Yeshiva World News

[By Yosef Sosnow]

“It is all because of Sandy.” That is not really the true answer, but that is what I told him…

“Him,” is the person who asked me, “What is pshat that Dirshu is making a big Shabbos Kinnus Olam HaTorah in the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown? What is the point?” he asked.

I answered, “It is all because of Hurricane Sandy.” What I meant is that Hurricane Sandy gave me additional focus on why Dirshu members and their wives will be converging on the DoubleTree in Tarrytown this Shabbos and culminating on Motzoei Shabbos for the Grand Siyum Melave Malka.

Let me first say that I am bit biased in favor of Dirshu. I have been a member of Dirshu for more than four years during which time I have taken monthly tests every month. I know how much the ‘mechayev,’ the accountability of Dirshu, has done for my learning, I recognize how that ‘mechayev’ has rendered all excuses not to learn, to be just that… excuses. Hurricane Sandy brought things into focus with “Kodak Moment clarity”.

A Few Snap Shots

“Let me paint a picture,” I told my friend, “not an imaginary picture, but a true picture of Dirshu during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Then you will truly understand what we are coming together to celebrate this Shabbos.”

The picture starts in Far Rockaway. Rabbi Dovid Teitelbaum, a long time Dirshu Kinyan Torah monthly Daf Yomi test participant and a Rebbi at the Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island is in the picture. He is in the Agudas Yisroel Shul of Long Island learning the Daf, chazering – reviewing for his test. It is pitch-dark in the shul and he is using a flashlight. For davening the shul had distributed the flashlights it uses on Tisha B’Av… Rabbi Teitelbaum is using his flashlight to learn…

“I was the only one in the shul… the wind was howling, it was dark, very, very dark. I was a bit scared, but my goal was clear, I had to learn the Daf and review the previous blatt… the test was just a few days away. Banishing my fear I plugged ahead, ‘Tanu Rabbanan…’ I couldn’t help it, but at that moment, unbidden, a song that I once heard on a Journeys tape came to mind… ‘He sits late at night by the candlelight…’ I felt so connected to the previous generations who sat at their Gemaros in the dark, learning Hashem’s Torah. If not for Dirshu I don’t think I would have been in that darkened shul, my head in the Gemara, its tiny letters illuminated only by the pale light of the flashlight…”

As for this columnist, the thought of the Tisha B’Av flashlight brought to mind the words of the Shulchan Aruch that we just learned in Hilchos Rosh Chodesh in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. The Shulchan Aruch writes that the night of Pesach always falls on the same weeknight as the previous Tisha B’Av… yes, the Geulah will be on the same night as the suffering… The Shulchan Aruch writes that this is hinted in the words, “Al matzos umerorim yochluhu— matzah, redemption and maror, bitterness are eaten together’… Yes, the sweet, redemptive beauty of that learning in the Hurricane Sandy pitch-dark shul was certainly an antidote to Sandy’s golus-like qualities!

A Ten Year Old Learning for the Test by Candlelight

Ten year old Nochum Shanik offers another moving Dirshu/Sandy snapshot. As he was leaving the generator powered emergency Far Rockaway testing site at the Bnos Bais Yaakov School on Beach 9th St. we spoke to Nochum Shanik. Nochum may be the youngest Dirshu Kinyan Torah test taker. A mere ten years old, he is taking the monthly Daf HaYomi Test! I asked Nochum, “How were you able to prepare for the test with Sandy’s fury pounding Far Rockaway?”

He replied, “Although I was not able to attend my usual shiur, my father and brother learned the Daf with me.”

“Did you have electricity?” I asked.

“No, we learned the Daf with a candle at home…”

Can we even imagine what must be going on in the celestial worlds, when a ten year old boy, in the midst of a raging storm, while the world as he knows it is being turned upside down, at a time of blackout when there is no power, no gas, little clean water in the neighborhood… is sitting and learning by candlelight with his father and brother so that he can take the test in a generator powered basement of a school…?!

It is people like Nochum Shanik and Rabbi Dovid Teitelbaum who are the real guests of honor whose accomplishments will be hailed at the Dirshu Shabbos.

And they are not the only ones.

The “Dirshu Cell Phone”

Our camera turns its focus to Lakewood, NJ. The city was devastated by Sandy but there were still some 250 test takers packed into the generator powered Lakewood Cheder dining Room. One test taker, Avrohom Pardes, related, “On Monday night my chavrusah and I were learning in a bais medrash close to home… the wind was howling, the window panes were shaking, but we kept on going. We heard tree branches – ripped up by the gale force winds – smash against the outer walls of the shul and then, suddenly, the room went black… we lost power… With barely a moment’s hesitation my chavrusah took a flashlight out of his pocket, fastened it around his head with a belt like a utility worker… and continued learning… I opened my cell phone and we learned by the pale light until we finished our quota… we had a test Sunday.”

Certainly, there were others learning that night but the focus and urgency with which Dirshu members learned is unique and perhaps even unparalleled.

The Chassan in the Middle of Sheva Brachos!

It is not only Sandy, however. Let us take our camera across the Atlantic to London, England. This past Friday at the Dirshu test in London, there was an incongruous sight. While all of the test takers were wearing different types of hats and yarmulkes as is characteristic of Dirshu achdus that crosses all communal and ideological lines, there was one unexpected sight – a yungerman wearing a brand new spodek, the high shtreimel worn by Polish Chassidim. A spodek on Friday morning?!

Rav Binyomin Eckstein, director of Dirshu London explained, “He is a chosson just two days after his chasunah in the middle of sheva brachos!”

