Rabbi Zalman Sandhaus has goats, chickens and a minyan
Boomerang Effect
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Purim with the Rebbe JEM gallery 18 Unmasking the Stigma Tzali Reicher
Farm Town Shlichus
Tzali Reicher
A Wedding Like No Other Dr. Harris Sidelsky 40 “Make Me a Sanctuary”
Sara Trappler Spielman 50 Yerushalayim in Costume Photos by Sharon Abeles
Dvar Malchus
Total devotion to Hashem and His Torah is our greatest weapon
Purim 5712
Brooklyn N.Y
The Study Group Worcester, Mass.
Sholom U’Brocho:
I was pleased to learn of the formation of a study group in your community, and I wish you much success. Although the name - -”Study Group” - implies that study and the acquisition of knowledge are the main objectives of your group, the first step to real understanding of G-d and the deeper aspects of life is the realization that we cannot and must not make our own understanding a prerequisite condition of our practicing the Divine precepts. In other words, we cannot say to G-d, Let us first understand Your laws; then we will follow them.
When our people came into being, on receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, they declared: עמשנו השענ, “We will do (first), then we will (try to) understand.” 1 This proclamation has remained our guiding light for all times and at all places. The Jew must observe the Mitzvos whether or not he understands their deeper significance; his experience of the
1 Shemos 24:6
Mitzvoth eventually will develop the faculties of his understanding, and in this he has Divine assistance.
Jews have, likewise, always realized that our history is not shaped by understandable natural laws or forces, but by Supreme Providence, which is above and beyond our understanding.
A case in point is the festival of Purim which we celebrate today. Ahasuerus, an absolute ruler, had signed, sealed and delivered the decree to annihilate the entire Jewish population in all the 127 provinces of his vast empire. There seemed not a glimmer of escape. The Jews could not logically understand why such a terrible decree was hanging over their heads. Haman had accused them of adhering to their own laws and way of life. But, if he was right, then precisely for this reason they should not have become exposed to such mortal danger, inasmuch as the Torah is a Toras-Chaim, a law of life and a way of life, not death.
Yet, during the entire year that the decree was pending, the Jews remained steadfast in their faith and loyalty to G-d, although there was but one avenue of escape from certain death, as our Sages tell us, 2
2 Megilas Setarim commentary on Esther 3:13; Torah Ohr, Megilas Esther, 97a
3 See Torah Ohr ibid
4 Esther 9:28
and that was precisely the opposite: abandonment of their way of life and merging with the non-Jewish population. But not a single Jew or Jewess chose this apparently “logical” solution. 3
Their salvation also came through a miraculous chain of events which completely turned the wheel of fortune from destruction to renewed life, physical and spiritual, and from mourning to gladness. Now the words of the Megillah, “These days shall be remembered and practiced,”4 can be better understood. Remembering our relationship with G-d must immediately lead to our practicing His precepts. Through practicing G-d’s precepts, despite any inclination to the contrary stemming from one’s inner enemy (Yetzer-Hora) or external hindrances or influences, the Jew remains rooted in G-d’s Torah and His Mitzvos, which make our people indestructible. I trust that you will follow this true approach, and will extend your good influence throughout your community,
With Purim Greetings and Blessing,
/Signature/
Publisher
Mica Soffer
Editor
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Associate Editor
Mendy Wineberg
Contributing Writers
Asharon Baltazar
Shmuel Blesofsky
Mushka Cohen
Sari Kopitnikoff
Sruly Meyer
Meshulam Nachmanson
Tzali Reicher
Mordechai Schmutter
Dr. Harris Sidelsky
Sara Trappler Spielman
Design
Chana Tenenbaum
Photo Credits:
JEM/Living Archive
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When you think of Purim, what comes to mind? The enduring message of the Megillah (as related in the Rebbe’s letter we feature)? The eclectic costumes people wear (see the photo gallery by Sharon Abeles)? And what about the l’chaims—some taken in good spirits, others leading to lifelong missions, like Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman’s founding of MASK?
Well, this year, there won’t be much time to think. Purim is on Friday, meaning we have a packed schedule to fit into a shorter day. Purim is already known for its topsy-turvy nature, but the chaos is real this year. Many of us will be working to bring some order into the day while ensuring we’re fully prepared for Shabbos.
Our humorist, Mordechai Schmutter, provides his take on what he calls a “half-day Purim”—because if there’s one thing people love about a Friday Purim, it’s complaining about it.
Gracing our cover is a shliach who doesn’t need a costume—he runs a full-fledged farm in Upstate New York, tending to his community as carefully as he feeds his goats and chickens. Rabbi Zalman Sandhaus, a born-and-bred Crown Heightser, now lives a life that’s a modern-day venahapoch hu—talk about an upside-down Purim!
Speaking of upside-down, it’s worth noting that the last time Purim fell on a Friday, in 5781 (2021), the world was in lockdown, and our frum communities in New York were unfairly blamed for the spread of Covid. Baruch Hashem, we’ve moved past that—though somehow, Andrew Cuomo has reappeared, this time challenging Mayor Eric Adams in the upcoming primaries. Cuomo wore a yellow Israeli hostage pin during his announcement, but it remains to be seen if that’s enough for him to be forgiven for his past actions.
Elsewhere in this issue, we feature a New Jersey architect who builds shuls, a Chassidic wedding where almost everything went right (and then right), the story behind the Ohr Chana women’s institute in Yerushalayim and the motivated woman behind it, and some fun facts about singer and recording artist Levy Falkowitz.
As you flip through this issue, enjoy the mix of stories, humor, history, and heartwarming inspiration. Wishing you a joyful and meaningful Friday Purim!
MICA SOFFER
By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
A few days before Rosh Hashana, we drove to the airport to pick up Maya Tzoutcheev, the guest speaker for Tucson’s 11th Annual Mega Challah Bake. Maya, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, was working as a bouncer at the Nova Music Festival on the horrific day of October 7, 2023.
After her night shift, she changed into sneakers to watch the sunrise. At around 6:30 AM, Hamas terrorists attacked the festival and its participants with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles. After being trapped by gunfire, Maya took refuge in a bomb shelter for 15 minutes. She then made the daring choice to escape the area. Fueled by adrenaline and driven by instinct, she ran approximately 13 miles to reach safety.
She was one of the lucky survivors of the festival—Hamas killed 364 attendees, wounded hundreds, and
took 40 hostages to Gaza. Maya has since traveled to the United States, sharing her story at the Nova Exhibition in Los Angeles, California.
Upon arriving in Tucson, Maya told us, “Thank you for inviting me. I really needed this.” She explained that speaking about the horrors and reliving them on a daily basis had taken a toll on her. She said she had sought something spiritual, like a Chabad event.
At the Mega Challah Bake, we honored Maya with making the Hafrashas Challah. Maya later told us that she recently started reciting Modeh Ani and Birchos Hashachar. Upon hearing that she didn’t own a Siddur, we gifted her a pocket-sized Tehillas Hashem. “May all of your prayers be accepted with favor,” we wrote in the inscription.
“I needed to come all the way from
Israel to Arizona for this!” she quipped. “Tonight was the first time in my life that I ever made challah. Now, for the first time, I own my own Siddur.”
After Rosh Hashana, she wrote to us: “It was such a great Mitzvah for me to come to Tucson. I went to shul on Rosh Hashana and heard the shofar while I was there. And since that time, I have read from the Siddur you gave me quite often, so thank you.”
In the stories told about October 7th and Israel’s subsequent war against its neighboring enemies, there has been one fact that has been mostly glossed over: most of the victims and the hostages were largely secular Jews.
Many of the residents of the kibbutzim and moshavim (villages) near the Gaza Strip were associated with the Israeli left. They advocated for concessions of land to Palestinian
Released hostage Agam Berger visits the kever of Yosef Hatzadik in Shechem along with her mother Merav, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan, and Rabbi Elyakim Levanon.
Arabs and believed that religious affiliation and Jewish history were obstacles to peace. They proudly embraced their agnosticism, with some never even visiting the Kosel in Yerushalayim.
All that changed on October 7, 2023. The residents of these towns, the survivors of unspeakable evil, have found their faith and their Jewish pride. And perhaps none more than the hostages themselves.
Hostages like Agam Berger, who kept Shabbos and wrote on a sign upon being freed — “I have chosen the path of faith,” resolving to continue.
Hostages like Omer Shem Tov, who joyfully studied Torah from a “Dvar Malchus” booklet that an Israeli soldier left behind.
Hostages like Daniel Gilboa, who sang Sholom Aleichem on Shabbos with an Arabic twist so that the evil
terrorists would not silence or abuse them for keeping their faith alive.
Hostages like Alexander Trofunov, who became Bar Mitzvah and put on tefillin for the first time in his life less than 24 hours after being freed from captivity.
In a way, this story reflects a more ancient one - and one that we will be celebrating this month on Purim. It is commonly understood that the miracle of “v’nahafoch hu” (Esther 9:1) — how everything turned around for the better — was about the physical salvation of the Jewish people from annihilation.
However, there had also been a spiritual turnaround.
The Megillah tells that “The Jews accepted what they had begun to do” (Esther 9:23). The Gemara teaches (Shabbos 84a), “they practiced that which they had already committed themselves to” — the practice of
Hashem’s commandments during the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai.
The Purim miracle resulted in a newfound commitment to Jewish faith and observance. On Purim, our people were not only physically saved but also spiritually empowered.
Much like Haman did, Hamas sought the physical annihilation of the Israeli Jews—as their charter calls for. And just as it was during the Purim story, what happened was a boomerang effect: formerly apathetic Jews embraced their faith and recommitted themselves to their heritage.
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, Editor of COLlive. com and COLlive Magazine, is the outreach director of Chabad Tucson, and Associate Rabbi of Cong. Young Israel of Tucson, Arizona. He coordinates the annual Yarchei Kallah gathering of Chabad Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva.
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In this month’s issue we present a collection of photos from the joyous Purim of 5749 (1989) in the Rebbe’s presence
Courtesy of JEM/The Living Archive
After Maariv, the Rebbe follows along during the reading of the Megillah
After Mincha on Purim day, the Rebbe gave out dollars. Throughout the distribution, the Rebbe encouraged the joyous singing and smiled to the many children who walked by in costume.
Purim inspired Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman to help youth with mental health and addiction
By Tzali Reicher
When Ruchama BistritzkyClapman stands up to speak in Jewish schools, both students and teachers know that what will be discussed might be difficult to hear. After being introduced, she will go on to talk about mental health challenges—anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia—and addictions to drugs and alcohol.
These are not abstract concepts but realities the students will inevitably encounter, she warns.
“I tell them that many of them will be going on shlichus, leading communities across the world, and people will turn to them for help with these things,” she says. “They need to understand these issues, not just to recognize them but to know how to help those struggling with them.”
But while she does give these talks for educational purposes, Bistritzky-Clapman does have another motive.
“The day after these talks, my phone is flooded with calls,” she says. “Students from the audience reach out, telling me that one or more of the conditions I mentioned resonated with them, that they feel they are struggling but never had the words for it. By framing these issues as something we can talk about, something that has solutions, we give the next generation permission to seek help—access to resources they didn’t know existed.”
