chabad centers across the globe and the unique communities and shluchim he encountered along the way. Many of the stories highlighted the ongoing reach of the Rebbe’s vision in Jewish communities worldwide.

The interview blended thoughtful discussion with humor, balancing personal reflection with Modi’s well-known comedic style.

VIDEO:

For booking, visit davidinspires.com

TYH Nation has released a new music video titled “Jungle,” featuring singer Mendy Worch together with the TYH Boys, built around a message of bringing light and positivity into a complicated world.

The project began with songwriter and composer Moshe Milstein reflecting on conversations he heard during weekly farbrengens led by Rabbi Yirmiyahu Katz in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

According to Milstein, the gatherings often focused on dealing with uncertainty, personal struggles, and the feeling that the world can sometimes appear overwhelming.

One particular message stayed with him.

“It’s a jungle out there, and sometimes a jungle can be a very scary place,” Rabbi Katz said, before emphasizing that a person does not need to fix the entire world at once. Instead, he encouraged people to focus on bringing light into their own surroundings, believing that positive actions naturally spread outward.

Milstein said the idea immediately inspired him to turn the concept into music.

“The message hit my heart and I turned it into music right away,” he said. “I composed this song to share that light.”

The song’s central theme focuses on the idea that every individual has the ability to influence the people and environment around them through acts of goodness, Torah, and mitzvos.

The production was adapted and co-written by Mendy Portnoy and Yehuda Pinsker, with vocals by Mendy Worch and the TYH Boys choir under the direction of Meir Green. The track was mixed and mastered by Ramiro “Rambo” Fernandez.

The video production was handled by Naftoli Winter, with editing by Ezriel Gross and creative direction by TYH Creative.

VIDEO: TYH Nation Presents JUNGLE – Mendy Worch Feat. TYH Boys

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Mordechai Lubecki

In honor of Isru Chag Shavuos, a Kinus Torah was held at the shul of the Beth Chaya Mushka school in Paris, France, in keeping with the Rebbe’s directive.

Rabbanim and mashpi’im addressed the gathering with divrei Torah, halacha, and Chassidus, inspiring the dozens of participants to strengthen their learning with renewed chayus and dedication.

Among the speakers were Rabbi Chaim Hertz, shliach and rov in Paris’ 16th arrondissement; Rabbi Moshe Vishedsky, shliach and rov in Paris’ 19th arrondissement; Rabbi Netanel Leib, a member of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch in France; and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Uzan, rosh mesivta and mashpia at Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch in Brunoy.

The gathering created an atmosphere of hisorerus and encouragement, as participants committed themselves to renewed growth in Torah learning, each according to his abilities.

VIDEO:

By COLlive staff
Photos: N. Anastasia

Eighty-four years after he left for the blood-soaked frontlines of World War II and never returned, the Jewish soldier Samuil Ilyich Shalit Hy”d, was laid to rest last week in a moving military and Jewish ceremony held in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk.

This closure brings an end to an ordeal of more than eight decades during which he was considered missing, leaving a profound impact on his family members and the local Jewish community.

Shalit, a native of the city of Achinsk in the Krasnoyarsk region, served as a brave platoon commander in the 144th Infantry Brigade. In the year 5701 (1941), following the invasion of the Nazis, may their names be obliterated, he was drafted into the army and went out to defend his homeland. A year later, in 5702 (1942), contact with him was lost, and he was officially declared missing.

For decades, his family members did not know what had become of him or where his bones were buried. The immense void and longing even led his relatives in Israel to fill out a ‘Page of Testimony’ for him in the year 5767 (2007) at the Yad Vashem institution in Jerusalem, in an attempt to commemorate the memory of the hero whose burial place remained unknown. Now, the dramatic turning point has arrived.

During complex search operations conducted in the month of Elul 5785 (2024), at the site of fierce battles near the village of Nelyuchi in the Novgorod region, two special location units of the Russian army—the Ivan Guzlenko Search Unit from Nazarovo and the “Chelny” unit from Naberezhnye Chelny—succeeded in uncovering the soldier’s remains.

Found right alongside the remains was the item that completely changed the picture: a miraculously preserved personal military dog tag, engraved with the Jewish hero’s name. The sensational discovery enabled his definitive identification and his return home, back to the soil of Siberia.

The farewell ceremony opened with an impressive state and military service by the eternal flame memorial in the city of Krasnoyarsk. From there, the funeral procession continued to the Jewish cemetery. The city’s rabbi, the Shliach Rabbi Binyamin Wagner, recited the Hashkavah (memorial prayer) and Kaddish for the elevation of the hero’s soul, in the presence of deeply moved family members and members of the Jewish community.

“It was an incredibly powerful and moving feeling,” shared Rabbi Wagner, immediately after the ceremony. “We felt as if history itself had stopped for a single moment, just to restore the man’s name, his lost honor, and his rightful place alongside his relatives. After 84 years of fog and pain, Samuil’s war is finally over, and he has merited to reach his final, proper resting place according to Jewish tradition. His bravery will remain eternally engraved in our hearts.”

This historic event is deeply connected to the extensive commemorative activities led by the Jewish community in Krasnoyarsk. Just last year, during a historic Unity Shabbat of the rabbis of Russian cities held in the city, led by the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, a unique memorial monument was inaugurated in the courtyard of the central synagogue.

The monument was established in memory of hundreds of Jews, residents of Krasnoyarsk and the surrounding area, who were drafted to fight the Nazi murderers and whose burial places remain unknown. Now, only a year after the monument’s inauguration, the community has had the rare privilege of physically escorting one of those very heroes to a proper Jewish burial.

Bringing the soldier to a Jewish burial serves as further testament to the glorious revival of Judaism in the capital of Siberia, under the leadership of Rabbi Wagner and his family, who have been active there for over 25 years. The magnificent network of institutions, the restored historic synagogue, and the warm and vibrant community built with great effort, are what made it possible to give the war hero the final honor he deserves—in a well-kept and lively Jewish cemetery, which stands as a living monument to the eternity of the Jewish people, even in the heart of freezing Siberia.

The community operates a magnificent central synagogue, alongside educational, charitable, and cultural institutions, serving thousands of Jews throughout the region. The community acts as a prominent spiritual and social hub, connecting the younger generation to its Jewish roots while actively preserving and honoring the historic memory of the heroism of the region’s Jews.

By COLlive staff

Yeshivas Dor Shvi’i in Miami, Florida has announced the appointment of Rabbi Shneur Pevzner as Mashpia for the upcoming school year, joining Reb Labish Richardson, Dean, Rabbi Ben Bursk, Menahel, and Rabbi Mottel Zirkind, Head of Iyun, as part of the yeshiva’s expanding hanhala.

Rabbi Pevzner brings with him years of experience in chinuch and has served in various yeshivos in Chicago, Beit Shemesh, and most recently at Oholei Torah. Known for his warmth, chayus, and deep personal investment in every bochur, Rabbi Pevzner has earned a reputation for building genuine and lasting relationships with talmidim while helping guide their growth in learning, chassidus, and daily hanhaga.

“When I started this yeshiva five years ago, I never imagined we would grow to this point,” reflected Richardson. “To see the growth — not just in numbers, but in the bochurim themselves — is something incredibly meaningful.”

The appointment comes as YDS prepares for major growth next year, with enrollment already doubled. In response, the yeshiva has continued expanding its staff and programming while maintaining the personal attention and guidance given to each talmid.

“What truly sets Dor Shvi’i apart is the relationship between the staff and each bochur,” said Rabbi Bursk. “When a talmid feels understood, supported, and genuinely cared for, it changes the entire way he learns, grows, and sees himself.”

In addition to Rabbi Pevzner’s appointment, a strong group of shluchim and eltere bochurim have been added to the YDS team to further strengthen the atmosphere of learning, farbrengens, mivtzaim, and the day-to-day chayus throughout the yeshiva.

VIDEO:

Enrollment for the coming year is already nearing capacity, with Shiur Gimmel currently full and only a limited number of spots remaining in Shiur Aleph and Shiur Beis.

Visas are also available for select shluchim and bochurim joining the yeshiva from overseas.

For more information or admissions inquiries, please contact Rabbi Ben Bursk at 201-486-3005 or visit ydsmiami.com

By Reuven Rosenfeld – VINnews.com

Toronto Police have released a new security camera image of missing teenager Esther, captured on the evening she vanished, as searches continue for the ninth day with the support of hundreds of volunteers and community organizations.

Esther was last seen on Friday, May 15, at Earl Bales Park in Toronto. She was later spotted near a highway, moving northeast. She is described as wearing a green long-sleeved shirt, gray sweatpants and no shoes.

Police, along with volunteers and a helicopter, have been conducting extensive searches. Shomrim Toronto, which is assisting in the effort, received special rabbinic permission to continue operations during the Shavuot holiday and Shabbat.

Esther’s mother, Shira, expressed deep concern for her daughter’s safety in comments to reporters. “I’m afraid she’ll be too naive and trust people who don’t mean well,” she said. “It’s really, really concerning.”

A relative, Loli Herman, told CBC’s Metro Morning that the family is “deeply worried” and urged the public to check security cameras, backyards and storage sheds for any sign of Esther.

“She seems very social, very intelligent,” Herman said, noting that while Esther is diagnosed on the autism spectrum, people who do not know her may not realize it. “We want Esti home. She has been missing for too long.”

The family has praised the overwhelming community support, with volunteers staffing command centers, canvassing neighborhoods and distributing flyers.

Shomrim Toronto expressed gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers who have dedicated time to the search. “We remain fully committed to maximizing our efforts to ensure her safe return,” the organization said. The Shomrim emergency line remains active for any tips.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Toronto Police or Shomrim immediately.

VIDEO:

New Torah Scroll Welcomed into Mykolaiv Synagogue Ahead of Shavuot

The Jewish community of Mykolaiv, Ukraine led by Rabbi Sholom and Rebbetzin Dina Gotlieb, celebrated the dedication of a new and beautifully written Torah scroll to the city’s central synagogue ahead of Shavuot, the festival marking the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Hundreds of community members, guests, local dignitaries, and students from the city’s Or Menachem Jewish educational institutions joined the festive procession, which made its way through the streets accompanied by live music, singing, and dancing.

The Torah scroll was donated, with the encouragement and guidance of Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki, Chief Rabbi of Dnipro, by Mr. Benjamin Dachenko of the Jewish community of Dnipro, in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson.

The dedication carried special meaning in Mykolaiv, a city deeply connected to the Rebbe’s life and legacy. The Rebbe was born there in 1902 and spent his early childhood years in the city, where his grandfather, Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, served as chief rabbi. Mykolaiv is also remembered as part of a distinguished rabbinic family legacy connected to Rabbi Avraham David Lavut, the Rebbe’s great-great-grandfather, who served as the city’s rabbi beginning in the 19th century.

The celebration continued as the Torah scroll was welcomed into the synagogue, where the existing Torah scrolls were taken from the Ark in honor of the new arrival. A local choir accompanied the event with song, while spirited Hakafot filled the synagogue with joy.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the large crowd sat down together for a festive seudat mitzvah, marking the dedication of the new Torah scroll and preparing as a community for the upcoming holiday of Shavuot.

In a display of unity, dedication, and renewed Shlichus, thirteen Shluchim families serving throughout Berlin came together for a special Kinus Hashluchim, a day of learning, reflection, strengthening, and deepening the sense of mission. The Kinus took place at the Amano Hotel in Berlin, in a warm, uplifting, and inspiring atmosphere.

The Kinus opened with heartfelt words from Rabbi Yehuda Teichtel, Chief Rabbi of Berlin and Head Shliach, who expressed deep gratitude to Hashem and to the Rebbe for the blessings and success that continue to accompany the growth of Berlin’s Jewish community.

In his remarks, he reflected on the significance of this special period, as the community prepares to mark thirty years since the establishment of Chabad in Berlin, three decades of growth, vibrant Jewish activity, outreach, and far-reaching impact.

The gathering carried a deep and emotional tone following the recent passing of one of Berlin’s devoted Shluchim, Rabbi Avraham Golovacheov, of blessed memory, who passed away during Pesach. His absence was deeply felt by the participants, and his life and work served as a source of strength and inspiration to continue the mission with even greater dedication and resolve.

During the Kinus, renowned coach Dr. Oded Karavchik, CEO of the “Insights for Success” group and one of Israel’s leading personal and business coaches, joined the gathering. For over a decade, Dr. Karavchik has led meaningful courses and trained a new generation of coaches across Israel. In Berlin, he delivered two powerful sessions based on the teachings of Tanya, focusing on personal empowerment, clarity in Shlichus, a sense of purpose, and the inner strength required for a life of Shlichus. His sessions were practical and deeply inspiring, providing participants with renewed clarity and tools for their ongoing work.

The sessions included open discussion, sharing of experiences, mutual consultation, and encouragement in a warm, familial, and supportive atmosphere.

In the evening, the Kinus expanded into a moving family gathering, as the Shluchim families, their children, and the Talmidim Hashluchim of Berlin joined together for a festive and uplifting dinner.

At the same time, a special program for the Shluchim’s children took place, including trips and engaging activities organized by the Talmidim Hashluchim of Berlin under the direction of Tzvi Shusterman, ensuring that even the youngest participants experienced the spirit and energy of the day.

A particularly meaningful and inspiring moment was the Farbrengen led by Rabbi Menachem Junik, Shliach in London, who shared memories, insights, and personal stories from his holy service in the Rebbe’s home and his recollections of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of blessed memory. The uplifting Farbrengen continued late into the night.

During the evening, a special video presentation was also shown, highlighting thirty years of activity and growth of the Jewish community of Chabad Berlin.

A special thank you to Rabbi Mendel Brandwine and Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel for their dedicated assistance and tireless efforts in organising the Kinus and ensuring its success.

More than just a gathering, this Kinus was a day of renewed Shlichus, strengthened unity, and clarity of purpose. As Chabad Berlin prepares to mark thirty years of activity, the inspiration and strength drawn from this special day will continue to accompany the Shluchim in their sacred work.

With renewed energy and strengthened resolve, the Shluchim returned to their communities, ready to continue illuminating Jewish life throughout Berlin with even greater light, warmth, and dedication.

combatantisemitism.org

Since becoming CAM’s Public Affairs Advocate for Australia following the murder of her father in last December’s Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre, Sheina Gutnick has faced a torrent of antisemitic abuse, including a message expressing regret she had not been killed in the attack as well.

Gutnick’s father, Reuven Morrison, was shot dead as he heroically confronted the terrorist gunmen by throwing bricks at them.

In the aftermath of losing her father, Gutnick turned grief into action, building a global platform dedicated to fighting the evil that took his life. Earlier this month, Gutnick was the first witness to testify before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.

Gutnick’s transformation into a public figure almost did not happen. In the first hours after the attack, she refused all media requests. Then, at 11:30 p.m. that night, she received a message from a CBS journalist. “We need to tell the world what your dad did,” it read.

“My father doesn’t have a voice,” Gutnick replied. “I have to speak for him and say what he did and what happened.”

By morning, her story was in every major news outlet in Australia.

Gutnick’s sudden visibility came at personal cost, turning her into a target for antisemitic invective. Countless vitriolic messages have been addressed to her online. The worst, posted from an active, identifiable social media account, wished that Gutnick had been murdered at Bondi alongside her father.

“I’ve seen hundreds of them,” she recalled, “and that was the only one that managed to rattle me. I feel like that says a lot, because we’re so used to it, and it’s become so normalized.”

The venom has taken many forms. One message read: “World will be a much better place when they kill all you dirty… Truly a scum to humanity… rest in piss.” Others called Gutnick a “drama queen” and mockingly compared her to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.

One commenter posted a “Victim Card: Declined” image, and another wrote, “Victim time again.” Some ignored Gutnick’s father’s murder entirely, responding to her grief with demands that she answer for the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, antisemitic conspiracy claims that the Bondi massacre was a false flag operation orchestrated by Israel continue to proliferate online, nearly half a year after the attack.

No Room for Jewish Grief

According to Gutnick, a single post featuring her drew more than 3,800 comments, the majority antisemitic. Some posted images of a boot stomping on an Israeli flag and labeled the flags of Israel and America “flags of terrorism.”

One wrote, “Intifada is not only appropriate, it is necessary to stop the genocidal maniacs in Israel. It should be fully globalized.”

Post after post included language such as “baby killer Israelis” and “Fuq Israel. Parasites,” as well emojis of middle fingers and laughing faces mocking the Bondi victims.

For thousands, a daughter’s account of her father being shot dead at a Hanukkah celebration was not an occasion for grief, sympathy, or an outpouring of love and support. Instead, it offered simply another opportunity to demonize the Jewish people and state. When people become so consumed by hostility toward Israel, they no longer respond to Jewish grief or trauma with basic humanity.

Gutnick points to social media itself as the cause. “Society normally had checks and balances to keep racist, antisemitic, bigotry behavior in check,” she noted. “Now there are absolutely no checks and balances. Every thought is given legitimacy and celebrated. And we’re bearing the brunt of that.”

Journalists covering Gutnick’s story have told her they felt they were living in a twilight zone, observing a hatred that defies rational explanation.

Gutnick has not been deterred. “What keeps me going,” Gutnick said, “is the fact that I now carry my father’s legacy forward as he cannot do anymore — as he was murdered in the most horrific antisemitic attack in the Diaspora we’ve seen in a very long time.”

VIDEO: Gutnick’s Royal Commission testimony (beginning at around 1:01:00):

HY’D: Sergeant Nehoray Leizer Killed by Explosive Drone in Lebanon

israelnationalnews

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit cleared for publication on Monday morning that Sergeant Nehoray Leizer, aged 19, from Eilat, fell in combat in southern Lebanon.

Sergeant Leizer was killed on Sunday around 3:00 p.m. when an explosive drone launched by the Hezbollah terror organization detonated near IDF soldiers

During the incident in which Sergeant Leizer fell, an additional IDF soldier was severely injured.

Read More at israelnationalnews

By Mimi Fellig

Moshiach is not here yet. The Rebbe urged us to open our eyes — perhaps today we need to open them even wider.

Yes, the world is racing toward Geulah. So many incredible things are unfolding with breathtaking speed. Yet at the very same time, there is still loss, grief, and pain. None of us controls tomorrow.

We are blessed every minute, every hour, every day. But human nature often reacts more strongly to pain than to blessings. As Reb Mendel Futerfas said, it is easy to drift into numbness — but that is not how a Jew is meant to live.

When we hear good news about another Jew, we should truly feel joy for them and celebrate their simcha wholeheartedly — even if we ourselves are still waiting for ours. Let people know how genuinely happy you are for them.

