COLlive Magazine - Kislev 5785

Australian-born Rabbi Yossi New celebrates 40 years of Shlichus in the Peach State

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From the Publisher

Mica Soffer

On the Offensive

A letter from the Rebbe

Where Shlichus Is At

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

The Murder of a Shliach

Binyomin Weiss

Georgia on Their Mind

Tzali Reicher

Holocaust Survivors' Rabbi Dovid Zaklikowski

Pro School Choice

Tzali Reicher

A Year of Awakening

Chaya Chazan

Machne Yisroel Meetings

JEM gallery

Business Profiles

Libby Herz

Match Made in Time

Danit Shusterman

Chinuch Matters

Mushka Cohen - MEF

Rediscovering the Soul Health / Joanne Zaganoev

The Inside Track Music / Sruly Meyer

Kids Korner Fun / Sari Kopitnikoff

History's Heroes

Activity / Parsha Studio

Chabad House Cholents Food / Sruly Meyer

Useless Anger Tips

Humor / Mordechai Schmutter

784-788 Eastern Parkway Then & Now / Shmuel Blesofsky

Publisher

Mica Soffer

Editor

Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

Associate Editor

Mendy Wineberg

Contributing Writers

Shmuel Blesofsky

Chaya Chazan

Mushka Cohen

Libby Herz

Sari Kopitnikoff

Sruly Meyer

Tzali Reicher

Mordechai Schmutter

Danit Schusterman

Binyomin Weiss

Joanne Zaganoev

Dovid Zaklikowski

Design

Sheva Berlin

Photo Credits:

JEM/Living Archive

Special Thanks

Kfar Chabad Magazine

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

The news that broke on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah, a week before the International Kinus Hashluchim, took me back 16 years to a similar situation with similarly devastating results, nearly to the same day and involving the same family.

At the end of Cheshvan 5763—November 2008—Islamic terrorists stormed the Chabad House of Mumbai and held several residents hostage. They eventually murdered the Shluchim, Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg HY"D, along with four other Jews.

The event cast a dark shadow over the gathering of Shluchim in Brooklyn, New York, which convened a short while later. Participants vowed to forge on in their collective mission to continue the Rebbe's mission.

Fast forward to the end of Cheshvan 5784—November 2024. As Shabbos concluded, we received the news that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, one of the Chabad Shluchim serving the new and fast-growing Jewish population in the United Arab Emirates, had gone missing and was possibly abducted.

Soon, it became clear that this was a heinous act of terror conducted by Islamic extremists in the evil service of Iran. People around the world davened for hours until the devastating news broke that his body had been found on Sunday morning.

Rabbi Kogan, just 28 years old, was married to Rivky (née Spielman) of Crown Heights, a niece of Rabbi Gabi Holtzberg. "The names—Rivka and my granddaughter Rivky—and the timing... it's astounding that it cannot be explained," said her grandfather, Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg.

He said that Zvi "reminded me of Gabi by his behavior, his Ahavas Yisroel, the goodness of his heart, and his dedication to others. Both have been killed in the same situation with the same Kiddush Hashem. It just can't be explained. They were in the same situation—one in Dubai and the other in Mumbai."

The grandfather added: "We, as students and Shluchim of the Rebbe, will win the darkness. We will bring more light in even more places. We will strengthen other Jewish people in Torah and Mitzvos, and we will be an example of Ahavas Yisroel in the world."

His defiant message underscored that even in the face of unimaginable loss, the light of Torah and Chassidus must shine brighter than ever, preparing the world for the coming of Moshiach.

MICA SOFFER

COLlive Magazine is published in print and online periodically by the COLlive Media Group Inc. and is distributed across the United States. COLlive does not endorse any products or services reported about or advertised in COLlive Magazine unless specifically noted. The acceptance of advertising in COLlive Magazine does not constitute a recommendation, approval, or other representation of the quality of products or services or the credibility of any claims made by advertisers, including, but not limited to, the kashrus or advertised food products. The use of any products or services advertised in COLlive Magazine is solely at the user’s risk and COLlive accepts no responsibility or liability in connection therewith.

Dvar Malchus

On the offensive for Yiddishkeit

A letter of the Rebbe describing the underlying philosophy of Chabad outreach

By the Grace of G-d 26th of Marcheshvan. 5714, Brooklyn, N.Y.

My dear Mr. Raddock:

Thank you for your letter of October 29th. You refer to the ‘suspicion’ that might be attached to an author writing on Lubavitch. To this I would say, in the first place, that where a matter concerns the public good, one cannot regard seriously any such possibility of suspicion. In your case, of course, such a possibility is remote, for your record of impartiality is beyond question.

The important thing, however, which I intended in my last letter to you is not so much my concern for the recognition of Lubavitch in this field, as to give currency to the methods which Lubavitch employs in bringing the message of Torah and Jewish tradition to the masses of our people, which while necessary at all times, are essential in our days especially.

The essential features of the attitude and policy of Lubavitch are (a) not to content ourselves with defensive tactics, i.e. not to wait until any position of Yiddishkeit is attacked and then rally to its defense. This has been the erroneous attitude of American Jewry, as well as of Jewries in certain European countries. The proper attitude is to employ offensive and preventive methods through the widest possible propaganda and dissemination of those high ideals for which Orthodoxy stands.

(b) As a logical consequence of (a), it follows that we cannot content ourselves with activity within our own or immediate circle, but that the propaganda and dissemination of true orthodoxy must be to all strata of Jewry. Moreover, it is a well known empirical fact that when it comes to matters of Torah and Mitzvos, every Jew, no matter how estranged, is found responsive. The difference is only in that one Jew may more readily respond to this particular Mitzvah or idea while another one to that, and this is a matter of experience and approach. But where the approach is right, no Jew is absolutely unresponsive, for no Jew is absolutely stripped of any vestige of Jewishness. As in the case of physical life, as long as there is life in one organ, the life and vitality can be extended eventually to the whole body, so also in the spiritual life of the Jew. The life of the Neshamah (soul) functions through the 248 positive precepts and 365 negative precepts (dos and don’ts), corresponding to the number of organs and blood vessels, respectively, of the body. As long as one of these 613 Mitzvot is still alive in the Jew (and as mentioned before, there is not a Jew devoid of all of them), it is possible through this ‘organ’ or ‘blood vessel’ of the soul to revitalize the entire spiritual being of the Jew. Besides, even when a Jev does not respond 100% to the treatment, and the success is only partial, even then every effort is justified. Expressive of this attitude is the doctrine formulated

by the Baal-Shem-Tov (oft repeated by my father-in-law of saintly memory): ‘A Neshamah comes down on this earth, lives 70-80 years, even for the sole purpose of doing a single favor to a Jew, physically or spiritually.’

In connection with the above you may find of interest the enclosed article by Dr. Kranzler, published in the Jewish Life, which is based on an interview with me.

In conclusion I may recall the words of my father-in-law of sainted memory, which he expressed soon after his arrival in this country. He said that although, generally speaking, there are individuals or organizations jealous of the success of others, he would welcome competitors in the field, who would successfully emulate the activities of Lubavitch. However, in order to induce such emulation on the widest possible scale it is necessary that there should be general awareness of the success of the Lubavitcher methods. This explains my suggestion to you about writing on what you have seen personally of the work of Lubavitch, especially in a country like France which was so removed from the spirit of Chassidism, where without fanfare and publicity so much has already been achieved thanks to the profound conviction of the vital necessity of such work and the true selflessness which underlies it.

With kindest regards and best wishes, Cordially yours,

Menachem Schneerson

By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin

WHERE SHLICHUS IS AT

In the early 2000s, I had the privilege and pleasure of spending yomim tovim on shlichus in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. It was thrilling to see depictions of the shtetl come to life, and it was empowering to see how local Jews—who had suffered terribly under Communism—were eager to engage with their faith.

But more importantly, it was motivating to work under the auspices of Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, a Shliach of the Rebbe who embodied youthful energy and Chassidic faith.

Spending many a Pesach and Rosh Hashanah with his community has given me a deep appreciation for the dedication needed to keep a community together — not to mention reviving one that had been beaten down by the atrocities of both the Nazis and Communists.

Before the Second World War, a third of Zhytomyr’s population was Jewish. When the Nazis invaded, most of its 30,000 Jews fled east, leaving 10,000 behind.

In the summer of 1941, 5,000 were murdered, and the remaining 5,000 were confined to a ghetto. On September 19, 1941, the ghetto was surrounded and liquidated, and the Jews were shot and buried in mass graves.

Rabbi Wilhelm worked out of the old historic shul on Malaya Berdichevskaya Street, whose facade was distinct with its faded yellowpainted bricks. He and his wife Esther worked hard to cater to the elderly Yiddish-speaking population while attracting the younger, thenRussian-speaking crowd.

"When we arrived in Zhytomyr in 1994, the atmosphere was depressing, outdated, and disconnected," he recently recalled. "Even water only ran in the taps in the middle of the night, from midnight until two in the morning."

Over time, Rabbi and Mrs. Wilhelm renovated the shul, repaired the Jewish cemetery, opened the Or Avner Jewish day school, built

the Alumim Children's Home for orphans, uplifted many souls and provided food to many hungry mouths. This was in addition to opening eight Chabad centers in western Ukraine.

This past summer, I met Rabbi Wilhelm again after many years of not meeting face to face. It was at the wedding of his son, which was held in Crown Heights. It wasn't too much later that I made a startling discovery about his Shlichus—one that left me with a profound lesson about our mission in the world.

At the wedding, Rabbi Wilhelm's beard was whitened, but his smile remained radiant, hiding the effects of the war Ukraine has endured for 2 years now. After Russian forces invaded the country, the majority of his community, including the residents of the orphanage, fled to avoid the constant bombardment and destruction. The bulk of his community moved to the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.

As we were holding hands, Rabbi Wilhelm told me that he now divides his time between Zhytomyr and Ashkelon. In both cities, he employs fellow Shluchim who tend to the community's needs. But their days of respite in Israel didn't last long. On Simchas Torah — October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and rained rockets on Ashkelon.

It was as if the community had never left the horrors of Ukraine.

Rabbi Wilhelm then made a fascinating confession: "When I was looking for a place for my shlichus, there were two places I said I would never go—Zhytomyr and Ashkelon,"

he said. As a bochur, he spent time working in both locations and didn't see himself living in either of them.

As Divine providence would have it, he became Zhytomyr's Shliach and Chief Rabbi. And two years ago, after the war broke out, he ended up in Ashkelon as well. He became perhaps the only Shliach whose community is in two locations fulltime—and both locations are places he specifically didn't want to go to.

"The simple understanding was that you go where you are needed, not where you want to go. This is the essence of shlichus," he concluded simply.

Many search for their calling in life

and struggle to find an occupation suited to fulfill their passions. The Chassidic view is to see where you are as where you are meant to be — and to inspire your surroundings whenever you find yourself, whether you initially envisioned it or not. Where you are is where you’re Shlichus is at.

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

Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm (center) flanked by Rabbi Nochum Tamarin and Yehuda Ceitlin and the Merkos Shlichus bochurim of Pesach 5762 to Western Ukraine

THE MURDER OF A SHLIACH

RABBI ZVI KOGAN, 28, WAS ABDUCTED BY TERRORISTS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a ChabadLubavitch Shliach in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was murdered after he was abducted by Islamic terrorists on Thursday, November 21.

After failing to appear at scheduled meetings throughout the day and not answering messages from his family, Kogan’s wife alerted the security team of Chabad of the United Arab Emirates that he was missing. Authorities in the Emirates and Israel were then notified.

Confirming Kogan’s disappearance two days later, the UAE’s Ministry of Interior and the office of the Prime Minister of Israel said that it appeared that his kidnapping was a terror-related incident, and security officials in both countries were working to locate him.

On Sunday morning, his body was found, and three people suspected of orchestrating his kidnapping and subsequent death on behalf of Iran were arrested a short time later. It

BY BINYOMIN WEISS

Rabbi Zvi Kogan HY"D and his wife Rivky photographed in Crown Heights

appears that this small terror cell had identified Kogan as their target and had been tracking him for some time before he was attacked and murdered in Dubai.

Kogan, 28, was born in Jerusalem in 1996. Growing up in a non-Chassidic home, he attended yeshivas in Israel and Russia before connecting with Chabad and the Chassidic way of life. Kogan also served in the IDF with the 84th Givati Brigade and was a dual citizen of Israel and Moldova.

In 2020, the Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel and the Emirates, and the once-quiet Jewish community of the Gulf State stepped out into the open. Chabad of the UAE, which had been serving the Jewish community since 2008 and operating full-time since 2015, led the vibrant growth of Jewish life that followed.

That year, Kogan joined his older brother, R’ Reuven Kogan, and the team of Shluchim in the Emirates under the leadership of Rabbi Levi Duchman. In a remarkably short time, he became deeply beloved within the community, earning the

admiration and trust of those he served and worked with. Kogan’s extensive responsibilities included managing the Rimon Market and overseeing logistics for Chabad.

In 2022, Kogan married his wife Rivky (nee Spielman), a Crown Heights native, and together they built a home in Abu Dhabi. In a tragic echo of history, Rivky is the niece of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivky Holtzberg, the shluchim killed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, whose 16th yahrtzeit will be marked in just one week.

While Kogan continued his vital work, Rivky became a teacher at the

local school. Together, they built a warm and vibrant community, hosting Shabbat meals, monthly programs, and Torah classes. Their home became a hub of connection and hospitality, welcoming both local community members and the streams of Jewish tourists traveling through the Emirates. Many of those who encountered the Kogans during their time in the Emirates spoke of their kindness, warmth, and devotion to others, following the horrific news of his abduction and murder being made public.

Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, released

a statement expressing the shock, grief, and outrage of the worldwide Chabad and international Jewish community. He shared his condolences with the family and the entire Chabad community. Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, who serves as the Chairman of Agudas Chassidei ChabadLubavitch, called on Chassidim and Shluchim to “find the strength and courage to continue in our sacred mission and “add light and transform the world” to hasten the coming of Moshiach.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened Sunday’s government meeting by expressing the collective outrage of the Jewish people over Kogan’s abduction and murder, describing it as “an abhorrent antisemitic attack,” and extended heartfelt condolences to Kogan’s family.

Later that evening, the White House issued a statement from National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett, condemning the murder and offering prayers for Kogan’s family,

the Chabad-Lubavitch community, the broader Jewish community, and all who mourn his loss. Savett called the killing a “horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence,” emphasizing that the perpetrators and their supporters must be held fully accountable.

The murder was strongly condemned by Emirati leaders and widely denounced by many citizens. Many more statements of condolences and support were shared by government officials, rabbinical leaders, and lay people from around the world deeply pained by this tragedy.

Kogan’s tragic passing casts a somber shadow over the Kinus Hashluchim, the Annual Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries, which begins this week. As thousands of his colleagues gather to connect with each other and rededicate themselves to their shared mission, and celebrate their privilege to serve as shluchim of the Rebbe, they will carry the heavy weight of his loss in their hearts.

Kogan now joins the lofty pantheon of those who were killed al kiddush Hashem, and is a reminder of the mesiras nefesh borne by those who dedicate their lives to spreading the light of Yiddishkeit and Chassidus in a world so often darkened by hatred.

Georgia On Their Mind

By Tzali Reicher

Rabbi Yossi and Dassie New are celebrating 40 years of planting Jewish seeds in the Peach State

Rabbi Yossi and Dassie New with the family of Shluchim in the State of Georgia during a Kinus for Georgia Shluchim and their families.

Sitting in the back seat of a taxi on the way to Jerusalem, Yossi New fell into a brief slump. He had just spent the holy day of Yom Kippur davening and fasting in the Chassidic village of Kfar Chabad in central Israel and was on his way back to the Yeshiva he was attending.

Interestingly, it was not a Chabad Yeshiva.

New was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, where his family was among the earliest members of the Chabad community established by the Frierdiker Rebbe, the 6th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. The family had immigrated to Australia in 1925 from Poland, looking to settle in a new land where they had relatives.

While they were Gerer chassidim, the New family became connected to the Chabad community forming in Melbourne which was the center of Jewish life in Australia. This community, encouraged by the Frierdiker Rebbe,

was built by six families who had fled Soviet persecution and aimed to revitalize Jewish life and institutions.

One of the original chassidim to land in Australia was Reb Isser Kluwgant, a first cousin of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, the Rebbe’s mother. Reb Isser’s daughter, Assia, went on to marry Mendel New, who became the parents of Yossi New and his four siblings.

“My father is 96 years old, bli ayin hara, and although he was a successful businessman for many years, business deals or making money were never topics of conversation at home,” he recalled. “Instead, the focus was always on his passions: his dedication to the community and his role as secretary of Chabad in Melbourne for over 50 years.”

Despite those connections and attending the Chabad school system in Melbourne from kindergarten through high school, the young New

wanted to explore a different style of yeshiva after his graduation. He chose Yeshivas Kerem B'Yavneh, a religious Zionist institution in Southern Israel.

For that Yom Kippur, he sought to daven in a familiar environment and went with a cousin to Kfar Chabad. During that short nap on the way back, New had a dream in which the Frierdiker Rebbe—his namesake of Yosef Yitzchok—appeared.

“I remember it vividly,” New said.

“The Frierdiker Rebbe appeared to me as he looked when he was a young man, with a flaming red beard. He came closer and asked in Yiddish, ‘Why are you swimming in foreign waters? Come home.’

“At the time, I was in a yeshiva that I was enjoying and was contemplating eventually going to Bar Ilan University to pursue Smicha and a law degree,” he admitted. “This dream clarified the path I should take and which direction to follow.”

A Different Path

A few months later, Yossi New left Israel and continued his studies at Chabad yeshivas in Montreal and New York, before he approached marriageable age and had to choose his next steps. "I was torn about what to do with my life,” he said. “Our parents’ entire lives were devoted to uplifting people spiritually and religiously. I really wanted to go on shlichus, but people were suggesting that, with a successful family business to join, I should aim to support shluchim financially rather than becoming one myself.”

Debating how to proceed, he found clarity during a fabrengen of the Rebbe at 770 Eastern Parkway.

“The decision felt overwhelming— until I heard the Rebbe speak at a farbrengen,” he said. “The Rebbe said: 'When it comes to making money, the Aibishter has many ways to provide (harbei shluchim la’makoim). If it doesn’t come from this place or person, it’ll come from somewhere else.'

To me, the Rebbe’s message was clear: 'We don’t need your money; we need you.' At that moment, I knew I was going to be a Shliach."

In 5741 (1981), he married Dassie Spalter, and they were keen to begin their work as Shluchim of the Rebbe. While

they waited to find the right opportunity to open up, Rabbi New studied in kollel with the support and encouragement of his parents and inlaws. They found their place of Shlichus at the end of 5744 (1983). Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch – Lubavitch Headquarters had announced they were looking to open up new Chabad centers in the states of Georgia, Oregon, and Vermont and were seeking applicants. Rabbi Yossi and Dassie New applied and were selected for the position in Georgia. With the blessings of the Rebbe, landed in Atlanta a short time later.

"I wrote to the Rebbe to receive his approval and blessings for our shlichus in Georgia," Rabbi New recalled. "At the time, I was questioning my own ability and asked, 'תוחוכה

- Do I have the ability’ to do this shlichus?

The Rebbe crossed out the word ‘do’ and simply underlined ‘yesh li hakochos’ (I have the ability) three times, leaving the message, not just that the Rebbe believes in me, but that I must believe in myself!

“That answer has been a constant source of strength and confidence, reminding us that we have what it takes to succeed, even in the face of challenges,” said Rabbi New. And there were challenges.

Breaking Down in Tears

When Rabbi Yossi and Dassie New arrived in Atlanta forty years ago to launch Chabad of Georgia, there was little in the way of Jewish infrastructure to serve the needs of the many Jewish people living in the southern state.

Back then, building a thriving Jewish community in the region seemed like an uphill battle. But armed with determination and the Rebbe’s vision, the News set out to create a vibrant center of Jewish life where none existed. They began with small programs and personal connections, slowly planting the seeds that would grow into a flourishing network of schools, programs, and community initiatives that today serve thousands.

Now, 40 years later, the landscape is entirely different. From humble beginnings, to welcoming over 30 shluchim to join them in their mission, the News have driven a seismic shift in Georgia, spreading Judaism and the Rebbe’s teachings in a time and place where such impact once seemed impossible. Looking back, Rabbi New admits that it was a slow start. The News were young parents with a second on the way when they arrived in Georgia. A previous Shliach in the area en-

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky OBM alongside Merkos Chairman Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky and R' Mendel New of Australia at Chabad Atlanta

Rabbi Yossi New with Governor Brian Kemp at a ceremony for Education Day honoring the Rebbe's birthday

couraged the couple to settle away from where there was already a small religious community and instead directed them towards Sandy Springs, a developing community where Jewish families were starting to move. Those early days threw at them intense loneliness and plenty of moments of doubt. One example was the time when not a single person had come to their emerging minyan for over a month. On one such solitary Shabbos afternoon, with the siddurim and a meal spread out but untouched, the couple had a reckoning.

“We looked at each other and burst into tears,” Rabbi New said. “We hadn’t seen a soul in a month and were questioning what we were doing in Georgia. Then, we heard an inexplicable knock on the door in the middle of the afternoon. A couple walked in and asked if they could learn Torah, and we took it as a sign that it was going to work out and we would be fine. From that moment, our activities began to take off.”

Another Pivotal Dream

Gaining momentum with the arrival of a wave of Jewish immigrants from South Africa that were settling in Atlanta and locals moved by how the

News cared for their small but growing flock, the energetic Shluchim established their Shul, Congregation Beth Tefillah, which became a thriving and diverse community of 400 families and a hub for their programs including day camps and educational initiatives.

In 1987, while working to purchase their first property, the News sought local supporters to help finance the center, knowing that local investment was essential to its success and sustainability. Rabbi New had managed to secure enough funding to close the deal when, at the last minute, one supporter regretfully informed him they were pulling out, leaving the News short of the required amount.

Despite this setback, they decided to proceed and hoped their reduced offer would still be accepted.

On the morning of the closing, the supporter unexpectedly called Rabbi New and said the donation was back on. “I asked what had changed,” Rabbi New recalled, “and the supporter explained that the Rebbe—whom he had never met—appeared in a dream the night before and encouraged them to give. That experience moved us to follow through. Baruch Hashem, we went to the closing with all the money we needed and were able to purchase our first property.”

Seeing how much they were growing and the potential to reach many other Jewish people in the greater Atlanta area and the entire Georgia, the News invited more shluchim couples to move south to join them and establish Chabad Houses of their own. Today, there are 36 full-time shluchim in Georgia, including five of New’s children, and over 20 institutions serving the needs of the Jewish people throughout the entire state.

Throughout their 40 years of shlichus, the News have seen major growth of Judaism in Georgia, and an influx of tens of families moving to the state since the Covid pandemic has seen their community growing even more, bringing more dimensions to their work. But no matter how many people come, their mission remains the same.

“It all comes down to respect, love, and care, and looking at every individual whose needs we are there to meet. We strive to maintain a unified community, meeting the needs of everyone, and together with all the shluchim here, we are Baruch Hashem very committed to that goal,” Rabbi New proudly said.

A True Partnership

The News started a preschool in

A Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen at Chabad of Georgia

Shlucha Dassie New speaks at the Mega Challah Bake in Atlanta

and help stabilize the situation," Rabbi New explained. "I consulted with Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky for guidance on what the Rebbe's direction might be in such a scenario. He advised waiting to launch our school and focusing instead on ensuring the stability of the existing one. After three years, we felt confident opening the Chaya Mushka Chabad Academy in 2010, which now serves over 300 students."

Rabbi New said his partnership with his wife Dassie is a primary reason for their tremendous success.

“People often talk about what makes shlichus successful, and the answer is that it’s about couples working together as equal partners, a true ‘power couple.’ In our case, that’s absolutely true,” he stated. “My wife has been at the forefront with me every step of the way. But take me out of it, it’s more than that. She’s also accomplished so much on her own. She’s the founder of our day school and preschool and continues to serve as the director of the preschool. Beyond that, she’s the backbone of our community, a true leader. Everything we’ve achieved, we’ve done together."

Reflecting on four decades of transformative work in Georgia and what the next 40 years look like, Rabbi New emphasized that the core of their vision remains unchanged after all these years.

5750 (1990), but resisted opening a day school because of the significant financial burden it would incur and because there was already a formally Orthodox school in the area. But their thinking began to change around 5767 (2006).

“We realized that without a school to send our students to after they finished preschool, families that we were

Rabbi Isser New leads a Chanukah Menorah lighting at the Atlanta Hawks stadium

Rabbi Yisroel New helps a Jewish man put on tefillin during the Friendship Walk of Friendship Circle of Atlanta

by Dovid Zaklikowski

The Holocaust Survivors’ Rabbi

Despite not knowing English, Rabbi Yisroel Feldman made a lasting impact as the first Chabad Shliach in Wisconsin

Photos: Jewish Museum of Milwaukee, Fay Kranzler, Chabad Mequon, and Lubavitch Archives/HasidicArchives.com

With a bushy red beard, Rabbi Yisroel Feldman stood as a chossid in front of the Rebbe Rayatz at 770 Eastern Parkway. Back in Otwock, Poland, Rabbi Feldman had spent much time in the home of the Rebbe Rayatz and felt particularly close to him. Since then, so much had transpired.

He was a survivor of two Nazi concentration camps and exile under the Soviets in Siberia. He had lost family members and friends. Only miracles had helped him live through the rough years of the Second World War, descriptions that were all too familiar to the Rebbe Rayatz.

Thanks to his aunt, Gittel Fein, who resided in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was allowed to immigrate to the United States and was now faced with a dilemma of where to live and what to do. The jobs in Baltimore, Maryland, where his wife Sara was from, had already been filled by other refugees.

“Are there any other ideas that were suggested?” the Rebbe Rayatz asked.

Rabbi Feldman responded that his aunt had a far-fetched idea about his becoming a rabbi in a shul in Milwaukee. Hearing this, the Rebbe Rayatz told him not to unpack his bags: go to Milwaukee. Seek out what is necessary in the local Jewish community, he instructed.

Rabbi Feldman, perhaps scarred from the traumas of the war, was hesitant despite having semicha, being experienced in shechita and having the qualifications necessary to lead a community.

“I don’t want to go!” he replied truthfully, and added as an excuse, “I do not speak English.”

The Rebbe Rayatz didn’t relent. “Don’t you realize that when you are walking down the street and a woman is sitting by the window, and

she is going to see you walking with the red beard, she will be reminded of her father and zeide?”

Recalling their image, the Rebbe Rayatz continued, she will think of how her zeide taught her to recite the Shema Yisroel. “Just by walking down the street, you will inspire people.” Therefore, the Rebbe Rayatz concluded, there is no reason to worry about speaking English.

Rabbi and Mrs. Feldman soon became the first Chabad Shluchim in Wisconsin, first under the guidance of the Rebbe Rayatz and later the Rebbe, launching the beginning of an era for the Jewish community in the midwestern state.

