COLlive Magazine - Tishrei 5785

In the footsteps of

Rebbetzin Chana’s exile

The 3 AM shift of Simchas Beis

Hashoeva

Recipes to elevate the Yom Tov table

Philanthropists discuss their Tzedakah habits

To a Better Year

STORIES OF PAIN AND STRENGTH FOLLOWING A DIFFICULT YEAR OF ADVERSITY

Secret Reserve

6 7 8 10 16 22 30 42 48 56

From the Publisher

Editorial I Mica Soffer

A Sample of the Entire Year

A letter from the Rebbe

6 Hard Lessons

We Learned

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

Fighting Until His Last Breath

Shira Shapira

Brothers and Survivors

Yisroel Adam

Netanyahu Still Has a Chance

Menachem Cohen

Tishrei Moments

JEM gallery

Unwrapping Tzedakah

Eda Schottenstein I Rikvah Krinsky

Reporting From 770

Dovid Zaklikowski

Maintaining a Lulav and Esrog

Halacha I Rabbi Shmuel Lesches

The Life Song of Miriam Tzemach Feller

In the Footsteps of the Rebbetzin

Rabbi Eliezer Zaklikovsky I

Rabbi Mendel Feller

Psychology of the Soul

Health I Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch

Chinuch Matters

Mushka Cohen I MEF

A Yom Kippur Lesson

Story I Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz OBM

The Inside Track

Music I Sruly Meyer

Kids Korner

Fun I Sari Kopitnikoff

Esrog Slime

Activity I Parsha Studio

Recipes For the Yomim Tovim

Food I Sruly Meyer

I'm Not Mochel You

Humor I Mordechai Schmutter

320 Kingston Avenue

Then & Now I Shmuel Blesofsky

A Lubavitcher chossid sounds the shofar.

Photo: Sventlana Soroka

Publisher

Mica Soffer

Editor

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

Associate Editor

Mendy Wineberg

Contributing Writers

Yisroel Adam

Shmuel Blesofsky

Menachem Cohen

Mushka Cohen

Tzemach Feller

Mendel Feller

Sari Kopitnikoff

Rikvah Krinsky

Shmuel Lesches

Sruly Meyer

Daniel Schonbuch

Eda Schottenstein

Mordechai Schmutter

Shlomo Schwartz OBM

Shira Shapira

Dovid Zaklikowski

Eliezer Zaklikovsky

Design

Sheva Berlin

Photo Credits:

JEM/Living Archive

JLI

Shalom Burkis

Mendy Krief

Dovber Hechtman

Special Thanks

Koren Publishers

ADVERTISING

ads@COLlive.com

718-427-2174 ext. 2

EDITORIAL INQUIRIES OR SUBMISSIONS

Editor@COLlive.com

718-427-2174 ext. 1

SUBSCRIPTION

To receive a printed copy of the magazine (U.S. addresses only): COLlive.com/magazine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Looking back, the celebration of Sukkos 5784 feels like a distant dream. It was a beautiful Yom Tov, spent with family, friends, and many guests, following the Crown Heights Tishrei tradition. On Chol Hamoed, we danced in the streets, excited for the coming year, blissfully unaware of the tragic events that were about to unfold.

And on Shabbos Simchas Torah morning, everything changed in an instant. As we heard the news of what was going on in Eretz Yisroel, and bits of information slowly trickled in, we grew more somber. From that day, we knew that nothing would ever be the same.

We went to Shul that morning, heavy-hearted and sluggish, feeling powerless as our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land were under savage attack. In the days and months that followed, we have all been saying Tehillim, donating what we can, and doing whatever we can to help.

Some of us traveled to Israel, like many in the Jewish music industry, as you can read in our music section. Others, such as Rabbi Yosef Gutnick, voiced their steadfast support for Israel's response.

Of course, most Israelis were reeling from the events. Twin brothers Shloimy and Mendi Rizel shared their harrowing experience on October 7, while the mother of the heroic IDF soldier Aner Shapira movingly described how he put his life on the line.

Elsewhere in this issue, you can read about uplifting moments spent with the Rebbe in past years, the giving habits of three philanthropists, and the remarkable life of Miriam Mintz, OBM.

In honor of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson's 60th yahrzeit, we present a tour of the locations she mentioned in her diary during her exile with her husband, Harav Levi Yitzchok, in Kazakhstan.

May this Tishrei transform in an instant as well - from war to triumph, from captivity to freedom and from tragedy to joy, with the coming of Moshiach.

A gut gebentched yahr,

MICA SOFFER

Dvar Malchus

Tishrei - A Sample of the Entire Year

In this fascinating letter from before the nesius, the Rebbe outlines the central message of each of the Yomim Tovim during Tishrei and shows how they serve as a “sample” for our avodas Hashem throughout the year.

Elul, 5704

Dear Friend,

The month of Tishrei is very colorful. Every possible atmosphere of Jewish life finds expression in this month, in which we have Solemn Days, Fast Days, and Days of Rejoicing. It is not a coincidence that the first month of the year has “samples” of every shade and color of Jewish life, for these “samples” are intended to give us an introduction to, and practical guidance for the rest of the year. By observing the special days of Tishrei in their proper spirit, we are initiated into a truly Jewish life, in accordance with the spirit of the Torah, during the whole year following.

What can we learn from the special days of Tishrei?

A) To begin with we have Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the New Year, the day when the first man to be created proclaimed G-d’s sovereignty over the whole Universe. When we are about to begin anything, we must always remember that G-d is the Creator

of Heaven and Earth and the sole Ruler of the Universe, and that our action or venture must have Divine approval. This is further emphasized by -

B) The Ten Days of Repentance which reminds us that since we are the servants of the King of the Universe we must keep a check on our deeds to ensure that they comply with the wishes of the Master. However, since we are only human beings, we are liable to fail on occasion. This is why G-d gives us -

C) Yom Kippur, to impress upon us the realization that it is never too late to return to the right path, provided we do it sincerely, completely repenting for, and casting away, our evil habits of the past, and solemnly undertaking to mend our ways in the future. If we make this firm resolution, G-d will forgive us, and “cleanse” us completely of our sins. Difficult though this path may appear to be -

D) Succos helps us not to despair in our days of trial, even if we find ourselves in the minority, for G-d is our protector, as He clearly showed

us by the Clouds of Glory with which He surrounded us during the forty years’ wandering through the desert after the Departure from Egypt. Finally, in order to know how to lead our lives so as to comply with G-d’s wishes, we have -

E) Shemini Atzeres and Simchat Torah, for in the Torah G-d has given us Divine laws of justice and righteousness and a true guide in life; by shaping our lives accordingly, we are assured of true happiness, both in this world and in the afterlife. For the Torah is a “tree of life to them that take fast hold of it, and its supporters are happy.”

These, briefly, are some of the main lessons of Tishrei and there can be no doubt that by following them faithfully, the New Year will be a happy one, both spiritually and materially, and the blessing which we give each other בתכת הבוט הנשל םתחתו will surely be fulfilled. That is what I wish every one of you.

Menachem Schneerson

By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

6 HARD LESSONS THE JEWISH PEOPLE LEARNED THIS PAST YEAR

In today’s globalized world, conflicts can quickly cross borders, but few have held public attention as intensely as the Hamas massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023. The aftermath sparked rallies supporting terror, calls for the genocide of Jews, and violent harassment of Jewish students.

The months since have been marked by pain, war, and a surge in antisemitism, especially in the U.S. But it has also been a time of unity, hope, and resilience worthy of reflection as we enter a new Jewish year.

Here are six hard lessons the Jewish people have learned this past year.

1. We learned that we do not exist without sacrifice.

In the years before October 7, the People of Israel were lulled into a sense of safety. It had been decades since the last existential threat, and normalization was proceeding well with neighboring Arab countries. But this past year, we got a tragic reminder that our existence should not be taken for granted—and that not everyone will acknowledge our very right to exist. We are truly a miracle—yet we must still fight to live.

2. We learned who our true friends are.

In moments of crisis, people’s true colors emerge— sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. The Jewish community has seen both sides of this. We’ve lost friends and co-workers, but we’ve also gained new ones. Our family had to find a new doctor for our child

after the one we trusted posted something horrifyingly antisemitic, reminiscent of the medieval blood libels against Jews. Yet, I’ve also experienced the kindness of total strangers—a Hispanic driver, a postal worker, a deputy sheriff, and a young mother—who stopped in the street to express solidarity with the Jewish people during these threatening times.

3. We learned how important unity can be.

In the year leading up to October 7, Israel was deeply divided over judicial reforms, a debate that even some American Jews engaged in. But after the attack, Israelis united. The rise of hate in the U.S. also prompted American Jews to come together. Sapir Cohen experienced this firsthand during her 55 days in Hamas captivity. One day, the terrorists summoned her to watch TV. Seeing thousands rallying in Tel Aviv to free the hostages, one of the captors remarked, “When the Jews are united, they are strong.”

4. We learned to live with pain.

For nearly a year, more than 100 of our Jewish brothers and sisters have languished in captivity. The pain hasn’t gone away, but we’ve learned to live with it. Israel is engaged in the longest-lasting war in its history, and each day brings new sorrow. When we got the news that Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages had been brutally murdered in cold blood by their terrorist captors, the impact was like a thunderbolt.

Our community was in mourning as if they had lost a family member. In a sense, we had.

5. We learned that a diploma doesn’t make someone a mensch.

This past spring, encampments sprang up on campuses across the country. Their goal was to demonize Israel and, often, to demonize the Jewish people with nonfactual claims and theories. Some academics roundly condemned the disgusting bigotry. Others, however, supported it tacitly or openly by discriminating against Jewish students and faculty. This year, we discovered that all the degrees in the world don’t make you a mensch.

6. We learned that we can do more.

At the end of the year, Jews have a tradition of introspection, both personally and collectively. We

reflect on areas for improvement and often take pride in our accomplishments. Since October 7, there has been a surge of Jewish activity—not through tormenting or vilifying others, but by strengthening our identity and community. It’s as if we’ve found a new gear. We are giving more, praying more, connecting more, and doing more, discovering the depth of our potential.

Our nation endured the deadliest attack since the Holocaust, and in doing so, we’ve learned much—about ourselves and those around us. May the coming year bring only peace and good tidings. Amen.

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

The March for Israel in Washington, DC on November 14, 2023

Photo

Ted Eytan

Fighting Until His Last Breath

Aner Shapira was the last to enter the bomb shelter and the first to defend it

Moshe and Shira Shapira at home in Jerusalem with the last photo of their son Aner fighting in the bomb shelter on Oct. 7, 2023

Photo

The heroic story of IDF Staff Sergeant Aner Shapira, 22, as told by his mother Shira, for the book, “One Day In October - 40 Heroes, 40 Stories” (Maggid, 2024)

When Aner was in elementary school, he suddenly decided to grow out his payot. He let them grow long, way below his ears. He was the only one in his class with payot. Everyone made fun of those payot of his. So I told him, “Aner, are you sure this is right for you? Everyone’s making fun of them and all that; you really don’t have to keep them.” And he said to me, “What are you talking about, Mom! So what if they’re making fun of me? Let them laugh!”

Now, when I look through the photo albums, I see him smiling there, a ten-year-old boy with over-the-top blonde payot, a kid who’s saying to the whole world, including his parents, “There’s nothing you can do. I’m my own boss.” That’s how he was. He was his own boss, his own commander.

To be honest, I was sure that when he would be drafted into the army, it would bring out his rebellious side. I was sure that he would argue with his commanders, that he wouldn’t understand the system, that he’d rebel. What was the chance that a free-spirited, nonconformist kid would fit into a place that is all rules

and hierarchy? But the fact is that he did fit in — he really fit in. In the end, he was an outstanding soldier. At every stage of his service, whenever someone was awarded an “Outstanding Soldier” commendation, it was him.

His religious world was very complex. He was on a journey. Since high school, he had been clarifying this point for himself; he never came at it from a place of being anti-religious. He was

just a person looking for some sort of truth. He was never fake; if something felt off for him, he just wouldn’t do it. He never cut corners; he had integrity. But if he decided he was in, then he was in all the way, three prayers a day, a big kippah, payot, and a beard. Above all, he was loyal to his truth. Before that Shabbos of Simchas Torah, he told me he wouldn’t be home. Of course, I was sorry to hear that because he was barely ever home. But I said to myself, “Okay, he’ll be finishing his army service in a month. Wait a little longer; he’ll be home as much as you like.” But then it became clear that his siblings would be home together for the holiday, so Aner said that if that’s the case, he’d stay for the holiday dinner that evening and only go to the Nova festival after that. That was an amazing meal. So much fun. We were all together, happy, and had an incredible atmosphere. I’ll never forget that meal. And that was it; after the meal, he left. He left his rifle at home. It was supposed to be a party out there. That’s what it was supposed to be.

IDF Staff Sergeant Aner Shapira, 22

At 6:20 in the morning, when all the shelling at the party began, Aner’s platoon commander called him and told him that he had to go back to the base and that he should urgently call up all his soldiers. Aner said, “No problem; I’m nearby, be there soon.” He phoned some soldiers he needed to call up and left the party to get to the base.

He and his friend Hersh GoldbergPolin and two others hitched a ride together. But at the exit from the party, the deadly traffic jam had already started on the Road of Death, where everyone was massacred. So all the cars that were there made U-turns and drove in the opposite direction. But at that point, either because of the missile interceptions or because the terrorists were already shooting along the road, they stopped their car and went inside a small public bomb shelter at the side of the road.

The four of them went into the shelter at Re’im Junction, but they saw that it was already packed with about twenty-five people. They were the last ones who got to the shelter. It was an unbelievably small space, about the

size of a bus stop. It was really, really packed. And there were so many people there, all of them tense, sweating, stressed, and panicked, and none knew what was happening. They were all in total shock.

There are videos of what happened at the shelter because some people filmed it. We have a clip from the beginning of the incident, and you can really see Aner; you can see it through his eyes, and you can see how he goes in there and starts processing the information right away. I can see that he’s standing there, sort of taking it all in, surveying the area, looking around, getting a grasp of what’s happening. And then he basically takes command; he takes charge of the situation.

According to what we heard from people there, a few seconds after he entered the shelter, Aner said to everyone, “Hi, I’m Aner Shapira, a soldier in the Nahal commando unit. Don’t worry; everything is going to be all right. I’ve spoken to the army, and they’re nearby. Everything’s going to be all right!”

And one of the girls there at the back of the shelter says, “Wow, Aner, I’m so glad you came. You’re making us feel so much calmer.”

That’s how it went on for a few minutes: whenever there was a boom and everyone crouched down, Aner calmed them down. That went on for some time. Then they started hearing shooting outside. Terrorist gunfire.

Aner heard the shooting getting closer and closer, and he realized that the terrorists wanted to overrun the shelter. So he picked up a beer bottle, broke off the bottom, and held it by the neck.

The shelter has this narrow passageway at the entrance, with the main shelter space behind it. Everyone else hid inside, crouching over each other in that space, and Aner went to the front and positioned himself by the entrance in that narrow opening.

He stood in the corner, just behind the opening, with the broken bottle in his hand. He explained to everyone inside that he was going to attack any terrorist who tried

Aner Shapira and Hersh Goldberg-Polin inside the bomb shelter, Oct. 7, 2023

Aner Shapira (left) and his friend Hersh Goldberg-Polin, both HY” D

to get in. He reassured them that as long as the terrorists can’t get past the narrow passageway, they won’t be able to hurt them, and he said to them, “If I don’t succeed, if I get hit, then someone else has to try to do the same thing.”

But then, instead of trying to break in, the terrorists started throwing grenades into the shelter. Aner, standing by the entrance, caught the live grenade before it exploded and threw it back outside. Then, one of the kids who was hiding in the shelter panicked and ran outside, and they shot him dead. The terrorists got closer to the shelter, and they stuck their guns inside and started shooting, but they couldn’t get in. They were clearly afraid of who was inside. Then they threw in a second grenade, and Aner threw that back outside, too.

A few minutes passed, and the terrorists threw a third grenade inside. They went right up to the shelter entrance and threw the grenade inside. Aner again threw it back outside. Each time, the terrorists ran to the side because they didn’t want to get hit by their own grenade. After that, they returned and threw a grenade for the fourth time, and Aner threw this one back at them, too.

They weren’t getting anywhere, and it was driving them crazy, so they shot inside the shelter again. Another terrorist threw in a grenade; this was already the fifth, and Aner caught that too and threw it back outside. Again, grenade number six, and Aner again threw that back. But they didn’t give up. They shot into the shelter again and, at the same time, threw a seventh grenade, but Aner threw that

“There’s this guy, Aner Shapira, who took charge here. It’s thanks to him that we’re still alive.”

one back outside as well, and that grenade exploded right next to the terrorists.

Seven grenades. Aner deflected seven grenades!

The eighth grenade that they threw, they threw right at Aner, and they made sure to throw it just a second before it exploded. And that’s it; that’s how Aner got killed. After the eighth grenade exploded, the shelter filled with smoke, and the terrorists got inside because there was no one to resist them anymore. They went inside and pulled four people out as captives to Gaza. By this point, Aner’s friend Hersh had already lost his hand; the grenade blew his hand off. They kidnapped Hersh like that, with his hand blown off, and

those monsters filmed the whole thing - and posted it with no censoring and with no shame.

They then went back inside the shelter and shot everyone. But because Aner delayed them and tired them out, the terrorists ran away without confirming all the kills. They went in, sprayed bullets, and left.

Because of that, besides the four taken captive to Gaza, another eight people survived in that shelter. They were there for five or six hours, hiding under the bodies of those who were murdered until the army came to rescue them.

When they finally came to rescue them at 2:30 in the afternoon, the first thing they said was: “There’s this guy, Aner Shapira, who took charge here. It’s thanks to him that we’re still alive.”