Recently, too many young children have been taken from this world. Perhaps Hashem needs them to help bring Moshiach in a more revealed way. Maybe the Rebbe needs them near him to strengthen Tzivos Hashem, the army he built to help win this final battle. Or perhaps these precious Neshomos are simply too pure and elevated for an imperfect world.

We teach our children that angels cannot do mitzvos — only people can. Children particularly run to do acts of kindness and goodness. They want to tip the scale. They truly believe they can help bring our generation to Geulah.

But when Hashem takes a child too soon, the pain is beyond words. It changes a family forever — especially the mother who carried that child. Until we are reunited, how could it not?

People often say, “Time heals.” Does a parent miss a child less as time goes on? If someone travels far away, do you not long to see them even more? After a Taanis (fast, )the hunger often grows stronger, not weaker.

In the same way, a mother who loses a child may feel the longing more deeply with every birthday, every Yom Tov, every graduation, every family simcha, and each photograph that reminds her of what feels painfully incomplete.

We do not simply “get over it.”
Somehow, we learn to carry it.

We are allowed to be multifaceted — or, as some call it, “complicated.” A person can laugh and cry in the very same moment. Mothers miss their children with a force words cannot fully describe. And the sensitivity of others truly matters.

Please do not say, “I don’t know what to do.”
Sometimes simply saying, “I am so sorry,” is enough.

There are many quiet ways to show kindness, to show up, and to learn what helps. It is not about being “in the know.” It is not about us — it is about the other person.

And perhaps a small thought about the phrase “BDE.”

Very often, the moment someone passes away, people quickly type those letters almost automatically. No one means harm, chas v’shalom — it has simply become habit. But perhaps we can bring a little more warmth and humanity into those words.

Instead of just writing “BDE,” perhaps write the words out:
“Baruch Dayan HaEmes.”
And maybe add:
“May Hashem comfort you.”
“My heart is with you.”
“I am so sorry for your loss.”

You can send a private message afterward, a thoughtful note, or even a small personalized card.

Eventually, the family will read those messages — and they will feel your warmth. It matters.

Speech is a gift that distinguishes us as human beings. Words can build, and words can break. “BDE” has become normalized, but sometimes normalization can lessen sensitivity.

The mourner says “Baruch Dayan HaEmes” because ultimately we accept Hashem’s greatness even when we cannot understand His ways. But perhaps for others — especially when speaking to grieving parents — gentler and fuller words can bring more comfort.

And if you cannot find the words, then simply sit quietly beside them without looking at your phone.

That alone can mean everything.

And soon, very soon, may there no longer be a need to say or write “BDE” at all.

May it transform into something entirely different:

BEST DAY EVER — Moshiach is here.

May it happen now.

—

—in honor of Dovi Fellig, a boy who loved all and a very special sensitive soul

MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 592 with Rabbi Simon Jacobson

Sunday, May 24, 2026 / 8 Sivan 5786 – 8:00-9:00PM ET

>> Special Post-Shavuos Edition <<

The topics in this week’s 592nd episode of the highly acclaimed MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, will include:

What should be our primary focus during these days following Shavuos?

How do we integrate and internalize Torah into our lives?

What is the appropriate way to learn Torah?
Where do you begin?
How important is it to understand what you’re learning?
How can the study be inspiring and dynamic?

What is the appropriate way to study Chassidus?
Where do you begin?
What are the axioms and underlying principles one needs to know in order to appreciate Chassidus?
What is the structure of sichos and maamorim?
What texts do you suggest for a 20-year-old?
How can I be sure that what I learn is true?
How can I personalize the ideas and not simply see them as abstract concepts?
How can I be sure that my application of the learning is accurate?

MyLife: Chassidus Applied is a weekly video webcast candidly answering questions from the public about all life matters and challenges, covering the entire spectrum of human experience.

This hour-long dose of insights, broadcast live every Sunday night 8-9PM ET, is meant to provide people with inspired guidance and direction, empowering them to deal with any issue they may face.

In what has become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?

MyLife demonstrates how Chassidus provides us with a comprehensive blueprint of the human psyche as a microcosm of the cosmos, and offers us all the guidance we need to live the healthiest possible life and build nurturing homes and families, bringing up the healthiest possible children, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. MyLife is brought to you by the Meaningful Life Center as a public service, free of charge.

Questions may be submitted anonymously at chassidusapplied.com/ask

VIDEO:

New Website and App Answers: “Is There Tachanun Today?”

A new online tool, IsThereTachanun.com, makes it quick and simple to know whether Tachanun is said on any given day, according to Chabad customs.

The site gives a clear “Yes” or “No” for Shacharis, Mincha, and Shema Al Hamitah, along with relevant minhagim and notes. Users can also check another date in advance.

The tool can also be added to a phone like an app: open IsThereTachanun.com in your browser, tap the browser’s three-dot menu, and choose Save to Home Screen or Add to Home Screen.

The site includes a list of no-Tachanun dates, notes on dates where minhagim vary, and sources from Chabad.org and ShulchanAruchHaRav.com.

For feedback and corrections, please email [email protected]

By COLlive reporter

The levaya of Mrs. Mindy Halberstam, a resident of Crown Heights who merited to have a close connection to Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson OBM, was held on Sunday.

Mrs. Halberstam (nee Wolghemut) passed on Thursday, Erev Shavuos, 5786 at the age of 77.

Mrs. Halberstam was a sincere, Chasidishe woman, devoted to the Rebbe’s inyanim, and was very involved in Mivtzoim.

She is survived by her husband, Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam, their children Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Halberstam – Yerushalayim, Rabbi Sholom Ber Halberstam – Chicago, Mrs. Dini Gurary – Montreal, Mrs. Chanie Kramer – Merrick, NY; Mrs. Rivky Shifrin – Little Neck, Queens; Mrs. Chaya Evers – Amsterdam, Mrs. Divi Greisman – Florida and Mrs. Sara Paris; grandchildren.

The levaya passed by 770 Eastern Parkway on Sunday afternoon and she was buried at the Old Montefiore Cemetery.

Shiva at *Ohel Hachomesh at the Ohel*
120-43 226th St
Cambria Heights, NY
11411

Shacharis: 8:00 & 9:00 AM
Break: 12:00-1:30 PM
Mincha: 3:00 PM & 7:45 PM
Maariv – 9:00 pm
Please No visitors after 10:00pm.

Memories and condolences can be sent to [email protected]

By Amit Segal

At the outset of Operation Roaring Lion, there were two definitions of victory on the table: capturing Iran’s enriched uranium or toppling the regime altogether. Given that regime change does not appear to be materializing and one of the parties appears hesitant to make the necessary investments for such an outcome, the sole remaining path to victory appears to be securing the uranium.

The most recent proposal—which Donald Trump claims is already “largely negotiated”—seemingly attempts to follow this path.

According to a report from Channel 12, the agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of the naval blockade and substantial financial relief. However, the core issues regarding the nuclear program and the extraction of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile would not be resolved upfront; instead, they would be deferred for separate negotiations over a 60-day period. Critically, Senior Iranian sources speaking with The New York Times said the deal would release $25 billion in Iranian assets frozen overseas. They added that the agreement “would halt fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

If the enriched uranium is indeed surrendered to the United States, it is indeed a notable achievement, but there are two caveats:

The first caveat concerns the actual scope and reality of the nuclear concessions. According to current reports, the negotiations slated to follow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will focus exclusively on uranium enriched to 60 percent—the roughly 440 kilograms currently believed to be buried beneath the rubble of the Natanz facility. Meanwhile, the tons of uranium enriched to three percent appear destined to remain inside Iran, with any future restrictions on its enrichment left dangerously ambiguous. Compounding this uncertainty, a senior Iranian official bluntly told Reuters today that Tehran has not actually agreed to hand over any material at all, emphasizing that the preliminary agreement does not even formally address the nuclear issue.

The second caveat is procedural, but no less critical. The framework currently on the table is not a finalized treaty, but merely a temporary Memorandum of Understanding meant to serve as a baseline for future talks. All the thorny details regarding the nuclear stockpile are slated to be ironed out over a 60-day negotiation window. The official justification for this delay is logistical—that safely extracting highly enriched uranium from bombed-out, irradiated rubble is a highly complex operation. In practice, however, it is far more likely a calculated delay, offering Tehran an extended opportunity to rest and recover before entering their next phase of nuclear intractability.

Israel has greeted the news with deep skepticism and more than a touch of fear. The reported memorandum makes zero mention of ballistic missile restrictions. What began largely as a defensive shield for Iran’s nuclear ambitions has mutated into a formidable threat in its own right. Even without the ultimate deterrent of a nuclear warhead, an Iranian ballistic arsenal numbering in the tens of thousands is more than sufficient to paralyze any military action against the Islamic Republic. According to Channel 12, this critical issue—whether through an immediate American concession or a simple lack of interest—never even made it to the negotiating table.

The current form of the deal also leaves the Islamic Republic holding another critical asset: the Strait of Hormuz. While the strategic waterway is slated to reopen, it does so not by virtue of an American victory, but rather by Iran’s sufferance. The current framework temporarily ensures toll-free passage, but absolutely nothing in the agreement guarantees that Tehran won’t eventually set up a toll booth—or abruptly choke off shipping the moment they feel the subsequent 60-day negotiations are stalling.

A secondary, but equally pressing concern in Jerusalem is that the regime has not yet fallen. While never explicitly declared as a military objective, regime change has been the unofficial policy undercurrent of the entire conflict. So far, Tehran has successfully managed to cling to power.

Yet, senior Israeli intelligence officials maintain that a collapse from within remains a distinct possibility—provided the crippling economic blockade is sustained through the end of 2026. If the blockade and economic warfare are traded away for a partial agreement today, that window permanently closes. Meanwhile, domestic repression continues apace; just this morning, Iran executed a man accused of sending information to the US and Israel during the war. Cutting this deal now would not just throw Tehran a financial lifeline—it would constitute a total abandonment of the Iranian protesters who began this entire conflict.

A signature on the dotted line, however, does not automatically underwrite the long-term survival of the Islamic Republic. If this 60-day window serves merely as a temporary pause button on the naval blockade rather than a total rewind of broader U.S. economic pressure, Israel and the United States will likely redouble their efforts toward the alternative path to victory: regime change. Without a comprehensive withdrawal of core sanctions, Iran’s baseline economic reality will continue to make Weimar Germans look prosperous, providing fertile ground to foment widespread domestic revolt.

This is precisely where the $25 billion in unfrozen assets reported by The New York Times becomes the deal’s most critical variable. It acts as a vital liquidity bridge, allowing the Islamic Republic to safely span the economic chasm it is currently teetering over. That massive cash injection provides exactly what Tehran needs: a way to keep its domestic security apparatus paid and loyal while illicit oil flows to China stabilize. In a very literal sense, that $25 billion could spell the difference between collapse and survival.

The most concerning element, however, pertains to the war in Lebanon. Leaks regarding the current agreement point to a halt in fighting across all fronts, including with Hezbollah. Since April 8, Israel’s primary goal has been to decouple Lebanon from the broader Iranian conflict. They temporarily achieved a separation in the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire, until Iranian pressure successfully convinced the United States that larger geopolitical considerations were at stake.

More recently, the conflict has been escalating, with the possibility of a major offensive becoming clearer on the horizon. Until now, the mere prospect of a negotiated deal has served as Iran’s primary leverage to hold Israel back, though that leverage seemed to be disintegrating along with Trump’s patience. If Tehran now manages to use this agreement to formally lock the two fronts together, it would constitute a major strategic defeat for Israel.

If an agreement materializes, the ensuing ceasefire—like almost every recent truce—will raise the million-dollar question: who has to stop, and who gets to keep firing?

The reality on the ground could mirror the late-2024 model, where Hezbollah was forced to stand down while Israel proactively maintained the operational initiative, striking their infrastructure. Alternatively—and more likely—it could devolve into the current war of attrition, with Hezbollah launching opportunistic strikes while the IDF’s responses remain tightly constrained. There is also the danger of regressing to a pre-October 7 “hot peace”—a nominal truce that simply grants Hezbollah the quiet it needs to rearm and rebuild. Finally, the arrangement could fail entirely on day one, serving as nothing more than a cosmetic pause in a de facto, ongoing war.

For a leader who has spent decades building his brand as the sole guarantor of Israeli security, accepting a deal that leaves the regime intact, Hezbollah armed, the ballistic missile program recovering, and Tehran flush with sanctions relief is electoral assisted suicide for Netanyahu. Hanging in the balance of these negotiations is the fate of more than one regime.

VIDEO:

A Kinus Torah was held at Yeshiva Gedolah Lubavitch of London, bringing together the hanhalah and bochurim, fulfilling the Rebbe’s Horaah to make Kinnusei Torah on Isru Chag.

The program was arranged by Hatomim Hashliach Gershon Jaacobson, and MC’d by Hatomim Hashliach Mendel Kievman.

Opening the program with Dvar Malchus , Hatomim Hashliach Zalmy Wagner shared a Sicha explaining how the powerful impact of Matan Torah relates to each and every one of us.

Hatomim Hillel Rappaport then presented a sugya whether a woman is required to repeat bentching if she forgot Yaaleh Veyavo on Yom Tov.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schtroks- Mashpia in the yeshiva, explained a diyyuk in the Rebbe Rashab’s Maamer which is based on the Mitteler Rebbe’s Maamer and why the Rebbe Rashab crossed out the word Taanug when it appears in the original Maamer of the Mitteler Rebbe.

The keynote pilpul was delivered by Dayan Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Raskin, who discussed making double Sheva Brachos and Sheva Brachos held during the Rebbe’s farbrengens, as well as a discussion regarding a city which takes in shabbos early and how a later chabad minyan can save yidden from being mechalel shabbos an extra hour.

The event was chaired by the Rosh Yeshiva and Mara D’asra, Rabbi Gedalya Lieberman.

Photography by Hatomim Hashliach Mendel Lubin.

Singer Releases New Song on Hope and Resilience

Singer-songwriter Yechida, also known as Moti Muchnik, releases his new single Rise Up, a soulful folk-inspired song carrying an uplifting message about overcoming life’s challenges.

Blending calming melodies with heartfelt lyrics, the song encourages listeners to stay positive, keep moving forward, and find strength through difficult moments. With themes of resilience, hope, and confidence, Rise Up reminds us that even through dark times, brighter days can still lie ahead.

Known for creating music centered around authenticity and inspiration, Yechida delivers a comforting and empowering anthem about rising above obstacles and appreciating the blessings within every experience.

Rise Up is now available on all streaming platforms.

https://24six.app/app/music/collection/19465

Little Avishag Esther, lovingly called Shugi, was supposed to celebrate her birthday.

The balloons were ready.

The cake was waiting.

Her mother was preparing for a day of joy, laughter, and family.

But before the party even began, everything changed.

Shugi suddenly began crying in a frightening way. She cried until she vomited, and her mother knew something was terribly wrong. Instead of celebrating at home, Shugi was rushed to the hospital.

The birthday dress was replaced by hospital clothes.

The candles were replaced by tests.

The celebration became a fight for her life.

Shugi is only a year and a half old. Her life has barely begun.

While her father is serving in the reserves, her mother is standing by her hospital bed, terrified, praying for her little girl to come home.

This family cannot carry this alone.

Please open your heart and help save little Shugi.

Every donation matters. Every share matters.

Donate now

The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) has been awarded nearly $15 million over six years through the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s Comprehensive After School System of New York City (COMPASS) initiative.

The major award will significantly expand JCCGCI’s after-school and summer programming for children and families in Crown Heights.

The funding will enable JCCGCI to continue its successful programming at long-standing partner schools while expanding services beginning this September to additional students and families.

Participating schools will include Lubavitcher Yeshiva – Crown Street, Associated Beth Rivkah Schools, Lubavitcher Yeshiva – Ocean Parkway, and Yeshiva Darchai Menachem, collectively benefiting nearly 300 children annually.

JCCGCI has proudly operated DYCD-funded after-school and summer programming at Associated Beth Rivkah Schools and United Lubavitcher Yeshiva/Crown Street in Crown Heights since 2012, providing generations of students with access to enriching educational, recreational, and youth-development opportunities in safe and supportive environments.

“We are profoundly grateful to the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development and to its new Commissioner, Hon. Sandra Escamilla-Davies, for the trust and confidence demonstrated through these significant COMPASS awards,” said Rabbi Moshe Wiener, Executive Director of JCCGCI.

“This investment will enable JCCGCI and our outstanding school partners to continue providing safe, enriching, and nurturing environments where children can strengthen academically, socially, and emotionally during the critical after-school hours.”

Rabbi Wiener also expressed appreciation to the program leadership team that helped build JCCGCI’s highly regarded model. “We are especially grateful to Mrs. Chanie Moskowitz and her dedicated team for designing, implementing and operating a unique, award-winning COMPASS model tailored to the needs of our communities — a model that has consistently earned praise and excellent performance evaluations from DYCD and other funding sources. JCCGCI remains deeply committed to expanding opportunities for children and families and helping every child develop the confidence, skills, and support necessary to thrive and succeed.”

JCCGCI’s after-school programs are designed to provide far more than childcare. Through COMPASS, participating students receive free access to academic support, homework assistance, recreation, arts and creative expression, sports, leadership development, cultural experiences, hands-on enrichment, and summer programming. These activities help students build confidence, strengthen friendships, explore new interests, and continue growing academically, socially, and emotionally beyond the regular school day.

The award will support both the COMPASS Elementary model (at Yeshiva Darchai Menachem) and SONYC — School’s Out NYC, COMPASS’s middle school model (at Beth Rivkah and Lubavitcher Yeshivos on Crown Street and Ocean Parkway).

COMPASS Elementary serves students from Kindergarten through fifth grade and supports the whole child through STEM learning, literacy integration, homework help, arts education, physical activity, and nutritional programming. Programs operate three hours per day, five days per week, including select school holidays, with continued services during the summer.

SONYC serves students in sixth through eighth grades through a club-based model that gives middle school students greater choice in how they spend their time while offering rigorous enrichment opportunities in sports, arts, leadership development, and educational trips throughout New York City. SONYC programs also operate three hours per day, five days per week during the school year, with summer services available at select locations.

The expansion comes at a time when families continue to seek high-quality, safe, structured, and enriching after-school opportunities for their children. JCCGCI’s programs provide essential support during the critical after-school hours, helping students remain engaged, supervised, and connected while strengthening academic performance, social-emotional development, and long-term educational success.

JCCGCI extends its sincere gratitude to DYCD, Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies, participating schools, educators, program staff, families, and community partners whose collaboration makes this work possible. As these programs continue to grow, JCCGCI remains committed to creating supportive environments where children can learn, build confidence, discover new talents, and develop the tools they need for lifelong success.