Between Two Dynasties

Yisroel Ezriel Feldman’s path to becoming a Shliach was not an

obvious one. He was born in October 1918, the oldest of four children in Rozan, Poland. His father Chaim, a shochet, was a Breslover chossid. His mother Faiga Bluma (nee Reichik), who worked as a nurse, came from a long line of Gerrer chassidim. Their marriage was not without some friction, due to their differences.

Where Yisroel Feldman grew up, the question of what yeshiva he would go to - Breslov or Gurbecame a point of contention. As a compromise, they agreed to send him, at the age of 11, to the Novardok Yeshiva. He only lasted there for one semester, and soon returned home, via a long trek by foot, completely worn out.

He was sent next to the Breslov yeshiva in Warsaw and then to Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva in Lublin,

Rabbi Yisroel and Rebbetzen Sara Feldman in Steyer, Austria, shortly after their marriage.

where he boarded in the home of its illustrious founder, Rabbi Meir Schapiro.

He transferred to the Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva in Warsaw after his grandparents encountered the Rebbe Rayatz during a visit there. He followed with the Yeshiva when it moved to Otwock, counting among his chavrusas Rabbi Hershel Kotlarsky and Rabbi Moshe Pinchas Katz.

Both his father and grandfather, Sholom Reichik, a liquor merchant, were hoping that he would become a rabbi once completing his studies at the yeshiva. Instead, Yisroel Feldman enrolled at the Warsaw University to become a physician. At the university, he experienced constant antisemitism, and he left. “I’m not going to tolerate this,” he said. His mother suggested that he become a rabbi after all.

He traveled to Warsaw, where he learned under the auspices of the beis din. He spent two years interning under Rabbi Shlomo Dovid Kahana, from whom he received semicha in 1938. This was in addition to the expertise he had acquired while learning shechita from his father.

The Daring Escape

Rabbi Feldman was home when the war broke out. His father was drafted into the Polish army, while the rest of the family fled to an aunt living in Białystok, closer to the border with Belarus. They lived in constant danger from the German bombing (Rabbi Feldman once walked out scot-free from a building that took a direct hit from a bomb, leading him to believe that Hashem kept him alive for a purpose).

The Germans soon captured the city and “became animals,” he said, recalling them torturing, murdering, and forcing people to do slave labor. A few months later, he was captured by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp in Tannenberg (today Stebark), and then to the Konigsberg camp in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland.

During this entire time, Rabbi Feldman had his tefillin with him, which he made every effort to put on daily. He and the fellow Jews around him tried to celebrate the yomim tovim, which were done without provisions, but “with tears, amid crying to each other.”

One Rosh Hashana, he lay on his bunk, saying the davening out loud from memory. Many others sat nearby on the floor repeating the words after him. They were, he would later say, his first congregation. “We all united together with the same prayers,” he said, “that this agony, this brutalism would not last forever. As a rabbi, it was my duty to give them strength to overcome all these agonies.”

The time at these camps was torturous. Soon, he was unable to calculate days, weeks and months from each other. What he did know was that he had to find a way out. When told they were being sent back to Oswiecim, home of the Auschwitz and Birkenau death camps, Rabbi Feldman saw it as his chance to escape.

Despite the Germans’ watchful eyes and armed guards, the cramped cattle car offered an opportunity. Resolute, he slowly sawed off the bars of a small window. As the train slowed, he jumped. The guards fired at him but missed—a fact he attributed to reciting the Shema as he fled.

Over the next few months, he trekked in the unknown, eating

Congregation Agudas Achim of Milwaukee, Wisconson, where Rabbi Feldman served

Rabbi Feldman carries a Torah to the new building of Agudas Achim

mostly frozen potatoes, and sheltering in abandoned homes for survival. He would not stay in the same place for long and was always on the move.

Reunification and Separation

As odd as it may sound, the Soviet Union seemed to Rabbi Feldman a safer place than Nazi-occupied territories and he tried to cross the border. Sadly, he was caught by the Soviets and exiled to Siberia. But the silver lining was that he met his mother and siblings there. The unification didn’t last long, with his elderly mother dying in his arms one night.

He was now left to take care of the family and received help from his uncle in South Africa who would send them money and packages. Two years later, the war was over and Polish citizens were free to leave the Soviet Union. After a long

journey through the Soviet Union, Poland and Czechoslovakia, Rabbi Feldman arrived in 1945 at the displaced persons (DP) camp in Steyr, Austria.

Living conditions in the camps were subhuman. During a visit to Austrian transit camps, Rabbi Eliezer Silver, President of Agudas Harabonim and later Agudath Israel of America, witnessed Jews starving for bread while the local population fared relatively well. Rabbi Feldman asked to help religious refugees who couldn’t eat the provided food due to kashrus concerns.

Rabbi Silver mentioned that the Vaad Hatzalah (Rescue Committee) planned to give stipends to yeshiva students, with Lithuanian students receiving the full amount and Chassidic students only half.

When asked for his reasoning, Rabbi Silver responded that the “students from the Chassidic yeshivas

don’t really know how to learn.” Rabbi Feldman, a proud chossid, challenged Rabbi Silver to test him. “If you are right, you can do it your way,” he said. “If I am right, everyone receives equal.”

Rabbi Silver indeed tested him and was so impressed that he agreed to give everyone an equal amount, and also appointed Rabbi Feldman as a representative of Agudas Harabonim and the rabbi of the Steyer camp.

That would be the second congregation of the young Rabbi Feldman who toiled to provide for the needs of the Jews - kosher food, brissin, officiating weddings, and providing yom tov needs. He headed a shul and opened a yeshiva. Despite the broken state that the refugees found themselves in, Rabbi Feldman encouraged them to continue observing Yiddishkeit.

Rabbi Feldman (sitting third from left) at a communal meeting of the Milwaukee Jewish Welfare Fund Office, 1956

From Austria to Milwaukee

Another area where Rabbi Feldman dedicated himself to serving others ultimately brought him blessings. While helping smuggle Jewish refugees across European borders into Austria and preparing them to journey to the Land of Israel, he met Sara Teitelman, a fellow refugee from Dubno, Poland, who was also involved in aiding Jewish escapees.

After being formally introduced in the spring of 1947, they married in Badgastein, an Austrian resort town. Sara was a talented educator, so shortly after their marriage, she joined her husband’s activities, opening a kindergarten and teaching young children.

In 1949, they arrived in the United States with just $1.50 in their pockets. “I kissed the ground,” Rabbi Feldman recalled in 1988. “The United States gave me a life and a family.”

And upon the instruction of the Rebbe Rayatz, they also had a new community - in Milwaukee. As a schochet, the Rebbe told him he should focus on the kashrus in the city and seek a rabbinical position. He indeed found the kashrus conditions dreadful at best and worked to higher standards.

In 1950, he became rabbi of Agudas Achim Anshe Polen, a shul founded in 1902 which suddenly had a growing membership of Holocaust survivors. Within 4 years, the shul had already outgrown its location. Under the guidance of the Rebbe Rayatz, Rabbi Feldman insisted that the new building that could seat 400 people would include a mikvah, the second in Milwaukee.

“The existence of this shul is living proof that you can and will enjoy this freedom in a tolerant land,” Rabbi Feldman remarked at the inauguration ceremony. But he

reminded the crowd, “These stones, these walls have significance only to the extent that they have meaning to you.”

Rabbi Michel Twerski, who was raised in Milwaukee and now leads Congregation Beth Jehudah, said it was a challenging community. “The Holocaust affected and pretty much mutilated the emunah of these survivors,” he said. “Their suffering made them very resistant to being inspired or led. They were a rough bunch. Rabbi Feldman was happy that he could keep some kind of kesher (connection) with Yiddishkeit. He had a congregation which really took a lot out of him...”

Not knowing English, as the Rebbe Rayatz noted, was not an obstacle to his Shlichus.

Guidance From the Rebbe

Rabbi and Mrs. Feldman eventually learned English through private lessons from community member George Ellis, but their financial situation remained tight. They opened a Talmud Torah for extra income and relied on the kindness of others, who often donated food. Once, they made a $20 fish order only to find the same bill returned in the wrapping, along with extra fish.

Despite their financial difficulties, their home was always open, inviting guests to sit down and eat. “There was always a place for another person at Mrs. Feldman’s table,” one resident said. “Even when there was not enough food for her family, she still shared what little she had with others, often giving up her own portion so that no one would leave her table hungry.”

Their home and shul was a base for Chabad activities, including visiting fundraisers for the United Lubavitch Yeshivoth and Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch (such as their cousin Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Raichik) and Merkos Shlichus bochurim visiting Jews in remote areas in Wisconsin.

After the Rebbe Rayatz’s passing, Rabbi Feldman sought the Rebbe’s guidance on personal and Shlichus matters. These included a new Tanach teaching method (the Rebbe advised sticking to the traditional way), a mamzeirus question (which the Rebbe referred to the posek Rabbi Moshe Feinstein), and income suggestions (sell kosher wine for Pesach).

His classmate from Poland, Rabbi Katz, would send him lekach and kos shel bracha from the Rebbe, “which meant the world to him,” his daughter Mrs. Fay Kranzler said. Twice a year, Rabbi Feldman would travel to New York to attend a farbrengen, at which time he would go into yechidus. “What happened in those discussions also gave him chizuk,” said his daughter, Mrs. Freida Horwitz.

Mrs. Horwitz accompanied her father on one such yechidus. Having been asked by many whether she was a Lubavitcher, she asked the Rebbe what a chossid was. The Rebbe responded that being a chossid is different for every person.

“I have chassidim who come in here and want to know what wall to place the crib at,” the Rebbe said. “Then I have chassidim who ask me for advice, and when they leave, they do whatever they want.”

The young woman, in turn, asked, “Does that mean that they no longer are chassidim?”

The Rebbe responded that they were still chassidim. “You have to decide what your relationship with me as a Rebbe will be,” the Rebbe said.

His Final Congregation

Rabbi Feldman once said that being a shliach means playing many roles: a teacher, peacemaker and psychologist. He told a reporter, in 1981, that he really enjoyed “seeing my work make progress.”

A key element of his work was connecting with the next generation, the children of the Holocaust survivors who faced their own challenges, he said. “They are being pulled in so many different directions, such as yoga, cults and so on. It Is difficult for the Orthodox rabbi to constantly hold their interest.” Loyal to his duty, he worked so that every individual would “feel comfortable with Judaism, not inferior.”

As the neighborhood changed, the challenge became more than just being welcoming. People began moving away from the area to Mequon, a suburb in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. In conversation with Rabbi Dovid Rapoport, the Shliach in Mequon, Rabbi Feldman suggested a merge between both centers separated by 13 miles.

Both parties agreed. The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle reported at the time that “Agudas Achim’s Rabbi Israel Feldman will serve as rabbi emeritus, teaching classes and conducting some life-cycle events. Chabad of North Shore Rabbi David Rapoport will oversee day-to-day activities.”

The Agudas Achim building was sold, and its funds, along with the Torahs and responsibility for the Jewish cemetery, were transferred to a new entity: Congregation Agudas Achim Chabad. The shul was to be part of a new building, the Peltz Center for Jewish Life in Mequon, which would also include a residence for Rabbi Feldman. Sadly, he passed away in February 1996, before he could move in.

Rabbi Nachman Levine, the retired rabbi of Anshe Sfard Kehillat Torah in Wisconsin, said Rabbi Feldman, “knew the mentality of the survivors, religious or not religious.” With many of their children now living in Mequon and part of Chabad, “his legacy sure is alive.” That was the final congregation that Rabbi Feldman served.

With appreciation to William Fliss of the Marquette University Archives, Mendel Goldwasser, the Goldin family of Teaneck, New Jersey, Fay Kranzler, Rabbi Bentzion Twersky of Congregation Beth Jehudah, Rabbi Dovid Rapoport, Rabbi Mordechai Spalter (Mequon, WI) and Rabbi Yosef Samuels.

Dovid Zaklikowski is a biographer and archivist. He can be reached at DovidZak@HasidicArchives.com

Rabbi Feldman receives a dollar for tzedakah from the Rebbe

By Tzali Reicher

Pro Choice School

Catholic school led Yehoshua Bedrick to discover his heritageand fight for education freedom

AAs a child, Yehoshua Bedrick went by Jason, the eldest of three sons, in a proudly Jewish yet largely secular family in Windham, New Hampshire. The family owned a successful local furniture business, and his childhood was like many other secular Jews; his awareness of his heritage was rooted more in culture than in practice. In fact, he didn’t even know he had a Jewish name until deep into his teenage years.

Owing to the largely symbolic nature of their Jewishness, it wasn’t difficult for his parents to send Bedrick and his brothers to a Catholic school when it presented itself as the best option for a quality education. There, Bedrick excelled and was even awarded the “Religious Studies Award” upon graduation, given to the student who excels in understanding “the Christian message presented in the classroom.”

But Bedrick, who was always spiritually sensitive, knew something was missing.

“Being in a Catholic school made me think about things I’d never thought about. I began to ponder deeply about the existence of G-d, and if He did exist, how did He interact with His creations?” reflects Bedrick.

It led to a paradigm-changing realization for the stillyoung man, who was experiencing an Avraham-like moment of finding Hashem on his own.

“I came to the conclusion that this world couldn’t be an accident or coincidence,” he says. “There had to be a Creator, and if there was, He would be like a parent, actively watching and engaging with the world —not a 'cosmic clockmaker' who creates something, places it on a shelf, and walks away. I realized I needed to learn how He revealed Himself to us.”

Yehoshua Bedrick with his Harvard mentor, Professor Paul Peterson, at the 2017 Heritage Foundation Resource Bank conference

He spent hours in the local Barnes and Noble, devouring books in the Judaic section. He learned about Judaism online, logging into AOL chat rooms and “Ask the Rabbi” forums to get the answers he was looking for.