The shelter in which Shapira threw grenades out and was killed in during the 7 October attack

Photographed in February 2024

by Amit Avidan

Brothers & Survivors

Identical twins and radio commentators Mendi and Shloimy

Rizel lost their father at a young age and almost lost their families during the October 7 massacre

by Yisroel Adam

Chaya Pizem

photo:

“We had finished the hakafos at the Chabad House in Sderot late at night, and waking up was a bit hard. But the ‘Red Alert’ siren didn’t let up. We ran to the shelter and closed the door. The siren kept going. After ten alerts in two minutes, I realized, with 15 years of experience in Sderot, that something unusual was happening.”

That is how Mendi Rizel, 39, recalls the harrowing morning of Simchas Torah 5783 (October 7, 2023).

Mendi noticed that the rocket fire didn’t stop, and he didn’t hear any interceptions.

“The Iron Dome system is not far from our home, and usually, we hear the launch of the Tamir missiles before the siren. Constant rocket fire depletes the batteries,” he explained. “I realized that the explosions were now inevitable. ‘This is the start of a serious escalation,’ I whispered to my wife so the kids wouldn’t hear.”

Mendi, a Lubavitcher and a reservist in the IDF Home Front Command, understood that he should report for duty. “Since I had already received halachic permission to violate Shabbos if the need arose, I stepped out of the shelter and called the commanding officer for instructions. ‘There are terrorists in the area,’ he told me. ‘It’s chaos. No one knows what’s going on.’ I realized my assessment of a significant event was correct.”

During that conversation, Mendi kept hearing constant gunfire. In his reserve unit’s WhatsApp group, someone sent a picture of terrorists driving a pickup truck with a machine gun mounted on it. He immediately recognized the location: the police station in the heart of Sderot.

A second photo sent a minute later showed terrorists with anti-tank missiles and Kalashnikov rifles

knocking on the doors of private homes. He recognized this location as well: Yirmiyahu Street, at the edge of his neighborhood. “I called my wife out of the shelter. ‘There are terrorists in the city,’ I said. ‘We need to barricade ourselves.’ We decided to first close the shutters.”

“What about my family?” she asked, referring to the Pizem family, the Chabad Shluchim in Sderot. “They don’t know anything. We need to stop them, keep them at home.”

Mendi began calling them one by one while gunfire continued in the background and rockets kept falling.

“By a miracle, my brother-in-law, R’ Mendy Sharon, answered his phone,” he said. “He lives in a house at the edge of the city, on the street closest to Gaza. When he saw my name on the screen, he knew something was wrong and answered immediately. I told him to lock themselves inside and then make

A factory burns in Sderot after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in June 2014

Photo: Natan Flayer

their way over to us. He decided to come with his family.”

“Only after Shabbos ended did we understand the full extent of the miracle: security cameras showed the Sharon family leaving their driveway at 8:01 AM. Two minutes later, at 8:03, five armed terrorists were seen in the front yard of their home. Had they stayed, they would have been slaughtered, G-d forbid.”

Concluding his round of calls, Mendi thought to himself, who else could he reach out to? That’s when he learned that terrorists had reached another southern Israeli city, Ofakim. “Ofakim?” he thought to himself. “My twin brother Shloimy and his family are there right now!”

Losing a Father

Mendi and Shloimy were born identical twins, and even as adults, it’s difficult to tell them

apart. They grew up in Lod as the third generation of the city’s longestablished Chabad community. Their grandfather, R’ Chaim, moved there in the early ‘50s following the Rebbe’s instructions.

Immediately after their Bar Mitzvah, the twins began walking every Shabbos to the nearby city of Ramla to read from the Torah. “We are naturally shy, but our father told us, ‘If you’re already meeting a minyan, take the opportunity to share a teaching of the Rebbe,’” Mendi recalled. “That broke the ice, and we began speaking to the crowd each week.”

When the two were 18 years old, their father, R’ Yisroel Rizel, passed away. He was 46 and had fought a 12-month battle with cancer. Before the levaya, a friend who had lost his father told Mendi, “You’re at a crossroads for the rest of your life: you can either become a victim or

take the pain and channel it into action without looking for favors or pity due to your situation.”

Mendi added, “Another friend from Yeshiva in Kiryat Gat had also lost his father at a young age. He told me a story about the sister of Rabbi Yonatan Eibeschutz, who was widowed at a young age. Rabbi Yonatan wrote to her: ‘Until now, your children had a physical father; now they have a father without the limitations of a physical body.’ That story comforted me and guided me as I realized that my father could help us without the constraints of this physical world.”

“To be honest, I don’t enjoy going to shiva calls, but reality demands it,” Mendi noted. “When it comes to families with young orphans, I share my story and Rabbi Yonatan’s words, and I’ve received feedback that some orphans pass this message along to others. I’ve definitely developed a

“You’re at a crossroads for the rest of your life: you can either become a victim or take the pain and channel it into action without looking for favors or pity due to your situation.”

R’ Yisroel Rizel OBM with his sons Shloimy and Mendi at their Bar Mitzvah

Shloimy and Mendi being interviewed on Israeli TV

sensitivity, and sometimes when I see young orphans, even if I don’t know them personally, I want to encourage them and be there for them emotionally.”

The two have since embraced public speaking, as their father had encouraged them. Mendi is now a military correspondent for the frum radio station Kol Berama, while Shloimy serves as a political commentator and foreign news analyst for Kol Chai, another frum station.

Although the military and political fields overlap in many ways, each has become an authority in his own domain. While Mendi focuses on military coverage and reports, Shloimy began his career as a correspondent for foreign and Arab affairs, even learning Arabic for the role.

“Professionally,” Mendi noted, “we definitely inspire each other. Shloimy will listen to my show and text me during the broadcast with suggestions, like, ‘Maybe you should ask him about this or that.’ I also listen to him and share insights he’s brought up on certain topics. Sometimes, I’ll suggest he cover a story related to a political context.”

The twins also run a public relations company. Among their clients are Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Cadillac Israel, Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine, Association of Hungarian Jewish Communities (EMIH), Lauder University in Vienna, and the Jewish community in Moldova. With such a close bond, it was no wonder that on that tragic Simchas Torah, Mendi immediately thought of his brother Shloimy, whose life might be in danger from bloodthirsty terrorists.

Fateful Day

Shloimy and his family hadn’t planned to spend Simchas Torah in Ofakim, a small city west of Be’er Sheva. “We intended to be in our community in Lod, where we live,” Shloimy explained, “but the untimely passing of my dear brother-in-law, Rabbi Shimi Hershkowitz, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah after a brief battle with a terrible illness, led us to spend the holidays with my in-laws in Ofakim.”

“On the night of Yom Tov, we danced for hours at the Chabad House in Ofakim and only went to bed at four in the morning,” he recalled. “At sixthirty, we were woken by the sound of numerous alarms. The barrage of rockets fired at the city was unprecedented. For half an hour, we heard sirens wailing and explosions overhead.”

“When the barrage ended, I looked out of the living room window and saw a neighbor outside. I went to ask if the IDF had launched some kind of operation, but he didn’t know. As we spoke, we heard a gunshot. It was close. Another shot followed, then a long burst. Unfortunately, I’m used to hearing gunfire in Lod, but I had never heard anything like this in Ofakim. It felt unusual, but I didn’t think much of it yet.”

A minute later, his phone rang. “Despite working in communications, I always turn off my phone before Shabbos,” Shloimy noted. “There’s a time for everything, and Shabbos is for complete rest.”

On the line was his brother Mendi. “Be careful not to go outside; there are armed terrorists near you,” Mendi warned. Ofakim, located 13 miles from the Gaza Strip, was the furthest of the 30 locations terrorists attacked that day.

Alarmed by what he heard, Shloimy locked the front door. “As gunfire echoed in the background, we noticed the large living room window, fully exposed and without bars, leaving our ground-floor house vulnerable,” he said. “My three brothers-in-law and I quickly jumped into the yard, lifted two heavy construction boards, and blocked the window. We reinforced it with couches and furniture and braced the door with a heavy table to prevent it from being opened.”

“We tried calling the police to find out what was happening, but no one answered,” he added. “Later, I called a police investigator who comes to Chabad. After several attempts, he answered, out of breath, and said, ‘There are terrorists in your area. It’s chaos. Everyone is fending for themselves.’ Realizing that the police weren’t functioning and that we were on our own was terrifying. We understood that this was a fullfledged war. Every rustle outside had us trembling, feeling like Jews from times past.”

They remained like that for hours, remaining silent and crawling to the bathroom when needed. Only later did Shloimy and the Hershkowitz family realize how close they had come to danger. In the hours that followed, 27 residents, including 6 police officers, were killed—among the over 1,200 people murdered across southern Israel. One of the terrorists’ vans was found just 150 feet from their home.

Silent Dance

Back in Sderot, Mendi was asked by Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yair Nagid, head of the Southern Arena in the IDF Home Front Command, to relay instructions to the public. “Ofakim, Netivot, and Ashkelon are home to many religious and haredi people who may not know they need to

shelter with terrorists roaming the streets,” Nagid explained.

Mendi speculated that frum people in southern cities near Gaza would turn on the radio upon sensing something unusual, so he decided to go on air. “We have turned from joy to mourning,” he began his broadcast. “It is Shabbos morning of the holy Simchas Torah. There is an emergency in the South. Please listen to the instructions of the Home Front Command and act accordingly. If you live in Ashkelon, Netivot, Ofakim, Sderot, or the surrounding areas…”

Mendi broadcasted his critical message, keeping his comments limited to alerts rather than reports, a communication that likely kept many people out of harm’s way.

As the hours passed, the tension in Sderot only grew. At three in the afternoon, there was a knock on the door. “We looked at each other in fear,” Mendi said. “After a few moments, we heard the voice of a neighbor. ‘I can’t handle this tension; I came to be with the Chabadniks.’”

Mendi decided it was appropriate to hold Hakafos and daven together. “A few more neighbors joined,” he said. “There was no Sefer Torah, so Eliran brought a Tanach. I held it in one hand and the siddur in the other. The words were as sharp as a razor: Ana Hashem ho’shia na! Please, Hashem, save us now.”

In Ofakim, Shloimy led Hakafos in a similar fashion. “My wife’s grandmother, Mrs. Rachel Donin, told us about her father, Rabbi Asher Sasonkin, who danced on Simchas

Torah in Siberia. We held a Chumash, a siddur, and a plush Torah toy, whispering the words. We stayed like this until Tuesday morning, when we finally received word that the city had been cleared.”

Throughout Yom Tov, they thought of their mother, now married to Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Labkowski, Head Shliach of Marseille, France. “When she arrived at shul on Simchas Torah, she was told that terrorists had taken over Sderot and Ofakim and that there were hundreds of dead and kidnapped,” Mendi said. “She was beside herself with grief, knowing both of us were in those cities.”

Worried about her health, Mendi received permission from a rov to send his mother a message that they were safe. Grateful beyond words, they and their families had survived that dark day.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visit the home of Rachel Edri who survived a 20 hour hostage situation in Ofakim, on 11 October 2023.

Photo: Simon Dawson

“

There is one who acquires their world in a single moment. Netanyahu has a chance to do that now

”

A conversation with Australian business magnate Rabbi Yosef Gutnick, Special Shliach of the Rebbe for the Integrity of the Land of Israel

By Menachem Cohen - Kfar Chabad Magazine

by Elchanan Kotler

Photos

Rabbi Yosef Gutnick, the Australian business magnate who holds the title ‘Special Shliach of the Rebbe for the Integrity of the Land of Israel,’ believes that his friend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has some accounting and apologizing to do.

“He needs to find a way to atone for past mistakes, especially regarding Hamas and the way they were treated over the years,” Gutnick said in a phone conversation from his home in Melbourne, where he shuttles to and from his second home in Jerusalem.

While Netanyahu was in office, Gutnick points out, the Hamas regime was able to build an underground city with tunnels and launched countless rockets at the Holy Land with nary a response that would deprive them of these capabilities.

But although we are about to enter the 10 Days of Teshuva, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, during which such accounting is typically done, Gutnick said that the day of reckoning isn’t now. Right now, Netanyahu has a job to do.

“Netanyahu, thank G-d, is standing strong on many important issues in the military campaign in Gaza— especially with the Philadelphi Corridor, which has become fertile ground for cooperation between Egypt and Hamas, aiding in the smuggling of weapons through tunnels and other means connected to this corridor.

“The hope is that this strong stance will not falter for even a moment,” Gutnick added. “Let’s hope he won’t make any more mistakes or be forced into compromises.” Gutnick quoted what Rav Yehuda Hanasi said (Avodah Zarah 10b) about

second chances, “One can acquire their world in one moment.”

One way Netanyahu can remain focused is by doing one of his favorite pastime activities - reading a book. In particular, the book “Make Peace: A Strategic Guide for Achieving Lasting Peace In IsraelThe Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Timeless Vision For Israel’s Security And The Ongoing Conflict In The Middle East,” written by Elisha Pearl.

Gutnick, who helped publish the book published by Yonah Press, an imprint of Sichos In English, was glad to see the photo on COLlive.com showing “Make Peace” on the coffee table in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem during a meeting.

“I sincerely hope he had the opportunity to review its content because this is a matter of life and death, especially now,” Gutnick

Rabbi Gutnick shows a dollar and answers he received from the Rebbe about his activism in Israel

said. “The book has been distributed among influential figures in Israel and worldwide. The Prime Minister must adhere to the Rebbe’s advice and guidance on how to handle all matters of life and death and the integrity of the Land.”

Terrible Precedent

Gutnick gives the current hostage crisis as an example. As of September 1, 2024, 101 hostages of the 251 abducted on October 7, 2023, remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. Israel has been embroiled in discussions on how to go about it, often being blamed by the White House and other governments and entities for not conceding to all demands of Hamas.

“The entire way Israel has handled hostage deals is terrible,” Gutnick bluntly said. “We’ve conditioned the terrorists to expect massive

exchange deals, releasing the most dangerous of prisoners. The Rebbe spoke about the issue of hostage exchanges, and once again, we see clearly the Rebbe’s foresight on this matter.”

Gutnick pointed to Netanyahu’s deal in 2011 to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, among them Yahya Sinwar, who became head of Hamas and the mastermind of the October 7 massacre.

“Sinwar’s release, which only gave him the motivation to organize this horrific massacre, led to the murder and downfall of close to two thousand Jews and many nonJews,” he said. “Netanyahu heads the system, and responsibility comes from that, though there are many factors involved, some of them strongly opposed to

Netanyahu, who had to maneuver in an almost impossible reality.

“In practice,” said Gutnick, “there is no doubt that even today, Netanyahu, who has many merits, understands past mistakes. Just as he stands firm on the Philadelphi Corridor, he must find a way to stand strong on all matters of life and death for Jews.”

He added, “The Rebbe spoke many times about ‘If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill him’— unfortunately, this has not been fully implemented by decisionmakers, even today. There were actions Israel took at the start of the war with much hesitation, even though everyone knew who we were dealing with.

“Hezbollah and Iran should be dealt with exactly as the Torah commands us, and we should not wait for them

Rabbi Yosef Gutnick speaks with the Rebbe at 770 Eastern Parkway

to strike. It’s time to change all the ‘rules of the game,’” he states.

Right, and More Right

Gutnick believes better decisionmaking among Israel’s policymakers can be achieved by following the Rebbe’s wish for a right-wing government, like the current one with national and religious parties. After October 7, Netanyahu formed an emergency government with rival Benny Gantz, who has since resigned. Gutnick fears that including leftist parties in the coalition could undermine wartime efforts.

He recalled how, in 1990, when there was a possibility of renewing a unity government between Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Shamir, the Rebbe instructed him to try to prevent this from happening. The Rebbe emphasized the concept of “shleimus ha’aretz” (the wholeness of the land), continually reiterating that giving away any part of the Land of Israel, which Peres declared he would do, is a life-threatening issue.

“We must do everything possible to avoid a unity government because it will give influence to the left and lead to life-threatening dangers,” the Rebbe told Gutnick at the time. The Rebbe also instructed him to meet with Shamir, Ariel Sharon, members of the religious Agudath Israel party

and others to convince them to form a right-wing government led by Likud. Regarding the possibility of a “unity government,” the Rebbe wrote, “Heaven forbid.”

In a message to Knesset member Rehavam Ze’evi (“Gandi”), the Rebbe said that he should join the rightwing government, even though he was denied a significant cabinet post, because “The main thing is that he should be in the government and know everything that is happening, and then do everything in his power to ensure things don’t go against what he believes is right for the land of Israel.”

On the 15th of Iyar 5750 (1990), after about three weeks of acting as the Rebbe’s Shliach in Israel for the establishment of a right-wing government, Gutnick believed the matters were being resolved and a right-wing government was about to be formed. About to return home to Australia, the Rebbe wrote to him: “It is worthwhile to extend your stay in the Holy Land as much as possible.”

On Friday, the 15th of Sivan, Gutnick informed the Rebbe that the principles of the right-wing government had been signed and that it was expected to be approved by the Knesset on Monday. The Rebbe responded with a special expression of satisfaction: “And he

will go from good news to good news until we all see G-d in Zion.”

The right-wing government was established in Sivan 5750 with only 59 Knesset members (out of 120). It was supported from the outside by the right-wing Moledet party, which had two seats. A defector from the Labor Party, Ephraim Gur, brought it to 60, still short of a parliament majority. Gutnick worked to bring Agudah into the coalition, though this effort faced difficulties.

By then, Gutnick was back in Melbourne. When he asked the Rebbe in the month of Cheshvan 5751 several questions about Agudah’s entry into the government, the Rebbe replied that conducting affairs in the Holy Land while staying abroad is “against the usual way according to Torah” and that one must be in the place itself to see things up close. Gutnick returned to Israel.