JCCGCI’s Crown Heights initiatives include:
• Crown Heights Career Assessment Program – 835 vocational training scholarships awarded to Crown Heights residents, resulting in 1,355 job placements
• Crown Heights Career Hub – 458 residents trained, leading to 332 job placements
• Parnossah Employment Services Program – More than 500 Crown Heights residents placed into employment
• Workforce Development Program – 586 Crown Heights residents placed into jobs
• Beth Rivkah Teen Club After-School Program
• United Lubavitcher Yeshiva (Crown Street) After-School Program
• “Pioneers” Drama Camp at Beth Rivkah
• “Machane Heights” Biking Camp at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva (Crown Street)
• Crown Heights Mesivta Vocational Track – Serving approximately 130 students from Oholei Torah Mesivta, Chovevei Torah Mesivta, and B’nei Aliyah, helping each participant discover a path toward personal growth, dignity, vocational skills, and long-term success

For more information about JCCGCI’s programs and services, click here

Thousands Expected at Gracie Mansion Rally After Flatbush Demonstrations — Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 PM

On Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 PM, New Yorkers from across the city are expected to gather outside Gracie Mansion for a rally protesting what organizers describe as rising extremism, antisemitism, and intimidation targeting Jewish communities throughout New York City.

The rally, organized by End Jew Hatred, comes in response to last week’s anti-Israel demonstrations in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood, where protesters marched outside a synagogue hosting an Israeli real estate event. Demonstrators reportedly waved Hezbollah flags, displayed Hamas-linked symbols, and chanted slogans including “Intifada Revolution” and “Zionism will fall.”

The protests outside the Young Israel of Midwood synagogue escalated into confrontations with police, leading to multiple arrests. Videos circulating online showed chaos in the streets and a young Jewish girl being assaulted during the demonstrations.

Organizers say the rally will unite Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim leaders against extremism and political violence.

Featured speakers are expected to include:

● Sid Rosenberg – WABC Radio host

● Brooke Goldstein – Founder of End Jew Hatred and The Lawfare Project

● Zach Sage Fox – Activist and content creator

● Anila Ali – Muslim Zionist activist and President of AMMWEC.org

● Mazi Pilip – Nassau County Legislator

● Simon Deng – Sudanese Christian activist

● Pankaj Mehta – Hindus for Universal Human Rights

● Dr. Bill Donohue – President of the Catholic League

● Lizzy Savetsky – Influencer and activist

● Jayne Zirkle – End Jew Hatred

● Ghazal Mizrahi – Singer and activist

● Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch – Rabbi, psychotherapist, and host of the Viktor Frankl Podcast

Organizers say the event is meant to send a message that New Yorkers of all backgrounds must stand together against intimidation, antisemitism, and extremist violence before it becomes normalized in the city.

The rally will take place Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 PM outside Gracie Mansion in Manhattan. More information is available through the official event page.

Information to be Menachem Avel the Halberstam Family

The Halberstam Family will be sitting Shiva following the passing of Mrs. Mindy Halberstam OBM.

Shiva will take place Sunday through Friday, 2:00PM, at 120-43 226th St, Cambria Heights, NY 11411.

Shacharis: 8:00 & 9:00 AM
Break: 12:00-1:30 PM
Mincha: 3:00 PM & 7:45 PM
Maariv – 9:00 pm
Please No visitors after 10:00pm.

LIVE Today 1:00pm EST: Kinnus Torah by Bais Hora’ah Chabad

Kinnus Torah – Bais Hora’ah Chabad will take place today, Sunday, Isru Chag, at 1:00pm EST.

Link to join live: https://merkostorah.com/open?pageId=open&step=3559253389902

Recording will be at the same link 24 hours after the event.

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarasky: Executive Director of Merkos 302

Divrei Berocha 

What is a Chassidisher Rov? 

HaRav Sholom Ber Chaikin

 Vaad HaRabbonim of Bais Hora’ah Chabad

HaRav Gedalia Oberlander 

שוק באשה ערוה לדעת אדה”ז 

HaRav Mordechai Farkash 

How important is it to have a mikva lady?

HaRav Tuvia Kasimov 

Can one “shop around” for answers from different Rabbonim?

HaRav Levi Raskin 

FAQs about Eruv Techumin

HaRav Boruch Hertz

Halachos and proposal for basic kashrus standards in Chabad Houses

Morei Hora’ah of Bais Hora’ah Chabad

HaRav Ehud Kvin 

The necessity of a Beis Hora’ah in the era of AI?

HaRav Berel Polityko 

Overview of hilchos Amira L’Akum

HaRav Mendel Prescott 

We’re pleased to share a new episode of “Lemaan Yishmeu,” the weekly halacha podcast with Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Mara D’asra, and member of the Crown Heights Beis Din, brought to you by AskTheRav.com in partnership with the Lemaan Yilmedu Halacha Institute.

Each week, Rabbi Braun addresses intriguing halachic questions on a wide range of practical topics – real questions that have come to his desk, along with his clear and insightful responses.

You can listen to the podcast on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, 24Six Amazon Music and Pocket Casts

The podcast is also available at https://asktherav.com/podcast, where you can see extensive marei mekomos for each answer.

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include:

Neder to Hear Kiddush Only from Husband
If a woman committed to hear Kiddush only from her husband, does she need hataras nedarim when that’s not possible?
Does it make a difference whether the commitment was mental or verbal?
Can hataras nedarim for this purpose be done on Shabbos?
Transporting a Sefer Torah
May a Sefer Torah be taken out to a park for Krias HaTorah (e.g., for children to hear Aseres Hadibros)?
Does having ten people walk along with the Sefer Torah make it permitted?
What is the context of the Rebbe’s request for children to hear the Aseres Hadibros, and what is the proper way to fulfill it?
Eruv Tavshilin
Can a person appoint a Rov through a phone system as his shliach to make an eruv tavshilin on his behalf in case he forgets?
Does an eruv tavshilin need to be made with the person’s own food?
Does the host’s eruv tavshilin exempt guests who are eating over but sleeping elsewhere?
When do the guests need to be eating over to be included: on erev yom tov, on yom tov, or on Shabbos? What should the guests do practically?
Kesubah Design
Is it proper to use the pasuk “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” in a kesubah design?
Are decorative pesukim on a kesubah appropriate in general?
Is there a problem if the design makes the kesubah text hard to read?
Responsibility for Breaking a Laptop
A person was stretching in a beis midrash and accidentally knocked a laptop off a nearby shtender: what factors do we account for to decide whether he must pay for the damage?
Is a person ever not held responsible for absolute accidents?

On Tes-Sivan

The entire Sefer Tehillim by Eiga Bas Azriel on her yahrzeit

Her Matzeivah reads:

“Lovely people, I am all alone and left no children. Please light a candle and ask for my neshama. In this zechus, may Hashem bless you to live to see your children and their children in their old age with everything good. Amen.”

Bezrat Hashem, with heartfelt tefillah, the Tehillim Shliach will recite the entire Sefer Tehillim at the kever of Eigah bas Azriel asking Hashem for yeshuot in health, shidduchim, kids, happiness, parnassah, shalom bayit, and for every bracha your neshama needs, even those not yet revealed to you.There is a small fee for this service.

Chesed Shel Emes

Around a year ago i restored and uplifted the kever of Eiga Bas Azriel

And restored 350 Kvorim and Kivrei Tzaddikim as well

Right now, I’m working on a deeply meaningful project: repairing dozens of matzeivos of infants and young children, whose resting places deserve the same kavod as anyone else.

I restored kvorim of adults as well

Why I’m Asking for Your Help

I could not do it on my own

And i dedicating myself to this mission for three reasons

A broken or neglected matzeivah causes pain to the neshama.

This is chesed shel emes—true kindness with no expectation of reward.

When I restore a matzeivah, I bring a picture of it into the Ohel when I recite Tehillim. I believe this adds power to the tefillos I say on behalf of others.

Before COVID, my home was open almost year-round to guests. While our hachnosas orchim has scaled down to family and friends, I continue the same spirit of giving—now through restoring kevarim

Levi Piekarski

516-474-5846

[email protected]

The Tehillim Shliach will travel worldwide to any kever

PLEASE DONATE

This is for Chesed Shel Emes Meis Mitzvah purpose only

For Tehillim please first contact me 

Zelle: [email protected]

Cash app: 516-474-5846

Is this does not work then please try this one

Cash app: [email protected]

PayPal & Venmo: 516.474.5846

Credit or Debit card please call 516.474.5846

Alternate Side Parking and Meters Suspended on May 25th for Memorial Day

Alternate side parking (street cleaning) and meters will be suspended on Monday, May 25th for Memorial Day.

I Was in a Coma and the Doctors Gave Up on Me

Nikki’s turnaround came when a rabbi came into her room with a shofar. She went on to publish his book after he was murdered by terrorists.

With the KSCVK “Knot Alone” auction taking place tomorrow night, attention is once again turning to the woman behind an organization that has helped countless couples throughout Crown Heights begin married life with dignity: Mrs. Devorah Benjamin.

For years, Mrs. Benjamin has become a trusted address for chossonim and kallos facing the overwhelming financial pressures that often come with planning a wedding. But what has made her impact so profound is not only the assistance itself, it’s the way it’s given.

Known throughout the community for her compassion, sensitivity, and discretion, Mrs. Benjamin has built KSCVK around a simple but powerful belief: that no couple should feel embarrassed while trying to build a home.

Those who have worked with her often speak not only about the support they received, but about the respect and dignity with which they were treated during one of the most stressful times in their lives.

That approach has become the heart of KSCVK’s mission, helping couples cover essential wedding expenses in the most thoughtful and dignified way possible.

Now, community members have the opportunity to support that mission through the “Knot Alone” auction while entering to win a wide range of incredible prizes.

The drawing takes place tomorrow, Monday, May 25th.

Tickets are available now at kscvk.org

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vid-20260524-wa0015.mp4

Iran Agrees to Give Up ‘Nuclear Dust’ Stockpile in Deal With Trump: Report

New York Post

Iran has reportedly agreed to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium as part of the deal announced by President Trump Saturday.

Tehran has agreed to a statement pledging to relinquish its cache of highly enriched uranium — believed to be enough to build 11 nuclear bombs — the New York Times reported, citing two American officials.

The disposal of the highly enriched uranium, which Trump refers to as “nuclear dust” was a major sticking point in negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic.

Crown Heights Leaders Uncertain On The Political Future For The Community

by: A CH Resident

On the political aspect of Crown Heights, there are many different community leaders, askonim, activists, PAC’s, and non-profit organizations helping the political and social aspects of the Shchuna. Dozens of activists, some newer, some older, advocating for the betterment of Crown Heights.

During the past Mayoral election, there was a Lubavitcher chosid running against incumbent progressive council member Crystal Hudson. None of the leadership on any level in Crown Heights supported this Lubavitcher candidate because they said he didn’t have a chance to win, and they weren’t wrong, the Crown Heights Jewish community is gerrymandered into three different city council districts so our votes are sliced into three when it comes to city council elections.

Although that Lubavitcher didn’t have a chance to win, the fact that he bravely jumped into the race, highlighted the concerns of local residents and did his very best and got over half of the Crown Heights votes that were in his district despite the fact that the CH establishment was against him, they paid Chabad platforms to silence him and endorsed and vigorously promoted his Anti-Israel socialist opponent. Nevertheless he proudly ran for office and inspired the young chevra in Crown Heights to get involved. That show of leadership although unsuccessful at that time, is giving energy to all future candidates and those that want to get involved with helping Crown Heights.

With the Assembly race of Ahron Gluck challenging incumbent Brian Cunningham, 95% plus of Lubavitchers are in the district so will the broader CH establishment do something different? Or will they follow the lead of a group which claims to be “united” but is anything but that?

If you ask most Lubavitchers who they are voting for, an overwhelmingly amount answers are the same, Ahron Gluck, not because he’s “one of us” but because his policies, views and political positions align with the views and values of our community, while on the other hand most Crown Heightsers are frurious with Assemblyman Cunningham’s unapologetic support for the Homeless shelters and proposed bike lanes in the neighborhood.

Will the broader Crown Heights leadership support the best candidate? Time will tell but one thing is for sure, the more Lubavitchers registered to vote as a Democrat, the bigger the chance that our communities candidate can win.

A 1-hour Kinus Torah marking Isru Chag Shavuos will take place at Anshei Lubavitch, located at 578 Albany Avenue in Crown Heights on Sunday night.

The evening will begin with Mincha at 7:15 p.m., followed by the Kinus Torah at 7:30 p.m. Maariv is scheduled for 8:45 p.m.

Featured speakers will include Crown Heights Beis Din Rov Rabbi Yosef Braun, Rov of Anshei Lubavitch Rabbi Yossi Garelik and Rabbi Nissim Lagziel.

Organizers noted that light refreshments will be served.

Can’t Find NYC Trash Bin Ahead of June 1 Mandate? City Won’t Issue Fines Until September

SILive

As NYC homeowners struggle to find and purchase a new trash bin ahead of the June 1 deadline, the city Department of Sanitation announced Wednesday it will not issue fines until September.

According to the New York City Department of Sanitation, the NYC Bin will be required for trash collection beginning June 1.

Read More at SILive

HY’D: Staff Sergeant Noam Hamburger Killed by Hezbollah Drone

israelnationalnews

Staff Sergeant Noam Hamburger, 23 years old from Atlit, fell during operational activity in northern Israel, the IDF said.

Hamburger served as a technology and maintenance combat soldier in the 9th Battalion, 401st Brigade.

During the incident in which Staff Sergeant Noam Hamburger fell, an IDF soldier was severely injured, and a non-commissioned officer was lightly injured.

Read More at israelnationalnews

Raizel Blesofsky, (nee Laber) a young woman who grew up on Shlichus and was recently married, passed away on Friday night, Zayin Sivan, 5786.

She was 23.

She is survived by her husband, Yisroel Blesofsky, son of Rabbi Yossi and Dina Blesofsky, shluchim to Queens, New York.

Please Daven for Tinok hacohen Ben Raizel.

She is also survived by her parents, Rabbi Avraham and Nechama Dina Laber, shluchim to Southern Rensselaer County, NY, and siblings, Chaya Shepherd, Chana Wells, Azriel Laber, Shaina Shemtov (her twin sister), Rivkah Laber, Mendel Laber, Schneur Laber, Yehudah Laber, Baruch Laber, Yosef Laber.

She is also survived by her grandparents, Daniella Wasserman Katzenberg of Montreal and Shmuel and Gittel Laber.

The levaya will take place Sunday, passing 770 at 1:30 pm and arriving at Montefoire cemetery at 2:30 pm.

The family will be sitting Shiva near the ohel today at 120-55 229st until 10 pm

Shiva will continue at the Laber Home
5 Upper Mannix Rd.
East Greenbush NY 12061

Shachris at 10 a.m
Shiva hours 10 a.m -1pm & 5-9 pm

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

Rabbi Sholom Ber Schapiro, Director of the Nissan Mindel Publications (NMP), presents “Historic Treasures.”

Each program shares ‘treasures’ from the archives of Rabbi Schapiro’s father-in-law, Rabbi Dr. Nissan Mindel OBM, a prolific writer who served as a personal secretary of the 6th and 7th Chabad Rebbes.

The program uncovers fascinating stories, rare artifacts and precious documents from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

VIDEO:

BDE: Mrs. Mindy Halberstam, 77, OBM

With great sadness we report the passing of Mrs. Mindy Halberstam OBM, the wife of Rabbi Chaim Boruch Halberstam who was Zoiche to have a special connection to the Rebbetzin. She passed away on Thursday, the 5th of Sivan, 5786.

She was 77 years old.

She is survived by her husband, Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam, and her children; Rabbi Yosef Y. Halberstam (Yerushalayim, EY), Mrs. Dini Gourarie (Montreal, Canada), Rabbi Sholom Ber Halberstam (Chicago, IL), Mrs. Chanie Kramer (Long Island, NY), Mrs. Rivky Shifrin (Little Neck, NY), Mrs. Divi Greisman (Surfside, FL), Mrs. Chaya Evers (Holland), and Mrs. Sarah Paris (Bay Harbour, FL), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brothers Mendy Wohlgemuth and Gideon Wohlgemuth (Israel)

The Levaya will take place Sunday, passing by 770 at approximately 2:00pm and at Montefiore cemetery at approximately 3:30om.

Shiva information to be announced.

Memories and condolences can be sent to [email protected]

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

By COLlive reporter

Mrs. Mindy Halberstam, a resident of Crown Heights who merited to have a close connection to Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson OBM, passed away on Thursday, Erev Shavuos, 5786.

She was 77.

Mrs. Halberstam (nee Wolghemut) was born in Milan, Italy, to a frum Jewish family. As a child, she grew close to Lubavitch when she began attending the educational programs organized by Shluchim Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik OBM and his wife Mrs. Bassie Garelik.

In 5730 (1970), she married Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam, a Lubavitcher who is a descendant of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, founder of the Sanz Chassidic dynasty.

Before their wedding in Italy, the couple merited to have a yechidus with the Rebbe. R’ Chaim Boruch, who founded WLCC, which documented daily life with the Rebbe, naturally recorded the conversation for posterity.

AUDIO: Yechidus of R’ Chaim Baruch and his wife Mindy Halberstam

For her wedding, Mrs. Mindy Halberstam received a special gift from the Rebbetzin, wife of the Rebbe: a silver fruit bowl and two silver candlesticks for her Shabbat candles. Along with the gift, the Rebbetzin sent a letter filled with blessings.

“It seemed only natural to me that we would be invited to the Rebbetzin’s home,” she recalled in an interview with the Kfar Chabad magazine.

Her rare access stemmed from her husband’s unique role as a mashbak (attendant) in the home of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin at 1304 President Street, where he assisted with whatever was needed.

“Sadly, I didn’t realize back then what a tremendous privilege it was,” Mrs. Halberstam admitted. “I remember when Mrs. Garelik of Milan heard that I had been inside the Rebbetzin’s house, she was amazed and confided that she herself had never been there.”

As time went on, the Halberstams began bringing their children to visit the Rebbetzin, who delighted in holding and playing with them when they were babies.

“One Simchas Torah, my husband suggested that I go visit the Rebbetzin, noting that she was likely home alone while the Rebbe was with the chassidim at 770,” she shared. “So, I set out with my stroller and two children, and knocked on the back door.

The Rebbetzin was overjoyed by our arrival. For over an hour, she played with the children using a small ball she had, marveling at them. Her pure, visible happiness brought us back the following year—this time with three children—and it quickly blossomed into an annual tradition.”

Mrs. Halberstam was a sincere, Chasidishe woman, devoted to the Rebbe’s inyanim, and was very involved in Mivtzoim.

