CHAI ELUL. Community Newspaper YAM SUMMER PROGRAM PAGE 18 כאן צוה ה את הברכה HARAV MEIR ITKIN

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1 1 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 כאן צוה ה את הברכה Community Newspaper פרשת כי תצא יב' אלול, תשס ח בס ד September 12, 2008 Elul 12, 5768 weekly vol. i NO 43 Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, was born on this date, in It is also the day, 36 years later, on which the Baal Shem Tov began to publicly disseminate his teachings. It is also the birthday -- in of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who often referred to himself as the Baal Shem Tov's "spiritual grandson" Pages: CHAI ELUL R av Tzvi M eir Steinmetz With the Rebbe s encouragement, Rav Steinmetz published three volumes of poetry. under the pen name Tzvi Yair.. HARAV MEIR ITKIN In a private audience with an individual, the Rebbe advised him to go and speak to Reb Meir, Er vais vi tzu ton a Yid a toiva, he knows how to do a Yid a favor. YAM SUMMER PROGRAM PAGE 18 Beis Din of Crown Heights 390A Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tel- 718~604~8000 Fax: 718~771~6000 Rabbi A. Osdoba: Monday to Thursday 10:30AM - 11:30AM at 390A Kingston Ave. Tel ext.37 or Sunday-Thursday 9:30 PM-11:00PM ~Friday 2:30PM-4:30 PM Tel. (718) Rabbi Y. Heller is available daily 10:30 to 11:30am ~ 2:00pm to 3:00pm at 788 Eastern Parkway # ~604~8827 & after 8:00pm 718~756~4632 Rabbi Y. Schwei, 4:00pm to 9:00pm 718~604~8000 ext 36 Rabbi Y. Raitport is available by appointment. 718~604~8000 ext 39 Rabbi Y. Zirkind: 718~604~8000 ext 39 Rabbi S. Segal: 718~604~8000 ext 39 Sun ~Thu 5:30pm -9:00pm or Rabbi Bluming is available Sunday - Thursday, 3-4:00pm at 472 Malebone St Rabbi Y. Osdoba 718~604~8000 ext 38 Sun~Thu: 10:0am -11:30am ~ Fri 10:am - 1:00 pm or Rabbi S. Chirik: 718~604~8000 ext 38 Sun~Thu: 5:00pm to 9:00pm Erev Shabbos 6:51 Motzoei Shabbos 7:48 Gut Shabbos

2 2 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 The Vaad Hakohol Letters To the Editor: A Nightlifer's response: As a regular Nightlife-goer, I was a bit taken aback by one of last week's letters to the editor. I understand the author only wishes the best for the Nightlife program, but I feel that perhaps she may be trying too hard to fix something that just isn't broken. Nightlife has succeeded in so many ways and is a program of which the Crown Heights community should be very proud. In her letter, Mrs. Morozow suggests that the focus of Nightlife be shifted toward "spreading lichtikeit (light) and varemkeit (warmth) to others." Obviously, as chassidim, this is always our goal. I feel that the tone of the letter erroneously suggests that we are not already involved in such things at Nightlife. On the contrary, an example of this that is already in place is that Nightlifers are encouraged to take and distribute beautiful FridayLight neshek packages at no charge. In fact, many neshek mivtzoyim groups have spawned from this. I am irked that some look somewhat negatively at Nightlife as merely a program that "pampers and entertains." In my opinion, the "pampering" of Nightlife shows that the community actually cares about it's single girl population a demographic that was all but overlooked in recent years. For a change, it's nice not to be lumped into the generic "post-seminary" group. It's meaningful that someone took the time to notice us 24, 25, 26 year olds and create a program that makes us feel part of the community not just onlookers waiting for our turn to join. It's us single girls who teach in our schools, run our Hebrew Schools, volunteer to help out at our local events, run around to lchaims and weddings, sometimes fill in as babysitters AND date. A couple nights a week of optional breathing time in the welcoming atmosphere of Nightlife is exactly what we need. The truth to this statement can be found in the ever-increasing number of girls who walk through Nightlife's doors. Being single is tough. Nightlife helps us clear our heads and nourish our minds, bodies and souls to do that which needs to be done and to continue to grow. As Nightlife resumes this Cheshvan, beginning its second year, there is no doubt that there is room for growth. As Mrs. Morozow so rightly pointed out, with a group of such talented girls, great things can happen! My request is that the ideas of increasing in spreading outward not come at the expense of the vital role Nightlife plays for the hundreds of single girls who are already benefitting tremendously from the program. One last point I was startled to read the claim that Nightlife, in its current form, might not best prepare single girls for marriage. This is hard to believe since at least once a week Nightlife features a class or lecture specfically related to that topic: preparing ourselves for marriage. And I can assure you, as wonderful as Nightlife is, we would all rather be married! C. Zeidman Nightlife-goer Clothing, When it came to the clothing, Reb Hillel was extremely careful, almost fanatical, not to change even in the minutest way the style of his clothes. Many asked for his reasoning, pointing out great tzaddikim that adopted some of the newer clothing styles. I have a handwritten manuscript of the tzaddik Reb Pinchos of Koritz, Reb Hillel would explain, in which he writes that our Sage tell us that our ancestors were able to leave Mitzrayim in the merit of three things-- not changing their clothing was one of them. Changing their clothes would have, chas v sholom, pulled them down into the fiftieth level of tumah (impurity). At that level, Hashem would not have been able to find a reason to redeem them. In the time immediately prior to the days of Moshiach, Reb Pinchos continues, there is going to be a tremendous urge to follow the latest styles. Sad to say, this desire would accomplish its goal and contaminate Bnei Yisroel to this ultimate level of impurity. How would Bnei Yisroel be redeemed then? Reb Pinchos asks. He answers that there will be individuals who will have mesiras nefesh not to change the style of their clothing. All Yidden will be redeemed in their zechus (merit). Concluded Reb Hillel, If any one of you would possess this letter of Reb Pinchos Koritzer, definitely, without any doubt, each of you would have mesiras nefesh not to change anything about the style of your clothing. You would realize that Moshiach s coming depends on you. The only thing is that it is I who possess this letter and not anyone else. Obviously, it is I who is going to be much more meticulous in this matter. With permission from Rav Sholom DovBer Avtzon from his book Reb Hillel Paritcher. To the Editor: Reb Shmuel Levitin Community Newspaper 392 Kingston Avenue Brooklyn, NY chp5768@gmail.com Published & edited weekly by the Vaad Hakohol of Crown Heights. Moshe Rubashkin, Rosh Hakohol Dr. Tzvi (Harvey) Lang, Chairman Rabbi Plotkin, Secretary Layout: SimplyUnique (basmelech@gmail.com) All material in this paper has been copyrighted. It is the exclusive property of this newspaper, unless otherwise attributed., and cannot be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Composition responsibility: This newspaper will not be liable for errors appearing in advertising, beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Advertiser assumes responsibility for errors in telephone orders. All advertisement designed and prepared by the CHCommunity Newspaper are the property of the newspaper and cannot be reproduced without the consent of the publisher Watch Out! Everyone has received in the mail various new Calendars for the New Year. Make sure that the one you hang up and use for Lichtzinden time is one with the times for Brooklyn. Anywhere else might be a few minutes off! I read your article about Reb Shmuel Levitin and realized our privilege that we live in the shechuna in which these great chassidim lived and accomplished great projects for the Rebbe and Chassidim. I wanted to clarify some small details: 1) Reb Shmuel s wife s name was Shaina (not Tema). His mother s name was Tema. 2) When the Previous Rebbe advised Reb Shmuel not to return to Europe in 1939, the Previous Rebbe said it within this context, If a war does break out, I will also be coming to the U.S., therefore there is no reason for you to travel to Europe. Best wishes for a steady hatzlacha and a Kesiva vachasima tova A family member

3 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 3 The Rebbe's Sicha Parshas Ki Teitzei 5751 Sichas of the 13th of Elul, Published and copyright by Sichos in English A Jew has no connection to war, he should be granted G-dly blessings in a manner of peace and happiness Editor s note: The Rebbe spoke this Sicha at the time of the summer 1991 riots. This is evident from the topic that the Rebbe discussed in the Sicha. 1. It is always customary to begin with a matter related to the present time. This is particularly appropriate when doing so also fulfills the directive, Begin with blessing. Even the Priestly Blessing which has an unlimited dimension, for it is connected with G-d s promise, And I will bless them, is still limited for it is dependent on the service of the Priests which is limited in nature. In contrast, the blessings associated with a wedding celebration -- and tonight is the anniversary of the wedding of the Previous Rebbe -- are above all concept of limitation. Even though we see that in actual fact, there are limits even to such a celebration, they are in essence unlimited. For we associate these weddings with the era when Speedily, there will be heard in the cities of Judah and the outskirts of Jerusalem... the voice of a groom and the voice of a bride, the celebration of the Redemption and the rejoicing of that era will surely be above all limitations. 2. There is also a connection to this week s Torah reading which begins If you go out to war. By beginning with the word if, which implies merely a possibility, but not an inevitable event, the Torah points out that war is alien to a Jew s nature. In essence, a Jew has no connection to war, for he should be granted G-dly blessings in a manner of peace and happiness, and indeed, unbounded happiness, from G-d s full, open, holy, and generous hand. Although the phrase describes G-d s hand with four adjectives, since the subject is G-d s hand, the influence granted is unlimited. Why are these four adjectives necessary? Because our world is limited in nature and G-d s influence must therefore be drawn down within the limitations of our world which is structured according to a set of four spiritual potentials. Similarly, mankind is structured according to this set of four potentials, for each person is a microcosm of the world at large. This is reflected in a Jew s wearing tzitzis which shows how he includes all four corners of the world within him. A Jew is essentially above all limits, even the limits of four, for in essence, his existence is one with G-d s. Therefore, entering these limits involves a departure ( If you go out... ) and also in a figurative sense, an aspect of war. And when making such a departure, a Jew must -- as the Torah reading continues -- take captives, i.e., transform aspects of the worldly environment which he enters. And this will reveal how he is -- as the reading continues, the first of his strength. To him, belong the rights of the firstborn. Through the descent into the frame of limitation, ultimately, a Jew will rise above all limits and confines. The above will be enhanced by connecting it with the distribution of money for tzedakah, for tzedakah -- like the fusion of finiteness and infinity -- involves a combination of opposites. Tzedekah must be given by a person who has means, a mashpia, to a person who lacks means, a mekabel. Indeed even if a person possesses a minimal financial base (two hundred zuz), he should not receive tzedakah and instead should give to others. The relationship between a mashpia and a mekabel also relates to the concept of a bride and groom mentioned above. The bride is a recipient. Therefore, she is not to eat from property which belongs to her, i.e., her needs are to be provided by the groom. This is also mirrored in the wedding relationship between G-d and the Jewish people. For every Jew is the bride of G-d, as it were. The giving of the Torah represented the betrothal and the consummation of this wedding bond, will be in the Era of Redemption. Then oneness will be established among all entities. May this be realized in the immediate future. Although a Jew is found in exile, he hates the exile, and indeed, hates it with a deep-seated hatred. What is the source of this hatred? Because in exile (golah in Hebrew), the manifestation of G-d (the Alef) is lacking. A Jew is constantly involved in the effort to transform exile into redemption. For G-d also hates the exile, since He knows that in the exile the Jews are lacking -- and indeed, He understands their lack better than the Jews themselves. Even though a Jew has been informed of the ultimate state that will occur after the exile, since he lives within the confines of a physical body and is limited within the confines of this world, he cannot understand these concepts fully. Nevertheless, since a Jew knows that G-d hates the exile, he also hates the exile. May we transcend all limitations and proceed to the Redemption immediately. And this will be enhanced by our presence in a house where good deeds are performed, prayers are recited, and Torah is studied. And from this house, we will proceed to the ultimate house the Beis HaMikdash, where we will stand on the roof and announce -- Humble ones, the time for your Redemption has come. To emphasize the connection to the Previous Rebbe s wedding, it is proper that the marriages which are being held at the present time should be held with increased celebrations. And these celebrations should be coupled with charity, by making a special feast for the poor, as is customary. And this day, the thirteenth of Elul, should serve to inspire greater wedding celebrations. May all of the above concepts be actualized in deed. And may they lead to the ultimate deed, the coming of the Future Redemption. May it take place in the immediate future.

