Where can I buy chometz? Where is it problematic? Rabbi Yakov Teichman – Rabbinic Coordinator at the OK, gives us the full scoop.

View it in its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/shelf-awareness

Audio shiur and 2 helpful lists below
Click here for audio shiur

Click here for updated Post Pesach Chametz List 1

Click here for updated Post Pesach Chametz List 2

On Sunday 11 Nissan, the Bochurim in Manchester arranged a massive drive for Mivtzoim as a present for the Rebbe’s Birthday. Eight Mitzvah Tanks were rented to do Mivtza Pesach and Tefillin in key locations around town.

Standing outside busy supermarkets, the Arndale Shopping mall in City Centre, State Fayre bakery and in the centre of Heaton Park, the Bochurim put on tefillin with many Yidden and distributed 436 boxes of matzah & Pesach leaflets.

For the second year running, one unique part was the Cteen Tank – a group of boys from Cteen who, together with their chaperones from the Cteen NY Shabbaton, spent the entire afternoon doing mivtzoim on a mitzvah outside the Tesco Supermarket. They put on tefillin with Yidden and distributed 135 boxes of Matzos.

The tanks then regrouped for a parade to spread the Rebbe’s Message across the city and to raise Pesach awareness.

Video by Yehuda Pink

20+ and ready to dive deeper into Torah… and yourself?

Your twenties are a unique time in life. School may be behind you, but many women still feel a deep desire to keep growing—personally, spiritually, and intellectually. There’s often a quiet question that lingers: What’s next?

For women who are looking to reconnect with meaning, deepen their relationship with Torah, and spend time with others on a similar journey, Machon Alte’s Sefirat HaOmer Retreat, directed by Rabbi Chaim Rosenfeld, offers a rare opportunity to pause and reflect.

Taking place April 15 – May 24 in Tzfat, Israel, the retreat invites single women ages 20–29 to step away from the busyness and distractions of everyday life and immerse themselves in a warm, thoughtful environment dedicated to growth.

A Time Designed for Inner Growth

The weeks of Sefirat HaOmer have long been known as a powerful time for personal reflection and spiritual development. At Machon Alte, this period becomes a meaningful journey—one that combines learning, discussion, shared experiences, and opportunities to grow beyond the classroom.

With 5 classes a day, participants explore Torah ideas in an open and engaging setting where conversations often continue long after the formal classes end. The atmosphere encourages curiosity, honest questions, and genuine dialogue.

Learning That Feels Alive

Covering topics in halacha, chassidus, chumash and more, the retreat focuses on learning that feels personal and relevant, coordinated by Mrs. Chana Traxler. With both text and lecture-based classes, we offer learning that builds real knowledge and a solid, authentic understanding.

Alongside the learning, participants take part in creative workshops and meaningful trips—experiences that often become some of the most memorable and impactful moments of the program.

The Unique Setting of Tzfat

Located in the beautiful and mystical city of Tzfat, Machon Alte provides a setting that naturally invites reflection and inspiration. The quiet stone streets, breathtaking views, and spiritual atmosphere create a backdrop that supports the journey participants are on.

As a highlight of the program, participants will spend Shavuot in the Old City of Jerusalem—an unforgettable experience of learning, connection, and celebration in one of the most meaningful places in the world.

For more information or to apply:
machonalte.com
or message +972 53-950-8448

Single women ages 20–29 are welcome to apply

On Chol Hamoed Pesach, Montana’s Shliach Rabbi Chaim Bruk, visited the Whitehall Community Library in Whitehall, Montana where he gave the opening remarks for the traveling Anne Frank Exhibit.

He spoke about his late Zayde Rabbi Shimon Goldman of Crown Heights, about the realities of Jew-hatred in America and how to cure our nation from the epidemic of hate, one individual, one community, at a time.

By COLlive reporter

A fund has been set up to support the family of Rabbi Avraham Golovacheov, a Chabad Shliach who dedicated his life to growing the Jewish community of Berlin, Germany. He was 43 and battled an illness with courage.

Rabbi Golovacheov was a key figure in the development of Berlin’s rabbinic infrastructure, serving as mazkir of the Beis Din under Chief Rabbi Yehuda Tiechtel.

In this role, he oversaw a wide range of rabbinic matters, including sensitive cases of birur yahadus, and played a key role in the expansion and strengthening of kashrus certification throughout the city.

Rabbi Golovacheov also led the publishing house of the Jüdische Gemeinde Chabad Berlin, where he oversaw the translation and dissemination of classic Jewish texts into German.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Chana, and their young children: Shterna Sara, Sholom Dovber, Shmuel, Menachem Mendel, Shneur Zalman, and Yosef Yitzchak.

His Levaya took place on Chol Hamoed Pesach at Jüdischer Friedhof Heerstraße/Scholzplatz, the Jewish cemetery in Berlin. In attendance were family, community members and fellow Shluchim from around Germany. Kaddish recited by his children has shattered hearts of all those participating.

VIDEO:

To support his family, donate at https://www.charidy.com/6yetomim

Families of New Jersey Shluchim and RCA staff came together this Chol Hamoed Pesach for a warm and memorable family concert.

The event, held at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston, NJ, was a project of the Chabad of New Jersey Mental Health Initiative and organized under the auspices of the Rabbinical College of America.

The afternoon opened with remarks from Rabbi Mendy Herson, who welcomed the crowd and set the tone for an event that felt less like a production and more like a true family gathering. Children of New Jersey Shluchim from across the state said the 12 Psukim, and then came the music. Eli Marcus took the stage, delivering an energetic and heartfelt performance that had the room singing along. A halftime show with Marc Garfinkel kept the energy high, and one of the most moving moments of the afternoon was a roll call of every single Shliach in New Jersey, each name met with applause and celebration.

By the end of the evening, one thing was clear: the Shluchim family of New Jersey is strong, proud, and deeply connected.

One shlucha captured the feeling perfectly:
“Today was so special. The family of Shluchim getting together for Chol Hamoed — a gift for my family and something that highlights the zchus that we have to be Shluchim and part of this extended family. The Rebbe is proud!”

The event was organized by Rabbi Moishe and Zeesy Grossbaum and Rabbi Moishe and Mushkie Gurevitz and Mushky Levinson, with event management by Estee Rapaport of Your Events by Esty.

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/photos/2026/04/vid-20260410-wa0083.mp4

On Monday, April 6th, Jewish Heritage Night with the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center was nothing short of extraordinary, an unforgettable evening of Jewish pride in the presence of over 20,000 fans.

Hosted by Chabad of Orlando, including Chabad of Greater Orlando, Chabad of South Orlando, and Chabad of Downtown Orlando, the event brought the spirit, strength, and beauty of Jewish identity to one of the largest public platforms in Central Florida.

The evening began on a deeply moving note with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem by Cantor Zalmi Katz, whose powerful and heartfelt performance set the tone for the night ahead.

From start to finish, the night was a true Kiddush Hashem, a proud and meaningful display of Jewish life, values, and unity in today’s climate.

One of the most powerful highlights of the evening was a moving video presentation by Chabad of Orlando, sharing a timeless and deeply relevant message: the response to antisemitism and hate is not retreat but adding more light. Through acts of goodness, mitzvahs, and kindness, we illuminate the world.

The video featured the Rebbe’s powerful teaching that every individual is a “lamplighter,” with the ability and responsibility to bring light wherever they go. Presented without introduction, the video captivated the entire arena and was met with a resounding and heartfelt applause an incredible moment of unity and inspiration.

Rabbi Dovid Dubov, Director of Jewish Heritage Night, shared: “It was incredibly inspiring to witness the reaction of people from all walks of life to our Chabad video presentation at the end of the first quarter. Our goal was to reach every individual in the arena regardless of background or affiliation, Jewish or not and to awaken a sense of purpose and light within them. Seeing that message resonate so deeply, and hearing the powerful applause that followed, was truly extraordinary.”

The energy continued throughout the night with uplifting and dynamic performances by Nissim Black, who brought powerful, inspiring Jewish music to both the pre game and in game performances.

Adding to the excitement, Howie Mandel took center stage for a one of a kind halftime presentation. Prior to the game, Howie disguised himself as a security guard and interacted with fans in humorous, Pesach-themed moments playfully “checking for chametz” and creating unforgettable reactions. These interactions were then revealed during halftime in a hilarious and engaging video segment, followed by his live comedic performance.

Howie Mandel shared after the event that he was deeply proud of Chabad of Orlando for putting together such a powerful and meaningful evening. As a proud Jew, he expressed how honored he felt to be part of an event centered around the mission of pushing back against darkness by bringing more light into the world.

Rabbi Sholom Dubov, head shliach of Orlando, shared following the event: “It was a tremendous Kiddush Hashem and Kiddush Shem lubavitch to witness the Jewish community come together with such pride and joy in the presence of ten of thousands.

All in all, Jewish Heritage Night was a tremendous success an evening filled with joy, meaning, and pride. In a time when standing tall in our identity matters more than ever, this event served as a powerful reminder of the strength of Jewish unity and the impact of bringing more light into the world.

Rabbi Yosef Konikov of Chabad of South Orlando shared, “This wasn’t just an event, it was a statement of Jewish unity, pride, and resilience and everyone there felt it.”

Rabbi Levik Dubov of Chabad of Downtown Orlando shared that Jewish Heritage Night was beyond expectations, and that there is no better place for a display of Jewish pride, unity, and strength than on a stage as large and impactful as the Kia Center,”

By Challah baking expert Rochie Pinson

Pesach is over, we are firmly back in real time, and the house smells of Challah again.
And this week it’s not just any challah, it’s Shlissel Challah!

Jewish women of yore would bake a key-shaped challah (or a key baked into the challah – take your pick!) on the Shabbos following Pesach.

Every year, as the “challah lady,” I start getting questions about this minhag as soon as Pesach is over! “Is this a real thing?” “Is this ok to do?” “Where did this minhag come from?”

So, I figured I’ll clear up some of the questions by writing this up for you! (PS: all this information and more are also in my book/cookbook “Rising: The Book of Challah.”)

First of all, you may be surprised to hear that indeed this is a very authentic minhag yisrael.

Students of the Maggid already spoke of shlissel challah as an “ancient tradition”, and offered numerous interpretations for this fascinating minhag.
After 40 years in the midbar, the Jewish people continued to eat the “mon” until the first Pesach in Eretz Yisrael. They brought the Omer offering on the second day of pesach and from that day on, they no longer ate Mon, but food that had grown in Eretz Yisrael. Since this time of year is when they began to concern themselves over their sustenance rather than having it fall from the sky each morning, they key on the challah reminds us to still look upward and remember the Source of all sustenance, and daven that the gates of Parnasa should be opened up to us.

The Meiri says that while on Rosh Hashanah it is decided whether one will live or not, live in peace or suffer (ch”v), etc, on Pesach we are judged in regards to the grains.
That means that these are the days in which it is decided how abundant our parnasah (ie; livelihood… dough;) will be this coming year.

There are many traditions that have developed to correspond with this idea.
In Syria and Turkey the women would sprinkle grains around the corners of their home at the closing of Passover, the Jews of Morocco celebrate “Mimouna” on Motzei Pesach, and in Eastern Europe, the women would bake keys into their challah.

Whatever your particular minhag, or however you choose to “key” your challah- there is nothing like challah to reconnect us to the awareness that as hard as we work to bring in the ‘dough’… “lo al halechem l’vado yichyeh ha’adam” “man does not live on bread alone” – Ki al kol Motzei pi Hashem, yichyeh ha’adam.”

The ultimate sustenance is always a blessing from the Eibershter, and we ask Him that the gates of “oitzarcha hatov- Your treasure house of goodness,” should be opened wide to all of us in the most beautiful way possible.

—

VIDEO:

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During Passover, when the pressures of preparations can bring out the worst in a couple, maintaining the essence of a Jewish home becomes crucial. Moreover, this home must retain its special holiness all year round. The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s advice to two couples – one undergoing spiritual and family challenges; the other facing financial and professional decisions – and his emphasis on love and harmony, commitment to Torah law, and mutual support.

In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h

“To show a living example”

By the Grace of G-d
1st Day of Chanukah 5725
Brooklyn, NY

Blessing and Greeting:

Your letter of October 23rd reached me with some delay. May G-d grant that the matters about which you write should be resolved in a satisfactory way. Needless to say, you and your husband, on your part, should do everything possible, in the natural order of things, to bring about this satisfactory development. One of the essential and first steps in this direction is to show a living example of what true Jewish life should be, by the daily conduct in accordance with the Torah and mitzvoth, which are a source of life and true happiness for the Jew.

It sometimes happens that the kind of problem about which you write results from the fact that the parents had not observed fully the laws and regulations of Taharas Hamishpacha [Family Purity]. Fortunately, repentance is effective, even retroactively. Therefore, you ought to try not only to rectify any shortcomings in this area, but also to spread and strengthen the observance of these laws, within the framework of the Jewish way of life as a whole, to the fullest extent of your influence. This will go a long way to bring about the hoped for results.

I suggest that your husband have his Tefillin checked, and that before putting them on every weekday morning, he put aside a small coin for tzedakah. No doubt you also know of, and observe, the good custom of putting aside a small coin for tzedakah before lighting the candles.

May G-d grant that you should have news to report, especially as we are now in the auspicious days of Chanukah. No doubt you know that Jewish women played an important role in bringing about the miracle of Chanukah through their dedicated adherence to the Jewish way of life in spite of all difficulties, and with real self-sacrifice. May these auspicious days of Chanukah bring you and yours a growing measure of light, both materially and spiritually.

With blessing,

[signature]

P.S. I need hardly emphasize that when I wrote in the beginning of the letter that the matters about which you write should be “resolved in a satisfactory way,” I plainly meant the absolute necessity to put an end to the matter of your daughter’s marriage to a non-Jew. As for details on how to bring this about, these depend on the character and disposition of your daughter, and on other factors, and you should therefore consult with friends who know her personally.

Needless to say, a mixed marriage, G-d forbid, is not at all, as you have been told, a matter which is detrimental or painful only to the parents of the couple concerned, but it is first and foremost one of the greatest tragedies that could possibly befall a Jewish girl (even if, because of being emotionally involved or for other reasons, she does not recognize this, or does not want to admit it). Your attitude toward this situation should be the same as if, G-d forbid, your daughter wished to commit suicide.

And this is not only from the religious viewpoint, but also from every viewpoint, since it is clear and a matter of general knowledge that when two persons of such different backgrounds are thrown together, there are bound to be endless frictions, disharmony, etc. The statistics, which only tell part of the story inasmuch as many frictions and broken homes are kept secret, certainly bear this out.

“A certain measure of independence”

By the Grace of G-d
5 Kislev 5729
Brooklyn, NY

Blessing and Greeting:

I duly received your letter postmarked November 20th, as well as your previous letter.

In reply to your correspondence, and pursuant to our conversation during your visit here, I want to reiterate that every person, in order to be able to express himself fully and be successful in his work, must have a certain measure of independence. This is particularly true in the case of a person whose main activity is intellectual and spiritual, especially in the field of research, where independence of thought and decision is a basic condition of the scientific approach. And inasmuch as a human being is a single entity, it is inevitable that inhibitions in one area are bound to have an effect on other areas of one’s activity.

The above does not imply that a wife should completely withhold her opinions or suggestions, which she considers it her duty to express to her husband. On the contrary, no person should withhold any idea that can be beneficial to any Jew, not to mention when it concerns the best interests of husband and wife, both of whom are like one entity. Nevertheless, you ought to leave your husband a considerable measure of independence in making final decisions. And knowing you and him, I am certain that the proper decisions will be made.

I am gratified to note from your writing that your husband has resumed his research in earnest, and may G-d grant that it be with much hatzlacha [success].

As for the question of taking time out as a consultant, etc., it is my opinion, as I mentioned in our conversation, that if this will not interfere with his research work, it would be all right. For, as I have emphasized, his essential work lies in the field of research, and it should have primary attention, all the more so since there has been a considerable interruption.

With regard to the question of stocks, my opinion is that they should not be sold if there would be a loss, G-d forbid. Otherwise stocks should be sold on the advice of an experienced broker at such time the broker thinks is right for the particular stock.

Generally speaking, I have no right to withhold my general opinion that it is not a good idea to invest in stocks the major part of one’s savings. In addition to the consideration that such an investment would be of questionable financial prudence, there is also the factor of the nervous strain that the stock market fluctuations cause to the investor. Also, because such a situation is completely independent of the investor’s intelligence and judgment, or at any rate, largely so.

Finally, the present day and age is full of unpredictable developments, and the market is highly sensitive to national and international events. In view of all this, those who ask my advice with regard to the stock market, my usual advice is to rather forgo a percentage of dividends, and invest in more secure and suitable investments.

I emphasize “those who ask my advice.” However, since you have not asked my advice, I will not say that you should necessarily act accordingly. May G-d grant that whatever you decide should be with hatzlacha to enjoy your parnosseh [livelihood], and to use your earnings on good, wholesome and happy things, especially in the advancement in matters of Yiddishkeit in general, and the Torah-true education of the children in particular, and that you and your husband should bring them up to a life of Torah, chuppah [marriage], and good deeds, in good health and ample sustenance.

May G-d grant that you should have good news to report, including also good news about having been successful in finding a suitable apartment in a desirable neighborhood, as you mention in your letter.

With blessing,

[signature]

P.S. While the letter was addressed to you, since it is in reply to your letter, it goes without saying that you may show it to your husband, and convey to him my best regards at the same time.

To receive to your inbox email: [email protected]

By COLlive reporter

In a video address released from his office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached out to the residents of Israel’s north who remain under the shadow of Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks.

While the Prime Minister spoke of military resolve and diplomatic maneuvers, he took a moment to highlight a deeply spiritual “secret weapon” resting on his shelf: several volumes of the Tanya.

During the address, Netanyahu gestured toward the holy books, identifying them as a primary “source of strength” for the nation. These specific editions of the Tanya—the foundational work of Chabad Chassidus—carry a remarkable history. They were printed in Lebanon by Chabad Chassidim under the instruction of the Rebbe during the First Lebanon War.

The Rebbe’s directive to print the Tanya in enemy territory, including Beirut, was intended to transform a place of darkness and conflict into a source of light and holiness.

These volumes were recently presented to the Prime Minister by Chabad representatives following the “spectacular beeper attack” that crippled Hezbollah’s communication network earlier this year.

The Prime Minister’s gesture comes at a critical juncture. While recent headlines focus on the possibility of direct peace talks with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah, Netanyahu remains firm that the military campaign continues.

“What is the key? What is the secret?” Netanyahu asked in the video. Pointing to the Lebanon-printed Tanyas, he answered: “Faith and strength. We have both of them in abundance.”

VIDEO:

Alongside the Tanya editions in his office, there was also a photo of him meeting the Rebbe. The connection between Netanyahu and the Rebbe dates back to 1984, when the Rebbe famously told a young Ambassador Netanyahu at the United Nations that he would have to light a candle of truth in a house of “darkness” (the UN).

Decades later, as Israel faces complex multi-front challenges, Netanyahu continues to lean on the Rebbe’s teachings of absolute victory and spiritual fortitude.

VIDEO: What the Rebbe told Netanyahu about Lebanon

A man who planned a major terror attack at 770 Eastern Parkway has pleaded guilty and now faces the possibility of life in prison.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani national living in Canada, admitted that he intended to carry out a mass shooting at the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Authorities say his goal was to cause large-scale casualties and make it one of the deadliest attacks in the United States in recent years.

According to investigators, Khan began planning the attack in August 2024 and later shifted his focus specifically to New York. He was ultimately stopped as part of an undercover operation, after communicating with individuals he believed would help him carry out the attack, who were in fact law enforcement agents.

During those exchanges, he requested weapons, ammunition, and other supplies, and discussed in detail how he planned to enter the U.S. and carry out the attack at the iconic Chabad center.