She is survived by her husband, Rabbi Chaim Baruch, their children Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Halberstam – Yerushalayim, Rabbi Sholom Ber Halberstam – Chicago, Mrs. Dini Gurary – Montreal, Mrs. Chanie Kramer – Merrick, NY; Mrs. Rivky Shifrin – Little Neck, Queens; Mrs. Chaya Evers – Amsterdam, Mrs. Divi Greisman – Florida and Mrs. Sara Paris; grandchildren.

The levaya will take place tomorrow, Sunday, passing by 770 at 2:00 pm, burial at Old Montefiore Cemetery at 3:30 pm.

Shiva at *Ohel Hachomesh at the Ohel*
120-43 226th St
Cambria Heights, NY
11411

Shacharis: 8:00 & 9:00 AM
Break: 12:00-1:30 PM
Mincha: 3:00 PM & 7:45 PM
Maariv – 9:00 pm
Please No visitors after 10:00pm.

Memories and condolences can be sent to [email protected]

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

Rabbonim and representatives of the CHK Crown Heights Kashrus organization recently visited dairy plants and food production facilities in New Jersey and Upstate New York as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen kashrus oversight and Cholov Yisroel production for the Crown Heights community and Chabad communities worldwide.

The visits focused on reviewing dairy manufacturing processes, monitoring production standards, and reinforcing the high level of supervision maintained by CHK at facilities producing kosher and Cholov Yisroel products.

Among the locations visited were facilities connected to Devash Farms & Brands, including Fresh & Healthy, Milan, and Slim-U.

Participating in the visits were Rabbi Yakov Osdoba, Rabbi Berel Levertov, and Rabbi Levi Goldzweig.

CHK representatives said the tours and inspections are part of continuous efforts to ensure the highest standards of kashrus supervision while supporting reliable Cholov Yisroel production for consumers around the world.

The visits also provided an opportunity to work closely with plant management and staff to review ongoing supervision procedures and maintain strong relationships with manufacturers producing kosher-certified products.

This week, Oholei Torah proudly hosted its annual MBP Chalukas Haprosim, celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Cheder Talmidim who participated in this year’s Mishnayos and Tanya Baal Peh program as a Matana for the Rebbe’s birthday.

This year marked an especially ambitious milestone as the Yeshiva launched its “Double 70,000” campaign, setting a bold goal of two times 70,000 lines of Tanya Baal Peh and two times 70,000 lines of Mishnayos Baal Peh, totaling an unprecedented 280,000 line target in honor of 70 years of Oholei Torah.

In a remarkable display of dedication, all 964 Talmidim in the Cheder division participated in the Mivtza. Every single Talmid contributed, from younger boys completing a few lines to older Talmidim mastering entire Perakim and Masechtos Baal Peh.

The accomplishments were extraordinary. One Talmid completed the Entire Shisha Sidrei Mishna, while another completed two full Sedarim.

In total, 2,244 Perakim of Tanya were learned Baal Peh with 64 Talmidim completed 12 Perakim of Tanya Baal Peh B’Vas Achas, alongside many others who mastered substantial portions throughout the year.

This year also saw tremendous growth in the Gemara Baal Peh program, with 84 Talmidim participating, far surpassing previous years. Together, they completed over 626 Blatt Gemara, totaling more than 32,000 lines of Gemara Baal Peh.

In addition to Mishnayos, Tanya, and Gemara, the Talmidim also participated in the Yedios Klolios program, designed to ensure that alongside their regular learning, they develop broad Torah knowledge and foundational Chassidishe concepts. The program included mastery of areas such as the names of the Masechtos, the order of the Parshiyos, important Tefillos and Brachos, and select sections of Chassidus.

Altogether, the Talmidim achieved an astounding total of over 452,000 lines of Torah memorized, earning nearly 700,000 MBP points.

A major highlight of this year’s program was the grand Chalukas Haprosim ceremony, where every participating Talmid received Seforim and prizes in recognition of his accomplishments. In total, over 2,200 sets of seforim were distributed, amounting to more than 6,300 volumes of Seforim.

Another exciting highlight was the special Rebbe Dollar raffle, generously sponsored by Rabbi Moshe Meshel Tzfasman. Over 51,000 raffle tickets were earned by the participating Talmidim. One fortunate Talmid, Tzvi Markowitz, was awarded a Rebbe Dollar in the presence of his father and grandfather, creating an emotional and memorable moment for all in attendance.

A tremendous hakaras hatov goes to the many testers, Rebbeim, and Menahalim whose dedication made the Mivtza possible. Special recognition is given to Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Gordon, who invested countless hours and helped elevate the program to unprecedented levels this year.

The program was emceed by Principals Rabbi Yossi Evers, Rabbi Eli Simpson, and Tzivos Hashem Base Commander Rabbi Mendel Levin, who distributed Seforim and awards to the highest achievers. Hundreds of proud parents and family members filled the ballroom to witness the inspiring ceremony and celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the Talmidim.

The boys’ devotion to internalizing Torah Baal Peh is a shining example of Oholei Torah’s mission to raise proud Chassidishe Talmidim grounded in Yiras Shamayim, Ahavas HaTorah, and Hiskashrus to the Rebbe.

A special hakaras hatov is extended to Rabbi Mendel Levin, whose tireless dedication and leadership helped elevate this year’s program to unprecedented heights. In addition to his many responsibilities as Tzivos Hashem Base Commander, and overseeing numerous programs throughout the Yeshiva including Chidon, Shabbos Minyan, and Gan Menachem Cheder Division, he invested countless hours, energy, and attention into every detail of the Mivtza and Chalukas Haprosim, helping make it an unforgettable and deeply meaningful experience for the Talmidim.

A summary booklet was printed, given out in Yeshiva and distributed to the local Shuls, including each talmid who took part: View it here.

Siyum Shisha Sidrei Mishna Baal Peh at Oholei Torah’s Largest Chalukas Haprosim Yet 

This week, Oholei Torah proudly hosted its annual MBP Chalukas Haprosim, celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Cheder Talmidim who participated in this year’s Mishnayos and Tanya Baal Peh program as a Matana for the Rebbe’s birthday.

This year marked an especially ambitious milestone as the Yeshiva launched its “Double 70,000” campaign, setting a bold goal of two times 70,000 lines of Tanya Baal Peh and two times 70,000 lines of Mishnayos Baal Peh, totaling an unprecedented 280,000 line target in honor of 70 years of Oholei Torah.

In a remarkable display of dedication, all 964 Talmidim in the Cheder division participated in the Mivtza. Every single Talmid contributed, from younger boys completing a few lines to older Talmidim mastering entire Perakim and Masechtos Baal Peh.

The accomplishments were extraordinary. One Talmid completed the Entire Shisha Sidrei Mishna, while another completed two full Sedarim.

In total, 2,244 Perakim of Tanya were learned Baal Peh with 64 Talmidim completed 12 Perakim of Tanya Baal Peh B’Vas Achas, alongside many others who mastered substantial portions throughout the year.

This year also saw tremendous growth in the Gemara Baal Peh program, with 84 Talmidim participating, far surpassing previous years. Together, they completed over 626 Blatt Gemara, totaling more than 32,000 lines of Gemara Baal Peh.

In addition to Mishnayos, Tanya, and Gemara, the Talmidim also participated in the Yedios Klolios program, designed to ensure that alongside their regular learning, they develop broad Torah knowledge and foundational Chassidishe concepts. The program included mastery of areas such as the names of the Masechtos, the order of the Parshiyos, important Tefillos and Brachos, and select sections of Chassidus.

Altogether, the Talmidim achieved an astounding total of over 452,000 lines of Torah memorized, earning nearly 700,000 MBP points.

A major highlight of this year’s program was the grand Chalukas Haprosim ceremony, where every participating Talmid received Seforim and prizes in recognition of his accomplishments. In total, over 2,200 sets of seforim were distributed, amounting to more than 6,300 volumes of Seforim. 

Another exciting highlight was the special Rebbe Dollar raffle, generously sponsored by Rabbi Moshe Meshel Tzfasman. Over 51,000 raffle tickets were earned by the participating Talmidim. One fortunate Talmid, Tzvi Markowitz, was awarded a Rebbe Dollar in the presence of his father and grandfather, creating an emotional and memorable moment for all in attendance.

A tremendous hakaras hatov goes to the many testers, Rebbeim, and Menahalim whose dedication made the Mivtza possible. Special recognition is given to Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Gordon, who invested countless hours and helped elevate the program to unprecedented levels this year.

The program was emceed by Principals Rabbi Yossi Evers, Rabbi Eli Simpson, and Tzivos Hashem Base Commander Rabbi Mendel Levin, who distributed Seforim and awards to the highest achievers. Hundreds of proud parents and family members filled the ballroom to witness the inspiring ceremony and celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the Talmidim.

The boys’ devotion to internalizing Torah Baal Peh is a shining example of Oholei Torah’s mission to raise proud Chassidishe Talmidim grounded in Yiras Shamayim, Ahavas HaTorah, and Hiskashrus to the Rebbe.

A special hakaras hatov is extended to Rabbi Mendel Levin, whose tireless dedication and leadership helped elevate this year’s program to unprecedented heights. In addition to his many responsibilities as Tzivos Hashem Base Commander, and overseeing numerous programs throughout the Yeshiva including Chidon, Shabbos Minyan, and Gan Menachem Cheder Division, he invested countless hours, energy, and attention into every detail of the Mivtza and Chalukas Haprosim, helping make it an unforgettable and deeply meaningful experience for the Talmidim. 

A summary booklet was printed, given out in Yeshiva and distributed to the local Shuls, including each talmid who took part: View it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dpKCmSIpq38Q_LmU-PlhZ3RUS70qbJxi/view?usp=sharing 

Photos by: Yossi Fajnland

Choosing Life: From Survival to Resilience – Community Gathers to Hear Survivor Barak Morag’s Story

A large number of community members gathered for a powerful and moving evening, “Choosing Life: From Survival to Resilience,” featuring October 7 survivor and Kibbutz Nir Oz resident Barak Morag of Israel. The Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County partnered with Chabad of Orange County, led by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston, to host the event in the Chabad Center in Monroe.  The event offered a heartfelt opportunity to hear firsthand about courage, faith, and rebuilding after unimaginable loss.

The evening opened with welcoming remarks from Rabbi Pesach Burston, “The people of Israel need to know they are not alone,” said Burston. “Every mitzvah, every prayer, every act of goodness and generosity and every effort to raise awareness – strengthens that unity and brings blessings.  May this gathering bring strength, comfort and blessing to the people of
Israel, healing to those who need healing, protection to those in danger, and peace to our brothers and sisters everywhere.”

A heartfelt prayer for Israel and for peace around the world was led by Federation past president and executive committee member Abbe Distelburger of Goshen. 

Federation past president Dr. Leslie Green of Chester delivered a strong message on the importance of educating and advocating against antisemitism, highlighting the vital role the Jewish Federation plays in strengthening Jewish identity, fostering unity, and standing up for the community.

Barak was introduced by Dr. Lon Merin, who, along with his wife Suzy, played a key role in bringing Barak to the community.  

In his deeply personal presentation, “From the Ashes of Kibbutz Nir Oz: A Journey from Loss to Light,” Barak shared his story of survival, resilience, and determination in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, inspiring the audience with his message of hope and unwavering spirit.

In a meaningful moment of solidarity, CTeen leader Andrew McCauley of Washingtonville, along with his sister Paige, and Daniel Ceglio of Newburgh presented Barak with meaningful gifts for his children.  Members of the CTeen chapter created personalized bedroom signs for Barak’s children, accompanied by handwritten notes, wishing them joy, comfort and peace in their new home. The Morag family home was destroyed in the attacks. Barak was also presented with a Mezuzah for the family’s new home as a gift from the entire community.  “A mezuzah is a sacred parchment placed on the doorpost of a Jewish home as a symbol of faith and Divine protection,” said Chana Burston at the presentation, “May this gift bless your new home with peace, joy and safety as you rebuild and continue forward with strength and courage.”

The evening concluded with an engaging exchange with Barak and the audience, moderated by Suzy Merin, allowing attendees to connect personally with Barak and reflect on the importance of unity and strength.

“A most memorable but gut-wrenching community event. To listen to Barak recount how his family survived the horrific October 7th terror attack on his Kibbutz, Nir Oz, is something I don’t think any of us who were there will ever forget,” Abbe Distelburger of Goshen commented.

“Speaking for the Orange County Jewish community was a wonderful experience. The people, the atmosphere and the great sense of welcome I received reinforced my passion for this meaningful mission. The large turnout of people who came on a week night to hear me share my story and be there as a support, and the meaningful reactions from them mean the world to me, and will send me back home with renewed strength,” said Barak about his experience visiting the community.

The event served as a powerful reminder that even in the face of devastation, faith, resilience, and community can help illuminate the path forward.

Photo Credit: Yael Ceglio Photography

State Department Settles Lawsuit Over $1.5B Sent by Biden Admin to Palestinian Authority

New York Post

The State Department has settled a lawsuit over the Biden administration sending more than $1.5 billion in taxpayer money to the Palestinian Authority, in apparent violation of federal law.

Under the deal with America First Legal, the State Department agreed to adhere for the next 10 years to the Taylor Force Act of 2018, which bars the US from sending certain types of aid to the Palestinian Authority until it agrees to stop financing its Martyrs Fund.

Critics have alleged the fund constitutes a “pay for slay” scheme, rewarding families of Palestinians killed or detained while carrying out attacks against Israelis.

Chabad History With Rabbi Dalfin – Warsaw Memories #6, Warsaw Cemetery

Rabbi Chaim Dalfin, author and Chasidic historian shares interesting facts, many revealed for the first time. The purpose of his program is to inspire all but especially the youth. Watch another installment here on CrownHeights.info.

Visit Rabbi Dalfin’s website: Click Here

Photos: Tzvi Levenhartz/COLlive

Don’t forget to make an Eruv Tavshilin

Candle Lighting in Crown Heights:
Thursday: 7:54 PM
Friday night: At 7:55 PM from a pre-existing flame
Shabbos ends: 9:02 PM

This week’s Shalom Zachors:
Mendy and Mrs. Cohen: 829 Montgomery St (Between Albany and Troy Aves)
MM and Mrs. Tzikvashvili: 272 Kingston Ave (Between Lincoln Pl and Eastern Pkwy)
Yosef and Mrs. Malka: 1516 President St (Between Albany and Troy Aves)
Shraga and Mrs. Kazatchkov: 1531 Union St, 2nd Floor (Between Kingston and Albany Aves)

Kabolas HaTorah B’simcha Ub’pnimiyus!

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Crown Heights Shmira and the NYPD responded to a series of incidents in recent weeks, resulting in multiple arrests and several ongoing investigations.

Rock-Throwing attack on Bochur
A perpetrator was arrested for menacing on May 11 at approximately 12:45 AM after chasing a Bochur near Eastern Parkway and Albany Avenue while hurling rocks at him. Crown Heights Shmira responded and located the victim while the NYPD arrested the suspect. The perpetrator is the same individual arrested for the July 19, 2025 hate crime assault near 770 Eastern Parkway, in which he punched one victim in the face while shouting antisemitic slurs and threw a soda can at a second victim.

Persistent Burglar Arrested
A burglar was arrested 2 separate times in connection with the same property near Union Street and Albany Avenue. He was first caught inside the home on May 4 at approximately 1:00 PM and arrested. Undeterred, he returned on May 6 with the intention of breaking in again but fled before being apprehended. On May 9 at approximately 9:00 PM, Shmira received a call for a suspicious person in the area. Responding members identified the wanted suspect and observed him enter the property a third time. He was promptly arrested by the NYPD 71st Precinct.

Shoplifter Arrested
A shoplifter was arrested on May 8 at approximately 4:30 PM after stealing from a store near Empire Boulevard and New York Avenue. Crown Heights Shmira and the NYPD responded swiftly, locating and arresting the suspect.

Attempted Burglary
Shmira responded to a report of an attempted burglary near Rutland Road and Albany Avenue on May 6 at approximately 10:00 PM. Members searched the area extensively but the suspect had already fled. The NYPD filed a report.

Tefillin stolen from Shul
A pair of tefillin were stolen sometime between May 1 and May 2 from a shul near Empire Boulevard and Kingston Avenue. Anyone with information should contact Shmira at 718-221-0303.

Bicycle Thief Arrested
A wanted thief was arrested on May 1 at approximately 3:00 PM after a Shmira member on patrol recognized him near Kingston Avenue and East New York Avenue. The suspect was still in possession of the stolen bicycle at the time and was promptly arrested by the NYPD.

ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS FROM MARCH AND APRIL
The following incidents occurred in March and April and resulted in arrests following a response by Crown Heights Shmira and the NYPD.

Recidivist Thief Arrested A known suspect wanted for stealing from multiple homes was located and arrested near Montgomery Street and Schenectady Avenue on April 30.

Attempted Robbery A suspect was arrested on April 28 for attempted robbery and criminal mischief after grabbing and damaging a victim’s phone near St. Johns Place and Kingston Avenue.

Property Damage A suspect was arrested on April 20 after damaging property near Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue.

Known Burglar Arrested A known burglar who had recently returned to the area was wanted for a fresh burglary and theft. He was located and arrested near Schenectady Avenue and Montgomery Street on April 19.

Burglary Arrest Two suspects broke into a storage facility near Lefferts Avenue and Schenectady Avenue on April 17, making off with thousands of dollars worth of property. One of the burglars brazenly returned a second time, prompting a swift response from Shmira and the NYPD. Following a lengthy search, he was located and placed under arrest.

Order of Protection Violation A perpetrator was arrested near Kingston Avenue and Eastern Parkway on April 16 for violating an order of protection.

Assault With Stick A suspect who assaulted and injured a victim by striking him with a stick near Nostrand Avenue and Eastern Parkway was swiftly arrested on March 29.

Equipment Theft Two suspects were arrested on March 27 after stealing expensive equipment near President Street and Kingston Avenue.

DWI Crash Arrest A suspect was arrested for DWI on March 27 after crashing her car near Brooklyn Avenue and President Street.

Scooter Theft A suspect who stole an expensive scooter was tracked down and arrested near Sterling Street and New York Avenue on March 26.

Shul Sign Theft A perpetrator wanted for stealing a shul sign was located and arrested near Kingston Avenue and Lefferts Avenue on March 24.

Burglary Arrest A suspect who committed a burglary near Empire Boulevard and Troy Avenue on March 19 was arrested following a thorough investigation by Crown Heights Shmira and the NYPD.

Indecent Exposure A suspect who indecently exposed himself on Kingston Avenue was arrested on March 18.

