After seeing reports of NYPD officers being pelted with snowballs in Manhattan, several CTeeners approached their chaperones with a proposal: to bake cookies, write notes, and personally thank the officers who helped keep them safe during the weekend.

Speaking outside Brooklyn’s 71st Precinct, Michael Ferreira, a CTeen leader from São Paulo, Brazil, whose chapter visited the precinct, said his parents were concerned about rising antisemitism.

“Our rabbi, Mendy Gansburg, reassured them that the NYPD would be there protecting us. That gave them confidence to send me,” he said. “I felt it was important to come here and thank them.”

CTeen partnered with Kitchen of Kindness, Chabad’s network of volunteer kitchens, to facilitate the effort. The organization immediately enlisted the help of Bais Rivkah, which donated ingredients and opened its kitchen for the teens to bake and write thank-you letters.

Teens from Morocco, France, Scottsdale, Arizona, Israel, Manchester, Brazil, and Portugal participated.

“We recently finalized a program designed to help communities thank local first responders. When the teens approached us with the idea, we were able to activate the kit immediately,” said Menucha Shanowitz, program developer of Kitchen of Kindness at Merkos 302, who, together with Chaya Tauber, helped organize the initiative. “This is exactly what it was created for. It empowers communities to express appreciation in a meaningful and organized way.”

Kitchen of Kindness was created in memory of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky A”H, who as Chairman of the International Kinus Hashluchim, consistently emphasized expressing gratitude to those working behind the scenes, especially law enforcement.

“We are incredibly proud of these teens,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, chairman of CTeen. “They chose to show appreciation to law enforcement, even when it may not be the popular thing to do. That’s exactly the kind of leadership and values we hope CTeen instills: respect, gratitude, and responsibility.”

The visits to the 71st and 77th Precincts were coordinated by Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, the Chabad PR liaison. Officers warmly received the teens and expressed appreciation for the gesture. The teens distributed their cards and baked goods and concluded with a heartfelt rendition of “Oseh Shalom,” the Jewish prayer for peace.

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1videonypdteens.mp4

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/pre-cteensummitsecuritymeeting.mp4

Rabbi Chanina Sperlin has been appointed as a chaplain for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD), providing both spiritual and non-spiritual support to department members and their families. The appointment was made by Edward Cetnar, Superintendent of Police and Director of Public Safety for the Port Authority.

Rabbi Sperlin is widely recognized for his decades of leadership and service to the Crown Heights community. A longtime community leader with strong ties across government, he has cultivated close relationships with key elected officials and works closely with Governor Kathy Hochul and her staff, the NYPD, and with city and state agencies to strengthen public safety and improve quality of life for residents. He is an advocate on behalf of families, community organizations, and Mosdos Ha’Torah. Rabbi Sperlin also serves as a chaplain for the New York City Office of Emergency Management.

The PAPD is responsible for protecting and policing some of the region’s most critical transportation and commerce facilities. These include John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Stewart International Airport, the George Washington Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge, Outerbridge Crossing, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the PATH rail system, the World Trade Center complex, and marine terminals throughout New York and New Jersey.

Rabbi Sperlin expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve those who dedicate their lives to protecting others:

“Being appointed as chaplain for the brave men and women of the PAPD is more than an honor; it’s a real responsibility,” said Chanina Sperlin. “Every day, they put on the badge and put their lives on the line to keep the public safe. Their courage, sacrifice, and care for others reflect the values of Pride – Service – Distinction that guide this department. I’m grateful to serve alongside true public servants, fellow PAPD chaplains, Rabbi Joel Eisdofer and Rabbi Mendy Carlebach from Chabad of Rutgers.”

“Uri Uri” is a powerful new dance track by Shmuly Hurwitz, inspired by the uplifting words of Friday night davening.

Taking the timeless tefillos that welcome Shabbos and infusing them with vibrant rhythm and simcha, this song brings the warmth and kedusha of Shabbos straight to the dance floor.

Composed by his cousin, Boruch Sholom Blesofsky, the melody carries deep heart and tradition, beautifully blended with a fresh, electrifying production by The Yiddish Note. The result is an inspiring anthem that awakens the soul, just like the words “Uri Uri” call upon us to rise and shine.

From the glow of the Shabbos candles to the joy of spirited singing around the table, this track captures that special Friday night feeling and turns it into pure celebration.

So turn it up. Feel the energy like never before. And welcome Shabbos with joy!

All streaming platforms:
Album.link/uriuri

Credits:
Performed by: Shmuly Hurwitz
Composed by: Boruch Sholom Blesofsky
Arranged and produced by: The Yiddish Note
Mix and Mastered by: The Yiddish Note
Visual effects by: Binyomin Schlesinger
Graphic Design by: Flash of design

Special thanks to Yoely Weinberger

———

Connect with Shmuly:
[email protected]

Follow Shmuly’s Music on:
Instagram
instagram.com/shmulyhurwitzFacebook

Facebook.com/shmulyhurwitz
YouTube
YouTube.com/shmulyhurwitz

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3UFMkSpenD30xzMTKX1Aln?si=5MXRkWMLQLSuRqYUHtFN_A

A festive Purim party will take place in Crown Heights, with l’chaims, music and dancing and lavish Dairy Buffet at Bais Rivkah on Lefferts Avenue.

The party will feature music and dancing, with performances by singing sensation Eli Marcus. Music by Chony Milecki.

The event is being organized by Bais Shmuel Chabad and members of the community.

“The entire community is invited to dance, enjoy l’chaims and refreshments, together in unity, and celebrate the holiday of Purim together,” said Bais Shmuel founder Rabbi Moshe Pinson.

The event will take place Monday night, Purim evening at Bais Rivkah, 470 Lefferts Avenue, beginning at 8:00 pm.

No charge for the event.

The event will stream live around the world on COLlive.com.

Sponsorships are available, please email [email protected] to take part in this unity event.

In a powerful moment of Hashgacha Protis, Tomchei Temimim is proud to announce that construction has officially begun on the next phase of its building expansion, just in time for Tes Adar.

Tes Adar marks 86 years since the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived on the shores of America and declared that “America is nisht andersh.” On that very day, he established Tomchei Temimim in America, planting the seeds for what would become a thriving Moised of Torah and Chassidus.

Today, 86 years later, that growth is not only continuing, it is accelerating.

As construction equipment arrives, one cannot help but feel the magnitude of the moment. A Moised Chinuch filled with Talmidim learning Torah is quite literally reaching upward, Hecher un Hecher, both b’gashmiyus Ub’ruchniyus.

Just three years ago, Lubavitcher Yeshiva celebrated the completion of a transformative 30,000-square-foot building, dramatically expanding the space available for talmidim to learn and grow.
Now, true to the promise made to the community, the Yeshiva has begun construction on approximately 20,000 square feet, building upward with two new floors atop the current structure.
This milestone represents far more than bricks and steel.

It is a declaration that Lubavitch is stronger than ever.

It is a living expression of the Rebbe’s words, “Kan Tzivah Hashem Es HaBracha,” as Crown Heights continues to grow, Hecher un Hecher.

It is a testament to what a united community can accomplish together. This moment belongs to the entire community.

This is something the entire Lubavitch and Crown Heights community can take pride in. We are witnessing the continued growth of Tomchei Temimim here, in the very neighborhood that is the heart of Lubavitch worldwide.

Beginning construction in connection with Tes Adar serves as a powerful reminder that what began with mesirus nefesh on foreign shores has blossomed into a thriving center of Torah, Chassidus, and chinuch for generations.

As construction begins, Lubavitcher Yeshiva expressed heartfelt gratitude to the many supporters who helped make this moment possible and called upon the broader community to continue partnering in this historic growth.

With the Rebbe’s brachos, this expansion will allow the Yeshiva to serve even more talmidim and strengthen its mission for years to come.

Help build — העכער און העכער — on this special day.

Donate at: yttl.org/donate

The Kirschenbaum & Rubashkin Families invite the Crown Heights community to a unity Purim Seudah.

Each family will have their own table

Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Purim Day, 14 Adar

At Beis Avraham Aharon – “The Rebbe’s Kich”
1349 President St

L’iluy Nishmas Harav Avrohom Yitzchok Ben R’ Noson Z”L.
By and in the Zchus of his son R’ Eliyahu Schlossberg and his family

Megillah at 4:00 PM
Seudah at 4:30 PM

FUN Kids Program!
Music & Dancing
Delicious Seudah

Bring your family
Bring your friends
Let’s celebrate with BIG Simcha’s Purim !!!

RSVP on WhatsApp:
https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=12013496190
Costumes encouraged!!!
Smiles guaranteed!!!

Can’t wait to celebrate together!!!

Tonight! Wednesday, Rabbi Yosef Braun of the Crown Heights Beis Din will teach the Halachos of Purim.

For Men & Women

8:30 PM EST

Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84944424298?pwd=TWFLdko3Z3djRWdPNGxtNEpQUElaUT09

YouTube Livestream & Playback:

CGHS Baltimore

Rivky has been a shlucha in a small Midwestern town for twelve years. She and her husband have built something real there: a Chabad house, a community, a life. Their kids have grown up knowing everyone on the block, spending Shabbos around a table full of guests, watching their parents pour themselves into their mission.

And now her oldest daughter is finishing eighth grade.

There’s no Chabad high school in their town. There never will be. So Rivky does what shluchim parents everywhere do. She opens her laptop late one night, pulls up a list of schools, and starts asking around. She wants a place where her daughter will grow, where the learning is real, and the warmth is genuine, where the adults actually know her child.

She wants intentional chinuch. She just needs to find it.

It was a decision Chana Hazan, Shlucha in Milan, had a hard time making. “Chabad Girls High School (CGHS) of Baltimore was really fresh when we decided to send our daughter. It was a gamble. But it turned out to be amazing and beautiful. We’re very happy, we know we made the right choice.”

For families on shlichus, or in any smaller community without a local Chabad high school, this search is one of the most significant moments in raising a frum daughter. The school you choose shapes the friendships she’ll make, the Yiddishkeit she’ll absorb, the person she’ll become. It deserves real thought, real research, and a real answer.

Everything Here Is Intentional

At CGHS Baltimore, nothing about a girl’s high school experience is left to chance. The learning, the atmosphere, the daily rhythm, the way teachers show up: all of it is constantly refined.
“They really evaluate and reevaluate what students need throughout the year,” says teacher and machaneches Chaya Sarah Friedman. “What’s needed for this group of girls, for this moment. They truly take in what the girls and parents say and implement it.”

When parents brought feedback, things changed. When students needed something different, the school responded. “Because they implement what we actually want to see,” says parent Chana Hazan, “chinuch becomes intentional. It’s thought out.”

Every Girl Is Known

CGHS operates with a small cohort, so every teacher knows every girl.

“They have us in mind when we do things,” says Sara Katzenelenbogen, a current student. “They know what we’d want, because they know each of us.”

For Chaya Sarah Friedman, that closeness is the heart of the work. “It’s in the small moments like the good mornings, speaking to a girl after class, and making it comfortable for them to approach us.” She’s present beyond the classroom, in extracurriculars and after-school moments, there for the girls in every sense. “No one gets lost here,” Sara says simply.

Chassidishe Warmth, Woven Into Every Day

Farbrengens happen regularly, in and out of school. Every Yom Tov has its own program. Shabbos is meaningful, with meals hosted in the homes of local shluchim families. The school has production, shabbatons, trips, chesed, Bnos Chabad, art: a full, rich high school experience shaped by a chassidishe lens.

Principal Miri Levin puts it simply: “The girls expressed how important it was to have a production. They didn’t want to miss out just because it’s a smaller school. And they shouldn’t.”

“There’s a real nice balance,” says Chaya Sara Friedman. “Learning structure, chassidishe warmth, atmosphere. It all comes together.”

Parent Esty Ciment says her daughter found exactly that. “The staff love the girls and they feel it. They’re in it for the real deal.”

A Dorm That Feels Like Home

For boarding students, CGHS maintains a newly renovated dorm, warm and beautifully set up, with a dorm mother and counselors who are genuinely present in the girls’ daily lives.

“It’s cozy and personalized,” says Esty Ciment. “The dorm counselors have been like a big sister.” Chana Hazan adds: “Girls from the class come to the dorm just to hang out, because it became that kind of place.”

Shabbos meals with local shluchim families bring girls into the heart of the community. And for parents far from home, there’s something deeply reassuring about knowing their daughter is held, personally and warmly, by the people around her.

“One time my daughter wasn’t feeling well,” says Esty Ciment, “and they took care of her like their own child.”

Baltimore: A Real Community, Close to New York

CGHS sits within an established, vibrant Jewish community in Baltimore, with the full Chabad infrastructure a family needs. And Baltimore’s proximity to New York makes the distance convenient for out-of-town families.

Want to see the school for yourself? Book a virtual open house and meet the staff, ask your questions, and get a real feel for what CGHS is about.

CGHS Baltimore is now accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Spaces are limited.

Visit: www.cghsbaltimore.com WhatsApp/Call: 443-825-9889 Email: [email protected]

*

Cheder Chabad Girls School and CGHS Baltimore are also presenting their annual production, Re:connect, on Tuesday, March 17 at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Doors open at 5:30 PM, show begins at 6:00 PM. Tickets at cghsbaltimore.com/production.

A new chapter in shlichus is unfolding high in the Andes Mountains of Peru.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Chaya Mushka Tzikvashvili have established Chabad of Pisac, a branch of Chabad of Cusco Under the Shluchim Rabbi Ofer and Yael Kripor, which has served Jewish travelers and locals in the region for the past 20 years under the umbrella of Chabad-Lubavitch.

Located about 45 minutes from Cusco, the small mountain village of Pisac has become a popular stop for Israeli backpackers traveling through South America after their army service.

Recognizing the growing Jewish presence in the area, the shluchim opened a new Chabad center to serve the many Israeli tourists who pass through, and the response has been remarkable.

Each Friday night, over 120 young Israelis participate in the Shabbos meals in Pisac. What was once a quiet backpacker destination has become a vibrant center of Jewish life, with spirited singing, divrei Torah, and a warm atmosphere that many describe as the highlight of their travels.

On Pesach, the impact was especially visible. More than 350 Jews gathered in Pisac for Leil HaSeder, an extraordinary sight for a small village nestled deep in the Andes. The sounds of the Haggadah echoed through the mountains, transforming this remote corner of the world into a place of powerful Jewish unity.

But alongside the backpackers, another discovery unfolded.

Over time, the shluchim learned that several Jewish individuals had quietly settled in Pisac and its surrounding mountains. Some lived far from the village center literally in the middle of nowhere, accessible only by long walks along dirt paths winding through hills and open fields.

Determined to reach every Jew, Rabbi Mendel would set out on foot to locate these homes. After extended searches through remote mountain terrain, he would finally arrive at a solitary house standing against the vast Andean landscape.

There, a mezuzah was placed.

A small parchment on a simple doorway, yet a powerful declaration that a Jewish home stands here too.

“Sometimes you are literally walking in the middle of nowhere,” Rabbi Mendel reflects. “There are no street signs, no neighbors, just mountains and open sky. And then you knock on a door and discover a Jewish soul inside. In that moment, you see clearly that the Rebbe reaches everywhere, even here, in the middle of nowhere in Pisac Peru.”

From the established activities in Cusco to the expanding light in Pisac, the Rebbe’s vision continues to materialize in the most tangible way. No distance is too great. No mountain too high. No Jew too far.

In the heart of the Andes, Jewish life is not only present it is growing, strengthening, and shining brightly.

With Yud Aleph Nissan fast approaching, energy filled the Shul at Tomchei Tmimim Ocean Parkway as the talmidim and rebbeim gathered for a special assembly: the launching of this year’s Mishnayos Baal Peh Drive. This schoolwide mivtza serves as the ultimate birthday gift for the Rebbe.

However, this year’s campaign carries an added layer of meaning. The Yeshiva is dedicating the learning cycle L’ilui Nishmas Mordechai Dovid ben Avraham Keller A”H, the brother of our beloved talmid, Yosef Keller.

The loss of Mordechai Dovid this past summer was a shock and tragedy for the community, but the talmidim are channeling their heartbreak into action. Yosef Keller, who, to this point, is TTOPs MBP leader, has his fellow chavairim rallying behind him. The Older Division has already broken an all time record surpassing an astonishing 1,000 lines in a short few days thus far. Boys can be seen reviewing lines of Tanya and Mishnayos Ba’al Peh while waiting their turn to play ping pong as seen on the video, while others pace the hallways back and forth filling the public spaces with words of Torah.

This is also a call to action for the community at large, to take on something extra in the merit of Mordechai Dovid A”H. May it be in the merit of these undertakings, that we will be zocheh to the reunion with Mordechei Dovid, with the coming of Moshiach Now!

An atmosphere of simcha, achdus, and hisorerus filled the tent at Lubavitch Educational Center as hundreds gathered for a grand Siyum HaRambam, hosted by the Yeshiva Gedolah, marking the completion of the Rambam cycle in accordance with the Rebbe’s takanah of daily study.

Bochurim, rabbanim, shluchim, and members of the broader South Florida community came together in a powerful display of unity through Torah.

The evening was emceed by Rabbi Chaim Stern, Menahel of the Yeshiva, who warmly welcomed the distinguished guests and the large crowd in attendance. In his remarks, he encouraged all present to undertake a strong hachlata to begin — or strengthen — their daily Rambam learning, emphasizing the tremendous zechus and achdus created through this global limud.

The program continued with heartfelt recitation of Tehillim by two distinguished guests from Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Mendy Ashkenazi of Kfar Chabad, acclaimed author of Biurim on the Rebbe’s maamorim and Rabbi Berke Mendelson, among the prominent askonim in Eretz Yisroel.

Head Shliach of Florida, Rabbi Benjy Korf, then addressed the gathering, speaking passionately about the importance of learning Rambam daily and faithfully following the Rebbe’s takanah. He underscored how this daily study unites Yidden worldwide and strengthens our collective preparation for the Geulah.

The highlight of the evening was the Siyum itself, conducted by Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Y. L. Schapiro, who completed the final halachos of the Rambam. In his address, he elaborated on the Rambam’s concluding halachos together with the Rebbe’s penetrating biurim, sharing profound insights and captivating stories that left a lasting impression on all in attendance.

Following the Siyum, Rabbi Mendel Krasnjanski, Maggid Shiur in the Yeshiva, delivered the haschala for the new cycle. He spoke about the Rambam’s unique synthesis of Nigleh and Kabbalah, offering thoughtful and illuminating perspectives about the Rambam himself.

The evening concluded with a beautiful and uplifting Seder Niggunim for all those present. The stirring melodies were led by world-renowned chazzan Berel Zucker, accompanied masterfully by pianist Pinni Ostreicher. The heartfelt niggunim elevated the atmosphere and brought the inspiring evening to a moving close.

Girls High School of Pittsburgh announced the reopening of its newly renovated dormitory, marking a significant step forward in student life and programming for the coming school year.

The dorm will reopen under the leadership of Mrs. Dobie Thaler, who recently assumed the role of High School Principal. Mrs. Thaler brings over a decade of experience in chinuch and shlichus, with a focus on relationship-driven education and student development.

“The dorm is central to the high school experience,” Mrs. Thaler said. “It’s where students grow socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We wanted to ensure that the physical space reflects the care and intention we bring to every part of our program.”

Academics continue under the direction of Mrs. Leah Shollar, Academic Principal, who oversees a structured and rigorous curriculum emphasizing critical thinking, responsibility, and growth.

“We want our students to think deeply, ask real questions, and develop both intellectual confidence and strong values,” Mrs. Shollar explains. “That balance is what prepares them for life.”
A major highlight of the current academic year is the school’s upcoming educational trip to Israel, taking place this week – a first-of-its-kind experience for Girls High School of Pittsburgh.
The trip marks the first time the school’s students will participate in a fully integrated, curriculum-based Israel program designed specifically for high school girls. Students will engage in guided learning at historical and contemporary sites, structured reflection, and immersive programming focused on Jewish identity, responsibility, and connection to Eretz Yisrael. The experience is intended to build maturity, perspective, and ownership of learning in ways that cannot be replicated in the classroom alone.

“This isn’t a sightseeing trip,” Mrs. Thaler explained. “It’s an educational journey that will challenge our girls to think, reflect, and connect to our history and to themselves.”

The Israel program is part of a broader emphasis on experiential chinuch that extends beyond the school building. In the coming year, Girls High School will also launch an expanded shlichus initiative, bringing Shluchos to Pittsburgh to further enhance programming and student life.

With renewed facilities, new leadership, and a growing emphasis on immersive education, Yeshiva Girls High School of Pittsburgh continues to position itself as a comprehensive high
school option focused on academic rigor, meaningful experiences, and long-term student growth.

Watch the Girls High School video to see the energy and the vision come alive.

Additional details, including admissions information and program highlights, are available in the Girls High School brochure.

To apply now visit https://www.yeshivaschools.com/admissions/

Bnos Menachem High School is proud to present this year’s original production, “Grey Lines.”

Set in Charleston during the Civil War, Grey Lines is a powerful musical about a young Jewish girl torn between tradition and modern ideals, as family, faith, and identity are tested in a time of deep division. Through song and dance, the story reveals the courage it takes to remain true when the lines between right and wrong begin to blur.

Join us this Sunday at Wingate for a memorable evening of entertainment and inspiration. Purchase tickets online at https://bnosmenachem.org/production/

Show Times:
1:30 pm and 5:30 pm

With the Zucker Brothers dominating the Monsey/Crown Heights music scene for years we’ve yet to hear them together. This track brings them together and carefully curated Purim songs perfect for your Purim/Adar party!

https://24six.app/app/music/artist/1952

Credits

Music: Shlomo Hecht

Vocals: Berel and chony Zucker

Mixing and vocal recording/editing

:Music Studio nyc

cover photo:Mendy Dahan/Zalman tevel

With Purim quickly approaching, Oholei Torah reminds the community that the final day to order Achdus Baskets is tonight, Wednesday, with orders closing Wednesday night.