For many years, mental health struggles lived in silence. Anxiety, depression, and addiction were hidden battles, feared and
stigmatized. Families worried that acknowledging them would mean being branded as broken and that seeking help would ruin the entire family’s reputation. Those who suffered did so alone.
For the past 28 years, BistritzkyClapman has made it her mission to tear down that wall of silence.
She sits in a small yet busy office in Flatbush, from which she operates MASK (Mothers and Fathers Aligned Saving Kids). “When I started MASK, no one was talking about mental health,” she says. “Parents came to me whispering, looking over their shoulders, worried that someone would find out their child was struggling. There was so much shame, and no one knew where to turn.”
With brochures piled nearby and the phone ringing constantly, she speaks with the steady urgency of someone who has spent nearly three decades fighting a battle most were too afraid to acknowledge. She says that to date, MASK has helped over 124,000 families. What began as an effort to support parents whose teenagers were engaging in at-risk behaviors has evolved into a full-fledged mental health initiative, one that provides guidance long before crisis turns into catastrophe.
And it all started because Bistritzky-Clapman saw what others couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see.
Bistritzky-Clapman is the daughter of R’ Leibel and Edah Bistritzky, a
Bochurim volunteers at a Lag Ba’omer carnival sponsored by MASK
Chabad couple whose legacy is still celebrated in Crown Heights years after their passing. Leibel was a towering figure in the community and the founder of Crown Heights Hatzalah, the emergency medical service that has saved countless lives over the years. Edah was a teacher for decades while helping her husband in community work and running the family’s grocery store.
Before Crown Heights, though, there was Vineland, New Jersey, where Ruchama was born. The Bistritzky family lived on a chicken farm, a brief but defining chapter before they moved to Brooklyn when Ruchama was three. She attended Bais Rivkah, the flagship Chabad girls’ school, absorbing there and in her own home the values of kindness and communal responsibility, not just in theory but in practice.
“I saw my parents give everything they had to the community,” she says. “They set an incredibly high bar for what it means to help people.”
That bar, it turns out, would shape the rest of her life’s work.
The idea for MASK took root 28 years ago, just days before Purim. “I was seeing young teenagers lost and struggling—hanging out where they shouldn’t, drinking and experimenting with illicit substances,” she recalls. “Their parents didn’t know what to do. There was nowhere for them to turn.”
Purim, with its themes of concealment and revelation, provided the perfect metaphor. “I named my new organization MASK because we needed to take the mask off,” she says. “Off of ourselves, off of the community, and destigmatizing an issue many people were facing but didn’t know that their own neighbors were likely facing the same challenges.”
At the time, no organization in the Jewish world addressed mental health on this scale, she says. MASK became the first comprehensive resource, offering referrals to frum therapists
worldwide who understood the community’s needs, in-patient and out-patient services, and support groups for parents.
In the beginning, the focus was on high-risk behaviors. They helped teens experimenting with alcohol and drugs, kids getting expelled from yeshivas, and parents at a loss for how to help their children. But over the years, she began to see that the problem ran deeper.
“It wasn’t just about teens at risk or struggling with addictions that were symptoms of a much deeper underlying issue,” she says. “It was about families struggling with many mental health conditions. If we could intervene earlier—if we could help parents understand what was happening beneath the surface—we could prevent so much pain.”
Now, MASK serves families facing all mental health challenges, from OCD to bipolar disorder, from trauma to substance abuse. The stigma that once kept parents silent has started to crack if not completely break.
Early on, Bistritzky-Clapman faced resistance.
“People told me I was making the community look bad, as if sweeping the challenges under the rug makes it go away,” she says, shaking her head. “But the statistics don’t lie. Substance abuse in the frum world is real. Mental illness is real. The difference is that now, particularly since the pandemic when people felt more comfortable talking about their struggles, people are talking about it openly.”
A major part of MASK’s work has been educating parents and schools. They run training sessions in yeshivas and camps, teaching teachers and counselors how to recognize early warning signs. They speak about how seemingly “normal” behaviors—a child acting out, struggling in school, eating disorders, withdrawing socially—might be symptoms of
deeper issues like untreated ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or depression.
And then there’s alcohol, a topic Bistritzky-Clapman refuses to stay silent about.
“Our culture revolves around drinking, and everyone has to listen to their own rabbis and mashpiim about what ad d’loi yada means around Purim time,” she says bluntly. “But Purim aside, it’s become normalized to drink nightly at every lechaim and wedding, every Friday evening during bein hashmoshos, every Shabbos and every Yom Tov. But where’s the education around it? Our children are just seeing adults drinking their way through the week and thinking it’s somehow okay, when people have died as a result of drinking too much or other’s poor decisions while under the influence!”
Every year, especially around Purim, MASK runs alcohol awareness campaigns, warning parents to lock up liquor, talk to their kids about the dangers
Every day, families call. Another parent, another child in crisis. There’s always someone who needs help.
“
of drinking, and understand the risks—especially the risk of mixing alcohol with medications.
Bistritzky-Clapman also highlights the dangers of supposedly innocent experimentation with marijuana.
“There are some parents who tell me they spent time ingesting drugs decades ago, and questioning how they approach it with their children. I strongly caution them to not highlight that to their children, who may take it to mean that they are now empowered to try drugs too, with the parents almost having ceded the moral high ground to not allow it.”
With the rise of cannabis and fentanyl-laced marijuana, the stakes of innocent experimentation are even higher.
“Many children, and even adults, think these quoteunquote “light” drugs are harmless because they’re
everywhere now and many are pushing for it to be legalized,” she says. “What they don’t know is that these are not the happy drugs of decades ago, and many of these joints are laced with far more dangerous substances.”
She highlights the devastating effects it’s had on the community.
“Our local psych wards are full of young people whose lives were derailed because they didn’t know they were genetically predisposed towards psychosis, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. They smoked one bad joint which ‘activated’ these genes, and these poisoned drugs have changed the course of their lives forever.”
Now, with six full-time staff members, along with the many people who work on their programs, MASK has built an extensive network of resources
focused on prevention and support.
In Crown Heights alone, MASK facilitates three after school programs—at the Aliya Institute, The Space, and Bnos Chomesh, each offering structured activities and classes like art, music, nutrition, sewing, self-defense, and jiu-jitsu. These programs serve as a safe haven for kids who might otherwise spend their nights doom-scrolling on social media or getting into trouble and who instead spend their time in a productive and warm environment.
MASK also runs three weekly parent support groups, both online and in person, led by experts like Dr. Bentzion Twersky, Dr. Shmuel Brachfeld, and Dr. Debbie Ackerman, where parents of children of all ages—whether dealing with OCD, schizophrenia, addiction, or depression—can find community, resources, and guidance.
For Bistritzky-Clapman, the work extends beyond Brooklyn. As a board member of Nefesh
MASK’s mission to Israel group poses at United Hatzolah headquarters in 2025
International, she has access to thousands of frum therapists worldwide. And just last year, she led a delegation of 24 therapists to Israel, providing support and training for overburdened clinicians treating the mental health crisis in the wake of war. They returned again for another mission in February of 2025. And still, her phone never stops ringing.
After nearly three decades, does she ever think about stepping back?
Bistritzky-Clapman shakes her head. “How could I? Every day, another family calls. Another parent, another child in crisis. There’s always someone who needs help.”
There’s a moment of quiet, then she leans forward.
“We have to keep going. We have to keep fighting the stigma against all mental health challenges and the addictive behaviors that are only the symptoms. Because if we don’t talk about this, we lose more kids. And we can’t let that happen.”
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By Tzali Reicher
Originally from Crown Heights, Rabbi Zalman Sandhaus is raising a flock
and catch their breath. Instead, they found themselves on a wild goose chase.
While they weren’t exactly chasing geese, the Sandhaus family searched high and low for three goats and two sheep, which had been the star attraction at the center’s grand opening. While Chabad centers often feature a petting zoo to draw young families to their programs, their situation was very different. Their Chabad center is a farm.
Pardess Chabad Farm, located in East Fishkill, NY, midway between New York City and Albany, is surrounded by rolling hills and forests in Dutchess County, part of the scenic Hudson Valley. The rural town has open fields, wooded areas, and small farms among large homesteads in its serene countryside.
The center is the home of the Sandhaus family and the base from which they lead Jewish life in their community. On a standard month, they host a monthly minyan and community meal on Shabbos, a Hebrew school, adult education classes on mishnayos and the afterlife, a men's tefillin club, and a women's challah bake.
Sandhaus tends to his flock. “Every morning, one of the first tasks is to feed and care for the animals and let them out to graze. And every evening, they need to be led back to the barn and fed before we close up shop for the day,” he tells the COLlive Magazine.
Monitoring the weather, which the Sandhauses didn't think much about before, became a daily necessity to determine what crops needed to be covered if it was raining and when the animals should be brought into their barn. Time is measured in seasons, and the spring’s crop is prepared in the winter, planning what produce will be planted, and then has to be watched to ensure it's getting adequate sunlight.
Sandhaus does most of the daily farm work with his children, who spend most of their day at school in Monsey, NY. In the summer, the children enthusiastically help him manage the land, and visitors and volunteers also help. “It doesn’t matter how we’re feeling or how disinterested we are; it’s just something we have to make sure to do,” he says.
Although the Sandhauses planned to go on Shlichus, living on a farm wasn’t something they’d ever imagined.
“My wife and I are born-and-bred Crown Heightsers, where interacting with animals is not exactly common,” Rabbi Sandhaus says with a laugh. “After we got married in 2011 and when the opportunity came to bring Yiddishkeit to the Jewish community in East Fishkill a few years later, we jumped at it.”
Sandhaus and his wife Goldie (nee CohenSosover) relocated to East Fishkill in 2014, and the transition was initially challenging. After living in Brooklyn, with everything a Jew needs available in a few-block radius, moving to the quiet countryside was a bit of a culture shock.
“In terms of Yiddishkeit, this part of Upstate New York might as well be Mississippi,” he explains. “It was quite difficult when we first moved here. It was very lonely and quiet. The days weren’t so full as we worked to develop connections and relationships, leaving us with a lot of time to think about that.”
The couple spent hours searching for Jewish-sounding names to cold call and got used to driving 20 minutes each way to knock on people’s doors and for everyday needs (kosher items are an hour away in Monsey).
After several years of hosting people and
activities in their home, they realized that a more spacious option was needed. “We looked at different properties and storefronts, but everything was out of our price range. We had no idea of what we were going to do,” he says.
It was on one of their regular family Sunday outings when inspiration struck.
“Our children loved visiting farms in the area, picking fruit, and playing with the animals, and as a joke, we said that maybe we should make our Chabad House on a farm,” he recalls. “But very quickly, it took hold as a real option when we realized the opportunities owning a farm could bring us.”
The couple checked Zillow and online listings until they found a farm in the center of town. Although the property was well beyond their budget, they decided to seek local support and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
“The unlikeliest people—people who weren't especially involved in our projects before and haven’t been since— showed up in a tremendous way that is simply unexplainable. The idea of incorporating our Jewish center with nature really resonated with our community,” he says.
Negotiations for the farm on Blue Hill Road at Hopewell Junction were lengthy and
challenging. The owners refused to show them the 33-acre lot until they could prove financial backing and then delayed the process for over 14 months despite having no competing bids.
When their contract was about to expire and financing hit a snag, Sandhaus turned to the Rebbe for guidance.