Auto Parts Theft A perpetrator who attempted to steal auto parts near New York Avenue and Crown Street was arrested on March 17.

Please be aware of your surroundings. In case of an emergency, call 911 and Shmira 24/7 at 718-221-0303.

Yossi Weiss, a 14 Year Old Bochur from Miami Lakes, FL, started making a Parsha Minute to inspire other kids to learn about Parsha in a fun and creative way.

The videos contain a short message from the Parsha, narrated by Yossi and with input from his younger siblings Mirel, Shalom Ber and Roza Hinda.

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/whatsapp-video-2026-05-20-at-8.54.47-pm.mp4

In preparation for Shavuos, the OTMC – Oholei Torah Mothers Committee brought a special hands-on activity to the Cheder classrooms, filling the Yeshiva with excitement and creativity.

Mothers visited the Pre1A – 5th Grade classrooms and joined the talmidim in decorating beautiful planters and planting colorful flowers together. The boys enthusiastically decorated, planted, and proudly prepared their creations to bring home in honor of Shavuos.

The Yeshiva extends heartfelt thanks to the OTMC for continually bringing meaningful and engaging programs to the talmidim and helping enhance the Yom Tov atmosphere with hands-on projects throughout Oholei Torah.

In this week’s Olam Hahalachah, Rabbi Mendel Prescott, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Smicha, examines the halachic status of corporations and whether a company is considered a separate entity in halacha.

In the previous article, we discussed the status of stock ownership and whether it affects the halachic standing of a company — such as a bank — with regard to depositing, borrowing, or chometz ownership. Here we address a more fundamental question: what exactly is a company?

Virtually every major company today is a corporation. This means that it is regarded as a standalone legal entity distinct from its owners. Technically, no individual human being owns a corporation’s assets; the corporation itself is the owner. Shareholders own shares — contractual instruments that confer certain rights, such as voting and dividends — but the underlying assets belong to the corporation as a juridical person. How does halacha view this?

For background: the modern corporation traces its origins to the 1600’s, though at that stage the structure and legal implications of the corporate form had not yet fully crystallized. Over time, it evolved into what is known today as the “corporate veil” — the principle that a company and its owners are treated as entirely separate legal personalities.

One of the landmark rulings that firmly established this notion came about through a maneuver of a sharp Yiddishe kop, who proved to be a step ahead of his creditors in applying the newly developing legal structure.

Aron Salomon, a Jewish British boot manufacturer in the 1890s, operated his business as a sole proprietorship. At a certain point, he decided to incorporate his business as a legal corporation under the name “Salomon & Co. Ltd.” After that, the company took on significant loans in order to expand operations. But Mr. Salomon had structured the incorporation in a clever way. After he had formed the corporation, he “sold” his business, which had been his personal property till then, to the newly created corporate entity. The sale was on credit, and he, acting on the corporation’s behalf, assigned business assets as security for the payment owed to him by the corporation. At the time, this move was a strange one: how could one owe money to oneself?

Before long, the business failed, and the creditors came to collect. But Salomon came as well, claiming that he too was a creditor of the business, and stood in a senior position because his claim was secured by collateral. The creditors were incensed and argued that the entire arrangement was a sham. “Salomon & Co.”, they contended, was merely Aron Salomon under another name.

The lower courts ruled in favor of the creditors, reflecting what seemed to be the straightforward common-sense view. But the matter ultimately reached the House of Lords (the UK’s highest court) and they ruled decisively in Salomon’s favor. He was paid ahead of the other creditors, leaving them with little or nothing. In doing so, the court gave enduring legal force to the principle that a corporation is indeed a separate entity.[1]

Before turning to the halachic side, it is important to pause and appreciate how radical the concept of a corporation truly is. When a corporation is formed, the law declares that a new “person” has come into existence. That legal person can own property, enter contracts, sue and be sued, incur debts, and even commit crimes, entirely independently of the human beings who formed it or who own its shares. The corporation is not the shareholders, not the directors, and not the employees, but a separate legal being.

If one were to fully accept the existence of a corporate entity in halachic terms, many business-related halachic issues would become far simpler. Chametz, Shabbos, ribbis, and issurei hana’ah—among the common halachic barriers —would be less of an issue. It would be like a non-Jew—or, more precisely, a non-human legal being—owned and operated the business, while Jews held only residual claims or financial stakes.

Yet when viewed through halachic lens, the matter is far less simple. In halacha, an item not owned by any person is hefker. Accordingly, most poskim maintain that a corporation – the way law defines it – does not exist.[2] And since its assets are certainly not hefker, the corporation is the property of its shareholders. “Corporation,” in halachic terms, is simply a legal name assigned to a collection of assets and business activities that are owned by people.

There is, yet, a shittah that even halacha can recognize the existence of a self-standing entity. The Rogatchover Gaon,[3] in his distinctive approach, maintains this position. One of his examples is the property of the tzibbur, which is not hefker; it is owned, yet not personally owned by individuals. It belongs to a distinct entity called tzibbur, with the individual members serving as beneficiaries.

According to this, the members of a corporation—even where there is only a sole member—would not be the direct owners, and many halachic problems would be significantly reduced. This doesn’t mean that everything would automatically be permitted l’maaseh, since issurei derabbanan may still apply.[4] It would, however, open the door to some level of leniency.

Even according to the conventional view — that a corporation constitutes regular ownership — its legal structure nonetheless has halachic ramifications for ribbis. One of the defining features of a corporation is that the liability of its owners is limited, as demonstrated in the Salomon & Co story where the debts were imposed on the corporation and not upon Aron Salomon personally.

The poskim explain that this feature has halachic grounds through the principle of apoteki. The Gemara[5] discusses cases in which a borrower designates a particular asset as collateral, similar to a mortgaged property, giving the lender exclusive rights in that asset. A more specific form is apoteki mefurash, where the borrower stipulates, “You may collect only from this asset,” in which case the lender may collect only from the designated asset; and if that asset is lost or damaged, the lender has no further recourse. According to these poskim, corporate debt may be understood in these terms: the debt is real, but it is subject to an apoteki mefurash, namely, the assets of the company alone.

This creates a kulah for ribbis, as many poskim maintain that a loan secured only by an apoteki mefurash is not subject to ribbis de’oraysa. The reason is that the essence of a loan is the existence of personal indebtedness—shibud haguf. A non-recourse loan holds no shibud haguf, only shibud nechasim, and is therefore not classified as a genuine halva’ah. There are numerous examples throughout Perek Eizehu Neshech where ribbis is permitted when the principal itself remains at risk, such as in cases of mashkanta[6] and pardeisa.[7]

Rav Shimon Greenfeld[8] follows this approach and strongly maintains that lending to a corporation. He goes further and suggests that it may even be permitted miderabbanan as well—not because the shareholders do not own the company, but because they bear no personal liability.[9] He adds that the wording of the passuk supports this: “Lo sashich l’achicha”—to your brother—implying a personal loan to your brother, rather than a claim limited solely to his assets. Rav Moshe Feinstein[10] follows this line of reasoning and seems to permit lending to a corporation even miderabbanan.

The most prominent approach appears to be the middle-ground shittah: there is no ribbis de’oraysa, but there does remain an issur ribbis derabbanan. The Minchas Yitzchak[11] to assume this position, along with many other poskim.

Rav Yaakov Blau, in Bris Yehuda,[12] takes the opposite extreme. In his view, even though the loan is backed only by company assets, ribbis de’oraysa still applies. It remains a full-fledged loan to the members of the corporation, who are considered to owe the money, and the fact that the loan is tied to an apoteki mefurash does not alter its status. Nevertheless, he concludes that since many great poskim hold that there is no ribbis de’oraysa, one may rely on that view.

The practical difference between treating the matter as de’oraysa or derabbanan emerges in situations where there are additional tzeirufim l’kulah (e.g., when the majority shareholders are non-Jews). For an issur de’oraysa it would be far more difficult to rely on such leniencies, whereas for a derabbanan, the basis for leniency is stronger.

It should be emphasized that the kulah of apotaki applies only to depositing money in an interest-bearing account. Borrowing from a Jewish-owned bank remains prohibited, since the borrower bears personal liability toward the corporation, which is the property of its members.[13]

Likewise, other halachic concerns — such as chametz, issurei hana’ah, or Shabbos — are not resolved through this approach, since it maintains that a corporation remains an ordinary partnership. The only distinction is the lack of personally liability – which only helps for ribbis. Other kulos may apply – but the “corporate veil” itself is of no avail.

Rav Moshe Sternbuch[14] offers an interesting twist which can work for other halachic issues as well. Like the other poskim, he holds that a separate entity cannot exist, but he derives a kulah from that. He suggests that when one purchases stock in a corporation, since the company itself has no halachic existence, one has not truly purchased anything tangible at all; in a sense, one has purchased only air. Accordingly, the money paid remains a loan to the members of the company. Thus, for example, if the company deals in chametz, there would be no issue of bal yeira’eh, since the shareholders never truly acquired ownership of shares in a halachically operative sense. This would hold true regarding ribbis issues as well. But he concludes that this sevara alone, while good for limud zchus, is not strong grounds for real hetter. (In the previous article, we discussed some leniencies regarding the ownership status of small share-holders.)

[1] מעשה זו מובא בכל ספרי החוקים של דיניהם. גם הרב משה שטרנבוך (מועדים וזמנים חלק ג סימן רסט בהגה) מביא את כל המעשה בתוך אריכות דיונו בהגדרת חברת בע”מ.

[2] לדוגמה, ראה לשונו של הג”ר אלחנן וסרמן (בקובץ נועם ג’): “ועל הרוצים לחדש דחברה בע”מ הוא מעין בעלות חדשה, בעלות ולא בעלות, עליהם הראיה מהש”ס לגדר כזה, ועצם אי-מציאות הדברים בש”ס אינו נותן מקום כל דהו להסתפק,”

[3] בשו”ת צפנת פענח חלק ב (סימן קפד). וכדאי להעתיק לשונו: “והנה גדר באנק לא נקרא דבר מסויים, רק דבר של צורה לא חומר, כי גם מי שיש להם באנק הם אינם משועבדים לעצמם…”

[4] שכך מסיים הצפנת פענח: “לכן אין זה רבית בבאנק על פי דין תורה.” משמע שלא בא להתיר לגמרי.

[5] מסכת גיטין (מא ,א)

[6] מסכת בבא מציעא (סז, ב)

[7] שם (עג, א)

[8] שו”ת מהרש”ג חלק יורה דעה חלק א (סימן ג, וסימן ה)

[9] בשו”ת מנחת יצחק חלק ג (סימן א, אות ג) מפקפק אם אכן היתה כוונת המהרש”ג לפרסם זה ההיתר למעשה. וטען שחלק זה של התשובה נשאר רק בכת”י, עיין דבריו.

[10] אגרות משה יורה דעה חלק ב (סימן סג)

[11] חלק ג (סימן א)

[12] סוף פרק ז (ראה באריכות בהערות שם)

[13] כ”כ כל הפוסקים שדיברו בענין זה. גם באגרות משה (שם ד”ה “אבל טעם זה”) מבאר זה בפשיטות.

[14] מועדים וזמנים חלק ג (סימן רסט, בהגה)

Download this week’s Olam Hahalachah here.

BESHT Shavuos Night Lecture Series

As is the custom to spend Shavuos night awake and learning through dawn, The BESHT presents a series of lectures and classes for the Crown Heights community.

12:15am Rabbi Mendy Wolff – Your Parents Are Not the Author of Your Future

1:15am Rabbi Shlomo Sternberg – Staying young forever: Chaim Nitzchyim

2:15am Rabbi Levke Kaplan – An ode to Tanya

A Taste of the Rebbe’s Farbrengens – Shavuos

The Rebbe held 43 farbrengens on Shavuos. The sichos from these farbrengens span close to 1,400 pages in the Yiddish Hanochos (transcripts) in Sichos Kodesh, and around 150 pages in the English Hanochos published by Sichos in English.

Each farbrengen is a priceless treasure. It was the highlight of the week for those fortunate to be present when the Rebbe farbrenged. Nowadays, these farbrengens are preserved in thousands of pages, waiting to be relived by every chossid.

To get a taste of these farbrengens (Some selected highlights appear below), visit berel.me/taste/shavuos to explore this week’s “Taste”. You can download and print it for Shabbos, with curated suggestions for which farbrengen to learn, along with a qr code to access each one.

To receive the “Taste” each week, subscribe for free at berel.me/taste/subscribe

May we merit to once again experience a farbrengen with the Rebbe—now!

—

Selected excerpts from this edition of the “Taste”

**Shavous 5742
**The lesson to be derived from this story is that Jewish children have to be taught Torah and must memorize it. Then, when a non-Jew stops them in the street, they will have a Torah answer.

We must dedicate ourselves to this task and make sure it is accomplished. G-d gives us a reward for noble thoughts but on a practical level, nothing is accomplished with thoughts alone. Even if you have no proper intentions, even if the only reason you get involved in Chinuch is because someone else forces you, your thoughts don’t matter. What is important is the ultimate goal: the education of Jewish children.20

**Shavuos 5749
**There is another point relevant to this concept. According to Torah law, every moment of one’s day should be devoted to Torah study. However, because one also has an obligation to support one’s wife and family and, therefore, must devote a large portion of one’s day to mundane activities, one is allowed to fulfill one’s obligation of Torah study by setting aside a portion of time for Torah study each morning and evening. Thus, should G-d grant a person additional wealth and prosperity, he must devote more time to Torah study.

The holiday of Shavuos shares a particular connection to material blessings as implied by our Sages’ statement: “Everyone agrees that on Shavuos, ‘lechem’ (material satisfaction) is required.” When a person is granted these material blessings, he will be able to devote more time and energy to Torah study.

If a person will argue, “I am not involved in business for myself. The reason I am so deeply involved is so that I will be able to give more to charity.” The way to determine if this is so or not is to see how he conducts his business. Does the person do only what is necessary in order to make a vessel for G-d’s blessings and use his free time for Torah study or does he follow a worldly perspective, accepting whatever leniencies in Torah he can find?

**Shavuos 5751
**When a person does not realize the purpose for his existence which is “to serve His Creator”  he can never experience true tranquility and calm. On the contrary, the changes and multiplicity in the world at large disrupt and disturb him. When, however, a person is aware of the purpose for his existence and for each aspect of his life, he rises above all this treadmill of activity. This, in turn, allows a person to reach a state of fulfillment and development.

Furthermore, the awareness of one’s purpose generates tranquility, not only for the person himself, but for the activities which he carries out in the world at large. This allows them to be carried out with added perfection and success; and thus spreads rest and tranquility throughout the world.

Similarly, in regard to the giving of the Torah: When the Jews received the Torah, the purpose of the entire creation that it was brought into being for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of the Jewish people was revealed. When the Jews observe the Torah and its mitzvos, and influence the gentiles to observe their seven mitzvos, they transform the world into a dwelling for G-d, and in this way, spread rest and tranquility throughout the world, encompassing every particular dimension of existence.

The Yomtov of Shavuos this week celebrates the Jewish people receiving the Torah on Har Sinai. Central among its observance is the reading of the Aseres Hadibros (Ten Commandments).

The Rebbe stressed that every effort should be made to bring all Jewish children, girls, boys and even infants, to Shul to hear the Aseres Hadibros, just like in the desert.

Minyonim for Aseres Hadibros will be held in the following 13 locations around Crown Heights, and beyond, to allow all men, women and children to attend.

Friday, the first day of Shavuos; 6 Sivan, May 22.

770 Main Shul:
9:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:50 PM

Anshei Lubavitch
578 Albany Ave, 1:00 pm and 4:30 PM

Nosson’s Shul
579 Brooklyn Avenue, 1:00 PM

Lubavitch Yeshiva
570 Crown Street, 1:30 PM

Agudah Shul
456 Crown Street, 4:30 PM

Anshei Moshe
1334 Lincoln Place, 4:30 PM

Beis Menachem Mendel
770 Lefferts Ave, 4:30 PM

Rei’im Ahuvim
1614 Carroll Street, 4:30 PM

Frankel Shul
1699 President Street, 4:30 PM

Yeshiva Reines
417 Troy Avenue, 4:30 pm

Empire Shtibel
489 Empire Blvd, 5:15 PM

Lubavitch Remsen Village
305 Remsen Ave, 1:00 pm

Lubavitch of East Flatbush
460 Lenox Road, 11:45 am

No Child Left At Home

At the Giving of the Torah exactly 3335 years ago, every man, woman and child stood at the foot of the mountain to hear the voice of G-D.

On the holiday of Shavuot we gather together in Shul, especially including the smallest children, to hear the 10 commandments being read and receive the Torah anew.

WATCH more about the Rebbe’s Ten Commandments campaign at:
https://jemtv.page.link/Gii7

Video: The Rebbe speaks about the importance of men, women and children attending the reading of Aseres Hadibros on Shavuos

JLI: Jews Have the Strongest Evidence in Religious History

The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai wasn’t a private revelation or the vision of a single individual it was a moment experienced by an entire nation. As we celebrate Shavuot, the holiday that marks this extraordinary event, Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet takes us deep into what made Sinai unlike anything else in human history.

In this video, we explore the bold claim that sets Judaism apart: national revelation. Rabbi Schochet explains why this phenomenon is impossible to invent, how every Jew can trace their spiritual lineage back to that moment, and why the Torah’s message has remained unchanged for over 3,300 years.

Alternate Side Parking Suspended Friday and Shabbos For Shavuos

Alternate Side Parking Rules are suspended Friday and Shabbos, May 22nd and 23rd, for the holiday of Shavuos. All other parking regulations remain in effect.

Following the tremendous success of Tahalucha over Pesach, organizers are now preparing for an even greater Tahalucha this Shavuos.

With over 250 shuls scheduled to be visited, and many who were away for Pesach now back in New York, even larger participation is expected this Yom Tov.

“Tahalucha is expected to reach thousands of Yidden in communities throughout New York,” said Rabbi Yosef Y. Butman, who heads the Tahalucha office at the Lubavitch Youth Organization.

In honor of Tahalucha, a special kuntres containing a collection of sichos and answers from the Rebbe has been published.

The kuntres was organized by Rabbi Yosef Goldwasser of the LYO Tahalucha office. It was prepared to encourage and inspire Anash to participate, and to assist organizers and participants with schedules, locations, maps, and other important information to help ensure a well-organized Tahalucha.

The kuntres was published l’iluy nishmas Rabbi Shmuel Menachem Mendel Butman ע”ה, Director of the Central Lubavitch Youth Organization, who dedicated many years to organizing Tahalucha with great devotion.

Organizers ask that all groups please walk together and carefully follow the provided guidelines.