4 4 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Our Heroes Hachossid Hatomim Horav Meir Itkin th of Elul 2007 By: Rabbi Michoel Seligson Hachossid Reb Meir Itkin was born in 1911 on the 20 th of Tamuz in the city of Nevel, Ukraine to Hachossid Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman and Mrs. Shaina Itkin. Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman and Shaina were cousins. Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman s father and Reb Meir s grandfather, Hachossid Reb Pinchos Zev Wolf known as Velvel, was a distinguished person and one of the most prominent melamdim in Nevel. He served as the gabbai of Collel Chabad, an organization that to this day raises money for the Jews in Israel. He also collected maamad, from the chassidim of Nevel to support the Rebbe s household. Reb Meir s mother, Shaina, grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Nevel. Her parents Reb Moshe and Mrs. Chana Tzerna Rachman were chassidim known to have a home open to guests. Reb Moshe worked as an independent contractor and the family s income fluctuated. Sometimes he would receive a more profitable government contract. Initially, Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman was in the contracting business with his father, Reb Velvel. They had a question relating to their partnership and consulted the Rebbe RaShaB. The Rebbe Rashab instructed Reb Velvel to become a teacher and Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman to become a merchant. They both did so and moved on to be successful in their respective fields. Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman was nifter on Rosh Chodesh Nissan in 1920, at the untimely age of thirty-six. The night after her husband s ptira, Mrs. Itkin had a dream in which her late husband appeared to her. He asked that she bring him his kapote. She asked him why he needed it and he responded that he was going to greet the Rebbe Rashab in the higher heavens. Reb Meir Itkin and his elder brother Reb Berke remembered that during the shiva chassidim tried to figure out what their mother s dream meant. After a period of time, chassidim heard the news that the Rebbe RaShaB had been nistalek on the 2 nd of Nissan, within 24 hours of Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman s ptira. Reb Meir was eight years old when his father was nifter. The children and their mother Shaina moved into the home of their grandparents, who supported them until they established their own homes. Reb Meir s memories of Nevel really began after the move to his grandparent s home. Reb Velvel raised his grandchildren as if they were his own children. In addition to the fact that he owned a large property in Nevel, Reb Velvel, the melamed of Nevel, was an expert educator. Resultantly, Reb Meir and his siblings had a happy childhood despite being orphaned. The following story, traditionally told in the Itkin family, illustrates the unique qualities of the Nevel chinuch. The Rebbe RaShaB wanted to send his son, the future Rebbe, to Nevel to learn with the melamed there. The Rebbetzin Shterna Soro knew that she would miss her son greatly and tried to convince her husband, the Rebbe RaShaB, not to send their son to Nevel. She succeeded when she told the Rebbe Rashab that he would visit their son in Nevel so often, that his chassidim would be called Neveler Chassidim instead of Lubavitcher Chassidim. The Rebbe Rashab agreed not to send their son to learn in Nevel. Nevel Nevel was a small town in Belorussia that was not far from the border of the Pale of Settlement, an area of Imperial Russia to which Jews were restricted, and the cities of Poltzk and Vitebsk. The Jewish population of Nevel was sizable and nearly exceeded those of the gentiles. Nevel was an exclusively Lubavitch city in that all of the Jewish residents were staunch Chabad chassidim and the shuls were all Lubavitch. One could not find a shtibel of a different chassidus. Each of the Rebbe im has made comments describing Nevel as a special city of Chassidim. Reb Meir lived with the spirit of Nevel. Everything about Nevel was glorified in his eyes. For him the bread and sun of New York City could never rival the taste of the bread and the warmth of the sun in Nevel. He often spoke of how the city of Nevel had various streets, some more affluent than others. Reb Meir recalled that there were two main streets in Nevel, America and Amur. There was a joke that one did not have to dream about America in the city of Nevel, one could just go there. Alter Rebbe s Stop for Shabbos The Alter Rebbe s arrest was known to have occurred right outside the city of Nevel. Reb Meir related the following. When the Alter Rebbe was arrested, he was transported from the city of Lubavitch to St. Petersburg in a black carriage. With Shabbos approaching, the Alter Rebbe asked the coach-driver to discontinue their journey. The coachman refused the request to stop. The second time, strange things began to happen to the coach. First an axle broke. Then the horse died. After both of these incidents, they continued the journey. Finally, as the sun was setting, the carriage became stuck in the mud, so deeply that it would take hours to be extracted. The Alter Rebbe spent that Shabbos under a particular tree in the surrounding forest. The forest, a mile outside of Nevel, eventually shrunk and ceased to exist, while the tree that the Alter Rebbe sat under flourished. Reb Meir related that the awe with which that tree was esteemed by the chassidim of Nevel was equivalent to the awe a chossid experiences when his Rebbe says a maamor. Today, a lone tree stands one mile from the city of Nevel. It is believed to be the same tree under which the Alter Rebbe spent Shabbos. Chassidim of Nevel Two great Chassidim lived in pre-world War II Nevel, Reb Meir Simcha Chein and Reb Zalman Moshe Yitzchaki. These chassidim had a profound effect on Reb Meir s life and it was their influence in part that was responsible for Reb Meir s incredible adherence to his teachings despite the hardships he endured. Another illustrious chossid in Nevel was Reb Zalman Moshe. Reb Meir remembered that he used to say with intense feeling, A good head is a gift from above, but one needs to exert himself. Reb Meir would repeat this vort many times and it became his own motto; Az men Darf Horeven, one needs to toil. Rabbi Michoel Bliner, the mashpia in Tomchei Tmimim in Lubavitch and Rabbi Itche Gorowitz, Reb Itche the Masmid, two of the greatest Lubavitch chassidim were also residents of Nevel. Tomchei Tmimim Underground In the 1920 s, all of the Tomchei Tmimim yeshivos went underground. The first classes were sent to the city of Nevel, a flourishing Jewish community, to reestablish themselves. Reb Meir recalled that boys from many different cities would dorm in the shul and the sounds of their learning could be heard blocks away. Nevel was the center of the Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva network before it started to branch out further. Reb Meir recalled that in Nevel there was also a class of twenty year old boys that learned in the Bais Medrash L Rabbonim, the Rabbinical College. Their teacher was the famous Rabbi Shmuel Levitin. Reb Meir attended yeshiva in his own hometown before he moved on elsewhere. As a youngster, Reb Meir was very enthusiastic and bright. He always joked that he was not the most diligent of students, though he had a sharp head. His educators would try to pair him with someone who had more patience than he did. Reb Meir s childhood friends were Rabbis: Hertzel Minkowitz, Moishke Laine, Nochum Volosov, and Michoel Taitelbaum who was a friend and neighbor. All of them were elite chassidim who sacrificed everything for Yiddishkeit. As an older bochur Reb Meir learned in Leningrad under Horav Chonye Morozov and Horav Itche der Masmid (Gorowitz). Reb Meir became very close with them both and benefited from the influence of these great mashipi im. He had a photographic memory and would constantly repeat stories of these people with all the details. Reb Meir Saved the Students Many of the Communist police officials in Nevel were Jews and thus knew all of the residents. In fact, several of them had originally been students of Reb Velvel since he was the primary elementary teacher in Nevel. Once, a police officer caught Rabbi Avrohom Drizin (Mayorer) learning with the boys in the yeshiva. The officer detained all of the boys and threatened to send the teachers to prison and the students to an orphanage. In order to carry out a proper arrest it was necessary to have a registered citizen witness the arrest. The policeman went out into the street and waved his hat in order to attract a citizen to act as a witness to the arrest. No Jew would stop and Reb Meir, one of the detained students, recalled how pointless the entire episode was. Reb Meir volunteered to find a registered citizen. The officer agreed and Reb Meir immediately ran and warned all the students to disperse. Aside from saving the other students in the Yeshiva, Reb Meir managed to save himself. The students who had been with him were arrested and imprisoned. Poltzk After Reb Meir outgrew the yeshivos in Nevel, he was sent to the city of Poltzk where the next level of Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim was located. In Poltzk there were bochurim from all over Russia. Reb Meir related that the Nevel boys thought that the Minsk boys considered themselves superior. It appeared to the

5 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 5 students that the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Chatche Himmelstein, was partial to the students of Minsk who he knew from before. Reb Meir recalled the tears he shed because the Rosh Yeshiva would attack him every time he opened his mouth to speak. Reb Meir approached Reb Chatche and told him that he was planning to leave the yeshiva because of the illogical harshness. The Rosh Yeshiva was profoundly dismayed. He had not realized how harsh he was being and he was heartbroken that he had caused the boys so much anguish. From that point on he was careful to bring the Nevel boys closer to him. Reb Meir recalled that he was so dedicated that he would sit at the bedside of the sick boys, administer medicine, and make them comfortable. In essence, the Rosh Yeshiva loved the boys tremendously and was tough on them because he wanted to build their characters. However, the Minsk boys were accustomed to Rabbi Himmelstein s manner while the boys from Nevel were deeply grieved by his conduct. Essen Teg, was a system whereby the bochurim of the yeshiva would eat at different homes on different days. Reb Meir was too embarrassed to take advantage of this system and literally starved. Finally, he met a cousin, also an orphan, who lived in Poltzk and who welcomed Reb Meir into his home to live. Reb Meir lived in this man s home and was clothed and fed and treated like his own son. Studying in Vitebsk in secret Reb Meir then moved to Vitebsk. There, Reb Avrohom Drizin [Mayorer] would teach the boys from two until six in the morning. The shiurim were held in the women s section of the shul. The existence of the yeshiva was a secret and they would have to finish learning before the morning minyan. The boys would sleep on the benches in the shul and at night they would freeze because there was no heat. There were several bed bug infested mattresses that the boys would anxiously wait their turn to sleep on. In general, the boys maintained a very low profile so that no one would know that there was a yeshiva. Most of the locals had no idea that there was a functioning yeshiva in their synagogue. Had they known it would have endangered the yeshiva to the point that they would have had to re;ocate again. Despite all precautions, the communists found out about the yeshiva and arrested all of the instructors. The older boys, Reb Meir included, were sent back to Nevel to continue learning on their own. At home, Reb Meir received a draft notice. When he appeared before the draft board, he was rejected as a son of the middle-class. However, he was trained in the communications division as a telegrapher and was required to report to duty in case of emergency. Yekatrinoslav After several years at home, Reb Meir was sent to the city of Yekatrinoslav where the Rebbe s father was the Rav. Reb Meir and his friend Reb Michoel Teitelbaum traveled together from Nevel, though they didn t have enough money to pay their train fare. In Yekatrinoslav it was also very difficult, and the boys had to spread themselves out in six different shuls. As the teachers were arrested and exiled or killed, the oldest students would take their place and teach what they knew to the younger ones. The Rebbe s Father, Reb Levi Yitzchak Although he lived in the same city as the Rebbe s father, Reb Meir had very little contact with him. On Sukkos, together with all the other Jews, Reb Meir went to borrow Rabbi Schneerson s lulav and esrog as he was the only person in the city who had a set. After Reb Meir made a brocho on his lulav and esrog, Rabbi Schneerson asked him if he would stay a little longer and help him carry all of his things to the shul. On the way to shul, Reb Levi Yitzchak immediately started asking Reb Meir about the bochurim, who was there, and how they were faring. Although the entire time he had wanted to know, he restrained himself for the safety of the bochurim. Similarly, one of Reb Meir s friends once visited Reb Levi Yitzchak late at night. Reb Levi Yitzchak asked him many questions about the bochurim. As they were conversing, a community member walked in. Reb Levi Yitzchak turned to the bochur and said Go tell your mother the chicken is kosher. On Simchas Torah the bochurim joined the community in the main shul for hakafos. After the hakafos were completed, Rebbetzin Chana turned to Reb Meir and some of his friends and said Surely you missed the yeshiva meal. Come and eat with us. During the Yom Tov meal, Reb Levi Yitzchak Farbrenged with the bochurim. He said Now is Simchas Torah and we shouldn t fear. He spoke at length about the significance of being a teenager and what it meant. Reb Meir recalled another time when he was seated at a meal and a community member was boasting how he stemmed from great tzaddikim. Reb Levi Yitzchak rebuked him but then turned to the person sitting next to him and made a gematria that connected the two and proved that the community member came from tzaddikim. Years later, Reb Meir met the Rebbe when he came to France to greet his mother and escort her to the U.S. He told the Rebbe how he remembered that his father Reb Levik always had a gematria for everyone. Without missing a beat, the Rebbe immediately went around the table and made a gematria, coming up with numerical equivalents of people s names, that connected all the participants to each other. Stalin s Tyranny Reb Meir was a victim of Stalin s tyranny. For approximately eight years, from fourteen to twenty one years of age, Reb Meir suffered terribly in the yeshivos. The instructors were great men and the learning was extra-ordinary, but the starvation took its toll on the students. Additionally, the emotional and psychological distress of being fugitives and having one s teachers and beloved friends arrested was difficult for a young person to bear. At any time in his yeshiva years, Reb Meir had the option to leave and return home. Reb Meir and his generation chose to remain in yeshiva, and learn Torah and chassidus. Throughout the brutalities of Russia, Reb Meir also never touched his beard, and did not cut or shave it. This was a great mesiras nefesh, and the cause of many beatings. Samarkand After completing his yeshiva years in Yekatrinoslav, it was time for Reb Meir to marry. He went into business and in 1941, at the age of twenty nine, he met Miss Sima Raskin. Shortly after their marriage, World War II broke out and the Itkins, like thousands of other Lubavitchers, moved to Samarkand and stayed there for the duration of the war until Reb Meir ran a successful business. During the hunger in Samarkand in the early 1940 s, there was a law that one could receive bread only with a card proving employment. At great risk to himself, Reb Meir made up cards for all the bochurim of the yeshiva testifying that they were employed by him. Thus, he saved many of the Tmimim and bochurim of the yeshiva from starvation. Over the next few years, Reb Meir sustained the yeshiva. Reb Meir was arrested numerous times. During one arrest, as the police vehicle was driven away, his nephew, Rabbi Zalman Morozov, saw a note fly out of the car. All the other family members were hiding and he was the only one who witnessed it. The police didn t see as he, a little boy of 7, picked up the piece of paper. The note stated, Though a sword is on the neck, you should hope and not give up on rachamim. Hashem will have rachamim and protect me, since after all we are Yidden. Saving a Life There is a story told of a bochur in the city of Samarkand who had a contagious disease. He had no family, and no one would risk taking care of him, fearing that they would contract the disease. Reb Meir took this boy home to his house, and he and his wife sheltered and cared for the boy until he recovered. The boy, Notka BarKahan was so touched by Reb Meir s ahavas yisroel that he decided to follow the ways of Chassidus. In time, he became the Shliach of the Rebbe to Riga, Latvia. A Reward for Chesed Shel Emes Reb Meir once had the opportunity to fulfill a chesed shel emes for the great chossid Reb Chaim Kevish OBM. The grateful widow, descended from a long line of Rebbe im, gave him some items as a token of appraciation. He acquired a piece of the parochos from the Alter Rebbe, Reb Michoel Zlotchiver s becher, and the Baal Shem Tov s spoon. In 1947, Reb Meir heard that the Rebbe was coming to France to greet his mother. He immediately traveled to France to give the Rebbe the keilim, to bring to the Previous Rebbe. When he met the Rebbe, the Rebbe took him into a side room and asked him to open the packages. During the entire exchange, the Rebbe did not touch the keilim. The Rebbe asked if the becher had been used. When the Rebbe returned to the United States, he mailed Reb Meir a thank-you letter, and a gift of recently published booklets of Kehot. The Rebbe asked Reb Meir to send him a history and background of these keilim. Reb Meir and his family eventually escaped Russia through the border Continued on page 13