It soon dawned on him that he had to make a decision about how he was going to live his life.

“I strongly identified with the Maccabees, but felt like I was living like a Hellenist,” recalls Bedrick. “I now had a choice: change my behavior or live as a hypocrite. Because once someone recognizes an undeniable truth, they can’t go back and pretend to think otherwise.”

Bedrick began to observe Jewish practices, such as fasting on Yom Kippur. He connected with Rabbi Asher Bronstein, Director of ChabadLubavitch of Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts, and attended Shabbos services at Bronstein’s home, his first exposure to Chabad and a Chassidic home.

“I loved every second of it,” Bedrick fondly says.

An Activist in College

From a young age, Bedrick was expected to play a prominent role in the family business. Sticking to

the plan, he attended his father’s alma mater, Babson College, a small business school in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

A few weeks into his freshman year, the September 11 attacks in New York City took place. Bedrick was shocked by how quickly the discourse on campus turned to blaming Israel as the cause of the al-Qaeda terror attacks. Never one to turn away from a fight, he founded ‘Babson Friends of Israel,’ volunteered with a proIsrael campus group called The David Project, and wrote op-eds defending Israel in his college newspaper.

His articles caught the attention of Rabbi Moshe Bleich, Director of the Wellesley-Weston Chabad House, which services Babson College. Rabbi Bleich reached out and invited the young activist to a Shabbos dinner.

“I couldn’t get enough of the warmth, the atmosphere, the learning, and the connection,” remembers Bedrick. “I became very involved in all their activities, and by senior year, I was there all the time, serving as the unofficial president of the Babson Chabad, which was not yet recognized on campus.”

He started increasing in Jewish observance, taking more care with keeping kosher, and when Rabbi Bleich encouraged him to come on a Birthright trip to Israel, Bedrick leaped at the opportunity.

“While visiting various holy places, we were encouraged to wear a kippah as a sign of respect. But the whole of Israel is holy, so I resolved to wear a kippah the whole time I was there,” Bedrick says. By the end of the trip, he was wearing a pair of tzitzis as well. On the long flight home, he committed to wearing them full-time.

“I realized I was no less Jewish in the States than I was in Israel, and now that I’d put them on, I felt I couldn’t take them off. I also realized that if I kept them on, it would come with responsibilities and obligations. A kippah and tzitzis are the uniform of an observant Jew, and wearing them represents a commitment to Torah and mitzvos,” he asserts.

Arriving back on campus, Bedrick switched to the school’s kosher meal plan and began walking to Shul. After graduating, he spent the summer of 2005 learning at the Mayanot Institute in Jerusalem and began the journey to becoming a Chabad chossid.

He spent the next six months at home, working in the family business. His

Yehoshua Bedrick (right) and Eli Federman outside the Mayanot Institute in Jerusalem, summer 2005

family supported his new lifestyle, and when they saw the sacrifices their son Jason—now known as Yehoshua—made in his professional life, they realized his commitment was genuine. While building their new home, his mother had the foresight to include a fully kosher kitchen in a pantry off the main kitchen to ensure her son and his future family would always feel welcome.

In January of 2006, Bedrick came to Crown Heights to join Hadar HaTorah, a yeshiva geared towards baalei teshuva. There, he grew close with his teachers and continued to strengthen his Yiddishkeit, growing spiritually as his professional life was taking shape.

Frum in the Legislature

Earlier, during his college years, Bedrick read the works of economist Milton Friedman, widely regarded as the godfather of the school choice movement. Friedman championed educational freedom, asserting that parents—not the government— should decide their child’s school.

The school choice movement opposes the traditional model, where public schools receive funds based on district enrollment, locking families into assigned schools. Instead, advocates suggest that local and state authorities provide vouchers, empowering families to choose public and private schools that best suit their children’s needs.

While Bedrick was writing a paper on the subject in college in 2004, a school choice bill failed by a single vote in the New Hampshire State Legislature. Frustrated, he vented about it to his professor after class when his professor asked, “What are you going to do about it?”

The question stuck with him. A law that could have changed lives had failed by just one vote. “I wondered if the outcome would

have been different if I’d been in the legislature,” he says. “So I decided to do something about it.”

At 21, while a senior in college (and a few months before his decision to wear a kippah and tzitzis), Bedrick ran as an Independent on a school choice platform. He was motivated by concern for the less fortunate–children whose families couldn’t afford to live in a district with a good public school, or to pay for private education. His relentless campaigning drew more attention than he anticipated. Though he didn’t win, the experience connected him with influential figures and gave him his first taste of running for public office.

In 2006, while Bedrick was in yeshiva, New Hampshire Republicans encouraged him to run in the state primary elections. Hesitant at first, Bedrick began considering it after thinking he might not have this opportunity again. After writing to the Rebbe and consulting with his teachers, Rabbi Yaakov Goldberg and Rabbi Yosef Boruch Wircberg, he decided to run.

Despite the challenges of campaigning as a religious Jew—avoiding campaigning on Shabbos and Yom Tov, refraining from shaking women’s hands, and steering clear of venues a Jew shouldn’t enter—Bedrick won his race by six votes and began his term in early 2007.

Standing at an imposing 6’3” with a long black beard and carrying a bright red lunch box filled with Kosher food, Bedrick stood out as a proud Jew. Many representatives who rarely shared their Jewish identity began subtly letting him know there were more Jewish people in the House than he expected.

“I was always getting ‘bageled,’” he recalls with a chuckle, using the term for when people reveal

their Jewishness through casual comments or hints. “I’d get people with last names like Kurk or Smith walking up to me and saying, ‘You know, I’m Jewish too,’” Bedrick remembers. “It was like being part of a secret network.”

Soon, other Jewish representatives who hadn’t known each other began connecting, forming a quiet camaraderie within the legislature. For many, Bedrick’s presence created a space where they felt comfortable expressing pride in their heritage for the very first time.

Vacation Days in Yeshiva

Between legislative sessions, Bedrick was able to continue his Jewish studies; this time at Yeshivas Tiferes Bachurim in Morristown, New Jersey.

After two years of service, Bedrick was unsure about running for reelection in 2008. While he helped pass several bills, his priority issue—school choice—didn’t garner support. And at 25 years old, he knew he wanted to begin building a family.

His mashpia, Rabbi Yaakov Wagner, encouraged him to stay full-time in yeshiva, while he indirectly heard that Rabbi Moshe Herson, the dean of the Yeshiva, thought he should return to New Hampshire to serve as an informal Shliach and advance his important cause.

Taking inspiration from the mezuzah, which is hung diagonally out of respect for the opinions that it should be vertical and horizontal, Bedrick realized he needed to find a middle ground. “I decided the solution was to enter the race but spend the summer in yeshiva instead of campaigning. I would stay in yeshiva until two weeks before the primary election and leave the outcome to Hashem.”

Days before he was due to return to New Hampshire and hours into

a lively farbrengen, another teacher, Rabbi Dovid Faiden, leaned over to Bedrick and told him that he wanted to bless him. “Honestly, I thought he would wish me success in the race,” Bedrick recalls, “but Rabbi Faiden surprised me. He said, ‘I want to give you a bracha to lose and come back to yeshiva!’”

Laughing, Bedrick replied, “Rebbi, if I lose, let it be close, let it be respectable!”

Incredibly, he did lose—by just one vote in a district of 40,000, even after a recount. Bedrick was “delighted with the result.” He had left it up to Hashem, and the fact that the Republicans remained in the minority validated his fears that another term would have been unproductive and unfulfilling.

A few weeks later, Bedrick was introduced to Chaya Welner, the woman who would soon become his wife. Bedrick now lives with his wife and five children in Phoenix, Arizona—her hometown—and is part of the Chabad of Arizona community led by Head Shliach Rabbi

Zalman Levertov. He delivers a weekly parsha class, and continues his mission to make education freedom accessible to everyone.

A Face of Choice

Bedrick now works for The Heritage Foundation, a renowned think-tank with a substantial budget and the power to effect change and influence lawmakers, working within their Center for Education Policy. He has previously worked at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. and was the first director of policy at EdChoice, the organization founded by Milton Friedman to advance educational choice.

“School choice is my life’s work, and I spend the majority of my time working to make educational freedom and options accessible to everyone,” says Bedrick, who travels nationwide, advising lawmakers, drafting bills, and testifying at hearings for school choice.

A prolific writer, he publishes in-depth reports and op-eds in major outlets like The Wall Street Journal and New York Post, with 54 published pieces last year alone.

Bedrick’s push for school choice has faced strong opposition from Democrats and unions, as declining public school enrollment under such policies reduces funding for underperforming schools. Despite resistance, Bedrick believes Democrats will eventually embrace it.

“School choice doesn’t undermine public schools; it gives families, especially low-income ones, options when local schools fall short. It pushes public schools to improve and meets diverse needs like religious or special education,” he says.

“When I was in office, school choice seemed like a long shot. Our pilot proposal was dismissed as fringe. Now, I’ve helped pass similar bills in over two dozen states, with 11 offering universal school choice. My legislative experience, though frustrating at the time, was part of Hashem’s plan.”

Bedrick also explains how school choice benefits the frum community.

“School choice benefits our community by reclaiming tax dollars for our children’s education,” he says. “Without it, we pay taxes for schools we can’t use and then pay again for costly Jewish education. Even partial funding relief eases the financial burden, allowing

Yehoshua Bedrick on school choice at the

"Milton Friedman Day" of The Heritage Foundation, July 2015

Yehoshua Bedrick wrapping tefillin with Heritage Foundation colleague Joel Griffith

families to choose schools aligned with their values, including yeshivas.”

“We see the benefits of Arizona’s generous school choice program,” he says. “Today, 100% of students in Arizona’s Jewish schools cover much or all of their tuition through tax-credit scholarships or K–12 education savings accounts.

When Cheder Lubavitch of Arizona started over a decade ago, it served only a few children. Now, together with Beis Chana girls’ high school, it has over 150 students.”

“This same trend is happening in Florida and other states,” he notes. “People are moving to places where school choice has been enacted, and communities are growing and thriving thanks to the educational reforms spreading across the country.”

The Hope For Trump

With the recent success of the Republican Party in the 2024 general election, which saw them take control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, Bedrick hopes for significant reform in education. He

says the Trump Administration can drive change in higher education, especially in addressing the rise of antisemitism and anti-Western rhetoric on college campuses.

“I’m hopeful the administration will take action to address these issues,” Bedrick stated. “This includes cutting the direct and indirect funding of colleges, reforming accreditation standards, and limiting student visas. Too many colleges today are flooded with students and funds from foreign sources with agendas that promote antisemitic and anti-Western ideologies contrary to American values.”

He believes that strong values are fueling the push for school choice, explaining, “Parents are increasingly pulling their children from public schools to avoid exposure to radical ideologies around gender and 'critical race theory' that have recently entered the mainstream—ideas that clash with reality, traditional American values and their own beliefs. School choice empowers parents to seek an education that better aligns with their values and worldview.”

When asked what people can do

to bring school choice to their state, Bedrick is clear about the importance of grassroots involvement. “School choice is a state issue, so staying in close contact with state legislators is crucial,” he advised.

To increase awareness, Bedrick arranges candidate nights hosted by Jewish schools or community members to discuss school choice and other key issues, and encourages others to do the same in their districts.

“There’s an army of lobbyists in the state capitol working against you to maintain the status quo,” he says.

“You need to show up to hearings and engage because opponents of school choice already do. It would be especially impactful for a rabbi to advocate and demonstrate how school choice benefits all communities.”

Bedrick shared an example of a Chabad Shliach in Texas who waited until past midnight to testify at a local hearing. “When he finally spoke, even the tired legislators sat up and listened—it made a real difference for them to see a Chassidic rabbi explaining how school choice makes education better for everyone. We have a voice,” Bedrick said, “and we have to use it.”

The Bedrick family (from left): Bayla, Mendy, Chaya, Dovid, Yehoshua, Ayzik, and Rivkah at Ayzik's upsherin, May 2023

Celebrating the Baal HaTanya's Day of Liberation, marking his release from a Czarist Russian prison. His commitment to Eretz Yisrael, notably through financial support of Colel Chabad, led to his arrest.

By Chaya Chazan

A YEAR OF

AWAKENING

THE IMPACT OF OCTOBER 7 ON WORLD JEWRY AS TOLD BY SHLUCHIM

Since the brutal attack on Israel on Simchas Torah, October 7, 2023, there has been a remarkable awakening among Jewish people worldwide. The Rebbe's Shluchim have played a pivotal role in fostering and witnessing this phenomenon.

The following stories, gathered through the Illuminations project—a branch of DollarDaily. org—capture the poignant reflections of shluchim worldwide. DollarDaily, powered by the collective generosity of individuals contributing just $1 a day,

directs over $700 daily to support a different Chabad house in need.

Illuminations serves as both a weekly newsletter spotlighting the impactful journey of a new shliach each week and a powerful book featuring 25 heartfelt accounts from shluchim across the globe. With its inspiring narratives resonating far and wide, a second volume of the Illuminations series is already in development.

Rabbi Eliezer Klain

Chabad on Campus Hanamal, Haifa, Israel

Reim was never particularly enthusiastic about Judaism, though he would sometimes put on tefillin and even joined my weekly JLI course.

Reim is part of the elite Maglan Combat Unit in the IDF. For four months, he fought deep in Gaza, with barely a moment to breathe, let alone call. When his unit finally received a break, Reim reached out.

“Reim! Mah nishmah! It's been ages!” I greeted him.

“Everything's changed,” he replied, his tone serious. “Let me tell you what happened on October 7th.