During his stay in Israel, his wife, Mrs. Stera Gutnick, was expecting the birth of their twin children, and he had an important business meeting scheduled. Gutnick contemplated returning to Australia and wrote to the Rebbe for guidance. The Rebbe reassured him that his “presence wasn’t necessary” in Australia. Gutnick stayed in Israel, successfully

“It is worthwhile to extend your stay in the Holy Land as much as possible.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Rabbi Yosef Gutnick and his children Rivka Krinsky and Mordechai Gutnick in Australia

securing Agudah’s entry into Shamir’s coalition, and returned home in time for the birth of the twins.

No Palestinian State

Following his involvement with Prime Minister Shamir, Gutnick helped get Netanyahu elected, again defeating Peres. But that doesn’t mean he was always satisfied with Netanyahu’s policies.

“A few years ago, during his visit to Sydney, I asked Netanyahu about a Palestinian state, and from his answers, I realized he wasn’t taking into consideration the great danger. He mentioned that there were different options and that they wouldn’t have a military or a real ‘state,’” Gutnick recalled.

“When I asked him how he planned to prevent the rise of Islamic radical groups like Hamas in such a state, he claimed he would be Prime Minister for another ten years and would be able to monitor the situation. In practice, Netanyahu now knows well and understands clearly that a Palestinian state and autonomy would be a terrible disaster, especially after the Simchas Torah massacre. Any idea of establishing a

“He needs to find a way to atone for past mistakes, especially regarding Hamas and the way they were treated over the years.”

Palestinian state, in any version, must be rejected outright. Any agreement on the matter, even at the level of discussions, will lead to bloodshed, G-d forbid.”

As the U.S. elections approach, both presidential candidates are urging Israel to end the war. Rabbi Gutnick recalls the Rebbe’s strong stance against halting operations midway. During the First Lebanon War, the Rebbe emphasized that defending the Holy Land and its people was a great merit, with soldiers risking their lives and deserving open miracles.

The Rebbe prayed that leaders fulfill their sacred duty and complete military operations. He warned, “Do not stop in the middle of surgery!” Using an analogy, the Rebbe compared halting military action to a coward asking doctors to pause surgery at the sight of blood—an absurd idea in both cases. He stressed that once the operation begins, it must be finished.

The Rebbe added that after past wars, some wanted to stop operations to consult international opinions, Gutnick said. He warned this approach had already caused great harm. Despite the ongoing conflict,

some still think pausing is wise, but the Rebbe argued this only leads to more suffering. He said responsibility rests on leaders to complete the mission, just as past failures—like the Yom Kippur War— caused unnecessary loss.

And there is one more thing to focus on, according to Gutnick. “Alongside the ‘turn away from evil,’ we must also engage in ‘do good,’ especially now. Netanyahu has a historic opportunity for the Jewish people to continue the momentum of building the settlement in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, ensuring that the State of Israel becomes a strong and stable country. The more we build in Judea and Samaria, the more security we provide for the Land of Israel, and the more protected it will be.

“I received a directive from the Rebbe that I must actively work to promote settlement,” Gutnick added. “And now, precisely during the Gaza and northern military campaigns, this is the right time—to show our enemies that those who sought to harm us will face not only a fullforce attack but also a deepening of our hold on the Land of Israel, which was given to us by G-d.”

Netanyahu with the book “Make Peace” during a meeting with Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff in Jerusalem

quality and kashrus for over 30 years.

Prime angus cattle, born & bred in the American Midwest.

TISHREI MOMENTS g

From the COLive Inbox

Over the past 16 years, COLlive has established itself as a community hub, providing a platform for all to voice their concerns, thoughts, and insights, and share them with the world. Of the many topics explored in what are known as “COLlive Op-eds”, every so often, a certain one would stand out — one that focused primarily on the past, but would, remarkably, remain more timeless in the future, than the ones focused on the present.

These were the ones written by individuals reflecting on and sharing their experiences in the Rebbe’s presence, and particularly over the special month of Tishrei, bringing the atmosphere of those beautiful moments to life.

While each one of these articles are worth a full read, this month’s issue features a small collection of highlights from many of these cherished pieces, accompanied by beautiful images of Tishrei with the Rebbe, courtesy of JEM.

EREV ROSH HASHANA

Panim

The Rebbe stood at the door of his office to receive panim. The lines stretched at least halfway down Eastern Parkway. Everyone was silent; most carried a book of Tehillim, Siddurim, or Maamarim, while some were just lost in thought. The seriousness there was palpable.

The lines moved quickly. Before you knew it, you were inside 770, climbing the stairs, into the lower heavens, and there was the Rebbe. It was all very speedy. The Rebbe’s holy face had an earnestness that was enough to keep you moving. Once you handed in your request, the Rebbe usually wished you a sealed good year. With that, you were out of the door, but in the Rebbe’s hands.

“ON OUR BEHALF” BY RABBI YOSSI LEW, 5772-2012

ROSH HASHANAH

Tekios

We girls were crowded together, looking through the gap under the stained glass windows of the ladies section… packed almost too tight to breathe, but nobody minded…

Down below us, was the immediate circle of men and boys standing crushed together tightly around the bima, called “the washing machine”. Only the most determined dared enter…

The enormous crowd miraculously parts, like Krias Yam Suf, and the Rebbe makes his way from his place in the front towards the bima… followed by the Mazkirim carrying large paper bags full of Panim sent from all over the world.

Bags of tefillos and of tears. Bags carrying the deepest of silent tefillos, for a Shana Tova Umesuka, for teshuva, for children, health, life, sustenance, and nachas, for the Rebbe to be gezunt, for an end to Golus.

The Rebbe stands on the bima, the bags of panim placed before him. “Lamenatzeach’ is said seven times, and each time, the heart pounds more in trepidation…

The Rebbe then bends forward, and covers his holy face completely with his tallis, and then spreads the tallis out completely covering the panim. The Rebbe stands in tefilla for a long time. There was absolute and complete silence. Moshe Rabeienu standing in tefillah before Hashem, with the bakoshos of the entire Klal Yisroel.

Our tayere Rebbe, who loves his people so much, stood motionless, sometimes shaking with what seemed like silent sobbing. There are no words that can possibly describe that scene. I beg the Aibishter that I should never forget it, as long as I live…

Then, piercing through the stillness, comes the voice of the Rebbe: “Min Hametzar Karasi Kah…”

Like enormous waves of the sea, held back for eternity, now crashing and roaring, swelling and filling the room in a great crescendo, an answering cry from thousands of throats, “Min Hametzar Karasi Kah…”

As the pesukim end, there is another pin drop silence, then the Rebbe recites the brochos.. Every word is distinct… ‘Boruch atoh…asher kidshanu…’ the Rebbe’s voice lilting upwards. ‘Lishmoa Kol Shofar’...

The amen was thunder…

The shofar sound that followed… seemed to shatter all mechitzos, to uplift and yet break the heart in one moment, with the cry ‘Tatte!’

The huge crowd was utterly still, yet a wave of teshuva seemed to ripple through the stillness.

After the pesukim, the Rebbe returned slowly to the front of 770… As he reached his place, he slowly turned to face the crowd… There was always a light shining on the Rebbe’s holy face, but the lichtigkeit after tekios defies description…

“MEMORIES OF TEKIOS WITH THE REBBE” BY A SHLUCHA, 5775-2014

EREV YOM KIPPUR

Lekach

By the time I came to Lubavitch.. having yechidus on one’s birthday was, for the most part, already a thing of the past. But I enjoyed the unique privilege of having a “yechidus” of sorts... You see, my birthday is Erev Yom Kippur, and every year, the Rebbe would distribute “lekach” standing at the doorway of his office.

In 5742 (1981), a new arrangement was made. The crowds were too big for everyone to get lekach on the one day (and apparently the Rebbetzin voiced her strong concern for the Rebbe to stand for so many hours giving out lekach right before 26 hours of fasting)... So locals were to receive theirs four days before, while the following days were designated for visitors…

I was not happy about losing my special birthday yechidus, but I obediently got on line and received lekach four days early.

On Erev Yom Kippur, I was hanging around outside 770.. wanting to, at least, absorb the atmosphere of the Rebbe’s “court”...on my birthday. A friend of mine saw me there and said, “Nu, did you get your annual birthday present?” “Of course,” I replied. “I already received it three days earlier because of the new arrangements.”

“That doesn’t apply to you, it’s your birthday!” He said. Initially, I adamantly disagreed… But after a back and forth… I’m embarrassed to say, he “somehow” convinced me to go again. Not only was it not my designated day, but it would be my second time – a double “transgression”!

I finally ended up approaching the Rebbe’s door… immediately, he gave me a quizzical look and gesture of his hand (open, palm upward), as if to say, “What are you doing here now, and/or again!?”

Just remember, like everyone else… I was only in front of the Rebbe for about two seconds… Furthermore, in the interim 3 days, the Rebbe had given lekach to thousands of others. Even if someone could possibly recognize and remember someone from a 2 second encounter, 3 days prior, among many others, mostly all with beards and the same hats and jackets, this was too fast to be based on natural powers alone… Obviously, he knew that this soul had already received lekach this year and could “see” it immediately.

Despite being embarrassed… I leaned over to the Rebbe and “explained” in a whisper “Rebbe, today is my birthday,” confident that at least my true intentions were equally not hidden from the Navi Hador

What did the Rebbe do? He turned around to the supply box of honey cake next to him and rummaged around there for a few seconds (an eternity under the circumstances). Finally, he turned back to me, and in his hand was the largest piece of lekach I had ever seen. With the world’s biggest and warmest smile, he emphatically pressed the piece of cake into my waiting hand, while saying with gusto the birthday blessing: “Shnas Hatzlacha!” – “You should have a successful year!

“BIRTHDAY

LEKACH FROM THE REBBE” BY RABBI DOVID MORRIS, 5784-2023

YOM KIPPUR

Napoleon’s March

Avinu malkeinu, there are no words that can possibly describe the power of that niggun sung in 770. The Rebbe’s holy hand banged rhythmically on the shtender with greater and greater intensity, sweeping the whole shul into the niggun…

Somehow, the entire area around the Rebbe, the white mizrach wall, seemed to be lit up with a brilliant light that glowed brighter and brighter, a glow not coming from the electric lamp.

The entire room was filled with the niggun as thousands of chassidim sang with one voice and one heart, in a thunderous melody of hishtapchus hanefesh. The Rebbe, the great conductor of souls, uplifting, uniting and leading all tefillos together through the great doors of shomayim, that we could feel were wide open, hovering above the Rebbe’s place at that moment. Then, there is a trembling silence. A silence that is stronger and more powerful than any sound, where the neshama is aflame, tugging upwards to be one with its source.

A great, thunderous cry breaks out, shattering the heavens and shattering the heart:

The tiny print in the machzor says that at that moment… every Yid should have the kavana of being ready to give up their life for Kiddush Hashem.

And then, Napoleon’s March begins. The song of victory. Slowly at first, then the Rebbe, looking like a Malach Hashem, completely dressed in white, with his holy face mostly hidden by his tallis, turns…

The Rebbe slowly ascends the stairs placed against the wood paneled wall of the bima…the niggun intensifies.

...המימש עיגמ ושארו הצרא בצומ םלוס

“A ladder placed on the ground, and its head reaching the heavens…”

The Rebbe reaches the top step… with one swing of the arm, the niggun reaches fever pitch. The whole room is dancing in place, singing with an indescribable simcha. The Rebbe swings both arms with tremendous energy. The niggun gets louder and louder, faster and faster. The Rebbe adjusts the Tallis which slips from his shoulders, and continues to dance in place.

The crowd strains, hoping to see the Rebbe’s face, and then suddenly, a long awaited moment: the tallis moves and his holy face is revealed, a flaming visage of kedusha. Words cannot describe this incredible and awesome moment – השמ

The niggun becomes a thunderous roar, so fast, so joyous, a huge expanse of people are jumping, dancing, bobbing up and down like the waves of the sea in a storm of joy. A victory of the forces of kedusha, breaking through all barriers.

The niggun ends… and a triumphant shofar blast.

The Rebbe turns to the crowd, his holy face lit up with joy, and with a swing of the hand: “Gut Yom Tov!”

The crowd joyously echoes: “Gut Yom Tov!”

In an instant, zman simchaseinu has arrived.

“MEMORIES OF YOM KIPPUR IN 770” BY A SHLUCHA, 5775-2014

SIMCHAS TORAH

Hakofos

On Simchas Torah, there were more people in 770 than it could possibly have held… Chassidim held on to their precious six inches each, and stood on whatever would give them a view - benches, chairs, metal milk cases…Together, they would robustly chant the Atah Hareisa verses.

Before the seventh Hakafah, the Rebbe makes his way slowly down the aisle — a path to the middle of the shul protected on both sides by thick, strong tables to maintain a crowd that would have overwhelmed a World Cup crowd-control professional.

Normally, no chossid would ever stop the Rebbe to talk, much less extend a hand or touch something the Rebbe was holding, but on Simchas Torah, well, it was Simchas Torah. They kissed the tiny Torah the Rebbe cradled in his arm. They beseeched his blessing: “may we meet again next year”, “my father should recover quickly and dramatically”, “I should be successful in your holy work”.

Slowly the Rebbe came to the middle of the shul for his Hakafah, a tiny area fortressed by tables, with crowds on all sides ascending stadium–like to the far reaches of the long room…surrounded by dozens of excited nine-year-old boys.

“Ahhah aha ha ya aya ya” the wordless Simchas Torah niggun, which in music books rises in crescendo. Tonight it started at a crescendo. All attention is now in the middle of the shul. The Rebbe dancing, beaming, lifting the Torah as if an offering to the multitudes towering around him. The singing is boisterous in volume, joyous but reverent, the type that takes all your emotions and stuns them… During the height of the dancing I steal a glance around the room to catch a glimpse of the Rebbe in the eyes of the Chassidim. Sometimes you see more when you don’t look straight on.

Why did I write this piece about Simchas Torah with the Rebbe?... could I have witnessed this, been a part of it, and said nothing?

“SIMCHAS TORAH WITH THE REBBE” BY RABBI SHIMON POSNER, 5773-2012

Unwrapping Tzedakah

3 prominent philanthropists share their passions, strategies, and advice for giving Tzedakah

A panel discussion at the National Jewish Retreat in Doral, Florida, organized by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), discussed how giving changes lives, including those who give. Three leading Jewish philanthropists shared the unexpected places their Jewish giving journey has led.

This article is an abridged transcript of their discussion as interviewed by Eda Schottenstein and Rivkah Krinsky, hosts of the podcast “From the Inside Out.”

George Rohr is the Founder and President of NCH Capital Inc. He holds degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Business School and lives in New York City with his wife Pamela. He is one of the greatest supporters of Chabad’s global outreach efforts, particularly on North American college campuses and the Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.

The panelists:

David Schottenstein is a serial entrepreneur and investor. His ventures include Astor & Black custom clothing, Swiss Stays, Privé Revaux eyewear, OneWheel, Mizzen+Main and his latest venture, 7th Heaven Chocolate Co. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, he resides with his wife Eda, and their children in Bal Harbour, Florida.

George Lindemann is an investor and philanthropist focused on community development and environmental conservation. He is President of the Board of Trustees for The Bass Museum and holds degrees from Brown University and Nova Southeastern University.

Question: How did your upbringing impact your becoming a philanthropist?

Rohr: Two things come to mind. One is that growing up, my parents had an ironclad rule that we had to give maaser from any money we received. So when we got our allowance from our parents, we discussed where we would give the maaser and how we would help others with it. This created an attitude of giving, which has definitely stayed with me.

The second thing is that a week before my Bar Mitzvah, my father sat me down and told me he was going to give me a talk that his father had given him a week before his bar mitzvah. He said that with

G-d’s help and with hard work, you will one day become successful and be able to give tzedakah. ‘When that happens, you must make sure to give maaser from your earnings and be very particular about it,’ he said.

“I’ll give you historical support for this,” my father said. “Everyone knows the known Rothschild family today, but there were many wealthy Jews who lived at the same time, and yet no one knows about them. The reason is that Meir Anschel Rothschild, the family patriarch, and his descendants were very particular about giving maaser, as we can see from the records they kept. So,” he concluded to me, “you must be very careful to give maaser your entire life.” This is something I hold to strongly.

What is the difference between being successful and generous and being a philanthropist?

Lindemann: The definition of generous is to do more than is necessary. As a philanthropist, I don’t think I am doing more than is necessary. I think we all need to think about how we can do more, not only by writing a check but also by using our skills and talents to make a positive difference.

How did you become so passionate about giving?

Schottenstein: Firstly, I am half Moroccan. But on a serious note, I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and

in the community there, the people who were respected were the people who gave. That was the measuring stick for those who deserved respect. That made a big impression on me.

Another thing that made a big impact on me is a story I heard from Rabbi YY Jacobson, which brought out the fact that when you give, you are really getting back so much more. So, while people think that the recipient is the beneficiary, in truth, the one who is giving receives so much in return, materially and spiritually.

How do you decide who to give to?

Schottenstein: It’s very hard because there are so many great organizations that need support. I try to follow what Halacha says: You should first give to the needs of your city, your family, the poor in Israel, and then to other organizations.

Rohr: I generally follow an 80/20 system: 20% of my giving goes to immediate, more urgent needs, and 80% goes towards organizations and programs that can benefit the Jewish people long-term, for example, JLI and Chabad on Campus.

As philanthropists, you must be inundated with requests for funds from all over and you can’t give everyone the same way. Is it hard to say no to people who ask?

Lindemann: It’s extremely hard, and that’s just how it is. I try to at least give something, even if I can’t give a lot.

Rohr: It is very hard, but there is a way to say no in a way that the person asking doesn’t feel hurt

or rejected. I try to have a conversation with them and tell them what I’m committed to now and why this doesn’t fit into my tzedakah budget while also making it clear that I regard their work as noble and worthy.

