COLlive Magazine - Teves 5785

Responding to Hate With Light

Rabbi Levi Shemtov speaks truth to power (and the occasional antisemite) in Washington, DC

8 9 10 12 20 26

From the Publisher

Editorial I Mica Soffer

Making Hidur the Rule

A letter from the Rebbe

When Good Isn't Enough

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

Chanukah Moments with the Rebbe

JEM gallery

Fighting Hate With Light Tzemach Feller

On Shlichus, With Special Needs

Mendel Levy

31

40

Victory and Vindication

Tzali Reicher

"You Need it in English"

Tzemach Feller

The Tanya Influencer

Tzali Reicher

October 7 in Art

Sara Trappler Spielman

Chinuch Matters

Mushka Cohen I MEF

Tackling Skin Infections

Health I Dr. Avraham Gottesman

The Inside Track

Music I Sruly Meyer

Kids Korner

Fun I Sari Kopitnikoff

History's Heroes

Activity I Parsha Studio

A Lota Latke Love

Food I Sruly Meyer

Jewish Warmth in Dakar

Story I Asharon Baltazar

Chanukah Minhagim

No One Talks About

Humor I Mordechai Schmutter

1383 President Street

Then & Now I Shmuel Blesofsky

Rabbi Levi Shemtov leads the lighting of the National Menorah the Ellipse in front of the White House on Chanukah 5780. Photographed by Shimi Kutner

Publisher

Mica Soffer

Editor

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

Associate Editor

Mendy Wineberg

Contributing Writers

Asharon Baltazar

Shmuel Blesofsky

Mushka Cohen

Tzemach Feller

Dr. Avraham Gottesman

Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson

Sari Kopitnikoff

Sruly Meyer

Tzali Reicher

Mordechai Schmutter

Sara Trappler Spielman

Design Sheva Berlin

Photo Credits: JEM/Living Archive

Special Thanks

Kfar Chabad Magazine

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

We are printing the Teves issue of COLlive Magazine a little earlier than usual to celebrate Chanukah. Actually, if you think of Eretz Yisroel (and we always do), it feels like Chanukah arrived earlier this year. That’s due to Israel’s recent string of victories against its long list of ruthless enemies.

From demolishing Hamas in the south to destroying Hezbollah’s capabilities in the north, striking the Houthis in Yemen, and humiliating the Iranian ayatollahs, Israeli forces have achieved remarkable successes. While we mourn the sacrifices and demand the release of the hostages in Gaza, we recognize these victories as contemporary Chanukah miracles.

We honor the Maccabees on the front lines and daven for their triumph. As Moshe Rabbeinu told the Jewish people, “Let your hearts not be faint; you shall not be afraid, and you shall not be alarmed, and you shall not be terrified because of them. For the Lord, your G-d, is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

This mindset is exemplified in the United States by the Chabad Shliach Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who created the National Menorah in front of the White House and is accustomed to speaking truth to power. We are proud to profile him as our cover story.

Elsewhere in this issue, we share the inspiring stories of two young Shluchim who have special needs, and we spoke with Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky, mashpia at Mesivta Oholei Torah, on protecting our children from Western cultural influences.

In honor of Hei Teves, when Chabad reclaimed the sefarim stolen from the Rebbe’s Library, we interviewed the composer of the famous Didan Notzach song and spoke with Rabbi Shmuel Avtzon, who continued the work of his father Rabbi Yonah Avtzon obm in publishing Chassidus in English.

On the Fast of Teves, the day for Holocaust victims, we remember the “general kaddish day” with the story of the Perelmuter family returning to their relatives’ ruins in Poland. For the 24th of Teves, the yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe, we profiled Faigy Blumstein, a full-time Tanya teacher from Five Towns, New York.

We hope you find this issue insightful, inspiring, and useful (there are tips for great latkes!).

Wishing you a bright Chanukah (as the Rebbe would write),

MICA SOFFER

Dvar Malchus

Making Hidur the Rule

A lesson from how the Chanukah candles are lit, increasing each day

By the Grace of G-d 11th of Kislev, 5739

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting,

After a long interval, I was pleased to receive your letter. May G-d grant the fulfillment of your heart's desires for the good.

Thank you very much for your good wishes in connection with the Festival of Lights. In light of the saying of our Sages, "One who blesses others is blessed by G-d Himself," G-d will surely bless you generously with a happy and bright Chanukah.

As you know, the Chanukah lights, which are kindled in increasing numbers from day to day, symbolize the light of the Torah and mitzvot, which should likewise be on the increase from day to day, thereby also widening the channels to receive G-d's blessings in a growing measure, both spiritually and materially - in the good that is plain to see, even as the Chanukah lights are visible to the human eye.

Furthermore, the Chanukah lights teach us a clear lesson that matters of goodness and holiness, Torah and mitzvot, should be on the increase even in the case of those who have attained a high level of "hiddur” in

Torah and mitzvot— contrary to a prevalent view that, having attained a high and satisfactory level, it is sufficient to maintain this high level on an even keel. Apart from the fact that merely maintaining the high level does not comply with the rule of "Maalin b'Kodesh," the Chanukah lights clearly and emphatically indicate that even in hiddur itself the same principle applies. For on the second night of Chanukah, the greatest possible hiddur is to light two candles; yet if one should light two candles on the third night of Chanukah, the mitzvah of Ner Chanukah will be fulfilled, but the hiddur would be lacking. And even after one lights three candles on the third night, showing that one knows of, and is complying with, the rule, it is still not sufficient to do so only once or twice, but it is necessary to add an additional candle each subsequent night, for a total of seven days of hiddur. Seven consecutive days, of course, constitute a basic period in time, a complete week, corresponding to the Seven Days of Creation. Thus, by practicing Hiddur Mitzvah of Ner Chanukah for seven consecutive days, the absolute rule is established that hiddur in Torah and mitzvot must be practiced every day of the week, each day exceeding the

previous day, however satisfactory it was.

Needless to say, these basic lessons of Chanukah are not limited to Chanukah itself, but apply each and every day of the year, as in the case of the teachings and instructions of all our festivals. To cite one example, although Pesach is celebrated once a year, the experience of Yetzias Mitzraim is not confined to Pesach alone, but has to be experienced every day of the year, in terms of spiritual liberation through the Torah and mitzvot without restraint. Similarly in the case of Chanukah and the Chanukah lights, which have to be reflected in our everyday life throughout the year, making each day brighter with the light of Torah and mitzvot than the foregoing day, as mentioned above. There is surely no need to expand on any of the above points, since you can do it yourself on reflection.

Nor is there any need to dwell on the lessons of Yud Tes Kislev, which will surely not pass unnoticed by you.

May G-d grant that you should have good news to report in all above.

Wishing you a bright and inspiring Chanukah.

With blessing, Menachem Schneerson

By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

WHEN JUST GOOD IS NOT ENOUGH

For weeks last year, our community had eagerly anticipated hearing Yair Elitzur, an emerging Chassidic rapper from Eretz Yisroel, perform at Tucson’s tallest Menorah-lighting ceremony. But just 24 hours before the event, I received a distressed text message from his manager: “Elitzur fainted at Ben Gurion Airport.”

I quickly recited a chapter of Tehillim in his merit and was soon notified that Elitzur was hospitalized and in stable condition. However, he could not catch another flight to make it to our event on time. Instead, they arranged for a replacement: Israeli-American singer Meir Green, who gave a phenomenal performance.

“With Hashem’s help, we will have another good event in good health with Elitzur,” the manager wrote, thanking us for our understanding and accommodation.

Six months after his missed visit to Arizona, Elitzur released the song Tamid Ohev Oti ("Always Loves

Me"). The song blends Mizrachi, Chassidic, and Mediterranean music and became a cultural sensation in Israel and among Jewish communities globally.

Its uplifting lyrics and clear message transcend musical genres, appealing to a wide range of listeners. The simple chorus was composed by Rabbi Shalom Arush, a teacher of Elitzur, who drew inspiration from the teachings of Breslev and Chabad.

“And Hashem, blessed be He, always loves me,

And there will always be only good for me.

And even more good, And even more good, And even more good, And even more good, And even more good, And even more good,

And there will always be only good for me.”

This message is especially poignant during Chanukah, a holiday celebrating the Maccabees’ courage over Greek Syrian tyranny and the miracle of light in the face of overwhelming darkness. The Menorah’s eight-day burn on a single jar of oil was not just a historical event but a powerful metaphor for our ongoing spiritual mission.

Even after the Menorah was rekindled in the Bais Hamikdash in Yerushalayim, the battle for freedom continued for another four years. The reason for specifically commemorating the miracle of the lights highlights our perpetual struggle for righteousness.

We often perceive battles as having definitive outcomes, but this view is somewhat limited. In many cases, even when everyone might agree on the result, the immediate consequences are fleeting. For instance, consider Germany’s evident loss in World War I. But that loss ultimately paved the way for

the Nazis' rise and the even more catastrophic World War II.

This simplification is addressed in our daily davening of Aleinu, “to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Al-mighty” (popularly known as “tikkun olam”). Its instruction focuses more on the activity than on its ultimate success.

The Rebbe commented on this, “This is the task that has been placed upon your shoulders, and when you throw yourselves into it with full enthusiasm (“mit'n gantzen bren”), you will bring about the ‘revolution’ and the transformation” (Toras Menachem vol. 25 pg. 40).

It means that the battle between good and evil, right versus wrong, and truth versus lies is one that we are destined to continue to partake in until the ultimate redemption and coming of Moshiach. It is not a single confrontation but a repeated

one. To win it, we need to constantly add more good and light to the world.

That is why we follow the opinion of Beis Hillel—who ruled that we light one candle the first night and add one more each night—symbolizing the need to bring more goodness into the world every day.

This Chanukah, let’s take Elitzur’s message to heart. Let’s add not just good but even more good into our lives and the world around us—through acts of kindness, extra mitzvos, or simply spreading light wherever we go. Because as the Rebbe Maharash reminds us: "Az gut iz gut, iz besser nit besser? — If good is good, wouldn’t better be better?"

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, Editor of COLlive. com and COLlive Magazine, is the outreach director of Chabad Tucson, and Associate Rabbi of Cong. Young Israel of Tucson, Arizona. He coordinates the annual Yarchei Kallah gathering of Chabad Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva

CHANUKAH MOMENTS WITH THE REBBE

Courtesy of JEM/The Living Archive

Each night following Mincha, the Menorah would be lit in the Rebbe’s presence. Followed by the singing of Haneiros Hallalu.

Throughout the singing of the niggun, the Rebbe would usually watch the candles with a noticeably serious expression.

When the niggun reached the lively section of “Al Nisecha”, the Rebbe would joyously encourage the singing.

Over the years, the Rebbe would participate in a children’s rally and Menorah lighting, after Mincha at 770.

In later years, these events became televised broadcasts known as “Chanukah Live”, where communities around the world would light Menorah together, connected via satellite.

In these special photos from 1976, the Rebbe is seen distributing Chanukah Gelt at the back of 770, after the children's rally.

Responding to Hate With Light

Rabbi Levi Shemtov speaks truth to power (and the occasional antisemite) in Washington, DC

By Tzemach Feller

It was a confrontation that has happened many, many times, in many cities around the world, in the year since the October 7th attack on Israel. A young Palestinian man confronts a Jew, hurling insults and epithets.

“Where were your parents born? Where were your grandparents born? Why should you have any say in the land of Palestine?”

“I’m like you guys, I just steal and rob and lie. He’s a colonizer.”

“Maybe October 7th was your fault.”

But this confrontation ended very differently because the rabbi who was confronted was Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the tireless, fearless advocate for the Rebbe, Chabad-

Lubavitch, and the Jewish People in the halls of power of our nation’s capital.

Shemtov didn’t turn around and leave. He didn’t shout. When police came over and offered to intervene, he assured them that he was fine. Instead, he patiently and directly responded.

“Because G-d gave it to Abraham and He said that the Jewish People, who will be his descendants, will inherit it.”

“The Palestinians have to accept that Israel is the land of the Jewish People. Once Palestinian people will internalize that the average Jewish person wants the welfare of the average Palestinian person, more than Hamas and the terrorists want their welfare, when they’ll love their children more than they hate Jews.”

“The bottom line is, Israel was given by G-d to the Jewish People.”

More than 2,000,000 people watched the five-minute video of the rabbi who calmly states the truths of the Torah in the face of hatred and

vitriol. During a time when Jewish people around the world have come under attack, Rabbi Shemtov stood as an example of how to stand up for what is true.

But why bother? Why respond to an individual clearly consumed by hatred, an individual who stated several times that he didn’t care about the rabbi’s opinion or point of view?

“People get intimidated and frightened by those who badger them and bully them without the right information,” Rabbi Shemtov explained in a recent interview with COLlive Magazine. “And rather than letting him troll me, I decided I would use the opportunity to let him know the truth.”

Truth to Power

For nearly 50 years, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, and his father, Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, have immersed themselves in a unique shlichus: representing Lubavitch in Washington, D.C.

In 1975, the first National Confer-

ence Dinner of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) was held at the Marriott Motor Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In attendance was President Gerald Ford, who was welcomed by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov and other shluchim and dignitaries. The dinner honored another senator—Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania—for his advocacy for Israel and the Jewish People, and it marked the founding of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), an organization that has had a singular impact on how the Chabad movement is perceived and understood by D.C.’s decision-makers.

As Moment Magazine once put it, "The Shemtovs are living proof that establishment Jewish organizations and wealthy donors are not the only ones who held sway in the White House.”