Yes, on Friday morning, two days after his chasunah, with Shabbos sheva brachos just a few hours away, this chosson felt compelled to take his Dirshu test…

One final Far Rockaway snapshot. At the testing site we spoke to Yonasan Lazer. “My chavrusah, Aharon Pfeifer and I are both chasanim. We spent the entire Sunday chazering for our Dirshu bechina on the first part of Masechta Shabbos. While everyone was discussing where to get gas, worrying about their freezers and when the lights would go out, we just sat there in the bais medrash and learned and learned, just breaking for lunch and supper as we chazered for the bechina. Dirshu just changes your focus…”

Celebrating the Accomplishments of the True Picture Perfect Dirshu Heroes

So I told my friend, “If you want to understand pshat in the Dirshu Shabbos, just look at our dear friends, Rabbi Dovid Teitelbaum, Nochum Shanik, Avrohom Pardes, Yonnasan Lazar, Aharon Pfeifer and our chosson from London, then multiply those by thousands! It is their accomplishments that deserve to be celebrated. It is their heroism, yedias haTorah and yegias haTorah that we will celebrate; it is the siyumei haShas of thousands, the siyum on Kinyan Halacha that will provide Klal Yisroel with poskim muvhakim, it is the completion of the “forgotten chelek,” Chelek Daled of Mishna Berurah that we will celebrate on Motzoei Shabbos!”

I concluded by telling my friend, “If you want to see maror transformed into matzah, take the maror, the bitterness of Sandy and the bitterness of the golus and make it into matzah that will be the harbinger of the geulah; if you want to participate in a true, gala seudas mitzvah that celebrates true heroism; the place to be is at the Grand Melave Malka in Tarrytown this Motzoei Shabbos. Dirshu will celebrate and hail these heroes; listen to the words of gedolim; sing, dance and eat a seudah… everything will be there except the oro shel livyason, may that also be added, bemheira biyameinu!

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Many people are looking to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy, and many different organizations have been assisting them. The following is a list of some of organizations where you can donate and assist your brothers in need.

1) New York’s leading Jewish Chesed groups have agreed to create an emergency fund to support local victims of Hurricane Sandy. The Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund will be managed by Chevra Hatzalah with the support of the following organizations: Hatzalah groups, Shomrim, Misaskim, Chaveirim, Met Council, Yad Ephraim and neighborhood Jewish Community Councils. It was formed at a meeting called by Councilman David G. Greenfield. All proceeds of the Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund will go directly to victims and victim services. No donations will be used for administration or overhead.

The community is encouraged to donate generously via this website: www.EmergencyChesedFund.com.

2) There are countless families in the Five Towns, Far Rockaway, Bayswater and Long Island that are totally wiped out, having suffered crippling losses, losing homes, cars, clothing, everything. They are literally left with only the proverbial clothing on their backs and are in a shocking situation. Hundreds of others have been severely impacted.

To assist our community in this time of desperation, the Achiezer organization has begun a campaign, chaired by distinguished baalei batim to allow those of us who are fortunate enough not to be suffering from the after effects of the hurricane, a once-in-a-lifetime direct pikuach nefesh opportunity. The trustees listed below will oversee the funds raised in this campaign to insure that every penny goes directly into the hands of those who have lost so much due to the devastating hurricane. A special accounting of every dollar will be available at the end of this campaign. Any monetary assistance, big or small, will help to alleviate the overwhelming need of our friends, neighbors and brothers. You can donate by clicking HERE.

3) In the community of Sea Gate, the devastation is real, the damage is more than just physical.  Families have lost everything.  ”The only thing left is the shirt on my back”, is no longer a saying, it’s real.

A fund to assist the local community has been set up and is being administered by Harav Pinchos Meisels, the Dayan of Seagate. You can donate by visiting the website for the Sea Gate Hurricane Emergency Fund.

PLEASE EMAIL THIS STORY TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

It is not often that I am at a loss for words, but last night was one of those occasions.

Yesterday afternoon, a friend asked me to join him and others in Belle Harbor, New York to assist with the post-storm cleanup. We were called to action by a special organization called Chasdei Lev, whose acts of kindness merit an article in and of itself. We were provided an address in Belle Harbor and were unsure at first whether it was a private home, institution or some other facility as we headed that way. As it turned out, we were dispatched to a shul that was destroyed by the merciless Sandy. Our trip through Belle Harbor was heartbreaking.

The streets looked more like beaches than like thoroughfares. An angry Sandy and a furious sea moved all of the sand from the shores to the streets. Or so it seemed. Every home was adorned with a gigantic pile of everyday life on its lawn, awaiting to be accompanied by the angels of sanitation to its final resting place. Walls, insulation, furniture, appliances, toys, computers and all of the staples of life as we know it could be found in these heaping mounds of loss, each representing years of work, effort and love wiped out by a brutal storm that knew no mercy.

But I was unprepared for what would greet us when we finally met our ultimate destination. Congregation Ohab Tzedek is housed in a mighty structure of stone and concrete. It has undoubtedly scoffed at Mother Nature’s fury on countless occasions in the past without even batting an eye. Surely Sandy could not bring this majestic House of God to its knees. Sadly, that is just what she did.

Entering the shul on the lower level was not easy. The water was still about two inches deep and the stench of fuel and rotting wood made breathing an unpleasant adventure. Nevertheless I joined cold, wet and tired friends, acquaintances and total strangers in clearing out this destroyed temple for hours into the unforgiving frigid night.