6 6 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Shiduchim Needle in a Haystack By Sarah Junik After a two week hiatus, I am continuing to discuss shidduch dating. There was a bocher I knew who when he Shidduch dated, he carried a written list of topics to speak about on the shidduch date, and not only the topics but he actually thought out the whole conversation: if she says this in response to this question then I will say this; if she answers this way instead, I will reply with that. He is now a well known Dayan in a major city so perhaps being so meticulously ready for any question is something good for a Dayan but for us regular mortals it is not necessary. A little preparation does not hurt though. Now that we are past the first tentative shidduch dates, we have certainly arrived at the point where we have certain questions we wish answered. Everyone s questions will be different, depending on the level one is at the time. So I will give some examples of topics to discuss but naturally each couple will have their own subjects and important points to bring out. Serious topics are for example, if a couple that wishes to go on shlichus they should discuss seriously what kind Financial Matters: Your Credit : From: Amex Financial Review Amex will sometimes perform a financial review on cardholders they feel are risky, where they freeze all your Amex cards and ask you to provide proof of income, usually bank statements and tax returns. If you don't comply, then they will shut down all your Amex cards. This might be a problem for some people if: You wrote a high income level on your credit card application, and can't back it up. You don t feel comfortable sharing your tax documents with Amex. If you do get a financial review and it doesn t seem like you will pass the review, or you don t want to send them your tax information, (you can try calling Amex and see if you could get away without sending in the documents), then you should preemptively cancel your Amex cards. Don t wait for Amex to close them. If they do, it will show up on your credit report that Amex closed the accounts. This will lower your credit score even more than if it would be 'closed by consumer'. Either way you will lose the available credit, which will lower of shlichus they will try for. Would they prefer to find an established city or strike on their own. Close to home or far away etc. Naturally especially nowadays we cannot pick and choose and many times what is suggested is far from the ideal circumstances one had in mind, but that is also important to discuss. How far from that mythical perfect shlichus are you willing to go? Is the wife going to work in shlichus too, or only the husband. Teaching in a yeshiva, organizing activities or doing administrative work, or a jack of all trades. What kind of shlichus are you really looking for. Don t go into great depth and detail in this conversation because after all it is all castles in the air, but it is useful to feel out the other person for their wishes in this, and to see how truly committed you both are. For some couples a question to discuss could be movies and television. Some couples will not even mention the subject, as it is so far from shiach but for others it is good to set parameters. In a couple where one side wants to have a TV and the other absolutely not, this has to be talked out. Once a compromise or a decision is reached, do not think in the back of your mind, Well, I ll change his/her mind once we are married. Think of the decisions your score. Reapplying for an Amex card: After closing your accounts, wait a few months before trying to reapply. Some people have been successful in reapplying for cards without having to send in any documents. (Some people claim that they were able to reopen the same card after a few weeks, I doubt that would be possible) The following things may trigger an Amex financial review: A credit line of $25,000 or more on a single card Your credit score suddenly dropping drastically Large balance transfers Big business line of credit and transferring hefty sums of money Spending more then your stated annual income Asking for credit line increases too often Overusing an Amex Business Card for personal purchases (Probably only a problem if you don't use a personal card as well) If you have a few Amex cards and spend not more than a few thousand dollars a month on the cards (but definitely less than 50% of available credit) and you are not racking up too much debt, you shouldn t get an Amex review. Store Credit Cards Store Credit Cards Many stores try to convince customers you reach at this time as binding if the shidduch goes through, although they may need refining. For a girl the question of wearing a tichel in the street may also need to be discussed. The Rebbe wrote numerous letters about the importance of wearing a shaitel in any public place even if one is only going to the grocery. If wearing a tichel is something the girl says she must, she has to discuss it with the boy. He might want to ask his mashpia about it, or his Rov. Or he might not care. But it is important to bring these things up whiles the emotions are not yet so involved and they can be discussed calmly and compromises reached on both sides. Similarly, mode of dress is sometimes talked about: some boys do not mind if the girls wear Jean skirts as long as they are tzniusdike in length and style. Some do not like any jeans. Some girls do not mind if the boys wear Jeans and other casual wear, some feel casual is ok but not jeans. The problem is though, that one has to be careful when talking about clothing to do so in a tzniusdicke and eidele manner. In fact it is probably better to avoid the subject unless one has a particular question Less controversial and lighter topics are for example family,: particular customs a family has, such as family to open their credit card. They usually offer signup bonuses like 10% off your purchases that day and extra discounts whenever you use the card in that store in the future. Some stores offer way less then that. Here is what Walmart was offering as a sign-up bonus... (A bottle of soda!) Sounds great? Not necessarily. Some negative points about store credit cards: 1. With a store credit card, you will have a harder time disputing charges then you would if you were using an Amex (or even Visa and MasterCard). 2. Store Credit cards usually come with a high APR. (APR is the interest rate if you don t pay in full every month) Shouldn t really be a problem though, because hopefully you pay your bills in full every month! 3. It s not worth it to open up a credit card just to save $25! If you want the cash, you can open other cards which will give you $50+ cash, as a signup bonus. E.g. Chase Freedom Card 4. If you open lots of credit cards to earn miles (churning), then opening a store credit card isn t necessarily a great idea. Opening a credit card affects your credit score in the short term. I try and make sure I get around $200 worth of miles/points/cash for each card I open. (I consider each mile to be worth at least one penny.) One great thing about store credit dinners once a week or once a month that the whole family must attend, or other such traditions. Couples talk about what kind of parents their parents are and what they wish to emulate and what they think they would do different. What kind of relationship there is among siblings and extended family circles. Talk about your nieces and nephews if you have them, how old they are, your relationship with them. Do you wish to live close to the family or the opposite. Are your grandparents alive (till 120) what kind of things do you admire about them. What kind of life they led. Your great-grandparents? Where did they live? Qualities one admires in other people, friends, teachers, mashpiim, Rabbeim etc. Talk about the camps you attended as a child, the ones you were a councilor at. Experiences and funny stories. Mivtzoim experiences, if you like to be actively involved or if you prefer a supportive role. If you have questions but are not sure if the topic should be discussed at this time or in fact at all, maybe the parents should look into the answer, then do not hesitate to discuss this with your parents and with the shadchen, or with your mashpia. To be continued cards: They are usually way easier to get, so it s a great way for someone with no credit history to start building credit. Bottom line: Think twice before being convinced to open that store credit card. If it s a store that you shop at often, and there are nice discounts for card holders, then it might be worth it for you. I would recommend making a basic calculation: if the credit card won't save you at least $100 during the first year, don't get it. If it will, then consider it. Question: For someone with too many cards, is it better to close-down/cancel some of those credit cards, or would it be better to not use them? Answer: Generally speaking it is best not to cancel credit cards, as doing so will lower your total available credit. Also, if you're talking about old cards, then canceling them will shorten the average age of your cards. (It won't affect your score for another 7 years though, until the card falls off your report.) The only time I would recommend canceling a no annual fee card is if your total available credit on all your cards is extremely high and your don't write a high income on your credit card applications. Or if you have more then 20 cards, then canceling some might be a good idea.

7 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 7 From Shedlitz to Safety A Young Jew s Story of Survival By Rabbi Shimon Goldman Exerpted from the book with the author s permission Continued from previous issue Pesach, the festival of freedom, had special significance for us. The Rebbe Rayatz conducted his seder in the dining room of his home, and it was fairly easy to gain entry and participate in this unique experience. Most bochurim fairly flew through their private seder at home, rushing back to 770 for a good vantage point to see how the Rebbe conducts his seder. During those few hours, we felt transported to a spiritually higher world, where every aspect of the seder shone with different light, one suffused with devotion and holiness. One year, I entered just in time to see the Rebbe Rayatz eat his matza. The Rebbe held the matza with both hands, with such tenderness and affection that you could literally see his intense love for the mitzva. When it was time to eat moror, the bitter herbs, the Rebbe specifically took the head of horseradish the sharpest, most biting part of the vegetable. The Rebbe s pain and discomfort were clearly evident as he ate the hard, ungrated moror, gasping for air in an effort to lessen some of the moror s bitterness. (In later years, we merited to be present when the Ramash later the Rebbe ate the actual seder meal, I remembered a story I once heard about the saintly Ruzhiner tzaddik. Due to the malicious slander of an informant, the Ruzhiner was forced to flee Ruzhin for a short time and he escaped to Vienna. Some time later, when the Ruzhiner heard that the authorities in Ruzhin were replaced with friendlier officers, he decided to leave Vienna and return home. Despite his intentions, his followers feared the possible consequences and suspected the authorities would imprison the tzaddik immediately upon his return. The Ruzhiner therefore turned to the rav of Lemburg a misnagid who maintained excellent contact with the authorities in Ruzhin. A distinguished envoy of Chassidim traveled to Lemburg, asking the rav for a letter of recommendation to prove that the Ruzhiner was a saintly individual who deserved no harm. The Chassidim met the rav closeted in his room with a group of elite scholars. They presented their request, but the rav looked at them in astonishment. I don t even know your Rebbe! he protested. How can I testify about his piety if I have never met him? Please, tell me something about your Rebbe that proves his greatness. Simple, answered the Chassidim. Our Rebbe never bends his head while eating. He brings the spoon to his mouth, without bending his head in the slightest towards his plate. The assembled scholars burst into loud laughter and even the rav could not contain a smile. This is his greatness? he wondered. There s nothing special about that. We can also do it! The rav called for a plate of soup and set it down on the table with a smile. Yet, despite his care, every time he lifted the spoon, his head bent slightly toward the food. After a few tries, the rav put his spoon down in frustration and asked the other scholars to try. Notwithstanding their efforts, not one person could eat a spoonful of soup without bending their head at all. This is the greatness of our Rebbe, said the Chassidim. Man is inherently attached to food; his nature demands it. It is physically impossible to remain perfectly still while eating, because the physical body is simply drawn toward the food. Our Rebbe, however, being a saintly individual, has successfully controlled his physical impulses, and can remain still while eating. The rav bowed his head in deference and respectfully wrote out the necessary testimonial letter. Here too, as I watched our saintly Rebbe eat his soup, I saw his head remain perfectly still and upright. He moved the food toward his mouth, never his mouth toward the food. After the meal, the Rebbe retired to his room. It is customary to leave doors unlocked and open on the first night of Pesach and I distinctly remember the Rebbe s door remaining open after the seder. (One year, as I passed the door, I saw the Rebbe put on his eyeglasses and look in a sefer.) ) Back to the seder of the Rebbe Rayatz, I remember that despite the extremely late hour and our physical exhaustion, we all ran downstairs to participate in a mini-seder of sorts, led by the Ramash, the Rebbe s second son-in-law. Having all partaken of the afikomen, we could not eat anything or say lechaim. Instead, the Ramash sat at the head of an empty table and began discussing various parts of the seder service, illuminating every aspect with the inner, esoteric light. A relatively large crowd stayed on into the wee hours of the morning to hear his explanations on the Haggadah. It was heartwarming to see dozens of Chassidim disregard the restraints of time and energy as they participated in yet a third seder. This was hardly the only opportunity to hear the Ramsash speak. In compliance with a specific directive of his father-inlaw, the Ramash farbrenged on Shabbos Mevorchim, the Shabbos that precedes every new month. On other occasions if a groom was called to the Torah, or a kiddush in honor of a newborn Chassidim would ask the Ramash to farbreng for them and he generally did so. The Ramash often explained the significance of the occasion, the Torah reading of that week, and the names of the celebrants tying it all in with the deeper teachings of Chassidus. The Succession Chassidim sensed that the Ramash was far from an ordinary person. Though he carried himself humbly and shunned fanfare, we realized that the Ramash had attained lofty spiritual levels far removed from our own, and many eyes turned to him after the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz on the tenth of Shevat, When news of the histalkus spread, Chassidim felt a gaping vacuum and a crushing feeling of despair. It was as though the world had come to an end. Thousands of people filled Eastern Parkway to participate in the funeral and pay their respects to the Rebbe Rayatz. After returning from the cemetery, Chassidim walked about in a state of shock, trying to imagine how life could go on. Thirteen days later my wife and I were blessed with a son. Many people myself included assumed I would name the baby after my late father, but, coming so close after the histalkus, I chose to name him Yosef Yitzchak, after the Rebbe Rayatz. Our feelings of despair grew when the Ramash initially refused to accept the mantle of leadership. However, in the weeks and months that followed, we understood that the Ramash would eventually continue the golden chain of the Chabad dynasty. The Ramash himself privately showed certain characteristics exhibited by Rebbeim, and even began taking pidyonos from certain Chassidim. These and other small indications encouraged our belief that, in the end, he would lead us as the seventh Rebbe. I will just relate two incidents that illustrate the private and quiet acceptance of the leadership by the Ramash well before his public consent. In 1950, my mother-in-law suddenly became very ill with a life-threatening disease. Our family practitioner was Dr. Schwartz, a Jewish doctor who had been close with my parents-in-law when they lived in East New York. After most Jews left that area for other neighborhoods, Dr. Schwartz moved his practice to Crown Heights, renting a room in the dentist s office right next door to 770 (where the library stands today). Dr. Schwartz immediately examined my mother-in-law and voiced his intention to admit her into hospital. My father-in-law was beside himself with worry: in the past, he never took such a crucial step without asking the Rebbe, but now after the histalkus who could he turn to? As he went out onto Eastern Parkway, my father-in-law decided to confer with the Ramash, who was working then in his office in 770. As he entered the room, the Ramash turned to him and asked regarding the welfare of my mother-inlaw. She is very sick, responded my father-in-law grimly, and I have no one to ask advice from. When Dr. Schwartz demanded she be sent to hospital, I had no choice but to agree. Responded the Ramash: Even so, the Rebbe [Rayatz] finds ways to answer those who ask him, and sends the answer through an intermediary. My father-in-law understood the hint. We began paying careful attention to the Ramash and the way he did things. Soon, a host of miraculous stories began circulating by word of mouth, attesting to the extraordinary perception of the Ramash and his G dly vision. Nonetheless, the Ramash continued conducting himself in a humble and unpretentious manner, publicly negating the possibility of his accepting the mantle of leadership.

8 8 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Parshas Hashavua Vedibarta Bam ~ Shoftim Bt Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky "והיה ביום הנחילו את בניו את אשר יהיה לו" Then it shall be that on the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he possesses. (21:16) QUESTION: 1) The word vehayah indicates a simchah joy (Vayikra Rabbah 11:7); what joy is the Torah alluding to? 2) The words et asher yiheyeh lo that which he possesses seem extra; obviously his children can inherit only that which he has? ANSWER: There are many parents who pride themselves for having given their children much more than they had. They reminisce about their arrival in America, when they struggled to make a living, and they congratulate themselves for providing their children with a comfortable lifestyle and the higher education that they lacked. While it is good to give our children things we did not have, it is crucial not to forget to give our children what we did have. Just as our parents inculcated in us a love for Torah and mitzvot, and inspired us to be shomrei Torah u mitzvot, it is incumbent upon us to instill in our children the same dedication and devotion. Even when a parent helps his child to become a professional, he should impress upon him to be a Torah-observing professional. The Torah therefore says vehayah it is worthy to rejoice if one leaves as an inheritance to his children not only that which he never had in his youth, but also eit asher yihyeh lo that which he possesses i.e. the Torah upbringing which he received and the Torah lifestyle which he practices. "וכי יהיה באיש חטא משפט מות והומת ותלית אתו על עץ" If a man shall have committed a sin whose judgment is death, and he be put to death, and you shall hang him on a gallows. (21:22) QUESTION: The words cheit sin and vehumat and he be put to death are superfluous. It could have said, If a man shall have a judgment of death, and you shall hang him on a gallows? ANSWER: When the great Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordevero passed away, the Arizal delivered a eulogy based on this pasuk. He explained that the word cheit does not only mean sin but also means lack, miss as in the pasuk, Men, all of whom could sling a stone at a hair velo yachti and not miss (Judges 20:16). Another example is Batsheva s statement to King David, Vehayiti ani ubeni Shlomo chata im I and my son Shlomo will be lacking (denied any prominence) (I Kings 1:21, Rashi). Man was originally created immortal. But when the serpent persuaded Chavah to eat the fruit of the forbidden Eitz Hada at Tree of Knowledge she brought death to the world; man would die for his sins. The Gemara (Bava Batra 17a), however, says that there were four tzaddikim who never committed any sins, and who only died because of itiyo shel nachash the advice of the serpent to Chavah, which is the source of death for humans. The Arizal explained the pasuk to mean, If there will be ish a prominent person who is cheit mishpat mavet lacking any reason to deserve the judgment of death i.e. totally innocent of any sins, and yet vehumat he was put to death by the Angel of Death, vetalita oto al eitz you should hang i.e. attribute his passing on the eitz the serpent s advice to Chavah to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. )נחל קדומים, ועי' לקוטי שיחות חכ"ד( "לא יבא עמוני ומואבי בקהל ה'...על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים בדרך בצאתכם ממצרים" An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of G d...because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water on the road when you were leaving Egypt. (23:4-5) QUESTION: Hashem s punishments are midah keneged midah measure for measure. Why is the punishment for not offering bread and water perpetual exclusion from the Jewish people? ANSWER: Hashem forbade harming the Amonites and the Moabites because of two women who would ultimately come from them, Ruth the Moabite who is the ancestor of Mashiach, and Na amah the Amonite who would become the wife of King Shlomo (see Bava Kamma 38b). The Rabbis forbade eating bread baked by gentiles out of concern that sharing food can bring about a closeness which may lead to intermarriage (see Shabbat 17b). Similarly, the people of Amon and Moab did not offer bread so that their people would not marry Jews. Moreover, they hoped that by training their people to distance themselves from the Jews they would prevent Ruth and Na amah from becoming part of the Jewish people. Since their intent was to prevent intermarriage between their people and the Jewish people, their punishment was permanent exclusion from joining the Jewish people in marriage. The Gemara (Yevamot 76b) declares that the prohibition applies only to the males and not to the females because it was the role of the men not the women to go out on the dangerous paths of the wilderness to bring food and drink to their Jewish cousins. Thus, while men can convert, but not marry Jewish women, Moabite and Amonite women may convert to Judaism and marry Jewish men. (ילקוט האורים) King David said, Sarim redafuni chinam umidevarecha pachad libi. Sas anochi al imratecha kemotzei shalal rav Princes pursued me without cause, but my heart feared Your utterance. I rejoiced over Your word, like one who finds abundant spoils (Psalms 119: ). This may be explained as a reference to the difficulties David encountered from Doeg, the head of the Sanhedrin in the days of King Shaul, and others who sought to discredit him by disparaging his ancestress Ruth the Moabite, based on the pasuk, An Amonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Hashem (see Yevamot 76b). Rabbeinu Bachya (Shemot 13a) writes in the name of the Kabbalists that the term davar word refers to the Written Torah, and amar say refers to the Oral Torah. Thus, David was saying, Princes pursued me without cause charging that I was unfit to enter into Klal Yisrael. But my heart feared devarecha Your utterance the Written Torah which appeared to disqualify me. However, sas anochi al imratecha I rejoiced over Your word i.e. the Oral Torah which explains the Written Torah (מואבי (Moavi included an extra yud to teach that only Moabite men are precluded, but Moabite woman may join Klal Yisrael in marriage, like one who finds abundant spoils. )לקוטי בתר לקוטי בשם ברוך טעם( "כי יקח איש אשה" If a man marries a woman. (24:1) QUESTION: Regarding the appropriate marriage our sages (Pesachim 49a) comment, Invei hagefen be invei hagefen davar na ah umitkabeil The mingling of the grapes of the vine with the grapes of the vine is beautiful and acceptable. Why the analogy to grapes and not another fruit? ANSWER: Before eating a fruit that grows on a tree, one must recite the berachah, Borei peri ha eitz. On the juice of the fruit one recites the berachah, Shehakol niheyah bidevaro, which is lower in the ranking of berachot. The only exception to this rule is in the case of grapes. While the fruit itself has the berachah, Borei peri ha eitz, the juice is kovei a berachah le atzmo acquires a berachah for itself Borei peri hagafen which is considered higher in the hierarchy of berachot than Borei peri ha eitz. The originators of a family are the parents, who are compared to the vine, and the offspring are compared to the grapes. Our sages are telling us that a marriage in which there is a mingling of grapes and which produces wine, i.e. children accomplishing even more than their parents is davar na ah umitkabeil something beautiful "כי יקח איש אשה" acceptable. and "כי יקח איש אשה" If a man marries a woman. (24:1) QUESTION: What is the meaning of the first blessing recited under the chuppah, Mekadeish amo Yisrael al yedei chuppah vekiddushin He sanctified His people Israel through chuppah and kiddushin? ANSWER: On the pasuk, Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the Congregation of Jacob our sages (Pesachim 49b) say, Read not morashah inheritance but me orasah betrothed. Through the Torah, the Jewish people became betrothed in marriage to Hashem. Our sages (Shabbat 88a) explain the pasuk They stood under the mountain (Shemot 19:17) to mean that at the time of the giving of the Torah, Hashem lifted the mountain over the Jewish people. According to the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, the suspended mountain was clear as glass. Thus, the mountain served as a beautifully ornamented chuppah. Just as under the chuppah the chatan gives the kallah a ring by means of which he acquires her and makes her his arusah betrothed similarly, Hashem acquired the Jewish people through the Luchot Tablets which He gave them. The act of acquiring the woman is called kiddushin sanctification and therefore the chatan says to the kallah, Harei at mekudeshet li You are sanctified to me. The reason is; just as when one sanctifies something to Hashem he separates it from everything else and designates it specifically to Hashem, similarly, the woman is now separated from the entire world and belongs only to her husband (see Kiddushin 2b). Thus, in the blessing we state that we are emulating Hashem who, at the giving of the Torah, sanctified the Jewish people separated them from the rest of the world and designated them for Himself as His people through chuppah the suspended mountain over them and kiddushin the giving of the Tablets. )כסא דוד להחיד"א( It is possible that the suspended transparent mountain is a source for the custom of having a chuppah under the open sky. Hashem s enabling the Jews to see the stars was a blessing that they multiply as the stars in the heavens.