Rabb Levi Shemtov sees his shlichus as one of teaching, informing and communicating. “Many public officials, while well-meaning, just don’t know enough about our community; about Chabad or about the Jew-

President Donald Trump greets Rabbi Levi Shemtov during a National Day of Prayer event at the White House on May 3, 2018

ish community in general. I can’t remember the last time I offered to better inform them that they weren't appreciative,” he says.

The charter of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), Rabbi Shemtov explains, is “to represent ChabadLubavitch and the Rebbe’s viewpoints and message in the unique public arena and international environment that is Washington, D.C., and to coordinate and organize connectivity between public officials and members of the international diplomatic corps with shluchim across the country and around the world.”

“Members of Congress, of the administration, always like to believe that they are making the most informed decisions, and to do that, they need a comprehensive flow of information. We help provide that information. The Rebbe believed that we have a unique place and

mission: to make sure that people in the public arena know as much about us, and about what we believe, as possible, to help inform the public discourse.”

In addition to the work that American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) does to impact the national scene, the local community is not overlooked, as they host peulos—attended by hundreds, sometimes thousands—for students, young professionals, and community members in the D.C. area.

Reaching Both Sides of the Aisle

In the past twelve years, the office of the President has switched from Democrat to Republican to Democrat and now back to Republican. Scores of seats in the houses of Congress have changed parties, and

with them, entire staffs have come and gone. This has happened a number of times before.

For five decades, the Shemtovs have navigated the often-changing landscape of politics in our nation’s capital. “We do so by remaining bipartisan and having good relationships with people on both sides,” Rabbi Shemtov explains. “If we do something with people on one side, we offer to do the same with people on the other.”

For example, in advance of President-Elect Trump’s widely-publicized visit to the Ohel during his candidacy, American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) was in communicatio with both campaigns—Harris and Trump—offering the identical opportunity to visit the Rebbe’s resting place, just as candidates and elected officials often visited the Rebbe over the course of the nesius,

Rabbi Shemtov leads a Menorah lighting on Capitol Hill with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on December 17, 2024

regardless of party.

“President Trump’s team understood that Vice President Harris’s team would also be invited. Harris’s team expressed appreciation for our suggestion and its importance but said it wouldn’t work schedule-wise. President Trump’s team navigated the situation so that he’d be able to actually visit the Ohel.”

But Rabbi Shemtov made very clear that this was not an official political endorsement—something the Rebbe stated clearly that Chabad does not do. It was a personal visit for Trump, as evidenced by the lack of press statements by the campaign after the event, Rabbi Shemtov explains.

“For us to take a partisan political position publicly is not appropriate and runs counter to our policy,” Rabbi Shemtov said. “One who decides to do so – to visit the Ohel—has to be treated with the greatest rrespect.I believe then-candidate, and currently President-Elect Trump was treated with respect, and I am sure those who were there would all agree that he treated his visit to the Ohel with deep respect as well.”

Advocating for Lubavitch

This emphasis on bipartisan relationship-building has resulted in many “lobbying” successes over the decades, though Rabbi Shemtov is not an officially registered lobbyist. The one that he is most happy about, he says, is the awarding of the Con-

gressional Gold Medal to the Rebbe.

Thirty years ago, on November 2, 1994, the President signed an Act of Congress into law. The United States Congress had found that the Rebbe “has made outstanding and lasting contributions towards improvements in world education, morality, and acts of charity.” Congress stated that the Rebbe and the institutions of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement are “touching millions of people from all walks of life in every corner of the globe.” They referenced the Rebbe’s life of “scholarship, teaching, ethics and charity,” and how the Rebbe has “interpreted with keen insight the miraculous events of our time, and has inspired people to a renewal of individual values of spirituality, cooperation, and love of learning.”

The Act also referenced another way that American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) has brought awareness of the Rebbe’s life and teachings to the world: Education and Sharing Day. Every single president since Jimmy Carter in 1978 has designated the date of the Rebbe’s birthday on Yud Alef Nissan as Education and Sharing Day—an initiative that has

U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito (left) and Elena Kagan (right) watch as Rabbis Avraham and Levi Shemtov inscribe letters in the Washington Torah

Rabbi Levi Shemtov with then-Vice President Joe Biden at the lighting of the National Menorah, December 2014

been closely coordinated by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) since its outset. Today, every Yud Alef Nissan sees dozens of states - sometimes all 50 - and hundreds of local governments adding their proclamations to the President’s, in an annual recognition of the Rebbe’s lasting legacy.

The Act of Congress—which passed unanimously in both the Senate and the House of Representatives—went on to authorize the President to award the Rebbe the Congressional Gold Medal—the first time that a religious leader was so honored.

“It took a lot of work,” Rabbi Shemtov recalled. “We assembled a coalition of members of Congress from many sectors of American life that came together.”

On Wednesday, 30 Sivan, 5755—June 28, 1995, days before the Rebbe’s first yahrzeit (which was on Shabbos), a

daylong celebration of the Rebbe’s life took place in Washington, D.C. Members of Congress, Administration officials, ambassadors, chief Rabbis, shluchim from around the world, and many hundreds gathered to mark the day.

Of all the officials and dignitaries who honored the Rebbe that day, Rabbi Shemtov looks back at two of the individuals present as epitomizing the work of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) in bringing the Rebbe’s message to everyone, regardless of their politics.

“Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and civil rights icon and Democratic Representative John Lewis came together and shook hands on our stage,” Rabbi Shemtov recalled. “That was unheard of in those days—they were fierce political opponents.” And yet, they united to honor the Rebbe.

On September 12, 1995, President Bill Clinton presented the Medal. There to accept it on behalf of the Rebbe's Shluchim was Rabbi Avraham Shemtov. “It was a unique opportunity to galvanize the world of Chabad, in D.C., with leaders from around the world and across the aisle to make a statement that the Rebbe’s teachings and spiritual leadership continues— and indeed, it continues to this day,” Rabbi Shemtov said.

Connecting Shluchim and Congresspeople

That goal—of connecting shluchim with elected officials—is something American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) continues to emphasize. “We facilitate meetings between members of Congress and shluchim in their states and districts,” Rabbi Shemtov said. “Many can do this themselves, but there are instances

The National Menorah stands tall on the Ellipse, in front of the White House in Washington, DC

where they need advice and guidance. Sometimes it may be a sensitive situation that needs to be wisely navigated.”

“Today, there are shluchim in all 50 states, and in more than 320 Congressional districts. Almost every member in the House or the Senate has a relationship with the shliach in their home base.”

Rabbi Shemtov recalled, for example, how North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms did not arrive in Washington as a friend of Israel. “Through Rabbi Yossi Groner, and his efforts to cultivate a relationship and coordinate a trip to Israel, Senator Helms changed his mind and became a staunch supporter.”

Indeed, Attorney Alan Dershowitz had written to the Rebbe, after seeing that Lubavitch was honoring Senator Helms. “I wrote a letter saying, in essence, ‘How can you honor a man who stands for everything that is opposed to Jewish values in America?’” Dershowitz wrote. The Rebbe replied, “You never, ever give up on somebody. Today Jesse Helms may be against Israel, but tomorrow, if we know how to approach him and speak to him, maybe he will turn out to be a champion of Israel.”

“When he left the Senate, he did so as one of the greatest friends of Israel,” Rabbi Shemtov said. “He helped advance the Rebbe’s viewpoints on many things through his office.”

The National Menorah

Perhaps the most striking and public symbol of Chabad’s work in our nation’s capital is the National Menorah. Each year, thousands gather on the National Mall, and tens of millions watch on TV as the National Menorah is lit by dignitaries and public officials.

Rabbi Shemtov recalled the history of the Menorah. “It started in a very interesting way,” Rabbi Shemtov

related. Rabbi Avraham Shemtov had requested a permit from the National Park Service, which manages the National Mall—the long expanse that stretches between the Capitol, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial.

The Park Service said no.

Rabbi Shemtov wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so he reached out to Stuart Eizenstat, a rising political star who was Jewish.

“Stuart Eizenstat, at age 33, was the Domestic Policy Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, and my father went to him for help with the permit,” Rabbi Shemtov recalled. “The Secretary of the Interior was called, and informed that either the Park Service would approve the menorah, or

they’d lose the permission for their giant tree.”

The permit came through.

And famously, President Jimmy Carter—in his first appearance outside the White House in 100 days during the Iran Hostage Crisis—walked out and lit the Menorah on the White House lawn.

It has been there every year since (though it has moved from Lafayette Park to the White House Ellipse to accommodate the much larger crowds in recent years).

As elected officials come and go in Washington, D.C., the Shemtovs remain a constant, standing up for the kavod of the Rebbe, Lubavitch, and the Jewish People.

A Lifeline for Shluchim Families

Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe is helping shluchim focus on what matters most - their children with special needs

by Mendel Levy

AAround 20 years ago, the single resource for Shluchim families dealing with a child who has special needs was a single session during the International Kinus Hashluchim in New York. “It was 45 minutes out of a whole year, not something that provided any ongoing support,” recalled Shlucha Raizy Metzger of Midtown Manhattan, whose son Mendel lives with autism.

When the idea of opening an organization dedicated to helping such Shluchim families was raised, some wondered whether a whole institution was needed for what was perceived as a very small number of people.

Now 15 years since its founding, Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe serves 350 families in 205 cities around the world. From financial aid for high medical expenses and summer camps to counseling and support for siblings of children with special needs, Yaldei is an address for shluchim to turn to for guidance, counseling, and funding.

“I never dreamed that Yaldei would become the major organization that it is today,”

said Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm, whose son was diagnosed with autism shortly after arriving on shlichus in Boulder, Colorado. Seeing firsthand the desire of fellow Lubavitchers and Shluchim to assist him, Wilhelm, together with Rabbi Gershon Sabol and others, helped form Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe, which operates under the auspices of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch.

“We recognized that there is a deep sense of loneliness and isolation that comes with the diagnosis of a child with special needs far away on shlichus,” said Rabbi Dovid Leib Shur, Yaldei’s Director of Development.

“Parents may feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of time and resources involved in continuing with their important shlichus work. Yaldei is a place for them to turn to for chizuk and practical guidance, reminding them that they are not alone. Our goal is to lighten their load by taking some of the burden off their shoulders so they can focus on their families and communities.”

Being active shluchim while caring for a child with special needs often means that parents have little time to recharge and unwind between all their responsibilities. “We were advised by professionals to provide something for parents to have time for themselves,” said Shur. “So we began making retreats where parents can come together and gain chizuk from each other.”

Unlike typical retreats that offer brief relaxation before routine life returns, these retreats prioritize long-lasting spiritual vitality for participants. Spending time with fellow Chassidim enriches conversations and deepens connections. They occur several

times a year in various locations across the United States and Eretz Yisroel and have been highly praised by shluchim.

For the families they care for, Yaldei is a lifeline to turn to even in the most difficult times. Their website features messages of overwhelming gratitude from shluchim, knowing that with Yaldei they are not alone in their struggle.

One note reads: “It’s hard to focus on all our daughter’s needs without feeling like it takes away from our other children or shlichus. And it costs a lot. With Yaldei, we know there are

people out there who notice us, care about us, and want to make things easier. We appreciate it so much!”

“We aren’t a typical organization with just a list of services to access,” explained Rabbi Sholly Weiser, Yaldei’s Director of Programming and Administration. “Rather, the shluchim inform us of what they need and we strive to provide it, with different services added as the need arises.”

Ever-increasing programs also mean a fast-growing budget expected to reach two and a half million dollars by next

year. A wide donor base from Chabad communities ensures that they are able to continue providing their critical service to the shluchim.

Yaldei’s annual fundraising barbecues, held in Crown Heights and Miami, attract over 500 people to lend their support to the Shluchim. “It is truly remarkable to see so many members of anash turn out to help a fellow chossid far away who they may never even meet,” said Shur. “The love between chassidim is real and palpable at these events.”

With offices in New York, Florida, and Eretz Yisroel and a dedicated staff on call for shluchim in need, the spirit of “chassidim ein mishpacha” is alive and well at Yaldei.

Mendel’s Story

As told by Mrs. Raizy Metzger, Co-Director of the ChabadSutton in New York City

OOur son Mendel was only a month old when we moved on Shlichus to Midtown Manhattan almost 20 years ago. As our Chabad House grew, so did he, but we noticed his development slowed. We took him to get checked, and on the very same day that we signed the lease for a space for our activities and preschool, Mendel was diagnosed with autism.

When a child is first diagnosed, you don’t know how severe it might be. Seeking guidance, I anonymously posted on a forum for Shluchos to connect with others. This was before organizations like Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe existed to assist parents in navigating our new reality. I received only one response from another parent, leading my husband and me to realize we’d have to navigate this on our own.

It’s difficult to describe how challenging those early days were. I kept Mendel’s condition

private. I feared that parents in our new preschool wouldn’t trust me with their kids if they knew I had a child with special needs at home. I created a home schedule for Mendel with different caretakers and therapists to be with him while I was busy with the preschool.

Looking back, being in the Shlichus role and feeling purposeful actually helped me get through many challenging times. I had people to talk to and a job to get done, which helped me stay afloat when worries about Mendel’s condition threatened to drown me. Thanks to him, I’ve learned about children’s development and special-ed and developed close connections with local families with special needs children.

As our family grew, Mendel’s siblings grew up with an older brother whose behavior could be irritating or even embarrassing. While each of them handles it differently, the experience has definitely taught them to be sensitive and caring to people with special needs.

Growing up on Shlichus in Vancouver, British Columbia, I remember a man with special needs occasionally visiting the Chabad House. As kids, we didn’t know what to make of him, never mind engaging with him. Now, we have a similar character in our Chabad House: Sam, a sweet young man with autism. Whenever he comes, my kids are friendly and warm, knowing how to treat him.

