Dishes to Delight Food I Sruly Meyer A Shofar in the Carpathians Story / Asharon Baltazar
The ‘Starter Simcha’ Humor I Mordechai Schmutter
570 Crown Street
Then & Now I Shmuel Blesofsky
Yossi Gopin stands in front of KC Market in the Oasis Hallandale luxury project in Hallendale, Florida. Photographed for COLlive Magazine on Tammuz 5785.
Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5743
Brooklyn, N. Y.
To All Campers: Boys and Girls
G-d Bless You All
Greeting and Blessing:
Dvar Malchus
A Month h Like No o Other
The special qualities of the month of Elul
I was pleased to receive reports about your camp life and activities. I take this opportunity also to acknowledge the letters and request for a blessing. May G-d grant each and all of you the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good and blessing.
I am gratified to be informed that you have made, and are making, good use of the camp season in the fullest measure, to strengthen your health of body and soul, with the soul ruling the body. Needless to say, the way to keep the soul healthy and strong is through learning Torah and doing Mitzvoth, by which Jews live.
Inasmuch as this letter is written on Rosh Chodesh Elul, I trust you know the significance of this month of special Divine grace and benevolence, as explained by the Alter Rebbe, the Founder of Chabad, by means of the parable of "A King in the Field."
Briefly: When a king rules his kingdom from his palace, his subjects know it and feel it in various degrees. It is not easy to meet the king personally when he is in his palace. But there is a time when the king goes out and meets the people in the field. At such a time everyone can go up to the king and
present a request to him personally, and the king receives every person with a smiling face, and fulfills the request.
Such is the month of Elul a time when the people go out to meet the King of Kings, HaShem, "in the field," for He has designated this month as a month of special Divine grace, mercy and forgiveness.
This is why the month of Elul calls for special efforts in matters of Torah and Mitzvoth, to learn Torah and to do Mitzvoth with an extra measure of devotion and diligence. And G-d responds with a growing measure of blessing to each and everyone.
I am confident that you will take the fullest advantage of this special opportunity and go from strength to strength in your Torah studies and in your everyday conduct.
Wishing you Hatzlocho in all above, as well as a Kesivo vachasimo Tovo, for a good and sweet year, materially and spiritually.
With blessing,
/Signed: Menachem Schneerson
Publisher
Mica Soffer
Editor Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Associate Editor
Mendy Wineberg
Contributing Writers
Asharon Baltazar
Shmuel Blesofsky
Yoni Brown
Sari Kopitnikoff
Mendel Levin
Sruly Meyer
Sarah Pinson
Mordechai Schmutter
Hadas Tzuri
Design
Chana Tenenbaum
Photo Credits
JEM/Living Archive
Special Thanks
Rebbe Responsa
Kfar Chabad Magazine
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Walking through Yerushalayim this past month, I felt an energy unlike anything I had ever experienced, even on previous visits to Eretz Yisroel. We traveled for a family simcha—my first visit since the October 7th attacks—and what I encountered was extraordinary.
Amidst the adversity and shadows of war, the streets radiated an infectious joy and unity. At Shuk Machne Yehuda, the Friday bustle gave way to spontaneous singing and dancing, people of all walks of life celebrating the enduring spirit of Am Yisrael. Later, a bus full of young people rolled by, also singing and dancing, reminding me that we are one family in the face of challenge.
That sense of strength and renewal is echoed throughout this issue. Knesset Member Galit Distel-Atbaryan shares her personal journey to teshuva, learning Tanya, and her decision to turn down the role of Israel’s Ambassador to Italy.
In honor of Chai Elul, we explore with Chassidic thinkers how artificial intelligence may shape the way we learn, understand, and teach Chassidus. Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie of California gives us a glimpse into the heroic life of the Frierdiker Rebbe in his forthcoming biography, which is the result of years of research and discovery.
We also turn our attention to those shaping lives in the here and now. In honor of children going back to school, we feature an expanded Chinuch Matters section. In Then & Now, we tell the story of 570 Crown Street. Once a hospital, later a hotel, and now the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, which continues to expand vertically.
Another significant development in Crown Heights is the surge in newly registered voters, spurred by a joint campaign between COLlive and the Jewish Future Alliance. This month, we highlight the voices of five firsttime voters.
Further south, entrepreneur Yossi Gopin is building a growing empire of kosher supermarkets, a story that mirrors the vibrant expansion of Jewish life in South Florida. As he gears up for the Tishrei rush, so are we all.
We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to reconnecting with you in our Rosh Hashanah edition.
MICA SOFFER
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By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Elul is a month for polishing the soul. Strikingly, I was reminded of this not in a shul or while learning, but at an airport shoeshine stand on my way back home from a summer trip.
(Mili D’Chasidusa notes that Reb Yehuda HaChossid’s prohibition against shining shoes before travel may apply only prior to the trip’s start, while others explain that it referred specifically to those traveling on foot.)
Watching the shoeshiner named Mefti carefully restore my dress shoes, I discovered parallels that reflect the essence of teshuva.
1. You have to want it.
Finding a shoeshine stand at an airport isn’t easy, as many have closed with society opting for
7 Lessons on Teshuva from an Airport Shoeshiner
casual footwear. Similarly, the first step of teshuva is genuinely wanting it and being willing to make the effort. Rambam writes that one "must search out" what needs to be corrected (Mishneh Torah, Teshuva 7:3). Teshuva is an active pursuit that requires energy and commitment.
2. Getting dirty is inevitable.
No matter how carefully you handle your shoes, dust and grime are unavoidable. Likewise, people inevitably develop habits and mindsets that lead to negative behavior. Rambam reminds us, "It is impossible for man to be entirely free from error" (Moreh Nevuchim, Part 3 36:1). A person’s work is never truly finished, as there is always room for reconsideration, growth and an extra polish.
3. There is good beneath the surface.
Mefti worked enthusiastically on my shoes, remarking, “This is good leather,” as he cleaned hard-to-reach areas. Despite the grime, he saw the hidden quality. The Baal Shem Tov taught that all things contain sparks of holiness that give them life, and our work is to elevate those sparks back to their source (Zeh Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Vayeilech, Comment 13). Teshuva allows us to scrub off the dust that has accumulated.
4. It is a layered process. Mefti conditioned, polished, waxed, and brushed my shoes in multiple steps, explaining that each stage added depth and contrast for a mirror finish. Teshuva is similarly multi-layered,
the Frierdiker Rebbe taught: In Elul we refine thought, speech, and action; during selichos, our character; on Rosh Hashana, the intellect; during Aseres Yemei Teshuva, the will; and on Yom Kippur, the desire for pleasure.
5. External factors can hold you back.
Mefti said he wishes to be able to also clean sneakers, but faces restrictions on the sprays he is allowed to bring through airport security. Likewise, outside circumstances can prevent us from progressing spiritually. Rambam notes that teshuva requires resolving in one’s heart never to repeat wrongdoing (Teshuva 2:2). To successfully adopt a new habit or make a change, ensure that your surroundings and environment
will support your efforts rather than block them.
6. Your gift, your call.
As Mefti finished, he told me, “Pay what you want.” Some shoe shine operators had included mandatory tips in their pricing, which confused customers, so the managers implemented a flexible payment rule. Teshuva is similar: the prophet Hoshea says, “Return, O Israel, unto the Lord your G-d” (14:2). Each person must honestly measure the extent of their effort to determine how fully they reconnected with the Divine.
7. Take it with you.
Some shiners ask you to remove your shoes for cleaning, but the most important step is what
happens afterward—you leave with them. Hoshea teaches, "Take words with you and return to the Lord" (14:3). The Malbim comments that the holy prayers and good resolutions must leave the shul with us and be integrated into our daily lives and actions.
Just as a polished shoe gives us the confidence to step forward with dignity, teshuva allows us to walk into the new year with a renewed attitude and a brighter spirit. May we merit to enter this year with our steps aligned and our hearts shining.
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, Editor of COLlive. com and COLlive Magazine, is the Associate Rabbi of Chabad Tucson-Young Israel in Tucson, Arizona. He coordinates the annual Yarchei Kallah gathering of Chabad Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva
By Yoni Brown
Koach Adir
Can artificial intelligence help us learn and teach Chassidus?
the Jewish people are the people of the book. But, every so often, a new technology arrives to reshape how we read, learn, and teach our books.
Before the printing press, there were only manuscripts—precious, handwritten, and rare. The printing press made popular books possible, and in time, enabled every Jewish home to own a wealth of sefarim. Even the humble index, that list of topics and page numbers at the back, fundamentally changed the way sefarim are used by enabling quick reference. Typewriters made writing new sefarim easy. Digital word processors made it easier.
Otzar HaChochmah’s library of 415,000 searchable sefarim enabled any scholar to access all Torah knowledge with a few clicks. And then, on November 30, 2022, ChatGPT arrived.
What could it do? Nobody knew for sure. But Rabbi Zalman Abraham, writer, translator, and director of JLI’s The Wellness Institute, immediately saw its potential to solve what he saw as the single greatest hurdle facing the ultimate project of Hafotzas Hamaya’anos Chutzah: language.
“Hafatzah entails translating the vast, interconnected, complex, and very, very nuanced ideas that comprise Chassidus,” he says.
ChatGPT and the slew of competitors that promptly followed it are large language models (LLMs). This means, as Rabbi Abraham explains, “that they are especially good at adapting language. I realized, ‘One second, AI is the perfect tool for overcoming this hurdle,’” he says.
He sees a future where AI helps draw people toward Chassidus. “What I think will happen—if we make it happen—is that AI will help
create many different on-ramps to Chassidus,” he says. “The goal is not to bring Chassidus out, but to bring people in.”
By this, he means: “You can ask AI to explain a maamer in Hemshech Ayin Beis to a three-year-old, and it will do a pretty good job, but that output is meaningless.” This, because there is simply no way to translate the actual substance of a maamer—nuanced, sophisticated, and intellectual as it is—into the language of a threeyear-old. Instead, AI can apply its knowledge of Chassidus to identify relevant ideas that align with a demographic’s interests. It could conceivably produce a regular compilation of “Chassidus on the Daf” to show Chassidus’s relevance to those studying Daf Yomi, for instance.
Instead of building a specific program, Rabbi Abraham watched the scene unfold. “I looked around and discovered a whole world of people who, each in their own way, were experimenting in the space,” he says. Increasingly, he found isolated people attempting the same thing. “It became clear it isn’t just a case of a few people dabbling with something; this was a movement.” So he organized the Chassidus + AI Conference 2025.
And so, at noon on Sunday, June 8, 12 Sivan, nine presenters hopped onto a Zoom call.
Rabbi Simon Jacobson recalled transcribing the Rebbe’s words— delivered on Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim, 5744 (1984)—regarding the use of technology, and specifically the radio, to share Torah: “It is a koach adir, an awesome power, that G-d embedded in nature,” which, even if abusable, was created so we can choose to use it for good, to advance the work of
Hafotzas Hamaya’anos. Eight talks followed. Cybersecurity and AI expert Golan ben Oni suggested building an AI model trained exclusively on Torah content. Efraim Moss discussed his efforts to create an AI-powered platform that will make Torah learning accessible. Sholom Cohen discussed using ChatGPT to write poems on the Parsha. Rayi Stern, who has used AI to, among other things, map the Gemara by topic and generate a shiur on Basi L’Gani, speculated that AI might help us finally plumb the depths of the Rebbe’s Torah. Shlomo Hamburger, a retired D.C. attorney, demonstrated how he utilized multiple AI models to compile a Haggadah with commentary from the Rebbe’s father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. Gamliel Beyderman, a data scientist, argued that the ideal AI shouldn’t answer your questions directly, but lead you to learn the answer on your own. And California businessman Yisrael Litkowski demonstrated how he has used AI to translate thousands of pages of Chassidus for his personal use.
make learning Chassidus engaging, exciting, and interactive.”
But, before the platform can go live, one problem needs to be overcome: accuracy. Because, as any user of AI knows, today’s chatbots have a propensity to generate answers, texts, and stories that sound correct, but are, in reality, pure fiction. “Everyone has ChatGPT on their phone,” Rabbi Avtzon says, “It can translate a maamer, give you a summary, and so on—so why create anything new? The key point will always be: accuracy. Even if a model is 90% accurate, when you’re dealing with something as nuanced and subtle as a sicha or a maamer, even a ‘small mistake’ can drastically change the meaning,” Rabbi Avtzon said.