“I sat down to write to the Rebbe, and as I was writing a letter detailing everything we were dealing with, my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification that I ignored,” remembers Sandhaus. “After I sent the letter to the Ohel, I opened the message. My friend had sent me a photo of myself receiving Kos Shel Bracha from the Rebbe, which I’d never seen before. Getting this picture at the exact moment I was asking for the Rebbe’s brochos was a clear sign that everything would work out.”
Two days after finally closing on the farm, the previous owners received multiple offers for the property after months of no competition to the Sandhaus’s bid. The Hashgacha Protis was undeniable: They had secured it just in time.
Finally, the Sandhauses had their new home, and the Pardess Chabad Farm was born. Managing it was a different story for
the couple hailing from Brooklyn. “The physical work was overwhelming at first—it's constant and never-ending,” he says. “It took a long time to adjust to the animals and all of their unique and very different needs.”
On top of the everyday challenges of maintaining a farm, there are additional complications for Jewish farmers, he notes. Among their considerations are the laws of owning animals on Shabbos (they can’t touch them, so food needs to be prepared in advance, and if any escape, they can’t trap them), what to do with firstborn animals (firstborn male goats must be sold) and harvesting the first fruit from vines and trees.
For the Sandhauses, these complexities are not burdens but privileges.
“Farming and agriculture are a cornerstone of Torah and Jewish history,” he explains. “Moshe Rabbeinu and Dovid Hamelech, along with all our forefathers, were shepherds, and the Torah dedicated many chapters to discussing the laws of agriculture and farming. From terumah and masser, to bikkurim and shechita, nature and agriculture are a key part of Jewish observance. We get to do mitzvahs that others don’t do in a lifetime, every single day.”
Sandhaus explains how the Pardess Chabad Farm has been invaluable to their shlichus and has taken it to the next level.
“People who weren’t inclined to participate in our activities for over five years before we had the barn began bringing their children to interact with the animals,” he says. “We build relationships that we wouldn’t have achieved without the farm. More people come for our monthly minyanim because they enjoy davening as they see Hashem’s amazing creations feeding right outside the window.”
He highlights the countless people who have wrapped tefillin for the first time when they come to shop at the summer Kosher market the farm operates. The market sells farm-fresh produce alongside classic Jewish staples, including challah, chicken soup, and baba ghanoush.
The Sandhauses now lead a vibrant, yearround community that includes people from all walks of life, from young families to elderly farmers, linked by a shared desire to learn more about their heritage. They offer the full spectrum of a shliach’s responsibilities—bar mitzvah lessons, bris milahs, funerals, and outreach activities.
The Pardess Chabad Farm welcomes families, school groups, and summer campers, and even glamping experiences. For the Sandhauses, sharing their love of Hashem’s creations is deeply rewarding.
“On a personal level, running a farm has been tremendously inspiring and has really given me a glimpse of insight into Hashem’s incredible world,” says Sandhaus. “The farm is a daily reminder that just as every creature has a purpose and mission to fulfill, how much more so do we have a responsibility to embrace our own mission and purpose as proud Yidden.”
This Purim, they’re not just dressing up, they’re inspired by the warmth and commitment of ODA’s dedicated staff. From checkups to after-hour care, we’re here with a smile, day and night.
A New York blizzard and the Rebbe made our wedding unforgettable
By Dr. Harris Sidelsky
TThe shidduch system is the way I met my wife, Arlene. We met for a 10-day period, and as we were in our early thirties, we both agreed, “Why wait around?” So I popped the question. (Let me put it to you this way: I didn’t propose in the conventional way. I had made up my mind that I wanted to marry her, so I wrote to the Rebbe for a blessing. He responded, “A blessing for everything,” And so it was decided.)
I had previously gone out with another lady in New York and then returned to London. Both the lady and I could not decide whether to proceed. I could not go to New York due to the pressures of work, and she wasn’t sure about coming to the UK.
She wrote to the Rebbe about her hesitancy, and the Rebbe referred her to the rabbi in Crown Heights. His advice was phrased in the form of a maxim in Gemara (Kiddushin 2a). “It says that it is the way of the man to search after the woman, and it is not the way of the woman to search after the man,” he quoted. The net result was ‘ois shidduch’ — the shidduch was off.
Fast forward a year, and Arlene and I found ourselves in a similar situation. I had implored her not to return to New York when we first met in London before Rosh Hashana, but she felt she had to. I told her I couldn’t come to New York and indicated what had happened in the
previous shidduch. But if she had to — she had to, and off she went.
We went back and forth over the phone. Eventually, she decided to write to the Rebbe for a blessing to return to England. She wrote a negative letter (she was annoyed that I wouldn’t go to New York) and got no reply. After discussing the lack of response with the Rebbe’s secretary, she elected to rewrite the letter in a more positive frame of mind, and guess what?
The Rebbe replied immediately, “Go with my blessing.” In my humble opinion, this goes to show that you could never tell with the Rebbe — you never knew what and how he would answer. Every case was different and it was the Rebbe who knew the difference — that’s why we asked him, right?
We set our wedding date to be approximately six weeks after the engagement—in mid-January, the dead middle of the New York winter. At the time, I was living in London, and Arlene was living in New York. As the wedding was to be in the Big Apple, it fell to her and her parents to do all the organizing.
The wedding was going to be at an uncommon time: Motzoei Shabbos. Arlene chose that time because she wanted a specific band and hall, both of which were only available that night. Of course, Lubavitcher Chassidim never get married without a blessing from the Rebbe—both for the marriage
itself and for the date and time. The Rebbe blessed us for both.
On the Thursday night before the wedding, it started snowing. I mean really blizzarding, and it didn’t stop. Arlene, my kallah, was at her parents’ home, 50 miles from Crown Heights, and on Friday the snow was still coming down. It turned out to be one of the biggest storms ever to hit New York.
Arlene somehow managed to get to Crown Heights just before Shabbos. In the meantime, I had gone to pick up the liquor for the wedding, as the shop refused to deliver in the snow. The only way to transport it was by sled, because the vendor maintained he could not get through to the house where I was staying (it was two blocks away, opposite the Rebbe’s house on President Street).
I then received a call from Rabbi Binyomin Klein, the Rebbe’s secretary, who wanted to relay a personal message from the Rebbe. My heart pounding, I rushed off to his office at 770 Eastern Parkway. The message was an apology from the Rebbe, saying that he was going to be speaking immediately after Shabbos, but I shouldn’t worry — while there would be a slight delay, the wedding would go off well.
This was all fine for the local, religiously committed guests, but there were family and friends coming from a long way away. They were expecting the wedding to be at 7:30 PM at Oholei Torah (formerly the Brooklyn Jewish Center) — a beautiful hall on Eastern Parkway. The chuppah itself was to be a block away outside the Rebbe’s shul at 770.
After Shabbos, I went along with all the guests that we could get hold of to the farbrengen (what better preparation could there be for someone about to be married?), which finished at 8:30 PM. The Rebbe was then going to pour wine for every person in the room (kos shel berachah). I was allowed to go first, along with a few of my guests. We then crossed the road precariously in the snow to the hall.
When we arrived at Oholei Torah, we found a
closed and locked door. There was a sign that read: ‘Wedding will not be held at this hall, but rather at Young Israel Hall,’ a few blocks down Eastern Parkway.
Can you imagine arriving at your own wedding venue in two feet of snow and being told by a little notice on the door that it wasn’t taking place where you had arranged it?! What about all the family members and friends from out of town who would be arriving at the hall?
There was no choice, so the few of us carefully set out to walk down the road, holding on to each other, trying not to slip and break anything. We arrived at a dump of a hall. (No offense intended, but compared to our choice, it was a disaster.)
Very few guests were there. Some were at 770, others waited in disbelief outside Oholei Torah, and some were trying to get through the streets of New York. Everyone was confused.
There were only a few of us present, so we got to work setting up the kabbolas ponim. I was told that Arlene was there — which was, of course, the most important thing. The wedding was called for
7:30 PM, and it was by now well past 10:00 PM. We couldn’t drive to 770 due to the snow, and we also had to consider the sheer logistics of moving all guests around in precarious conditions.
In the meantime, another sideshow was going on. We couldn’t get the liquor across to the hall. Eventually, someone managed to walk over to the house where I was staying and asked the police parked outside the Rebbe’s house across the street to drive the liquor over. They agreed to help us, and it was delivered. Somehow, after it was delivered, most of it went missing!
The rabbis present made the decision not to go to 770 and to have the chuppah outside the Young Israel hall. The festivities were soon to begin when I said to my best friend, who had insisted on holding the ring, “Warren — just check that you have the ring!”
And horror of horrors, he spluttered in a panic: “I can’t find it!” We looked; he retraced his steps, but all to no avail — no ring. The time was now nearly eleven o’clock, and you can imagine the poor guests — they were all looking at their watches. We hadn’t even had the chuppah yet!
The ring issue was solved by Rebbetzin Nechama Baumgarten, who gave me a spare wedding ring which was retrieved from her house. She gave it as a gift so that I could use it to betroth my wife.
At eleven past eleven, the chuppah started.
I wasn’t in the least bothered by all the goings on. Someone went to get a tallis — we were to be married on the steps leading up to the dump of a hall in the freezing snow, under a tallis which four men held aloft for the whole ceremony. The main thing was that I was now married to my wife, and I was determined to have a great time — which I did.
This hall was what you could flatteringly call basic, and there were no spare rooms. For a yichud room, we had to make do with the caterer’s office. We had been in it for just a few seconds, which was the first intimate moment for a chosson and kallah, when the caterer burst into the room.
He was having a massive row with my fatherin-law as to why he had reached the unilateral decision to move the wedding to another hall. He said he could not get through with his trucks to Oholei Torah. Many of the guests had managed to drive miles — and he couldn’t move five blocks...
He began ranting at the two of us, newlyweds, about my father-in-law. “I’m going to sue your father,” he was screaming. Politely, I asked him to leave, which, after some persuasion, he proceeded to do.
While all this was going on, the Rebbe was finishing kos shel bracha. All of a sudden, he called over Rabbi JJ Hecht, whom he knew was acquainted with my wife, and asked him to take over two challahs “for the chosson and kallah.”
As far as I know, we are the only couple to have received challahs directly from the Rebbe on their wedding night. It was all worth it!
The wedding went on until the early hours of the morning, and I think everyone worked very hard to make it a big simcha.
Interestingly, when Arlene was sending out the invitations, her parents — the most wonderful people and members of a Conservative congregation — felt that the wording of the invitation was over the top. They wanted to remove the ‘please G-d’ bit. (The custom in Chabad is to write, “The wedding will take place, be’ezras Hashem - please G-d, on suchand-such a date at such-and-such a hall.”) Arlene insisted on keeping it and later said to her mother, “G-d didn’t want it to be at that hall, nor at that time!”
Family pictures were taken at two o’clock in the morning. Arlene and I were soon the only ones left in the hall. At 2:45 AM, with Arlene insisting that we each take an enormous flower arrangement, we left the hall and set off walking down Eastern Parkway to our apartment, with fairytale snow all around.
I’m pleased to tell you that we are still very happily married 45 years later, and guess what? No one has ever forgotten our wedding!
