Community news site covering Crown Heights and the Chabad-Lubavitch community.
Community news site covering Crown Heights and the Chabad-Lubavitch community.
CrownHeights.info2 hours agoToday’s siyum will be given by Rabbi Zushie Rimler, on Maseches Sanhedrin.
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CrownHeights.info3 hours agoby Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
Recently I received the following message, concerning the translated edition of my book about Reb Pinchas Reizes into Russian. The message came from a principal who noted that the students discuss and sometimes vigorously debate the thoughts and lessons that I wrote as a takeaway and because of that the students often refer to the stories as pointers in their everyday conduct.
He concluded with his own takeaway from a specific story, and that is what I am sharing with you this week
As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and most welcomed.
The Story:
Once, when Reb Pinchas was walking alongside with the Alter Rebbe, a poor person approached him and asked for tzedakah. Reb Pinchas apologized, saying, “I am sorry, but at this moment I don’t have any money with me”
Reb Pinchas took the Rebbe’s admonishment to heart. From then on ologized, saying, “I am sorry, but at this moment I don’t have any money with me.”
The Alter Rebbe told Reb Pinchas, “It is not proper for a person like you to walk outside without any money. As you see right now, ” he continued, “had you had money with you, you certainly would have helped him generously. Because of your negligence, the poor received nothing and is still in dire need. From then on he always made sure to carry money with him.
I wrote my thought, on the point of being prepared, as like having a pair of tefillin always available. But I did not focus on the point that people are coming to you, since you are the wealthy individual.
He wrote, the lesson I took from that story is: When we meet another Jew, we must remember we are the wealthy one. Hashem blessed us that merited to learn from the Rebbeiim Chassidus Chabad.
We see that chassidim from all communities, chassidim who have learned Chassidus Chagas, have a thirst to understand Chassidus with a clarity that is only accessible to them through Chassidus Chabad.
So when another Jew meets us, he is asking and perhaps beseeching that we share with him a Torah, (teaching or thought) of the Rebbe or of one of the previous Rebbeiim.
When a person is anticipating to hear Chassidus Chabad, how disappointed would they be, if we reply I have nothing to share with you?!
This is what the Alter Rebbe said to Reb Pinchas, [the person came to you knowing you are the wealthy magnate. That person came thinking that you would definitely give him some money to revive his soul. Therefore,] it is not proper that you left your house, empty handed.
The same thing is with us, the entire Jewish world, thirsts to hear a teaching of the Rebbe.
As in the above story, the (Alter) Rebbe is telling each one of us, “It is not proper that you have nothing to say and satisfy that Jews’ thirst for a thought of Chassidus.
We normally refer to Chassidus as דא”ח, which is an acronym for, דברי אלקים חיים – the words of the Living G-d. However, I noticed in the Mitteler Rebbe’s Chassidus that he often refers to it simply as, דברי חיים – the words of life.
So how can we withhold “life” from another Jew.
To bring this point out in real time, I remember when I was learning in New Haven, fifty years ago, whenever we knew that the Rebbe would be farbrengening that Shabbos, Reb Josh Sandman a”h, arranged that we had a 12 or 15 passenger van to drive in on Friday.
One winter Motzei Shabbos, we decided on the way back to stop off in the newly opened yeshiva in Stamford.
The Litvishe Bochurim greeted us very warmly and brought out some mezones and additional food and drinks. They then demanded, not merely asked, that we review for them some thoughts that the Rebbe said in the farbrengen.
I believe this is what the Rebbe Maharash meant when he said, There are certain things that are appropriate for every chossid, and certain things that are inappropriate for every chossid, [I enumerated them in his biography pp……..]
It was always appropriate for a chossid to share what he saw or heard in Lubavitch with everyone on his way home. This was a takanah that the Mitteler Rebbe instituted. But then it was fellow chassidim who longed and thirsted for it. Nowadays, being that all Jews thirst for it, not only is it appropriate, but because of the mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel it is our obligation.
A Taste of Chassidus,
ציון במשפט תפדה: Likutei Torah Devorim 1A
In order to explain the different meanings of Tzion and its captives and why Tzion’s redemption will be through Torah study, while its captives’ redemption would be through the fulfillment of mitzvos, the Alter Rebbe first explains a different concept, which is one of the fundamental aspects of the teachings of Chassidus. Namely, why or for what reason did Hashem cause our Neshama to descend into this physical world?
In this ma’amar, the Alter Rebbe explains that the question is not merely (as it is often presented), that our neshama originally stood in awe and total nullification to Hashem, as then it was up close and recognized Hashem’s greatness, and now that it is distanced from Hashem’s throne, and it can no longer automatically see from this vantage point, and therefore not only isn’t it in a state of awe, but furthermore, it faces the possible potential of rebelling against Him. Here he explains that the descent is much deeper than that.
Our sages teach us that before Hashem created the world, the Neshomos of all Jews existed. While there is a discussion about whether the angels were created on the second day of creation or the fifth.
One of the primary differences between something that was in existence before creation or came into existence as part of creation, is how it came into existence.
The possuk states clearly, that Hashem created everything through the power of speech. But being that the Neshomos were already in existence before creation, they were created through the power of Hashem’s thought, which is higher than speech. As speech reveal the perspn’s thoughts.
The proof to this is simple.
When each one of us wish to communicate our thoughts to someone else, we speak. In other words, we use the power of speech when we are dealing with another entity. However, when there is no one else to communicate with, we think, or simply said, we use the power of thought. Creation by definition means that now there is an additional and separate entity. And for a separate entity you must convey your thoughts through speech.
However, being that the Neshomos were in existence before creation, that means that they are not a separate entity, rather they are a part of Hashem. So, when one is alone the power of thought is used.
Subsequently, the question really is why did Hashem separate the Neshomos from being a part of Him, to be enclothed in a physical body that is not only distanced from Him but is separate and sometimes antagonistic and opposes Hashem?!
Regarding this, Chassidus answers that every descent is in order to ascend to higher than our original place.
The question then becomes, how can we become higher than being a part of Hashem?!
The answer can be understood by understanding another paradox; the combination of a Neshama with a physical body. We say in the beginning of Birchos Hashachar (the morning blessings), Hashem, the soul which You placed in my body is pure. So, if the Neshama is essentially spiritual and the body is essentially material, how can they coexist as one?
The explanation given is when, for example, the king’s two main advisors disagree in how or what is the best way to execute the kings wishes and therefore they can’t present the king with a plan. However, after the king listens to each one’s thoughts, and either chooses one over the other, combines them or presents his own plan, they make peace and work as one.
So, the way to bring two opposites together as one, is by utilizing a power that is greater or higher than those two factions.
The same thing is here: yes, the Neshama and body are polar opposites, but there is a higher level of G-dliness that has the power and ability to make it that they can and actually do coexist. That is the level of Soivev kol Almin, whereas the Neshama before creation was connected to the lower level of G-dliness, the level of Memaleh kol Almin.
In order to understand how a person can attain this higher level which by its own definition is above him and seemingly beyond his reach, we first have to clarify what is the difference between Memaleh and Soivev. Memaleh means the G-dly aspect fills the entity it is in, while Soivev means that the entity is not able to contain it.
In practical terms, Memaleh means that the thing that entered my life is tangible to me, I feel it in one way or another. I thoroughly understand the thought or concept you presented. I identified with my taste buds the various ingredients you placed in the food. In other words, I am able to relate to it in a meaningful way. However, Soivev is that you discussed a concept, that even if I repeat it verbatim, I really don’t understand the message that you are trying to convey. I see your art, but I don’t comprehend why people are raving about it. In other words, it doesn’t really connect with me. So, before creation, when the Neshama is part of Hashem, and is in a state of total self-nullification, that demonstrates that it felt a connection which caused it to self-nullify. That is the level of Memaleh.
But now, we are trying to attain the higher level, that of Soivev. That that too should be part of me that I can feel in a tangible way.
The question becomes, if it is intrinsically higher than me, how can I internalize it so that it becomes connected and part of me?
For example, Emunah, pure unadulterated faith is something that is above raw intellect. It is something we have but don’t really comprehend or feel.
To answer this, the Alter Rebbe explains the first few pesukim of Shema Yisroel.
Shema doesn’t just mean, listen, it also means pay thoughtful attention. Chassidus explains that the possuk of Shema is saying that Hashem is the only entity. So then comes the question, how is that possible when there is such a vast universe. And furthermore. If I don’t exist how can I have love for Hashem?
And the answer is given with the inserted possuk of Boruch Shem, that the entire universe was created by a sliver of Hashem’s Radiance, but not even by the Radiance itself but from the speech (as malchus[o] represents speech) that emanates from it.
So, when a person contemplates how they and everything in the entire universe is only connected to an offshoot of an offshoot of Hashem’s essence, the person is going to have a drive and desire, to become connected, not to that aspect of G-dliness that they were connected to until now, but to Hashem’s real essence, which is much higher.
But as stated above, how can a person connect himself to something that is beyond him? For example, is it possible for an eighth grader who is knowledgeable in whatever subject, to appreciate an advanced college lesson in that subject? Or a student who just began Mesivta, would he be able to follow the deliberations of Rabbonim discussing a difficult question in halachah? Obviously not, so how are we expected to unite with Soivev in a tangible way?
Therefore, after the possuk of ואהבת – And you shall love Hashem, the next possuk says “And these things that I am commanding you today”.
There is a major difference between an ability, talent and desire.
The power of sight is in the eyes, the power of smell in the nose, speech in the mouth, and walking in the feet. While the place of the person’s will/desire is in the neshama which is all over the body equally. Therefore, the moment one desires to twitch his nose, squint his eyes, move any limb of the body, it happens instantly. Because his will is throughout the entirety of his body.
In other words, a person’s will is his essence. Therefore, when a Jew fulfills a mitzvah of Hashem, he is connecting himself to Hashem’s will and essence.
[Chassidus explains that the word אנכי, “I” is referring to Hashem’s essence which is much higher than any of His holy names. And the possuk states that we were commanded to fulfill the mitzvos from אנכי.]
And that is the level of Soivev.
So specifically, and exclusively , only when the Neshama is in this world does it have the ability of becoming connected to Hashem’s essence, which is being described as the higher level of Soivev.
This opportunity was not given to our Neshama before creation, when it was connected to the lower level of G-dliness.
We can now understand the difference between Tzion and its captives, and why the redemption of each one is different.
Tzion refers to the essence of a Jew, or as it is commonly called, the Pintele Yid, which is not tangible or visible. That refers to the pure Emunah of a Jew which never strays from Hashem. However, there is a possibility that it is unable to express its tremendous love to Hashem. But then there is the way the person expresses himself [from the chitzoniyos of the heart], and instead of expressing its happiness with its connection to Hashem, it expresses its happiness with his material success.
Similarly, instead of expressing its bitterness on its distance and lack of appreciation of G-dliness, it expresses it over a lack of material satisfaction.
At that point no longer is it just not able to express itself, but its expression is in captivity, as it was conquered and utilized by its enemy for their own purposes.
So, to redeem the essence of the Neshama, that can be done by Torah, as Torah is light which illuminates its surroundings and once it clearly sees the greatness and beauty of G-dliness, it will no longer be tongue tied, and it will express its appreciation and happiness with being close to Hashem. However, if it was already captured, the way to free it, is through Tzedakah, acts of kindness and charity. For just as you had compassion for that person and free them from their “captivity”, so too will Hashem have compassion on you and free you from your predicament.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbei’im and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at [email protected].
CrownHeights.info4 hours agoThis is perhaps the strangest Shabbos of the entire year.
In just a few days we will remove our leather shoes, sit on the floor, read Eichah by candlelight, and mourn the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. Yet this Shabbos we are instructed to rejoice. We eat meat and drink wine, sing Zemiros, and delight in Shabbos exactly as we do every other week.
How can Judaism ask us to move so abruptly from celebration to devastation?
Perhaps the answer begins with the opening words of this week’s Haftorah:
צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה
“Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her captives through righteousness.”
When we hear the word Zion, we immediately think of Jerusalem.
Chassidus teaches us to think one step deeper.
There is another Zion.
It is the Zion within every Jew.
The Jewish soul.
Why is the soul called Zion?
Because Tzion means a sign or a symbol. The soul is the symbol of Hashem’s Presence within every Jew. Like every sign, it points beyond itself to its Divine Source, even when that Source is hidden by the body.
The soul came from beneath Hashem’s Heavenly Throne. Its natural habitat is holiness. It longs for Torah. It thirsts for Mitzvos. It yearns to feel close to its Creator.
The body is naturally drawn to the physical, to comfort and convenience, to everything the senses can touch and enjoy. And so begins the lifelong struggle between body and soul.
That struggle has a name.
Golus.
Exile is not only a place. It is a condition.
Whenever the body drowns out the soul, Zion is in captivity. Whenever our spiritual aspirations surrender to our material desires, the Beis Hamikdash within us is waiting to be rebuilt.
The Haftorah tells us how that redemption begins. “Through justice”—through Torah. “Through righteousness”—through Mitzvos. Every Mitzvah loosens another chain. Every page of Torah allows the soul to breathe the air for which it was created.
If that is true for one Jew, it is equally true for the Jewish people.
Our personal Golus is only a reflection of the greater Golus.
For nearly two thousand years we have cried over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and prayed for its rebuilding. We have wandered from country to country, survived inquisitions, pogroms, expulsions, communism, and the Holocaust. Every generation has asked the same painful question:
If redemption is Hashem’s ultimate plan, why has exile occupied so much of Jewish history?
It is one of the oldest questions a Jew can ask.
The Rebbe once shared that from his earliest childhood he carried within himself the vision of “a redemption that will explain the suffering, the decrees, and the massacres of exile.”
Those words are extraordinary.
The Rebbe did not speak about a redemption that would erase the suffering.
He spoke about a redemption that would explain it.
There is a world of difference between the two.
No explanation can remove a mother’s tears. No explanation can restore six million lives. No explanation can erase centuries of pain.
But one day, Moshiach will reveal something we cannot yet see.
Not because our questions are wrong.
Because the answer has not yet been revealed.
In Hayom Yom the Rebbe Rashab is quoted as saying that when Moshiach comes, we will long for the days of Golus.
At first glance, those words are almost impossible to comprehend.
Long for Golus?
Who could possibly long for persecution? For fear? For loneliness? For destruction?
Of course not.
We will never long for the suffering.
We will long for the opportunity.
Only in Golus can a Jew serve Hashem when He seems hidden.
Only in Golus can a Jew choose faith over comfort, holiness over convenience, truth over popularity.
Today every act of Torah and every Mitzvah often demands effort. Sometimes it demands sacrifice. Occasionally it even demands Mesiras Nefesh. We do all this without fully understanding its significance, without seeing the immediate reward, and often without even feeling the pleasure. Yet through these very acts, we connect with the Essence of Hashem Himself.
When Moshiach comes, serving Hashem will become the most natural thing in the world. The concealment will disappear. The struggle will end.
The reward will be infinitely greater.
But the opportunity to transform darkness into light will be gone.
That is what we will miss.
There is a beautiful story about a Chossid whom people affectionately called “the Meshugener.”
One Tishah B’Av they found him in an unusually cheerful mood.
“Reb Yid,” they exclaimed, “today is Tishah B’Av! How can you possibly be happy?”
He smiled.
“Why not?”
“But today we mourn!”
He answered with a twinkle in his eye, “Joy is commanded by the Torah. Mourning on Tishah B’Av is Rabbinic. Which one should prevail?”
To everyone around him, he sounded completely irrational.
Perhaps that was exactly the point.
He was not laughing at the Churban.
He was seeing beyond it.
He understood that hidden within the darkest day of the Jewish calendar lies the birth of the brightest day in human history.
That is a perspective most of us simply do not possess.
At least, not yet.
Today we judge history by what our eyes can see. We measure exile by its pain, its losses, and its unanswered questions. Moshiach will teach us to see history through the eyes of Hashem. He will reveal the immeasurable value of every quiet act of faith, every difficult Mitzvah, every hidden sacrifice, and every lonely Jew who refused to let the flame of Yiddishkeit go out.
Suddenly, the long night of exile will no longer appear as a collection of disconnected tragedies. We will finally see the magnificent tapestry that Hashem was weaving beneath the surface all along.
Until then, we continue to mourn. Not because we have lost hope, but because we have not.
We refuse to become comfortable in Golus. We refuse to accept exile as normal. Every Tishah B’Av is another cry from the depths of the Jewish soul: Ribbono Shel Olam, enough. We do not ask You to help us become comfortable with exile. We ask You to end it.
Then—and only then—Moshiach will reveal the secret that has been hidden within every tear.
May that day come now.
May Zion, the soul within every Jew, be redeemed through Torah and Mitzvos. May the Zion of Jerusalem be rebuilt במהרה בימינו. And may this Tishah B’Av become the first of the everlasting festivals promised by our prophets.
Have a Shabbos Breathing the Air of Redemption,
Gut Shabbos,
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
CrownHeights.info4 hours agoToday’s video goes through the כלים in the קודש and קודש הקדשים and about מקום הארון אינו מן המדה.
Thursday’s raffle winners are
$50 Judaica World gift card: Esther
$36 Judaica World gift card: Benny Sosover
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/zZm6r
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/J8A0TpoWnQDBe4W7qmV8zq
Today’s class & prizes are dedicated לעילוי נשמת שניאור זלמן בן גימפל אברהם
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $86 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info5 hours agoAs mechanchim prepare for a new school year, this year’s Kinus HaMechanchim will focus on strengthening curriculum, clarifying standards, and providing practical tools for real classroom success.
Taking place July 28–29 (י״ד–ט״ו מנחם אב) at The Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, the Annual International Kinus HaMechanchim will feature a dedicated curriculum track, bringing together mechanchim, curriculum developers, and school leaders to address everyday classroom challenges.
How do we build a curriculum that works? How can teachers collaborate and support talmidim at different levels? These questions will be addressed through practical sessions designed for immediate application.
Featured curriculum sessions include “Building Curriculum Together: A Roundtable That’s Part of a Bigger Merkos Vision,” facilitated by Rabbi Yosef Aron, exploring how schools can work together and share effective materials.
Rabbi Levke Kaplan will present “Bridging the Standards Gap: Aligning Rebbeim and Hanhalah Around Standards,” focusing on creating clarity between classroom goals and school expectations.
Rabbi Yehuda Adelist will guide participants through “Building a Curriculum That Works: Creating a Scope & Sequence That Drives Student Success,” focusing on how to establish strong structure and consistency.
In “The Three Parts of a Curriculum: Practical Strategies for Deeper Student Learning,” Rabbi Yoseph Chaiton will explore ways mechanchim can move beyond simply covering material.
Addressing the challenge of meeting diverse student needs, Rabbi Yakkov Sheinberger will present “Writing Curriculum for Every Learner: Differentiating Instruction,” with practical approaches for reaching learners at different levels.
In addition, the Kinus will feature sessions on the growing role of AI in chinuch, focusing on practical ways mechanchim can use these tools effectively.
Rabbi Moishy Goldstein’s session, “Mastering AI Image & Video Generation,” will show how mechanchim can use AI to create engaging and effective classroom visuals.
In “Beyond ChatGPT: Getting AI to Work for You,” Rabbi Shneur Zalman Munitz will explore practical ways to integrate AI into lesson planning and everyday workflow.
Mr. Zalmen Michel will focus on the bigger picture in “Smarter School Systems: Using AI and Process to Streamline Your School,” highlighting how structured systems and AI tools can improve efficiency, reduce administrative burden, and create smoother day-to-day operations.
Additional AI sessions will help mechanchim understand available tools and how they can support preparation, creativity, and differentiation.
The Kinus will also introduce a new AI platform being developed for mechanchim, designed to provide tailored tools and resources for chinuch.
“The goal is not to replace the mechanech,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman of Merkos Chinuch Office. “The goal is to give mechanchim better tools, save them time, and help them focus more deeply on the talmidim in front of them.”
Together, these sessions reflect the focus of this year’s Kinus: returning to the עיקר of Chinuch. At its core, every tool, every curriculum, every new idea, and every practical session is here to help mechanchim in their shlichus of raising talmidim who are פרומע, ערליכע, ווארימע, חסידישע אידן.
The Kinus is more than a schedule of workshops. It is a time for mechanchim to step away from the rush of the year, reconnect with the Rebbe’s shlichus in Chinuch, farbreng with fellow mechanchim, gain new kochos, and return to the classroom with renewed chayus, clarity, and practical tools.
Registration is currently open, and rooms are filling quickly. Mechanchim who are planning to attend are strongly encouraged to register now to secure their spot.
The Kinus HaMechanchim will take place י״ד–ט״ו מנחם אב, July 28–29, at The Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut.
Don’t wait until rooms are sold out.
Registration is now open at: kinus.chinuchoffice.org
CrownHeights.info20 hours agoDuring the mourning period of the Nine Days – we share a letter of the Rebbe in answer to one who has come closer to Yiddishkeit yet is troubled by the fate of European Jewry during recent years (Holocaust) and asks how to reconcile this with the basic beliefs of our religion.
By the Grace of G-d
29th of Tishrei, 5725
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mr.
Brooklyn 30, N. Y.
Greeting and Blessing:
Your letter reached me with some delay. You write in it that you have come closer to Yiddishkeit, but nevertheless you are troubled in your mind by the fate that overcame European Jewry in recent years, and how to reconcile this with the basic beliefs of our religion, etc.
Before answering your question, I must make a general introductory remark, which applies to your question and all similar questions. This is that such questions in fact have no logical] basis as can be illustrated by the following example: A small child cannot possibly understand the scientific research carried on by a scientist, and he would be quite mystified watching the scientist doing various actions etc. Consider that the scientist was at one time a small child, and that the small child can become a scientist as great as or even greater than the scientist in the Illustration. In other words although there is no absolute difference between the two, it is not surprising that the child cannot understand the ways of the advanced scientist. On the contrary, it would be rather surprising and unnatural if the child did understand anything in this situation. How much less is one to expect a created being to understand the ways of the Creator, where there is an absolute difference between the two! It is only that in His abundant mercies the Creator has willed to reveal an infinitesimal measure of His ways to us human beings. I refer you to that passage in the Torah where it is stated that Moshe Rabbeinu asked G-d, “Make known, I pray, Thy ways to me.’” In reply G-d said, “Thou shall see My back but My face shall not be seen”, (Ex. 33:23). lt should be remembered that, as our Sages explained, the request of Moshe Rabbeinu related to his desire to know the explanation of the perplexing question of the seeming prosperity of the wicked and suffering of the righteous, which is a common experience (See, Brochos 7 A).
Having said the above, I. will offer the following remark in the hope that it may ease your mind somewhat in regard to your question.
The terrible calamity which befell our people in our time is, unfortunately, not the first instance in the long history of the martyrdom of our people in exile among the nations of the world. Going back to the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdosh, the Jewish people suffered even a greater calamity inasmuch as there was no place of refuge at that time, since Rome’s rule extended everywhere. Even percentage-wise, our Jewish people suffered more at that time than during the recent calamity. Nevertheless it is precisely at that time that the Torah Shebealpeh flourished in the great Yeshivah of Yavneh. In other words the Torah Shebealpeh, which is intimately bound up with our faith in G-d and is the very basis of our Jewish faith, flourished at a time when the question you posed could have been asked even more forcefully. Similarly during the Middle Ages, and especially during the times of the Crusades, whole communities of Jewish men, women and children were cruelly wiped out by the Crusaders. Yet, It was precisely at that time that the Baalei HaTosfos and their disciples flourished, whose teachings and works are the well-spring of our, Jewish life and Jewish way of life to this day.
I trust therefore that you will not permit such questions to hamper the progress of your advancement in all matters of Yiddishkeit, and that you will go from strength to strength in the practice and knowledge of the Jewish way of life.
With blessing
By
P.S. I do not know your status in regard to the so-called esoteric part of the Torah (Nistor, or Kabbalah), for, as you know the Torah has four levels – Pshat, Remez, Drush and Sod. However as we find also in the writings of the Ramban and Maharsho, the events in any particular generation, though not necessarily connected with previous generations, can be related to previous generations by means of gilgul. This means that the soul of a grandfather or ancestor can be sent down to earth as the soul of a descendent, in order to complete that which it had not completed during its first sojourn on this earth. From this point of view the whole concept of reward and punishment need not necessarily be connected with the soul’s last descent to earth, but can be connected with its previous descent or descents.
Incidentally, the concept of gilgul is altogether not so mystical as may appear at first glance. Modern medical science recognizes that many physical characteristics are hereditary and even tendencies and natural propensities are passed on from father to son and so forth. This is explained by the fact that the chromosomes carry the genes that convey hereditary characteristics, upon which both the physical and mental state of the offspring are dependent. It is not surprising that an offspring may inherit a serious disease from the parents, or ancestors. If this is so in the realm of the physical and mental, it is but a small step further to extend this concept to the realm of the spiritual.
CrownHeights.info20 hours agoRabbi Yisroel Dov Levanoni
Click here for a PDF version of this edition of Here’s My Story, or visit the My Encounter Blog.
Although I was raised in a chasidic family — we belonged to the Zidichov community in pre-war Czechoslovakia — I knew nothing about Lubavitch which was then based in Russia. Only in 1959 when I came to America — after my family was liberated from an internment camp in Hungary and after settling in Israel — did I learn of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and became his follower.