For over twenty years, the Achdus Basket has been the trusted Shalach Manos solution for families who want to give beautifully and effortlessly while strengthening achdus throughout the community. For just $7 per name, participants can send a stunning, thoughtfully curated package that is elegantly packed and conveniently delivered to family, friends, neighbors, Rabbanim, bus drivers, Hatzalah members, community workers, and more.

This year’s upgraded website makes ordering simpler than ever. Returning users can log in with their previous email address and reset their password. Once inside, you can view past orders, manage your list, and reorder in just a few clicks.

Participants also have the option to select reciprocal, which ensures that anyone who sends you an Achdus Basket will automatically receive one back from you as well. It is an easy way to maintain mutual giving and ensure no one is overlooked.
Most of the community is already included in the database. The more people who send to a recipient, the larger their basket grows, transforming individual generosity into a powerful, community wide expression of unity.

Avoid the last minute rush and take care of your Shalach Manos with calm and confidence.

Click HERE to view your orders and add reciprocal if desired.
Visit achdusbaskets.com to place your order.
For questions, email [email protected]

Mrs. Shaindel Bogatin, a beloved mother and grandmother from Brighton Beach, NY, passed away on Tuesday, 7 Adar, 5786.

She was 104.

Mrs. Bogatin was born in Kremenchuk and grew up as a proud Jew under the harsh conditions of the communists in the former Soviet Union. While in the Soviet Union, Shaindel married Hatomim Reb Noach Bogatin obm, who studied in the underground Chabad Yeshivos established by the Frierdiker Rebbe.

After emigrating to US in 1977, Mrs. Bogatin lived with her family in Brighton Beach, NY where her husband Reb Noach was very active in establishing the first Nusach Ari Shul in the area, F.R.E.E. – Chabad Jewish Center of Brighton Beach, NY where he served as Chazan and Baal Koreh for many years.

Mrs. Bogatin asked the Rebbe for a bracha for her husband Reb Noach, and he merited to live many more years, passing just shy of his 98th birthday.

She is survived by her son Eliezer Bogatin – Long Beach, NY and Menachem Yosef Bogatin – Flatbush, NY, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren going in the ways of Torah and Chasidus.

The Levaya will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, 1 PM at Kehila Chapels,
60 Brighton 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11235 followed with the burial at Beth David in Elmont, Long Island NY.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1000589038.mp4

By anonymous

There was recently discussion about how shidduch references need to be careful when answering questions on a shidduch call.

That’s true. References should answer responsibly and thoughtfully. But the questions being asked also need to be appropriate.

When someone is listed as a reference, it’s usually because they care about the person and respect them. Asking a friend to share negative traits or “red flags” puts them in an uncomfortable position. Trying to draw out criticism from friends is not fair.

Of course, people making calls want information. There are limited ways to learn about someone. Still, there’s a difference between asking helpful questions and asking a friend to point out faults.

To those making calls: please be mindful of what you ask. If a question feels uncomfortable or inappropriate to direct to a friend, it likely shouldn’t be asked.

Consideration belongs on both sides of the conversation.

By COLlive staff

Four years have passed since that morning when the quiet in Ukraine was shattered. The first sirens pierced the air, tanks began advancing, and highways filled with frightened civilians searching for escape routes.

Amid the chaos, the Rebbe’s Shluchim in cities across Ukraine, alongside JRNU, mobilized immediately, even before the international community grasped the scale of the unfolding crisis.

On the first day of the war, as entire cities trembled under bombardment, Chabad Houses were transformed into emergency command centers. Shluchim established rapid communication channels with countless Jewish families to ensure that no one was left behind.

Rescue operations began almost at once. Elderly residents unable to descend staircases, families with small children, and patients requiring urgent evacuation were extracted under relentless sirens and shelling.

Within hours, it was clear that the situation would intensify. JRNU established a large-scale logistical network: trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, blankets, baby supplies, and emergency equipment were dispatched across the country. Emergency vehicles transported Jews out of danger zones one by one. Shluchim traveled through active fire lines to deliver aid to those stranded in isolated areas. In locations inaccessible by vehicle, they continued on foot.

One of the most dramatic scenes unfolded at the border crossings. Thousands of refugees arrived in panic, some after days of flight. Shluchim erected improvised relief stations offering hot meals, blankets, mobile phones to contact relatives, assistance with documentation, and accompaniment for children separated from parents. Many refugees continue to recount that the first faces they encountered after days of darkness were those of a Chabad Shliach.

Simultaneously, a broad absorption effort was launched in Israel. Families arriving exhausted were provided with temporary housing, basic supplies, school enrollment, medical care, and emotional support. Shluchim maintained contact even after families settled, ensuring that no one fell through the cracks.

A distinct chapter is reserved for the orphanages in Zhytomyr and Odessa, which were evacuated immediately from their original locations. The operation required extraordinary dedication and personal risk. Ultimately, the children reached safe haven unharmed.

Four years later, the work of the Shluchim in Ukraine continues uninterrupted. Some communities remain dispersed. Some families are still coping with trauma. Some have returned to Ukraine, while others have rebuilt elsewhere. The assistance persists, day after day, night after night.

The documentation from those first days – the sirens, the rescues, the tears and embraces – remains etched in collective memory. Yet above all endures a sense of mission. Even in the darkest hours of war, a measure of light dispels much darkness.

Here’s a selection of photos from the first days of the war.

Chaya Zohara (Georgette) Wald, a resident of Boro Park, passed away on Tuesday, 7 Adar, 5786.

She was 75.

Born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, Direct descendant from the Abergel family, started her life eagerly yearning to be close to Hashem. Educated at Beis Rivka in Morocco and made her complete teshuva through Rabbi Pachter in France where she completely embraced her Yiddishkeit.

She came to Crown Heights in the 80s where she lived there for 3 years and eventually married and moved to Boro Park where she has lived most of her life.

Her strong determination and perseverance regarding her faith and connection to Hashem is something that no one will understand. She was a firm believer in Tzadikim and merited to Have 5 yechidus with the Rebbe, countless of Sunday dollars and correspondences.

She is survived by her only child Rochel Wald.

She was predeceased by her husband Reb Eliyahu Wald HYD who passed away al kiddush Hashem December 1987 in Boro Park.

To contact Rochel for shiva information
[email protected]

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes-Chaya Zohara Bas Shimon.

Hundreds of gathered for the completion and dedication of a new Sefer Torah in memory of Eliyaou Ben Hai Haouzi at the main Shul at 770 Eastern Parkway.

The program began at 770 Eastern Parkway with the writing of the final letters in the Sefer Torah. Participants took part in the special mitzvah before joining in lively Hakafos filled with singing and dancing.

A joyous Taalucha procession made its way through the streets, escorting the Sefer Torah with pride and celebration.

The festivities continued at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Crown Street for a Seudas Mitzvah.

Due to the severe blizzard, CTeen participants from California were left stranded in New York as travel plans were abruptly halted. In response, the Lubavitch Youth Organization quickly mobilized, transforming the unexpected delay into an opportunity for meaningful engagement and growth.

Renowned educator Rabbi Manis Friedman stepped forward to lead a special two-day yeshivah at the Levi Yitzchok Library, creating an immersive and uplifting learning experience for the teens of California.

He spoke about Hashgachah Pratis — Divine Providence — explaining that what appears to be disruption carries purpose, and that challenges present opportunities for growth that would otherwise not occur.

Westlake Village, CA shliach Rabbi Mendy Friedman–who brought some 40 teens for the weekend–expressed heartfelt appreciation to Rabbi Manis and the Lubavitch Youth Organization for their leadership, noting that they had transformed what could have been wasted down time into two days of inspiration, and meaningful growth.

Nearly 2,000 teens remained in Crown Heights on Monday after a powerful snowstorm grounded flights and left participants of this weekend’s CTeen International Shabbaton unable to travel home.

CTeen leadership, led by Chairman Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky and Director Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, jumped into action to organize a full day of structured programming, inspiration and fun, thanks to the generosity of multiple mosdos in the neighborhood.

The day began in the morning with a large brunch for boys and girls at the Bais Rivkah building on Lefferts Avenue, where teens regrouped after long hours in airports and unexpected overnight arrangements.

In the afternoon, Lefferts Park became the scene of a lively “Best CTeen Merch Snowman” competition, as teens bundled up and built creative snowmen decked out in CTeen gear. The winning teams earned free entries to next year’s Shabbaton.

Oholei Torah opened its facilities for boys, including the basketball court for a spirited OT vs. CTeen game and the swimming pool, which operated in structured slots to accommodate large numbers safely.

The Jewish Children’s Museum also welcomed organized groups after special permission was secured.

Girls gathered at Bais Rivkah for tefilah followed by crafts, games and lounge time, while boys learned a maamar in 770 as part of the afternoon’s spiritual programming.

Later in the day, boys and girls came together for a talk with Liraz Zeira, an IDF soldier who lost both his legs in Syria and inspires many with his faith in G-d, and a rousing concert with Israeli singer Noam Buskila, bringing energy and joy to the hundreds still in New York.

Supper was served for all the teens at Bais Rivkah, ensuring everyone was cared for as travel plans continued to shift.

In the evening, separate programming continued with a silent disco and additional activities for the girls, while the boys gathered in 770 for a sicha followed by spirited dancing.

With coordinated efforts from local mosdos, volunteers and organizers, the unexpected extension of the Shabbaton became yet another highlight. Instead of sitting idle in airports, nearly 2,000 teens experienced a powerful display of achdus and Crown Heights hospitality.

HELP 49 CROWN HEIGHTS ALMANOS HOST A SEUDAS PURIM WITH DIGNITY!!!

You can sponsor a full Seudah for a Crown Heights Almana for just $190.

So far, 7 Crown HeightsAlmanos are already covered.
Please help us cover the remaining 42 Crown Heights Almanos and ensure they can celebrate Purim with true dignity and simcha. Every donation makes a real difference.

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By COLlive staff

Descendants of the Shpoler Zeide gathered in Crown Heights to celebrate 233 years since the life-saving miracle of Yud Tes Shevat 1793.

On that Friday, after participating in a Bris, the Shpoler Zeide began his journey back, crossing the river which had turned into ice. As he made his way back across the ice by sled, the ice began to melt and crack beneath him. The Shpoler Zeide saw that in Heaven there was a decree that threatened his life. Miraculously, he was saved.

The following year, the Shpoler Zeide instituted a Seudas Hoda’ah — a thanksgiving meal — and said that his descendants should gather annually to mark this special day with appreciation and thanksgiving to Hashem for the miracle that saved his life.

After World War Two, upon arriving in the United States of America, Mrs. Rivka Dina Geisinsky, of blessed memory, would cook a special meal on this special day.

For many years, Rabbi Mordechai Kalmenson, of blessed memory, led the Shpoler Zeide Society. His nephew, Rabbi Mendel Blizinsky, helped for a number of years.

Later, for many years, Mrs. Rochel Butman, daughter of Reb Moshe Aharon Geisinsky, of blessed memory, organized the annual celebration. In recent years, the celebration is organized by her sons, Rabbi Velvl Butman and Rabbi Yossi Butman.

The highlight of the evening is the retelling of the miracle and story in the precise tradition handed down through generations. Rabbi Geisinsky, of blessed memory, would repeat the story each year with accurate and meticulous detail and clarity as he heard it during his youth from Reb Boruch Gad Finkelshtein, who was a great-grandson of the Shpoler Zeide. Since his passing in 1992, his son, Rabbi Sholom Dovid Geisinsky, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Queens, has continued the tradition of telling the story.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Geisinsky, a Rosh Yeshiva at Chovevei Torah in Crown Heights, led the singing of the famous songs of the Shpoler Zeide, including a special Nigun which was taught by the Zeide family called “Ezras Avoseinu,” the Nigun “Kol Bayaar,” which movingly describes the love of Hashem for His children, Am Yisroel, and the famous Nigun “Hop Kazak.”

The children were treated to a special program highlighted by a dancing bear in costume, allowing them to take photos and remember the famous story of Hop Kazak. “It is important that the children enjoy the celebration and absorb the message and the Z’chus to be an Einikel of the Shpoler Zeide,” said Rabbi Moishe Avtzon, who sponsors the annual children’s program, ensuring that the younger generation develops a love and appreciation for this special merit.

The guest speaker of the evening was Rabbi Yosef Minkowitz, principal of Beis Rivkah Girls School in Montreal, Canada, and son-in-law of Reb Moshe Aharon Geisinsky, of blessed memory. Rabbi Minkowitz shared stories and inspiration, including how the Rebbe would ask each year at the Vov Tishrei Farbrengen to sing the Shpoler Zeide’s Nigun of Hop Kazak.

The central theme of Rabbi Minkowitz’s address was based on the Hayom Yom of 14 Teves, where the Rebbe describes a visit of the Shpoler Zeide to the Alter Rebbe.

“The Shpoler Zeide was a man of ardent feeling, more intensely so than his colleagues, the other disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch. When he visited the Alter Rebbe in Liadi, in the year 5569 (1809) or 5570 (1810), he related that when he was three years old and saw the Baal Shem Tov, ‘he placed his holy hand on my heart, and from that time onward, I have felt warm.’

A gesture of a tzaddik, and all the more so seeing him or hearing his voice, should generate an effect that will never be forgotten.”

Rabbi Minkowitz told how in 1984 the Rebbe called Rabbi Mordechai Kalmenson, of blessed memory, to the door of his holy room in 770 and gave him from his holy hand a bottle of L’chaim, and how the Rebbe poured wine from his holy “Becher,” Kiddush cup, and gave the bottle to Rabbi Kalmenson to distribute to the participants at the annual Shpoler Zeide Seuda celebration. Every year after that, the Rebbe would give Rabbi Kalmenson a bottle at Kos Shel Brocho for the Shpoler Zeide Seuda celebration.

Violinist Shmuel Kudrin movingly played the songs and nigunim of the Shpoler Zeide, bringing a special musical warmth and feeling to the gathering.

The evening brought much inspiration to strengthen commitment to Torah and Yiddishkeit, to follow in the ways of the Shpoler Zeide — including helping to feed poor Jews — and to do everything possible to hasten the coming of Moshiach Now.

While heavy snowfall blanketed New York and many schools closed their doors, Oholei Torah once again demonstrated a tradition that has defined the Yeshiva for seventy years: Torah learning continues.

As the map of Crown Heights continues to change and expand, with many talmidim now living farther from the main campus, the Yeshiva responded by bringing Yeshiva to the talmidim. Instead of canceling, Oholei Torah operated special programs at six locations across Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Remsen Village, and Brownsville allowing davening and learning to continue safely and meaningfully.

Programs were hosted at Oholei Torah Main Campus, Oholei Torah Mechina on Troy Ave, Anshei Lubavitch, Lubavitch of East Flatbush, Lubavitch of Remsen Village, and Brownsville Anash. Each location held Shacharis, structured learning, and Mincha.

The turnout was extraordinary! In what has been the largest blizzard attendance in the Yeshiva’s history, hundreds of talmidim participated, several locations were jam packed with boys learning and davening with remarkable enthusiasm.

The message to talmidim was clear: davening, learning, and serving Hashem continue regardless of the weather. Despite the snow covered streets and blizzard conditions, many fathers joined their sons for tefillah. Mechanchim and menahelim ensured strong, structured programming. The result was a well organized and uplifting morning across the community.

Oholei Torah Mesivta operated from two locations, the Remsen campus and the 667 campus, maintaining its regular sedorim. In addition, a group of Cteen participants who remained in Crown Heights following the Shabbaton joined the Mesivta bochurim at the Remsen campus for learning and time in the gym. Other Cteen participants joined the Beis Medrash bochurim for learning at the 667 campus, adding to the vibrant atmosphere in both locations.

Oholei Torah extends sincere appreciation to the shuls that opened their doors and to the dedicated mechanchim and hanhala who made the program possible under challenging conditions. It was particularly moving that this remarkable day of steadfast davening and learning was on with the yahrtzeit of Reb Michoel Teitelbaum A”H, whose lifelong commitment to keeping the Yeshiva’s doors open continues to shape and inspire its mission today.

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By COLlive Reporter

Family and friends are gathered joyously in Paris on Tuesday to celebrate the wedding of Benny Winterfeld of Montreal and Rivka Levertov of Aubervilliers, France, at a simcha that almost did not happen on time.

The chuppah, originally scheduled for early afternoon, was postponed by two and a half hours, after guests were informed that the Chosson was still en route following a grueling, weather-disrupted journey from New York.

Benny had been scheduled to depart from JFK on Sunday ahead of the Tuesday, 7 Adar wedding. As a powerful winter storm brought the city to a standstill, his flight taxied to the runway but was ultimately canceled as conditions worsened and airports began shutting down.

With no immediate departures available, his family finally secured a flight out of Washington, D.C., which was less impacted by the storm.

Early Monday morning, they drove south to Washington Dulles International Airport, boarded a Delta-KLM flight with a stop in Amsterdam, and continued on to Paris.

On Tuesday afternoon, Benny landed in France and headed straight to the Kabolas Ponim — arriving just in time.

After days of uncertainty and rerouted flights, the Chosson thank G-d made it to his own wedding, and the celebration proceeded with joy and relief.

Even under layers of snow and at the end of a long winter, teachers are still seeking fresh ways to bring new energy into the classroom.

On Tuesday night, Mrs. Mushkie Lipsker of the popular @evergrowingeducator account will be presenting a unique webinar for women educators on the topic of “Creative Teaching.” Hosted by the Menachem Education Foundation as part of their series of monthly webinars for educators, the workshop will explore how to cultivate critical thinking skills in the classroom through meaningful and engaging activities.

As a passionate educator with a broad understanding of how teachers can enhance their lessons and prep with the use of AI tools, Mushkie will be sharing creative ways to utilize AI tools at the fingertips to create games tailored to the lesson to boost student engagement and understanding.

For teachers who are looking for ways to enhance their lessons, and help each student achieve a deep sense of understanding, this webinar will offer a fresh set of ideas that are low-prep and easy to implement in the middle of the year that will bring renewed excitement for learning.

To register for this webinar taking place on Tuesday night 7 Adar / February 24 at 8:30 PM EST at mymef.org/webinars. 

Follow MEF’s Whatsapp status and Instagram account to stay up to date on Chinuch events. 

Snow flurries began to fall, as buses of Jewish teens arrived at the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens on Sunday, letters in hand and coats pulled tight. For many of the 4,578 teens attending the CTeen International Shabbaton, this was the quietest moment of the weekend.

At the close of CTeen’s main event at Nassau Coliseum, a pre-Ohel program prepared the teens for the visit. They heard from five CTeen alums, who shared their personal connection to the Rebbe. The room, which had been jumping with music and energy just minutes earlier, became reflective.

“The feeling I get when I walk into the Rebbe’s resting place is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” said Sara Strent, from Long Island, “It’s like I get chills and I feel so connected to him. Almost every time I come here, you feel relieved and good because you feel like someone’s listening.”

Another teen spoke about what drew her to the Ohel. “The Rebbe’s legacy lives on,” she said. “People come into the room and there are tears on their faces. They’re still so affected by this ability to have this mentor who teaches them a way of living life in such a pure and holy way. When you come to the Rebbe’s Ohel, you feel sort of relaxed, because you just got something off your chest, something you’ve been wanting to express.”

“One of the most important things we do at the Shabbaton is bring these teens to the Rebbe’s Ohel,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “it becomes a spiritual anchor for them as they return home to their communities”

The lights in the coliseum lowered. A video of the Rebbe played on the screens. Then thousands of teens sat quietly with pen and paper and wrote their panim, personal letters to be placed at the Rebbe’s Ohel. For many, it was their first time writing to the Rebbe, and the start of a long lasting connection.

They boarded the buses and headed to the Ohel just as the snow began to fall. Bundled up in coats and scarves, they stood in line awaiting their moment.

With thousands of teens visiting the Ohel over the course of the Shabbaton, many groups were staggered throughout the weekend, split by language and region, each with its own tailored pre-program. Spanish-speaking teens, French delegations, Hebrew speakers, and English groups each had dedicated sessions before making the trip to Queens.

The Purim story is one of the most dramatic in Tanach- royal intrigue, sudden reversals, and a nation saved from destruction. Yet one of its most striking features is what does not appear: Hashem’s name. Throughout Megillas Esther, the Divine presence is hidden behind natural events and human decisions.

Esther herself embodies this theme. Her very name points to concealment. Her identity is hidden when she first enters the palace. The turning points of the story unfold quietly, almost coincidentally. And yet, Chazal teaches that Purim reveals a depth of Divine involvement that is even higher than open miracles.

This Purim, Batsheva Learning Center is releasing a source-based learning booklet titled “The Hidden Face of Esther,” designed to help women and students explore the deeper Torah meaning behind concealment in the Purim story.

Rather than retelling the narrative, the booklet guides learners through carefully selected sources (in the original Hebrew with English translation) that trace how hiddenness functions in Megillas Esther, in the Purim miracle, and in our relationship with Hashem. Through structured analysis and guided flow, participants discover how concealment is not a contradiction to revelation, but one of its most powerful forms.

The booklet is designed for both personal study and group classes, and is part of a complete learning package that also includes a companion podcast episode walking listeners through the sources and core ideas, as well as a ready-to-edit flyer template for community programs.

In Chassidus, the concealment of Purim is understood not as distance, but as depth, a level of G-dliness so essential that it can be present even when not openly visible. The hidden face of Esther becomes a model for recognizing the hidden Hand that guides Jewish history and personal life alike.

With Purim approaching, this new learning resource offers communities and individuals an opportunity to experience the Megillah not only as a story to hear, but as Torah to learn.