Mendel Metzger with his parents

Rabbi Shmuly and Raizy Metzger

Mendel’s autism affects his speech, and aside from a few solitary words, he is nonspeaking. I had always felt that Mendel had a lot that he wanted to communicate, and it was painful to see him unable to express himself. In the last few years, however, Mendel was taught how to communicate through typing, giving us a fascinating window into what he feels inside. He tells us what he wants and how he is feeling, how he is enjoying the program he is in, and how much he loves his family. He has begun to write poetry and reveals to us his highly intelligent, sensitive soul.

We recently launched an Instagram page for him to type messages, which he named @ MendelMetzgerTheMagicWordSmith. It can take a lot of coaxing and emotional support to get him to type, but when he does, he is visibly more at ease and

happier. He even wrote a speech for last year’s Pesach Seder at our Chabad House. As I read it to the crowd, he stood next to me, beaming with pride.

While his ability to communicate and show his inner self has been a comfort and a blessing, it has also created new frustrations, especially for his siblings. On the keyboard, he can seem normal and rational, and the very next moment, he may act more typically “special needs.” Ultimately, we have all come to realize that people with autism don’t have full control over their bodies, a feeling Mendel himself has expressed in his writing.

Now 18 years old, Mendel lives in a residential school for special

needs in Boston, Massachusetts. He comes home almost every Shabbos and is a beloved figure in our Chabad House. His greatest joy is to receive an aliyah to the Torah. Last Purim, our Chabad House was chaotically busy, and I was worried about how he handled all the hustle and bustle. To my surprise, he typed a message to us that said how much he loves the lifestyle of shlichus that we live and the love and friendship of our community.

We can never know why Hashem decides to give people like Mendel the struggles that they have. Our family is grateful for the opportunity to nurture and learn from a special neshama like Mendel.

Mendel Metzger with his father Rabbi Shmuly Metzger

Yitzy’s Story

As told by Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm, Director of Chabad at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado

OOur son Yitzy was diagnosed with autism at around his third birthday. Living in a college town far from the resources available in a frum Jewish community like New York meant that we had to figure everything out on our own, without much local help to support and guide us.

We quickly realized that our shlichus activities were also going to have to change. Night programs would be much more complicated and certain programs simply became out of the question. I remember arriving home from an exhilarating Birthright trip to Israel with over 100 students and thinking to myself that a trip like this wouldn’t be happening again for a long time.

While some well-meaning friends suggested that we leave our shlichus to make it more manageable, it was never something we really considered. The only question was, how do we do it? My wife Leah threw herself into learning how to help Yitzy and got him enrolled in local schools and facilities. Friends and relatives who understood the financial burden and emotional strain helped in whatever way they could.

Although we shared our technical challenges with friends and family, I hesitated to discuss the emotional turmoil, fearing they wouldn’t

understand. That mindset began to change thanks to two impactful experiences I had.

The first took place during a Kinus Hashluchim. We were going through a particularly challenging time with Yitzy, and I decided to unburden myself to my chaverim (close friends). I told them what we were going through and how that impacted our lives. It was something I had never really done before, and their reaction took me by surprise.

They all said they wished they had known about this earlier so they could help. “Why didn’t you tell us? We want to help!” they all said. It wasn’t just compassion and sympathy; it was a real desire to lighten our load and make things easier. As Hayom Yom states, “Chassidim zainen nisht elentChassidim are not alone.” This inspired the creation of Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe, an organization I co-founded for Shluchim with children with special needs, in which I remain actively involved.

The second was an epiphany after delivering an impassioned Chassidus shiur at our Chabad House. Sharing the uniqueness of every neshama made me realize I hadn’t internalized this message about my son. Although he faces external challenges, he is a pure,

special neshama like every yid, giving him infinite value.

When looking at Yitzy from the Chassidic perspective, I came to appreciate that he is a perfect neshama. That’s who he is, and that’s what we celebrate. This approach was exemplified in his Bar Mitzvah celebration, where we spared no expense to make it a truly joyous evening. Someone later commented to me: “Such a simcha could only have been done with the Chabad approach.”

Yitzy is now 21 years old. He lives with us at home and attends a

day program during the week. He plays a major role in our Chabad House, welcoming people in with a broad smile and irresistible positivity. He teaches us what it means to be nonjudgmental and totally accepting. There’s no way you can come to Chabad at CU Boulder without noticing Yitzy. The students love him.

Over the years, Yitzy has brought people closer to Yiddishkeit simply through his everyday interactions, whether by wearing a yarmulke in public school or

bringing his Jewish teachers to our Chabad House on Yomim Tovim. He loves our way of life, and he’s proud to be a part of our Chabad House.

A community member once came to our Chabad House on Shabbos Chanukah, something he doesn’t usually do. I asked him what had inspired him to join us. He explained that after an emotionally trying week dealing with the health crisis of his own child, he wanted to lift his spirits with the joyous songs of Hallel. “There is no one who sings

Hallel with more joy than Yitzy Wilhelm,” he said.

While it feels like we are now on the other side of the challenge, having learned how to care for Yitzy over the past twenty years, we haven’t forgotten the overwhelming struggles we faced at the start. That’s why my wife and I dedicate time to fielding calls from shluchim who are still at the beginning of their journey. We regard this as the most important thing on our agendabeing there for a fellow shliach or shlucha in need.

Young Shliach Yitzy Wilhelm with students of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado

Victory and Vindication

The Perelmuter family took a painful trip to trace their history in Poland, yet returned empowered

by Tzali Reicher

Outside Auschwitz, from left: Goldie Weingarten, Levi Perelmuter, Yanky Perelmuter, Moshe Perelmuter, Rabbi Abba Perelmuter, Leibel Perelmuter, ChayaLeah Sufrin and Chanie Perelmuter

AA trip to Nazi concentration camps and the ruins of Jewish life after the Holocaust is not what can be imagined as a fun family getaway. Yet it is one that the Perelmuter family have been planning for years and were finally able to take on November 10-14, 2024.

Growing up in Montreal, Canada, Rabbi Abba Perelmuter knew about the horrors his family had faced during World War II. Both his parents were born and raised in Poland, where their lineage dates back centuries.

His mother Raizel (nee Zelcer) was in the Lodz Ghetto during its entire existence from 1939 until its liquidation in 1945, when she was sent to Auschwitz and then the Bergen Belsen Nazi death camps. She survived and was miraculously reunited with a brother and a sister. His father Shmuel ended up in Russia during the war but lost his entire family.

Both of his parents immigrated to Canada and met there, eventually building a family. Rabbi Perelmuter, a Chabad Shliach who leads The Shul by the Shore in Long Beach, California, said the Holocaust always had a profound effect on their family. His curiosity about his family’s history was something that was evidently passed along to his own family.

It led the family to make a pilgrimage to their roots in Europe, despite the challenge of coordinating everyone’s schedules and time zones. Rabbi and Chani Perelmuter have three children nearby in Long Beach (ChayaLeah Sufrin, Goldie Weingarten, and Levi Perelmuter), while the remaining children live in Kansas (Yanky Perelmuter), Crown Heights (Leibel Perelmuter), and Eretz Yisroel (Moshe Perelmuter).

Family and work considerations were factored in, and with supportive spouses and children, everyone quickly confirmed their participation. Thus, the entire Perelmuter clan set off, ready to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, eager to learn about how they lived and tragically died al kiddush Hashem

“I was only going to do the trip if we were all going to retrace our family’s steps together, and we collectively realized that if we didn’t go now, when would we?” Rabbi Perelmuter said.

A Poignant Remark at Auschwitz

On November 10th, they landed in freezing Krakow and felt as if they had stepped back in time during their first morning there. Pre-war storefronts featuring Glatt kosher meat and Jewish bookstores were preserved, and they visited the resting places of the Rama (the posek, Rabbi Moshe Isserles) and the Bach (Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, known for his commentary on Gemara).

“This was our first moment of confronting the world that had been lost, and it felt eerie walking through a city with such a rich Jewish history that had been entirely decimated,” Perelmuter remembered.

The Perelmuters then made the solemn journey to Auschwitz, where his mother had been an inmate and where many of his relatives perished among over one million people. Accompanied by a tour guide detailing the prisoners’ suffering, the Perelmuters were also assigned a Polish escort who defended Poland’s revisionist Holocaust history,

minimizing Polish complicity and portraying them as fellow Nazi victims.

They walked through the barracks and what remains of the gas chambers, the infamous showers and the crematorium. They climbed the guard tower, offering views of the vast expanse filled with people who passed through the gates of Arbeit Macht Frei but never left.

“Nothing can compare to being there and seeing what happened there,” Perelmuter conveyed. “You think you have some idea from the thousands of books and films about the Holocaust, but walking through Auschwitz and witnessing what remains with my own eyes is something that will stay with me as long as I live.”

The family walked through the Kanda warehouses in the camp, where Perelmuter’s mother was assigned to sort through the possessions of the thousands of unfortunate souls who arrived in Auschwitz every day. In the Auschwitz museum, books list millions of names of the perished, where the family found dozens of Perelmuters and Zelcers among the lost.

Chayaleah Sufrin shared a powerful sentiment

At the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau

that resonated deeply with the family. She said, “If there was one thing I could tell my grandmother at that time, it would be this: ‘You will emerge victorious over these monsters. You’ll go on to build a large and beautiful Jewish family, while these Nazis will be defeated and reviled for the rest of time.’”

“The entire time we were in Poland, it was grey, gloomy, and tense—a reflection of our mood and feelings during this trip,” her father commented. “But in that moment, standing together as eight proud Chassidic Jews honoring our mother and grandmother, who had survived against all odds, it felt like a true victory and vindication.”

The Heartbreaking Stop

Amidst the heaviness, the Perelmuters coped with the gravity of their situation through humor. Known for their irreverent wit, Chayaleah Sufrin noted that the family’s familiar banter and jokes provided comfort during their tour of Poland’s tragic sites.

“Precisely here, where the Jewish people were tortured and massacred, and where the Nazis tried to stamp out every last vestige of Jewish light, it was so life-affirming to be able to laugh and find humor even in these darkest of places,” Sufrin explained. “Of course, we were respectful, but what could be a bigger statement of our victory than to find laughter at the site of our most painful memories?”

On a bus traveling from city to city, the family bonded over stories from their childhood and easy banter while learning more about their family history from their father, who shared more than he ever had before. “We grew closer as a family throughout the whole trip, all the time growing closer to the family members that came before us,” Sufrin said.

The family visited Lublin, where they saw what remains of the renowned Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin and davened at the resting place of Reb Elimelech in Lizensk.

They also stopped at a memorial in Buczyna woods outside of Tarnow. The story behind it is heartbreaking: During the Holocaust, the Nazis forced 800 Jewish children from the town into

a pit in the forest and buried them alive. Their cries were heard for days. A Polish teenager who witnessed the atrocity marked the site so returning Jews would know what happened. Today, the grave is marked, along with a nearby grave where the children’s mothers were killed and buried together.

They also spent time at the Majdanek concentration camp on a bitterly cold day with a light drizzle. Upon seeing the houses and businesses of Lublin right outside the camp gates, they reflected on how the people living there at the time had to have known of the atrocities that were occurring just five minutes away.

“Walking through the camp, retracing the steps of the victims, was devastating,” says Perelmuter. “We learned about the camp’s commandant, a man so monstrous that he built a bathtub next to the crematorium. He used the heat from the burning bodies to warm his bathwater, taking luxurious baths while bodies were being incinerated just feet away. The sheer barbarity of it was almost impossible to comprehend.”

Davening mincha in the Shul in Lancut, Poland

Same Attitude, 80 Years Later

After spending a night in Lublin, the Perelmuters finally returned to where they had been forced to leave over 80 years before. They walked through the streets of Zgierz, where Rabbi Perelmuter’s mother had grown up, and there they encountered deeply suspicious locals who refused to help them and frowned at them, reminiscent of past attitudes.

“No one would help us in Zgierz, and they made no pretense of hiding their hostility,” Sufrin said. “When our Polish guide asked an old lady where the Jewish area that my grandmother grew up in was, she answered in a way that made it clear that she had zero intention of helping us.”

“Zgierz was frustrating,” Perelmuter acknowledged, “because we couldn’t find where my mother had grown up or other clues to how her family had lived. But it was important for us to go back and know that we were blessed enough to return and walk the same streets she was forced to leave all those decades ago.”

In Łódź, where Perelmuter’s mother spent over five years in the ghetto, they saw the walls and Radegast station, the platform from which

his family was sent to Auschwitz. A cattle car, similar to the ones used to transport victims on their final journey, stands at the site. For Perelmuter, being there was the heaviest moment of the entire trip.

“Standing on that platform, I was overwhelmed with emotion,” he said. “I imagined my mother in one of those cars, along with her parents, her sister, and hundreds of others. I found myself wishing I could reach back in time, pull them out, and save them...”

They also visited the town of Ger, home of the Chassidic dynasty, which Perelmuter’s mother belonged to, and davened at the resting place of the Rebbes buried there.

Their next stop was Warsaw, where they visited significant Holocaust sites such as Mila 18, the site of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, where many fighters are buried. Once home to about 400,000 people, now only a section of the ghetto wall remains.

“The cemetery in Warsaw was deeply moving,” Perelmuter said. “There’s a massive grave where 100,000 people who died in the ghetto were buried. The Nazis allowed the bodies to be dumped into a common plot. Standing there, the scale of loss is overwhelming.”

He added, “This trip was deeply painful and

Outside the Jewish cemetery in Zgierz, the town where the Perelmuters' mother and grandmother lived

overwhelming, but it was also a powerful reminder of resilience and continuity. Even in the face of such unimaginable loss, our story continues.”