An edited excerpt from “Rabbi, What Should I Do?” (August 26, 2024) by Dr. Harris Sidelsky, a London-based dental expert. The book chronicles his journey to uncover his soul and soulmate while navigating ethical dilemmas during his global travels. Dr. Sidelsky also lectures on effective communication and Judaism. He can be reached at hsidelsky@aol.com.
A New Jersey architect is receiving awards for a Chabad shul he designed
By Sara Trappler Spielman
Sanctuary”
As a child, Joshua Zinder went to a congregation that was designed by the prominent architect Percival Goodman, whom The Forward called “America’s most prolific synagogue architect.”
Goodman, born in 1904 in New York, designed retail stores, apartments, and country houses. After World War II, Goodman described himself as “an agnostic converted by Hitler” and began focusing on Jewish architecture. From 1948 to 1983, he designed over 50 congregations, including the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in New York City.
Zinder admitted that he focused more on architecture than on the prayers. He said that Goodman inspired him to become an architect. “Goodman influenced me as an architect throughout my life,” Zinder said.
Zinder eventually opened a firm, Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design, based in Princeton, New Jersey. His diverse portfolio includes high-end commercial space, casinos, gourmet restaurants, cultural and educational institutions, private residences, multi-family developments, and government and municipal facilities. The practice spans from initial feasibility studies and planning to architectural design and construction administration. “What brought me to architecture was my synagogue, so I felt it was important to pay back,” Zinder said. They do other projects all over the country, but synagogue work feels most important to him. “We’ll never get rich with synagogue work, but maybe it will elevate us
in the next world; it’s more of a passionate pursuit,” he says.
Through fate, the first project they worked on was a New York congregation’s synagogue that Goodman designed. “Goodman has two distinct styles in his work,” Zinder said. “One utilizes a lot of wood and wood laminate beams. Those synagogues are warm and intimate in nature. The other could be categorized as brutalist. Those synagogues are severe in nature and are constructed of concrete and concrete blocks. Their style is aiming to be monumental in nature. They soar in scale as if reaching for the heavens.”
For that first remodel, Zinder and Landau gave the synagogue
a facelift by renovating it and bringing in more natural light. “Landau|Zinder Architecture’s approach is different (than Goodman’s),” Zinder said. “We believe our projects should reflect our clients. As a result, our work ranges stylistically from traditional to modern and everything in between.”
Some examples of the way they add beauty to the spaces are seen in a Westchester County congregation, where they brought in Jerusalem stone instead of tiles, or for a sanctuary in Indiana, where they designed a high circular space with double archways along the east wall with many windows and the ten
commandments integrated behind the ark.
They often incorporate natural light and stained glass windows in many of their projects. Zinder, a father of 4, said: “In a way, it’s our preference over stained glass because it’s G-d’s light. As an aside, one of my daughters is named Oraya, which means G-d’s light.”
One Chabad project he is particularly proud of designing is the Telyas Chabad Jewish Center, home of Chabad-Lubavitch of Hunterdon County in New Jersey. Led by Shluchim Rabbi Eli and
Rachel Kornfeld, it was previously based in a small 2,500-squarefoot storefront. As their programs grew organically, they rented other spaces for larger events and holidays in the area.
In 2014, the Kornfelds started looking for a new space, a building they could call their own, and an architect who could take on such an enormous project.
Rabbi Kornfeld read a New York Times article about Zinder and Landau designing and building many synagogues around the United States. Zinder had connections to Chabad through both his parents (who were donors to the Chabad in their hometown) and his children (who went to Chabad during their university years).
“We met, and he fell in love with the idea. That’s how it came to be,” said Rabbi Kornfeld. Construction began in 2018 and continued through the Covid pandemic, and was completed before Rosh Hashanah of 2021. The result was a $7.5 million, 23,000 square-foot building that will receive its fourth award this spring - the national Faith & Form Award.
This comes after receiving the prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA) Central New Jersey 2024 Design Awardtheir third major architectural recognition. The prior two were Outstanding Design Award for Community Center Joint-use Facilities 2023 from American School and University Magazine and longlisted for the 2023 Archello Awards in the Religious Building category.
One of the AIA jury members, Katie Broh, wrote: “The jury found the Chabad Jewish Center a fine project that considered not only its sitting amongst a series of
adjacent wetlands but how views to the surrounding site could be strategically harnessed to bring energy and light into the flexibly planned interior. The butterfly roof over the sanctuary creates an expressive volume that can be easily divisible for worship and social events. Natural materials create a warm communityoriented space.”
Describing the center, Zinder said: “You enter on the first floor, the school drops down a level so all the nursery classes exit outside, which allows it to have a low profile in the landscape. We used natural materials like fieldstone, which looks like farms and rural structures, to address the needs of the local historical community, and at the same time, we used a form reminiscent of the Chabad menorah, like an inverted triangle covered in wood. The wood and stone are seen from the street, and the school building steps down and takes on a more modern form.”
The lobby area, where one enters, is the core of the building, within reach of the library space, sanctuary, social hall, offices, teen lounge, and some classrooms. “It gives a hub to the first floor like a shtetel, and the lobby acts like a town square,” Zinder said.
Some of Rabbi Kornfeld’s favorite features are the intersection of contemporary with a picturesque town. “The ability to honor local architecture with a strong modern accent is a daunting challenge, and that was unique to the final product,” he said. “At the same time, staying true to being a Jewish Chabad center internally and externally, being able to incorporate all those elements, and feeling like a cohesive center are unique features of the building.” Zinder said that the focal point of Chabad projects tends to be less
about the sanctuary space and more about creating spaces that give opportunities for people to engage with each other. Ultimately, when comparing Jewish movements, Zinder feels Chabad brings the community together in a different way than other Jewish groups.
“Chabad draws people back to tradition through encouraging connection within the community, whether the Jewish or larger community,” Zinder said. “We certainly saw that with Rabbi Kornfeld’s congregations, his outreach to the greater community helped him meet his fundraising goals for his project.”
Working on Jewish houses of worship has moved Zinder, 56, to appreciate the diverse array of the Jewish experience and communities. In Israel, he found shuls to be “architecturally modern” in style, and he has been inspired by the shuls of Europe, such as the ghetto shuls in Venice or the Old New Synagogue in Prague.
“I found it fascinating to realize that no matter where in the world Jews are, we say the same prayers and follow the same tunes, regardless of the language locally spoken. It’s those common rituals that tie us to our faith globally,” Zinder said.
Back in New Jersey, his team helps communities visualize their shul project, which begins as just an idea. In addition, every project has a budget.
With every synagogue project, congregations must make difficult decisions between their design aspirations and the strengths of their financial accounts.
“We help them consolidate their idea, bring it all together,” Zinder said. “For many congregations, we help them with fundraising, go to parlor meetings, talk about the designs, and help them with approvals needed for zoning and planning. We have become excellent at crafting a story to help congregations get their project approved.”
After that, they document work for construction and work with the owner as their representative, advocating for them to ensure that all the details are effectively included in the completed project.
Working on shuls has moved Zinder to be more connected to his spiritual identity. Recently, he found that while he may not attend his own shul as frequently, he does attend a variety of others. “My exposure to different shuls has allowed me to think more about the spirituality of place and the importance that elements of Judaica have in an individual’s connection to their shul,” he said.
How does he see shul architecture evolving in the next decade or two? Right now, he believes there is a real challenge with synagogue architecture. “Congregations want to be seen as inviting, open and welcoming of the
greater community,” Zinder said. “At the same time, regretfully due to the current challenging climate in our social culture, congregations need to focus on safety and security, which often inhibits their desire and ability to be open and welcoming.”
He believes this dichotomy will push congregations to create something new. What that will look like remains to be seen. Yet one thing is certain, wherever the Jewish people find themselves, they will be following Hashem’s request (Shemos 25:8), “And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst.”
By Sara Trappler Spielman
Amid the ongoing turmoil in Israel, a new photography book offers a refreshing glimpse of joy and nostalgia. Purim in Costume, by fine arts photographer Sharon Abeles, celebrates the vibrant spirit of Purim with captivating images of Israeli children and adults in imaginative costumes. This 204-page collection highlights the festivity of the Yom Tov through the lens of street photography while her carefully chosen photo titles add depth, teaching about Purim in an engaging way.
Over a decade, Abeles took more than 1,000 outdoor photos in Jerusalem and Ramat Beit Shemesh before selecting 173 for this collection. Many of these photographs were initially displayed in a slide show at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, accompanied by Rabbi Zalman Goldstein’s Purim songs. Self-published and printed in Israel, the book was released just in time for Purim.
“I love the immediacy of photographing people in the streets, in natural light, as they hurry to or from synagogue, celebrate Purim feasts, give charity, or deliver treats to loved ones,” Abeles writes in her introduction. “My intent is for this book to be a happy, immersive experience, transporting readers to Israel, where antiquity and modernity mix at every turn.”
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Abeles is also an art and play therapist, integrating both disciplines into her photography. “As a photographer and therapist, I am fascinated by Purim,” she shares. “The holiday allows
for playful self-expression, and for twelve years, I’ve roamed Israel’s streets, capturing the charm of fellow Jews. Purim weaves drama, fantasy, frivolity, and seriousness into a holiday of secrets and revelation.”
Abeles feels a deep connection to Purim, which inspired this project.
“I hope my photographs help readers feel part of the merrymaking and recognize the deeper messages of the Book of Esther, reinforcing the awareness that G-d orchestrates events in our lives,” she reflects.
The book’s foreword is by Dr. Nissan Perez, former photography curator of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, with an endorsement by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller-Gottlieb. “Sharon’s unstaged, candid photographs reflect the skill of an accomplished photographer and therapist,” Perez writes.
Abeles, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh (RBS), has photographed religious figures and historic sites since making aliyah in 1987, with her work featured in prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Last March, her photograph “Splitting of the Sea” was part of a Pesach exhibit in Crown Heights, and her images depicting the aftermath of the October 7th massacre were displayed at Chabad art galleries in Brooklyn.
Purim in Costume is available for purchase at sharonabelesfineartphotography.com
The book is also available at Judaica Plus Bookstore in Cedarhurst, NY: 516-295-4343
Unshaken by loss and tragedy, Daniella Golan is empowering women through Torah study
By Meshulam Nachmanson
Awakened late at night, Mrs. Daniella Golan received an urgent message: “There is an answer from the Rebbe for you.” She rushed to the phone, where Rabbi Leibel Groner read aloud the Rebbe’s handwritten response to her request for a blessing to establish a new institution for women’s Torah learning. Her request also included a proposition to name it after Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, the Rebbe’s wife. “Regarding the organization, consult with the local Chabad rabbonim,” the Rebbe responded. “Azkir al hatziyun - I will mention it at the gravesite of the Frierdiker Rebbe.”
Golan first saw the Rebbe during Tishrei of 1982. “I’ll never forget
that moment,” she recalls. “You could feel the presence of holiness. Even in his walk, you could see he moved with clear purpose.”
During that trip, Golan received warm brachos from the Rebbe, including a blessing to find her shidduch. Indeed, not long after, she met her husband, and by the end of the year, they were married.
After her marriage, Golan began organizing shiurim and lectures for women to learn Torah. “I was trying to learn Torah myself and quickly realized that there weren’t many opportunities for women to study,” she recalls. “So I decided to create classes of my own.”