Special police escorts have been arranged, everyone is asked to fully cooperate with and follow the police department’s instructions.

Organizers especially thank the NYPD for their ongoing assistance in all matters related to the different walks.

As an indication of the great importance the Rebbe placed on Tahalucha, it is noteworthy that over the years the Rebbe would come out as the Tahalucha departed, and in later years, also upon its return.

When we work together with achdus and proper organization, we can iy”H bring about unprecedented hatzlacha.

On Yom Tov night, downstairs in 770, memunim from the LYO Tahalucha office, led by Rabbi Shmuly Butler, will be available to answer questions and assist with any arrangements regarding shuls, speakers, or any other Tahalucha-related matters.

Tahalucha organizers extend their heartfelt thanks to Anash and all the speakers for their help and cooperation. A special yasher koach is extended to the Vaad of Tzach, Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, and Rabbi Shlomo Friedman of the Lubavitch Youth Organization.

Please find the special kuntres attached. We encourage everyone to review it carefully and familiarize themselves with all the necessary information for the upcoming Tahalucha. We hope you find inspiration in the Kuntres and participate in the Tahalucha while inspiring others to do the same. Together we can make the Tahalucha the success it deserves to be.

Wishing everyone a gut yom tov and Kabbolas HaTorah b’simcha u’bipnimiyus.

Download here

Weekly Story: Hashem’s Greatness 

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon 

Being that the Baal Shem Tov’s yahrzeit is the first day of Shavuos, and during every Shavuos farbrengen the Rebbe discusses the importance of learning (Chumas and Tehillim, and) the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov – Chassidus, I thought I will post something that I will bezras Hashem say at a farbrengen on Shavuos about a difference between Chassidus Chagas and Chassidys Chabad.

As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed.

One night when the Beis Yisroel (HaRav Yisroel Alter of Gur), came to the kosel, he noticed one of the students in his Yeshiva. Going over to him, he rhetorically asked, “What is the greatest praise of Hashem?”

Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “The greatest praise is that Hashem doesn’t laugh.” Saying that he walked away from the student. 

When the student returned to the yeshiva, as soon as he saw the Rebbe’s brother, HaRav Pinchos Menachem who was then the Rosh Yeshiva (and later succeeded him to become the Rebbe of Gur), he repeated to him what the Rebbe had said, and asked him to please explain and clarify, what the Rebbe was telling and guiding him.

The Pnei Menachem said to him, when a person says to Hashem time after time he will improve, in his conduct, davening, learning or yiras shomayim, Hashem doesn’t laugh. Hashem doesn’t think and make the calculation that that person had already said numerous times, that he had resolved that from now on he will improve, and you see he hadn’t. So why should I believe that person now. Rather, Hashem believes that this time the person is sincere.

But when I ask a student about his conduct or something else, not only will I believe him the first time he promises to improve and change, but I will believe him the second, third and fourth time as well, and perhaps a few more times. But after this happens again and again, it can come to a point, that I or another person that hears it, might question the person’s sincerity. Does he really mean it? Is he really trying to improve his conduct etc?

However, the Rebbe was saying to you, that Hashem doesn’t question the person’s sincerity, even when it is the 100th time, Hashem believes them.

The Beis Yisroel was explaining it, in accordance with the approach of Chassidus Chagas, emphasizing the aspect of middos – characteristic traits.

However, in Chassidus Chabad, this very concept is explained from the pers[ective of understanding. And not being satisfied with the inspiration on its own. 

Why is it indeed that Hashem believes us three times each weekday, when we say סלח לנו – Forgive us. The explanation given is, since Hashem is infinite, therefore. the thousandth time is just like and by Hashem it is actually exactly as if it is the first time. So won’t we trust someone the first time?!

Chassidus Chabad is giving an understanding and greater appreciation to the teachings of Chassidus. 

This is the meaning of the saying that all of us ate from the same bowl [of the Maggid], but the Baal HaTanya (the Alter Rebbe), he took from the creamiest part of the bowl.

So while we should increase in our learning of Vhassidus, those of us who merited to learn Chassidus Chabad, should resolve, nit on;y to learn it, but learn it in a manner that we can give it over to others and fulfill Moshiach;s requirement of spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus forward.

A Taste of Chassidus – Matan Torah

וידבר אלקים את כל הדברים האלה לאמר – And Hashem spoke all of these words to say. Likkutei Torah Bamidbar 15

We have to understand two aspects in this possuk. 

Couldn’t the possuk just say, And Hashem said, [the ten Commandments], I am Hashem your G-d….? After all, isn’t that what ” All of these words is referring to?” Furthermore, the word לאמר normally is informing us that Moshe was instructed to repeat what Hashem told him, to the Jewish people. But by Matan Torah, Hashem spoke directly to every Jew, so to whom were the Ten Commandments supposed to be repeated to?

The Alter Rebbe explains that the word Eleh (these) is the plural of Zeh (this). And just as Zeh means the aspect that the possuk is referring to is revealed, so too does Eleh mean that it should be revealed.

The question then becomes, which concealed aspect is the possuk instructing us to reveal?

Chassidus often discusses the two levels of Ohr – light from Hashem that gives life to the world.

There is the lower level, which is called Ohr Hamimaleh, which comes down in a manner that is appropriate for each individual entity to receive it. Then there is the Ohr Hasoivev, that is above the entities capabilities to receive it. So this level is concealed from them.

The same thing is with the Torah. There is the essence of the Torah, which is the essence of Hashem, and that level is beyond the ability of something that was created and limited to truly comprehend. Essentially, that level is concealed from us.

However, there is also the lower level of the Torah, the way Hashem enclothed the Torah in physical aspects, and even discusses situations where people lie or do other things that are wrong (evil). That level we are able to comprehend.

The Aseres Hadibros (Ten Commandments) begin with the words, Anoichi Hashem Ehloikeicha  – I am Hashem your G-d.

Chassidus explains this to mean, that the exalted level of Anoichi, which is referring to Hashem’s essence, should pentetrate down here in a way that it becomes revealed, לאמר, you are to accomplish this same feat throughout the generations. 

This is the reason Chumash Devorim which is called Mishne Torah (a repetition of the Torah), begins with the words of אלה הדברים – these are the words that Moshe spoke…. The reason why Hashem instructed Moshe to repeat the mitzvos that we were already given (and commanded to do), is that Moshe should add the clarification that Hashem told him, so this way human intellect can grasp it, and it will become revealed (clear) to them. 

[In other words, the first four chumashim were said by Hashem, as the Torah is His wisdom, while Devorim were said by Moshe, as the Torah of Hashem is repeated by a human. This is in essence the meaning of the possuk ותורתיך And Your [Hashem’s] Torah, בתוך מעי [are inside me], or better yet the possuk ותורתיך על לשוני and Your Torah is upon my lips.

The question then becomes, how does one accomplish this? After all, the sublime level of Soivev and even higher, is pure G-dliness which is infinite, and we are mere creations, which are limited! So how can we contain those lofty levels?

The Torah informs us that we left Mitzrayim in order to accept the Torah, and as noted the first words we heard were Anoichi Hashem Eloikeicha, that even the level of Anoichi, which is higher than Hashem, is supposed to be drawn down and became part of you. The Jewish people understood that in order for this to become the reality, they began counting to demonstrate their desire to receive it.

When Hashem gave us the mitzvah of counting the Omer, the Torah says מהחל חרמש בקמה – when you cut down the barley stalks. The word קמה is normally translated to mean standing upright, and the deeper meaning of these words means, in order for one to receive the Torah as Hashem’s Torah (and not just as some deep wisdom and knowledge), one has to cut and eradicate their  ego and self-importance [standing strong and firm (in all seven characteristic traits).]

But the mitzvah of counting the Omer came after we were given the Torah, and if one has to attain complete nullification, in order the Hashem’s essence as it manifests itself through His Torah, in order that it rests upon him, how were they able to receive the Torah at Har Sinai?

But being that they weren’t given the opportunity to fulfill mitzvos before Matan Torah, therefore, the fact that they weren’t then at the level of complete nullification, wasn’t their fault or shortcoming, so Hashem decided that He would grant it to them on His own.

However, the Jewish people understood that in order to be able to receive the Torah properly, as it is in its original level the essence of Hashem, there has to be this total nullification, and while they couldn’t express it through fulfilling of mitzvos, they declared it by saying Naaseh before V’nishma. We will obey Your will, not only when we understand, and not only when we do not understand it, but even when it is against our understanding.

And this is what לאמר means: Just as Hashem’s essence was brought down at Matan Torah, Hashem is giving us the ability to continuously succeed and accomplish this.

This also explains why learning Torah is more important than all other mitzvos, as we are connecting to Hashem’s essence as it is higher than the world when we learn His Torah. But at the same time we say, if there is no one else to fulfill the mitzvah, you are to interrupt your learning and fulfill the mitzvah.

For if one ignores fulfilling Hashem’s will, that demonstrates a lack of nullification on the person’s part. The person is saying my learning takes precedent over and above Fulfilling Hashem’s will. In other words, the person has not completely nullified his ego,

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeii, and their Chassidim, He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at [email protected].

The Infinitely Greater Good We Derive From Living a Torah Life

As we celebrate Shavuos – the Receiving of the Torah – we can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this most precious gift, from the Rebbe’s letter.

In his letter, the Rebbe points out one of the most important aspects of the Torah. 

Torah is certainly a guide to good living and G-d rewards one abundantly for abiding by its laws – yet there is an infinitely greater good we derive from our living a Torah life.

By the Grace of G-d

2nd Sivan, 5711

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Rabbi_________ 

New York, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

With the approach of Shovuoh, the Festival of our Receiving the Torah, I want to send you a brief message, although I am greatly overburdened with work. This ought to indicate to you how highly I value the work of your group for advancement in both the knowledge of the Torah and the practice of its precepts.

Being G-d given, the Torah has infinite aspects. The purpose of this message is to point out to you one of the most important aspects of the Torah.

To many the Torah may be a means to gain reward and avoid punishment. Others consider the Torah as a guide to good living. I will give you my view after brief introduction.

The world is a creation by G-d.  As such, it can have no common denominator with its Creator. This cannot be amplified here, for lack of space, but it should be sufficiently clear anyway.

The world consists of a variety of creatures, which are generally classified into “four kingdoms”: minerals, vegetation, animals and mankind.

Taking the highest individual of the highest group of the four mentioned above, i.e. the most intelligent of all men, there can be nothing in common between him who is a created and limited being, and G-d, the Infinite, the Creator. No analogy can even be found in the relative difference between the lowest of the lowest ‘kingdom’ and the highest of the highest, for both are created things.

However, in His infinite goodness, G-d gave us a possibility of approach and communion with Him. G-d showed us the way how a finite, created being can reach beyond his inherent limitations and commune with G-d the Infinite.

Obviously, only the Creator Himself knows the ways and means that lead to Him, and the Creator Himself knows the capacity of His creatures in using such ways and means. Herein lies one of the most important aspects of the Torah and mitzvot to us. They provide the means and the ways whereby we may reach a plane above and beyond our status as created beings. Clearly, this plane is incomparatively above the highest perfection which a man can attain within his own created (hence, limited) sphere.

From this point of view, it will no longer appear strange that the Torah and mitzvot find expression in such simple, material and physical aspects as the Dietary laws, and the like.

For our intellect is also created, and therefore limited within the boundaries of creation, beyond which it has no access.  Consequently, it cannot know the ways and means that lead beyond these bounds.

The Torah, on the other hand, is the bond that unites the created with the Creator, as it is written,” and you that cleave to the G-d your G-d, are all living this day.”

To the Creator – all created things, the most corporeal as well as the most spiritual are equally removed. Hence the question, what relationship cans a material object have with G-d?  has no more validity then if it referred to the most spiritual thing in its relationship to G-d. 

But the Creator gave us possibility to rise, not only within our created bounds, but beyond, toward the infinite, and he desired that this possibility be open to the widest strata of humanity. Consequently, He has conditioned this possibility upon ways and means which are accessible to all, namely, the Torah and mitzvot.

From this point of view it is also clear, that no sacrifice can be too great in adhering to the Torah and mitzvot, for all sacrifices are within the limits of creation, whereas the Torah and mitzvot offer an opportunity to rise beyond such limits, as mentioned above.

It is also clear that no person has the right to renounce this Divine opportunity by professing indifference toward reward and punishment. Such views are but the product of his limited intellect which has no right to jeopardize the very essence of the soul, for the latter, being a ‘Spark of the Divine,’ is above the intellect of any argument it can produce, to deter him from the utmost perfection which he is able to attain.

I wish each and every one of you and your respective families an enjoyable and inspiring Yom Tov with lasting effects throughout the year.

With Blessing,

For the first time in nearly a decade, the sound of Torah learning once again echoed through the halls of FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey.

Earlier this month, the Aleph Institute brought its flagship Yeshiva in Prison Program to the largest federal correctional facility in the country. For two transformative days, 15 incarcerated Jewish men immersed themselves in intense chavrusa learning, inspiring shiurim, heartfelt tefillah, spirited singing, and meaningful conversations alongside visiting rabbinical students and chaplains.

For those 48 hours, a federal prison was transformed into a living, breathing beit midrash.

For many participants, the experience served as a profound spiritual awakening. Chaplain Chanania Steinmetz, who helped facilitate the program at Fort Dix, shared one interaction that deeply moved him: “There was one man who didn’t seem too engaged that first day,” he recalled. “But when the program finished, he confessed: ‘I honestly didn’t think I would care to hear what the bochurim had to say… but this felt so different. I felt like I was truly able to receive from them and genuinely benefit from this.'”

Steinmetz continued: “As Chassidus teaches, even a small amount of light can push away tremendous darkness. Bringing Torah anywhere is powerful. But bringing it into a place filled with struggle, loneliness, and pain can become a true lifeline for people searching for hope and meaning.”

Ben*, incarcerated at a federal prison in Florida, had participated in a past Yeshiva in Prison program. “The program gave us the opportunity to step outside the prison walls—at least spiritually; there’s still that darn fence!” he said. “These volunteers were so compassionate, knowledgeable, and made it feel as though the experience was just as meaningful for them as it was for us.”

Another participant reflected: “Hashem blessed us mightily the whole time… but what I enjoyed most was the ‘air of togetherness’ I felt with my fellow Jews.”
For many incarcerated individuals who have spent years feeling forgotten, isolated, or spiritually disconnected, the Yeshiva in Prison program serves as a powerful reminder: there is still a community beyond the concrete walls—and they are still very much a part of it.

Behind every program comes months of careful coordination. Rabbi Yossi Cohen, Director of Religious Education at Aleph, worked closely with Chaplain Steinmetz to bring the Fort Dix program to life—recruiting the bochurim, preparing the learning, and navigating the logistics of running a two-day immersive yeshiva inside a federal facility. “Putting together a program like this is no small undertaking,” he shared. “Recruiting a group of bochurim willing to give their time, coordinating every detail with the chaplain, preparing the learning—it all takes real effort. But the moment you walk into the room and hear the Torah being learned, and then hear the participants share what it meant to them, every bit of the preparation becomes worth it. It’s also why we’re always looking for more bochurim to join us.”

“Every single time we conclude a Yeshiva in Prison program, the first question we hear is: ‘When are you coming back? Can we do this every week?’” says Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, CEO of the Aleph Institute. “For individuals who may feel written off by society or distant from their Judaism, this program sends a clear message: You still matter. And your soul still has infinite value.”

On Shavuot, we’re reminded how the Torah belongs to every Jew, regardless of circumstance, background, or where they may find themselves.

And thanks to Aleph, sometimes that light shines brightest behind prison walls.
To learn more about the Aleph Institute or explore volunteer opportunities, visit https://aleph-institute.org/volunteer/

Weekly Dvar Torah: The Grand Wedding

Most people think Shavuos celebrates the giving of the Torah, which is true.
But the truth is that Shavuos celebrates something far deeper.

Shavuos is the wedding — the Kiddushin, the betrothal — between G-d and the Jewish people.

A wedding is not merely a partnership. A true marriage is the fusion of two opposites into one living reality capable of creating eternity. Two separate beings unite and suddenly possess the power to produce generations that continue forever.

This is precisely what happened at Sinai.

The Infinite united with the Finite. Heaven married earth. G-d bound Himself to physical human beings living in a material world filled with struggle, temptation, confusion, and weakness. And through this union, eternity entered the physical universe.

At Sinai, G-d descended upon a physical mountain with thunder, lightning, smoke, and fire. The same Divine voice that proclaimed, “I am the Lord your G-d,” also commanded, “Do not kill,” “Do not steal,” and “Do not covet.”

The loftiest spirituality suddenly became intertwined with the lowest elements of human behavior.

That is the essence of Torah.

The Torah takes ordinary physical things and transforms them into vessels of holiness. Food becomes a Shabbos meal. Candles become holy lights. Leather becomes Tefillin. Wool becomes Tzitzis. Human speech becomes prayer. Physical acts become eternal acts of G-dliness.

But this raises an obvious question.

Why?

Why would G-d bring His infinite holiness into such a lowly world? Why entrust His precious Torah to weak human beings constantly battling failure and temptation?

The angels asked exactly this question.

The Talmud describes the astonishing scene. When Moshe ascended Heaven to receive the Torah, the angels protested before G-d: “What is a mortal doing among us?”

G-d answered that Moshe came to receive the Torah.

The angels could not understand it.

“This treasured Torah,” they argued, “was hidden with You long before the world was created. Why give it to frail human beings? Leave Your glory in Heaven!”

Moshe was frightened by the angels, until G-d reassured him and told him to respond.

And then Moshe said something extraordinary.

“What is written in the Torah?” Moshe asked them.

“I am the Lord your G-d Who took you out of Egypt. Were you enslaved in Egypt? Did Pharaoh oppress you?”

“The Torah says not to worship idols. Do you live among idol worshippers?”

“It says honor your father and mother. Do you have parents?”

“It says do not murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery. Do you have jealousy? Do you possess an evil inclination?”

At first glance, Moshe’s argument seems backwards.

The angels argued that humans were too flawed for Torah. So why did Moshe emphasize human weakness even more?

The answer touches the very purpose of creation.

The angels believed Torah belongs in Heaven because Heaven is perfect. Moshe explained that perfection is precisely why the angels do not qualify.

If G-d wanted angels, He already had plenty of them.

But that is not what He desired.

G-d wanted a Torah that enters Egypt. A Torah that confronts evil. A Torah that transforms jealousy into kindness, selfishness into holiness, physicality into G-dliness.

The greatness of a human being is not perfection, but the ability to struggle, choose, grow, fall, rise again, and transform darkness into light.

Angels obey naturally. Humans create holiness precisely through resistance.

That is infinitely greater.