And this is where the hard part begins.
At its heart, a large language model is a mechanism that does its best to predict, one letter or word at a time, what you want to see. Having compared and contrasted the text of most books and the internet to identify replicable patterns, an LLM like ChatGPT has a good sense of what you expect to see,
Sichos in English, quiet ly d
and it
Finally, Rabbi Shmuly Avtzon, director of Sichos in English, quietly introduced his organization’s project: “We want to create a platform for individualized learning,” he said. “You tell it your background and how much you know, and it helps you decide what to learn next—and when you’ve processed one idea, it’ll guide you to move on to the next stage, and the next.” The platform features built-in tools such as tailored translations, summaries, questions, and answers to support the learner. “It’ll speak your language, whether you’re a college graduate, a girl in Beis Rivka, or a seventh grader in Oholei Torah,” he says. “The goal is to
We want to create a for individualized ” nd and d d e h e s, t uage, gr a e
the classical sense of knowing, it knows nothing. “It can be very close to perfect accuracy,” Rabbi Abraha m says, “but ultimately, it's not perfect and you can’t trust it.”
Can this hurdle be overcome?
“JEM has a very particular mission,” says Rabbi Mendel Gourarie, chief technology officer at Jewish Educational Media (JEM). “It’s to enable people to learn directly from the Rebbe’s Torah.” To that end, JEM maintains a vast archive of videos, photos, and audio recordings and produces compelling documentary films presenting the Rebbe’s talks, guidance, and teachings.
Witnessing the rapid development of AI, his team envisioned an AI learning assistant that understands questions, searches JEM’s vast library of farbrengens, interviews, and dollars, and directs users to the most relevant videos. “We’d already invested thousands of hours into tagging our content and adding metadata—topics, names, descriptions, and
summaries.” Gourarie says, “which made it incredibly easy to load it all into an AI model.”
Within weeks, it was done. But the underlying AI model proved unreliable. “When you first use AI, you’re blown away,” Rabbi Gourarie says. “When you actually try to do something with it, you get skeptical fast.”
“We spent most of a year training it not to make things up,” he says. That meant dozens of researchers spending hundreds of hours reviewing the model’s output, pointing out its flaws, and training it to avoid hallucinations. And given the pace of AI development, they rebuilt their program from scratch three times.
In the review process, the AI surprised them. “Because it sees the big picture, it makes connections no scholar can make,” Rabbi Gourarie says. “There were times when it would give a surprising answer to a question, but when we looked into it, we realized, ‘Okay, I would never have made that inference, but it’s right.’”
Finally, just before Pesach, JEMai launched. Ask it any question, and it will search JEM’s archives, check itself for accuracy, and direct you to source videos, each with a helpful summary. Linking directly to a video of the Rebbe ensures the output is verifiably accurate, and, behind the scenes, an elaborate multi-model system is in place to prevent hallucinations. “We have to be very clear—it should never predict what the Rebbe would have said,” Rabbi Gourarie says. “It is simply an assistant that helps you locate relevant ideas in the record of the Torah the Rebbe did say.”
JEM’s current model is open to JEM.tv members. “Given the sensitivity of the content, we can’t afford any inaccuracy,” Rabbi Gourarie says. “We believe we’re very close to achieving that.” Once fully confident in the model’s responses, JEM plans to release it for the public.
Looking ahead, Rabbi Gourarie sees AI transforming many aspects of JEM’s work. “Our public facing AI is just the tip of an iceberg,” he says. “We’re hopeful that it will speed up translation, subtitling, and tagging—allowing us to give JEMai access to ever more of the Rebbe’s Torah.” What they’ve built so far is just the beginning. “With this foundational model in place, the sky is the limit,” he says. “We’re excited to see how these tools allow even more people to connect with the Rebbe’s Torah.”
At Sichos in English, Rabbi Shmuly Avtzon, too, was hard at work trying to overcome AI’s inherent tendency to make things up. He assembled a team of AI developers, mashpi’im, and shluchim who are constantly immersed in learning Chassidus, who now spend untold hours reviewing the model’s output and educating it.
“You have to make sure it fully understands the maamer, the context, and the nuances,” he says. “For instance, the same word can mean entirely different things depending on which Rebbe employed it, whether it’s a maamer or a sicha, and so on.”
Hard work pays off. Sichos in English—which has, since the AI + Chassidus Conference, partnered with a growing number of organizations and individuals—now expects their initial model to be ready for launch in early 5786. For now, those following the space like Rabbi Abraham are hopeful that this platform, and other applications like it, will make both teaching and learning Chassidus dramatically more accessible.
“Right now, to build a
deep understanding of many concepts in Chassidus, many people are simply learning through ten maamarim without understanding, until, in the eleventh maamer, they’re able to understand,” Rabbi Abraham says. AI may be able to give them context from the start. “Because AI can digest the entire library of Chassidus, it can give you the context that enables you to understand more.”
But is easier always better? Some fear that easier access to knowledge will facilitate a more shallow understanding. But that fear was true of indexes and encyclopedias, too.
Speaking at Rabbi Abraham’s Chassidus + AI Conference, Rabbi Simon Jacobson addressed the issue: “The Rebbe himself was a pioneer in indexing; he indexed
Tanya, Likutei Torah, and Torah Ohr. And he addressed the concern people had about indexing and encyclopedias: ‘People say, if you have an index, it takes away the effort and replaces the experience of simply sitting down and learning a sefer.’ But the Rebbe told a story: The Alter Rebbe once wanted to give the Tzemach Tzedek a gift of Torah knowledge. The Tzemach Tzedek refused— he wanted to learn it by his own effort. But later, he expressed regret. ‘Torah is infinite, whatever knowledge I would have received as a gift, I could have used my effort to go higher still.’” The same is true, Rabbi Jacobson says, for AI. “This technology doesn’t replace our effort,” Rabbi Jacobson says. “It’s a tool that enables us to get to a certain point more quickly, so we can then reach higher horizons.”
Knesset member Galit DistelAtbaryan at the Rebbe's Ohel in New York before Gimmel Tammuz 5783
Teshuva Member
Knesset Member Galit Distel-Atbaryan explains why she turned down the role of Israeli Ambassador to Italy
By Hadas Tzuri - Kfar Chabad Magazine
""Every student in Israel will be able to put on tefillin with pride and dignity, both within the walls of the school and in public spaces."
This is a proposed law that was recently introduced in the Israeli Knesset, following several incidents in which faculty opposed Chabad’s Mitzvoim efforts to put on Tefillin with teens. The proposal will also include sanctions against teachers and principals who attempt to prevent students from fulfilling the mitzvah.
Interestingly, the person behind this legislation is a woman who has discovered the spark of Judaism within herself. That is Knesset Member Galit Distel-Atbaryan, 54, who is a member of the Likud party. She is the former Minister of Information (Hasbara), a TV presenter, and a writer. She is currently the chair of the Knesset Subcommittee on Jewish Thought in the Education System.
“It started with a very strong intuition I had about six months before the Simchas Torah massacre,” she says, referring to the tense debates in the Israeli society over the judicial reform that was quickly overshadowed by the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
“I have no way to explain it except to say that I had this creeping feeling that we were heading into a difficult time,” she explains. “The trigger wasn’t the massacre itself but rather the internal wars within the Jewish people: the constant divisions between different segments of society and the painful feeling that came from it—it felt to me like a Golden Calf moment, something biblical unfolding before our eyes.
“That’s what pushed me to stop settling for the traditional Jewish education I had grown up with and start digging deeper. Later, once
I began studying, I discovered that Hashem grants every person the kindness of free will—the opportunity to choose the right direction. Each person sees clear crossroads in life where they can enter a spiritual world, and often we miss them. But in this case, I felt the call—and I took the turn.”
What did that look like in practice?
“I started looking for Torah lectures by rabbis on different online platforms,” she explains. “Something inside me was calling, and I began listening to the words of Torah and I was astonished.”
Astonished by what?
“By the depth of Judaism—and the fact that I had only discovered it as an adult. It pains me deeply that so many of Israel’s children are never exposed to the profound ideas of Jewish philosophy. If you're lucky, you study Tanach, but Jewish thought isn’t taught. I was so thirsty. I also discovered the mystical dimension of Torah—a wisdom I had never known even existed—and I began buying numerous holy books. At a certain point, I came across the Tanya with Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary. I opened that book and thought to myself: It can’t be that this is accessible, that we’re allowed and even encouraged to study these things, and that this knowledge exists!
“I also began trying to understand the concept of a tzaddik, and I came to realize we’re talking about figures on spiritual heights that ordinary people can’t reach. I began to understand what I am made of, the spiritual layers within me, and that being a beinoni—an 'intermediate person'—isn’t a fallback or some lesser status, but rather exactly who we are meant to be. And that the mission of the beinoni is the most important task in the world of
action.
“Above all, I understood that Judaism doesn’t want us to escape into spiritual realms or asceticism— it wants us to live, to rejoice, to eat and drink, but to learn how to live correctly in the physical world. Hashem didn’t create a body for nothing, nor did He create the soul and spirit for nothing. In the end, it all must become one whole. I felt that a window had opened for me, answering all the questions I had—questions which, in academia, people dismissed as primitive ignorance just for asking.”
But you grew up in a traditional, believing home.
“True. My parents immigrated from Iran and are very traditional and devout. But I created a separation: I always believed in Hashem, but I viewed Judaism as just a culture. I didn’t think Hashem cared what I ate or what I did on Shabbos. I kept kosher because I’m Jewish, because that’s what my parents do, and because you’re supposed to preserve tradition—but not because I thought it truly mattered to Hashem.
“After I studied Tanya, I came to understand the significance of daily actions. I realized the Torah contains immense depths that have been reduced to superficial interpretations.
“Another thing that shook me was realizing that those who claim that believers keep us ‘stuck in the past’ are actually the ones holding us back. Someone with spiritual depth is not ignorant or lacking—on the contrary, they are rich and whole. I understood that Jewish spirituality and inner depth are actually everything. A person disconnected from that is missing the most profound and accurate perspective on reality. My entire worldview changed.”
Separation in the Kitchen
Did you start observing more mitzvos at this stage?
“Early on, I decided to start keeping a separation between meat and dairy. I grew up in a traditional home, so I never mixed meat and milk, but I began to strictly wait six hours between eating meat and dairy—because the connection between the physical and the spiritual became very clear to me.
“Then I began reciting the Birchos Hashachar, which is truly the most wonderful way to begin the day. After that, I added Shema Yisrael and a few verses of Tehillim,” she says with a smile.
“Then I started thinking—what about Shabbos? For someone in a position like mine in the Knesset, it’s very difficult. I worked on Shabbos, though I never did so happily. Before entering politics, when I had my own businesses, I didn’t work on Shabbos. But once I joined the Knesset, I told myself I was on a mission for the people of Israel, and that it was important enough to justify it.”
And then you began refusing TV interviews scheduled for Shabbos…
“When people started asking why I wasn’t showing up, it took me some time to gather the courage to say, ‘I’ve started keeping Shabbos.’ Even now, I’m careful not to make it into something showy or selfrighteous. It’s so delicate, important, and sacred to me that I try to strike a balance between not making headlines about it and not being ashamed of it either—two sides of the same coin.
And how did that shape your Shabbos?
Knesset member Galit Distel-Atbaryan with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Galit Distel-Atbaryan at the Knesset with Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee
Knesset member Galit Distel-Atbaryan stands strong during a protest
Knesset member
Galit Distel-Atbaryan at Kever Rochel
Knesset member
Galit Distel-Atbaryan working in her office in Yerushalayim
“I bought a water urn, a Shabbos hot plate, and a timer. Every Shabbos, I make a great effort to say the entire Tehillim or Sefer Devarim. I wake up in the morning and daven the full Shacharis of Shabbos. I don’t go to shul because I still don’t have the courage—I don’t know why,” she admits, “but I sit by the window at home, with my coffee, recite Tehillim, and daven.”
Your husband is a former yeshiva student. How has he responded to these changes?