To download the booklet or order printed copies, visit batshevalearningcenter.com/booklets

This winter, a remarkable ten-day Farbrengen retreat took place in the Pocono Mountains, bringing together fifteen participants—ten campers and five dedicated staff members—for a deeply meaningful experience of connection, growth, and healing.

In the beauty of the Pocono Mountains, the boys embarked on a 100% sober journey focused on clarity, self-discovery, and inner strength. By the end of the program, several campers shared that it had been “the best ten days of their lives.”

The retreat balanced inspiration with adventure. Campers enjoyed skiing, rock climbing, paintball, snow tubing, and ice skating, along with access to an on-site sauna, hot tub, and cold plung. These activities fostered joy, confidence, and camaraderie while creating lasting memories.

The program was led by Gavriel Kollin, together with staff members Shalom Cenecoff, Noam Shachar, Yehoshua Simkaowitz, Zalmy Silberberg, and videographer Mendy Konik. Together, they cultivated an environment that was caring, loving, and deeply supportive. Evenings were filled with bonfires, kumzitz sessions, heartfelt conversations, and spirited bus rides. One participant described the experience as a true “yom shekulo Shabbos,” with boys playing board games, laughing, and bonding late into the night. a true feeling of geula.

All physical needs were fully taken care of, allowing the campers to focus on growth with calm and clear minds. At the closing banquet, each boy shared reflections on his experience. Many expressed surprise at how deeply connected they became in just ten days. For participants struggling with various addictions, ten days of complete sobriety created a powerful sense of brotherhood and renewal.

If you would like to donate:

Zelle 3103844286
https://cash.app/$Gavrielkollin
https://gofund.me/97e9f2c8d
PayPal and Venmo: @Gavrielkollin

Looking ahead, Gavriel plans to host another Farbrengen retreat in Adar, bringing the light and joy of Purim to even more boys in need.

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By COLlive reporter

Dozens of Chabad Shluchim from across Ukraine gathered this past Shabbos at the Menorah Center in the city of Dnipro for a historic and uplifting Shabbos of unity.

Together with their families, they participated in a rich Chassidic program, farbrengens late into the night, and a wide range of workshops and activities.

Despite vast distances, ongoing security challenges and complex conditions on the ground, Shluchim traveled from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv and beyond. Some endured journeys of more than 18 hours due to severe winter weather and long travel routes within the country.

The special atmosphere was evident upon arrival, with a large welcome sign greeting participants to the Shabbos of Unity for Shluchim families in Ukraine. The host, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky of Dnipro, together with his children and members of the local community, personally welcomed the guests.

Joining them were Rabbi Reuven Kaminetzky of the organizing committee, Rabbi Shlomo Salmon of Kremenchuk, and Rabbi Simcha Lavanherz of Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU). The Shluchos were greeted by Mrs. Dina Salmon and Mrs. Sarah Stambler, members of the organizing committee.

Each Shliach received a personal gift package sponsored by JRNU, which stood behind the meticulous planning and organization of the Shabbos. The main hall featured impressive panels displaying the Rebbe’s words about the mission of our generation, including the call that the avodah of Shlichus today is expressed through preparing to greet Moshiach.

The program included Chassidus classes, professional Shlichus sessions, farbrengens, women’s workshops, children’s programming, communal tefillos and festive meals.

Events began Thursday afternoon with the completion of a Sefer Torah that will be dedicated to the Jewish community of Mykolaiv, led by Rabbi Sholom Gottlieb. Thursday evening featured a special security workshop with a senior Ukrainian security official and a representative of Chabad’s CWA security and emergency network.

Shluchim also attended a comprehensive educational fair presented by JRNU and the thriving Or Avner school network. The fair highlighted year-round educational initiatives, including Sunday schools, afterschool programs, preschool and day school curricula, youth clubs, student activities and humanitarian relief efforts. Rabbi Shlomo Neiman, director of educational activities, presented detailed information to the participants.

At the same time, the Shluchim’s children enjoyed a dedicated camp program with trips, attractions and organized activities.

A central Friday night seudah brought together senior mashpiim and veteran Shluchim, followed by a farbrengen that continued into the early hours of the morning.

In a surprise gesture of support, the Deputy Mayor of Dnipro attended on Friday night to honor the Shluchim. The Shabbos concluded with a festive and content-rich Melaveh Malka attended by Shluchim from across the country.

Rabbi Kaminetzky, who oversaw every detail of the gathering, personally thanked JRNU, Rabbi Shlomo Peles, and the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Former Soviet Union for their extensive support of the Shabbos and their ongoing commitment to the Shluchim throughout the year.

By COLlive reporter

As a powerful winter storm brought New York to a standstill this week, one Chosson found himself in a race against time to make it to his own wedding in Paris.

Benny Winterfeld of Montreal was scheduled to fly out of JFK on Sunday ahead of his wedding to Rivka Levertov of Aubervilliers, France, with the wedding set to take place on Tuesday, 7 Adar, in Paris, France. With blizzard conditions worsening, the original 7:30 pm flight was pushed back, and he and his family were moved to an earlier 7:00 pm departure in hopes of beating the storm.

Passengers boarded and the plane taxied onto the tarmac. But takeoff never came. After sitting in place as conditions deteriorated, the aircraft was forced to slowly return to the gate. The flight was ultimately canceled.

Alerting his friends to his canceled flight, Benny wrote, “G-d has a sense of humor. We are returning to the gate. Need a nes gadol.”

With airports shutting down across the city and no departures available for days, the Chosson’s carefully planned travel quickly unraveled. After deplaning, Shomrim volunteers arrived at the airport and brought Benny and some of family members back to Crown Heights as they regrouped and searched for options.

With the wedding to take place on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in Paris, the family frantically searched for other flight options. The earliest available flight they found was 11:30 p.m. Monday night from Newark, for which they purchased tickets. But relatives feared that the Newark departure would be canceled as well.

Looking beyond New York, a family member noticed that flights were still leaving from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, MD, which were not as impacted by the storm. They soon realized that the only realistic way to make it to the wedding in time was to get to Washington, DC, and catch a flight there. Early the next morning, they hired a car and drove to Washington Dulles International Airport, hoping to catch a Delta-KLM route to Amsterdam and then continue on to Paris. The wedding would have to begin two hours later, but it would still take place on the scheduled day.

Amid the stress and uncertainty, there was a moment of calm.

While waiting at the airport in Washington, Benny struck up a conversation with another Jewish traveler who mentioned that he had not put on tefillin in a long time. Right there in the busy terminal, surrounded by announcements and rushing passengers, the Chosson helped him wrap tefillin.

On the day before his own wedding, in the middle of rerouted flights and long drives, he paused to help another Jew do a mitzvah.

From Washington, Benny and some of his relatives will have a stop in Amsterdam before heading to France. If all goes as planned, the Chosson will land in Paris just in time to head straight to the Kabolas Ponim.

Despite the blizzard, the cancellations, and the long drive south, with Hashem’s help – and help from relatives, friends, and caring volunteers, the wedding remains on schedule.

UPDATE: Benny made it to Paris on Tuesday afternoon, just in time to head to the Kabolas Ponim.
Mazel Tov!

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Dr. R’ Tzvi Thaler, a longtime resident of Crown Heights, passed away after a long illness. Despite his physical limitations towards the end of his life, he inspired many with his positivity and dedication to yidishkeit.

He was 79.

A man of profound intellect, unrelenting wit, and deep kindness, R’ Tzvi was passionate about Torah study—learning chassidus, davening and attending many shiurim.

Towards the end of his life, the shiurim came to him virtually. He took great pleasure in telling detailed stories of the Rebbe, whom he loved dearly.

R’ Tzvi was one of the “pioneer” campus baalei teshuvah becoming close to Rabbi Nosson Gurary while studying for his PhD at the University of Buffalo.

After earning his PhD in biostatistics from the State University of New York at Buffalo, R’ Tzvi distinguished himself during his 41 year career as a biostatistician for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

In a letter to the Rebbe before his wedding, R’ Tzvi asked for a Bracha from the Rebbe “that the research in which I am involved be successful in revealing information that will help bring relief and cure…” He spent his career dedicated to this mission.

Dr. Thaler led the Biostatistics Consulting Service, where he provided essential mathematical expertise to doctors across the hospital. One of his most enduring legacies is the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. This tool, which helps doctors measure the frequency and distress of cancer symptoms, remains a fundamental part of how we improve the quality of life for patients today.

R’ Tzvi was always looking for opportunities to share the beauty he found in yiddishkeit with his friends and colleagues at MSK. He would connect insights on statistics that he found in his Torah studies and often gifted mezuzahs to colleagues.

Following the Rebbe’s encouragement that every Jew should have shmurah matzah for their seder, R’ Tzvi began packaging and distributing boxes of matzah to his Jewish colleagues in the weeks before Pesach. The list expanded to dozens and then hundreds, and, as R’ Tzvi’s illness progressed and he lost his mobility, several of the MSK physicians and staff stepped up to keep the distribution going. They have continued the mission since R Tzvi’s retirement—the annual “Thaler Matzah Distribution” continues to grow to this day. The sight of Dr. Adam Klotz driving his motorcycle from building to building with stacks of shmurah matzah boxes strapped to the back has now become an MSK hallmark in the weeks before Pesach.

R’ Tzvi’s legendary wit was present in every part of his life. With his colleagues, it showed in his relentless, but collegial grilling of seminar speakers and PhD students. With his friends, it showed in his spirited discussions and love for Torah. And with his family, it showed in the never-ending puns and jokes that brightened every meal.

R’ Tzvi showed that a sharp mind is best paired with a gentle soul.

He is survived by his wife, Rachel Blima, his children Leah Caroline (New Haven), Devorie Chaddad (Crown Heights), Rabbi Dov Ber Thaler (Sunrise, FL), Chaya Nejar (Baltimore, MD), Shani Bennish (Crown Heights)

And his sister Zeesel Leah (Carolyn) Younger.

He was predeceased by his son R’ Baruch Thaler a”h

The levaya will take place on Wednesday passing by 770 Eastern Parkway at 12 PM

1 PM burial at Montefiore Cemetery

Shiva
1398 Union Street
Women side entrance

times:
Shacharis 10 AM
Visiting 11-1:30
Mincha/maariv 5:30
Visiting 7-9:30

Friday mincha 1:00 PM

Visiting 11-1

Motzei Shabbos:
Maariv right after shabbos
visiting 8-9:30

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

CGI United is excited to announce 3 new team members, bringing together a dedicated group of mechanchos with experience and warmth.

For the United Bas Mitzvah Experience, CGI United is excited to welcome Mrs. Brachi Wagner as Program Head for the first month, and Mrs. Chana Friedman for the second month.

Mrs. Wagner currently serves as a seventh-grade teacher at Bais Rivkah, where she is known for her care, clarity, and ability to connect meaningfully with her students. Mrs. Friedman brings extensive experience in chinuch, with a thoughtful and nurturing approach that has impacted many talmidos over the years. She currently teaches junior high & high school in Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh.

The United Teen Camp team will likewise feature a seasoned educator as Teen Camp Rebbetzin. Mrs. Laya Raskin, a dynamic high school teacher at Bnos Menachem, brings her passion for connecting with teens and her gift for creating an atmosphere of warmth and inspiration. Known for her energy and her ability to meet each student where she is, Mrs. Raskin is sure to make a lasting impact on the Teen Camp experience.

“We are so thrilled to have Mrs. Raskin join our Teen Camp family,” shared Mrs. Chana Marasow, Teen Camp Director. “This summer, we are committed to giving every camper an inspiring, exciting, and truly chassidishe experience — one that will stay with them long after the summer ends.”

CGI United is proud to have such dedicated mechanchos at the helm, and together, they bring the heart and experience to make this summer truly transformative for every camper.

By COLlive reporter

In a radio interview that left listeners stunned, international Jewish music star Gad Elbaz revealed a deeply personal chapter of his life that only recently came to light.

Speaking with Menachem Toker on Kol Chai radio, Elbaz shared that at age 39, he discovered he had never undergone a bris milah.

“I went my whole life believing I’d had a bris as a baby,” Elbaz said. It wasn’t until years later, after his divorce, that he began to question it.

“My parents were secular, and the mohel was older,” he explained. “At some point, I just felt like I needed to look into it and make sure.”

He reached out to a trusted friend who serves as a sandak and asked for guidance. The result was shocking. “He checked and it turned out I had been uncircumcised my whole life,” Elbaz said. “I had a bris at 39.”

Toker, visibly stunned during the broadcast, responded that he could hardly believe what he was hearing.

For Elbaz, the experience was far more than a medical procedure. He described it as a turning point that reshaped his outlook on life and his relationship with Hashem. “It changed my life completely,” he said. “I felt that Hashem was choosing me, and I was choosing Him. Now I have a bris with Him.”

For a singer whose music has long expressed deep Jewish faith and identity, the moment marked a powerful and personal milestone—one that, he says, gave new meaning to the words he has been singing for decades.

VIDEO:

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As Shluchos from around the world converged upon Crown Heights for the recent Conference of Shluchos, Rabbi Mendel Slonim, lead interviewer of JEM’s My Encounter with the Rebbe project, had the privilege of sitting down with three senior Shluchos to record their testimonies.

Each reflected on a lifetime of stories, from childhood memories to the guidance and direction of the Rebbe that shaped their lives and their work.

The My Encounter project, launched in 2004, is an ambitious effort to collect firsthand accounts of interactions with the Rebbe. Led by Rabbi Yechiel Cagen, thousands of individuals from all walks of life have shared their stories. Two decades later, the project continues to grow, thrive, and inspire hundreds of thousands.

We are pleased to share a brief glimpse into the profound memories and conversations recorded in the testimonies of these veteran Shluchos.

Make the Girls the Priority!

Mrs. Fradel Sudak, the UK’s senior Shlucha, was interviewed for nearly five hours and recounted the early days of Chabad in Britain.

In 1948, while her father was in France, the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed him to go to England and open a girls’ school, at a time when girls were generally not attending Jewish schools at all. It was a radical vision.

Fast forward ten years, and the Sudaks moved to London and helped make that dream a reality. Starting in an older facility, work began on developing a brand-new building for the school.

The general sentiment was that the beautiful new campus would be used for the boys’ school. Rabbi Sudak asked the Rebbe, who directed them to use it for the girls’ school.

As the project continued to expand and more land became available, once again the Rebbe directed them to use it for the girls. A property that seemed perfect for a men’s mikvah and shul was instead transformed into a second wing of the school, complete with a beautiful swimming pool and a brand-new library, even though a well-stocked library stood just around the corner with its own Jewish section. The Rebbe wanted the students to have everything they needed, both physically and spiritually, within the walls of this all-inclusive campus.

Years later, the importance of that pool became even clearer. A non-Lubavitch family explained why they chose the school: it was the only one with a pool. That family is now a family of Shluchim.

“Listen to the Mother”

Mrs. Rochel Goldman, a Shlucha in South Africa for over 50 years, shared a frightening episode during one of her pregnancies, and the Rebbe’s calming guidance and blessing.

It was 1991. Expecting her tenth child and preparing to deliver, the doctors raised an urgent concern: the baby was in a transverse (horizontal) position. She was advised to undergo an emergency C-section.

Mrs. Goldman wasn’t ready to proceed just yet. “It’s the year of wonders and miracles,” she said, a reference to the Hebrew year 5751 (תשנ״א), whose letters form the acronym “I will show them wonders.”

After calling in a second doctor and receiving the same prognosis and medical advice, the physician commented, “Why don’t you call New York?”

Rabbi Goldman immediately contacted his father in Crown Heights to relay the update to the Rebbe.

The Rebbe’s response was: “Seeing that the doctor suggested asking here, I trust he will not have a faribel (bear a grudge) if I suggest listening to the kimpetorin (mother-to-be) and waiting.”

As this overseas conversation was unfolding, the doctor performed another examination. He could hardly believe his eyes when, just twenty seconds later, the baby turned and was born naturally.

Two years later, they discovered an unexpected continuation to the story. After participating in this miraculous delivery, the physician began to observe Shabbos.

More Than Just a Cover

Mrs. Hindy Lew is a longtime emissary in London. Though she did not attend a Chabad school growing up, after meeting the Rebbe as a young teenager, she was all in.

Creative and driven, she launched a magazine called Chabad Times, a periodical published and distributed in Manchester.

In one Chanukah edition, she placed a sketch of a menorah on the cover. She was surprised by the Rebbe’s careful attention to detail. He pointed out that the shamash had been illustrated lower than the other candles instead of higher.

He then explained: On a practical level, the shamash is placed higher so it stands out. Since the Chanukah lights are holy and may not be used, the shamash is set more prominently to ensure that any benefit comes from it and not from the other flames.

But on a deeper level, the shamash represents one who lights another soul. And when you kindle that flame, you are elevated, reaching even higher than the one whose soul you helped illuminate.

Stories like these are printed and distributed to thousands of shuls and individuals around the world in the weekly Here’s My Story.

To receive them directly to your inbox, click here.

You can also explore the full Here’s My Story archive here.

To help us continue preserving and sharing these stories, please visit:
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By COLlive reporter

Marking four years since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, a U.S. delegation met with Rabbi Avraham Wolff, Chabad Shliach and Chief Rabbi of Odessa and Southern Ukraine, to hear firsthand about the condition of children under the care of the “Mishpacha Ukraine” network.

The delegation included U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chris Coons and Jeanne Shaheen, together with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Julie Davis and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna.

The meeting focused on the humanitarian work carried out by the Jewish community in Odessa during the ongoing conflict.

Rabbi Wolff outlined the current situation of the children growing up within the Mishpacha Ukraine educational and welfare network. Established more than 25 years ago by the Jewish community in Odessa, the network provides housing, nutrition and schooling for hundreds of orphans and children from families in distress.

Since the start of the war, the orphanage has become a critical humanitarian lifeline, absorbing children who have lost stability and security due to the fighting and offering them a protected environment amid the broader national crisis.

Members of the delegation expressed deep emotion at what they heard. “When you hear about a child who grows up here, studies here and lives his childhood here with joy and a smile, while outside there is war, and that child remains calm and celebrates holidays and birthdays with cake and balloons, it is deeply moving,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States added that what has been built over the years and continues to function even during wartime commands profound respect.

Concluding the meeting, Rabbi Wolff emphasized that caring for the children’s daily needs, education and long-term future requires significant resources, and that continued international support makes the work possible. “We are seeking partners who understand what is at stake,” he said.

By COLlive reporter

As a powerful snowstorm swept through New York following this weekend’s CTeen Shabbaton, the Crown Heights community and beyond sprang into action to care for approximately 2,000 teens left stranded by widespread travel disruptions.

Blizzard conditions overnight made it impossible for many participants to catch scheduled flights home. While some teens managed to leave early in an effort to avoid the storm, hundreds found themselves stuck in Crown Heights, with others stranded for hours at JFK and Newark airports.

CTeen International, led by Chairman Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky and Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director**,** quickly arranged a full day of programming for Monday to ensure the teens remaining in New York would be cared for and engaged despite the unexpected delay. Teens enjoyed a snowman-making competition, with two winners receiving a free Shabbaton weekend next year, crafts, basketball games with Oholei Torah students, and more activities. Some teens even used their extra time in New York to give back to the Crown Heights community, volunteering to help shovel the streets during the storm.

“As soon as we became aware of this emergency situation, we immediately sprang into action to try and do everything we could to ease the burden of every Shliach, many of whom are exhausted following the three-day packed schedule of the CTeen weekend,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky.

At the airports, volunteers worked tirelessly to assist those waiting for updates. Members of Shomrim, led by Mendy Hershkop, assisted by Yaacov Behrman of the Jewish Future Alliance, coordinated the transfer of food to 300 stranded teens at JFK Airport.

Sruli Yavich of Shmira arranged four buses to transport 300 teens from JFK back to Crown Heights using Bais Rivkah buses, with drivers Shloimy Ezagui, Mendel Backman and Yossi Kahan organized under his direction.

Back in the neighborhood, mosdos and community leaders opened their doors without hesitation. Rabbi Sholom Goldstein, Shimon Sabol and Benny Wolf made Bais Rivkah buildings on Crown Street and Lefferts Avenue available for programming and activities. Rabbi Sholom Ber Baumgarten opened the Jewish Children’s Museum to host the teens. Oholei Torah, under the direction of Shmeilach Rosenfeld, opened its basketball court and swimming pool to provide additional space and recreation. Teen boys joined Chavrusah learning session with Oholei Torah Zal bochurim, coordinated with the assistance of Menahel Rabbi Chony Lesches.

Meals for hundreds of teens were provided through the generosity of Itzik Benabou of House of Glatt together with caterer Bentzion Cohen, ensuring that no one went hungry during the extended stay.

The chesed extended beyond Crown Heights. Members of the Chabad community in Hillside, NJ, braved treacherous road conditions to drive to Newark Airport and bring 30 stranded teens back to their homes, where families opened their doors to host them until travel becomes possible.

What could have been a chaotic and frightening experience for hundreds of teenagers instead became a powerful display of achdus and care. Once again, Crown Heights and neighboring communities demonstrated that when guests are in need, the response is immediate and wholehearted.

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With the first edition nearly sold out, a new video highlights the ways shluchim say the new Living Jewish Series from JLI is changing their shlichus.

“The most rewarding moments on shlichus come when someone says, ‘You inspired me to make a practical change in my life,’” says Rabbi Yankie Denburg of Coral Springs, FL. “So I’m very excited about this new product from JLI. Every person, at whatever level, is able to read it and find practical steps of growth they can take.”

“Living Jewish is a game-changer,” says Rabbi Dovid Vigler of Palm Beach Gardens, FL. “For the first time, anyone can learn how we are supposed to live as Jews in a well-explained manner. It’s inspired so many people to raise the bar, one step at a time.”