Overcoming Childhood Guilt

Walking through the streets of small Polish towns and cities that hadn’t seen groups of visibly Chassidic Jews strolling on them in decades led to some interesting encounters with the locals.

“One man approached my brothers and asked if they were Jewish, and when they responded yes, he told them that he had never seen a Jewish person in his life,” Sufrin recalled.

“Another lady approached my father and apologized for the Holocaust. It was strange, but it felt powerful for us to show them that while we were persecuted and chased out of Poland, here we are, loudly and proudly.”

After five days in Poland, during which they also visited the Chabad House of Warsaw, the family flew to Eretz Yisroel for Shabbos. There, removed from the weight of what they witnessed and what their family had experienced, they were able to reflect on what they had just seen.

“Growing up, I felt guilty when I was carefree or got frustrated by small annoyances, knowing that by my age, my grandmother had already endured unimaginable pain for

multiple lifetimes,” Sufrin said. “Visiting Poland helped me process that and appreciate the blessings we often take for granted. The trip taught me that living our lives, with all its ups and downs, is the best tribute to our grandparents.”

Rabbi Perelmuter discussed the trip on a special episode of the edJEWcation Podcast, which he hosts with Sufrin and Jay Covitz. Contrasting the vibrant Jewish life in Eretz Yisroel helped crystallize Perelmuter’s feeling of vindication over those who had devastated his family decades before.

“Arriving in Israel and seeing what the Jewish people have been able to accomplish in the 80 years since the Holocaust filled us with immense pride,” he said reflectively. “Israel showed me our strength, our purpose, and renewal. They tried to hurt us -and they really did- yet we rebuilt. And yet, as we saw on October 7, the challenges continue.

“But even in the face of such terror, our spirit endures. We are here, we are strong, and we will not be broken. I carry this message with me every day—that through Torah, through our community, and through our shared faith—we ensure the continuity of our people, no matter the challenges we face.”

At the Kosel in Yerushalayim Outside the Gerrer yeshiva in Ger

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“If It’s Important, You Should Have It in English”

An interview with Rabbi Shmuly Avtzon on stepping into his father’s shoes, ignoring a publisher’s advice, the growth of English speakers in Lubavitch, and being careful about AI translations

Publisher

Age: 37

Family: Married with 7 children

Residence: Crown Heights

Titles: Director of Sichos in English (SIE) and Mashpia at the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch - 770 Eastern Parkway

Next month will be 6 years since the passing of your father, Rabbi Yonah Avtzon OBM. How does he inspire your work?

My father launched Sichos in English in 1978. Its mission was to translate the Rebbe’s farbrengens for the English-speaking crowd. As time went on, it expanded into the translation and elucidation of other works of Chassidus into English. When I was growing up with my father, there was the practical element of seeing him work, edit, and fundraise—that was the guf, the body. The nefesh—the soul—was seeing a Yid for whom everything revolved around the Rebbe. Some of my earliest memories are of my father taking me to every chaluka (when the Rebbe would distribute something to the crowd), every time the Rebbe came out for a moment, my father took us, even as very young children. After Gimmel Tammuz 5754, he was constantly working on projects, sefarim, and the Rebbe’s inyanim.

Did he involve you in his work at Sichos in English?

My father wasn’t thinking about keeping Sichos in English in the family, about bringing his kids into the work. Like the loyal chossid that he was, he encouraged us to move out on shlichus and otherwise fulfill the Rebbe’s directives. It was only a few months before his passing that I started helping with editorial work.

During the last few months of his life, he wasn’t feeling well. He went in and out of the hospital, but always had a stack of papers with him, wherever he went. He was always editing drafts because he got an instruction from the Rebbe that empowered him: Once, after a sicha was sent for the Rebbe to edit, the Rebbe’s response was that my father’s work could be relied upon since he took achrayus (responsibility)

Rabbi Shmuly Avtzon (third from left) with his brothers and their father, Rabbi Yonah Avtzon, of blessed memory

Rabbi Shmuly Avtzon

and mashpia

for it. My father took that as a directive not to allow anything to be published that he wouldn’t take personal responsibility for.

A few weeks before his passing, while very sick, he was still busy editing. I asked him, “Is it really so important?” My father told me, “This is my mandate.” I offered, “If you trust me, you can delegate it to me and still take responsibility for it.” My father then said, “For 40 years, this is what I was doing. I can’t just give it up.”

A week before he passed away, he told me, “I left some pages I was working on in the office in the basement—please pick them up on your way home.” I messaged him and asked what I should do with the papers. He replied, “Just see it, so you know what I (would) look for.”

I felt he was finally trusting me, but I was also very scared and a bit worried. This was the last message I got from him. For me, that was his tzava’ah (lasting will) to me: that this is what I should be doing. What was it like stepping into

your role as Director of Sichos in English?

In the beginning, I was trying to get my bearings. Baruch Hashem, there was a lot of support from the community and from donors. I realized that I’m entering a mosad where many employees were there for decades—some were older than my father—but they were all very supportive and accommodating.

I started getting to work, and only then did I start to understand what it means to run such a mosad: fundraising, publishing, editing, managing a team, distributing, and so much more. My father did much of it himself, but I understood that I would have to do it a bit differently as we are not the same person. My father took on an enormous amount of responsibility for each aspect of the publication process, but I quickly realized that I would need to delegate many of these tasks to allow the mosad to grow.

And how has it been going?

The mosad has grown consistently in terms of projects, quality, and quantity. Today, Sichos in English is at the forefront of bringing the Rebbe’s

words to the masses, and there are many projects in the pipeline.

Any examples?

The book Make Peace, which shares the Rebbe’s teachings in a way that people can relate to about the current situation in Eretz Yisroel, has been extremely successful. It has reached many rabbonim, thought leaders, and politicians in Eretz Yisroel and around the world. We are now sending it for a fourth printing with an updated version. Additionally, we are translating it into Hebrew.

Last year, we finished publishing Selections from Likkutei Sichot on the Parsha—a five-volume set. Now, for Hei Teves, we are releasing the first volume of Selections from Likkutei Sichot on the moadim, running from Tishrei to Adar. After finishing ten volumes of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, and one volume of Choshen Mishpat, we are now publishing the first volume on Yoreh Deah. It’s a totally different style—the Alter Rebbe wrote it as a pirush (commentary) on the Beis

Israeli president Isaac Herzog

Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of England

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida

Yosef, so we changed the format and put a lot of thought into how to present it. We are already working hard on preparing the second volume for print as well.

We are publishing some of the Sichos in English classics redone in a new version, including Eternal Joy - A Guide To Shidduchim & Marriage, and part of the Rebbe’s Perspective series with 30-40% new content. We recently prepared a beautiful collection of the Rebbe’s focus on Torah learning by women, which was commissioned by the N’shei Chabad organization for their Yud Tes Kislev farbrengen.

Very impressive. Is anything planned for the milestone of the 75th Yud Shevat?

Yes! We’re also releasing a new sefer in honor of Yud Shevat, which will mark 75 years of the Rebbe’s Nesius and 75 years since the maamar Basi Legani. The Rebbe said that the answers to all the questions, the Rebbe found in this maamar. Every year the Rebbe said a maamar Basi Legani, some years more than one. I believe there are

53 Basi Leganis—the gematria (numerology) of Gan. We have been working the last few years on Lessons in Basi Legani of the Frierdiker Rebbe, with an elucidation from all the Rebbe’s Basi Leganis; all the maamarim and sichos. Many Chassidim and mashpiim were involved, and we hope it transforms the study of Basi Legani this year and in the future.

Another upcoming milestone is the 50th year from Rosh Chodesh Iyar and Lag BaOmer 5736 when the Rebbe introduced the 12 Pesukim for children to recite. We will publish The Life of a Jewish Child Volume 1, which explains

the 12 Pesukim as the Rebbe taught them, and later, we will publish a second volume covering other aspects of a child’s life as a soldier in Tzivos Hashem.

What sefer of Sichos in English do you see as a must in every home?

If you’re married and are blessed with kids, any sefer you feel is important to have in your house—you should have it in English. Before Gimmel Tammuz, Sichos in English was primarily for baalei teshuva and mekuravim who couldn’t learn the Rebbe’s words in the original language (Yiddish and Lashon Kodesh).

Today, our kids’ primary language is English. The reality is that in the

Arab-Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad

Vivek Ramaswamy, co-leader of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

French Jewish philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy

Lubavitch world, our sons and daughters learn in English—even bochurim in Chassidishe yeshivos. If you want your sefarim to be fulfilling not just Mivtza Bayis Malei Sefarim (the Rebbe’s campaign to have a House Filled with Holy Books) but also Mivtza Torah (the Rebbe’s campaign to actually learn from those holy books), you want those sefarim in English. Our vision is to bring as much of the Rebbeim’s sefarim into English as possible because if you need the sefer in your home, you need it in English.

Clearly, people are still into print despite being in the digital age …

In the first few months after I took over, many people—well-meaning people, some even within Sichos in English—came over to me and said, “Shmuly, it’s beautiful; you took it over from your father, but the world of print is dying. Get into the world of digital because within a few years, no one is going to be buying books.”

I initially felt the same way. But the reality is that nothing could be further from the truth. The world of print is booming—both in the frum community, with Shabbos, when everyone reads printed material— but in the secular community as well. People are increasingly seeing the limitations of online media. There’s nothing like sitting down and studying from an actual book. Every year, the Hei Teves sale grows. Every year, more people buy more sefarim.

And yet, Sichos in English was always known for its online presence.

We were one of the first to publish full sefarim online — way before the various platforms out there now. My father’s longtime policy was that almost all the books were put up online—some were published online before they came from the printer—

A collection of Sichos in English publications.

and presumably, this was at a financial loss to Sichos in English. Not long after I started at Sichos in English, someone arranged a meeting for me with a prestigious publisher. I asked him, “What’s the number one thing I need to do to be successful?” He said, “Control your product: ensure people have to pay for it; don’t allow any copies.” I said, “I hear you, but the policy my father put in place is that his books go online.” So he said, “Ok, the first thing you’ll do will be to stop that policy.” I said, “That’s very hard for me to see changing.” And indeed, it is not changing. I realized there are different models. While we need to make money to enable our continued work, the world of Sichos in English is all about hafatzas hamaayanos

(sharing Chassidus). If you can reach tens of thousands, what right do you have to reach only thousands? If you can reach hundreds of thousands, what right do you have to reach only tens of thousands? We sell books and have sales, but the main thing is hafatza. People are reading it online, printing it out, downloading sefarim to their Kindles.

Much of your work is translation. What role does Artificial Intelligence play?

Many people have asked me about the role of artificial intelligence in translation—will we even need translators? We already incorporate it a lot in our work, but we also need specifically humans who know how to channel it even as AI is getting better. The danger of AI is that it will prepare something that’s

70-80% complete. For the rest, you need humans to make sure it doesn’t take you for a ride—AI can be saying something inaccurate and can be very convincing.

What’s the vision for Sichos in English?

Our dream is to have all the sichos and maamarim available in English translation and elucidation; that every Yid should have access to all the Rebbeim’s Torah, not just in English but also in other languages.

With proper usage and the right people in place, we can transform the world by translating Chassidus and bringing it to the masses, leading to the ultimate Geulah, when " the world shall be filled with knowledge of Hashem as water covers the seabed."

by Tzali Reicher

The Tanya Influencer

Standing at a crossroads, Faigy Blumstein of the Five Towns was guided by a clear sign from the Rebbe

When the Bais Rivkah Alumnae Association of Crown Heights announced its “Strength for the Soul - A Tanya Summit,” diving into Chabad’s foundational book authored by the Alter Rebbe, there was one presenter who stood out: Faigy Blumstein. A graduate of Bais Yaakov schools, her journey into the depths of Chabad philosophy has been as unconventional as it is inspiring.

Having been raised in a yeshivish-style family in Flatbush, Blumstein’s exposure to Chabad had been minimal—a neighbor had a picture of the Rebbe hanging in their home, but she had no knowledge of who it was or what it represented. While learning in seminary in Israel, she was ever so slightly exposed to some of the more kabbalistic ideas and understandings of Torah, but there was not a focus on chassidus and the development of one’s personal avodah using these teachings. “Even with that little exposure I discovered a depth in Torah and Yiddishkeit I’d never known and couldn’t get enough of,” she recalled.

Upon returning to the United States, she met her husband, Elimelech Blumstein. “It was clear to me that Elimelech was a spiritual seeker, someone who was deeply committed to connecting with Hashem and saw the importance of sharing that with others,” she said.

After their marriage, the couple moved to Israel for several years, where Elimelech pursued his dream of obtaining smicha and engaging in kiruv. They joined the community of Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz of the Jerusalem Kollel and Yeshivas Aish Hatorah, and began participating in outreach activities. For Faigy, it was a transformative experience.

“Until then, I thought you had to be some sort of Certified Kiruv Professional to share Yiddishkeit with others,” she said with a laugh. “I was in school studying psychology when I was asked to begin giving classes in Taharas Hamishpacha (family purity) because that is what these women needed to learn, and it just felt so right. It felt like this is what we were meant to be doing.”

When they moved back to New York, they both took jobs at kiruv organizations. She began teaching a weekly class in Manhattan on the basics of Yiddishkeit and incorporating some random ideas from Chassidus she found online. “They were so eager to learn!” she recalled. “Many already had some background, often from Chabad Houses. It fascinated me since I really knew very little about Chabad or Tanya at the time.”

As the Blumsteins settled in the Five Towns, she soon began learning more about what it meant. The couple joined the communities of Rabbi Moshe Weinberger and Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky, both of whom teach Chassidus and often integrate the Rebbe’s teachings into their lessons.