“He’s wonderful! Although he now considers himself not religious, every Friday—after I’ve finished cooking and the hot plate is ready and the kids are about to arrive—he sets up the candles, fills the urn with water, sets the Shabbos timers on the air conditioners just the way I like them, and even makes Kiddush in the Ashkenazi pronunciation of a yeshiva bochur.”
You have a grown son and daughter. How did they react?
and suggested that I write a letter to the Rebbe. I prepared myself properly, placed the letter in Volume 14 of the Rebbe’s Igros Kodesh, and my jaw dropped.
“The Rebbe gave an answer that was completely clear—it was obvious to me that it wasn’t random. The Rebbe has a wondrous, inexplicable presence. Today, the Tanya, the Alter Rebbe, and the Rebbe—that’s the essence of Judaism in my eyes.
“My awareness that Hashem is guiding us became much stronger (since October 7). I’m not the type of person who says, ‘How can Hashem be indifferent to our pain if He loves us so much?’ I understand that I don’t understand—that there’s a higher divine calculus we have no access to. Hashem was very serious with us when He made the covenant. He fulfills His side and expects us to fulfill ours.
“In my eyes, one of the most important things is not to speak in His name or pretend to understand Him. None of us understands heavenly matters.
Knesset member
Galit Distel-Atbaryan shakes the lulav and esrog on Sukkos at the Kosel 5784
“They grew up with a mother who believed deeply. I’ve always had a strong emotional connection to Judaism, and they really love that. My daughter, who recently got married, has taken on observing the Jewish laws of the home because of the change in me. You have to understand—this is a girl who studied at a secular high school in Tel Aviv, served in the army, and was raised in the secular left—but now she’s very strict and has even stopped using her phone on Shabbos.”
What happened to you after October 7?
“Let me tell you an amazing moment I experienced years ago. A Chabad friend invited me to her home for my 30th birthday
“For quite some time now, I’ve felt that Hashem’s presence in our world is stronger, less hidden. Even in my personal story, I feel His guidance at every step. I’m in constant dialogue with Hashem and always trying to arrive at new insights. On a national level, it became very clear to me after the massacre that this is connected to our Judaism and our relationship with Hashem.”
The Jewish Mission
“Following my exposure to the depth of Torah,” she says, “I decided that for as long as I’m in politics, I will do everything I can to bring children and parents closer to the Judaism I myself only discovered later in life.”
You were offered the role of Israeli
ambassador to Italy.
“I declined it and instead requested to head the Subcommittee on Jewish Thought in Israel’s public school system and dedicate myself to strengthening Jewish education.”
What does this committee do?
“This committee is uncovering extremely troubling material. I believe in the power of public influence. If the government senses that the people who elect it time and again are dissatisfied with the way it’s handling the education system, it will change course.
“In my view, reforming the education system is perhaps the most important thing. So instead of being in Italy enjoying weekends, I’m poring over material from the Ministry of Education, checking what Israeli students are currently being taught.”
And what did you discover?
“I discovered that the school system barely teaches any Tanach, and the children know nothing about Judaism! They’re being exposed to distorted and horrific content that penetrates their impressionable souls. Day after day, our identity is being stripped away.
“A Jew living in Israel who doesn’t know anything about his heritage can’t answer basic questions like: Why are you here? What are your roots? Why aren’t you living in some other country?”
How do you explain the massive spiritual awakening we’ve been seeing in Israel since Simchas Torah?
“That’s the Jewish people. I think HaKadosh Baruch Hu is reaffirming again and again: ‘I chose the right nation.’
“Think about it: exiled, persecuted, burned, murdered, scattered. Any other nation would have assimilated long ago— but we did the opposite. Just look at this spiritual awakening, specifically after that horrific massacre! That’s the bond between us and G-d. Even talking about it gives me goosebumps.”
ps.”
Yossi Gopin stands in front of KC Market in the Hallandale Oasis in Hallandale, Florida, in July 2025
By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
A Market of Own His
Yossi Gopin was born in Crown Heights and is flourishing in South Florida
Chabad of South Broward
It is 10:26 on a summer Thursday morning, and the men gathered at Chabad of South Broward in Hallandale Beach, Florida, have just begun a deliberately unhurried version of “Sheyiboneh Beis Hamikdash.” While they sing to start Shacharis, others in the room are well past it and already engaged in other activities. Some are learning in chavrusa in the back, another two are chatting on the side, and one is busy with a work call.
This minyan is one of the four held on a typical morning here. Evidence of prior foot traffic is visible in the empty trays of scrambled eggs, salad, and bagels served here. Early daveners get first access to Heaven and the breakfast spread. The latecomers need to encounter two litvish meshulachim standing guard at the entrance. Giving one a $5 bill for tzedakah prompts the second to pipe up with an Israeli accent, “I’m collecting too! Can you swipe?”
Outside, East Hallandale Beach Blvd is humming with cars. Strachan, an African American security guard with patches of Magen Dovid and the Moshiach flag, is watching them and those coming into the Chabad property. Wiping away a sweat on this sunny and muggy morning, he says that since the Israel-Iran War, police have had a vehicle stationed outside Chabad at different times.
South Florida is no longer the sleepy
A depiction of the soon to be completed Hallandale Oasis towers near Chabad of South Broward in Hallandale, Florida
destination of wealthy and elderly Jewish retirees who once filled Chabad in Hallandale, led by Rabbi Rephael and Goldie Tennenhaus.
A few hundred families, mostly young with children, are now part of this growing community that also includes HCS-Chabad and Chabad of Walnut Creek.
Just like the Catskills was flipped from a secular vacation spot to a year-round frum base, Florida
has undergone a dramatic transformation. Shuls, schools, restaurants, supermarkets, and straight-branched menorahs dot the map.
One person who personifies this growth – and has successfully capitalized on it – is Yossi Gopin, owner of the KC Market chain of kosher supermarkets. Sitting at a dine-in table in his Hallandale store across the street from Chabad, he
had already davened, completed learning the daily Chitas, and joined Rabbi Tennenhaus’ 7:45 AM Zoom class on Ayin Beis.
A KC employee stops by our table.
“Good morning, Yossi,” he says. “The usual?”
Yes, please, Gopin replies. He might be the boss, yet he speaks softly and projects a shy smile in his interactions.
“And coffee too.”
FL vs. NY
“Chabad is not just Crown Heights anymore,” says Gopin, 45. “I see Florida being a similar size to New York – not in a year or two, but in 10-20 years. We are the largest frum community outside New York, and I think it will only grow. COVID accelerated the process, but I always believed it would happen. It makes sense.”
Gopin should know about life in New York, having been born and raised there. He learned in Oholei Torah, went to the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, and then went on a Shlichus year in Sydney, Australia. While there, he received smicha from Rabbi Boruch Lesches and
Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick. He later ran youth programs at the Southhead Synagogue in Sydney and Chabad of Great Neck in New York.
After his marriage to his wife Rochel Leah (nee Rodman), the couple moved to Florida. “I always knew I wouldn’t stay in Brooklyn,” he admits. “I was just in New York, and every minute of the day was overstimulating. Half my day was spent in a car, between meetings in Williamsburg and Monsey, gridlock traffic getting in and out of the city, and searching for parking in Crown Heights.”
The Gopins moved to Walnut Creek, a gated community near Hallandale, and raised their five children. “Today, you can buy a decent-sized house here with 4-5 bedrooms for $700,000,”
he states. “The same house in New York would start from $1.5 million. Here, you don’t have State Taxes, and the Step-Up program gives approximately $7,000 per child in school funding. That’s a big help for a family with a few kids.”
“Around 10 years ago, Lubavitchers started showing up,” he says. “Everyone is spread out like pockets so you wouldn’t think about it or see these numbers on the street, like in Brooklyn. There are around 1,500 Chabad families in the area.”
As he speaks, heavy rain can be seen and heard through the tall glass windows of his store. They bring him breakfast: a humble plate of eggs, hashbrowns, and Israeli salad. There are plenty of other options for him to choose from, but he likes things simple—and, if possible, healthy, too.
Yossi Gopin (holding the scissors) with local Shluchim at the ribbon cutting of KC Market - Hallandale, on December 11, 2024
“If something works, why change it?” he says, not only referring to his meal choices.
Welcoming in ‘Competitors’
When he first moved to the Sunshine State, Gopin invested in selling produce wholesale. Then, a retail farmer’s market sold its property to a developer, and Gopin rented that space until it was sold. He kept his eye open for another opportunity. That came when Ilana’s grocery store in Hollywood closed due to Kashrus concerns.
“I knew about it but didn’t think of it as an option,” Gopin says. “It was rundown and vacant
for a year. A friend brought it to my attention and I invested in it, giving it a facelift in 2010.” It was the first KC Market (KC standing for Kosher Central). It sold produce, groceries, fresh fish and meat, dairy, frozen items, chocolate, and candy. It was pretty much what you would expect from a grocery or supermarket.
But Gopin, leaning into his trusting nature and easygoing demeanor, had another idea in mind.
Instead of establishing an inhouse operation to supply every department in his store, he chose to invite and welcome in niche competitors. He gave them space in his store to independently offer their unique products and even build a commissary kitchen in which they could all prepare
and package their items. These concession spots line the perimeter of each store.
At the Hallandale location, you'll find Mendel Rubashkin's sourdough bread, Ike’s Bagels with breakfast options, Shlomi's Hummus deli roll and Israeli dips, Mizrachi Pizza's pies and calzones, assorted fish from Roll Masters Sushi, Kosher Fish Market, sMoki Artisans Way, and the Estee Flower Boutique.
Eating his breakfast, Gopin explains: “Groceries isn’t what makes me unique, and I’m also not a restaurateur. And if I were micromanaging each part of my store, I don’t believe I could have scaled and grown to 3 large stores. If it’s outside my core, I’m adamant to give it to those who live and breathe what they are doing. They are passionate, and this great relationship works.”
KC Market on Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach, Florida
KC Market vendor Mendel Rubashkin of Artisan Loaf presents his sourdough bread
The results speak for themselves. By 2019, he expanded the original KC Market in Hollywood from 7,000 square feet to 11,000 square feet, taking over the next-door space (this branch has a Rita’s Italian Ices stand that is Cholov Yisroel). When a Publix supermarket in Boynton Beach went up for sale, Gopin bought it and opened the second KC Market for Pesach 2024.
His third and most recent opening was the Hallandale branch in September 2024. It came about at the suggestion of Italian-Venezuelan developer Giuseppe Iadisernia, who was building Oasis Hallandale, a large-scale, mixed-use luxury project consisting of two 25-story towers with residences, retail, and office space.
“He reached out to me,” Gopin recalls as he looks out onto one of those residential areas that have already been built. “He wanted to attract the Jewish clientele from South America and believed a kosher market would attract those consumers.” Indeed, it has, as both buildings were reportedly sold out before construction began on the second building.
With a patio separating the KC Market and the first residential building, Gopin can offer sit-down options for people to dine outside. Unlike his two previous stores, here he started from scratch. “The developer gave us a shell. It had windows and a roof – we created
everything inside,” he proudly says.
At the Shuk
As our conversation winds down, the Hallandale store begins to buzz with activity. Couples, children, singles, and visitors are walking up and down the aisles, picking out items based on shopping lists or just the appetizing looks. The goods keep piling up in the carts.
“Back in the day, people here would have to drive to Aventura to shop,” Gopin says. “Part of my calculation of justifying opening a store here was that there’s a Chabad community here—that and these new (luxury) buildings. We are also close to Sunny Isles, where there’s a Russian Jewish community. Further up, you have Golden Beach, Bal Harbour, and the north part of Aventura.”
He's now focusing on his online orders, promising to have them delivered within 5 hours in the Tri-County area, the most populous region in Florida. That includes Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, and those small, refrigerated KC Market trucks can often be seen on I-95.
Despite running this large operation, Gopin remains downto-earth. Asked about his success, he says: “It’s the result of a lot of learning and mistakes. I’m still learning every day. I learned not to harp on things – just let it go, keep moving, and stay positive. By nature, I dreamed big and went after it, but I didn’t allow the hardships to get to me. And I did it consistently.”
Does this mean he’s already thinking of opening a fourth branch? Gopin says that besides focusing on online sales, he is working with vendors to add more concessions to his stores. He’s considering a salad bar, açaí bowls, and empanadas to break into Latin cuisine.