As I stood in the middle of the shul, maintaining my balance on planks that once supported seforim but now supported men, I was broken. The floor was flowing with a soup comprised of water, fuel and thousands of pages of shaimos. Four destroyed sifrei torah were removed earlier in the day, together with pairs of tefilin left behind by worshipers who clearly expected to daven shachris last Tuesday the same way they had on Monday. However, the entire massive library remained as did some taleisos, the pushka and seemingly stray atzei chaim. To me, it was not mere pages of books floating in the water, nor mere garments and shelves that absorbed the sea; it was thousands of years of history and the sincere dedication of my co-religionists that were wandering aimlessly about in muck and filth. The destruction of this divine home was complete and the books soaked with tradition and history were now saturated with the stench of devastation, misery and grief.

Though the conversation was limited, the significance of the loss was clear to all of us. We spent hours wading through filth and fumes not merely to clean the home of people (that was done the previous night by many in attendance, though not by me) but to respect the home of a People. The purpose was to gather the shamos and provide as respectful a disposal as possible under the trying circumstances. That goal was met. By night’s end, the walls lay bare and the toppled benches and broken chairs were alone in a large room that once housed sacred books but now could only lay witness to the devotion of its former inhabitants and the love shown by those who came after it lay in ruins.

As I passed a bag of water-logged shofaros to the next person on the assembly line last evening, I was reminded of a profound thought of Rav Shniur Zalman of Lidai. In a long and majestic maamar, the Baal HaTanya explains that the shofar of Rosh Hashana represents the cry of the soul that continues where the power of words ends. Language is limited and its ability to convey raw emotion virtually non-existent. The soul however is limitless and can feel far more than words can ever express.

Last night my soul wept. But it did not weep alone. It wept together with those in attendance, with those who lost so much and with the millions of souls that have wept for millennia hoping and praying that their most recent pangs of sorrow would be their last. Let’s hope this one truly is.

If you wish to volunteer or get involved in any way please contact Chasdei Lev at chasdeilevhs@gmail.com and they will help advise as to where/how you can help.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Chai Lifeline, the international children’s health support network and an acknowledged expert in the field of crisis intervention, and Achiezer, the Rockaways/Five Towns community resource center, have joined forces to help area families, schools, and institutions cope with mental health crises and emotional discomfort resulting from Hurricane Sandy. Help is available now at 1-855-3CRISIS.

The organizations are collaborating on a free hotline for families, schools, and communal organizations. They are distributing suggestions for school administrators and teachers for assisting students who show evidence of post-traumatic stress. Guidelines for families are being disseminated at stores throughout the area.

“This has been a life-changing event for many families accustomed to being on the giving side,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, executive vice president of Chai Lifeline. “They have seen their homes, and sometimes their businesses, devastated by the storm. We are extremely concerned and want to help in every way possible.”

Dr. Norman Blumenthal, a psychologist and Five Towns resident who directs Chai Lifeline’s Department of Crisis Intervention and Bereavement, noted that signs of stress and trauma may become evident even weeks after the storm. “It’s possible that parents or teachers will only see the signs of trauma when life returns to normal. Adults shouldn’t be surprised if they or their children exhibit symptoms of anxiety or fear weeks later. Professional help is available, and no one should hesitate to ask for assistance,” he emphasized.

For more information, call the hotline at 1-855-3CRISIS or contact Chai Lifeline’s Department of Crisis Intervention at crisis@chailifeline.org. Copies of the suggestions and guidelines will also be posted at www.chailifeline.org.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ichud Hatzalah (United Hatzalah) officials explain that in response to an increase in the number of calls involving water rescue the organization sent its first group of EMS responders to be certified as divers. The group of chareidim was trained primarily to permit responding to calls in Lake Kinneret, where all too often they were summoned to assist in life saving efforts but lacked the ability to send responders into the water.

Realizing from painful experience that when it comes to Kinneret area emergency calls time is of the essence, and this led to the organization realizing it must have certified divers who can get into the water and begin searching for drowning victims and beginning rescue efforts in the water rather than having to wait for others to organize a response. As such, the first group of volunteers was certified in an Eilat diving school.

Simply stated, there are too many drowning calls in the Kinneret during the summer months and as a major component of the nation’s emergency medical service system, Ichud Hatzalah felt compelled to meet this demand as well and training divers was the logical response.

Ichud’s Northern District Commander Yossi Oknin explains that eight area chareidi volunteers stepped forward and committed to the training program, putting their lives on hold to travel to the southern port city for certification as a diver. These certified divers will now be part of the area’s growing rescue capabilities, including the ambucycles and in the case of the Kinneret, a boat suited for search and rescue.

Oknin explains what really prompted them to train the divers was a drowning case during the summer of 2010 when a young male died as a result of a drowning incident because no one could get into the water. He explains the responders arrived in a timely fashion, but they then stood around and waited, feeling helpless and the clock ticked, realizing there is more they can do and this led to the certification program.

Arranging the training program took a bit of logistical doing as they had to arrange for glatt kosher food, seforim to permit daily learning and more. The volunteers paid for the actual diving program from their own funds. They are certified to dive up to a depth of 30 meters as well as night diving.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Brooklyn – New York’s leading Jewish Chesed groups have agreed to create an emergency fund to support local victims of Hurricane Sandy. The Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund was formed yesterday at a meeting called by Councilman David G. Greenfield to thank the groups for their efforts since the storm hit and to improve coordination between them. All proceeds of the Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund will go directly to victims and victim services. No donations will be used for administration or overhead. The fund will be managed by Chevra Hatzalah with the support of the following organizations: local Hatzalah groups, Shomrim, Misaskim, Chaveirim, Met Council, Yad Ephraim and neighborhood Jewish Community Councils. The community is encouraged to donate generously via this website: www.EmergencyChesedFund.com.