He was arrested in Canada while attempting to cross into the United States near the Quebec border. Officials say he took steps to avoid detection, including switching vehicles along the way.

Authorities noted that the plot was inspired by ISIS and specifically targeted the Jewish community. They emphasized that the attack was successfully prevented through coordinated efforts between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

Khan is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2026, and could receive life in prison.

Following an extended period during which gathering restrictions were imposed at the Western Wall Plaza, Thursday morning, with the change in defense policy and updated Home Front Command guidelines, the Western Wall prayer plaza has returned to full activity.

From the early morning hours, thousands of worshippers have been streaming to the Western Wall Plaza, after a prolonged period in which entry was limited to just 50 worshippers at any given time.

The many worshippers are offering prayers of thanksgiving for the miracles, alongside prayers for the wellbeing of IDF soldiers and security forces, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the peace and security of the State of Israel.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation notes that the tefillin-laying station at the entrance to the men’s section, as well as the Western Wall Tunnels sites, have also reopened for the benefit of visitors. Tickets for individuals and groups can be reserved via the Foundation’s website or by phone at *5958.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, said, “It is moving to see the Jewish nation, in all its diversity, once again streaming to the Western Wall Plaza – the beating heart of the Jewish people – after an extended period of restrictions. We invite the entire public to return and visit this holy site, to offer prayers, and to explore the Western Wall Tunnels as well. The return of thousands expresses, more than anything, the deep need that became evident during the days of fighting to allow for an expansion in the number of worshippers, carried out responsibly and within an appropriate framework, for the benefit of the public.”

Photo credit: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation

By Rabbi Anchelle Perl

This week, humanity did something extraordinary.

For the first time in more than half a century, human beings traveled around the far side of the moon. The astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II mission — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — flew farther from Earth than anyone in history, reaching a distance of 252,756 miles.

And in doing so, they saw something no human being had ever seen before: the hidden face of the moon.

It turns out, it looks unfamiliar.

“The darker parts just aren’t quite in the right place,” astronaut Christina Koch said from inside the Orion capsule. “Something about you senses that is not the moon that I’m used to seeing.”

That moment — part wonder, part disorientation — captures something essential about the human condition. We are deeply attached to what we recognize. We build our sense of reality around what is familiar. And yet, just beyond our line of sight, there is often another side — equally real, but unseen.

Rabbi Anchelle Perl of Chabad of Mineola believes that is precisely the point.
“The moon always had two faces,” he said. “We just couldn’t see both at once — until now.”
Every system — scientific, personal, historical — has both a visible layer and a hidden one. What we see is not the whole story. It never was.

In Jewish thought, this idea is ancient. Rabbi Perl frames it in the language of mysticism: “Everything has a revealed face and a hidden face. The astronauts didn’t change the moon — they changed their vantage point.”

That may be the most important takeaway from Artemis II. Discovery is not only about going somewhere new. It is about seeing what was always there — differently.
The astronauts themselves seemed to sense this. Asked to describe the mission in a single word, Koch chose: “humility.”
“Humility is exactly right,” Rabbi Perl said. “The greatest human achievements don’t make us feel bigger. They remind us how small we are — and how vast the universe is.”

In a time when technology often amplifies human ego, space exploration still has the power to do the opposite. It shrinks us — not in a diminishing way, but in a clarifying one. It places us in context.
One image from the mission captures that perfectly: Earth, seen from deep space, as a thin blue crescent suspended in darkness. Fragile. Distant. Alone.
Some viewers found it unsettling. Rabbi Perl did not.

“That image doesn’t frighten me,” he said. “It does the opposite. It reminds me that something so small can still matter so much.”

You don’t need to be religious to feel that. In fact, the image invites a universal response: awe, responsibility, and perhaps a renewed sense of perspective.
And then there is the timing.

The Artemis II mission comes during Passover — a holiday rooted in the idea of transformation. Not just political or physical liberation, but a shift in perception: from narrowness to possibility, from confinement to openness.

“The Hebrew word for Egypt is connected to the idea of constriction,” Rabbi Perl noted. “Passover is about realizing that what you thought was the whole picture… isn’t.”

Whether in personal life or global history, there are moments when everything feels fixed — when the “near side” of reality is all we can see. And then something shifts. A new angle. A new understanding. Suddenly, what was hidden becomes visible.

That’s what Artemis II offered — not just data or images, but perspective.
The astronauts circled the moon and revealed its far side. But perhaps the deeper achievement is what they revealed about us.

We are still explorers. Still seekers. Still capable of wonder.

And, as Rabbi Perl adds, that instinct to explore is not only scientific — it is deeply human and, in his view, deeply spiritual.

“The Lubavitcher Rebbe often spoke about humanity’s push into space,” Rabbi Perl said. “He saw it not as a challenge to faith, but as an expression of it — the idea that human beings are meant to go beyond their limits, to discover what was hidden within creation.”

The Rebbe also emphasized that progress in science should be matched by growth in purpose.

“Advancement alone is not enough,” Rabbi Perl explained. “The question is: what do we do with what we discover? Do we use it to deepen our sense of responsibility, of unity, of meaning?”

That balance — between expansion and humility — may be the quiet message of this moment.

“The hidden side was always there,” Rabbi Perl said. “We just needed the courage — and the curiosity — to go far enough to see it.”

And perhaps, as humanity looks outward to the far reaches of space, it is also being invited to look inward — to discover the unseen dimensions of its own purpose.

Because sometimes, the greatest discoveries are not just about what is out there.
They are about what we are finally ready to see.

The annual Kinus Torah in Parsippany, New Jersey took place on Sunday Chol Hamoed at Congregation Shaya Ahavat Torah.

Rabbi Shalom Lubin opened the program by highlighting how the Rebbe encouraged these Kinusim on YomTov, and share insights on Zmanim and the term “Bein Hazmanim”.

Dovid Lubin, a bochur learning in Yeshivas Ohr Elchonon Chabad in LA, shared insights into the paragraph of Hei Lachma Ania and its connection to the Geulah.

Dovid Tzvi Walters, a bochur in Tomchei Temimim Morristown discussed various themes of freedom and Cheirus found in the Sichos of the Rebbe.

Chaim Lubin, a bochur in Yeshiva of Scottsdale, discussed the many names of the YomTov in Chazal, and their lessons in our Avodas Hashem.

Dovid Tillman, a bochur learning in Tiferes bachurim in Morristown shared connections between various Pesach Maamorim from the Rebbe

The Pesach Kinus Torah has become an annual event in Parsippany, and will Iy’h continue to grow next year and beyond!

Community Notice From the Lubavitch Youth Organization:

One of the Rebbe’s most well-known and beloved initiatives is the Tahalucha. For over 70 years, countless Anash and Bochurim have walked to hundreds of shuls throughout New York to be mesameach Yidden and to spread the maayanos of Chassidus.

On Shvi’i Shel Pesach, Wednesday, 21Nissan, the annual Pesach Tahalucha will take place, visiting numerous shuls across New York City.

Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis, the Lubavitch Youth Organization, has published the attached notice detailing the exact departure and return times for each Tahalucha group and their designated meeting locations.

To ensure proper organization and coordination, designated Memunim(coordinators) have been appointed to oversee each group and to work in conjunction with the police department.

The Lubavitch Youth Organization expresses its sincere appreciation to the NYPD for its assistance, coordination, and commitment to ensuring the safety of the Tahalucha.

As part of this effort, organizers respectfully ask the klal to keep the following important guidelines in mind:

1. Follow Instructions:
   Please adhere to the directions of the Memunim who will be stationed in front of 770 at the scheduled departure time.
   Each group must depart on time, remain together, and follow the route designated by the police.   It’s important to note that since groups are scheduled to leave at different times, please depart with your assigned group at the designated time.

2. Responsibility of Memunim:
   Memunim are asked to take full responsibility for attending their assigned shul. Each location has been contacted and scheduled in advance, and many shuls have publicized the arrival of “Lubavitch.”

3. If Unable to Attend:
   If you are unable to go to your assigned shul, please ensure that a responsible replacement is arranged. Our continued relationship with each shul depends on this commitment.

4. Sensitivity and Respect: 
   Please be mindful of the mispallelim, the shul’s schedule, and any instructions provided by the host shul. Many positive and wonderful Peulos were made possible over the years because of the conduct of the Tahalucha and the respect sown to the different shuls.   Over the years many ongoing and successful peulos have been made possible through the respectful conduct of Tahalucha participants.

5. Updating Information:
   Help us maintain accurate records. Any discrepancies between the information provided and what you encounter should be documented.
   Please include these updates in your duch and submit them in one of the following ways:

   • Give it to the Memunah
   • Drop it in the designated box in 770
   • Email: [email protected]
   • Fax: 718-778-2000
   • Call or text: (347) 709-2551
   • Mail slot: Tahalucha office, 1408 President Street

Through our hachlatos tovos in the inyan of Tahalucha, may we merit the Rebbe leading us on the ultimate Tahalucha to the Beis Hamikdash immediately.

Stump the Rabbi:

At the very end of Pesach, there is a unique seuda known as the Moshiach Seuda, where we eat matzah, drink four cups of wine, and sing the Rabbeim’s niggunim. But where does this custom come from, and why do we eat this special seuda at the very end of Pesach? What does it have to do with Moshiach, and what is its significance?

Answered by Rabbi Noam Wagner

By Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz – Jews for Judaism

This coming Shabbat marks the Yahrzeit (anniversary of the passing) of my father, Moshe Kravitz (Moshe ben Avraham), of blessed memory. He was born in 1921 and passed away in 1988 on the 24th of Nisan 5748. My father cherished family and Judaism.

During World War II, Master Sergeant Kravitz fought bravely in the North African campaign in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy.

Before making his way to Rome for a much-needed leave, his fellow soldiers asked an unusual favor. Would their sergeant visit the Vatican and get rosary beads blessed by the Pope to send home to their mothers?

After taking a photo outside the Tomba del Milite Ignoto [the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier], Sergeant Kravitz made a detour to the Vatican. He purchased two dozen rosaries and waited in a special hall to ensure the Pope blessed the beads.

When Pope Pius the 12th entered the room, everyone kneeled to greet him. Everyone except my father. When the Pope asked for an explanation, my father politely explained that he was Jewish, and we kneel only to God. The Pope responded that he understood and respected him.

Like Mordechai, who would not bow to Haman (Esther 3:5), my father’s refusal to kneel exemplified the essence of the Jewish faith. His example strengthens me in my battle to counteract groups that want Jews to worship false gods.

This week’s Torah portion, Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47), speaks about G-d’s command to distance ourselves from unclean animals. These laws are as meaningful and relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

First and foremost, the kosher food laws are an opportunity to connect to G-d by following His will. However, on a deeper level, they teach us self-control and the importance of realizing that the world is not ours to do with as we please. God has charged us with the responsibility of guarding this precious earth.

My father did this by fighting a war to protect the world and defeat tyranny. After World War II, my father was involved in helping obtain weapons for Israel’s War of Independence. I am proud to carry on his legacy by fighting for the survival of the Jewish people.

VIDEO:

By Amit Segal

Standing on the edge of the Red Sea, the Egyptian army approaching, the Bible records that many of the Israelites wanted to turn back.

According to rabbinic sources, one leader of the tribes, Nachshon ben Aminadav, stepped forward, throwing himself into the water, at which point the sea miraculously split. This is the miracle Jews will celebrate tonight on the seventh night of Passover.

While rabbinic sources place the historical event at midnight, this year’s point of no return will occur at 3:00 AM in Israel, when Donald Trump’s ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz—or incur his wrath—expires.

Unlike the enterprising Ben Aminadav, preparations have been made for this sea-splitting event. Yesterday, Israel targeted Iran’s largest petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh. Combined with last week’s hit on a second major facility, the IDF has taken out plants responsible for roughly 85 percent of Iran’s petrochemical exports. Today, an Israeli source indicated that railway infrastructure in Iran will be targeted next.

Trump has hinted at the consequences in store: “We have a plan… where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night, where every power plant will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again.”

To top off the biblical scale of this punishment, the ultimatum expires at 8 PM EST. The devastation of Iran’s infrastructure will seemingly occur over a period of just four hours.

Last night, the regime rejected the 45-day interim ceasefire proposal put forward by Pakistan, demanding instead a permanent end to the war.

The New York Times published Iran’s counterproposal: a permanent end to the war — not a temporary ceasefire — with a guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again by the U.S. or its allies; cessation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon; a halt to fighting against all Iranian-backed forces in the region; the lifting of all U.S. sanctions on Iran; and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under new rules of safe passage.

That’s not all. Iran is also demanding that each vessel transiting the strait pay a toll of approximately $2 million, with revenues shared with Oman and used in part to fund reconstruction of war-damaged infrastructure.

Despite what can only be described as an impressive amount of Iranian chutzpah, I doubt Trump will agree.

According to an Israeli source, there is division within the regime’s leadership: civilian leaders have been pushing for acceptance of the ceasefire, but are being rebuffed by hardliners in the IRGC. Unless the civilians prevail tonight, there will be no ceasefire.

A few hours remain.

We are in for an eventful night.

Looking for shiurim that will be interesting and exciting to keep you awake on Shvii shel Pesach?

If you’re in Crown Heights, you can find them at Hadar Hatorah. With an amazing lineup of speakers with original ideas and inspiring messages, the morning will come and you’ll still be thirsting for more.

The classes will be in the yeshiva’s new Beis Medrash, located at 824 Eastern Parkway. The entire community is invited.

Line-up of Speakers:

12:00am Rabbi Shalom Zirkind: How Moshiach will Wage Wars
1:00 Rabbi Shloma Majesky: Parshas Shemini תשנ”ב
2:00 Rabbi Yosef Geisinsky: Offering Karbonos without the Beis Hamikdosh?
3:00 Rabbi Sharon Weiss: One Idea that will Change Your Life
4:00 Rabbi Yaaron Zvi: Miracles Greater than the Days of Leaving Mitzrayim

May we Merit Moshiach Now!

A special Kinus Torah and Farbrengen took place in Crown Heights, organized by the Vaad Hamosifin. The event marked 18 Nissan, the birthday of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak the Rebbe’s father, and the day of the Rebbe’s bris.

A crowd gathered at Kollel Menachem near 770 to hear fascinating lessons on the Rebbe’s Haggadah from Torah scholars specializing in its explanation, as well as teachings from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.

The organizer, Rabbi Shmuel Pevzner, opened the Kinus by noting the 80th anniversary of the Rebbe’s publication of the Haggadah with “Likkutei Taamim u’Minhagim,” an edition that has amazed the Jewish world since its release.

Rabbi Shalom Ber Levin The librarian of the Agudas Chasidei Chabad Library and author of the “Dover Shalom” commentary on the Rebbe’s Haggadah, explained the Rebbe’s innovation regarding Charoset.

Rabbi Ephraim Fishel Oster, one of the heads of Yeshivas Oholei Torah and Rabbi of the Merkaz Avreichim shul, shed light on the Rebbe’s explanation concerning the blessing over Charoset.

Rabbi Dovid Dubov, Shliach in Princeton, New Jersey, and editor of the “Yalkut Levi Yitzchak” series on the Torah, presented wonderful insights from the teachings of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.

Following Ma’ariv, the crowd sat down for a Chassidishe Farbrengen in honor of the day.

http://video.chasidut.net/videos/15463/

By COLlive reporter

The levaya of Rabbi Avraham Golovacheov, a Chabad Shliach who dedicated his life to growing the Jewish community of Berlin, Germany, was held on Tuesday, Chol Hamoed Pesach.

He was 43 and battled an illness with courage.

Rabbi Golovacheov was a key figure in the development of Berlin’s rabbinic infrastructure, serving as mazkir of the Beis Din under Chief Rabbi Yehuda Tiechtel.

In this role, he oversaw a wide range of rabbinic matters, including sensitive cases of birur yahadus, and played a key role in the expansion and strengthening of kashrus certification throughout the city.

Rabbi Golovacheov also led the publishing house of the Jüdische Gemeinde Chabad Berlin, where he oversaw the translation and dissemination of classic Jewish texts into German.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Chana, and their young children: Shterna Sara, Sholom Dovber, Shmuel, Menachem Mendel, Shneur Zalman, and Yosef Yitzchak.

He was buried at Jüdischer Friedhof Heerstraße/Scholzplatz, the Jewish cemetery in Berlin. In attendance were family, community members and fellow Shluchim from around Germany.

VIDEO:

To support his family, donate at https://www.charidy.com/6yetomim

By COLlive reporter

R’ Moshe Shor, a baal koreh at Bais Menachem Chabad of North Miami Beach, Florida, delivered an unusual but pointed announcement during Shacharis on Chol Hamoed Pesach, addressing a widely embraced practice.

In recent years, the recitation of “Ka’eleh” during leining has evolved into a familiar, spirited moment, with the minyan joining in before the baal koreh continues.

The practice, while lighthearted and engaging, has been a source of enjoyment for many mispallelim. Singer Joey Newcomb even has a song about it.

The custom itself is a relatively recent development. The phrase “Ka’eleh” appears repeatedly in kriyas haTorah, and in some communities it gradually became a musical cue. What began as a spontaneous, rhythmic response evolved into a short, catchy chant—simple enough for a crowd to pick up instantly.

Over time, particularly in yeshiva and camp settings, the tune spread and took on a niggun-like quality, eventually becoming a semi-regular feature of leining in certain shuls.

Before leining, however, Rabbi Shor clarified that the custom runs counter to halachic standards governing kriyas haTorah.

“Just a reminder,” he said, “there’s a din of trei koli lo mishtamei, and it’s an issur gadol to sing any part of leining at the same time. So just don’t do Ka’eleh.”

He went further, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter with a striking comparison: “In a certain way, it’s worse than chometz even—because it’s a farhesia deRabbanan, which in some senses is worse than a tzina de’Oraisa.”

The reference to trei koli lo mishtamei underscores the halachic principle that two simultaneous voices cannot be properly heard, thereby compromising the shul’s obligation to listen attentively to the Torah reading.

To date, rabbonim and baalei koreh have neither stopped nor attempted to stop this chant.

By COLlive reporter

A Pesach celebration was held at the White House this week, bringing together senior administration officials and prominent Jewish community leaders for a reception and policy discussion ahead of the holiday.

The event included a reception in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building attended by approximately 70 staff members and senior officials, following a private 30-minute meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump and a select group of Jewish leaders.

Among the administration officials present were Secretary Howard Lutnick, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Staff Secretary Will Scharf, Jewish Liaison Martin Marks, and Jacob Reese, Chief of Staff to the Vice President, and Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun.

The Jewish delegation reflected a broad cross-section of rabbinic and communal leadership.

Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) in Washington, DC, was joined by Rabbi Chaim David Zwiebel of Agudath Israel, the mayors of Kiryas Joel and New Square, Rabbi David Niederman of Satmar in Williamsburg, Rabbi Moshe Margaretten of the Tzedek Association, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of New York’s Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.

Also in attendance were Holocaust survivor Jerry Worski, Council Member of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Jonathan Burkan, investor Paul Packer, Holocaust Memorial Council Chairman Jeff Miller, Matt Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition, and Rabbi Harold Loss of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, recently targeted in an antisemitic attack.

Joining them from New Jersey was Edan Alexander, a released hostage from Gaza, who attended together with his parents.

During the Oval Office meeting, several key issues were raised. The President asked about the status of Department of Homeland Security funding for Jewish community security, a topic of ongoing concern amid rising antisemitic threats. He also reiterated his strong support for Israel and addressed the current situation involving Iran.

President Trump additionally reflected on the case of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, describing his past sentence as unjust and inquiring about his current well-being.

In a personal moment, the President placed a call to his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, both of whom were involved in Jewish communal life during his previous administration. He spoke with pride about Ivanka’s conversion, noting that her teacher had described her as an exceptional student.

Rabbi Shemtov shared a personal anecdote about the couple’s humility while attending TheShul at Chabad Lubavitch Centrr when they resided in Washington DC, recalling how Ivanka once was the first to rise and offer her seat to an elderly woman at a packed Yom Kippur service there.