9 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 9 Vedibarta Bam ~ Pirkei Avos Chapters 1 "שמעון הצדיק" Shimon the Righteous (1:2) QUESTION: Why was he called Shimon the Righteous? ANSWER: Shimon earned the title HaTzaddik the righteous for his great piety, which was evident throughout the forty years he served as Kohen Gadol High Priest in the second Beit Hamikdash. The Gemara (Yoma 39a) relates that during the entire period that he served as Kohen Gadol, the crimson colored strap which was tied between the horns of the bullock on Yom Kippur would become white. This signified that Hashem had forgiven the sins of K lal Yisrael. Also, during all the years he served in the Beit Hamikdash, the neir ma aravi westernmost light on the menorah candelabra was never extinguished, although in it was put as much oil as in the others and it was the first to be kindled. This miracle was taken as a sign that the Shechinah Divine Presence dwells in Israel.)(see Rashi The Gemara (ibid. 69a) relates that when Alexander the Ma-cedonian came to destroy the Beit Hamikdash (upon the request of the Cutheans), Shimon HaTzaddik robed himself in the Priest ly garments and went out to meet him. When he saw Shimon HaTzaddik, he descended from his carriage and bowed down before him. The Cutheans said to him, How can a great king like your self bow down before this Jew? He answered, An image in the likeness of this man gains victory before me on all my battlefields. In the year he died, he foretold that he would die. Upon being asked how he knew he replied, Every Yom Kippur an old man dressed in white would join me entering the Kodesh Hakadashim Holy of Holies and leaving it with me. Today I was met by an old man dressed in black, who entered but did not exit with me. Seven days after Sukkot, he passed away (ibid. 39b). According to the Jerusalem Talmud (5:2), the old man was the Shechinah. (See Tosafot, Menachot 109b). "שמעון הצדיק...אומר, 'על שלשה דברים העולם עומד: על התורה, ועל העבודה, ועל גמילות חסדים' " Shimon the Righteous...used to say, The world stands on three things: On [the study of] Torah the service [of G d], and deeds of kindness. (1:2) QUESTION: Instead of saying, The world stands on three things and then enumerating them, he should have just said Study Torah, serve Hashem, and do acts of kindness? ANSWER: There is no question that over the years the world has progressed immensely. Modern technology has changed our lifestyle so drastically that the previous generation appears antiquated and primitive. Surpassing prior accomplishments, humanity continues to progress and increase in sophistication. With all this progress and advancement, some claim that Torah and the Torah lifestyle should be modified to the contemporary modern age. Shimon HaTzaddik s message is that regardless of contemporary progress, there are three things in which the world must be omeid stationary i.e. remain the same as in previous times without being altered, modernized, or modified in the minutest way. They are Torah, service of Hashem, and acts of kindness. In regard to these the Jews in all generations must maintain their observance in accordance with the old established authentic ways of our rabbis of previous generations. )כנסת ישראל ליקוט ע"י ר' ישראל ז"ל גאלדמאנן, סעאיני רומיניא, תרפ"ד( "על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים" On [the study of] Torah, the service [of G d], and deeds of kindness. (1:2) QUESTION: The three patriarchs were each the prototype of one of the above spiritual qualities. Yaakov represented Torah. He is described as, A wholesome man, abiding in tents [the Yeshivot of Shem and Eiver] (Bereishit 25:27, Rashi). Yitzchak represents avodah sacrifice. He allowed himself be brought up as an offer ing to Hashem. Also, if avodah is interpreted as tefillah prayer it says of him, And Yitzchak went out to supplicate in the field (ibid. 24:63). Avraham who was renown for his acts of kindness, corresponds to gemilut chassadim (Megaleh Amukot, Bereishit). If so, why is gemilut chassadim listed last, when Avraham was the first of the patriarchs? ANSWER: Hashem told Avraham to leave his native land and promised him that I will make you a great nation: I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing (ibid. 12:2). Rashi explains that I will make you a great nation is a reference to that which they say in the Shemonah Esreih, Elokei Avraham G d of Avraham. I will bless you is a reference to that which they say in Shemoneh Esreih, Elokei Yitzchak G d of Yitzchok. I will make your name great is a reference to that which they say in Shemoneh Esreih, Elokei Yaakov G d of Yaakov. But, Hashem told Avraham, And you will be a blessing to imply that the berachah will be concluded with your name only Magen Avraham and not with them. Wouldn t Avraham be happier if Yitzchak and Yaakov were also mentioned in the conclusion of the berachah? According to Rashi, the pasuk is projecting the history of K lal Yisrael. There will be a time when the major relationship between the Jews and Hashem will be through the study of Torah (Elokei Yaakov). At other times it will be through tefillah prayer (Elokei Yitzchak), and there will be a period when it will be through chessed tzedakah (Elokei Avraham). However, the concluding phase of galut and the coming of Ma-shiach will not be dependent on all three pillars, but will occur in the zechut of deeds of kindness alone, which is personified by Avraham. )שמעתי מזקני הרב צבי הכהן ז"ל קפלן( Chapter 2 "מרבה צדקה מרבה שלום" Increasing charity increases peace. (2:7) QUESTION: What peace is made by giving charity? ANSWER: On the pasuk, Do not glorify a destitute person in his grievance (Shemot 23:3), the Or Hachaim asks, What is the grievance of the poor man? He answers, often the poor man is grieved about his economic situation and may express his frustration and anger against Hashem: Why does He take care of everyone and forsake me? When one extends tzedakah to the needy, he refutes the contention of the PIRKEI AVOS SHIUR For Women and Girls poor man. Now that his situation is alleviated, his complaining will cease and he will be at peace with Hashem. )מדרש שמואל( Alternatively, in our prayers we beseech, He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace for us. What is the analogy? Hashem called the heavens shamayim because they consist of two components: eish fire and mayim water. These are two rivals, since water extinguishes fire and fire can evaporate water, and Hashem made peace between them (Chagigah 12a). The physical body consists of four elements: fire, water, air, and earth. A healthy person s body must have a specific amount of heat, and the water cools the body. If the body temperature is too high, one can expire due to hyperthermia, and if it is too low, one can expire due to hypothermia. Our prayer to Hashem is that just as He makes peace in the heights between fire and water so that the heavens can exist, likewise may He make peace for us so that there will be an equilibrium between the fire and water in our body. King Shlomo says, Tzedakah tatzil mimavet Charity saves from death (Proverbs 10:12). Thus, through tzedakah the peace between the fire and the water in the body is maintained. )זרע יצחק מר' יצחק ז"ל חיות( "קנה לו דברי תורה קנה לו חיי עולם הבא" One who has acquired for himself Torah knowledge has acquired for himself life in the world to come. (2:7) QUESTION: The first lo for himself seems extra? ANSWER: A story is told of a great scholar who was unfortunately lacking much in his inter-personal relationships. Once, someone praised him to a Chassidic Rebbe, saying, He learned the entire shas (Talmud). The Rebbe retorted, He may have learned the entire shas, but what did shas teach him? There are people who learn very much, but unfortunately their learning does not have an effect on their character. With the word lo the Sage is emphasizing, If one has learned Torah and truly internalized it and this has made him into a better person, then he has acquired for himself the world to come. 5:30-6 PM Halachos and Insights of Tefilla with Rabbi Michoel Seligson 6-7 PM Pirkei Avos with Different Speaker each week. Congregation ANASH Use women's entrance on the side of the building. The longest running English Shiur in Crown Heights--26 years and still going strong! 770 Montgomery St.

10 10 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Rabbi Schneur Zalman: Alter Rebbe Chai Elul Reprinted from Chabad.org I. Early Years Rabbi Schneur Zalman was born on the 18th day of Elul (which is also the birthday of the Baal-Shem-Tov), in the year 5505 (1745), in the town of Liozna, province of Mohilev, in White Russia, which was part of Poland at that time. His parents, Baruch and Rivkah, had three sons, all of whom were outstanding Talmud scholars and Rabbis. Rabbi Schneur Zalman s father was a man of some means. He came from a family that originally lived in Bohemia and directly traced its ancestry to the famed Rabbi Yehuda Lowe (Maharal) of Prague. R Baruch was a secret follower of the Baal-Shem-Tov, and when Schneur Zalman reached the age of three years, his father took him to the Baal-Shem-Tov for the traditional haircutting ceremony. That was the only time that Rabbi Schneur Zalman saw the Baal-Shem-Tov in his life, though he was fifteen years old when the Baal-Shem-Tov passed away. It was the Baal-Shem-Tov s wish that Rabbi Schneur Zalman should find his own way of Chassidus. Until the age of twelve Schneur Zal man studied under a scholar of noble character, Rabbi Issachar Ber, in Luba vitch. Then his teacher sent him back home, informing his father that the boy could continue his studies without the aid of a teacher. During these early years, Schneur Zalman was introduced also to mathematics, geometry and astronomy by two learned brothers, refugees from Bohemia, who had settled in the vicinity of Liozna. One of them was also a scholar of the Kabbalah. When Schneur Zalman reached the age of Bar Mitzvah and, in accordance with custom, delivered his first public discourse on the Talmud, he was acclaimed as an outstanding Talmud scholar. He was thereupon elected as an honorary member of the local Chevra Kaddisha and entered into the pinkas (Register) of the community with titles and honors given only to mature scholars of exceptional merit. The fame of the young iluy (prodigy of learning) reached Vitebsk, where one of its most prominent Jews, Yehuda Leib Segal, a man of considerable wealth and scholarship, and a leader in the com munity, desired to have him as his son-in law. Rabbi Schneur Zalman was fifteen years old when he married Sterna, Yehuda Leib s daughter. She proved to be a worthy mate, who stood by him through out his lifetime. As was the custom in the better families of those days, the young couple was fully supported by the wife s father for several years, so that the young scholar could dedicate all of his time to the learning of Torah. Before his marriage, Rabbi Schneur Zalman began to take an active interest in the economic position of his brethren. He had always felt that the towns and cities were too overcrowded to offer many opportunities to the Jews for mak ing a living, and that more Jews should settle on the land and engage in agri cultural pursuits. In his younger days he stood up on a wagon in the market place in Liozna, where many Jews had gathered for the local Fair, and delivered a talk on the need of settling on the land. Now that he was married and in possession of a substantial dowry, he created a special fund, with the consent of his wife, to help Jewish families settle on the land. Rabbi Schneur Zalman s father-in-law had dealings with the nobles and high officials in and around Vitebsk. Two occasions presented themselves to him to introduce his brilliant son-in-law to these circles. One occasion was when the sun-dial in the garden of the governor of Vitebsk suddenly stopped func tioning perfectly. Severa1 scientists whom the governor had called in, failed to solve the mystery. Finally, the young Rabbi Schneur Zalman was invited to take a look at it and he discovered the cause of the malfunction in an obstruction created by trees that had grown tall on a hill at a certain distance away. The other occasion was when he solved a mathematical problem with which the local academy of science had been wrestling for a long time. Rabbi.Schneur Zalman s reputation and acquaintance with the local nobility later stood him in good stead. II. Turning Point Being a very ardent student, and gifted with a brilliant mind, Rabbi Schneur Zalman had become proficient in the en tire Talmudic literature,with all its com mentaries and early and late poskim (codifiers), before he was eighteen years old. Soon afterwards he decided to leave home in search of a teacher and guide to help him attain a higher degree of Divine service. From wandering scholars that passed through Vitebsk he had heard about the saintly teacher of Miezricz, Rabbi Dov Ber, the disciple and successor of the Baal-Sheni-Tov. It was said: In Wilno you learn how to master the Torah; in Miezricz you learn how to let the Torah master you. Rabbi Schneur Zalman made the momentous decision to go to Miezricz. This was the turning point in his life. Rabbi Schneur Zalman s father-in-law was vehemently opposed to his going to Miezricz. Like many other Jews at that time, who knew very little of Chassidus and what it stood for, Yehuda Leib Segal was a bitter opponent of the new move ment. He threatened to deprive his son-inlaw and daughter of any further financial assistance if Rabbi Schneur Zalman did not change his mind. But Sterna stood by her husband and agreed to his leaving home for eighteen months. She sold some of her precious possessions to buy a horse and cart for her husband to make the long trip. Rabbi Schneur Zalman set out for Miezricz together with his brother Rabbi Yehuda Leib. Having made their way to Orsha, a distance of fifty miles, the horse collapsed. Rabbi Schneur Zalman then learned that his brother had left home without his wife s consent. He urged him to return home, while he himself continued his journey to Miezricz on foot. His first impressions were not en couraging, but Rabbi Schneur Zalman decided to stay, and before long he rea lized how saintly and learned Rabbi Dov Ber was, and becar4o his devoted disciple. Returning to Vitebsk after eighteen months, as he had promised his wife, Rabbi Schneur Zalman met with a great deal of animosity on the part of his wife s family and other members of the community. But he also gained a number of followers who were eager to learn about the Chassidic teachings and way of life. Soon Rabbi Schneur Zalman went to Miezricz again, and continued to visit his master from time to time, following him also to Rovno and Anipoli, where Rabbi Dov Ber moved towards the end of his life. For several years Rabbi Schneur Zalman and his wife suffered many hardships. Finally, in the year 5527 (1767), he was offered the position of Maggid (preacher) in his home town Liozna. He accepted this post, which he held for the next thirty years, until he moved to Liadi after his second arrest and liberation (in 180b). When Rabbi Schneur Zalman was barely twenty-five years old, Rabbi Dov Ber chose him, the youngest of his disciples, to re-edit the Shulchan Aruch. It was 200 years since Rabbi Joseph Caro had written his famous work. During this time much material had been added to the Halachah literature, and it was Rabbi Schneur Zalman s task to examine and sift all the new Rabbinical material, make decisions where necessary in the light of the earlier codifiers and Talmudic authorities, and finally embody the re sults into the new edition of the Shulchan Aruch, thus bringing it up-to-date. Rabbi Schneur Zalman superbly accomplished this task, which gave him an honored place among the great codifiers of Jewish Law. The work became known as the Rav s Shulchan Aruch, in distinction from its forerunner. Several years later he began to work out his Chabad system of Chassidus, which he eventually published in his famous work Likkutei Amarim, or Tanya. On the 19th of Kislev, in the year 5532 (1772), Rabbi Dov Ber passed away. His disciples resolved to continue spreading the teachings of Chassidus in their respective territories. Rabbi Schneur Zalman s task was to capture the very stronghold of the opposition, the province of Lithuania, with Wilno, the seat of the famed Gaon Rabbi Elijah. During the next three years Rabbi Schneur Zalman visited many important communities, where he preached publicly and won many followers. But the spread of the Chassidic movement only sharpened the opposition. Rabbi Schneur Zalman, accompanied by his senior colleague Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Horodok, went to Wilno in the hope of convincing the Gaon that his opposition was based on misinformation. But Rabbi Elijah refused to see them. Rabbi Menachem Mendel and some other Chassidic leaders and followers left for the Holy Land. Rabbi Schneur Zalman undertook to raise funds for their support. When Rabbi Menachem Mendel died (in 178 8), Rabbi Schneur Zalman was recognized as the chief leader of the Chassidim. III. The Rebbe and Leader Rabbi Schneur Zalman established a school of selected disciples in his home town Liozna. Under his wise leadership and guidance, many wellorganized Chas sidic communities were established. He was a lover of peace, and he urged his followers to refrain from debates and quarrels with their opponents. He intro duced many important ordinances to improve the standards of prayer and re ligious observances. He insisted that the prayers in the Chassidic congregations should be recited unhurriedly and with devotion. He established the proper text of the prayers, Nusach Ari, publishing a Nusach Ari Siddur (in two volumes). The nusach is often Continued on the next page