But if the option to open another branch comes up, he will surely be ready for it. “It took us a lot of time to figure it out,” he says about operating a food business. “Because of all the groundwork, it is now easier to replicate. Kosher customers today are a lot more sophisticated compared to the past. They want high-quality and artisan food, and we are providing that.”
For example, he points to the extensive wine selection at the front of the store. There are bottles of various quality lining the metal racks, and there are sales for specific labels. Then, a door leads into a walk-in wine fridge where bottles begin at $120. “There’s a clientele for that, too,” Gopin says. “In the winter, we have visitors who want something really special for Shabbos and go straight there.”
into bot clie “In who for Bef up t an e bre nee
Before leaving, Gopin walked up to the checkout line, holding an empty take-out tray of his breakfast and his cup of coffee. “I need to pay for this,” he explains.
“It might be going from one pocket to another, but we need to keep track of everything. Plus, the vendors need to get paid, too.”
We then head to the front entrance, passing by the bakery section at the entrance, where customers survey an array of challahs and Israeli-style pastries. Little white fans spin on the display counter, a familiar technique in Florida to ward off flies from the food.
We step outside, and the rain has vanished, leaving behind sunshine and thick humidity.
“Summer is a little hot, but winters are nice,” Gopin says. “We have tropical summers in South Florida. The rain comes and goes quickly, but when it comes, it can be strong.”
“EXCUSE ME!” we hear a voice shouting at us.
“Would you be able to bring me a cart?” says an elderly woman who just pulled into the parking lot in a black Hyundai. I have difficulty walking.”
Gopin rushes over with a cart branded with the green logo of KC Market.
“Thank you,” she says, and explains that she is from North Miami Beach and had a doctor’s appointment in Hallandale.
“I figured I’ll already shop for Shabbos here. My son is coming from Jerusalem, and I would like to buy him a nice babka.”
I turn to Gopin, wondering if we aren’t in the Boca Raton of yesteryear after all. But he’s already off. The Shabbos rush has officially begun at Shuk D’America, as the slogan of the KC Market goes, and he oversees three supermarkets. So far.
Yossi Gopin stands in the bakery section of KC Market in Hallandale
Produce at KC Market in Hallandale
The deli counter at KC Market in Hallandale
NEW TO THE BALLOT
First-time voters from Crown Heights speak their mind
In just a few short years, Crown Heights has undergone a dramatic transformation in civic engagement. A recent voter registration campaign spearheaded by COLlive and the Jewish Future Alliance (JFA) helped propel a rising wave of participation to recordbreaking levels at the polls.
The results are striking. In the 2024 presidential election, 5,783 members of the Anash community cast ballots, including 1,200 first-time voters—a 30% increase from 2020. The June 2025 mayoral primary told a similar story, with 3,322 Anash voters turning out—23% more than in 2021, and
an astonishing 593% increase compared to just over a decade ago in 2013.
But these figures represent more than statistics. Many who once felt their individual vote carried little weight are now showing up in force, determined to make their voices heard. As the community looks ahead to the upcoming mayoral election on November 4, 2025, COLlive spoke with five newly registered voters to hear what inspired them to finally take this step: Yossi Farro, Chani Katzman, Shmuel Greisman, Sara Blau, and Sarale Gershowitz.
YOSSI FARRO
I grew up in Crown Heights, and it’s always felt like home to me. What I love most is the energy—the vibe of the neighborhood, the people, the community. It feels like a shtetl, a real Jewish community.
Favorite block:
President Street (and of course 770)
Favorite Restaurant: House of Glatt
A big part of my life has been putting tefillin on Jews. It started after my Bar Mitzvah in Oholei Torah, continued in Israel, LA, and Miami. In LA, I wrapped tefillin with some celebrities, and that really took off—it gave me the push to keep going with it everywhere I went.
Politically, the moment that left the strongest mark on me was the Trump elections. Seeing him win in 2016 as the underdog was incredible, and then again in 2024. I was actually there—on election night in Palm Beach, and later at the inauguration in DC, just thirty feet away from him. To witness those historic moments up close made a huge impact.
When I think about New York today, Jewish education is one of the most pressing issues. On a city level, though, I’d point to the subway—it could be cleaner, safer, and have better Wi-Fi. Sometimes I don’t feel safe there, and I think a lot of it ties back to mental health. The same goes for certain streets in the city. People need real help, and until they get it, parts of New York will keep feeling unsafe.
Recently, I registered to vote for the first time. I hadn’t done it earlier because I thought the city was fine and didn’t really need change. But this time, I realized it does matter. The JFA awareness push motivated me. What it came down to was simple: we have to defeat Mamdani. I’m worried that if he wins, the city could take a radical turn, becoming more socialist, maybe even a place where extremist rallies get out of hand. If that happens, I’d probably spend less time here—not because I don’t feel safe, but because the vibe of the city and neighborhood could change completely.
My message to Crown Heights is: don’t get caught up in the negativity. Stay strong. Moshiach now.
CHANI KATZMAN
Favorite block: Brower Park
Favorite Restaurant: Joseph’s Dream
Burger
I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, where my parents were sent in 1986 as the Rebbe’s Shluchim to strengthen and build the Jewish community. With no Jewish schooling available there, I came to Crown Heights at twelve. For many years, I felt like an outsider, but at a certain point I made a conscious decision to embrace Crown Heights as my home. The hospitality is amazing in this neighborhood and I have made so many close friendships over the years. Today, I'm a Financial Professional at Forest Hills Financial Group. My team and I help individuals and business owners live a life by design, not by default. I also sell life and disability insurance. I saw a big gap in financial understanding, both for myself and for the people around me. Money is a confusing and often intimidating subject, and my goal is to break down those barriers so people can make clear, confident decisions and grow.
I vividly remember Barack Obama’s first election win. I was in high school, listening to his acceptance speech on the radio with my cousin. We were sixteen or seventeen, too young to vote, but we felt like, “This is crazy—the world is changing.”
I used to think that staying registered in Nebraska gave my vote more weight. But recently I registered here in Crown Heights. I realized: this is where I live, this is my community, and if I want to make an impact, it has to start here. In finance, we always talk about focusing on what you can control—not chasing the highest returns, but consistently putting money away. Politics is the same. Talking about what’s wrong doesn’t change anything. You have to take small, consistent actions if you want to see results.
That’s why local elections matter so much. The real
changes that affect our daily lives come from local elections. Many people here don’t want to register as Democrats because they don’t align with the whole platform. But the reality is, you’ll never fully agree with any party. The real question is: where can you make a difference? That’s where you need to show up.
If I had to name the most pressing issue facing New York today, I’d say infrastructure. We’ve seen flooding, and in the summer some neighborhoods constantly deal with power outages. In Crown Heights specifically, the greatest challenge is financial stress. Housing, tuition, and daily expenses are crushingly high. Families need more support, whether through vouchers for yeshivas or other measures that can make life here more affordable.
Do I feel safe here? In Crown Heights, relatively, yes. We have Shomrim, strong community networks, and cooperation with the NYPD. But as a Jew in America, I can’t say I feel entirely safe. History has shown us too often that safety can disappear quickly. That hasn’t changed.
As for the upcoming mayoral race—I am concerned. Not because of any one candidate, but because of the rhetoric. Anti-Jewish sentiment is becoming normalized, and that’s frightening, especially when the world already feels so unstable. Still, I wouldn’t leave New York over it. If I ever moved, it would be toward a dream or an opportunity to make a positive difference, not to escape.
My message to Crown Heights is simple: focus on the choices you can control. Small, intentional actions make a bigger impact than you realize.
TE
VO SHMUEL GREISMAN
I was born and bred right here in Crown Heights. I went through the local yeshivas, spent time in Brunoy, Israel, and on shlichus in Toronto, but I always came back. Now I’m raising my family here, and I run a business that sells bathroom fixtures. Crown Heights has always been home.
What I love about this neighborhood is the energy. I’m a city guy—I get my strength from the movement, the crowds, the noise, the vibe you can only get in New York. There’s nothing like walking down Kingston on a Friday afternoon and feeling the rush of people, the life in the streets. That’s Crown Heights to me. And in my frum life, it’s the convenience of kosher restaurants, schools, family nearby, and a community that shares my values. To me, it’s a dream. I might enjoy visiting quiet, suburban places once in a while, but I could never live there. I’d go crazy. I need New York, and I need Crown Heights.
Growing up, voting was never something I imagined myself doing. I’m number ten out of eleven children, and I remember my parents and older siblings voting, but it wasn’t something we talked about. It didn’t feel important. I used to think—why bother? Your vote doesn’t count in New York, especially in presidential elections. That mindset stayed with me for years.
know this—they’re organized, their schools teach it, they show up and vote. We need to be the same way. That’s why I finally registered to vote here in Crown Heights.
When I think about New York, I don’t believe there’s one single issue—it depends who you ask.
But now, things are different. I just had my third child, and I’ve started thinking more about the bigger picture. Through the Jewish Future Alliance campaign, I’ve learned how much local elections actually matter. They can swing things. They affect our day-to-day lives in real ways. And beyond the results, even showing up makes a difference. A strong turnout sends a message. Other communities
New York is a collection of micro-communities, each with its own priorities. But for young families like mine, the real issues are housing and tuition. Those are the two biggest challenges. And people are leaving Crown Heights because they just can’t afford to raise families here. To me, the most important challenge is finding a way to make it sustainable for young families to stay and thrive. Do I feel safe as a Jew in America? Day to day, I live in a bubble so I don’t experience antisemitism personally in Crown Heights. But I’ve seen enough in the news, on social media, and from my time in yeshiva in Europe to know it’s real. I was spat on and chased there—it was constant. Here, I don’t face it directly, but I’m aware it’s out there. I’m always conscious, always looking over my shoulder when I’m outside my comfort zone. And now we’re heading into a mayoral race that’s deeply concerning. From what I’ve seen, one of the leading candidates embraces people who are openly antisemitic, spreads rhetoric that fuels division, and pushes socialist policies I can’t agree with. From start to finish, I disagree with his positions. As a Jew, and as a New Yorker, I believe it could be a disaster for this city—financially, economically, and in terms of quality of life.
Would I leave New York if he wins? No. New Yorkers don’t give up so easily. And the Rebbe taught us: we don’t run away.
My message to Crown Heights is this: don’t let fear define us. One election, one candidate—it’s not the end of the story. This city is still great, and our community is still strong.
Favorite block: Crown and Kingston on a Friday afternoon
Favorite Restaurant: Bou’ote
Favorite block: Lubavitcher Rebbe Way on President Street
Favorite Restaurant: Anything on Uber Eats!
OTE SARA BLAU
I was born and raised right here in Crown Heights. I grew up in what is dubbed “Kahn Tzivah” on Crown and Albany, and I still live here today. I feel lucky to have grown up in this neighborhood and to now be raising my family here.
What I love about Crown Heights is that we are literally Grand Central Station. We’re the headquarters of Chabad, the host of 770, the JCM, and endless events from Tishrei to CTeen to the Kinus. The hustle and bustle here is nonstop. I love being in the engine room, where everything is happening, where the pulse of Chabad beats the strongest. And the people—generous, giving, always showing up, and passionate about supporting the Rebbe’s work worldwide. That’s what makes this neighborhood so special.
values is always at the forefront of my mind. Our yeshivas must be allowed to teach the way the Rebbe intended, without government interference. The state should not dictate what our children learn. For me, the fight for chinuch, for authentic yeshiva education, is the number one issue facing Crown Heights.
The truth is that as a child, I had no idea that local elections even existed. What I did know a lot about were presidential elections—Bais Rivka did a great job of making those come alive for us. Even in third grade, we had posters and debates in class. I remember learning about Al Gore, Bob Dole, Bill Clinton—those names were familiar to me because they were constantly part of what we studied and talked about in school. But local elections? City council? Mayor? That wasn’t on my radar at all. I remember Giuliani, but not the race that got him elected.
This year, for the first time ever, I registered to vote. For a long time, I never thought my vote made a difference. But I was struck by how much the Rebbe himself emphasized it. In Mem Aleph, the Rebbe said that everyone who can vote should go vote “Lehafgin Es Koach HaYehudi.” The awareness campaign reminded me of that, and it pushed me to act.