Rabbi Shemtov also invoked the Pesach theme of “B’chol dor vador,” emphasizing that throughout history, Hashem always saves the Jewish people from those seeking to annihilate them through those like the President in these times.

The gathering concluded with a sense of shared purpose and preparation for the upcoming Yom Tov, combining policy discussion with reflections on faith, leadership, and communal responsibility.

The Menachem Education Foundation (MEF) is honored to present its Annual Report, offering a meaningful glimpse into a year of growth, connection, and impact in Chinuch.

Over the past year, through the combined efforts of MEF and Our Heritage, 29,347 students around the world have been touched by programs and initiatives made possible through dedicated partnership and support.

Behind this number are thousands of individual stories of students discovering a love for learning, teachers gaining the tools and confidence to inspire, and schools growing stronger in their mission.

From empowering educators through training, mentorship, and practical resources, to opening the doors of Jewish education for children transferring from public school to Chabad day schools through Our Heritage, each initiative reflects a deep commitment building a strong future.

While many have received the printed report, the digital version offers another opportunity to explore the depth of this impact.

Read the Annual Report

Find out more about the work of the Menachem Education Foundation at mymef.org

Follow MEF’s Whatsapp Status and Instagram account.

By COLlive reporter

As Jews around the world sat at calmly set Seder tables, Ukraine’s Jewish communities marked Pesach under drastically different conditions. Now in the fifth year of war, the concept of freedom carried a sharper, more complex meaning, as tens of thousands gathered for public Sedarim amid drone strikes, missile fire, and nightly curfews.

The large-scale effort, coordinated by the Rebbe’s shluchim together with JRNU, enabled widespread participation despite the ongoing conflict. Massive logistical operations ensured the delivery of tons of shmurah matzah, wine, poultry, meat, and essential staples across the country. “This extensive support system allowed communities to enter Pesach fully prepared, even under fire,” said Rabbi Simcha Levenhertz, a shliach in Kyiv and executive director of the distribution network.

In Zhytomyr, the central Seder led by Chief Rabbi Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm drew approximately 180 participants, just hours after the city endured a significant drone attack. Despite the circumstances, the event proceeded in a dignified setting, with additional Sedarim organized for children in age-appropriate groups. “The children experienced something meaningful and uplifting,” Rabbi Wilhelm reported.

In Odessa, the scale was even larger. Under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Rabbi Avraham Wolff, roughly 1,000 participants attended communal Sedarim despite ongoing attacks. During the evening, sirens sounded, and children from the “Mishpacha Ukraine” orphanage were forced to move to shelters in the middle of the Seder. There, inside the protected space, they continued reciting the Haggadah and singing Pesach songs until late into the night.

In Zaporizhzhia, near the front lines, Rabbi Nachum Erentroy oversaw a well-attended Seder with hundreds of participants, maintaining a high standard despite the proximity to active combat zones.

In Sumy, missile and artillery impacts were reported in close range to the local synagogue during the holiday. “By the grace of Heaven, no one was harmed,” said Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky, noting that attendance at the second-night Seder filled the hall to capacity.

A similar pattern was seen in Poltava, where a strike occurred on a nearby street shortly before Yom Tov. Despite the incident, community members turned out in large numbers for the Seder led by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Segal.

In Chernivtsi, which has absorbed many displaced families, approximately 300 participants joined the Seder hosted by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Glitzenstein. One account stood out: a senior local physician, who had long claimed he had no time for Judaism, attended for the first time and became visibly emotional during the recitation of “Mah Nishtanah.” He later said the moment made him realize what he had been missing for years.

Due to the city’s midnight curfew, participants on the second night remained at the venue, continuing with a farbrengen until 4 a.m., when restrictions were lifted.

Across Ukraine, a consistent pattern emerged: despite active war conditions, participation remained strong, and in many cases increased. As one shliach summarized, the guiding principle remained unchanged: no Jew is left behind, regardless of circumstance.

On Yud-Alpeh Nissan, Sydney Australia celebrated with its annual Mitzvah tank parade! This year there was an extra special parade being dedicated in Memory of Rabbi Eli Schlanger Hy”d who was an integral participant of the Mitzvah tank parade parade each year along with Rabbi Yaakov Levitan Hy”d and all the Kedoshim of the Bondi Beach Terror attack.

This years parade drew a record shattering crowd with 3 Beautiful Mitzvah tanks, a full stretched Limo and even a Lamborghini lighting up the streets of Sydney with the Rebbe’s message! The parade drove through the Jewish neighbourhoods and culminated by the Sydney Harbour for the annual group photo which ended in electric Dancing!

From the Sydney city the Bochurim headed to Mivtzoim and distributed an unbelievable amount of over 400 Matzos and wrapped over 100 Tefillin with Yidden throughout Sydney!

Tremendous thanks goes to: Zevi Litzman, Jared Lake, Gavi Sufrin & Bentzi Sufrin for making this a reality along with Devoted Shluchim and community members whose support brought it to life!

May we Merit to drive Sydney’s Mitzvah tanks to Yerushelayim and be Reunited and dance with all our Kedoshim with the coming of Moshiach Now!

By COLlive reporter

A Long Island village will pay $19 million after a decades-long legal battle over blocking the construction of a Chabad center, according to a report by the New York Post.

The case involves the Village of Old Westbury, one of the most affluent communities in the United States, and a Chabad-Lubavitch congregation led by Rabbi Aaron Konikov.

The dispute dates back to 1999, when the rabbi purchased a 9-acre property with plans to build a synagogue to serve the growing Jewish population in the area.

According to the New York Post, village officials opposed the project and, in 2001, passed a zoning ordinance requiring houses of worship to be built on a minimum of 12 acres—effectively preventing the Chabad center from moving forward.

Local authorities cited concerns such as traffic, parking, and neighborhood character, but the congregation argued the restrictions unfairly targeted their project.

After nearly two decades of litigation in federal court, the parties reached a settlement that was recently approved by U.S. District Judge Gary Brown. As part of the agreement, the village will pay $19 million in damages to the Chabad group.

The settlement also allows the congregation to proceed with plans for a synagogue, pending the approval of a special-use permit. Preliminary plans include a roughly 20,000-square-foot facility with space for prayer, community programming, and parking.

The case was brought under federal protections for religious land use, including the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which prohibits municipalities from imposing zoning regulations that place substantial burdens on religious institutions.

The New York Post noted that the outcome represents a significant legal and financial consequence for the village, bringing an end to a dispute that has spanned more than 20 years.

The ruling is expected to have broader implications for similar cases involving zoning laws and religious institutions across the United States.

Dozens of pounds of matzah, cases of whole salmon, and endless crates of avocados, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions, all prepared and served for anyone who walked in.

From the first night of Pesach through today, Monday, hundreds have joined Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed meals at The Rebbe’s Kich in Crown Heights. The meals are offered free of charge, both for those dining in and for takeout.

Each meal is prepared by a dedicated kitchen staff, with careful attention to both quality and kashrus. All vegetables are peeled, fish are delivered whole, and every hiddur is observed.

The meals are available to anyone, those who wish to sit and eat in a warm, welcoming setting, as well as those who need to take food for others, particularly the homebound and elderly.

The response over Pesach has been overwhelming. Hundreds have already come through, and the demand continues to grow: a second large order of matzah was placed after the first ran out, and fresh meals continue to come out of the kitchen throughout the day.

The Pesach program builds on the recent launch of The Rebbe’s Kich as a full-time operation in Crown Heights, providing three meals a day, free of charge, to anyone in need.

The Rebbe’s Kich was initiated l’iluy nishmas R’ Avraham Yitzchak ben R’ Noson zt”l, by his son, the esteemed ba’al tzedaka and chossid, R’ Eliyahu Schlossberg of Eretz Yisroel.

All are welcome: families, bochurim, single girls, local residents, and visitors alike. While RSVPs are appreciated to assist with planning, they are not required.

Come and enjoy a meal!
The Rebbe’s Kich
1349 President Street
Open to all!
RSVP is appreciated, but not required.
To RSVP, please WhatsApp R’ Moshe Rubashkin at 917-755-2477.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pii2kqScQVZ7fM-lbPKz_K90f-_AVPy9?usp=drive_link

Students in over 50 Chabad schools across the United States and Europe, along with 700 shluchim families worldwide, received the new MyShliach Moshiach Seudah Farbrengen guide, designed to help them lead their families in a Moshiach Seudah. Download Here

Marking 46 years since the Rebbe focused the Acharon Shel Pesach farbrengen on the unique power of children to lead the way to Geulah, MyShliach’s Family Moshiach Seudah Farbrengen places them at the heart of this powerful minhag. 

The project was produced by MyShliach in collaboration with the Moshiach Office and Merkos’s Chinuch Office, as part of the Festival of the Future initiative. A visionary partner made it possible for every student in Chabad schools across the U.S., as well as hundreds of shluchim families worldwide, to have the program delivered to their doorstep. 

Featuring brand-new content for Pesach 5786, the beautifully designed handbook turns the Moshiach Seudah into an interactive and inspiring family celebration. Children and parents alike participate by sharing stories, leading niggunim, and engaging in uplifting Geulah-focused conversations.

The program empowers children to take the lead. With simple prompts and accessible language, kids can share a story, start a niggun, or guide a discussion. It also includes special prizes to encourage active participation.

“The handbook was created to help families tap into the energy of the day in a way that is accessible and meaningful for everyone,” said Rabbi Mendy Shanowitz, Director of MyShliach at Merkos 302. “It’s an experience your children will look forward to year after year.”

Forty six years ago, in 5740 (1980), the Rebbe dedicated the Acharon Shel Pesach farbrengen to children. At that historic farbrengen, the Rebbe emphasized the special connection between Pesach and children, explaining that “the entire story is related as a response to the children’s questions.” Just as the first days of Pesach revolve around the child’s curiosity at the Seder, the last day highlights the child’s ability to lead with clarity and faith.

“The Rebbe saw children not just as students, but as teachers ands leaders,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “Seudas Moshiach is meant to make the Geulah a reality in every home, and children have the power to bring that vision to life. When a child takes the lead, it can uplift an entire family.”

Most families have already received the booklet through their children’s schools. If you don’t have it yet, now is the perfect time to download the program and print it out before Yom Tov so your family can use it for the Seudas Moshiach Farbrengen.

Families are encouraged to take a few minutes before heading to shul to sit together with the guide and create a memorable Moshiach Seudah led by the children.

The MyShliach Family Moshiach Seudah Farbrengen is one of several tools developed through the Festival of the Future to help schools and families connect with the message of Geulah in a tangible way this Acharon Shel Pesach.

You can download the full program for free here

Use the booklet at your family’s Moshiach Seudah and win great prizes! Submit your name at festivalfuture.org/prize  Send a photo of you holding the booklet and receive an extra ticket for every child in the picture. Email your photo along with your name to [email protected].

The MyShliach Family Moshiach Seudah Farbrengen is dedicated

לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ יעקב בן הרה״ח ר׳ שבתי ע״ה

ולעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ שלמה בן הרה״ח ר׳ דוד ע״ה

Rabbis from Ukraine’s major cities met Monday with Ukraine’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky, at his secure office in Kyiv as we celebrate the holiday of Pesach.

They presented him with a package of shmurah matzah as well as a special gift—a newly completed full Ukrainian translation of the Five Books of the Torah. The rabbis discussed with him the situation of Jewish communities across the country, marking the fifth Passover under the shadow of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The meeting was held at the initiative of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU).

Since the outbreak of the war, Zelensky has made a point of meeting with Chabad emissaries serving as city rabbis throughout Ukraine, receiving updates on Jewish communal life and expressing his appreciation for their decision to remain in the war-torn country despite having the option to leave, as many of them hold Israeli or American citizenship.

As in previous years, the meeting was originally scheduled for the 11th of Nissan—the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, born in Mykolaiv, Ukraine—but was postponed to the intermediate days of Passover due to an unplanned diplomatic trip Zelensky made to Jordan and three Gulf states.

Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz of Kharkiv spoke about the Rebbe’s birthday and emphasized how he taught his students to dedicate their lives, without time limitation, to serving every Jew in the cities to which they were sent. He noted that the rabbis plan for Zelensky to designate this day as a “Day of Education and Good Deeds,” following the example set annually by U.S. presidents since the era of Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s. “We hope our next meeting will take place after the victory of Ukraine and Israel—a victory of light over darkness,” he said.

Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch of Kyiv spoke about the meaning of the Festival of Freedom, saying that both the Jewish and Ukrainian peoples share a common prayer—for freedom from the burden of the “axis of evil” threatening them and the world, for peace, and for redemption.

The chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, Rabbi Mayer Stambler, presented Zelensky with matzah baked at the “Tiferet HaMatzot” bakery in Dnipro, which supplies many Jewish communities worldwide.

He told the president that the Federation, together with Chabad emissaries, distributed sets of matzah and special Passover kits to more than 50,000 Jewish households across Ukraine, and organized dozens of large public Seders attended by many thousands.

The rabbis also gifted Zelensky a newly printed set of the Five Books of the Torah, published for the first time in history in the Ukrainian language. They showed him additional Jewish books and materials printed in Ukrainian as part of a broad initiative by the Federation, and Zelensky expressed his admiration.

Presenting the Chumash set, the rabbis noted that Jewish tradition teaches that God looked into the Torah and created the world from it. Therefore, translating the Torah into Ukrainian is a “heavenly” achievement that will bring strength and encouragement to the country in its struggle against Russian aggression. They added that the project involved dozens of rabbis and linguists over four years and cost tens of millions of hryvnias.

Rabbi Stambler reminded Zelensky that he had previously given him a Ukrainian translation of the Book of Psalms, and asked to thank Mr. Shifrin and Mr. Vilensky—directors of a printing house in Kharkiv and members of Rabbi Moskovitz’s community—for their contribution. “We are very proud of your firm stand against evil and are glad to be part of this fight. You are an example not only for Ukraine but for the entire world, showing how one must stand strong for justice and integrity,” he said.

The meeting was moderated by the president’s close associate and vice chairman of the Federation, Rabbi Rafael Rutman. Remarks were also delivered by Rabbi Moshe Azman, one of Ukraine’s leading rabbis, and Rabbi Yaakov Sinyakov, who oversees Federation activities among Jewish soldiers serving in the Ukrainian army.

Rabbi Azman recounted an incident from the early days of the war in the Jewish village he established in Anatevka near Kyiv. He insisted on not evacuating despite Russian tank convoys approaching, as he planned to build a yeshiva campus there. “I believe that because of this, the tanks were stopped,” he said, inviting Zelensky to a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the yeshiva complex in about a month.

Rabbi Sinyakov emphasized the extensive efforts to provide matzah and bring Passover joy to thousands of Jewish soldiers on the front lines.

Also in attendance were Rabbi Sholom Ber Gutlib of Mykolaiv; Rabbi Shaul Horowitz of Vinnytsia; Rabbi Shlomo Bleich of Lviv; Rabbi Mordechai Levnehertz of Kyiv; Rabbi Sholom Gopin of Kyiv; Rabbi Moshe Taler of Berdychiv; Rabbi Yosef Segal of Poltava; Rabbi Shlomo Solomon of Kremenchuk; Rabbi Dan Zakhuta of Kirovohrad; Chabad emissary in Lviv Rabbi Mendy Gutlib; Chabad emissary in Kharkiv Rabbi Sholom Moskovitz; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Glitzenstein, Chief Rabbi of Chernivtsi, and Chabad emissary in Dnipro Rabbi Levi Karlshtein.

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Avraham Golovacheov, a Chabad Shliach who dedicated his life to growing the Jewish community of Berlin, Germany, passed away on Monday, Chol Hamoed Pesach, 19 Nissan 5786.

He was 43 and battled an illness with courage.

Rabbi Golovacheov was a key figure in the development of Berlin’s rabbinic infrastructure, serving as mazkir of the Beis Din under Chief Rabbi Yehuda Tiechtel.

In this role, he oversaw a wide range of rabbinic matters, including sensitive cases of birur yahadus, and played a key role in the expansion and strengthening of kashrus certification throughout the city.

Rabbi Golovacheov also led the publishing house of the Jüdische Gemeinde Chabad Berlin, where he oversaw the translation and dissemination of classic Jewish texts into German. Through these efforts, he made siddurim, chumashim, Halacha and Chassidus accessible to a broader audience and significantly contributed to Jewish learning in the region.

Recently, he endured his illness with notable strength. Notably, he kept running Beis Din matters from his hospital bed with his laptop. Even while suffering, he kept a positive attitude and uplifted those who visited him. He leaves behind a grieving family and community.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Chana, and their young children: Shterna Sara, Sholom Dovber, Shmuel, Menachem Mendel, Shneur Zalman, and Yosef Yitzchak.

The levaya will be taking place tomorrow – Tuesday.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.

Pittsburgh Zal is proud to present the fourth issue of our Torah Magazine, created by one of our talmidim, Shmuly Lakher, in honor of Pesach.

This thoughtfully designed edition captures the atmosphere of our Yeshiva. With powerful Divrei Torah, meaningful reflections, and engaging photos, it showcases the passion of our talmidim and the ideals that guide and define our Yeshiva.

Each edition aims to offer more than just insight — it opens a window into the learning, growth, and milestones taking place within our walls, while offering inspiration and connection to the broader community.

The online version is now available — we invite you to take a look and immerse yourself in the energy of Tomchei Temimim.

Pittsburgh Zal is a post Mesivta Zal made for Bochurim who have a deep desire to be frum, upright, Chassidishe Bochurim, dedicated to the Rebbe, his vision and way of life. We strive to provide a well rounded education both B’gashmiyus and B’ruchniyus to help bachurim advance in all aspects of their lives and in avodas Hashem.

Read the full issue here.

Rabbi Yechiel Yerachmiel Naparstek, a respected Chossid and veteran resident of Kfar Chabad, Israel, passed away Monday of Chol Hamoed Pesach, 19 Nissan 5786.

He was 92.

R’ Yechiel, son of R’ Reuven Dovber a”h, was among the longtime and prominent figures of Kfar Chabad. For many years, he served as the secretary of the Bais Rivkah Seminary in the village, a role he carried out with dedication and responsibility.

He was born in 5693 (1933) in Poland. As a child, he endured the hardships of World War II and was orphaned from his mother. Following the war, he was among the first to legally leave Russia and immigrated with his family to Eretz Yisroel, becoming one of the early pioneers who settled in Kfar Chabad in its formative years.

In his youth, he studied in the Tomchei Temimim yeshivos in several locations, including Pocking, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Lod, where he absorbed the derech of Chassidus and yeshiva life.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, Mrs. Leah, and together they established a Chassidishe home in Kfar Chabad.

Over the years, he was actively involved in Chassidishe activities and took part in the Rebbe’s mivtzoim, particularly Mivtza Tefillin and the spread of Yiddishkeit.

R’ Yechiel merited to build a large family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who follow in the ways of Torah and Chassidus.

He is survived by his sons, R’ Shmuel Yaakov Naparstek – California, R’ Shlomo Dovid Naparstek – Brazil**,** R’ Yisroel Naparstek – Australia, and R’ Yosef Yitzchak Naparstek – California; and his daughters, Chaya Blau – Kfar Chabad, Chani Alperin – Brazil, Devory Wineberg – Kansas and Nechamie Palace – Crown Heights.

The levaya will take place today (Monday) at 1:00 PM from his home at 19 Toras Shmuel Street in Kfar Chabad, continuing at 3:30 PM from Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim, en route to Har Hazeisim, where he will be laid to rest in the Chabad chelka.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

Are you ready for another exciting shiur in Maseches Sota with Rabbi Shloimy Greenwald? Join us today as we learn today’s daf in Sota. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will find something to inspire you and enrich your Torah knowledge.