She remembered how deeply she connected to what she was learning. “I started attending every class and program I could find,” she admitted. “I couldn’t get enough. Each shiur opened my eyes to new dimensions of Torah and spirituality that I hadn’t encountered before.”

Thank You to Hashem

As time passed and the Blumstein family grew, the pressures of daily life began to mount. She was raising a family, including a daughter diagnosed with health issues requiring special attention, alongside managing her psychology and kiruv work. One night, her husband suggested they go daven at the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens, which is just a 15-minute drive from their house.

The idea of davening at a cemetery seemed strange to someone with her background, yet knowing the high esteem the Rebbe was held in by her own teachers, she agreed. “When I walked into the Ohel, I felt a powerful connection that I’d never felt before,” she remembered. “I felt like the Rebbe was hearing me, and knew this was a place where tefilos are heard.”

She became a frequent visitor to the Ohel, including before every doctor appointment for her daughter, who thankfully got better. The entire family began going to the Ohel every week. “It became such a normal part of our routine,” she said. “Our children grew up seeing this as part of our family’s connection to Hashem and the Rebbe.”

Around this time, Elimelech, now an entrepreneur, along with his brother Aryeh, co-founded Thank You Hashem (TYH), the movement promoting the

Blumstein's children visiting the Rebbe's Ohel in Queens

Blumstein's children visiting the Rebbe's Ohel in Queens

Faigy Blumstein and her husband Elimelech proudly holding a Chayenu booklet

expression of gratitude to Hashem, which quickly went viral for its groundbreaking embrace of using music and creativity to communicate an uplifting spiritual message.

“Elimelech encouraged me to start sharing the Chassidus we were learning through TYH’s Instagram account,” Blumstein said. “I was studying ‘The Lost Princess’ of Breslov at the time and thought I would just share what I was learning. Teaching felt daunting, but I knew I learned best when I taught, so I decided to get over myself and try.”

The response was overwhelming. Blumstein quickly realized how much she loved teaching this material and how deeply it resonated with people of all backgrounds. “From the first class, I got so much positive feedback,” she said. “People wanted more, and I started to see how transformative this could be—for them and for me.”

After finishing that series, she sought her next topic and received recommendations to explore the Alter Rebbe’s book of Tanya. First published in 1796, Tanya integrates Kabbalah and Gemara to clarify the mechanics of Creation, the infinite nature of Hashem, and human personality composition. Initially, she found the material complex but eventually accepted the challenge enthusiastically.

“I realized that teaching Tanya was exactly what I needed to grow myself and to help others connect with something so profound,” she said. “It also felt like all these different influences—our trips to the Ohel, our community, my kiruv work—were pointing me in this direction.”

Standing at a Crossroads

Blumstein began teaching Tanya by sharing an introductory class on social media and was surprised when a friend called afterward to share how powerful and inspiring it was.

“She asked if we could arrange a weekly chaburah to learn Tanya together for the women of the Five Towns, and I was thrilled with the suggestion,” Blumstein said. “That first week, four women came; the next week, there were ten. Before I knew it, over 30 women were gathering regularly to learn the Torah of Chabad Chassidus, with many more joining online.”

In just the first year, over 10,000 listeners downloaded the shiurim, and her short and inspirational videos on Instagram have connected her with thousands more. The overwhelmingly positive feedback encouraged her to create an active WhatsApp learning community with hundreds of women. She recently launched an initiative for 150 local high school girls to study Chassidus before Yomim Tovim.

Blumstein delivering a talk to a group of frum girls

“In many Jewish communities, it seems easier for men to feel more connected to Hashem, with minyanim, shiurim and events,” she explains. “By creating this opportunity for women, a spark was ignited for so many of us. I discovered what I had been missing, and it was clear others felt the same way. Learning Tanya opened up a whole new perspective, and the Torah came alive in a way we had never experienced before.”

In September 2023, Blumstein felt that balancing her roles as a mother, psychologist, kiruv worker and teacher of Tanya had become challenging. Standing at a crossroads, she planned to visit the Ohel the following evening for guidance. The Rebbe answered her even sooner.

Blumstein recalled: “I went to visit my mother at the apartment building where she lived, and while there, a Lubavitcher woman approached me and asked, ‘Are you Faigy Blumstein?’ I told her I was, and she introduced herself as Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman (head of the MASK organization - Mothers & Fathers Aligned Saving Kids).

“She told me she had messaged me months earlier, asking if I had a dollar from the Rebbe. She explained that she felt I should have one because of my dedication to spreading Chassidus and the Rebbe’s teachings. I was stunned and felt tears welling up. It was true hashgacha pratis.

“Ruchama had messaged me in July, but in the rush of everyday life, I had missed it. Yet here she was, at the exact moment I needed the Rebbe’s guidance most. Receiving a dollar from the Rebbe felt like a direct sign of encouragement—a message to focus my available energy on spreading this Torah. That Tuesday, I left the kiruv organization I worked for to allow for this to happen.”

In the past year, her Tanya classes have flourished. She prepares by studying Rabbi Shais Taub’s online classes, The Practical Tanya by Rabbi Chaim Miller, as well as classes by Rabbi Manis Friedman and Rabbi YY Jacobson. She also has Tanya chavrusas with her friends and her son, blending their insights into a message that resonates with thousands of women.

Balancing everything isn’t easy for Faigy Blumstein, but she manages.

“I reflect on how everything aligns—the kiruv work, our bond with the Rebbe from frequent Ohel visits, TYH, and Tanya—and I’m in awe," she says. "I feel blessed to help bring Chassidus to the world and assist in paving the way for Moshiach’s arrival. Moshiach told the Baal Shem Tov he would come when his teachings are spread. I’m humbled to play a little role in that.”

Blumstein receiving a Rebbe dollar from Mrs. Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman

Introducing Daily Studies in Chitas –The Schottenstein Edition, a revolutionary single-volume book that features the entire Chumash and Rashi (with Onkelos), Haftarot, Tehillim, Tanya and Hayom Yom—all accompanied by a modern English translation. This volume also includes a Siddur with English annotations and instructions.

A Visual Tribute

The October 7 art exhibit that grew out of Crown Heights

by Sara Trappler Spielman

AA new exhibit commemorating the first anniversary of the October 7 attack in Eretz Yisroel uses art to express the pain and horror of that day and the faith and hope that emerged.

October 7: Terror, Faith, Hope is the result of a collaboration between Miriam Leah Gamliel and Esther Leah Marchette of The Arts and Torah Association (ATARA) and Tamar Adelstein, who recently opened the Juneberry Tree Gallery from her home on President Street in Crown Heights.

The ATARA community brings Orthodox Jewish artists together to create, connect, and inspire within the framework of Torah values. This year, they collaborated on works of art, including dance, music, and their first dedicated visual art show, in response to the devastation of October 7.

“Visual art has a unique power to communicate what words cannot, allowing us to reflect on our shared grief, strengthen our faith, and embrace hope for the future,” said Gamliel. “This exhibition underscores the healing power of creative expression and highlights the extraordinary depth and talent within our community.”

The exhibition opened on October 7, 2024, at Juneberry Tree Gallery in Crown Heights. Visitors included Jewish university students attending Pegisha NYC, a Chabad on Campus event. Over the past year, many have faced rising antisemitism and embraced Jewish pride, with the exhibit uplifting many.

Since then, the exhibit has been moved to the Hadas Gallery, a large and beautiful space in Brooklyn. It is part of Chabad of Clinton Hill and Pratt Institute, run by Rabbi Yossi and

Chaya Eliav. The exhibit was inaugurated there on November 24 with an opening reception.

Its curator, Abigail Meyer, an art historian, and curator specializing in Jewish visual arts and rare Hebrew manuscripts, has expanded the exhibit to feature the work of thirty-seven artists working in a wide range of media, including oil paintings, watercolor, pastels, photography, textiles, sculpture, calligraphy, mixed media, digital art, video, and immersive installations.

The cover of the exhibit, titled 1400 Names, is the image by Lakewood, NJ-based artist Sarah Begun, who handwrote the names of every soul lost on that day. “I created a burnt menorah in the center to show that no matter if they aren’t here anymore or no matter if they try to destroy us, we will always shine through,” she wrote for the catalog.

“As the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I never thought I would see, hear, or experience the trauma of the news that day, nor the continued rise in antisemitic activity we have all witnessed,” Meyer said. “As an art historian, I feel the responsibility to mark this moment and its aftermath in a visual record, exhibiting testimony taken in the form of art to memorialize the kedoshim, salute the fallen soldiers, and continue our prayers for those taken hostage and the IDF on this first anniversary.”

The exhibition runs through January 31, 2025, at Hadas Gallery: 110 Emerson Place, Brooklyn, NY 11205. For more information, visit artsandtorah.org/october7. To book a group tour, email CuratorTourOct7@gmail. com.

Hope

Sharon Abeles

This car, with its cascading, blood-red poppies, cautions us to never forget the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against peaceful Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. Poppies remind us of the lives lost and our hope that the memories of our loved ones will always be a blessing. Artist: Sharon Abeles is an internationally recognized photographer with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her works are in the collections of major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA).

A Walk Down College Ave

Hannah Finkelshteyn

A Walk Down College Ave is a triptych, depicting the sights seen by the artist at the Rutgers University college campus where she lived during the months after October 7th. Each drawing depicts a different location in which a poster of the Israeli hostages had been ripped down, all on the same street. The drawings are made to be larger than life, emphasizing the mangled details of the posters. They were first made as a final for the artist’s drawing class, and meant as a way of forcing her uncaring and

sometimes vitriolic fellow students to look at the sights that had consumed her walks to class in the past months.

Hannah Finkelshteyn is a mixed media artist currently based in New Jersey, where she is studying drawing and media as a senior at Mason Gross School of the Arts within Rutgers University. Her work has been on display in various exhibitions at the Mason Gross Galleries as well as in the Scholastic Art Awards exhibit in the Montclair Art Museum.

Jewish Lives Matter

Natalia Kadish

Award-winning illustrator Natalia Kadish brings a mystical, whimsical touch to her art, drawing inspiration from life and Hashem’s Torah. Here, she utilizes a popular American slogan to remind the world of the horrors of October 7th and the precious lives lost on that day.

As a third-generation professional artist, Kadish continues her family’s artistic legacy transforming clients’ journeys, memories, and stories into vibrant visual narratives. Her work has appeared in publications including the Deuteronomy Press and her art has been displayed globally, from Irving Plaza in New York City to the Ascent of Tzfat in Israel.

Divided We Are Lost

Pinny Segal Landau

The faces of young women in captivity depicted floating between waves of color forces us to realize that unless we unite, we will not be able to overcome our enemies who try to harm us.

Hailing from the vibrant city of Montreal, Pinny Landau masterfully fuses the chassidic traditions of his upbringing with contemporary style. Primarily recognized for his prowess in oil painting, Landau’s skillful hands also masterfully wield ink, pastels, and acrylic.

Lost Memories

Leah Raab

Using compositions made from wood and other found materials, images of war and terror are symbolized in this unique work of art. The shapes are glued in distorted ways to generate a sense of unease, unpredictability and disorientation, which we are all experiencing. Even in the darkest moments, there are glimmers of light and these too are incorporated in the work.

Originally from Trenton, New Jersey, Leah Raab received her BFA at the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem and returned to America to complete her MFA at the New York Studio School. Most recently, Raab taught and served as art director at Midreshet Emunah V’Omanut in Jerusalem.

Soldiers at the Kotel

Sara Wax

In this painting, soldiers are pictured praying for Hashems’s protection before they set out to battle. Recognizing that victory is ultimately in Hashem’s hands, these soldiers turn heavenwards to grant them success and bring them home safely.

Growing up in Israel, Sara Wax has always felt a strong connection to the land’s scenic beauty, especially its holy sites, and they are depicted in her art. Her passion and creativity have made her works sought after by many, and her paintings adorn Jewish homes throughout the world.

Resilience

Talya Zahler

This poignant piece, adorned with the thousandplus names of October 7th victims, serves as a meaningful reflection on the tragic events. In the foreground is a young child, visibly scared and anxious, while her mother, immersed in prayer connecting with God, radiates calmness as she comprehends the greater picture, the coming of Moshiach.

IDF Faith

Haim Sherrf

Jewish identity has been the spirit behind the determination of many Israeli soldiers. This

painting reflects one of those real-life moments of fighters holding up a Torah during Shacharis davening before they head to the battlefield, fighting evil.

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Chinuch atters

PRESENTED BY MUSHKA COHEN AND THE MENACHEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION (MEF)

Ask the Mechanech

Chanukah represents the fight against Greek influence and assimilation. How do we keep our children from being influenced today by Western culture?

The secret to keeping our children rooted in Yiddishkeit and protected from outside influences is creating a strong, warm, and vibrant atmosphere of kedusha in the home.

It starts with Shabbos. A beautiful Shabbos table, delicious food, parents who are present and not distracted, niggunim, and uplifting stories—all these create a Yiddishe environment filled with light and warmth. When the light of Yiddishkeit shines brightly, it automatically pushes away the darkness.

It’s crucial that everything connected to kedusha is done with beauty and care. For example, setting up negel vasser by the bed teaches children from a young age the importance of purity and starting their day in a holy way. This habit becomes second nature and keeps them connected

to Hashem. A Yid, by their very essence, wants to be close to Hashem. The yetzer hara works hard to trip us up, but when we make kedusha automatic, such as netilas yadayim the very first thing by the bed, it gives the neshama a natural advantage.