Living Jewish is currently still available in the following bookstores:

Kehos

Hamafitz

Judaica World

Seforim Deals

Merkaz Stam

Just in time for a cozy snow day at home, Toveedo is thrilled to announce the release of the first episode of their brand-new brochos series — available today, completely free.

The series, which follows two children as they journey with their magical friend The Rooster, tackles one of the most foundational parts of a Jewish child’s morning routine: the brochos we say when we wake up. The debut episode centers on Modeh Ani, exploring why we say thank you to Hashem first thing in the morning — even before anything good has happened yet.

“We wanted kids to understand that gratitude isn’t just a reaction to good things,” said Chaim Hershkowitz. “Modeh Ani teaches us that waking up and getting to be you again is already something worth celebrating.”

With colorful animation, a catchy original song, and a whole lot of heart, the episode brings to life the neshama, Hashem’s faithfulness, and the joy of a brand new day — in a way that will resonate with young viewers and parents alike.

In honor of today’s snow day, the episode is being made available for free so that families can enjoy it together from the warmth of home.

“What better way to spend a snow day than learning why every morning is a gift?” the team added.

The full brochos series will continue rolling out in the coming months. Stay tuned for more episodes of Good Morning Rooster!

Watch now for free at Toveedo.com

Siyum Harambam announcement:

Help the Siyum HaRambam Charidy Campaign reach its goal and become a participant in this extraordinary endeavor.

The campaign has been extended until next Thursday evening, 16 Adar / March 5 at 11:00 PM EST, so everyone has a chance to take part in this great initiative and enter the raffle.

Anyone who donates $36 or more will be entered into a raffle to win a dollar from the Rebbe.

To donate, please visit: charidy.com/siyum

This year’s Siyum was celebrated with great splendor and was a true demonstration of Achdus Yisroel, as Jews from across the Jewish world came together as one to celebrate and connect through the shared study of Torah.

The tremendous success of the Siyum brought the Rebbe’s takana of daily Rambam study to the attention of countless new participants around the world, many of whom have now joined one of the daily Rambam study cycles.

*

Two Dimes from the Rebbe for Bochurim and Girls:

As hundreds of thousands of anash and Klal Yisroel conclude the Rambam — and by extension, kol HaTorah kulah — for the 45th time, a local community member is launching this special raffle to encourage the next generation to join the upcoming 46th cycle.

Crown Heights askan Lipa Lieberman is no stranger to extraordinary stories connecting the Rebbe and Rambam learning.

After recommitting several years ago to strengthen his Rambam study, he miraculously rediscovered three dollars he had received from the Rebbe many years prior — one distributed at the second Siyum HaRambam in 5746, and the third dated the very day he resolved to catch up on all his missed Rambam!

The story didn’t end there. Several months later, on the actual day of the Siyum — after concluding the entire Rambam — he and his wife were blessed with twins!

Since then, Lieberman has continually encouraged others to take on Rambam study or deepen their learning in one of the three cycles: three perakim a day, one perek a day, or Sefer Hamitzvos.

In honor of this year’s historic triple Siyum — when all three cycles concluded on the same day, providing a unique opportunity for everyone to begin anew — Lipa Lieberman is raffling off two dimes he received from the Rebbe.

The raffle is exclusively for bochurim and girls, from Bar and Bas Mitzvah age until marriage, who commit to starting or strengthening their Rambam learning.

One dime will be raffled among the bochurim, and the other dime among the girls.

To join the raffle, text “Rambam” to 21000 and reply with your name and age.

Entries will be accepted until Thursday evening, 16 Adar, March 5, 11:00 PM EST.

Mesivta Bais Shalom Postville hosted a special and meaningful Avos Ubanim Shabbos this past week, giving fathers and sons the opportunity to learn together, farbreng together, and experience the yeshiva environment side by side.

The program began Thursday evening, as parents arrived and received personalized welcome packages before joining a live session of the weekly Q&A with Mashpia Roshi, Rabbi Gavriel Levin. Among the many questions were “Can I learn Chitas in Seder?,” “What came first, the chicken or the egg?,” and “Isn’t the mitzva of goel hadam against the idea of Nekama?”

The evening continued with a warm and engaging icebreaker farbrengen led by parent, Rabbi Yitzi Hein, Shliach to Rochester, New York. Rabbi Hein spoke passionately about the transformative power of Chitas, Rambam, and the 12 Pesukim, inspiring all present. The farbrengen soon evolved into an open and heartfelt sharing session, as fathers contributed personal thoughts, insights, and experiences.

On Friday, the fathers had the unique opportunity to join their sons’ Chassidus classes, gaining firsthand appreciation for the depth and vitality of the learning taking place each day in the yeshiva. Following Shacharis, participants enjoyed a delicious breakfast, followed by a fascinating shiur from Rabbi Shmueli Benshimon, one of the Maggidei Shiur, on the topic of not making Kiddush between six and seven. This was followed by a powerful shiur from R’ Yehuda Forster, a father of one of the bochurim and a therapist from Kingston, Pennsylvania, who shared his inspiring journey to Yiddishkeit and the profound impact of Hisbonenus.

The afternoon was dedicated to quality bonding, as fathers and sons headed out for Mivtzoim and local shopping before preparing for Shabbos.

After mincha, Shabbos began with an hour of father-son learning before Kabbalas Shabbos, followed by the Shabbos Seudah with their hosts.

On Shabbos morning, after Shacharis and Chassidus, a farbrengen was held with members of the Hanhala and visiting fathers.

Rabbi Eli Benshimon, Rosh Yeshiva, spoke about the unique role of the yeshiva and its impact on the bochurim.

Rabbi Gavriel Levin shared a story and spoke about how each bochur has the ability to build his own personal Bais Hamikdash.

Rabbi Avraham Katz, a local Mashpia, spoke about the importance of learning Torah Or.

Rabbi Shmuel Kaufman, Principal of YTTL Montreal, and and proud alumnus of Postville Yeshiva, shared that a person is defined not by his failures, but by his successes.

Rabbi Dovid Leib Myhill, Mechanech at Cheder Chabad Florida, spoke about being fully invested in whatever one does.

Rabbi Nosson Meir Meretzki, Shliach to Penn State and parent of two bochurim, spoke about the value and potential of every bochur, comparing them to gold.

R’ Binyomin Shlyapobersky spoke about the importance of saying Krias Shema at night.

Rabbi Yossi Chein, a parent with multiple sons who have attended the yeshiva, pointed out that the many alumni who send their children back to Postville Yeshiva show that the Yeshiva must be doing something right.

It is interesting to note that Bochurim keep coming back to visit Postville even years after their time in the yeshiva.

Rabbi Levi Goldstein shared a vort on the parsha based on a Sicha of the Rebbe.

Rabbi Yossi Jacobson, Head Shliach of Iowa, spoke about the importance of learning and farbrenging with one’s children.

Following the farbrengen and Mincha, Rabbi Eli Benshimon shared a story about the Rema. Maariv was followed by a Siyum on Maseches Pesachim, completed by Rabbi Sadya Kaufman, Shliach to rural Texas. Havdalah was recited by parent Rabbi Shaya Zirkind of Montreal, Canada.

Rabbi Gavriel Levin then gave a fascinating shiur about ants and their lessons in Torah.

The night concluded with an elegant and festive banquet for the fathers and sons. The program was emceed by Hatamim HaShliach Dovid Braun. Rabbi Koppel Zirkind, Menahel of the yeshiva, addressed the gathering and reflected on the impact of the Shabbos. Hatamim HaShliach Meir Schmukler shared an inspiring story of the Shpoler Zeide. Rabbi Sadya Kaufman delivered a powerful sicha connected to his Siyum on Maseches Pesachim, and Rabbi Levi Tzietlin shared a meaningful story of the Baal Shem Tov.

After bentching, everyone gathered for a group photo, followed by spontaneous singing and dancing, with Rabbi Levi Goldstein playing the keyboard and Hatamim Menny Hershcovitch playing the guitar.

Sunday morning began with Chassidus, followed by Shacharis and breakfast, giving the fathers and sons a final opportunity to learn and spend time together before departing.

Although additional programming had originally been planned for Sunday, many of the fathers needed to leave early in order to return to New York ahead of an approaching storm. Ironically, while the weather in Postville was calm and beautiful, conditions in New York were rapidly worsening, making an early departure necessary.

Despite the shortened schedule, the Shabbos left a strong and lasting impression, with fathers and sons leaving inspired by the time they had shared together in the yeshiva.

A special thank you to Yisrael Bankhalter, Avraham Chaim Kozlovsky, Chaim Brummel and Ari Hershkowitz for their dedication and hard work in making this meaningful Shabbos possible.

Additional thanks to Sruli Berkowitz and Sruli Naparstek for their tremendous help in the kitchen and for their efforts in preparing and setting up throughout the Shabbos.

If you would like information for Shnas Halimudim 5787/2026-7, please click here

By COLlive reporter

A powerful blizzard is sweeping across New York City, bringing heavy snowfall and high winds that significantly impacted Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Crown Heights, Williamsburg, and Sheepshead Bay.

Snow accumulations in parts of Brooklyn reached approximately 16 to 18 inches, with steady snowfall and strong gusts creating near-whiteout conditions at times.

Streets quickly became blanketed, and visibility dropped, making travel hazardous for both drivers and pedestrians.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency as the storm intensified, restricting non-essential travel to allow plows and emergency vehicles to operate safely.

Public transportation experienced widespread disruptions, with delays and service suspensions affecting subway and bus lines throughout Brooklyn.

Residents were urged to remain indoors unless travel was absolutely necessary.

Officials emphasized safety as the primary concern, warning that icy conditions and reduced visibility could persist even after snowfall tapers off.

The storm also triggered thousands of flight cancellations at regional airports, compounding travel disruptions for New Yorkers.

This deeply affected the many Jewish teens and their Shluchim who were in town for the International Cteen Shabbaton. As COLlive reported, approximately 1,500 remain stranded.

As cleanup efforts continue, city agencies remain focused on restoring normal operations while urging caution in the aftermath of one of the season’s most significant winter events.

PlowNYC tracker has been activated, which shows you how recently any street has been plowed. Check it out at nyc.gov/plownyc.

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This past Shabbos, Parshas Teruma 5786, over 50 fathers of talmidim of Shiuirim Aleph and Gimmel arrived at Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati for the annual “Shabbas Avos U’banim”.

The fathers were greeted with a custom-designed welcome bag with information regarding the Shabbos schedule and program.

The program started Friday morning with Chassidus. After davening and a delicious breakfast, the parents learned Seder Nigleh with their sons and heard shiurim from the Maggidei Shiurim Rabbi Zusman Oster (Shiur Aleph) and Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson (Shiur Gimmel), then went on Mivtzoim with their son. The Yeshiva moved into the local chabad shul for mincha and Maariv.

After Kabalas Shabbos, the fathers and sons took their seats in the newly expanded and renovated Beis Medrash, specially set-up for the occasion under the direction of the Menahel Gashmi, Rabbi Eliyahu Morrison. The yeshivah extends heartfelt thanks to Reb Elad Sayid – the new chef of Yeshiva – for the delicious food.

During the course of the seudah, divrei Torah and Hisorerus were shared by hatmimim Shmaryahu Bronstein (PA), as well as shluchim Rabbi Zalman Raskin (PA), Rabbi Shmuel Turk (CH) and Rabbi Mordechai Groner (Calgary). The Seudah was followed by Farbrengens all night with Rabbi Sender Geinsinsky (Maryland) and Rabbi Dovid Abba Mockin (Rochester).

On Shabbos morning, there was a special seder Chassidus led by Rabbi Shmuel Granovetter and Shiur Tanya by Eliyahu Landa. Following Shacharis, which included a strong chinuch-drasha by the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, all the fathers and sons joined together for a Shabbos seudah with the fathers’ host families as well as in Yeshiva where there was a Farbrengen with the Shliach, Rabbi Sholom Heidingsfeld (CA).

After Minchah, there was a special farbrengen in the Zal with Rabbi Levi Simpson. The farbrengen was followed by Maariv, a video of the Rebbe and dancing for Chodesh Adar. A special Melave Malkah – with the theme of “50 years of Mivtza Chinuch” was held in the building of the new Yeshiva Gedolah.

The Keynote address was given by Rabbi Mendel Scharf (CH). Rabbi Avtzon spoke about the history of the Yeshiva gedolah of Cincinnati (established 50 years ago by the Rebbe) and the amazing answers received (through the Igros Kodesh) to re-establish the Yeshiva.

During the Melava Malka, it was officially announced to the parents that the famous mashpia – Rabbi Mendel Levin – will be joining the staff of the Yeshiva Gedolah as Mashpia Klali.

At the conclusion of the Melavah Malka, Rabbi Moshe Wolf (Chicago) – from the Vaad of the Yeshiva – announced the establishment of a new “Hanhalla Simcha Fund” which will IYH participate in the lifestyle simchas (Births, Bar-Mitzvahs and weddings) of the Hanhalla IYH.

On Sunday morning there was a chinuch seminar for the fathers, organized by the Menahel of the yeshivah, Rabbi Menachem Benarousse. Later in the day, fathers had the opportunity to meet privately with the teachers to discuss their sons’ progress and growth.

The weekend concluded with parents, bochurim, and hanhalah alike inspired and energized to fulfill the Rebbe’s shlichus “to be mekabel p’nei Moshiach tzidkeinu bepo’el mamash!”

Pittsburgh Mesivta has opened registration for the upcoming school year, with experienced new leadership in place and a recent move to a new, purpose-built campus in Greenfield.

Mesivta education is built on in-depth learning, a supportive environment, and strong relationships – and Mesivta of Pittsburgh is entering an exciting new era that strengthens all three.
This year marks a milestone with new leadership under Head of Mesivta Rabbi Zev Greenwald, working alongside longtime Menahel Rabbi Eliezer Shusterman, whose steady guidance has shaped generations of talmidim. Together, they bring a balance of fresh vision and years of experience.

“Our focus is building bochrim step by step,” Rabbi Greenwald said. “That happens through strong learning, inspiring farbrengens, and personal connections between our mashpiim and the bochrim.”
The new Greenfield campus brings all aspects of Mesivta life under one roof, including a spacious Zal, classrooms, and fully equipped dormitory facilities. The campus was designed to support both learning and daily living in a structured, cohesive environment.

Rabbi Schusterman emphasized the importance of continuity alongside growth. “The foundation of the Mesivta remains the same,” he said. “What’s new is the space and structure that allow us to support students in an even better way.”

In addition to its strong Chassidus and Nigleh shiurim, Pittsburgh Mesivta offers general studies, providing students with a well-rounded education so they can grow to be Neiros L’Hair wherever they go.

General studies are overseen by Rabbi Yaacov Sebbag, who shared that the Mesivta “wants bochrim to develop strong skills and discipline while ensuring that general studies support Torah learning.”

With small class sizes, accessible rebbeim, and a focused campus environment, Pittsburgh Mesivta continues to position itself as a place for steady growth and long-term development.

Watch the Mesivta video to experience the campus, the learning, and the leadership firsthand.

To apply now visit https://www.yeshivaschools.com/mesivta/

In a powerful display of Jewish resilience, eight thousand Jewish teens filled Nassau Coliseum for the closing ceremony of the 18th annual CTeen International Shabbaton, showcasing stories of a generation turning to Judaism’s timeless teachings for strength and refusing to back down in the face of adversity.

After four days full of Jewish pride and practice, including Shabbos in Crown Heights, an iconic Times Square Takeover, as part of a weekend that brought 4,578 teens from 60 countries to New York. The largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world had its grand finale: Its closing event, titled “Live the Life,” was the largest international Jewish teen event to date.

“It feels like a bunch of souls getting together,” said Ghenna Aharonow, of Chisinau, Moldova, taking two long flights to get to New York. “As we learned at CTeen, a flame only gets bigger when other flames join it. The feeling of being together with thousands of Jewish teens, as one, was bigger than words.”

Eli Tsives, the UCLA student and Jewish campus activist who MC’d the afternoon, set the tone early, highlighting the event’s theme: “We’re not built for low-res living. We were made to live fully, boldly, Jewishly.

“Tonight highlights the tremendous surge in Jewish engagement we’ve seen among youth across the globe, as they turn to Torah’s eternally relevant answers for today’s timely questions,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International.

Throughout the event, Nissim Black, a renowned Chasidic hip-hop artist, had the crowd jumping to his high-energy beats, while Noam Buskila brought a traditional sound to the stage.

A fun and educational live game show inspired by the Rebbe’s Mivtzah Taharas Hamishpacha addressed today’s love and relationships questions through the lens of Torah, featuring Rebbetzin Goldie Plotkin, Raizel Namdar of That Jewish Family, and Miriam Ezagui. Taking the stage with buzzers, they fielded live questions from teens in the crowd: What is love? How do I know if someone is my soulmate? How to build a relationship that lasts?

Then the energy shifted. A video appeared on the screens showing Leibel Lazaroff, the young man shot during the Bondi Beach Chanukah attack, playing “Ani Maamin” on his guitar. Noam Buskila introduced teens from Sydney, including David on the saxophone, all personally impacted by the attack. And then, the surprise, Leibel himself walked out from behind the stage

The coliseum erupted.

“When I woke up from my coma, my first thought was: Wow. I’m alive,” Lazaroff told the crowd. “The doctors told me straight: if I’d gotten to the hospital five minutes later, it would’ve been over.”

He described the thousands of mitzvos taken on in his merit. “David in Tennessee put on tefillin for the first time. Sara from California lit Shabbos candles. When I saw the CTeen mitzvah campaign, I got emotional. You helped save my life.”

Lazaroff, who grew up at Chabad of Texas A&M, spoke about what carried him through months of recovery. “People ask me, how are you navigating this darkness? The truth is, I was raised in a home where Torah and mitzvos weren’t extra. They were the lens through which we saw the world. This is how I learned to live in HD.”

He closed with the Rebbe’s message that had played on the Times Square screens the night before. “The world can look like a jungle, wild, messy, out of control. But when we study Torah and view our reality through G-d’s lens, dirt becomes soil, weeds become flowers, and challenges become opportunities.”

Then he led the coliseum in singing “Ani Maamin,” joined by Noam, David, and the Sydney teens, arms locked, 8,000 voices singing together.

Former Israeli hostage Ilana Gritzewsky presented the Az Kanamer Award to teen athletes Michael Shapira, Scarlet Gurevich, and Justin Schoen. Gritzewsky spoke about the courage it takes to choose Jewish identity. “You don’t have to be stripped of everything like I was to discover your neshamah,” she told the teens. “It’s already inside you, alive, powerful, and waiting to be heard.

Philanthropist Igor Tulchinsky, founder of WorldQuant and a longtime CTeen supporter, delivered the keynote. “Looking around this room, I don’t just see a Shabbaton,” he said. “I see leadership. I see responsibility. I see teens who are choosing Judaism, not because you have to, but because you want to.”

He challenged each teen to make Torah a daily commitment. “Ten minutes a day. One page. One chapter. A chavrusa. Tomorrow morning, before you open your phone, open a Torah book.”

The program then got down to business. Marcus Sharf, a young sneaker entrepreneur and founder of HYP Miami, sat down with his CTeen Bucks County Rabbi Chaim Shemtov for a live onstage interview about building a successful business through a Jewish lens. Sharf, who built his company as a teen, spoke about how Torah principles guided his approach to finances, discipline, and purpose. “Everyone wants to make money,” Sharf told the crowd. “But Torah teaches you what to do with it, and why it matters.”

“The Rebbe taught that a closing event isn’t an end, it’s a beginning,” said Rabbi Kotlarsky. “Now, these teens are bringing that light home to hundreds of communities, as ambassadors and leaders, in their hometowns, classrooms, and everywhere they go.”

VIDEO: Full Replay

Hours after 4,578 Jewish teenagers from 60 countries filled Nassau Coliseum for CTeen’s closing event, nearly 1,500 of them find themselves stranded in New York after a winter storm cancelled flights across the East Coast.

With rescheduled flights not expected until later this week, CTeen is extending the experience with workshops, activities, and programming, giving teens more quality time together in an environment most of them rarely get back home.

Kira Rothschild, who traveled with the Sydney delegation, is among those still waiting in New York. “Unfortunately, I have to miss some important schoolwork,” she said, “but I get to enjoy this experience with everyone and embrace the New York spirit. It’s just so amazing to be part of.”

The teens come from across the globe, from Brazil to Barcelona, and many have never seen snow before. For a large number of them, this weekend marked the rare experience of being surrounded by Jewish peers; back home, many are the only Jewish student in their school.

“The Rebbe taught us that one is never stuck,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “We can’t always control our situations**, but we can control** how we respond. Instead of seeing this as a setback, the teens are seizing the opportunity to grow and connect in an uplifting environment.”

The CTeen team worked around the clock with shluchim, Crown Heights vendors, and generous community members to create the extended program, with engaging workshops, activities, meals, and lodging.

Nava Emanuel of CTeen Skokie had planned to fly home, but instead finds herself on an overnight road trip back to the Midwest with 50 teens from six cities across three states. “We were all really worried about spending so long cooped up on a bus with 50 people,” she said. “But it’s actually been fun. Some of us got to study Torah with the rabbi, we all said Shema together, and we got to spend more time with each other and meet teens from other chapters.”

For teens who rarely have access to a large Jewish peer group, the unexpected detour gave them exactly that.

“Even though we may be ‘stuck’ in New York, to me, there is no use being worried**. G-d** put us all here for a reason,” said Ethan Hobbs, a leader at KCTeen Kansas. “I look forward to finding out!”

A new chapter has begun this week for the Morristown Chabad community as Congregation Levi Yitzchak of Morristown celebrated the Hachtara — the formal installation — of Rabbi Chaim Schapiro as Rav of Congregation Levi Yitzchak and the Morristown anash community.