My family name was originally Weiss. But while I was in Israel, the British — who controlled the Holy Land at the time — were pursuing me as a member of HaHaganah, the Jewish underground force, so I changed my last name to hide from them. I chose the name Levanoni because the Talmud says that the word “Levanon” refers to the Temple (Beit Hamikdash) that stood in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, before it was destroyed by the Romans. The name comes from the Hebrew word lavan, meaning “white,” and the Talmud says that the Temple was called “Levanon” because it whitened sins.
I have been fascinated by the Temple since I was a child, when I saw diagrams in Tractate Middot of the Mishnah, which my father was studying. This lifelong fascination led me, after I retired and was living in Israel, to build a scale model of it and write a book about it.
I started to prepare for this work in 1987 by first immersing myself in the writings of Maimonides (also known as the Rambam) on the subject. After that, I worked for about three years — 10 to 12 hours a day — until I constructed my first miniature model of the Second Temple. To do so, I used a caliper which can measure up to 10 micrometers or one thousandth of an inch. But I was not satisfied with the end result, so I destroyed it and built a second model. When I finished it, in 1992, I was very excited and I wanted to show it to the Rebbe.
I made an appointment to visit the Rebbe, but then I got a high fever and could not go. Just before the second appointment I made, I got sick again, but this time, despite 102 fever, I went and, as it turned out, it was a good thing I did.
I brought in my model, which was mounted on a little table. When I showed it to the Rebbe, I removed the roof, so that he could see all the parts.
The Rebbe glanced at it and immediately asked me, “Where is the ramp?” He was referring to the ramp going up to the altar where animal sacrifices were offered. I pointed it out. The Rebbe had a sharp eye, and in that quick moment, he detected a problem. “It must be much bigger,” he remarked. I responded that the model was built to a scale of 1/200. The Rebbe didn’t question the proportions further; he just said, “Well, you probably measured it.” He then gave me a blessing for success and said, “May G-d grant you the merit to see the Third Temple.”
The Rebbe’s comment about the size of the ramp bothered me, so I remeasured everything, and I found that the Rebbe was right — I had made the ramp to the altar 3 millimeters too short! That miniscule difference on the model translated to 60 centimeters, or just under 24 inches.
What was my mistake? I knew that the recorded length of the ramp was thirty cubits, but I had made my calculations at the wrong place. Instead of measuring the Temple floorspace that the ramp spanned, I had measured the top surface of the ramp itself, which would have made the ramp about two feet shorter in reality. Once I realized the source of my error, I didn’t try to fix it so that I could show the model to people and tell them the story of how the Rebbe picked up a tiny discrepancy in my model.
I ended up selling that model and with the money I got for it, I was able to pay off my mortgage, and then I built a new model — a more accurate one this time.
That meeting with the Rebbe happened by Divine Providence, because the day after I had visited him, he suffered a devastating stroke, and after that it was impossible to see him. So, if I had waited any longer, I would never have been able to bring it to the Rebbe and learn about my mistake.
Since then, I have also built a scale model of the Third Temple. This was a very difficult project because the prophecies about it are hard to understand. Even Maimonides says so. Yet, I persevered, and I do believe I succeeded because the Rebbe had given me a blessing to have the merit to see the Third Temple. I was able to see it in my mind’s eye and faithfully construct a model of what Ezekiel prophesied. This model has been on display in Kfar Chabad and in Jerusalem, and thousands of people have come to view it.
May Mashiach come soon, and may we all merit to behold the Third Temple in actuality.
Rabbi Yisroel Dov Levanoni (1921-2019), the author of The Temple in Jerusalem: A Description of the Second Temple, was a dentist and model maker, who lived in Jerusalem. He was interviewed there in April 2007.
CrownHeights.info22 hours agoAs Oholei Torah continues celebrating its Shivim Shana, we are excited to share a remarkable piece of our history: an original radio commercial promoting the Oholei Torah Day Camp from more than fifty years ago.
The recording offers a nostalgic window into an era when the Rebbe encouraged making the most of the summer months by providing children with meaningful chinuch in a warm, positive environment.
Responding to that vision, Oholei Torah expanded its day camp to serve hundreds of children from across New York City, many from families who had few opportunities to experience a Jewish summer camp. At a time when Jewish day camps were far less common, an extensive transportation network brought campers from neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and even Washington Heights.
Operating from the spacious Brooklyn Jewish Center building, which Oholei Torah began renting in the early 1970s, the camp proudly promoted itself as offering children an unforgettable summer rooted in Torah, Yiddishkeit, and joyful experiences.
More than half a century later, that same mission continues. Today, Oholei Torah’s summer programs provide over 750 campers in day camp and over 350 bochurim in overnight YKP with a true yeshiva camp atmosphere, filled with meaningful learning, exciting activities, and countless opportunities for growth. Programs such as the popular Father and Son Sunday learning program continue to strengthen the connection between parents and their children while reinforcing the values that have guided the camp for generations.
Along with the historic recording, we are also sharing a collection of archival photographs from those early years. We hope they bring back wonderful memories and perhaps help identify familiar faces among the campers and counselors.
If you attended Oholei Torah Day Camp in those years, or have photographs, memorabilia, or stories to share, we would love to hear from you. As we celebrate seventy years of Oholei Torah, every memory helps tell the story of the generations of children whose summers were shaped by its unique atmosphere of Torah, Chassidus, and joy. Please send all photos or stories to [email protected].
Enjoy this special journey into the past.
CrownHeights.info1 day agoRabbi Mendy Hershkop joined the Clappy and Frank Show to speak on his work teaching, and crimefighting.
CrownHeights.info1 day agoThe program that helps low and moderate-income New Yorkers afford to pay rent has opened applications for its waitlist this week.
New Yorkers will have until July 24 at 5 p.m. to apply for the city’s Section 8 waitlist, which will provide rental assistance for apartments available throughout the five boroughs.
The subsidy program typically allows residents to pay 30% of their adjusted monthly income towards their rent while NYCHA pays the remaining amount to the owner on the renter’s behalf.
Read More at Pix11
CrownHeights.info1 day agoAfter welcoming visitors from across the Jewish world, Kosher Jackson Hole Grill, Jackson Hole’s seasonal pop-up kosher grill, is introducing a special Nine Days Menu in observance of the Nine Days.
In keeping with the traditions of the Nine Days, the grill has created a fresh seafood and vegetarian menu that allows visitors to continue enjoying delicious kosher dining while honoring the longstanding Jewish custom of eating no meat during this time of mourning.
The limited-time menu features favorites including a Salmon Burger on a Pretzel Bun, Grilled Salmon Plate, Fresh Poke Bowl, Ceviche Bowl, Artisan Pizza, Israeli Salad, Garden Salad, and a variety of fresh sides.
Since opening this summer, the seasonal pop-up grill has welcomed hundreds of guests from around the world and has become a favorite stop for Jewish travelers visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, as well as members of the local Jackson Hole community. Families, hikers, tour groups, and vacationers have all enjoyed the opportunity to experience fresh kosher cuisine in one of America’s premier vacation destinations.
The summer has also created memorable experiences beyond the grill itself. The team has had the opportunity to connect with visitors while exploring Yellowstone National Park, strengthening friendships and sharing meaningful Jewish experiences with travelers from around the world.
One particularly memorable visitor discovered the grill simply because it appeared on Google Maps while he was exploring Jackson Hole, not because he was searching for kosher food. During his visit, he had the opportunity to put on tefillin for the very first time, becoming what is traditionally referred to as a karkafta. Moments like these have become part of what makes the grill so much more than just a place to enjoy a meal.
“The response has exceeded our expectations,” said Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn of Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming. “It has been incredibly meaningful to welcome Jewish visitors from across the country and around the world, giving them a place to gather, enjoy great kosher food, and connect while experiencing the beauty of Jackson Hole. We’re especially excited to offer this special Nine Days menu so our guests can continue observing this important time on the Jewish calendar while traveling.”
Tzvi Torenheim, one of the operators of Kosher Jackson Hole Grill, said the response from visitors has been inspiring. “From day one, we’ve been meeting families from every corner of the world who never imagined they’d find such fresh kosher food in Jackson Hole,” said Tzvi Torenheim. “The friendships we’ve made and the excitement we’ve seen have been incredible. Preparing a special Nine Days menu was important to us because we wanted travelers to be able to continue enjoying high-quality kosher meals without compromising on the traditions of this special time of year.”
The Nine Days Menu will be available for a limited time throughout the days leading up to Tisha B’Av.
Visitors planning a trip to Jackson Hole are invited to stop by, enjoy the special menu, and follow the grill online for updates and behind-the-scenes moments.
Website: kosherjacksonholegrill.com
Instagram: instagram.com/kosherjacksonholegrill
CrownHeights.info1 day agoToday’s video goes from east to west through the structure surrounding the Kodesh and Kodesh HaKodashim.
Yesterday’s raffle winners are;
$50 Judaica World gift card: Nochum Schmerling
$36 Judaica World gift card: Rochel Rivkind
Link to the quiz: https://ispri.ng/kBvYk
Link to join the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/J8A0TpoWnQDBe4W7qmV8zq
Today’s class is dedicated in honor of the 3rd birthday of Sholom Yehuda Perez, by his grandmother Mrs. Shoshana Silver. May he grow to Torah, Chuppah, and Maasim Tovim.
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $86 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info1 day agoby Menachem Posner – chabad.org
The US House of Representatives just voted to extend Daylight Saving Time right through the winter. What does this mean to Jewish people, whose religious routine is linked to the sun (which does not take orders from the Senate)?
Well, for many Jews, the greatest challenge is trying to get home from work on Friday afternoons before Shabbat begins, 18 minutes before Sunset.
Until now, at the depth of the winter, this can sometimes be before 4:00 p.m., which was very challenging, especially for those with commutes.
With DST, however, this will be shifted one hour later, so that even on the darkest day of winter, Jews will have one more hour to prepare for Shabbat.
Click here for Shabbat times in your area
Jews pray three times a day, morning, afternoon and evening. The Amidah (silent prayer) of the morning services should (ideally) be said after the sun has risen.
In January in Detroit, for example, sunrise can be after 8 a.m., which has been challenging for people rushing to get to work, but manageable.
With sunrise now being “delayed” to 9 a.m., Detroit Jews will either need to significantly rearrange their schedules, or rely on halachic leniencies in order to pray earlier. And even those leniencies can only allow them to pray around 7:30 a.m., for example, which will still be challenging for many.
(A minor inconvenience is that the wintertime fast days, which until now have ended before dinner time for many, will now end an hour later).
CrownHeights.info1 day agoA sharp ideological divide among House Democrats spilled into the open during a high-stakes floor vote on foreign aid to Israel on Wednesday, Fox News reported.
By a vote of 104-313, the House overwhelmingly defeated a proposed legislative amendment that sought to eliminate $3.3 billion in taxpayer-funded military and foreign assistance destined for Israel in the upcoming fiscal year.
The roll call fractured top House Democratic leaders, who opted against enforcing party discipline or whipping votes on either side of the issue.
Read More at israelnationalnews
CrownHeights.info1 day agoThis past week, nearly 100 Chabad Young Professionals (CYP) Shluchim from around the globe gathered in Austin, Texas, for the annual CYP International Kinus, a two-day conference filled with learning, collaboration, and renewed inspiration.
Hosted by Rabbi Mendy and Mussy Levertov of Chabad Young Professionals Austin, together with CYP International, the Kinus brought together both veteran and newly appointed CYP Shluchim to strengthen one another and explore new ways to reach the thousands of young Jewish professionals seeking meaningful Jewish connection and community across the globe.
“It is truly incredible to host Shluchim and friends in our Chabad House,” said Rabbi Levertov. “It’s especially meaningful to welcome fellow CYP Shluchim into a center built specifically for young professionals. At the moment, there are only a handful of dedicated CYP centers in the world, and iy”h there will soon be many more. The Kinus always uplifts and re-energizes us as we head into another busy year of working and learning with our communities.”
As the fastest-growing demographic in Shlichus, Chabad Young Professionals has expanded from just 37 communities in 2019 to 321 communities worldwide today.
“Today’s young Jews face enormous challenges, yet they aren’t settling for the status quo, they’re seeking something more and are turning to their shluchim for that guidance,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of CYP International and Director of the International Conference of Shluchim. “The Rebbe taught us the importance of focused Kinusim to allow the Shluchim to draw strength from one another and recommit to their mission.”
The Kinus opened with chavrusa learning, followed by a welcome luncheon and an interactive “Open Space” session in which Shluchim collaborated on the opportunities and challenges they face in their communities. Throughout the conference, participants shared practical ideas, successful initiatives, and innovative approaches to strengthening Jewish life for young professionals.
Among the program’s highlights were sessions led by Rabbi Mordechai Farkash, CYP International Rov and Shliach in Bellevue, WA, who guided participants through the practical Halacha and Hashkafah behind the sensitive issues they navigate daily, from birur yahadus to tznius.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Rebbe’s Shnas HaChinuch campaign and the launch of the Twelve Pesukim, the Kinus featured a special presentation in which twelve Shluchim presented on one of the Twelve Pesukim, sharing how its message shapes their personal approach to Shlichus and continues to guide their daily work with young Jewish professionals.
The conference also included workshops on leadership and organizational growth to help Shluchim better serve their communities while keeping meaningful personal relationships at the center of their work.
One of the highlights of the Kinus was the gala, themed around the power of Torah study. Rabbi Yosef Levertov, Head Shliach of Austin, Texas, began the evening by welcoming the Shluchim and local CYP community members who made the Austin Young Professionals Center possible. Rabbi Shmully Levitin of CYP Hoboken and Jersey City spoke about the impact of Torah study in his community and shared details of a new yeshiva program he launched in memory of Johney Ellis, A”H.
The gala was followed by an all-night farbrengen, complete with spontaneous dancing, where Shluchim shared openly, encouraged one another, and strengthened friendships spanning communities across six continents.
“Hosting this gathering in such a beautiful CYP Center shows every Shliach what’s possible, and what’s needed,” said Rabbi Beryl Frankel, Director of CYP International. “But ultimately, the vision happens through small moments, one-on-one friendships and communities built around Torah study.”
As the Kinus came to a close, Shluchim returned to their communities carrying fresh inspiration, practical tools, and a renewed commitment to building vibrant Jewish communities for thousands of young professionals around the world.
“The true importance of a Kinus is what comes after,” said Rabbi Nissi Lepkivker, Assistant Director of CYP International. “These Kinusim allow us to hear directly from the Shluchim about what’s needed on the ground. We’re excited to implement and launch these ideas throughout the coming year”
Shluchim interested in launching a Chabad Young Professionals community are encouraged to email [email protected] for more information.
CrownHeights.info1 day agoThe Crown Heights Republican Committee (CHRC) welcomed Nassau County Executive and Republican New York gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman for a visit of the Crown Heights neighborhood, the candidate for NY Governor met with local business owners and community members to discuss many of the issues affecting local residents.
The tour was led by Yitzchok Rimler, who guided Blakeman through Kingston Avenue and introduced him to merchants, and community members. Crown Heights community leaders, Askonim, activists and local Anash that want the concerns of the Shchunah to be heard joined in as well.
Among those in attendance were elected officials and Republican leaders from across New York State, including State Senator Bill Weber, who represents the entire Jewish community of Rockland County; Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, whose district includes Midwood (Flatbush) and a large Jewish population in Southern Brooklyn; and New York State Comptroller candidate Joseph Hernandez.
Throughout the visit, Blakeman spoke with store owners along Kingston Avenue about the rising cost of doing business in New York, the high state taxes and the financial pressures facing neighborhood businesses. He also met with Crown Heights residents to hear firsthand about the challenges impacting their daily lives.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by BREAD&DAIRY (@breadndairy)
Jewish Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman had the opportunity to put Teffliin on.
Local Crown Heights small businesses and stores along Kingston Avenue that the Gubernatorial candidate visited include: Judaica World, Raskin’s Fish Market, Holesome Bagels, Hamafitz Judaica, Bread & Dairy, House of Glatt and Kingston Pizza Kosher.
The campaign event concluded with a press conference, where Blakeman addressed concerns over the placement by Governor Hochul of large homeless shelters for formerly incarcerated individuals in and around the neighborhood. He discussed the issue alongside local leaders and community members, emphasizing the importance of public safety, quality of life, and that local residents should have a say regarding major policy decisions by the NY Governor affecting their community.
The event brought together local residents, business owners, elected officials from multiple Jewish neighborhoods and Republican leaders for a day of community engagement and discussion about the issues facing Crown Heights and the New York Jewish community.
Crown Heights is a remarkable community built on faith, family, and tradition.@NassauExec Bruce Blakeman and I believe every Jewish family deserves to live, worship, and raise their children without fear.
When New Yorkers elect us this November, you’ll have two friends in… pic.twitter.com/xEcE6iNVVh
— Joseph Hernandez (@hernandezforny) July 15, 2026
CrownHeights.info1 day agoThe air quality reached unhealthy levels on Wednesday as the smoke from wildfires in Canada made its way to the tri-state region for a second day in a row.
The Air Quality Index reached unhealthy levels at 1 pm, climbing to 150, and has further risen past 180 as of 9 p.m.
The air quality is expected to remain unhealthy on Thursday, with an AQI forecasted to reach 200.
Read More at Pix11
CrownHeights.info1 day agoThe Torah tells us that Aharon was buried on Har HaHar—literally, “the mountain upon the mountain.”
Rashi explains that this was “a small mountain atop a larger mountain,” and adds an intriguing comparison: “like a small apple on top of a large apple.”
On the simple level, the Rebbe explains that Rashi is answering an obvious question. We usually picture mountains as pointed peaks. How could one mountain rest on top of another? Rashi therefore compares them to apples. Because apples are rounded, it is easy to picture a smaller one resting atop a larger one.
But the Rebbe asks a deeper question: Why did Rashi choose apples? Why not any other round object?
An apple represents something precious and beloved. The larger apple alludes to love of Torah and closeness to Hashem, while the smaller apple represents love of every Jew—Aharon’s defining quality. As Pirkei Avos teaches, Aharon would “love the creations and bring them close to Torah.”
There is another beautiful detail. Aharon was not buried on the larger mountain. He was buried on the very top, on the smaller mountain. The place of his burial reflects the pinnacle of his life’s work. His love of Torah was the foundation, but what crowned his life was his boundless love for every fellow Jew. The highest point of the mountain became the resting place of the man whose greatest distinction was loving every Jew without exception.
On Shabbos Chukas, we had the privilege of hosting a wonderful family from Israel at Clifton Park Chabad. They spent Shabbos with us, enjoying the beauty of upstate New York, and after Shabbos they continued on to Manhattan—the Big Apple.
As we learned this Rashi together and shared the Rebbe’s explanation, I couldn’t resist adding one more thought before they left.
New York City may be called the Big Apple. It is a city overflowing with Torah, Jewish institutions, and vibrant Jewish life. But here in upstate New York, perhaps we’re the Small Apple. We may be smaller in size, but what defines our community is the warmth, care, and Ahavas Yisrael we strive to show every person who walks through our doors.
Like the small apple resting atop the large one, our aspiration is to build everything upon the foundation of Torah while allowing its crown to be genuine love for every Jew. That was Aharon’s legacy, and it remains our mission today.—–Please help Clifton Park Chabad build our new Chabad Center https://www.charidy.com/buildcliftonparkchabad
——On Rosh Chodesh Av we commemorate the yahrzeit of Aharon HaKohen.
The month of Av is associated with the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, which our Sages teach was caused by sinas chinam—baseless hatred. The antidote is Ahavas Yisrael—unconditional love for every fellow Jew.
Who better to usher us into this month than Aharon HaKohen, whose life’s mission was to “love peace, pursue peace, love every Jew, and bring them close to Torah”? As we enter Menachem Av, we are reminded that the journey from mourning to comfort begins by following Aharon’s example.
May we strengthen our Ahavas Yisrael, filling our homes, our shuls, and our communities with warmth, kindness, and unity. In that merit, may Menachem Av truly become a month of comfort with the coming of Moshiach, the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, and the fulfillment of the prophecy that these days of mourning will be transformed into days of joy and gladness.
CrownHeights.info1 day ago“Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism,” the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks famously said. This insight, which he credited to the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, sits at the heart of a new billboard campaign launched by Chabad this summer across New York City.
At a time when global antisemitism has left many Jews feeling afraid, much of the Jewish communal response has centered on heightened security and advocacy efforts. As necessary as some of these measures are, they have done little to break the deepening cycle of fear. Chabad’s campaign, titled “Born To Be A Yid,” takes a different approach: confronting Jew-hatred not with alarm, but with Jewish confidence and joy.
This approach is not new to Chabad — it reflects an approach the Rebbe championed for decades: the most powerful response to Jew-hatred is not to engage with the haters, but to invest in strengthening Jewish identity and Jewish life itself. This philosophy has in recent years found growing support, even among voices who spent years exclusively championing a more combative approach. A consensus is slowly emerging: the most vital investment Jews can make isn’t to fight Jew-hatred on the surface, but by building stronger, more confident, more joyful Jewish life.
Chabad-Lubavitch’s new campaign puts this idea into practice — on some of the largest billboards in New York City.
The campaign features candidly captured moments of Jewish joy, displayed on billboards at high-traffic locations across New York City: a Jewish couple under the chuppah, with the groom stomping on a glass; two Jewish children in yarmulkes and tzitzit, playing and laughing together. Both images prominently feature the words Born To Be A Yid above, with Chabad.org/JewishAndProud below.
The campaign will appear on a digital billboard in Times Square in the coming weeks, joining existing billboards at highest-traffic New York City crossings: one billboard sits at the northern tip of Staten Island, overlooking Staten Island Borough Hall and the St. George Ferry Terminal, — a terminal that sees as many as 70,000 commuters daily. Another stands over the 3rd Avenue Bridge entrance to Manhattan from the South Bronx, a crossing used by as many as 80,000 vehicles each day.
The campaign was directed by Chabad spokesman, Rabbi Motti Seligson of the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center and Chabad.org, with billboard space donated at an estimated value of $200,000.
“The public knows all too well about the challenges we face,” Rabbi Seligson added. “We wanted to go in a different direction — one that is confidence-inducing and joyful. No one needs another billboard telling them how scared they should be. What we need is something that puts a smile on someone’s face and has them walking a little taller.”
Rabbi Seligson says the campaign is already drawing interest from other parts of the country. “We already have billboards reserved in Florida and we’re looking for more partners who would like to bring this campaign to other cities across America.”
The campaign intentionally uses the Yiddish word “Yid”, Rabbi Seligson said, explaining, “we are speaking privately to fellow Jews and are happy for others to listen in. And when they do, they see Jews who are proud of themselves, and that earns respect.”
New York-based copywriter Avi Webb directed the creative, collaborating with designer Chana Snyder for the visuals. Photographs were selected from collections by photographers Zalmy Berkowitz (“Kids Laughing”) and Mendel Grossbaum (“Breaking Glass”). While the principal donor of billboard space chose to remain anonymous, Mr. Yossi Popack and Chabad of the UAE were instrumental in the campaign’s development.
“We didn’t invent this idea — the Rebbe taught it decades ago,” Rabbi Seligson said. “What’s notable is how many others are arriving at it now, including some who spent years fighting antisemitism head-on. Don’t organize Jewish life around the haters. Build something so joyful, so strong, that the hate doesn’t matter anymore. And it’s how you fight darkness — with light.”
CrownHeights.info1 day agoToday’s siyum will be given by Rabbi Mendel Greisman, Shliach to Northwest Arkansa, on Maseches Chagigah.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoby Leibel Kahan – Lubavitch.com
More than 350 residents of Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley contributed to the construction of a local mikvah. The first to be built in the state outside of Anchorage, the mikvah formally opened on June 30.
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley covers 23,000 square miles of small towns, homesteads, and long roads — roughly the size of West Virginia. It is the fastest-growing region in Alaska, with a population exceeding 120,000. An estimated 1,000 Jews live scattered across it. Before Rabbi Mendy and Chaya Greenberg arrived eleven years ago, there was no organized Jewish life in the valley at all. Jews who wanted to attend a Passover seder or High Holiday services drove to Anchorage, some 45 miles away, on roads that winter weather could make treacherous.
The Greenbergs, who run Chabad of Mat-Su, built a community from that starting point — Shabbat and holiday gatherings, a summer camp, adult education. But for all those years, anyone who needed a mikvah still had to make the drive to Anchorage. “It was time we built one where we were,” Rabbi Greenberg said.
In 2025, Rabbi Greenberg reached out to Keren HaChomesh, a fund started by the Rebbe for causes relating to Jewish women and girls. “It’s a true honor to receive money from the Rebbe’s fund,” he said. “We feel we were blessed from it.”
Local volunteers dug the foundation. Within a week and a half, the cement was poured — before the High Holidays. Construction on the building began in February.
In addition to the hundreds of both Jewish and non-Jewish contributors from the local community, people from around the world joined as well. Major supporters included George and Pamela Rohr, Rabbi Mendel and Nechama Lichtenstein, and Rabbi Dovid Derly, who made the first commitment to the project.
“There’s no better way to introduce this mitzvah than building it in front of our community for a year,” Rabbi Greenberg said. Locals had watched the construction unfold and came to appreciate it before it ever opened, with tours given along the way.