Schottenstein: It needs to be a compassionate ‘no’ that makes it clear to the other person that it’s not about them but that you are overcommitted. Also, it’s usually not a final no, but rather that I can’t give the full amount that’s being asked.

Avoiding people isn’t a great strategy because you’ll have to be up front at some point, so instead of having someone chase you forever and then saying no, it’s better to get it out of the way despite it being uncomfortable.

Has your philanthropy taken away from your business, or has it enhanced your business?

Rohr: In the short term, it definitely takes away from business activity, which usually results in fewer hours of sleep (laughs). In the long term, however, there’s no question that it has contributed to my business immensely. It’s the one thing Hashem says we can test Him with, and I have seen that play out countless times in my life. It’s about having absolute bitachon that by me doing my part for someone else, Hashem will repay me in a double measure.

Schottenstein: Bitachon isn’t something I have always been strong in, but I’ve been lucky enough to see Hashem’s guidance play out in front of my eyes in various ways.

For example, at one point, I owned a suit company with 150 employees. In 2011, my wife’s parents, who are the shluchim to the Russian community in Montreal, had an opportunity to buy a building for their activities. They didn’t have a donor, which led me to talk to an investment banker, eventually resulting in us selling the company. Right away, we wired the money to buy the building. Within 2 years of the sale, the entire custom clothing industry had changed, and the company would have been worth far less than we got by selling it then.

What advice would you give to aspiring young philanthropists?

Rohr: The truth is that the term philanthropy is not consistent with how Judaism looks at Tzedaka. Philanthropy implies you are giving because you are a nice person who likes to give. Tzedaka - from the word tzedek, means giving because it’s the right thing to do. So I would tell this young person that the reason you should give is because that is what is expected of you. And there is a prescribed method for itat least 10%.

To a large extent, I think this is a literacy issue. People simply don’t realize that this is their duty and what Judaism demands of them. So, a person might give a $1,800 check and feel great about themselves when, in reality, it’s far below their capacity for what they could do.

Schottenstein: The idea that giving is tzedakah, not philanthropy, is very important, as George said. Another gamechanging perspective to share with this person is that when you give away $1,800, you are not poorer, you are actually that amount richer.

It might be hard to understand what that actually means, so I’ll share how that impacted me in my life: A few years ago, I encountered some legal issues in my business and ended up standing in front of a judge for sentencing. The judge was extremely merciful to me to the extent that he did not require me to pay any fine at all, which was unheard of for a case like mine. His reasoning, he said, was that “the money would be best left in the defendant’s possession to use for charitable causes.” So, for me, the teaching that “tzedakah saves one from death” is real, and it has inspired me to continue giving.

In a few words, how would you define success?

Rohr: Defining goals and staying focused to achieve them. My goal is to improve Jewish literacy, and that is where my focus is.

Lindemann: You can’t solve all the world’s problems, but success is about using the assets and talents you were given to make a difference in the world and achieve your goals.

Schottenstein: Make your family proud of what you have achieved and leave a proud legacy behind for them.

Can you each leave us with a quote that strongly speaks to you?

Lindemann: A woman I knew who was very generous said to me: “I tell my kids, you have to give until it hurts.”

Rohr: Sir Moses Montefiore was famous for saying that his net worth was the amount he gave to tzedakah. He said: “You ask me how much money I have. The amount of money I have is the amount I gave to Tzedaka. The rest of it I can lose or it can be taken away, but the money I gave to tzedakah I will always have.”

Schottenstein: “Every life is a world.” You can sometimes wonder what effect a certain project you sponsored is going to have or whether people will show up for an event, but when you think about this quote, you realize that affecting even one person is enough.

THE REBBE’S DAILY GIVING FUND

Our Sages teach us the great importance of the mitzvah of tzedakah and encouraged us to do so daily.

The Rebbe, of blessed memory, established a unique fund seventy one years ago, which ensures that we perform the mitzvah of tzedakah—every single day of the year

Make one contribution to Machne Israel’s Keren Hashana, in an amount corresponding to the number of days in the new year (355), and monies from the fund will be distributed on your behalf twice daily, before shacharis and before mincha, for charitable purposes.

As we begin the new year, contribute to the Keren Hashana daily tzedakah fund, for yourself and for all your family members.

With blessings for a

KEREN HASHANA

Reporting From Tishrei

Correspondence from a young American teenager to his parents in Chicago about his changed life at 770

By Dovid Zaklikowski |

Lubavitch Archives/ HasidicArchives.com

Photos

Rabbi Schaffran’s letters of the happenings in Crown Heights to his parents in Chicago.

The High Holidays in Chicago were grand. Thousands would gather in large edifices which during the year could not fill more than the first pews. At 770 things were much different. Davening was outside, the tables were old, the benches rickety, there was no sermon or décor. It was a culture shock for the young Benzion “Bruce” Schaffran.

“I feel that this Rosh Hashana has been the most inspiring I have had in my life,” he wrote to his parents in a 1956 letter. “It lacked the superfluity of choirs and large edifices, cantors demonstrating their ability to adulterate holy prayers with so called newly inspired melodies; yet it contained two ingredients, the two required ingredients for a soul satisfying Rosh Hashana, sincerity and simplicity.”

Born in 1937, he was the only child of Sidney and Ruth. From an early age, he took interest in Judaism. Once, referring to his frum neighbors, he told his mother, “I’m going to be Jewish like them.”

Gifted with a brilliant mind, he was accepted to the University of Chicago at the young age of 14. However, his parents chose to keep him in high school with students his age. It was around that time that he decided to begin a new chapter in his life.

For much of his childhood, he attended classes at the Lubavitch Hebrew School headed by Rabbi Herschel Shusterman. But his encounter with Merkos Shluchim in his hometown in the summer of 1951, for the fourteen-year-old Bruce Schaffran, was a turning point in his life.

It was also their unabashed attitude, he recalled in 1994. Chicago was much hotter than New York in the summer, but “here are two chassidim, fully dressed with hats and everything,” as if to say, “That’s it, this is the uniform and that’s how we are.”

The two, Rabbis Dovid Raskin and Elya Gross, he said, had a difficult challenge. Many of the Chicago community were opposed to Chabad

in the city, and some of the local Jewish leaders made every effort that the local Lubavitch day school should close down. Undeterred, they went from shul to shul and were greeted warmly, and they shared words of chassidus. “Perhaps the only negative aspect of their trip,” he said jokingly, “some people said later, was that I came to Lubavitch.”

As the trip changed his life, and he became closer to the Chabad Rabbis Hecht and Shusterman, he decided in 1954 that he wanted to study at the Chabad school in Brooklyn. But while his parents had sent him to Hebrew school, they were looking forward to their only son being a successful professional.

His parents first thought that these ideas would pass, and they would joke about and criticize the school in hopes that he would choose to return home. When that did not work, they played on his emotions, telling him that the reason why he wanted to study at the New York school was to escape his friends, relatives and parents.

A young Bruce Schaffran with his father

Bentzion “Bruce” Schaffran at his bar mitzvah.

In a 1954 letter, shortly after his arrival, Bruce wrote that it is difficult for him to express his deep feelings for his parents and how they have gone beyond the norm for his well being. Still, he felt that Lubavitch was the right place for him, writing “The sincerity and earnestness of the students and the Rabbis have convinced me of this.”

Final Challenge

The couple decided to travel to New York to see the school, and perhaps even convince the rabbis that their only son should return to Chicago. Bruce wrote to his parents asking them if they want to meet the Rebbe, to discuss “any problems in reference to me.”

Although the Rebbe is not his principal, the teenager wrote, “He is the head of not only the yeshiva here but all the Lubavitcher yeshivas in America, Canada, France, North Africa, Brazil and Argentina and Israel besides being the leader of some tens of thousands of Jews.”

The Rebbe met with them, and to a certain extent calmed them. After that, the Rebbe constantly reminded

Bruce that any of his major decisions needed to be okay with his parents. Following holidays, when the Rebbe would distribute wine from his cup, the Rebbe would pour three small amounts into Bruce’s cup, also “for your parents and grandfather.”

Another time, the Rebbe gave him a piece of cake for his parents. Sending it to them, Schaffran wrote, “Before you eat the cake, remember to recite the [blessing] and think while you eat the cake that it is from a holy person.”

At one point the Rebbe told him that if he studies “with perseverance and accomplishment” that it will give his parents pleasure. The Rebbe added that if his parents were happy, he “would also receive pleasure.” Therefore, Bruce wrote, if at times “I seem to be ashamed of my accomplishments it is only because I know that if I had grasped myself sooner I could have been a pride and pleasure to you sooner.”

Historical Correspondence

The continued personal interest in his relationship with his parents contributed to Rabbi Schaffran’s feeling comfortable in joining the Rebbe’s various initiatives. In dozens of letters— which his mother cherished for many years, giving them to him shortly before her passing—he described life in 770 and with the Rebbe. Life to him was much more than material pursuits, and the letters were the way for him to explain to his parents his love for Chabad, and why he wanted to remain in New York.

“You ask me about my thoughts,” he wrote to his parents in a September 1955 letter. “One of the primary teachings of Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidus is that inward sincerity is far more important than outward [emotions]. That to do a thing simply with feeling is far better than to do it in a grand manner… G-d wants the heart of Jews to do His commandments as well as his body.”

Today they are a historical document of what happened at 770, and the impression they made on a young American teenager.

A young Benzion (left) studying at 770.

The Rebbe attends a rally of United Lubavitcher Yeshivoth students, Tishrei 1956, while Rabbi Benzion Schaffran (extreme right) watches nearby.

After Tishrei 1955, he wrote about tahaluchah, as it is known today, on Sheimini Atzeres. “That evening the Rebbee sent the Yeshiva,” he wrote, “together with the Rabbis and the Chassidim in general, to the various synagogues to augment the festivities at the Hakafos.” When they came back to 770, he wrote that they started to dance from 9 until 1 in the morning, “People danced in the street and of course the Sukkah was filled to overflowing.” Only once they were done, did they have the meal in the Sukkah.

For Simchas Torah, the crowd, he wrote, ballooned and even more people from the local communities came to 770 for the farbrengen, as “the students and other interested individuals dispersed themselves to the various synagogues to facilitate the augmenting of the festivities.”

Once Hakafos ended in the various shuls, and those who went on tahaluchah returned to 770, “The street, driveway, and the large Sukkah where the farbrengen was taking place were filled to overflowing capacity. People from the street with newspapers under their arms pushed through the

crowds to partake in the festivities.”

At the farbrengen, he wrote, the Rebbe spoke about many things, “For the time being, I cannot think of any of them clearly enough to write you of them in this missive. Then the ‘Atah Hareisah’s were sold. “Each sentence was sold for some multiple of Chai - 18 in Hebrew - dollars and the purchaser of the pledger bestowed the saying of the sentence upon the Rebbe.”

He wrote about how the Rebbe danced with the Rashag, and each Hakafah lasted about a half hour, and ended around four in the morning, “I then departed briefly to eat and then I returned.” The bachurim then had their own Hakafos.

Once he got to hold the Torah and dance with it, he went upstairs to the meal “which the Rebbe and his guests ate.”

The Rebbe came down, and the bachurim were still doing their hakafos. “The Rebbe said that who ever had not as yet had a sefer Torah for the Hakafos,” he wrote, “should now take one and dance—a few people did so.”

The Rebbe then told the twohundred people who were still there, that he would give anyone who agreed to increase their learning both of Gemara and Chassidus some lchaim. “He said he would not ask each one individually but whoever accepted to do so” should come.

Rabbi Schaffran at his wedding.

At his wedding with two of his mentors, Rabbis Mendel Baumgarten (center) and Zalman Duchman (right).

“The people lined up to get the liquor—I believe it was vodka but I got so little that I could not tell.”

Once the Rebbe finished, he began to sing a new nigun, “one which no person there recalled including many old Chassidim who had come from England, Israel and France for the High Holy days and had been noted for their recollection of melodies for as far back as 60 years.”

The crowd sang it over and over many times, “and after the Rebbe went into his room they danced to it until 6:55 A.M. They then davened or went to sleep for a few hours.”

Jewish Togetherness

Sukkos the next year, he wrote, was similar to the previous year, but what the Rebbe said that year made a great impression on him.

The Rebbe spoke about how each of the four kinds represent a different type of Jew – One who learns G-d’s Torah and does Mitzvot, one who learns but does not do, one who does but does not learn and one who neither learns nor does, but all are bound together.

“Just as the Jewish people are bound together and are one during Sukkos, so too must this message of brotherhood be carried out all year.” Bruce stressed these themes to his parents in his letters, hoping they would understand that he wanted to dedicate his life to others.

“Entrance to the rabbinate does not then present an escape,” he wrote, “from the normal life problems and place one in an ivory tower but rather affords him the position to fulfill the purpose of creation. As the time of the coming of Messiah – Moshiach –approaches one cannot say I have time for every second and every second counts. Rather we must say, do and think all we can to fulfill, G-d willing, which is Torah and mitzvos.”

He now hoped it was clear that his future was in the rabbinate. A few years later, at the instruction of the Rebbe, he studied public speaking. During the early 1960s he became a sought-after lecturer at Chabad Houses and events on college campuses.

In 1969, he married Tziprah Heshkowitz, may she be well, who was a teacher in Beis Rivkah at the time. Over the years, with the encouragement and support of his

wife, he took on many innovative projects on behalf of Lubavitch Youth Organization.

The Schaffran home was always open to many guests. Rabbi Schaffran was a skilled chef and would take part in preparing Shabbos meals. “It was always a pleasure to be invited to their Shabbos table,” says Rabbi Noach Fox. “When we were young, they were our ‘in-town’ parents who always hosted us.”

He was known for his sense of humor.

By Tishrei of 1995, Rabbi Schaffran was hospitalized, gravely ill, but it was his desire to celebrate Simchas Torah joyously. He arranged to be transferred to Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center for the holiday. His fellow Shul-goers at Empire Shtiebel made that Simchas Torah very special in his honor.

On the 25th of Adar, 1996, Rabbi Schaffran passed away at the young age of 59.

Dovid Zaklikowski is a journalist, archivist and biographer. His latest book can be found at RebbeSchneerson.com. He can be reached at DovidZak@HasidicArchives.com.

Rabbi Benzion Schaffran receives a dollar from the Rebbe

Expires 10/10 Restrictions

Care that leaves a lasting, sweet impression.

Buying and Maintaining a Kosher Lulav and Esrog

by Rabbi Shmuel Lesches

The Esrog

It is Chabad custom to use an Esrog of the Calabria (“Yanover”) variety that actually grew in Calabria. The next best option is to obtain an Esrog of that progeny even if it grew elsewhere.

The Esrog is preferably yellow like beeswax and not green.

An Esrog is acceptable if the Pittam fell off due to natural causes whilst still on the tree. [An indentation in the place of the Pittam generally indicates that it fell off whilst the Esrog was still growing.]

If the Pittam fell off after the Esrog was detached from the tree, it is acceptable only if the base of the Pittam is still intact and protrudes above the tip of the Esrog.

Greater emphasis is placed on the actual beauty of the Esrog than on whether it is missing a Pittam (in a Halachically acceptable manner).

Blettlach (leaf-marks) and light red/ brown discoloration do not disqualify an Esrog.

White, black or deep red/brown discoloration that can be seen at first glance when the Esrog is held at arm’s length: If located on the upper side of

the Esrog, from the area where the Esrog begins to slope inwards, it is Possul. If located anywhere else, it is Kosher – unless the discoloration spans the majority, or there are two such spots (or more).

The Lulav

One must purchase a Lulav whose central leaf is completely closed. Nevertheless, the Lulav may still be used if a minority of the central leaf split.

On Chol Hamoed, it may be used even if the central leaf is completely split, as long as the actual spine is intact.

If the top of the central leaf is covered with “Moch”, it is considered closed.

The Lulav is acceptable if its tip is sunburnt, but not if it is snipped.

Preferably, the Lulav is:

• Not rounded at the top (“Knepplach”).

• Has “Moch” (bark).

• Is tall and straight.

• Has a straight and wellcentered spine.

• Is not thin.

It is best to select Hadassim and Aravos whose leaves are all intact and fresh.

Chabad custom is to add at least three extra Haddasim to the basic minimum of three.

There are many other Halachos relevant to the Kashrus of the Daled Minim. If in doubt, approval should be sought from someone well-versed in the relevant Halachos.

It is best that a separate Daled Minim set be purchased for a boy under Bar Mitzvah if he is old enough to perform the Na’anuim.

One may not use Maaser funds for his own (or dependent’s) Daled Minim, but may use it to arrange sets for others, or Mivtzoim.

Binding the Daled Minim

Ideally, one personally binds the Daled Minim in the Sukkah after Halachic midday on Erev Sukkos. Five rings are used when binding the Lulav. These are all prepared before binding the Lulav.

Two rings are placed on the Lulav itself. These are positioned so that the Haddasim

and Aravos obscure them (at least partially). Three rings are used to bind the lower end of the Lulav with the Haddasim and Aravos. These three rings should span no more than a Tefach (3.1 inches).

If the Lulav was not bound on Erev Yom Tov, or became undone, one may not make rings on Yom Tov. However, one may wrap a Lulav leaf around and around, and insert the tip into the makeshift “ring”, without tying or making a knot.

With the Lulav lying horizontally and the spine facing upward, the Haddassim are positioned, one to the right, one to the left, and one on the actual spine, inclined slightly to the right. [The same pattern is followed for any additional Haddassim.] One Aravah is positioned to the right of the Lulav, and the other to the left. The Aravos should be obscured by the Haddasim.

When binding, one must ensure that the Lulav spine extends at least another Tefach above the Haddasim and Aravos. [The Lulav spine ends at the point where leaves

no longer branch out of the middle leaf.] If necessary, the Haddasim and Aravos may be shortened, ensuring that they remain at least three Tefachim (9.4 inches) in length, as measured from the top of the stem to the bottom leaf.