11 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 11 The Baal Shem Tov ( ) Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov was born on the 18th day of Elul in the year 5458 in a little town called Okup in the Ukraine. The name Baal Shem Tov meaning the master of the Name, was given him later, when he became known as a great and pious leader, with divine powers to perform miracles. At the age of 5 he lost his father, Eliezer, who was a very pious and modest man, greatly respected in his community. Before his death, Eliezer called his little son to his bedside and told him: My last message to you, dear son, is: Fear no one and nothing, but G-d alone! Love every Jew with all your heart and soul! The little orphan was placed in the care of a teacher in cheder. Whenever the little boy had an opportunity, he ran to the nearby woods, spending hours absorbed in thought, watching the great miracles of nature, and seeing the divine hand in every little flower and blade of grass. This nature study in his early youth left a profound impression upon him, and later on, in one of his lectures to his disciples, he said: When you see a leaf blown from a tree and whirled along the pathway, don t think it s an accident, for it s moved by the will of G-d! At an early age he was appointed assistant to the teacher of the cheder. His duties were to recite the Shema and the blessings and prayers with the youngest children, as well as to conduct them to cheder and back home. He loved the little children with all his heart, and it was his greatest joy to teach the pure little children the prayers and blessings. The Alter Rebbe Continued from page 10 called Nusach Cha bad. He insisted that Chassidic shochtim should use steel knives for Shechitah (in stead of the older wrought iron knives), to ensure the better observance of Kashrus. He introduced the warm Mikvah. The two last mentioned improvements, which at first raised a storm of protest on the part of some opponents, have eventually been accepted by all orthodox Jews. During the years Rabbi Schneur Zalman was very busy organ izing and defending the position of the Chassidic communities. But the next seven years ( ) were relatively quiet, which gave Rabbi Schneur Zalman the longed-for opportunity,to devote more time to spread Chassidus. With the partition of Poland in 1793 and again in 1795, when Russia took over large Polish territories densely popu lated by Jews, there arose many economic problems, which were worsened by re strictions placed on Jews by the Russian government. Rabbi Schneur Zalman proved himself to be a wise leader not only of the Chassidim, but of Jews in general. Thus he created a pattern of dedicated leadership-both as a Chassidic leader ( Rebbe ) and as a Jewish leader in general-a pattern which was followed by his successors, the heads of Chabad to this day. Those days were the happiest in my life, he once said many years later, and nothing is so acceptable to G-d as the prayers and blessings coming from the lips of those pure kiddies! At the age of 14, the Baal Shem Tov joined the legion of Tzadikim nistarim ) (pious and learned Jews who disguised themselves as poor and simple folk, so that they could mix with the poor and unlearned Jews and do their good work among them). The spiritual leader of these secret service men was the great and saintly Baal Shem Rabbi Adam of Ropshitz, the successor of Rabbi Joel Baal Shem of Zamushtz, who in turn was the successor of Rabbi Elijah Baal Shem of Worms-all the three of them were renowned for their piety and scholarship and divine powers. In the year 5476, when the Baal Shem Tov was eighteen years of age, he introduced a new kind of service for the Nistarim to perform. They were to devote themselves to the education of the Jewish children. There were many Jewish settlements and tiny communities where there were no Jewish teachers and no Torah-schools (chedarim), and the Nistarim had to provide teachers from their own ranks. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov himself set up a cheder of his own in a little town in Galicia, called Tlosty. In his private life, Israel was a plain and modest young man, but his wisdom and honesty attracted the attention of his fellow Jews, and many brought their disputes to him for arbitration. The burden of leadership began to weigh very heavily on him. He had some 100,000 personal followers (Chas sidim) at this time, and their numbers were increasing steadily. Many people besieged him with their personal problems, material and spiritual. He appealed to them to address their material problems to their Father in Heaven, and come to him only with spiritual problems. He published the Tanya as a guide to spiritual problems. But those were diffi cult times for the Jews of Russia, and he could not free himself of the burdens of leadership. In 5558 (1798) a group of extremists among the opposition denounced Rabbi Schneur Zalman and some of his leading Chassidim to the Russian authorities in Petersburg as traitors to the Czar. The false accusation was well timed. The territory had only recently been annexed from Poland, and Czar Paul was highly sensitive to any activities by Polish nationalists. Besides, Russia and Turkey had been at war for years. The fact that Rabbi Schneur Zalman collected funds to support the needy in the Holy Land (which was part of the Turkish empire) was used by these slanderers as evidence that Rabbi Schneur Zalman was an enemy of Russia. (To be continued) One day a prominent Jew, Ephraim of Kutty, came to him with a disputed case, and he was so impressed with R Israel, that he offered to give his daughter Leah Rachel to him in marriage. The agreement was thereupon recorded, and R Ephraim returned home. When the time of the wedding drew near, R Israel went to Brody, to the bride s brother (for her father had died in the meantime) to claim his bride. He was disguised in the garb of a poor peasant, and was too modest to show any scholarship. His would-be brother-in-law, who was a respected and well known scholar, was shocked at the prospect of having such an ignorant relative, but the bride, looking into the soul of her suitor rather than his appearance. accepted him as her husband. R Israel and his wife retired to the Carpathian mountains, where they lived in great poverty, but Israel had all the solitude he desired and could devote his time to the study of the Torah and Kabbalah. The Baal Shem Tov became the spiritual leader of the legion of `Tzadikim Nistarim and he directed all their activities. When countless chedarim and Yeshivoth had been established in various Jewish communities, the Baal Shem Tov gave them a new task. They were now to devote their services primarily. to the grown ups who also needed a good education and training; they had to raise the plain folk from the swamp of ignorance to a place among the learned. This they had to achieve through creating widespread interest in the Torah, and through showing a good example of devotion to the Torah and precepts. At the age of thirty-six it was divinely revealed to him that he had a special mission to perform-to spread new light and instill new life into Israel through the teachings of `Hassidism. He could no longer remain disguised, and could no longer carry on his work in secret. He had to come out into the open and carry out his mission to the fullest extent. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov settled in Miedzyboz. He began to preach his teachings and doctrines in public, and at once began to attract unusual attention and numerous followers. Many young men, as well as venerable scholars, came to Miedzyboz to learn the new way of worshipping G-d and to attain the highest moral heights. They became ardent disciples of the Baal Shev Tov, and were called Hassidim -meaning pious Jews. Among his many thousands of followers was an outstanding Talmudist, named Rabbi Bear of Meseritz who later became his successor, and the teacher of the celebrated Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liady, the founder of Habad Hassidism. The teachings of Hassidism stressed the importance of prayer, and the observance of all the precepts and commandments of the Torah with a spirit of cheerfulness, and with all the heart. Simple faith is something that every Jew possesses, and through devout prayer and the reciting of the Psalms, even the unlearned Jew can attain a high spiritual plane. Selfless affection for fellow Jews and selfless devotion to the Torah was to be steadily cultivated, together with a feeling of humility and absolute modesty. By countless thousands of Jews, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov is regarded as a divinely sent prophet who instilled new life and new hope into the scattered and shattered flocks of Israel in all lands, and fortified them with faith and courage to meet the dreadful days that were to come on the eve of the coming of the righteous Messiah, speedily in our time. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov died in Miedzyboz on the first day of Shovuos in the year 5520, at the age of 62, but his teachings are still studied and followed by the numerous Hassidim in all lands. Great news!!! ChabadWeekly.com Great news!!! Chabad Weekly is an online listing of - Full page ads, Events, Advertisements, Jobs, Sales, Housing and much more. 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12 12 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Rav Tzvi Meir Steinmetz- The Rebbe s Poet By R. Yaffe and E. Tauber The Rebbe called Rav Tzvi Meir Steinmetz the Hungarian ambassador. Indeed, from the moment he became a chossid of the Rebbe, Rav Steinmetz strove to be the Rebbe s shliach in every area of his life -in his books of poems, in his work in chinuch, in his shiurim and lectures, and even in his job as a real estate broker. He saw his life as a spiritual quest which culminated in the discovery of Chabad Chassidus. At that time, Rav Steinmetz was the father of family, an immigrant struggling to make a living in America. But he attached himself to the Rebbe with the fervor and excitement of a young boy. Tzvi Meir s journey began in the village of Brister in Carpathian Ruthenia on the border of Galicia. His father, Rabbi Shlomo Dov, was one of the few prosperous merchants in the small village. Shlomo Dov and his wife Leah Gittel had an open house, dispensing tzedaka and hospitality to everyone in need. Rav Tzvi Meir recalled the many guests that surrounded the Shabbos table, and the straw mattresses that were spread across the floor for travelers. Tzvi Meir was an only son among seven daughters, and his father took great pains to give him the best chinuch possible. He hired a brilliant and accomplished Rabbi, a refugee from Poland, to teach his son Chumash, Tanach, Dikduk,, and even astronomy. At the tender age of eight, Tzvi Meir already demonstrated a love of learning and writing. He wrote his own original composition about the month of Nissan in which he was born, enumerating the unique characteristics of that month. Later, his father sent him to learn in the Yeshiva of Galanta, where he succeeded in the study of Shas and Poskim. As a young man, he was also interested in Jewish thought and philosophy. He was drawn to the approach of Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, which combined Torah with secular knowledge. However, he felt a deep loyalty to chassidus, inherited from both of his parents. He was proud of his family s distinguished yichus, and that his family were Chassidim of Sanz, Viznitz, Dolin and Riditzov. In his twenties, Tzvi Meir was the beloved student of the Slotvene Rebbe in Siget. In spite of the dangerous times, the Slotvene Rebbe traveled by train to officiate at Tzvi Meir s wedding. Rav Steinmetz married Devora Eisenberg, from a distinguished chassidishe family. She was to be his true ezer k negdo for the next 65 years. They moved to Hungary, where the young scholar tried, not very successfully, to take part in his in-laws wholesale grocery business. The conflict he felt between the two streams of Yiddishkeit--the traditional Chassidic way and the path of the religious German Jewish thinkers--was interrupted suddenly and tragically with the advent of World War II. Tzvi Meir wrote a haunting and prophetic poem entitled Asifas Nemerov (the Gathering of Nemerov) alluding to the suffering of the Jews of Poland at the hands of the Nazis. The poem caused a stir in the literary circles in Budapest. When it was read in the main synagogue, people cried bitterly, dreading what lay ahead of them. When the Nazis conquered Hungary (1944), Rav Steinmetz and his family were forced to go into hiding. He managed to find a safe haven for his wife and daughters, and also for several orphaned nieces and nephews. One nephew, Andre Garfein yichye, recalls his uncle walking with him to a place of refuge through the streets of Budapest, while reciting the entire Megilla by heart, for it was Purim. Rav Steinmetz did not often dwell on these dark days. But one harrowing escape became part of family history. Rav Steinmetz was hiding in a deserted warehouse with some other people who were for one reason or another, fugitives in Nazi Hungary. Suddenly, a group of German soldiers burst into their hiding place,and demanded to see their identification papers. After inspecting these, the soldiers ordered the fugitives to come to Nazi headquarters, a certain death sentence for a Jew. Miraculously, three Hungarian officers materialized in full uniform. Ordering the Gernan soldiers to leave, they declared that this was their country and they would take care of the matter. Swiftly looking through the papers, they approved them all, even a cleaner s ticket, Rav Steinmetz used to say. He saw in this story an example of the many miracles every survivor experienced. Rav Steinmetz expressed his gratitude for his deliverance in his poetry, as well as his sorrow for those who were not spared. In later years, surrounded by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren during family celebrations, he liked to quote the words of Yaakov Ovinu, I am unworthy of all the kindness that You have granted me. For with my staff (alone) I crossed the Yarden. When the war ended, Rav Steinmetz and his family were reunited. He discovered to his joy that his parents and six of his sisters had survived. Grateful villagers, who remembered the family s kindness and generosity had hidden them in bunkers in the mountains, bringing them food until the liberation. How could we allow Berko (Tzvi Meir s father) to perish of hunger, they asked, after he provided us with our livelihood for so many years? In 1948, as the iron curtain came down over Eastern Europe, the Steinmetz family moved to Vienna, Austria. Rav Steinmetz served as editor, and when necessary sole writer of Di Stimme Israel, a journal published by Benyomin Screiber, the president of the Agudat Israel of Austria. In Vienna, he also published a volume of Hebrew poetry, dedicated to the kedoshim of the shoah. Early in 1952, Tzvi Meir and his family came to the United States with their three daughters. Both he and his wife Devora were eager to escape the continent of death and suffering. They were also determined to live in a place where his daughters would receive a chinch al taharas hakodesh. Arriving in the United States, the Steinmetzes had to find a means of livelihood. HaRav Hachossid Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson offered Tzvi Meir a teaching and administrative position in Bais Rivka. It was his first encounter with Chabad Chassidus. He watched the Rebbe davening, and he was instantly captivated. I had seen the holy Rebbes in Europe, he explained, praying with a fervor that was apparent to all. The Rebbe prayed quietly, without outward demonstrations of feeling. Yet from the moment I saw him, I knew that before me was an Ish Elokim. Before assuming his duties as principal of Bais Rivka, Rav Steinmetz had a yechidus with the Rebbe. They discussed the challenges in education, and Rav Steinmetz was deeply impressed by the Rebbe s approach. Later, he attended Farbrengens. Rav Steinmetz recalled, I was accustomed to hearing Rebbes speak divrei Torah for a quarter or half an hour. But here the Rebbe was holding forth for hours, moving effortlessly from Talmudic reasoning, to philosophy, to chassidus. He opened new vistas before me, gave new directions to my thoughts. I was enchanted. Rav Steinmetz experienced a special joy in his attachment to the Rebbe. He no longer felt lonely in his spiritual quest. The questions and issues he had struggled with on his own were answered by the Rebbe. The Rebbe gave me the keys to understanding and Avoda. Eventually, Rav Steinmetz gathered courage to tell the Rebbe that he wrote poetry, and that not all the poems were about Chassidic topics. The Rebbe smiled and said, You can show them to me. They won t do me any harm. The Rebbe had a great understanding of literature and encouraged him in his literary ventures. When Rav Steinmetz worried that writing poetry was taking time away from learning Torah, the Rebbe assured him, There will be people who will learn Torah because they were inspired by your poetry. The merit of their learning will be credited to you. At another time, the Rebbe said, Many sichos are incorporated in these poems. With the Rebbe s encouragement, Rav Steinmetz published three volumes of poetry. under the pen name Tzvi Yair.. The first was dedicated to the Rebbe, as follows: Tzvi L zadik - To the one who in the shadow of the wings of his love, the love of father and brother, have found refuge and peace, all the lost and forsaken, to kvod kdushas the Rebbe of Lubavitch, Tzvi Yair s poems were acclaimed by critics and teachers in Israel, who marveled how a writer who had never lived in Israel could write such a beautiful, classical Hebrew. He visited Israel several times, speaking to the general public, and at Bais Yaakovs schools, which had incorporated his poems into their curriculum. Year after year, Tzvi Meir presented the Rebbe with a unique birthday gift, a poem