One year after that first shovel entered the ground, the mikvah was complete.
The grand opening on June 30th drew more than 100 people. A letter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe was read in front of the crowd, which had been written in 1974 to Israel Haber, a Jewish military chaplain stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, when the first mikvah in Alaska was built there with the help of rabbis the Rebbe had dispatched for the job.
The mayors of the Mat-Su Borough, Palmer, and Wasilla — Edna DeVries, Jim Cooper, and Glenda Ledford — each spoke, addressing the mikvah’s importance to the community and noting the halachic principle that a mikvah’s construction precedes that of a synagogue or even the writing of a Torah scroll. Rabbi Greenberg’s parents — Rabbi Yosef and Esther Greenberg, the regional directors of Chabad in Alaska — also spoke at the event.
“No one would have thought that a mikvah would be built in Mat-Su,” Rabbi Greenberg said. “We see how, now more than ever, the Rebbe’s vision is alive.”
CrownHeights.info2 days agoSeventy bochurim in Shiur Daled of Beis Medrash Oholei Torah celebrated an extraordinary accomplishment by completing the entire Meseches Bava Kamma baal peh in less than nine months.
Each year, hundreds of bochurim join Shiur Daled to spend a year learning in the Rebbe’s daled amos. This year, under the leadership of Rabbi Elchonon Lesches, Menahel of Shiur Daled, a comprehensive Mivtza Torah program challenged participants to master the entire masechta while taking rigorous written tests throughout the year.
Because Bava Kamma is one of the longest and most demanding masechtos in Shas, known for its complex sugyos, the goal initially seemed ambitious.
“Many of the chapters in Bava Kamma are challenging and demand a high level of engagement,” said Rabbi Lesches, “There was concern that only a small number of bochurim would commit to such an undertaking. Instead, these bochurim used every spare moment to learn, completing the masechta baal peh in just nine months and elevating the atmosphere of learning throughout the Zal.”
The Mivtza was coordinated by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wolvovsky, Shiur Daled Maggid Shiur, who established the learning schedule and prepared and graded the biweekly examinations. “Day after day, after regular seder, the bochurim remained fully immersed in the sugyos, constantly reviewing, asking questions, and pushing themselves to keep pace,” he said.
In recognition of their dedication, participants who maintained outstanding test averages received a $236 cash award, corresponding to the 236 amudim of Meseches Bava Kamma, while additional participants who successfully completed the program received prizes in recognition of their achievement.
The Siyum was made by HaTomim Yaakov Finkelstein of Johannesburg, South Africa, who expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Hanhalah for creating a framework that inspired consistent growth and achievement. The celebration served as a powerful testament to the extraordinary diligence, perseverance, and hasmadah of the bochurim, and to the vibrant atmosphere of Torah that defines the Beis Medrash of Oholei Torah.
Photos by: Menny Levilev
CrownHeights.info2 days agoMrs. Orli Dubov will be sitting Shiova in Crown Heights following the passing of her brother Menachem (Meni) Avraham OBM.
Mrs. Dubov will be sitting Shiva at 493 Maple Street.
Visiting hours are from 10:00am to 10:00pm.
No Minyanim Needed.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoIn a remarkable milestone of dedication, Hatomim Menachem Mendel Korik, a 15-year-old bochur at Mesivta Melbourne, successfully completed and was tested on all 53 perakim of Likkutei Amarim Tanya entirely by heart, bevas achas.
The extraordinary accomplishment reflects countless hours of consistent review, chazarah, and unwavering commitment to memorizing the foundational teachings of Chassidus. Reciting and being examined on every chapter of Likkutei Amarim from memory in one sitting is a rare feat, requiring not only precision in memorization but a deep connection to the words of the Alter Rebbe.
The Rebbe repeatedly encouraged Chassidim to memorize Tanya, explaining that knowing its words by heart allows its teachings to accompany a person wherever they go. Learning Tanya ba’al peh is a powerful way to internalize the Alter Rebbe’s guidance and strengthen one’s daily connection to Chassidus.
Mendel credits much of his inspiration to the Mesivta’s mashpia, Rabbi Lipskier, whose encouragement and emphasis on learning Tanya with diligence motivated him to finish the ambitious goal.
This achievement continues a growing culture of exceptional hasmadah and accomplishment within Mesivta Melbourne. Last year, hatomim Motti Abenaim, then just 16 years old and still a Mesivta bochur, celebrated a Siyum HaShas, demonstrating the high aspirations and commitment to Torah learning being fostered among the talmidim.
In recognition of his accomplishment, Menachem Mendel was presented with a special gift: a Tanya from the Rebbe, that had been distributed on Yud Shevat 5750 in honour of 40 years of the Rebbe’s N’sius. The meaningful presentation was arranged by Hatomim Mendel Aron, with the sefer generously provided by Rabbi Y. Groner of Melbourne, Australia.
The presentation served as a fitting tribute to a milestone that reflects both personal perseverance and the enduring emphasis within Chabad on making the words of Tanya not only learned, but truly one’s own.
As talmidim continue to strive for ever greater achievements in nigleh and Chassidus, Mendel Korik’s accomplishment stands as an inspiring example of what can be achieved through determination, consistent effort, and the guidance of devoted mechanchim and mashpi’im.
Mazel tov to Hatomim Mendel Korik, his family, his teachers, and the entire Mesivta Melbourne on this exceptional accomplishment.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoThis past Sunday, Camp L’man Achai, a chapter of CKids International, welcomed parents and family members for a beautiful Visiting Day, giving them the opportunity to experience firsthand the incredible summer their children have been enjoying.
Families traveled from across the United States to spend the day together at Camp L’man Achai, reconnecting with their sons, exploring the beautiful campgrounds, and experiencing the warm, uplifting atmosphere that has made camp such a meaningful part of their children’s summer.
Throughout the day, parents enjoyed quality time with their campers, toured the grounds, met staff members, and saw the care, dedication, and enthusiasm that go into every aspect of camp life. Smiles, hugs, and heartfelt reunions filled the camp as families shared in another memorable day together.
One especially meaningful highlight of Visiting Day was watching many campers and staff members help fathers who had never before put on tefillin—or who were unfamiliar with the mitzvah—wrap tefillin for the very first time. These inspiring moments beautifully reflected Camp L’man Achai’s mission of strengthening Jewish identity, with the inspiration the campers receive throughout the summer extending naturally to their families.
Last week also marked the successful conclusion of Camp L’man Achai’s first session. As one group of campers completed an unforgettable experience, camp enthusiastically welcomed an additional 40 boys for the second session, bringing fresh excitement and energy to an already incredible summer.
The past two weeks have been packed with nonstop activity. Campers have enjoyed exciting trips, sports, swimming, engaging learning, spirited davening, and a wide variety of special programs. One highlight was a visit to Camp Chayolei , where campers participated in friendly inter-camp sports competitions while also pairing up for one-on-one learning, creating meaningful friendships and strengthening their connection to Yiddiahkeit in a fun and inspiring setting.
One parent, Allan R. of New Jersey , whose son is attending Camp L’man Achai for the very first time, summed up the feelings of many families after Visiting Day. He shared that his son was originally nervous about coming to camp, but that Camp L’man Achai has exceeded every expectation. “He’s had the best experience we could have imagined,” Allan said. “We’re so happy he came.”
Welcoming boys from over 20 states and 10 countries, Camp L’man Achai has spent the past 35 years providing an unforgettable summer experience where campers grow in their Yiddishkeit while enjoying an exciting, action-filled camp program.
With many more trips, special events, and unforgettable experiences still ahead, the excitement at Camp L’man Achai continues to grow, ensuring that this summer will leave a lasting impact on every camper and family.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoby Yisrael Eliashiv – chabad.org
Earlier this year, author Rabbi Levi Shmotkin gave a talk in Fresno, Calif., about the approach of the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—to mental health and emotional wellness. Shmotkin had recently published a book on the subject, Letters for Life, and his talk drew on it. After most of the crowd had left the hall, a man stayed behind to speak to the young rabbi.
He told Shmotkin that he had not attended a Jewish event in many years. He had grown up in a typical Jewish family on the East Coast, attended Yale, and then spent years searching for the deeper meaning of life. During his journey he became immersed in Eastern spiritual traditions, eventually becoming a Buddhist priest.
Something about the Rebbe’s words on inner wellness had drawn him into the room that evening. Before he left, he asked the author if he could help him put on tefillin. It was the first time he had done so in decades.
The book which so deeply touched this Jewish soul in a small town in California, culls the Rebbe’s guidance towards peace of mind from the Rebbe’s countless correspondences on the subject, using that wisdom to provide modern readers an actionable guide. Since publication in 2024, Letters for Life has become an international bestseller.
What is it about letters written decades ago by a great rabbi to individuals in private pain that is resonating among people from all walks of life?
Shmotkin delivers a talk in Sunny Isles, Florida.
Rabbi Levi Shmotkin is a Chassidic scholar based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Long before he wrote a book about the wisdom in the Rebbe’s letters, he had developed his own personal relationship with them.
The Rebbe’s correspondences started being published in organized form in the 1980s in a Hebrew collection titled _Igrot Kodesh. T_he collection of volumes now number well over 30 books, with years more of material set to publish..
During his teenage years, a time when many struggle emotionally, Shmotkin experienced a period of emotional numbness and disillusionment. He began studying the Rebbe’s letters with a particular eye towards guidance the Rebbe offered to individuals facing similar doubts and struggles. Quickly, the Rebbe’s correspondences became something more than just texts. They became tools for living.
One letter in particular stayed with him. It had been written to a college student in distress. The Rebbe guided the young man away from his excessive self-focus and towards looking outwards. By giving of himself and focusing on others, the student would find that his own worries would lose some of their hold, and most would eventually melt away on their own. Shmotkin later said that he cried when he read the letter. The idea remained with him for years before the project that became Letters for Life began to take shape.
Eventually, he reread nearly 20,000 of the Rebbe’s published letters and focused on roughly 2,000 of the ones that dealt with emotional and psychological struggles. Over five years, he studied, organized, and distilled them, highlighting recurring patterns in the Rebbe’s advice. Instead of a comprehensive anthology, he used their throughline to build a thematic guide to the Rebbe’s approach to emotional wellbeing.
The result was Shmotkin’s first book, Letters for Life: Guidance for Emotional Wellness from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published in July 2024 by Kehot Publication Society and Ezra Press in connection with the Rebbe’s 30th yahrtzeit. In many ways, the first person the book reached and deeply impacted was the author himself.
In Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley, where a podcast series was created, with episodes dedicated to the chapters of the book.
Letters for Life is organized by theme rather than chronology, with chapters addressing common challenges of the inner life through excerpts from the Rebbe’s letters, explanations, stories, and brief “Takeaways” designed to help readers apply the ideas in their own lives. It is divided into two broad sections: “Essentials for a Healthy Life” focuses on preventative mindsets and habits such as turning outward, building spiritual stability, recognizing Divine providence, and developing a sense of mission, while “Overcoming Darkness” addresses more acute struggles such as worry, sadness, self-criticism, isolation, and despair.
Throughout, the Rebbe’s guidance is presented as deeply practical and pragmatic, but never simplistic. The book is careful to note that it is not a substitute for professional mental-health care, nor does it present every letter as universal advice for every situation. Rather, it seeks to draw out the repeating principles that appear again and again in the Rebbe’s private correspondence.
One of the practical suggestions Shmotkin now shares at events came from a reader who had already been going through the book and wanted to know how to live with its ideas more fully. Shmotkin suggested focusing on one chapter every two weeks. Too many ideas at once can remain abstract. One idea learned slowly and applied repeatedly, on the other hand, can begin to shape a person’s day, and eventually their lives.
Since the book’s release, Shmotkin estimates that he has spoken at roughly 200 events in some 150 cities across five continents, with a total attendance of approximately 15,000 to 16,000 people.
Speaking at a Chabad Young Professionals event in Tribeca, New York.
But the numbers are not what he emphasizes in his description of the book tour. He speaks instead about what happens after the lecture, when individuals come over to talk. Sometimes, they come with tears in their eyes, others, with a look of relief. They all share one story, one line, or one idea that was exactly what they needed to hear.
The book’s reach has stretched far beyond the usual book touring circuit. Shmotkin has now spoken in Chabad houses, synagogues, schools, college campuses, Jewish community centers, and private gatherings around the world. In Dubai, several months after Oct. 7, he encountered a community still processing the shock of that day. In schools and on campuses, teenagers and young adults have turned to the book and asked questions about anxiety, confidence, identity, and living a meaningful life. In larger communities, hundreds have come to hear how the Rebbe’s letters to individuals, written decades earlier, address the pressures of Jewish life today.
Early on, many people came simply because the topic sounded important, interesting, or novel. Increasingly, Shmotkin says, people arrive having already read the book. They come to deepen their approach to the Rebbe’s advice, to practically apply the advice from the letters, or help bring it into their own families and communities at large.
That is part of the broader story of Letters for Life; the tour is only one part of it. Multiple translations, media interviews, book clubs, podcasts, communities, classroom discussions, workbooks, and educational efforts have sprung out of the Rebbe’s letters. For many, it has become not just a book to read, but a framework to live your life with.
With young professionals in South Africa.
At one event, in Abington, Pa., Shmotkin told a story from the book about Jerry Grafstein, a Jewish member of the Canadian Parliament. In his 60s, Grafstein shared with the Rebbe that he felt his best years were behind him. The Rebbe asked Grafstein whether he knew how old Moshe Rabbeinu was when he led the Jewish people out of Egypt. Grafstein did not know. The Rebbe told him that Moshe was 80 years old.
How, the Rebbe asked, could Grafstein speak as though his life of contribution was behind him? He was much younger than Moshe had been. He was only beginning.
After the talk, an 82-year-old man raised his hand and began to cry. He had been a criminal lawyer throughout his career and had recently retired. The same fear had been weighing on him: What now? Was his meaningful contribution behind him?
The story had reached him precisely where he was. He realized that he too could begin a new chapter, volunteer, serve others, and continue giving. Life was not over for him; in many ways, it was just starting.
In California, a coach who works with mothers developed a year-long program and workbook based on Letters for Life, helping groups of women study the ideas slowly and apply them to their lives. In Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley, a podcast series was created, with episodes dedicated to the chapters of the book. College students have responded to the Rebbe’s message with poems, videos, and personal reflections. Chabad emissaries have used the material in local classes and book clubs.
The book has reached people not only in moments of intense pain; it has reached mothers trying to parent with greater presence, students reflecting on identity, older adults entering new stages of life, and communities seeking a Torah language for emotional strength.
At one event in England, Shmotkin shared a story about the Rebbe’s guidance to someone in despair. A local rabbi later told him that one man in the audience had been listening with particular intent. Only the rabbi knew why: just days earlier, the man had come to him in a moment of acute crisis, and had just now heard the right message at the right time.
“We never know what people are carrying,” Shmotkin reflects.
The Rebbe’s approach, as presented in the book, consistently addresses the whole person rather than isolating the problem. One recurring theme is the need to turn outward: to become involved with others, contribute, participate in society, and avoid becoming trapped in self-entanglement. Another is the recognition of hashgachah pratis, Divine providence: that G‑d is actively engaged in every person’s life, regardless of where that person stands in society or how successful or unsuccessful he may feel at a given moment.
That message, Shmotkin believes, helps bridge the divide many people experience between their spiritual and emotional lives. Some have been taught to value their spiritual lives while giving little attention to emotional health; others see their emotional lives as divorced or even entirely unrelated to their spiritual lives. The Rebbe’s approach shows how interrelated they are.
Spiritual life, he says, is not in opposition to psychological health. When properly understood and internalized, it can become one of the strongest supports for “strength, fearlessness, confidence, joy, and emotional stability.”
Since the book’s release, Shmotkin estimates that he has spoken at roughly 200 events in some 150 cities across five continents, with a total attendance of approximately 15,000 to 16,000 people.
In Argentina, the Spanish edition of Letters for Life reached bestseller lists, reaching #5 in the country, introducing the Rebbe’s guidance on emotional wellness to a new audience and in a new language. The book has also been translated into Russian, Portuguese, German, and Italian, with other translations and editions in various stages of publication.
The book has also become part of a broader educational ecosystem. Chabad.org has featured video programming and live discussions based on its themes. A ChabadU course, “The Rebbe’s Private Counsel: Letters That Change Lives,” has helped bring the material into a structured learning format.
Now, Shmotkin says, one of the next major steps is creating a curriculum.
High schools and campuses have reached out asking for a classroom version of the material, one that can introduce young people to foundational Torah principles for emotional health before confusion or pain sets in. The effort, he says, is being developed with veteran educators and professionals.
It is, in his view, a form of preventative medicine: giving students language and tools for resilience before they need them urgently. This was at the core of the Rebbe’s approach to emotional wellbeing.
Another major project is a Hebrew edition shaped for the reality of Jewish life in Israel after Oct. 7. As the original manuscript was completed before the attacks, the book does not directly address the pain, trauma and upheaval that followed that terrible day. Shmotkin says the Hebrew edition is being developed with that reality in mind, with introductions by leading figures and with a desire to reach soldiers, bereaved families, families of hostages and others carrying the weight of the moment.
In Olympia, Wash., an elderly man listened to Shmotkin speak. After the event, he told him that for decades he had carried a dark thought: perhaps he was meant to be somewhere else, perhaps he should have become someone else. After hearing the Rebbe’s guidance, something shifted. “G‑d wants me here,” the man told him.
Shmotkin has not remained in touch with him. The tour moves quickly, from one city to the next. But the words stayed with him because they captured something he has seen repeatedly since Letters for Life began traveling.
The Rebbe’s letters were written to individuals, often in moments of crisis. Decades later, they have not stopped arriving. Again and again, they find the people that need them most, because though they were addressed to one person at a time, their message is a timeless one.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoThe Rubinson Family will be sitting Shiva in Crown Heights following the passing of Mordechai (Motti) Rubinson OBM.
Shiva will take place at 531 Rutland Rd.
Shachris: 10:00am
Mincha: 8:10pm
Mariv: bizman
**Visiting hours:
**10:00am-12:00pm (men)
2:00pm-4:00pm
7:00pm-9:30pm
CrownHeights.info2 days agoNew York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today issued an advisory alerting New Yorkers to the possibility of deteriorating air quality due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from significant, still-spreading wildfires in western Ontario, Canada.
Visible smoke aloft is expected over New York City beginning Wednesday. The smoke plume is currently moving slowly across New York State, and the timing and extent of any ground-level impacts in the city remain uncertain. There may be temporary spikes in air quality levels, but these are currently expected to be at levels below air quality health advisory triggers**.** NYC Emergency Management will share updates as they become available.
This smoke event coincides with an ongoing heat wave.
A Heat Advisory is in effect through Wednesday, which is forecast to be the hottest day, with temperatures near 100°F and a heat index of up to 102–103°F. An Air Quality Health Advisory for ozone is already in effect today, Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 105 — “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” Wildfire smoke would add fine particulate pollution on top of existing ozone levels.
CrownHeights.info2 days agoChabad.org, in partnership with the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE), will present a Daily Siyum each day of the Nine Days, from Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av through Tisha B’Av eve on 15 Menachem Av (July 15–29). The siyumim will be delivered by a rotating lineup of rabbis and will be broadcast live at Chabad.org/Siyum, as well as on New York’s WSNR AM 620 and Florida’s WJPR AM 1640.
The program’s history dates back to 1975, when the Rebbe spoke about the importance of holding a siyum every day of the Nine Days. The Rebbe quoted the famous teaching of the Munkatcher Rebbe, the Minchas Elozor: playing on the Talmud’s words, “When the month of Av comes we decrease in joy,” the Munkatcher Rebbe taught that we must decrease the negative aspects of Av by adding to the joy of Torah.
The Rebbe emphasized that this practice is an opportunity to genuinely increase Torah joy during a period of mourning, rather than a technical “loophole” to permit meat-eating. Taking this call to heart, Rabbi JJ Hecht began arranging for a daily siyum to be broadcast on the radio, allowing Jews across the Tri-State Area to participate.
Following Rabbi Hecht’s passing in 1990, the Rebbe instructed that the daily on-air siyum continue until the 15th of Av, the anniversary of Rabbi Hecht’s passing. Since 2008, the program—now hosted by Rabbi Shimon Hecht—also streams live on Chabad.org.
The siyumim are delivered by a rotating lineup of rabbis. You can join via the following channels:
· Watch Live: Chabad.org/Siyum
· Daily Alerts: Sign up at Chabad.org/SiyumSubscribe to receive notifications and never miss a session.
· Radio Broadcasts: Tune in to WSNR AM 620 (New York) or WJPR AM 1640 (Florida).
Broadcast Schedule:
· Monday–Thursday: 7 PM ET | 4 PM PT
· Friday & Sunday: 2:00 PM ET | 11 PM PT
· Motzaei Shabbos: 11:00 PM ET
CrownHeights.info3 days agoEmergency Management officials have issued a citywide Code Red due to extreme heat in New York City.
When Code Red is initiated, shelter is available system-wide to anyone who is believed to be homeless. Code Reds are activated during periods of extreme heat and humidity.
Outreach teams sweep through Code Red priority lists and encourage them to get out of the heat, including transportation to shelters.
Read More at Pix11
CrownHeights.info3 days agoby Leibel Kahan – Lubavitch.com
A Legal Battle in Boca Raton
For fifteen years, Rabbi Naftaly and Henya Hertzel ran the Chabad Israel Center in Boca Raton. For fifteen years, their local Homeowners Association tried to stop them.
The HOA classified Shabbat gatherings as commercial activity. Congregants arriving for services found nails scattered in front of their tires. Drones flew overhead during programs. HOA leaders, Hertzel says, told residents they “didn’t want Jews” in the neighborhood and made antisemitic references.
In 2023, First Liberty Institute — the nation’s largest religious liberty law firm — and Jones Day took the case. In 2026, the HOA settled for approximately $850,000 and agreed to strip anti-religious language from its bylaws. The Hertzels plan to use the settlement money to enhance and further their activities.
What the Law Says
The legal framework that protects religious gatherings rests on two pillars: the First Amendment’s free exercise clause and RLUIPA, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a federal statute that bars government from imposing land-use burdens on religious activity that it doesn’t impose on comparable secular uses. If the zoning code allows a book club in a living room, it has to allow a Torah class.
“There is no functional difference between gathering in your home to read Oprah’s book club selection and gathering for a Shabbat dinner,” said Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel at First Liberty. “You cannot contract away your guaranteed rights as a citizen.”
But RLUIPA only applies to the government. In most states, private HOAs fall outside its reach. In the Hertzels’ case, First Liberty brought suit under the federal and Florida Fair Housing Acts — not RLUIPA — which prohibit discriminatory housing practices by private entities. In states without comparable fair housing protections, a rabbi facing a hostile HOA has fewer tools.
Not an Isolated Case
The Herztels’ experience is unusual in its severity, but not in its basic shape. A handful of Chabad houses across the country have faced similar collisions — and the cases that have gone to court have produced significant results.
In 1992, Rabbi Aaron and Chanie Konikov moved to Old Westbury, New York and invited neighbors to their rented home for Shabbat dinner and Torah study. The village sued them and their landlord. Had they hosted a barbecue, no one would have filed a thing.
The Konikovs spent the next three decades trying to build a Chabad house. They found a former commercial nursery on a five-lane thoroughfare — a property that had operated without complaint for fifty years — and assembled nine acres over time. The village adopted a religious land-use ordinance in 2001 that a federal court would later find “discriminated against religious use generally.” In March 2026, the case ended with a $19 million court-approved settlement. Chabad is now engaged in obtaining permits to begin building a facility that will serve hundreds of families with sanctuary space, classrooms, and recreational facilities.
“The village was very adept at never issuing a final decision,” said Eric Robinson, the attorney who represented Rabbi Konikov, “knowing that the law required a final decision before someone could go forward in federal court.” Robinson describes a power imbalance built into the system. “A young Rabbi has got no money in his pockets. His job is to go and plant the flag. And any government officials who look at that realize there’s a significant power imbalance — and that time is on their side.”
Similar disputes have played out elsewhere. In Atlantic Beach, Long Island, a village announced plans to seize a building Rabbi Eli and Beila Goodman had purchased for Chabad — weeks after their first Chanukah celebration there. A federal judge blocked the seizure, and the case settled in 2025. In Hawaii, Rabbi Levi and Fraida Gerlitzky were hit with escalating daily fines after the county decided their home gatherings were out of compliance — despite having received HOA approval before moving in. “We came here to help the community,” Rabbi Gerlitzky said. “Not to fight lawsuits.” The U.S. Department of Justice filed a statement of interest on his behalf, and negotiations are ongoing.
Why It Keeps Happening
Chabad is, as Rabbi Mendy Rivkin of Towson, Maryland — who went through his own years-long zoning dispute — puts it, “quite possibly one of the only Jewish organizations that’s opening at all outside of established Jewish communities” — and those outposts tend to land in residential neighborhoods. That creates a collision with zoning systems and HOA bylaws that were never designed to account for a rabbi’s living room doubling as a synagogue.