The bottom of the Haddasim and Aravos should be flush with the bottom of the Lulav.

Shortening the Haddasim and Aravos must be done from the bottom of the stem. If it is shortened at the top, the Aravos are Possul, and the Hadassim should not be used unless there are no others available.

Mivtzoyim

One should go on Mivtzoim throughout Sukkos, doing all within his power to ensure that every Jew bentches Lulav and fulfills the Mitzvah of sitting in a Sukkah.

When the one performing the Mitzvah of Sukkah or Lulav does not know the Brochos, one may recite the Brochos on behalf of a male or boy of the age of Chinuch, (or prompt him word by word), but not on behalf of a female, in which case she performs the Mitzvah without the Brochos.

Shehecheyanu is said the first time one eats in the Sukkah, even if it is after the first day of Sukkos. When making the Brocho, one should have in mind both the Yom-Tov of Sukkos as well as the Mitzvah of eating in the Sukkah.

Shehecheyanu is said the first time one bentches Lulav, even if it is after the second day of Sukkos.

When visiting a hospital or an old age home, one should be mindful as to whether it is a place where the Brocho may be recited. If it is not, the Mitzvah is performed without making the Brocho.

An Esrog remains Kosher if discoloration occurs due to frequent Mitzvah use. As mentioned earlier, the Lulav usually remains Kosher if the central leaf split. One should be far more concerned with ensuring that those without Daled Minim fulfill the Mitzvah – this is the truest beauty! It is also the most appropriate way to actualize the unity symbolized by the Daled Minim.

Rabbi Shmuel Lesches is a Maggid Shiur in the Yeshiva Gedolah of Melbourne, Australia. He is also the Rabbi of the Young Yeshiva community in Melbourne.

By Tzemach Feller

The Lifesong of Miriam

Miriam Mintz passed away as a Chabad Shlucha. She was just 30 years old when she returned her soul to her Maker on 4 Av, 5784. Her levaya began at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore in Maryland and then passed by Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. Both of these locations reflected her remarkable journey to becoming the co-director of a new Chabad Center.

Miriam didn’t grow up familiar with Lubavitch. She was raised in a loving, caring and Litvish home in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents are a Ner Yisroel family, and while they had some exposure to Lubavitch—Miriam’s mother began lighting candles following the Rebbe’s call for even young girls to light Shabbos candles—they were firmly set in their way of life.

Miriam went to school at Bais Yaakov of Baltimore and continued her education at Me’ohr Bais Yaakov Teachers Seminary in Yerushalayim. She was passionate about her

Yiddishkeit, her minhagim, and her zest for educating the next generation of yirei Shamayim.

Miriam got her Master’s in Education and began working as a special educator at Baltimore’s Talmudical Academy, where she was beloved by students and staff alike. “She was a powerful person; very fun, very passionate,” her friend Chana Bluming remembered. But she was firmly not Lubavitch. She said she had had very few positive encounters with Lubavitch growing up. “She later recalled that she didn’t like seeing the stickers of the Rebbe all over the place; it would bother her,” Bluming remembered.

Then she met Mendel Mintz, a firebrand Lubavitcher who became known for his activism. He creates gatherings of thousands to be inspired by the teachings of the Rebbe. Mendel has thrown his heart and soul into hafotzas hamaayanos, and Miriam knew that. When Mendel’s name came up as a potential Shidduch, Miriam was,

at first, hesitant to go out with a Lubavitcher.

“More and more we delved into what it means to be a Lubavitcher chossid, and she realized that she doesn’t have to understand everything on day one,” said Mendel Mintz. “It would be a learning experience— and she really wanted to learn.”

Mendel, for his part, had his own hesitation.

“When Miriam’s name came up, on my end, I wasn’t sure—what would the Rebbe’s perspective be on marrying someone without a Lubavitch background?” he relates. The week Miriam’s name came up, the JEM “Here’s My Story” included a maaneh of the Rebbe. A shidduch had come up for a Lubavitch woman, and he wasn’t Lubavitch. She asked the Rebbe whether to go out, and the Rebbe said, “No one can foretell a person’s destiny. Perhaps it will be your privilege to marry a G-d-fearing person of fine character who — specifically through your influence — will learn

The unlikely journey of Miriam Mintz to embrace Chassidus and Shlichus

[of the beauty of the chassidic way of life] and become a Chabad chossid.”

For Mendel, that wasn’t just a sign. It was also his method. He never imposed any minhag Chabad on Miriam, confident that she would learn and become a chossid on her own.

When they were dating, Mendel told Miriam that he had a dream: to move out on shlichus, to join the Rebbe’s army. A few dates later, Miriam said, “By the way, you don’t have to give up on that dream. I’m ready to move out on shlichus.”

As they dated, Miriam had some questions about Lubavitch, and Mendel connected her with Rabbi Shais Taub. After Miriam spoke with Rabbi Taub, Rabbi Taub told Mendel, “one day she will be telling Lubavitchers “‘This is what the Rebbe really said.’”

As they began dating more seriously, Mendel shared a link with Miriam.

It was a four-and-a-half-hour farbrengen with Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson and Rabbi Shais Taub. “I sent it to her and suggested she listen to a bit of it to understand where Chabad was coming from. Four-and-ahalf hours later, she messaged me, ‘Done.’” Her curiosity had compelled her to watch the entire farbrengen. They decided to get engaged, and Mendel suggested they make their engagement official with a visit to the Ohel, as is the Chabad custom. Miriam acquiesced, but “she didn’t like the idea of family and friends standing there, all the ‘paparazzi.’ She said, ‘This is like yechidus—we should go ourselves.’” And they did. “Miriam felt she got the cream of the crop—the best bochur in Lubavitch,” Chana Bluming recalled. “She was very proud of her husband’s work. Whenever she would talk about it, her face would light up.”

And yet, marrying Mendel didn’t

mean she had to follow her husband’s path. “She married me—she didn’t marry this lifestyle,” Mendel Mintz said simply. “Anything she did, she did because she wanted to.”

She began learning Chassidus for a half hour each night with Mendel, and was slowly drawn into the world that her Lubavitch friends had given her glimpses of over the years. “She was a learner. She got me to learn. I thought I was teaching her, but in truth, she made me understand Lubavitch hashkafos in a much deeper way. Certain things we were raised with, when someone challenges you, it inspires you to dig deeper.”

Bit by bit, she understood the hashkafos and minhagim of Chabad chassidim. “When a girl isn’t born into it, and decides to take on one hora’ah after the next, when they choose to do it, not

because this is all they know, but because they understand it—that’s unique,” Mendel Mintz said. Miriam was soon the one reminding her husband to bring his tefillin along wherever they went, just in case the opportunity arose to do mivtzoim. She encouraged Mendel to get a menorah for their car, and joining the Baltimore car menorah parade was the highlight of Chanukah for her. She loved visiting Crown Heights and joining the Chabad events on y’mei d’pagra. And she stood behind her husband in everything he did, encouraging him to expand his activities more and more.

Wanting Shlichus 100%

Together with Mendel, she decided that they would dedicate their lives to going on shlichus—to join the Rebbe’s Army. They reached out to Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, the Regional Director of Chabad in Maryland, who connected them with Rabbi Nochum and Hindy Light, who direct Chabad of Anne Arundel County, an area of Maryland south of Baltimore.

“The Mintzes contacted us to see if there was any area of our shlichus that wasn’t being focused on; where they could contribute,” Hindy Light related. We came up with this area where we knew some people from there, but because it’s so far from our Center, people did not get involved much. It was an opportunity for them because they’d be close to Baltimore and she’d be able to continue teaching. She was an incredible educator, and she’d be able to do both teaching and the new shlichus at the same time.”

The couple would establish a Chabad House serving the Jewish community in Pasadena and Glen Burnie, suburbs of Baltimore in northern Anne Arundel County. The Mintzes sent groups of Merkos shluchim to the area, finding Jewish families who hadn’t yet connected with Chabad and helping determine the best location for their permanent move. They visited the community several times. During one of the visits, the Lights were hosting a class, and the attendees came and

said hello to the young couple. “We’re more of a small-town shlichus type, and it was exciting for the community to meet a new couple, to have our shlichus growing,” Light said.

Miriam’s innate talents shone from the outset. “Just from those short encounters, people really felt connected and excited about meeting her and getting to know her more,” Hindy Light related. “It had such an impact, she had that koach to really connect with people in a special way.”

“While she was excited to go, at the same time she was realistic about the challenges of opening up a Chabad Center from scratch,” said Hindy Light. “She really wanted to do it 100%.”

Hindy Light says she saw beautiful signs along the way to this appointment. “We went to the Ohel to ask for a bracha to expand the shlichus, and that day a letter was publicized addressed to a Jew in Annapolis,” Hindy Light recalled. “I’ve never seen such a letter before. that was a beautiful sign

from Hashem.”

The Mintzes and Lights had spent many hours on Zoom discussing the pros and cons of various potential locations, as well as what programs the new shluchim would focus on. They had brought up Pasadena and Glen Burnie, and during that meeting Miriam had suggested that she would start a Mommy and Me program. “That night we got a request from a woman in Glen Burnie asking us to start a Mommy and Me,” Hindy Light related. “It was so clear that this was the right direction and the right thing to do.”

This past Gimmel Tammuz, Miriam farbrenged until 3:00 a.m. with her friends. “Miriam was excited to go on shlichus,” Chana Bluming related. “She was very excited to tell me how she’s moving to where my cousins are shluchim.”

The Mintzes went to the Ohel and said l’chaim with their Shliach Oseh Shliach. “When we finalized the shlichus and made a l’chaim, she shared that she was so excited to join the Merkos training session for new shluchos—she really wanted to be in it completely, and to really be there for the Yidden in that community,” Hindy Light said.

Miriam had been thrilled to hear that Merkos would be offering shlichus training in the summer, and immediately signed up for it—long before their shlichus position was official. As it happened, the training began the day after their shlichus contract was signed.

“It’s unbelievable: she wasn’t born into this idea; she really embraced it, and with so much simcha and so much energy. It’s really inspiring,” Hindy Light said.

During the new shluchos seminar, which Miriam thoroughly enjoyed, Merkos surveyed the new shluchos, asking what they hoped to gain from

the seminar. Miriam wrote simply, “How to genuinely love a stranger just because they’re Jewish.” She took pages and pages of notes. She was looking forward to joining a meet-and-greet barbecue the Lights were planning, officially introducing the new couple to the community.

A few weeks before they were to move, she told Mendel’s grandmother, “At this point, I’m more excited to move on shlichus than Mendel is.”

Miriam was scheduled to undergo a standard outpatient fertility procedure on Monday, Rosh Chodesh Av. They traveled to New York on Sunday to daven at the Ohel and took the opportunity to bring their signed Shlichus contract to the

Rebbe, asked for a Bracha for their new Shlichus, a Bracha for them to successfully build a family together, and to spend long happy years together.

Unfortunately their plans were cut short, as the procedure caused complications which ultimately took Miriam’s life.

Miriam’s sudden passing leaves a void which is felt throughout Baltimore and Crown Heights.

“I will never understand the ways of Hashem,” Mendel said. “I don’t know why I was so lucky to have had Miriam for the time I did. She affected me in ways people will never understand.”

In the Footsteps of Rebbet zin Chana

When the diaries of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, of blessed memory, were first published, they provided a renewed understanding of her harrowing experiences under the oppressive Soviet regime.

The Rebbetzin voluntarily accompanied her husband, Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson OBM, during his exile to a remote village in Kazakhstan from 1940 to 1944. He was sentenced for his courageous defiance against Communist efforts to eradicate Jewish learning and practice.

These precious memories gained further significance when Shluchim and Chabad historians, Rabbi Eliezer Zaklikovsky of Monroe, NJ, and Rabbi Mendel Feller of West S. Paul, MN, visited the locations mentioned in the Rebbetzin’s diary.

In honor of the Rebbetzin’s 60th yartzeit on the 6th of Tishrei, we present some of these locations, alongside excerpts from her diary.

Kgb Building – Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan

…I spent ten days in Kzyl-Orda, trying to find some way to get permission for my husband to move there. Through a prominent lawyer recommended by my friends, I submitted a petition explaining that my husband was in poor health and required treatment available only in the large city. After all my intercessions, and after spending time there and visiting the NKVD office three times, asking diplomatic questions and receiving their responses, I received this final response: All medical treatment my husband needs is available in Chi’ili, and there is no need to transfer him anywhere else.

I found out, confidentially, that his dossier was marked with the order—“Must not live among Jews”!

In any case, as unpleasant as this was, his situation would have to remain unchanged. Having no other choice, I bought a few items unavailable in Chi’ili, and traveled back there.

The dreaded offices, that carried out the worst atrocities, where Rebbetzin Chana spent much time pleading for better treatment of her husband.

Entrance To Shieli Village

…Late at night they arrived in Chi’ili. It was so dark that they had no idea where to get off the vehicle that brought them. It was dreadfully cold. They didn’t understand even a word of the Kazakh language. Using Russian, however, they managed to find out that one Jewish resident lived there, and they somehow reached his home.

He was a tailor who had once been exiled there, but while there had married a Christian woman and remained there to live.

After such an exhausting journey, the two exiles probably did not look their best and, upon seeing the two, the tailor apparently found them not to his liking. Despite all their appeals, he absolutely refused to let them into his home.

With their last strength, they were forced to continue their search. The ground there is so swampy that it almost never freezes. As my husband later told me, it was almost impossible to pull one’s feet out of the quagmire.

Life in this village was extraordinarily difficult for Harav Levi Yitzchok, away from his community and his family. But nonetheless, the fact that he was now free to quietly observe mitzvos and learn torah is reason enough for him to celebrate this newfound level of freedom, which he did not have since being imprisoned for close to a year.

Mud Hut “Home”, Shieli

…Our room was in the home of a Tatar family, which consisted of a husband and wife and their young child, a boy.

To get to our room, we had to pass through a hallway wet with mud and dark due to swarms of flies. From there we had to pass through the couple’s bedroom and dining room.

I started a fire with small pieces of wood I gathered, and took out a kettle to boil some tea. Before drinking hot water, we had to wait for the water to settle and the sediment to fall to the bottom of the glass.

In time we got used to it, but the first time it made a most unpleasant impression.

As we drank the tea, the nonJewish wife and her child sat

close by, there being no door between our room and theirs. Still, the two of us had much to discuss after such a hard year.

As night fell, we had to think about getting some rest. Our only lighting came from a small oil-filled lamp. We ate supper and prepared a pitcher of water—which was a great accomplishment—for negel vasser in the morning.

I draped the two windows with whatever I could find from what I had brought, and hoped to get some rest. But we immediately began suffering from a new problem—biting insects. Despite everything, however, we managed to get a little sleep.

Upon rising in the morning we started to follow what was to become our daily schedule.

The ‘mud hut’. Small. Cramped. Stuffy. It is absolutely stifling. You can barely breathe. The roof - flimsy and made of dry straw, the ceiling - short, the windows - small, the plain room is tiny. With no running water or electricity. It is more precisely like a prison cell…

Can this be the so-called ‘home’ the Rebbe’s parents occupied? Year after year after year? Where their days and nights, Shabbos and Yom Tov were spent? Where the deepest secrets of Kabbala and Chassidus were studied and diligently transcribed, with painstakingly, handmade, multi-colored ink? Where so many tears were shed? And where the very walls witnessed so much pain and suffering?

Military Hospital – Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan

…With winter, all the above conditions led to the spread of typhus and influenza epidemics (may the Merciful One spare us). My husband fell ill and lay in bed for fifteen days. About a month later, I too fell sick with a high fever of 40°C [104°F].

Among the deportees was a gentile doctor who was of the opinion that my sickness was typhus, which is very infectious. In a village not far from us lived a Jewish couple who were evacuees. The husband had served as a schochet... They visited us... the wife saw me lying in bed in poor condition... she declared without hesitation that she would not leave us until I would be able to get up from my sickbed in full health.

…My husband settled down next to the table and recited Psalms… I believed then with perfect faith, as I believe now, that his recital of Psalms helped me recover from my sickness. As the days passed, my fever started to decline…

Nkvd Building, Shieli

Every ten days, my husband had to report to the NKVD office to register and sign in. When it was a weekday, it was hard enough. But when the day coincided with Shabbat, we suffered terribly. Besides everything else, he was expected to bring along his [deportee] identity card. (His “passport” had been confiscated as soon as he was brought to trial). A female Christian deportee to whom we revealed our secret did my husband the favor of carrying it there [on Shabbat]. But the need to sign in created a serious problem.

Another Jewish deportee who was a Shabbat observer would write with his left hand, in somewhat illegible lettering. He would also bandage his right hand and claim it hurt him. On one occasion, the registrar told him that he noticed how his hand was in pain whenever his registration day coincided with Shabbat!

He admonished the deportee not to forget his legal status or try to institute his own rules, and warned that, if he wouldn’t follow official rules, he would be deported to a remote a’ul, inhabited by halfprimitive Kazakhs. He found this prospect terrifying.

The building where my husband had to register was four kilometers from our lodgings. He would make the trek there by day, through open fields under the burning sun. On his return, he would stagger into our room, barely alive, and immediately had to rest in bed.

On national holidays such as May 1, and the anniversary of the October Revolution, it was necessary to report there on three successive days. Every time he went, he was interrogated and had to be cautious in the responses he gave to their questions.

Government Bakery, Shieli

…To receive just one kilo of bread per person, which had to last us for three days, we had to wait many hours in line. We needed to get there really early in the day to receive that kilo, or sometimes even less, because often there wasn’t enough bread for those standing further back in the line.

Among those waiting in line were deportees of various ethnicities—Koreans, Kazakhs, Russians and many others. Each ethnic group worked determinedly to ensure that their fellow ethnics received bread, and occasionally fights even broke out between groups.