And suddenly the angels understood. The Talmud says they not only accepted Moshe’s argument — they showered him with gifts.

Because at Sinai, a revolutionary change took place in existence itself.

Until Matan Torah, Heaven and earth were separate worlds. “The heavens belong to G-d, and the earth He gave to mankind.”

The Midrash compares it to a king who decreed that Romans may not descend into Syria and Syrians may not ascend into Rome. Heaven remained heavenly. Earth remained earthly. The two could not truly merge.

Even our holy forefathers could not fully sanctify physicality. Their mitzvos were spiritual “fragrances,” beautiful but intangible.

Then came Sinai.

The Midrash says that when G-d gave the Torah, He abolished the decree separating upper and lower worlds. “The higher realms shall descend to the lower realms, and the lower realms shall ascend to the higher realms — and I Myself will begin.”

“And G-d descended upon Mount Sinai.”

That moment changed creation forever.

Now physical objects could become holy. Now finite human beings could connect with the Infinite. Now earthly existence itself could become a dwelling place for G-d.

This was not merely the giving of laws.

It was the marriage between the Infinite and the finite.

And like every marriage, it was about creating eternity.

The sages teach that when G-d created the world, He conditioned creation on the Jewish people accepting the Torah on the sixth day of Sivan. That is why the Torah says not merely יום ששי — “day six” — but יום הששי — “the” sixth day.

Creation itself waited for Sinai.

Because the purpose of existence is not simply that souls escape upward into Heaven. The purpose is that Heaven descend into earth.

That is why the soul itself descends into a body.

Before entering this world, the soul resembles an angel, basking in spirituality. Yet the soul descends into confusion, distraction, and struggle for one reason only: to reveal something even angels cannot reveal — the essence of G-d specifically within physical existence.

A teacher can share wisdom only according to the student’s capacity. But a father transmits essence to a child. The child contains powers deeper than what is openly visible even within the father himself.

So too Torah is not merely Divine wisdom. Torah is G-d giving His very essence to the Jewish people.

And that essence becomes fully revealed specifically through physical mitzvos performed by physical human beings in a physical world.

This also explains why redemption is the culmination of Sinai.

Creation was the beginning.
Matan Torah was the Kiddushin — betrothal.
Moshiach will be the consummation of the marriage, the eternal union face to face.

For thousands of years we struggled through exile, trying to reveal holiness within a resistant world. But the ultimate purpose is a world where the Divine is openly revealed, where Heaven and earth no longer conflict, where all of creation becomes a home for G-d.

That is the future toward which history moves.

And perhaps this is the deepest meaning of Shavuos.

G-d did not come to Sinai searching for angels.

He came searching for human beings willing to struggle, transform themselves, elevate the world, and bring Heaven down to earth.

That is our greatness.
That is our mission.
And that is our marriage.

Mazal Tov.

The wedding of creation has already begun.

Have a Wedding of Infinity,
Gut Yomtov, Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman

Tens of Thousands of Kosher Ice Creams and Dairy Products to Bring Shavuot Joy to Ukraine’s Jews

As Shavuot approaches, Ukraine’s Jewish communities are preparing for the holiday with a large-scale effort to bring sweetness, dignity, and tradition to thousands of families and children living through ongoing hardship. Led by Chabad’s Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU), local production lines have been specially prepared to produce tens of thousands of kosher ice creams and a wide range of dairy products for distribution in more than 50 Jewish communities across the country. The initiative will enable families to observe the cherished Shavuot custom of enjoying dairy foods, even amid serious economic and humanitarian challenges.

Alongside the ice cream distribution, JRNU is also coordinating the delivery of generous food packages filled with quality dairy products, including fresh milk, fruit yogurts, cream, cream cheese, mozzarella, and other holiday staples. The products were prepared under the strict supervision of the Ukraine Kashrut Committee (UK), under the leadership of Rabbi Pinchas Vishedski, a senior rabbi in Kyiv.

A central part of the Shavuot campaign will be the organization of gatherings across Ukraine for the reading of the Ten Commandments, following the well-known instruction of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that every Jewish child should have the opportunity to hear the reading on the holiday. Children have also been invited to special festive programs, where they will receive treats and take part in warm community celebrations.

“Our goal is to bring a little sweetness to the children and to Jewish families for Shavuot,” said one of the Chabad emissaries in Kyiv. “The families here are going through an unimaginable period, but we are not giving up on a single child or a single family.”

JRNU emphasized that the distribution of the dairy packages and ice creams will continue in a focused effort before the holiday, ensuring that Jewish families across Ukraine can gather around the Shavuot table and experience the familiar joy, warmth, and traditions of the festival.

By Mendel Super – Chabad.org

Under the rural northwestern Arizona scorching sun, I trekked through the dusty red rows of the cemetery, looking for a grave with no name.

The investigator had told me that the deceased person I was looking for rested at the end of a row in the county section. I walked past Jane and John Does, a small marker of one Ira Lebowitz, who passed away in 1997, and other indigent burials in the county section of Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman. I paused for a moment at one marker with some Matchbox cars placed on it, a memory, I assumed, of a little boy.

Then I found her.

Jane Doe 89-4351

Found 11.24.1989

I recited some Psalms, likely the first time Jewish prayers were said at her resting place, noting that the silence of the vast desert belies the secrets beneath its surface.

What was I doing here?

Let me explain: I’m the only rabbi in Mohave County, Arizona, the fifth largest county in the country geographically, but isolated and sparsely populated. We’ve been here since 2022, when my wife, Itta, and I moved to the county’s largest city, Lake Havasu City, to open the first Chabad center in the region. Today, Jews from Havasu, Kingman, Bullhead City and the smaller towns in between are active in the Jewish community. The city’s former Reform temple is now home to Chabad of Lake Havasu City.

Early on, I found myself occupied with what Judaism calls a meit mitzvah. The Torah teaches that it is a mitzvah of the highest order to ensure that a fellow Jew with no family is given a full Jewish burial and dignity in death.

Maimonides explains that even the High Priest, who was prohibited from attending his own family’s funerals, was required to take it upon himself to personally bury a meit mitzvah, an abandoned Jewish body that had no one to attend to its proper burial.

Now, I was involved in yet another case, but one I’d never expected.

On a Friday in 1989, the day after Thanksgiving, a couple walking their dog in the desert made a gruesome discovery in the brush just over a mile off the highway south of Kingman. It was a body. Deputies from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office arrived and found that it was a woman. Markings in the dirt indicated a scuffle, and foot tracks showed she had been dragged to the area where she was discovered. A single tire mark was also evident.

The autopsy revealed she was between 25-30, and had been brutally beaten to death. Besides the red nail polish on her fingers and toes, her earrings, and a handmade blouse and sunglasses found several days later in the brush, investigators had little to go on. Newspaper reports and law enforcement bulletins provided no meaningful leads. Fingerprints, difficult to obtain from her body by that point, brought no hits from state and national databases.

And so for decades, the young woman with blonde hair remained known only as Mohave County Jane Doe, resting in a grave at the edge of the cemetery. All that was known about her sat in a box on a shelf at the sheriff’s office.

But in recent months, there was a breakthrough in the long-cold case. Genetic work done by a Texas lab showed that her DNA indicated she was 96 percent Ashkenazi Jew, the daughter of two Jewish parents. Her profile is now being studied by investigative genetic genealogists at New Jersey’s Ramapo College, who will try to build her family tree and discover her name.

Ashkenazi heritage is particularly difficult to work with because the population pool is so limited, explained Adina Newman, one of the few investigative genetic genealogists who specializes in Ashkenazi DNA, when I reached out to her. The challenges are compounded by law enforcement’s limited access to databases. Authorities can only access GEDMatch and Family Tree DNA platforms, and only view trees of users who opt-in to law enforcement access, something she says many people are wary of.

After reading a press release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, I reached out to Sheriff Doug Schuster, a friend of our community. The sheriff put me in touch with the lead investigator of the cold case unit, Lori Miller. I met with her and told her I’d do anything I could do to help.

“For the first time in six years of working on this case, I’m optimistic,” the investigator told me.

We discussed some new theories, and with the help of ZAKA, an Israel-based international organization that works to identify and recover the remains of Jews killed in terrorist attacks and accidents, we were able to send the fingerprints to Israeli authorities.

There is more work that needs to be done, and I share this story with the hope that someone reading it might be able to help.

First off, if you have a family member or know of a young woman who disappeared in 1989, please reach out to the Mohave County Sheriff’s office (or Chabad of Lake Havasu, if you’re more comfortable). Second, please consider uploading your DNA profile to GEDMatch to give investigators more Ashkenazi DNA to work with and help build Jane’s family tree.

The upcoming holiday of Shavuot, which begins on Thursday night, May 21, and ends on Saturday evening, teaches that the Torah was given to the Jewish people only when they stood together “as one people with one heart” at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Six hundred thousand Jews stood at Sinai when the Torah was given. The Zohar teaches that each soul represents one letter of the 600,000 letters of the Torah scroll. If even one letter is missing, a Torah scroll is incomplete. The Jewish people are one big family. And as long as one of its daughters is lying in the desert, her name a mystery, it is incomplete.

Perhaps you can help.

OK Kosher Releases Snapple Advisory

The OK Kosher has released an Kosher Advisory regarding a limited run of Snapple products that are Kosher but have been mislabeled without the OK symbol.

According to the advisory, 8oz. Multipacks of Snapple Lemon, Snapple Peach, and Snapple Apple from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (8900 Page Ave. St Louis, MO 63114) were mistakenly missing the OK Kosher Certification trademark on the individual bottles; however, the overwrap does display the trademark.

These products are certified kosher pareve, and labeled with the OK on the overwrap.

Below are details of affected products:

8oz Snapple Lemon: Best By Dates 11/04/26 and 11/05/26

8oz Snapple Peach:  Best By Dates 11/05/26, 11/06/26, and 11/07/26

8oz Snapple Apple:  Best By Dates between 11/08/26 and 11/15/26

Chabad.org

An Eruv Tavshilin is a halachic device which allows one to cook food on the Festival for use on the Shabbat that immediately follows.

To allow one to cook on the Festival for use on Shabbat, one must prepare an eruv tavshilin which serves as a reminder that the cooking done on the Festival is for Shabbat only.

This eruv consists of a matzah and something cooked, for example, a boiled egg or a piece of fish, and is prepared before the onset of the Festival.

It symbolically serves as the beginning of the preparation of food for Shabbat. Thus, any subsequent cooking done on the Festival is considered to be a continuation of the preparation begun before the Festival.

If the last day of the Festival falls on a Shabbat, one must prepare an eruv tavshilin on Thursday afternoon before the festival begins so that one can cook on the Festival for Shabbat.

How to make an Eruv Tavshilin

Take a plate with one whole matzah and either a piece of cooked fish, cooked meat or a hard-boiled egg on it, (it is a good idea to wrap the matzah/challah and fish, meat or egg in aluminum foil to easily keep them apart from the rest of the foods in your home). Recite the following blessing:

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL MITZVAT ERUV.

Then recite: “By virtue of this Eruv, we (the members of this household), shall be permitted to cook, bake, keep food warm, carry, light candles and do all preparations on Yom Tov for Shabbat.”

Put the foods you used for the Eruv away, and eat them on Shabbat. NOTE: The Eruv Tavshilin allows you to cook on Friday only for Shabbat, it does not allow you to cook from one day of the holiday to the next (ie: Thursday for Friday). It is permissible to cook only from a pre-existent flame, one that was lit before the onset of the Holiday on Thursday before sunset.

Even if you do not intend to cook food for Shabbos during Yom Tov, you must nevertheless prepare an eiruv tavshilin on Erev Yom tov and recite the appropriate blessing over it in order to be permitted to light Shabbos candles while it is still Yom Tov.

If you are being hosted as a guest during Yom Tov, ask a Rav regarding the permissibility of relying on your host’s eiruv tavshilin.

What is the fundamental role of a Jew? In the aftermath of Shavuos, when the highest light of Torah was revealed, how can we as a nation strengthen our identity? The Avner Institute presents a thoughtful letter to philanthropist Mel (Mordechai) Landow, who merited a unique and longstanding relationship with the Rebbe, where the latter’s analogy to Divine service as a “groundbreaking” event stresses the performance of good deeds, through which the Jewish soul is uncovered, like a hidden gift, and refined. With special thanks to Rabbi Akiva Nussbaum for the letter.

In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h

“The Nature of the Jewish People”

By the Grace of G-d
Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5733
Brooklyn, NY

Mr. Mordechai Shoel Landow
4340 North Bay Road
Miami Beach, FL 33140

Greeting and Blessing:

Thank you very much for your letter and for the bound volume of your latest book Your People are Your Business, topping off the gratifying reports about the Groundbreaking.

It is surely unnecessary to dwell at length on the significance of the Groundbreaking event in terms of what it means for our young generation in Miami and environs, as you so aptly interpreted it. According to my informants, your speech was impressive and well received. I hope and pray that the words spoken and the enthusiasm engendered will evolve into actual deeds, for it is action that really counts, especially in the area of Torah, called Toras Chayim, so termed because it is the Jew’s practical guide in the daily life in this world of action, thereby making life worthy of being called “life” (not just “existence”).

The emphasis on action is brought home to us particularly in these days of preparation for Mattan Torah. For the first word of acceptance of the Torah by all our people, in complete unanimity, was na’aseh—“we will do.” The fact that it was enunciated at a moment of the greatest spiritual elation makes it all the more significant. It is a clear instruction for each and all of us not to let ourselves be carried away by enthusiasm alone, but immediately translate it into the reality of tangible deeds. Which is why a Jew begins his day not with lengthy contemplation or meditation, but with actual doing mitzvoth. Indeed, Kabbolas haTorah (our receiving the Torah) is a daily experience, which is also the reason why one of the earlier Morning Blessings is to thank G-d for having chosen us from all peoples, to give us His Torah, the benediction concluding in the continuous present tense (“Giver of the Torah”). And since we receive the Torah every day, it is only right that we start the day with na’aseh. But, of course, on the anniversary of our receiving the Torah at Sinai, on Shavuos, the principle of na’aseh (before v’nishma) is the focal point, the very soul, of Kabbolas haTorah, from which we draw renewed vitality and strength throughout the year.

Sacred Ground

I would also like to take this opportunity of referring to the idea of Groundbreaking – in the light of the teaching of the Ba’al Shem Tov that everything in a Jew’s experience should serve as a stimulus in avodas haShem [service to G-d].

“Groundbreaking” seems to be an American innovation, for traditionally it is rather the “laying of the cornerstone” that was celebrated in such cases, to which there is reference also in Tanach. Yet since Groundbreaking has become a legitimate and useful initiation of a Torah institution, it can be very instructive. For one thing, digging up a piece of earth for a sacred purpose can be thought-provoking – if we stop to think how a small piece of matter contains a tremendous amount of (atomic) energy which, if used constructively, can achieve so much for humanity.

More close to home, and specifically relating to further teachings of the Ba’al Shem Tov and of Chassidus, is the thought which Groundbreaking evokes in relation to human endeavor in general, and spiritual advancement in particular. For, in order to achieve full-out productivity, an individual must often begin with breaking his outer shell or crust (formed by habits, natural dispositions, environmental influences, etc.), so as to release the tremendous inner powers and resources, which are infinitely greater than those on the surface, and, more importantly, are infinitely more stable and durable, since they are closer to the individual’s self and are anchored in the essence of the soul itself.

Finally, “Groundbreaking” is particularly symbolic of the nature of the Jewish people, called by G-d “desirable earth.” As the Ba’al Shem Tov explained it: Just as the earth is the repository of the greatest natural treasures and resources, so incalculable are the treasures with which G-d has endowed every Jew, His own “desirable land.”

Being permitted to “state only part of one’s deserving praise in one’s face,” I will say only that, while I never doubted the hidden potentialities which you possess, it has been very gratifying to see their emergence into the open, particularly as reflected in your activities since our personal meeting, leading up to the Groundbreaking. I am confident that these are the forerunners of further discoveries and revelations of hidden treasures which you will put to good use, in a growing measure, with G-d’s help. The zechus horabim [merit of our Forefathers] will additionally stand you in good stead.

Wishing you and yours a joyous and inspiring Yom Tov of Kabbalos haTorah, and to receive the Torah with joy and inwardness.

[signature]

P.S. I was, of course, especially to hear that your wife and children were present at the Groundbreaking. Their presence must have surely strengthened the involvement of all participants, including commitment to the principle advocated by the title of your book, namely, that Your People – the Jewish people – should truly be Your Business.

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A Mohave County Rabbi’s Search for a Murdered Jewish Woman’s Identity

by Mendel Super – chabad.org

Under the rural northwestern Arizona scorching sun, I trekked through the dusty red rows of the cemetery, looking for a grave with no name.

The investigator had told me that the deceased person I was looking for rested at the end of a row in the county section. I walked past Jane and John Does, a small marker of one Ira Lebowitz, who passed away in 1997, and other indigent burials in the county section of Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman. I paused for a moment at one marker with some matchbox cars placed on it, a memory, I assumed, of a little boy.

Then I found her.

Jane Doe 89-4351

Found 11.24.1989

I recited some Psalms, likely the first time Jewish prayers were said at her resting place, noting that the silence of the vast desert belies the secrets beneath its surface.

What was I doing here?

Let me explain: I’m the only rabbi in Mohave County, Arizona, the fifth largest county in the country geographically, but isolated and sparsely populated. We’ve been here since 2022, when my wife, Itta, and I moved to the county’s largest city, Lake Havasu City, to open the first Chabad center in the region. Today, Jews from Havasu, Kingman, Bullhead City and the smaller towns in between are active in the Jewish community. The city’s former Reform temple is now home to Chabad of Lake Havasu City.

Early on, I found myself occupied with what Judaism calls a meit mitzvah. The Torah teaches that it is a mitzvah of the highest order to ensure that a fellow Jew with no family is given a full Jewish burial and dignity in death.

Maimonides explains that even the High Priest, who was prohibited from attending his own family’s funerals, was required to take it upon himself to personally bury a meit mitzvah, an abandoned Jewish body that had no one to attend to its proper burial.

Now, I was involved in yet another case, but one I’d never expected.

Until she is identified and can have a Jewish burial, Jane Doe’s grave is marked with a number.

On a Friday in 1989, the day after Thanksgiving, a couple walking their dog in the desert made a gruesome discovery in the brush just over a mile off the highway south of Kingman. It was a body. Deputies from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office arrived and found that it was a woman. Markings in the dirt indicated a scuffle, and foot tracks showed she had been dragged to the area where she was discovered. A single tire mark was also evident.