A short while later, an event shook the Chabad world: the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. The sadness and shock reverberated far beyond New York, deeply felt even in Israel.
Golan was determined to respond with action. She decided to establish a library and learning center for women in memory of the Rebbetzin. But such an undertaking required the Rebbe’s approval, so she wrote him a letter seeking his blessing.
With the Rebbe’s approval, Golan founded Ohr Chaya in Jerusalem, the start of her journey to transform tragedy into growth. Whether facing the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, the heartbreaking loss of her son, or a recent blazing fire that nearly ended in disaster, Golan has always found the strength to rise, rebuild, and inspire others to do the same.
She began with small weekly classes held in different locations, requiring her to carry chairs from
place to place each time. “At first, the men didn’t exactly take this seriously,” Golan recalls. “But the women responded enthusiastically, thrilled to finally have a place where they could study in a serious fashion.”
Quickly, the classes and programs expanded, accompanied by encouraging messages from the Rebbe: “May they continue to share good news,” “It should be with great success,” and more.
The Rebbe continued to encourage Golan at every stage of the journey. “From the very first advertisement we placed for our first class, we already received a bracha from the Rebbe in response,” she recalls.
In 1992, Golan traveled to the Rebbe once again for the Kinus Hashluchos, this time accompanied by her fiveyear-old daughter, Saraleh. They brought two albums to present to the Rebbe—one from Ohr Chaya, which Golan had prepared, and one from Saraleh’s class, filled with drawings created by the children.
Rabbi Groner instructed her to submit her album to the Rebbe’s secretariat while her daughter could present the children’s album during ‘dollars.’ Golan followed his instructions, and when she passed by for ‘dollars,’ she received the usual blessing of “bracha v’hatzlacha.”
Then, on Wednesday, just as she was preparing to return to Israel, an unexpected moment unfolded. Standing in 770 to receive the Rebbe’s blessing for her journey home, Golan watched as the Rebbe passed nearby—only for him to
suddenly stop and gaze at her intently. Rabbi Groner quickly reached into his kapote and pulled out a small note—a personal bracha from the Rebbe, dictated specifically for her.
“Received with thanks,” it read. “Continue bringing good news. And as our sages say, ‘In the merit of righteous women, the redemption will come’ - just as in the days of the Exodus from Egypt. Thank you for the album—I will mention it at the Ohel.”
“It was an overwhelming experience; I nearly fainted,” Golan recalls with deep emotion. “That moment was indescribable. It was a blessing like no other—one that acknowledged the significance of the work being done.”
Ohr Chaya continued to grow, evolving from a small library and weekly classes into a vibrant center offering workshops, courses, and events. Alongside its educational programs, it introduced cultural initiatives such as a choir, musical group, and creative arts. As its impact expanded, Ohr Chaya developed multiple divisions, including its flagship women’s learning center, a seminar for women aged 18-30 taking their first steps in Judaism, and a Russian-speaking program for young women (ages 18-28) from countries like Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine—many of whom courageously move to Israel alone, seeking to make it their permanent home. In 2011, Ohr Chaya added a seminary division, catering to young Chabad women who wish to dedicate a year to Torah study along with pursuing a degree or teaching certification.
In 2007, an event occurred that changed Golan’s life forever. It was Chanukah, and she was at home that afternoon, preparing for the evening’s celebrations. She saw a message which was circulating among Lubavitchers, reporting that some bochurim had been in a car accident near Eilat and requesting Tehillim on their behalf. Golan recited a chapter and continued her preparations.
A few hours later, a policeman arrived at the Golan family home with devastating news—her son, Moshe, had been in the accident and had tragically lost his life.
Moshe was traveling in a van with seven other bochurim, heading from the yeshiva in Kiryat Gat to an army base near Eilat for Chanukah mivtzoim. They carried menorahs and donuts, planning to distribute them to the soldiers, bringing the light and joy of Chanukah to those in service.
lives cut short in an instant, leaving a deep void in the hearts of all who knew them.
A multitude of activities and events were held in their memory, including the writing of a new Torah, massive gatherings for the entire Lubavitch community at Binyanei HaUmah in Jerusalem, a special event for bochurim, and the publication of Torah works dedicated to their legacy.
As this unfolded, Golan, Moshe’s mother, stood at a crossroads. How does a mother respond to such a tragedy? How does she find the strength to go on after losing her son?
“I had to decide how to move forward. And my decision was life!”
Once again, she met tragedy with resilience, drawing on her inner strength to forge ahead. Rather than scaling back, she resolved to expand her efforts significantlyturning her grief into a powerful force for growth, all in memory of her son, Moshe.
During the drive, the van veered off the road and overturned into a ditch. Moshe, along with Levi Hendel and Yonasan Biton, tragically lost their lives. A heartwrenching photo from the scene captures a policeman clearing the wreckage, removing a tray of donuts from the van—silent witnesses to the bochurim’s final mission of kindness.
The tragedy shook the entire Chabad community in Israel and beyond. Three young, pure bochurim, on their way to fulfill the Rebbe’s mivtzoim, had their
“Moshe was sixteen and a half when the accident happened. He was so vivid and full of life, and then… I had to decide how to move forward. And my decision was life!” Golan says.
Determined to honor his memory, she dedicated a new building for Ohr Chaya named ‘Beis Moshe,’ ensuring Moshe’s legacy would live on.
“Moshe was not given the chance to build a home or a family,” she says. “The way I, as his mother, can see his life continue is through this new building that bears his name. When I see the girls learning there, building their futures, and later raising their own families—their children,
whom we call ‘our grandchildren’—I see Moshe’s life continuing.”
The building was dedicated in 2013 and became a dormitory for Ohr Chaya, enabling the organization to expand its reach even further. Each year, over 3,000 girls and women pass through its doors—a number that continues to grow. Before long, even Beis Moshe was filled to capacity.
To further expand Ohr Chaya’s impact, Golan and her team began planning a major renovation and expansion of the Beis Moshe building. The project would add three new stories, fully modernize the facility, and introduce beautifully designed dormitory rooms to enhance the students’ experience.
Recently, Golan launched a new branch of Ohr Chaya—a seminary for American and European Lubavitcher girls—alongside their existing program for Israeli students. Opening for the 2025 academic year, the seminary welcomed 45 girls from around
the world for a year of growth and inspiration.
“One unique aspect of the seminary is the girls’ proximity to young women discovering Yiddishkeit for the first time,” Golan shares. “They witness how those from non-frum or non-Lubavitch backgrounds develop a deep, personal bond with Yiddishkeit, the Rebbe, and his teachings—an experience that inspires them as well.”
Launching a new seminary amid a time of national unrest presented challenges. Extra security measures were implemented to ensure the girls’ safety. Mid-year, governmentapproved renovations on the building began while it remained in use—a common scenario in Israel.
But the biggest challenge was yet to come. Just days before Chanukah this year, an electrical fire broke out in the Beis Moshe dorm, rapidly escalating into a major blaze. In a true miracle, the fire remained confined to the hallways, never reaching the dorm rooms.
Thanks to the heroic efforts of firefighters and locals, all the girls escaped safely. While several were treated for smoke inhalation, there
were no serious injuries. However, many lost their belongings in the fire. Once again, Golan sprang into action, turning the near tragedy into an opportunity for growth and improvement. The girls were swiftly relocated to alternative accommodations, and efforts to repair the building and resume renovations began immediately.
“We learned invaluable lessons from this experience regarding security and fire safety, which we implemented right away. We also learned a lesson in emunah, and that everything is in Hashem’s hands - and even with all the necessary approvals and approvals, we don’t control our fate. We are currently in discussions with various governmental agencies to ensure that all necessary improvements are made and enforced,” Golan says.
“Baruch Hashem, students are already enrolling for next year, a testament to the Rebbe’s ongoing bracha. As I have always done, I will turn this challenge into an opportunity for growth, allowing us to inspire and uplift even more girls and women as we continue to expand and thrive.”
PRESENTED BY MUSHKA COHEN AND THE MENACHEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION (MEF)
How much should we prioritize our children’s happiness, and how can we instill lasting joy in them?
ANSWER BY MRS. CHANAH ROSE, EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR OF MENACHEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WHO IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING PROJECT TOMIM, A NEW SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL CURRICULUM BASED ON TORAH AND CHASSIDUS:
Rabbi Shais Taub mentions a beautiful vort contrasting how the world views happiness with what it means for Yidden. In the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers describe every citizen’s right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” L’havdil, Dovid Hamelech exhorts us in Tehillim, “Ivdu es Hashem b’simcha - serve Hashem with joy!”
What is the difference?
In grammatical terms, it’s very simple. In the Declaration of Independence, happiness is the
object of the sentence - the goal in and of itself. In Tehillim, simcha is an adverb - a descriptive word to teach us how to go about our lives. The ultimate goal is not to be happy, but to serve Hashem. Simcha, however, is the optimal way to do so.
We are not here to satisfy every whim or craving that our children have, and teaching structure and discipline is also a way to foster the joy of a life well lived. But it is still essential for us to keep simcha at the forefront of our educational efforts, from the simple to the sublime.
1) Basic Needs: The first conditions for joy are physiological. While this may seem obvious, the Mezritcher Maggid saw fit to tell his talmidim that “a small hole in the body, results in a large hole in the soul.” One formulation to apply this is how psychologist Daniel Segal puts it simply with the acronym: “HALT.” When your child is out of sorts, stop and check to see if he or she is Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
There’s a famous mashal of the woman who saw her neighbor’s filthy home, only to realize
her own windows were dirty. Likewise, when we’re hungry, tired, or unwell, our outlook dims. In our home, “dirty windows” has become a code word for a bad mood or tough day. I’ll discreetly remind them that after a healthy snack, sufficient water, or an earlier bedtime, the problem often shrinks or disappears. Isn’t that true for adults, too?
2) A Dose of Vitamin S (for Simcha): There is nothing healthier for a household than a generous dose of Vitamin Simcha at every possible occasion. Making up family songs, dancing together, laughing until you cry, creating special rituals, and the greatest source of joy - quality-time together - are the most powerful parenting tools at our disposal. Don’t be scared of the sillies,
and encourage your kids to be lighthearted on long car rides, at family meals, and at other times that may otherwise be stressful. Finally, let your children know, as often and in as many ageappropriate ways as possible, how happy you are that they’re yours.
3) True and Lasting Simcha : In a beautiful full-circle effect, simcha helps us serve Hashem better, and serving Hashem in turn yields the greatest joy of all. Yismach Yisroel, one of the 12 Pesukim, emphasizes the incredible joy and privilege of being chosen to transform the world for Hashem. “It’s geshmak to be a Yid!” is the mindset that we want to give our children. We can teach them the joys of doing Mitzvos by mitigating the Erev Shabbos, Shalach Manos (especially the Shalach Manos on Erev Shabbos like this year!)
“I love being in Jewish school because everyone is so nice. I love wearing tzizis because it’s like doing all the Mitzvos in the Torah.”