This announcement formally recognizes Rabbi Schapiro, who has long been a part of the Morristown community and the shul, serving as Menahel of Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim and heading the Rabbinical College of America’s renowned Semicha program, which under his leadership had become one of the most respected rabbinical ordination programs in Lubavitch.

During a packed Kiddush held in the recently renovated Berger Auditorium, Rabbi Schapiro shared a theme that would come to define the moment. Referencing Parshas Terumah, he spoke about the Adanim — the foundation sockets that supported the pillars of the Mishkan. While the visible structure of the Mishkan captured attention, its stability depended entirely on these hidden bases. Rabbi Schapiro identified the three foundations upon which he stands as he assumes this role.

The first and supreme foundation is the Rebbe himself. Morristown’s Chabad community was not merely established by the Rebbe — it was shaped by his direct vision and involvement. The Yeshiva, the kehilla, and Congregation Levi Yitzchak itself all trace their roots to the Rebbe’s guidance. The very name of the shul reflects this: the Rebbe gave his bracha to name it after his own father with certain conditions, among them that it be a Beis HaKnesses and a Beis HaMedrash — not merely a place for tefillah, but a living center of Torah. The Rebbe is the Yesod upon which everything in Morristown stands.

The second foundation is the legacy of leadership that translated the Rebbe’s vision into living reality — embodied first by Rabbi Moshe Herson obm, Head Shliach to New Jersey, who built a Chabad presence felt throughout the entire state and beyond, and now carried forward by his son Rabbi Mendy Herson, Dean of the Rabbinical College of America and Head Shliach of New Jersey. With Rabbi Mendy Herson in attendance, that continuity was deeply felt — a son extending his father’s mission, just as his father had extended the Rebbe’s.

The third foundation is the kehilla of Congregation Levi Yitzchak itself — built and nurtured for decades by Rabbi Shneur Zalman Wilschanski obm. Rabbi Wilschanski shepherded the shul with warmth, wisdom, and unwavering dedication until his passing in 2024. Rabbi Schapiro reflected emotionally that he had spent more years learning under Rabbi Wilschanski than even under his own father, underscoring the profound personal influence his predecessor had on him. He also acknowledged the contributions of other Torah leaders who helped shape the kehilla, including Rabbi Melech Zwiebel obm, and many of the Rabbinic leadership that make up the kehilla of Morristown and the hanholla of various institutions including but not limited to Tomchei Temimim, Tiferes Bochurim and Cheder Lubavitch. Last but not least, Rabbi Sholom Spalter, who spearheaded the Hachtara and was a signatory to the shtar hachtara along with the Vaad of the Shul, Rabbi Yosef Zeidman, Rabbi Mendy Herson and Rabbi Leibel Schapiro.

These three Adanim — the Rebbe’s vision, the Herson legacy of shlichus, and the kehilla built by Rabbi Wilschanski — form the foundation upon which Rabbi Schapiro now assumes the mantle of leadership, Rabbi Schapiro said.

Rabbi Schapiro also paid tribute to his own father, Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, who was among the honored guests in attendance. Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedola Rabbinical College of Greater Miami and a prominent Chabad Talmudic scholar, represents not only Torah scholarship but generational continuity. His presence at the Hachtara embodied the transmission of mesorah from father to son — a living chain of Torah leadership.

He emphasized that the goal is not only to create a place for tefillah, but a living center of Torah learning, where every member finds themselves connected to regular study. With numerous shiurim already thriving and many more planned, the vision is clear: growth in Torah alongside growth in community.

“The undercurrent of the celebration was unmistakable — Morristown continues to flourish as a vibrant and growing Chassidishe community,” said a community member. “May Rabbi Schapiro’s leadership bring bracha and hatzlacha to the entire community.”

The winners of the 10 free tickets for Shluchim with Arkia Airlines, a raffle announced on COLlive.com, were chosen.

Shmulik Kravitsky of Sky 2000 Travel, who organized the raffle, said he was “absolutely overwhelmed by the tremendous response to this project, with an exceptionally high level of participation and interest from shluchim across the board. Your engagement and support turned this initiative into a true success and a powerful expression of achdus.”

The drawing was conducted in the presence of Rabbi Lipa Brennan and Rabbi Shlomo Friedman, and ten lucky winners were selected for the free travel packages to Israel.

Below is the list of these lucky winners:

Chaim Lieberman / Lauderhill, Florida

Chaim Brook / Northridge California

Avraham Freeman / Oxnard CA

Didy Waks / Clinton, NY

Adam Stein / Stony Brook, NY

Yitzy Ceitlin / Washington, DC

Moshe Fuss / Fremont, CA

Tzvi Bronchtain / Las Vegas, Nevada

Shneur Wolfman / AZ

Mendy Goldshmid / Bainbridge Island, WA

“Thank you again for joining the Arkia raffle, and warm congratulations to all the lucky winners. With appreciation and heartfelt brachos for much hatzlocha in your shlichus, a freilechen Purim and a koshren un freilechen Pesach,” said Kravitsky.

By COLlive Reporter

As a winter storm bears down on New York City, Crown Heights mosdos are pressing ahead with adjusted schedules, ensuring that limud haTorah continues across the neighborhood.

Both Oholei Torah and Lubavitch Yeshiva of Crown Heights announced that learning will take place tomorrow, even as weather conditions may worsen. Parents are urged to use their discretion and prioritize safety.

In a letter to parents, Oholei Torah leadership emphasized the Yeshiva’s longstanding commitment to remaining open regardless of weather conditions — a value instilled by Reb Michoel Teitelbaum a”h, the founder of the school whose 21st yahrtzeit is tomorrow.

“For seventy years, regardless of the size of the storm, our Yeshiva has remained open,” the administration wrote. “We remain steadfast in that commitment.”

Due to the expansion of Crown Heights and the distance many talmidim now live from the main campus, Oholei Torah will operate a special program for Cheder and Mechina in six locations throughout the neighborhood, bringing davening and learning closer to students’ homes.

Each location will host Shacharis, learning and Mincha, the administration said.

The program will run from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at all six locations. Parents are advised to review the location assignments that were distributed, and appear below.

Mesivta will operate out of two locations, the Mesivta Campus (555) and the Main Campus (667).

Chassidus will begin at 9:00 am, followed by Shacharis at 10:00 am. The remainder of the schedule will be determined.

Preschool will be closed.

The hanhala expressed gratitude to the mechanchim and staff who committed to staff the various locations, as well as to the shuls that opened their doors to host the programs.

Fathers are encouraged to join their sons for Shacharis and Mincha and to learn in between.

Due to the anticipated driving ban and possible delivery disruptions, food will not be provided. Parents are asked to ensure their sons eat breakfast before arrival.

At Lubavitch Yeshiva, the following schedule will be in effect:

Preschool and Pre-1A: No classes

Grades 1–3: Davening and learning in Yeshiva from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Grades 4–6: Davening and learning in Yeshiva and at 305 Remsen Avenue, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Grades 7–8: Davening and learning in Yeshiva from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Beis Medrash: Regular schedule

Both mosdos emphasized that families should assess conditions in their specific areas and decide whether it is safe for their children to attend.

1. The topics in this week’s 582nd episode of the highly acclaimed MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, will include:

Adar

·         What does Purim teach us about retroactively transforming a negative past?

·         Is there a connection between joy and Pisces, the sign of Adar?

·         Why is Adar made up of the two words, “alef dar”?

·         Are there other reasons why we increase in joy during this month?

·         Does Adar have an association with Adaru (this month in Akkadian and Babylonian), which means darkness and gloom?

·         Can animals be trained to do mitzvos?

7 Adar

·         Why don’t we make a bigger deal of this day – the birthday and yahrzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu?

·         How do we apply Zayin Adar to our lives?

11 Adar

·         What do we learn from the Rogatchover Gaon, whose yahrzeit is on this day?

Tetzaveh

·         What lessons do we learn from living with the times, with this week’s Torah parsha?

·         Why is Moshe’s name not mentioned in this Parsha?

·         What is the positive reason for this?

·         Why is the pure olive oil, the ketoros and the Yom Kippur service not discussed in the same Torah portion of the actual building of the Mishkan and its vessels?

What should our attitude to sports be?

·         How should we react to someone watching a game while sitting in a Torah class?

·         Is there room for sports in a Chassidishe life?

·         How about the Olympics?

How would the Rebbe advise a community facing a disagreement whether to build a smaller or larger building?

Which places should I visit in Israel?

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

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

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

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

Questions may be submitted anonymously at chassidusapplied.com/ask.

Also at: chassidusapplied.com/mlc-tv

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/mylife-chassidus-applied

Mrs. Rochel Zuckerman, of Lakewood, NJ, sister of Rabbi Shmuel Lew, senior shliach in London, England, passed away.

Rabbi Lew will be sitting shiva in London
158 Holmleigh Road
London N16 5PY

Sun-Thursday
12pm-5pm & 7:30pm-9:30pm
Friday
11am-1pm.

Email: [email protected]
Whatsapp: +44 7825 415601

By COLlive reporter

Customers shopping at Empire Kosher Supermarket in Crown Heights will soon see a slight adjustment at checkout.

In a notice posted in the store, Empire Kosher announced that beginning February 17, 2026, cash transactions will be rounded to the nearest five cents due to the ongoing national coin shortage.

Under the new policy, final cash totals will be rounded to the nearest $0.05. Totals ending in .01, .02, .06, or .07 will be rounded down, while totals ending in .03, .04, .08, or .09 will be rounded up.

Payments made by credit card or other digital methods will continue to be charged to the exact cent, with no rounding.

Shoppers who prefer exact pricing are encouraged to utilize digital payment methods or provide their own coins whenever possible.

The change comes amid ongoing coin circulation challenges across the United States. Limited availability of certain denominations has prompted some retailers to temporarily round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, while digital payments remain precise.

Empire Kosher said the adjustment is intended to help manage small-change shortages efficiently while keeping checkout lines moving smoothly.

The retreat is dedicated לעילוי נשמת ר׳ יחזקאל בן אברהם אהרן – Mr. Harry Zekelman, on his 40th yahrzeit.

By COLlive reporter

Jalisco and surrounding areas were thrust into turmoil Sunday after a major Mexican military operation reportedly killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” the longtime head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The operation, which took place in Tapalpa, triggered a wave of violent retaliation across the state, including burning vehicles, highway blockades, and armed clashes in metropolitan centers and tourist hubs such as Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.

Chabad Houses in the region were placed on lockdown as the unrest unfolded.

A firebomb detonated across the street from Chabad of Puerto Vallarta on Francisco Medina Asencio, led by Rabbi Shneur and Mushkie Hecht. The Shluchim and their community are currently in lockdown in their homes.

“We are safe and okay,” they wrote to COLlive.com. “We are checking in on our community.”

Elsewhere in the state, Shluchim were caught amid the chaos while traveling. Rabbi Abraham and Elisheva Srugo, who direct Chabad of Lake Chapala in Jalisco, were driving to a wedding when the unrest erupted.

“My wife and I left in the morning to marry a Jewish couple,” he told COLlive.com. “We already understood from the news that there was trouble, but on the way, we saw with our own eyes burned vehicles and roadblocks.

“After several kilometers, another fire would break out, and the road would be blocked again. Police and security forces are trying to restore order, but only partially successfully at this point.”

The couple departed around 10:00 a.m. local time and had planned to arrive before 1:00 p.m., but found themselves stranded for hours on the main highway.

“There is nowhere to stop. In the middle of the highway, you cannot just pull over,” Rabbi Shurago said.

The wedding has been postponed until conditions stabilize, with the couple awaiting further developments.

Jalisco, whose capital Guadalajara is Mexico’s second-largest metropolitan area with approximately nine million residents, has seen widespread blockades and arson attacks following the reported killing of the cartel leader.

According to Mexican officials and international reports, the violence appears directed primarily at government forces and infrastructure, though it has disrupted travel and heightened risks throughout the region.

Airlines, including Air Canada, Porter, and WestJet, canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta. The U.S. State Department issued a warning advising American citizens in affected areas to shelter in place due to ongoing security operations, related road blockages, and criminal activity. Canadian authorities issued similar guidance.

Boruch Hashem, a short time later, Rabbi and Mrs. Srugo arrived safely at their home in Guadalajara.

Jewish communities across the state remain on alert, monitoring developments closely and praying for the swift restoration of calm so communal life can resume safely.

Reb Sholom DovBer Levin, a beloved father and grandfather from Los Angeles, passed away on Sunday, 5 Adar, 5786.

He was 86.

He was the son of Rabbi Abba and Chaya
Shtzera Levin from Kfar Chabad.

He was loved by his family and was known as a Baal Chesed to everyone he met.

He lived his life with humility, simcha and a passion for niggunim.

He was Shliach Tzibur in various Shul and was a Chasid mekushar to the Rebbe.

He is survived by his wife Tova Levine and cildren, Matty Bryski- Shlucha- Agoura Hills, CA, Yisroel Levine – Shliach – Oak Park, CA, Stery Zajac – Shlucha- Los Angeles, CA and Sarah Brenenson – Davie, Florida.

The Levaya will take place today at Mount Olive Memorial Park, 7231 E Slauson Ave. Commerce, CA 90040 at 3:00pm.

Shiva at 361 N. Vista St.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Shiva: Shachris 9:00am
Mincha Maariv 5:30pm

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes- Reb Sholom DovBer ben Harav Abba Halevi.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani today declared a local state of emergency ahead of a severe snowstorm expected to impact New York City.

To ensure emergency responders and essential workers can move safely and quickly, city streets will be closed to non-essential vehicular traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday.

Limited exceptions apply to vehicles providing emergency services, public transportation, medical supplies, food, fuel, utility repairs and other critical services.

Mamdani also announced that all New York City Public School buildings, except those operating as warming centers, will be closed on Monday, Feb. 23. There will be a traditional ‘snow day.’ No remote instruction will take place, and all after-school activities are cancelled.

In coordination with the New York State Education Department, New York City has received a waiver from the 180-day instructional requirement to prioritize the safety of students, staff and families.

The Emergency Weather Declaration also:

Suspends Alternate Side Parking for Monday, Feb. 23.
Directs the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to monitor and enforce against price gouging.
Instructs New York City Emergency Management, the City of New York Fire Department, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and the New York City Department of Transportation to take all necessary steps to protect public safety.

The order takes effect immediately and remains in effect for five days, except where otherwise limited, and unless extended or revoked.

City government has mobilized a coordinated, multi-agency response to clear roads, protect vulnerable New Yorkers, and maintain essential services.

“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority. As this blizzard moves in, our administration is mobilizing every tool at our disposal, around the clock, to keep our neighbors safe. This emergency declaration allows us to cut through red tape so emergency vehicles, sanitation crews, and essential workers can move quickly and do their jobs without delay,” said Mamdani.

“Out of an abundance of caution, schools will be closed tomorrow. We’ve also opened warming centers in all five boroughs to make sure no one is left out in the cold. I’m urging every New Yorker to please stay home. Check in on your neighbors, especially seniors and those who may need extra support. This declaration strengthens our ability to back up our first responders as they put themselves on the line, and it protects working families from price gouging during this storm. In moments like this, we show who we are as a city — we take care of each other.”

About the Local State of Emergency:

The declaration establishes a temporary citywide travel restriction by closing NYC streets, highways, bridges and tunnels to vehicular traffic from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday. Most vehicle traffic – including but not limited to commercial trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds – is prohibited during that period, except for authorized categories.

Exempt vehicles include:

Government and emergency response vehicles
Public transit, including MTA buses and Access-A-Ride
Vehicles delivering food, fuel and medical supplies
Utility vehicles performing emergency repairs
Transportation for essential workers traveling to workplaces, including health care facilities, pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations, media outlets, hotels and laundromats
Transportation to hospitals and court facilities
Nonprofit and private organizations providing emergency relief

City offices will be closed for in-person services on Monday. Essential employees must report to work; nonessential employees may telework. Violations of travel restrictions are punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.

Warming Centers and Shelter Access

The New York City Department of Social Services will deploy 22 warming busses citywide. Additional warming spaces are available at 11 NYC Health + Hospital facilities and 13 school locations. New Yorkers should contact 311 or visit a LinkNYC kiosk for the nearest site.

Department of Homeless Services (DHS) continues to operate under enhanced Code Blue protocols. During Code Blue, shelters operate under an open-door policy. Outreach teams are connecting unsheltered New Yorkers to safe, warm space. During a Code Blue, 311 is routed to 911 so first responders can mobilize quickly to reach the person in need. New Yorkers should call 311 if they see anyone in need of assistance.

New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H):

NYC Health + Hospitals will also deploy WARM (Winter Access, Relief and Medical) ambulettes and mobile units starting today. The mobile warming outreach initiative will provide clinical consultations, as well as distribute essential supplies including blankets, warm clothing, socks, warm meals, and water. The units will also drive unsheltered New Yorkers to a warm place of their choosing (shelter, warming center, etc).
NYC Health + Hospitals will be in constant communication to ensure adequate staffing and that patients know their options for care. For patient safety, the health care system has converted most in-person Monday clinic appointments to telehealth visits, as clinically appropriate. It will also quickly reschedule any missed appointment.
The City is directing all hospitals to exercise heightened caution when discharging patients, particularly vulnerable patients, during the cold weather. The City has also directed shelters and safe havens to monitor the areas around their buildings for any New Yorkers in need.

Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH):

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is informing New Yorkers about how they can stay safe and warm, including by sharing recommendations on preparing for the winter storm, and what to do if you lose heat or hot water in your home.
All New Yorkers should take caution when using drugs or alcohol outside, as cold exposure increases risk. To best protect New Yorkers, the NYC Health Department is providing support to OnPoint so their Wellness Hubs remain open 24/7 through the blizzard to help community members seeking warmth and services.
Older New Yorkers should stay indoors, avoid shoveling, and take steps to prevent slips and falls. Older adult centers will be closed on Monday.
Infants, seniors, and people with paralysis or neuropathy are at increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Check on friends, relatives, and neighbors who may need assistance to ensure they are adequately protected from the cold. Recognize the signs and symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia:
Hypothermia: symptoms include slurred speech, sluggishness, confusion, dizziness, shallow breathing, unusual behavior, and slow, irregular heartbeat.
Frostbite: symptoms include gray, white or yellow discoloration, numbness, and waxy feeling skin.
The City is also mandating that a path of at least 4 feet must be cleared across all sidewalks to accommodate wheelchairs.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY):

Starting Sunday at 6 p.m., there will be five firefighters on all Engine Companies, with additional staffing citywide.
Four high-axle vehicles will be deployed, 1 in Staten Island, 1 in Queens, 1 in Brooklyn, and 1 in the Bronx.
FDNY will deploy ten Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) for Cold Calls, 2 per borough. Each RRV will be staffed with 1 officer and 2 Firefighters.
Thawing apparatus deployed to all fires.
All ambulances will be equipped with chains.
Trainings will be canceled and scheduled members will be utilized in the field.
Extra staffing will be added for EMS.

New York City Police Department (NYPD):

NYPD Highway Patrol will be escorting DSNY to help salt and plow streets.
Tow truck task force is activated and trucks will be pre-staged across the city to assist any motorists who are stuck.
Additional high-water rescue teams have been activated since moderate coastal flooding is expected.

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS):

NYCPS facilities teams are working around the clock to shovel and de-ice school buildings, ensure adequate heating and backup power protocols are in place, and confirm emergency supplies are ready.
Clear and consistent communication with families remains a priority, with updates being shared in all NYCPS languages through letters, emails, SMS messages, social media, robocalls and website postings.

An hour after Shabbos concluded on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Terumah, a steady stream of fathers and sons could be seen making their way to Moscow’s central Marina Roscha Shul. As has become the custom throughout the winter months, the popular “Avos U’Bonim” learning program brought together Jewish boys from across Moscow, representing many segments of the community.

With Motzaei Shabbos now coming later, and many families traveling significant distances, this year’s program concluded with a beautiful and uplifting siyum celebration. Fathers and sons were encouraged to continue dedicating this special hour of joint Torah study—whether at home, in shul, or at their local Chabad House—ensuring that the flame ignited over the winter months continues to burn brightly.

The gathering was graced by the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, who noted that these days mark the beginning of the centennial year of the famous Maamar delivered in Moscow itself by the Frierdiker Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, zy”a. That historic discourse became a cornerstone of the spiritual resistance against the oppressive Soviet regime—and ultimately led to the death sentence that was later issued against him.

The Maamar, known by its opening words “Vekibel HaYehudim,” was delivered at a Purim Katan farbrengen in 5687 (1927) at the Arkhipova Synagogue in Moscow. In those days of terror and fear, when the regime sought to uproot every trace of Yiddishkeit, the Rebbe spoke openly and unequivocally about the sacred obligation to strengthen Jewish education—even at the cost of literal mesirus nefesh. There was to be no surrender, no compromise, no sending children to the Yevsektsiya schools, regardless of the consequences. “One must be prepared to jump into the fiery furnace,” he declared.

The maamar emphasized mesirus nefesh in the observance of Torah and mitzvos, and especially in the chinuch of Jewish children—olalim v’yonkim—regarding whom the possuk states: “From the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have established strength… to silence the enemy and avenger.” Chaza”l teach: “There is no strength other than Torah.” The Torah study of tinokos shel beis rabban is the power that silences all who seek to harm the Jewish people.

So it was in the days of Mordechai. He was not intimidated by Haman’s decree. He gathered twenty-two thousand Jewish children and learned Torah with them until they cried out, “Amcha anachnu—we are Your people!” When Haman heard their voices, he knew his decree was null and void. For when Jewish children proclaim “Al tira,” “Utzu eitzah v’sufar,” “V’ad ziknah Ani Hu”—no force in the world can prevail against them.