Small but significant practices like netilas yadayim after using the restroom should also be emphasized. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes the importance of netilas yadayim, stating that even a talmid chacham is incomplete without it. These seemingly simple acts bring kedusha into daily life.

Mikvah is another cornerstone of kedusha. While not everyone goes daily, going to the mikvah before Shabbos or encouraging sons to go regularly after bar mitzvah is transformative. Tahara has an incredible power to protect against outside influences and instill yiras

Shamayim and mentchlichkeit. I’ve seen boys with behavioral struggles completely change after starting to go to the mikvah. One mother described it as a miracle— it brought calm, respect, and light back into their home.

As Chassidim, we know the saying from R’ Aharon Karliner: “A mikvah is not a mitzvah, but what many mitzvos cannot accomplish, a mikvah can.” These are the inyanim of kedusha that safeguard our children.

The key is always adding light. Me’at ohr doche harbe choshech—a little light dispels much darkness. When we fill our homes and our children’s lives with the kedusha, light and warmth of Torah, Mitzvos, and Chassidishe chinuch, the influences of the outside world naturally fade away.

ANSWER BY RABBI NACHMAN YOSEF TWERSKY, A RENOWNED MECHANECH AND MASHPIA AT MESIVTA OHOLEI TORAH IN CROWN HEIGHTS:

Our Students as Candles

This year, when we sing “Haneiros Hallalu,” think of your children as “these candles” that we light and celebrate. Here’s a meditative chinuch thought for each day of Chanukah.

Time to Shine

Chanukah is a time for light, joy, and family traditions. Here are what some parents do to create lasting memories after lighting the Menorah.

1. We are the shamash. Let us draw close to our children and stay there until they are ablaze of their own accord.

“Each year, we pick out something to learn, and each night, we learn one chapter together.”

- Monsey, New York

2. Let us provide them with all the right materials to ignite their spark and not skimp on the quality and purity of what we teach them.

“Usually, we light the menorah and are quickly off to something—either heading out to a Chanukah party or hosting one ourselves!”

- Los Angeles, California

3. Let us appreciate how no two flames, and no two neshamos, are ever the same.

“On Chanukah, we love making latkes together as a family. Each child gets a job—peeling potatoes, mixing, or flipping them on the pan. It’s messy, but it’s so much fun!”

- Chicago, Illinois

4. Let us show them that it matters not how far they are but that they are growing and adding more light each day.

5. Let us teach them to never give upeven if they feel small in facing their challenges. Just like the Macabees, they can prevail.

“Each night, I try to do something special, even if it’s small. For example, before Chanukah, I’ll pick up sticker art, color-by-number kits, and even dreidel molds at Amazing Savings, which we use to bake dreidel-shaped Challahs.”

- Garden City, New York

6. Let us position them in a way that they have a chance to give so that they are empowered and feel our faith in what they have to offer.

“One of our favorite Chanukah traditions is our donut decorating competition! Everyone gets creative with different frostings, sprinkles, and toppings galore.” - Montreal, Canada

7. Let us take the time to watch our students, to look and listen, and to hear the stories they tell us about who they uniquely are.

8. Let us celebrate them and make known how much we cherish them, these shining miracles. After thousands of years of history that has paved the way, these children have arrived to change the world.

Excerpted from Chinuch With the Times: Insights for An Inspired Educator, published by the Menachem Education Foundation (available at mymef.org/shop)

“One of our nightly Chanukah traditions is playing a family game of dreidel. We keep it special with chocolate coins, pretzels, and even some fun prizes for the winner.”

- Crown Heights, New York

“Our family creates a Hakaras Hatov wall during Chanukah. Each night, everyone adds a note about something they are thankful for— it’s a beautiful way to reflect on all the Brachos we have.”

- Toronto, Canada

MUSHKA RODAL

Please introduce yourself.

I teach at Gan Chai Early Childhood Center in Los Angeles, run by Rabbi Yossi and Geula Dalfin of Chabad Chabad of Hollywood West. I’ve been teaching for four years—first in middle school and now in preschool. What inspired you to become a teacher?

Initially, I didn’t think I’d enjoy teaching such young children. I taught middle school in my first year of teaching, but then, an opportunity to teach preschool came my way. It was so far out of my comfort zone, but it turned out to be an incredible experience. It pushed me to break down concepts into bite-sized ideas, and I adapted to this new role as a preschool teacher. Teaching this age group has been so special and meaningful. You get to give and receive such pure love from these young children, which I didn’t expect to appreciate as much as I do.

You’re known for your creative and hands-on approach—can you share an example of a memorable activity you’ve done?

One activity I did with my students was during our Yom Kippur unit. We did pendulum painting, which I built using tubes to create an upside-down T-shaped structure. I tied a string to a cup, filled the cup with white paint, and set up a long table covered with butcher paper. The children could push the cup, letting it swing and splatter paint across the paper.

The activity tied beautifully into the Yom Kippur theme—it looked like a scale and symbolized the idea of moving back and forth, coming closer to Hashem. It was amazing how much meaning we could infuse into a single art project while also making it so much fun and hands-on. Building the contraption and watching the kids enjoy it was a rewarding experience.

How do you balance creativity and structure in your classroom?

Kids thrive on routine, so our daily schedule stays consistent. Within that structure, there’s plenty of room for creativity—like during center time with activities such as arts, sensory bins, and dramatic play or outdoor play with new explorations. Structure doesn’t stifle creativity; it provides the framework for everything to flow smoothly and for creativity to shine.

What advice would you give to new teachers looking to make their lessons more engaging and interactive?

Don’t be afraid of your big ideas. If you see something amazing online or have a creative concept, go for it! These moments, when you put in extra effort and see it come to life with your students loving it, make teaching so rewarding.

Also, think about what you would enjoy as a child or even now—building, drawing, or exploring—and bring that passion into your lessons. When you’re having fun and sharing what’s special to you, your students will feel it and connect more deeply.

Meet the Chinuch Shlucha

Teaching Tip

BY MUSHKIE LIPSKER @evergrowingeducator

Bringing the Text to Life

Making texts feel more meaningful and engaging in honor of Hei Teves

This month, we celebrate the return of the seforim, and we celebrate learning. Learning from the original texts is so important, yet children can be afraid of text-based learning for various reasons. Perhaps the text can be overwhelming for them to read or translate, especially if it’s not in their first language. Children might feel like the text isn’t meaningful to them and tune out when reading.

Bringing in “text connections” is a great way to help learning feel more meaningful and engaging to the students. Let’s take the text of Ve’al Hanisim of Chanukah, for example, and see how it can connect to 1) another text, 2) the world, and 3) themselves.

For younger students, ask guided questions that lead to specific connections, such as:

Text to Text: “What other text do we sing (each month on Rosh Chodesh) that are also singing praises to Hashem? You can even find the Shoresh at the end of this Tefillah” (Hallel)

Text to World: “What miracles did we recently have in Eretz Yisroel?” (when Iran…??)

Text to Self: “What special thing happened recently to you or your family member?”

For older students, you can ask them more broadly:

Text to Text: How does this text connect to any other text that you know of?

Text to World: How does this text connect to current events, news, or something else in the world?

Text to Self: How does this text connect to YOU?

When we encourage students to come up with these text connections, we aren’t just helping them feel more connected to the text that day. We are also helping them train themselves to look for these connections and find meaning as they learn other texts throughout their lives.

For more educational tidbits and resources, visit evergrowingeducator.com

by Dr. Avraham Gottesman

Tackling

SKIN INFECTIONS

Prevention, treatment, and when to seek professional help

SSkin and/or soft tissue infections are a common and annoying issue in young children. While they can cause itchy or unpleasant rashes, most of the time, they are not dangerous. However, at times, they can also lead to cellulitis or abscesses, both of which can be painful and become dangerous if not treated properly.

Basic hygiene at home and around daycare and playground equipment, as well as diligent wound care, can go a long way to prevent the spread of infection on the body as well as spread from child to child. Topical antibiotic ointments, as well as oral antibiotics, are useful to prevent and treat infections.

The skin serves as a protection to our body from dirt and germs. Any disruption of the skin can allow infection to get in. Cuts, scrapes, and burns should immediately be rinsed with a stream of light to moderate pressure clean water to clean out any dirt. Antibiotic ointment should be applied, and the wound should be covered with a clean bandage.

The most basic and common skin infections include Impetigo and Folliculitis. Impetigo is a crusty skin infection caused by Staph or Strep bacteria. It is common in toddlers and spreads very quickly in daycare settings. It can aggravate pre-existing Eczema and complicate simple cuts and bug bites. In some cases, it can lead to oozing. Folliculitis can appear anywhere on the body as small pimples, which are often itchy. In most of these cases of Impetigo and Folliculitis, a topical antibiotic such as bacitracin or bactroban can effectively treat these infections.

More serious infections, such as cellulitis and abscess, are caused by the same bacteria as the more superficial infections. Cellulitis manifests as red, warm, painful skin and is often accompanied by fever. In all cases, the infection should be evaluated by a doctor who can properly assess and treat it and prescribe the appropriate antibiotics. If left untreated, cellulitis can spread quickly through the body. It is useful to put a mark around the border of the rash to help evaluate for spread.

INFECTIONS

in Children

An abscess is a localized collection of pus in the skin that may or may not be painful. A large abscess may cause fever and have an overlying cellulitis. While antibiotics may be used, the main treatment for abscesses is draining the pus. Either of these infections could get out of control despite oral antibiotics. In this case, IV antibiotics may be required.

The vast majority of skin infections in young children are caused by staph and strep infections. In the world of staph infections, there are some that can be treated with standard antibiotics, while others, known as MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus), require something stronger. Because of this, it is often useful to have a culture taken. A culture is done by the doctor swabbing the infection and sending the sample to a laboratory for testing.

The best line of defense in preventing the spread in the home and daycare setting is basic hygiene.

Washing hands with antibacterial soap and wiping down surfaces are important to prevent the spread of infection. Toilet surfaces should be cleaned regularly, and play equipment and toys should be appropriately sterilized. Children with infections should not bathe together with other children, and towels should not be reused. Any exposed infections can spread by touch and should be covered.

In all cases, infections that recur or infections that don’t resolve with basic measures should be shown to a doctor to prevent a more serious infection from occurring.

- Dr. Avraham Gottesman grew up in Toronto and earned his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He trained in pediatrics at LIJ and has practiced in the Crown Heights and East New York since 2007. His full-time practice at 555 Lefferts Avenue can be reached at 646-757-8751 (calls) or 718-594-0503 (WhatsApp).

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the inside track

By Sruly Meyer

THE MAKING OF “DIDAN NOTZACH”

For hours on the 5th of Teves 5747 (1987), Chassidim of all ages danced joyously in and around 770 Eastern Parkway, celebrating the legal and spiritual victory affirming the Chabad-Lubavitch movement’s rightful ownership of the seforim stolen from the Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library.

They had the perfect energetic tune to keep them on their feet: the Niggun Didan Notzach.

Up until then, this Chassidic melody was sung wordlessly and only occasionally. One notable instance was during the Purim Farbrengen in 5731 (1971), when the Rebbe began singing it following a Maamar. Chassidim joined in, singing this joyous niggun as appropriate for the simcha of the day.

So when the news broke that Chabad had triumphed in the seforim case 16 years later, Chassidim and bochurim sang this niggun as well. One of those dancing away was Berel Lazar, an Italian-born bochur who today serves as Head Shliach and Chief Rabbi of Russia.

Around a month earlier, Rabbi Lazar heard that the Rebbe privately met upstairs in 770 with participants of the annual Kinus Hashluchim and gave them an update on the case proceedings. The Shluchim then went downstairs and gathered in front of 770. “At one point,” Rabbi Lazar told COLlive Magazine, “someone picked up Rabbi Sholom Posner from Pittsburgh, one of the elder Shluchim, on his shoulders. Rabbi Posner began yelling out, ‘Didan Notzach!’ The rest of the Shluchim repeated it like a battle cry. It was very memorable, and the words stuck with me.”

The phrase Didan Notzach originates from the Midrash (Rabba and Tanchuma), which tells of a good spirit fending off a bad spirit harming local Jews at a river. A Talmudic sage advised the townspeople to chase away the bad spirit while declaring, “Our side is victorious” (didan notzach in Aramaic). A drop of blood seen on the river’s surface signaled their triumph.

The Rebbe explained that when a victory is achieved, it must be declared loudly and celebratorily. He likened it

to a military victory parade, where soldiers march with their weapons to display their triumph. The declaration expressed Chabad’s victory and strengthened its mission to expand and continue achieving its goals.

On Yud Kislev, Parshas Vayetzei, the Rebbe spoke about how the way to bring a yeshua (salvation) is not through despondency but through simcha. The Rebbe encouraged extreme joy, and that carried over even after the Farbrengen.

Rabbi Lazar said: “Myself and the other bochurim went out from the Zal upstairs and continued dancing and singing. During the singing, this niggun came up since we were only singing very fast, simcha'dik niggunim, as the Rebbe requested.

“Somehow, I started thinking about the words Didan Notzach. The moment I had witnessed earlier with Rabbi Posner resonated with me, and I started to hum the words along to the tune.” As Rabbi Lazar did so, other bochurim picked it up right away, and they sang it over and over.

By the next Shabbos, the composition was already sung in front of the Rebbe during the Farbrengen. “And that was it,” Rabbi Lazar said. “From then on, it became the niggun of this court case, which would reach its conclusion later on Hei Teves.”

Unbeknownst to many, there is a second Didan Notzach niggun composed by R’ Sholom Bruchstat, the long-time baal menagen from Crown Heights. His was an original composition. However, as the Rebbe seemed to favor the older and more upbeat tune, Rabbi Lazar’s version became the go-to niggun for celebrating the day.