“The community is coming together in support of the people who lost so much as a result of this tragic storm. From Seagate to Far Rockaway to the Lower East Side to the Five Towns to Staten Island, we must help our neighbors. I urge everyone to give whatever they can to this fund to help their neighbors rebuild their lives,” said Councilman David G. Greenfield.

“We thank Councilman Greenfield for his initiative in bringing together all these groups and for demonstrating his concern for the abandoned people in our community. We look forward to working with him and the rest of the community on this critical effort,” said Rabbi David Cohen and Willie Rapfogel.

The Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund will be overseen by an advisory committee formed yesterday made up of: Willie Rapfogel, CEO of the Metropolitan Jewish Council on Poverty; Isaac Stern, Chairman of the Board of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council; Meir Weill, Executive Director of Misaskim; Chaim Fleischer, Coordinator of Chaveirim; and Simcha Bernath, Coordinator of Boro Park Shomrim. Councilman Greenfield’s role in this effort is limited to organizing yesterday’s meeting with the community organizations and helping form the fund. Greenfield has chosen not to be involved in the administration of the fund or distribution of its proceeds to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Please give generously by making out a check to the “Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund” and mailing it to 1340 East 9th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11230 c/o Chevra Hatzalah or online at www.EmergencyChesedFund.com.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Brooklyn, NY – Hundreds of communal figures, joined by elected officials and organizational leaders gathered at the Lipschitz Halls this past Sunday October 28th to celebrate the newly revamped Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC) under the leadership of the reconstituted board along with new Executive Director Rabbi Yeruchim Silber.

In recent years the Boro Park community has witnessed a major transformation from the first generation of post holocaust survivors to a vibrant Chassidic community with large families, many burdened with large tuition bills and other daily expenses that often need governmental and other forms of assistance. To meet those needs, the Boro Park JCC has emerged as a “one stop shop” for all the social service needs of the Greater Boro Park community serving over 7000 clients a year by providing access to government benefits, career counseling, crisis assistance, immigration , holocaust survivor services and much more.

And indeed virtually all the speakers at the tribute breakfast alluded to the vibrancy of the Boro Park community and the important role the JCC plays. Councilman David Greenfield, who represents the area, may have summed it up best when he emphatically declared “The Boro Park JCC is back. City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn who presented the City Legislative Leadership Award to City Council Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia, enthusiastically praised the JCC, stating to the delight of the audience, “The work that the JCC does is a mitzvah after a mitzvah” And on a more serious note, the Speaker closed her remarks with a sobering thought emphasizing that “If there aren’t groups like the JCC of Boro Park, people will go unserved.”

Other speakers and presenters also spoke to the vital need of the services provided by JCC. As Congressman Jerrold Nadler noted during his presentation to Health Plus Amerigroup, “A resourceful and vital JCC is going to be even more necessary as we see sustained attacks on the very role of government in providing help for people.”

Other awardees at the event included Maimonides Medical Center which was recognized as the premier source of health care in our community with a most colorful presentation by the indomitable Mr. Brooklyn, Borough President Marty Markowitz; Investors Bank who were celebrating their first anniversary of their Boro Park Branch which was presented to them by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli; Fred Kreizman Assistant Commissioner of the Mayors Community Affairs Unit received his award from Hatzoloh CEO, and long-time Met Council consultant, Rabbi David Cohen; and Peter Rebenwurzel who has served for nearly two decades as Chair of the Zoning and Variance Committee on Community Board 12, in addition to the many other causes he is involved in received the Community Service award from Dominick Stanzione, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Maimonides Medical Center, of which Mr. Rebenwurzel is a prominent member of the Board.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the breakfast was the award presentation by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio to Mr. and Mrs. Avrohom (Alfred) Schonberger who received the Distinguished Citizen of Boro Park Award. After pointing out that a recent New York Times article on the growth of the Jewish Community also mentioned the extraordinary economic need in the community, the Public Advocate stated that the Boro Park JCC is addressing those needs, as well as individuals like Alfred Schonberger of whom de Blasio noted “defines generosity”. In accepting his award, Mr. Schonberger spoke about his upbringing in Budapest, surviving the holocaust, and how after surviving he and his wife decided to dedicate their lives to helping the poor and disadvantaged.

The breakfast concluded with special presentation to all the new members of the Board who have done a remarkable job, together with previous board holdovers Isaac Stern and Yitzchok Fleischer in revitalizing the JCC.

Met Council CEO William Rapfogel, who did incredible work, along with the Met Council staff, of keeping the JCC afloat during difficult times served as Program Chairman. The breakfast was sponsored by Maimonides Medical Center, Investors Bank, Center Light Health Care, MJHS, Signature Bank, Astoria Federal Bank, Health Plus Amerigroup, and KRM Kollel Supermarket. The Boro Park JCC is a proud affiliate of Met Council and UJA-Federation of New York.

(YWN Desk – NYC)

Rachel Imainu’s yartzeit is this Shabbos on the Eleventh of Cheshvon (October 27 2012). Jews have always visited Kever Rachel on the yartzeit, because tefillos recited on that day are especially effective. Mosdos Kever Rachel keeps the tradition alive, by hosting the influx of visitors. The turnout is tremendous. In 2011, over 100,000 Jews visited Kever Rachel to daven and beseech HaShem for yeshuos in the merit of Mama Rochel.