There is no single legislative fix — the cases get resolved one at a time. But the issue is heading to the highest court in the country. On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Grand v. City of University Heights, the case of Daniel Grand, an Orthodox Jew in Ohio who in 2021 invited friends to his home for prayers. Before anyone arrived, the city ordered him to cease all “religious assembly” unless he obtained a special use permit — one that would have required converting his home into a house of worship. Lower courts dismissed Grand’s lawsuit, ruling he hadn’t finished the permitting process. The Supreme Court will now decide whether he has to.
CrownHeights.info3 days agoby CrownHeights.info
A car fire gutted a vehicle Monday afternoon in the area of Rutland Road and Utica Ave, leaving a large swath of Crown Heights choking on smoke.
The vehicle, believed to be an older model Chevy Corvette, was reduced to a smoking pile of twisted metal after firefighters extinguished the blaze.
CrownHeights.info3 days agoThe Crown Heights Republican Committee (CHRC) will host New York State Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, for a visit to the Crown Heights neighborhood focused on strengthening ties and addressing issues affecting the Jewish community.
Blakeman will be joined by Republican elected officials representing Jewish communities throughout the state. During the visit, local community leaders, activists, and stakeholders will lead the delegation on a tour of Crown Heights while discussing the rise in antisemitic incidents across New York, local neighborhood concerns, challenges facing Jewish communities, and opportunities to work together on solutions.
The visit is intended to join the support for Blakeman campaign while fostering dialogue between community members and elected officials, providing an opportunity to hear firsthand about the concerns and priorities of Crown Heights residents while building stronger relationships with Jewish communities across the state.
The event, hosted by the Crown Heights Republican Committee, will begin at 10:00 a.m. Participants will gather at Kingston Ave and Eastern Parkway where the tour will commence.
Bruce Blakeman, the New York State Republican gubernatorial nominee, will be accompanied by several Republican elected officials representing Jewish communities across New York as they meet with local leaders and residents throughout the visit.
Residents are invited to attend and take part in the discussion as local and state leaders engage on issues impacting the Crown Heights neighborhood and Jewish communities throughout New York.
CrownHeights.info3 days agoWith great sadness we report the passing of Mordechai (Motti) Rubinson OBM, he passed away on Monday, the 28th of Tammuz, 5786, after battling an extended illness.
Motti was known for his kindness, and generosity. He would go out of his way to help people.
He is survived by his parents, Bentzion and Rivka Rubinson, and siblings, Tzipora, Sara Schapiro, Moshe, Chanie Wolf, Miri Shaffer, Velvel, Yanki and Shneur, and extended family.
The Lavaya will take place Tuesday Chof Tes Tammuz, passing by 770 at 2:00pm, with Kevurah at Old Montefiore cemetery at 3:00pm.
Shiva information to be announced.
Boruch Dayan Hoemes
CrownHeights.info3 days agoFor thousands of Jewish children, the school year is filled with meaningful Jewish learning at their local Chabad Hebrew School and Afterschool programs. They celebrate the holidays, learn Torah, discover meaning in Jewish values, and build friendships that strengthen their identity from September through June.
Then summer arrives.
For many families, these months have traditionally meant stepping away from Jewish life and into secular overnight camps, where being Jewish often becomes just one small part of a child’s identity – if not something they feel compelled to conceal from their peers altogether.
Nine months of growth, pride, connection, vibrancy – and then three months of radio silence in the Jewish life department.
But that reality is beginning to change.
In 2019, only 150 children attended CKids affiliated overnight camps. Last year, over 500 children enrolled – and this year, CKids overnight camps are seeing a nearly 40% increase over last year’s record enrollment, pushing the total to nearly 800 children from 17 states and 3 countries around the world.
This year’s dramatic jump in attendance is thanks to expanded scholarship funding made possible by generous philanthropic partners seeking to fuel the transformative power of immersive Jewish experiences, including Yitzchak Abehsera in memory of Miriam bat Fibi, Rabbi Shimon Margolin of California, and Mr. George and Mrs. Pamela Rohr.
Special appreciation is extended to the many shluchim who participated in the funding initiative and to those who encouraged and inspired families to send their children. Their partnership has enabled hundreds of additional Jewish children to experience a summer that will shape their Jewish future.
Rabbi Mendy Cohen – California
Rabbi Yisroel Deren – Connecticut
Rabbi Yisrael Shmotkin – Wisconsin
Rabbi Yossi New – Georgia
Rabbi Meir Shimon Moscowitz – Illinois
Rabbi Tuvia Teldon – Long Island, New York
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov – Michigan
Rabbi Chaim Bruk – Montana
Rabbi Mendy Herson – New Jersey
Rabbi Doron Aizenman – South Carolina
Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff – Texas
The growth reflects a broader shift taking place across Jewish philanthropy. “Increasingly, major funders recognize that while classroom education is essential, immersive Jewish experiences create unparalleled lasting impact,” explains Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Merkos 302 Director. “Camp is where Judaism is no longer something children study – it becomes something they live, in the most engaging and contagiously fun setting possible.”
For children who attend public school, Jewish overnight camp may be the only extended period all year when every meal is kosher, every friend shares their values, every activity reflects Jewish life, and Shabbos is experienced by an entire community. It is weeks of living Judaism rather than simply learning about it.
“This is such an important opportunity for Jewish children, especially for those growing up in remote places,” shares Rabbi Chaim Bruk, Co-CEO of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana. “CKids Gan Israel overnight camps are really bringing back the Rebbe’s original intention for Camp Gan Israel. Jewish children attending public schools need the immersive 24-7 Judaism you can only get at overnight camp – it was the Rebbe’s vision, and it’s incredible nachas to see these kids thriving from the experience.”
In many ways, overnight camp completes the Jewish calendar year. Chabad Hebrew Schools nurture children throughout the academic year, while Jewish summer camp reinforces and deepens that foundation during the months when those programs pause. Together, they create year-round Jewish engagement that strengthens identity and inspires lifelong connection.
For many campers, the experience is transformative.
Instead of spending the summer as the only Jewish child at camp, they become part of a vibrant Jewish community. Instead of feeling different, they feel they belong more than ever. The highlight of their year, the months every child dreams about all school year long, becomes unmistakably Jewish – a summer filled with friendships, adventure, Torah, mitzvos, and unforgettable memories.
While the scholarship initiative has fueled remarkable growth, the success belongs to the shluchim who have built these camps and work tirelessly to make them thrive:
Rabbi Levi and Chaya Plotkin – CKids Gan Israel Florida
Rabbi Avremi and Shaindy Shapiro – CKids Gan Israel Wisconsin
Rabbi Gershon and Devorah Sandler – CKids Gan Israel Poconos
Rabbi Yitzchok and Chana Steinmetz – L’Man Achai
Rabbi Yitzy and Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal – CKids Gan Israel Denmark
Rabbi Tzemmy and Mrs. Sophie Bassman – CKids Gan Israel Hungary
Each Gan Israel Overnight Camp is independently owned and operated by local shluchim who dedicate themselves to creating exceptional Jewish experiences for their communities. The grant initiative simply helps remove financial barriers, making it possible for many more families to say yes to Jewish overnight camp.
The initiative also showcases the extraordinary strength of the Chabad network. Across hundreds of communities around the globe, shluchim continue expanding access to meaningful Jewish education, ensuring that every family has opportunities to strengthen Jewish identity regardless of background or affiliation.
At a time when Jewish continuity has never been more important, investing in immersive Jewish experiences is investing in the future of the Jewish people.
For Rabbi Zalman Loewenthal, CKids Director, the camp grant’s pilot year has been a resounding success. “Every additional child who spends a summer living Judaism, celebrating Shabbos with friends, singing around a campfire, and discovering pride in being Jewish represents another stronger link in the chain of Jewish continuity,” he says.
And thanks to visionary supporters, dedicated shluchim, and the growing network of CKids Gan Israel overnight camps, that chain is becoming stronger than ever.
CrownHeights.info3 days agoPublic voting for this year’s Chinuch Pitch is now open.
After reviewing dozens of submissions from educators and innovators around the world, the Chinuch Pitch judges have selected 10 standout ideas—each one aiming to strengthen and improve Chinuch in a meaningful way.
Now it’s your turn.
Members of the public are invited to review the Top 10 and vote for the three pitches they believe have the greatest potential to make a real impact.
Voting closes in just two days, on Wednesday, July 15.
The public vote, together with input from the panel of judges, will determine the three finalists who will advance to the final round of the Chinuch Pitch.
Those finalists will present their ideas live at the upcoming International Kinus HaMechanchim, where the final decision will be made.
One winning pitch will receive up to $18,000 from the Merkos Chinuch Office to help bring the idea to life.
This is an opportunity for mechanchim, parents, and anyone who cares about Chinuch to help shape what comes next.
Among the ideas: tools to save teachers time, new approaches to engage every talmid, platforms to connect students with the right educators, and creative ways to bring Torah learning and Chassidus to life.
One of these ideas could make a lasting difference—and your vote can help decide which one moves forward.
Pitch #1: Mechanchim Exchange Resource Drive****Yoel Vogel
Pitch #2: Dargo — Creating Torah Thinkers****Zalmy GuraryChassidus Teacher, OTM
Pitch #3: The Jewish Classroom
Pitch #4: Jewlingo****Mendy Seldowitz
Pitch #5: SkillBridge****Yechezkel RavelMenahel, Tora Or Panama
Pitch #6: Bring Out the Learner — Activating Every Talmid’s Thinking****Meyer PiekarskiFounder, Karov Eilecha
Pitch #7: Connect — A Vetted Network That Connects Any Student or School With the Right Educator, Anywhere****Levi DruinPrincipal, Pardes Day School
Pitch #8: Chumash Learning Map****Yosef BassmanDirector and Chumash Teacher, Bader Hillel High School
Pitch #9: Real Life Lessons****Shneur Zalman PhillipsExtracurricular Programming, Oholei Torah
Pitch #10: Know Show — Interactive Torah Learning Experiences****Yosef ShainTeacher and Therapist, ULY CH
Every vote matters. Review the pitches, choose the three ideas that speak to you most, and help determine which innovators will take the stage at the Kinus.
Voting closes Wednesday, July 15, א’ אב at 10:00pm EST
Make your voice heard and vote now: kinus.chinuchoffice.org/vote
CrownHeights.info3 days agoAnyone who has ever planned a Simcha knows the routine: a dozen phone calls to find an available hall, a frantic search for a caterer who can work with your date, texts back and forth with a photographer that somehow never get answered on time, and a growing pile of sticky notes trying to keep it all straight. The joy of the occasion can too easily get buried under the logistics of pulling it off.
A new platform, BookBeSimcha.com, was built to change that.
BookBeSimcha.com is an all-in-one platform designed to make planning a Simcha simple, organized, and — true to its name — full of joy again. Whether it’s a L’Chaim, a Sheva Brachos, wedding, or any other gathering, the platform brings together everything a Ba’al Simcha needs — halls, catering, music, photography, and more — in a single, easy-to-use workspace.
Instead of chasing down vendors one by one, families can now browse, compare, and book with confidence, knowing exactly what’s available and when.
– Smart Scheduling — See real vendor availability for your actual event date, so you’re never left guessing or waiting for a callback.
– Services, All in One Place — Browse halls, catering, music, photography, and more by category, instead of piecing together recommendations from a dozen different sources.
– Built-In Communication — Message vendors directly through the platform, keeping every conversation, quote, and detail in one organized thread.
– Event Tracking — Manage bookings, quotes, and to-dos for every Simcha from a single dashboard, so nothing falls through the cracks.
What sets BookBeSimcha.com apart is that it wasn’t built only with the Ba’al Simcha in mind — it was built for the whole ecosystem that makes a Simcha come together:
For those planning a Simcha: Browse vendors by category, check real-time availability, and manage every booking from one organized event workspace — from the first phone call to the final thank-you note.
For vendors: A dedicated vendor portal makes it easy to manage a calendar, accept bookings, showcase services, and connect directly with families who are planning their next celebration.
For Chesed organizations: BookBeSimcha.com also creates a way for organizations to help families celebrate — coordinating support and financial assistance right through the platform, so that every family, regardless of circumstance, can experience their Simcha the way it deserves to be experienced: with joy.
Planning a Simcha, offering vendor services, or looking to support a family in need? BookBeSimcha.com is live now.
BookBeSimcha.com — Bringing the joy back into your Simcha.
CrownHeights.info3 days agoby A Young Lubavitcher
Where am I in the picture? This is a question I’ve asked myself from a very young age.
Living in a physical world, we tend to assume everything is physical. Over time, however, I came to realize that not everything is. Not everything can be seen. Not everything can be felt by hand. The mind does not only perceive what is physical—it grasps ideas, meanings, and inner experiences.
Parents often tell their children, “I gave you everything—why would you be upset?” or “you have all you need—why wouldn’t you feel good?” but here’s what adults must understand: not everything is about the physical. there are emotional needs that a child has.
Take, for example, the fact that we see that a person needs to feel that they have a place in the picture. A secure place. Not only must that place exist—it must be clear in the child’s mind. Not having a secure place can cause a person to experience trauma. While a full definition of trauma is beyond the scope of this article, one way of explaining trauma is that it is when a person experiences something that is too overloaded for the person’s mind and capacity. A one-time small trauma usually won’t affect the person too much, but a very intense trauma—or more importantly, a trauma that is repeated over and over again—can strongly affect a person’s ability until healed.
Trauma is not only about what happened; it is about the experience of the person, and in our case, a child. In most cases, a trauma experience in childhood takes a far greater toll than a trauma experienced as an adult.
Someone who has never experienced deep trauma may not know what trauma even is. One who has never experienced deep trauma cannot fully grasp the experience, but they could study it and understand the idea. A co-worker once asked me, “is trauma a real thing?” I appreciated the question. I told him, “I promise you it is. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve felt it in my own bones.” Trauma does not only affect emotions—it affects the body as well. Often (though not always), the deeper the trauma, the more the body carries tension.
On a personal note, when I was younger, I went to doctors for a physical issue that no one could explain. It wasn’t severe, but it bothered me. Eventually, I began therapy. I did the difficult yet relieving work of revisiting that younger version of myself—the child who had silently carried so much pain.
As I progressed in my emotional healing, the physical issue gradually lessened.
In simple terms: trauma is real. It may not be physical, but it often expresses itself physically. People cry when they’re sad—that’s emotional pain affecting the body. stress shows up in the body as well: tightness, fatigue, even back pain.
There is a specific kind of pain I want to address—one that is often left unspoken.
Instead of using the “D word,” I will write “separation.”
Growing up, my parents were separated. I can’t fully explain it, but I felt like I didn’t have a place. It was as if I was on roller skates—never firmly grounded, never fully stable.
Well-meaning people tried to reassure me that everything was fine, but that didn’t help. If anything, it made things more confusing. I was being told how I should feel, while inside I felt something entirely different. There needs to be clarity between what is healthy reassurance, and when it is simply telling the child that he shouldn’t feel what he or she is feeling.
Both of my parents were alive—I wasn’t a yosom, baruch hashem. but this wasn’t about the physical reality. it was about the absence of a sense of home—a place where both parents are present together. For reasons I still can’t fully explain, it seems that a child deeply needs that. (And I’ve heard from certain lecturers that the more parents respect and connect with each other, the healthier it is for their children emotionally.)
I want to use my pain to address parents with some short lessons that can be overlooked. This is not to bash single parents, chas v’shalom. No one should ever have to have the challenges these people face. Rather, I just want to share three points that may be insightful for these parents, (and are also lessons for all parents).
Based on my own experience, together with what I’ve seen over time in children, I want to share three points.
Number one, separation does not solve everything. Many, if not most, cases of conflict between spouses and separation are rooted in unresolved childhood trauma. While together, a spouse can use these triggers as an opportunity to explore why he or she is feeling triggered. The parent can discuss it with a good therapist, think about it, and use the opportunity to heal.
Secondly, a separation of spouses is a tragedy. The gemara says this, and it is clear in so many ways. If, chas v’shalom, separation does occur (after proper guidance from a reputable therapist and a Rav, and only after genuine effort to preserve the marriage), care must be taken to avoid a second tragedy.
Children are not meant to carry their parents’ emotional burdens. Hashem created children as receivers. It is not their role to take care of the parent. Even the obligation of kibbud av va’em formally begins at bar mitzvah; beforehand, it is part of chinuch.
Parents may have real emotional needs—but those needs must not be placed on the child. Having children is a great mitzvah, and with it comes the responsibility to treat them fairly and protect their well-being.
After separation, parents often carry pain, but children are not therapists. Get a reputable therapist. Speak to someone appropriate.
One last point, whether noticeable or not, a child of separated parents is already suffering; the child’s parent should understand that. Don’t add injury to injury. A parent should make sure that their decisions do not cause harm or pain to the child. Put the child first. The child will thank the parent when they grow up, and the relationship with the child will be a positive one.
Now I turn to those who are now adults but are carrying the weight of pain since their childhood. I want to say that I myself have done a lot of healing. I won’t say it was easy, but there were very rewarding moments. It has helped me to do more and to live with a more open heart. I want to encourage you to take care of yourself. I advise you to see a good therapist, and to begin the healing you deserve. You deserve a rich life with an open heart. Much Hatzlacha in the small steps of healing.
May we merit the time when Hashem will wipe away pain from all faces. May it be speedily.
CrownHeights.infoCrownHeights.info4 days agoOholei Torah’s overnight camp for Mechina, Mesivta, and Beis Medrash bochurim, Yeshivas Kayitz Program (YKP), has unveiled a brand new sports pavilion, an exciting addition that is already enhancing the summer experience for hundreds of bochurim.
The mission of YKP is to provide bochurim with a truly meaningful summer both b’gashmiyus and b’ruchniyus. Alongside strong learning, inspiring davening, and the guidance of dedicated counselors and mechanchim, YKP recognizes the importance of healthy recreation, physical activity, and opportunities for every bochur to thrive.
One of the greatest challenges facing any overnight camp is keeping bochurim active and engaged during periods of rain or extreme heat. Another is ensuring that every bochur has recreational opportunities that match his interests, recognizing that not everyone is drawn to traditional ball sports. YKP has long offered an exceptional variety of activities, including expansive athletic fields, boating, swimming, biking, a scenic lakefront, laser tag, dune buggies, a fully stocked library, a recreation room featuring pool tables, air hockey, and foosball, as well as an extensive collection of board games. This diverse lineup ensures that every bochur can find activities he enjoys while providing exciting recreational opportunities regardless of the weather.
The new sports pavilion takes that experience to a new level. Designed for use day and night, rain or shine, the open air pavilion provides shade, refreshing natural airflow enhanced by two large fans, and breathtaking views of the campgrounds. The covered structure spans an impressive 220 by 80 feet, while the fully paved area extends an incredible 280 by 100 feet, creating one of the premier recreational facilities of its kind.
The pavilion features two basketball courts, two hockey courts, and three volleyball courts, allowing up to fourteen teams to play simultaneously. Adjacent to the courts is a spacious 50 foot picnic area where bochurim can gather, relax, and enjoy the outdoors.
Surrounding the pavilion is a new running track, providing another valuable outlet for bochurim who may not be interested in organized ball sports. Whether participating in camp activities or enjoying their free time, bochurim are encouraged to stay active by running, walking, or exercising with friends.
Special appreciation goes to Rabbi Yisroel Levertov, Director of YKP, whose ongoing vision and dedication continue to transform the camp year after year, enhancing every aspect of the bochurim’s experience.
“When bochurim feel well cared for and have outstanding facilities in which to learn, play, and grow, it naturally translates into better davening, stronger learning, and happier bochurim,” said Rabbi Mendel Blau, Roish Moissed. “Every improvement we make is another investment in giving each bochur the best possible summer experience, both b’gashmiyus and b’ruchniyus.”
Already in use this season, the new pavilion has quickly become a favorite destination on campus, ensuring that regardless of the weather or personal interests, every bochur has outstanding opportunities to enjoy recreation, build friendships, and return home refreshed and ready for the new Shnas Halimudim.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoby CrownHeights.info
The state-financed affordable housing project that has loomed over the future of one of Crown Heights’s oldest Shuls just got significantly bigger, and taller. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) last week finalized $193.6 million in bonds and subsidies for Vital Brooklyn’s Kingsbrook Estates, clearing the way for a single 14-story tower with 402 apartments on the former Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus in East Flatbush, a dramatic jump from the 266-unit, multi-building design first announced under Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2019.
For the congregation of the historic Kingsbrook Shul, locked out of its grounds since the early days of COVID-19, the news lands at a delicate moment: the building itself appears safe from demolition after Governor Hochul’s personal intervention late last year, but the footprint of the massive development around it keeps changing.
According to the recent filings, the state is putting $193.6 million toward demolishing the four former hospital buildings and constructing a 14-story building with 402 affordable apartments for residents earning at or below 70 percent of the Area Median Income, including 142 units with supportive services for older adults and veterans. That’s a striking departure from the original pitch.
Back in 2019, Monadnock Development, CB-Emmanuel Realty and Brooklyn Community Housing and Services were selected to turn the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center North Campus into a 266-unit development spread across three buildings, with three existing structures demolished and a fourth, the Leviton Building, converted from hospital use into housing. That plan promised amenities like a therapeutic garden, outdoor kitchens, walkways and a PACE center for elderly care, all wrapped around what was described as a shared courtyard.
Seven years later, the unit count has grown by more than 50 percent and the multi-building campus has been consolidated into a single high-rise nearly quadruple the height originally discussed. According to site plans and a June 2026 Decision Document filed with the state Department of Environmental Conservation as part of the project’s Brownfield Cleanup Program review, the current design steers clear of both the main “synagogue” building, and its attached Shul. But the new footprint dips into the courtyard space on both the eastern and western sides of the site, encroaching on open space that earlier renderings had shown surrounding the shul.
The housing project’s growth is unfolding against the backdrop of a bitter, years-long dispute over the fate of Congregation Chaim Albert, universally known as the Kingsbrook Shul.
The congregation has been active on the hospital grounds since at least 1928, when Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center was founded partly in response to antisemitism at other area hospitals. The original Shul building was torn down to make room for X-ray rooms in 1950, and the marble-floored, stained-glass structure that replaced it was named for Joseph Chaim Albert, father of longtime hospital president Isaac Albert.
The current standoff traces back to 2020, when the Shul was shuttered under COVID-era restrictions and hospital officials told congregants they could return once those restrictions were lifted. The truth was that access was never actually restored. The building today sits covered in tarps, with standing water on the floor and stains creeping across the ceiling, according to congregants. Before the closure, the shul held services every Shabbas and Yom Tov, drawing about 40 people a week, and roughly 60 people still consider themselves members who would return if allowed, according to filings form the Shul.
Congregation Chaim Albert filed suit against One Brooklyn Health System in June 2025, asking the court to establish a trust preserving the building for religious use after the hospital system’s development plans surfaced with no provision for the shul’s survival. A 2019 Q&A distributed by state officials had explicitly promised the synagogue would not be part of the redevelopment and that the building would be preserved.
The dispute drew growing public attention through late 2025, including a menorah-lighting rally outside the locked building during Chanukah. The rally was led by a young man who had recently been assaulted in an antisemitic attack on the subway while returning from Chanukah outreach. Days later, Governor Hochul announced she had personally intervened to prevent the synagogue’s demolition, praising the shul’s century of history and its symbolism for the Jewish community. Her office did not specify exactly how the intervention was carried out.
State Attorney General Letitia James and Crown Heights communal leaders welcomed the move, though the celebration was tempered. Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, a longtime congregant, told CBS New York that hospital management only admitted in June 2024 that it had no intention of reopening the shul, confirming what members had long suspected. Fellow congregant Mendy Rendler said the community has lost the kind of large gathering space that once brought families together. Saving the walls from a wrecking ball, congregants have noted, is not the same as reopening the doors. Goldstein put it simply: a saved synagogue that stays closed is “not in use.”
What’s changed since Hochul’s intervention is not the fate of the synagogue building itself, but the scale of everything around it. The jump from 266 to 402 units, confirmed in HCR’s July 9 funding announcement, effectively locks in a far larger structure than the one originally described to the community and to the congregation in 2019.
With bond financing now finalized, Kingsbrook Estates appears close to breaking ground on demolition of the four remaining former hospital buildings, a separate matter from the synagogue itself, which current site plans continue to route around. But with the courtyard space shrinking on both flanks and the unit count nearly 50 percent above what neighbors were originally shown, the questions facing Congregation Chaim Albert are no longer only about whether its building survives. They now include what kind of neighborhood will surround it once 402 apartments and a 14-story tower rise where a low-slung hospital campus, and an unlocked shul, once stood.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoRabbi Shmuel Lesches, Magid Shiur in the Yeshiva Gedola of Melbourne, Australia, has compiled a guide to the laws and customs of the Nine Days for the benefit of the wider Lubavitch community.
Please note: All times listed are for Melbourne only.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoby CrownHeights.info
A sharp eyed Crown Heights Shomrim volunteer watched as the man pocketed the merchandise and left the store. He radioed in the theft and within a few minutes the shoplifter was under arrest.
This incident took place Sunday at the Kosher Town store on Rutland and Albany in Crown Heights, which the shoplifter must have thought was a safe place for him to steal. Unfortunately for him, the Crown Heights Shomrim volunteer was alert and ready, and quickly called for another volunteer to follow until the NYPD arrived.