- Ben, 6th grade at Cheder Lubavitch of Dallas, Texas. First-year in Jewish school. His favorite school lunch is pizza. His dream is to be an inventor.
and pre-Pesach stress, and model how absolutely delicious and delightful it is to be able to do this Mitzva together. To summarize, it’s true that we are not here to raise happy children in the sense of selfserving individuals who never experience discipline and get everything that they want. But in the effort to raise frum and chassidishe children who will positively impact the world, joy is a must. By creating the external conditions for joy, we put them in a mental and emotional space where they can be at their best and make positive choices. And by being mechanech them in Torah and Yiddishkeit, we ensure that they can make the choices that will unleash infinite joy for them, for Hashem and for the entire world.
Our Heritage, a program of the Menachem Education Foundation, promotes Jewish day school enrollment by offering up to $30,000 in matching grants to Chabad schools enrolling new public school students. Since its inception, Our Heritage has distributed $1,637,000 to 35 Chabad schools wordwide, allowing 704 students to obtain a Jewish education.
Meet the Chinuch Shlucha
Can you share a bit about yourself? I grew up in Crown Heights and teach at Bais Chana High School in Wilmington, Delaware, working with students in grades 9 through 12. I teach Sicha, Biur Tefillah, Lo Shinu, and Niggunim. I’m also a part of the pilot cohort of Teach for Lubavitch, a program of the Menachem Education Foundation.
What inspired you to go into teaching?
As a student, I really appreciated teachers who showed care for us and taught with authenticity and practical relevance. I wanted to do the same one day. I’m passionate about working with teens because of the incredible potential they have. They carry a deep inner truth.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is forming real connections with students and creating a space where they feel safe to be vulnerable. Tremendous growth happens when there is trust, honesty, and openness. Another highlight is watching students connect deeply with an idea and realize how real and applicable it is in their lives. Many students have layers and walls that can hold them back from growth, but when they encounter truth, it often resonates in a way that allows them to be receptive.
What have you found most challenging, and what helps you in those moments?
One of the challenges of teaching is not always seeing immediate results. Sometimes, it’s hard to know if the Torah truths I’m teaching are making an impact on a student in the short term. Trusting that the knowledge is available for them when they are ready helps. I remind myself that my success and value as a teacher are not measured by immediate results but by the seeds that I plant.
You are part of the Teach for Lubavitch program. Why do you think teachers need training and support?
Teaching is truly a work of heart. It can feel overwhelming to juggle all the different aspects of teaching alone. After spending two years teaching high school, I was looking for a structured framework that would allow me to learn techniques beyond what was natural to me. Through this program, I’ve gained the skills and confidence needed to become a more impactful educator in the classroom.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about going into teaching?
One of the most valuable tools I use in my teaching is the Trust Triangle—the ability to lean into myself, my students, and Hashem. I can trust that my students each have their own journey and the tools to navigate it. I can trust myself—that I am the right person for this moment and that I can handle the difficulties that come up. And, of course, I can trust Hashem, who is ultimately guiding everything.
Additionally, teaching is an emotional investment, and as such, it’s essential to have support and mentors—people you respect and can turn to for guidance when you need it. Having a strong support system makes all the difference.
Teach for Lubavitch offers aspiring Mechanchos a year-long teaching opportunity in Chabad schools across the U.S. With mentorship and support, the program provides comprehensive teacher training. Applications for the 5786 school year are now open. Find out more and apply at mymef.org/tfl
Chinuch with the Times
To teach with simcha is a tradition that was handed down all the way from Rava, the amora who opened each lesson with a joke – אתוחידבד אתלימ . Humor opens the heart and mind so that subsequent learning has a clear pathway to enter.
In The Educator’s Handbook, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Hodakov emphasizes the importance of simcha, creating a festive atmosphere in school on special occasions and infusing joy whenever possible. Educational studies reflect this truth: the emotional climate in the classroom is a primary factor in student success.
While infusing a sense of fun and lightheartedness in the classroom is a valuable goal, a further challenge is bringing simcha into the learning itself. The most effective way of doing this is by demonstrating how much the teacher him or herself enjoys teaching and learning this subject matter, sharing an authentic sense of “geshmak” with their students.
How can I add more joy in one of these 3 ways: by sharing lighthearted moments, creating a festive and joyous atmosphere, and conveying my own delight in what I am teaching?
Why did the teacher wear sunglasses?
Because her students were so bright!
Why do middle schoolers travel in groups?
Because they can’t even.
Why did the student eat his homework?
Because his teacher told him it was a piece of cake.
Why did the teacher bring a flashlight to school?
To shed some light on the subject!
Why did the student put his homework in the freezer?
Because he wanted to have cool answers!
Why did the pencil get an award?
Because it was on point!
By Sruly Meyer
In 2008, while working with Benny Friedman on his debut album, producer Avi Newmark and I explored various styles to define a desired sound. Composer Yitzy Waldner, fresh off successes with Yaakov Shwekey, gave us a CD with 10 compositions, and we quickly bought six. Two had only melodies.
Once production on these songs began, we needed lyrics, and we felt that Lipa Schmeltzer was the best person to write them. The problem was that Lipa’s schedule was nearly impossible to manage. He was working nonstop, singing at chuppahs, dancing at weddings, and then performing the ‘grammen’ (humorous Yiddish poems traditionally sung at some weddings).
After weeks of trying to figure out a time, he finally suggested we meet at 1:00 AM. I came home after work and set my alarm for 12:30 AM, hoping it wouldn’t wake my sleeping children. I snuck out successfully and drove with Benny to Boro Park, texting Lipa that we were on our way.
Lipa didn’t answer, so we stopped at the now-defunct Chaval Al Hazman eatery on 12th Avenue. Their fridge had gefilte fish in plastic containers along with other heimish food on a Tuesday... The scene lent itself to the mission we were on—meeting this Chassidic singer at a very late hour.
At around 2:00 AM, Lipa texted that he was on his way. When he arrived, he asked if we wanted to get into the car as he did errands. “I work nonstop, and because of how late I sing, I don’t have much time to do errands during the day,” he explained. We didn’t ask many questions— just took in the experience - and what an experience it was.
We played him both songs, and Lipa immediately had ideas. It was as if his brain had ChatGPT installed in it, pouring out lyrics and ideas. Then, he suddenly asked if we could wait a few minutes. He was going into a glasses store on 13th Avenue.
“They are open this late?” we asked. “No, but I buy a lot of custom glasses from them, so the owner is opening his store for me.”
We parked on 13th Avenue, Boro Park’s main street which during the day is practically impossible. The normally teeming streets were a ghost town at this hour, yet here we were, running errands as if it were 2:00 PM, and not 2:00 AM. Lipa went in and soon returned with a fun and original pair of glasses. He was very excited about them as he continued driving.
After hearing the first song and liking the direction, we played the second one. The ideas didn’t flow as quickly as the first, but they started to materialize as Lipa continued to make various stops, picking up and dropping things off. We followed along on a few more errands, and since we weren’t done mapping out the lyrics and concepts, he just kept driving.
At one point, I noticed that we were heading toward the Belt Parkway. Driving aimlessly, Lipa told us, “Sometimes, when it’s late like this, I find it’s the best time to have inspiration. No one is calling, and it’s a quiet time to focus.”
We began discussing the concept of truth, Emes. What really matters in this world—family, friends, community, Torah, and many other things that come together to make a difference in our lives. While we discussed the second song, Lipa had already fully mapped out his vision for the first song.
Our late-night working meeting ended at 5 AM. We were excited about the results. He found time to meet us at a recording studio, where one of us suggested, “What if this song has no words?” because it was labeled as “The song without lyrics.” That’s how it was titled, No Lyrics, and indeed had none. The second song, Emes, featured Lipa’s amazing lyrics enhanced by Benny’s father, Rabbi Manis Friedman. Both songs appeared on the album Taamu. I’ve worked on many albums over the years, and I often look back at this middle-of-the-night musical conference of minds. Lipa’s boundless creativity had a tremendous effect on both songs, but also on us, as we were new to the Jewish music scene. Lipa is, and always has been, a treasure trove of excitement and energy, even at 2:00 AM. He was a big inspiration on our musical career journey.
1
His mother passed down a love for music.
Levy’s mother, who grew up surrounded by Yiddish songs, carefully transcribed melodies from her youth, passing down that passion to her children.
Both Levy and his brother Yoely are now singers.
3
His time in Israel shaped his music.
While he’s a staple of the Chassidic music scene, Levy’s time learning at the Mir Yeshiva in Israel gave him exposure to the broader Jewish world, which influences his music today.
5
2
His first album appearance didn’t even have his name.
When he was 17, Levy was asked to sing on a Satmar album, but they didn’t even credit him properly—he was just listed as “Lamed Yud Falkowitz.”
4
He got into a car crash on the way to his first solo wedding gig.
Just weeks after getting his driver’s license, Levy was on his way to sing at one of his first solo weddings when a trailer hit his car. Shaken but determined, he still made it to the wedding by taking a bus from Monroe to Williamsburg.
He sang on 15 albums before releasing his own.
By the time he got married, Levy had already appeared on an impressive number of projects, ranging from Sefirah albums to wedding compilations.
6
His hit song was unexpected.
The hit Al Hanar Hazeh, composed by philanthropist Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz, was originally meant to be recorded by Mordechai Ben David (MBD). But when MBD wasn’t available, Levy got the call— and the song skyrocketed his career.
7
He once broke his leg falling off a stage.
At one wedding, Levy took an unexpected fall, breaking his leg. Instead of taking a break, he kept singing—even performing with a cast and leg stand at future events.
8
He once had an awkward realization at a wedding.
One night, Levy arrived at a wedding where Freilach Band had booked him—only to find out Beri Weber had also been booked by the other family for the same gig. They made it work, proving that professionalism and flexibility are key in the industry.
9
He stays true to his roots.
While he embraces contemporary music styles, Levy’s heart is still in storytelling— bringing back classic Yiddish songs like his album An Ehrlicheh Yid of R’ Yom Tov Ehrlich songs.
When tragedy strikes, music often becomes our anthem of resilience. As our editor wrote in the Kislev issue, one song has emerged reflecting the shift in Israel’s mood since the terror attacks of October 7th. Tamid Ohev Oti quickly became a sensation, being played in almost every simcha, restaurant and radio station (even the non-frum
More than a declaration of faith, the song reassures listeners: “It will always be good,” and even more powerfully, it will be even better. This message has struck a deep chord, assuring us that brighter days lie ahead.
Here are some of the most notable covers of this nowiconic song:
Yair Elitzur - Original Version (June 2024)
Surprisingly, the original version isn’t the known version. The melody and some lyrics were composed by Yair Elitzur, who released it in June 2024. The original song is softer and reflective, lacking the heavy pop production of the covers that followed it and propelled it to fame. The lyrics by Elaytzur and his teacher, Rav Shalom Arush draw on Breslav and Tanya teachings. I think Elitzur’s version remains significant and should be included in any Tamid Ohev Oti playlist, as it explains the song’s
Sasson Shaulov (September 2024)
Sasson Shaulov’s version transcended religious and political divides, uniting Jews worldwide. With over 25 million YouTube views, it has dominated Israeli radio charts for four months. Recently released hostages from Gaza have shared how IDF soldiers blasting this song on the front lines gave them strength. The song’s emotional impact continues to grow, solidifying its place as a modern anthem of Jewish perseverance.
Itzik Dadya (October 2024)
Recognizing the song’s potential, Itzik Dadya quickly recorded a cover just a month after its release. His music video, filmed in Crown Heights, highlighted Jewish life continuing with strength. This version reached a broader audience, particularly within the frum community. A later remix by DJ Matt Dubb, amassing over 100,000 Spotify plays, added an energetic twist.