"I was in Tel Aviv, just relaxing when disturbing reports started coming in. I felt helpless and furious, so I just drove straight to my base. I had no weapons, no armor—just a need to do something.

"We spent hours at the base, pleading with the commander to send us out, but everything was still so chaotic. Finally, unable to wait any longer, we went to Kibbutz Be'eri, where we'd heard people needed help. What I saw there was beyond anything I'd experienced.

"We were told that a mother was hiding inside one of the houses with her two young children. We knocked, identifying ourselves as IDF soldiers there to help. But she was petrified, certain we were terrorists disguised as soldiers.

"We tried everything to reassure her, but she wouldn't open the door. Desperate, I realized there was one phrase that might convince her. From the depths of my heart, I cried, 'Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad!'

"A moment later, the door cracked open, and we saw her face, still pale with fear.

"'You're really Jewish!' she whispered, finally letting us in.

“That's when everything changed for me,” Reim continued. “This woman was from a secular kibbutz—they don't practice anything Jewish there. I don't think she'd ever said Shema in her life; at best, she'd only heard of it. Even I don't say Shema every day. But that one phrase was all it took to create a bond and give her the trust to open the door.

"It made me realize that Judaism is something deeper than labels or observance. It's in our core, something that comes alive even when we've been raised to ignore it. It's in our blood; it's our soul; it's our life.

"From that moment, I decided to put on tefillin every day. I needed to say those words daily. So far, I haven't missed a day, even with the chaos of the war.”

My eyes filled with tears, leaving me speechless.

Rabbi Avraham Lapine

Chabad at Missouri University

One day, I received a call from Greg*, a non-Jew from a remote town in Missouri.

"Although I'm not Jewish, I want to live by as much of the Torah as I can. I even follow Chitas daily by listening to Rabbi Josh Gordon's podcast! I know there are seven laws for non-Jews, and I'd like to learn more. Can we meet?”

I was intrigued and, of course, agreed.

Over the next few months, Greg and I stayed in touch regularly. He asked thoughtful questions and offered his support in any way he could.

After October 7, Greg called, his voice unusually serious.

“I know that mitzvos are the key to winning this war,” he said. “We need

as many people as possible to put on tefillin. Since I'm not Jewish, I can't wear them, but I'd like to sponsor a pair for one of your students who will commit to wearing them daily. That way, I'll have a part in the mitzvah.”

One of our students accepted the commitment, and Greg was thrilled to have a role in the mitzvah, proud to do his part.

Rabbi Oshy Goodman

Chabad of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland

The blatant antisemitism and Jewhatred displayed not only by Hamas terrorists but by many worldwide unified us in a way nothing else could. Jews who had once distanced themselves from their heritage now reached out, seeking connection with their brethren abroad.

Nuri* was born and raised in Israel, but she'd done everything to hide it. Proud of her life in Australia, she celebrated her successful

assimilation. She'd never returned to Israel, surrounded herself with nonJewish friends, and built a promising career.

October 7 shattered her world. Desperate for connection but unsure where to turn, Nuri was directed to us. When we met, she poured out her heart.

“Am I crazy, Rabbi?” she asked, gripping her coffee mug. “I worked

so hard to build a life here, to fit in. Now, everywhere I go, I feel like a stranger in my own home.”

“You're not crazy,” I assured her. “That's your neshama crying out, asking to be heard.”

Nuri now lights Shabbos candles each week and recently took her first trip back to Israel.

“It was time to go home,” she said simply.

Rabbi Raffy Filler

Chabad at Ithaca College

Like many campuses, ours has seen anti-Israel demonstrations. While our large Jewish population has kept things less intense than at places like Columbia or Harvard, the administration has maintained a neutral stance.

After the tragic events of October 7th, we witnessed a surge in Jewish pride and connection. Students who had never put on tefillin before suddenly volunteered, and we received countless calls of support.

Inspired, we planned a Shabbaton to give students an authentic Shabbos experience. Many were hesitant to unplug for 25 hours, and only a few signed up. We questioned whether to proceed for such a small group

but reminded ourselves that if our students could step out of their comfort zones for Israel, we could too.

The Shabbaton was a tremendous success. For many, it was their first real Shabbos, leaving a lasting impression so profound that we decided to make it a recurring event. Afterward, we handed out Sinai Scholar T-shirts with the slogan "I ❤ Being Jewish!" and had a deep conversation about Jewish pride and overcoming fear. Many students committed to wearing their T-shirts on campus.

Sharon* was hesitant. She had seen too much hate and worried about being a target. Her mother even

suggested removing her magen David necklace. But after reflecting on our discussion, Sharon wore her T-shirt proudly, snapping a selfie to share with her mom.

Her mother, Mattie*, was set to run the New York City Marathon a few days later and had been feeling the same anxieties. Inspired by Sharon's courage, Mattie ran with the names of every hostage pinned on her back and the name of a fallen soldier over her heart. Unafraid, she ran through crowds, who were waving Palestinian flags, crossing the finish line with tears streaming down her face, her heart filled with pride and love for her people—all sparked by a Shabbos we almost didn't host.

Rabbi Nosson Rodin

Chabad on Campus Karmiel - ORT Braude College, Karmiel, Israel

One student, Tom B, started coming to our shiurim and became very close with us. His WhatsApp status even read, “Becoming a Baal Teshuva.” Tom volunteered regularly at our Chabad House and was an enthusiastic participant in all we did.

But then, suddenly, he stopped showing up. He stopped volunteering, coming to shul, and eventually seemed to be distancing himself from Yiddishkeit altogether. Tom had such a pure neshama, a love for mitzvos, and a natural connection to our community. I couldn't understand the abrupt change, and I found myself thinking about him often.

Eventually, I learned he had joined the army, but I lost track of him after that. Then, about a year later, during one of our erev Shabbos programs, where we put on tefillin and serve ice cream, Tom showed up with his girlfriend. I was overjoyed

to see him! He even asked to put on tefillin, something he hadn't done in a long time. Seeing his pintelle yid spark again gave me hope that his connection to Yiddishkeit might rekindle.

Later, as part of our Chabad House activities, we decided to visit an army training base where medics who had been deployed to Gaza were stationed. It was a long twohour drive, but one of our students, Michael, was there, so we made the trip to bring them simcha, serve a BBQ, and help them put on tefillin.

When we arrived, we were surprised to see Tom there. He was just as shocked to see us! One of the soldiers nudged Tom to share his story about being spared from attending the Nova Music Festival on October 7th, where so many yidden tragically lost their lives.

Tom explained that he had planned to go to the festival—dancing at music events is one of his favorite

things. But on Simchas Torah, he had a change of heart and decided to go to shul instead, dancing with the Torah rather than at the festival. Because of that choice, he was spared from a devastating fate.

It was then that Tom opened up about why he'd stopped coming to our programs. During his time at our Chabad House, he was becoming closer to Yiddishkeit, but his parents were unhappy about it, which discouraged him and led him to distance himself from the community and his religious journey. However, after October 7th, when his parents realized how he had been saved by choosing to go to shul, they completely changed their minds. Now, they're supportive of him becoming closer to Yiddishkeit.

Tom joined us this Simchas Torah to dance with the Torah once again, and we were thrilled to welcome him back, knowing how his journey has come full circle.

Rabbi Yitzchak Wagner

Chabad of Richmond, California

While we were still grappling with the horrific news of our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel slaughtered by the thousands, our community faced an additional blow when the city council announced a resolution condemning Israel for “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide.” The resolution, which conveniently omitted any mention of Hamas or its role in the conflict, was a painful insult. To add further injury, the council had the audacity to invoke the Holocaust to bolster its claims against Israel.

For many in our community who align with liberal values, this resolution crossed a line they hadn't known existed. I received an overwhelming number of texts, calls, and emails from people who had never stepped foot in a shul or

met a rabbi, seeking tefillin, Shabbos candles, or simply a spiritual connection to their people.

When the council announced a session to vote on the resolution, I knew I had to speak. With only a few minutes to make my point, I wanted to use the time wisely. I was given plenty of talking points— justifications for Israel's actions and critical facts about the conflict—but none felt right for this moment.

After consulting a nearby shliach, he shared a letter from the Rebbe that solidified my decision to take a different approach. The Rebbe emphasized that, while protesting and demanding justice is important, a community leader's role during a crisis is to urge their community to increase in Torah and Mitzvos.

Standing before the council,

surrounded by a sea of angry Palestinian flags and anti-Israel chants, I spoke from the heart. I explained that this resolution only added to the darkness already suffocating the Jewish community, but our response would not be to argue or match hate with hate. Instead, we would fight with light, increasing acts of kindness, good deeds, and Torah. Baruch Hashem, the sincerity of my words was met with a standing ovation. Of course, this enraged the anti-Israel crowd, who ramped up their hateful chants in response.

Unfortunately, the resolution passed, but our mission remains clear: to combat the darkness with light, spreading Torah and Mitzvos to illuminate the world during these difficult times.

MACHNE YISROEL

Twice a year, the Rebbe would hold a Yechidus for the supporters of the Machne Israel Development Fund, offering donors the unique opportunity for a private moment to seek blessing and counsel. In honor of the International Kinus Hashluchim, we present a special collection of photos of Shluchim introducing their supporters to the Rebbe.

Rabbi Avraham Korf of Florida, with a supporter.

Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik of Milan, Italy, with the Mevorah family.

Rabbi Shalom Ber Lipskar of Bal Harbour, Florida, with a supporter.

Rabbi Dovid Weitman of Brazil, with Mr. Lazar Fruchter.

Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus of Hallandale, Florida, with supporters.

Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld of Pittsburgh, with R' Zev and Lieba Rudolph

During these conversations, the Shluchim together with the supporters, would use the opportunity to give the Rebbe reports on the latest activities in their respective locations, and receive a bracha for success.

At the end of the Yechidus, the Rebbe would recite a special Sicha to the Shluchim, followed by a dollars distribution.

From Shirts to Suits Atica’s Premium Menswear Experience

By Libby Herz

Crown Heights now has an exciting new destination for premium menswear with Atica’s newly renovated showroom on Kingston Avenue. Known for exceptional craftsmanship, Atica has expanded from its original focus on high-quality dress shirts to offer a full line of menswear, including suits, kapotas, coats, shoes, raincoats, and water-repellent wool coats. The showroom is a reflection of Atica’s vision for bringing elevated fashion to the community, while keeping prices accessible.

“Our goal has always been to create something that feels luxurious but is within reach for everyone,” says Reuven Kaminetzky, Atica’s founder. “When you walk into our showroom, you’ll see products that don’t just look good; they’re crafted with care and made to last.”

The Atica journey began with an emphasis on perfecting the dress shirt. Their shirts quickly became a staple in Crown Heights, celebrated for their non-iron, durable American cotton construction. The brand’s signature shirt was met with such enthusiasm that it encouraged Atica to expand into other menswear essentials. Today, they offer a full line of apparel that blends Italian fabrics with meticulous tailoring, including suits and kapotas with options of 100% Italian wool or 100% silk.

Kaminetzky explains the care put into each suit and kapota: “To give structure, you need a lining between the interior and exterior. The cheaper method is to use the ‘fuse’ method to add structure. But we use high-quality Italian canvas instead, which makes a world of difference. This canvas sets us apart from others who put less emphasis on construction quality. The same attention to detail goes into our shirts, using durable, fine, soft American cotton that feels completely natural.”

With its stylish, open layout and neatly organized displays, Atica’s showroom on Kingston Avenue offers a refined shopping experience that encourages customers to take their time and explore the collection. The spacious setup stands out from traditional crowded shelves, providing customers with a comfortable space to find exactly what they need. The brand’s commitment to quality is evident in the wide range of fits, catering to various body types, and ensuring a tailored feel for everyone.

Since expanding their product range, Atica has seen a surge in popularity. Today, many Crown Heights locals rely on the brand for both everyday and formalwear needs. Kaminetzky’s vision of bringing premium, thoughtfully crafted fashion to the community has clearly struck a chord.

The Future is Waterproof Primo and Sacho Kapota present their latest innovation

By Libby Herz

Primo and Sacho Kapotas, located in Primo Hatters and led by Mendy Sacho, is redefining the world of high-end clothing for the frum community with an emphasis on quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. The store has built a reputation for its luxurious kapotas, suits, and menswear, and now its cutting-edge technology and materials are setting them apart from other brands in the market.

“I’ve always believed in blending tradition with innovation,” says Sacho. “We’ve taken the classic kapota and added something special—modern technology and premium materials to make it more durable and functional.”

Primo and Sacho Kapota’s newest innovation is its kapota line, where Sacho has introduced a fabric that combines Super 180 wool with cashmere, offering a luxurious feel while maintaining strength and weight. Sacho also took inspiration from high-end Italian designers and incorporated nanotechnology into the fabric. “We’ve added a special nano particle to the threads,” says Sacho. “It repels water and stains. This isn’t a rain jacket, but it’s certainly more resistant to the elements.”

This breakthrough fabric means the kapota can withstand everyday challenges like spills and rain, with the added benefit of maintaining

its shape even after exposure to moisture. “It’s designed to last, and people are starting to see that,” Sacho explains. “When someone spills on this fabric, the stain will just bounce off. It stays fresh for longer, and that’s a real advantage.”

Primo and Sacho Kapota also uses canvas material rather than fuse, a key feature that sets their kapotas apart. The canvas is woven in a way to keep the garment breathable and comfortable, while still offering the robustness expected from a highend garment.

Aside from kapotas, Primo and Sacho Kapota has expanded its product line to include suits, shoes, and shirts, each with the same

focus on quality and customer satisfaction. The store’s new shirt collection is particularly noteworthy. “We’ve made our shirts machine washable with wrinkle-free, 100% cotton fabric, and they come with removable collar stays,” Sacho says. “They’re upscale shirts, but designed for everyday use. No need for dry cleaning.”