A quick response by the NYPD meant that the thief made it only a few blocks, and he now has to answer to the law for his crimes.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoJewish constitutional lawyer Mark Levin, the host of The Mark Levin Show, made a visit to 770 on Sunday, stopping by the WLCC room and getting a tour from Rabbi Chaim Boruch Halberstam.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoToday’s video teaches about the Heichal, from the steps in front of it to the tremendous height of its entrance, from the number of floors that it had to its height. You will also see the size of the Heichal relative to the area around 770.
Yesterday’s raffle winners are
$50 Judaica World gift card: יעקב פעווזנער
$36 Judaica World gift card: Dovber Levy
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/Nyl1K
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/GVaB819H9hPFwL6c4DEGeg?mode=ac_t
Today’s class & prizes are dedicated לזכות זיסל תחי’ פעווזנער לרגל יום ההולדת לשנת ברכה והצלחה
Dedicate a day’s class & prizes — for a Simcha, Refuah Shleima, or L’ilui Nishmas. $86 covers the day.
CrownHeights.info4 days agoOnce a year, the men of our community gather for something that goes far beyond a fundraiser. It is a night of song and brotherhood, of full hearts and open hands. This year, it carries a message powerful enough to define the entire evening:
Celebrate Your Blessings. Help Others Build Theirs.
On Monday, July 27, The Arches will fill for the 6th Annual Bonei Olam Chabad Men’s Event. The evening will feature a soulful kumzitz with Eli Levin, prime meats fresh off the fire, an open bar, and cigars shared in good company. Yet at the heart of the great food, soulful music, and camaraderie lies a purpose that reaches far deeper: giving families in our own community the chance to build the future they have been praying for.
For many couples, the journey to parenthood is marked by heartbreak, uncertainty, and overwhelming financial strain. Bonei Olam Chabad is there when hope feels out of reach, providing not only critical financial assistance, but unwavering emotional support and advocacy every step of the way. The couples waiting and praying are not strangers. They are your neighbors, your friends, your family.
In the words of one grateful family:
“Today we are celebrating our great-grandson’s pidyon haben. Hashem has blessed us with children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren. One of our granddaughters took a little longer to start her family, and Baruch Hashem we are here. May Hashem continue to bless this incredible organization that helps build doros in Klal Yisroel.”
Stories like these are why this night matters. A miracle never ends with one family. It grows into children, grandchildren, and generations still to come.
The impact of the past year tells that story. Bonei Olam Chabad supported 148 couples in our community. While 36 precious babies were welcomed into the world, 119 couples are still waiting, hoping, and fighting for the chance to become parents. Together, we made 299 fertility procedures possible and invested more than $1.3 million directly into the couples who needed it most.
This year’s campaign, Give for Gratitude, is built around one simple message: Celebrate Your Blessings. Help Others Build Theirs. With a goal of raising $1.2 million, every dollar will help more couples take another step toward holding a child of their own. It is a movement built on a simple belief: gratitude should inspire action, our blessings are meant to be shared, and one miracle can spark the next.
This is more than the theme of the night. It is the reason we gather. Whether you give in gratitude for your own blessings or in the hope of creating one for someone else, your presence and support can change what is possible for a family still waiting. Think of every simcha your family has been blessed to celebrate, and imagine helping open that same door for someone else.
The countdown has begun. Just two weeks remain.
Join us for an unforgettable evening of brotherhood, gratitude, and purpose. Help another family celebrate theirs.
Monday, July 27The Arches6th Annual Bonei Olam Chabad Men’s Event
To RSVP, visit boneiolam.org/rsvpchabad. For sponsorship opportunities, email [email protected].
CrownHeights.info4 days agoNassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman delivered a sharp critique of New York’s political leadership during an interview on the Viktor Frankl podcast with Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, warning that rising antisemitism, increasing crime, and the growing influence of democratic socialism are threatening the future of the Empire State.
Blakeman, who is seeking to unseat Governor Kathy Hochul in 2026, said protecting New York’s Jewish community would be among his highest priorities if elected governor. He argued that Jewish New Yorkers are experiencing unprecedented levels of fear as antisemitic incidents continue to rise and accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of emboldening anti-Israel activists through his rhetoric and political alliances.
“I will not tolerate antisemitism. I will not tolerate any bigotry in the State of New York,” Blakeman said, promising to use every tool available to ensure Jewish communities can live, worship, and attend school without fear.
During the interview, Blakeman contrasted his handling of anti-Israel demonstrations in Nassau County with what he described as the failures of New York City officials to maintain order on college campuses and during anti-Israel protests. He said peaceful protest would always be protected, but violence, intimidation, and harassment would be met with immediate law enforcement action.
The conversation also focused heavily on public safety. Blakeman sharply criticized New York’s cashless bail law, calling it “a revolving door of criminality,” and blamed Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for policies that he believes have made communities less safe. He pledged to strengthen law enforcement, fully staff police departments, and, if necessary, use the authority of the governor to intervene if New York City fails to maintain public order.
Economic issues also featured prominently. Blakeman argued that excessive taxes, soaring utility costs, and burdensome regulations have driven businesses and families out of New York. Pointing to his record in Nassau County—including multiple budget surpluses, tax restraint, and improvements in public safety—he said the same policies could restore economic growth across the state.
Blakeman also warned about the growing influence of democratic socialism, saying history has repeatedly shown that socialist policies weaken economies and reduce opportunity. He criticized proposals such as expanding government-funded benefits while arguing that New York’s future depends on encouraging private enterprise, lowering taxes, and rewarding work rather than expanding government control.
Asked why voters should believe New York can recover, Blakeman said the state still possesses enormous strengths but requires new leadership willing to confront crime, support police, protect the Jewish community, and restore confidence in government.
Closing the interview, Blakeman expressed optimism that New York’s best days can still lie ahead.
“Help is on the way,” he said. “I’m running for governor for you, for your children, and for your grandchildren—to make New York a better state for them.”
CrownHeights.info5 days agoToday’s video reviews the details of the Mizbeach; from its height to its width and length, from the Chut Hasikrah to its size relative to the height of a person.
Yesterday’s raffle winners are
$50 Judaica World gift card: Chana Fried
$36 Judaica World gift card: Yossi Goldstein
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/3VNVX
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWKXQK4ucWN2w7ObrYCgUG
Today’s class & prizes are dedicated לעילוי נשמת ישראל בן בנימין
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $186 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info5 days agoAt the close of the academic year, as the fruits of the immense investment over the long winter and summer months are clearly evident, the “Tomchei Temimim” Yeshiva in Moscow is enveloped in an atmosphere of spiritual satisfaction and elevation. The noise of the bustling city remains outside, and within the Yeshiva study hall, one can feel the joyous sense of concluding a year filled with the toil of Torah and Chassidus. The students, who applied themselves to their studies with daily dedication, are now reaping the rewards of their hard work, giving these days a festive feeling of renewal and a historic leap forward toward the future.
This sense of elevation reached its peak recently with the graduation celebration of the rabbinic ordination (Semicha) studies, held with great splendor for a group of the Shluchim students. Throughout the entire year, the Shluchim dedicated themselves to the Semicha study track, successfully passing a comprehensive series of written and oral exams. The panel of examiners included prominent rabbis and dayanim, among them the Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, during his visit to Moscow, as well as the Gaon and Chassid Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Raskin, Dayan and Moreh Tzedek of the Lubavitch community in London.
The final exam was administered by the founder of the Yeshiva, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, the Gaon Rabbi Berel Lazar, shlita, who dedicated significant time to test the students despite his busy schedule. The panel of examiners was also joined by the Gaon and Chassid Rabbi Shneur Zalman Yaroslavsky, rabbi of the Chabad community in Elad and member of the Chabad Rabbinical Court, who made a special trip to test the Temimim. Rabbi Yaroslavsky, who brings extensive experience in testing students, expressed his immense admiration for the level of investment and the breadth of the young men’s knowledge, from foundational principles up to practical Halachic rulings.
Special appreciation was expressed to the Yeshiva’s administration, headed by the Shaliach Rabbi Yechezkel Lazar, which invests tremendous resources to enable the young men to study with peace of mind and tranquility, and to Rabbi Dovid Rosenzweig, who heads the Semicha track with profound dedication and effort. The Shluchim students arrived from the “Oholei Torah” Yeshiva in New York, through the initiative and dedicated organization of the Ram and rabbi of the ‘Zil’ neighborhood in southern Moscow, the Shaliach Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, with the goal of strengthening the local Yeshiva students and providing them with a living example of diligence and perseverance.
Alongside the impressive celebration, the Yeshiva is currently experiencing a fascinating wave of renewal, which takes on double meaning in light of the institution’s solid foundations. This Yeshiva has earned a unique status: it is the only “Tomchei Temimim” Yeshiva in the world whose opening was directly approved by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, rather than through the central administration of Tomchei Temimim, and for the Yeshiva’s opening, the Rebbe granted it a special blessing. It was in the month of Elul, 5748 (1988), approaching the “Year of Building,” when the Rebbe was written to about the initiative to open a Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Moscow. To this, his rare and direct holy response was received: “May it be in a good and successful hour in every respect, and since there must be ‘lights within vessels,’ they should clarify well in what manner regarding the details, a specific person – a specific matter – and the like, there needs to be a decision on-site. I will mention it at the Tziyon.” This special blessing has accompanied the Yeshiva ever since, and its power is felt and shines throughout the city of Moscow, and especially upon the hundreds of the Yeshiva’s alumni, who have established Chassidic homes, with many serving as klei kodesh for Russian Jewry around the world.
As a natural response to the community’s expansion, a new framework designed for advanced young men is now opening. While until now the Yeshiva has focused on providing a solution for Baalei Teshuva at the beginning of their journey, the new program, headed by the new Shaliach Rabbi Yisroel Rozen, is designed to give the students comprehensive tools ahead of their integration into major Yeshivas in Israel and around the world, and in preparation for the “Kvutza” year at the Yeshiva in 770 in the USA.
Hovering above all these educational endeavors is the constant guidance of the founder of all the educational institutions, the Chief Rabbi, shlita, and the new framework constitutes another tier in a chain of educational initiatives. These join the “Evening Yeshiva” and the “Sunday Yeshiva” that opened this year, providing an additional study framework for young men thirsting to delve deeper into Torah and the observance of Mitzvot. All these projects come to fruition thanks to the close collaboration of the dedicated Yeshiva staff, together with the Board of Education headed by Rabbi Mendel Goldberg, and the support of the 770 Foundation and its head, the Chassidic philanthropist and Shaliach, Rabbi Yehuda Davidov. The Semicha celebration, together with the opening of the doors to the new programs, concludes a fruitful academic year and plants in the hearts a strong anticipation for an even brighter future for the voice of Torah in Moscow.
Photography: Levi Nazarov
CrownHeights.info5 days agoA moving and meaningful celebration recently took place at the Chabad “Simcha” Jewish community in Kyiv, Ukraine as local Bar and Bat Mitzvah boys and girls marked their entry into Jewish adulthood together with their families, friends, community members, and honored guests.
The celebration followed months of preparation as part of EnerJew’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah project, during which the teens studied the meaning of Jewish responsibility, personal identity, Jewish tradition, and the significance of this important milestone. After previously taking part in the broader EnerJew celebration, the Kyiv teens gathered once again for a warm local event focused on their families and home community.
During the program, Rabbi Mordechai (Moti) Levenhartz, the community’s leader, read aloud the letter he had received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe in honor of his own Bar Mitzvah. He shared with the young participants the personal and timeless meaning of this defining moment in Jewish life.
The Deputy Ambassador of Israel to Ukraine, Mrs. Mila Tzur, honored the event with her presence and offered heartfelt words of blessing. In her remarks, she moved the audience by sharing the story of her grandfather’s Bar Mitzvah in the days of the Soviet Union, a time when preserving Jewish tradition required courage and deep commitment.
One of the evening’s especially memorable moments was the screening of a special video featuring graduates of past Bar Mitzvah celebrations in the community. In the video, they described how the experience influenced their lives and strengthened their connection to Judaism and to the community.
Their personal reflections highlighted the lasting impact of investing in the younger generation and the importance of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebration as a meaningful step in the Jewish journey of every boy and girl.
The evening was marked by a festive, emotional, and hopeful atmosphere, giving the young participants and their families a Jewish experience that will remain with them for years to come. Similar family-centered community celebrations were held in dozens of additional cities across the FSU where EnerJew is active, further strengthening the bond between Jewish youth, their families, and their local communities.
CrownHeights.info5 days agoUS Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) died Saturday following a brief illness at the age of 71, his office confirmed.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness. Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” Graham’s office said on X on Sunday morning.
A cause of death was not immediately revealed.
CrownHeights.info5 days agoA delegation of Chabad Shluchim from Florida met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week during a visit to Israel. The group was led by Rabbi Bentzion Korf, Shliach of Florida, and accompanied by Rabbi Moshe Shilat, director of Chabad for Youth in Israel, along with rabbis and emissaries serving Jewish communities across the United States.
CrownHeights.info5 days agoby Dovid Zaklikowski for Hasidic Archives
In the Lubavitch community Dovid Deitsch developed a certain mystique—the legendary philanthropist from New Haven. In the mid-1960s there were few Lubavitchers wealthy enough to dispense the amount of charity that Dovid gave, and fewer in the community who did not know his name. Lubavitch in the United States was centered in Brooklyn; however the Deitsch family lived a world away from the Rebbe’s court, so he was an “out-of-towner.”
Thus when Dovid’s cousin Rabbi Futerfas was finally permitted to leave the Soviet Union, one of the first things he did upon arriving in the United States was visit Dovid. Rabbi Yochonon Gurary, at the time a yeshivah student, drove him there and was surprised to see the way the Deitsches lived. Instead of the opulently furnished home he expected, he saw pots hanging on a nail on the wall.
Decades later, now the chief rabbi of Holon, Israel, he recalled wondering whether Dovid was really as rich as everyone said since “he lived very modestly.”
Luxury in the Deitsch house meant giving extra tzedakah. When Dovid was ill at the end of his life, his daughter Rochke would visit him daily. One day she did not come, and when Dovid asked what happened, she told him that her friends encouraged her to have her color palette done. The day before she finally had one made.
“Was that something you had to pay for?” Dovid asked. Rochke told him yes, and how much. Though it was difficult for Dovid to speak, he managed to say, as his voice trembled with effort and emotion, “You could have given that amount to tzedakah.”
An excerpt from the new book Yards of Kindness: The Life of Dovid and Sara Deitsch, available at HasidicArchives.com.
CrownHeights.info5 days agoDear Mr. President,
In the continued celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America, a monumental milestone, I’d like to bless you Mr. President to be completely successful in all of your endeavors.
May the Almighty bless you to continue to fight for the ultimate good and champion the very best for all Americans and make America greater and greater in all realms possible with vigorously good health in both body and spirit.
On this auspicious time, I want to highlight and touch upon a matter of great concern regarding the education of our children.
Please Mr. President, I need your help in this most urgent manner.
Instead of public schools, due to our religious beliefs, my friends and family send our kids to religious schools (Jewish Cheder and Yeshivah).
Unlike the public school system, where the schools are fully funded by the government and the kids are given free education, because of our religious choice, our schools aren’t given government funding and our kids’ education isn’t paid for by the government, at all, unlike most other Americans. (There is a small fraction of exceptions which help only a minute few and not the silent majority.)
Strangely, our religious freedom here in America costs us double.
We must pay for other people’s kids’ education (through our taxes) but since our kids are excluded from support by the government (while other American children get free schooling), due to our religious beliefs, we must pay out of pocket for our kids education as well, on top of paying for others’ kids.
Unfortunately Mr. President, this is a price which is too high to pay and is unaffordable for most middle class families.
It’s shockingly ironic that in our country which was born out of the dream of religious freedom, specifically those who want to pursue religious schooling (which benefits society at large by producing highly moral individuals), are being grossly discriminated against financially.
Please forgive me Mr. President for seeming naive, but I hope you agree with me that this neglected imbalance is not just and isn’t American in essence.
Every American child deserves our full support, unequivocally, since every child is invaluable.
We cannot ignore this matter which sabotages the wellbeing of whole communities of Americans.
This financial burden causes undue stress and aggravation to me and many middle-class families that I know, as we are forced to pay extraordinary sums which undermine our quality of life, erodes peace of mind, as we are put in a huge financial test and thrust into instability trying to make ends meet and keep our heads above water, just barely.
I can tell you stories of the struggles and the pressure I have witnessed inflicted on parents and also religious institutions who are both trying to survive against astronomical financial odds.
Hardworking parents who just aren’t making enough to pay tuition for their children are humbled and forced to ask their parents and neighbors to keep up with payments, yet still fall short.
Meanwhile schools who rely on parents for survival struggle to pay teachers on time and often, embarrassingly, are months behind.
Dear Mr. President, by Divine Providence you were put in the most influential position on earth to accomplish great things.
Please use your strategic paramount powers to change the course of history for the better forever for all, by investing in the most priceless assets we have, our children.
Like many, I believe that every American child deserves an education based on the parents’ choice, and that whatever the school of choice is, should be supported financially by the government and not discriminated against, as the situation sadly currently stands.
All American kids’ education needs to be equally funded!
Please Mr. President, institute that every child should get a stipend, equal to public schooling spending, and that the parents decide where that money goes, to whatever school we deem best, public, Montessori ,religious etc…
I implore you to prioritize this matter and fix this unfair situation which makes living a religious life here in America beyond financially difficult, and sometimes, I’m ashamed to say, even unsustainable.
Surely all this suffering brings much satisfaction to those who oppose religious freedom, life and education and actively fight against it. These people, undeniably ‘Unamericans’ or even ‘anti Americans’, obviously disagree with the foundation of our country which was established to create a safe haven enabling and protecting the freedom of varied beliefs and therefore multiple education curriculums.
The fact that we still have religious schools here in America (despite secret wars and not such secret wars against them) which are filled with a growing student body, thank God, is nothing short of a miracle, many many miracles actually.
But frankly Mr. President, I’m tired of relying on miracles.
I want a better financial life for my friends and family while retaining our rich heritage and culture without having to resort to self sacrifice.
We are grateful for the Almighty’s constant blessings and realize this is a test, nevertheless it’s a great privilege and an honor to send our kids to schools we truly cherish and believe in.
Yet, I don’t think we need to accept a martyr role here in America in this day and age to just send our kids to a school of our choice that fortifies our faith and way of life.
The time for change is now.
Dear Mr. President, we appreciate all of your hard work on our nation’s behalf.
Please help us live the American dream of religious freedom, and support us in keeping our faith, by funding our kids’ education, in line with our religious ideals.
Thank you for everything you do.
Thank you in advance for your actions regarding this consequential matter.
May the Almighty bless you and all Americans in all possible good.
With prayers for a better financial future for all Americans, respectfully,
A hopeful Orthodox Jewish father
CrownHeights.info5 days agoAs the Three Weeks begin, The Moshiach Office at Merkos 302 is partnering with Mikdash Minute to bring the Rebbe’s call to learn Hilchos Beis Habechirah to thousands in a clear, visual, and accessible way.
50 years ago, the Rebbe asked every Yid to learn Hilchos Beis Habechirah during the Three Weeks. Quoting the Medrash, the Rebbe explained that when Yidden learn about the structure and laws of the Beis Hamikdash, Hashem considers it as if they are involved in its actual construction.
“Our goal is to make that learning clear, accessible, and real,” said Rabbi Mendel Braun, founder of Mikdash Minute. “Through these short videos, and now together with the 3D Beis Hamikdash Experience, people are not only learning about the Beis Hamikdash — they are beginning to see it, understand it, and yearn for it.”
In the past, Mikdash Minute and Meaningful Minute have collaborated to bring the study of Hilchos Beis Habechirah to tens of thousands of people through concise, engaging, one-minute videos. This year, viewers will be introduced to various parts of the Beis Hamikdash. The highly produced videos bring it to life better than pictures and books.
Additionally, viewers can delve deeper by exploring the structure room by room at their own pace using the new interactive self-guided Beis Hamikdash 3D tool.
The Beis Hamikdash 3D Experience, produced by The Moshiach Office at Merkos 302, allows users to click around and walk through the Second and Third Beis Hamikdash as described in Sefer Yechezkel, with source-based explanations and visual guidance throughout the tour.
Mikdash Minute members also receive 10% off the 3D experience.
“When a person learns the details, visualizes them, and begins to understand them, the Beis Hamikdash becomes more real in their life,” said Rabbi Shlomie Naparstek, Director of The Moshiach Office at Merkos 302. “That is exactly what this partnership is here to make possible.”
The video clips were produced by Kol Halashon in Eretz Yisrael.
The 3D experience was developed by Rabbi Mendel Lewis of BeisHamikdosh.com, with research by renowned Beis Hamikdash expert Rabbi Yossel Meijers.
The partnership between The Moshiach Office and Mikdash Minute offers a powerful new way to answer the Rebbe’s call: to learn about the Beis Hamikdash, to long for it, and to take an active part in bringing it closer.
Join the Mikdash Minute WhatsApp Group here!
To explore the Beis Hamikdash 3D Experience, visit tutaltz.com/bhmk.
CrownHeights.info5 days agoRabbi Chaim Dalfin, author and Chasidic historian shares interesting facts, many revealed for the first time. The purpose of his program is to inspire all but especially the youth. Watch another installment here on CrownHeights.info.
Visit Rabbi Dalfin’s website: Click Here
CrownHeights.info7 days agoToday’s video goes through the basics of the Mizbeach; from the general size of the Mizbeach to the size of the ramp, from their combined size to the details of the foundation of the Mizbeach.
Yesterday’s Winners are:
$50 gift card: Zalmonov Family
$36 gift card: Schneur Sasonkin
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/93vxV
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWKXQK4ucWN2w7ObrYCgUG
Dedicate a day’s class & prizes — for a Simcha, Refuah Shleima, or L’ilui Nishmas.
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $86 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info7 days agoby Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
Last Shabbos while I was farbrenging in Ksav Sofer, I mentioned a story that shows that when the Rebbe is speaking, he is requesting something from each one of us individually. Someone mentioned his personal story that brought it home to everyone, and I would like to share it with you.
As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and most welcomed.
It is known that the Mittler Rebbe wrote seforim for ten different type or groups of chassidim. The Imrei Binah was written for Reb Yekusiel Liepler, a chossid who after much toil and exertion was able to plumb and understand the most intricate concepts of Chassidus. Pirush Hamilos, were ma’amorim that he sent to the Chossid HaRav Yaffe, whom he instructed to move to Eretz Yisroel and promised that he will send him ma’amorim. And then there is Poikei’ach Ivrim that the Mittler Rebbe write specifically for a Ba’al Teshuvah, as the story is described in detail in the introduction to that sefer.
There were times that the Rebbe RaShaB was asked, “Rebbe, for whom was this maamar said for? “ (As the chassidim thought that it was above the ability of almost all of them to comprehend it properly.) On one occasion the Rebbe RaShaB replied, for the Tomim [Reb] Avrohom Boruch Pewzner (who was one of the chozrim then).
So, sometimes a chossid might have thought, is the Rebbe saying this Sichah for me??
Take for example the Sichos about not giving away any part of Eretz Yisroel that Hashem miraculously gave to us. Yes, the Rebbe wants that I should know and understand the proper expected response and way to look at it. For example, the way it is described in Lubavitch is “giving it away”, contrary to the way the world [which is false] presents it, as returning the “occupied lands.”
We don’t say “returning”, as it was never really theirs, and they were the illegal squatters and occupiers. As Rashi states in the first possuk of B’reishis, Hashem gave the entire Eretz Yisroel to the Jewish people.
But the listener might wonder, is the Rebbe expecting me to do something about it? He probably is talking to so and so in the government or those who are close to them and have influence on them. But simple me, what can I do?
Similarly, when the Rebbe said we should learn Rambam throughout the year and especially the 4 chapters of Yechezkel’s prophecy, the mishnayos Midos and the Rambam’s Hilchos Beis HaB’chirah during the 3 weeks, one may erroneously ask or think, is the Rebbe asking me to do that, the Rebbe knows it is beyond my capabilities?
So I will mention the following story:
As is known, especially after Simchas Torah of 5738, when the Rebbe was recovering from the heart attack, the secretary made sure to prepare the letters for a bar mitzvah, chasunah, which are technically standard letters in separate piles, and he would give them together for the Rebbe to sign.
So, one chosson who received the Rebbe’s letter of b’rochos in honor of his upcoming wedding, wondered, did the Rebbe really mean me and my kallah personally? He signs hundreds of the same letter.
Before the wedding, the chosson had a yechidus (probably a group one of chassanim and kallahs, and when he passed by the Rebbe, the Rebbe asked him, “Did you receive my letter of brochoh in honor of your Chassunah?”
The chosson then realized that he was completely mistaken; Yes, the Rebbe means each person individually.
At that moment, Reb Pesach Laufer stood up and stated, “a similar story happened to me, at my Bar Mitzvah”.
As everyone knows, besides the name and date, it is a standard letter, a letter that the Rebbe sent to thousands upon thousands of Bar Mitzvah boys, in honor of their momentous day.
His letter is the same standard letter, just that the Rebbe corrected it in two places.
The first correction was that he added a comma after the word BaTorah. and the second one was that the secretary forgot to type the letter Yud after the samach of the word Chassidus, and the Rebbe squeezed it in.