Nearly one hundred years have passed. And here we stand—in Moscow. Not far from the very site where that bold Maamar was delivered, hundreds of fathers and sons now sit together. Not in hiding. Not in fear. But openly, proudly, with light and with joy—learning a sugya together, reviewing what they have studied, singing a Chassidishe niggun, and strengthening their kvius in Torah.

Anyone who has studied what Moscow was like in 5687 can scarcely comprehend the scene. The very city where melamdim were persecuted, chadarim shuttered, rabbanim arrested, and shluchim exiled—is today filled with the clear, resonant sound of Torah emanating from children in yarmulkes sitting beside their fathers.

This is the “Kiymu V’Kiblu” of our generation—fulfilling what was accepted then with mesirus nefesh. Fulfilling the promise that the flame of Klal Yisrael would never be extinguished, no matter how fiercely it was trampled.

With the opening of this centennial year—and with the voice of Torah not merely surviving but growing ever stronger—the Chief Rabbi proclaimed that this year will be marked by increased Torah study and expanded efforts in Jewish education for Moscow’s children. New programs and major initiatives are being launched to further strengthen Torah learning and to magnify the voices of tinokos shel beis rabban.

On behalf of the entire congregation, the synagogue’s gabbai expressed heartfelt appreciation to the program’s director, shliach and mechanech Rabbi Yeshaya Gross, for his tireless dedication to the program’s success.

Each child received a personalized, branded thermos as a token of appreciation—encouraging the beautiful custom of enjoying something hot on Motzaei Shabbos after learning. In addition, the coveted raffle prize—a ticket to travel to the Rebbe—was won by the outstanding student Yisrael Diktshtein.

Photo credit: Sergei Klatskin

Serial entrepreneur Niran Hebron seeking a new level of Jewish enrichment walked into Yeshiva Temimei Darech in the mystical city of Tsfat a couple years ago, stayed for only a month and indeed walked out on a new rung in his Yiddishkeit.

In return for the gifts he garnered at the primarily baal teshuva yeshiva with a proven record of notable impact on its students, Hebron is poised to give back as a matching donor of a yeshiva scholarship drive seeking to raise at least $300,000 this week.

Rosh Yeshiva and institution founder, Rabbi Shalom Pasternak, said Hebron, along with all other contributors to the drive, are taking up the mantle of the biblical Zevulun, the seagoing merchant who the Torah tells us supported his brother Yissachar’s Torah study in a pairing the commentaries say benefited both bi-directionally. As it is stated (Devarim 33:18): “Rejoice, O, Zevulun in your excursions and Yissachar in your tents.”

Catching up with the busy founder of a Tel Aviv marketing analytics startup, Hebron said, “The yeshiva has a ton to offer and is the answer for anyone looking to strengthen their connection through study with the most experienced of English-speaking Torah scholars.”

The yeshiva’s so-called “Clock In. Lock In” fundraiser is meaningfully scheduled for Monday Feb. 23 and Tuesday the Feb. 24, corresponding to the 6th and 7th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar, the 7th being both the birthday and yartzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Ten other pillar supporters have signed on to join Hebron as smaller matchers in the endeavor that can be accessed at causematch.com/clock-in.

Through the drive, Pasternak is looking to bolster enrollment with students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend by offering full or partial scholarships based on need.
They would join a 17-year-old institution that is deeply immersed in learning and all of the hallmark trappings of successful Chabad learning centers. Pasternak estimated his bochurim learn to the tune of some 10 hours of daily study, totaling some 60 hours a week or 250 hours a month, intermixed with impactful farbrengens, a palpable camaraderie, trips and mivtzoim.

Learning Program Director and Rabbinic Attorney Rabbi Shmuel Kopel, Maggid Shiur and Mashpia Rabbi Shamai Gozlan and prolific author of halachic and Chassidic sefarim, Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein, are among the staff and adjunct staff that make it all happen.

The program is designed for marked change and movement – whether at the pace Hebron went or more long-haul commitments, including a faction who either initially sign up for or stay on for the yeshiva’s rabbinic ordination track.

Pasternak points out the telling Hashgacha Pratis (Divine Providence) of three wedding celebrations of bochurim taking place within about a week of the scholarship drive, reflecting the yeshiva’s productive profile and the call to do more.

“Serious and enduring commitments to Chassidishkeit and Yiddishkeit are being made within these walls every day,” he said. “The case of Niran simply stands out as an eye-opening example and testimonial to the value being placed on the work we do. We are grateful to him and give him a big kol hakavod and berochos for his future.”

Opportunity to support the scholarship drive find at: causematch.com/clock-in.

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

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

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

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

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

Krias Shema on Mivtzoim

• When saying Krias Shema with people who do not understand Hebrew, is there a requirement that they understand the meaning or basic content of Shema?
• During mivtza tefillin, what is the halachic value of having a person say Shema after the zman?
• What types of mistakes in the reading of Shema necessitate repeating from the beginning of the passuk? And is there room for leniency for a person with OCD?

A Grandfather’s Request

• Grandchildren whose grandfather requested they never return to Poland: are they halachically obligated to keep this request as part of kibbud av and avi avihem?
• Is there any way for them to visit without being considered as violating his will, and still be framed as respecting his intent?

Dealing With Multiple Sifrei Torah

• When two Sifrei Torah are taken out, until what stage of gelilah of the first Sefer is it prohibited to begin undressing the second Sefer?
• How does the prohibition of opening the second Sefer Torah until after gelilah of the first Sefer relate to the rule of not beginning the haftorah until the completion of gelilah?

Shliach Tzibur With Past Aveiros

• May someone who previously committed serious aveiros and later did teshuvah serve as a shliach tzibur?
• What about someone who was a tinok shenishbah, and not properly educated, serving as a shliach tzibur?

Changing Location While Eating – Follow-Up

• If someone makes a shehakol in one room and then moves to another room or to the yard, when does he need to make a new bracha, and when does intent from the outset help?
• When in doubt whether a new bracha is required after changing locations, can one deliberately make a bracha acharona first and then a new bracha rishona, or is this considered an unnecessary bracha?
• Is it effective to make a once-a-year stipulation that all one’s brachos are made with the intent to possibly move locations?

Yehareg Ve’al Ya’avor and “Me’achorei Hageder”

• In the Rambam’s case, where doctors say a man’s only cure is to interact with a woman in forbidden circumstances, what exactly is meant by the expression “me’achorei hageder” for which he must rather give up his life?

📸 Photographer: Mordechai Lubecki

I feel helpless, because no mother should ever have to stand by and feel unable to save her child. 😢

My name is Chaya. And my son is Chaim Rafael — my whole world. 💔

Chaim Rafael was born with HLHS (Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome), one of the most complex congenital heart conditions.

It means the left side of his heart didn’t develop properly, and from his very first days, his life has been a fight.

He has already been through a long series of treatments and surgeries in Israel.

So many procedures. So many hospital rooms. So many nights I didn’t sleep. 😢

People tell me, “Be strong.”

But I’m a mother… and I’m scared.

Because now the doctors told us clearly: Chaim Rafael needs another critical stage of treatment — and it must be done abroad. 💔

We were offered treatment in three different places: Vienna, Germany, and Boston.

And in all three places, the costs are extremely high.

And the truth is crushing: I don’t even have the ability to pay the deposit required to secure his treatment. 💔

That is why we are raising $300,000 — to cover the deposit, medical costs, specialist evaluations, travel, lodging near the hospital for an extended stay, medications, and the follow-up care he will need to recover.

Every day I look at my son and I try to smile for him… 😢

But inside, I’m terrified that time will run out. 💔

I’m begging you — please don’t let us face this alone. 😢

If you can donate, please donate. 💔

If you can’t donate right now, please share. 😢

Because for my son… every day matters. 💔

And every donation brings Chaim Rafael closer to the treatment that can keep him alive. 😢

Donate today

In a historic display of Jewish pride and resilience, three freed Israeli hostages led 7,000 gathered in the Shema at CTeen’s Times Square Takeover, a new CTeen Lounge was dedicated in tribute to Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and the world’s largest teen network announced its 900th chapter.

The screens of Times Square glowed with Jewish imagery on Motzei Shabbos as thousands of Jewish teens packed the crossroads of the world. Energized by an uplifting Shabbos in Crown Heights at the 18th CTeen International Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world, they were now leading one of the most public displays of Jewish pride the world has ever seen.

“Throughout the year, these teens are on the frontlines, defending what it means to be Jewish,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “Tonight, Judaism is on the offense. The Rebbe taught us never to underestimate the power of youth, and this weekend is their springboard to change the face of Jewish life globally.”

“Am Yisrael Chai. 18 years strong. 18 years united. 18 years unapologetic,” declared Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director of CTeen International at Merkos 302, marking CTeen’s chai anniversary. “Tonight, we celebrate the true life, the life of Torah.”

The annual Times Square Takeover, a signature moment of the CTeen International Shabbaton, drew 7,000 participants from 60 countries to the crossroads of the world for Havdalah, a live concert, and a night of unapologetic Jewish pride. CTeen, the world’s largest Jewish teen network, has held the takeover annually, transforming Times Square into one of the most visible displays of Jewish identity anywhere.

“Times Square is incredible, just that energy, thousands of Jewish teens all together,” said Ethan Hobbs, CTeen leader at KCTeen Kansas City. “I’m 18, CTeen is 18. I’ve grown up alongside this movement.”

Singer Benny Friedman led Havdalah on stage, marking the transition from Shabbos to a new week. Nissim Black performed concert sets that kept the crowd on its feet.

A milestone announcement brought the night to a roar. CTeen revealed it has reached 900 chapters worldwide, spanning over 60 countries. What began 18 years ago with a handful of chapters has grown into the world’s largest Jewish teen movement, with a presence on six continents, from Budapest to Asunción to Hong Kong.

“I’m excited to help my brother get ignited in his Jewish journey,” Hobbs said. “This is my last Shabbaton, but it’s my brother’s first. I’ve been co-president of my CTeen and helped grow it into the largest youth group in town. Now it’s time to inspire others to do the same.”

The emotional peak arrived when Matan Zangauker, Ilana Gritzewsky, and Segev Kalfon, freed hostages, took the stage and declared “Shema Yisrael” together with the teens. Among them was Segev Kalfon, who had dreamed of saying Shema upon his release from Hamas captivity. He said it Saturday night, not from a cellar in Gaza, but from a proud Jewish stage in the heart of Times Square. Singer Noam Buskila then joined the hostages and teens for a heartfelt “Shir Hama’alos.”

Rabbi Kotlarsky, who had just returned from the Kinus in Bondi, turned the crowd’s attention to Sydney, where on the first night of Chanukah, fifteen people were murdered at Bondi Beach, among them CTeen Bondi director Rabbi Eli Schlanger HY”D.

The Rebbe’s message played on the massive screens, addressing how Jews respond to tragedy with strength and action. Then Priva Schlanger, Rabbi Schlanger’s eldest daughter, took the stage. “One year ago, my father saw you, proud, connected Jewish leaders, and CTeen Bondi was born,” she told the crowd. “Losing my father shattered our world. But it did not shatter his mission. The answer isn’t why. It’s what can we do.” She paused. “Darkness doesn’t define the moment. Our actions do.”

Rabbi Kotlarsky, together with philanthropist Igor Tulchinsky, surprised Priva with the announcement of “Rabbi Eli’s Lounge,” a new CTeen Lounge to be built in Rabbi Schlanger’s memory.

“There’s one thing we will make sure of,” Kotlarsky told the crowd, “light will always have the final word.”

VIDEO

In a historic display of Jewish pride and resilience, three freed Israeli hostages led 7,000 gathered in the Shema at CTeen’s Times Square Takeover, a new CTeen Lounge was dedicated in tribute to Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and the world’s largest teen network announced its 900th chapter.

The screens of Times Square glowed with Jewish imagery on Motzei Shabbos as thousands of Jewish teens packed the crossroads of the world. Energized by an uplifting Shabbos in Crown Heights at the 18th CTeen International Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world, they were now leading one of the most public displays of Jewish pride the world has ever seen.

“Throughout the year, these teens are on the frontlines, defending what it means to be Jewish,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “Tonight, Judaism is on the offense. The Rebbe taught us never to underestimate the power of youth, and this weekend is their springboard to change the face of Jewish life globally.”

“Am Yisrael Chai. 18 years strong. 18 years united. 18 years unapologetic,” declared Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director of CTeen International at Merkos 302, marking CTeen’s chai anniversary. “Tonight, we celebrate the true life, the life of Torah.”

The annual Times Square Takeover, a signature moment of the CTeen International Shabbaton, drew 7,000 participants from 60 countries to the crossroads of the world for Havdalah, a live concert, and a night of unapologetic Jewish pride. CTeen, the world’s largest Jewish teen network, has held the takeover annually, transforming Times Square into one of the most visible displays of Jewish identity anywhere.

“Times Square is incredible, just that energy, thousands of Jewish teens all together.” said Ethan Hobbs, CTeen leader at KCTeen Kansas City. “I’m 18, CTeen is 18. I’ve grown up alongside this movement.”

Singer Benny Friedman led Havdalah on stage, marking the transition from Shabbos to a new week. Nissim Black performed concert sets that kept the crowd on its feet.

A milestone announcement brought the night to a roar. CTeen revealed it has reached 900 chapters worldwide, spanning over 60 countries. What began 18 years ago with a handful of chapters has grown into the world’s largest Jewish teen movement, with a presence on six continents, from Budapest to Asunción to Hong Kong.

“I’m excited to help my brother get ignited in his Jewish journey,” Hobbs said. “This is my last Shabbaton, but it’s my brother’s first. I’ve been co-president of my CTeen and helped grow it into the largest youth group in town. Now it’s time to inspire others to do the same.”

The emotional peak arrived when Matan Zangauker, Ilana Gritzewsky, and Segev Kalfon, freed hostages, took the stage and declared “Shema Yisrael” together with the teens. Among them was Segev Kalfon, who had dreamed of saying Shema upon his release from Hamas captivity. He said it Saturday night, not from a cellar in Gaza, but from a proud Jewish stage in the heart of Times Square. Singer Noam Buskila then joined the hostages and teens for a heartfelt “Shir Hama’alos.”

Rabbi Kotlarsky, who had just returned from the Kinus in Bondi, turned the crowd’s attention to Sydney, where on the first night of Chanukah, fifteen people were murdered at Bondi Beach, among them CTeen Bondi director Rabbi Eli Schlanger HY”D.

The Rebbe’s message played on the massive screens, addressing how Jews respond to tragedy with strength and action. Then Priva Schlanger, Rabbi Schlanger’s eldest daughter, took the stage. “One year ago, my father saw you, proud, connected Jewish leaders, and CTeen Bondi was born,” she told the crowd. “Losing my father shattered our world. But it did not shatter his mission. The answer isn’t why. It’s what can we do.” She paused. “Darkness doesn’t define the moment. Our actions do.”

Rabbi Kotlarsky, together with philanthropist Igor Tulchinsky, surprised Priva with the announcement of “Rabbi Eli’s Lounge,” a new CTeen Lounge to be built in Rabbi Schlanger’s memory.

“There’s one thing we will make sure of,” Kotlarsky told the crowd, “light will always have the final word.”

This past week, Machon Lemaan Yilmedu held a series of examinations for students across its various study tracks, following approximately half a year of dedicated study of halacha.

The series of tests began with Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Marlow, rabbi of the Chabad community in North Miami Beach, who tested students studying Hilchos Shabbos and subsequently examined students in the Orach Chaim study program.

This was followed by an exam conducted by Rabbi Tuvia Kasimov, a moreh tzedek in Crown Heights, for students in the Semicha program in Issur V’Heter. The exam was held via Zoom for students from across the United States and even from other countries around the world, during which the students demonstrated understanding and knowledge of Hilchos Basar B’chalav, including the rulings of the Mechaber and the major halachic commentators.

In a separate exam, students were tested on Hilchos Mikvaos, as well as Hilchos Shabbos in the advanced track, by Rabbi Gedalya Oberlander, Rav of the Chabad community in Kingston, Pennsylvania. This exam was also held via Zoom, with most participants being shluchim who are studying these halachos in order to build a mikveh in their communities.

Along with the series of Zoom exams, an in-person exam was held with Rabbi Gavriel Zinner — author of the Nitei Gavriel series — at his beis medrash in Boro Park. The exam was taken by students of the Semicha program, alongside those studying Orach Chaim and students of the Safrus track.

For a full hour, Rabbi Zinner examined the students and expressed admiration for their great dedication to the practical study of halacha — particularly on the part of people who work during the week to earn a livelihood, yet uphold both halves of the partnership: that of Yissachar and that of Zevulun. He encouraged them to continue investing in their studies, and paid tribute to the memory of Rabbi Zushe Wilhelm a”h, who served as director of the Machon in the United States and led the revolution in the study of halacha in Chabad.

At the conclusion of the exam, Rabbi Chaim Yisroel Wilhelm thanked Rabbi Zinner for examining the students and for the guidance he has provided to Lemaan Yilmedu since its founding. He wished him that he merit to continue leading his community for many long years, until the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.

At 8:30 PM ET, the CTeen International Shabbaton’s annual Times Square Takeover will transform Duffy Square into a celebration of Jewish identity, broadcast live from the heart of New York City. The massive screens of Times Square will be substituted with Jewish messages of resilience and tradition, and videos of the Rebbe, as teens from 60 countries gather for Havdalah, a live concert, and addresses from freed hostages, community leaders, and public figures.

The event caps an uplifting Shabbos in Crown heights, where 4,578 teens from 486 cities traveled to New York for the 18th annual CTeen Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world. CTeen, the world’s largest teen movement, connects Jewish teens to their heritage through nearly 900 chapters worldwide.

“Throughout the year, these teens are on the frontlines explaining what being Jewish means to their peers and classmates,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “Now they’re walking into Times Square to show the world what Jewish pride looks like. Loud, proud, and unapologetic.”

For many of the teens, the moment is personal. They come from communities where they’re the only Jewish student in their school, from countries where wearing a Kippah takes courage. Tonight, surrounded by thousands who share that experience, they stand together in the most iconic intersection on earth, sending a powerful message to the world. It’s the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who saw Jewish youth not as the future of the Jewish people, but as its leaders today.

The gathering carries a pointed message. Among those addressing the crowd will be freed hostages who endured months of captivity in Gaza. Two years ago, CTeen stood in this same spot and prayed for the release of former hostage Yosef Chaim. Tonight, he’s here to say thank you. Teens from Bondi Beach, whose rabbi was murdered in the Chanukah terror attack two months ago, will also take the stage.

In a year marked by rising antisemitism worldwide, the teens’ presence in Times Square is a declaration: Jewish life is alive, vibrant, and not going anywhere.

Each teen will return home to their community carrying that message with them, serving as ambassadors of Jewish pride in their schools, their cities, and their countries.

Watch live at 8:30 PM ET:

The Shabbaton continues tomorrow with a closing event at Nassau Coliseum, where 8,000 are expected.

LIVE:

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

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

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

VIDEO:

This past week, members of the Crown Heights Beis Din met with members of the Vaad Hakohol for what was called “a focused discussion on strengthening the community and its institutions.”

Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun thanked the Vaad for its ongoing efforts and for standing behind the Rabbonim as they serve the community.

They encouraged the Vaad to continue its work with unity and clarity, stressing that the success of the community depends on achdus and cooperation.

Present were Vaad Hakohol Executive Director Meir Bukchin and board members Berel Hildeshaim, Shmuel Rosenstein, Zalman Friedman, Dovid Halon, Yitzie Kamman and Meir New.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared responsibility to build in a way that benefits the entire Crown Heights community. The meeting concluded with a tefillah that through increased achdus.

Millions along the East Coast are set to get walloped by a massive blizzard that could drop as much as 24 inches of snow in some parts of the region stretching from New York City up to Boston and beyond, forecasters said.

More than 1,700 flights were canceled Saturday in anticipation of the treacherous conditions at major travel hubs like JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Boston Logan to ensure operational safety, according to FOX Weather.

That hasn’t happened for the city in nine years. And projected snow totals are rising for some of us.

The storm is predicted to begin Sunday and rage into Monday morning with wind gusts of more than 60 mph and with snow expected to fall between 1 and 3 inches per hour in some areas, causing experts to warn of potential power outages and coastal flooding.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island and Southern Westchester County beginning Sunday morning — ahead of the major nor’easter that will bring a predicted 18 to 24 inches of snow to the Big Apple alone.

“As our city prepares for levels of snow not seen since 2016, my administration is ready. We are activating every tool at our disposal to keep New Yorkers safe, informed and indoors,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “We all have a role to play in keeping our communities and neighbors safe, and so while DSNY loads salt spreaders and DOT prepares our streets for snowfall, I am encouraging every New Yorker to stay inside and avoid travel.”

Extreme Impact Zones — when substantial disruptions to daily life are expected — have been expanded to include New York City and Boston, Fox Weather reported.

Travel will be treacherous and potentially life-threatening, the National Weather Service said. The blizzard warning takes effect at 1 p.m. Sunday and lasts through 6 p.m. Monday. Check the latest severe weather alerts for your neighborhood here.

As of Saturday afternoon, forecasts showed at least a foot of snow is expected for the five boroughs, along with central Jersey and Nassau County on Long Island. More is certainly in the cards.

Some farther east on Long Island and down the Jersey Shore could see well more. Totals may be a little lower farther north and west, with parts of the Hudson Valley, North Jersey and Connecticut in the 5- to 8-inch range.

Snow will begin light with slightly above-freezing temperatures, so accumulations through Sunday afternoon will be relatively small. The heaviest snow will happen after sunset Sunday and continue into early Monday morning before it begins to taper off.

Travel Sunday night will be a mess, with heavy snow and gusty wind. The morning commute on Monday will be terrible, too. While the snow will be coming to an end, the winds will lead to blowing snow and reduced visibility, making roads awful to navigate.