Behind the SONG

“Those Were The Nights (of Chanukah)”

In 2009, singer, songwriter, and producer Eli Gerstner met with a music insider who had the ear of an executive at Universal Music Group. “During the month of December, all you hear on the radio are non-Jewish holiday songs,” Eli complained. “The Jewish population may be a small percentage of the population – but shouldn’t we be represented and have holiday songs of our own?”

The Universal executive went on to listen to “Kol Hamispalel” by the Gerstner-led Yeshiva Boys Choir and gave the green light to work on an album. In 2010, Gerstner released the album “YBC 5: Chanukah” through Fontana Distribution, a division of Universal Music.

In an industry that did not have a lot of Chanukahbased albums in the past, it quickly became a household staple for Chanukah. However, there was one song that stood out and remains a Chanukah classic 14 years later: “Those Were The Nights (of Chanukah).”

The song was composed, arranged, and produced by Gerstner, with lyrics by Yossi Toiv and Gerstner. The music video, released in November of 2011, right before Chanukah, has 3.6 million views on YouTube to date.

Here’s how it happened, as Gerstner shared with COLlive Magazine:

“When we connected with Universal Music, they asked me to create a radio-friendly single for the

album. I sent them "Daddy Come Home," a song I felt strongly about, but they wanted something more upbeat and fun—like the jingly, happy tone of non-Jewish holiday songs.

“They told us, ‘Think happy! All the famous holiday songs are cheerful and light. If you create something like that, we’ll pay for the music video, promote it as the single, get you on talk shows, and go all out.’ The problem was that the album was already finished, and their deadline was just four or five days away.

“I called Yossi Toiv and said, ‘I need you to write me a funny, light, happy Chanukah story with lyrics.’ I didn’t even send a melody, but shortly after, he emailed lyrics that were nearly finalized. I was nervous reading them, but as I swung a beat and sang along, the song just popped out. It was light and cute and put a huge smile on my face.

“Once I had the melody, I arranged it on my keyboard and worked with Crown Heights’ Avremi Gourarie to write the charts—all within a day. I recorded the music in Israel, mixed it when I returned, and sent it to Universal. They loved it and approved it on the spot.

“We ended up performing it live on TV, making a music video, and promoting it widely. It’s funny—sometimes you spend a year on a song, and sometimes just a week, but this one resonated. The happy lyrics and everything about it just came together perfectly, and it’s amazing that people still connect to it today.”

Changing Tunes

LIPA SCHMELTZER’S

New approach to making Jewish music

Today’s audience is much more diverse, with a variety of musical tastes - and the change has allowed singers to

“Another limitation was that back then, it was very clear what Jewish music was supposed to sound like,” Lipa points out. “The styles of classic Mona Rosenblum or Moshe Laufer were easy to recognize. While they were incredibly successful, there was a set standard for what Jewish music should be, which stifled diversity in musical

“This general shift has made me more patient and intentional in choosing songs, ensuring the message shines through,” Lipa says. “I now approach music like painting—I create when the timing and inspiration feel right,

Lipa is in the final stages of a brand-new, original album and says that his goal is to blend the classic Chassidic style people love

“Some people want the classic style; others want modern sounds. As an artist, it’s my job to create music that appeals to everyone, but it has to come from within me. It has to be personal. Today, people are looking for something that speaks to life’s challenges, and music,

The new album is expected to be

8 Things You Didn’t Know

About… Bracha Jaffe

Bracha Jaffe has captivated audiences worldwide with her passionate singing for Jewish women and girls. Recently, she performed to sold-out crowds in London, New Jersey, Miami, and Jerusalem, accompanied by the exclusive all-female Zahav band. She frequently lends her talents to charity benefits for organizations such as Ezer Mizion, ATIME, Bonei Olam, the Dror organization, and the Zichron Shlome Refuah Fund.

She comes from a musical family.

“My father is a beautiful baal tefillah and also plays the trumpet. My mother plays the accordion, and my brother is also a chazzan and plays guitar. Everyone is always encouraging and pushing me to do more; my family has been a big source of support!”

She both sings and plays piano.

“I was the kind of kid who was always singing at school, whether it was leading the color war theme song or participating in the choir for school productions. At just six years old, I learned to play the piano and often sang during my piano recitals, performing both as a vocalist and a pianist.

She davens before taking the stage.

“Before I go on stage, I always take a deep breath and say a perek of Tehillim. It always helps set the tone and the mood.”

Her first job was medical.

“When I first entered the workforce, I actually worked as a nurse. As the music took off, I gave it up to go full time in my music career.”

Malky Giniger was her role model.

“I was always inspired by Malky Giniger (the frum singer, actor, and songwriter). When I started my career, she made me believe a Jewish woman could do this.”

She also produces.

“In 2012, I produced my first concert 'Forever' for Ezer Mizion (the Jewish bone marrow registry) in New York. Following that show, I started singing at largescale performances, including playing the famous Biyanei Ha’umah in Yerushalayim for Ezer Mizion.” 7

She was surprised AH-YAY was a hit.

She likes to hike and paint.

“I really love to paint, but I don’t get much time for that. It’s something I’d love to do more. I’m also athletic, and I love to hike!” 8

“When working on music, there is always a conversation about whether something will resonate with people or not. When Shaindy Plotzker and I released “AH-YAY,” I was not sure how it would be received. It was just a fun project to keep me busy during the Covid pandemic. I was very surprised by how well it took off.”

Riddle: I'm ROOTING for you

Differences: plant tag, dirt next to the pot, missing leaf, rim around the pot, glare on the pot, rounded dirt, stripes on the wall

HISTORY’S HEROES

CRAFT. PAINT. BAKE. EXPERIMENT.

Supplies:

-Plastic Cups

-Plastic Bags

-Cup -Bowls

-Spoons -Popsicle Sticks

Ingredients: -Cookies

-Greek Yogurt

-Frozen Berries

-Cereal

NEXT WEEK’S SUPPLY LIST CONTEST

WIN 2 FREE MUSEUM TICKETS

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! YEHUDA HAMACCABEE 3628 1,000

2. THE NUGGET

Yehuda HaMaccabee, along with his father and brothers, waged war against the Greeks for one reason: to fight against Hellenism and protect Torah values. He upheld Hashem’s honor and played a major role in the miraculous victory over the Greeks. Yehuda gave all of his energy, and ultimately his life, for this purpose. This earned him and the other Maccabees the title of heroes in the Chanukah story.

4. FUN FACT

He was named Yehuda after the original Yehuda, the son of Yaakov, because of his lion-like strength.

1. LIFE STORY SNIPPET

Yehuda, one of five brothers, was the son of Matisyahu the Chashmonai. He was the mightiest of the brothers and led the Maccabees’ revolt against the Greeks. There are varying accounts of this era. According to one opinion, Yehuda was killed early on in the war. Another version recounts that he led the battle to victory, rededicated the Bais Hamikdash, and then served the Jewish people as the Kohen Gadol for 3 years before being killed in another battle.

3. BRINGING IT DOWN

We, too, can be heroes who uphold the Torah. While Yehuda died for the Torah, our job is to live for it. We can do this by dedicating our energy and passion to Torah causes. For example, you could host a bake sale in your free time to raise funds for an organization that teaches and spreads Torah.

5. QUESTION TO CONSIDER

What is a Torah cause that you can get involved in? How will you help?

Cut out the template and secure onto the styrofoam square using push pins. With the sharpie, trace over the shield a few times, until the outline bleeds into the square.

Using the back of a paintbrush or the tip of a pencil, gently push the tissue paper into the square. Repeat until the bottom section is completely covered (we used different shades of pink).

SHIELD ART YEHUDA HAMACCABEE

Trace over the four letters with the sharpie so they’re especially clear.

Using this same technique, cover the top section of the shield in black.

With the gold acrylic marker, carefully trace the letters over until they are bold and clear. Then mod podge over the entire middle with the small sponge.

SUPPLIES LIST

-4 Colors of Tissue Paper Cut Into 1-inch Squares (we used black, yellow, & different shades of blue and pink)

-6x6 Styrofoam Square -Cardstock

-Printed Template -Glue

Starting with the middle section of the shield, glue pieces of tissue paper (we used different shades of blue) in order to cover the entire area.

Then, use the same technique to cover the rest of the background in yellow.

To finish off, make a stand by cutting a strip of cardstock,

folding it into a triangle, and using a push pin to secure it to the back of the square. Enjoy!

-Mod Podge

-Scissors

-2 Push Pins

-Small Sponge

-Medium Paintbrush or Pencil

-Gold Acrylic Marker

-Black Sharpie

By Sruly Meyer

KosherSpread

A Lotta Latke Love for Chanukah

Chanukah isn’t complete without a stack of crispy, golden, sizzling latkes, fresh from the frying pan. This collection of latke recipes offers something for everyone, from sweet and spicy twists to indulgent dessert-inspired creations and time-saving hacks. Get ready to light up your parties and celebrations with original latkes that everyone will love.

The Crispiest Potato Latkes Recipe

Ingredients:

2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 large potatoes), peeled

1 large yellow onion, peeled

2 large eggs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or matzo meal for a Passover-friendly option)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional, for extra crispiness)

Neutral oil for frying (like canola or vegetable oil)

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

Tips for Extra Crispiness:

Instructions:

1. Grate the Potatoes & Onion

Grate the potatoes and onion using a box grater or food processor with a shredding attachment.

Transfer to a large bowl of cold water to soak for 5 minutes (this removes excess starch for crispier latkes).

2. Drain and Squeeze

Drain the potato-onion mixture in a colander and transfer to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth.

Twist the cloth tightly and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is key for crispy latkes!

3. Mix the Batter

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, flour (or matzo meal), salt, pepper, and baking powder (if using).

Add the squeezed potatoes and onion and mix until well combined.

4. Heat the Oil

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to cover the bottom about 1/4-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (around 350°F).

5. Fry the Latkes

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture and flatten it into a patty. Carefully place it in the hot oil.

Fry 3-4 latkes at a time, not overcrowding the pan, for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Use Russet (Idaho) potatoes: They have the highest starch content, which yields crispier latkes.

Keep the oil hot: Maintain the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F for optimal frying.

Don’t overcrowd the pan: It drops the oil temperature and results in soggy latkes.

Drain well: Let them rest on paper towels briefly but serve them quickly while s till hot!

The Easiest Potato Latke Hack

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon flour, matzo meal, or gluten-free flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Thaw the potatoes at room temperature for an hour or defrost them in the microwave.

2. Mix the thawed potatoes with the beaten egg, flour (or matzo meal, or gluten-free flour), salt, and pepper.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

4. Fry the latkes until golden brown on each side.

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

Chili Lime Sweet Potato Latkes

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes

1 large white onion

4 eggs

1 tablespoon Chili Lime seasoning (Recipe in a Bottle)

1/2 cup seasoned panko crumbs

Instructions:

1. Shred the sweet potatoes and onion using a hand grater or food processor.

2. Place the mixture in a clean towel, twist, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

3. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with eggs, Chili Lime seasoning, and panko crumbs until well combined.

4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering.

5. Shape the mixture into patties using your hands.

6. Fry patties for 1-2 minutes per side until light golden brown.

7. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil.

8. Serve warm

Tip: Optional - drizzle with Crown Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup

Rivky Kleiman is a recipe developer, cookbook author of Simply & Simply Gourmet, and co-author of the Bais Yaakov Cookbooks. @simplygourmetbyrivkykleiman

Latke-wich

Ingredients

4 large Yukon potatoes, peeled

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

Oil for frying

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Shred the potatoes using the finest shredding blade you have and place them over a flour sack towel or cheesecloth, then squeeze the juices out over a bowl and let the juice sit for at least 5 minutes.

2. Mix the shredded potatoes with the egg and salt.

3. Pour out the potato juice slowly (reserving the starch at the bottom), then mix the starch into the potato mixture.

4. Heat enough oil to coat a shallow frying pan

5. Use about 1⁄4 cup of the potato mixture, spread it out super thin, fry for 1-2 minutes per

side over medium heat until golden and crisp, then remove and place on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet to prevent sogginess.

6. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl, then toss the latkes in the mixture until completely coated.

7. Whip the cream in a larger bowl until it begins to stiffen, add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla slowly, whisk until stiff peaks form (without overbeating), then gently fold in the applesauce and sour cream.

8. Place a dollop of the whipped cream mixture in the center of one coated latke, top with another coated latke, and enjoy!

Shushy Turin-Shine is a full-time nurse practitioner and mom of four who enjoys developing recipes and experimenting with food on her Instagram page. @cookinginheelss

By Asharon Baltazar

A Meaningful Stopover

A story of the Rebbe’s influence on Jews in West Africa

The plane took off and climbed to cruising altitude. The passengers settled in for the long flight, and the cabin hummed with the steady whine of the turbines. Then, the soft chime of the PA system broke the quiet, followed by the captain’s voice crackling through the speakers above.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are experiencing an issue with one of our engines. As a precautionary measure, we will return to Dakar for necessary repairs. Your safety is our top priority, and we cannot continue the flight under these conditions. Repairs are expected to take one to two days, after which we will resume the journey. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding.”

For years, Rabbi Yosef Wineberg of New York had traveled the world as a roving emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, carrying out special missions in far-flung corners of the globe. This time, his journey took him to South Africa on an important assignment. His Pan American flight left the United States with a brief refueling stop in Dakar, the bustling capital of Senegal in West Africa.

Just before the plane departed Dakar, Rabbi Wineberg noticed a

young man watching him intently. Finally, the man walked over, introduced himself as David Pinto, and asked, “Are you Jewish or Indian?”