So, you see that not only did the Rebbe personally sign it, but he checked every word and letter to whomever it was sent to, even a thirteen year old bar Mitzvah boy.
Therefore, now that we are in the three weeks, please realize that if the Rebbe checked each letter that was sent out under his name, and he meant each individual person, so obviously, when he requested and pleaded that we each learn the pesukim, mishnayos and Rambam connected to the building of the third Beis HaMikdash, it is a personal request that he is requesting from each one of us, me, that person and you.
A Taste of Chassidus הנה להבין ענין Likkutei Torah Bamidbar p. 82C
In the first maamar of Parshas Matos the Alter Rebbe presents a unique perspective on why a person may make a vow.
Generally speaking, the basic perspective of a vow is based on what our sages say (Talmud Sota 2a, quoted by Rashi, Bamidbar 6:2), that one who sees a Sota in her state of disgrace, should separate themselves from wine, as excessive drinking can cause one to conduct themselves inappropriately. In other words, a person might vow not to eat, go somewhere, or do something, in order to prevent them from being in a place or position that they may sin.
So in essence the Torah isn’t encouraging one to vow, rather it allows a person to do so as a protective safeguard. This is supported by the teaching of our sages that the reason a Nazir brings a sin offering is because he prohibited himself from something (wine) that Hashem permitted mankind to enjoy.
However, the Alter Rebbe explains that the person may vow for a different and nobler reason. That is that they realize that the source of the food is holier than their source (as will be explained below), and the person fears that he may not utilize the G-dly power that is in that item properly, so he vows to stay away from it.
The proof that the source of food (animal or vegetable) comes from a higher place than the person, is that the way Hashem created the world is that the higher thing sustains the lower thing. Such as, children are dependent upon their parents, students upon their educator and so on.
So, while in this world mankind is the highest level, and towers above the animal and vegetation, however, their source is from the supernal world of Tohu, which precedes the world of Tikun where man is, and therefore, man is dependent upon them to live.
The follow up maamar in Likkutei Torah, is an explanatory maamar on the first one, and the Alter Rebbe asks a basic question:
If we say that their source is from a higher supernal world where it is completely nullified to Hashem, how did it end up being an entity that is the antithesis to Holiness (and declares itself a self-sustaining entity, with no connection to Hashem?
He answers that this came about through שבירת הכלים.
One of the basic tenets of Chassidus is that the reason our Neshama was sent down to this world is in order to elevate the 288 sparks of holiness that fell down into this world. Chassidus then explains, being that these sparks originally were in the spiritual world of Tohu, which is higher than the spiritual world of Tikun (which we are in), therefore the higher something is, the further it can fall.
[In Mitzrayim we succeeded in elevating 202 sparks, and all that was left to elevate are the 86 remaining sparks. 86 is the numerical equivalent value of the word הטבע, which means nature as well as submerged. which tells us that we are to uncover and reveal the G-dliness that is in nature and to show that, in reality, that that which is considered nature, is essentially G-dly.
Being that Chabad demands that we comprehend Chassidic concepts to the best of our ability, and not to merely say words that many know but don’t understand its full meaning, I decided to focus this week on this point.
What exactly does שבירת הכלים – the implosion of the vessels of the supernal world of Tohu mean?
The Alter Rebbe begins by reviewing a halachah concerning carrying on Shabbos.
As is known, it is forbidden to carry a utensil or food from a private house to a public domain on Shabbos. If one does, they are guilty of transgressing this law of Shabbos, and if it was done unintentionally, the person is obligated to bring a sin offering. However, the item must be considered an item, and the food or liquid must be at least a certain measurement. [Food has to be at least the size of a dried fig, and liquid must be enough to fill up one cheek.] If the food or liquid is less than that, you are not obligated to bring a sin sacrifice.
But the interesting part of the halachah is, that if I carry a utensil with a minute amount of food or drink in it, not only am I not guilty on the food, as it is below the necessary amount of food, but I am also not guilty of carrying the full-size utensil.
The reason is that the utensil is now being utilized as a carrier to the food, meaning it is secondary. Simply saying, if you were asked what did that person carry? The response would be a drop of water, soda or wine. But then if I dropped the bottle and everything spilled out and I picked up the broken shards, since that at that moment there was no longer any liquid, I would therefore be responsible for carrying the vessel (shards) on Shabbos.
And now we can understand the concept of the implosion of the supernal vessels of Tohu.
The first thing to explain is what are they vessels of?
The Torah informs us that Hashem created the universe through the ten utterances, such as יהי אור – Let there be light. And as the Alter Rebbe states in the beginning of Shaar HaYichud Ve’HaEmunah, that these words are constantly giving life to the sun to shine and give off light.
This is when those six letters are formed into these two words in this particular sequence. However, if these letters are separate from each other, they no longer would be a vessel for this G-dly power (as the individual letters do not convey that message), and they would merely be individual and independent letters, which do not convey G-dliness.
So, when they were in the supernal world of Tohu and conveyed a message of G-dliness, at that moment they were completely nullified to Hashem. But once they are separated from each other, each letter on its own did not convey a G-dly message and they now present themselves as self-sustaining entity, which may even oppose G-dliness.
But then the question becomes, if they no longer contain or convey G-dliness, how can we say that the spark of G-dliness in them is higher than the spark that is in mankind?
However the explanation is, that just as when one drops a glass container of wine or honey, even though the wine or honey pour out, yet some sticks to the broken shards, so too here, while the G-dliness that was originally contained in those vessels is no longer there, but their residue is still connected, and it is that residue which is from the G-dliness of Tohu that we are elevating.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeiim and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at [email protected].
CrownHeights.info7 days agoFifty years ago, one of the most daring rescue missions in history was carried out successfully.
In 1976, Jewish hostages were held in Entebbe, Uganda, after their plane was hijacked by terrorists. When Israeli commandos executed a daring rescue mission, the Lubavitcher Rebbe pointed to a different kind of security.
From children’s rallies and checking mezuzot to his unwavering concern for every single Jew, the Rebbe emphasized the spiritual foundations of Jewish safety and security.
The lessons of this miraculous moment in history continue to resonate nearly fifty years later.
CrownHeights.info7 days agoThis Shabbos blesses the month of Menachem Av. With the arrival of Rosh Chodesh, we enter the Nine Days, when our mourning over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash intensifies.
Yet at the very threshold of this painful period, the Torah presents us with a remarkable surprise.
Rosh Chodesh Av is the Yartzeit of Aharon HaKohen.
Even more remarkable, Aharon’s passing is the only Yartzeit whose date is explicitly recorded in the Torah. The Torah tells us the exact day that Aharon passed away. Why? Why is this date so important that every year, just as we begin the month of Av, we are reminded of Aharon’s final day?
Perhaps because before the Torah reminds us of the tragedy, it first reminds us of the cure.
Chazal tell us that the Second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed because of Sinas Chinam—baseless hatred.
Who better to introduce the month of Av than the man who devoted his entire life to Ahavas Chinam—baseless love?
Aharon did not merely love peace. He pursued it. If two friends stopped speaking to one another, he intervened. If a husband and wife drifted apart, he would not rest until they were reunited. He refused to accept that conflict was inevitable. Peace was not simply one of his virtues; it was his life’s mission.
That is why, when Aharon passed away, the Torah tells us that the entire congregation mourned him. Every Jew felt that they had lost someone personally.
It is no coincidence that our Parshah describes Moshe’s battle against Midyan.
On the surface, it was a military campaign. But beneath the surface, it was something much deeper.
Aharon represented harmony.
Midyan represented division.
The very name Midyan is associated with contention and strife. If Aharon’s mission was to bring people together, Midyan’s influence was to pull them apart.
How appropriate that as we begin mourning a Temple destroyed because Jews became divided, the Torah reminds us both of the greatest peacemaker who ever lived and of the obligation to wage war against the forces of discord.
But that naturally raises another question.
If hatred destroyed the Beis Hamikdash, what exactly did we lose?
The answer unfolds in the second Parshah.
Parshas Masei devotes an extraordinary amount of space to describing the borders of Eretz Yisrael. At first glance, it almost seems out of place. After forty years in the wilderness, why spend so much time discussing boundaries and geography?
Because this is no ordinary piece of land.
This is the land that Hashem chose as the place where His Presence would dwell. It is the land where the overwhelming majority of the Torah’s Mitzvos can be fulfilled in their complete form. It is the land upon which the Beis Hamikdash stood, where the Korbanos were offered to Hashem, where Heaven and earth met.
As we mourn our exile from that land and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, the Torah redraws its borders before our eyes.
Hashem is saying, “Never become comfortable in exile. Never forget where your true home is.”
Throughout history, nations have argued over the ownership of this tiny strip of land. Yet long before there were maps, governments, or international resolutions, Hashem Himself defined its borders in the Torah.
The Jewish connection to Eretz Yisrael is not political.
It is eternal.
It is Divine.
It is inseparable from the very purpose for which the Jewish people were chosen.
So how do we find our way back?
The answer is hidden in the names of the two Parshiyos themselves.
Matos.
Masei.
A Mateh is a staff.
Firm.
Strong.
Unbending.
There are moments in Jewish history when we must refuse to bend. When the world changes around us, our values cannot. Our commitment to Torah, to Mitzvos, to the Jewish people, and to our connection with Eretz Yisrael must remain as solid as an unyielding staff.
But the Torah immediately gives us the second Parshah.
Masei.
Journeys.
Movement.
Progress.
Standing firm does not mean standing still.
The Jewish people have never survived by becoming frozen in place. Throughout thousands of years of exile, we have continued moving forward. We have built communities, established Yeshivos, sent Shluchim across the globe, raised new generations of proud Jews, and carried the dream of redemption from one generation to the next.
We stand firm in our principles.
And we never stop journeying.
Perhaps that is why this Shabbos concludes with one of the most stirring proclamations heard in every synagogue.
As we finish the Book of Bamidbar, we rise together and declare:
Chazak! Chazak! V’nischazek!
Be strong.
Be strong.
And together, let us strengthen one another.
Could there be a more appropriate message as we enter the darkest days of the Jewish calendar?
We mourn.
But we do not despair.
We remember.
But we do not surrender.
Aharon teaches us to replace hatred with peace.
The borders of Eretz Yisrael remind us what we are longing to regain.
Matos teaches us to stand firm.
Masei teaches us to keep moving forward.
And together they remind us that even during the Nine Days, Judaism never ends with destruction.
It ends with strength.
May we merit to replace hatred with love, division with unity, exile with redemption, and mourning with everlasting joy, with the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Third Beis Hamikdash, speedily in our days.
Chazak, Chazak, V’nischazek!
Have a Strong Peaceful and Loving Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
CrownHeights.info7 days agoFifty years ago, the Rebbe launched Mivtza Chinuch, calling on Chassidim to take responsibility for the chinuch of every Jewish child. This summer, mechanchim from across the Chabad school network will gather at the Annual International Kinus HaMechanchim with that mission at the center: raising a generation of פרומע, ערליכע, ווארימע, חסידישע אידן, focused on the עיקר.
“This year is about coming back to the core,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman, Merkos Chinuch Office. “The Rebbe gave us a clear shlichus in Chinuch. The Kinus is a chance for mechanchim to step away from the daily rush, reconnect with that mission, and return with practical tools and renewed chayus.”
Taking place July 28 to 29 / י״ד–ט״ו מנחם אב at the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, the Kinus will bring together classroom teachers, principals, administrators, day school educators, and Base Commanders for two days of practical guidance, inspiration, and connection.
At a time when mechanchim are navigating questions previous generations never faced, from classroom behavior to emotional health and school leadership, the Kinus will focus on what remains unchanged. How do we raise children with Yiras Shamayim? How do we build classrooms filled with warmth and Chassidishkeit? How do we support struggling students without losing sight of the goal?
Featured presenters include Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, Director of the Merkos Chinuch Office, addressing school leaders on “The Menahel and His Responsibility to Struggling Students: The Rebbe’s Guidance.”
Rabbi Zvi Bloom of Torah Umesorah joins Rabbi Yehoshua Lustig for “Leadership Unfiltered,” an administrators’ panel tackling the questions every school leader wants to ask.
Rabbi Hertzel Pewsner, Rabbi Zalmy Kudan, and Rabbi Shmuli Friedman lead “Using the 12 Pesukim to Guide Real Classroom Challenges,” a session for elementary mechanchim built around practical, day to day application.
Rabbi Zalmy Kudan also presents “Baby to Bochur: A Roadmap for Lasting Chinuch and YOUR Role in It,” a session for Base Commanders and elementary mechanchim.
Rabbi Yoseph Chaiton, Founder of Chinuch Solutions, presents “When Kodesh and Chol Work Together: Creating True Educational Synergy” for day school mechanchim.
Rabbi Yisroel Grossberg, MS.Ed., Rabbinic Director of Amudim, presents “Proactive Behavior Management: Connect, Motivate, Prevent” for teachers, and “Every Talmid Counts: Educational Intervention, Remediation & Collaboration” for principals.
Avi Landa, LCPC, Director of Education for Amudim, leads a session on ADHD and anxiety in the classroom, helping mechanchim understand and support their students.
Rabbi Shua Piekarski and Rabbi Aryeh Gurowitz lead a two part session on attaining financial freedom, covering practical steps toward becoming debt free and building long term financial success.
Beyond these highlights, the Kinus offers dedicated tracks for every role in the school, including teachers, principals, administrators, day school mechanchim, and more, so each participant leaves with sessions built specifically for their work.
With rooms filling up and the Kinus less than three weeks away, mechanchim are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
Register now at kinus.chinuchoffice.org
The Merkos Chinuch Office would also like to thank our corporate sponsors, Amudim and Darcheinu, for their partnership and support of this year’s Kinus HaMechanchim.
CrownHeights.info7 days agoEvery day I see another article.
The shidduch crisis.
The problems with shadchanim.
The flaws in “the system.”
The frustrations are real. There are singles who feel overlooked, shadchanim who are overwhelmed, and a process that can sometimes feel discouraging.
But for a moment, I want you to imagine something else.
Imagine there was no shidduch system at all.
Not a broken one.
None.
You’re 27. Or 30. Maybe you’re 35.
You’ve decided you want to settle down and get married.
Where do you go?
Who do you turn to?
Who is thinking about you?
Who wakes up in the morning wondering who might be right for you? Who calls a friend because they think they know someone? Who asks around on your behalf? Who genuinely cares whether you build a Jewish home?
Without a shidduch system, the answer is often… no one.
As frustrating as the system can sometimes be, at least there are people trying.
Now imagine you didn’t grow up in a community where everyone knows everyone. Maybe you don’t keep Shabbos. Maybe you don’t keep kosher. Maybe your parents aren’t connected to a Jewish community. There are no shadchanim calling. No parents asking around. No one making introductions.
So where do you go?
Do you walk into a bar hoping that the person you’re attracted to also happens to be Jewish… also happens to share your values… also happens to be looking for marriage… and also happens to be looking for someone like you?
Or maybe you hope someone new gets hired at work.
Or perhaps you spend night after night downloading another dating app, matching with strangers, getting ghosted, having conversations disappear overnight, being stood up for dinner, and wondering if this is really what finding your soulmate is supposed to look like.
That isn’t hypothetical.
For millions of Jewish singles around the world, that’s their reality.
They don’t have a community introducing them to people.
They don’t have a shadchan calling with ideas.
They don’t have a friends constantly thinking of suggestions.
They don’t have a system.
And that loneliness is something most people never see.
That’s why we created Met at Chabad.
Today, thousands of Jewish young professionals are connected to Chabad houses around the world. They have a relationship with their shliach. They come for Shabbos meals, classes, holiday events, and community.
But when it comes to dating, too many are left to navigate it alone.
Now, their shliach can finally say,
“Let me help.”
Not just with advice.
Not just with encouragement.
But with real introductions.
With a network of fellow shluchim around the world.
With thoughtful matchmaking.
With a community that genuinely cares whether they build a Jewish home.
Will this solve the shidduch crisis?
No.
Because finding your person isn’t a religious problem. It’s a human problem. We simply feel it more deeply because building a Jewish home matters so much to us.
But every one of us can be part of the solution.
Every one of us knows someone who isn’t part of a traditional shidduch system. A friend. A coworker. A cousin. Someone you met on mivtzoyim.
You may not have an idea for them
But you can introduce them to a community that does.
At Met at Chabad, every single is personally vetted and verified as Jewish. They don’t have to be religious. They don’t have to be “Chabad.” They simply have to be serious about dating with intention and building a Jewish future.
So here’s my request.
Think of one person.
Just one.
Someone who doesn’t have a shidduch system. Someone who’s been trying to do this on their own. Someone who could use a community that’s rooting for them.
Send them to Met at Chabad.
You never know where that one conversation could lead.
A first date.
An engagement.
A wedding.
A Jewish family.
Sometimes changing someone’s life doesn’t begin with making the match.
It begins with making the introduction.
-The Met at Chabad Team
CrownHeights.info7 days agoLubavitcher Yeshiva is preparing to open its new Mesivta this coming Shnas Halimudim, welcoming its first Shiur Aleph with over 40 bochurim, With experienced Hanhalah and Mechanchim, and a dedicated group of Talmidei HaShluchim.
The new Mesivta will be housed at Lubavitcher Yeshiva’s Ocean Parkway campus, a building with deep roots in the history of Tomchei Temimim in America. Originally built after the Yeshiva outgrew its Bedford and Dean location, the Ocean Parkway building served for many years as the home of the Mesivta,and Beis Medresh educating generations of Lubavitcher bochurim.
Now, with the launch of the new Mesivta, the building will once again be home to bochurim learning and growing in the atmosphere of Tomchei Temimim.
In preparation for the opening, Lubavitcher Yeshiva has made a substantial financial investment into renovations and upgrades. The dormitory has been fully reconstructed, the mikvah has been renovated and expanded, and the Zal has been prepared to welcome the new Mesivta.
The Mesivta will be led by Rabbi Mendel Scharf, He will be joined by a dedicated team of Mechanchim, including Rabbi Shmuel Wagner, Rabbi Mayer Rodal, Rabbi Shmueli Matusof, Rabbi Boruch Dahan, and Rabbi Moshe Javen, each of whom has spent years guiding bochurim through these formative yeshiva years.
While the Mesivta originally anticipated opening with one Shiur Aleph class, strong interest from parents led to the creation of two classes, bringing enrollment to over 40 bochurim for the inaugural year.
The Mesivta has also drawn significant interest from outside New York, with approximately one-third of the incoming class coming from out of town, including many children of shluchim. For these families, the new Mesivta offers a unique opportunity: a focused dormitory yeshiva setting with the added benefit of being near Crown Heights, making it easier for parents and shluchim visiting for simchos, the Kinus, and other occasions to stay connected with their sons and the yeshiva.
As the Yeshiva prepares to open this exciting new chapter, the hanhalah looks forward to strengthening Tomchei Temimim and continuing to build a Mesivta where bochurim can grow העכער און העכער, both b’gashmiyus and b’ruchniyus.
CrownHeights.info7 days agoHow do we encourage more people to actually pick up the sefer every day and learn Rambam?
At one late-night farbrengen, that was the question. The Siyum HaRambam had already wound down. An inspiring celebration featuring music, festivities, and an impressive rotation of renowned speakers and mashpiim.
But what now?
“We were discussing that a huge deal was being made — justifiably so — about completing the study of Rambam,” recalls Mendel Shanowitz, now director of the initiative, “we felt that the regular, day-to-day study, however, was not being given the same attention”
So, we set out to change that. More than reminding people that daily study was important, we wanted to turn Rambam into a non-negotiable part of their day — and give them the tools to do so.
Looking for a natural starting point, we settled on yeshivos.
“Why yeshivos specifically?” Shanowitz explains, “Bochurim are surrounded by learning day and night, and don’t have the distractions of a working life. So, its much easier to introduce a bit more learning at that point, with the goal that this Rambam routine will follow them into their life after yeshiva.”
With no time wasted, we immediately secured funding and drafted a campaign package to be sent to yeshivos across the country. There would be organized shiurim, regular tests, and exciting incentives. Overall, the focus was clear: This was not to be a one-and-done, we were here to build lifelong habits.
Now, a year after that pivotal farbrengen, the initial results are here to speak for themselves:
Seven yeshivos, eleven raffle winners,
— and hundreds of young bochurim’s lives changed with the holy habit of daily Rambam; bochurim who now possess the tools and appreciation for the Rebbe’s initiative, enthusiastic and ready to carry it forward with them into their lives and the lives of those around them.
This success, however, is just the beginning; the template for our exponential expansion starting next year. As the Rebbe emphasizes: One who has 100, desires 200.
For now, and for the future, our deepest appreciation goes to the committed shluchim, our ‘boots on the ground’ in the yeshivos, for their dedication and heart; to the hanholos for their consistent support; and to Rabbi Chai Amar for his infectious enthusiasm for Rambam, driving the campaign forward from the very beginning. He was there the whole time with encouragement, inspiration, and crucial financial support.
And most of all: A huge thank you to all those bochurim who participated, pushing themselves to do just that little bit extra every day. Your contributions of pure effort are seen, and are most valuable above all — the foundation, pillar, and reason for everything else.
Join Us:
We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of this initiative to many more yeshivos beginning this upcoming Cheshvon zman. If you are a shliach or menahel interested in enrolling your yeshiva in next year’s campaign, please reach out to Ledas at [email protected]
CrownHeights.info7 days agoThe Rebbe’s letter – during this time of resentment and hatred towards Jews by an increasing number of non-Jews – is in answer to a woman who finds it difficult to understand why Jews feel so strongly that Gentiles are not well disposed towards them, as she herself does not feel that way about the Jews. In his answer – the Rebbe, interestingly, stresses what the Jews’ obligation is towards Gentiles, regardless of what may be the Gentiles’ attitude towards Jews.
By the Grace of G-d
20th of Elul, 5735
(Aug. 27, 1975)
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mrs.
Montreal, Que.H3X267
Blessing and Greeting:
I duly received your letter and regret unavoidable delay to acknowledge same. You write that you find it difficult to fully understand why the Jewish people seem to feel so strongly that the Gentiles are not well disposed toward them, especially since you personally do not feel this way about the Jews.
May I say, first of all, that I am gratified to hear about your good feelings and I do hope that you avail yourself of every suitable opportunity to let people know how you feel in this matter, so they emulate you.
As for your question, what basis, if any, there may be for Jews to feel suspicion – or even frightened, as it seems to you – about the Gentiles’ feelings towards them – surely there is an obvious explanation of that in what happened in our time, and before our own eyes, obvious at any rate, to those who survived the holocaust in Europe and found a haven in this country. Considering that one third of the Jewish people was callously decimated by a Gentile nation and its collaborators, while the rest of the Gentile world looked (and sometimes not even as indifferent observers) – a subject too painful to dwell on, particularly in this letter, in view of your personal feelings. I mention it only by way of reply to your question – the explanation is fairly obvious, and it is surprising that it had eluded you. Moreover, seeing the attitude of the vast majority of the members of the United Nations toward the remnants of the Jewish people, it clearly reinforces the suspicion that the attitude of the Gentiles – generally speaking, for there have always been exceptions – has not changed radically.
By way of contrast, it is noteworthy that Jews on their part have a duty to encourage and help every Gentile to abide by the Divine commandments which have been given to all mankind, namely, the so-called Seven Precepts Given to the Children of Noah, which are the minimum standards of universal ethics and morality, law and order, without which no human society can long survive. This is expected of the Jew regardless of the Gentiles’ attitude toward Jews. Similarly Jews are commanded to practice charity and benevolence towards Gentiles along with Jews.
No doubt you also know the Jewish contributions to the concepts of liberty and humanitarianism and others. Even the motto of the United Nations, “Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,” is an ideal Divinely inspired to a Jewish prophet for Jews and, through them, for Gentiles. This too, incidentally, pointedly underscores the contrast between the said ideal displayed there on the wall with what is going on there between the walls. Again, there is no need to dwell on this, as noted earlier.
With blessing,
CrownHeights.info8 days agoToday’s video goes through the basics of the Mizbeach; from the general size of the Mizbeach to the size of the ramp, from their combined size to the details of the foundation of the Mizbeach. You will also see the size of the Mizbeach relative to the area inside of 770.
Thursday’s raffle winners are:
$50 Judaica World gift card – Mushka Baumgarten
$36 Judaica World gift card – Levi Presman
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/VZ6rZ
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWKXQK4ucWN2w7ObrYCgUG
Today’s class & prizes are sponsored by Heshy Hoffinger, לעילוי נשמת ברוריה בת חנניה
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $186 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info8 days agoby Shloimy Galperin – chabad.org
“We dreamed of this moment for years,” Rabbi Avraham Feldman told the crowd packed into the brand new center on July 7. “And now we are sitting in this dream that has become reality.”
The dream in question is the Beit Shvidler Jewish Center of Iceland, a 9,000-square-foot structure that opened that evening as the country’s first Jewish center and Jewish culture house. Three stories tall, its distinctive color and design makes the building a landmark and instantly recognizeable.
Jews have lived in Iceland for more than a century, but the community spent most of that time without a permanent rabbi or a synagogue of its own, an absence that set Reykjavik apart from every other capital in Europe.