Since 2001 when Kever Rachel was a forlorn, desolate and even dangerous place to visit Rabbi and Mrs. Kluger have been striving to transform Kever Rachel into the vibrant, and secure place it is today. It was simply unthinkable that the Kever of our dear mother Rochel should be unreachable. They established Mosdos Kever Rachel which supports a kollel on the site with groups of Avreichim learning and davening throughout the day and night.  In addition they subsidize the popular Kever Rochel buses from Jerusalem three times daily.

The anticipation for the yartzeit is incredible. A tremendous amount of food and drink is being prepared in the huge tent set up especially by Mosdos Kever Rachel. Unfortunately, not everyone can physically be there, but you can feel and be part of this awe inspiring time via LIVE WEBCAM which will run from today (approximately 1:00 P.M.) until Sunday evening. This can be accessed by logging on to www.keverrachel.com.

Countless individuals have seen incredible yeshuos when supporting Mosdos Kever Rachel. Rav Chaim Palagi writes that all those who contribute to the Kever Rachel fund on her Yartzeit will be rescued from all evil. (Moed Lchol Chai-siman38). Mosdos Kever Rachel’s 24 hour hotline will accept calls for tefillos and donations to help support this unique organization. You can call 1-888-276-2435 (2-ROCHEL) or by clicking here.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Calling on its constituencies to take on the role of activists, the Orthodox Union (OU) has announced the launch of a national grassroots mobilization effort to confront the single most important issue facing observant families: The Day School Crisis. The week-long “Days of Action” (November 13-15), culminating with an Advocacy Dinner keynoted by school choice advocate Newark Mayor Cory Booker, will empower and engage families to achieve a solution to the K-12 affordability challenge.

“Sending our children to day school is paramount to the Jewish faith – it preserves our identity and culture, strengthens our community, and most importantly offers children a first-rate education,” stated Dr. Simcha Katz, Orthodox Union President. “Yet, this tenet of our faith is being threatened by current economic pressures, which literally are placing a Jewish education out of reach for middle-class families.”

“Although the OU has been leading the fight for solutions such as tax credits and government support for tuition affordability, there is a need to demonstrate much stronger communal support to engage legislators on this topic – thus the launch of a new grassroots initiative,” added Dr. Katz. “It is vital to the success of this new initiative and to a solution to the crisis that everyone within our own community participates in the events scheduled from November 13 through 15. It’s the best opportunity to become educated, involved, and empowered to act.”

In a series of events, culminating in an Advocacy Dinner at the Sheraton New York Hotel featuring Newark Mayor Cory Booker as Keynote Speaker, participants will engage with leadership from the OU, nationally recognized experts and advocates on school choice, legislators from the respective states, and leaders from other national faith-based and minority organizations who also seek solutions to this crisis. The Week also will feature a rally at the War Memorial in Trenton, NJ on Tuesday, November 13 and an Advocacy Luncheon at the Sheraton New York Hotel on Thursday, November 15.  Legislative events and advocacy training will be conducted in Houston, TX on Tuesday, November 13, and Bala Cynwyd, PA on Wednesday, November 14.

It is estimated that a nonpublic education costs approximately $18,000 annually, per pupil. For a family with three children, these educational costs greatly exceed the national median income before even factoring in property taxes and other forms of taxation that fund public education systems. At the same time, a reduction in day-school enrollment – Yeshiva enrollment was down 3-percent from last year – threatens to increase class size and cost in public schools.

“If individuals are going to make a difference in their own lives and that of their families, they must make their voices heard – and that starts with participation in this vital new initiative,” urged Dr. Katz.  “We need everyone to attend and participate – to become an activist.”

New Jersey/New York Schedule

What:  National “Days of Action”on the Day School Crisis

When: November 13 – 15, 2012

Where: Rally at The Trenton War Memorial – Tuesday, November 13

Featured Speakers: Assemblyman Gary Schaer; Senator Tom Kean, Jr.

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

1 Memorial Drive

Trenton, New Jersey

OU Luncheon and Day of Action – Thursday, November 15

Featured Speakers:  James Cultrara, Assemblyman Karim Camara, Robert   “Rob” Enlow  (Note bios below)

12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Sheraton New York Hotel

811 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY

OU Advocacy Dinner  – Thursday, November 15

Keynote Speaker: Newark Mayor Cory Booker

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sheraton New York Hotel

811 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY

It’s a busy Friday afternoon, with just a couple of hours left until Shabbos. Not the best time, perhaps, for your husband to be unsure about the kashrus status of the chicken you are about to cook! You try contacting your Rav, but to your great dismay, he is unavailable.

Good news! No longer will you have to wing it, thanks to STAR-K Kosher Certification’s upcoming Halacha Webinar, on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, at 8 pm, ET. During this interactive presentation, which utilizes pictures, audio, chat and videos, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, shlit”a, will take the guesswork out by showing you how to recognize a shayla.

The purpose of this Webinar is solely to educate the consumer; it is not meant to give an instant crash course on hilchos treifos of chickens. It will help you understand how to recognize the difference between a perfectly normal imperfection, that is a result of processing, and an imperfection that presents a true shayla that needs to be addressed by your Rav.

Even with the best of intentions and the most intensive kosher supervision, problems regarding chickens can arise on occasion and shaylos need to be addressed to a Rav, on a case by case basis. How is this possible?