The autopsy revealed she was between 25-30, and had been brutally beaten to death. Besides the red nail polish on her fingers and toes, her earrings, and a handmade blouse and sunglasses found several days later in the brush, investigators had little to go on. Newspaper reports and law enforcement bulletins provided no meaningful leads. Fingerprints, difficult to obtain from her body by that point, brought no hits from state and national databases.

And so for decades, the young woman with blonde hair remained known only as Mohave County Jane Doe, resting in a grave at the edge of the cemetery. All that was known about her sat in a box on a shelf at the sheriff’s office.

But in recent months, there was a breakthrough in the long-cold case. Genetic work done by a Texas lab showed that her DNA indicated she was 96 percent Ashkenazi Jew, the daughter of two Jewish parents. Her profile is now being studied by investigative genetic genealogists at New Jersey’s Ramapo College, who will try to build her family tree and discover her name.

Ashkenazi heritage is particularly difficult to work with because the population pool is so limited, explained Adina Newman, one of the few investigative genetic genealogists who specializes in Ashkenazi DNA, when I reached out to her. The challenges are compounded by law enforcement’s limited access to databases. Authorities can only access GEDMatch and Family Tree DNA platforms, and only view trees of users who opt-in to law enforcement access, something she says many people are wary of.

After reading a press release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, I reached out to Sheriff Doug Schuster, a friend of our community. The sheriff put me in touch with the lead investigator of the cold case unit, Lori Miller. I met with her and told her I’d do anything I could do to help.

“For the first time in six years of working on this case, I’m optimistic,” the investigator told me.

A facial reconstruction of Jane Doe.

We discussed some new theories, and with the help of ZAKA, an Israel-based international organization that works to identify and recover the remains of Jews killed in terrorist attacks and accidents, we were able to send the fingerprints to Israeli authorities.

There is more work that needs to be done, and I share this story with the hope that someone reading it might be able to help.

First off, if you have a family member or know of a young woman who disappeared in 1989, please reach out to the Mohave County Sheriff’s office (or Chabad of Lake Havasu, if you’re more comfortable). Second, please consider uploading your DNA profile to GEDMatch to give investigators more Ashkenazi DNA to work with and help build Jane’s family tree.

The upcoming holiday of Shavuot, which begins on Thursday night, May 21, and ends on Saturday evening, teaches that the Torah was given to the Jewish people only when they stood together “as one people with one heart” at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Six hundred thousand Jews stood at Sinai when the Torah was given. The Zohar teaches that each soul represents one letter of the 600,000 letters of the Torah scroll. If even one letter is missing, a Torah scroll is incomplete. The Jewish people are one big family. And as long as one of its daughters is lying in the desert, her name a mystery, it is incomplete.

Perhaps you can help.

It was Erev Shavuos, 5750 (1990). In Eretz Yisrael, Yom Tov was moments away. And then, a message came from the Rebbe.

The Rebbe sent a clear and urgent instruction: Reestablish the Chevras Tehillim at Kever Dovid HaMelech, and preferably before Shavuos begins.

There was no time to waste.

Rabbi Sholom Duchman, Director of Colel Chabad, immediately sprang into action. He reached out to his team in Eretz Yisrael. With just seconds to go before Yom Tov, the Tehillim at Kever Dovid was renewed.

And it has not stopped since.

Since that day, every single day without interruption, a group of Chassidim has gathered at Kever Dovid. They say Tehillim for the protection, healing, and well-being of Klal Yisrael.

What began with the Rebbe’s direction has become an ongoing source of brachos in the heart of Yerushalayim.

And today, anyone can be a part of it.

As Shavuos approaches, we wanted to share this meaningful opportunity: names can be included in the daily Tehillim at Kever Dovid—whether for a refuah, a shidduch, personal blessings, or any heartfelt tefillah.

Submit your name for Tefillah at Kever Dovid here.

As we enter Shavuos, may we all merit to receive the Torah b’simcha u’b’pnimius with true joy and deep connection.

And may the merit of these daily tefillos bring revealed good to all who need it, and may we merit the coming of Moshiach, now.

By COLlive reporter

As Shavuos approaches and kosher consumers stock up on dairy products, a kosher education organization is warning that similar packaging and misunderstood labeling continue to cause confusion over whether certain products meet Cholov Yisroel standards.

“Kashrus: Be In The Know,” led by Rabbi Nissan Zibell, says many shoppers assume that terms such as “Non-Dairy” or familiar kosher certification symbols automatically indicate a product’s halachic status.

Among the questions consumers frequently ask, the organization says, are: “Is it true that products labeled ‘Non-Dairy’ can have actual dairy ingredients in them?”, “Is there a difference between a product labeled ‘Dairy-Free’ vs. ‘Non-Dairy’?”, and “What is the difference between OU-D and OU-DE?”

The group also says consumers regularly ask whether allergy warnings such as “May contain dairy” constitute a kashrus concern.

In educational guides distributed ahead of the yomtov, the organization highlighted several cheese brands that it says are commonly confused because of similar branding and packaging.

“Most of the companies do have different labels and brand names to differentiate between the Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel cheeses,” the group wrote. “However, the colors, fonts, and overall styles of the designs are often similar enough that many people have mistakenly confused the two and assumed that a non-Cholov Yisroel cheese was actually the Cholov Yisroel kind.”

The organization said the confusion has “led to mistakes of consuming non-Cholov Yisroel, and issues involving the need to kasher different equipment and utensils in the kitchen.”

One example involves the brands Migdal, Haolam, and Millers, which are owned by the same company. According to the guide, only the Haolam label is Cholov Yisroel.

“Since the packaging of Miller’s or Migdal may often be similar to the Haolam packages, there can definitely be confusion for someone not paying close attention or for someone who doesn’t know the difference between them,” the group stated. “One needs to be careful to check the wording to make sure the product explicitly says Cholov Yisroel on it.”

A similar issue exists, it says, between the brands Natural & Kosher and Les Petites Fermieres. The former produces Cholov Yisroel cheeses, while the latter does not.

“Although these two also have different packaging and names, they still look similar due to their font, design, and style, and many people have confused the two,” the guide noted.

The organization also emphasized that an OK certification alone does not indicate Cholov Yisroel status. “One should also be aware that the OK certifies cheeses that are non Cholov Yisroel,” it stated.

Other examples cited include Schtark and Oneg, two brands from the same company, where only Schtark products are Cholov Yisroel.

In the case of The Cheese Guy, the organization says the same company markets both Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel products under the same brand name.

“The way to differentiate between the two, is to pay close attention to the wording on each label to see if it says Cholov Yisroel,” the guide explained.

The organization also referenced Spring Valley cheese blintzes, noting that both Cholov Yisroel and non-Cholov Yisroel versions exist.

“A dairy product under national hashgachos, such as the OK, OU, Star K, Chof K, etc. needs to specifically say Cholov Yisroel on it to confirm that it is so,” the organization said.

“Kashrus: Be In The Know” describes itself as an organization focused on educating kosher consumers about practical halachic issues related to food production, processing, and supermarket shopping.

The educational materials include visual guides titled “Dairy or Not” and “Common Cheese Confusions.”

To join a group, Men’s Group or Women’s Group. For more, visit www.kashrusbeintheknow.com

By COLlive reporter

As Shavuos approaches, Jewish communities across Ukraine are once again preparing for Yom Tov under the shadow of war.

In recent days, residents across the country have endured renewed attacks, including a deadly strike in Kyiv that left dozens wounded and major explosions reported in Dnipro and other cities. Despite the ongoing danger, Chabad shluchim say they are determined to bring the joy of Shavuos to Jewish families throughout the country.

As part of a nationwide effort organized by the JRNU network of Jewish communities, local production lines across Ukraine were specially prepared to manufacture tens of thousands of mehadrin kosher ice creams and dairy products under leading local brands.

The goal is to supply more than 50 Jewish communities throughout the country with traditional dairy foods for Shavuos, while also bringing a sense of comfort and celebration to families living through wartime conditions.

Alongside the ice cream distribution, volunteers are also preparing large quantities of food packages filled with dairy products including milk, fruit yogurts, cream, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and other staples for Yom Tov meals.

Organizers said the packages are especially important this year as many families continue to struggle financially because of the war.

All dairy products were produced under the supervision of the Ukraine Kashrus Committee UK, headed by Rabbi Pinchas Vishetsky of Kyiv.

Rabbi Yehoshua Vishetsky, who oversees the “Ukr-Kosher” certification network in Ukraine, said producing cholov yisroel products in wartime conditions has presented major logistical challenges.

“Over the years we have gone through many challenges with cholov yisroel production,” he said.

A major focus of the Shavuos activities this year will again be the public readings of Aseres Hadibros, following the longstanding campaign of the Rebbe encouraging even young children to hear the Ten Commandments on Shavuos.

Dozens of public readings and children’s programs are planned in cities across the country.

“Our goal is to bring a little sweetness to the children and Jewish families for Shavuos,” one shliach in Kyiv said. “People here are living through an unimaginable period. The explosions and attacks are part of daily life, but we are not giving up on a single child or a single family.”

JRNU organizers said the dairy and food distributions will continue over the coming days to ensure that Jewish families across Ukraine can celebrate Shavuos with dignity and simcha despite the ongoing war.

Here’s My Story: The Walk of a Lifetime

Mr. Robert Kremnizer

Click here for a PDF version of this edition of Here’s My Story, or visit the My Encounter Blog.

Sometime in the late 1980s, I was among a group of Chabad donors who were granted a private audience with the Rebbe. He gave us blessings, spoke words of Torah, and urged us to spread this message outward. He said, “It is important that when all of you go back, you share with everybody what you have heard and what you have learned here.”

I took that to heart. I understood the Rebbe to be telling us that we may think we came to New York for financial reasons, but what we were really there for was to take what we have heard and plant it wherever we go out in the world.

Because his message had such an impact on me, I took pains to apply it. As a result, I set in motion a chain reaction which I could never have anticipated.

Shortly after my return to Sydney, Australia, where I live, I had to accompany a business client to court where he was represented by a notable attorney, an extremely right-wing gentile, whom I shall call BR. The case was delayed for an hour, so BR and I took a walk to pass the time. As we were strolling, BR asked me, “I hear that you’ve just come back from New York — were you there on holiday?”

I was about to answer “yes” when I remembered what the Rebbe had said about sharing his message with “everybody.” So, even though I anticipated a negative reaction, I closed my eyes and said, “No, I went there to see my Rebbe.”

There was silence, and then he asked, “What’s a Rebbe?”

Now I knew that I had a decision to make on how to answer that question. And I resolved to answer it in a way that would make a difference. So, I explained about the power of the Rebbe’s blessings, which prompted more questions from him. Indeed, the hour passed with me talking about the Rebbe. After that, we returned to court where BR won the case.

When I got back to my office, there was already a message from him that he wanted to talk to me some more. In the conversation that followed, he said, “Listen — would this holy man of yours give one of his blessings to a gentile?” I responded that I didn’t know but would inquire.

Now why did BR need the Rebbe’s blessing? As I learned, after the death of a child, his wife became pregnant again. When she did, she became so clinically depressed that she could not get out of bed. She reacted in this severe way because she was already 40 and terrified of giving birth to a deformed child; also, she was an actress and feared losing her looks and career. BR wanted a blessing for his wife’s recovery.

Iasked Rabbi Pinchus Feldman, the Rebbe’s emissary in Sydney, what I should do. Was it proper for me to give this man the Rebbe’s contact information? Rabbi Feldman responded, “Don’t try to be the Rebbe’s censor. Just give this man the address and let him write. The Rebbe will look after himself.” So that’s what I did, but I warned BR that the Rebbe doesn’t always respond because he gets so much mail and so many requests.

When I said that, there was silence on the other end of the phone, and then he said, “Dear boy, I’ll write on my Queen’s Counsel letterhead, and of course I’ll get a reply.”

I didn’t say anything to that, but I thought, “Good luck!”

About ten days later, I got another phone call from BR. He said, “Dear boy, just to keep you in the loop, I thought I would tell you — as a matter of courtesy — that of course your Rebbe replied to me, and I want to thank you for the introduction.”

“Oh, that’s fantastic,” I said. “I don’t want to be intrusive, but would you mind telling me the content of the Rebbe’s answer?” He said, “No, no, no, dear boy, I’m very happy to tell you. The Rebbe said that my wife and baby would be alright and there was nothing to worry about. We also got a blessing that the baby would be born at the proper time.”

Then I made a big mistake — I asked, “How is your wife?” There was silence at the other end of the phone, and then he said, “My wife jumped right out of bed and is fine. But how can you ask such a question? Wasn’t that what was going to happen when the Rebbe gave a blessing?”

That was the first part of the chain reaction that I am describing. The second part came when I told this story to my son-in-law, Dovid Bleier, who responded with, “I bet BR is a Jew.” I said, “Impossible. He is an Anglo-Saxon Christian!” But Dovid insisted that he would be proven right.

I wasn’t about to argue with my young son-in-law, who is obviously nowhere near as wise and clever as I am. But a couple of months later I had another case with BR and, afterwards, we stopped to have a couple of drinks. After a second glass of Scotch, he was feeling quite relaxed and he told me, “You know, dear boy, I actually have some Jewish blood.”

I was very surprised, and so I quizzed him about his lineage. As it turned out his maternal grandmother was Jewish, which of course meant that his mother was Jewish, and which made him a Jew, according to Torah law. I tried to explain this to him, but he wasn’t buying it. Nevertheless, he ended up reading some Torah books I gave him, and he came to embrace his Jewish identity to some extent, even if minimally.
And that brings me to the third part in this chain reaction.

I have a Jewish friend in Sydney whose wife was undergoing IVF treatment because she couldn’t get pregnant. She had to be hospitalized for this procedure, and she came to share a room with a gentile woman, who just happened to be Mrs. BR. When Mrs. BR learned what my friend’s wife was being treated for, she asked her, “Are you Jewish?” My friend’s wife became defensive and answered quite aggressively, “Yes, I’m Jewish! What of it?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Mrs. BR said. “It’s just that there’s a holy man in New York called the Rebbe. And if you are Jewish, I don’t understand why you’re having this treatment without first asking him for a blessing.”

That entire chain reaction came from the Rebbe’s advice to spread the Torah message to “everybody.”

Mr. Robert Kremnizer is an attorney practicing law in Sydney, Australia. He is also the author of ten books on Chasidut, including a collection of first-hand experiences with the Rebbe entitled Australian Encounters. He was interviewed in August 2017.

Oholei Torah Mothers Committee Brings Shavuos Joy and Creativity to Oholei Torah Cheder

In preparation for Shavuos, the OTMC – Oholei Torah Mothers Committee brought a special hands-on activity to the Cheder classrooms, filling the Yeshiva with excitement and creativity.

Mothers visited the Pre1A – 5th Grade classrooms and joined the talmidim in decorating beautiful planters and planting colorful flowers together. The boys enthusiastically decorated, planted, and proudly prepared their creations to bring home in honor of Shavuos.

The Yeshiva extends heartfelt thanks to the OTMC for continually bringing meaningful and engaging programs to the talmidim and helping enhance the Yom Tov atmosphere with hands-on projects throughout Oholei Torah.

Photos by: Yossi Fajnland

There’s something I’ve been carrying in my heart for a while, and I want to share it the way I would say it face-to-face: honestly, with love for going to shul, and with no intention of sounding holier-than-thou.

I love going to shul on Shabbos. I love my community. I love seeing familiar faces, hearing the children laugh in the hallways, and feeling the warmth of a place that belongs to all of us. It’s the one time all week when I can step away from the noise of life and simply be with Hashem.

For me, and for many of the women I sit with, Shabbos davening is the point. We wait for it all week. We come to answer Amen with kavanah, to follow every word of Krias HaTorah, to thank Hashem, to ask for what we need, and to listen. When the Aron HaKodesh is open, it feels like Hashem is right there, listening to every tefillah. Those moments feel holy, fragile, and like such a gift.

Lately, it has become harder to hold onto that feeling.

I understand that children talk. They are children, and their voices are part of the life and energy of a shul. But it’s no longer only the children. There is constant conversation coming from the men’s section as well. At times, it becomes impossible for the women’s section to hear the Chazan or the Baal Koreh.

I understand that people want to connect with one another. Community matters. But I want to ask, sincerely and respectfully: if you feel the need to talk during davening, could you please step outside the room?

This time is meant to be between us and Hashem. We are all trying to get there, too.

Men are given the incredible mitzvah of coming to shul and davening three times a day. Three opportunities every single day to stand before Hashem, to open your heart, to ask for parnassah, for health, for shalom bayis, for clarity, for strength. Every person is carrying something. Every person needs brachos. We are living in Golus, trying to hold ourselves together, and these moments in shul are precious.

Sometimes I find myself unable to understand how, while the Aron HaKodesh is open and Krias HaTorah is taking place, people can continue speaking about narishkeit as though nothing holy is happening. Not because anyone should feel afraid, but because how can we not feel the weight and beauty of where we are standing? Hashem is everywhere, but shul is the place we are taught to come especially close to Him. The channels for bracha are open.

Do we not all need something from Hashem?

Why wait, chalilah, for tragedy or pain to wake us up and remind us to turn to Him? Why not use these moments now, while we have them?

(And then there are the phones. During the week, especially, seeing phones out during davening is something I struggle to understand. Someone once gave a mashal: if a person were sitting in a meeting with the head of a major company, discussing a multimillion-dollar contract that could change his entire future, would he sit there scrolling on his phone? Of course not. The phone would be off and put away because the meeting would be too important. Kal vachomer when we stand before Hashem.)

Hashem determines our parnassah, our health, our families, and our lives every single day. Davening is our meeting with Him. How can we treat those moments casually?

I am not preaching, and I am not judging anyone. I am simply asking, as one member of the community to another: please help protect the kedusha of our shuls. Help create an environment where people can hear the davening, concentrate on the Torah reading, and truly connect to Hashem.

Let’s protect the quiet. Let’s use these moments wisely. Let’s remember why we came.

Because when Jews truly daven together, when the Aron is open and hearts are open too, there is nothing more powerful than that.

May all of our tefillos be answered in a revealed way, with the coming of Moshiach now.

Thank you in advance from a fellow davener from behind the mechitzah.

Torrential rain and thunderstorms are sweeping through Brooklyn, NY this evening, causing flooding in many lower level floors in homes and business.

Photos and videos of the Main Shul at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights show significant flooding of the busy synagogue.

New York City has been under a severe thunder warning today, issued by the National Weather Service.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 7:30 p.m. Wednesday for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island in the city. The warning also includes Nassau, Hudson and Union counties.

These thunderstorms are moving east at 30 mph and are capable of producing 60 mph gusts and penny-sized hail.

The storms are also producing torrential downpours that may lead to flooded roadways.

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