That changed in 2018, when Rabbi Avraham and Mushky Feldman, moved to the city as Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries and opened Iceland’s first Jewish center. For the past eight years, the Jewish Community Iceland—Beit Tovah Chabad– the only active Jewish organization in the country– has been operating out of the Feldman’s home and temporary spaces. Until now.
Rabbi Avraham and Mushky Feldman. Israel Sudry
“The center is a home. It’s a place where you can walk through the door and feel comfortable,” Feldman said in his remarks. “Where you can simply be Jewish.”
Serving both Iceland’s local Jewish community and the Jewish travelers who pass through the country, the center will also have space for programming that the community’s previous, more limited quarters could not accommodate. It will house a Judaica and kosher store, as well as a stunning social hall for community events.
It is also designed to open outward: any Icelander curious about Jewish life can now walk in and encounter it directly. The center will host the Gallery of Jewish Life in Iceland, a new permanent exhibit that traces more than a hundred years of the island’s Jewish history through photographs and documents that, until now, had nowhere to be shown. Now, that history finally has a home.
“This is exactly the kind of place the Rebbe [Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory] envisioned when he spoke of ahavat yisrael, giving every Jew the chance to connect with and celebrate their Judaism.”
The distinctive 9,000-square-foot structure is the country’s first Jewish center and Jewish culture house. On top of hosting a Judaica and kosher store, as well as programming for the Jewish community, it will also host the Gallery of Jewish Life in Iceland, a new permanent exhibit inside the center that traces more than a hundred years of the island’s Jewish history. Israel Sudry
Jón Gnarr, Reykjavik’s former mayor and now a member of the Icelandic Parliament, used his remarks to talk about the country’s debts to its Jewish community, and the Jewish authors he has been influenced by. He described the new center as “a living bridge, connecting cultures, dispelling ignorance, and fostering dialogue and understanding.”
“Many Jews in Iceland have felt hesitant to say out loud that they’re Jewish,” Gnarr said. “That’s why education and dialogue are key.”
Acting U.S. Ambassador Joanie Simon, Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, community member Patrick Sulem and Mushky Feldman also addressed the gathering, while cantor Aryeh Leib Hurwitz brought the sound of traditional chazzanut into a room that had never held it before.
Patrick Sulem addresses the celebration.
The opening drew recognition from the highest levels of Icelandic government.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, a guest of Jewish community events in the past, sent a letter describing the center as “an important milestone for the Jewish community and for Icelandic society,” and expressed hope for “continued cooperation between the Jewish community and the Government of Iceland.” Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, Speaker of Althingi (parliament), wrote separately to recognize the occasion.
The evening closed with thanks to the donors whose generosity built the center, among them Eugene Shvidler, whose vision, leadership and generosity helped propel the center from an idea into a building people could actually walk into and celebrate Jewish life, philanthropists Isaac and Tovah Cohen, George and Pamela Rohr, The Shmuel Isaac and Miriam Popack Foundation and Dovid and Rivka Feldman.
“Together,” Rabbi Feldman told the room, “we are writing the Icelandic chapter in the story of the Jewish people.”
CrownHeights.info8 days agoMr. Avrohom Procel
Click here for a PDF version of this edition of Here’s My Story, or visit the My Encounter Blog.
I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, where my parents settled after World War Two. My father was a Holocaust survivor from Poland, while my mother emigrated from Egypt, which was then a British protectorate. Although both originally came from religious homes, they were not Torah observant, but they had strong Jewish identities.
In 1966, as my Bar Mitzvah drew near, they moved from West Preston, a predominantly non-Jewish suburb of Melbourne, to the more Jewish East St. Kilda. They did this just so that I could attend the Chabad school there and learn a little about Judaism. However, I took what I learned very seriously and, while this was not their intention, I ultimately became fully religious, as did the rest of my family.
After high school, I was accepted into the dentistry school at Melbourne University, but what I really wanted to do was study Torah at Chabad’s Yeshivah Gedolah. My parents were initially worried that I would squander a great opportunity for a higher education and a lucrative profession, but they agreed to a short deferment, and I got to learn Torah for one more year before going on to university. Incidentally, I never did become a dentist; instead, I became a fundraiser for the Yeshivah Gedolah. I like to joke that I do extractions of a different nature — pulling money out of people instead of teeth.
During the years that followed, I became a true Chabad chasid and I visited New York a number of times to see the Rebbe — I merited four private audiences with him between 1973 and 1980. But the story I’d like to relate here is what happened in 1983 while my wife, Gita, was pregnant with our second child.
Our first child, Yossi, had been delivered by C-section, what we call a Cesarean in Australia. Afterwards, the doctor told us that once you had a Cesarean, every subsequent delivery will have to be by Cesarean, which can only be done a maximum of four or five times.
Naturally, my wife and I were not happy about this news. We sought a second opinion from another obstetrician, who told us that this didn’t necessarily need to be the case. Natural delivery might be possible after all, depending on the circumstances.
When my wife became pregnant for the second time, the pregnancy proceeded normally. However, when she was ten days overdue, the doctor said that this situation could not continue. The baby was getting bigger, which meant that the chances of normal delivery were diminishing by the day. It was a Thursday, and he booked an operating room for a Cesarean on the following Tuesday.
That Thursday night, I called New York and spoke with the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Binyomin Klein. I wanted him to ask the Rebbe two things — should my wife proceed with the Cesarean, and should I proceed with a tonsillectomy to remedy a recurring infection that was not responding to antibiotics.
The next day, Friday, I called Rabbi Klein again numerous times to see if there was an answer from the Rebbe. But the phone was constantly busy. I did not manage to get through until Sunday, when Rabbi Klein informed me that he had an answer from the Rebbe. The Rebbe gave us blessings but he had responded to my two questions in completely different ways. And as he often did, the Rebbe wrote in shorthand so Rabbi Klein needed to explain his words to me.
As far as the tonsillectomy, the Rebbe answered that we should act “according to the advice of the doctor.” As far as the Cesarean, the Rebbe answered, “meanwhile the Nine Days.”
We were about to start the “Nine Days” — the period of mourning for the destruction of Jerusalem which begins on the first day of the Hebrew month of Av, and which culminates on the ninth of Av — known as Tisha B’Av — the terrible date on the Jewish calendar when both the First Temple and Second Temple were destroyed by invaders. Rabbi Klein explained that the Rebbe meant that the “Nine Days” are not a good time for operations, so we should wait until they are over.
I called the doctor on Monday and informed him that I had consulted the Rebbe and he had advised to postpone the Cesarean. Both my wife and I agreed on this. Although we realized that we were putting both my wife’s life and our baby’s life on the line by listening to the Rebbe and not to the doctor, we trusted the Rebbe one hundred percent.
The doctor was very respectful of our decision, but he also said that if the baby goes into distress, it would not be possible to wait until after Tisha B’Av since, in any case, the birth was already almost three weeks overdue.
As it happened, our daughter, Rivki, was born totally naturally on the following Sunday, the seventh of Av, during the “Nine Days.” (In hindsight, I realized that the Rebbe’s words could also be understood as an allusion to this: There was no need for the Cesarean because the baby would be born meanwhile, during the “Nine Days”!)
Afterwards, the doctor said, “I want to tell you something which I didn’t tell you before. When your wife’s labor started last night, I was ninety percent sure we would be doing a Cesarean and I acted accordingly, but somehow things turned around overnight.”
The anesthetist told us something similar. He said our doctor had booked him in for the Cesarean, and then he was amazed to hear that the Cesarean had been canceled. He had never had anything like that happen before.
A few days later, I went to the hospital for my tonsillectomy.
Rivki grew up happy and healthy and is now a Rebbetzin, serving the community of Central Shule Chabad of Melbourne, alongside her husband, Rabbi Shmuel Karnowsky. As for my wife, in the years that followed — thanks to the Rebbe’s blessing — she delivered eight more children, all of them naturally.
Mr. Avrohom Procel serves as executive director of the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand (Yeshivah Gedolah – Melbourne). He was interviewed in July 2016.
CrownHeights.info8 days agoThe final call has arrived. Registration is now closing for the newest Taharas Habayis Chosson Teacher Training Cohort, and this is the last opportunity for Rabbonim, mashpi’im, and qualified yungerleit to join this unique program dedicated to preparing the next generation of Chassidishe chosson teachers.
With communities around the world experiencing a growing need for knowledgeable and well-trained madrichei chassanim, the Taharas Habayis program has become a trusted address for comprehensive, practical, and halachically rigorous training. Participants receive in-depth instruction from leading Rabbonim and experienced educators, equipping them to guide chassanim with clarity, sensitivity, and confidence.
The program was launched with words of inspiration and guidance from Rabbi Sholom Ber Chaikin , senior Chabad Rav and veteran chosson teacher of Cleveland, who emphasized the tremendous responsibility and privilege of helping establish Jewish homes built on the foundations of Torah, halacha, and kedusha. Throughout the course, participants benefit from practical insight, real-life guidance, and a structured curriculum designed specifically for today’s needs.
The initiative has also received the strong endorsement of Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun , Mara D’Asra of Crown Heights and member of the Badatz, who praised the importance of properly training those entrusted with teaching these vital halachos.
Applications are now in their final hours. Those who have been considering becoming a certified chosson teacher are encouraged not to delay. Once registration closes, the next opportunity may not be available for some time.
To reserve your place in this cohort and take part in this important mission of strengthening Yiddishe homes, register now as enrollment is about to close! TaharasHabayis.org/apply
CrownHeights.info8 days agoYossi Cadaner, 17, grew up amid the peaceful cornfields of flyover country.
Heaven? No, Iowa—Bettendorf to be exact. Located on the Iowa-Illinois border, Bettendorf is smack dab between Chicago to the east and Postville to the west.
But Iowa is also famously the place where dreams come true. And for Yossi that meant studying all 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud, a feat he completed this week in at the Chicago Mesivta, where he is currently a student.
His parents, Rabbi Shneur and Chana Cadaner, established Chabad-Lubavitch of Quad Cities in 2005 to serve the small pockets of Jews sprinkled across Davenport and Bettendorf west of the Mississippi, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline on the eastern side.
Like many smaller communities in the Midwest, a century ago the area was home to a thriving Jewish community with as many as eight Orthodox synagogues. There were Torah scholars, Chassidim, kosher butchers and every other amenity needed for Jewish life. Everything, that is, aside from a Jewish day school. That historic lack of Jewish education meant that by the time the Cadaners arrived, things had dwindled to the point that there were just two congregations, one Conservative and one Reform.
Despite there being only an estimated 1,000 Jewish souls between all five cities, the Cadaners have made it a point to provide a full Jewish experience with services on Shabbat and Sunday, a just-completed mikvah, programs for men and for women, Torah classes and a Hebrew school.
As a boy in Bettendorf, Yossi was drawn to study and committed the entire Tanya—spanning 53 chapters—to memory shortly after his bar mitzvah. Growing up with virtually no observant peers, Yossi excelled at his Judaic studies at the Nigri Shluchim Online School, where he developed the base for his Talmudic pursuits.
In a world full of distractions that too often capture the attention of young minds, the Cadaners work hard to ensure the computers and other devices in their home are used only as educational tools. This helped Yossi develop his discipline, focus and love for learning. That’s not to say he isn’t a regular teenage boy with different hobbies and interests. Yossi loves sports and music, among other things, but a healthy approach to technology helped shape him.
For eighth grade, he left home for Chicago, about a three-hour drive away, where he was finally in a brick-and-mortar school. Ready and motivated to be learning in person with yeshivah students his own age, Yossi enjoyed the transition. It was as an eighth-grader that he began learning Talmud voraciously.
Yossi Cadaner speaks at the celebration honoring his acomplishment of studying all 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud.
And, as they might say in Iowa, if you build it….
“Whenever Yossi comes home, he sits and learns Talmud,” attests Rabbi Cadaner, “sometimes three or four hours in a row. There are not many people to learn with here, so he’s often learning by himself.”
For the past three years, Yossi has been a student at Yeshivas Ohr Eliyahu-Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago. And now just weeks from graduating high school, his classmates joined him for a grand celebration: the completion of all 2,711 double-sided pages that make up the Babylonian Talmud.
“I had no idea that Yossi was even planning to finish the Talmud,” says Rabbi Cadaner. “It was his classmates who let me know that the milestone was approaching and his teacher who suggested that we come to Chicago to celebrate the accomplishment at a grand event.”
And a grand event it was. In addition to his parents and younger siblings, Yossi was also joined by his grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Bendet, an educator from St. Paul, Minn., as well as Mesivta staff.
Yossi’s siyum was the fifth such accomplishment celebrated at the Mesivta in recent years, a testament to the school’s efforts to nurture and guide each student to maximize his potential. Yet, Mestiva staff work hard to make each siyum unique, as befitting the herculean accomplishment they celebrate.
The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, would often call for increased Torah study and continual growth in learning. In a pastoral letter addressed to the Jewish community at the conclusion of the High Holiday season in 1984, the Rebbe addressed perceived individual boundaries in Torah study. The Rebbe encouraged all Jewish men and women to systematically add new, challenging periods of study:
“…a suggestion and urgent appeal to all of you, men and women… To take upon yourselves… new (additional) shiurim (regular study periods) in Torah, each one on his/her level; especially those who do not yet have any regular Torah study periods…As for those who, seemingly, have a full schedule of Torah shiurim, surely they will wish to fulfill the rule of ma’alin b’Kodesh (matters of holiness should be on the ascendancy), which (also) implies ascendancy to an ever higher level in the quality of Torah comprehension, in greater depth and with greater enthusiasm, vitality and joy.
“We are all interconnected,” explains Yossi. “When one person pushes himself to do a bit more than he would have otherwise, others will do the same, and they will then have an effect on even more people, ultimately raising the bar for the entire Jewish people. Every person can achieve and every person can influence others in his or her own way.”
CrownHeights.info8 days agoResidents of Crown Heights and the surrounding Brooklyn Community District 9 have an opportunity to play a more active role in shaping the future of our neighborhood. Brooklyn Community Board 9 is now accepting applications for Committee Resident Members, with applications due Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
Committee Resident Members serve alongside Community Board members on committees that address many of the issues affecting daily life in our neighborhood, including housing, transportation, public safety, parks, economic development, environmental protection, youth services, health, education, and land use. Committee meetings are open to the public, and Resident Members are appointed to participate in the committee’s work and, under CB9’s bylaws, are voting members within their assigned committee.
This is an excellent opportunity for community-minded residents to ensure that the voices and concerns of the Crown Heights Jewish community are represented when important neighborhood issues are discussed. Committee recommendations often help shape the Community Board’s positions on local developments, city services, transportation projects, public safety concerns, and other matters that directly impact residents. While Resident Members do not vote at full Community Board meetings, their participation at the committee level plays an important role in developing recommendations and informing Board decisions.
Applicants will be asked to rank their first, second, and third committee preferences. Placement is based on committee needs, and applicants may not receive their first choice. Because committee members count toward quorum, those appointed are expected to attend meetings regularly. Committee Chairs may remove members for unsatisfactory attendance, though Resident Members are welcome to attend meetings of any committee as observers.
Community Board 9 encourages residents from across the district to get involved and help strengthen the community through civic engagement.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM
Resident Member Application: https://forms.gle/njibcExmwnkN3sds6
CrownHeights.info8 days agoAcross 30+ cities worldwide, CKids Afterschool programs offer over 1,500 Jewish public school children a daily home for Torah learning and Jewish pride.
Every day after school, in cities and towns across the world, children walk through the doors of a CKids Afterschool program and into a space built for one purpose: to make Torah learning and Yiddishkeit part of their everyday lives.
For many of these children, this is their primary connection to Jewish life. Their days are spent in public school, typically with little exposure to their heritage. But each afternoon, they step into a structured environment away from the noise of the world, where they have an opportunity to learn about Judaism, build friendships with Jewish peers, and develop pride in who they are.
“In today’s world, every Jewish child must have access to a robust Jewish education,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302 and Chairman of CKids International. “There’s no substitute for daily exposure to Yiddishkeit, daily reinforcement of their identity, and connection to Hashem.”
In an effort to bring that vision to life, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky OBM stood at the Kinus HaShluchos two years ago and announced a bold goal: to establish 100 CKids Afterschool programs, where children would learn Torah and live their Yiddishkeit four days a week instead of just at Hebrew School once a week. It was Rabbi Moshe Kotlasky’s last Kinus address ever. “And in just two years,” shares Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, “boruch Hashem, we’re nearly a third of the way to that original goal.”
What began as a pilot program has quickly grown into a network serving more than 1,500 children in over 30 CKids Afterschool programs worldwide, with over a million dollars invested to date. From New York to Stockholm, from Johannesburg to Vancouver, children are taking time after regular school hours to bolster their Yiddishkeit. They’re learning Torah, doing mitzvos, and growing up proud to be Jewish, all week long.
Mrs. Chaya Rosenfeld of Chabad of Vancouver, British Columbia, recalled how a student from the local public school joined the afterschool program and became close friends with her daughters.
Soon, the girl was joining the family for Shabbos meals and participating in bas mitzvah classes. As she grew more connected to Jewish life, her parents also began building relationships within the community.
“What started as an afterschool activity became something much bigger,” Mrs. Rosenfeld said. “The friendship helped an entire family feel at home in Jewish life.”
Similar stories are unfolding in communities around the world. Now, six shluchim have been selected as new recipients of the CKids Afterschool Program Grant, joining the growing network of communities creating new opportunities for Jewish learning and connection.
As the Jewish community marks the 50th anniversary of the Rebbe’s landmark Mivtza Chinuch initiative, expanding access to Torah learning and engagement has never felt more urgent. The Rebbe consistently championed the need to elevate the prestige of Jewish education.
“No more once-a-week Judaism,” says Rabbi Zalman Loewenthal, Director of CKids and Associate Director of the Chinuch Office of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch. “A child learning secular studies every day needs to know that Judaism doesn’t live in the shadow of secular education.”
“For young couples looking for their makom hashlichus, afterschool is the new frontier,” says Loewenthal. “It’s a full-fledged shlichus opportunity in hundreds of Chabad houses around the world.”
The new CKids Afterschool grant recipients include:
CrownHeights.info9 days agoA talmid hashliach’s year is a busy one. He learns and farbrengs with the bochurim late into the night, runs programs and mivtzoim, and becomes the older brother a younger talmid turns to. Between it all, his own seder and growth are often the first to slip. Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim was created to change that, turning the year of shlichus into a transformative year of structured learning and growth.
That goal is not new. When the Rebbe began sending talmidim hashluchim, he was emphatic that they were going first and foremost as talmidim. In a letter from 5731, the Rebbe wrote that their purpose was to learn b’shkida v’hasmada and to serve as a living example to the bochurim around them.
The Rebbe guarded that learning closely. When the first group of talmidim hashluchim reached Australia in 5727 and a shliach proposed they give a weekly baalei batim shiur, the Rebbe refused in his own handwriting, permitting it only if it would not cut into their seder at all. Their own time to learn came first.
This Elul, Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim opens to give that principle a real structure. A new program from Merkos 302’s Merkos Torah, offers talmidim hashluchim a framework of serious learning, mentorship, and accountability across Gemara, Halacha, and Chassidus, so the year they give to others becomes a year of their own growth.
“The Rebbe sent talmidim hashluchim to be a role model, and a bochur learns the most from an older bochur who is himself invested in his own sedarim,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “The yeshiva ensures that while these shluchim are giving everything to the bochurim around them, their own learning gets the same attention.”
The program grew out of conversations with yeshiva hanhalos, mashpiim, and talmidim hashluchim themselves, who kept naming the same gap: the shlichus year offers enormous opportunity, but few have a structured, measurable way to keep their own learning on track.
“We’ve put together a top-tier hanhala and built out a full curriculum across Gemara, Halacha, and Chassidus, with mentors who follow each talmid through the year,” said Rabbi Mendel Chaiton, director of Merkos Torah. “Everything is in place for these young men to have a serious, successful year of their own growth.”
Rather than imposing one model, Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim works in partnership with each yeshiva’s hanhalah, shaping the tracks and benchmarks together so the program fits the institution’s chinuch. Every participant starts with a personal intake interview that sets his goals and places him in the right track, then receives weekly follow-up, monthly progress reviews, and ongoing mentorship through the year.
The learning runs on three tracks. Gemara L’Iyun preserves serious iyun at a foundational or advanced level, with Rabbi Dov Popack and Rabbi Moshe Wolberg leading the shiurim and a weekly lomdus shiur from Rabbi Mendel Krasnjanski. The Halacha track takes participants through Hilchos Shabbos b’iyun, tracing each halacha from Gemara through Tur, Beis Yosef, and Shulchan Aruch to practical application, as the first stage of a longer semicha curriculum. Chassidus b’iyun anchors the week with structured study of foundational Chassidishe sugyos, shiurim, and farbrengens.
The program draws on a roster of well-respected mashpiim and rabbonim: Rabbi Yosef Klyne, Rabbi Osher Farkash, and Rabbi Yitzchok Kaufman in Chassidus**;** Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, Rabbi Tuvia Kasimov, Rabbi Ehud Kvin, and Rabbi Berel Polityko in Halacha**;** with Rabbi Mendel Prescott on halacha from the sugya, alongside guest mashpiim and maggidei shiur.
For the rabbonim building it, the need is clear from both sides. Rabbi Shmuel Wagner, recently appointed Rosh Mesivta of the new Tomchei Temimim mesivta at Lubavitcher Yeshiva Ocean Parkway, helped develop the program and sits on its hanhala.
“As a mechanech, I see what a talmid hashliach gives our bochurim, and I see how much he can gain himself if someone helps him use the time right,” said Rabbi Wagner. “Building this means the talmidim hashluchim finish the year stronger in their own learning, not just busier.”
Through the year, each participant’s progress is shared with his yeshiva. A report also goes to the Rebbe, summing up the talmid’s learning and growth, framing the year’s work as something brought back to the one who first sent talmidim hashluchim out.
Registration is open now and closes Rosh Chodesh Elul. Talmidim and yeshivos can sign up or learn more at Yeshivath.com, or text 773-971-1342.
Download the Yeshiva brochure [HERE
](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lVHTmlMG3eX1JJF3ScpADLBFin_ud1YF/view?usp=drive_link)—-
**Hanhala & Faculty:
Program Leadership:**
Gemara L’Iyun:
Halacha:
Chassidus B’Iyun:
Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim is a program of Merkos Torah from Merkos 302, in partnership with Igud Hamesivtos V’Yeshivos Lubavitch.
CrownHeights.info9 days agoA Brooklyn man is accused of hiding his dead roommate’s body beneath a pile of clothes and garbage on a couch in their apartment, authorities said.
Jose Rivera, 53, was arrested for allegedly concealing the man’s body in their residence at 1722 Union St. in Crown Heights at around 7:50 a.m. on July 2, according to the criminal complaint.
A cleaning crew member found the bones buried under clothes and debris on the living room couch and called 911, prosecutors and sources said.
Read More at Pix11
CrownHeights.info9 days agoIn Episode 66 of Lamplighters: Stories From Chabad Emissaries On The Jewish Frontier, reporter/producer Gary Waleik presents the story of Rabbi Zalman and Rebbetzin Rifky Lent, Chabad emissaries to Dublin, Ireland. The Lents’ Chabad House is a nexus point for Dublin’s diverse Jewish community and, with the help of their kosher deli and market, also a very popular meeting place for non-Jews.
Lamplighters: Stories From Chabad Emissaries On The Jewish Frontier is producing a series of moving, beautifully produced, sound-rich and often surprising stories of Chabad shluchim and the people they inspire in every corner of the world.
Listen and subscribe at www.Lubavitch.com/podcast and on all major podcast platforms.
To pitch a story for our podcast about Chabad emissaries or for dedication/sponsorship opportunities, email us at [email protected].
CrownHeights.info9 days agoThis eulogy took place on the 10th of Adar, 1950 for the Rebbe Raayatz. It took place at the large shul in the Zichron Moshe neighborhood. The people speaking were Rabbis Isser Zalman Meltzer, Zalman Sorotzkin, Eliyahu Vilkovsky and Shlomo Yosef Zevin. It mentions the Mesiras nefesh the Rebbe had for Torah.
It’s most interesting that Rabbi Meltzer was one of them, given his son-in-law, Rabbi Aron Kotler had issues with the Rebbe. Obviously, the truth is the truth and the personal issues between them had no place in memorializing the Rebbe by a leading Litvish figure-head.
Credit: Rabbi Yitzchak Stroh, Dalfin Archives, and Library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad
CrownHeights.info9 days agoDuring these days of summer vacation, thousands of children from all corners of the Russian Federation are gathering at Jewish camps in dozens of different locations. They are enjoying weeks of Yiddishkeit at all levels and for all ages, operated by the dedicated and experienced hands of hundreds of rabbis and Shluchim, featuring highly organized and deeply invested programs.
The vanguard of Russian Jewry is represented by hundreds of young Shluchim and children of community rabbis. These children grow up throughout the year in remote cities, often serving as the only observant Jewish children in their environment. The summer months are not just a break from their regular studies; they are a time for Chassidic gatherings, social bonding, and spiritual recharging ahead of the coming year of Shlichus.