Kobi Peretz & Rav Shalom Arush (November 2024)
Israeli music veteran Kobi Peretz teamed up with Rav Shalom Arush, who wrote the original lyrics, for this heartfelt duet. Their version begins with a quiet, acoustic arrangement featuring violins and a tefillah-like vocal style from Rav Arush. The song builds into an emotional crescendo, reinforcing its message. It has nearly 500,000 YouTube views.
Bracha Jaffe & Tantzers (November 2024)
Bracha Jaffe, a leading female Chassidic artist, collaborated with Tantzers, an organization bringing joy to sick children and families. This rendition, produced by Shai Bachar at Sonic Duo Studios, delivers inspiration to those facing hardships, perfectly aligning with the song’s theme. Naturally, this version is only for women and girls.
Levy Falkowitz, Yoeli Klein & shloimi Askal (December 2024)
This Chassidish cover with lyrics translated into Yiddish proves the song’s universal appeal. Produced by Yonatan Blau, it features Levy Falkowitz, Yoeli Klein, and Shloimi Askal, backed by the Malchus Choir. The translation maintains the song’s uplifting spirit.
DJ Musiix (December 2024)
For those who love remixes, DJ Musiix’s instrumental version offers a fresh take. This remix, perfect for social media content, has become a go-to background track for Israel-themed posts. Its “lebidik” tempo energizes listeners while reminding the song’s emotional depth.
Six13 (January 2025)
Maccabeats (March 2025)
Both leading Jewish a cappella groups Six13 and the Maccabeats deliver great vocal-only renditions of the song. Their harmonies and vocal percussion create a rich, layered sound. Remember these versions for listening during Sefirah and the Three Weeks, when instrumental music is traditionally avoided. There are even more covers of this song, but I’ll let you discover them on your own! Let us know if we missed one of your favorites.
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Unlike everyone around him, Mordechai refused to kneel or bow to Haman. This angered Haman to the core. As a descendant of Amalek, he harbored a hatred for the Jews because they stood out as different. Rather than give in to Haman, Mordechai resolved even more strongly to assert his loyalty to Hashem. His strong attitude is what led to Haman’s downfall, bringing the Jewish people light, joy, gladness, and honor.
Mordechai's Persian name was Mordechai, but his Hebrew name was Petachya, meaning “Hashem opens,” as he was known for clarifying 'opening' difficult topics and interpreting them, given his knowledge of 70 languages.
Mordechai, a descendant of King Shaul, was born and raised in Eretz Yisrael, and exiled to Bavel along with 10,000 other Jews. He adopted and raised his orphaned cousin, Esther, and eventually married her. As the leader of the Jewish people, he played a crucial role in overturning Haman’s evil decree through his guidance of Esther in Achashverosh’s palace and other efforts.
When faced with opposition to our Yiddishkeit, we should remain strong and proud, without bowing to negative pressure. For example, if someone makes fun of you for being so careful about a particular Mitzvah, continue what you are doing with pride.
Think of a time when you stayed strong and were proud of keeping Yiddishkeit.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 6 Tbsp. marshmallow fluff and 2 Tbsp. oil. Microwave for 75 seconds, then mix well. Add Rice Krispies and stir until fully combined.
In a bag, melt 2 Tbsp. white chocolate chips
In a 3rd bag, melt 2 Tbsp. of chocolate chips. Then pipe dots in the eyes and a line across the mouth.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Roll out the Rice Krispies treats to at least 1 inch thick and freeze for 3 minutes.
Place parchment paper over the template, then trace and fill in the eyes and bow. Cover the bow with sprinkles. Freeze for 3 minutes.
Assemble the clown's face! Coat the bottom of a mini cone with honey, dip it
in sprinkles and place it on top of the stick to make the hat . Attach the bow just below the face by adding a dot of honey to its back. Then, using small dots of honey, secure the eyes, nose, and mouth onto the circle to form the clown's face.
-6 Tbsp. Marshmallow Fluff
-1 ½ Cups Rice Crispies
-2 Tbsp. Oil
-4 Tbsp. White Chocolate Chips
-1 Tbsp. Small Colorful Sprinkles
-2 Tbsp. Chocolate Chips
-1 Cup of Hot Water
-Honey
-Mini Chocolate Cone
-Red Gel Food Coloring
Using a round cookie cutter, cut out circles from the mixture. Insert a skewer through each circle, leaving about ½ inch sticking out at the top.
In a 2nd bag melt, 2 Tbsp. white chocolate chips and mix with 2 drops of red food coloring. Use this to trace the clown’s nose and mouth.
-Thick Skewer or Chopstick 8
9
HAPPY MIRUP!!
Enjoy Your Clown Pop!!
-2 Pieces of Parchment Paper
-3 Piping Bags
-Scissors
-Template
-Mini Chocolate Cone
-Red Gel Food Coloring
-Microwave Safe Bowl
-Gloves
-Mixing Spoon
-Baking Tray
-Round Cookie Cutter
By Sruly Meyer
This year Purim falls on a Friday, which means you can expect a lot of Shabbos themed Shalach Manos! Here is a suggestion that will combine that urge to do something Shabbos themed with a practical item for your family and friends! These soups are creative and original and you can freeze them or give them fresh! Make a large pot for your own family, and add them to containers to give our for Shalach Manos. Soups are an easy dish to make that will save you time so you can be out Friday with your kids and also come home to a warm and delicious Shabbos soup!
I know what you’re thinking. A recipe for Matzo ball chicken soup? These aren’t your bubby’s Matzo balls! These are chicken stuffed. Stuffed matzo balls can be cooked ahead and stored, covered in the refrigerator for 2 days, or frozen on a sheet pan and then gathered into a reusable, disposable bag for up to 2 months.
No need to thaw before serving. Just place frozen matzo balls in hot soup and allow to thaw for about 15 minutes, depending on their size.
• Matzo Balls
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, such as Colavita or poultry fat or coconut oil
• ¼ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup matzo meal
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• Chicken Meatballs
• ½ pound ground chicken
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, such as Colavita
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, grated on microplane
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or dill
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Matzo Balls
1. Stir together eggs, evoo, broth, matzo meal, baking powder, salt, and ginger (if using).
2. Put in refrigerator to allow matzo meal to hydrate while you make the filling.
Chicken Meatballs:
1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix together chicken, evoo, yolk, shallot, garlic, parsley or dill, salt, and pepper.
3. With wet hands, gently roll about 1 teaspoon of mix together to form a meatball. Place on lined sheet and continue with remaining meat.
4. Scoop about 2 teaspoons of matzo ball mix and flatten with moist hands. Roll ball inside matzo mix and roll together to seal. Continue with remaining mix.
5. Bring a pot of water, with a tight fitting lid, to a boil. Add stuffed matzo balls and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Transfer matzo balls to a pan to cool before serving with favorite soup or stew. Meatballs can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2 days, or freezer for 1 month.
Jamie Geller @jamiegeller
Jamie Geller is a highly sought-after Jewish food and lifestyle expert and author of six best-selling cookbooks. She is also the founder of the Kosher Network International.
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 -4 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 heads of cauliflower, cut into chunks
• Water to cover
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Sauté onion in oil until golden.
2. Add the parsnip, followed by the cauliflower.
3. Saute until the vegetables are golden brown.
4. Cover vegetables with water.
5. Let mixture boil for 20-30 minutes.
6. Using an immersion blender, blend until it has reached your desired consistency.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
Amy Stopniki @amystopnicki
Amy Stopnicki is a mother, successful food writer and winner of the 2017 Gourmand Culinary Award for her book, Kosher Taste (Feldheim). She lives in Toronto with her husband and four children.
This is a very hearty soup that can cook for a while and is so good you might just replace a course in your Shabbos meal!
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced or cubed
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 zucchini, cubed (optional)
• 1 can of white beans in tomato sauce
• Or one can of white beans plus 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
• 1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta shape
Instructions:
1. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic for about 5-10 minutes until starting to brown on the edges.
2. Add in everything else except pasta plus water to cover by a few inches.
3. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook till veggies are soft.
4. Add in pasta and cook an additional 15-20 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Sophia Hassoun
Sophia Hassoun is a Jerusalem-based Syrian chef who loves to cook as well as try delicious restaurants all over Israel - Follow her at @Syrian_in_israel
Sruly Cooks
Unique soups are a fun way to stand out this Purim! I’m a huge fan of soups, and I just recently had a chance to visit The Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem that had a soup festival going on. One of the soups I tried was this amazing potato soup, and I knew that this next issue’s feature would have to be soupsbased. I tried to recreate the soup in this recipe, I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth (make sure it’s certified kosher)
Instructions:
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Add diced potatoes to the pot along with vegetable broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4. Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If the soup is too thick, you can add a bit more vegetable broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or chives if desired.
By Asharon Baltazar
What happens when we put our trust in Hashem?
Rabbi Yaakov Lerner, a Chabad Chassid from Jerusalem, considered himself a close confidant of Rabbi Yitzchak Zilber, a revered leader among Russian Jewish émigrés. Rabbi Zilber was a distinguished Torah scholar known for his vast worldly knowledge and devotion to God. He was pivotal in inspiring countless individuals to reconnect with their Jewish heritage.
Rabbi Lerner and Rabbi Zilber’s friendship spanned five decades, beginning when Rabbi Zilber fled his hometown for Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Faced with the choice of sending his children to a Soviet state school that promoted an irreligious ideology, he opted for exile in a distant city instead.
For nearly two years, Rabbi Zilber found refuge in the home of Rabbi Lerner’s father-in-law, Rabbi Shalom-Zev Krogliak. A Chassid and a senior figure in the national aerospace industry, Krogliak’s position made his house one of the safer places to hide from Soviet
authorities cracking down on religious activity.
Over time, Rabbi Zilber forged a strong connection with the Chabad Chassidic community, which had also moved from the heart of Russia to Tashkent. He immersed himself in the community’s life, embracing its traditions and working with the same unwavering dedication and self-sacrifice as the Chassidim, all under the guidance of the Lubavitcher Rebbes.
Rabbi Zilber applied for an exit visa nearly twenty times, but every request was denied. Though he longed to move to the Holy Land, he considered each rejection a sign from Above, saying, “If G-d orchestrated it this way, it must mean I’m still needed here.”
Despite the risk of arrest, he continued teaching Torah and sustaining Jewish life. The authorities eventually caught up with him, leading to a trial and prison sentence. Years later, over a conversation with Rabbi Lerner, he shared a memorable story from
his time behind bars — one that had stayed with him ever since: In prison, I discovered creative ways to help Jewish inmates reconnect with their heritage. With G-d’s guidance, I managed to arrange secret prayer services, all while staying one step ahead of the guards. I also earned the trust of some non-Jewish prisoners by doing them favors, and in return, they had my back when I refused to work on Shabbat.
Purim of 1953 fell on a Sunday, and as soon as Shabbat ended, I gathered about fifteen Jewish prisoners around me. We didn’t have a Megillat Esther, but that didn’t stop me from telling the Purim story. I described how a decree of annihilation loomed over the Jews in King Achashverosh’s empire and how, through a miraculous turn of events, they were saved.