The question sparked a warm and friendly conversation, and by the time they parted, the young man had promised to start putting on tefillin daily. Rabbi Wineberg felt satisfied at the small but significant puzzle piece falling into place; this brief stopover had led him to steer a Jew back to his heritage.

Now, as the plane swung back toward Dakar unexpectedly, Rabbi Wineberg couldn’t shake the feeling there was another purpose waiting for him in this unfamiliar city. A chill ran through him as he remembered his yechidus with the Rebbe before setting out on this journey.

During his private audience with the Rebbe, Rabbi Wineberg reviewed his travel plans and itinerary. The Rebbe listened carefully, then asked, “Will you have any stopovers for a day or two along the way?”

“No,” Rabbi Wineberg replied. “Just quick stops for refueling and to restock supplies.”

The Rebbe pressed further. “Are you sure you won’t stop anywhere for a day or two?”

This time, Rabbi Wineberg hesitated. He repeated his answer, but the words came out with less certainty. The Rebbe smiled and offered his blessing: “Go in peace, and may you have much success on your journey.”

Now, standing on the tarmac in Dakar, Rabbi Wineberg marveled at how he had missed the Rebbe’s subtle hint. It was clear to him now — another mission waited for him here. Without wasting a moment, he set off to find the Jewish community in the city. He wandered the streets, asking everyone he encountered if they knew of any Jews in the area. People just looked at him blankly. As time passed, his optimism waned, and his frantic search slowed to a less enthusiastic pace. Just as he was about to give up, a passerby pointed him toward a businessman whose office was right across from his hotel.

In the manager’s office, a young man smiled as he greeted the rabbi. He introduced himself as Clement Baggio, a Jew of Lebanese descent who had moved to Dakar to help his uncle with his business. Now, with his uncle away, he was running the operation. “I make a good living here,” Clement admitted, “but my connection to Judaism is gone. I don’t even have tefillin.”

Rabbi Wineberg invited Clement to his hotel room to put on tefillin, and

the young man agreed. The rabbi also promised to send him a pair, provided he committed to using them regularly, which Clement eagerly accepted. Before parting ways, Clement mentioned a few other Jewish families in Dakar and pointed the rabbi in their direction. As the now-energized rabbi rushed off, Clement sighed.

Over the next 48 hours, Rabbi Wineberg tracked down every Jewish name he could find. He learned of more and more Jews in Dakar, including David Pinto, the young man he’d first met at the airport. David was stunned to discover that, unknowingly, he had been living among fellow Jews in the city. Rabbi Wineberg brought everyone together, transforming a scattered group into a small but thriving community.

As Rabbi Wineberg left for the airport, the Jews he met only hours ago accompanied him to his plane and showered him with good wishes and blessings. Clement Baggio, in particular, had grown very close to him and seemed reluctant to say goodbye.

Rabbi Wineberg sensed something was weighing on Clement. Gently, he encouraged him to share what was troubling him.

Eyes downcast, Clement finally confessed he had been seeing a non-Jewish woman. “I know how serious this is,” he said quietly, “but I’m not sure I can resist. There are no Jewish women here, and even my uncle is married to a nonJewish woman.”

Rabbi Wineberg understood Clement was at a crossroads, where the choices he made now shaped his future and his family’s Jewish identity. The significance of the moment was deeply impressed upon him. Gripping Clement’s hand firmly, he looked him in the eye and spoke with deep emotion. “Heaven forbid! You are a Jew, and you must do everything in your power to ensure your wife and children are Jewish. If you marry outside the faith, you’ll sever your family’s connection to the Jewish people. Promise me this: go to France, find a Jewish woman, and build a warm, Jewish home together.”

Moved to tears, Clement embraced the rabbi and whispered, “Rabbi, I promise.” Their farewell was deeply emotional, marking the end of a significant encounter and the beginning of Clement’s commitment to a Jewish future.

As Rabbi Wineberg boarded the plane, a different sort of

fulfillment washed over him — one that came not from reaching an individual but from witnessing the initial sparks of a thriving community brought together for the first time.

Upon arriving in South Africa, Rabbi Wineberg immediately wrote to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, outlining the situation of Dakar’s Jewish community. “They lack even the most basic Jewish items,” he wrote. In response, the Rebbe ordered tefillin, mezuzos, and seforim to be packed and shipped to Dakar. Before Passover, the Rebbe’s office sent matzos to Dakar. Not long after, Rabbi Wineberg received an inspiring update. David Pinto and Clement Baggio, now close friends, had organized a communal Seder for the Jewish community in Dakar. In their letter, they wrote: “As we sat around the table, we compared the biblical Moses to the Moses of our generation, who cares even for Jews in the most remote corners of the world.”

A while later, Rabbi Wineberg received an invitation to Clement Baggio’s wedding. Enclosed with the invite, Clement included a letter: “As promised, I traveled to Paris and found my bride—a young Jewish woman of Lebanese descent.”

(translated from Sichat Hashavua #1172)

By Mordechai Schmutter

Chanukah Minhagim No One Talks About

Chanukah is a festive, joyous time with lots of interesting minhagim. Especially since some of them are probably not technically minhagim.

But our kids wouldn’t know it. There are some things that we do every year because we have our routines, but as far as our kids know, they’re our minhagim, and some day they’re going to pass them on to their kids:

“We have a minhag to eat apple sauce,” they’re going to say. “But I can’t find the source.”

So you should really take the time to talk to your kids about it before they get so busy with whatever you bought them that they tune you out. Seeing as my kids have already tuned me out, here are some things that we do that my kids probably think are our minhagim:

- I have a minhag to look up what English date Chanukah falls on approximately 13 to 14 times per year, and then immediately forget each time.

- My wife has a minhag to take pictures of us lighting the candles every single night. Some years we don’t even take pictures of us in Purim costumes, but we have eight pictures of us lighting the menorah.

- I have a minhag to stop in middle of Haneros Halalu to relight my wicks. My wife gets a picture of this too.

- We have a minhag that every time someone asks how many candles we’re lighting that night, someone says, “Last night was three.”

- I have a minhag to rearrange all the living room furniture so we can light in the doorway, and then not rearrange it back until we clean for Pesach.

- One of my kids has a minhag to start lighting from the wrong

candle, despite everyone around him lighting correctly at the same time right next to him. And it’s a different kid every year.

- My wife has a minhag to open the blinds on our windows just enough that people can see us lighting our menorahs, but not enough that we can see if people are seeing us lighting our menorahs. From the street, it’s just a headless menorahlighting ceremony.

- Everyone’s kindergarten teachers have a minhag to have the kids make their own menorahs, because that sounds safe. Why not have them make something else, such as – I don’t know – a dreidel? Or their own presents.

- I have a minhag to ask my kids what they want for Chanukah, because even though they should appreciate whatever we give them, we appreciate knowing what we’re looking for when we get to the store.

kind of song that rhymes nights with lights and eight with celebrate As opposed to one that rhymes candles with vandals, neis with chase, oil with aluminum foil, or doughnuts with cold cuts.

- I have a minhag to pull out last year’s chocolate coins at some point and say, “I don’t know if these are still good, but I found them in back of the closet.” Then I buy more, for the next Chanukah.

- We have a minhag to eat more potatoes on Chanukah than we do on Pesach. But no one complains.

- I have a minhag to pass up jelly donuts for custard donuts. What even is custard? Is it like sweet mayonnaise?

- We have a minhag to accumulate dreidels like there’s going to be a shortage. We are NEVER going to have the amount of people in our

the Greeks ever come back, we’re going to be prepared.

- We have a minhag to pat our latkes with paper towels before we eat them.

- My kids have a minhag to remember liking latkes a lot more than they actually like latkes.

- My doctor has a minhag to schedule blood tests for me on Chanukah, and then to say that I really need to cut down on the fried foods.

- We have a minhag that if we have a Chanukah party to go to, our candles take forever to go out. But if we don’t, I have to relight them during Haneros Halalu.

- At Chanukah parties, we have a minhag to eat ziti.

- We have a minhag to do a kids’ grab bag at these parties with a $2

always get out gum.

- If we go out at night after our candles are out, we have a minhag to point out every menorah we see and say, “Theirs aren’t out yet.”

- My students have a minhag to argue against having secular studies on Chanukah. They insist that this is exactly what the Greeks wanted us to do –to have secular studies in the afternoons. Instead, they want to play basketball.

- We have a minhag to argue about the rules for the dreidel every year –particularly what to do after the first person gets a gimmel. Is the game now over? Does the house have to open a new bag of chocolate chips?

- I have a minhag to start a diet right after Chanukah until I remember that I still have latkes in the fridge. And a half-eaten jar of applesauce that I can’t just throw out because baal tashchis is a halacha!

AND

Then Now

by Shmully Blesofsky

From Mansion to Mission

1383 President Street stands on land once part of a larger tract owned by Thomas Mason Sother (1805–1891) and his wife, Maria. Sother was a prominent Brooklyn businessman, a real estate auctioneer, and Secretary of the Central Branch of Union Pacific Railroad in the 1870s (he had a town in Kansas named after him).

Almira F. Pierce owned the property when the Eastern Parkway Company began acquiring large portions of Crown Heights in 1899. The company envisioned an exclusive residential community and purchased it. It used creative financing, paying landowners in shares and mortgages instead of immediate cash outlays.

Ownership of the lot changed hands multiple times. Julia H. Hall sold 50 feet, and Archibald MacFarlane sold 25 feet, making the 75-foot lot one of the biggest lots in Crown Heights. By 1916, it was owned by Bertha SlaterGould, wife of stone entrepreneur James S. Gould, making it one of the largest lots in the area. The original covenant for singlefamily use was preserved and passed to future owners.

In 1917, the Goulds built a majestic 6,000-square-foot

When the Gribetz family moved to Prospect Heights, Rabbi Moshe Rokeach, the Kozlover Rebbe (part of the Chassidic dynasty of Belz), 1383 PRESIDENT STREET

limestone mansion on the property. This three-story, 14-room home featured classic Ionic columns, stone lions at the entrance, and a luxurious marble foyer. A grand staircase led to a living room brightened by stained glass windows. The mansion had multiple fireplaces and porches on the second floor that overlooked President Street and the alleyway behind it.

Upon the passing of Bertha Gould in 1942 (James passed in 1926), the mansion was sold for $40,000 to Isaac and Ann Levin, active supporters of Jewish causes and Yeshivas. When their daughter Bessie (one of 5 children) got married to Louis J. Gribetz in 1946, the property was transferred to his name.

The house became a hub for both the Levin and Gribetz families. Mr. Gribetz was a prominent lawyer, securing a 1936 State Supreme Court decision affirming the New York Rabbinate’s authority over Kashrus. He authored The Case for the Jews (1930) about the Jewish right to Eretz Yisroel and defended Orthodox Judaism when it was less common to do so - a legacy that lives on in the building.

purchased the house in 1949. He opened a Beis Midrash in the house for intense, spirited davening and learning, complete with an expansive library. The house also served as a landing point for World War II survivors arriving from Ellis Island. The Rokeachs often slept on living room chairs to ensure that everyone had a bed.

“Every week on Tuesday afternoons, the Lubavitcher Rebbe would come to the Rokeach house, enter the rich library, and shut himself in for long hours,” the great-grandson Isaac Shapiro wrote. The Kozlover Rebbe “would close the house to ensure no one disturbed or bothered the Rebbe of Lubavitch during his study of the books.” In later years, someone would collect the seforim when the Rebbe requested one.

The legacy of assisting immigrants carried on when the Lubavitcher brothers, Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Hirshel Okunov, acquired the building for their organization, Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (FREE). Since then, it has been supporting Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union from this location to the present day.

At first, FREE operated out of the Rebbe’s Mazkirus at 770 Eastern Parkway. The Rebbe then gave them seed money to rent offices

1940

at 711 Eastern Parkway (above the Kerestirer Beis Medrash). In 1973, they needed a larger and permanent location and asked the Rebbe about 1383 President Street.

The Rebbe responded, “[this question] belongs to a rov, and their capabilities.” The Crown Heights Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dvorkin said that since a minyan has been in the house for many years, converting it into offices for the organization may pose a halachic issue. He suggested occasionally holding a minyan there. FREE purchased it from the Rokeach family for $62,500.

At first, a minyan gathered for the newly arrived refugees, but as more people settled in the area, it is said to have become the first Russianspeaking shul established outside the Soviet Union. The Rebbe told

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the Okunovs, “Make for them an atmosphere [they were familiar with] like in Samarkand or in Paris.” It is said that Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson discreetly contributed to the FREE clothing drive.

In 1975, FREE invited the Rebbe to their Pesach Seder for Russian Jews. Upon accepting, they arranged a red carpet entry from the gate to the steps with hanging lights. The Rebbe entered, toured the kitchen, and requested to see the upstairs, visiting every room. On the third floor, he asked if there were more places to explore and inquired about the library, seeming to fall into deep reflection.

After the tour, the Rebbe gave a bracha in Russian to the crowd from the landing. The Pesach seder took

place on the first floor. The Rebbe returned to the F.R.E.E. building for the seder annually until 1981. In 1981, he spoke separately in the basement for Yeshiva F.R.E.E. Ohel Dovid students at the seder. In total, the Rebbe said 8 Sichos in the building, all in Russian (recently published in volume two of the Russian version of Likkutei Sichos).

Today, the FREE organization continues to operate in the building. The first floor is a hub for many with roots in the FSU and is commonly used to hosts L’chaim engagement celebrations as well as Chassidic farbrengens and events. Originally a grand residence, the building now symbolizes Jewish pride and Yiddishkeit, serving as a center for community, spirituality, and tradition.

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