Tens of thousands of chickens processed each day are inspected by mashgichim to ensure that all their required organs are present and that chicken pox is not present on the intestines. Even prior to evisceration, the internal organs are checked and the mashgiach ensures that the chickens have been shechted, soaled, salted, and washed properly. In addition, at different checkpoints, while the chicken’s organs are being eviscerated, the mashgichim inspect for broken bones, holes, punctures and bruises that would render the chicken treif. Any chickens deemed questionable are taken off the line and placed on hooks, over to the side. The on-site Rav paskens (rules) as to whether these chickens are kosher or treif. Nonetheless, due to human error, it is possible that a chicken that is not kosher gets through the process.

Although it may not be evident, there is a marked difference between a whole chicken and a whole cut-up chicken processed in the plant, with regard to kashrus shaylos. If there is a problem with a wing of a whole chicken, for example, the complete chicken is treif. Regarding cut up chickens, when processing thousands of chickens, there is a very remote chance that any suspect parts come from the same chicken. Therefore, you do not have to assume the entire tray of chicken parts will be invalidated, and only the suspect pieces should be thrown away. With regard to chicken purchased from a local butcher shop, one should inquire as to whether the cut-up is all part of the same chicken or from various pieces that make up the tray.

It is also important to know if a break in one of the chicken’s bones happened before or after the chicken was shechted; breaks that occur post-shechting are not a problem. During the webinar, HaRav Heinemann will help the kosher consumer discern when this break happened, in determining whether asking a question to a Rav is, indeed, warranted.

The STAR-K webinar is open to one and all, and will be accessible via smartphones, as well. Login details will be posted at www.star-k.org/telekosher , or you can register by emailing webinar@star-k.org . For more information, contact Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, 410-484-4110 ext. 219.

(Margie Pensak – YWN)

Lomdei Hadaf is a newly–founded resource and chizuk organization for young baalei batim who have recently committed to maintain the daf hayomi daily regimen. We’re in this together! The goal is to complete shas over seven and one half years.

The voyage has begun -  mazel tov! The seven and one half year trip on the Yam Shel Torah has reached its first port with the completion of Mesechtas Brochos. The experienced daf yomi learner that has finished shas during the last daf yomi cycle knows the commitment involved – of the task ahead as one contemplates the mesechtas to follow. But for someone attempting it for the first time, the thought can be daunting.

Lomdei Hadaf, which serves like-minded young balei batim, would like to invite you to join us in making this journey more pleasant and rewarding. Lomdei Hadaf will co-sponsor group siyumim in multiple cities, throughout the year. The inaugural Siyum will be held in  Brooklyn, NY. The goal is to build a camaraderie amongst a network of encouraging rabonim, chavrusas and supportive shiurim.

Understanding the vagaries of daily life, the constancy of a set shiur presents unique demands that cannot always be met due to personal or business time constraints. Co-founder, Yisroel (Ira) Zlotowitz says, “While recognizing the importance of a live chavrusa and/or a group shiur, for those times when it becomes impractical to attend in person, we don’t want your dream to falter.”  ”Therefore, we seek to become a clearing house for online shiurim, call in live chavrusas, live video conferencing, and a list of all resources available for those learning the Daf. This will allow you to never miss a day – or feel that you are facing this challenge alone,” explained co-founder, Avrumi Bergman.

The belated siyum on Mesechtas Brochos and chizzuk for Mesechtas Shabbos is scheduled for the evening of October 24^th in Brooklyn, NY. The world-famous noted Rosh Yeshiva, writer and orator, Rabbi Yissocher Frand shlit”a will  address the attendees of the inaugural siyum, along with Rabbi Bentzion Schifenbauer shlit”a, a noted posek and the Rav of Khal Bnei Torah – Bais Naftali in Marine Park, Brooklyn, NY who will also give that day’s daf yomi shiur after the siyum.

Your input is important to us, for more info go to our beta site www.LomdeiHadaf.org or email Daf@LomdeiHadaf.org

LOMDEI HADAF WISHES A MAZEL TOV TO ALL THOSE WHO COMPLETED MESECHTAS BROCHOS AND ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO HAVEN’T JOINED YET TO BEGIN THEIR DAF YOMI CYCLE NOW WITH MESECHTAS  SHABBOS.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Barely six months old, and scores of Yidden have benefited from Interstate Chaveirim’s innovative system. The organization is not new, in fact, it only includes existing Chaverim bases and their members. But the way they work is astounding.

Interstate Chaverim is comprised of a few hundred volunteers hailing from more than fifteen existing Chaverim branches. They are here to solve the road problems occurring far out – or between – a Chaverim covered area. With so many volunteers, someone is bound to be close by, thus avoiding many tense moments. Such situations can arise on interstate highways, shopping malls, or far-flung states that are not covered by an existing branch.

Help is only a phone call away. Call your local Chaverim branch and, if necessary, they will forward the call to Interstate.

Mishaps are part of life, and unfortunately many find themselves stranded in unfortunate situations on the road. However Chaverim, true to their name, has had the zchus of averting many unpleasant moments and endless hours of angst. Many volumes can be filled from the phone calls Chaverim receive daily, and with Interstate Chaverim in full
swing, the stories abound.

Their kindness has reached as far as Niagara Falls and Virginia, Rochester and New Hampshire.

Hashgacha plays a major role even in the boondocks, and Interstate sees it daily.

Often, Chaverim will be able to assist you even if they cannot send a volunteer. Their extensive experience and knowledge will direct you toward the best possible course.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The trial was just about over. Then, at the last moment, a surprise witness took the stand. It was the defendant’s father.