The store is also known for its custom-fit services, offering a wide range of sizes and styles. Sacho mentions, “We’ve been able to create the perfect fit for frum men—tapered shoulders, enough room around the stomach, and sizes up to 60, starting from

34. Every kapota comes with free tailoring to make sure it fits just right.”

Primo and Sacho Kapota has carved out a place for itself as a leader in frum fashion, gaining recognition for its innovative approach to menswear. “We’ve had comparisons to big names like John Paul Gaultier, and I take that as a compliment,” Sacho adds. “We’ve elevated the kapota, and now people are stepping up their game in the frum world.”

With its designer shoes, including the Sartorio Sacho brand, plus suits, and high-end kapotas, Primo and Sacho Kapota is offering a shopping experience like no other. Sacho’s passion for creating the perfect

fit and using the finest materials has made Primo and Sacho Kapota a trusted brand for frum men who want both style and functionality in their clothing. “People know us for Primo wool blends, but we’ve taken it to the next level with our fabric and custom designs,” says Sacho.

As the store continues to grow, Sacho’s vision remains clear: “We want to keep innovating and be the best,” And with the combination of advanced fabric technology, fine tailoring, and a dedication to customer satisfaction, Primo and Sacho Kapota is undoubtedly on its way to achieving that goal.

Visit them at 366 Kingston Ave or online at kapotas.com to discover exceptional craftsmanship.

by Danit Schusterman

A Match Made in Time

The Rebbe’s guidance on responsiveness in shidduchim

In the late 1980s, Mrs. Shulamis Steigman of Crown Heights successfully facilitated a shidduch. After the engagement was finalized, she received a heartfelt “Mazel Tov” message from the Rebbe, delivered through Rabbi Berel Junik, an aide of the Rebbe. Deeply touched by the Rebbe’s kind words, Mrs. Steigman expressed her gratitude in a letter to him.

The Rebbe’s response went beyond congratulations. He encouraged her to continue her vital work in shidduchim, emphasizing the importance of her efforts. However, Mrs. Steigman candidly shared a challenge she frequently encountered: she often had to wait up to two weeks for responses from families or individuals about a potential match.

The Rebbe’s reply was clear and firm: Such delays were unacceptable. He acknowledged that research and deliberation were necessary but stressed that with focused effort,

information about a potential match could be gathered efficiently— even within an hour. He famously remarked:

”אילרטסוא - “In just an hour’s time, we can determine where a bochur in Australia is holding.”

The message was clear - It is possible to very quickly form a clear picture of a bachur, even if he were in Australia, simply by sitting down and making phone calls.

This story carries an important lesson about the value of responsiveness in the matchmaking process. Timely communication not only shows respect for the Shadchan’s time but also prevents the process from stagnating, which can lead to missed opportunities or unnecessary frustration for everyone involved.

In the intricate world of shidduchim, where timing and coordination are crucial, a simple yet impactful act makes all the difference: responding

promptly. This small gesture of consideration can save time, preserve relationships, and enhance the efficiency of the process for everyone.

Shadchanim dedicate countless hours to calling and thoughtfully crafting suggestions for potential matches. A delayed response, especially one caused by procrastination, can unintentionally undermine their hard work and dedication.

As one seasoned Shadchan shared:

“I’ve seen shidduchim fall apart simply because one side delayed responding for so long that the other party moved on emotionally. It’s heartbreaking to see a promising match slip away due to a lack of communication.”

Another Shadchan emphasized how a simple “no” can be as valuable as a “yes” when delivered in a timely manner:

“Even if the answer is no, a prompt

reply gives me clarity. It allows me to redirect my efforts and help both sides move forward, rather than leaving everyone in limbo.”

To illustrate the consequences of delayed communication, one Shadchan recounted the following story:

“I was working on a potential match between two families and presented the idea to the girl’s side. They asked for some time to think about it. Weeks passed with no response, despite my follow-ups. Finally, they let me know they weren’t interested. By then, another excellent potential match for the boy had come and gone because I assumed he was unavailable. Had the girl’s family responded promptly, both parties could have benefited from new opportunities instead of feeling frustrated and stuck.”

Such experiences highlight the importance of respecting the time and energy Shadchanim invest in their work.

To address this issue, here are some practical guidelines for responding to a Shadchan:

1. Set Expectations: If you need time to research or deliberate, communicate that upfront. Let the Shadchan know when they can expect an answer.

2. Be Honest, but Kind: If the answer is no, express it respectfully. Keep in mind the effort and care the Shadchan invested in the suggestion.

3. Think of the Bigger Picture: Prompt responses are about more than just this match—they help keep the entire shidduch process respectful, efficient, and productive.

The Rebbe’s directive to prioritize responsiveness in shidduchim reflects a broader principle: respect for time and effort. Whether the answer is yes, no, or a request for more time, clear and timely communication with a Shadchan honors their dedication and ensures the process runs smoothly.

One Shadchan reflected on this lesson through a story of a family that did respond promptly.

“I suggested a match to a family late one evening. Instead of delaying, they spent the night making calls to their references and gathering information. By early the next morning, they gave me their positive answer, and I was able to move forward immediately. That responsiveness not only impressed the other side but also led to a quick engagement. It was a powerful example of how decisive action can bring blessings.”

By responding thoughtfully and promptly, we uphold the value of every individual’s time and effort in the sacred work of matchmaking. In doing so, we ensure that no opportunity is unnecessarily delayed or lost, and everyone involved in the shidduch process feels respected and valued.

K A P O T A S B y P r i m o

Chinuch atters

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

Bringing a Chassidishe Yom Tov to Life

The example set by Morah Raizel Wolvovsky OBM

Every Jewish parent intuitively knows what to do when a “regular Yom Tov” rolls around - cook up a storm, set a beautiful table, and ask the kids to share Divrei Torah. But what about Chassidishe Yomim Tovim? Those special days are opportunities to deepen our family’s connection to Chassidus.

The late Morah Raizel Wolvovsky, a beloved educator in Crown Heights for over 40 years, treated every Yoma Dipagra as a true Yom Tov and made it special. Whether in the playgroup she ran out of her home or later as preschool director of Bnos Menachem girls school, she brought passion and love for Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit to her children and students.

When Morah Raizel passed away on erev Yud Tes Kislev 5782, generations of students remembered her enthusiasm for Chassidishe Yomim Tovim as one of the things that stood out about her and that has stayed with them. Among other things, she would personalize each Yom Tov by placing a white tablecloth on the table, lighting candles, giving Tzedaka, giving a special treat or

dessert, and singing a niggun.

Searching for a way to continue her legacy and keep her passion alive, the Wolvovsky family created “Morah Raizel’s Reach,” an initiative to help spread her legendary care for Chassidishe Yomim Tovim. WhatsApp messages sent before every Chassidishe Yom Tov reach many people and are translated into Spanish and Italian for subscribers worldwide. This initiative gives parents and teachers practical ways to bring these special

days to life, and the stories of impact keep coming in.

Mothers send in their pictures of beautifully set tables. A teacher shared how she learned from Morah Raizel the idea of giving children two marshmallows with a candy corn flame on top of each to represent “shnei or,” the two lights of Nigleh and Chassidus that the Alter Rebbe brought into the world.

A Chabad Shlucha wrote how, since her children have all grown and left the house, Chassidishe Yomim Tovim have faded into the background for her. When she received a message from Morah Raizel’s Reach, she was inspired to reclaim the day and set a beautiful table for just herself and her husband.

Morah Raizel’s message is that just like with any Shabbos or Yom Tov, it is in our hands to make a Chassidishe Yom Tov a special opportunity for Ruchnius and connection for us, our children, and our students. The date might come and go, but its impact can last forever.

To reach Morah Raizel’s Reach, WhatsApp: 860-777-5374

Teaching Tip

BY MUSHKIE LIPSKER @evergrowingeducator

Imagine planning a road trip from California to Maine. You pack snacks, make a playlist, and map out stops at National Parks. Confident in your route, you turn off the GPS to avoid interruptions.

You drive through storms, scenic views, and dark, winding roads. After nine refuels and 3,397 miles, you’re thrilled to finally arrive—until you turn the GPS back on and hear, “Recalculating.” It turns out you made the wrong turn six days ago. Now you’re 500 miles off course, frustrated and wondering, Why didn’t the GPS tell me sooner?

Well, if it was kept on, you would have been notified that you need to recalculate to stay on track. Shouldn’t our classrooms do the same?

As teachers, how and when do

we assess students? Is it only at the end of the unit (summative assessment), or are you checking frequently during the unit (formative assessment)? Are we giving assessments before a new topic (diagnostic assessment)? How can we bring in more checks for understanding throughout the lesson?

Don't let your students' learning journey end with a surprise "recalculating"—check the map as you go. Here are 3 ways to check for understanding throughout the lesson:

1. Personal Whiteboard Paddles: Quick and interactive, these small whiteboards allow students to write short answers, practice handwriting, or respond to true/false questions. They provide immediate feedback on whether students are

following along.

2. Finger Responses: Perfect for reviewing multiplechoice answers or gauging understanding. Students can raise their fingers to choose from A, B, C, or D.

3. Post-It Notes: At the end of the lesson, ask students to write their main takeaway on a Post-It note. This simple exit ticket can show what students understood and where clarification might be needed.

Checking for understanding can help you know if you can continue straight on your current journey or if, perhaps, you might need to do some “recalculating.”

May our learning journeys be, as we say in Tefilas Haderech,

with life, joy and peace.

Our Heritage - Student of the Month

MAX KLEIN

1st Grade student at Tamim Academy of York Region in Vaughan, Ontario

Whats your favorite subject to learn in school? Hebrew & Science.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Police or vet.

What is your favorite Jewish holiday and why? Purim because I get to dress up.

Whats your favorite school lunch? Hot dogs!

What's your favorite book that you've read at school? A Shark book

The Our Heritage program encourages Jewish day school enrollment by providing $30,000 in matching grants to participating Chabad day schools that enroll new public school children each year. Since its founding, Our Heritage has awarded $1,200,000 in matching grants to over 35 Chabad day schools, enabling 703 Jewish students to receive a Jewish education around the world.

Share your Happy Chinuch submission at mymef.org/celebrate

“When I was in 10th grade, my teacher called me over during recess. She told me that I have a talent for explaining things clearly. Since then, I decided that since I have this talent, I must use it. I put myself into making Hachanos for school and seminary, thriving off of summarizing Chassidus to make it easy to understand. I grabbed opportunities in camp to farbreng or say stories. I then became a Bnos Chabad head and a teacher. Any time I had to give over information, I knew I had the power to break down concepts. I give credit to this teacher for going out of her way to compliment me on something so specific that led to so many of my accomplishments. I know how much genuine and specific compliments matter as a concept, but mostly because I experienced how far a genuine word can go.”

- Mrs Esther S., Bais Chana Deleware

Mitzvah Note

Creating Strong Bonds with Students

The Rebbe said about Yud Daled Kislev, the day of his wedding anniversary, that “

”this is the day that connected me with you, and you with me.

The Rebbe valued his connection to us, and his every interaction showed us just how deeply he cared. The word Rebbe essentially means teacher, and although we aren’t Rebbes, the keys the Rebbe gave us to hiskashrus can also help us strengthen our connection to our students and our children. We know how our Rebbes would set aside time to think about each chossid, and vice versa, and the power that holds. Do you think about your students outside of class time in a focused, proactive way? While filling in grades or marking homework, can you think of one good

as parents - even after (or during) a challenging day with the kids, can we make a focused effort to think about each child’s infinite value and their individual needs?

The Rebbe made a Chassidishe Yomtov out of Yud Daled Kislev because of the connection that was cemented on that day. Teachers, do you tell your students how happy you are to be their teacher? Do you enthuse about times out of school when you missed them? Parents, our kids may know that we love them, but do they hear us say how lucky we feel to be their mother or father? Are there special treats or occasions you can celebrate together - birthdays, milestones, and achievements - in an extra special way to show how connected you feel to them?

Don't underestimate the power of teaching itself as a means for

connection - after all, the Rebbes told us that learning their teachings is the main way to connect to them. Teachers can do this by devoting themselves to teaching, showing value for the subject matter, respecting their abilities and the class time they have together, and supporting each child's success in learning. Parents can take time to do homework with children or learn with them, not as a chore or requirement but as something we tell our kids we look forward to. With these actions, you are giving your children and students a part of yourself that will now be theirs forever. What is one additional way I can connect with my students and children this month?

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

Rediscovering the Soul—Even at Gunpoint

By Dr. Joanne Zaganoev

It was an early January morning in 2004 when my housekeeper, Julie, screamed that there were intruders in our home in South Africa. Seconds later I heard one of the men threatening her life. My husband was not home when they entered but would return mid-robbery. My sole focus was protecting my children and doing whatever was possible to minimize the trauma of being held at gunpoint.

In the darkness of this terrifying incident, we experienced a moment of unexpected light. It was a transformative moment that defined the terrorizing situation, and represented who I am and where my study and living of psychology and Jewish philosophy has brought me. It was a moment that made theory reality and proved to me how our intentions, words, and approach can radically shift the perceptions and behavior of others.

The intruders in our home were armed and dangerous. Our lives were being threatened. I knew from my training that children survive trauma far better when their parents remain calm. I knew that however terrified I was, I had to look and sound as though I was OK. I also knew instinctively that if I could make the intruders feel good about themselves, if I could in some way convince them that they had internal goodness, that I could see it, this would keep us all safe. For the sake of my children, I managed to keep my voice and reactions calm and collected. I realized that if I could believe that there was goodness within these men—if I could force myself to see their souls and not their guns—I could perhaps help them recognize it as well and reorient what was happening. The strange thing is that this was not very difficult for me; even when terror filled my eyes, my G-dly soul was genuinely able to see these men as human beings. I did not feel hatred in my heart for them.