13 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 13 Horav Meir Itkin Continued on page 5 city of Lemberg. They spent several years in displaced person camps before moving to France. Reb Meir worked as a shochet in Marseilles as the Previous Rebbe advised. In 1953, Reb Meir and his family emigrated to the United States. Arrival in the U.S. The Rebbe took an interest in Reb Meir s personal life. Reb Meir first moved to Philadelphia and was supported by American cousins. His cousins advised him, Study English and become a little Americanized. Reb Meir immediately went to the Rebbe who told him, You don t need it. Reb Meir never learned English. A short while later, Reb Meir received an offer in Philadelphia to work as a shochet. The Rebbe advised him, If you work there and try to make the employers happy, you will have to compromise on shechita and if you try to uphold shechita to the highest standard, they will fire you. After this, Reb Meir and his family moved to N.Y. Reb Meir began looking for an apartment to rent. The Rebbe told Reb Meir to check if there was a dog at one location that he was considering. He did so and found that the super had a dog that was hostile to children. Reb Meir went to the Rebbe and said I want a house near 770, because I want my children to play in 770. The Rebbe gave Reb Meir a brocho to find a house nearby. Prior to the purchase of their house in 1966, the Rebbe advised Reb Meir to buy a house in close proximity to 770. Reb Meir considered 766 Eastern Parkway. Visiting the house, he opened the light and looked across the yard. He saw the Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, who was closing the light in her apartment. Reb Meir felt that this would be invading the privacy of the Rebbetzin and instead purchased the next house. On this occasion, the Rebbe blessed Reb The Rebbe s Poet Continued from page 12 dedicated to the Rebbe and his leadership. The Rebbe would respond with a warm Yishar Koach far dem shir. On occasion, the Rebbe would critique a poem. In one poem, the author complained that the Jewish people were seeking Hashem only to fulfill their needs, crying, give, give. The Rebbe gently rebuked the author, explaining that asking for our needs from Hashem is a legitimate and halachik obligation. He told him not to discard the poem. I am sure you can rescue the poem. Write it differently. Even though poetry was such an important part of his life, Rav Steinmetz wrote mostly at night. For many years he was a teacher, bringing the graduates of his Ohel Moshe Yeshiva class to the Rebbe. Later, he owned a real estate company, where he was involved at Meir with a long life. Reb Meir owned and worked in a sweater factory well into his 80 s. Nevertheless, he continued to work on himself and would often fast on specific days. After he retired, he was always seen with a sefer. He was always learning and attending shiurim. He learned three chapters of Rambam daily, and was constantly making siyumim on them. Despite his advanced age, Reb Meir made sure to perform mitzvos bhidur. It was hard for him to get around, yet he went to 770 every day. On Motzoei Yom Kippur at the age of 95, he needed a candle to make Havdala. Although there were grandchildren in the house, he insisted on going to 770 to get the candle for havdala. He refused to give up one detail of a mitzva. Reb Meir s years in New York were good ones in that he merited, due to the close proximity of his home to Lubavitch headquarters, to enjoy the glow of the Rebbe on an hourly basis. His seven children and tens of grandchildren brought true chassidishe nachas to him and his wife, and they sustained much the Rebbe s directive in preserving the shechuna when many families were fleeing Crown Heights. But he never stopped teaching. He interpreted and explained the Rebbe s sichos to those who did not yet know Yiddish. To do so, he had to leave early, in the middle of the farbrengen. Upset that he was missing part of the farbrengen, he once argued with the Rebbe, Doesn t it say Your life comes first? The Rebbe replied, This is your life! He gave lectures and shiurim to groups small and large. Once he was invited to speak to a meditation group in Long Island. He transformed the meditation sessions into Torah classes, delving into the inner meaning of the Torah according to chassidus. A number of these people are now chassidim, frum Jews raising their own Jewish families, he would say with pleasure. Rav Steinmetz was generous with his time, counseling, advising and listening joy in the many family celebrations. Reb Meir was a chossid of the old school, a remnant of another time and place. He conducted himself with the integrity and fear of heaven that one reads about in the books about chassidim. Reb Meir did not like to be photographed and did not pose willingly. The only photos available of him are those that were taken when he was davening, learning, or performing a Mitzva, unaware of the photographer. He Knows H o w T o Do a Yid a Favor Reb Meir was a genius in learning. He was also very people smart and in a short time could ascertain a person s true character. Reb Meir used this gift as a way to determine how to better help that person. Reb Meir s ahavas yisroel, hospitality, and good heart were legendary. In a private audience with an individual, the Rebbe advised him to go and speak to Reb Meir, Er vais vi tzu ton a Yid a toiva, he knows how to do a Yid a favor. In 2007, on the 17 th of Kislev, his son, Hachossid Reb Chaim Schneur Zalman, who served as the Rebbe s shliach in Hamilton, Canada and was known for his warmth and great success in bringing Yidden closer to Yiddishkeit, was suddenly nifter at an untimely age. This took a toll on Reb Meir. In Elul that year, Reb Meir became ill to lonely or troubled people. In the tradition of his family, he gave tzedaka with an open hand, often secretly. At the shiva, his family heard for the first time that Rav Steinmetz had paid the tuition of several students in Yeshiva Ohel Moshe, where he taught, to prevent these children from leaving theyeshiva. And this was at a time when he was a struggling teacher, barely able to pay his own children s tuition! Once, in those early years, he wrote a check for a large amount for the Rebbe. The Rebbe looked at it, and asked, Is it covered? Rav Steinmetz assured him that it was. Later, he became an active supporter of Chadrei Torah Ohr, an organization providing chinch to children in Israel who attended public schools., and visited Israel to inspect the institution. He and his wife Devora were deeply involved with their grandchildren, some who literally grew up in their home., and and was hospitalized. On the 17 th of Elul, nine months after the ptira of his oldest son, Reb Meir returned his soul to its creator. Reb Meir left his wife, Mrs. Sima Itkin OBM of Crown Heights; and may they live and be well, Mrs. Feigel Rappaport, the wife of Horav Dovid Rappaport, Shluchim in Mequon, Wisconsin; his daughter, Mrs. Shaindel Tiechtel, the Hebrew Department principal of the Bais Rivka High School, the wife of Horav Shlomo Tiechtel of Crown Heights; his son, Horav Yosef Yitzchok, Shliach in Pittsburgh, the mashpia in Yeshiva Achei Tmimim and the Pittsburgh community, and a Director in the Vaad Hakashrus of Pittsburgh; his son, Horav Menachem Mendel of Melbourne Australia; his son Horav Leibel, Shliach in Scranton, PA and a shochet; his daughter, Mrs. Chana Geisinsky, the wife of Horav Yosef Yitzchok Geisinsky, Shluchim in Great Neck, New York; and many grandchildren who serve as the Rebbe s shluchim worldwide. Yehi Zichro Boruch! May Hachossid Hatomim Reb Meir, a legendary chossid who lived with the values of his background and upbringing, and at a young age sacrificed himself for Torah and Mitzvos, who was committed to love a fellow Jew in an exceptional manner to the point of self-sacrifice, and who derived pleasure in assisting another Yid in many different ways; serve as the inspiration to take pride in our heritage, to pass the traditions to the younger generations, and to be sincerely devoted and committed to the well being of a fellow Jew, especially those among us. We should speedily witness The ones who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice with Horav Hachossid Reb Meir among them. on whom he left an indelible impression. But he always found time to write. After Gimmel Tamuz, the poet s pen lay idle. But a while later, Tzvi Yair wrote his final poem, a tribute entitled Lament and Consolation. He assured the Chassidim, A faithful shepherd does not abandon his flock. At the age of seventy, the Rebbe gave Rav Steinmetz a bracha for long years, to gevura (eighty) and Lasuach (ninety) explaining the word lasuach, to speak words of Torah. Rav Steinmetz passed away on Friday, Erev Shabbos, Parshas Ki Setze, the twelfth of Elul. He was ninety years old. He is survived by his three daughters: Yehudis Lazar, a shlucha in Milan, Italy, and Rochel Yaffe and Esther Tauber of Crown Heights. His grandchildren and great -grandchildren are engaged in learning, teaching, writing and disseminating the teachings of the Rebbe.

14 14 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Shleimus Haaretz Make their Disgrace Widely Known - Section Two: The Main Thing is Action Published and copyright by Sichos In English In his address of 10 Kislev 5743 (1982), the Rebbe said: There is still some hope left; if people will cry out time after time, not from behind a curtain but publicly, it will become apparent that we are not embarrassed to scream out. Possibly, if everyone continued to cry out until the elections, it might eventually help. As a result, those in charge will set their priorities correctly: first and foremost, they would look after the security of those living in the Land of Israel, and only afterwards busy themselves with other concerns. Similarly, on the eve of 3 Tammuz 5742 (1982), the Rebbe said: I will not delude myself by thinking that when we remind the politicians of all their past mistakes (e.g. Camp David), they will immediately change their minds and have remorse over the approach they have taken for so long. Concerning fear of Heaven, there is nothing to discuss with them they are not afraid of G-d, they have no reverence for the Code of Jewish Law. That is why they are waging war against altering the law of Who is a Jew, against Sabbath observance, etc. They have even lost any semblance of shame in front of other human beings. There is only one choice left for us in order to alter their behavior: We must widely publicize in such a way that everyone will be aware of it that a certain person delayed the prompt and military conclusion of Operation Peace for the Gallilee, despite the emphatic opinion of the military. The military had stated that it was necessary to execute the operation completely (an opinion which was made known even in the Israeli newspapers, in spite of the censor). When everyone becomes aware that he is the one who delayed this Operation, no one will vote for him (nor his proteges and his party) in the next elections to the Knesset. Consequently, he will not be allowed to speak in the name of the Jews of the Land of Israel. (He can speak in the name of the Arabs, whom he benefited by delaying the conclusion of the war; but not in the name of the Jewish people!) Apparently this is the only action which will affect the politicians. A Directive to Public Servants: Staunchly Influence them Not to Compromise on a Single Inch In his address of Shabbos Parshas Matos-Masei, 5749 (1989), the Rebbe said: There are special demands placed upon those who work for the community, since they have an added share of responsibility in rescuing the general public from danger... and especially community leaders in the Holy Land, The land upon which G-d s eyes continually rest from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. Such leaders have superior capabilities which must be taken advantage of in full. In particular, this includes their duty to influence the government not to compromise, G-d forbid, on even one inch of our Holy Land. This is because the Holy One gave it to the Children of Israel, so that they may dwell there as free men, even prior to the redemption. There is no true free man, other than one who is involved in learning Torah, in true contentment and security. In this context, we will merit to immediately enter and inherit the land, with the full and complete redemption by our righteous Moshiach Inspiration for the Beginning of the School Year Mashpia ~ Provide for Yourself: a Teacher On Shabbos Chazon, Parshas Devorim, 5746, the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita referred to the verse in the Haftorah: Tziyon shall be redeemed with judgment and those that return to her, with righteousness. Yeshayahu 1:27) He elaborated: Judgment and righteousness will bring redemption to the Jewish people. Strong emphasis must be placed on Torah study especially Halachah; and mitzvos especially charity. Yeshivah students should increase their Torah study and people involved in worldly matters should increase their tzedakah. Everyone should have a teacher who will help evaluate his/her achievements in Torah and Yiddishkeit. Masters of Torah: Master Torah! Although this directive applies to everyone, since we are dealing with Torah study and charity, it would appear that the emphasis should be divided between the two groups of Jews, Yissachar and Zevulun, masters of Torah and masters of good deeds. Test Your Mettle! Another suggestion. It would be proper that the students take examinations from time to time to test their level of knowledge. Knowing that there will be periodic testing will increase their enthusiasm and vigor in their studies. It would also be advisable to transmit the result of the testing in writing. This will make the students even more zealous to attain even better grades, for, the jealousy of scribes (scholars) increases wisdom (B. Basra 22a). Hopefully, the first set of tests will be administered even before Tishah B Av, when the emphasis is that Tziyon shall be redeemed with judgment, and completed no later than the 15th of Av, which has a unique association with Torah. As the Gemara relates: From this day onward [the nights grow longer, and] he who increases [his knowledge through increased Torah study] will have his life prolonged. (Ta anis 31a; Rashi, loc. cit.) Having explained that the role of redeeming Tziyon through Torah is mainly the job of the scholars, masters of Torah, while the return through tzedakah applies mainly to the masters of good deeds, people who are involved in the more temporal aspects of life, it is, nevertheless, self-evident that both aspects of Divine service really apply (with different emphasis) to both groups. Thus the yeshivah students must also increase their tzedakah and their good deeds during this period, which also includes disseminating Torah and the wellsprings of Chassidus to the outside. On the other hand, the worldly people, masters of good deeds, who must mainly increase tzedakah and good deeds, should also increase their Torah study during this time. They too, should study the laws of the Bais Hamikdosh. Additional Study for the Doers I therefore address this soulful request also to the masters of good deeds, the business people, professionals and working people, that they should gather for regular additional study sessions to study Halachah, from now through the 15th of Av, and onwards. To add an aspect of urgency to this request it would be proper also to connect this directive with the concept of testing. The Mishnah teaches, Provide yourself with a teacher (Avos 1:6). Every Jew should seek out and designate for himself/herself a teacher, a Rav whose words he will rely on. One must learn from all people, but every Jew should also have one Rav. Being biased to one s own shortcomings one cannot rely on him/herself, so we need someone who is objective, wise and sensitive to help us evaluate our accomplishments. This must be someone whom we look up to and whose words and advice we will follow. Teacher, Test Me! Let everyone, man, woman and child therefore fulfill the words of the Mishnah: Provide yourself with a teacher, even if it involves bother and tedious work to find him/her. We speak of a Rav-teacher, counselor or mashpia, and women and girls must also appoint for themselves mashpios. In this way, from time to time you will visit your rabbi/mashpia and be examined and evaluated. How are you progressing in Torah study, what about tzedakah, and your general Divine service? Are you careful that all your actions should be for the sake of Heaven? This evaluation will lead to helpful and wise advice. Knowing that you must report and be examined from time to time will sharpen your desire to advance even more. This system is very important all year round and my suggestion and soulful request is to publicize this widely, so that all Jews, men, women and children will fulfill the directive of the Mishnah, Provide yourself with a teacher, and from time to time will be tested in their level of Divine service. This will certainly magnify and increase all areas of holiness and goodness in an ever-increasing way.