Every group of ten waiting in line would appoint a “supervisor” in charge of all ten. Usually, the first groups of ten in the line could be more confident that they would not have to leave empty-handed.

We both waited in line, because you weren’t permitted to receive bread on behalf of anyone else. To make sure my husband attracted no undue attention and appeared as ordinary as possible, I sewed for him, while yet at home, a proletarianlooking suit, and he wore an ordinary cap.

But his face betrayed his secret as a personage worthy of special treatment, and often those in the first groups of ten invited him to join their group so that he shouldn’t have to stand too long. When anti-Semites, usually Russians, noticed this, they shouted out, “Hey, old man! Where are you pushing in?”

I couldn’t bear hearing this, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Receiving that kilo of bread was a “whole world” in itself.

Government bakery in Shieli. The place where the Rebbe’s parents, as all of the villagers looked to for their basic bread, for life’s very existence. If you do a quick math, the Rebbe’s parents came here every 3 days, that’s about 120 times a year, which means close to 500 times, in the course of their 4 year exile — each time, waiting for a few hours — that could reasonably amount to thousands of hours…

Hospital, Shieli

…One of the deportees to our village was a Jew from Poltava [Ukraine]... The man’s wife and young son came to join him in the village…

Meanwhile, her husband fell ill, and she immediately took him to the hospital. Somehow she put together a few rubles and returned home.

The hospital was five kilometers from our home. Once, while visiting the patient, my husband observed that his condition was very serious.

He made the acquaintance of the doctors, one of whom was also a deportee, and asked them to give the patient special attention.

A few days later, the doctor reported that the patient had passed away. This created a problem of how to give him a Jewish burial, for there was no Jewish cemetery there.

My husband was very troubled by this, and went to work making the necessary arrangements.

First he went to the doctor and secured the hospital’s agreement to hold the body for three days and not to perform any autopsy—as was routine for those who died of typhus.

Then, with full knowledge that every step he took was being watched, my husband went to the telegraph office and sent a telegram to the Kzyl-Orda Jewish community requesting that they send a representative, and specifying why.

He signed his first name only, without his family name. Next day, the Rav of Kzyl-Orda, a Bukharan Jew, arrived...

Hospital where Harav Levi Yitzchok heroically accomplished extraordinary things for Jewish patients that were gravely ill.

Cemetery, Shieli

…We were faced…with the problem of how to provide a Jewish burial. My husband was indescribably anguished by this.

Together with a Jew from Kharkov who had become very devoted to him, he went to the home of the departed Jew, which was quite far from our own home.

They arranged to have the corpse carried from the fields to the home where he had lived. Despite the general shortage of water, they performed a taharah of the body.

The body was then brought to the non-Jewish cemetery, which already included an entire row of departed Jews (may G-d protect us). The row had already been fenced off somewhat to separate the Jewish graves from the others.

School Building, Shieli

…A few weeks later, we received a telegram. Seeing the signature “Mendel, Moussia” restored a lot of sparkle to our eyes. We could read only the signatures, however, and didn’t understand the English to know what was written in the telegram. Although some people living locally had taken courses in foreign languages, none had studied English. It took a week and trekking four kilometers before I located a schoolteacher who, with great effort, barely managed to read through the cable. We finally felt a close family voice speaking to us, which we had sorely missed.

Our friend from Kharkov dug the grave by himself, although he had been wealthy and was unaccustomed to such work. But, as he later told me, when he saw how deeply this affected my husband, it aroused a desire within him to accomplish this task.

It was difficult for him to allow my husband to help him with this grueling work, but because of the

extreme cold they had to hurry in order not to be exposed for too long to the freezing temperatures.

They accomplished everything in accordance with Torah law, and concluded by reciting the Kaddish prayer.

When my husband arrived home, he wept. He was so frozen that it took him some time, and through various means, to warm up and recover.

Cemetery, where Harav Levi Yitzchok himself, clandestinely helped dig graves, and arrange burials, for Jewish people in Shieli, who passed away tragically, and would otherwise be buried in mass graves for non-Jewish Typhus victims.

Public school in Chilli. Perhaps the most unlikely place that the Rebbe’s mother would visit. However, in her struggle to translate a precious telegram, written in English, that she received from her beloved children, the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin, then already living in New York, she spared no effort in locating a school-teacher, who knew English, to help her.

TOURO FROM TO DREAM CAREER

ALIZA SILVERBERG

TOURO’S LANDER COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

TOURO COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICIN

FUTURE DENTIST

“The pre-dental program I participated in as a student at Touro’s Lander College for Women helped prepare me for professional school. I got to work in the simulation lab and get a hands-on feel for what the career entails. Now, as a Touro dental student, I love going to school because there is nothing as rewarding as seeing real progress in my skills as a budding dentist.”

By Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, MA, LMFT

Viktor Frankl and the Psychology of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Meaning and Emotional Wellness

Is there a secret psychological technique that can help people find meaning and overcome depression, anxiety, or the long-term effects of trauma?

Since the time of Sigmund Freud, modern psychology has maintained that you must spend significant time revisiting your childhood or reliving and desensitizing yourself to your past traumas. But is that true?

Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz may have the answer. He props his head up on his bed so he can see his friends and family. Since he can’t breathe on his own, he’s attached to a respirator. As a result of Lou Gehrig’s disease, he can’t move.

However, by using his eyes, he communicates with his wife, kids, and thousands around the world who read his heartfelt thoughts on the weekly Torah portion. Each day he uses computer-assisted technology to communicate with the world, despite how unbelievably painstaking it is to communicate even one letter. Many of us have been inspired by Rabbi Hurwitz,

especially those who have trouble finding light in their emotional darkness.

The circumstances facing Yitzi Hurwitz would overwhelm most people and incapacitate them. How does he persevere? How does he tap into his authentic spirituality and goodness and find meaning? He certainly didn’t learn it from a psychology textbook and probably didn’t read about it in a self-help book. So, how does he sidestep despair and continue to inspire people around the world?

Man’s Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl addresses this question in his epic work, Man’s Search for Meaning. As a psychiatrist and survivor of Auschwitz, there is no better person for the job. Frankl pioneered Logotherapy, or the psychology of meaning, which maintains that human action is driven, above all else, by our search for purpose. And tapping into this drive unleashes remarkable powers of emotional healing and transformation.

Frankl explained how he utilized his “will to meaning” in Auschwitz when there were no options left to him and the other prisoners. Don’t forget, his situation was desperate. The Nazis barely fed them, they were subjected to daily beatings, and many were sent to the crematoria for extermination. The only freedom left existed within his mind, and he could choose to change his attitude or find meaning in other areas of his existence.

Finding meaning may have meant sharing a good word with another prisoner or giving him a morsel of his bread. When that was not possible, the only option left was to change one’s attitude. Some chose to sanctify one’s life for G-d “al Kiddush Hashem” with the words Shema Yisrael uttered before their death, or they would think about fulfilling a meaningful goal in the future.

At times, Frankl imagined being reunited and talking with his wife after the war (even though he didn’t know if she had already died in Auschwitz). This, he claimed, was what differentiated those who lost hope from those who still aimed to live, the fulfillment of a sense of meaning whether big or small.

As Frankl said, “In the Nazi concentration camps, one could have witnessed that those who knew that there was a task waiting for them to fulfill were most apt to survive.”

According to Frankl, if we could peel back the layers of a person’s mind to find the fundamental core of what makes us human—and what keeps us alive—we would discover that our most basic drive is not for pleasure (as proposed by Freud), nor power (as suggested by Alfred Adler), nor is it due to our cognitive distortions (Beck), but the will to live a life with meaning.

The will to meaning turns out to be the most essential force within us that keeps us alive, even when all else is taken away from us. And it is this “will” that we must follow to achieve emotional well-being.

Frankl’s ideas left an indelible impression on me and shaped my career choices. As a therapist, his teachings inspired me to help my clients in discovering meaning in their work, relationships, or even in the face of inescapable circumstances such as losing loved ones or suffering chronic illness.

The Unconscious God

Where does this drive for meaning exist in human consciousness?

Frankl identified the source in a lesser-known book called The Unconscious G-d, where he describes the psychological unconscious goodness and “will” for spirituality and G-d.

According to Frankl, this part of our unconscious mind is called the religio, which guides us in discovering our spiritual nature and connecting with G-d. Frankl used this term to imply that G-d remains hidden in the unconscious, meaning that one’s relationship with Him is unknown to oneself. However, when this will is brought into a person’s consciousness, it can guide the

person to overcome any emotional challenges they are facing.

Frankl believed that following the unconscious drive for meaning and for G-d (the religio) was the cure for man’s psychological dilemmas. Logotherapy therefore provides a framework to find the internal “spark” needed for change. In a session, this takes on many different avenues

including helping the client discover their creativity, fulfilling their values, finding someone to love, or fulfilling some lifelong dream or task. We operate under the premise that everyone has a deep reservoir of hidden spiritual strengths and emotional resources waiting to be brought into consciousness.

Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, LMFT, is a licensed therapist and the owner and director of MyTalkPlace.com, which offers therapy with frum therapists for the Jewish community. He is the author of several books on therapy, including his most recent work, Viktor Frankl and the Psychology of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Meaning and Emotional Wellness which is available on amazon.com and Jewish bookstores. This article is an excerpt from the book.

Chinuch Matters

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

Meet the Chinuch Shliach

RABBI YISROEL

MENKES

Please introduce yourself:

I teach Kita Aleph at Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch of Montreal, Canada, and I have been teaching for 14 years.

Did you always want to be a teacher?

Not at all. While living in Crown Heights shortly after my wedding, I took the MEF teacher training course by chance. At the time, I didn’t know teaching was something I wanted or that I had a knack for. But I’ve always been eager to learn new things, so I went for it. Then, through complete hashgacha protis, an opportunity to become a rebbi in Montreal came up, and here I am 14 years later. Baruch Hashem!

Can you share a memorable moment or experience?

It’s so powerful when parents come back to thank me for teaching their children the truth, even if the lessons didn’t align with their current level of observance. They appreciate that their children were taught authentic values, and that means a lot to me.

What keeps you inspired to continue teaching?

When I think about the nearly 200 talmidim I’ve taught, knowing that every time they learn a posuk or

daven, I have a part in that—that’s what keeps me going. I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

What advice would you give to new teachers just starting out in Chinuch?

When I was getting ready to teach, I was given 2 pieces of advice that still ring true:

1: Always look at your talmidim from their perspective. Sit in their seats, see what they see, feel what they feel, and understand that there’s a background to every issue that comes your way. Get to know the family as much as possible, because knowing the parents helps create a team effort in being mechanech their children.

2: Know who your biggest competition is. There’s a lot out there in the world, especially in technology or cyberspace. We need to make Torah and Yiddishkeit so exciting that our talmidim want more. Always come up with fun, creative ways to make learning more intriguing than the distractions around them.

The brachos that come with being mechanech the Rebbe’s children are immeasurable. I’ve personally seen so many open brachos, and it’s these children who will lead us toward Moshiach, b’karov mamash!

Chinuch

Establishing Authority

Rosh Hashana is a day of crowning Hashem as King, and relates to the theme of “there is no king without a people.” This means that only through us pondering Hashem’s greatness and celebrating our relationship with Him, thereby actively choosing Hashem as our King, can He truly rule over us in a revealed way.

At the start of the school year, educators are concerned with establishing their authority in the classroom, to ensure a smooth and orderly year to come. Parents are also concerned with setting up a home that runs smoothly and successfully. The message of Rosh Hashana teaches us that this is not achieved through harsh discipline, which can bring about short-term “results,” but fails at developing a long-term relationship, and stymies true learning and growth.

Rather, adults can show the children in their lives a true example of respect, fairness, order, and consistency. Teachers can make learning so engaging and relevant that students will automatically want to cooperate, trusting that the rules are in their best interest. Parents can forge a strong and positive relationship with their children such that their children will naturally want to please and emulate them.

While it is not simple to achieve this, it’s worth the effort. This is the true meaning of kabbalos ol - accepting the yoke of authority, because we choose this complete package, and happily submit to all it involves.

Teaching Tip

BY MUSHKIE LIPSKER @evergrowingeducator

Different Kinds and Different Kids

If you were building a Sukkah or putting together a fancy dessert, how would you approach it?

Would you watch a tutorial or reel for step-by-step guidance, read a detailed manual, try to replicate something from a magazine, or simply wing it and rely on your creativity and intuition?

Just like we each like to tackle a project differently, children in the classroom also have a learning preference. Some are

visual learners, while others learn best with their ears. Some students need to write things down, and still others need to get hands-on.

We can apply a lesson to this from the Arba Minim: The Lulav has taste but no smell, the Hadasim have a pleasant smell but no taste, the Esrog has both, while Aravos have neither. They each represent different kinds of Jews. And

what do we do with them? We put them all together.

As a teacher, what do we do? We take four (or more!) different kinds of students, and we bring them together. We unite our students - their different interests, capabilities, and strengths, and join them into a cohesive unit, all while keeping in mind that they are also individuals and have unique paths toward reaching their best potential.

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

Insights for an Inspired Educator

WITH THE TIMES

Ask the Mechaneches

Mrs. Nechama Dina Laber

MRS. NECHAMA DINA LABER, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF JEWISH GIRLS UNITE AND THE GROW CONNECTION NETWORK, IS AN EDUCATOR AND SHLUCHA FOR OVER 3 DECADES. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF 11 CHILDREN.

Tishrei has a lot of unfamiliar davening. How do I help my child follow along in shul?

If they are learning about the Machzor in school, bring their materials to shul. Children can follow along better when they are familiar with the meaningful, beautiful Tefillos. And consider buying them an English Machzor so

they can follow along more easily in a language they understand.

I would suggest making davening fun with a “Tefilla scavenger hunt.” Have them search for specific Tefillos, ideas, or words in the Machzor. They can also look out for

certain tunes or niggunim in the Tefilla. You can also create a Bingo chart with keywords, and each time they find a word, they can place a sweet candy on the chart. This helps keep them engaged in the davening.

How can I motivate them to daven on the days they are home, such as Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed?

Set Up a “G.R.O.W.” Café. GROW is an acronym for the four steps of davening:

Gratitude: (Birchos Hashachar) What are you grateful for this Yom Tov?

Recognition: (Pesukei Dizimra) Reflect on miracles. What highs and lows do you recognize today? What has made this Yom Tov special for you?

Oneness: (Shema) How can you become one with Hashem and others through a mitzvah?

Wish: (Shemoneh Esrei) What is your wish to ask Hashem for today?

Invite your child to enjoy a cozy atmosphere with hot drinks and breakfast treats while using prompts from GROWconnectionNetwork. com. This is a wonderful way to prepare for davening from the siddur and makes Tefilla more meaningful by having children start by composing their own. You can also sing the davening with your children, depending on their age, and give them raffle tickets to “buy” prizes at the end of the week or pick one winner for a prize.

Motivate them with words of praise and encouragement. Consider special outings or small rewards once everyone has finished davening. Keep it positive so they associate davening with a time of connection to you and Hashem!

Share stories or concepts related to Tishrei to help your child understand the meaning and importance of davening, making it more engaging and relevant for them. Use bedtime, the Yom Tov meal, or a Yom Tov/Shabbos party as a time to share these stories.

Mitzvah Note

“Teaching is such a tremendous job. To keep the class focused, to make sure the girls are learning and are kind to each other, and at the same time inspiring them to be Chassidim of the Rebbe. They should all be showered with tremendous Brochos for the incredible work they do.” - Mrs. Daniella Schonbuch, a parent from Bnos Menachem in Crown Heights

Share your Happy Chinuch submission at mymef.org/celebrate

Chinuch News

Chabad Curriculum Database

Menachem Education Foundation launched the Chabad Curriculum Database, a curated collection of high-quality resources for principals, teachers, and directors to enhance their school programs. It was spearheaded by Mrs. Mushkie Lipsker in collaboration with the Mechanchim/Mechanchos Exchange. “This is the greatest news – to finally have everything in one place!” shared Chaya Katz, Curriculum Director of Cheder Menachem of Kingston, PA. Check it out at www.mymef.org/curriculum

Teach for Lubavitch Launch

Twelve new teachers are now enrolled in MEF’s Teach for Lubavitch program. The program launched before the school year with a two-day in-person training featuring Morah Shana Tiechtel, Mrs. Rivka Holzman, Mrs. Mushkie Lipsker and Rabbi Zelig Silber. These teachers are now leading classrooms in Cheder Chabad of Philadelphia, Bais Chana of Delaware, and Cheder Chabad of Florida. There, they will continue to benefit from online teacher training courses, shiurim from local Rabbonim and Mashpiim, and onsite mentorship to support their success in Chinuch. For more: mymef.org/tfl

Upcoming Events

Online Mechanchos Farbrengen for Chodesh Cheshvan

Thursday, Oct. 31 / 29 Tishrei, at 8:30 PM

For more: mymef.org/events

Webinar For Teachers: The Secret to Bullyproofing Your Students with Mrs. Rivka Fishman, Teacher and author of “Sara/ Benny the Bucket Filler” and “My Bucket Filling Journal.”

Tuesday, Nov. 19 / 18 Cheshvan, at 8:30 PM

Webinar For Parents: The Secret to Bullyproofing Your Children with Mrs. Rivka Fishman, Teacher and author of “Sara/ Benny the Bucket Filler” and “My Bucket Filling Journal.”

Tuesday, Nov. 26 / 25 Cheshvan, at 8:30 PM

A YOM KIPPUR LESSON

LEARNED AT THE NEUROPSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE UCLA

Every year during Yom Kippur services, I spoke about the concept of teshuvah, correctly translated as “return.” The Jewish soul is part of G-d and is connected on the deepest subconscious level of our being, whether we are aware of it or not. Therefore, becoming more observant isn’t about adopting a foreign identity or set of practices. Teshuva-returnis really just about getting in touch with the person you already are and returning to your true self.