At one point our young son, in absolute fear, started to cry. He was lying on the floor with his hands by his head as he had been commanded. He was shaking and becoming hysterical. As softly and lovingly as I could, I reassured him that no one was going to hurt him. I explained to him that these men were not bad; they were just hungry. And as I said it, I wasn’t convincing myself that it was true; I truly believed it, holding foremost in my mind that each person is created in the image of Hashem. As his small body started to relax at hearing my words, I saw one of the intruders approach my son Yoni. He bent over, stroked his little head, and kissed him. He then told him not to worry, that his mother was right. He was not evil, just hungry, and needed money for food. I am convinced that my seeing his essential G-dliness enabled him to reach down past his criminal intention and resonate with his inner G-dliness.

In our essence, we have unlimited value. Our value has nothing to do with our past, present, or future achievements. We are more than our achievements. We are deeper than our body, our mind, and our emotions. We are a spark of Hashem. He created us and because He is infinite, He loves us infinitely, beyond any love that we could ever imagine. Our connection is indestructible. This knowledge is the foundation of healing, the beginning of a life of truth and wellbeing.

I was not blessed to understand this wisdom until quite late in my life. Quite the opposite—I was sure that I had value only when someone else valued me. I believed that the next achievement and then the next would grant me self-esteem. I can trace my earliest memory of this mistaken belief to first grade. I sat in awe gazing at the sixth-grade school leaders on the stage and was sure that if I could one day be recognized

An excerpt from "Soul Therapy: Achieving Total Transformation Through Psychology and the Tanya" (Mosaica Press, 2024) by clinical psychologist Joanne Zaganoev with insights from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kesselman, a mashpia in South Africa.

as a leader, I would feel valuable. Finally, sixth grade arrived. I took my place on that stage with the student body before me. I knew that this position ought to have been partnered with feelings of pride and satisfaction. Yet I felt none of this. Instead, I was beset with a sense of insecurity and of being a fraud. No one could have known my internal dialogue. Good-looking, clever, and athletic, I looked like the kid who had it all. I could play the role, but I could not feel the part. This pattern played itself out repeatedly—as a student leader again in high school, when I received honors, married, became a mother, and achieved a master’s degree. I lived life with distinction, but I felt wretched inside. It would take many years before I understood that no amount of external affirmation could craft the inner knowledge of one’s value.

After earning my master’s degree, I entered a postgraduate training program. During this time of academic growth, I began to learn Chabad Chassidus. I began studying with Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kesselman, the rabbi who would become my spiritual mentor. He was the person who finally helped me integrate the disparate sections of my life. A person of deep integrity and a Jew committed not only to Hashem, but to all His creations, Rabbi Kesselman gave me access to the Tanya, a transformational work of Chassidic literature. It provided and continues to provide me with the key to the deepest healing—the passageway to sustainable well-being. The process of learning these Chabad Chassidic concepts outlined in the Tanya, and internalizing them over several years, finally allowed me to put the pieces of myself together, to integrate my self and my soul, and to taste a joy that is independent of mirrors, a meaning that is not vacuous, and a connection that is indestructible.

the inside track

By Sruly Meyer

at RockingChabad it at RockingChabad it

What

Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock learned from performing for Shluchim

Chabad centers around the world have long brought Jewish musical acts to uplift their communities. One such group is the Shlock Rock band, founded by Lenny Solomon in 1986. Their big break came with Learning is Good, a parody album that unexpectedly sparked a fulltime career in spreading Jewish pride, identity, and Torah values through music.

Over the decades, Solomon and Shlock

Rock have released an impressive catalog of around 40 albums, including original compositions, parodies, and music for children. Their performances have reached audiences across the United States and around the world, including Australia, South Africa, and the UK.

COLlive Magazine caught up with Solomon ahead of the International Kinus Hashluchim 5784.

Where was your first performance at Chabad?

Solomon: The first time I ever performed for a Chabad community was on March 9th, 1992 in Hollywood, Florida, at an event organized by Rabbi Zalman Bukiet. I’ve been performing for Chabad Houses for the last 32 years and I can say that my number one employer over the years has been Chabad Shluchim. I have had such fun with Chabad!

We’re told you’ve hit a milestone.

Solomon: Yes! On May 14, 2014, I became the first Jewish musician to play in all 50 states. It was on Lag BaOmer and I’m sure you guessed it, it was at a Chabad in Albuquerque. We played in our 50th state in New Mexico.

Any concerts at Chabad stand out in your memory?

Solomon: We have played in Sacramento, California with Rabbi Mendy Cohen who was warm and unbelievable every time. When you walk into his Chabad House, you really feel loved. There was Chabad of Swampscott, which is in Massachusetts on the river, and at the Jewish Renaissance Fair with Rabbi Boruch Klar in Morristown, New Jersey for many years. We also played at Chanukah concerts in South Florida many times.

What have you noticed about Chabad over the years?

Solomon: It’s actually very interesting to me that, on the one hand, every Chabad House is different, but in some ways they have the same things. You can see the different types of people in their community, but they all have a pure love of Yiddishkeit, which I think comes from the top. Every place I’ve been to, the Shliach and Shlucha are ready to do anything for their community. They treat each person like a world on their own. The main difference is probably the geographical culture of each place. Cowboy hats in Texas, sunglasses in California and sandals in Florida, but the passion is the same.

One of your hits is "Minyan Man." Do you have a favorite minyan story?

Solomon: One of my favorite minyan stories was when I played in Alaska and davened at the Chabad of Anchorage. During Mussaf on Shabbos, someone had to leave and slipped out. We went from 10 people to 9 and suddenly we lost our minyan! We had to scramble and I really understood what Shluchim go through and how important every single neshama is, especially when you need a minyan.

Tell us the background of “The Shliach Song.

I've had a lot of meaningful relationships with Chabad Shluchim, which inspired Simcha Bill to suggest writing this song. The song portrays a couple meeting the Rebbe to receive their Shlichus. Simcha emphasized the importance of representing Chabad well, as "what people see is what they will say!" We co-wrote the music, and it appeared on the ReJewvenated album. The song was not based on any specific Shliach. Simcha was inspired to write the song’s lyrics through his close connection with and deep admiration for Chabad singer Avraham Fried.

What are you working on these days?

Solomon: I’m working on a new parody album, titled Shlock Rock Old School. I’m also working on the production of "Daniel in Babylon," an original musical based on the first six perakim of Sefer Daniel.

Any parting words?

Solomon: Performing at Chabad events has been a greatly rewarding experience, and working for Chabad has been both an honor and a career highlight. I’ve been living in Beit Shemesh since 1996 and I’m praying and waiting for Moshiach to come any day!

Uri Davidi

New and Upcoming in Jewish Music

Uri is working on two new singles and more medleys due to popular demand. He looks forward to releasing these projects in the coming months.

Ohad Moskowitz

Ohad’s new single, composed by Yossi Green, will be released in about a month, accompanied by a video.

Shmueli Ungar

Shmueli is recording vocals for a new L’Chaim Chanukah album with Yosef Moshe Kahana, set to include classic Chanukah and Chassidic songs. The album is expected to be released before Chanukah.

Benny Friedman

Benny Friedman’s new album is in production, with a release expected in 2025.

Aryeh Kunstler

Aryeh’s third original album, Open Heart, is almost complete, with vocal recordings underway. It is expected for release in January 2025.

Beri Weber

Beri has finished selecting songs for his upcoming album, which is now in the arrangement phase. The album is expected soon, featuring soulful and varied styles.

Mordechai Shapiro

Mordechai is working on a new album, currently in the songwriting stage, with an expected release in mid-2025.

Yaakov Shwekey

Yaakov is collaborating with ArtScroll on an “essential Shabbos project,” bringing back classic Shabbos songs. A March release is targeted.

Baruch Levine

Baruch Levine is working on Off the Record, Volume 3, featuring music from Pirchei and other classic collections. The album is expected by Chanukah.

Songs Inspired by the Rebbe’s Shluchim

A partial list of musical tributes by Jewish artists over the years

Shluchei Adoneinu, AKA “From 770” - 1972

First sung at Camp Gan Israel Montreal in 1972, “From 770” became a beloved anthem among Chabad shluchim. The melody, originally a Russian tune called Der Toska, gained popularity at farbrengens and was even sung in front of the Rebbe.

Wake Up Yidden - 1982

Created at Camp Gan Israel Montreal under the direction of Avrohom Rosenberg, who later founded the Tzlil Vzemer Boys Choir, this song gained fame when campers sang it at the Rebbe’s request. 8th Day and TYH Nation made a remake of it in 2021.

The Shliach Song - Shlock Rock - 2006

Written by Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock and released on the ReJewVenated album, this song honors Chabad shluchim with heartfelt lyrics like, “There are so many stories I cannot tell them all, because a holy man sent us around the world.” It serves as a tribute to the dedication of shluchim worldwide.

Dear Shluchim - Chaim Fogelman - 2009

Following the terror attack on Chabad of Mumbai, Chaim Fogelman composed this song at the urging of Rabbi Benny Hershkowitz, a Shliach in Mexico. Created overnight in a studio with music by Chony Milecki and a video by Dovid Weinbaum, this heartfelt tribute reflects the fortitude of Chabad Shluchim.

Lamplighters - Moshe Hecht - 2011

From his debut album, Moshe Hecht’s Lamplighters is a reggae-rock anthem inspired by Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg of Mumbai and other Chabad Shluchim who spread goodness and kindness worldwide, often in challenging circumstances.

Shliach - Rabbi Ruvi New - 2016

In his album Storm the World, Rabbi Ruvi New of Chabad of East Boca in Florida included Shliach, a moving track

about the life of an emissary. Written by Bentzi Marcus and Bob Remstein, it features lyrics like, “So stand beloved Shliach, the world, it turns to you.”

Reb Yehoshua Omer - Benny Friedman - 2018

In Fill the World With Light, Benny Friedman pays tribute to his uncle, Rabbi Josh Gordon OBM, a beloved Shliach in Los Angeles' Valley. The song reflects Rabbi Gordon’s inspiration from the Rebbe’s words, “

,” which he carried with him, motivating others with his phrase, “Hustle Yossel, move a muscle!”

Shliach - 8th Day & TYH Nation - 2023

Produced by Farbrengable Studios and Mendy Portnoy, this song highlights the mission of every Jew as a shliach of Hashem, empowered to achieve extraordinary things. The video and lyrics emphasize fulfilling this mission b’Shem Hashem to bring Moshiach. Composed by the Blumstein Brothers.

6 Things You Didn’t Know About… Bentzi Marcus

Bentzi Marcus has been in the music industry almost as long as he could speak. He sang at various family events before eventually forming 8th Day with his brother, Rabbi Shmueli Marcus. When he's not working on new music for 8th Day, he also leads a wedding band that performs regularly on the West Coast. He shared with us 6 things you may not know about him.

He’s actually from the East Coast.

“A lot of people associate my family and me with Californians, but I was actually born in Miami Beach and am an avid Dolphins fan (for better or worse!).

My parents began their shlichus in South Florida back in the '70s.”

The first time he played was in Yeshiva.

“I went to Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad in Los Angeles, where I also played my first solo guitar gigs during the dancing for Adar. It was a thrill and a great way to get some experience playing live!”

The first time he sang was in school.

“The first time I performed publicly was in the 3rd-grade choir at Hebrew Academy in Long Beach, California. I was one of the soloists. I was so nervous, but in hindsight, it was a lot of fun, and I’m happy I got that experience as a kid.”

Piamenta inspired him.

“Growing up in a Chabad house environment, we were always singing at different events—old age homes, Chanukah parties, Shabbos tables, in shul. We saw firsthand the power of music to inspire and bring joy. Once we heard the Piamenta brothers and saw Yosi Piamenta playing guitar behind his back, we knew anything was possible.”

He had little expectation for their hit song ‘Cheery Bim.”

“Cheery Bim is one of our go-to hits, but we honestly thought it was a throwaway filler song. We kept it because we really loved the great message. But using an old Yiddish song, ‘cheery bim cheery bum,’ we thought people wouldn’t go for it at all. Truth be told, any song that does well is always a surprise and a blessing from Hashem. You just don’t know, and it's impossible to predict.”

His favorite venue is a sukkah.

“I’ve had the honor of performing in many exotic and faraway locations, but my all-time favorite place to work is in a small kumzitz setting, preferably in a sukkah with a group of 20 people. It's more intimate and rewarding, where I can interact with each person.”

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KosherSpread

The Cholents of Chabad Houses

"Feed them, and they will come" is a motto embraced by many Shluchim. Each Shabbos, Chabad centers and shuls worldwide pour their efforts into creating a meaningful experience: heartfelt davening, uplifting Torah readings, and a proper kiddush to follow. Yet, as inspiring as the sermons may be, it’s often the humble cholent that sparks the most conversation—and keeps people coming back for more.

Here, we share the cherished cholent recipes from a few Chabad Houses around the world.

THE CHOLENT OF CHABAD OF WALNUT CREEK, FLORIDA

Submitted by Rabbi Zalman Korf (and adapted by Peri Brook)

Ingredients:

10 pounds cubed meat

10 pounds potatoes

3 large yellow onions

3 pounds pearl barley

Beef bones

Kishke (optional)

Seasoning:

1.5 liters canola oil

Onion powder

Granulated garlic powder

Black pepper

Paprika

Soy sauce

Kosher salt

Instructions:

Layer the bottom of a crock pot insert with an inch of oil and 2–3 large yellow onions sliced into semi-circles. Heat until the onions begin to sauté.