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On Sunday evening, a beautiful Kinus Torah was held at the Beth Chaya Mushka shul in Paris, bringing together the community in a warm and uplifting atmosphere.

Throughout the evening, Rabbonim and bochurim shared divrei Torah and pilpulim, adding depth and hisorerus.

Divrei Torah were delivered by Rabbi Elchanan Marozov and Rabbi Shlomo Azoulay. The Kinus Torah was led by Rabbi Mendy Azimov and Rabbi Levi Azimov.

The event, organized by Beth Lubavitch Paris, drew a large crowd and reflected the special warmth and chayus of the Lubavitch community in Paris.

By anonymous

It happened in a split second but I have replayed it over and over again in my mind, in slow motion. It is every shulgoer’s nightmare: a holy Sefer Torah lying on the floor in one’s presence.

Even though some time has passed, yet the shock has not worn off.

It was one recent early morning after Shachris in a Chabad Shul. I had agreed to assist another gentleman in pre-rolling a Sefer Torah in preparation for the laining of the first day of Pesach. We had just uncovered and unbound the Sefer when, in a fateful instant, we both turned to reach for a Siddur.

To this moment, I cannot say exactly what went wrong. Perhaps the Sefer Torah was not properly positioned. Perhaps it was slightly in motion. But we heard it before we saw it — the horrifying sound. And then the sight: a precious Torah scroll, inconceivably lying face-up on the floor, its wooden rollers parted just enough to expose some of the sacred ksav.

Even now, as I write these words, the image returns with painful clarity.

About half a dozen others were present. Like us, they heard it before they saw it. Haya lo sih’yeh — may no one ever have to witness such a scene.

We rushed to lift the Sefer gently, returning it to the bima, kissing it again and again, struggling to process what had just happened.

Upon consulting the local Rav, we were advised to observe a full-day fast. We did so. But as far as I am concerned, the fasting was the easy part. It is the larger message — the call embedded in the moment — that has weighed most heavily on me since.

Many Rabbonim and Poskim address such an occurrence. While their approaches may differ in tone and tikun, all agree on one point: such an event must awaken within us a deeper sense of reverence, love, and responsibility toward the Torah.

This is very much in line with the Rambam (Hilchos Ta’aniyos 1:1–3), who teaches that when a troubling event befalls a community, it is a mitzvah to reflect and cry out. To dismiss it as mere happenstance is to miss the message such a moment carries.

At the same time, the Rambam emphasizes the profound honor due to a Sefer Torah (Hilchos Sefer Torah, ch. 10). Taken together, these teachings frame such a moment not as something to fear, but as something to hear: a call to introspection and growth.

As a Lubavitcher Chassid, I was naturally drawn to the Rebbe’s guidance on this matter. And here, I found not only direction, but deep comfort, strength, and inspiration.

In his letters, the Rebbe acknowledges the custom to fast when a Sefer Torah falls- but adds that one for whom fasting is difficult may redeem it with tzedakah (Igros Kodesh, Vol. 12, p. 414; Vol. 23, p. 230). More significantly, he emphasizes that the primary response must be an increase in Torah study, mitzvah observance, kavod haTorah, and yiras Shamayim.

True to the Rambam’s principle, the Rebbe does not treat such an event as happenstance. But neither does he frame it as a “bad omen.” Rather, he shifts the focus away from the negative emotions such an experience might evoke — guilt, shame, or blame — and toward a primary emphasis on constructive growth: hosafah b’kedushah, an increase in holiness on every front.

I have thus taken upon myself new resolutions — both quantitative and qualitative — in learning and davening, and in how I relate to others: with greater patience, generosity, and sensitivity.

It goes without saying that I’ve resolved to adopt a new level of care and vigilance whenever I’m in the proximity of a Sefer Torah — let alone actually handling or carrying one.

But beyond personal change, I feel that part of the tikun (rectification) must also be communal, and that it is my responsibility to sound the call. The Rambam’s call to “cry out” is not limited to those who witnessed the event; it extends to the broader community as well.

And so I share this not as a sermon, but as a bakasha nafshis — a plea from the depths of the heart: that we all strive for greater appreciation, reverence, and love for the precious gift of the Torah entrusted to us.

Perhaps one small exercise can help.

Picture, for a moment, the image of the Rebbe holding his small white Sefer Torah. See the tenderness, humility, reverence, and deep affection in that embrace. Recall the extraordinary history of that Torah — connected to the famed Slavita brothers, who endured horrible persecution with unwavering faith and mesiras nefesh.

That same Torah — the same living chain stretching back to Moshe Rabbeinu — rests in every Sefer Torah we encounter. Torah achas hee.

That is the awe and devotion that should fill our hearts whenever the Aron Kodesh is opened.

What other nation dances with its sacred inheritance as we do — singing, embracing, and rejoicing with unbridled joy on Simchas Torah? It is something truly otherworldly.

And yet, precisely because of that closeness, we must never allow familiarity to dull our awareness.

From painful experience, I would humbly suggest that we reexamine our conduct in the presence of a Sefer Torah — not to be distracted, even for a moment, from the kedushah before us. 

As the legendary gabbai of 770, Reb Moshe Pinchas HaKohen Katz a”h, would say: “Men zol visen vee men shtait un far vemen men shtait — we must know where we are standing and before Whom we are standing!”

Perhaps we can all strengthen ourselves to refrain from devarim beteilim, at least from the moment the Aron is opened until it is closed — especially when the Torah lies open and is being read.

Let us bear in mind that when we recite “Vayehi binsoa ha’aron…”, we are not only recalling the journeys in the desert. We are declaring something timeless: that when the Aron — Hashem’s Torah — leads the way, we are assured of His presence, His providence, and His protection.

Today, as much as ever, the Torah is our lifeline — our guide, our strength, and our shield. As we proclaim during hagbah: “Eitz chaim hi lamachazikim bah…”

May we be worthy of that calling — to learn it, absorb it, live it, honor it, and cherish it.

And may we soon merit the day when the entire world will recognize: “Ki miTzion teitzei Torah… From Tzion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of Hashem from Yerushalayim.”

May it happen speedily in our days. May it happen now.

Chaya Mushka Chabad Academy (CMCM) of Atlanta, Georgia, with its brand-new High School, came together to celebrate a truly unforgettable evening – the musical production, “La Senora.”

The sold-out show was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and talent of our students, who brought the inspiring story of Dona Gracia Nasi to life on stage.

The production told the true story of Dona Gracia, a Sephardic Jewish woman who defied the odds to become a leader and philanthropist in her community. Our talented high schoolers took the reins on this ambitious project, showcasing their creativity and skills in every aspect of the production. From designing and crafting props to creating intricate costumes, choreographing dances, and directing a choir, the girls demonstrated exceptional teamwork and passion.

The audience was mesmerized by the energetic performances, powerful vocals, and the palpable sense of camaraderie among the cast. Mrs. Yehudeet Shabat, who traveled from Houston, Texas, to support her daughter, Dina, a ninth grader in the High School, remarked, “The performance of La Señora left me feeling grateful that Hashem has granted us the ability to live openly and freely as Yidden. And given this freedom, how much more so, should we grab every opportunity to express our Yiddishkeit? At the end of the night, we were reminded that this Galus will end, and we were given a small glimpse of the beauty and simcha we will experience as we greet Moshiach! The CMCA girls, shluchos, and staff did a phenomenal job bringing this message to life. How fitting to experience this in the days just before Pesach.”

The day following the production was a Yom Iyun in the High School, focused on and featuring all aspects of Pesach. We had several shiurim and a Pesach-centered craft. This was a practical culmination and consolidation of some of the production’s many messages.

The production was a resounding success, thanks to the guidance of our dedicated shluchos, Devorah Leah Wineberg and Laya Berendt, and the students’ tireless efforts.

The Girls High School is now accepting submissions of interest for grades 9, 10, and 11th grade for the upcoming academic year.

Join our community of empowered young women and be part of an exceptional educational experience that fosters growth, learning, friendship, chassidishkeit and leadership. For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit our website at cmghs.org

By COLlive Reporter

A record-breaking crowd gathered this year in Hoi An, Vietnam, as Chabad-Lubavitch hosted what is being called the largest Pesach Seder held in Asia this year.

More than 1,200 participants joined the Seder, many of them Israeli backpackers and tourists traveling through the region.

Hoi An draws over 4 million visitors each year, including tens of thousands of Jewish travelers from Israel and around the world. With its mix of history, culture, and relaxed pace, it has become a popular destination for travelers passing through central Vietnam.

The Chabad House, led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Rocheli Fridman, has been serving the growing Jewish presence in the region since their arrival in 2023. In a short time, they’ve built a warm and welcoming center with kosher food, daily services, and large Shabbat and Yom Tov gatherings.

This year’s Seder came just months after severe winter flooding affected the city, causing damage in many areas and temporarily impacting the Chabad House. Even so, after months of preparation, the Seder went ahead as planned and on an even larger scale.

In addition to the main Seder in Hoi An, a second Seder took place in nearby Da Nang, about 45 minutes away, with around 180 participants. Alongside backpackers and tourists, the crowd included digital nomads and American expats who have made the area their home.

The Seder was led by Merkos Shlichus bochurim Bentzy Mishulovin and Shmuel Rotban, who ran the program and created a warm, engaging atmosphere for those in attendance.

The Da Nang Seder was organized by Rabbi Avremi Hartman of Ho Chi Minh City. Back in 2006, inspired by the Rebbe’s call to reach every Jew, he left Jerusalem and settled in Vietnam, building the foundation for a warm, accessible network serving Jewish travelers and locals across the country.

The crowds this year in Hoi An really show how much that effort has grown. More people than ever showed up to a Seder, even in a small city far from home.

By Tzali Reicher – Chabad.org

When the late scholar Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) completed his groundbreaking translation of the Talmud in 2010, he had achieved something that had occupied him for nearly five decades.

His son, Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, remembers the l’chaims and the joy when the last volume was sent to the printer, and how his father approached the completion of the defining project of his life.

“He had a goal that kept him occupied for decades, and now he had a gaping hole in his schedule,” recalls Rabbi Meni. “Though he was fresh off a tremendous accomplishment, he was already looking for the next classic Jewish text ready to be explained for the contemporary Jew. This was even though he was already at an age when many are winding down their activities and retiring.”

For those who knew Rabbi Adin’s biography, the eagerness for his next challenge was not surprising. Born in Jerusalem in 1937 to avowed Marxists, he arrived at Torah study at a young age through his own intellectual restlessness and never stopped. After their first meeting, the Rebbe wrote that he had found in Rabbi Adin “qualities that are even greater than what was told to me and written to me.”

In addition to translating and elucidating the entire Talmud into Modern Hebrew and then English, Rabbi Adin authored translations and commentaries on the Tanya, Tanach and Mishnah, writing more than 200 books and hundreds of articles on Chassidut, Kabbalah, Jewish philosophy, and many books in the Jewish canon, as well as a bestselling book about the Rebbe, aptly titled My Rebbe. Many of his books, recorded lessons, and writings can be found in the Steinsaltz Portal on Chabad.org, hosted in partnership with the Steinsaltz Center.

Time magazine would eventually call him a “once-in-a-millennium scholar,” and in 1988 he was awarded the Israel Prize for Jewish Studies. Rabbi Adin’s life’s work carried a single animating phrase, reflected in the Steinsaltz Center’s motto, “let my people know.”

Upon the completion of his translation of the Talmud, the elder Rabbi Even-Israel asked his son to draw up a list of works to consider for his next project. Despite his advanced age—he was 73 when he finished his Talmud project—he dismissed what he saw as shorter and simpler tasks. What remained on his short list was a commentary on the Tanach, finishing the English edition of his Talmud, writing a Hebrew commentary on the entire Mishnah, or authoring a commentary of the Rambam’s magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah.

Rabbi Meni expected his father to choose one. Rabbi Adin said he would do them all.

That conversation, 16 years ago, is the backstory to the first volume of the English Steinsaltz Rambam Mishneh Torah, now available in bookstores around the world. A stunning green hardcover running 1,140 pages and covering Sefer HaMadda and Sefer Ahava—the first two of the 14 books that make up the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah—it is a testament to Rabbi Adin’s enduring legacy and to his lifelong commitment to ensuring the accessibility of Torah to all.

Making a ‘Commotion’

The Mishneh Torah, composed by the Rambam—Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides)—in the 12th century, was among the earliest comprehensive codifications of Jewish law, organizing the entirety of halacha by subject matter into a single systematic work.

In 1984, the Rebbe introduced a campaign encouraging daily study of the Rambam’s work, establishing three study tracks that would take participants through every commandment in the Torah in either one or three years—giving every person the ability to study the Torah in its entirety. The Rebbe saw the daily Rambam study cycle as a vehicle for both Jewish unity and Torah learning, with many countless people around the world covering the same pages on the same day.

Around the time of the completion of the second cycle of the Rambam study program, Rabbi Adin wrote a personal letter to the Rebbe seeking blessings for his family. The Rebbe’s response offered those blessings, but added a pointed instruction: surely, the Rebbe wrote, Rabbi Adin was making a “commotion” around the study of Rambam, and he should not worry about the Rambam’s own admonishment for people to pursue a quiet middle path, because they had not yet made a third of the noise the campaign required.

The Rebbe’s note to Rabbi Adin: “Surely he is ‘making a commotion’ regarding the Rambam (the conclusion, the second cycle, etc.), and the more noise he makes and the more he adds, there is no concern whatsoever that it contradicts the Rambam’s ruling that one should follow ‘the middle path,’ because we have not yet even reached a third or a quarter of the way.”

The Rebbe’s note to Rabbi Adin: “Surely he is ‘making a commotion’ regarding the Rambam (the conclusion, the second cycle, etc.), and the more noise he makes and the more he adds, there is no concern whatsoever that it contradicts the Rambam’s ruling that one should follow ‘the middle path,’ because we have not yet even reached a third or a quarter of the way”.

Reflecting decades later on the Rebbe’s direction to him, Rabbi Adin committed to tackling the daunting work of translating and authoring a commentary on the Rambam’s 14-book masterwork. He long believed it deserved a commentary that helped readers think through the material rather than simply absorbing conclusions.

“He viewed the commentary as an aid to helping the reader learn, not as something separate from the text,” says Rabbi Meni. “Instead of being a commentary that spoonfeeds and absolves the reader from having to study the original text, he wanted to help his readers study and understand what the Rambam is teaching in each chapter and halachah.”

That philosophy shaped every editorial decision in the Hebrew edition, produced in partnership with Rambam Yomi, an Israel-based organization dedicated to promoting the daily Rambam study cycle. The Hebrew set included a practical halachah section at the close of every chapter, drawing on the Shulchan Aruch HaRav of the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, and incorporating relevant teachings of the Rebbe.

He was particularly careful to include the Rebbe’s positions on modern questions of Jewish law contested today.

Rabbi Adin also included the glosses of the Raavad, Rabbi Avraham ben David, to the Hebrew edition. Many publishers omit the 12th-century scholar’s sharp critical annotations on the Rambam, but Rabbi Adin insisted on keeping them. In his view, the Raavad’s willingness to challenge the Rambam directly was what gave the commentary its standing as a serious interlocutor.

Each section includes a breakdown of the subject matter being discussed, and a guide to each grouping of laws in every chapter.
Each section includes a breakdown of the subject matter being discussed, and a guide to each grouping of laws in every chapter.

Remastered for an English-Speaking Audience
By 2018, in partnership with Koren Publishers—who have published Rabbi Adin’s works since 2009—the Steinsaltz Center had completed the Hebrew edition. It sold tens of thousands of copies and inspired the team to explore translating the series into English.

The resulting new English edition is built on the same scholarly foundation as the Hebrew, enhanced with additions unique to the English series.

Each section includes a breakdown of the subject matter being discussed, and a guide to each grouping of laws in every chapter. Rabbi Adin’s clear translation and commentary guides the reader through the Rambam’s Hebrew text in the accompanying column, while The Glosses of the Ravaad clearly explain where he differentiates from the Rambam’s halachic decisions.

Additionally, the English series has taken many more of the Rebbe’s copious teachings and insights on the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah and adapted them into the From the Lubavitcher Rebbe section, compiled by Rabbi Amechaye Even-Israel, seamlessly integrating the Rebbe’s contemporary commentary into each section.

An extract from the first chapter of the Mishneh Torah, as presented in the new edition. It features the commentary of Rabbi Adin, insights from the Rebbe, and notes and images providing additional context.

An extract from the first chapter of the Mishneh Torah, as presented in the new edition. It features the commentary of Rabbi Adin, insights from the Rebbe, and notes and images providing additional context.

Based on what is being discussed in each section, the Halachic Discussions box brings the practical halachah, drawn from Shulchan Aruch, and includes the legal rulings of the Alter Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek—Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the third Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch—and Rabbi Avraham Chaim Naeh, a famed Chassidic rabbi who was a prominent halachic decider in the early half of the 20th century. The Notes section adds more context and sources for the interested reader.

Detailed color images depicting the scenes, tools and locations referenced by the Rambam have been added throughout the book, and the daily and three-year Rambam study schedules are marked in the pages to aid those using the volume for their daily Rambam study.

The translation team draws from the same scholars who worked on the Steinsaltz Talmud in English and on the rabbi’s edition of Tanya, and several are also concurrently working on the English Mishnah—another of the projects Rabbi Adin mapped out that morning in

‘A Victory in Torah Learning’

In 2016, Rabbi Adin suffered a stroke. Though it limited what he could do, it did not stop him. The Rambam and the Mishnah were the final projects he worked on, and he continued contributing until he could no longer do so.

“Though he couldn’t write or speak, my father was able to edit what was produced and written based on his teachings and commentary,” says Rabbi Meni. “He looked over virtually every page, editing and noting what should be cut, and marking what was ready for print.”

After Rabbi Adin passed away in 2020, the decision to carry the project into English became, for Rabbi Meni, even more personal.

“Before his passing, I promised my father I would work to translate his works into at least one other language,” Rabbi Meni tells Chabad.org. “His whole mission was helping bring Jews closer to their Father in Heaven through studying His Torah, and making his commentary on the Rambam accessible to an English-speaking audience is surely bringing much joy to his soul.”

With Volume 1 now in stores, the full set will span eight hardcover volumes, with a softcover edition running to approximately 25 books. The final volume is scheduled to go to press in December 2027, with the softcover potentially completed earlier. Some 60% of the material is already in production, with the team working overtime to get the next volume to the masses.

“The Rebbe wanted people to achieve a victory in Torah learning,” says Rabbi Meni, “a tangible accomplishment to show they mastered an area of the Torah. Through the study of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, learners will cover every law taught in the Torah, and we hope our new series contributes and helps even more people, in a whole new audience, achieve this goal.”

The Steinsaltz Mishneh Torah, Volume 1, is available now from Koren Publishers.

Insights from Toras Reb Levi Yitzchok, a weekly class based on the teachings of Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, chief rabbi of the city of Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, during the bloody Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent Communist oppression and father of the Rebbe.

The shiur is presented by Rabbi Dovid Dubov, Director of Chabad of Mercer County in Princeton, New Jersey, and author of Yalkut Levi Yitzchok, an anthology of commentaries collected from the works of Harav Levi Yitzchak, of blessed memory.

Organized by Irguntorah.org and aired on community news service COLlive.com.

From The Rebbe’s Father זצ״ל
IN HONOR OF THE REBBE’S FATHER’S BIRTHDAY – 18 NISSAN SHMINI

If any of these dead creatures falls upon anything, it will also become ritually defiled, whether the object be any wooden vessel, garment, hide, or sack – in fact, any implement with which work is done. It must be immersed in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall, after which it will be rid of this defilement.
11:32

Gemara (Chagiga 26b) *any large, wooden vessel designated to rest in a fixed place cannot become
impure. What is the reason for this halakha
Since wooden vessels and sacks are juxtaposed in the verse
describing their impurity (Leviticus 11:32)
we require a wooden vessel to be similar to a sack in order to be capable
Of contracting impurity, in the
following manner: Just
as a sack is carried when it is both full and empty, so too any wooden vessel that is carried full and empty can
Contact impurity.