As a mother of four boys in Oholei Torah, the freedom to educate our children according to our
As a New Yorker, I believe the most pressing issue facing our city today is housing. Affordable housing is becoming increasingly out of reach—people are leaving because they simply can't afford to live here anymore. Infrastructure and safety are also serious ticket items. Every time it rains, I worry about flooding in my basement. But overall, housing remains the most urgent challenge.
Antisemitism has gotten worse, and yes, it’s concerning. But I don’t feel unsafe. I still believe we are living in “Kan Tzivah Hashem Es Habracha.” I don’t like fearmongering or scaring people. I do want elected officials and police to protect us, and I have to say, the NYPD has been very supportive. When it comes to the upcoming mayoral race, I am concerned. What I read about some of the candidates, and the general antisemitic, anti-Israel rhetoric in politics, is unsettling. But I also know that my role is to do my part—vote, speak up—and then trust in Hashem. The results are in His hands.
Leaving Crown Heights is not an option. That’s not the Rebbe’s approach. This is the Rebbe’s community. We’ve had challenges before, and we’ve thrived through them. We will continue to thrive until the coming of Moshiach.
My message to Crown Heights is this: we live in a holy, special community. It’s a privilege to be here. We should feel empowered and continue to do amazing things together, culminating with our ultimate project of Geula.
VOTE SARALE GERSHOWITZ
I grew up in a small suburb of Minnesota and moved to Crown Heights about 15 years ago. Originally, I came here to date and get married, but I always dreamed of living here and starting my own business. After trying different opportunities, I opened Sarale wigs, which is the business I run today.
My parents were immigrants from Russia. They escaped communism with little more than the clothes on their backs, after years of persecution for being Jewish. My father was expelled from a prestigious university simply because he was Jewish, and he often told me that in Russia survival meant being prepared to fight first. My parents carried that toughness with them, but also a deep sense of gratitude for America. They believed strongly in the American Dream and the opportunities this country gave them.
Voting was always important in my family. Every election, my parents would get a babysitter and go to the polls—it was an event. They listened to the news constantly, following politics, always reminding us how fortunate we were to live in a place where our voices could matter. That shaped me. Still, I never felt the urgency to vote myself. I lived in Crown Heights but thought of myself as an “out-of-towner,” not fully part of the system here. I didn’t feel threatened or concerned, so I never bothered to register.
This year, that changed. The mayoral race pushed me to act. Even when Mamdani was polling low, I felt uneasy. The fact that he was even on the ticket was alarming. I realized that if I want Crown Heights and New York to thrive, I can’t stay on the sidelines.
My biggest concern for New York is safety. The city feels unstable, as if anything could happen
Favorite block: Empire and Albany
Favorite Restaurant: Alma Cafe
at any time. The police seem unable to keep a firm handle on rioters, criminals, and violent people. Weak policies tie their hands, and that only emboldens those looking to cause harm. In Crown Heights, the issue is sharper: it’s antisemitism. I often feel like our community, one square mile packed with Jews, is vulnerable. What I love about Crown Heights, though, is the energy—the vibrancy. This neighborhood is full of life. People help each other, even when they themselves are struggling. There are so many programs and resources, and every holiday and simcha fills the streets with joy. That spirit of “you’re not alone” is something you don’t find everywhere. It’s what makes this place special.
But when I think about the future, I have to be realistic. If Mamdani wins, my husband and I would seriously consider leaving. We’ve already looked into options. His record, his ties to Students for Justice in Palestine, his rhetoric— none of it gives me confidence. And beyond the antisemitism, his political ideology worries me. Socialism, Marxism, higher taxes—it all trickles down. People think taxing the wealthy won’t touch the rest of us, but it does. If someone with money tightens their wallet, they hire fewer people, they buy less, they invest less. Small businesses like mine feel it first.
This is a storm we’ll have to weather, but it’s one we can face together. What matters now is that everyone register, and not just register, but get every friend, neighbor, and family member to do the same. And then actually show up to vote. Get a babysitter, make the time—don’t make excuses. Crown Heights is my home, and I believe in this community. Together, we can make sure it stays strong.
By Mendel Levin
UNCOVERING a lost story
Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie’s book Undaunted is finally revealing the depth of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s accomplishments
It was 9 a.m. on June 7, 1927. Pyotr Voykov, the Soviet ambassador to Poland, paced the main train station in Warsaw, awaiting the arrival of Arkady Rosengolts, the recently expelled Soviet ambassador to the United Kingdom. Rosengolts had been forced out after British police raided the London headquarters of the Soviet trade delegation, and accused him of involvement in an espionage ring.
When Rosengolts arrived, the two men shared a coffee before Voykov accompanied him back to the train for the next leg of his journey to Moscow. Suddenly, gunshots rang out. A man leapt forward, shouting, “Die for Russia!” and fired several more rounds at Voykov. He died later that day in a Warsaw hospital.
The shooter was Boris Kowerda, a Jewish Russian who described himself as a constitutional
monarchist, advocating for Russia to be ruled by a czar under a constitutional system. He had targeted Voykov as a symbol of the Soviet regime, which he blamed for the deaths of millions, and especially as one of the officials directly involved in the execution of Tsar Nicholas II, Russia’s last czar, and his family.
The incident, and the ensuing crackdown on political dissent in the USSR by the ruthless dictator
In St. Petersburg, Russia
Joseph Stalin, is well documented. What is far less known is that this very event directly set in motion the arrest, in the Soviet Union, of the Frierdiker Rebbe, the sixth Chabad Rebbe, and his sentencing to death.
The Frierdiker Rebbe had long been a target of the Yevsektsiya, the Jewish division of the Communist Party, which was bent on eradicating traditional Jewish life and observance. In 1926, he became their chief adversary when he effectively derailed a proposed rabbinical conference in Leningrad that would have placed Jewish communal leadership under the sway of the Jewish communists. Enraged, the Yevsektsiya redoubled their efforts to have him arrested, finally receiving the longsought approval during the 1927 crackdown.
“Every Lubavitcher knows about Yud Beis Tammuz and the general story of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s arrest and release. But how many can tell you these details?” asks Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie, Chabad shliach to Yorba Linda, California, and author of an upcoming book on the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life.
“Beyond these particular stories, I’ve always felt the Frierdiker Rebbe hasn’t been given his rightful place in history,” he continues. “Even within the Lubavitcher community, many are unfamiliar with the full scope of his life and the depth of his struggle against the Soviet regime. And outside of Chabad, his pivotal role in saving Yiddishkeit in Russia and replanting it in America is barely recognized.”
“Not only did the Frierdiker Rebbe save Soviet Jewry, but he reshaped Jewish life worldwide,” Rabbi Eliezrie stresses, his enthusiasm
unmistakable. “The networks of Jewish education and observance he built under Stalin’s nose became the foundation for change across the globe. Yet most people don’t even have the slightest inkling of this extraordinary story.”
It was this lack of recognition that inspired Rabbi Eliezrie, who also serves as Chabad’s representative to major Jewish organizations and is the author of the award-winning The Secret of Chabad, to write a full biography of the Frierdiker Rebbe. Undaunted, scheduled for publication by Maggid Press this November, is the result of five years of research and discovery.
A Providential Start
Even the way the project began is a story in itself. Rabbi Eliezrie had just finished shacharis at the annual Jewish Learning Institute’s National Jewish Retreat when renowned author Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson approached him.
“Dovid, someone has got to write a book on the Frierdiker Rebbe,” he said. “Why don’t you do it?”
“I completely agree,” Rabbi Eliezrie replied. “In fact, I already have a book outline.”
“So what’s stopping you from continuing?” Kalmenson asked.
Rabbi Eliezrie explained that a serious undertaking like this, hiring researchers and editors, traveling internationally, and dedicating hundreds of hours to writing, required substantial funding. He named the amount needed.
At that moment, a Lubavitcher sitting at the next table overheard the conversation and turned to
them. “That won’t be an issue,” he said.
“It felt like a direct sign from Heaven to move forward,” says Rabbi Eliezrie.
The real work then began. The starting point for tracing the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life and activities was the 17 published volumes of Igros Kodesh, his personal diaries, and foundational works of Chabad history such as Rabbi Berel Levine’s Toldos Chabad series, but those were only the beginning. Rabbi Eliezrie pored over thousands of documents, including 1,400 pages of JEM interview transcripts with those who shared personal memories, unpublished letters from the Frierdiker Rebbe, and the extensive correspondence of his secretary, Rabbi Yechezkel (Chatche) Feigin. A dedicated team of researchers also combed through vast archives, including the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) archives and the even larger Russian State Archives, mining for every possible detail. He also worked to retrieve contemporary newspaper articles that recorded the events as they unfolded.
One major challenge was the lack of living individuals who had seen the Frierdiker Rebbe firsthand, forcing reliance solely on documents and historical records.
Additionally, much material, such as the Frierdiker Rebbe’s top-secret communications about underground yeshiva networks in the USSR, has been lost to time. Still, what remained was a remarkable wealth of resources. Besides these sources which directly dealt with the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life, Rabbi Eliezrie also spent many hours researching historical people and events that help put these events in wider
geopolitical and historical context. These include other Jewish sources and even works on communism or the lives of the leaders of the Soviet Union.
But Rabbi Eliezrie didn’t stop at reading. He traveled to Russia himself, visiting the places where the Frierdiker Rebbe lived and led, to better understand the context and significance of each site. These included the town of Lubavitch (Lyubavichi), Moscow, and Leningrad (now S. Petersburg).
While in S. Petersburg, Rabbi Eliezrie even gained access to the infamous Shpalerka Prison, the very building where the Frierdiker Rebbe had been incarcerated, and which remains an active prison to this day.
“I had a tour guide for the day, and I asked her to take me to Shpalerka. She wasn’t exactly thrilled. I walked up to the small front office and said, ‘Listen, there was a rabbi arrested here in 1927. I want to see his cell.’ This poor tour guide was shaking because Shpalerka still holds political prisoners. I wasn’t too worried, though; I had my American passport,” he recalls with a smile.
A Story
As Rabbi Eliezrie continued to dig deeper, he uncovered layer after layer in a story that only grew more compelling with time, truly unique, and unparalleled even in the history of Chabad.
On the road entering to Lubavitch
Outside the Shul in Lubavitch
The kevarim of Rebbetzin Shterna, the Alter Rebbe's wife; Rebbetzin Sheina, the Mitteler Rebbe's wife; Rebbetzin, the Tzemach Tzedek's wife; and Shterna, a descendant of the Alter Rebbe
“Take, for example, the challenges faced by the Frierdiker Rebbe,” he says. “Every Rebbe faced challenges, but none were expelled from country to country the way he was. Our Rebbe also had struggles raising funds for Chabad activities, but that’s not the same as the Frierdiker Rebbe, who at times lacked even the means for basic household expenses or for essential medical needs.”
Then there’s the positive sidethe Frierdiker Rebbe’s singular approach to preserving and spreading Yiddishkeit, unmatched by any other figure of his generation.
“We see that in his decision to remain in Soviet Russia by choice, to help other Jews, even as most rabbonim left, and for good reason,” says Rabbi Eliezrie. “The Frierdiker Rebbe only left when there was no other option.”
In America, his approach was no different. “He didn’t build a fortress to protect only his chassidim. He was concerned with the survival of the entire Jewish people. That was the beginning of the same vision the Rebbe later expanded.”
It was a nuanced outlook: firm in principle, yet deeply attuned to the needs of every Jew, wherever they were holding. “One striking example,” Rabbi Eliezrie notes, “is how the Frierdiker Rebbe helped arrange for Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik to be appointed as rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University. He certainly didn’t want his own bochurim attending YU, but if YU existed, he believed it should be the best version of itself.”
Now, as the book is about to roll off the printing presses, Rabbi Eliezrie hopes the story of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life will
once again make a meaningful impact on the Jewish world. “Lubavitchers will appreciate discovering previously unknown details about the Frierdiker Rebbe’s remarkable life and extensive work. Those who are Chabad-adjacent, connected through a Chabad House or other means, will gain a deeper understanding of what drives the movement. Anyone with a passion for Jewish history will be fascinated by these powerful,
Another point he stresses is that in writing the book, he did not shy away from controversy or difficult topics. “There were conflicts in Poland, Shanghai, and America, and there were debates around Zionism and other issues. I didn’t censor any of it; I approached these honestly and explored them fully,” he says.
often untold chapters. And for academics, the book offers 1,645 endnotes over 120 pages. There is something here for every reader.”