In yeshiva, we studied this idea. When I was a campus rabbi at UCLA, this became a reality.

It was my first job! I was all of twentyfour and completely clueless as a campus rabbi. And why not? I was actually Chabad’s first campus rabbi on planet Earth.

While serving as a rabbi on campus at UCLA, one of my regular duties was to act as a chaplain in the university hospital, which included visiting Jewish patients at NPI, the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.

One day, a young man, let’s call him Jeffrey, went off his medication and had a psychotic break. He became as strong as five grown men and went on a rampage, destroying the large

commercial kitchen in the Chabad House. After a while, five guys tackled him and brought him across the street to UCLA Medical Center, where he was locked up in NPI. Later, I went to visit him in the hospital. I was carrying tefillin, thinking that Jeffrey, a religious Jew, would want to put them on. Jeffrey was an older graduate student, a little older, in fact, than I was: quiet, nerdish, a bit strange, even when on his medication.

The lockdown area of NPI was stark and cold. Locked doors. This was where the hospital sent the “developmental disability and neurology mental patients.”

People were on suicide watch and could be dangerous. Showing up with tefillin was no easy feat. People could strangle themselves. But I assured the staff that Jeffrey was a Chabad House regular and would use the tefillin as they were meant to be used.

He was estranged from his parents, and I was his only visitor. After going through a lot of security and finally being admitted, I found his room. He was lying in a small bed in a small, single room. A slim, wiry,

very together-looking male nurse was feeding him a hamburger, slowly, with a metal fork.

When I walked into the tiny room, the two of them were distracted, and in that moment, Jeffrey made a quick, unexpected move. He grabbed the fork away from the nurse and held it right next to his throat! I thought I was going to see a serious amount of blood in the ensuing violence.

The nurse slowly and very calmly put his hand out and began talking to Jeffrey as if he were a thirdgrader. “Give me the fork, please, Jeffrey,” he said, sweetly but firmly.

No one moved. I became extremely nervous, still imagining that very soon there would be a lot of blood. The nurse asked for the fork a second time. Jeffrey had this very weird smile on his face. Finally, after the third time, he said, “Please, give me the fork, Jeffrey,” in a pedantic, obnoxious, authoritative tone of voice, and Jeffrey, very slowly–slowmotion slowly–handed the nurse the metal fork.

After that crisis, the chief psychiatric resident happened to be walking down the hall and passed

An excerpt from “I Love When That Happens,” the autobiography of Rabbi Shlomo "Schwartzie" Schwartz, founder of the Chai Center in Los Angeles, California. Known for his wit and unconventional style, he was inspired by the Rebbe to bring Jews closer to Judaism. He passed away in 2017 at age 71.

by the open door of Jeffrey’s room, where the three of us sat crowded together. By this time, I was starting to put tefillin on Jeffrey, and as the doctor passed by, Jeffrey screamed out to me, “Rabbi, he’s Jewish! Put tefillin on him!”

The resident doctor was young, possibly under thirty. When Jeffrey screamed out, “Put tefillin on him!” the doctor got a look of horror on his face and actually started to run away!

That seemed a bit strange. He was very good-looking, seemingly quite intelligent and professional. I imagined that he spent a lot of time with psychotics, so I didn’t quite understand why he had run away from a perfectly sane rabbi, even one with a long red beard.

I finished my chaplaincy visit and headed for the doctor’s office to learn about Jeffrey’s condition. The resident ushered me in, but it was clear that he wasn’t happy to see me.

I officially introduced myself and asked to hear about Jeffrey’s illness. He opened a drawer and took out Jeffrey’s file, started reading aloud about bipolar this and paranoid schizophrenic that. But after he had read a few lines, he put down the file, looked up at me, and said something that told me he was in big trouble: “Those are just words, rabbi; we really know very little about mental health!”

I thought to myself, “This bright Jewish fellow is really in deep trouble. He’s spent the past several years of his life as a resident shrink in the very prestigious NPI, part of the very prestigious UCLA Medical Center, and now he’s come to realize that his entire career isn’t what he thought it was going to be.”

As I was about to leave, he had a strange expression on his face and he said, “I am privy to some interesting trivia that I have

never told anyone because I didn’t meet anyone I thought would be as fascinated by it as I am. But I know you would.”

I was intrigued. “Sure,” I said.

The doctor told me that an average of five people a day “flip out” and are brought to NPI; few of them are Jewish. But, he said, “I have noticed that every single year around the Jewish holidays, the Jewish admittance goes up dramatically. And on one day each year, admittance spikes closer to twenty people, with fifteen of them Jewish.”

“What day is that?” I asked. The doctor said, “Yom Kippur.”

And here’s the punch line: each year, when admittance to NPI went up on Yom Kippur, it was on the Hebrew calendar date, the tenth day of Tishrei, not a consistent date on the secular calendar. The Jews who were brought in on Yom Kippur didn’t even know it was Yom Kippur.

The doctor gazed at me intently. “So, I am asking you, rabbi, why is this so? How can this be?”

At that moment, I didn’t know what to tell him. I did think that I should really get involved in this young Jewish man’s life. But I was on the job, the first job I’d ever had, less than six months; the fellow was older than I was, and I didn’t think he liked me. So, after a while, I left.

One week later, I was driving on the freeway, listening to the news on the radio, and I heard that the chief psychiatric resident at NPI, the same man who had told me about the spike in Jewish psychiatric admissions on Yom Kippur, had driven off Mulholland Drive in an apparent suicide.

That was one of my first major failures. He died before I could work with him, perhaps to get him to return to himself.

I know how to answer that young doctor’s question now. What he called “trivia” in 1970 actually exposed a deep connection between Jews and the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is not just a theological concept, but an actual reality. It’s something that a Jewish soul (even the soul of a Jew with zero Jewish background) feels. That’s why I call Yom Kippur “the annual coming-out party for closet Jewry.”

There is only one day on the Jewish calendar that the Talmud refers to as “the day:” Yom Kippur. Tractate Yoma in the Talmud describes how powerful “the day” is by presenting it as the day on which we Jews are all connected and open to change. We are also open to connect to our deep subconscious Jewish identity, whether we like it or not, or even whether we are aware of it or not.

That’s why I call Yom Kippur “the annual coming-out party for closet Jewry.”

It’s a subconscious stirring of the soul that comes to the surface, often in unexplainable ways.

Judaism tells us, Yom Kippur m’chaper. The day of Yom Kippur itself provides atonement to every Jewish soul. That means that while on every other of the 364 days of the year, we actually need to do something to obtain atonement, the day of Yom Kippur is so holy and so powerful that the day itself provides atonement.

I call that the ultimate reality of Yom Kippur!

JOIN JNET:

& TEACH CONNECT

Are you passionate about teaching Torah to others? Join our growing community of JNet volunteers and make a difference!

Volunteer Benefits:

Learn Torah online with a fellow Jew for 30 minutes a week

Receive a $25 gift card for our online store (free shipping)

After 15 sessions choose a free subscription to Chayenu or Jem.tv

"It is vital to make all endeavors that Jews in all places and in all walks of life have regular Torah study sessions."

- THE REBBE

DINE-IN OUR HOUSE

Upper

level dining.

The best of both worlds: Our signature deli showcase, hot table buffet, and gourmet sandwich bar to eat-in.

Dine-in comfort from 12pm–12am Thursday until 1am

the inside track

By Sruly Meyer

The 3 AM Shift

Yossi Cohen takes a nap before performing at Simchas Beis Hashoeva in Crown Heights

What do thousands of people do before heading out to dance at the nightly Simchas Beis Hashoeva during Chol Hamoed Sukkos on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights? Eat dinner with their family, attend a farbrengen, or perhaps say a L’chaim or two.

Yossi Cohen takes a nap.

That’s because this one-man band has the whole night ahead of him, playing Chabad niggunim and keeping the large crowd on their feet for hours. Yossi has been performing at this celebration for 34 years, and he has his role down to a science. For many who attend the nightly event, the pure joy of the early morning dance is the highlight, with the largest crowd attending from 2 AM to 5 AM, when the streets themselves seem to bounce up and down to Cohen's pulsating dance beats.

The street dance is coordinated by Crown Heights chossid R’ Yisroel Shemtov and has been encouraged by the Rebbe to increase joy during Sukkos. Each year, it attracts Jews of all types from around New York and beyond, in addition to the numerous Tishrei guests.

“Rabbi Shemtov has a shifting schedule of musicians and singers for the first few hours every night,” Yossi says. “In earlier days, Eli Lipsker A”H would perform, as well as the Piamenta brothers. They would end around 1:30 AM, and different musicians would switch with them.”

In 5751 (1990), Yossi was just getting started with his oneman band. He was born in Beitar and studied in Yeshiva Toras Emes, near Yerushalayim. He went to New York for the ‘kevutza’ year to be near the Rebbe and returned to Crown Heights once married.

“I heard they were looking for people to cover the later hours,” he says. “I offered Rabbi Shemtov to do the late shift. At one point, he asked me to do the whole night,

but that was really hard. In the end, I became the main person doing each second half of the night.”

Yossi has been playing for this time slot ever since. “I love that Simchas Beis Hashoeva really brings people together,” he comments. “Whether you’re a bochur learning in yeshiva or a bochur who had more trouble with the system and is trying to find yourself, both equally enjoy this event. It’s also fathers, mothers, children, and guests. They come from Boro Park, Lakewood, Teaneck, and of course, many who fly to Crown Heights from across the globe.”

On a typical night of Chol Hamoed, Yossi begins by driving to Boro Park, Brooklyn, where he plays at Chabad’s Simchas Beis Hashoeva there. “I start at 7:30 PM and end at 11:30 PM,” he says. “At that point, I go home to sleep and rest for a few hours before heading to the stage in Crown Heights for the 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM shift. The first night is something special, like saying hello to an old friend. The last night has the biggest crowd, as everyone is reluctant to say goodbye for another year.”

The impact of the celebration goes well beyond that stretch of the street, he notes. “I was once walking up Kingston Ave. when a man with a hat and jacket came over to me, asking if I remembered him. He said that attending the Simchas Beis Hashoeva inspired him to become frum. Today, he’s married, has children, and we still speak from time to time when he gives me life updates.”

Yossi continues, “I’ve had other stories like that. There’s something about this night that really speaks to people beyond tefillah, beyond speeches, beyond yeshiva. Just music, dancing, and singing the night away. It’s very inspiring to me to know that this event and this music can strengthen a person’s connection to the Aibishter. It’s not just for dancing and being in a simcha mood.”

5 Things You Didn’t Know About… Shlomo Simcha

Shlomo Simcha is a beloved figure in Chassidic Jewish music. He has been singing since the early ’90s and has many well-known hits. His albums, including That Special Melody, Tehillim, Ani Kan, Aneini, Simchas Yom Tov, Shabbos, and his most recent self-titled album, still resonate today. He is also well-known for his collaborations, including the Aish 3-volume series with Abie Rotenberg.

Here are five things you may not know about him.

His mother knew he would be a singer.

“I was one of 14 siblings, but when Avraham Fried once came to London to sing with Yigal Calek of London School of Jewish Song, my mother made sure to make time and take only me to the concert. She knew I always wanted to be a singer. At the concert, she told me, ‘One day you’ll be up there too!’”

He is a trained cook.

“Between sedarim in yeshiva and at night, five bochurim and I would cook 600 meals a day for the Yad Ezra food bank. When I was a chosson, I cooked in England for two yeshivas, one Lubavitch and one Bobov. I still occasionally manage to get into the kitchen…”

He goes to the Mikvah before concerts.

“A mekubal once told me that if I want to have a successful show, I should go to the mikvah before performing. He said that while I’m under the water, I should daven to Hashem that I be able to sanctify His name. I try to always do it, and it definitely puts me in a good frame of mind.”

The Rebbe sent him to a non-Chabad Yeshiva.

After attending a Lubavitch school in London, the Rebbe sent me to Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim, an English-speaking Chassidic yeshiva under the leadership of Reb Asher Freund in Moshav Beit Meir, west of Yerushalayim. I then spent one year at the Mir Yeshiva.

His first gig was at a Satmar wedding.

“My earliest introduction to Jewish music was at a Satmar wedding in Montreal. Shlomo Itzkowitz of the Kol Simcha Orchestra invited me to sing on stage and later asked me

album Besof U’bemochel. Reb Mendy Werdyger from Aderet and Reb Sheya Mendelowitz A”H heard it and approached me to work on an album. The rest, as they say, is history!”

FROM THE STAGE TO THE FRONTLINES

Jewish music personalities share memorable moments in a time of war

In the immediate days and months following the massacre of October 7th, Jewish people from around the world sprang into action to support the embattled people of Eretz Yisroel. Among them were notable figures of the Jewish music world who traveled there to bring comfort and uplift spirits.

Here are some of their experiences there since the war began.

Nachum Segal

Visited 5 times

My first visit was during the week of Parshas Lech Lecha, so you can imagine how fresh everything was in everyone’s minds.

There were two youngsters from Sederot—a chosson and kallah—who were supposed to get married in their hometown that week. But at that point, the city was completely abandoned. You can imagine how emotional they were. Between the two of them, they knew many people who had been killed. Their entire neighborhood and community were so drastically affected.

A friend of mine, Josh Fess, the head of Nefesh B’Nefesh, heard their story and volunteered to offer the porch at his conference center in Yerushalayim as a new wedding venue. I was there and It felt like they transported the entire Sederot community to Yerushalayim for this simcha. The band was from Sderot, and rabbonim were from there.

It was the most joyous, celebratory crowd I’ve ever seen at a Jewish wedding. There was such incredible simcha, and the chosson and kallah were elated. I thought to myself, when a wedding in America has to move from one venue to another, people get so upset. We don’t appreciate that we don’t have to deal with what this couple dealt with in Israel. I don’t want to minimize anyone’s struggles, but seeing a couple who lost friends and family, whose entire town was closed off, celebrate with such joy—that really inspired me.

Mordechai Shapiro Visited 4 times

I was most deeply inspired by talking with the soldiers. I asked them, “Do you have any fear?” Every soldier responded the same way: “This is the greatest honor for me to protect you and protect the Jewish people.” It made me think of them as tzaddikim, almost like they were from the times of Nevi’im. It’s hard to describe—people who are willing to put their lives on the line with no fear, just honor and excitement to protect their fellow Jews.

One of the names synonymous with this work is Shai Graucher, son of Dedi A”H. He created a spot that has many things soldiers need— food, a place for haircuts, a washer and dryer, and even a massage area with a ping pong table. I had the zechus to sing in that area, and I can’t tell you how incredible it was to see the chayalim just smiling and enjoying some downtime.

I sang there twice, and one time singer Eyal Golan was also there. He went up first, and after he left the stage, I went up to sing. One of the soldiers joked, “How does it feel that Eyal Golan opened the show for you?” It’s funny—I went there to lift their spirits, but seeing the soldiers smiling and being happy despite all they are enduring ended up lifting my spirits too! They are incredible examples of bravery.

Simcha Leiner Visited once

I had a slightly different approach than some others. I wanted to make sure that people in the United States were able to help, too. I made it my mission to devote as much time, energy, and money as I could to advocate for sending funds to Israel to help in the war effort. I performed at many fundraisers and personally got involved in sending equipment and other important items to Israel.

Now that it’s been a year, I’ve noticed a drop-off in visits to the chayalim as time has passed. When we first started, everyone was rushing to visit Israel, but as time has gone on, that enthusiasm has started to fade. It’s up to us to keep going! They still need us! Even after October 7th, the message remains the same. As we sing, we heal together.

Benny Friedman

Visited 4 times

In Eretz Yisrael, the hotels are empty, and the roads are empty. The taxi driver said to me, “I just bought a new car, a new taxi, before Yom Tov (Simchas Torah). I spent a lot of money on it, and there’s no one looking for rides. People aren’t even driving much.” It really hurt his parnassah, and he couldn’t pay his bills. He had recently arrived in Israel from France.

While we were in the car, his wife called, and they started telling me about how life has been difficult since the war began. He then told me something that really stuck with me. He said that despite all of that, he doesn’t care—whatever happens, even if he has no food, even if he can’t pay his bills, even if he has to lose his car and start walking, he’s still glad he moved here. This is where he needs to be. This is where he wants to be! He isn’t going anywhere else.

It was almost like hearing a story from Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev: “Hashem, even if you take away my parnassah, even if you send us war, we won’t fail this test. I am a Jew, and my place is here in the holiest land.” To hear this resolve in the face of so much despair puts all our life troubles in perspective.

Ohad Moskowitz

Lives in Israel

When I first sang at army bases after the attack, the soldiers were sad and uncertain. But as soon as I started singing, you could feel their energy shift. They needed the music to heal, not just them, but all of us.

One night, I was asked to perform at a base near Yerushalayim. I got lost and arrived alone, which surprised everyone. They thought I was crazy for driving by myself. When I reached the soldiers, I noticed most weren’t religious, which surprised me. I asked the commander if I was in the right place, and he said, “Yes, I asked for you.”

I wasn’t sure what to sing since they didn’t know me. The commander, with a small kippah, smiled and said, “Just sing your regular set—you’ll see!” So, I told my keyboard player, “Let’s kick off a normal set like at any simcha!”

For the next 40 minutes, they sang and danced with their weapons held high. I realized it wasn’t about the singer or songs—it was about the joy and connection we created together.

One funny part of the story: In all my life on stage, I’ve been asked to announce random things like a car blocking someone, but never did I think I’d be standing on stage at an army base asking if someone lost their magazine with bullets.

What kind of bee can’t make up its mind? Complete the activities below to get your answer! What kind of bee can’t make

Find the hidden letter in the apple below. 1

Find the hidden letter in the apple below. 1

Find the hidden letter in the apple below. 1

Which is the correct shadow?

What kind of bee can’t make up its mind? Complete the activities below

Help the air get from one end of the shofar What letter does it pass through on the

One part of this bee is not a b... 5 Which

What kind of bee can’t make up Which sukkah is not like the others?