15 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 15 Tznius: "America Is Nisht Andersh Why a new name for this column? What was wrong with just Tznius? Because Tznius is not simply a matter of covering collar bones, elbows and knees. Micha HaNavi used the word Hatzneia (from the same shoresh as Tznius) Leches Im Hashem Elokeicha to instruct us: walk humbly with your G-d. Tznius includes a whole life approach. It dictates how we should talk and how we should walk. It should form our thoughts and affect our mannerisms. Unfortunately American culture has assaulted some of these values which for generations parents and teachers passed on to children by way of their example. Perhaps never before has the Lubavitch community been so exposed to the surrounding culture and certainly the surrounding culture has never been so decadent, so corrupting, so un-tznius. For this reason, when we combat problems of Tznius, we must remember the Friederke Rebbe s dictum that America Is Nisht Andersh America is not different. When the Rebbe uttered these words, a great number of otherwise religious Jews felt that in the great American melting pot allowances should be made for working on Shabbos, cutting beards, and adopting other American society dictums. Against this background, the Rebbe said America is Nisht Aderish. Jews should keep the Torah s commandments no less in America than they did in Europe. Jews should not let American culture lower their Yiddishe standards. And resisting American culture is what threatens our Tznius standards today. That is why we will henceforth affix the Freiderker Rebbe s famous dictum above this column. Soon after the Rebbe, my father-in-law, arrived in America in the year 5700, he revealed that his Divine mission in this land was to transform it into a place of Torah and fear of G-d. There were those who then asked him: This is, after all, America; it is not like the old home. The Rebbe replied: America is no different; with regard to Torah and Mitzvos America is no exception! This saying has special significance for Jewish women - to a certain extent even more than for men. Women, in general, have a tendency to follow the latest styles. Quite often the latest fashion and style may have a deleterious influence on tznius. Jewish women must know that the very same Torah and Mitzvos, and the very same principle of The entire glory of the king s daughter is within that applied in the old home, apply in America as well. Excerpt from a letter of the Rebbe, Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, p. 364 We have much to thank the Freideker Rebbe for. Starting with his arrival and continuing of course with our Rebbe, our community has undergone an amazing transformation and huge expansion. Baruch Hashem we have come a long way. And we cannot, Chas Vechalila, risk any backsliding. Just a few weeks ago, a woman from a Lubavicher bungalow colony wanted to take her children to the neighboring non-lubavitch colony to play on their large, state of the art, play ground. Of course she asked permission and was welcomed. However there was a caveat: Please, we don t want girls coming in riding bikes and we require all girls, even young ones, to wear tights so that they expose nothing, especially when they dangle from the monkey bars. That woman gladly complied and dressed her young daughters appropriately. The next day a neighbor s child seven years old asked if she could join them on their new playground outing but upon hearing the tights requirements she balked at the suggestion and said So why don t we go to.. a Lubavitcher colony where they don t require tights. How sad! A non-lubavitch colony was being Nisht Andersh and one of our young ones was not given her rightful Morasha of adhering to Nisht Andersh. The Rebbe our Rebbe is the one who insisted that all girls above three wear tights. Translation of a notice that used to hang in the Beis Hamedresh of the Rebbe in Brooklyn NY: Based on the Rebbe Shlita s words to be careful about matters of Tznius and according to the Din as explained in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim siman Ayin Hei (review halacha therein) that one is forbidden to utter words of holiness in front of a Tefach of the exposed [body] of a girl three years old and up, we are asking all of Anash not to bring their daughters, even if they are ketanos into the Beis Medreash withour appropriate covering. Signed : The Hanhala of Beis Medrash Lubavitch And from a letter of the Rebbe: According to the Shulchan Aruch when a girl reaches the age of three years and a day she should already conduct herself in a manner of Tznius. Surely this applies to a girl 10 years and older... But not to be oppressive about this... and to speak in a pleasant manner. Excerpt from a letter of the Rebbe, Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVIII, p. 448 So how did we arrive at a situation where a non-lubavitch bungalow colony insists that its young girls wear tights, while a young Lubavitcher girl not only does not wear tights, but would actually rather not join her friend in play than have to wear tights? With the month of Elul in our midst and Tishrei just ahead let us commit to reconnect to America Is Nisht Andersh and usher in what we are all yearning for the Geula Shleima Teichef Umiyad Mamosh. I enjoyed the give-and-take with Mrs. Molly Resnick in the recent issue of our wonderful Crown Heights newspaper, which I read cover to cover each week that I receive it (unfortunately, I do not always receive it). I especially enjoyed the letter from someone who wrote that in her house, the word nightlife is a kosher word implying only an evening of good times with family. Mrs. Resnick disagreed, indicating that, in her opinion, once a word is used anywhere in the world for something non-kosher, it is contaminated and cannot be used in a kosher way ever again. This morning my husband and I had to catch an international flight. We had to leave the house at 5 a.m. He set his alarm for 4:00 because he had a lot to do before leaving. I set my alarm for 4:45 because I had very little to do before leaving. Both make the exact same sound. The strange thing is, when the alarm rang at 4, I did not wake up, whereas when the very same alarm rang at 5, I jumped up. I did not wake up from his alarm (I am assuming) because subconsciously, even though I was sleeping, I knew that alarm was not for me. So I did not even hear it. The goyish, vulgar meaning of the word Nightlife which Mrs. Resnick alludes to also is not meant for us. So we don t hear it, at least not the way that Mrs. R. hears it. Name Withheld Upon Request Mrs. M. Resnick Replies: Thank you for your letter and I couldn t agree with you more. The Crown Heights Community Newsletter is a great asset to our community and kudos go to Rabbi M. Rubashkin for the inspiration and to Mrs. S. Junik and Mr. Y. Kanovsky who put it together. May Hashem bless them with an abundance of funds so that we can have it printed and delivered each week. Rega rd i ng you r a na log y to t he alarm clock, alas, that is exactly the problem. Once it was sufficient for a parent or a teacher to caution Es Passt Nisht Far Dir and there was little if any resistance but today the Kabalas Ol of our youth is so weakened and the influence of the goyishe world is so powerful and that we have to fortify the next generation to withstand its tsunami proportions. It can t be a personal choice and a question of who hears what. A Rav once told me the following: A frum man asked a Shaila if he could sell his wares on the beach for his parnasah. The response was that there is no leeway for business to be conducted in a place of indecency. The frum man persisted Rabbi, I am an Ish Metzunan (cold tempered man) and am not affected by what I see, for me this is purely business. The Rav replied I am more worried about your second query than your first. How on earth did you get to be so inured to what you see that you are unaffected by what you might see on a beach? My dear Name withheld upon request I am willing to be Dan Lechaf Zchus and presume that you are as innocent as the holy Reb Zusha. That for you Nightlife is a combination of two words joined innocently into one but I would hesitate to make the same assumption for everyone else who comes upon the word. And certainly we have to be doubly careful with our children who are so much more exposed to the world than we ever were. So, how about going for the age-old proven adage of Asseh Lecha Rav - or turning to one s Mashpiah as the Rebbe directed and asking them whether certain expressions of word or music Passt for the Rebbe s kinder or Passt Nisht. (Chabad House activities are in a different category). Perhaps we need to call on our Rabbanim to pasken. Perhaps we have to send them a clear message that we want them to pasken, that we are ready to be guided and we will follow their rulings. The original article Glitzy Titles or an Am Kadosh is available on line on: NewsFinalRee.pdf Dear Mrs Resnik, Thanks for your weekly inspirational articles. We often read the CH Community Newspaper at the table on Shabbos and my husband made a comment on the last issue. Reading Mrs, Morosov's letter, he said: "Oh Nightlight! What a good name for that program!" I was not sure I agreed with you on the name complaint but after hearing my husband comment I thought about it some more and I have to agree that you may have a point. TG Crown Heigthts

16 16 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Rebbe's Story An unusual event on Erev Yom Kippur When one tells a story about his Rebbe he connects to the deeds of the Rebbe (Sichos 1941 pg. 68) Rivkah Devorah Kleim OBM up. My mother noticed him and with bags under her sad empty red eyes she Miss Rivka Devorah Kleim was born on pushed me and my little sister [Rivka Yud Shvat in This past 5th Menachem Av, the hilulo of the Arizal, she Devorah] and motioned us to go to was nifter at the untimely age of 28. The oldest sister in the family experienced a loss of two sisters, 19 years apart. Her youngest sister was nifter in Tishrei 5750, or Following are excerpts from a blog that the oldest surviving sister wrote about her youngest sister s levaya, which took place on Erev Yom Kippur in 5750 (late 1989). I stood in front of 770 with tears pouring down my face and my broken heart breaking into even smaller pieces as me and my family, waited for the car with my sister s innocent lifeless body to come by so she could give her goodbye and we could get in the car behind her and follow her to her final resting place. A few real sincere people did show up, I didn t pay them any attention because that s not what the event was about. While I stood in front of 770 on that grey rainy Erev Yom Kippur crying my heart out, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, my Rebbe, walked out of 770 and stood still in the doorway of his palace while the car with my sister s body pulled my Rebbe. The holy tzaddik began walking down the steps towards me and my sister, as we wiped our eyes and sobbed uncontrollably. The Rebbe reached into his pocket and pulled out some nickels and gave them to us. While standing in front of 770 on Erev Yom Kippur in the rain, he put his hands on our heads and said Yevorechicho... veyishmirecha, Yoer etc. and the two poor little children received the holiest most meaningful brocho they have ever gotten. Through my uncontrollable sobs I told my REBBE thank you for his Brocha and then headed back to my mother with my little sister clutching her nickel in one hand and her other hand gripping mine. THE REBBE then got into the black caddy that was parked behind the car that was giving my baby sister her final ride. I went back to where my tired mother was standing and waiting for us, and she told us it was time to go. Me and my sister instantly in sync started balling our sad little eyes out. We didn t want to get in that fancy car, we didn t want to go to the cemetery We didn t want to say goodbye to our baby sister. The black caddy (Editor s note: Rabbi Klein s car driving the Rebbe) pulled out. We quietly, sadly drove to the cemetery with tears in our eyes, the black caddy in the rear view mirror the whole time. We pulled up to the place that we would have the last opportunity to say goodbye to our baby sister and ask mechila, ironically on Erev Yom Kipur, before 6 feet of dirt was piled on top of her and we would never be in the same room as her again. The black caddy stopped and from his seat, with sadness on his face, my Rebbe waved at us and we waved back to him before we drove back to Crown Heights with the black caddy behind us. When I put my tattered machzor down that Yom Kippur and headed toward the door I was grabbed, stopped and questioned about MY REBBE S appearance at my poor unfortunate sister s levaya, I didn t respond, and walked out the door. Editor s note: The Rebbe went to the ohel on Erev Yom Kippur only in 5712 (late 1951) and one other additional time, Erev Yom Kippur 5750 (189), the day this blog posting refers to We should speedily witness The ones who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice and Rivka Devorah and her younger sister, amongst them. REaD US ON CROWNHEIGHTS.INFO EVERY WEEk! Mazal Tov! Adapted from Shmais Engagements Levi Illulian (Beverly Hills, CA) to Devorah Leah Traxler (Houston, TX) Reuven Kasten (Atlanta, GA) to Tzipporah Hoffman (S. Cruz, CA) Mordechai Lokshin (Crown Heights) to Devorah Leah Lazaroff (Houston, TX) Berel Matusof (Crown Heights) to Chava Tzivia Teitelbaum (Crown Heights) Levi Raskin (Montreal, Canada) to Itta Gurary (Crown Heights) Boruch Sholom Wolf (Chicago, IL) to Mushkie Geisinsky (Great Neck, NY) Weddings Hershel Caytak (Ottawa, Canada) to Aliza Edelstein (Montreal, Canada) Levi Feigelstock (Vancouver, Canada) to Ryvka Goldberg (Yerres, France) Shmully Goldberg (Seattle, WA) to Sarah Finkelstein (Los Angeles, CA) Yochanan Gordon (Melbourne, Australia) to Rochel Beenstok (Manchester, UK) Shimon Hellinger (North Miami Beach, FL) to Devorah Leah Schtroks (Crown Heights) Zalman Raskin (Melbourne, Australia) to Esty Newman (Crown Heights) Births Twins Berel & Ziporah Cohen TWIN GIRLS!! Cincinnati, OH Yecheskel & Chaya Stein - TWIN GIRLS!! - Oak Park, MI Births Boys Shmuly & Yael Brummel - Crown Heights Yisroel Shimon & Tenny Chudaitov - Crown Heights Levi & Shaina Cohen - Crown Heights Yonason & Chaya Kahanovitch - Crown Heights Shmuel & Didi Konikov - Crown Heights Nochum & Malki Labkowski - Crown Heights Sholom & Chana Pevzner - Crown Heights Aviel & Dina Rochel Salazar - Coral Springs, FL Levi & Chanie Schechter - Crown Heights Shlomo & Rina Shoshana Vile - Chicago, IL Hershel & Mimi Weiszner - Crown Heights Births Girls Yossi & Hadassah Chen Jerusalem Dov & Miriam Leah Davidson - Oak Park, MI Menachem & Chani Feldman - Greenwich, CT Sholom & Sarale Lesches - Montreal, Canada Reuven & Devora Paley S. Diego, CA Bar Mitzva Moishe Blumberger Pittsburgh, PA