Questions

A) Why do we learn we learnt the law from a sack?

B) What is meaning of full & Empty?

תורת לוי יצחק ע׳ ש׳ ואילך
ילקוט לוי יצחק פ׳ שמיני סימן מא

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In 5736, the Rebbe established a Yeshiva Gedolah in Cincinnati.

Despite its closing shortly after, it was just a matter of time for the Rebbe’s desire to be properly fulfilled.

Fifty years later, the Yeshiva was reopened under the leadership of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati (Mesivta) and Boruch Hashem will be expanding and growing for the next Shnas Halimmudim.

The Yeshiva is so happy (to fulfill the desire of the Rebbe) and proud to announce the hiring of Rabbi Mendel Levin as the mashpia of Shiur Aleph as well as Rabbi Mendel Weber as the maggid Shiur. They will be joining Rabbi Levik Raksin and Rabbi Zalman Simpson.

The newly appointed Menahel is Rabbi Yaakov Kaplan and he will be guided by the experienced mechanchim of the Yeshiva. The Rav of the Yeshiva is Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Lifshitz (the original Rosh Yeshiva of 5736!).

Talmidim that are looking a true opportunity to be part of the mission that the Rebbe entrusted to the Yeshiva of Cincinnati and  to grow in their learning and Yiras Shamayim, with a focus on an inner hiskashrus, are welcome to apply at: https://www.ylcincinnati.com/zal and our Menahel will get back to you shortly. Limited spots available.

Are you ready for another exciting shiur in Maseches Sota with Rabbi Shloimy Greenwald? Join us today as we learn today’s daf in Sota. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will find something to inspire you and enrich your Torah knowledge.

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Women and girls looking to fill Chol Hamoed with something uplifting, exciting, and memorable are invited tonight to Reliving the Miracles, a special live event taking place Sunday night, April 5 at 7:30 PM at Newark Symphony Hall.

Produced by SING Entertainment, the team behind the Chol Hamoed shows audiences look forward to year after year, the evening brings together music, emotion, entertainment, and celebration in a program designed especially for women and girls.

Headlining the event is renowned composer Chayala Neuhaus, whose Miracles albums have touched listeners around the world and become a source of inspiration for so many. Fresh off the release of her newest album, Neuhaus will bring to the stage a mix of beloved songs audiences already know and love, along with fresh new music that could easily earn a spot on that list.

Hosting the evening is the ever-entertaining Malkie Knopfler, whose energy, humor, and stage presence are sure to keep the crowd engaged from the moment the show begins, adding humor, personality, and plenty of entertainment to the program.

She is joined by an exciting lineup featuring Leeba Garfunkel, Dance with Raizy, the Upbeat Girls Choir, and music by the Melodica Band, bringing even more energy, excitement, and variety to the evening.

From emotional songs that inspire to lively moments that invite the audience to sing along and dance together, Reliving the Miracles is built to deliver the kind of Chol Hamoed event women and girls can truly enjoy as a group.

Proceeds will benefit BRIDGES.

The show begins promptly at 7:30 PM.

Last tickets may still be available at: https://t.ly/sing/col

By Howard Blas – Chabad.org

She was one athlete, representing one country, in five events. Two of them fell on Shabbos.

Sheina Vaspi, Israel’s sole representative to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, did not ski in the women’s downhill on the Games’ opening weekend, nor in the slalom on the final Shabbos of the competition.

For the 24-year-old native of Yesud HaMa’ala in Israel’s Galilee region, not skiing on Shabbos—even in such a prestigious event as the Paralympics—is not really a “decision.”

“More than Israel has kept the Shabbos, the Shabbos has kept Israel,” Vaspi told Chabad.org from her room at the Paralympic Village ahead of her second Shabbos there last week. “In a sport like skiing, you need that protection from Hashem.”

The slalom, Vaspi’s favorite event, was scheduled to begin on Shabbos. In the days before, Vaspi said she had been quietly hoping for a heavy snowstorm on Friday night—one severe enough to push the race to another day. The storm never came. Instead, she spent the morning in her room at the Paralympic Village celebrating Shabbos.

In the three events she did compete in, Vaspi missed a gate in the super-G (super giant slalom) and was disqualified, and finished 12th out of 15 in the super combined standing, a condensed competition format held in one day, combining one short run of a speed event—either downhill or Super-G—with one run of technical slalom.

Each result was absorbed with the same matter-of-fact composure she brings to the far larger obstacles she has faced.

Megillah in Paralympic Village

Vaspi lost her leg in a car accident when she was 3 years old. She picked up skiing at 16, a relatively late start even for non-disabled athletes and an especially unlikely one for a girl from a country with a single ski area. Her first time on snow was at Israel’s Mount Hermon, encouraged by her relative Amit Mizrahi, an Israeli alpine skier and volunteer for what is now the Shevet Foundation.

She has since put in the work to close that gap, spending four seasons training in Winter Park, Colorado, and several months in Chile. The Milano Cortina Games marked her second Paralympics appearance; her first was in Beijing in 2022.

“For me, it is special to be here,” she said. “Others at this level came from countries with a lot of winter sports and have a lot of experience.”

Wherever Vaspi has trained or competed, Chabad-Lubavitch has been part of her support network. In Colorado, she spent four seasons going to Rabbi David and Nechama Araiev of the Ohr Avner Community Center in Aurora every Shabbos. “They were my second home there,” she said. In Chile, Chabad was similarly supportive during a three-month stretch.

“Everywhere I go, Chabad has been totally amazing,” she said. “They help me with organizing kosher food, Shabbos, and to just sit and talk in Hebrew. There is something familiar wherever I go.”

The most recent example came on Purim. Vaspi mentioned to her contact at Chabad of Milan that she was hoping to hear the Megillah read in the Paralympic Village, a five-hour drive from Milan.

The contact reached out to Rabbi Eli Edelkopf, director of the European Jewish Development Fund. He agreed without hesitation, driving five hours each way to make it happen. Edelkopf read Megillah in the Paralympic Village for himself, his wife, Sheina Edelkopf, and her physiotherapist, an Israel-born Jewish woman from Colorado.

On the way, at Vaspi’s request, Edelkopf stopped to pick up a kosher microwave and a volume of the letters and correspondence of the Rebbe, known as Igrot Kodesh. He also brought homemade hamantaschen and mishloach manot.

Vaspi was speechless. She couldn’t believe the Edelkops made the trip especially for her, and her Israeli physiotherapist who joined them.

The microwave, said Vaspi, was a lifesaver. While she had access to plenty of kosher food, she had no way to heat it.

Vaspi was excited to have her parents watch her compete, but the war with Iran made that impossible.

“I keep it all in perspective,” she said. Nevertheless, she was happy that her sister made it, after a journey that took 36 hours instead of the usual three.

Looking back on her unlikely journey, Vaspi has one takeaway message: There’s no reason to compromise on your Judaism. “Go after your dreams and believe in yourself,” she said. “You can do anything.”

VIDEO: From a Car Accident to the Paralympics

tFollowing extensive and meticulous preparation, Moscow, the capital of Russia, concludes the holiday with great satisfaction regarding the success of the Passover Seders. Held on both nights of the holiday across dozens of neighborhoods in the capital, thousands of Jews gathered around beautifully arranged tables at Seders led by community rabbis and Chabad emissaries who serve the city year-round.

As is tradition every year, the largest public Seder took place in the sanctuary of the central Marina Roscha Synagogue, which was designed with spectacular elements of the Exodus from Egypt. The Seder was conducted in great magnificence and splendor until the early hours of the morning by the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, alongside the Director of the Jewish Community, Rabbi Mordechai Weisberg. Spanning the main sanctuary and adjacent halls, over 1,200 people attended the Seder in the complex!

Simultaneously, Passover Seders were held across all of the city’s educational institutions, with hundreds of students participating, as well as warm public Seders at Chabad Houses scattered throughout the capital’s neighborhoods. Alongside the sale of Passover products in kosher stores, thousands of packages of handmade Shmura Matzah were distributed to every Jew who purchased matzah, enabling everyone to fulfill the mitzvah to the highest standard.

The highlight this year was the “Kimcha D’Pischa” campaign at the Shaarey Tzedek Jewish Chesed Center complex, which respectfully provided basic staples, meat, wine, and matzah to all those in need. In addition to the tremendous efforts in the capital, dozens of yeshiva students from Moscow traveled to remote provincial cities to organize Seders for Jews in communities lacking a permanent rabbi. Through this, with G-d’s help, they succeeded in reaching every corner of Russia, ensuring that local Jews could celebrate Passover properly according to Halacha.

Photo: Levi Nazarov

By COLlive reporter

A Brooklyn judge has vacated the decades-old murder conviction of a man imprisoned for the 1979 killing of Rabbi Dovid Okunov, declaring him “actually innocent” in a rare ruling that leaves the case unresolved more than four decades later.

In a 49-page decision, Judge Guy Mangano cleared Carl Miller, now 65, of all wrongdoing in the fatal shooting. “There is clear and convincing evidence that defendant is actually innocent,” the judge wrote, dismissing the indictment.

According to the New York Daily News, such a finding—establishing factual innocence rather than ordering a retrial—is exceptionally uncommon and reflects a high degree of judicial certainty.

Miller, who served 30 years in prison following his 1980 conviction, maintained his innocence throughout. “Now I don’t have to fight any more… I never wavered. I didn’t commit this crime,” he said after the ruling. His attorney, James Henning, called the decision “historically significant.”

Rabbi Okunov, aged 68, was murdered on October 25, 1979, while walking to morning davening near his home in Crown Heights. The attacker shot him at close range and fled with his blue velvet bag containing his tallis and tefillin. The killing shocked the neighborhood and drew thousands to his levayah.

Born in Ukraine in 1911, Rabbi Okunov came of age during a period of intense repression of Jewish life following the Russian Revolution. Despite the dangers, his parents arranged for him to study Torah privately, and as a teenager he insisted on continuing his learning in the underground Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva established by the Frierdiker Rebbe. When his parents initially refused due to the risks, he undertook a hunger strike until they relented.

He went on to become deeply involved in clandestine Torah education, teaching Jewish children under Soviet rule at great personal risk. In 1947, after Soviet authorities discovered his connection to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he was forced to flee as the KGB pursued him. He later left the Soviet Union, eventually settling in the United States after a period in Eretz Yisroel, where he continued assisting Jews trapped behind the Iron Curtain.

Even in America, Rabbi Okunov remained actively involved in helping Soviet Jews, working on their behalf while building a new life in Crown Heights. His murder cut short a life defined by mesirus nefesh for Yiddishkeit.

During the shiva, the Rebbe instructed that a yeshiva be established in his memory. That institution, Yeshivat Ohel Dovid, was developed by the Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (F.R.E.E.) to serve children of Russian-speaking immigrant families.

The original case against Miller relied heavily on the testimony of a teenage witness who had initially been considered a suspect and gave inconsistent accounts. Other witnesses failed to identify Miller, and physical descriptions did not match him. Despite these discrepancies, he was convicted in 1980 during a period when investigative practices have since come under increased scrutiny.

Miller was released in 2019 and continued efforts to clear his name. The court noted that he consistently maintained his innocence, even during parole hearings where admitting guilt could have led to earlier release.

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office said it is reviewing the decision and has not indicated whether it will appeal.

With Miller now formally exonerated, the murder of Rabbi Okunov—an activist who risked his life to preserve Jewish observance under Soviet oppression—remains unsolved.

VIDEO:

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Yosef Sholom Halevi Weinfeld, a noted Torah publisher and author whose work helped make classic Jewish texts more accessible to a broad audience, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 82.

Weinfeld was widely known as the author of the “Yesod Malchus” commentary and as a leading figure behind the long-established “Eshkol” publishing house, which has played a significant role in disseminating seforim for nearly a century.

He was born on the 15th of Iyar, 5704 (1944), to his father, the renowned gaon Rabbi Yaakov Shaul Weinfeld, author of “Mishnas Yaakov” and founder of the Eshkol publishing house, and his mother, Mrs. Rachel Goldberg, daughter of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Goldberg.

In his youth, he studied under the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the “Yeshuos Moshe,” from whom he also received approbations for his later works.

Following his father’s passing in 1989 (תשמ”ט), the publishing rights were divided between the brothers. His brother, Rabbi Shmuel Yehuda Halevi Weinfeld, established the “Shai L’Mora” publishing house, while Rabbi Yosef Sholom continued to lead and significantly expand the Eshkol publishing enterprise.

Under his direction, the publishing house released a wide range of seforim, many featuring clear, structured commentary aimed at aiding comprehension during learning and tefillah.

His most prominent contribution, the “Yesod Malchus” commentary, was designed as a word-by-word explanatory system printed directly alongside the original text. This format provided readers with immediate access to meaning without needing to consult multiple sources, offering both linguistic clarity and visual accessibility.

Over the years, his commentary was published across numerous foundational texts, including Tehillim, siddurim, machzorim, Chumash, Nach, and Shabbos zemiros. The approach was considered innovative for its graphic presentation and user-friendly structure.

Among the widely distributed titles produced by Eshkol are the siddur “Tefillat Kol Peh,” the machzor series “Machzor Rabba,” and vocalized editions of the Six Orders of Mishnah, all of which reached communities throughout the Jewish world.

Weinfeld is survived by his brother, Rabbi Shmuel Yehuda Halevi Weinfeld, a senior member of the Chabad community in Jerusalem and founder of “Shai L’Mora,” as well as extended family members in Israel and the United States.

The levaya was held on Friday in Jerusalem, and he was be laid to rest in Har HaZeisim.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.

By COLlive reporter

A Kinus Torah will take place in Crown Heights on the first day of Chol Hamoed Pesach, marking 80 years since the Rebbe published his commentary on the Haggadah shel Pesach.

The event is scheduled for Sunday at the Kollel Menachem, 1384 Union St, with a full program of Torah learning and addresses by prominent speakers.

The evening will begin with Mincha at 7:00 PM, followed by 3 presentations exploring themes connected to Pesach and the Rebbe’s teachings.

Speakers are:

Rabbi Sholom Ber Levin, Director of the Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad and author of the Dover Shalom commentary on the Rebbe’s Haggadah.

Rabbi Efraim Fishel Oster, editor of the Mahadura Mevueres of the Rebbe’s Haggadah

Rabbi Dovid Dubov, author of the Yalkut Levi Yitzchok series

Maariv and Sefiras HaOmer will follow at 8:30 PM. It will continue with a farbrengen in honor of Chai Nissan, birthday of the Rebbe’s father, Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, and the day of the Rebbe’s bris.

By COLlive reporter

As families settle into Chol Hamoed Pesach in Crown Heights, a special children’s rally is planned at 770 Eastern Parkway.

The “Grand Pesach Rally,” scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 770’s Main Shul, will gather children for an engaging program centered on Torah, tefillah, and joy.

Beginning at 1:30 PM, the rally will include Mincha, the recitation of the 12 Pesukim, and lively participation designed to strengthen Yiddishkeit during the festive days of Pesach.

A highlight of the event will be a special performance by the Shleikes Show, expected to draw a large crowd of children and families looking for meaningful Chol Hamoed activities.

This Tzivos Hashem rally is being organized by the NCFJE organization. There is no cost to participate.

By COLlive reporter

As millions of Israelis were forced into bomb shelters just as they began the Pesach Seder on Wednesday night, the sound of the Haggadah did not fall silent; it simply moved underground.

As reported by The Times of Israel, the evening was shattered when Iran launched a massive barrage of approximately 10 ballistic missiles toward central Israel—the largest such salvo from Tehran since the current conflict began.

Simultaneously, Hezbollah joined the assault, firing over 100 rockets and drones from Lebanon, triggering sirens that spanned from the Galilee panhandle to the heart of Tel Aviv.

The holiday disruption was immense, but the spirit of the evening remained unbroken.

In cities like Bnei Brak, where sirens frequently interrupted the traditional chanting, residents refused to let the attacks dampen their celebration.

The Times of Israel reported that despite several injuries—including a 12-year-old and two 7-month-old infants hurt by shattered glass—the Seder continued. Residents described a night of relentless tension, yet the atmosphere was one of defiance rather than defeat. As one resident posted on social media while scrambling to safety for the sixth time: “There is no rest for this city,” yet the matzah was broken, and the cups were poured nonetheless.

The IDF confirmed that while interception systems were highly effective, the scale of the attack led to damage across central and northern Israel, including a missile carrying a cluster warhead that spread bomblets across residential areas in Rosh Haayin and destroyed a playground in Petah Tikva. In Kiryat Shmona, an 85-year-old man and a 34-year-old man were lightly injured when a building took a direct hit.

But for every siren that sounded, another Seder table was set in a safe room or a public shelter.

A poignant symbol of this resilience was seen on Shalom Aleichem Street in Jerusalem. Before Pesach, Yedioth Ahronot photographed 12-year-old Chaya Mushka Traxler as she was setting a festive Seder table inside a public shelter, ensuring the tradition continued despite the Home Front Command’s emergency guidelines.

This scene was repeated across the country, with many public Seders organized by Chabad Shluchim moving into underground parking garages to ensure the safety of thousands of participants.

The massive logistical effort to safeguard the holiday was led by organizations like Colel Chabad, which distributed more than 60,000 high-quality meals to hundreds of Seders this week. Supported by the Goubitz and Weiss families, the operation reached tens of thousands of Israelis, including evacuees and individuals from all walks of life.

“Everyone will be at the Seder—and everyone will be okay,” said Rabbi Mendy Blau of Colel Chabad, using a Hebrew play on words (Kulam Yiheyu BeSeder). He emphasized that specifically this year, they increased the volume of meals to more than any other year, fueled by a prayer for true freedom. As the holiday continues under high alert, the message from the shelters is clear: the light of Pesach cannot be extinguished by Iranian missiles.

VIDEO:

As in previous years, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a special Passover greeting letter to the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Harav Berel Lazar. The letter was read at the opening of the central public Seder at the Marina Roscha Synagogue in Moscow.

As the Festival of Freedom is ushered in—celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews across numerous communities led by dedicated Chabad Shluchim and dozens of Temimim dispatched to assist them—President Putin chose to highlight and praise the Jewish community’s contributions to the country.

In his official letter from the Kremlin, which is also being published in leading Russian media outlets, the President wrote: “This significant and revered holiday recalls central events in the history of the Jewish people and their quest for freedom. It symbolizes the triumph of unity, goodness, and justice. It is gratifying to see that the Jewish community in Russia leads a rich and diverse life, devotes constant attention to the preservation of family values and the education of the younger generation, and takes an active role in acts of charity and chesed.”

The President also praised the interfaith cooperation in the country, noting: “Russian Jews, relying on the rich spiritual heritage of their ancestors, serve as a worthy example of mutual understanding and fruitful cooperation between religions and nations.” He concluded his letter with wishes for health and peace.

Preparations for Yom Tov reached their peak in recent days, as Jewish communities nationwide received extensive logistical support from the central headquarters in Moscow. This massive operation aims to ensure that every single Jew across Russia has the ability to celebrate Pesach properly, joyfully, and as true bnei chorin.

In honor of the auspicious day of Yud-Alef Nissan, the birthday of the Rebbe, the temimim of Mesivta Tomchei Temimim Lubavich Baltimore proudly present an extensive Kovetz Ha’aros, a collection of Torah insights authored by the yeshiva’s dedicated talmidim.

The Kovetz features a wide range of original Torah thoughts, chiddushim, and analytical notes spanning Nigleh, Chassidus, and Halacha. Each piece reflects the bochurim’s diligence, depth of study, and thoughtful engagement with their limud Hatorah.

Compiled with great care and attention, this Kovetz aims to increase and strengthen Torah study both within the walls of the yeshiva and beyond. By sharing these insights, the Talmidim seek to illuminate others with the light of Torah, encouraging broader engagement and deeper appreciation of its wisdom. It also serves as a platform for the bochurim to develop their abilities in writing, analysis, and articulation of complex ideas in Torah.