One thing the book is not, Rabbi Eliezrie is careful to emphasize, is a treatment of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s Chassidus. “Examining the ma’amarim and teachings of the Frierdiker Rebbe is a subject unto itself. While we drew on them for historical context where relevant, a proper, in-depth exploration of his teachings rightly belongs in a book of its own,” he says.
“This was the same approach I took with The Secret of Chabad. I discussed the conflicts and challenges, not just the successes and hurrahs. That honesty is what led to the book being widely accepted across the Jewish world and ultimately honored with the National Jewish Book Award.”
Rabbi Eliezrie expects that this approach, delving deeply into the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life with respect and honesty, will make the book accessible and attractive to a broad audience, both Lubavitchers and others.
“In fact, I’ve already seen this begin to play out,” he notes. “Earlier this year, I gave the manuscript to Jonathan Sarna, Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, and asked him to review it. He sent back a long email with comments and some criticism, as well as a blurb for the cover. Then he told me, ‘Many people give me books to review, and I usually just glance at them. With this one, I felt it was so important that I had to invest the time to read the entire thing.’ And indeed, I could see that he made edits deep into the book.”
"I think the style is best captured by my editor, a Yeshiva University graduate, who told me, ‘This isn’t a hagiography, but it’s clearly written by a chossid.’”
Highlights from the Farbrengen of Chai Elul 5737 (1977)
After Mincha on the auspicious day of Chai Elul 5737 (1977), the Rebbe told his Chief of Staff Rabbi Mordechai Aizik Hodakov, that there would be a short farbrengen in honor of the birth dates of the Baal Shem Tov (5458) and the Alter Rebbe (5505).
At exactly 9:35, the Rebbe went downstairs and entered the main shul at 770 Eastern Parkway. The shul was already packed wall to wall with Chassidim and bochurim, including many guests who had arrived early to celebrate Tishrei with the Rebbe.
When the Rebbe changed a niggun
The farbrengen began with the Rebbe reciting a ma’amar, Vehaya Ki Savo, during which all those present stood on their feet as customary.
The Rebbe spoke about the 80th anniversary of the founding of Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim by the Rebbe Rashab on the 15th of Elul. The Rebbe called on bochurim to be especially diligent in Torah learning during the days leading up to Rosh Hashana.
The Rebbe also addressed the guests, including the women, encouraging them to set fixed times for Torah study. He praised those involved in hachnasas orchim, stressing that welcoming guests is a responsibility shared by all.
One attendee, Rabbi Lipa Brennan, recorded in his diary, “There was something unbelievable at this farbrengen.” The Rebbe began to sing himself "Tzama Lecha Nafshi" twice.
“The first time, [instead of singing the words “Uz’cha U’chvodecha” (your strength and your glory), as in the possuk,] he sang the words "Nafshi u’Chvodi" (My soul and my honor)… The second time, he sang it in the usual way. In all the years I’ve been by the Rebbe, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The Rebbe then asked that the crowd sing the niggunim Shalosh Tenuos, which was composed by the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid and the Alter Rebbe, and Avinu Malkeinu.
Each person present merited to receive from the Rebbe three U.S. dollar bills - one to give to tzedakah and two to keep for themselves.
Toward the end of the farbrengen, the Rebbe requested that the niggun "Lechatchila Ariber" be sung, followed by "Perazos Teishev Yerushalayim." In the middle of the singing, at 12:15 AM, the Rebbe stood up and went upstairs, thereby concluding the farbrengen.
Before leaving home, the Rebbe briefly stopped in his room and then exited 770 through the main entrance at 12:30 AM, while encouraging the singing by those standing around.
Chinuch atters
Ask the Mechanech
How can we encourage children to do teshuva without leaving them feeling demoralised or “not good enough? And what does Teshuva mean for children?
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
If you've ever played with a boomerang, you know it always returns to its point of origin. Launch it from a beautiful garden, and that's where you'll retrieve it. Throw it from a cluttered alley, and you'll catch it in that same uninviting space. This principle of return applies universally—and holds profound significance for teshuva, which literally means 'return.' Your starting point determines your ending point. When a child misbehaves and we focus primarily on their wrongdoing, we've positioned that failure as their starting point. Their teshuva journey will
Presented by Sarah Pinson and the Menachem Education Foundation (MEF)
inevitably return them to that same place of inadequacy and shame, which is hardly the foundation we want to build upon.
But what if we flipped this approach entirely? What if every teshuva conversation began with a reminder of who the child truly is; their inherent goodness, their divine spark, their genuine capacity for good? When children start their teshuva journey anchored in this truth, they return to that same empowering place.
New understanding builds upon existing knowledge and beliefs. When we want children to grow from their mistakes, their internal sense of self becomes the foundation for that growth. If they believe they are fundamentally flawed, that's the shaky ground on which they'll try to build change. But if they know they are inherently good, that solid foundation supports lasting transformation.
This means our work as parents and educators begins long before any misbehavior occurs. We must consistently help children recognize their own goodness through our words and responses. Our external speech becomes their internal voice. When children regularly hear that they are precious and loved— regardless of their actions—they begin to believe it.
We must go further, helping them see the tangible impact of their positive choices. Point out the joy their smile brings to others, the safe and orderly environment their cleaning creates,
and the connection their kind words foster. When we consistently highlight these moments, children begin to understand they have real power to bring light into their world and others. They start to see themselves not just as loved, but as agents of good who make a meaningful difference.
This foundation becomes especially crucial as children mature. Older children and teens develop a keen sense of justice and heightened sensitivity to authenticity. It's not uncommon to hear a teenager say they can't participate in a positive experience because it would be hypocritical, given their struggles with certain behaviors. This response reveals they've come to see themselves as aligned with their negative habits, viewing positive experiences as foreign to their identity. However, when we've helped them build a strong sense of their inherent goodness— their G-dliness—we can guide them to see the truth: they are naturally aligned with positive experiences, and their struggles are simply challenges that contradict their authentic selves.
Teshuva, then, becomes a return to one's true self, instead of a journey into shame. Like that boomerang thrown from a beautiful garden, when we launch our children's growth process from a place of inherent worth, that's exactly where they land—worthy, capable, and empowered to do better. This is the gift Hashem has given us: not a punishment system, but a restoration process that brings us home to who we really are.
Answer by Mrs. Chanie Feldman, Principal of the Girls Division of Cheder Chabad
Teaching Tip
by Mushkie Lipsker @evergrowingeducator
The First Week Matters
The start of the school year often brings butterflies to both students and teachers. There’s pressure to get routines in place, meet expectations, and begin covering the curriculum. And just as important is something less visible: setting the tone for a classroom where students feel seen, safe, and ready to learn.
Here are three things teachers can do on the first day of school. The order is intentional: by gradually encouraging students to share, it gives students a chance to feel comfortable about doing so.
1) Introduce yourself as a teacher.
Not just your name and subject, but who you are as a teacher and as a human! I like to show my students a photo of myself from that grade (my 5th-grade photo when teaching 5th grade). I’m showing them a piece of me that’s beyond the subject that I’ll be teaching them that year. It’s low pressure, gets a few laughs, and lets students begin to see you as a real person.
A simple way for students to get to know you is with a game of “Two
Truths and One Not” (I don’t like the name “Two Truths and a Lie”). You share three facts about yourself, one of which is made up, and students guess which is the false one. They hold up their fingers, 1, 2, or 3. This keeps everyone engaged and moving, while they learn about you.
2) Let your students introduce themselves to you.
Students also want to feel known. A good way to start is by offering a “get to know you” form that goes beyond favorite color or favorite food. Ask questions that show you care about who they are as people and learners. For example, What makes school feel fun? What makes it feel hard? What’s something you’re proud of? What’s a goal you have for yourself this year?
Let students know that their answers are private, and that you’ll use what they share to help make this year a good one. As you’re giving out the form and explaining it, you can even answer a few of the same questions yourself to show that this is a two-way relationship.
3) Help your students get to know each other.
Once students feel comfortable with you, the next step is helping them feel comfortable with each other. That sense of belonging and community doesn't happen by accident. In the first week, especially with new classmates or diverse groups, it’s important to keep it low-stakes and lowpressure.
Start with a simple, collaborative, non-academic group task like a STEM index card challenge. Give each group a 100-pack of cards, have them discuss and find commonalities—shallow like “we all have brown eyes" or deep like “we all enjoy teamwork." Set a 15-minute timer for as many ideas as possible, then collect the blank cards.
You can have students create a structure with index cards, scissors, or tape for flexibility, based on their age. You may give open-ended or directed instructions, like “create something related to Navi last year" or "build the tallest structure." This activity reveals group dynamics, such as leadership, adaptability, and responses to challenges.
These three activities don’t need to be done on day one. Keep this framework in mind for the first week and even the first month of the school year. Deepening these challenges (teacher to students, students to teacher, students to each other) helps the classroom community feel more connected.
Want a ready-to-go get-to-know-you form for your classroom? Download the “All About Me” plant, wallet, backpack or playlist at evergrowingeducator.com/resources
Mrs. Rochie Sandhaus, Principal of Beis Chaya Mushka in Crown Heights, presented at the 10Takes Program at the recent 10th Annual Kinus Mechanchos. Here, she highlights how each of the 10 Kochos Hanefesh are connected to a blessing in teaching.
Chochma is that flash of inspiration. I feel blessed that my mind is always on the search for a new idea waiting to be developed and implemented.
Bina is understanding. I am grateful to be part of the process in explaining new ideas to my students. The joy I have when I see the sparkle in my student’s eye as she understands a new concept.
Daas combines Chochma and Bina with Middos. I am inspired when I see my students using their superpowers to take what I've taught them and make real changes in their behavior. When I hear from a student that she didn’t go to college because of a Sicha we learned, or watch a student with ADHD successfully control her impulses off medication because she learned that her Yetzer Tov is stronger than any impulse, how can I not feel blessed?
Chessed – I feel blessed to be in this role where we can have such a strong impact through kindness. A smile, a kind word, and some positive feedback go a very long way. Gevurah – I am grateful for the standards and boundaries I am held to because of my role in Chinuch, both in Yiras Shamayim and in Middos.
Tiferes is the combination of Chessed and Gevurah and Torah. A teacher is doing this all day long. I am grateful for the growth that I have as I learn to balance Chesed and Gevurah while working with my
10 Powers of Chinuch "
students, as I show them and teach them the truths of Torah, which is Tiferes.
Netzach is victory, and not just temporary victory, but milashon “Nitzchiyus” – long-lasting victory. I am awed by the long-lasting impact a teacher can have, like meeting a student nine years after I gave her a notebook with a letter inside that she was still holding on to, using it as a source of strength whenever she feels she needs it. In her words, “I don’t go anywhere without it.”
Hod is surrender. I am grateful for the Bittul I need to constantly have. Chinuch is a very humbling career. If I ever forget the level of humility I need, my students will do a good job of reminding me. Kids don’t like our egos.
Yesod – I am grateful to be part of my students’ journeys, connecting them to Hashem and the Rebbe, Tzadik Yesod Olam. Being in this role forces me to upkeep my connection, and I feel blessed when I feel I get to be a part of my students’ connection process.
I am amazed at the power of watching children connect to the Rebbe, as a student told me: “You want me to come to school on time? Why should I come on time?” When I explained to her that this is something very dear to the Rebbe, she said, “The Rebbe wants me to come on time? I’ll be there tomorrow morning.” And she was.
Malchus – I feel blessed to be in a position where I am here to serve Hashem with all of my kochos. I know that the strengths and talents I have are only because Hashem gave them to me. And I am blessed to be in an environment that constantly reminds us that we are Yidden, created with the sole purpose of serving Hashem.
The Rebbe’s Words
I was pleased to hear that they are active in the holy work of Chinuch of Jewish girls, with the recognition of the responsibility and merit in this. Every Jewish boy and girl is a complete world, and Hashem says about each of them, “I love you.” Fortunate are those who merited this, and it's understood that along with the responsibility comes the abilities and possibility to fulfill it completely. And because in all matters of good and holiness there is always room to increase, you will definitely do this in a manner of adding and growing, and whoever adds, Hashem adds brachos to their lives in all their needs, both physically and spiritually.