One of the prisoners, an older man named Isaac, had endured immense suffering in captivity. At one point, his patience snapped, and he lashed out at me. “Who cares about stories
from two thousand years ago when the Jewish people are suffering so much right now?” he shouted. “Millions of our brothers were murdered by the Nazis, and now Stalin is planning to wipe out Russian Jewry!”
At the time, the infamous “Doctors’ Plot” had reached a boiling point — a Sovietengineered conspiracy accusing top Jewish doctors of conspiring to poison government officials. It was widely believed Stalin intended to use the fabricated case as a pretext to deport millions of Jews to the frozen wastelands of Siberia.
Isaac didn’t calm down. His face flushed with anger, eyes wild, and his voice shaking with fury. “In a few days, the doctors will hang in Red Square,” he spat. “The deportation trains are already on the rails, ready to depart at a moment’s notice. Some Jews will be sent to Verkhoyansk, where winter
temperatures plunge to minus 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Others will be exiled to Khabarovsk…”
I looked at him, meeting his fiery gaze, and said, “Yes, things are bad. But don’t be so quick to write off the Jewish people. Haman issued a decree to exterminate us, and he failed. G-d will help — you’ll see.”
Isaac scoffed. “How? Stalin has everything planned down to the last detail. He’s no mere Haman…” He went on about how Stalin’s plans always came to fruition.
“Even if all his previous plans succeeded, I know for certain that when it comes to the Jews, he won’t win,” I said firmly.
“And what exactly are you basing that on?” he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“On the verse: ‘Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.’ And don’t forget — Stalin is just flesh and blood.”
Isaac smirked. “He’s seventy-three and strong as steel!”
“No human knows what will happen to them in half an hour,” I replied. That was the end of our conversation. It was Purim night.
The following morning, Isaac came looking for me. When he spotted me, he lowered his eyes slightly.
“You were right last night.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean what you said — no one knows what will happen in half an hour. A prisoner who arrived today told us Stalin suffered a massive stroke last night and lost the ability to speak.”
Over the next few days, Stalin’s health deteriorated, his decline slow and painful. Exactly one week after Purim, on Sunday, the 21st of Adar, the news broke — Stalin was dead. His death marked the end of the “Doctors’ Plot” and the mass deportation plan he had prepared for Soviet Jewry.
(Translated from Sichat Hashavua #1052)
By Mordechai Schmutter
If there’s one thing people enjoy about a Friday Purim, it’s complaining about it.
As far as complaining, Friday Purim ranks up there with Shabbos Yom Kippur, Thursday night Motzoei Pesach, and a 3-day Yom Tov where the second day is Simchas Torah.
But what are people complaining about? It’s not the fast. The fast is on Thursday, like it seems to be every year. Taanis Esther is almost always on a Thursday, somehow. Science has not figured this out. No, it’s about the lack of time during the day. We’re supposed to eat most of the seudah before 1 PM, and people like doing their deliveries before the seudah, because they get drunk at the seudah, and then they can’t drive. Alternatively, they don’t drink as much, then they take a nap, and then they wake up right before Shabbos and say, “Um… Did we cook for Shabbos, though?”
If you think this is tough, Yerushalayim has a Purim
Meshulash, which is a 3-day Purim. Would you rather have a 3-day Purim, or a half-day Purim?
The answer to that is 100% dependent on what stage of life you’re in.
That said, I think we should embrace the differences of this year with these tips for surviving the half-day Purim. It’s impossible to do all of these tips (especially in the time given), so do whichever ones work for you:
Stay up all Thursday night. You can’t do any of the mitzvos of Purim, but you can definitely cook.
You can also take your Shabbos shower in the middle of the night. And then all that will be left to do before Shabbos, after all the mitzvos of Purim, is to take your much-needed post-Purim shower, and you’re done!
Figure out if there’s a way that you can drink a certain amount at night until you’re just on the edge of being inebriated enough, and then, as soon as it becomes daytime, you drink that last part, and you’re there. If you don’t know how much drinking does this for you, you should practice a bunch of times
before Purim with different amounts of alcohol. V’tov l’hachmir bazeh.
I would also advise giving out your mishloach manos in the middle of the night. You really only have to give out one during the day, so there’s no reason the rest can’t be given out at night. For one thing, traffic is better! Just ring people’s doorbells at 4 in the morning, and they will be really appreciative to you for giving them this idea!
(“There’s a pirate at the door.”
“And you’re… What are you? An old-timey grandpa?” “These are my pajamas.” “Okay…”)
This is also a good time to collect tzedaka.
At the end of the night, daven and then start your deliveries, if you haven’t done so already. Many of your friends will be at shul, so that’s the perfect time. They can find you later. Yes, Purim is about getting together and seeing other people, but – and I don’t know if you’ve
noticed this – other people make things take more time.
When buying food for Purim, do not forget to buy food for Shabbos at the same time. Also, everyone you know is going to give you a Shabbos-themed mishloach manos. So you’re going to have double food for Shabbos. So maybe don’t buy any food for Shabbos. But then, with your luck, no one will give you a Shabbos theme. And we all know that Purim is the holiday of luck.
It’s very nice of your friends to assume that you forgot Shabbos was coming.
Put your costume on under your Shabbos clothing so you can rip your Shabbos clothes off in shul right after megillah and start your deliveries. Maybe put a second suit on under the costume so you can do the same thing right before Shabbos.
Don’t deal with costumes and makeup in the morning. Have your kids sleep in their costumes.
You can wash their pillows on Motzoei Shabbos.
For just this year, don’t choose any costumes that make it hard to get in and out of the car.
Encourage your kids to wear costumes that would be appropriate for Shabbos as well, such as -- for boys -- Mordechai Hatzaddik, a magician, and a fancy waiter; and for girls, Queen Esther, a mommy, or a kallah.
When it comes to teachers, don’t wait for your kids to go into the house, stand in line to take pictures with the teacher, and come back out. Instead, drop them off outside and come back later, while your next kid is in his teacher’s house. Also maybe have pictures of your child in costume printed out beforehand so that when their morahs say, “We have to get a picture!” you can just hand them the photograph and get a move on.
The key to mishloach manos is the shliach. So the day before Purim, deliver all your packages to the
next-door neighbors of the people you actually want to give, with instructions to deliver them on Purim. Along with maybe a tip. (The going rate is a dollar.) This will cut picture times as well. (“And this is your teacher with her neighbor, and our mishloach manos!”)
If you leave one or two mishloach manos packages out on your doorstep, people will assume you’re not home and just leave theirs there too.
Instead of an elaborate 3-course seudah, put it all in a blender. That way it looks the same going down as it does coming back up.
You know how they say that you don’t really have to get drunk – you can just drink a little more than usual and then go to sleep and you’re yotzeh? I wonder if maybe there’s a heter here that you don’t really have to have a whole big seudah – you just eat a little more than usual and take a nap. Your seudah can be you and your family noshing on the cholent while standing around the crock pot.
Whatever you do to save time, do not drive drunk, people! Also, do not drive drunk people. Unless it’s their car.
by Shmully Blesofsky
In the nineteenth century, the land where the beloved Crown Heights neighborhood pharmacy Apple Drugs now stands was part of the Jeremiah V. Spader estate. In 1921, as Kingston Avenue was being developed, David Eisenberg purchased adjacent lots on both sides of the corner of Crown and Kingston. He commissioned architects Shampan & Shampan to design a four-story apartment building at 481 Crown Street, and enlisted the New Age Construction Company (founded in 1912 by Samuel Caesar, Louis Rothman, and Harris Beackelman) to construct five buildings with storefronts and apartments along Kingston Avenue at a cost of $47,000.
Julian Rowe, the brother of Crown Heights developer and visionary Frederick Rowe, had an office at 355 Kingston Avenue
(today Fishel Bronstein’s Vision-Site Optical) and brokered the newly built stores, posting ads describing the area as “The constantly growing business section of Brooklyn.” The corner store was constructed on a 34x40 lot, featuring a main storefront on the ground floor and a protruding section on the first floor, giving the building its distinctive appearance.
The building’s first owner was a man by the name of Aaron Katz, and its first recorded tenant was Crown Pharmacy, owned by Julius J. Smith. By 1929, the pharmacy had become part of the Davis Drug Store chain, offering quick service delivery and ordering over the phone. The pharmacist at the time was Max Frank Goldman, who lived on Lincoln Place. The one-story brick protruding addition was originally a soda fountain store, which was common in drugstores in those
days. Besides the soda fountain, the store sold ice cream and other nosh. In June of that year, the store was robbed and a 400-pound safe containing $500 (equivalent to $9,252 today) was stolen.
In 1934, brothers William and Harry Kowitt (originally Itzkowitz) took over ownership of the store and renamed it Kowitt Pharmacy. William’s son, Stanley, remembers his father bandaging customers with minor injuries and removing cinders from their eyes, making the pharmacy a mini-clinic. Notably, comedian Sam Levinson was a customer of Kowitt Pharmacy and even gifted Stanley an autographed book for his Bar Mitzvah.
At one point, “Orthodox newcomers” to the neighborhood approached William Kowitt, asking him to close the store on Shabbos. This was common in Jewish neighborhoods, where
religious families encouraged Jewish businesses to observe Shabbos with varying levels of success.
In 1957, William Kowitt sold the pharmacy to Carrie I. Gasper, who had owned a drugstore across the street at 373 Kingston Avenue since the 1930s. It was renamed Gasper’s Pharmacy.
It remained this way until the mid-1970s when Yisroel “Izzy” Chanowitz, who had survived the war in Shanghai as a bochur and was living with his family in Crown Heights, noticed that the pharmacy was for sale. He had a car rental business next door and decided to purchase the pharmacy primarily to keep it in neighborhood hands. He renamed it Refua Community Chemists.
The pharmacy remained under his management until 1980, when Abraham Kaplan and his wife— Crown Heights residents who lived
on Montgomery Street—took over. The Kaplans had operated a health food store at 788 Eastern Parkway on the corner of Kingston Avenue, but relocated due to the expansion of 770. They added a health food line of items to the store which continues to be a trademark until today. In the 1980s, the business was run by Shabsi Rubin.
The latest chapter began in 1990 when local Crown Heights couple Shloime and Linda Gutleizer purchased the pharmacy, renaming it Apple Drugs (DBA). Shloime, the son of Holocaust survivors who settled in Crown Heights, grew up in the neighborhood and attended Bedford and Dean. Known for his honesty, integrity, and dedication to community affairs, Shloime became a trusted friend. Over the years, he discreetly gave generous amounts of tzedakah and was an active member of Hatzalah, frequently leaving the store to respond to emergencies.
Linda, known for her warmth and kindness, worked tirelessly in the back as a pharmacist, ensuring every customer’s needs were met. Before purchasing the business, Shloime Gutleizer, together with his partner Marvin Fruchter, went to the Rebbe for dollars and received a bracha to purchase the business. For 35 years, the Gutleizers devoted their lives to Apple Drugs and the Crown Heights community. Their son, Moishe, later joined the family business.
Recently, Apple Drugs was purchased by new owners Simcha Mikhli and Jeremy Lebovitch. With young energy and a friendly demeanor, they are eager to serve the Crown Heights community. The dedicated staff continues to provide excellent service, and we wish them well in their venture to provide quality health products to Crown Heights residents.
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