SUKKOS

DID YOU KNOW?

The Mitzvah of Lulav and Esrog teaches us the importance of every Jew, regardless of their level of observance. If we are missing even one person, we are not fully complete.

IMAGINE

BRING IT HOME

Think of someone different from you in the area of Yiddishkeit. What is one thing you can learn from them?

You are playing chess with your sibling one afternoon. You begin to set up the pieces on the board: the King, the Queen, the Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns. As you are about to finish, you realize you are missing one of the white Pawns. Oh no! Maybe you could still attempt to play… but it won’t be fair or the same if you do. Even though the Pawn is only one piece, and perhaps the simplest, you realize it serves an important role in the game.

DELVING DEEPER

People come in all different shapes and sizes. Some excel at learning, others at davening, and others at helping their parents, friends, or siblings. Some seem to excel in all of the above, but some don’t seem to be great at any particular mitzvah. We may be led to think that such a person is not as necessary as the others, or that being great in one area of Torah and mitzvos is the most important of all (Shemos Rabba 40:3). But the mitzvah of lulav and esrog teaches us that every single type of Jew has a role to play. Each one of us is necessary and important. Each one of the types in the Daled Minim set represents a different type of Jew, and if even one of them is missing, we can’t perform the mitzvah. Similarly, if even one Jew is missing, we are not whole. We cannot become our best selves without the help and influence of others.

PARSHA

Measure and pour 2oz. of glue, into a large container.

Measure 4oz. of shaving cream into the small container and carefully pour it into the large container.

When you think it’s ready, you can take the slime out of the container and start kneading.

Add one drop of yellow coloring and one drop of lemon scent.

Add 1 tablespoon of contact lens solution into the large container and mix slowly with a popsicle stick.

Stretch, pop, and squeeze your Esrog Slime!

Mix the glue, coloring, and scent well.

Once it’s mostly mixed, add a little gold glitter to the slime and start incorporating it.

SUPPLIES

1 Tbsp. Contact Lens Solution

Yellow Food Coloring

4oz. Shaving Cream

Large Container

Measuring Cups

Popsicle Sticks

4oz. Container

Lemon Scent

Gold Glitter

2oz. Glue

*We would love to see how your Parsha Studio Project came out! Send us pictures to, info@jcm.museum

KosherSpread

By Sruly Meyer

Sweet Basmati Rice with

Carrots & Raisins

Sweet and fragrant basmati rice with carrots and raisins - the perfect vegetarian side dish for any holiday meal. In our house, this is a Rosh Hashanah favorite. Vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, sliced

4 cups freshly shredded carrots (about 5 medium carrots)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 1/2 cups water

2 tsp salt

3/4 cup raisins

2 cups white basmati rice (you can also use jasmine rice)

Topping:

5 tbsp toasted slivered almonds (except on Rosh Hashana - substitute for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds)

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. In a 3 qt sauté pan for which you have a lid, heat oil and cook onions at medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add shredded carrots and continue cooking at medium-low heat for about 7 minutes

3. Add water, salt, and raisins and bring to a boil

4. Add rice and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes.

5. Uncover the rice and quickly and gently fluff it up with a fork. Put the lid back on and let it sit, off the heat, for 10 minutes.

6. Top with almonds (not on Rosh Hashana - as it is customary to refrain from eating nuts. Substitute for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.) and pomegranates before serving

Vicky & Ruth are the authors of the vegan cookbook “Tahini and Turmeric.” Born and raised in a multicultural Jewish-LebaneseSpanish home, their dishes bring together flavors they learned from their culinary journey from Lebanon to Turkey, Israel, Morocco, and Spain.

@mayihavethatrecipe

Garlic Studded French Roast with Horseradish Sabayon

This well marbled, large cut comes from the shoulder and yields a delicious, tender bite when using the dry heat, or roasting method. Paired with lots of garlic and an elegant horseradish sabayon, this dish is a stunner for any Yom Tov.

Ingredients List for

Garlic Studded French Roast:

1 Prairie Street Beef Chuck French Roast

1 whole head garlic, roasted

2-3 cloves of garlic, thickly sliced

1 tbsp fresh or dried herbs of your choice (we used dry rosemary)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Ingredient List for Sabayon:

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup dry sparkling white Kosher wine

1 tsp horseradish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

2. On the French Roast, squeeze and spread out all of the roasted garlic, and then season with your choice of herbs, Kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

3. Roll the French Roast together and using cotton butcher’s twine or netting, tie roast together, being sure not to tie the roast too tight.

3. Using a paper towel, pat dry the rolled French Roast to remove any excess moisture.

4. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and generously season with coarse Kosher salt and ground black pepper.

5. Using a paring knife, make about 10 small slits into the outside of the roast and “stud” the meat with the fresh, slivered garlic into the slits.

Cook

1. Place the French Roast on a roasting rack and place in the middle of a preheated oven. Roast for about 30 minutes and then check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer.

2. Remove the roast from oven when the internal temperature reads 125°F. Allow the French Roast to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes before removing the strings and slicing into it.

Making the Sabayon

1. Create a double boiler by heating about 3-4 inches of water in a medium saucepan.

2. Once this starts to steam, place a medium size glass mixing bowl over the saucepan to create a double boiler.

3. To the mixing bowl add egg yolks and white Kosher wine and whisk for several minutes to incorporate air into the ingredients.

4. Once the combination starts to foam and thicken, add horseradish and whisk.

5. Remove the sauce from the heat once it is nice, thick, and has a bit of shine to it.

This is best to serve immediately (or at least as soon as possible!)

Chef Erica Wides is a home chef and foodie influencer who prepares recipes for the Prairie Street Culinary Kitchen. @thechefsmartypants

Apple Shortbread with Crumb Topping

Crust Ingredients

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

pistachios (optional)

Filling Ingredients

3.5 cups apples, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup cornstarch

Crumb topping:

2 tbsp butter or margarine (I use earth balance), softened

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup large flake oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Eat. Love. Pray for Israel

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Whisk together oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder until a crust forms.

3. Spread mixture at the bottom of a 9 x 9” greased baking dish.

4. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Mix well and pour over crust.

5. Bake for 45 minutes

6. Loosely cover on the counter or it will get soggydo not store in an air tight container.

Erin Grunblat is a recipe developer from Montreal helping busy families create fast, easy, healthy(ish) recipes! Erin, together with other collaborators, recently released “Eat. Love. Pray for Israel”, three e-cookbooks featuring dozens of well known foodie influencers that showcase the rich tapestry of Jewish culinary traditions from around the world.

@erin.eats.mtl

In “Eat. Love. Pray for Israel ,” we have gathered a diverse collection of recipes that showcase the rich tapestry of Jewish culinary traditions from around the world. These dishes reflect the love and heritage that we share as a community. As you turn the pages of this cookbook and try your hand at these mouthwatering recipes, we hope you will fill your tables with not just delicious meals, but also with a profound sense of unity and solidarity. With every dish you prepare and every meal you share, remember that your support goes beyond the kitchen; it is a gesture of love and unwavering commitment to our beloved country, Israel.

Apple Pie Stuffed Crumb Muffins

On Rosh Hashanah, apple pie usually ends up on the menu of apples and honey. While I love apple pie, I kind of like cupcakes even more and this dish is the best of both with a classic yellow cake base stuffed with a delicious mixture of apples and cinnamon and topped with crumbs and a cinnamon laced glaze. Also, no need to cut and serve since everyone can get their own muffin!

Muffin Ingredients

2 cups of flour

1 and 1/3 cup of sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of oil

1 cup of orange juice

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

2 large apples (gala or granny smith)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice (or nutmeg)

2 tablespoons flour

Juice of 1 lemon

Dice and peel apples and combine with remaining ingredients.

Crumb Mixture Ingredients

1 cup of flour

1 cup of light brown sugar

1/2 cup of margarine

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients using hands until you get a crumb texture.

Cinnamon Glaze Ingredients

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients until smooth.

Directions

1. Combine cupcake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Fill cupcake liners with about 1/4 cup batter for each muffin. ( I use an ice cream scooper).

3. Add a tablespoon of apple pie filling to center of each muffin. Place crumb mixture on top of each muffin.

4. Bake at 350′ for about 23 to 25 minutes.

5. Allow to cool off before drizzling cinnamon glaze on top of muffins.

Kosher in the Kitch and is all about finding super simple Kosher recipes that are easy to prepare and taste delicious. Run by Nina, a single mom with no time for complicated cooking, her mission is to create the easiest recipes possible without sacrificing flavor.

By Mordechai Schmutter

I’M Not MOCHEL

Hashem, as an infinite being, has infinite patience, whereas I don’t

One of the most annoying things about being a teacher around the yomim noraim is that my students keep coming over to me and asking me for mechilah.

Now I know I’m not supposed to be annoyed by people asking me for mechilah. Imagine if Hashem got annoyed. But Hashem, as an infinite being, has infinite patience, whereas I don’t.

They even interrupt class to ask me this.

“Any questions?”

“Mr. Schmutter, are you mochel me?”

“That’s not relevant to the lesson. In fact, you interrupted the lesson to ask me this, so that makes it worse.”

“Doesn’t that make it relevant ?”

The annoying thing is that most of these are kids who, in the short time between the beginning of the school year and Rosh Hashanah, have already managed to do something they have to ask me mechilah for. What are the chances that they’re going to behave better in the 9 ½ months after this?

Even some of the good students ask me for mechilah, though generally after class.

I ask them, “What did you do? You don’t misbehave.”

And they say, “I might have said loshon hara about you.”

And I say, “I assume you did. Every student says loshon hara about me. You come home and tell people, “My teacher is Mordechai Schmutter,” and they ask, “Is he as funny in real life?” No matter what you say at that point, it’s loshon hara.”

So I always tell them no. I know you’re supposed to be mochel everyone, and in the moments before Yom Kippur I probably am, but there’s no way I’m going to tell them that I am. I’m supposed to be strict. If I say I’m mochel them, they’re not going to say, “Well, I guess we owe him one for being mochel us for all the bad stuff we did in the very first week of class. Let’s be nice the rest of the year in recognition.” No, they’ll say, “Well, look how easy it is to ask for forgiveness! Much easier than asking for permission!”

So I’ve been making it harder. But despite what you’d think, saying no doesn’t get them off my case. They’re going through a charade here and they just want a yes, because everyone else gives them a yes right away. They don’t think about the question, and their friend doesn’t think about the answer. So my answer slows them down. I hate that they ask me, though, because they’re making me lie right before Rosh Hashanah.

And I know they’re not sincere, because they ask me before Rosh Hashana and then again before Yom Kippur, and there’s always something they did in between to ask mechilah for, even though there are about two days of class in there.

“Are you mochel me?”

“Great. What did you do?”

“Nothing. For anything I may have done.”

“I’m your teacher. You’ve known me for a week. You don’t remember if you’ve done anything?”

“I have a horrible memory.”

“Thanks for admitting that. Remember that you said this the next time you claim I didn’t warn you to stop doing what you’re doing.”

“Clearly, I won’t.”

And they’re asking the wrong person. I’m not even the one you hurt every time you interrupted class. I already know all the stuff I’m teaching. Are you going to call the parents of every kid in the class and ask if they’re mochel you for wasting their kid’s time and their tuition money? Or do you think that asking me would be good enough? You’re like the guy who’s cutting in line, so he asks just the person directly behind him, who now gets to speak for the entire line, as their representative. I’m going to decide that all the parents are mochel you?

That said, it happens to be that I don’t always say no, unless it’s a particularly disruptive student. Sometimes I just tell them, “I

always say no to students,” because I don’t want them to take the heter to keep making trouble.

“Well, I haven’t listened to a word you’ve said since Labor Day. Hence, I am not your student.”

But look – I do a lot of things they don’t forgive me for too, such as giving them work. They hate that. They ask me not to do it every day. But do I listen? No. So do I have to ask mechilah for giving them work, just because they don’t realize right now that it’s good for them? Maybe I can turn it around on them. I can ask them, “Are you mochel me for all the work that I gave you so far and am going to continue to give you for the rest of the year?”

“Um… I guess?”

Let them see how hard it is to be mochel me when I say straight out that I’m not going to stop.

Or they’ll say, “Well, if we agree to be mochel you, are you going to stop giving us assignments?”

And I’ll say, “Well, if I’m mochel you, are you going to stop misbehaving?

It’s been one week and already you misbehaved.”

“Well, it’s been one week and already you’ve given us assignments.”

“You think those were assignments? Wait until I start giving you essays.”

“We’re not going to be mochel you if you give us essays.”

“Well, your parents won’t be mochel me if I don’t.”

This is why teachers get the big bucks. Because we lose either way.

The only issue with this dialogue here is that we’re equating my assignments with their misbehaving, which is not a great road to go down.

I guess I could say, “Well, I sincerely believe that my assignments are helping you. Is your misbehaving helping me? Also, I’m getting paid to give you assignments. Is someone paying you to misbehave? Because them I am NOT mochel.”

I think this whole conversation is much better than me just lying and saying no See? I’m improving this year already.

Photo Mark Tulin/Unsplash

Then Now AND

320 KINGSTON AVENUE

by Shmully Blesofsky

Raskin's Fish Market stands on controversial ground

The faded sign on Raskin’s Fish Market at 320 Kingston Avenue is said to be the oldest still in use on this thoroughfare of Crown Heights. Alongside its promise of “free delivery,” it includes its original phone number, SL6-9521 (SL stands for “Slocum,” a telephone exchange code for 7-5), attesting to its long history.

While the iconic store is beloved by all today, its building was once mired in controversy.

In the early 1920s, Crown Heights had blossomed into a thriving neighborhood, with Kingston Avenue developing into a bustling retail hub. However, the northwest corner of President Street and Kingston Avenue, where Raskin’s now stands, remained a vacant plot owned by real estate investor Jane E. Hadden.

In 1922, the land was purchased by Bertha Lurie, a philanthropist and wife of Leib Lurie, a builder and owner of a successful mortgage company who lived at 1451 Union Street. She filed plans to build a commercial property on the corner lot but faced opposition from local Jewish businessmen living on President Street.

One of those neighbors, Max Welinsky, had recently built an upscale mansion next door

(eventually home of Robert (Moshe) Feldman). He filed a lawsuit together with Rose Bloom, William Goodman, and Louis Halperin, arguing that the property fronted President Street. The block’s original deeds, drawn by the Eastern Parkway Company, allowed only for single-family homes valued at a minimum of $10,000.

Additionally, the Board of Estimate adopted a resolution changing President Street from a business to a residential zone. The group hoped the corner would feature a mansion similar to what is now the Tzach building.

Ultimately, a judge approved the construction. Despite the opposition, Bertha Lurie’s plans for four storefronts with apartments above were approved, and construction by the Justin Building Corporation was completed in 1926 at a cost of $60,000.

Possibly due to its proximity to President Street’s exclusivity, J. Sarsfield Kennedy, an architect renowned for designing some of the city’s most creative residential and civic buildings, was chosen. He crafted the building with a limestone façade, using Gothic and Roman Revival architectural

elements and featuring intricate details, including geometric patterns and arched shapes.

Over the years, the stores housed upscale women’s clothing retailers. The first occupant of 320 Kingston Avenue was Evelyn Millinery, owned by Evelyn Rubin and Irene Perlman, followed by Myers Dress Shop. In the 1930s, it became a shoe repair shop. Its last owner was born during those years, albeit in what seemed like another universe—Soviet Russia.

Berel (Sholom Ber) Raskin, one of four brothers born to R’ Aaron Leib and Doba Raiza Laine, escaped during the Second World War and arrived in America in 1954. The family initially settled in Brownsville before moving to Crown Heights.

The Raskins were the first Lubavitch family to move into 706 Eastern Parkway. Despite it being a Jewish building, they were the first to get permission to put up a sukkah. Their apartment faced Brooklyn Avenue, and for many years, the Raskin children eagerly waited for the Rebbe to pass by on his way to 770 on Shabbos mornings. He would always look and wave at them.

Berel and his brothers worked tirelessly to achieve the American dream while remaining true to their Chassidic roots and Jewish values.

Berel himself took on various jobs, including selling perfume brought over from France. In the early 1960s, he entered the fish business. After ensuring he was properly prepared, the Rebbe gave a blessing, and Berel founded Raskin’s Fish Market in 1961.

The early days were tough. Berel often worked until midnight, then woke up at 4 AM to head to the Fulton Fish Market to pick up the day’s fish. Berel opened the fish market at 320 Kingston Avenue and purchased the building a few years later. In the early days, the upstairs apartment above the shop served as dormitories for students of 770. The space above the fish store later became the original kitchen for the emerging frozen gefilte fish industry. What started as a

small operation grew into a large enterprise, with thousands of units shipped weekly worldwide.

Over the years, Raskin’s Fish became more than just a store. Berel Raskin remained a man of the people, offering advice not only about fish but also about life. For visitors to the neighborhood, writers, and documentary filmmakers, he was an embodiment of the working Chassidic Jewish man. After his passing in 2019, both Jewish and non-Jewish clients recalled his kindness and willingness to listen.

One of his clients was Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson. When she called in her weekly order, Berel often used the opportunity to update her on family events. Once, the Rebbetzin asked about

the store’s Pesach cleaning protocol. Despite only handling fish, Berel had special utensils and cleaning procedures in place, including separate utensils for the Rebbe’s fish. Sensing Berel’s nervousness, the Rebbetzin reassured him in Yiddish:

”—”Don’t worry, my husband relies on you.”

Today, the legacy of Raskin’s Fish Market continues under the management of Berel’s son, Shlomo, who runs the business with the same passion and integrity as his father. The family continues to honor their legacy with annual Sukkot meals and ongoing contributions to the community. Their store stands as one of the oldest and most recognized storefronts in Crown Heights.