The storm system will begin pulling away Monday afternoon, so conditions will begin to improve, with dry skies and sunshine taking over Tuesday.

By Rabbi Asher Zeilingold, Clear Vision

For over a decade, Chabad had built an impressive network of Jewish educational institutions in Morocco and Tunisia. However, when the French – who had maintained a strong presence in many North African countries – were ousted, the situation for the Jewish communities in those regions deteriorated.

Many Jews immigrated to the newly established State of Israel, while a sizable number relocated to France. The Rebbe urged the Chabad yeshiva in Brunoy, France, to actively recruit these immigrants and encourage them to enroll in the school.

The yeshiva wrote to the Rebbe asking that he send young students to assist the young North African students to acclimate. A few months later, in the winter of 1962, I was called into the office of Rabbi Elya Simpson, a member of the school’s presidium. He said that, together with five others, I had been chosen to travel to the French yeshiva. We would be the second such group, dubbed by the Rebbe “Student Shluchim,” to go to a far-off yeshiva.

It was a bold idea, since we didn’t know French and only a few among us knew Hebrew. Still, it seemed the Rebbe wanted the trip to be more than just for the North African students. As Rabbi Simpson explained, it was to “increase the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the students and communities there and intensify the fulfillment of the Chasidic way of life.”

A week before we left, on February 4th, we had an audience with the Rebbe. A week later, early on a Friday morning, we all arrived with our luggage at 770, from where we would take a bus to the New York Harbor and begin our journey to France aboard the RMS Queen Mary.

Our friends and family came to wish us success in our new mission. As we were about to leave, the Rebbe – who on Fridays usually came to 770 only in the afternoon – also arrived. Standing near the entrance of 770, the rebbe joined the crowd in singing and clapping “ki besimchah taitzeiyu.”

The Rebbe saw us onto the bus, and stayed back as our immediate family and close friends joined us on the ride to the harbor. At the dock, they were allowed on board as well. To the astonishment of the hundreds of people on board, we all danced on deck. Moved by our enthusiasm, some of the onlookers joined in.

When we arrived in France, we informed the Rebbe that we had arrived safely, but sending other telegrams or making phone calls was prohibitively expensive. I assumed that my parents would understand that if they did not hear from us.

However, the Rebbe felt differently, and he told his secretary to call each family and inform them that we had arrived safely.

An excerpt from Clear Vision: Living by the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Guidance, available at ClearVisionBook.com.

Photos: Shmuel Lerner/COLlive

This week is Parshas Terumah

Candle Lighting in Crown Heights: 5:19 PM
Shabbos ends: 6:19 PM

This week’s Shalom Zachors:
Shmuel and Rochel Leah Lang – Ohel Nosson, 580 Crown Street back room
Shmuly & Chava Butler – 338 Crown Street (between NY and Nostrand)
Shlomo and Mrs. Hilale – 1349 President St [Between Kingston and Brooklyn Aves]
Mendy and Mrs. Wanono – Beth Menachem Shull, 770 Lefferts Ave. [Between Troy and Schenectady Aves]
Dovid and Mrs. New – 416 Rutland RD [Between Brooklyn and New York Aves]

Good Shabbos from the staff of COLlive.com!

Kira Rothchild traveled nearly 24 hours by plane from Sydney, Australia to New York City, and standing among thousands of Jewish teens from around the world, she felt it was worth every minute. “Being in New York City with thousands of Jewish teens shows that we are not alone, we are a community, and we are together,” said the Sydney teen. “I love showing my pride of being Jewish with everyone else.”

For the Sydney delegation, that pride carries extra weight. In the wake of a terror attack that shook their community, showing up, loudly and visibly Jewish, was itself a statement. And show up they did, alongside 4,578 teens from over 60 countries descending on New York for the CTeen International Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world.

You couldn’t miss them. Across all five boroughs, the iconic CTeen beanies became a sea of color and identity, on the subway, at the Statue of Liberty, at the Empire State Building, at the Ohel. Thousands of Jewish teens, unmistakably proud, unmistakably together.

“Walking into this room, you feel it instantly, Jewish life isn’t just alive; it’s thriving,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “Our teens are showing the world what Jewish pride looks like, and that energy is what will carry our people forward. The future is bright.”

“The theme of this year’s Shabbaton is ‘Live the Life,'” shared Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director of CTeen International, “all about how teens are showing up to live openly and fiercely Jewish.”

Running Thursday through Sunday night, the Shabbaton fans teens out across 23 different tracks through New York City before drawing them back to Crown Heights for a powerful Shabbos candle lighting, opening 25 hours of tefillos, meals, learning, and inspiration.

At registration, alongside swag bags and the iconic CTeen hoodies, teens filled out personal mitzvah commitments in the merit of safety and protection for their brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. From lighting Shabbat candles to putting on tefillin to acts of kindness, each pledge turned Jewish pride into Jewish action.

https://collive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/108008.mp4

Rabbi Ephraim and Shprintza Balter, Chabad of the Meadowlands, NJ

While the weekly tailgate parties at MetLife Stadium consume much of our focus during the football season, we’re busy year-round with various other projects as well.

At the southern edge of the Meadowlands is one of New Jersey’s remaining county jails, which houses both local and federal inmates, as they make their way though the justice systems and corrections process. I visit at least once a week to meet with and assist the Jewish inmates.

Pinny* had been jailed for a few months already, awaiting his trial and sentencing. He came from a Torah-observant home, but the jail was only able to accommodate his religious needs to a certain extent. He relied on me for tefillin, books, and, of course, words of chizuk.

It was a long summer Wednesday, my usual jail visit day, but a few other pressing matters came up, and I missed my chance. By the time I returned home, it was dinner and bedtime for my children. When they’d all been successfully put to bed, I realized the long summer day made it possible for Pinny to put on tefillin that day!

I quickly drove to the jail and practically ran to Pinny, beating shkiyah by a small margin. As Pinny wrapped the black straps around his arms and said Shema, I noticed another inmate watching us. I recognized him due to his intimidating and imposing stature. He’d been in the same tier as Pinny for some months, but had never paid me any mind during my visits. But today, his continued stares made me apprehensive.

Finally, he ambled over. “It’s a bit late for that, no?” he asked. “Isn’t that supposed to be done before sundown?”

While my mind tried computing how he would possibly know such a niche halachah, I answered his question, explaining that sundown was still a few minutes away.

“What was that all about?” I asked Pinny, quietly, as he removed the tefillin with a reverent kiss.

“I think his grandmother was Jewish,” Pinny replied. “I’m not exactly sure what his story is.”

That was enough to intrigue me. I searched out Ernesto* and asked him about himself.

“My Grandma was Israeli,” he told me. “She was real upset when my mother joined up with my father – a non-Jewish Puerto Rican man. She kicked my mother out, but eventually, she let us back in to live with her. We weren’t religious or anything, but my grandma lived near a bunch of Jews, so I kinda got some of the rules and lingo down.”

Ernesto favored his father, and while the jail administrators would defer to me in allowing him religious privileges, I knew I had to do my due diligence in verifying his story. Unfortunately, honesty isn’t considered a high virtue in these institutions, and inmates are known to make up all kinds of “Bubbe Maises.” I found his maternal grandmother’s gravestone, right in the heart of a Jewish cemetery. His story checked out.

“If your maternal grandmother is Jewish, so are you!” I told Ernesto on my next visit.

His face lit up. “I’d love to learn more about what that means,” he said. A shadow crossed over his face. “I’ll have plenty of time to do nothing but. I just took a plea-deal for at least a 10-year sentence.”

I connected Ernesto with organizations and resources that could help. He began learning to read Hebrew, and devoured online articles about everything Jewish. He keeps a picture of the Rebbe in his cell, and hopes his newfound faith will help him through the tough times ahead.
——————-
Tailgating is an unusual – but incredibly important – way of doing shlichus. I take my inspiration from the Rebbe, who introduced the concept of “Mitzvah Tanks,” mobile centers that met Jews where they were and brought Yiddishkeit to them on the streets, rather than waiting for them to visit a synagogue. For many, our tailgate party is the only interaction with Yiddishkeit they have all year.

We started off slowly at first, but one year, we decided to host a tailgate party at every single game. But one Sunday, I was debating whether or not to set up my usual party. It was a night game, so the action wouldn’t start until 8:00 PM. On those cold winter days, shkiyah came at 4:30. Fans wouldn’t arrive before 3:00 at the earliest, so there wouldn’t be much time to do mivtzoyim before shkiyah. But I knew they were expecting me, so I packed everything up, rounded up some bochurim, and made the drive from Brooklyn to New Jersey.

It was a race against time, as the bochurim and I wrapped as many tefillins as we could before the sun set. Once it grew dark, the frenzy stopped. We sat around the campfire, warming our frozen hands against the flames. The game wouldn’t start for hours, so we had plenty of time to sit, eat, and chat. There were a bunch of football fans who joined us on those folding chairs, and it soon turned into a bonafide farbrengen.

Jason* told us he’d decided to never again step foot in a synagogue after having some bad experiences.

“This is the only ‘synagogue’ where I feel welcome and comfortable,” he told us.

We continued farbrenging about Yiddishkeit and its pertinence to and meaning in our lives. I could see how thoughtful Jason was, and how deeply the farbrengen affected him.

Jason may have decided he’d never go to shul again, but, baruch Hashem, we were able to bring the shul to him! It proved just how impactful our presence was. Although many of our interactions lasted only moments, this gave us the opportunity for a greater, deeper connection.
—————–
Boruch* was a young man who’d grown up in a traditional Chassidish home. He never fit into the typical mold, and had rambunctious energy that made his teachers and parents throw up their hands in despair.

Boruch belonged to a texting chain called “Daily Tefillin Selfies.” Every member of the group committed to putting on tefillin every day, and encouraged each other by posting their daily selfie with the black boxes and leather straps.

One day, Boruch was with a group of friends, exploring American Dream Mall, when he realized he hadn’t put on tefillin that morning.

Boruch turned to the internet, tagging Chabad in his post, asking Are there any tefillin in American Dream?

That inspired a sponsor to donate two pairs of tefillin for the mall. Within 24 hours, tefillin were available in two stores in high-traffic areas, so anyone who needs a pair can easily access one.

While we’re working to create something with more reach, the tefillin stands have proved invaluable. I often get calls from mall goers looking for tefillin or a minyan. Baruch Hashem, we’ve been able to help many Jews.
—————–
I met Dmitri* in the jail, lost, hurt, and confused. A business matter had become rather thorny, and he was to serve as a warning for the masses. While the lawyers pounded out the issues in court, Dmitri remained in jail for over a year. During that year, I visited him regularly, and we formed a close friendship.

Dmitri was born in the Soviet Union, under Communist rule. His parents were loyal Stalinists, and upheld the “motherland” over all else. Brought up on a diet of Communist ideals, it was incredible that Dmitri had any leanings towards anything Jewish, but, inexplicably, he did.

At 18, he made the ultimate rebellion against his parents – he underwent a bris, firmly declaring his allegiance to his faith, rather than the political ideology of his youth. He kept it a secret from his parents, although his recovery was slow and difficult.

Eventually, he emigrated with his wife and children. Although one of his sons grew up to embrace a Torah-true life, Dmitri himself remained largely ignorant of Torah and mitzvos. He struggled to read Hebrew, but over time, became more connected with his roots. He began davening and wearing tefillin every day, and valued his relationship with Hashem.

When he moved to the US, he opened a business and looked forward to a peaceful interlude. Unfortunately, his legal troubles landed him in jail instead. I was able to bring him books, give him tefillin, and, most importantly, talk with him and offer him chizuk and comfort.

Baruch Hashem, Dmitri is now free and ready to take full advantage of his new lease on life.
——————-
My mother-in-law, Mrs. Yadida Flint, is a known figure in Crown Heights, particularly in 770, which she visits daily. She’s renowned for her energy, passion, sincerity, and friendliness. Since we’ve moved to the Meadowlands, she is extremely proud to have children on shlichus.

One day in 770, just a few months after we’d moved, she saw a woman who needed a ride back home. My mother-in-law got on the case immediately, asking all the women around if any of them had a car and could do this chessed. Unsurprisingly for such a transit-reliant city, no one did. My mother-in-law then spied a young woman who’d just come in, who was looking around curiously, and seemed at a loss of what to do.

My mother-in-law greeted her and asked, as she had everyone else, if she had a car. She was almost shocked to hear a “Yes…?” My mother-in-law asked her a few friendly questions and found out that her brother, who was on a journey discovering his Yiddishkeit, had convinced the girl, Diana*, to visit 770.

“Where do you live?” my mother-in-law asked.

“New Jersey,” Diana replied.

“Oh! My daughter and son-in-law just moved there on shlichus!” my mother-in-law gushed. “I must put you in touch with them! Where do you live?”

Although New Jersey is a big state, and the Meadowlands isn’t known as a particularly Jewish area, Diana lived just around the corner from us!

Since then, Diana has been a frequent visitor, and has become a great family friend. She learns regularly with my wife, and has become more interested in discovering her heritage.

*Names changed to protect privacy

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By COLlive Reporter

For two years, as Segev Kalfon languished in a tunnel in Gaza, held hostage by Hamas terrorists, he clung to a single dream. When he would finally be released, and expecting to be released in a public ceremony as the hostages before him, he would stand before his captors and proclaim Shema Yisrael for all to hear.

In the end, Hamas halted the grotesque release ceremonies before Segev’s freedom. But he remained determined to proclaim Hashem’s unity to the entire world. “They didn’t let me shout Shema Yisrael in Gaza,” he said. “I’ll shout Shema Yisrael in New York.”

That moment came on Friday morning at 770.

Surrounded by thousands of teens from the CTeen Shabbaton and hundreds of onlookers, Segev donned tefillin, took the microphone, and, in a voice filled with emotion, called out: “Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad!”

The words were answered instantly, echoing back thousands of times over as the teens, who had joined him moments earlier for a mass tefillin laying, responded in unison.

“For two years, CTeens around the world prayed for the hostages, performed mitzvos for their release, and carried them in their hearts,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International. “To finally meet one of them, and to hear a message of emunah directly from him, struck a very deep chord.”

Following the massive tefillin laying and the recitation of Shema, Segev shared a brief message. Remarks were also delivered by Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director of CTeen International.

“Segev spoke powerfully about recognizing that everything comes from Hashem,” said Ethan Hobbs, a CTeen leader who is here with his delegation from KCTeen Kansas City. “He shared that his chances of surviving October 7 were only one percent, yet he survived with Hashem’s help. It was a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, trusting that Hashem is in charge gives us the strength to persevere.”

Segev also shared that while he had only put on tefillin a handful of times before October 7, since his release, he has committed to putting on tefillin every day. “If I don’t put on tefillin one day,” he said, “I feel like I can’t go on with my day.”

The Friday morning tefillin and Shema was just one moment in a packed weekend, as 4,578 Jewish teens gathered for the Shabbaton, the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world.

Beginning Thursday and continuing through Sunday night, the Shabbaton showcases vibrant Jewish pride across New York, with major events across the city.

On Friday, the teens fan out on 23 different tracks across New York City, visiting iconic sites including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, sacred sites such as the Ohel and an insider shtetl tour of Crown Heights. Before the teens return to Crown Heights to welcome Shabbos, with a powerful candle lighting ceremony, ushering in 25 hours of spirited tefillos, meals, learning sessions, and high-energy inspiration.

“The theme of this year’s Shabbaton is ‘Live the Life,’” shares Rabbi Rivkin, “teaching, and showing, the teens how to live fully and fiercely Jewish. On Friday, they saw it in action, from emunah forged in the darkest places, to visible, confident Jewish pride in the heart of New York City, the world’s most public stage.”

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Despite reports of what was forecast to be the coldest weekend in years, students of Chaya Mushka High School in Atlanta, Georgia, were enthused to visit New York for the weekend leading up to Chof Beis Shevat.

Accompanied by the principal, Morah Shelley Feinblum; their mechaneches, Mrs. Mushka Kesselman; and their devoted shluchos, Deborah Leah Wineburg and Leah Barendt, a full program was organized and executed despite the weather.

The girls visited the Ohel, the Rebbe’s library, and the Rebbe’s room, enhancing their connection to and enriching their appreciation of the Rebbe and Chabad.

They also witnessed the hustle and bustle surrounding the Kinus Hashluchos, which gave them a fuller understanding of the greater Chabad world of which they are a part.

The students were the recipients of Crown Heights hospitality at its finest, with engaging, informative, and enjoyable Shabbos meals replete with delicious food for both body and soul.

The girls had a great time at a Jewish-themed escape room in Flatbush, enjoyed visiting local stores, met with friends and family, and spent time cementing their connection as a group.

The girls returned to Atlanta feeling grateful to have been part of this inaugural trip and happy to have had such a stellar opportunity for growth and good times.

The High School is now welcoming applications for 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade.

After more than a decade of devoted service to the Northwest Suburban Chabad community, Rabbi Mendel and Esther Katz are embarking on a new chapter in shlichus with the establishment of Chabad of Lincolnshire.

For over ten years, the Katzes built personal connections with community members of all ages, from young children to seniors as old as one hundred and four, through Hebrew school, adult education, holiday programs, and a wide range of activities.

Now, inspired by the Rebbe’s call that every community where Jews live should have a Chabad house as soon as possible so that Jewish life and kindness can grow, spread, and flourish, Rabbi Mendel and Esther are bringing a permanent Chabad presence to the Village of Lincolnshire.

The intentionally small, residential, and green village offers its residents a vibrant yet distinctly suburban lifestyle, attracting families seeking a wholesome community environment. Chabad of Lincolnshire will serve Jewish individuals and families throughout the village, supporting their Jewish needs and allowing authentic Yiddishkeit to flourish.

Together with their children, Mushka, Yosef, Nachman, and Yisrael, Rabbi Mendel and Esther are committed to building a welcoming and vibrant Jewish home for the Lincolnshire community.

With the partnership and participation of community members, Chabad of Lincolnshire will grow into a thriving center of Jewish life, bringing the Rebbe’s vision to life and strengthening the spiritual fabric of the village.

To learn more or to support Chabad of Lincolnshire, visit www.charidy.com/lincolnshire

New York City’s top elected officials joined more than 4,500 Jewish teenagers from 60 countries on Thursday night to kick off the 18th annual CTeen International Summit, the largest gathering of Jewish teens, with a solidarity event for a delegation of teens from Sydney, Australia, site of the deadly Chanukah terror attack two months ago.

The international conference, held in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, brought together New York City Comptroller Mark Levine; Speaker of the City Council Julie Menin; Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez; Council Member Crystal Hudson; Jahmila Edwards, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; District Leader Pinny Ringel; Deputy Consul General Mr. Michal Kaplan of the Czech Republic; and Carmen Esser, Head of the Political Section at the German Consulate, Pinny Hikind, Comptroller’s Jewish Liaison, Jacob Eisdorfer, Special Advisor to the Brooklyn Borough President.

NYPD Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, Chief Charles Minch; Ronald Perez, Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct, accompanied by Jonathan Connors, Community Affairs; NYPD Chief Richie Taylor; and Kenneth S. Gorman, Inspector, Transit Bureau Brooklyn.

Representing Chabad was Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen, as well as Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, The PR Liaison at Chabad Headquarters, and Rabbi Shimon Rivkin of CTeen International.

The event was the first of numerous uplifting programs at the four-day Summit, which runs through Sunday and is organized by CTeen, the Chabad Teen Network, the world’s largest Jewish teen organization. CTeen operates 900 chapters in over 60 countries worldwide, empowering Jewish teens to explore their identity, develop as leaders, and build connections to Jewish life and community.

The evening’s most powerful moment came when 17-year-old Priva Schlanger took the stage together with the Sydney delegation. Schlanger’s father, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was among 15 people murdered during the Chanukah terror attack at Bondi Beach on December 14.

Just months before his death, Rabbi Schlanger had launched CTeen Bondi and begun planning for this trip. His daughter traveled to New York with a delegation from CTeen in Sydney to continue what her father started.

Together with 4,500 teens from 486 cities, the Bondi delegation joined in singing “Oseh Shalom”, a traditional Jewish prayer for peace.
Comptroller Levine welcomed the teens from more than 60 countries in Spanish, French, and Hebrew, sharing a message of solidarity and support.

“This is a challenging time for Jews around the world,” Levine said. “But we are inspired by the strength of the teens from Sydney, including Priva. You are the pride of the Jewish people.”

Speaker Menin, the first Jewish Speaker of the New York City Council and the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors whose family found refuge in Sydney, Australia, addressed the teens.
“This is the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the world, and I can’t describe the hope and pride I feel looking out at all of you,” Menin said. “You embody Jewish pride, and that is exactly what we need more of.”

Turning to the Sydney delegation, Menin added, “Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your bravery. You are our heroes. The fact that you are here is a reflection of your strength.” She noted a personal connection to Australia, sharing that after the Holocaust, Australia was the only country that accepted her mother and family. “We are so thrilled to have you here.”

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, who also directs the international conference of Shluchim, had just returned from the conference of Australian and New Zealand Chabad rabbis at Bondi Beach, and spoke about the impact of the Australian teens’ decision to attend.

“These teens lived through something no teenager should ever have to experience,” Kotlarsky said. “And their response has been to show up, be more Jewish, and be more proud.”

Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez pledged to the gathered teens that fighting antisemitism extends beyond any single community.

“It’s not just the responsibility of the Jewish community. It’s the responsibility of everyone,” Gonzalez said. “antisemitism has no place in this city.”

Council Member Hudson, who represents the Crown Heights district where the event took place, urged the teens to take pride in who they are. “Be proud of your heritage. Be proud of your religion. Be proud of who you are,” she said.

Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, Director of CTeen International, who emceed the evening, recalled that only months ago, Rabbi Eli Schlanger had sat in his office at Chabad Headquarters, requesting to open a chapter in Bondi. Seeing Priva carry that work forward, Rivkin said, was a continuation of her father’s mission.