With blessings for success in all of the above, The Rebbe
Free translation (Bold not in the original)
The Teacher Who Doesn’t Take a Break
Rabbi Dovid Leib Wilansky, a second-generation Pre1A Rebbi, devotes himself to a year-round Chinuch Shlichus at Cheder Chabad of Baltimore, Maryland, where he fills his classroom with hands-on learning and essential Kriah skills, and runs the camp in the summer, too. (He spoke to us while on a trip to the Six Flags amusement park with campers).
Who inspired your Chinuch Shlichus?
My father has been a Pre1A teacher in Montreal for 46 years, and I always looked up to him. We just celebrated his 70th birthday, Baruch Hashem. Seeing him teach with so much energy, and literally go down the slide with the kids, playing with them and acting like a head counselor, really inspires me. When things get tough or busy, I think about my father.
How did you get started?
As a bochur, I went on a Shlichus year to Sydney, Australia, and ended up becoming involved in the school. When the fifth-grade Rebbi couldn’t get back into the country, I jumped into the deep end and started teaching.
I got married the following year and then learned in Kollel in Crown Heights. We then returned to Sydney (my wife is Australian) and started teaching full-time. I taught all grades, from first grade to Shiur Alef Mesivta. At one point, I taught the same class for four years straight - from first through fourth grade.
And how did you end up in Baltimore?
Seven and a half years ago, we decided to move back to the United States. With the help of Menachem Education Foundation’s Chinuch placement service, I found my next Chinuch Shlichus. I now teach Pre1A at Cheder Chabad of Baltimore and also run Chidon and other programs at the school.
How has your teaching changed over the years?
My old students remember my red suitcase filled with prizes, because I would give out so many incentives. I realized over the years that all the prizes actually take
away. If all your energy is in the classroom with the kids, then you end up being more present. Right now, I don't have any incentives. The kids come into the classroom and know they’re there for a purpose. If you take away all the incentives, you get to see the kids more from the inside.
Can you share a story of impact from your teaching?
There was a student in Sydney who had a challenging time in school. He wouldn’t open his siddur and didn’t want to daven. I made a deal with him that for every line that he davened, I would give him five cents. All the money would go towards a big Lego set he wanted. On the first day, he still didn’t daven, but on the second day, he did. Each day, he extended the number of lines he davened. At the end of the term, he earned his Lego set. On the first day back after vacation, I asked him if he wanted to continue our deal. He said, “Rebbi, I’m going to daven without the deal.” He recently reached out to me, seven years later, and said, “Thank you for what you gave me in your years in Sydney.”
What are you busy with outside of the classroom?
I don’t need a break because this is my break - coming in and seeing the kids’ happy faces. I’d prefer to do this all day than other things, which may sound more important. I would like to share my Hakaras Hatov to my wife, who has stood by me all these years with my long hours away from the house. She always backed me, helping me with worksheets and editing, and so many other things behind the scenes. I owe so much to her.
Is there a message that you can share with parents?
When a teacher shares with a parent that a student needs extra support, it is because we are trying to help the child succeed. Many things can be helped when children are in their younger years, and as teachers, we want each child to receive the right support if needed.
What are you most excited about for the new school year?
I already met the incoming Pre1A class, and I am very excited to teach them! I am always pushing the bar higher, and I enjoy seeing when the kids are working to their limits in Kriah and in all subjects.
I would also like to thank Rabbi Zalman Shneur and the Menachem Education Foundation for their work on behalf of the global Chabad Chinuch world. The teachers I know who participate in the training are always referring back to what they learned, and it’s amazing to see the results. I wish they had it when I began teaching.
Chinuch Happenings
Free Mentoring for New Teachers
To mark 50 years since the Rebbe launched the Chinuch campaign, the Menachem Education Foundation (MEF) is offering complimentary mentoring to 50 new teachers to strengthen classroom readiness and instructional quality. New teachers who register will receive a welcome gift, a free coaching session, and automatic entry into a raffle for a full 10-session mentoring package with a Chinuch expert. (New teacher initiative and gifts are dedicated in loving memory of Mr. Richard Slifka OBM. Mentoring is generously sponsored with seed money by Avremel and Chevy Bernstein.)
The 10th Annual Kinus Mechanchos Chabad, organized by the Menachem Education Foundation (MEF), brought together 647 women educators from across the globe for two days of learning and rejuvenation.
354 mechanchim from Chabad schools worldwide participated in the annual Kinus Hamechanchim in Stamford, Connecticut. It was organized by the Merkos Chinuch Office, directed by Rabbi Nochem Kaplan and Rabbi Zalman Loewenthal.
Our Heritage Extends Grants to All Chabad Schools
MEF’s Our Heritage Program is extending its grants to all Lubavitch schools for new student enrollment from public schools. "A strong Jewish education is the foundation for confident, committed Jewish leaders of tomorrow,” states Chairman Alex Swieca. This wider grand opportunity marks the 50th anniversary of Mivtzah Chinuch, an initiative emphasizing the importance of educating every Jewish child as highlighted by the Rebbe.
Kinus Mechanchos
Kinus Hamechanchim
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Differences: shadow under shofar, creases on shofar, extended background, amount of coins, other pages
CRAFT. PAINT. BAKE. EXPERIMENT.
2. THE NUGGET
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Finish the weekly project, snap a pic, and email us at info@jcm.museum for a chance to win 2 tickets to the Jewish Children’s Museum. Let’s get creating!
1. LIFE STORY SNIPPET
Adam comes from the word “Adamah” – earth – because Hashem created Adam from the earth. But it is also related to the word “Adameh” in the phrase “Adameh L’elyon” – “I will be like the One Above.” This shows that even though a person is made of earth, and therefore inclined to self-centeredness, his soul gives him the ability to rise up and be like his maker, Hashem. This is achieved through the work of Torah and Mitzvos.
4. FUN FACT
Adam was originally supposed to live for 1,000 years! But when he saw that the great soul of Dovid Hamelech was only supposed to live for 7 hours, he gave 70 years of his life to him.
Adam was the very first human on this earth! Hashem created him from the earth and then blew a soul of life into him. He was created as tall as the heavens, but after the Cheit Eitz Ha’daas Hashem diminished his size. He and his wife, Chava, had 3 children: Kayin, Hevel, and Sheis.
3. BRINGING IT DOWN
We each have natural tendencies, such as laziness, anger, or arrogance. These are our earthly “Adamah” parts. But we also have a Neshama, and this allows us to refine and elevate these parts so that we are “Adameh L’elyon” – like Hashem. For example, if you feel you are not in the mood to get up and Daven, you can work to overcome this dullness. You can take a moment to listen in to your higher self, your Neshama. It wants to do the right thing and serve Hashem!
5. QUESTION TO CONSIDER
Think of one “Adamah” type of Middah you have. What is one small step you can take to overcome it?
WORLD STAMP PAINTING
Align the printed template and white cardstock together and tape them with a few pieces of masking on the short, left side. Take a white cardstock and measure a quarter of an inch on each corner, mark it with a short stroke. Connect all the strokes creating a frame on the paper.
Paint & press the rest of the continents. Africa – yellow, Greenland – dark blue, North America – light green, South
1 7 4
5
Using the same technique, paint the water light blue and the background yellow. Leave some space around the edges. Close the papers & press. Then open the papers and let it dry.
Take off the template and cut off the edges where it’s marked. Place doublesided tape on the back side of your painting. Stick it to the blue sheet.
Your world stamp painting is ready! 8 2 3 6
Open both sheets with the white one on the right. Paint Europe (top left) with purple, then close the papers (put the white paper on top) and gently press on the painted part. Open the papers.
Place double-sided tape on all edges of the back side of the blue sheet and stick it to the cardboard.
SUPPLIES LIST
- Printed Template (on cardstock)
-White & Glossy Blue Cardstock
-8.5' x 11" Cardboard
-Paint: Pink, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, Purple, Light Green
-Paintbrush: Small & Medium
-Cup with Water
-Masking Tape
-Double-sided Tape
-Ruler -Pencil -Scissors
HOME SUPPLIES
Use regular white paper and colored construction paper
By Sruly Meyer
KosherSpread
Summer may be over but the good times don't have to stop! Here's 4 recipes to keep your family feeling happy and full this Elul.
DISHES TO DELIGHT
Sruly Meyer runs COLlive Magazine’s food and music sections and owns a marketing agency in Hollywood, Florida. He is a home cook, recipe developer, and an online influencer discussing food, travel, and Jewish parenthood. @srulycooks
Sweet Chili Grilled Corn Ribs
Ingredients:
• 4 large ears of corn
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili lime spice blend
• A dash of red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp mayo
Instructions:
1. Shuck 4 large ears of corn.
2. Boil for 10 minutes
3. Set aside pot with water and let them cool for 10–15 minutes. This will soften the rib of the corn enough to cut.
4. Carefully slice each corn lengthwise down the middle
5. Then quarter them into rib-like strips.
6. Mix marinade:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili lime spice blend
• A dash of red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp mayo
7. Blend well and brush generously over the corn ribs.
8. Grill at 400°F: rib-side down for 8–10 min, flip and grill face-down for 5 min.
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients:
•2 packages of Ground Beef
•Chicken or beef stock
•4 large russet potatoes
•2 medium carrots, diced
•1 large onion, diced
•1 can peas, drained
•Garlic powder
•Chili flakes (optional, for spice)
•Parsley, chopped
•Salt and pepper to taste
•1 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
•Mayo for the potatoes
Instructions:
Making the same chicken and potatoes every Shabbos? Has your go-to main become very predictable? Here is a great dish to change things up. Perfect for a Friday night meal hot out of the oven. If you have never made this before because you thought it was too complicated, then check out this recipe and save it, because you will want to make it again!
1.Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Boil them in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add mayo to the potatoes for creaminess. Set aside.
2.In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary. Add diced carrots and onions to the skillet. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Season with garlic powder, chili flakes (if using), parsley, salt, and pepper to taste.
3.Pour in the vegan Worcestershire sauce and chicken or beef stock. Stir well to combine. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
4.Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture into a baking dish, spreading it evenly. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the meat mixture, creating a smooth layer.
5.Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly.
6.Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Soft Batter Fish ‘N Chips
Last winter, I was in Israel visiting my daughter in Seminary and she introduced me to this incredible Fish ‘N Chips spot in the Shuk. They had a soft batter-fried fish, and I needed to recreate it when I got back. It was a huge hit in my house and my kids still ask me once a week if I can make them again!
Ingredients:
•4 6 oz. each cod fillets cut into thick strips
•1 cup flour (for batter)
•1 cup flour (for dusting)
•2 medium eggs, beaten
•6 oz. lager beer
•6 oz. soda water
•1 tsp. baking powder
•1 tsp. sugar
•1/2 tbsp. salt (to taste)
•1/2 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
•4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Instructions:
1.Prepare the Fish Batter:
2.Combine 1 cup of flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
3.Mix the lager beer and soda water in another bowl. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking until the batter is smooth. Let it rest.
4.In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs to dip the fish.
5.Prepare the Fish:
6.Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
7.Lightly dust the cod fillets with the remaining flour.
8.Dip the fillets into the beaten egg and the batter, ensuring they are well coated.
9.Carefully lower the fillets into the hot oil and fry until golden and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Triple Fish Ceviche
Don’t want Summer to end? You aren't alone, so make this fresh, zesty, and perfect to keep the summer flavors going into Fall.
Ingredients:
•1/2 lb corvina, diced
•1/2 lb salmon, diced
•1/2 lb tuna, diced
•1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup fresh lime juice (8–10 limes)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1–2 jalapeños, seeded & finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Instructions:
Combine everything in a bowl. Chill for 30–60 mins until the fish is opaque and citrus-cured. Serve cold and enjoy!