17 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 17 Elul Yahrzeiten This week we continue with the Yahrzeiten of people who lived in our shechuna. We are also including the Yahrzeiten of Shluchim. In mentioning them we come to v Hachai yiten el Libo. We learn from their lives, lessons that we can incorporate into our own. This column includes the Yahrzeiten from the 13h of through the 19th of Elul. The respective resting places of the individuals noted in this column are near the holy Ohel, unless otherwise specified. Men 13th of Elul Horav Hachossid H a t o m i m R e b Dovid Shlomo Deitsch The son of Horav Hachossid Reb Menachem Mendel, he was mekushar to the Rebbe, was the pillar who maintained Yeshiva Oholei Torah, occupied himself in giving charity and doing chassodim for the community and the individual merited to save lives in Russia, loved everyone and was beloved by all,, and. He was born on the 3rd of Tishrei in 1916 in Dokshitz and was nifter in Hatomim Yosef Yitzchok Halevi Sherr The son of, may he live and be well Horav Hatomim Reb Shimon Yoel Halevi. In his merit, Rabbi Tzvi H. Morosow has on the 11th of Nissan, for the past 17 years, rented a school bus known as Yossi's Tank which takes the 5th grade students of Oholei Torah to Brighton Beach, for mivtzoim. The children, who gain experience in Mivtzoim, are joined by the older bochurim and Rabbi MM Zalmanov. Thousands of matzos are packed and handed out by these young students, as well as chometz sale forms and Mivtza Tefillin. In the past few years, N'shei Chabad had joined Yossi's Tank, and Yossi's Tank has been able to put matza on all the tanks for distribution. He was born in 1979 and was nifter from a swift but virulent illness in th of Elul Horav Hachossid H a t o m i m R e b Yitzchok Shlomo Pewzner The son of Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Avrohom Boruch, he was a great Torah scholar. He was born in 1929 on the 17th of Adar and was nifter in His resting place is on Har Hazeisim. Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Chaim Yosef Nemotin The son of Horav Hachossid Reb Shmuel, he merited to serve the Rebbe s father and the Rebbetzin Chana and merited to special kiruvim from the Rebbe. He saved lives and with self-sacrifice built a mikva in his home in Alma-Ata. He was nifter in th of Elul Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Yosef Yitzchok Gordon The son of Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Yisroel, with self-sacrifice he served as a shochet for almost fifty years, and was a baal midos tovos. He was nifter in th of Elul Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Kalman Katlowitz HY D The son of Horav Shlomo Hirsh, he was among the first Tmimim in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in the United States. He was killed in th of Elul Horav Hachossid Reb Avrohom Karp The son of Horav Yaakov Boruch, he was an elite educator and spread Torah for more than fifty years. He merited to teach the entire Talmud many time in the Lubavitch Shul in Montreal. He was born in 1920 on the 15th of Teves in Prempel, Poland and was nifter in Women 14th of Elul Mrs. Esther Haddasa Levin The daughter of Horav Hachossid Reb Yehoshua Zelig, and the wife of Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Dovid Abba may Hashem avenge his blood, she sacrificed herself and with a life of pain and agony, raised her children to Torah and Chassidus. She merited to see her descendents involved in spreading Chassidus and was nifter in th of Elul Mrs. Tzipora Rochel Feller The daughter of Reb Shlomo Zalman, she sacrificed to help the needy and worked devotedly for Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim. She was nifter in th of Elul Mrs. Brocho Lipsh Schuchat The daughter of Reb Menachem Gedalia, she was nifter in We should speedily witness The ones who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice with all the above mentioned individuals amongst them. Dear Readers: Anyone who would like to have their relatives mentioned in the yahrzeit column should the name, father s name, date of the ptira and some details to chp5768@ gmail.com. A picture may be included. CHP5768@GMAIL.COM SUBSCRIBE! WRITE US! Would You Mess with Your Hiskashrus? A new year is approaching, and in the undercurrent of every Chossid s Elul-wind is a special urgency: the year of Hakhel is upon us. The Rebbe transformed Hakhel from a rare event involving the King s recitation of the Torah to a widespread campaign obligating every one of us to inspire our sphere of influence. Hakhel is considered so vital that on Sukkos, Shnas Hakhel 5748, the Rebbe veered from the way he had observed the Friediker Rebbe unite the arbah minim during the recitation of Hallel. Despite personal hardship and raising the notion, chas veshalom, of a lack of hiskashrus to my Rebbe, the Rebbe later stated, I held the lulav and esrog together so extensively to affect the great unity of Hakhel! Fellow Chassidim, mekusharim of the Rebbe, as Hakehel approaches, let us internalize the Rebbe s act of mesiras nefesh. It is time to reexamine our loyalty to our party, and exclusion of others. It is time to surrender our sanctions, disputes and partisan cliques, and gather all branches together in pursuit of the ultimate hakhel. In honor of the upcoming shloshim of Chaya Rochel Bas Yissachar Dov YIBLCH T Paley on 12 Elul, 5768, her friends and family ask you to increase in Hakhel and Hiskashrus l iluy nishmasa. Post your hachlatos at blogspot.com. Comments (from the blog): A family friend said: I believe that organizing a shiur in the Mamer Hcholtzu in the year 5659 would be an appropriate hachlota. Interesting to note that the coming Hakhel year would be 110 years from when the mamer was said 5659, and 20 years from when the Rebbe gave it out in 5789 to men age 12 and over and woman 11 and over in. If you are Interested in participating in an English or Yiddish shiur, please contact rochiesnetwork@gmail. com to get this going. A chossid said... If you will take this to heart and are going to an event or shul for the sake of Ahvas Yisroel and Hakhel, where you would not typically go because they are opposed to your philosophy of hiskashrus, remember that the Rebbe s Nsius is in a way of chessed and rachamim. I suggest to follow the Rebbe s example by the lulov and esrog to verbalize and explain what you are doing. (see sicha of the 5th eve of Succos Hisvaduyos P. 245)

18 18 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 YAM Summer Program The YAM Summer Program has completed another successful year, and after the grand trip, we would like to present you with a brief diary of part of the exciting week of the grand trip. Thursday the 13th of Av./Friday the 14th of Av After sending the first group of six teens with one counselor on their own special leg of the grand trip, we go down to planning and shopping for the week of camping, activities, and action, YAM-style. We are talking about food for a week for 20 people without any drivers, and I am back to the Heights to get the bread. We were only a little bit past the Holland Tunnel so it could have been worse. refrigeration. It was a little scary, but we got it all together, or so we thought. Renting another van and another car 4 Vehicles!!! Motzei Shabbos Labeling all the boxes, making a checklist for the morning departure, assigning tasks So much for the early bedtime to be rested for the drive. Sunday the 16th of Av Ever y t h i ng cou ld n t have gone smoother; only there were three guys stuck upstate, trying to make a made dash back to Crown Heights. I hope you make it on time because we will leave without out you. Believe it or not, they made it back, and we actually left on time. This must be a first for a YAM trip. Driving to go tubing, I get a call from Levi Hertzel, Yose. The guy from Albany just sent me a text. He wants to know when we are picking up the bread. THE BREAD!!! I knew our organization was too good to be true. I forgot the 33 loaves of mezonos bread. The 80 hot dog buns and the 80 hamburger rolls. Not to mention the 20 doughnuts I was going to surprise the guys with. Shuffling the cars, trading Got to the tubing place and even got a few runs. Guys look like they are having a blast. Benny lost a piece of his tooth in a nasty wipeout. We got both of the boat drivers to put on Tefilllin, ate a quick cheese lunch and headed up to Lake George, a good 4 hour drive. When we got to Lake George, it was dark. We check in to the campsite, where the owner informs us, Remember, this is a family campsite. I just bought this business, and I rely on my service to repeat customers that come for a week or more. Please don t jeopardize this by making a lot of noise. We can t like play any music or horse around or anything? For sure not. You need to set up camp, have a bite, and go to sleep. We can barbeque, right. Quietly. Listen, if you can t keep it down, I will kick you out. O h m a n. Th i s i s g o i n g t o b e interesting. To be continued.

19 September 12, 2008 ~ crown heights Newspaper 19 Who Wants to be President? When I saw a cartoon pointing out the difficulties the next president of the USA would have to face, I was left with a question. Knowing how much a president these days has to deal with, why would anyone want to be president? Aside from a messy global situation, the Iran situation, the Russian situation and the impossible politics in the Middle East, there are problems within the country such as education, health care, inflationary prices, bad economy, rising food costs, etc. No doubt the president should be a good person, but I think there are two glaring reasons why someone would want to be president. One is the power. We all like to feel powerful on some level - for some it's leading those in their own sphere of influence and for others it's being the leader of the greatest and most powerful country in the world. Another reason someone would want to become president is because they have a desire to make a difference. The desire to make a difference plays itself out many times all over the world, every day when people give charity to a worthy cause, when they volunteer to help others, or even in care-giving type jobs. A president can be the president 'of the people, by the people' or he can feel that he is above the people. How a president deals with the country's problems. A president's relationship with the citizenry will be entirely different depending on his view of himself. Just like when we look for a president of the USA we should be aware of who their friends and supporters are, when looking for a president we should try to see what the person's ultimate goal is and what they hope to accomplish. I would think that we have to see which future president's goal is to really make a difference and who is in it for the glory and the power. Who is Rabbi Shea Hecht? Shea Hecht is a Rabbi and activist in the Jewish community. More than a decade ago, he rose to national prominence as a community leader during the Crown Heights riots in New York. As a result, he received numerous awards by both government and private organizations for his work in fostering racial harmony. Shea was a member of Mayor Giuliani's task force on police/community relations. He received the Community Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee for his leadership of the Crown Heights Coalition, seen as a model for healing Homelessness in Lubavitch The Town of Brotherly Love a polarized community. For seven years, Shea Hecht was a Commissioner of Human Rights for the city of New York. Shea serves as chairman of the Board at the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education where he has continued the tradition of social services management and outreach that began with his father, the late Rabbi Jacob J. Hecht. Shea is Dean of Hadar Hatorah School for College Youth and a lecturer at the Ivy League Torah Study Program. He is a co-founder of the Ari Program, an innovative school for at-risk kids. As a life strategist, Shea's expertise centers on family crisis intervention- guiding and advising troubled youths and their families, marriage counseling, and as a drugs and cults consultant. As an activist, he serves as a liaison between the government/law enforcement, fostering racial harmony and diversity in his community. Shea's articles and commentaries on various topics are printed in many prominent newspapers and periodicals worldwide. He can be reached at or at rabbishea@aol.com By Avigail Halevy Passing by Medgar Evans College yesterday there was a sign that read: Feeling is Healing. Nobody wants words anymore, let alone speeches. We need someone to talk to, someone to empathize. We will probably have to reinvent language to find expression for the emotional range of these rugged times. Let s face it, what are all of the tehillim, tefillahs, mitzvahs, mivtzoim, if the basic thing the heart is missing? Without trueheartedness, our beautiful handcrafted edifice has turned artificial and sour. High level functioning has given way to neurosis and rheumatism. Everyone has their shtick and we all have to play by the rules. The adults are imploding, the youth are exploding and nobody registers. Shira vzimra, the Rebbe chooses his words. Start singing and rejoicing because the answers are not going to come through reason. Unreasonable togetherness, unreasonable faith, baseless joy these are the things that will keep you on the straight and narrow. In the Hayom Yom of the 15th of Menachem Av the Mittler Rebbe quotes the Alter Rebbe: Ahavat Yisrael must possess one to the very core of life itself. The footnote clarifies: Ad mitsui hanefesh with all of your soul, etc, i.e. up to and including, readiness to give up one s life. We read this Hayom Yom every day but do we take it to heart? Do we practice it? Heart means deed. What have I DONE to bring Moshiach? To what depths of feeling have I reached to make me DO what is needed? We do not know what to do because we do not feel it with the heart s imperative. It is simple logic. Did you ever go to daven in 770 and you had to step over someone s sleeping body to reach your makom kavua? Despite the factions of people (some of them ruling factions) who imagine that getting rid of the problem by herding them away to institutions out of sight out of mind, or intimidating them with fists, the problem remains like a stain on one s garment. There is a thing called Jewish homelessness, and it is not necessarily a function of mental illness. Jewish homelessness has its cosmic root in the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, the home of every Jew and the cosmic heart of the world. So, let s be honest. There are homeless Jews in our community, and we have no organized system of assistance for them. There is no such thing as, it s your problem in Judaism. Our problem is already the healing and the solution. You are not alone and abandoned in your problem. We are all in this stinky, sticky boat called life together. We will reach the Promised Land. Our work is the we, the our, the together no matter what the stench. The High Holidays are approaching, and there are some Jews in our community who are facing terrible situations. They are alone in the world, bereft of family. One woman has faced the loss of two husbands, and her only child, lo alenu. She has been emotionally and physically derailed so many times that it makes one s head spin. She has no family and no home. She needs an apartment with utilities and food. We need fifteen people to come up with $100/ monthly from their maaser to support her. Who will come forward with ten of their friends? How difficult is it really? And how blessed!!!! Another woman is an orphan whose father died in W.W.II and whose mother died of T.B. She survived her childhood in non-jewish orphanages where she was beaten viciously for being a Jew. She became a visionary in her profession. Now, in her sixties, an age in which most people have menucha and nachas, she has been diagnosed with the unspeakable disease in her liver. Having never married or had a child, she faces her illness alone. She needs immediate financial support to pay doctor s bills along with her rent and living expenses. Who will come forward with thirty of their friends and pledge $100/ monthly from their maaser? Who will come forward? We need forty people to pledge $100/ monthly to prevent homelessness to our own local outcries. Who will help? If it is you, please send 12 head checks made out to the Lubavitch Youth Organization headed by Rabbi Kastel to: The Crown Heights Homelessness Foundation c/o Avigail Halevy 346 New York Ave. Apt.#3B Brooklyn, N.Y Thank you for your support. Kativa Vchatima Tova!!!!!

20 20 CROWN HEIGHTS Newspaper ~September 12, 2008 Crown Heights Career Assistance Program CAREER TRAINING FOR ANASH Helping You Develop a Successful Career and a Prosperous Future What is the Crown Heights Career Assistance Program? F. E. G. S Is Part of the Caring Jewish Community B H The Crown Heights Career Assistance Program (CH-CAP) can help you with career counseling, information, referrals to career training programs, and help pay your tuition. At CH-CAP you can gain the skills you need to be successful in today s job market. This program is designed to assist graduates of Crown Heights Chabad kollels, yeshivas or teacher s seminaries. If you are a member of the Crown Heights Anash community, you may be eligible for enrollment into the program. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM For more than 70 years, F. E. G. S has provided career assessment, career guidance, training, and placement assistance to the Jewish Community. A beneficiary of How We Can Help CH-CAP offers: Referral to Career Training Financial Assistance for tuition Job Readiness, Resume Preparation and Interview Skills Assistance Job placement Services Post-Placement Counseling & Career Development Planning For More Information To learn more about the Crown Heights Career Assistance Program: CALL: or crownheightscap@fegs.org Swimming is great low impact exercise! Come to the Rec-Center! NEW SCHEDULE - September SUNDAY MEN: 9:00AM - 12:00PM Men/ laps WOMEN: 5:00PM - 6:45PM Shift I 6:45PM - 8:20PM Shift II 8:30PM - 9:15PM Aqua Aerobics Adults 9:15PM - 10:45PM Adults/Laps MONDAY MEN: 5:00PM - 7:00PM Shift I 7:00PM - 9:00PM Shift I 9:00PM - 11:00PM Adults/Laps EVERYONE MUST HAVE A BATHING CAP TO ENTER THE POOL! TUESDAY WOMEN: 5:00PM - 6:45PM Shift I 6:45PM - 7:00PM Shift II 7:00PM - 8:20PM Shift III 8:30PM - 9:15PM Aqua Aerobic Adult 9:15PM - 10:45PM Adults/Laps WEDNESDAY MEN: 5:00PM - 7:00PM Shift I 7:00PM - 9:00PM Shift I 9:00PM - 11:00PM Adults/Laps CAPS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR $3.00 THURSDAY WOMEN: 5:00PM - 7:00PM Shift I 7:00PM - 9:00PM Shift II 9:00PM - 11:00PM Adults/Laps FRIDAY CLOSED: ADMISSION $2.00 Aqua Aerobics additional $5.00 Aqua Aerobics must be reserved in advance - Call Devora Leah at For more information call