Furthermore, the Kovetz reflects the collective effort and unity of the talmidim, who joined together in honor of this special day to produce something lasting and impactful. It is our hope that this compilation not only showcases their growth, but also inspires continued progress in both learning and avodah.

May this Kovetz serve to enhance and glorify Torah, bringing increased kavod to its study and those who dedicate themselves to it. And may it inspire its readers—whether תלמידים, אנ”ש, or the broader community—to grow in consistent, devoted, and passionate learning, in accordance with the Rebbe’s guidance. Through this, may we merit to further spread the wellsprings of Torah and Chassidus outward, hastening the coming of the Geulah שלימה במהרה בימינו.

Download here.

Mayor Denise Grant of Lauderhill, Florida proudly signed a proclamation declaring the Rebbe’s birthday as Education and Sharing Day. This is the second time the Mayor of Lauderhill did so.

One again in preparation for the historic occasion, the Mayor instructed her staff to create a beautiful graphic with the Rebbe’s picture along with a quote, and had it displayed on all the City screens throughout the ceremony.

The Mayor then asked Rabbi Chaim Rosenstein the Jewish Liaison of Lauderhill to speak and Rabbi Rosenstein introduced a video of the Rebbe from 1982 where the Rebbe discussed the significance of the proclamation.

The Mayor and city commissioners spoke about the tremendous positive impact that the Jewish community has on the city Lauderhill.

The Mayor gave a framed signed proclamation to each of the Rabbis.

Special thank you to Rabbi Chaim Rosenstein for arranging this historic event.

Marah Diasra Rabbi Aron Lieberman, Rabbi Elazar Gedj, Rabbi Yaniv Moryosef, Rabbi Daniel Shahino joined Rabbi Rosenstein at the event.

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We have all felt the pain of the tragic passing of Moshe Yitzchok HaKohen Katz. So many of us watched the levaya, read the stories, and were moved to tears. A young life, filled with light and promise, taken far too soon.

In moments like this, we all ask ourselves the same question: what can I do?

Friends of the Katz family have come together to raise $150,000 to support them during this unimaginable time. We are so close, but still $60,000 short. If just 300 of us step forward with a gift of $180, we can reach this goal together and bring real relief to a grieving family.

This is our chance to turn emotion into action. To honor Moshe Yitzchok’s memory not just with words, but with care, with unity, and with generosity.

Please open your heart and be part of this.

May Hashem repay you with bracha, yeshuos, and only revealed good.

The Committee

Donate here.

By: Chaya Chazan

Neither my wife nor I would be where we are today without the Rebbe’s shluchim. As second generation “grandchildren” of shlichus, we’re a prime example of how far-reaching the efforts and effects of shluchim can be.

I was born and raised right here in Johannesburg. When I was a toddler, my parents met Rabbi Lipskar, who the Rebbe had very recently sent as the first shliach to South Africa. Over the next few years – my formative years – our family underwent gradual, but dramatic, changes, as my parents learned more and more about Yiddishkeit. They enrolled me in Torah Academy, the Chabad school, for the privilege of a thorough and Torah-true education.

When I graduated elementary, it was, once again, the Rebbe’s shluchim that formed the direction my life would take. Rabbi Levi Wineberg had been sent to open a yeshiva in South Africa, and I was proud to join as a student. The bochurim that spent the year with us were especially influential. It was through them that I became excited to use my brand new tefillin for mivtzoyim.

I’d take my tefillin to the mall, which was centrally located in the Jewish area, so between vendors, store owners, and shoppers, there was always a steady stream of people willing to put on tefillin. There was also a public school next door with many Jewish students that I’d help, as well. Over time, I became friends with my “regulars” and even set up regular chavrusa sessions with them. One year, I and a friend from my mivtzoyim route arranged a public menorah lighting.

Even at that young age, I’d become comfortable with many of the shlichus basics. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to keep at it for the rest of my life.

I continued my education in a yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, Israel. As I neared completion of my final year there, I began to hear disturbing reports about my alma mater, the yeshiva gedola in South Africa. It was apparently teetering on the verge of collapse. My mashpia, the famous chassid, Reb Mendel Futerfas, was extremely troubled by these reports. It pained him to hear an institution the Rebbe had been so instrumental in creating would soon be no longer. He urged me and other South African bochurim to return home and do all we can to preserve the yeshiva.

I followed Reb Mendel’s advice and returned to Johannesburg as a bochur shliach. I remembered how much the bochur shluchim had impacted me, and fully understood the gravity of the responsibility. Baruch Hashem, although the yeshiva has gone through many changes since, it flourishes today.

When I was introduced to my wife, I found we shared many commonalities. Her parents had also become friendly with the shluchim in her hometown in S Paul, Minnesota, which had changed the trajectory of her life. She became one of the first students of the Chabad cheder in Minnesota, and continued attending Chabad schools in Israel and Crown Heights.

An effervescent, compassionate “people person,” my wife was ready for any type of shlichus; she’d never pictured herself in any specific place, or even which type of shlichus she’d rather do. In my mind, there was only one choice: opening a Chabad house of our own in South Africa, the one place my wife never expected to live. I knew how powerful it was for native shluchim to effortlessly relate to the locals and who understood the nuances of the culture entirely. I nervously explained this all to her, although I feared I was asking too much. But my wife just smiled serenely and answered, “You’re right. Let’s do it.” Without hesitation, she flew halfway around the world, which, in those early days of cellular technology, left her virtually alienated from all her family and friends. Calls to the U.S. were so expensive, she could only call once a month. The simplicity and poise with which she handled this drastic move left me in awe and still confounds our children to this day.
———————-
At first, my role was primarily in the yeshiva, serving as mashgiach. While I was happy to fill any role the community needed, I never forgot my vision of establishing our very own Chabad center. A short while later, we joined the central Chabad house, focusing on college campuses and young adults. We enjoyed it immensely, giving shiurim, making holiday parties and events, and hosting students in our small apartment. And yet, I still had my eye set on our own little corner of Johannesburg.

I met Steven at the central Chabad house. He was a successful property developer from a small suburb of Johannesburg called Strathavon. I knew the area well, as I had a cousin from there I’d visited frequently as a child. I remembered it as a beautiful, quiet neighborhood, and was excited about its potential. Steven was too, and promised to help us find the perfect property for a Chabad house.

It was a gradual process, since we were still so busy with our college students and other activities. But finally, my lifelong dream was being realized.

To our delight, we already knew a number of people in Strathavon – some college students we’d met on campus, and even some people from my mivtzoyim route back in my yeshiva days! Everything was falling into place.

South African Jews, even ones with little affinity for Yiddishkeit, are traditional, and keep certain beloved customs. Going to shul on Friday night is considered a basic for many South Africans, so we knew that would be our first priority.

We looked at every property as it became available, but they were all too pricey for our modest means. Finally, there seemed to be one house we could realistically afford, centrally located, and spacious enough for our needs. Although our other inquiries had been perfunctory, we’d already started picturing ourselves living in this property!

I wrote a letter to the Rebbe, asking for guidance and advice, and placed it in a volume of Igros Kodesh. When I opened a page at random, I read a letter in which the Rebbe advised someone to consult with a real estate agent before purchasing a property, to ensure it was a good deal relative to the market.

I called Steven and excitedly shared my find with him. I was discouraged by his lackluster response.

“I see what you mean,” he said, looking through the listing photos. “But in my opinion, the house is overpriced for the area. I think you can do better.”

I remembered the Rebbe’s letter and swallowed my disappointment.

Over the next few months, I’d drive through the area as often as I could, on the lookout for any “for sale” signs. We went to any open houses we could find, but nothing seemed suitable.

A while later, Steven called me over after a shiur.

“A property a few doors down from me just went on the market,” he told me in a low, urgent tone. “It’s a corner house, and it’s centrally located. I think you should check it out.”

The next day, I drove past the property to check it out. Steven was right. It looked perfect, but it was considerably larger than the previous house we’d considered. If that one had been out of our price range, how would we afford this one? I didn’t want to get my hopes up for nothing, so I just drove away and focused on other things.

“Did you see the place? What did you think?” Steven asked me a couple of days later. I told him my reasons for passing it up, but he urged me to reconsider.

I halfheartedly returned for a tour. My spirits sank even lower as the agent walked me through the property. The proportions were off, there was a dank smell that warned me of major mold issues throughout, and the heavy security bars on the window made it feel cramped and stifling. But as we continued the tour, I began to see the potential.

“What’s the asking price…?” I asked the agent.

“Actually, the owners are in a hurry to sell, so it’s going up for auction this week,” he told us.

Unbelievably, although it was a decently sized property in an high-demand area, there were only three other interested parties at the auction. There was no minimum bid, and our offer, which was far below the value of the actual property, was the highest.

“Don’t get too excited,” the auctioneer warned us. “I highly doubt the owner will accept this offer. We’ll be in touch.”

I wrote another letter to the Rebbe, placing it, once again, in a random volume of Igros Kodesh. “In regards to your inquiry about expanding your Chabad house,” the letter read, “may it be with much hatzlacha and bracha.”

“We got the property!” I told my wife.

“The auction house called…?” she asked.

“No,” I admitted. “But just look at this letter!”

A few days later, when the auctioneer did call, even he sounded surprised, as he told us our offer had been accepted.

We moved in a short while later, and after we fixed it up, it became the perfect place for our new shlichus – the Chabad house I’d always dreamed of.
————–
“Do you have two spots available at your Pesach seder?” the email read. “We’re two Israelis in Johannesburg now, and we don’t have a place to stay.”

I immediately responded, welcoming them to stay with us.

When they arrived, early on erev Pesach, my wife stared at them with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Their hitchhiker lifestyle was clear from their clothes and faces, caked with mud and dirt, their disheveled hair, their sturdy backpacks, and the “potjie” they carried – a three pronged pot, for cooking on the go.

“Please, come in,” my wife invited them. “I’ll show you where you can wash up!”

A short while later, freshly showered and feeling refreshed, the two headed to the kitchen and offered their help. Of course, there was no shortage of work to be done. For the next few hours, they peeled potatoes, chopped onions, and swept the floors while chatting familiarly. They played with our three young children, who loved the extra attention.

I was busy running last minute errands, burning the chometz, and meeting to sell the community’s chometz, so I barely had time to greet them when I finally came home. I noticed their pot, and offered to put it away with our own chometz utensils.

That night, they joined the seder, watching each step with open-eyed curiosity. They admitted they’d never experienced a seder before, as the kibbutz on which they’d grown up was virulently anti-religious. They even shamefully confessed that, as kids, they’d once put a pig’s head on the doorstep of the shul of the moshav next door.

As the seder progressed, we learned that Omer* and Matan* were a few weeks into a year-long hitchhiking trek across all of Africa. They’d both taken a year off and pledged to complete the quest together, walking the length of the continent from tip to tip.

The next morning, Omer and Matan shouldered their backpacks and thanked us for a wonderful seder.

“Our next stop is Zimbabwe,” they told us. “We have to leave now if we’re going to stay on schedule.”

We tried convincing them to stay for at least one more day, but they politely refused. “As soon as we can get that pot back, we’re on our way,” they answered, regretfully.

“Your… pot?” I repeated. “Uh – I don’t know how to tell you this. I can’t get it. It’s locked away with the chometz. I can’t open it until after Pesach.”

They thought I was joking at first, and got annoyed when I tried to explain the laws prohibiting me from opening the chometz closet.

“I can’t tell you what to do,” I told them. “I can’t prevent you from traveling on the holiday or eating whatever you want. But the pot is in my house, in my closet, and I will not break the laws of Pesach.”

Omer and Matan held a hurried, whispered conference before turning back to us. “Fine. We’ll stay until after chag.”

They enjoyed the rest of the week with us, although they were off the second Yom Tov was over and they retrieved their pot.

Fifteen years later, I got a call. “Shalom Rabbi! It’s Omer! Remember me? The hitchhiker, with the pot?”

“How could I forget?” I laughed. “Long time, no speak!”

“I know! I was just calling to thank you for changing my life. After Matan and I left your house, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything we’d talked about over Pesach. We weren’t even halfway to Zimbabwe, when I stopped and told Matan that instead of hiking through Africa, I wanted to spend the remainder of my year in Israel, learning about Judaism.

“Matan was furious with me. He accused me of abandoning him in the middle of Africa and reneging on the pact we’d made. We split up – Matan continuing the hike through Africa, and me returning home and enrolling in a yeshiva for baalei teshuva.

“A month later, Matan walked through the door of my yeshiva! He told me that hiking across a continent alone simply wasn’t appealing. It was too dangerous. He’d decided to see for himself why Torah was so compelling. He joined me in yeshiva, and we spent the remainder of the year learning together.

“Today, both Matan and I have beautiful, Torah-true families in Yerushalayim. And it’s all thanks to you and that pot!”

*Names changed to protect privacy

Rabbi Ari and Naomi Shishler, Chabad of Strathavon, Johannesburg, South Africa

Coming Home: Chabad of Strathavon Part II

By: Chaya Chazan

While Friday night services are well-attended in every South African shul across all denominations, it can be more difficult to pull a minyan together for Shabbos day.

Steven*, the real estate developer that helped us find property, had a son, Simcha, who’d recently had his bar mitzvah. He was a precious potential minyan member I couldn’t ignore. Every Shabbos morning, I pounded on their gate until Simcha, usually bleary-eyed, stumbled downstairs. He had two Saturday passions: sleeping, and soccer, and I disturbed them both.

Week after week, I dragged him to minyan, despite his protests. Sometimes I wondered if I was pushing him too far; if I was teaching him to resent Judaism. But protests dwindled over time, and the grumbling was only vaguely discernible. Still, I was pleasantly surprised when Simcha told me he wanted to attend a baal teshuva yeshiva in Israel.

Now, Simcha is a proud, shul-going member of his community. He leads a Torah-true life, and dedicates much of his time to mivtzoyim.

“I know how powerful persistence can be,” he tells me with a smile, when I ask him how it’s going. “You taught me never to take ‘no’ for an answer!”
————————

After more than a decade, our community – and family – grew so much, the house was no longer big enough. Once again, we began house hunting, although we couldn’t hope for a miracle like the one we’d received before.

One day, I noticed the property directly across the street from us was up for sale. It was almost double the size of our property, but, after a quick glance, I knew it wouldn’t work. A significant portion of the land was covered with fruit trees, and the halachic ramifications of trying to build a Chabad house there without uprooting them would just be too challenging.

The property was taken by a developer who wanted to build townhouses just like those on all the surrounding properties. He got to work immediately, and we watched as bulldozers decimated everything on the plot – including the trees. We expected construction to start immediately, but the plot remained empty for a long time. I found out the owner was having trouble getting zoning for his townhouses – even though the area was saturated with similar developments.

When I saw the developer had given up and moved onto his next project, I offered to take the property off his hands.

Hashgacha pratis made everything turn out better than I could have imagined. The fruit trees that would have been so problematic for me were cleared away. Had the house remained, we would’ve tried to renovate it – perhaps expand – but now that there was a clear plot of land, we had to build from scratch, and we ended up with a spacious center perfectly catered to our needs.

It was clearly Yad Hashem leading to every brick of the Chabad of Strathavon Jewish Life Centre.
————–
Charlie* was a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, a country entirely surrounded by South Africa. Pesach was approaching, and Charlie knew he had to do something to mark the holiday. He emailed us, and we invited him to our communal seder. In the end, Charlie spent the entire Yom Tov with us. He was a bright, kind young man who was easy to talk to. He immediately hit it off with my brother-in-law, who was visiting from overseas.

A couple of years later, my brother-in-law enrolled in a yeshiva summer program in Morristown. The yeshiva had two divisions – Tomchei Temimim, which catered to Chabad bochurim, and Tiferes Bachurim, a baal teshuva yeshiva. Although the two divisions are usually separate, for the summer program, they shared a dorm.

When my brother-in-law walked into his room, he was shocked to see that Charlie was his roommate! They hadn’t seen each other since that Pesach at our house, but they quickly picked up their friendship right where they’d left off.

Charlie had visited us a few times while he was on his mission in Lesotho. He never even told us he was interested in learning more and attending yeshiva!
—————
I’ve heard people joke “you can leave Lubavitch, but the Lubavitch doesn’t leave you.” There’s a lot of truth to that statement. I’ve had a Lubavitcher who forged his own path in life approach my tefillin stand to put on tefillin. He then searched for others who hadn’t put on tefillin yet and brought them to my table as well!

Although Rochel* had chosen a different life than the one in which her parents raised her, she still felt an affinity for Yiddishkeit. She often attended my shiurim, and, one time, she introduced me to her new boyfriend, Alex*. Alex knew he was Jewish, but was unfamiliar with even the most basic tenets of Judaism. In South Africa, where even assimilated Jews retain a number of traditions, this was very unusual.

Chana eventually left South Africa and continued on her personal journey, but Alex stayed. He’d never learned anything about Judaism before, and he simply couldn’t get enough. One shiur each week wasn’t enough for him, and he asked for a chavrusa session as well. Deeply intelligent and analytical, his insightful questions delighted and challenged me, and I gained from our learning sessions as much as he did.

Alex’s commitment to Yiddishkeit grew with his insatiable quest for knowledge, and he was soon keeping Shabbos, kashrus, tefillin, and more.

While we were planning our new Chabad house, Alex volunteered his help. As a structural engineer, his suggestions were invaluable.

Alex soon met a wonderful woman, and they began building a home built on the foundations of Torah and mitzvos.
————–
As a bochur, one of my regular mivtzoyim stops was a shop owned by two sweet ladies, who, to me, seemed elderly, but were probably in their 40’s. Like most South African Jews, they were traditional, and lit Shabbos candles every week, so, instead of giving them candles, I’d bring them a newsletter with short Torah thoughts on the parshah, stories, and other inspiring tidbits.

After some time, I met Sammy*, one of their sons. We began to learn together, and soon became friends, and when he got married, our wives became friends, too. Sammy and his wife became more committed to their Yiddishkeit and raised their family with Torah-true values.

At Sammy’s wedding, I mentioned my wife and I were about to move to Strathavon to open a Chabad house.

“No way!” Sammy exclaimed. “That’s brilliant! My brother, Edward*, lives there! He’s totally disinterested in Judaism, but I’m sure you’ll work your magic! You’ve got to get him to attend your shul!”

As it turned out, Edward lived just a block away from our new home, and I made sure to visit him early on to introduce myself. Sammy wasn’t kidding. Edward was polite, but not interested in anything to do with Judaism. I tried convincing him to come to shul, but he wouldn’t budge.

A few years later, Edward moved to a nearby neighborhood – directly across the street from a large shul. He didn’t become a member there, either – but in an ironic stroke of Hashgacha pratis, that’s when Edward decided to start attending our shul.

Once he braved the threshold, the hardest part was overcome. He started coming regularly, and soon, I knew I could count on him to never miss a minyan. He has a regular chavrusa every morning, and the impact spread to his entire family. Two of his children joined him on his journey and also deepened their commitment to Yiddishkeit, taking on observance of the mitzvos.
——————-
Bradley* was learning about Shabbos and, week by week, observed more and more. He loved coming to shul and enjoyed the family time and delicious Shabbos foods. There was only one struggle he had difficulty confronting: Bradley was an avid scuba diver and had a big trip to the coast planned for the weekend.

“Don’t do it, Bradley!” my wife begged. “Scuba diving on Shabbos isn’t safe for a Jew! As your Rebbetzin, I’m telling you: please don’t go!”

Bradley pooh poohed her fears, promising he’d make up his Shabbos observance the next week.

“There’s a whole group coming, and we’ve invested so much time and effort into planning this,” he explained, apologetically. “Don’t worry; I’m an experienced diver – I’ll make sure to stay safe.”

My wife shook her head and reiterated that he simply couldn’t scuba dive on Shabbos.