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By Asharon Baltazar
AShofar in the Carpathians
A story of a Jew’s insistence to blow the shofar in the most dangerous settings
During World War II, German forces conscripted thousands of Jews for forced labor in the Carpathian Mountains, ordering them to dig deep anti-tank trenches to trap the advancing Red Army. The Germans placed Hungarian units in charge, and the Jews worked knee-deep in mud, which clung to their legs like chains, in freezing rains and biting winds, and later under summer heat that burned through their rags. Among them was Alexander Bent. He had been conscripted in 1943. Devout by nature, he tried holding on to whatever mitzvos he could. As the summer wore on, one thought kept returning: the High Holidays were approaching, and how he longed to hear the shofar. The idea felt impossible. Still, he could not let it go.
Then, one day, on the march to the worksites, he noticed something lying by the roadside: the horn of an animal. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands. It looked right. It could become a shofar.
Alexander showed it to the others, and their faces lit up with surprise. They passed the horn around, examining it, but questions followed quickly: how would they hollow it out without proper tools? How could they shape a mouthpiece that would sound? And who would risk blowing it with soldiers everywhere?
But Alexander was determined. In stolen moments, and over weeks, he and his friends worked on it with whatever scraps they could find— nails, bits of wire, stones. They burned out the marrow, widened the bore, and ground the tip against
rocks until it could form a narrow mouth. When they finished, the horn gave a sound—rough, but enough for a tekiah. Alexander’s heart lifted. Now, he only needed to survive long enough to use it.
As Elul drew to a close, the front shifted fast. The Russians advanced.
The Hungarian forces began to pull back. In the chaos, Alexander and a friend stuffed the shofar and a few of their possessions into a threadbare bundle and slipped away from the camp two days before Rosh Hashanah. They hid in a dry riverbed.
When the holiday morning came, they stood among the reeds, whispering the prayers they remembered. At the right moment, Alexander raised the horn and blew.
They had no idea they were near a Soviet command post. The sharp blasts carried through the still air and faded. Soldiers heard the sound, panicked, and called their officers. Patrols fanned out.
Alexander had just finished when the soldiers spotted them. The Soviets tied their hands and took them to a forward command post for a quick field review. Lacking papers and found near the lines after sounding blasts that could be signals toward German positions, they drew an espionage finding. The officers ordered a summary execution—a not-uncommon wartime response to suspected spying so close to the front.
Armed guards led them out to the courtyard and had them stand against a wall. They raised their
rifles at the ragged pair. Alexandar closed his eyes, his heart pounding, still holding his tiny bundle with the shofar inside.
Then, suddenly, he heard a sharp voice bark. Alexandar cracked his eyes open to see a high-ranking officer waving at the firing squad to lower their rifles, ordering an explanation. A taut silence followed. Alexander trembled, watching the officer listen to a guard. After a few minutes, the officer strutted over to Alexandar and his friend.
“Do you speak Yiddish?” he asked. “Yes,” they said, realizing this officer must be Jewish.
“How long have you been hiding?”
“Drei monaten,” they replied. Three months.
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not Jews. A Jew says drei chadoshim.”
Alexander reached into his bundle and pulled out his tzitzit. That ended the test. The officer waved the squad away and took the pair to his quarters. Finally feeling safe, they opened up and recounted everything they’d been through.
The officer arranged their escape to Romania, which the Russian forces had recently liberated.
Alexander never forgot that day—or the sound that nearly cost him his life and ended up saving it. When the war was over, he was one of the first Jews to return to his hometown of Szaszregen, where he worked to rebuild a shattered community.
(Translated from Sichat Hashavua #1184)
By Mordechai Schmutter
Please Pass the
Why a sholom zachor is a perfect ‘starter simcha’
If you’ve just had a baby, and you’re wondering, “Hey, I’m going to have a lot of simchas coming up over the next few years, and I want to throw a little low-stress simcha – sort of like a starter simcha to ease myself into fatherhood… Also, I’m apparently doing it by myself because my wife isn’t home. What can I do?” I would recommend making a sholom zachor.
A sholom zachor is a perfect starter simcha, because half the time it’s just men, no one’s really hungry, you don’t need music or a photographer or seating cards, and no one has expectations. If you put out something that’s not so dessert-y, like chickpeas, people will eat chickpeas. If people show up at a sholom zachor and you have one bottle of schnapps and a single cake, everyone will say, “Alright.” No one will say, “I can’t believe that he had
no food. Your wife had a baby two hours ago! Get it together, man!”
One reason that nobody expects much is that most of the time, your wife has the baby so late in the week that she’s not home for the sholom zachor. Most women aim for this. That’s why they say things like, “I hope to have this baby by the end of the week.”
Wait a minute. Why don’t you hope to have it by the beginning of the week?
In a way, it’s better if your wife isn’t home. Not that you’re going to make her get up and help, but she’s going to want to. Especially when she hears something crash in the kitchen and then you telling the kids, “It’s okay; nothing happened. Just put it back on the platter.”
That’s not to say that you can’t get help. A lot of times, especially if this
is your first baby, your parents or in-laws will offer to make the sholom zachor, which, if you don’t live in the same town as them, means that you’ll sit there all Friday night while your shver’s friends walk in and say, “Which one’s the father?”
People have their in-laws or parents make the first few sholom zachors until they figure out that it’s really not that hard. You buy food, and then a half hour before Shabbos, your neighbors bring enough food that you wonder why you bought all that food. It’s by far the easiest simcha to make. You don’t even need a fruit platter.
“But how much food do I need?” you ask.
The correct amount of food to put out at a sholom zachor is the amount that fits the table. If you don’t have a lot of food, you just make your table smaller, and that way more
people have room to sit. Everyone just kind of eats whatever’s directly in front of them when they sit down, because there are too many things on the table, and to pass anything, they have to move everything else around, and it’s not worth it because they just ate and they’re not that hungry in the first place. And then at some point, someone gets up to leave, and everybody switches chairs ostensibly so they’ll be closer to the baal simcha, but really it’s just about sitting in front of different foods. Like there’s a specific seat you’re eyeing.
“Hey, you’re next to me now! We can talk!”
“No, I’m here for the Mike and Ikes. I’ve been sitting in front of the chickpeas for the last half hour.”
And there aren’t even specific foods that you have to buy. Sure, there are minhagim for chickpeas
or beer, but it’s not like you have to have enough to go around. You don’t need to make sure that everyone gets their own personal bowl of chickpeas when they come in. Like they climb over everyone’s laps to say, “Mazel tov,” and you hand them a bowl of chickpeas. You basically just have one small bowl in middle of the table, and everyone looks at it and goes, “Oh good, there’s chickpeas. I’m at the right place.”
Where do all these chickpeas come from? I know that people bring cake and candy. Are people bringing chickpeas?
The only thing you HAVE to have, apparently, are those hard winky things that look like pacifiers, and they have to be blue. But someone will bring that.
And no one really wants to stay for long either. Everyone’s just waiting for someone else to come so they have
an excuse to leave and go to sleep. “Oh, I just want to make a seat for him.”
Because that’s how it works: When someone new comes, someone who’s been there for a while gets to leave. That’s why the last people who come end up staying forever – because nobody comes to relieve them. At least if your wife is home or you have some other relatives there, they can start cleaning as you sit there, so the last person can get the hint. If no one’s there, or all your helpful relatives went to sleep so it’s just you and him, that guy is not leaving. Until your talmidim come in and say it’s time for the morning Shema. So it’s good to get some talmidim. Or to hire some ahead of time. If you don’t, you will not get any sleep, which is good practice for fatherhood.
AND
Hospital, Hotel, Yeshiva Then Now
Standing at the corner of Crown Street and Albany Avenue, the four-story building of the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva is a striking red-brick addition to Crown Heights. Its design strikes a balance between utility and a touch of modern flair. The main entrance, accessed via a broad staircase, opens into a glass-encased foyer facing Crown Street, serving as the primary entry point for the school. Equally busy is the secondary entrance on Albany Avenue, which leads to event halls that are used almost nightly for simchas and community events.
Uniform black-framed windows, many with awnings, create a rhythmic façade. Larger groundfloor bays contrast with narrower upper windows. A tall metal fence encloses a rooftop recreational area or court. Student artwork in the upper windows adds a personal touch, indicating how a part of the future generation is being shaped here.
This corner, where 570 Crown
by Shmully Blesofsky
Street stands, has borne witness to Brooklyn’s explosive growth in the 19th century and to the neighborhood’s bustling Jewish life in the 20th. It is a site whose history mirrors the broader story of Brooklyn’s transformation.
First Life
The property was originally owned by Joseph Hegeman (1815–1899), a Brooklyn auctioneer and real estate broker (operating from 14 Fulton Street). He played a central role in land transactions during a transformative period in Brooklyn’s development. The property was part of his many undeveloped tracts.
The first building to go up there was the Carson C. Peck Memorial Hospital. Caroline Peck endowed this in memory of her husband, Carson Chittenden Peck (1862–1921), who operated the Abraham & Straus store and the People’s Trust Company of Brooklyn, influencing the borough’s early 20th-century
banking industry.
Built in the 1920s, the hospital was among Brooklyn’s most modern medical facilities, specializing in chest diseases. Unlike some elite private hospitals of the time, which limited Jewish staff appointments, Peck Memorial admitted physicians based on their skills, particularly in tuberculosis and pulmonary care.
The hospital became a neighborhood fixture for decades, welcoming many local births. It was flanked by two side buildings, one located on Troy Avenue and the other on Albany Avenue, which housed administrative offices, nursing facilities, and specialized medical service units.
By the mid-20th century, shifts in healthcare services and neighborhood demographics resulted in the hospital’s closure. This coincided with the Jewish exodus from Crown Heights, which the Rebbe tried to prevent. Although Bobov Chassidim initially planned to leave, the Rebbe offered
assistance in helping them acquire the hospital as their main base, though they eventually moved to Borough Park.
The property was instead purchased in the late 1970s by developer Rabbi Dovid Fisher, who converted it into the Crown Palace Hotel with guest rooms. The ground floor was used for community simchas and events. The venture was ahead of its time and eventually closed. The site soon became overgrown and disheveled. In the snowy winter, children would sled in the driveway leading up to the defunct hotel.
The Strategic Shift
In the mid-1980s, Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary (Rashag) set his sights on that corner lot. As director of the Lubavitcher Yeshivah network, he proposed establishing an additional school in Crown Heights, in addition to the existing campus on Ocean Parkway. A location at Carroll Street and Troy Avenue was first proposed,
but plans ultimately shifted to Albany Avenue and Crown Street.
The Rashag presented the proposal to the Rebbe, who strongly supported it since 5747 (1987) was Shnas Habinyan, a year dedicated to building Chabad institutions and expanding properties. The original building was torn down and replaced with a 41,208-squarefoot facility. Rabbi Yosef Wineberg led the fundraising efforts, while Rabbi Hershel Kotlarsky oversaw the construction. The Rebbe reportedly drove by the construction site to review it.
For Crown Heights families, the new building meant local boys no longer had to commute daily to Flatbush. Learning there began on Tishrei 5753 (1992), and the school quickly grew and eventually outgrew itself. With the apartment building at 580 Crown Street built right next door, the only practical option was to expand upward.
In 2022, a fundraising campaign raised millions for a major
expansion completed in 2023. The 26,848-square-foot addition includes classrooms for 150 students, an early childcare program, four resource rooms for tutoring, and an indoor gym with a full-sized basketball court. Its highlight is a magnificent shul for upper grades.
According to the Executive Director, Rabbi Yossi Langsam, they aren’t done. Plans are being finalized for an additional 20,000 square feet, with two new floors to be constructed on top of the current building. Work is expected to begin within the next few months, further accommodating the school’s growing enrollment.
Winter or summer, that corner stays one of the busiest in the neighborhood. At the expansion’s dedication, Crown Street between Albany and Troy was officially renamed Tomchei Tmimim Way, honoring the institution’s role in promoting the ways of Chassidus and Chassidic life.
Photo: YS Vision Photography
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The maze to uncover and treat the symptoms included:
• 2 RWJ ER visits with CT scans and IV treatment
• Neurologist consultation
• 3-day in-patient hospitalization at CHOP
• CHOP Pediatric Headache Program participation
(Non-emergency
“We were so impressed with the entire United Refuah team and grateful they helped us navigate this ordeal. Our case manager, Hinda, was there every step of the way. There was never an issue — everyone was gracious and ensured we were able to access the necessary care. We are United Refuah’s biggest advocates!”