The Summit will continue through the weekend with programming across NYC and will conclude with a closing ceremony at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island on Sunday. The 2026 gathering represents the largest in the event’s 18-year history, with over 8,000 in attendance.

In Parshas Terumah, Hashem gives Moshe Rabbeinu detailed instructions for building the Mishkan. In this week’s “Oddities and Observations,” Dovid Taub wonders whether the halachah that a synagogue must be the tallest building in town means he should remove his attic.

The “Commentary Kaleidoscope” for this edition offers over 25 different explanations of the mysterious tachash skins used in the Mishkan, from a multicolored unicorn, to a common thick-skinned animal whose hides were prized for aristocratic shoes.

This week’s “Parshah Poll” features real reader responses to the question: “Are we currently experiencing a Divine homelessness crisis?”

You can download this week’s “Parshah Almanac” for free here. The two-page PDF can be printed double-sided on a single sheet of paper.

To get the Parshah Almanac in your inbox each week, sign up here.

And join the Creative Judaism WhatsApp group to answer the weekly Parshah Poll and get more content from Dovid Taub.

When Divine service is deeply personal, where does Aliyah – immigration to Israel – fit in? How vital is it for spiritual growth? The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s keen comparison of a Jewish worshipper to a mountain climber, who must continue “to climb or slide back;” and the Holy Land to a palace, where encounters with the King require intense preparation – study of Chassidism, strict Torah observance, and proper motivations.

In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h

“The Palace of the King”

By the Grace of G-d
30 Tishrei 5720
Brooklyn, NY

Mr. Nissen Plotkin
5569 Esplanade Ave.
Montreal, Quebec
Canada

Greeting and Blessing:

I received your letter of the 17th of Tishrei, in which you write about your background and activities. I was especially gratified to read about your activities to strengthen Yiddishkeit in your environment, in the field of kashruth, etc. I am especially pleased to read on that you realize there is a great deal more to be done. For the realization that there is more to be done ought to bring forth additional forces to meet the challenge. All the more so, since every one of us is commanded to go from strength to strength in all matters of holiness, which should be on the ascendency.

In this connection it is well to remember the saying of my father-in-law of saintly memory that at this time every Jew should consider himself in the position of a mountain climber, climbing a steep mountain. In this situation he must continue to climb or slide back, for he cannot remain stationary. It is also a well-known law of physics that the rate of a falling object accelerates. The lesson is obvious.

I read with interest about the books which you read and study. I was surprised to note the absence of the Tanya and other works on Chassidus, which you no doubt could study in the original, though part of this literature is available also in English. The study of Chassidus would not only be greatly inspiring to yourself, but would also have a great influence on your work and inspiration on behalf of others. Young people not burdened by family responsibilities, and still full of youthful energy, should make the fullest use of their opportunities.

I trust that you have friends among Anash [your congregation] with whom you can discuss a method of learning Chassidus and what sources you should study, though I imagine you should have also a fairly good idea. But, nevertheless, many heads are better than one.

Holy Land

As for your question with regard to my attitude towards the Holy Land, etc., I trust you saw my reply to the question “What is a Jew?”, which has been published both in Eretz Yisroel and here in America. Your particular question with regard to emigration and settling in Eretz Yisroel does not indicate whether it refers to yourself or is in a general way. But my answer would depend on the circumstances of each individual, for it is not possible to give a blanket advice on such an important question.

I should like, however, to emphasize one general point. No matter how much it is expected of a Jew in regard to the Torah and mitzvoth, wherever he may be, a great deal is expected of him if he is in Eretz Yisroel, of which the Torah states, “It is the land on which the eyes of G-d, thy G-d, are from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” So much so, that it is regarded as a Holy Land even among non-Jews. Our Sages refer to it as “The Palace of the King.” A person wishing to enter the Royal Palace must be prepared to answer such questions as on what business is he there, and he must be properly prepared in every way. It is demonstrated by his conduct and actions that he realizes he is in the Royal Palace. It is surely unnecessary to elaborate.

May G-d grant that you will succeed in what is your true and inner purpose in life, namely to spread Yiddishkeit, and in an ever-growing way, and may you have good news to report always,

With blessing,

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Rabbi Heschel Greenberg has launched a new series of classes on the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah in response to the Rebbe’s call to learn at least one halacha in depth.

The Rebbe initiated a major effort to unite all Jews with the study of the entire encyclopedic work, Mishneh Torah, by learning three chapters a day and completing the entire work in less than a year. Alternatively, one can learn one chapter and complete the entire Mishneh Torah in close to three years. The Rebbe also gave a third option to study Maimonides’ companion work, Sefer Hamitzvos that parallel the Mishneh Torah.

In addition, the Rebbe requested that we learn one halacha in depth.

We recently began the 46nd cycle of Mishneh Torah which inspired Rabbi Greenberg to record brief classes on selected passages of the Mishneh Torah.

Rabbi Heschel Greenberg is a shliach of the Rebbe in Buffalo NY and the Director of the Jewish Discovery Center, and, for the past 50 years, has taught thousands of classes on all aspects of Jewish knowledge.

Rabbi Greenberg has also authored dozens of works on diverse subjects including several volumes of commentary on the Mishneh Torah.

Many of Rabbi Greenberg’s classes can be accessed on his website rabbigreenberg.com.

Welcome to a genuine deep dive into Rambam’s precise language in Hilchos Teshuvah, Perek Aleph, Halacha Gimmel. This shiur explores a fundamental question: Why does the Rambam write BOTH “בזמן הזה שאין בית המקדש קיים” (nowadays there’s no Beis HaMikdash) AND “ואין לנו מזבח כפרה” (we don’t have a Mizbeach for atonement)? Couldn’t he have said just one?

In this week’s Olam Hahalachah, Rabbi Mendel Prescott, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Smicha and Rov of the Colony Community, examines Why We Take Out Two Sifrei Torah for Parshas Shekalim and Whether We Must.

Question: When the aron kodesh was opened for Krias HaTorah this past Shabbos, we realized that the Shekalim Sefer Torah had not been rolled; it was still at the Rosh Chodesh kriah in parshas Pinchos. What was the correct thing to do — to use the second Sefer Torah, or rather to roll the Parshas HaShavua one, currently at the end of Mishpatim?

Answer: The reason why a separate Sefer Torah is used for Shekalim is based on a Mishnah[1] that discusses the Krias HaTorah ceremony that took place in the Beis HaMikdash on Yom Kippur morning. The Kohen Gadol read Parshas Acharei Mos — just as we do — and then the Yom Kippur section in Parshas Emor. Afterwards, the Sefer Torah was rolled and wrapped. The Yom Kippur section from Parshas Pinchas (which we read as Maftir) was recited by heart.

The Gemara[2] explains that rolling the first Sefer Torah is not an option because “ein golelín Sefer Torah b’tzibur mipnei kevod hatzibur” — a Sefer Torah is not to be rolled in the presence of a tzibur out of respect for them, a rule better known as tircha d’tzibburah.

Why was there no issue for the Kohen Gadol to skip from Acharei Mos to Emor? In those days, a turgeman (translator) stood at the bimah, translating each passuk — which took several seconds. Since the rolling is only a few amudim, it could be completed while the turgeman is still speaking.[3]

For this reason, two Sifrei Torah are taken out whenever there is a special Maftir — to avoid having the tzibur wait while the Sefer Torah is rolled.

While this hold true in most cases, Parshas Shekalim, as we’ll see, may be treated differently for a practical reason: Parshas Shekalim always falls out within three parshiyos of its reading in Ki Sisa, requiring minimal rolling. (It can fall on either Mishpatim, Terumah, Vayakhel, or Pekudei – depending on the calendar).

In the late 1700’s, HaRav Nosson Adler in Frankfurt, Germany, had the practice in his Beis Midrash of taking out only one Sefer Torah for Parshas Shekalim for this reason.[4] In Yerushalayim in the 1800’s, HaRav Shmuel Salant is said to have done the same. Only when Rosh Chodesh fell on Shabbos — requiring a third kriah for Rosh Chodesh — did he instruct that three Sifrei Torah be used, since the Rosh Chodesh kriah is very far and would require significant rolling.

This idea is already mentioned by the Rishonim, such as Rabbeinu Yonasan,[5] who discusses the case of Shekalim falling on Parshas Tetzaveh (which cannot occur according to the current calendar but did occur in the times of the Gemara). He writes that one Sefer Torah suffices since no rolling is necessary.

However, that’s not a perfect comparison, because there is no rolling at all in that case, whereas from Mishpatim or even Terumah, there is still some minimal rolling. Moreover, the Gemara indicates that even minimal rolling should be avoided, as Acharei Mos to Emor (two parshiyos worth) would not be allowed if not for the turgeman’s delay.

As for Rav Nosson Adler’s practice, some argue it was not due to the minimal rolling but for another reason.[6] Rav Nosson Adler received two aliyos every Shabbos morning: as a Kohen he took the first Aliyah, and he was also consistently called up for Maftir. Getting two Aliyos is normally not an issue, if both krios come from the same Sefer Torah. But if Maftir is read form another Sefer Torah there is an issue of pegamo shel rishon – making appear as if the first Sefer Torah was invalid.[7] That is why Rav Nosson Adler used only one Sefer Torah.

Most of the Rishonim who discuss Krias Shekalim mention in passing that two Sifrei Torah are taken out for it.[8] Though, in the Tur or Mechaber we don’t find clear codification for that, as their only mention of multiple Sifrei Torah is in the context of when Shekalim coincides with Rosh Chodesh.[9] As for a regular year, they don’t address the number of Sifrei Torah at all, leaving no explicit ruling either way.

The matter seems to have remained debatable. The Orchos Rabbeinu[10] reports that at the Chazon Ish’s minyan, one Shabbos Shekalim that fell on Parshas Vayakhel, Rav Chaim Yosef Dinkels called out passionately that one Sefer Torah was sufficient. The Chazon Ish acquiesced — not to contradict Rav Dinkels publicly — though his personal opinion was always to take out two Sifrei Torah.

The question, however, remains: Why is there an issue of tircha d’tzibburah with such minimal rolling? Moreover, somewhat ironically, the time gained by avoiding the rolling — which amounts to about fifteen seconds — is offset by the hagbah–gelilah process required for the second Sefer Torah.

The Ri’tz Gei’es[11] seems to address this question and provides a rationale. He quotes a phrase from the Gemara, brought in various contexts: dilma asi l’misrach — “they may come to continue…” In other words, although there may be justification in this particular case to simply roll the Sefer Torah, if the practice of taking out two Sifrei Torah is not set as a fixed rule, people might extend that practice to other cases where rolling would indeed cause tircha d’tzibburah.

Back to your question: since the main reason for using a second Sefer Torah is to avoid extra rolling, it would be counterintuitive to take out the second Sefer Torah and spend time rolling it b’tzibur. It therefore seems more reasonable to use one Sefer and spend the fifteen seconds rolling it before Maftir—especially since it can be rolled during a mi shebeirach, causing no delay at all.

Read the answer and download the full Olam Hahalachah publication.

Sign up to receive the Olam Hahalachah each week straight to your inbox by clicking here.

[1] מסכת יומא (פרק ז משנה א)
[2] מסכת יומא (ע, א)
[3] מסכת יומא (סט, ב)
[4] ספר נחל אשכול (חלק ב עמוד סו, אות יא)
[5] הובא בנימוקי יוסף מגילה (כט, ב)
[6] ראה בספר מנהגים והליכות של רבינו נת’קע אדלער ז”ל (עמוד נו בהערות)
[7] מסכת יומא (ע, א)
[8] כגון, האבודרהם (ארבע פרשיות), מנהגי מהרי”ל (סדר ארבע פרשיות), וכל בו (סימן כ).
[9] או”ח סימן תרפה (סעיף א)
[10] חלק ג (עמוד לב, אות א)
[11] הלכות מגילה, בסופו

By COLlive Reporter

Family and friends from near and far gathered in College Station, Texas, this week for an emotional and uplifting series of events in honor of the miraculous recovery and homecoming of Leibel Lazaroff, 20, who was shot and seriously wounded in the Chanukah terror attack in Bondi, Australia, and underwent 11 surgeries and weeks in the hospital.

Leibel, son of Rabbi Yossi and Manya Lazaroff, Directors of Chabad at Texas A and M University in College Station, returned home two weeks ago to a warm welcome from family and friends.

The Seudas Hodaah took place on Motzei Shabbos, as family and friends who had already come in for the Torah Siyum on Sunday gathered for an uplifting Shabbos. During the evening, a special memento coordinated together with Sichos in English was distributed – a newly translated maamer of the Rebbe Rashab on Baruch She’asah Nissim, that the Rebbe gave out on Yud Shevat 1991.

Attendees received the initial beta draft translation of the first half of the maamer, a beautiful and complex discourse. A full sefer with the complete translation will be published in the future as well.

Leibel addressed the crowd with deep emotion, offering heartfelt thanks to Hashem for his miraculous healing and recovery. He expressed profound gratitude to his parents, family, and friends, and to the many people around the world who took on mitzvos and davened on his behalf.

He also thanked the doctors and medical team who, as he described, were the hands of Hashem that ultimately brought about his recovery.

A special video prepared for the evening was shown as well, documenting Leibel’s journey to recovery.

Following the formal program, the evening turned into a spirited kumzitz that lasted until three o’clock in the morning. In a meaningful twist, that was the exact time the Sofer arrived in town for the next day’s Torah completion. Leibel was still there with his friends, singing and farbrenging late into the night.

The following day, the community gathered at College Station City Hall for the completion of a new Sefer Torah dedicated in memory of Manya’s mother, Mrs. Cecile Friedman OBM (Tzivia bas Yakov Yitzchak). She was a Crown Heights resident who was ann active member of the Chevra Kadisha. Her yartzeit had been just days earlier.

Families filled the hall as the final letters were written. Children enjoyed hands-on crafts, Torah-themed activities, and even had the opportunity to write with quill and ink, experiencing the process of writing a Torah firsthand. Community members purchased letters in the Torah and came forward to participate as the Sofer completed the final words.

From there, the Torah was led with lively music and dancing, as the crowd paraded from City Hall to Chabad, transforming a pickup truck into their very own Torah truck. The dancing continued as the new Torah was brought inside alongside the existing Sifrei Torah, followed by a festive meal.

This marked the first completion of a Sefer Torah in the area and the first new Torah for the College Station community.

For a family and community that experienced months of fear and uncertainty, the weekend was filled with hakaras hatov, simcha, and renewed strength. “The new Torah, a first for our city, will hopefully bring many blessings to the community,” Rabbi Lazaroff said.

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By COLlive reporter

At the Menorah Center in Dnipro on Thursday, dozens of families of the Rebbe’s Shluchim from throughout Ukraine were warmly welcomed for a joint Shabbos dedicated to strengthening and uplifting the Rebbe’s “army” in the country.

Despite long distances, ongoing security challenges, and the complex realities on the ground, the Shluchim traveled from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, and other cities, all gathering under one roof.

From the moment they entered the hotel, the special atmosphere was evident. A large sign reading “Welcome – Shabbos of Unity for the Families of the Rebbe’s Shluchim in Ukraine” stood at the entrance.

The host, Dnipro Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky, together with his children and members of the local community, greeted the arriving families. They were joined by Rabbi Reuven Kaminetsky of the Shabbos organizing committee, Rabbi Shlomo Salmon of Kremenchuk, and Rabbi Simcha Levenhartz of JRNU.

Each Shliach received a personal gift basket at registration, presented by JRNU, the Chabad network of Ukraine, which stands behind the carefully organized and thoughtfully planned Shabbos.

In the lobby, Shluchim who had not seen one another for months reunited. Children ran between their parents, and Shluchos embraced with visible emotion. “Some of the Shluchim traveled more than 18 hours to be here,” said Rabbi Levenhartz. “The roads are extremely complicated these days, and the winter weather has been especially harsh, with snow in many cities. It only shows how important this Shabbos is for them.”

In the main hall, striking panels displayed Chassidic messages, including the Rebbe’s words regarding the mission of our generation: “First and foremost, a proclamation and directive must be issued to all Shluchim, that the mission of Shlichus now, and of every Jew, is expressed in this – to greet Moshiach.”

The Shabbos program is comprehensive and varied, featuring Chassidus classes, Shlichus sessions, farbrengens, women’s workshops, children’s programming, joint tefillos, and festive seudos. On Friday night, a central seudah will be held with the participation of mashpi’im and veteran Shluchim. Later in the evening, a farbrengen will continue into the early hours of the morning.

The chain of events will begin Friday afternoon with the completion of a new Sefer Torah that will be brought into the Jewish community of Mykolaiv, led by Rabbi Sholom Gottlieb.

JRNU representatives noted that “This Shabbos is truly a breath of fresh air for the Shluchim families, who dedicate themselves around the clock to their communities under especially challenging wartime conditions.”

On Monday night, our community showed up in a powerful way. Now, there is one final action that can make all the difference. If you haven’t entered the raffle, this is your last chance. Every ticket directly funds fertility treatments, medical procedures, and vital emotional support for couples who cannot do this alone.

This isn’t just a raffle entry. It’s a chance for someone else to finally hear “YES.” A chance to turn waiting into possibility. Raffle drawing will take place this Motzei Shabbos, so now’s the time!

Monday’s 5th Annual Women’s Show Up event for Bonei Olam Chabad showed what happens when a community stands together with heart and purpose. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our MC, Aidy Bendet, whose warmth, sensitivity, and steady presence guided the evening with grace and heart, holding space for every story shared.

We were deeply moved by the words of Rabbi Shlomo Bochner, who reminded us that behind every child is a journey of tefillah, resilience, and unwavering faith. His message grounded the evening in what Bonei Olam truly represents: belief in possibility, even when the road feels impossibly long.

The sand art presentation by Naomi Zeivald, brought all the way from Israel, visually told the story of Bonei Olam’s mission in a breathtaking way. From longing, to struggle, to hope, to miracle. The spoken word performance by Chanchy Tenenbaum gave voice to the silent pain so many couples carry, and to the courage it takes to keep hoping. It captured raw emotions so often carried quietly, leaving not a dry eye in the room.

And then there was the Bonei Olam Chabad documentary on saying Yes. For ten years, Mendy and Adelle Bryski waited and prayed for their baby. They heard “no” more times than they could count. Until Bonei Olam said something different: Yes. It’s possible. We will not give up. Because of support like yours, they are now holding the child they once only dreamed of. This is what your presence does. This is what your generosity makes possible. This is what a simple raffle ticket makes possible.

www.giveforgratitude.org/raffle

Let’s keep showing up.

With gratitude and hope, Bonei Olam Chabad

PSA from CTeen International:

Record numbers of teens are already arriving in Crown Heights for the 18th annual CTeen Shabbaton. More than 4,500 teens, together with their shluchim, representing over 60 countries, will be joining this year’s Shabbaton for what promises to be a truly unforgettable experience.

From Thursday through Sunday, participants will take part in a once-in-a-lifetime program, including visits to 770 and the Ohel, experiencing the renowned hospitality of Crown Heights, and witnessing firsthand the vibrancy of authentic Jewish life.

“This Shabbaton would not be possible without the incredible warmth and generosity of the Crown Heights community,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen International at Merkos 302. “We are deeply grateful to them; their hospitality is integral to the Shabbaton itself, and to the lasting impact it has on these teens.”

To help ensure smooth navigation, community members are encouraged to review the times and locations expected to experience the heaviest congestion, both in Crown Heights and at the Ohel, and to plan accordingly. The community’s cooperation and support play a vital role in making this Shabbaton a powerful and meaningful experience for thousands of Jewish teens.
Crown Heights:

Bus loading areas:

Teens will be boarding buses in the following locations. Locals are advised to expect congestion at these times and to consider using alternate routes

Thursday evening: President (Kingston/Albany), and Empire (Kingston/Albany),
Friday afternoon: Crown St. (Albany/Troy), Empire Blvd. (Kingston / Albany)
Sunday morning: President St. (Kingston / Albany) and Eastern Pkwy (Kingston / Albany)

770:

Friday morning, February 20:
7:30 AM – 8:15 AM: Hundreds of CTeens will visit 770 to put on tefillin. Minyanim will continue as scheduled; please expect large crowds and elevated noise levels.

Friday night:

The entire Shul will be reserved for teens on Friday night, including the downstairs of 770 and the Kingston Avenue women’s section. The upstairs floor of 770 and the Rebbe’s room will be closed to the public from 4:15 PM until 6:00 PM.

Ohel:

If you plan to visit during the following peak hours, expect an hour-long moving line, with no pausing inside the Ohel.

Sunday, Feb 22
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Large groups
2:45 PM – 6:30 PM: Very Large groups

There will be other groups visiting the Ohel on Thursday night, Friday morning, and Sunday night. Although attendance will be high, these visits are not expected to cause major delays.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we welcome these teens for an unforgettable weekend of inspiration!

Want the news that actually matters, without the noise? Get it delivered straight to your inbox every day: https://tinyurl.com/36yy4w5b

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
Truma

*There must be 15 cubits of nettings to one “Shoulder” (side) of the entrance…
And there must be 15 cubits of nettings to the other *Shoulder (side) of the entrance..
27:14.15.

Questions

A) Everthing is Torah has reason, why the measurement 15 Cubits?

B) The reason & meaning of 15 Cubits on EACH side
To the RIGHT
& to the LEFT?

C) Why does the Torah call each side with SHOULDER?

לקוטי לוי יצחק , ליקוטים על פסוקי תנ״ך ומאחזל ע׳ נח
הערות לזהר שמות דברים ע׳ רלט/רמ

ילקוט לוי יצחק תרומה סימן לה

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For more shiurim and podcasts visit: irguntorah.org