Ignoring her warnings, Bradley set off on his trip that Shabbos, excited to dive into the cool waters. It started off like the hundreds of other dives he’d done – until his eardrum burst, and the trip was abruptly cut short.

“Don’t mess with the Rebbetzin!” Bradley would jokingly warn community members. “You do so at your own peril!”

And so, the legend was born.

A few months later, we hosted an El Al pilot for the first seder. He hadn’t grown up religious, but had warm feelings for Yiddishkeit, and enthusiastically joined the joyous singing of Dayenu. During Shulchan Orech, over a hot bowl of chicken soup, he told us he was scheduled to fly back to Israel the next night.

My wife was distressed to hear about this flagrant violation of Yom Tov, and spoke up.

“You cannot fly tomorrow!” she told him. “Even if it’s no longer yom tov for Israelis, most of the people on your plane won’t be Israelis!”

The pilot spread his hands and shrugged. “It’s company policy,” he said, apologetically. “I just go where and when they tell me.”

My wife shook her head, disappointed.

The next night, as we were about to begin the second seder, the pilot walked in.

“Can I join?” he asked.

“Betach!” I answered. “But weren’t you supposed to be leaving tonight?”

“There were some mechanical issues, so the flight was canceled. I guess you can’t mess with the Rebbetzin,” the pilot laughed. And so, the legend grew.
——————–
Mark* was a busy man who ran a successful business. He loved the idea of mitzvoyim and decided to institute it in his office. He kept a pair of tefillin stashed in his drawer, and whenever he had a meeting with another Jew, he’d insist they put on tefillin before starting the meeting.

One day, a client came in for a meeting, and, as usual, Mark asked him to put on tefillin.

“I would, but I’m a lefty,” the client offered as an excuse.

Mark smiled. “No problem! I have a left-handed set here, as well!”

*Names changed to protect privacy

In Reno, Nevada, 30 volunteers spent five hours in a single marathon session and walked out with 500 freshly cooked meals. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, shmura matzah was tucked into food packages with stickers telling recipients when to eat it. In Portland, Maine, volunteers in matching aprons peeled, chopped, and stirred their way through pots of chicken soup, potato kugel, and tzimmes, then wrote personal cards for every recipient.

Across 20 communities in the United States and Canada, the Kitchen of Kindness network is gearing up for Pesach to ensure no Jew sits alone on Seder night without a meal, a Haggadah, and the basics to make Yom Tov.

“Even in the largest Jewish communities, there are Jews who go unnoticed,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “Kitchen of Kindness turns community members into a team of givers, making sure every Jew has what they need to celebrate Pesach with dignity.”

The program, created in memory of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky a”h, supports volunteer-run kosher kitchens at Chabad centers from the Five Towns to Vista, California. Each kitchen runs on a regular schedule, but for Pesach, many added special sessions to meet the surge in need.

In Santa Fe, the local Kitchen of Kindness, directed by Rabbi Berel and Devorah Leah Levertov, saw 25 volunteers packing meals, including many who don’t usually come to Chabad. shmura matzah was sent alongside the usual meals at its most recent session. People signing up for the community Seder were also offered the option to anonymously sponsor a kit for someone in need.

“Recipients include people in residential homes who try to keep kosher but always have a hard time on Pesach, and a couple in their 90s, both going through chemo,” Levertov said. “Our volunteers are going to deliver it all on erev Yom Tov.”

Rabbi Dovid Kotlarsky of Chabad of East Lakeview, Chicago, who operates a Kitchen of Kindness with his wife Devorah Leah, has connected with people most programs never reach. One woman with a spinal injury hasn’t left her bed in six years. A 93-year-old Moroccan woman whose daughter died during COVID had no one visiting her.
“We met her through this project and now we have volunteers who visit her every week,” Kotlarsky said. “She came for Purim, we had a Moroccan Purim, she celebrated. It was really, really special.”

For Pesach, his kitchen is assembling complete Seder-to-go packages: chicken, potatoes, vegetables, grape juice, matzah, a Haggadah, and a kiddush cup, delivered to people who won’t go out at night and won’t come to anyone’s Seder.

In Oceanside and Vista, California, Mrs. Nechama Greenberg hosted a Cooking Expo where four local chefs demonstrated Pesach recipes. Volunteers cooked alongside them, tasted the results, took home recipe cards, and then packaged the delicious food for delivery to community members in need.

“People were so happy to be able to meet people and be doing something, especially now when the world needs extra light,” Greenberg said. “The people who received the food really felt that hug.”

In Portland, Maine, Rabbi Levi and Hindy Wilansky received their first full shipment of Kitchen of Kindness branded supplies just in time for Pesach. Volunteers assembled complete seder plates with charoset and maror, cooked chicken soup with matzah balls, baked potato kugel, and prepared tzimmes.

“The feeling in the room was just unreal,” said Hindy. “People were so excited to be part of a project of coming together to help people who aren’t able to cook for themselves or make a Pesach.”

What sets Kitchen of Kindness apart, she added, is the direction it flows. “This is not top-down, where the shliach makes a project and the community members are just recipients. Here, these volunteers are part of the project. You’re inviting them into your shlichus to be part of something meaningful, and they feel so uplifted to be given the opportunity to help.”

Rabbi Moshe and Doba Cunin of Chabad of Reno, NV, whose kitchen produced 500 meals in a single pre-Pesach session, sees this initiative as a gateway. “It’s a great way to get people through the door,” said Moshe. “It’s created a sense of community and brought people into Chabad that either attend different synagogues or no synagogue at all. And people keep coming back.”

This Pesach, for Jews across the country who don’t have the means or the company to make a Seder, Kitchen of Kindness volunteers are delivering complete meals, Seder kits, and handwritten cards to their doors.

Igud Yeshivos Lubavitch, the central office for Chabad yeshivos, is making a selection of articles from its Skiros (סקירות) series available for public download.

Curated from a growing library of in-depth written shiurim and articles produced for bochurim

The Skiros series, whose name means “overviews”, features thoroughly researched articles on topics spanning Gemara, halacha, Chassidus, and Jewish history.

Originally developed as internal educational material, individual pieces have been circulating informally among mechanchim, rabbonim, and laypeople, prompting the decision to make some more widely available.

Topics range from halachic surveys such as gebroks, and mechiras chometz, to historical deep dives on subjects like the printing history of the Gemara, and the origins of the Haggadah.

Each article is grounded in primary sources across Shas, Rishonim, Acharonim, and the Torah of the Rabbeim, and written in a clear, easy-to-understand style.

The collection includes ‘Skiros’ in both English and loshon hakodesh and is available for free download at https://igudyeshivos.org/skiros

14 Nissan marks the 4th Yartzeit of Rabbi Leibel Groner obm, one of the most prominent figures in Lubavitch of the last generation who served as a secretary and was one of the closest people to the Rebbe.

Rabbi Groner learned in the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch at 770 Eastern Parkway and become an immense Talmid Chacham.

In 1949, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Groner if he would like to assist him in his “spare time.” Rabbi Groner agreed and began working in the Kehot Publication Society, a branch of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch which the Rebbe founded.

In 5711 (1951), when the Rebbe officially assumed leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch at an inaugural farbrengen, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Groner to stand by him in case he would need anything. Rabbi Groner has stood by the Rebbe’s side ever since.

After he got married, Rabbi Groner continued his work in the Rebbe’s secretariat (mazkirus) for over 40 years. He was arguably the most visible mazkir as he stood by the Rebbe during davening, Yechidus and later when the Rebbe distributed dollars to charity on Sundays.

His devotion to the Rebbe and his directives and institutions were reflected in the Rebbe’s comment about him during the distribution of the Tanya on 11 Nissan 5744: “My general.”

Rabbi Groner passed away after Bedikas Chometz at the age of 88 after a battle with coronavirus.

The following newly discovered Maamar about Pesach was printed in Rabbi Groner’s memory, in honor of his second yartzeit.

Click here to download.

As the Yom Tov of freedom approached, Moscow’s Jewish community looked back with great satisfaction at the tremendous success of this year’s “Kimcha D’Pischa” campaign.

The large-scale project was carried out with significant investment—not only financially, but in thoughtful planning and dignified execution—ensuring that recipients were treated with respect, comfort, and care, and provided with high-quality, generous provisions for Yom Tov.

Drawing on many years of experience and a desire to further enhance the initiative, several new members were added to the established leadership team. Together, they carefully reviewed best practices from Jewish communities around the world and developed a refreshed, comprehensive plan.

This plan was presented to the foundation’s president, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, HaRav Berel Lazar, in his office at the central Marina Roscha Synagogue. After addressing key questions, offering guidance, and engaging in an extended and meaningful discussion, the Rav warmly blessed the organizers for their year-round dedication to supporting families in the community—especially in preparation for the Yomim Tovim. He also conveyed a heartfelt request to the broader public to participate generously in the mitzvah of Maos Chittim, in accordance with halachah. Each of the team members received a bottle of wine as a token of appreciation.

A standout feature of this year’s campaign was the enhanced accessibility and personalization offered to each family. Recipients were able to choose a tailored package based on their specific needs—both in terms of product selection and quantity—and even had the option to contribute a symbolic amount toward the cost, preserving a sense of dignity.

Additionally, all packages were delivered directly to families’ homes.
Indeed, deliveries reached every corner of greater Moscow with remarkable efficiency, to the amazement and joy of the recipient families. By the beginning of the week, homes were already fully stocked with all Yom Tov necessities, allowing families to prepare for Pesach with calm, dignity, and true abundance.

The Chief Rabbi himself visited the Shaarei Tzedek Jewish Chesed Center to personally oversee the operation. During his brief visit, he reviewed detailed data regarding the volume of orders, the number of individuals served, and personally inspected the quality of the products.

Together with members of the leadership of the “Simchas Shabbos V’Yom Tov” organization in Moscow—Rabbi Dovid Shapiro and Rabbi Chaim Moshe Weber—the Chief Rabbi presented a special token of appreciation to board member Rabbi Avraham Zaks, recognizing his exceptional efforts this year in advancing the campaign to an unprecedented level of success.

By a relative of Shimshon Stock

This Pesach, when you’re sitting around the table and chatting with family and friends, try something different. Instead of chatting about the news or sports during Shulchan Orech, talk about your single friends and relatives.

Our shidduch system isn’t just struggling, it’s missing one huge piece: people sharing ideas. And that’s something every single one of us can fix, without any training, without any title, just by being willing to speak up.

Sit around the table and start throwing out names. You’ll be surprised how quickly connections and ideas come up. One suggestion leads to another, and suddenly people realize how many possibilities were sitting right in front of them the whole time. Even if something feels like a long shot, say it anyway. So many matches start from a “maybe this is crazy, but…”

Think about it:
You have a close friend who’s single.
Your cousin or brother-in-law knows someone great.
Your neighbor mentioned a name once that stuck with you.

What if you just said it out loud?

Too often, people hesitate. They assume someone else will make the suggestion, or they convince themselves it’s not their place. But that hesitation is exactly what keeps good ideas from ever being explored.

Now here’s the part that really matters: Follow up after Yom Tov. Text your friend or relative your ideas. Make the introduction. Ask a question. Push it one step further.

Ideas are powerful, but only if we act on them.

Shadchanim can’t do this alone. They don’t know everyone, and they’re not sitting at your Seder table. We are the missing network, the informal connections that can open doors no system can replicate.

So this Pesach:

• Think about singles
• Make lists
• Share ideas
• Be bold and proactive

Pretend you’re the shadchan. Because honestly, you are.

And don’t underestimate it. One conversation, one suggestion, one follow-up message could quietly set something in motion that changes a person’s entire life.

One week before Pesach, while the Jewish world is busy cleaning and scrubbing, shopping and cooking, a fresh widow and six small children accompany their beloved husband and father on his final journey.

Their hearts are broken; tears course down their cheeks. There isn’t a dry eye as the eldest son’s voice cracks while reciting “Yisgadal V’yiskadash Shmei Rabba.”

A full year has passed since the dark day when R’ Elimelech Horovitz z”l collapsed suddenly.

A full year of sterile hospital walls, medication and treatments, nonstop suffering and desperate prayers at his bedside.

A full year without income, rising expenses and mounting debts that leave the young widow not only shattered and grieving, but also penniless.

For a full year while Elimelech fought for every breath, his family’s stability vanished.

Six months ago, in the midst of the nightmare, his wife gave birth alone to their sixth child. Tears of joy mingled with tears of terror. Today, those tears are all she has left.

Six fresh orphans. An infant who will never know her father.

A widow with nowhere to turn but us.

How can we look into the eyes of six fresh orphans children and explain that there is no supper because Tatty is gone?

How can we meet the gaze of a fresh widow who doesn’t know where food will come from tomorrow?

Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Father of Orphans, promises: “If you gladden Mine, I will gladden yours.”

Partner with us to save the Hurwitz family from hunger and despair!

Give them strength to carry on!

Donate Now

The name change, scheduled to take effect July 1, must still be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to the bill text.

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 a holiday day — whether the first or second day of a holiday — falls on a Friday, an eruv tavshilin is set aside on the day preceding the holiday (Wednesday or Thursday afternoon), so that we will be permitted to prepare for Shabbat (cooking as well as any other necessary preparations) on the holiday. Only one eruv is required per household.

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.

Kolel Torah Panama published its first edition of Seder Pesach Illuminated, containing 18 gems to share during the Seder, a fascinating, inspirational story, and an essay on the Rebbe’s approach to Yetzias Mitzrayim with insights on the key parts of Maggid.

The publication is based on Shiurim given weekly by Rabbi Menachem M. Shuchat at the Kolel geared to a large group of Balebatim advanced in Torah study from various communities who wish to explore the deeper meaning of Torah through the lens of Chassidus.

The Shiurim specifically draw from a wide range of sources while maintaining the unique perspective and approach of Chassidus and The Rebbe’s Sichos.

Special thanks to Head Shliach Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Ari Laine and the dedicated Board of Directors, Shmuel & Yehoshua Dornbusch, David Bresler, and Meir Kamhaji, for overseeing the constant growth and expansion of the Kolel.

Story:

Class:

Download the PDF here
Shiurim can also be viewed and listened to on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, 24Six and Zing

History for the Curious – The Jewish History Podcast:

For Soviet Jews, matzah represented a longing for freedom – one we take for granted. This episode tells the hidden story of those heroes who risked everything to keep Pesach alive behind the Iron Curtain, and of the global networks that brought matzah into the USSR by every means, under the watchful eyes of the NKVD.

Jewish life in the USSR was strongly policed. Starting with Stalin in 1925, Judaism was actively hunted down. But every spring, Jews in Moscow, S. Petersburg, and Odessa, as well as in far‑flung provincial cities, risked surveillance, arrest, and labor camps to fulfill this mitzva on Seder night. Clandestine matzah bakeries sprang up, with children posted as lookouts.

In 1929, the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe succeeded in bringing 10,000s of matzos into Russia. In later years, there would be the suitcases stuffed with contraband food moving through international airports, carried by tourists, businessmen, and non-Jewish acquaintances, given to them by people in the free world who never stopped caring for their fellow Jews.

Interviewed are Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie, author of Undaunted, and Rabbi Shmuel Lew, senior Shliach in London, England.

This is the story of how a fragile food became a symbol of spiritual defiance, and how a festival of freedom was observed under totalitarian rule.

_____________________________________________________

“Undaunted” by Rabbi Eliezrie is available on Amazon for purchase

Spotify or Podbeam

In honor of the approaching holiday of Pesach and in light of the current situation and the hope of the People of Israel that the Almighty will fight our battles against those who rise up against us, we present a classic melody with a distinctive flavor that has been reawakened in recent years.

The song is of the prayer ומלך גיבור לריב ריבם לאבות ובנים ממצרים גאלתנו

Arranged and performed by the renowned musician Rabbi Moishe Weinfeld and his son Mendele Weinfeld of Toronto.

As Yud Aleph Nissan—the Rebbe’s 124th birthday—approached, a powerful, united effort took shape across New York City. More than a peulah, it was a collective expression of our mission to bring the Rebbe’s vision into the streets and into everyday awareness.

For the first time, a coordinated media campaign blanketed Manhattan—60 LinkNYC screens, 120 taxi tops, and prominent billboards—all carrying one clear message: the world has a purpose, each of us has a role, and one more act of goodness and kindness can bring redemption closer.

Our goal is simple but far-reaching—that people in Manhattan, and ultimately everywhere, should be familiar with Moshiach and the Rebbe’s vision as something real and relevant to daily life.

By bringing this message into public space, we are making awareness natural and accessible, while emphasizing a clear call to action: to add in goodness and kindness in real, practical ways.

Manhattan was chosen intentionally—what becomes familiar here can spread everywhere. And this is just the beginning. We are working to expand this awareness further, until the message reaches people across the world.

As we mark Yud Aleph Nissan, we are not only celebrating—we are continuing—taking the Rebbe’s message and placing it directly into the world.

A city illuminated is only the start. From here, the light spreads.

The campaign is still live, with digital ads running for the next few days and billboards remaining up for the coming weeks, continuing to reach millions. To partner in this effort and help expand the impact, visit: charidy.com/millionsreached.

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In a social media series, Rabbi Yitzchak Hanoka, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator at OK Kosher, explains the reasoning, minhagim, and halachic considerations behind this widespread practice.

Do plain silver foil and plastic need a hechsher?
Does water bottles and seltzer need to be kosher l’Pesach?
What could be a problem for countertop stick covers?
How about sponges for the kitchen?

Do you need to use a separate urn for Pesach?
Should brand-new towels be used for Pesach?
Do countertops need to be covered in addition to koshering?
Do you need a separate hot stone just for Pesach?

Why do people peel their produce for Pesach?

What to look out for when shopping for Pesach?

How does a product become kosher l’Pesach?

At Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch in Crown Heights, Pesach preparation is not something the children only read about or review in class. It becomes something they can make, hold, understand, and bring home with real excitement.

This year, our students once again prepared for the Seder in a hands-on and meaningful way. Alongside learning the Haggadah and the halachos and minhagim connected to Pesach, they were busy creating their own simanim for the Seder, preparing salt water, roasting a zeroa, and wrapping their own ten pieces for Bedikas Chametz.

One of the most special parts of the experience was each child’s personalized Haggadah. The students worked on their own Haggadahs with the ideas and details they learned in class, and with their own pictures inserted inside. That made it personal in the deepest way. The Haggadah was not just something they would use at the Seder – it became their Haggadah, something they helped build and truly connect to.

A special energy filled the classroom as the children worked on each part of the preparation. They were not just learning about the simanim – they were making them, and getting ready to come to the Seder table with knowledge, confidence, and pride, excited to share what they had learned with their families. By the time they went home, they carried far more than projects – they brought home excitement, ownership, and a real connection to Pesach.

In addition to the hands-on preparation, the students also spent time learning the minhagim of the Rebbe connected to the Seder, with a focus on the hanhagos of Beis Harav and the ways these minhagim shape a Chassidishe Yom Tov.

At OYYL, we believe that Torah becomes strongest when it is learned in a way that children can live. As the Rebbe teaches, מעשה הוא העיקר. When learning is real, tangible, and connected to action, it stays with them.

This is the kind of chinuch we strive to give our students every day: learning that moves from the classroom into the home, and from information into experience.

As our Cheder continues to grow, we are enrolling boys and girls from Nursery through 8th grade.

By COLlive reporter

A large and uplifting gathering was held this week in Paris, France, in honor of Yud Alef Nissan, marking the Rebbe’s birthday.

The event took place at the Beis Chaya Mushka school and drew a sizable crowd in a warm, Chassidic, and inspiring atmosphere.

Participants heard words of inspiration and encouragement from Rabbi Mendy Azimov of Paris and Rabbi Elchanan Marozov, who spoke about strengthening connection to the Rebbe and preparing spiritually for Pesach.