“Please, your honor, I beg you, have compassion on my son. Forgive him and let him begin again,” the father wept. His voice was choked with sobs as he gazed upon the frightened, remorseful face of his son. He pleaded with such emotion that his own life force began to recede like an outgoing tide, leaving him limp and broken-hearted.

Finally, the father could cry no more. He looked up at the judge expectantly, hoping to see some glimmer of compassion.

“I have acquitted him as you have asked,” the judge pronounced.

It is this great gift – the chance for atonement and new beginnings – that Moshe Rabbeinu achieved for the People of Israel on the world’s first Yom Kippur. Less than six weeks after having received the Torah, the Jewish people had built themselves a Golden Calf. Hashem was prepared to erase the Jewish people from His Torah and begin anew, with Moshe as the new progenitor. Moshe pleaded for his people with all his strength, stating that if they would not be forgiven, his name, too, should be erased.

At last, G-d forgave Israel, with the words “Solachti kidevorecha – I forgive, according to your words.” Moshe Rabbeinu ascended again to receive the second Tablets of the Law. The day he came down was the Tenth of Tishrei – Yom Kippur– and G-d resolved that on this day every year, He would turn His ear to pleas, remorse and change of heart. Hashem’s longed-for words, “Solachti k’devorecha,” became a centerpiece of the Yom Kippur prayer.

Clearing the path of all obstacles between Himself and the Jewish people, Hashem even forbids the Satan from prosecuting on that day. This tremendous gift obliges each person to respond in kind, as Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach¹ explains:

“One must be very careful not to waste even one moment, Heaven forbid, from this [awesome] day. As the Gemara² teaches, “Every moment of Yom Kippur affords    atonement.”

Because of the infinite value of each moment of the day, many people follow the custom of refraining from unnecessary talk on Yom Kippur. Even those who cannot  exercise that restraint for the entire day can reap the benefits of a set period i.e. fifteen minutes or a half-hour. Each undistracted moment adds to the precious treasure of atonement one takes away from this 25-hour window of opportunity.

Yom Kippur is a day in which we are invited to walk the path toward Hashem that was ploughed by Moshe Rabbeinu’s excruciating labor of the heart. But it is only when we awaken to the full grandeur of this day and purify ourselves to befit our proximity to Hashem that Yom Kippur’s life-giving gift of atonement is firmly within our grasp.

“One must be very careful not to waste even one moment, Heaven forbid, from this [awesome] day.”

(R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach)

PLEASE JOIN THE YOM KIPPUR 5768 INITIATIVE:

Prior to or on Yom Kippur, dedicate 15 to 30 minutes (more, if possible) of free time on Yom Kippur during which you will abstain from unnecessary speech or anything that is not within the spirit and purpose of the holy Yom Kippur day.

“I hereby accept upon myself, bli neder (without a vow), to abstain from unnecessary speech or anything which is not within the spirit and purpose of the holy Yom Kippur day, between _____:_____  and _____:_____.”

1.  Halichos Shlomo on Moadim, Tishrei-Adar, Chapter 4, Footnote 7, Page 52

2.  Kereisos 18b

This material is an excerpt from Praying With Fire 2, which was released in Elul, 5768 – Sept. 2008.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A world-wide registry of Sukkahs has been set up, and is listed online at www.localsukkah.org.

The directory has been designed for Jews to locate a Sukkah near to them, so that they can go there to eat. The idea of this service is not to list every Sukkah, but to try and have a Sukkah listed for every area in which Jewish people may find themselves during Sukkos. The main focus of this service is to enable people who work on Chol-Hamoed to eat lunch in a Sukkah which is close to their place of work. As all listings are confirmed annually prior to publication, the benefit of the list is that users of it can be almost certain that the Sukkah that they wish to use is indeed available prior to heading there. The list also includes details of numerous Sukkahs that would otherwise remain unknown to many users of the list.

The list of Sukkahs began in 1994, as a local service to the Jewish community in Melbourne, Australia. Last year there were 434 Sukkahs listed, located in 26 countries. These Sukkahs were mainly located in shuls, schools, and businesses. The list also included some Sukkahs located in shopping centers, universities, and amusement parks. In Melbourne the service was initially nicknamed the “Sukkah at Work project”.

The list was started, after it was realized that there are many Sukkahs in workplaces that nobody knows about. The person who suggested the compilation of the list, pointed out that a few friends of his had not been able to eat a proper lunch on Chol-Hamoed as they had no Sukkah at their workplace and did not know that he had a Sukkah nearby that he was willing to share.

The list publicizes all Sukkahs regardless of the affiliation of their owners, and all Jews are welcome at any of these Sukkahs. The idea of this project is merely to promote achdus (Jewish unity), and to help other Yidden. There is no charge for this service.

This year, the short video showing pictures of some of the Sukkahs around the world that have been listed in past years has been updated. The apps have also been updated this year, with the Android one already available and the one for Apple devices to be available very soon.

If you have a Sukkah that you would like to register, you can do so by sending an email with the details to register@localsukkah.org.

We constantly hear about how the Internet can be turned into a positive tool for the Jewish community if it is used correctly. Few people have actually put that maxim into practice as successfully as Lakewood activist Reb Duvi Honig has with parnassahnetwork.com.

Several months ago, Reb Duvi launched ParnassahNetwork.com, a first-of-its-kind website that serves as an invaluable employment interface for the Jewish community around the globe. A list of new job offers, running the gamut from entry level positions to skilled professionals in both the general and communal fields, is added to the site each day. Visitors can reply to suitable job offers or post their resume’s, anonymously if so desired, for all potential employers to review.