At the center of this educational endeavor once again stands the “Camp Gan Israel – Tzeirei Hashluchim,” located in the pastoral ‘Ramenskoye’ complex in the suburbs of Moscow. The camp, expertly directed by the educator Rabbi Avraham Zaks, experienced a moment of historical closure this week. This occurred during a visit by the founder of the camps, Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berl Lazar, to the camp grounds. During the visit, Rabbi Lipsker, director of educational institutions in Moscow, presented him with a unique gift that embodies the concept of “Zeh L’Umas Zeh” (one in contrast to the other). Chief Rabbi Lazar received an original, century-old red “Pioneer” tie, which was used in the summer camps of the communist regime that attempted to uproot religion. Alongside it was a new green tie bearing the emblem of the Chassidic camp—a living testament to the victory of the Jewish spirit and tradition.
In his remarks to the campers, Chief Rabbi Lazar said that alongside their responsibilities, they must remember the immense privilege each one holds, especially as they are on Shlichus in Russia. He thanked the educational staff, adding: “The greatest success in Shlichus is when people see how we care for our children.”
The spiritual climax of the camp days was recorded when the “soldiers” set out on an emotional journey to the cradle of Chassidus: the town of Lubavitch. Following prayers and a spiritual awakening at the holy Ohel of the “Tzemach Tzedek” and his son, the Rebbe Maharash, they continued with a tour of the historical sites in the area. The campers joined a special initiative of archaeological excavation and exposure works taking place in the courtyard of our Rebbes—the very courtyard where the first “Tomchei Temimim” Yeshiva was established and founded, and the complex where several generations of Lubavitcher Rebbes lived for many years. During these works, a literal treasure from the past was suddenly uncovered: a luxurious and incredibly rare pocket watch, alongside ancient ruble coins that had been buried in the ground for decades.
The discovery sparked tremendous excitement among the children and staff, who immediately broke into sweeping Chassidic dances on the holy soil of the famous Yeshiva courtyard in the center of the town. The rare findings were reverently transferred to the hands of Rabbi Gavriel Gordon, the Shliach and director of the Chabad House in Lubavitch, who is responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the holy sites. After an initial examination of the items, Rabbi Gordon noted that the finish and luxury of the watch indicate with high probability that it belonged to a family member of the Rebbes, a fact that further elevated the spiritual upliftment among those present.
As mentioned, this camp is one of many. Particularly noteworthy is the framework for the daughters of the rabbis and Shluchim, running concurrently in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, dedicatedly directed by Rebbetzin Fradi Lerman, with the assistance of the city’s rabbi, the Shliach Rabbi Shimon Bergman, and Rebbetzin Bergman.
These events, which combine deep-rooted Chassidic education with a tangible connection to a glorious history, are expected to leave an indelible mark on the campers’ hearts. As the children return to their places of Shlichus across Russia for the upcoming school year, they will, with God’s help, carry with them the immense spiritual charge they absorbed. They will continue to illuminate their communities with Jewish pride and the dedication that characterizes the legion of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Exactly 70 years ago during these very days, the Rebbe arrived for a rare tour of the first camp, which was founded at the initiative of the Chassid Rabbi Moshe Lazar, father of the Chief Rabbi of Russia. Since then, the name “Gan Israel” was established by the Rebbe, named after the founder of Chassidism, the holy Baal Shem Tov; a project that today spans the entire globe, educating hundreds of thousands of Jewish children during the summer months.
Photography: Levi Nazarov
CrownHeights.info9 days agoAs relentless missile and drone attacks batter Ukraine’s capital, leaving dozens dead and thousands in distress, Kyiv’s Jewish community has mobilized an extensive humanitarian operation. Led by Chief Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, volunteers are distributing food, water, clothing and essential supplies to Jews and non-Jews alike who have been affected by the bombardments.
Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, has endured one of its most devastating waves of bombardment since the outbreak of the war. In recent days, large-scale missile and drone attacks have struck residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, claiming dozens of lives and leaving many more wounded.
The scale of the destruction prompted city authorities to declare an official day of mourning, while rescue teams continue searching through the rubble for survivors and victims.
Alongside the emergency services, JCC Beit Menachem Kyiv community has mobilized to provide assistance to those affected. Under the leadership of Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi and Chabad shaliach, Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, community volunteers have launched a broad humanitarian relief effort to aid residents whose lives have been upended by the attacks.
Over the past several days, volunteers have been distributing food, bottled water, clothing, medications, essential supplies and other basic necessities to families whose homes were damaged, as well as to the elderly, the needy and anyone requiring immediate assistance, regardless of their religion. In addition to providing material aid, volunteers are offering practical support and guidance to families left without help in the wake of the devastation.
“At a time when the air raid sirens scarcely stop, our responsibility is to be here for every person in need,” Rabbi Markovitch said. “We are distributing food, water, and essential supplies, strengthening families and giving them hope. Our mission is to bring light precisely during these darkest moments for the people of Ukraine in general, and for the residents of Kyiv in particular.”
CrownHeights.info9 days agoToday’s video goes through the Ezras Kohanim; from the Duchan to the Tzafon area near the Mizbeach, from the rings used to Shecht the Korbanos to the tables used to rinse the meat. You will also see the size of the Ezras Kohanim relative to the area around 770.
Thursday’s raffle winners are:
$50 Judaica World gift card – David
$36 Judaica World gift card – Yossi Baumgarten
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/VZ618
Link to join the WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/JWKXQK4ucWN2w7ObrYCgUG
Today’s class & prizes are dedicated לעילוי נשמת ברוריה בת חנניה
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $186 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info9 days agoFollowing the overwhelming success of An Evening of Bitachon, we are excited to announce Round Two, taking place this Sunday at 6:45 PM.
The first Bitachon Summit, held on Sunday, 9 Iyar 5786, brought together women from around the world for an evening of inspiration, practical guidance, and heartfelt encouragement. Dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Mendel Plotkin, Shneur Zalman Plotkin, and Rabbi YY Wilansky, the program was also dedicated to all those seeking their bashert, with the heartfelt tefillah that we should soon celebrate many simchos together.
The evening featured a unique lineup of speakers, each addressing a different area of bitachon that women encounter in everyday life. Topics included developing overall trust in Hashem, bitachon in matters of parnassah, navigating the loss of a loved one, shidduchim, raising a large family, facing life’s hardships, and coping with health challenges. By bringing together diverse voices and real-life experiences, participants were able to see how bitachon applies to every stage and circumstance of life.
Baruch Hashem, the response exceeded expectations. There were over 150 participants throughout the program. Since then, the replay has continued reaching even more people, with nearly 200 replay views to date. Most meaningful of all has been the steady stream of positive feedback from participants, many of whom shared how the program strengthened their perspective and inspired them to deepen their own bitachon.
Because of the enthusiastic response and numerous requests for another event, we are thrilled to present Round Two!
Join us this Sunday at 6:45 PM for another evening of meaningful talks, practical inspiration, and powerful messages from a new lineup of speakers, each sharing how bitachon can guide us through the challenges and opportunities of everyday life.
Register today: bit.ly/bitachon2
We look forward to welcoming you.
CrownHeights.info9 days agoPresident Trump said Wednesday that he believes his memorandum of understanding with Iran is dead after he ordered overnight airstrikes on 80 targets in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I don’t like them at all. And frankly, I think we wasted a lot of time with them, I think we should just do our business,” Trump said in his first public remarks after ordering the airstrikes.
When asked by a reporter if the preliminary peace deal, which Trump signed at the Palace of Versailles in France June 17, was dead, the president replied: “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum.”
CrownHeights.info9 days agoWith deep sadness we report the passing of Harav Tuvia Blou OBM, one of the elder Rabbonim and Mashpiim of Chabad-Lubavitch in Eretz Yisroel and Rov of the Chabad community in Neve Yaakov. He passed away on Wednesday, the 23rd of Tammuz, 5786.
He was 90 years old.
Harav Blau was among the founders of Talmud Torah Toras Emes and Bais Chana High School for girls in Yerushalayim.
Compounding the sadness, he passed away during the shloshim for his wife, Rebbetzin Chana Frumit Blou OBM, who passed away on 2 Tammuz.
The levaya will take place today, Wednesday, the 23rd Tammuz, departing at 2:00 pm from the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim. The procession will continue to the Chabad section of Har HaZeisim, where he will be laid to rest.
The family will be sitting shiva at the Blou home at 43/9 Harav Zevin Street, Neve Yaakov, Yerushalayim.
Boruch Dayan Hoemes
CrownHeights.info9 days agoRabbi Benjy Korf, Head of School of Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami, Florida, has been announced as the keynote speaker at the banquet of this year’s Kinus HaMechanchim.
The Annual International Kinus HaMechanchim will take place on July 28–29 / י״ד–ט״ו מנחם אב at the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, bringing together mechanchim, principals, administrators, and school leaders from across the Chabad school network for two days of inspiration, professional development, and connection.
This year’s banquet will focus on the theme: “פרומע, ערליכע, ווארימע, חסידישע אידן — Focused on the עיקר.”
Rabbi Korf will address the central mission of Chinuch: raising students to be frum, ehrlich, warm, and Chassidishe Yidden. Drawing on his years of experience leading one of the largest Chabad schools in the country, he will speak to the heart of the mechanech’s shlichus and the responsibility of staying focused on the עיקר in today’s classroom.
“Rabbi Benjy Korf brings decades of hands-on dedication to Chinuch, focused on what matters most: raising children to be frum, ehrlich, warm, and Chassidishe Yidden,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman of Merkos Chinuch Office. “His message at the Kinus banquet will speak to every mechanech’s shlichus — staying focused on the עיקר and giving talmidim a strong foundation for life.”
The banquet is expected to be one of the highlights of the Kinus, bringing together hundreds of mechanchim for an evening dedicated to strengthening and celebrating the vital work of Chinuch.
Following the banquet, a special farbrengen will be led by Rabbi Yossi Paltiel, giving mechanchim the opportunity to continue the inspiration of the evening in a warm and uplifting atmosphere, with niggunim, stories, and meaningful reflections that will help carry the message of the Kinus into their daily avodah in Chinuch.
The Kinus will feature a full program of sessions, tracks, workshops, and networking opportunities designed for mechanchim, principals, administrators, and school leaders.
Stay tuned for exciting new tracks focused on AI and curriculum development.
Registration is still open.
Register now at: kinus.chinuchoffice.org
CrownHeights.info9 days agoToday’s video goes through the Ezras Yisroel; from the Lishka of the Kohen Gadol to the Lishka of the great Sanhedrin, and from the Lishka where the stored the salt to the one where the salted the leather and the one where they would draw water from.
You will also see the size of the Ezras Yisroel relative to the area around 770.
Yesterday’s raffle winners are:
$50 gift card – Yitzchok Isaac Heidingsfeld
$36 gift card – Esther
Link to the quiz https://ispri.ng/yMnv0
Link to join the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GVaB819H9hPFwL6c4DEGeg?mode=ac_t
To dedicate a class and the prizes for $186 please email: [email protected]
CrownHeights.info9 days agoForty-three newer Shluchim gathered in Crown Heights earlier this month for Merkos 302’s seventh annual Fundraising Seminar, walking away with a new mindset, a practical toolkit, and a network of peers to carry them through the years ahead.
The event was organized by the New Shluchim Desk at Merkos 302 and spearheaded by Rabbi Mendy Shanowitz, the Desk’s director. “Fundraising is the engine that powers a Shlichus,” he said. “We send them home with the mindset, the tools, and a network of peers to lean on from day one.”
The full-day masterclass is geared for Shluchim within their first seven years on Shlichus and was led by Rabbi Elazar Green, Shliach to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and founder of Grow Gelt Solutions.
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302, set the tone for the day. “The Rebbe’s vision for Shlichus was never about buildings or budgets. It was about people,” he said. “You cannot fundraise successfully if you don’t love your donors. You cannot build a community if you don’t love your community. When you genuinely care about them — about their family, their struggles, their simchas — they feel that. And that is what they support.”
The program covered identifying the right donor prospects, making a confident ask, and cultivating the long-term partnerships that sustain a Mosad for decades. Participants worked through the material in live role-playing exercises.
Sessions also covered setting up a Chai Club monthly giving program, navigating major gift conversations, following up on pledges with dignity, and understanding why donors stop giving.
One Shliach pointed to the “Elephant” analogy running through the day. “Seeing it from both the donor’s perspective and the fundraiser’s, and how it comes up at every step on both ends,” he said. Another described learning to find a donor’s hidden hesitation “in a straightforward and mentshlich way.” A third pointed to something more concrete: having a written budget ready to show a donor before being asked for one. “It gave me something concrete to walk out with,” he said.
All participants have access to a dedicated WhatsApp group for guidance and peer support after the seminar.
CrownHeights.info9 days agoby Shloimy Galperin – chabad.org
The man asked Rabbi Shlomi Tabib for one thing as he lay dying of Stage 4 lung cancer: Make sure there was a Jewish cemetery in Taiwan by the time it was going to be needed again.
Tabib couldn’t make it happen in time for the patient. The man, a longtime member of the Jewish community in Taiwan, was buried elsewhere.
“When he passed away, it was a wake-up call,” Rabbi Tabib told Chabad.org. “I knew that if we didn’t take this on and make it happen, no one else was going to do it.”
It would be three more years before the cemetery opened its gates. But finally, a few weeks ago, it did. Set in a forest about 40 minutes from Chabad of Taiwan, the island’s first dedicated Jewish burial ground held its first funeral, and the last crucial piece of Jewish infrastructure on the island was complete.
Jeffrey D. Schwartz, center, flanked by Rabbi Shlomo Tabib and Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky at the opening of the $16 million Jewish community center in Taiwan.
Organized Jewish life in Taiwan goes back only to the 1950s, when American Jewish servicemen stationed on the island gathered for Shabbat and holidays. Rabbi Shlomi and Racheli Tabib arrived in 2011 and built on that foundation, establishing Chabad-Lubavitch of Taiwan in Taipei City, and opened the Jeffrey D. Schwartz Jewish Community Center a decade later. Funded by Taiwan businessman Jeffrey Schwartz, the $16 million complex gave the island its first permanent synagogue and kosher kitchen, along with a Judaica museum, a 300-seat ballroom and a mikvah finished with a gold-leaf ceiling.
One piece was still missing. In Taiwan, where 95% of the population is cremated, burial according to halachah, Jewish law, has never been available. Families had to send loved ones abroad, often to Hong Kong— home to the region’s oldest Jewish cemetery, dating to 1855. Shanghai’s Sephardi community opened its own in 1862. Taiwan had nothing comparable.
The Tabibs tried to negotiate space for a Jewish cemetery for years, and eventually found a private cemetery willing to set aside a section permanently for Jewish use. They then worked with rabbinic authorities to structure and fence off the area so it would function as a distinct Jewish burial ground.
The Tabibs saw the need almost as soon as they arrived, but local law didn’t allow for the permanence Jewish burial requires, and the project stalled for years. The turn came when the rabbi found a private cemetery willing to set aside a section permanently for Jewish use, a step Schwartz helped make possible. Rabbi Tabib then worked with rabbinic authorities to structure and fence off the plot so it would function as a distinct Jewish burial ground.
On June 23, the cemetery was consecrated when its first burial took place there. The deceased’s family lived outside Taiwan, and Rabbi Tabib served as their representative on the ground, and working closely with Chabad of Hong Kong and ZAKA’s international division, oversaw the arrangements. Taiwan’s burial laws, unlike those in much of North America, permit burial directly in the earth without a casket, in keeping with the most ideal halachic practice.
“I know you say it’s your job, but we don’t take it for granted,” a family member wrote to Rabbi Tabib. “You were there for us at our collectively most difficult time in our lives. What you do touches hearts.”
CrownHeights.info10 days agoFor the first time, visitors and locals in Jackson Hole have access to a dedicated kosher pop-up grill, bringing fresh kosher dining to one of America’s most popular summer destinations. The Kosher Grill, which opened on July 5, is operating from the Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming and is offering an exciting menu throughout the busy summer season.
While located at Chabad, the Kosher Grill is an independent venture operated by three Chabadniks from New York: Mayer Balkany, Tzvi Torenheim, and Yehudah Schultz. Chabad of Wyoming is providing the hashgacha and overseeing the kashrus.
The opening marks a significant milestone for the region, where the Jewish community is relatively small and kosher dining options have traditionally been very limited. Jackson Hole has become an increasingly popular destination for Jewish families exploring the nearby Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Until now, those seeking fresh kosher meals while in the area had few convenient options.
“One of the Rebbe’s well known mivtzoim campaigns was encouraging greater access to kosher food for Jews wherever they may be. Alongside his campaigns encouraging men to put on tefillin and women to light Shabbos candles, the Rebbe emphasized making kosher food more readily available to every Jew,” said Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn of the Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming. “We’re grateful that this initiative helps further that vision by making fresh, high quality kosher meals available throughout the summer.”
The seasonal Kosher Grill features a diverse menu of freshly prepared favorites, providing a new kosher dining destination in northwest Wyoming during the busy summer season. The project is especially noteworthy because it brings together three Chabadniks who traveled from New York, transporting equipment, supplies, and their culinary expertise across the country to establish the seasonal venture.
Beyond serving meals, the team is also committed to giving back to the Jewish community. Every Tuesday, the grill closes so its operators can travel throughout Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas to connect with Jewish visitors. They will help men put on tefillin, distribute Shabbos candles, and offer opportunities for Jewish inspiration and connection, continuing the Rebbe’s vision of reaching every Jew wherever they may be. The weekly outreach reflects the team’s commitment to strengthening Jewish life alongside operating the Kosher Grill.
“We’re excited to bring quality kosher food to Jackson Hole and make it more accessible for Jewish visitors and the local community,” said Mayer Balkany. “We’ve put a great deal of thought into creating a menu that people will enjoy, and we hope the Kosher Grill becomes a welcoming place where guests can relax, enjoy a delicious meal, and connect with fellow travelers during their time here.”
The Kosher Grill is expected to operate throughout the summer, expanding kosher accessibility in one of the nation’s premier vacation destinations.
For hours, the menu, and additional information, JewishWyoming.com/Grill.
CrownHeights.info10 days agoAt the heart of the training event for 198 Shluchhey chinuch in Eretz HaKodesh, held as part of the historic gathering of Reshet Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch, an inspiring film was shown, presenting the moving story of Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Lison, a Shliach chinuch from Haifa.
The film tells the story of his medical struggle and reveals the extraordinary dedication of a Shliach chinuch to his students – even in the most challenging moments.
Now, for the first time, the film is available for viewing by the broader Anash community.
Don’t miss it.
“Ashrei Adam Bote’ach Bach”
CrownHeights.info10 days agoAt an event fare welling Sara Netanyahu as school Psychiatrist at a Chabad High School in Yerushalayim, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can be seen watching a video of the Rebbe presented to the guests.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by שימי סגל (@shimisegal)
CrownHeights.info10 days agoWith great sadness we report the passing of Hatomim Ziv Moshe Schulman OBM, a bochur at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Rechovot, EY who collapsed yesterday while at the Yeshiva. He passed away on Tuesday, the 22nd of Tammuz, 5786.
He was 17 years old.
The Chabad community worldwide came out to say Tehillim after his collapse.
He is survived by his parents Eyal and Meirav Yakira Shulman.
Boruch Dayan Hoemes
CrownHeights.info10 days agoby CrownHeights.info
Carroll and Kingston, in the heart of Crown Heights, saw officers of the FBI in an early morning raid Tuesday morning, allegedly targeting a second floor office on the corner.
Details remain sparse but no arrests were reported, despite both the FBI and HSI reported on scene.
CrownHeights.info10 days agoOn July 3, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun hosted America’s 250th Birthday Shabbat Dinner in partnership with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. Nearly 200 ambassadors, senior U.S. officials, and Jewish leaders participated in this historic kick-off to the Freedom 250 celebrations in Washington, DC, during the holiday weekend.
Ambassador Kaploun underscored why broadening appreciation for Jewish heritage remains a critical tool in the fight against global antisemitism. “The history of the Jewish people in America is a strong one, a resilient one,” he said. In his speech, Kaploun also highlighted the Lubavitcher Rebbe, noting him as one of the great Americans of this nation’s history.
Arie Lipnick, Chair of CAM’s US Advisory Board, announced that CAM will partner with the U.S. Department of State to launch a new educational initiative aimed at educating young audiences globally about the contributions of 250 notable Jewish Americans.
A Foundation Phantom humanoid robot interacted with guests, representing the role which technology will play in shaping the next 250 years of Jewish American history.
CrownHeights.info10 days agoA major restoration project at the historic Jewish cemetery of Bobruisk, Belarus, is nearing the completion of its first stage, following nearly two years of gradual work led by the local Jewish community together with descendants of Bobruisk families around the world.
The cemetery, located near Minskaya Street in the Mogilev region, was established in 1921 and remains the city’s only surviving Jewish burial ground. Thousands of Jews from Bobruisk and the surrounding region are buried there, including Rabbi Shmariyahu Noach Schneerson of Bobruisk, the city’s Chief Rabbi and founder of the cemetery, whose resting place has survived to this day.
The current stage of restoration has focused on making the cemetery accessible and safe: paths and passageways are being cleared, overgrown vegetation and debris removed, protective treatment applied to prevent renewed wild growth, and unstable trees identified and removed where necessary. Future stages are expected to include new paths, shaded areas and drinking fountains for visitors.
“The condition of the cemetery was very painful,” said Rabbi Shaul Chababo, Chief Rabbi of Bobruisk and Chabad emissary to the city. “It was almost impossible to walk between the graves, and the feeling was very difficult. This initiative is being carried forward by Jewish families around the world — people born in Bobruisk and descendants of families who lived here throughout its history — who have taken responsibility for preserving this sacred place.”
Among the leaders of the initiative is Felix Gurevich of Florida, a native of Bobruisk, who formed a 15-member board of trustees and, together with the local Jewish community, began raising the resources needed for the cemetery’s rehabilitation.
Bobruisk was once one of the largest and most important Jewish centers in Belarus; in 1897, more than 20,700 Jews lived in the city, making up about 60 percent of its population. The cemetery also holds deep Holocaust memory, with several memorials standing there in remembrance of victims from Bobruisk and nearby communities.
In recent decades, after years of neglect, emigration, and incidents of damage and theft, the restoration has become an urgent act of dignity, remembrance, and connection — ensuring that one of Bobruisk’s most significant Jewish heritage sites can once again be visited, protected, and honored.
CrownHeights.info10 days agoToday, Shliach Rabbi Moshe Spalter joined the growing number of shluchim who have gone the extra mile by donating a kidney to save the life of someone they had never met—giving the ultimate gift of life.
Originally from Costa Rica, where his parents serve as shluchim, Rabbi Spalter now leads Chabad of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff in suburban Chicago together with his wife.
Kidney donation had been on his mind for years. When his brother-in-law needed a transplant, he volunteered to be tested and viewed becoming a match as a clear sign from Hashem. A father of three young children, he hopes his decision will inspire others to consider the gift of living donation.
Just last week, Renewal celebrated its 1,500th kidney transplant—each one representing a life saved, hope restored, and the extraordinary impact of living donation.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a living kidney donor or would like to begin the confidential screening process, please contact Renewal at [email protected]
CrownHeights.info11 days agoToday’s video goes through the 7 entrances of the Azarah; from the main entrance of Shaa’r Nikanor in the east to the 3 entrances on each the north and south, from the grand 4 room structure of the בית המוקד to the entrances used for the Korbanos, the wood, and the Nisuch Hamayim.
You will also see the size of the Azarah relative to the area around 770.
Yesterday’s Winners are:
$50 gift card: Feiga Chein
$36 gift card: J A
Link to the quiz
https://ispri.ng/rgZ9X
Link to join the WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GVaB819H9hPFwL6c4DEGeg?mode=ac_t
Today’s class is dedicated לעילוי נשמת בלומא לאה בת הרה”ח הרה”ג ר’ ישעיה משולם זוסיא ע”ה
Donated by her grandchildren
חנה בת מלכה רייזל
and
משה אהרן לוי בן בת שבע
CrownHeights.info11 days agoCTeen Orange recently hosted its annual Awards Gala, honoring more than 50 exceptional teens for their dedication to community service and Jewish leadership throughout the year. CTeen Orange is a branch of Chabad of Orange County, led by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston and youth director Sarah Litzman, and is comprised of teens from across the County, including Goshen, Monroe, Middletown, Washingtonville, Chester, Warwick, Cornwall and Newburgh.
Awards recognized teens for their contributions to the Friendship Circle, serving children, teens, and young adults with special needs, as well as CTeen leadership, Hebrew School volunteering, Synagogue attendance, and many other meaningful acts of service that have made a lasting impact across the community.
The evening was led by talented teen emcees and featured inspiring speeches from student leaders, highlighting the incredible passion, commitment, and Jewish pride of Orange County’s youth. Each honoree received special gifts in recognition of their accomplishments and the difference they have made.
Teen volunteer highlight events this year included a carnival to raise funds for charity, decorating cookies for hospital patients, gift packages for local police departments, soups for seniors and teddy bears for sick children, among others.
CTeen Orange is already planning an exciting lineup of programs, volunteer opportunities, and leadership experiences for the coming year, with even more opportunities for teens to connect, give back, and grow. For more information on the CTeen Jr Youth Group for middle school students, and CTeen Orange for High School students, log onto chabadorange.com