A mechiras chametz was also arranged on site, with Rabbi Levi Kahn assisting attendees in completing the sale ahead of the upcoming Yom Tov.

Organizers said the evening served as a meaningful opportunity to come together in unity and reflection, leaving participants with renewed energy to continue their efforts in spreading Yiddishkeit.

In conjunction with the occasion, Mitzvah Tanks set out across Paris and the greater Île-de-France region this Sunday. Led by Rabbi Shlomi Bensoussan, shliach in Courbevoie, the initiative marked the Rebbe’s 124th birthday by bringing mitzvah opportunities directly to the public.

The Mitzvah Tanks offered tefillin, distributed Shabbos candles and educational materials, and aimed to increase acts of goodness and kindness throughout the region.

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By Maya Zeff

I had the profound honor of serving as one of the commanders of the army preparation program of Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak Katz, z”l. In that time, we taught Moshe Ulpan (Hebrew), helped prepare him for his service to Am Yisrael, and guided him toward entering training for the Paratroopers Unit 890 in which he served.

There is so much we can learn from Moshe z”l, especially as we prepare for Pesach.

At Yetziat Mitzrayim, we became a free nation. We broke free and left Egypt and slavery behind. But Yetziat Mitzrayim wasn’t just about leaving something, it was about becoming something.

Bnei Yisrael didn’t merely escape physical bondage; they stepped into responsibility, into identity, into a mission far greater than themselves.

And this year, that message feels different.

We read about Yetziat Mitzrayim and imagine open miracles: the ten plagues, the sea splitting, the revelation of Hashem’s power through undeniable Nissim. But Geulah, true freedom, is not only found in the extraordinary. It is not only what we see with our own eyes.

Sometimes, real Geulah is much quieter, and much harder.

It looks like choosing a purpose.
Choosing to serve others.
Choosing to show up every single day with strength and with Simcha, even when life is not simple.

And trying to do it all with a smile, even if, at times, you have to push yourself to find it.

Moshe Katz z’l was everyone’s favorite.

He didn’t even need to be in the room, people lit up when his name was mentioned. He could make anyone laugh without effort. He didn’t live for approval; he lived with authenticity. He was genuine, real, and never pretended to be something he wasn’t.

And he had the most contagious grin, all. the. time.

Moshe z”l embodied Geulah. Not the dramatic kind, but the lived kind, the daily choice to step up, to take on responsibility and purpose, to show up B’simcha.

He left his home in Connecticut behind to serve something greater than himself, not because it was easy, but because it mattered. That journey reflects the very transition from Mitzrayim to Har Sinai: from “What do I need?” to “What am I here for?”

The Haggadah teaches:
בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים
“In every generation, a person is obligated to see themselves as if they personally left Egypt.”

This year, perhaps that means asking a deeper question:
What does it mean to live like someone who is truly free?

Because freedom is not simply the ability to do whatever we want.
Freedom is the clarity to know what truly matters, and the strength to live by those values no matter what.

Moshe had that clarity.

He gave fully. He uplifted those around him. He chose joy even in difficulty. I remember once, during a silent Hakpatza (training simulation), he broke into a silly march just to lift everyone’s spirits. It worked instantly.

That wasn’t just personality. That was Pnimiyut, a deep inner awareness of who he was and why he was here.

And perhaps that is the real Avodah of Pesach: not only to remember that we were freed, but to live in a way that proves it.

To be people who bring light into dark places.
Who show up for others without expecting anything in return.
Who stay true to ourselves.
Who choose meaning over comfort.

The Rebbe taught that true freedom is the ability to transcend one’s limitations and circumstances, to live in alignment with one’s Divine purpose. A person can be physically free, yet internally constrained; and conversely, one who lives with purpose and connection to Hashem is truly free, regardless of external challenges.

Moshe didn’t just remember leaving Mitzrayim, he lived each day as someone who had left Mitzrayim. As someone who consciously chose to be free.

As we sit at the Seder and speak about Geulah, perhaps we can ask ourselves:
What would it look like for us to live that way too?

What small, real actions can we take to live more intentionally?
To bring more simcha into our Avodah?
To show up more fully for the people around us?

Moshe will be missed more than words can say. He was a true friend, a brother. He meant so much to so many.

In Moshe’s memory, this Pesach can become more than remembrance: it can become a commitment. A commitment to live with strength. With joy. With purpose.

May we carry his light with us.
May we build a world filled with more meaning, more strength, and more Simcha.
And may we merit to see the Geula Shlema Bimhera B’Yameinu.

*

Support the Katz family at raisethon.com/mosheyitzchak

In honour of Yud Aleph Nissan, an amazing Mitzvah Tank Parade took to the streets of London, with 7 tanks bringing great energy and joy wherever they drove.

The tanks spread out across London, reaching the key locations of West Hampstead, Kilburn, Camden Town, Mill Hill, North Finchley, Borehamwood, and Golders Green.

Over 1000 matzos were distributed along with flyers detailing the times to eat matzoh this year and qr codes to sell their chametz. More than 40 people put on tefillin, 2 for their first time.

The yidden encountered on the streets were expressive with tremendous thanks and gratitude for reaching out to them in these times.

A huge thank you goes to all the bochurim for their incredible shturem.

A special thank you goes to the dedicated drivers who gave from their time and made it all possible.

B”H it was a beautiful and inspiring peulah.
May we merit Moshiach now!

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In 5749, following the Siyum HaRambam, the Rebbe requested that a Sefer with the Divrei Torah from the Siyum be compiled, giving only 3 weeks for its completion.

When Rabbi Butman presented the finished Sefer to the Rebbe during Sunday Dollars, the Rebbe expressed great appreciation and the Nachas that it brought.

This year, in honor of Yud Aleph Nissan and following the Rebbe’s call, bochurim in Tomchei Temimim Morristown have created a beautiful album documenting the Siyum and its Divrei Torah.

A PDF is available for download here.

In an evening that blended history, heart, and powerful Chinuch, the students of Cheder Chabad of Baltimore and CGHS Baltimore took the stage to present a breathtaking production.

Through music, dance, and storytelling, the production followed the journey of two young girls leaving the shtetl behind in search of opportunity in America.

Set against the backdrop of early 1900s immigration, the production centered on Riva and Menucha, two girls navigating the pull of the “Golden Medina.” The promise of success, comfort, and acceptance stood in sharp contrast to the values they were raised with.

While Menucha remains grounded, Riva wrestles. Her struggle becomes the emotional core of the production, especially as she faces a defining choice around keeping Shabbos despite the risk.

Interwoven throughout the performance were the teachings of Rabbi Avrohom Elya Axelrod. In 1924, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent him to America to help strengthen Jewish life. Settling in Baltimore, Rabbi Axelrod became the rabbi of Congregation Tzemach Tzedek.

At a time when many immigrants were abandoning traditional observance, he stood firmly for Torah and Chassidic life, proudly maintaining his Jewish identity and encouraging others to do the same. Respected for his humility, devotion, and unwavering faith, Rabbi Axelrod played a key role in building Chabad in America and left a lasting legacy in Baltimore’s Jewish community. That foundation has grown into a flourishing, full-fledged Chabad infrastructure.

He shared timeless lessons with young girls about holding onto their values even as the world around them changed. Today’s challenges may look different, but those messages continue to resonate.

The production also highlighted the legacy of Achos Hatemimim, reinforcing the idea that young women actively build and strengthen their values and identity.

This production stood out in another way: Every single girl chose to participate. Each student stepped in with a sense of ownership, contributing to a production that was built together. The collaboration, energy, and shared effort carried from rehearsals all the way through to the final performance.

A special mention and thank you goes to Morah Chassia Brody, for bringing the production together. Her effort and care were felt throughout.

To learn more: www.cghsbaltimore.com WhatsApp/Call: 443-825-9889 Email: [email protected]. A limited number of dorm spots are still available.

Scroll down for today’s Nasi.

In a special episode released in honor of Yud Aleph Nissan, Mrs. Simcha Bracha Gitlin sits down with her granddaughters on The Sisters Chat to share her story for the very first time. She reflects on her upbringing in the Bronx and the strong values that shaped her path to Crown Heights, a path that ultimately led her to stand just steps behind the Rebbe during the Sunday dollar distributions. There, she worked alongside Mrs. Esther Sternberg helping manage the flow of thousands who came for a dollar and a bracha.

For six years, she stood there—every Sunday and often on weeknights when the Rebbe distributed dollars, sometimes with very little notice. But what comes through most is not just what she did, but what she witnessed. From her place just behind the Rebbe, she describes how each interaction felt personal and unhurried, even as the line kept moving, and how the Rebbe gave his full attention to every individual.

“There was no rushing,” she shares. “Each person mattered completely in that moment.”

She speaks about the range of people who came, the different languages, the emotion, and the moments that felt like open miracles. Asked about being in so many of the photos, her response is simple: you weren’t there to be seen—you were there to do what needed to be done.

For years, the dollar line has been seen through photographs. Now, it can be understood through the eyes of someone who stood just behind it.

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By Hindel Swerdlov

You don’t feel the most frightening parts of a roller coaster at the beginning. It’s only when you’re suspended upside down, heart racing, that the questions come rushing in: Is the bar really locked? Is the seatbelt secure? Why did I agree to this ride in the first place?

Yesterday felt like that moment.

For the past month, many of us here in Israel have been managing—holding steady in ways that, on the surface, seem almost ordinary. We’ve learned to live with alerts and sirens, to keep children at home without the structure of school, to juggle work while somehow providing three meals a day instead of one. We host, we clean, we smile. Between sirens and hurried trips to the safe room, we work to maintain a sense of calm, even as we find ourselves explaining words like destruction and loss to our children—words we wish they never had to understand.

We have been “fine.” But yesterday reminded us how fragile that feeling can be—how quickly the illusion of control can give way to the raw awareness that we are, in many ways, simply holding on.

They say we are a resilient people. So we stay resilient. We kiss our soldier sons (we have two in active combat) when they walk in the door—smelling of battle, exhaustion, and sweat-soaked uniforms. We put on our best face and act nonchalant about having them home, while quietly aware of what a miracle it is that they came back at all—whole, healthy. We are at war, on many fronts. That is not a given.

I got the news about Sergeant Moshe Katz of the Tzanchanim, killed in Lebanon. I cried as I read about him. I cried for his mother and sister, whom I know, and for the many people connected to them. I cried for every soldier who has to bury a brother-in-arms, and for every friend who will never see him, hear him, or hold him again.

And still, I chose to be resilient.

It felt like getting back on that roller coaster—looking manageable from a distance, telling myself I’d deal with the fear when I reached the top of the upside-down loop. I pushed forward into my day. Pesach preparations would be waiting for me at home.

Because sometimes, I have to step out of my own reality and enter someone else’s, just to remember that life continues beyond the tight, one-mile radius of my war-front home.

I went to visit a friend who had just given birth—two decades younger than me—and I held her baby for two and a half hours while she slept. She got rest. I got to breathe in new life—a quiet, steady reminder of how beautiful and precious this world still is.

A simple, fragile kind of win-win.

Just before heading back home, I got a text from a friend who is battling cancer. She had treatment that morning and said she was up for a visit. I felt honored. I sat with her for a bit in her Jerusalem stone living room, and we giggled about everything except death and war. Even cancer itself somehow became something we could talk about lightly, even joke about.

Then the siren went off.

The closest shelter is a seven-minute walk, and she wasn’t exactly up for a sprint. So we lined up two chairs in the most fortified space in her home and stayed put—talking, laughing, continuing as if this, too, was just part of the day.

Again, a kind of win-win for me. There is something deeply grounding about sitting across from someone and sharing pieces of life that rarely overlap. I felt enriched hearing her thoughts, our shared opinions, and even more so seeing the world through her eyes—someone two decades my senior, carrying a completely different set of experiences.

I came home for two hours, faced the disaster of pancake batter I had left behind for the five boys and their slumber-party breakfast, and gave them all—and I mean all—jobs for Pesach.

And then it started to catch up with me.

The grief had been hovering just beneath the surface all day, and the moment I slowed down, it began to rise. I let myself pause, just for a second—and the questions came. How does a person bury a child? I’ve done it. I know… and yet I don’t know.

How will this family cope?

A family from America, now burying their 22-year-old son, a lone soldier who chose this life. He built something here: new friends, a new language, a new culture, even a new kind of belonging within the army.

They’ve never been to a military funeral. They’ve never seen the hollow, vacant eyes of friends shoveling dirt onto their son’s grave. They’ve never witnessed thousands of strangers—people who never knew them, never knew him—show up anyway, filling every inch around the open grave, tears streaming down their faces.

They never signed up for this.

This is why I don’t let myself pause. It’s too much to sit with my thoughts. The roller coaster starts up again and suddenly I don’t feel safe—like I’m not strapped in, not mentally prepared. But I’m already on the ride, and it’s climbing in the tracks again.

And then, as it inches upward, I get a call from my son’s friend J’s wife, T.

J is in the army with Shaya, and just the night before, their unit had moved deep into Lebanon—taking over a Lebanese home to secure it as their new base. They’re moving toward the Litani River, toward whatever comes next, all in the name of keeping Israel safe.

T is on the phone. She asks if we can start learning together—a chavruta—in the merit of the boys’ safety. “Maybe after Pesach?” she suggests.

I say no. Today is a very good day to start.

Within the hour, I’m printing notes on Shaar HaBitachon—“Gates of Trust”—something I taught four years ago. I emailed her a copy. We read it to each other, back and forth, and we talk and discuss

And I can breathe again.

Another win-win.

We both needed that reminder—that being a “good Jew” isn’t just about being religious. It’s about feeling emotionally connected to Hashem. It’s about trusting that He runs the world, that everything—everything—is Divinely orchestrated.

So I move on to the next part of my day, even as the grief sits in my throat, threatening at any moment to break out into something loud and uncontrollable. I’m riding this roller coaster of emotions, witnessing life in all its extremes, and trying to stay anchored in that sense of connection.

I haven’t been this busy or worked this hard emotionally the entire month of war.

Someone very dear to me—32—is engaged to one of my dear students. I wasn’t the matchmaker, but as a dating coach, I’ve felt deeply connected to him for a long time. My heart is full of happiness as I get ready, consciously choosing an outfit that could easily be worn to an engagement party or a funeral.

Because that’s where we are.

The brain, in trauma, doesn’t compartmentalize well. War alone is enough to make simple things—lists, menus, schedules—feel impossible. And yet here we are, standing at the edge of grief for a soldier I never met, while somehow still trying to push past the heaviness and make space for life’s joys.

I’ve spent years balancing the two—joy on one side of the heart, sadness on the other. We show up the way we’re supposed to. Sometimes it feels like superhuman effort, but most of the time, I manage pretty well. Ask my friends. (Less so my husband.)

And so we said L’chaim with the happy couple, genuinely full, happy hearts. We gave hugs, offered blessings—and then continued on to the funeral.

I’m not a journalist. You can read the details of Moshe Katz’s funeral anywhere in the news.

But I am a momma.

I am a momma who buried a child 16 years ago—and also, somehow, yesterday.

A momma who has already placed a child into the holy earth of this Land—the very Land Moshe gave his life defending.

A momma of two sons currently in combat in the IDF—one a commander of tzanchanim in Gaza (most of his soldiers saddened by the death of a fellow comrade- 2 even left Gaza for the funeral. The other son is in the Sayeret Givati special forces, working with explosives and drones deep in Lebanon.

I am not a glutton for punishment. There is no martyrdom running through my bloodstream. (Actually, there is, but that’s another story).

And still, I go.

I go first and foremost to show respect to this beautiful family, who have sacrificed their eldest son for humanity at large, and for the Jewish people in particular—for me, for my family. I go because I cannot help but recognize pieces of the road ahead of them, the kind of brokenness that takes years to even begin climbing out of.

So I show up—though inside I feel like I’m suspended upside down. I show up to represent Jewish mommas everywhere.

And all throughout the funeral, I find myself muttering, almost chanting under my breath, that this will never be my sons—and therefore it cannot be anyone else’s.

It comes out somewhere between faith and protest, between trust and something that feels like emotional unraveling. I feel like I’m hanging in that upside-down loop again, whispering through tears as someone presses tissues into my hand:

“I will never come back here to Har Herzl again. We will never bury our children again.”

The G-d I am in a relationship with—the One whose people have trusted Him over and over and over again—would never take another of His children. How could He? Look at this generation. Look at Moshe—who chose to leave everything familiar behind to serve his country, his G-d, his people.

I watch the faces of his comrades. The tears. The empty, glazed eyes. The red noses. Some of them still smell like the battlefield—their boots, their uniforms, their guns marked with mud and soot.

I watch the mothers in the crowd, holding onto their soldier sons a little too tightly. They’re crying, whispering their own versions of the same chant: This will never be us.

And I know—what they mean is: This will never be you.

Slowly, I feel myself coming around the loop of the roller coaster, landing unsteadily, trying once again to gather myself—find some version of balance, of sanity, of resilience.

I step forward. I hug Moshe’s sister Adina, my daughter-in-law’s best friend. I hug his mother, Devorah, who was once my student.

And I stand there, watching this family take their first steps into a new life they never chose.

Jews don’t do roller coasters well. May Hashem bring calm and serenity like only He can. Now. With Moshiach. For the sake of Moshe. For the sake of all His children. This is what True Freedom will look like. Chag Pesach Kosher V’sameach.

By COLlive reporter

U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th congressional district, has issued proclamations to all 11 Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis (Shluchim) across Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties in honor of Education and Sharing Day, USA.

Lawler is known among local shluchim for his visit to the Ohel, participation in the International Kinus Hashluchim, and regular attendance at Chabad events.

Lawler is believed to have issued more proclamations for this occasion than any other public official. His office delivered a personalized proclamation to each rabbi in the district.

Education and Sharing Day marks the birthday of the Rebbe on the 11th of Nissan. Since the 1980s, every U.S. president has annually proclaimed the day, celebrating the Rebbe’s transformative legacy of education rooted in moral values, character development, and acts of kindness.

The proclamations recognize the rabbis’ outstanding dedication to Jewish education, ethical leadership, and vital community service throughout the Hudson Valley. Recipients include:

Chabad of Rockland – Rabbi Avremel Kotlarsky
Chabad of Suffern – Rabbi Shmuel Gancz
Chabad of the Nyacks – Rabbi Chaim Zvi Ehrenreich
Chabad of Stony Point – Rabbi Shea Werner and Rabbi Shmuel Amram
Beis Menachem Mendel Pomona – Rabbi Pinchas Dovid Weber
Chabad of Putnam – Rabbi Avi Korer
Chabad of Armonk – Rabbi Yossi Butman
Chabad of Bedford – Rabbi Arik Wolf
Chabad of Briarcliff and Ossining – Rabbi Dovid Labkowski
Chabad of Yorktown – Rabbi Yehuda Leib Heber

Rabbi Gancz shared on social media: “Today marks the Rebbe’s birthday — 124 years of light, love, and empowerment. Thank you to Congressman Mike Lawler for proclaiming Education and Sharing Day, a beautiful tribute to the Rebbe’s legacy. The Rebbe’s birthday is a call to rise higher, do an extra mitzvah, and bring positive change to the world.”

In a time when education and shared values are more essential than ever, Congressman Lawler’s thoughtful gesture highlights the impactful work of Chabad emissaries and pays tribute to the Rebbe’s enduring vision of uplifting humanity through knowledge and goodness.

The Chabad singer and guitarist Barak Grossberg performs a cover of the great hit of the New York band Zusha in a video clip from a live session with the band.

Due to the situation in the Land of Israel, Barak has had major events and performances canceled recently, including a show for the Chabad community in Montenegro in Europe this week. As a result, he decided to arrive the studio with his band and record a performance of the great hit, which expresses the faith and confidence of a Jew in these days, “Lord of the World, if I am here, everything is here.”

In 2019, Barak played on stage with the Zosha band in Tel Aviv, now he is performing their hit combined with a unique guitar solo, as Barak knows how to do.