Add 3 pounds of rinsed pearl barley (checked for bugs) into the heated onions and oil. Flatten the barley to ensure it is level with the oil.

Season the barley generously:

Add a heavy layer of onion powder.

Follow with a layer of garlic powder.

Add a thin layer of black pepper.

Add an equal amount of kosher salt (to the black pepper).

Add a very generous layer of paprika (not smoked).

Pour in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of soy sauce.

Mix the spices, barley, onions, and oil until well combined.

Layer the cubed meat directly on top of the barley. Repeat the seasoning layers on top of the meat.

Pour in water and mix everything together thoroughly.

Cut the potatoes into serving-sized pieces and add them on top. Add enough water to ensure everything is fully submerged.

Cook on high heat until fully cooked. Then lower the heat to 225–250°F and leave on this setting for Shabbos.

The

Cholent

of Jewish Young Professionals, Amsterdam

Submitted by Rabbi Menachem Evers

Ingredients:

Beans (use kidney beans as the base, soaked overnight)

Shank meat

2 large yellow onions, chopped

8 russet potatoes, cut into pieces

Paprika

Honey

Ketchup

Salt Pepper

Barley

Chicken soup (optional, if needed for extra liquid)

Instructions:

Soak the beans overnight, using kidney beans as the base.

Fry onions and shank meat in a pan until the meat is nicely browned.

Add 2 chopped onions to the crock pot along with salt, pepper, and water.

Add the soaked beans and cut-up potatoes. Pour in more water as needed to cover.

Season with paprika, honey, and ketchup.

Cook for several hours. Right before Shabbos, add the barley and check the water level. If more liquid is needed, add chicken soup.

Allow to cook over Shabbos. Serve and enjoy with the community.

The Cholent of Chabad of Rochester, New York

As shared by Rabbi Dovid Mochkin

Ingredients:

2 no. 10 cans of peeled potatoes

1 small can (16 oz) red kidney beans

8 oz (half a bag) of barley

1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce

Salt, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

Onion soup mix, to taste

Water (quantity depends on the temperature of the crock pot)

Instructions:

Combine the peeled potatoes, red kidney beans, and barley in a crock pot.

Add the marinara sauce and season generously with salt, garlic powder, and onion soup mix.

Add water, adjusting the amount based on your crock pot’s temperature to ensure all ingredients are well covered.

Cook until ready to serve, allowing the flavors to meld.

The Cholent of Chabad of Charlotte, North Carolina

As shared by Rabbi Yosef Groner

Ingredients:

2–3 medium onions, chopped

1/2 cup canola oil (for sautéing)

1 package beef shank (kalichal meat)

1 package pre-mix cholent beans

1/2 cup pearl barley

10 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, soaked, and quartered

Seasoning:

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon red pepper

1 tablespoon sweet paprika (not smoked)

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar (secret ingredient)

Instructions:

Sauté the chopped onions in canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the beef shank and cook together for about 20 minutes.

Soak the cholent beans for 2 hours.

Peel, soak, and quarter the Yukon Gold potatoes. Add them to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans and barley, then add them to the pot.

Season the mixture with salt, garlic powder, red pepper, sweet paprika, ketchup, and brown sugar. Stir gently to combine.

Add enough water to just cover the contents of the pot.

Set the pot to medium heat and cook until ready to serve on Shabbos.

The Dafina of Chabad of Casablanca, Morocco

As shared by Rabbi Levi Banon

Ingredients:

For the Barley:

1 onion, sautéed

3 garlic cloves, sautéed

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Pepper, to taste

1 tbsp paprika

250 g barley

2 pimon (peppers)

2 cups water

Instructions:

Barley:

For the Rice:

250 g rice

A bit of white beans

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

Pepper, to taste

1½ tsp oil

A bit of cinnamon

½ tsp saffron

2 cups water

Sauté the onion and garlic in a pan.

For the Pot:

250 g chickpeas

250 g white beans

3 dates

1 whole onion, with peel

1 whole garlic

1 kg small potatoes

½ kg sweet potatoes

Eggs

Dry peppers

Meat

Add sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika, then mix in the barley and pimon.

Place the mixture in a cooking bag and add 2 cups of water.

Rice:

Sauté the rice and white beans in a pan.

Add salt, sugar, pepper, oil, cinnamon, and saffron.

Place the mixture in a cooking bag and add 2 cups of water.

In the Pot:

Add the chickpeas, white beans, dates, whole onion, whole garlic, small potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggs, dry peppers, and meat to the pot.

To Pour Over:

Combine cinnamon, pepper, salt, saffron, caramelized sugar, shawarma spice, oil, and paprika.

Pour the mixture over the contents of the pot.

Add enough water to cover everything.

Cooking :

Place the cooking bags with barley and rice on top of the other ingredients in the pot.

Cook until ready to serve.

To Pour Over:

Cinnamon, to taste

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp salt

¼ cup saffron

3 tbsp caramelized sugar

1 tsp schwarma spice

¾ cup oil

1 tbsp paprika

Water (to cover)

Sruly Meyer runs COLlive Magazine’s food and music sections and owns a marketing agency in Hollywood, Florida. He is a home cook, recipe developer, and an online influencer discussing food, travel, and Jewish parenthood. @srulycooks

Counting to Ten (and Other Useless Anger Tips)

I recently sent someone a long email expressing my frustration about something, and his entire response was, “Maybe you should write an article about anger management.” And it wasn’t even an angry email. It occurred to me only afterward that it may have come off as angry because I forgot to break it up into paragraphs. But seriously? That didn’t address anything I said.

Fine, I thought. I’ll show him an article about anger management. While researching, I hoped the tips might calm me down, but they were useless. The advice was all the same: anger is bad, people don’t like it, and here’s how to fix it. As if this was my first time being angry, thinking, “Should I try this anger thing? What are the pros and cons?”

By Mordechai Schmutter

So now I’m just mad at all these socalled experts. But hey, if someone you know is angry, send them these tips—it’ll supposedly calm them right down.

1. TALK IT OUT: But without being confrontational about it or blaming the other person. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic or drives really slowly in front of you, don’t just honk your horn angrily. Unfortunately, though, there’s no “Talk it out” button on your horn. So walk over to their car at the next red light and express your feelings. Say things like, “It really hurts me when you drive slowly like that. It would be really helpful if, in the future…” and then, if you do it right, this one particular guy will never act like that when you’re right behind him ever again, unless you’re in a different

car! And now you just have to do the same thing with all the other drivers! Follow them home if you have to. And if they react negatively to this, maybe they’re the ones with anger management issues.

2. GET SOME EXERCISE: Physical activity can reduce stress. Like sometimes you just want to punch someone in the face. But stop and think: Why will that make you feel better? Probably the physical activity, right? So instead of punching this guy in the face, why don’t you go off and punch other guys in the face – guys you’re not mad at? I can’t think of a single good reason.

Another idea is to take a long walk while talking to yourself, or go for a run. Just take off running in the middle of your argument. You don’t even have to tell the other person

where you’re going. He doesn’t deserve to know. If you’re afraid to run or walk by yourself, though, ask the other person if they want to come along.

3. TALK IT OVER WITH SOMEONE: Like a friend or something. But without naming names. So preferably, a friend who doesn’t know this other person that you’re angry at, because otherwise, by the time you’re done, he’s definitely going to guess who you’re talking about. In fact, he’s going to spend the entire conversation trying to guess who you’re talking about.

“Is it Chaim?”

“No, it’s someone else that you don’t know whose familial situation and profession are

exactly like Chaim’s.”

You can talk to your spouse because your spouse is perfectly willing to sometimes say that you’re overreacting, especially when he or she is not personally involved. Though, if the person you’re mad at is your spouse, then you’re out of luck. Good luck talking to someone else about it while also trying to be careful to talk about your problems in a way that the person can’t guess that it’s your spouse. If you have an imaginary friend that you talk to, that would help a lot, because there’s no problem of loshon hara. That’s why I do it.

4. EAT SOMETHING: When we’re hungry, we’re often more prone to anger. Make sure to slam every bowl and cabinet while you’re taking it out, and keep that angry face while

you’re chewing. Don’t eat something that requires you to take huge bites because it’s hard to keep an angry face when you do that. Maybe go for something with a straw.

5. COUNT TO TEN: I already knew this one from my parents. Growing up, whenever my parents were angry at me, they’d say, “Alright, I’m counting: 1…2…” Sometimes, if they were really mad, they only counted to three. But all I learned from that is that when you get to three, you’re not less angry, you’re more angry. Who raised these psychologists?

Another suggestion that some of these articles make is that, instead of yelling, you should just WRITE THINGS DOWN. Well, that clearly doesn’t work. At least the way I’m doing it.

I need to go off and calm down.

AND

Then Now

784-788 EASTERN PARKWAY

by Shmully Blesofsky

Expanding the Rebbe's Shul

Towards the end of the 19th century, Crown Heights marked the edge of the City of Brooklyn. South of Empire Boulevard (then known as Malbone Street) lay the municipality of Flatbush. At the time, Crown Heights was largely farmland, with angled plots typically measuring about 200 by 1,800 feet.

The lots where 784 and 788 Eastern Parkway now stand were owned by Jeremiah Vanderbilt Spader, a prominent Brooklyn resident. Spader, a lumber businessman and director of the Brooklyn Fire Insurance Company, also maintained a large estate in Clinton Hill. He was a fifth cousin of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famed railroad and shipping magnate.

In 1902, the Eastern Parkway Company, through Jane E. Hadden, purchased the lot for $32,000. By 1912, Crown Heights developer Michael F. Gleason, owner of M.F. Gleason, a real estate company, constructed three similar apartment building projects along Eastern Parkway. The buildings at 784–788 Eastern Parkway were branded as “The Parkway” and advertised as

offering “elegant suites of 7 rooms in the finest location in Brooklyn.” A trolley stop was located on the corner.

Initially, Kingston Avenue was envisioned as a residential thoroughfare, and the buildings at 788 Eastern Parkway, including their Kingston Avenue frontage, were constructed without stores. However, the neighborhood’s character began to shift in 1923 with the arrival of the Municipal Bank at the corner of Kingston and Eastern Parkway (now Bank of America). This marked Kingston Avenue’s transition toward commercial use. In response, Gleason converted the ground-floor apartments into five storefronts (292–300 Kingston Avenue). This trend of repurposing ground-floor apartments for retail was common along the avenue.

The owners initially planned for a doctor’s residence and practice on the corner, with the doctor living upstairs and seeing patients downstairs. However, 292 Kingston Avenue instead became a dress shop owned by Berthe Pinkey (who eventually went bankrupt). Next door, at 294 Kingston Avenue, stood the La Nita Hat Shoppe,

later renamed Lucy Bernard. By 1929, 296 Kingston Avenue served as a Republican clubhouse, hosting meetings and dinners. In the 1930s, it became a polling place, while 300 Kingston Avenue first housed a shop run by Edna Bromberg.

The post-World War II era, with many survivors moving to Crown Heights, introduced a Yiddish-speaking real estate investment office to the area.

In 1960, a Yiddish newspaper featured an ad for one of the stores that read: “Young or old! For the nicest and the most beautiful shidduch. Orthodox Shomer Shabbat matchmaking office. Dr. L. Simcha. 296 Kingston Ave.” In 1967, Shaarei Torah, an institute for continued Jewish studies, had an address at 788 Eastern Parkway.

As Lubavitch grew over the years, they needed to expand 770. There are many beautiful articles written about Aaron Klein, and some of us even remember him from when we were young. Klein played a pivotal role in the history of 788 Eastern Parkway. As Michoel Seligson writes: “If not for Reb Aaron’s intervention, it is doubtful if any action regarding these buildings would have been taken. As the Rebbe once said, ‘If not for Reb Aaron, I would not have a shul today.’”

1940

Having lost both his parents in the Holocaust, Klein moved to Crown Heights in the 1940s. He was connected to the Rebbe’s family and was close to the Rebbe. In the late 1960s, he facilitated Lubavitch’s purchase of 784 and 788 Eastern Parkway, next door to 770, and was instrumental in expanding the downstairs shul.

The first extension of the building was completed in 1968. The oftrepeated story of Hoshana Rabbah in 1968 involves bochurim taking it upon themselves to knock down a retaining wall, dismantling part of Michael Gleason’s 1912 development. This was followed by a second exterior extension in 1973, which extended the shul to Kingston Avenue. This major construction effort was led by the gabbai, Reb

2024

Zalman Blesofsky, with assistance from his son, Reb Aaron Blesofsky. By this time, most of the stores on Kingston Avenue had relocated or closed, many moving across the street to the Farband building.

For several years after the building changed hands, offices replaced residential units. Where Reverend Simon Cohen of the Keap Street temple once lived, Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook now works on publishing the Rebbe’s sichos at the Lahak offices. Where Harry Wolkoff occasionally hosted Shabbos meals with his family, bochurim ran back and forth preparing Vaad l’hafotzas Sichos printings before Shabbos. Beneath Adolph Gross’s former flower shop, children in the area known as “the ches” looked up to the Rebbe davening on Shabbos or

during hakafos on Simchas Torah. When an adventurous bochur climbed a beam in the Shul during Tishrei to see the Rebbe, little did they know they stood in someone’s former living room.

On a more somber note, after the Rebbe’s stroke, renovations were done to accommodate a rehabilitation area. Unfortunately, this plan never materialized, and the area is now used as a conference room and a shul.

Today, 744 and 788 Eastern Parkway buzz with activity, whether in original apartments turned offices or renovated spaces where Chabad dignitaries occasionally meet throughout the year. It remains, to this day, the ‘boiler room’ of the worldwide Chabad movement.

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