Already, parnassahnetwork.com has garnered over 150,000 hits from the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel and beyond, after being publicized on Yeshiva World News and other venues. Traffic from both job seekers and employee seekers is constantly spiraling, as new worlds of opportunity are opened for those at both sides of the equation. Interviews are being arranged and positions are being filled as a result on a daily basis.

Prior to his latest successful endeavor, Reb Duvi earned widespread renown for founding the revolutionary “Learn and Network” Kollel Zichron Mordechai Yosef three years ago. In this short time period, Learn and Network’s flagship Lakewood branch and its various affiliates in the United States and Eretz Yisroel have served as a makom Torah that has successfully helped countless breadwinners advance in their parnassah through a wealth of related assistance and resources. The organization also hosted a resoundingly successful Parnassah Expo this past winter, which attracted over 7,000 men and women.

“The key to Learn and Network’s success has been the ability for yungerleit to network with professionals and each other, and thus land upstanding jobs and build a successful business B’siyatta Dishmaya,” Reb Duvi explains. “ParnassahNetwork.com takes that concept to an entirely new level.”

If you or someone you know is looking for a job or looking to hire, please visit www.parnassahnetwork.com or email jobs@parnassahnetwork.com.

[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

At 7:30 AM Wednesday morning, a ribbon was cut for 200 bikers who are making their way from Asbury Park NJ to Camp Simcha, located in Glen Spey NY, and raising over $1.7 million.

The bikers will ride for two days with a sleep-over on the way, ending the tour in Camp Simcha on Thursday.

Dovid Egert, the lone rider in 2009, was among the 200 riders this year.

“It all started four years ago, I was little nuts in my head!”, says Dovid. “I decided to bike up to Camp Simcha, because the camp said there are no bikes on the bus. I said no problem, so I biked up to camp without the bus!” That year, Dovid raised $10,000 for the camp for ill children.

The second year, Eliyahu Zaks of Lakewood NJ put all his effort into organizing more riders, and 40 people made the trip – raising $200,000, as was reported by YWN.

Bike4Chai then went viral, and by year three (2011), there were approximately 100 bikers, and close to $500,000 was raised – as was reported by YWN.

The ride concludes on Thursday afternoon, amid much warranted fanfare, with an intense grand entrance into Camp Simcha Special. The chronically ill boys attending the camp are eagerly awaiting the event: last summer, Bike4Chai’s emotional entrance was a summer highlight for riders, campers and staff members alike.

Bike4Chai 2011 promises to be another unforgettable experience with exhilarating, excruciating and emotional moments. Riders raise a minimum of $3,600 in sponsorships by reaching out to family and friends.

If you’re not riding, you can still experience the power of Bike4Chai and make a real difference in the lives of seriously ill children. sponsor a rider today by visiting www.bike4chai.com and answer the call: “On your mark, get set, go!”

YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for photos by Hillel & Yitzy Engel.

(Eli Gefen – YWN)

[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Last week, forty baal habatim from across North America travelled to Eretz Yisroel to spend time with unaffiliated college students. They learnt as well as toured the country together. In just five days, life changing relationships were made between the baal habatim and students. Fourteen students have decided to stay on at Ohr Somayach to continue pursuing their yiddishkeit due to their Mentors Mission experience.

Wine tasting, a Chaim Dovid concert, sheep herding, raft building, hot springs and ATVing were all activities that helped forge the mentor-student relationship but the learning is what really seals the deal. Discussions from the learning sessions continued into the activities as one could hear the sugya being debated in the busses, hiking through Meron and even on the ATV’s. “You boys have done more for us than we have done for you”, mentor R’ Barry Weiss tearfully stated at the farewell banquet. Shabbos in Tzefas was a real eye opener for the students as they witnessed how the beauty of yiddishkeit can be realized through seemingly mundane acts such as eating, singing and dancing. Rav Nota Schiller, Rosh Hayeshiva of Ohr Somayach pointed this out over shabbos and added that the mentors themselves are living this idea as they are engaged in seemingly mundane matters for most of their day yet they live their lives encompassing all that they do for the service of Hashem. The elevated ruach of that Shabbos in the words of many who were was- “simply indescribable”.

What is perhaps the most surprising part of the Mentors Mission is how much the mentors themselves gained from the experience. “When you have a program where baal habatim are calling you to participate, it is a testament to the experience that they know they will have on a Mission”, says Rabbi Binyomin Schonblum-Director of Mentor Missions. The combination of having a great time while at the same time having a huge impact on unaffiliated yidden is a very powerful experience. A project that was started by R’ Danny Lemberg of Lakewood, NJ more than five years ago with a handful of participants has now developed into separate summer and winter missions that are packed with Mentors and students. Mentor Missions also hosts a Lakewood Reunion Shabbaton in February and is planning many other exciting programs. Their MentorShips program builds on the relationships that were developed on the Mentors Mission and assists in keeping the mentors and students in touch through learning or just schmoozing on the phone, Shabbos invitations, campus visits to the students, newsletters and shabbatonim in various communities.

Some of the mentors have already received emails from their students where the students have accepted to not eat pork, keep Shabbos at least once every 4-6 weeks and enrolled in a yeshiva. These accomplishments came about through the mentors learning and showing a genuine concern for these students. Nothing fancy, just old fashioned learning and Ahavas Yisroel.

YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for photos.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)